cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Catabolic Mutants of Pseudomonas Cepacia AC1100 to Isolate Genetic Elements Responsible for 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Degradation

Pseudomonas cepacia AC1100, constructed by plasmid-assisted molecular breeding, is a unique microorganism capable of complete mineralization of the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T). 2,4,5-T is a major component of the defoliant Agent Orange. Due to its ability to remove over 95% of the pollutant from contaminated soils, AC1100 is considered a candidate for deliberate release into the environment. We have isolated a number of 2,4,5-T minus mutants which appear spontaneously after a few generations of growth on nonselective media. Some of the blocked mutants accumulated colored metabolites of 2,4,5-T. This genetic instability may be a reflection of the gene rearrangements involved in initial. evolution of AC1100 in the chemostat. To isolate the genetic elements contributing to 2,4,5-T degradation, we mobilized a cosmid-gene bank of AC1100 into several Tn5-induced blocked mutants. The partial diploids, resulting from complementation of insertion mutations, restored the 2,4,5-T degradative ability. A hybrid cosmid pUS1, carrying an AC1100 DNA fragment, complemented the Tn5-induced mutant PT88 and was stably maintained along with the indigenous plasmids in this strain. pUS1 complemented two other Tn5-induced mutants and also restored 2,4,5-T+ phenotype of SM9A, one of the spontaneous blocked mutants of AC1100. A 25-kb insert from pUS1 was mapped for its restriction endonuclease sites and was used for subcloning smaller fragments on a broad host-range plasmid.
LISTENERS' PERCEPTION OF HARSHNESS FOR VOWELS OF THE VOWEL QUADRILATERAL

Psychological ratings of harshness were available for both normal and hyperfunctional productions of the vowels of the vowel quadrilateral /a/, /i/, /ae/, and /u/. A consistent pattern was observed across the two conditions. The vowel /u/ was perceived least harsh and /ae/ most harsh, with /a/ and /i/ being perceived about equally harsh. The perceptual concomitant of “harsh” applied to vowels seems independent of muscular adjustments associated with “tense” vowel production and requires another explanation.
INCREASING RETURN RATES OF A MAIL SURVEY TO EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS USING A MODEST MONETARY INCENTIVE

This study indicated that a variety of survey techniques resulted in a modest return rate (66%) in a national survey of 455 exercise professionals. A $1.00 bill incentive was significantly more eff...
Professional Counselors’ Impact on Schools

This chapter reviews the profession of school counseling and highlights how counselors can best contribute to the overall prevention efforts of any school system. The chapter also reviews the role and qualifications of a school counselor within a comprehensive school counseling program, the core counseling standards within developmental, preventive, and wellness domains, and counselors’ professional preparation and role within a school. The training and orientation that counselors bring to a school afford them both challenges and opportunities when working within the educational setting. The authors introduce the American School Counselor Association National Model, a comprehensive framework for school counseling programs aimed at providing cohesive, well-rounded, and balanced services to promote student success. The national model identifies nine standards in three domains of student development—academic, career, and personal/social—each accompanied by suggested student competencies. Multicomponent preventive interventions, which incorporate both universal and selected prevention elements, fit well within this framework. The process of identifying and implementing prevention programs is outlined in four steps: describing the problem, identifying the factors that influence the development of the issue, deciding what is effective in reducing the problem or preventing its occurrence, and implementing selected programming. The chapter closes with case examples illustrating how school counselors contributed to the development and implementation of prevention programming at the universal (all students) and selected (high-risk students) levels, as well as to comprehensive school-wide suicide prevention, incorporating universal and selected prevention strategies as well as targeted crisis intervention.
Protein markers predict survival in glioma patients

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a genomically complex and aggressive primary adult brain tumor, with a median survival time of 12-14 months. The heterogeneous nature of this disease has made the identification and validation of prognostic biomarkers difficult. Using reverse phase protein array data from 203 primary untreated GBM patients, we have identified a set of 13 proteins with prognostic significance. Our protein signature predictive of glioblastoma (PROTGLIO) patient survival model was constructed and validated on independent data sets and was shown to significantly predict survival in GBM patients (log-rank test: p = 0.0009). Using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards, we have shown that our PROTGLIO model is distinct from other known GBM prognostic factors (age at diagnosis, extent of surgical resection, postoperative Karnofsky performance score (KPS), treatment with temozolomide (TMZ) chemoradiation, and methylation of the MGMT gene). Tenfold cross-validation repetition of our model generation procedure confirmed validation of PROTGLIO. The model was further validated on an independent set of isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type (IDHwt) lower grade gliomas (LGG)-a portion of these tumors progress rapidly to GBM. The PROTGLIO model contains proteins, such as Cox-2 and Annexin 1, involved in inflammatory response, pointing to potential therapeutic interventions. The PROTGLIO model is a simple and effective predictor of overall survival in glioblastoma patients, making it potentially useful in clinical practice of glioblastoma multiforme.
The Unstable Elbow: Current Concepts in Diagnosis and Treatment

Elbow instability is common and may occur after a variety of injuries, including falls or direct blows. Instability can be classified as either acute or chronic. Acute instability is classified as simple (without fracture) or complex (with associated fracture). Chronic instability is classified as a chronically dislocated or recurrently unstable elbow. Recurrent instability commonly presents as isolated medial or lateral collateral ligament insufficiency. A chronically dislocated elbow is often more complex, involving both osseous and ligamentous injuries. The treatment of simple dislocations typically involves closed reduction and nonsurgical management. Chronic recurrent lateral and medial collateral ligament insufficiencies have very different clinical characteristics, but definitive treatment frequently involves ligament reconstruction. Complex instability usually requires surgery, which includes open reduction and internal fixation of coronoid and olecranon fractures, repair or replacement of radial head fractures, and lateral collateral ligament repair. Medial collateral ligament repair and/or external fixation are rarely required to restore stability. It is important for surgeons to understand current concepts in the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic elbow instability as well as the preferred surgical treatments and techniques for the management of these injuries.
Structure-Based Design and Biological Evaluation of Triphenyl Scaffold-Based Hybrid Compounds as Hydrolytically Stable Modulators of a LuxR-Type Quorum Sensing Receptor.

Many common bacterial pathogens utilize quorum sensing to coordinate group behaviors and initiate virulence at high cell densities. The use of small molecules to block quorum sensing provides a means of abrogating pathogenic phenotypes, but many known quorum sensing modulators have limitations, including hydrolytic instability and displaying non-monotonic dose curves (indicative of additional targets and/or modes of action). To address these issues, we undertook a structure-based scaffold-hopping approach to develop new chemical modulators of the LasR quorum sensing receptor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We combined components from a triphenyl derivative known to strongly agonize LasR with chemical moieties known for LasR antagonism and generated potent LasR antagonists that are hydrolytically stable across a range of pH values. Additionally, many of these antagonists do not exhibit non-monotonic dose effects, delivering probes that inhibit LasR across a wider range of assay conditions relative to known lact...
A posteriorising factor, retinoic acid, reveals that anteroposterior patterning controls the timing of neuronal differentiation in Xenopus neuroectoderm

During early development of the Xenopus central nervous system (CNS), neuronal differentiation can be detected posteriorly at neural plate stages but is delayed anteriorly until after neural tube closure. A similar delay in neuronal differentiation also occurs in the anterior neural tissue that forms in vitro when isolated ectoderm is treated with the neural inducer noggin. Here we examine the factors that control the timing of neuronal differentiation both in embryos and in neural tissue induced by noggin (noggin caps). We show that the delay in neuronal differentiation that occurs in noggin caps cannot be overcome by inhibiting the activity of the neurogenic gene, X-Delta-1, which normally inhibits neuronal differentiation, suggesting that it represents a novel level of regulation. Conversely, we show that the timing of neuronal differentiation can be changed from late to early after treating noggin caps or embryos with retinoic acid (RA), a putative posteriorising agent. Concommittal with changes in the timing of neuronal differentiation, RA suppresses the expression of anterior neural genes and promotes the expression of posterior neural genes. The level of early neuronal differentiation induced by RA alone is greatly increased by the additional expression of the proneural gene, XASH3. These results indicate that early neuronal differentiation in neuralised ectoderm requires posteriorising signals, as well as signals that promote the activity of proneural genes such as XASH3. In addition, these result suggest that neuronal differentiation is controlled by anteroposterior (A-P) patterning, which exerts a temporal control on the onset of neuronal differentiation.
A Glucose Biosensor Using CMOS Potentiostat and Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers

This paper reports a linear, low power, and compact CMOS based potentiostat for vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNF) based amperometric glucose sensors. The CMOS based potentiostat consists of a single-ended potential control unit, a low noise common gate difference-differential pair transimpedance amplifier and a low power VCO. The potentiostat current measuring unit can detect electrochemical current ranging from 500 nA to 7 $\mu\text{A}$ from the VACNF working electrodes with high degree of linearity. This current corresponds to a range of glucose, which depends on the fiber forest density. The potentiostat consumes 71.7 $\mu\text{W}$ of power from a 1.8 V supply and occupies 0.017 $\text{mm}^{2}$ of chip area realized in a 0.18 $\mu\text{m}$ standard CMOS process.
Surveillance and analysis on the pathogenic features of Salmonella in Guangdong province in 2010

Objective In order to better understand the nature of Salmonella infection in diarrheal patients in Guangdong province,the study analyzed the serum types,antibiotic resistance and molecular determinants of the isolated Salmonella strains.Methods In year 2010,8405 diarrhea patients from 16 surveillant hospital in Guangzhou,Zhongshan,Dongguan,Zhuhai,Maoming,Yangjiang and Jiangmen cities in Guangdong province,were recruited in the study.A total of 8405 fecal specimen were collected and subjected to Solmonella isolation and culture.The isolated Salmonella strains were further analyzed via serotyping,antimicrobial susceptibility testing,and PFGE.The χ2 test was applied to compare the differences between the isolated Salmonella strains in different seasons and districts.BioNumerics software was used to analyze the PFGE results in order to determine the correlation between different Salmonella strains.Results The positive rate of the surveillant Salmonella in Guangdong province was 3.58％ (301/8405) in 2010; with the gender ratio at 1.34:1 (166/124).Salmonella infection was found in all age groups,and most in infants,accounting for 57.48％ ( 173/301 ).The isolated rates of Salmonella were separately 3.48％ (61/1751),4.97％ ( 134/2695),3.08％ (73/2370) and 2.08％ (33/1589) in the four seasons; and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 =27.29,P ＜ 0.01 ).The isolated rates of Salmonella in different regions were as follows:Zhuhai 15.43％ ( 25/162 ),Maoming 7.53％ ( 18/239 ),Dongguan 6.51％ ( 39/599 ),Yangjiang 3.64％ ( 14/385 ),Zhongshan 3.03％ ( 70/2309 ),Guangzhou 2.90％ ( 126/4349 ) and Jiangmen 2.49％ (9/362).The difference between regions was statistically significant ( χ2 =100.75,P ＜ 0.01 ).Except one strain of the isolated Salmonella cannot be serotyped,the other 300 strains were divided into 42 serotypes,of which Salmonella typhimurium and Salnumella enteritidis were dominant,account for 45.18％ ( 136/301 ) ani 10.96％ (33/301) respectively.Although over 85％ of Salmonella were sensitive to eephalosporin,ACSSuT resistance patterns ( delined as resistance to at least ampicillin,chloramphenicol,streptomycin,sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline) reached 34.88％ (105/ 301 ),the highest resistant rate was found in serotype Salmonella typhimurium,as high as 65.44％ ( 89/ 136).136 strains of Salmonella typhimurium were divided into 51 PFGE types,showed great genetic diversity.33 strains of Salmonella enteritidis were divided into 18 PFGE types.The strains with same PFGE pattern may have different drug-resistant patterns,and vice versa.Conclusion Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis were the dominant serotypes causing infectious diarrhea in Guangdong province.Cephalosporin was the primary choice in clinical medicine.However,Salmonella typhimuriam was resistant to drug most seriously in Guangdong province.There was no significant correlation between Salmonella resistance patterns and PFGE type. Key words: Salmonella; Diarrhea; Salmonella infection; Bacterial typing techniques
Introduction to Ethics of Forgiveness and Revenge

The papers collected in this volume were first presented at a workshop entitled Ethics of Forgiveness and Revenge, which was held May 22-23, 2014 at Union College in Schenectady, New York. The papers cover a range of topics, including the rightness and wrongness of vengeance and forgiveness, who has the standing to avenge or forgive, the relationship between retributive punishment and revenge, and the role apology plays in determining correct punishment. The papers in this volume are not only philosophically interesting, but are also relevant to our everyday lives, since how we respond to moral wrongs is just as important as how we conduct the rest of our moral lives.
Longitudinal Cognitive Outcomes of Clinical Phenotypes of Late-Life Depression

Objective Late-life depression is associated with cognitive deficits and increased risk for cognitive decline. The purpose of the study was to determine whether clinical characteristics could serve as phenotypes informative of subsequent cognitive decline. Age at depression onset and antidepressant remission at 3 months (acute response) and 12 months (chronic response) were examined. Methods In a longitudinal study of late-life depression in an academic center, 273 depressed and 164 never-depressed community-dwelling elders aged 60 years or older were followed on average for over 5 years. Participants completed annual neuropsychological testing. Neuropsychological measures were converted to z-scores derived from the baseline performance of all participants. Cognitive domain scores at each time were then created by averaging z-scores across tests, grouped into domains of episodic memory, attention-working memory, verbal fluency, and executive function. Results Depressed participants exhibited poorer performance at baseline and greater subsequent decline in all domains. Early-onset depressed individuals exhibited a greater decline in all domains than late-onset or nondepressed groups. For remission, remitters and nonremitters at both 3 and 12 month exhibited greater decline in episodic memory and attention-working memory than nondepressed subjects. Three-month remitters also exhibited a greater decline in verbal fluency and executive function, whereas 12-month nonremitters exhibited greater decline in executive function than other groups. Conclusion Consistent with past studies, depressed elders exhibit greater cognitive decline than nondepressed subjects, particularly individuals with early depression onset, supporting the theory that repeated depressive episodes may contribute to decline. Clinical remission is not associated with less cognitive decline.
xarray: N-D labeled arrays and datasets in Python

xarray is an open source project and Python package that provides a toolkit and data structures for N-dimensional labeled arrays. Our approach combines an application programing interface (API) inspired by pandas with the Common Data Model for self-described scientific data. Key features of the xarray package include label-based indexing and arithmetic, interoperability with the core scientific Python packages (e.g., pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib), out-of-core computation on datasets that don’t fit into memory, a wide range of serialization and input/output (I/O) options, and advanced multi-dimensional data manipulation tools such as group-by and resampling. xarray, as a data model and analytics toolkit, has been widely adopted in the geoscience community but is also used more broadly for multi-dimensional data analysis in physics, machine learning and finance.
The shackles of ceo celebrity: Sociocognitive and behavioral role constraints on “star” leaders

We set forth a new theory for understanding the consequences of CEO celebrity. The fulcrum of our theory is the reality that CEOs attain celebrity because they are cast into specific archetypes, ra...
Symptom burden as a driver of decisional regret in long-term oropharyngeal carcinoma survivors.

Background The purpose of this study was to characterize decisional regret and its association with symptom burden in a large cohort of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) survivors. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to 1729 OPC survivors. Survey items included a multisymptom inventory and a validated decisional regret inventory. Associations between regret and symptom scores were analyzed to determine and rank symptom drivers of decisional regret. Results Nine hundred seventy-two patients responded reporting a low level of decisional regret overall, although 15.5% communicated “moderate to strong” regret. Overall symptom score and treatment group were statistically significant predictors of decisional regret. Relative to other symptoms, difficulty swallowing and feeling sad were the strongest drivers of decisional regret. Conclusion OPC survivors provide a robust description of their long-term outcomes with 15.5% expressing “moderate to high” regret that was significantly associated with late symptom burden and multimodality treatment. Difficulty swallowing was the strongest driver of decisional regret.
Do Outcomes of Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation Differ Based on Age and Sex? A Comparative Matched Group Analysis.

Background:The effect of patient age or sex on outcomes after osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) has not been assessed.Purpose:To determine clinical outcomes for male and female patients aged ≥40 years undergoing OCA compared with a group of patients aged <40 years.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A review of prospectively collected data of consecutive patients who underwent OCA by a single surgeon with a minimum follow-up of 2 years was conducted. The reoperation rate, failure rate, and patient-reported outcome scores were reviewed. All outcomes were compared between patients aged <40 or ≥40 years, with subgroup analyses conducted based on patient sex. Failure was defined as revision OCA, conversion to knee arthroplasty, or gross appearance of graft failure at second-look arthroscopic surgery. Descriptive statistics, Fisher exact or chi-square testing, and Mann-Whitney U testing were performed, with P < .05 set as significant.Results:A total of 170 patients (of 212 eligi...
Mapping a shared genetic basis for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Distinct neurodevelopmental disorders have a common genetic etiology that explains the high degree of comorbidity among these disorders. A recent study sought to identify copy number variants across five neurodevelopmental disorders, and detected an enrichment for chromosome 9p24.3 duplication encompassing DOCK8 and KANK1 in affected individuals. Such large-scale studies will help uncover additional causative and modifier loci within common pathways, which will enable the development of therapeutic targets for the treatment of multiple disorders. See related research 10.1186/s13073-017-0494-1
Assessment and treatment of pediatric sleep problems: Knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices in a group of community child psychiatrists

As part of a university-based quality improvement project, we aimed to evaluate child psychiatrists' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices regarding assessment and treatment of pediatric sleep problems. We developed a nine-question survey of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices regarding assessing for and treating sleep complaints in pediatric patients, and administered this survey to child psychiatrists in training and in practice in the state of Missouri. Respondents reported sleep hygiene as the first-line treatment strategy, followed by the use of supplements or over-the-counter remedies. The most common barriers to evidence-based assessment and treatment of sleep problems were the lack of ability to obtain reliable history, and parental preference for medications over behavioral approaches for sleep concerns. These results suggest potential opportunities for enhancing knowledge regarding validated assessment tools and non-pharmacological treatment options for sleep problems. Additional research is needed to further assess the quality and type of sleep education provided in child psychiatry training programs.
Introduction to Clinical Research Concepts, Essential Characteristics of Clinical Research, Overview of Clinical Research Study Designs

This chapter addresses some of the central concepts related to clinical research such as sampling, hypothesis generation, and what is meant by the strength of scientific evidence. We also begin to discuss the different clinical research designs along with their respective strengths and weaknesses.
Cleveland Clinic Postural Stability Index Norms for the Balance Error Scoring System

INTRODUCTION Despite the widespread utilization of the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) in the evaluation of concussion, it has been criticized for its error-based scoring that is susceptible to floor and ceiling effects and substantial inter-rater variability. A biomechanical outcome, Cleveland Clinic Postural Stability Index (CC-PSI), has been developed as an alternative to subjective BESS scoring. The CC-PSI uses inertial sensor data within a mobile device to provide an objective measure of postural sway during the BESS. This project aimed to determine the effect of age and sex on the CC-PSI and report normative values for healthy, active children, adolescents, and young adults. METHODS A cross-sectional sample of 6762 student-athletes completed BESS testing. Participants were stratified according to three age groups for each sex. The groups included the following: youth (age, 5-13 yr), males (n = 360), females (n = 246); high school (age, 14-18 yr), males (n = 3743), females (n = 1673); and college (age, 19-23 yr), males (n = 497), females (n = 243). Percentile rankings were determined for each participant to characterize movement of COM in the medial-lateral, anterior-posterior, and trunk rotation directions relative to the entire cohort during the BESS stances. RESULTS Overall, postural stability was worse in youth compared with high school and collegiate athletes. Specifically, the CC-PSI was significantly worse in youth male athletes compared with high school and collegiate male athletes (P < 0.001). Females exhibited significantly better scores compared with males in youth and high school cohorts (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The CC-PSI provides a quantitative, objective measure of postural stability, overcoming the limitations associated with conventional BESS scoring. Optimal concussion management should use objective age- and sex-specific values in the evaluation of postural stability. The normative values of the CC-PSI may be used in the absence of a baseline BESS evaluation to aid clinical decision making.
Development and Implementation of a Newton-BICGSTAB Iterative Solver in the FORMOSA-B BWR Core Simulator Code

A Newton-Krylov iterative solver has been developed to reduce the CPU execution time of boiling water reactor (BWR) core simulators implemented in the core simulator part of the Fuel Optimization for Reloads Multiple Objectives by Simulated Annealing for BWR (FORMOSA-B) code, which is an in-core fuel management optimization code for BWRs. This new solver utilizes Newton's method to explicitly treat strong nonlinearities in the problem, replacing the traditionally used nested iterative approach. Newton's method provides the solver with a higher-than-linear convergence rate, assuming that good initial estimates of the unknowns are provided. Within each Newton iteration, an appropriately preconditioned Krylov solver is utilized for solving the linearized system of equations. Taking advantage of the higher convergence rate provided by Newton's method and utilizing an efficient preconditioned Krylov solver, we have developed a Newton-Krylov solver to evaluate the three-dimensional, two-group neutron diffusion equations coupled with a two-phase flow model within a BWR core simulator. Numerical tests on the new solver have shown that speedups ranging from 1.6 to 2.1, with reference to the traditional approach of employing nested iterations to treat the nonlinear feedbacks, can be achieved. However, if a preconditioned Krylov solver is employed to complete the inner iterations ofmore » the traditional approach, negligible CPU time differences are noted between the Newton-Krylov and traditional (Krylov) approaches.« less
An Efficient Method for Noncentral Beta Probabilities When Parameters Are Small or Moderate

In this article, we propose a method for computing noncentral beta probabilities. This method is particularly efficient for small or moderate parameter sizes. The efficiency and accuracy are compared with the method by Bosten and Battiste (1974), which is implemented by the IMSL. The accuracy comparison indicates both methods are almost the same. Results show at least 12 decimal places coincided. For the efficiency comparison, the new method out performs that used by the IMSL for parameter sizes less than 200. For parameter sizes less than 50, the new method shows twice more efficient.
On the Interface between Ontogeny and Function

Owing to the unique importance of fossils in depicting the evolutionary history of a clade, it is not surprising that there is continued interest in the behavior and morphology of extinct organisms (e.g., Alexander, 1989; Rayner and Wootton, 1991; Thomason, 1995). From a phylogenetic perspective, fossil taxa can present us with an amalgam of character states, some of which are intermediate between living clades and no longer expressed in such extant sister taxa (e.g., basal anthropoids—Simons, 1989, 1992; Beard et al.1996; Jaeger et al.1999). Extinct species may also range beyond the size limits or morphospace of modern relatives, thus potentially affording us a window on the evolution of novel form:function complexes. As part of an emerging body of work on the role of growth and development in evolution, it has become increasingly evident that ontogenetic data can bring another dimension to the study of fossils. There are several benefits of an ontogenetic approach to the morphology and behavior of extinct taxa, most important of which is the ability to contrast changes in form:function relationships during ontogeny across phylogeny.
The Jesuits and Italian Universities 1548–1773

Paul F. Grendler, well established as a historian of Renaissance education and universities, has now provided us with a handbook on Jesuit engagement in Italian universities. After a chapter on the...
Mitigating the Threat of Nuclear-Weapon Proliferation via Nuclear-Submarine Programs

ABSTRACTBrazil is building a nuclear-powered attack submarine, South Korea has in the past asserted its need for nuclear-powered attack submarines to deal with the threat of North Korean nuclear-ar...
Cinnamonitrile Adjuvants Restore Susceptibility to β-Lactams against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

β-Lactams are used routinely to treat Staphylococcus aureus infections. However, the emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) renders them clinically precarious. We describe a class of cinnamonitrile adjuvants that restore the activity of oxacillin (a penicillin member of the β-lactams) against MRSA. The lead adjuvants were tested against six important strains of MRSA, one vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) strain, and one linezolid-resistant S. aureus strain. Five compounds out of 84 total compounds showed broad potentiation. At 8 μM (E)-3-(5-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)-2-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)-2-(methylsulfonyl)acrylonitrile (26) potentiated oxacillin with a >4000-fold reduction of its MIC (from 256 to 0.06 mg·L-1). This class of adjuvants holds promise for reversal of the resistance phenotype of MRSA.
Geometric PID-type attitude tracking control on SO(3).

This article develops and proposes a geometric nonlinear proportional-integral-derivative (PID) type tracking control scheme on the Lie group of rigid body rotations, SO(3). Like PD-type attitude tracking control schemes that have been proposed in the past, this PID-type control scheme exhibits almost global asymptotic stability in tracking a desired attitude profile. The stability of this PID-type tracking control scheme is shown using a Lyapunov analysis. A numerical simulation study demonstrates the stability of this tracking control scheme, as well as its robustness to a disturbance torque. In addition, a numerical comparison study shows the effectiveness of the proposed integrator term.
A Least Cost Analysis: Correlative Modeling of the Chaco Regional Road System

During the ninth through twelfth centuries A.D., Ancestral Pueblo people constructed long, straight roads that interconnected the Chaco regional system across the San Juan Basin of northwestern New Mexico. The intent and use of these features has eluded archaeological consensus, although recent research has reiterated the occurrence of long distance timber importation to Chaco Canyon. To enhance our interpretation of these features we offer a large-scale least cost analysis wherein optimal pathways that are modeled to simulate timber importation are compared to the actual road locations. A series of least cost paths were produced through different energy allocation algorithms, at different spatial scales, and with various origin and destination inputs. Our results reveal a strong correlation between actual road locations and modeled pathways. Therefore, we suggest that certain Chaco roads may have been specifically designed to facilitate the importation of timbers and that roads, once constructed, were the optimal pathway for the import of these resources.
MUSLIM WOMEN AND VEILING: What Does It Signify?

Abstrak: Perempuan Muslim dan Penggunaan Cadar: Apa Maknanya?. Perdebatan mengenai perempuan Muslim dan tindakan mereka mengenakan hijab atau menutup wajah bukanlah fenomena baru. Makalah ini akan mengeksplorasi perspektif memakai hijab melalui analisis semiotik serta fenomena perempuan dan menutup wajah pada umumnya. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, dan data dikumpulkan melalui pengamatan dan kajian pustaka. Temuan penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kerudung melambangkan berbagai perspektif di tempat yang berbeda, budaya dan tradisi. Sebagaimana hijab sering diasosiasikan sebagai bagian agama Islam, hijab juga merupakan simbol yang dipengaruhi oleh berbagai faktor. Hijab menjadi lambang identitas, religiusitas, kesopanan dan hak pilihan. Hijab juga mengungkapkan sikap mereka dalam masalah politik dan menunjukkan struktur sosial. Meskipun cadar bisa menggambarkan keterjangkauan perempuan dalam mengambil pakaian yang mereka pilih untuk hijab, beberapa simbol perlu ditinjau kembali karena mungkin ada beberapa perubahan dalam pemotretannya. Abstract: The debate upon women and their act of wearing hijab or veiling is not new phenomenon. This paper will explore the perspectives of wearing hijab through semiotic analysis as well as the phenomenon of women and veiling in general. This study employs qualitative approach, and the data were collected through observation and literature review. The findings indicate that veil symbolizes various perspectives in different places, cultures and traditions. As the veil often indexes as the religion of Islam, it is also a symbol which is affected by various factors. It becomes a symbol of identity, religiosity, modesty, and agency. The veil also reveals their stance in political matters and show the social structures. Even though the veil could portray the women’s affordability in taking up the clothing they choose to veil, some symbolizations need to be revisited since there might be some changes in its depictions. Keywords: women, veiling, hijab, symbol, Muslim
Snapshot phase-shifting diffraction phase microscope

We propose a novel and simple snapshot phase-shifting diffraction phase microscope with a polarization grating and spatial phase-shifting technology. Polarization grating separates the incident beam into left and right circular polarization beams, one of which is used as the reference beam after passing through a pinhole. Four phase-shifted interferograms can be captured simultaneously from the polarization camera to reconstruct the high spatial resolution phase map. The principle is presented in this Letter, and the performance of the proposed system is demonstrated experimentally. Due to the near-common-path configuration and snapshot feature, the proposed system provides a feasible way for real-time quantitative phase measurement with minimal sensitivity to vibration and thermal disturbance.
Risk Factors and Center-Level Variation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Under-Staging for Liver Transplantation.

Liver transplantation (LT) is curative for most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, 10%-15% of patients experience HCC recurrence. Patients who are reported as within Milan criteria by imaging are frequently found to be outside the criteria on explant. This under-staging of HCC worsens post-LT outcomes. However, risk factors for under-staging have not been elucidated. Furthermore, it is not known if there is regional or center-level variation in under-staging. We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult patients transplanted for HCC in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database between 2012 and 2016. Under-staging was determined on the basis of comparing pre-LT imaging to explant findings. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression were used to evaluate the impact of under-staging on HCC recurrence and post-LT survival. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for under-staging and to study regional and center-level variation in adjusted analyses. A total of 5424 patients were included in the cohort, of whom 24.9% (n = 1353) were under-staged. Post-LT HCC recurrence and death were significantly associated with under-staging (each P < 0.001). In adjusted analyses, independent predictors of under-staging included age (odds ratio [OR], 1.13 per 10 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.25), male sex (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.36-1.89), down-staging (OR, 4.03; 95% CI, 2.65-6.11), and pre-LT alpha-fetoprotein (P < 0.001). There was also significant variation in under-staging between UNOS regions and among transplant centers, ranging from 14.8% to 38.1%. We report novel risk factors for HCC under-staging, which worsens post-LT outcomes. Significant center-level and regional variation in under-staging highlights the need for standards that achieve greater uniformity in staging.
The Unexpected Arrivals: Soviet Jews in West Berlin 1974–75

In 1974 the unanticipated appearance in West Berlin of more than five hundred Soviet Jews created local, national, and international repercussions. These migrants, having obtained permission to lea...
Comparing and Combining Approximate Computing Frameworks.

Approximate computing frameworks configure applications so they can operate at a range of points in an accuracy-performance trade-off space. Prior work has introduced many frameworks to create approximate programs. As approximation frameworks proliferate, it is natural to ask how they can be compared and combined to create even larger, richer trade-off spaces. We address these questions by presenting VIPER and BOA. VIPER compares trade-off spaces induced by different approximation frameworks by visualizing performance improvements across the full range of possible accuracies. BOA is a family of exploration techniques that quickly locate Pareto-efficient points in the immense trade-off space produced by the combination of two or more approximation frameworks. We use VIPER and BOA to compare and combine three different approximation frameworks from across the system stack, including: one that changes numerical precision, one that skips loop iterations, and one that manipulates existing application parameters. Compared to simply looking at Pareto-optimal curves, we find VIPER's visualizations provide a quicker and more convenient way to determine the best approximation technique for any accuracy loss. Compared to a state-of-the-art evolutionary algorithm, we find that BOA explores 14x fewer configurations yet locates 35% more Pareto-efficient points.
Intention to lose weight and use of electronic cigarettes among adolescents.

Abstract Electronic cigarette use among American adolescents is a major public health concern given the negative health consequences of nicotine in youth. Recent literature has shown that weight control may be one motivation for use in this population. This study examined associations between intention to lose weight and e-cigarette use among adolescents having overweight or obesity from an ethnically diverse sample of Texas youth by gender. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of a state representative sample of 9056 eighth and eleventh grade students from the 2015–2016 Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition (Texas SPAN) study. Validated survey items assessed weight intentions and e-cigarette use. Staff collected anthropometric measures. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between e-cigarette use and weight intentions with gender interaction, adjusting for grade, race/ethnicity, economic status, weight-behaviors and stratified by BMI class. More than half (50.9%) of the weighted sample were Hispanic and 12.5% were Non-Hispanic Black; 8.5% used e-cigarettes; and 50.0% intended to lose weight. Of the 40.2% of the sample having overweight or obesity, 82.9% intended to lose weight. Among respondents with obesity, use of e-cigarettes was significantly higher among males intending to lose weight than among females intending to lose weight (12% versus 6%, p = 0.007). These findings contrast with previous research suggesting that e-cigarette use in females is more likely to be motivated by an intent to lose weight. The ethnic diversity of the Texas SPAN population may explain this discrepancy.
Amine Functionalization via Oxidative Photoredox Catalysis: Methodology Development and Complex Molecule Synthesis.

ConspectusWhile the use of visible light to drive chemical reactivity is of high importance to the development of environmentally benign chemical transformations, the concomitant use of a stoichiometric electron donor or acceptor is often required to steer the desired redox behavior of these systems. The low-cost and ubiquity of tertiary amine bases has led to their widespread use as reductive additives in photoredox catalysis. Early use of trialkylamines in this context was focused on their role as reductive excited state quenchers of the photocatalyst, which in turn provides a more highly reducing catalytic intermediate.In this Account, we discuss some of the observations and thought processes that have led from our use of amines as reductive additives to their use as complex substrates and intermediates for natural product synthesis. Early attempts by our group to construct key carbon–carbon bonds via free-radical intermediates led to the observation that some trialkylamines readily behave as efficient...
Integration of counseling services within the church: Development of a Church Assistance plan

This article explores issues facing churches today who wish to offer pastoral or Christian counseling services as a ministry of their church. The pros and cons of offering these services are briefly addressed along with an outline of several choices available to the church. Review of the literature in the business journals demonstrated the effectiveness of Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs) for companies faced with similar problems. Several successful EAPs were studied, along with unique issues to the church environment, to develop an alternative model for churches to utilize, referred to as Church Assistance Plans (CAPs). These CAPs can offer additional opportunities for counselors in an increasingly competitive field of mental health counseling.
Theoretical investigations, and correlative studies for NLF, HLFC, and LFC swept wings at subsonic, transonic and supersonic speeds

Attention is given to the results of theory/experiment-correlation studies for natural laminar flow, LFC, and hybrid-LFC airfoils at subsonic and supersonic Mach numbers. The method of characteristics, integral compressible boundary layer methods for infinitely swept wings, and a method for prediction of separating turbulent boundary layer characteristics. The integral boundary layer methods are found to be successful at predicting both transonic and supersonic transition phenomena. Computations for wings with 0-50 deg sweep angle, Reynolds number range of 1-30 million, and with and without LFC, are in good agreement with experimental data.
Making forest projects sustainable: optimal harvesting plan for the Sagarnath plantation in Nepal.

Abstract At present Nepal's demand for forest products exceeds its production. The Sagarnath Forest Development Project with its 10,000 hectares in sissoo and eucalyptus plantations may fulfill part of the country's requirement of firewood and timber products. To ensure the sustainable management of these plantations, a harvesting plan was developed. Linear programming was applied to obtain optimal harvesting levels. Models for both sissoo and eucalyptus were run with and without nondeclining, and even flow constraints separately. Linear Interactive and Discrete Optimizer (LINDO) was used to run these models. The plan with even flow constraints was found to be the best fulfilling the demands of both timber and fuelwood to some extent and making the harvest financially sustainable.
Measuring the Similarity of Vector Fields Using Global Distributions

Sensors such as video surveillance and weather monitoring systems record a significant amount of dynamic data which are represented by vector fields. We present a novel algorithm to measure the similarity of vector fields using global distributions that capture both vector field properties (e.g., vector orientation) and relational geometric information (e.g., the relative positions of two vectors in the field). We show that such global distributions are capable of distinguishing between vector fields of varying complexity and can be used to quantitatively compare similar fields.
The Dermatan Sulfate-Protein Linkage Region

A study was made to identify the components of the region of linkage between polysaccharide and protein of dermatan sulfate from umbilical cord. The sulfated mucopolysaccharides were obtained after digestion of the tissue with pepsin and trypsin, and a dermatan sulfate-polypeptide preparation was isolated and purified. In addition to uronic acid and galactosamine, this material contained approximately 39 µmoles of galactose and 18 µmoles of xylose per g. Treatment of the dermatan sulfate polypeptide with alkali resulted in the cleavage of the mucopolysaccharide from the peptide moiety, with the preferential destruction of the serine from the peptide. When this reaction was performed in the presence of sodium borohydride, there was an increase in alanine concurrent with the destruction of serine and a conversion of the xylose to xylitol. The galactose remained unchanged. These results indicate that the polysaccharide is linked to the protein via the hydroxyl oxygen of serine; this linkage is known to be easily cleaved with alkali by a β elimination reaction. The appearance of alanine upon treatment with alkaline borohydride confirms this mechanism, while the reduction of the xylose to xylitol indicates that xylose is the unit linked to the serine. Digestion of the dermatan sulfate polypeptide with Pronase yielded a product in which the amino acid composition corresponded to a dipeptide of serine and glycine. Serine was found to be the NH2-terminal amino acid, indicating that the peptide structure is serylglycine. This dermatan sulfate dipeptide is comparatively stable to alkali, and it is proposed that β-elimination from serine is minimal when its amino group is free.
Premotor commands encode monocular eye movements

Binocular coordination of eye movements is essential for stereopsis (depth perception) and to prevent double vision. More than a century ago, Hering and Helmholtz debated the neural basis of binocular coordination. Helmholtz1 believed that each eye is controlled independently and that binocular coordination is learned. Hering2 believed that both eyes are innervated by common command signals that yoke the eye movements (Hering's law of equal innervation). Here we provide evidence that Hering's law is unlikely to be correct. We show that premotor neurons in the paramedian pontine reticular formation that were thought to encode conjugate3,4,5,6 velocity commands for saccades (rapid eye movements) actually encode monocular commands for either right or left eye saccades. However, 66% of the abducens motor neurons, which innervate the ipsilateral lateral rectus muscle, fire as a result of movements of either eye. The distribution of sensitivity to ipsilateral and contralateral eye movements across the abducens motor neuron pool may provide a basis for learning binocular coordination in infancy and adapting it throughout life.
Dynamics of Transport Infrastructure, Exports and Economic Growth in the United States

This paper focuses on the dynamic relationships among transport infrastructure, exports and economic growth in the United States using a multivariate time-series analysis. Results suggest that the formation of highways and streets affects economic growth indirectly through enhancing the capital stock of non-transport infrastructure and crowding in private capital. The reverse causality from economic output to highway and street infrastructure is observed. Aggregate capital stock of non-transport infrastructure, excluding national defense, has sustainable positive effects on economic output and exports over a number of years. Empirical evidence also shows that highway and street infrastructure and non-transport infrastructure Granger cause exports.