cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbon and Nitrogen Provisions Alter the Metabolic Flux in Developing Soybean Embryos

Soybean (Glycine max) seeds store significant amounts of their biomass as protein, levels of which reflect the carbon and nitrogen received by the developing embryo. The relationship between carbon and nitrogen supply during filling and seed composition was examined through a series of embryo-culturing experiments. Three distinct ratios of carbon to nitrogen supply were further explored through metabolic flux analysis. Labeling experiments utilizing [U-(13)C5]glutamine, [U-(13)C4]asparagine, and [1,2-(13)C2]glucose were performed to assess embryo metabolism under altered feeding conditions and to create corresponding flux maps. Additionally, [U-(14)C12]sucrose, [U-(14)C6]glucose, [U-(14)C5]glutamine, and [U-(14)C4]asparagine were used to monitor differences in carbon allocation. The analyses revealed that: (1) protein concentration as a percentage of total soybean embryo biomass coincided with the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio; (2) altered nitrogen supply did not dramatically impact relative amino acid or storage protein subunit profiles; and (3) glutamine supply contributed 10% to 23% of the carbon for biomass production, including 9% to 19% of carbon to fatty acid biosynthesis and 32% to 46% of carbon to amino acids. Seed metabolism accommodated different levels of protein biosynthesis while maintaining a consistent rate of dry weight accumulation. Flux through ATP-citrate lyase, combined with malic enzyme activity, contributed significantly to acetyl-coenzyme A production. These fluxes changed with plastidic pyruvate kinase to maintain a supply of pyruvate for amino and fatty acids. The flux maps were independently validated by nitrogen balancing and highlight the robustness of primary metabolism.
DCN@MPLS: A Network Architectural Model for Dynamic Circuit Networking at Multiple Protocol Label Switching

In this paper, we present DCN@MPLS as a architectural extension to Multi-protocol Label Switching MPLS technology that can dynamically assign time activated future routes to an MPLS-enabled routing infrastructure. Moreover, we assume that efficient route schedules have been computed by a separate optimization algorithm module linked to the DCN@MPLS route server.
Automating role-based provisioning by learning from examples

Role-based provisioning has been adopted as a standard component in leading Identity Management products due to its low administration cost. However, the cost of adjusting existing roles to entitlements from newly deployed applications is usually very high. In this paper, a learning-based approach to automate the provisioning process is proposed and its effectiveness is verified by real provisioning data. Specific learning issues related to provisioning are identified and relevant solutions are presented.
Tsunami inundation and sediment transport in a sediment-limited embayment on American Samoa

Abstract Field observations and numerical simulations are used to explore tsunami inundation and sediment transport in an embayment (Fagafue Bay) on the north side of Tutuila, American Samoa during the 29 September 2009 South Pacific tsunami. Field observations of the nearshore bathymetry and topography, tsunami flow depth and sediment deposition, and extent of movable sandy sediment remaining on the beach were collected during two field surveys approximately two and five weeks after the tsunami. Onshore measurements of flow depth at forty-eight locations indicate the wave inundated almost 250 m onshore with a depth exceeding 7 m locally. The tsunami deposited patchy areas of sediment up to 0.2 m thick interspersed with a thin dusting (
Content-based image retrieval from large medical databases

The main goal of content based image retrieval is to efficiently retrieve images that are visually similar to a query image. In this paper we focus on content based image retrieval from large medical databases, outline the problems specific to this area, and describe the recent advances in the field. We also present some of the more significant results obtained with ASSERT (Automatic Search and Selection Engine with Retrieval Tools), the content based image retrieval system developed in our laboratory.
A strategy for soft error reduction in multi core designs

With the continous decrease in the minimum feature size and increase in the chip density, modern processors are being increasingly susceptible to soft errors. In the past, the technique of lockstep execution with redundant threads on duplicated pipelines have been used for soft error rate reduction which can achieve high error coverage but at the cost of large overheads in terms of area and performance. In this paper, we propose techniques for protection against soft errors in multi-core designs using (i) the properties of spatial and temporal redundancy and (ii) value based detection. We utilize temporal redundancy by using the “latency use slack” (LSC) of an instruction, which we de£ne as the number of cycles before the computed result from the instruction becomes the source operand of a subsequent instruction, while spatial redundancy is exploited by duplicating the instruction to a nearby idle processor core. Further, the value based detection technique is explored by exploiting the width of the operands with small data values and the generation of residue code check bits for the source operands. When a soft error is detected, error correction is achieved by rolling back the execution to a previous checkpoint state and re-executing the instructions. The proposed techniques have been implemented on the RSIM simulation framework and validated using the SPLASH benchmarks. Our results indicate that the soft error detection schemes proposed in this work, can be implemented, on average, with less than 10% increase in CPI on modern multi-core designs.
Hidden Truths and Unresolved Dilemmas: a Panel on Ethics and Research in the Urban Public Domain

INTRODUCING THE ARTICLES on ethics in this volume, this paper identifies one issue common to them all—research ethics in the urban public domain. When one considers the multiple meanings associated with the word “public,” a variety of questions surface. To which “public” should the ethnographer respond? What is “public” and what is “private”? What if the people studied have no “private” space, or their lives have been deemed “public”? How should an anthropologist construct her own “public” identity? While all these issues arise in urban research settings, they also provide valuable insights for other areas of anthropology.
Possible Origins of CTnBST, a Conjugative Transposon Found Recently in a Human Colonic Bacteroides Strain

A previous survey of Bacteroides isolates suggested that the ermB gene entered Bacteroides spp. recently. Previously, ermB had been found almost exclusively in gram-positive bacteria. In one Bacteroides strain, ermB was located on 100-kb conjugative transposon (CTn) CTnBST. To assess the possible origin of this CTn, we obtained the full DNA sequence of CTnBST and used this information to investigate its possible origins. Over one-half of CTnBST had high sequence identity to a putative CTn found in the genome of Bacteroides fragilis YCH46. This included the ends of the CTn and genes involved in integration, transfer, and excision. However, the region around the ermB gene contained genes that appeared to originate from gram-positive organisms. In particular, a 7-kb segment containing the ermB gene was 100% identical to an ermB region found in the genome of the gram-positive bacterium Arcanobacterium pyogenes. A screen of Bacteroides isolates whose DNA cross-hybridized with a CTnBST probe revealed that several isolates did not carry the 7-kb region, implying that the acquisition of this region may be more recent than the acquisition of the entire CTnBST element by Bacteroides spp. We have also identified other Bacteroides isolates that carry a slightly modified 7-kb region but have no other traces of CTnBST. Thus, it is possible that this 7-kb region could itself be part of a mobile element that has inserted in a Bacteroides CTn. Our results show that CTnBST is a hybrid element which has acquired a portion of its coding region from gram-positive bacteria but which may originally have come from Bacteroides spp. or some related species.
Bulk "On", "Off", and negative resistance modes in neutron-irradiated silicon

Extremely sharp Zener-like bulk characteristics, symmetrical and asymmetrical, have been obtained in fast-neutron-irradiated silicon. The volt-ampere characteristic consists of a high-resistivity ("off") Ohm's law region, breaking sharply into an essentially vertical ("on") region. The "on" region extends several orders of magnitude in current at constant voltage. The mechanism is not related to Zener breakdown (except in appearance); it is rather a trap-filling process, agreeing completely with a theoretical model proposed by M. A. Lampert (1956) for single injection in the presence of a discrete trap. These results were obtained at 77°K due to the necessity of biasing the thermodynamic Fermi level to the vicinity of the desired trap. Other traps are present, and efforts are presently under way to extend the mechanism to the range of room temperature. Limited success has been achieved.
Artificial intelligence and concept of step wise fault detection

A study is made of the concept of artificial intelligence and it is applied to the problem of fault diagnosis to a system which has been designed for t/sub 0/ fault diagnosis without repair on the basis of a PMC model. The author modifies the connection assignments of each unit of the system in such a way that after t/sub 0/ units in the system, the nonfaulty units of the system can diagnose t/sub 1/ additional faults where t/sub 1/ >
Nonperiodic sampling and reconstruction from averages

We show that recovery of a function from its averages over squares in the plane is closely related to a problem of recovery of bandlimited functions from samples on unions of regular lattices. We use this observation to construct explicit solutions to the Bezout equation which can be easily implemented in software. We also show that these sampling results give a new proof of the "three squares theorem" which says that a function in the plane can be recovered from its averages on translates of three squares oriented parallel to the coordinate axes whose sidelengths are pairwise irrationally related. Other proofs of this theorem and construction of solution to the Bezout equation rely on interpolation methods in the theory of functions of one and several complex variables. Our sampling technique gives much simpler solutions especially in higher dimensions.
Probabilistic damage tolerance analysis considering shot peening effect

Peening process is a widely used method to improve fatigue strength of metals. It has been shown that the increased fatigue performance is mainly due to compressive residual stress near specimen surface during peening processes. However, the damage tolerance analysis directly using the residual stress profile after manufacturing will have a very nonconservative prediction results. A detailed mechanism model is proposed to capture the physics of fatigue damage accumulation of shot peened specimens. The proposed methodology is based on the Equivalent Initial Flaw Size (EIFS) concept and the asymptotic stress intensity factor solution of notched specimen. Two detrimental effects of the fatigue behavior of shot peened specimens are included into the proposed methodology. One is the residual stress relaxation and the other is the increased surface roughness. Time varying residual stress and the surface notch depth (roughness) are included in the EIFS life prediction methodology for damage tolerance analysis. A simplified probabilistic damage tolerance analysis model is proposed. The developed probabilistic damage tolerance analysis methodology is compared with various experimental data under different shot peening conditions and very good agreement is observed between model predictions and experimental data.
Employing Descriptive Functional Assessment Methods to Assess Low-Rate, High-Intensity Behaviors A Case Example

Low-rate, high-intensity behaviors, such as aggression and violence, are not uncommon in school settings. This study evaluated the utility of descriptive methods (e.g., record reviews, interviews) of functional assessment in documenting behavior function for low-rate, high-intensity behaviors. The participant, a 13-year-old boy with ADHD, exhibited low rates of aggression toward peers in school. A comprehensive record review of archival data sources (i.e., office referrals, previous school records) indicated aggression was more likely to occur during unstructured activities (e.g., recess), primarily following negative peer approaches (e.g., teasing, name-calling, or physical aggression). Descriptive information and observations led to the development and selection of potential intervention strategies. Direct observational data indicated that the peer buddy intervention was effective in reducing the number of inappropriate responses to negative peer approaches, as well as the number of aggressive incidents...
WILLIAM DOWNES , Language and society . 2nd edn. (Cambridge approaches to linguistics.) Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Pp. ix, 503. Hb $64.95, pb $24.95. RONALD WARDHAUGH , An introduction to sociolinguistics . 3rd edn. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. Pp. viii, 404.

Somewhere sociolinguistics must be flourishing. Here we have the second edition of a volume that first appeared in 1984, and the third edition of one that was first published in 1986. It is not as though there are no competing works in print. Hudson 1996 is a revision of a 1980 work, while Trudgill 1995 is the third version of a work that first appeared in 1974. Still in their first manifestation are Holmes 1992 and Romaine 1994. Clearly, there must be a market for these works, since altruism is hardly a common feature of the modern publishing world.
AMPK signalling regulates Nrf2 localization and activity via sirtuins in a monocytic cell line

Nrf2 participate in the defence against oxidative stress by inducing anti-oxidant genes such as HO-1 and NQO1, which system is downregulated in COPD. AMPK and sirtuins are ageing related signals reported to control the expression of genes. Sirt1 is also down-regulated in COPD lung. Aims: To evaluate the effect of sirtuin inhibition and AMPK activation/inhibition on the nuclear localization and activity of Nrf2, and the expression of HO1 and NQO1. Methods: THP-1 monocytic cells were treated with a sirtuin inhibitor (sirtinol), hydrogen peroxide (H202) as oxidative stress reagent and AICAR and dorsomorphin as AMPK activator and inhibitor respectively. Nrf2 protein levels were measured by western blot and the samples were normalized against Lamin A/C. The mRNA levels of HO1 and NQO1 were measured by RT-PCR and normalized against GNB2L1. Nrf2 binding capacity was measured by ELISA. Results: H202 increased Nrf2 in the nucleus by 2-fold and pretreatment with sirtinol did not affect this induction. In contrast, although Nrf2 binding activity also increased by 50% with H202, preincubation with sirtinol abrogated this activation. Dorsomorphin treatment provoked a decrease in the nuclear levels of Nrf2 by 30%. In contrast, AICAR increased Nrf2 in the nucleus by 30% and augmented the mRNA levels of HO1 and NQO1 by 3.3 and 1.6-fold respectively. Discussion: Sirtuins depletion observed in COPD may cause a reduction of the anti-oxidative stress capacity by affecting Nrf2 regulation of HO1 and NQO1. AMPK may be participating in this oxidative stress defence. These results highlight the importance of the sirtuins/AMPK axis in COPD development and its possible use as targets for therapeutic purposes.
The 10 Greatest Films for Teaching Economics

We asked economic educators from around the country to identify five films that they found most useful in teaching economics. Our sample of 105 educators reflects wide-ranging opinions about the gr...
The present-day number of tectonic plates

The number of tectonic plates on Earth described in the literature has expanded greatly since the start of the plate tectonic era, when only about a dozen plates were considered in global models of present-day plate motions. With new techniques of more accurate earthquake epicenter locations, modern ways of measuring ocean bathymetry using swath mapping, and the use of space based geodetic techniques, there has been a huge growth in the number of plates thought to exist. The study by Bird (2003) proposed 52 plates, many of which were delineated on the basis of earthquake locations. Because of the pattern of areas of these plates, he suggested that there should be more small plates than he could identify. In this paper, I gather together publications that have proposed a total of 107 new plates, giving 159 plates in all. The largest plate (Pacific) is about 20 % of the Earth’s area or 104 Mm2, and the smallest of which (Plate number 5 from Hammond et al. 2011) is only 273 km2 in area. Sorting the plates by size allows us to investigate how size varies as a function of order. There are several changes of slope in the plots of plate number organized by size against plate size order which are discussed. The sizes of the largest seven plates is constrained by the area of the Earth. A middle set of 73 plates down to an area of 97,563 km2 (the Danakil plate at number 80, is the plate of median size) follows a fairly regular pattern of plate size as a function of plate number. For smaller plates, there is a break in the slope of the plate size/plate number plot and the next 32 plates follow a pattern of plate size proposed by the models of Koehn et al. (2008) down to an area of 11,638 km2 (West Mojave plate # 112). Smaller plates do not follow any regular pattern of area as a function of plate number, probably because we have not sampled enough of these very small plates to reveal any clear pattern.
Retinoids, Polyamines and Teratocarcinoma Differentiation

Teratocarcinomas are tumors of gonadal tissue origin which contain an array of differentiated cell phenotypes derived from a population of undifferentiated stem cells known as embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. These undifferentiated EC cells are the primary malignant cells of such tumors, while their differentiated derivatives are benign.
A Freshman Engineering Education Experience

This paper describes a freshman engineering educational experience at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). It highlights the first year engineering curriculum and an academic support system that is designed for student success during the freshman year. Traditional course work in calculus, chemistry, calculus based physics, introductions to engineering, engineering graphics, and writing courses are a part of the freshman engineering curriculum. The university offers a number of academic support programs to help freshman students a smooth transition from high school to college life. A Freshmen Seminar course, which is designed to enhance students’ educational experiences during the freshman year, is an important element of the university’s academic support system. This paper briefly describes the content of an introductory course in engineering and the Freshman Seminar. It also describes some of the programs within the university that are implemented to improve student success during the freshman year.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The trans action of HMRa in mating type interconversion.

HML and HMR are the sites of cryptic mating type genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the presence of the HO gene, the information from HML or HMR (an a or α cassette) is transferred to the mating type locus (MAT). HML, HMR, and MAT are located on chromosome III, yet are widely separeted. Similarly, in other yeasts, at least some of the genes involved in mating type interconversion are linked to the mating type locus. We demonstrate here that a cassette donor (HMR) and the cassette target (MAT) need not be physically linked for successful mating type interconversion. In particular, we show that HMRa on one chromosome can donate an a cassette to the mating type locus on a homologous chromosome III.
The central limit theorem for Carleman’s equation

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the analogy between the law of large numbers and the central limit theorem of classical probability theory on the one hand and the hydrodynamical approximations in the statistical mechanics of gases on the other. The chief illustration is provided by Carleman's model [2] for which the central limit approximation is a kind of non-linear Brownian motion regulated by ∂n/∂t=(n'/n)′.
Analysis of the Food Quality of Nan'gang District of Harbin City in 2002-2005

OBJECTIVE To master the food quality of Nan'gang District and to supply the reliable evidence for governmen.METHODS According to the principle of spot check,lab examine food quality according to national standard method.RESULTS The food eligibility ratio is 86.00% in Nan'gang District of Harbin City in 2002-2005.The high eligibility food species are vinegar,noodle,sauce,distilled spirit and its eligibility ratio is 97.99%、97.95%、97.39%、97.05%.Mineral water and pure water's eligibility ratio is low and its eligibility ratio is 71.16%、79.24%.CONCLUSIONS The main cause of low food eligibility ratio is mineral water and pure water,which indicate that the government should pay attention the these food so as to guard people's health.
Trauma in Patients with Pre-Existing Cardiac Disease

More than 30% of trauma patients over 55 years of age have pre-existing diseases and by the time these patients reach 65 years of age, 13.7% of them will have hypertension, 9.2% will have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 6.3% will have diabetes, and 5.6% will have coronary artery disease (CAD). By the age of 75 years, 12.9% will have CAD, and the most frequent cause of death in elderly individuals living for more than 48 hours after trauma will be sepsis and/or CAD. To obtain the best results in patients with pre-existing cardiac disease, one must have a high suspicion of its presence and aggressively treat the patient to prevent hypotension and hypoxemia. Early monitoring and optimization of cardiac output, organ delivery, and oxygen consumption are particularly important in elderly trauma patients if they require general anesthesia or ICU care.
Conclusion: Challenging the New Racism; Combating the New Right

Race has not declined in significance in the United States or Britain; rather its significance has changed. Race remains an important lens through which current issues and events are perceived and explained, as well as a fundamental dimension of institutional relations of inequality. Although the assertion of the biological inequality of different races is an ideology which has fallen largely into disrepute, race-based symbolism nevertheless remains an important explanatory framework for many present-day issues and challenges, as well as a legitimating ideology for elites.
Laboratory Cultivation and Maintenance of Borrelia miyamotoi

Borrelia miyamotoi is a relapsing fever tick-borne pathogen found in Ixodes spp. (hard) ticks. In vitro culturing has proven difficult despite initial reports of cultures maintained in Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly-II (BSK-II) medium. The ability to culture in vitro opens many avenues for investigating the genetics and physiology of bacterial species. This unit describes methods for the maintenance and cultivation of B. miyamotoi in liquid medium. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Tumors arising in organ transplant recipients.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the tumors arising in organ-transplanted recipients. The chapter studies cancers in three groups of transplant patients: (1) those with inadvertently transplanted neoplasms, (2) those with cancers that arise de novo at some time after transplantation, and (3) those with tumors present before grafting. An important area of cancer research involves the transplantation of tumors in various animal species. Such experiments are usually performed in inbred strains to avoid histocompatibility differences between the donor's cancer cells and the recipient's immune system, which will usually result in rejection of the transplant. Transplantation across histocompatibility barriers usually necessitates the use of some type of immunosuppressive therapy, or the use of a congenitally immuno-deficient species, such as the nude mouse, which can accept grafts of human tumor tissue. Various possible causes of cancers include—alteration in immunity, oncogenic viruses, oncogenicity of the immunosuppressive agents, co-oncogenic effects of the immunosuppressive agents, potentially oncogenic medication, and genetic factors. Without immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplantation, resulting in restoration of health and long-term satisfactory organ function, is not possible. The chapter concludes that perhaps the genetic factors also play a role in determining which transplant patients are susceptible or resistant to the development of malignancy.
Efficacy of the GnRH analogue deslorelin for suppression of oestrous cycles in cats.

The aim of this study was to develop a method for long-term but reversible inhibition of oestrous cycles in female cats by downregulation of GnRH receptors with deslorelin released from a long-acting implant. In a blind study with mature cats (n = 20), a 6 mg deslorelin implant was administered s.c. to ten cats and a placebo implant was administered to ten cats. Occurrence of oestrus and general health were observed daily, and individual faecal samples were collected at 3 day intervals for 14 months and analysed for oestradiol content. All the placebo-treated queens continued to undergo normal oestrous cycles during the study. Oestrus was accompanied by peaks in oestradiol concentrations of > or = 20 ng g-1 faeces. Treatment with deslorelin initially stimulated oestradiol release, which accompanied treatment-induced ovulations. Thereafter, oestradiol concentrations decreased to 1-10 ng g-1 faeces and remained low for extended periods. Observations of small increases in oestradiol concentrations in one cat led to a second treatment with 6 mg deslorelin in five cats on day 155 after first treatment. Faecal oestradiol concentrations remained 20 ng g-1 faeces after treatment at 7.5, 11.0 (two cats), 11.5 and 14.0 months. After 14 months, two cats had returned to normal cyclic activity, two had irregular small oestrogen peaks and six showed no cyclic activity. For months 2-5, 6-10 and 11-14, oestrogen values in treated cats were significantly different from control values (P < 0.001, 0.05 and 0.02, respectively). Differences in oestrogen concentration between control cats and cats that were treated twice were significant (P < 0.001) during months 6-10 only. The general health of treated cats was unchanged throughout the study. These results confirm that deslorelin can effectively suppress ovarian activity in domestic cats, but that the duration of suppression varies among individuals.
Transverse Translation Diverse Phase Retrieval for Reflective and Freeform Surface Metrology

The performance of transverse translation diverse phase retrieval is assessed in two different scenarios. First, performance is compared between a hard-edged and soft-edged subaperture. Second, performance is analyzed on a highly aberrated wavefront.
Assessing clinically significant prostate cancer: Diagnostic properties of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging compared to three-dimensional transperineal template mapping histopathology.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic properties of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in the detection, localization and characterization of prostate cancer using three-dimensional transperineal template mapping biopsy histopathology as the comparator. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging followed by three-dimensional transperineal template mapping biopsy was carried out. For imaging and pathology data, the prostate was divided in octants with the urethra being the midline. The index test properties were calculated using the biopsy histopathology as the reference test with the following end-points: any cancer, any Gleason ≥7, any Gleason ≥7 or cancer length of ≥4 mm and any Gleason ≥7 or 6 mm in any given core. The latter two definitions correspond to 0.2 and 0.5 mL of cancer volume, respectively. Diagnostic properties including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Results A total of 50 patients were included in the study. A median of 55 (interquartile range 42–63) biopsy cores were obtained per patient. Of 400 prostate octants evaluated, 28.5% had prostate cancer on mapping biopsy, whereas 23% of octants were considered suspicious for cancer on imaging. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging negative predictive values for Gleason ≥7 and clinically significant cancers were 84–100%. Similarly, specificity ranged between 79% and 85%. Sensitivity and positive predictive value remained moderate for all the reference test definitions. Conclusions Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging is a useful minimally-invasive tool for detection, localization and characterization of prostate cancer. This imaging modality has high negative predictive value and specificity, and therefore it could be used to reliably rule out clinically significant cancer, obviating the multicore mapping biopsy.
Leadership Writ Large, Beyond the Title

This column explores how leadership is often placed in context of a titled managerial or administrative role in libraries and suggests there are broader contexts of recognizing and developing leadership that should be explored.
Distribution of biogenic structures in Paleozoic nonmarine and marine-margin sequences; an actualistic model

Many benthic invertebrates, especially insects (e.g., ephemeropterans and chironomids), oligochaetes and mollusks, burrow in and disrupt sediments accumulating in modern lakes and streams. However, the body-fossil record of most of the common nonmarine burrowers does not extend back before the Mesozoic, suggesting that aquatic sediments were not colonized by burrowers until or after the Permo-Triassic. Compilation of published descriptions of biogenic structures in Devonian through Triassic nonmarine rocks supports this suggestion. Benthic diversity generally decreases with decreasing salinity and in estuaries both abundance and species diversity are lowest where salinity fluctuations are greatest. Abundance and diversity increase with establishment of freshwater conditions. Given deposition in environments with similar trace-preservation potentials, trends similar to faunal trends of the present should be recognizable in Paleozoic marine to nonmarine transition ichnofaunas; bioturbation also should decrease with lower salinity. Within a Lower Pennsylvanian coal-bearing sequence in the northern Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, sandstones and siltstones deposited under marine-dominated conditions are highly burrowed with a diverse ichnofauna; those deposited in a deltaic setting have zones with abundant traces; those deposited in coastal low-sinuousity fluvial environments have only scattered horizons with traces. Considering the apparent depauperate Pennsylvanian freshwater infauna, zones with extensive burrowing or diverse ichnofaunas within Pennsylvanian marine to nonmarine sequences probably indicate colonization after a marine or brackish water incursion rather than establishment of a freshwater infaunal community.--Modified journal abstract.
Design Considerations for Competency Functionality Within a Learning Ecosystem

This paper provides a review of the current trends within competency based training and management and the challenges with competency management frameworks in Canada. The paper builds on earlier work by the authors related to digital systems for competency management, a market analysis report for competency management systems and a literature review on competency management systems in Canada. The authors also elaborate on current and proposed design solutions for competency functionality in the context of the Learning and Performance Support (LPSS) program at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and on the results of user surveys and usability studies of the LPSS system related to competency and skills development.
Has growth mixture modeling improved our understanding of how early change predicts psychotherapy outcome

Objective: Early change in psychotherapy predicts outcome. Seven studies have used growth mixture modeling [GMM; Muthen, B. (2001). Second-generation structural equation modeling with a combination...
Impact of early access to multidisciplinary care on treatment outcomes in patients with skull base chordoma

To determine if early access to multidisciplinary surgical care affects outcomes in patients with skull base chordoma. A retrospective chart review of prospectively collected data was performed on 51 patients treated from 1993 to 2014. The cohort was divided into those presenting (1) for initial management (ID, n = 21) or (2) with persistent/progressive disease after prior biopsy/surgery (PD, n = 30) outside of a multidisciplinary setting. The impact of initial surgical management in a multidisciplinary center on progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed with Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses. Mean follow-up, median PFS, median overall survival (OS), and 10-year OS for the entire cohort was 70 months, 47 months, 159 months, and 19%, respectively. Initial management in a multidisciplinary center resulted in a significant improvement in PFS versus initial surgery with or without radiotherapy (XRT) outside of this setting (64 vs 25 months, p = 0.035). Initial surgical resection outside of a multidisciplinary setting increased the risk of recurrence/progression on univariate (HR, 2.276; p = 0.022) and multivariate analysis (HR, 2.831; p = 0.006), respectively. The results from this study emphasize the impact that coordinated multidisciplinary surgical care has on patient outcomes for chordomas of the clivus. Biopsy followed by attempted radical resection at a dedicated center does not affect PFS and, therefore, represents a reasonable first step in management for patients presenting outside of multidisciplinary setting.
Theories of Educating Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This chapter will explore theories of educating students with autism spectrum disorders. Behavioral, developmental, and cognitive behavior theories will be presented, as well as practices and interventions derived from empirical evidence of efficacy in autism treatment will be reviewed. The behavioral framework will include the guiding principles on discrete trial training, early intensive behavioral intervention, incidental teaching, and pivotal response treatment. The developmental framework will include practices on the Early Start Denver Model, DIR/Floortime, and SCERTS model and will discuss similarities across these developmental interventions. The cognitive behavioral framework will review the components of cognitive behavioral therapy and the practice and use of cognitive behavioral therapy with children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. Additionally, the chapter will explore the current research on the practice of using cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders. Lastly, implications for practice and future directions for all educational theories discussed are reviewed.
Anterior Cervical Foraminotomy: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

We provide a step-by-step technique guide for performing anterior cervical foraminotomy in this video. An illustrative case was presented with detailed narration and a discussion of surgical nuances. Anterior cervical foraminotomy can be an effective treatment strategy for patients with unilateral cervical radiculopathy without the need for cervical spine fusion. Spine surgeons should be familiar with technique and use it as a motion-preserving surgical option in treating isolated cervical radiculopathy. There is no identifying information in this video. A patient consent was obtained for publishing of the material included in the video.
Histin, an RNA polymerase inhibitor isolated from Histoplasma capsulatum

Abstract The dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum contains an extractable inhibitor of RNA polymerase in its mycelial phase. The inhibitor, called histin, binds to the inhibited enzymes: column chromatography cannot restore polymerase activity to extracts prepared from a mixture of mycelial cells and yeast phase cells. Histin is specific in that it preferentially affects those RNA polymerases which are resistant to the toxin from Amanita phalloides , α-amanitin. This relative specificity for some RNA polymerases is also found when histin is tested against the enzymes from Xenopus laevis and Escherichia coli as well as from H. capsulatum .
Balance and Self-efficacy of Balance in Children with CHARGE Syndrome:

IntroductionBalance is a critical component of daily living, because it affects all movements and the ability to function independently. Children with CHARGE syndrome have sensory and motor impairm...
A No-Contest Discharge for Uncollectible Student Loans

Over forty-four million Americans owe more than $1.6 trillion in student loan debt. This debt is nearly impossible to discharge in bankruptcy. Attempting to do so may require costly and contentious litigation with the Department of Education. And because the Department typically fights every case, even initial success can be followed by years of appeals. As a result, few student loan borrowers attempt to discharge their student loan debt in bankruptcy. In this Article, we call on the Department of Education to develop a set of ten easily ascertainable and verifiable circumstances in which it will not contest a debtor’s attempt to discharge their student loan debt. Nearly every category of no-contest discharge we recommend represents a circumstance where the debtor would clearly suffer an undue hardship if forced to continue to attempt repayment. In those circumstances, the Department of Education should conserve taxpayer dollars by consenting to discharge. Specifically, we urge the Department of Education to allow a no-contest discharge when the debtor’s income is less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level and at least one of the following: (1) the debtor’s household income has been at or below the federal poverty level for the last four years; (2) the debtor receives disability benefits under the Social Security Act; (3) the debtor receives disability benefits because of military service; (4) the debtor’s income is derived solely from retirement benefits; (5) the debtor is a caregiver of an adult or child as defined in the Lifetime Respite Care Act; (6) the debtor is a family caregiver of an eligible veteran; (7) the debtor did not receive a degree from the institution, or the institution closed; (8) the debtor’s student loan balance is less than $5,000; (9) the debtor made at least three hundred monthly payments (twenty-five years’ worth) towards their student loans, regardless of whether those payments were made continuously; or (10) the debtor is over the age of sixty-seven. Our proposal will not solve every problem, but it would go a long way toward resolving many of the grosser inequities currently associated with student loans and their treatment in bankruptcy.
“You start by changing the whole cultural context”: aikido v. gender violence

ABSTRACTAikido is a martial art that focuses on non-violent approaches to conflict. The current article discusses ways that experienced practitioners of aikido adjust the social environments in whi...
Trade in Conflict Minerals -- Congolese Warlords, MNC’s, and Dodd-Frank 1502

This paper seeks to provide an overview of conflict mineral trade by analyzing it through an economic lens. Using data gathered from news sources, the memo first defines the term “conflict minerals” and identifies that the primary actors involved in the conflict mineral market are rebel militia groups and multinational corporations. The trade is mutually beneficial for these actors as it serves as the primary source of revenue for militia groups and allows multinational corporations to buy minerals at low costs. The memo also highlights the struggles legitimate Congolese miners face, as they face threats from militia groups and low market prices Also identified is Section 1502 of the Dodd Frank act, legislation which forces multinational corporations to list their mineral suppliers, thereby increasing supply chain transparency. While implemented with good intentions, it is extremely unsuccessful in stifling the conflict mineral trade as it lacks substantive regulatory measures. Furthermore, the EU and US plan to implement opposing conflict mineral trade policies — the EU looks to increase supply chain transparency while the US looks to repeal Section 1502 of Dodd Frank (an action which would decrease supply chain transparency). This paper believes that coordinated and homogenous action on the part of both federal governments and IGOs is necessary in order to concretely enforce restrictions on conflict mineral trade.
A 25 mA cm-2 dye-sensitized solar cell based on a near-infrared-absorbing organic dye and application of the device in SSM-DSCs.

A blue organic near infrared (NIR) absorbing sensitizer, AP25, is investigated for use in broadly absorbing dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). AP25 shows solar-to-electric conversion with an onset near 900 nm in DSC devices and a photocurrent near 25 mA cm−2 when co-sensitized. An all-organic SSM-DSC device reaches 10.3% PCE.
HFM: Hierarchical Feature Moment Extraction for Multi-Omic Data Visualization

Sequencing the DNA of the estimated 7.5 billion living humans would generate 1.4 zettabytes of data. However, given current per-read rendering techniques, just one DNA alignment file which is around 200 gigabytes can be resource intensive to visualize at arbitrary scale. Going from human DNA and RNA sequencing data to biological insight is a process that requires domain knowledge in addition to computational methods that are bound by time and space. We address these limitations by integrating a parallel out-of-core feature extraction algorithm with a disk-based hierarchical data store that provides several orders of magnitude speed-up for common analysis and visualization tasks. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our strategy, we have developed a web-based REST service that serves translated data to a real-time genomic viewer, which in turn renders standardized moments as stacked-area graphs of features in milliseconds for multiple samples using a familiar genome browser interface. Unlike per-read techniques which read a variable number of rows from the sequence alignment file depending on the region of interest, our data structure returns a controllable data size of that region, making the technique ideally suited for visualization and macro-level insight of large cohorts. The strategy works well for high-coverage single coordinate-based visualization but could be extended for use in other long-range visualization techniques. We detail our open-source Cython/Python based implementation as well as our prototype web-based visualization tool and then compare the resulting performance and against established visualization tools.
Memory for social interactions throughout early childhood

Abstract Previous research shows that forming memories of not only whom we have previously encountered but also the feedback of those encounters supports adaptive behavior. However, there are dynamic changes throughout childhood in declarative memory systems, leaving open the question about the precise timing for the emergence and maturation of memory for social interactions. In this study, we characterized memory for dynamic social interactions during a computerized task in children ranging between 4 and 6 years of age. Specifically, we probed memory for the characters children interacted with, the decisions they made, and the valanced-feedback from those interactions. We found that while there were differences in discriminating between old and new characters, there were no age-related differences in the ability to remember which decision a child made or the feedback from that decision when a character was successfully identified. These findings support a model by which basic foundations of social memory develop early in childhood; however, the number of social memories and the incorporation of feedback into these memories may be limited in early childhood.
Achieving corporate sustainability performance: The influence of corporate ethical value, and leader-member exchange on employee behaviors and organizational performance

This study investigated how corporate sustainability performance can be attained through the interface of corporate ethical values and leader-member exchange, and how employees’ positive and negative behaviors can influence these relationships. A total of 310 data sets were collected and used to test our hypotheses. To assess the factorability of the variables, exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the fit and validity of the measurement model. Then, the structural model proceeded to test the hypotheses. The results of this study found that employee behaviors can highly influence corporate sustainability performance. Depending on contextual or/and relational factors, employee behaviors can either encourage more organizational citizenship behavior or alleviate counterproductive work behavior. These findings demonstrate that it is critical not only to create an ethical working environment but also to develop quality relationships with direct managers.
Building Codes Part-of-Speech Tagging Performance Improvement by Error-Driven Transformational Rules

AbstractTo enable full automation, automated code compliance checking systems need to extract regulatory information in building codes and convert it to computable representations. This conversion ...
Deep Learning-Based Emotion Recognition from Real-Time Videos

We introduce a novel framework for emotional state detection from facial expression targeted to learning environments. Our framework is based on a convolutional deep neural network that classifies people’s emotions that are captured through a web-cam. For our classification outcome we adopt Russel’s model of core affect in which any particular emotion can be placed in one of four quadrants: pleasant-active, pleasant-inactive, unpleasant-active, and unpleasant-inactive. We gathered data from various datasets that were normalized and used to train the deep learning model. We use the fully-connected layers of the VGG_S network which was trained on human facial expressions that were manually labeled. We have tested our application by splitting the data into 80:20 and re-training the model. The overall test accuracy of all detected emotions was 66%. We have a working application that is capable of reporting the user emotional state at about five frames per second on a standard laptop computer with a web-cam. The emotional state detector will be integrated into an affective pedagogical agent system where it will serve as a feedback to an intelligent animated educational tutor.
Comparison of beliefs about classroom ethical practices among early childhood teachers in India and the USA: an exploratory study

The purpose of this study is to compare the beliefs about ethics and ethical practices among early childhood teachers in India and the USA. Ninety-one teachers completed the Teacher’s Beliefs about...