cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Change in BMI after radioactive iodine ablation for graves disease.

We aimed to determine the extent of post-treatment weight gain that occurs in pediatric patients in the first year following radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy for Graves disease (GD) and its relationship to clinical characteristics. A retrospective chart review of patients receiving RAI therapy for GD between 1998–2015 was performed. Change in BMI SDS (∆BMI SDS) from baseline to one year after treatment was determined. We also investigated whether individual clinical and/or biochemical factors were associated with the weight trajectory in these patients. One hundred fifty seven patients aged 12.7 ± 3 years (80% girls) were included in the analysis. Average ∆BMI SDS was 0.70 ± 0.71 (p < 0.001) at 1 year. Patients with weight loss at presentation had a greater ∆BMI SDS than those without (0.92 vs 0.56, p = 0.005), whereas no association was seen with gender, pubertal status, use of antithyroid drugs, history of ADHD, or Down syndrome. Baseline BMI SDS was negatively correlated with ∆BMI SDS, with a stronger correlation in males. From baseline to 1 year, the proportion of overweight and obese patients increased from 9.6% to 18.5% and from 6.4% to 21%, respectively. In a subset of 81 patients, a positive correlation was noted between time to euthyroidism and ∆BMI SDS, particularly in boys. The number of our patients in the overweight category doubled and the number in the obese category more than tripled in the first year following RAI treatment for GD. Anticipatory guidance regarding this important issue is badly needed.
Mercury-Induced Necrosis of Murine Renal Cell Carcinoma

Administration of the nephrotoxic agent, bichloride of mercury (HgCl2), to BALB/c mice bearing subcapsular renal tumor transplants induced early preferential necrosis of the tumor cells compared with mercury-treated normal kidney tubular cells and untreated control tumors. The principle is established that a selective proximal tubular poison is also toxic for a tumor of the same cellular origin.
Sexual Dysfunction in the Diabetic Patient With Hypertension

Abstract The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in the United States is increasing partly because of the incidence of these diseases in the growing geriatric population. Diabetes and hypertension have been associated with sexual dysfunction in both men and women. Neuropathy, vascular insufficiency and psychological problems have been implicated in impotence, impaired ejaculation and decreased libido in men and in decreased vaginal lubrication, orgasmic dysfunction and decreased libido in women. Several investigations of women with diabetes suggest fewer reports of sexual dysfunction than have been reported by diabetic men. However, there have been few evaluations of sexual dysfunction in women and no standard methods for assessment. Antihypertensive agents, especially diuretics, sympathetic inhibitors and β-blocking agents have been associated with sexual dysfunction due to autonomic and hormonal effects. An estimated 40 to 80% of diabetic hypertensives have reported sexual dysfunction in several investigations. Clearly, the diabetic hypertensive patient should be evaluated for sexual dysfunction, and appropriate therapy, including changes in medication or referral for sex counseling, should become routine in clinical care.
Getting around a license-plate ban: Behavioral responses to Mexico City’s driving restriction

Abstract License-plate-based driving restrictions are among the highest profile policies for local governments to address congestion and air pollution. Cities as varied as Sao Paulo, Paris, Tianjin, and New Delhi have enacted temporary or permanent restrictions to improve local air quality. Using household travel survey data and a research design based on the abrupt shift in how the policy applies to 10-year-old vs. 9-year-old vehicles, we evaluate the impact of Hoy No Circula, one of the earliest and most studied driving restrictions, in Mexico City. In line with previous studies, we find that Hoy No Circula has done little to reduce overall vehicle travel, but we reject the prevailing theory that its lack of success is due to perverse incentives for households to buy second cars. Instead, we highlight the range of other, less costly ways that people adjust behavior to avoid the restrictions. Although no single behavior dominates, most households — particularly those that own older, higher-polluting vehicles — do not use their car every weekday regardless of the restriction. As a result, it is relatively easy to shuffle travel from restricted days to unrestricted days and thus avoid the ban. Shuffling travel days is less costly, more immediately available, and far simpler for most households than buying a second car.
Analytical theory of intensity fluctuations in SASE

Abstract Recent advances in SASE experiments stimulate interest in quantitative comparison of measurements with theory. Extending our previous analysis (Krinsky and Yu, Phys. Rev. A 35 (8) (1987) 3406) of the SASE intensity in guided modes, we provide an analytical description of the intensity fluctuations by calculating intensity correlation functions in the frequency domain. Comparison of our results with experiment yields new insight into the SASE process.
Statin use and non-melanoma skin cancer risk: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies.

// Keming Yang 1 , Andrew Marley 1 , Huilin Tang 1 , Yiqing Song 1 , Jean Y. Tang 2 and Jiali Han 1 1 Department of Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202-2872, USA 2 Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94063, USA Correspondence to: Jiali Han, email: jialhan@iu.edu Keywords: statins, non-melanoma skin cancer, meta-analysis Received: June 26, 2017 Accepted: July 26, 2017 Published: August 08, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Existing evidence of the association between statin use and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) risk has been inconsistent. Objective: To maximize statistical power to synthesize prospective evidence on this relationship. Materials and Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrial.gov were systematically searched up to December 11, 2016. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to calculate summary estimates. Results: Our meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including 63,157 subjects showed no significant association between statin use and NMSC risk (RR = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.85–1.39). However, meta-analysis of four observational studies including 1,528,215 participants showed significantly increased risk of NMSC among statin users compared to non-users (RR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.02–1.22). Furthermore, ever using lipophilic statins (RR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.04–1.24) or lower-potency statins (RR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.03–1.26), as well as usage of any statin longer than one year (RR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.09–1.18) were significantly associated with increased NMSC risk based on observational studies. Conclusions: Evidence from observational studies supported an association between statin use and increased NMSC risk. This finding should be interpreted with caution due to modest number of included studies, possible between-study heterogeneity and inherent limitations of observational studies.
The effects of media slant on firm behavior

Abstract The media can impose reputational costs on firms because of its important role as an information intermediary and its ability to negatively slant coverage. We exploit a quasi-natural experiment that holds constant the information event across firms but varies the availability of a major news outlet in local markets. We find that firms subject to the threat of slanted coverage suppress the release of negative information before the event and release it subsequently. Our results are consistent with theory on the active role firms can play in managing their reputational capital through anticipatory actions to avoid negative media coverage.
"Such Inferior Courts...": Compliance by Circuits with Jurisprudential Regimes

Through its rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court makes clear what the Constitution means and how best to interpret congressional statutes. But, because Supreme Court rulings do not implement themselves, the Court is dependent on compliance by lower courts to effectuate its policies. Using the concept of jurisprudential regimes developed by Richards and Kritzer in 2002 and specifically the Establishment Clause jurisprudential regime they identified in 2003, we evaluate the extent to which the U.S. Courts of Appeals faithfully implement the Supreme Court's policy in this area of law. We find that decision making by court of appeals panels is indeed structured by the Supreme Court's Establishment Clause jurisprudential regime, even when taking into account the policy preferences of court of appeals judges. Furthermore we find that this attentiveness to legal factors is not a function of circuit court judges' fear of reversal.
FtsEX-mediated regulation of the final stages of cell division reveals morphogenetic plasticity in Caulobacter crescentus

During its life cycle, Caulobacter crescentus undergoes a series of coordinated shape changes, including generation of a polar stalk and reshaping of the cell envelope to produce new daughter cells through the process of cytokinesis. The mechanisms by which these morphogenetic processes are coordinated in time and space remain largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that the conserved division complex FtsEX controls both the early and late stages of cytokinesis in C. crescentus, namely initiation of constriction and final cell separation. ΔftsE cells display a striking phenotype: cells are chained, with skinny connections between cell bodies resulting from defects in inner membrane fusion and cell separation. Surprisingly, the thin connections in ΔftsE cells share morphological and molecular features with C. crescentus stalks. Our data uncover unanticipated morphogenetic plasticity in C. crescentus, with loss of FtsE causing a stalk-like program to take over at failed division sites.
The Effect of Heat Transfer and Polymer Concentration on Non-Newtonian Fluid from Pore-Scale Simulation of Rock X-ray Micro-CT

Most of the pore-scale imaging and simulations of non-Newtonian fluid are based on the simplifying geometry of network modeling and overlook the fluid rheology and heat transfer. In the present paper, we developed a non-isothermal and non-Newtonian numerical model of the flow properties at pore-scale by simulation of the 3D micro-CT images using a Finite Volume Method (FVM). The numerical model is based on the resolution of the momentum and energy conservation equations. Owing to an adaptive mesh generation technique and appropriate boundary conditions, rock permeability and mobility are accurately computed. A temperature and concentration-dependent power-law viscosity model in line with the experimental measurement of the fluid rheology is adopted. The model is first applied at isothermal condition to 2 benchmark samples, namely Fontainebleau sandstone and Grosmont carbonate, and is found to be in good agreement with the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Finally, at non-isothermal conditions, an effective mobility is introduced that enables to perform a numerical sensitivity study to fluid rheology, heat transfer, and operating conditions. While the mobility seems to evolve linearly with polymer concentration in agreement with a derived theoretical model, the effect of the temperature seems negligible by comparison. However, a sharp contrast is found between carbonate and sandstone under the effect of a constant temperature gradient. Besides concerning the flow index and consistency factor, a master curve is derived when normalizing the mobility for both the carbonate and the sandstone.
We’ll See You in… Court! The Lack of Arbitration Clauses in International Commercial Contracts

Abstract It is a widely held assumption that sophisticated parties prefer arbitration over litigation in international agreements for three reasons. First, the flexibility granted by arbitration would allow parties to write dispute settlement clauses that are tailored to their individual preferences. Second, concerns for home biases would provide incentives to remove the dispute settlement process from either parties’ domestic judicial system. And third, a greater ease of enforcement would cause parties to prefer arbitration over litigation. This study examines the validity of these theoretical claims relying on over half a million contracts filed with the SEC between 2000 and 2016. The results suggest that arbitration clauses are less frequently adopted than clauses referring parties to the domestic court system. If they are included, arbitration clauses serve the specific purpose of strategically reducing the discretion granted to the courts enforcing the decision. Absent serious threats to enforcement, parties prefer courts over arbitration, making arbitration a second-best-alternative to a well-functioning domestic judiciary.
Measuring Liquidity Mismatch in the Banking Sector

This paper constructs a liquidity mismatch index (LMI) to gauge the mismatch between the market liquidity of assets and the funding liquidity of liabilities, for 2,882 bank holding companies over 2002 to 2014. The aggregate LMI decreases from +$4 trillion precrisis to −$6 trillion in 2008. We conduct an LMI stress test revealing the fragility of the banking system in early 2007. Moreover, LMI predicts a bank's stock market crash probability and borrowing decisions from the government during the financial crisis. The LMI is therefore informative about both individual bank liquidity and the liquidity risk of the entire banking system.
Shape from Shading Through Shape Evolution

In this paper, we address the shape-from-shading problem by training deep networks with synthetic images. Unlike conventional approaches that combine deep learning and synthetic imagery, we propose an approach that does not need any external shape dataset to render synthetic images. Our approach consists of two synergistic processes: the evolution of complex shapes from simple primitives, and the training of a deep network for shape-from-shading. The evolution generates better shapes guided by the network training, while the training improves by using the evolved shapes. We show that our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on a shape-from-shading benchmark.
Influence of Transonic Flutter on the Conceptual Design of Next-Generation Transport Aircraft

Transonic aeroelasticity is an important consideration in the conceptual design of next-generation aircraft configurations. This paper develops a low-order physics-based flutter model for swept hig...
Effect of Buffer Layer and III/V Ratio on the Surface Morphology of Gan Grown by MBE

The surface morphology of GaN is observed by atomic force microscopy for growth on GaN and AlN buffer layers and as a function of III/V flux ratio. Films are grown on sapphire substrates by molecular beam epitaxy using a radio frequency nitrogen plasma source. Growth using GaN buffer layers leads to N-polar films, with surfaces strongly dependent on the flux conditions used. Flat surfaces can be obtained by growing as Ga-rich as possible, although Ga droplets tend to form. Ga-polar films can be grown on AlN buffer layers, with the surface morphology determined by the conditions of buffer layer deposition as well as the III/V ratio for growth of the GaN layer. Near-stoichiometric buffer layer growth conditions appear to support the flattest surfaces in this case. Three defect types are typically observed in GaN films on AlN buffers, including large and small pits and “loop” defects. It is possible to produce surfaces free from large pit defects by growing thicker films under more Ga-rich conditions. In such cases the surface roughness can be reduced to less than 1 nm RMS.
The impact of NCAA men’s basketball probations on the quantity and quality of student applications and enrollment

ABSTRACTCollegiate sports programmes have been characterized as the front porch of a university, serving to publicize the institution and draw students to the door. Previous research in this area h...
When Analysts Speak, Do Auditors Listen?

SUMMARY Prior studies examining the interactions of auditors and analysts have generally focused on how auditors influence analysts' forecasts or audit clients' behavior relative to those forecasts...
HANDHELD NAVIGATION IN TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: INSURING THE SWEET SPOT

Acetabular implant position is important for the stability, function, and long-term wear properties of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). Prior studies of acetabular implant positioning have demonstrated a high percentage of outliers, even for experienced hip surgeons, when conventional instruments are used. Computer navigation is an attractive tool for use in THA, as it has been shown to improve the precision of acetabular component placement and reduce the incidence of outliers. However, computer navigation with imageless, large-console systems is costly and often interrupts the surgeon9s workflow, and thus has not been widely adopted. Another method to improve acetabular component positioning during THA is the use of fluoroscopy with the direct anterior approach. Studies have demonstrated that the supine position of the patient during surgery facilitates the use of fluoroscopic guidance, thus improving acetabular component position. A handheld, accelerometer based navigation unit for use in total hip replacement has recently become available to assist the surgeon in positioning the acetabular component during anterior approach THA, potentially reducing the need for intra-operative fluoroscopic studies. We sought to compare the radiographic results of direct anterior THA performed with conventional instrumentation vs. handheld navigation to determine the accuracy of the navigation unit, and to see whether or not there was a reduction in the fluoroscopic time used during surgery. Furthermore, we timed the use of the navigation unit to see whether or not it required a substantial addition to surgical time. Our results demonstrate that a handheld navigation unit used during anterior approach THA had no difference with regard to acetabular cup positioning when compared to fluoroscopically assisted THA, but led to a reduction in the use of intra-operative fluoroscopy time.
Positive and Normative Implications of Liability Dollarization for Sudden Stops Models of Macroprudential Policy

“Liability dollarization,” namely intermediation of capital inflows in units of tradables into domestic loans in units of aggregate consumption, adds three important effects driven by real exchange rate fluctuations that alter standard models of Sudden Stops significantly: changes on the debt repayment burden, on the price of new debt, and on a risk-taking incentive (i.e., a negative premium on domestic debt). Under perfect foresight, the first effect makes Sudden Stops milder and multiple equilibria harder to obtain. The three effects add an “intermediation externality” to the macroprudential externality of standard models, which is present even without credit constraints. Optimal policy under commitment can be decentralized equally by taxing domestic credit or capital inflows, and hence capital controls as a separate instrument are not justified. This optimal policy is time inconsistent and follows a complex, nonlinear schedule. Quantitatively, an optimized pair of constant taxes on domestic debt and capital inflows makes crises slightly less likely and yields a small welfare gain, but other pairs reduce welfare sharply. For high effective debt taxes, capital controls and domestic debt taxes are again equivalent, and for low ones, welfare is higher with higher taxes on domestic debt than on capital inflows.
Multi-Context Systems with Preferences

This paper presents an extension of the Multi-Context Systems (MCS) framework to allow preferences to be expressed at the context level. The work is motivated by the observation that a casual use of preference logics at a context level in MCS can lead to undesirable outcomes (e.g., inconsistency of the MCS). To address this issue, the paper introduces the notion of a ranked logic, suitable for use with multiple sources of preferences, and employs it in the definition of weakly and strongly-preferred equilibria in a Multi-Context Systems with Preferences (MCSP) framework. The usefulness of MCSP is demonstrated in two applications: modeling of distributed configuration problems and finding explanations for distributed abductive diagnosis problems.
Risk, Unemployment, and the Stock Market: A Rare-Event-Based Explanation of Labor Market Volatility

What is the driving force behind the cyclical behavior of unemployment and vacancies? What is the relation between job-creation incentives of firms and stock market valuations? We answer these questions in a model with time-varying risk, modeled as a small and variable probability of an economic disaster. A high probability implies greater risk and lower future growth, lowering the incentives of firms to invest in hiring. During periods of high risk, stock market valuations are low and unemployment rises. The model thus explains volatility in equity and labor markets, and the relation between the two.
Disinhibiting neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus delays the onset of exertional fatigue and exhaustion in rats exercising in a warm environment.

Stimulants cause hyperthermia, in part, by increasing heat generation through exercise. Stimulants also delay the onset of fatigue and exhaustion allowing animals to exercise longer. If used in a warm environment, this combination (increased exercise and decreased fatigue) can cause heat stroke. The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) is involved in mediating locomotion from stimulants. Furthermore, inhibiting the DMH decreases locomotion and prevents hyperthermia in rats given stimulants in a warm environment. Whether the DMH is involved in mediating exercise-induced fatigue and exhaustion is not known. We hypothesized that disinhibiting neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) would delay the onset of fatigue and exhaustion in animals exercising in a warm environment. To test this hypothesis, we used automated video tracking software to measure fatigue and exhaustion. In rats, using wearable mini-pumps, we demonstrated that disinhibiting the DMH, via bicuculline perfusion (5 µM), increased the duration of exercise in a warm environment as compared to control animals (25 ± 3 min vs 15 ± 2 min). Bicuculline-perfused animals also had higher temperatures at exhaustion (41.4 ± 0.2 °C vs 40.0 ± 0.4 °C). Disinhibiting neurons in the DMH also increased the time to fatigue. Our data show that the same region of the hypothalamus that is involved in mediating locomotion to stimulants, is also involved in controlling exhaustion and fatigue. These findings have implications for understanding the cause and treatment of stimulant-induced-hyperthermia.
Mechanical Strain in Actin Networks Regulates FilGAP and Integrin Binding to Filamin A

Mechanical stresses elicit cellular reactions mediated by chemical signals. Defective responses to forces underlie human medical disorders, such as cardiac failure and pulmonary injury. Despite detailed knowledge of the cytoskeleton's structure, the specific molecular switches that convert mechanical stimuli into chemical signals have remained elusive. Here we identify the actin-binding protein, filamin A (FLNa) as a central mechanotransduction element of the cytoskeleton by using Fluorescence Loss After photo Conversion (FLAC), a novel high-speed alternative to FRAP. We reconstituted a minimal system consisting of actin filaments, FLNa and two FLNa-binding partners: the cytoplasmic tail of s-integrin, and FilGAP. Integrins form an essential mechanical linkage between extracellular and intracellular environments, with s integrin tails connecting to the actin cytoskeleton by binding directly to filamin. FilGAP is a FLNa-binding GTPase-activating protein specific for Rac, which in vivo regulates cell spreading and bleb formation. We demonstrate that both externally-imposed bulk shear and myosin II driven forces differentially regulate the binding of integrin and FilGAP to FLNa. Consistent with structural predictions, strain increases s-integrin binding to FLNa, whereas it causes FilGAP to dissociate from FLNa, providing a direct and specific molecular basis for cellular mechanotransduction. These results identify the first molecular mechanotransduction element within the actin cytoskeleton, revealing that mechanical strain of key proteins regulates the binding of signaling molecules.“Mechanical strain in actin networks regulates FilGAP and integrin binding to filamin A”A.J. Ehrlicher, F. Nakamura, J.H. Hartwig, D.A. Weitz and T.P. Stossel. Nature (2011) doi:10.1038/nature10430.
Convergence complexity analysis of albert and chib's algorithm for Bayesian probit regression

The use of MCMC algorithms in high dimensional Bayesian problems has become routine. This has spurred so-called convergence complexity analysis, the goal of which is to ascertain how the convergence rate of a Monte Carlo Markov chain scales with sample size, $n$, and/or number of covariates, $p$. This article provides a thorough convergence complexity analysis of Albert and Chib’s [J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 88 (1993) 669–679] data augmentation algorithm for the Bayesian probit regression model. The main tools used in this analysis are drift and minorization conditions. The usual pitfalls associated with this type of analysis are avoided by utilizing centered drift functions, which are minimized in high posterior probability regions, and by using a new technique to suppress high-dimensionality in the construction of minorization conditions. The main result is that the geometric convergence rate of the underlying Markov chain is bounded below 1 both as $n\rightarrow\infty$ (with $p$ fixed), and as $p\rightarrow\infty$ (with $n$ fixed). Furthermore, the first computable bounds on the total variation distance to stationarity are byproducts of the asymptotic analysis.
The Optimal Public and Private Provision of Safe Assets

Abstract We develop a theory of optimal government debt in which publicly-issued and privately-issued safe assets are substitutes. While government bonds are backed by future tax revenues, privately-issued safe assets are backed by the future repayment of pools of defaultable private loans. We find that a higher supply of public debt crowds out privately-issued safe assets less than one for one and reduces the interest spread between borrowing and deposit rates. Our main result is that the optimal level of public debt does not fully crowd out private lending and maintains a positive interest spread. Moreover, the optimal level of public debt is higher the more severe are financial frictions.
Dipolar exchange quantum logic gate with polar molecules

We propose a two-qubit gate based on dipolar exchange interactions between individually addressable ultracold polar molecules in an array of optical dipole traps. Our proposal treats the full Hamiltonian of the 1Σ+ molecule NaCs, utilizing a pair of nuclear spin states as storage qubits. A third rotationally excited state with rotation-hyperfine coupling enables switchable electric dipolar exchange interactions between two molecules to generate an iSWAP gate. All three states are insensitive to external magnetic and electric fields. Impacts on gate fidelity due to coupling to other molecular states, imperfect ground-state cooling, blackbody radiation and vacuum spontaneous emission are small, leading to potential fidelity above 99.99% in a coherent quantum system that can be scaled by purely optical means.
Concise, asymmetric total synthesis of spirotryprostatin A

The structurally intriguing cell-cycle inhibitor spirotryprostatin A has been synthesized utilizing an azomethine ylide dipolar cycloaddition reaction as the key step. This pentacyclic alkaloid contains a prenylated tryptophan-derived oxindole moiety that has been created in a regiocontrolled and stereocontrolled manner in a single step.
Multichannel charge Kondo effect and non-Fermi-liquid fixed points in conventional and topological superconductor islands

We study multiterminal Majorana and conventional superconducting islands in the vicinity of the charge degeneracy point using bosonization and the numerical renormalization group. Both models map to the multichannel charge Kondo problem, but for noninteracting normal leads they flow to different non-Fermi-liquid fixed points at low temperatures. We compare and contrast both cases by numerically obtaining the full crossover to the low-temperature regime, and we predict distinctive transport signatures. The differences between the two types of islands result from a crucial distinction between charge-$2e$ and charge-$e$ transfer in the conventional and topological case, respectively. In the conventional case, our results establish $s$-wave islands as a platform to study the intermediate multichannel Kondo fixed point. In the topological setup, the crossover temperature to non-Fermi-liquid behavior is relatively high as it is proportional to the level broadening, and the transport results are not sensitive to channel coupling anisotropy, moving away from the charge degeneracy point or including a small Majorana hybridization, which makes our proposal experimentally feasible.
Detection of Saturated Fatty Acids Associated with a Self-Healing Synthetic Biological Membrane Using Fiber-Enhanced Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering

The Synthetic Biological Membrane (SBM) project at NASA Ames developed a portable, self-repairing wastewater purification system. The self-repair process relies upon secreted fatty acids from a genetically engineered organism. However, solubilized fatty acids are difficult to detect using conventional methods. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was used to successfully detect solubilized fatty acids with the following limits of detection: 10-9, 10-8, 10-9, and 10-6 M for decanoic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid, respectively. Additionally, hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HCPCF) was applied as the sampling device together with SERS to develop in situ surveillance of the production of fatty acids. Using SERS + HCPCF yielded an 18-fold enhancement in SERS signal for the CH2 twist peak at 1295 cm-1 as compared to SERS alone. The results will help the SBM project to integrate a self-healing wastewater purification membrane into future water recycling systems.
A move beyond sustainability certification: The evolution of the chocolate industry's sustainable sourcing practices

Companies' sustainable sourcing practices play an increasing role in addressing the social and environmental challenges in agricultural supply chains. Yet the approaches companies take to regulate their supply chains continue to evolve. I use the chocolate industry as a critical case to explore how and why companies have changed their approaches to sustainable cocoa sourcing over the last 20 years. Drawing on an analysis of 205 company documents, 95 newspaper articles and over 50 in‐depth interviews, I trace the evolution of chocolate manufacturers' sustainable sourcing practices from a focus on industry initiatives to a commitment to sustainability certification and now to companies increasingly moving toward own‐supply chain programs. These shifts can in part be explained by the evolving salience of different stakeholder groups over time. This study highlights the dynamic nature of sustainable sourcing practice adoption and suggests companies are building upon previous strategies to incorporate more stakeholder voices over time.
Sentence-Level Fluency Evaluation: References Help, But Can Be Spared!

Motivated by recent findings on the probabilistic modeling of acceptability judgments, we propose syntactic log-odds ratio (SLOR), a normalized language model score, as a metric for referenceless fluency evaluation of natural language generation output at the sentence level. We further introduce WPSLOR, a novel WordPiece-based version, which harnesses a more compact language model. Even though word-overlap metrics like ROUGE are computed with the help of hand-written references, our referenceless methods obtain a significantly higher correlation with human fluency scores on a benchmark dataset of compressed sentences. Finally, we present ROUGE-LM, a reference-based metric which is a natural extension of WPSLOR to the case of available references. We show that ROUGE-LM yields a significantly higher correlation with human judgments than all baseline metrics, including WPSLOR on its own.
Rapid and Stable Microbial Community Assembly in the Headwaters of a Third-Order Stream

ABSTRACT Small streams and their headwaters are key sources of microbial diversity in fluvial systems and serve as an entry point for bacteria from surrounding environments. Community assembly processes occurring in these streams shape downstream population structure and nutrient cycles. To elucidate the development and stability of microbial communities along the length of a first- through third-order stream, fine-scale temporal and spatial sampling regimes were employed along McNutt Creek in Athens, GA, USA. 16S rRNA amplicon libraries were constructed from samples collected on a single day from 19 sites spanning the first 16.76 km of the stream. To provide context for this spatial study and evaluate temporal variability, selected sites at the stream’s upper, mid, and lower reaches were sampled daily for 5 days preceding and following the spatial study. In a second study, three sites at and near the creek’s headwaters were sampled daily for 11 days to understand initial bacterioplankton community assembly. Both studies revealed decreasing alpha and beta diversity with increasing downstream distance. These trends were accompanied by the enrichment of a small fraction of taxa found at low abundance in headwater-proximal sites. Similar sets of taxa consistently increased in relative abundance in downstream samples over time scales ranging from 1 day to 1 year, many of which belong to clades known to be abundant in freshwater environments. These results underpin the importance of headwaters as the site of rapid in-stream selection that results in the reproducible establishment of a highly stable community of freshwater riverine bacteria. IMPORTANCE Headwater streams are critical introduction points of microbial diversity for larger connecting rivers and play key roles in the establishment of taxa that partake in in-stream nutrient cycling. We examined the microbial community composition of a first- through third-order stream using fine-scale temporal and spatial regimes. Our results show that the bacterioplankton community develops rapidly and predictably from the headwater population with increasing total stream length. Along the length of the stream, the microbial community exhibits substantial diversity loss and enriches repeatedly for select taxa across days and years, although the relative abundances of individual taxa vary over time and space. This repeated enrichment of a stable stream community likely contributes to the stability and flexibility of downstream communities.
Characterization of a Compact, Low-Cost Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet Driven by a Piezoelectric Transformer

To realize the broadest potential of nonthermal atmospheric-pressure plasma (APP) technology, there is a need to develop low-cost, compact devices that can be used for portable applications. One of the greatest impediments to this is the power supplies and/or electronics needed to generate breakdown at atmospheric pressure. Piezoelectric transformers (PTs) are solid-state transformers that can produce large gains in voltage, which along with their modest size, makes them attractive candidates for use in plasma production. In this paper, we use a low-voltage power supply in line with a PT to produce an APP jet (APPJ). While operating at the resonance frequency of the PT (88 kHz), plasma jets were generated with input voltages as low as 10 V. The electrical and optical characteristics of the piezoelectric-driven jet were compared to an APPJ produced with a high-voltage sine wave of comparable operating frequency. Both APPJs were examined in helium and argon for a variety of different flow rates and operating voltages. In argon, the length of the jets was nearly identical for all operating parameters but produced different discharge currents. In helium, the discharge currents were similar but the lengths of the jet differed. Optical emission spectroscopy showed similar chemical composition between the two jets for both feed gases. Together, the results suggest that the piezoelectric material has an influence beyond simply amplifying voltage but can be successfully integrated to meet the requirements needed for plasma production.
Deletion of the glucocorticoid receptor chaperone FKBP51 prevents glucocorticoid-induced skin atrophy

FKBP51 (FK506-binding protein 51) is a known co-chaperone and regulator of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which usually attenuates its activity. FKBP51 is one of the major GR target genes in skin, but its role in clinical effects of glucocorticoids is not known. Here, we used FKBP51 knockout (KO) mice to determine FKBP51's role in the major adverse effect of topical glucocorticoids, skin atrophy. Unexpectedly, we found that all skin compartments (epidermis, dermis, dermal adipose and CD34+ stem cells) in FKBP51 KO animals were much more resistant to glucocorticoid-induced hypoplasia. Furthermore, despite the absence of inhibitory FKBP51, the basal level of expression and glucocorticoid activation of GR target genes were not increased in FKBP51 KO skin or CRISPR/Cas9-edited FKBP51 KO HaCaT human keratinocytes. FKBP51 is known to negatively regulate Akt and mTOR. We found a significant increase in AktSer473 and mTORSer2448 phosphorylation and downstream pro-growth signaling in FKBP51-deficient keratinocytes in vivo and in vitro. As Akt/mTOR-GR crosstalk is usually negative in skin, our results suggest that Akt/mTOR activation could be responsible for the lack of increased GR function and resistance of FKBP51 KO mice to the steroid-induced skin atrophy.
Paternal germ line aging: DNA methylation age prediction from human sperm

The relationship between aging and epigenetic profiles has been highlighted in many recent studies. Models using somatic cell methylomes to predict age have been successfully constructed. However, gamete aging is quite distinct and as such age prediction using sperm methylomes is ineffective with current techniques. We have produced a model that utilizes human sperm DNA methylation signatures to predict chronological age by utilizing methylation array data from a total of 329 samples. The dataset used for model construction includes infertile patients, sperm donors, and individuals from the general population. Our model is capable predicting age with an R2 of 0.89, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.04 years, and a mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of 6.28% in our data set. We additionally investigated the reproducibility of prediction with our model in an independent cohort where 6 technical replicates of 10 individual samples were tested on different arrays. We found very similar age prediction accuracy (MAE = 2.37 years; MAPE = 7.05%) with a high degree of precision between replicates (standard deviation of only 0.877 years). Additionally, we found that smokers trended toward increased age profiles when compared to ‘never smokers’ though this pattern was only striking in a portion of the samples screened. The predictive model described herein was built to offer researchers the ability to assess “germ line age” by accessing sperm DNA methylation signatures at genomic regions affected by age. Our data suggest that this model can predict an individual’s chronological age with a high degree of accuracy regardless of fertility status and with a high degree of repeatability. Additionally, our data suggest that the aging process in sperm may be impacted by environmental factors, though this effect appears to be quite subtle and future work is needed to establish this relationship.
Normal-dispersion fiber optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification

We demonstrate a fiber optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier pumped in the normally dispersive regime. This approach is readily scalable, offering a route to microjoule-level, femtosecond pulses at new wavelengths. As a first demonstration, we pump with chirped pulses at 1.03 μm and seed with a continuous-wave beam at 0.85 μm, and are able to generate idlers at 1.3 μm with durations as short as 210 fs or energies as high as 180 nJ.
GSAP modulates γ-secretase specificity by inducing conformational change in PS1.

The mechanism by which γ-secretase activating protein (GSAP) regulates γ-secretase activity has not yet been elucidated. Here, we show that knockout of GSAP in cultured cells directly reduces γ-secretase activity for Aβ production, but not for Notch1 cleavage, suggesting that GSAP may induce a conformational change contributing to the specificity of γ-secretase. Furthermore, using an active-site–directed photoprobe with double cross-linking moieties, we demonstrate that GSAP modifies the orientation and/or distance of the PS1 N-terminal fragment and the PS1 C-terminal fragment, a region containing the active site of γ-secretase. This work offers insight into how GSAP regulates γ-secretase specificity.
Forecasting Periods of Strong Southward Magnetic Field Following Interplanetary Shocks

Long periods of strong southward magnetic fields are known to be the primary cause of intense geomagnetic storms. The majority of such events are caused by the passage over Earth of a magnetic ejecta. Irrespective of the interplanetary cause, fast-forward shocks often precede such strong southward B$_{z}$ periods. Here, we first look at all long periods of strong southward magnetic fields as well as fast-forward shocks measured by the \textit{Wind} spacecraft in a 22.4-year span. We find that 76{\%} of strong southward B$_{z}$ periods are preceded within 48 hours by at least a fast-forward shock but only about 23{\%} of all shocks are followed within 48 hours by strong southward B$_{z}$ periods. Then, we devise a threshold-based probabilistic forecasting method based on the shock properties and the pre-shock near-Earth solar wind plasma and interplanetary magnetic field characteristics adopting a `superposed epoch analysis'-like approach. Our analysis shows that the solar wind conditions in the 30 minutes interval around the arrival of fast-forward shocks have a significant contribution to the prediction of long-duration southward B$_{z}$ periods. This probabilistic model may provide on average a 14-hour warning time for an intense and long-duration southward B$_{z}$ period. Evaluating the forecast capability of the model through a statistical and skill score-based approach reveals that it outperforms a coin-flipping forecast. By using the information provided by the arrival of a fast-forward shock at L1, this model represents a marked improvement over similar forecasting methods. We outline a number of future potential improvements.
Definite determinantal representations of multivariate polynomials

In this paper, we consider the problem of representing a multivariate polynomial as the determinant of a definite (monic) symmetric/Hermitian linear matrix polynomial (LMP). Such a polynomial is kn...
Core Outcome Measures for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Research: Recommendations from a Veterans Health Administration Work Group.

Objective Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) disorders are among the most prevalent and disabling conditions worldwide. It would be advantageous to have common outcome measures when comparing results across different CMSP research studies. Methods The Veterans Health Administration appointed a work group to recommend core outcome measures for assessing pain intensity and interference as well as important secondary domains in clinical research. The work group used three streams of data to inform their recommendations: 1) literature synthesis augmented by three recently completed trials; 2) review and comparison of measures recommended by other expert groups; 3) two Delphi surveys of work group members. Results The single-item numerical rating scale and seven-item Brief Pain Inventory interference scale emerged as the recommended measures for assessing pain intensity and interference, respectively. The secondary domains ranked most important included physical functioning and depression, followed by sleep, anxiety, and patient-reported global impression of change (PGIC). For these domains, the work group recommended the Patient-Reported Outcome Information System four-item physical function and sleep scales, the Patient Health Questionnaire two-item depression scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder two-item anxiety scale, and the single-item PGIC. Finally, a single-item National Health Interview Survey item was favored for defining chronic pain. Conclusions Two scales comprising eight items are recommended as core outcome measures for pain intensity and interference in all studies of chronic musculoskeletal pain, and brief scales comprising 13 additional items can be added when possible to assess important secondary domains.
Active choice, implicit defaults, and the incentive to choose.

Abstract Home-delivered prescriptions have no delivery charge and lower copayments than prescriptions picked up at a pharmacy. Nevertheless, when home delivery is offered on an opt-in basis, the take-up rate is only 6%. We study a program that makes active choice of either home delivery or pharmacy pick-up a requirement for insurance eligibility. The program introduces an implicit default for those who don’t make an active choice: pharmacy pick-up without insurance subsidies. Under this program, 42% of eligible employees actively choose home delivery, 39% actively choose pharmacy pick-up, and 19% make no active choice and are assigned the implicit default. Individuals who financially benefit most from home delivery are more likely to choose it. Those who benefit least from insurance subsidies are more likely to make no active choice and lose those subsidies. The implicit default incentivizes people to make an active choice, thereby playing a key role in choice architecture.
Proceedings of the 2009 ACM workshop on Cloud computing security

Notwithstanding the latest buzzword (grid, cloud, utility computing, SaaS, IaaS, KaaS, PaaS, etc.), large-scale computing and cloud-like infrastructures are here to stay. How exactly they will look like tomorrow is still for the markets to decide, yet one thing is certain: clouds bring with them new untested deployment and associated adversarial models and vulnerabilities. Thus, it is essential that our community becomes involved at this early stage. The Cloud Computing Security Workshop (CCSW) was started with this purpose in mind: to bring together researchers and practitioners in all security aspects of cloud-centric and outsourced computing. The call for papers attracted overwhelming interest from the community with over 30 submissions from Asia, Canada, Europe, and the United States. The program committee accepted 11 full and 3 short papers. Additionally, we felt that in this first instance of the workshop it is essential to bootstrap the dialogue by inviting distinguished speakers such as Whitfield Diffie, Sun's Chief Security Officer and one of the fathers of public key cryptography, Ian Foster, one of the founders of the international Grid community, as well as Peter Mell and Tim Grance from the Computer Security Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) who are initiating important government efforts to shape essential components in the broader cloud arena.