Collection Development for New Librarians: Advice from the Trenches

There are many challenges facing new librarians in the academic environment, including collection development. This article analyzes the topic of collection development and how it relates to new professionals in the field of librarianship. The article contains a literature review of papers discussing the collection development curriculum in library and information science programs, expected skills required of collection development offices, and library training programs for new librarians. The article also provides practical advise by recent graduates and their collection development experiences. Topics of discussion include acclimation to a new environment, collection development policies and procedures, liaison work, resource selection, and time management

Evaluation of cytosine DNA methylation of the Biomphalaria glabratahe at shock protein 70 locus after biological and physiological stresses

Deoxyribonucleic (DNA) methylation is one of the widespread epigenetic modifications of genomic DNA, and has been postulated to be a predisposing influence on disease onset and infections. The ability to quantify differences in DNA methylation between the genomes of normal vs.stressed Biomphalaria glabrata would help to profile changes potentially linked to resistance to Schistosoma mansoni infection. Thus, this study sought to measure differences in cytosine DNA methylation of various B. glabrata tissues responding over time to either biological or physiological stresses (S. mansoni exposure vs. heat shock). Here, this study measured DNA methylation at the B. glabrataheat shock protein 70 (Bg-hsp 70) intragenic regionto profile the regions methylome with a simple and cost-effective method. The study found DNA hypomethylation of the Bg-hsp 70 region occurs in the snails in response to both stressors; heat shock and parasite exposure, however, overall DNA hypomethylation after heat shock was similar among the tissues examined. In contrast, DNA methylation remained suppressed for up to 5 h when snails were responding to stress from parasite exposure. In parasite exposed snails, the levels of Bg-hsp 70 methylation in whole body, head foot and ovotestis decreased from 30 min to 2 h, and the reduction persisted in the hepatopancreas for up to 5 h. The DNA hypomethylation of the Bg-hsp 70 intragenic region correlated negatively with the level of Bg-hsp 70 mRNA in infected snails but not in thermally stressed snails. From this study results, the study conclude that the hepatopancreas is the most active host organs in terms of differential DNA methylation events following parasite infection. Also, from these data the study postulate that different epigenetic mechanisms underlie, Bg-hsp70 gene regulation in this snails while responding to stress due either to parasite exposure or heat shock

Please call ME.N.U.4EVER: designing for “Callback” in rural Africa

Proceedings of the Tenth International Workshop on Internationalisation of Products and Systems. Kutching, Malaysia, 11-14 July, 2011Designers and developers are naïve about the ways impoverished people in rural Africa innovate new uses of mobile technology to circumvent access difficulties. Here, we report on the local appropriation of an USSD ‘Callback’ service in a rural community in South Africa’s Eastern Cape which enables people to send free text messages and includes strategies that respond to severe constraints on message length and local communication protocols. This report shows that a participative approach, in which community members co-generate methods and interpret data, elicits major and formerly unreported findings. We describe the results of two sets of interviews about the use of cell-phones and Callback locally and the implications of this use for designing and realizing a media-sharing system. Our findings indicate that the community needs a system to charge phones and share media without consuming airtime and functionality for the 70-80% of people who do not own high-end phones. Use of Callback suggests people will manage a system to create, store and share content at a local ‘station’ but notify others about content using separate networks. Callback-use reveals local priorities that shape: the meaning of usability and utility; the ways people manage sequences of communication; and, the ‘rules’ that enable people to use Callback for multiple purposes and make sense of Callbacks despite ambiguity. These priorities inform introducing prototypes and contribute to exploring the communication patterns that might, subsequently, emerge.EPSRCDepartment of HE and Training approved lis

Identification of dfrA14 in two distinct plasmids conferring trimethoprim resistance in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and genetic basis of trimethoprim resistance in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolates from pigs in England. METHODS: Clinical isolates collected between 1998 and 2011 were tested for resistance to trimethoprim and sulphonamide. The genetic basis of trimethoprim resistance was determined by shotgun WGS analysis and the subsequent isolation and sequencing of plasmids. RESULTS: A total of 16 (out of 106) A. pleuropneumoniae isolates were resistant to both trimethoprim (MIC >32 mg/L) and sulfisoxazole (MIC ≥256 mg/L), and a further 32 were resistant only to sulfisoxazole (MIC ≥256 mg/L). Genome sequence data for the trimethoprim-resistant isolates revealed the presence of the dfrA14 dihydrofolate reductase gene. The distribution of plasmid sequences in multiple contigs suggested the presence of two distinct dfrA14-containing plasmids in different isolates, which was confirmed by plasmid isolation and sequencing. Both plasmids encoded mobilization genes, the sulphonamide resistance gene sul2, as well as dfrA14 inserted into strA, a streptomycin-resistance-associated gene, although the gene order differed between the two plasmids. One of the plasmids further encoded the strB streptomycin-resistance-associated gene. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first description of mobilizable plasmids conferring trimethoprim resistance in A. pleuropneumoniae and, to our knowledge, the first report of dfrA14 in any member of the Pasteurellaceae. The identification of dfrA14 conferring trimethoprim resistance in A. pleuropneumoniae isolates will facilitate PCR screens for resistance to this important antimicrobial

Succession of physiological stages hallmarks the transcriptomic response of the fungus Aspergillus niger to lignocellulose.

BackgroundUnderstanding how fungi degrade lignocellulose is a cornerstone of improving renewables-based biotechnology, in particular for the production of hydrolytic enzymes. Considerable progress has been made in investigating fungal degradation during time-points where CAZyme expression peaks. However, a robust understanding of the fungal survival strategies over its life time on lignocellulose is thereby missed. Here we aimed to uncover the physiological responses of the biotechnological workhorse and enzyme producer Aspergillus niger over its life time to six substrates important for biofuel production.ResultsWe analysed the response of A. niger to the feedstock Miscanthus and compared it with our previous study on wheat straw, alone or in combination with hydrothermal or ionic liquid feedstock pretreatments. Conserved (substrate-independent) metabolic responses as well as those affected by pretreatment and feedstock were identified via multivariate analysis of genome-wide transcriptomics combined with targeted transcript and protein analyses and mapping to a metabolic model. Initial exposure to all substrates increased fatty acid beta-oxidation and lipid metabolism transcripts. In a strain carrying a deletion of the ortholog of the Aspergillus nidulans fatty acid beta-oxidation transcriptional regulator farA, there was a reduction in expression of selected lignocellulose degradative CAZyme-encoding genes suggesting that beta-oxidation contributes to adaptation to lignocellulose. Mannan degradation expression was wheat straw feedstock-dependent and pectin degradation was higher on the untreated substrates. In the later life stages, known and novel secondary metabolite gene clusters were activated, which are of high interest due to their potential to synthesize bioactive compounds.ConclusionIn this study, which includes the first transcriptional response of Aspergilli to Miscanthus, we highlighted that life time as well as substrate composition and structure (via variations in pretreatment and feedstock) influence the fungal responses to lignocellulose. We also demonstrated that the fungal response contains physiological stages that are conserved across substrates and are typically found outside of the conditions with high CAZyme expression, as exemplified by the stages that are dominated by lipid and secondary metabolism

Real-time individualized training vectors for experiential learning.

Military training utilizing serious games or virtual worlds potentially generate data that can be mined to better understand how trainees learn in experiential exercises. Few data mining approaches for deployed military training games exist. Opportunities exist to collect and analyze these data, as well as to construct a full-history learner model. Outcomes discussed in the present document include results from a quasi-experimental research study on military game-based experiential learning, the deployment of an online game for training evidence collection, and results from a proof-of-concept pilot study on the development of individualized training vectors. This Lab Directed Research & Development (LDRD) project leveraged products within projects, such as Titan (Network Grand Challenge), Real-Time Feedback and Evaluation System, (America's Army Adaptive Thinking and Leadership, DARWARS Ambush! NK), and Dynamic Bayesian Networks to investigate whether machine learning capabilities could perform real-time, in-game similarity vectors of learner performance, toward adaptation of content delivery, and quantitative measurement of experiential learning

The Allen Telescope Array: The First Widefield, Panchromatic, Snapshot Radio Camera for Radio Astronomy and SETI

The first 42 elements of the Allen Telescope Array (ATA-42) are beginning to deliver data at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in Northern California. Scientists and engineers are actively exploiting all of the flexibility designed into this innovative instrument for simultaneously conducting surveys of the astrophysical sky and conducting searches for distant technological civilizations. This paper summarizes the design elements of the ATA, the cost savings made possible by the use of COTS components, and the cost/performance trades that eventually enabled this first snapshot radio camera. The fundamental scientific program of this new telescope is varied and exciting; some of the first astronomical results will be discussed.Comment: Special Issue of Proceedings of the IEEE: "Advances in Radio Telescopes", Baars,J. Thompson,R., D'Addario, L., eds, 2009, in pres

Information needs of ethnically diverse, vaccine-hesitant parents during decision-making about the HPV vaccine for their adolescent child:a qualitative study

BackgroundThe English schools-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme has the potential to eliminate HPV-related cancers if high uptake is achieved. However, unmet information needs among some parents may contribute to persisting lower uptake among minority ethnic groups. Through this study we aimed to understand the information needs of vaccine-hesitant, ethnically diverse parents during decision-making about the HPV vaccine for their adolescent child, to inform the future development of tailored communication materials.MethodsRecruitment was facilitated thorough healthcare and community organisations within London and the South West of England. Semi-structured interviews took place between April and August 2023. Thematic analysis was undertaken, assisted by NVivo software.ResultsOf the 29 parents interviewed, the majority were mothers (79%), belonged to a minority ethnic group (88%), and had an adolescent child unvaccinated against HPV (72%). Five of the interviews were undertaken in the participants’ primary language with translation support. Most parents interviewed had limited knowledge about the HPV vaccine and appeared conflicted as to whether vaccines could offer benefits to health. Misunderstanding around the potential of developing serious side-effects (e.g. fertility issues, developing cancer) were factors that could negatively impact decision-making by parents. Stigma associated with the sexual transmissibility of HPV did not always negatively impact decision-making. However, some parents chose not to vaccinate on the basis of perceptions of low risk and a preference to provide education about sexual behaviours to their adolescent child.ConclusionsTailoring communication materials to address misunderstandings could support informed decision-making by vaccine hesitant parents for their adolescent children to be vaccinated against HPV. Future communication materials about the HPV vaccine should highlight the benefits of protection against cancer to increase parents’ motivation for protect their adolescent child; provide accurate convincing information in relation to the excellent safety profile; and emphasise the importance of providing HPV vaccine at the recommended age, all alongside communicating the universality and commonality of HPV infection

The Allen Telescope Array Pi GHz Sky Survey I. Survey Description and Static Catalog Results for the Bootes Field

The Pi GHz Sky Survey (PiGSS) is a key project of the Allen Telescope Array. PiGSS is a 3.1 GHz survey of radio continuum emission in the extragalactic sky with an emphasis on synoptic observations that measure the static and time-variable properties of the sky. During the 2.5-year campaign, PiGSS will twice observe ~250,000 radio sources in the 10,000 deg^2 region of the sky with b > 30 deg to an rms sensitivity of ~1 mJy. Additionally, sub-regions of the sky will be observed multiple times to characterize variability on time scales of days to years. We present here observations of a 10 deg^2 region in the Bootes constellation overlapping the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey field. The PiGSS image was constructed from 75 daily observations distributed over a 4-month period and has an rms flux density between 200 and 250 microJy. This represents a deeper image by a factor of 4 to 8 than we will achieve over the entire 10,000 deg^2. We provide flux densities, source sizes, and spectral indices for the 425 sources detected in the image. We identify ~100$ new flat spectrum radio sources; we project that when completed PiGSS will identify 10^4 flat spectrum sources. We identify one source that is a possible transient radio source. This survey provides new limits on faint radio transients and variables with characteristic durations of months.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; revision submitted with extraneous figure remove