cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sources of Civic Orientation Among American Youth: Trust, Religiious Valuation, and Attributions of Responsibility

This study identified affective and cognitive factors predicting American 6th, 8th, and 10th graders' civic orientation, defined here as feelings of effective community service, conceptualizations of citizenship, and participation in student government. Independent variables included measures of interpersonal trust, valuation of religion, and individualistic versus collective action attributions of responsibility for solving social problems. Interpersonal trust predicted four out of the five outcome variables. Individualistic attribution of social responsibility was a predictor of running for student government office, and collective action attribution was a predictor of conceptualizations of citizenship. Religious valuation also predicted conceptualizations of citizenship as well as feelings of effective community service. For the most part, grade level did not play a significant role in predicting youth's civic orientation. Results are discussed in terms of the literature on social capital and developmental theory.
Relationship amongst teratozoospermia, seminal oxidative stress and male infertility

Spermatozoa morphology is an important and complex characteristic of the fertilization capacity of male germ cells. Morphological abnormalities have been observed to be accompanied by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and further damage to spermatozoa, ultimately leading to infertility. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between seminal ROS production and sperm morphology in infertile teratozoospermic patients as well as in healthy men of proven and unproven fertility. Semen samples were collected from 79 patients classified as teratozoospermic and 56 healthy donors (control). Standard semen analysis was performed and spermatozoa morphology was assessed according to the WHO 2010 guidelines. Seminal ROS was measured by chemiluminescence assay. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, and sensitivity, specificity, cutoff value and area under curve (AUC) were determined. Sperm morphology was significantly poor in the Teratozoospermic Group compared with the 3 Donor Groups (P < 0.05). Significantly higher levels of ROS (RLU/sec/106 sperm) were seen in the Teratozoospermic group (145.4 (41.5; 555.4) compared to the Donor Groups: All Donors (64.8 (21.1; 198.2), Proven Donors (58.8 (14.2; 79.2) and Proven Donors < 2 years (58.8 (14.2; 79.2) (P < 0.05). ROS correlated negatively with sperm concentration in the All Donor group (r = −0.354; P = 0.021) as well as in the Teratozospermic group (r −0.356; P = 0.002). Using ROC analysis, we established the cutoff values for concentration, morphology and ROS. The incidence of teratozoospermia may be directly related to the overproduction of seminal ROS. Therefore, besides sperm concentration and motility, spermatozoa morphology should receive an equally important consideration in the overall assessment of male fertility.
Analysis of the performance characteristics of the University of Washington Quality of Life instrument and its modification (UW-QOL-R).

Background During a 5-year period, we analyzed 3 patient subsets from the University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) Registry and published the results. In each instance, editorial review has raised legitimate concerns regarding the UW-QOL instrument that deserve public comment. We present our response to these criticisms. Since our original publication (1993), we have added domains to the original UW-QOL instrument. These additions reflected our concern that we might be missing important elements in the spectrum of disease-specific response to treatment. Using the data we have accumulated in the last 5 years, we present an analysis of the internal consistency of the UW-QOL. We have identified those domains that are responsive (or not responsive) to treatment effect and have revised the UW-QOL accordingly to create the UW-QOL-R, which is recommended for future use. Design The project began January 1, 1993, after approval by the UW Human Subjects Committee. Critical comments offered by external review were collated and responded to. Internal consistency was evaluated by interitem correlation matrix (Cronbach α) testing. Subjects All new patients presenting to the UW Medical Center (Seattle) with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer were asked to participate in a prospective analysis of QOL changes during and after treatment. Intervention Patients completed the pretreatment QOL questionnaire on the day of their initial workup. The format for the pretreatment test was an interviewer-supervised self-administered test; the subsequent tests were self-administered and were completed at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Other data entered for each patient included site, stage, treatment, histologic classification, reconstruction, and current status. A QOL registrar was responsible for patient follow-up, data collection, and collation. All data were entered into the departmental relational database. Results Criticisms by external review included the following: "it is improper to call it [UW-QOL] a measure of quality of life"; "the summary scale is problematic because it implies that each of the subscales are weighted or ‘valued' equally"; "some domain questions relate to surgery specific issues . . . while others are specific to radiation"; "we were confused by the scoring"; and "the UW-QOL index does not specifically address the psychological impact of the disease and its treatment." After evaluation of internal consistency, the UW-QOL was modified by removing 2 domains that correlated poorly with the others. This resulted in a 10-item instrument (UW-QOL-R) with an overall internal consistency score of 0.85. Conclusions The UW-QOL can be effectively and accurately used to compare treatment effects in the management of head and neck cancer. With this revised instrument, the 10 items appear to measure the domains of overall QOL in a highly consistent and reliable fashion over time.
Reflections and Commentary From the Field: Connecting the Reform of Administrator Preparation to the Reform of Teacher Preparation

Purpose: Attention is drawn in this article to the presence and dysfunctional nature of a disconnection between professional preparation programs for administrators and for teachers. Findings: A case is made for achieving greater alignment between the work going on in these areas, particularly in light of the growing efforts to hold schools accountable for pupil performance gains. A case is also made for balancing reform efforts so that disproportionate attention is not paid to one area relative to the other.
Modeling the influence of precipitation and nitrogen deposition on forest understory fuel connectivity in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest

Climate change models for California's Sierra Nevada predict greater inter-annual variability in precipita- tion over the next 50 years. These increases in precipitation variability coupled with increases in nitrogen deposition from fossil fuel consumption are likely to result in increased productivity levels and significant increases in forest understory fuel loads. Higher understory plant biomass contributes to fuel connec- tivity and may increase future fire size and severity in the Sierra Nevada. The objective of this research was to develop and test a model to determine how changing precipitation and nitrogen deposition levels affect shrub and herb biomass production, and to determine how often prescribed fire would be needed to counter increasing fuel loads. Model outputs indicate that under an increasing precipitation scenario significant increases in shrub and herb biomass occur that can be counteracted by decreasing the fire return interval to 10 years. Under a scenario with greater inter-annual variability in precipitation and increased nitrogen deposition, implementing fire treatments at an interval equivalent to the historical range of 15-30 years maintains understory vegetation fuel loads at levels comparable to the control.
Development, disease and degeneration in schizophrenia: a unitary pathophysiological model

In recent years, several pathophysiological models of schizophrenia, i.e. the early and late brain neurodevelopmental and post-illness onset neurodegenerative models, have been proposed and theorists have often argued as if these explanations are mutually exclusive. We propose that all these mechanisms may interact cumulatively during successive critical 'windows of vulnerability' during brain development and during the early course of the illness to lead to the clinical manifestations of the illness. Early brain insults may lead to dysplasia of selective neural networks that account for the premorbid cognitive and psychosocial dysfunction seen in many patients. The onset of psychosis in adolescence may be related to an excessive elimination of synapses and secondarily, phasic dopaminergic overactivity. Following illness onset, these neurochemical alterations in relation to continuing untreated psychosis may lead to further neurodegenerative processes. A reduction in tonic glutamatergic neurotransmission and a phasic glutamatergic excess can potentially predispose to these processes and may have considerable explanatory power. This hypothesis is consistent with central characteristics of schizophrenia such as premorbid manifestations, adolescent onset, functional decline early in this illness, cognitive impairments, the role of dopamine and the role of genes and environment in pathophysiology. This 'three hit' model extends similar integrative conceptualization by other investigators and generates testable predictions of relevance to future pathophysiology and treatment research in schizophrenia.
Review of photoresist based lens evaluation methods

Optical lithography is moving into an era of refinement where lenses are continuously improving but must be superb to utilize the resolution enabled by new complex reticles. Phase Measuring Interferometry used during lens fabrication is not available to the lithographer who must rely on ingenuity in reticle design to form measurable, aberration sensitive images in photoresist. This ingenuity, as reported in the papers that follow, is enabling lithographers to measure lens aberrations on their tools with a precision nearly that of a PMI. The principles behind these photoresist methods are reviewed in this paper to help enable critical review of those that follow.
Urbanization as a land use change driver of forest ecosystem services

Land use change in the form of urbanization is a direct driver affecting the provision of ecosystem services from forests. To better understand this driver, we modeled the effects of urbanization on three regulating and provisioning ecosystem services in two disparate watersheds in Florida, USA. The study integrated available geospatial and plot-level forest inventory data to assess future changes in carbon storage, timber volume and water yield during a period of 57 years. A 2003–2060 urbanization and land use change scenario was developed using land cover data and a population distribution model. The Integrated Valuation and Ecosystem Services Tradeoffs model was then used to quantify changes in ecosystem services. Carbon storage was reduced by 16% and 26% in the urbanized 2060 scenario in both the rural Lower Suwannee and urban Pensacola Bay watersheds, respectively. Timber volume was reduced by 11% in the Lower Suwannee and 21% in the Pensacola Bay watershed. Water yield, however, increased in both watersheds by 4%. Specific sub-watersheds that were most susceptible to urbanization were identified and mapped and ecosystem service interactions, or trade-offs and synergies, are discussed. Findings reveal how urbanization drives the spatio-temporal dynamics of ecosystem services and their trade-offs. This study provides policy makers and planners an approach to better develop integrated modeling scenarios as well as designing mapping and monitoring protocols for land use change and ecosystem service assessments.
Consolidation and Maintenance Therapies for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma in the Era of Novel Agents

Advances in therapy in multiple myeloma have resulted in significant improvements in patient outcomes; however, relapse remains problematic. Strategies to improve outcomes following autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) include consolidation to intensify therapy and improve depth of response and maintenance therapy to achieve long-term disease control. Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), including thalidomide and lenalidomide, are appealing as maintenance therapy given their oral administration; however, the cumulative toxicities of thalidomide have limited its efficacy in maintenance therapy. Maintenance lenalidomide is better tolerated, and multiple studies have demonstrated an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), but its impact on overall survival (OS) remains controversial. Additional concerns regarding the risk of second primary malignancies and significant cost of long-term lenalidomide therapy have also been raised. Proteasome inhibitors, particularly, bortezomib have also been incorporated in consolidation and maintenance regimens alone or in combination with an IMiD. Preliminary studies have suggested bortezomib maintenance may benefit patients with adverse cytogenetics, including t(4;14) and deletion 17p. Determination of the optimal consolidation and maintenance regimen and duration of therapy post-transplantation is a focus of several ongoing randomized studies.
Discussion: Changing Orientations of Marketing Research

I am convinced that the contribution by Professor Shaffer in this paper and in his earlier working paper on the same subject will go down as an important milestone in our profession. The future usefulness of and respect for our profession may depend upon how well we implement the philosophic, conceptual, and organizational reorientations which he suggests. In spite of my high appraisal of Dr. Shaffer's paper I do have some critical views on it. Not only does his paper fail to provide an adequate treatment of the subdiscipline or subfield known as marketing but also in my
Leadership Training for Postdoctoral Dental Students

Harvard School of Dental Medicine launched a course on leadership for its postdoctoral dental students in 2010 in order to introduce them to the art of leadership and the latest theories and principles regarding becoming a leader. Nine four-hour modules over a period of six months took the students on a journey of leadership self-exploration by building awareness of their capacity in core leadership skills; providing them with tools and frameworks for developing effective leadership skills; encouraging the immediate practice of core skills; creating space for honest reflection; and providing inspiration with guest lectures. A constant toggle between the present and their future as leaders was built into the course. In the student evaluations, the course received an overall rating of 4.71 (5=excellent), and the students reported an enhanced interest in all topic areas. They reported that the ability to build trust with others was the most beneficial skill for a dentist, while viewing advocacy skills as the least beneficial. All the students indicated an intention to continue developing their leadership skills. Through the course, the students developed an understanding of their leadership strengths and limitations through case studies, role-play, and self-reflection, as well as gaining an understanding of team dynamics and cultural perceptions in the context of dentistry.
Basaltic glass formed from hydrovolcanism and impact processes: Characterization and clues for detection of mode of origin from VNIR through MWIR reflectance and emission spectroscopy

Abstract The CheMin X-ray diffraction instrument on-board the Curiosity rover in Gale crater has measured a consistent X-ray amorphous component in drill core samples examined to-date, clearly demonstrating that X-ray amorphous materials are a significant fraction of the martian surface layer. Glasses are potential components of this amorphous material and in this study, basaltic tephras from several hydro- and glaciovolcanic centers, as well as impact melts from India's Lonar Crater, were examined using thin section petrography, visible and near-infrared reflectance and mid-wave infrared emission spectroscopy as well as measuring major and minor element chemistry of representative samples using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The objectives of this study have been to look for distinguishing characteristics between volcanic and impact glasses and to determine features that indicate whether the glasses are fresh or altered using methods available on current and planned Mars rovers. Spectral features in the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) that can be used as indicators of alteration include the development of hydration features at 1.9 and ∼3 µm and a feature attributed to ferric oxide development at 0.48 µm. In the mid-wave infrared, it was observed that glass-rich tephra field samples did not display a broad, disordered glass feature near 9–10 µm (as is observed in pristine basaltic glasses) but rather a doublet with centers near 9.5 and 11 µm attributed in earlier work to incipient devitrification into SiO 4 chain and sheet structures respectively. A tentative observation was made that the Si–O bending feature, observed in all the sample spectra near 22 µm was broader in the hydro- and glaciovolcanic glass samples than in the impact glass samples. Hydro- and glaciovolcanic glass-rich tephra samples were used as library spectra in linear deconvolution analyses of Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (MGS TES) surface spectral types. These incipiently devitrified glass spectra were selected for all of the surface types and formed close to 40% of the N. Acidalia Planitia spectral type.
Thermoregulatory behavior and diel activity of yearling winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum)

Sixteen yearling winter flounder, tested individually for 3-day periods in electronic shuttleboxes, voluntarily occupied an 8–27°C range of temperature, with a modal final thermal preferendum of 18.5°C (mean 18.7°C, median 19°C, midpoint 17.5°C, s.d. 1.9°C, Sk + 0.33). The locomotor activity pattern of the yearling fish in the laboratory was markedly nocturnal, with mean hourly nocturnal activity exceeding mean hourly diurnal activity by a factor of 3.4. Maximum activity occurred at 0300 EST, minimum activity at 1400 EST. While activity generally increased with temperature, a local activity minimum occurred at 18.7°C, coinciding with the 24-hour mean final thermal preferendum. Comparison of these laboratory data with previously published field data suggest that behavioral responses to temperature and light play significant roles in determining age- and size-specific differences in seasonal depth stratification and onshore-offshore distributions in this species.
Application of power frequency communication technology in power distribution network

Power frequency communication technology is a special power line communication technology. With the advantages of longer transmission distance and stronger anti-interference performance, the communication signals can be transmitted directly through the distribution transformers to realize cross transformer transmission without any repeaters. In this paper, the author introduces the configuration of power frequency communication system and its communication mode, analyses the working principle, discusses the signal modulation, coding and detection. The main technical characteristics and the application of this technology are also presented for reference.
Ideas and methods of nursing quality tracking management

Objectives:To evaluate the effect of nursing quality tracking management,to identify the potential loopholes in nursing management,and to evaluate the extent of standards achievement.Methods:We developed nursing quality tracking evaluation mechanism,,innovated quality tracking methods,established nursing quality monitoring system in multiple ways and views,and trained nurses quality consciousness and ability of risk prevention.Results:The mean satisfaction rate of hospitalized patients rised from 94.5% to 97.9% and maintained in 97.9% and above.The incidence of nursing errors reduced from 0.2% to 0.06%.Conclusions:The application of nursing quality tracking management plays an important role to prevent nursing safety hazard and to improve process control ability.
Multiphoton spectroscopy and analysis of the E2Π ← X2Π, band of CH

Abstract Rotational analysis of a 2 + 1 MPI spectrum of CH radical, produced by UV multiphoton dissociation in a supersonic expansion, allows assignment of the E state to the v = 2 level of the D 2 Π, state. Population is observed in rotational levels up to N = 12.
Codes and conflict

“If theory caused a more critical study of war, it would have achieved its purpose.” (Clausewitz) In this article I have shown that in times of war, beneath the apparently rational surface of modern societies and states there lurks a powerful religious dimension that is of crucial importance in structuring political and military activity, in informing public, political, and intellectual discourse, and in shaping opinion, beliefs, attitudes, sentiments, and social action. The religious dimension is neither a mere jumble of diffuse sentiments, beliefs, and ideas, nor a simple ideological reflection of social interests — it is an autonomous, internally coherent, analogically organized code that specifies sacred and profane elements and embodies an endogenous apophantic logic. This analytically autonomous code provides for the specification of war as ritual in concrete historical sequences. If the reader comes away from this article feeling that she better understands the role and organization of culture in war, and that consequently war cannot be explained, understood, and interpreted only in terms of economic, geopolitical, and psychological variables, then I will have achieved my chief objective here. However, I hope that this article also has a larger contribution to make. Sociology has inherited a rich tradition of ideas from its founding fathers. This tradition, enshrined in the classic works of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, has informed and shaped the discipline. It seems a shame that contemporary trends in social thought and research draw increasingly upon selected strands of thought in the legacy of only two of those gentlemen. The result of this movement, I believe, is not just a trend toward impoverished uni-dimensional studies of social reality, but also the loss of the auto-critical possibilities engendered by a discourse that draws upon diverse theoretical resources. As I have tried to demonstrate here, Durkheim's legacy, with its unique emphasis on ritual and symbolism, still provides a useful resource for the critique of social theory and the analysis of social life — even in those areas where one would least expect any fruitful insights to arise. More importantly, as Clausewitz recognized, theory contains the possibility not merely for the formal study, but also for the critical study of war. With its stress on voluntarism, a Durkheimian theory of war provides a vital and distinct contrast to those theories of war that attribute causation to factors outside of human control, be they psychological, geopolitical, or economic. The awareness of ethical responsibility arising from such an under-standing provides, one would like to think, the possibility for change.
Bi-directional translational research with angiotensin-(1-7) uncovers placental growth factor as a therapeutic target

4968 Background: Angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)], is an endogenous peptide hormone that has anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activity in murine xenograft models. Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a potent angiogenic ligand that has an uncertain role in cancer angiogenesis. Blood vessel sarcomas have been characterized by high expression of PlGF and translocations involving this gene. Methods: Ang-(1-7) was administered to patients by subcutaneous injection with dose escalation occuring in cohorts of 3 patients. Plasma levels of pro-angiogenic ligands were measured in patients with advanced solid tumors before Ang-(1-7) treatment as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 hours following treatment. Changes in PlGF expression over time were assessed by regression analysis stratified by patient. The effect of Ang-(1-7) on PlGF expression was also investigated in a murine A549 xenograft model. Athymic mice were injected with human A549 lung cancer cells and, once the tumors reached a size of 100 mm 3 , the animals were administered Ang-(1-7) (1000 µg/kg/day) or saline by subcutaneous injection. The mice were injected daily, for 5 days, followed by a 2 day rest period, and the injections were continued for 7 cycles. PlGF mRNA was quantified in the tumor tissue by reverse transcriptase, real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Of the first five patients treated with Ang-(1-7), pre-treatment plasma levels of PlGF were found to be highest in a patient with a metastatic blood vessel sarcoma (hemangiopericytoma). Following Ang-(1-7) administration, the levels of PlGF in this patient decreased over time (p = 0.006). This patient experienced stable disease with cystic changes apparent in a liver metastasis after two cycles. PlGF levels were also reduced after Ang-(1-7) treatment in one additional patient (p = 0.005). In the preclinical study, treatment with Ang-(1-7) reduced levels of PlGF mRNA in murine A549 xenografts compared to saline treated controls (1.02 ± 0.07 relative gene expression versus 0.60 ± 0.04), suggesting transcriptional regulation of PlGF by the heptapeptide. Conclusions: Ang-(1-7) is a first-in-class compound for the treatment of cancer that reduces plasma levels of placental growth factor in certain patients with advanced solid tumors.
Racism in the United States: Implications for the Helping Professions, 2nd Edition.

With ongoing police violence against people of color, increasing public displays of extremist racist ideology, and racist national policy on center stage, the imperative for helping professionals t...
Fungicide sensitivity profiles of Puccinia hemerocallidis to pyraclostrobin, flutolanil, and thiophanate-methyl

Abstract Fungicides are the most effective tools for managing daylily rust, caused by Puccinia hemerocallidis. However, repeated exposure to some fungicide active ingredients can increase risk of reduced sensitivity in target populations. The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity profiles of P. hemerocallidis to pyraclostrobin, flutolanil, propiconazole and thiophanate-methyl. Thirty five isolates were used to determine the effective concentration of active ingredient to inhibit 50% spore germination (EC50). Isolates were most sensitive to pyraclostrobin with EC50 value ranges of 0.00013–0.00049 μg ml−1 and 0.00013–0.00052 μg ml−1 with mean EC50 values of 0.000284 μg ml−1 and 0.000285 μg ml−1 in experiments one and two, respectively. Isolates were least sensitive to thiophanate-methyl with value ranges of 0.00084–0.0204 μg ml−1 and 0.00082–0.0211 μg ml−1 with mean EC50 values of 0.0096 and 0.0094 μg ml−1. The greatest variation in sensitivity was observed with flutolanil, based on a 36- or 40-fold difference between the highest and lowest EC50 values observed in the two experiments. A dose response was not observed with any isolate to propiconazole. This is the first report documenting the sensitivity profile of the daylily rust pathogen P. hemerocallidis to fungicides.
Antimetastatic Gene Therapy

The treatment of disseminated cancer remains a great challenge for the urologists, oncologists, radiation therapists, and, more importantly, the patients and families affected by the devastating diagnosis and various treatments. At the time of initial diagnosis, individuals will have a 7 to 55% incidence of metastases, depending on the site of the initial tumor (1). The ideal therapy is one that will destroy the cancer cells, but spare the patient’s normal cells. Chemotherapy, the most common therapy for metastases or systemic cancer, is targeted at the growth differential between normal and cancer cells. Unfortunately, normal cells attempting division will often be inadvertently targeted, resulting in toxicities. The dose-limiting toxicities associated with classical cancer chemotherapies limit the amount of drug that can be delivered to the tumor and often allow the tumor to survive and cause failure of the chemotherapy.
Investigating the impact of aerosol deposition on snowmelt over the Greenland Ice Sheet using a large-ensemble kernel

Abstract. Accelerating surface melt on the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has led to a doubling of Greenland's contribution to global sea level rise during recent decades. Black carbon (BC), dust, and other light-absorbing impurities (LAIs) darken the surface and enhance snowmelt by boosting the absorption of solar energy. It is therefore important for coupled aerosol–climate and ice sheet models to include snow darkening effects from LAI, and yet most do not. In this study, we conduct several thousand simulations with the Community Land Model (CLM) component of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) to characterize changes in melt runoff due to variations in the amount, timing, and nature (wet or dry) of BC deposition on the GrIS. From this large matrix of simulations, we develop a kernel relating runoff to the location, month, year (from 2006 to 2015), and magnitudes of BC concentration within precipitation and dry deposition flux. BC deposition during June–August causes the largest increase in annually integrated runoff, but winter deposition events also exert large (roughly half as great) runoff perturbations due to reexposure of impurities at the snow surface during summer melt. Current BC deposition fluxes simulated with the atmosphere component of CESM induce a climatological-mean increase in GrIS-wide runoff of ∼ 8 Gt yr −1 , or +6.8 % relative to a paired simulation without BC deposition. We also provide linear equations that relate the increase in total runoff to GrIS-wide wet and dry BC deposition fluxes. It is our hope that the runoff kernel and simple equations provided here can be used to extend the utility of state-of-the-art aerosol models.
Current Trends in the Use of Computer Technology by Human Resource Managers

There have been a number of studies examining the characteristics of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) in large corporations (Magnus & Grossman, 1985; Mathys, LaVan & Nogal, 1984), how systems are liked to various human resource functions (Amico, 1981; Hoff, 1983; LaPointe, 1983; Weirmair, 1981), and factors related to the planning, implementation and development of HRIS systems (Ceriello, 1984; Simon, 1983). In general, the vast majority of large companies have some type of HRIS system available, at least for basic payroll, record-keeping and administrative tasks. Applications include compensation, benefits, EEO/AA, applicant tracking, training and development, labor relations, turnover analysis, and human resource planning. The focus of this research, however, has been on characteristics of the computer system rather than who uses the information and how its use might affect productivity and quality of output.
Is NGO Education Matching Up to the Demand? The Case of Ecuador

Democratic transitions in Latin America have been met with a growing focus on building the capacity of NGOs. In Ecuador, organizations are interested in observing more the values of ethics, accountability, and transparency in their management practices and have external pressures to do so from government, donors, and the public at large. However, in previous literature, it has been identified that NGO leaders in Ecuador perceive that NGO education created and delivered in higher education institutions does not meet the demands of the sector. This assumption had not been systematically tested. As such, I systematically analyzed the curricular content of an NGO management course at an Ecuadorian university to assess if it meets the demand. I provide recommendations for ways in which courses at universities can better meet the demands of the sector and propose several avenues for further research.
Tracking real-time data revisions in inflation persistence

Regarding the forecasting of real-time data, it is assumed that the third quarter release produces the best forecasts since it includes data from new and revised sources, which this paper finds is ...
Estimation and use of kinetic parameter distributions in metabolism and nutrition.

This chapter discusses the estimation, and the use of kinetic parameter distributions in metabolism and nutrition. The chapter reviews the theory, applications, and available software, with particular attention to how they relate to problems in metabolism and nutrition. The population estimation methods developed by pharmacokineticists to handle sparse data have potential use in the data-rich studies encountered in metabolism and experimental nutrition. They provide a consistent and logical method to combine information from several experiments, accounting for interindividual variation in a theoretically sound manner. Anyone working in kinetic analysis should be aware of these tools, their advantages, and their limitations. The population methods avoid making assumptions about missing data by simultaneously considering all the experiments in a rigorous and consistent way. Although the mathematics is the same, kinetic modeling in metabolism and experimental nutrition differs from pharmacokinetics. It is the responsibility of the user to be aware of identifiability issues.
Visualization of drug-nucleic acid interactions at atomic resolution. III. Unifying structural concepts in understanding drug-DNA interactions and their broader implications in understanding protein-DNA interactions.

Abstract Structural information afforded by the X-ray crystallographic studies of ethidium-dinucleoside monophosphate crystalline complexes described in the preceding two papers has led to a detailed model for ethidium-DNA binding. Features of ethidium-DNA binding, in turn, have led to unifying structural concepts in understanding a wide range of drug-DNA interactions. It is possible that these concepts have still broader implications in understanding the nature of protein-DNA interactions. This paper begins by summarizing the stereochemical aspects of ethidium-DNA, actinomycin-DNA and irehdiamine-DNA binding, molecules that use intercalative and kinked-type geometries in binding to DNA. It then describes superhelical DNA structures formed by kinking DNA periodically varying numbers of base-pairs apart. κ-kinked B DNA, a structure formed by kinking DNA every ten base-pairs, is a left-handed superhelical structure that may be utilized in the organization of DNA within the nucleosome in chromatin. β-kinked B DNA is a right-handed superhelical structure formed by kinking DNA every two base-pairs. It is possible that premelting conformational changes occur in DNA which utilize elements of this structure. This would expose base-pairs to solvent denaturation, and could lower the activation energy necessary for strand separation during DNA denaturation. RNA polymerase and other DNA melting proteins could capitalize on this type of premelting conformational change when binding to DNA. The concept that conformational flexibility exists in DNA structure (and that drug intercalation is a phenomenon that reflects this flexibility) can, in addition, explain a wide variety of physicochemical data about DNA. In this paper we discuss the nature of these data in detail.
MLB Owners Missed Golden Opportunity (History of Major League Baseball's ‘Neutral’ Commissioner

This commentary discusses the history of the position of Major League Commissioner and the advantages to maintaining a truly neutral commissioner
Learning 3D White Matter Microstructure from 2D Histology

Histological analysis is typically the gold standard for validating measures of tissue microstructure derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrasts. However, most histological investigations are inherently 2-dimensional (2D), due to increased field-of-view, higher in-plane resolutions, ease of acquisition, decreased costs, and a large number of available contrasts compared to 3-dimensional (3D) analysis. Because of this, it would be of great interest to be able to learn the 3D tissue microstructure from 2D histology. In this study, we use diffusion MRI (dMRI) of a squirrel monkey brain and corresponding myelin stained sections in combination with a convolution neural network to learn the relationship between the 3D diffusion estimated axonal fiber orientation distributions and the 2D myelin stain. We find that we are able to estimate the 3D fiber distribution with moderate to high angular agreement with the ground truth (median angular correlation coefficients of 0.48 across the unseen slices). This network could be used to validate dMRI neuronal structural measurements in 3D, even if only 2D histology is available for validation. Generalization is possible to transfer this network to human stained sections to infer the 3D fiber distribution at resolutions currently unachievable with dMRI, which would allow diffusion fiber tractography at unprecedented resolutions. We envision the use of similar networks to learn other 3D microstructural measures from an array of potential common 2D histology contrasts.
Estimation of cumulative energy demand and green house gas emissions of ethanol foamed WMA using life cycle assessment analysis

Abstract The purpose of this project is to evaluate the possibility of using ethanol as a foaming agent for low emission asphalt technology via life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis. LCA analysis was conducted at two different stages. Firstly, the analysis was performed to estimate the energy consumption and CO2 emission in the cradle to gate stages incorporating the effects of various foaming agent contents. In the second assessment, the analysis attempts to incorporate the required information based on the available published papers to get a clear idea about the energy consumption and GHG emission involved in all stages from the raw materials production to the end of life of asphalt pavement. The scope and boundaries of this analysis have been set based on several assumptions made prior to performing the analysis. LCA software, SimaPro 7.3, was used to estimate the cumulative energy demand and global warming potential (GWP) of Ethanol-foamed Warm Mix Asphalt (EWMA) and compare these to the results of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) and Water-foamed Warm Mix Asphalt (WWMA). Eco-Indicator 95 analysis was also conducted to establish the weighting factors for the various environmental effects of each asphalt mixture. Based on the results, it was found that the EWMA performed better in terms of energy demand, and lowered GHG emissions compared to HMA and WWMA. EWMA has high potential to reduce the detrimental impacts from the asphalt pavement industry based on Eco-Indicator 95 analysis, which has a lower impact in terms of GHG emissions, ozone layer depletion, acidification, eutrophication, summer smog, and winter smog, as well as energy resources.
“Pride and prejudice” pathways to belonging: Implications for inclusive diversity practices within mainstream institutions.

Within mainstream institutions such as colleges and universities, scientists and social leaders, alike, are faced with persistent and new challenges to forging paths toward inclusion among marginalized group members (e.g., Latino/a/x and African Americans). Integrating theoretical perspectives that conceptualize identity among marginalized groups as tied to culture and strengths with literatures on threat and stigma, we propose a "pride and prejudice" approach to inclusion. We provide support for the efficacy of inclusion as 2 pathways-one route that is associated with recognizing "pride" or the history and culture of marginalized groups and another that is related to reducing "prejudice" or perceived discrimination toward marginalized groups. Specifically, we demonstrate using actual demands for inclusion generated by students attending 80 colleges and universities that a pride and prejudice approach is consistent with collective calls for institutional change voiced by marginalized group members and their allies (Study 1). Then, Study 2, using longitudinal data of Latino/a/x and African American students (N = 1,967) attending 27 colleges and universities we reveal the impact of pride (e.g., taking an ethnic studies course) and prejudice (e.g., perceived discrimination) experiences on sense of belonging, and in turn academic and health outcomes (e.g., graduation rates, depression). We provide evidence for 1 theory-based process whereby individual experiences tied to pride and prejudice can impact belongingness through intragroup and intergroup relations. Theory and policy implications for institutional inclusion efforts including the importance of fostering ties to ingroup and outgoup members are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Planning for Mental Health Needs During COVID-19.

The ability to effectively prepare for and respond to the psychological fallout from large-scale disasters is a core competency of military mental health providers, as well as civilian emergency response teams. Disaster planning should be situation specific and data driven; vague, broad-spectrum planning can contribute to unprepared mental health teams and underserved patient populations. Herein, we review data on mental health sequelae from the twenty-first century pandemics, including SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19), and offer explanations for observed trends, insights regarding anticipated needs, and recommendations for preliminary planning on how to best allocate limited mental health resources. Anxiety and distress, often attributed to isolation, were the most prominent mental health complaints during previous pandemics and with COVID-19. Additionally, post-traumatic stress was surprisingly common and possibly more enduring than depression, insomnia, and alcohol misuse. Predictions regarding COVID-19’s economic impact suggest that depression and suicide rates may increase over time. Available data suggest that the mental health sequelae of COVID-19 will mirror those of previous pandemics. Clinicians and mental health leaders should focus planning efforts on the negative effects of isolation, particularly anxiety and distress, as well as post-traumatic stress symptoms.
The invaded narrator in Eimear McBride’s A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing

In Eimear McBride’s debut novel, A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing, point of view is generally focalised through the protagonist-narrator, yet the free indirect discourse of her environment overtakes h...
Emergence of strain-induced moiré patterns and pseudomagnetic field confined states in graphene

Strain-inducing deformations in graphene alter charge distributions and provide a new method to design specific features in the band structure and transport properties. Novel approaches implement engineered substrates to induce specifically targeted strain profiles. Motivated by this technique, we study the evolution of charge distributions with an increasing number of out-of-plane deformations as an example of a finite size periodic substrate. We first analyze a system of two overlapping deformations and determine the quantitative relation between geometrical parameters and features in the local density of states. We extend the study to sets of three and four deformations in linear and two-dimensional arrays and observe the emergence of moir\'e patterns that are more pronounced for a hexagonal cell composed of seven deformations. A comparison between the induced strain profile and spatial maps of the local density of states at different energies provides evidence for the existence of states confined by the pseudomagnetic field in bounded regions, reminiscent of quantum dots structures. Due to the presence of these states, the energy level scaling to be observed by local probes should exhibit a linear dependence with the pseudofield, in contrast to the expected scaling of pseudo-Landau levels.
The Changing Economics of Knowledge Production

Big data technologies change the way in which data and human labor combine to create knowledge. Is this a modest technological advance or a data revolution? Using hiring and wage data, we show how to estimate firms' data stocks and the shape of their knowledge production functions. Knowing how much production functions have changed informs us about the likely long-run changes in output, in factor shares, and in the distribution of income, due to the new, big data technologies. Using data from the investment management industry, our structural estimates predict that the labor share of income in knowledge work may fall by 5%. The change associated with big data technologies is similar in magnitude to estimates of the change brought on by the industrial revolution.
“The direction which they look, and the distance they sailed”: The Birth of an Imperial Dynasty, 1485–1509

This chapter examines the twenty-five-year period that began on the Bosworth Battlefield in 1485, when Henry Tudor defeated Richard III and became King Henry VII, and ended soon after the turn of the century, restoring the court culture, political backdrop, and possibilities manifest in a royal family that made the most of the oracle Diana’s prophecy to Brutus in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regnum Britanniae: the island would bear his name and a race of kings to whom the whole earth will be subject. It shows how amid perennial threat from multiple directions, the interests, and exigencies of a new, unsecured dynasty fueled the rediscovery of a legitimizing British imperial past and trailblazing consolidation at home as well as voyaging abroad.
Identifying Early Neuropsychological Indicators of Cognitive Involvement in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease of the central nervous system that is most commonly seen in early to middle adulthood, although it can be diagnosed during childhood or later in life. While cognitive impairment can become more prevalent and severe as the disease progresses, signs of cognitive involvement can be apparent in the early stages of the disease. In this review, we discuss the prevalence and types of cognitive impairment seen in early MS, including the specific measures used to identify them, as well as the challenges in characterizing their frequency and progression. In addition to examining the progression of early cognitive involvement over time, we explore the clinical factors associated with early cognitive involvement, including demographics, level of physical disability, disease modifying therapy use, vocational status, and psychological and physical symptoms. Given the prevalence and functional impact these impairments can have for persons with MS, considerations for clinicians are provided, such as the role of early cognitive screenings and the importance of comprehensive neuropsychological assessments.