cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Biochemical Defect in Farber’s Disease

In 1967 Prensky et al. reported the accumulation of ceramide in the postmortem tissues of a patient with Faber’s disease (1), and in 1971 Samuelsson and Zetterstrom reported such an accumulation in a second case (2). In 1972 Sugita, Dulaney and Moser demonstrated the deficient activity of an acid ceramidase in the tissues of the case reported by Prensky et al., (3). Since this same enzymatic defect has now been demonstrated in three additional unrelated patients, it appears likely that the deficient activity of acid ceramidase represents the basic defect in this disease, and makes it appropriate to appraise our current knowledge about this striking rare disorder.
Japan Abroad: The Neomercantilist State

In two generations Japan was transformed from a war-devastated, poverty-stricken country into the world’s most dynamic economic superpower. Tokyo’s single-minded drive for global power has been harshly criticized. Recently, the former French Prime Minister Edith Cresson asserted that there ‘is a world economic war going on. France is not waging it… Japan is an adversary that doesn’t play by the rules and has an absolute desire to conquer the world. You have to be naive or blind not to see that’.1 Cresson wanted to reverse a severe imbalance of power, outlook, and strategies between Europe and Japan: ‘I’m against the clear imbalance that exists between the European Community, which is not protectionist at all, and the Japanese system which is hermetically sealed’.2
Resonant-cavity magnetic-field probe for millimeter-wave frequency-domain spatial field mapping

Probes based on electro-optic and magneto-optic effects can provide a complete characterization of electromagnetic behavior. Time-domain magneto-optic sampling has been investigated by Freeman et al. to examine spin relaxation and magnetic resonance effects, by Elazzabi et al. to measure picosecond current pulses, and by Riordan et al. to sample transient THz beams1-3. In the frequency domain, Wakana et al. have examined low-frequency RF circuits using a magneto-optic probe with a CW laser.4 The signal-to-noise ratio obtained from magneto-optic probes is typically far less than that obtained from electro-optic probes of similar physical dimensions. In this paper, a frequency-domain technique for sensitivity enhancement is presented. By tuning the probe dimensions to form a resonant cavity at the frequency of interest, the magnetic-field inside of the probe becomes a magnified representation of the sampled field, thereby improving the resulting signal-to-noise ratio. A short pulse laser is utilized to achieve millimeter-wave operation, thus providing the means to perform internal node diagnostics on high-frequency circuits and radiating structures.
Beta-band activity and connectivity in sensorimotor and parietal cortex are important for accurate motor performance

Abstract Accurate motor performance may depend on the scaling of distinct oscillatory activity within the motor cortex and effective neural communication between the motor cortex and other brain areas. Oscillatory activity within the beta-band (13–30 Hz) has been suggested to provide distinct functional roles for attention and sensorimotor control, yet it remains unclear how beta-band and other oscillatory activity within and between cortical regions is coordinated to enhance motor performance. We explore this open issue by simultaneously measuring high-density cortical activity and elbow flexor and extensor neuromuscular activity during ballistic movements, and manipulating error using high and low visual gain across three target distances. Compared with low visual gain, high visual gain decreased movement errors at each distance. Group analyses in 3D source-space revealed increased theta-, alpha-, and beta-band desynchronization of the contralateral motor cortex and medial parietal cortex in high visual gain conditions and this corresponded to reduced movement error. Dynamic causal modeling was used to compute connectivity between motor cortex and parietal cortex. Analyses revealed that gain affected the directionally-specific connectivity across broadband frequencies from parietal to sensorimotor cortex but not from sensorimotor cortex to parietal cortex. These new findings provide support for the interpretation that broad-band oscillations in theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands within sensorimotor and parietal cortex coordinate to facilitate accurate upper limb movement. Summary statement Our findings establish a link between sensorimotor oscillations in the context of online motor performance in common source space across subjects. Specifically, the extent and distinct role of medial parietal cortex to sensorimotor beta connectivity and local domain broadband activity combine in a time and frequency manner to assist ballistic movements. These findings can serve as a model to examine whether similar source space EEG dynamics exhibit different time-frequency changes in individuals with neurological disorders that cause movement errors.
Cellular Approaches to Adult Mammalian Heart Regeneration

Adult mammalian hearts lack significant regenerative potential, partially explaining why cardiomyopathies are a major cause of human death in the world. By contrast, adult lower vertebrates and neonatal mice can regenerate their heart after ischemic or physical injury. Significant efforts over the last several decades have led to advances in the understanding of cardiac biology and mechanisms of natural regeneration. For example, genetic lineage tracing evidence has shown that regenerative species use the expansion of pre-existing differentiated cardiomyocytes as a source of new myocardium. However, despite promising developments in basic science, therapeutic outcomes are modest with currently available therapy, underscoring the need for further discovery and translational research. Here, we review recent progress in the pursuit of human heart regeneration with a focus on cellular approaches. Highlights include somatic cell reprogramming, improved cardiac differentiation protocols, and a plethora of clinical trials, with some showing improvement in functional recovery after myocardial infarction.
Generalized Belief Propagation Based Deliberate Bit Flipping Modulation Coding

We propose a novel approach to modulation coding using the Generalized Belief Propagation (GBP) algorithm. The idea is to completely eliminate a constrained encoder and, instead, embed a constraint into an error correction codeword by deliberately flipping the bits that violate the constraint. The GBP algorithm is used to keep the number of flipped bits small in order not to overburden the decoder. We incorporate our method to impose the two-dimensional (2D) no isolated bit constraint on a low-density parity check (LDPC) coded 2D data array. Furthermore, we show that the number of flipped bits can be optimized so that it is not beyond the error correcting capability of the code. Applied to Two Dimensional Magnetic Recording (TDMR) systems, our approach results in an order of magnitude gain in the frame error rate.
Human and bovine spinal disc mechanics subsequent to trypsin injection

Abstract Objective To investigate the biomechanical effects of injections of a protease on the characteristics of bovine coccygeal and human lumbar disc motion segments. Methods Mechanics of treated tissues were measured immediately after injection and 3 h after injection. Motion segments underwent axial rotation and flexion-extension loading. Results Stiffness and neutral zone parameters experienced significant changes over time, with bovine tissues more strongly affected than human cadaver tissues. This was true in both axial rotation and flexion-extension. The treatment type significantly affected the neutral zone measurements in axial rotation. Hysteresis parameters were impacted by control injections. Conclusion The extrapolation of bovine coccygeal motion testing results to human lumbar disc mechanics is not yet practical. The injected treatment may have a smaller impact on disc mechanics than time in testing. Viscoelasticity of human lumbar discs may be impacted by any damage to the annulus fibrosis induced by needlestick. The Translational Potential of this Article Preclinical testing of novel spinal devices is essential to the design validation and regulatory processes, but current testing techniques rely on cadaveric testing of primarily older spines with essentially random amounts of disc degeneration. The present work investigates the viability of using trypsin injections to create a more uniform preclinical model of disc degeneration from a mechanics perspective, for the purpose of testing spinal devices. Such a model would facilitate translation of new spinal technologies to clinical practice.
Full-Scale Tests on Double-Tapered Glulam Beams

Analytical and experimental studies were performed on straight-soffited, double-tapered glulam beams. Full-scale tests were conducted under working loads to evaluate the applicabiLity of the finite element method for theoretical analysis. Two Douglas-fir and two Southern pine beams, each with a span of 30 ft (9.1 m), were studied. Each was instrumented for strain and deflection measurements. Experimental flexural and perpendicular to grain tensile stresses were compared with theoretical predictions. Load tests were also conducted to failure. Both Southern pine members failed in tension due to bending, whereas the Douglas-fir members failed in tension perpendicular to grain. The interaction of stresses concept of failure is evaluated in light of the test results observed in this study.
ACA Exchange Competitiveness in Florida: ACA Exchange Competitiveness in Florida

Florida chose not to develop its own marketplace and therefore hosts the federally facilitated marketplace. While the state may have had an opportunity to define rating areas, it defaulted to the county level, which is the level at which agents and carriers are licensed to conduct business. This resulted in 67 rating areas, which is significantly more than most other states. South Carolina has 46 rating areas, and Texas has 26. All other states have fewer than 20.
The Potential Role of Leptin in Tumor Invasion and Metastasis

The adipocyte-released hormone-like cytokine/adipokine leptin behaves differently in obesity compared to its functions in the normal healthy state. In obese individuals, elevated leptin levels act as a pro-inflammatory adipokine and are associated with certain types of cancers. Further, a growing body of evidence suggests that higher circulating leptin concentrations and/or elevated expression of leptin receptors (Ob-R) in tumors may be poor prognostic factors. Although the underlying pathological mechanisms of leptin's association with poor prognosis are not clear, leptin can impact the tumor microenvironment in several ways. For example, leptin is associated with a number of biological components that could lead to tumor cell invasion and distant metastasis. This includes interactions with carcinoma-associated fibroblasts, tumor promoting effects of infiltrating macrophages, activation of matrix metalloproteinases, transforming growth factor-β signaling, etc. Recent studies also have shown that leptin plays a role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, an important phenomenon for cancer cell migration and/or metastasis. Furthermore, leptin's potentiating effects on insulin-like growth factor-I, epidermal growth factor receptor and HER2/neu have been reported. Regarding unfavorable prognosis, leptin has been shown to influence both adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Features of poor prognosis such as tumor invasion, lymph node involvement and distant metastasis have been recorded in several cancer types with higher levels of leptin and/or Ob-R. This review will describe the current scenario in a precise manner. In general, obesity indicates poor prognosis in cancer patients.
Molybdenum Oxide Cluster Anion Reactions with C2H4 and H2O: Cooperativity and Chemifragmentation

To probe the mechanism of sacrificial reagents in catalytic processes, product distributions from MoxOy– clusters reacting individually with C2H4 and H2O are compared with those from reactions with a C2H4 + H2O mixture, with the thermodynamics explored computationally. These molecules were chosen to model production of H2 from H2O via H2O + C2H4 → H2 + CH3CHO, mediated by MoxOy– clusters. H2O is known to sequentially oxidize MoxOy– suboxide clusters while producing H2, resulting in less reactive clusters. MoxOy– (y ∼ x) clusters undergo chemi-fragmentation reactions with C2H4, with MoxOyC2Hz– complexes forming as the cluster oxidation state increases. Unique species observed in reactions with the C2H4 + H2O mixture, Mo2O5C2H2– and MoO3C2H4–, suggest that the internal energy gained in new Mo–O bond formation from oxidation by H2O opens additional reaction channels. C2H3O– is observed uniquely in reactions with the C2H4 + H2O mixture, giving indirect evidence of CH3CHO formation via the cluster mediated H2O...
Prefrontal θ-Burst Stimulation Disrupts the Organizing Influence of Active Short-Term Retrieval on Episodic Memory

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is thought to organize items in working memory and this organizational role may also influence long-term memory. To causally test this hypothesized role of DLPFC in long-term memory formation, we used θ-burst noninvasive stimulation (TBS) to modulate DLPFC involvement in a memory task that assessed the influence of active short-term retrieval on later memory. Human subjects viewed three objects on a grid and then either actively retrieved or passively restudied one object's location after a brief delay. Long-term memory for the other objects was assessed after a delay to evaluate the beneficial role of active short-term retrieval on subsequent memory for the entire set of object locations. We found that DLPFC TBS had no significant effects on short-term memory. In contrast, DLPFC TBS impaired long-term memory selectively in the active-retrieval condition but not in the passive-restudy condition. These findings are consistent with the hypothesized contribution of DLPFC to the organizational processes operative during active short-term retrieval that influence long-term memory, although other regions that were not stimulated could provide similar contributions. Notably, active-retrieval and passive-restudy conditions were intermixed, and therefore nonspecific influences of stimulation were well controlled. These results suggest that DLPFC is causally involved in organizing event information during active retrieval to support coherent long-term memory formation.
Automatic outlier detection using hidden Markov model for cerebellar lobule segmentation

The cerebellum plays an important role in both motor control and cognitive functions. Several methods to automatically segment different regions of the cerebellum have been recently proposed. Usually, the performance of the segmentation algorithms is evaluated by comparing with expert delineations. However, this is a laboratory approach and is not applicable in real scenarios where expert delineations are not available. In this paper, we propose a method that can automatically detect cerebellar lobule segmentation outliers. Instead of only evaluating the final segmentation result, the intermediate output of each segmentation step is evaluated and considered using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to produce a global segmentation assessment. For each intermediate step, a state-of-the-art image classification model Bag-of-Words" (BoW) is applied to quantize features of segmentation results, which then serves as observations of the trained HMM. Experiments show that the proposed method achieves both a high accuracy on predicting Dice of upcoming segmentation steps, and a high sensitivity to outlier detection.
Synthesis, kinetics and inhibition of Escherichia coli Heptosyltransferase I by monosaccharide analogues of Lipid A.

Abstract Gram-negative bacteria comprise the majority of microbes that cause infections that are resistant to pre-existing antibiotics. The complex cell wall architecture contributes to their ability to form biofilms, which are often implicated in hospital-acquired infections. Biofilms promote antibiotic resistance by enabling the bacteria to survive hostile environments such as UV radiation, pH shifts, and antibiotics. The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria contains lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which plays a role in adhesion to surfaces and formation of biofilms. The main focus of this work was the synthesis of a library of glycolipids designed to be simplified analogues of the Lipid A, the membrane embedded portion component of LPS, to be tested as substrates or inhibitors of Heptosyltransferase I (HepI or WaaC, a glycosyltransferase enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of LPS). Fourteen analogues were synthesized successfully and characterized. While these compounds were designed to function as nucleophilic substrates of HepI, they all demonstrated mild inhibition of HepI. Kinetic characterization of inhibition mechanism identified that the compounds exhibited uncompetitive and mixed inhibition of HepI. Since both uncompetitive and mixed inhibition result in the formation of an Enzyme-Substrate-inhibitor complex, molecular docking studies (using AutoDock Vina) were performed, to identify potential allosteric binding site for these compounds. The inhibitors were shown to bind to a pocket formed after undergoing a conformational change from an open to a closed active site state. Inhibition of HepI via an allosteric site suggest that disruption of protein dynamics might be a viable mechanism for the inhibition of HepI and potentially other enzymes of the GT-B structural class.
Interannual Variability of Arabian Sea Surface Temperature

Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) obtained from ship and satellite measurements in the Arabian Sea are analyzed for the summer monsoons of 1975, 1976 and 1977. Satellite derived temperature fields are found to have lower rms variability and to be better adapted to large scale pattern identification while ship observations have greater mean accuracy, resolve finer scales near the coastal boundaries and show larger rms variability. Mean satellite retrievals differ seasonally from ship reports. Largest differences are found in spring before the monsoon; minima occur in fall.
Web services demystified

The Internet has led to the advent of a new distributed computing technology, Web services. "A Web service is a software interface that describes a collection of operations that can be accessed over the network through standardized XML messaging." [2].
Syntax: Visual Languages

As mentioned in Chapter 1, a multimedia application is constructed from a collection of multimedia objects. The primitive objects are media objects of the same media type. The complex multimedia objects are composed from these primitive objects and in general are of mixed media types. The syntax of a multidimensional language ML describes how the complex multimedia objects are constructed from the other multimedia objects. Spatial and temporal composition rules must be taken into consideration.
Orbital Metastasis in Neuroblastoma Patients

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor among children under the age of 5 years, with an incidence of approximately 1 in 7,000 (Bernstein et al., 1992, J Clin Oncol 10:323–329; Castelberry, 1997, Pediatr Clin North Am 44:919–937). Recent advances in the understanding of tumor biology have aided in the diagnosis and medical management of this disease; however, cases of widespread metastasis, at times signaled by proptosis, ecchymosis, and other signs of orbital involvement, continue to have a poor prognosis (Brodeur et al., 1988, J Clin Oncol 11:1466–1477, Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg 17:346–354). The prognostic implications of neuroblastoma metastic to the orbit and the risk of permanent vision loss highlight the importance of early recognition and treatment initiation in cases demonstrating ocular involvement.
Application of Embolotherapy with Detachable Balloons

Therapeutic angiographers are now familiar with a variety of embolization techniques, each adapted to specific needs. For example, preoperative or palliative tumor embolization fulfills a totally different purpose than embolization of a bleeding artery. In the first instance the technique of choice produces complete tissue ischemia, in the second instance a limited arterial occlusion is required and tissue loss is a complicating effect.
The Distribution and Variability of Cold-Front Precipitation

Radar data are used to investigate wintertime cold-front precipitation patterns in the vicinity of Cambridge, Massachusetts. No significant correlation was found to exist between the extent of prec...
11 Computer-Integrated Manufacturing

Modern manufacturing systems are advanced automation systems that use computers as an integral part of their control. The computer-integrated manufacturing system (CIMS) combines computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided inspection (CAI), and computer-aided production planning (CAPP), along with automated material handling. This chapter focuses on CAM for both parts fabrication and assembly. It treats numerical control (NC) machining, robotics, and group technology. It shows how to integrate these functions with automated material storage and handling to form a CIM system. The chapter examines three types of models by which one can examine production operations: graphical models, manufacturing process models, and mathematical models of production activity. Flexible manufacturing systems combined with automatic assembly and product inspection, on the one hand, and integrated CAD/CAM systems, on the other hand, are the basic components of the CIMS. Keywords: computer-aided design (CAD); computer-aided manufacturing (CAM); computer-aided production planning (CAPP); computer-integrated manufacturing system (CIMS); group technology; numerical control (NC) machining; robotics
Activities of the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, of the Italian National Research Council, World Centre of Excellence on landslide risk

In this report, we summarise the activities of the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI, http://www.irpi.cnr.it/en/ ), of the Italian National Research Council (CNR, http://www.cnr.it/en/ ), as a World Centre of Excellence (WCoE) on Landslide Risk, of the International Programme on Landslides (IPL, http://iplhq.org ). The report is organised as follows. After a brief description of CNR IRPI (“The Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection”), we present recent developments related to landslide early warning systems (“Landslide early warning systems”), climate change and landslides interactions (“Landslides in a changing climate”), and landslide risk assessment, mitigation and dissemination efforts (“Landslide risk assessment, mitigation and dissemination efforts”). We conclude listing relevant papers published between 2017 and 2018 by CNR IRPI scientists (“References”).
Public key vs. conventional key encryption

As distributed computer systems grow and their convenience attracts uses for which maintenance of privacy and security is important, the means by which encryption is integrated into these systems also becomes important. Encryption is the only practical way by which secure, private communication can be conducted while employing untrusted media to carry the transmission. The interest has spurred developments in the use of conventional encryption algorithms and there is even a federal standard algorithm for commercial use. 4 In addition, an innovative approach to encryption, called public key algorithms, has recently been proposed as a way to address many of the key distribution and other problems which are present in conventional algorithm-based approaches.
Beyond 100 % renewable: Policy and practical pathways to 24/7 renewable energy procurement

Abstract Corporations are increasingly shaping the future of the electric grid by pursuing 100 % renewable energy goals that seek to match their annual energy consumption with an equal volume of renewable energy. The challenge of achieving a 100 % renewable electricity grid, however, is not only a question of how much renewable energy is built, but rather whether renewables can supply electricity when it is needed. One emerging approach to address this challenge is “24/7" renewable energy, which requires matching a corporation’s hourly energy demand with renewable energy produced in the same region and hour. This paper explores the evolution of voluntary renewable energy procurement goals, presents a practical framework for 24/7 renewable energy procurement, and suggests policy developments that would support wider adoption of a time-matched renewables procurement approach.
Prospector: synthesizing efficient accelerators via statistical learning

Accelerator design is expensive due to the effort required to understand an algorithm and optimize the design. Architects have embraced two technologies to reduce costs. High-level synthesis automatically generates hardware from code. Reconfigurable fabrics instantiate accelerators while avoiding fabrication costs for custom circuits. We further reduce design effort with statistical learning. We build an automated framework, called Prospector, that uses Bayesian techniques to optimize synthesis directives, reducing execution latency and resource usage in field-programmable gate arrays. We show in a certain amount of time designs discovered by Prospector are closer to Pareto-efficient designs compared to prior approaches.
Genetic Regulations of Thrombosis

A 33-year-old African American male was admitted with angina at rest and left sided weakness. Initial EKG in the emergency room showed ST elevation that spontaneously resolved, and patient became chest pain free. Patient immediately underwent cardiac catheterization, which showed no obstructive lesion. A brain MRI/MRA showed multiple lesions suggestive of an embolic event. Patient’s hemiparesis improved over 1 week but did not fully resolve. Further workup revealed a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) by a transesophageal echocardiogram. His hypercoagulable workup, genetic panel for hypercoagulable state and other blood workups were all negative except for Lp(a) of 311 mg/dL (Normal <50 mg/dL). Thromboembolic events affect both venous and arterial systems with Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) being more common [1]. 1 in every 1000 people in the US population is afflicted with VTE, a blanket term comprising Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism [2].
Wenecja Aleksandra Błoka w tłumaczeniu Kazimierza Wierzyńskiego. Refleksje na temat przekładu

The article provides a comparative interpretation of the poem Венеция by Aleksander Blok and its Polish translation by Kazimierz Wierzynski. According to the author of the article, both poetical devices of the original and its main topics and motifs – although modified to some extent in the translation process – have been replaced in the translation by semantic and stylistic equivalents that not only successfully represent artistic values of the source text in the view of the Polish readers but also additionally emphasize a variety of the textual elements vital for its poetical significance and literary value.
Google as Teacher: Constructive Search Engine Use When Learning to Code

Learning today is marked by ubiquitous access to technology and easy information retrieval. That begs the question: how does having all of the answers, often literally in the palm of our hands, affect our memory? Prior research suggests that the ease of searching Google leads learners to offload thinking to the internet, despite likely knowing the answers, and even when accessing the internet is made inconvenient [1] [2]. Consequently, search engine use during learning may limit mental effort and critical thinking, thus impeding knowledge retention. Prior research also suggests that actively thinking about yet-to-be-learned material (pre-testing) can enhance subsequent retention of that material, even when initially generated answers are incorrect [3]. The present study applied these insights to the programming education domain to investigate whether thinking about a coding problem before consulting the internet can enhance memory of the searched content. The experiment involved an initial learning phase (variables, print (), if statements, for loops), a programming task, a second learning phase (lists, for loops with lists, .add (), indexing), and a final test. To solve the programming task participants (n=212) had to recall information from learning phase I. However, the task also required information from learning phase II that participants hadn't yet learned. Half of the participants attempted to solve the coding task before seeking Google's help (pre-test), while the other half read the task instructions and immediately consulted Google for answers.
An emissions-based fuel mass loss measurement for wood-fired hydronic heaters

Abstract Regulations that standardize the evaluation of wood-fired hydronic heaters (WHH) use mass loss as an important variable to compute energy input. Generally, mass loss is measured by placing the entire appliance on a scale and measuring the system mass change. This method suffers from resolution problems since the change in mass of the fuel during a run is much smaller than the total mass of the empty appliance. This experimental study provides a higher-resolution measurement of mass loss by measuring the concentration of flue gas emissions in addition to the flow rate of air into the WHH. Three fuels (red oak, cherry, and pine) are independently tested, and measurements of the emissions are made using both a Testo gas analyzer and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. A simultaneous direct measurement of the mass loss is performed using a hanging basket inside the WHH, and the average percent difference between the two methods are 5.4 % for red oak, 5.4 % for cherry, and 8 % for pine, indicating that the emissions-based method is suitable for mass loss measurements.
Experimental drought re‐ordered assemblages of root‐associated fungi across North American grasslands

Plant‐associated fungi can ameliorate abiotic stress in their hosts, and changes in these fungal communities can alter plant productivity, species interactions, community structure and ecosystem processes. We investigated the response of root‐associated fungi to experimental drought (66% reduction in growing season precipitation) across six North American grassland ecosystem types to determine how extreme drought alters root‐associated fungi, and understand what abiotic factors influence root fungal community composition across grassland ecosystems. Next generation sequencing of the fungal ITS2 region demonstrated that drought primarily re‐ordered fungal species' relative abundances within host plant species, with different fungal responses depending on host identity. Grass species that declined more under drought trended toward less community re‐ordering of root fungi than species less sensitive to drought. Host identity and grassland ecosystem type defined the magnitude of drought effects on community composition, diversity and root colonization, and the most important factor affecting fungal composition was plant species identity. Fungal diversity was less responsive to drought than fungal composition. Across ecosystems, latitude and soil pH were better predictors of fungal diversity than experimental drought. Drought significantly reduced fungal diversity and evenness only in sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula and reduced root colonization only in blue grama B. gracilis. Our results illustrate that predicting the effects of drought on root‐associated fungi will require attention to host plant identity and ecosystem type. By comparing our findings against soil microbe responses in the same experiment, we propose the hypothesis that fungi in plant roots are less sensitive to drought than fungi inhabiting soils. Our study highlights the importance of studying community‐level re‐ordering of fungal composition for understanding plant responses to climate change.
The imaginative failure of normal: Considerations for a post-pandemic future

The COVID-19 pandemic has struck a forceful blow to an already faltering economic and political system. Decades of neoliberal capitalism have left us with extreme domestic and global inequality, a climate disaster, and the death of democracy. Now, in the midst of a global pandemic, any solace found in the toxic status quo has all but vanished. We are faced with an event of major historical significance, the effects of which are sure to be vast and enduring. As we emerge from this crisis and rebuild, we have a tremendous opportunity to (re)consider and (re)formulate the kind of world we want to live in. This essay reflects on the limitations of an uncritical desire for a return to "normalcy." Further, it asks social workers to engage in a process of imaginative and speculative thinking to envision possibilities for our inevitably changed world.
Determinants of Breast Cancer Screening in Three Arab American Women Subgroups.

IntroductionArab American women (AAW) have significantly low mammography screening (MS) rates; religious and sociocultural factors may serve as facilitators or barriers to screening. Understanding ...
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy for treating non-small cell lung cancer: a narrative review

In the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as an alternative to surgical intervention for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients; however, not much is known about the impact of race and socioeconomic status (SES) on the delivery of SBRT. Here, we conduct a narrative review to examine potential disparities in the use of SBRT. Keyword searches of MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were performed for studies focused on race, SES, and the use of SBRT published between 2000 and 2020. Six studies were identified, and showed that minority patients, especially Blacks, were less likely to receive SBRT and had a significantly longer median time between diagnosis to SBRT treatment. Patients with lower income or lower education, as well as those from lower socioeconomic regions were less likely to receive SBRT; they were more likely to receive conventionally fractionated external beam radiation (CFRT) or no treatment. These racial and socioeconomic factors were associated with worse survival in other general early-stage NSCLC studies. In conclusion, the limited number of published studies suggest significant disparities in the treatment of early-stage NSCLC with SBRT. These factors potentially lead to worse survival outcomes among vulnerable patient populations. Equal access to SBRT should be a focus of healthcare delivery systems, to ensure optimal clinical outcomes for patients with early-stage NSCLC.
The impact of advanced age and sex on Mu Opioid Receptor signaling in the midbrain periaqueductal gray: implications on analgesia

Chronic pain is under-managed in individuals over 65 years of age due to a dearth of knowledge regarding the impact of age on opioid efficacy in the elderly. We have previously shown that advanced age and sex alter morphine modulation of persistent inflammatory pain (induced by intraplantar administration of Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)), such that morphine potency is highest in adult male rats (2mos), with EC50 values 2-fold higher in aged males (18mos) and females regardless of age. Age-induced reductions in morphine potency were accompanied by reduced mu opioid receptor (MOR) expression in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), a CNS region critical in pain modulation. The present studies further explore the impact of age on opioid signaling within the PAG. MOR affinity, availability, and G-protein activation were assessed using radioligand binding assays and GTPγS assays in vlPAG tissue from adult and aged, male and female rats collected 72h following CFA administration. Regulation of opioid induced G-protein signaling was assessed using RNAscope to analyze mRNA expression of Regulator of G-Protein Signaling (RGS) proteins RGS4 and RGS9-2. We find that aged males and females (adult and aged) exhibit reduced vlPAG MOR binding potential and reduced G-protein activation efficiency compared to adult males, suggesting age- and sex- differences in MOR machinery drive reduced opioid potency. RNAscope revealed increased expression of RGS4 and RGS9-2 in the vlPAG of aged animals compared to adults, indicating that MOR signaling is subject to greater negative regulation in the aged vlPAG. The observed age-related reductions in vlPAG MOR agonist binding and opioid induced G-protein activation, along with the observed increase in vlPAG RGS expression have significant implications in pain management in the aged population. Our novel findings elucidate several mechanisms mediating reduced morphine potency in aged animals, and identify potential targets to improve pain management in the elderly. R01DA041529-04.
Oncology and Spinal Neurosurgeons Performing Resections of Intramedullary Ependymomas Compared with Single Neurosurgeons: A 13-Year Experience at a Single Institution.

Objective Resection of intramedullary spinal ependymomas carries great risk of postoperative neurological deficits. The objective of this study was to describe our experience using co-neurosurgeon teams to address intramedullary ependymomas to determine if the use of 2 experienced attending neurosurgeons with expertise in both neurosurgical oncology and spine pathology can improve outcomes for intramedullary ependymoma resections. Methods We retrospectively compared surgical and disease control outcomes in intramedullary ependymoma cases performed by co-neurosurgeon (one neurosurgical oncologist and one neurosurgeon trained in spinal surgery) and single-neurosurgeon teams over a 13-year period at a single institution. Results Co-neurosurgeons performed resections in 34 (47.9%) patients, and a single neurosurgeon performed resections in 37 (52.1%) patients. There were no significant differences in the frequency of gross total resection in the co-neurosurgeon versus single-neurosurgeon group (85.7% vs. 78.4%, P = 0.45). Posterior spinal fusion was more common in the co-neurosurgeon group (35.3%) compared with the single-neurosurgeon group (8.1%) (P = 0.01). Two (5.9%) patients in the co-neurosurgeon group and 5 (13.5%) patients in the single-neurosurgeon group had complications requiring surgical revision (P = 0.28). Recurrence rates were similar in both groups (5.9% vs. 10.8%, P = 0.50). At last follow-up, 76% of patients who presented with mild or no deficits remained functionally independent. Conclusions Resection of intramedullary ependymomas by co-neurosurgeon teams resulted in similar rates of gross total resection, postoperative complications, and recurrence compared with surgeries performed by a single neurosurgeon. Functional neurological outcomes were not impacted by co-neurosurgeons performing ependymoma resections.
IMPROVING THE METRIC IN AN OPEN MANIFOLD WITH NONNEGATIVE CURVATURE

The soul theorem states that any open Riemannian manifold (Mg) with nonnegative sectional curvature contains a totally geodesic compact submanifold S such that M is diffeomorphic to the normal bundle of S. In this paper we show how to modify g into a new metric g' so that: 1. g' has nonnegative sectional curvature and soul S. 2. The normal exponential map of S is a diffeomorphism. 3. (M, g') splits as a product outside of a compact set. As a corollary we obtain that any such M is diffeomorphic to the interior of a convex set in a compact manifold with nonnegative sectional curvature.
AN INCOMPLETE-CHOLESKY FACTORIZATION BY A MATRIX PARTITION ALGORITHM

Matrix-partition algorithms for solving tridiagonal systems of equations are highly adaptable to parallel processors. In this paper, a matrix-partition algorithm for generating a block-Cholesky factorization of a permuted form of a block tridiagonal system is presented. A preconditioning system based on an incomplete application of this algorithm is then described. Under certain dominance conditions, it is shown that the computations within a partition can be performed independently thus yielding a highly parallel incomplete-Cholesky factorization particularly suitable for multi-processing architectures.
The Determinants of Acceptance of Recommender Systems: Applying the UTAUT Model

Th is study in vestigates how co nsumers assess th e quality o f two types o f reco mmender systems , co llaborative filtering and content -based, in the content of e-commerce b y using a modified Un ified Th eory o f Acceptance and Use o f Technology (UTAUT) model. Sp ecifically, th e under-investigated con cept o f trust in techno log ical artifacts is adap ted to a modified UTAUT model. Additionally, th is stu dy consid ers h edon ic and utilitarian p ro duct characteristics, attemp ting to p resent a co mprehensive range o f recommender system acceptance. A to tal of 51 participan ts co mpleted an online 2 (recommender systems) x 2 (p rod ucts) su rvey. Th e resu lts suggested th at type o f recommender systems and p ro du cts d id have d ifferent impacts on the b ehavioral in ten tion to use recommender systems. Th is stu dy may be o f importance in explaining facto rs contributing to use recommen der systems, as well as in p rovid ing d esigners of reco mmender systems with a better un derstanding o f how t o provide a mo re effective reco mmender system.
Genetic variation and asexual reproduction in the facultatively parthenogenetic cockroach Nauphoeta cinerea: implications for the evolution of sex

Asexual reproduction could offer up to a two-fold fitness advantage over sexual reproduction, yet higher organisms usually reproduce sexually. Even in facultatively parthenogenetic species, where both sexual and asexual reproduction is sometimes possible, asexual reproduction is rare. Thus, the debate over the evolution of sex has focused on ecological and mutation-elimination advantages of sex. An alternative explanation for the predominance of sex is that it is difficult for an organism to accomplish asexual reproduction once sexual reproduction has evolved. Difficulty in returning to asexuality could reflect developmental or genetic constraints. Here, we investigate the role of genetic factors in limiting asexual reproduction in Nauphoeta cinerea, an African cockroach with facultative parthenogenesis that nearly always reproduces sexually. We show that when N. cinerea females do reproduce asexually, offspring are genetically identical to their mothers. However, asexual reproduction is limited to a nonrandom subset of the genotypes in the population. Only females that have a high level of heterozygosity are capable of parthenogenetic reproduction and there is a strong familial influence on the ability to reproduce parthenogenetically. Although the mechanism by which genetic variation facilitates asexual reproduction is unknown, we suggest that heterosis may facilitate the switch from producing haploid meiotic eggs to diploid, essentially mitotic, eggs.
Whodology: Encountering Doctor Who fan fiction through the portals of play studies and ludology

The fan fiction that is inspired by the textual world of both the original and new series of Doctor Who seems to provide a paratextual world of its own that produces a fascinatingly multidirectional relationship with the narratives that inspire it. Specifically, an interrogation of the intersections of these two worlds yields compelling evidence that the textual world of the new incarnation of the television series is aware of the concerns that tend to be generated by the writers of fan fiction and has adapted its own world to accommodate, or at least acknowledge, many of those concerns. If the writing of Doctor Who fan fiction can be productively read as play and as a creative, ludic engagement, how might the heuristic of ludology be employed as a means to encounter these texts and the playful relationship they create with the textual world from which their content is inspired?
Discrete-time lossless systems, feedback equivalence and passivity

In this paper we summarize and extend some recent results on the problem of when a discrete-time nonlinear system is feedback equivalent to a lossless system and the problem of global stabilization via smooth state feedback. In particular, we show how the criterion of zero-state detectability for discrete-time passive systems can be carried out in the absence of the KYP lemma, and how the feedback equivalence idea can be applied to stabilize a class of discrete-time nonlinear systems by means of smooth state feedback. >
Treatment of infected non-unions and segmental defects of the tibia with staged microvascular muscle transplantation and bone-grafting.

Fourteen patients who had an infected non-union or segmental defect of the tibia were treated with debridement and microvascular transplantation of muscle. Successful free muscle transplantation and control of the infection were achieved in all patients. The prognosis was, in general, related to the severity of the underlying osseous problems, which were categorized into types A (a tibial defect and non-union without significant segmental loss), B (a tibial defect that is more than three centimeters long and an intact fibula), and C (a tibial defect that is more than three centimeters long, involving both the tibia and the fibula). All of the six type-A patients healed without needing bone-grafting. Of the four type-B patients, all of whom had subsequent bone-grafting, reactivation of the infection occurred in two, and both ultimately had a below-the-knee amputation; the third patient had a non-union between the fibular graft and the tibia; and the fourth patient was fully weight-bearing. All of the four type-C patients also required subsequent bone-grafting; all finally healed and were able to walk with a brace. The results in the present series indicate that, in patients who have an infected tibial defect or non-union, including those that are so severe that an amputation might be considered, this method of treatment is a valid option for salvage of the limb.
An Algorithm for Reconstruction of Count Rate Curves from Total Counts

Dynamic studies with radioactive tracers require measurements of instantaneous tracer activity X(t) as a function of time; this is usually done either with a counter set for a sequence of short intervals of time, or with a ratemeter.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Biomolecules

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy exploits a property of the nucleus known as nuclear spin, which exhibits angular momentum and as such generates a local magnetic field that can be influenced by a larger static external field. In the presence of a large external magnet, the nuclear spins align with the field, with a slight excess opposed to the field. That small excess can be flipped to alignment with the field in the presence of a radiofrequency (RF) pulse of appropriate frequency. Relaxation of those spins back to the ground state results in emission of RF radiation whose frequency is an indication of the local electron density of the molecule in which the spin resides. Such information can ultimately be directly related to molecular structure. NMR spectroscopy is unique in that it can be used to image the whole human body at one extreme, and determine the three-dimensional (3D) structure of a biomolecule within the body at the other extreme. The principal advantages of NMR are that: (i) the complete molecular structure can be determined; (ii) the technique spans all principal states of matter (solid, liquid, gas); (iii) the method is nondestructive and can be used noninvasively, as in a clinical setting. The principal disadvantages of NMR are that: (i) the technique is very insensitive (typically samples below 50 µM are difficult to study, although recent advances in nanoprobe and cryprobe technology are rapidly revising these numbers); (ii) in liquids there are molecular weight limits of around 50 kDa – although there are new methods being developed that may have a significant impact on this; (iii) in solids only limited structural information can be obtained to date.