cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethical Challenges Encountered in Genomic Research

Scientists tell us that the human genome is essentially the same in all people and that genetic differences make up about one tenth of a percent of our DNA.1 Nevertheless, those genetic differences can have a profound impact on health problems encountered by individuals, some of which may be successfully alleviated whereas others continue to elude satisfactory treatment. One could make a similar observation about the ethical problems and dilemmas encountered in genomic research, because although studies of human genomic variation may fundamentally be similar, differences in how studies are carried out can give rise to complex or unique ethical issues, including ones that defy easy resolution. In this article, I present an overview of the basic and some of the specific ethical questions presented by genomic research with a focus on challenges to maintaining privacy and confidentiality in genome-wide association (GWA) studies and sequencing studies. This narrowing of the issues should not be taken as an indication that these are the only challenges that arise in such research. Other issues, such as when and how results of genetic analysis should be reported back to individuals, are certainly worthy of attention but beyond the scope of this article. In keeping with this focus, I discuss some of the practices used by researchers for collecting, maintaining, and publishing genomic data and conclude that one radical approach (used by the highly publicized Personal Genome Project [PGP]) should be viewed as a social experiment rather than a model of best practices to be adopted by other projects. Although scientists have recognized genomics as a special field of study for decades,2 it is only recently that technological advances have made possible the rapid and cost-effective sequencing of whole human genomes. This achievement along with advances in computational capacity has paved the way …
T-DNA of pTi-15955 from Agrobacterium tumefaciens is transcribed into a minimum of seven polyadenylated RNAs in a sunflower crown gall tumor

Abstract Northern blot hybridization analysis of polysomal polyadenylated RNA isolated from sunflower crown gall tumor PSCG-15955 demonstrated that a minimum of seven RNAs were transcribed from T-DNA of pTi-15955 from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The sizes of the T-DNA transcripts were 1.8, 1.6, 1.5, 1.1, 1.0 kilo bases (kb) and two transcripts of 0.8 kb long. The relative abundance of these polyadenylated RNAs varied greatly, the 1.0 kb RNA being the most abundant and the 1.6 kb RNA being the least abundant. Assignment of map locations of the seven polyadenylated RNAs indicated that the conserved region of T-DNA which may play a central role in tumorigenesis contained four RNAs of 1.8, 1.1, 0.8(a) and a portion of 0.8(b) kb long.
Community Gardening: A Parsimonious Path to Individual, Community, and Environmental Resilience

The goal of this paper is to introduce community gardening as a promising method of furthering well-being and resilience on multiple levels: individual, social group, and natural environment. We examine empirical evidence for the benefits of gardening, and we advocate the development and testing of social ecological models of community resilience through examination of the impact of community gardens, especially in urban areas. The definition of community is extended beyond human social ties to include connections with other species and the earth itself, what Berry (1988) has called an Earth community. We discuss the potential contribution of an extensive network of community gardens to easing the global climate change crisis and address the role of community psychologists in community gardening research and policy-oriented action.
Update on end-of-life care training during nephrology fellowship: A cross-sectional national survey of fellows

Background Patients with end-stage renal disease have high mortality and symptom burden. Past studies demonstrated that nephrologists do not feel prepared to care for their patients at the end of life. We sought to characterize current palliative and end-of-life care education received during nephrology fellowship and compare this with data from 2003. Study Design Cross-sectional online survey of second-year nephrology trainees. Responses were compared to a similar survey in 2003. Setting & Participants 104 US nephrology fellowship programs in 2013. Measurements Quality of training in and attitudes toward end-of-life care and knowledge and preparedness to provide nephrology-specific end-of-life care. Results Of 204 fellows included for analysis (response rate, 65%), significantly more thought it was moderately to very important to learn to provide care at end of life in 2013 compared to 2003 (95% vs 54%; P P =0.05). To an open-ended question asking what would most improve fellows' end-of-life care education, the most common response was a required palliative medicine rotation during fellowship. Limitations Assessments were based on fellows' subjective perceptions. Conclusions Nephrology fellows increasingly believe they should learn to provide end-of-life care during fellowship. However, perceptions about the quality of this teaching have not improved during the past decade. Palliative care training should be integrated into nephrology fellowship curricula.
Non-repeatable flutter of magnetic recording disks

The non-repeatable disk flutter in a magnetic recording disk drive is investigated using laser Doppler interferometry. The transverse non-repeatable motion at the outside and the inside of a 350 mm (14") disk is measured, and the amplitude distribution of the true disk deformation is obtained. Results are then presented for a helium environment, in which flutter is substantially reduced. In addition, the peak statistics of the flutter are studied, and it is shown that they follow a Rayleigh distribution instead of a Gaussian distribution. Finally, the frequency content of the flutter is presented.
Collaboration among sponge species increases sponge diversity and abundance in a seagrass meadow

Caribbean sponge species typical of coral reefs are generally inhibited from liv- ing in seagrass meadows by their vulnerability to predation by the large starfish Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus 1758). Although readily consumed by Oreaster, the conspicuous coral reef sponge species Lissodendoryx colombiensis Zea & van Soest, 1986 has expanded its habitat distribution to include a seagrass (Thalas- sia testudinum Banks ex Konig, 1805) meadow in Belize, where individuals grow to volumes of nearly 7 l. By simple observation, L. colombiensis appears to be an inferior competitor in this system, because portions of many individu- als are overgrown by seagrass sponge species. However, experimentally cluster- ing seagrass sponges around L. colombiensis individuals deterred starfish from feeding on them, suggesting an advantage to being overgrown. Sizes of individ- ual L. colombiensis can fluctuate widely over short time intervals, reflecting both a relatively fast growth rate and the high rate at which starfish consume this species. At the population level these fluctuations are not evident, as losses of L. colombiensis due to Oreaster are balanced by a combination of efficient recruitment, rapid regeneration and growth, and protection of portions of many individuals by the overgrowth of seagrass sponge species that are unpal- atable to Oreaster. In turn, the seagrass sponges acquire stable perches on L. co- lombiensis individuals in this sediment-dominated habitat. Community ecology theory relating to diversity patterns in sessile organisms has focused on compe- tition between space-requiring neighbors as the underlying process that inevita- bly decreases diversity unless curtailed. Sponges, with their propensity for engaging in beneficial interactions with neighbors, demand expansion of the theory to acknowledge how collaboration can increase abundance and species diversity within a community.
Inclusive jet spectra in 2.76 TeV collisions from ALICE

Abstract Measurements of high- p T particle production in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC have shown that medium-induced energy loss affects the partons produced in the early stage of a heavy-ion collision. The increased initial production cross section for partons at LHC energies makes fully reconstructed jets available in a wide kinematic range, which allows for a more differential investigation of parton energy loss. Partonic energy loss allows us to access key observables of the hot deconfined nuclear matter produced in heavy-ion collisions. The inclusive cross-section of reconstructed jets using the ALICE tracking detectors and electromagnetic calorimeter is presented from data collected during the 2.76 TeV pp runs. The procedures used to reconstruct jets and extract them from a fluctuating background in Pb–Pb collisions are discussed.
#35-S perceptions of and responses to racism among black women

Abstract PURPOSE: To describe the perceptions of and responses to racism among working Black women in the Uterine Fibroid Study. METHODS: A set of psychometrically-tested questions that make up the Telephone-Administered Perceived Racism Scale (TPRS) was administered to 476 randomly selected members of an urban HMO. RESULTS: The vast majority of respondents reported personal experiences of racial discrimination as well as discrimination toward Blacks as a group. For example, 93% “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that Blacks are followed or watched while shopping because of their race, and 68% reported personally experiencing this discrimination. A high proportion also reported concern for their children because of their race (e.g., 86% were “moderately concerned” or “very concerned” about possible police harassment). Higher levels of perceived racism were not associated with income or education. Strong emotional responses to racism were often reported, and though more respondents reported experiencing very strong active emotions including anger (41%), a substantial group (16%) reported experiencing very strong passive emotions such as powerlessness. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high prevalence of perceived racism, research on racial disparities in health should consider the role that racism as a chronic stressor might play as a risk factor for adverse health outcomes.
Three-Dimensional Geometry of Nanometer-Scale AlN Pits: A New Template for Quantum Dots?†

The exact 3D geometry of nanometer-scale AlN pits is determined by Z-contrast imaging. The figure shows the 3D geometry of an AlN nano-pit and its corresponding GaN quantum dot. An atomic-resolution Z-contrast image is displayed in false color to clearly show the Z-contrast of the image, while the other panel displays a schematic 3D view.
Low energy trajectories and chaos: applications to astrodynamics and dynamical astronomy.

: In recent years the application of methods of chaos theory to astrodynamics has produced new revolutionary types of low energy trajectories in space with important applications. They have uncovered new routes to the Moon demonstrated by various spacecraft—the Japan Hiten in 1991 and the European SMART-1 in 2004. These applications have also played an important role in a new theory on the origin of the Moon.
BACUS: A Bayesian protocol for the identification of protein NOESY spectra via unassigned spin systems.

NMR frequency assignments are usually considered a prerequisite for the analysis of NOESY spectra, in turn required for the calculation of biomolecular structures. In contrast, as we propose here, relatively high numbers of unambiguous NOE identities can be consistently achieved in an automated manner by relying only on grouping resonances into connected spin systems. To achieve this goal, we have developed for proteins two protocols, SPI and BACUS, based on Bayesian inference. SPI (Grishaev and Llinas, 2002c) produces a list of the 1 H resonance frequencies from homo- and hetero-nuclear multidimensional spectra, grouped into effective spin systems. BACUS automatically establishes probabilistic identities of NOESY cross-peaks in terms of the chemical shifts provided by SPI. BACUS requires neither assignment of resonances nor an initial structural model. It successfully copes with chemical shift overlap and does so without cycling through 3D structure calculations. The method exploits the self-consistency of the NOESY graph by taking advantage of a network of J- as well as NOE-connected ‘reporter’ protons sorted via SPI. BACUS was validated by tests on experimental NOESY data recorded for the col 2 and kringle 2 domains.
Stimulus Velocity and Movement Distance as Determiners of Movement Velocity and Coincident Timing Accuracy

Thirty right-handed subjects (J 5 males and 15 females) received trials on a timing task that required the completion of a ballistic arm movement coincident with the termination of a moving light pattern. Each subject performed 20 trials under each of nine possible combinations of movement distance and stimulus velocity. The results indicate that timing errors were inversely linked to stimulus velocity and were not related to movement distance. Movement velocity was associated more with variations in movement distance than with changes in stimulus velocity. Males responded with more accuracy and consistency than did females.
Utah Tuning Project

Tuning is a faculty-driven initiative designed to improve the quality of higher education by establishing transparent and fully assessable learning outcomes and proficiencies for degrees, discipline by discipline. Unlike many other initiatives in the United States which function within an individual institution, the Utah Tuning Project involved all institutes of higher education within the state of Utah. The purpose of this paper is to document the findings from an evaluation of a multiyear project targeting four undergraduate degree programs involved in a tuning initiative. A summary of recommendations and best practices is provided, along with the challenges and benefits to individuals and programs engaged in this process.
A New Dynamic Bandwidth Re-Allocation Technique in Optically Interconnected High-Performance Computing Systems

As bit rates increase, optical interconnects based high-performance computing (HPC) systems improve performance by increasing the available bandwidth (using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and spacedivision multiplexing (SDM)) and decreasing power dissipation as compared to traditional electrical interconnects. While static allocation of wavelengths (channels) in optical interconnects provide every node with equal opportunity for communication, it can lead to network congestion for non-uniform traffic patterns. In this paper, we propose an opto-electronic interconnect for designing a flexible, highbandwidth, low-latency, dynamically reconfigurable architecture for scalable HPC systems. Reconfigurability is realized by monitoring traffic intensities, and implementing dynamic bandwidth re-allocation (DBR) technique that adapts to changes in communication patterns. We propose a DBR technique - Lock-Step (LS) that balances the load on each communication channel based on past utilization. Simulation results indicate that the reconfigured architecture shows 40% increased throughput and and 20% reduced network latency as compared to HPC electrical networks.
The Feminist Standpoint: Developing the Ground for a Specifically Feminist Historical Materialism*

The power of the Marxian critique of class domination stands as an implicit suggestion that feminists should consider the advantages of adopting a historical materialist approach to understanding phallocratic domination. A specifically feminist historical materialism might enable us to lay bare the laws of tendency which constitute the structure of patriarchy over time and to follow its development in and through the Western class societies on which Marx’s interest centered. A feminist materialism might in addition enable us to expand the Marxian account to include all human activity rather than focussing on activity more characteristic of males in capitalism. The development of such a historical and materialist account is a very large task, one which requires the political and theoretical contributions of many feminists. Here I will address only the question of the epistemological underpinnings such a materialism would require. Most specifically, I will attempt to develop, on the methodological base provided by Marxian theory, an important epistemological tool for understanding and opposing all forms of domination — a feminist standpoint.
How Does Democratic Regime Change Affect Mass Political Ideology? A Case Study of South Korea in Comparative Perspective

This article explores the ideological dynamics of democratic regime change in South Korea from a comparative perspective. Analyzing national sample surveys conducted during the first decade of demo...
A comparative study of web resource mining algorithms for one‐stop learning

Web resource mining for one‐stop learning is an effort to turn the Web into a convenient and valuable resource for education for the self‐motivated, knowledge seeking student. It is aimed at providing an efficient and effective algorithm to generate an extremely small set of self‐contained Web pages which are adequate for the student to study well about the technical subject of her choice on her own pace without requiring clicking through numerous linked resources. In this paper, we present three different scoring measures which can be plugged into such an algorithm designed for the objective stated above. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithms proposed in this paper which are equipped with a choice of the three scoring measures by showing their promising experimental results. Our algorithms achieved up to 87% of precision in average in automatically finding relatively suitable Web resources for one‐stop learning as opposed to 9% of precision offered by general purpose search engines.
Using variable piston trajectory to reduce engine-out emissions

Previously, the authors have proposed the concept of piston trajectory-based combustion control enabled by free piston engines (FPEs). With this novel method, the FPE realizes in-cycle adjustment of combustion phase and real-time control of in-cylinder temperature and pressure through variable piston trajectories. As a result, higher indicated thermal efficiency, compared to conventional internal combustion engines (ICEs), is achieved. In this paper, the effects of this new combustion control on engine-out emissions are investigated. First, a comprehensive model is developed that includes different piston trajectories in the FPE, a convective heat loss model and a reduced n-heptane reaction mechanism with major emissions species. Afterwards, the chemical kinetics of CO and NOx emissions are described in details that reveal the feasibility of reducing engine-out emissions by employing novel piston trajectories. At last, analyses of the corresponding simulation results and comparisons of emissions and thermal efficiencies between the FPE and conventional ICEs are presented, which further shows the advantages of the trajectory-based combustion control.
A Systems Approach to Mass Budget Management

This paper presents a system approach to mass budget management during early design of new complex vehicles and products. The traditional approach to mass budget management is that of hierarchical decomposition of the system, followed by top-down allocation of mass budgets to subsystems and components. We argue that subsystem level interactions must be taken into account when allocating mass budgets within a constrained mass target. Mass savings in one part of the system can have costly consequences in other parts. Isoperformance is presented as a potential method for keeping the total mass of a system constrained, while trading off other objectives such as technical performance, risk, modularity and cost. The F/A-18 aircraft and an automotive example will be utilized to illustrate the method. The discussion also includes principles of how NASA has traditionally managed manned space vehicle mass estimates.
Measurement of Strain Associated with Defects in SiTiO3 Bicrystals using Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy

We incorporate a polarization modulation technique in a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) for quantitative polarimetry studies at the nanometer scale. Using this technique, we map out stress-induced birefringence associated with submicron defects at the fusion boundaries of SrTiO3 bicrystals. The strain fields surrounding these defects are larger than the defect sizes and show complex spiral shapes that break the reflection symmetry of the bicrystal boundary.
Economic and GHG impacts of natural gas for Hawaii

Hawaii generates the majority of its electricity through oil-fired generation. New production technologies have led to rapidly declining natural gas prices that has renewed Hawaii’s interest in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. This study integrates a detailed model of Hawaii’s electric sector with a computable general equilibrium model of Hawaii’s economy to estimate the economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of importing LNG for use in the electric sector. Incorporating a range of possible price pathways (low, medium and high) out to the year 2040 for LNG imports, we find Hawaii could lower electric sector costs in a range from 6 to 16 % and petroleum refining output declines by over 20 % (in 2040). Gross state product increases in a range of $300 million to $5 billion in net present value. Using natural gas reduces out-of-stack GHG emissions but can also increase GHG emissions in other jurisdictions. Moreover, introducing natural gas could reduce the incentive to pursue renewable energy and energy efficiency. As such, adopting and enforcing policies encouraging renewable energy and efficiency becomes even more important to meet Hawaii’s clean energy and GHG mitigation goals.
Beat gestures facilitate speech production.

Does gesturing help speakers find the right words? According to several theories of speech-gesture relationships, iconic gestures should facilitate speech production, but beat gestures should not. Here we tested the effects of gesturing on word production in two experiments. Participants produced lowfrequency words from their definitions while instructed to perform beat gestures, iconic gestures, or while not given any instructions about gesturing (baseline condition). Compared to baseline, participants were faster to produce the target words while performing beat gestures, bimanually or with their left hand alone, but they were slower to produce the target words when instructed to perform iconic gestures. Results provide the first evidence that beat gestures can help speakers produce words. This benefit may arise from the fact that gestures are motor actions, rather than from any special properties of gestures, per se.
Diurnal blood pressure variability and physical activity measured electronically and by diary.

In order for 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to be useful in clinical decision making, it is necessary to quantify ambient physical activity and to develop appropriate norms of ambulatory pressure for different levels of activity. The present study has compared the predictive value of physical activity determined by an electronic activity monitor or a written diary, for concomitantly recorded blood pressure during ABPM in healthy normotensive subjects. Each subject wore four activity monitors, on the right and left wrists, on the left ankle and at the waist, respectively. Linear regression analysis was performed for each subject to determine the correlation between ABPM data (systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) and activity data (obtained from diaries and the four monitors). Significant differences in the degree of correlation were found for both the location of the activity monitor and the time (1/2, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min preceding blood pressure measurement) over which activity was averaged (P < .05 by two-way analysis of variance). The best correlation was obtained with the activity monitor worn on the dominant wrist, and when activity was averaged over 2 to 10 min preceding blood pressure determination, accounting for 18 to 69% (mean 36 +/- 5%) of systolic blood pressure variation. Diaries performed similarly in these well-motivated subjects. It is concluded that because of the significant interaction between activity and blood pressure, ABPM data should be interpreted only in the light of concomitant activity data.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Celebratory Publications Of Note

Of Note is special section of this journal that features recent notable publications, films, and other media that may be useful for the profession of dance/movement therapy. In this issue, we highlight two books specifically published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA).
The effect of permeate flux on membrane fouling during microfiltration of oily water

Critical and threshold flux concepts were recently developed to distinguish no fouling, slow fouling and rapid fouling regimes. Membrane fouling behavior is expected to vary with respect to the imposed flux relative to the critical and threshold flux values. However, crossflow fouling tests are often performed independent of critical and threshold flux determinations. In this study, constant flux fouling experiments were performed in connection with critical and threshold flux determination. Fouling behavior was examined in the context of critical and threshold flux. A poly(vinylidene fluoride) microfiltration membrane was challenged with various oil-in-water emulsions. The critical and threshold flux values were estimated using the flux-stepping technique. Constant flux crossflow fouling tests were performed at selected fluxes below and above the critical and threshold fluxes. Below the critical flux, mass transfer resistance remained constant at the clean membrane value. Above the critical flux but below the threshold flux, mass transfer resistance approached a steady state resistance, RB, which was determined from the linear regression of flux-stepping experiments. Above the threshold flux, a three-stage transmembrane pressure (TMP) was observed, consisting of: (1) an initial gradual increase, (2) a TMP jump stage, and (3) a pseudo-steady state. The pseudo-steady state TMP corresponded to the estimated critical pressure of the oil layer.
Abstract P102: Type I Diabetes Mellitus is More Sensitive to Ang II Due to Increased AT1 Receptor Expression in Afferent Arteriole

The prevalence of hypertension is about twice in diabetic subjects than that in non-diabetics. In the presence of hypertension, the progress of diabetic nephropathy has been shown to be more severe and rapid. But the mechanisms for the development of hypertension in diabetes have not been elucidated. We hypothesized that angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1 receptor) expression level in renal afferent arteriole is elevated, which enhances the responses to angiotensin II (Ang II) stimulation and contributes to the development of hypertension in diabetes. First, we measured mean arterial pressure (MAP) with telemetry in diabetic and non-diabetic mice with Ang II infusion for 8 weeks. MAP was 26.7 mmHg higher in diabetic mice (157.4±11.3 mmHg) than in non-diabetic mice (130.7±6.4 mmHg). Next, we induced 2-kidney-1-clip Goldblatt hypertension in diabetic mice and non-diabetic mice and measured MAP with telemetry for 8 weeks. MAP was 17.6 mmHg higher in diabetic mice (151.1±9.5 mmHg) than in non-diabetic mice (133.5±4.2 mmHg), indicating blood pressure of diabetic mice is also more responsive to both exogenous and endogenous Ang II than no-diabetic mice. To investigate the mechanisms of the enhanced sensitivity to Ang II, we dissected afferent arterioles from non-diabetic mice and diabetic mice and measured the expression of AT1 receptor mRNA by real-time PCR. AT1 receptor mRNA level was 6 times higher in diabetic mice that in non-diabetic control. AT1 receptor protein abundance in renal cortex was also 5 times higher in diabetic mice than controls. In conclusion, the blood pressure of the diabetic mice are more sensitive to Ang II than non-diabetic controls. Increased AT1 receptor expression in the afferent arterioles may contribute to the development of hypertension in diabetes.
Nietzsche on Greatness

This chapter turns to Nietzsche’s idea of greatness, describing Nietzsche’s appropriation of Montaigne’s distinction between greatness dependent upon exempla and the quite different greatness that belongs to the free spirit. Though Nietzsche praises the latter, he does not hold that the free spirit’s freedom is the highest greatness. On the contrary, he claims that freedom is a means to a higher greatness. Before probing the content of this higher greatness, this chapter elucidates the dependence of Nietzsche’s thinking in Thus Spoke Zarathustra on two notions central to Montaigne. One is physiological (healthy cultivation of the body), the other is psychological (finding the way to oneself). After this intermezzo, this chapter proceeds to consider two logically independent claims that Nietzsche makes about greatness: that greatness lies in the creation of values, and that the “formula” for the highest greatness is “amor fati.”
Treatment of Concomitant Pathology During ACL Reconstruction

As the incidence of ACL injuries in children continues to rise, fastest in adolescents between 10 and 14 years of age, orthopedic surgeons need to be prepared to manage the concomitant pathology associated with these injuries and understand the changing trends in the care of these patients. The reason for the growing number of injuries is multifactorial and likely related to increased intensity of sports participation and early sports specialization.
Li-Fraumeni syndrome: Adrenal cortical tumor in a newborn followed by a choroid plexus tumor

Abstract Adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) are rare in children, comprising TP53 tumor suppressor gene mutation. ACTs in neonates are highly concerning for a TP53 mutation and should prompt genetic testing, even if there is no obvious family history of cancer.
CD1d and natural killer T cells in immunity to mycobacterium Tuberculosis

The critical role of peptide antigen-specific T cells in controlling mycobacterial infections is well documented in natural resistance and vaccine-induced immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, many other populations of leukocytes contribute to innate and adaptive immunity against mycobacteria. Among these, non-conventional T cells recognizing lipid antigens presented by the CD1 antigen presentation system have attracted particular interest. In this chapter, we review the basic immunobiology and potential antimycobacterial properties of a subset of CD1-restricted T cells that have come to be known as Natural Killer T cells. This group of lipid reactive T cells is notable for its high level of conservation between humans and mice, thus enabling a wide range of highly informative studies in mouse models. As reviewed below, NKT cells appear to have subtle but potentially significant activities in the host response to mycobacteria. Importantly, they also provide a framework for investigations into other types of lipid antigen-specific T cells that may be more abundant in larger mammals such as humans.
Usability Studies of Web-Based Portal Structures in Academia (Specifically, iCentral)

Central Michigan University (CMU) uses a web-based portal for its students, staff, and faculty to pay bills, register for classes, stay current with school events, and to accomplish many other important and useful tasks. Since so many people depend on this portal structure, the interface must be intuitive and easy to use and navigational hierarchies must be clearly organized. In order to test a new portal system, a usability study was devised and applied. Analysis of the results prescribed a set of modifications for a more efficient user experience. A second tier of research was performed on the modified portal and the results were again analyzed. Both sets of analysis were compared to see if the changes had made a measurable difference in usability. The results demonstrated that first time users were more likely to have issues navigating the portal than users who have used it before the study. It was apparent that the first time users had a hard time finding what the needed to move to the next place they wanted to go. This shows that the navigational hierarchy of portal structures is a critical factor for navigating users to resources efficiently.
Vascular Injuries in the Abdomen

Management of abdominal vascular injuries presents significant challenges to the operating surgeon. One of the tenets to successful treatment of the injured abdominal vessel is rapid exposure and vascular control. This chapter outlines surgical maneuvers to provide expedient care of these complex injuries.
Complete Penile Disassembly for Epispadias Repair

Over the past six years we have used a technique for epispadias repair which is based on the unique anatomy of the epispadias deformity which is actually a deformation rather than a malformation (e.g. as in hypospadias). In this technique the unique and separate blood supply of the urethral plate, the glans penis and the corpora cavernosa facilitate complete disassembly of the penis which enables reassembly resulting in normal anatomic position of the urethra and bladder neck. This repair also enables complete and independent rotation of the corpora cavernosa to better correct the dorsal deflection deformity.
The next wave: protein tyrosine phosphatases enter T cell antigen receptor signalling.

Abstract Recent years have seen an exponentially increasing interest in the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction. Much of the focus has been on protein tyrosine kinase-mediated signalling, while the study of protein tyrosine phosphatases has lagged behind. We predict that the phosphatases will become a “hot topic” in the field within the next few years. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art in our understanding of the structure, regulation and role of protein tyrosine phosphatases in T lymphocyte activation.
Relationship Between Advanced Maternal Age and Timing of First Developmental Evaluation in Children with Autism.

Objective Mothers of advanced maternal age (AMA) at childbirth (age ≥35 years) may have different perceptions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk, independent of sociodemographic factors, that may affect ASD identification. We aimed to estimate associations between AMA and both age of a child's first evaluation noting developmental concerns and time from first evaluation to first ASD diagnosis. Methods We used data for 8-year-olds identified with ASD in the 2008 to 2012 Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. We estimated differences in age at first evaluation noting developmental concerns and time to first ASD diagnosis by AMA using quantile and Cox regression. Results Of 10,358 children with ASD, 19.7% had mothers of AMA. AMA was associated with higher educational attainment and previous live births compared with younger mothers. In unadjusted analyses, AMA was associated with earlier first evaluation noting developmental concerns (median 37 vs 40 mo) and patterns in time to first evaluation (hazard ratio: 1.12, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.18). Associations between AMA and evaluation timing diminished and were no longer significant after adjustment for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Children's intellectual disability did not modify associations between AMA and timing of evaluations. Conclusion Advanced maternal age is a sociodemographic factor associated with younger age of first evaluation noting developmental concerns in children with ASD, but AMA was not independently associated likely, because it is a consequence or cofactor of maternal education and other sociodemographic characteristics. AMA may be a demographic factor to consider when aiming to screen and evaluate children at risk for ASD.
Toward the Implementation of Climate-Resilient Tea Systems: Agroecological, Physiological, and Molecular Innovations

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues for tea systems with major implications for farmer livelihoods. Changes in climate variables outside of the thresholds for tea production can impact both tea quality and productivity. It is thus critical to implement strategies for minimizing the forecasted trajectory of climate change and its impacts on tea systems, the environment, and society. Tea systems, as other agricultural systems, face two major challenges in the context of climate change. The first climate challenge is the mitigation challenge to reduce the negative impacts of tea systems throughout the entire value chain (from farm to cup to waste) that contribute to climate change. The second climate challenge for tea systems is the adaptation challenge which involves overcoming the effects of climate change through enhancing the resilience of tea systems. This chapter provides an overview of agricultural, physiological, and molecular innovations at the production level toward the development of climate-resilient tea systems. In addition, this chapter highlights priority areas for research and development including the cost-effectiveness, replicability, and adaptability of various good agricultural practices (GAPs) for climate mitigation and adaptation. Some climate adaptation innovations in the tea system also serve as climate mitigation strategies such as tea agroforestry and maintaining trees in tea farms; such practices should be further examined and promoted for replicability. Ultimately, multi-sectoral collaboration between governments, industry, farmers, and researchers is called for to tackle the issue of climate change in tea systems including removing barriers for the adoption of climate innovations. It is expected that such multi-sectoral collaboration will allow us to more effectively support farmer livelihoods and well-being while meeting consumer demand and maintaining stable tea systems.
Las redes sociales del ciberfeminismo en España: identidad y repertorios de acción

This article explores the daily activity of the cyberfeminist communities in Spain from the study of social media as spaces for identity formation and repertoires of political action. Starting from the analytical framework of social movements, cyberfeminism and its relationship with technologies, the article tries to understand the use of digital spaces for collective action. From the foundations of virtual ethnography, four reference communities on Facebook are analyzed (according to institutionality and existence of offline base) to assess how discourses against gender violence are articulated, as well as the participation and groupings that coexist in these platforms. As a result, six different effects are identified in the communication of these digital groups, concluding that their deliberative dimension regarding gender violence is scarce and insufficient in the era of Web 2.0.
The influence of surface pre-twinning on the friction and wear performance of an AZ31B Mg alloy

Abstract Twinning is an important mode in plastic deformation of hexagonal close-packed magnesium (Mg) alloys that are promising lightweight structural metals. Recent studies show that the hardness, strength, and stretch formability of Mg alloys can be improved by pre-twinning. However, how twinning and associated microstructure influence the tribological properties of Mg alloys have not been studied systematically. In this work, a gradient twin microstructure in which the density of twins decreases with depth was introduced to an AZ31B Mg alloy plate by laser shock peening. Then sliding tests were performed on surfaces with varying twin volume fraction (TVF) under dry condition. The results shown that both the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate decrease with the increase of TVF. A possible mechanism responsible for the effect of surface pre-twinning on the tribo-performance of Mg alloys is proposed. In specific, it is discussed that the improved tribo-performance of Mg alloys by pre-twinning are attributed to the twinning-induced hardening effect, twin growth and saturation phenomenon, and twinning-induced surface crystallographic texture change during sliding. We envision the results in the present study can offer new insights on the designing and developing Mg alloys towards enhanced tribological performance.
Characterization of a novel entity of high-grade well-differentiated colorectal neuroendocrine tumors.

e15696Background: Small studies suggest that a new pathologic entity of high-grade (by Ki-67 or mitotic index) well-differentiated (by histologic features) neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) exist throug...
Destress 9-1-1-an online mindfulness-based intervention in reducing stress among emergency medical dispatchers: a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives Emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) experience significant stress in the workplace. Yet, interventions aimed at reducing work-related stress are difficult to implement due to the logistic challenges associated with the relatively unique EMD work environment. This investigation tested the efficacy of a 7-week online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) tailored to the EMD workforce. Methods Active-duty EMDs from the USA and Canada (n=323) were randomly assigned to an intervention or wait list control condition. Participants completed surveys of stress and mindfulness at baseline, post intervention, and 3 months follow-up. Repeated measures mixed effects models were used to assess changes in stress and mindfulness. Results Differences between the intervention group and control group in pre–post changes in stress using the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory were statistically significant, with a difference of −10.0 (95% CI: −14.9, −5.2, p Conclusions Development of tailored online MBIs for employees working in challenging work environments offer a promising direction for prevention and intervention. This study found that a short, weekly online MBI for EMDs resulted in reductions in reports of stress. Implications of online MBIs in other emergency responding populations and directions for future research are discussed.
Design of a Canine Inspired Quadruped Robot as a Platform for Synthetic Neural Network Control

Legged locomotion is a feat ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom, but modern robots still fall far short of similar achievements. This paper presents the design of a canine-inspired quadruped robot named DoggyDeux as a platform for synthetic neural network (SNN) research that may be one avenue for robots to attain animal-like agility and adaptability. DoggyDeux features a fully 3D printed frame, 24 braided pneumatic actuators (BPAs) that drive four 3-DOF limbs in antagonistic extensor-flexor pairs, and an electrical system that allows it to respond to commands from a SNN comprised of central pattern generators (CPGs). Compared to the previous version of this robot, DoggyDeux eliminates out-of-plane bending moments on the legs, has biologically realistic joint range of motion for walking, and eliminates buckling of the BPAs by utilizing a biologically inspired muscle attachment approach. A simple SNN comprised of a single isolated CPG for each joint is used to control the front left leg on DoggyDeux and joint angle data from this leg is collected to verify that the robot responds correctly to inputs from its SNN. Future design work on DoggyDeux will involve further improving the muscle attachment mechanism, while future SNN research will include expanding the robot’s SNN to achieve coordinated locomotion with all four legs utilizing sensory feedback.
The early suburbs of Grahamstown: an outline of their development

The form of the nineteenth century city has received much attention recently, in particular the origin and growth of the suburb. This study first looks briefly at the origins of suburban growth in London, then at the growth of this phenomenon in mid nineteenth century Grahamstown. Similarities and differences are noted and described. Finally a typology of suburban house types as found in Grahamstown is outlined and again some differences from similarities with contemporary English house form is noted. All the above is in the nature of a pioneering study.
Top quark physics at the Tevatron

Abstract After a brief overview of top quark physics at the Tevatron collider in Run I, we discuss upgrades of the CDF and DO detectors for Tevatron Run II which started in Spring of 2001. We present the first preliminary Run II results on the production of W / Z bosons + jets, which constitute the dominant background to top quark production. Preliminary estimates of the detector performances relevant to b -tagging are presented.
Elucidating the influence of supervisors’ roles on implementation climate

Supervisors play an essential role in implementation by diffusing and synthesizing information, selling implementation, and translating top management’s project plans to frontline workers. Theory and emerging evidence suggest that through these roles, supervisors shape implementation climate—i.e., the degree to which innovations are expected, supported, and rewarded. However, it is unclear exactly how supervisors carry out each of these roles in ways that contribute to implementation climate—this represents a gap in the understanding of the causal mechanisms that link supervisors’ behavior with implementation climate. This study examined how supervisors’ performance of each of these roles influences three core implementation climate domains (expectations, supports, and rewards). A sequenced behavioral health screening, assessment, and referral intervention was implemented within a county-based child welfare agency. We conducted 6 focus groups with supervisors and frontline workers from implementing work units 6 months post-implementation (n = 51) and 1 year later (n = 40) (12 groups total). Participants were asked about implementation determinants, including supervision and implementation context. We audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed focus groups using an open coding process during which the importance of the supervisors’ roles emerged as a major theme. We further analyzed this code using concepts and definitions related to middle managers’ roles and implementation climate. In this work setting, supervisors (1) diffused information about the intervention proactively, and in response to workers’ questions, (2) synthesized information by tailoring it to workers’ individual needs, (3) translated top managements’ project plans into day-to-day tasks through close monitoring and reminders, and (4) justified implementation. All four of these roles appeared to shape the implementation climate by conveying strong expectations for implementation. Three roles (diffusing, synthesizing, and mediating) influenced climate by supporting workers during implementation. Only one role (diffusing) influenced climate by conveying rewards. Supervisors shaped implementation climate by carrying out four roles (diffusing, synthesizing, mediating, and selling). Findings suggest that the interaction of these roles convey expectations and support for implementation (two implementation climate domains). Our study advances the causal theory explaining how supervisors’ behavior shapes the implementation climate, which can inform implementation practice.