cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Testing the Extreme Value Domain of Attraction for Distributions of Beneficial Fitness Effects

In modeling evolutionary genetics, it is often assumed that mutational effects are assigned according to a continuous probability distribution, and multiple distributions have been used with varying degrees of justification. For mutations with beneficial effects, the distribution currently favored is the exponential distribution, in part because it can be justified in terms of extreme value theory, since beneficial mutations should have fitnesses in the extreme right tail of the fitness distribution. While the appeal to extreme value theory seems justified, the exponential distribution is but one of three possible limiting forms for tail distributions, with the other two loosely corresponding to distributions with right-truncated tails and those with heavy tails. We describe a likelihood-ratio framework for analyzing the fitness effects of beneficial mutations, focusing on testing the null hypothesis that the distribution is exponential. We also describe how to account for missing the smallest-effect mutations, which are often difficult to identify experimentally. This technique makes it possible to apply the test to gain-of-function mutations, where the ancestral genotype is unable to grow under the selective conditions. We also describe how to pool data across experiments, since we expect few possible beneficial mutations in any particular experiment.
Protection from Phenytoin-Induced Congenital Malformations by Coadministration of the Antiepileptic Drug Stiripentol in a Mouse Model

Summary: To test the hypothesis that the cytochrome P-450-inhibiting antiepileptic drug (AED) Stiripentol (STP) can reduce the incidence of phenytoin (PHT) induced congenital malformations, we chronically administered the AEDs to three inbred mouse strains. The frequency of congenital defects in PHT-treated animals was dosage dependent, ranging from 7 to 55%. When STP was coadministered orally with PHT, there was a significant reduction in fetal defects in SWV and C57BL/6J mouse strains. A replication of the experiment was conducted with addition of a seventh group of mice that received the high dosage of PHT together with STP. In the replicate, all three strains demonstrated a significant reduction in fetal defects in fetuses exposed to PHT (60 mg/kg) and STP (200 mg/kg) as compared with PHT (60 mg/kg) monotherapy. These results strongly suggest that oxidative metabolites activated by cytochrome P-450 are the primary teratogenic molecules involved in PHT-induced teratogenesis and that clinical management of pregnant epileptic patients may be improved through heightened awareness of these drug interactions.
An alternate form of Ku80 is required for DNA end-binding activity in mammalian mitochondria

Mammalian mitochondrial DNA end-binding activity is nearly indistinguishable from that of nuclear Ku. This observation led to the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA end-binding activity is in part dependent upon Ku80 gene expression. To test this hypothesis, we assayed for Ku activity in mitochondrial extracts prepared from the xrs-5 hamster cell line that lacks Ku80 mRNA expression. Mitochondrial protein extracts prepared from this cell line lacked the DNA end-binding activity found in similar extracts prepared from wild-type cells. Azacytidine-reverted xrs-5 cells that acquired nuclear DNA end-binding activity also acquired mitochondrial DNA end-binding activity. Western blot analysis of human mitochondrial protein extracts using a monoclonal antibody specific for an N-terminal epitope of Ku80 identified a protein with an apparent molecular weight of 68 kDa. This mitochondrial protein was not detected by a monoclonal antibody specific for an epitope at the C-terminal end of Ku80. Consistently, while both the N- and C-terminal Ku80 monoclonal antibodies supershifted the nuclear DNA end-binding complex on an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, only the N-terminal monoclonal antibody supershifted the mitochondrial DNA end-binding complex. To confirm that the 68 kDa Ku protein was not a consequence of nuclear protein contamination of mitochondrial preparations, highly purified intact nuclei and mitochondria were treated with proteinase K which traverses the pores of intact nuclei but gains limited access into intact mitochondria. Ku80 in purified intact nuclei was sensitive to treatment with this protease, while the 68 kDa Ku protein characteristic of purified intact mitochondria was resistant. Further, immunocytochemical analysis revealed the co-localization of the N-terminal specific Ku80 monoclonal antibody with a mitochondrial-targeted green fluorescence protein. Mitochondrial localization of the C-terminal Ku80 monoclonal antibody was not observed. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that a C-terminally truncated form of Ku80 is localized in mammalian mitochondria where it functions in a DNA end-binding activity.
Identifiability of blind deconvolution of non-white signals

Considers the problem where an unobservable, non-Gaussian and non-white stochastic information bearing signal is transmitted through two different linear time invariant systems (LTI), and there are only noisy observations of the system outputs. The goal is to identify and deconvolve the signal within a scalar and a time delay. Apparently this type of problem is ill-posed. Identifiability of the information bearing signal is defined with respect to a set of conditions that specify some of the properties of the signal and the LTI systems. Such sets of conditions are defined, and deconvolution schemes based on these sets are studied. >
Three policy issues related to the commercialization of solar energy

Abstract The fundamental policy questions that require some resolution before the next steps are taken to speed solar commercialization are 1. (1) Are present energy prices so biased by government action as to make “free competition” unfair to solar energy? 2. (2) To what extent should solar energy be encouraged because it contributes to other less economic goals, such as maintenance of full employment and improved environmental quality? 3. (3) What criteria should be used to evaluate any new solar incentives? The purpose of this paper is to summarize these issues and then draw conclusions from the entire body of research as to the “proper” role of the federal government in speeding the commercialization of solar energy. The organization of the paper follows the order of the points mentioned. Major conclusions are that 1. (1) present pricing practices and government policies seem to result in energy prices already favoring solar energy in tow of the three locations studied; 2. (2) solar energy seems to require more unskilled labor than the technologies it replaces and seems to be less polluting; and 3. (3) although present incentives appear to be effective, i.e. they have the potential to generate the market impact expected of them, they do not fare particularly well when measured against the standard externality, efficiency, and equity criteria suggested by the economics profession.
Impact of dynamic pricing schemes on generation cost in the electricity retail market

Reducing peak demand is critically important in smartgrid as a significant fraction of the electric grids capital and operational expenses is affected by the peak power demands. Time of Use (ToU) and Real Time Pricing (RTP) pricing schemes have been used by power system operators to incentivize customers to reduce their peak energy demands during peak hours. However, both schemes have their disadvantages. Recently, we introduce a new incentive-driven scheme called Minimax which encourages customers to flatten their daily load profiles such that they can reduce their electricity bill and help lowering the aggregate peak power demands. Via simulation studies using two real energy usage datasets, we have shown that customers can save 13–17% of their electricity bills if the MiniMax scheme is used but only 2–3% if RTP or ToU scheme is used. In this paper, we are interested in exploring how the optimized profiles generated from our optimized scheduler under the Minimax and ToU pricing schemes impact the generation cost using the IEEE 14-bus system. Our studies based on two different generation cost structures show that the generation cost is more expensive using the optimized profiles generated by the ToU scheme but cheaper using those generated by the Minimax scheme.
A carrying task for nonprehensile mobile manipulators

Manipulation is an essential capability for mobile robots to perform many useful tasks. Our focus has been on mobile robots with nonprehensile (i.e., nongrasping) manipulators. The robots are equipped with a flat "palm" with two degrees of freedom. We have tackled the problem of carrying an object using two such mobile manipulators. Since these manipulators cannot grasp an object, each robot must support one end. However, if errors cause the separation between robots to change, the robots will drop the object. In this paper, we describe an algorithm to maintain the object contact at a nominal position on the palms by performing corrective actions. We first present analysis of the system mechanics, formulate both a centralized and a distributed algorithm for this task, and then show results of our experimental implementation.
Factors related to the resolution of treated hand infections

One hundred thirty-eight patients with acute hand infection (81% deep) treated from 1970 to 1980 in hospital were reviewed. Resolution time of infection was slow, 8 days or longer in 57% of 135 patients and 15 dais or longer in 28%. Such slow resolution occurred in infection of closed anatomical spaces and included 50% of till pulp space crud joint infections, 23% of tenosynovitis, and 24% of subcutaneous dorsal hand infections. There was a direct correlation between increasing treatment delay and slower resolution of infections in pulp spaces, palmar spaces, joints, and tendon sheaths. If the mean treatment delay was greater them a brief 2 1/2 days, 69% of tenosynovitis showed delayed resolution. Other factors associated with the rate of resolution were adequacy of surgical drainage, efficacy of antibiotics, and associated diabetes mellitus.
Utilization of problem-based learning in a capstone poultry science course

Capstone courses are utilized to measure the depth of knowledge students have acquired during their undergraduate studies. Problem-based learning (PBL) has been utilized in a variety of educational settings to stimulate thought processes for solving real-life situations. Combining these 2 educational philosophies allows an academic program the opportunity to assess itself, while preparing students to deal with real-life situations they will encounter in their careers. Working in teams, the students experience the dynamics of differing personalities and can develop communication and management skills necessary to work together to resolve the problem. The poultry industry seeks individuals who posses these skills for management training positions. Poultry science curricula offer an excellent opportunity for a capstone experience utilizing PBL. The Department of Poultry Science at Mississippi State University has utilized this concept in the Broiler Production course. Students were divided into teams and were required to provide the solution to a current issue facing a fictitious broiler company. The critical thinking skills, team-building skills, and communications skills of the students were enhanced by the PBL exercise.
Serum Parathyroid Hormone and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and Risk of Incident Heart Failure: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background-—Heart failure (HF) is common and is associated with high mortality. We aimed to determine associations of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) with incident HF and left ventricular mass. Methods and Results-—Among 6459 participants in the community-based Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, all of whom were free of prevalent clinical cardiovascular disease, we measured serum concentrations of PTH and 25(OH)D at the baseline examination. In longitudinal analyses, we tested associations of PTH and 25(OH)D with incident HF events, adjudicated by a panel of physicians. In cross-sectional analyses of a subset of 4763 participants, we tested associations of PTH and 25(OH)D with left ventricular mass, measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at baseline. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard and linear regression models were adjusted for demographics, physical examination measures, comorbidity, kidney function, and other mineral metabolism markers. Mean age was 62 years and 53% of participants were female. There were 180 incident HF events over a median (interquartile range) follow-up time of 8.46 (7.67 to 8.63) years. Compared with participants with PTH <65 pg/mL, PTH ≥65 pg/mL was associated with a 50% greater risk of incident HF (95% CI: 3% to 210%) and a 5.3 g higher left ventricular mass (95% CI: 2.6, 7.9 g). In contrast, there was no association of 25(OH)D with risk of incident HF or elevated left ventricular mass. Conclusions-—In a racially/ethnically diverse population without prevalent cardiovascular disease, higher serum PTH concentration was associated with increased left ventricular mass and increased risk of incident HF. Further studies should be pursued to determine whether PTH excess may be a modifiable risk factor for HF. (J Am Heart Assoc. 2014;3:e001278 doi: 10.1161/ JAHA.114.001278)
ANTIBODIES TO VESICULAR STOMATITIS NEW JERSEY TYPE VIRUS IN WILD AND DOMESTIC SENTINEL SWINE

Wild sentinel swine on Ossabaw Island, Chatham County, Georgia, were serially bled and tested for vesicular stomatitis New Jersey type virus neutralizing antibody to determine the intensity, distribution, and progression of annual viral activity. From March through September, 1984 and 1985, 112 and 226 juvenile (less than 8 months) swine, respectively, were sampled. Seroconversions initially were detected on May 7, 1984 and May 18, 1985. Incidence of seroconversion in wild swine reached 32% during 1984 and 26% during 1985. Viral activity as determined by seroconversion results occurred earliest and was greatest on the southern half of Ossabaw Island. Domestic swine were housed in four pens under controlled conditions to document arthropod transmission of vesicular stomatitis virus. Twelve swine, three in each pen, were serially bled from April through September of both years. Seroconversion occurred during May 16-23, 1984 and May 15-22, 1985. Results varied among pen locations but were consistent between years. Clinical disease was not seen in any wild or domestic swine during either year.
Ending America's Reliance on Child Labor: Closing the Loophole in § 212

Child labor legislation in the United States attempted to abolish child labor completely but has failed to do so. By 1938, Section 212 of the Fair Labor Standards Act abolished oppressive child labor; however, this criminalization of child labor only applies to manufacturers located inside the United States territory.This article argues to extend the Child Labor Provisions within the Fair Labor Standards Act by criminalizing the commercial sale of any good in the United States produced by child labor. Due to this current loophole in § 212, many American companies ignore the spirit of the Fair Labor Standards Act by relocating manufacturing to countries with lower wages that often either have no child labor laws or more relaxed child labor laws. Further, the intent of the Fair Labor Standards Act is circumvented by American sale and consumption of goods manufactured through the use of child labor by foreign and domestic companies.29 U.S.C. § 212 should criminalize the commercial sale of any good produced by child labor because: (1) the intent of the Child Labor Provisions within the Fair Labor Standards Act is to completely abolish “oppressive child labor,” yet this has only succeeded insofar as protecting American children, while American industry and consumerism exploits other nations’ children; (2) the language of the statute and subsequent case law state that employment of child labor is a serious, criminal offense. Many American corporations are still committing this offense abroad.Part I of this article describes the issues with child labor from an American and international perspective. Part II of this article explains the meaning of “oppressive child labor” and other key terms and concepts in 29 U.S.C. § 212. Part III of this article proposes the criminalization of the commercial sale of any good in the United States produced by child labor and the positive implications of this extension to 29 U.S.C. § 212.
Industrial experience

Research in data engineering is always influenced by application systems. This influence either arises from application-initiated end-user needs or from experience and analysis of previous system use. So, in data engineering, industrial experience plays a major role both in initiating research directions as well as in ‘real-life’ verification of theoretically gained research results.
On the Strengthening of Topological Signals in Persistent Homology through Vector Bundle Based Maps

1 Abstract Persistent homology is a relatively new tool from topological data analysis that has transformed, for many, the way data sets (and the information contained in those sets) are viewed. It is derived directly from techniques in computational homology but has the added feature that it is able to capture structure at multiple scales. One way that this multi-scale information can be presented is through a barcode. A barcode consists of a collection of line segments each representing the range of parameter values over which a generator of a homology group persists. A segment’s length relative to the lenght of other segments is an indication of the strength of a corresponding topological signal. In this paper, we consider how vector bundles may be used to re-embed data as a means to improve the topological signal. As an illustrative example, we construct maps of tori to a sequence of Grassmannians of increasing dimension. We equip the Grassmannian with the geodesic metric and observe an improvement in barcode signal strength as the dimension of the Grassmannians increase.
Diode Pumped 0.61 µm Eu:YAG Laser

A diode pumped Eu:YAG laser produced continuous wave 0.610 μm output. Blue GaN laser diodes pumped the 5D3 manifold. The laser operates between the 5D0 to 2F2 manifolds. Preliminary experiments produced ~ 2.0 μW.
Modulation of murine macrophage metabolism by glycolipids: inhibition of LPS-induced metabolism by specific gangliosides

We have investigated the ability of gangliosides isolated from murine brain to modulate macrophage metabolism. LPS elicits a profound increase in glucose consumption by cultured resident macrophages. When highly purified mouse brain gangliosides are added to macrophage cultures, a modest inhibition of baseline glucose utilization occurs. Both disialogangliosides and trisialogangliosides mediate this effect. In the absence of serum, these gangliosides may be toxic to cultured macrophages. GT1b is the only brain ganglioside tested that specifically inhibited LPS-induced macrophage metabolism. Sialic acid appears to be a necessary component of the gangliosides, although it is not sufficient to induce inhibition. Asialoganglioside and free sialic acid have no effect on macrophage metabolism in comparison with intact gangliosides. The inhibition of LPS-induced metabolism may be explained by the ability of LPS to form stable molecular complexes with both disialogangliosides and trisialogangliosides. These experiments also suggest that the ganglioside content of macrophages may influence functional responses of macrophages to exogenous stimuli.
Algebraic Properties of the Global Matrices

The chapter presents the spectral norms of K and M to find a nontrivial lower bound on the smallest eigenvalue of K to establish the positive definiteness of the global stiffness matrix. The refinement of the mesh, intended to improve the discretization accuracy, invariably causes the condition of the global stiffness matrix K to decline. The chapter discusses the symmetry of Green's function that depends on differential equation and boundary conditions. Boundary value problems for which Green's function is symmetric are termed symmetric or self-adjoint. Symmetry or self-adjointness is an intrinsic property of the boundary value problem that is preserved in the finite element discretization. The chapter also describes positive flexibility matrices. A matrix whose entries are all positive is said to be positive. Some global stiffness matrices generated by finite elements for second-order problems possess positive inverses or flexibility matrices. The chapter presents methods like Gauss elimination that create computational errors in the solution comparable in magnitude to those occurring initially when the data are stored. Fourth-order problems give rise to stiffness matrices that become ill conditioned at a faster rate than those arising in second-order problems.
Before Anarchy: Hobbes and his Critics in Modern International Thought

How did the 'Hobbesian state of nature' and the 'discourse of anarchy' - separated by three centuries - come to be seen as virtually synonymous? Before Anarchy offers a novel account of Hobbes's interpersonal and international state of nature and rejects two dominant views. In one, international relations is a warlike Hobbesian anarchy, and in the other, state sovereignty eradicates the state of nature. In combining the contextualist method in the history of political thought and the historiographical method in international relations theory, Before Anarchy traces Hobbes's analogy between natural men and sovereign states and its reception by Pufendorf, Rousseau and Vattel in showing their intellectual convergence with Hobbes. Far from defending a 'realist' international theory, the leading political thinkers of early modernity were precursors of the most enlightened liberal theory of international society today. By demolishing twentieth-century anachronisms, Before Anarchy bridges the divide between political theory, international relations and intellectual history.
The Function of MeCP2 and Its Causality in Rett Syndrome

Abstract Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a member of the methyl-CpG binding domain family of nuclear proteins with binding affinity for methylated deoxyribonucleic acid. Mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene are the monogenic origin of Rett syndrome (RTT), a neurological disorder that is the most common cause of intellectual disability in young girls. After a period of normal development, patients lose learned language and motor skills and develop numerous symptoms including seizures, repetitive hand movements, respiratory irregularities, and autistic-like features. The pathogenic mechanisms by which dysfunction of the ubiquitously expressed MeCP2 leads to the unique symptoms of RTT have been intensely studied for 15 years. This chapter highlights the still-evolving concept of MeCP2 as a multifunctional protein and our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms and synaptic dysfunction underlying RTT through the study of Mecp2 mouse models.
Anesthetic Considerations for Surgery on the Aortic Arch

Aortic arch surgery requires meticulous teamwork in the true perioperative sense. Planning and communication at all phases from preoperative evaluation, through intraoperative management, to postoperative care should be well coordinated between surgical, anesthesia, perfusion, and intensive care unit teams. This review discusses intraoperative management from the anesthesiologist's perspective, with particular emphasis on transesophageal echo evaluation and coagulation management.
Ultra-fast measurements of the inversion charge in MOSFETs and impact on measured mobility in high-k MOSFETs

We introduce a novel method for ultra-fast (<100 ns) measurement of the inversion charge in MOSFETs thereby minimizing the impact of charge trapping. This technique in conjunction with pulsed I-V measurements shows only a modest enhancement in peak mobility (/spl sim/15%) in high-FC gate dielectric devices, indicating that charge trapping does not fully account for observed mobility degradation.
AB1022 Association between Psoriasis and Incident Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Study in Taiwan

Background Psoriasis is a known risk factor of cardiovascular disorders in addition to traditional risk factors such as diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the association between psoriasis and DM is unclear. Objectives To quantify the risk by comparing the incidence of DM between patients with psoriasis and the general population in Taiwan. Methods The study cohort consisted of two populations. The first population is the whole patients first diagnosed with psoriasis in 2000 in Taiwan, and the second population is a nationally representative cohort of 1,000,000 individuals from the Longitudinal Health Research Database in 2000. Those who younger than age of 10 or had DM before 2000 were excluded from analysis. They were followed from 2000 until the occurrence of DM, death or 31 December 2012. Incidence rates of DM were calculated. Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for DM, adjusted for age, gender and pre-existing comorbidity. Results The study cohort comprised 756,333 subjects with a mean follow-up of 11.27 years; among them 15,099 patients with incident psoriasis were identified. Patients with psoriasis had a higher comorbidity of renal disease (1.48%), congestive heart failure (0.91%), cardiac dysrhythmia (1.82%), cerebrovascular disease (2.74%) and peripheral vascular disease (0.94%) than the general population. The incidence rate for DM was 2.04 (95% CI, 2.01–2.08) per 100 person-years for psoriasis patients comparing to 1.10 (95% CI 1.03–1.16) per 100 person-year in the general population. The adjusted IRR of incident DM was 1.34 (95% CI 1.29–1.38) for patients with psoriasis. Conclusions Patients with psoriasis has an increased risk for DM. A vigilant monitoring for DM in patients with incident psoriasis is warranted to reduce long-term cardiovascular risks. Disclosure of Interest None declared
The ribosome destabilizes native and non-native structures in a nascent multidomain protein.

Correct folding is a prerequisite for the biological activity of most proteins. Folding has largely been studied using in vitro refolding assays with isolated small, robustly folding proteins. A substantial fraction of all cellular proteomes is composed of multi-domain proteins that are often not amenable to this approach, and their folding remains poorly understood. These large proteins likely begin to fold during their synthesis by the ribosome, a large molecular machine that translates the genetic code. The ribosome affects how folding proceeds, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely obscure. We have utilized optical tweezers to study the folding of elongation factor G, a multi-domain protein composed of five domains. We find that interactions among unfolded domains interfere with productive folding in the full-length protein. The N-terminal G-domain constitutes an independently folding unit that, upon in vitro refolding, adopts two similar states that correspond to the natively folded and a non-native, possibly misfolded structure. The ribosome destabilizes both of these states, suggesting a mechanism by which terminal misfolding into highly stable, non-native structures is avoided. The ribosome may thus directly contribute to efficient folding by modulating the folding of nascent multi-domain proteins. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Cultural Heritage of the Great War in Britain. By Ross J. Wilson

In his book, Cultural Heritage of the Great War in Britain, Ross J. Wilson of the University of Chichester provides a well-researched and well-written examination of how the cultural memory and her...
Anatomy of the Brain and Spinal Cord

The anatomy of the brain and spinal cord has important implications for the manifestations of neurological disease, perioperative monitoring of the nervous system, and the actions of drugs administered during anesthesia. The geographic organization of sensory and motor pathways leads to relatively predictable symptom patterns for lesions in a particular area. Even in the absence of injury, the management of a number of reflex responses that occur during surgery requires an understanding of the underlying anatomy. Knowledge of the anatomy of the spine is also important for the safe and effective practice of neuraxial anesthesia.
Death in the Promised Land: The Great Migration and Black Infant Mortality

The Great Black Migration from the rural South to the urban North in the first half of the 20th century drastically lowered the health environment of infants. We show that migrating to northern cities increased the likelihood that an infant born to a migrant would die in the first year of life. We find no evidence that differences are driven by migrant selection. Much of this gap is due to residential location in unhealthy neighborhoods within northern cities. Our paper adds to the literature on the costs and benefits of the Great Migration.
Conversations About Careers: Engaging Students In and Out of the Classroom

Providing career preparation for our students continues to be a focus for faculty, departments, and institutions. Professional development is most effective when accessible to students in a number ...
A discontinuous least-squares finite-element method for second-order elliptic equations

In this paper, a discontinuous least-squares (DLS) finite-element method is introduced. The novelty of this work is twofold, to develop a DLS formulation that works for general polytopal meshes and...
Drinking Level Versus Drinking Pattern and Cigarette Smoking Among Older Adults.

Background There is a lack of research on the role of alcohol consumption in cigarette smoking among older adults, and the few studies on alcohol use and smoking with older adults have failed to distinguish between average level and pattern of drinking as predictors of smoking. The main purpose of this study was to examine the independent contributions of average level versus pattern of drinking as predictors of cigarette smoking among older adults. A subsidiary purpose was to examine the link between continued smoking and mortality among older smokers. Methods We investigated average level and pattern of drinking as predictors of current smoking among 1,151 older adults at baseline and of continued smoking and mortality among the subset of 276 baseline smokers tracked across 20 years. We used multiple linear and logistic regression analyses and, to test mediation, bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals. Results A high level of average drinking and a pattern of episodic heavy drinking were concurrently associated with smoking at baseline. However, only episodic heavy drinking was prospectively linked to continued smoking among baseline smokers. Continued smoking among baseline smokers increased the odds of 20-year mortality and provided an indirect pathway through which heavy episodic drinking related to mortality. Conclusions Smokers who misuse alcohol are a challenging population for smoking cessation efforts. Older adults who concurrently misuse alcohol and smoke cigarettes provide a unique target for public health interventions.
Fate and Potential Effects of Trace Elements: Issues in Co-Utilization of By-Products

Starting with the earliest records, we find that soils have been altered by man’s activities and have been the receptors (directly or indirectly) for most, if not all, of his discards. As affirmed by the areas of land which have become ecological wastelands from man’s smelting and mining activity, this has not been without cost in terms of changes in soil and its utility. Attempts at remediation of these soils has proven to be a long term and expensive proposition that often results in destruction of the soil rather than its remediation. These observations and the realization that soil resources are not infinite has caused society to question the use of soil resources and their capacity to continue to act as receptors of waste streams. However, even the most unobservant must be aware that the ultimate decision on the uses of soil will be a societal decision and may be more emotional (e.g. political, economic, etc.) than technical. Thus, those who want the technical issues utilized in the decision making process must realize that the better informed society becomes, the more likely the decision will include the technical concerns. With this understanding it becomes necessary not only to solve the technical problem, but to make certain that the general population understands its solution.
CHAPTER 45 – Menopause Issues for Older Women

This chapter focuses on some aspects of menopause that are of special relevance to the care of late menopausal women. Research in menopause and its implications for health and quality of life has burgeoned in the last decade. As the field continues to mature, increased attention to specific issues for late menopausal and older women is appropriate. Important priorities include a more complete understanding of the natural history of menopause-related syndromes in older women; increased attention to the relative effectiveness and side effects of interventions in late menopausal and older versus younger women; and a more thorough investigation of newly emerging areas, such as the relation between menopause and cataracts, that are of particular relevance in maintaining health and functional independence in old age.
Agricultural Products’ Quality

The purpose of the article is to substantiate the top-priority value of the quality of agricultural products for modern economic systems and to determine the key problems and to develop the concept of increasing the quality of agricultural products in modern Russia. For that, the methods of regression and correlation analysis are used; the authors determine dependencies between the quality of agricultural products and quantitative and qualitative characteristics of modern economic systems. The indicator of quality of agricultural products is index of agricultural products according to the World Bank. Quantitative indicators include the share of the AIC in the total volume of export according to the International Independent Institute of Agrarian Policy and the share of added value of agriculture in the structures of GDP according to the World Bank. Qualitative indicators are the index of national food security according to the Economist Intelligence Unit and the index of health according to the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Division, and the World Bank. The research objects are the USA, India, Brazil, China, Canada, Indonesia, and Russia. The research is performed on the basis of the 2017 data. The authors come to the conclusion that quality of agricultural products is an important factor of provision of national food security and population’s health. The Russian strategy of development of agriculture and regulation of markets of agricultural products, which focuses on achievement of target indicators of quantitative indicators, inevitable leads to reduction of the quality of agricultural products. In order to achieve simultaneous target values with provision of high quality of agricultural products, a concept is developed – it is aimed at usage of the possibilities of transition to the AIC 4.0.
Crystallographic orientation of uniaxial calcite and dolomite determined using reflection generalized ellipsometry

Using the two-modulator generalized ellipsometry microscope (2-MGEM), it is shown that it is possible to determine the direction of the optic axis of crystallites of the high birefringence materials calcite and dolomite. 2-MGEM measurements are performed in reflection at near-normal incidence, so sample preparation requires only an optically polished surface. For uniaxial materials, the 2-MGEM measures the direction of the fast axis and the diattenuation, which can then be related to the tilt angle of the optic axis with respect to the surface normal once the maximum diattenuation is known. The optical resolution of the present instrument is 4-6 μm, and areas as large as 1 cm2 can be measured without distortion. Additionally, the 2-MGEM measures the depolarization, which is a measure of the quality of the data. Using this information, an optical pole figure can be determined. The 2-MGEM results are compared with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements on the same samples. Additional standard spectroscopic generalized ellipsometry measurements at a large angle of incidence were performed on single crystal calcite and dolomite to determine the spectroscopic ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices from 220 nm to 850 nm from which the maximum diattenuation can be determined.Using the two-modulator generalized ellipsometry microscope (2-MGEM), it is shown that it is possible to determine the direction of the optic axis of crystallites of the high birefringence materials calcite and dolomite. 2-MGEM measurements are performed in reflection at near-normal incidence, so sample preparation requires only an optically polished surface. For uniaxial materials, the 2-MGEM measures the direction of the fast axis and the diattenuation, which can then be related to the tilt angle of the optic axis with respect to the surface normal once the maximum diattenuation is known. The optical resolution of the present instrument is 4-6 μm, and areas as large as 1 cm2 can be measured without distortion. Additionally, the 2-MGEM measures the depolarization, which is a measure of the quality of the data. Using this information, an optical pole figure can be determined. The 2-MGEM results are compared with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements on the same samples. Additional standard ...
Automated extraction of sudden cardiac death risk factors in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients by natural language processing

Abstract Background: The management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients requires the knowledge of risk factors associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD). SCD risk factors such as syncope and family history of SCD (FH-SCD) as well as family history of HCM (FH-HCM) are documented in electronic health records (EHRs) as clinical narratives. Automated extraction of risk factors from clinical narratives by natural language processing (NLP) may expedite management workflow of HCM patients. The aim of this study was to develop and deploy NLP algorithms for automated extraction of syncope, FH-SCD, and FH-HCM from clinical narratives. Methods and Results: We randomly selected 200 patients from the Mayo HCM registry for development (n = 100) and testing (n = 100) of NLP algorithms for extraction of syncope, FH-SCD as well as FH-HCM from clinical narratives of EHRs. The clinical reference standard was manually abstracted by 2 independent annotators. Performance of NLP algorithms was compared to aggregation and summarization of data entries in the HCM registry for syncope, FH-SCD, and FH-HCM. We also compared the NLP algorithms with billing codes for syncope as well as responses to patient survey questions for FH-SCD and FH-HCM. These analyses demonstrated NLP had superior sensitivity (0.96 vs 0.39, p Conclusions: Automated extraction of syncope, FH-SCD and FH-HCM using NLP is feasible and has promise to increase efficiency of workflow for providers managing HCM patients.
Materials that make robots smart

We posit that embodied artificial intelligence is not only a computational, but also a materials problem. While the importance of material and structural properties in the control loop are well und...
To Check or Not to Check: Syntax, Semantics, and Context in the Language of Check-Worthy Claims

As the spread of information has received a compelling boost due to pervasive use of social media, so has the spread of misinformation. The sheer volume of data has rendered the traditional methods of expert-driven manual fact-checking largely infeasible. As a result, computational linguistics and data-driven algorithms have been explored in recent years. Despite this progress, identifying and prioritizing what needs to be checked has received little attention. Given that expert-driven manual intervention is likely to remain an important component of fact-checking, especially in specific domains (e.g., politics, environmental science), this identification and prioritization is critical. A successful algorithmic ranking of “check-worthy” claims can help an expert-in-the-loop fact-checking system, thereby reducing the expert’s workload while still tackling the most salient bits of misinformation. In this work, we explore how linguistic syntax, semantics, and the contextual meaning of words play a role in determining the check-worthiness of claims. Our preliminary experiments used explicit stylometric features and simple word embeddings on the English language dataset in the Check-worthiness task of the CLEF-2018 Fact-Checking Lab, where our primary solution outperformed the other systems in terms of the mean average precision, R-precision, reciprocal rank, and precision at k for multiple values k. Here, we present an extension of this approach with more sophisticated word embeddings and report further improvements in this task.
Ocular abnormalities in a patient with congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ig.

ABSTRACTBackground: Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a group of hereditary multisystem disorders characterized by hypoglycosylation of glycoproteins. CDG type I results in a defect i...
The genetic architecture of Stargardt macular dystrophy (STGD1): a longitudinal 40-year study in a genetic isolate

Stargardt disease (STGD1) is a form of inherited retinal dystrophy attributed to variants affecting function of the large ABCA4 gene and is arguably the most complex monogenic disease. Therapeutic trials in patients depend on identifying causal ABCA4 variants in trans, which is complicated by extreme allelic and clinical heterogeneity. We report the genetic architecture of STGD1 in the young genetically isolated population of Newfoundland, Canada. Population-based clinical recruitment over several decades yielded 29 STGD1 and STGD1-like families (15 multiplex, 14 singleton). Family interviews and public archival records reveal the vast majority of pedigree founders to be of English extraction. Full gene sequencing and haplotype analysis yielded a high solve rate (38/41 cases; 92.7%) for STGD1 and identified 16 causative STGD1 alleles, including a novel deletion (NM_000350.3: ABCA4 c.67-1delG). Several STGD1 alleles of European origin (including NM_000350.3: ABCA4 c.5714 + 5G>A and NM_000350.3: ABCA4 c.5461-10T>C) have drifted to a relatively high population frequency due to founder effect. We report on retinal disease progression in homozygous patients, providing valuable allele-specific insights. The least involved retinal disease is seen in patients homozygous for c.5714 + 5G>A variant, a so-called “mild” variant which is sufficient to precipitate a STGD1 phenotype in the absence of other pathogenic variants in the coding region and intron/exon boundaries of ABCA4. The most severe retinal disease is observed in cases with ABCA4 c.[5461-10T>C;5603A>T] complex allele. We discuss the advantages of determining genetic architecture in genetic isolates in order to begin to meet the grand challenge of human genetics.
Difference-Based Deep Learning Framework for Stress Predictions in Heterogeneous Media

Abstract Stress analysis of heterogeneous media, like composite materials, using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has become commonplace in design and analysis. However, determining stress distributions in heterogeneous media using FEA can be computationally expensive in situations like optimization and multi-scaling. To address this, we utilize Deep Learning for developing a set of novel Difference-based Neural Network (DiNN) frameworks based on engineering and statistics knowledge to determine stress distribution in heterogeneous media, for the first time, with special focus on discontinuous domains that manifest high stress concentrations. The novelty of our approach is that instead of directly using several FEA model geometries and stresses as inputs for training a Neural Network, as typically done previously, we focus on highlighting the differences in stress distribution between different input samples for improving the accuracy of prediction in heterogeneous media. Our DiNN framework consists of three main modules: 1) a sample processing module that calculates the difference geometry and stress contours of each sample with respect to a reference contour extracted from the training samples, 2) an Encoder-Decoder module that predicts stress difference contours using geometry difference contours as input, and 3) a stress prediction module that combines the stress difference contours with the reference contour to construct the final prediction of stress contours. We evaluate the performance of DiNN frameworks by considering different types of geometric models that are commonly used in the analysis of composite materials, including volume fraction and spatial randomness. Results show that the DiNN structures significantly enhance the accuracy of stress prediction compared to existing structures, especially for composite models with random volume fraction when localized high stress concentrations are present.
Aggression in the Simulated Case Scenario: Karl Moehller

Deception undertaken with aggressive purpose, that is, intent to manipulate control, or harm, represents a unique and at-times dangerous clinical challenge for which many mental health professionals are ill-suited temperamentally and poorly prepared professionally. A simulated encounter with a sophisticated and intimidating patient is designed to challenge a clinician trainee to engage patient deception and noncooperation in the clinical interview and interpret it as psychological data. To do so, the trainee must set aside what we have observed to be a widely demonstrated tendency to rely upon the interview subject to provide orientation and structure to the psychiatric assessment.
Novel diagnostic tests for the putative agent of bacterial gill disease in Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula).

Abstract Nuclear inclusion X (NIX) is a gamma proteobacteria that infects the nuclei of gill epithelial cells in Pacific razor clams. NIX has been associated with clam die-offs in coastal Washington. A quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was developed to detect NIX in Pacific razor clams, and assay specificity was confirmed by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH). Both tests were applied to evaluate NIX infections in wild Pacific razor clams collected during spring 2019. Consistent with results from earlier histopathological assessments, qPCR and CISH indicated 100% prevalence in razor clams from two Washington beaches and 0% prevalence from two Alaskan beaches.
Cell type and subcellular compartment specific APEX2 proximity labeling proteomics in the mouse brain

Abstract The vertebrate brain consists of diverse neuronal types, classified by distinct anatomy and function, along with divergent transcriptomes and proteomes. Defining the cell type-specific neuroproteome is important for understanding the development and functional organization of neural circuits. This task remains challenging in complex tissue, due to suboptimal protein isolation techniques that often result in loss of cell-type specific information and incomplete capture of subcellular compartments. Here, we develop a genetically targeted proximity labeling approach to identify cell-type specific subcellular proteome in the mouse brain. Using adeno- associated viral transduction, we express subcellular-localized APEX2 to map the proteome of the nucleus, cytosol, and cell membrane of Drd1 receptor-positive striatal neurons. We show that each APEX2 construct can differentially and rapidly biotinylate proteins in situ across various subcellular compartments, confirmed by imaging, electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry. This method enables flexible, cell-type specific quantitative profiling of subcellular proteome in the mouse brain.