cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plant community response to loss of large herbivores: comparing consequences in a South African and a North American grassland

Loss of biodiversity poses one of the greatest threats to natural ecosystems throughout the world. However, a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of species losses from upper trophic levels is still emerging. Here we compare the impacts of large mammalian herbivore species loss on grassland plant community structure and composition in a South African and North American grassland. Herbaceous plant communities were surveyed at sites without large mammalian herbivores present and at sites with a single species of herbivore present in both locations, and additionally at one site in South Africa with multiple herbivore species. At both the North American and South African locations, plant communities on sites with a single herbivore species were more diverse and species rich than on sites with no herbivores. At the multi-herbivore site in South Africa, plant diversity and richness were comparable to that of the single herbivore site early in the growing season and to the no herbivore site late in the growing season. Analyses of plant community composition, however, indicated strong differences between the multi-herbivore site and the single and no herbivore sites, which were more similar to each other. In moderate to high-productivity ecosystems with one or a few species of large herbivores, loss of herbivores can cause a significant decrease in plant diversity and richness, and can have pronounced impacts on grassland plant community composition. In ecosystems with higher herbivore richness, species loss may also significantly alter plant community structure and composition, although standard metrics of community structure may obscure these differences.
Detection of dose response in chronic doxorubicin-mediated cell death with cardiac technetium 99m annexin v single-photon emission computed tomography

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate whether technetium 99m hydrazinonicotinamide (99mTc-HYNIC)-annexin V single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) would detect dose-dependent doxorubicin (DOX)-mediated cell death in the heart compared with functional echocardiography. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with DOX (cumulative dose of 15 or 7.5 mg/kg) or saline (n = 7) and monitored by echocardiography. Rats were injected with 7 to 8 mCi 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V and imaged 1 hour postinjection using a small animal dual-head SPECT/computed tomography (CT) system with multipinhole technology. Two regions of interest were drawn in the myocardium and soft tissue regions to calculate the cardiac uptake ratio (CUR) of reconstructed images. Myocardium and blood were harvested for radioactivity measurements or TUNEL assay. Biodistribution of 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V uptake, CUR from SPECT/CT fused cardiac images, and TUNEL of myocardium demonstrated a dose-dependent toxicity response, with the cumulative 15 mg/kg DOX treatment showing the greatest degree of cell death. In contrast, echocardiography detected functional deficits only at the highest DOX dose. In vivo molecular imaging of DOX-induced cardiac toxicity with 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V detects dose-dependent cell death before ventricular deficits are observed with echocardiography. 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V SPECT-based molecular imaging may provide an attractive new technique for assessing early changes in myocardial function in patients undergoing DOX therapy.
The role of lipids and lipid metabolites in urinary bladder dysfunction induced by partial outlet obstruction.

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) frequently progresses to cause partial outlet obstruction of the urinary bladder, resulting in a range of symptoms including urine retention, poor flow, nocturia, and detrusor instability. Over 80% of males 50 to 60 years of age and older have various degrees of bladder outlet obstruction secondary to BPH that results in urinary dysfunction.23,34 The urinary dysfunction in men with BPH is related to functional,47 structural,21,59 and biochemical46 changes that occur in both the smooth muscle and urothelial components of the urinary bladder during urethral obstruction by the enlarged prostate. However, the specific pathophysiology that leads to BPH symptoms remains unknown.86 The ability to develop rational therapeutic interventions for the treatment of bladder dysfunction associated with BPH requires an understanding of the pathological changes that occur in the underlying cellular mechanisms responsible for maintaining normal bladder function
Origin of Catalytic Effect in the Reduction of CO2 at Nanostructured TiO2 Films

Electrocatalytic activity of nanostructured TiO2 films toward the reduction of CO2 is probed by depositing a nanostructured film on a glassy carbon electrode. The one-electron reduction of CO2 in acetonitrile seen at an onset potential of −0.95 V (vs NHE) is significantly lower than the one observed with a glassy carbon electrode. The electrocatalytic role of TiO2 is elucidated through spectroelectrochemistry and product analysis. Ti3+ species formed when the TiO2 film is subjected to negative potentials have been identified as active reduction sites. Binding of CO2 to catalytically active Ti3+ followed by the electron transfer facilitates the initial one-electron reduction process. Methanol was the primary product when the reduction was carried out in wet acetonitrile.
Toward the Analysis of Conflict in Distribution Channels: A Descriptive Model:

Little is known about the causes, measurement, management, and consequences of conflict in distribution and its effect on distribution channel performance. This article presents a descriptive model...
Outcomes in children with clostridium difficile infection: Results from a nationwide survey

Objective: Hospital- and population-based studies demonstrate an increasing incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in adults and children; although pediatric CDI outcomes are incompletely understood. We analysed United States National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) data to study CDI in hospitalized children. Methods: NHDS data for 2005–2009 (demographics, diagnoses and discharge status) were obtained; cases and comorbidities were identified using ICD-9 codes. Weighted univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to ascertain incidence of CDI; associations between CDI and outcomes [length of stay (LOS), colectomy, all-cause in-hospital mortality and discharge to a care facility (DTCF)]. Results: Of an estimated 13.8 million pediatric inpatients; 46 176 had CDI; median age was 3 years; overall incidence was 33.5/10 000 hospitalizations. The annual frequency of CDI did not vary from 2005 to 2009 (0.24–0.43%; P ¼ 0.64). On univariate analyses, children with CDI had a longer median LOS (6 vs 2 days), higher rates of colectomy [odds ratio (OR) 2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–2.4], mortality (OR 2.5; 95% CI 2.3–2.7), and DTCF (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.6–1.7) (all P < 0.0001). After adjusting for age, sex and comorbidities, CDI was an independent and the strongest predictor of increased LOS (adjusted mean difference, 6.4 days; 95% CI 5.4–7.4), higher rates of colectomy (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.8–2.5), mortality (OR 2.3; 95% CI 2.2–2.5), and DTCF (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.6–1.8) (all P < 0.0001). On excluding infants from the analysis, children with CDI had higher rates of mortality, DTCF and longer LOS than children without CDI. Conclusions: Despite increased awareness and advancements in management, CDI remains a significant problem and is associated with increased LOS, colectomy, in-hospital mortality and DTCF in hospitalized children.
Selection of Patients for En Bloc Esophagectomy

En bloc esophagectomy is an operation designed for use in patients having esophageal cancer in whom surgical cure may appear possible at the time of the operation [1]. By removing an envelope of tissue surrounding the tumor-bearing esophagus for a distance of 10 cm or whatever lesser amount can be obtained both distally and proximally, the operation offers the best possible local and regional control for the cancer. This approach acknowledges that lymph node metastases at more remote sites, fixation to adjacent organs, or spread of the tumor beyond its local region make the patient incurable by surgery alone. In these circumstances other alternatives such as a standard esophagectomy dissecting on the wall of the esophagus and removing grossly evident tumor, surgical bypass, or radiation with or without chemotherapy are preferable treatments when palliation can be the sole objective.
Bitey: an exploration of tooth click gestures for hands-free user interface control

We present Bitey, a subtle, wearable device for enabling input via tooth clicks. Based on a bone-conduction microphone worn just above the ears, Bitey recognizes the click sounds from up to five different pairs of teeth, allowing fully hands-free interface control. We explore the space of tooth input and show that Bitey allows for a high degree of accuracy in distinguishing between different tooth clicks, with up to 94% accuracy under laboratory conditions for five different tooth pairs. Finally, we illustrate Bitey's potential through two demonstration applications: a list navigation and selection interface and a keyboard input method.
Large-signal RF GaN HEMT simulation using Fermi Kinetics Transport

Power amplifier circuit design relies heavily on device parameterization to capture non-linear behavior. Extracting high-fidelity models often involves extensive electrical characterization that must be repeated after any change in the underlying device design, materials, or fabrication. If the high-speed device is operating at a fundamental frequency of 35 GHz, it becomes exceedingly difficult to measure device responses at the harmonics [1]. A predictive simulation is therefore an attractive alternative for high-frequency, large-signal characterizations of electronic devices that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Large voltage inputs yield hot electron effects, implying that proper treatment of electronic band structure becomes paramount. Furthermore, external matching circuits, e.g., high-Q bandpass filters, must be included to properly emulate transistors in power amplifier systems. Due to the nonlinear nature of the devices, large-signal single-tone stimuli will generate non-negligible signals at harmonics of the fundamental frequency. Here, a new simulation technique is demonstrated which couples a device charge transport solver called Fermi Kinetics Transport (FKT) with external circuit elements. The target application is the prediction of device performance by efficiently incorporating realistic physical processes at the semiconductor level along with lumped and distributed components at the circuit level.
Barriers to using technology for education in developing countries

"Education for all" is a problem in developing countries. This can be solved by providing elementary learning for all the nine billion people and giving equal education for girls. Technology is not used properly in education, so the ability of individualizing education and personalizing it to the needs and problems of each student has been lost. We propose a learning system in which the computer plays the role of the tutor providing better interaction between the student and the computer.
The Background to Institutional Reform

As has already been noted in the introduction to this work, the holding of next year’s Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) is a result of a Treaty commitment, made by the EU Member States, to examine the workings of the Treaty on European Union (popularly known as the Maastricht Treaty) in 1996. At this conference, it is just possible that these countries will decide (as Germany had orginally hoped) that it is as yet too early to reach valid conclusions on the workings of the Treaty. To the author, this would indeed be the most reasonable outcome. Unfortunately, recent events and the almost inevitable enlargement of the Community (which will extend membership not only to relatively small countries like Cyprus and Malta, but also to a number of countries of Central and Eastern Europe) will make financial and institutional reforms a matter of absolute necessity. It will, for example, be imperative to do something about voting in the Council of Ministers as well as changing the numbers of commissioners. Equally, reforms in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the financing of the Cohesion, Regional and Social Funds are indispensible before any Central and Eastern European countries are admitted into the Community as Member States.
Sensing and classifying indoor environments: An Iot based portable tour guide system

Tour guide system, as referred by the name, is a system used for assisting visitors during a tour of a certain place. Increasing tour efficiency while minimizing resources required has been studied by many researchers. The traditional multilingual human tour guides limit in the fact that, they cannot provide personalized information to every visitor because of time constraint. Also, having persons to assist tourists as a guide is expensive. Some tour guide robots and devices were presented in previous works to overcome certain limitations, but some challenges still exist. In this work, an indoor location-aware portable device is presented aiming at improving the user's experience during a tour of an indoor facility. The proposed system can provide personalized audio-visual information based on the location of the visitor, making the visitors independent of following a guide. The core of the module is a Raspberry Pi 3 with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Wi-Fi transceivers. Localization is performed using iBeacons, and RFID technology is used to identify certain objects. The Thingworx platform has been used as the application cloud server while YouTube has been used to present visual feedback to the user.
A phase-field model for simulation of the laser cladding process using a discontinuous viscosity variable and its approximation by finite element method

The use of numerical simulation for predicting energy and mass transport in the laser cladding process provides a substantially improved understanding of the process, as well as the potential for significant efficiency during process development. This paper describes the development of a model, whose main features include a phase-field variable for the modeling of the powder layer and the surrounding atmosphere, and a discontinuous viscosity function for the representation of the solid/liquid interface.The use of numerical simulation for predicting energy and mass transport in the laser cladding process provides a substantially improved understanding of the process, as well as the potential for significant efficiency during process development. This paper describes the development of a model, whose main features include a phase-field variable for the modeling of the powder layer and the surrounding atmosphere, and a discontinuous viscosity function for the representation of the solid/liquid interface.
Discriminating spurious signals in radar data using multiple channels

Spurious energy in received radar data is unanticipated and undesired signal relevant to radar target signatures, usually a consequence of nonideal component and circuit behavior, perhaps due to I/Q imbalance, nonlinear component behavior, additive interference (e.g. cross-talk, etc.), or other sources. The manifestation of the spurious energy in a range-Doppler map or image can often be influenced by appropriate pulse-to-pulse phase modulation. Comparing multiple images having been processed with the same data but different signal paths and modulations allows identifying undesired spurs and then cropping or apodizing them.
Grain and Nutritional Quality Traits of Southwestern U.S. Blue Maize Landraces

Anthocyanin-rich Southwestern blue maize (Zea mays L.) landraces are receiving interest as functional foods, and commercial production is increasing. We determined variation in kernel color, anthocyanin content, texture, and selected compositional traits of representative varieties. In 2013, eight varieties were grown at four locations in New Mexico. Total kernel anthocyanin content (TAC) and component pigments were measured with spectrophotometry and HPLC, respectively. Oil, protein, starch, and kernel density were determined using NIR spectroscopy and amino acid concentrations using wet chemistry. An average of 49.6 mg/100 g of TAC with a range of 17.6–65.1 mg/100 g was observed. Cyanidin and pelargonidin were major components, and peonidin and succinyl 3-glucoside were minor components. Low levels of disuccinyl glucoside were detected. Blue kernels were higher in anthocyanin than purple or red kernels. Floury kernels displayed the highest protein and oil contents and the lowest starch content and kerne...
Comparison of modeled and experimental PV array temperature profiles for accurate interpretation of module performance and degradation

Quantification of the effect of temperature on photovoltaic (PV) module efficiency is vital to the correct interpretation of PV module performance under varied environmental conditions. However, previous work has demonstrated that PV module arrays in the field are subject to significant location-based temperature variations associated with, for example, local heating/cooling and array edge effects. Such thermal non-uniformity can potentially lead to under-prediction or over-prediction of PV array performance due to an incorrect interpretation of individual module temperature de-rating. In the current work, a simulated method for modeling the thermal profile of an extended PV array has been investigated through extensive computational modeling utilizing ANSYS, a high-performance computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software tool. Using the local wind speed as an input, simulations were run to determine the velocity at particular points along modular strings corresponding to the locations of temperature sensors along strings in the field. The point velocities were utilized along with laminar flow theories in order to calculate Nusselt’s number for each point. These calculations produced a heat flux profile which, when combined with local thermal and solar radiation profiles, were used as inputs in an ANSYS Thermal Transient model that generated a solar string operating temperature profile. A comparison of the data collected during field testing, and the data fabricated by ANSYS simulations, will be discussed in order to authenticate the accuracy of the model.
Observations of the Large Scale Distribution of Galaxies

It has long been assumed that clusters of galaxies merge into a smooth “field” of isolated galaxies. Early estimates put 50% of all galaxies into the field. Using new redshift surveys over large areas we find the real distribution of galaxies to be very different. Nearly all galaxies are in clusters or groups covering a range of at least 1000 in mass and richness.
A retina-like hemispherical imager the resolution of planar focal plane arrays (Conference Presentation)

The retina employs a unique hemispherical architecture that provides a low-aberration image with wide field of view. However, owing to established optoelectronic fabrication technologies, conventional imagers are limited to a planar architecture. Despite that limitation, intensive endeavors have been made on mimicking the hemispherical detector geometry. The most critical limitation of the existing approaches is the increased spacing between adjacent detectors on deformation to form non-developable three-dimensional array surfaces. Here, we demonstrate retina-like imagers that do not suffer from pixel spacing enlargement upon transforming into the desired three-dimensional hemispherical shape. The approach employs fabrication processes that are generally employed for optoelectronics on planar flexible plastic foils followed by the unique elongation-free conformal deformation on an elastomeric transfer handle. Using these methods, we demonstrate hemispherical imagers with high optical performance, high yield, and, importantly, unchanged pixel density upon deformation and transformation from a developable two-dimensional to a non-developable three-dimensional surface. This approach is compatible with batch fabrication of imagers with many high performance crystalline materials including but not limited to Si, GaAs, InGaAs, and etc. The demonstrated methods provide a practical path of making high pixel density imaging system on non-developable surfaces.
Dietary carbohydrate quality and quantity in relation to the incidence of type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study of middle-aged and older Korean adults

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to investigate whether dietary glycemic load (GL), glycemic index (GI), and carbohydrate intake were prospectively associated with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a middle-aged and older Korean populations. Methods Data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study were used. A total of 7294 Korean adults ages 40 y to 69 y and with no previous diagnosis of T2DM or cancer at baseline were followed for 10 y. Dietary GL, GI, and carbohydrate intake were estimated on the basis of participants’ responses to a validated, semiquantitative, food-frequency questionnaire at baseline. T2DM was defined according to the World Health Organization and International Diabetes Federation criteria. Results During 7.7 y (56 377 person-years) of follow-up time, 1259 participants (17.3%) developed T2DM. Grain and its products (particularly refined and whole grains) were the greatest contributors to dietary GL. In the multivariable Cox models, dietary GL was differentially associated with T2DM risk by sex. Men in the highest quintile demonstrated a higher risk of T2DM incidence than did those with the lowest, energy-adjusted, dietary GL (hazard ratio for fifth vs. first quarter = 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–1.52; P for trend Conclusions High GL diets may increase the risk of the development of T2DM in middle-aged and older Korean men but not in women. Nutrition education and emphasis on self-monitoring of dietary carbohydrate quality and quantity of overall diets is necessary in the middle-aged and older Korean populations.
Halogen Adsorption and Reaction with Bi2(Se,Te)3 and Bi/Bi2(Se,Te)3

Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 and these same surfaces covered with Bi films are exposed to Br2 and Cl2 in ultrahigh vacuum. Low-energy electron diffraction and low-energy ion scattering are used to investigate the surface composition before and after halogen exposure. It is found that Br2 weakly chemisorbs to the Se- or Te-terminated clean surfaces and light annealing removes the adsorbates restoring the intact surfaces. In contrast, halogens dissociatively adsorb onto surfaces covered with an additional bilayer of Bi, showing a p-doping effect. Annealing these halogen-covered surfaces at 130°C causes Bi atoms to be chemically etched away and the surface reverts to a Se- or Te-termination. This work shows how halogen adsorption and reaction can be used to modify the surface termination of such materials.
Nonlinear Dynamics of an Electrically Actuated Resonator

This chapter discusses the nonlinear dynamics of an electrically actuated resonator as a case study in some depth. Several experimental data of the static and dynamic responses will be shown. After that, we discuss several modeling and simulation techniques to explain the measurements, particularly, the measured pull-in data. A shooting technique to find periodic motion and a basin-of-attraction technique will be illustrated and demonstrated. These are used to shed light on the fractal or chaotic-like nature of the dynamic behavior near the pull-in regime. Bifurcation analysis will be conducted based on the so-called Dover-Cliff integrity curves, which help justify the experimental measurements. This complicated behavior of the resonator will be then proposed to realize a new class of devices that combines the functionality of a mass detector and a switch. Finally, delayed-feedback control technique will be demonstrated as a powerful method to enhance the stability of the resonator.
Dispersive and Nondispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Methods for the Measurement of the Thicknesses of Films of Cadmium Sulfide and Other II-VI Compounds

Cadmium sulfide and other II-VI compounds have been deposited on various substrates by the vacuum technique using a setup consisting of a mechanical pump and a diffusion pump. Attempts are being made to employ a high-speed turbo-molecular pump to produce the necessary vacuum. Such pumps have been claimed to produce higher vacuum than those of earlier types. The use of x-ray fluorescence seems to be the best method for the determination of thicknesses of films of these compounds. By using this method the determination can be carried out both rapidly and nondestructively, so that the samples can be used for further experimentation or preserved for future reference. Both the vacuum and air-path spectrometers were employed with the dispersive (conventional) x-ray fluorescence method, depending on the x-ray spectra used and the film thickness to be determined. The vacuum spectrometer described earlier has been modified to improve the intensity of the secondary x-ray. The modified setup with low-Z kit has been changed to accommodate four analyzing crystals in the vacuum chamber. The radioisotopes dysprosium-159, iodine-125, and others were used with the nondispersive x-ray fluorescence method. Recent instruments based on the dispersive and nondispersive systems are described here. Some of these instruments have been used to measure the thicknesses of films of II-VI compounds.
Non-Pharmacological Cognitive Remediation Strategies for Treatment of Depression and Cognitive Impairment

Major depression in the elderly often presents with cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive deficits in memory, processing speed, and cognitive control functioning are particularly common in late-life depression. For the almost 40% of elderly depressed patients with cognitive impairment, there is currently no efficacious intervention that adequately treats both mood and the cognitive deficits leaving many patients depressed and disabled [AJGP 9(3):269–74, 2001]. Recent advances in non-pharmacologic treatments for depression and cognitive impairment show promise for treating both cognitive and affective symptoms of the disorder. However, as with any rapid advancements in technology, claims of efficacy may outpace rigorous scientific scrutiny. Here, we describe advancements in computerized cognitive remediation (CCR) interventions for depression and cognitive impairment in the elderly. We discuss the parameters of the programs and methods of implementation likely to induce plasticity in the aging brain and suggest critical questions for clinicians, scientists, and patients to evaluate when assessing CCR interventions. CCR interventions for depression and cognitive impairment show promising though preliminary efficacy. Larger trials that include multiple neurobiological indices of neuroplasticity are necessary to elucidate mechanisms of this novel treatment modality and lead to superior treatments.
Timing and origin of silicic volcanism in northwestern Mexico: Insights from zircon U-Pb geochronology, Hf isotopes and geochemistry of rhyolite ignimbrites from Palmarejo and Guazapares in Southwest Chihuahua

Abstract Precise timing and constraints for magma source(s) are critical to understand the post-subduction tectonomagmatic evolution of the world's largest Cenozoic Silicic Large Igneous Province in western Mexico. We provide in-situ zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotope compositions of rhyolitic ignimbrites exposed in the Palmarejo and Guazapares at the northwestern extremity of Sierra Madre Occidental. Four rhyolite ignimbrite samples from Palmarejo yielded zircon weighted mean U–Pb ages between 23 and 24 Ma. However, five individual analyses from one sample yielded the oldest age of 25.09 ± 0.41 Ma (MSWD = 1.7, n = 5). A rhyolitic tuff from the Guazapares district yielded older individual dates varying from 25.7 to 28.6 Ma with a main population yielding a weighted mean age of 27.31 ± 0.36 Ma. Zircon U–Pb ages suggest that the ignimbrite flare-up in southwestern Chihuahua remained restricted to the Early Middle Oligocene to Early Miocene. We suggest that the zircon U–Pb dates >24 Ma (particularly from Guazapares) are the antecrystic zircons included from the underlying older ignimbrites. The zircon U–Pb dates of 25–28 Ma are related to the culmination of syn-extensional first ignimbrite flare-up and bimodal volcanism started as early as 35 Ma. The first ignimbrite flare-up is possibly resulted from the detachment of the leading edge of the Farallon slab around 35–28 Ma. The younger age of 24–23 Ma from Palmarejo can be correlated to the second episode of ignimbrite flare-up erupted during the pervasive regional extension, normal faulting and onset of formation of metamorphic core complexes. This second flare-up is resulted by the subsequent events of break off/rollback of the Farallon plate. The positive Hf isotope composition (eHf (t) = +1.0 to +5.8) and concomitant mafic volcanism suggest partial melting of subcontinental lithospheric mantle and the overlying Laramide crust by upwelling of decompressing asthenosphere during post-Laramide regional extension. This interpretation is consistent with the successive detachments, fragmental removal and/or rollback of the leading edges of the Farallon slab beneath the western continental margin of North America. We did not find any xenocrystic zircon inheritance neither from the Laramide plutonic basement/roots of the Jurassic Guerrero terrane nor from the Proterozoic North American crust. However, zircon inheritance of Laramide age has been reported from the Guazapares district. Partial melting of Laramide basement was possibly facilitated by the heat advection and ponding of subcontinental lithospheric mantle-related magmas in the crust during the Cenozoic regional extension.
Exploiting Plant Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Agriculture to Improve Sustainable Defense Strategies and Productivity of Crops

There is an urgent need for new sustainable solutions to support agriculture in facing current environmental challenges. In particular, intensification of productivity and food security needs require sustainable exploitation of natural resources and metabolites. Here, we bring the attention to the agronomic potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from leaves, as a natural and eco-friendly solution to defend plants from stresses and to enhance crop production. To date, application of VOCs is often limited to fight herbivores. Here we argue that potential applications of VOCs are much wider, as they can also protect from pathogens and environmental stresses. VOCs prime plant's defense mechanisms for an enhanced resistance/tolerance to the upcoming stress, quench reactive oxygen species (ROS), have potent antimicrobial as well as allelopathic effects, and might be important in regulating plant growth, development, and senescence through interactions with plant hormones. Current limits and drawbacks that may hamper the use of VOCs in open field are analyzed, and solutions for a better exploitation of VOCs in future sustainable agriculture are envisioned.
Two facets of stress and indirect effects on child diet through emotion-driven eating.

Objective Stress has been associated with high-calorie, low-nutrient food intake (HCLN) and emotion-driven eating (EDE). However, effects on healthy food intake remain unknown. This study examined two facets of stress (self-efficacy, perceived helplessness) and food consumption, mediated by EDE.
Backyard Breeding: Regulatory Nuisance, Crime Precursor

The harms of puppy mills have been well-publicized over the past decade: hundreds of female dogs living out their lives in small cages, producing puppies for sale with each heat cycle, with neither the breeding stock nor puppies receiving normal veterinary care. In popular media, academic critiques, activist publications, and legislative discussion, puppy mills are contrasted with smallvolume dog breeders—the hobby breeder or inadvertent breeder who has only a few dogs and treats them as pets or members of the family, breeding occasionally for personal reasons. Both state and federal laws have been designed to regulate puppy mills and other large-volume dog breeders, specifically excepting smallvolume breeders from regulatory coverage. From a consumer protection and animal welfare perspective, this makes sense: The amount of harm a single facility can cause to the dogs and to purchasers when it is breeding hundreds of dogs and selling thousands of puppies annually far exceeds that of a small-volume breeder producing 2 or 10 litters each year. However, what is absent from these discussions are the larger societal harms these small-volume breeders in fact produce from run-of-the-mill tax evasion and pet overpopulation to an open and easy market for dogs advertised as bred for gameness and aggression—for guard dogs or fighting dogs, not pets—to the creation of a smokescreen that obscures the breeding that does occur in violation of existing regulations. This Article represents the first rigorous look at small-volume dog breeding. It details the harms inherent in small-volume breeding in the United States today and explains how the current regulatory framework assists the production of dogs integral to larger criminal enterprises. Drawing from empirical studies of effective policing, it proposes a three-step solution of fixing the holes in state and local regulation of dog breeding, working with community members using existing resources to eliminate much of the small-volume breeding that obscures the truly pernicious breeding, and policing remaining violations as part of an effort to reduce access to the dogs that contribute to gang activity and drug trafficking.
Who Can Impact the US Supreme Court’s Legitimacy?

Individuals make judgments about the US Supreme Court via an uncommon preexisting positivity toward the institution. But they are also influenced by elite cues. Under scrutiny here is whether figur...
Cost-Effective, Re-Configurable Cluster Approach for Resource Constricted FPGA Based Machine Learning and AI Applications

A cost effective, easily scalable, and application independent FPGA cluster co-processing platform for machine learning (ML) applications is proposed. The work in this paper focuses on delivering an economical platform for the researchers and developers without the knowledge of FPGAs who seek budget friendly solutions to increase the performance of their ML applications without relying on the highly expensive solutions available in the today's FPGA market. The approach consists of two main parts, with a CPU based host machine learning application and the FPGA cluster sharing the heavy workload through an Ethernet protocol. An experiment was conducted using a perceptron layer implementation on the hardware and the test results show the execution time improvements due to the utilization of the proposed cluster approach. The solution proposed is easily scalable with any FPGA platform with an Ethernet support.
Identification of a Cytopathogenic Toxin from Sneathia amnii.

ABSTRACT Sneathia amnii is a poorly characterized emerging pathogen that has been implicated in amnionitis and urethritis. We found that S. amnii damages fetal membranes, and we identified and purified a cytotoxic exotoxin that lyses human red blood cells and damages cells from fetal membranes. The gene appears to be cotranscribed with a second gene that encodes a protein with identity to two-partner system transporters, suggesting that it is the “A,” or secreted component of a type Vb system. The toxin is 1,881 amino acids with a molecular weight of approximately 200 kDa. It binds to red blood cell membranes and forms pores with a diameter of 2.0 to 3.0 nm, resulting in osmolysis. Because it appears to be the “A” or passenger component of a two-partner system, we propose to name this novel cytotoxin/hemolysin CptA for cytopathogenic toxin component A. IMPORTANCESneathia amnii is a very poorly characterized emerging pathogen that can affect pregnancy outcome and cause urethritis and other infections. To date, nothing is known about its virulence factors or pathogenesis. We have identified and isolated a cytotoxin, named CptA for cytopathogenic toxin, component A, that is produced by S. amnii. CptA is capable of permeabilizing chorionic trophoblasts and lysing human red blood cells and, thus, may play a role in virulence. Except for small domains conserved among two-partner secretion system passenger proteins, the cytotoxin exhibits little amino acid sequence homology to known toxins. In this study, we demonstrate the pore-forming activity of this novel toxin.
Factors Associated with Child-Welfare Involvement among Prenatally Substance-Exposed Infants.

Objective To assess factors impacting child-welfare involvement and child abuse and neglect outcomes among prenatally substance-exposed infants. Study design This was a retrospective review of case registry data regarding substance-exposed infants tracked statewide in Delaware from 2014 to 2018. Differences in maternal, infant, and substance exposure factors by level of child-welfare involvement (screened-in vs screened-out case status) and child abuse and neglect outcomes were examined. Screened-in status was defined as case acceptance for investigation, family assessment, or treatment referral. Using logistic regression, associations between factors and screened-in status and between factors and child abuse and neglect outcomes were assessed. Cases involving child abuse and neglect were analyzed qualitatively. Results Among 1222 substance-exposed infants, 70% were screened-in by child welfare for ongoing involvement; 28 (2.3%) of substance-exposed infants were identified as child abuse and neglect victims sustaining serious physical or fatal injury before 1 year of age. Most substance-exposed infants remained with caregivers; few entered foster care. Polysubstance exposure and maternal mental health condition were factors associated with screened-in status. Neither substance exposure type nor maternal mental health condition reliably predicted future child abuse and neglect. Conclusions Substance-exposed infants had a significant risk for child abuse and neglect. Although maternal and substance exposure factors were associated with screened-in case status, they unreliably predicted future risk of child abuse and neglect.
A phase I trial of aerosol gemcitabine for the treatment of patients with solid tumors and lung metastases.

TPS3645Background: Pre-clinical studies of aerosol gemcitabine (GCB) in mice and dogs with osteosarcoma (OS) lung metastases demonstrated therapeutic efficacy. Aerosol GCB administered once weekly ...
Impacts of high dose 3.5 GHz cellphone radiofrequency on zebrafish embryonic development

The rapid deployment of 5G spectrum by the telecommunication industry is intended to promote better connectivity and data integration among various industries. However, since exposures to radio frequency radiations (RFR) >2.4 GHz are still uncommon, concerns about their potential health impacts are ongoing. In this study, we used the embryonic zebrafish model to assess the impacts of a 3.5 GHz RFR on biology- a frequency typically used by 5G-enabled cell phones and lies within the 4G and 5G bandwidth. We established a plate-based exposure setup for RFRs, exposed developing zebrafish to 3.5 GHz RFR, specific absorption rate (SAR) ≈ 8.27 W/Kg from 6 h post fertilization (hpf) to 48 hpf, and measured a battery of morphological and behavioral endpoints at 120 hpf. Our results revealed no significant impacts on mortality, morphology or photomotor response and a modest inhibition of startle response suggesting some levels of sensorimotor disruptions. This suggests that the cell phone radiations at low GHz-level frequencies are likely benign, with subtle sensorimotor effects. Through this assessment, we have established a robust setup for zebrafish RFR exposures readily amenable to testing various powers and frequencies. Future developmental exposure studies in zebrafish will evaluate a wider portion of the radio frequency spectrum to discover the bioactive regions, the potential molecular targets of RFR and the potential long-term effects on adult behavior.
Simplification and Defaults Affect Adoption and Impact of Technology, But Decision Makers Do Not Realize This

A field experiment examines how enrollment defaults affect the take-up and impact of an education technology (N=6,976). It shows that a standard (high-friction) opt-in process induces extremely low parent take-up (<1%), while a simplified process yields higher take-up (11%), but both fail to reliably improve student achievement. Automatically enrolling parents increases adoption (95%) and improves student achievement—e.g., one in four students does not fail a class they would have otherwise failed. Surveys show automatic enrollment is uncommon, and its impact is underestimated: District leaders overestimate take-up under standard opt-in processes by about 40 percentage points and underestimate take-up under automatic enrollment by 29 percentage points. After learning the actual take-up rates, district leaders report being willing to pay substantially more for the technology when implemented under automatic enrollment than standard opt-in.
Itaconate and its derivatives repress C2C12 myogenesis via succinate dehydrogenase inhibition

A Krebs cycle intermediate metabolite, itaconate, has gained attention as a potential antimicrobial and autoimmune disease treatment due to its anti-inflammatory effects. While itaconate and its derivatives pose an attractive therapeutic option for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, the effects outside the immune system still remain limited, particularly in the muscle. Therefore, we endeavored to determine if itaconate signaling impacts muscle differentiation. Utilizing the well-established C2C12 model of in vitro myogenesis, we evaluated the effects of itaconate and its derivatives on transcriptional and protein markers of muscle differentiation as well as mitochondrial function. We found itaconate and the derivatives dimethyl itaconate and 4-octyl itaconate disrupt differentiation media-induced myogenesis. A primary biological effect of itaconate is a succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) inhibitor. We find the SDH inhibitors dimethyl malonate and harzianopyridone phenocopies the anti-myogenic effects of itaconate. Furthermore, we find treatment with exogenous succinate results in blunted myogenesis. Together our data indicate itaconate and its derivatives interfere with in vitro myogenesis, potentially through inhibition of SDH and subsequent succinate accumulation. More importantly, our findings suggest the therapeutic potential of itaconate and its derivatives could be limited due to deleterious effects on myogenesis.
Extended yeast surface display linkers enhance the enrichment of ligands in direct mammalian cell selections.

Selections of yeast-displayed ligands on mammalian cell monolayers benefit from high target expression and nanomolar affinity, which are not always available. Prior work extending the yeast-protein linker from 40 to 80 amino acids improved yield and enrichment but is hypothesized to be below the optimal length, prompting evaluation of an extended amino acid linker. A 641-residue linker provided enhanced enrichment with a 2-nM affinity fibronectin ligand and 105 epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) per cell (14 ± 2 vs. 8 ± 1, P = 0.008) and a >600-nM affinity ligand, 106 EGFR per cell system (23 ± 7 vs. 0.8 ± 0.2, P = 0.004). Enhanced enrichment was also observed with a 310-nM affinity affibody ligand and 104 CD276 per cell, suggesting a generalizable benefit to other scaffolds and targets. Spatial modeling of the linker suggests that improved extracellular accessibility of ligand enables the observed enrichment under conditions not previously possible.
Taking turns: The neural control of birdsong duets.

Every animal communication enthusiast has a story about a peak experience. It might be hearing whales sing while snorkeling or seeing fireflies flash synchronously in their thousands. My peak experience was when I first heard wrens sing antiphonal duets. It was my first time in the tropics, on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, when I was a graduate student. On my first day in the rainforest I heard a complex, beautifully melodic song coming from what I thought was a single bird that insisted on hiding in the dense foliage. After a sweaty hour of creeping through the understory in search of this elusive bird, I paused under the large leaves of a heliconia to heed the call of nature. I was rewarded by now hearing that same song in perfect stereo, with alternating syllables coming from my right and left, and realized that I was hearing two birds sing with such precise coordination that they sounded like one bird when singing next to each other. Remaining under cover allowed me to finally see the male and female riverside wrens ( Cantorchilus semibadius ) that produced these wonderful duets (https://ebird.org/species/rivwre1). Antiphonal duets occur in different avian taxa, mostly found in the tropics, and are characterized by rapid alternation of vocal production by two or more birds, with millisecond precision. While antiphonal duetting behavior has been studied since the pioneering research of Thorpe on African boubou shrikes in the mid-1900s, how the brain integrates the motor production of song by one bird with auditory sensory input from its partner’s song was unknown. Coleman et al. have now provided insight into the neural mechanisms underlying this extraordinary form of coordinated display behavior in their paper “Neurophysiological coordination of duet singing” (1). Song duetting is an elaborated form of coordinated communication behavior, in which two … [↵][1]1Email: eliotb{at}uw.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1