cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Archaeology of Food and Social Diversity

This article reviews current archaeological research on the interactions between food and intrasocietal diversity. Today’s archaeology of food and diversity is theoretically diverse but generally views food as biologically necessary and cognitively prominent material culture that plays an active role in constructing and negotiating social distinctions. Areal foci in the literature include Europe, Southwest Asia, Mesoamerica, the U.S. Southwest, and the Andes; thematic emphases include economic, status, ethnic, gender, and religious distinctions. Methodological issues that must be considered when assessing the social implications of food remains include not only the contexts and characters of specific samples but also the integration of multiple data sets that may all differ with respect to their taphonomic histories and the aspects of food behavior they reflect.
Generic inefficiency of equilibria in the general equilibrium model with incomplete asset markets and infinite time

We consider a Lucas asset-pricing model with heterogeneous agents, exogenous labor income, and a finite number of exogenous shocks. Although agents are infinitely lived, endowments and dividends are time-invariant functions of the exogenous shock alone and are thus restricted to lie in a finite-dimensional space; genericity analysis can be conducted on sets of zero Lebesgue measure. When financial markets are incomplete, that is, there are fewer financial securities than shocks, we show that generically in individual endowments all competitive equilibria are Pareto inefficient.
Expression of AID transgene is regulated in activated B cells but not in resting B cells and kidney.

Abstract Activation-induced DNA cytidine deaminase (AID) is required for somatic hypermutation (SHM) and efficient class switch recombination (CSR) of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes. We created AID-transgenic mice that express AID ubiquitously under the control of a β-actin promoter. When crossed with AID−/− mice, the AID-transgenic,AID−/− mice carried out SHM and CSR, showing that the AID transgenes were functional. However, the frequencies of SHM in V- and switch-regions, and CSR were reduced compared to those in a wild type AID background. Several criteria suggested that the inefficiency of SHM was due to reduced AID activity, rather than lack of recruiting error-prone DNA repair. High levels of AID mRNA were produced in resting B cells and kidney, cells that do not express AID in wild type mice. Compared with these cells, activated B cells expressed about an order of magnitude less AID mRNA suggesting that there may be a post-transcriptional mechanism that regulates AID mRNA levels in professional AID producers but not other cells. The AID protein expressed in resting B cells and kidney was phosphorylated at serine-38. Despite this modification, known to enhance AID activity, resting B cells did not undergo SHM. Apparently, the large amounts of AID in resting B cells are not targeted to Ig genes in vivo, in contrast to findings in vitro.
Access, Alienation, and the Production of Chronic Liminality: Sixty Years of Frontier Settlement in a Zambian Park Buffer Zone

This article examines several decades of cyclical shifts in the political ecology of a Zambian national park buffer zone, where Gwembe Tonga migrants have pioneered land for ambitious livelihood dreams, while repeatedly encountering challenges from the government, development programs, and host populations. The buffer zone is a marginal space where people, land, and animals come together at different moments in time and in different constellations, never definitively secure, and never definitively exiled. In the confusion of recurring cycles of access and alienation, pockets of power form, including governmental and non-governmental organizations that arrive, temporarily create new social elites and then depart. These cycles of access and alienation have normalized socioecological uncertainty and instability, that is, a state of "chronic liminality" that has led to ongoing vulnerability for the region's people and ecosystems. The results are acute socioeconomic differentiation, alarming outbursts of viole...
Hormonal Modulation of Two Coordinated Rhythmic Motor Patterns

Neuromodulation is well known to provide plasticity in pattern generating circuits, but few details are available concerning modulation of motor pattern coordination. We are using the crustacean stomatogastric nervous system to examine how co-expressed rhythms are modulated to regulate frequency and maintain coordination. The system produces two related motor patterns, the gastric mill rhythm that regulates protraction and retraction of the teeth and the pyloric rhythm that filters food. These rhythms have different frequencies and are controlled by distinct mechanisms, but each circuit influences the rhythm frequency of the other via identified synaptic pathways. A projection neuron, MCN1, activates distinct versions of the rhythms, and we show that hormonal dopamine concentrations modulate the MCN1 elicited rhythm frequencies. Gastric mill circuit interactions with the pyloric circuit lead to changes in pyloric rhythm frequency that depend on gastric mill rhythm phase. Dopamine increases pyloric frequency during the gastric mill rhythm retraction phase. Higher gastric mill rhythm frequencies are associated with higher pyloric rhythm frequencies during retraction. However, dopamine slows the gastric mill rhythm frequency despite the increase in pyloric frequency. Dopamine reduces pyloric circuit influences on the gastric mill rhythm and upregulates activity in a gastric mill neuron, DG. Strengthened DG activity slows the gastric mill rhythm frequency and effectively reduces pyloric circuit influences, thus changing the frequency relationship between the rhythms. Overall dopamine shifts dependence of frequency regulation from intercircuit interactions to increased reliance on intracircuit mechanisms.
INTERPRETATION OF CALCIFICATIONS IN SCREEN/FILM, DIGITIZED, AND WAVELET-ENHANCED, MONITOR-DISPLAYED MAMMOGRAMS: A RECEIVER OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC STUDY

Rationale and Objectives. The acceptance of filmless digital mammography is currently limited by digitization and display drawbacks, as well as bias toward hard-copy interpretation. In the current study, we evaluated a wavelet-based image enhancement method for the filmless interpretation of breast calcifications. Methods. A set of 100 mammograms (58 with calcification clusters) was digitized at 105 μm and 4,096 gray levels per pixel and was processed with nonlinear filters and wavelets. Standard receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed by four radiologists, who independently read the films, the unprocessed digital images, and unprocessed and wavelet-enhanced digital images presented simultaneously. Results. Statistical differences were observed between screen/film and unprocessed digitized mammography displayed on monitors. Differences were not significant when wavelet enhancement was included in the monitor display. Interobserver variation in the digitized reading was greater than in film reading, but the wavelet enhancement reduced the difference. Conclusion. Wavelet-enhanced digital mammograms may assist radiologists in diagnosing calcifications directly from computer monitors and may compensate for current technologic limitations. A study with a larger database is needed before this method is accepted for clinical use.
Consortia and Centers of Excellence: Issues and Answers

As the demand for food-supply veterinarians changes, while the level of expertise necessary in this field markedly increases, there is a need to examine alternative modalities for delivering food-supply veterinary education. It seems clear that not all veterinary schools in the United States can sustain optimally sized facilities for the broad-based training in all species of food animals that the current and future food-supply veterinarian needs. An alternative model is for select schools to establish consortial centers of excellence in specific food-animal species, to which students from other schools can go for optimum final-year education. This alternative mode of food supply-veterinary medical education is discussed here.
Opinion change and performance facilitation as a result of objective self-awareness ☆

Abstract Three experiments were designed to demonstrate that objective self-awareness, a state in which the individual evaluates himself and attempts to attain correctness and consistency in his beliefs and behaviors, can mediate both opinion change and performance facilitation. In Experiment I, objective self-awareness was increased for some Ss when they heard their own tape-recorded voices, and relative to an appropriate control condition, those Ss showed increased agreement with the modal opinion of a positive reference group. In Experiment II, the subjects engaged in counterattitudinal essay-writing, and some of them were exposed to an operating television camera while they wrote. It was found that opinion change in the direction of the counterattitudinal essays was greater among subjects who were exposed to the camera than among those who were not. Experiment III was an attempt to demonstrate that performance facilitation effects can be produced through self-evaluation. Approximately half of the Ss performed a routine task while facing a mirror, while the remaining Ss performed the same task with no mirror. It was argued theoretically that the mirror would effect self-evaluation with respect to performance rate, and consistent with this expectation, performance was better in the presence of a mirror.
The Detection of Cotton Fiber Convolutions by the Reflection of Light

A device which allows the azimuthal monitoring of reflected light is described. The results of measuring the azimuthal angles between maximum reflected light and one-half of maximum reflected light...
Omodysplasia: an affected mother and son.

We describe a second family with mother to son transmission of omodysplasia, a rare skeletal dysplasia characterized by shortened humeri, shortened first metacarpals and craniofacial dysmorphism. The mother in this family had been diagnosed previously with Robinow syndrome; subsequently, her diagnosis was reclassified. Her pregnancy was closely monitored antenatally with serial ultrasound examinations. Delayed ossification of the humerus was noted prenatally. Her son had ambiguous genitalia and similar skeletal manifestations as his mother. A comparison to other known and suspected cases of dominant omodysplasia is presented. Our observations confirm the existence of a dominant variant of omodysplasia, document genital hypoplasia as an important feature of this syndrome in males and highlight the need to differentiate this entity from Robinow syndrome.
Expression of Rat Kallikrein and Epithelial Polarity in Transfected Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cells

Abstract Many properties of urinary kallikrein are well characterized, but the intracellular processing of prokallikrein and release by kidney cells have yet to be clarified. We report here on the synthesis of prokallikrein in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells transfected with rat submaxillary gland kallikrein cDNA and on its activation by MDCK cells and by an enriched liver Golgi membrane preparation. Transfected MDCK cells secreted only prokallikrein at both the apical and basolateral sides in about a 4:1 ratio, but cells transfected with kallikrein cDNA in reverse orientation or untreated cells released only traces of the enzyme. Prokallikrein, in culture medium or in homogenized MDCK cells, was fully activated by trypsin but activated only to 44% by thermolysin. Prokallikrein was synthesized and released into the medium at a high rate: the enzyme secreted by 5×10 6 cells in 24 hours cleaved 46 nmol/min d-Val-Leu-Arg-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin and liberated 63 ng/min bradykinin after activation. Immunocytology indicated the association of prokallikrein with the Golgi apparatus in the transfected cells. Antiserum to rat urinary kallikrein detected a single band in a Western blot of conditioned medium and also immunoprecipitated the enzyme. Aprotinin inhibited activated prokallikrein. Although MDCK cells released prokallikrein, their homogenates activated prokallikrein at both pH 5.5 and 7.5. Prokallikrein was also activated by a highly enriched liver Golgi membrane fraction and by an endoplasmic reticulum preparation, but the Golgi preparation was 38-fold more active. The activation was blocked significantly by inhibitors of serine proteases and less by cysteine protease inhibitors. Thus, transfected MDCK cells synthesize and release prokallikrein without activating it from the apical (80%) and the basolateral (20%) sides.
Optimal quantization of random measurements in compressed sensing

Quantization is an important but often ignored consideration in discussions about compressed sensing. This paper studies the design of quantizers for random measurements of sparse signals that are optimal with respect to mean-squared error of the lasso reconstruction. We utilize recent results in high-resolution functional scalar quantization and homotopy continuation to approximate the optimal quantizer. Experimental results compare this quantizer to other practical designs and show a noticeable improvement in the operational distortion-rate performance.
Asparagine 229 Mutants of Thymidylate Synthase Catalyze the Methylation of 3-Methyl-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-Monophosphate †

The conserved Asn 229 of thymidylate synthase (TS) forms a cyclic hydrogen bond network with the 3-NH and 4-O of the nucleotide substrate 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate (dUMP). Asn 229 is not essential for substrate binding or catalysis (Liu, L., & Santi, D. V. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 8604-8608) but is a major determinant in substrate specificity (Liu, L., & Santi, D. V. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 9263-9267). 3-Methyl-dUMP (3-MedUMP) is neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of wild type TS but is converted to 3-methyl 2'-deoxythymidine 5'-monophosphate by many TS Asn 229 mutants. Some of the Asn 229 mutants (N229C, -I, -M, -A, and -V) have kcat values for 3-MedUMP methylation which are up to about 20% of that for wild type TS-catalyzed methylation of dUMP, and some mutants (N229C and -A) catalyze methylation of 3-MedUMP more efficiently than that of dUMP. Mutants with hydrophobic side chains tended to be more active in catalysis of methylation of 3-MedUMP than those with hydrophilic side chains. The ability of 3-MedUMP to serve as a substrate for Asn 229 mutants shows that the active form of dUMP involves the neutral pyrimidine base and that ionization of the 3-NH group does not occur in the course of catalysis. In contrast to the negligible binding of 3-MedUMP to wild type TS, both 3-MedUMP and dUMP showed similar Km values with the Asn 229 mutants, suggesting similar binding affinities to the mutants. The X-ray crystal structure of the TS N229C- 3-MedUMP complex showed that the side chain of Cys 229 was rotated away from the pyrimidine ring to allow placement of a water molecule and the 3-methyl group of 3-MedUMP in the active site. Our results suggest that the inability of 3-MedUMP to undergo methylation by wild type TS is due to its inability to bind to the enzyme, which in turn is simply a result of steric interference of the 3-methyl group with the side chain of Asn 229.
STANDARD PRODUCT MODELS FOR SUPPORTING AUTOMATED ERECTION OF STRUCTURAL STEELWORK

A piece of automation equipment such as a robotic crane for steel erection has no intrinsic knowledge of the process it automates. Thus, geometric and spatial information about a component such as a steel member, and the motion sequences that must be executed to move that component from a staging area to its installed final location must both be programmed into the equipment. In automated steel construction, the position and orientation of steel members in a temporary staging area is project and site dependent, and thus cannot be automatically determined beforehand. The final in-place spatial configuration (position and orientation) of a steel member, however, can be conceptually extracted automatically from a product model of the structure being erected. The presented research evaluates this hypothesis and investigates the extent to which the CIMsteel Integration Standards (CIS/2) can specify product descriptions capable of supporting automated erection of structural steelwork.
Medicolegal aspects of acute myocardial infarction.

Almost every shift, emergency physicians are challenged with making critical decisions about patients with chest pain. Failure to diagnose and treat patients with acute coronary syndromes expeditiously has serious consequences. Included in those consequences are potential medicolegal liabilities. More malpractice dollars are awarded for missed myocardial infarction (MI) than for any other diagnosis. Because emergency physicians are on the front line in evaluating patients with potential acute coronary syndromes, they have the highest average payments for medical malpractice claims stemming from errors in treating these patients. 11 Generally speaking, claims result from allegations of failure to diagnose or failure to provide treatment in a timely manner. The latter claim has assumed increasing importance because of the time-sensitive nature of the variety of interventions that are now standards of care. Indeed, it is not hard to imagine a potential claim for something as simple as failure to administer aspirin to a patient with an acute MI. Throw into the mix betablockers, nitrates, thrombolytics agents, angioplasty, antithrombotics/anticoagulants, and, in some settings, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and the potential allegations of failure to provide timely and comprehensive treatment become significant. Other variables and legal developments have created further pitfalls. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) has generated a new breed of claims that are distinct from traditional state malpractice claims. Managed care "gatekeeper" policies have come under intense scrutiny and have been increasingly litigated despite the partial protections afforded against such litigation by federal law (i.e., ERISA). The continuing creativity of the plaintiff's bar, combined with the persistent difficulty of accurately diagnosing a significant percentage of patients with acute coronary syndromes, ensures that the high-stakes litigation on this topic will continue for the foreseeable future.
A Framework for Comparative Study of Minority-Group Aspirations

Abstract Most states have one or more ethnic minorities. Members of such groups invariably experience some degree of dissatisfaction with their status. In consequence, tension between subnational identity and national affiliation is a persistent and pervasive reality. Although a large literature addresses the relationship between culture and nationality, it cannot be said that the interaction of minority-group aspirations and related government policies is well understood. In this article, we seek to build a foundation for such understanding through the development of a framework for comparative study. We propose a diagnostic formula that focuses on minority-group demands ranging from recognition, access, and participation to separation, autonomy, and independence. We then consider the significance of geographical context and group-state interaction for minority goals. A more detailed analysis of circumstances that foster accommodation or conflict appears in nine case studies: Tamils in Sri Lanka, Druze i...
Inferior Vena Caval Filter Placement Without Preoperative Venacavography

Despite the emergence of noninvasive studies as the gold standard of venous diagnosis, many authors still insist upon formal preoperative venacavograms prior to insertion of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. Conversely, the authors employed only preoperative nonin vasive venous examinations and intraoperative fluoroscopy in 123 consecutive (IVC) filter placements of either the Greenfield filter (n=66) or the LGM (Vena Tech) device (n=57) by the surgical service. They reviewed the patients' intraoperative and postop erative hospital courses to identify complications that could have been avoided by obtaining preoperative contrast venacavograms.Twenty-one intraoperative complications or untoward events occurred in 17 patients, 1 of which could definitely have been prevented by preoperative venograms. These included: unrecognized internal jugular thrombus or web (3), neck hematoma (2), partial filter opening (2), obliquely placed filters (2), requirement of multiple venous insertion sites (5) or conversion ...
Volume Outcomes of Cystectomy—Is it the Surgeon or the Setting?

Purpose: Hospital volume and surgeon volume are each associated with outcomes after complex oncological surgery. However, the interplay between hospital and surgeon volume, and their impact on these outcomes has not been well characterized. We studied the relationship between surgeon and hospital volume, and overall mortality after radical cystectomy.Materials and Methods: The SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results)-Medicare linked database was used to identify 7,127 patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who underwent radical cystectomy from 1992 to 2006. Hospital volume and surgeon volume were expressed by tertile. The primary outcome measure was overall survival. Covariates included age, Charlson comorbidity index, stage, grade, node count, node density, number of positive nodes, urinary diversion and year of surgery. Multivariate analyses using generalized linear multilevel models were used to determine the independent association between hospital and surgeon volume and survival.R...
The connections and laminar organization of the optic tectum in a reptile (Iguana iguana)

The goals of this study were: (1) to describe the total pattern of projections from the optic tectum of Iguana iguana and Pseudemys scripta; and (2) to describe the contributions of particular lamina of the Iguana's optic tectum to this total pattern. Lesions were made in the optic tectum of the Iguana which damaged either all or only certain tectal laminae and, for comparison with the Iguana, lesions in the turtle's optic tectum were made which involved all laminae. The anterograde degeneration resulting from these lesions was stained with the Fink-Heimer ('67) method. The total pattern of projections from the optic tectum in the Iguana and the turtle is similar to that reported for representatives of other vertebrate classes. That is, the optic tectum gives rise to ipsilateral ascending projections to pretectal nuclei, to nucleus rotundus and to nucleus geniculatus lateralis pars ventralis of the diencephalon and, in addition, to a contralateral ascending pathway which courses via the supraoptic decussation to the contralateral diencephalon. Tectotectal connections and several descending pathways were also recognized in each species. The descending pathways include ipsilateral tectobulbar and tecto-isthmi pathways and a contralateral predorsal bundle. Lesions which damaged only certain tectal laminae in the Iguana revealed a laminar organization of the efferent projections. A lesions restricted to the superficial retinal-recipient layers, stratum griscum et album superficiale, resulted in degeneration in only nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis and nucleus geniculatus lateralis pars ventralis. A lesion which involved both the retinal-recipient layers and stratum griseum centrale resulted in degeneration in only one additional structure, nucleus rotundus. A small lesion involving the deep periventricular layer as well as the superficial layers produced degeneration in the predorsal bundle and the ipsilateral tectobulbar tract as well as in the structures receiving input from the more superficial layers. These results are compared to the results of similar analyses of the superior colliculus in mammals.
Microarray-based Approaches to Rice Transcriptome Analysis

The advent of rice genome sequences and subsequent annotation is having two marked, complementary effects on the relatively new discipline of plant transcriptomics. First, the rice genome contains approximately 60,000 annotated protein-coding loci that top other full sequenced genomes. Although masking protein related transposable elements considerably reduces this number, abundant riceor cereal-specific genes exist. Second, the application of various transcriptome-profiling techniques in rice has generated a large number of putative transcripts that have yet to be incorporated into the genome annotation. The unprecedented complexity and impending completeness of the transcriptome data are simultaneously demanding and creating opportunities for new avenues of discovery using novel, high-throughput approaches. In this chapter, we review the recent advances in rice microarray systems and the application of these systems in deep and comprehensive transcriptome analysis.
The association between daytime sleepiness and sleep-disordered breathing in NREM and REM sleep.

SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING IS CHARACTERIZEDBY REPETITIVE EPISODES OF PARTIAL OR COMPLETECOLLAPSE OF THE UPPER AIRWAY DURING SLEEP. Theresulting decrease or cessation in airflow is often associated withoxyhemoglobin desaturation and/or an arousal from sleep. Inpatients with sleep-disordered breathing, respiratory events mayoccur throughout non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapideye movement (REM) sleep. The typical finding is that respira-tory events during REM sleep are longer and are associated witha greater degree of hypoxemia than events that occur duringNREM sleep. These characteristics may be related to the markeddifferences in arousal responses to respiratory stimuli (i.e.,hypoxemia and hypercapnia) between REM and NREM sleep.In general, greater stimulus intensities are required to elicit anarousal from REM than NREM sleep.
Novel targeted therapies in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Chemotherapy alone cures only 25-45% of adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), making novel treatment agents and strategies desperately needed. The addition of monoclonal antibodies (rituximab, alemtuzumab, epratzumab) to chemotherapy has demonstrated encouraging results in patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed ALL. The anti-CD22 immunoconjugate, inotuzumab ozogamicin, and the anti-CD19 BiTE(®) antibody, blinatumomab, have demonstrated impressive single agent activity in patients with relapsed or refractory B-ALL. Early reports of chimeric antigen receptor therapies have been promising in patients with relapsed ALL. Other agents targeting NOTCH1, FLT3, the proteasome and DNA methylation are early in development. These new agents hope to improve the outcome of ALL therapy with less toxicity. The challenge going forward will be to find safe and effective combinations and determine where in the treatment schema these agents will be most effective in ALL therapy.
Complete Modeling of Rotary Ultrasonic Motors Actuated By Traveling Flexural Waves

Ultrasonic rotary motors have the potential to meet this NASA need and they are developed as actuators for miniature telerobotic applications. These motors are being adapted for operation at the harsh space environments that include cryogenic temperatures and vacuum and analytical tools for the design of efficient motors are being developed. A hybrid analytical model was developed to address a complete ultrasonic motor as a system. Included in this model is the influence of the rotor dynamics, which was determined experimentally to be important to the motor performance. The analysis employs a 3D finite element model to express the dynamic characteristics of the stator with piezoelectric elements and the rotor. The details of the stator including the teeth, piezoelectric ceramic, geometry, bonding layer, etc. are included to support practical USM designs. A brush model is used for the interface layer and Coulomb's law for the friction between the stator and the rotor. The theoretical predictions were corroborated experimentally for the motor. In parallel, efforts have been made to determine the thermal and vacuum performance of these motors. To explore telerobotic applications for USMs a robotic arm was constructed with such motors.
In Vivo Optical Molecular Imaging of Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity following Celecoxib Therapy for Colorectal Cancer

We present an optical molecular imaging approach to measure the efficacy of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor celecoxib on tumor growth rate through its effect on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. A xenograft model of colorectal cancer was generated in nude mice, which were then randomized to receive celecoxib versus vehicle. MMP activity was measured by an enzyme-activatable optical molecular probe. A novel genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model of colorectal cancer was also used to assess celecoxib's effect on MMP activity, which was measured by quantitative fluorescence colonoscopy. Subcutaneously implanted xenograft tumors were 84% (SD 20.2%) smaller in volume in the treatment group versus the control group. Moreover, treated animals exhibited only a 7.6% (SEM 9%) increase in MMP activity versus 106% (SEM 8%) for untreated animals. There was an apparent linear relationship (r = .91) between measured MMP activity and tumor growth rate. Finally, in the GEM model experiment, treated murine tumors remained relatively unchanged in volume and MMP activity; however, untreated tumors grew significantly and showed an increase in MMP activity. This method may provide for the improved identification of patients for whom COX-2 inhibition therapy is indicated by allowing one to balance the patient's cardiovascular risk with the cancer's responsiveness to celecoxib.
Preoperative Preparation and Care

The feasibility of robotic radical cystectomy has been established. Given the advanced age of presentation, a thorough evaluation, involving cancer staging, review of medical history, and physical examination, is of utmost importance. Contraindications are similar to any laparoscopic surgery but special attention should be taken to underlying pulmonary disease. Mechanical bowel preparation is no longer considered necessary nor is the routine use of postoperative nasogastric tube use. Standardized postoperative pathways can possibly reduce hospital stay and morbidity.
Risk Perception and Trust Interaction in Response to Food Safety Events across Products and the Implications for Agribusiness Firms

F ood safety events can create devastating economics losses for agribusiness firms. The objective of this study is to identify the factors that influence potential purchasing decisions for fresh produce and meat products. The SPARTA model, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, is used to determine the impact of probable factors that influence consumers’ purchasing decisions. The data for this research was obtained from two surveys: fresh produce and meat products. The results suggest a food safety event in fresh produce markets affect purchasing decisions more than the same event in meat markets. Results also suggest information consumers receive about food safety events from casual conversations with family members, friends, and colleagues can influence purchasing decisions. Agribusiness firms can use these results to form strategic responses to food safety events.
Leashing the Surveillance State: How to Reform Patriot Act Surveillance Authorities

Congress recently approved a temporary extension of three controversial surveillance provisions of the USA Patriot Act and successor legislation, which had previously been set to expire at the end of February. In the coming weeks, lawmakers have an opportunity to review the sweeping expansion of domestic counter-terror powers since 9/11 and, with the benefit of a decade's perspective, strengthen crucial civil-liberties safeguards without unduly burdening legitimate intelligence gathering. Two of the provisions slated for sunset — roving wiretap authority and the socalled "Section 215" orders for the production of records — should be narrowed to mitigate the risk of overcollection of sensitive information about innocent Americans. A third — authority to employ the broad investigative powers of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act against "lone wolf" suspects who lack ties to any foreign terror group — does not appear to be necessary at all. More urgent than any of these, however, is the need to review and substantially modify the statutes authorizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation to secretly demand records, without any prior court approval, using National Security Letters. Though not slated to sunset with the other three Patriot provisions, NSLs were the focus of multiple proposed legislative reforms during the 2009 reauthorization debates, and are also addressed in at least one bill already introduced this year. Federal courts have already held parts of the current NSL statutes unconstitutional, and the government's own internal audits have uncovered widespread, systematic misuse of expanded NSL powers. Congress should resist recent Justice Department pressure to further broaden the scope of NSL authority — and, indeed, should significantly curtail it. In light of this history of misuse, as well as the uncertain constitutional status of NSLs, a sunset should be imposed along with more robust reporting and oversight requirements.
Vascularized osseous flaps and assessing their bipartate perfusion pattern via intraoperative fluorescence angiography.

Background Large segmental bone and composite tissue defects often require vascularized osseous flaps for definitive reconstruction. However, failed osseous flaps due to inadequate perfusion can lead to significant morbidity. Utilization of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence angiography has been previously shown to reliably assess soft tissue perfusion. Our group will outline the application of this useful intraoperative tool in evaluating the perfusion of vascularized osseous flaps. Methods A retrospective review was performed to identify those osseous and/or osteocutaneous bone flaps, where ICG angiography was employed. Data analyzed included flap types, success and failure rates, and perfusion-related complications. All osseous flaps were evaluated by ICG angiography to confirm periosteal and endosteal perfusion. Results Overall 16 osseous free flaps utilizing intraoperative ICG angiography to assess vascularized osseous constructs were performed over a 3-year period. The flaps consisted of the following: nine osteocutaneous fibulas, two osseous-only fibulas, two scapular/parascapular with scapula bone, two quadricep-based muscle flaps, containing a vascularized femoral bone component, and one osteocutaneous fibula revision. All flap reconstructions were successful with the only perfusion-related complication being a case of delayed partial skin flap loss. Conclusions Intraoperative fluorescence angiography is a useful adjunctive tool that can aid in flap design through angiosome mapping and can also assess flap perfusion, vascular pedicle flow, tissue perfusion before flap harvest, and flap perfusion after flap inset. Our group has successfully extended the application of this intraoperative tool to assess vascularized osseous flaps in an effort to reduce adverse outcomes related to preventable perfusion-related complications.
Effect of overpressure on mudstone caprock sealing gas in each phase

Based on the study on formation mechanism and conditions of overpressure,the effect of overpressure on mudstone caprock sealing gas in each phase is studied.The research results indicate,overpressure makes the porosity and permeability of tight layer reduce,the displacement pressure increase, the ability sealing gas in free phase increase.The bigger value of overpressure is,the stronger the ability to seal gas in separate phase enhances,and vice versa.Overpressure makes compaction diagenetic grade of tight mudstone caprock increase,the adsorption force increase,and the ability to seal gas in water-dissolving phase increase.The higher overpressure value is,the stronger the ability to seal gas in water-dissolved phase is,and vice versa.Overpressure makes gas-bearing concentration in overpressured mudstone caprock that has hydrocarbon generation ability increase,and forms stronger concentration sealing for gas in aqueous fusion phase.The higher overpressure value is,the stronger the concentration seal ability for gas in diffuse phase is,and vice versa.
Inflammatory mechanisms affecting the lipid profile in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: Increased low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides, and decreased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations are associated with adverse cardiovascular risk in the general population. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an altered lipid profile characterized by increased triglycerides and decreased HDL cholesterol concentrations. We examined the relationships between lipid concentrations, cytokines, and inflammatory markers in patients with SLE. METHODS: Fasting lipid concentrations, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured in 110 patients with SLE. Disease activity was quantified by the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and disease damage by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) score. Concentrations of circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and insulin were measured and insulin sensitivity calculated. RESULTS: Lower concentrations of HDL cholesterol were independently associated with higher ESR (p
Introduction—TEM, The Education Mess

This chapter argues that education is a mess. A mess is a system of problems that are so highly interconnected such that no problem exists or can be studied independently of all the other problems that constitute the mess and the entire mess itself. The chapter also lays out the debate with regard to what to do about TEM, The Education Mess. On the one side are those who favor charter schools. They believe that the public schools have failed and therefore need to be radically redesigned, if not jettisoned altogether. On the other side are those who support public schools and seek to improve them, not abandon them. The chapter argues that both sides need one another more than they realize. Both are needed if we are to have any hope of coping with TEM.
Utilization of ICAM-1 Peptide Conjugates for Drug Targeting to T-Cells

The objective of this work is to demonstrate that ICAM-1 peptides can be used to target drugs (e.g. methotrexate = MTX) to T-cells. Previously, we have shown that cIBR peptide derived from the ICAM-1 sequence can bind to and be internalized by the LFA-1 receptor on the surface of T-cells [1–3]. Therefore, we conjugated MTX to the N-terminus of cIBR for targeting MTX into T-cells. MTX has been used to treat leukocyte-related diseases such as leukemia and rheumatoid arthritis. Unfortunately, MTX produces side effects, and its prolonged administration may produce drug resistance. Therefore, the MTX-cIBR conjugate may have improved selectivity and lower toxicity than MTX alone.
Business Groups and Corporate Social Responsibility in Emerging Economies

While the business group literature has studied the impact of differences in ownership and control among the three distinct types of business groups: family- owned, state-owned, and widely-held bus...
Constraints, Competency and Creativity in the Classroom

Constraints define domains, specifying goal criteria and accepted means of meeting them. Competency, the ability to problem solve in a domain, depends on mastering basic constraints. Creativity follows competency, as the product called creative must be both novel and appropriate to its domain. In this chapter, we discuss and demonstrate how different kinds of constraints affect early competency in mathematics and later creativity in composition. Applications of our constraint model to other do mains are also suggested.
Signal Detection Theories of Recognition Memory

Signal detection theory has guided thinking about recognition memory since it was first applied by Egan in 1958. Essentially a tool for measuring decision accuracy in the context of uncertainty, detection theory offers an integrated account of simple old–new recognition judgments, decision confidence, and the relationship of those responses to more complex memory judgments such as recognition of the context in which an event was previously experienced. In this chapter, several commonly used signal detection models of recognition memory, and their threshold-based competition, are reviewed and compared against data from a wide range of tasks. Overall, the simpler signal detection models are the most successful.
Adaptive Quasi-Monte Carlo Methods for Cubature

High dimensional integrals can be approximated well by quasi-Monte Carlo methods. However, determining the number of function values needed to obtain the desired accuracy is difficult without some upper bound on an appropriate semi-norm of the integrand. This challenge has motivated our recent development of theoretically justified, adaptive cubatures based on digital sequences and lattice nodeset sequences. Our adaptive cubatures are based on error bounds that depend on the discrete Fourier transforms of the integrands. These cubatures are guaranteed for integrands belonging to cones of functions whose true Fourier coefficients decay steadily, a notion that is made mathematically precise. Here we describe these new cubature rules and extend them in two directions. First, we generalize the error criterion to allow both absolute and relative error tolerances. We also demonstrate how to estimate a function of several integrals to a given tolerance. This situation arises in the computation of Sobol’ indices. Second, we describe how to use control variates in adaptive quasi-Monte cubature while appropriately estimating the control variate coefficient.
Workplace Violence Evaluations and the ADA

Workplace violence has captured the attention of the public, the media, and employers since a series of shootings at the U.S. Postal Service facilities in the late 1980s gave rise to misplaced concerns about employees, primarily disgruntled current or former employees, “going postal.” Psychiatrists and other clinicians who possess the requisite knowledge and experience to address workplace violence concerns can play an important role in assessing and managing violence risk, including addressing the misperception that individuals with mental illness are significantly more likely to be violent. A clinician who is treating the employee in question can contribute first-hand knowledge to the risk assessment process, but should not serve as the sole evaluator of risk and fitness for duty. This chapter discusses the reasons for using independent expert evaluators rather than the employee’s treating clinician alone, and the components of a thorough workplace violence risk assessment and analysis.
Spinal subdural abscess following repeat lumbar microdiscectomy: A case report of imaging findings for a rare infection

Spinal subdural abscess is a rare central nervous system infection with just over a hundred cases reported. It is much less common than spinal epidural abscess. While most case reports have focused on route of infection and treatment options, there have not been any reports that focused on the unique MRI findings of spinal subdural abscess. We describe a case of spinal subdural abscess diagnosed by MRI in a 33-year-old male who presented with headaches after undergoing a microdiscectomy procedure, and review the underlying anatomic features of the spinal meninges which produce the appearance of a spinal subdural abscess.
Knowledge Representation of Spatial Relations

Previous research on the mental representation of spatial knowledge has shown the utility of modelling hierarchical relationships through the ordered tree clustering algorithm applied to repeated free-recall data. This chapter examines differences in ordered tree representations as a function of the distribution of points in space. In particular, ordered trees are derived from subjects in each of three conditions: a homogeneous distribution, a heterogeneous by location, and a heterogeneous by size. The results indicate differences both in the free-recall strategy and in the structured representation derived from the recall data, given similar recall strategies. The benefits of and limitations of the ordered trees are compared to additive tree representations and a network analysis.
Multiwave: Complex Hand Gesture Recognition Using the Doppler Effect

We built an acoustic, gesture-based recognition system called Multiwave, which leverages the Doppler Effect to translate multidimensional movements into user interface commands. Our system only requires the use of a speaker and microphone to be operational, but can be augmented with more speakers. Since these components are already included in most end user systems, our design makes gesture-based input more accessible to a wider range of end users. We are able to detect complex gestures by generating a known high frequency tone from multiple speakers and detecting movement using changes in the sound waves.We present the results of a user study of Multiwave to evaluate recognition rates for different gestures and report error rates comparable to or better than the current state of the art despite additional complexity. We also report subjective user feedback and some lessons learned from our system that provide additional insight for future applications of multidimensional acoustic gesture recognition.
Effect of tracheal insufflation of deferoxamine on acute ozone toxicity in rats

To test the hypothesis that deferoxamine (DFO) may protect the lung against the acute toxicity of ozone (O3), male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 to 300 gm) were tracheally insufflated before exposure to O3 (2 ppm for 4 hours) with DFO (25 mg/kg), ferric-DFO, or sterile water. Measurements of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein, ascorbate, hydrogen peroxide, and lipid hydroperoxides were made immediately after O3 exposure and 12 and 24 hours later. DFO (25 mg/kg) decreased BALF protein concentration (p < 0.05) and was associated with higher BALF ascorbate concentrations (p < 0.01) in O3-exposed animals. Ferric-DFO did not show these protective effects. No peroxides were found in BALF from any control or O3-exposed animals (detection limit: H2O2, 1 pmol; lipid hydroperoxides, 0.3 pmol). Higher DFO doses (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) did not decrease BALF protein concentration immediately after O3 exposure or 12 hours later. Indeed, the highest dose was toxic to O3-exposed animals. Although DFO is able to protect against O3-induced lung damage in rats, apparently by chelating iron, its effect dose range appears to be narrow.