cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temporal and spatial variation of terpenoids in eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in relation to feeding by Adelges tsugae

The terpenoid content of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) foliage was measured over an annual cycle of development from bud opening, shoot elongation, shoot maturation, to bud-break at the start of the next growing season. The objective was to determine if variation in terpenoid composition is linked with spatial and temporal feeding preferences of the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae). The HWA has two periods of feeding over the course of 1 yr spanning two complete generations. There are two periods of feeding separated by a nonfeeding period where the adelgid estivates. HWA prefers to feed on mature, rather than young, expanding tissue. Feeding occurs in the leaf cushion at the base of the needle. The needle is the only tissue in hemlock with resin canals that store terpenoids. The needle and leaf cushion of both the current and previous years' growth were analyzed separately over a 1-yr period to examine the variation of terpenoid composition in space and time. Terpenoids were quantified by using headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME/GC/MS). New growth needles and leaf cushions do not resemble the previous year's growth either visually or in chemical composition until October/November, when the adelgid breaks estivation and begins feeding. Nearly all of the 23 terpenoids present exceeding 0.1% varied significantly either temporally or spatially, usually with complex interactions. Ordination and factor analysis revealed that terpenoids are less variable in mature leaf cushions than in young tissue. By entering a nonfeeding diapause during the late spring and summer, HWA avoids the unstable, variable levels of terpenoids in the immature leaf cushion and needles.
Effect of Material Properties on Tire Performance Characteristics — Part II, Tread Material

Abstract This report, on the effect of tread materials on tire performance, continues the study in Part I [1] on the analogous effects of cords. A new “deformation index” concept for the characterizing energy loss is proposed. Principles are developed for maximum correlation of this index to rolling resistance, wet and dry traction, ice traction, and cornering force. The deformation index is used to determine the dynamic property most relevant to each of these tire functions.
An economic model of social capital and health

This paper presents an economic model to connect with the substantial empirical literature on social capital and health that exists largely outside of economics. Representative papers from that literature are reviewed and these show that disagreements exist on the nature and definition of social capital. The paper presents a new line of reasoning to support the view of social capital as a network of interpersonal bonds to include the bonds of family and close friends, not just the community at large. It then adapts and extends the work of Becker and Murphy on social economics to explain the demand for health goods as well as health bads in the presence of increased social capital. It further develops choice under risk to explain the demand for goods that entail a risk of death, such as cigarettes, illegal drugs, or excessive drinking. Empirical examples, including new statistical analyses are presented to illustrate the derivations.
Diversity in mussel beds at deep‐sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps

Remarkably little is known about fundamental distinctions (or similarities) between the faunas of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and seeps. Low species richness at vents has been attributed to the transient nature of vent habitats and to toxic effects of hydrogen sulphide and heavy metals in vent effluents. Seeps are arguably more stable and more chemically benign than vents. They have also been regarded as more diverse, but until now there has not been a rigorous test of this hypothesis. We evaluated diversity indices for invertebrates associated with mussel beds at six vents and two seeps and found that invertebrate diversity was significantly higher at seeps than vents, although some vent mussel beds supported nearly the same diversity as seep mussel beds. Lower diversity at vents may be a consequence of a greater physiological barrier to invasion at vents than at seeps. Diversity was lowest where spacing between vents was greatest, suggesting that risks of extinction as a result of dispersal-related processes may contribute to the pattern of diversity observed at vents.
Discrimination between chronological and ovarian age in infertile women aged 35 years and older: predicting pregnancy using basal follicle stimulating hormone, age and number of ovulation induction/intra-uterine insemination cycles

A marked decline in fertility rates has been demonstrated in women >35 years of age. We have previously demonstrated the importance of basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations plus chronological age to predict pregnancies in women aged ≥40 years undergoing ovulation induction therapy. The purpose of the current study was to extend our previous study and determine the impact of age, basal FSH concentrations and ovulation induction/intra-uterine insemination (IUI) treatment cycles on pregnancy rates in infertile women aged ≥35 years. This prospective observational study was performed at a tertiary university fertility centre. Assessments of basal hormonal status and ovulation induction protocols were performed. The main outcome measured was clinical pregnancies. A total of 770 treatment cycles in 179 women aged ≥35 years were analysed. The impact of basal FSH concentrations on treatment outcomes could be bifurcated into a favourable group (FSH ≤23 mIU/ml) and a poor prognosis group (FSH ≥24 mIU/ml). A multivariate logistic regression model was generated which accurately predicted pregnancies. There was a high degree of correlation between predicted pregnancies and observed pregnancies (r = 0.86). We conclude that age, number of treatment cycles and the interaction term basal FSH X age are useful and significant predictors of pregnancies in patients aged ≥35 years undergoing ovulation induction/IUI therapy.
HABITAT AND HUMAN INFLUENCES ON LARVAL FISH ASSEMBLAGES IN NORTHERN LAKE HURON COASTAL MARSH BAYS

Great Lakes coastal marshes serve as spawning areas for adult and nurseries for young-of-year fishes, but the capacity of these habitats to facilitate fish reproduction is threatened due to their continued destruction and degradation. In order to appreciate the consequences of marsh loss and degradation, we collected fish larvae with icthyoplankton nets during the summers of 1997 and 1998 in three coastal marsh bays in Les Cheneaux, northern Lake Huron. In addition, we obtained several metrics of human activities and local habitat features (vegetation, water temperature, and substrate slope) and evaluated the importance of these metrics in structuring local larval fish assemblages. Our study indicated that local habitat features strongly and directly affected local larval fish assemblages in Les Cheneaux, while human activities did not. However, human activities may have altered local habitats in Les Cheneaux, thus indirectly impacting local larval fish assemblages.
Contributions to the Theory of Optimal Control

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Notation and Terminology Statement of Problem Relations With the Calculus of Variations Controllability Solution of the Linear Regulator Problem Stability of the Riccati Equation General Solution of the Riccati Equation Bibliography Appendix: The Generalized Inverse of a Matrix
The eta invariant and the equivariant spin bordism of spherical space form 2 groups

We use the eta invariant to compute the equivariant spin bordism groups Ω 5 spin (Z/2 µ ), Ω 3 spin (BQ), and Ω 7 spin (BQ)
The stopping phase on seismograms

Model studies have demonstrated that the stopping phase, an event which originates at the termination of rupture, may be identified on long-period strain recordings. A tentative identification of the stopping phase has been made on ultra-long-period seismograms of three major earthquakes (Montana, 1959; Chile, 1960; and Alaska, 1964). The events chosen lead to reasonable estimates of the length of rupture associated with the earthquake. A second type of stopping event, the breakout phase, must occur when a rupture intersects a free surface. A two-dimensional model study indicates that the breakout phase should be a prominent seismic event, particularly if the first motion is emergent. A review of studies of seismograms of earthquakes which produced surface faulting indicates that a prominent second event is often observed. However, there does not appear to be an adequate criterion to distinguish the breakout phase from the pP phase. Thus no certain identification can be made.
The Long Twentieth Century & The Cultural Turn: World-Historical Origins of the Cultural Economy

In this essay I link Giovanni Arrighi's world-historical framework in The Long Twentieth Centuryto debates about the "cultural turn" in global capitalism since the 1970s. I do so primarilythrough interrogation of the writings of one of the major figures in such debates: FredricJameson. In his Jameson's engagementwithArrighi's, he emphasizes the determinative influenceof finance capital on an expansion in the degree of cultural abstraction and fragmentation that isemblematic of the post-modern condition. Building on this linkage, I extend and elaborateArrighi's analysis of historical capitalism's cycles of accumulation, in which periods of materialexpansion give way to phases of financial expansion and accelerated restructuring of theorganizational and institutional foundations of the world-economy. I conclude that Jameson'sassertion of a link between the financialization of the world economy and post-modern culturalforms is best understand as a correlative rather than a causal relationship, for the growingsalience of finance capital and the new forms and degree of cultural abstraction are themselvesboth dimensions of the more fundamental socio-economic restructuring attending a period offinancial expansion.
Studies of Avian Leukosis Virus Infection in Chickens from a Commercial Breeder Flock

Progeny chicks from a commercial breeder flock with a high rate of avian leukosis virus (ALV) infection were classified as congenitally or contact infected with ALV on the basis of virus tests on their meconia at hatching and the presence or absence of antibodies at 20 weeks of age. The ALV infection profile, shedding, tumor mortality, and egg production in the congenitally-infected chickens were compared with those in the contact-infected hatchmates. Results show that viremic-tolerant hens classed as congenitally infected consistently shed virus into albumen of their eggs and progeny and 18% died from tumors. In contrast, hens classified as contact infected had a transient viremia; most of them developed antibody to ALV, and only 10% shed virus into albumen and progeny. No mortality from tumors occurred in this group of chickens during the 48-week experimental period, and egg production was significantly higher than in the group classified as congenitally infected. In addition, progeny chickens hatched from the contact-infected group maintained a low rate (2.9 to 3.8%) of ALV infection for the next two generations without further selection. These data further document principles and procedures for reduction of ALV infection in commercial flocks and the considerable economic benefits to be derived therefrom.
Motion--Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is more cost effective than oral PPI administration: arguments for the motion.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a mechanical disorder of the foregut. While medications can only provide symptom relief, surgery can correct the pathophysiological abnormality of the lower esophageal sphincter. The costs of medical and surgical therapy are much greater than the costs of medication or hospitalization alone. In the case of medical therapy, one must consider the costs of serial monitoring and of failed treatment. The effectiveness of treatment also depends on patient-related factors, including weight, socioeconomic factors, smoking, alcohol use, dietary habits and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgical results depend on the experience and skill of the surgeon, as well as the attributes of the institution in which the procedure is undertaken. Therefore, studies that come from specialized centres may not be applicable to the community. Data from the author’s facility indicate that laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is the most cost effective option when it is undertaken by experienced surgeons on otherwise healthy patients who have documented gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Measurement of Planar Fault Energies in Ni3Ge-Fe3Ge Intermetallic Alloys

A combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and image simulations has facilitated a highly quantitative measure of superdislocation dissociations. The experimental observations have been corrected for image shifts within the framework of anisotropic elasticity by comparison with simulated images. This allows experimental quantification of planar fault energies, thus providing a benchmark for first principles and atomistic simulations and fundamental insight towards alloy modeling and design. Such measurements of superdislocation dissociations on the order of 1-15 nm have been recorded for the pseudobinary Ni3Ge-Fe3Ge alloy system. These detailed measurements of fault widths obtained by weak-beam TEM observations of deformation structures will be presented and discussed as a function of alloy composition. The transition from anomalous to normal temperature dependence of yielding behavior in these alloys will also be discussed in terms of observed dislocation structures and planar fault energies calculated using the above measurements.
The First Spectrum of Tungsten (W i).

The first spectrum of tungsten (W i) has been observed in the region between 2000 A and 10500 A. Of the 6800 spectral lines reported here, about 5500 have been classified as transitions between 91 even and 365 odd levels.
Discussion on Construction of Clean Operating Room in Primary Hospital

Objective To enhance equipment use efficiency and map out infection control measures on the basis of analyzing and evaluating the present situation of construction and management of the operating room in primary hospital.Methods The operating room air samples were conducted by statistical analysis of the bacterial concentration,which was monitored by the depositing method and airborne bacteria method.Results In depositing method,of the 206 air samples detected from clean operating room,the qualified rate was 44.7% in the clean operating area and 71.8% in surrounding area;of the 168 air samples from general operating room,the qualified rate was 97.6%.In airborne bacteria method,of the 189 air samples detected from clean operating room,the qualified rate was 52.9% in clean operation area and 70.9% in surrounding area;of the 32 air samples from general operating room,the qualified rate was 71.8%.Conclusion The qualified rate of air samples is low in primary hospital,so it is suggested that related management system should be built to administrate operating room,and the management ability of the equipment operators should be emphasized.
Hematologic assays in pre-eclampsia

Blood studies with reference to the coagulation systems were carried out on 33 normal pregnant women and 31 women with pre-eclampsia during labor, one day postpartum, and six weeks postpartum. Group differences included lower platelet counts and slightly prolonged thrombin times; there was no significant difference in levels of fibrinogen, fibrin monomers, fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, or platelet aggregation. A few patients with pre-eclampsia demonstrated several laboratory indicators of intravascular coagulation.
Zirconia stationary phases for extreme separations.

Composite materials surpass standard silicon and carbon for stability and robustness in complicated reversed-phase column applications.
The Demands and Responses of Machine-Paced and Self-Paced Material Handling Tasks

This study reports the results of simulated industrial palletizing/stacking tasks. Seventeen males and ten females loaded pallets under two different conditions: (i) given the actual product and package design and wokplace layout, they determined the loading pace (self-pace, S/P) that they thought they could sustain without excessive fatigue for 8-hr shifts and (ii) given everything to be the same as in (i), except the pace, subjects performed at a fixed pace observed in industry (6 containers/min. — Machine-Pace, M/P). For both conditions, the heart rate and oxygen uptake of subjects was recorded. The results indicated that while the machine-pace was optimal for males, it lead to physiological overloading in females. Self-pacing was found to be more demanding, physiologically and psychophysically, than machine-pacing. It was concluded that for such tasks, self-pacing would lead to overexertion and exhaustion and, therefore, should be avoided.
Mixing Male Lures Results in an Effective Multispecies Bait for Trapping Bactrocera (Diptera: Tephritidae) Fruit Flies

Summary Detection of Bactrocera Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae) fruit flies relies on male-specific lures, methyl eugenol and cue lure, which are presented singly in traps. We compared the efficacy of the standard single-lure treatments against mixtures of methyl eugenol and raspberry ketone (a natural analogue of cue lure) deployed in the same trap. No significant differences were found in captures of Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) or B. dorsalis (Hendel) male flies over 8 wk intervals between traps baited with a single lure and traps baited with any of the 3 mixtures tested.
Generalizing Beyond State Sets

This chapter describes extensions to the state set representation used throughout this dissertation, demonstrating that more computationally efficient domain-specific representations can be used to effect interleaving as described in this thesis. Section 8.1 describes the type of extensions we allow. Section 8.2 describes two specific domain-specific representations, demonstrating implementations of our belief update functions in those representations to enable the use of algorithms presented in this dissertation.
Pediatric renal and genitourinary tract tumors and the contributions of Dr. Louis “Pepper” Dehner therewith

Dr. Louis "Pepper" Dehner is an internationally renowned surgical pathologist, especially in the subspecialty of pediatric pathology. Although his clinical and academic expertise are broad, with over 400 published articles, some of his most intriguing contributions have been in the area of pediatric renal and genitourinary pathology. This review focuses on the entities in these following organ systems where he has focused his efforts: malignant rhabdoid tumor, renal medullary carcinoma, Ewing sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumor, and the DICER1-related lesions cystic nephroma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterine cervix, and Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor.
Comparative Study of Valuing Secured Claims in Bankruptcy by U.S. and Swiss Law

This project extends the literature which explores different approaches to bankruptcy and valuing secured claims in U.S. Bankruptcy Code and Swiss Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law. We begin with provision of comparative analysis of corporate bankruptcy proceedings according to Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 in the case the company is sold or in the case the company is reorganized under Chapter 11 in comparison to bankruptcy proceedings according to Swiss Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law or in the case the company is reorganized according to article 725 Swiss Code of Obligations. We study the problem of valuing secured claims. This part of the project builds on the literature exploring different approaches of valuing secured claims in bankruptcy such as the bargaining approach, the approaches based on the mechanism of auctions and options, and the approach investigating market-based mechanism recently proposed by Lucian Arye Bebchuk & Jesse M. Fried (2001).
Development and testing of a moment-based coactivation index to assess complex dynamic tasks for the lumbar spine.

Abstract Background Many methods exist to describe coactivation between muscles. However, most methods have limited capability in the assessment of coactivation during complex dynamic tasks for multi-muscle systems such as the lumbar spine. The ability to assess coactivation is important for the understanding of neuromuscular inefficiency. In the context of this manuscript, inefficiency is defined as the effort or level of coactivation beyond what may be necessary to accomplish a task (e.g., muscle guarding during postural stabilization). The objectives of this study were to describe the development of an index to assess coactivity for the lumbar spine and test its ability to differentiate between various complex dynamic tasks. Methods The development of the coactivation index involved the continuous agonist/antagonist classification of moment contributions for the power-producing muscles of the torso. Different tasks were employed to test the range of the index including lifting, pushing, and Valsalva. Findings The index appeared to be sensitive to conditions where higher coactivation would be expected. These conditions of higher coactivation included tasks involving higher degrees of control. Precision placement tasks required about 20% more coactivation than tasks not requiring precision, lifting at chest height required approximately twice the coactivation as mid-thigh height, and pushing fast speeds with turning also required at least twice the level of coactivity as slow or preferred speeds. Interpretation Overall, this novel coactivation index could be utilized to describe the neuromuscular effort in the lumbar spine for tasks requiring different degrees of postural control.
Equal Moral Membership: Naz Foundation and the Refashioning of Equality

The judgment of the Delhi High Court in Naz Foundation vs NCT of Delhi (2009), which effectively decriminalised homosexuality in India by "reading down" Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (the "anti-sodomy law") has been celebrated for its progressive outcome. This paper argues that Naz Foundation was an important judgment not only for its impact on the LGBT community, but because of its reasoning, which sought to profoundly reshape Indian constitutional equality jurisprudence, and bring it in line with the Indian Constitution's transformative character. Reconstructing the judgment by reading it alongside the written submissions and the arguments advanced by the parties, this essay argues that at the heart of Naz Foundation was the understanding that situations of complex inequality were ill-served by the traditional "reasonable classification" test; rather, Indian equality jurisprudence required the fashioning of a legal test that read together "equal protection" and "non-discrimination", and shifted the focus from classification to disadvantage and exclusion. Although Naz Foundation was subsequently reversed by the Supreme Court, its reasoning remains of great importance in the trajectory of Indian equality jurisprudence, and of transformative constitutionalism.
Ministers of Justice and Mass Incarceration

Over the past few years, scholars, legislators, and politicians have come to recognize that our current state of “mass incarceration” is the result of serious dysfunction in our criminal justice system. As a consequence, there has been significant attention to the causes of mass incarceration. These include the war on drugs and political decisions based on a “law and order” perspective. Congressional and state legislative enactments increased the financing of the expansion of police powers and provided for severely punitive sentencing statutes, thereby giving prosecutors uniquely powerful weapons in securing guilty pleas. All of this occurred as crime rates dropped. Where were the lawyers when our criminal justice system was evolving into a system of mass incarceration? Surprisingly, in looking for the causes and cures for the mass incarceration state, very little, if any, attention has been paid to the role of the most powerful actor in the criminal justice system: the prosecutor. It is the prosecutor who exercises virtually unreviewable discretion in seeking charges, determining bail, negotiating a resolution, and fixing the sentence. Now, however, there is data that identifies aggressive prosecutorial charging practices as the major cause of the explosion in our prison population. That is, over the past twenty years prosecutors have brought felony charges in more cases than ever before, resulting in a dramatic increase in prison admissions. If prosecutorial charging practices have been a major cause of the universally recognized mass incarceration problem, what should be done? How does the role of the prosecutor need to change to prevent a continuation, or a worsening, of our mass incarceration problem? This Article examines the recognized role of the prosecutor as a “minister of justice,” and makes a range of suggested changes to the prosecution function. These include re-calibrating the minister of justice and advocacy role balance in recognition of the current mass incarceration crisis; enacting measures to ensure independence from law enforcement in the charging function; collecting currently non-existent, objective data that breaks down and memorializes available information on each decision to charge as well as its consequences; and drafting written charging procedures and policies based on the collection of that data-driven information.
Complementary and alternative medicine in US adults with diabetes: Reasons for use and perceived benefits.

Objectives While complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly used, little is known about reasons for CAM use (treatment, wellness or both) and self-reported perceived benefits among U.S. adults with diabetes at the national level. We estimated prevalence rates of overall and specific types of CAM by reason for use, and examined perceived benefits of using CAM by reason for use among U.S. adults with diabetes. Methods We used cross-sectional data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, which represents non-institutionalized adults with diabetes (n = 3,386 unweighted). We estimated prevalence rates of CAM use by reason. We conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses to investigate the odds of perceived benefits of CAM by reason for use, when controlled for covariates. Results 26.2% of U.S. adults with diabetes reported using some form of CAM in the past year. Among CAM users, 56.7% used CAM for both treatment and wellness, and 28.3% used CAM for wellness only. Only 15.0% used CAM for treatment only. Regardless of reasons for use, most commonly used CAM types in the past year were herbal therapies (56.9%), chiropractic (25.3%), and massage (20.2%). Regarding self-reported perceived benefits, those who used CAM for a combination of both treatment and wellness had a higher likelihood of reporting “a better sense of control over their health” (p = 0.011) and “improved overall health and feeling better” (p = 0.014) when compared to those using CAM for treatment only. Conclusion CAM may be promising approaches to improve health-related quality of life, but future research should address efficacy and patient safety.
Long-term reduction in hyperglycemia in advanced type 1 diabetes: the value of induced aerobic glycolysis with BCG vaccinations.

Mycobacterium are among the oldest co-evolutionary partners of humans. The attenuated Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) strain has been administered globally for 100 years as a vaccine against tuberculosis. BCG also shows promise as treatment for numerous inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Here, we report on a randomized 8-year long prospective examination of type 1 diabetic subjects with long-term disease who received two doses of the BCG vaccine. After year 3, BCG lowered hemoglobin A1c to near normal levels for the next 5 years. The BCG impact on blood sugars appeared to be driven by a novel systemic and blood sugar lowering mechanism in diabetes. We observe a systemic shift in glucose metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis, a state of high glucose utilization. Confirmation is gained by metabolomics, mRNAseq, and functional assays of cellular glucose uptake after BCG vaccinations. To prove BCG could induce a systemic change to promote accelerated glucose utilization and impact blood sugars, murine data demonstrated reduced blood sugars and aerobic induction in non-autoimmune mice made chemically diabetic. BCG via epigenetics also resets six central T-regulatory genes for genetic re-programming of tolerance. These findings set the stage for further testing of a known safe vaccine therapy for improved blood sugar control through changes in metabolism and durability with epigenetic changes even in advanced Type 1 diabetes.
An Exploration of Three Lightly-supervised Representation Learning Approaches for Named Entity Classification

Several semi-supervised representation learning methods have been proposed recently that mitigate the drawbacks of traditional bootstrapping: they reduce the amount of semantic drift introduced by iterative approaches through one-shot learning; others address the sparsity of data through the learning of custom, dense representation for the information modeled. In this work, we are the first to adapt three of these methods, most of which have been originally proposed for image processing, to an information extraction task, specifically, named entity classification. Further, we perform a rigorous comparative analysis on two distinct datasets. Our analysis yields several important observations. First, all representation learning methods outperform state-of-the-art semi-supervised methods that do not rely on representation learning. To the best of our knowledge, we report the latest state-of-the-art results on the semi-supervised named entity classification task. Second, one-shot learning methods clearly outperform iterative representation learning approaches. Lastly, one of the best performers relies on the mean teacher framework (Tarvainen and Valpola, 2017), a simple teacher/student approach that is independent of the underlying task-specific model.
An Approach to the Isolation of the Replication Origin of Bacillus Subtilis

The initiation of DNA replication in bacteria may be the major regulatory mechanism controlling DNA synthesis, yet little is actually known about the process of initiation itself (1). To further understand the initiation process we have attempted to isolate the region of DNA where initiation occurs, the chromosomal origin. The organism we have chosen to study is B.subtilis, because of its synchronized initiation system using germinating spores (2) and its transformation system which allows a genetic characterization of any region of the chromosome where genetic markers are available (3).
Fuzzy Topological Spaces

Topology has its roots in geometry and analysis. From a geometric point of view, topology was the study of properties preserved by a certain group of transformations, namely the homeomorphisms. Certain notions of topology are also abstractions of classical concepts in the study of real or complex functions. These concepts include open sets, continuity, connectedness, compactness, and metric spaces. They were a basic part of analysis before being generalized in topology.
Historical roots of implicit bias in slavery

Implicit racial bias remains widespread, even among individuals who explicitly reject prejudice. One reason for the persistence of implicit bias may be that it is maintained through structural and historical inequalities that change slowly. We investigated the historical persistence of implicit bias by comparing modern implicit bias with the proportion of the population enslaved in those counties in 1860. Counties and states more dependent on slavery before the Civil War displayed higher levels of pro-White implicit bias today among White residents and less pro-White bias among Black residents. These associations remained significant after controlling for explicit bias. The association between slave populations and implicit bias was partially explained by measures of structural inequalities. Our results support an interpretation of implicit bias as the cognitive residue of past and present structural inequalities.
Estimating leaf area index and aboveground biomass of grazing pastures using Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Landsat images

Abstract Grassland degradation has accelerated in recent decades in response to increased climate variability and human activity. Rangeland and grassland conditions directly affect forage quality, livestock production, and regional grassland resources. In this study, we examined the potential of integrating synthetic aperture radar (SAR, Sentinel-1) and optical remote sensing (Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2) data to monitor the conditions of a native pasture and an introduced pasture in Oklahoma, USA. Leaf area index (LAI) and aboveground biomass (AGB) were used as indicators of pasture conditions under varying climate and human activities. We estimated the seasonal dynamics of LAI and AGB using Sentinel-1 (S1), Landsat-8 (LC8), and Sentinel-2 (S2) data, both individually and integrally, applying three widely used algorithms: Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF). Results indicated that integration of LC8 and S2 data provided sufficient data to capture the seasonal dynamics of grasslands at a 10–30-m spatial resolution and improved assessments of critical phenology stages in both pluvial and dry years. The satellite-based LAI and AGB models developed from ground measurements in 2015 reasonably predicted the seasonal dynamics and spatial heterogeneity of LAI and AGB in 2016. By comparison, the integration of S1, LC8, and S2 has the potential to improve the estimation of LAI and AGB more than 30% relative to the performance of S1 at low vegetation cover (LAI 2 m2/m2, AGB > 500 g/m2). These results demonstrate the potential of combining S1, LC8, and S2 monitoring grazing tallgrass prairie to provide timely and accurate data for grassland management.
Complementary Medicine Therapies That May Assist With Weight Loss: A Narrative Review.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to review the potential effects of traditional Chinese medicine—which includes acupuncture; electroacupuncture; plum blossom needle hammer; auricular acupuncture; herbs that balance hormones, regulate neurotransmitters, induce sedative effects, and increase thermogenesis; and functional foods that can suppress the appetite—as an adjunct therapy for weight loss. Methods A narrative review of the current literature was performed using searches of MEDLINE and 4 scholarly texts. The inclusion criteria for the review consisted of studies that were performed from 2005 to 2016. Results In general, some traditional Chinese medicine modalities claim to promote weight loss. Acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and herbs aim to reduce stress-related food cravings. These therapeutic approaches aim to downregulate dopamine and leptin levels, suppressing the appetite. Other attributes of these therapies are increasing uncoupling protein-1 activity promoting thermogenesis, which contributes to weight loss. In addition, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and Cimicifuga racemosa may regulate estrogen, which could attenuate the appetite, assisting in weight-loss programs. Conclusion The literature reviewed includes information that describes how traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, or functional foods as adjunct therapies may be beneficial for weight-loss programs.
Using Spatially Targeted Conservation to Evaluate Nitrogen Reduction and Economic Opportunities for Best Management Practice Placement in Agricultural Landscapes

The US Cornbelt leads North American production of intensively managed, row-crop corn and soybeans. While highly productive, agricultural management in the region is often linked with nonpoint source nutrient pollution that negatively impacts water quality. Presently, conservation programs designed to install best management practices (BMPs) to mitigate agricultural nonpoint source pollution have not been targeted to those areas of the landscape that contribute disproportionately to surface water quality concerns. We used an innovative spatially targeted conservation protocol coupled with a GIS-based landscape planning tool to evaluate the cost and effect on water quality from nitrate-nitrogen loss under alternative landscape scenarios in an Iowa watershed. Outputs indicate large reductions in watershed-level nitrate-nitrogen loss could be achieved through coordinated placement of BMPs on high-contributing parcels with limited reduction of cultivated land, resulting in improved surface water quality at relatively low economic costs. For example, one scenario, which added wetlands, cover crops, and saturated buffers in the watershed, required the removal of <5% of cultivated area to reduce nitrate-nitrogen loss by an estimated 49%, exceeding the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy goal for enhancing water quality. Annualized establishment and management costs of landscape scenarios that met the nonpoint source nitrogen reduction goal varied from $3.16 to $3.19 million (2017 US dollars). These results support our hypothesis that water quality can be improved by targeting high-contributing parcels, and highlights the potential to minimize tradeoffs by coupling targeted conservation and planning tools to help stakeholders achieve water quality outcomes within agricultural landscapes.
Elimination, Substitution, and Addition Reactions Resulting in Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation

In the presence of strong acid, formic acid decomposes to water and carbon monoxide. In the process, reactive intermediates form that are capable of direct carboxylation of carbonium ions. As many carbonium ions are readily generated by the reaction of alcohols with strong acid, the process of elimination and carboxylation can be conveniently carried out in a single flask. The carbonium ions generated are subject to the usual rearrangements, and mixtures of carboxylic acids may result if two or more carbonium ions of comparable stability are formed. It is nevertheless possible to exercise some control over the distribution of products by varying reaction conditions preparing the isomeric 9 -decalincarboxylic acids. The Hofmann elimination is a classic route to olefins via alkylammonium hydroxides from amines. In this chapter, the preparation of cyclopropane derivatives has been greatly facilitated by the development of carbene-type intermediates.
In vitro digestion and stability under environmental stresses of ovotransferrin nanofibrils

Abstract The objectives of this study were to investigate in vitro digestion and stability under environmental stresses of ovotransferrin (OVT) nanofibrils. Gastrointestinal digestion of OVT nanofibrils was characterized by thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Most of OVT nanofibrils were disrupted during gastrointestinal digestion, and some OVT nanofibrils showed resistance to proteolytic digestion in vitro. Long-term storage stability of OVT nanofibrils over a wide pH range was studied at room temperature, and storage stability of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) nanofibrils as function of pH was also studied. AFM data showed that these protein nanofibrils were stable at pHs below isoelectric point, but they were unstable at pHs above isoelectric point. It was worthwhile to note that this was the first study that relationships between long-term storage stability and zeta potential of food protein nanofibrils were clarified, which could advance understandings about long-term preservation of food protein nanofibrils. Negligible decrease in ThT fluorescence revealed that OVT nanofibrils suffered little loss of fibrillar structures after frozen storage−lyophilization−rehydration. AFM data demonstrated that OVT nanofibrils were fractured into short and curly fibrils after high-speed shearing, and ThT fluorescence measurement showed that few fibrillar structures were destroyed during shear treatment, indicating that high-speed shearing was a reliable and cost-effective strategy to tailor OVT nanofibrils for specific needs. Hopefully, this study could provide new insight about in vitro digestion and stability under environmental stresses of protein nanofibrils.
Tissue-specific expression profiles and positive selection analysis in the tree swallow ( Tachycineta bicolor ) using a de novo transcriptome assembly

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are one of the most commonly studied wild birds in North America. They have advanced numerous research areas, including life history, physiology, and organismal responses to global change; however, transcriptomic resources are scarce. To further advance the utility of this system for biologists across disciplines, we generated a transcriptome for the tree swallow using six tissues (brain, blood, ovary, spleen, liver, and muscle) collected from breeding females. We de novo assembled 207,739 transcripts, which we aligned to 14,717 high confidence protein-coding genes. We then characterized each tissue with regard to its unique genes and processes and applied this transcriptome to two fundamental questions in evolutionary biology and endocrinology. First, we analyzed 3,015 single-copy orthologs and identified 46 genes under positive selection in the tree swallow lineage, including those with putative links to adaptations in this species. Second, we analyzed tissue-specific expression patterns of genes involved in sex steroidogenesis and processing. Enzymes capable of synthesizing these behaviorally relevant hormones were largely limited to the ovary, whereas steroid binding genes were found in nearly all other tissues, highlighting the potential for local regulation of sex steroid-mediated traits. These analyses provide new insights into potential sources of phenotypic variation in a free-living female bird and advance our understanding of fundamental questions in evolutionary and organismal biology.
Host Factors Independently Associated With Prognosis in Patients With Oral Cavity Cancer

Importance The association and interaction of host characteristics with prognosis in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are poorly understood. There is increasing evidence that host characteristics are associated with treatment outcomes of many cancers. Objectives To examine the host factors associated with prognosis in patients with OSCC and their interactions to create a numerical index that quantifies the prognostic capacity of these host characteristics. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study included patients with OSCC treated surgically at a tertiary care center from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2015. From a departmental OSCC database of 1377 previously untreated patients, 68 patients with missing data on any host variable of interest within a month before the start of treatment were excluded, leaving 1309 patients. Data analysis was performed from October 21, 2019, to December 10, 2019. Exposure Primary surgery for OSCC. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival (OS) was the primary end point, and disease-specific survival (DSS) was the secondary end point. Optimal cutoffs for each variable were identified using recursive-partitioning analysis with the classification and regression tree method using OS as the dependent variable. Body mass index (BMI) and pretreatment peripheral blood leukocyte count, platelet count, hemoglobin level, and albumin level were analyzed. A host index (H-index) was developed using independent factors associated with OS. Results A total of 1309 patients (731 [55.8%] male; mean [SD] age, 62 [14.3] years) participated in the study. When including all the host-related factors in a multivariable analysis, all except BMI (hazard ratio [HR], 1.14; 95% CI, 0.80-1.63) were independently associated with outcomes. For example, compared with a hemoglobin level of 14.1 g/dL or greater, the HR for a level of 12.9 to 14.0 g/dL was 1.42 (95% CI, 1.13-1.77) and for a level of 12.8 g/dL or less was 1.51 (95% CI, 1.18-1.94), and compared with an albumin level of 4.3 g/dL or greater, the HR for a level of 3.7 to 4.2 g/dL was 1.18 (95% CI, 0.95-1.45) and for a level of 3.6 g/dL or less was 3.64 (95% CI, 2.37-5.58). An H-index of 1.4 or less was associated with a 74% 5-year OS, an H-index of 1.5 to 3.5 with a 65% 5-year OS, and an H-index of 3.6 or higher with a 38% 5-year OS; for DSS, the 5-year survival was 84%, 80%, and 64%, respectively. Compared with patients with an H-index score of 1.4 or less, patients with H-index scores of 1.5 to 3.5 (hazard ratio, 1.474; 95% CI, 1.208-1.798) and 3.6 or higher (hazard ratio, 3.221; 95% CI, 2.557-4.058) had a higher risk of death. Conclusions and Relevance The findings suggest that pretreatment values of neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, hemoglobin, and albumin are independently associated with prognosis in patients with OSCC. The interactions between these host factors were incorporated into a novel H-index that quantified the prognostic capacity of host characteristics associated with OSCC.
Future western U.S. building electricity consumption in response to climate and population drivers: A comparative study of the impact of model structure

Abstract Projections of building electricity consumption are used in multiple fields and for a variety of purposes, from energy utility investment decisions to global climate assessments. Existing approaches to modeling building electricity consumption span a range of structural methodologies, spatial resolutions, and temporal scales, potentially leading to divergent projections. This paper compares how two models with different structures and resolutions respond to a common set of population and climate drivers in the western U.S. The BEND model simulates hourly residential and commercial building electricity consumption at the county scale by weighting the results of simulations of thousands of representative buildings. In contrast, the projected electricity demand in GCAM-USA is determined for each state, year, sector (residential/commercial), and service (e.g., heating, cooling, and others), based on population, income, technology, energy prices, and average annual climate. This paper aggregates the two models’ results to a common resolution: annual residential and commercial building electricity consumption by state. Both models show similar responses to future projected population change and climate change, with population change having the larger impact between the two. Differences are primarily due to how the models capture changes in the aggregate energy efficiency of the building stock as it evolves over time.
Soils of the Lake Superior Coastal Zone

With a surface area of 82,100 km2, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world. Lake Superior is the highest (183 m), western-most (92° W), and northern-most (49° N) of the great Lakes.