Hofstra University

A group of metal objects excavated at Qasr-e Abu Nasr in south-central Iran in the 1930s, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has been analyzed to examine metalworking techniques and metallurgical processes. Thirty-three objects were studied and analyzed by micro-X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and metallography techniques. The results of these analyses show a wide range of copper alloy compositions including impure copper, tin bronze, brass, leaded tin bronze, leaded brass and leaded ternary Cu-Sn-Zn (gunmetal) alloys. Also, two silver-copper and one pewter object were identified among the analyzed objects. The results of this interdisciplinary study provide new insights onto the archaeology of Qasr-e Abu Nasr, as well as present new information about the history and evolution of copper-base metallurgy on the Iranian Plateau during the Sasanian and early Islamic periods.

Sometimes we hear music (when we play it or hear it, whether live or recorded) and that experience is felt as a singular event. In those moments we find ourselves in an existential situation that, because it is singular (rare, unique, unintended), reveals the formative power of an aesthetic experience of listening to music, what we might call learning how to be poetic. Here, Eduardo Duarte Bono explores how engaging with Jean‐Luc Nancy can enable us to deepen our appreciation for music's aesthetic education. Specifically, Nancy's category of “resonant subjectivity” describes the existential place where this education is occurring during those singular experiences with music, what Nancy describes as “‘to be all ears’ [ être à l'écoute ], to be listening.” As a way of amplifying Nancy's writing on listening to music, Duarte Bono takes up three distinct cases in this paper: the percussionist Evelyn Glennie, Pablo Picasso's sculpture Guitar , and Ralph Ellison's musings on living with music as a writer.

The American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus , spawns in the intertidal zone and is thought to prefer conditions associated with the oxygen-rich sediments of the upper intertidal zone. However, they also spawn in the oxygen-poor sediments of the mid-intertidal zone. Such alternative habitats have traditionally been considered suboptimal, yet the consequences of spawning there are unknown. Here, eggs originating from upper- and mid-intertidal habitats were incubated under different abiotic conditions, and development rate and hatching success were measured. Eggs were collected in May 2021 from Long Island (Zach’s Bay), New York and incubated at two temperatures (26 °C and 20 °C), each coinciding with two O 2 conditions (21% and 9.5% ambient). All eggs developed more slowly at the lower temperature and O 2 levels, with eggs from the upper intertidal showing a greater decrease in rate than those from the mid-intertidal. Eggs from the upper intertidal had a higher hatching success overall which decreased with a lowering of either temperature or O 2 . The hatching success of eggs from the mid-intertidal only decreased when both variables were lower. Thus, eggs from upper intertidal habitats better use conditions traditionally considered optimal, while eggs from mid-intertidal habitats are hardier in conditions usually considered suboptimal. This could be due to differences in the adults that use each habitat or the developmental trajectory embryos take when exposed to particular habitat conditions. Either way, this novel finding suggests a strategy horseshoe crabs use to take advantage of environmental variation and underlies an adaptive response to alternative habitats once considered suboptimal.

In order to take on arbitrary geometries, shape-changing arrays must introduce gaps between their elements. To enhance performance, this unused area can be filled with meta-material inspired switched passive networks on flexible sheets in order to compensate for the effects of increased spacing. These flexible meta-gaps can easily fold and deploy when the array changes shape. This work investigates the promise of meta-gaps through the measurement of a 5-by-5 λ -spaced array with 40 meta-gap sheets and 960 switches. The optimization and measurement problems associated with such a high-dimensional phased array are discussed. Simulated and in-situ optimization experiments are conducted to examine the differential performance of metaheuristic algorithms and characterize the underlying optimization problem. Measurement results demonstrate that in our implementation meta-gaps increase the average main beam power within the field of view (FoV) by 0.46 dB, suppress the average side lobe level within the FoV by 2 dB, and enhance the field-of-view by 23.5 ∘ compared to a ground-plane backed array.

Purpose : The aim of this study was to investigate a Physical Education Teacher Education course’s impact on preservice teachers’ content knowledge in volleyball and basketball. Methods : Eight participants from a Midwestern university were assessed over a semester across four domains, both before and after completing the content course: Common Content Knowledge-Movement, Common Content Knowledge-Performance, Specialized Content Knowledge-Content Development, and Specialized Content Knowledge-Error Analysis. Results : Significant improvements were found from pretests to posttests across all domains, with large effect sizes for most. Despite these gains, posttest scores indicated moderate proficiency, suggesting further refinement is needed to ensure preservice teachers’ teaching competence in K–12 settings. The study also found strong correlations between participants’ prior playing and teaching experiences and their pretest scores, particularly in common content knowledge domains. Discussion/Conclusion : These findings underscore the importance of targeted content knowledge training in Physical Education Teacher Education programs and the integration of evidence-based practices to enhance preservice teachers’ preparedness for teaching.

Competition is a very important preconditionwhich affects the effectiveness of development of national economy under the conditions of globalization. In classical economics, the competitiveness of countries is determined through production inputs. In the modern era of globalization, it appears that, besides quantifiable factors, qualitative influences or ‘soft’ factors such as political stability, government policies, quality of education, etc., are all important in determining competiveness. The World Economic Forum’s global competitiveness index and the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) are the two most widely used competitiveness indices. Using the same data as the WCY, Principal Components Analysis (PCA) is used in this analysis to develop indices of countries’ competitiveness. The procedure deals with first transforming the original variables to a new set of uncorrelated variables called Principal Components (PC). The new variables are linear combinations of the original variables, independent, and are derived in order of decreasing importance--the first PC accounts for as much as possible of the variation in the original data. We find that the WCY data collection methods could be simplified without compromising quality--which may encourage more countries to participate in the survey. Moreover, the approach developed in this study does not suffer from the same empirical limitations of past attempts to develop indices of the competitiveness of nations.

Strong and shifting selective pressures of the Anthropocene are rapidly shaping phenomes and genomes of organisms worldwide. Crops expressing pesticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) represent one major selective force on insect genomes. Here we characterize a rapid response to selection by Bt crops in a major crop pest, Helicoverpa zea. We reveal the polygenic architecture of Bt resistance evolution in H. zea and identify multiple genomic regions underlying this trait. In the genomic region of largest effect, we identified a gene amplification event, where resistant individuals showed variation in copy number for multiple genes. Signals of this amplification increased over time, consistent with the history of field-evolved Bt resistance evolution. Modern wild populations from disparate geographical regions are positive for this variant at high, but not fixed, allele frequencies. We also detected selection against single copy variants at this locus in wild H. zea collected from Bt expressing plants, further supporting its role in resistance. Multiple genes were annotated in this genomic region, and all appeared to be significantly upregulated in Bt resistant H. zea. We functionally characterized genes within the copy number variant (CNV), providing insight into their potential roles in resistance evolution. Our findings reveal the nature of rapid genome evolution in a major crop pest following anthropogenic selection and highlight the role that CNVs can have in rapid evolutionary responses.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignancy affecting the sinonasal tract. Local recurrence is the main pattern of treatment failure, affecting nearly half of patients treated for primary sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC). Due to disease rarity and heterogeneity of practices, there are limited guidelines for how to diagnose and care for these patients. This paper reviews current evidence regarding etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, prognostic factors, and treatment modalities of recurrent SNSCC (rSNSCC). Currently, salvage surgery offers the only durable approach for eligible patients. These resections often require robust reconstructive options due to prior surgery or radiation. Chemoradiation is offered as an adjuvant or palliative approach when surgery is not a feasible option. Emerging options such as immunotherapy and particle therapy remain an area of ongoing investigation.

The fundamental relations of mechanics and biomechanics are presented, which are essential for any study of the dynamics of physical systems and their behaviors. Beginning with an examination of Newton’s Laws of Motion, the chapter lays the groundwork for understanding the behavior of objects in motion and the forces acting upon them. It introduces the basic concepts of forces and moments, emphasizing their significance in analyzing the dynamics of various systems. Vector algebra is briefly reviewed as an important tool for representing and manipulating forces in different directions, leading to discussions on equilibrium forces and gravitational forces. The concept of the center of gravity is then presented, highlighting its importance in understanding stability and balance in objects. Lastly, frictional and inertial forces are examined, explaining their roles in resisting motion and affecting the dynamics of systems. Kinematic equations are introduced to describe the motion of objects, including the basic equations of angular motion, which are very useful for describing the movements of limbs around a fixed joint.

This chapter provides an in-depth exploration of the biomechanics of muscles, bones, and connective tissues, essential for understanding human movement and stability from an engineering perspective. Starting with the structure and function of muscles, it explains how muscles generate force and facilitate movement. The chapter then examines soft connective tissues, detailing their roles in supporting and connecting different parts of the musculoskeletal system. Specific sections focus on the biomechanics of key joints, including the hip, shoulder, elbow, and knee, highlighting their unique structural and functional characteristics. Additionally, the composition and structure of bone are explored, providing insights into bone mechanics and its role in the skeletal system. Lastly, the biomechanics of the lumbar and cervical spines are analyzed, emphasizing their roles in supporting the body and enabling a range of movements. Overall, this chapter offers a comprehensive understanding of the biomechanical principles governing the musculoskeletal system, which is essential for students and researchers in biomechanics, orthopedics, and physical therapy.

The circulation of blood through the body’s network of vasculature and the mechanism by which it is propelled by the heart acting as a pump are discussed in physiological detail as well as through mathematical modeling. The circulatory system is composed of arteries, which conduct the pulsatile flow from heart contractions through smaller arterioles and very small capillaries. These capillaries merge to form venules, and finally veins, which return the blood to the heart after the exchange of oxygen and other nutrients has been accomplished. Blood vessels are composed of four layers of tissue: endothelial lining, elastin fibers, collagen fibers, and smooth muscle. The elastic properties of blood vessels can be modeled, and wall stresses can be evaluated, assuming they act as thin-walled pressure vessels. The stresses in the heart can also be modeled, assuming it acts as a thick-walled elastic cylinder under pressure. At the microcirculation level, the exchange of oxygen and other nutrients is accomplished through diffusion through the walls of the vessels. Finally, the organization of data, such as flow rates, pressures, and other variables that are relevant to modeling and analyzing circulatory phenomena, is facilitated through the use of dimensional analysis, which can create the dimensionless ratios that are most pertinent to elucidating the phenomena under examination.

This chapter focuses on the intricate dynamics of fluid flow within the human body, with a focus on blood circulation and vascular physiology. Beginning with an exploration of blood flow and the vascular system, the chapter reviews fundamental principles governing fluid motion, including concepts such as inviscid flow and steady laminar flow in circular tubes. Key parameters, like the Reynolds number, which determines flow regimes and transitions between laminar and turbulent flow, are also introduced. The behavior of non-Newtonian fluids, such as blood, whose viscosity varies with shear rate, is reviewed. The text explores the mechanics of viscous flow, lubrication theory, and laminar boundary layer theory, shedding light on phenomena like boundary layer formation and flow separation. It further discusses turbulent flow and its implications for physiological processes, as well as pulsatile flow dynamics and their significance in arterial circulation.

This chapter provides a comprehensive examination of the respiratory system from a biomechanics perspective, focusing on the physical principles that govern respiratory function. Beginning with an introduction to the structure and function of the respiratory system, it describes the mechanics of breathing. The section on the mechanics of breathing explores the dynamic changes during the respiratory cycle, providing an important foundation for understanding lung mechanics. This is followed by a discussion of Fick’s Law of Diffusion, which is critical for understanding gas exchange in the lungs. Mechanical factors in breathing are analyzed to explain the forces involved during ventilation. The chapter also explores lung compliance, describing how the lung’s elasticity influences breathing efficiency. Resistance to airflow is examined, highlighting factors that affect air passage through the respiratory tract. Finally, this chapter explains how different pressures influence lung function and breathing dynamics. This chapter is essential for students and researchers in biomechanics and related fields, offering a detailed understanding of the biomechanical aspects of respiratory physiology.

This chapter explores the intricate world of cell biomechanics and provides a comprehensive overview of the structural and mechanical aspects of cells. Beginning with a description of cellular architecture, the chapter examines the role of the cell cytoskeleton in maintaining cell shape and facilitating cell adhesion and movement. This includes the dynamic interactions between cells and their extracellular matrix, as well as cell–cell interactions. A section on tissue engineering introduces the principles and applications of creating artificial tissues, which are crucial for advancing medical treatments. The latter part of the chapter introduces viscoelasticity, covering the fundamentals of linearly elastic materials and models based on springs and dashpots that describe cellular biomechanical behavior. It explains creep and recovery, as well as linear and nonlinear viscoelastic models, including the Maxwell, Kelvin-Voigt, Standard Solid, Standard Fluid, and Four-Element models. This chapter serves as a critical resource for students and researchers, offering insights into the mechanical principles governing cellular behavior and their applications in biomedical engineering.

Materials respond to forces by deforming, with the relationship between stress (force per unit area) and strain (deflection per unit length) being dependent on the type of material. Linearly elastic materials have a distinctive modulus of elasticity as a measure of their resistance to axial deformation. Generalized Hooke’s Law relates stress and strain for materials acted on by axial forces in three dimensions. Stresses can also be determined for elastic materials in response to forces producing bending, torsion, and direct shear. The resulting equations can then be superposed in cases of combined loadings. Finally, buckling is a phenomenon that occurs when a compressive load acting on a long, slender member exceeds a critical value. For bones and stiff solid implants, these classical elastic relations are used to determine stresses resulting from all combinations of applied forces and can predict when and how fractures and implant failures might occur.

To secure the scientific credibility of its theoretical foundations, CSR needs to update its cognitive model. Seminal work in CSR, and much contemporary research, employs a model of cognition that is subject to mounting criticism (i.e., cognitivism). The most significant of these critiques come from 4E cognition. This paper focuses on enactive cognition, arguing that reconstructing CSR along the lines of enactivism will put the field on firmer scientific grounding and can resolve long standing debates within the field. Beginning with an in-depth critique of a key component of the cognitivist model, representationalism, the paper also argues that a non-representational enactive cognitive model fits better with the evolutionary commitments of CSR. Next, it considers a case study in an enactive reconstruction of CSR: agency detection. This foundational concept has come under scrutiny due to lack of empirical support, raising concerns that it may need to be abandoned. Enactivism recasts the concept as "embodied agency-attunement." This allows a cognitive sensitivity to agency to continue its foundational role in CSR, while addressing empirical critiques leveled against it. The enactive approach is also compared to the predictive processing model. The paper concludes with suggestions about next steps towards an embodied CSR. ARTICLE HISTORY

Reply to Commentaries on Toward an embodied CSR The commentaries revealed several recurring themes, most prominent being my arguments against Representationalism and Predictive Processing. These require a more extensive treatment, but I will begin with a general, yet foundational topic: the evolutionary context of both cognition and religion. A failure to appreciate the role of the evolutionary context in the reconstructive project could contribute to a misreading of some discussions.

This case study examines the novel application of Spravato (intranasal esketamine) to address treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in an 86-year-old patient. Notably, this represents one of the oldest documented individuals to be administered intranasal esketamine for a diagnosis of Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) alongside suicidal ideation. This case study contributes to the growing body of evidence on its use in elderly populations suffering from MDD with suicidal ideation. Given the limited research on intranasal esketamine therapy in geriatric populations, this study highlights unique pharmacodynamic and clinical challenges specific to this demographic, particularly regarding advanced age, comorbidities, and sensitivity to adverse effects. Under the supervision of a double board-certified adult and geriatric psychiatrist, this case study examines how intranasal esketamine therapy can lead to positive treatment outcomes in geriatric populations. This case study also addresses the safety and efficacy of intranasal esketamine therapy, contributing to the broader discourse on its potential as a viable treatment option for TRD, especially for geriatric patients resistant to traditional therapies. While current literature primarily focuses on individuals aged 65 and younger, this case study aims to provide insights into future applications in geriatric populations to improve existing clinical guidelines.