An improved local search algorithm for 3-SAT

We slightly improve the pruning technique presented in Dantsin et. al. (2002) to obtain an $\mathcal{O}^*\left(1.473^n\right)$ algorithm for 3-SAT

Move-optimal schedules for parallel machines to minimize total weighted completion time

We study the minimum total weighted completion time problem on identical machines, which is known to be strongly $\mathcal{NP}$-hard. We analyze a simple local search heuristic, moving jobs from one machine to another. The local optima can be shown to be approximately optimal with approximation ratio $1.5$. In case all jobs have equal Smith ratios, the approximation ratio is at most $1.092$

COMPARISON OF SPRINTING MECHANICS OF THE DOUBLE TRANSTIBIAL AMPUTEE OSCAR PISTORIUS WITH ABLE BODIED ATHLETES

The purpose of this study was to examine the overall kinetics and the kinetics at the joints of the lower limb while sprinting at maximum speed, and to compare the data of a double transtibial amputee (OP) and able-bodied controls running at the same level of performance. One double transtibial amputee, and five able-bodied sprinters participated in the study. The athletes performed submaximal and maximal sprints on an indoor track embedded with 4 Kistler force plates while recorded with a 12 camera Vicon 624 system. OP displayed lower mechanical work (stance phase), external joint moments and joint power at the hip and the knee joints while displaying higher values of joint power at the (prosthetic) ankle joint compared to able-bodied athletes. The mechanical work at the knee joints was 11 times higher in the negative phase and 8.1 times higher in the positive phase during stance in the able-bodied athletes compared to OP

THE INFLUENCE OF TWO DIFFERENT BRACES ON LATERAL PATELLAR DISPLACEMENT – A CADAVERIC STUDY

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) often occurs in young and physically active athletes (Taunton et al., 2002, Adirim & Cheng, 2003).It is generally accepted that a cause of PFPS is a malalignment of the patellofemoral joint. Bracing supply is commonly used for the treatment of PFPS. Several studies have shown that patellar bracing and taping improved PFPS (Lun et al., 2005, Warden et al., 2008). Crossley et al. (2009) found a reduced lateral patellar displacement and a decreased mean pain (mean pain was recorded on a 100 mm visual analog scale during single-leg squats) after patellar taping. A more medial displacement of the patella and a decrease in patellofemoral stress could lead to less patellofemoral pain (Powers et al., 2004). A more medial patellar displacement could result in a more centered patella. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two different braces on the alignment of the patella

Vaccine Escape Recombinants Emerge after Pneumococcal Vaccination in the United States

The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced in the United States (US) in 2000 and has significantly reduced invasive pneumococcal disease; however, the incidence of nonvaccine serotype invasive disease, particularly due to serotype 19A, has increased. The serotype 19A increase can be explained in part by expansion of a genotype that has been circulating in the US prior to vaccine implementation (and other countries since at least 1990), but also by the emergence of a novel “vaccine escape recombinant” pneumococcal strain. This strain has a genotype that previously was only associated with vaccine serotype 4, but now expresses a nonvaccine serotype 19A capsule. Based on prior evidence for capsular switching by recombination at the capsular locus, the genetic event that resulted in this novel serotype/genotype combination might be identifiable from the DNA sequence of individual pneumococcal strains. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterise the putative recombinational event(s) at the capsular locus that resulted in the change from a vaccine to a nonvaccine capsular type. Sequencing the capsular locus flanking regions of 51 vaccine escape (progeny), recipient, and putative donor pneumococci revealed a 39 kb recombinational fragment, which included the capsular locus, flanking regions, and two adjacent penicillin-binding proteins, and thus resulted in a capsular switch and penicillin nonsusceptibility in a single genetic event. Since 2003, 37 such vaccine escape strains have been detected, some of which had evolved further. Furthermore, two new types of serotype 19A vaccine escape strains emerged in 2005. To our knowledge, this is the first time a single recombinational event has been documented in vivo that resulted in both a change of serotype and penicillin nonsusceptibility. Vaccine escape by genetic recombination at the capsular locus has the potential to reduce PCV7 effectiveness in the longer term

Population genetic structure of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Kilifi, Kenya, prior to the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

BACKGROUND: The 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) was introduced in Kenya in 2011. Introduction of any PCV will perturb the existing pneumococcal population structure, thus the aim was to genotype pneumococci collected in Kilifi before PCV10. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), we genotyped >1100 invasive and carriage pneumococci from children, the largest collection genotyped from a single resource-poor country and reported to date. Serotype 1 was the most common serotype causing invasive disease and was rarely detected in carriage; all serotype 1 isolates were members of clonal complex (CC) 217. There were temporal fluctuations in the major circulating sequence types (STs); and although 1-3 major serotype 1, 14 or 23F STs co-circulated annually, the two major serotype 5 STs mainly circulated independently. Major STs/CCs also included isolates of serotypes 3, 12F, 18C and 19A and each shared ≤ 2 MLST alleles with STs that circulate widely elsewhere. Major CCs associated with non-PCV10 serotypes were predominantly represented by carriage isolates, although serotype 19A and 12F CCs were largely invasive and a serotype 10A CC was equally represented by invasive and carriage isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the pre-PCV10 population genetic structure in Kilifi will allow for the detection of changes in prevalence of the circulating genotypes and evidence for capsular switching post-vaccine implementation