cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mapping Locust Habitats in the Amudarya River Delta, Uzbekistan with Multi-Temporal MODIS Imagery

Reed beds of Phragmites australis in the River Amudarya delta near the Aral Sea constitute permanent breeding areas of the Asian Migratory locust, Locusta migratoria migratoria. Every year, thousands of hectares are treated with broad-spectrum insecticides to prevent locust swarms from damaging crops in adjacent areas. To devise efficient locust monitoring and management plans, accurate and updated information about the spatial distribution of reeds is necessary. Given the vast geographic extent of the delta, traditional, ground survey methods are inadequate. Remotely sensed data collected by the MODIS sensor aboard the TERRA satellite provide a useful tool to characterize the spatial distribution of reeds. Multi-temporal MODIS data, collected at different times of the growing season, were used to generate spectral–temporal signatures for reeds and other land cover classes. These spectral–temporal signatures were matched with reed phenology. MODIS information was digitally classified to generate a land cover map with an overall accuracy of 74%. MODIS data captured 87% of the ground-verified reed locations. Estimates derived from MODIS data indicate that 18% of the study area was covered by reeds. However, high commission error resulted from misclassification of reeds mixed with shrubs class and shrubs class as reeds. This could have resulted in overprediction of the area covered by reeds. Additional research is needed to minimize the overlap between reeds and other vegetation classes (shrubs, and reed and shrub mix). Nevertheless, despite its relatively low spatial resolution (250 m), multi-temporal MODIS data were able to adequately capture the distribution of reeds. Instead of blanketing the fragile wetland ecosystem of the Amudarya delta with chemical anti-locust treatments, plant protection specialists can use this information to devise ecologically sound pest management plans aimed at reducing the adverse environmental impact in the zone of the Aral Sea ecological catastrophe. MODIS methodology to identify reed stands can be applicable to the Migratory locust habitats in other geographic areas.
Modified Bethe–Bloch stopping power parameters for kapton

Values of the parameters of the modified Bethe-Bloch theory have been ascertained for kapton by analyzing recent measurements of stopping powers for 0.56--1.54-MeV protons and 1.08--3.19-MeV alpha particles. The resulting recommended values of the target parameters are 80.1 eV for mean excitation energy and 1.64 for the Barkas-effect parameter and 1.86 for a single effective-charge parameter assigned to the kapton-alpha particle target-projectile combination.
The alveolate translation initiation factor 4E family reveals a custom toolkit for translational control in core dinoflagellates

Dinoflagellates are eukaryotes with unusual cell biology and appear to rely on translational rather than transcriptional control of gene expression. The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) plays an important role in regulating gene expression because eIF4E binding to the mRNA cap is a control point for translation. eIF4E is part of an extended, eukaryote-specific family with different members having specific functions, based on studies of model organisms. Dinoflagellate eIF4E diversity could provide a mechanism for dinoflagellates to regulate gene expression in a post-transcriptional manner. Accordingly, eIF4E family members from eleven core dinoflagellate transcriptomes were surveyed to determine the diversity and phylogeny of the eIF4E family in dinoflagellates and related lineages including apicomplexans, ciliates and heterokonts. The survey uncovered eight to fifteen (on average eleven) different eIF4E family members in each core dinoflagellate species. The eIF4E family members from heterokonts and dinoflagellates segregated into three clades, suggesting at least three eIF4E cognates were present in their common ancestor. However, these three clades are distinct from the three previously described eIF4E classes, reflecting diverse approaches to a central eukaryotic function. Heterokonts contain four clades, ciliates two and apicomplexans only a single recognizable eIF4E clade. In the core dinoflagellates, the three clades were further divided into nine sub-clades based on the phylogenetic analysis and species representation. Six of the sub-clades included at least one member from all eleven core dinoflagellate species, suggesting duplication in their shared ancestor. Conservation within sub-clades varied, suggesting different selection pressures. Phylogenetic analysis of eIF4E in core dinoflagellates revealed complex layering of duplication and conservation when compared to other eukaryotes. Our results suggest that the diverse eIF4E family in core dinoflagellates may provide a toolkit to enable selective translation as a strategy for controlling gene expression in these enigmatic eukaryotes.
The Gentiles in the Zion Hymns: Canaanite Myth and Christian Mission

The Psalms are an underused resource as a biblical basis for mission, especially since the Gentiles are treated more positively in the Psalms than in most of the rest of the Old Testament. In the P...
Inhibition of atherosclerosis-promoting microRNAs via targeted polyelectrolyte complex micelles

Polyelectrolyte complex micelles have great potential as gene delivery vehicles because of their ability to encapsulate charged nucleic acids forming a core by neutralizing their charge, while simultaneously protecting the nucleic acids from non-specific interactions and enzymatic degradation. Furthermore, to enhance specificity and transfection efficiency, polyelectrolyte complex micelles can be modified to include targeting capabilities. Here, we describe the design of targeted polyelectrolyte complex micelles containing inhibitors against dys-regulated microRNAs (miRNAs) that promote atherosclerosis, a leading cause of human mortality and morbidity. Inhibition of dys-regulated miRNAs in diseased cells associated with atherosclerosis has resulted in therapeutic efficacy in animal models and has been proposed to treat human diseases. However, the non-specific targeting of microRNA inhibitors via systemic delivery has remained an issue that may cause unwanted side effects. For this reason, we incorporated two different peptide sequences to our miRNA inhibitor containing polyelectrolyte complex micelles. One of the peptides (Arginine-Glutamic Acid-Lysine-Alanine or REKA) was used in another micellar system that demonstrated lesion-specific targeting in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. The other peptide (Valine-Histidine-Proline-Lysine-Glutamine-Histidine-Arginine or VHPKQHR) was identified via phage display and targets vascular endothelial cells through the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). In this study we have tested the in vitro efficacy and efficiency of lesion- and cell-specific delivery of microRNA inhibitors to the cells associated with atherosclerotic lesions via peptide-targeted polyelectrolyte complex micelles. Our results show that REKA-containing micelles (fibrin-targeting) and VHPKQHR-containing micelles (VCAM-1 targeting) can be used to carry and deliver microRNA inhibitors into macrophages and human endothelial cells, respectively. Additionally, the functionality of miRNA inhibitors in cells was demonstrated by analyzing miRNA expression as well as the expression or the biological function of its downstream target protein. Our study provides the first demonstration of targeting dys-regulated miRNAs in atherosclerosis using targeted polyelectrolyte complex micelles and holds promising potential for translational applications.
Maximum feasibility guideline in the design and analysis of protein folding potentials.

Protein folding potentials are expected to have the lowest energy for the native shape. The Linear Programming (LP) approach achieves exactly that goal for a training set, or indicates that this goal is impossible to obtain. If a solution cannot be found (i.e., the problem is infeasible) two possible routes are possible: (a) choosing a new functional form for the potential, (b) finding the best potential with a feasible subset of the data, and (or) detecting inconsistent subset of the data in the training set. Here, we explore option (b). A simple heuristic for finding an approximate solution to an infeasible set of linear inequalities is outlined. An approximately feasible solution is obtained iteratively, starting from a certain initial guess, by computing a series of analytic centers of the polyhedra defined by all the inequalities satisfied at the subsequent iterations. Standard interior point algorithms for Linear Programming can be used to compute efficiently the analytic center of a polyhedron. We demonstrate how this procedure can be used for the design of folding potentials that are linear in their parameters. The procedure shows an improvement in the quality of the potentials and sometimes points to flaws in the original data.
A user perspective on computer workstation integration

VLSI circuit technology has spawned a fission of computing power from central to distributed forms including powerful individual workstations. It is believed that users are entitled to rely on a single (not necessarily the same) workstation to meet their full spectrum of computing and information needs. To realize this goal the fission of computing must be followed by a fusion process. The transparent interoperability between a heterogeneous collection of workstations and server subsystems linked by a hierarchy of communication networks must be established. The power of workstations also requires innovation not only in the system technology but also in the application, i.e. 4`content' of the technology. Examples are given of projects at the University of Michigan Center for Information Technology Integration that add value to workstations through integration. These include a full- to reduced-function workstation bridge, a campus-wide page description language, migration of Macintosh-type personal software to full-function (multitasking) workstations, and integration of remote and heterogeneous file systems.
The Legionella pneumophila Siderophore Legiobactin Is a Polycarboxylate That Is Identical in Structure to Rhizoferrin

Legionella pneumophila, the agent of Legionnaires9 disease, secretes a siderophore (legiobactin) that promotes bacterial infection of the lung. In past work, we determined that cytoplasmic LbtA (from L egio b ac t in gene A ) promotes synthesis of legiobactin, inner-membrane LbtB aids in export of the siderophore, and outer-membrane LbtU and inner-membrane LbtC help mediate ferrilegiobactin uptake and assimilation. However, the past studies examined legiobactin contained within bacterial culture supernatants. By utilizing high-pressure liquid chromatography that incorporates hydrophilic interaction-based chemistry, we have now purified legiobactin from supernatants of virulent strain 130b that is suitable for detailed chemical analysis. High-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) revealed that the molecular mass of (protonated) legiobactin is 437.140 Da. Based upon the results obtained from both MS analysis and various forms of nuclear magnetic resonance, we found that legiobactin is composed of two citric acid residues linked by a putrescine bridge and thus is identical in structure to rhizoferrin, a polycarboxylate-type siderophore made by many fungi and several unrelated bacteria. Both purified legiobactin and rhizoferrin obtained from the fungus Cunninghamella elegans were able to promote Fe 3+ uptake by wild-type L. pneumophila as well as enhance growth of iron-starved bacteria. These results did not occur with 130b mutants lacking lbtU or lbtC , indicating that both endogenously-made legiobactin and exogenously-derived rhizoferrin are assimilated by L. pneumophila in an LbtU- and LbtC-dependent manner.
Magnetospheric processes in the plasmapause

The current experimental and theoretical status on the existence and importance of the plasmapause as a magnetospheric boundary was the subject of a conference on Fundamental Magnetospheric Processes in the Plasmapause Region, held at Huntsville, Ala., October 25–27, 1983, under the joint sponsorship of the Marshall Space Flight Center and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Since the last plasmapause conference, in 1974, new spacecraft and new techniques in ground-based radar measurements are providing an exciting look at the plasmapause and plasmasphere. More than 75 scientists from the United States, France, Belgium, Sweden, Japan, and the United Kingdom attended the 1983 conference. The five major sessions to the conference were: (1) identification, formation, and structure of the plasmapause and its relationship to other magnetospheric boundaries, (2) sources and loss processes of cold and warm plasmas in the plasmapause region, (3) ionospheric trough and its relationship to the plasmapause, (4) hot plasmas in the inner magnetosphere, and (5) wave phenomena in the plasmapause region.
Regulation of the Bacillus subtilis fur and perR Genes by PerR: Not All Members of the PerR Regulon Are Peroxide Inducible

PerR is a ferric uptake repressor (Fur) homolog that functions as the central regulator of the inducible peroxide stress response in Bacillus subtilis. PerR has been previously demonstrated to regulate the mrgA, katA, ahpCF, hemAXCDBL, and zosA genes. We now demonstrate that PerR also mediates both the repression of its own gene and that of fur. Whereas PerR-mediated repression of most target genes can be elicited by either manganese or iron, repression of perR and fur is selective for manganese. Genetic studies indicate that repression of PerR regulon genes by either manganese or iron requires PerR and is generally independent of Fur. Indeed, in a fur mutant, iron-mediated repression is enhanced. Unexpectedly, repression of the fur gene by manganese appears to require both PerR and Fur, but only PerR binds to the fur regulatory region in vitro. The fur mutation appears to act indirectly by affecting cellular metal ion pools and thereby affecting PerR-mediated repression. While many components of the perR regulon are strongly induced by hydrogen peroxide, little, if any, induction of fur and perR could be demonstrated. Thus, not all components of the PerR regulon are components of the peroxide stimulon. We suggest that PerR exists in distinct metallated forms that differ in DNA target selectivity and in sensitivity to oxidation. This model is supported by the observation that the metal ion composition of the growth medium can greatly influence the transcriptional response of the various PerR regulon genes to hydrogen peroxide.
In-situ Observations of Martensitic Transformation in Pure Ti Thin Films using the Dynamical Transmission Electron Microscope (DTEM)

We have measured the transient events of the α-β martensitic transformation in nanocrystalline Ti films via single shot electron diffraction patterns with 1.5 ns temporal resolution. This was accomplished with a newly constructed dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM), which combines pulsed laser systems and pump-probe techniques with a conventional TEM. The DTEM thereby enables studies of transformations that are (1) far too fast to be captured by conventional bulk techniques, and (2) difficult to study with current ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) instruments (which typically require an accumulation of multiple shots for each diffraction pattern). Martensitic transformations in nanocrystalline materials meet both criteria, with their rapid nucleation, characteristic interface velocities ∼1 km/s, and significant irreversible microstructural changes. Free-standing 40-nm-thick Ti films were laser-heated at a rate of ∼1010 K/s to a temperature above the 1155 K transition point, then probed at various time intervals with a 1.5-ns-long intense electron pulse. Diffraction patterns show an almost complete transition to the β phase within 500 ns. Post-mortem analysis (after the sample is allowed to cool) shows a reversion to the α phase coupled with substantial grain growth, lath formation, and texture modification. The cooled material also shows a complete lack of apparent dislocations, suggesting the possible importance of a “massive” short-range diffusion mechanism.
International Law, Intertemporal Problems

Parties to an international dispute occasionally disagree about the legal significance of acts, situations, or treaties that place in the distant past. The question thereupon arises whether to apply the international law that was contemporaneous with the acts in question, or whether to apply present international law. Often the legal rules have changed or evolved over the course of years. In the latter instances, the outcome of the dispute might well turn upon whether the old law or the current law is applied.
Seven Teachers in the Tradition

Ninth Circuit Senior Judge John T. Noonan, Jr. offers remarks at the Eighth Annual John F. Scarpa Conference on Law, Politics, and Culture.
Fluctuations and the Kinetic Theory of Fracture

In the present chapter, we consider the connection of the classical fracture mechanics based on the crack tip study with the thermal fluctuation theory of fracture. We refine the theory, indicate some limitations and make it more useful for practical applications.
Design and Implement of Intelligent Water Meter Remote Monitor System Based on WCF

According to the needs of water meter remote monitor system for interoperability and security, based on WCF, a loose-coupling, service-oriented and distributed intelligent water meter remote monitor system was designed. With the system, the users can sell water, carry out data analysis and monitor the water meters and so on. This system can serve to the informatization in Water Supplies Department. The relevant techniques can be referenced by other meters.
Packet Coding with Joint Power and Rate Control for Underwater Broadcast Networks

We consider random linear packet coding for an underwater acoustic broadcast network. Joint power and rate control is considered as a means to overcome the effects of channel fading. Two main constraints are imposed in our optimization: (i) the transmit power cannot exceed a maximal value, and (ii) the number of coded packets should not exceed a maximum value. Under these constraints, we define two adaptation policies to adjust the transmit power and number of coded packets such that the average energy per bit is minimized. In the first case, the transmitter adapts in accordance with the average of the channel gains (average link rule) obtained as a feedback from each receiving node. In the second case, the transmitter adjusts its parameters in accordance with the lowest channel gain (worst link rule) among the receiving nodes. We show simulation results to quantify the energy savings available by employing the adaptation policies.
Stroke knowledge in African Americans: A narrative review

Objective : The purpose of this review is to evaluate the state of knowledge in regard to stroke literacy in African Americans. This topic is important for assessing the specific gaps in stroke knowledge for this population, as well as to evaluate the methodology that has been used to assess stroke literacy. Methods: This narrative review includes studies that evaluated and reported stroke knowledge in African Americans and were published between January 2000 and October 2015. Results: Our review revealed that disparities may exist in recognition of headache and visual symptoms, knowledge of the organ in which stroke occurs, and identification of tobacco use as a risk factor. Stress may be perceived as a more important risk factor among African Americans than among White Americans. The literature does not suggest disparities in knowledge of the appropriate action to take for stroke. Conclusions: Racial disparities may exist for specific domains of stroke knowledge. Future studies should explore specific gaps in knowledge to be addressed in stroke prevention interventions for African Americans. Standardization of methods is needed to aid comparisons across populations. The relationship between stroke knowledge and clinical outcomes also needs to be evaluated. Ethn Dis. 26(2):255-262; doi:10.18865/ed.26.2.255
The Role of Religion in Parenting Satisfaction and Parenting Stress Among Young Parents

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we examine how religious characteristics affect parenting satisfaction and stress among young parents, and how these relationships vary by gender and relationship status. Results indicate that religiosity is associated with higher parenting satisfaction, and differences across religious traditions are observed for parenting stress. These relationships are generally not moderated by gender or relationship status, suggesting religion influences parenting satisfaction and stress similarly across these contexts. Religion has a generally positive influence on parenting attitudes among young parents—both mothers and fathers—in diverse family structures.
Robotics for All Ages: A Standard Robotics Curriculum for K-16

The introduction of robotics in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is quickly becoming a very polarizing topic. As a discipline, robotics research is tackling new and challenging problems that resonate with public perception and also provide exciting and fun opportunities to see science in action. The exposure of students at various levels to robotics is controversial since many view it as a fad, and others rightly indicate that there is still a need for coherent analysis of robotics in the classroom to assess the impact on education and engagement. In this work, we argue that for robotics to be effectively incorporated into the educational pipeline, there is a need for a comprehensive robotics curriculum. Such a curriculum should be designed to be intentionally flexible; however, its development would enable principled study in a variety of learning environments and over the long term. We propose the nature of the standard curriculum and present recommendations on how it can be practically applied. Our aim in the long term is to provide resources that will elevate robotics education. The existence of these resources will advance the current level of understanding from anecdotal and short-lived inquiry so that robotics education can be evidence-based and sustainable.
Resection of Pulmonary Metastases: a Mechanical Solution for a Biological Problem

Isolated pulmonary metastases (PM) represent a unique manifestation of the myriad presentations of systemic spread from a primary neoplasm.
SERMs and cardiovascular disease in women. How do these agents affect risk

The beneficial effects of SERMs, specifically tamoxifen in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer and raloxifene in the prevention of osteoporosis, are well established. In addition, numerous groups of investigators have reported that these agents have a positive impact on cardiovascular health, possibly as a result of their cholesterol-lowering and anticoagulation actions. Although studies clearly showed that tamoxifen therapy improved the levels of some types of lipids, the changes did not appear to translate into a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the risk of thromboembolic events (as well as endometrial cancer) was increased with the use of tamoxifen, which is often prescribed for breast cancer prevention in healthy women. Similarly, raloxifene treatment had modest positive effects on cardiovascular risk factors but was associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism. When viewed as a whole, study results dictate that the benefits of SERM use for the prevention of cardiovascular disease be carefully weighed against the potential risks.
Extracellular Vesicles Move Toward Use in Clinical Laboratories

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous particles found in a variety of biofluids that encapsulate molecular information from the cell, which they originate from. This rich source of information that is easily obtained can then be mined to find diagnostic biomarkers. This article explores the current biological understanding of EVs and specific methods to isolate and analyze them. A case study of a company leading the charge in using EVs in diagnostic assays is provided.
Analogy and Higher Order Thinking: Learning Mathematics as an Example

Linking ideas, concepts, and disciplinary content is an underused yet effective educational strategy for fostering students’ higher order thinking. A body of psychological research on analogical re...
UV Photobiology: Excision Repair

In addition to photoreactivation, the reversal of damage produced in DNA by ultraviolet light, there is another repair process, excision, in which the damaged regions are cut out of the DNA. Although we will deal mostly with damage inflicted on DNA by ultraviolet light, there are also excision systems for chemical damage as well. Most of what we know about excision comes from E. coli, but we can extrapolate to mammalian systems; how well the extrapolation fits the actual case is not yet clear.
Emerging Epidemics of Babesiosis in Hematology Consultation at a University Hospital.

Babesiosis was first reported in NY in 1975. 560 cases were reported from 1986–2001 in NY, mostly from Long island. Human babesiosis is a tick- borne disease caused by B.microti in the US. Most of the cases occur between May and August in the north eastern states. The risk factors for severe disease include older age, asplenia, immunocompromised state. As the same tick is the vector for lyme disease and ehrlichiosis, co-infection can occur. In this abstract we report ten cases of babesiosis encountered in hematology consultation since 2005, with 5 cases occurring this year. The patients’ ages ranged between 36–84 yrs. Three patients had neither travel history nor tick bite /outdoor activity. Three patients were immunocompromised (AML, CLL, HIV). Most common presentations were malaise, nausea, and high fever. Two patients had splenomegaly. Six patients had hyperbilirubinemia, anemia and thrombocytopenia. Three patients were also positive for lyme disease. One patient developed splenic rupture. All the patients recovered after treatment with atovoquone and azithromycin. This series of case reports emphasizes the varied atypical presentations of babesioisis including uncommon season of occurrence, absence of a rash or tickbite history, co-existing infection with Lyme disease and complications including splenic rupture.
Histopathology of viral infections of the lung.

Lower respiratory viral infections are a significant source of morbidity and mortality worldwide, causing an estimated 3.9 million deaths each year.1 In particular, viruses cause up to 50% of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children and adults, and predispose patients to secondary bacterial pneumonia.1, 2 Those at risk for more severe disease include the very young, very old, immunocompromised, and patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions. Patients with viral pneumonia commonly present with fever, cough, headache, and myalgia. Compared to patients with bacterial or mixed bacterial-viral pneumonia, patients with pure viral pneumonia are less likely to have a productive cough with expectoration.3 Other clinical and radiologic parameters including routine laboratory values and chest radiograph findings are similar between viral and bacterial CAP.3 Overall, the most common causes of viral pneumonia are influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus and parainfluenza virus.3, 4 With the increased use of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT), other viruses including metapneumovirus, rhinovirus and coronaviruses have been identified.5 In the immunocompromised or debilitated host, additional viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV) are important causes of pneumonia. CMV is the most common cause of viral pneumonia in the immunocompromised host and prophylactic antiviral therapy is commonly administered in patients who are at risk for reactivation.6 RSV is also an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients.7 Finally, some vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles pneumonia have increased in prevalence due to low vaccination rates in some populations and increased international travel.8 Laboratory diagnosis of viral pneumonia is usually accomplished through routine testing in the microbiology laboratory using cell culture, antigen detection methods, and increasingly, NAATs such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR).4 Despite the widespread availability of these testing options, viral infections are not always suspected initially and pathologists may therefore play an important role in confirming the presence of infection in histologic and cytologic specimens. In particular, pathologists play an important role in diagnosis of viral respiratory infections at autopsy.7
A novel multimodal computational system using near-infrared spectroscopy predicts the need for ECMO initiation in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Abstract Background/purpose The purpose of this study was to develop a computational algorithm that would predict the need for ECMO in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods CDH patients from August 2010 to 2016 were enrolled in a study to continuously measure cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (cStO2) of left and right cerebral hemispheres. NIRS devices utilized were FORE-SIGHT, CASMED and INVOS 5100, Somanetics. Using MATLAB©, a data randomization function was used to deidentify and blindly group patient's data files as follows: 12 for the computational model development phase (6 ECMO and 6 non-ECMO) and the remaining patients for the validation phase. Results Of the 56 CDH patients enrolled, 22 (39%) required ECMO. During development of the algorithm, a difference between right and left hemispheric cerebral oxygenation via NIRS (ΔHCO) was noted in CDH patients that required ECMO. Using ROC analysis, a ΔHCO cutoff >10% was predictive of needing ECMO (AUC: 0.92; sensitivity: 85%; and specificity: 100%). The algorithm predicted need for ECMO within the first 12h of life and at least 6h prior to the clinical decision for ECMO with 88% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Conclusion This computational algorithm of cerebral NIRS predicts the need for ECMO in neonates with CDH. Level of evidence II
Afro-Latin America in Flesh and Blood: Lives from the Battlefield, Cane Field, and Courtroom; Representations from Literature, Politics, and the Genomics Lab

This essay reviews the following works: Afro-Latin America: Black Lives, 1600–2000. By George Reid Andrews. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2016. Pp. i + 123. $24.95 cloth. ISBN: 9780674737594. From Shipmates to Soldiers: Emerging Black Identities in the Rio de la Plata. By Alex Borucki. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2015. Pp. vii + 306. $29.95 paper. ISBN: 9780826351807. Conceiving Freedom: Women of Color, Gender, and the Abolition of Slavery in Havana and Rio de Janeiro. By Camillia Cowling. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2013. Pp. ix + 326. $36.95 paper. ISBN: 9781469610887. Crossroads of Freedom: Slaves and Freed People in Bahia, Brazil, 1870–1910. By Walter Fraga. Translated and with an introduction by Mary Ann Mahony. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. 2016. Pp. vii + 313. $26.95 paper. ISBN: 9780822360902. The Work of Recognition: Caribbean Colombia and the Postemancipation Struggle for Citizenship. By Jason McGraw. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2016. Pp. xii + 328. $34.95 paper. ISBN: 9781469617862. Mestizo Genomics: Race Mixture, Nation, and Science in Latin America. Edited by Peter Wade, Carlos Lopez Beltran, Eduardo Restrepo, and Ricardo Ventura Santos. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2014. Pp. vii + 304. $25.95 paper. ISBN: 9780822356592.
Wideband axial-mode helical antenna with 3D printed proliferated radome

In this paper, a special axial-mode quasi-tapered helical antenna with 1.9:1 bandwidth is presented. The diameter profile of this design consists of a conical bottom section for achieving wider bandwidth at lower frequency end and uniform top section for achieving higher gain at the higher frequency end. To support and protect the antenna element, a proliferated radome made of polylactic acid (PLA) material was manufactured using 3D printing. This paper discusses about the design concept, tradeoff, as well as simulated and measured performance comparison of a fabricated prototype.
Election-Day Experiences and Evaluations of Electoral Integrity in Unconsolidated Democracies: Evidence from Nigeria:

Why do voters’ evaluations of elections in unconsolidated democracies appear to be unaffected by election-day events? Among the handful of studies that examine the consequences of election experien...
Tissue Consumption of Granulocytes and Control Mechanisms for Granulopoiesis

The reader in search of hard scientific information would do well to skip this chapter altogether, because it is constructed from a few wattles of established fact and large quantities of speculative daub. It was shown in the last chapter that enormous numbers of neutrophils are produced in the marrow, enter the bloodstream, and rapidly leave the blood for the tissues. Intuitively, one would suppose that their function was to combat bacterial infections, and that the cells would emigrate chiefly from blood vessels in those areas of the body where large bacterial populations are normally carried. If this were so, there should be heavy emigration of labeled neutrophils into the mouth, the gastrointestinal tract, the upper airway, and perhaps the skin, and very little into normally sterile areas, such as the brain and skeletal muscle. How far does the available evidence support this picture?
TEENAGE PREGNANCY AND VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT (VLBW, <1.5 kgm): IMPLICATIONS FOR MOTHERS AND NEONATES. † 1565

Each year in the USA teenage mothers deliver over half a million babies, ostensibly imposing greater medical risks for both mother and baby. We sought to document the perinatal risks and outcomes for VLBW infants born to mothers aged 18 years or less. Between 1983-1991 we encountered 198 such pregnancies and compared their perinatal course and neonatal outcome with 1591 infants of similar birthweights born to mothers aged 19 years or greater.Table
"If Good Food is Cooked in One Country, We Will All Eat from It": Women and Civil Society in Africa

Women across Africa have engaged civil society as a site of collective action to mobilize for advancements in social status, economic opportunities, and political representation. Although the methods used have varied across time and space, women across the continent have harnessed the power of civil society, both directly and covertly, to organize for their progress. This chapter examines the many ways in which women have used the civil sphere to carve out a space for themselves in other sectors of society. It also examines the emerging pattern of feminist mobilization across national boundaries and the attendant development of regional networks for cross-national policy diffusion, which pressure national governments to implement reforms in legislation.
Emergency response system design: an examination of emergency communication messages

The current state of emergency communication is dispatch-mediated i.e. the messages from the scene are directed to responders and agencies through the dispatch. Emergency dispatch provides essential support to emergency responders during emergencies. However, there are several problems associated with the dispatch-mediated communication. Utilizing IBM's message modeling concept, we develop a messaging model to provide support for computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems.
Chimeric Mice with Humanized Liver: Tools for the Study of Drug Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity

Recent developments in animal models have allowed the creation of mice with genetic alterations that cause hepatocyte damage that results, over time, in the loss of native hepatocytes. If donor, human hepatocytes are transplanted into these animals, they repopulate the host liver, frequently replacing over 70% of the native liver with human cells. Immunodeficient mice that overexpress urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and, alternatively, with a knockout of the fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (Fah) genes are the two most common mouse models for these studies. These mice are called chimeric or “humanized” because the liver is now partially repopulated with human cells. In this report we will review the published work with respect to Phase I and Phase II metabolic pathways and the expression of hepatic transport proteins. While the studies are still at the descriptive stage, it is already clear that some humanized mice display high levels of repopulation with human hepatocytes, express basal and inducible human CYP450 genes, and human conjugation and hepatic transport pathways. When the strengths and weaknesses of these humanized mouse models are fully understood, they will likely be quite valuable for investigations of human liver-mediated metabolism and excretion of drugs and xenobiotics, drug–drug interactions, and for short- and long-term investigation of the toxicity of drugs or chemicals with significant human exposure.
Circumcision and Buried Penis

Historically, several reasons have been cited to justify circumcision; at various times circumcision has been reported to cure or prevent over 100 diseases. The majority of newborn boys in countries where there are no religious reasons given for circumcision, retain their prepuce. However, with a validation based to a large degree in folklore, the majority of boys in the United States have been circumcised during the 20th century. Recent data suggests that circumcision may be benefi cial in certain high risk populations as a part of a comprehensive effort to limit the transmission of HIV. The term Buried Penis encompasses a spectrum of conditions in which the penis does not appear to adequately extend from the abdominal wall as an organ distinct from the scrotum. Since the term Buried Penis comprises such a wide spectrum of conditions with widely varying severity no specifi c incidence can be stated.
Endovascular Inferior Vena Cava Mass Biopsy: A Novel Approach

We present a case of an 81-year-old female diagnosed with metastatic carcinosarcoma from a primary peritoneal Mullerian malignancy after endovascular biopsy of a large mass within her left renal vein extending into the inferior vena cava (IVC) after workup for increasing back and abdominal pain over one and a half months. Biopsy of the mass was performed with digital subtraction angiography using a combination of transjugular liver biopsy set as well as suction aspiration. We propose that suction aspiration of an intravascular mass is a safe and efficacious procedure to obtain accurate diagnosis.
Flavors of (Creative) Mind

Alterations of consciousness appear valuable for creativity—meditation, dreams, hypnagogic imagery and more, e.g., in reverie with “our muse” in a chair by the fire. Wallas’s stages of creative process are helpful: preparation—incubation—intimation—illumination—verification. Not all of this happens consciously. Research tasks evoking insight have revealed different neuropsychological states, brain profiles, and subjective experiences. Can people even come to feel such states and turn them “on”? Also explored are neural shifts, brain idling, creative flash. How to keep subtle states in balance with executive functioning?—an important and nonlinear challenge.
Assessment of the adverse impacts of aflatoxin B1 on gut-microbiota dependent metabolism in F344 rats

Abstract The adverse impacts of AFB1 on gut-microbiota dependent metabolism in F344 rats were assessed via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-profiling and UHPLC-mass spectrometry (MS) metabolomic analyses. UHPLC-profiling analysis found 1100 raw peaks from the fecal samples collected at week 4, of which 335 peaks showed peak shape qualified for quantitation. A total of 24, 40 and 71 peaks were significantly decreased (>2-fold, p
Opt art

Optimization deals with finding the best way to complete a task—creating a schedule for a tournament, matching professors with courses, constructing an itinerary for a traveling salesman. It has been applied successfully to such a great number of diverse disciplines that one could argue that it can be put to good use in every imaginable field. In this talk, we will showcase its amazing utility by describing some applications in the area of art: portraits constructed out of complete sets of dominoes (via integer programming) mosaics comprised of abstract geometric tiles (via integer programming and various heuristics), and continuous line drawings (via the “solution” of large-scale instances of the traveling salesman problem).
Support-free direct 3D-printing of millifluidic and microfluidic chips with tunable stiffness through computed axial lithography (Conference Presentation)

Soft lithography provides a convenient technique for prototyping miniaturized fluidic systems. However, 3D-printing techniques offer shorter lead times and greater three-dimensional design freedom, as well as circumventing the manual alignment and inter-layer bonding challenges of soft lithography. As a result, attention has moved towards additive fabrication solutions. Fused deposition modelling (FDM), inkjet, and stereolithographic projection-based 3D-printing solutions have demonstrated the possibility of printing master molds as well as encapsulated fluidic networks directly. However, all of these techniques typically require the use of solid support structures when printing overhanging features as are required for encapsulated fluidic channels. This support material is time-consuming or, in some cases, entirely impractical to remove from small-scale, encapsulated channels. Additionally, most existing printing techniques are limited to materials that are orders of magnitude higher in elastic modulus than biological tissue. Finally, process-induced surface roughness makes microscopy challenging. In contrast, we have introduced a new additive technique, computed axial lithography (CAL), which enables volumetric 3D-printing by illuminating a rotating volume of photosensitive material with a 3D light intensity map constructed from the angular superposition of many 2D projections. The projections are computed via the exponential Radon transform followed by iterative optimization. Oxygen inhibition-induced thresholding of the materials’ dose response enhances patterning contrast. Here, we report the application of CAL to fabricate transparent 3D fluidic networks in highly compliant and resilient methacrylated gelatin hydrogels, as well as in stiffer acrylates. Uncured resin provides mechanical support during printing, so the need for solid support structures is eliminated.
Predicting rape events: The influence of intimate partner violence history, condom use resistance, and heavy drinking

Sexual aggression perpetration is a public health epidemic, and burgeoning research aims to delineate risk factors for individuals who perpetrate completed rape. The current study investigated physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) history, coercive condom use resistance (CUR), and heavy episodic drinking (HED) as prospective risk factors for rape perpetration. Young adult men (N = 430) ages 21-30 completed background measures as well as follow-up assessments regarding rape events perpetrated over the course of 3 months. Negative binomial regression with log link function was utilized to examine whether these risk factors interacted to prospectively predict completed rape. There was a significant interaction between physical IPV and HED predicting completed rape; men with high HED and greater physical IPV histories perpetrated more completed rapes during follow-up than men with low HED at the same level of physical IPV. Moreover, psychological IPV and coercive CUR interacted to predict completed rape such that men with high coercive CUR and greater psychological IPV histories perpetrated more completed rapes throughout the follow-up period than men with low coercive CUR at the same level of psychological IPV. Findings suggest targets for intervention efforts and highlight the need to understand the topography of different forms of aggression perpetration.
Computational assessment of an effective-sphere model for characterizing colloidal fractal aggregates with holographic microscopy

Abstract We perform simulations to evaluate a recent experimental technique for using in-line holographic microscopy and an effective-sphere model to measure the population-averaged fractal dimension Df of an ensemble of colloidal fractal aggregates. In this technique, models based on Lorenz–Mie scattering by a uniform sphere are fit to digital holograms of a population of fractal aggregates to determine the effective refractive indices neff and effective radii aeff of the aggregates. A scaling relationship between neff and aeff based on the Maxwell Garnett effective-medium theory then determines Df. Here we use a multisphere superposition code to calculate the exact holograms produced by aggregates with tunable fractal dimensions Df. We show that neff and aeff become less sensitive to the aggregate orientation as Df increases. We also show that the Maxwell Garnett scaling relationship correctly determines Df to within 10.5% when multiple scattering is negligible and the population-averaged coefficient of determination ⟨R2⟩p > 0.6, indicating that the holograms are well-described by the effective-sphere model.
Full reconstruction of a vector field from restricted Doppler and first integral moment transforms in $\mathbb{R}^n$

We show that a vector field in $\mathbb{R}^n$ can be reconstructed uniquely from the knowledge of restricted Doppler and first integral moment transforms. The line complex we consider consists of all lines passing through a fixed curve $\gamma \subset \mathbb{R}^n$. The question of reconstruction of a symmetric $m$-tensor field from the knowledge of the first $m+1$ integral moments was posed by Sharafutdinov in his book (see pp. 78), "Integral geometry of tensor fields," Inverse and Ill-posed problems series, De Grutyer. In this work, we provide an answer to Sharafutdinov's question for the case of vector fields from restricted data comprising of the first $2$ integral moment transforms.
Postpartum Changes in Affect-Related Behavior and VTA Dopamine Neuron Activity in Rats

The onset of motherhood is accompanied by alterations in emotional and affective behaviors. Many new mothers experience transient and mild depressive symptoms that typically resolve spontaneously (i.e. postpartum blues) but increase the risk for postpartum depression (PPD). There is little data regarding the neural adaptations occurring in response to parturition and shortly after birth that may be associated with these affective changes. Although the dopamine (DA) system is involved in affect, maternal motivation and PPD, little is known about postpartum DA function. We compared affective behavior in virgin and postpartum adult female rats at early and late time points. In vivo extracellular recordings of VTA DA neurons were performed to evaluate 3 parameters: number of active DA neurons (i.e. population activity), firing rate, and firing pattern. Compared with virgins, postpartum rats exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze at 1-day postpartum; reduced social motivation at 1- and 3-days postpartum, reduced anxiety-like behavior in the novelty suppressed feeding test throughout the first week postpartum and increased forced swim test immobility at 1-day postpartum. 1- and 3-day postpartum females exhibited attenuated VTA population activity without changes in firing rate or pattern. None of these effects were observed in late postpartum females when compared with virgins. These data suggest that parturition induces time-dependent changes in a subset of affect-related behaviors and DA function during the postpartum period in rodents, with early postpartum females exhibiting depression-related phenotypes (i.e. low social motivation, higher immobility, blunted DA activity).