cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Methods for Resolving Conflicting Requests with Examples from Medical Residency Scheduling

In scheduling medical residents, the objective is often to maximize resident satisfaction across the space of feasible schedules, relative to the many hard constraints that ensure appropriate patient coverage, adequate training opportunities, etc. A common metric of resident satisfaction is the number of time-off requests that are granted. Simply maximizing this total, however, may lead to undesirable schedules since some requests have higher priority than others. For example, it might be better to grant one resident's request for a family member's wedding in place of two residents’ requests to attend a rugby game. Another approach is to assign a weight to each request and maximize the total weight of granted requests, but determining weights that accurately represent residents’ and schedulers’ preferences can be quite challenging. Instead, we propose to identify the exhaustive collection of maximally-feasible and minimally-infeasible sets of requests which can then be used by schedulers to select their preferred solution. Specifically, we have developed two algorithms, which we call Sequential Request Selection Via Cuts (Sequential RSVC) and Simultaneous Request Selection Via Cuts (Simultaneous RSVC), to identify these sets by solving two sequences of optimization problems. We present these algorithms along with computational results based on a real-world problem of scheduling residents at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Pediatric Emergency Department. Although we focus our exposition on the problem of resident scheduling, our approach is applicable to a broad class of problems with soft constraints. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Stochastic mirage phenomenon in a random medium.

In the framework of geometric optics, we consider the problem of characterizing the ray trajectory in a random medium with a mean refractive index gradient. Such a gradient results in the mirage phenomenon where an object’s observed location is displaced from its actual location. We derive formulas for the mean ray path in both the situation of isotropic stochastic fluctuations and an important anisotropic case. For the isotropic model, the mean squared displacement is also given by a simple formula. Our results could be useful for applications involving the propagation of electromagnetic waves through the atmosphere, where larger-scale mean gradients and smaller-scale stochastic fluctuations are both present.
Keeping Up with International Children's Literature

This review of Reading Globally, K-8 discusses this book alongside others sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).
Indoor human motion classification by L1-norm subspaces of micro-Doppler signatures

In this paper, we propose a radar-based human motion classification technqiue for indoor monitoring of patients and elderly. The proposed method employs L1-norm Principal Component Analysis (L1-PCA) derived subspaces of the associated micro-Doppler signatures. L1-PCA is more robust than standard PCA, exhibiting resistance against outliers among the processed data. Results based on real data experiments demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits performance similar to PCA-based indoor human motion classification when the training data are nominal/clean, while it provides enhanced performance when the training micro-Doppler signature datasets are outlier-corrupted.
ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL WORK IN INDIA

Environmental degradation threatens not just the quality, but the very existence of life on earth. Hence environmental social work has become the need of the hour. In the current article, the author begins by shedding light on the concepts and causes of environmental degradation, and then goes on to describe the prevalent strategies and prominent international and national efforts towards environment protection. The role of the social worker in Indian environmental practice is also analyzed based on a study conducted by the author and literature review.
CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE SURVIVAL IN LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES: LINKING INVESTMENT AND OUTCOMES

Many low and middle income countries (LMICs) struggle to provide the investment required for life-saving Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) surgery. As poverty and infectious diseases decrease, CHD remains an important contributor to mortality. We linked risk-adjusted CHD surgical mortality from 15
Natural History of the Post-ablation Esophagus

Endoscopic ablative therapy including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) represents the preferred management strategy for dysplastic Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and appears to diminish the risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Limited data describe the natural history of the post-ablation esophagus. Recent findings demonstrate that recurrent intestinal metaplasia (IM) following RFA is relatively frequent. However, dysplastic BE and EAC subsequent to the complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CEIM) are uncommon. Moreover, data suggest that the risk of recurrent disease is probably highest in the first year following CEIM. Recurrent IM and dysplasia are usually successfully eradicated with repeat RFA. Future studies may refine surveillance intervals and inform the length of time surveillance should be conducted following RFA with CEIM. Further data will also be necessary to understand the utility of chemopreventive strategies, including NSAIDs, in reducing the risk of recurrent disease.
Characterization of an N-terminal mutant of αA-crystallin αA-R21Q associated with congenital cataract.

Abstract Several mutations associated with congenital cataracts in human beings target conserved arginine residues in αA-crystallin. The N-terminal region of αA-crystallin is a “mutational hotspot,” with multiple cataract-related mutations reported in this region. Two mutations at arginine 21 in the N-terminal domain of αA-crystallin — αA–R21L and αA–R21W have been associated with congenital cataract. A third mutant of R21, αA–R21Q, was recently identified to be associated with congenital cataract in a South Australian family. The point mutation was reported to compromise the quaternary structure of αA-crystallin by preventing its assembly into higher ordered oligomers. To assess the effect of the αA–R21Q mutation on αA-crystallin function, recombinant αA–R21Q was expressed, purified and characterized in vitro . Compared to wild-type αA-crystallin, the recombinant αA–R21Q exhibits enhanced chaperone-like activity, increased surface hydrophobicity, lesser stability in urea and increased susceptibility to digestion by trypsin. αA–R21Q demonstrated increased binding affinity towards unfolding ADH and bovine lens fiber cell membranes. αA–R21Q homo-oligomers and hetero-oligomers also prevented H 2 O 2 –induced apoptosis in ARPE–19 cells. Taken together, αA–R21Q exhibited a gain of function despite subtle structural differences as compared to wild-type αA-crystallin. This study further validates the involvement of arginine 21 in regulating αA-crystallin structure and function.
Insertion of Isonitriles into the M–C Bonds of Group 4 Dialkyl Complexes

The 2,3-dimethylbutadiene complexes of Group 4 metals with constrained geometry (cg) ligands have been prepared and found to adopt a supine orientation with σ2,π bonding. Treatment of cgTi(2,3-dimethylbutadiene) (1-Ti) with tBuNC leads to the formation of a titana-aziridine (3) with a coordinated cyclopentenimine that arises from the formal [4+1] addition of the diene to the isonitrile. In contrast, the reactions of cgZr(2,3-dimethylbutadiene) (1-Zr) or cgHf(2,3-dimethylbutadiene) (1-Hf) with 2 equiv of tBuNC or XyNC proceeded in a more sophisticated manner to yield unsymmetrical 2,5-diazametallacyclopentane derivatives (4, 6-Zr, and 6-Hf) or symmetrical 2,5-diazametallacyclopentene complexes (7-Zr and 7-Hf). The unsymmetrical products contain coordinated cyclopropanes; the strength of the interaction is measured by the reduction in the 1JCC of the C–C bond that is coordinated. A detailed mechanistic analysis has been possible with the related cgM(Me)2 (M = Ti and Hf) complexes. The first insertion is too...
Intracranial complications of pediatric sinusitis: Identifying risk factors associated with prolonged clinical course.

Abstract Objective Intracranial extension is one of the most serious and morbid complications of pediatric sinusitis. Managing this complication continues to be challenging even after widespread pneumococcal vaccination adoption. We aim to identify risk factors associated with complicated clinical courses, and to assess for altering microbial communities and increased antibiotic resistance. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of sinus procedures performed at a single institution for acute sinusitis with intracranial extension, and 16 cases were identified. Variables collected included patient demographics, vaccination status, laboratory results, imaging data, antibiotic therapy, sinus and intracranial cultures, perioperative and surgical reports, and hospital course. Results The average patient age was 11.9 years, and 75% were male. The dominant microbial organisms were gram positive in 93.8% (15/16) of cases and 37.5% (6/16) were anaerobic. There were no cases of resistant bacterial growth, and only one case of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Increased antibiotic therapy duration was associated with anaerobic and polymicrobial sinus cultures. A significant increase in length of hospital stay was identified in polymicrobial sinus cultures and frontal sinus involvement. Intracranial abscess re-accumulation was associated with sinus cultures positive for fusobacterium (p = 0.036), polymicrobial infections (p = 0.034), and involvement of brain parenchyma (p = 0.036). Patients with frontal sinus involvement required a greater number of surgical procedures for abscess drainage (p = 0.046). An anaerobic intracranial culture was associated with an increased number of revision craniotomies (p Conclusions Frontal sinus involvement, and anaerobic and polymicrobial sinus cultures were predictive of a more severe infection requiring more surgical interventions, prolonged intravenous antibiotic treatment and overall hospital length of stay. Streptococcus pneumoniae was not prevalent in our series, and there seems to be a shift in the microbial profile of this patient subset, compared to previous studies, which can likely be attributed to the adoption of pneumococcal vaccinations. Sinus cultures were more predictive of a complicated clinical course compared to intracranial cultures, suggesting the importance of a thorough sinus debridement and obtaining directed sinus cultures.
Abstract 2414: Interrogating cellular metabolism reveals mTORC2 as a new biomarker to stratify epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small cell lung cancer

Most non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor (EGFR) mutations initially respond to EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs), but these inhibitors are only effective for approximately one year, thus limiting the benefits to patients9 survival. Stratification of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC would help physicians personalize and optimize patient treatment plans. To this end, we hypothesized that factors residing in the tumor microenvironment play a pivotal role in the evolutionary dynamics of therapeutic response to anti-EGFR therapies. We used the Operetta® High Content Imaging System to track cell dynamics over time under different microenvironmental stresses, and we found that the growth of TKI-resistant cells is more sensitive to glucose starvation than TKI-sensitive cells. To further interrogate cellular metabolism in TKI-sensitive and resistant cells, we utilized both seahorse metabolic assays and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy to monitor the changes in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation of living cells. We found TKI-resistant cells have higher glycolysis and lower oxidative phosphorylation rates compared to TKI-sensitive cells. Such metabolic reprogramming rendered TKI-resistant cells with lower metabolic plasticity to cope with metabolic stress. Using both genetic and pharmacologic approaches, we then demonstrated that mTORC2 activation contributes to the different metabolic phenotypes between TKI-sensitive and resistant cells. Furthermore, gene set enrichment analysis showed that the oxidative phosphorylation gene set is significantly enriched in patients with low mTORC2 activation, and the glycolysis gene set is upregulated in patients with high mTORC2 activation, which is correlated with shorter progression-free and overall survival time in patients. Overall, these data suggest that TKI-resistant cells use and require distinct metabolic programs that can be employed to stratify EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients for treatment with EGFR-TKIs. Citation Format: Chun-Te Chiang, Nolan Ung, Alexandra N. Demetriou, Chi-Li Chiu, Niha Choudhury, Cosimo Arnesano, Scott E. Fraser, David B. Agus, Naim Matasci, Dan L. Ruderman, Shannon M. Mumenthaler. Interrogating cellular metabolism reveals mTORC2 as a new biomarker to stratify epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2414.
Oxidative Stress in Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) represent a new frontier of medical knowledge regarding women’s reproductive health. The success rates of procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), in vitro maturation (IVM), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), in vitro embryo culture, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and cryopreservation simultaneously testify to significant progress in cellular and molecular research, as well as to the myriad cellular processes and phenomena that are not yet fully understood. One such phenomenon of particular interest to ART and female reproduction is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when reactive oxygen species (ROS) overwhelm cellular defenses and cause structural and functional damage. It is suspected to influence negatively the development of oocytes and embryos in ART environments, since several factors found therein are foreign to in vivo conditions. In this chapter, the major contributions of the ART environment to oxidative stress in oocytes and embryos are discussed, with a focus on the mechanisms by which oxidative stress is induced and the questions facing future ART research.
Interpreting the NEO PI-R

Psychological test interpretation is an art. It requires of the test evaluator solid grounding in personality theory, an appreciation of the construct validity of the test being used, and a firm understanding of psychometrics. All of this information is frequently combined in ways that defy empirical quantification. No matter how advanced or skilled the interpreter, if the quality of the data for analysis is poor or invalid, then no amount of psychological acumen can create a valid interpretation. Therefore, before beginning to learn NEO PI-R interpretation, some consideration of profile invalidity and its detection is in order. The next section will first consider the role and value of validity scales for assessing profile validity.
Spinal cord: motor neuron diseases

Spinal cord motor neuron diseases affect lower motor neurons in the ventral horn. This article focuses on the most common spinal cord motor neuron disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which also affects upper motor neurons. Also discussed are other motor neuron diseases that only affect the lower motor neurons. Despite the identification of several genes associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the pathogenesis of this complex disease remains elusive.
Ribonucleases: Diversity and Regulation

The complexity of RNA metabolism has become much more apparent in recent years. First of all, it is now clear that there are many more types of RNA molecules present in cells than the original classes of rRNA, tRNA and mRNA. Secondly, most, if not all, of these RNA molecules are initially synthesized as precursors that must be processed to generate the mature, functional species. In addition, some of these functional RNAs undergo other turnover or modification reactions that further alter their structure. Finally, RNA molecules are ultimately degraded, and these degradative reactions proceed at different rates among classes of RNA molecules and even among members of the same class. These latter findings add an additional level of complexity to RNA metabolism because they imply that regulatory processes may be involved in the differential stability of RNA molecules.
Differential Effects of 8 and 12 Hour Non-rotating Shifts on Alertness, Sleep and Health of Public Safety Workers

Shiftwork causes disruption in circadian and social rhythms of the shift workers. Extended hours shifts and non-rotating (permanent) shifts are increasingly being adopted in police agencies across United States. The aim of this study was to evaluate alertness, sleep, and wellness of workers in permanent shift systems in a public safety department. A self-reported questionnaire survey was administered to 39 police and security officers working in 8 and 12 h permanent shifts. When compared with the 8 h shift, 12 h shift work was associated with a significantly lower alertness level (p = 0.076), lesser sleep duration (p = 0.023), more perceived sleep insufficiency (p = 0.088), more perceived negative effect of shift type on sleep (p = 0.037), and higher frequency of back or lower back pain (p = 0.005). The results of this study are potentially useful when designing interventions to improve shift work experience.
A qualitative evaluation of barriers and facilitators to hepatocellular carcinoma care in North Carolina.

72Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet many patients with HCC never receive cancer-directed therapy, for reasons tha...
The hERG potassium channel intrinsic ligand regulates N- and C-terminal interactions and channel closure.

Human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG, KCNH2) voltage-activated potassium channels are critical for cardiac excitability. hERG channels have characteristic slow closing (deactivation), which is auto-regulated by a direct interaction between the N-terminal Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain and the C-terminal cyclic nucleotide binding homology domain (CNBHD). hERG channels are not activated by the binding of extrinsic cyclic nucleotide ligands, but rather bind an "intrinsic ligand" that is composed of residues 860-862 within the CNBHD and mimics a cyclic nucleotide. The intrinsic ligand is located at the PAS-CNBHD interface, but its mechanism of action in hERG is not well understood. Here we use whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology and FRET spectroscopy to examine how the intrinsic ligand regulates gating. To carry out this work, we coexpress PAS (a PAS domain fused to cyan fluorescent protein) in trans with hERG "core" channels (channels with a deletion of the PAS domain fused to citrine fluorescent protein). The PAS domain in trans with hERG core channels has slow (regulated) deactivation, like that of WT hERG channels, as well as robust FRET, which indicates there is a direct functional and structural interaction of the PAS domain with the channel core. In contrast, PAS in trans with hERG F860A core channels has intermediate deactivation and intermediate FRET, indicating perturbation of the PAS domain interaction with the CNBHD. Furthermore, PAS in trans with hERG L862A core channels, or PAS in trans with hERG F860G,L862G core channels, has fast (nonregulated) deactivation and no measurable FRET, indicating abolition of the PAS and CNBHD interaction. These results indicate that the intrinsic ligand is necessary for the functional and structural interaction between the PAS domain and the CNBHD, which regulates the characteristic slow deactivation gating in hERG channels.
To See Without Being Seen: Critical Concepts and Curatorial Approaches Informing the Exhibition on Contemporary Art, Drones, and Surveillance

This article revisits the curatorial concepts informing To See Without Being Seen: Contemporary Art and Drone Warfare a group exhibition we co-curated for the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis in 2016. The exhibition was comprised of works by twelve international artists including, James Bridle, Tomas van Houtryve, Trevor Paglen, and Hito Steyerl, who work across a range of media, including photography, video, installation, web-based projects, games as well as site-specific and participatory projects. Each of these projects presented unique critical perspectives on image-making, weaving together art, activism, and research thereby treating the drone as a political object with aesthetic ramifications and trajectories. Drawing on the notion that the drone is a vision machine that is intended to remain invisible and hence possesses the power to see without being seen, our curatorial concept engaged warfare and surveillance on the level of their visual conditions, asking how certain images come into being while others stay hidden from public sight. Essential elements of that engagement based on the artworks we showed involved an examination of the drone’s global networks and geographies, the invisible culture of operative images, and measures to counter the drone’s god-like view by going unseen. The exhibition offered room for debate regarding political and perceptual changes that are actively affecting the ways in which we see the world and engage with each other.
Patients' experiences with South Carolina's immediate postpartum Long-acting reversible contraception Medicaid policy.

Abstract Objectives We sought to examine women's experiences with immediate postpartum LARC counseling and use in the context of South Carolina's Medicaid policy. Study design In 2016–18, we conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 25 women, ages 18–35, who gave birth within 2 years of the interview in South Carolina while insured by Medicaid and received contraceptive counseling about immediate postpartum LARC during their pregnancies. We analyzed the interviews using a combination of deductive and inductive coding approaches. Results Participants were counseled on immediate postpartum LARC during prenatal care (n=23) and/or while in the hospital for childbirth (n=16). Some expressed dissatisfaction with providers' approaches to contraceptive counseling because they either did not receive enough information to make a fully informed decision or felt they were being pressured to use LARC. Among those who received in-hospital contraceptive counseling, some objected to the timing because they were in labor and/or already had a non-LARC postpartum contraceptive plan. Three out of the 10 participants who elected to receive immediate postpartum LARC later desired removal but encountered barriers. Conclusions Our findings suggest providers' timing, style, and content of contraceptive counseling about immediate postpartum LARC may not be sufficiently patient-centered. Additionally, lack of access to unfettered LARC removal limits patients' reproductive autonomy. Implications If providers use a patient-centered approach to immediate postpartum LARC counseling, consistently engage in comprehensive contraceptive counseling during prenatal care, avoid pressuring patients to choose LARC, and collaborate with hospital staff to increase care coordination, they can improve Medicaid recipients' contraceptive care experiences and facilitate informed contraceptive decision-making.
Hope and Physical Exercise: The Contributions of Hope, Self-Efficacy, and Optimism in Accounting for Variance in Exercise Frequency:

We examine the relationship of hope with exercise using Snyder's hope model, which defines hope as a combination of goal-directed planning (pathways) and motivation (agency). We surveyed 102 participants online via Amazon MTurk. The Adult Hope Scale and Goal-Specific Hope Scale assessed general hope and hope regarding exercise. The Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire assessed frequency of exercise and of any activity "long enough to work up a sweat." We also measured optimism, exercise self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and stress. Because hope emphasizes planning and motivation (both likely needed in fitness regimens), we expected it to relate to exercise frequency after controlling for these other variables. Indeed, exercise goal-specific hope was correlated with frequency of exercise and activity long enough to sweat, though general hope was not. This relationship held after controlling for all other variables. Future research may be useful in investigating causality, including whether hope-based interventions result in increased exercise engagement.
The Times, They Are A-Changing: Women Entering Academic Orthopedics Today Are Choosing Nonpediatric Fellowships at a Growing Rate.

Objective Pediatrics and hand surgery have historically been the orthopaedic subspecialties with the highest female representations. We sought to identify the gender distribution of orthopedic surgical faculty by subspecialty, geography, and educational background. We hypothesized that the proportion of women entering pediatric orthopaedics has decreased since 1980. Design The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education was used to generate a list of U.S. orthopedic residencies. Program websites were used to collect data regarding each faculty member's gender, residencies, fellowships, and graduation year. t tests were used to compare quantitative data and Fisher's exact tests to compare categorical data. Significance was defined as p Setting Publicly available data from official websites of U.S. orthopedic residencies. Participants Of 153 residencies, 142 (93%) had accessible faculty lists. Results Of 3596 orthopedic surgeons, 7.9% were women. Among fellowship-trained faculty, 22% of pediatric orthopedists were women compared with 7.6% of faculty in other orthopedic subspecialties (p Conclusions Although pediatrics remains the most popular fellowship for female orthopedists, women who enter academic orthopedics are increasingly choosing nonpediatric subspecialties.
A note on Hermitian positive semidefinite matrix polynomials

Abstract We prove that the determinant of a matrix polynomial with Hermitian positive definite (semidefinite) coefficients is a polynomial with positive (nonnegative) coefficients.
Characterization of the role of Activator Protein 1 signaling pathway on extracellular matrix deposition in uterine leiomyoma

Objective To characterize the role Activator Protein 1 (AP 1) family members play in mediating extracellular matrix deposition in uterine leiomyoma. Design Laboratory study. Setting University research laboratory. Intervention(s) Exposure of leiomyoma and myometrial cell lines to either an AP 1 inhibitor alone, AP 1 inhibitor plus transforming growth factor (TGF)s3, or TGFs3 alone. Main Outcome Measure(s) Western immunoblot analysis was performed to assess for changes in AP 1 family member protein expression. Result(s) In patient-matched myometrial and leiomyoma cell lines, the only AP 1 member found to be elevated significantly in leiomyoma compared with myometrium was FOSB (3.47 ± 0.12-fold), whereas others were decreased significantly: FRA1 (0.67 ± 0.02-fold), FRA2 (0.45 ± 0.01-fold), c FOS (0.37 ± 0.01-fold), Phos c FOS (0.19 ± 0.02-fold), Phos c JUN (0.75 ± 0.02-fold), JUNB (0.81 ± 0.04-fold), and JUND (0.65 ± 0.03-fold). c JUN (0.93 ± 0.03-fold) concentration was reduced but at nonsignificant levels. Following stimulation with TGF s 3, fibronectin (2.16 ± 0.14-fold) and versican (4.71 ± 0.15-fold) protein concentrations were increased at 24 hours. Collagen 1A demonstrated a time-dependent significant increased concentration beginning at 6 hours (1.32 ± 0.01-fold) and increased to (6.49 ± 0.02-fold) at 24 hours. Following treatment with AP 1 inhibitor (SR11302), there were significant reductions in Collagen 1A concentration at 4 hours (0.59 ± 0.03-fold) and 6 hours (0.42 ± 0.05-fold). Activator Protein 1 inhibition did not reduce significantly versican concentration until 6 hours of treatment (0.84 ± 0.04-fold). SR11302 also decreased significantly fibronectin concentration (0.68 ± 0.05-fold) at 8 hours of treatment. Conclusion(s) Activator Protein 1 signaling is well described in fibrotic diseases, and, herein, we demonstrated that signaling via AP 1 family members promotes extracellular matrix deposition in leiomyoma.
Influence of bacterial culture medium on peptidoglycan binding of cell wall lytic enzymes

The bacteriolysin lysostaphin (Lst) and endolysin PlyPH are potent modular lytic enzymes with activity against clinically-relevant Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, respectively. Both enzymes possess an N-terminal catalytic domain and C-terminal binding domain, with the latter conferring significant enzyme specificity. Lst and PlyPH show reduced activity in the presence of bacterial growth-supporting conditions, such as complex media. Here, we hypothesize that Lst and PlyPH bind poorly to their targets in growth media, which may influence their use in antimicrobial applications in the food industry, as therapeutics, and for control of microbial communities. To this end, binding of isolated Lst and PlyPH binding domains to target bacteria was quantified in the presence of three increasingly complex media - phosphate buffered saline (PBS), defined growth medium (AAM) and undefined complex medium (TSB) by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and flow cytometry. Evaluation of binding kinetics by SPR demonstrated that PlyPH binding was particularly sensitive to medium composition, with 8-fold lower association and 3.4-fold lower dissociation rate constants to B. cereus in TSB compared to PBS. Flow cytometry studies indicated a decrease in the binding-dependent fluorescent populations of S. aureus and B. cereus, for lysostaphin binding domain and PlyPH binding domain, respectively, in TSB compared to PBS. Enzyme binding behavior was consistent with the enzymes' catalytic activity in the three media, thereby suggesting that compromised enzyme binding could be responsible for poor activity in more complex growth media.
Reconstructing Classification to Enhance Machine-Learning Based Network Intrusion Detection by Embracing Ambiguity

Network intrusion detection systems (IDS) has efficiently identified the profiles of normal network activities, extracted intrusion patterns, and constructed generalized models to evaluate (un)known attacks using a wide range of machine learning approaches. In spite of the effectiveness of machine learning-based IDS, it has been still challenging to reduce high false alarms due to data misclassification. In this paper, by using multiple decision mechanisms, we propose a new classification method to identify misclassified data and then to classify them into three different classes, called a malicious, benign, and ambiguous dataset. In other words, the ambiguous dataset contains a majority of the misclassified dataset and is thus the most informative for improving the model and anomaly detection because of the lack of confidence for the data classification in the model. We evaluate our approach with the recent real-world network traffic data, Kyoto2006+ datasets, and show that the ambiguous dataset contains 77.2% of the previously misclassified data. Re-evaluating the ambiguous dataset effectively reduces the false prediction rate with minimal overhead and improves accuracy by 15%.
Identity and pathogenicity of fungi associated with root, crown and vascular symptoms related to winter squash yield decline.

Winter squash (Cucurbita maxima cv. 'Golden Delicious') produced in Oregon's Willamette Valley for edible seed production has experienced significant yield losses due to a soilborne disease. The symptoms associated with this disease problem include root rot, crown rot and vascular discoloration in the stems leading to a severe late season wilt and plant collapse. Through field surveys, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. culmorum-like fungi, Plectosphaerella cucumerina, and Setophoma terrestris were identified to be associated with diseased tissues, and each produced symptoms of root rot, crown rot or stem discoloration in preliminary pathogenicity trials. In this study, 219 isolates of these species were characterized by molecular identity analyses using BLAST of the ITS and EF1α genomic regions and by pathogenicity testing in outdoor, large-container trials. Molecular identity analyses confirmed the identity of isolates at 99 to 100% similarity to reference isolates in the database. In pathogenicity experiments, F. solani produced the most severe symptoms, followed by F. culmorum-like fungi, F. oxysporum, P. cucumerina, and S. terrestris. Some treatments of mixed species inoculum produced symptoms above what was expected from individual species. In particular, the mixture of F. culmorum-like fungi, F. oxysporum, and P. cucumerina and the mixture of F. culmorum-like fungi, F. solani, and S. terrestris had equally severe symptom ratings than that of F. solani by itself. Results indicate that this soilborne disease is primarily caused by Fusarium solani, but interactions among the complex of F. solani, F. culmorum-like fungi, F. oxysporum, and P. cucumerina, can exacerbate disease severity.
Related Algorithms: An Overview

Synthetic aperture radar processing can be interpreted using a combination of concepts from many disciplines including radar (pulse echo, Doppler, and strip map systems), optics (wavefront reconstruction, zone plate lenses, and holography), communication theory (sampling criteria and coherent reception), antenna theory (resolution, propagation, and delay-add), and linear system theory (convolution, Fourier techniques, and shift-variant operations). It is not surprising that this technological arsenal has also been aimed at applications which are similar to SAR. Several of these applications including Synthetic Aperture Focusing Techniques in Ultrasonic Testing (SAFT-UT), tomography, spotlight mode SAR, and inverse SAR (imaging rotating targets with a fixed antenna), are briefly described in the sections which follow. Development of an intuition for the physics of the application will be emphasized not the data processing. Hopefully future research will unify the analysis and processing required for this class of problems so that the mathematics and computer architectures will be appropriate for several of these important applications.
Lifetime trauma victimization and PTSD in relation to psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder in a sample of incarcerated women and men

Purpose – Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and psychopathy are similar, but distinct, psychiatric conditions that are common in male and female inmates; a segment of the population with high rates of trauma exposure. It is unclear whether specific types of lifetime trauma are associated with ASPD and psychopathy in incarcerated women and men. Furthermore, the unique roles of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and trauma victimization in antisocial personality disturbance are not well-understood. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This study investigated associations between trauma variables (different kinds of traumatic experiences and PTSD) and antisocial personality variables (ASPD and psychopathy) in a sample of incarcerated women and men who participated in a randomized clinical trial for major depressive disorder. In total, 88 incarcerated men and women were assessed for ASPD diagnosis, psychopathy severity, PTSD symptom severity, and histo...
Differences between lipopolysaccharide compositions of plant pathogenic and saprophytic pseudomonas species.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were obtained by washing cells of plant pathogenic and saprophytic Pseudomonas species with saline (fraction 1) and then with saline-EDTA (fraction 2). The cells subsequently were extracted with phenol to yield a third aqueous preparation (fraction 3). Each fraction type contained the LPS components, lipid A, heptose, 2-keto-3-deoxy sugar, and neutral and amino sugars. The neutral sugar compositions of fractions 1, 2, and 3, although similar within a species, differed between the Pseudomonas species. The LPS of two pathovars (pv.) of Pseudomonas syringae had glucose and rhamnose as major components: 13 (±3)% glucose and 87 (±3)% rhamnose for P. syringae pv. pisi and 18 (±5)% glucose and 76 (±2)% rhamnose for P. syringae pv. syringae. Fucose was present in addition to glucose and rhamnose for P. syringae pv. phaseolicola (68 [±8]% rhamnose, 14 [±1]% fucose, and 14 [±5]% glucose) and P. syringae pv. tabaci (24 [±2]% rhamnose, 54 [±3]% fucose, and 17 [±1]% glucose). The LPS from different races of P. syringae pv. pisi and P. syringae pv. phaseolicola could not be distinguished by neutral sugar composition. Three saprophytic species, P. aeruginosa, P. fluorescens, and P. putida, also produced LPS which had different proportions of rhamnose, fucose, and glucose. The LPS from three isolates of P. putida were distinct in possessing a high proportion of amino sugar and containing glucose as the major neutral sugar component (86 to 100%). The LPS fractions from plant pathogenic and saprophytic Pseudomonas species did not elicit browning or phytoalexin production in treated dark red kidney bean cotyledons or red Mexican bean leaves. Rather, chlorosis of the LPS-treated leaf tissue was observed.
Multimedia Learning with Video

This chapter reviews the literature on comprehension of media-based presentations to develop mental models of physical systems. It examines the representations and cognitive processes involved in understanding media-based presentations, the abilities and skills on which this understanding depends, and the effectiveness of different media for communicating different types of content. In reviewing how people construct mental models from media, it considers how people learn about the structure and functioning of physical systems from visual-spatial representations alone, including static and animated diagrams, and later reviews how they learn from combinations of visual-spatial and verbal representations. Iconic static diagrams can be effective for communicating the static structure of a system and can also be the basis for mental animation. Traditional print media, that is, static diagrams accompanied by text, can provide highly effective external representations to aid the development of mental models of dynamic systems.
The Distribution of Certain Amino Acids in Soluble Fractions of Milk Cultures of Streptococcus Lactis

Summary Microbiological assays for ten amino acids performed on tungstic and lactic acid filtrates of skimmilk cultures of five strains of Streptococcus lactis after extended incubation revealed marked increases over values for the uninoculated control filtrates. Higher assay values obtained on the lactic acid filtrates were attributed to the presence of a higher proportion of the lower fractions of protein degradation which contain amino acid residues available to the assay organisms. Assays for leucine and phenylalanine on both unhydrolyzed filtrates prepared from cultures of two strains of S. lactis after various periods of incubation indicated that active strains are able to effect a marked increase in the microbiologically available forms of these two amino acids during the first 3 days of incubation and a slower increase through the fourteenth day. Simultaneous increases in the assay values of the hydrolyzed lactic acid filtrates indicated that the total concentration of protein degradation products increased throughout the 14-day incubation period. Evidence is presented which indicates the presence of an intermediate fraction in sterilized skimmilk which is probably proteose or peptone in nature. This fraction contains a considerable amount of leucine but very little phenylalanine. The role of S. lactis in cheese ripening is discussed in light of the present work.
The background field method and the S-matrix

Abstract We prove that the S-matrix can be correctly obtained from the gauge-invariant effective action in the background field approach to gauge theories. In addition, we present a computation of the two-loop fermionic contributions to the Yang-Mills β-function.
Peak Conductance Measurements Of Gaas Switching Devices

This paper describes the test apparatus and circuitry used to make measurements of pulsed light conductance on samples of high resistivity (107 Ω-cm) gallium arsenide switching devices, having nominal 25 PM and 700 Pm gap spacings. Differences in conductance are observed on variously grown samples. Maximum peak light conductance obtained was ≈2 millisiemens for an effective irradiated optical power on the (25 μm) gap of approximately 130 milliwatts (λ = 850 nm). Comparisons are made between the observed pulse measurements and the pulse waveforms generated by computer simulation using a model based on a theoretical analysis of the relationships between photoconductance and irradiated optical power.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reinterpretation of the neon-like titanium laser experiments

We present results that show lasing on the 3 p ->3 s ( J = 0->1) transition in neon-like chromium ( Z = 24), iron ( Z = 26), and nickel ( Z = 28) at 28.5, 25.5, and 23.1 nm, respectively. These results destroy the uniqueness of the lasing observed several years ago in neon-like titanium ( Z = 22) at 32.6 nm on the same transition and makes highly unlikely the hypothesis that resonant photopumping is playing a significant role in the titanium laser. The titanium, chromium, iron, and nickel experiments all require a prepulse in order to lase, and our calculations suggest that the prepulse is an exciting new way to create a uniform low-density plasma that allows the proper conditions for gain and laser propagation for low-Zneon-like ions when illuminating a thick slab target. We also present an observation of hyperfine splitting in neon-like niobium at 14.6 nm and offer an explanation as to how the hyperfine effect is reducing the gain of neon-like ions with odd Z .
Proto Tai Chi: In search of a promising group exercise for the frail elderly.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot evaluation of a Proto Tai Chi exercise program for older adults and gain insight into the design of future trials involving those who are physically and cognitively frail. Proto Tai Chi (aka Wu Qin Xi) is a simple and intuitive Chinese exercise from which Tai Chi evolved. Twenty-four older adults (74.2 ± 7.5 years, range 65–92) participated in a 5-day, 90-minute/day structured evaluation of a Proto Tai Chi exercise program. Mean completed exercise time by participants per protocol was 98.6%. Participants reported the program to be enjoyable and beneficial. Preliminary efficacy of the program was supported by improvement in measures of walking speed and range of motion at post-test. Results indicate that Proto Tai Chi is a well-accepted exercise option for older adults that may improve physical function and mobility. These preliminary findings merit further investigation in the frail elderly.
Antiferromagnetic, charge-transfer, and pairing correlations in the three-band Hubbard model

The ${\mathrm{CuO}}_{2}$ sheets common to the superconducting cuprates are believed to be characterized by a charge-transfer gap in their insulating antiferromagnetic state. The three-band Hubbard model with an on-site Cu Coulomb interaction ${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{d}}$, which is large compared to the difference in energy \ensuremath{\varepsilon} between the O and Cu sites, provides a basic model for such a system. We have carried out Lanczos and Monte Carlo studies of a ${\mathrm{CuO}}_{2}$ lattice described by a three-band Hubbard model. For ${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{d}}$ large compared with \ensuremath{\varepsilon}, and \ensuremath{\varepsilon} comparable to or larger than the bandwidth of the lower hole band, we find strong antiferromagnetic correlations and evidence for a charge-transfer gap at a filling of one hole per Cu. The antiferromagnetic correlations decrease with either hole or electron doping, and we see that the additional holes go primarily on the O sites, while additional electrons go onto the Cu sites. For large values of the intersite Cu-O Coulomb interaction V, the hole-doped system exhibits a charge-transfer instability. As V is reduced, this is reflected as a peak in the charge-transfer susceptibility near \ensuremath{\varepsilon}+2V\ensuremath{\approxeq}${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{d}}$, which we find is washed out by the strong Cu-O hybridization at realistic values of V. Attractive pairing interactions are found in both the d-wave and extended ${\mathit{s}}^{\mathrm{*}}$-wave channels near the antiferromagnetic boundary.
Bistranded oxidized purine damage clusters: induced in DNA by long-wavelength ultraviolet (290-400 nm) radiation?

Bistranded clustered DNA damages involving oxidized bases, abasic sites, and strand breaks are produced by ionizing radiation and radiomimetic drugs, but it was not known whether they can be formed by other agents, e.g., nonionizing radiation. UV radiation produces clusters of cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers, photoproducts that occur individually in high yield. Since long-wavelength UV (290−400 nm) radiation induces oxidized bases, abasic sites, and strand breaks at low yields, we tested whether it also produces clusters containing these lesions. We exposed supercoiled pUC18 DNA to UV radiation with wavelengths of >290 nm (UVB plus UVA radiation), and assessed the induction of bistranded clustered oxidized purine and abasic clusters, as recognized by Escherichia coli Fpg protein and E. coli Nfo protein (endonuclease IV), respectively, as well as double-strand breaks. These three classes of bistranded clusters were detected, albeit at very low yields (37 Fpg-OxyPurine clusters Gbp-1 kJ-1 m2, 8.1 double-strand...
Suppression of the primary IgM response by environmental teichoic acid.

It has been shown previously that ingestion of glycerol teichoic acid (GTA) in the conventional laboratory diet (8 mg/kg) is the stimulus for natural background responses to GTA in rats. Since injected GTA suppresses responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), it was suspected that dietary GTA also might be acting suppressively. A comparison of rats fed the conventional diet with rats fed a GTA-free diet showed that ingested GTA markedly suppressed immune and background direct plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses to SRBC. It appeared that a direct causal relationship existed between the degree of suppression and the amount of GTA exposure. When GTA-deprived rats were force-fed varying doses of GTA or when conventional animals were injected (i.p.) with GTA, increasing the total GTA dose resulted in decreased direct PFC responses to SRBC. Suppression was also observed when GTA-deprived rats were force-fed GTA-containing Bacillus sp. ATCC 29726. The phenomenon of suppression by dietary GTA was not restricted to responses to SRBC, as similar results were obtained with chicken erythrocytes. When IgG PFC were measured, no difference between conventional and GTA-deprived groups was observed. Thus, an IgM-IgG shift does not seem to play a role in the mechanism of suppression by GTA.