cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Burning bridges: priority effects and the persistence of a competitively subordinate acacia-ant in Laikipia, Kenya.

Theoretical models suggest that subordinate competitors may rely on strong colonization ability and/or high persistence (e.g., the ability to resist invasion) as a strategy to coexist with competitively dominant species. While strong colonization ability among subordinate competitors has been widely documented, we know less about the role of persistence in facilitating species coexistence. In upland East Africa, four species of acacia-ants (Crematogaster sjostedti, C. mimosae, C. nigriceps, Tetraponera penzigi) compete for possession of Acacia drepanolobium host trees. Despite a strong dominance hierarchy, the four acacia-ant species coexist at fine spatial scales. Here we present evidence that T. penzigi, the least aggressive competitor, modifies host trees in two ways that reduce the probability of aggressive takeover by neighboring colonies. First, T. penzigi workers destroy virtually all leaf nectaries on their host trees. Second, T. penzigi workers create and maintain entryways into their swollen thorn domiciles that are too small to allow entry by their Crematogaster competitors. In a 2×2 factorial experiment, we manipulated nectar availability and swollen-thorn entryway size to determine the influence of these factors on the probability of aggressive displacement by a dominant competitor (C. mimosae) in staged conflicts. Addition of artificial nectaries and enlargement of swollen-thorn entryways on T. penzigi-occupied trees increased the probability of aggressive displacement of T. penzigi by C. mimosae from swollen thorns 14-fold and 8-fold, respectively. Further, empty saplings with nectaries destroyed by T. penzigi workers were colonized by half as many C. mimosae workers as saplings where nectaries were left intact. Our results demonstrate that T. penzigi's unusual strategy of nectary destruction and the maintenance of small entryways in swollen thorns produce priority effects, effectively reducing the probability that T. penzigi colonies will be displaced from host trees by more dominant competitors.
Satellite Retrieval of Inherent Optical Properties by Inversion of an Oceanic Radiance Model: A Preliminary Algorithm

A previously published radiance model inversion theory has been field tested by using airborne water-leaving radiances to retrieve the chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and detritus absorption coefficient, the phytoplankton absorption coefficient, and the total backscattering coefficient. The radiance model inversion theory was tested for potential satellite use by comparing two of the retrieved inherent optical properties with concurrent airborne laser-derived truth data. It was found that (1) matrix inversion of water-leaving radiances is well conditioned even in the presence of instrument-induced noise, (2) retrieved CDOM and detritus and phytoplankton absorption coefficients are both in reasonable agreement with absorption coefficients derived from airborne laser-induced fluorescence spectral emissions, (3) the total backscattering retrieval magnitude and variability are consistent with expected values for the Middle Atlantic Bight, and (4) the algorithm performs reasonably well in Sargasso Sea, Gulf Stream, slope, and shelf waters but is less consistent in coastal waters.
Statistics of multifractal processes using the maximum entropy method

[1] We have demonstrated that the maximum entropy (ME) principle can be used as a general inference algorithm to derive the probability distributions at different scales of a multifractal process characterized by its scaling properties such as multiscaling moments and geometric mean. In a case study, the ME distributions of topography have been tested using wavelet analysis.
Characterizability of metabolic pathway systems from time series data

Over the past decade, the biomathematical community has devoted substantial effort to the complicated challenge of estimating parameter values for biological systems models. An even more difficult issue is the characterization of functional forms for the processes that govern these systems. Most parameter estimation approaches tacitly assume that these forms are known or can be assumed with some validity. However, this assumption is not always true. The recently proposed method of Dynamic Flux Estimation (DFE) addresses this problem in a genuinely novel fashion for metabolic pathway systems. Specifically, DFE allows the characterization of fluxes within such systems through an analysis of metabolic time series data. Its main drawback is the fact that DFE can only directly be applied if the pathway system contains as many metabolites as unknown fluxes. This situation is unfortunately rare. To overcome this roadblock, earlier work in this field had proposed strategies for augmenting the set of unknown fluxes with independent kinetic information, which however is not always available. Employing Moore-Penrose pseudo-inverse methods of linear algebra, the present article discusses an approach for characterizing fluxes from metabolic time series data that is applicable even if the pathway system is underdetermined and contains more fluxes than metabolites. Intriguingly, this approach is independent of a specific modeling framework and unaffected by noise in the experimental time series data. The results reveal whether any fluxes may be characterized and, if so, which subset is characterizable. They also help with the identification of fluxes that, if they could be determined independently, would allow the application of DFE.
THE MOYNIHAN REPORT AND ITS AFTERMATHS A Critical Analysis 1

The Moynihan Report of 1965 will soon be fifty years old, and some social scientists now venerate it as a sterling application of social science data and analysis by the federal government. This author, who was directly involved in events connected with the release of the Report, does not agree; this article examines the shortcomings of the Report. I argue that Moynihan’s analysis, which intended to investigate the ties between Black male unemployment and the Black family, actually devoted most of its attention to the high proportion of single-parent families in the poor Black population, treating it as one symptom of a “tangle of pathology” that stood in the way of this population’s escape from joblessness and poverty. Today, the Report is being hailed as having predicted the current and still worsening state of the poor Black family. Moynihan’s work is also being reinterpreted as an early application of cultural analysis, thereby further drawing attention away from the job-related issues which led Moynihan to undertake his study. Moynihan himself made significant contributions to antipoverty policy later in his career, but his Report does not deserve the worship it continues to receive.
A qualitative study examining the influences on situation awareness and the identification, mitigation and escalation of recognised patient risk

Background Situation awareness (SA)—the perception of data elements, comprehension of their meaning and projection of their status in the near future—has been associated with human performance in high-risk environments, including aviation and the operating room. The influences on SA in inpatient medicine are unknown. Methods We conducted seven focus groups with nurses, respiratory therapists and resident physicians using a standardised semistructured focus group guide to promote discussion. Recordings of the focus groups were transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were qualitatively analysed by two independent reviewers to identify convergent and divergent themes. Results Three themes emerged: (1) team-based care, (2) availability of standardised data and (3) standardised processes and procedures. We categorised these into social, technological and organisational influences on SA. Subthemes that emerged from each focus group were shared language to describe at-risk patients, provider experience in critical care/deterioration and interdisciplinary huddles to identify and plan for at-risk patients. An objective early warning score, proactive assessment and planning, adequate clinician staffing and tools for entering, displaying and monitoring data trends were identified by six of seven groups. Our data better reflected the concepts of team SA and shared SA than individual SA. Conclusions Team-based care and standardisation support SA and the identification and treatment of patient risk in the complex environment of inpatient care. These findings can be used to guide the development and implementation of targeted interventions such as huddles to proactively scan for risk and electronic health record displays of data trends.
Opioid and melanocortin receptors: do they have overlapping pharmacophores?

We have identified compound 1 as a novel ligand for opioid and melanocortin (MC) receptors, which is derived from the overlapping of a well known structure for the δ opioid receptor, 2,6-dimethyltyrosine (Dmt)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Tic), and a small molecule for the MC receptor, Tic-DPhe(p-Cl)-piperidin-4-yl-N-phenyl-propionamide. Ligand 1 showed that there is an overlapping pharmacophore between opioid and MC receptors through the Tic residue. The ligand displayed high biological activities at the δ opioid receptor (Ki = 0.38 nM in binding assay, EC50 = 0.48 nM in GTP-γ-S binding assay, IC50 = 74 nM in MVD) as an agonist instead of an antagonist and showed selective binding affinity (IC50 = 2.3 μM) at the MC-3 receptor rather than at the MC-5 receptor. A study of the structure-activity relationships demonstrated that the residues in positions 2, 3, and the C-terminus act as a pharmacophore for the MC receptors, and the residues in positions 1 and 2 act as a pharmacophore for the opioid receptors. Thus, this structural construct can be used to prepare chimeric structures with adjacent or overlapping pharmacophores for opioid and MC receptors. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 90: 433–438, 2008. This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Development of a continuous microscratch technique in an atomic force microscope and its application to study scratch resistance of ultrathin hard amorphous carbon coatings

A method to measure friction during scratching at linearly increasing loads in a commercial atomic force/friction force microscope (AFM/FFM) has been developed. The normal load was increased in small increments over the required range for the scratch using a software module while the friction signal was measured via a breakout box and data acquisition computer. Topography images of the scratch were obtained in situ with the AFM in tapping mode with minimal loss of damage event information. This technique was employed to study the scratch resistance of hard amorphous carbon coatings of thicknesses ranging from 20 nm down to 3.5 nm deposited by different commercially available deposition techniques on a silicon substrate.
Fatty Acids as Modulators of the Immune Response

Research describing fatty acids as modulators of inflammation and immune responses abounds. Many of these studies have focused on one particular group of fatty acids, omega-3. The data from animal studies have shown that these fatty acids can have powerful anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities in a wide array of diseases (e.g., autoimmunity, arthritis, and infection). However, the evidence from human trials is more equivocal. In this review, a historical framework for understanding how and why fatty acids may affect the immune system is provided. Second, highlights of two recent landmark reports from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality are presented. These reports critically evaluate the evidence from human clinical trials of omega-3 fatty acids and rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and a few other immune-mediated diseases. Third, the data from human clinical trials investigating the impact of various bioactive fatty acids on ex vivo and in vivo immune response are reviewed. Limitations in experimental design and immune assays commonly used are discussed. The discordance between expectation and evidence in this field has been a disappointment. Recommendations for improving both animal-based and human studies are provided.
Tiopronin Gold Nanoparticle Precursor Forms Aurophilic Ring Tetramer

In the two step synthesis of thiolate-monolayer protected clusters (MPCs), the first step of the reaction is a mild reduction of gold(III) by thiols that generates gold(I) thiolate complexes as intermediates. Using tiopronin (Tio) as the thiol reductant, the characterization of the intermediate Au(4)Tio(4) complex was accomplished with various analytical and structural techniques. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) were all consistent with a cyclic gold(I)-thiol tetramer structure, and final structural analysis was gathered through the use of powder diffraction and pair distribution functions (PDF). Crystallographic data has proved challenging for almost all previous gold(I)-thiolate complexes. Herein, a novel characterization technique when combined with standard analytical assessment to elucidate structure without crystallographic data proved invaluable to the study of these complexes. This in conjunction with other analytical techniques, in particular mass spectrometry, can elucidate a structure when crystallographic data is unavailable. In addition, luminescent properties provided evidence of aurophilicity within the molecule. The concept of aurophilicity has been introduced to describe a select group of gold-thiolate structures, which possess unique characteristics, mainly red photoluminescence and a distinct Au-Au intramolecular distance indicating a weak metal-metal bond as also evidenced by the structural model of the tetramer. Significant features of both the tetrameric and the aurophilic properties of the intermediate gold(I) tiopronin complex are retained after borohydride reduction to form the MPC, including gold(I) tiopronin partial rings as capping motifs, or "staples", and weak red photoluminescence that extends into the Near Infrared region.
Potassium fluoride doped alumina: an effective reagent for ester hydrolysis under solvent free conditions

A microwave-enhanced hydrolysis of esters utilizing potassium fluoride doped alumina in the absence of solvents has been developed. Carboxylic acids are produced in excellent yields along with the corresponding alcohols.
Development of Adaptive Seat Mounts for Helicopter Aircrew Body Vibration Reduction

Helicopter aircrew are exposed to high levels of vibration and noise during flight. This paper presents the investigation of adaptive seat mount approaches to reducing vibration on the helicopter seat. A flight test on a helicopter with typical pilot configurations showed that the vibration spectra on the pilot’s helmet not only included the dominant N/rev harmonic peaks of the rotor speed, but also consisted of a low-frequency resonant peak in the frequency range of human abdominal and spine resonant frequencies. Long-term exposure to this vibration may lead to occupational health issues such as damage to the pilot’s spine and neck. In order to address this issue, a novel adaptive seat mount concept was developed to mitigate the vibration levels transmitted to the aircrew. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a miniature modal shaker was installed between the cabin floor and the seat bottom as an adaptive mount that provided the actuation authority. The objective was to reduce the vertical vibration transmitted to the aircrew helmet in order to decrease aircrew neck and spine injuries that are caused by the transmitted vibration. Extensive closed-loop control tests have been conducted on a full-scale helicopter seat and a mannequin with varying physical properties. A 10,000 lb(f) mechanical shaker was used to provide representative helicopter vibration profiles to the seat. Significant vibration reductions on the N/rev vibration peaks were achieved1 the low-frequency resonant peak was also suppressed simultaneously.
Coping with Stalking

Stalking is a serious public health and societal concern affecting the college population. Although numerous studies illustrate the physical and mental effects of stalking, literature addressing how individuals cope with this phenomenon is lacking. The purpose of this study was to describe stalking experiences of college students and the coping strategies used to manage stalking. In this descriptive study, 262 college students completed an online survey that included a stalking questionnaire and coping survey. Slightly more than one-fourth of the sample (n = 69) reported experiencing stalking victimization. Results indicated that the most common coping strategies employed were: ignoring the problem, minimizing the problem, distancing, detaching or depersonalizing, using verbal escape tactics, attempting to end the relationship, controlling the interaction, and restricting accessibility. Implications for refining current practice and research on coping strategies and stalking are suggested.
Rank Order Filters for Time-Stamped Signals

The emerging availability of precision time synchronization, such as that provided by IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol, make it desirable to have signal processing methods available for signals that are sampled at non-uniform intervals but have the sample times accurately recorded, or time-stamped. Rank order filters, including median filters, are well known in discrete time signal processing. Such filters are used for such purposes as signal de-noising without ringing and robust esimation of signal mimimum and maximum values. The question considered in this paper, then, is: Are there efficient analogues in the domain of time stamped signals for rank order filters ? The answer is yes. This paper shows how to transfer a theory from the literature concerning rank order filters for analog signals to the domain of time-stamped signals, discusses how to implement the resulting rank order filters efficiently, and shows the results on actual time-stamped, measured data.
Geologic, Tectonic, and Petrologic Nature of Four Ophiolites

Four ophiolites from various parts of the world were selected for integrated descriptions of their petrologic, tectonic, and geophysical nature. This chapter provides essential data for evaluation of these ophiolites as possible candidates that may represent ancient oceanic lithosphere. I have either visited or carried out work on three of these occurrences and have had numerous discussions with Dr. Hugh Davies on the Papua-New Guinea ophiolite, and with Professor H. Williams on the Bay of Islands ophiolite. Thus, the descriptions that follow have the advantage of a single viewpoint with the aim of integrating the information into a rather uniformitarian presentation. Conceivably other workers with different viewpoints would choose to emphasize certain aspects that I have neglected; nonetheless, the basic data are presented with a minimum of interpretation.
The Coupling of Upper and Lower Tropospheric Jet Streaks and Implications for the Development of Severe Convective Storms

Abstract Transverse circulations in the exit and entrance regions of jet streaks are investigated through numerical simulation, a case study, and an application of the isallobaric wind equation in isentropic coordinates, to study the interaction between upper and lower tropospheric jets and the development of severe convective storms. A hybrid isentropic-sigma coordinate numerical model is used to simulate the mass and momentum adjustments associated with a jet streak propagating in a zonal channel. The numerical results depict a two-layer mass adjustment in the exit and entrance region of the jet streak. The results also verify that the isallobaric wind on lower isentropic surfaces is a primary component of the return branches of transverse circulations and is foxed by the two-layer mass adjustment accompanying the propagating jet streak. Results from the case study of a severe weather out- break show that 1) a low-level jet (LLJ) beneath the exit region of an upper tropospheric jet streak is embedded in...
Functional Characterization of PsbO, the PSII Manganese Stabilizing Protein

The photosystem II manganese stabilizing protein, or PsbO, is a highly conserved extrinsic component of the O2 evolving complex in all organisms. Its deletion from the photosystem by either extraction or mutagenesis causes a dramatic lowering of the rate of O2 evolution, and the manganese cluster is also labile under low chloride conditions. Crystallographic models of cyanobacterial photosystem II propose a structure that includes only one copy of PsbO per reaction center, whereas a number of studies of the eukaryotic photosystem indicate that two copies of the subunit are present. Here we report on the functional consequences of reconstituting spinach photosystem II with either one or two copies of recombinant PsbO. The results indicate that one copy is sufficient to stabilize the manganese cluster under low Cl- conditions, but that two copies of PsbO are needed for optimal Cl- retention and maximum O2 evolution activity.
A Novel Cardiac Pacing Paradigm for Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure Patients

It has been estimated that 4.6 million persons have heart failure, and 400,000 to 700,000 new cases develop each year and the U.S. Hospital discharges for HF rose from 399,000 in 1979 to 1,099,000 in 2004 according to the National Hospital Discharge Survey. Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the United States. Recent studies have demonstrated that ventricular rate control is a viable treatment strategy for patients in atrial fibrillation. In a number of cases, despite the electrical resynchronization of the ventricles using biventricular pacing (cardiac resynchronization therapy), heart failure patients in sinus rhythm do not respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy as with other heart failure patients. These non-responders may respond to our pacing paradigm which is the combined use of cardiac resynchronization therapy which is commonly designated as CRT and coupled pacing (CP) which will be referred to as CRT+CP. Using a custom “Y”-lead adapter, an unmodified dual chamber clinical pacemaker can be used to achieve almost any combination of an experimental
The effect of improved cementing techniques on component loosening in total hip replacement. An 11-year radiographic review

Improved cementing techniques have been shown to decrease the rate of aseptic loosening of femoral components of cemented total hip replacements at five to seven years. We now report our results in 105 hips in 93 patients at 10 to 12.7 years (mean 11.2). The improved techniques included use of a medullary plug, a cement gun, a doughy mix of Simplex P and a collared stem of chrome cobalt. Only three femoral components had definitely loosened, none were probably loose and 24 were graded as possibly loose. In contrast, the incidence of radiographic loosening on the acetabular side was 42%. Improved cementing techniques have produced a marked reduction in the rate of aseptic loosening of the femoral component, but the incidence of acetabular loosening is unchanged.
Top Management's Concerns about Marketing: Issues for the 1980's:

Interviews conducted with chief executive and operating officers in 30 major U.S. corporations identify a number of important issues for consideration by marketing managers and educators.
171 PREFERRED DRUG PRESCRIBING IN ARKANSAS MEDICAID: THE USE OF LESS SEDATING ANTIHISTAMINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEASONAL ALLERGIES.

Purpose Due to increasing Medicaid costs in prescription medicine, the State of Arkansas implemented an evidence based prescription drug program in 2004. Preferred drugs for the treatment of several common conditions were identified. One group of medicines addressed was the less sedating antihistamines. Loratadine was chosen based on the lack differences in total symptom scores when the agents were compared with each other in regular use and due to the significantly higher costs of the other agents. Methods Using administrative claims data, all antihistamine-treated patients in Arkansas Medicaid and SCHIP programs were identified. Data on antihistamine prescriptions were gathered over 18 months, including 3 months prior to implementation of a preferred nonsedating antihistamine program. Results Dramatic changes were seen in the prescribing patterns of physicians. Prior to the implementation of the preferred drug in March 2005, 2.5% of prescriptions for less sedating antihistamines were for loratadine. After it became the preferred drug, up to 87% of prescriptions were for loratadine. A decrease in Medicaid net cost was also seen. In the 15 months since implementation, there have been at least $3.1 million in net costs avoided. Patients with prior authorization (PA) were allowed to continue their nonpreferred prescription as long as they met filling criteria of four refills within the previous 6 months. Of those, 1,860 patients received PA for nonpreferred less sedating antihistamines, and 1,542 filled the prescription. Only 47% of these patients filled their prescriptions four or more times within a 6-month period. Conclusion Some patients granted PA for a nonpreferred antihistamine never filled their prescription. Around 50% of patients receiving PA filled their prescription three or fewer times in 6 months. Patients are occasionally using prescription antihistamines for symptomatic relief. Medicaid has saved over 3.1 million by using loratadine as their preferred drug for the treatment of seasonal allergies. Thus far, there has been no detectable negative impact on patient care.
Smell Analysis Technology and Arithmetic Applying in Fire Detection

A new method of fire detection algorithm is proposed.By analyzing and comparing with BP neural network,the RBF neural network is much faster and more exact in data operation,so the algorithm and the technology has wider application better prospects in fire detection.
Fate and Persistence of Pathogens Subjected to UV and Chlorine Disinfection

Disinfection of wastewater is a necessary treatment process for protecting the public from potential exposure to pathogenic microorganisms because many wastewater effluents are discharged into water bodies that may be used for recreation or as future drinking water supplies. Two common forms of disinfection are chlorine and ultraviolet (UV) light. However, microorganisms differ in their susceptibility to UV and chlorine disinfectants. It is necessary to understand how different classes of pathogens respond to UV and chlorine disinfection processes in wastewater to better develop strategies for optimizing the treatment of pathogens in wastewater. It is also recognized that water quality may impact disinfection effectiveness, such as protection of pathogen by particles and disinfectant demand. This study investigated bacteria, viruses and protozoan pathogens. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series ISBN: 9781780404264 (eBook) ISBN: 9781843396994 (Print)
MRI and MRE for non-invasive quantitative assessment of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in NAFLD and NASH: Clinical trials to clinical practice

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease, and its prevalence is rising worldwide. The occurrence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with a substantial increase in disease related morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, there has been a surge of innovation surrounding drug development in an effort to off-set the natural progression and long-term risks of this disease. Disease assessment within clinical trials and clinical practice for NAFLD is currently done with liver biopsies. Liver biopsy-based assessments, however, remain imprecise and are not without cost or risk. This carries significant implications for the feasibility and costs of bringing therapeutic interventions to market. A need therefore arises for reliable and highly accurate surrogate end-points that can be used in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials to reduce trial size requirements and costs, while improving feasibility and ease of implementation in clinical practice. Significant advances have now been made in magnetic resonance technology, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and elastrography (MRE) have been demonstrated to be highly accurate diagnostic tools for the detection of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. In this review article, we will summarize the currently available evidence regarding the use of MRI and MRE among NAFLD patients, and the evolving role these surrogate biomarkers will play in the rapidly advancing arena of clinical trials in NASH and hepatic fibrosis. Furthermore, we will highlight how these tools can be readily applied to routine clinical practice, where the growing burden of NAFLD will need to be met with enhanced monitoring algorithms.
Development and Evaluation of Turkish Language Versions of three Positive Psychology Assessments

This study reports the development and evaluation of a Turkish-language version of three positive psychology assessments for use in clinical, education and research settings with Turkish-speaking individuals. A multistage translation of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS; Smith et al. in International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15, 194–200, 2008), the General Mattering Scale (GMS; Marcus 1991) and the Short Grit Scale (GS; Duckworth & Quinn in Journal of Personality Assessment, 91, 166–174. doi:10.1080/00223890802634290, 2009) is detailed, as well as the procedure used to evaluate the internal structure of the translated assessments. The results yielded from data of 268 participants indicated factor structures ranging from acceptable to robust model fit for the BRS, GMS, and GS. Implications for counseling practice and future research are discussed.
Asynchronous diversification of snakes in the North American warm deserts

Aim We quantify the degree to which co-distributed snakes across the Cochise Filter Barrier (CFB) have a shared history of population divergence and estimate the timing of divergence for each taxon pair. Location North America. Methods A single locus dataset was collected (n = 747 individuals) for 12 snake taxon pairs. Phylogeographical structure was estimated for each taxon. Redundancy analyses were used to assess the importance of geographical distance, climate and putative barriers to gene flow in structuring genetic diversity. Hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation was used to estimate the magnitude of synchronicity in divergence times across a well-documented phylogeographical barrier. Lastly, gene divergence and population divergence times were estimated using multiple methods. Results There is substantial phylogeographical structure in many of the snake taxa, particularly at the CFB. A model containing distance, climate and barriers explained the greatest amount of genetic variation in nearly all taxa. When each variable was examined separately, climate explained the most variation. The hABC model testing indicates that there is overwhelming support for asynchronous phylogeographical histories within these co-distributed taxa. Estimated divergence times range throughout the Quaternary and Neogene. Main Conclusions We demonstrate that the 12 snake taxon pairs studied here have diversified within the desert Southwest forming distinct Sonoran and Chihuahuan populations, illustrating the importance of this region in driving diversification in North American taxa. Although these groups exhibit the same pattern of lineage formation, there is strong support for asynchronous diversification and little concordance in divergence time estimates.
Specification, verification, and synthesis using extended state machines with callbacks

In this paper we extend state machine diagrams with a programming concept that is highly utilized in real software: the callback mechanism. A callback is a way to interact with a library and can be instantiated in the form of synchronous or asynchronous mode. Using callbacks speeds up software development at the expense of complicating program comprehension. Introducing the callback concept to a modeling formalism preserves structural similarity between the model and the implementation. This paper presents a formal semantics for this extended formalism to make it amenable to formal verification and concurrency synthesis and to help developers avoid implementation mistakes such as race conditions and deadlocks. We report specification, verification, and synthesis case studies on a device driver.
Synthesizing topological structures containing RNA

Though knotting and entanglement have been observed in DNA and proteins, their existence in RNA remains an enigma. Synthetic RNA topological structures are significant for understanding the physical and biological properties pertaining to RNA topology, and these properties in turn could facilitate identifying naturally occurring topologically nontrivial RNA molecules. Here we show that topological structures containing single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) free of strong base pairing interactions can be created either by configuring RNA-DNA hybrid four-way junctions or by template-directed synthesis with a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) topological structure. By using a constructed ssRNA knot as a highly sensitive topological probe, we find that Escherichia coli DNA topoisomerase I has low RNA topoisomerase activity and that the R173A point mutation abolishes the unknotting activity for ssRNA, but not for ssDNA. Furthermore, we discover the topological inhibition of reverse transcription (RT) and obtain different RT-PCR patterns for an ssRNA knot and circle of the same sequence.
Geography of Firms and Propagation of Local Economic Shocks

We use information from 10-K filings to identify economic connections among U.S. states. These connections provide a measure of economic distance that does not merely reflect physical proximity or industry connections. At the firm level, there is excess comovement in the returns and liquidity of firms headquartered in economically connected states. At the aggregate level, the economic connections create spillover effects whereby economic shocks in a state affect its connected states and the U.S. economy. For example, a one percent production shock in California (Texas) is related to a 6.71 (5.62) percent change in annual U.S. GDP growth, relative to the average GDP growth. Collectively, the network of publicly-traded firms generates a channel that facilitates the propagation of local shocks across the U.S. economy.
A framework for visualizing research data

At significant time and expense, researchers produce findings that could have broad implications in their field of learning. In education, health care, and public policy, research unveils new interventions, experiments, or discoveries that have the potential to improve people's lives. Yet researchers often encounter several basic roadblocks related to the issue of “knowledge transfer” that prevent them from maximizing the influence of their work: 1) their findings are delivered through journal articles and static black-and-white tables that take effort for policy-makers to find and interpret; and 2) important research languishes for considerable time - often years - before it can successfully navigate the publishing process and reach its intended audience. This paper proposes an alternative framework for knowledge transfer that leverages online data visualization tools in order to make research findings immediately available and compelling to the broader public. Using research data from the education policy field, we produce shareable interactive visualizations in Tableau and compare them to more static and tabular representations of the same data. We illustrate how our process helps surface trends in the data that would otherwise remain hidden and enables users to engage with the most salient information. We further explain how our process could be generalized to help a wide variety of research data become more accessible and interpretable for a wider audience for little to no cost.
Las humanidades en una edad de destrucción

Comparadas con saberes que permiten dominar la naturaleza y dar reditos economicos, las humanidades parecen hoy en dia irrelevantes. Queriendo complacer esta exigencia, han perdido su rumbo. Las humanidades heredaron del humanismo renacentista la perspectiva universal, la recepcion de la diversidad, la superacion del dogmatismo religioso; impulsaron la libertad, la critica y la emancipacion. En la actualidad, el neoliberalismo le cobra a estas su capacidad de disentir. Las universidades complacen al corporativismo planetario formando antihumanistas enmascarados con jergas ciegas a las crisis de nuestro tiempo: el hambre, el calentamiento global.
Approaches for Clustering Polygonal Obstacles

Clustering a set of points in Euclidean space is a well-known problem having applications in pattern recognition, document image analysis, big-data analytics, and robotics. While there are a lot of research publications for clustering point objects, only a very few articles have been reported for clustering a distribution of obstacles. In this paper we examine the development of efficient algorithms for clustering a set of convex obstacles in the 2D plane. We present two approaches for developing efficient algorithms for extracting polygonal clusters. While the first method is based on using the nearest neighbor computation, the second one uses reduced visibility graph induced by polygonal obstacles. We also consider the extensions of the proposed algorithms for non-convex polygonal obstacles.
New Methods for Quantification of Visual Photosensitivity Threshold and Symptoms

PURPOSE Visual photosensitivity is a common symptom difficult to measure and diagnose, and is found in many ocular and neurological disorders. We developed two novel reproducible quantitative assessments of visual photosensitivity. METHODS We designed and built the ocular photosensitivity analyzer (OPA), an automated instrument to determine light intensity visual photosensitivity threshold (VPT), and developed the Visual Light Sensitivity Questionnaire-8 (VLSQ-8), an eight-question survey to assess the presence and severity of photosensitivity symptoms. We evaluated the test-retest variability and obtained normative values of these two approaches in 35 healthy normal subjects, distributed evenly over five age groups from eight to 60 years. Each subject underwent two test sessions, each with VLSQ-8, eye examination, and OPA, four weeks apart, between April 2015 and June 2016. RESULTS Log-transformed VPTs (log10lux) and VLSQ-8 results were highly reproducible between the two sessions (VPT intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.71-0.93; binocular testing, VLSQ-items ICC range = 0.53-0.87). No consistent significant differences in VPTs were found with monocular (P = 0.053, session 1) or binocular (P = 0.26) testing. Subjects in age group >30 to 40 years had significantly higher VPTs than those in other age groups (P ≤ 0.011) except the >40 to 50 years age group (P = 0.11). Photosensitivity symptoms assessed by the VLSQ-8 generally were low and highly reproducible with ≥88% of responses between the 2 sessions being within one category of each other. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide reliability data and normative results toward validation of two novel approaches to quantify visual photosensitivity and provide support for their potential use in ocular and neurologic conditions as well as in clinical trials. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE The new quantitative photosensitivity approaches are potential measures to characterize disease severity, monitor disease progression, and evaluate treatment efficacy.
Quantification of collagen organization in histopathology samples using liquid crystal based polarization microscopy

A number of histopathology studies have utilized the label free microscopy method of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) to investigate collagen organization in disease onset and progression. Here we explored an alternative label free imaging approach, LC-PolScope that is based on liquid crystal based polarized light imaging. We demonstrated that this more accessible technology has the ability to visualize all fibers of interest and has a good to excellent correlation between SHG and LC-PolScope measurements in fibrillar collagen orientation and alignment. This study supports that LC-PolScope is a viable alternative to SHG for label free collagen organization measurements in thin histology sections.
Hardware-efficient variational quantum eigensolver for small molecules and quantum magnets

The ground-state energy of small molecules is determined efficiently using six qubits of a superconducting quantum processor. Quantum simulation is currently the most promising application of quantum computers. However, only a few quantum simulations of very small systems have been performed experimentally. Here, researchers from IBM present quantum simulations of larger systems using a variational quantum eigenvalue solver (or eigensolver), a previously suggested method for quantum optimization. They perform quantum chemical calculations of LiH and BeH2 and an energy minimization procedure on a four-qubit Heisenberg model. Their application of the variational quantum eigensolver is hardware-efficient, which means that it is optimized on the given architecture. Noise is a big problem in this implementation, but quantum error correction could eventually help this experimental set-up to yield a quantum simulation of chemically interesting systems on a quantum computer. Quantum computers can be used to address electronic-structure problems and problems in materials science and condensed matter physics that can be formulated as interacting fermionic problems, problems which stretch the limits of existing high-performance computers1. Finding exact solutions to such problems numerically has a computational cost that scales exponentially with the size of the system, and Monte Carlo methods are unsuitable owing to the fermionic sign problem. These limitations of classical computational methods have made solving even few-atom electronic-structure problems interesting for implementation using medium-sized quantum computers. Yet experimental implementations have so far been restricted to molecules involving only hydrogen and helium2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Here we demonstrate the experimental optimization of Hamiltonian problems with up to six qubits and more than one hundred Pauli terms, determining the ground-state energy for molecules of increasing size, up to BeH2. We achieve this result by using a variational quantum eigenvalue solver (eigensolver) with efficiently prepared trial states that are tailored specifically to the interactions that are available in our quantum processor, combined with a compact encoding of fermionic Hamiltonians9 and a robust stochastic optimization routine10. We demonstrate the flexibility of our approach by applying it to a problem of quantum magnetism, an antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model in an external magnetic field. In all cases, we find agreement between our experiments and numerical simulations using a model of the device with noise. Our results help to elucidate the requirements for scaling the method to larger systems and for bridging the gap between key problems in high-performance computing and their implementation on quantum hardware.
Planning Approaches in Contracted Fixed-Route Bus Transit Service in the United States: Private Sector’s Role in the Planning Process and Its Influence on Performance Outcomes

This study explored the role of planning approaches implemented by agencies that contracted a significant portion of fixed-route bus service and related those planning approaches to service performance. Of particular interest are the rationale behind agency decisions of where to situate planning functions, the role of the contractor in the planning process, and the implications of planning approaches on service cost, quality, and efficiency. Eight cases focused on U.S. transit agencies located in major metropolitan areas that contracted more than 20% of their fixed-route bus service. The authors utilized a combination of agency documents, National Transit Database data, and respondent interviews to uncover the planning approaches employed by each agency and to relate them to key performance indicators. The results show that agencies that do not contract planning functions do so to retain maximum control and oversight of bus service, the role of the contractor in the planning process is augmented as the pr...
Contrasting growth properties of Nocardioides JS614 on threedifferent vinyl halides.

Ethene (ETH)-grown inocula of Nocardioides JS614 grow on vinyl chloride (VC), vinyl fluoride (VF), or vinyl bromide (VB) as the sole carbon and energy source, with faster growth rates and higher cell yields on VC and VF than on VB. However, whereas acetate-grown inocula of JS614 grow on VC and VF after a lag period, growth on VB did not occur unless supplemental ethene oxide (EtO) was present in the medium. Despite inferior growth on VB, the maximum rate of VB consumption by ETH-grown cells was ~ 50% greater than the rates of VC and VF consumption, but Br− release during VB consumption was non-stoichiometric with VB consumption (~ 66%) compared to 100% release of Cl− and F− during VC and VF consumption. Evidence was obtained for VB turnover-dependent toxicity of cell metabolism in JS614 with both acetate-dependent respiration and growth being significantly reduced by VB turnover, but no VC or VF turnover-dependent toxicity of growth was detected. Reduced growth rate and cell yield of JS614 on VB probably resulted from a combination of inefficient metabolic processing of the highly unstable VB epoxide (t0.5 = 45 s), accompanied by growth inhibitory effects of VB metabolites on acetate-dependent metabolism. The exact role(s) of EtO in promoting growth of alkene repressed JS614 on VB remains unresolved, with evidence of EtO inducing epoxide consuming activity prior to an increase in alkene oxidizing activity and supplementing reductant supply when VB is the growth substrate.
The Effects of Capital Campaigns on Local Nonprofit Ecologies

When charities launch capital campaigns, they hope to attract large amounts of resources in a relatively short period of time; however, other charities in the area are likely to see such campaigns ...
Make It Work: Using Service Design to Support Collaboration in Challenging Times

ABSTRACTStudent success units, like Writing Centers, are logical partners for academic libraries. It is not uncommon to find tutoring or academic support services located in library Learning Common...
More are better, but the details matter: combinations of multiple Fresnel zone plates for improved resolution and efficiency in X-ray microscopy

Fresnel zone plates used for X-ray nanofocusing face high-aspect-ratio nanofabrication challenges in combining narrow transverse features (for high spatial resolution) along with extended optical modulation along the X-ray beam direction (to improve efficiency). The stacking of multiple Fresnel zone plates along the beam direction has already been shown to offer improved characteristics of resolution and efficiency when compared with thin single zone plates. Using multislice wave propagation simulation methods, here a number of new schemes for the stacking of multiple Fresnel zone plates are considered. These include consideration of optimal thickness and spacing in the axial direction, and methods to capture a fraction of the light otherwise diffracted into unwanted orders, and instead bring it into the desired first-order focus. The alignment tolerances for stacking multiple Fresnel zone plates are also considered.