Estimating the Reach of a Manifold

Various problems in manifold estimation make use of a quantity called the reach, denoted by $\tau\_M$, which is a measure of the regularity of the manifold. This paper is the first investigation into the problem of how to estimate the reach. First, we study the geometry of the reach through an approximation perspective. We derive new geometric results on the reach for submanifolds without boundary. An estimator $\hat{\tau}$ of $\tau\_{M}$ is proposed in a framework where tangent spaces are known, and bounds assessing its efficiency are derived. In the case of i.i.d. random point cloud $\mathbb{X}\_{n}$, $\hat{\tau}(\mathbb{X}\_{n})$ is showed to achieve uniform expected loss bounds over a $\mathcal{C}^3$-like model. Finally, we obtain upper and lower bounds on the minimax rate for estimating the reach

‘This outcome gives me no pleasure. It is extremely painful for me to be the instrument of their fate’ : White House Policy on Rhodesia during the UDI Era (1965–1979)

This article offers an insightful analysis of presidential policy towards Rhodesia during the UDI era of 1965 to 1979. I provide an informative account of the stance adopted by the differing presidential administrations towards Salisbury and highlight the shifting alignment of the global and domestic dynamics that shaped decision-making. I also explore the complex relationship between pragmatism and morality in formulating policy and consider intriguing questions over the competing visions within Washington of what constituted pragmatism or morality during the era of decolonisation.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rshj202020-06-13hj2019Historical and Heritage Studie

Racial justice and the Cold War : Gerald R. Ford, Rhodesia and the Geneva Conference of 1976

This article explores the humanitarian and geopolitical rationale behind the decision of President Gerald R. Ford in placing the power and prestige of the United States, for the first time, in actively seeking an end to minority control in Rhodesia. This article specifically highlights the importance of Ford’s morality and belief in racial equality combined with the changing Cold War realities, specifically the growth of Cuban and Soviet power in southern Africa, as the major influences shaping presidential decision making. Rhodesia, given its unique legal status as an unrecognized nation and as part of the global “periphery” offered a great deal of flexibility to the White House in shaping policy. This article, therefore, not only illuminates an area of policy that has previously been somewhat overlooked by academic scholarship but further offers a deeper understanding of the Ford administration’s broader approach to foreign policy.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rsaf202021-05-26hj2020Historical and Heritage Studie

The luster of chrome : Nixon, Rhodesia, and the defiance of UN Sanctions

My article discusses the tilt towards the white minority regimes of southern Africa, specifically Rhodesia that occurred during the Nixon era. The White House approach was shaped by anti-communism and economic interest combined with an apathy for the cause of black liberation. This led to a blatant disregard of the principle of majority rule and open violation of UN sanctions. Furthermore, as Nixon’s actions regarding southern Africa were reflective of core beliefs within the White House of how to approach international politics, Rhodesia provides an illuminative lens regarding the broader imperatives that guided the Nixonian approach to global relations.https://academic.oup.com/dh2020-01-01hj2018Historical and Heritage Studie

‘We must analyse where our national interest lies and not worry too much about other people’s domestic policies’ : Richard M. Nixon and apartheid South Africa in the early 1970s

This article explores the pragmatic stance that the United States adopted, during the Nixon era, regarding relations with Pretoria. The Nixon administration believed that Washington needed to prioritise the protection of its own strategic and commercial interests and not become overly concerned about the domestic agenda of its global partners. The vehement anti-communism of the National Party government combined with a profitable economic relationship and the abundant mineral resources of the apartheid state dictated a need on practical grounds for closer ties with South Africa. This stance was further reinforced by Nixon’s contempt for sub-Saharan Africans and lack of interest in achieving racial justice.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rshj20hj2024Historical and Heritage StudiesNon

Apport Nutritionnel Des Aliments Consommés Par Les Adolescents De L’école Congolaise De Basket Ball « Gametime » De Brazzaville

Notre étude avait pour objectif d’évaluer l’énergie apportée par les aliments consommés par les adolescents de l’école congolaise de Basket-ball (GAMETIME) pendant la période d’entrainement et comparer ces apports aux normes recommandées par les nutritionnistes. Une enquête de consommation alimentaire a été menée auprès de 10 joueurs dont l’âge moyen était de 15,03 ± 3,65 ans. Le poids moyen était de 41,57 ± 5,18kg, tandis que la taille moyenne des sujets était de 1,69 ± 0,09m.  La méthode utilisée était celle de rappel de 24 heures. Les résultats ont indiqué que 70% des sujets prennent 2 repas par jour et ces repas sont constitués de déjeuner (60%) et du diner (30%). Toutefois, l’apport nutritionnel trouvé était de 3717,12 kilocalories. Tandis que la dépense énergétique était estimée à 2827,29 ±128,87 kilocalories. Par ailleurs, les pourcentages des apports étaient respectivement de 68,95 % en glucides (˃ à 60 %), de   19,52 % en lipides (< à 30 %) et de 11,53 % en protides (< à 15 %). Cependant, les apports énergétiques trouvés étaient supérieurs aux dépenses énergétiques, soit une différence de 889,83 ± 3,38 kilocalories a été constatée. La balance énergétique était plus dominée par des apports que des dépenses. Ces apports répondaient superficiellement aux normes recommandées. En conclusion, l’apport en macronutriment a montré des pourcentages incohérents par rapport aux normes recommandés. L’alimentation des basketteurs adolescents congolais était non seulement hyper glucidique mais malheureusement hypo lipidique et hypo protéique. Ces macronutriments déséquilibrés sont considérés comme facteurs limitants de performance. Our study aimed to evaluate the energy provided by the foods consumed by adolescents from the Congolese basketball school (GAMETIME) during the training period and to compare these contributions to the standards recommended by nutritionists. A food consumption survey was conducted among 10 players whose average age was 15.03 ± 3.65 years. The average weight was 41.57 ± 5.18 kg, while the average height of the subjects was 1.69 ± 0.09 m. The method used was the 24 hour callback. The results indicated that 70% of the subjects took 2 meals per day and these meals consisted of lunch (60%) and dinner (30%). However, the nutrient intake found was 3717.12 kilocalories. While the energy expenditure was estimated at 2827.29 ± 128.87 kilocalories. In addition, the percentages of intakes were respectively 68.95% in carbohydrates (˃ to 60%), 19.52% in lipids (<30%) and 11.53% in proteins (<15%). However, the energy intake found was greater than the energy expenditure, a difference of 889.83 ± 3.38 kilocalories was observed. The energy balance was more dominated by intakes than expenditures. These contributions superficially met the recommended standards. In conclusion, the macronutrient intake showed inconsisten percentages compared to the recommended standards. The diet of Congolese adolescent basketball players was not only high in carbohydrates but unfortunately low in fat and low in protein. These imbalanced macronutrients are considered as performance limiting factors

Food Ration and Mental Training for the Improvement of the Free Throw Performance in Congolese Beginners Basketball Players

Objective: Through an experimental study, the present work aims at testing the effectiveness of diet and mental imagery on the success of free throw in Congolese beginners Basketball Players. Method: 45 players participated in this experimental study in Brazzaville (Congo) .These subjects were divided into 3 groups. Group I (n=15), made up of beginner Basketball players subjected to a balanced diet to the mental training and to the practice of throwing on the ground. Group II (n=15), made up of beginner basketball players from a local team subjected to mental training of the throw and food monitoring; Group III (n=15), beginner Basketball Players participating in the district competitions. The variables studied were: flexion of the legs (FL), body orientation (BO), the extension of the arms (EA), and the success of shots (SS). Results: The results indicate that the best progress was made by the players in Group I: + 67.7% for the squat, + 38% for the orientation of the body, + 45.7% for the extension of arm, and 83.7% for successful shots. Conclusion: In summary, mental rehearsal combined with a balanced diet facilitates the practice of physical and sporting activity and significantly improves learning and performance of athletes

Nomenclature for kidney function and disease: report of a Kidney Disease:Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Consensus Conference

The worldwide burden of kidney disease is rising, but public awareness remains limited, underscoring the need for more effective communication by stakeholders in the kidney health community. Despite this need for clarity, the nomenclature for describing kidney function and disease lacks uniformity. In June 2019, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) convened a Consensus Conference with the goal of standardizing and refining the nomenclature used in the English language to describe kidney function and disease, and of developing a glossary that could be used in scientific publications. Guiding principles of the conference were that the revised nomenclature should be patient-centered, precise, and consistent with nomenclature used in the KDIGO guidelines. Conference attendees reached general consensus on the following recommendations: (i) to use "kidney" rather than "renal" or "nephro-" when referring to kidney disease and kidney function; (ii) to use "kidney failure" with appropriate descriptions of presence or absence of symptoms, signs, and treatment, rather than "end-stage kidney disease"; (iii) to use the KDIGO definition and classification of acute kidney diseases and disorders (AKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI), rather than alternative descriptions, to define and classify severity of AKD and AKI; (iv) to use the KDIGO definition and classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) rather than alternative descriptions to define and classify severity of CKD; and (v) to use specific kidney measures, such as albuminuria or decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), rather than "abnormal" or "reduced" kidney function to describe alterations in kidney structure and function. A proposed 5-part glossary contains specific items for which there was general agreement. Conference attendees acknowledged limitations of the recommendations and glossary, but they considered standardization of scientific nomenclature to be essential for improving communication

C11orf70 Mutations Disrupting the Intraflagellar Transport-Dependent Assembly of Multiple Axonemal Dyneins Cause Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous disorder characterized by destructive respiratory disease and laterality abnormalities due to randomized left-right body asymmetry. PCD is mostly caused by mutations affecting the core axoneme structure of motile cilia that is essential for movement. Genes that cause PCD when mutated include a group that encode proteins essential for the assembly of the ciliary dynein motors and the active transport process that delivers them from their cytoplasmic assembly site into the axoneme. We screened a cohort of affected individuals for disease-causing mutations using a targeted next generation sequencing panel and identified two unrelated families (three affected children) with mutations in the uncharacterized C11orf70 gene (official gene name CFAP300). The affected children share a consistent PCD phenotype from early life with laterality defects and immotile respiratory cilia displaying combined loss of inner and outer dynein arms (IDA+ODA). Phylogenetic analysis shows C11orf70 is highly conserved, distributed across species similarly to proteins involved in the intraflagellar transport (IFT)-dependant assembly of axonemal dyneins. Paramecium C11orf70 RNAi knockdown led to combined loss of ciliary IDA+ODA with reduced cilia beating and swim velocity. Tagged C11orf70 in Paramecium and Chlamydomonas localizes mainly in the cytoplasm with a small amount in the ciliary component. IFT139/TTC21B (IFT-A protein) and FLA10 (IFT kinesin) depletion experiments show that its transport within cilia is IFT dependent. During ciliogenesis, C11orf70 accumulates at the ciliary tips in a similar distribution to the IFT-B protein IFT46. In summary, C11orf70 is essential for assembly of dynein arms and C11orf70 mutations cause defective cilia motility and PCD