cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Lead on Sibling Recognition in Young Herring Gulls

Abstract Lead exposure early in life affects physiology, behavior, and cognitive development in humans and other animals. In gulls, lead also disrupts parental recognition, leading to potential decreases in survival in wild populations. In this paper, young herring gulls, Larus argentatus, were used to examine the effect of lead on sibling recognition. Each of 80 one-day-old herring gull chicks was randomly assigned to either a control group or a lead treatment group that received a single dose of lead acetate solution (100 mg/kg) at day 2. Matched controls were injected with isotonic saline at the same age. At 10 days of age, there was no demonstrable sibling recognition in control chicks, but recognition was clearly developed by 15 days of age. Lead disrupted sibling recognition, and there still was no evidence of sibling recognition in lead-injected chicks by 26 days of age. Time to respond initially increased and then decreased with age in both control and lead-injected chicks. Control chicks that correctly reached their siblings did so in significantly less time than did lead-injected chicks, and they remained closer to their siblings at the end of the test. These experiments clearly demonstrate that lead disrupts sibling recognition in herring gull chicks, delays the time to respond and to reach their siblings, and increases the final distance chicks are from their calling siblings. In nature, lead-impaired chicks would be unable to use siblings as a cue enabling them to find their nests and might suffer higher mortality from territorial adults and chicks, as well as from cannibalistic adults.
Photoinduced partial unfolding of tubulin bound to meso-tetrakis(sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin leads to inhibition of microtubule formation in vitro

The irradiation of the complex formed by meso-tetrakis (sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (TSPP) and tubulin was investigated as well as its effects on the structure and function of the protein. We have used tubulin as a model target to investigate whether photoactive ligands docked to the protein can affect the structure and function of the protein upon exposure to visible light. We observed that laser irradiation prompts bleaching of the porphyrin which is accompanied by a sharp decrease (� 2 ns) in the average fluorescence lifetime of the protein and a change in the dichroic spectrum consistent with a decrease of helical structure. The result indicated the photoinduced partial unfolding of tubulin. We also observed that such partial conformational change inhibits the formation of microtubules in vitro. We investigated whether photosensitization of reactive oxygen species was responsible for these effects. Even upon removal of O2 the protein still undergoes conformational changes indicating that irradiation of the bound porphyrin does not require the presence of O2 to prompt conformational and functional effects opening the possibility that other mechanisms (e.g., charge transfer) are responsible for the photoinduced mechanism. AFM images of microtubules before and after irradiation of the tubulin/TSSP complex which show how irradiation of the ligand prevents the formation of organized microtubules.
Workshop Program Educational Objectives and Outcomes: How to Design a Sustainable, Systematic Process for Continuous Improvement

ABET adopted recently two new criteria for evaluating engineering programs: Criterion 2 (Program Educational Objectives) and Criterion 3 (Program Outcomes). A systematic process must be in place to assess the achievement of both the program outcomes - before students graduate - and the program educational objectives - after graduates leave the program. This process needs to be ongoing to ensure the continuous improvement of each program. The workshop addresses the design and implementation of a sustainable, systematic process for defining and assessing program educational objectives and program outcomes to satisfy ABET EC 2000 requirements. Results from the successful implementation of such a process will be presented. The workshop format will combine direct instruction, individual practice, interaction among the participants, and discussion. Participants will have an opportunity to develop their own tools and processes that suit their specific program.
Thermal Performance Measurements of a 100 Percent Polyester MLI System for the Superconducting Super Collider; Part II: Laboratory Results (300K - 8OK)

The plastic materials used in the multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets of the superconducting magnets of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) are comprised entirely of polyesters. This paper reports on tests conducted in three separate experimental blanket arrangements. The tests explore the thermal performance of two candidate blanket joint configurations each employing a variation of a stepped-butted joint nested between sewn blanket seams. The results from the joint configurations are compared to measurements made describing the thermal performance of the basic blanket materials as tested in an ideal joint configuration. Twenty foil sensors were incorporated within each test blanket to measure interstitial layer and joint layer temperatures. Heat flux and thermal gradients are reported for high and degraded insulating vacuums, and during transient and steady state conditions. In complement with this paper is an associate paper bearing the same title head but with the title extension PART I: INSTRUMENTATION AND EXPERIMENTAL PREPARATION (300K-80K).1
Applicability of targeting vegetative filter strips to abate fecal bacteria and sediment yield using SWAT

Quantifying and evaluating effects of best management practices (BMPs) on water quality is necessary to maximize the effectiveness of BMPs for minimizing pollutants. Watershedscale evaluation of effects of BMP implementation on fecal bacteria and sediment yield can be estimated using a watershed water quality model, and strategies for identifying critical areas in a watershed can be pollutant specific. The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model was used in the Upper Wakarusa watershed (950 km 2 ) in northeast Kansas to explore effectiveness of vegetative filter strip (VFS) lengths applied at the edge of fields to reduce non-point source pollution. The Upper Wakarusa watershed is a high priority total maximum daily load (TMDL) designation watershed for fecal bacteria in Kansas. This study characterizes fecal bacteria sources (human, livestock, and wildlife) and targets VFS to abate sediment and fecal bacteria pollution from the Upper Wakarusa watershed. Objectives of this study were to test the effectiveness of VFS lengths (0, 10, 15 and 20 m) for removing overland process sediment and fecal bacteria concentration, rank sub-watersheds after determining sediment and fecal bacteria contribution of each sub-watershed, and demonstrate the SWAT model’s ability to evaluate effectiveness of VFS application to abatesedimentandfecal bacteria usingtargetedand random approaches to select 10,25and 50% of the sub-watersheds. The 15-m VFS reasonably reduced fecal bacteria concentration in the watershed. The greatest difference between the target and random approaches to fecal bacteria reduction was at 50% VFS adoption; the target approach removed about 60% of fecal bacteria, and the random approach removed about 42%. For sediment yield, the greatest reduction was at 25% VFS adoption; the target approach removed about 63% of sediment yield, and the random approach removed about 33%. A targeted watershed modeling approach using SWAT was effective at reducing both fecal bacteria concentration and sediment yield.
Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus Genomic RNA Accumulation Is Regulated by Interdependent cis-Acting Elements within the Movement Protein Open Reading Frames

This study on Tomato bushy stunt virus identified and defined three previously unknown regulatory sequences involved in RNA accumulation that are located within the 3'-proximal nested movement protein genes p22 and p19. The first is a 16-nucleotide (nt) element termed III-A that is positioned at the very 3' end of p22 and is essential for RNA accumulation. Approximately 300 nt upstream of III-A resides an approximately 80-nt inhibitory element (IE) that is obstructive to replication only in the absence of a third regulatory element of approximately 30 nt (SUR-III) that is positioned immediately upstream of III-A. Inspection of the nucleotide sequences predicted that III-A and SUR-III can form looped hairpins. A comparison of different tombusviruses showed, in each case, conservation for potential base pairing between the two predicted hairpin-loops. Insertion of a spacer adjacent to the predicted hairpins had no or a minimal effect on RNA accumulation, whereas an insertion in the putative III-A loop abolished genomic RNA multiplication. We conclude that the sequences composing the predicted III-A and SUR-III hairpin-loops are crucial for optimal RNA accumulation and that the inhibitory effect of IE surfaces when the alleged interaction between SUR-III and III-A is disturbed.
UNIT: User-centric Transaction Management in Web-Database Systems

Web-database systems are nowadays an integral part of everybodys life, with applications ranging from monitoring/ trading stock portfolios, to personalized blog aggregation and news services, to personalized weather tracking services. For most of these services to be successful (and their users to be kept satisfied), two criteria need to be met: user requests must be answered in a timely fashion and using fresh data. This paper presents a framework to balance both requirements from the users perspective. Toward this, we propose a user satisfaction metric to measure the overall effectiveness of the Web-database system. We also provide a set of algorithms to dynamically optimize this metric, through query admission control and update frequency modulation. Finally, we present extensive experimental results which compare our proposed algorithms to the current state of the art and show that we outperform competitors under various workloads (generated based on real traces) and user requirements.
Near-mergers and the suspension of phonemic contrast

In 1972, Labov, Yaeger, and Steiner reported a series of “near-mergers” that have since proved to be difficult to assimilate to the standard conception of the phoneme and that challenged our current understanding of how language production is related to perception and learning (Labov, Yaeger, & Steiner, 1972). In these situations, speakers consistently reported that two classes of sounds were “the same,” yet consistently differentiated them in production. Labov (1975a) suggested that this phenomenon was the explanation for two “falsely reported mergers” in the history of English, where word classes were said to have merged and afterward separated. It appears that sound change may bring two phonemes into such close approximation that semantic contrast between them is suspended for native speakers of the dialect, without necessarily leading to merger. This article reports on further observations of near-mergers, which confirm their implications for both synchronic and diachronic issues, and presents the results of experiments that show how phonemic contrast is suspended for an entire community.
A Study of Statistical Aspects of the Love Canal Environmental Monitoring Study

Abstract A major study released in May 1982 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, concluded that a residential area surrounding the Love Canal chemical waste dump site exhibited no clear evidence of Canal-related contamination. Considering EPA study design and statistical methods used in data interpretation, we have reservations regarding the conclusions drawn from the study by the EPA and others. Our reservations focus mainly on the high likelihood of achieving only low power for detecting differences in chemical prevalence between the three sampling areas identified in the study. It is our conclusion that no decision can be reached concerning habitability of this area until a more comprehensive study is completed.
Feeding practices and nutrition recommendations for infants with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized clinically by recurrent respiratory tract infections and malabsorption caused by pancreatic insufficiency. Typically diagnosed during infancy or childhood, CF impairs weight gain and growth, increases susceptibility to infection, and decreases longevity. Until recently, no guidelines for infant feedings were available. A consensus report prepared through the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation summarizes guidelines for the optimal nutrition management of patients with CF. This study identified current feeding practices and nutrition recommendations of dietitians who treat infants with CF and compared them with the recommendations of the consensus report. A survey was developed and sent to dietitians (n = 130) who work in accredited cystic fibrosis centers. Eighty-six dietitians (66%) responded after two mailings, and 75 usable surveys were analyzed. The survey investigated practitioners' recommendations for infant formulas, energy intake, nutritional supplements, and pancreatic enzyme supplementation. Protein hydrolysate infant formulas were recommended by most respondents (69%). Energy intake greater than 130% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) was recommended for well-nourished infants with CF and greater than 140% of the RDAs for malnourished infants with CF at 1 year of age. Formula additives, including fat and carbohydrate modules, were used by all respondents and were frequently added to infant foods to increase caloric density. Enteric coated pancreatic enzymes were used by the majority (76%) of dietitians. These findings indicate that most dietitians follow the nutrition guidelines established by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation consensus report for goals for energy and protein intake, use of nutritional supplements, and replacement of pancreatic enzymes in infants with CF.
Structuring ordered nominal data for event sequence discovery

This work investigates using n-gram processing and a temporal relation encoding to providing relational information about events extracted from media streams. The event information is temporal and nominal in nature being categorized by a descriptive label or symbolic means and can be difficult to relationally compare and give ranking metrics. Given a parsed sequence of events, relational information pertinent to comparison between events can be obtained through the application of n-grams techniques borrowed from speech processing and temporal relation logic. The procedure is discussed along with results computed using a representative data set characterized by nominal event data.
A New Communication Framework for Networked Mobile Games

This paper introduces a two-layer UDP datagram-based communication framework for developing networked mobile games. The framework consists of a physical layer and a data-link layer with a unified interface as a network communication mechanism. A standalone two-player mobile game, such as a chess game and the like, can be easily plugged on to the communication framework to become a corresponding networked mobile game.
Evolution and resolution: Birthmothers' experience of grief and loss at different levels of adoption openness

This article explores birthmothers' experiences of grief and loss over time across the continuum of openness in adoption. Data were collected by structured interview at two points in time: 4—12 years postplacement (169 birthmothers) and 12—20 years postplacement (127 birthmothers). At Wave 1 a majority of the birthmothers were experiencing moderate to high degrees of grief. However, by Wave 2 a similar majority reported feeling some or no feelings of grief. Birthmothers in fully disclosed adoptions tended to have lower levels of grief than those in confidential adoptions at Wave 2. Overall, the results suggest that the “right amount” of openness for a birthmother may change over the life course. Implications for practice are discussed.
Crosslinkable liquid crystalline copolymers with variable isotropization temperature

Main-chain liquid crystalline polymers were synthesized from diene mesogens using acyclic diene metathesis polymerization to control the thermal properties of an unsaturated polymer that may subsequently be crosslinked to form nematic networks. The mesogen homopolymer forms a nematic phase with a glass transition of 74 °C and an isotropization temperature of 189 °C. Copolymerizing the mesogenic monomer with a more flexible, nonmesogenic monomer lowered the temperatures of the glass and isotropization (clearing) transitions and decreased the latent heat of the clearing transition. The unsaturated backbone of the polymers may be crosslinked using a free-radical initiator, and this was demonstrated for a selected composition. The early stages of the crosslinking reaction were found to obey a first-order rate law, with rate constants that depended on temperature in an Arrhenius manner (Ea = 118.9 kJ mol−1). Measurement of the shear storage and loss moduli using a rotational rheometer during crosslinking showed that free-radical crosslinking can be used to prepare a liquid crystalline network with a subambient glass transition temperature.
A computational approach for identifying pseudogenes in the ENCODE regions

Background Pseudogenes are inheritable genetic elements showing sequence similarity to functional genes but with deleterious mutations. We describe a computational pipeline for identifying them, which in contrast to previous work explicitly uses intron-exon structure in parent genes to classify pseudogenes. We require alignments between duplicated pseudogenes and their parents to span intron-exon junctions, and this can be used to distinguish between true duplicated and processed pseudogenes (with insertions).
Convection beneath young oceanic lithosphere: Implications for thermal structure and gravity

Small-scale convection under the oceanic lithosphere which begins in the first 5 m.y. of cooling can produce a gravity signal with the amplitude and wavelength observed for large areas of the central Pacific and southern Indian oceans using Seasat altimeter data. The trend of the observed anomalies is parallel to the direction of plate motion as might be expected if they were produced by small-scale convection. Models predict that the wavelengths of gravity anomalies increase more rapidly with age than is observed. The persistence of short relatively uniform wavelength anomalies (less than 200 km) to crustal ages of 50 Ma may indicate that they were produced when the lithosphere was very young and thin and were 'frozen in' as cooling thickened the elastic lithosphere. Small-scale convection which begins under very young lithosphere does not violate other geophysical data such as the rate of seafloor subsidence and variations of geoid height with age. After convection has begun, the subsidence due to thermal contraction within the lithosphere varies linearly with age, in the absence of mantle heat sources, although the rate of change of these quantities is affected by convection. Much of the variation of the geoid height across fracture zones can be fit by a model which includes small-scale convection.
Risk-based cost modelling of oral rabies vaccine interventions for raccoon rabies.

Summary Distribution of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) is an effective but costly strategy to control raccoon rabies. Because of high costs, ORV for raccoon rabies in the U.S. has been limited primarily to epizootic areas, leaving extensive raccoon rabies regions without any ORV intervention. Several cost scenarios for ORV application in raccoon rabies enzootic and epizootic regions were modelled in New York State to obtain estimated costs of ORV baits per scenario and potential savings compared with a uniform ORV baiting strategy. These cost scenarios modelled at the census tract, level the application of ORV baits at different densities according to levels of risk defined by the observed number of raccoon rabies cases per km2 and the expected number of cases per km2 estimated with a Poisson regression model. Bait purchase costs were lower using the modelled cost scenarios than a uniform baiting strategy, for both the NYS enzootic region and the Long Island epizootic zone. The proportion of savings for the NYS enzootic region was 29.57%, and the proportion of savings for the Long Island epizootic zone was 38.9%. Use of these cost scenarios to determine bait distribution by rabies risk level should be considered to maximize efficacy and reduce costs of ORV interventions.
Biotinidase deficiency should be considered in individuals exhibiting myelopathy with or without and vision loss

Multiple symptomatic children with biotinidase deficiency have exhibited spastic para- or tetraplegia due to myelopathy with and without vision loss. Although this has been a feature of what has been designated as delayed onset-biotinidase deficiency, myelopathy is likely also on the continuum of clinical features seen in younger children who have had these features attributed to dysfunction of the upper brain rather than of the spinal cord. Because many countries are still not screening their newborns for biotinidase deficiency, the disorder should be included in the differential diagnosis of individuals with myelopathic symptoms. Many of these children have gone weeks to months before they were correctly diagnosed with biotinidase deficiency. Rapid recognition that a child with myelopathy with and without vision loss has biotinidase deficiency will undoubtedly facilitate prompt treatment, increase the possibility of complete recovery and avoid potential residual permanent neurological damage. Newborn screening for biotinidase deficiency would avoid the delay in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals who otherwise may present with myelopathic or other neurological symptoms.
Variation in U.S. Fertility: Low and Not so Low, but Not Lowest-Low

Unlike most other developed countries, the United States has not experienced sustained periods with fertility well below the replacement level. Thus, government policy is not directed toward increasing or decreasing overall levels of fertility. There is substantial fertility variation in the United States, however, by state/region, level of religiosity, level of education, and race/ethnicity. No group has “lowest-low” fertility (i.e., a total fertility rate (TFR) of less than 1.3 children per woman), but sub-groups do have rates as low as Europe as a whole (i.e., 1.6 for EU-27 in 2008). We describe the intermediate variables (the demographic regime) producing both the level and variation in U.S. fertility. Further, we locate the causes of these intermediate variables in the social structures that define them and determine their strength and variation. The cumulative U.S. evidence suggests that lowest-low fertility is not an inevitable feature of economically advanced societies and demonstrates that the general frameworks we propose are useful for understanding levels and variation in low fertility.
Transportation Issues: Perspectives of Orientation and Mobility Providers:

IntroductionThis is an exploratory study of orientation and mobility (O&M) providers’ perceptions of transportation issues for persons who are blind or have low vision. Transportation challenges, p...
Prediction Models for Mortality of Immature Stable Flies Caused by Cold Temperatures

Experimentally determined cold tolerances of eggs, larvae, and pupae of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), exposed to constant cold temperatures are reported. These data were used to develop predictive models for relating mortality of these immature stages of the fly to cold exposure levels defined by different combinations of exposure times and temperatures.
Nanoscale Structure–Activity Relationships, Mode of Action, and Biocompatibility of Gold Nanoparticle Antibiotics

The emergence of resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents by pathogenic bacteria has become a significant global public health threat. Multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria have become particularly problematic, as no new classes of small-molecule antibiotics for Gram-negative bacteria have emerged in over two decades. We have developed a combinatorial screening process for identifying mixed ligand monolayer/gold nanoparticle conjugates (2.4 nm diameter) with antibiotic activity. The method previously led to the discovery of several conjugates with potent activity against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. Here we show that these conjugates are also active against MDR E. coli and MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae. Moreover, we have shown that resistance to these nanoparticles develops significantly more slowly than to a commercial small-molecule drug. These results, combined with their relatively low toxicity to mammalian cells and biocompatibility in vivo, suggest that gold nanoparticles...
Microstructure and hydrogen bonding in water-acetonitrile mixtures.

The connection of hydrogen bonding between water and acetonitrile in determining the microheterogeneity of the liquid mixture is examined using NPT molecular dynamics simulations. Mixtures for six, rigid, three-site models for acetonitrile and one water model (SPC/E) were simulated to determine the amount of water−acetonitrile hydrogen bonding. Only one of the six acetonitrile models (TraPPE-UA) was able to reproduce both the liquid density and the expermental estimates of hydrogen bonding derived from Raman scattering of the CN stretch band or from NMR quadrupole relaxation measurements. A simple modification of the acetonitrile model parameters for the models that provided poor estimates produced hydrogen-bonding results consistent with experiments for two of the models. Of these, only one of the modified models also accurately determined the density of the mixtures. The self-diffusion coefficient of liquid acetonitrile provided a final winnowing of the modified model and the successful, unmodified mode...
Effects of Missing Data Methods in SEM Under Conditions of Incomplete and Nonnormal Data

ABSTRACTUsing Monte Carlo simulations, this research examined the performance of four missing data methods in SEM under different multivariate distributional conditions. The effects of four independent variables (sample size, missing proportion, distribution shape, and factor loading magnitude) were investigated on six outcome variables: convergence rate, parameter estimate bias, MSE of parameter estimates, standard error coverage, model rejection rate, and model goodness of fit—RMSEA. A three-factor CFA model was used. Findings indicated that FIML outperformed the other methods in MCAR, and MI should be used to increase the plausibility of MAR. SRPI was not comparable to the other three methods in either MCAR or MAR.
Formal and Informal Justice and Punishment: Urban Law and Rural Mediation Rituals in Yemen

For this article, the authors used ethnographic and interview data collected in 2008 to examine restorative justice rituals performed in Yemen. Interviewees explain that, in rural Yemen, police officers defer to local sheikhs to maintain peace in this region. At the same time, these sheikhs sometimes work with government officials to ensure the early release of prisoners who undergo restorative justice mediation rituals. The authors argue that this produced a hybrid model of rural and state justice in which state agents, such as the police, defer to indigenous, customary law to restore order and justice. This allows those living in rural Yemen to choose the conditions under which justice is meted out. The work advances Braithwaite’s theory of restorative justice by focusing on an understudied aspect of restorative justice, which is the tension and cooperation between formal and informal systems.
Shaping the North Star State: A History of Minnesota's Boundaries

Review of: "Shaping the North Star State: A History of Minnesota's Boundaries," by William E. Lass.
Energy-saving Analysis of a CFB boiler with the Waste Heat Recovered from the Exhaust Gases

Presented was a CFB boiler system( referred to as RGCFB for short) for recovering the low temperature flue gas waste heat by utilizing a separation type heat pipe air preheater and established was a model for calculating the flue gas and air resistance,fan power consumption rate and net efficiency. On the basis of the operating parameters of No. 1 CFB boiler in Jingyu power plant,a contrast and analysis were performed of the thermal efficiency and net efficiency of the CFB and RGCFB boiler under four operating conditions. The research results show that the thermal efficiency of the RGCFB boiler is 1. 28 to 2. 23 percentagepoints higher than that of the CFB boiler and the net efficiency is 0. 51 to 1. 18 percentage points higher than that of the CFB boiler. Finally,the factors influencing the net efficiency of the RGCFB boiler were analyzed and the fact that to use the net efficiency as an index for evaluating the operation of a boiler can effectively guide the economic operation of the boiler was pointed out.
Fracking the Sacred: Resolving the Tension between Unconventional Oil and Gas Development and Tribal Cultural Resources

Unconventional oil and gas development and the infrastructure it requires are surging in the United States, despite the inconsistent market for fossil fuels. The relative strength of the United States’ unconventional oil and gas reserves is enormous; this nation is home to the second largest reserves of “tight oil” in the world and the fourth largest shale gas reserves, both of which are slated for extensive further development. Although federal and tribal lands make up a relatively small percentage of the total oil and gas producing lands in the country, that percentage becomes significant when analyzed against the other values Congress has designated for these lands. One competing value is the trove of cultural resources of indigenous Americans. These cultural resources are virtually everywhere; they do not observe political or jurisdictional boundaries, and they are continually threatened by unconventional oil and gas operations. The recent controversy over the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and the threat it poses to the cultural resources of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe illustrates this tension all too well. And that is but one example. This article will focus on DAPL and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s sacred sites along the Missouri River, along with three other prominent areas where unconventional oil and gas development threatens cultural resources: the greater Chaco Canyon region in northwestern New Mexico and southern Utah, the Bears Ears region of southeastern Utah, and the Blackfeet Reservation in western Montana. All are located above large oil and gas reserves proposed for hydraulic fracturing or tar sands development., or along the transport route to move crude oil to a refining location. Despite tribal objections to the siting of the unconventional oil and gas developments in these areas of great cultural value, federal law does little to protect tribal values. The reason for this is a combination of international and domestic demand for the oil and gas reserves, and highly discretionary federal and tribal mineral leasing and cultural protection laws. This Article will begin by defining unconventional oil and gas development and explain the various extraction techniques and processes. Then it will highlight three examples of cultural resources on federal and tribal lands in the United States facing threats from existing or proposed unconventional oil and gas development. Following this discussion, the Article will explain relevant laws governing oil and gas exploration on federal public lands, including the newly promulgated BLM fracking rule, and on tribal lands. Then, the various laws related to cultural resource protection in the United States will be discussed, with a focus on the intersection between unconventional mineral development and protection of cultural resources in particular. Part V will conclude with some recommendations for reconciling the statutory disconnect.
Sample + Seek: Approximating Aggregates with Distribution Precision Guarantee

Data volumes are growing exponentially for our decision-support systems making it challenging to ensure interactive response time for ad-hoc queries without increasing cost of hardware. Aggregation queries with Group By that produce an aggregate value for every combination of values in the grouping columns are the most important class of ad-hoc queries. As small errors are usually tolerable for such queries, approximate query processing (AQP) has the potential to answer them over very large datasets much faster. In many cases analysts require the distribution of (group, aggvalue) pairs in the estimated answer to be guaranteed within a certain error threshold of the exact distribution. Existing AQP techniques are inadequate for two main reasons. First, users cannot express such guarantees. Second, sampling techniques used in traditional AQP can produce arbitrarily large errors even for summ queries. To address those limitations, we first introduce a new precision metric, called distribution precision, to express such error guarantees. We then study how to provide fast approximate answers to aggregation queries with distribution precision guaranteed within a user-specified error bound. The main challenges are to provide rigorous error guarantees and to handle arbitrary highly selective predicates without maintaining large-sized samples. We propose a novel sampling scheme called measure-biased sampling to address the former challenge. For the latter, we propose two new indexes to augment in-memory samples. Like other sampling-based AQP techniques, our solution supports any aggregate that can be estimated from random samples. In addition to deriving theoretical guarantees, we conduct experimental study to compare our system with state-of-the-art AQP techniques and a commercial column-store database system on both synthetic and real enterprise datasets. Our system provides a median speed-up of more than 100x with around 5% distribution error compared with the commercial database.
Linear Differential Equations of Order n

In this chapter we are concerned with the nth-order linear differential equation $$y^{(n)} + p_{n-1} (t)_y^{(n-1)} + \cdots + p_0 (t)y = h(t),$$ where we assume pi : I → \(\mathbb {R} \) is continuous for 0 ≤ i ≤ n-1, and h : I → \(\mathbb {R} \) is continuous, where I is a subinterval of \(\mathbb {R} \).
Getting the Most out of 18F-FDG PET Scans: The Predictive Value of 18F-FDG PET-Derived Blood Flow Estimates for Breast Cancer.

1667 Objectives The need for serological biomarkers to identify vulnerable patients with active atherosclerosis is increasingly emphasized. Autoantibodies against MYC-associated zinc finger protein (MAZI) have recently been identified in patients with acute myocardial infarction. In this study, we assessed the utility of anti-MAZI antibodies for identifying atherosclerosis in terms of calcified plaque burden and plaque inflammation as determined by 18F-FDG PET/CT. Methods One hundred patients (57 women, 43 men; mean age±SD, 47.6±13.1 y; range, 15.7±65.0 y) undergoing 18F-FDG PET/CT for non-cardiovascular indications were prospectively enrolled. Blood samples were taken at the time of PET/CT to identify anti-MAZI antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical risk factors were recorded. FDG uptake in various arterial segments was analyzed by measuring blood-pool-corrected standardized uptake values (target-to-background ratio, TBR), and compared with calcified plaque burden. Results Focal arterial uptake of 18F-FDG was seen at 1623 sites in 100% of patients. Calcified atherosclerotic lesions were detected at 4141 sites in 65.0% of patients. Significant anti-MAZI antibody titers were observed in 24% of patients. The presence of anti-MAZI antibodies was significantly associated with a history of prior myocardial infarction (n=5, p=0.01). The extent of atherosclerosis as determined by CT was significantly higher in patients with positive anti-MAZI antibodies, i.e. calcified plaque burden (p=0.03) and maximum diameter of calcified plaques (p=0.01) were more frequently found. Compared to the rest of the study population, PET-based inflammatory activity of plaque, i.e. number of arterial uptake foci and TBR (p>0.05), was not significantly higher in patients with positive anti-MAZI antibodies. Conclusions Anti-MAZI antibodies are significantly more frequent in patients with a history of myocardial infarction. While anti-MAZI antibodies are not associated with PET-derived inflammatory activity of plaque, they may be linked to calcified, more advanced stages of atherosclerotic disease. $$graphic_011348B8-6541-4E2C-A023-419B4C1686CD$$
Acute Radiation Response of Mice from a Cross between Radiosensitive and Radioresistant Strains.

The acute lethal response to whole body x irradiation of F/sub 1/, F/sub 2/, and F/sub 3/ generations from parent strains BALB/c and C57BL/6 is shown to manifest both nonadditive and additive genetic effects. The variance of sensitivity, measured by the dosage-mortality slope, is additive. The LD/sub 50// sub 30/ dose is nonadditive. It is suggested that the nonadditive component may be primarily a heterotic expression. No maternal influence or sex linkage is detected in the acute response. Radiosensitivity is associated with the albino gene, although the data do not permit discrimination between pleiotropism or linkage as the basis of this association. In the F/sub 2/, the genetic component of variance (heritability) accounts for about 55 percent of the variation in radiation sensitivity. (auth)
Machine Learning: An Applied Econometric Approach

Abstract Machines are increasingly doing “intelligent” things. Face recognition algorithms use a large dataset of photos labeled as having a face or not to estimate a function that predicts the pre...
An iBeacon Training App for Indoor Fingerprinting

Indoor positioning systems have become widely available due to the increased number of wireless technologies available today. A type of wireless device that has become very popular in the past years has been the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon. This compact, battery-powered device can enable location-based and proximity services across in-door spaces. Several indoor positioning techniques have been explored to achieve indoor localization using these wireless devices. One of these techniques is the fingerprinting technique, which requires careful collection of training data at known locations. We developed an app to facilitate and expedite the process of collecting training data with iOS devices. The training data is collected by our app and saved in the cloud for future retrieval. We collected training data from different floor maps, performed initial analysis on this data, and tested a fingerprinting algorithm in order to provide indoor localization. We developed several tools to evaluate and visualize the training data and tested our indoor localization algorithm in a real-time scenario.
Characterization of Thermal and Optical Properties of Polymers by Thermal Lensing Technique

When a light beam passes through a material, some of the absorbed light energy may be converted into heat, generating a time dependent temperature gradient. Increase in temperature causes a change in the index of refraction. Hence, a transient thermal lens is formed in the volume element absorbing the radiation. The temperature rise is typically of the order of 10-2°C within a volume element of less than 10-3 cm3. Several physical and chemical properties of materials such as thermal diffusivity, optical absorption coefficient, multiphoton crossections quantum yield of photoprocesses etc... may be determined by monitoring the time dependence of the amplitude of the thermal lens. This technique is fast, precise and contactless.
Managing hazards in place: The risks of residual risks

Abstract Managing hazards in place (MHP) is a policy instrument in environmental health that allows less than complete removal, abatement, or remediation of environmental hazards. The practice of minimizing exposure to hazards rather than removing them is widely recognized as part of the toolbox of environmental protection for human and ecosystem health. The concept of managing hazards in place is embedded in several environmental statutes and regulations in the US notably the waste management regulations, as well as in the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act. While this commentary focuses largely on applications of MHP in the US, this policy is also utilized by agencies in many other countries for managing hazardous waste sites, lead in housing and drinking water systems, and environmental contamination of rivers and estuaries. The rationale for this concept is not difficult to understand: MHP policies can reduce the costs of meeting environmental goals; it can provide opportunities for access to resources that have been contaminated by past actions such as waste disposal, and it can enhance land and property values as well as tax revenues all of which are important to home owners and communities. The concerns related to this concept are also not difficult to understand: an incompletely abated or contained hazard may present future exposure risks to humans and environmental biota. Further, the compromise implicit in MHP is the assurance of indefinite oversight and monitoring to detect any releases. To that extent, MHP involves both sociology as well as toxicology and the exposure sciences. Because of the prevalence of managing hazards in place, this commentary suggests that evaluation of its performance is needed.
Polycomb Responds to Low Levels of Transcription

How is Polycomb (Pc), a eukaryotic negative regulator of transcription, targeted to specific mammalian genes? Our genome-wide analysis of the Pc mark H3K27me3 in murine cells revealed that Pc is preferentially associated with CpG island promoters of genes that are transcribed at a low level and less so with promoters of genes that are either silent or more highly expressed. Studies of the CpG island promoter of the Kit gene demonstrate that Pc is largely absent when the gene is silent in myeloid cells, as well as when the gene is highly expressed in mast cells. Manipulations that increase transcription in the former case, and reduce it in the latter, increase Pc occupancy. The average negative effect of Pc, we infer, is about 2-fold. We suggest possible biological roles for such negative effects and propose a mechanism by which Pc might be recruited to weakly transcribed genes.
Predictive modelling of 2-year potency outcomes using a novel 90-day erection fullness scale after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE To introduce a patient-reported erection fullness scale (%fullness) after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) as a qualitative adjunct to the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and as a 90-day predictor of 2-year potency outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS Prospective data were collected from 540 men with preoperative IIEF-5 scores of 22-25 who underwent RARP by a single surgeon, and of whom 299 had complete data at all time points up to 2 years. In addition to standard assessment tools (IIEF-5 and erections sufficient for intercourse [ESI]), the men were asked to 'indicate the fullness you are able to achieve in erections compared to before surgery?' (range: 0-100%). The primary outcome was prediction of potency (defined as ESI) at 24 months, based on 90-day %fullness tertile (0-24%, 25-74% and 75-100%). RESULTS A total of 299 men with complete follow-up were included in the study. Significant predictors of 24-month potency included age, body mass index, pathological stage, nerve-sparing status and %fullness tertiles. When the men (preoperative IIEF-5 score 22-25) were assessed at 90 days after RARP, 181/299 (61%) had erections inadequate for intercourse. If IIEF-5 scores of 1-6 were used, 142/181 men (78%) would be targeted for early intervention. By contrast, if 0-24% fullness was used, 88/181 men (49%) would be targeted. If both the IIEF-5 score and %fullness were used, this would be reduced to 77/181 men (43%). CONCLUSIONS We introduce %fullness as a qualitative adjunct to the IIEF-5 score, and separately as a 90-day predictor of 2-year potency recovery. This initial report is hypothesis-generating, such that the use of %fullness enables the identification of men who are most likely to benefit from early, secondary intervention.
Treatment of Radiation or Cyclophosphamide Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis using Conjugated Estrogen

Five patients with severe hemorrhagic cystitis induced by radiation and/or cyclophosphamide were systematically treated with conjugated estrogen. Two patients received conjugated estrogen twice each day (1 mg. per kg.) intravenously, followed on day 3 and thereafter by 5 mg. per day orally. Hematuria decreased markedly 6 to 8 hours after the initial dose and urine color became light yellow within 1 to 3 days. The other 3 patients received 5 mg. conjugated estrogen per day orally and urine color became clear within 4 to 7 days. Hematuria did not recur during 12 to 22 months in 4 patients who received daily conjugated estrogen (1.25 mg.). However, transient episodes of mild hematuria persisted in 1 patient during the 3-month followup despite a higher dose of conjugated estrogen (10 mg. per day). Complications, including thromboembolism and other side effects associated with conjugated estrogen, were not observed in these patients. We postulate that conjugated estrogen controls hematuria in hemorrhagic cystitis by decreasing the fragility of the mucosal microvasculature of the bladder.
Odd-Odd Intermolecular Bicentric Reactions. Potential Energy Surfaces for Geometric Isomerization and Radical Combination

In this chapter, we shall discuss the reaction of neutral odd electron molecular species such as organic radicals to form a covalent or an ionic bond. However, before we embark on this mission, we shall briefly discuss as an example how bond formation occurs within a molecule.
A pilot study of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) after surgery for stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Standard therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer with chemotherapy and conventional radiation has suboptimal outcomes. We hypothesized that a combination of surgery followed by stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) would be a safe alternative. Patients with stage IIIA (multistation N2) or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer were enrolled from March 2013 to December 2015. The protocol included transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy (TEMLA) followed by surgical resection, 10 Gy SBRT directed to the involved mediastinum/hilar stations and/or positive surgical margins, and adjuvant systemic therapy. Patients not suitable for anatomic lung resection were treated with 30 Gy to the primary tumor. The primary efficacy end-point was the proportion of patients with grade 3 or higher adverse events (AE) or toxicities. Of 10 patients, 7 patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All patients had TEMLA. Nine of 10 patients underwent surgical resection. The remaining patient had an unresectable tumor and received 30 Gy SBRT to the primary lesion. All patients had post-operative SBRT. Median follow-up was 18 months. There were no perioperative mortalities. Six patients had any grade 3 AEs with no grade 4–5 AEs. Of these, 4 were not attributable to radiation. Pulmonary-related grade 3 AEs were experienced by 2 patients. There were no failures within the 10 Gy volume. Overall survival and progression-free survival rates at 2 years were 68% (90% CI 36–86) and 40% (90% CI 16–63), respectively. In carefully selected patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, combining surgery with SBRT was well tolerated with no local failure. ClinicalTrials.gov identifying number NCT01781741 . Registered February 1, 2013.
Drowning in Viruses.

The virome is increasingly recognized as a key part of individual cells (as endogenous retroviruses or persistent infection) and multicellular organisms (as either pathogens or commensals) and, as shown by Gregory et al. (2019), as diverse components of ocean ecosystems.