cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive interaction techniques for sharing and reusing design resources

Today's designers generate content both on paper and online. Designers spread their work over physical and digital media, each of which has powerful—but distinct—sets of affordances. Recent work suggests that augmented paper interfaces can marry the ubiquity of paper interactions with the ease of search, annotation, and presentation afforded by digital representation. This dissertation examines novel ways to support and augment the practice of design through sharing and reappropriation of digitally captured design content. The thesis of this dissertation is that an ecology for design that integrates augmented physical and digital tools can facilitate collaboration between designers and improve the visibility of design practice through the sharing and proactive presentation of design content. Our contributions are twofold: we study actual use of augmented tools for capture and access of visual design content, and we describe an approach for proactive display of example design materials that uses design dimensions as facets in selection and presentation algorithms. To investigate the potential value of augmented tools for design, we developed the iDeas design ecology, which integrates physical notebooks with a digital faceted metadata browser that offers explicit annotation and sharing mechanisms, and conducted four studies with student design teams. Our findings indicate that, while there are clear benefits to tool use, such as increased excerpting and sharing of design material, users perceive high costs of maintenance and access control issues when using explicit capture and sharing tools. The findings from these studies motivated our second tool, Adaptive Ideas, which explores the use of implicit mechanisms to improve visibility of example design resources. We describe a facet-based approach to selecting, presenting, and browsing design material adaptively, using decision-theoretic selection and end-user preference as inputs. Results from a laboratory study of an example-based web page builder indicate that proactive presentation of examples is useful in helping designers explore and understand spaces of design alternatives.
The Rhetoric and Reality of English Law in Colonial Maryland, Part 1 - 1632-1689

The rule of English law in the English-speaking colonial world is at once obvious and puzzling. Along with language, the law anchored the Englishness of life in colonial America, At the same time, warring states and rival investors used law and diplomacy as weapons in their arsenals of global competition, and so the law of nations provided an unstable and frequently contested framework for exploration and settlement. The governance of struggling Atlantic settlements (especially before 1660) rose, fell, and was reconstructed with the various fortunes of each. In these early settlements there was much law-making, but law was perhaps negotiated as often as it was applied; local officials frequently adjusted English rules to local circumstances. The more historians investigate this world, the harder it is to be sure, exactly, how colonial law worked.This article examines why a perennial contest over the precise authority of English law was so central to the rule of law in early Maryland. Two new perspectives will help further this inquiry, which has long interested colonial historians generally and historians of Maryland in particular. The first is a heightened appreciation of the fact that early American legal history unfolded in distinct phases. The second is a recognition that the contest over English law in the colonies developed along different but overlapping dimensions, a political or rhetorical dimension and an operational dimension. This latter world of law was the reality of lawsuits, debt collection, inheritance, criminal prosecutions, judgments, and so on.
Integrating Safety, Operations, Security, and Safeguards (ISOSS) into the design of small modular reactors : a handbook.

The existing regulatory environment for nuclear reactors impacts both the facility design and the cost of operations once the facility is built. Delaying the consideration of regulatory requirements until late in the facility design - or worse, until after construction has begun - can result in costly retrofitting as well as increased operational costs to fulfill safety, security, safeguards, and emergency readiness requirements. Considering the scale and scope, as well as the latest design trends in the next generation of nuclear facilities, there is an opportunity to evaluate the regulatory requirements and optimize the design process for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), as compared to current Light Water Reactors (LWRs). To this end, Sandia has embarked on an initiative to evaluate the interactions of regulations and operations as an approach to optimizing the design of SMR facilities, supporting operational efficiencies, as well as regulatory requirements. The early stages of this initiative consider two focus areas. The first focus area, reported by LaChance, et al. (2007), identifies the regulatory requirements established for the current fleet of LWR facilities regarding Safety, Security, Operations, Safeguards, and Emergency Planning, and evaluates the technical bases for these requirements. The second focus area, developed in this report, documents the foundations for an innovative approach that supports a design framework for SMR facilities that incorporates the regulatory environment, as well as the continued operation of the facility, into the early design stages, eliminating the need for costly retrofitting and additional operating personnel to fulfill regulatory requirements. The work considers a technique known as Integrated Safety, Operations, Security and Safeguards (ISOSS) (Darby, et al., 2007). In coordination with the best practices of industrial operations, the goal of this effort is to develop a design framework that outlines how ISOSS requirements can be incorporated into the pre-conceptual through early facility design stages, seeking a cost-effective design that meets both operational efficiencies and the regulatory environment. The larger scope of the project, i.e., in future stages, includes the identification of potentially conflicting requirements identified by the ISOSS framework, including an analysis of how regulatory requirements may be changed to account for the intrinsic features of SMRs.
A Comparative Theoretical Examination of Troublesome Adolescents in Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina:

This article explores the reasons for joining and staying in youth-oriented groups offered by 13 to 16 year-old adolescents residing in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Germany, all surveyed as par...
Some Aspects of Spanish American Culture

Latin Americans are radically individualistic and sometimes it seems to a foreign observer that there are almost as many differing opinions as there are people. An admittedly extreme case will serve to confirm the aforesaid comment. In 1946 one of the warring factions of the Liberal Party of Colombia received, in response to its circular setting forth the rules for the campaign, the following telegram: Liberal Directorate, Bogota. Have received circular. Respectfully advise am only liberal in this town. And I am divided. Regards. Pedro Pirateque With individualism so rampant, it becomes immediately obvious that in a field as broad as the culture of twenty Latin-American republics, generalizations are difficult to make and some evaluations are only relevant when applied to specific areas or regions.
Immunohistochemical staining coupled with a modified Prussian blue technique for iron

Immunohistochemical staining of clinical tissues is widely accepted, particularly in separating neoplasms with similar appearances. In this technique, diaminobenzidine(DAB) is the most commonly used chromogen because the brown coloris stable and does not fade with time. In tissues that contain brown iron deposits,these deposits may interfere with the correct interpretation of the brown immunohistochemical stain. We describe a simplemodified immunohistochemical procedure, coupled with a modified Prussian blue stain, that allows an objective distinction between iron and positive immunohistochemical staining. We have applied this technique successfully using the following antibodies and tissues: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) on a colonictubular adenoma specimen, leukocytecommon antigen (LCA) on a spleen specimen, a-fetoprotein (AFP) on a hepatocellularcarcinoma specimen, 44-3A6 on a pulmonary adenocarcinoma specimen as well as other antibodies and tissues. This approach allows a clear distinctionof both iron and antigenic determinantsin the same tissue section.
Optimal Scale Length and Single-Item Attitude Measures: Evidence from Simulations and a Two-Wave Experiment

Optimal Scale Length and Single-Item Attitude Measures: Evidence from Simulations and a Two-Wave Experiment Laura Stoker stoker@socrates.berkeley.edu Travers Department of Political Science University of California, Berkeley Stephen N. Goggin goggin@berkeley.edu Travers Department of Political Science University of California, Berkeley Abstract Research on the optimal number of survey response options (scale length) has focused on multi-item indices, leaving us with less understanding of how the chosen length of a single-item attitude measure can affect its reliability, validity, and performance in statistical analyses. We employ both Monte Carlo simulations and a two-wave experiment to address these questions. The simulations provide an important basic framework for conceptualizing the issues at play in optimal scale length, while the experiment provides evidence against which the simulation-based expectations can be compared. Paper prepared for the 2014 American Political Science Association Annual Conference, Washington DC
Obverse T-shape Internal Fixation with Sternum and Costal Cartilage Consecution for Funnel Chest in Children

Objective To summary the therapeutic effect of obverse T-shape internal fixation with sternum and costal cartilage consecution for funnel chest in children.Method From May 2005 to May 2007,30 cases of 2 to 4 years old funnel chest children were cured by this approach,including 4 cases of asymmetric funnel chest,and 12 cases of costal margin extraversion in addition.Results The mean operative time was 50(40～75)minutes.The bleeding volume was 3～10 ml.All cases discharged without complication in 4～9 days after operation.The sternum got rectified with 3.1(1.5～5.0)cm raised up.The distance between the sternum and spine reached 6.2(4.0～9.7) cm.All the funnel chest and costal margin extraversion got corrected during 15(3～24) months follow-up.Only one case remained chest wall asymmetry and flat.ConclusionIt is worthy to be popularized of obverse T-shape internal fixation with sternum and costal cartilage consecution for 2 to 4 years old children with the characteristics of short operation time,minimal trauma,quick recovery,little scar,few complication,short hospital stay,and low cost of hospitalization.
Abstract 169: Drug resistance gene expression pathways in primary refractory breast cancer

Purpose/Objective: Breast cancer is a collection of diseases with distinct molecular subtypes with differing prognoses. Clinically, there is a group of therapy resistant breast cancers characterized by resistance to conventional chemo- and radiotherapy with short overall survival and poor prognosis, which we termed primary refractory breast cancer (PRBC). We hypothesized that PRBC is characterized by specific genomic changes that may contribute to therapy resistance. The aim of this study was to identify changes in gene expression profiles of PRBC compared to triple negative (TNBC) and ER+/-PR positive (HR) breast cancer cohorts. Methods: PRBC was defined as patients with an initial diagnosis of Stage I-III breast cancer who either I) developed metastatic disease within 6 months of completing treatment or II) died of breast cancer within two years of initial diagnosis. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue was obtained under an IRB approved protocol 01-13-43c. RNA was extracted from macro-dissected FFPE tumor tissue. Gene expression profiling was performed with Affymetrix Human Transcriptome Array 2.0 and gene signatures were analyzed using a single sample gene set enrichment methodology. Gene signatures of PRBC patients were compared to signatures of two TNBC and HR cohorts with gene expression data generated by identical methodology. Results: A total of nineteen samples from eight patients had sufficient tumor material to obtain RNA. The median age at diagnosis was 44.3 years, 62.5% were triple negative. At initial diagnosis the stage ranged from IA to IIIC. Sixty-three percent received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The median time to relapse was 8.4 months and median time to death 1.7 years. Genomic analysis identified highly significant (p Conclusions: PRBC is characterized by significant upregulation of multiple gene expression signatures important in drug resistance including ABC transporters, hypoxia, AKT and DNA repair pathways. Confirmation of these results would allow the development of alternative treatment strategies for PRBC to help improve the devastatingly poor prognosis of this subgroup of patients. Citation Format: Charlene Kan, Shikha Parsai, Stefanie Avril, Janice Lyons, Hannah Gilmore, Junran Zhang, Lyndsay Harris. Drug resistance gene expression pathways in primary refractory breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 169.
Designing high-reliability healthcare teams

Despite serious and widespread efforts to improve the quality of health care, many patients still suffer preventable harm every day. Hospitals find improvement difficult to sustain, and they suffer “project fatigue” because so many problems need attention. No hospitals or health systems have achieved consistent excellence throughout their institutions. High-reliability science is the study of organizations in industries like commercial aviation and nuclear power that operate under hazardous conditions while maintaining safety levels that are far better than those of health care. A high reliability organization (HRO) is an organization that has succeeded in avoiding catastrophes in an environment where normal accidents can be expected due to risk factors and complexity. The definition of a high reliability organization extends beyond patient safety to encompass quality care — and ultimately value. Recommendations and innovations focused on healthcare individual processes do not address the larger and often intangible systemic and cultural factors that create vulnerabilities throughout the entire system. In addition, an open, transparent, and just culture which would allow a deeper understanding of these factors does not appear to be forthcoming. Adapting and applying the lessons of this science as well as applied human factors thinking to health care offer the promise of enabling hospitals to reach levels of quality and safety that are comparable to those of the best high-reliability organizations. Hospitals can make substantial progress toward high reliability by undertaking several specific organizational change initiatives. Further research and practical experience will be necessary to determine the validity and effectiveness of this framework for high-reliability health care
Older, Church-Going African Americans’ Attitudes and Expectations About Formal Depression Care:

This phenomenological study involved focus groups with church-affiliated, African American women and men ( N = 50; ages 50 and older) in southeast Michigan to determine their attitudes and expectations around formal mental health care. Data analysis employed a constant comparative approach and yielded themes related to formal mental health care, along with delineating concerns about defining depression, health, and well-being. Health and well-being were defined as inclusive of physical and spiritual aspects of self. Churches have a central role in how formal mental health care is viewed by their attendees, with prayer being an important aspect of this care. Provider expectations included privacy and confidentiality; respect for autonomy and need for information, having providers who discuss treatment options; and issues related to environmental cleanliness, comfort, and accessibility. Implications include providing effective, culturally tailored formal depression care that acknowledges and integrates faith for this group.
E-073 High Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Intracranial Aneurysms Treated by Flow Diversion

The use of flow diverters to treat intracerebral aneurysms is highly successful with a low rate of morbidity of mortality. One of the primary concerns following endovascular aneurysm treatment is recurrence, and close imaging followup is often required. High resolution MRI is being employed in an increasingly wide variety of pathologies, but its use as a surveillance tool following flow diversion has not been extensively explored. We present three cases where high resolution MRI was performed following flow diversion for intracranial aneurysms and discuss its utility in this patient population. Disclosures J. Guan: None. S. McNally: None. A. de Havenon: None. P. Tuassky: 2; C; Covidien. S. Kim: None. M. Park: None.
Scimitar Syndrome—Complex Surgical Revision 3 Decades After Repair

We present a case of a 39-year-old woman with scimitar syndrome who had a 2-patch repair 3 decades previously and presented with a right-to-left shunt of the inferior vena cava (IVC) to the left atrium resulting from baffle dehiscence. We discuss details of our reoperative repair.
Survival Trends in Adult T-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia / Lymphoma (ALL), a Comparative Analysis of 92 Patients By Year of Diagnosis

Abstract Background: Adult T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia / lymphoma (T-ALL) is an rare and aggressive hematological malignancy with overall survival (OS) according to the UKALL XII/E2993 of 48% at 5 years (Marks et al, Blood 2009). Over the last decade, the incorporation of L-asparaginase, dose intensification (similar to pediatric protocols), availability of newer agents such as clofarabine (Dec 2004) and nelarabine (Oct 2005) have been shown to improve outcomes. We carried out this study to see if the above mentioned changes in treatment have translated to an OS benefit. Methods: After due IRB approval, adults diagnosed with T-ALL from 1990-2014 at Mayo Clinic were identified. All clinical and pathologic data was retrospectively reviewed Comparative analysis was performed based on year of diagnosis before and after 2005 (Group 1, diagnosis prior to 2005, and Group 2, diagnosis post 2005). Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier Method and log-rank test. Chi-square test was used to compare variables. Results: A. Patient Characteristics: Between 1990 and 2014, a total of 92 consecutive patients (pts) with T-ALL were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 33 years (range; 18-88 years) with 72% males. Distribution of pts by year of diagnosis was as follows: Group 1(n= 47) (51%), and Group 2 (n=45) (49%). Median overall survival was 97.2 months. Median follow up for Group 1 was 50 months, during which time 23 (39%) deaths were documented, and 22.8 months (0.9 - 115.4) for Group 2 at which time19 deaths (42%) were documented (p= 0.04). Pts in Group 2 were older than Group1 (median age 41 vs 27 years (p= 0.004). Apart from age, the two groups were similar in other characteristics (Table 1). B. Therapy received by patient groups: We observed a high use of L-asparaginase containing regimens in Group 1 vs Group 2 [35(74%) pts vs 19 (42%), p=0.0013]. In contrast there was an increase in use of Hyper-CVAD in Group 2; 23(51%) vs. 3 (6%) (p C. Overall outcome by patient groups: We did not observe any difference in CR, or relapse rates among the two groups. The median OS and time to relapse were also not statistically different among Group 1 and 2 [102.6 vs 61.8 months Figure A, and 7.1 vs 14.1 months respectively]. Furthermore, age adjusted survival analysis was also not statistically significant. Conclusion: In this large cohort of adult T-ALL patients, in spite of significant advances in treatment strategies over the last two decades, we observed no difference in overall and relapse free survival prior to and after 2005. Download : Download high-res image (283KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . Download : Download high-res image (72KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 2 . Disclosures Al-Kali: Celgene: Research Funding. Thompson: Kite Pharma: Research Funding. Witzig: Spectrum: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria; Valeant Pharma: Equity Ownership.
The scope of formal explanation.

The existence of multiple modes of explanation means that a crucial step in the process of generating explanations has to be selecting a particular mode. The present article identifies the key conceptual, as well as some pragmatic and epistemological, considerations that license the use of the formal mode of explanation, and thus that enter into the process of selecting and generating a formal explanation. Formal explanations explain the presence of certain properties in an instance of a kind by reference to the kind of thing it is (e.g. That has four legs because it is a dog). As such, this mode of explanation is intrinsically tied to kind representations and is applicable domain-generally. Although it is possible for formal explanation to apply domain-generally, for any given kind it is selective in its application, in that it can explain some, but not all, properties of the instances of a kind. It also appears that different types of properties can receive formal explanations across different domains. This article provides a sketch of a theory of the selectivity of formal explanation that results from the manner in which kinds of different types are distinguished. The present discussion also suggests how the mechanisms underlying formal explanations may contribute to the illusion of explanatory depth Keil (Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7, 368–373,2003), the operation of the inherence heuristic Cimpian & Salomon (Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 37, 461–480, 2014a; Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 37, 506–527,2014b), and psychological essentialism (Gelman, 2003).
Aspects of Maay phonology and morphology

This paper presents a descriptive overview of the phonology and morphology of the Lower Jubba dialect of Maay, a language of southern Somalia. The paper highlights several points of typological, dialectological, and theoretical interest in this language. For example, the nominal morphology exhibits a somewhat unusual pattern of plural marking that interacts in a complex way with the gender marking system. Where relevant, comparisons are made between this dialect and other dialects of Maay and Somali, and speculation is made as to the historical origin of some of the unusual phonological and morphological phenomena observed in this dialect.
Storytelling in Miniature: Microfiction and Reader Participation

This article proposes that Iser’s work on gaps and blanks, as well as recent enactivist-inspired cognitive-narratological extensions of Iser’s work, can enlighten an under-theorized genre of experimental narrative, microfiction, typically identified as stories under 300 words (though often considerably shorter). The extreme brevity of microfiction results in stories that are similar, to a degree, to short stories, though experientially quite different; in the most thorough narratological treatment, William Nelles (2012) makes the case for a generic distinction between microfiction and the traditional short story. As I have argued elsewhere (Author 2016), borderline-narrative texts (microfiction included) make for oddly compelling reading experiences, largely due to the increased degree of reader participation necessary in narrativization. A main point of investigation here is as follows: while there is general agreement that Iser at least somewhat underestimates the extent to which narratives are perpetually fraught with gaps to be filled in by readers, there is still arguably a noticeably greater gap-per-capita (in a manner of speaking) in microfiction set against higher-narrativity texts; readers need to do more, in other words, to narrativize the typical piece of microfiction. Further, the extreme brevity of microfiction potentially affords readers a uniquely full experience of perceptual presence over the course of the micro-story.
Classification of book representations of K6

A book representation of a graph is a particular way of embedding a graph in three-dimensional space so that the vertices lie on a circle and the edges are chords on disjoint topological disks. We describe a set of operations on book representations that preserves ambient isotopy, and apply these operations to K6, the complete graph with six vertices. We prove there are exactly 59 distinct book representations for K6, and we identify the number and type of knotted and linked cycles in each representation. We show that book representations of K6 contain between one and seven links, and up to nine knotted cycles. Furthermore, all links and cycles in a book representation of K6 have crossing number at most four.
Rhetoric, Advocacy and Ethics: Reflections on Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

The rhetorical skill necessary to speaking and writing persuasively may be studied with great profit by exploring realms of knowledge far from the courtroom and the law office. Literature naturally comes to mind as a rich resource for the study of persuasion. For this essay, I have chosen a well-known set of speeches that appear in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to illustrate various aspects of persuasion. In the play's most riveting scene, Marcus Brutus and Mark Antony speak before a crowd of Romans, giving their opposing views of the assassination of Caesar. Brutus claims justification for his and his co-conspirators' act; Antony presents the case for murder by traitors. In reviewing each of these speeches, I will explore how Brutus and Antony advance their positions by adroitly employing many techniques of persuasion, including influencing the audience's membership; relying upon and strengthening their personal credibility; framing the crucial issue; creating a compelling theme; producing supporting evidence to substantiate the argument; meeting the audience's unstated emotional needs; minimizing adverse facts; monitoring audience reaction and assessing its understanding; achieving proper proportion in argument; speaking with civility; making concessions; distracting the audience; addressing pre-existing audience opinions and knowledge; employing strong emotional appeals; using the power of suggestion; allowing the audience to reach its own conclusion; rebutting expected arguments of the opposition; and forging an effective rhetorical style. By examining the way each speaker relates to his audience, crafts his appeals, and communicates his central points, the modern reader can learn much about the essential elements of advocacy. Antony's speech suggests, however, that effective advocacy need not be ethical advocacy. Honest advocacy depends upon the existence of honorable practitioners. Unfortunately, there is evidence that those employing the arts of rhetoric today are often less than honorable.
Anatomical And Pharmacological Comparisons Between Dopamine D-1 And D-2 Receptors In Mammalian Cns

The dopamine neurotransmitter system has been of interest to neuroscientists since its discovery in the central nervous system (CNS) in the 1960s using catecholamine histofluroescence techniques (Dahlstrom and Fuxe, 1964, 1965). A variety of subsequent research techniques, including receptor autoradiography, have been developed and their application to the study of the dopamine (DA) system has provided us with significant information about how DA functions in normal and pathological conditions.
Reflections on the Concept of Authentic Leadership: From an Indigenous Scholar/Leader Perspective:

The ProblemThis article draws on the author’s experiences as an American Indian administrator and faculty member in a public university. The dilemma presented here revolves around her struggle to r...
Non-Catalytic Roles of the Topoisomerase IIα C-Terminal Domain

DNA Topoisomerase IIα (Topo IIα) is a ubiquitous enzyme in eukaryotes that performs the strand passage reaction where a double helix of DNA is passed through a second double helix. This unique reaction is critical for numerous cellular processes. However, the enzyme also possesses a C-terminal domain (CTD) that is largely dispensable for the strand passage reaction but is nevertheless important for the fidelity of cell division. Recent studies have expanded our understanding of the roles of the Topo IIα CTD, in particular in mitotic mechanisms where the CTD is modified by Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO), which in turn provides binding sites for key regulators of mitosis.
7 Female Bisexuality: Identity, Fluidity, and Cultural Expectations

This chapter closely examines female bisexuality by looking at the differences between how it has worked as a self-identity (i.e., women saying or deciding that they are bisexual) compared to the behavioral components of women who do not identify as bisexual but nevertheless engage in sexual behavior with both men and women. We also contrast self-identity with the social beliefs that female bisexuality is “just a phase,” We first survey these literatures in order to unpack the tension between self-identity and social scripts about bisexuality, including historical invisibility and emerging issues in self-identity. We then focus on sexual fluidity, or the notion that many women “become” (and unbecome) bisexual over their lifetimes. This includes a detailed examination of performative bisexuality (Fahs. Journal of Bisexuality, 9(3), 431–449, 2009; Fahs. Performing sex: The making and unmaking of women’s erotic lives. Albany, NY, 2011), where women engage in same-sex behavior in front of men in order to please male partners or audiences. We conclude the chapter by examining cultural framings of female bisexuality, particularly how bisexuality appears in popular culture, followed by a brief examination of and possibilities for the future of female bisexuality. All in all, this chapter looks at the intersections between female bisexuality and power, agency, and (in)visibility in order to situate it within our contemporary context.
THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES IN USING POLYVINYLIDENE FLUORIDE (PVDF) FILMS AS A TRANSDUCER IN SENSOR SYSTEMS

This paper reports on the important fundamental properties of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film used as a sensor in various applications. The details of techniques that are required to pole t...
The Effects of Feeding Reduced-Lignin Alfalfa on Growing Beef Cattle Performance: a Preliminary Study

Gene suppression techniques down-regulating specific lignin biosynthesis pathway enzymes have permitted the development of an alfalfa variety with an altered lignin content and composition known as HarvXtra. This study was designed to compare the difference in forage nutrient quality between reduced-lignin alfalfa hay (variety HX-4114) and conventional alfalfa hay (variety WL336HQRR), and to evaluate Angus heifer performance when fed treatments of HX-4114 and WL336HQRR. Twenty-four Angus heifers (8 months of age; initial BW = 270 ± 21 kg) were selected to participate in an 84-day alfalfa hay feeding trial. Their performance was evaluated based on changes in body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), and gain to feed ratio (G:F). Additionally, in situ dry matter disappearance was tested using four ruminally cannulated Hereford cows. Hay samples were collected and used to determine forage nutrient quality, leaf count, and leaf-to-stem ratio. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. There were no differences ( P ³ 0.05) in forage nutrient quality between alfalfa treatments. Means did not differ by treatment for leaf count ( P = 0.06), but leaf-to-stem ratio was higher ( P = 0.04) for HX-4114 than WL336HQRR (1.67 vs. 1.17, respectively). There were no treatment or treatment by day interactions for BW, ADG, DMI, G:F, or in situ dry matter disappearance. Additionally, animal performance did not differ for growing Angus heifers consuming HX-4114 and WL336HQRR alfalfa hay. More research is warranted to determine the value of utilizing different genotypes of reduced-lignin alfalfa and their impact on the U.S beef industry.
Levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson disease: A population-based cohort study

Objective To assess dyskinesia frequency in a population-based cohort of patients with Parkinson disease (PD). Dyskinesia complicates levodopa treatment and affects quality of life. Methods Utilizing the 1991–2010 population-based, parkinsonism-incident cohort of Olmsted County, MN (n = 669), accessed via the Rochester Epidemiology Project, we identified patients with PD and abstracted levodopa-related dyskinesia information. Results Of 309 patients with PD (46.2% with parkinsonisms), 279 (90.3%) received levodopa. Most (230/279; 82.4%) had been treated by a Mayo Clinic neurologist. Median age of the 309 patients with PD at the time of diagnosis was 74.1 years (range 33.1–97.8 years). Median-age levodopa initiation in this cohort was 75 years (range 37–98 years), and median-duration levodopa treatment was 6 years (range 2 months to 19.8 years). Dyskinesia was documented in 84 of 279 patients (30.1%). Median time from levodopa initiation to dyskinesia onset was 4 years (range 2 months to 20 years); those with dyskinesia (65.5%; 55/84) developed it within 5 years of levodopa initiation (9 within the first year). Dyskinesia was mild in 57/84 (67.9%), moderate in 16/84 (19.1%), and severe in 9/84 (10.7%); severity was not reported in 2 cases. Dyskinesia severity led to levodopa adjustments or amantadine initiation in 60.7% (51/84 of those with dyskinesia), with improvement in 23/51 (45.1%). Thirteen patients with dyskinesia underwent deep brain stimulation, reporting marked improvement. Postmortem examination confirmed Lewy body disease in 7 autopsied cases. Conclusions Levodopa-induced dyskinesia affected 30% of the patients with PD in our cohort. Mayo neurologists favoring levodopa dosage optimization treated most patients. Dyskinesia was severe in 3.2% of all levodopa-treated patients with PD (10.7% of all patients with dyskinesia) with marked improvement among those treated with deep brain stimulation.
Internews: A case study of gender in media development

This article aims to make a contribution to the understudied field of gender in media development through a case study of Internews, an international non-governmental organisation that acts as an i...
The Party Goes On: U.S. Young Adults’ Partisanship and Political Engagement Across Age and Historical Time:

This article examines effects of political party affiliation on U.S. young adults’ political participation across age and historical time. Using national U.S. longitudinal Monitoring the Future dat...
Cyborgs: Neuromuscular Control of Insects *

This work explores the design of a low cost microcircuit platform that is light weight, energy efficient and highly capable in stimulating insect brain, logging sensory data and using it to model and control its neuromuscular pathway, all in real-time. The results are encouraging and opens up avenues for miniature bio-robots.
Heterotopic Ossification of the Xiphoid After Chest Compressions

This report describes the case of a 56-year-old woman with a 6-year history of severe epigastric pain after chest compressions for cardiac arrest. A comprehensive gastrointestinal workup was negative. However, an abdominal computed tomographic scan demonstrated an elongated xiphoid process. After a xiphoid trigger point injection, she experienced pain relief lasting 4 days, and thus her symptoms were attributed to xiphoidalgia secondary to heterotopic ossification after trauma. She underwent open resection of the xiphoid process. Heterotopic ossification of the xiphoid process is rare. This report documents a case of heterotopic ossification secondary to trauma from chest compressions.
Statistical Delay-Bounded QoS Provisioning Over 5G Multimedia Mobile Wireless Networks in the Finite Blocklength Regime

In order to support delay-bounded multimedia services over 5G mobile wireless networks, the statistical quality-of-service (QoS) technique has been designed to jointly guarantee statistically delay-bounded video transmissions over different time-varying wireless channels, simultaneously. In addition, with short transmission delay requirements for the multimedia data transmissions, the traditional Shannon's capacity is no longer appropriate to characterize the maximum achievable data transmission rate given the block error probability. Towards this end, the finite blocklength coding (FBC) technique has been developed for reliable delay-bounded 5G multimedia mobile wireless networks. Recent results have derived the throughput of FBC subject to statistical delay-bounded QoS constraints given the block error probability. However, it is challenging to characterize the effective capacity for multimedia data transmissions over fading channels while guaranteeing statistical delay-bounded QoS constraints in the finite blocklength regime. To effectively remedy the above-mentioned deficiencies, we propose FBC based cross-layer design while guaranteeing statistical delay-bounded QoS requirements over 5G multimedia mobile wireless networks. In particular, we establish and analyze FBC based wireless network models. Given statistical delay-bounded QoS constraints, we formulate and solve the e-effective-capacity optimization problem with FBC. Also conducted is a set of simulations which validate and evaluate our proposed FBC scheme under statistical delay-bounded QoS constraints.
Thinking Through Chrétien de Troyes

This co-written, multi-stranded book challenges assumptions about Chretien as the author of a canon of works. In a series of lively exchanges, its five authors reassess the relationship between lyric and romance, between individuality and social conditions, and between psychology and medieval philosophy. The idea of 'logical time' is used to open up such topics as adventure, memory, imagination, and textual variation. Recent research on Troyes and on the political agency of women leads to the reappraisal of subjectivity and gender. Throughout, the medieval texts associated with the name of Chretien are highlighted as sites where thought emerges; the implications of this thought are historicized and further conceptualized with the help of recent theoretical works, including those of Lacan. ZRINKA STAHULJAK, VIRGINIE GREENE, SARAH KAY, SHARON KINOSHITA and PEGGY McCRACKEN are professors at the University of California, Los Angeles, Harvard, Princeton, the University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Michigan respectively.
Inclusive Instruction for Students Receiving Special Education Services for Emotional Disturbance: A Survey Development Study:

Although the majority of students receiving special education services for emotional disturbance (ED) receive a significant amount of instruction in general education classrooms, evidence-based pra...
Hostility and hope in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: A look back at combat as compared to today

Thirty-seven male veterans with combat-related PTSD completed measures of hostile automatic thoughts, hope, and positive and negative affect. Responses to the items of each measure were presented in two formats: (a) the veteran's feelings today and (b) (on a separate form) how he felt while in combat. Veterans reported significantly higher levels of hostility and negative affect in combat as opposed to today. Contrary to predictions, high levels of both positive affect and automatic positive thoughts also were reported in combat relative to today. Hope levels varied primarily as a function of being employed rather than unemployed. The implications and limitations of this methodology and these findings for combat veterans and other groups are discussed.
Photometric and Spectral Signatures of 3D Models of Transiting Giant Exoplanets

Using a 3D GCM, we create dynamical model atmospheres of a representative transiting giant exoplanet, HD 209458b. We post-process these atmospheres with an opacity code to obtain transit radius spectra during the primary transit. Using a spectral atmosphere code, we integrate over the face of the planet seen by an observer at various orbital phases and calculate light curves as a function of wavelength and for different photometric bands. The products of this study are generic predictions for the phase variations of a zero-eccentricity giant planet's transit spectrum and of its light curves. We find that for these models the temporal variations in all quantities and the ingress/egress contrasts in the transit radii are small ($< 1.0$\%). Moreover, we determine that the day/night contrasts and phase shifts of the brightness peaks relative to the ephemeris are functions of photometric band. The $J$, $H$, and $K$ bands are shifted most, while the IRAC bands are shifted least. Therefore, we verify that the magnitude of the downwind shift in the planetary ``hot spot" due to equatorial winds is strongly wavelength-dependent. The phase and wavelength dependence of light curves, and the associated day/night contrasts, can be used to constrain the circulation regime of irradiated giant planets and to probe different pressure levels of a hot Jupiter atmosphere. We posit that though our calculations focus on models of HD 209458b similar calculations for other transiting hot Jupiters in low-eccentricity orbits should yield transit spectra and light curves of a similar character.
The influence of geographic variation in vegetation characteristics on habitat use and productivity of an endangered warbler

Abstract Understanding how geographic variation in environmental conditions influences species’ distributions and population dynamics is critical for effective management of at-risk species and can help us anticipate wildlife responses to future change. The Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia; hereafter warbler) is an endangered migratory songbird that nests in oak-juniper woodland in Texas. From 2009 to 2013, we monitored 895 warbler territories at 90 study sites located across the warbler’s breeding range to examine how geographic variation in vegetation characteristics influenced aspects of warbler habitat selection and productivity. We found range-wide variation in the tree species composition and vegetation structure of warbler habitat. Warbler territory density decreased with increasing percent Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) canopy cover at study sites predominated by shin oak (Quercus sinuata) and increased with increasing percent Ashe juniper canopy cover at study sites predominated by post oak (Q. stellata), but did not vary in relation to percent Ashe juniper cover at study sites predominated by other oak species. We also found that territory size decreased with increasing percent canopy cover (all tree species), but did not find evidence that warbler pairing success or fledging success varied in relation to the vegetation characteristics of our study sites. Our results suggest that warblers breed under a wider range of conditions than identified in current management guidelines and that warbler management guidelines could be more effective if developed and applied at local or regional scales. Our study also reiterates the importance of understanding geographic variation in wildlife-habitat relationships for conservation of at-risk species.
ES-ARCNN: Predicting enhancer strength by using data augmentation and residual convolutional neural network.

Abstract Enhancers are non-coding DNA sequences bound by proteins called transcription factors. They function as distant regulators of gene transcription and participate in the development and maintenance of cell types and tissues. Since experimental validation of enhancers is expensive and time-consuming, many computational methods have been developed to predict enhancers and their strength. However, most of these methods still lack good performance in the prediction of enhancer strength. Here, we present a method to predict Enhancers Strength (i.e., strong and weak) by using Augmented data and Residual Convolutional Neural Network (ES-ARCNN). To train ES-ARCNN, we used two data augmentation tricks (i.e., reverse complement and shift) to previously identified enhancers for enlarging a previously identified dataset of enhancers. We further employed a residual convolutional neural network and trained it using the augmented dataset. Compared with other state-of-the-art methods in the 10-fold cross-validation (CV) test, ES-ARCNN has the best performance with the accuracy of 66.17%, and the tricks of data augmentation can effectively improve the prediction performance. We further tested ES-ARCNN on an independent dataset and obtained 65.5% accuracy, which has more than 4% improvement over the other three existing methods. The results in 10CV and independent tests show that ES-ARCNN can effectively predict the enhancer strength. The transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) enrichment analysis shows that from the mechanistic perspective, enhancer strength is associated with a higher density of important TFBSs in a tissue. A user-friendly web-application is also provided at http://compgenomics.utsa.edu/ES-ARCNN/ .
Hypophosphatemia in acute liver failure of a broad range of etiologies is associated with phosphaturia without kidney damage or phosphatonin elevation

Hypophosphatemia is a common and dangerous complication of acute liver failure (ALF) of various etiologies. While various mechanisms for ALF-associated hypophosphatemia have been proposed including high phosphate uptake into regenerating hepatocytes, acetaminophen (APAP)-associated hypophosphatemia was linked to renal phosphate wasting, and APAP-induced renal tubular injury was proposed as underlying mechanism. We studied 30 normophosphatemic and 46 hypophosphatemic (serum phosphate 1.2 mg/dL) were excluded. Maximal amount of renal tubular phosphate reabsorption per filtered volume (TmP/GFR) was calculated from simultaneous serum and urine phosphate and creatinine levels to assess renal phosphate handling. Instead of enhanced renal phosphate reabsorption as would be expected during hypophosphatemia of non-renal causes, serum phosphate was positively correlated with TmP/GFR in both APAP- and non-APAP-induced ALF patients (R2 = 0.66 and 0.46, respectively; both p < 0.0001), indicating renal phosphate wasting. Surprisingly, there was no evidence of kidney damage based on urinary markers including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and cystatin C even in the APAP group. Additionally, there was no evidence that the known serum phosphatonins parathyroid hormone (PTH), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and α-Klotho contribute to the observed hypophosphatemia. We conclude that the observed hypophosphatemia with renal phosphate wasting in both APAP- and non-APAP-mediated ALF is likely the result of renal tubular phosphate leak from yet-to-be identified factor(s) with no evidence for proximal tubular damage or contribution of known phosphatonins.