cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Women and social change in the Muslim Arab world

An analysis of the role and position of women with respect to the Arab social structure and their impact on the development of this structure. It is contended that while women regularly and continuously contribute to the construction of their society they have nonetheless witnessed throughout history the reduction and deterioration of their status. The disintegration of womens status in the Arab world is traced through transformations in tribal social economy in the premodern era and through the dismantling of tribal modes of production in the colonial period. Emergence of strong female figures during periods of struggle for national liberation and subsequent social reaction and disintegration of status are discussed. Contemporary feminist reform (abolition of the veil family planning policies education and employment of women) is interpreted with respect to the labor demands of captitalism. The impact of these changes and their incompatibility with lingering traditional values has taken a toll upon the psyche of women as evidenced by rates of suicide and divorce and numbers of women psychiatric patients and criminals. The possibility that the true liberation of Arab women will be pushed forward paradoxically through the present reform of their status for purposes of production is discussed. The raised consciousness of women as a result of exposure to the outside world and employment combined with female ingenuity and other factors are cited as signs of a brighter future for Arab women.
The effect of dark recovery time on the photoefficiency of heterogeneous photocatalysis by TiO2 suspended in non-aqueous media

Variation of dark recovery time influences the efficiency of a heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation on irradiated TiO2 particles suspended in non-aqueous media, but does not affect the efficiency of a parallel photocatalyzed reduction. The efficiency of the photocatalyzed oxidation of 1-octanol on Degusa P-25 TiO2 in oxygenated acetonitrile nearly doubled when the dark interval between excitation pulses was increased from 0.1 s to 1 s. No improvement in photoefficiency could be detected in the photocatalytic reduction of p-nitroacetophenone under the same conditions.
The Visible and Invisible in a MOOC Discussion Forum

Online discussion forums in a MOOC setting allow students to become aware of other students enrolled in the course. However, what is (usually) visible in the forums is the output of ``active'' students who engage in asking and answering questions. In addition to such active participants, there is (as always in online communities) a large group of ``passive'' users (so-called lurkers), who might find the forum useful to their learning, and read it regularly, despite remaining ``invisible''. Our analysis of a large MOOC online forum shows that for every active participant in the forum there are two passive ones. 30% of active participants complete the course, compared to only 6.6% of the passive participants. Vice-versa, 67% of students who complete the course are also active in the forum. However, ``invisible activity'' (e.g. reading or searching the forum) is something that both groups practice equally and more frequently, while only 3.3% of forum actions are visible.
Toxic Effects of Kojic Acid in the Diet of Male Broilers

The toxicological effects induced by the administration of kojic acid were characterized in young male broiler chickens (Hubbard x Peterson). The experimental design consisted of six dietary treatments of kojic acid (0, .5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 g/kg feed) and four replicates of 10 broilers per replicate. Kojic acid significantly (P less than .05) decreased growth rates at concentrations greater than 2 g basic acid/kg feed. Kojic acid in higher concentrations also significantly increased the relative weights of the proventriculus, gizzard, pancreas, and liver, and significantly decreased the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius at necropsy (Day 21). Hematological changes included a significant increase in the number of red blood cells, a significant increase in packed-cell volume, and a significant decrease in mean corpuscular volume. Also occurring was a significant increase in the serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Hepatotoxicity of dietary kojic acid was evident through a significant increase in the activities of serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase and creatine kinase and a significant decrease in the activity of alkaline phosphatase. A significant increase in serum uric acid concentration was indicative of nephrotoxicity, and a significant increase in serum glucose concentration was indicative of pancreatic toxicity. A significant decrease in colonic temperature was also observed. Because the toxic effects of kojic acid were only observed at concentrations greater than 2 g kojic acid/kg feed, this mycotoxin alone does not appear to pose a serious economic threat to the poultry industry.
Ontology-assisted keyword search for NeuroML models

NeuroML is an extensible markup language for describing complex mathematical models of neurons and neuronal networks. NeuroML is unique in its modular, multi-scale structure -- not only can entire NeuroML models be exchanged, but subcomponents of these models that correspond to neuroscience objects, like channels or synapses, also can be shared and reimplemented in a different model. This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an ontology-assisted search for NeuroML models. Specifically, the paper describes the design of the system, including the database that stores the modular NeuroML models and the architecture of the Web-based search (neuroml-db.org). The implementation takes advantage of the nested structure of NeuroML models and the NeuroLex ontology for neuroscience to provide additional semantic information to enhance the search. In addition to NeuroLex terms that may exist in model metadata, this initial implementation takes advantage of several semantic relationships provided by the NeuroLex ontology: Is_part_of, Located_in, and Neurotransmitter. An evaluation of the system illustrates its effectiveness both for functionality and performance, covering various types of searches broken down by keyword searches over the database and ontology searches using the semantic relationships.
Confusion and Direction in Diagnostic Doppler Sonography

Spectral and color sonographic Doppler information has become critical to medical imaging and diagnosis. However, there are no standards for the display of the Doppler frequency-shifted sonographic directional information. The display of the spectral and Doppler directional information is arbitrary and under operator control. The authors discuss the current situation of the Doppler directional displays and the problems that may be caused by this confusion.
Commercial Policy and Aggregate Employment Under Rational Expectations

Commercial policy is often advocated as a useful tool for combating such macroeconomic ills as unemployment and chronic balance of payments deficits. This paper examines the role of expectations in determining the output and employment effects of various commercial policies. In a rational expectations framework in which workers have incomplete information, it is shown that (i) the shortrun output and employment effects of commercial policy changes depend crucially on the correlation between real and nominal wages and that (ii) the use of commercial policy as an instrument of short-run stabilization policy cannot be divorced from its long-run effects on real wages, output, and employment. I. INTRODUCTION One of the most persistent arguments against free trade is that tariffs, import quotas, and other protectionist devices are useful tools for combating such macroeconomic ills as unemployment and chronic balance of payments deficits. For example, it has been, and still is, argued that by shifting demand from foreign to domestic goods, a tariff will increase employment and improve the balance of payments. It was this kind of reasoning that led the U. S. Congress to enact the Smoot-Hawley tariffs in 1930 during the early stages of the Great Depression and that two years later resulted in Great Britain ending almost a century of free trade by adopting the Import Duties Act. In recent years, these sentiments have perhaps been part of the intellectual foundation for the "new protectionism." In light of this, it is important to reassess the theoretical basis of these macroeconomic arguments for protection. The "employment argument" for protectionist policies has been discussed by Mundell [1961], Tower [1973], Boyer [1977], Chan [1978], Eichengreen [1981], and Krugman [1982]. One common element of all these papers, with the exception of Eichengreen [1981] and Krugman [1982], is that they do not discuss the role, if any, played by expectations in determining the output and employment effects of commercial policy. The importance of expectations for macroeconomic stabilization policy has been the
Ovulatory shifts in human female ornamentation: near ovulation, women dress to impress.

Humans differ from many other primates in the apparent absence of obvious advertisements of fertility within the ovulatory cycle. However, recent studies demonstrate increases in women's sexual motivation near ovulation, raising the question of whether human ovulation could be marked by observable changes in overt behavior. Using a sample of 30 partnered women photographed at high and low fertility cycle phases, we show that readily-observable behaviors – self-grooming and ornamentation through attractive choice of dress – increase during the fertile phase of the ovulatory cycle. At above-chance levels, 42 judges selected photographs of women in their fertile (59.5%) rather than luteal phase (40.5%) as “trying to look more attractive.” Moreover, the closer women were to ovulation when photographed in the fertile window, the more frequently their fertile photograph was chosen. Although an emerging literature indicates a variety of changes in women across the cycle, the ornamentation effect is striking in both its magnitude and its status as an overt behavioral difference that can be easily observed by others. It may help explain the previously documented finding that men's mate retention efforts increase as their partners approach ovulation.
Control of locomotion with shape-changing wheels

We present a novel approach to controlling the locomotion of a wheel by changing its shape, leading to applications to the synthesis and closed-loop control of gaits for modular robots. A dynamic model of a planar, continuous deformable ellipse in contact with a ground surface is derived. We present two alternative approaches to controlling this system and a method for mapping the gaits to a discrete rolling polygon. Mathematical models and dynamic simulation of the continuous approximation and the discrete n-body system, and experimental results obtained from a physical modular robot system illustrate the accuracy of the dynamic models and the validity of the approach.
In vivo noninvasive evaluation of abnormal patellar tracking during squatting in patients with patellofemoral pain.

Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome is one of the most common knee problems and may be related to abnormal patellar tracking. Our purpose was to compare, in vivo and noninvasively, the patellar tracking patterns in symptomatic patients with patellofemoral pain and those in healthy subjects during squatting. We tested the hypothesis that patients with patellofemoral pain exhibit characteristic patterns of patellar tracking that are different from those of healthy subjects. Methods: Three-dimensional patellar kinematics were recorded in vivo with use of a custom-molded patellar clamp and an optoelectronic motion capture system in ten healthy subjects and nine subjects with patellofemoral pain. The position of osseous knee landmarks was digitized while subjects stood upright, and then patellofemoral kinematics were recorded during squatting. The tracking technique was validated with use of both in vitro and in vivo methodologies, and the average absolute error was <1.2° and <1.1 mm. Results: At 90° of knee flexion, the patella showed lateral spin (the distal pole of the patella rotated laterally) in subjects with patellofemoral pain (mean and standard deviation, −10.13° ± 2.24°) and medial spin in healthy subjects (mean, 4.71° ± 1.17°) (p < 0.001). At 90° of knee flexion, the patella demonstrated significantly more lateral translation in subjects with patellofemoral pain (mean, 5.05 ± 3.73 mm) than in healthy subjects (mean, −4.93 ± 3.93 mm) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Kinematic differences between healthy subjects and subjects with patellofemoral pain were demonstrated through a large, dynamic range of knee flexion angles. Increased lateral patellar translation and lateral patellar spin in subjects with patellofemoral pain suggest that the patella is not adequately balanced during functional activities in this group. Prospective studies are needed to identify when patellofemoral pain-related changes begin to occur and to determine the risk for the development of patellofemoral pain in individuals with abnormal kinematics. Clinical Relevance: This study presents a simple extension of standard motion analysis tools, which allows for accurate assessment of three-dimensional patellofemoral kinematics in the clinical setting. The identification of kinematic differences associated with patellofemoral pain suggests that the dynamic tracking technique is a potential diagnostic tool for this syndrome.
The Design and Implementation of the Massively Parallel Processor Based on the Matrix Architecture

This paper describes the design and implementation of the massively parallel processor based on the matrix architecture which is suitable for portable multimedia applications. The proposed architecture in this paper achieves the high performance of 40 GOPS in the case of consecutive fixed-point 16-bit additions at 200MHz clock frequency and the small power dissipation of 250mW. In addition, 1Mbit SRAM for data registers and 2048 2-bit-grained processing elements connected by a flexible switching network are integrated in the small area of 3.1 mm 2 in 90nm CMOS low standby technology. These design techniques and architectures described in this paper are attractive for realizing area-efficient, energy-efficient, and high-performance multimedia processors
Dynamic channel allocation schemes for overlay cellular architectures

Conventional cellular systems have not taken full advantage of frequency reuse and adaptive allocation due to the fixed cluster size and uniformed channel assignment procedure. In this paper, we propose two reuse portioning scheme for adaptive channel allocation namely maximal dynamic reuse partitioning (MDRP) and optimal dynamic reuse partitioning (ODRP). We propose that an overlaying cellular clustering scheme which uses adaptive cluster size would provide a better capacity by exploiting the high level of signal to interference ratio (SIR). The proposed methods are studied via simulations and the results show that the adaptive clustering with optimization provide a better capacity and grade of service (GoS) under some assumptions comparing to the conventional cellular architectures.
Synergistic effect between erlotinib and MEK inhibitors in KRAS wild-type human pancreatic cancer cells.

Purpose: The combination of erlotinib and gemcitabine has shown a small but statistically significant survival advantage when compared with gemcitabine alone in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. However, the overall survival rate with the erlotinib and gemcitabine combination is still low. In this study, we sought to identify gene targets that, when inhibited, would enhance the activity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies in pancreatic cancer cells. Experimental Design: A high-throughput RNA interference (RNAi) screen was carried out to identify candidate genes. Selected gene hits were further confirmed and mechanisms of action were further investigated using various assays. Results: Six gene hits from siRNA screening were confirmed to significantly sensitize BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells to erlotinib. One of the hits, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 1, was selected for further mechanistic studies. Combination treatments of erlotinib and two MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors, RDEA119 and AZD6244, showed significant synergistic effect for both combinations (RDEA119–erlotinib and AZD6244–erlotinib) compared with the corresponding single drug treatments in pancreatic cancer cell lines with wild-type KRAS (BxPC-3 and Hs 700T) but not in cell lines with mutant KRAS (MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1). The enhanced antitumor activity of the combination treatment was further verified in the BxPC-3 and MIA PaCa-2 mouse xenograft model. Examination of the MAPK signaling pathway by Western blotting indicated effective inhibition of the EGFR signaling by the drug combination in KRAS wild-type cells but not in KRAS mutant cells. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that combination therapy of an EGFR and MEK inhibitors may have enhanced efficacy in patients with pancreatic cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 17(9); 2744–56. ©2011 AACR .
Combined Quantum Chemistry and Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study of the Electronic Structure and Reduction Potentials of Rubredoxin Redox Site Analogues

Iron−sulfur proteins are an important class of electron carriers in a wide variety of biological reactions. Determining the intrinsic contribution of the metal site to the redox potential is crucia...
The stabilization of microtubules in isolated spindles by tubulin-colchicine complex.

We have analyzed the effect of colchicine and tubulin dimer-colchicine complex (T-C) on microtubule assembly in mitotic spindles. Cold- and calcium-labile mitotic spindles were isolated from embryos of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus employing EGTA/glycerol stabilization buffers. Polarization microscopy and measurements of spindle birefringent retardation (BR) were used to record the kinetics of microtubule assembly-disassembly in single spindles. When isolated spindles were perfused out of glycerol stabilizing buffer into a standard in vitro microtubule reassembly buffer (0.1 M Pipes, pH 6.8, 1 mM EGTA, 0.5 mM MgCl2, and 0.5 mM GTP) lacking glycerol, spindle BR decreased with a halftime of 120 s. Colchicine at 1 mM in this buffer had no effect on the rate of spindle microtubule disassembly. Inclusion of 20 μM tubulin or microtubule protein, purified from porcine brain, in this buffer resulted in an augmentation of spindle BR. Interestingly, in the presence of 20 μM T-C, spindle BR did not increase, but was reversibly stabilized; subsequent perfusion with reassembly buffer without T-C resulted in depolymerization. This behavior is striking in contrast to the rapid depolymerization of spindle microtubules induced by colchicine and T-C in vivo. These results support the current view that colchicine does not directly promote microlubule depolymerization. Rather, it is T-C complex that alters microtubule assembly, by reversibly binding to microtubules and inhibiting elongation. In vivo, colchicine can induce depolymerization of nonkinetochore spindle microtubules within 20 s. In vitro, colchicine blocks further microtubule assembly, but does not induce rapid disassembly. The rate of tubulin dissociation from spindle microtubules in vitro in reassembly buffer without soluble tubulin is about 20 times slower than the rate of dissociation in vivo when assembly is blocked abruptly by T-C. The rate of tubulin dissociation from the spindle microtubules may determine their response to T-C, since the tubulin dissociation rate in vivo is about 12 times faster than the rate measured here for spindle microtubules in standard microtubule reassembly buffer at physiological temperature.
Polarization Induced Surface Dipole Moments.

Abstract The work of Antoniewicz on the polarization induced surface dipole moment of a metal-atom system is generalized to include the retarded response of the metallic electrons.
The microscopic anatomy and ulrastructure of the nervous system in the earthworm (Lumbricus sp.) with emphasis on the relationship between glial cells and neurons

Subesophageal ganglia and the first four ventral chain ganglia from earthworms of the genus Lumbricus were examined by light and electron microscopy. Trypan blue injections indicated that this substance does not pass beyond the cord sheath. Tritiated isoleucine displayed a general non-neuronal distribution after one-half hour exposure but the amino acid was progressively concentrated in neurons at 1 and 2 hours. Ultrastructural studies indicated that a form of cytoplasmic inclusion was common to glial cells and neurons, and that a similar type material was present extracellularly in the cord sheath. Three distinct variations of glial cytoplasm were recognized at the ultrastructural level, and these appeared to be conditioned by the location of the glial cell in the nervous system. A sequence of morphology was observed which suggests that glial cells in the earthworm transport material from the cord sheath to the neurons. The glia directly associated with neurons sent a number of invaginating processes into the neuron which may from the anatomical basis for exchange of materials.
Clinical Factors Associated with Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections

Objective To explore associated clinical factors in children with pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS). Study design Children with tics, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or both (n = 109) were examined with personal and family history, diagnostic interview, physical examination, medical record review, and measurement of baseline levels of streptococcal antibodies. Results Significant group differences were found on several variables, such that children in whom PANDAS (versus without PANDAS) were more likely to have had dramatic onset, definite remissions, remission of neuropsychiatric symptoms during antibiotic therapy, a history of tonsillectomies/adenoidectomies, evidence of group A streptococcal infection, and clumsiness. Conclusion The identification of clinical features associated with PANDAS should assist in delineating risks for this subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder/tics.
THE EFFECT OF SELECTION FOR EYE FACET NUMBER IN THE WHITE BAR-EYE RACE OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Page 7, line 33, read "to be" after "series." Page 8, line 34, before "highest" read "lowest or." Page 8, line 37, before "highest" read "lowest or." Page 14, line 21, for "33" read "3." Page 19, line 12, for "1914" read "1915." Page 113, line 2, read "due to" after "undoubtedly." Page 113,
Evidence of Thyrocalcitonin in Guinea Pig and Its Effects on Maternal-Fetal Calcium Relationships

An extract of guinea pig thyroid gland produced a mild hypocalcemia indicative of the presence of thyrocalcitonin when administered intravenously to nongravid guinea pigs. Extract-induced hypocalcemia in gravid guinea pigs resulted in a rise in fetal plasma calcium values at the end of four hours.
Comparative phylogeography of two seastars and their ectosymbionts within the Coral Triangle.

Repeated exposure and flooding of the Sunda and Sahul shelves during Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations is thought to have contributed to the isolation and diversification of sea-basin populations within the Coral Triangle. This hypothesis has been tested in numerous phylogeographical studies, recovering an assortment of genetic patterns that the authors have generally attributed to differences in larval dispersal capability or adult habitat specificity. This study compares phylogeographical patterns from mitochondrial COI sequences among two co-distributed seastars that differ in their adult habitat and dispersal ability, and two seastar ectosymbionts that differ in their degree of host specificity. Of these, only the seastar Linckia laevigata displayed a classical pattern of Indian-Pacific divergence, but with only moderate genetic structure (ΦCT = 0.067). In contrast, the seastar Protoreaster nodosus exhibited strong structure (ΦCT = 0.23) between Teluk Cenderawasih and the remainder of Indonesia, a pattern of regional structure that was echoed in L. laevigata (ΦCT = 0.03) as well as its obligate gastropod parasite Thyca crystallina (ΦCT =0 .04). The generalist commensal shrimp, Periclimenes soror showed little genetic structuring across the Coral Triangle. Despite species-specific phylogeographical patterns, all four species showed departures from neutrality that are consistent with massive range expansions onto the continental shelves as the sea levels rose, and that date within the Pleistocene epoch. Our results suggest that habitat differences may affect the manner in which species responded to Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations, shaping contemporary patterns of genetic structure and diversity.
Enforcing Borders in the Nuevo South Gender and Migration in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the Research Triangle, North Carolina

Drawing from ethnographic research in the Research Triangle of North Carolina and Williamsburg, Virginia, the authors build on Anzaldua's conceptualization of “borderlands” to analyze how borders of social membership are constructed and enforced in “el Nuevo South.” Our gender analysis reveals that intersecting structural conditions—the labor market, the organization of public space, and the institutional organization of health care and other public services—combine with gendered processes in the home and family to regulate women's participation in community life. Enforcers of borders include institutional actors, mostly women, in social services and clinics who occupy institutional locations that enable them to define who is entitled to public goods and to categorize migrants as undeserving “others.” We reveal how a particularly configured matrix of domination transcends the spheres of home, work, and community to constrain women migrants' physical and economic mobility and personal autonomy and to inhib...
Antagonism of α2A-adrenoceptor: a novel approach to inhibit inflammatory responses in sepsis

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) when an infection is the etiology of SIRS. Our previous studies have indicated that the release of the sympathetic neurotransmitter, norepinephrine (NE), from the gut is increased in sepsis, and that NE potentiates endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α upregulation via the A subtype of α2-adrenoceptors (i.e., α2A-AR) expressed on the surface of Kupffer cells. A specific antagonist for α2A-AR, 2-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl) methyl]-2,3-dihydro-1-methyl-1H-isoindole maleate (BRL-44408 maleate), reduces TNF-α secretion in cultured Kupffer cells. We, therefore, hypothesize that administration of BRL-44408 maleate inhibits inflammatory responses and reduces organ injury in sepsis. To study this, sepsis was induced in male rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). At 5 h after CLP, BRL-44408 maleate (0.3125, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, or 5.0 mg/kg BW) or vehicle (1-ml normal saline) were administered intravenously over a period of 30 min. Blood and intestinal samples were collected at 20 h after CLP. Serum levels of TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), liver enzymes (i.e., aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)), and lactate were measured. The intestinal levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were also analyzed. In additional groups of animals, the necrotic cecum was excised at 20 h post-CLP, and the 10-day survival was recorded. Our results showed that serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10), chemokines (KC, MIP-2), liver enzymes (AST and ALT), lactate, and intestinal levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and MPO were significantly elevated at 20 h after CLP. Administration of BRL-44408 maleate significantly reduced serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, liver enzymes, and lactate, and dramatically decreased TNF-α, IL-6, and MPO levels in the gut. However, it has no statistical effects on the elevated serum levels of IL-10. Moreover, BRL-44408 maleate at the doses of 2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg BW significantly increased the survival rate after CLP and cecal excision. In conclusion, modulation of the sympathetic nervous system by blocking α2A-AR appears to be a novel treatment for inflammatory conditions such as sepsis.
Resistance Mechanism of Propanil-Resistant Barnyardgrass: II. In-vivo Metabolism of the Propanil Molecule

Propanil-resistant barnyardgrass populations, previously verified in Arkansas rice fields and in greenhouse tests, were examined in the laboratory to ascertain if the resistance mechanism in this weed biotype was herbicide metabolism. Propanil-resistant barnyardgrass was controlled >95% in the greenhouse when carbaryl (an aryl acylamidase inhibitor) was applied two days prior to propanil. Laboratory studies with 14 C-radiolabelled propanil indicated that the herbicide was hydrolysed in propanil-resistant barnyardgrass and rice to form 3,4-dichloroaniline, but no detectable hydrolysis occurred in susceptible barnyardgrass. Two additional polar metabolites were detected in propanil-resistant barnyardgrass and rice and tentatively identified by thin layer chromatography. Overall, metabolites in the resistant barnyardgrass had R f values similar to those in rice, indicating similar metabolism for both species. These data, coupled with data from a previous report on the resistant biotype showing no differential absorption/translocation or molecular modification of the herbicide binding site in the resistant biotype, indicate that the resistance mechanism is metabolic degradation of propanil.
Iterated elementary embeddings and the model theory of infinitary logic

Abstract We use iterations of elementary embeddings derived from countably complete ideals on ω 1 to provide a uniform proof of some classical results connecting the number of models of cardinality ℵ 1 in various infinitary logics to the number of syntactic types over the empty set. We introduce the notion of an analytically presented abstract elementary class (AEC), which allows the formulation and proof of generalizations of these results to refer to Galois types rather than syntactic types. We prove ( Theorem 0.4 ) the equivalence of ℵ 0 -presented classes and analytically presented classes and, using this, generalize ( Theorem 0.5 ) Keisler's theorem on few models in ℵ 1 to bound the number of Galois types rather than the number of syntactic types. Theorem 0.6 gives a new proof (cf. [5] ) for analytically presented AEC's of the absoluteness of ℵ 1 -categoricity from amalgamation in ℵ 0 and almost Galois ω-stability.
Tool wear estimation in micro-machining.: Part II: neural-network-based periodic inspector for non-metals

Cutting forces are small, and in many cases insignificant, compared with noise during the micro-machining of many non-metals. The Neural-Network-based Periodic Tool Inspector (N 2 PTI) is introduced to evaluate tool condition periodically on a test piece during the machining of non-metal workpieces. The cutting forces are measured when a slot is being cut on the test piece and the neural network estimates the tool life from the variation of the feed- and thrust-direction cutting forces. The performances of three encoding methods (force variation, segmental averaging and wavelet transformations) and two neural networks [backpropagation (BP) and probabilistic neural network (PNN)] are compared. The advantages of N 2 PTI are simplicity, low cost, reliability and simple computational requirements. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Characteristic Functions and Applications

Characteristic functions were first systematically studied by Paul Levy, although they were used by others before him. It provides an extremely powerful tool in probability in general, and in asymptotic theory in particular. The power of the characteristic function derives from a set of highly convenient properties. Like the mgf, it determines a distribution. But unlike mgfs, existence is not an issue, and it is a bounded function. It is easily transportable for common functions of random variables, such as convolutions. And it can be used to prove convergence of distributions, as well as to recognize the name of a limiting distribution. It is also an extremely handy tool in proving characterizing properties of distributions. For instance, the Cramer–Levy theorem (see Chapter 1), which characterizes a normal distribution, has so far been proved by only using characteristic function methods. There are two disadvantages in working with characteristic functions. First, it is a complex-valued function, in general, and so, familiarity with basic complex analysis is required. Second, characteristic function proofs usually do not lead to any intuition as to why a particular result should be true. All things considered, knowledge of basic characteristic function theory is essential for statisticians, and certainly for students of probability.
In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in patients with one ovary

The purpose of this investigation was to compare follicular response and pregnancy rates in patients with one and two ovaries who have undergone in vitro fertilization (IVF). No statistically significant difference was found in serum estradiol levels on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration, mean number of follicles (>15 mm), mean total number of oocytes recovered, mean number of mature oocytes recovered, or number of pregnancies per transfer. The total number of oocytes recovered in the one- and two-ovary groups was 47 and 123, respectively. There was a significantly greater mean number of immature oocytes recovered (1.5 ± .03 versus 0.5 ± 0.2, P P
The intersection of cell phone use and leisure: a call for research.

Today's college students are among the first cohort of young people raised entirely in the digital era and are rapid adopters of cell phone technology. An emerging line of research, from the broade...
Fluorescence quenching studies of potential-dependent DNA reorientation dynamics at glassy carbon electrode surfaces.

The potential-dependent reorientation dynamics of double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) attached to planar glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surfaces were investigated. The orientation state of surface-bound ds-DNA was followed by monitoring the fluorescence from a 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM6) fluorophore covalently linked to the distal end of the DNA. Positive potentials (i.e., +0.2 V vs open circuit potential, OCP) caused the ds-DNA to align parallel to the electrode surface, resulting in strong dipole–electrode quenching of FAM6 fluorescence. Switching of the GCE potential to negative values (i.e., −0.2 V vs OCP) caused the ds-DNA to reorient perpendicular to the electrode surface, with a concomitant increase in FAM6 fluorescence. In addition to the very fast (submilliseconds) dynamics of the initial reorientation process, slow (0.1–0.9 s) relaxation of FAM6 fluorescence to intermediate levels was also observed after potential switching. These dynamics have not been previously described in the literature. They are t...
Enablement of scientific remote sensing missions with in-space 3D printing

This paper provides an overview of the capability of a 3D printer to successfully operate in-space to create structures and equipment useful in the field of scientific remote sensing. Applications of this printer involve oceanography, weather tracking, as well as space exploration sensing. The design for the 3D printer includes a parabolic array to collect and focus thermal energy. This thermal energy then be used to heat the extrusion head, allowing for the successful extrusion of the print material. Print material can range from plastics to metals, with the hope of being able to extrude aluminum for its low-mass structural integrity and its conductive properties. The printer will be able to print structures as well as electrical components. The current process of creating and launching a remote sensor into space is constrained by many factors such as gravity on earth, the forces of launch, the size of the launch vehicle, and the number of available launches. The design intent of the in-space 3D printer is to ease or eliminate these constraints, making space-based scientific remote sensors a more readily available resource.
Zimbabwe’s War Veterans and the Ruling Party: Continuities in Political Dynamics

Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans emerged as critical allies of the ruling party in the June 2000 parliamentary election campaign. Faced with the most serious electoral threat in its 20-year rule, ZANU(PF) forged an alliance with the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA). War veterans spearheaded the invasion and occupation of white commercial farmers, led compulsory political education sessions in the rural areas and terrorized farm workers and others suspected of being opposition supporters. For their services, the ZNLWVA was supposed to pay them with party money. The party provided other types of assistance for the veterans and their supporters. It gave them access to army, intelligence and police logistical support (such as food and transport), and protection against the rule of law. Veterans and party leaders together invoked the liberation war to justify their land grabbing and presented the new opposition as a neocolonial party which threatened to turn back the gains of the liberation struggle. The partnership between veterans and the party has persisted since the election. Veterans continue to invade and build on farms, and collect fees for land allocation and building rights. In the government’s new accelerated land reform programme, veterans are a preferential group – they will receive 20 per cent of resettlement plots.
Rectal Cancer: Watch and Wait

The management of rectal cancer has become increasingly complex. In the 15–20 % of patients who achieve a pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy, long-term local and distant tumor control is excellent. Based on these excellent outcomes, interest has grown for an organ preserving watch and wait approach with selective surgery for patients exhibiting clinical complete response. While there is encouraging emerging data, further validation through rigorous prospective trials is needed before a nonoperative strategy can be routinely offered.
Practitioner Perspectives on their Craft

Chapter 3 ends with a conundrum. On the one hand, there are positive recent developments, such as the development of Science and Technology Studies (STS) in academic circles, the call for a new social contract from within science, and the call for a new model of communication from within the world of science popularization. These many sources agree with Nicholas Russell that the public ‘must be able to critique science as well as support it’ and that popular science writing ‘therefore has twin duties, to inform and educate the public about science on the one hand, but also to probe and criticize it on the other’ (p. xiii). Like Russell, they see the science writer as a ‘watchdog’ with a threefold role: ‘to check on government and business investments and responses to science, correct misrepresentations of science by nonscientific pressure groups, and expose over-enthusiastic manipulation of the media and other unethical behaviours by scientists themselves’ (p. xvi).
Gender as a risk factor for adverse intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of elective pancreatectomy.

Background and Objectives Patient selection remains paramount when developing and adopting quality-based assessment and reimbursement models, and enhanced recovery protocols. Gender is a patient characteristic known before surgery which can inform risk stratification. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of gender on intraoperative blood transfusions, operative time, length of hospital stay, estimated blood loss (EBL) as well as postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs), and mortality. Methods Patients undergoing elective pancreatectomy from 2005 to 2013 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) and Northwestern institutional databases. Multivariable analyses were conducted to identify the association between gender and these outcomes. Results Analyses demonstrated that male gender was independently associated with blood transfusion (OR 1.23), operative time >6 hr (OR 1.76), length of stay greater than 11 days (OR 1.17), and all-type SSIs (OR 1.17), especially superficial SSIs (OR 1.15) and organ space SSIs (OR 1.18). Analysis of the institutional cohort found that male gender was independently associated with increased odds of EBL > 1 L for Whipple procedures (OR 2.85). Conclusions Male gender is a significant predictor of increased operative time, length of stay, transfusions, EBL > 1L, as well as postoperative organ space surgical site infections in these patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2017;115:131–136. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Geometry of correlation networks for studying the biology of cancer

In this note, we extend the notion of Ollivier-Ricci curvature on weighted graphs with all positive weights to the case in which the weights may also be negative. This is done by employing the Hahn-Jordan decomposition of signed measures, allowing us to extend the Earth Mover's Distance to an extended class of measures. The resulting curvature will be utilized to study the robustness properties of general networks. In particular, this will be applied to certain cancer transcription networks in order to elucidate fragility (in the sense of a rate function from large deviations theory) with respect to those genes responsible for maintaining cellular homeostasis related to growth and proliferation.
An Outbreak of Endogenous Fungal Endophthalmitis Among Intravenous Drug Abusers in New England.

Importance Intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) is a known risk factor for endogenous fungal endophthalmitis (EFE), a severe intraocular infection caused by hematogenous seeding of mycotic organisms to the eye. Reporting significant increases in heroin-related deaths since 2014, the New England region is in the midst of an opioid crisis that has led to a substantial increase in patients at risk for this vision-threatening disease. Objective To present an update on characteristics, management, and visual outcomes in patients with EFE. Design, Setting, and Participants Medical records review was initiated on July 1, 2016, evaluating all patients with EFE referred to New England Eye Center at Tufts Medical Center, a tertiary care ophthalmology practice distributed throughout Massachusetts, from May 1, 2014, to May 1, 2016. Patients with a history of IVDA and culture-proven or clinical evidence of fungal endophthalmitis were included. Exposures Intravenous drug use. Main Outcomes and Measures Patient demographics, comorbidities, presenting symptoms and vision, vitreoretinal findings, treatment regimens, culture data, and final visual acuities. Results Ten patients (5 women) with IVDA-related EFE were identified between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2016—an increase from 3 patients treated from May 2012 to April 2014. The mean (SD) patient age was 34 (11) years (range, 24-60 years). Presenting visual acuities ranged from 20/25 to hand motion. The most common presenting symptoms were floaters (n = 8), reduced vision (n = 6), and pain (n = 5). Initial treatment included systemic antifungals in all patients and intravitreal antifungals in 9 eyes. Five patients required pars plana vitrectomy for worsening vitritis. The most commonly isolated pathogen was Candida albicans in 20% of the patients. Final visual acuity ranged from 20/40 to 20/300. Conclusions and Relevance The data provided in this report suggest that EFE represents severe end organ damage associated with IVDA and portends poor visual outcomes. Health care professionals must maintain a high suspicion for EFE, as patients are typically ambulatory on presentation without systemic signs of infection.
Shopbots and Pricebots in Electronic Service Markets

This paper explores the role of shopbot and pricebot software agents in electronic service markets, where users have to wait to obtain the service or product because sellers can only process requests at a finite rate. In our model, we consider a stream of customers that arrive in a market and, based on their expected utility costs, choose a seller from which they receive service, and we explore the effects of changing the information and capabilities available to buyers and sellers. We show that widely held beliefs such as “sellers are better off colluding by not accepting shopbots” and “removing information asymmetries and lowering search costs results to higher overall market performance”, are in reality dependent on the model structure and efficiency measures used.
Mechanistic-based comparisons of stabilised base and granular surface layers of low-volume roads

AbstractGranular surface and base layers of low-volume roads (LVRs) are frequently subjected to severe damage that adversely affects safety and requires regular repair and maintenance. Various stabilisation methods have been evaluated for mitigating damage and improving serviceability of LVR systems. However, few well-documented comparisons exist of the field mechanical performance, durability and construction costs of different stabilisation methods under the same set of geological, climate, and traffic conditions. Therefore, the present study was conducted to identify the most effective and economical among several stabilisation methods for repairing or reconstructing granular surface and base layers of LVRs. In this study, a range of promising technologies from a comprehensive literature review was selected and examined using field demonstration sections. A total of nine geomaterials, three chemical stabilisers, and three types of geosynthetics were used to construct various test sections over a 3.22 k...
A clinical decision support system using multi-modality imaging data for disease diagnosis

ABSTRACTReadily available imaging technologies have made it possible to acquire multiple imaging modalities with complementary information for the same patient. These imaging modalities describe different properties about the organ of interest, providing an opportunity for better diagnosis, staging and treatment assessments. However, existing research in combining multi-modality imaging data has not been transformed into a clinical decision support system due to lack of flexibility, accuracy, and interpretability. This article proposes a multi-modality imaging-based diagnostic decision support system (MMI-DDS) that overcomes limitations of existing research. MMI-DDS includes three inter-connected components: (1) a modality-wise principal component analysis (PCA) that reduces data dimensionality and eliminates the need for co-registration of multi-modality images; (2) a novel constrained particle swarm optimization (cPSO) classifier that is built upon the joint set of the principal components (PCs) from al...