cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glycosylation and Phosphorylation of Lysosomal Glycosylasparaginase

Abstract Glycosylasparaginase (EC 3.5.1.26) is a lysosomal amidase which hydrolyzes the bond between asparagine and the sugar moiety in N-linked glycoproteins. Deficiency of the enzyme results in aspartylglycosaminuria (AGU), the most common disorder of glycoprotein degradation. Mature enzyme is formed by two proteolytic cleavage steps subsequent to removal of its signal peptide: (1) an activation cleavage in the ER of the initial single-chain 49-kDa polypeptide into a 27-kDa α- and 19-kDa β-subunit; (2) a cleavage in lysosomes which removes 10 amino acids from the C-terminus of the α-subunit without affecting enzyme activity. Each subunit of glycosylasparaginase contains one N-linked oligosaccharide (N38, α-subunit; N308, β-subunit). Both oligosaccharides were phosphorylated and releasable by Endo-H digestion, indicating they were of the high-mannose type. These glycosylation sequenons were mutagenized to determine the role of the oligosaccharide at each site in proper folding and transport of glycosylasparaginase. An N38D mutant underwent the lysosomal processing step, indicating that targeting to lysosomes can be via the phosphorylated β-subunit oligosaccharide alone. Deletion of the β-subunit oligosaccharide at N308 by an aspartic acid substitution resulted in very little protein or enzyme activity in the transfected cells, reemphasizing that glycosylation of the β-subunit site is important for efficient folding and/or targeting. A different mutation to eliminate the same N-glycosylation sequenon (T310A) yielded more protein and enzyme activity, and a double mutant N38D/T310A yielded the same results as the single β-subunit substitution. Yield of enzyme for all mutants was increased in cells treated with brefeldin A. The N308 glycosylation site of the β-subunit appears to be more important in maintaining normal transport and stability of human glycosylasparaginase.
The Sad History of Random Bits

In this paper we examine the history of using random numbers in computer programs. Unfortunately, this history is sad because it is replete with disasters ranging from one of the first pseudo-random number generators, RANDU, beingverybadtothemostrecenteffortsbytheNSAtounderminethepseudorandom number generator in RSA’s BSAFE cryptographic library. Failures in this area have been both intentional and unintentional, but unfortunately the same sorts of mistakes are repeated. The repeated failures in getting our “randomnumbers”correctsuggeststhattheremightbesomesystemicreasons forthesefailures.Inthispaperwereviewsomeofthesefailuresinmoredetail, and the 2006 Debian OpenSSL Debacle in great detail. This last event left users of Debian and its derivatives with seriously compromised cryptographic capabilities for two years. We also illustrate how this failure can be exploited in an attack. We also modify the concept of a system accident developed in the work of Charles Perrow [1]. We identify some system failures in building pseudo-randomnumbergeneratorsandoffersomesuggestionstohelpdevelop PRNGs and other code more securely.
Electrolysis of Molten Iron Oxide with an Iridium Anode: The Role of Electrolyte Basicity

Molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) is a carbon-free, electrochemical technique to decompose a metal oxide directly into liquid metal and oxygen gas. From an environmental perspective what makes MOE attractive is its ability to extract metal without generating greenhouse gases. Hence, an inert anode capable of sustained oxygen evolution is a critical enabling component for the technology. To this end, iridium has been evaluated in ironmaking cells operated with two different electrolytes. The basicity of the electrolyte has been found to have a dramatic effect on the stability of the iridium anode. The rate of iridium loss in an acidic melt with high silica content has been measured to be much less than that in a basic melt with high calcia content.
Seasonal Allergic Rhinitic and Normal Subjects Respond Differentially to Nasal Provocation with Acetic Acid Vapor

Individuals with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) showa more marked nasal obstructive response (increases in nasal airways resistance or NAR) after provocation with chlorine gas (Cl2) than do nonrhinitic (NR) controls. We were interested in learning whether similar differential respon-siveness was apparent after provocation with acetic acid vapor. Sixteen nonsmoking, nonasth-matic subjects, aged 21–63 yr, equally divided by gender and nasal allergy status, were enrolled in a single-blinded crossover study involving exposure to acetic acid (AA) vapor (15 ppm) or air for 15 min on separate days 1 wk apart. NAR was measured in triplicate before, immedi-ately post-, and 15 min postexposure, was normalized to baseline on a given exposure day, and was expressed as Net [NAR/baseline] after acetic acid versus control (air) exposure. After log transformation to achieve normality, the mean loge of Net [NAR/baseline] was 0.22 for SAR subjects and -0.11 for NR subjects immediately postexposure (p < .05); the correspo...
Location of the Slowest Heating Zone for Natural‐Convection‐Heating Fluids in Metal Containers

Studies were conducted to locate the slowest heating zone (SHZ) along the vertical axis of vertically positioned containers for 16 liquids of different physical properties in 211 × 400 metal containers and for water in 13 sizes of metal container, and to assess significance of the findings for the design of thermal processes. For conditions tested, SHZ was found near the container bottom. The SHZ for natural-convection-heating products is usually located no higher than 25% of the container height above the container bottom. The SHZ's location is most critical in thermal process design for liquids of high initial viscosity in small containers where there is a large difference in temperature between heating medium and SHZ at the end of heating.
Patterns, processes, and impacts of abrupt climate change in a warm world: the past 11,700 years

Abrupt environmental changes punctuated the warm Holocene epoch (the past ∼11,700 years), and studies of these episodes can provide insight into the dynamics that produce rapid climate changes, as well as their ecologic, hydrologic, and geomorphic impacts. This review considers the processes that generated warm world abrupt changes and their landscape and resource effects, including nonlinear climate system interactions, as well as the possibility that large climate variability can linearly produce apparent ‘state shifts.’ Representative examples of Holocene changes illustrate processes that could produce future changes, including (1) rapid changes in ice sheets, such as by ca 8200 years before AD 1950, (2) shifts in the behavior of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (e.g., at ca 5600 years before AD 1950) and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (e.g., at ca 2700 years before AD 1950), and (3) land–atmosphere feedbacks, such as were possible in North Africa in the mid-Holocene. These case examples, drawn primarily from the Northern Hemisphere, also reveal the dynamics that generate the types of climate change impacts that would be particularly evident to individuals and societies, such as rapid tree species declines (observed to have taken place within as little time as 6–40 years) and persistent shifts in the regional availability of water. Holocene changes also demonstrate that even progressive climate change can produce important abrupt impacts; that increased rates of background climate forcing may increase the frequency of abrupt responses; and that impacts may well depend upon the particular sequence of changes. WIREs Clim Change 2012, 3:19–43. doi: 10.1002/wcc.152 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
1H, 13C, and 15N NMR assignments for the helicase interaction domain of Staphylococcus aureus DnaG primase

The interaction between DnaG primase and DnaB helicase is essential for stimulating primer synthesis during bacterial DNA replication. The interaction occurs between the N-terminal domain of helicase and the C-terminal domain of primase. Here we present the 1H, 13C, and 15N backbone and side-chain resonance assignments for the C-terminal helicase interaction domain of Staphylococcus aureus primase.
Flow patterns in calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide filled polyethylene in the entrance region of a capillary die

Experiments to determine the influence of calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide on flow patterns in die entrance regions are reported. The addition of loadings of calcium carbonate and tatanium dioxide of 5 volume percent and more is found to suppress the development of vortices in low density polyethylene at the entrance of a 180° entrance angle die. Vortex suppression was found in more complex entrance regions as well. Similar behavior has been found for carbon black compounds.
Description and analysis of a Bayesian CFAR radar signal processor in a nonhomogeneous clutter background

A major problem that occurs in constant false alarm rate (CFAR) schemes is presented by regions of nonhomogeneous clutter background. The situation occurs when the total noise power received in a single reference window does not follow the assumption of independent and identically distributed clutter in all reference window cells. Bayesian statistics provide a mathematical procedure for changing or updating the degree of belief about the clutter parameter in light of more recent information. A Bayesian CFAR (Bay-CFAR) processor is developed and analyzed. The Bay-CFAR processor exploits a priori knowledge of a nonhomogeneous clutter environment to considerably improve the detection performance relative to a classical cell averaging CFAR (CA-CFAR) processor. The performance improvement is demonstrated with a small reference window size that allows the processor to respond quickly to a rapidly changing clutter environment.
Active control of effective mass, damping and stiffness of MEMS

We propose the active control of effective stiffness, damping, and mass of MEMS by applying feedback forces that are proportional to displacement, velocity, and acceleration of its proof mass. Such control in performance is important due to the systemic variation in performance caused by process variations, packaging stresses, thermal drift, energy losses, and noise sources. Prior efforts by others have used feedback forces based on position or velocity to modify bandwidth, frequency, quality factor, and the sensitivity of resonators. What is different about our study is that it explores comprehensive control over the effective mass, damping, and stiffness simultaneously. Electrical emulations of mass, damping, and stiffness may be positive or negative, and they can be larger than their purely mechanical counterparts. We provide an analytical derivation for steady-state analysis numerical results for transient analysis. Our steady-state analysis includes signal delay, and transient simulations include both delay and noise. We find that changes in effective mass and stiffness can be increased by an order of magnitude, and damping can be increased by three orders of magnitude.
Uncertainty analysis for reflectance colorimetry

The uncertainty associated with the quantitative description of the color of an object is often necessary for determining the acceptability of that object for its intended application. Uncertainties are also required for establishing the traceability of a measurement to a national metrology institute. A systematic, analytical approach to uncertainty analysis, which conforms to currently accepted practice, is presented for reflectance colorimetry. Two important concepts are stressed—the measurement equation describing the relation between signals and the spectral reflectance factor and correlations both between signals at the same wavelength and between reflectance factors at different wavelengths. The approach is illustrated by considering representative object colors and instrument parameters. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 29, 205–216, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20006
Dietary self-efficacy predicts AHEI diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the association of intrapersonal influences of diet quality as defined by the Health Belief Model constructs in women with recent histories of gestat...
Optical basicity of metal oxides and XPS measurement

Abstract A semi-empirical relationship between XPS measured oxygen Is binding energy and the optical basicity is developed.
Sunni-Muslim American Religious Development During Emerging Adulthood

Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in America, with approximately 6 to 7 million Muslims living in America within the past decade. However, there has been little psychological research conducted focusing on the development of the Muslim American self. This inquiry addresses that gap by focusing on how familial religious affiliation during childhood and the everyday environmental activity systems of emerging adulthood impact religious practice and the construction of the religious self among Sunni-Muslim American emerging adults (N = 63, 18-29 years) via the development of diverse mediational strategies. Utilizing an applied cultural historical activity theory–based analysis, the authors found that participants’ religious development emerged as a diverse and dynamic process developing in relation to the interacting activity systems and sociorelational contexts of emerging adulthood.
Surface photoemission in Ag(100)

Photoemission from the sp band of Ag(100) is significantly affected by surface effects. The dominant surface contribution at low-photon energies is derived from a {bold {nabla}}{center_dot}{bold A} term in the optical-transition matrix element which gives rise to a significant amplitude for indirect transitions. This surface term interferes with the usual momentum matrix element for band-to-band transitions in the bulk, resulting in an asymmetric direct-transition peak. A line-shape analysis of spectra taken with various photon energies leads to a quantitative determination of this surface contribution. The results, as well as similar results for Ag(111) obtained over a different but adjoining range of photon energy, will be compared with the photon energy dependence of the dielectric function of Ag. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Modeling Passenger Travel and Delays in the National Air Transportation System

Many of the existing methods for evaluating an airline's on-time performance are based on flight-centric measures of delay. However, recent research has demonstrated that passenger delays depend on many factors in addition to flight delays. For instance, significant passenger delays result from flight cancellations and missed connections, which themselves depend on a significant number of factors. Unfortunately, lack of publicly available passenger travel data has made it difficult for researchers to explore the nature of these relationships. In this paper, we develop methodologies to model historical travel and delays for U.S. domestic passengers. We develop a multinomial logit model for estimating historical passenger travel and extend a previously developed greedy reaccommodation heuristic for estimating the resulting passenger delays. We report and analyze the estimated passenger delays for calendar year 2007, developing insights into factors that affect the performance of the National Air Transportat...
The Airy phase of shallow-focus submarine earthquakes

An extension of the theoretical work of Lamb and Pekeris shows that a prominent phase (Airy phase) consisting of a group of waves of period 9-11 seconds, traveling across the ocean with a velocity of approximately 0.7 of the speed of sound in water, should be present on the seismograms of shallow-focus submarine earthquakes. This arrival corresponds to normal mode propagation at a stationary value of group velocity through the acoustic system consisting of the ocean and the rigid ocean bottom. A phase fitting this description has been observed on the Milne-Shaw instruments at Bermuda for a series of Dominican Republic shocks. The Wenner seismographs at Huancayo recorded the Airy phase of a shock southwest of the Galapagos Islands. The study of the Airy phase of a sufficient number of sea quakes would provide information concerning the nature of the ocean bottom since the latter affects both the periods and velocities of the Airy phase.
A cloud-based spatial-temporal inventory for sustainable urban soil management

Spatial and temporal databases that integrate urban tree inventories and soil quality information are needed for modern-day sustainable urban forest management. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of low-cost and widely-available technology, such as global positioning system (GPS)–enabled cameras to photo-document sites and cloud-based products and services (Google Picasa and Fusion Tables), to aid in developing sustainable street tree management programs. Google Fusion Tables provide a cloud platform to store, share and map urban tree and soil data over time using internet connected computers, tablets or mobile devices. Although indicators of urban soil quality and best methods to assess it are not yet standardized, we demonstrate here promising indicators that are both useful and easy to incorporate into spatial and temporal databases of trees managed in urban environments. By utilizing technology, we demonstrate that site-specific urban soil quality indicators can be used together with readily-available soil rating systems specific to different plant types as a means to better evaluate and manage conditions for optimal street tree growth and health.
Gut microbiota and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common disorder with poorly understood pathogenesis. Beyond environmental and genetic factors, cumulative data support the causative role of gut microbiota in disease development and progression. Data source We performed a PubMed literature search with the following key words: “non-alcoholic fatty liver disease”, “non-alcoholic steatohepatitis”, “fatty liver”, “gut microbiota” and “microbiome”, to review the data implicating gut microbiota in NAFLD development and progression. Results Recent metagenomic studies revealed differences in the phylum and genus levels between patients with fatty liver and healthy controls. While bacteroidetes and firmicutes remain the dominant phyla among NAFLD patients, their proportional abundance and genera detection vary among different studies. New techniques indicate a correlation between the methanogenic archaeon ( methanobrevibacter smithii ) and obesity, while the bacterium akkermanshia municiphila protects against metabolic syndrome. Among NAFLD patients, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth detected by breath tests might induce gut microbiota and host interactions, facilitating disease development. Conclusions There is evidence that gut microbiota participates in NAFLD development through, among others, obesity induction, endogenous ethanol production, inflammatory response triggering and alterations in choline metabolism. Further studies with emerging techniques are needed to further elucidate the microbiome and host crosstalk in NAFLD pathogenesis.
Strain Hardening and Annealing

In this chapter we will discuss three main topics: cold working, by which a metal is simultaneously deformed and strengthened; hot working, by which a metal is deformed at high temperatures without strengthening; and annealing, during which the effects of strengthening caused by cold working are eliminated or modified by heat treatment. The strengthening we obtain during cold working, which is brought about by slip becoming progressively more difficult, is called strain hardening or work hardening. By controlling these processes of deformation and heat treatment, we are able to process the material into a usable shape, yet still improve and control the properties.
Si and GexSi1-x Epitaxial Growth on SOI Structures by Rapid Thermal Processing Chemical Vapor Deposition

A short time high temperature H2 pre-bake resulted in an undulating SIMOX surface, which planarized after epitaxial growth by rapid thermal processing chemical vapor deposition (RTPCVD). However, a short time, high temperature N2 pre-bake resulted in severe surface pitting. From dilute Schimmel etch results, no significant changes in the defect densities of the Si layers occurred after RTPCVD. Auger depth profiles of the SOI substrate prior to epitaxial growth show an oxygen peak in the SIMOX Si layer. However, the peak flattens out after epitaxial growth. Oxygen was not observed in the epitaxial film, even though oxygen was still observed in the SIMOX top Si layer. The use of Gex Si-x epitaxial layers to reduce threading dislocation densities was examined. A 1000°C Si buffer layer was first grown for 30s, followed by a Gex Si1-x layer, and topped off by a 1000°C Si layer for 120s. The Gex Si11-x layers were grown at temperatures varying from 850°C to 1000°C for 30s to 240s. The defect density was significantly reduced when the 900°C and 850°C Gex Si1-x layers were used, although an increase in stacking fault densities (still small compared to threading dislocation densities) accompanied the lower deposition temperatures. The 1000°C Gex Si1-x layer and a control sample in which pure Si was grown showed no significant decrease in defect densities.
Stimulation of angiotensinogen release by raised blood angiotensin concentration in the dog.

SUMMARY 1. Intravenous infusion of angiotensin I1 increased plasma angiotensinogen 2. This increase was not a consequence of haemoconcentration but was associated 3. Infusion of angiotensin I1 did not increase plasma angiotensinogen concentration concentration in five anaesthetized dogs. with an increase in peripheral corticosteroid concentration. in five adrenalectomized dogs.
Anti-Erythropoietin Receptor (EPO-R) Monoclonal Antibodies Inhibit Erythropoietin Binding and Neutralize Bioactivity

We have generated six high affinity monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to the human erythropoietin receptor (hEPO-R) polypeptide. All six MoAbs bind to the extracytoplasmic domain of the hEPO-R, and all immunoprecipitate 35S-labeled hEPO-R from metabolically labeled Ba/F3-hEPO-R cells. Four of the MoAbs neutralize the EPO-dependent growth of Ba/F3-hEPO-R cells, whereas two MoAbs are non-neutralizing. None of the MoAbs inhibit the EPO-dependent growth of Ba/F3 cells expressing the murine EPO-R (mEPO-R), even though the hEPO-R and mEPO-R share 82% amino acid identity. All six of the anti-EPO-R MoAbs bind to the cell surface human EPO-R but none bind to the cell surface murine EPO-R. Of the four neutralizing MoAbs, the one-half maximal inhibition occurs at MoAb concentrations ranging from 1 nmol/L to 50 nmol/L. These MoAbs also compete with radiolabeled EPO for hEPO-R binding. The two non-neutralizing MoAbs fail to inhibit EPO-dependent growth or compete with EPO-binding, even at antibody concentrations as high as 500 nmol/L. The four neutralizing MoAbs, designated group I, compete with each other for an epitope of the hEPO-R polypeptide required for EPO-binding. The two non-neutralizing MoAbs recognize discrete epitopes, and are designated group II and group III MoAbs. In conclusion, this is the first description of MoAbs specific for the hEPO-R. The MoAbs, which recognize three discrete epitopes, may be useful in characterizing the spectrum of cells that display the hEPO-R and in further defining the role of EPO in hematopoiesis.
Bits and Pieces: A Crowd-Sourced Series of 54 Cases of Fractured Hormonal Implants

Abstract Study Objective The fracture of hormonal implants, including Implanon, Nexplanon (both from Merck & Co, Inc), and histrelin acetate is rare. Our aim was to describe patient demographic characteristics, mechanisms, and consequences of fractured implants by surveying physicians' experience via listservs and social media. Design, Setting, Participants, Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures We developed a Research Electronic Data Capture survey for physicians regarding their experience with implant fracture, including patient characteristics, mechanism of fracture, changes in menstrual bleeding patterns, time from insertion to fracture, and time from fracture to seeking care. We distributed the survey to providers in listservs for the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, the Family Planning Fellowship, the Ryan Program, and the Facebook Physician Moms Group and Facebook OB-GYN Mom Group. We performed descriptive analyses. Results We received 42 survey responses, representing 54 discrete implant fractures of which 70% (n=14) were Nexplanon, 26% (n=38) were Implanon, and 4% (n=2) were histrelin acetate. Mechanisms of implant fracture included patient manipulation (23%, n=12), unintentional trauma (11%, n=6), interpersonal violence (8%, n=4), lifting/carrying (6%, n=3), fracture with removal (6%, n=3), and unknown (47%, n=25). Bleeding pattern was not altered in 78% (n=42) of cases. Time interval between placement and fracture was less than 2 years for 63% (n=34) of cases. Thirty-nine percent (n=21) of patients presented for care more than 1 month from the time of fracture. Conclusion Patients should be counseled about potential for hormonal implant fracture, advised against excessive manipulation of implants, and counseled to present for care immediately upon noticing an implant fracture. Surveying physicians through listervs and social media is an effective strategy to increase the reporting of rare complications and events.
Quiet Riot: The Causal Effect of Protest Violence

Estimating the effect of violent forms of political protest on protest success is complicated by endogeneity and omitted variable bias. In this work, I utilize instrumental variables methods to estimate the causal effect of violent protest on the likelihood that protesters win policy concessions. Using daily French protest data and a set of weather and school holiday instruments, I find a significant and negative relationship between property destruction associated with protests and the chance of near-term success in changing policy. The IV estimates are larger than OLS estimates and are robust to a variety of alternative specifications. Such findings are predicted by several posited endogeneity channels, and, they suggest that political violence does not, in fact, pay off.
CubeSat infrared atmospheric sounder (CIRAS) NASA InVEST technology demonstration

Infrared sounders measure the upwelling radiation of the Earth in the Midwave Infrared (MWIR) and Longwave Infrared (LWIR) region of the spectrum with global daily coverage from space. The observed radiances are assimilated into weather forecast models and used to retrieve lower tropospheric temperature and water vapor for climate studies. There are several operational sounders today including the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on Aqua, the Crosstrack Infrared Sounder (CrIS) on Suomi NPP and JPSS, and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the MetOp spacecraft. The CubeSat Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (CIRAS) is a NASA In-flight Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) program to demonstrate three new instrument technologies in an imaging sounder configuration. The first is a 2D array of High Operating Temperature Barrier Infrared Detector (HOT-BIRD) material, selected for its high uniformity, low cost, low noise and higher operating temperatures than traditional materials. The detectors are hybridized to a commercial ROIC and commercial camera electronics. The second technology is a MWIR Grating Spectrometer (MGS) designed to provide imaging spectroscopy for atmospheric sounding in a CubeSat volume. The MGS employs an immersion grating or grism, has no moving parts, and is based on heritage spectrometers including the OCO- 2. The third technology is a Black Silicon infrared blackbody calibration target. The Black Silicon offers very low reflectance over a broad spectral range on a flat surface and is more robust than carbon nanotubes. JPL will also develop the mechanical, electronic and thermal subsystems for the CIRAS payload. The spacecraft will be a commercially available CubeSat. The integrated system will be a complete 6U CubeSat capable of measuring temperature and water vapor profiles with good lower tropospheric sensitivity. The low cost of CIRAS enables multiple units to be flown to improve temporal coverage or measure 3D Atmospheric Motion Vector (AMV) winds. CIRAS will launch in 2019 and is only a technology demonstration. However, what we learn will benefit future instruments that support operational weather forecasting and climate studies.
Elucidating dispersal ecology of reclusive species through genetic analyses of parentage and relatedness: the island night lizard (Xantusia riversiana) as a case study

Characterizing dispersal and movement patterns are vital to understanding the evolutionary ecology of species. For many reclusive species, such as reptiles, the observation of direct dispersal may be difficult or intractable. However, dispersal distances and patterns may be characterized through indirect genetic methods. We used genetic and capture data from the island night lizard (Xantusia riversiana) to estimate natal dispersal distances through indirect genetic methods, characterize movement and space use patterns, and compare these distances to previous estimates made from more traditional ecological approaches. We found that indirect estimates of natal dispersal were greater than previous field-based estimates of individual displacement of 3-5 m. Parent-offspring differences had a mean of approximately 14 m on Santa Barbara Island (SBI) and 41 m on San Clemente Island (SCI) whereas Wright′s σ was estimated at 16 m on SBI and 20 m for SCI. Spatial autocorrelation with correlograms of Moran′s I revealed large differences in the scale of autocorrelation between islands (SBI=375 m, SCI=1,813 m). Interpretation of these distances as average per generation distance of gene flow was incongruent with parentage analyses and σ. We also used variograms to evaluate the range of spatial autocorrelation among two inter-individual genetic differences. The range of spatial autocorrelation again identified different scales on the two islands (102 - 169 m on SBI and 955 - 1,424 m on SCI). No evidence of sex-biased dispersal was found on either island. However, a permutation logistic regression revealed that related individuals >0.8 years old were more likely to be captured together on both islands. Overall, our findings suggest that field-based estimates of individual displacement within this species may underestimate genetic dispersal. We suggest indirect inferences of natal dispersal distances should focus on parentage analyses and Wright′s σ for parameter estimation of individual movement, whereas the ranges identified by spatial autocorrelation and variograms are likely to be relevant at the metapopulation or patch scales. Furthermore, characterization of capture patterns and relatedness revealed kin-affiliative behavior in X. riversiana, which may be indicative of delayed dispersal and cryptic sociality. These results highlight the power of parentage and relatedness-based analyses for characterizing aspects of the movement ecology of reclusive species that may be difficult to observe directly. These data can then be leveraged to support future conservation and population modeling efforts and assess extinction risks and management strategies.
Employment of senior citizens in the Baltic Sea region bioeconomy

The scale of employment of the elderly in agriculture in the Baltic Sea Region is analysed. Classification of the countries according to the age structure of persons employed in agriculture is performed with the use of Ward’s clustering method. The diagnostic features were the percentages of persons from particular age groups employed in agriculture of a given country. The mean contributions of persons aged 50-64 and above 65 in the Baltic Sea Region are similar to those working in agriculture in all 27 EU member states. The mean percentage of the elderly (above 65 years of age) was over twice smaller in the Baltic Sea Region from the group of EU-10 countries and in Denmark than the those from the EU-15 group including Finland, Germany and Sweden. In the first group of countries also the percentage of persons aged 50-64 working in agriculture was also smaller.
The genre effect: A science fiction (vs. realism) manipulation decreases inference effort, reading comprehension, and perceptions of literary merit

Some purport that literary fiction is determined by high inference demands. The subgenre of science fiction is often defined by story-world tropes that may reduce inferential demands. However, science fiction with high inference demands may also constitute literary fiction. Instead of inferential demands, it may be readers’ responses to setting that distinguishes science fiction and narrative realism. In two experiments, a story was manipulated for contemporary and science-fiction settings. Also, a version of each text with and without explanatory statements manipulated inference demand. Readers perceived the science-fiction text as lower in literary quality. For science fiction, readers also exerted less inference effort for theory of mind, but more for understanding the world. Regardless of inference effort, participants who read the story in the science-fiction world performed more poorly on comprehension. Readers’ expectations triggered by setting tropes seem to be particularly potent determinants of literary quality perceptions, inference effort, and comprehension.
A new statistical model for genome-scale MicroRNA target prediction

MicroRNAs regulate virtually the whole gene network in human body and have been implicated in most physiological and pathological conditions including cancers. Understanding the precise mechanisms of microRNA-mRNA interaction is fundamentally important to elucidate the important roles of miRNA in regulating various cellular and disease developmental stages. Numerous computational methods have been developed for miRNA target prediction, mostly focusing on static binding prediction and highly dependent on sequence-pairing interactions. However, the interplay between competing and cooperative microRNA-target binding makes it exceptionally complex and challenging for reliable target identification, which has hindered the existing tools from practical use. In this study, we present a new computational method for microRNA target prediction using the Dirichlet Process Gaussian Mixture Model (DPGMM). A comprehensive collection of features related to sequence and structure of microRNAs, mRNAs, and the binding sites have been assessed to optimize the statistical prediction of new binding sites in human transcriptome. Through multiple evaluations on recently-discovered miRNA-mRNA interactions reported in large-scale sequencing analyses and a screening test on the entire human transcripts, the results show that our model outperformed several state-of-the-art tools in terms of reduced false positive prediction and promising predictive power on binding sites specific to transcript isoforms.
CT for evaluation of acute pericardial emergencies in the ED

Acute pericardial emergencies may present with acute chest pain. Although complete diagnosis and physiological effects of acute pericardial disease may require a combination of different imaging, CT plays a critical role in identifying the cause of chest pain in the ED. Many of these pericardial diseases can be fatal unless emergent treatment is obtained. The presentation can often be non-specific and symptoms can be overlapping with other diseases originating in the thorax or abdomen. Optimizing the CT scan is imperative when acute pericardial disease is suspected from clinical examination or preliminary imaging. The interpreting radiologist needs to be aware of the different entities which represent acute pericardial emergencies requiring urgent therapeutic intervention. Time is the essence, the clock is ticking, and every minute counts!
The Social Worker as an Expert Witness

The social worker has tools of investigation available to gather and interpret data meaningfully for the benefit of judge, jury, and clients
Recent post-wildfire salvage logging benefits local and landscape floral and bee communities

Abstract Understanding the implications of shifts in disturbance regimes for plants and pollinators is essential for successful land management. Wildfires are essential natural disturbances that are important drivers of forest biodiversity, and there is often pressure to respond to wildfire with management like post-wildfire logging (i.e., removal of dead trees for economic value immediately following wildfire). We investigated how local floral and bee density, species richness, and community composition and dispersion were influenced by post-wildfire logging, and how these effects differed between an older (24 years-since-fire) and a more recent (8 years-since-fire) wildfire in the Gallatin National Forest, Montana USA. We also tested how these local patterns scaled up to influence landscape patterns in floral and bee diversity. After recent wildfire, local floral and bee density and species richness were higher in logged than in unlogged sites, and these effects were variable over the course of the growing season. There were no differences in community dispersion except that of bees in logged areas of the recent wildfire, which were less heterogeneous compared to unlogged areas. Despite this reduction in bee community heterogeneity, overall bee diversity was highest across logged areas of the recent fire. While the positive effects of post-wildfire logging on local density and richness did not persist in the older fire, compositional differences in flowers and bees between logged and unlogged areas were observed in both the recent and older wildfire. Together, these results suggest that the local benefits of post-wildfire logging for floral and bee richness are evident within a decade of these disturbances, but have diminished within a quarter century of fire. Nevertheless, compositional effects persist, resulting in higher overall landscape floral and bee diversity when both logged and unlogged areas of each wildfire were present. This study provides evidence for near-term benefits of post-wildfire logging for local and landscape floral and bee communities. Post-wildfire logging may be considered as a forest management option when balanced with the maintenance of unlogged areas to encourage biodiversity conservation at the landscape scale.
Physiological impacts of housing maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) with female relatives or unrelated males.

Abstract The maned wolf is a threatened canid species native to South America. Previous studies have suggested the species exhibits induced ovulation. In captive breeding facilities, reproductive success is low while rates of neonatal mortality are high. Females that are not recommended for breeding are frequently housed together. However there has never been a systematic study of the reproductive consequences of co-housing females. This study was conducted for three purposes, to: (1) corroborate the presence of induced ovulation, (2) determine whether elevated cortisol is implicated in neonatal pup mortality, and (3) evaluate the endocrine correlates of group housed females. Using fecal hormone monitoring for estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol, 43 cycles from 33 female maned wolves were studied from 2002 to 2015. Females were categorized by their reproductive status: pregnant and successfully raised pups (PR; n = 11), pregnant with neonatal pup demise within 3 days (PL; n = 7), housed with a male but no signs of breeding or pregnancy (PP; n = 10), housed singly (S; n = 8), or housed with related females (F; n = 7). Estrogen and progestagen remained at baseline for all females not housed with a male (S, F), while elevations consistent with ovulation were seen in females housed with a male (PP, PL, PR). Compared to PR females, PL individuals showed similar cortisol levels throughout the cycle and slightly lower progesterone levels during gestation. As for the effect of co-housing related females, F females showed estrogen and progesterone levels lower even than S females while cortisol levels were elevated compared to all other groups. These findings support the previous evidence of induced ovulation in the maned wolf. Although elevated cortisol does not seem to be implicated in pup loss, a non-significant trend towards lower progesterone during gestation could be implicated. Future studies should assess depressed progesterone levels as a correlate to neonatal pup mortality. Female maned wolves housed with related females experience suppressed reproductive hormones and elevated adrenal hormones. Therefore, a more systematic study of hormonal and behavioral correlates to co-housing with related females is warranted.
Issues in Defining and Assessing Reading Proficiency: The ACTFL Guidelines

In 1981, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) published its Provisional Proficiency Guidelines (generic and language-specific descriptions) for the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). In 1986, ACTFL published its updated and sometimes expanded Proficiency Guidelines (general descriptions only). The changes in the descriptions were by and large improvements. This paper focuses on the reading guidelines with specific reference to their theoretical underpinnings.
Workplace Violence and Aggression: When You Do Not Want Your Company on the News

This chapter provides a history and overview of workplace violence and aggression research and a detailed description of the nature and prevalence of this phenomenon. This includes a discussion of both physical (fatal and nonfatal) and nonphysical (verbal, psychological, emotional) forms of aggression as well as a discussion about the substantial individual and organizational costs (both human and financial) associated with aggressive workplace behavior. In addition, I describe the individual, social, and situational causes of workplace aggression and violence and offer several approaches for the prevention and management of this problem. Embedded in this discussion, I raise several ethical concerns that must be addressed in dealing with these issues.
Endocrine and neuropeptide control of secretory component synthesis by acinar cells from the lacrimal gland

Recently, it has been demonstrated that androgens regulate the secretory immune system of the eye [1]. These steroid hormones modulate the secretion of IgA and secretory component (SC) by the lacrimal gland and stimulate the accumulation of IgA antibodies and SC in tears. This hormone effect, however, is significantly reduced in diabetic animals [2] or by interruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis [3]; these latter findings suggest that androgen action may be modified by insulin or substances of neuroendocrine origin. To better understand the control of the ocular mucosal immunity, the current studies were designed to investigate the potential role of neural and endocrine factors in the regulation of androgen-induced SC synthesis by acinar cells from the lacrimal gland.
Chirurgische Fallzahl: Die Amerikanische Perspektive

Due to an increasing interest in patient safety and quality health care, many studies attempt to show a relationship between procedural volume at the institutional and individual level and patient outcome. Despite the correlation between number of surgeons and institutional volume in major operative procedures such as coronary artery bypass graft, pancreatic resection, and esophagectomy, these parameters are likely to be proxy for individual factors such as experience and structural aspects. In general the relationship between case numbers and results is more convincing in cancer surgery than for cardiovascular procedures, and risk adjustment may play an important role for interpreting results of the various studies. Exact thresholds cannot be determined and thus remain speculative. It appears difficult to implement practical changes based on the observations, because the etiology and causality of the relationship between volume and outcome are still not understood. The simple focus on volume does not apply to measurements of quality but can be a starting point for further studies to identify more specific factors associated with surgical quality.
Additive Manufacturing of Orthopedic Implants

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the process of selectively joining materials to fabricate objects in a layer-by-layer approach using digital part information, i.e. 3D CAD models. This definition highlights the fundamental difference between AM process and traditional manufacturing methods such as subtractive processes (e.g. machining), forming processes (e.g. forging) and bulk solidification processes (e.g. casting). AM is often also called 3D printing, additive processes, freeform fabrication and layered manufacturing. When compared to traditional processes, AM offers unique advantages to economically produce low volume batches (one to a few) of highly complex products. Since AM does not require design and/or material dependent tooling (e.g. jigs and fixtures), AM is an ideal candidate for the next generation design and manufacturing of orthopedic implants. Although “customization” of product specifications implants has been around long before the introduction of AM technology to the medical field, the lack of tooling requirement for each design in AM makes it economically viable for patient-specific orthopedic implant production. Finally, design freedom that can be easily achieved through AM technology enables introduction of porous structures for bone ingrowth and biological implant fixation. The motivation for this chapter is to understand the current state of orthopedic applications of AM which have been shown to economically produce highly customized and highly complex design features in low volumes.
Chico Mendes, the rubber tappers and the Indians: reimagining conservation and development in the Amazon

In the mid-1970’s rubber tapper leaders Chico Mendes and Wilson Pinheiro reformulated strategic objectives of the rubber tappers’ movement, from protesting and denouncing violent dispossession of families and deforestation to defending rubber tappers’ forest territories and diversified land use. This strategic turn laid the basis for the rubber tappers’ transformation from a solely class-based union movement to one that incorporates a specific cultural identity associated with land and resource uses defined as opposed to the government-sponsored socio-environmentally destructive development model. The rubber tappers’ conceptual transformation of “extractivism”, from an archaic, outdated and primitive economic activity into an alternative for a modern, sustainable development model, based in their distinct culture, mirrored and paralleled the emergence of identity-based social movements globally. It also mirrored the re-emergence of “submerged” indigenous ethnicities and subsequent “ethnogenesis” of allegedly extinct or forgotten indigenous peoples, in both cases contrary to the assumptions and predictions of both policy and some anthropological theory. The rubber tappers’ definition of extractive reserves as collective land rights – and access to technology, social services and markets on terms in some measure controlled by the communities – in exchange for environmental and forest protection enabled significant territorial gains (parallel to indigenous territories), as well as proliferation of extractive reserve analogues in both environmental and land reform policy. Alliances with indigenous peoples and environmentalists were central to the development of this vision. The model of collective rights, with access to technology, services and markets could have very broad applicability for poor populations globally, in light of climate change and other environmental crises, if at-scale incentives for climate change and other environmental mitigation can be created.