cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CHIRONOMUS Newsletter now compliant with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

It is a pleasure to inform you that as of this issue, the newsletter complies with article 8.6 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. This means that texts published in the newsletter are to be regarded as a published work also for the purposes of zoological nomenclature, and that we now welcome papers that involve nomenclatorial acts. In order to comply with article 8.6, copies of the newsletter must be deposited in at least five major publicly accessible libraries. This and future issues of the CHIRONOMUS Newsletter will therefore be printed in a limited number of paper copies and distributed to the libraries listed on page two of this issue. We are very pleased that all libraries we contacted were willing to receive and store copies of the CHIRONOMUS Newsletter and look forward to receive more taxonomy manuscripts for our Current Research section.
Game-Theoretic Approach to Joint Transmitter Adaptation and Power Control in Wireless Systems

Game theory has emerged as a new mathematical tool in the analysis and design of wireless communication systems, being particularly useful in studying the interactions among adaptive transmitters that attempt to achieve specific objectives without cooperation. In this paper, we present a game-theoretic approach to the problem of joint transmitter adaptation and power control in wireless systems, where users' transmissions are subject to quality-of-service requirements specified in terms of target signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratios (SINRs) and nonideal vector channels between transmitters and receivers are explicitly considered. Our approach is based on application of separable games, which are a specific class of noncooperative games where the players' cost is a separable function of their strategic choices. We formally state a joint codeword and power adaptation game, which is separable, and we study its properties in terms of its subgames, namely, the codeword adaptation subgame and the power adaptation subgame. We investigate the necessary conditions for an optimal Nash equilibrium and show that this corresponds to an ensemble of user codewords and powers, which maximizes the sum capacity of the corresponding multiaccess vector channel model, and for which the specified target SINRs are achieved with minimum transmitted power.
Victims’ Reactions to the Interpersonal Threat to Public Identity Posed by Copycats

Interpersonal threats to public identity consist of situations where another person intentionally attempts to illegitimately undermine one’s ability to display a valued and distinctive public identity. In three studies, we examined victims’ reactions to copycatting as an interpersonal threat to public identity to test each component of this definition. In Study, participants expressed the greatest degree of anger when the copying was illegitimate and intentional. In Study 2, participants expressed a greater degree of anger to copying of an important (vs. unimportant) characteristic. In Study 3, we manipulated the number of identity characteristics copied. A structural model showed that as the number of copied characteristics increased, participants’ perception of the situation as illegitimate and the copying as intentional predicted a threat to one’s freedom, which in turn predicted felt reactance predicting an unfavorable impression and a desire to confront the copycat. Together, the results support the definition of interpersonal threats to public identity and copycatting as such a situation.
Sagnac effect in relativistic and nonrelativistic physics

A simple special-relativistic derivation of the Sagnac effect, which reconciles the earlier general-relativistic and nonrelativistic derivations, is given. A distinction is made between the "classical Sagnac effect" and the "quantum Sagnac effect." A new group-theoretic derivation of these effects is also given. It is pointed out that there must exist a phase shift due to the Thomas precession in the interference of particles with intrinsic spin. The group-theoretic treatment also elucidates the connection between relativistic and nonrelativistic physics, on a classical and quantum level, with and without gravity. A formulation of the principle of equivalence, which is related to the Sagnac effect, is given in relativistic and nonrelativistic physics in terms of the respective invariance groups. New experiments are proposed to test the Sagnac effect in superfluid helium. The possible use of the general-relativistic Sagnac effect to measure the curvature tensor and in particular to detect gravitational waves is suggested.
Deadbeat error control of discrete multivariable systemsdagger

Abstract The main objective of this paper is to delineate conditions under which deadbeat error control can be achieved between, a plant output and a discrete reference input. signal. All facets of this problem are considered in the linear multivariable case. i.e. when the reference is any non-diminishing signal, whether the plant is truly discrete or a discretized continuous one, and whether the initial conditions are zero or unknown. The results presented can also be used to resolve the case of known, non-zero initial conditions on the state of the plant as well as the compensator.
Innovation and stock markets: international evidence on manufacturing and services

The paper investigates the link between stock markets and innovation, by focusing on the relationship between firms' innovativeness and their participation in public stock markets. It reviews theoretical and empirical literature on capital structure and going-public decision, combined with insights from innovation studies, to argue that there are no reasons, why a positive relationship between innovativeness and stock market participation should not apply to both manufacturing and services firms. This hypothesis is confirmed through the analysis of data from 30 European countries, as well as the USA and Japan, which shows that the positive relationship between innovativeness and stock market participation is actually stronger for services than for manufacturing firms. It is also shown that the relationship differs between countries as a reflection of their diverse institutions. It is weak or absent in countries where institutional environment of stock markets is weak, e.g. transition economies or Italy, and pronounced where institutions are particularly stock market friendly e.g. the USA and the UK. Finally, the paper shows that while the Internet boom brought hoards of innovative firms to stock markets, the positive relationship between innovativeness and stock market participation is likely to have existed before. Implications are drawn for research on the impact of financial structure on innovation and growth.
Intravertebral polymethylmethacrylate augmentation of anterior cervical discectomy fusion and plating in the setting of osteoporosis.

STUDY DESIGN Case report and review of the literature. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe a novel approach for anterior cervical fixation, which uses cement augmentation in a patient with osteoporosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Osteoporotic bone presents a challenge for the treating spine surgeon, and techniques to overcome the difficulty of cervical spine fixation in these patients are lacking. METHODS A 75-year-old woman with osteoporosis presented with cervical myelopathy and was found to have multiple-level cervical stenosis and C3-4 degenerative instability. The patient underwent anterior cervical discectomy fusion and plating from C3-7, with vertebroplasty polymethylmethacrylate augmentation through the screw pilot holes. Because of the patient's grossly soft bone, she also underwent postoperative halo placement. RESULTS No cement extravasation was observed. The halo was removed after 3 months. At 6 months follow-up, the patient had full resolution of her myelopathy. Imaging showed the cervical interbody fusions to be healed at all levels, with no screw pullout or graft subsidence. CONCLUSIONS This represents the first comprehensive description of successful cement augmentation during anterior cervical discectomy fusion and plating in a patient with osteoporosis, accomplishing both an increase in screw pullout strength and a decreased likelihood of graft subsidence. With further study, this technique may represent a viable treatment option in patients with osteoporosis requiring cervical decompression and fusion.
Atractotomus mali and Campylomma verbasci (Heteroptera: Miridae) on Apples in Connecticut

In 1963 and 1964, Atractotomus mali (Meyer) and Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) were collected on apple trees in the Experiment Station farm at Mt. Carmel, Conn. The occurrence of A. mali is of considerable interest for it is the 1st known record of this insect in the United States.
Measuring the electron's charge and the fine-structure constant by counting electrons on a capacitor

The charge of the electron can be determined by simply placing a known number of electrons on one electrode of a capacitor and measuring the voltage, Vs, across the capacitor. If Vs is measured in terms of the Josephson volt and the capacitor is measured in SI units then the fine-structure constant is the quantity determined. Recent developments involving single electron tunneling, SET, have shown bow to count the electrons as well as how to make an electrometer with sufficient sensitivity to measure the charge.
Heterodimers Reveal That Two Arabinose Molecules Are Required for the Normal Arabinose Response of AraC

AraC protein, which regulates expression of the L- arabinose operon in Escherichia coli, is a dimer whose DNA binding affinity for pairs of DNA half-sites is controlled by arabinose. Here we have addressed the question of whether the arabinose response of AraC requires the binding of one or two molecules of arabinose. This was accomplished by measuring the DNA dissociation rates of wild-type AraC and heterodimeric AraC constructs in which one subunit is capable of binding arabinose and the other subunit does not bind arabinose. Solutions consisting entirely of heterodimers were formed by spontaneous subunit exchange between two different homodimers, with heterodimers being trapped by the formation of an intersubunit disulfide bond between cysteine residues strategically positioned within the dimerization interface. We found that the normal arabinose response of AraC requires the binding of two arabinose molecules. These results provide additional constraints on mechanistic models for the action of AraC.
Electronics in Northern Ireland

That's what this piece is called and that's what it's about! The author opens a window into electronics in the Province and describes project work at his former school.
The perfect dual isotope imaging combination in evaluating patients with suspected infection of pelvic pressure ulcers

1747 Objectives The successful management of infected pelvic pressure ulcers depends on the distinction between infections limited to soft tissue infection (STI) and those with underlying osteomyelitis (OM), which can be difficult to determine clinically. Dual isotope (DI) comprehensive imaging has outstanding accuracy in localizing diabetic foot infection and discriminating bone from soft tissue infection with SPECT/CT utilization. In this study we assess the accuracy and confidence of the different DI SPECT/CT imaging steps in pelvic pressure ulcer patients with confirmed diagnoses. Methods Pelvic flow and blood pool imaging were followed by labeled WBC reinjection and Tc-99m HDP bone (BS) and In-111-leukocytes (WBCS) DI planar (PL) and SPECT/CT (step1) scan acquisitions. Tc-99m sulfur colloid (bone marrow)/WBCS SPECT/CT (step2) images were obtained on the following day. DI step1 PL, stept1 SPECT/CT, step2 SPECT/CT and combined step1 and step2 SPECT/CT were separately reviewed by 2 observers for diagnosis (OM, STI, no infection) and diagnosis confidence (possible, probable, certain). Final diagnosis was confirmed by culture/pathology in 21 and by clinical/imaging follow-up in 12 patients. Results There were 19 OM, 3 STI and 11 no infection patients. Final diagnosis agreement to DI combined step1/step2 SPECT/CT was higher than DI step2 or stept1 SPECT/CT alone, or DI step1 PL, as assessed by Lambda (0.86, 0.64, 0.37, 0.14) and error reduction % (76%, 52%, 35%, 18%), respectively. The diagnostic accuracy and confidence of different imaging for OM diagnosis are shown in table 1. Conclusions DI SPECT/CT is remarkably useful in evaluating pelvic pressure ulcer patients with suspected infection. DI step1 is more sensitive while step2 is more specific. Both step1 and step2 DI SPECT/CT images are needed to accurately and confidently assess for infection and distinguish OM from STI in these patients, which are crucial for optimal management. Table 1 Comparison of pelvic ulcer osteomyelitis diagnostic accuracy and confidence by different DI imaging combinations. AUC = area under the receiver-operator curve; CI = confidence interval; DI = dual isotope; NPV = negative predictive value; PPV = positive predictive value; Step1 = bone scan/WBCS scan; step2 = bone marrow scan/WBC scan; [asterisk] p
Stopping antibiotics after 5 days in clinically stable community-acquired pneumonia was noninferior to usual care.

Source Citation Uranga A, Espana PP, Bilbao A, et al. Duration of antibiotic treatment in community-acquired pneumonia: a multicenter randomized clinical trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176:1257-65. 2...
Superfund Locations and Potential Associations with Cancer Incidence in Florida

ABSTRACTUncontrolled hazardous wastes sites have the potential to adversely impact human health and damage or disrupt ecological systems and the greater environment. Four decades have passed since the Superfund law was enacted, allowing increased exposure time to these potential health hazards while also allowing advancement of analysis techniques. Florida has the sixth highest number of Superfund sites in the US and, in 2016, Florida was projected to have the second largest number of new cancer cases in the US. We explore statewide cancer incidence in Florida from 1986 to 2010 to determine if differences or associations exist in counties containing Superfund sites compared to counties that do not. To investigate potential environmental associations with cancer incidence; results using spatial and nonspatial mixed models were compared. Using a Poisson–Gamma mixture model, our results provide some evidence of an association between cancer incidence rates and Superfund site hazard levels, as well as proxy m...
What (or Who) Is Public?: Privacy Settings and Social Media Content Sharing

When social networking sites give users granular control over their privacy settings, the result is that some content across the site is public and some is not. How might this content--or characteristics of users who post publicly versus to a limited audience--be different? If these differences exist, research studies of public content could potentially be introducing systematic bias. Via Mechanical Turk, we asked 1,815 Facebook users to share recent posts. Using qualitative coding and quantitative measures, we characterize and categorize the nature of the content. Using machine learning techniques, we analyze patterns of choices for privacy settings. Contrary to expectations, we find that content type is not a significant predictor of privacy setting; however, some demographics such as gender and age are predictive. Additionally, with consent of participants, we provide a dataset of nearly 9,000 public and non-public Facebook posts.
Trends in breast and colorectal cancer screening among U.S. adults by race, healthcare coverage, and SES before, during, and after the great recession.

Abstract The aim of this study is examine trends in breast and colorectal cancer screening in the U.S. by race, healthcare coverage, and socio-economic status (SES) before the Great Recession (2003–2005), during the recession (2007–2009), and post-recession/Affordable Care Act (ACA) period (2010 − 2012). Data on a representative sample of U.S. adults was obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Breast and colorectal cancer screening were defined in line with U.S. Preventative Services Task Force guidelines, and survey weighted statistical methods were utilized to analyze trends in cancer screening among 1,858,572 BRFSS participants. Overall, 83% of women received mammograms in the past 2 years, while 95% of adults received colorectal cancer screening in the past 10 years. Compared with the pre-recession period, the odds of colorectal screening within 5 years were slightly higher during the recession (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03–1.08) but significantly lower in the post-recession/ACA period (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.72–0.75). Odds of mammography screening were lower during (OR: 0.94,95% CI: 0.91–0.96) and post-recession/ACA period (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.78–0.82). Breast cancer screening rates declined in the recession and post-recession, while colorectal cancer screening rates increased during the recession and decreased post-recession. Low SES adults and those without healthcare coverage were the least likely to receive screening.
Hungry for Answers: Misperceptions Arising from Sustainability Labeling (An Abstract)

While consumers are increasingly searching for ways to make more environmentally friendly food decisions, prior research suggests that the variety and complexity of existing sustainability communications on packaged foods pose as one of the greatest challenges for consumers. Moreover, the variety of food categories carrying sustainability labeling may cause further obfuscation to the messages consumers perceive. For instance, prior expectations of healthy and unhealthy foods may cause for different reactions when packaged with a sustainability label. Skepticism of “green” communications may also influence how consumers respond to sustainability labels. Here, the effects of how sustainability level and perceived healthfulness influence consumers differently across sustainability skepticism levels are investigated as well as the underlying mechanism. Our studies seek to enhance effective communication of sustainability information on packaged food products while offering insight on how sustainability labeling can influence consumer decisions.
Metal Biology Associated with Huntington’s Disease

Abstract Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder that results from an expanded CAG repeat in the Huntingtin gene ( HTT ). Some of the functions of the HTT protein have been described (i.e., protein scaffolding, vesicular transport), but many are unknown and the mechanism by which its mutation causes selective degeneration of striatal medium spiny neurons and other neurons is unclear. Abnormal metal homeostasis has been described in HD for iron, copper, and manganese. Changes in brain and body burden of these metals have been observed in patients and cellular and animal models of HD. Further, recent evidence suggests alterations in metal bioavailability in HD may contribute to pathogenic changes in enzymes which are sensitive to metals or depend on metals as cofactors, such as ATM, MRE11, and Arginase. Therapeutics targeting abnormal metal handling may be efficacious for HD and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Clinical Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Pediatrics.

The first reported clinical use of a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system in children was by Coss-Buet al. in 1999.1 They investigated a bedside VIA 1-01G Blood Chemistry monitor for measuring glucose in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The monitor was programmed to draw venous blood, analyze, and record blood glucose samples automatically at predetermined intervals. This system was large, difficult to move, required intravenous access, and took 20 min to set up. Nonetheless, the data provided were comparable to measures by a laboratory glucose analyzer and bedside glucometer and could be used to inform clinical decision-making. Many advances have occurred since that time to benefit pediatric patients with diabetes. Most recently, the FDA has approved the Dexcom G5 CGM system for use in insulin dosing decisions (nonadjunctive use),2 the MiniMed 670G hybrid closed-loop system which alters insulin delivery based on CGM data for children ≥14 years of age,3 and the Abbott FreeStyle Libre Pro for use by healthcare providers in tracking glucose data for those 18 years and over.4 In this chapter, published Pediatric data on CGM use will be reviewed in the following areas: type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, prediabetes, cystic fibrosis, neonatology, adrenal insufficiency, glycogen storage disease, and critical illness. Data were obtained through review of published works from a PubMed search of “pediatric continuous glucose monitor.” We also review pediatric CGM data from artificial pancreas studies, a rapidly evolving field with great promise to reduce burden and improve glucose control in pediatric patients.
Vesuvianite From Pajsberg, Sweden, and the Role of Be In the Vesuvianite Structure

Vesuvianite from Pajsberg, Sweden contains about one atom of Mn, based on 50 cations per formula unit, and small amounts of Be, B, and As. Optical absorption analysis suggests that the Mn is predominantly or entirely trivalent. Crystal-structure analysis indicates that Mn is housed at the general octahedral site Y3, which exhibits only minor distortion from ideal octahedral symmetry. Arsenic is housed at Y2 and Z2, and the formula derived from electron microprobe and LA-ICP-MS analyses suggests minor substitution of Al for Si, also at Z2. Beryllium and B are at T1, between the edge-sharing trimers Y3Y2Y3, as is the case for B in the boron-dominant vesuvianite species wiluite. The total content at T1 is interpreted as 0.82Be, 0.34B, and 0.037Fe^(3+).
Hydrogen sulfide acting at the carotid body and elsewhere in the organism.

H2S, the most recently explored gasotransmitter, has been found to have actions in at least three types of tissues.
Machine learning of neural representations of suicide and emotion concepts identifies suicidal youth.

The clinical assessment of suicidal risk would be substantially complemented by a biologically based measure that assesses alterations in the neural representations of concepts related to death and life in people who engage in suicidal ideation. This study used machine-learning algorithms (Gaussian Naive Bayes) to identify such individuals (17 suicidal ideators versus 17 controls) with high (91%) accuracy, based on their altered functional magnetic resonance imaging neural signatures of death-related and life-related concepts. The most discriminating concepts were ‘death’, ‘cruelty’, ‘trouble’, ‘carefree’, ‘good’ and ‘praise’. A similar classification accurately (94%) discriminated nine suicidal ideators who had made a suicide attempt from eight who had not. Moreover, a major facet of the concept alterations was the evoked emotion, whose neural signature served as an alternative basis for accurate (85%) group classification. This study establishes a biological, neurocognitive basis for altered concept representations in participants with suicidal ideation, which enables highly accurate group membership classification. Just et al. develop a highly accurate biological classification method for identifying suicidal ideators by applying machine learning to neural representations of death- and life-related concepts.
Mentoring for diversity in technology.

Psychosocial mentoring for both students and managers can help people from different backgrounds develop into a team and a community.
Orai1 and Orai3 Mediate Store-Operated Calcium Entry Contributing to Neuronal Excitability in Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons

Store-operated calcium channels (SOCs) are highly calcium-selective channels that mediate calcium entry in various cell types. We have previously reported that intraplantar injection of YM-58483 (a SOC inhibitor) attenuates chronic pain. A previous study has reported that the function of SOCs in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) is enhanced after nerve injury, suggesting that SOCs may play a peripheral role in chronic pain. However, the expression, functional distribution and significance of the SOC family in DRG neurons remain elusive and the key components that mediate SOC entry (SOCE) are still controversial. Here, we demonstrated that the SOC family (STIM1, STIM2, Orai1, Orai2, and Orai3) was expressed in DRGs and STIM1 was mainly present in small- and medium-sized DRG neurons. Using confocal live cell imaging, Ca2+ imaging and electrophysiology techniques, we demonstrated that depletion of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores induced STIM1 and STIM2 translocation, and that inhibition of STIM1 or blockage of Orai channels with pharmacological tools attenuated SOCE and SOC currents. Using the small inhibitory RNA knockdown approach, we identified STIM1, STIM2, Orai1, and Orai3 as the key components of SOCs mediating SOCE in DRG neurons. Importantly, activation of SOCs by thapsigargin induced plasma membrane depolarization and increased neuronal excitability, which were completely abolished by inhibition of SOCs or double knockdown of Orai1 and Orai3. Our findings suggest that SOCs exert an excitatory action in DRG neurons and provide a potential peripheral mechanism for modulation of pain hypersensitivity by SOC inhibition.
Connectivity modeling and graph theory analysis predict recolonization in transient populations

Abstract Population connectivity plays a major role in the ecology and evolution of marine organisms. In these systems, connectivity of many species occurs primarily during a larval stage, when larvae are frequently too small and numerous to track directly. To indirectly estimate larval dispersal, ocean circulation models have emerged as a popular technique. Here we use regional ocean circulation models to estimate dispersal of the intertidal barnacle Semibalanus balanoides at its local distribution limit in Southwest England. We incorporate historical and recent repatriation events to provide support for our modeled dispersal estimates, which predict a recolonization rate similar to that observed in two recolonization events. Using graph theory techniques to describe the dispersal landscape, we identify likely physical barriers to dispersal in the region. Our results demonstrate the use of recolonization data to support dispersal models and how these models can be used to describe population connectivity.
Cognitive Model for Smarter Dispatch System/Elevator

Abstract presents a cognitive model for dispatch systems like smart elevators, bus, trains etc. by providing a new method though which we can reduce the 'wait time' at the elevator, reduce the number of hops / stops to reduce the travel time and increase the elevator utilization by providing prediction of more users to be travelling in just a fraction of seconds. The design provides a new way with the help of machine learning methodology and re-imagining the elevator/dispatch system as a cognitive network. This solution will use the machine learning to predict the requirement of elevator at a particular floor. There are various areas which can get benefited by making a dispatch system (eg. Elevator) so intelligent that it can increase the human efficiency / productivity, increase the utilization of dispatch system and decrease the energy consumption to make a smarter planet.
Improved accuracy assessment for 3D genome reconstructions

Three dimensional (3D) genome spatial organization is critical for numerous cellular functions, including transcription, while certain conformation-driven structural alterations are frequently oncogenic. Genome conformation had been difficult to elucidate but the advent chromatin conformation capture assays, notably Hi-C, has transformed understanding of chromatin architecture and yielded numerous biological insights. Although most of these findings have flowed from analysis of proximity data produced by these assays, added value in generating 3D reconstructions has been demonstrated, deriving, in part, from superposing genomic features on the reconstruction. However, advantages of 3D structure-based analyses are clearly conditional on the accuracy of the attendant reconstructions, which is difficult to assess. Proponents of competing reconstruction algorithms have evaluated their accuracy by recourse to simulation of toy structures and/or limited fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging that features a handful of low resolution probes. Accordingly, new methods of reconstruction accuracy assessment are needed. Here we utilize two recently devised assays to develop methodology for assessing 3D reconstruction accuracy. Multiplex FISH increases the number of probes by an order of magnitude and hence the number of inter-probe distances by two orders, providing sufficient information for structure-level evaluation via mean-squared deviations (MSD). Crucially, underscoring multiplex FISH applications are large numbers of coordinate-system aligned replicates that provide the basis for a referent distribution for MSD statistics. Using this system we show that reconstructions based on Hi-C data for IMR90 cells are accurate for some chromosomes but not others. The second new assay, genome architecture mapping, utilizes large numbers of thin cryosections to obtain a measure of proximity. We exploit the planarity of the cryosections – not used in inferring proximity – to obtain measures of reconstruction accuracy, with referents provided via resampling. Application to mouse embryonic stem cells shows reconstruction accuracies that vary by chromosome. We have developed methods for assessing the accuracy of 3D genome reconstructions that exploit features of recently advanced multiplex FISH and genome architecture mapping assays. These approaches can help overcome the absence of gold standards for making such assessments which are important in view of the considerable uncertainties surrounding 3D genome reconstruction.
Iterated Sumsets and Olson's Generalization of the Erdős-Ginzburg-Ziv Theorem

Abstract Let G ≅ Z / m 1 Z × … × Z / m r Z be a finite abelian group with m 1 | … | m r = exp ⁡ ( G ) . The Kemperman Structure Theorem characterizes all subsets A , B ⊆ G satisfying | A + B | | A | + | B | and has been extended to cover the case when | A + B | ≤ | A | + | B | . Utilizing these results, we provide a precise structural description of all finite subsets A ⊆ G with | n A | ≤ ( | A | + 1 ) n − 3 when n ≥ 3 (also when G is infinite), in which case many of the pathological possibilities from the case n = 2 vanish, particularly for large n ≥ exp ⁡ ( G ) − 1 . The structural description is combined with other arguments to generalize a subsequence sum result of Olson asserting that a sequence S of terms from G having length | S | ≥ 2 | G | − 1 must either have every element of G representable as a sum of | G | -terms from S or else have all but | G / H | − 2 of its terms lying in a common H-coset for some H ≤ G . We show that the much weaker hypothesis | S | ≥ | G | + exp ⁡ ( G ) suffices to obtain a nearly identical conclusion, where for the case H is trivial we must allow all but | G / H | − 1 terms of S to be from the same H-coset. The bound on | S | is improved for several classes of groups G, yielding optimal lower bounds for | S | .
Frquency Regulation of Microgrid with Battery Droop Control

One of the potential problems with increasing renewable generation in microgrid is frequency regulation. Due to high variability of renewable generation resources, the imbalance between load and generation may lead to instability of the system. Since the microgrid can not compensate the power imbalance from the main grid, demand response in general and battery storage system specifically, can contribute in frequency regulation of microgrid. Conventional generator regulates the frequency with load frequency control (LFC) loop. Batteries connected to inverters can also contribute in regulating the frequency with the embedded frequency-watt control curve in inverter. In this paper, distributed battery storage systems are utilized to correct a given frequency deviation in the microgrid. The battery contribution is analyzed in centralized and decentralized environments. The optimal value of droop of distributed batteries are obtained and the small signal stability of the system is investigated.
Advanced Building Design

Abstract Buildings and community development have significant impacts on climate change because they account for almost 40% of energy consumption due to their relationship to the burning of fossil fuels. The amount of energy used by buildings continues to increase due to the new development that is occurring rapidly throughout the world. In this chapter, a detailed discussion on combined technology applications of energy, gas, and water has been discussed for realizing a zero-emission building, rural, and urban (ZEBRU) development. To meet 100% of the energy demands of a ZEBRU development, a design strategy is implemented wherein 25% of the elevation curtain wall and roof is used as a blackbody structured photovoltaic (PV) panel to trap solar irradiance and convert it to electricity. The domestic water supply is provided by in-house treatment processes (filtration, chlorination, ultraviolet treatment, and purification) from in situ groundwater extraction by PV panel–assisted pumping. Subsequently, domestic waste undergoes a transformation process wherein sludge, consisting mainly of human feces, is collected in a closed anaerobic detention tank in a cellar and introduced into a bioreactor, enabling the production of biogas by methanogenesis. This biogas is then stored and used for cooking and Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Finally, the separated wastewater is treated in the cellar by applying primary, secondary, and tertiary processes and is then used for gardening, irrigation, and landscaping. The combination of these technologies, wherein a ZEBRU can produce electricity, water, and gas by itself, without outside connections, is detailed in the following topics.
Negative calorie foods: An empirical examination of what is fact or fiction

Abstract A proposed weight loss strategy is to include in one’s diet foods that are deemed “negative calorie”. In theory, negative-calorie foods are foods for which more energy is expended in their digestion and assimilation than is consumed, thereby resulting in an energy deficit. Commonly listed negative calorie foods are characterized by a high water and fiber content and little fat. Although the existence of negative calorie foods has been largely argued against, no empirical study has fully addressed the validity of foods being negative calorie. We conducted such a study using the omnivorous lizard the bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and celery as the tested food. Celery tops many lists of negative calorie foods due to its high fiber and low caloric content. Following their consumption of celery meals equaling in mass to 5% of their body mass, we measured from each lizard their postprandial metabolic rates to calculate specific dynamic action (SDA). Feces and urate were collected after meals to determine the energy lost to excretion. The specific energy of the celery meals, feces, and urate was determined by bomb calorimetry. Lizards lost on average 29% and 14% of meal energy to feces and urate, respectively, and an additional 33% to SDA, leaving a net gain of 24% of the meal’s energy. When considering that only a portion of fecal energy stems from the celery meal, the net gain is expectedly higher. Although this study debunks the validity of celery and other proposed foods as negative calorie, these foods will contribute to generating a negative energy budget and thus the loss of body weight. Summary This empirical study refutes the existence of negative-calorie foods; however such foods will contribute to a negative energy balance, and thus the loss of body mass.
Spatial CUSUM for Signal Region Detection

Detecting weak clustered signal in spatial data is important but challenging in applications such as medical image and epidemiology. A more efficient detection algorithm can provide more precise early warning, and effectively reduce the decision risk and cost. To date, many methods have been developed to detect signals with spatial structures. However, most of the existing methods are either too conservative for weak signals or computationally too intensive. In this paper, we consider a novel method named Spatial CUSUM (SCUSUM), which employs the idea of the CUSUM procedure and false discovery rate controlling. We develop theoretical properties of the method which indicates that asymptotically SCUSUM can reach high classification accuracy. In the simulation study, we demonstrate that SCUSUM is sensitive to weak spatial signals. This new method is applied to a real fMRI dataset as illustration, and more irregular weak spatial signals are detected in the images compared to some existing methods, including the conventional FDR, FDR$_L$ and scan statistics.
Pilot Evaluation of Aggregate Plate Waste as a Measure of Students' School Lunch Consumption (OR13-08-19)

Weighing individual plate waste provides reliable estimates of food intake by physically weighing individual food components to the nearest gram before and after a meal. Weighing aggregate, school-level food waste may be an inexpensive and less time-consuming alternative. However, it has not been determined whether aggregate plate waste is an accurate measure of individual plate waste. This pilot study therefore aimed to evaluate the accuracy of aggregate plate waste for quantifying food waste in a school cafeteria setting in comparison to individual weighed plate waste. This study took place in an urban, low-income school district in Massachusetts. Four elementary schools that shared two identical cafeterias and served the same foods each day participated in the study. Participating students in the four schools had similar demographic characteristics. Cafeterias were randomly assigned to either individual or aggregate plate waste measurements. Plate waste was collected for 4 days from approximately n = 850 students in each cafeteria on the same days. For individual plate waste, the % consumed was calculated for each food item on each student's tray. In the cafeteria with aggregate-level measurements, waste was separated by component (entree, vegetable, fruit, and milk), and weighed to calculate the % consumed. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess the agreement between aggregate plate waste and individual-level plate waste. Agreement was excellent for entrees (ICC = 0.90) and vegetables (ICC = 0.78), but poor for milk (ICC = 0.22) and fruits (ICC = 0.23). The overall agreement for all four components combined was excellent (ICC = 0.75). Results suggest that aggregate plate waste may be a reasonable measure of individually weighed plate waste, but additional research is warranted. A grant from Arbella Insurance funded the data collection. The current analysis had no funding or support.
Periprocedural Major Bleeding Risk of Image-Guided Percutaneous Chest Tube Placement in Patients with an Elevated International Normalized Ratio

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the incidence of major hemorrhage after image-guided percutaneous chest tube placement in patients with an abnormal international normalized ratio (INR) measured before the procedure. Materials and Methods Between January 2013 and September 2017, 49 image-guided percutaneous chest tubes were placed in 45 adult patients who had an elevated INR of greater than 1.6. Data collected included routine serum pre-procedure coagulation studies, indication for chest tube placement, insertion technique, size of chest tube, and presence of complications after drain placement. Major bleeding complications were defined using the Society of Interventional Radiology classification system. Results Mean patient age was 62 years (range, 22–94 years), with median American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 4. Mean INR was 2.1 (range, 1.7–3), with 21 (43%) procedures with an INR between 1.7 and 1.9, 20 (41%) procedures with an INR between 2.0 and 2.4, and 8 (16%) procedures with an INR between 2.5 and 3.0. Computed tomography guidance was used for 27 (55%) procedures; ultrasound guidance was used for 22 (45%) procedures. Median size of chest tube was 10 Fr (range, 8–14 Fr) used in 27 (55%) procedures. No major bleeding complications were observed. There was a small, significant decrease in mean hemoglobin after the procedure (mean = 0.9g/dL; P Conclusions No major bleeding complications were observed after image-guided percutaneous chest tube placement in patients with an elevated INR. Major bleeding complications in these patients may be safer than initially considered, and this study encourages the conduct of larger trials for further evaluation.
The Costs of Supreme Court Decisions

Supreme Court decisions have costs, and seldom are they higher than in constitutional cases. Consider how Dred Scott relegated free people to slavery, and how a civil war soon followed. Or how Black Americans suffered under Jim Crow for decades after Plessy. Or how in the wake of Korematsu, thousands of innocent Japanese-Americans were detained in incarceration camps until the end of World War II. Sometimes, however, groups that lose at the Court have something more to say about their fates. The Article V amendment process is usually only a trifling part of this story; these groups are far more likely to engage in sub-constitutional efforts to avoid their harms. For example, after the Supreme Court overruled Lochner, industries protected their bottom lines by raising prices and reducing employment. After Brown, some white families sent their children to private schools or moved to the suburbs. And after the Court invalidated fair share fees in Janus v. AFSCME, Council 31, public sector unions successfully persuaded workers to pay dues voluntarily. Not all Supreme Court defeats, it seems, inflict equally inescapable harms. Or in the language of law and economics, some groups are better able to avoid the costs of an adverse Supreme Court ruling than others. Constitutional law should take account of this fact. If virtually everyone agrees that neither the Court nor elected lawmakers will get every close constitutional question right, we may as well ask whether there is a way to minimize the costs created when either one is at risk of getting the Constitution wrong. This is a best cost-avoider theory of constitutional law: in hard constitutional cases, the Supreme Court should rule against the group that can best avoid the costs of an adverse decision.
The origin, evolution, and application of the megapolitan area concept

The article explores the origin and evolution of the ‘megapolitan concept', the idea of a super-sized region that began in 1961 in Jean Gottmann's ‘megalopolis,' which he developed to explain large...
Coordination of a Central Atom by Multiple Intramolecular Pnicogen Bonds

A central pnicogen Z atom (Z = Sb, As) is covalently attached to the O atom of three -O(CH2)nX chains where X represents either an aldehyde or amine group. The chain can fold around so that the basic X group can engage in a noncovalent pnicogen bond with the central Z. The formation of up to three pnicogen bonds is energetically favored. The amine appears to engage in stronger pnicogen bonds than does the aldehyde, and bonds to Sb are favored over As, but there is little dependence on the length of the chain. The formation of each successive pnicogen bond reduces the magnitude of the σ-holes surrounding the Z atom, which tends to weaken the attraction for the basic end of the chain.
Ancient agriculture and climate change on the north coast of Peru

Because of its long-term perspective on human–environment relationships, archaeology is well positioned to study how people respond to past climate change and natural disasters. In interpreting these relationships, archaeological perspectives have shifted from viewing people as passively reacting to environmental change, to instead focusing on human action, decision making, and resilience theory (1). Adopted from ecology, resilience theory emphasizes how people foresee, adapt, and recover from disasters without significant cultural disruptions (2). As a theoretical tool, the concept of resilience enables archaeologists to consider the social and economic mechanisms that allow people to withstand periods of climate flux. One way of studying resilience to climate shifts is through the study of farming systems (3). In a paper titled “El Nino resilience farming on the north coast of Peru” in PNAS, Caramanica et al. (4) present evidence that the ancient inhabitants of the Chicama Valley developed sophisticated, flexible systems of agriculture to manage “catastrophic” El Nino (El Nino–Southern Oscillation [ENSO]) flooding over the last 2,000 y. These findings prompt reconsideration of the malleability of ancient Peruvian agricultural systems and how archaeologists think about disaster. At first glance, coastal Peru appears to be a difficult environment for human settlement. The region is a hyperarid desert that is susceptible to water shortages, tectonic activity, and episodic, but devastating flooding brought on by ENSO (5). However, the area also has environmental advantages that served as the economic basis for complex societies for millennia (6). The Pacific coast is home to one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems, which supported large fishing communities throughout prehistory (7, 8). In addition, the desert coastline is watered by a series of river systems fed from the adjacent Andes mountains, enabling irrigation agriculture. … [↵][1]1Email: jnesbitt{at}tulane.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Attitudes and Perceptions Toward Voice-Operated Smart Speakers Among Low-Income Senior Housing Residents: Comparison of Pre- and Post-Installation Surveys:

Smart speakers have the potential to support independent living and wellness among low-income senior housing (LISH) residents. The aim of this study was to examine and compare LISH residents’ attit...
New ALS Gene Identified: Are Novel Therapies on the Horizon?

Proposed pathogenesis of most neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is complex and typically involves interactions between genetic and environmental factors.1,2 The contribution of genetics in neurodegenerative diseases varies from monogenic causes to more multifaceted susceptibility genetic factors. However, identification of even rare single gene causes in these conditions has been crucial to our evolving understanding of neurodegenerative cascades and may ultimately lead to the development of new therapeutic interventions.3
A Universal Narrative?, on Ari Hiltunen Aristotle in Hollywood

Ari Hiltunen _Aristotle in Hollywood: The Anatomy of Successful Story-Telling_ Bristol, England: Intellect Books, 2002 ISBN 1-84150-060-7 143 pp.
Long-term hunter-gatherer land use in central North Dakota: An environmental analysis

Time-averaged deposits characterize a substantial portion of the archaeological record in the northern Great Plains and contain significant information regarding hunter-gatherer land use over long periods of time. This paper explores the research potential of time-averaged deposits in a portion of central North Dakota,focusing on hunter-gatherer land use for approximately 2,700 years. Using non-site methods, the intensity of temporally extensive place use, or persistence, is assessed according to the spatial and compositional structure of suiface features, and this distribution is evaluated according to subsurface deposits. While this study suggests that highly persistent places tend to be located near wooded areas, relatively far from wetlands, in slightly higher elevations, and where good views are available; these variables in themselves do not sufficiently explain the variation in long-term settlement persistence found throughout this portion of central North Dakota.