cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphatidylserine Decarboxylase 1 Autocatalysis and Function Does Not Require a Mitochondrial-specific Factor

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a major cellular phospholipid that can be made by four separate pathways, one of which resides in the mitochondrion. The mitochondrial enzyme that generates PE is phosphatidylserine decarboxylase 1 (Psd1p). The pool of PE produced by Psd1p, which cannot be compensated for by the other cellular PE metabolic pathways, is important for numerous mitochondrial functions, including oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial dynamics and morphology, and is essential for murine development. To become catalytically active, Psd1p undergoes an autocatalytic processing step involving a conserved LGST motif that separates the enzyme into α and β subunits that remain non-covalently attached and are anchored to the inner membrane by virtue of the membrane-embedded β subunit. It was speculated that Psd1p autocatalysis requires a mitochondrial-specific factor and that for Psd1p to function in vivo, it had to be embedded with the correct topology in the mitochondrial inner membrane. However, the identity of the mitochondrial factor required for Psd1p autocatalysis has not been identified. With the goal of defining molecular requirements for Psd1p autocatalysis, we demonstrate that: 1) despite the conservation of the LGST motif from bacteria to humans, only the serine residue is absolutely required for Psd1p autocatalysis and function; 2) yeast Psd1p does not require its substrate phosphatidylserine for autocatalysis; and 3) contrary to a prior report, yeast Psd1p autocatalysis does not require mitochondrial-specific phospholipids, proteins, or co-factors, because Psd1p re-directed to the secretory pathway undergoes autocatalysis normally and is fully functional in vivo.
A Case Study of Issues Concerning Professional Development for Rural Instrumental Music Teachers

Current legislation focusing on the professional development (PD) of teachers has come under closer scrutiny since the advent of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of music specific PD activities provided as part of a community symphony orchestra’s educational outreach project on rural instrumental music teachers. Rural music teachers face unique challenges of time, place, and distance. The problem was to determine the extent to which rural instrumental music teachers’ attitudes, teaching strategies, and musical skills are affected through onsite music-oriented PD activities. PD activities designed specifically for instrumental music teachers appeared to stimulate and improve teachers’ personal self-development of music and teaching skills. Data indicate that PD must be oriented toward relevant and useful topics and experiences that spark an inquisitiveness and continuing curiosity of learning and self-development in teachers, and to count...
Superposed lateral ramps in the Pell City thrust sheet, Appalachian thrust belt, Alabama

Abstract In the Appalachian thrust belt in Alabama, thrust sheets of Paleozoic strata generally strike northeastward and are imbricated northwestward; four transverse zones cross the regional strike of the thrust belt. The large-scale Pell City thrust sheet ends southwestward at an oblique lateral ramp within the Harpersville transverse zone, where the leading edge of the thrust sheet (the Pell City fault) curves abruptly ∼55° counterclockwise. The northwest-striking segment of the Pell City fault conforms to the geometry of an oblique lateral ramp in the footwall. Furthermore, the Pell City fault cuts up section in the hanging wall southwestward toward the transverse zone, indicating a hanging-wall lateral ramp emplaced over the footwall oblique lateral ramp. In the hanging wall adjacent to the northwest-trending segment of the Pell City fault, a pervasive train of upright, isoclinal folds (with ∼50% apparent shortening) trends ∼N15°W, oblique to the regional translation direction. The fold train is limited to the southwestern part of the Pell City thrust sheet; farther northeast, the regional northeasterly strike prevails. The isoclinal folds in the hanging wall indicate contractional crowding perpendicular to the footwall oblique lateral ramp.
Technology development for future very large observatories

In the future very large observatories planned as part of the Astronomical Search for Origins may require significant advances in focal planes, large apertures, active and adaptive wavefront control, and distributed thermal management systems. The vision missions and the needed technologies are briefly described.
Pediatric Renal Abscess: A 10-year Single-Center Retrospective Analysis

Objective: The objective of this retrospective series is to describe the demographics and treatment of patients with renal abscesses and to determine if abscess size influences management. Methods: We reviewed all pediatric cases of renal abscesses treated over a 10-year period in our medical center. Clinical, laboratory, imaging data, and treatment modalities were analyzed. Results: Thirty-six patients were evaluated, with renal abscesses found in all age groups. The median age was 9.3 years, and 64% of patients affected were female. Fever and abdominal pain were the most common clinical symptoms. A premorbid genitourinary condition was present in 31% of patients. Previous urinary tract infection was documented in 31% of the cases. Initial elevation of C-reactive protein or erythrocyte sedimentation rate, when obtained, was observed in >80% of cases. Abnormal urinalysis was recognized in two-thirds of encounters. Escherichia coli, the most common microorganism isolated, was found in half the cases. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 11%. Ultrasound and computed tomography were the most used diagnostic imaging modalities. Eighty-nine percent of the patients who received intravenous antibiotics alone as an initial treatment regimen did not require percutaneous drainage or surgery. Conclusions: Ten of the 14 patients with an abscess size ≥3 cm had an invasive intervention, but only 1 of these 10 had an initial 48-hour trial of antibiotics alone. In contrast, only 2 of the 22 patients who had an abscess size
Transparency from a system security engineering design perspective

Transparency is an evolving principle of systems security engineering that can assist advanced technology systems (ATSs) in meeting operational objectives and performance requirements without the restrictions usually encountered in making a system secure. The transparency principle focuses on the ability of an ATS to function simultaneously in a variety of modes distributed across the overall system. This approach allows system security functions to be integrated and matrixed with the other functions rather than federated into exclusive hardware/software functions. The objective of systems security engineering then includes using the inherent capabilities of an advanced technology system to provide built-in layers of protection while at the same time distributing the securing functions across the system from its architecture to its components. In this way, ATS design can be optimized, costs can be contained, and its integrated security becomes transparent to users. >
Mining the coherence of GNOME bug reports with statistical topic models

We adapt Latent Dirichlet Allocation to the problem of mining bug reports in order to define a new information-theoretic measure of coherence. We then apply our technique to a snapshot of the GNOME Bugzilla database consisting of 431,863 bug reports for multiple software projects. In addition to providing an unsupervised means for modeling report content, our results indicate substantial promise in applying statistical text mining algorithms for estimating bug report quality. Complete results are available from our supplementary materials website at http://sourcerer.ics.uci.edu/msr2009/gnome_coherence.html.
A Strength-Based Approach in Support of Multi-Risk Families: Principles and Issues

Recent changes in social policy are having a significant impact on the delivery of human services. At the same time, multiple factors are placing children and their families at increased risk for n...
Why would they try? Motivation and motivating in low-stakes information skills testing

In 2008, the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) University Libraries piloted the Educational Testing Service's standardised test of information, communication, and technology (ICT) skills (iSkills) in spring and autumn 2008. In the course of administering the test we explored motivational strategies, a critical component in low-stakes, low-personal-consequences testing. Motivational strategies included providing feedback on test performance, highlighting the value of the test for the individual student, and appealing to the student's willingness to improve the overall performance of the institution. We addressed ways to motivate students in order to enhance their level of participation in and performance on the test. As the use of standardised testing to benchmark student information skills is increasing within the information literacy community, it is vital to address these motivational aspects to ensure the generation of reliable data. This article describes the strategies and language the University Libraries used to convey value and stimulate interest; it also provides feedback from test-takers on why they tried to do their best on the test.
Recent radiation test results at JPL

This paper documents recent TID (including ELDRS) and proton damage test results obtained by JPL. Unusual test results, such as abnormally low or high failure levels or unusual failure or response mechanisms, are emphasized.
Comparative gene expression profiles for highly similar aggressive phenotypes in male and female cichlid fishes (Julidochromis).

SUMMARY Julidochromis marlieri and Julidochromis transcriptus are two closely related Tanganyikan cichlids that have evolved different behavior and mating strategies since they diverged from their common ancestor. While J. transcriptus follows the ancestral pattern of male dominance, male-biased sexual size dimorphism and territoriality, the pattern is reversed in J. marlieri . In J. marlieri , females show all of these behavioral and morphological characteristics. This raises the question of whether female J. marlieri achieve the dominant phenotype by expressing the same genes as J. transcriptus males or whether novel brain gene expression patterns have evolved to produce a similar behavioral phenotype in the females of J. marlieri . This study used cDNA microarrays to investigate whether female J. marlieri and male J. transcriptus show conserved or divergent patterns of brain gene expression. Analysis of microarray data in both species showed certain gene expression patterns associated with sex role independent of gonadal sex and, to a lesser extent, gene expression patterns associated with sex independent of sex role. In general, these data suggest that while there has been substantial divergence in gene expression patterns between J. transcriptus and J. marlieri , we can detect a highly significant overlap for a core set of genes related to aggression in both species. These results suggest that the proximate mechanisms regulating aggressive behavior in J. transcriptus and J. marlieri may be shared.
Pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus in youth: the evolving chameleon

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in children and adolescents is an important Public Health problem against the backdrop of the epidemic of childhood obesity. The clinical presentation of T2DM in youth is heterogeneous from minimal symptomatology to diabetic ketoacidosis. The increasing rates of youth T2DM have paralleled the escalating rates of obesity, which is the major risk factor impacting insulin sensitivity. Additional risk factors include minority race, family history of diabetes mellitus, maternal diabetes during pregnancy, pubertal age group and conditions associated with insulin resistance (IR) - such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The pathophysiology of T2DM has been studied extensively in adults, and it is widely accepted that IR together with beta-cell failure are necessary for the development of clinical diabetes mellitus in adulthood. However, pathophysiologic studies in youth are limited and in some cases conflicting. Similar to adults, IR is a prerequisite, but beta-cell failure is necessary for progression from normal glucose tolerance to prediabetes and frank diabetes in youth. Even though rates of T2DM in youth are increasing, the overall prevalence remains low if compared with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, as youth with T1DM are becoming obese, the clinical distinction between T2DM and obese T1DM has become difficult, because of the overlapping clinical picture with evidence of islet cell autoimmunity in a significant proportion of clinically diagnosed youth with T2DM. The latter are most likely obese children with autoimmune T1DM who carry a misdiagnosis of T2DM. Further research is needed to probe the pathophysiological, immunological, and metabolic differences between these two groups in the hopes of assigning appropriate therapeutic regimens. These challenges combined with the evolving picture of youth T2DM and its future complications provide unending opportunities for acquisition of new knowledge in the field of childhood diabetes.
Strategic Planning for Library Associations

Definition de la planification strategique. Programme de planification strategique de l'ALA
Distributed dynamic channel resource allocation in wireless communication systems

We consider the problem of allocation of bits and power among N channels in a multi-user cellular system. We suppose that no users within the same cell interfere with each other, and that the N channels assigned to the users are randomized such that any given interferer is encountered in only one of the channels. We present distributed algorithms to allocate power and bits so as to maximize a cost function including as elements the bit rate already achieved and the likelihood of dropping calls already in progress. Procedures for rapidly estimating the likelihood of achieving target bit rates in the channel are also presented. >
SKS splitting beneath Transportable Array stations in eastern North America and the signature of past lithospheric deformation

Seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle beneath continental interiors is generally complicated, with contributions from both the lithosphere and the asthenosphere. Previous studies of SKS splitting beneath the eastern United States have yielded evidence for complex and laterally variable anisotropy, but until the recent arrival of the USArray Transportable Array (TA) the station coverage has been sparse. Here we present SKS splitting measurements at TA stations in eastern North America and compare the measured fast directions with indicators such as absolute plate motion, surface geology, and magnetic lineations. We find few correlations between fast directions and absolute plate motion, except in the northeastern U.S. and southern Canada, where some stations exhibit variations in apparent splitting with backazimuth that would suggest multiple layers of anisotropy. A region of the southeastern U.S. is dominated by null SKS arrivals over a range of backazimuths, consistent with previous work. We document a pattern of fast directions parallel to the Appalachian mountain chain, suggesting a contribution from lithospheric deformation associated with Appalachian orogenesis. Overall, our measurements suggest that upper mantle anisotropy beneath the eastern United States is complex, with likely contributions from both asthenospheric and lithospheric anisotropy in many regions.
To Have and to Hold: An Empirical Investigation of Preferences for Valuation Methods of Closely Held Companies in the Matrimonial Court

This study investigates if preferences for valuation methods exist in the matrimonial courts. The results illustrate that there are systematic trends in court preferences for specific valuation methods in matrimonial court. The trends presented in the current study provide an empirical basis for litigants, attorneys and experts making decisions regarding which valuation method or methods to consider in matrimonial courts. Furthermore, individuals involved in selecting the valuation method or methods to be proposed to the court should focus on specific factors such as industry type and the specifics of the individual case in addition to current economic staples such as inflation.
Exaggerated Ca2+ signaling in preglomerular arteriolar smooth muscle cells of genetically hypertensive rats

Experiments were conducted to gain insight into mechanisms responsible for exaggerated renal vascular reactivity to ANG II and vasopressin (AVP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) during the development of hypertension. Cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was measured by ratiometric fura 2 fluorescence and a microscope-based photometer. Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) from preglomerular arterioles were isolated and dispersed using an iron oxide-sieving method plus collagenase treatment. ANG II and AVP produced rapid and sustained increases in [Ca2+]i. ANG II elicited similar dose-dependent increases in [Ca2+]iin SMC from SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). In contrast, AVP caused almost twofold larger responses in afferent arteriolar SMC from SHR. ANG II effects were inhibited by the AT1 receptor antagonist losartan. AVP action was blocked by the V1receptor antagonist [d(CH2)5,Tyr(NH2)9]AVP. In SMC pretreated with nifedipine, neither ANG II nor AVP elicited [Ca2+]iresponses. Poststimulation ni...
A Trade-Off Study of Rotor Tip Clearance Flow in a Turbine/Exhaust Diffuser System

In a modern gas turbine power plant, the axial exhaust diffuser accounts for up to 10% of the generator power. An unshrouded rotor, due to its highly energetic tip clearance flow, improves the pressure recovery characteristic of the exhaust diffuser, while the power production within the blading suffers a loss as a result of the tip leakage flow. In this paper, these conflicting trends are thermodynamically investigated and nondimensional expressions are derived which facilitate the task of a gas turbine system designer. Conservatively, 1% thermal efficiency gain results from elimination of the last rotor tip clearance flow. The corresponding increase in thermal efficiency of a modern gas turbine power plant due to enhanced diffuser pressure recovery is less than one percent.Copyright © 1987 by ASME
The Netter Presenter: Electronic Format Expands Utility

The Netter Presenter: Human Anatomy Collection, version 2.0 is the electronic version of the Atlas of Human Anatomy, 3rd edition, which was originally authored by the great medical illustrator, Frank H. Netter, M.D., who died in 1991. Netter Presenter allows the user to search a collection of 932 images and download them to presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint. This paper will discuss searching Netter Presenter, editing and exporting images, reviewing other features of the software, and pricing and licensing information.
Methodological considerations in evaluating eHealth interventions.

Advances in information and communication technologies shape consumers' attitudes towards engagement in their own health and their interface with the health-care system. The use of eHealth tools holds promise for supporting and enabling health behaviour change and the prevention and management of chronic diseases. The authors review issues related to study design, treatment implementation, and outcome measurement in eHealthtrials, providing examples from the literature and from their own ongoing studies. Selection of a comparison group and design considerations related to participant preferences are based on the state of the science and current practice in the particular field. Randomized designs allow for control of selection bias and are favoured in both efficacy and effectiveness trials of eHealth interventions. Depending on the choice of comparison groups, eHealth applications must be fairly robust to demonstrate their efficacy above and beyond active controls. Strategies to ensure treatment fidelity and ongoing participant engagement can be challenging and are not always successful. Patient-reported outcomes are common to eHealth studies. Other outcomes, such as the costs associated with new eHealth applications, are equally if not more important for decision-makers. This discussion is intended to inform future trials and thereby serve to advance the science of eHealth.
Biosynthetic Precursors of δ-Aminolevulinic Acid in Plants and Algae

The earliest universal biosynthetic precursor of the photosynthetic and respiratory tetrapyrrole pigments is the five-carbon compound δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). In animal cells and some bacteria, ALA has long been known to be formed by condensation of glycine and succinyl-CoA, catalyzed by the pyridoxal-requiring enzyme ALA synthase (1). Another route to ALA operates in plants, algae, and certain other cells. In this second route, ALA is formed from the intact carbon skeleton of glutamic acid. This “five-carbon” route has been found to be responsible for the biosynthesis of precursors to chlorophylls in plants (2), green algae (3), and euglenoid algae (4). This pathway is also the major or only source of tetrapyrrole precursors in bluegreen algae (5), red algae (6), some photosynthetic bacteria, including Chromatium (7) and Chlorobium (K.M. Smith and A. Huster, personal communication), and the methane producer Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (R.K. Thauer and H.C. Friedmann, personal communication). On the other hand, other photosynthetic bacteria are known to form ALA via the ALA synthase route (8).
CFTR chloride channel activation by genistein: the role of serine/threonine protein phosphatases

We have previously shown [B. Illek, H. Fischer, G. F. Santos, J. H. Widdicombe, T. E. Machen, and W. W. Reenstra, Am. J. Physiol. 268 (Cell Physiol. 37): C886-C893, 1995] that genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, activates the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel in NIH/3T3 cells that have been stably transfected with an expression vector for the CFTR (NIH-CFTR cells). In this study, we present evidence suggesting that both genistein and the serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PPase) inhibitor calyculin A activate the CFTR by inhibiting PPase activity. As measured by 125I efflux, genistein and calyculin A stimulate the CFTR to approximately 50% of the maximal activity with forskolin. Neither agonist increases CFTR activity at saturating forskolin concentrations, but genistein and calyculin A have an additive effect on CFTR activity. Forskolin, but neither genistein nor calyculin A, stimulates protein kinase A(PKA) activity. The PKA inhibitor H-89 inhibits CFTR activation and in vivo phosphorylation by all three agonists. Proteolytic digestion of in vivo phosphorylated CFTR suggests that the CFTR is phosphorylated on the same sites during stimulation with genistein and forskolin but on different sites stimulation with calyculin A. The data suggest that genistein and calyculin A inhibit different PPase activities, allowing CFTR phosphorylation and partial stimulation, by a basal PKA activity.
Teaching the Innovation Methodology at the Stanford d.school

The Stanford Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, also known as the “d.school”, is an internationally celebrated hub of innovation. It has been active in spreading innovation culture and methods across the Stanford University community, Silicon Valley, and beyond. The d.school has created a strong culture of innovation that places hands-on, Design Thinking-based, team-based studio classes at its core. Central to the approach is its distinct perspective on design: the d.school believes that creativity can be cultivated, not just an innate quality. Anyone can be an innovative designer if they can unlock their creativity and utilize the right process. Its mission is to build creative confidence in every person who walks through its doors, and to make the design thinking method as accessible as possible.
Relationship Between the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status in Patients Referred for a Dementia Evaluation

The current study examined the relationship between the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in a large, heterogeneous sample of patients referred for dementia assessment (N = 495; 37% males, 63% females; M age = 76.8 years, SD = 7.0). The MMSE showed a significant moderate correlation with the RBANS Total Scale score (r = .65). Moderate significant correlations were found between the MMSE and the RBANS indexes (r = .41 to .49). The MMSE demonstrated moderate correlations with RBANS factor scores of .63 for Factor 1 (memory/learning) and .58 for Factor 2 (visuospatial/attention). These correlations suggest that the MMSE is best considered a measure of global cognitive functioning with the strongest correlations between broader measures.
Stochastic communication-efficient distributed algorithms for solving linear algebraic equations

In this paper, we propose two stochastic distributed algorithms for solving linear algebraic equations in the form of Ax = b among a network of m > 1 agents. Each agent knows only a subset of the rows of the partitioned matrix [A b]. Each agent recursively updates its estimate of a solution based on the messages received only from its neighbors. The neighbor relationships among the agents are captured by a directed graph whose vertices correspond to agents and whose arcs characterize neighbor relationships. To reduce the communication load and the memory used, each agent partitions its vector of estimate into multiple blocks, and randomly chooses and broadcasts one block at each iteration. Under some technical conditions, we show that for any linear equation admitting a unique solution and any strongly connected neighbor graph, all agents are almost surely able to compute ultimately the unique solution to the linear equation by applying the proposed algorithms.
Human antibody repertoire after VSV-Ebola vaccination identifies novel targets and virus-neutralizing IgM antibodies

Development of an effective vaccine against Ebola virus is of high priority. However, knowledge about potential correlates of protection and the durability of immune response after vaccination is limited. Here, we elucidate the human antibody repertoire after administration of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-Ebola vaccine at 3 million, 20 million and 100 million plaque-forming units (PFU) and homologous VSV-Ebola vaccine boost in healthy adult volunteers. Whole genome-fragment phage display libraries, expressing linear and conformational epitopes of Ebola glycoprotein (GP), showed higher diversity of antibody epitopes in individuals vaccinated with 20 million PFU than in those vaccinated with 3 million or 100 million PFU. Surface plasmon resonance kinetics showed higher levels of GP-binding antibodies after a single vaccination with 20 million or 100 million PFU than with 3 million PFU, and these correlated strongly with neutralization titers. A second vaccination did not boost antibody or virus neutralization titers, which declined rapidly, and induced only minimal antibody affinity maturation. Isotype analysis revealed a predominant IgM response even after the second vaccination, which contributed substantially to virus neutralization in vitro. These findings may help identify new vaccine targets and aid development and evaluation of effective countermeasures against Ebola.
NAFTA and Emergency Subjects in the Border City of El Paso

L'ampleur des changements economiques a l'echelle mondiale appelle necessairement une nouvelle conceptualisation des divers acteurs et des situations. Cet article propose d'aborder les nouvelles classes sociales et les dynamiques ethniques a travers les defis et les opportunites des nouvelles modalites de l'accumulation capitaliste. Ce nouveau monde economique permet des modeles d'echanges innovants et de nouveaux bilans sur les inter-actions entre les consequences sociales et les besoins techniques. Ces reformulations complexes sont abordees en termes de developpement et de participation financiere dans la ville frontaliere d'El Paso (Texas), un lieu-clef du processus d'integration des economies mexicaines et nord-americaines.
A simulation-based model of technology localization in developing countries

Technology localization is a popular policy in developing countries to reduce the dependency on foreign partners of the industrial manufactures. In this paper, we present a model to analyze the determinant parameters of technology localization process. The model is based on the system dynamics methodology. Our results show that the technology localization becomes stable after a period of time.
A multi-way analysis of international bilateral claims

Abstract The paper presents a new methodology aimed at detecting the modularity structure of an evolving weighted directed network, identifying communities and central nodes inside each of them, and tracking their common activity over time. The method is based on tensor factorization and it is applied to the Consolidated Banking Statistic, provided by the Bank of International Settlements. Findings show that data are well represented by three communities. The temporal pattern of each community varies according to the events involving the member nodes, showing a decrease of activities during crisis periods, such as the 2008 financial crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis.
Rockfall hazard rating system: benefits of utilizing remote sensing

Transportation corridor slopes have the potential to be hazardous to adjacent assets. The Rockfall Hazard Rating System (RHRS) is a stepwise process designed to identify potentially hazardous slopes by assigning a hazard rating that determines the order to mitigate and remediate slopes. The traditional RHRS approach is field-based: observations are made by a field crew who convert observations into slope ratings (preliminary and detailed). The purpose of this study is to examine the benefits of utilizing remote sensing techniques on 14 slopes within a 24-km railroad corridor in southeastern Nevada. Remote sensing allows for data acquisition in difficult-to-reach locations from various view angles. Images and data from three remote sensing technique-platform combinations are examined: optical imagery acquired via satellite, optical imagery acquired via unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and LiDAR data acquired from a stationary sensor. Detailed RHRS slope ratings from both sets of optical images are compared to two types of field-based ratings: (1) initial field observations performed using the traditional RHRS approach, and (2) average detailed rating scores from six participants (geologists and geotechnical engineers) who were given field notes of the 10 rating criteria for the 14 slopes. Terrestrial LiDAR is capable of monitoring slow slope deformation, with an accuracy of approximately 1-2 cm/year, and identifying areas of rapid deformation. Remote sensing techniques should not replace traditional field methods entirely. Instead, developing an approach that combines the advantages of field- and remote sensing-based methodologies will enable transportation agencies to ensure a more robust, efficient, and time-effective RHRS approach.
Validation of quantitative PCR-based assays for detection of gene copy number aberrations in formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded solid tumor samples.

Gene copy number changes are important somatic alterations in cancers. A number of high throughput methods, such as next generation sequencing, are capable of detecting copy number aberrations, but their use can be challenging and cost prohibitive for screening a small number of markers. Furthermore, detection of CNAs by high throughput platforms needs confirmation by an orthogonal technique, especially in cases with low level CNAs. Here, we have validated TaqMan based quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays to detect CNAs in genes of high clinical importance in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. A cohort of 22 tumors of various types that harbor 67 CNAs in 13 genes was assessed. The abnormalities in these tumors were detected by using a NGS-based 50 gene hotspot panel on Ion Torrent PGM and molecular inversion probe (MIP) array. The CNAs included ERBB2 (n = 6), PDGFRA (n = 6), KIT (n = 7), NRAS (n = 3), PIK3CA (n = 6), MYC (n = 7), MET (n = 4), FLT3 (n = 6), FGFR3 (n = 3), FGFR2 ( n = 3), EGFR (n = 7), KRAS ( n = 6) and FGFR1 (n = 5). Different amounts of input DNA were tested and 5 ng FFPE DNA was found to be adequate without limiting detection sensitivity. All 22 (100%) positive tumor samples revealed by MIP array were confirmed by real time qPCR and 17 of 22 (77.2%) samples tested by NGS were confirmed. The limit of detection of the qPCR assay was determined by serial dilution of SKBR3 cell line DNA (with amplified ERBB2 ) and showed an ability to detect 3 copies consistently up to 0.75% dilution. The ability to use low input of FFPE DNA, high sensitivity, and short turnaround time makes qPCR a valuable and economically viable platform for detecting single gene CNAs as well as for confirmation of CNAs detected by high throughput screening assays.
Feline Panleukopenia Virus Is Not Associated With Myocarditis or Endomyocardial Restrictive Cardiomyopathy in Cats

Canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) is nearly indistinguishable from feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and is a well-known cause of viral myocarditis in young puppies; however, it is not known whether either FPV or CPV-2 naturally infects feline cardiomyocytes and causes myocarditis. Endomyocarditis (EMC) and left ventricular endomyocardial fibrosis (LVEF), clinically known as "endomyocardial restrictive cardiomyopathy," are important feline heart diseases suspected to have an infectious etiology. A continuum is suggested with EMC representing the acute reaction to an unknown infectious agent and LVEF the chronic manifestation of repair. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) whether there is natural parvovirus infection of the feline myocardium and (2) whether parvoviral infection is associated with feline EMC and/or LVEF. In a retrospective study, polymerase chain reaction and sequencing for the parvovirus VP1/2 gene was performed on archived heart tissue from cats with endomyocardial disease and controls. Similar methods were used prospectively on myocardial tissues from shelter-source kittens. Although 8 of 36 (22%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11%-40%) shelter kittens had parvoviral DNA in myocardial tissue, VP1/2 DNA was not detected in 33 adult cases or 34 controls (95% CI, 0% to ∼11%). These findings were confirmed by in situ hybridization: adult cats did not have detectable parvovirus DNA, although rare intranuclear signal was confirmed in 7 of 8 shelter-source kittens. In kittens, parvovirus was not significantly associated with myocarditis, and in situ hybridization signal did not colocalize with inflammation. Although infection of cardiomyocytes was demonstrated in kittens, these data do not support a role for parvovirus in EMC-LVEF.
Central Schur rings over the projective special linear groups

ABSTRACTIn [1], Bannai presents a fusion condition and uses this to consider central Schur rings (S-rings) over the simple groups PSL(2,q) where q is a prime power. In this paper, we concretely describe all such S-rings in terms of symmetric S-rings over cyclic groups. The final section discusses counting these.
Soil bacterial and fungal communities show distinct recovery patterns during forest ecosystem restoration

Bacteria and fungi are important mediators of biogeochemical processes and play essential roles in the establishment of plant communities, which makes knowledge about their recovery after extreme disturbances valuable for understanding ecosystem development. However, broad ecological differences between bacterial and fungal organisms, such as growth rates, stress tolerance, and substrate utilization, suggest they could follow distinct trajectories and show contrasting dynamics during recovery. In this study, we analyzed both the intra-annual variability and decade-scale recovery of bacterial and fungal communities in a chronosequence of reclaimed mined soils using next-generation sequencing to quantify their abundance, richness, β-diversity, taxonomic composition, and cooccurrence network properties. Bacterial communities shifted gradually, with overlapping β-diversity patterns across chronosequence ages, while shifts in fungal communities were more distinct among different ages. In addition, the magnitude of intra-annual variability in bacterial β-diversity was comparable to the changes across decades of chronosequence age, while fungal communities changed minimally across months. Finally, the complexity of bacterial cooccurrence networks increased with chronosequence age, while fungal networks did not show clear age-related trends. We hypothesize that these contrasting dynamics of bacteria and fungi in the chronosequence result from (i) higher growth rates for bacteria, leading to higher intra-annual variability; (ii) higher tolerance to environmental changes for fungi; and (iii) stronger influence of vegetation on fungal communities.IMPORTANCE Both bacteria and fungi play essential roles in ecosystem functions, and information about their recovery after extreme disturbances is important for understanding whole-ecosystem development. Given their many differences in phenotype, phylogeny, and life history, a comparison of different bacterial and fungal recovery patterns improves the understanding of how different components of the soil microbiota respond to ecosystem recovery. In this study, we highlight key differences between soil bacteria and fungi during the restoration of reclaimed mine soils in the form of long-term diversity patterns, intra-annual variability, and potential interaction networks. Cooccurrence networks revealed increasingly complex bacterial community interactions during recovery, in contrast to much simpler and more isolated fungal network patterns. This study compares bacterial and fungal cooccurrence networks and reveals cooccurrences persisting through successional ages.
Psychosocial Distress and Distress Screening in Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

Psychosocial distress screening (DS) for cancer and head and neck cancer (HNC) patients is rapidly becoming the standard of care. DS is of particular importance for patients with HNC, given their heightened incidence of distress, depression, anxiety, suicide, quality of life impacts, and negative medical outcomes. In the absence of DS, distress is frequently missed in oncology settings. However, when identified, distress is highly responsive to treatment, with cognitive behavioral and behavioral medicine interventions demonstrating evidence of efficacy. Multidisciplinary HNC teams are uniquely positioned to implement effective DS programs and treatment tailored to HNC patients' psychological and medical vulnerabilities.
Interpreter Roles and Interpretation Situations: Cross-Cutting Typologies

At the outset it is essential that the use to which several important and recurring terms will be put be made explicit. The first of these is “interpreter”. Probably the most common understanding of this term is as a somewhat shortened version of the phrase “conference interpreter”. Seleskovitch (1976: 97) places the number of conference interpreters in the Western world at a maximum of a few thousand, of whom something over one thousand are members of the International Association of Conference Interpreters AIIC.
Association of HIV Status With Outcomes of Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

This study uses data from the Veterans Affairs database to examine the association of HIV status with outcomes in patients with anal cancer.
Cost of diabetic care in India: An inequitable picture.

Abstract Aim Diabetes is a growing public health problem in India which is soon going to become the ‘diabetes capital’ of the world. It requires regular care and follow up. We aimed to estimate the household out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure and catastrophic expenditure due to hospitalization and outpatient care as a result of diabetes. Materials and methods Secondary analysis of nationally representative data for India collected by National Sample Survey Organization in 2014, reporting on health service utilization and health care related OOP expenditure by income quintiles and by type of health facility (public or private). Results The median household OOP expenditure from hospitalization due to diabetes was USD 151, and was 3 times higher among the richest quintile compared to the poorest quintile (p Conclusion Households with diabetic patients incur a high risk of catastrophic expenditure, particularly for those in the lowest income quintiles and those seeking care in the private sector. Increased availability and access to essential drugs and strengthening of public facilities will significantly reduce OOP expenditure.
“A smile on everybody’s face”: A multiple case study of community ukulele groups:

The purpose of this study was to explore educational and social environments of multiple American community ukulele groups. The foundations, objectives, and leadership of four community ukulele gro...
Prairie Voles as a Model for Understanding the Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Attachment Behaviors.

Over a lifetime, humans build relationships with family, friends, and partners that are critically important for our mental and physical health. Unlike commonly used laboratory mice and rats, Microtine rodents provide a unique model to study the neurobiology underlying pair bonding and the selective attachments that form between adults. Comparisons between monogamous prairie voles and the closely related but nonmonogamous meadow and montane voles have revealed that brain-region-specific neuropeptide receptor patterning modulates social behavior between and within species. In particular, diversity in vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) distribution has been linked to individual and species differences in monogamy-related behaviors such as partner preference, mate guarding, and space use. Given the importance of differential receptor expression for regulating social behavior, a critical question has emerged: What are the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that underlie brain-region-specific receptor patterns? Thi...
Public Relations: A State of Mind:

Good people, good service, and good work are the essential ingredients of any healthy endeavor, certainly of a voluntary social service agency
Abnormal findings on magnetic resonance images of asymptomatic shoulders

Magnetic resonance images of the shoulders of ninety-six asymptomatic individuals were evaluated to determine the prevalence of findings consistent with a tear of the rotator cuff. The scans were reviewed independently by two diagnostic radiologists who are experienced in the interpretation of magnetic resonance images of the shoulder. The over-all prevalence of tears of the rotator cuff in all age-groups was 34 per cent (thirty-three). There were fourteen full-thickness tears (15 per cent) and nineteen partial-thickness tears (20 per cent). The frequency of full-thickness and partial-thickness tears increased significantly with age (p < 0.001 and 0.05, respectively). Twenty-five (54 per cent) of the forty-six individuals who were more than sixty years old had a tear of the rotator cuff: thirteen (28 per cent) had a full-thickness tear and twelve (26 per cent) had a partial-thickness tear. Of the twenty-five individuals who were forty to sixty years old, one (4 per cent) had a full-thickness tear and six (24 per cent) had a partial-thickness tear. Of the twenty-five individuals who were nineteen to thirty-nine years old, none had a full-thickness tear and one (4 per cent) had a partial-thickness tear. Magnetic resonance imaging identified a high prevalence of tears of the rotator cuff in asymptomatic individuals. These tears were increasingly frequent with advancing age and were compatible with normal, painless, functional activity. The results of the present study emphasize the potential hazards of the use of magnetic resonance imaging scans alone as a basis for the determination of operative intervention in the absence of associated clinical findings.
Pressure Requirements for Diffusion Bonding Titanium

The requirements of pressure-time combinations for achieving intimate contact between two surfaces to be solid-state bonded are considered. The bond surfaces are assumed to exhibit relatively rough surfaces as a result of prior machining or other surface preparation, and the resultant surface asperities are considered to be removed by creep deformation under pressure during the bonding process. The deformation of both continuous groove-like asperities and local pyramidal-like asperities are considered analytically. The analysis provides a quantitative method for assessing the complex inter-relationships among pressure, bond time, and bonding temperature. Comparison with experimental results demonstrates generally good agreement with the prediction of these parametric combinations.
Violence, Gender, and the Politics of She-Tragedy in British Abolitionist Literature

British abolitionist literature, much like abolitionist politics generally, struggled to imagine a post-emancipationist world in which freed Africans and former white slave owners could co-exist pe...
The Determinants and Opportunity Costs of External Management Fees for State‐Administered Pension Plans

Private investment firms receive billions of dollars in fees to actively manage the assets held within state pension funds. We examine the determinants of the fees paid and find that more financially burdensome plans tend to pay more. The magnitude of this relationship declines as the size of the plan increases, suggesting economies of scale. These fees do not appear to be associated with higher pension fund returns. Finally, we calculate the opportunity costs of fees and estimate that most pension funds would be better financially positioned today if they had, instead, passively invested the fees in broad‐based market indices.
Parallel patterns of development between independent cases of hybrid seed inviability in Mimulus

Rationale: The evolutionary drivers of many reproductive barriers are unknown. Hybrid seed inviability (HSI) is a common barrier in angiosperms. We test the idea that conflict between maternal and paternal interests in resource allocation to developing offspring (i.e. parental conflict) drives HSI in two independent incidences of HSI. Methods: We quantified HSI between M. guttatus and two clades of M. decorus with oppositely asymmetric HSI. In the northern, weaker-conflict clade, seeds are inviabile when M. decorus is the mother, while in the southern, stronger-conflict clade, inviability occurs when M. decorus is the father. We quantified whole-seed development for hybrids and parents to assess whether reciprocal F1 seeds show parent-of-origin dependent growth phenotypes, as predicted by conflict. Key Results: Crosses between M. guttatus and both clades of M. decorus show parent-of-origin effects on reciprocal F1 seed development. Inviable hybrid seeds exhibit paternal-excess phenotypes, wherein endosperm is large and chaotic. In contrast, viable hybrid seeds show maternal-excess phenotypes, wherein endosperm development is precocious. Main Conclusions: We find strong parent-of-origin effects on development in reciprocal F1s that are repeated across independent incidences of HSI in Mimulus. These patterns suggest that parental conflict may play a strong role in shaping the evolution of HSI.