cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dominance by an obligate annual affects the morphological characteristics and biomass production of a planted wetland macrophyte community

Aims biodiversity–ecosystem function experiments can test for causal relationships between planting diversity and community productivity. Planting diversity is routinely introduced as a design element in created wetlands, yet substantive support for the finding that early diversity positively affects ecosystem functioning is lacking for wetlands. We conducted a 2-year diversity–productivity experiment using freshwater wetland mesocosms to investigate community biomass production as affected by planted macrophyte functional richness. Methods a richness gradient of macrophytes in four emergent wetland plant functional groups was established in freshwater mesocosms for two consecutive years. species-specific aboveground morphological traits of plant size were measured at peak growth in both years; rooting depth was measured for each species in the second year. aboveground biomass (agb) and belowground biomass (bgb) were harvested after peak growth in the second year; first year agb was estimated from morphological traits in constructed regression equations. Net richness effects (i.e. both complementarity effects and selection effects) were calculated using an additive partitioning method. Important Findings species richness had a positive effect on community agb relative to monocultures in the first year. in the second year, mean agb was significantly reduced by competition in the most species-rich mixtures and all mixtures underyielded relative to the average monoculture. Competition for soil resources was weaker belowground, whereby root distribution at depths >20 cm was reduced at the highest richness levels but overall bgb production was not affected. Changes in species biomass were strongly reflected by variation in species morphological traits, and species above and belowground performances were highly correlated. The obligate annual (Eleocharis obtusa), a dominant competitor, significantly contributed to the depression of perennial species’ growth in the second growing season. To foster primary productivity with macrophyte richness in early successional communities of created wetlands where ruderal strategies are favored and competition may be stronger than species complementarity, unsystematic planting designs such as clustering the same or similar species could provide protection for some individuals. additionally, engineering design elements fostering spatial or temporal environmental variability (e.g. microtopography) in newly created wetlands helps diversify the responses of wetland macrophyte species to their environment and could allow for greater complementarity in biomass production.
Dietland, by Sarai Walker

Midway through Sarai Walker’s debut novel, Dietland, a woman with facial scarring assures fat, demure Alicia “Plum” Kettle of her fortitude: “It’s not easy to live in that body, is it? Not in this ...
Laboratory evidence for the hormonal dependency of meningiomas

Evidence for the hormonal dependency of meningiomas and of the value of various forms of endocrine therapy are described. Clinical features of the tumour are described. Laboratory evidence for the presence and activity of functional steroid receptors is described, and their characteristics are analysed. The effect of receptor antagonists on the growth of the tumour cells is indicated.
Nanostructured Li2S–C Composites as Cathode Material for High-Energy Lithium/Sulfur Batteries

With a theoretical capacity of 1166 mA·h·g–1, lithium sulfide (Li2S) has received much attention as a promising cathode material for high specific energy lithium/sulfur cells. However, the insulating nature of Li2S prevents the achievement of high utilization (or high capacity) and good rate capability. Various efforts have been made to ameliorate this problem by improving the contact between Li2S and electronic conductors. In the literature, however, a relatively high capacity was only obtained with the Li2S content below 50 wt %; therefore, the estimated cell specific energy values are often below 350 W·h·kg–1, which is insufficient to meet the ever-increasing requirements of newly emerging technologies. Here, we report a cost-effective way of preparing nanostructured Li2S-carbon composite cathodes by high-energy dry ball milling of commercially available micrometer-sized Li2S powder together with carbon additives. A simple but effective electrochemical activation process was used to dramatically improv...
Assembling and Redispersibility of Rice Straw Nanocellulose: Effect of tert-Butanol

Self-assembling of sulfuric-acid-hydrolyzed cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs, 6.4 nm wide) and TEMPO oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs, 2.1 nm wide) from aqueous suspensions was induced by rapid freezing (−196 °C, 10 min) and slow lyophilization (−50 °C, 0.05 mbar, 2 days). The assembled structures contain submicron (200–700 nm) wide and tens of micrometer long fibers at up to 0.1–0.5% and 0.01–0.05%, the critical fiber-to-film transformation concentrations for CNCs and CNFs, respectively. The assembled fiber widths were significantly reduced to ∼40 nm, that is, by 1 order of magnitude, when 10% of the aqueous media was replaced with tert-butanol. Further increasing tert-butanol contents in the media to 93/7 (CNCs) and 50/50 (CNFs) tert-butanol/water, both at 0.1% nanocellulose concentration, reduced longitudinal assembling for CNCs and lateral assembling for CNFs as well as increased critical fiber-to-film transformation concentration for CNFs. While all assembled structure could be redispersed in water, ...
Applying the natural isotopic tracer to analyse the water source from the 4th coal roof of Huafeng Coal Mine

In this article,through the analysing information of δ 18 O?δD? 3H from the different aquifers and seepage water from coal roof in Huafeng Coal Mine ,the conclusion can be drawn: up and lower sections of conglomerate aquifer of the Tertiary system are not hydaulic connection, they have different origins ,the seepage water from the 4th coal roof is not the injecttion water but sandstone water.
Whole-Genome Sequencing Is Taking over Foodborne Disease Surveillance: Public health microbiology is undergoing its biggest change in a generation, replacing traditional methods with whole-genome sequencing

About 1 in 6 people are sickened with foodborne diseases each year, and for the most part those illness bouts are a nuisance and self-limiting. However, for some vulnerable populations, severe foodborne illnesses can require hospital care and may even lead to death. Once an individual becomes sick enough to visit a physician, he or she typically collects a stool sample to send to a clinical microbiology laboratory for testing and diagnosis. If the clinical laboratory identifies an enteric pathogen, the physician is notified.
Coal flow and combustion characteristics under oxygen enrichment way of oxygen-coal double lance

Abstract Under great economic and environmental pressure, to further increase the pulverized coal rate and decrease the coke rate has been an urgent task for the production of the blast furnace. Compared to other methods, oxygen-enrichment is a simpler, more effective and more economical method for increasing the pulverized coal rate. However, the effect of conventional oxygen-enrichment in hot blast on coal combustion is less. The local oxygen-enrichment way can increase the oxygen concentration around the coal particles significantly, very benefiting coal combustion. However, the room-temperature oxygen also has some adverse effect on coal combustion. Therefore, a proper local oxygen-enrichment method is necessary for further increase of the pulverized coal rate. The coal combustion under local oxygen-enrichment becomes more complex. To further increase the coal burnout and understand the oxygen-coal combustion characteristic, in this study, a three dimensional model is developed to simulate the coal/oxygen lance-blowpipe-tuyere-raceway of a blast furnace. The effect of local oxygen-enrichment method of oxygen-coal double lance on coal combustion is investigated in detail. The simulation results show that the local oxygen-enrichment way of oxygen-coal double lance is very beneficial to coal combustion. The maximum increase of the coal burnout is about 12.84%.
Interactions between landscape defined management zones and grazing management systems

Yield and landscape are commonly used to guide management zone delineation. However, production system choice and management can interact with landscape attributes and weather. The objective of this study was to evaluate forage yield and soil properties in three landscape defined (elevation based) management zones, and under two different grazing systems. Changes in soil properties (soil strength, bulk density, moisture, bioavailable nutrients) and forage productivity (biomass), as related to grazing management and management zone, were measured. Bulk density, moisture, and forage biomass were greater at higher elevation. Soil strength decreased as elevation increased, and was greater near-surface after winter grazing ended. The response of landscape delineated management zones varied with extreme weather conditions and treatment. Lower zones were more sensitive to weather extremes than higher elevations, directly affecting biomass accumulation. In conclusion, we observed interactions between the grazing treatments and the management zones.
Apical K + -ATPase and Active Potassium Absorption in the Distal Colon

Na,K-ATPase and gastric parietal cell H,K-ATPase are two P-type ATPases that have been extensively studied. P-type ATPases, dimers with distinct α and β subunits, are inhibited by orthovanadate. During the past several years isoforms of both the α and β subunits of Na, K-ATPase and H,K-ATPase have been isolated and sequenced and, at least for the a subunit of Na,K-ATPase, there have been extensive structure-function relationship studies (Lingrel et al, 1990; Horisberger et al, 1991). Na, K-ATPase is essential for both epithelial and non-epithelial cell function by maintaining a low intracellular [Na] and a high intracellular [K] as a result of extrusion of Na in exchange for K. In most epithelial cells Na, K-ATPase is located on the basolateral membrane and until recently ouabain had been considered a specific inhibitor. Na, K-ATPase is not inhibited by either omeprazole or SCH 28080, inhibitors of gastric acid secretion and gastric H,K-ATPase which, in contrast, is located on the apical membrane of parietal cells. Gastric H,K-ATPase functions as a K- H exchange and is inhibited by omeprazole and SCH 28080, but not by ouabain (Wallmark et al, 1987). Despite these pharmacological differences, comparison of its amino acid sequence to that of the Na pump reveals partial (60%) homology (Shull amp; Lingrel, 1986).
Substring Frequency Features for Segmentation of Japanese Katakana Words with Unlabeled Corpora

Word segmentation is crucial in natural language processing tasks for unsegmented languages. In Japanese, many out-of-vocabulary words appear in the phonetic syllabary katakana, making segmentation more difficult due to the lack of clues found in mixed script settings. In this paper, we propose a straightforward approach based on a variant of tf-idf and apply it to the problem of word segmentation in Japanese. Even though our method uses only an unlabeled corpus, experimental results show that it achieves performance comparable to existing methods that use manually labeled corpora. Furthermore, it improves performance of simple word segmentation models trained on a manually labeled corpus.
Botanical Antioxidants for Skin Protection: An Overview

The skin, situated at the interface between the body and its environment, is constantly exposed to numerous environmental, physical, and chemical agents. Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes dysfunction of signaling pathways, disturbances in the apoptotic machinery, DNA damage, mutations in critical target genes, and immunosuppression. Collective effects of these lead to photocarcinogenesis and photoaging. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel strategies to reduce the adverse biological effects of UV radiation on the skin. The concept of photoprotection is gaining considerable attention as a practical approach to reduce the occurrence of skin cancer and photoaging. In recent years, the use of botanical antioxidants, present in the common diet and beverages consumed by the humans, has gained considerable attention as photoprotective agents. Animal model and cell culture studies have elucidated that botanical antioxidants act by several mechanisms to delay photocarcinogenesis and prevent photoaging. This chapter presents an overview of some of the selected botanical antioxidants for skin protection.Helfaer Professor of Cancer Research, Director and Vice Chair for Research(608) 263–3927(608) 263–5223
A Comparative Analysis of Current Lipid Treatment Guidelines: Nothing Stands Still

Abstract Lipid treatment guidelines have continued to evolve as new evidence emerges. We sought to review similarities and differences of 5 lipid treatment guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, Canadian Cardiovascular Society, European Society for Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and U.S. Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense. All guidelines utilize rigorous evidentiary review, highlight statin therapy for primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and emphasize a clinician-patient risk discussion. However, there are differences in statin intensities, use of risk estimators, treatment of specific patient subgroups, and consideration of safety concerns. Clinicians should understand these similarities and differences in current and future guideline recommendations when considering if and how to treat their patients with statin therapy.
Social Services, Policies, and Issues:

The position of the American Indian is reviewed, with particular emphasis on the North American tribes, their history and the evolvement of cultural attitudes toward them. A reform of the bureaucra...
Answer to May 2013 Photo Quiz.

Answer: Listeria monocytogenes Bacteremia Following an overnight incubation at 35°C, the subcultures from the positive-blood-culture bottles grew small colonies of weakly beta-hemolytic organisms on sheep blood agar plates. The Gram stain morphology of these colonies showed small coccobacilliary Gram-positive rods. Given the catalase positivity, along with the colony morphology, Listeria sp. was suspected. Further testing of the organism demonstrated characteristic motility in both hanging drop and semisolid-agar preparations. A CAMP test displayed synergistic hemolysis between the organism and a β-lysin-producing Staphylococcus aureus strain, and the identification of Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed by analysis of a 500-bp 16S rRNA gene sequence.
The Chromatin-binding Protein Spn1 contributes to Genome Instability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cells expend a large amount of energy to maintain their DNA sequence. DNA repair pathways, cell cycle checkpoint activation, proofreading polymerases, and chromatin structure are ways in which the cell minimizes changes to the genome. During replication, the DNA damage tolerance pathway allows the replication forks to bypass damage on the template strand. This avoids prolonged replication fork stalling, which can contribute to genome instability. The DNA damage tolerance pathway includes two sub-pathways: translesion synthesis and template switch. Post-translational modification of PCNA and the histone tails, cell cycle phase, and local DNA structure have all been shown to influence sub-pathway choice. Chromatin architecture contributes to maintaining genome stability by providing physical protection of the DNA and by regulating DNA processing pathways. As such, chromatin-binding factors have been implicated in maintaining genome stability. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae , we examined the role of Spn1, a chromatin binding and transcription elongation factor, in DNA damage tolerance. Expression of a mutant allele of SPN1 results in increased resistance to the DNA damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate, lower spontaneous and damage-induced mutation rates, along with increased chronological lifespan. We attribute these effects to an increased usage of the template switch branch of the DNA damage tolerance pathway in the spn1 strain. This provides evidence for a role of wild type Spn1 in promoting genome instability, as well as having ties to overcoming replication stress and contributing to chronological aging.
4′‐Methyl­chalcone

The molecule of the title compound [systematic name: 3-(4-methyl­phen­yl)-1-phenyl­prop-2-enone], C16H14O, displays a significant deviation from planarity; the torsion angle of the carbonyl oxygen and the three enone C atoms is 16.3 (3)°, while the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 50.7 (2)°.
Northeastern United States species treated with copper-based preservatives: Durability in Mississippi stake tests

This paper reports on the ground-contact durability of lesser-used wood species of the northeastern United States after treatment with copper-based preservatives. Stakes (19 by 19 by 457 mm) cut from balsam-fir (Abies balsamea), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), eastern spruce (mixture of Picea glauca, Picea mariana and Picea rubens), red maple (Acer rubrum) or eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) were treated with one of four concentrations of chromated copper arsenate type C (CCA-C), copper citrate (CC), alkaline copper quat type C (ACQ-C) or copper azole type A (CBA-A) and placed into the ground at a test site in southern Mississippi. Similarly treated southern pine (Pinus spp.) stakes were included for comparison. The stakes were rated for decay and termite attack after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 12 years. Eastern white pine and incised eastern hemlock and balsam-fir had durability similar to southern pine when treated with CCA or the other copper-based preservatives. Eastern spruce was less durable than the other softwood species, apparently because of low preservative uptake. Red maple had the least durability at all retentions and for all preservatives. This study indicates that several northeastern softwoods can be adequately durable when pressure-treated with CCA-C or copper-based preservatives.
Impact of seasonality, storage of semen, and sperm head-shape on whole tissue methylation and expression of methylation responsive candidate genes in swine placenta and fetal livers from summer and winter breedings.

Epigenetics includes the study of external factors that can influence the expression of genes by altering the accessibility of DNA through methylation. To investigate the epigenetic influence of season, sperm head shape, and semen storage on placental and fetal tissues, pregnancies were generated in the summer or winter using boar semen from either least or most sperm head shape change, collected during cool or warm seasons, and stored as cooled-extended or cryopreserved. The lowest (p < 0.05) ratios of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine activity (5mC:5hmC) in fetal liver were from summer breedings and in placental tissues from winter breedings. The relative expression of placental CDH1 tended ( p < 0.10) to be greater in placenta generated from cryopreserved semen or semen collected during cool periods. The relative expression of placental GNAS was affected ( p < 0.05) by the interaction of breeding and semen collection seasons. Cryopreserved semen increased ( p < 0.05) the placental relative expression of GNAS. Placental MEST and RHOBTB3 tended ( p < 0.10) to have a greater relative expression from pregnancies generated using semen collected during cool periods used during winter breedings. Within fetal liver, the relative expression of GNAS and HGF was greater ( p < 0.05) from winter breedings. Interaction of winter breedings and least sperm head shape change tended ( p < 0.10) to have the greatest fetal liver expression of CDH1. Seasonality of semen collection, breeding, and the effect on sperm head shape change had an influence on the expression of genes with known differentially methylated regions or response to methylation activity from embryonic and extraembryonic tissues.
Ethical Issues in Cardiothoracic Surgery

The field of cardiothoracic surgery shares many moral principles and related ethical challenges with other branches of surgery but must deal with them in contexts unique to the specialty. Ethical issues that are currently under active discussion and debate in the cardiothoracic surgical community include professionalism; the need to balance the multiple professional responsibilities such as duty to patient, duty to employer, and duties to trainees; the use, and potential misuse, of national quality databases; the oversight of innovation; and futile, end-of-life, and withdrawal of care. Such issues will be reviewed in the context of both duty-based and consequentialist ethical frameworks.
Understanding the Racial Discipline Gap in Schools

We explore the discipline gap between Black and White students and between Hispanic and White students using a statewide student-level panel data set on Indiana public school students attending pre...
Toward a radical practice: A recuperative critique of improvisation in music therapy using intersectional feminist theory

Abstract In this recuperative critique the author analyzes aspects of music therapy improvisation, including the therapeutic relationship, music, and the act of improvisation as well as its inherent body politics and its understandings of situated knowledge, from an intersectional feminist perspective. Based upon this analysis, the author invites readers to reconsider and reshape the accepted theories and practices of improvisation in music therapy. Links are made to relevant music therapy literature. Recommendations are offered to establish intersectional awareness as a foundational competency in music therapy improvisation.
The new peer review.

It is widely recognized that the Internet has fundamentally changed the dynamics of publication, and in particular, it is clear that there is no effective way to control the release of any web-based publication. The scientific and lay literature is now accessible to the public with unprecedented ease Recent proposals to start a life sciences online repository of preprints highlights the trend towards "publish first, review later" that seems to be emerging. Does this mean that the peer review process is dead? It certainly suggests that there is a need for a change in how the process works. We discuss currently available technologies to enable the implementation of new, distributed peer review process benefiting multiple user communities.
Detailed Analysis of Hydrocephalus and Hindbrain Herniation After Prenatal and Postnatal Myelomeningocele Closure: Report From a Single Institution

BACKGROUND The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) demonstrated that fetal myelomeningocele (fMMC) closure results in improved hydrocephalus and hindbrain herniation when compared to postnatal closure. OBJECTIVE To report on the outcomes of a single institution's experience in the post-MOMS era, with regard to hydrocephalus absence and hindbrain herniation resolution. METHODS A single-center retrospective study of a subset of post-MOMS patients who underwent fetal/postnatal myelomeningocele closure was performed. Primary outcomes included cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion status and hindbrain herniation resolution. Families were contacted via telephone for outcome information if care was transitioned to outside institutions. Univariate/multivariable analyses were performed using several prenatal and postnatal variables. RESULTS From January 2011 to May 2016, data were reviewed from families of 62 postnatal and 119 fMMC closure patients. In the postnatal group, 80.6% required CSF diversion compared to 38.7% fetal cases (P < .01). Hindbrain herniation resolution occurred in 81.5% fetal repairs compared to 32.6% postnatal (P < .01). In the fetal group, fetal/premature neonatal demise occurred in 6/119 (5.0%) patients. There was a 42.0% decrease (95% CI -55.2 to -28.8) and 48.9% increase (95% CI 33.7 to 64.1) in risk difference for CSF diversion and hindbrain herniation resolution, respectively, in the fetal group. On univariate analysis for both groups, prenatal atrial diameter, frontal-occipital horn ratio, and hindbrain herniation resolution were significantly associated with the absence of clinical hydrocephalus. The treatment of hydrocephalus was significantly delayed in the fetal group compared to the postnatal group (10 mo vs 13.8 d). CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the benefits of fMMC closure with regard to CSF dynamics.
Preserving Kidney Function Instead of Replacing It.

For the past 50 years, public and private funding priorities in the field of nephrology focused on kidney replacement therapy for ESKD: dialysis and transplantation. This focus was appropriate in a world where there were very few effective therapies to save lives or halt progressive loss of kidney
Theoretical Background: A New Theoretical Framework for Financial Planning with the Case of Life Insurance Demand—Dynamic Ecological Systemic Framework

This chapter introduces a conceptual and theoretical framework for understanding the behavioral demand for financial planning, specifically for life insurance. The basic background theories of this new framework are introduced and explained. Supporting these theories, the behavioral demand will be distinguished from the classic demand in economics as the term demand in economics has a different meaning depending on behavioral demand. The theories explained in this chapter are ecological systemic theory of family financial management, transformative consumer research, and chaotic dynamics in economics.
Preventing isthmocele after cesarean section (PICS): A pilot randomized controlled trial

Objectives An isthmocele is a cesarean section scar defect with a depth of >2mm, and can cause both obstetric and gynecologic complications. To date, no study has determined the impact of a locked versus unlocked double-layer uterine closure technique on isthmocele prevention. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate protocol feasibility amongst our own patients and physicians, with the ultimate goal of a larger-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT). Secondary objectives include determining: (a) isthmocele incidence; (b) isthmocele measurements on postoperative transvaginal ultrasound; and (c) adverse surgical outcomes related to suture technique. Methods This is a single-centre parallel-group pilot RCT enrolling 50 participants (25 per arm) including all term singleton pregnant women >18 years old undergoing primary cesarean section. Exclusion criteria include previous uterine hysterotomy, known uterine anomalies, active labour, known bleeding disorders, and maternal connective tissue disorders. Subjects are randomized to locked versus unlocked first layer uterine closure, followed by an unlocked second layer. Women will undergo transvaginal ultrasound to evaluate isthmocele formation six months postoperatively. Results At time of submission 31 subjects have been recruited. Data will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Demographic data will be reported using descriptive statistics. Rates of isthmocele will be compared between groups using chi-square analysis; subgroup analysis of the variable suture material will be performed. Other outcomes will be assessed using a t test (continuous variables) or chi-square test (categorical variables) as appropriate. Conclusions This study design appears feasible at this time. Further outcome data will be reported once the study is complete.
Digital Controller Design using State Space Methods

The state variable modeling approach presented in the previous chapter can also be applied in the discrete domain. We will first examine state-space discrete models, then look at state feedback controls laws, in which the control force u is a linear combination of the measured state variables. Using state feedback, the system poles can be placed arbitrarily. Since the entire state vector is usually not accessible, a state estimator must be developed. It will be shown that the poles of the overall system are those of the control law plus those of the estimator. Introduction of the reference input will be the final chapter topic.
Double the trouble: giant proteins with dual kinase activity in the heart

Obscurin and its homolog, striated muscle preferentially expressed gene (SPEG), constitute a unique group of proteins abundantly expressed in striated muscles that contain two tandemly arranged MLCK-like kinases. The physiological significance of the dual kinase motifs is largely understudied; however, a collection of recent studies characterizing their binding interactions, putative targets, and disease-linked mutations have begun to shed light on their potential roles in muscle pathophysiology. Specifically, obscurin kinase 1 is proposed to regulate cardiomyocyte adhesion via phosphorylating N-cadherin, whereas SPEG kinases 1 and 2 regulate Ca2+ cycling by phosphorylating junctophilin-2 and the sarcoendoplasmic Ca2+ ATPase 2 (SERCA2). Herein, we review what is currently known regarding the potential substrates, physiological roles, and disease associations of obscurin and SPEG tandem kinase domains and provide future directions that have yet to be investigated.
Convergence Rates of Distributed Gradient Methods Under Random Quantization: A Stochastic Approximation Approach

We study gradient methods for solving distributed convex optimization problems over a network when the communication bandwidth between the nodes is limited, and so information that is exchanged between the nodes must be quantized. This imperfect communication poses a fundamental challenge, and if not properly accounted for may prevent the convergence of these algorithms. Our first contribution in this article is to propose a modified consensus-based gradient method for solving such problems using random (dithered) quantization. This algorithm can be interpreted as a distributed variant of a two-time-scale stochastic approximation algorithm. We then study the convergence and derive upper bounds on the rates of convergence of the proposed method as a function of the bandwidth available between the nodes and the underlying network topology for both convex and strongly convex objective functions. Our results complement existing literature, where such convergence and explicit formulas of the convergence rates are missing. Finally, we provide numerical simulations to compare the convergence properties of the distributed gradient methods with and without quantization for solving the well-known regression problems over networks, for both quadratic and absolute loss functions.
Robustness of the deepest projection regression functional

Depth notions in regression have been systematically proposed and examined in Zuo ( arXiv:1805.02046 , 2018). One of the prominent advantages of the notion of depth is that it can be directly utilized to introduce median-type deepest estimating functionals (or estimators in the case of empirical distributions) for location or regression parameters in a multi-dimensional setting. Regression depth shares the advantage. Depth induced deepest estimating functionals are expected to inherit desirable and inherent robustness properties (e.g. bounded maximum bias and influence function and high breakdown point) as their univariate location counterpart does. Investigating and verifying the robustness of the deepest projection estimating functional (in terms of maximum bias, asymptotic and finite sample breakdown point, and influence function) is the major goal of this article. It turns out that the deepest projection estimating functional possesses a bounded influence function and the best possible asymptotic breakdown point as well as the best finite sample breakdown point with robust choice of its univariate regression and scale component.
The Devastating Cost of Racial and Ethnic Health Inequity in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the devastating truth about pervasive health inequity in the United States. As the virus swept through the country, underserved racial and ethnic minority populations disproportionately bore the brunt of the hospitalizations, severe illness, and fatalities. The devastation among these groups far outstripped their privileged counterparts due to convergence of disadvantages that created a perfect storm of exposures. We used empirical evidence incorporated into a theoretical framework analyzing vulnerabilities that have long plagued these communities. These exposures were further exacerbated by the rapid transmission of this virus and impaired the capability of these communities to escape illness and death due to a lack of adequate public health and medical responses. Will the aftermath of this coronavirus prove to be a reckoning for how American society addresses the conditions of most vulnerable populations or another ignored data-point? We suggest some policy steps to address the problem.
Identity : rapid alignment-free prediction of sequence alignment identity scores using self-supervised general linear models.

Pairwise global alignment is a fundamental step in sequence analysis. Optimal alignment algorithms are quadratic-slow especially on long sequences. In many applications that involve large sequence datasets, all what is needed is calculating the identity scores (percentage of identical nucleotides in an optimal alignment-including gaps-of two sequences); there is no need for visualizing how every two sequences are aligned. For these applications, we propose Identity, which produces global identity scores for a large number of pairs of DNA sequences using alignment-free methods and self-supervised general linear models. For the first time, the new tool can predict pairwise identity scores in linear time and space. On two large-scale sequence databases, Identity provided the best compromise between sensitivity and precision while being faster than BLAST, Mash, MUMmer4 and USEARCH by 2-80 times. Identity was the best performing tool when searching for low-identity matches. While constructing phylogenetic trees from about 6000 transcripts, the tree due to the scores reported by Identity was the closest to the reference tree (in contrast to andi, FSWM and Mash). Identity is capable of producing pairwise identity scores of millions-of-nucleotides-long bacterial genomes; this task cannot be accomplished by any global-alignment-based tool. Availability: https://github.com/BioinformaticsToolsmith/Identity.
Exorcising the Body Politic: The Lion’s Roar, Köten Ejen’s Two Bodies and the Question of Conversion at the Tibet-Mongol Interface

This study examines thirteenth to twentieth century Tibetan and Mongolian monastic memorializations of the bodily violence enacted upon Koten Ejen at the center of the “Buddhist conversion of the Mongols.” Koten Ejen (Tib. Lha sras go tan rgyal po, 1206–1251) was Chinggis Khan’s grandson and a military leader involved in Mongol campaigns against the Song Dynasty and against Buddhist monasteries in eastern Tibet. In 1240, Koten famously summoned the Central Tibetan Buddhist polymath Sakya Paṇḍita, by then already an old man, to his court at Liangzhou. Examining Tibetan and Mongolian accounts about their meeting from the last seven centuries, this study shows that it was neither compelling philosophy nor some turn of faith that converted the Mongols. It was, rather, Sakya Paṇḍita’s violent therapeutic intervention into the space of Koten’s ill body that wrenched the Mongol body politic into the Dharmic fold.
Structure-based drug design of novel and highly potent pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitors.

Abstract Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (PDHKs) are fascinating drug targets for numerous diseases, including diabetes and cancers. In this report, we describe the result of our structure-based drug design from tricyclic lead compounds that led to the discovery of highly potent PDHK2 and PDHK4 dual inhibitors in enzymatic assay. The C3-position of the tricyclic core was explored, and the PDHK2 X-ray structure with a representative compound revealed a novel ATP lid conformation in which the phenyl ring of Phe326 mediated the interaction of the Arg258 sidechain and the compound. Compounds with amide linkers were designed to release the ATP lid by forming an intramolecular pi-pi interaction, and these compounds showed single-digit nM IC50 values in an enzymatic assay. We also explored the C4-position of the tricyclic core to reproduce the interaction observed with the C3-position substitution, and the pyrrolidine compound showed the same level of IC50 values. By optimizing an interaction with the Asn255 sidechain through a docking simulation, compounds with 2-carboxy pyrrole moiety also showed single-digit nM IC50 values without having a cation-pi interaction with the Arg258 sidechain.
Organometallic reaction mechanisms

Abstract Et2AlCH2AlEt2 (1) has been used as a mechanistic probe to determine the nature of the transition state in the reaction of two equivalents of a trialkylaluminum compound with a ketone in hydrocarbon solvent.1 was prepared in benzene and the solution composition determined. Low temperature1H NMR data of1 as the mono(diethyl etherate) indicate that the ether oxygen is simultaneously coordinated to both aluminum atoms. The reactions of1 with 4-t-butylcyclohexanone in hydrocarbon solvent were compared to the reactions of triethylaluminium with the same ketone. The results support the importance of a bridging alkyl group described by the formation of a six-centered transition state when two equivalents of a trialkylaluminum compound are allowed to react with a ketone in hydrocarbon solvent. The results also argue against a transition state described by two moles of trialkylaluminum compound complexed to the carbonyl oxygen atom.
An Examination of Substitution among Monitoring Devices: The Case of Internal and External Audit Expenditures

Much of the agency literature assumes that various monitoring devices are partial substitutes in reducing total agency costs. In particular, internal and external auditing often are characterized as monitoring devices that should be partial substitutes. We argue that reliable evidence of this relation is lacking because prior studies using cross-sectional archival data have not carefully considered the implications of microeconomic theory of substitution for the models estimated. Our analysis leads to a reexamination of the relation using time-series data. We find no evidence that systematic substitution of internal for external auditing (or vice versa) occurred during the period 1989–1993. Further analysis indicates that the relative prices of internal and external auditing inputs did not change during the period. Therefore a necessary condition for substitution to occur did not exist. Although we do not detect substitution with our sample, the analysis and methodology we develop contribute to the literature by enhancing researchers’ understanding of substitution among monitoring methods.
Probabilistic prediction of protein secondary structure using causal networks

In this paper we present a probabilistic approach to analysis and prediction of protein structure. We argue that this approach provides a flexible and convenient mechanism to perform general scientific data analysis in molecular biology. We apply our approach to an important problem in molecular biology--predicting the secondary structure of proteins--and obtain experimental results comparable to several other methods. The causal networks that we use provide a very convenient medium for the scientist to experiment with different empirical models and obtain possibly important insights about the problem being studied.
Measuring ER stress and the unfolded protein response using mammalian tissue culture system

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) functions to properly fold and process secreted and transmembrane proteins. Environmental and genetic factors that disrupt ER function cause an accumulation of misfolded and unfolded proteins in the ER lumen, a condition termed ER stress. ER stress activates a signaling network called the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) to alleviate this stress and restore ER homeostasis, promoting cell survival and adaptation. However, under unresolvable ER stress conditions, the UPR promotes apoptosis. Here, we discuss the current methods to measure ER stress levels, UPR activation, and subsequent pathways in mammalian cells. These methods will assist us in understanding the UPR and its contribution to ER stress-related disorders such as diabetes and neurodegeneration.
Correlates of Adherence to Varenicline Among HIV+ Smokers.

INTRODUCTION Low rates of adherence to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy may limit the effectiveness of treatment. However, few studies have examined adherence in smoking cessation trials thus, there is a limited understanding of factors that influence adherence behaviors. This brief report analyzes correlates of adherence to varenicline among people living with HIV/AIDS. METHODS Study participants were recruited from three HIV care centers in New York City and enrolled in a three-arm randomized controlled pilot study in which all subjects received varenicline. At the 1-month study visit, there were no significant differences in adherence by study condition, therefore we combined treatment arms to examine correlates of adherence (n = 127). We used pill counts to assess varenicline adherence, defined as taking at least 80% of the prescribed dose. We conducted a multivariate path analysis to assess factors proposed by the information-motivation-behavioral skills model to predict adherence. RESULTS Only 56% of smokers were at least 80% adherent to varenicline at 1 month. Adherence-related information, self-efficacy, a college degree, and non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity were associated with increased varenicline adherence. In path analysis, information and motivation were associated with increased adherence self-efficacy, and adherence self-efficacy was associated with increased adherence, but with marginal significance. These associations with adherence were no longer significant after controlling for race/ethnicity and education. CONCLUSIONS Further exploration of the role of a modifiable correlates of adherence, such as adherence-related information, motivation and self-efficacy is warranted. Interventions are needed that can address disparities in these and other psychosocial factors that may mediate poor medication adherence.
Mutations of the PATCHED Gene in Several Types of Sporadic Extracutaneous Tumors

Patients with basal cell nevus syndrome have a high incidence of multiple basal cell carcinomas, medulloblastomas, and meningiomas. Because somatic PATCHED (PTCH) mutations have been found in sporadic basal cell carcinomas, we have screened for PTCH mutations in several types of sporadic extracutaneous tumors. We found that 2 of 14 sporadic medulloblastomas bear somatic nonsense mutations in one copy of the gene and also deletion of the other copy. In addition, we identified missense mutations in PTCH in two of seven breast carcinomas, one of nine meningiomas, and one colon cancer cell line. No PTCH gene mutations were detected in 10 primary colon carcinomas and eighteen bladder carcinomas.
Onboard FPGA-based SAR processing for future spaceborne systems

We present a real-time high-performance and fault-tolerant FPGA-based hardware architecture for the processing of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images in future spaceborne systems. In particular, we discuss the integrated design approach, from top-level algorithm specifications and system requirements, design methodology, functional verification and performance validation, down to hardware design and implementation.
Ambiguity analysis for pulse compression radar using Gold code sequences

This paper presents analytic, simulation, and measured results of using Gold sequences for radar pulse compression coding. Gold-coded waveform performance is characterized using the ambiguity function diagram, synonymous with matched filtering performance. Results indicate Gold-coded waveforms offer significant improvement in radar clutter suppression, resolution, and unambiguous range properties.
The histology of the radiolucent line

The radiographic and histological features of radiolucent areas at the cement-bone interface were correlated in 15 specimens retrieved at post-mortem from patients who had undergone cemented total hip arthroplasty, two weeks to 15 years prior to death. All but one of the components were securely fixed, as demonstrated by direct measurements of micromotion. Extensive radiolucencies were present in all but one case. In 11 of the 14 specimens with radiolucencies, histological examination showed that the radiolucent areas represented regions of osteoporosis and bone remodelling. The remodelling changes were characterised by osteoporosis, cancellisation and thinning of the endosteal cortex, and osteopenia of the trabecular bone. In two specimens the appearance of radiolucency was found to be due to fibrous tissue at the cement-bone interface and in one specimen there was a mixed picture of osteolysis and fibrosis. The study demonstrates that radiolucent lines can occur with well-fixed components and that they may commonly represent osteoporosis rather than the presence of a fibrous membrane at the cement-bone interface.
Membrane Selection and ISFET Configuration Evaluation for Soil Nitrate Sensing

Successful implementation of site-specific crop management relies on accurate quantification of spatial variation of important factors. Data collection on a finer spatial resolution than is feasible with manual and/or laboratory methods is often required but cost prohibitive. Therefore, there is a need for the development of sensors to more accurately characterize within-field variability. The objective of this research was to investigate matrix membranes produced from different combinations of ligand and plasticizer materials using ion-selective electrode (ISE) technology, and to use selected membranes to develop a nitrate ion-selective field effect transistor (ISFET) which might be integrated with a flow injection analysis (FIA) system for real-time soil analysis. Several ion-selective membranes were tested, and all of the evaluated membranes proved to be viable candidates for the development of a nitrate ISFET. Membranes using methyltridodecylammonium chloride (MTDA) as the ligand showed a better response to nitrates at low concentrations while those using tetradodecylammonium nitrate (TDDA) ligand showed superior selectivity for the nitrate ion. A multi-ISFET nitrate sensor was successfully developed. The electrical responses of the ISFETs were consistent and predictable. While significant difficulty was found in preparing a multi-ISFET chip with all four sensors operational, once prepared, the multi-ISFET chips were reliable and performed through extensive tests without failure. The sensitivities of the nitrate ISFETs (38-46 mV/decade) were lower than the theoretical Nernst sensitivity. The nitrate ISFETs proved to be viable sensors for the development of a real-time soil nitrate analysis system, under the conditions of our tests.
Chemical sympathectomy attenuates myenteric but not dorsal vagal complex Fos-like immunoreactivity induced by cholecystokinin-8 in the rat.

Abstract Vagotomy and capsaicin treatment attenuate dorsal vagal complex (DVC) but not myenteric Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) induced by cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8). The goal of this experiment is to test the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the pathway by which CCK-8 increases myenteric Fos-LI. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were pretreated with guanethidine sulfate (40 mg/kg daily for 5 weeks) or vehicle intraperitoneally (IP), and injected with CCK-8 (40 μg/kg) or saline IP. Fos-LI was then quantified in the DVC and the myenteric neurons of the duodenum and jejunum using a diaminobenzidine reaction. Guanethidine pretreatment attenuated myenteric but not DVC Fos-LI induced by CCK-8. These findings demonstrate that sympathetic neurons play a role in mediating the myenteric Fos-LI response to CCK. They also suggest differential mediation of myenteric and DVC responses to CCK.