Valley City State University

In this article we document the current analysis software training and onboarding activities in several High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments: ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, Belle II and DUNE. Fast and efficient onboarding of new collaboration members is increasingly important for HEP experiments. With rapidly increasing data volumes and larger collaborations the analyses and consequently, the related software, become ever more complex. This necessitates structured onboarding and training. Recognizing this, a meeting series was held by the HEP Software Foundation (HSF) in 2022 for experiments to showcase their initiatives. Here we document and analyze these in an attempt to determine a set of key considerations for future HEP experiments.

The barley Mla locus contains functionally diversified genes that encode intracellular nucleotide‐binding leucine‐rich repeat receptors (NLRs) and confer strain‐specific immunity to biotrophic and hemibiotrophic fungal pathogens. In this study, we isolated a barley gene Scs6, which is an allelic variant of Mla genes but confers susceptibility to the isolate ND90Pr (BsND90Pr) of the necrotrophic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana. We generated Scs6 transgenic barley lines and showed that Scs6 is sufficient to confer susceptibility to BsND90Pr in barley genotypes naturally lacking the receptor. The Scs6‐encoded NLR (SCS6) is activated by a nonribosomal peptide (NRP) effector produced by BsND90Pr to induce cell death in barley and Nicotiana benthamiana. Domain swaps between MLAs and SCS6 reveal that the SCS6 leucine‐rich repeat domain is a specificity determinant for receptor activation by the NRP effector. Scs6 is maintained in both wild and domesticated barley populations. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that Scs6 is a Hordeum‐specific innovation. We infer that SCS6 is a bona fide immune receptor that is likely directly activated by the nonribosomal peptide effector of BsND90Pr for disease susceptibility in barley. Our study provides a stepping stone for the future development of synthetic NLR receptors in crops that are less vulnerable to modification by necrotrophic pathogens.

Providing computing training to the next generation of physicists is the principal driver for a biannual multi-day training workshop hosted by the DUNE Computing Consortium. Materials are cast in a Software Carpentry’s template, and topics have included storage space, data management, LArSoft, grid job submission and monitoring. Moreover, experts provide extended breakout sessions to demonstrate the fundamentals of the unique software used in HEP analysis. Each session uses live documents for real time correspondence, and are captured on Zoom; afterwards, videos are embedded on the corresponding web-pages for review. As a GitHub repository, shared editing of the learning modules is straightforward, and provides a trusted framework to extend to other training topics in the future. An overview of the tutorials as well as the machinery used, along with survey statistics and lessons learned is presented.

Teachers want their students to learn, and they want that learning to be equitable, with opportunities for all students. But not all students have the same needs for success. Therefore, classroom accommodations are provided through Disability Offices within universities. These accommodations are intended to be implemented in each course the student takes. Yet the actual enactment of accommodations relies on facilitation and implementation by each instructor in collaboration with the student, which may lead to variance in the level of accommodations. This project examined student interviews and student and faculty survey data to construct a narrative analysis of students’ experiences when they discuss their accommodations with their instructors. This manuscript reports a characterization of these interactions and how these interactions shape students’ success in the classroom, with recommendations for both students and instructors.

Melastomataceae is one of the largest families of flowering plants, comprising approximately 5,858 species distributed across 173 genera worldwide. Brazil excels as the country with the highest diversity of Melastomataceae in the neotropical Americas, boasting 1,453 species with a significant number of endemisms. The Caatinga, a phytogeographic domain in Brazil, holds a prominent position as the core area of Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests and Shrubs and Woodlands (SDTFSW) in South America and exhibits remarkable environmental heterogeneity, featuring various phytophysiognomies associated with both crystalline and sedimentary terrains. Within this domain, rock outcrops support endemic and rare species, further enhancing the ecological value of this region. Although Melastomataceae has limited representation in the Caatinga, the colonization of xeric environments by select species of this family has attracted attention. Notably, the discovery of Pleroma caatingae stands out, an endangered species previously thought to be endemic to the state of Bahia, and recently collected outside the state. This paper presents the first record of the species outside Bahia. After acquiring further morphological data, an adapted description of this species is offered, incorporating information from these peripheral occurrence points. To enhance understanding of the potential distribution and conservation status of the species, a conducted predictive species distribution model (SDM) that provides an updated account of its geographical range is presented. Furthermore, comprehensive insights regarding phenology and conservation status are provided. Additionally, conclusions are drawn pertaining to the remaining knowledge gaps surrounding the distribution of neotropical species and their interrelationships with both their counterparts and their surroundings and provides innovative insights and outlooks regarding the preservation of arid habitats, which are typically overlooked but hold intriguing discoveries for biodiversity.

For the past two centuries, the U.S. has witnessed the proliferation of numerous foreign policy doctrines that allegedly serve to guide the nation’s international relations. In recent years, there has been considerable debate around the question of whether there is a Trump doctrine and, if so, what its main features are. Several officials in the Trump administration have adamantly insisted that the Trump doctrine is a radical rearticulation of U.S. foreign policy. Others, however, have rejected the mere idea of a Trump doctrine. To address the questions regarding the Trump doctrine, we employ a longitudinal comparative design and use a structured focus comparison to analyze Trump’s Middle East policy—namely the decision to surge U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the U.S. military strikes in Syria (2017 and 2018), the cancelation of the strike on Iran after the downing of a U.S. drone, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, and the killing of Iranian General Qasem Suleimani. Our case studies confirm that Trump’s unique management style hindered the development of a coherent and consistent set of principles that could guide U.S. foreign policy, and we argue for a foreign policy decision-making process that is based on a more informed and judicious assessment of the challenges to America’s national interest.

Donald Trump ran for the American presidency attacking his opponents and allies and promising to upend politics in Washington and around the world. Trump advocated for an “America First” foreign policy that denounced America’s postwar project of promoting the liberal international order. In place of international institutions and multilateral cooperation, Trump emphasized a populist-nationalist strategy favoring unilateral action. Rather than seeking to promote a “global community,” Trump engaged in international relations as a zero-sum game where nations compete for advantage. Underscoring this behavior and the “America First” foreign policy were Trump’s mental maps of a weak and insecure America that was exploited by international and domestic elites. Trump also helped shaped the mental maps of many Americans by creating a sense of crisis about the nation’s place in the world. Emphasizing a host of security threats ranging from economic to existential insecurity, which justified a radical transformation of policies to “Make America Great Again.”

Bipolaris sorokiniana ( Cochliobolus sativus) is a fungal pathogen that causes spot blotch, common root rot, and kernel blight in barley and wheat. Four pathotypes (0, 1, 2, and 7) of the fungus were previously identified based on their virulence on three barley differential lines (Bowman, ND 5883, and NDB 112). Although several genome assemblies have been reported for B. sorokiniana, a telomere-to-telomere genome assembly is still lacking for this fungus. In this study, we assembled the genome of a pathotype 0 isolate (ND93-1) of B. sorokiniana using both PacBio HiFi reads and ultralong Oxford Nanopore Technology reads corrected with Illumina paired-end 100-bp short reads. The combined genome assembly of ND93-1 has an estimated size of 35.7 Mb and consists of 16 scaffolds, each having two telomeres. A total of 11,564 protein-coding genes were predicted, including 1,633 genes encoding for secretory proteins and 473 genes for effectors. This telomere-to-telomere genome assembly provides an important resource for comparative genomics and understanding molecular biology of B. sorokiniana and related Bipolaris species. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

The Pandora Software Development Kit and algorithm libraries provide pattern-recognition logic essential to the reconstruction of particle interactions in liquid argon time projection chamber detectors. Pandora is the primary event reconstruction software used at ProtoDUNE-SP, a prototype for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment far detector. ProtoDUNE-SP, located at CERN, is exposed to a charged-particle test beam. This paper gives an overview of the Pandora reconstruction algorithms and how they have been tailored for use at ProtoDUNE-SP. In complex events with numerous cosmic-ray and beam background particles, the simulated reconstruction and identification efficiency for triggered test-beam particles is above 80% for the majority of particle type and beam momentum combinations. Specifically, simulated 1 GeV/ c charged pions and protons are correctly reconstructed and identified with efficiencies of 86.1 $\pm 0.6$ ± 0.6 % and 84.1 $\pm 0.6$ ± 0.6 %, respectively. The efficiencies measured for test-beam data are shown to be within 5% of those predicted by the simulation.

Sustainable growth is emerging as a normative concept in recent work in economics and environmental philosophy. This paper examines several kinds of growth, seeking to identify a sustainable form which could be adopted as normative for human society. The conceptions of growth expressed in standard economic theory, in the writings of John Dewey, and in population biology, each suggest particular accounts of how the lives of individuals and communities ought to be lived. I argue that, while absolute sustainablity is not possible, the latter two conceptions together suggest a regulative ideal of sustainable growth which is acceptable at the social level, and which encourages the development of genuine community.

Background Reminiscence, a therapy that uses stimulating materials such as old photos and videos to stimulate long-term memory, can improve the emotional well-being and life satisfaction of older adults, including those who are cognitively intact. However, providing personalized reminiscence therapy can be challenging for caregivers and family members. Objective This study aimed to achieve three objectives: (1) design and develop the GoodTimes app, an interactive multimodal photo album that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to engage users in personalized conversations and storytelling about their pictures, encompassing family, friends, and special moments; (2) examine the app’s functionalities in various scenarios using use-case studies and assess the app’s usability and user experience through the user study; and (3) investigate the app’s potential as a supplementary tool for reminiscence therapy among cognitively intact older adults, aiming to enhance their psychological well-being by facilitating the recollection of past experiences. Methods We used state-of-the-art AI technologies, including image recognition, natural language processing, knowledge graph, logic, and machine learning, to develop GoodTimes. First, we constructed a comprehensive knowledge graph that models the information required for effective communication, including photos, people, locations, time, and stories related to the photos. Next, we developed a voice assistant that interacts with users by leveraging the knowledge graph and machine learning techniques. Then, we created various use cases to examine the functions of the system in different scenarios. Finally, to evaluate GoodTimes’ usability, we conducted a study with older adults (N=13; age range 58-84, mean 65.8 years). The study period started from January to March 2023. Results The use-case tests demonstrated the performance of GoodTimes in handling a variety of scenarios, highlighting its versatility and adaptability. For the user study, the feedback from our participants was highly positive, with 92% (12/13) reporting a positive experience conversing with GoodTimes. All participants mentioned that the app invoked pleasant memories and aided in recollecting loved ones, resulting in a sense of happiness for the majority (11/13, 85%). Additionally, a significant majority found GoodTimes to be helpful (11/13, 85%) and user-friendly (12/13, 92%). Most participants (9/13, 69%) expressed a desire to use the app frequently, although some (4/13, 31%) indicated a need for technical support to navigate the system effectively. Conclusions Our AI-based interactive photo album, GoodTimes, was able to engage users in browsing their photos and conversing about them. Preliminary evidence supports GoodTimes’ usability and benefits cognitively intact older adults. Future work is needed to explore its potential positive effects among older adults with cognitive impairment.

Expectations for behavior that might influence early-stage attraction in romantic relationships are likely to be influenced by cultural values, such as those found in cultures of honor. Honor-based ideals emphasize reputation maintenance and create powerful expectations for the behaviors of men and women. This study sought to examine the role of masculine honor norms in how college women in the southern United States respond to behavioral cues presented by a man in an online dating simulation. Specifically, women who more strongly endorsed masculine honor norms demonstrated an insensitivity to aggressive behavior reported by a man who was a potential romantic partner compared to women who did not endorse these same honor norms. Results indicate that honor-oriented women reported strong romantic interest in a male even when he reveals aggressive actions in his online dating profile. However, women who do not strongly endorse masculine honor norms reported significantly less romantic interest in the aggressive male compared to an otherwise-equivalent non-aggressive male. These results suggest that the impact of honor values on relational patterns can begin as early as the initial attraction stage before any interaction occurs.

Two genes ( TaHRC and Tsn1) conferring susceptibility to Fusarium head blight and tan spot, Septoria nodorum blotch, and spot blotch in wheat were targeted through wide hybridization with maize expressing Cas9 and guide RNA (gRNA). For each gene, two target sites were selected and corresponding gRNA expression cassettes were synthesized and cloned into a binary vector carrying the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing machinery. The constructed binary vectors were used to transform the hybrid maize Hi-II through an Agrobacterium-mediated approach to generate T0 and T1 plants, which were used to cross with wheat variety Dayn for targeting Tsn1 or the susceptible allele ( TaHRC-S) of TaHRC as well as with the near-isogenic line (Day- Fhb1) of Dayn for targeting the resistant allele ( TaHRC-R) of TaHRC. Haploid embryos were rescued in vitro from the wide crosses to generate haploid plants. PCR amplification and sequencing indicated that 15 to 33% of the haploid plants contained the target gene with mutations at the target sites. This wheat × maize hybridization combined with genome editing approach provides a useful alternative tool, not only for targeting susceptibility genes to improve disease resistance without regulatory issues, but also for understanding gene function in wheat. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

This study aimed to evaluate, in vitro, the use of leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) and Melia azedarach (M. azedarach) as antivirals against caprine lentivirus (CLV) in colostrum and milk of goat nannies. These were collected from eight individuals and infected with the standard strain of CLV. Samples were then subdivided into aliquots and treated with 150 µg/mL of crude extract, and with ethyl acetate and methanol fractions for 30, 60, and 90 min. Next, somatic cells from colostrum and milk were co-cultured with cells from the ovine third eyelid. After this step, viral titers of the supernatants collected from treatments with greater efficacy in co-culture were assessed. The organic ethyl acetate fractions of both plants at 90 min possibly inhibited the viral activity of CLV by up to a thousandfold in colostrum. In milk, this inhibition was up to 800 times for the respective Meliaceae. In conclusion, the ethanolic fraction of ethyl acetate from both plants demonstrated efficacy against CLV in samples from colostrum and milk when subjected to treatment, which was more effective in colostrum.

An MV-algebra A is radically principal if every prime ideal P of A is radically principal, i.e., there exists a principal ideal I of A such that Rad ( P ) = Rad ( I ) . We investigate radically principal MV-algebras and provide some characterizations as well as some classes of examples. We prove a Cohen-like theorem, precisely, an MV-algebra is radically principal if and only if every maximal ideal is radically principal. It is also shown that the radically principal hyperarchemedian MV-algebras are the weakly finite ones and the radically principal Boolean algebras are the finite ones. Radically principal MV-algebras are also studied from the perspective of lattice-ordered groups.