cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Promoter Polymorphism-465G/T of CD2 Associated Protein in Children with Nephrotic Syndrome

Objective To investigate the relationship between promoter polymorphism -465G/T of CD2 associated protein (CD2AP) and pathogeny of nephrotic syndrome(NS) in children.Methods The children were divided into the NS group and the normal control group.The CD2AP gene promoter -465G/T polymorphism was determined by PCR and sequencing in 88 patients with NS and 86 healthy children.Odds ratios (OR) were used to evaluate the association between the polymorphisms and NS.Ninety-five percent confidence interval(95%CI) was obtained with Miettinen method.Results The frequencies of CD2AP gene promoter GG,GT and TT genotypes were 59.1%,31.8% and 9.1%,respectively in the NS group,and 80.2%,17.4% and 2.4%,respectively in the normal control group.The frequencies of G and T allele were 68.9% and 31.1%,respectively in NS group,and 83.2%,16.8%,respectively in the normal control group.There were marked differences in the frequencies of genotypes (GT and TT) for CD2AP gene promoter in the NS group and the normal control group (40.9% and 19.8%,χ2 = 9.339,P=0.002)).The individuals with GT and TT genotypes were 2.76 times susceptible to NS in the NS group than that in the normal control group(OR=2.76,95% CI:1.421-5.336).The frequencies of genotypes (GT and TT) for CD2AP gene promoter in steroid-resistant NS patients were significantly higher than that in steroid-sensitive NS patients (71.4% and 31.3%,χ2=10.617,P=0.001).The individuals with T allele were 4.42 times susceptible to steroid-resistant NS patients than controls(OR=4.42,95%CI:1.780-10.943).Conclusion The CD2AP gene promoter -465G/T polymorphism is significantly implicated in the susceptibility to NS and steroid resistance in children.
Augmented reality-based exergames for rehabilitation

Rehabilitation for stroke afflicted patients, through exercises tailored for individual needs, aims at relearning basic motor skills, especially in the extremities. Rehabilitation through Augmented Reality (AR) based games engage and motivate patients to perform exercises which, otherwise, maybe boring and monotonic. Also, mirror therapy allows users to observe one's own movements in the game providing them with good visual feedback. This paper presents an augmented reality based system for rehabilitation by playing four interactive, cognitive and fun Exergames (exercise and gaming). The system uses low-cost RGB-D cameras such as Microsoft Kinect V2 to capture and generate 3D model of the person by extracting him/her from the entire captured data and immersing it in different interactive virtual environments. Animation based limb movement enhancement along with cognitive aspects incorporated in the game can help in positive reinforcement, progressive challenges and motion improvement. Recording module of the toolkit allows future reference and facilitates feedback from the physician. 10 able-bodied users, 2 psychological experts and 2 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physicians evaluated the user experience and usability aspects of the exergames. Results obtained shows the games to be fun and realistic, and at the same time engaging and motivating for performing exercises.
The Effects of Counterstereotypic Gender Strategies on Candidate Evaluations

Voters do not associate female candidates with feminine stereotypes, but voters also do not associate female candidates with the qualities most valued in political leaders such as experience and knowledge. Current research offers conflicting conclusions on whether female candidates benefit from breaking with feminine norms or face a backlash for being too aggressive and not likable enough. Using a series of experiments, I show how counterstereotypic gender strategies, including women emphasizing masculine trait competencies, improve evaluations of female candidates along both masculine and feminine leadership dimensions. These results offer novel insights into how female candidates can overcome perceptual deficits among voters that they lack critical masculine leadership qualities. I also show that female candidates can overcome these biases without losing on traditional feminine strengths such as warmth and likability. However, counterstereotypic female candidates can face a “likability” backlash from out-partisan voters. These findings suggest counterstereotypes may be more beneficial for female candidates in a primary election context when voters are copartisans rather than general elections where candidates often need cross-partisan support.
Trait Emotional Intelligence, Self-Confidence and Valuation of Mathematics: Mediation and Moderated Mediation Analyses of summer versus Regular Semester Students

Studies suggest trait emotional intelligence (EI) is related to improved attitudes about learning. Within the context of learning mathematics, researchers argue the inclusion of EI in the curriculum can improve student attitudes about mathematics, and consequently performance. However, the mechanism underlying the relationship between trait EI and attitudes about mathematics has not been empirically assessed. This study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the mediating effect of self-confidence in math ability on the relation between trait EI and math attitudes, using a diverse sample of undergraduate students at a large public university in the Northeastern US (N = 381). The results show self-confidence mediated such relation. Using moderated mediation SEM, the study also generalizes the results over summer versus regular semester students. The results suggest inclusion of trait EI within any mathematics curriculum will result in higher self-confidence among students, and therefore improved attitudes about mathematics.
Chapter 31 - Radical Prostatectomy: The Retropublic Antegrade Approach

Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumor in men. Patients diagnosed with a clinically localized prostate cancer have a variety of management choices, including radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, external beam radiation therapy as well as conservative management such as watchful waiting. Radical retropubic prostatectomy remains the time-honored therapy for locally confined prostate cancer. Radical prostatectomy is considered to be a curative treatment. The advantages of retropubic radical prostatectomy are a lower rate of positive surgical margins, more consistent preservation of neurovascular bundles, and fewer rectal injuries. In addition, a staging pelvic lymphadenectomy can be done in the same session. Technical refinements in radical retropubic prostatectomy have resulted in lower rates of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, less blood loss and shorter hospital stays, and lower rates of positive surgical margins. Complications of the radical prostatectomy can be grouped as intraoperative complications, early postoperative complications, and late postoperative complications. Hemorrhage is the most common intraoperative complication during radical prostatectomy. Incontinence, impotence, and bladder neck contracture are the late postoperative complications.
Estimating treatment effects in demand response

Demand response is designed to motivate electricity customers to modify their loads at critical time periods. Accurately estimating customers response to demand response signals is crucial to the success of these programs. In this paper, we consider signals in demand response programs as a treatment to the customers and estimate the average treatment effect. Specifically, we adopt the linear regression model and derive several consistent linear regression estimators. From both synthetic and real data, we show that including more information about the customers does not always improve estimation accuracy: the interaction between the side information and the demand response signal must be carefully modeled. We then apply the so-called modified covariate method to capture these interactions and show it can strike a balance between having more data and model correctness. Our results are validated using data collected by Pecan Street.
Abstract 1936: CoMEt: A statistical approach to identify combinations of mutually exclusive alterations in cancer

Identifying driver mutations in cancer genomes is a significant challenge due to the mutational heterogeneity of tumors: different combinations of somatic mutations drive different tumors, even those of the same cancer type. This mutational heterogeneity arises because driver mutations target genes in signaling and regulatory pathways, each of which can be perturbed in numerous ways. We introduce CoMEt, an algorithm to identify combinations of candidate driver mutations de novo, without any prior biological knowledge (e.g. pathways or protein interactions). CoMEt searches for combinations of mutations that exhibit mutual exclusivity, a pattern expected for mutations in pathways. CoMEt uses an exact statistical test for mutual exclusivity that is less biased toward high frequency alterations than previous approaches and more sensitive in detecting combinations of lower frequency alterations. We compute the exact test using a novel tail enumeration procedure and also derive a binomial approximation. CoMEt simultaneously identifies collections of one or more combinations of mutually exclusive alterations, consistent with the observation of multiple hallmarks of cancer, and also performs simultaneous analysis of subtype-specific mutations. Finally, CoMEt uses an MCMC algorithm to sample from collections in proportion to their significance, summarizing the distribution in a marginal probability graph. We show that CoMEt outperforms other mutual exclusivity approaches on simulated and real data. We apply CoMEt to hundreds of samples from four different TCGA cancer types: gastric cancer (STAD), glioblastoma (GBM) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and breast cancer (BRCA). We identify multiple mutually exclusive sets within each cancer type. These include the RTK/RAS pathway in gastric cancer, the Rb and p53 signaling pathways in glioblastoma, and a collection containing multiple kinases, including FLT3, as well as the RAS genes in AML. In addition, we analyze subtype-specific mutations using CoMEt by encoding the subtype of each sample and computing exclusivity between and within subtypes. We apply this approach using four gene expression subtypes of breast cancer and identify several pathways that are enriched for mutations in specific subtypes including the PI(3)K/AKT signaling pathway in the Luminal A subtype. Many of these overlap known pathways, but others reveal novel putative cancer genes. These findings provide testable hypotheses for experimental validation. Citation Format: Hsin-Ta Wu, Mark D.M. Leiserson, Fabio Vandin, Benjamin J. Raphael. CoMEt: A statistical approach to identify combinations of mutually exclusive alterations in cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1936. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1936
Real-time estimation of helicopter rotor blade kinematics through measurement of rotation induced acceleration

Abstract This paper presents a novel approach to monitoring rotor blade flap, lead-lag and pitch using an embedded gyroscope and symmetrically mounted MEMS accelerometers. The central hypothesis is that differential accelerometer measurements are proportional only to blade motion; fuselage acceleration and blade bending are inherently compensated for. The inverse kinematic relationships (from blade position to acceleration and angular rate) are derived and simulated to validate this hypothesis. An algorithm to solve the forward kinematic relationships (from sensor measurement to blade position) is developed using these simulation results. This algorithm is experimentally validated using a prototype device. The experimental results justify continued development of this kinematic estimation approach.
Bilingual Language Learning in Connectionist Networks.

Introduction Connectionist modeling opens up a venue to research on language learning from the statistical point of view. Network input construction offers a way to examine what kind of knowledge could be statistically learned and internal representations from network hidden units help to clarify how the knowledge thereafter could be represented in human minds (Elman, 1991; St. John & McClelland, 1990). Results, thus far, demonstrate the ability of general cognitive learning in various aspects of human language, morphology, syntax, etc., without recourse to innate linguistic rules. This study aims to extend the work of modeling monolingual language learning into the area of bilingual language learning in hopes of drawing further evidence to support the argument of general cognitive capacity in language learning by requiring the network to learn different syntactic structures of two languages using just one learning algorithm and with no innate linguistic structures built in.
Regenerable Cu-intercalated MnO 2 layered cathode for highly cyclable energy dense batteries.

Manganese dioxide cathodes are inexpensive and have high theoretical capacity (based on two electrons) of 617 mAh g−1, making them attractive for low-cost, energy-dense batteries. They are used in non-rechargeable batteries with anodes like zinc. Only ∼10% of the theoretical capacity is currently accessible in rechargeable alkaline systems. Attempts to access the full capacity using additives have been unsuccessful. We report a class of Bi-birnessite (a layered manganese oxide polymorph mixed with bismuth oxide (Bi2O3)) cathodes intercalated with Cu2+ that deliver near-full two-electron capacity reversibly for >6,000 cycles. The key to rechargeability lies in exploiting the redox potentials of Cu to reversibly intercalate into the Bi-birnessite-layered structure during its dissolution and precipitation process for stabilizing and enhancing its charge transfer characteristics. This process holds promise for other applications like catalysis and intercalation of metal ions into layered structures. A large prismatic rechargeable Zn-birnessite cell delivering ∼140 Wh l−1 is shown. Manganese oxide cathodes in alkaline solutions combine low cost and high capacity for energy storage, but it has been challenging to combine high capacity and stable cycling in this system. Here authors demonstrate reversible, high-capacity cycling when copper additives are introduced and investigate the transformations involved.
TENON CAPSULE-VITREOUS CAVITY FISTULA AFTER HYDROGEL SCLERAL BUCKLE REMOVAL.

PURPOSE To report a rare case of vitreous cavity-Tenon capsule fistula formation after removal of a symptomatic hydrogel scleral buckle. METHODS Case report. RESULTS A 43-year-old man presented with chronic headache and involuntary gaze deviation for over 1 year after hydrogel scleral buckle surgery 25 years prior. After removal of the scleral buckle, the patient developed a fluid-filled inflation of the buckle capsule, surrounding a previously noted area of severe scleral thinning. Ocular ultrasonography suggested a fistulous connection between the vitreous cavity and the sub-Tenon space in the area of scleral thinning. There was resolution of diplopia and headache postoperatively, with stability of the fluid collection on clinical examination. Because of high risk of further surgery and resolution of the patient's symptoms, conservative management was elected. CONCLUSION This is the first report, to the best of our knowledge, of Tenon capsule-vitreous cavity fistula formation after scleral buckle explantation. Because of innate ability to expand, as well as tendency to become friable, hydrogel buckles have a higher risk of requiring removal and of complications from explantation, respectively. Our patient experienced relief of symptoms, without complication from the fistula, and was successfully managed conservatively.
Barley Malt Limit Dextrinase: Varietal, Environmental, and Malting Effects12

A new assay procedure was used to study the limit dextrinase activity of barley malt. Variety, location, and crop year were shown to significantly affect the production of limit dextrinase. Enzyme ...
Schwarzian derivative and Ermakov equation on a time scale

We introduce the Schwarzian, simplified Schwarzian, and Schwarzian Korteweg-de Vries equations on a time scale that are invariant under the fractional linear transformations. As an application, we derive their solutions and establish the invariant disconjugacy condition for second order dynamic equations on a time scale. Furthermore, we consider the Ermakov dynamic equation and the Ermakov-Lewis adiabatic invariant on a time scale. We discuss specific examples of discrete, quantum, and continuous time scales to compare our equations with the well-known ones. We also derive the linearization of the Ermakov equation and the corresponding Painleve equation on a time scale.
Generalized parameterized approximations

We study generalized parameterized approximations, defined using both rough set theory and probability theory. The main objective is to study, for a given subset of the universe U, all such parameterized approximations, i.e., for all parameter values. For an approximation space (U,R), where R is an equivalence relation, there is only one type of such parameterized approximations. For an approximation space (U,R), where R is an arbitrary binary relation, three types of parameterized approximations are introduced in this paper: singleton, subset and concept. We show that the number of parameterized approximations of given type is not greater than the cardinality of U. Additionally, we show that singleton parameterized approximations are not useful for data mining, since such approximations, in general, are not even locally definable.
Computational Aspects of the Boundary Element Method Applied to Frictional Heating

A variation of the boundary element method is developed to solve for the distribution of frictional heat and ensuing temperature rise caused by frictional heating between sliding solids. The problem under consideration is 3-dimensional and transient and involves the thermal coupling of two different materials at the true contact areas. By using a moving Green’s function which naturally incorporates the combined effects of convection due to sliding and diffusion, the original differential formulation is reduced to a system of integral equations for the unknown boundary data. The integral equations are discretized using constant elements to numerically obtain the unknown boundary information.
Subcellular Dissection and Characterization of Plasma Lipoprotein Secretory (Golgi) and Endocytic (Multivesicular Bodies) Compartments of Rat Hepatocytes

Virtually 100% of chylomicron remnants are taken up by liver and degraded within lysosomes in hepatic parenchymal cells [1]. Most (> 50–95%) remnants of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and most (ca. 50–70%) low density lipoproteins (LDL) are also catabolized by the same metabolic pathway in liver cells [1–3], although remnants of chylomicrons may bind initially to a different receptor than LDL (1 and Mahley, this volume). This enormous traffic of incoming lipoprotein particles is unique to liver and is related to two specialized structures also unique to liver. The first is the sieve plate structure of the sinusoidal lining in which the endothelial cell cytoplasm is perforated by numerous pores averaging about 100–120 nm in diameter, sufficiently large to permit most remnants entry into the space of Disse from plasma and easy access to receptors on hepatocyte microvilli [4].
Scoring System for Conditioning and Wellness Assessment in Athletic Population

Athletic performance is multifaceted, and it is affected by a wide range of factors. Athletes and coaches are interested in collecting as much data as possible to provide insight into performance and training effectiveness. However, it can be difficult for athletes to identify a relationship between these factors and their performance, and even more difficult for a coach who may be responsible for monitoring dozens of metrics in dozens of athletes. Here we outline an approach for condensing a range of wellness factors into a single score, as well as a method for condensing jump height consistency and improvement into a separate performance score. These scoring systems allow for wellness and performance to be evaluated at a glance, allowing for early intervention to reduce injury, an understanding of performance, and effective training.
Commentary: COVID-19 and diabetes mellitus: What we know, how our patients should be treated now, and what should happen next.

No abstract available Keywords: COVID-19; Diabetes; Evidence-based practice; Renin-angiotensin system; Risk; SARS-CoV-2; Therapy.
Generalized Vertex Operators of Hall– Littlewood Polynomials as Twists of Charged Free Fermions

Using twists of fields of charged free fermions, we revise the generalized vertex operator presentation of Hall–Littlewood polynomials, propose a new version of the deformed boson-fermion correspondence, and construct new examples of tau-functions of the KP hierarchy in the one-parameter deformation of the ring of symmetric functions Λ[t].
Discovery and characterization of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 inhibitor peptides that potentiate meropenem-dependent killing of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Objectives Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are an emerging class of antimicrobial resistance enzymes that degrade β-lactam antibiotics, including last-resort carbapenems. Infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are increasingly prevalent, but treatment options are limited. While several serine-dependent β-lactamase inhibitors are formulated with commonly prescribed β-lactams, no MBL inhibitors are currently approved for combinatorial therapies. New compounds that target MBLs to restore carbapenem activity against CPE are therefore urgently needed. Herein we identified and characterized novel synthetic peptide inhibitors that bound to and inhibited NDM-1, which is an emerging β-lactam resistance mechanism in CPE. Methods We leveraged Surface Localized Antimicrobial displaY (SLAY) to identify and characterize peptides that inhibit NDM-1, which is a primary carbapenem resistance mechanism in CPE. Lead inhibitor sequences were chemically synthesized and MBCs and MICs were calculated in the presence/absence of carbapenems. Kinetic analysis with recombinant NDM-1 and select peptides tested direct binding and supported NDM-1 inhibitor mechanisms of action. Inhibitors were also tested for cytotoxicity. Results We identified approximately 1700 sequences that potentiated carbapenem-dependent killing against NDM-1 Escherichia coli. Several also enhanced meropenem-dependent killing of other CPE. Biochemical characterization of a subset indicated the peptides penetrated the bacterial periplasm and directly bound NDM-1 to inhibit enzymatic activity. Additionally, each demonstrated minimal haemolysis and cytotoxicity against mammalian cell lines. Conclusions Our approach advances a molecular platform for antimicrobial discovery, which complements the growing need for alternative antimicrobials. We also discovered lead NDM-1 inhibitors, which serve as a starting point for further chemical optimization.
KLF6 activates complementary gene modules relevant to axon growth and promotes corticospinal tract regeneration after spinal injury

Members of the KLF family of transcription factors can exert both positive and negative effects on axon regeneration in the central nervous system, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. KLF6 and -7 share nearly identical DNA binding domains and stand out as the only known growth-promoting family members. Here we confirm that similar to KLF7, expression of KLF6 declines during postnatal cortical development and that forced re-expression of KLF6 in corticospinal tract neurons of adult female mice enhances axon regeneration after cervical spinal injury. Unlike KLF7, however, these effects were achieved with wildtype KLF6, as opposed constitutively active mutants, thus simplifying the interpretation of mechanistic studies. To clarify the molecular basis of growth promotion, RNA sequencing identified 454 genes whose expression changed upon forced KLF6 expression in cortical neurons. Network analysis of these genes revealed sub-networks of downregulated genes that were highly enriched for synaptic functions, and sub-networks of upregulated genes with functions relevant to axon extension including cytoskeleton remodeling, lipid synthesis and transport, and bioenergetics. The promoter regions of KLF6-sensitive genes showed enrichment for the binding sequence of STAT3, a previously identified regeneration-associated gene. Notably, co-expression of constitutively active STAT3 along with KLF6 in cortical neurons produced synergistic increases in neurite length. Finally, genome-wide ATAC-seq footprinting detected frequent co-binding by the two factors in pro-growth gene networks, indicating co-occupancy as an underlying mechanism for the observed synergy. These findings advance understanding of KLF-stimulated axon growth and indicate functional synergy of KLF6 transcriptional effects with those of STAT3.
The Future of Law Libraries

Law libraries are filed with the rules that govern our society, thoughtful scholars, conscientious lawyers, some hard working students, and some procrastinating students. In the past, this required libraries to collect hardbound volumes and loose leafs. Today, the collection is beginning to give way to research platforms filed with those same, or similar, materials and then some; much of the primary legal documentation is even freely available on the web.While the physical footprint of the library may be smaller as a result of this transition, the amount of legal information that researchers have access to has grown exponentially. We now have more sophisticated tools for manipulating this ocean of digital information, and the services offered by law librarians are evolving along with those tools. This article will review current trends in law libraries.
Editor Introduction: Honor, Privilege, and Imagination

Several years ago, I was purchasing a gift for a colleague as a way to thank her for her service as a member of a committee I was chairing for the National Communication Association. As many of you...
Driver Yielding and Pedestrian Performance at Midblock Crossings on Three-Lane Roadways with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons:

Rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) have proven to be a useful tool for improving driver yielding and pedestrians’ safety at midblock crossings. This study analyzed driver yielding at 23 RRF...
A De Novo case of autosomal dominant mitochondrial membrane protein-associated neurodegeneration.

Background Mitochondrial membrane protein-associated neurodegeneration (MPAN) is a genetic neurodegenerative condition previously thought to be inherited only in an autosomal recessive pattern through biallelic pathogenic variants in C19orf12. Recent evidence has proposed that MPAN can also follow autosomal dominant forms of inheritance. We present a case of a de novo pathogenic variant in C19orf12 identified in a female with clinical features consistent with a diagnosis of MPAN, adding further evidence that the disease can be inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Methods A 17-year-old Hispanic female was born to non-consanguineous healthy parents. She developed progressive muscle weakness and dystonia beginning when she was 12 years old. Trio, whole-exome sequencing with mitochondrial genome sequencing, and deletion/duplication analysis of both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes was performed in December 2019. Results Whole-exome sequencing analysis revealed a single de novo variant in C19orf12. The specific variant is c.256C>T (p.Q86X) located in exon 3. Conclusion Our clinical report provides further clinical evidence that MPAN can be inherited in an autosomal dominant or recessive fashion. The patient's age of onset and clinical symptoms are very similar to the previous patient published with this specific variant as well as others with heterozygous pathogenic variants in C19orf12 in Gregory et al. 2019. Our case report highlights the importance of considering both autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive version of MPAN with all patients demonstrating clinical features suggestive of MPAN.
INTRODUCTION: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE STATs AND A GLANCE AT THE FUTURE

In the Spring of 1991 Chris Schindler and X.Y. Fu in our lab had succeeded in purifying sufficiently ISGF3, the interferon-α induced DNA binding complex that David Levy had identified, so that we had some hope of identifying the constituent protein(s). The sizes of the proteins in ISGF3 were identified in an experiment that Dan Kessler and I cooked up. Dan ran an EMSA with32P-labeled DNA and sufficient partially purified ISGF3 so that the labeled DNA and attached protein could be excised from the gel, the proteins eluted and run on a sizing gel revealing the presence of 91, 84, 113 and 48 kD molecules. He saw the same molecules in two separate experiments convincing us that this was correct.
Characterization of a nonproteolytic arginine ester-hydrolyzing enzyme from snake venom.

Abstract An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester and p-toluenesulfonyl-l-arginine methyl ester has been isolated from the venom of Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus (broadbanded copperhead) by means of DEAE-cellulose chromatography. A high degree of homogeneity is suggested by sedimentation velocity, gel filtration, polyacetate electrophoresis, and isoelectric focusing. The purified enzyme has a sedimentation coefficient of 2.7 S, a diffusion coefficient of 8.3 x 10-7 cm2 per sec, and a molecular weight of 30,000. The isoelectric point, as determined by means of isoelectric focusing, was found to be 9.1. Enzymatic assays showed the preparation to be specific for arginine esters. The Km values determined with N-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester and p-toluenesulfonyl-l-arginine methyl ester are 1.17 x 10-4 and 1.49 x10-3, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and N-bromosuccinimide. Optimal rates of hydrolysis were observed from pH 7.5 to pH 8.5.
Viral Infections During Pregnancy: A Risk Factor for the Development of Concurrent Autism and Epilepsy in the Offspring (S60.004)

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether maternal immune activation (MIA) represents a risk factor for comorbidity between autism and epilepsy. BACKGROUND: MIA induced by infections during pregnancy is known produce autism in the offspring via the activation of interleukin-6 (IL-6). Considering a high degree of comorbidity between autism and epilepsy, we examined whether MIA leads to epileptic phenotype in the offspring, and pursued to identify the responsible MIA components. DESIGN/METHODS: MIA was induced in C57Black/6 mice by injecting polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PIC, 2.5 mg/kg) during the third trimester of pregnancy. Separate animals received anti-IL-6 and anti-interleukin-1β (IL-1β) monoclonal antibodies (MAB) concurrently with PIC. Yet separate animals received recombinant IL-6 (20mcg/kg), IL-β (20 mc/kg), or IL-6+IL-1β combination instead of PIC. The offspring was examined starting from PN30. Autism-like behavior was studied using three-chamber sociability test. Epileptic phenotype was analyzed using rapid kindling and intrahippocampal kainic acid (KA) models. RESULTS: The offspring of PIC, IL-6 and IL-6+IL-1β (but not IL-1β- only) mice exhibited diminished sociability. In the kindling model, both PIC and IL-6+IL-1β offspring exhibited increased excitability and accelerated kindling epileptogenesis. In the KA model, PIC offspring showed exacerbated hippocampal neurodegeneration. Epilepsy features in the IL-6- only and IL-1β- only offspring were smilar to those in normal mice. In the PIC offspring, autism behavior was prevented by IL-6 MAB, but not IL-1β MAB. Both IL-6 and IL-1β MAB prevented the development of epileptic features. CONCLUSIONS: MIA represents a risk factor for the development of epilepsy in the offspring via concurrent activation of IL-6 and IL-1β. Under conditions of MIA, measuring plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-1β may predict the occurrence of autism and epilepsy in the offspring. Treatment of women at risk with IL-6 and IL-1β MAB may reduce the risk of development of autism and epilepsy in their children. Study Supported by: NIH grant R01NS065783 and Today and Tomorrow Children’s Fund (AM). Disclosure: Dr. Sankar has received personal compensation for activities with UCB Pharma, Lundbeck, Cyberonics, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Supernus, Upsher-Smith Laboratories Inc., and Acorda Therapeutics. Dr. Sankar has received research support from Pfizer Inc. and Bluebird Bio. Dr. Mazarati has nothing to disclose. Dr. Washington III has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pineda has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shin has nothing to disclose.
On the equivalence between the Node‐ARC and ARC‐Chain formulations for the multi‐commodity maximal flow problem

The purpose of this article is to formulate the multi-commodity maximal flow problem into a node-arc form and to show that when decomposition is applied to this form the resulting master and subproblems become precisely those described by Ford & Fulkerson [3] using the arc-chain formulation. A generalization to the problem is then considered which can potentially speed its convergence.
Glucagon gene 5'-flanking sequences promote islet cell-specific gene transcription.

Abstract Glucagon, a peptide hormone which regulates hepatic carbohydrate metabolism, is processed from a larger precursor, proglucagon. The gene encoding proglucagon is expressed at high levels in the A cells of the pancreatic islets and the L cells of the intestine, indicating that specific factors present in these two phenotypically distinct cells direct cell-specific expression. To characterize the factors that mediate glucagon gene transcription, we analyzed the 5'-flanking region of the rat glucagon gene for the existence of cis-acting sequences that promote glucagon gene transcription. A series of fusion genes containing sequentially shortened 5'-flanking sequences of the rat glucagon gene were constructed and fused to the coding sequence of the reporter enzyme chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. Analyses of the transcription of these fusion genes after their transfection into choriocarcinoma cells, fibroblasts, and islet cell lines of different phenotypes indicate that cis-acting DNA elements promote glucagon gene transcription only in islet cell lines. Transcriptional activity was much higher in glucagon compared to insulin-producing islet cell lines with fusion genes containing 249 or more base pairs of glucagon 5'-flanking sequence. Deletion of DNA sequences upstream of -168 abolished the preferential expression in glucagon-producing cell lines, however glucagon-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase fusion genes containing 168 base pairs or more of 5'-flanking sequence remained transcriptionally active, but only in islet cell lines. Fusion genes containing 115 base pairs of glucagon gene 5'-flanking sequences were transcriptionally inactive. These studies indicate that cis-acting DNA sequences present in the 5'-flanking region of the rat glucagon gene mediate islet cell-specific gene transcription.
Affirmative Action and the Quality-Fit Trade-Off

This paper reviews the literature on affirmative action in undergraduate education and law schools, focusing especially on the trade-off between institutional quality and the fit between a school and a student. We discuss the conditions under which affirmative action for underrepresented minorities (URM) could help or harm their educational outcomes. We provide descriptive evidence on the extent of affirmative action in law schools, as well as a critical review of the contentious literature on how affirmative action affects URM law-school student performance. Our review then discusses affirmative action in undergraduate admissions, focusing on the effects such admissions preferences have on college quality, graduation rates, college major, and earnings. We conclude by examining the evidence on "percent plans" as a replacement for affirmative action.
Before Industrial Light and Magic: the independent Hollywood special effects business, 1968–75

This paper provides a rejoinder to Industrial Light and Magic's (ILM) rather triumphalist story of its ‘rebel’ origins. First of all, the paper describes the independent Hollywood optical, title, and effects houses in the late 1960s and early 1970s – an industrial history that does not exist in either academic or popular accounts. The independents provided the training ground for much of the future ILM team on Star Wars (Lucas, 1977) and other special effects-heavy blockbusters of the late 1970s and through the 1980s such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Spielberg, 1977) and Blade Runner (Scott, 1982). By paying proper attention to the industrial context of special effects in the late 1960s and through the 1970s, a surprising stylistic history emerges that reveals that today's special effect aesthetic (which is primarily the ILM aesthetic), typically called ‘photorealism’, is as much of a style as any other, with stylistic components that can be identified, analyzed, and most importantly, denaturali...
The Effects of Regional Compliance and Instantaneous Stiffness on Seat Back Comfort

It is necessary to thoroughly understand how the occupant-seat interface affects the perception of comfort to facilitate the design and validation of comfortable automotive seats. Previous studies indicated that the local supporting properties of the seat back, namely the regional compliance and regional stiffness, play a significant role in the perception of seat comfort. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of these properties on perceived comfort. The study used five production seats as test samples. The regional force-deflection properties of the seats were tested, and eighteen participates subjectively evaluated the seats for the perception of seat back compliance and stiffness. The quantitative and subjective test data was used to examine the relationships between the local supporting properties of the seat back and the perception of seat comfort. Based on the testing procedures, recommendations for regional stiffness and lumbar prominence were made. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 492369.
DELTA OPIOID RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IS INDUCED BY CONCANAVALIN A IN CD4+ T CELLS

Expression of delta opioid receptor mRNA in CD4+ T cells purified from Con A-stimulated murine splenocytes was demonstrated by reverse transcription-PCR and sequencing of the PCR products. mu and kappa opioid receptor mRNAs were not detected. Similar results were obtained in a single isolation of CD8+ T cells from Con A-stimulated splenocytes. mRNA for the delta opioid receptor was not detected in CD4+ T cells purified from either freshly isolated splenocytes or splenocytes cultured without Con A, and incubation of purified CD4+ T cells with Con A did not induce delta opioid receptor mRNA. It appears that quiescent CD4+ T cells do not express classic opioid receptors, but the delta-type receptor can be induced upon activation.
Policy-controlled email services

The context for this research proposal is an area of work that seeks to replace the current state of access-control for email, in which an arbitrary message sender enjoys unregulated "append" access to message recipient's email mailbox, with a policy framework, in which each principal involved in a message exchange—namely the sender, the sender's service provider, the recipient's service provider, and the recipient, can articulate its interests for regulating access to resources under its control. Though there exist a vast number of automatic control techniques to limit transmission of email messages, specifically, to stop unwanted messages reaching a recipient, they are still prone to dropping some desirable messages. This often prompts recipients and other principals to relax the message acceptance requirements. This in turn makes them easy targets for sending commercial or fraudulent mail. We propose a novel scheme to overcome this handicap. Our scheme makes the transmission mechanism aware of the documentation required with a message to make it acceptable downstream. For instance, if a recipient wishes to receive only those messages that have a monetary guarantee, also known as a bond, then the transmission system must be made aware of this fact so that desirable messages can satisfy this requirement. Consequently, recipients and other principals can express and enforce precise acceptance requirements, through explicit policies, and gain control over their resources. In addition to the problem of enforcing precise acceptance requirements in the transmission process, there exists no means of flexibly combining available email-control techniques tailored to the needs of a particular recipient or its service provider. This is the primary reason for the inability to express requirements suited to a particular individual. For instance, currently it is not possible to state a requirement like 'allow messages, initiated by a human sender affiliated with George Mason University, even though the spam filter ranks them as possible spam'. In our view a policy-based approach is well-suited to attain this objective. The use of these control-techniques leads to significant deviation of behavior from what is prescribed in the current email delivery protocol. In other words, the protocol lacks significantly in representing the current delivery requirements. Clearly, it requires an overhaul to correspond to current requirements and reduce ambiguities during protocol play; a goal that we propose to research in this study. We propose using constraint logic programming (CLP) to articulate and evaluate different types of policies. This is because the way messages are constructed and acceptance conditions are evaluated, a CLP approach seems a natural way to model these operations. In addition, CLP approach promises to simplify the task of providing feedback for rejected messages, so that they can be revised and retransmitted. Since declarative policies can describe control on a very high-level, we also propose to study refinements of these high-level directives to protocol level actions.
The 2013 Okhotsk deep-focus earthquake: Rupture beyond the metastable olivine wedge and thermally controlled rise time near the edge of a slab

The 2013 M8.3 Okhotsk earthquake involves two primary mechanisms of deep-focus earthquake rupture, mineral phase transformation of olivine to spinel and thermal shear instability. Backprojection imaging of broadband seismograms recorded by the North American and European networks indicates bilateral rupture toward NE and SSE. The rupture paths of the NE segment and other regional M7 earthquakes are confined in narrow regions along the slab contours, consistent with the phase transformation mechanism. However, the SSE rupture propagates a long distance across the slab and aftershocks are distributed across a ~60 km wide zone, beyond the plausible thickness of the metastable olivine wedge, favoring thermal shear weakening. While the NE rupture is only visible at high frequencies, the SSE rupture is consistently observed across a broad-frequency range. This frequency-dependent rupture mode can be explained by lateral variations of rise time controlled by thermal thinning of the slab near its northern end.
An Introduction to Comparative Evolutionary Psychology

Previously we (Vonk and Shackelford, 2012, in press) proposed an integration of comparative psychology and evolutionary psychology into a new field of “comparative evolutionary psychology.” This in...
Benefits of implantable defibrillators are overestimated by sudden death rates and better represented by the total arrhythmic death rate.

Abstract Benefits of the implantable defibrillator on survival were studied in 56 consecutive patients (concomitant coronary bypass or arrhythmia surgery in 15) during an 8 year period between 1982 and 1990. During a follow-up period of 29 ± 25 months, six patients had a sudden death and eight patients had a nonsudden cardiac death. Nonsudden cardiac deaths included three surgical deaths (death within 30 days after the surgery; two in patients without and one in a patient with concomitant cardiac surgery), one arrhythmia-related nonsudden death (death within 24 h after an arrhythmic event despite initial termination of the arrhythmia by the implantable defibrillators) and four nonarrhythmic cardiac deaths. The actuarial survival rate free of events at 1, 2 and 3 years was 96%, 96% and 92%, respectively, for sudden death, 91%, 91% and 87% for sudden death and surgical mortality and 89%, 89% and 85% for total arrhythmic death (sudden death, surgical mortality and arrhythmia-related nonsudden death). Thus, in patients treated with an implantable defibrillator, 1) the rate of sudden death is low (8% at 3 years); 2) 50% of nonsudden cardiac deaths are causally related to arrhythmia (surgical mortality or arrhythmia-related nonsudden death); 3) the total arrhythmic death rate is substantially higher than the sudden death rate; and 4) benefits of an implantable defibrillator are overestimated by reported sudden death and nonsudden cardiac death rates. The benefits may be better represented by the total arrhythmic death and nonarrhythmic cardiac death rates.
Contextual influences on auditory comprehension of reversible passive sentences in aphasia

Abstract Stimuli reported by Hough et al. (1989) were employed to assess aphasic subjects' auditory comprehension of reversible passive sentences presented in isolation, and at the ends of narrative paragraphs that either strongly predicted or did not predict the specific subject—object relationships portrayed in the target sentences. Verbal stimuli were presented under two pictorial conditions, wherein pictured response choices were exposed either before or after presentation of the auditory stimuli. Results indicated no significant effect of pictorial condition; however, a significant advantage was observed for sentences following predictive paragraphs. Absence of a facilitative effect for non-predictive paragraphs disagreed with previous findings of Hough et al. (1989). Retrospective analysis of the combined data from the present and previous studies demonstrated that contextual facilitation for both types of paragraphs increased as a positive function of stage of recovery from aphasia. Subjects in the...
Measurement and interpretation of nonlinear mechanical energy losses in high polymer fibers

Dynamic mechanical loss measurements were made on fibers at large tensile strains which caused nonlinear viscoelastic behavior. Measurements on fibers from polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon 66, nylon 4 and an experimental polymer led to seven energy loss peaks for each sample in the temperature range of 120–350°K. The peaks were evenly spaced in temperature at intervals of 30–35°K. rather than at unequal temperature intervals of approximately 100–150°K. normally observed under conditions of linear viscoelastic behavior. In every case, the array of evenly spaced peaks occurred only at temperatures below the glass transition temperature. The temperatures at the energy loss peaks were virtually independent of crystallinity and molecular orientation and were interpreted in terms of polymer molecular structure. The data could be explained only by a single mechanism, common to all polymers, which could operate in a quantized manner, e. g., diffusional motion of molecular chain segments. To account for the constant temperature spacing between peaks of a given sample, it was necessary to assume that the rate controlling step in the energy loss process is the return of a displaced segment to equilibrium. Calculations from the experimental data indicated that peaks at higher temperatures stem from displaced molecular segments which experience high potential energy barriers and which have to be excited to higher skeletal vibrational energies to overcome the barrier. Precedence for this interpretation is provided by Tanaka and Ishida, who have associated molecular vibrations with the well-known β loss peaks in polymers.