cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biotic and abiotic predictors of fungal colonization in grasses of the Colorado Rockies.

Aim Fungal symbionts are ubiquitous in plants and can mitigate abiotic stressors associated with climate change. Predicting fungal symbiont distributions under future climates first requires knowledge of current distributions and their potential drivers. Location We documented colonization by fungal symbionts in perennial, cool-season grasses along altitudinal gradients in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA. Methods Across seven replicate altitudinal gradients, spanning c. 1400 vertical meters, we scored fungal colonization for 46 grass species. We documented altitudinal clines in colonization by both above-ground and below-ground fungal symbionts for the first time, including localized foliar endophytes (LFE) and systemic endophytes (epichloae) in leaves and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate endophytes (DSE) in roots. For a subset of 16 well-sampled grass species, we used model selection procedures to evaluate the relative importance of geography, edaphic factors and host plant identity. We also assessed the influence of host phylogenetic relatedness and colonization by co-infecting fungi. Results Levels of fungal colonization varied strongly with host plant identity, but the effects of particular host species were not consistent across fungal groups. In addition to the influence of host identity, epichloae colonization declined with elevation and varied with geography (latitude/longitude) and edaphic factors. Geography and collection date were important predictors of LFE colonization, with higher colonization later in the growing season. Colonization estimates for the obligately plant-associated fungi (epichloae, AMF) were phylogenetically conserved across the grass supertree. Positive correlations between AMF and DSE, which remained even after accounting for host plant relatedness, suggested possible synergisms between these fungal groups. Main conclusions Our survey showed greater host specificity in patterns of fungal colonization than prior reports and revealed that different fungal symbiont groups do not share similar drivers. Conserving plant–fungal symbioses under future climates may require unique strategies for different plant species and fungal symbiont types.
Utilization of Front-Face Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Analysis of Process Cheese Functionality

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of front-face fluorescence spectroscopy (FFFS) to predict the meltability of process cheese spreads or products. Twenty-seven commercial samples from 3 manufacturers were used in this study. Each sample was analyzed using dynamic stress rheometry, which was used to calculate the meltability index (temperature at tanδ = 1). Additionally, fluorescence spectra of tryptophan (excitation: 290 nm; emission: 305 to 400 nm) were collected on each sample at 20°C using a front-face accessory. Fluorescence spectrum for each sample consisted of an average of 36 scans (6 scans performed on 6 replicates). The spectral data set consisted of normalized and mean-centered spectra from all the samples. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to correlate spectral data with cheese meltability index as measured by dynamic stress rheometry. A prediction model was developed using partial least square regression and was calibrated using a cross-validation method. A correlation coefficient of 0.93 was obtained between fluorescence spectra and cheese meltability. The regions 335 to 350 nm and 385 to 400 nm had the highest correlation to cheese meltability. A negative correlation between the peak height of tryptophan (335 to 350 nm) and cheese meltability index was observed. This correlation may be due to presence of tryptophan residues in a more hydrophobic environment in stronger emulsions as compared with a more polar environment in weak emulsions. These results indicate that the melt properties of process cheese spreads or products are related to molecular structure that can be measured using FFFS. Hence, FFFS can be used as an analysis technique to predict process cheese meltability.
Recent Literatures and Updated Guidelines on Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are very common urological problems. The incidence of kidney stones is rising with an estimated global prevalence of 10% to 15%. In the United States, approximately 13% of men and 7% women will develop a kidney stone throughout their lifetime. Recently, guidelines by American Urological Association (AUA) and American College of Physicians (ACP) for management of kidney stones have been published. In addition, a few meta-analyses on kidney stones in this year of 2014 have provided an important data on treatment and epidemiology of kidney stones. The important findings of meta-analyses on this topic in the year of 2014 were summarized in this brief review. Journal of Nature and Science, 1(1):e30, 2015.
Second workshop on Compiler and Architectural Techniques for Application Reliability and Security (CATARS)

The second workshop on Compiler and Architectural Techniques for Application Reliability and Security (CATARS) aims to bring together compiler designers and computer architects with dependability researchers and practitioners. The goal is to provide a forum for research on application dependability using techniques drawn from compilers and computer architecture. While there has been a mushrooming of interest in the areas of dependability-centric compiler-and architecture research, there has been no unified forum for researchers in these areas to publish their work. The CATARS workshop aims to provide such a venue.
Assessment of urban-scale wireless networks with a small number of measurements

In order to evaluate, improve, or expand a deployed, city-wide wireless mesh network, it is necessary to assess the network's spatial performance. In this paper, we present a general framework to accurately predict a network's well-served area, termed the metric region, via a small number of measurements. Assessment of deployed networks must address two key issues: non-uniform physical-layer propagation and high spatial variance in performance. Addressing non-uniformity, our framework estimates a mesh node's metric region via a data-driven sectorization of the region. We find each sector's boundary (radius) with a two-stage process of estimation and then measurement-driven "push-pull" refinement of the estimated boundary. To address high spatial variation, our coverage estimation couples signal strength measurements with terrain information from publicly available digital maps to estimate propagation characteristics between a wireless node and the client's location. To limit measurements and yield connected metric regions, we consider performance metrics (such as signal strength) to be monotonic with distance from the wireless node within each sector. We show that despite measured violations in coverage monotonicity, we obtain high accuracy with this assumption. We validate our estimation and refinement framework with measurements from 30,000 client locations obtained in each of two currently operational mesh networks, GoogleWiFi and TFA. We study three illustrative metrics: coverage, modulation rate, and redundancy, and find that to achieve a given accuracy, our framework requires two to five times fewer measurements than grid sampling strategies. Finally, we use the framework to evaluate the two deployments and study the average size and location of their coverage holes as well as the impact of client association policies on load-balancing.
A microfluidic multiplex proteomic immunoassay device for translational research

Microfluidic technology has the potential to miniaturize and automate complex laboratory procedures. The objective of this study was to assess a microfluidic immunoassay device, Simple Plex, which simultaneously measured IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in serum samples. This assessment is important to understanding the potentials of this microfluidic device as a valuable tool in translational research efforts. We studied the operational characteristics of Simple Plex, and compared to other immunoassay systems including bead-based (i.e., Bio-Plex® from Bio-Rad) and planar micro-spot based (i.e., Multi-Array from Meso Scale Discovery) multiplex assays. We determined imprecisions for each of the Simple Plex assays and evaluated the ability of Simple Plex to detect IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in serum samples. Simple Plex assays required 25 µL serum, and 1.5 h to run 16 samples per cartridge per instrument. Assay imprecisions, evaluated by measurement of 6 replicates in duplicate from a serum pool using three different cartridges, were less than 10 % for all 4 cytokine protein biomarkers, comparable to the imprecisions of traditional ELISAs. The Simple Plex assays were able to detect 32, 95, 97, and 100 % [i.e., percentages of the results within the respective analytical measurement ranges (AMRs)] of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10, respectively, in 66 serum samples. Simple Plex is a microfluidic multiplex immunoassay device that offers miniaturized, and automated analysis of protein biomarkers. Microfluidic devices such as Simple Plex represent a promising platform to be used in translational research to measure protein biomarkers in real clinical samples.
Evidentiary Use in Criminal Cases of Collateral Crimes and Acts: A Comparison of the Federal Rules and Alabama Law

In recent years, the use of evidence of collateral crimes has been the subject of considerable controversy. In particular, courts and commentators have expressed concern about the impeachment of a criminal defendant by the use of evidence of his prior convictions. A defendant who has a criminal record is seriously handicapped in presenting a defense. If he testifies in his own behalf, his record will be introduced and his chances of acquittal reduced as, inevitably, some jurors conclude that "if he did it before he did it now." Conversely, if the defendant chooses not to testify in his own behalf, the jury is deprived of information that might assist it in determining the truth and his silence, despite cautionary instructions, is likely to be used against him. Allowing proof of character as part of the case-in-chief and barring evidence of most prior offenses to impeach would ensure that every defendant could freely choose whether to testify and, at the same time, would guarantee the prosecution the opportunity to introduce relevant evidence of guilt without going through the present charade of introducing that evidence in the name of impeachment.
The role of imaging in acute appendicitis and the need for histopathologic validation

With increasing availability of diagnostic imaging, the workup and treatment of appendicitis is shifting from a settled disease process to one of controversy. As appendicitis is the most common surgical disease, its workup must be efficient, cost effective, and accurate. The presentation of fever, leukocytosis and right lower quadrant pain is a common presentation for a patient taken to the operating room for appendectomy. However, we know from decades of research, using clinical examination alone, the negative appendectomy rate can be as high as 20% which has historically been the acceptable negative appendectomy rate. Is this still acceptable?
Determinants of Efficiency and Liquidation in Transitional Economy: Evidence from Ukraine, 2004-2010

Objective: This paper examines bank efficiency and probability of liquidation in Ukraine during the period of 2004-2010. This study is important both because of its relevance for the economy of Ukraine but also because of its implications for research on bank efficiency and capital structure requirements in developing countries. Methods: Longitudinal data for 2004 and 2010 were obtained from the National Bank of Ukraine, which provides financial statements on all operating banks in Ukraine. Bank efficiency was measured as cost efficiency. Probability of liquidation as a function of bank efficiency and other predictors was calculated. Quantitative data were supplemented by survey results of bank insiders on factors that influence bank efficiency in Ukraine. Findings: Efficiency of Ukrainian banks declined from 2004 to 2008 and then experienced growth gaining back its peak by the end of 2010 due to increased levels of capitalization. However, the estimates ranged from 0.3 to 0.53 during 2004-2010 so overall Ukraine’s banks still remain inefficient. Bank size and bank ownership were significant predictors of bank efficiency, along with macro-characteristics. Interestingly, a number of interactions of bank size and ownership by types of assets were significant predictors of efficiency. Age, number of owners, owner’s origin, as well as financial ratios predicted bank liquidation. Using supplemental survey data, bank liquidity and employee competence were identified as key factors for efficiency, while corruption and insolvency of debtors were ranked as less important.Conclusions: The findings reveal a tradeoff where banks with lower capital to total assets ratios had greater probability of going bankrupt, and those with greater ratio of securities to total assets had higher probability. Banks with high levels of capitalization had lower efficiency, while those with higher levels of securities had higher. Findings extend previous research on the effects of foreign-ownership and bank size on cost efficiency and bankruptcy and illustrate the importance of economic conditions for the improvement of the banking sector in Ukraine. They also support the notion that inefficient financial organizations should maintain high capitalization.
Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a Previously Vaccinated Injection Drug User.

Introduction: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) is defined by the presence of HBV DNA in patient sera in the absence of HBsAg. Occult HBV has been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, reactivation during immune suppression, and transmission to others. While the hepatitis B vaccine is very effective at preventing chronic HBV infection, recent studies indicate it is less effective at preventing occult HBV following infant vaccination. No studies, however, have examined the efficacy of adult HBV vaccination at preventing occult HBV. Here, we present the first report of occult HBV following adult vaccination. Case Presentation: A 21-year old Caucasian female presented with tricuspid valve endocarditis secondary to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. She reported active use of intravenous drugs. Her liver enzymes were elevated (ALT = 1873 IU/mL; AST = 4518 IU/mL), and she was found to have HCV and occult HBV. HBV viral loads ranged from 4608 - 8364 copies IU/mL during hospitalization. The patient’s HBV was sequenced and found to be genotype D3 without any known diagnostic escape mutations. Immune complexes that may have prevented HBsAg detection were not observed. Conclusions: HBV vaccination in infancy is effective at preventing chronic HBV infection but is less effective at preventing occult HBV infection. Similar studies examining the efficacy of adult HBV vaccination in preventing occult HBV have not been performed. This case highlights the importance of carefully determining the HBV status of high-risk individuals, as vaccination history and the presence of antiHBs may not be adequate to rule out HBV infection, even in the absence of HBsAg.
Application of Computer Technology to Drug Abuse Prevention

Since the late 1970s, when computers were first introduced into classrooms, health educators and health-promotion scientists have attempted to harness this technology and its inherent appeal to youth for prevention purposes. Unfortunately, few of those efforts have been sustained to the point where efficacy can be shown through summative evaluation. While advances in the technology offer new frontiers for drug abuse prevention, few rigorous evaluations have been conducted. Those evaluations that have been conducted indicate, however, that there are some definite advantages and very few risks to using the technology. Because of its inherent appeal to youth, researchers and others developing drug prevention interventions should explore how their interventions might take advantage of the unique features that computer-based technologies offer. Researchers who have explored uses of technology need to be assertive in reporting the results of their studies. The prevention community needs to be attentive to the lessons that can be learned from less than perfect evaluation designs.
Using parametric methods to understand place in urban design courses

AbstractToday, many urban design studios begin with the data collected and analyzed by others and their abstraction is experientially distant from the place itself. New digital parametric methods of urban design education today support the inclusion of everyday experience of phenomena through (1) the systematic comparison of urban characteristics; (2) the inclusion of experience as phenomena over time; and (3) open formulation of urban characteristics by each student. This paper describes the methodology of three courses taught in Eugene in Oregon, Barcelona in Spain and Portland in Oregon. Each course integrated urban design principles and table-based geospatial information (GI) computing techniques that included phenomena of place. Unlike GI planning software such as ESRI ArcGIS and City Engine, the parametric software Rhino Grasshopper, with open plugins for CSV tables and OpenStreetMaps (Coast 2004) and custom scripting, allowed students to formulate their own open tools to understand people and place...
Service learning as innovative pedagogy in online learning

This paper discusses the intentions and outcomes of a service-learning course in LIS. Interviews with students who had recently completed the course provided insight into how the course had changed their perspective on their community. The interviews sought students’ perspectives on their own empathetic development, sense of community, and impediments in completing the course. The students reported increased knowledge and understanding of the people who live in their community during the course of the semester. Traditional students, though, experienced fewer problems completing the coursework than non-traditional students, which should be considered when implementing service-learning courses at the graduate level.
GENETIC VARIATION IN CRICKET CALLING SONG ACROSS A HYBRID ZONE BETWEEN TWO SIBLING SPECIES

The sibling ground crickets Allonemobius fasciatus and A. socius meet along a mosaic hybrid zone at ≈ 40°N latitude in eastern North America. In this paper we report the findings of a genetic analysis of calling-song variation within and among six cricket populations sampled along a transect through the hybrid zone in southern New Jersey. We compared aspects of the calling song of both wild-caught and laboratory-reared crickets to test the hypothesis that population differences in song observed in the wild were genetically based. We found significant, species-level differences in all aspects of the calling song, and these differences persisted even after a generation of common-garden rearing in the laboratory, supporting the hypothesis that interspecific variation observed in the wild largely reflects genetic differentiation between the two taxa. A discriminant function analysis indicated that individual crickets could be assigned to the proper taxon with less than 10% error, supporting the premise that calling song could be used by female crickets as a mechanism for species recognition. One population, collected from within the hybrid zone and containing significant numbers of hybrid individuals, was intermediate in its calling song, presumably reflecting this population's mixed genetic makeup. In this hybrid zone population, song phenotype was highly correlated to a hybrid index score generated using species-specific alleles at four diagnostic allozyme markers, suggesting a multigenic basis to calling-song variation in these crickets as well as linkage disequilibrium between markers and song. Based on an analysis of laboratory-reared full-sib families, broad-sense heritabilities for calling-song characteristics were generally significant in the two A. socius populations, whereas many components of song showed no significant family effects in the three A. fasciatus populations. The genotypically mixed, hybrid zone population showed very high heritabilities for most calling-song components, which likely reflect the influence of interspecific gene flow on genetic variation for quantitative traits.
Tapping into a vital resource: Understanding the motivators and barriers to blood donation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has a need for blood and blood products that exceeds current availability. This unmet demand is evidenced by persistently high mortality rates associated with potentially reversible conditions such as haemorrhage and anaemia. This study reviews current literature on blood donation in SSA to identify common local motivators and deterrents to blood donation and highlights specific interventions that have successfully increased the number of blood donors in this region. Methods The authors searched the health literature to identify original studies conducted in SSA that addressed blood donation motivators and deterrents. Data were then extracted from each study to determine how often each study identified specific motivators and deterrents. Results Pro-social motivation, such as altruism and the desire to have a positive effect on the community, is the most frequently noted reason for people in SSA countries to donate blood. Negative attitudes and misconceptions towards blood donation, in addition to perceived negative health effects caused by donation, are the two most frequently mentioned reasons that dissuade individuals from donating blood. Conclusion Due to paucity of research on this topic, our understanding of blood donor behaviour in SSA is limited. Local traditions and cultures intimately shape individuals' proclivity towards the donation process. In order to change the attitudes and behaviours of many potential donors in SSA it is important to address the deterrents to blood donation, as many represent misconceptions or culture-specific beliefs that may be the ultimate driving force dictating donor behaviour.
Increased Hydrogel Swelling Induced by Absorption of Small Molecules

The water and small molecule uptake behavior of amphiphilic diacrylate terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMSDA)/poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) cross-linked hydrogels were studied using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. These hydrogel networks absorbed more water as the PEGDA content of the network increased. In contrast to typical osmotic deswelling behavior that occurs when liquid water equilibrated hydrogels are immersed in small molecule solutions with water activities less than unity, water-swollen gels immersed in 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS-H) solutions rapidly regained their water content within 4 min following an initial deswelling response. In situ ATR-FTIR analysis of the hydrogel film during the dynamic swelling experiment indicated that small molecule absorption into the gel played an important role in inducing gel reswelling in low water activity solutions. This aspect of polymer gel water uptake and interaction wi...
Negating Precedent and (Selectively) Suspending Stare Decisis: AEDPA and Problems for the Article III Hierarchy

At its core, the "province and duty of the judicial department [is] to say what the law is." Chief Justice Marshall articulated this bedrock principle of judicial independence and operation in Marbury v. Madison in 1803. Much less quoted, but no less significant, is the concept that "[t]hose who apply the rule to particular cases, must of necessity expound and interpret that rule." Any court, including "such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish," that is called on to judge an issue according to a rule should have the power to construe and develop the rule into a statement of what the law is. Over time, the definition of law is extended and constricted and applied to new situations. This definition and redefinition of law over time depends largely on reference to precedent and adherence to the principle of stare decisis. Thus, precedent and stare decisis are integral parts of the judicial department's power and duty to say what the law is. In the realm of habeas corpus petitions, however, this power is being contravened. In 1996, Congress passed the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) which, among other things, amended the statutes governing federal habeas corpus law. AEDPA imposed a statute of limitations on filing a habeas corpus petition and substantially restricted an inmate's ability to file successive petitions. Most pertinent for this Comment, however, is that AEDPA also amended 28 U.S.C. § 2254, which sets the standards for ruling on habeas corpus petitions. AEDPA added a new section, 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d)(1) (hereinafter "the AEDPA standard"), which mandates that federal district courts reviewing a habeas corpus petition can rely only on Supreme Court case law to determine whether the petitioner's incarceration violates the United States Constitution. This Comment argues that this provision undermines the judicial department's ability to say what the law is, and is an unconstitutional impairment of the exercise of the Article III judicial function.
Proceedings of the 2008 Foundations of Software Engineering Doctoral Symposium

The Doctoral Symposium aims to create a forum for PhD students working on foundations, techniques, methods, and tools in software engineering. This provides participants with an opportunity to present and discuss their dissertation research with senior researchers in the software engineering community, in a constructive and friendly atmosphere.
Innovation and Collaboration Patterns in Human-Computer Interaction Research

Research in human-computer interaction is dominated by institutions characterized by a deep involvement in the evolution of the field, and their ability to successfully network and collaborate with others. Network analysis and information flow visualization are useful techniques to help understand their influence and centrality. We use data visualizations of publication data to examine how collaborative research institutions are with each other in HCI research.
An intracellular compass spatially coordinates cell cycle modules in Caulobacter crescentus

Cellular functions in Bacteria, such as chromosome segregation and cytokinesis, result from cascades of molecular events operating largely as self-contained modules. Regulated timing of these cellular modules stems from global genetic circuits that allow precise temporal activation with respect to cell cycle progression and cell differentiation. Critically, many of these functions occur at defined locations within the cell, and therefore regulators of each module must communicate to remain coordinated in space. In this perspective, we highlight recent discoveries in Caulobacter crescentus asymmetric cell division to illuminate diverse mechanisms by which a cellular compass, composed of scaffolding and signaling proteins, directs cell cycle modules to their exact cellular addresses.
Primary Tumor Resection Following Favorable Response to Systemic Chemotherapy in Stage IV Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma with Synchronous Metastases: a Bi-institutional Analysis

Patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma have traditionally been offered palliative chemotherapy alone, and the role of surgery in these patients remains unknown. A bi-institutional retrospective review was performed for patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent resection of the primary tumor from 2008 to 2013. The primary outcome measured was postoperative overall survival. Secondary outcomes included postoperative disease-free survival and overall survival from the time of diagnosis. Twenty-three patients were identified who met the study criteria with a median follow-up of 30 months. Metastatic sites included the liver (n = 16), the lung (n = 6), and the peritoneum (n = 2). Chemotherapy included FOLFIRINOX (n = 14) and gemcitabine-based regimens (n = 9), with a median of 9 cycles (range 2–31) prior to surgical treatment. Median time from diagnosis to surgery was 9.7 months (IQR 5.8–12.8). Median overall survival (OS) from surgery, disease-free survival, and OS from diagnosis were 18.2 months (95 % CI 11.8–35.5), 8.6 months (95 % CI 5.2–16.8), and 34.1 months (95 % CI 22.5–46.2), respectively. The 1- and 3-year OS from surgery were 72.7 % (95 % CI 49.1–86.7) and 21.5 % (95 % CI 4.3–47.2), respectively. Resection of the primary tumor in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma may be considered in highly selected patients with favorable imaging and CA 19-9 response following chemotherapy at high-volume centers providing multidisciplinary care. These patients should be enrolled in prospective clinical trials or institutional registries to better quantify the potential benefits of such a strategy.
Impact of metformin on the progression of MGUS to multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) arises from asymptomatic precursor states, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM).[1,2] These precursor states are pres...
Statistical analysis of winter ozone exceedances in the Uintah Basin, Utah, USA

ABSTRACTBecause of the confluence of several factors (persistent multiday inversions, petroleum production, and snow cover), the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah, USA, exhibits high concentrations of winter ozone. A regression analysis is presented that successfully predicts daily ozone concentration with a standard error of about 11 ppb. It also predicts with 90% accuracy whether any given day will exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone, 70 ppb. An analysis is introduced for calculating a “pseudo-lapse rate,” a determination of inversion intensity in the absence of sounding data. By combining the model with historical meteorological data, it is possible to make long-range predictions about ozone formation. The odds of observing no exceedance days in any given season are 38%. The odds of only three or fewer exceedance days in any given season are 46%.Implications: This paper provides an improved understanding of the scientific underpinnings of the winter ozone phenomenon and an ability to ...
Privacy-Preserving Speaker Identification Using Gaussian Mixture Models

In this chapter we present a framework for privacy-preserving speaker identification using Gaussian mixture models (GMMs). As discussed in the previous chapter, we consider two parties, the client having the test speech sample, and the server having a set of speaker models who is interested in performing the identification. Our privacy constraints are that the server should not be able to observe the speech sample and the client should not be able to observe the speaker models.
Blind deconvolution of sources of opportunity in ocean waveguides using bilinear channel models

A general blind deconvolution algorithmic framework is developed for sources of opportunity (e.g., ships at known locations) in an ocean waveguide. Here, both channel impulse responses (CIRs) and unknown source signals need to be simultaneously estimated from only the recorded signals on a receiver array using blind deconvolution, which is generally an ill-posed problem without any a priori information or additional assumptions about the underlying structure of the CIRs. By exploiting the typical ray-like arrival-time structure of the CIRs between a surface source and the elements of a vertical line array (VLA) in ocean waveguides, a principle component analysis technique is applied to build a bilinear parametric model linking the amplitudes and arrival-times of the CIRs across all channels for a variety of admissible ocean environments. The bilinear channel representation further reduces the dimension of the channel parametric model compared to linear models. A truncated power interaction deconvolution algorithm is then developed by applying the bilinear channel model to the traditional subspace deconvolution method. Numerical and experimental results demonstrate the robustness of this blind deconvolution methodology.
Extreme Space Weather and Emergency Management

Abstract Emergency managers rely on strong partnerships with the research and engineering communities to understand and advise on natural and man-made hazards: research to operations, operations to research. Leveraging current research and engineering, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) completed a preliminary risk assessment for radio blackouts, solar radiation storms, and geomagnetic storms in the United States. However, officials cannot know what physical impacts will occur, where specifically they will occur, how bad they will be, or how long they will last. Researchers have suggested that space weather forecasting is years behind that of tropical cyclone forecasting (hurricanes). Moving forward, emergency managers need: (1) products written in plain language, (2) expert analysis available on demand, (3) the ability to share information, as appropriate, and (4) greatly improved forecast and impact products from “Sun to mud” for solar flares, interplanetary magnetic fields of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and the Earth environment.
China’s New Suburban Reality: An Attempt to Systematically Define the Chinese Suburb

The Chinese urban landscape has changed remarkably in the last two decades. Inner city redevelopment or renovation projects have resulted in massive demolition and displacement in many cities, while large-scale residential development projects in suburban areas have taken over land formerly utilized exclusively for farming or industry. These suburban projects have led to the loss of farmland, the relocation of former villagers, and massive housing consumption by middle-class Chinese. The two parallel processes of urban redevelopment and suburban development have totally transformed China’s urban landscape. Two main types of urban fringe have been produced or shaped in the last two decades: (i) the “rural–urban conjunction area,” “rural–urban fringe zone,” or “chengxiang jiehebu,” and (ii) the “suburb.” Important parts of China’s new urban reality, these two types of suburb provide two radically different ways of life. This chapter focuses on these two urban fringe areas, analyzes how China’s new suburban reality has been produced and shaped, discusses how local people “speak” about the urban fringe, and depicts how suburbanites actually live in the newly built environment. Only by situating China’s new suburban reality in historical context can we understand the radical difference between suburbia in China and that in the West. China’s suburbia is an integrated part of China’s urban system, which does not (and probably will never) support an independent suburban way of life.
On the convergence of iterative filtering empirical mode decomposition

Empirical mode decomposition (EMD), an adaptive technique for data and signal decomposition, is a valuable tool for many applications in data and signal processing. One approach to EMD is the iterative filtering EMD, which iterates certain banded Toeplitz operators in l ∞ (ℤ). The convergence of iterative filtering is a challenging mathematical problem. In this chapter we study this problem, namely for a banded Toeplitz operator T and x∈l ∞ (ℤ) we study the convergence of T n (x). We also study some related spectral properties of these operators. Even though these operators don’t have any eigenvalue in Hilbert space l 2(ℤ), all eigenvalues and their associated eigenvectors are identified in l ∞ (ℤ) by using the Fourier transform on tempered distributions. The convergence of T n (x) relies on a careful localization of the generating function for T around their maximal points and detailed estimates on the contribution from the tails of x.
Human Evolutionary Genetics

Modern humans started perhaps two hundred thousand years ago in East Africa, and spread to the world in an expansion often called ‘Out of Africa’ that began some 60 000 years ago and had populated most of the world, except remote oceanic islands by ten thousand years ago. Saturation with the then available techniques of obtaining food had been reached, and new growth became possible again shortly after, when local plants and animals were domesticated, independently, in several parts of the world. Thus was originated the agro-pastoral economy which largely and rapidly replaced the hunter-gatherers way of life, and spread from four or five major centers of origin. Sixty thousand years is a short time to create many biological differences among human populations. These are small and the genetic variation from place to place is rather continuous, so that it is hard to classify reproducibly human races. Moreover, technological inventions and new customs can diffuse much faster than purely biological mechanisms of adaptation, which take a great deal of time to arise and spread. This is because neurobiological changes of the last 6 million years had greatly, and progressively reinforced our capacity to increase our adaptation by a lamarckian type of evolution, and the culture thus generated (defined as whatever we learn from parents and the rest of society, and transmit to descendants) took a much greater share in the genesis of modern humans, compared with our earlier history, and that of other animals. Our recent history has thus involved complicated interactions of biological and cultural transmission and evolution, and moreover cultural evolution has become faster and faster. It is not surprising that many, perhaps all, psychological traits and diseases have both a genetic and a cultural basis, with complicated interactions between them. It is hoped that modern genome analysis will greatly help in understanding the genetically transmitted portion.
Opioid Analgesics in Georgia Medicaid: Trends in Potential Inappropriate Prescribing Practices by Demographic Characteristics, 2009-2014

BACKGROUND: There has been a dramatic rise in the number of opioid prescriptions and opioid overdose deaths in the United States over the past 15 years. Misuse and abuse of opioids is also a growin...
Two Temperature Regimes of Triplet Transfer in the Dissociation of the Correlated Triplet Pair after Singlet Fission

The ability to undergo spin-allowed exciton multiplication makes singlet fission materials promising for photovoltaic applications. Here, we examine the separation of correlated triplet pairs, 1(T…...
Quantum Computing for Everyone

An accessible introduction to an exciting new area in computation, explaining such topics as qubits, entanglement, and quantum teleportation for the general reader.Quantum computing is a beautiful fusion of quantum physics and computer science, incorporating some of the most stunning ideas from twentieth-century physics into an entirely new way of thinking about computation. In this book, Chris Bernhardt offers an introduction to quantum computing that is accessible to anyone who is comfortable with high school mathematics. He explains qubits, entanglement, quantum teleportation, quantum algorithms, and other quantum-related topics as clearly as possible for the general reader. Bernhardt, a mathematician himself, simplifies the mathematics as much as he can and provides elementary examples that illustrate both how the math works and what it means. Bernhardt introduces the basic unit of quantum computing, the qubit, and explains how the qubit can be measured; discusses entanglement?which, he says, is easier to describe mathematically than verbally?and what it means when two qubits are entangled (citing Einstein's characterization of what happens when the measurement of one entangled qubit affects the second as ?spooky action at a distance?); and introduces quantum cryptography. He recaps standard topics in classical computing?bits, gates, and logic?and describes Edward Fredkin's ingenious billiard ball computer. He defines quantum gates, considers the speed of quantum algorithms, and describes the building of quantum computers. By the end of the book, readers understand that quantum computing and classical computing are not two distinct disciplines, and that quantum computing is the fundamental form of computing. The basic unit of computation is the qubit, not the bit.
Size-fractionated biomass and primary productivity of Sargasso Sea phytoplankton

Abstract The size structure of phytoplankton communities greatly influences the function of pelagic food webs and, ultimately, the flux of material from the surface ocean to the deep sea. While the biomass and taxonomic composition of organisms in a specific size class are important characteristics of a food web, the activity of that size fraction is more directly relevant to trophic dynamics and biogeochemical cycling. Even if a size class dominates cell abundance or biomass, does it necessarily contribute the most to total primary productivity (PP)? We asked this question for phytoplankton communities from the Sargasso Sea. The picophytoplankton (0.7–2 μm) accounted for 53–85% of the total integrated chl-a and 46–99% or more of the total integrated PP. The microphytoplankton (20–200 μm) were responsible for up to 38% of the total PP, but accounted for no more than 22% of total chl-a. Variations in the picophytoplankton size-class explained 84% of the variance in total integrated chl-a and 87% of the variance in total PP. Size-dependent relative contributions to chl-a versus PP varied with depth, with differences generally driven by vertical variations in C:chl-a ratios and chl-specific rates of PP. Use of the relative contributions of picophytoplankton to biomass as a predictor of their contributions to total primary productivity resulted in an average underestimate of ~7%.
Asthma control in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis treated with rituximab

Rituximab (RTX) treatment is used for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis, but its benefits in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) are unclear. Our aim was to characterize asthma control and glucocorticoid (GC) sparing after RTX treatment. A retrospective, computer-assisted search was performed to identify patients with EGPA and GC-dependent asthma diagnosed between 2000 and 2017 who received RTX for remission induction. Demographic and clinical features were analyzed. Of the 17 patients included, the majority were myeloperoxidase-ANCA positive (n = 13, 76.5%). Uncontrolled asthma symptoms and atopy were present in 13 patients (76.5%). RTX was used for initial remission induction in patients with new onset of severe disease (n = 5, 29.4%) and after failed remission induction with other immunosuppression (n = 12, 70.6%). It was used for remission maintenance in nine patients (52.9%). GCs were used for maintenance at a median dose of 25 mg/day (interquartile range, 16.25–37.5). At the end of follow-up, 13 patients (76.5%) had non-severe or controlled asthma, and remission was achieved in 12 (70.6%). Median serum eosinophil and C-reactive protein values decreased (1.06 vs 0.10 × 109/L [P = .012] and 27.0 vs 5.0 mg/dL [P = .001], respectively), whereas pulmonary function test results remained unchanged. Median GC dose was significantly reduced at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months (P < .0001). Patients receiving RTX for maintenance required less than 10 mg of GCs for asthma control. RTX seems to be safe and have GC-sparing efficacy for asthma control in EGPA. Randomized controlled trials are needed for detailed study of RTX for treating EGPA.
Yeasts as probiotics: Mechanisms, outcomes, and future potential

The presence of commensal fungal species in the human gut indicates that organisms from this kingdom have the potential to benefit the host as well. Saccharomyces boulardii, a yeast strain isolated about a hundred years ago, is the most well-characterized probiotic yeast. Though for the most part it genetically resembles Saccharomyces cerevisiae, specific phenotypic differences make it better suited for the gut microenvironment such as better acid and heat tolerance. Several studies using animal hosts suggest that S. boulardii can be used as a biotherapeutic in humans. Clinical trials indicate that it can alleviate symptoms from gastrointestinal (GI) tract infections to some extent, but further trials are needed to understand the full therapeutic potential of S. boulardii. Improvement on probiotic function using engineered yeast is an attractive future direction, though genome modification tools for use in S. boulardii have been limited until recently. However, some tools available for S. cerevisiae should be applicable for S. boulardii as well. In this review, we summarize the observed probiotic effect of this yeast and the state of the art for genome engineering tools that could help enhance its probiotic properties.
Task selection by autonomous mobile robots in a warehouse using deep reinforcement learning

We introduce a deep Q-network (DQN) based model that addresses the dispatching and routing problems for autonomous mobile robots. The DQN model is trained to dispatch a small fleet of robots to perform material handling tasks in a virtual, as well as, in an actual warehouse environment. Specifically, the DQN model is trained to dispatch an available robot to the closest task that will avoid or minimize encounters with other robots. Based on a discrete event simulation experiment, the DQN model outperforms the shortest travel distance rule in terms of avoiding traffic conflicts, improving the makespan for completing a set of tasks, and reducing the mean time in system for tasks.
Involvement of a Na+-coupled Oligopeptide Transport System for β-amyloid Peptide (Aβ1–42) in Brain Cells

A Na+-coupled transport system in mammalian cells is responsible for the uptake of oligopeptides consisting of 5 or more amino acids. Here we investigated if this transport system is expressed in brain cells and transports the 42-amino-acid β-amyloid peptide (Aβ1–42). The human and mouse neuronal cell lines SK-N-SH and HT22, human microglial cell line HMC-3, and human blood-brain barrier endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3 were used to monitor the uptake of [3H]-deltorphin II (a heptapeptide) and fluorescence-labeled Aβ1–42. All four cell lines exhibited Na+-coupled uptake of deltorphin II. Aβ1–42 competed with deltorphin II for the uptake. Uptake of fluorescence-labeled Aβ1–42 was detectable in these cell lines, and the uptake was Na+-dependent and inhibitable by deltorphin II. The Na+-coupled uptake disappeared at high concentrations of Aβ1–42 due to oligomerization of the peptide. Exposure of the cells to excess iron abolished the uptake. In hCMEC/D3 cells cultured on Transwell filters, the uptake was localized preferentially to the abluminal membrane. A Na+-coupled transport system mediates the uptake of Aβ1–42 monomers in neuronal and microglial cells. The same system is also responsible for the uptake of Aβ1–42 from brain into blood-brain barrier endothelial cells. These findings have relevance to Alzheimer’s disease.