The Physics of LIGO

In the spring term of 1994, I organized a course at Caltech on the The Physics of LIGO (i.e., the physics of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory). The course consisted of eighteen 1.5-hour-long tutorial lectures, delivered by members of the LIGO team and others, and it was aimed at advanced undergraduates and graduate students in physics, applied physics and in engineering and applied sciences and also at interested postdoctoral fellows, research staff, and faculty

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Multiscale habitat relationships of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in the mixed conifer landscape of the Northern Rockies, USA: Cross‐scale effects of horizontal cover with implications for forest management

Abstract Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are an ecologically important herbivore because they modify vegetation through browsing and serve as a prey resource for multiple predators. We implemented a multiscale approach to characterize habitat relationships for snowshoe hares across the mixed conifer landscape of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA. Our objectives were to (1) assess the relationship between horizontal cover and snowshoe hares, (2) estimate how forest metrics vary across the gradient of snowshoe hare use and horizontal cover, and (3) model and map snowshoe hare occupancy and intensity of use. Results indicated that both occupancy and intensity of use by snowshoe hares increased with horizontal cover and that the effect became stronger as intensity of use increased. This underscores the importance of dense horizontal cover to achieve high use, and likely density, of snowshoe hares. Forest structure in areas with high snowshoe hare use and horizontal cover was characterized as multistoried with dense canopy cover and medium‐sized trees (e.g., 12.7–24.4 cm). The abundance of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) was associated with snowshoe hare use within a mixed conifer context, and the only species to increase in abundance with horizontal cover was Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Our landscape‐level modeling produced similar patterns in that we observed a positive effect of lodgepole pine and horizontal cover on both occupancy and use by snowshoe hares, but we also observed a positive yet parabolic effect of snow depth on snowshoe hare occupancy. This work is among the first to characterize the multiscale habitat relationships of snowshoe hares across a mixed conifer landscape as well as to map their occupancy and intensity of use. Moreover, our results provide stand‐ and landscape‐level insights that directly relate to management agencies, which aids in conservation efforts of snowshoe hares and their associated predators

Shifts in Forest Structure in Northwest Montana from 1972 to 2015 Using the Landsat Archive from Multispectral Scanner to Operational Land Imager

There is a pressing need to map changes in forest structure from the earliest time period possible given forest management policies and accelerated disturbances from climate change. The availability of Landsat data from over four decades helps researchers study an ecologically meaningful length of time. Forest structure is most often mapped utilizing lidar data, however these data are prohibitively expensive and cover a narrow temporal window relative to the Landsat archive. Here we describe a technique to use the entire length of the Landsat archive from Multispectral Scanner to Operational Land Imager (M2O) to produce three novel outcomes: (1) we used the M2O dataset and standard change vector analysis methods to classify annual forest structure in northwestern Montana from 1972 to 2015, (2) we improved the accuracy of each yearly forest structure classification by applying temporal continuity rules to the whole time series, with final accuracies ranging from 97% to 68% respectively for two and six-category classifications, and (3) we demonstrated the importance of pre-1984 Landsat data for long-term change studies. As the Landsat program continues to acquire Earth imagery into the foreseeable future, time series analyses that aid in classifying forest structure accurately will be key to the success of any land management changes in the future

Final Evaluation Report Computer Associates International, Inc. CA-ACF2 with MVS/ESA NATIONAL COMPUTER SECURITY CENTER

ions : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 7 2.4 Trusted Computing Base : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 10 2.4.1 Trusted Computing Base Structure : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 10 2.4.2 Trusted Computing Base Interface : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 12 2.4.3 Security Policy : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 13 3 Hardware Architecture 15 3.1 Architecture Overview : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 15 3.1.1 Processors : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 15 3.2 ESA/370 Architecture : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 16 3.2.1 Hardware Privilege Levels : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 16 3.2.2 Registers : : : : : : : : : : : : :..

The Impact of Exercise Training Compared to Caloric Restriction on Hepatic and Peripheral Insulin Resistance in Obesity

Context: It has been difficult to distinguish the independent effects of caloric restriction versus exercise training on insulin resistance

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Data Acquisition and Analysis

Provides information relevant to the conduct and interpretation of human brain mapping studies. Provides in-depth coverage of the physics of image formation, mechanisms of image contrast, and the physiological basis for image signals. Parenchymal and cerebrovascular neuroanatomy and application of sophisticated structural analysis algorithms for segmentation and registration of functional data are discussed. Additional topics include fMRI experimental design including block design, event related and exploratory data analysis methods, and building and applying statistical models for fMRI data. Human subject issues including informed consent, institutional review board requirements and safety in the high field environment are also presented. Probability, linear algebra, differential equations, and introductory or college-level subjects in neurobiology, physiology, and physics is required

Functional gametophytic self-incompatibility in a peripheral population of Solanum peruvianum (Solanaceae)

The transition from self-incompatibility to self-compatibility is a common transition in angiosperms often reported in populations at the edge of species range limits. Geographically distinct populations of wild tomato species (Solanum section Lycopersicon (Solanaceae)) have been described as polymorphic for mating system with both self-incompatible and self-compatible populations. Using controlled pollinations and sequencing of the S-RNase mating system gene, we test the compatibility status of a population of S. peruvianum located near its southern range limit. Pollinations among plants of known genotypes revealed strong self-incompatibility; fruit set following compatible pollinations was significantly higher than following incompatible pollinations for all tested individuals. Sequencing of the S-RNase gene in parents and progeny arrays was also as predicted under self-incompatibility. Molecular variation at the S-RNase locus revealed a diverse set of alleles, and heterozygosity in over 500 genotyped individuals. We used controlled crosses to test the specificity of sequences recovered in this study; in all cases, results were consistent with a unique allelic specificity for each tested sequence, including two alleles sharing 92% amino-acid similarity. Site-specific patterns of selection at the S-RNase gene indicate positive selection in regions of the gene associated with allelic specificity determination and purifying selection in previously characterized conserved regions. Further, there is broad convergence between the present and previous studies in specific amino-acid positions inferred to be evolving under positive selection