cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pronounced daily succession of phytoplankton, archaea and bacteria following a spring bloom

Marine phytoplankton perform approximately half of global carbon fixation, with their blooms contributing disproportionately to carbon sequestration1, and most phytoplankton production is ultimately consumed by heterotrophic prokaryotes2. Therefore, phytoplankton and heterotrophic community dynamics are important in modelling carbon cycling and the impacts of global change3. In a typical bloom, diatoms dominate initially, transitioning over several weeks to smaller and motile phytoplankton4. Here, we show unexpected, rapid community variation from daily rRNA analysis of phytoplankton and prokaryotic community members following a bloom off southern California. Analysis of phytoplankton chloroplast 16S rRNA demonstrated ten different dominant phytoplankton over 18 days alone, including four taxa with animal toxin-producing strains. The dominant diatoms, flagellates and picophytoplankton varied dramatically in carbon export potential. Dominant prokaryotes also varied rapidly. Euryarchaea briefly became the most abundant organism, peaking over a few days to account for about 40% of prokaryotes. Phytoplankton and prokaryotic communities correlated better with each other than with environmental parameters. Extending beyond the traditional view of blooms being controlled primarily by physics and inorganic nutrients, these dynamics imply highly heterogeneous, continually changing conditions over time and/or space and suggest that interactions among microorganisms are critical in controlling plankton diversity, dynamics and fates. Rapid variation in the phytoplankton and bacterioplankton communities of a spring bloom provides new insights into the biological and physical parameters affecting plankton succession.
Response of theG6pd and6Pgd polymorphisms inDrosophila melanogaster to dietary selection

Experimental populations ofD. melanogaster were subjected to long term dietary selection using sucrose and ethanol in two independent experiments. TheG6pd polymorphism exhibits a strong response to high sucrose selection whereas the6Pgd polymorphism exhlbits an equally strong response to ethanol selection.
Mapping sites of O-glycosylation and fringe elongation on Drosophila Notch

Glycosylation of the Notch receptor is essential for its activity and serves as an important modulator of signaling. Three major forms of O-glycosylation are predicted to occur at consensus sites within the epidermal growth factor-like repeats in the extracellular domain of the receptor: O-fucosylation, O-glucosylation, and O-GlcNAcylation. We have performed comprehensive mass spectral analyses of these three types of O-glycosylation on Drosophila Notch produced in S2 cells and identified peptides containing all 22 predicted O-fucose sites, all 18 predicted O-glucose sites, and all 18 putative O-GlcNAc sites. Using semiquantitative mass spectral methods, we have evaluated the occupancy and relative amounts of glycans at each site. The majority of the O-fucose sites were modified to high stoichiometries. Upon expression of the β3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase Fringe with Notch, we observed varying degrees of elongation beyond O-fucose monosaccharide, indicating that Fringe preferentially modifies certain sites more than others. Rumi modified O-glucose sites to high stoichiometries, although elongation of the O-glucose was site-specific. Although the current putative consensus sequence for O-GlcNAcylation predicts 18 O-GlcNAc sites on Notch, we only observed apparent O-GlcNAc modification at five sites. In addition, we performed mass spectral analysis on endogenous Notch purified from Drosophila embryos and found that the glycosylation states were similar to those found on Notch from S2 cells. These data provide foundational information for future studies investigating the mechanisms of how O-glycosylation regulates Notch activity.
Local magnetic inhomogeneities in Ba(Fe1-xNix)(2)As-2 as seen via As-75 NMR

We report $^{75}\text{A}\text{s}$ NMR measurements in ${\text{BaFe}}_{2}{\text{As}}_{2}$ doped with Ni. Like Co, Ni doping suppresses the antiferromagnetic and structural phase transitions and gives rise to superconductivity for sufficiently large Ni doping. The spin-lattice relaxation rate diverges at ${T}_{N}$ with a critical exponent consistent with three-dimensional ordering of local moments. In the ordered state the spectra quickly broaden inhomogeneously with doping. We extract the average size of the ordered moment as a function of doping and show that a model in which the order remains commensurate but with local amplitude variations in the vicinity of the dopant fully explains our observations.
Longitudinal Study of the Relationship among Craniocervical Morphology, Clinical Progression, and Syringomyelia in a Cohort of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Background Craniocervical junction (CCJ) anomalies and secondary syringomyelia are commonly diagnosed in Cavalier King Charles spaniel (CKCS). Familiarity with the natural history of these abnormalities is vital to understanding the disease syndrome. Objective To evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) predictors of worsening clinical signs, syringomyelia, and morphology in CKCS longitudinally. Animals Fifty-four client-owned CKCS, 5–13 years old; 50% currently symptomatic. Methods Longitudinal observational study. We enrolled CKCS with an MRI of the CCJ performed ≥3 years earlier. We used questionnaires and neurologic examinations to grade initial and current clinical status. Dogs that could be anesthetized were reimaged. Morphologic assessments included the presence and severity of: Chiari-like malformations, medullary position, atlantooccipital overlapping (AOO), dorsal atlantoaxial bands, and syringomyelia. Cranial cavity volumes and foramen magnum height were measured. Results Clinical status was evaluated in 54 dogs; 36/54 were reimaged. Mean follow-up was 71 months. Of initially asymptomatic dogs, 32% were symptomatic at re-evaluation. Of initially symptomatic dogs, 56% had worsened; 13% had improved with medical management. The morphology of the CCJ at initial imaging did not predict development of either new or worsened signs or syringomyelia by the time of re-evaluation. Conclusion Craniocervical junction anomalies assessed in this study did not appear predictive of future clinical status or syringomyelia in our cohort. The impacts of syringomyelia, AOO, and atlantoaxial bands on future clinical status merit further study in larger groups of CKCS. Clinical progression in our cohort of medically managed CKCS did not differ substantially from published reports of those treated surgically.
Justice Reform: Who's Got the Power

As the US prison population continues to rise despite the significant decrease in crime rates, scholars and social activists are demanding comprehensive reforms to the penal system that disproportionately affects minorities and the poor and has become a significant burden on the taxpayers. This paper examines some of the processes that contributed to the rise of the modern day carceral state, such as the determinate sentencing reform and the proliferation of mandatory minimum sentencing. It also explores the unintended consequences of these penal developments and traces the reaction and subsequent resistance to these sentencing schemes from the judiciary, as well as other sources. Finally, this paper examines the dynamics of power between various actors in the struggle for meaningful reforms in the penal system and argues for a concerted action aimed at stimulating meaningful action from the legislature that has so far largely abstained from major efforts at reforming the criminal justice system.
Human Prion Diseases and Neurodegeneration

Investigations of neurodegeneration in humans and animals caused by prions have produced many unexpected and striking findings. For many years three uncommon human diseases and several animal disorders were labeled transmissible encephalopathies, spongiform encephalopathies, or slow virus diseases (GAJDUSEK 1977, 1985; SIGURDSSON 1954). These illnesses are transmissible to experimental animals after a prolonged incubation period, and some features of the transmissible pathogen resemble those of viruses. However, early attempts to characterize the infectious pathogen causing scrapie of sheep and goats argue that these transmissible agents differ from both viruses and viroids (ALPER et al. 1967; HUNTER 1972).
The Earth's crust

This chapter reviews what is known about the physical and chemical properties of the crust, based on geophysics and chemically-analyzed samples. The Earth's crust is the upper rigid part of the lithosphere that is defined by a prominent seismic discontinuity, the Mohorovicic discontinuity or Moho. The chapter discusses the three crustal divisions—oceanic, transitional, and continental—of which oceanic crust and continental crust greatly dominate. The crust can be further subdivided into crustal types that are segments of the crust exhibiting similar geological and geophysical characteristics. The chapter lists the thirteen recognized crustal types in a table. The first two columns of the table summarize the area and volume abundances, and the third column describes tectonic stability in terms of earthquake and volcanic activity, and recent deformation. The chapter also discusses the average chemical composition of the upper continental crust, which is reasonably well-known from widespread sampling of Precambrian shields, geochemical studies of shales, and exposed crustal sections.
The effect of social rank feedback on risk taking and associated reward processes in adolescent girls

The onset of adolescence is associated with an increased tendency to engage in risky behaviors and a developmental shift toward peers that contributes to increased prioritization for learning about and achieving social status. There is relatively little understanding about the specific links between these adolescent-typical phenomena, particularly regarding their neural underpinnings. Based on existing models that suggest the role of puberty in promoting adolescent status-seeking and risk-taking tendencies, we investigated the relation of pubertal hormones with behavioral and neural responses to status-relevant social information in the context of risk taking. We used a probabilistic decision task in which 11- to 13-year-old girls chose to take a risk, or not, while receiving either social rank or monetary performance feedback. While feedback type did not differentially influence risk-taking behavior, whole-brain imaging results showed that activation in the anterior insula was increased for risk taking in the social rank feedback condition compared to the monetary feedback condition. This heightened activation was more pronounced in girls with higher estradiol levels. These findings suggest that brain processes involved in adolescent risky decisions may be influenced by the desire for social-status enhancement and provide preliminary evidence for the role of pubertal hormones in enhancing this adolescent-typical social sensitivity.
Instructional Strategy: Administration of Injury Scripts

Context: Learning how to form accurate and efficient clinical examinations is a critical factor in becoming a competent athletic training practitioner, and instructional strategies differ for this complex task. Objective: To introduce an instructional strategy consistent with complex learning to encourage improved efficiency by minimizing intrinsic cognitive load and effectiveness by emphasizing the development of mental schemas. This strategy, called illness scripts in medicine, was adapted as injury scripts for athletic training. Background: Athletic training students are taught to learn a universal clinical reasoning process for conducting clinical examinations that consists of extensive collecting of patient data and matching these data to a hypothesis, referred to as a hypothetico-deductive approach. This process is burdensome to cognitive load storage capacity and delays development of expertise in diagnostic accuracy. Description: Injury scripts is a clinical reasoning strategy consistent with comp...
State Factor Topography

The immense tectonic plates that make up the Earth’s outer shell may slide beneath one another and initiate volcanos or collide with each other and push up and fold mountain ranges. Precipitation decimates the peaks, erodes the hill soils, and covers the valleys with new parent materials.
Millennial Children of Intermarriage: Religious Upbringing, Identification, and Behavior Among Children of Jewish and Non-Jewish Parents

The study examines changes in religious upbringing, identification, and behavior among children of intermarriage across three generations. Drawing on data from the 2013 Pew Research Center’s survey of Jewish Americans, we show that children of marriages between Jews and non-Jews in the Millennial generation are more likely than older counterparts to have been raised Jewish and to have received a formal Jewish education. Further, as a result of more widespread Jewish upbringing and education, they are more likely to identify as Jewish in adulthood and practice some aspects of Judaism. We attribute these developments primarily to the more welcoming and inclusive attitudes and practices toward intermarried families by Jewish organizations during the 1980s and 1990s. We discuss the study’s implications for Jewish demographic continuity and for the study of the dynamic interplay between intermarriage and religious affiliation.
Home Value and Equity Co-Movement: A Dynamic Approach for G-7 Countries

Executive Summary. Although both housing and stock values have been studied for their impacts on consumer spending, as well as their effects on financial institutions, capital spending, and the mac...
Pragmatic Encroachment and Moral Encroachment

Subject-sensitive invariantism posits surprising connections between a person's knowledge and features of her environment that are not paradigmatically epistemic features. But which features of a person's environment have this distinctive connection to knowledge? Traditional defenses of subject-sensitive invariantism emphasize features that matter to the subject of the knowledge-attribution. Call this pragmatic encroachment. A more radical thesis usually goes ignored: knowledge is sensitive to moral facts, whether or not those moral facts matter to the subject. Call this moral encroachment. This article argues that, insofar as there are good arguments for pragmatic encroachment, there are also good arguments for moral encroachment.
Modest Gaseous Nitrogen Losses Point to Conservative Nitrogen Cycling in a Lowland Tropical Forest Watershed

Primary tropical rainforests are generally considered to be relatively nitrogen (N) rich, with characteristically large hydrologic and gaseous losses of inorganic N. However, emerging evidence suggests that some tropical ecosystems can exhibit tight N cycling, with low biologically available losses. In this study, we combined isotopic data with a well-characterized watershed N mass balance to close the N budget and characterize gaseous N losses at the ecosystem scale in a lowland tropical rainforest on the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica. We measured δ15N and δ18O of nitrate (NO3 −) in precipitation, surface, shallow and deep soil lysimeters and stream water biweekly for 1 year. Enrichment of both isotopes indicates that denitrification occurs predominantly as NO3 − moves from surface soil down to 15 cm depth or laterally to stream water, with little further processing in deeper soil. Two different isotopic modeling approaches suggested that the gaseous fraction comprises 14 or 32% of total N loss (2.7 or 7.5 kg N ha−1 y−1), though estimates are sensitive to selection of isotopic fractionation values. Gas loss estimates using the mass balance approach (3.2 kg N ha−1 y−1) fall within this range and include N2O losses of 0.9 kg N ha−1 y−1. Overall, gaseous and soluble hydrologic N losses comprise a modest proportion (~ 25%) of the total N inputs to this ecosystem. By contrast, relatively large, episodic hydrologic losses of non-biologically available particulate N balance the majority of N inputs and may contribute to maintaining conservative N cycling in this lowland tropical forest. Similar patterns of N cycling may occur in other tropical forests with similar state factor combinations—high rainfall, steep topography, relatively fertile soils—such as the western arc of the Amazon Basin and much of IndoMalaysia, but this hypothesis remains untested.
A Comparative Analysis of Career Growth Models in R&D Organizations

Firms that invest in developing cutting-edge technologies rely on leading technology practitioners to make innovations happen. These technology practitioners grow in their domain through continued discoveries which results in recognition of their work assessed through peer evaluations. These professional recognitions need to then translate into career growth for the practitioner within the firm in order for them to feel that their contributions are also valued by the company. Retaining technical talent is critical for the company in not only leveraging the skills of these individuals to achieve the company’s goals but these technology practitioners also serve as role models for other, newer members in the firm. This study analyses the various models that companies use to manage the career growth of these critical individuals. The study found four predominant career models from studying literature as well as in practice. Using this information, the study then selected five companies in various leading technical fields to understand their approach to technical career growth. Their characteristics such as size of the company, research investment, etc. and predominant career growth ladders were compared and contrasted. This study gives managers of leading technology firms some rich information on managing the individuals in their organization.
Pressure-Volume-Temperature Relations and Intermolecular Potentials for Methane and Tetrafluoromethane

ABSTRACT To provide an adequate basis for comparing the intermolecular behavior of methane and tetrafluoromethane, the P-V-T properties of these substances were determined with the same apparatus over the same pressure and temperature ranges. The experimental results expressed in terms of the sensitive residual quantity (PV/RT − 1)V and the virial coefficients B, C, and D are compared with results of other investigators. Intermolecular potential energy parameters of the Lennard-Jones (12,6), Lennard-Jones (28,7), modified Buckingham (6-Exp), Stockmayer, and Kihara potentials were evaluated from the experimental second virial coefficients. These parameters show that tetrafluoromethane is a much harder molecule than methane. The difference in hardness also was found in correlations of the experimental third and fourth virial coefficients made with the Lennard-Jones (12,6) potential. Qualitatively, the hardness or hardcore characteristic of tetrafluoromethane is explained by the high value of the bending force constant of the FCF bonds. The possible effects of the difference in hardness of methane and tetrafluoromethane on the calculation of their thermophysical properties with the aid of potential functions are considered.
Local Anesthesia for IUD Insertion or Endometrial Biopsy.

Topical application of lidocaine/prilocaine cream to the cervix reduces mean pain scores during IUD insertion. Intrauterine instillation of liquid anesthesia reduces median pain scores during endometrial biopsy.
Fetal Origins of Variables Related to Cardio-Metabolic Risk

Low birth weight for gestational age, regardless of socio-economic background and geographical location, is considered a risk factor for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in later life. This overview focuses on the racial (black–white) divergence in birth weight and adverse effects of low birth weight on aspects of cardio-metabolic risk involving anthropometric, hemodynamic, metabolic and inflammatory variables during growth periods of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood along with pulsatile behavior of the vasculature in adulthood noted in the Bogalusa Heart Study cohort. Several putative mechanisms linking these adverse relationships are discussed, thereby providing a rationale for primordial prevention.
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 12, Immunity, and Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer and Checkpoint Inhibition Somatic inactivating variants in the gene CDK12, encoding cyclin-dependent kinase 12, generate fusion-induced neoantigens in prostate cancer. This finding ...
Photonic-Enabled RF Canceller for Wideband In-Band Full-Duplex Wireless Systems

In-band full-duplex (IBFD) wireless systems offer the ability to revolutionize frequency spectrum utilization for future networks. This is only possible if the self-interference generated by each wireless node is sufficiently mitigated, and becomes more challenging as the bandwidth increases. RF cancellation is one of the critical components that enables this interference reduction, but has previously been limited to narrowband operation or restricted to distinctive environments. This paper presents a novel RF canceller that utilizes photonic components to create a wideband vector modulator architecture with tunable time-delay taps. A prototype system with 20 canceller taps has been demonstrated to provide 25 and 20 dB of cancellation over 500-MHz and 1-GHz instantaneous bandwidths, respectively, and is tunable between 0.5 and 5.5 GHz. This unique photonic-enabled RF canceller design provides a path forward to achieve the wideband operation and high tap counts that will be required to successfully deploy future wireless systems with IBFD technology.
Tomographic Cherenkov-excited luminescence scanned imaging based on back-projection reconstruction demonstrates 0.3mm spatial resolution for molecular reporter through 2-3cm of tissue

Cherenkov-excited luminescence scanned imaging (CELSI) is achieved with External Beam Radiotherapy, to map out molecular luminescence intensity or lifetime in tissue. In order to realize a deeper imaging depth with a reasonable spatial resolution, we optimized the original scanning gesture to do in a similar way to computed tomography (CT) and the image reconstruction was instead used a customized Maximum-likelihood expectation maximization (ML-EM) for CELSI. In tomographic CELSI (TCELSI), tomographic images are generated by irradiating the subject using a sequence of programmed X-ray beams at a fixed projection angle, while sensitive measurement is to take a sum for all image pixels from an intensified charge-coupled device. By restricting the X-ray excitation to a single, narrow beam of radiation, the origin of the optical photons can be inferred regardless of where these photons were detected, and how many times they scattered in tissue. Measurement geometry was designed for clinical expectation: CT scanning was achieved by a clinical linear accelerator (LINAC), where X-ray beam sequence and multiple projections were realized with multi leaf collimator (MLC) and gantry movement, respectively. Furthermore, in most modern External Beam Radiotherapy, MLC movement is synchronized with gantry angle to release a uniform radiation, and some of treatment plans, e.g., Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), have a potential to match the scanning way mentioned. By including Cherenkov imaging results, medium surface profile can be additionally acquired, which can be used as boundary reference to do depth correction and co-register with molecular images. Resolution phantom studies showed that a 0.3 mm diameter capillary tube containing 0.01 nM luminescent nanospheres could be recognized at a depth of 21 mm into tissue-like media. Small animal imaging with a 1 mm diameter cylindrical target demonstrated that fast 3D data acquisition was achieved by a multi-pinhole collimator to image local luminescence 20mm deep.
Exploring Action Coils for Bystander Intervention: Modeling Bystander Consequences

Individuals who take action to reduce sexual assault can experience a range of positive and negative consequences as a result of helping. This study examined how different types of consequences exp...
Visualizing treatment patterns and survival in metastatic breast cancer.

316Background: Optimal treatment sequencing (i.e., the order in which drugs are given) for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is unknown. We aimed to develop an approach to visualize treatment patterns...
Metabolic characteristics of women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) according to the Rotterdam criteria - our own experience.

Objectives Analysis of metabolic features of women diagnosed with the PCOS among female patients of Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, the Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital - Research Institute (DEMD, PMMH-RI). The secondary aim was assessment if diagnosis of PCOS (according to the Rotterdam criteria) may imply any standard treatment. Material and methods The study was retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized in DEMD. 62 females diagnosed with PCOS were compared with women without the syndrome, adjusted according to the age and BMI. The parameters compared comprised insulin resistance assessed by five different methods (HOMA, HOMA2, QUICKI, IRI and Matsuda Index) and lipid concentration (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides). Results None of analyzed parameters (insulin resistance indices, lipid fractions concentrations) differed significantly between women diagnosed with PCOS and those without PCOS, adjusted according to age and BMI. Insulin resistance indices correlated with the BMI values. Conclusions The metabolic characteristics of women diagnosed with the PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria can be variant. PCOS is not necessarily connected with insulin resistance and obesity. Diagnosis of PCOS does not determine metabolic state of the individual so it should be postulated that every diagnosis of PCOS should by specified by information about the phenotype. Only precise information about the phenotype allows assessing the metabolic and cardiovascular risk and introducing optimal treatment.
Articular Comorbidities in Revision Cartilage Surgery: Meniscal Allograft Transplantation and Realignment

Abstract Cartilage repair or restoration procedures are increasingly used to treat patients with symptomatic cartilage defects that are not responsive to conservative measures. There are several complimentary techniques available that allow the surgeon to treat the full spectrum of defects and generally show improved outcomes both in isolation and with concomitant procedures.
Strategic Planning for Information Systems: The Evidence From a Successful Implementation in an Academic Setting

AbstractStrategic planning for information systems is imperative for the survival of any organization given the dynamic and uncertain environments of contemporary organizations. In this paper, we demonstrate how an information systems plan can be successfully developed and implemented within an academic setting. During the planning process, we identified problems and suggested recommendations to address those problems. Many of these recommendations have been implemented, and the plan is considered highly successful. The process illustrated here should be applicable to other educational organizations.
Analysis on Market Segmentation in Advertising Companies

One of the effects of information technology in the media companies that offer TV content is the emergence and prevalence of video-streaming. Unlike the traditional TV content delivery that is linear, video-on-demand allows the customer to have control over the type of content accessed, when, and how to access such content. With the Internet of Things, a customer can also access such content via mobile devices which enhances flexibility and convenience. Modern Times Group (MTG) offers video-on-demand for the free package and pay packages. The free package features advertisements. However, a review of the advertisements featured on MTG shows that the MTG products and the adverts featured on the channels misalign with customer preferences. Through employing segmentation that premises on business analytics, MTG can redesign its market segmentation to make its marketing effective and eventually develop a competitive advantage from it.
Approximating monomials using Chebyshev polynomials.

This paper considers the approximation of a monomial $x^n$ over the interval $[-1,1]$ by a lower-degree polynomial. This polynomial approximation can be easily computed analytically and is obtained by truncating the analytical Chebyshev series expansion of $x^n$. The error in the polynomial approximation in the supremum norm has an exact expression with an interesting probabilistic interpretation. We use this interpretation along with concentration inequalities to develop a useful upper bound for the error.
Social cross-over in cardiovascular disease: context matters

The concept of the ‘social cross-over’ in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality was first described in 1978 by Marmot et al .1 By analysing mortality trends between 1931 and 1971 in England and Wales, Marmot et al found that the pattern of mortality from coronary heart disease changed over the years, from being more common among middle-class and upper-class men and women to being more common among working-class men and women.1 Underlying this change was a steep increase in CVD mortality among the working-class group starting in the 1950s for men and in the 1960s for women, concurrent with increases in smoking rates and dietary changes.1 In the study by Mallinson and colleagues, the authors describe the absence of a social cross-over in CVD mortality in Brazil.2 The study used cross-sectional data for 2010 from states at various degrees of economic development to proxy the changes in economic development experienced by high-income countries over time. Mallinson et al found no support for the social cross-over hypothesis. Instead, they found that education-based inequalities in CVD mortality were actually widest in the least developed states, meaning that CVD mortality was highest among the population with the lowest levels of educational attainment.2 Previous studies on the social cross-over have relied on longitudinal samples to examine how inequalities in CVD change over time. Mallinson et al instead leverage intracountry heterogeneity in social development. The use of cross-sectional data from one country has two important advantages: (1) uniformity of the vital statistics system across the country, which reduces inconsistencies in the quality of the data often present in cross-country comparisons, and (2) consistency of coding, one of the biggest issues in studies using historical data.2 The authors also addressed issues of variation in the quality of data across states and …
VQE Method: A Short Survey and Recent Developments

The variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) is a method that uses a hybrid quantum-classical computational approach to find eigenvalues and eigenvalues of a Hamiltonian. VQE has been proposed as an alternative to fully quantum algorithms such as quantum phase estimation because fully quantum algorithms require quantum hardware that will not be accessible in the near future. VQE has been successfully applied to solve the electronic Schrodinger equation for a variety of small molecules. However, the scalability of this method is limited by two factors: the complexity of the quantum circuits and the complexity of the classical optimization problem. Both of these factors are affected by choice of the variational ansatz used to represent the trial wave function. Hence, the construction of efficacious ansatz is an active area of research. Put another way, modern quantum computers are not capable of executing deep quantum circuits produced by using currently available ansatze for problems that map onto more than several qubits. In this review, we present recent developments in the field of designing effective ansatzes that fall into two categories -- chemistry inspired and hardware efficient -- that produce quantum circuits that are easier to run on modern hardware. We discuss the shortfalls of ansatzes originally formulated for VQE simulations, how they are addressed in more sophisticated methods, and the potential ways for further improvements.
Discrete binding patterns of two heparin-reactive proteins, basic fibroblast growth factor and peptide p5R, in amyloid-laden and healthy mice.

Abstract Peptide p5R is a synthetic, polybasic, heparin-binding peptide that preferentially reacts with amyloid deposits in vivo and in tissue sections. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF1) similarly interacts with heparin-like molecules, notably heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), in the extracellular matrix and on cell surfaces. The aim of this study was to compare the biodistribution of p5R and bFGF in healthy mice as well as those with systemic inflammation-associated amyloidosis (AA), which contains HSPG, by using SPECT/CT imaging, tissue biodistribution measurements and micro-autoradiography. Although both proteins are known to bind heparan sulfate, their biodistribution was remarkably different in the healthy and diseased animals. Imaging revealed uptake of both radiolabeled proteins in the liver, spleen, and kidneys of mice with amyloidosis; however, 125I-bFGF, but not 125I-p5R, was observed in normal tissue at sites of HSPG expression, including the hepatic and splenic sinusoids and renal glomerulae. Microautoradiography demonstrated that while p5R bound exclusively to amyloid deposits in the spleen and liver of AA mice, bFGF had a broader binding pattern. Consequently, even though bFGF and p5R both interact with heparan sulfate moieties, p5R binding was restricted to HSPG in amyloid deposits and did not bind HSPG in healthy tissues, whereas bFGF preferentially reacted with HSPG in normal tissue. The data suggest that peptide p5R selectively binds HSPG in amyloid and that the HSPG in healthy tissue, recognized by bFGF, is not targeted by the peptide.
All or Nothing? Partial Business Shutdowns and COVID-19 Fatality Growth

Using a hand-collected database of partial business closures for all U.S. counties from March through December 2020, we examine the impact of capacity restrictions on fatality growth due to COVID-19. For the restaurant and bar sector, we find that several combinations of partial capacity restrictions are as effective as full shutdowns. Point estimates indicate that, for the average county, limiting restaurants to 25% of capacity and bars to outdoor service reduces the fatality growth six weeks ahead by approximately 41% while completely closing them reduces fatality growth by about 32%. For gyms, we find that, while full closures reduce the COVID-19 fatality growth rate, partial closures may be counterproductive relative to leaving capacity unrestricted. For salons and other personal services, we find mixed evidence that limiting them to 25% of capacity reduces fatalities. However, other constraints are either ineffective or even counterproductive.
Immune Microenvironment and Genetics in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive malignancy with limited therapeutic options beyond surgery and cytotoxic chemotherapy. The success of immune checkpoint inhibition has been found to correlate with expression of immune-related genes such as CD274 (PD-L1) in lung and other solid cancers. However, only a small subset of MPM patients respond to checkpoint inhibition, and this response has been varied and unpredictable across several clinical trials. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology have improved our understanding of the molecular features of MPM, also with respect to its genetic signature and how this impacts the immune microenvironment. This article will review current evidence surrounding the interplay between MPM genetics, including epigenetics and transcriptomics, and the immune response.
Associations between minute-level smartphone GPS-derived exposure to greenness and consumer wearable-derived physical activity in the Nurses’ Health Study 3

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Increased exposure to greenness has been linked to increased physical activity and improved health outcomes, including better mental health and lower cardiovascular disease and ...
Nutrition Literacy Tailored Interventions May Improve Diet Behaviors in Outpatient Nutrition Clinics.

Abstract Objectives Nutrition literacy examines the intersection of nutrition knowledge and skills; however, no evidence shows interventions tailored to nutrition literacy deficits affect diet behaviors. This study examined the effects of nutrition interventions tailored to individual nutrition literacy deficits on improving diet-related behaviors. Methods Five outpatient clinics were randomized to 2 arms. The nutrition literacy and diet behaviors of patients were assessed before intervention with a dietitian and again 1 month later. Intervention-arm dietitians received patient nutrition literacy levels and tailored interventions toward nutrition literacy weaknesses. Differences in diet behaviors between arms were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U-tests and within-arms using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results Intervention-arm patients improved 10 of 25 measured diet behaviors; control-arm patients improved 6 behaviors. Similarly, intervention-arm patients reported increased green vegetable consumption from baseline to follow-up (z = 2.00; P = 0.04). Conclusions and Implications Nutrition interventions tailored toward nutrition literacy deficits may play an important role in improving patient diet behaviors.
Interactions of the neuro-immune-stromal triad in itch.

This review focuses on recent advances in understanding the mechanisms involved in itch signaling in the skin and how these new findings fit into the wider picture of the expression of itch mediators and their receptors in the dermal layer. Because at present studies mostly concentrate on single cellular compartments (e.g., neural alone), we suggest that they may miss important interactions with other compartments. Therefore, to fully appreciate pruritus, we propose that studies should consider (e.g., using transcriptomic information) signal transmission within the entire neuro‒immune‒stromal triad.
dSpace: Composable Abstractions for Smart Spaces

We present dSpace, an open and modular programming framework that aims to simplify and accelerate the development of smart space applications. To achieve this, dSpace provides two key building blocks~digivices that implement device control and actuation and digidata that process IoT data to generate events and insights. In addition, dSpace introduces novel abstractions - mount, yield, and pipe - via which digivices and digidata can be composed into higher-level abstractions. We apply dSpace to home automation systems and show how developers can easily and flexibly leverage these abstractions to support a wide range of home automation scenarios. Finally, we show how the dSpace concepts can be realized using a microservices-based architecture and implement dSpace as a Kubernetes-compatible framework.
EDAS Revascularization for Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerotic Steno-Occlusive Disease (ERSIAS) Phase-II Trial

Background: Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is one of the most challenging stroke etiologies, with frequent recurrences despite optimized medical management. Encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) is an indirect revascularization method that produces collaterals from the extracranial circulation into cerebral hypoperfused areas. We present the results of a phase-II trial of EDAS in patients with ICAD failing medical management. Methods: ERSIAS was a prospective objective performance criterion (OPC) trial of EDAS plus intensive medical management (IMM) in patients with symptomatic ICAD despite optimized medical management, and poor angiographic collaterals. The primary endpoint was any stroke or death within 30 days postsurgery or stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days. The primary analysis compared event rates through one year with the OPC of 10·1%, based on a 10% reduction from the 20·1% rate in the IMM arm of SAMMPRIS trial. The event rates through two years were compared with propensity-score-matched (PSM) medically treated patients from the SAMPPRIS and COSS trials. Secondary endpoints included functional neurological outcome and angiographic neovascularization. Findings: Fifty-two patients underwent EDAS-plus-IMM. The median age was 52 years (IQR=38·3-65·8), and 32 were females (61·5%). The primary endpoint rate at one year was 9·6%, lower than the OPC of 10·1% (p=0·07), meeting the p<0·10 threshold for nonfutility and advancement to phase-III. In the sensitivity analysis, the primary endpoint event rate at two years was lower than in PSM control patients, 9·6 % vs. 21·2% (p<0·07). Overall, 86% of EDAS-plus-IMM patients were functionally independent at last follow-up, and 89% demonstrated neovascularization. There were two (3·8%) surgical complications (wound dehiscence) and no intracranial hemorrhages. Interpretation: ERSIAS phase-II provides evidence of safety and strong signals of the efficacy of EDAS-plus-IMM, supporting testing of the technique in a randomized controlled clinical trial. Trial Registration: NCT01819597. Funding Statement: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), under award no. K23NS079477. Declaration of Interests: None. Ethics Approval Statement: Protocol ID:IRB#12-000439 UCLA IRB Initial Approval Date: 7/19/2012 Committee: Medical IRB 3
Biographical Encyclopedia of American Radio

Introduction. Editor's Introduction. Acknowledgments. General Bibliography: A Radio Reference Shelf. Advisers and Contributors. The Encyclopedia Entries A-Z. Notes on Contributors. Index
A Note On Subloop Lattices

Palfy and Pudlak (Algebra Universalis 11, 22–27, 1980) posed the question: is every finite lattice isomorphic to an interval sublattice of the lattice of subgroups of a finite group? in this paper we will look at examples of lattices that can be realized as subloop lattices but not as subgroup lattices. This is a first step in answering a new question: is every finite lattice isomorphic to an interval sublattice of the subloop lattice of a finite loop?
King Hubbert: A Pioneer of a Different Kind

In 1950, world oil production stood at 10 million barrels a day (Mb/d), but within 20 years, it had risen to 45 Mb/d, a staggering near fivefold increase. It was in this environment that M. King Hubbert delivered a lecture that challenged the optimism that prevailed at the time in the oil industry. Although it may seem to be a golden epoch for the oil companies, there were darkening shadows about the future of the industry. The rapid growth was in a sense a reaction to a new uncertainty and insecurity. The companies had no intrinsic reason to flood the world with cheap oil, which, had they been assured of their future, would have been contrary to their long-term interests. The nationalization of the oil industry in the Soviet Union in 1928 and in Mexico 10 years later was only a ripple compared to the storm that was in formation.
A recursive algorithm for joint time-frequency wideband spectrum sensing

In wideband spectrum sensing, secondary or unlicensed users take signal measurements over a given wide spectrum band and attempt to determine subbands for which the spectrum is idle and thus available for use. Some recent approaches to finding such spectrum holes generally employ some form of edge detection or energy detection. We propose an algorithm for joint time-frequency wideband spectrum sensing based on applying a form of temporal spectrum sensing together with a recursive tree search. The algorithm is able to detect spectrum holes accurately even in the presence of bursting primary signals and primary signals whose power spectral densities have smooth band edges. Numerical results are presented which show the performance gain of the proposed algorithm over earlier approaches to wideband spectrum sensing.1
Accuracy and convergence properties of the fixed‐stress iterative solution of two‐way coupled poromechanics

Summary The paper deals with the numerical solution of Biot's equations of coupled consolidation obtained by a mixed formulation combining continuous Galerkin finite-element and multipoint flux approximation finite-volume methods. The solution algorithm relies on the recently developed fixed-stress solution scheme, in which first the flow problem and then the mechanical one are addressed iteratively. We show that the algorithm can be interpreted as a particular block triangular preconditioning strategy applied within a Richardson iteration. The key component to the success of the preconditioner is the sparse approximation to the Schur complement based on a pressure space mass matrix scaled by a weighting factor that depends element-wise on the inverse of a suitable bulk modulus. The accuracy of the method is assessed, making use of well-known analytical solutions from the literature. Numerical results demonstrate robustness and low computational cost of the fixed-stress scheme in accurately capturing the two-way coupling between deformation and pressure. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Benchmarking challenges to supply‐chain integration: Managing quality upstream in the semiconductor industry

The goal is to manage the key value‐added processes from the “suppliers' supplier to the customers' customer.” Such end‐to‐end supply chain integration is very rare; however, many companies actively strive to implement initiatives in the areas of new product development, cycle time reduction, process redesign, cost minimization, and quality improvement across organizational boundaries. Most efforts are dyadic, focusing on a buyer/supplier relationship. Few examples of multi‐tier implementation efforts have been documented. This paper looks at the challenges encountered in the implementation of a quality initiative in the semiconductor industry. The focus is on the challenges encountered as a successful first‐tier implementation was driven back to the second tier. Initial efforts failed and responsibility for second‐tier implementation was passed back to the first‐tier suppliers. Efforts at this level continued to stall because the leverage dynamics of the supply chain was very different as smaller, second‐tier suppliers were engaged and encouraged to adopt the new quality standard.
Knocking signalling out of the dystrophin complex.

Mice lacking dystrobrevin, a dystrophin-associated protein, exhibit a new form of muscular dystrophy in which the integrity of muscle fibres is maintained, but a component of muscle-cell signalling is disrupted.
Giant Lava Flows, Mass Extinctions, and Mantle Plumes

A number of immense volcanic events throughout the history of Earth may have influenced the movement of continents, past global climate, and the mass extinction of species. In his Perspective, Olsen discusses work reported in the same issue by [ Marzoli et al .][1] on what may be the largest such volcanic episode, the result of which is known as the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province. The lava flows of this event, thought to have occurred some 200 million years ago, cover more than 7 million square kilometers. As Olsen describes, everything about these large magmatic events is controversial, but Marzoli et al . have found evidence that the formation of the CAMP coincided with a mass extinction at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/284/5414/616