cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abandoning sex: multiple origins of asexuality in the ciliate Tetrahymena

By segregating somatic and germinal functions into large, compound macronuclei and small diploid micronuclei, respectively, ciliates can explore sexuality in ways other eukaryotes cannot. Sex, for instance, is not for reproduction but for nuclear replacement in the two cells temporarily joined in conjugation. With equal contributions from both conjugants, there is no cost of sex which theory predicts should favor asexuality. Yet ciliate asexuality is rare. The exceptional Tetrahymena has abandoned sex through loss of the micronucleus; its amicronucleates are abundant in nature where they reproduce by binary fission but never form conjugating pairs. A possible reason for their abundance is that the Tetrahymena macronucleus does not accumulate mutations as proposed by Muller’s ratchet. As such, Tetrahymena amicronucleates have the potential to be very old. This study used cytochrome oxidase-1 barcodes to determine the phylogenetic origin and relative age of amicronucleates isolated from nature. Amicronucleates constituted 25% of Tetrahymena-like wild isolates. Of the 244 amicronucleates examined for cox1 barcodes, 237 belonged to Tetrahymena, seven to other genera. Sixty percent originated from 12 named species or barcoded strains, including the model Tetrahymena thermophila, while the remaining 40% represent 19 putative new species, eight of which have micronucleate counterparts and 11 of which are known only as amicronucleates. In some instances, cox1 haplotypes were shared among micronucleate and amicronucleates collected from the same source. Phylogenetic analysis showed that most amicronucleates belong to the “borealis” clade in which mating type is determined by gene rearrangement. Some amicronucleate species were clustered on the SSU phylogenetic tree and had longer branch lengths, indicating more ancient origin. Naturally occurring Tetrahymena amicronucleates have multiple origins, arising from numerous species. Likely many more new species remain to be discovered. Shared haplotypes indicate that some are of contemporary origin, while phylogeny indicates that others may be millions of years old. The apparent success of amicronucleate Tetrahymena may be because macronuclear assortment and recombination allow them to avoid Muller’s ratchet, incorporate beneficial mutations, and evolve independently of sex. The inability of amicronucleates to mate may be the result of error(s) in mating type gene rearrangement.
2-port calibration without a through connection using 1-port switched loads

Many instances occur in microwave measurements where a 2-port calibration is required but a physical through connection is not available. An example is in antenna range measurements, where S 21 is sought but it is impossible to perform a complete 2-port calibration. Another example is calibrating out the effects of cable motion in mechanically automated measurements systems, where manually performing a 2-port calibration for each position is impractical. In this paper, we derive a procedure to determine the 2-port S-matrix of an error circuit from 1-port measurements using three non-standard loads. We then derive calibration procedures to remove this error network in both 1 and 2 port scenarios and demonstrate their effectiveness in bench tests.
Design of mode-to-mode fuzzy controllers

The mode-to-mode transition problem involves taking initial states in the start mode to the equilibrium point of the goal mode, where each mode of operation corresponds to an operating regime about an equilibrium point. Like the problem of dynamic transitions between various equilibria, there is no consistent theory that deals with the mode-to-mode transition problem. This paper presents a method of designing mode-to-mode controllers by blending the start and goal mode controllers. The blending gains are determined by the phase portrait assignment algorithm. The phase portrait assignment algorithm is a systematic technique that uses dynamic programming and center-point cell mapping to design fuzzy logic controllers. A hover mode to forward flight mode controller for a small-scale helicopter is synthesized to illustrate the design methodology. Simulation results show that the controller is able to transition stably from hover to forward flight. Finally, sensitivity analysis of the hover to forward flight controller is performed for small parameter perturbations. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cure of Experimental Human Malignant Mesothelioma in Athymic Mice by Diphtheria Toxin

A single ip or iv dose of 1-3 micrograms of diphtheria toxin consistently cured athymic mice of an advanced stage experimental human malignant mesothelioma. All cancer cells were killed within 18 hours and the profuse ip ascites plus large solid tumor masses associated with this model of neoplastic disease were subsequently eliminated. Treated mice appeared normal in 3 days and lived for greater than 300 days with no signs of recurrence, while control animals did not survive greater than 32 days. The complete tumoricidal effect implies that toxin readily reached, entered, and preferentially killed each human cancer cell. This outcome exemplifies the true therapeutic potential of highly selective, site-directed toxins, and offers a frame of reference for judging the performance of current as well as prospective toxin-based agents.
Initial Characterization of PMMA as a Discriminative Stimulus1

Abstract The phenylisopropylamine PMMA or N-methyl-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane, a structural hybrid of paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA) and methamphetamine, has been previously shown to unexpectedly lack amphetamine-like or hallucinogen-like stimulus properties in animals. For example, in tests of stimulus generalization, neither a (+)amphetamine stimulus nor a DOM stimulus generalized to PMMA. It has also been shown, however, that stimulus generalization does occur in animals trained to discriminate the designer drug MDMA (“Ecstasy” or N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane) from vehicle. In order to further characterize this unique agent, we trained a group of six Sprague-Dawley rats to discriminate 1.25 mg/kg of PMMA (ED50 = 0.44 mg/kg) from saline vehicle. The PMMA stimulus failed to generalize to the phenylisopropylamine stimulant (+)amphetamine, or to the phenylisopropylamine hallucinogen DOM. Stimulus generalization occurred to (±)MDMA (ED50 = 1.32 mg/kg) and S(+)MDMA (ED50 = 0.48 mg/kg). Partial generalization occurred with R(−)MDMA, PMA, 3,4-DMA, and fenfluramine. The PMMA stimulus also generalized to the α-ethyl homolog of PMMA (EH/PMMA, ED50 = 1.29 mg/kg). Taken together, the results of these studies suggest that PMMA is an MDMA-like agent that lacks the amphetamine-like stimulant character of MDMA. These findings support our previous suggestion that PMMA be considered the structural parent of the MDMA-like family of designer drugs.
SBML and CellML translation in Antimony and JSim

Motivation: The creation and exchange of biologically relevant models is of great interest to many researchers. When multiple standards are in use, models are more readily used and re-used if there exist robust translators between the various accepted formats. Summary: Antimony 2.4 and JSim 2.10 provide translation capabilities from their own formats to SBML and CellML. All provided unique challenges, stemming from differences in each format’s inherent design, in addition to differences in functionality. Availability and implementation: Both programs are available under BSD licenses; Antimony from http://antimony.sourceforge.net/and JSim from http://physiome.org/jsim/. Contact: ude.notgnihsaw.u@htimspl
Design and analysis of quasi-integrated horn antennas for millimeter and submillimeter-wave applications

The authors present a systematic process for the design of multimode quasi-integrated horn antennas, and provide a full range of practical antenna designs for millimeter- and submillimeter-wave applications. The design methodology is based on the Gaussian beam approach and the structures are optimized for achieving maximum fundamental Gaussian coupling efficiency. For this purpose, a hybrid technique is used in which the integrated part of the antennas is treated using full-wave analysis, whereas the machined part is treated using an approximate model. This results in a simple and efficient design process. The design procedure has been applied to the design of 20-, 23-, and 25-dB quasi-integrated horn antennas, all with a Gaussian coupling efficiency exceeding 97%. The designed antennas have been tested and characterized using both full-wave analysis and 91/370-GHz measurements. The quasi-integrated horn antennas are also examined as feed elements for Cassegrain antenna systems and are proved to be comparable to the traditional machined corrugated horn feeds. >
Effect of donor ethnicity on kidney survival in different recipient pairs: an analysis of the OPTN/UNOS database.

Abstract Background Previous multivariate analysis performed between April 1, 1994, and December 31, 2000 from the Organ Procurement Transplant Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) database has shown that kidneys from black donors were associated with lower graft survival. We compared graft and patient survival of different kidney donor-to-recipient ethnic combinations to see if this result still holds on a recent cohort of US kidney transplants. Methods We included 72,495 recipients of deceased and living donor kidney alone transplants from 2001 to 2005. A multivariate Cox regression method was used to analyze the effect of donor–recipient ethnicity on graft and patient survival within 5 years of transplant, and to adjust for the effect of other donor, recipient, and transplant characteristics. Results are presented as hazard ratios (HR) with the 95% confidence limit (CL) and P values. Results Adjusted HRs of donor–recipient patient survival were: white to white (1); and white to black (1.22; P = .001). Graft survival HRs were black to black (1.40; P P P = .18); and black to Asian (0.69; P =.05). Summary Black donor kidneys are associated with significantly lower graft survival when transplanted into whites or blacks and are only associated with lower patient survival when these kidneys are transplanted into white recipients. The graft and patient survival rates for Asian and Latino/Hispanic recipients, however, were not affected by donor ethnicity. This analysis underscores the need for research to better understand the reasons for these disparities and how to improve the posttransplant graft survival rates of black kidney recipients.
Passive locomotion via normal-mode coupling in a submerged spring-mass system

The oscillations of a class of submerged mass–spring systems are examined. An inviscid fluid model is employed to show that the hydrodynamic effects couple the normal modes of these systems. This coupling of normal modes can excite the displacement mode – yielding passive locomotion of the system – even when starting with zero displacement velocity. This is in contrast with the fact that under similar initial conditions but without the hydrodynamic coupling, such systems cannot achieve a net displacement. These ideas are illustrated via two examples of a two-mass and a three-mass system.
The optimal level of fuzz: Case studies in a methodology for psychological research.

Cognitive science research is hard to conduct, because researchers must take phenomena from the world and turn them into laboratory tasks for which a reasonable level of experimental control can be achieved. Consequently, research necessarily makes tradeoffs between internal validity (experimental control) and external validity (the degree to which a task represents behaviour outside of the lab). Researchers are thus seeking the best possible trade-off between these constraints, which we refer to as the optimal level of fuzz. We present two principles for finding the optimal level of fuzz, in research, and then illustrate these principles using research from motivation, individual differences and cognitive neuroscience.
Detection of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) nucleic acids in FIV-seronegative cats.

A study was undertaken to determine the rate of viral transmission among naive specific-pathogen-free (SPF) cats living in close contact with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cats. Twenty SPF cats were housed in the same rooms with experimentally FIV-infected seropositive and virus culture-positive cats for 2 to 4 years and were monitored for the presence of FIV nucleic acids and antibodies. Only 1 of the 20 cats became seropositive and virus culture positive and developed signs of disease. Genomic DNA from bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 10 of 19 healthy-appearing seronegative cats became positive for FIV DNA by the polymerase chain reaction. Twenty-eight SPF cats housed as groups in separate quarters and never exposed to FIV-infected cats were uniformly negative for FIV DNA. FIV RNA transcripts were detected in concanavalin A-stimulated PBMC cultures from 4 of 10 FIV DNA-positive, seronegative cats by in situ hybridization. PBMC from three of four naive SPF cats acquired FIV nucleic acids after the cats were transfused with blood and bone marrow from FIV genome-positive, seronegative donors. Three of five FIV-seronegative cats housed for years with naturally FIV-infected cats in a private household were also found to harbor FIV DNA, indicating that the same phenomenon occurred in the field. These findings demonstrate that cats living in close contact with FIV-infected seropositive cats can acquire FIV nucleic acids without developing detectable levels of serum antibodies or disease. Images
Oral colon-specific therapeutic approaches toward treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing idiopathic disease. In clinical terms, most patients require lifelong medication associated with possible unpleasant adverse effects. Oral colon-specific drug delivery systems are designed to deliver therapeutic drugs to the inflamed colon to target pathophysiological manifestations of IBD. The aim is to maintain the drug with proper concentration in the inflamed colon, to enhance drug residence time and to minimize drug absorption by healthy tissues. Areas covered: This review addresses the main barriers for colon-specific drug delivery from organism, tissue and cell levels, respectively. It also summarizes novel colon-specific therapeutic strategies using microparticles and nanoparticles. Expert opinion: Oral colon-specific drug delivery represents a possible approach toward efficient treatment of IBD. As the environment of the gastrointestinal tract is harsh and intricate, this approach requires that drug carriers can respond to spec...
Isoflurane-induced apoptosis of oligodendrocytes in the neonatal primate brain

Objective Previously we reported that exposure of 6-day old (P6) rhesus macaques to isoflurane for 5 hours triggers a robust neuroapoptosis response in developing brain. We have also observed (unpublished) that isoflurane causes apoptosis of cellular profiles in the white matter that resemble glia. We analyzed the cellular identity of the apoptotic white matter profiles and determined the magnitude of this cell death response to isoflurane.
Video recording system for the measurement of eyelid movements during classical conditioning of the eyeblink response in the rabbit

Classical conditioning of the eyeblink response in the rabbit is a popular model for studying the neural substrates of associative learning. Most of the common eyeblink recording techniques require invasive procedures. To perform experiments in intact animals, a non-invasive, high-speed video recording system was developed to measure eyeblink responses of rabbits during classical conditioning experiments. Besides being non-invasive, this method does not require excessive restraint of the animal. The PC-based system combines a Pulnix video camera with National Instruments video capture and timing hardware to control the experiment and acquire images of the peri-ocular region. The software developed for controlling these experiments also detects the eyeblink by measuring the movement of the upper and lower eyelids, the area of the exposed surface of the eye, and head movements in the sagittal plane. The time resolution of this relatively inexpensive system is 8.33 ms, and at a working distance of 0.8 m, it can detect movements as small as 0.11 mm.
Local melting in silicon driven by retrograde solubility

High point-defect enthalpy of formation leads to retrograde solubility for a number of solutes in silicon, especially d-shell transition metals. We present direct experimental evidence for a thermodynamic pathway leading to local retrograde melting in silicon driven by the retrograde solubility of low-concentration metallic solutes at temperatures above the bounding liquid-silicide–silicon invariant reaction. We experimentally demonstrate this local melting pathway using in situ synchrotron-based X-ray microprobe measurements of silicon supersaturated with nickel, wherein solute precipitation into liquid droplets is observed. No significant energy barrier is observed for the nucleation of the liquid droplets at the surface, suggesting that in the Ni–Si system, retrograde melting will occur upon supersaturation if favorable heterogeneous nucleation sites are available.
Designs of bend-insensitive multimode fibers

New designs of bend-insensitive multimode fibers are proposed. The bending loss can be reduced by a factor of 10 while meeting all other standard requirements. The design concept is validated by actual fiber results.
Testing with respect to concerns [software maintenance]

Often the code regions that are assigned for a maintenance task do not follow the modularization of the original application program, but instead include parts of code from many different units scattered throughout the application. In this paper, we investigate an approach to testing which we call concern-based testing, which leverages existing tools to help software maintainers identify the relevant code for their assigned task, their concern. The main contribution is a demonstration of the possible savings in test suite execution overhead and the increased precision in coverage information that can be obtained for a software maintainer if testing tasks are performed with respect to concerns. Based on a concern graph representation of the concern, a framework for guiding selective instrumentation for scalable coverage analysis is also presented.
Ptychodus mammillaris (Elasmobranchii) and Enchodus cf. E. shumardi (Teleostei) from the Fort Hays Limestone Member of the Niobrara Chalk (Upper Cretaceous) in Ellis County, Kansas

Abstract Vertebrate fossils are rare components of the Fort Hays Limestone Member (uppermost Turonian - Lower Coniacian) of the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Chalk. Herein, two fish taxa are described that are new to the unit: Ptychodus mammillaris Agassiz and Enchodus cf. E. shumardi Leidy. These additions increase the total number of documented vertebrate species to 11 for the Fort Hays Limestone and provide additional insights into the paleoecology (e.g. community structure) of the Western Interior Seaway during the deposition of the Fort Hays Limestone.
Sugars and satiety: does the type of sweetener make a difference?

Background: Widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in beverages has been linked to rising obesity rates. One hypothesis is that HFCS in beverages has little satiating power. Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the relative effect of commercial beverages containing sucrose or HFCS on hunger, satiety, and energy intakes at the next meal with the use of a within-subject design. Design: Thirty-seven volunteers (19 men, 18 women) aged 20-29 y consumed isocaloric cola beverages (215 kcal) sweetened with sucrose, HFCS 42, or HFCS 55. HFCS 42 contains 42% fructose, and HFCS 55 contains 55% fructose. Diet cola (2 kcal), 1%-fat milk (215 kcal), and no beverage were the control conditions. The 5 beverages were consumed at 1010 (2 h after a standard breakfast). Participants rated hunger, thirst, and satiety at baseline and at 20-min intervals after ingestion. A tray lunch (1708 kcal) was served at 1230, and energy intakes were measured. The free sugars content of sucrose-sweetened cola was assayed at the time of the study. Results: We found no differences between sucrose- and HFCS-sweetened colas in perceived sweetness, hunger and satiety profiles, or energy intakes at lunch. The 4 caloric beverages tended to partially suppress energy intakes at lunch, whereas the no-beverage and diet beverage conditions did not; the effect was significant (P < 0.05) only for 1%-fat milk. Energy intakes in the diet cola and the no-beverage conditions did not differ significantly. Conclusion: There was no evidence that commercial cola beverages sweetened with either sucrose or HFCS have significantly different effects on hunger, satiety, or short-term energy intakes.
Renal medullary interstitial infusion of L-arginine prevents hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive rats

Studies were designed to examine the effects of renal medullary interstitial infusion of l-arginine (l-Arg) on the development of high-salt-induced hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive/Rapp (DS) rat...
Review of Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke 1

Secondhand Smoke (“SHS”) is the personal blog of Wesley J. Smith, outspoken author of a dozen books including Forced Exit: Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide and the New Duty to Die (2006), Culture of De...
Building Psychological Flexibility to Mitigate Adjustment Disorder: Assessing Treatment Progress With a Measure of Treatment Processes

Clients who present to psychotherapy reporting diffuse and/or sub-clinical concerns may provide a puzzling treatment decision for providers of evidence-based practice. The current case study illust...
Love and Resurrection: Remaking Life and Death in Contemporary Russia

In this article, I discuss two “crimes of compassion”—one a mercy killing and the other what I refer to as a “mercy resurrection”—as key illustrations of the changing landscape of necropolitical governmentality in Russia some 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Such practices present unanticipated challenges to the state control of death, producing irregular yet ultimately normative narratives of what counts as pathological, as life and death, and as the meaning of suffering, love, and compassion. I argue that these cases ultimately present two sides of the same coin, evincing a politics of life that, intentionally or not, defies the power of the state over death and its monopoly position as the purveyor of death and immortality. They also suggest alternative practices of caregiving to the dead and dying. In doing all this, they enter a legally ambiguous zone between violence and compassion, martyrdom and savagery, madness and mercy.
A retrospective review of outcomes and flap selection in free tissue transfers for complex lower extremity reconstruction.

Purpose Complex lower extremity wounds present a significant challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. We report a consecutive experience of free tissue transfers for lower extremity reconstruction with a focus on outcomes and flap selection. Methods A retrospective review of all free tissue transfers for lower extremity reconstruction between 2006 and 2011 was performed. Minor complications were defined as nonoperative complications (infection, seroma, hematoma, wound breakdown, and partial loss). Major complication required a surgical intervention (total flap loss, thrombosis, nonunion, amputation, and hematoma). Results A total of 119 free flaps were performed in 114 patients. Reconstructed defects were most commonly derived from acute traumatic (N = 40) or chronic traumatic (N = 34) wounds, oncologic (N = 14), or diabetic (N = 8). Flap loss occurred at a rate of 5.9% and the overall lower extremity salvage rate was 93%. Complications were significantly higher for free tissue transfers to the region of the distal tibia (p = 0.04). Major complications were significantly higher in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.02) and in patients who experienced intraoperative technical difficulties (p = 0.014). Flap loss was significantly higher when the rectus abdominis flap was used (p = 0.02) and when a delayed venous thrombotic event occurred (p = 0.001). Conclusion Patient comorbidities and defect location can be associated with higher rates of complications; flap selection and delayed venous thrombotic events appear to be associated with flap failure. Level of Evidence Prognostic/risk category, level III
New clue to gamma-ray bursts

Few astrophysical sources have inspired as wide a variety of theoretical models as have gamma-ray bursts. Although these transient sources of gamma-rays having almost all of their emission above 1 keV have been known for nearly 20 years, they remain a mystery. They were discovered by the Vela satellites in 1969, although the investigators were not confident enough in their strange effect to publish until 1973. Other space-craft produced confirming data the same year from a search for gamma-ray transients correlated with supernovae. Ideas proposed for the origin of gamma-ray bursts include nearby flare stars, white dwarfs, black holes, neutron stars and cosmic strings. The failure to detect counterparts of gamma-ray bursts at optical, infrared or radio wavelengths has made identification of burst sources with any other known class of astronomical object extremely difficult.
Contrast-enhanced CT imaging as a non-destructive tool for ex vivo examination of the biochemical content and structure of the human meniscus.

The biochemical and histopathological techniques used to investigate meniscal content and structure are destructive and time-consuming. Therefore, this study evaluated whether contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) attenuation and contrast agent flux using the iodinated contrast agents CA4+ and ioxaglate correlate with the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content/distribution and water content in human menisci. The optimal ioxaglate and CA4+ contrast agent concentrations for mapping meniscal GAG distribution were qualitatively determined by comparison of CECT color maps with Safranin-O stained histological sections. The associations between CECT attenuation and GAG content, CECT attenuation and water content, and flux and water content at various time points were determined using both contrast agents. Depth-wise analyses were also performed through each of the native surfaces to examine differences in contrast agent diffusion kinetics and equilibrium partitioning. The optimal concentrations for GAG depiction for ioxaglate and CA4+ were ≥80 and 12 mgI/ml, respectively. Using these concentrations, weak to moderate associations were found between ioxaglate attenuation and GAG content at all diffusion time points (1-48 h), while strong and significant associations were observed between CA4+ attenuation and GAG content as early as 7 h (R2 ≥ 0.67), being strongest at the equilibrium time point (48 h, R2 = 0.81). CECT attenuation for both agents did not significantly correlate with water content, but CA4+ flux correlated with water content (R2 = 0.56-0.64). CECT is a promising, non-destructive imaging technique for ex vivo assessment of meniscal GAG concentration and water content compared to traditional biochemical and histopathological methods. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1018-1028, 2017.
Membrane Complexes of Syntrophomonas wolfei Involved in Syntrophic Butyrate Degradation and Hydrogen Formation.

Syntrophic butyrate metabolism involves the thermodynamically unfavorable production of hydrogen and/or formate from the high potential electron donor, butyryl-CoA. Such redox reactions can occur only with energy input by a process called reverse electron transfer. Previous studies have demonstrated that hydrogen production from butyrate requires the presence of a proton gradient, but the biochemical machinery involved has not been clearly elucidated. In this study, the gene and enzyme systems involved in reverse electron transfer by Syntrophomonas wolfei were investigated using proteomic and gene expression approaches. S. wolfei was grown in coculture with Methanospirillum hungatei or Dehalococcoides mccartyi under conditions requiring reverse electron transfer and compared to both axenic S. wolfei cultures and cocultures grown in conditions that do not require reverse electron transfer. Blue native gel analysis of membranes solubilized from syntrophically grown cells revealed the presence of a membrane-bound hydrogenase, Hyd2, which exhibited hydrogenase activity during in gel assays. Bands containing a putative iron-sulfur (FeS) oxidoreductase were detected in membranes of crotonate-grown and butyrate grown S. wolfei cells. The genes for the corresponding hydrogenase subunits, hyd2ABC, were differentially expressed at higher levels during syntrophic butyrate growth when compared to growth on crotonate. The expression of the FeS oxidoreductase gene increased when S. wolfei was grown with M. hungatei. Additional membrane-associated proteins detected included FoF1 ATP synthase subunits and several membrane transporters that may aid syntrophic growth. Furthermore, syntrophic butyrate metabolism can proceed exclusively by interspecies hydrogen transfer, as demonstrated by growth with D. mccartyi, which is unable to use formate. These results argue for the importance of Hyd2 and FeS oxidoreductase in reverse electron transfer during syntrophic butyrate degradation.
An Enhanced CUSUM Algorithm for Anomaly Detection

Anomaly detection has been extensively studied in the last two decades. Features are usually selected or created at first for characterizing behaviours of networks, users or systems, and then anomaly detection algorithms are developed and applied. However, such traditional network anomaly detection systems detect a limited number of attack types and report a huge number of false alarms due to lack of proper features and inherent weakness of anomaly detection algorithms. In order to minimize the number of false alerts and maximize the detection accuracy, we propose in this chapter an enhanced CUSUM algorithm for network anomaly detection, modelling various features from different sources and reporting alerts according to some decision strategies. The experimental evaluation with the 1999 DARPA intrusion detection evaluation dataset shows an empirical study of applying the proposed enhanced CUSUM algorithm for detecting successfully some network attacks.
On the geometry and regularity of largest subsolutions for a free boundary problem in \mathbf{R }^2: elliptic case

We consider a one-phase exterior Bernoulli type free boundary problem in \(\mathbb{R }^2\) with a non constant, only continuous, free boundary condition. In this article, we present geometry and regularity properties of the largest viscosity subsolution of this problem. Moreover, we provide density bounds for the positivity set and its complement near the free boundary.
Thermodynamics and Reaction Mechanisms of Decomposition of the Simplest Protonated Tripeptide, Triglycine: A Guided Ion Beam and Computational Study

We present a thorough characterization of fragmentations observed in threshold collision-induced dissociation (TCID) experiments of protonated triglycine (H+GGG) with Xe using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer (GIBMS). Kinetic energy-dependent cross-sections for 10 ionic products are observed and analyzed to provide 0 K barriers for six primary products: [b2]+, [y1 + 2H]+, [b3]+, CO loss, [y2 + 2H]+, and [a1]+; three secondary products: [a2]+, [a3]+, and [y2 + 2H – CO]+; and two tertiary products: high energy [y1 + 2H]+ and [a2 – CO]+ after accounting for multiple ion-molecule collisions, internal energy of reactant ions, unimolecular decay rates, competition between channels, and sequential dissociations. Relaxed potential energy surface scans performed at the B3LYP-D3/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory are used to identify transition states (TSs) and intermediates of the six primary and one secondary products. Geometry optimizations and single point energy calculations were performed at several levels of theory. These theoretical energies are compared with experimental energies and are found to give reasonably good agreement, in particular for the M06-2X level of theory. This good agreement between experiment and theory validates the reaction mechanisms explored computationally here and elsewhere and allows identification of the product structures formed at threshold energies. The present work presents the first measurement of absolute experimental threshold energies of important sequence ions and non-sequence ions: [y1 + 2H]+, [b3]+, CO loss, [a1]+, and [a3]+, and refines those for [b2]+ and [y2 + 2H]+ previously measured.
The Wage and Job Impacts of Hospitals on Local Labor Markets

This study examines the impact of hospitals on local labor markets in rural and urban counties. We measure the ability of hospitals, particularly in rural communities, to attract nonhealth-related ...
Social Norms, Gender Ratio Imbalance, Perceptions of Risk, and the Sexual Behaviors of African American Women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

This literature review provides a summary of the sexual risk literature focused on black college students and identifies some of the risk factors associated with African American women attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The review included analysis of scholarly work and web-based data with an emphasis on studies exploring the sexual behaviors of students attending HBCUs published between 2000 and 2016. The results indicated that social norms, religiosity, gender ratio imbalances on campus, and perceived STD risk remain important factors associated with the sexual behaviors of African American women at HBCUs. Black college students in general and African American women specifically remain underrepresented and understudied in the research focused on sexual risk behaviors. The review suggests that additional empirical studies are needed to examine the sexual behaviors of African American college women as well as the programs in place at HBCUs to increase student knowledge about STIs.
“Souls Overcast” and “The Shadow-less Soul”: Swinburne’s Elemental Republicanism

The sixth chapter returns to the 1870s London of Chapter 4, where Swinburne, inspired by the elemental grandeur of Whitman’s soul-singing, experiments with a newly inventive soul-talk delivered in Songs Before Sunrise (1871). In the sonic patterns of the “Prelude” and “Hertha,” he actualizes fresh myths and allegories, urging all humanity to aspire to be “divine” civic souls like his exemplars Barrett Browning and Whitman, Blake and Hugo. In later works, such as “Off Shore” from Studies in Song (1880) and the scenes of ocean swimming from Tristram of Lyonesse (1882), he develops the civic republican trope of open-air swimming already seen in Clough and Browning into a signature motif. Rejecting imitative harmonies, his swimmer-poets immerse themselves in “the measureless music of things”—elemental rhythms of the sea, the tides, and sea winds translated into classical harmonies that pleasure the ear with mesmerizing classical meters and intricately harmonized rhymes.
Energy-Saving behaviour: Negative spillover to policy

Individuals are often asked to reduce their home energy consumption. But new research suggests that reminders of these personal energy savings may undermine public support for national-level policies.
Extracellular Matrix Proteins Mediate HIV-1 gp120 Interactions with α 4 β 7 .

Gut-homing α4β7high CD4+ T lymphocytes have been shown to be preferentially targeted by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and are implicated in HIV-1 pathogenesis. Previous studies demonstrated that HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 binds and signals through α4β7 and that this likely contributes to the infection of α4β7high T cells and promotes cell-to-cell virus transmission. Structures within the second variable loop (V2) of gp120, including the tripeptide motif LDV/I, are thought to mediate gp120-α4β7 binding. However, lack of α4β7 binding has been reported in gp120 proteins containing LDV/I, and the precise determinants of gp120-α4β7 binding are not fully defined. In this work, we report the novel finding that fibronectins mediate indirect gp120-α4β7 interactions. We show that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells used to express recombinant gp120 produced fibronectins and other extracellular matrix proteins that copurified with gp120. CHO cell fibronectins were able to mediate the binding of a diverse panel of gp120 proteins to α4β7 in an in vitro cell binding assay. The V2 loop was not required for fibronectin-mediated binding of gp120 to α4β7, nor did V2-specific antibodies block this interaction. Removal of fibronectin through anion-exchange chromatography abrogated V2-independent gp120-α4β7 binding. Additionally, we showed a recombinant human fibronectin fragment mediated gp120-α4β7 interactions similarly to CHO cell fibronectin. These findings provide an explanation for the apparently contradictory observations regarding the gp120-α4β7 interaction and offer new insights into the potential role of fibronectin and other extracellular matrix proteins in HIV-1 biology.IMPORTANCE Immune tissues within the gut are severely damaged by HIV-1, and this plays an important role in the development of AIDS. Integrin α4β7 plays a major role in the trafficking of lymphocytes, including CD4+ T cells, into gut lymphoid tissues. Previous reports indicate that some HIV-1 gp120 envelope proteins bind to and signal through α4β7, which may help explain the preferential infection of gut CD4+ T cells. In this study, we demonstrate that extracellular matrix proteins can mediate interactions between gp120 and α4β7 This suggests that the extracellular matrix may be an important mediator of HIV-1 interaction with α4β7-expressing cells. These findings provide new insight into the nature of HIV-1-α4β7 interactions and how these interactions may represent targets for therapeutic intervention.
Handling non-sentential utterances in a continuous understanding framework

The goal of my research is to understand speech input in a continuous manner by treating the input stream as fragmental utterances. This allows us to use various approaches to predict what comes downstream. Possible interpretations are trimmed by such predictions which in turn also allow us to complete information not readily available in the fragmental utterance. Semantic frames can encode all possible arguments for domain actions. As utterances are processed continuously, appropriate frames can be activated so that fragment interpretations can fill, correct or extend frames under consideration. In turn, feedback can be provided to the parser as the frames are manipulated possibly based on the completeness of the semantic frame construction.
Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Found Inline with the Fields of Repeat Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Recurrent Trigeminal Neuralgia.

A case of an extremely healthy, active, 96-year-old patient, nonsmoker, is reviewed. He was initially treated for left V1, V2, and V3 trigeminal neuralgia in 2001, at age 80, with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with a dose of 80 Gy to the left retrogasserian trigeminal nerve. He remained asymptomatic for nine years until his trigeminal pain recurred in 2010. He was first treated medically but was intolerant to increasing doses of carbamazepine and gabapentin. He underwent a second SRS in 2012 with a dose of 65.5 Gy to the same retrogasserian area of the trigeminal nerve, making the total cumulative dose 125.5 Gy. In late 2016, four years after the 2nd SRS, he was found to have invasive keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma in the left posterior mandibular oral mucosa. Keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma is seen primarily in smokers or associated with the human papillomavirus, neither of which was found in this patient. A review of his two SRS plans shows that the left lower posterior mandibular area was clearly within the radiation fields for both SRS treatments. It is postulated that his cancer developed secondary to the long-term radiation effect with a very localized area being exposed twice to a focused, cumulative, high-dose radiation. There are individual reports in the literature of oral mucositis immediately after radiation for trigeminal neuralgia and the delayed development of malignant tumors, including glioblastoma found after SRS for acoustic neuromas, but there are no reports of delayed malignant tumors developing within the general radiation field. Using repeat SRS is an accepted treatment for recurrent trigeminal neuralgia, but physicians and patients should be aware of the potential effects of higher cumulative radiation effects within the treatment field when patients undergo repeat procedures.
VO2 nanoparticles on edge oriented graphene foam for high rate lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors

Abstract With the fully exposed graphene edges, high conductivity and large surface area, edge oriented graphene foam (EOGF), prepared by deposition of perpendicular graphene network encircling the struts of Ni foam, is a superior scaffold to support active materials for electrochemical applications. With VO2 as an example, EOGF loaded VO2 nanoparticle (VO2/EOGF) electrode has high rate performance as cathode in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). In addition to the Li+ intercalation into the lattice, contribution of non-diffusion-limited pseudocapacitance to the capacity is prominent at high rates. VO2/EOGF based supercapacitor also exhibits fast response, with a characteristic frequency of 15 Hz when the phase angle reaches −45°, or a relaxation time constant of 66.7 ms. These results suggest the promising potential of EOGF as a scaffold in supporting active nanomaterials for electrochemical energy storage and other applications.
Implementation of Microcalorimeter Array Technology for Safeguards of Nuclear Material

Safeguards of nuclear materials depend on both destructive and nondestructive assay (DA and NDA, respectively). Ultra-high-resolution microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy has the potential to substantially reduce the performance gap between NDA and DA methods in determination of plutonium isotopic composition. This paper details the setup of a cryostat and microwave readout system for microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy, the functionality of which has been successfully demonstrated.
Redefining prioritization: continuous prioritization for continuous integration

Continuous integration (CI) development environments allow soft-ware engineers to frequently integrate and test their code. While CI environments provide advantages, they also utilize non-trivial amounts of time and resources. To address this issue, researchers have adapted techniques for test case prioritization (TCP) to CI environments. To date, however, the techniques considered have operated on test suites, and have not achieved substantial improvements. Moreover, they can be inappropriate to apply when system build costs are high. In this work we explore an alternative: prioritization of commits. We use a lightweight approach based on test suite failure and execution history that is highly effcient; our approach "continuously" prioritizes commits that are waiting for execution in response to the arrival of each new commit and the completion of each previously scheduled commit. We have evaluated our approach on three non-trivial CI data sets. Our results show that our approach can be more effective than prior techniques.
Error Bounds for Regularized Complementarity Problems

An approach to solving a complementarity problem entails regularizing/perturbing the problem by adding to the given mapping another mapping multiplied by a small positive parameter. We study properties of the limit point of the solution to the regularized problem. We also derive local error bounds on the distance from the solution to its limit point, expressed in terms of the regularization parameter.
Single Shoes and Individual Lives: The Mill Creek Shoe Project

Shoes are compelling symbols of individual lives and act metaphorically to suggest an intimacy with the person who wore them. In our modern world, celebrity affiliation with specific shoe designers – e.g., Sarah Jessica Parker and Manolo Blahnik – underscores the intimacy of this kind of artifact. In Anna Karenina, Tolstoy wrote, “Now she knew all of them as people know one another in a country town; she knew their habits and weaknesses, and where the shoe pinched each one of them.” The fit of a shoe is intimate information, and possessing knowledge of it suggests extraordinary familiarity. Maxims regarding the intimacy of shoes abound in modern parlance: “If the shoe fits, wear it,” “Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.” As artifacts, shoes carry the marks of the individual who wore them in many different ways, physically as well as symbolically.
Using Neutral Speech Models for Emotional Speech Analysis

Abstract Since emotional speech can be regarded as a variation onneutral (non-emotional) speech, it is expected that a robust neu-tral speech model can be useful in contrasting different emo-tions expressed in speech. This study explores this idea by cre-ating acoustic models trained with spectral features, using theemotionally-neutral TIMIT corpus. The performance is testedwith two emotional speech databases: one recorded with a mi-crophone (acted), and another recorded from a telephone ap-plication (spontaneous). It is found that accuracy up to 78%and 65% can be achieved in the binary and category emotiondiscriminations, respectively. Raw Mel Filter Bank (MFB) out-put was found to perform better than conventional MFCC, withboth broad-band and telephone-band speech. These results sug-gest that well-trained neutral acoustic models can be effectivelyused as a front-end for emotion recognition, and once trainedwith MFB, it may reasonably work well regardless of the chan-nel characteristics.Index Terms: Emotion recognition, Neutral speech, HMMs,Mel ﬁlter bank (MFB), TIMIT
Professional Versus Citizen Soldiery

Consistent with Samuel Huntington’s separatist thesis in Soldier and the state, the ‘military professional’ is one who pursues expertise in combat in service to a country’s or society’s defense. In this separatist view, such service does not require the solider to be fully integrated with civil society. Professional soldiers in a democratic society also have as part of their organizational ethos a strong disinclination to intervene in politics. Indeed, one finds professional militaries in the United States, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere imbued with this separatist, professional ethic but at the same time committed as professionals to respecting constitutional government, institutions, and political processes.
Fermat’s Little Theorem

We begin this chapter with a fundamental result of number theory, discovered by Pierre de Fermat. Fermat lived from 1601 to 1665. Many of his contemporaries were “number-lovers” rather than number theorists, [108, p. 51], and one thing that interested them was perfect numbers (a number is perfect if it is the sum of all its proper divisors). Bernard Frenicle de Bessy, who was also a mathematician and physicist, first raised the question of whether there was a perfect number of 20 digits and, if not, what the next largest perfect number was. (See [29] and [30].) The answer to the question required determining whether certain large numbers were prime. As a consequence, the men began corresponding. In a letter to Frenicle, dated October 18, 1640, Fermat stated what is now known as Fermat’s theorem or Fermat’s little theorem (to distinguish it from Fermat’s last theorem), but he did not include a proof. In 1736, almost a century later, Leonhard Euler gave the first rigorous proof of the little theorem. Though this theorem is clearly theoretical in nature, it plays an important role in primality testing; that is, in deciding whether or not a certain number is prime. Fermat’s little theorem (in the form due to Euler) is also the mathematical heart of the widely used RSA code that we will describe later in this chapter. In fact, Fermat’s little theorem is not little at all.