cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Aquaculture Practices on Intestinal Bacterial Profiles of Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Considering the crucial role of the gut microbiome in animal health and nutrition, solutions to shrimp aquaculture challenges, such as improving disease resistance and optimizing growth on lower cost feeds, may lie in manipulation of their microbial symbionts. However, achieving this goal will require a deeper understanding of shrimp microbial communities and how their composition is influenced by diet formulation, environmental conditions, and host factors. In this context, the current study investigated the intestinal bacterial communities of the Pacific whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei—the most widely aquaculture-farmed shrimp worldwide) reared in indoor aquaculture facilities and outdoor pond systems. While samples showed very consistent intestinal bacterial community profiles within each production system, major differences were uncovered between the two practices. Indeed, bacteria affiliated with Rhodobacteraceae (Proteobacteria) and Actinobacteria were significantly more abundant in indoor samples (84.4% vs. 5.1%; 3.0% vs. 0.06%, respectively), while Vibrionaceae (Proteobacteria), Firmicutes, Fusobacteria and Cyanobacteria were predominant in pond samples (0.03% vs. 44.8%; 0.7% vs. 36.0%; 0.0% vs. 7.9%; 0.001% vs. 1.6%, respectively). Accordingly, the abundance of 11 of the 12 most prominent Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were found to be statistically different between the two production environments. Together, these results indicate that aquaculture practices greatly influence the intestinal bacterial profile of the whiteleg shrimp, and further suggest that bacterial communities of this economically important crustacean could be effectively manipulated using diet composition or environmental conditions.
Management characteristics of Pennsylvania dairy farms

ABSTRACT Objective Our objective was to characterize dairy farming strategies in Pennsylvania to provide baseline data for modeling and assessing economic and environmental impacts of the industry. Material and Methods The USDA’s Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) data were used to characterize management practices for 5 dairy farm strategies and 4 herd size categories. Production strategies were confinement, semi-confinement, organic, management intensive rotational grazing, and Amish (use of draft animals with no use of electricity or mobile, powered equipment). Results and Discussion Cattle breed and homegrown and purchased feed type and quantity differed significantly among the 5 strategies, whereas housing and manure management varied with herd size. Solid manure handling was used on 41% of farms, consistent with small herd sizes and wide use of tiestall housing (34% of farms). Confinement dairy farms maintained more cows with greater milk production per cow and had more crop area per cow with less reliance on purchased feeds than the weighted average dairy farm. These farms received the lowest net return per unit of milk, which is consistent with a reduction in the number of small confinement farms from the year 2000 to 2010. Although organic dairy producers had 37% greater variable costs, primarily from the high cost of organic feeds, these farms received the greatest return per unit of milk sold through a 51% greater milk price received. Implications and Applications Management practices found on Pennsylvania dairy farms around the year 2010 are documented to support further assessment of production practices and sustainability of the industry.
Cultivating Violence: Trade Liberalization, Illicit Labor, and the Mexican Drug Trade

This article asks whether economic liberalization, under certain institutional conditions, is indirectly related to drug violence. Focusing on Mexico’s drug trade, where violence was historically limited by politicoinstitutional arrangements, this study examines how trade liberalization shapes social exclusion in key trafficking regions and, in turn, shapes the industry. It argues that the change in development strategy has increased the flow of workers into the drug trade by reconfiguring the agricultural sector in regions where drugs are produced while failing to absorb surplus labor in manufacturing centers containing key smuggling routes. Through both mechanisms, workers enter an illicit market with new institutional settings that allow for fierce competition and the use of violence. Using panel data on drug violence from 2007 to 2011, the study finds that exposure to trade is associated with violence in both drug-producing and -smuggling regions, but with a more sizable effect in the former.
Human Performance Differences Between Drawing-Based and Model-Based Reference Materials

The Sandia National Laboratories Human Factors team designed and executed an experiment to quantify the differences between 2D and 3D reference materials with respect to task performance and cognitive workload. A between-subjects design was used where 27 participants were randomly assigned either 2D or 3D reference material condition (14 and 13 participants, respectively). The experimental tasks required participants to interpret, locate, and report dimensions on their assigned reference material. Performance was measured by accuracy of task completion and time-to-complete. After all experimental tasks were completed, cognitive workload data were collected. Response times were longer in the 3D condition vice the 2D. However, no differences were found between conditions with respect to response accuracy and cognitive workload, which may indicate no negative cognitive impacts concerning the sole use of 3D reference materials in the work-place. This paper concludes with possible future efforts to address the limitations of this experiment and to explore the mechanisms behind the findings of this work.
Anteroposterior distance between the tibial tuberosity and trochlear groove in patients with patellar instability

Abstract Background Our objective was to describe a measurement to assess sagittal tibial tuberosity (TT)–trochlear groove (TG) distance and to compare this between asymptomatic (control) patients and patients with symptomatic patellar instability. Methods We compared static CT images of 22 fully extended knees of patients with symptomatic patellar instability with images of 22 asymptomatic knees. TT–TG distance was measured to quantify lateralization of the TT, and anteroposterior TT–TG distance was used to quantify the sagittal distance between these two points. Lateral trochlear inclination, sulcus angle, and trochlear depth were measured. Groups were compared using paired t tests (alpha = 0.05). Correlations of anteroposterior TT–TG distance with lateral trochlear inclination, sulcus angle, and trochlear depth were assessed using linear and multivariate regression. Results Mean TT–TG distances were 19.9 ± 4.4 mm (symptomatic) and 16.8 ± 5.5 mm (control) (mean ± std deviation) (P = 0.002). Mean anteroposterior TT–TG distances were 8.3 ± 7.8 mm (symptomatic) and − 0.5 ± 4.6 mm (control) (P Conclusions In asymptomatic patients, the anteroposterior TT–TG distance was − 0.5 mm, indicating that the TG and TT were nearly in the same coronal plane. In patients with symptomatic patellar instability, the TG was almost nine millimeters anterior, and this distance correlated with measurements of trochlear dysplasia. Level of evidence III, case control study.
Susceptibility to high-altitude pulmonary edema is associated with increased pulmonary arterial stiffness during exercise.

In comparison to subjects who appear resistant to high-altitude pulmonary edema, those previously symptomatic show greater increases in large and small artery stiffness in response to exercise. The...
Victimization, Offending, and Expectations for Future Success among High-Risk Youth

The present study examined consequences of a well-established criminological phenomenon, the victim-offender overlap, and how its prevalence and effects are influenced by the inclusion of indirect ...
Analysis of moisture-induced degradation of thin-film photovoltaic module

Abstract To enhance the reliability of the thin-film solar cell technologies, it is required to analyze and understand the moisture-induced degradation. In this study, the moisture induced degradation of glass-to-glass CIGS module are comprehensively analyzed. CIGS modules are fabricated and tested under damp-heat conditions with periodical measurement of the electrical characteristics. Individual layers of the module are also investigated experimentally and the moisture induced degradation is discussed. A modified method to extract the diode model parameters from degraded I–V curves is proposed and applied to the degraded data. Finally, the degradation rates are modelled and the effect of model parameters degradation on the power of module are quantitatively compared. It suggests that the power degradation of CIGS module under the damp-heat environment is more affected by the enhanced recombination of the absorber layer than the degradation of the metal layer or the leakage over layers.
Effective Communication of an Adverse Outcome After a Procedure

Abstract Communicating bad news to a patient or family is as much an art and test of will power as anything. The following article outlines considerations and points of emphasis when performing this task. Also is a list of resources and a case example of how to properly handle an unexpected adverse outcome.
Atrial Fibrillation is a Risk Factor for Worse Outcomes in Patients with End Stage Liver Disease.

Background Liver disease is a risk factor for development of atrial fibrillation (AF). We aim to study inpatient mortality and resource utilization of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients with AF from a nationally representative United States population sample. Methods For the purpose of our study, we utilized data from National Inpatient Sample for calendar years 2005-2015. Patients with ESLD and AF were identified using relevant International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Key outcomes of inpatient mortality and resource utilization were assessed. We also constructed a multiple logistic regression model to determine predictors of mortality in ESLD patients. Propensity matching was also done to balance confounding variables. Results A total of 309,959 ESLD patients were included in final analysis. Out of these, about 32,858 (10.6%) patients have concomitant AF. ESLD patients with AF were older and had higher burden of key co-morbidities such as heart failure, diabetes and hypertension. Mortality was significantly higher in both unmatched (12.3% vs. 9.2%, p < 0.01) and matched cohorts (12.2% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.01). Additionally, ESLD patients with AF have longer length of stay, increased facility discharge and cost of hospitalization compared to ESLD patients with out AF. In multivariate analysis, AF is an independent predictor of mortality in ESLD patients. Conclusions AF portends worse outcomes in patients with ESLD. Strong index of suspicion is warranted to timely identify AF in this patient population.
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 in a Children's Hospital in New York City: Patient Characteristics and an Institutional Protocol for Evaluation, Management, and Follow-Up.

Objectives The disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, known as coronavirus disease 2019, has resulted in a global pandemic. Reports are emerging of a new severe hyperinflammatory syndrome related to coronavirus disease 2019 in children and adolescents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated this disease multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Our objective was to develop a clinical inpatient protocol for the evaluation, management, and follow-up of patients with this syndrome. Data sources The protocol was developed by a multidisciplinary team based on relevant literature related to coronavirus disease 2019, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, and related inflammatory syndromes, as well as our experience caring for children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Data were obtained on patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children at our institution from the pre-protocol and post-protocol periods. Data synthesis Our protocol was developed in order to identify cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children with high sensitivity, stratify risk to guide treatment, recognize co-infectious or co-inflammatory processes, mitigate coronary artery abnormalities, and manage hyperinflammatory shock. Key elements of evaluation include case identification using broad clinical characteristics and comprehensive laboratory and imaging investigations. Treatment centers around glucocorticoids and IV immunoglobulin with biologic immunomodulators as adjuncts. Multidisciplinary follow-up after discharge is indicated to manage continued outpatient therapy and evaluate for disease sequelae. In nearly 2 months, we admitted 54 patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, all of whom survived without the need for invasive ventilatory or mechanical circulatory support. After institution of this protocol, patients received earlier treatment and had shorter lengths of hospital stay. Conclusions This report provides guidance to clinicians on evaluation, management, and follow-up of patients with a novel hyperinflammatory syndrome related to coronavirus disease 2019 known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. It is based on the relevant literature and our experience. Instituting such a protocol during a global pandemic is feasible and is associated with patients receiving treatment and returning home more quickly.
Nonmemory Composite Embedded Performance Validity Formulas in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Objective Research regarding performance validity tests (PVTs) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is scant, with recommended batteries for neuropsychological evaluations in this population lacking suggestions to include PVTs. Moreover, limited work has examined embedded PVTs in this population. As previous investigations indicated that nonmemory-based embedded PVTs provide clinical utility in other populations, this study sought to determine if a logistic regression-derived PVT formula can be identified from selected nonmemory variables in a sample of patients with MS. Method A total of 184 patients (M age = 48.45; 76.6% female) with MS were referred for neuropsychological assessment at a large, Midwestern academic medical center. Patients were placed into "credible" (n = 146) or "noncredible" (n = 38) groups according to performance on standalone PVT. Missing data were imputed with HOTDECK. Results Classification statistics for a variety of embedded PVTs were examined, with none appearing psychometrically appropriate in isolation (areas under the curve [AUCs] = .48-.64). Four exponentiated equations were created via logistic regression. Six, five, and three predictor equations yielded acceptable discriminability (AUC = .71-.74) with modest sensitivity (.34-.39) while maintaining good specificity (≥.90). The two predictor equation appeared unacceptable (AUC = .67). Conclusions Results suggest that multivariate combinations of embedded PVTs may provide some clinical utility while minimizing test burden in determining performance validity in patients with MS. Nonetheless, the authors recommend routine inclusion of several PVTs and utilization of comprehensive clinical judgment to maximize signal detection of noncredible performance and avoid incorrect conclusions. Clinical implications, limitations, and avenues for future research are discussed.
The Future of HRD in Southeast Asia

Exploring the Regional Human Resource Development (Regional HRD) ecosystem in Southeast Asia comes with an assortment of questions, critiques, and implications for HRD research, policy, and practice. This chapter explores questions and critiques associated with ASEAN and the ASEAN Way, challenges to regionalism, Southeast Asia as a region of disparities, and the dark side of developing people. It also reflects on the situatedness of this book within the National HRD and Regional HRD literature and if those are indeed valid constructs. Implications for future research are provided to dive deeper into the Regional HRD ecosystem, chart a path for more contextualized research in the region, and develop studies that unpack Regional HRD and region-building in Southeast Asia and beyond. Lastly, this chapter provides concluding remarks related to how the region can further coordinate its efforts, facilitate additional regional networking of HRD practitioners, use HRD to close regional development gaps, and undertake regional disaster relief.
Late Effects of Craniospinal Irradiation Using Electron Spinal Fields for Pediatric Patients.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) with photons is associated with significant toxicities. The use of electrons for spinal fields is hypothesized to spare anterior structures but its long-term effects remain poorly characterized. We studied late effects of CSI using electrons for spinal radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS/METHODS Records of 84 consecutive patients treated with CSI using electrons for the spine at a single institution from 1983-2014 were reviewed. Median age at RT was 5 (range, 1-14) years with 60% male. Most common histologies were medulloblastoma/PNET (59%) and ependymoma (8%). Most commonly used electron energies were 16 (44%) and 20 (25%) MeV (range, 12-21). Median prescribed dose to the entire spine was 30 (range 6-45) Gy. A spinal boost was used in 14%. A subset of 47 (56%) patients was analyzed for late effects with the following inclusion criteria: 1) age between 2 and 14 years at time of CSI, and 2) clinical and radiographic follow-up for ≥ 5 years. Height z-scores adjusted for age before and after CSI were assessed using CDC stature-for-age charts and compared with a t-test. A Cobb angle of > 10° was used to identify scoliosis. RESULTS At a median follow-up of 18 (range, 0-37) years, the median survival was 22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 12-28) years with 50 patients (60%) alive at last follow up. On subset analysis for late effects, 18 (38%) patients developed hypothyroidism and 4 (9%) developed secondary malignancies possibly attributable to spine RT (3 papillary thyroid cancer, 1 renal cell carcinoma) at a median 26 (range, 10-33) years after RT. Chronic pulmonary issues were seen in 2 patients (restrictive lung disease, recurrent pneumonia) and 1 patient developed esophageal strictures and periaortic hemorrhage. No patients developed myelopathy or cardiotoxicity. Median height z-score prior to treatment was -0.3 (37th percentile; interquartile range [IQR], -1.0 to +0.1) and at last follow up after RT was -2.2 (1st percentile; IQR, -3.1 to -1.5; P < 0.001). Of 42 patients with spinal curvature assessments, 14 (33%) had scoliosis with median Cobb angle 16° (IQR, 14-18°). CONCLUSION Long-term follow-up of children treated with CSI using electron spinal fields showed frequent musculoskeletal toxicity, predominantly decreased height. Scoliosis and hypothyroidism were seen in at least a third of long-term survivors. Esophageal, pulmonary, cardiac and spinal cord toxicities were infrequent.
The Economics of Psychological Services: The Private Sector

In a well-known address on applied psychology, James McKeen Cattell (1937) mentioned that in about 1885 he had had the idea of opening a kind of clinic at Columbia University, following the example of Frances Galton at the International Exposition in London, who had offered to test people and report their scores to them. Those who could pay would be charged a small fee for these services (this is how Galton had financed his testing), and this income would be used to defray the cost of testing the indigent. According to Cattell, this idea was quashed by President Low of Columbia, who did not think it proper for the university to sponsor a profit-making venture. In the late nineteenth century, when clinical psychology began, the notion of insurance covering mental health services would have seemed utopian indeed.
Pulmonary Hypertension in Chronic Heart and Lung Disease

Pulmonary hypertension commonly accompanies left heart disease (Group 2 Pulmonary Hypertension in the Dana Point classification scheme), and often accompanies hypoxic/parenchymal lung disease (Group 3). The phenotypic and hemodynamic spectrum of pulmonary hypertension in these settings is enormous, and the clinician is often left with uncertainty regarding the appropriate evaluation and management of these patients. A comprehensive understanding of the prognostic significance of pulmonary hypertension, and appropriate strategies for its evaluation and management, is critical for practitioners caring for these challenging patients. Management of pulmonary hypertension in the setting of left heart disease focuses primarily on identification and management of factors such as hypoxemia or pulmonary emboli that may be superimposed on left heart disease, and on optimization of conventional heart failure therapy. An evolving role for pulmonary vasoactive therapy is foreseen. In parenchymal lung disease, pulmonary hypertension often portends a poor prognosis, but whether there is a role for pulmonary vasoactive therapy beyond correction of hypoxemia is a matter of much debate. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the current understanding of these important issues.
Evidence of a cholinergic input into the suppression of the transport response in white rats

A series of five experiments were performed to investigate the hypothesis that the maturation of forebrain cholinergic systems results in the normal suppression of “transport response” intensity reported in rat pups at about Days 28–30. In the first experiment, we administered the cholinergic antagonist atropine sulfate to 30-day-old rats, and recorded a subsequent increase in transport response intensity as compared with that of saline-treated control rats. In the second experiment, we administered varying doses of the cholinergic agonist pilocarpine nitrate to 23-day-old rats, and recorded a subsequent suppression of the transport response with both low and high doses of the drug. In the third experiment, we administered atropine to 23-day-old rat pups, and recorded no changes in the transport response, which indicates that the results of Experiment 1 were not due to a side effect of the drug administered. In the fourth experiment, we administered pilocarpine to 30-day-old rats and recorded decreases in transport response intensity, which indicates that this behavioral activity is related to the maturation of the cholinergic system. In the last experiment, we administered pilocarpine in combination with either the peripheral cholinergic blocker methylscopolamine hydrobromide or the central cholinergic blocker scopolamine hydrochloride. We found that scopolamine hydrochloride blocked the decrease in transport response intensity seen with pilocarpine, but that methylscopolamine hydrobromide had no effect on the reduction produced by pilocarpine. These results indicate that the nature of the transport response is one of behavioral arousal, and that the rapid reduction in response intensity, beginning at the time of weaning, is dependent upon the maturation of forebrain cholinergic systems.
Comorbidity is a better predictor of impaired immunity than chronological age in older adults.

Objectives: To determine whether high level of comorbidity, measured using a standardized instrument, can predict impaired immunity in older adults. Setting: Geriatric outpatient Clinic and Nursing Home Care Unit of Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. Participants: Fifteen men aged 51 to 95 with varying levels of chronic illness. Measurements: Disease burden was measured using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) and immunity using proliferation of T cells induced by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and production of interleukin (IL)-12, a proinflammatory cytokine that promotes T helper cell–dependent immune response, and IL-10, a cytokine that inhibits T helper cell–dependent immune response, in response to mitogenic stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results: With increasing comorbidity (increase in CIRS score) in older adults, there is a proportional decrease in immune response (decrease in T cell proliferation and IL-12 production and increase in IL-10 production in response to PHA stimulation). Neither immune response nor CIRS score was significantly correlated with chronological age in this sample of older adults with varying degrees of chronic illness. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the level of comorbidity correlates with the magnitude of immune response in older adults and suggests that the CIRS could be used to determine the magnitude of impaired immunity in older adults with different specific illnesses and different levels of severity.
Cofilin promotes rapid actin filament turnover in vivo

The ability of actin filaments to function in cell morphogenesis and motility is coupled to their capacity for rapid assembly and disassembly. Because disassembly in vitro is much slower than in vivo, cellular factors that stimulate disassembly have long been assumed to exist. Although numerous proteins can affect actin dynamics in vitro, demonstration of in vivo relevance of these effects has not been achieved. We have used genetics and an actin-inhibitor in yeast to demonstrate that rapid cycles of actin assembly and disassembly depend on the small actin-binding protein cofilin, and that cofilin stimulates filament disassembly. These results may explain why cofilin is ubiquitous in eukaryotes and is essential for viability in every organism in which its function has been tested genetically. Magnitudes of disassembly defects in cofilin mutants in vivo were found to be correlated closely with the magnitudes of disassembly defects observed in vitro, supporting our conclusions. Furthermore, these cofilin mutants provided an opportunity to distinguish in living cells those actin functions that depend specifically on filament turnover (endocytosis) from those that do not (cortical actin patch motility).
Towards practical Wyner-Ziv coding of video

In current interframe video compression systems, the encoder performs predictive coding to exploit the similarities of successive frames. The Wyner-Ziv theorem on source coding with side information available only at the decoder suggests that an asymmetric video codec, where individual frames are encoded separately, but decoded conditionally (given temporally adjacent frames) achieves similar efficiency. We report results on a Wyner-Ziv coding scheme for motion video that uses intraframe encoding, but interframe decoding. In the proposed system, key frames are compressed by a conventional intraframe codec and in-between frames are encoded using a Wyner-Ziv intraframe coder. The decoder uses previously reconstructed frames to generate side information for interframe decoding of the Wyner-Ziv frames.
Coupled hydromechanical effects of CO2 injection

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an approach for analysis of coupled hydraulic and mechanical effects on caprock integrity and potential reservoir leakage during CO2 injection. A simplified failure analysis is conducted, based on the evolution of induced effective stress changes for three cases of initial in situ stresses. Results indicate that the most important process in hydromechanical (HM) behavior of the caprock is a general reduction of the mean effective stress, caused by the high-pressure injection of CO2. The analysis also shows that it is very likely that an onset of shear failure would occur prior to any hydraulic fracturing. This is partly a consequence of the slow increase in fluid pressure over the 10-year injection period. An important result of this analysis is the observation that the induced hydraulic fracturing and shear reactivation could be contained within the lower portion of the caprock. The analysis also shows that the magnitude and anisotropy of the initial stress field is an important factor in determining when and how failure could occur. In the case of an isotropic stress field shear slip along low-angle faults and the formation of horizontal hydraulic fractures are the most likely failure modes.
Relationships between internal and external metrics in co-evolution

Co-evolutionary algorithms (CEAs) have been applied to optimization and machine learning problems with often mediocre results. One of the causes for the unfulfilled expectations is the discrepancy between the external problem solving goal and the internal mechanisms of the algorithm. In this paper, we investigate in a principled way the relationships between the internal subjective metric used as fitness by a co-evolutionary algorithm and the external objective metric measuring the algorithm's progress towards the envisioned goal. We point out the complexity of these relationships and explain their causes.
Invasive trichophyton rubrum infection in an immunocompromised host: Case report and review of the literature

Typically confined within the keratinized, epithelial layer of the skin and hence categorized among the dermatophytoses, Trichophyton rubrum infections usually present as superficial, scaling eruptions. In certain clinical settings, however, such as in immunosuppressed hosts, deep local invasion, multivisceral dissemination, and even death due to T. rubrum granulomas have been described. A case of multiple, subcutaneous, neutrophilic abscesses due to T. rubrum in an immunosuppressed renal allograft recipient is described. The pathogenesis, diagnosis, and immunology of invasive T. rubrum infections in immunocompromised hosts are reviewed.
Towards a trusted immutable kernel extension (TIKE) for self-healing systems: a virtual machine approach

The conventional method to restore a compromised system is to wipe the system clean, install from known good media, and patch with the latest updates: a costly, restrictive, and inefficient method. An alternative method is to monitor the host and restore trust if a compromise occurs. When this method is automated, the system is said to be self-healing. One critical requirement of a self-healing system is that the self-healing mechanism itself must not be compromised. Our solution to this requirement is a trusted immutable kernel extension (TIKE) by way of a virtual machine. Using a host operating system as a trusted platform, we discuss a self-healing system that uses existing intrusion detection systems and corresponding self-healing mechanisms to automatically heal the guest operating system once a compromise has occurred.
The detection of malingered mental illness

Clinical approaches to the detection of malingering are examined from the perspectives of both the general practitioner and forensic examiner. Specific strategies for identifying malingering patients is presented with particular attention to psychoses and post-traumatic stress disorders.
Assembly of the tetra-Mn site of photosynthetic water oxidation by photoactivation: Mn stoichiometry and detection of a new intermediate.

The process of photoactivation, the assembly of the water-oxidizing complex (WOC) of photosystem II (PSII) membranes, has been examined using two major improvements in methodology. First, a new lipophilic chelator, N,N,N‘,N‘-tetrapropionato-1,3-bis(aminomethyl)benzene (TPDBA), has been used that permits complete extraction of both manganese and calcium and the three extrinsic WOC polypeptides while minimizing damage to the apo-PSII protein and, importantly, eliminating the need to use reductants. Second, an ultrasensitive, fast-response, polarographic cell and detection system were built. The apparatus features (a) an ultrabright red light-emitted diode (LED) for controlling the light intensity, pulse duration, and dark intervals, features critical for minimization of photoinhibition; (b) a microvolume (5 μL) O2 polarographic cell (Clark type) fitted with a thin silicone membrane for rapid response (100 ms); and (c) DC/AC preamplifier integrated into the microcell and interfaced to a band-pass AC amplifie...
On the relationship between shear index and energy in dynamic tear specimens

Abstract Comparison of fracture energy and shear index in a series of dynamic tear (DT) tests of quench and tempered carbon and low alloy steels and their weldments has shown that the shear index is related to the fracture energy of the specimens over a wide range of temperatures, compositions and weldment locations. Data have been acquired from samples of HY80, HY100 and QT28 steels, submerged arc welds of HY80 and HSLA80, gas metal arc welds of HY80 and shielded metal arc welds of HY100.
Impact of Crossover Bias in Genetic Programming

In tree-based genetic programming (GP) with sub-tree crossover, the parent contributing the root portion of the tree (the root parent) often contributes more to the semantics of the resulting child than the non-root parent. Previous research demonstrated that when the root parent had greater fitness than the non-root parent, the fitness of the child tended to be better than if the reverse were true. Here we explore the significance of that asymmetry by introducing the notion of crossover bias, where we bias the system in favor of having the more fit parent as the root parent.In this paper we apply crossover bias to several problems. In most cases we found that crossover bias either improved performance or had no impact. We also found that the effectiveness of crossover bias is dependent on the problem, and significantly dependent on other parameter choices.While this work focuses specifically on sub-tree crossover in tree-based GP, artificial and biological evolutionary systems often have substantial asymmetries, many of which remain understudied. This work suggests that there is value in further exploration of the impacts of these asymmetries.
Metronomic small molecule inhibitor of Bcl-2 (TW-37) is antiangiogenic and potentiates the antitumor effect of ionizing radiation

Purpose To investigate the effect of a metronomic (low-dose, high-frequency) small-molecule inhibitor of Bcl-2 (TW-37) in combination with radiotherapy on microvascular endothelial cells in vitro and in tumor angiogenesis in vivo . Methods and Materials Primary human dermal microvascular endothelial cells were exposed to ionizing radiation and/or TW-37 and colony formation, as well as capillary sprouting in three-dimensional collagen matrices, was evaluated. Xenografts vascularized with human blood vessels were engineered by cotransplantation of human squamous cell carcinoma cells (OSCC3) and human dermal microvascular endothelial cells seeded in highly porous biodegradable scaffolds into the subcutaneous space of immunodeficient mice. Mice were treated with metronomic TW-37 and/or radiation, and tumor growth was evaluated. Results Low-dose TW-37 sensitized primary endothelial cells to radiation-induced inhibition of colony formation. Low-dose TW-37 or radiation partially inhibited endothelial cell sprout formation, and in combination, these therapies abrogated new sprouting. Combination of metronomic TW-37 and low-dose radiation inhibited tumor growth and resulted in significant increase in time to failure compared with controls, whereas single agents did not. Notably, histopathologic analysis revealed that tumors treated with TW-37 (with or without radiation) are more differentiated and showed more cohesive invasive fronts, which is consistent with less aggressive phenotype. Conclusions These results demonstrate that metronomic TW-37 potentiates the antitumor effects of radiotherapy and suggest that patients with head and neck cancer might benefit from the combination of small molecule inhibitor of Bcl-2 and radiation therapy.
Renormalisation theory of the self-avoiding Levy flight

The self-avoiding Levy flight (SALF) in d dimensions with Levy exponent mu is formulated as a geometrical equilibrium statistical mechanical problem. A direct renormalisation theory, based on modern field theoretic techniques, is used to derive the critical exponents and the end-to-end distance probability function through first order in epsilon =2 mu -d. The non-perturbative structure of the probability function is characterised by a universal scaling function. The SALF represents a simple many-body system that can assume a continuum of values of epsilon near zero.
Mechanical properties of elastomer nanocomposites for electromagnetic interference shielding applications

A novel elastomer foamed nanocomposite has been developed with high electromagnetic dissipation and shielding properties. This light-weight foamed fluorocarbon incorporates multi-walled carbon nanotubes at low loading concentrations to achieve levels of conductivity and energy shielding that surpass the requirements for electromagnetic static discharge and electromagnetic interference shielding. These nanocomposites are significantly lighter than their metallic filled counterparts and foaming the material can further reduce the density by another 20% with minimal impact on electromagnetic static discharge or electromagnetic interference characteristics. The measurement of mechanical properties was performed and compared with commercially available electromagnetic interference shielding gasket materials. Currently available metal-filled electromagnetic interference shielding materials suffer from poor mechanical properties due to the high loading of metal fillers. Not only are these material systems heavy,...
Continuous time programming with nonlinear time-delayed constraints☆

Abstract : A class of continuous time nonlinear programming problems relating to problems of acquisition, stockpiling, and distribution of materials is given. Nonlinearity appears in both the objective function and the constraints, and provision is made for time lags in the constraints. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions are established and optimal solutions are characterized in term of a duality theorem. (Author)
Group Therapy in a County Tuberculosis Sanatorium: A Psychologic Approach to the Problem of the Chronically Ill Confined Patient

SUMMARY Group therapy is proposed as a means of helping hospitalized chronically ill patients with enduring physical handicaps. For two and a half years tuberculosis patients have been seen in group psychotherapy. Small groups of eight to 15 patients were seen at weekly intervals for 12 to 15 sessions. Groups were composed of mixed sex and race. Factors dealing with problems of emotional adjustment and acculturation were dealt with in the group. Additional group work was carried out in professional and non-professional staff meetings, with family and visitor groups and also the entire sanatorium population which was ambulatory. Group attendance and interest was good. There seemed to be an increase in hospital morale, amelioration of individual patients' anxiety and depression and a decrease in number of patients with positive sputum leaving AWOL. Certain changes in hospital routines and staff attitudes have occurred. The group leader should be a psychiatrist or specially trained professional person. A necessary prerequisite for successful group therapy is an interested and relatively non-rigid hospital administration, willing to adopt a scientific attitude. It is possible by group therapy to reach a large number of patients with relatively small expenditure of time and effort. The goals of this type of group therapy are not to cure patients of their neuroses nor make them happy, overly complacent patients, but to help them adjust to the necessary ordeal of sanatorium confinement. It is a technique with definite limitations and advantages, and will not appeal to all patients. Patients themselves, more than the therapist, help one another in the groups. Realistic acceptance of membership in a small group permits easier acceptance of membership in the large hospital group, and possibly a more mature acceptance of the disease and its meaning to the patients' family and friends as well. This is a preliminary report and no significant claims are made. Further study in several different sanatoria should be undertaken. The conceptual program could be utilized with other medically ill non-psychiatric patients confined in hospitals.
Developmental and vascular risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract To investigate developmental and vascular risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), we examined 90 incident cases of probable AD in a cohort of 1859 individuals followed prospectively for six years. The presence of the APOE-ɛ4 allele was the strongest risk factor, and with increasing survival age, the effect of ɛ4 diminished. Among ɛ4 positives, developmental risk factors such as smaller head circumference (≤54.4 cm) and having more than four children in the household at age 2–3 were independently associated with incident AD (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.6 (95% CI 1.04–6.3) and 3.3 (1.2–9.2), respectively). Among ɛ4 negatives, vascular risk factors were related to AD risk (self-reported diagnoses of transient ischemic attack and diabetes (HR = 5.1, 95% CI 1.7–15.5; HR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4–8.1)). These findings indicate that clinical AD is a result of early life as well as later life risk factors, and that genetic predisposition to the disease may modify the constellation of predictors.
The conversion of 3-deoxyarabinoheptulosonate 7-phosphate to 3-dehydroquinate by sorghum seedling preparations

Abstract Partially purified preparations from etiolated sorghum seedlings catalyzed the conversion of DAHP to DHQ. The reaction catalysed by DHQ synthetase was stimulated by 0.1 μM to 0.1 mM NAD in the presence O-0.5 mM Co 2+ . NADH at 1 μM stimulated the reaction as much as 50% but became inhibitory at 100μM. Co 2+ at 0.5mM stimulated enzyme activity 3-fold; Mg 2+ , Mn 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Zn 2+ were not stimulatory. EDTA at 5 mM inhibited the reaction 95% but its effects were reversed by equal concentrations of Co 2+ . Phe, Tyr, Trp, t -cinnamate, several hydroxylated cinnamates, DHS, quinate, and shikimate at 0.3 mM failed to affect enzyme activity but slight inhibition occurred with DHQ and protocatechuic acid at 0.3 mM, inhibition being 14 % and 22 %, respectively. DHQ synthetase activity also was detected in spinach leaves and potato tuber tissue. Synthetase activity appeared to increase in response to injury of potato tuber and sweet potato root tissues.
Design and evaluation of a class of miniaturized metal-backed antenna

This paper presents a two-layer mushroom-like reactive impedance surface (RIS) and its application to patch antenna miniaturization. RIS, known as meta-substrate, have shown the ability to miniaturize printed antennas with omni-directional radiation pattern, when served as the substrate for the antenna (H. Mosallaei and K. Sarabandi, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 52, 9, 2403-14, 2004). However, the area of conventional RIS substrate usually has to much larger than that of miniaturized antenna, since the cell's dimension is comparable with the antenna, even using a high dielectric constant of 10.2 or 25. The proposed compact two-layer RIS can achieve 76% lower frequency than conventional one-layer RIS with the same size, whose cell dimensions are limited within λ0/45 in length and λ0/100 in height while the dielectric constant is kept below 3.5. This makes it possible to design a miniaturized antenna over an RIS substrate with the same size as the antenna itself.
Regional sex differences in steroid accumulation in the nervous system

Abstract The brains of male and female vertebrates are different and these differences are reflected in the divergent physiology and behavior of the two sexes. Studies of the exact nature of sex differences in the CNS indicate that in certain regions the number, size and/or pattern of connectivity of neurons is sexually dimorphic 2 . There is emerging evidence of an additional dimension of sex differences in the CNS: specific neural regions accumulate more steroid hormone in one sex than the other. These recent findings raise many new questions about the developmental origin and functional significance of regional sex differences in steroid accumulation by the CNS.
Saccharide composition in atmospheric particulate matter in the southwest US and estimates of source contributions

Saccharide compositions were measured in ambient particulate matter (PM) samples collected at four sites in Eastern Texas and Central Arizona in an effort to assess the contribution from biomass burning, atmospheric entrainment of soil, and primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs) in regions with different climate patterns and ecosystems. In spite of the concentration difference, samples from the four study sites showed similar saccharide composition and seasonal variation, with the only exception being trehalose, likely resulting from the influence of local climatic conditions. Comparison of samples at the Arizona site showed different saccharide enrichment patterns between PM2.5 and PM10, which is consistent with their proposed sources as determined by a correlation analysis between observations. A positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was used to resolve three saccharide-related source factors and their relative source contributions to ambient PM using saccharides as tracers. Both the correlation and PMF model results indicate a stronger influence from local biogenic sources on aerosol saccharides at the rural sites than the urban site in Texas, and a greater impact from the PBAP and other biologically derived sources for PM collected in the Arizona location. This paper will provide the first analysis of saccharides in both fine and coarse PM in two US regions with dramatically different climates and ecosystem and provide a characterization of the ambient aerosol sources.
Restoration of bilinearly distorted images: II. Bayesian method

Bayesian estimation methods are applied to the problem of restoring a distorted noisy image. The distortion system is assumed bilinear, i.e., quadratic and with nonzero spread. Noise is Gaussian, additive, and signal independent. An algorithm for determining the maximum a posteriori probability restored image is determined by using the steepest-ascent method. Results are applied to one- and two-dimensional images in a partially coherent diffraction-limited system, and the effect of coherence and noise on image restorability is assessed.
Broadband Integrated Spectrometers in Silicon-Nitride for Spectral Analysis in Sensing Applications

Silicon-nitride (SiN) spectrometers are proposed for efficient spectral analysis in integrated sensing systems. Planar SiN spectrometers are demonstrated in the visible wavelength range, and a cascaded implementation is proposed to extend the operation wavelength range.
On Kullback-Leibler's information and discrete-time uncertain nonlinear systems

The idea of Kullback-Leibler's information is applied to discrete-time nonlinear state estimation problems when there are model uncertainties. The paper first points out that consistent statistical properties between residuals and the assumed noise model only means a goodness of fit between the data and the model while the Kullback-Leibler's information covers both the goodness of fit and a measure to model reliability. Conditions that assure the mean Kullback-Leibler's information (MKLI) has a unique minimum point for nonlinear systems are derived. Under these conditions, the maximum likelihood function is shown to be equivalent to the MKLI. Finally, the generalized mean Kullback-Leibler's information is defined and applied to select important parameters including the covariance matrix of process noise for an extended Kalman filter.
NOISE, IN THERMISTORS FOR ISOPERIBOL CALORIMETRY: MODEL AND MEASUREMENTS

Abstract Equations predicting the noise characteristics of thermistors used in isoperibol calorimetry are derived and tested as a function of frequency. Experimental noise levels are compared with theoretical predictions for NTC thermistors. A circuit with an NTC—PTC thermister hybrid is characterized by a greater S/N than an NTC—NTC combination.