cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine-structure mixing in Rb-Xe elastic collisions and isoclinic point asymmetry

For years, inelastic, fine-structure-changing collisions between excited alkali-metal atoms and noble-gas perturbers have been a source of information on the alkali-metal--noble-gas interaction. Here, we consider the role of elastic fine-structure-mixing collisions on alkali-metal absorption cross sections. Specifically, we consider the four optical hyperfine transitions of the ${D}_{1}$ absorption spectrum for $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$, and in particular the doublet corresponding to $5^{2}S_{1/2}({F}_{g}=2)\ensuremath{-}5^{2}P_{1/2}({F}_{e}=1,2)$ transitions. Although ideally the amplitudes of the doublet's absorption cross sections are identical, we find that fine-structure mixing of ${D}_{2}$ oscillator strength into the ${D}_{1}$ spectrum breaks the cross sections' equality and leads to doublet asymmetry. We obtain a fine-structure mixing parameter $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ of $(5.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}21}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$, and estimate a $5^{2}P_{1/2}$ hyperfine-splitting density shift $\ensuremath{\zeta}$ in the $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$-Xe system of $+0.71\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GHz}/\mathrm{amagat}$. These results have implications for spectroscopic applications of the $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ isoclinic point, which we consider as part of our conclusions.
Vascularized Fibular Strut Autografts in Spinal Reconstruction after Resection of Vertebral Chordoma or Chondrosarcoma: A Retrospective Series.

BACKGROUND Margin-free en bloc resection is the best medical practice for primary vertebral chordoma and chondrosarcoma. Spinal reconstruction following total spondylectomy requires reconstructive interbody graft (allograft, devascularized autograft, vascularized autograft, or cage constructs) and instrumentation. An important consideration when choosing grafts and instrumentation is the durability and the long-term success of the fusion without subsidence. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the potential use of vascularized fibular autograft as a reconstructive strategy after en bloc resection. METHODS We present a series of 16 patients who underwent spondylectomy for primary vertebral chordoma or chondrosarcoma with reconstruction using a vascularized fibular autograft and anterior/posterior instrumentation between January 2011 and April 2014. We report postoperative neurological outcome, 6-mo rates of fusion and graft subsidence, and other complications. RESULTS Two patients passed away prior to 6-mo follow-up, and 1 patient was lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up time for the remaining 13 patients was 32 mo. Of these patients, 9 (69%) had evidence of fusion on the 6-mo follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan. Of the 4 patients who did not fuse, 2 had undergone surgery for new tumor diagnoses, 1 for hardware failure, and 1 for graft nonunion. Two patients (15%) had eventual graft subsidence along with hardware failure. CONCLUSIONS Vascularized fibular strut grafts are a viable method for reconstruction following spondylectomy. We present the largest series of patients to date utilizing this technique. Further comparative studies examining vascularized grafts vs nonvascularized grafts or metallic cage constructs will be important in choosing the best reconstructive strategy.
Computational modelling of the thermoelectric properties of p-type Zintl compound CaMg2Bi2

Abstract We develop a model based on first principles calculations and experimental data for the thermoelectric properties of p -type CaMg 2 Bi 2 . The thermoelectric performance was assessed and optimized based on the model. The model predicts bipolar reduction of ZT at high temperatures (e.g. > 800 K). This indicates the thermoelectric performance of the material can be further optimized by tuning the carrier concentration beyond the bipolar regime.
The Triple-C Impact: Responding to Childhood Exposure to Crime and Violence

The article is the first to take an inclusive look at the monumental problem of crime exposure during childhood, which is estimated to be one of the most damaging and costly public health and public safety problem in our society today. We conducted a unique 50-state survey, examining the state-level statutory responses to affected children. The survey uncovered staggering system failures, bureaucratic labyrinth, access to information challenges, and lack of coordination among governing agencies and organizations. Consequently, despite statutory eligibility for therapeutic services and compensation, the majority of children suffering the dire consequences of crime exposure are never identified. Even when identified, only a miniscule minority ever receive services or treatment to facilitate recovery. Informed by scientific findings, the article also takes on the challenging task of ‘naming’ this complex problem by coining the term Comprehensive Childhood Crime Impact or in short the Triple-C Impact. The term embodies the full effect of direct and indirect crime exposure on children due to their unique developmental characteristics, and the mammoth spillover effect on our society as a whole.
47 Use of digital media to perpetrate intimate partner violence among emergency department patients

Statement of purpose Little is known about the extent to which digital media is used to perpetrate adult intimate partner violence (IPV). The purpose of this analysis is to examine the prevalence of digital media use by IPV status (positive/negative). Methods/approach We conducted a cross-sectional survey of IPV experienced by adult emergency department patients seen at a Level 1 Trauma Centre from 11/2015–10/2016. The Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) and the Women’s Experience of Battering (WEB) were used to screen for physical/sexual/threats of IPV and emotional/psychological IPV, respectively. A modified version of the Picard Tech Abuse in Relationships Report (2007) measured digital media use, and perpetration using digital media was assessed for each type of violence. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to examine differences in digital media use by IPV status. Results Over 11% (132 of 1136) of patients were IPV-positive. IPV-positive patients reported higher prevalence of digital media use than IPV-negative patients, including receiving threating text messages from a partner (33% vs 3%, p Conclusion Digital media is frequently used to perpetrate IPV in this adult emergency department population. Interventions need to consider the use of digital technology as a means for IPV. Significance/contribution to Injury and Violence Prevention Science To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine perpetration of IPV through digital media among adults. Our findings will guide development of new tools and interventions to prevent digital media violence.
EFFECTS OF XENOBIOTICS ON THE DISTRIBUTIONS OF MONOOXYGENASE COMPONENTS IN LIVER

Employing immunohistochemical techniques, the distributions of NADPH-cytochrome c (P–450) reductase and of two forms of cytochrome P–450, PB–B and MC–B, were examined in the livers of untreated rats and of rats pretreated for four days with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene, or pregnenolone-16α-carboni- trile. Fluorescent and peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical staining revealed that each enzyme exhibits a characteristic pattern of intralobular distribution which is affected in characteristic manners by different xenobiotics.
A High-Throughput Approach for Identification of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Drinking Water Reveals Relationship between Water Age and Mycobacterium avium.

ABSTRACT Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) frequently detected in drinking water (DW) include species associated with human infections, as well as species rarely linked to disease. Methods for improved the recovery of NTM DNA and high-throughput identification of NTM are needed for risk assessment of NTM infection through DW exposure. In this study, different methods of recovering bacterial DNA from DW were compared, revealing that a phenol-chloroform DNA extraction method yielded two to four times as much total DNA and eight times as much NTM DNA as two commercial DNA extraction kits. This method, combined with high-throughput, single-molecule real-time sequencing of NTM rpoB genes, allowed the identification of NTM to the species, subspecies, and (in some cases) strain levels. This approach was applied to DW samples collected from 15 households serviced by a chloraminated distribution system, with homes located in areas representing short ( 24 h) distribution system residence times. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that greater water age (i.e., combined distribution system residence time and home plumbing stagnation time) was associated with a greater relative abundance of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium , one of the most prevalent NTM causing infections in humans. DW from homes closer to the treatment plant (with a shorter water age) contained more diverse NTM species, including Mycobacterium abscessus and Mycobacterium chelonae . Overall, our approach allows NTM identification to the species and subspecies levels and can be used in future studies to assess the risk of waterborne infection by providing insight into the similarity between environmental and infection-associated NTM. IMPORTANCE An extraction method for improved recovery of DNA from nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), combined with single-molecule real-time sequencing (PacBio) of NTM rpoB genes, was used for high-throughput characterization of NTM species and in some cases strains in drinking water (DW). The extraction procedure recovered, on average, eight times as much NTM DNA and three times as much total DNA from DW as two widely used commercial DNA extraction kits. The combined DNA extraction and sequencing approach allowed high-throughput screening of DW samples to identify NTM, revealing that the relative abundance of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium increased with water age. Furthermore, the two-step barcoding approach developed as part of the PacBio sequencing method makes this procedure highly adaptable, allowing it to be used for other target genes and species.
Rooftop pv impacts on fossil fuel electricity generation and co2 emissions in the pacific northwest

This thesis estimates the impacts of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) capacity on electricity generation and CO2 emissions in America's Pacific Northwest. The region's demand for electricity is increasing at the same time that it is attempting to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The electricity generated by rooftop PV capacity is expected to displace electricity from fossil fueled electricity generators and reduce CO2 emissions, but when and how much? And how can this region maximize and focus the impacts of additional rooftop PV capacity on CO2 emissions? To answer these questions, an hourly urban rooftop PV generation profile for 2009 was created from estimates of regional rooftop PV capacity and solar resource data. That profile was compared with the region's hourly fossil fuel generation profile for 2009 to determine how much urban rooftop PV generation reduced annual fossil fuel electricity generation and CO2 emissions. Those reductions were then projected for a range of additional multiples of rooftop PV capacity. The conclusions indicate that additional rooftop PV capacity in the region primarily displaces electricity from natural gas generators, and shows that the timing of rooftop PV generation corresponds with the use of fossil fuel generators. Each additional Wp/ capita of rooftop PV capacity reduces CO2 emissions by 9,600 to 7,300 tons/ year. The final discussion proposes some methods to maximize and focus rooftop PV impacts on CO2 emissions, and also suggests some questions for further research.
Tumors of the Endocrine System

The grading of endocrine gland tumors has been difficult, inconsistent, and unrewarding. While the reasons for these problems vary from organ to organ, and from one tumor type to another, in general grading has been hampered by the following issues: In many endocrine organs, the transition of hyperplasia to benign neoplasia and then to malignancy includes a spectrum of morphologic changes that are not always easily defined. The proposed grading systems are often complex and include a number of variants that are not acceptable to all pathologists. The lack of consensus among pathologists has been one of the main hindrances to grading endocrine tumors. The correlation between the microscopic grading and the prognosis of tumors is often poor, and therefore with a few notable exceptions, clinicians do not find the pathologic grading of endocrine tumors to be as useful as that for tumors of other organs systems.
Modeling Frequency Domain Effects for Ultrasonic Flaw Detection

Experimental studies [1,2] have shown that changing components of an ultrasonic inspection system can greatly affect the amplitude of the echo response from a defect even when conventional calibration procedures [3] are employed. This reduces the reliability of defect detection and sometimes (depending on the sizing method used) defect sizing.
Stalking in the United States recent national prevalence estimates

Background Stalking is a major public health concern, primarily for women, and is associated with many adverse health outcomes, including death. However, the prevalence of stalking among adults in the United States has not been assessed since 1995–1996. The objective of this analysis is to provide more recent national estimates on lifetime stalking and demographic characteristics of stalking victims. Methods A sample of adults aged 18 years and older living in the United States ( n =9684) participated in the second Injury Control and Risk Survey (ICARIS-2), a cross-sectional, random-digit-dial telephone survey conducted from 2001 to 2003. Analyses conducted in 2005 focused on the respondents' reports of having ever been stalked in a way that was somewhat dangerous or life-threatening. Results In the United States, 4.5% of adults reported having ever been stalked. Women had significantly higher prevalence (7%) of stalking victimization than did men (2%) (odds ratio [OR]=3.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.77–4.90). People who were never married (OR=1.43, 95%CI=1.03–1.99) or who were separated, widowed, or divorced (OR=1.68, 95% CI=1.28–2.21) had significantly higher odds of being stalked than those who were married or had a partner. People aged 55 years or older and those who were retired were least likely to report stalking victimization. Conclusions Comparable to previous national estimates, this study shows that stalking affects many adults. Nearly 1 in 22 adults (almost 10 million, approximately 80% of whom were women) in the United States were stalked at some time in their lives.
Factors Influencing Fine Sediment on Stream Beds in the Midwestern United States

Fine sediment (particles <2 mm in diameter) in stream beds has wide-ranging effects on hydraulics, geomorphology, and ecology and is a primary focus for stream quality management in many regions. We identify reach- and basin-scale factors associated with fine sediment in the beds of 83 stream reaches in the Midwestern United States using recursive partitioning of sand-bed and gravel-bed streams and a generalized linear model for the fraction of a stream bed covered by fine sediment. A water-surface gradient of 0.00075 is the best single determinant (80% correct classification) distinguishing sand-bed streams (lower gradient) from gravel-bed streams (higher gradient). In the higher gradient category, sand-bed streams generally had more variable monthly precipitation than gravel-bed streams. The fractional response model indicated that the proportion of a stream bed composed of fine sediment is related to high sediment supply and low transport capacity but also high gravel transport capacity. This result is consistent with both theory and observations that bed material can be transported indiscriminately with respect to particle size under high shear stress, which will drive the particle size distribution of bed material toward the distribution of supply. Management of fine sediment in Midwestern streams has been approached largely by focusing on sediment supply, which may be immutable in some places due to the landscape position or glacial history. Retention of coarse sediment is an alternative management approach to reduce the fraction of fine sediment in the beds of some Midwestern streams.
Identifying heart failure using EMR-based algorithms.

Abstract Background Heart failure (HF) is a major clinical and public health problem, the management of which will benefit from large-scale pragmatic research that leverages electronic medical records (EMR). Requisite to using EMRs for HF research is the development of reliable algorithms to identify HF patients. We aimed to develop and validate computable phenotype algorithms to identify patients with HF using standardized data elements defined by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Network (PCORnet) Common Data Model (CDM). Methods We built HF computable phenotypes utilizing the data domains of HF diagnosis codes, prescribed HF-related medications and N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Algorithms were validated in a cohort (n = 76,254) drawn from Olmsted County, MN between 2010–2012 a sample of whose records were manually reviewed to confirm HF according to Framingham criteria. Results The different algorithms we tested provided different tradeoffs between sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV). The highest sensitivity (78.7%) algorithm utilized one HF diagnosis code and had the lowest PPV (68.5%). The addition of more algorithm components, such as additional HF diagnosis codes, HF medications or elevated NT-proBNP, improved the PPV while reducing sensitivity. When added to a diagnostic code, the addition of NT-proBNP (>450 pg/mL) had a similar impact compared to additional HF medication criteria, increasing PPV by ∼3–4% and decreasing sensitivity by ∼7–10%. Conclusions Algorithms derived from PCORnet CDM elements can be used to identify patients with HF without manual adjudication with reasonable sensitivity and PPV. Algorithm choice should be driven by the goal of the research.
Multi-planar Monocular Reconstruction of Manhattan Indoor Scenes

We present a novel algorithm for geometry and camera pose reconstruction from image sequences that is specialized for indoor Manhattan scenes. Unlike general-purpose SfM/SLAM, our system represents geometric primitives in terms of canonically oriented planes. The algorithm starts by computing multi-planar segmentation and motion estimation from image pairs using constrained homographies. It then proceeds to recover the relative scale at each frame and to determine chains of match clusters, where each cluster is associated with a plane in the scene. Motion and scene geometry (expressed in terms of planar models) are then optimized using a novel formulation of Bundle Adjustment. Compared with other state-of-the-art SfM/SLAM algorithms, our technique is shown to produce superior and realistic surface reconstruction for a monocular indoor scene.
Pro-resolving lipid mediators in the resolution of neointimal hyperplasia pathogenesis in atherosclerotic diseases.

INTRODUCTION Despite advances in drug eluting technologies, neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) and restenosis still plagues endovascular therapy in atherosclerotic diseases. By appreciating atherosclerosis and NIH as complex inflammatory processes, specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) are a superfamily of endogenous unsaturated fatty-acid derived lipids with the potential for inflammatory resolution. Areas covered: Inquiry into SPMs in this context is a novel approach and is the focus of this review, with emphasis on our understanding with NIH. Prior mechanistic understandings of SPM deficiency with atherosclerosis has offered insight, as well as the complexity and diversity of the SPM superfamily. Therapeutic investigation using SPMs to combat NIH is also evaluated here. Expert commentary: Endogenous deficiency of SPMs synthesis by 12/15-lipoxygenase underlies resolution deficits in atherosclerosis and NIH. Upstream PDGF inhibition by SPMs, most notably RvD1 and LXA4, confers a multifactorial attenuation of NIH that involves interconnected anti-inflammatory efforts, most notably switch pro-resolving smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) and macrophages. The ALX/FPR2 is one receptor system identified on vSMCs that interacts with these SPMs to promote NIH resolution. Therapeutically, while shown to be promising with less stent burden or cytotoxicity, SPMs must be balanced by necessary mechanistic, pharmacokinetic and anatomical considerations.
Detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) specific tau pathology with conformation-selective anti-tau monoclonal antibody in co-morbid frontotemporal lobar degeneration-tau (FTLD-tau).

Pathological tau aggregates in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration-tau (FTLD-tau) adopt distinct conformations differentiated by the AD-tau specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) GT-38 that are not readily visualized using phosphorylation-specific anti-tau mAbs. To determine the extent of co-morbid AD-tau pathology in FTLD-tau, we performed immunohistochemical (IHC) staining with GT-38 and assigned Braak stages of AD-tau in a cohort 180 FTLD-tau cases consisting of corticobasal degeneration (CBD; n = 49), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP; n = 109), and Pick’s disease (PiD; n = 22). Nearly two-thirds of patients (n = 115 of 180, 63.8%) with FTLD-tau had some degree of comorbid AD-tau pathology and 20.5% of the FTLD-tau cohort had Braak stage ≥B2, consistent with medium-to-high-level AD neuropathological change (ADNPC). The PSP group had the highest frequency of medium-high AD-tau pathology compared to other tauopathies (PSP = 31/109, 28.4%; Picks = 2/22, 9.1%, CBD = 4/49, 8.2%) but neuropathological diagnosis was not found to be a significant independent predictor of medium-high AD Braak stage in a multivariate model after accounting for age at death (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.03–1.15; p = 0.002) and CERAD plaque scores (OR = 3.75, 95% CI = 1.58–8.89; p = 0.003), suggesting there is no predilection for a specific FTLD tauopathy to develop AD-tau co-pathology after accounting for age. Patients with FTLD-tau who had, clinically significant, medium-high AD-tau pathology had significantly higher antemortem CSF levels of both total-tau (t-tau; mean = 89.98 pg/ml, SD = 36.70 pg/ml) and phosphorylated-tau (p-tau; mean = 20.45 pg/ml, SD = 9.31 pg/ml) compared to patients with negligible-low AD-tau, t-tau (mean = 43.04 pg/ml, SD = 25.40 pg/ml) and p-tau (mean = 11.90 pg/ml, SD = 4.48 pg/ml) (p ≤ 0.001 both). Finally, in an exploratory analysis in our largest pathology group (PSP) we find an association of GT-38 AD-tau Braak stage with lower baseline MMSE (p = 0.03). Together, these finding validate the use of GT-38 to selectively detect AD-tau pathology in the context of FTLD-tau and provides a novel tool to investigate associations of clinical phenotypes amongst co-morbid tauopathies.
28.6 Full-Duplex 2×2 MIMO Circulator-Receiver with High TX Power Handling Exploiting MIMO RF and Shared-Delay Baseband Self-Interference Cancellation

Full-duplex (FD) wireless has garnered a lot of attention in recent years due to multiple benefits such as increased spectral efficiency and improved network latency [1-5]. Several challenges remain in the quest for high-performance integrated FD radios. Transmitter (TX) power handling remains an open problem, particularly in FD radios that integrate a shared-antenna interface. Recent integrated shared-antenna interfaces that exhibit high power handling exploit SOI CMOS technologies and occupy substantial area [6]. Secondly, FD operation must be achieved across antenna VSWR variations and a changing EM environment. Finally, FD operation must be extended to multiple-antenna systems, as beamforming and MIMO are an integral part of emerging wireless networks. While the feasibility of combining FD with beamforming in an integrated radio has been recently demonstrated [4], combining FD with MIMO is fundamentally challenging because of cross-talk self-interference (CT-SI) between every pair of antennas, causing the canceller complexity to grow as O(N2). While there has been work at the system level to investigate these challenges [5], CMOS integrated implementations impose unique challenges and constraints. This work presents a $2 \times 2$MIMO FD Receiver (RX) array with integrated N-path-filter-based non-magnetic circulators that (i) exploits bootstrapping in the circulator N-path filters to enhance TX power handling by 8dB, and (ii) features area- and power-efficient passive RF and active baseband (BB) wideband MIMO cancellation with shared delay elements to address the O(N2) cancellation challenge in the presence of a changing EM environment. We have demonstrated a $2 \times 2$FD MIMO RX achieving (i) up to 35/45dB average self-interference-cancellation (SIC) across 40/20MHz BW, (ii) more than 42dB/53dB average cross-talk (CT)-SIC across 40/20MHz BW with $< 2.1$dB degradation in RX NF, and (iii) and overall TX power handling of +14 dBm enabled by clock bootstrapping.
Rates of Overall Survival and Intracranial Control in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Era for Patients With Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer With and Without Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation.

Importance Historical data suggest that there is an overall survival benefit associated with prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, as the fidelity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain continues to improve, this idea is now being questioned, with recent research showing no survival benefit associated with PCI in extensive-stage SCLC; however, the role for PCI is not clear in patients with limited-stage SCLC (LS-SCLC). Objective To report the overall survival and rates of intracranial control for patients with LS-SCLC, all staged with MRI, who either did or did not undergo PCI. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included 297 patients with LS-SCLC at a large US academic cancer center. Patients were treated with thoracic radiation; 205 also underwent PCI and 92 did not. All patients underwent at least baseline MRI, with restaging brain MRI and/or computed tomography; they did not have disease progression after thoracic radiation treatment. A propensity score–matching analysis was undertaken in an attempt to adjust for potential bias. Of the 297 patients who met the inclusion criteria, the propensity score was calculated for 295 patients, using patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics. Data were analyzed in October 2019. Intervention Prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients with LS-SCLC. Main Outcomes and Measures The rate of overall survival and intracranial control. Results Of the 297 patients, 162 (54.5%) were men. The median age was 62.2 years (range, 27.0-85.0 years) for patients who underwent PCI and 68.6 years (range, 40.0-86.0 years) for those who did not undergo PCI. The 3-year cumulative incidence rate of brain metastases was higher in the no-PCI group vs the PCI group, when counting death as a competing risk, but the difference was not statistically significant (20.40% [95% CI, 12.45%-29.67%] vs 11.20% [95% CI, 5.40%-19.20%];P = .10). The use of PCI was not associated with a difference in overall survival between the patient groups (hazard ratio, 0.844; 95% CI, 0.604-1.180;P = .32). Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that patients with LS-SCLC staged with MRI who undergo PCI after thoracic radiation treatment were not associated with a decreased risk of developing new brain metastases compared with patients who do not undergo PCI. The use of PCI was not associated with an overall survival benefit for such patients.
Geography education’s potential and the capability approach: GeoCapabilities and schools

What should be taught in schools? To what extent should a consideration of ‘this day and age’ determine the focus of the curriculum? What is the role of the teacher in enacting the curriculum? What...
Thigh Adipocyte Size is Inversely Related to Energy Intake and Respiratory Quotient in Healthy Women.

OBJECTIVE The relationship between adipocyte size and ad libitum energy intake has not been previously examined. This study hypothesized an inverse relationship between adipocyte size and daily energy intake (DEI). METHODS Seventy healthy adults (39 men and 31 women; BMI 30.0 [SD 6.3]) underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and subcutaneous fat biopsies from the abdomen and thigh. Osmium-fixed adipocytes were sized with a Coulter counter. Volunteers self-selected food from a vending machine paradigm as the only source of energy intake over 3 days as inpatients. Volunteers also had 24-hour respiratory quotient (RQ) measured in a whole-room indirect calorimeter. RESULTS In women, the large cell peak diameter of the thigh depot was greater than that of the abdominal depot (Δ = +15.8 μm; P < 0.0001). In women, thigh peak diameter was inversely associated with DEI (β = -264.7 kcal/d per 10-μm difference; P = 0.03) after adjusting for demographics and body composition. The thigh peak diameter in women was associated with 24-hour RQ (r = -0.47, P = 0.04) after adjusting for demographics, body composition, and 24-hour energy balance. These associations did not extend to men or the abdominal depot. CONCLUSIONS In women, thigh adipocyte size was associated with reduced DEI and 24-hour RQ, indicating a special role for thigh fat in women. This depot-specific sexual dimorphism indicates common regulation of energy intake and adipocyte size in the thigh region of women.
The Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Cardiometabolic Health Outcomes Following Weight Loss in Premenopausal Women with Obesity: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Alcohol (i.e., ethanol) is consumed regularly by much of the adult population; yet, the health effects associated with its use are not well-characterized. Clinical interventions to investigate the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on metabolic outcomes, including adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors, are limited and have yielded conflicting data. In addition, no study has reported the effects of routine alcohol intake during weight loss in a controlled feeding trial. We present the first randomized controlled pilot trial to investigate the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on metabolic outcomes during weight loss in women with obesity. Both groups consumed 30% energy restricted diets and were randomized to either an ethanol-free control (CTL) group or a group (EtOH) that consumed 35 g ethanol daily for eight weeks. Our findings demonstrate that, despite similar weight loss, the decrease in mean arterial pressure was attenuated in the EtOH group, relative to the CTL group (p = 0.02). In addition, decreases in other outcomes, including visceral adipose tissue (p = 0.23), circulating lipids (triglycerides (p = 0.11) and cholesterol (p = 0.11)), and uric acid (p = 0.07) tended to be attenuated with alcohol consumption. These pilot data provide potential evidence that moderate alcohol consumption may mitigate the beneficial effects of weight loss and support the need for larger Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) to better investigate the metabolic effects of moderate alcohol intake in humans.
Do energy efficiency building codes help minimize the efficiency gap in the U.S.? A dynamic panel data approach:

This study estimates the effects of energy efficiency policy in the residential sector using panel data of 48 contiguous states starting from 1970 to 2017. To avoid any unobserved heterogeneity and...
Electrocatalytic O2 Reduction by an Organometallic Pd(III) Complex via a Binuclear Pd(III) Intermediate

The development of electrocatalysts for the selective O2-to-H2O conversion, the O2 reduction reaction (ORR), is of great interest for improving the performance of fuel cells. In this context, molec...
Economics at the FCC 2018-19: Competition, Broadband Deployment, and Transaction Review

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is responsible for regulation in the communications marketplace and for management of the nation’s non-federal radio frequency spectrum. During the past year, Commission economists contributed to the analysis of competition in the communications marketplace as presented in the Commission’s first Communications Marketplace Report. In addition, Commission economists examined issues in the broadcast television industry and performed general and limited analyses of the effects of both national broadcast group size and local market concentration on retransmission fees. Commission economists also evaluated the current Form 477 data collection and helped to develop proposals that would improve the current data collection as well as establish a new data collection that would advance the Commission’s universal service goals. Finally, Commission economists evaluated the likely competitive effects that would be associated with the proposed T-Mobile-Sprint transaction.
Mortality among US-born and immigrant Hispanics in the US: effects of nativity, duration of residence, and age at immigration

We examined the effects of duration of residence and age at immigration on mortality among US-born and foreign-born Hispanics aged 25 and older. We analyzed the National Health Interview Survey-National Death Index linked files from 1997–2009 with mortality follow-up through 2011. We used Cox proportional hazard models to examine the effects of duration of US residence and age at immigration on mortality for US-born and foreign-born Hispanics, controlling for various demographic, socioeconomic and health factors. Age at immigration included 4 age groups: 15 years. We observed a mortality advantage among Hispanic immigrants compared to US-born Hispanics only for those who had come to the US after age 24 regardless of how long they had lived in the US. Hispanics who immigrated as youths (<18) did not differ from US-born Hispanics on mortality despite duration of residence. Findings suggest that age at immigration, rather than duration of residence, drives differences in mortality between Hispanic immigrants and the US-born Hispanic population.
Ultrafast spontaneous emission source using plasmonic nanoantennas.

Typical emitters such as molecules, quantum dots and semiconductor quantum wells have slow spontaneous emission with lifetimes of 1–10 ns, creating a mismatch with high-speed nanoscale optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes, single-photon sources and lasers. Here we experimentally demonstrate an ultrafast (<11 ps) yet efficient source of spontaneous emission, corresponding to an emission rate exceeding 90 GHz, using a hybrid structure of single plasmonic nanopatch antennas coupled to colloidal quantum dots. The antennas consist of silver nanocubes coupled to a gold film separated by a thin polymer spacer layer and colloidal core–shell quantum dots, a stable and technologically relevant emitter. We show an increase in the spontaneous emission rate of a factor of 880 and simultaneously a 2,300-fold enhancement in the total fluorescence intensity, which indicates a high radiative quantum efficiency of ∼50%. The nanopatch antenna geometry can be tuned from the visible to the near infrared, providing a promising approach for nanophotonics based on ultrafast spontaneous emission. Typical emitters such as molecules and quantum dots have slow spontaneous emission with lifetimes of 1–10 ns. Here, Hoang et al. have fabricated a hybrid structure of plasmonic nanopatch antennas coupled to quantum dots, achieving ultrafast spontaneous emission with a lifetime of 11 ps.
Set theory and the continuum problem

Part I. General background. Some basics of class-set theory. The natural number. Superinduction, well ordering and choice. Ordinal numbers. Order isomorphism and transfinite recursion. Rank. Foundation, e-induction, and rank. Cardinals. Part II. Mostowski-Shepherdson Mappings. Reflection principles. Constructible sets. L is well founded first-order universe. Constructability is absolute over L. Constructability and the continuum hypothesis. Part III. Forcing, the very idea. The construction of S4 models and ZF. The axion of constructability is independent. Independence of the continuum hypothesis. Independence of the axiom of choice. Constructing classical models. Forcing background. References. Subject Index. Notation Index
Confetti-like depigmentation: A potential sign of rapidly progressing vitiligo

Background Confetti-like depigmentation was noted in patients reporting recent worsening of vitiligo. Objective We sought to determine if confetti-like depigmentation is a marker of rapidly progressing vitiligo. Methods Review of patient records and images of patients from a vitiligo registry resulted in 7 patients with 12 images that fit inclusion criteria and were evaluated for percent depigmentation by 3 independent reviewers. The Vitiligo Disease Activity Score and the Koebner Phenomenon in Vitiligo Score in an additional cohort of patients with confetti-like lesions were compared with patients who had vitiligo without confetti-like lesions. Results The mean percentage of depigmentation at baseline was 19.2%, which increased to 43.9% in images obtained at a mean of 16 weeks of follow-up. Vitiligo Disease Activity Score and Koebner Phenomenon in Vitiligo Score were significantly higher in the patients with confetti-like lesions compared with those without confetti-like lesions. A skin biopsy specimen of a confetti-like lesion in 1 patient revealed an inflammatory infiltrate in the papillary dermis with CD8 + T cells localized to the dermoepidermal junction. Limitations Small, single-center retrospective review and lack of full-body photographs are limitations. Conclusions A confetti-like pattern of depigmentation may be a negative prognostic indicator for patients with rapidly progressing vitiligo. Further, prospective studies to evaluate this physical finding should be performed.
Fast transmission CT for determining attenuation maps using a collimated, shuttered line source and fan beam collimation

The authors describe a technique using a shuttered line source to acquire gamma transmission computed tomographic (TCT) data for determining attenuation maps to compensate for nonuniform attenuation in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) emission scans. A /sup 99m/Tc line source and a stacked foil (slit) collimator were placed near the focal line of a fan beam collimator (114 cm focal length) mounted opposite one detector of a triple-camera SPECT system. To investigate the capability of shuttered line sources to determine accurately attenuation maps, an anthropomorphic thorax phantom was scanned using total TCT acquisition times of 120 and 720 s. The phantom was also scanned with a parallel hole collimator using a collimated slab source. The fan beam and parallel beam TCT images were very similar. The shutter method eliminates contamination of emission data by transmission photons, and reduces the spill-over of emission data into the transmission energy window. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using fast, sequential (or interlaced) transmission scans of high-activity shuttered sources to obtain accurate attenuation maps for SPECT attenuation compensation. >
RE-PAGE: Domain-Specific REplication and PArallel Processing of GEnomic Data

As development of high-throughput and low-cost sequencing technologies is leading to massive volumes of genomic data, new solutions for handling data-intensive applications on parallel platforms are urgently required. Particularly, the nature of processing leads to both load balancing and I/O contention challenges. In this paper, we have developed a novel middleware system, RE-PAGE, which allows parallelization of applications that process genomic data with a simple, high-level API. To address load balancing and I/O contention, the features of the middleware include: 1) use of domain-specific information in the formation of data chunks (which can be of non-uniform sizes), 2) replication and placement of each chunk on a small number of nodes, performed in an intelligent way, and 3) scheduling schemes for achieving load balance, when data movement costs out-weigh processing costs and the chunks are of non-uniform sizes. We have evaluated our framework using three genomic applications, which are VarScan, Unified Genotyper, and Coverage Analyzer. We show that our approach leads to better performance than conventional MapReduce scheduling approaches and systems that access data from a centralized store. We also compare against popular frameworks, Hadoop and GATK, and show that our middleware outperforms both, achieving high parallel efficiency and scalability.
Studying teacher noticing: Examining the relationship among pre-service science teachers' ability to attend, analyze and respond to student thinking

Abstract This study investigates pre-service teachers' capacities to attend to, analyze, and respond to student thinking. Using a performance assessment of teacher competence, we compare two cohorts of science teacher candidates, one that participated in a video-based course designed to develop these skills and one that did not. Course participants demonstrate more sophisticated levels of attention to and analysis of student ideas. Analysis of the relationship among skills reveals that sophisticated analyses and responses to student ideas require high sophistication in attending to student ideas. However, high sophistication in attending to student ideas does not guarantee more sophisticated analyses or responses.
A study of SO2 adsorption on CaO (100) surfaces using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract The adsorption of SO2 on CaO (100) at 300 K has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions, the surface was exposed to 0–500 Langmuirs of SO2. The resulting adsorption yields a single SO surface species with an S 2p peak at 168.2 eV and an O 1s sol1 2 peak at 531.7 eV. Subsequent heating of the exposed surface to 673 K indicated no desorption or changes in the binding energies of the S 2p and O 1s 1 2 peaks. On the basis of these data and binding-energy data for standard compounds, the adsorbed species is identified as SO42−. The surface coverage due to the SO42− species was also measured as a function of SO2 exposure. From these data, the initial adsorption is found to be first-order in surface coverage, and the initial sticking probability is found to have a value of 0.4.
Synthesis of a boronated amino acid as a potential neutron therapy agent: 1-amino-3-[(dihydroxyboryl)ethyl]cyclobutanecarboxylic acid

A novel boronated aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid was synthesized in 10 steps for potential use in neutron capture therapy. The molecule was modeled after the unnatural amino acid 1-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid, which has shown high uptake in brain tumors.
Observations on the caudal end of the spinal cord

The development of the structural pattern of the lower sacral and coccygeal segments of the spinal cord in human, rabbit and monkey embryos and fetuses has been studied. The changes observed in serial sections from above downward are outlined, beginning with typical sections through the lower sacral cord. Among the changes, other than diminution in size of the spinal cord and reduction in size of the lower spinal nerves, there is a gradual disappearance of the posterior funiculus. As this occurs the gray matter appears to spread dorsally and the central canal widens. The gray matter becomes reduced in size and the lateral funiculus extends farther dorsally. A little lower down, the gray matter of the alar plate is reduced further in size and there is corresponding enlargement of the central canal. This enlargement constitutes the terminal ventricle. The spinal cord rapidly becomes smaller as both the fibers and the gray matter are diminished. In some specimens, fibers decussate dorsal to the lower end of the terminal ventricle. Little remains of the lower end of the spinal cord except the ependymal wall of the central canal and the surrounding fiber bundles. The shape and size of the lower end of the central canal is subject to variations. In the lower part of the spinal cord a longitudinal bundle on each side is formed by fiber contributions from the anterior horn cells in the basal plates. This bundle contributes fibers to the fifth sacral and the first and second coccygeal nerves. It is designated the sacrococcygeal fasciculus.
Service recovery: its value and limitations as a retail strategy

Contributes to a growing body of service recovery knowledge by examining the impact of service recovery as a relationship tool, in addition to its well‐accepted role as a means to enhance customer satisfaction at the transaction‐specific level. Begins by providing an overview of the evolving concept of service recovery and continues by explaining the important and unique role that recovery plays in the service sector. A comparison of the concept of service consistency and reliability with the concept of service recovery leads to a statement of hypotheses tested in an experimental setting. Specifically, results indicate that while service recovery results in encounter satisfaction, service recovery does not significantly influence overall satisfaction, quality, image and future expectations. Rather, consistency of service influences these constructs.
H-2-restricted T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity: rediscovering allo-H-2-reactivity?

Abstract The phenomenon that strong syngeneic T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity is observed if killer, stimulator, and target cells share H-2 histocompatibility antigens is called H-2 restriction. Here a syngeneic model system making use of hapten-coupled stimulator and target cells is used to explore whether H-2 restriction is absolute or not. Using TNP-coupled spleen or tumor cells as stimulator or target cells in syngeneic and allogeneic situations, it is shown that neither the induction step nor the effector step of TNP-dependent killing is H-2 restricted. By varying the experimental assay conditions more or less H-2-restricted, TNP-dependent killing can be observed. For instance, suboptimal coupling of TNP to targets may result in H-2-restricted killing. Similarly, the use of spleen cell targets as opposed to spleen blast cells or tumor cells may result in H-2-restricted lysis. In contrast optimal coupling of TNP to sensitive target cells and coupling of TNP to cells with certain H-2 haplotypes may lead to significant TNP-dependent killing which is not H-2 restricted. Since hapten-coupled cells lacking H-2 are neither stimulators nor targets these results suggest that the T-cell receptor recognizes TNP-modified H-2 antigens simply as nonself-H-2. Thus hapten coupling of syngeneic cells appears to lead to a histocompatibility antigen change similar to the situation in an allogeneic cytotoxic reaction. Experiments are presented which support this view showing that TNP-coupled and uncoupled syngeneic or allogeneic stimulator and target cells cross-react. For instance allogeneic sensitization may lead to killing on TNP-coupled targets syngeneic to the effector cells and TNP-coupled stimulator cells syngeneic to the effector cells may induce killing on uncoupled syngeneic targets. TNP-dependent cytotoxicity can therefore be envisaged as a kind of allogeneic reactivity due to modification of H-2 antigens by the TNP coupling. This conclusion may have bearing on other model systems in which syngeneic killing appears to be H-2 restricted. In support of this possibility it is shown that allogeneic sensitization may lead to priming of memory cells able to respond to minor histocompatibility antigens.
Syphilis cure posters.

⇓ The development of syphilis cures profoundly shaped disease discourses and health promotion materials such as posters (above). The left poster contrasts the …