COEM: Cross-Modal Embedding for MetaCell Identification

Metacells are disjoint and homogeneous groups of single-cell profiles, representing discrete and highly granular cell states. Existing metacell algorithms tend to use only one modality to infer metacells, even though single-cell multi-omics datasets profile multiple molecular modalities within the same cell. Here, we present \textbf{C}ross-M\textbf{O}dal \textbf{E}mbedding for \textbf{M}etaCell Identification (COEM), which utilizes an embedded space leveraging the information of both scATAC-seq and scRNA-seq to perform aggregation, balancing the trade-off between fine resolution and sufficient sequencing coverage. COEM outperforms the state-of-the-art method SEACells by efficiently identifying accurate and well-separated metacells across datasets with continuous and discrete cell types. Furthermore, COEM significantly improves peak-to-gene association analyses, and facilitates complex gene regulatory inference tasks.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, ICML workshop on computational biolog

Insight-HXMT observations of Swift J0243.6+6124 during its 2017-2018 outburst

The recently discovered neutron star transient Swift J0243.6+6124 has been monitored by {\it the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope} ({\it Insight-\rm HXMT). Based on the obtained data, we investigate the broadband spectrum of the source throughout the outburst. We estimate the broadband flux of the source and search for possible cyclotron line in the broadband spectrum. No evidence of line-like features is, however, found up to $\rm 150~keV$. In the absence of any cyclotron line in its energy spectrum, we estimate the magnetic field of the source based on the observed spin evolution of the neutron star by applying two accretion torque models. In both cases, we get consistent results with $B\rm \sim 10^{13}~G$, $D\rm \sim 6~kpc$ and peak luminosity of $\rm >10^{39}~erg~s^{-1}$ which makes the source the first Galactic ultraluminous X-ray source hosting a neutron star.Comment: publishe

Overview to the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (Insight-HXMT) Satellite

As China's first X-ray astronomical satellite, the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), which was dubbed as Insight-HXMT after the launch on June 15, 2017, is a wide-band (1-250 keV) slat-collimator-based X-ray astronomy satellite with the capability of all-sky monitoring in 0.2-3 MeV. It was designed to perform pointing, scanning and gamma-ray burst (GRB) observations and, based on the Direct Demodulation Method (DDM), the image of the scanned sky region can be reconstructed. Here we give an overview of the mission and its progresses, including payload, core sciences, ground calibration/facility, ground segment, data archive, software, in-orbit performance, calibration, background model, observations and some preliminary results.Comment: 29 pages, 40 figures, 6 tables, to appear in Sci. China-Phys. Mech. Astron. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1910.0443

Characterizing Impact of Initial Conditions on Fermentation in Two New Grape Wines

The cold-hardy Marquette and Arandell grapes are cultivated in Massachusetts for winemaking by Zoll Cellars. Since those two species grapes are relatively new to the wine-making industry, the initial must pH value and yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) are regarded as key influential vinification process factors. This project investigates the effect of must pH and YAN to discover optimum initial fermentation condition for advancing wine quality. Micro- fermentation experiment was conducted and wine samples were analyzed to determine optimum initial fermentation conditions for Arandell and Marquette. A must pH of 3.0 and a high YAN concentration are suggested for Arandell to have a pleasant smell while a must pH range from 3.4 to 3.6 is recommended for Marquette grape

Transport of Fatty Acid Molecules by Lipoprotein Micelles in the Human Body

Though the death rate from coronary heart disease (CHD) has declined over the last several decades, CHD still remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Multiple lines of evidence have confirmed that Apo B-containing lipoproteins are involved in the development of atherosclerosis. The function of Apo B-containing lipoproteins is to transfer fatty acids and other lipids to peripheral organs. Two computational and mathematical methods, a deterministic ODE model and the stochastic Gillespie algorithm, are applied to model the complex lipoprotein transport and lipid metabolism of the human body for a better understanding of human’s lipid transfer system and its relationship to atherosclerosis. The ODE model is a set of differential equations which tracks the lipoproteins with an assumption of one-step transition between lipoprotein groups. While the Gillespie algorithm simulates the possible states for each lipoprotein at each step, which enables subtle track of lipoprotein transition. The two modeling methods provide a way to look at fatty acid transport qualitatively and quantitatively. The goal of this research is to obtain insight into fatty acid transport in the human body and develop strategies to prevent and treat atherosclerosis

The efficacy of probiotics supplementation for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background There is a lack of certain evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of probiotics for adult atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database were searched for relevant studies, and randomized controlled trials of AD describing treatment with single/mixed probiotic therapy were included. Changes in outcomes were calculated by standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Relative efficacies of the probiotics were ranked by the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA). Results Nine studies with a total of 402 participants, including 208 AD patients who received probiotic treatments and 194 controls, were considered during the current analysis. A reduction in disease severity for probiotic supplementation compared to controls in both the short term (SMD: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.02–1.25) and the long term (SMD: 1.57; 95% CI: 0.66–2.49). There was a significant improvement in long-term quality of life after probiotic supplementation compared with controls (SMD: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.39–1.09). A mixture of L. salivarius (LS01) and Bifidobacterium (BR03) was found the highest probability of the best supplementation. Conclusions Probiotic supplementation decreases clinical severity and improves the quality of life among adult AD patients. The mixture of LS01 and BR03 appeared optimal

Developing a Composting System for Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco

This project’s goal is to introduce environmentally responsible composting on a large scale to Al-Akhawayn University (AUI). This document addresses the required background, methodology, results, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations gathered from our project. By analyzing Al-Akhawayn University’s waste stream, conducting a pilot scale study and exploring composting methods, we have established a set of recommendations for the setup and maintenance of a large scale composting system for AUI in Ifrane, Morocco