cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Dopaminergic sensitivity in the prefrontal cortex is associated with variations in general cognitive abilities and is a target for working memory training
Creators: name: Wass, Christopher David
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: An individual’s performance across diverse tests of cognitive ability tends to co-vary, indicative of a common source of underlying variance (i.e., "general intelligence").  Recent evidence indicates that the processing efficacy of working memory predicts the level of general intelligence in humans and general cognitive abilities (GCA) in non-human animals (e.g. rodents and monkeys).  One component of working memory, namely selective attention, has been reported to highly co-vary with general intelligence, and evidence suggests that dopamine D1 signaling in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) critically modulates attentional abilities.  Here, we characterized the GCA of 48 CD-1 outbred mice based on their aggregate performance across five diverse tests of learning.  Using immunohistochemical techniques following administration of a D1 agonist (SKF82958, 1 mg/kg), we examined the relationship between GCA and endogenous sensitivity of D1 receptors in the mPFC, the dlPFC, and the striatum.  Results indicate a differential sensitivity of D1 receptors in the mPFC (but not the dlPFC or striatum) between animals of high GCA and low GCA (quantified by cFos activation in response to the D1 agonist).  In Experiment 2, we assessed whether the enhancement in D1 receptor sensitivity levels were the result of an increased amount of D1 receptors in the mPFC.  Results indicated that animals of high GCA and low GCA express no differences in the density of D1 receptors in the mPFC.  Subsequently we examined whether the imposition of a working memory training regimen (with a high demand on selective attention) modulates the same dopaminergic signaling mechanisms that were associated with innate GCA.  Working memory training promoted an increase in animals’ GCA and enhanced the sensitivity of D1 receptors in the mPFC.  These findings suggest that the sensitivity (but not number) of D1 receptors in the mPFC may both regulate GCA and may be a target for working memory training that promotes GCA.
Breast Carcinoma Associated MAR-binding Proteins p90 and p70
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: The nucleus of a typical mammalian cell contains an enormous length of DNA, which is "packed" into a space that is about 10 microns in diameter. The nuclear matrix contributes to the structural and functional organization of DNA by providing the skeletal framework onto which the DNA is assembled into independent looped domains. Our research interest is focused on specific DNA sequences called MARs (matrix attachment regions), that presumably anchor DNA onto the nuclear matrix. Presence of cell type-specific proteins that bind MARs strongly suggests the role of MARs and MAR-binding proteins in cell development and differentiation. Recently, it has become appreciated that the structure and composition of nuclear matrix is altered in cancer cells, and this may affect the activity of genes that induce tumor formation.

 In these studies, we will examine two new MAR-associated proteins from breast tumor cells. These proteins appear to be more abundant in breast tumor cells, such that virtually no MAR-binding can be detected in normal breast tissues or non-malignant breast lesions. These observations suggest that the two MAR-associated proteins of the cell nucleus may play an important role in the process of tumor formation. We propose to clone the cDNAs (genes) that encode for these two proteins using breast cancer cells. For studies on cellular distribution and quantitation, we will also prepare antibodies against the two purified MAR-associated proteins. Both the cloned genes and the antibodies will form essential tools for studying the function of these proteins at the molecular level. One hypothesis we wish to test is that inhibition of expression of these MAR-binding proteins or of their association with MARs will revert breast cancer cells to the normal phenotype. These studies will advance our knowledge on the mechanisms underlying breast tumor progression, and they will make possible the development of novel diagnostic markers for early detection of breast tumors.
Spheniopsis senegalensis Cosel 1995
Creators: name: Ortega, José Rafael
name: Gofas, Serge
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Bivalvia
Anomalodesmata
Spheniopsidae
Spheniopsis
Spheniopsis senegalensis

description: Spheniopsis senegalensis Cosel, 1995(Fig. 27I, J)
MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 1 spm. and 11 v., DW133
REMARK
A species hitherto known only from West Africa (Cosel 1995), new to Spanish waters.
description: Published as part of Ortega, José Rafael & Gofas, Serge, 2019, The unknown bathyal of the Canaries: new species and new records of deep-sea Mollusca, pp. 513-551 in Zoosystema 41 (26) on page 547, DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2019v41a26, http://zenodo.org/record/3726028
Ecological correlates of genetic diversity in Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease bacterium
Creators: name: Vuong, Holly B
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: Lyme disease is the number one reported vector-borne disease in the United States, and this disease continues to spread in the Northeast and Midwest. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium that circulates among vertebrate host species and transmitted among hosts by the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis). The bacterium has high genetic variation at the outer surface protein C (ospC) locus, and past studies suggests that hosts act as ecological niches to the ospC genotypes. In particular, five types are known to be human invasive (HIS), making it essential to examine disease risk at the genotypic level. My studies focus on understanding the ecological drivers of ospC diversity and frequency profile at the individual, community, and landscape scales. In chapter one, I found that endemic areas of New York State have higher ospC richness and diversity than newly invaded areas, and that HIS types are relatively common across the landscape. There is high turnover of genotypes from one population to another population along the invasion scale. In chapter two, host community composition matters when examining ospC diversity, and that host composition and host diversity are important in predicting HIS infection prevalence. Contrasting important predictors between years 2006 and 2009 could be a result of annual variation and/or site variation, since the majority of sites were not sampled in both years. Obtaining better inclusive host community composition and diversity estimates could help with the predictive powers of these metrics on the ospC frequency profile, especially with HIS types. In chapter three, variation among nine host species and their associated ospC genotype frequency profiles supports the host-niche concept. Short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda) and American robins (Turdus migratorius) have high proportions of HIS to non-HIS, suggesting they could help contribute to higher disease risk. Lastly, there is support for a trade-off between occurrence frequency and transmission efficiencies of ospC types from hosts to ticks feeding on these individuals. This research sheds new light on how host composition and diversity influences disease risk, that HIS types infect all nine host species, and that HIS types occur commonly across NY State.
Reptalus quinquecostatus
Creators: name: Mozaffarian, Fariba
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cixiidae
Reptalus
Reptalus quinquecostatus

description: Reptalus quinquecostatus (Dufour, 1833) (Figs 3 and 14a–c)
Recorded damage and economic importance in the orchards of Iran: The species was not recorded as pest on the Iranian fruit trees. However, it has been recorded as pest with mild economic importance on leaves of Salix spp. (Abaii 2000).
Recorded damage in the orchards of other parts of the world: The species was reported to have a potential role as a vector for phytoplasma: positive to phytoplasma of Bois noir in grapevine and a potential vector in Serbian vineyards, with the ability of transmitting the stobur phytoplasma in artificial condition and an important vector of stolbur phytoplasma in potatoes in Romania and Southern Russia (Bertin et al. 2010b, Cvrkovic et al. 2011, Pinzauti et al. 2008).
Recorded distribution in Iran: North (Mozaffarian & Wilson 2011).
Conclusion: Due to the records in other parts of the world, status as a potential phytoplasma vector in Iran needs to be studied.
description: Published as part of Mozaffarian, Fariba, 2018, An Identification key to the species of Auchenorrhyncha of Iranian fauna recorded as pests in orchards and a review on the pest status of the species, pp. 475-501 in Zootaxa 4420 (4) on page 480, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1455385
Ads in mobile applications
Creators: name: Vaikuntam, Aparna
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: The usage of mobile applications has increased phenomenally with the growth of smart phones. According to Apple, as of Feb 2012, close to 800,000 third party applications were available on the App Store. They have been downloaded more than 15 billion times. The android platform is close behind with 450,000 apps in Google Play that have been downloaded more than 10 billion times.  When we look at Advertising revenues from mobile phones (app and browser included), in-app mobile Ads account for only a fraction of the total. IDC estimates 70% of Mobile Ad budgets are spent on search based advertising. The rest is a combination of placements in applications and content on the web. Compared to the application usage statistics for popular platforms, the revenue generated through Ads using these apps as the medium has just not kept pace.  The numbers point to a lot of scope for growth. Moreover, with more and more apps becoming free to download, these Ads are here to stay. What makes in-app mobile Ads even more interesting is their potential to deliver highly targeted Ads.  In this paper, we study Ads in mobile applications. We limit the scope of our study to in-app mobile Ads, that appear anywhere within a mobile application when it is being used. This could be in the form of text, rich media or banner.  Our purpose is to understand how Ads in mobile apps work and how they can be used by advertisers to engage audiences with targeted Ads. To this end, we run Ad campaign experiments in select countries in Asia and North America. Through these experiments; we aim to study the factors affecting the performance of Ad campaigns and inferences that can be made from data obtained through the campaigning process
A Non-Invasive Method of Locating Malignant Breast Tumors
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Mammography is accepted as the best means of screening for non-palpable breast cancer. However, signs of breast cancer, such as micro-calcifications or masses, seen for most malignant tumors, are also seen with many benign tumors. Thus, while mammography will locate about 85% of all cancers, only about 30% of the masses that are detected in mammograms are actually malignant. Many of the biopsies now performed, therefore, would not be necessary if the benign (non-cancerous) tumors could be distinguished from malignant (cancerous) tumors by non-invasive techniques.

 We propose to develop and test a small nuclear medicine camera, which, in combination with the nuclear medicine imaging agent, Tc-99m-Sestamibi, can locate and identify malignant breast tumors. This camera can be placed in a mammography suite and used after a suspicious finding is seen by mammography. Recent reports on detection of malignant breast tumors using Tc-99m-Sestamibi show that the tumor was detected more than 90% of the time, and correctly identified as malignant more than 90% of the time. We believe that our camera will surpass the performance of these standard cameras. It will be much smaller and would be capable of being brought in close to image the breast at angles that would avoid the high background from the Tc-99m-Sesta-mibi, which also accumulates in heart and liver. The camera is a miniature scintillation camera with a 5 cm by 5 cm field of view. (Scintillation cameras transform the energy from radioactive decay particles into light images.) This small camera can view the breast from above or below and can be placed under the arm for a medio-lateral oblique view, etc. In each case the field-of-view is free of the activity of the body. For testing, the camera will be fitted to the stereoscopic mammography system designed for core breast biopsies, and images will be obtained of the mammographically positive region on women who are undergoing a biopsy. In this manner the technique will be tested by comparison with the universally accepted procedure for determining malignancy. The goal is to eventually replace a significant fraction of the biopsies using Tc-99m-Sestamibi scans with the miniature camera in the mammography suite.

 It is our hypothesis that the improvement of the technique made possible by our new camera could make this a cost effective procedure which will significantly reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies that are performed because of the lack of specificity of mammography. The procedure would be less costly than both core and excisional biopsies, and less risky than the excisional biopsy.
Topological materials for Majorana-based quantum information
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Topological materials offer a route to circumvent environmental perturbations that have hindered the scalability of conventional quantum computing architectures. The Majorana mode, which can be artificially engineered in hybrid devices that couple superconductors with topological materials, constitutes a key building block for a fault-tolerant quantum computer. Manipulation of such particles in complex device networks could enable a more robust paradigm for quantum information. We propose a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary program to synthesize and characterize an emerging class of topological superconducting materials posited to host Majorana modes. The overarching goal is to understand the fundamental physics while evaluating the feasibility of prototype devices that may enable braiding of particles in two dimensions. This program will leverage the broad expertise of a diverse team of scientists in materials synthesis, microscopy, device nanofabrication, quantum electronic transport, unconventional superconductivity, and high magnetic field measurements. It consists of three main research thrusts: (1) prediction and synthesis of emerging quantum materials, (2) characterization of topological phases and emergent phenomena in exotic superconductors and other platforms for Majorana modes, and (3) local interrogation and manipulation of topological states in mesoscopic devices. Bulk crystals and thin films will be synthesized at UCSB, UCD, and LANL, and state-of-the-art epitaxy of superconducting films on semiconductor materials will enable production of hybrid material systems with unprecedented interface quality. Upon integration of the materials into device structures, an array of quantum transport measurements will be performed to unequivocally identify Majorana modes, including tunneling spectroscopy and superconducting interferometry. To complement these efforts, we will employ milliKelvin microwave impedance microscopy measurements to achieve the first real-space visualization of Majorana modes in devices. The proposed work will lay the groundwork for the creation of scalable networks of devices for Majorana-based quantum computation. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will benefit from training on state-of-the-art facilities and collaborations at LANL, and periodic meetings will bring together scientists across career stages.
An integrated view
Creators: name: Thomas, Adelle Dawn
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: Vulnerability to multiple stressors has been a research area of increased focus as geographers and other social scientists investigate how various processes of change affect regions, industries and social groups. However, much research within the human dimensions of environmental change literature continues to focus on vulnerability to single stressors such as climate change or natural hazards. Using the double exposure framework (Leichenko and O’Brien, 2008) to explore the vulnerability of small tourism enterprises to various processes of globalization and global environmental change, this dissertation contributes to a deeper understanding of how vulnerability is affected by interactions between multiple stressors. Research was based in New Providence and Paradise Island, Bahamas, a major tourism destination in the Caribbean. A qualitative approach conducted in two phases utilized over 70 semi-structured interviews with owners and managers of small tourism enterprises and other tourism industry stakeholders.  Results of the dissertation show that climate change, extreme natural events, land use change, mass tourism, sustainable tourism and financial crises interact with each other in complex ways to affect the vulnerability of small businesses to change while shaping their response options. These interactions have significant implications for the ability of small tourism enterprises to compete with large businesses and negatively affect their current and future market share of the international tourism industry. This dissertation reveals that interactions between multiple stressors increase the vulnerability of small tourism enterprises to change, constrain their ability to respond to change and expose the need for greater public-private partnerships to improve the viability of these businesses. This exploration of interactions between stressors makes a strong case for the need to consider how multiple processes of change affect entities of any kind.
Laodelphax striatellus
Creators: name: Mozaffarian, Fariba
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Delphacidae
Laodelphax
Laodelphax striatellus

description: Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén, 1826) (Figs 4 and 15a–b)
Recorded damage and economic importance in the orchards of Iran: Not recorded.
Recorded damage in the orchards of other parts of the world: It is recorded as a potential vector for Bois noir/ Stolbur phytoplasma. The species tested positive to Aster yellows in vineyards in the Czech Republic (Batlle et al. 2000; Orsagova et al. 2011).
Recorded distribution in Iran: Nearly all of Iran (Mozaffarian & Wilson 2011).
Conclusion: The species is widely distributed in Iran. Due to the records of its vector status elsewhere, it needs to be investigated in Iran as well.
description: Published as part of Mozaffarian, Fariba, 2018, An Identification key to the species of Auchenorrhyncha of Iranian fauna recorded as pests in orchards and a review on the pest status of the species, pp. 475-501 in Zootaxa 4420 (4) on page 482, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1455385
Fruit and vegetable consumption in preschool-aged, low-income Mexican-American children
Creators: name: Ramos, Isabel
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: Childhood obesity is an emerging epidemic. According to data found in the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System, over 12.5 million children are overweight or obese in the United States. The prevalence of obesity is higher in Mexican-American children than other ethnic groups in the US. Current research has found that higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have been shown to help prevent and reduce chronic diseases like obesity. Low fruit and vegetable consumption may also be a contributing factor to unhealthy weight gain in children. Moreover, low consumption of fruits and vegetables may reinforce the preference for other unhealthful foods like sugar-sweetened beverages and refined carbohydrates.  The objective of this study was to look at fruit and vegetable consumption in Mexican-American children at ages 2 and 4, and to examine its association with their weight status.  At both time points, fruits and vegetables were estimated in cups and the nutrient intake was analyzed. It was found that fruit intake met the 2010 USDA food guidelines set for these ages, but significantly lower consumption of vegetables was observed at both ages. Micronutrients found in fruits and vegetables showed that vitamin A, C, and folate met the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) set for 2- and 4- year old children. However, significantly low intakes in vitamin E and potassium were observed. Furthermore, dietary fiber was significantly below the DRI at both time points. A significant 12% increase in the BMI-for-age percentile from children at 2 years of age to 4 years of age was found. However, no relationship was found between fruit and vegetable consumption with BMI-for-age percentile. Nevertheless, fruit and vegetable consumption remains important because of the vital role it plays in preventing and reducing chronic diseases in the Mexican-American population.
The effect of annotation quality on computer vision in efficient waste management
Creators: name: Agnew, Cathaoir
Publisher: name: University of Limerick
Year: 2025
Subjects: classificationCode: 40
subject: Engineering

description: Deep learning-based computer vision models are often data-hungry, which has prompted the creation of larger datasets. The consensus within the field of computer vision is that larger datasets correspond to improved model performance. This is in line with the theory of generalisation which suggests that more complex models need larger datasets. However, the dataset quality is often not considered. Annotating datasets for fully supervised object detection and instance segmentation tasks necessitates substantial investments in time, effort, and other resources. In practice, the demand for large sample sizes often contributes to inaccuracies during the annotation process. This research seeks to comprehend and measure the influence of annotation quality on the performance of object detection and instance segmentation models. Furthermore, an investigation into whether the quantity or quality of annotations is of more importance is undertaken. In collaboration with an industry partner, we investigated the application of computer vision to automate and enhance efficiency within the waste management domain. The industry partner emphasised the critical importance of comprehending the trade-off between annotation quality and the associated investment, particularly given the pilot nature of this project. The findings from this work provide valuable insight into the effects of annotation uncertainty on mean average precision (mAP) performance. Finally, the results from our investigation into utilising computer vision to automate overfill bin status detection suggest that computer vision methodologies are both viable and effective for the task.
Dictyophara (Dictyophara) europaea
Creators: name: Mozaffarian, Fariba
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Dictyopharidae
Dictyophara
Dictyophara europaea

description: Dictyophara (Dictyophara) europaea (Linnaeus, 1767) (Fig. 5)
Recorded damage and economic importance in the orchards of Iran: Not recorded.
Recorded damage in the orchards of other parts of the world: The species is considered as a candidate vector of phytoplasmas (Bois noir) to grapevine in Serbian vineyards and other parts of the world. Although it is able to transmit phytoplasmas, it is not considered a major vector in grapevines (Lessio & Alma 2008; Filippin et al. 2009; Cvrkovic et al. 2011).
Recorded distribution in Iran: North, northwest, centre and southwest (Mozaffarian & Wilson 2016).
Conclusion: Pest status in Iran needs to be studied.
description: Published as part of Mozaffarian, Fariba, 2018, An Identification key to the species of Auchenorrhyncha of Iranian fauna recorded as pests in orchards and a review on the pest status of the species, pp. 475-501 in Zootaxa 4420 (4) on page 482, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1455385
Advanced Detectors for XFELs and Proton Accelerators
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: As accelerator laboratories around the world aspire to create beams with ever-increasing repetition rate and intensity, there is a need to develop fast, radiation-hard detection technologies to provide critical real-time beam diagnostics. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is engaged in multiple accelerator (proton and photon) projects to meet mission needs, including those which require diagnostic capability beyond the current state-of-the-art. Solid-state sensors, such as those based on diamond and silicon, feature fast saturated drift velocities and collection dynamics that make them natural choices to explore for development of high-speed devices. In addition to these “front end” technologies, it will be essential to develop highly-granular high-speed electronics – for both amplification and data-handling – to achieve the required spatial and temporal precision. This project will bring together expertise in accelerator and high-energy physics sensor development with electrical engineering expertise to develop prototype systems at the forefront of accelerator beam detection technology. The collaboration will be led by Eric Prebys, Director of the Crocker Nuclear Laboratory at UC Davis, and consist of three interrelated thrusts: R&D on diamond sensors (primarily LANL and UC Davis), silicon diode sensors (primarily UCSC and UCSB) and enabling electronics and readout (primarily UC Irvine and LBNL). However, as each institution has broad expertise in instrumentation development and specialized capabilities in sensor fabrication and readout development, all six institutions will contribute in some measure to all three areas. Crocker Lab and LANL also provide accelerator (cyclotron, LANSCE) facilities well-suited to the validation and characterization of the prototype detection systems developed by the collaboration. UC students will be involved in design, fabrication, testing and data analysis aspects of the project, and will be provided an opportunity to spend a period of time in residence at LANL. Project progress will be disseminated through seminars at member institutions, workshops, presentations at national and international conferences and publications. The project will create strong collaborative ties (both intra-UC and UC-LANL) that well position the group to establish leadership in the area of advanced detection technologies for accelerators.
Antimicrobial effects of Allyl isothiocyanate and modified atmosphere on Pseduomonas aeruginosa in fresh catfish fillet under abuse temperatures
Creators: name: Pang, Yu-Hsin
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common spoilage microorganism on fresh catfish products, can grow rapidly at temperatures above 4°C during storage and transportation. To protect against temperature abuse and extend the shelf life of catfish, an antimicrobial packaging system examined in this study. Allyl isothiocyanate (AIT), an extract of horseradish oil, is a well-known antimicrobial agent, which has been proved to have an excellent antimicrobial capability on various microorganisms. The packaging system consists of combing AIT with modified atmosphere (MA), a common antimicrobial method, to inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa.  The objectives of this research were: 1) to investigate the antimicrobial effects of AIT in vapor phase and MA on P. aeruginosa in fresh catfish fillet; 2) to develop models to predict the lag phase and shelf life of fresh catfish products as a function of AIT and MA.  Three concentrations (0, 18 and 36 μg/L) of AIT in vapor phase were used to inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa cocktail (3-strains) at 8, 15 and 20°C. In addition, the    antimicrobial capability of MA (49% CO2, 0.5% O2 and 50.5% N2) and MA combined with AIT were also investigated.  Our results showed that temperature has the most significant impact on the growth rate of P. aeruginosa. Lowing temperature could decrease the maximum growth rate of P. aeruginosa and extend its lag phase and shelf life. Increasing gaseous AIT concentration could elongate lag phase and reduce growth rate of P. aeruginosa effectively. In addition, AIT alone reduced P. aeruginosa counts within the initial several hours. The application of MA had a similar antimicrobial effect as AIT under low storage temperature. Moreover, to attain a longer shelf life of fresh catfish fillet, the combination of AIT and MA was included in this study. The synergistic effect of AIT and MA could extend the shelf life of fresh catfish from 4 days (control) to 23 days at 8°C.   Models developed from this study may be applied to estimate the lag phase of P. aeruginosa and shelf life of catfish under abuse temperature conditions. The results could assist food industry to predict the shelf life of catfish products, which may be further optimized with appropriate AIT concentration in a MA packaging.
Dactylocythere myura Hobbs & Walton 1970, new species
Creators: name: Williams, Bronwyn W.
name: Weaver, Patricia G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Ostracoda
Podocopida
Entocytheridae
Dactylocythere
Dactylocythere myura

description: Dactylocythere myura Hobbs & Walton, 1970
1970 Dactylocythere myura new species.—Hobbs & Walton: 854, 856, 857, 859–860, Figs. 2e–f, 3e–f (D, H, R, T).
1970 D. myura Hobbs and Walton, 1970:859.—Hobbs & Hobbs: 7, 8 (K, R).
1974 Dactylocythere myura Hobbs and Walton, 1970.—Hart & Hart: 47, 64–65, 193, 225, Pl. XVII Figs. 11–14, Pl. XLIX (D, H, K, R, T).
1975 Dactylocythere myura Hobbs & Walton, 1970.—Hart & Hart: 21 (C, D, H).
1991 Dt. myura Hobbs and Walton, 1970.—Hobbs & Peters: 70 (R).
1993 Dactylocythere myura Hobbs & Walton, 1970.—Hobbs & Peters: 462 (D, H).
2014a Dactylocythere myura Hobbs & Walton, 1970.—Mestre, Monrós & Mesquita-Joanes: 948 (C).
description: Published as part of Williams, Bronwyn W. & Weaver, Patricia G., 2018, A historical review of the taxonomy and classification of Entocytheridae (Crustacea: Ostracoda: Podocopida), pp. 1-129 in Zootaxa 4448 (1) on page 52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4448.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1444492
Compositional Breast Density as a Risk Factor
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: The appearance of the female breast on a mammogram varies because of differences in the relative amounts of fat, connective and epithelial tissue. Fat appears radiolucent or dark on a mammogram, whereas connective, and epithelial tissues are radiologically dense and appear lighter or white. The radiologically dense area, or mammographic breast density, is perhaps the strongest and least recognized risk factor for breast cancer. Mammographic breast density provides a better estimate of breast cancer risk than do standard "risk factors," especially in postmenopausal women. Current methods that measure mammographic breast density are neither precise nor accurate enough to be used in individual women to classify their risk status, or to follow changes in mammographic density based on preventive interventions. There is a need for new technologies that are inexpensive, convenient, and precise that allow patients and their clinicians to better assess risk of breast cancer.

 Our central hypothesis is that breast compositional density, measured using novel techniques developed for bone densitometry, can be used as an accurate and precise method for estimating risk of breast cancer. This study is a preliminary investigation into this hypothesis. Twenty-five women with cancer and 25 without cancer will have mammographic breast density measured using two novel techniques, Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and Single X-ray Absorptiometry (SXA). Our SXA method incorporates a phantom that is automatically adjustable in height to match the compression thickness of the breast during a mammogram. This innovation of the investigators is patent pending. We will measure the precision of each technique and calibrate them to available fat and glandular tissue reference materials. The DXA and SXA techniques will be compared to conventional mammographic density measurements and risk of breast cancer will be calculated for each method.

 To the investigators' knowledge, these novel densitometric techniques have never been applied to measuring mammographic breast density and offer the possibility of making measurement of breast density universally available to women who receive routine mammography.
Mesophantia pallens Melichar 1902
Creators: name: Mozaffarian, Fariba
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy

description: Mesophantia pallens Melichar, 1902 (Figs 6a–b and 16a–c)
Recorded damage and economic importance in the orchards of Iran: Causing mild economic damage to leaves and branches of almond (Rajabi 1991).
Recorded damage in the orchards of other parts of the world: Not recorded.
Recorded distribution in Iran: From south slopes of Alborz Mountain to Persian Gulf (Mozaffarian & Wilson 2011).
Conclusion: The species is endemic to Iran and its pest status needs to be studied.
description: Published as part of Mozaffarian, Fariba, 2018, An Identification key to the species of Auchenorrhyncha of Iranian fauna recorded as pests in orchards and a review on the pest status of the species, pp. 475-501 in Zootaxa 4420 (4) on pages 482-483, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1455385
Relations among affect, abstinence motivation and confidence, and daily lapse risk among smokers trying to quit
Creators: name: Minami, Haruka
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: Aims: This study prospectively tested the hypothesis that changes in momentary affect, abstinence motivation, and confidence would predict lapse risk over the next 12-48 hours using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) data from smokers attempting to quit smoking. The moderating effects of high-risk contexts on relations between cognitions (motivation and confidence) and lapse risk were also tested.   Method: 79 adult, daily smokers recorded their momentary affect, motivation to quit, abstinence confidence, and smoking behaviors in near real time with multiple EMA reports using electronic diaries post-quit.   Results: Multilevel models indicated that increases in negative affect predicted greater lapse risk up to 12 hours, but not 24 hours later. Neither positive nor negative affect had significant effects on subsequent cognitions. High levels of motivation appeared to reduce increases in lapse risk that occur over hours. Momentary increases in confidence predicted greater lapse risk over 12 hours in high-risk situations, but not in the absence of potent smoking triggers.   Conclusion: Momentary changes in negative affect, motivation, and confidence, during a quit attempt all had short-term effects on smoking lapse. Negative affect had short-lived effects on lapse risk, whereas high levels of motivation protected against the risk of lapsing that accumulates over hours. Contrary to expectations, an acute increase in confidence may increase vulnerability to lapse in the context of potent smoking triggers. Relations observed among affect, cognitions, and lapse seem to depend critically on the timing of assessments and the contexts in which the assessments occur.
Theoretical and mass spectrometric studies of damaged nucleobases and analogs toward understanding glycosylase mechanisms
Creators: name: Michelson, Anna
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: The focus of this thesis is the examination of the thermochemical properties, primarily the gas phase acidity, proton affinity, and leaving group (LG) ability of damaged nucleobases and related species via mass spectrometry (FT-ICR, ion trap) and theoretical studies (quantum mechanical calculations). Our main hypothesis is that the study of intrinsic, gas-phase properties of the damaged nucleobases will lend insight into the mechanism of their excision from DNA. We study damaged nucleobases and analogs that are cleaved from DNA by various glycosylases:  uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG), 3-methyladenine glycosylase II (AlkA), and MutY glycosylase.   The LG ability of the N1-deprotonated 3-methyluracil anion relative to the N1-deprotonated 3-methylthymine anion is examined in the context of the UDG enzymatic reaction that excises uracil but not thymine from DNA. We confirmed that despite the close acidities uracil is a much better LG in the gas phase. Another interesting disparity between the LG ability and acidity is discovered for uracil substrates: when we examined hydrochloric acid and 3-methyluracil in the gas phase we found that despite similar acidities, chloride is a better LG than N1-deprotonated 3-methyluracil. We propose that the difference in LG ability is due to the different natures of the LGs (resonance vs. inductive stabilization). To test the hypothesis, a series of pyridone substrates were designed and examined.   AlkA is an enzyme that cleaves a wide range of damaged bases from DNA. Herein we examine 3- and 7-methylated AlkA purine substrates. The damaged nucleobases are found to be more acidic than the normal nucleobases.  Because of this increased acidity, the damaged bases would be expected to be more easily cleaved from DNA by AlkA (their conjugate bases should be better LGs). We find that the acidity correlates to the AlkA excision rates, which lends support to an AlkA mechanism wherein the enzyme provides a nonspecific active site, and nucleobase cleavage is dependent on the intrinsic N-glycosidic bond stability.  The acidities and proton affinities of adenine and six adenine analogs that were designed to test various features of the enzyme MutY are also studied to allow better understanding of the mechanism of adenine removal by MutY.
Privacy Risks, Thoughts, Actions, and Regulations
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: My research examines privacy at the individual and organizational level. The individual focused component interrogates how our personal privacy protection thoughts and actions differ. At the organizational level, my work examines how different organizations assess risk, make decisions, respond to data breaches, and work towards compliance within an increasingly complex web of state, federal, and international privacy laws. The benefits and outcomes of spending 6-months (or more) at Los Alamos National Lab include: 1) thinking more broadly by engaging in unexpected, innovative, interdisciplinary exchanges that expand my theoretical and methodological reach. I expect these will occur every day at the Center for Nonlinear Studies where I have been offered office space should my proposal be selected; 2) digging deeper via hands on work with privacy and cybersecurity content experts who are engaged with the analysis of the exact kinds of data transactions I consider in my work and the creation of IS&T tools. There are, for example, data sharing possibilities between healthcare providers and insurance companies, which will receive greater scrutiny under our new regulatory reality; 3) engaging decisively with my mentor, a statistician who has offered regular consultation as I do battle with the strategic thinking and analytical labor required to thoughtfully process and present findings on the myriad intertwining large data sets I have already collected to answer my research questions; and finally, 4) connecting and building relationships between my new colleagues at LANL and other entities with whom I have formal affiliations (e.g. Berkman Klein Center) for the purposes of expanding our audiences and deepening ties and growing research opportunities. Taking time to reflect is a driving force behind my desire to affiliate with LANL because the outcome of my work on individuals may have workforce implications and my work on organizations may lead to institutional changes. I expect my findings will shift how organizations think about who should have access to private or classified information, what a commitment to guarantee the protection of that information really means, how often that commitment should be reassessed or tested, and how.
A functional characterization of CGI-58
Creators: name: McMahon, Derek B.
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: Mutations in the gene CGI-­58/ABHD5 cause Chanarin-­Dorfman Syndrome, a Neutral Lipid Storage Disorder (NLSD) where many cells and tissues, including human skin fibroblasts, store excessive triacylglycerol (TAG). The protein, CGI­‐58, has been characterized in vitro as both a co‐activator of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and a lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT). We hypothesized that CGI­‐58 LPAAT activity is not necessary for co-­activation of ATGL. This hypothesis was investigated through 3 specific aims: 1) to identify LPAAT active site residues, 2) to demonstrate that CGI­‐58 lacking LPAAT activity can co-­activate ATGL, and 3) to analyze the lipid composition of cultured NLSD fibroblasts relative to normal human skin fibroblasts. A molecular model of CGI‐58 was created to identify potential active site residues. In the model, the putative LPAAT active site residues H329 and D334 were not in close proximity, suggesting that they may not be active site residues. Recombinant H329A and D334A CGI­‐58 variants, when purified from BL21(DE3) E. coli, showed higher levels of LPAAT activity than purified wild-­type CGI‐58. LPAAT activity was linked to a protein contaminant, likely plsC, the endogenous E. coli LPAAT. The purification of recombinant CGI­‐58 was optimized to reduce contaminant proteins. These new preparations lacked LPAAT activity, yet retained the ability to co‐activate ATGL. Additionally, extracts of Bl21(DE3) cells expressing GST-­tagged CGI­‐58 lacked LPAAT activity when plsC was removed by centrifugation. The previously observed LPAAT activity was due to a protein contaminant; thus, CGI­‐58 lacks LPAAT activity and LPAAT activity is not necessary for the co-­activation of ATGL. Additionally, using a protein‐lipid overlay, CGI‐58 bound to phosphatidylinositol 3-­phosphate [PI(3)P] and phosphatidylinositol 5-­phosphate [PI(5)P] but not lysophosphatidic acid [LPA], the LPAAT substrate. CGI­‐58 binding of PI(3)P or PI(5)P does not alter co-activation of ATGL. Finally, CGI-­58 variant H84R, found in humans with NLSDi, was expressed in cultured NLSD cells and studied in vitro. H84R CGI-­58 failed to reduce accumulated TAG of NLSD fibroblasts, unlike unmodified CGI-­58 or the H84A variant. Both H84 variants lacked the ability to co-activate ATGL in vitro. Thus, H84R CGI­‐58 contributes to the NLSD phenotype by failing to co-activate ATGL.
Accessing erythronolide structure space
Creators: name: Liu, Kai
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2012

description: An integrated routing strategy approach towards the synthesis of novel erythronolides is  discussed in this dissertation. A macrocyclic bis[allene] compound was made as a synthetic  scaffold. To date, more than 30 erythronolide derivatives have been made from this  intermediate within 3 steps or less. This approach represents by far the most efficient and  economic route for the access of erythronolide structure space.    Many reactions were utilized in the modification of these 14-membered macrolides,  including bromination, chelation and non-chelation controlled reductions and benzylic  migration, elimination, etc. More importantly, novel allene oxidation conditions such as  allene epoxidation, spirodiepoxidation, and osmylation, transformations developed by our  group, were applied in the synthesis of diverse erythronolides and were central to our  strategy. New reactions, including new procedures of allene dihydroxylation and allene  osmylation-electrophile addition, are also discussed.
Dactylocythere pachysphyrata Hobbs & Walton 1966, new species
Creators: name: Williams, Bronwyn W.
name: Weaver, Patricia G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Ostracoda
Podocopida
Entocytheridae
Dactylocythere
Dactylocythere pachysphyrata

description: Dactylocythere pachysphyrata Hobbs & Walton, 1966
1966 Dactylocythere pachysphyrata new species.—Hobbs & Walton: 2, 3–4, 5, 10, Fig. 1e–g (A, D, H, R, T).
1967 pachysphyrata (Hobbs and Walton, 1966, p. 3).—Hobbs: 5 (K).
1970 D. pachysphyrata Hobbs and Walton, 1966:3.—Hobbs & Hobbs: 7 (K).
1970 Dt. pachysphyrata Hobbs and Walton, 1966: 3.—Hobbs & Walton: 853, 858, 859, 862 (R, T).
1971 D. pachysphurata Hobbs and Walton, 1966.—Hobbs III: 143, erroneous spelling (R).
1974 Dactylocythere pachysphyrata Hobbs and Walton, 1966.—Hart & Hart: 47, 51, 52, 57, 65, 70, 194, 225, Pl. XVIII Figs. 1 –3, Pl. XLIX (D, H, K, R, T).
1975 Dactylocythere pachysphyrata Hobbs & Walton, 1966.—Hart & Hart: 21 (C, D, H).
1975 Dactylocythere pachysphyrata Hobbs and Walton, 1966.—Hobbs & Walton: 10 (A).
1976 Dt. pachysphyrata Hobbs and Walton (1966:3).—Hobbs & Walton: 403 (A, D, H).
2014a Dactylocythere pachysphyrata Hobbs & Walton, 1966.—Mestre, Monrós & Mesquita-Joanes: 948 (C).
description: Published as part of Williams, Bronwyn W. & Weaver, Patricia G., 2018, A historical review of the taxonomy and classification of Entocytheridae (Crustacea: Ostracoda: Podocopida), pp. 1-129 in Zootaxa 4448 (1) on page 52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4448.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1444492
Persepolia columbaria Dlabola & Safavi 1972
Creators: name: Mozaffarian, Fariba
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Flatidae
Persepolia
Persepolia columbaria

description: Persepolia columbaria Dlabola & Safavi, 1972 (Figs 7a–b and 17a–c)
Recorded damage and economic importance in the orchards of Iran: Causing mild economic damage on leaves of almond (Rajabi 1991).
Recorded damage in the orchards of other parts of the world: Not recorded.
Recorded distribution in Iran: Southwest (Mozaffarian & Wilson 2011).
Conclusion: The species is endemic to Iran and its pest status needs to be studied.
description: Published as part of Mozaffarian, Fariba, 2018, An Identification key to the species of Auchenorrhyncha of Iranian fauna recorded as pests in orchards and a review on the pest status of the species, pp. 475-501 in Zootaxa 4420 (4) on page 483, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1455385