cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Energy Expenditure in the Differential Weight Loss in Obese Women on Low-Fat and Low-Carbohydrate Diets

We have recently reported that obese women randomized to a low-carbohydrate diet lost more than twice as much weight as those following a low-fat diet over 6 months. The difference in weight loss was not explained by differences in energy intake because women on the two diets reported similar daily energy consumption. We hypothesized that chronic ingestion of a low-carbohydrate diet increases energy expenditure relative to a low-fat diet and that this accounts for the differential weight loss. To study this question, 50 healthy, moderately obese (body mass index, 33.2 +/- 0.28 kg/m(2)) women were randomized to 4 months of an ad libitum low-carbohydrate diet or an energy-restricted, low-fat diet. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured by indirect calorimetry at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months. Physical activity was estimated by pedometers. The thermic effect of food (TEF) in response to low-fat and low-carbohydrate breakfasts was assessed over 5 h in a subset of subjects. Forty women completed the trial. The low-carbohydrate group lost more weight (9.79 +/- 0.71 vs. 6.14 +/- 0.91 kg; P < 0.05) and more body fat (6.20 +/- 0.67 vs. 3.23 +/- 0.67 kg; P < 0.05) than the low-fat group. There were no differences in energy intake between the diet groups as reported on 3-d food records at the conclusion of the study (1422 +/- 73 vs. 1530 +/- 102 kcal; 5954 +/- 306 vs. 6406 +/- 427 kJ). Mean REE in the two groups was comparable at baseline, decreased with weight loss, and did not differ at 2 or 4 months. The low-fat meal caused a greater 5-h increase in TEF than did the low-carbohydrate meal (53 +/- 9 vs. 31 +/- 5 kcal; 222 +/- 38 vs. 130 +/- 21 kJ; P = 0.017). Estimates of physical activity were stable in the dieters during the study and did not differ between groups. These results confirm that short-term weight loss is greater in obese women on a low-carbohydrate diet than in those on a low-fat diet even when reported food intake is similar. The differential weight loss is not explained by differences in REE, TEF, or physical activity and likely reflects underreporting of food consumption by the low-fat dieters.
Counting mutagenized genomes and optimizing genetic screens in Caenorhabditis elegans

In genetic screens, the number of mutagenized gametes examined is an important parameter for evaluating screen progress, the number of genes of a given mutable phenotype, gene size, cost, and labor. Since genetic screens often entail examination of thousands or tens of thousands of animals, strategies for optimizing genetics screens are important for minimizing effort while maximizing the number of mutagenized gametes examined. To date, such strategies have not been described for genetic screens in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we review general principles of genetic screens in C. elegans, and use a modified binomial strategy to obtain a general expression for the number of mutagenized gametes examined in a genetic screen. We use this expression to calculate optimal screening parameters for a large range of genetic screen types. In addition, we developed a simple online genetic-screen-optimization tool that can be used independently of this paper. Our results demonstrate that choosing the optimal F2-to-F1 screening ratio can significantly improve screen efficiency.
Limiting temperatures and disappearance of fusionlike residues

Abstract With an improved Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) model, we have performed a comparative study of the reaction dynamics which limits the formation of fusionlike residues in 40 Ar + 27 Al collisions at energies near the Fermi energy. By adjusting separately the values of the in-medium nucleon-nucleon cross section σ NN , we have obtained similar residue cross sections for both the stiff and the soft equations of state (EOS). Using these two exclusive parameters, we have calculated the thermal excitation energies, the angular momenta, and the temperatures for the fusionlike residues survived in the collisions. These calculations suggest that the reaction dynamics, not the Coulomb or thermal instabilities, plays the most important role in limiting the production of fusionlike residues at energies less than the Fermi energy. Furthermore, the calculations indicate that although the same residue cross sections can be obtained for different equations of state by adjusting separately the values of σ NN , one would still see significant differences in the residue temperatures. This sensitivity to the temperature arises from the sole sensitivity of the temperature to the EOS and the insensitivity of the temperature to the σ NN . Within the uncertainties of both the experimental data and the model calculations, the calculated residue cross sections and the residue temperatures are comparable to experimental observations. More systematical experimental studies, including the impact-parameter dependences, are called for, in particular, to address the questions concerning the equation of state.
Convectively coupled Kelvin and easterly waves in a regional climate simulation of the tropics

This study evaluates the performance of a regional climate model in simulating two types of synoptic tropical weather disturbances: convectively-coupled Kelvin and easterly waves. Interest in these two wave modes stems from their potential predictability out to several weeks in advance, as well as a strong observed linkage between easterly waves and tropical cyclogenesis. The model is a recent version of the weather research and forecast (WRF) system with 36-km horizontal grid spacing and convection parameterized using a scheme that accounts for key convective triggering and inhibition processes. The domain spans the entire tropical belt between 45°S and 45°N with periodic boundary conditions in the east–west direction, and conditions at the meridional/lower boundaries specified based on observations. The simulation covers 6 years from 2000 to 2005, which is long enough to establish a statistical depiction of the waves through space-time spectral filtering of rainfall data, together with simple lagged-linear regression. Results show that both the horizontal phase speeds and three-dimensional structures of the waves are qualitatively well captured by the model in comparison to observations. However, significant biases in wave activity are seen, with generally overactive easterly waves and underactive Kelvin waves. Evidence is presented to suggest that these biases in wave activity (which are also correlated with biases in time–mean rainfall, as well as biases in the model’s tropical cyclone climatology) stem in part from convection in the model coupling too strongly to rotational circulation anomalies. Nevertheless, the model is seen to do a reasonable job at capturing the genesis of tropical cyclones from easterly waves, with evidence for both wave accumulation and critical layer processes being importantly involved.
Correlation of Patient Weight and Cross-Sectional Dimensions with Subjective Image Quality at Standard Dose Abdominal CT

Results: A statistically significant negative linear correlation of 0.46, 0.47, 0.47, 0.58, 0.56, 0.54, and 0.56 between patient weight, anterior abdominal fat thickness, anteroposterior and transverse diameter, circumference, cross-sectional area and image quality at standard scanning parameters was found (p<0.01).
Police and Correctional Use of Force: Legal and Policy Standards and Implications

In the 1980s, the police use of deadly force against nonviolent felons began to be questioned. This critical examination culminated in the decision in Tennessee v. Garner, which ruled that the police could use deadly force only in certain life-threatening situations. However, a decade after Garner, there are few limitations on the use of deadly force by correctional officers in situations where prisoners are attempting to escape. This article compares correctional deadly force policies and practices with current standards governing police use of deadly force. Court actions that might limit such practices and the potential consequences of not adopting more restrictive policies prior to court intervention are discussed.
Pre-driver PDN SSN, OPD, data encoding, and their impact on SSJ

This paper describes the simultaneous switching noise (SSN) behavior of pre-driver power distribution networks (PDNs) excited by different kinds of simultaneous switching output (SSO) signal patterns. The physics behind the PDN resonance is explored and the quantitative relationship between pre-driver PDN resonant frequency and signal toggling frequency is established to find the SSO signal pattern that generates the worst PDN SSN. This paper shows how and why on-package decoupling (OPD) and data encoding can greatly reduce pre-driver PDN SSN as well. Additionally, the relationship between pre-driver PDN SSN and SSO jitter (SSJ) and a method for finding the worst SSJ due to pre-driver PDN SSN effect is discussed.
Unusual Cause of Pulmonary Hypertension and Congestive Heart Failure in a Newborn

Anomalous systemic arterial supply to a lobe of the lung is a rare cause of pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure in the newborn period. We report the presentation and successful treatment of a neonate with this unusual anatomy. Proper diagnosis required both echocardiography and aortography, and surgical resection of the involved lobe was curative.
Cytochemical localization of adenylyl cyclase activity within the sensory epithelium of the trout saccule

Adenylyl cyclase, the enzyme of synthesis of cAMP, the second messenger molecule mediating signal transduction in response to sensory, neurotransmitter and hormonal stimuli, has been localized in the sensory epithelium of the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri R.) saccule by cytochemical detection of enzyme activity. In the sensory receptor cell, or hair cell, reaction product has been visualized in the stereocilia in close association with the outer cell membrane and also at the apical surface of the cuticular plate. A diffuse distribution of precipitate was observed within the cytoplasm of terminal endings of nerve fibers presumed to be efferent on the basis of characteristic synaptic specializations including presynaptic vesicles and a postsynaptic cistern lying within the hair cell. Occasionally, reaction product was observed to be associated with the external cell membrane of these nerve terminals. There appeared to be little or no adenylyl cyclase activity associated with the plasma membrane at the base of the hair cell or in presumptive afferent nerve endings. However, a subpopulation of nerve fiber endings which exhibited both efferent and afferent synaptic specializations contained precipitate. A concentration of adenylyl cyclase activity in hair cell stereocilia and efferent nerve terminals in the sensory epithelium is suggestive of a role for cAMP in second messenger action at these sites, possibly related to mechanosensory transduction and efferent neuromodulation, respectively.
Affection Exchange Theory and Perceptions of Relational Transgressions

Affection Exchange Theory (AET; Floyd, 2006a) argues that affectionate messages enhance relational bonds. In order to test this postulate, the present study explored the relationships among affectionate communication, both given and received, and perceptions of relational transgressions (e.g., severity, hurt, and rumination) in established romantic relationships. Results revealed that the amount of received affection negatively related to perceptions of severity, thoughts of rumination, and feelings of hurt. Expressed affection was unrelated to transgression perceptions. Regressions further informed how these factors relate. Results, theoretical implications, and limitations are discussed.
The elevated-rim acetabular liner in total hip arthroplasty: relationship to postoperative dislocation

Although an acetabular component with an elevated rim is thought to improve the postoperative stability of a total hip prosthesis, the actual clinical value has not yet been demonstrated. To address this question, we reviewed the results of 5167 total hip arthroplasties that had been performed at our institution from April 1, 1985, through December 31, 1991. The prostheses included 2469 acetabular components with an elevated-rim liner (10 degrees of elevation) and 2698 with a standard liner. The cumulative probability of dislocation was estimated as a function of time since the operation with use of the Kaplan-Meier survivorship method. Forty-eight of the 2469 hips that had the elevated-rim acetabular liner dislocated within two years, compared with 101 of the 2698 hips that had the standard acetabular liner. The two-year probability of dislocation was 2.19 per cent for the hips with the elevated-rim liner and 3.85 per cent for those with the standard liner (p = 0.001). A similar trend was seen at five years; however, because of a smaller sample the difference was not significant. Increased stability at two years was also demonstrated for the hips with the elevated-rim liner when the hips were analyzed according to the operative approach, the mode of fixation, the sex of the patient, and the type of total hip arthroplasty (primary or revision). Although these data demonstrate improved stability after total hip arthroplasty when an elevated liner is used, particularly in hips that are at greater risk for dislocation of the prosthesis, the long-term effect of this elevated liner on wear and loosening remains unknown but is of considerable concern. The elevated liner deserves additional study to clarify its effect on wear and loosening.
CHARGE TRANSPORT THROUGH CARBON NANOTUBE OR FULLERENE–MOLECULE–SILICON JUNCTIONS

We report here the current–voltage (i–V) characteristics of several (n++-Si/MNOPE/C60/Pt-tip) or (n++-Si/MNOPE/SWCNT/Pt-tip) junctions, where MNOPE = 2'-mononitro-4, 4'-bis(phenylethynyl)-1-phenylenediazonium and SWCNT = single wall carbon nanotube. A layer of C60 or SWCNT-derivatized MNOPE has strong effect on the i–V behavior of the junctions, including rectification, negative differential resistance (NDR) and switching behaviors. The i–V curve of a grafted molecular monolayer (GMM) of MNOPE atop n++-Si shows NDR behavior, whereas those of C60- and SWCNT-derivatized GMMs of MNOPE on n++-Si show strong rectifying behavior with opposite rectification polarities. With C60, larger currents were found with negative tip bias, while with SWCNT, the forward top bias was positive. Because C60 tends to be a good electron acceptor and SWCNTs tend to be good electron donors, they show different i–V behavior, as observed. Some of the (n++-Si/MNOPE/SWCNT/Pt-tip) junctions also show reversible bistable switching behavior.
Effect of Oral Administration of Emtricitabine on Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus Replication in Chronically Infected Woodchucks

Emtricitabine [(−)FTC] [(−)-β-2′,3′-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3′-thiacytidine] has been shown to be an effective inhibitor of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in cell culture, with a potency and selectivity that are essentially identical to those of lamivudine. The antiviral activity of oral administration of (−)FTC against WHV replication in chronically infected woodchucks, an established and predictive model for antiviral therapy against HBV, was examined in a placebo-controlled study. (−)FTC significantly reduced viremia and intrahepatic WHV replication in a dose-dependent manner that was comparable to the antiviral activity of lamivudine observed in previous studies conducted by our laboratories. No effect on the levels of hepatic WHV RNA or the levels of woodchuck hepatitis surface antigen or anti-woodchuck hepatitis surface and core antibodies in the serum of the treated animals was observed. No evidence of drug-related toxicity was observed in any of the animals treated.
Increased automaticity of the AV node.

Scenario: This lead II ECG rhythm strip was obtained in a 52-year-old male patient being treated in the neurological intensive care unit for subarachnoid hemorrhage. The patient was unconscious and therefore could not be asked whether he was experiencing symptoms. His vital signs were stable: His blood pressure was 125/70, heart rate was 80 beats per minute (bpm), and he was receiving mechanical ventilation at 20 breaths/minute. ECG PUZZLER A regular feature of the American Journal of Critical Care, the ECG Puzzler addresses ECG interpretation for clinical practice. We welcome letters to the Editors regarding this feature.
The Rate of Interest and the Theory of Income

This chapter discusses the relation between rate of interest and the theory of income. As per Say's principle, the aggregate money value of all planned trades must be zero. Included in the planned trades are the flow demands and supplies of bonds. The bond market determines the rate of interest. Bond demands are affected by the rate of interest, the level of income, and inflationary expectations. Bond supplies are affected by the same variables. Given income and inflationary expectations, an interest rate is determined by the interaction of bond demands and supplies. Government borrowing raises the rate of interest when pure fiscal policy is in force. A fiscal policy backed by the monetary authorities temporarily lowers the interest rate; but as income and inflationary expectations are stimulated by the increase in the money supply, the nominal interest rate may eventually rise above the initial level. Increases in the money supply initially lower the rate of interest because they create temporary excess demands for bonds, raising their prices. Once money supply increases are halted, the rate of interest rises back to its previous level, unless further boosted by the effects of higher incomes upon the excess demand for bonds and by inflationary expectations upon the nominal rate of interest.
High Solids Coatings

Interest in high solids (HS) coatings was kindled in the mid-1960s as a result of environmental legislation limiting the amount of organic material released into the atmosphere. In 1966, the now-famous ‘Rule 66’ was enacted in Los Angeles county to limit the emission of photochemically reactive (smog producing) organic compounds. With it came the concept of exempt solvents, the familiar examples being 1,1,1-trichloroethane and methylene chloride,1 which were considered photochemically non-reactive in the upper atmosphere. With passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970, Congress gave the Federal EPA a greater role in the air pollution control process.2 Recognizing the differences in sources, emissions and existing air quality among the various geographical regions in the US, the EPA has allowed the States to draft implementation plans which describe the regulations and control processes which apply to existing sources in their region. These were to have all been implemented during the period 1982–1987.
Correction of abnormal small intestinal cytosolic protein kinase C activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetes by insulin therapy

Diabetes was induced in rats by administration of a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg body wt). After 7 days, one group of diabetic animals was treated with insulin for an additional 5 days. Control, diabetic and diabetic + insulin rats were then killed, their distal small intestines were removed and the epithelial cells were examined and compared with respect to polyphosphoinositide turnover, total protein kinase C activity and cellular distribution, and 1,2-diacylglycerol mass and production. The results of these experiments demonstrated that, compared with their control counterparts, the intestines from diabetic rats had a decreased turnover of polyphosphoinositides, but an increase in 1,2-diacylglycerol mass which was a result, at least in part, of an increase in the synthesis of this lipid de novo. Total protein kinase C activity was decreased in the diabetic rats due to a decrease in cytosolic activity, with no significant change in particulate activity. Moreover, insulin administration for 5 days to diabetic animals did not affect their lowered intestinal polyphosphoinositide turnover, but did further accentuate their increased 1,2-diacylglycerol mass and synthesis de novo; this treatment also corrected total protein kinase C activity by increasing the cytosolic activity of this enzyme. These results indicate that signalling mechanisms involving polyphosphoinositides, 1,2-diacylglycerol and protein kinase C are abnormal in the intestines of diabetic rats and that some of these biochemical parameters can be modulated by insulin administration in vivo.
The Cynical Marketing Executive

Every advertisement is written, consciously or intuitively, to conform to some preconceived notion of how humans act and react. This paper is about marketing managers and the advertising implicatio...
Eyewitness: identifying local events via space-time signals in twitter feeds

We present a methodology for automatically extracting and summarizing reports of significant local events from large-scale Twitter feeds. While previous work has relied on an analysis of tweet text to identify local events, we show how to reliably detect events using only time series analysis of geotagged tweet volumes from localized regions. The algorithm sweeps through different spatial and temporal resolutions and finds events as anomalous spikes in the rate of geotagged tweets. We applied the approach to a corpus of over 733 million geotagged tweets. Using a panel of 103 crowdsourced judges who tagged 2400 detected events, we achieved a local event detection precision of 70%. Using these judged events as ground truth, a decision tree classifier was able to raise the detection precision to 93%.
Biology, Ecology, and Management of Masked Chafer (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Grubs in Turfgrass

Masked chafers are scarab beetles in the genus Cyclocephala. Their larvae (white grubs) are below-ground pests of turfgrass, corn, and other agricultural crops. In some regions, such as the Midwestern United States, they are among the most important pest of turfgrass, building up in high densities and consuming roots below the soil/thatch interface. Five species are known to be important pests of turfgrass in North America, including northern masked chafer, Cyclocephala borealis Arrow; southern masked chafer, Cyclocephala lurida Bland [formerly Cyclocephala immaculata (Olivier)]; Cyclocephala pasadenae (Casey); Cyclocephala hirta LeConte; and Cyclocephala parallela Casey. Here we discuss their life history, ecology, and management.
On the thermomechanics of materials that have multiple natural configurations

Many bodies, both solid and fluid, are capable of being stress-free in numerous configurations that are not related to each other through a rigid body motion. Moreover, it is possible that these bodies could have different material symmetries in these different stress-free “natural” configurations. In order to describe the response of such bodies, it is necessary to know the manner in which these “natural” configurations evolve as well as a class of response functions for the stress that are determined by kinematical quantities that are measured from these evolving natural configurations. In this review article, we provide a framework to describe the mechanics of such bodies whose “natural configurations” evolve during a thermodynamic process. The framework is capable of describing a variety of responses and has been used to describe traditional metal plasticity, twinning, traditional viscoelasticity of both solids and fluids, solid-to-solid phase transitions, polymer crystallization, response of multi-network polymers, and anisotropic liquids. The classical theories of elastic solids and viscous fluids are included as special cases of the framework. After a review of the salient features of the framework, we briefly discuss the status of viscoelasticity, traditional plasticity, twinning and solid to solid phase transitions within the context of the framework.
The biological significance of the Sertoli cells

In the normal testicle there are three parenchymatous elements, namely, sperm-forming cells, Sertoli cells and interstitial cells. In the cryptorchid testicle only two types of cells are found, Sertoli cells and interstitial cells. The latter form the bulk of the cryptorchid testicle; the former line, in a synchtial manner, the small seminiferous tubules.Since the genitalia of castrated animals are very atrophic and secondary sexual characters absent, while both are normally developed in cryptorchids, one can conclude, firstly, that the testicle does furnish an internal secretion to the organism, and, secondly, the secretion is elaborated either by the Sertoli cells or interstitial cells. It is the purpose of this note to bring forward evidence which has come to light in a study of normal and cryptorchid testicles of the pig, showing that the Sertoli cells have the very definite function of furnishing nutriment, especially fat, to the developing sperm-cells. Benda, Peter, Grobben, v. Ehner and others have...
The Use of Dimethyl-Beta-Propiothetin as a Substitute for Supplemental Methionine in a Purified Diet Deficient in Sulphur Amino Acid

Abstract BECAUSE methionine is considered a limiting amino acid in poultry growing rations in which soybean oil meal is the major source of protein, this amino acid is often used as a feed additive. The structure of dimethyl-beta-propiothetin approximates that of methionine. Thus it appeared desirable to investigate the possibility of substituting dimethyl-beta-propiothetin for methionine in a chick diet deficient in sulphur amino acid. It has been demonstrated (Maw and duVigneaud, 1948a, b) that thetins and related compounds function in the rat as methylating agents. It is, therefore, probable that thetins function similarly in the chick. Since the work of McKittrick (1947) indicated that methionine’s function as a methyl donor could be assumed by other substances, a purified basal diet (Table 1) was so formulated as to circumvent possible confounding due to the action of dimethyl-beta-propiothetin as a methyl donor. Adequate choline was incorporated into the basal diet, and the amounts …
Relationship Between Insulin Dosage, Duration and Degree of Hypoglycemia and Production of Brain Damage.

Conclusions1. The larger the dose of insulin the greater the incidence of brain damage. However, irrespective of the insulin dose, brain damage did not occur in our animals unless they were kept in the “medullary stage” of hypoglycemia for at least 100 minutes. 2. In cats, not previously treated with insulin, the larger the dose the longer time it took for the appearance of neurologic signs of hypoglycemia.
Ultrahigh output power of 1.48-µm GaInAsP/GaInAsP strained-layer MQW laser diodes

High-power semiconductor laser diodes (LDs) emitting at 1.48-pm wavelength have become increasingly important as pumping light sources for Er+3-doped fiber amplifiers.1 Recently, introducing strained-layer quantum wells (QWs) as active layers in the LDs has been a most promising approach to enhance output power of long-wavelength LDs.2–4 In this paper, we report the optimization of the amount of strain in QWs with respect to the light output power of 1.48-μm strained-layer GaInAsP/GaInAsP MQW LDs.
Momentum and Reversal: Disentangling the Underreaction and Delayed Overreaction

I propose a nested hypothesis test of competing mechanisms that explain return momentum and reversal using seemingly opposite biases: underreaction or delayed overreaction in investors' expectations of cash flows. Using analysts' forecasts as a proxy for these expectations, this study traces the errors of the continuously updated expectations over a 24-month holding period in which returns are characterized by a momentum phase followed by a reversal phase. Empirically, I find strong evidence for underreaction in cash-flow expectations and little evidence for delayed overreaction. These results provide new insights on the determinants of momentum and reversal and lead to novel implications that are tested in this paper.
Statistical Inference in Economics, 1920-1965: Changes in Meaning and Practice

This paper reviews changes over time in the meaning that economists in the US attributed to the phrase “statistical inference”, as well as changes in how inference was conducted. Prior to WWII, leading statistical economists rejected probability theory as a source of measures and procedures to be used in statistical inference. Haavelmo and the econometricians associated with the early Cowles Commission developed an approach to statistical inference based on concepts and measures derived from probability theory, but the arguments they offered in defense of this approach were not always responsive to the concerns of earlier empirical economists that the data available to economists did not satisfy the assumptions required for such an approach. Despite this, after a period of about 25 years, a consensus developed that methods of inference derived from probability theory were an almost essential part of empirical research in economics. I close the paper with some speculation on possible reasons for this transformation in thinking about statistical inference.
SU-G-JeP1-04: Characterization of a High-Definition Optical Patient Surface Tracking System Across Five Installations

Purpose: To assess the performance of Varian's real-time, Optical Surface Monitoring System (OSMS) by measuring relative regular and irregular surface detection accuracy in 6 degrees of motion (6DoM), across multiple installations. Methods: Varian's Intracranial SRS Package includes OSMS, which utilizes 3 HD camera/projector pods to map a patient surface, track intra-fraction motion, and gate the treatment beam if motion exceeds a threshold. To evaluate motion-detection accuracy of OSMS, we recorded shifts of a cube-shaped phantom on a single Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator as known displacements were performed incrementally across 6DoM. A subset of these measurements was repeated on identical OSMS installations. Phantom motion was driven using the TrueBeam treatment couch, and incremented across ±2cm in steps of 0.1mm, 1mm, and 1cm in the cardinal planes, and across ±40° in steps of 0.1°, 1°, and 5° in the rotational (couch kick) direction. Pitch and Roll were evaluated across ±2.5° in steps of 0.1° and 1°. We then repeated this procedure with a frameless SRS setup with a head phantom in a QFix Encompass mask. Results: Preliminary data show OSMS is capable of detecting regular-surfaced phantom displacement within 0.03±0.04mm in the cardinal planes, and within 0.01±0.03° rotation across all planes for multiple installations. In a frameless SRS setup, OSMS is accurate to within 0.10±0.07mm and 0.04±0.07° across 6DoM. Additionally, a reproducible “thermal drift” was observed during the first 15min of monitoring each day, and characterized by recording displacement of a stationary phantom each minute for 25min. Drift settled after 15min to an average delta of 0.26±0.03mm and 0.38±0.03mm from the initial capture in the Y and Z directions, respectively. Conclusion: For both regular surfaces and clinical SRS situations, OSMS exceeds quoted detection accuracy. To reduce error, a warm-up period should be employed to allow camera/projector pod thermal stabilization.
Biophysical Characterization of Human Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 8 (TRPM8) Ion Channel Modulation by Phosphoinositide Regulator of TRP (PIRT)

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 8 (TRPM8) is the primary cold sensor in mammals. Besides thermosensation, this channel plays an important role in diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes. TRPM8 activity is modulated by various mechanisms, including via interaction with an accessory protein known as PIRT. Here, we present the first characterization of the human TRPM8-PIRT interaction. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and biochemical studies, we show that PIRT binds specifically to the sensing domain (SD, transmembrane helices S1-S4) of TRPM8. Binding saturates as the TRPM8-SD:PIRT mole ratio approaches 1, suggesting a 1:1 stoichiometry. Additionally, we performed comparative electrophysiology studies demonstrating that PIRT has a general attenuating effect on TRPM8 currents, in contrast to the potentiating effect observed in the mouse TRPM8-PIRT interaction. These results demonstrate the species dependent nature of TRPM8 modulation by PIRT and suggest a mechanism of tuning TRPM8 function across species.
Power quality control in grid-interactive micro-power systems

A micro-power system is a cluster of renewable or non-conventional green energy based micro-power sources for short range power supply. These sources can operate in either grid connected or in islanded mode. Micro-sources forming distributed generators resemble converter-inverter type topologies behaving as non-linear loads and sourcing harmonics. The negative effects on power quality caused by the interaction of grid with distributed power processing units are clearly witnessed. To account for power quality problems in micropower systems operating at different voltage levels with the main grid, a modular approach is proposed. The system design primarily consists of two synchronized decentralized subsystems each for harmonic compensation and active-reactive power sharing. Simultaneous operation of these subsystems improves power quality significantly. Results are validated to be in consistency with IEEE allowable penetration levels.
The suction mechanism of the pipid frog, Pipa pipa (Linnaeus, 1758)

Most suction-feeding, aquatic vertebrates create suction by rapidly enlarging the oral cavity and pharynx. Forceful enlargement of the pharynx is powered by longitudinal muscles that retract skeletal elements of the hyoid, more caudal branchial arches, and, in many fish, the pectoral girdle. This arrangement was thought to characterize all suction-feeding vertebrates. However, it does not exist in the permanently aquatic, tongueless Pipa pipa, an Amazonian frog that can catch fish. Correlating high-speed (250 and 500 fps) video records with anatomical analysis and functional tests shows that fundamental features of tetrapod body design are altered to allow P. pipa to suction-feed. In P. pipa, the hyoid apparatus is not connected to the skull and is enclosed by the pectoral girdle. The major retractor of the hyoid apparatus arises not from the pectoral girdle but from the femur, which lies largely within the soft tissue boundaries of the trunk. Retraction of the hyoid is coupled with expansion of the anterior trunk, which occurs when the hypertrophied ventral pectoral elements are depressed and the urostyle and sacral vertebra are protracted and slide forward on the pelvic girdle, thereby elongating the entire trunk. We suggest that a single, robust pair of muscles adduct the cleithra to depress the ventral pectoral elements with force, while modified tail muscles slide the axial skeleton cranially on the pelvic girdle. Combined hyoid retraction, axial protraction, and pectoral depression expand the buccopharyngeal cavity to a volume potentially equal to that of the entire resting body of the frog. Pipa may be the only tetrapod vertebrate clade that enlarges its entire trunk during suction-feeding.
Community Colleges and Social Mobility

• Solid research shows that it pays to go to the community college both in terms of lifetime earnings and rates of return on investment.• A new study by Chetty et al. (2017), which campus leaders n...
Discriminative K-Means Laplacian Clustering

Recently, more and more multi-source data are widely used in many real world applications. This kind of data is high dimensional and comes from different resources, which are often the attribute information and similarity information of the same data. It is challenging to use these two types of information to deal with the high dimensional problem simultaneously. A natural way to adopt is a two-step procedure: it utilizes feature integration or kernel integration to combine these two types of information first and then perform dimensional reduction like principal component analysis or various manifold learning algorithms. Different from that, we proposed to deal with these problems in a unified framework which combines discriminative K-means clustering and spectral clustering together. Compared with those separate two-step procedure, information integration and dimension reduction can benefit from each other in our method to promote clustering performance.In addition, discriminative K-means clustering has incorporated K-means and linear discriminant analysis to promote clustering and tackle high dimensional problem. Spectral clustering can reduce the original dimension easily due to the singular value decomposition. Thus it is a good way to combine discriminative K-means and spectral clustering to improve clustering and deal with high dimensional problem. Experimental results on multiple real world data sets verified its effectiveness.
92 – Menopause: Its Epidemiology

Menopause is a transition period that may encompass 5–10% of the lifetime of women. The menopausal transition period is the portal through which women will approach one–third of the life span. However, it is a period about which relatively little is known with regard to the development processes and metabolic changes that may influence subsequent health status. An increase in asymptomatic bacteriuria with age (75–78) has been attributed, in part, to the expected hormonal changes with the menopause. Vaginal walls become thinner and lose their ability to lubricate quickly, thus rendering the vagina less moist. Decreased lubrication can increase the mechanical irritation associated with sexual intercourse. It has been suggested that mechanical irritation can facilitate invasion by uropathogens or that declines in urethral closure pressure make it easier for perineal pathogens to gain entry into the bladder. The lack of well-characterized associations of menopause with chronic diseases is undoubtedly due to difficulty in defining the menopausal stages and difficulty in doing serum hormone sampling. Added to these limitations is another impediment. Chronic diseases will not be expressed within a few short months of the menopause; therefore, the temporal sequence of hormone change with clinical disease expression is difficult to establish.
Electrical characterization and deep-level transient spectroscopy of Ge0.873Si0.104Sn0.023 photodiode grown on Ge platform by ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Electrical characteristics and deep-level transient spectroscopy of a Ge 0.873 Si 0.104 Sn 0.023 photodiode grown by ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition on a p++ Ge platform are investigated. The photodiode shows good rectifying I-V characteristics, and the dark current exhibits an activation energy of E dc = 0.43 eV at high temperature while the reverse bias leakage current in the film is low but increases with temperature. Capacitance-voltage measurements show the diode has a built-in potential of 0.37 V at 300 K; the depth profile obtained from capacitance-voltage measurements is in agreement with secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis reported previously. Deep level transient spectroscopy shows two electron traps at ~100 K and at ~165 K with energy levels at ~0.09 eV and ~0.36 eV from the conduction band, respectively; and at least one hole trap at ~275 K with energy level at ~0.61 eV from the valence band (~0.33 eV from the conduction band) existing in the device.
The ‘Administered Labor Market’ Reconsidered

AbstractThis article examines the continued relevance of William Dugger’s theory of the ‘Administered Labor Market’ written in the early 1980s. The white-collar ‘administered labor market’ of the ‘old economy’ continues to exist alongside the more ‘market-oriented’ labor markets of the ‘new economy’. While long-term employment relationships are somewhat less common, white-collar workers still build their careers primarily through promotions within their companies rather than by changing firms. While contingent compensation is more prevalent, wage structures are still relatively rigid particularly in larger, older firms. The changes which have occurred in ‘administered labor markets’ are more ‘matters of degree’ than ‘matters of kind’.
Lossless Scalar Metasurfaces for Anomalous Reflection Based on Efficient Surface Field Optimization

For polarization-preserving anomalous plane-wave reflections by impenetrable surfaces, an efficient numerical field optimization technique is presented for designing lossless metasurfaces. Auxiliary surface waves copolarized with the incident and reflected plane waves are introduced and optimized such that the scalar surface impedance characterizing the reflecting surface approach a purely reactive profile. The resulting inhomogeneous scalar reactance can be discretized for realization as a periodic metasurface. Full-wave simulation of a physical design that is directly translated from the optimized reactance profile shows near-perfect anomalous reflection.
Effectiveness, Quality and Efficiency: The Need for an Integrated Framework

Concepts and dimensions of efficiency, quality, and effectiveness, as used throughout this book, are introduced in this chapter. The intricate sets of relationships among effectiveness, quality, and efficiency are explored. The dangers of separate (non-integrated) use of these dimensions in management are highlighted (e.g. the futility of a highly efficient production of an unwanted product). The need for an integrated framework for an effective management that is quality-based, and efficiency-based, is rationalized.
Determining baseline element composition of lichens

Hypogymnia enteromorpha and Usnea spp. were collected in the Little Bald Hills ultramafic region of Redwood National Park, California, to establish element-concentration norms. Baselines are presented for Ba, Ca, Cu, Mn, Ni, P, Sr, V, and Zn for both lichen species; for Li, Mg, and K for H. enteromorpha; and for Al, Ce, Cr, Co, Fe, Na, and Ti for Usnea. Element concentrations of future collections of this same material can be used to monitor possible air quality changes anticipated from mining activities planned nearby. The variability in the element concentrations was partitioned between geographical distance increments and sample preparation and analysis procedures. In general, most of this variability was found in samples less than a few hundreds of meters apart rather than those at about 1 km apart. Therefore, except for Ba and Co, no large geographical element-concentration trends were observed. Samples of both species contained elevated levels of Ni and Mg, which probably reflect the ultramafic terrain over which they occur.
Air-quality assessment of on-site brick-kiln worker housing in Bhaktapur, Nepal: Chemical speciation of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 pollution

Brick workers and their families in Nepal generally live in poorly ventilated on-site housing at the brick kiln, and may be at higher risk for non-occupational exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution and subsequent respiratory diseases due to indoor and outdoor sources. This study characterized non-occupational exposure to PM2.5 by comparing overall concentrations and specific chemical components of PM2.5 inside and outside of brick workers' on-site housing. For all samples, the geometric mean PM2.5 concentration was 184.65 μg/m3 (95% confidence interval: 134.70, 253.12 μg/m3). PM2.5 concentrations differed by kiln number (p = 0.009). Kiln number was significantly associated with 16 of 29 (55%) air pollutant, temperature, or relative humidity variables. There was not a significant interaction between kiln number and location of sample for PM2.5 (p = 0.16), but there was for relative humidity (p = 0.02) and temperature (p = 0.01). Results were qualitatively similar when we repeated analyses using indoor samples only. There was no difference in the chemical makeup of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 in this study, suggesting that outdoor PM2.5 air pollution easily infiltrates into on-site brick worker housing. Outdoor and indoor PM2.5 concentrations found in this study far exceed recommended levels. These findings warrant future interventions targeted to this vulnerable population.
Shape coexistence in Hg-190

Levels in $^{190}\mathrm{Hg}$ were studied by radioactive decay of isotopically separated $^{190}\mathrm{Tl}$. A new band was observed with spin parity (energy, keV) of ${0}^{+}$(1279), ${2}^{+}$(1571), ${4}^{+}$(1975), and ${6}^{+}$(2510). Electric monopole transitions were observed between this band and the ground-state band. Relative B(E2) values for intraband transitions in the new band were found to be \ensuremath{\sim}200 times those for interband transitions. Systematics of shape coexistence in the light Hg isotopes and their possible relevance to recent observations of superdeformation in these nuclei are discussed.
Evaluation of human cartilage endplate composition using MRI: Spatial variation, association with adjacent disc degeneration, and in vivo repeatability

Cartilage endplate (CEP) biochemical composition may influence disc degeneration and regeneration. However, evaluating CEP composition in patients remains a challenge. We used T2* mapping from ultrashort echo-time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is sensitive to CEP hydration, to investigate spatial variations in CEP T2* values and to determine how CEP T2* values correlate with adjacent disc degeneration. Thirteen human cadavers (56.4 ± 12.7 years) and seven volunteers (36.9 ± 10.9 years) underwent 3T MRI, including UTE and T1ρ mapping sequences. Spatial mappings of T2* values in L4-S1 CEPs were generated from UTE images and compared between subregions. In the abutting discs, mean T1ρ values in the nucleus pulposus were compared between CEPs with high vs low T2* values. To assess in vivo repeatability, precision errors in mean T2* values, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were measured from repeat scans. Results showed that CEP T2* values were highest centrally and lowest posteriorly. In the youngest individuals (<50 years), who had mild-to-moderately degenerated Pfirrmann grade II-III discs, low CEP T2* values associated with severer disc degeneration: T1ρ values were 26.7% lower in subjects with low CEP T2* values (P = .025). In older individuals, CEP T2* values did not associate with disc degeneration (P = .39-.62). Precision errors in T2* ranged from 1.7 to 2.6 ms, and reliability was good-to-excellent (ICC = 0.89-0.94). These findings suggest that deficits in CEP composition, as indicated by low T2* values, associate with severer disc degeneration during the mild-to-moderate stages. Measuring CEP T2* values with UTE MRI may clarify the role of CEP composition in patients with mild-to-moderate disc degeneration.
Fast, accurate, and scalable memory modeling of GPGPUs using reuse profiles

In this paper, we introduce an accurate and scalable memory modeling framework for General Purpose Graphics Processor units (GPGPUs), PPT-GPU-Mem. That is Performance Prediction Tool-Kit for GPUs Cache Memories. PPT-GPU-Mem predicts the performance of different GPUs' cache memory hierarchy (L1 & L2) based on reuse profiles. We extract a memory trace for each GPU kernel once in its lifetime using the recently released binary instrumentation tool, NVBIT. The memory trace extraction is architecture-independent and can be done on any available NVIDIA GPU. PPT-GPU-Mem can then model any NVIDIA GPU caches given their parameters and the extracted memory trace. We model Volta Tesla V100 and Turing TITAN RTX and validate our framework using different kernels from Polybench and Rodinia benchmark suites in addition to two deep learning applications from Tango DNN benchmark suite. We provide two models, MBRDP (Multiple Block Reuse Distance Profile) and OBRDP (One Block Reuse Distance Profile), with varying assumptions, accuracy, and speed. Our accuracy ranges from 92% to 99% for the different cache levels compared to real hardware while maintaining the scalability in producing the results. Finally, we illustrate that PPT-GPU-Mem can be used for design space exploration and for predicting the cache performance of future GPUs.