cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Join algorithms on GPUs: A revisit after seven years

Implementing database operations on parallel platforms has gain a lot of momentum in the past decade. A number of studies have shown the potential of using GPUs to speed up database operations. In this paper, we present empirical evaluations of a state-of-the-art work published in SIGMOD'08 on GPU-based join processing. In particular, this work presents four major join algorithms and a number of join-related primitives on GPUs. Since 2008, the compute capabilities of GPUs have increased following a pace faster than that of the multi-core CPUs. We run a comprehensive set of experiments to study how join operations can benefit from such rapid expansion of GPU capabilities. Our experiments on today's mainstream GPU and CPU hardware show that the GPU join program achieves up to 20X speedup in end-to-end running time over a highly-optimized CPU version. This is significantly better than the 7X performance gap reported in the original paper. We also present improved GPU programs that take advantage of new GPU hardware/software features such as read-only data cache, large L2 cache, and shuffle instructions. By applying such optimizations, extra performance improvement of 30–52% is observed in various components of the GPU program. Finally, we evaluate the same program from a few other perspectives including energy efficiency, floatingpoint performance, and program development considerations to further reveal the advantages and limitations of using GPUs for database operations. In summary, we find that today's GPUs are significantly faster in floating point operations, can process more on-board data, and achieve higher energy efficiency than modern CPUs.
Constitutively active ESCRT-II suppresses the MVB-sorting phenotype of ESCRT-0 and ESCRT-I mutants.

The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) protein complexes function at the endosome in the formation of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) containing cargo proteins destined for the vacuolar/lysosomal lumen. The early ESCRTs (ESCRT-0 and -I) are likely involved in cargo sorting, whereas ESCRT-III and Vps4 function to sever the neck of the forming ILVs. ESCRT-II links these functions by initiating ESCRT-III formation in an ESCRT-I–regulated manner. We identify a constitutively active mutant of ESCRT-II that partially suppresses the phenotype of an ESCRT-I or ESCRT-0 deletion strain, suggesting that these early ESCRTs are not essential and have redundant functions. However, the ESCRT-III/Vps4 system alone is not sufficient for ILV formation but requires cargo sorting mediated by one of the early ESCRTs.
Dissolution Kinetics and Mechanisms at Dolomite–Water Interfaces: Effects of Electrolyte Specific Ionic Strength

Elucidating dissolution kinetics and mechanisms at carbonate mineral-water interfaces is essential to many environmental and geochemical processes, including geologic CO(2) sequestration in deep aquifers. In the present work, effects of background electrolytes on dolomite (CaMg(CO(3))(2)) reactivity were investigated by measuring step dissolution rates using in situ hydrothermal atomic force microscopy (HAFM) at 90 °C. Cleaved surfaces of dolomite were exposed to sodium chloride and tetramethylammonium chloride (TMACl) aqueous solutions with ionic strengths (I) ranging from 0 to 0.77 m at pH 4 and pH 9. HAFM results demonstrated that dolomite step retreat rates increased with increasing solution ionic strength and decreasing pH. Comparison of [481] and [441] steps revealed that the anisotropy of [481] and [441] step speeds became significant as solution ionic strength increased, with NaCl exerting more pronounced effects than TMACl for the same I. To interpret the different trends observed for NaCl and TMACl, a dissolution mechanism involving orientation-dependent ion adsorption and consequent edge free energy changes is proposed.
Abstract 4454: Cancer therapy using pulsed HIFU and a rose bengal derivative

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been combined with a Rose Bengal derivative (RB2) to provide a synergistic cytotoxicity requiring the presence of both ultrasonic cavitation and drug. Unlike most sono-sensitizers, RB2 is not a photo-sensitizer, meaning it has no side effects associated with ambient light. In vitro tests have shown that a short treatment (less than 30s) of pulsed HIFU at 1 MHz with power sufficient for cavitation destroys Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4454. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4454
What the American Society for Reproductive Medicine does for you.

Abstract The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, one of the older professional medical societies in the United States, is devoted to education, support of research, and advocacy in the field of reproductive medicine. It is also the oldest and largest medical society devoted to reproductive medicine in the world. A multidisciplinary organization, the Society is composed of ∼8000 members from the United States and more than a hundred other countries and undertakes a large number of activities aimed at advancing the discipline of reproductive medicine.
Bitter-sensitive gustatory receptor neuron responds to chemically diverse insect repellents in the common malaria mosquito Anopheles quadrimaculatus

Female mosquitoes feed on blood from animal hosts to obtain nutritional resources used for egg production. These contacts facilitate the spread of harmful human diseases. Chemical repellents are used to disrupt mosquito host-seeking and blood-feeding behaviors; however, little is known about the gustatory sensitivity of mosquitoes to known repellents. Here, we recorded electrical responses from gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) housed within the labellar sensilla of female Anopheles quadrimaculatus to N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), picaridin, IR3535, 2-undecanone, p-menthane-3,8-diol, geraniol, trans-2-hexen-1-ol, quinine, and quinidine. A bitter-sensitive GRN responded to all tested repellents and quinine, a known feeding deterrent. Responses of the bitter-sensitive neuron to quinine and an isomer, quinidine, did not differ. Delayed bursts of electrical activity were observed in response to continuous stimulation with synthetic repellents at high concentrations. Electrophysiological recordings from bitter-sensitive GRNs associated with mosquito gustatory sensilla represent a convenient model to evaluate candidate repellents.
Finite Element Analysis of Concrete Single Curvature Arch Dam in Operating Processes

Using the finite element method,this paper has carried out simulation analysis of roller compacted concrete arch dam in Bailianya Hydropower Station. The results have been analyzed and compared with those obtained using the archcantilevers method and the finite element equivalent stress method respectively. The analysis and comparison show clearly both advantages and disadvantages of using the finite element method to make analysis of an arch dam,which give a reference to its application in design of an arch dam.
Myths, Metaphors, and Political Conformity †.

(1967). Myths, Metaphors, and Political Conformity. Psychiatry: Vol. 30, No. 3, pp. 217-228.
HIV and Indolent Lymphoma

The incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is at least 100 times higher in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected population as compared with the general population. Approximately 3 % of HIV/AIDS patients develop NHL. Among them, the risk increases with older age, duration of infection, and with a history of AIDS-defining events. Data supporting a decline in NHL in the post-HAART era are inconsistent. A prolonged immunocompromised state, with reduced immune surveillance, and chronic antigen stimulation, in the setting of infection with HIV, are contributors to the pathogenesis of NHL. Studies suggest that there are increased p53 gene abnormalities in HIV-1-related NHL. In this chapter, we will focus on the indolent subset of NHL in the HIV-infected population. Of the AIDS-defining illnesses, there are two subtypes of aggressive NHL including Burkitt lymphoma and DLBCL, which are disproportionately more prevalent among HIV lymphoma subtypes. There is a contradistinction in the prevalence of indolent subtypes of NHL in the HIV population, with the incidence rates of these lymphomas being lower as compared with the indolent subtypes in the general population, as described in SEER database analysis of patients from 1992 to 2009, suggesting less of an association with HIV.
Family Routines and School Readiness During the Transition to Kindergarten

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: Using data from 3,250 participants in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, we used structural equation modeling to investigate whether family routines (e.g., bedtime routine, reading routine) established in preschool predict children’s school readiness (i.e., academic skills, social-emotional skills, and physical health) in kindergarten, a foundational year for establishing children’s academic trajectories. Analyses revealed that higher levels of routines in preschool were associated with greater declines in teacher-reported conduct problems and hyperactive/inattentive behavior and greater gains in prosocial behaviors from preschool to kindergarten. Higher routines also predicted greater gains in both reading and mathematics scores as well as greater improvements in physical health. Telling stories appears to be the most salient routine for children’s social-emotional outcomes, whereas bedtime routines most strongly predicts differences in children’s academic sk...
CHAPTER VIII – Introduction to Statistical Mechanics

For it is in relation to the statistical point of view that the structure of the vital parts of living organisms differ so entirely from that of any piece of matter that we physicists and chemists have ever handled physically in our laboratories or mentally at our writing desks.
Conversion of corn stover alkaline pre-treatment waste streams into biodiesel via Rhodococci

The bioconversion of second-generation cellulosic ethanol waste streams into biodiesel via oleaginous bacteria is a novel optimization strategy for biorefineries with substantial potential for rapid development. In this study, one- and two-stage alkali/alkali-peroxide pretreatment waste streams of corn stover were separately implemented as feedstocks in 96 h batch reactor fermentations with wild-type Rhodococcus opacus PD 630, R. opacus DSM 1069, and R. jostii DSM 44719T. Here we show using 31P-NMR, HPAEC-PAD, and SEC analyses, that the more rigorous and chemically-efficient two-stage chemical pretreatment effluent provided higher concentrations of solubilized glucose and lower molecular weight (∼70–300 g mol−1) lignin degradation products thereby enabling improved cellular density, viability, and oleaginicity in each respective strain. The most significant yields were by R. opacus PD 630, which converted 6.2% of organic content with a maximal total lipid production of 1.3 g L−1 and accumulated 42.1% in oils based on cell dry weight after 48 h.
Microscale Conservation Principles

TCAT models are developed by formally upscaling conservation and balance equations, thermodynamic relations, and equilibrium conditions from the microscale to a macroscale, a megascale, or some combination of the two scales.
Controller for combined peak-load shaving and capacity firming utilizing multiple energy storage units in a microgrid

In this paper, a controller capable of simultaneously providing both peak-load shaving and capacity firming required by renewable energy sources is proposed. This controller is designed to combine power/energy from multiple energy storage systems, including unidirectional systems such as fuel cells. Quick response energy storage systems such as ultracapacitors meet the requirements of initial fluctuations in power, and slower response systems provide the power for extended periods of activity. The rate of response of each energy storage system is a parameter known to the control system. The proposed algorithm improves the overall system's performance in terms of fast response, smart energy management, and ability to manage different energy storage and unidirectional/bidirectional sources. Simulations verify the operation of the control strategy in peak shaving mode and in steady state mode that can extend for a longer duration. Results show preferential power allocation to the quick response energy storage system, and limited power fluctuations on other sources.
Renal Replacement Therapy in the ICU

Physical principles of dialysis Renal replacement modalities Peritoneal dialysis Hemodialysis Continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) General techniques for renal replacement in the ICU Comparison of renal replacement modalities Outcomes of renal replacement therapy
Elderly patients with resected stage II, IIIA non-small cell lung cancer, increased referral rate to medical oncologists, 1992-2002

18002 Background: Resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been once considered as a surgical disease and therefore managed by surgeons alone, as the primary therapeutic option was surgica...
Stability and Transition of 3D Boundary Layers

We consider the stability of 3D boundary layers which vary both in streamwise and spanwise directions using an extension of the parabolized stability equations (PSE/3D) for compressible flows. Model applications provide results that deviate significantly from those of the traditional quasi-2D section-by-section analysis. The spatial amplification vector is not determined by the local flow conditions. Careful attention to initial conditions and their domain of influence leads to improved data for transition analysis in engineering applications.
Statistical Mechanics and Continuum Mechanics (1973, 1979)

The ancient Greek philosophers speculated whether matter were an assembly of tiny, invisible, and immutable particles, or a continuous expanse. As the quantitative, mathematical science of the West developed, the debate continued but became more and more definite and detailed. The great theorists proposed specific mathematical theories, restricted to certain specific kinds and circumstances of bodies, for example, to “aeriform fluids” subject to moderate pressures.
Representing emoji usage using directed networks: A Twitter case study

In online social media, people use emojis to reduce the ambiguity of short texts and to express their feelings in a more clear way. Some text messages contain more than one emoji, and this brings the idea that the sequence of emojis may have useful information that can help us better understand user behavior. One method to analyze the sequence of emojis is to study a directed network of emojis that emerges from the actual sequence for many users. In this paper, in addition to extract a simple undirected co-occurrence network and analyze its corresponding main statistical properties, we build and analyze a directed co-occurrence network from various datasets collected from Twitter. The results show that the distributions in directed network are not random and follow a truncated power-law distribution. Furthermore, the important emojis for each dataset are conceptually related to the subject of the dataset. Via community analysis, we show that most of the emojis tend to be grouped in the top 4 largest communities. Last, the category-based entropy analysis of communities suggests that regardless of theme, the entropy is somewhat constant across different thematic datasets. This proposes that emojis are not used together just because they are from the same category.
Special problems in laparoscopic surgery. Previous abdominal surgery, obesity, and pregnancy.

The application of laparoscopic techniques to general surgical procedures has revolutionized the field of general surgery. Since the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed 10 years ago, minimally invasive techniques have been applied to an increasing number and variety of surgical procedures. At first, several absolute contraindications to laparoscopy were advocated, including pregnancy, previous abdominal surgery, inability to tolerate increased abdominal pressure, bowel obstruction, coagulopathy, obesity, cirrhosis, inability to tolerate general anesthesia, choledocholithiasis, and acute cholecystitis. As surgeons gained more experience with laparoscopic techniques and technical advances in instrumentation were made, these limitations were reassessed; many became only relative contraindications. Some are no longer considered contraindications at all because, in these situations, proper planning, expert judgment, and meticulous surgical technique can prevent complications while still allowing patients to experience the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. This article deals with three specific situations that were once considered contraindications to laparoscopic procedure: (1) previous abdominal surgery, (2) obesity, and (3) pregnancy. Laparoscopy can be used safely in patients with these problems if specific strategies and tactics are used to prevent potential problems.
Comparison of the excitatory action of acetylcholine and noradrenaline on the guinea pig myometrium

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a study comparing excitatory action of acetylcholine and noradrenaline on the guinea-pig myometrium. The experiments were performed on the myometrium of immature guinea-pigs which had been treated by daily injection of 5 μg estradiol for 8 days. On the ninth day, a strip of myometrium was set up in a double sucrose gap apparatus. The spontaneous activity recorded with the double sucrose gap consisted of bursts of spikes which were discharged at regular intervals on a plateau depolarization. In each preparation, the interval between bursts and the frequency of spikes within a burst were remarkably constant. The chapter illustrates examples of burst activity from two tissue and alterations of it by isoproterenol and noradrenaline. In the presence of dihydroergotamine, isoproterenol inhibited the occurrence of spontaneous activity and produced a hyperpolarization. Noradrenaline, in the presence of propranalol, produced a depolarization, an increase in the frequency of spontaneous spikes and an increase in tension. This excitatory response was followed by a temporary suppression of spontaneous bursts.
The Role of Covalent and Non-Covalent Mechanisms in Insulin Receptor Action

Diminished cellular responsiveness to the metabolic and growth promoting effects of insulin occurs in several pathophysiological conditions - - most commonly in insulin and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, but also in obesity, uremia, glucocorticoid and growth hormone excess, and in certain rare syndromes such as lipoatrophic diabetes and leprechaunism (Kahn, 1985; Reaven, 1988). Although insulin action has been intensively investigated at the physiological and biochemical level for close to half a century, we are only beginning to obtain an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanism of insulin signal transduction. A complete molecular analysis of this process will be necessary for a rational therapeutic approach to insulin-resistant disease states.
DNA Polymerase ε: A Polymerase Of Unusual Size (and Complexity)

Publisher Summary DNA polymerase epsilon (Pol epsilon) is a large, multi-subunit polymerase that is conserved throughout all eukaryotes. In addition to its role as one of the three DNA polymerases responsible for bulk chromosomal replication, Pol epsilon is implicated in a wide variety of important cellular processes, including the repair of damaged DNA, DNA recombination, and the regulation of proper cell cycle progression. Pol e catalyzes DNA template-dependent DNA synthesis by a phosphoryl transfer reaction involving nucleophilic attack by the 30 hydroxyl of the primer terminus on the a-phosphate of the incoming deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP). The products of this reaction are pyrophosphate and a DNA chain increased in length by one nucleotide. The catalytic mechanism is conserved among DNA polymerases. It begins with binding of a primer template to the polymerase. Like all polymerases, Pol e ultimately does not generate all types of errors at equal rates, but rather has distinctive error specificity. Two features of Pol e error specificity are particularly interesting in light of its proposed biological roles in DNA replication. One is that Pol e is among the most accurate of DNA polymerases for single base deletion/insertion errors. Because indels are typically generated more frequently within repetitive sequences, this property may be relevant to the proposal that Pol e has a particularly important role in replicating heterochromatic DNA, which is enriched in repetitive sequences. Another is that a mutant derivative of Pol e has a unique base substitution error specificity that has been useful for inferring its role in replication of the leading strand template.
Strangers in Strained Lands: Learning From Workplace Experiences of Immigrant Employees:

Immigrants have become an important source of talent as well as a flash point for conflict in many countries. Alongside established streams of research on immigrants in other disciplines, we hope t...
Distributed optimization and coordination algorithms for dynamic speed optimization of connected and autonomous vehicles in urban street networks

Abstract Dynamic speed harmonization has shown great potential to smoothen the flow of traffic and reduce travel time in urban street networks. The existing methods, while providing great insights, are neither scalable nor real-time. This paper develops Distributed Optimization and Coordination Algorithms (DOCA) for dynamic speed optimization of connected and autonomous vehicles in urban street networks to address this gap. DOCA decomposes the nonlinear network-level speed optimization problem into several sub-network-level nonlinear problems thus, it significantly reduces the problem complexity and ensures scalability and real-time runtime constraints. DOCA creates effective coordination in decision making between each two sub-network-level nonlinear problems to push solutions towards optimality and guarantee attaining near-optimal solutions. DOCA is incorporated into a model predictive control approach to allow for additional consensus between sub-network-level problems and reduce the computational complexity further. We applied the proposed solution technique to a real-world network in downtown Springfield, Illinois and observed that it was scalable and real-time while finding solutions that were at most 2.7% different from the optimal solution of the problem. We found significant improvements in network operations and considerable reductions in speed variance as a result of dynamic speed harmonization.
Materials Choices Matter: An Eco-Balance Evaluation of a LEED Certified Building.

ABSTRACT: Since environmental sustainability becomes a central concern in the design process in both architectural education and practice, research on quantifying buildings impact on the environment is growing worldwide. Although many designers seek LEED certification, some claim their buildings to be sustainable based only on certification. In fact, unless a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study is carried out, it is difficult to quantify and evaluate the environmental burden a particular building, or a construction material, has on its surrounding environment. The study method employs a quantitative LCA approach in calculating these impacts. The paper models an office building over a service life of 60 years and its implications on the environment from cradle to grave. It also quantifies and compares the total impacts this building has throughout this life span. The case building is located in Michigan in the U.S. where steel construction is the dominant method of construction for commercial type. The building is a 1-story LEED certified building that uses a geothermal HVAC system and has many sustainable materials used. The study calculates the environmental footprint of the building per unit area (impact to air, water, and land). The study discusses the importance of setting metrics beyond LEED to choose more sustainable materials based on their environmental impact. To narrow down to the critical materials, the study provides an assessment to which building component (structure, enclosure, floors, roofs) contribute the most to the total building impacts where the worst burden and critical materials could be identified and replaced. The outcome highlights where LEED rating system may fall short regarding the best materials alternatives to use and in which component of the building. This contributes to reduced total impact through selecting these alternatives based on the least damage to the environment. KEYWORDS: Environmental Profiling, Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment, LEED.
Parliament the Mirror of the Nation: Representation, Deliberation, and Democracy in Victorian Britain

The notion of 'representative democracy' seems unquestionably familiar today, but how did the Victorian era - the epoch when the modern democratic state was made - understand democracy, parliamentary representation, and diversity? In the famous nineteenth-century debates about representation and parliamentary reform, two interlocked ideals were of the greatest importance: descriptive representation, that the House of Commons 'mirror' the diversity that marked society, and deliberation within the legislative assembly. These ideals presented a major obstacle to the acceptance of a democratic suffrage, which it was widely feared would produce an unrepresentative and un-deliberative House of Commons. Here, Gregory Conti examines how the Victorians conceived the representative and deliberative functions of the House of Commons and what it meant for parliament to be the 'mirror of the nation'. Combining historical analysis and political theory, he analyses the fascinating nineteenth-century debates among contending schools of thought over the norms and institutions of deliberative representative government, and explores the consequences of recovering this debate.
Comparing comparisons: Assimilation and contrast processes and outcomes following social and temporal comparison

The present research examines similarities and differences between social and temporal comparison processes in a health-related context. In two studies, participants were randomly assigned to write...
The opioid and related drug epidemics in rural Appalachia: A systematic review of populations affected, risk factors, and infectious diseases.

Background/aims: To examine trends in rural Appalachian opioid and related drug epidemics during the past 10 years, including at-risk populations, substance use shifts and correlates, and associate...
An Exploratory Study of an Instructional Model for Co-Teaching

Co-teaching is a widely used service delivery model for special education with significant variability in implementation. In this exploratory study, we examine a three-element model for instruction...
Mapping the System-of-Use for the Patient Hospital Gown

Since its introduction in the early 1900's, there has been little change to the conventional design of the patient gown. However, both patients and their healthcare providers have expressed significant discontent with the conventional design. Even seemingly simple modifications to the patient gown, such as increasing the size range, has not been achieved. The purpose of this research was to create a model of the system-of-use for the patient gown. This model was created by exploring literature on how the patient gown travels within the hospital linen organization, sorting and tracking methods during the gown life cycle, transportation to and from a laundry facility to a hospital, and laundry facility operations. Understanding this complex system will aid in the development of the patient gown, resulting in improved future innovation and adoption rates of new patient-centered products in healthcare. Future systems research will help identify where the system needs modifications to make impactful design changes to future medical apparel.
Toward direct optical excitation of excitonic many-body effects using intense thermal states

Quantum spectroscopy in solids directly detects nonlinear changes created exclusively by quantum fluctuations of light. So far, it has been realized only by projecting a large set of measurements with a coherent-state laser to a specific quantum-light response. We present two complementary experimental approaches to realize intense and ultrafast thermal-state sources. We investigate the effects of continuous excitation from a superluminescent diode (SLD) as well as an ensemble-averaging technique using phase-modulated pulses. By measuring excitonic nonlinearities in gallium arsenide, we demonstrate that the experimentally realized thermal-state source produces significantly reduced many-body nonlinearities compared to a coherent-state excitation. We also review experimental approaches toward future realization of quantum spectroscopy with thermal states.
The effects of sociodemographic variables on the economic behaviour of poorer households in the US and Kenya: a cross-national analyses

This study assessed the economic behaviour of 383 lower-income households in Kenya and the US. Using a two-group confirmatory factor analysis, a moderation effect of gender on financial capability ...
Long-term shedding from fully convalesced individuals indicates that Pacific herring are a reservoir for viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus.

Processes that allow viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus to persist in the marine environment remain enigmatic, owing largely to the presence of covert and cryptic infections in marine fishes during typical sub-epizootic periods. As such, marine host reservoirs for VHS virus have not been fully demonstrated, nor have the mechanism(s) by which infected hosts contribute to virus perpetuation and transmission. Here, we demonstrate that after surviving VHS, convalesced Pacific herring continue to shed virus at a low rate for extended periods. Further, exposure of previously naive conspecific sentinels to this shed virus can result in infections for at least 6 mo after cessation of overt disease. This transmission mechanism was not necessarily dependent on the magnitude of the disease outbreak, as prolonged transmission occurred from 2 groups of donor herring that experienced cumulative mortalities of 4 and 29%. The results further suggest that the virus persists in association with the gills of fully recovered individuals, and long-term viral shedding or shedding relapses are related to cooler or decreasing water temperatures. These results provide support for a new VHS virus perpetuation paradigm in the marine environment, whereby the virus can be maintained in convalesced survivors and trafficked from these carriers to sympatric susceptible individuals.
Radical prostatectomy versus external beam radiation therapy for high-grade, clinically localized prostate cancer: Emulation of a target clinical trial

Abstract Purpose The comparative effectiveness of surgery and radiation therapy for high-grade, clinically localized prostate cancer remains a seminal, open question in urologic oncology, with no randomized controlled trials to inform management. We therefore emulated a hypothetical target clinical trial of radical prostatectomy (RP) versus external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for high-grade, clinically localized prostate cancer. Materials and Methods We conducted observational analyses using the National Cancer Database from 2006-2015 to emulate a target clinical trial in men 55-69 years with cT1-3cN0cM0, PSA Results A total of 26,806 men formed the study cohort (RP: 23,990; EBRT+ADT: 2,816). Baseline characteristics were well-balanced after IPW-adjustment. Median follow-up was 48.4 (IQR 25.5-76.2) months. After IPW-reweighting, RP was associated with improved OS compared to EBRT+ADT (HR 0.54;95% CI 0.48-0.62; P Conclusions In observational analyses designed to emulate a target clinical trial of men with high-grade, clinically localized prostate cancer, RP was associated with improved OS compared with EBRT+ADT.
Lifestyle and Demographic Influences on Females' Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages

Using responses to a national survey, levels of consumption of beer, wine and spirits were related to life-style, age, education, and income. The findings suggest different sets of factors are linked to consumption levels for the various beverages, but that most life-style variables are of limited value in predicting higher levels of consumption. Implications to advertising are highlighted.
Endocrine Modulators of Mouse Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Beige Adipocyte Markers

The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of subcutaneous adipose tissue contains precursors that can give rise to beige adipocytes. Beige adipocytes are characterized by the expression of specific markers, but it is not clear which markers best evaluate beige adipocyte differentiation. Regulators of β-adrenoceptor and PPAR-gamma mediated pathways modulate beige adipocyte differentiation. However, it is unclear whether PPAR-gamma agonists and adrenergic agonists have additive effects on expression of beige adipocyte markers. We isolated SVF cells from subcutaneous white adipose tissue of male C57Bl/6J mice, differentiated these cells into beige adipocytes with rosiglitazone, and evaluated the effect of isoproterenol on beige cell markers such as CD137, P2RX5, and CITED1. These 3 markers were increased 6-fold or more in beige cells, suggesting that they can be used to identify these adipocytes in the unstimulated state. CD137 and P2RX5 maintained their specificity after adrenergic stimulation as they were increa...
VeeV on the Rocks

Three pressing challenges (equity split, extent of commitment to social responsibility, and product discoloration) confront VeeV, the world's first alcoholic beverage infused with acai berries. Brothers Courtney and Carter Reum founded VeeV in 2007 and the firm has experienced rapid growth since then. The case documents the backgrounds of the young founders, details the launch and early phase of the company, and presents three challenges the founders must address: how to split the equity of the new company; how far to go in their efforts to be a 'green' and socially responsible brand; and an unexpected potential product quality issue.
Sympathetic Activity Assessed during Exercise Recovery in Young Obese Females.

Objective To evaluate differences in sympathetic activity, as assessed by an exercise recovery index (ERI; heart rate/oxygen consumption [VO 2 ] plateau), between black and white obese female adolescents. An additional aim was to determine the association of ERI with insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), cardiovascular fitness per fat-free mass (VO 2 per fat-free mass), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and percent body fat (%FAT) in both black and white obese adolescents. Study design Sixty-one females volunteered to participate in this study. HOMA-IR, SBP, and %FAT were assessed during resting conditions in black (n = 49, 13.7 ± 1.6 years, 38.1 ± 6.1 kg/m 2 ) and white (n = 12, 13.3 ± 2.2 years, 34.3 ± 4.9 kg/m 2 ) obese adolescents. An ERI was calculated during a 5-minute passive recovery period immediately following a graded treadmill exercise test to exhaustion. Results The ERI was significantly greater in black compared with white obese adolescent females (29.8 ± 6.4 vs 24.1 ± 3.1 bpm·mLO 2 −1 ·min −1 , P = .004). Using multiple linear regression modeling, there was a significant independent association between ERI and VO 2 per fat-free mass (r = −0.310, P = .027) and %FAT (r = 0.326, P = .020) in black obese adolescents after controlling for HOMA-IR and SBP. Conclusions These results suggest that black obese adolescent females have greater sympathetic activity, as assessed by an ERI, than white obese adolescent females. These findings support the need for weight management efforts aimed at both reducing %FAT and improving fitness in obese adolescents, specifically black females. Trial registration Registered with Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00562293
The electronic states of carbon monofluoride: Rydberg states

Abstract Hartree-Fock and multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock calculations are reported on some low-lying Rydberg states of CF and the ground state of CF + . For the CF + ground state, 1 Σ + , the calculations give a bond length of 1.55 A, a fundamental frequency of 1821 cm −1 , and a dissociation energy of 6.9 eV. Many interactions between the valence and Rydberg state manifolds are revealed. Also a strong mixing of the 3 dσ and 4 sσ components due to an accidental degeneracy is described.
Development and Validation of the Homophobia Scale

This study describes the development and validation of the Homophobia Scale. The scale was developed to assess the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of homophobia. The participants (n=321 for the field trials and n=122 for test–retest reliability) were college students from a large Midwestern university. Results yielded a 25-item questionnaire consisting of three factors: a factor that assesses mainly negative cognitions regarding homosexuality, a factor that assess primarily negative affect and avoidance of homosexual individuals, and a factor that assesses negative affect and aggression toward homosexual individuals. Concurrent validity was established using The Index of Homophobia (Hudson & Ricketts, 1980). The phases of scale development and implications of the results are discussed.
Compact Voronoi Diagrams for Moving Convex Polygons

We describe a kinetic data structure for maintaining a compact Voronoi-like diagram of convex polygons moving around in the plane. We use a compact diagram for the polygons, dual to the Voronoi, first presented in [MKS96]. A key feature of this diagram is that its size is only a function of the number of polygons and not of their complexity. We demonstrate a local certifying property of that diagram, akin to that of Delaunay triangulations of points. We then obtain a method for maintaining this diagram that is output-sensitive and costs O(log n) per update. Furthermore, we show that for a set of k polygons with a total of n vertices moving along bounded degree algebraic motions, this dual diagram, and thus their compact Voronoi diagram, changes combinatorially Ω(n2) and O(kn2β(k)β(n)) times, where β(ċ) is an extremely slowly growing function. This compact Voronoi diagram can be used for collision detection or retraction motion planning among the moving polygons.
Food insufficiency and American school-aged children's cognitive, academic, and psychosocial development.

Objective. This study investigates associations between food insufficiency and cognitive, academic, and psychosocial outcomes for US children and teenagers ages 6 to 11 and 12 to 16 years. Methods. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were analyzed. Children were classified as food-insufficient if the family respondent reported that his or her family sometimes or often did not get enough food to eat. Regression analyses were conducted to test for associations between food insufficiency and cognitive, academic, and psychosocial measures in general and then within lower-risk and higher-risk groups. Regression coefficients and odds ratios for food insufficiency are reported, adjusted for poverty status and other potential confounding factors. Results. After adjusting for confounding variables, 6- to 11-year-old food-insufficient children had significantly lower arithmetic scores and were more likely to have repeated a grade, have seen a psychologist, and have had difficulty getting along with other children. Food-insufficient teenagers were more likely to have seen a psychologist, have been suspended from school, and have had difficulty getting along with other children. Further analyses divided children into lower-risk and higher-risk groups. The associations between food insufficiency and children9s outcomes varied by level of risk. Conclusions. The results demonstrate that negative academic and psychosocial outcomes are associated with family-level food insufficiency and provide support for public health efforts to increase the food security of American families.
Short-term effects of soil amendment with meadowfoam seed meal on soil microbial composition and function

Abstract Meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba Hartw. ex Benth) seed meal (MSM), a by-product of meadowfoam oil extraction, has a secondary metabolite known as glucosinolate glucolimnanthin. MSM applied as a soil amendment has been reported to have herbicidal and fertilizer properties. Experiments were conducted over 28 days to evaluate short-term effects of a MSM application on soil microbial communities. MSM was applied to soil as either a full or a split application. In addition to MSM and untreated control treatments, urea was used as a N source to account for the fertilizer effect of the seed meal. Urea was applied either as a full or a split rate on the same schedule as MSM. Soil microbial activities were not different between the full and the split rate applications of MSM. After day 7 following MSM application, carbon-source utilization of microbial communities of MSM was different from the urea and control treatments. Microbial communities in MSM treatments utilized complex carbon sources to a relatively greater degree than microbial communities in urea or control treatments. The C and N inputs from MSM increased the gross metabolic activity of the mixed microbial population. Basal respiration was stimulated and microbes reallocated carbon input to biomass and enzyme production. Within 7 and 14 days after MSM application, the reallocation occurred quickly and microbial biomass increased by at least 80% for C and 95% for N compared to the untreated control. In the short-term, MSM treatments affected nutrient dynamics, and the soil microbial structure and function. The effects of MSM application on the composition of bacterial and fungal communities warrant additional study.
Superconducting dipole moment correction coils for a free-flying version of ASTROMAG

Abstract ASTROMAG is a particle astrophysics experiment which will operate in space for a period of two years or more. Momentum and charge resolution of cosmic rays is achieved using particle detectors in a magnetic field. In the ASTROMAG experiment, this magnetic field is provided by a pair of superconducting solenoids. The ASTROMAG superconducting magnet is supposed to have a zero net magnetic dipole moment so that magnetic torques introduced to the space craft are kept at a low level. Dipole moment correction coils, which can provide up to 11,000 Am 2 of correction in the Z direction and 7,000 Am 2 of correction in the X and Y directions, appear to be practical using superconducting correction coils which are mounted on the superfluid helium tank in a region 0.5 meters wide halfway between the main ASTROMAG coils. The superconducting dipole moment correction coils should be capable of reducing the ASTROMAG magnet net dipole moment to 100 Am −2 or lower.
The hereditary ovarian tumors of the fes mutant of Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract Hereditary ovarian tumors occur in female Drosophila melanogaster homozygous for the recessive, second chromosomal gene female-sterile (fes) . Cells within tumorous ovaries of certain ages can differentiate into cells which, on the basis of their chromosomal morphology, resemble normal nurse cells. There is a positive correlation between the frequency of this more normal differentiation and the degree to which the residual genotype is heterozygous. Flies whose residual genotype is most heterozygous also produce the largest number of non-tumorous chambers. Such chambers, however, generally contain subnormal numbers of nurse cells. Vitellogenesis also occurs in the ovaries of such flies, but extremely rarely. Banded, polytene chromosomes are found in the nuclei of some of the larger, nurse-like cells. Various speculations are advanced to explain these observations. The fes gene when homozygous does not confer special growth factor requirements upon the larva.
Interfacial and capillary phenomena in solidification processing of metal-matrix composites

Chemical and hydrodynamic aspects of wetting and interfacial phenomena during the solidification processing of metal-matrix composites are reviewed. Significant experimental results on fiber-matrix interactions and wetting under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions in composites of engineering interest have been compiled, based on a survey of the recent literature. Finally, certain aspects of wetting relevant to stir-casting and infiltration processing of composites are discussed.
The synaptic organization of terminals traced from individual labeled retino-geniculate axons in the cat.

Abstract Individual retino-geniculate axons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat were filled with horseradish peroxidase and studied with both the light and electron microscope. A procedure was followed which allowed us to identify the size, shape and arrangement of particular terminal swellings by light microscopy and then to study their patterns of synaptic contacts with the electron microscope. Many of the labeled terminals in laminae A and Al have the same fine structural features as retino-geniculate terminals that have been described previously. They are large, contain round synaptic vesicles and pale mitochondria, and are the central processes in glomeruli where they form asymmetric contacts with dendrites and terminals containing pleomorphic synaptic vesicles. Other terminals have the same cytological features but are quite small and are not the central processes in glomeruli. Some of these small terminals form simple axo-dendritec contacts while others participate in very large glomeruli containing several terminals from a single retino-geniculate axon. These different patterns of synaptic contacts made by different terminals can be found on branches of a single axon and correspond to the variations in terminal arbors described in the preceding paper ( MASON & ROBSON, 1978 ).
The Effects of Food Processing on the Archaeological Visibility of Maize: An Experimental Study of Carbonization of Lime-treated Maize Kernels

This paper explores the effects of maize processing on the carbonization and preservation of maize kernels in the archaeological record. The shift to processing maize with lime (known as hominy production in the Eastern Woodlands and nixtamalization in Mesoamerica) in ancient times had the effect of making maize more nutritious through increasing the availability of calcium, niacin, dietary fiber, and essential amino acids. Less understood is how this process of cooking maize in a lime solution affects the archaeological preservation of maize; if there is a clear difference in the archaeological signature of maize remains that are and are not processed this way, then this process may be identifiable in the archaeological record. To this end, an experiment was constructed analyzing the variation in size between dried and alkali processed maize kernels before and after carbonization. Results indicate that alkali processed maize kernels are less likely to fragment during carbonization.
Effects of random-walk size on the structure of diffusion-limited aggregates

The step size of random walks is shown to exhibit an important role in controlling the structure of clusters produced ,by the diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) processes. In this study, the structural compactness is found to increase significantly as the random-walk size is increased. The step-size effects are precisely quantified by the radius of gyration evaluated during the cluster growth process. It is also observed that by using a very long random walk the DLA model approaches the Void-Sutherland ballistic aggregation model.