cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transport of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance-carrying plasmids through porous media

Microbial antibiotic resistance has emerged as not only a major medical problem but also as an environmental engineering challenge, with antibiotic resistance genetic elements as environmental pollutants. The transport characteristics of a tetracycline-resistant bacterium ( B. cepacia ) and plasmids carrying tetracycline-resistance genes were investigated using flow-through columns packed with porous media. Higher influent cell concentrations (1.1×10 8 CFU mL −1 ) resulted in higher breakthrough ( C / C 0 =0.596±0.055) than a solution with lower cell concentration (2.0×10 6 CFU mL −1 , C / C 0 =0.461±0.037). This decreased extent of filtration suggests fast initial cell deposition and strong subsequent blocking of binding sites, resulting in less-hindered microbial transport through the sandy medium. The addition of a bromide tracer (NaBr) prior to the plasmid solution resulted in DNA retardation and increased filtration in a zirconia-silica bead matrix. Apparently, Na + binding to the beads decreased electrostatic repulsion between the negatively charged DNA and zirconia-silica surface. In contrast, plasmid breakthrough preceded that of the tracer when the plasmids were added first, possibly due to size exclusion chromatography coupled with stronger electrostatic repulsion. This implies that efforts to characterize the dynamics of resistance vector propagation in aquifers should consider the effect of groundwater chemistry and the surface characteristics of the porous media on vector transport.
Model-based noise reduction leveraging frequency-wise confidence metric for in-car speech recognition

Model-based approaches for noise reduction effectively improve the performance of automatic speech recognition in noisy environments. Most of them use the Minimum Mean Square Estimate (MMSE) criterion for de-noised speech estimates. In general, an observation has speech-dominant bands and noise-dominant bands in the Mel spectral domain. This paper introduces a method to add weight to speech-dominated bands when evaluating the posterior probability of each speech state, as these bands are generally more reliable. To leverage high-resolution information in the Mel domain, we use Local Peak Weight (LPW) as the confidence metric for the degree of speech dominance. This information is also used to regulate the amount of compensation that is applied to each frequency band during feature reconstruction under an integrated probabilistic model. The method produced relative word error rate improvements of up to 33.8% over the baseline MMSE method on an isolated word task with car noise.
Auditing System Development: Constructing the Meaning of “Systematic and Rational” in the Context of Legacy Code Migration for Vendor Incentives

This simulation affords an opportunity for learning to audit system development for an accounting application. The simulation responds to the growing emphasis on controlling system development for complying with the internal control assurance requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 (U.S. House of Representatives). Because of the lack of detailed accounting standards for vendor incentives, learners have to construct a working definition of “systematic and rational” allocation of incentives in order to develop audit objectives and procedures. In the simulation, learners (1) develop objectives for auditing the specific project of migration of legacy code for vendor incentives and the system development for a group of projects, (2) design audit procedures to achieve the audit objectives, (3) execute the audit procedures by querying the databases, and (4) communicate objectives, procedures, and results in a report. The simulation is staged with conversations among audit staff members and ...
Dynamics of Network Connectivity in Urban Vehicular Networks

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) have emerged as a serious and promising candidate for providing ubiquitous communications both in urban and highway scenarios. Consequently, nowadays it is widely believed that VANETs will be able to support both safety and non-safety applications. For both classes of applications, since a zero-infrastructure is the typical premise assumed, it is crucial to understand the dynamics of network connectivity when one operates without relying on any telecommunications infrastructure. Using the key metrics of interest (such as link duration, connection duration, and re-healing time) we provide a comprehensive framework for network connectivity of urban VANETs. Our study, in addition to extensive simulations based on a new Cellular Automata Model for mobility, also provides a comprehensive analytical framework. This analytical framework leads to closed form results which facilitate physical insight into the impact of key system parameters on network connectivity. The predictions of our analytical framework also shed light on which type of safety and non-safety applications can be supported by urban VANETs.
Circuit breaker duty monitoring from the control center

This paper describes a breaker monitoring method and network control to avoid overstressing breakers during faults. The method is proposed as a control center application. Specifically, utilizing the real time model of the system, the expected fault current distribution is computed for each breaker. In case that faults are identified that will exceed the ratings of the breaker, the optimal reconfiguration and/or on-line generation is sought that eliminates this possibility. Many times the optimal reconfiguration may not be desirable or economical, in which case visualizations of the possible breaker overstress are generated and presented to the operator. In this case, it is expected that the operator may seek solutions based on his/her experience and knowledge of the system.
FORAGING PATCH SELECTION BY SHRUBSTEPPE SPARROWS

We used bird-centered vegetation measurements to assess selection of shrub-defined patches by foraging Sage Sparrows (Amphispiza belli) and Brewer’s Sparrows (Spizella breweri) over a period of 3 yr. Principal components of habitat variation based on a random sample of 900 patches were patch size, species composition (big sagebrush [Artemisia tridentata] vs. green rabbitbrush [Chrysothamnus viscidiflora] vs. gray rabbitbrush [C. nauseosus]), and plant vigor. Both bird species differed from random (P < 0.001) in their selection of patches in each year, but did not differ from each other. Patch structure varied significantly among years (P < 0.001), as did each species’ use of patches. Between-year changes in the two bird species’ selection patterns were highly correlated with changes in the habitat, and with each other. These correlations suggest that shrubsteppe sparrows “track” interannual variation in patch composition and structure (which is presumably induced by precipitation variation) but maintain nonrandom use patterns within years.
Optimizing locomotion controllers using biologically-based actuators and objectives

We present a technique for automatically synthesizing walking and running controllers for physically-simulated 3D humanoid characters. The sagittal hip, knee, and ankle degrees-of-freedom are actuated using a set of eight Hill-type musculotendon models in each leg, with biologically-motivated control laws. The parameters of these control laws are set by an optimization procedure that satisfies a number of locomotion task terms while minimizing a biological model of metabolic energy expenditure. We show that the use of biologically-based actuators and objectives measurably increases the realism of gaits generated by locomotion controllers that operate without the use of motion capture data, and that metabolic energy expenditure provides a simple and unifying measurement of effort that can be used for both walking and running control optimization.
A rational analysis of the acquisition of multisensory representations.

How do people learn multisensory, or amodal, representations, and what consequences do these representations have for perceptual performance? We address this question by performing a rational analysis of the problem of learning multisensory representations. This analysis makes use of a Bayesian nonparametric model that acquires latent multisensory features that optimally explain the unisensory features arising in individual sensory modalities. The model qualitatively accounts for several important aspects of multisensory perception: (a) it integrates information from multiple sensory sources in such a way that it leads to superior performances in, for example, categorization tasks; (b) its performances suggest that multisensory training leads to better learning than unisensory training, even when testing is conducted in unisensory conditions; (c) its multisensory representations are modality invariant; and (d) it predicts ‘‘missing’’ sensory representations in modalities when the input to those modalities is absent. Our rational analysis indicates that all of these aspects emerge as part of the optimal solution to the problem of learning to represent complex multisensory environments.
An experimental study of magnesium-isotope fractionation in chlorophyll-a photosynthesis

Measurements are presented of the magnesium isotopic composition of chlorophyll-a, extracted from cyanobacteria, relative to the isotopic composition of the culture medium in which the cyanobacteria were grown. Yields of 50-93% chlorophyll-a were achieved from the pigment extracts of Synechococcus elongatus, a unicellular cyanobacteria. This material was then digested using concentrated nitric acid to extract magnesium. Separation was accomplished using columns of cation-exchange resin, which achieved a 103 +/- 10% yield of magnesium from chlorophyll-a. This procedure ensured accurate measurement of the magnesium-isotopic ratios without isobaric interferences using a multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). We find a slight depletion in the heavier isotopes of magnesium in chlorophyll-a relative to culture medium, early growth phase: Delta Mg-26 = -0.71(+/- 0.35)parts per thousand and Delta Mg-25 = -0.37(+/- 0.18)parts per thousand; late growth phase: Delta Mg-26 = -0.53(+/- 0.20)parts per thousand and Delta Mg-25 = -0.26(+/- 0.11)parts per thousand, due to an apparent mass-dependent fractionation. We suggest that the small fractionation results from chelation during intracellular processes. A likely candidate for this chelation step involves the magnesium-chelatase enzyme, which mediates the insertion of magnesium to the tetrapyrrole ring during chlorophyll-a biosynthesis. Proof of this hypothesis can be tested with biological controls whereby steps in the enzymatic pathways of chlorophyll synthesis are selectively suppressed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Synthesis of hindered secondary amines via Grignard reagent addition to ketonitrones

Abstract Grignard reagents add to ketonitrones in a nonpolar solvent to afford N,N-dialkylhydroxylamines in good yields and with little competing proton transfer. Deoxygenation of the crude hydroxylamines with carbon disulfide then completes an efficient general synthetic route to hindered sec-alkyl-tert-alkylamines and to di-tert-alkylamines.
Psychophysics of reading—XVI. The visual span in normal and low vision

The visual span in reading is the number of characters that can be recognized at a glance. The shrinking visual span hypothesis attributes reading speed deficits in low vision, and slow reading in normal vision at low contrast, to a reduction in the visual span. This hypothesis predicts that reading time (msec/word) becomes increasingly dependent on word length as text contrast decreases. We tested and confirmed this prediction using the rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) method. Estimates of the visual span ranged from about 10 characters for high-contrast text to less than two characters for low-contrast text. Eye-movement recordings showed that longer reading times at low contrast are partitioned about equally between prolonged fixation times and an increased number of saccades (presumably related to a reduced visual span). RSVP measurements for six out of seven low-vision subjects revealed a strong dependence of reading time on word length, as expected from reduced visual spans.
Proliferation, not apoptosis, alters epithelial cell migration in small intestine of CFTR null mice.

Expression of a mutated cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) has been shown to enhance proliferation within CF airways, and cells expressing a mutated CFTR have been shown to be less susceptible to apoptosis. Because the CFTR is expressed in the epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal tract and all CF mouse models are characterized by gastrointestinal obstruction, we hypothesized that CFTR null mice would have increased epithelial cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis within the small intestine. The rate of intestinal epithelial cell migration from crypt to villus was increased in CFTR null mice relative to mice expressing the wild-type CFTR. This difference in migration could be explained by an increase in epithelial cell proliferation but not by a difference in apoptosis within the crypts of Lieberkuhn. In addition, using two independent sets of CF cell lines, we found that epithelial cell susceptibility to apoptosis was unrelated to the presence of a functional CFTR. Thus increased proliferation but not alterations in apoptosis within epithelial cells might contribute to the pathophysiology of CF.
A Hybrid Ensemble Kalman Filter-3D Variational Analysis Scheme

A hybrid ensemble Kalman filter‐three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) analysis scheme is demonstrated using a quasigeostrophic model under perfect-model assumptions. Four networks with differing observational densities are tested, including one network with a data void. The hybrid scheme operates by computing a set of parallel data assimilation cycles, with each member of the set receiving unique perturbed observations. The perturbed observations are generated by adding random noise consistent with observation error statistics to the control set of observations. Background error statistics for the data assimilation are estimated from a linear combination of time-invariant 3DVAR covariances and flow-dependent covariances developed from the ensemble of short-range forecasts. The hybrid scheme allows the user to weight the relative contributions of the 3DVAR and ensemble-based background covariances. The analysis scheme was cycled for 90 days, with new observations assimilated every 12 h. Generally, it was found that the analysis performs best when background error covariances are estimated almost fully from the ensemble, especially when the ensemble size was large. When small-sized ensembles are used, some lessened weighting of ensemble-based covariances is desirable. The relative improvement over 3DVAR analyses was dependent upon the observational data density and norm; generally, there is less improvement for data-rich networks than for data-poor networks, with the largest improvement for the network with the data void. As expected, errors depend on the size of the ensemble, with errors decreasing as more ensemble members are added. The sets of initial conditions generated from the hybrid are generally well calibrated and provide an improved set of initial conditions for ensemble forecasts.
Efficient scaling in the residue number system

A unified residue number system scaling technique that allows the designer a great deal of flexibility in choosing the scale factor is presented. The technique is based on the L( epsilon + delta )-CRT (Chinese remainder theorem). By embedding the scaling process in the CRT, the L( epsilon + delta )-CRT can also be used to simplify the residue-to-analog conversion problem. The flexibility in choosing the scale factor and a new reduced system modulus comes at the cost of potentially large errors, however. It is shown that the errors induced by the L( epsilon + delta )-CRT can be divided into two distinct bands: a band of small errors and a band of errors on the order of the reduced system modulus. For a given scale factor, the authors give inequalities that make it possible to choose a reduced system modulus so that the large error band is avoided. >
A combined endoscopic Co2 laser and external approach for treatment of glottic cancer involving the anterior commissure: an animal study.

Endoscopic laser resection usually has been discouraged for anterior commissure (AC) carcinoma because of inadequate exposure and close proximity to underlying cartilage. A new technique combining endoscopic CO 2 laser incision and an external approach, creating a window in the thyroid cartilage, was tested in this in vivo study of six dogs. An en bloc specimen including adjacent cartilage was excised while preserving the thyroid framework. The glottic reconstruction was accomplished with external placement of a sternohyoid muscle flap, by either using a bipedicled muscle flap with overlying skin or a unipedicled muscle flap with a graft of free mucosa. The results showed a satisfactory anatomic reconstruction and acceptable functions. The bipedicled muscle flap was superior to the unipedicled muscle flap due to a better AC reconstruction. It is believed that this new combined technique may overcome limited access with endoscopic technique and excessive cartilage resection with the external partial laryngectomy.
ASPicDB: a database resource for alternative splicing analysis.

Motivation: Alternative splicing has recently emerged as a key mechanism responsible for the expansion of transcriptome and proteome complexity in human and other organisms. Although several online resources devoted to alternative splicing analysis are available they may suffer from limitations related both to the computational methodologies adopted and to the extent of the annotations they provide that prevent the full exploitation of the available data. Furthermore, current resources provide limited query and download facilities. Results: ASPicDB is a database designed to provide access to reliable annotations of the alternative splicing pattern of human genes and to the functional annotation of predicted splicing isoforms. Splice-site detection and full-length transcript modeling have been carried out by a genome-wide application of the ASPic algorithm, based on the multiple alignments of gene-related transcripts (typically a Unigene cluster) to the genomic sequence, a strategy that greatly improves prediction accuracy compared to methods based on independent and progressive alignments. Enhanced query and download facilities for annotations and sequences allow users to select and extract specific sets of data related to genes, transcripts and introns fulfilling a combination of user-defined criteria. Several tabular and graphical views of the results are presented, providing a comprehensive assessment of the functional implication of alternative splicing in the gene set under investigation. ASPicDB, which is regularly updated on a monthly basis, also includes information on tissue-specific splicing patterns of normal and cancer cells, based on available EST sequences and their library source annotation. Availability: www.caspur.it/ASPicDB Contact: graziano.pesole@biologia.uniba.it Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Conjoint Behavioral Consultation and Social Skills Training: Enhancing the Play Behaviors of Boys With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

In this study, we demonstrate the use of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) as a model to join parents and educators in the shared development and implementation of interventions for students. A behavioral social skills intervention was delivered in the context of CBC to enhance the cooperative peer interactions of young boys diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A multiple probe design across participants was used. The mothers and teachers of 3 boys between the ages of 8 and 9 years who were diagnosed with ADHD and who were exhibiting performance deficits in their cooperative play behaviors served as consultation participants. Direct observation data suggest that the behavioral social skills intervention implemented within the context of CBC was related to increases in positive, cooperative interactions with peers. In general, positive changes were noted from pretreatment to posttreatment administrations of the Social Skills Rating System (Gresham & Elliott, 1990). Measures ...
Simulation of a self-propelled wake with moderate excess momentum in a homogeneous fluid

Direct numerical simulation was used to simulate a self-propelled wake with excess momentum in a homogeneous fluid. Simulations were performed with varying distributions and amounts of excess momentum. Both the shape and amount of excess momentum were found to result in larger initial values of the defect velocity, mean kinetic energy, and velocity gradient. Increasing the amount of excess momentum resulted in larger dierences from a self-propelled wake with zero net momentum for the mean kinetic energy and defect velocity although dierences among cases for fluctuation and turbulent statistics were smaller consistent with qualitatively similar evolution. At early time, a smaller radial extent of the excess momentum results in a larger dierences from a self-propelled wake with zero net momentum than a case with a larger radial extent and the same amount of excess momentum. However, at intermediate to late time, statistics are comparable between the two cases. The initially doubly-inflected mean velocity profile was lost in all cases with the self-propelled and small excess momentum (5%) cases exhibiting no discernible structure beyond early time and the intermediate momentum (20,40%) cases transitioning to a bell shaped profile typical of a momentum wake. A brief discussion is included comparing the dierences between wakes with excess momentum in a stratified and homogeneous fluid. Overall, while quantitative dierences were observed with larger amounts of excess momentum and/or momentum applied over a smaller radial extent, there was little qualitative dierence over the range of values considered in this study.
Approaches to the Modulation of miRNA Maturation

The therapeutic importance of microRNA (miRNA) regulation has recently been realized as these small, noncoding RNAs have been demonstrated to be involved with a plethora of diseases and disorders. Due to the complex miRNA maturation process, the expression of these important biomolecules can be manipulated at various stages of the pathway. This review examines both in vivo and in vitro mechanisms and assays that have been developed to regulate miRNA levels. Modulation of miRNA maturation can be accomplished via several therapeutic agents, including small molecules and oligonucleotides, in both specific and nonspecific fashions. Due to the relevance of miRNAs, these novel therapeutic approaches represent new tools for the treatment of various cancers and other deleterious disorders.
Lectins: Analytical Tools from Nature

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces lectins and their analytical techniques. Lectins are proteins of non-immune origin that recognize and bind to specific carbohydrate structural epitopes without modifying them. This group of carbohydrate-binding proteins function as central mediators of information transfer in biological systems and perform their duties by interacting with glycoproteins, glycolipids, and oligosaccharides. Whether extracted from natural sources or expressed in cell cultures, lectins provide models for the study of protein—carbohydrate interactions and exquisite tools for the analysis of carbohydrates, in either free form or bound to lipids or proteins. Lectins can be identified based on functional assays (for instance, hemagglutination) or by amino acid sequence homology (putative lectins) with known lectin sequences. Only a small fraction of the lectins that have been discovered to date have been carefully characterized with respect to protein structure, binding affinities for extended carbohydrates, binding thermodynamics, and other properties. The discovery of new lectins in biological systems means that reliable techniques for determining lectin properties are needed. Because of the complex nature of protein—carbohydrate interactions, no single technique can provide universal characterization. X-ray crystallography of purified lectins in complex with saccharides can provide high-resolution structural data and a visual tool to probe protein—carbohydrate interactions. NMR of lectin—carbohydrate complexes has been proven to be a useful alternative technique for three-dimensional structure determination. Further characterization of the specificity and energetics of the binding site in solution can be accomplished elegantly with isothermal calorimetry.
Do managers learn from the market? Firm level evidence in merger investment

Abstract Chen, Goldstein, and Jiang (2007) first present direct evidence that managers learn from the market in internal capital investment decisions. This paper extends the research to merger investment. We report that stock price firm-specific information increases the sensitivity of merger investment to Tobin's Q. This relation is not driven by a particular subsample and is robust to diverse measures of stock price informativeness. It also holds when we control for related variables. Firms with more informative stock prices achieve better post-merger operating performance. Overall, these results suggest that managers learn new information from financial markets in making merger investment decisions.
Neural network models for growth of Salmonella serotypes in ground chicken subjected to temperature abuse during cold storage for application in HACCP and risk assessment

Summary Predictive microbiology models are valuable tools for helping to assess and manage the risk of illness from food contaminated with human pathogens, such as Salmonella. However, multiple versions of a model may be needed for different food safety applications, such as hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) programs and risk assessment. A neural network model for growth of Salmonella in ground chicken as a function of time (0 to 8 days) at 16 °C and serotype (n = 8) was developed. The proportion of residuals in an acceptable prediction zone (pAPZ) from −1 log (fail-safe) to 0.5 log (fail-dangerous) was 0.948 for training data (n = 192) and 0.988 for testing data (n = 84). A pAPZ ≥0.7 indicated that the model provided predictions with acceptable bias and accuracy. Thus, the model was successfully validated. Different versions of the model were developed for application in HACCP and risk assessment.
MCMI-ANFIS: A robust multi class multiple instance Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System

Fuzzy logic is a powerful tool to model knowledge uncertainty, measurements imprecision, and vagueness. However, there is another type of vagueness that arises when data have multiple forms of expression. This is the case for multiple instance learning problems (MIL). In MIL, an object is represented by a collection of instances, called a bag. Labels of bags are known but not those of individual instances. In previous work, we have introduced MI-ANFIS, a Multiple Instance-ANFIS, that extends the standard Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to handle reasoning with bags of instances as input and capable of learning from ambiguously labeled data. In this paper, first, we present a regularization technique, we called Rule Dropout, and show that it could be used to train MI-ANFIS systems with better generalization. Next, we develop a multi class MI-ANFIS (MCMI-ANFIS), that could be used to solve multiple class classification problems effectively. The proposed MCMI-ANFIS is tested and validated using a benchmark data set suitable for multiple class MIL problems.
Supporting Image Search on the Web

While pages on the Web contain more and more multimedia information, such as images, videos and audio, today search engines are mostly based on textual information. There is an emerging need of a new generation of search engines that try to exploit the full multimedia information present on the Web. The approach presented in this paper is based on a multimedia model intended to describe the various multimedia components, their structure and their relationships with a pre-defined taxonomy of concepts, in order to support the information retrieval process. A prototype of an image search engine, based on this approach, is presented as a first step in this direction, and results are discussed.
In vitro labeling strategies for in cellulo fluorescence microscopy of single ribonucleoprotein machines.

RNA plays a fundamental, ubiquitous role as either substrate or functional component of many large cellular complexes – ‘molecular machines' – used to maintain and control the readout of most genetic information, a functional landscape that we are only beginning to understand. The cellular mechanisms for the spatiotemporal organization of the plethora of RNAs involved in gene expression are particularly poorly understood. Intracellular single-molecule fluorescence microscopy provides a powerful emerging tool for probing the pertinent mechanistic parameters that govern cellular RNA functions, including those of protein coding messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Progress has been hampered, however, by the scarcity of efficient high-yield methods to fluorescently label RNA molecules without the need to drastically increase their molecular weight through artificial appendages that may result in altered behavior. Herein, we employ T7 RNA polymerase to body label an RNA with a cyanine dye, as well as yeast poly(A) polymerase to strategically place multiple 2'-azido-modifications for subsequent fluorophore labeling either between the body and tail or randomly throughout the tail. Using a combination of biochemical and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy approaches, we demonstrate that both yeast poly(A) polymerase labeling strategies result in fully functional mRNA, whereas protein coding is severely diminished in the case of body labeling. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Histologic Basis for the Efficacy of SBRT to the lung.

Abstract Purpose Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is the standard of care for medically inoperable patients with early-stage NSCLC. However, NSCLC is composed of several histological subtypes and the impact of this heterogeneity on SBRT treatments has yet to be established. Methods We analyzed 740 patients with early-stage NSCLC treated definitively with SBRT from 2003 through 2015. We calculated cumulative incidence curves using the competing risk method and identified predictors of local failure using Fine and Gray regression. Results Overall, 72 patients had a local failure, with a cumulative incidence of local failure at 3 years of 11.8%. On univariate analysis, squamous histological subtype, younger age, fewer medical comorbidities, higher body mass index, higher positron emission tomography standardized uptake value, central tumors, and lower radiation dose were associated with an increased risk for local failure. On multivariable analysis, squamous histological subtype (hazard ratio = 2.4 p = 0.008) was the strongest predictor of local failure. Patients with squamous cancers fail SBRT at a significantly higher rate than do those with adenocarcinomas or NSCLC not otherwise specified, with 3-year cumulative rates of local failure of 18.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.7–25.1), 8.7% (95% CI: 4.6–12.8), and 4.1% (95% CI: 0–9.6), respectively. Conclusion Our results demonstrate an increased rate of local failure in patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Standard approaches for radiotherapy that demonstrate efficacy for a population may not achieve optimal results for individual patients. Establishing the differential dose effect of SBRT across histological groups is likely to improve efficacy and inform ongoing and future studies that aim to expand indications for SBRT.
Gemella Species Bacteremia and Stroke in an Elderly Patient with Respiratory Tract Infection

Gemella species are part of normal human flora. They are rarely associated with infections. As opportunistic pathogens, they can cause life-threatening infection in individuals with risk factors. We present an unusual case of an elderly patient, with no predisposing risk factors, who presented with respiratory tract infection and Gemella species bacteremia and suffered a stroke in the absence of features of endocarditis.
Security in Personal Genomics: Lest We Forget

Genomic privacy has attracted much attention from the research community, mainly since its risks are unique and breaches can lead to terrifying leakage of most personal and sensitive information. The much less explored topic of genomic security needs to mitigate threats of the digitized genome being altered by its owner or an outside party, which can have dire consequences, especially, in medical or legal settings. At the same time, many anticipated genomic applications (with varying degrees of trust) require only small amounts of genomic data. Supporting such applications requires a careful balance between security and privacy. Furthermore, genome's size raises performance concerns. We argue that genomic security must be taken seriously and explored as a research topic in its own right. To this end, we discuss the problem space, identify the stakeholders, discuss assumptions about them, and outline several simple approaches based on common cryptographic techniques, including signature variants and authenticated data structures. We also present some extensions and identify opportunities for future research. The main goal of this paper is to highlight the importance of genomic security as a research topic in its own right.
A Conceptual Examination of College Athletes’ Role Conflict Through the Lens of Conservation of Resources Theory

ABSTRACTIn this conceptual article, we seek to extend the domain of the conservation of resources (COR) theory to the collegiate student–athlete population in the context of academic–athletic role conflict and stress. Aside from reviewing the direct effects academic–athletic role conflict may have on psychological strain, this conceptual study also continues to build on the theory by proposing mediational pathways of role conflict, and the moderating effects of personal characteristics and social support on the stressor–strain relationship. Although this theoretical framework has been mainly applied in the work–family context, it could be proven useful in alleviating the pressures resulting from student–athletes’ competing roles by providing stress-coping strategies. Focusing on addressing student–athletes’ challenges in managing their college careers, the study provides a theoretical foundation for enhancing student–athletes’ well-being and collegiate experiences. Implications for managerial practices an...
Women’s Soccer in Mexico: A Unique Spin on the Rivalry with the USA

This chapter analyzes how the Mexican Women’s National Team developmental efforts have focused substantially on American-raised players as the American women have long been seen as a standard bearer of the game. It contrasts the differences in the rivalry on the women’s side from that of the men’s programs, in which the Mexicans have long been the regional leaders of the game.
Ambivalence in networked intimacy: Observations from gay men using mobile dating apps

The increasing popularity of mobile dating apps in the past decade has transformed the ways in which gay men network with each other. Based on sociology and media studies literature, I contextualize this contemporary form of intimacy, which is known as networked intimacy, in relation to networked individualism and neoliberalism. Using a mixed-methods design with interviews (N = 7) and a survey (N = 245), this study explored how gay men experience intimacy on these platforms. Users reported ambivalence in establishing relationships, which is brought forth by the ambiguity of relationships, dominance of profiles, and over-abundance of connections on these apps. I conclude that these aspects of ambivalence are not at all exclusive to the private domain of gay men but are tightly intertwined with the neoliberal market and consumption practices.
The Health of Organizations

Organizations are living systems with their own needs and life cycles. Like other living things, they experience change and conflict as they grow and develop. Sometime during their lifecycles, most organizations become ill and need treatment and rehabilitation.3 Some organizations, like people become chronically ill but continue to function until their eventual demise, other organizations successfully conquer acute episodes of illness, and still others appear to be “genetically” favored and rarely experience illness.
Advertising-based Measurement: A Platform of 7 Billion Mobile Devices

The most important step in an empirical computer scientist's research is gathering sufficient real-world data to validate a system. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most time-consuming and expensive tasks: placing measurement tools in remote networks or end-clients requires one to marshal resources from different administrative domains, devices, populations, and countries. Often such efforts culminate in a trace that is deficient in multiple ways: a small set of test subjects, a short time frame, missing ground truth for device IDs, networking environments lacking in diversity and geographic spread, or highly biased sampling. We present a method of addressing these challenges by leveraging the most open and globally accessible test and measurement platform: digital advertising. Digital advertising instantly provides a window into 7 billion devices spanning every county for an extremely low cost. We propose Advertising as a Platform (AaaP), an ad-based system to perform massive-scale mobile measurement studies. In contrast with measurements made by large media companies who own platforms, ad networks, and apps, we concentrate on the opportunities and challenges for researchers that are end-users of advertising systems. We evaluate a prototype system, discuss ethical guidelines, and demonstrate its use in four scenarios: IP2Geo databases, bandwidth measurement, energy management, and the identifiability of mobile users. We show the efficacy and ease-of-use of AaaP, and illuminate key challenges and the great promise of using AaaP to study a wide variety of mobile phenomena.
Effects of ponderosa pine forest restoration on habitat for bats.

Abstract. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in the southwestern United States, used by 16 species of bats, are managed with thinning and prescribed fire to restore tree densities and fire regimes to conditions that existed prior to Euro-American settlement. Using 2 approaches (roosting and foraging) to categorize forest habitat for bats, we evaluated how restoration treatments may affect habitat use. We hypothesized that more foraging activity would occur in thinned stands because more species are adapted to open forest, but that more roosts would occur in unthinned stands where snags were unaffected by mechanical treatments and prescribed fire. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, we used acoustic detectors to record call rates of bats as a measure of activity level and compared activity levels among stands that had undergone 3 thinning treatments (light, moderate, and heavy, with 245, 172, or 142 trees per hectare postthinning, respectively) and an unthinned stand as a control (1201 trees per hec...
Conceptualizing Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication has been a growing academic area since 1960. An examination of the premises undergirding these developments may be appropriate to planning for future teaching, research,...
Investigation of spatial visualization skills across world regions

Spatial visualization (SV) skills contribute to success in engineering. However, ample research from American university settings indicates that various subsets of engineering students have significantly less-developed SV skills than those demonstrated by the majority male population. A multi-modal SV workshop intervention was provided within a first-year engineering projects design course in order to “close the SV gap” for all students. A nationality gap was identified in which international students scored dramatically lower on the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test (PSVT) compared to their domestic counterparts. In this paper, an analysis of SV skills segmented by world region is presented. No difference was found between East Asian and domestic students; however, Middle Eastern students scored dramatically lower on the pre-test than East Asian and domestic students across both a performance score (19 out of 30) and passing rate (46%). The Middle Eastern students improved significantly due to the workshop, with median SV gains of 4 points on the performance score and 38% on the passing rate. These results identify first-year Middle Eastern students as being potentially at risk within colleges of engineering due to less developed spatial visualization skills that can be strengthened through targeted, short-duration training and skill development interventions.
Fundamental noise dynamics in cascaded-order Brillouin lasers

Author(s): Behunin, Ryan O; Otterstrom, Nils T; Rakich, Peter T; Gundavarapu, Sarat; Blumenthal, Daniel J | Abstract: The dynamics of cascaded-order Brillouin lasers make them ideal for applications such as rotation sensing, highly coherent optical communications, and low-noise microwave signal synthesis. Remark- ably, when implemented at the chip-scale, recent experimental studies have revealed that Brillouin lasers can operate in the fundamental linewidth regime where optomechanical and quantum noise sources dominate. To explore new opportunities for enhanced performance, we formulate a simple model to describe the physics of cascaded Brillouin lasers based on the coupled mode dynamics governed by electrostriction and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. From this model, we obtain analytical formulas describing the steady state power evolution and accompanying noise properties, including expressions for phase noise, relative intensity noise and power spectra for beat notes of cascaded laser orders. Our analysis reveals that cascading modifies the dynamics of intermediate laser orders, yielding noise properties that differ from single-mode Brillouin lasers. These modifications lead to a Stokes order linewidth dependency on the coupled order dynamics and a broader linewidth than that predicted with previous single order theories. We also derive a simple analytical expression for the higher order beat notes that enables calculation of the Stokes linewidth based on only the relative measured powers between orders instead of absolute parameters, yielding a method to measure cascaded order linewidth as well as a prediction for sub-Hz operation. We validate our results using stochastic numerical simulations of the cascaded laser dynamics.
Abstract 3703: Superior efficacy of novel albumin-binding auristatin E-based prodrugs compared to auristatin E in a panel of human xenograft models in mice

Auristatins are highly cytotoxic antimitotic tubulin-binding peptides. Of this family, only Adcetris®, an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) derived from monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), is approved and marketed. Other auristatins such as dolastatin 10, dolastatin 15, and auristatin PE reached phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, but due to systemic toxicity and low antitumor activity they were discontinued.1 Because of the high cytotoxicity, it is important to deliver these drugs selectively to the tumor avoiding premature release in the blood circulation. We developed an acid-sensitive drug delivery system that uses circulating endogenous serum albumin as a macromolecular carrier. The drug is rapidly bound covalently to albumin upon i.v. injection and, following accumulation in the tumor due to enhanced uptake and retention mechanisms, the highly cytotoxic agent is released in a pH-dependent manner.2 Herein we present in-vivo data of the considerably improved efficacy of two auristatin E derived prodrugs, AE-Keto-Sulf07 and AE-Ester-Sulf07, compared to the parent compound auristatin E. The acid-sensitive hydrazone prodrugs were prepared from the respective carbonyl-containing auristatin E derivatives and the water-solubilizing maleimide-bearing linker Sulf07. Female NMRI nu/nu mice were inoculated subcutaneously with patient- or cell-derived human tumor xenografts (A375, A2780, RXF631, LXFA737) and randomized (n=7-8 per group) with starting tumor volumes in the range of 140-350 mm3. AE-Keto-Sulf07 showed excellent antitumor response over a wide dose range (3.0-6.5 mg/kg twice per week over 3-4 weeks), with optimal dosage at 4.5 mg/kg twice per week over 4 weeks. AE-Ester-Sulf07 was highly efficacious between 1.9 and 2.4 mg/kg dosed twice per week over 3-4 weeks or at 3.8 mg/kg dosed once per week over 4 weeks, but caused cumulative skin lesions due to scratching and biting. In contrast, auristatin E was dosed at 0.3 mg/kg twice per week over 3-4 weeks and was only marginally active. In summary, we have shown for the first time that auristatin E derivatives, namely AE-Keto-Sulf07 and AE-Ester-Sulf07, bound to circulating albumin demonstrate promising antitumor efficacy and induce statistically significant long-term partial or complete remission in a panel of human xenograft models in mice. Citation Format: Stephan D. Koester, Lara Pes, Johannes P. Magnusson, Serghei Chercheja, Federico Medda, Friederike I. Nollmann, Patricia Perez Galan, Javier Garcia Fernandez, Heidi-Kristin Walter, Khalid Abu Ajaj, Anna Warnecke, Felix Kratz. Superior efficacy of novel albumin-binding auristatin E-based prodrugs compared to auristatin E in a panel of human xenograft models in mice [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 3703.
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