To what extent does environmental legislation achieve the objectives it pursues? The paper contributes to this discussion on effectiveness in two ways. First, it provides a conceptual framework from an economic and legal perspective. In particular, it clarifies that effectiveness in the narrow sense relates to achieving legally set goals ± which, in turn, depends on suitability and enforcement of rules. However, a comprehensive framework needs to go beyond effec- tiveness in the narrow sense: that is, the more demanding concept of cost-effectiveness, which requires goal achievement at a minimum of societal costs, as well as un-anticipated secondary impacts, may impact the overall assessment. Second, the paper evaluates the effectiveness of the main policy instru- ment to support renewable energy sources (RES) in the German electricity sector, i.e., the German RES Act (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz). To this end, the paper investigates in what respect the RES Act effectively contributes to achieving the objectives of the RES Act; subsequently, the analysis is extended to a more comprehensive approach, assessing both cost- effectiveness and secondary effects of RES support in Germany.


Screen identifies demethylation regulator DNA methylation was one of the first epigenetic mechanisms discovered, but there is a limited understanding of its regulation and dysregulation in the context of development and disease. Dixon et al. performed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen in human embryonic stem cells to identify DNA methylation regulators (see the Perspective by Gu and Goodell). A top screen hit, QSER1, proved to be essential for maintaining low methylation at DNA methylation valleys, which overlap with developmental genes and broad H3K27me3 and EZH2 peaks. Mechanistic examination revealed that QSER1 and the demethylating enzyme TET1 cooperate to safeguard developmental programs from de novo methylation by the enzyme DNMT3. Science, this issue p. eabd0875; see also p. 128 QSER1 cooperates with TET1 to safeguard DNA methylation valleys from DNMT3-mediated de novo methylation. INTRODUCTION DNA methylation is essential to mammalian development, and dysregulation can cause serious pathological conditions, including immunodeficiency-centromeric instability-facial anomalies syndrome (ICF) and microcephalic dwarfism. The DNMT and TET enzymes are responsible for the addition and removal of DNA methylation, but how they coordinate to regulate the methylation landscape remains a central question. Using a knockin DNA methylation reporter, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to discover DNA methylation regulators. RATIONALE We focused on bivalent promoters, defined by the presence of both active (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K27me3) histone marks and typically occupied by Polycomb-repressive complexes 1 and 2 (PRC1 and PRC2). In stem or progenitor cells, bivalent promoters are believed to maintain developmental regulators in a "poised state" ready for activation upon differentiation, and they are sensitive to DNA hypermethylation in dysfunctional cellular contexts such as cancer or aging. Creation of a knockin DNA methylation reporter line provided a singular opportunity to visualize epigenetic alterations otherwise "invisible" in terms of gene expression changes in the stem cell state. Using the bivalent PAX6 P0 promoter as a representative locus, we aimed to discover mechanisms that regulate DNA methylation at regions with similar chromatin features, which would inform not only gene regulation during development but also epigenetic dysregulation in disease. RESULTS Our screen successfully identified not only known methylation regulators such as TET1, TDG, and KDM2B but also functionally uncharacterized genes, including QSER1. Like the TET proteins, QSER1 safeguards bivalent promoters and poised enhancers (marked by H3K4me1 but not H3K27ac) against hypermethylation. However, distinct from the more general protective effect of the TET proteins on regulatory regions, QSER1 preferentially protects broad PRC2-bound and H3K27me3-marked regions and DNA methylation valleys (DMVs). Also known as DNA methylation canyons, DMVs identify large (≥5 kb) hypomethylated regions present in cells of many lineages and conserved across vertebrates. They are enriched with bivalent promoters, developmental genes, and transcription factors, including PAX6 and the HOX genes. QSER1 and TET1 showed high correlation in genomic occupancy measured by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and both were high at DMVs, whereas the binding of de novo methyltransferases DNMT3A and DNMT3B was excluded in DMVs and relatively enriched in the flanking regions. Further proteomic and genomic analyses revealed that QSER1 and TET1 share many common interacting proteins, depend on each other for efficient recruitment to DNA, and cooperate to limit the encroachment of DNMT3A and DNMT3B in DMVs. In addition, deleting DNMT3B reversed the hypermethylation in QSER1 knockout (KO) hESCs. Furthermore, combined KO of QSER1 and TET1 had a stronger impact on DNA methylation and gene expression than either single KO and resulted in a failure of hESC differentiation to PDX1+NKX6.1+ pancreatic progenitors. CONCLUSION We show that QSER1 cooperates with TET1 to safeguard transcriptional and developmental programs from DNMT3-mediated de novo methylation at important genomic loci, especially in DMVs and bivalent promoters where hypermethylation has been linked to developmental disorders and cancers. Our work provides mechanistic insight into the region-specific regulation of the TET pathway and highlights the utility of unbiased genome-wide screens and locus-specific epigenetic measurements, including, but not limited to, DNA methylation for probing the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms relevant to human health. QSER1 safeguards DNA methylation valleys from de novo methylation. A fluorescence reporter hESC line (indicated by the red outline for fluorescence) was generated to track DNA methylation levels of the PAX6 promoter region in a genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 screen for regulators of DNA methylation. A top screen hit, QSER1, cooperates with TET1 to antagonize DNMT3-mediated de novo methylation (depicted by the purple shading) at DMVs. DNA methylation is essential to mammalian development, and dysregulation can cause serious pathological conditions. Key enzymes responsible for deposition and removal of DNA methylation are known, but how they cooperate to regulate the methylation landscape remains a central question. Using a knockin DNA methylation reporter, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen in human embryonic stem cells to discover DNA methylation regulators. The top screen hit was an uncharacterized gene, QSER1, which proved to be a key guardian of bivalent promoters and poised enhancers of developmental genes, especially those residing in DNA methylation valleys (or canyons). We further demonstrate genetic and biochemical interactions of QSER1 and TET1, supporting their cooperation to safeguard transcriptional and developmental programs from DNMT3-mediated de novo methylation.


Author(s): Tollefson, Joshua Wayne | Advisor(s): de Pater, Imke | Abstract: Uranus and Neptune are representatives of the `ice giants', one of the most common classes of exoplanets \citep{Fressin2013}. Thousands of exoplanets have been discovered thanks to the \textit{Kepler} mission, and soon the James Webb Space Telescope will characterize their atmospheres in unprecedented detail. Such work will rely on the observations, techniques, and analysis used to study the Solar System's gas giants. However, in many ways our own ice giants remain poorly understood. In this dissertation, I use multi-wavelength observations of Neptune to better constrain the bulk properties and dynamic patterns within the planet's upper atmosphere. At visible and near-infrared wavelengths, sunlight is reflected off the cloud tops and hazes populating the upper atmospheres of the giant planets. Bright cloud features can be tracked to extract velocities. By doing this over many latitudes, a global velocity field called the `zonal wind profile' can be made. Here, I present zonal wind profiles for Jupiter and Neptune. These are constructed from \textit{Hubble Space Telescope} WFC3 global maps of Jupiter taken between $2009-2016$ and Keck NIRC2 images of Neptune taken in the H-band ($1.4-1.8 \mu$m) and Kp-band ($2.0-2.4 \mu$m) in 2013 and 2014. I show that Jupiter's zonal wind profile is stable throughout the observed period, apart from variations on the order of 10 m/s at the $24^{\circ}$N Northern Temperature Belt (NTB). These variations arise during periodic plume outbreaks at the NTB and are coupled to a decrease in the albedo. These findings suggest that material, normally unseen, is dredged upward due to these plumes. If plumes are a signature of deeper activity, the decrease in velocity we see at the NTB during outbreaks may be evidence of vertical wind shear.I also find evidence of vertical wind shear at Neptune's equator, with the H-band zonal wind profile offset eastward by 100 m/s at the equator relative to the Kp-band profile. I apply a new thermal wind equation applicable at the equator to reconcile this observed vertical wind shear with Neptune's horizontal thermal and composition profiles. In order to match \textit{Voyager}/IRIS derived temperatures \citep{Fletcher2014}, the equator must be enriched in methane compared to the mid-latitudes at pressures greater than 1 bar. I discuss the implications of this finding with regards to global dynamics and compare and contrast to the other giant planets.Radio wavelengths probe below the visible cloud deck. I analyze maps of Neptune taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) and extended Very Large Array (VLA) to constrain Neptune's deep opacity sources. The opacity source at radio wavelengths is dominated by H$_2$S and NH$_3$ as well as the the collision-induced absorption of H$_2$ with H$_2$, He, and CH$_4$. Clear brightness temperature variations are present across Neptune's disk caused by variations in these trace gases. These observations are the first to achieve the sensitivity, resolution, and wavelength coverage required to simultaneously extract the abundance profiles of H$_2$S, CH$_4$, and NH$_3$. I retrieve disk-average properties assuming both wet and dry adiabats. The disk-averaged data are consistent with profiles where trace gases are enriched by $30\times$ their protosolar value, apart from NH$_3$ which is $1\times$ its protosolar value. In both the ALMA and VLA maps, I identify seven distinct latitudinal bands with discrete transitions in the brightness temperature. I use the radiative transfer code Radio-BEAR to generate model spectra of Neptune's brightness temperature as a function of temperature and composition. I find best-fitting parameters to the H$_2$S, NH$_3$, and CH$_4$ abundance profiles in each of the seven identified latitude bands using $\chi^2$-statistics and MCMC retrievals. Of note, the equator is more complicated than expected. Trace gases are enriched in the $2-12^{\circ}$N band compared to neighboring latitudes. Here, the best-fit deep CH$_4$ abundance is $45\times$ the protosolar value (or 2.2$\%$ mixing ratio). H$_2$S is $30\times$ solar (or $7\times10^{-4}$ mixing ratio) and supersaturated at the H$_2$S-ice cloud formation. I relate these findings to my near-infrared work and present a new schematic of Neptune's global circulation structure.


[1] Fractures or discontinuities perpendicular to the least stress σ3 were generated in a synthetic rock analogue (granular, frictional, cohesive, and dilatant) material in axisymmetric extension tests. These fractures are of two types defined by the mean stress σ. When σ is very small, the fractures form through the mode I cracking at tensile σ3 equal to the material tensile strength. The fracture walls have smooth surfaces. At higher σ, these surfaces become rougher, with the topography features forming faint or delicate plumose patterns. The amplitude of the plumose topography increases with σ. The axial stress σ3 at fracturing reduces in magnitude and changes in sign with the σ increase. Thus σ3 orthogonal discontinuities can form at compressive σ3. SEM observations show that these discontinuities are deformation localization bands where the material is characterized by the heterogeneous decohesion and volume and porosity increase due to dilatancy. The band thickness is several grain sizes. At formation, the bands are not opened, so they are not mode I fractures. They become fractures with plumose fractography after the separation of the sample parts along the band. The formation mechanism of these discontinuities or fractures is not completely clear, but it is suggested that it represents a running constitutive instability in the form of dilatancy banding (with further σ increase the bands become inclined to σ1, i.e., shear). The similarity between the experimentally generated plumose surface fractures and natural joints is discussed, and it is suggested that they can be formed as propagating constitutive instabilities.


Background Percutaneous closure of interatrial septal communications (IASC) is generally being regarded as a safe and straightforward intervention. Reporting and classification of adverse events (AE) as is the case for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not standardized. Also, the focus of reported larger studies has not been primarily on AE and strategies to avoid them. Methods The data of all 112 consecutive patients undergoing IASC by a single operator were reviewed. In analogy to classification for PCI, an AE was considered to be major if any of the following occurred: death, major or minor stroke, myocardial infarction, the need for an originally unplanned additional surgery or intervention or blood transfusion. Every AE and how it may have been avoided is reviewed in detail. Results Major AE according to the suggested classification occurred in 2.7% of patients, including tamponade in 1 patient necessitating thoracotomy 7 months after IASC, percutaneous retrieval of an embolized device in 1 patient, and ambulatory same day surgical treatment of an arteriovenous fistula in 1 patient. Conclusions The proposed new classification of AE provides a unified and comparable approach for IASC procedures. Retrospectively, two of the 3 major AE could have probably been avoided by more thoughtful patient and material selection.


The paper presents a review of the scientific literature on computer modeling of sociotechnical systems. The aim is to briefly review and discuss modeling approaches that are suitable for the simulation of socio-technical systems, specifically in the context of risk and vulnerability analysis of critical infrastructures. It is found that seven main socio-technical modeling approaches can be discerned: Network theoretical, Bayesian belief network, Petri-net, System dynamics, Agent based, SHELL and Hybrid modeling approaches. It is concluded that these approaches, although potentially suitable, have not been used to simultaneously simulate a) socio-technical factors as a cause of critical infrastructure disruptions b) critical infrastructure restoration processes and c) societal consequences from critical infrastructure disruptions. It is discussed in what way the identified modeling approaches could be of use for simultaneously modeling these different aspects of critical infrastructure disruption events.


Understanding the ephemeral changes that occur during brain development and maturation requires detailed high-resolution imaging in space and time at cellular and subcellular resolution. Advances in molecular and imaging technologies have allowed us to gain numerous detailed insights into cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain development in the transparent zebrafish embryo. Recently, processes of refinement of neuronal connectivity that occur at later larval stages several weeks after fertilization, which are for example control of social behavior, decision making or motivation-driven behavior, have moved into focus of research. At these stages, pigmentation of the zebrafish skin interferes with light penetration into brain tissue, and solutions for embryonic stages, e.g., pharmacological inhibition of pigmentation, are not feasible anymore. Therefore, a minimally invasive surgical solution for microscopy access to the brain of awake zebrafish is provided that is derived from electrophysiological approaches. In teleosts, skin and soft skull cartilage can be carefully removed by micro-peeling these layers, exposing underlying neurons and axonal tracts without damage. This allows for recording neuronal morphology, including synaptic structures and their molecular contents, and the observation of physiological changes such as Ca2+ transients or intracellular transport events. In addition, interrogation of these processes by means of pharmacological inhibition or optogenetic manipulation is feasible. This brain exposure approach provides information about structural and physiological changes in neurons as well as the correlation and interdependence of these events in live brain tissue in the range of minutes or hours. The technique is suitable for in vivo brain imaging of zebrafish larvae up to 30 days post fertilization, the latest developmental stage tested so far. It, thus, provides access to such important questions as synaptic refinement and scaling, axonal and dendritic transport, synaptic targeting of cytoskeletal cargo or local activity-dependent expression. Therefore, a broad use for this mounting and imaging approach can be anticipated.


Results of cable transmitting capacity calculation for voltage of up to 220 kV are analyzed. The work is devoted to creation of a current rating calculation technique for high-voltage cross-linked polyethylene cables.


Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC

Sorafenib, the first molecular targeted agent for HCC, has been shown to be clinically effective in global clinical trials. Although overall survival of HCC patients has been extended by a few months, these results are not satisfactory. Clinical studies involving other molecular targeted therapies and combination therapies are ongoing, but no clearly effective therapy has yet emerged. While we were exploring new targets related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is involved in metastasis and ivasion of advanced cancers, we found the EMT-inducing potential of the tropo-myosine-related kinase B (TrkB) receptor, whose ligands include brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

We observed by phase contrast microscopy that K252a, a Trk inhibitor, induced alterations in cell shape of several HCC cell lines (HAK-1A, HAK-1B, KYN-2, Huh7, and HLF). The morphological change was most obvious in HAK-1B cells, which have been proven to have mesenchymal features: the K252a-treated HAK-1B turned to polygonal epithelial-like cells. In Western blot analysis, the E-cadherin expression level was increased in the K252a-treated HAK-1B cells. Similar findings were demonstrated also in HAK-1A, which is a sister cell line of HAK-1B. The mechanistic basis for the "mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET)" was down-regulation of E2A, an EMT-regulating transcriptional factor. Although the down-regulation of E2A was universally found in other cell lines, such as KYN-2, Huh7, and HLF, their expression levels of E-cadherin were not apparently increased.

Our findings suggest that inhibition of TrkB signaling may be a new therapeutic approach for advanced HCC, since the inhibition may give rise to "MET" in aggressive tumors. In addition, the present data are impressive insofar as they imply a relationship between the liver and neurosystem.

Citation Format: Mitsuhiko Abe, Hironori Koga, Takafumi Yoshida, Hiroshi Masuda, Masahiro Sakata, Yu Ikezono, Toru Nakamura, Eitaro Taniguchi, Takumi Kawaguchi, Hirohisa Yano, Takuji Torimura, Michio Sata. Inhibition of Trk receptor leads to mesenchymal-epithelial transition in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 289. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-289


The author investigates the analysis on which the quantum Gelfand-Levitan equation depends. He derives two different forms of the quantum Gelfand-Levitan equation using different Bethe ansatz creation-annihilation operators, but shows that they lead to equivalent results. He also derives inversion relations for solutions of the Zakharov-Shabat equations and relates them to Wronskians. This paper continues an investigation of the quantum inverse method and the nonlinear Schrodinger equation begun previously by Davies and Kieu (1986).


The current screening criteria excluded shallow formations (depth < 800 m) from the desirable CO2 geological storage sites. However, in the Athabasca oil sands area of northeast Alberta, shallow gas reservoirs have at least 500 Mt storage potential and are close to many large emitters in Alberta. This study uses Kirby gas fields as an example and examines the suitability of shallow gas reservoirs as CO2 storage sites from leaking risks associated with engineering aspects.
 First, the storage systems characterized by five parameters were built based on a statistical analysis of 210 gas pools in the Kirby field. Second, to capture uncertainties, 270 cases were simulated to represent the sealing-layer performances. The results were then analyzed statistically, where an information-entropy-based regression tree was generated to rank the relative importance of the parameters and leaking risk level. Third, the storage systems with multi-sealing layers were modeled to examine the effective drainage area, injectivity, and storage capacity under different drilling and injection schemes. Finally, the potential issues of carbon storage in depleted shallow gas fields were addressed.
 Our study suggests that the CO2 storage potential and carbon-neutral benefits of the shallow gas reservoir in the Athabasca oil sands area are underestimated for the low-carbon energy transition. The results found that the regression tree allows for screening parameters effectively for selecting storage sites from the shallow gas pools and revealed that the permeability of the sealing layers is more important than the seal thickness. For CO2 storage in shallow formations, the minimum requirements of the seal (especially for the caprock) under the safe injection pressure range are a permeability of less than 0.001 mD and a thickness higher than 35 m. Due to key characteristics of shallow gas reservoirs (high permeability and thin reservoir layers), the CO2 plume behaviors are significantly different from reported CO2 storages in desirable deep formations. The CO2 plume will spread rapidly in all directions of the reservoirs and reaches the maximum capacity quickly. A low well density of the CO2 injection network (< 0.39 wells/km2) is sufficient for CO2 storage in shallow depleted gas reservoirs. Compared to the single-layer injection scheme, the multi-layer injection can relieve the early leaking risks of the mid-sealing layers and increase the injection rate to nearly 1 Mt CO2 per year. The short project life resulting from the high injection rate and small storage capacity in each gas pool makes the CCS projects of shallow reservoirs in NE Alberta more suitable for transporting CO2 using tankers or repurposing the old pipelines nearby. It also makes the small (~64.7 E4m2) to medium gas reservoirs (259 E4m2) with excellent top seals the desirable candidates of CO2 storage for small companies when the carbon tax reaches $170/ton in 2030.
 A novel workflow with an effective assessment methodology for selecting CO2 storage sites from shallow gas pools has been proposed. The results can assist geoscientists in reducing uncertainty on the estimate of CO2 capacity storage and provide practical guidance on site selection for the pre-feasibility study of CO2 storage in shallow formations.


This paper investigates the constant-level luffing and time optimal control of jib cranes. The constant-level luffing, which is the sustainment of the load at a constant height during luffing, is achieved by analyzing the kinematic relationship between the angular displacement of a boom and that of the main hoist motor of a jib crane. Under the assumption that the main body of the crane does not rotate, the equations of motion of the boom are derived using Newton's Second Law. The dynamic equations for the crane system are highly nonlinear; therefore, they are linearized under the small angular motion of the load to apply linear control theory. This paper investigates the time optimal control from the perspective of no-sway at a target point. A stepped velocity pattern is used to design the moving path of the jib crane. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the time optimal control, in terms of anti-sway motion of the load, while luffing the crane.


Microbial Fish Silage was produced from under-utilized fish mixed with juice and waste fruits (pineapple and papaya) at 35 degrees C. Six different products were elaborated as following: A: fish muscle with pineapple juice; B: fish muscle with fruit wastes; C: gutted fish with pineapple juice; D: gutted fish with fruit wastes; E: whole fish with pineapple juice; F: whole fish with fruit wastes. Process development was evaluated by measuring: pH, acidity, non-protein nitrogen, consistency and exudate liquid. Results indicated a slow decrease in pH value and production of acidity during 20 storage days. The addition of fruits to silage did not have any effect on these values. Silage liquefaction or hydrolysis was related to the following parameters: consistency, non-protein nitrogen and exudate liquid. The addition of fruits was related to silage liquefaction or hydrolysis, and it was measured by the consistency. Exudate liquid and non-protein nitrogen increased during storage time. However silage made from whole fish showed highest values in those parameters than other processing conditions. This results suggested that hydrolysis involve first enzymes from guts and second enzymes from muscle and head. Pineapple juice did not contribute to hydrolysis process. Mainly sensory changes in the silage occurs during first 24 hours and they were related to chemical changes. Proximal analysis did not change during silage process and microbial counts indicated the freshness of raw material used i this study.


: The basic purposes set out for the Owo Local Government Area (LGA) Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) model project in Ondo State, Nigeria, were: to demonstrate in 1 LGA that 80% EPI coverage can be achieved within the resources that the government normally provides to EPI; to dispel the unquestioning acquiescence that 10-15% coverage is all that can be done; to demonstrate that the health establishment at large can be convinced of these approaches and processes and can be expected to adopt them for a much wider dissemination; to show that a substantial number of health officers and workers are willing to work toward a higher EPI achievement; and to prove that resources from various origins can be integrated given the proper operational environment and a tight organization. The problems associated with EPI are basically similar in all Nigeria, leading to the decision to undertake a model project in a selected area. The EPI project was designed to break ground in Owo for further elements of primary health care. The project's objective was to capitalize upon the success and experience in EPI to introduce other health-related and self-help activities to communities. The project was organized with an overall project director exercising broad control and supervision over a management group at the project level. The management group is made up of a project manager, an assistant project manager, and heads of functional areas such as field operation, vaccine management system, transport system, mobile operation, health education, and administration and finance. The simple organization was designed to grow gradually to meet heavier volumes of work, altering and modifying approaches as required. The 2 key technical elements in the Owo approach were greatly increased use of cold packs and a decreased reliance on refrigerators; and increased use of simple static centers to reach remote catchment areas, instead of relying heavily on the mobile units. In both elements, the reduction of vulnerability to breakdown was the overriding objective. According to the results of an evaluation conducted in late October 1983, 52% of all children eligible for immunization had been vaccinated in the first 3 months of the project year. The main obstacle was defaults children not brought back for the 2nd and 3rd DPT shots. Another problem was in reaching mothers and children in remote catchment areas. The project is implementing its plan to incorporate weighing services in the clinics, oral rehydration therapy, essential drugs, and health education, using EPI as an entry point. Within Ondo State, LGAs are being opened up for accelerated EPI work following the Owo approach.


Background and Objectives: Noontime conferences are widely used in family practice residencies. This study determined the effectiveness of noontime conferences for increasing residents' knowledge. Methods: Twenty residents were tested monthly over 6 months and then cumulatively on the content of noontime conferences. Results: Monthly test scores of attendees versus nonattendees were compared using a two-sample, two-tail t test. Results revealed the mean score of attendees for short-term knowledge to be 12.1 points higher than nonattendees. There was no correlation, however, between conference attendance and long-term knowledge retention. Conclusions: Our findings indicate a lack of correlation between noontime conference attendance and long-term cumulative test scores. The results question the value of noontime conferences as a teaching method.


The objective of the paper is to determine the role that RD the independent variables are firm, territorial and university characteristics.


The American West exists in the popular imagination as a distinct region, and policies and politics often suggest that both the challenges and the opportunities for land management and human well-being across the region are relatively homogeneous. In this paper, we argue that there are key characteristics that define the West as a social-ecological region, and also that there are myriad social-ecological systems (SESs) within the region that require diverse and dynamic approaches to managing change over time. We first conceptualize aridity, topography, and a unique political economy of land as exogenous factors that persist over time and space to define the American West as a contiguous social-ecological region. We then identify a second set of characteristics that show high degrees of variation across SESs within the American West. Finally, we operationalize the relationships between regional characteristics and local dynamics through a set of case studies that exemplify specific types of SESs in the region. The results of these empirical representations of the regional and intra-regional social-ecological dynamics of the contemporary American West highlight the implications for research and management of taking a cross-scale integrated approach to address pressing social-ecological opportunities and challenges in complex adaptive systems.


In the modern globalized economies the corporations, as an institution, has proved to be the most influential societal driver. In this environment there are many who urge for a reexamination of the corporations' role as corporate citizens. While the neoclassical shareholder theory regards a firm's sole interest the maximization of the shareholder's value, new theories have been proposed under the principle of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). These theories have incorporated into their design all involved stakeholders and the externalities on the natural environment. On this basis, the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) strategy have been developed arguing that firms with superior environmental performance, provide superior return at a lower risk. The paper at hand will try to provide some insight by examining whether financial markets reward environmental performance and its disclosure by improving access to debt financing. Adapting the asymmetric information theory and its effect on corporate capital structure as the pecking order theory suggests, we examine the correlation between leverage, and the disclosure of environmental activities and performance. If the proposed hypothesis holds true, increased leverage should be expected as an indicator that cost of capital and default risk are lower for environmentally concerned companies.


The nonuniform quantization strategy for compressing neural networks usually achieves better performance than its counterpart, i.e., uniform strategy, due to its superior representational capacity. However, many nonuniform quantization methods overlook the complicated projection process in implementing the nonuniformly quantized weights/activations, which incurs non-negligible time and space overhead in hardware deployment. In this study, we propose Nonuniform-to-Uniform Quantization (N2UQ), a method that can maintain the strong representation ability of nonuniform methods while being hardware-friendly and efficient as the uniform quantization for model inference. We achieve this through learning the flexible inequidistant input thresholds to better fit the underlying distribution while quantizing these real-valued inputs into equidistant output levels. To train the quantized network with learnable input thresholds, we introduce a generalized straight-through estimator (G-STE) for intractable backward derivative calculation w.r.t. threshold parameters. Additionally, we consider entropy preserving regularization to further reduce information loss in weight quantization. Even under this adverse constraint of imposing uniformly quantized weights and activations, our N2UQ outperforms state-of-the-art nonuniform quantization methods by 0.5 ~ 1.7% on ImageNet, demonstrating the contribution of N2UQ design. Code and models are available at: https://github.com/liuzechun/Nonuniform-to-Uniform-Quantization.


Under-representation of minority groups in the academy reflects inequality and lack of social mobilization. The Druze in Israel are a small minority, but they have a unique place in society because they have been serving in the IDF almost since its formation. The IDF maintains an academic
 reserve track, where young men and women complete their studies and then serve an extra number of years as professionals. Through in-depth interviews with 30 Druze participants and graduates, this study examines the effects of the academic reserve track on Druze young men, seeking to learn
 its impact on their future.


Estrogen treatment has been used to induce growth plate fusion, thereby reducing the final height in girls expected to achieve extreme tall stature. The treatment is effective, in terms of limiting final height, but concerns have been raised that it might also increase the risk for malignancies later in life. Raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, has been shown to act as an estrogen agonist on bone density but as an estrogen antagonist on breast and uterine tissue. The effect of raloxifene treatment on growth plate fusion and final height is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether raloxifene would act as an estrogen agonist or antagonist on growth plate cartilage. Ovariectomized immature rabbits were treated for 4 wk with vehicle (controls), estradiol cypionate (E2), or raloxifene. Tibial growth velocity was decreased in both E2- (P < 0.001) and raloxifene-treated animals (P < 0.001), compared with controls. E2 and raloxifene treatment also decreased chondrocyte proliferation and the height of the proximal tibial growth plate. In addition, E2 and raloxifene hastened fusion of the distal tibial growth plate (P < 0.05) and decreased the number of proliferative and hypertrophic chondrocytes per column in the proximal tibial growth plate. As expected, the uterus was enlarged by estrogen, but not raloxifene, treatment. We conclude that raloxifene acts as an estrogen agonist on the growth plate, accelerating growth plate senescence and thus hastening epiphyseal fusion.


Doramectin was used in a strategic programme for the prevention of parasitic gastroenteritis in first season grazing calves. Three groups of nine calves were used: group 1 was left untreated, group 2 was treated with doramectin at 0.2 mg/kg at turnout and again eight weeks later, and group 3 was treated with 0.2 mg/kg ivermectin at three, eight and 13 weeks after turnout. Both treatment programmes prevented the gastroenteritis which occurred in the controls. The growth rates of the treated calves were superior, and their faecal egg output, and serum pepsinogen and gastrin concentrations were all substantially lower than those of the control calves. The numbers of Ostertagia species larvae on the pastures grazed by the treated calves were also lower than on the pastures grazed by the control calves.


In this study, teacher requirements for Jiritsu-Katsudo instruction in special needs schools for children with physical disabilities were explored. Furthermore, fundamental data to contribute to the professional development of teachers were obtained. In Study 1, the structure of Jiritsu-Katsudo teaching needs was investigated. e causal model that a ects these needs was explored in Study 2. e results revealed three in uential factors, namely, medical understanding, approaches for designing individual teaching plans, and understanding Jiritsu-Katsudo philosophy. e factors a ecting teachers' needs were examined using path analysis. e independent variables included the number of years of teaching experience in special needs schools and teacher collaboration. Teacher collaboration was closely connected to teacher needs. In particular, teacher collaboration in teaching JiritsuKatsudo a ected all teacher needs factors, thus indicating that, when faced with uncertainty, teacher collaboration is important when teaching children with widely varying needs. It was further clari ed that teachers require professional guidance on collaboration. Furthermore, inexperienced teachers have a greater need for approaches to design individual teaching plans.


Fine-Grain parallelism is essential for real-time video encoding performance. This usually implies setting a fixed buffer size for each encoded block. The choice of this parameter is critical for both performance and hardware cost. In this paper we analyze the impact of buffer size on image subjective quality, and its relation with other encoding parameters. We explore the consequences on visual quality, when minimizing buffer size to the point of causing the discard of quantized coefficients for highest frequencies. Finally, we propose some guidelines for the choice of buffer size, that has proven to be heavily dependent, in addition to other parameters, on the type of sequence being encoded. These guidelines are useful for the design of efficient realtime encoders, both hardware and software.


This chapter reviews context effects on substance use and substance-use associations. We interpret these ubiquitous effects as a natural consequence of memory retrieval processes that influence the accessibility of substance-use associations. Further, accessibility of memories about substance-use outcomes and behaviors potentially mediates substance-use behaviors by determining what behavioral options are considered and what outcomes are anticipated. Context effects may have unconscious influences and impact on implicit memories about substance use. The implicit memory effects of context may be uniquely relevant to developing more effective prevention and intervention approaches by encouraging procedures that reduce or replace the retrieval of substance-use memories that influence behavioral decisions.


Mercury, a planet with a predominantly volcanic crust, has perplexingly few, if any, constructional volcanic edifices, despite their common occurrence on other solar system bodies with volcanic histories. Using image and topographical data from the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft, we describe two small (<15‐km diameter) prominences with shallow summit depressions associated with volcanically flooded impact features. We offer both volcanic and impact‐related interpretations for their formation, and then compare these landforms with volcanic features on Earth and the Moon. Though we cannot definitively conclude that these landforms are volcanic, the paucity of constructional volcanic edifices on Mercury is intriguing in itself. We suggest that this lack is because volcanic eruptions with sufficiently low eruption volumes, rates, and flow lengths, suitable for edifice construction, were highly spatiotemporally restricted during Mercury's geological history. We suggest that volcanic edifices may preferentially occur in association with late‐stage, postimpact effusive volcanic deposits. The European Space Agency/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency BepiColombo mission to Mercury will be able to investigate further our candidate volcanic edifices; search for other, as‐yet unrecognized edifices beneath the detection limits of MESSENGER data; and test our hypothesis that edifice construction is favored by late‐stage, low‐volume effusive eruptions.


In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency's (Wada) Anti-doping Code, athletes are regularly tested for forbidden doping substances in connection with sport competitions. Their samples are stored for long time, in case new doping detection techniques are developed in the future that might allow finding forbidden substances not detectable at present. As Wada's ambition is not only to have clean competitions, but also clean athletes, different measures need to be implemented to facilitate testing in-between competitions as well. One of them is making sportspersons fill a form to inform doping controllers about their whereabouts, so that they can reach the athletes and make them undergo unannounced tests. Wada's anti-doping policy has been widely criticized for violating athletes' right to privacy. However, this debate is often carried out as if it was crystal clear what kind of right this supposed athletes' right to privacy is. In this article, the notion of privacy is characterized as a previous step to asking in which regards Wada's anti-doping policy might turn out to be problematic from the point of view of privacy protection. A preliminary conclusion reached is that the right of privacy is not a single right, but rather a cluster of rights, each one designed to protect different areas of our lives, and each one derived in its turn from other, more fundamental rights. A further conclusion to be advanced in this article is that Wada's whereabouts policy cannot be condoned by any of the moral philosophical approaches traditionally discussed in connection with privacy.


BACKGROUND
Combination antiretroviral therapy with a combination of three or more drugs has become the standard of care for patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States. We estimated the clinical benefits and cost effectiveness of three-drug antiretroviral regimens.

METHODS
We developed a mathematical simulation model of HIV disease, using the CD4 cell count and HIV RNA level as predictors of the progression of disease. Outcome measures included life expectancy, life expectancy adjusted for the quality of life, lifetime direct medical costs, and cost effectiveness in dollars per quality-adjusted year of life gained. Clinical data were derived from major clinical trials, including the AIDS Clinical Trials Group 320 Study. Data on costs were based on the national AIDS Cost and Services Utilization Survey, with drug costs obtained from the Red Book.

RESULTS
For patients similar to those in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group 320 Study (mean CD4 cell count, 87 per cubic millimeter), life expectancy adjusted for the quality of life increased from 1.53 to 2.91 years, and per-person lifetime costs increased from $45,460 to $77,300 with three-drug therapy as compared with no therapy. The incremental cost per quality-adjusted year of life gained, as compared with no therapy, was $23,000. On the basis of additional data from other major studies, the cost-effectiveness ratio for three-drug therapy ranged from $13,000 to $23,000 per quality-adjusted year of life gained. The initial CD4 cell count and drug costs were the most important determinants of costs, clinical benefits, and cost effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of HIV infection with a combination of three antiretroviral drugs is a cost-effective use of resources.


NiAl intermetallic formation occurs along the interfaces in the Ni/Al multilayer system during molecular dynamics simulations of deep (>50%) supercooling. The simulations begin with a crystalline solid solution at the Ni/Al interfaces that melts at 800 K, a supercooling of 56% of NiAl's simulated melting temperature (1800 K), and undergoes solid-state amorphization at 650 K, a supercooling of 64%. The intermetallic phase, NiAl, then forms at the interface from the melted/amorphous region through heterogeneous nucleation followed by growth in both lateral and normal directions. Upon nucleation, the intermetallic phase retains a fraction of the composition gradient present within the initial solid solution, and that fraction is always larger at 650 K, compared to 800 K, for the same initial composition gradient. Kinetics of the transformation follows the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model, and an Avrami exponent of 0.5 was extracted at 800 K and 0.1 at 650 K. The NiAl formation is growth-controlled and the growth rate is found to increase with the decreasing initial composition gradient. Our finding supports a growth-competition mechanism of phase selection for interfacial reactions.NiAl intermetallic formation occurs along the interfaces in the Ni/Al multilayer system during molecular dynamics simulations of deep (>50%) supercooling. The simulations begin with a crystalline solid solution at the Ni/Al interfaces that melts at 800 K, a supercooling of 56% of NiAl's simulated melting temperature (1800 K), and undergoes solid-state amorphization at 650 K, a supercooling of 64%. The intermetallic phase, NiAl, then forms at the interface from the melted/amorphous region through heterogeneous nucleation followed by growth in both lateral and normal directions. Upon nucleation, the intermetallic phase retains a fraction of the composition gradient present within the initial solid solution, and that fraction is always larger at 650 K, compared to 800 K, for the same initial composition gradient. Kinetics of the transformation follows the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model, and an Avrami exponent of 0.5 was extracted at 800 K and 0.1 at 650 K. The NiAl formation is growth-controlled and the growth ra...


Abstract The young of the white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus (Linnaeus), grow up in estuarine waters the salinity of which is governed by rainfall. The Texas shrimp fishery was well started by 1927. From that time until 1936, catches were relatively low. The fishery underwent a period of growth and high-level catches have been obtained from 1937 to the present. During that period the annual catch in pounds of any one year shows a correlation coefficient of 0.883 with the State's average rainfall of the same year and 2 previous years. Essentially, there were 2 blocks of dry years with a period of wet years between, during which the catches were low and high, respectively. Decline of the white shrimp catch has been sharp with the recent drouth, but it is expected to rise when the drouth breaks. Whether the correlation is directly with salinity per se or some unknown factor governed by salinity is not known.


Komatiite–substrate contacts have been reassessed at Kambalda, Western Australia, the type locality of komatiite-hosted Nisulfide ore deposits. The majority of the lower contacts between komatiite lava and sedimentary substrate are planar and rarely show evidence of erosion, marginal autoclasis and peperite formation. Rarely, komatiites have irregular and peperitic upper margins, with apophyses into the surrounding sedimentary rocks that are locally soft-sediment-deformed, indicating a shallow, synsedimentary intrusive origin. The restriction of these synsedimentary intrusive bodies to domains of thicker sedimentary substrate, the lack of komatiitic dykes, and the abundance of komatiite lava flows in the Kambalda region suggest that the synsedimentary intrusive bodies are of invasive flow origin, i.e., due to burrowing of lava flows into the underlying wet, unconsolidated to semiconsolidated sedimentary substrate. Invasive flows can be explained by the much higher density of komatiitic lava (up to 2.75 g/cm 3 ) compared to unconsolidated water-saturated pelitic sediments (1.5–2.0 g/cm 3 ). The higher density and resultant negative buoyancy caused komatiites to load and burrow into the unconsolidated sediments.


In this paper using nested Rectangular resonator we have designed an add-drop filter based on photonic crystal structures suitable for optical communication applications. The drop efficiency and the quality factor of our proposed filter is 100% and 2508. In this filter the quality factor is significantly improved with respect to other published reports. The simulation results are obtained using 2D Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. The Photonic Band gap (PBG) is calculated by Plane Wave Expansion (PWE) method.


The invention relates to a method for service identification for convergent messaging systems, in which a convergent message is interchanged between a sender and at least one receiver (13) via a communication network (10). The invention provides for the message structure of the convergent message to have an information element added to it which contains information about the message type or relating to the handling of the message.


Abstract The article investigates Renaissance naturalists' views on the links between plants and places where they grow. It looks at the Renaissance culture of botanical excursions and observation of plants in their natural environment and analyses the methods Renaissance naturalists used to describe relations between plants and their habitat, the influence of location on plants' substantial and accidental characteristics, and in defining species. I worked mostly with printed sixteenth-century botanical sources and paid special attention to the work of Italian naturalist Giambattista Della Porta (1535–1615), whose thoughts on the relationship between plants and places are original, yet little known.


Abstract Creativity of the individual is dependent on numerous factors, such as knowledge, general intelligence and emotional intelligence. The general purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of general intelligence, emotional intelligence and academic knowledge on the emerging of domain-specific creativity. The study was conducted on 178 intellectually gifted students who attend high school. As a result of the study, correlations were determined between the scholarly creativity domains and sociability, global emotional intelligence (TEQ), science course, verbal and performance intelligence scores; mechanical/scientific creativity and mathematics and science courses, well-being and self-control; performance creativity and sociability; self/everyday creativity and science courses, well-being, self-control, sociability and global TEQ; artistic creativity and sociability, and global TEQ. Moreover, researcher used a hierarchical regression analysis to see whether independent variants predict the creativity domains or not.


3D printing has now been recognized as a very practical technique to create 3D structures with milli-/micron-scale resolution. In tissue engineering, particularly, people utilize 3D printing technique to integrate biodegradable polymers to tissue scaffolds. Hydrogel is highly potential material that provides aqua environment and enables nutrition and oxygen transportation, all of which are requirements for cells. A combination of hydrogel and 3D printing makes the developed platforms more biocompatible, being a benign niche for cells culture and study both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, this review briefly introduces the background of 3D printing and the status of 3D printing and hydrogel scaffolds for application in biomedical research.


We present a new multidimensional access method for querying by similarity in databases of high-dimensional vectors. The query vector projection access method (QVPAM) addresses the shortcomings of other dimensionality reduction techniques by deriving the best transformation of the vectors at query time. QVPAM creates a projection library that contains building blocks for constructing the transformations. QVPAM rapidly searches the projection library at query time in order to select the set of projection elements that minimizes the work for processing the query. Since the selected set does not need to be complete, QVPAM effectively trades-off query precision and query response time. We describe QVPAM and demonstrate its performance in the content-based querying of a database of high-dimensional color histograms.


For the calculation of silos structures it has been used new methods and computational tools that require mechanical properties knowledge that are still unknown for most storable materials, especially grains. In this context, we aimed to determine the mechanical properties of rice and beans grains with moisture contents of 10, 12, and 14% by applying four compressive loads (5, 10, 15 and 20). The determined mechanical properties were Poisson's ratio (ν), Modulus of Elasticity (E), and the dilatancy angle (ψ). The procedure consisted in the application of the load in compression cell, adapted from MOLENDA & STASIAK, aiming to simulate loading and unloading of silos. We observed that the Poisson's ratio calculated for both loading and unloading, presented higher values than the experimental values, with the increase of their moisture content; the experimental elastic modulus presented higher values than the calculated ones, and both increased their values with the increase of their moisture content; the dilatancy angle decreased with the increase of moisture content and compressive loads.


This paper presents a Six Sigma approach for reducing the interruption in power distribution. The objective is to improve the overall service, reduce operating costs, and to increase customer satisfaction. A case study of current interruption in power distribution at a local utility company is used to illustrate the Six Sigma application. The company has been experiencing unexpected increase in power interruption in terms of frequency and duration. The Six Sigma DMAIC process was utilized to investigate the problem, analyze its various variables, and recommend specific action plan for improvement. The paper also presents the tools and techniques used in the DMAIC process to reduce power interruption and improve the overall service level.


This study is concerned with the creation of the Women's Parliamentary Caucus in Pakistan and their work with the Domestic Violence (2012) and Protection Against Harassment at the Workplace Bills (2010). The body of literature on third world feminism, feminism in relation to Islam and the state, and theories of the "third space" are the theoretical underpinnings for this research. I assert that the political history of Pakistan has created three categories of strict binaries for women. The primary binary is that of the public and private which explores the binaries between Islam and secularization, and modernization and cultural authenticity. I believe that each binary represents a space and that women have become symbolic representations of these spaces. The creation of these binaries is what has fueled women's movements and activism in Pakistan. It is because of these binaries that women have sought a third space from where they can seek justice within the legal framework of Pakistan which heavily discriminates against women through patriarchal practices and patriarchal interpretations of the Quran. Theories of third space from cultural studies, geography, and feminism are operationalized in the Pakistani context, specifically to the Women's Parliamentary Caucus. This research offers an analysis of the aforementioned bills which explores how the Caucus is challenging established norms of space through legal measures. The reason why these two bills are of such importance is because they challenge the three categories of binaries explored in this research. I argue that the Women's Parliamentary Caucus acts as a third space for female politicians to challenge these binaries.


Amblyomma hebraeum, a cattle tick common in southern Africa, was demonstrated to be capable of maintaining an infection with an unclassified spotted fever group rickettsia both transtadially and transovarially. All feeding stages of the tick transmitted the infection to rabbits. The rickettsia was isolated and found to be serotypically distinct from three strains of Rickettsia conorii by microimmunofluorescence. Rabbit serum titers were found to be higher with indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) tests using the Amblyomma isolate than with those using a commercially available IFA test for R. conorii.


How to Compare Means of Latent Variables across Countries and Waves: Testing for Invariance Measurement. An Application Using Eastern European Societies. Comparative social survey research is exponentially growing, more and more data being available at longitudinal and cross-national levels. When unobservable concepts are involved, the analysis of this kind of data poses the issue of measurement invariance (Are the concepts equivalent across countries and longitudinally?). The aim of this paper is to draw a clear picture of measurement invariance (MI) test via multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) using AMOS 16 software. According to the literature this is a necessary step before latent mean comparison. First, I discuss the concept of measurement invariance, and then we present the most important features and issues related to the MGCFA. The main part of the paper is dedicated to presenting a step by step procedure to test for MI using AMOS VB.NET. In order to facilitate understanding, all steps are logically described; also, data and syntaxes are provided. To illustrate the procedure, I analyze the "sexual permissiveness", as it measured in two large-scale surveys (EVS and WVS). I focus on the case of those 19 former communist countries included in these surveys, for which the available measurement covers at least three points in time, during the 1990-2009 period. To measure the "sexual permissiveness", four items are used: how justifiable are homosexuality, prostitution, abortion, and divorce. Scalar invariance of "sexual permissiveness" scale is proved for most countries, so means and relationships involving this value can be meaningfully interpreted. Finally, we discuss some alternatives for presenting the means of latent variables. Sociológia 2010, Vol. 42 (No. 6: 639-669)


Residual urine was determined with a new technique using 99mTc-DTPA. In contrast to the 131I labelled substances now in use this compound allows for visualization of the bladder with a short measuring time, satisfactory counting statistics and low radiation dose. No blocking of the thyroid gland is necessary. In 26 consecutive patients the residual urine was determined with this method and by catheterization. The correlation between these two measurements was very high.


Abstract Due to alarming outbreak of pandemic COVID‐19 in recent times, there is a strong need to discover and identify new antiviral agents acting against SARS CoV‐2. Among natural products, lignan derivatives have been found effective against several viral strains including SARS CoV‐2. Total of twenty‐seven reported antiviral lignan derivatives of plant origin have been selected for computational studies to identify the potent inhibitors of SARS CoV‐2. Molecular docking study has been carried out in order to predict and describe molecular interaction between active site of enzyme and lignan derivatives. Out of identified hits, clemastatin B and erythro‐strebluslignanol G demonstrated stronger binding and high affinity with all selected proteins. Molecular dynamics simulation studies of clemastin B and savinin against promising targets of SARS CoV‐2 have revealed their inhibitory potential against SARS CoV‐2. In fine, in‐silico computational studies have provided initial breakthrough in design and discovery of potential SARS CoV‐2 inhibitors.


Consistent adult neurogenic activity in humans is observed in specific niches within the central nervous system. However, the notion of an adult neurogenic niche is challenged by accumulating evidence for ectopic neurogenic activity in other cerebral locations. Herein we interface precision of ultrastructural resolution and anatomical simplicity of accessible human dental pulp neurogenic zone to address this conflict. We disclose a basal level of adult neurogenic activity characterized by glial invasion of terminal microvasculature followed by release of individual platelet‐derived growth factor receptor‐β mural pericytes and subsequent reprogramming into NeuN+ local interneurons. Concomitant angiogenesis, a signature of adult neurogenic niches, accelerates the rate of neurogenesis by amplifying release and proliferation of the mural pericyte population by ≈10‐fold. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed gliogenic and neurogenic capacities of human neural pericytes. Findings foreshadow the bimodal nature of the glio‐vascular assembly where pericytes, under instruction from glial cells, can stabilize the quiescent microvasculature or enrich local neuronal microcircuits upon differentiation.


Contributory applications allow users to donate unused resources on their personal computers to a shared pool. Applications such as SETI@home, Folding@home, and Freenet are now in wide use and provide a variety of services, including data processing and content distribution. However, while several research projects have proposed contributory applications that support peer-to-peer storage systems, their adoption has been comparatively limited. We believe that a key barrier to the adoption of contributory storage systems is that contributing a large quantity of local storage interferes with the principal user of the machine.

To overcome this barrier, we introduce the Transparent File System (TFS). TFS provides background tasks with large amounts of unreliable storage--all of the currently available space--without impacting the performance of ordinary file access operations. We show that TFS allows a peer-to-peer contributory storage system to provide 40% more storage at twice the performance when compared to a user-space storage mechanism. We analyze the impact of TFS on replication in peer-to-peer storage systems and show that TFS does not appreciably increase the resources needed for file replication.


Introduction: MicroRNA (miRNA) is a group of small non-coding regulating RNA and has shown altered expression in cancer. With great advantages in test specificity and capability to detect novel (unknown) miRNA and other small RNA targets, the next-generation deep sequencing technology is replacing microarray platforms, at least in the discovery phase. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of kidney malignancies and one of the leading causes of death. Characterizing miRNA expression of ccRCC will enhance the understanding of its tumorigenesis and progression and will, therefore, lead to the development of cancer-specific molecular therapy. In this study, we analyzed miRNA expression using a human ccRCC cohort by whole genome small RNA deep sequencing. We characterized the miRNA expression in association with CCRCC and further validated the altered miRNA expression in a larger clinical cohort by RT-PCR. A group of tumor associated novel miRNAs have been discovered. Design : (1) Deep sequencing of whole genome small RNA (17-52 nucleotides in size) in a 6-sample frozen CCRCC cohort (3 benign and 3 ccRCC samples) using Illumina system (Solexa) was performed. (2) The miRNA expression of benign kidney and ccRCC samples was quantitatively compared. (3) 8 miRNAs, which were randomly selected from the list of top 20 aberrantly expressed miRNAs detected by deep sequencing, were tested using ABI RT-PCR technology in a 38-sample ccRCC cohort (9 benign kidney and 29 different stage ccRCC samples) for validation. (4) Analysis of unknown small RNAs was performed to find tumor associated novel miRNAs. Results : (1) Using a deep sequencing technology, we detected miRNAs and other small RNAs in frozen human samples of ccRCC cohort and successfully profiled miRNA expression in association with tumor. (2) We validated the altered expression of 8 selected miRNA targets in the 38-sample clinical ccRCC cohort using an RT-PCR method. (3) We discovered a group of novel miRNAs associated with ccRCC. Conclusions : We performed whole genome small RNA deep sequencing of human ccRCC tissue with further RT-PCR validation in a clinical sample cohort. We have characterized miRNA expression and discovered a group of novel miRNAs in association with ccRCC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-356.


The main aim of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of traditional procurement and electronic procurement process. Through the study of the literature, this paper concentrates on the traditional procurement and e-procurement from the perspectives of its definitions, tools and benefits. Considering the apparent shift from traditional procurement to an electronic procurement environment, public and private sector agencies worldwide can
improve their procurement process, with the use of Internet-based technologies to procure goods and service. As stated by Neef (2001), if there is one sector in the economy where e-procurement can and will have an enormous effect, it is in the government. Thus, this paper makes a significant contribution to e-procurement field in rural areas development studies and research.


Abstract Recent researches indicate that if water is exposed to an intense magnetic field, it is possible to obtain many positive effects on water properties that improve water use in irrigation application. Therefore, a field study has been conducted to evaluate the extent of there positive improvements under sprinkler irrigation. Uniformity of sprinkler irrigation is used as a performance indicator under different pressure heads. The research included experimental work on solid set sprinkler system (single sprinkler type Rain Bird) using rotating sprinkler heads with single nozzle of diameter 5.2mm. The sprinkler was tested under pressures ( 10,12,15,17,20,22) psi. Treatments have been conducted using normal water with 1 to 5 runs. Direct current (DC) magnetic field for magnetizing water is used to magnetize water. Five levels of the DC magnetic flux densities are used (525,603.1,650,1608.5,3016) Gauss. The study has revealed the performance of the sprinkler irrigation system is improved when the magnetized water is used compared to non–magnetized under the same operating and climatologically conditions . The degree of improvement depends on the intensity of the magnetic field used.Under low and very low pressures, the most effective intensity on uniformity was the intensity 1608.5 Gauss . The best performance of the system was achieved at (15) psi with direct magnetic flux density of 1608.5 Gauss. There variables have achieved the highest increase in irrigation uniformity compared with irrigation in normal water which was 24.2 %.


One of the international community's overarching strategic objectives in Afghanistan is to promote a more capable public sector that serves the Afghan people. Afghanistan's Constitution and their Sub-National Governance Policy aim to establish a system of elected municipal governments and a framework that allows municipalities to effectively provide public services to their constituents. This will require a major transformation of municipalities from a weak public sector tier to a devoted local governance level. This paper reviews the current state of municipal governance in Afghanistan and discusses the re-orientation required in order for Afghanistan to achieve a more effective and responsive municipal sector.


Age-dependent perturbation of the cellular stress response affects proteostasis and other key functions relevant to cellular action and survival. Central to age-related changes in the stress response is loss of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1)-DNA binding and transactivation properties. This report elucidates how age alters different checkpoints of HSF1 activation related to posttranslational modification and protein interactions. When comparing liver extracts from middle aged (12 M) and old (24 M) mice, significant differences are found in HSF1 phosphorylation and acetylation. HSF1 protein levels and messenger RNA decline with age, but its protein levels are stress-inducible and exempt from age-dependent changes. This surprising adaptive change in the stress response has additional implications for aging and chronic physiological stress that might explain an age-dependent dichotomy of HSF1 protein levels that are low in neurodegeneration and elevated in cancer.


This paper points out that the stability analysis of the hybrid-damped resolved-acceleration control in our earlier work is incomplete, since the stability was concluded directly from the fact that the joint velocities come to rest as time approaches infinity. A similar incomplete technique was also used in the work of Wampler and Leifer to prove the stability of a damped least-squares resolved-acceleration control scheme. In this paper, we use LaSalle's invariance principle rigorously to show that the solution trajectory of the hybrid-damped resolved-acceleration control will eventually come to the target without steady-state error or will stay at a kinematic singular point with some steady-state error. Discussions on the case of staying at a singular point are also given. Q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


In this paper, we consider the effects of strong dipole–dipole interactions on three-level interference phenomena such as coherent population trapping and electromagnetically induced transparency. Experiments are performed on laser cooled rubidium atoms and the results compared to a many-body theory based on either a reduced many-body density matrix expansion or Monte Carlo simulations of many-body rate equations. We show that these approaches permit quantitative predictions of the experimentally observed excitation and transmission spectra. Based on the calculations, we moreover predict a universal scaling of the nonlinear response of cold Rydberg gases.


In this paper we describe an application of a real-time isolated-word recognition system, to the recognition of sentences of a language used in numerical command of machine tools. The acoustic level operates with dynamic matching procedure and knowledge about syntactics and semantics of the language is used to predict the incoming words. With such a syntax-directed system, real-time recognition of sentences pronounced word-by-word is very accurately achieved, even for several speakers. This system will then be adapted to the recognition of connected speech, as well as in the design of new languages for man-machine voice communication.


The reactions of [Mo(C2H4)(dppe)2][dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane] with CF3CO2H and organic halides RX (R = Ph. X = Cl, Br, and l; R = PhCH2. X = Cl; R = Me, X = l) have been studied. Reaction with CF3CO2H affords two types of complex. [Mo(O2CCF3)2(dppe)2] and [Mo(O2CCF3)(dppe)2]+(isolated as [BPh4]– salt); that with RX gives [MoX2(dppe)2]. The complex [Mo(C2H4)(dppe)2] reacts with CO2 giving two types of product depending on the reaction conditions: with light irradiation, a CO2 adduct is obtained, whereas with heat cis-[Mo(CO)2(dppe)2] is the main product.


Caspases, a family of cysteine proteases with unique substrate specificities, contribute to apoptosis, whereas autophagy‐related genes (ATGs) regulate cytoprotective autophagy or autophagic cell death in cancer. Accumulating evidence has recently revealed underlying mechanisms of apoptosis and autophagy; however, their intricate relationships still remain to be clarified. Identification of caspase/ATG switches between apoptosis and autophagy may address this problem.


Since South Africa's transition to democracy in 1994, it has been among the principal goals of government to guarantee the right of equality for all citizens, and actively deconstruct the systemic inequalities entrenched by the apartheid government. Given that rights, participation and access were differentially meted out to each of the 'population groups', attempts to reverse these effects have largely been along racial lines through programmes such as employment equity and black economic empowerment. However, critics argue that the continued use of apartheid race categories, even for purposes of redress, has prolonged and deepened racial prejudice and discrimination. Following on a colloquium held at Wits University in October of 2010, this article explores prospects for new indicators in equity decision-making, drawing on the results of the SA Reconciliation Barometer survey conducted by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation.


ABSTRACT Protein kinase C-δ (PKCδ) is an allosterically activated enzyme that acts much like other PKC isoforms to transduce growth factor-dependent signaling responses. However, PKCδ is unique in that activation loop (Thr507) phosphorylation is not required for catalytic activity. Since PKCδ can be proteolytically cleaved by caspase-3 during apoptosis, the prevailing assumption has been that the kinase domain fragment (δKD) freed from autoinhibitory constraints imposed by the regulatory domain is catalytically competent and that Thr507 phosphorylation is not required for δKD activity. This study provides a counternarrative showing that δKD activity is regulated through Thr507 phosphorylation. We show that Thr507-phosphorylated δKD is catalytically active and not phosphorylated at Ser359 in its ATP-positioning G-loop. In contrast, a δKD fragment that is not phosphorylated at Thr507 (which accumulates in doxorubicin-treated cardiomyocytes) displays decreased C-terminal tail priming-site phosphorylation, increased G-loop Ser359 phosphorylation, and defective kinase activity. δKD is not a substrate for Src, but Src phosphorylates δKD-T507A at Tyr334 (in the newly exposed δKD N terminus), and this (or an S359A substitution) rescues δKD-T507A catalytic activity. These results expose a unique role for δKD-Thr507 phosphorylation (that does not apply to full-length PKCδ) in structurally organizing diverse elements within the enzyme that critically regulate catalytic activity.


Mobile communication systems produce gigabytes of mobility information day-to-day on country level, which could be exploited in various Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications. This paper presents the basic concept for tracking users based on handover (HO) zone detections provided by the telecommunication network. This concept is able to provide essential information for transportation investigations, moreover it can be used for localization. Since this application requires to understand the potential error sources, the contribution of this paper is to determine these errors and assess their impact on the derived position. For this investigation, we created a data acquisition system, and defined dierent measurement scenarios, namely, terminal vs. network side data acquisition, idle vs. active measurements, and with using various tracking software, and phone types. These results are compared. To describe the geometric and accuracy properties of the HO zones, point error and error ellipse are used. These metrics have been evaluated on our test data.


We present an anonymous questionnaire inquiry involving 334 primary schoolteachers in the Randers area with the purpose of elucidating teachers' knowledge about asthma. To a series of statements about asthma, the teachers answered yes, no or don't know. A limited knowledge of different aspects of asthma in children was found, although 57% had asthma children in their classes. Specially limited was knowledge about medical treatment. Five percent had received proper instruction about asthma and had a significantly better knowledge of medical treatment (p < 0.001‐0.05). Only 57% knew that wheezing after physical exertion is a strong indicator of asthma and only 33% knew that exertion in cold weather increases the risk of an attack. It is recommended that instruction in children's diseases, especially asthma, is introduced in teacher training colleges.


We present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical study of drop coalescence in the presence of an initial temperature difference 1T0 between a drop and a bath of the same liquid. We characterize experimentally the dependence of the residence time before coalescence on 1T0 for silicone oils with different viscosities. Delayed coalescence arises above a critical temperature difference 1Tc that depends on the fluid viscosity: for 1T0 > 1Tc, the delay time increases as 1T 2/3 0 for all liquids examined. This observed dependence is rationalized theoretically through consideration of the thermocapillary flows generated within the drop, the bath and the intervening air layer.


Distributed Queuing Collision Avoidance (DQCA) is an efficient MAC protocol designed for infrastructure Wireless LANs. In this paper, four algorithms are proposed that alter the FIFO scheduling order of DQCA in order to meet specific network requirements. The proposed schemes combine the efficiency of opportunistic scheduling with the QoS provisioning through service differentiation. The throughput and delay performance has been evaluated through simulations for a scenario with heterogeneous traffic.


The Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution of molecular velocities and densities was derived first in the 1870s, but the derivations were difficult to follow and led to predictions of the heat capacities of gases that did not agree with experiment. The systems discussed were molecules or assemblies of molecules to which a definable energy could be ascribed, the equivalent of the microcanonical ensemble of Gibbs. This led to complications when dense gases and liquids were considered, and so, for the next thirty years, to arguments about the validity of the derivations. In principle these complications can be removed most simply by considering a set of systems of fixed temperature, or a canonical ensemble. It was, however, many years before most textbooks followed Gibbs down this route.


In this paper, I conduct a feminist multimodal critical discourse analysis (FMCDA) of the Lorna Jane (LJ) retail website (www.lornajane.com.au), an Australian fitness fashion company, to examine the discursive strategies used by the company to authorize a particular notion of "active living" for women. Specifically, I shall examine how the semiotic choices on the LJ website signify key discourses and themes related to health and fitness and how they are used to place the responsibility for fitness and health onto individual women. In particular, I focus on the discourses inscribed through the technologies, styles, fabrics, colors, cuts, and sizing of LJ clothing items. I am also interested in the underlying choices, assumptions, and biases of these constructions and the power relationships underpinning them. I conclude that "empowerment" for women on the LJ website is imagined in a limited, individualistic way.


Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) were developed to improve on child abuse investigative services provided by child protective service (CPS) agencies. However, until very recently, there has been little research comparing CAC-based procedures and outcomes to those in CPS investigations not based in CACs. The current study tracked 76 child abuse cases that were reported to authorities and investigated through either a private, not-for-profit CAC or typical CPS services in a mid-south rural county. Comparisons between CAC and CPS cases were made in terms of involvement of local law enforcement in the investigation, provision of medical exams, abuse substantiation rates, mental health referrals, prosecution referrals, and conviction rates. Analyses revealed higher rates of law enforcement involvement, medical examinations, and case substantiation in the CAC-based cases compared to the CPS cases. Despite limitations due to sample size and nonrandomization, this study found preliminary support for the assumptions underlying the establishment of CACs.


Objective: This study reports findings from a proof-of-concept trial designed to examine the feasibility and estimates the efficacy of the "Be Well, Work Well" workplace intervention. Methods: The intervention included consultation for nurse managers to implement changes on patient-care units and educational programming for patient-care staff to facilitate improvements in safety and health behaviors. We used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate feasibility and efficacy. Results: Using findings from process tracking and qualitative research, we observed challenges to implementing the intervention due to the physical demands, time constraints, and psychological strains of patient care. Using survey data, we found no significant intervention effects. Conclusions: Beyond educating individual workers, systemwide initiatives that respond to conditions of work might be needed to transform the workplace culture and broader milieu in support of worker health and safety.


The first facile and practical silver-mediated cascade reaction of arylpropiolic acids with diarylphosphine oxides has been developed, providing a general, one step approach to structurally sophisticated 2-phosphinobenzo[b]phosphole oxide frameworks of importance in materials science via sequential decarboxylative C-P cross-coupling and C-H/P-H functionalization with operational simplicity and excellent functional group compatibility.


Electronic document delivery is a concept which promises to solve end‐user problems in retrieving the primary information referenced to in bibliographical databases. This article describes an approach to electronic document delivery which gradually evolved at Tilburg University over the past two years, leading to the development of a system called Ariadne. First of all, a pragmatic description of electronic document delivery is developed as a basis for a generation model of electronic document delivery systems. This model is illustrated with short references to existing systems and leads to the identification of global requirements for an Ariadne‐like system. Special attention will be paid to existing and developing standards in this field, notably the work of the Group on Electronic Document Interchange (GEDI). The remainder of the article addresses the general model of Ariadne, currently under development at Tilburg University. The article concludes with some strategic issues for libraries and publisher...


In this paper we classify the derived tame Schur and infinitesimal Schur algebras and describe indecomposable objects in their derived categories.


Article history: Received on: 13/11/2014 Revised on: 23/11/2014 Accepted on: 12/12/2014 Available online: 27/12/2014 Twelve different species belonging to Andrographis, Enicostema, Exacum, Indoneesiella, Peristrophe and Swertia are used as crude drugs under the common name Chirayat depending on region specific availability and diverse traditions all over the country. The crude drug is available in the local market in the form of whole plant consisting of stems, twigs with flowers and fruits. Microscopic characterization of powder sample revealed the presence of seeds with beautiful surface ornamentation. The observations indicated potential for using seed morphology as identification character. The seed surface morphology of twelve species was studied using light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The studies revealed species specific variations with reference to shape, size, colour and particularly surface. Authentication keys for Chirayat complex based on variations have been proposed.


ABSTRACT Metaphor theory bears many implications for counseling processes, but metaphor in extended counseling talk is seldom evaluated. This article reports an exploratory skin conductance and discourse analysis of metaphorical versus literal communication styles in facilitating affective engagement over time. After background interaction with the counselor-experimenter, role-playing clients (N = 60) were asked either a metaphorical or literal stimulus question related to the topic of academic problems. This was followed by spontaneous elaboration of either stimulus. A mixed-effects model with random subject intercepts suggests that both styles are tied to increased affective engagement, but the increase was significantly more apparent in the metaphorical style. However, no significant differences were found immediately after stimulus. The results are corroborated by a post-experiment survey where the metaphorical style was rated significantly better for expressing emotions and experiences and introducing new frames of reference. A further exploratory analysis of discourse features uncovered key components of the metaphorical style and their specific implications for engagement. The study suggests that a metaphorical style is more affectively engaging but requires sustained follow-up and spontaneous metaphor elaboration skills. Limitations are critically discussed, given the infancy of the present approach.


OBJECTIVESpinal dural arteriovenous fistulae (SDAVF) are the most common variety of spinal vascular malformations. The Onyx liquid embolic system (ev3 Neurovascular, Irvine, CA) was recently approved for the treatment of intracranial arteriovenous malformations, but its use to treat SDAVFs is not yet well established. We report our initial experience with Onyx embolization in the treatment of SDAVFs. METHODSRetrospective analysis of 3 consecutive patients with SDAVFs who were treated with the Onyx as the single treatment modality was performed. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic presentations as well as long-term outcomes were reviewed. RESULTSFour procedures were performed in 3 patients. In all cases, transarterial microcatheterization was performed with a Marathon microcatheter (ev3 Neurovascular) and Onyx-18 (ev3 Neurovascular) was used. All 3 patients were men (age, 75–78 years) and presented with progressive myelopathy. Two patients underwent only 1 procedure, with a single pedicle embolized to achieve angiographic cure. In the remaining patient, 2 procedures with embolization through 3 different pedicles from 2 adjacent levels were necessary to achieve angiographic cure. No procedure-related complications were noted. No evidence of residual or recurrent SDAVF was seen on magnetic resonance imaging (mean, 10.6 months; range, 7.1–14.6 months), angiographic (mean, 12.2 months; range, 10.2–14.9 months), or clinical (mean, 13 months; range, 10.2–14.9 months) follow-up examination. CONCLUSIONOur initial experience suggests that the endovascular treatment of SDAVFs with the Onyx is feasible, safe, and highly effective, as it allows for a controlled penetration of the embolic agent into the draining vein. In this small series, we found no evidence of clinical, magnetic resonance imaging, or angiographic recurrence during the long-term follow-up period.


Managing a project is an involved and many faceted job requiring a combination of management, organization and technical skills. Current methods tend to be based on lifecycle principles and so are project management tools. Additionally, project management is learnt by a process of 'coming up through the ranks'. Modern methods of structured analysis and design, computer aided coding and the move towards prototyping cause one to question whether or not the current management style, the support tools and training methods are going to be appropriate for tomorrow's technology. This paper proposes an alternative model of management and examines it to see whether or not it is better suited to modern methods, to being computer aided and to training the next generation of project managers.


This paper reconceptualises social rights through an integration of human welfare and environmental welfare. This is essential if we are making a case for the radical policy changes required to respond to the current environmental crisis, such as maximum living standards and maximum income. As living standards and the demand for social rights increase across the world, this will lead to a concomitant pressure on nature. A maximum living standard based on an ecological footprint is a starting point to think about the need to grant legal rights and resources to nature. Following Polanyi, both humans and the environment are fictitious commodities; we therefore need to rethink our approach to social policy and decommodification to include the environment. This requires approaching social rights from an ecological perspective and breaking the anthropocentric barriers welfare policies create between society and nature. Here, we draw on the work of Michel Serres on 'the natural contract' in order to rethink the content of the social contract and develop an argument in favour of decommodifying nature. Using rivers as legal entities in New Zealand as our example, we illustrate how this theoretical approach could provide the foundations for sustainable eco-social policies in general and maximum living standards in particular.


Renal clearance of chromium decreases exponentially with time after a single intravenous injection of Cr/sup 51/Cl/sup 3/ from 2.5 or 3 ml/min/m/sup 2/ at 1 hr to less than 1 ml/min 8 hr post-injection. Equilibrium dialysis measurements showed similar results for plasma dialyzable chromium. These observations lead to the determination of a dialyzable chromium clearance (C/sub d-er/) in which the concentration in dialyzable chromium replaced total plasma chromium in the clearance formula. The mean and standard deviation for C/sub d-er/ of 36.6 +/- 11.6 ml/min/m/sup 2/ was relatively unaffected by time after chromium administration, plasma concentration of dialyzable chromium, or rate of urine flow. Values of C/sub d-er/ determined repeatedly in two dogs intravenously infused with Cr/sup 51/Cl/sup 3/ for over 7 hr also remained stable. Glomerular filtration and tubular reabsorption are involved in renal excretion of chromium. The lack of a reduction of C/sub d-er/ at high plasma levels of dialyzable chromium favors the conclusion that tubular excretion is of minor importance. Simultaneous creatinine and PAH clearances were normal, indicating that renal function was not impaired by the doses of chromium used.


Agricultural intensification over last decades has resulted in a great increase of crop yields, but it also had a detrimental impact on biodiversity. The dramatic decline of arable weed diversity is a matter of great concern because weeds have an important ecological function as a key component of the food web of agroecosystems. Weeds are suitable indicators of management effects on wildlife diversity in arable crops because they have high sensitivity to cultivation measures and have a strong relation to other organism groups. Nevertheless, the effect of farming management on weed abundance and diversity will be more reliable on weed seed bank rather than on aboveground weed community because it is the result of processes that have occurred in the past and consequently, it could better reflect the effect of the agricultural practices over the years.


Clustering is an important research topic for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) because clustering makes it possible to guarantee basic levels of system performance, such as throughput and delay, in the presence of both mobility and a large number of mobile terminals. A large variety of approaches for ad hoc clustering have been presented, whereby different approaches typically focus on different performance metrics. This article presents a comprehensive survey of recently proposed clustering algorithms, which we classify based on their objectives. This survey provides descriptions of the mechanisms, evaluations of their performance and cost, and discussions of advantages and disadvantages of each clustering scheme. With this article, readers can have a more thorough and delicate understanding of ad hoc clustering and the research trends in this area.


The histochemical distribution of polysaccharides and proteins was studied in the human fetal membranes from term pregnancies. The neutral polysaccharide reactions were stronger in the trophoblast layer of the chorion and in the decidua, whereas the acid mucopolysaccharides were equally intense in the connective layers and in the decidua. The protein reactions were always stronger in the decidua. It was demonstrated the existence of a cover of acid mucopolysaccharides over the apical surface of the amniotic epithelium. The possible participation of this cover in water and electrolytes transfer is discussed.


One can only exploit inference in Question-Answering (QA) and assess its contribution systematically, if one knows what inference is contributing to. Thus we identify a set of tasks specific to QA and discuss what inference could contribute to their achievement. We conclude with a proposal for {\em graduated test suites} as a tool for assessing the performance and impact of inference.


Previously, our understanding of 3D genome architecture has mainly come from model mammals, insects, and plants. However, the organization and regulatory functions of 3D genomes in fungi are largely unknown. ABSTRACT The folding and dynamics of three-dimensional (3D) genome organization are fundamental for eukaryotes executing genome functions but have been largely unexplored in nonmodel fungi. Using high-throughput sequencing coupled with chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data, we generated two chromosome-level assemblies for Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, a fungus causing stripe rust disease on wheat, for studying 3D genome architectures of plant pathogenic fungi. The chromatin organization of the fungus followed a combination of the fractal globule model and the equilibrium globule model. Surprisingly, chromosome compartmentalization was not detected. Dynamics of 3D genome organization during two developmental stages of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici indicated that regulation of gene activities might be independent of the changes of genome organization. In addition, chromatin conformation conservation was found to be independent of genome sequence synteny conservation among different fungi. These results highlighted the distinct folding principles of fungal 3D genomes. Our findings should be an important step toward a holistic understanding of the principles and functions of genome architecture across different eukaryotic kingdoms. IMPORTANCE Previously, our understanding of 3D genome architecture has mainly come from model mammals, insects, and plants. However, the organization and regulatory functions of 3D genomes in fungi are largely unknown. In this study, we comprehensively investigated P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, a plant fungal pathogen, and revealed distinct features of the 3D genome, comparing it with the universal folding feature of 3D genomes in higher eukaryotic organisms. We further suggested that there might be distinct regulatory mechanisms of gene expression that are independent of chromatin organization changes during the developmental stages of this rust fungus. Moreover, we showed that the evolutionary pattern of 3D genomes in this fungus is also different from the cases in mammalian genomes. In addition, the genome assembly pipeline and the generated two chromosome-level genomes will be valuable resources. These results highlighted the unexplored distinct features of 3D genome organization in fungi. Therefore, our study provided complementary knowledge to holistically understand the organization and functions of 3D genomes across different eukaryotes.