This paper introduces a universal framework for service-based learning which provides information systems students with opportunities to gain invaluable hands-on experience. More specifically, ...through this framework, students can develop hard, soft, and interdisciplinary skills in preparation for their first professional careers upon graduation. In addition to introducing the framework, we provide student testimonials and feedback as well as lessons learned from our experience in efforts to prepare and help other schools interested in offering similar growth opportunities to their students to have a smooth and successful implementation.
This paper introduces a universal framework for service-based learning which provides information systems students with opportunities to gain invaluable hands-on experience. More specifically, ...through this framework, students can develop hard, soft, and interdisciplinary skills in preparation for their first professional careers upon graduation. In addition to introducing the framework, we provide student testimonials and feedback as well as lessons learned from our experience in efforts to prepare and help other schools interested in offering similar growth opportunities to their students to have a smooth and successful implementation.
This volume of essays examines the empirical evidence on school choice in different countries across Europe, North America, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Human-driven land-use changes increasingly threaten biodiversity, particularly in tropical forests where both species diversity and human pressures on natural environments are high. The rapid ...conversion of tropical forests for agriculture, timber production and other uses has generated vast, human-dominated landscapes with potentially dire consequences for tropical biodiversity. Today, few truly undisturbed tropical forests exist, whereas those degraded by repeated logging and fires, as well as secondary and plantation forests, are rapidly expanding. Here we provide a global assessment of the impact of disturbance and land conversion on biodiversity in tropical forests using a meta-analysis of 138 studies. We analysed 2,220 pairwise comparisons of biodiversity values in primary forests (with little or no human disturbance) and disturbed forests. We found that biodiversity values were substantially lower in degraded forests, but that this varied considerably by geographic region, taxonomic group, ecological metric and disturbance type. Even after partly accounting for confounding colonization and succession effects due to the composition of surrounding habitats, isolation and time since disturbance, we find that most forms of forest degradation have an overwhelmingly detrimental effect on tropical biodiversity. Our results clearly indicate that when it comes to maintaining tropical biodiversity, there is no substitute for primary forests.
Abstract
Objectives
Recent commercialization of methods for in situ hybridization using Z-pair probe/branched DNA amplification has led to increasing adoption of this technology for interrogating RNA ...expression in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Current practice for FFPE block storage is to maintain them at room temperature, often for many years.
Methods
To examine the effects of block storage time on FFPE tissues using a number of RNA in situ probes with the Advanced Cellular Diagnostic’s RNAscope assay.
Results
We report marked reductions in signals after 5 years and significant reductions often after 1 year. Furthermore, storing unstained slides cut from recent cases (<1 year old) at –20°C can preserve hybridization signals significantly better than storing the blocks at room temperature and cutting the slides fresh when needed.
Conclusions
We submit that the standard practice of storing FFPE tissue blocks at room temperature should be reevaluated to better preserve RNA for in situ hybridization.
Significant progress has been made in understanding the pre-symptomatic phase of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. While much is still unknown, advances in other neurodegenerative diseases offer ...valuable insights. Indeed, it is increasingly clear that the well-recognized clinical syndromes of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, spinal muscular atrophy and frontotemporal dementia are also each preceded by a pre-symptomatic or prodromal period of varying duration, during which the underlying disease process unfolds, with associated compensatory changes and loss of inherent system redundancy. Key insights from these diseases highlight opportunities for discovery in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The development of biomarkers reflecting amyloid and tau has led to a shift in defining Alzheimer's disease based on inferred underlying histopathology. Parkinson's disease is unique among neurodegenerative diseases in the number and diversity of non-genetic biomarkers of pre-symptomatic disease, most notably REM sleep behaviour disorder. Huntington's disease benefits from an ability to predict the likely timing of clinically manifest disease based on age and CAG-repeat length alongside reliable neuroimaging markers of atrophy. Spinal muscular atrophy clinical trials have highlighted the transformational value of early therapeutic intervention, and studies in frontotemporal dementia illustrate the differential role of biomarkers based on genotype. Similar advances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis would transform our understanding of key events in pathogenesis, thereby dramatically accelerating progress towards disease prevention. Deciphering the biology of pre-symptomatic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis relies on a clear conceptual framework for defining the earliest stages of disease. Clinically manifest amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may emerge abruptly, especially among those who harbour genetic mutations associated with rapidly progressive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the disease may also evolve more gradually, revealing a prodromal period of mild motor impairment preceding phenoconversion to clinically manifest disease. Similarly, cognitive and behavioural impairment, when present, may emerge gradually, evolving through a prodromal period of mild cognitive impairment or mild behavioural impairment before progression to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biomarkers are critically important to studying pre-symptomatic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and essential to efforts to intervene therapeutically before clinically manifest disease emerges. The use of non-genetic biomarkers, however, presents challenges related to counselling, informed consent, communication of results and limited protections afforded by existing legislation. Experiences from pre-symptomatic genetic testing and counselling, and the legal protections against discrimination based on genetic data, may serve as a guide. Building on what we have learned-more broadly from other pre-symptomatic neurodegenerative diseases and specifically from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis gene mutation carriers-we present a road map to early intervention, and perhaps even disease prevention, for all forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Blood products are likely to be critical components of the medical response to nuclear detonation, as the hematopoietic subsyndrome of acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) includes depletion of platelets ...and red blood cells that can lead to lethal hemorrhage and anemia. There is, however, only limited clinical information on the use of blood products to treat H-ARS. As currently configured, the US blood supply cannot meet the predicted surge in blood product demand that is likely to occur short-term and possibly long-term in the event of a large nuclear detonation. As part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is addressing this preparedness gap by supporting the development of novel blood products and devices with characteristics that improve blood product storage and use in austere operational environments. The US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) recently issued draft guidance on the development of drugs and biologics regulated by CDER to prevent or treat Acute Radiation Syndrome under the provisions of the “Animal Rule.” The commentary provided here discusses the unique regulatory scheme for transfusion components and blood products regulated as biological drugs by Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, including the ambiguity surrounding the evidentiary requirements for their approval for H-ARS, and whether, under certain circumstances, a specific H-ARS indication is necessary if relevant commercial indications are approved.
Novel technologies, such as camera traps, have expanded the opportunities for species detection, especially for rare species. Corresponding changes in data processing must occur to handle the large ...volume of data gathered from technology like camera traps. Automated image data processing, usually by running images through different types of computer algorithms, is an overarching goal to reduce the number of images that researchers must manually review. However, differences in camera trap setups and species characteristics can make automatic processing a challenge. Here, we evaluated the detection accuracy and efficiency of a time‐lapse triggered camera trapping technique combined with a pixel change detection algorithm as part of a monitoring program for a translocated population of the rare and federally threatened Louisiana Pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni). We paired 5 cameras with automated pit tag readers to collect observations of P. ruthveni. We evaluated an image dataset of 1,500,187 images, collected over 7 months, both manually (i.e., researchers looking at each individual picture to determine snake presence) and automatically using a change detection algorithm. There were 18 P. ruthveni observations recorded by the tag readers, 7 of which occurred while a paired camera was not operational. Ten of the tag reader P. ruthveni observations were captured by the paired camera trap, with an additional P. ruthveni observation from a paired camera trap not recorded by the tag reader. There were 132 snake observations of 13 additional species and 18 observations of unknown snakes from the camera traps. The algorithm reduced the number of images reviewers evaluated by an average of 78.5% per camera (range = 37.3–98.7%) but had a 54.5% success rate at detecting observations of P. ruthveni (47.1% for individual images), and a slightly lower 48.9% success rate detecting other large snakes. Large snakes were 4 times more likely to be flagged by the algorithm than small snakes. Our time‐lapse triggered camera trapping technique performed well with respect to P. ruthveni detection accuracy, compared to the tag readers. However, further research is needed to improve quality assurances of camera trap image filtering and object recognition algorithms across different sites or environments.
We evaluated the detection accuracy and efficiency of a time‐lapse triggered camera trapping technique along with a pixel change detection algorithm in an on‐going monitoring program for a translocated population of the rare and federally threatened Louisiana Pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni). Our time‐lapse triggered camera trapping technique performed well with respect to P. ruthveni detection accuracy, compared to the tag readers; however, further research is needed to improve quality assurances of camera trap image filtering and object recognition algorithms across different sites or environments.
Texas Alligator Lizards (Gerrhonotus infernalis) range from Central Texas into adjacent northeastern Mexico, and published ecological studies on their terrestrial and arboreal movement patterns are ...lacking. We used radiotelemetry to assess movements, annual home range, and arboreal activity of G. infernalis at Bamberger Ranch Preserve, Blanco County, Texas, to provide baseline ecological data for populations occurring in the northernmost extent of the species' range. Movement patterns were influenced by temporal (e.g., seasonal) and behavioral cues (e.g., breeding period), but generally no differences were observed between sexes. Annual home range varied, but males averaged larger 95% MCP (minimum convex polygon) annual home ranges, while females averaged larger 50% MCP core use areas, although we were unable to test for differences due to low sample sizes. Males and females exhibited similar arboreal trends, but arboreal activity did vary by season and diurnal period. Most arboreal activity occurred during the summer and late spring, with less during the fall and winter months. Gerrhonotus infernalis, on average, inhabited higher perch sites during the evening and morning diurnal periods and lower perch sites during the afternoon periods. These findings provide novel insights into the ecology of G. infernalis in Central Texas and will aid in future management activities. El Cantil de Tierra (Gerrhonotus infernalis) se distribuye desde la parte central del estado de Texas en los Estados Unidos, hasta la zona fronteriza del Noreste de México. La información ecológica publicada formalmente sobre sus patrones de movimiento tanto arbóreos como terrestres es muy escasa y con la finalidad de proveer información ecológica básica sobre las poblaciones existentes en la parte mas al norte de su rango de distribución natural, hemos utilizado radiotelemetria para analizar el área de distribución anual y la actividad arbórea de G. infernalis en Bamberger Ranch Preserve, en el condado de Blanco, Texas. De movimiento en G. infernalis fueron influenciados por señales ambientales (estaciones) y de comportamiento (periodo de reproducción), pero en términos generales, no se encontraron diferencias entre sexos. El rango anual de distribución espacial fue variable y los machos promediaron un mayor uso total del espacio, mientras que las hembras promediaron un uso mayor de sus áreas de preferencia, aunque dicha diferencia no fue significativa. Machos y hembras presentaron hábitos arbóreos similares, aunque vale destacar que la actividad arbórea presento variaciones estacionales y también durante el periodo diurno. La mayoría de la actividad arbórea ocurrió durante el verano y el fin de la primavera, mostrando una reducción en el final del otoño y el invierno. En promedio, G. infernalis utilizo sitios de percha más altos durante las últimas horas de la tarde y las primeras horas de la mañana. Los sitios de percha de menor elevación fueron utilizados durante las primeras horas de la tarde. Los resultados de esta investigación proveen información novedosa acerca de la ecología de la especie en la parte central del estado de Texas y favorecen el desarrollo de nuevas acciones de manejo para la especie.
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