cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DISTMIX: direct imputation of summary statistics for unmeasured SNPs from mixed ethnicity cohorts

Motivation: To increase the signal resolution for large-scale meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies, genotypes at unmeasured single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are commonly imputed using large multi-ethnic reference panels. However, the ever increasing size and ethnic diversity of both reference panels and cohorts makes genotype imputation computationally challenging for moderately sized computer clusters. Moreover, genotype imputation requires subject-level genetic data, which unlike summary statistics provided by virtually all studies, is not publicly available. While there are much less demanding methods which avoid the genotype imputation step by directly imputing SNP statistics, e.g. Directly Imputing summary STatistics (DIST) proposed by our group, their implicit assumptions make them applicable only to ethnically homogeneous cohorts. Results: To decrease computational and access requirements for the analysis of cosmopolitan cohorts, we propose DISTMIX, which extends DIST capabilities to the analysis of mixed ethnicity cohorts. The method uses a relevant reference panel to directly impute unmeasured SNP statistics based only on statistics at measured SNPs and estimated/user-specified ethnic proportions. Simulations show that the proposed method adequately controls the Type I error rates. The 1000 Genomes panel imputation of summary statistics from the ethnically diverse Psychiatric Genetic Consortium Schizophrenia Phase 2 suggests that, when compared to genotype imputation methods, DISTMIX offers comparable imputation accuracy for only a fraction of computational resources. Availability and implementation: DISTMIX software, its reference population data, and usage examples are publicly available at http://code.google.com/p/distmix. Contact: ude.ucv@4eeld Supplementary information: Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Protein utilization and amino acid digestibility of canola meal in response to phytase in broiler chickens

The regression method was used in a 14-d broiler chicken study to determine the true ileal digestibility of amino acid (AA) and protein utilization in canola meal (CM, 388 g of CP/kg) without or with added phytase. Experimental treatments consisted of 2 factors, phytase at 2 levels (0 or 1,500 phytase units/kg) and CM at 3 levels (125, 250, or 375 g/kg). Birds received a standard starter diet from d 1 to 8 and the assay diets from d 8 to 22 posthatch. On d 8, a total of 384 birds were allocated to 6 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design; excreta were collected from d 12 to 14 and d 19 to 21, and ileal digesta were collected on d 22 posthatch. True ileal indispensable AA digestibility of CM were derived from the regression of AA flow (mg/kg of DM intake) at the terminal ileum against the intake of AA (mg/kg of dietary DM) of birds fed diets without or with phytase. Body weight gain (BWG), protein gain, and protein intake increased linearly (P < 0.001) with increasing CM level, regardless of phytase supplementation. Effects of phytase (P < 0.05) were observed on BWG and the protein efficiency ratio from d 8 to 15, whereas effects of phytase (P < 0.05) were observed on BWG and protein gain from d 15 to 22. There was no effect of phytase on protein intake and net protein utilization from d 8 to 22. Phytase supplementation at 1,500 phytase units/kg did not affect true ileal digestibility of any AA in CM. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that phytase supplementation improved the protein efficiency ratio of birds fed diets containing CM as the sole protein source from d 8 to 15 posthatch but did not affect the true ileal digestibility of AA in CM as determined by the regression method.
Idea 2004 The IEP

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is an essential component in providing a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to individuals with disabilities. The 2004 amendments of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have attempted to reduce the paperwork requirements of the IEP, while simultaneously ensuring that the goal of FAPE is met. Furthermore, the legislation attempts to bring the requirements of IDEA and NCLB into better alignment. Legislative changes to the IEP are described, and possible implications are discussed.
Experimental Validation of Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design 2009 and Daysim 3.0

AbstractThis article compares daylight simulation results generated with two simulation programs, Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design 2009 (3ds Max Design) and Daysim 3.0 (Daysim), to indoor illuminance measurements in a sidelit space. The sidelit space was in a single location, but was configured with five fenestration and glazing options, and operated under a variety of sky conditions. The measurements form a set of ‘daylighting test cases’ that were recently developed to evaluate the simulation capabilities and limitations of different daylight simulation programs. Both 3ds Max Design and Daysim were given external direct and diffuse irradiances as simulation input, from which the programs predicted indoor illuminances on a grid of upward facing work plane sensors and downward facing ceiling sensors.3ds Max Design is based on Exposure™ technology, a lighting analysis module that includes a ‘shader’ of the Perez sky model and that uses the mental ray® raytracer for the global illumination calculation. Daysim also...
Swf1p, a member of the DHHC-CRD family of palmitoyltransferases, regulates the actin cytoskeleton and polarized secretion independently of its DHHC motif.

Rho and Rab family GTPases play a key role in cytoskeletal organization and vesicular trafficking, but the exact mechanisms by which these GTPases regulate polarized cell growth are incompletely un...
Assessing student perceived outcomes for a Methods Television (MTV) video project in a research methodology class

Abstract Objectives To (1) assess the outcomes of making a Methods Television (MTV) video on student perceptions, and (2) evaluate how students learn best in a research methods class. Methods Pharmacy students enrolled in a research methods class (n = 93) were given the option to create an educational MTV video. Teams (n = 15) were randomly assigned a research methodology topic and three objectives for the video. All students in attendance on the last day (n = 88) completed an attitudinal questionnaire designed to assess students' perceptions regarding the class and MTV video projects. Results Students indicated that multiple activities helped them learn the most in class (i.e., in-class assignments, homework); 51% stated that videos helped improve their knowledge of research methods and 52% indicated it was entertaining. Conclusion More than half of the students indicated that the MTV videos helped with their understanding of research methods, an indication that the project goal was reached.
Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite responses to management stressors and social change in four species of callitrichine monkeys

The use of enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for the non-invasive measurement of glucocorticoids provides a valuable tool for monitoring health and welfare in sensitive species. We validated methods for measuring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) using the response to veterinary exams for four species of callitrichine monkeys: golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia, n = 7), callimico (Callimico goeldii, n = 2), pied tamarin (Saguinus bicolor, n = 2), and white-fronted marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi, n = 2). Routine veterinary exams were performed for the golden lion tamarins and callimicos, but exams for the pied tamarins and white-fronted marmosets were prompted by the death of a social partner. Prior to veterinary exams, fecal markers were evaluated to allow collection of individual samples and estimate approximate gut transit times. Based on this assessment, individual markers were fed in the afternoon, and fresh morning fecal samples were collected throughout this study. Following a veterinary exam, FGM increased roughly 3- to 28-fold above baseline in all species. Although FGM for most species returned to baseline concentrations within 24-48 h, the marmosets exhibited a progressive increase in FGM after an exam in response to the death of a breeding female and subsequent hand-rearing of a neonate. Individual differences were noted in the callimicos and tamarins, with higher baseline FGM levels in females vs. males, although small sample size precluded a clear determination of sex differences. To our knowledge, this is the first study to measure FGM in callimicos and white-fronted marmosets and the first to compare FGM across callitrichine species. These findings highlight the broad applicability of this EIA to measure the stress response of callitrichine monkeys. The progressive increase in FGM in the marmosets during hand-rearing of a neonate suggests that care should be taken to minimize this disturbance as much as possible.
Nonparametric empirical Bayes estimation for multiplicative multiscale innovation in photon-limited imaging

Most conventional imaging modalities detect light indirectly by observing high energy photons. The random nature of photon emission and detection are often the dominant source of noise in imaging. Such case is referred to as photon-limited imaging, and the noise distribution is well modeled as Poisson. Multiplicative multi-scale innovation (MMI) presents a natural model for Poisson count measurement, where the inter-scale relation is represented as random partitioning (binomial distribution). In this paper, we propose a nonparametric empirical Bayes estimator that minimizes the mean square error of MMI coefficients. The proposed method achieves better performance compared with state-of-art methods in both synthetic and real sensor image experiments under low illumination.
The Present Status of Slavic Studies in Church History

There was a time when it was customary to divide religion into two simple categories: the true and the false. The true was wholly true, the false was wholly false. There were no other colors but white and black: gradations of greys from black to white did not exist at all. More than that: it was not Christianity as a whole that was true, but generally only the particular denominational brand which the individual in question professed. Christians who differed in almost everything else, were unanimous in dubbing all but their own views false. But since the days of Schleiermacher, who abandoned both the wooden rationalism as well as the ossified orthodoxy of the eighteenth century, and defined religion as the feeling of dependence, it was found increasingly difficult to deny a genuinely religious character to other than the Christian religion. To-day students of comparative religion, and the majority of thoughtful Christians as well, treat Christianity as but one among many other religious developments, conditioned by different historical environments and at different stages of moral and religious evolution. Such pitiful provincialism as was customary a century ago is unthinkable among educated Christians to-day; we are thinking of religion in terms of world-wide, all-embracing, general concepts, in which the faiths of mankind are accorded their due consideration.
An analysis of house fly resistance to insecticides in California.

The pattern of insecticide resistance in house flies, Musca domestica L., from 6 areas of California was found to reflect the differing chemical-control practices in each area. DDT resistance continues to be high in all areas despite more than 10 years of nonuse of this compound for fly control. It shows positive correlation with diazinon resistance but not with malathion resistance, and thus its prolonged stability was likely enhanced by diazinon pressure. Dieldrin resistance also remains high, but shows no correlation with organophosphorus resistance. The non-identity of diazinon and malathion resistances was clearly discernible. High resistance to diazinon (20.7×) in the Anaheim strain was accompanied by only moderate resistance to malathion, and high resistance to malathion in the Moorpark strain was accompanied by only moderate resistance to diazinon (7.1×). The highest degree of resislance observed (at the LD90 level) by topical application of organophosphates and carbamates was: malathion >60×, diazinon 25×, ronnel 14×, fenthion 10.1×, dimethoate 4.2×, dimetilan 3.7× and Hercules 8717-E [ m -(2-propynyloxy) phenyl methylcarbamate] 3.5×.
Effect of precursor-layer surface charge on the layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte/nanoparticle multilayers.

In this Article, we investigate the effect of a precursor layer, which is composed of four bilayers of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) (PSS), on the subsequent LBL assembly of hybrid films composed of indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles and PSS. A precursor polyelectrolyte layer is usually deposited to minimize interference by the substrate. It is shown here that the “effective” surface charge of the precursor layer can significantly affect the subsequent assembly behavior of [ITO/PSS]9.5 hybrid thin films. Depending on the surface charge of the precursor layer, the subsequent LbL assembly of [ITO/PSS]9.5 hybrid films can exhibit either one or two regimes. When two growth regimes are present, the first one consists of a “recovery regime”, and the second is the expected “linear growth regime.” The length of the “recovery regime” is dependent on how much positive charge the precursor layer possesses and how fast this surface charge can be compensated. This work reveals for the fi...
Brief motivational intervention to reduce alcohol and HIV/sexual risk behavior in emergency department patients: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE Given the prevalence of co-occurring risky sexual behavior and drinking among emergency department (ED) patients, we developed a motivational intervention (MI) to address both behaviors. This study tested efficacy of a single-session MI compared to brief advice (BA) for reducing heavy drinking and condomless sex in adult ED patients screening positive for both. METHOD We randomized 372 patients to MI (n = 184) or BA (n = 188). Alcohol and sex risk outcomes were assessed over 9 months. RESULTS Generalized estimating equations models analyzing 327 patients with follow-up data provided strong support for efficacy of this integrated alcohol and sex-risk MI. Compared to BA, and after controlling for baseline covariates, those in MI reported significantly fewer heavy drinking days, drinks per week, and were less likely to engage in excessive drinking over follow-up (all ps < .05). MI was also favored over BA for reducing sex risk. Compared to BA, those in MI reported significantly fewer days on which they engaged in condomless sex with casual partners, had lower odds of reporting any condomless sex with a casual partner, and reported fewer days of sex under the influence of alcohol/other drugs (all ps < .05). CONCLUSION This innovative MI was acceptable, feasible, and successfully delivered in 2 community hospitals and thus shows great promise for scalability and dissemination into complex health settings where newly insured at-risk individuals are likely to seek care. (PsycINFO Database Record
Immunologic Effects of BCG in Patients with Malignant Melanoma

The utilization of BCG as an effective therapy of neoplastic disease is predicated on two major assumptions: 1. that BCG will nonspecifically activate immunologic responsiveness to a wide range of antigens, some of which are tumor-specific; 2. that this activation of immune responsiveness will enhance humoral and cell mediated cytotoxicity directed against the tumor cell itself. The present study was designed to yield experimental data in man relevant to the first of these assumptions and to further define the mechanisms of immunologic activation effected by the administration of BCG in patients with malignant melanoma.
Extremal Points, Critical Points, and Saddle Points of Analytic Functions

8. M. Queff?lec, Transcendance des fractions continues de Thue-Morse, /. Number Theory 73 (1998) 201? 211. 9. -, Irrational numbers with automaton-generated continued fraction expansion, in Dynamical sys tems (Luminy-Marseille, 1998), World Scientific, River Edge, NJ, 2000, pp. 190-198. 10. W. M. Schmidt, On simultaneous approximations of two algebraic numbers by rationals, Acta Math. 119 (1967)27-50. 11. J. O. Shallit, Real numbers with bounded partial quotients, Enseign. Math. 38 (1992) 151-187. 12. A. Thue, ?ber die gegenseitige Lage gleicher Teile gewisser Zeichenreihen, Norske vid. Selsk. Skr. Mat. Nat. Kl. 1 (1912) 1-67; reprinted in Selected Mathematical Papers of Axel Thue, T. Nagell, ed., Univer sitetsforlaget, Oslo, 1977, pp. 413-478. 13. M. Waldschmidt, Un demi-si?cle de transcendance, in Development of Mathematics 1950-2000, Birkh?user, Basel, 2000, pp. 1121-1186.
Vertebral Artery Injury during Routine Posterior Cervical Exposure: Case Reports and Review of Literature

Study Design Case series. Objective We report the unusual occurrence of vertebral artery injury (VAI) during routine posterior exposure of the cervical spine. The importance of preoperative planning to identify the course of the bilateral vertebral arteries during routine posterior cervical spine surgery is emphasized. Methods VAI is a rare but potentially devastating complication of cervical spinal surgery. Most reports of VAI are related to anterior surgical exposure or screw placement in the posterior cervical spine. VAI incurred during posterior cervical spinal exposure surgery is not adequately addressed in the existing literature. Two cases of VAI that occurred during routine posterior exposure of the cervical spine in the region of C2 are described. Results VAI was incurred unexpectedly in the region of the midportion of the posterior C1–C2 interval during the initial surgical exposure phase of the operation. An aberrant vertebral artery course in the V2 anatomical section in the region between C1 and C2 intervals was identified postoperatively in both patients. A literature review demonstrates a relatively high incidence of vertebral artery anomalies in the upper cervical spine; however, the literature is deficient in reporting vertebral artery injury in this region. Recommendations for preoperative vertebral artery imaging also remain unclear at this time. Conclusions Successful management of this unexpected complication was achieved in both cases. This case report and review of the literature highlights the importance of preoperative vertebral artery imaging and knowledge of the course of the vertebral arteries prior to planned routine posterior exposure of the upper cervical spine. In both cases, aberrancy of the vertebral artery was present and not investigated or detected preoperatively.
Aboriginal healing lodges in Canada: still going strong? Still worth implementing in the USA?

ABSTRACTAboriginal healing lodges are a means of accommodating Aboriginal customary law in the Canadian correctional system by providing holistic culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal offenders. They combine Aboriginal healing practices with non-Aboriginal correctional practices as determined by Canadian law and Correctional Service Canada policy. Some are operated by Aboriginal Nations/organizations and some by the Correctional Service Canada. The co-optation of healing lodges through federal correctional policy is contrary to the intent of Canadian law. This combination of state disregard for the law and cultural appropriation provides lessons for Indigenous American groups contemplating more involvement in correctional services. In the USA, the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 and policies regarding private prisons may help or threaten the implementation of healing lodges. In both countries, state laws and policies seem to be subverting Indigenous sovereignty but this makes healing lodges even ...
Rhizometer: An Apparatus to Observe and Measure Root Growth and Its Effect on Container Substrate Physical Properties Over Time

Container production of plants use substrates that are formulated to have adequate physical properties to sustain optimal plant growth; however, these properties canchangeovertime asaresult of substratesettlingand rootgrowthof thegrowing plant in the container. An apparatus (rhizometer) was developed that measures the changes caused by plant roots on physical properties of substrates during crop production in containers. The design of the rhizometer included a clear core, which allowed for observing and measuring a range of root system characteristics in situ, including total root length visible along the rhizometer. Physical properties of planted and fallow rhizometers were measured, and the effect of four species on substrate physical properties was determined. There was a general decrease in substrate total porosity and air space (AS) over time with both fallow and planted rhizometers as a result of both settling of the substrate and root growth into the substrate. Container capacity did not change over time with or without roots. Plants with large root systems such as Begonia 3hybrida acut. decreased AS over time, whereas plants of Rudbeckia hirta L. with a smaller root system did not have the same effect. Measured total root length was highly correlated to the total dry root mass of Tagetes erecta L. and Zinnia marylandica D.M. Spooner, Stimart & T. Boyle plants. This may allow tracing and measuring root lengths to be another (alternative) method to measure root systems. Planted rhizometers also allowed easy access forviewing the root system non-destructively, providing the ability to observe and measure root growth.
Synchronized Shared Scene Viewing in Mixed VR Devices in Support of Group Collaboration

Virtual Reality devices are available with different resolutions and fields of view. Users can simultaneously interact within environments on head mounted displays, cell phones, tablets, and PowerWalls. Sharing scenes across devices requires solutions that smoothly synchronize shared navigation, minimize jitter and avoid visual confusion. In this paper we present a system that allows a single user to remotely guide many remote users in a virtual environment. A variety of mixed device environments are supported. Techniques are implemented to minimize jitter and synchronize views.
Chaplygin's Method

This chapter describes the yield and procedure of Chaplygin's method. It is applicable to an initial value problem for a single first-order ordinary differential equation. It yields improved upper and lower bounds on the solution. Using an upper and lower bound on the solution, a set of tighter bounds can be constructed. For each of the two techniques, the function s { u 1 ( x ) , v 1 ( x )} will be different. The functions obtained , { u 1 ( x ) ,v 1 ( x )}, will also satisfy the equation, and the process may be iterated.
Analysis of surveillance on iodized salt in Baotou during 2008-2010

Objective To find out the consumption situation of iodized salt in Baotou, identify problems and take appropriate intervention measures, and to provide scientific basis for further consolidating the results of control measures, strengthening and improving the sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disorders. Methods Three batches of each quarter, 54 salt samples were sampled in Donghe wholesale division and Qingkun wholesale division in Baotou city salt company during 2008 - 2010; each place of Damaoqi, Baiyun district, and Qingshan district were divided into five sampling areas according to the direction of east, west, south, north, and central position, one school was selected in each district, 30 students aged 8 to 10 from each school were selected, and home salt samples were taken, and salt iodine was tested by direct titration(GB/T 13025.7-1999). Results Qualified rate of wholesale iodized salt was 100%(378/378) during 2008 - 2010, and mean salt iodine was 30.4 mg/kg;qualified rate of household iodized salt was 99.8%(2417/2421 ), and mean salt iodine was 30.4 mg/kg; iodized salt coverage rate was 99.6% (2421/2430) and consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 99.4% (2417/2430).Conclusions Qualified rate of iodized salt, coverage rate of qualified iodized salt and consumption rate of qualified iodized salt are 90% or more, which has reached the standard of sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disorders. Key words: Iodine; Deficiency diseases; Goiter, endemic; Salts
Topological effects of EBNA 1 on oriP.

Two processes are required in order to maintain a herpesvirus in a latent state: there must be a mechanism for the viral genome to persist in the cell, and there must be mechanisms to inhibit the expression of those replicative functions which would ordinarily lead to cell death. In the specific case of the Epstein-Barr herpesvirus (EBV), the genome is maintained by an interaction between EBNA 1 and a region of EBV DNA called oriP (1–3). This interaction permits the viral genome to remain extrachromosomal and to partition in concert with cell division. The switch from latency to expression of viral replicative functions is brought about by the ZEBRA gene product (4–7). In latency there must exist a mechanism for inhibiting ZEBRA expression, probably at the transcriptional level (8).
FACEBOOK AND DIGITAL ACTIVISM: CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PEACE BUILDING IN NIGERIA BETWEEN A PRESIDENT AND HIS “FRIENDS” ON FACEBOOK

This study analyzed conversations between President Goodluck Jonathan and his Facebook ‘friends” about security problems in Nigeria. Specifically, the paper examined how social media, particularly Facebook, is providing a platform for Nigerians to speak about governance and leadership in the country. The method is a textual analysis of user comments on the President’s Facebook Page in response to his post about security challenges in Nigeria posed by terrorist activities of Boko Haram, an Islamic fundamentalist group. The paper also examined how comments of the President’s Facebook “friends” reflect the current political and economic situation in the country. The comments, analyzed through the prism of the encoding and decoding model, provides a framework for understanding the impact of the internet and computer-mediated communication on free speech and civic participation in Nigeria. Findings of the study reveal that anonymity on the Web is emboldening Nigerians to demand for transparency from their leaders.
Robust stabilization of uncertain high order systems via smooth output feedback

Abstract We investigate the robust stabilization problem for a family of uncertain nonlinear systems with uncontrollable/unobservable linearization. To achieve global robust stabilization using a single output feedback controller, we introduce a rescaling transformation with an appropriate dilation, which turns out to be very effective in dealing with uncertainty of the system. Using this rescaling technique combined with the non-separation principle based design methods (Qian and Lin, 2002a; Yang and Lin, 2003), we develop a robust output feedback control scheme for uncertain nonlinear systems satisfying a homogeneous growth condition. Both a smooth state feedback controller and a homogeneous observer are designed for the rescaled system using only the knowledge of the bounding system rather than the uncertain system itself.
On the thermomechanics and footprint of fragmenting blasts

Abstract In this paper, a mathematical model is developed to simulate the progressive time-evolution of an object that fragments, which may contain biohazardous materials or materials that may thermally degrade into a toxic state. Estimates are made for the blast radius that one can expect for a given amount of detonation energy and the resulting atmospheric heating of fragments. The atmospheric heating of the fragments is important, since if the heating is sufficiently high, the biohazardous material can be neutralized. If the material is not heated sufficiently, then the location in which it lands can be considered as “contaminated”. This analysis is useful is determining safe areas after such a blast. Ascertaining the temperature of the fragments is extremely difficult to measure in experiments, thus motivating the development of the model. The model balances the released energy from the initial blast pulse with the subsequent kinetic energy and then numerically computes the trajectory of the fragments under the influence of the drag from the surrounding air and gravity. Preliminary field experiments with explosives are described and the results are compared to the output from the model. The subsequent drag heating of the material is then computed in order to ascertain the temperature of the blast fragments.
Analysis of Pairwise Interactions in a Maximum Likelihood Sense to Identify Leaders in a Group

Collective motion in animal groups manifests itself in the form of highly coordinated maneuvers determined by local interactions among individuals. A particularly critical question in understanding the mechanisms behind such interactions is to detect and classify leader-follower relationships within the group. In the technical literature of coupled dynamical systems, several methods have been proposed to reconstruct interaction networks, including linear correlation analysis, transfer entropy, and event synchronization. While these analyses have been helpful in reconstructing network models from neuroscience to public health, rules on the most appropriate method to use for a specific dataset are lacking. Here, we demonstrate the possibility of detecting leaders in a group from raw positional data in a model-free approach that combines multiple methods in a maximum likelihood sense. We test our framework on synthetic data of groups of self-propelled Vicsek particles, where a single agent acts as a leader and both the size of the interaction region and the level of inherent noise are systematically varied. To assess the feasibility of detecting leaders in real-world applications, we study a synthetic dataset of fish shoaling, generated by using a recent data-driven model for social behavior, and an experimental dataset of pharmacologically-treated zebrafish. Not only does our approach offer a robust strategy to detect leaders in synthetic data, but it also allows for exploring the role of psychoactive compounds on leader-follower relationships.
Does educational attainment influence the relationship between political orientation and opinions toward the Affordable Care Act

Research shows political orientation and educational attainment play important roles in shaping attitudes toward many social issues. While political differences in attitudes toward the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been observed, few have explored the effects of education on this relationship. Conventional wisdom suggests education has a liberalising effect on attitudes, yet empirical research does not always support this assumption. We examine the relationship between education, political orientation (including attitudes toward former President Obama), and attitudes toward the ACA using a sample of U.S. adults from four 2014 Pew Research Center surveys. We find that when education is considered independently, individuals with more education have lower odds of disapproving of the ACA, suggesting that educational attainment has the effect of liberalising public opinion toward the legislation. Nevertheless, when an interaction effect between educational attainment and po...
Robust Haptic Teleoperation of a Mobile Manipulation Platform

This paper presents a new teleoperation scheme for mobile manipulation systems. A virtual spring connects a master and slave system where local force feedback on the slave system compensates for the dynamics of the mobile manipulator. This scheme is robust in the presence of time delays and disturbances and provides good tele-presence. The slave manipulator is mounted on a mobile base and controlled within the operational space framework. In this framework, the redundancy of the mobile manipulation system is addressed through a decoupled decomposition of task and posture dynamics.
18 Challenges of Recognition, Participation, and Representation for the Legally Liminal: A Comment

Following the approach to social justice taken in this book, we would like to bring attention to issues of recognition, participation, and representation as these are linked to migrants’ legality and their rights in the chapters by Petchot (17), De Vlieger (16), and Mora and Handmaker (15). These three issues are closely intertwined. In this review chapter, we start by recognizing the implications of migrants’ liminal legality, of migrants’ rights as workers, and of their right to access goods and benefits in society as key to advancing projects of equality and justice more generally. As Fraser (2007) observes, misrecognition is fundamental to inequality, particularly gender inequality.
Nitric Oxide: A Simple Free Radical with Complex Chemistry and Biology

Nitric oxide (NO) was among the first gases to be discovered. Joseph Priestley was credited with the discovery of NO in 1772 and oxygen (O2) in 1774 [1], discoveries that would much later revolutionize the fields of atmospheric chemistry and biology. Priestley obtained NO, which he then termed “nitrous air”, by reacting nitric acid (HNO3) with different metals such as copper as shown in Reaction 1 $$ 8 HNO_3 + 3 Cu \to 3 Cu(NO_3 )_2 + 4 H_2 0 + \cdot NO $$ .
Engineering organisms to survive. Introduction.

In this conference on Genetic Control of Environmental Pollutants, we have already heard about needs and strategies related to specific types of environmental toxicants. This session will address the challenge of engineering organisms to survive in marine, anaerobic, and highly unusual environments, both in terms of the organism itself and in terms of what the organism will encounter. We will discuss important aspects of the application of genetic engineering and biotechnology to environmental problems. The objectives of this conference are to consider mechanisms and to assess strategies for more effectively and safely managing wastes and toxic substances in the environment. This automatically involves both degradation and monitoring, since the process of degradation presents the problem of end products and changes in the organisms involved. Clearly, safe management of wastes imposes the need to ascertain that no adverse environmental or health impacts will result from the tools (microorganisms) or the products (metabolites).
Temporally varying driving forces and nutrient-limited food webs

All ecosystems are ultimately the products of exogenous forces of climate and geology, including insolation, temperature and precipitation regimes, wind, overland and groundwater flow and nutrient input. These forces can be termed driving forces. They are all at least partly physical in character, but most are strongly influenced by biological structures and processes.
MALONYLCYSTEINE CONJUGATES AS END-PRODUCTS OF GLUTATHIONE CONJUGATE METABOLISM IN PLANTS

Malonylcysteine conjugates were formed in peanut cell suspension cultures from seven out of twelve pesticides examined. Each of these pesticides was thought to be initially metabolized to a glutathione conjugate. Malonylcysteine conjugates of PCNB were detected in eight out of eleven plant species examined and a malonylcysteine conjugate was a major metabolite of EPTC in corn, cotton and soybean. The malonylcysteine conjugate of propachlor was a major terminal metabolite in soybean grown to maturity in hydroponic culture, but was less important in soil-grown soybean. The malonylcysteine sulfoxide conjugate of propachlor was also detected as a metabolite in soybean.
Using paired thermal and hyperspectral aerial imagery to quantify land surface temperature variability and assess crop stress within California orchards

Abstract Remote sensing can inform agricultural knowledge of crop water use through observation of land surface temperature, which can act as an indicator of plant function and health. This study uses remotely sensed data to quantify thermal variability within fruit and nut orchards during an intense drought period in California's Central Valley (2013–2015). First, fractions of green vegetation (GV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), and soil were derived for a variety of crop species using visible-shortwave infrared (VSWIR) spectra imaged by the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). Fractional estimates were then used to select thermal endmembers for each class using simultaneously collected MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) thermal imagery and a crop species map. Expected pixel temperatures of non-stressed crop fields were then modeled, and the per-pixel difference between measured and expected temperatures was calculated as a temperature residual. Crop residuals serve to capture variability in temperature that may be attributable to differences in crop health and/or management practices. We found multiple distinct thermal classes to exist across the study site. Furthermore, crop temperatures correlated to expected crop ET rates, and temperature residuals showed correlations to changes in crop yields during the study period. Further assessment of findings revealed an increase in temperature residuals during the study period that is consistent with increasing stress, likely linked to the progression of drought. The method presented here shows utility for regional agricultural analysis of crop water use and is particularly relevant for ECOSTRESS and the upcoming Surface Biology & Geology mission.
Measuring health information seeking challenges in chronic disease: A psychometric analysis of a brief scale.

Information seeking is a cornerstone of patient activation in chronic disease self-management. To date, there are few brief and literacy-sensitive tools to measure intrinsic barriers of health info...
The Complementing and Agmon’s Conditions in Finite Elasticity

We consider the complementing condition and Agmon’s condition for linearized elasticity in two-dimensions. With an elasticity tensor $\mathsf{C}$ derived from a compressible, isotropic stored energy $W$, linearized about a homogeneous deformation $\mathbf{f}_{0}$, we apply the complementing and Agmon’s conditions to a traction portion of the surface of a body with unit normal $\mathbf{n}$. We show these conditions are independent of $\mathbf{n}$ for arbitrary $W$ and $\mathbf{f}_{0}$. We also consider the case of failure of the complementing condition for the pure traction problem.
Nonlinear Ultrasonic Properties of As-Quenched Steels

We have investigated the effect of carbon content on the nonlinear ultrasonic parameter β and the longitudinal phase velocity v L in a series of martensitic steel specimens. The specimens were measured in the as-quenched state to insure that the carbon was present primarily as an interstitial in the martensite. Experimentally, β increased with increasing mass percent carbon (or hardness), while v L remained virtually the same for all specimens. Therefore we conclude that β is sensitive to microstructural variations between the specimens, but v L is not. X-ray diffraction experiments indicate that the dislocation density in the specimens is high (∼1011/cm2) and increases with increasing carbon content. These results support the hypothesis that the observed increase in β may be attributed to dislocations affected by internal stresses in the quenched specimens.
Understanding the Traditional and Contemporary Purpose of the Njelele Rainmaking Shrine through the Oral Testimonies of Local People in Matobo

The Njelele shrine is located in the Matobo Hills, an area that has been declared a world heritage site. The site of the Njelele shrine is of paramount spiritual significance in Zimbabwe, and it is visited annually between August and September for ritual purposes just before the rain season begins. The rituals are not limited to rainmaking but also relate to, for example, asking for forgiveness after society’s wrongdoings and asking for cures for diseases. During the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe, this shrine was consulted by politicians and liberation fighters, and, in contemporary times, war veterans still consult the Ngwali oracle. It is believed that many years ago a voice came from the Njelele rocks but that it has since disappeared because of the disrespect people have shown to the area. This article conveys the views of the local community about the traditional and contemporary purposes of the Njelele national shrine, and in so doing aims to provide some insight into these people’s views. It also looks at the diverse values that different interest groups attach to the site. The researcher mainly used oral testimonies as sources of information but also consulted some published sources.
Mixed lone-pair and mixed anion compounds: Pb3(SeO3)(HSeO3)Br3, Pb3(SeO3)(OH)Br3, CdPb8(SeO3)4Cl4Br6 and RbBi(SeO3)F2

Abstract Four new mixed lone-pair mixed anion materials, Pb3(SeO3)(HSeO3)Br3, Pb3(SeO3)(OH)Br3, CdPb8(SeO3)4Cl4Br6 and RbBi(SeO3)F2, were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal and solid-state techniques. All four compounds exhibit three-dimensional crystal structures, however the frameworks are vastly different. Pb3(SeO3)(HSeO3)Br3 exhibits a three-dimensional (3D) structure consisting of sheets of [PbO5Br3], [PbO4Br3] and [PbO4Br2] polyhedra linked to [SeO3] and [SeO2(OH)] groups. Pb3(SeO3)(OH)Br3 also exhibits a 3D framework composed of chains of edge-sharing [PbO3(OH)Br2] and [PbO2(OH)Br3] octahedra connected by [SeO3] groups. The 3D network of CdPb8(SeO3)4Cl4Br6 is composed of 1D [Pb4Br3Cl4] chains attached to [CdSe4O12] units through shared oxygens. Finally, RbBi(SeO3)F2 exhibits a 3D network made up of sheets of corner-sharing [BiO3F4] and [SeO3] polyhedra. For all of the reported compounds, infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and thermogravimetric measurements were performed.
Coherent photons with angular momentum in a helical afterburner

We analytically examine several important characteristics of coherent radiation emitted from a relativistic electron beam in a helical undulator. The goal is to highlight specific attributes relevant to the production of bright x-rays with angular momentum in a free-electron laser (FEL) afterburner. The far-field complex electric field distribution is derived, and for small forward emission angles, it is confirmed that the spin and orbital components of angular momentum in the radiation are separable, additive, and aligned with the handedness of the electron motion. The coherent energy radiated at harmonics $h$ from a bunched electron beam is then calculated, and used to evaluate the emission energy from a FEL afterburner configuration. Results show that an afterburner undulator with ${N}_{u}\ensuremath{\gg}1$ periods and of sufficient strength will produce harmonic pulses with energy $\ensuremath{\sim}1/{N}_{u}^{h\ensuremath{-}1}$ times that of the fundamental, depending on the Fresnel number $N=k{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{x}^{2}/{L}_{u}$ of the radiating electron beam.
Invasion impacts on functions and services of aquatic ecosystems

Non-native species can simultaneously affect ecological structures, functions, and services of the invaded ecosystem. In this paper, we report that the study of non-native species impacts on ecosystem function is an emerging topic in aquatic ecology, though studies measuring functions remain relatively uncommon. We hypothesized that study of ecosystem function can reveal emergent effects of non-native species when community structure appears to be unimpacted and the study of multiple functions has the potential to identify impacts masked by food-web complexity. We compiled information from Web of Science to create a pool of papers (n = 199) addressing ecosystem functions and services that we surveyed to evaluate our hypotheses. The number of publications referencing ecosystem function has increased since 2002, but only 10% of papers measured ecosystem functions as defined in our work. Additionally, 80% of publications reporting functional metrics addressed primary production and nutrient fluxes, while a low number of manuscripts (6%) directly linked the impact of non-native species on ecosystem functions to ecosystem services. We recommend future work focus on less-studied functions (e.g., bioturbation, decay rate, biomagnification), assess multiple functional metrics, link functions to services, and use networks to understand impacts from multiple dimensions of an invaders ecology.
Disruptive framing in value creation and price setting: Transforming value with strategic frames of reference

Abstract Framing in business is frequently found in the digital economy with dramatic and innovative new products and disruptive value propositions. However, framing in business is not an exclusively digital economic strategy. Creating or revising frames of reference, value propositions, and pricing based on either new or newly framed offerings is a basic strategy skill that brings new differential value creation to customers and new price-setting models to firms. In this article, I define framing and explain its influence on managerial cognition as well as its application to value-based marketing and price setting. Using economic value theory and behavioral economics, I propose steps managers and decision makers can take in an effort to achieve framing innovation as a way to leverage the disruptive competitive advantages that flow from strategic frames of reference in the marketplace.
Discovery and Early Exploration (1574–1749)

There never were indigenous peoples in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago; prior to its discovery by Europeans in 1574, all changes resulted from natural causes. Documentation of visits by numerous explorers provides an account of human impacts to the islands. The archipelago was well situated as a place to repair ships after the arduous voyage around South America. In 1616 Willem Schouten from the Netherlands came and commented on the hogs and goats which had been left previously. Another Dutch navigator, Jacque Le Hermite, made use of the islands as a lair to attack Spanish colonies. He commented on numerous fur seals, elephant seals, goats, quince trees, and sandalwood. English privateers, such as William Dampier, also used Robinson Crusoe Island to attack the Spanish. Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor, was left isolated on Robinson Crusoe Island for more than four years (1704–1709). After returning to London, he was interviewed by many journalists, and this information stimulated Daniel Defoe to write his famous novel Robinson Crusoe published in 1719. George Anson, another English privateer, stayed more than three months in 1741, during which time he repaired ships and commented on plants, feral and marine animals, and vegetation.
Alpert, Michael Franco and the Condor Legion: The Spanish Civil War in the Air

Scrupulously researched and rich in details, Michael Alpert’s Franco and the Condor Legion: The Spanish Civil War in the Air is a solid contribution to the study of this famous flying and tank unit...
Biological Investigations of Ru(II) Complexes with Diverse β-Diketone Ligands

The β-diketone scaffold is a commonly used synthetic intermediate, and is a functional group found in natural products such as curcuminoids. This core structure can also act as a chelating ligand for a variety of metals. In order to assess the potential of this scaffold for medicinal inorganic chemistry, seven different κ2-O,O'-chelating ligands were used to construct Ru(II) complexes with polypyridyl co-ligands, and their biological activity was evaluated. The complexes demonstrated promising structure-dependent cytotoxicity. Three complexes maintained high activity in a tumor spheroid model, and all complexes demonstrated low in vivo toxicity in a zebrafish model. From this series, the best compound exhibited a ~ 30-fold window between cytotoxicity in a 3-D tumor spheroid model and potential in vivo toxicity. These results suggest that κ2-O,O'-ligands can be incorporated into Ru(II)-polypyridyl complexes to create favorable candidates for future drug development.