cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of a putative operon involved in fructooligosaccharide utilization by Lactobacillus paracasei.

The growth and activity of some Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains are stimulated by the presence of nondigestible fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are selectively fermented by specific intestinal bacteria. Consumption of FOS, therefore, enriches for those bacteria that possess metabolic pathways necessary for FOS metabolism. In this study, a DNA microarray consisting of 7,680 random genomic library fragments of Lactobacillus paracasei 1195 was used to examine genes involved in the utilization of FOS in this organism. Differential expression profiles between cells grown on FOS and those grown on glucose provided a basis for identifying genes specifically induced by FOS. Several of the FOS-induced genes shared sequence identity with genes encoding β-fructosidases and components of phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase systems (PTS). These genes were organized in a putative operon, designated the fos operon, that may play an essential role in FOS utilization. The complete 7,631-bp nucleotide sequence of the putative fos operon was determined and consists of fosABCDXE genes, which encode a putative fructose/mannose PTS (FosABCDX) and a β-fructosidase precursor (FosE). The latter contains an N-terminal signal peptide sequence and cell wall sorting signals at the C-terminal region, suggesting its localization at the cell wall. Inactivation of the fosE gene led to impaired growth on FOS and other β-fructose-linked carbohydrates. Transcriptional analysis by reverse transcriptase PCR suggested that fosABCDXE was cotranscribed as a single mRNA during growth on FOS. Expression array analysis revealed that when glucose was added to FOS-grown cells, transcription of the FOS-induced genes was repressed, indicating that FOS metabolism is subject to catabolite regulation.
Inhibition of estrogen-induced mammary tumor formation in MMTV-aromatase transgenic mice by 4-chlorophenylacetate

Treatment of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer with selective estrogen selective modulators (SERMs) and, more recently, aromatase inhibitors has met with wide success. However, antagonism of estrogen receptor (ER) activity in breast carcinomas by SERMs such as tamoxifen has been associated with increased risk of cancer in other tissue such as the endometrium. Furthermore, current therapies using aromatase inhibitors have side effects on bone resulting in development of osteoporosis in some patients. We present in this paper the results of a study using 4-chlorophenylacetate (4-CPA), a compound which belongs to a family of small aromatic fatty acids that has been shown to possess anticancer properties, to treat DMBA exposed MMTV-aromatase mice. These animals exhibit elevated levels of estrogen in their mammary glands and develop estrogen-responsive tumors. Consistent with our earlier findings showing that 4-CPA inhibited the growth of ER positive breast cancer cells in vitro, we now demonstrate that this compound inhibits tumor formation in MMTV-aromatase mice. This effect was not associated with reduction of ER expression in their mammary tissue, or to alteration of aromatase levels or activity. The data suggest that 4-CPA is a novel therapeutic agent that could be used in the prevention or treatment of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer.
The Drosophila maternal-effect mutation grapes causes a metaphase arrest at nuclear cycle 13

grapes (grp) is a second chromosome (36A-B) maternal-effect lethal mutation in Drosophila melanogaster. We demonstrate that the syncytial nuclear divisions of grp-derived embryos are normal through metaphase of nuclear cycle 12. However, as the embryos progress into telophase of cycle 12, the microtubule structures rapidly deteriorate and midbodies never form. Immediately following the failure of midbody formation, sister telophase products collide and form large tetraploid nuclei. These observations suggest that the function of the midbody in the syncytial embryo is to maintain separation of sister nuclei during telophase of the cortical divisions. After an abbreviated nuclear cycle 13 interphase, these polyploid nuclei progress through prophase and arrest in metaphase. The spindles associated with the arrested nuclei are stable for hours even though the microtubules are rapidly turning over. The nuclear cycle 13 anaphase separation of sister chromatids never occurs and the chromosomes, still encompassed by spindles, assume a telophase conformation. Eventually neighboring arrested spindles begin to associate and form large clusters of spindles and nuclei. To determine whether this arrest was the result of a disruption in normal developmental events that occur at this time, both grp-derived and wild-type embryos were exposed to X-irradiation. Syncytial wild-type embryos exhibit a high division error rate, but not a nuclear-cycle arrest after exposure to low doses of X-irradiation. In contrast, grp-derived embryos exhibit a metaphase arrest in response to equivalent doses of X-irradiation. This arrest can be induced even in the early syncytial divisions prior to nuclear migration. These results suggest that the nuclear cycle 13 metaphase arrest of unexposed grp-derived embryos is independent of the division-cycle transitions that also occur at this stage. Instead, it may be the result of a previously unidentified feedback mechanism.
Biodegradation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene by the White Rot Fungus Phanerochaete Chrysosporium

Trinitrotoluene (TNT) has become the predominant explosive worldwide. TNT wastes generated during TNT production and munitions manufacturing, as well as improper storage, use, and disposal have led to contamination of the environment (67, 94). Due to the solubility of TNT in water (~ 125 ppm at 20°C) large volumes of contaminated waste water can be generated during TNT production and munitions loading operations. As much as 500,000 gallons of TNT-contaminated water have been generated per day by a single munitions plant (91). In the past, the contaminated water was typically collected in large lagoons. Repetitive use of the lagoons has left high residual concentrations of TNT in the sediment (42, 67). Other contamination sites include missile production facilities, mining sites, military firing ranges and sites where outdated explosives were burned. Continual leaching of TNT from these soils over the years has resulted in the contamination of groundwater (42, 67). Typical contaminated sites may contain average concentrations of 10,000 mg/kg TNT in soil and 100 ppm TNT in water (30).
Special Considerations in Lung Transplantation in Older Patients

Lung transplantation has evolved as a lifesaving therapy for patients with end-stage lung disease that is no longer responsive to medical therapy. Given the current rise in the elderly population worldwide, an increasing number of older patients have been referred for lung transplantation. However, long-term survival of older transplant recipients continues to lag behind younger transplant recipients. As a result, current selection guidelines suggest that age ≥65 years is a relative contraindication to lung transplantation. This chapter discusses the current literature with respect to outcomes in an older population, pre- and posttransplant considerations in the elderly, and the immunological changes associated with aging and their impact upon outcomes after transplantation. Further research in these areas will assist in better defining international policies regarding lung transplantation in the elderly population.
REGULATION OF SKELETAL MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFERENTIATION BY SKI

The Ski proto-oncogene encodes a transcriptional co-regulator that stimulates muscle differentiation in vitro and promotes muscle hypertrophy in vivo. Ski-/fetal mice exhibit dramatically reduced skeletal muscle mass. Here we show that the defect is most severe in hypaxial muscles which are derived from progenitor cells that originate in the somite-derived dermomyotome and migrate to distal sites of muscle development. In Ski/embryos the dermomyotome develops normally as does the myotomal epaxial muscle that develops from non-migratory progenitors. Using the myogenic regulatory factors (MRF) as markers, we found that myogenic determination (Myf5 and MyoD) and commitment to differentiation (Myog) were initiated appropriately in the absence of Ski. However, cells expressing MRF genes were reduced in number and restricted to more proximal locations in the limbs. This defect apparently resulted from impaired distal migration of embryonic myogenic progenitors (Pax3 positive) that accumulated at the body/limb bud junction and dorsoproximal region of the limb; not from a failure of myogenic cells to proliferate and differentiate or to excessive apoptosis. Defective migration was not due to reduced BMP signaling or altered expression of HGF/SF but was likely caused by reduced expression of Met, a downstream target of Pax3 and known effecter of progenitor migration. Although they derive from the same pool of migratory progenitors as their embryonic counterparts, we found that the number and distribution of
Watershed Assessment using an Integrated Modeling Approach

The emergence of information technologies and watershed management approaches enable decision-makers to establish predictive relationships be-tween different l…
Parasitism and Nutrition of Gonatobotrys Simplex

Most of the early studies of fungi parasitic on other fungi have dealt principally with mode of parasitism or host range. Ayers (1933, 1935, 1941) was one of the first investigators to emphasize nutritional and physiological aspects of mycoparasitism. Several investigations have dealt recently with physiology of biotrophic mycoparasites and the influence of environment and nutrition on their parasitic activities. Barnett and Lilly (1958) reported that Calcarisporium parsiticumn Barnett parasitizes species of Physalospora and related fungi by making close contact with the host and absorbing nutrients through small, specialized buffer cells at the point of contact. This fungus was later cultured axenically on media to which extracts of other fungi were added. Berry and Barnett (1957) and Berry (1959) described the parasitism of Piptocephalis virginiana Leadbeater & Mercer, which obtains nutrients from other species of Mucorales by means of haustoria. This mycoparasite, in contrast to C. parasiticurm, has never been grown in the absence of a living host. A short time later, Shigo (1960) showed that Gonatobotryum fuscum Sacc. parasitized species of Ceratocystis and related genera by means of foot-like, absorptive hyphae which made contact and adsorbed nutrients without penetrating the host cells. He also described a condition which
Long-Term Tillage and Crop Rotation Effect on Yield and Soil Carbon in Southeast Iowa

Tillage system and crop rotation have significant long-term effects on soil health, productivity, and the soil quality components of soil carbon and other physical, biological, and chemical properties of the soil. Additionally, soil tillage and crop rotation control weed and soilborne diseases. There is a need for a well-defined, long-term tillage and crop rotation study across the different soil types and climate conditions in the state. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of five tillage systems and three crop rotations on soil productivity and quality.
Anesthesia Management for Infant With a Surgical Emergency

Objective To explore the anesthesia technique and management during infant emergency operation.Methods 187cases were selected,the mild cases who underwent uncomplicated abdominal operation were treated with sacral anesthesia,added with tracheal cannula if it was necessary.While the severe cases who suffered from extreme dehydration acidosis or electrolyte disorder and the cases involving thoracic operation were treated with endotracheal anesthesia.The cases with body weight below2kg were concluded with T-piece,and the cases with body weight exceed2kg were concluded with circulation method.Results3cases were complicated with reflux.The oxygen saturation was decreased to below90%in7cases,but recovery after management.Conclusions It is difficult to deal with infant emergency operation,so it is necessary to have an adequate preoperative preparation,choose proper anesthesia method,as well as to reinforce the management during the operation.
Inspection results of advanced (sub-50nm design rule) reticles using the TeraScanHR

Results from the recently available TeraScanHR reticle inspection system were published in early 2007. These results showed excellent inspection capability for 45nm logic and 5xnm half-pitch memory advanced production reticles, thus meeting the industry need for the mid-2007 start of production. The system has been in production use since that time. In early 2007, some evidence was shown of capability to inspect reticles for 32nm logic and sub-50nm half-pitch memory, but the results were incomplete due to the limited availability of such reticles. However, more of these advanced reticles have become available since that time. In this paper, inspection results of these advanced reticles from various leading-edge reticle manufacturers using the TeraScanHR are shown. These results indicate that the system has the capability to provide the needed inspection sensitivity for continued development work to support the industry roadmap.
Osteichthyans from the Fairpoint Member of the Fox Hills Formation (Maastrichtian), Meade County, South Dakota, USA

Abstract The middle part of the Fairpoint Member of the Fox Hills Formation in Meade County, South Dakota consists of marine shoreface deposits and contains a chondrichthyan assemblage that includes both pelagic and bottom-feeding forms. The assemblage consists of genera (e.g., Rhombodus, Carcharias, Serratolamna, Ischyrhiza) widely known from Upper Cretaceous rocks of the Western Interior, and from other parts of North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. This middle Fairpoint assemblage contains many of the same chondrichthyan genera reported by Cicimurri (1998) from the lignitic Stoneville lithofacies of the upper part of the Fairpoint Member. Fairpoint chondrichthyans are probably roughly equivalent in age to the chondrichthyans from the Timber Lake Member of the Fox Hills Formation in North Dakota, and are probably older than the chondrichthyan assemblage from the Breien Member of the Hell Creek Formation. The Breien, Timber Lake, and Fairpoint chondrichthyans are the youngest transitional marine chond...
Demo: Siskin: Leveraging the Browser to Share Web Content in Disconnected Environments

Schools in the developing world frequently do not have high bandwidth or reliable connections, limiting their access to web content. As a result, schools are increasingly turning to Offline Educational Resources (OERs), employing purpose-built local hardware to serve content. These approaches can be expensive and difficult to maintain in resource-constrained settings. We present Siskin, an alternative approach that leverages the ubiquity of the web browser to provide a distributed content access cache between user devices on the local network. We demonstrate that this system allows access to web pages offline by identifying the browser as a ubiquitous platform.
A virus-encoded miRNA in mouse polyomavirus regulates viral replication in the kidneys in a CD8 T cell dependent manner. (VIR6P.1166)

The polyomaviruses JCV and BKV are ubiquitous DNA viruses in the human population which persist as low-level infections in host kidneys and give rise to disease upon immunosuppression, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The polyomaviruses encode one endogenous miRNA, with both the 5p and 3p mature miRNAs functioning to reduce levels of target transcripts. The mouse polyomavirus (MPyV) also encodes a miRNA within the sequence for the early nonstructural proteins large (LT) and middle (MT) T-antigen, both of which have been established as miRNA targets. Other targets of the MPyV miRNA and their physiologic consequences have been poorly defined. The dl1013 virus is a deletion mutant of MPyV which eliminates expression of the endogenous miRNA while preserving LT and MT functions vital to the viral life cycle. We have shown that infecting immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice with dl1013 results in lower viral levels in the kidneys than infection with parental virus, but not in other organs. No difference in kidney viral levels between parental and dl1013 virus is seen in CD8α -/- mice, suggesting that the effect of the miRNA on viral replication is dependent on CD8 T cells. We are currently investigating whether this MPyV miRNA affects recruitment of myeloid and lymphoid cells into the kidney and their role in controlling MPyV in the dominant reservoir of viral persistence of both human and mouse polyomaviruses.
Specifying neural crest cells: From chromatin to morphogens and factors in between

Neural crest (NC) cells are a stem-like multipotent population of progenitor cells that are present in vertebrate embryos, traveling to various regions in the developing organism. Known as the "fourth germ layer," these cells originate in the ectoderm between the neural plate (NP), which will become the brain and spinal cord, and nonneural tissues that will become the skin and the sensory organs. NC cells can differentiate into more than 30 different derivatives in response to the appropriate signals including, but not limited to, craniofacial bone and cartilage, sensory nerves and ganglia, pigment cells, and connective tissue. The molecular and cellular mechanisms that control the induction and specification of NC cells include epigenetic control, multiple interactive and redundant transcriptional pathways, secreted signaling molecules, and adhesion molecules. NC cells are important not only because they transform into a wide variety of tissue types, but also because their ability to detach from their epithelial neighbors and migrate throughout developing embryos utilizes mechanisms similar to those used by metastatic cancer cells. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms required for the induction and specification of NC cells in various vertebrate species, focusing on the roles of early morphogenesis, cell adhesion, signaling from adjacent tissues, and the massive transcriptional network that controls the formation of these amazing cells. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Regulatory Mechanisms Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Gene Networks and Genomics Signaling Pathways > Cell Fate Signaling.
Translating Silence: Memory and Forgetting in Andrea Maturana's No decir

This thesis project is composed of two major parts: my English translation of No decir —a collection of short stories by Chilean author Andrea Maturana—titled Don’t Tell , and an academic introduction to that translation. The first chapter of the introduction gives biographical and cultural information about Andrea Maturana and her work, and it provides a summary of most of the criticism that has been written about her fiction. In the second chapter of the introduction I describe my translation goals and analyze challenges encountered while translating No decir . I first discuss the general problems of any translation project and then focus on several difficulties involved in Spanish to English translation. Finally I analyze a variety of specific challenges from my translation project, providing examples to both emphasize the partial nature of any translation and describe how I attempted to achieve my translation goals.
Production of Artemisinin from in Vitro Cultures of Artemisia annua L.

Malaria, one of the oldest known diseases, was referred to in Egyptian writings of the 16th century B.C. In the 17th century, Italians believed that breathing bad air (mal aria) arising from swamps was responsible for the disease, and the term malaria first entered the English medical literature in the first half of the 19th century. Each year, this disease afflicts over 300 million people worldwide, killing up to 2.7 million, mostly children. Most of these cases occur in Africa, but large areas of Asia, Central, and South America have high incidences of the disease (Nussenzweig and Long 1994). Out of 37 countries and territories, which are members of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization (WHO), 21 still have active malaria transmission (PAHO/WHO 1998).
Mental Illness: Danger, Disorder, and The New Sciences

The twentieth century witnessed one of the most significant scientific and philosophic paradigm shifts in intellectual history (Best and Kellner, 1997). Collectively, Einstein’s theory of relativity, advances in quantum mechanics, and discoveries in chaos theory dramatically altered our understanding of the universe and its various processes (e.g., Briggs and Peat, 1989; Gleick, 1987; Stewart, 1989; Dupre, 1993). Indeed, the Newtonian paradigm of absolute order, cause-effect relationships, and linear logic — a perspective underscoring many of our current academic pursuits and social institutions — increasingly was challenged by, if not altogether replaced with, novel and provocative insights involving the fundamental nature of reality and our lived experience of that reality (Ruhl and Ruhl, 1997; Gleick, 1987). While the Newtonian paradigm, prevalent since the Enlightenment, is premised upon a steadfast and abiding commitment to epistemic certainty and mechanistic order, the “new sciences” disavow these premises (Wolf, 1989; Zohal and Marshall, 1994). Instead, they embody an alternative and revolutionary epistemological constitution; one governed by uncertainty, incompleteness, indeterminacy, relativity, and disorder. While this paradigmatic shift can not and, therefore, does not provide the kind of truths that Newton and his followers promised, it invites us to consider questions and assume perspectives largely ignored, neglected, or dismissed, given our misplaced faith in positivistic science (Cohen and Stewart, 1994)and our misguided confidence in conventional culture’s legitimacy (Best and Kellner, 1997).
Immune-mediated graft dysfunction in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus treated with direct-acting antiviral therapy.

Interferon treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation (LT) can result in immune-mediated graft dysfunction (IGD). The occurrence of, risk factors for, and outcomes of IGD with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy have not been reported. We conducted a multicenter study of HCV+LT recipients who did or did not develop DAA-IGD (1 case: 2 controls-33 vs 66). Among all treated between 2014 and 2016, DAA-IGD occurred in 3.4% (33/978). IGD occurred only after treatment completion (76.0 [IQR, 47.0;176]). Among those treated, 48% had plasma cell hepatitis, 36% acute cellular rejection, 6% chronic rejection, and 9% combined findings. Median time to liver enzyme resolution was 77.5 days (IQR, 31.5;126). After diagnosis, hospitalizations, steroid-induced hyperglycemia, and infection occurred in a higher percentage of cases vs controls (33% vs 7.5%, 21% vs 1.5%, 9% vs 0%; all P < .05). Only one IGD patient died and none required retransplant. A multivariate regression analysis found that liver enzyme elevations during and soon after DAA therapy completion correlated with subsequent IGD. In conclusion, while DAA-IGD is uncommon, liver enzyme elevations during or after DAA therapy may be a sign of impending IGD. These indicators should guide clinicians to diagnose and treat IGD early before the more deleterious later clinical presentation.
Adaptive beam shaping with fiber array laser transceiver systems in power beaming applications (Conference Presentation)

In this paper we consider numerical model of an adaptive coherent fiber array system that is utilized for remote transmission of laser power to an active photovoltaic cell (PVC)-based receiver array. The PVC array performs optical-to-electrical power conversion, and provides a feedback signal that is sent to the laser transmitter via optical and/or RF link. The feedback signal is utilized for real-time adaptive shaping of laser power density distribution at the PVC array for achieving the following objectives: (a) Minimization of laser power losses caused by mismatch between size and shape of the transmitter beam footprint and the PVC array. For optimal performance, the projected laser beam footprint should be adaptively changed to fit the PVC area under continuously changing turbulence strength, distance to the target, system field of view, platform jitter, etc. and (b) Reduction of laser beam power fluctuations inside the PVC caused by errors in target/load tracking, and laser beam aimpointing and aimpoint stabilization. In the numerical simulations the optical power with adaptive beam shaping was performed over 3 km and 7 km distances in turbulent atmosphere. The results demonstrate ability of the adaptive fiber array systems with 21 sub-apertures considered, for efficient adaptive beam shaping resulting in significant power beaming efficiency improvement.
Mixed Strategies in the Indefinitely Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma

Identifying the strategies that are played is critical to understanding behavior in repeated games. This process is difficult because only choices (not strategies) are observable. Recently, a debate has emerged regarding whether subjects play mixed strategies in the indefinitely repeated prisoner's dilemma. We use an experimental approach to elicit mixed strategies from human subjects, thereby providing direct empirical evidence. We find that a majority of subjects use mixed strategies. However, the data also suggest subjects' strategies are becoming less mixed over time, and move toward three focal pure-strategies: Tit-For-Tat, Grim-Trigger, and Always Defect. We perform an econometric analysis to provide the support that the strategies identified in our experiment are widely used.
Toward creating a fairer ranking in search engine results

Abstract With the increasing popularity and social influence of search engines in IR, various studies have raised concerns on the presence of bias in search engines and the social responsibilities of IR systems. As an essential component of search engine, ranking is a crucial mechanism in presenting the search results or recommending items in a fair fashion. In this article, we focus on the top-k diversity fairness ranking in terms of statistical parity fairness and disparate impact fairness. The former fairness definition provides a balanced overview of search results where the number of documents from different groups are equal; The latter enables a realistic overview where the proportion of documents from different groups reflect the overall proportion. Using 100 queries and top 100 results per query from Google as the data, we first demonstrate how topical diversity bias is present in the top web search results. Then, with our proposed entropy-based metrics for measuring the degree of bias, we reveal that the top search results are unbalanced and disproportionate to their overall diversity distribution. We explore several fairness ranking strategies to investigate the relationship between fairness, diversity, novelty and relevance. Our experimental results show that using a variant of fair e-greedy strategy, we could bring more fairness and enhance diversity in search results without a cost of relevance. In fact, we can improve the relevance and diversity by introducing the diversity fairness. Additional experiments with TREC datasets containing 50 queries demonstrate the robustness of our proposed strategies and our findings on the impact of fairness. We present a series of correlation analysis on the amount of fairness and diversity, showing that statistical parity fairness highly correlates with diversity while disparate impact fairness does not. This provides clear and tangible implications for future works where one would want to balance fairness, diversity and relevance in search results.
Medley: A Novel Distributed Failure Detector for IoT Networks

Efficient and correct operation of an IoT network requires the presence of a failure detector and membership protocol amongst the IoT nodes. This paper presents a new failure detector for IoT settings where nodes are connected via a wireless ad-hoc network. This failure detector, which we name Medley, is fully decentralized, allows IoT nodes to maintain a local membership list of other alive nodes, detects failures quickly (and updates the membership list), and incurs low communication overhead in the underlying ad-hoc network. In order to minimize detection time and communication, we adapt a failure detector originally proposed for datacenters (SWIM), for the IoT environment. In Medley each node picks a medley of ping targets in a randomized and skewed manner, preferring nearer nodes. Via analysis and NS-3 simulation we show the right mix of pinging probabilities that simultaneously optimize detection time and communication traffic. We have also implemented Medley for Raspberry Pis, and present deployment results.
Isolation: an Alternative to the “Acting White” Hypothesis in Explaining Black Under-Enrollment in Advanced Courses

In this paper we propose a model for understanding the under-enrollment of black students in advanced courses that demonstrates how group differences in educational investment decisions can arise even in the absence of any group-level differences in underlying incentives or behavioral propensities. In our model, students gain peer group acceptance by spending time with other peer group members. This can occur during both leisure time and class time, provided enough members of their relevant peer group also take the same academic courses. This produces a scenario in which taking advanced courses is a complement to peer group acceptance for some students (those who have enough peer group members taking advanced courses) and a tradeoff for other students (those who do not have enough peer group members in advanced courses). Structural and historical forces, such as racialized tracking, that contribute to an initial condition of fewer black students in advanced courses can create an environment where black students are more likely to be isolated from other members of their racial group, relative to white students. Our model is distinct from theories like the “acting white” hypothesis that assume a cultural or non-cognitive skill deficit on the part of black students. The results from this model arise not because black students respond to incentives differently, but because they face a different set of initial conditions, most likely as the result of institutional barriers.
Enhancing lpCMFD Acceleration with Successive Overrelaxation for Neutron Transport Source Iteration

We present the new iterative method lpCMFD-SOR, which combines the linear prolongation coarse-mesh finite difference (lpCMFD) scheme with the method of successive overrelaxation (SOR) for neutron t...
Considering mathematical creative self-efficacy with problem posing as a measure of mathematical creativity

The purpose of this study was to reveal both the effects of problem-posing interventions on the mathematical creative ability of students and how students’ creative self-efficacy in mathematics was related to their mathematical creative ability. Elementary school students (n = 205) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: problem-posing or control. Results showed the mathematical creativity for the problem-posing group increased (p < 0.05) more than for students in the control group (d = 0.77). Results from the Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that mathematical creativity was a higher order factor that included mathematical creative ability and mathematical creative self-efficacy as first-order factors. Among the implications for this is that integrating problem-posing activities into elementary school mathematics instruction can foster mathematical creativity.
Abstract 3030: Heritability of cancer predisposition gene mutations in 556 neuroblastoma patients with paired parental DNA whole genome sequences

Background: Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer that arises from the sympathetic nervous system. Approximately 1% of patients have a family history of disease with causal germline mutations in neuroblastoma predisposition genes, ALK or PHOX2B. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of sporadic cases have identified over two dozen susceptibility loci, and next-generation sequencing studies estimate that 8-10% of children with cancer harbor a rare pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) germline variant in a cancer predisposition gene (CPG). To date, the heritability and clinical significance of germline P/LP variants remains unknown due to a lack of parental germline DNA. Methods: Through the Gabriella Miller Kids First program, we performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) at 30x depth on patient-parent triads (n=457) and dyads (n=99), along with WGS and exome sequencing on matched tumor DNA (n=336) and RNA-sequencing on matched tumor RNA (n=207). Rare variants (allele frequency Results: We observed 78 P/LP germline variants in CPGs in 75 probands (13.5%). Of the 72 probands with trio data, 95% of the P/LP variants were inherited (54% maternal, 46% paternal). Several CPGs showed enrichment of P/LP variants, including BARD1 (p=0.001; OR 16.16; 95% CI 3.21-50.45). We observed one canonical ALK mutation (R1275Q), but no PHOX2B mutations. For patients with corresponding tumor samples, all germline P/LP variants were observed in the tumor DNA. Germline P/LP variants were associated with high-risk disease as defined by risk group (high vs. low/intermediate, p=0.005), INRG stage (stage M vs stage L1/L2/MS, p=0.024), and MYCN amplification status (amplified vs not amplified, p=0.016). Conclusions: Here we show that approximately 13.5% of patients with neuroblastoma harbor a rare P/LP germline variant in a CPG, and the vast majority of these are inherited. Neuroblastoma patients with P/LP germline variants are more likely to have high-risk disease and several variants suggest potential therapeutic opportunities. Work is ongoing to understand the genetic factors that explain why parents harboring the same P/LP variant did not develop neuroblastoma, and to determine the genetic counseling implications of these data. Citation Format: Emily Blauel, Zalman Vaksman, Alex Lee, Rebecca Kaufman, Laura Egolf, Andrew Olshan, John Maris, Diskin Sharon. Heritability of cancer predisposition gene mutations in 556 neuroblastoma patients with paired parental DNA whole genome sequences [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 3030.
Heritability × SES Interaction for IQ: Is it Present in US Adoption Studies?

An interaction between socioeconomic status (SES) and the heritability of IQ, such that the heritability of IQ increases with higher SES, has been reported in some US twin studies, although not in others, and has generally been absent in studies outside the US (England, Europe, Australia). Is such an interaction present in US adoption studies? Data from two such studies, the Texas and the Colorado Adoption Projects, were examined, involving 238–469 adopted children given IQ tests at various ages. A mini multi-level analysis was made of the prediction of the IQs by the SES of the rearing home (a composite of parental education and occupation), by the birth mother’s intelligence, and by the interaction of the two. Neither study showed any substantial heritability × SES interaction: the effect size estimates in units comparable to twin moderation models were negative (− 0.042 and − 0.004), and the meta-analytic estimate for the combined analysis was − 0.27 (SE = 0.042) with a 95% confidence interval of − 0.109 to 0.054. Thus, while we cannot rule out positive moderation based on our two studies, the joint agreement across these studies, and with the non-US twin studies, warrants attention in further research. SES may not fully capture proximal familial-environmental aspects that moderate child IQ.
Feasibility of implementing systematic social needs assessment for children with medical complexity.

Background Children with medical complexity (CMC) have inter-related health and social needs; however, interventions to identify and respond to social needs have not been adapted for CMC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of implementing social needs screening and assessment within pediatric complex care programs. Methods We implemented systematic social needs assessment for CMC (SSNAC) at two tertiary care centers in three phases: (1) pre-implementation, (2) implementation, and (3) implementation monitoring. We utilized a multifaceted implementation package consisting of discrete implementation strategies within each phase. In phase 1, we adapted questions from evidence-informed screening tools into a 21-item SSNAC questionnaire, and we used published frameworks to inform implementation readiness and process. In phases 2-3, clinical staff deployed the SSNAC questionnaire to parents of CMC in-person or by phone as part of usual care and adapted to local clinical workflows. Staff used shared decision-making with parents and addressed identified needs by providing information about available resources, offering direct assistance, and making referrals to community agencies. Implementation outcomes included fidelity, feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. Results Observations from clinical staff characterized fidelity to use of the SSNAC questionnaire, assessment template, and shared decision-making for follow-up on unmet social needs. Levels of agreement (5-point Likert scale; 1 = completely disagree; 5 = completely agree) rated by staff for key implementation outcomes were moderate to high for acceptability (mean = 4.7; range = 3-5), feasibility (mean = 4.2; range = 3-5), and appropriateness (mean = 4.6; range = 4-5). 49 SSNAC questionnaires were completed with a 91% response rate. Among participating parents, 37 (76%) reported ≥ 1 social need, including food/nutrition benefits (41%), housing (18%), and caregiver needs (29%). Staff responses included information provision (41%), direct assistance (30%), and agency referral (30%). Conclusions It was feasible for tertiary care center-based pediatric complex care programs to implement a standardized social needs assessment for CMC to identify and address parent-reported unmet social needs.
Contextual Genetic Algorithms: Evolving Developmental Rules

A genetic algorithm scheme with a stochastic genotype/phenotype relation is proposed. The mechanisms responsible for this intermediate level of uncertainty, are inspired by the biological system of RNA editing found in a variety of organisms. In biological systems, RNA editing represents a significant and potentially regulatory step in gene expression. The artificial algorithm here presented, will propose the evolution of such regulatory steps as an aid to the modeling of differentiated development of artificial organisms according to environmental, contextual, constraints. This mechanism of genetic string editing will then be utilized in the definition of a genetic algorithm scheme, with good scaling and evolutionary properties, in which phenotypes are represented by mathematical structures based on fuzzy set and evidence theories.
Does Size Matter? The Effects of Bid-Ask Spreads and Market Capitalization on Reit Returns

The REIT industry has experienced tremendous growth in the 1990s, with its market capitalization quintupling from $9 billion to $58 billion. Over the same time period, REIT liquidity as measured by the percentage bid-ask spread declined significantly from 5.6% to 3.9% (Bhasin, Cole, and Kiely 1996). Because more liquid assets pose less risk to investors, this increased liquidity should come only at the expense of lower expected returns. In this article, we formally test this hypothesis using a model of expected returns developed by Amihud and Mendelson (1989). In their model, the expected return on an asset is an increasing function of systematic risk, residual risk, and market capitalization, and a decreasing function of the percentage bid-ask spread. Because this model of expected return incorporates market capitalization, it also enables us to address the issue of REIT size. Respected institutional players argue that REITs must continue to grow in size in order to be competitive in the marketplace. According to these players, larger REITs can borrow at a lower cost of capital than their smaller counterparts, and Wall Street bids up the share price of such firms. If this argument is true, then size as measured by market capitalization must be priced. Our findings provide do, indeed, provide support for this size argument, but do not support the hypothesized trade-off between liquidity and expected returns.
Four body Charge Transfer Process in Proton Helium Collision

Recent advancements in experimental techniques now allow for the study of fully differential cross sections for 4-body collisions. Theoretical fully differential cross sections will be presented and compared with absolute experimental data for transfer-excitation in proton-helium collisions. The role of different scattering mechanism will be discussed.
Modifying specificity of antidigoxin antibodies using insertional mutagenesis.

Certain antibodies (Abs) elicited using the cardiac glycoside digoxin (digoxigenin tridigitoxoside) bind preferentially to analogs that differ from digoxin by substitutions on the cardenolide rings, the lactone, or by the presence or absence of attached sugars. Antibody 26–10 binds equally well to digoxin and digitoxin, which differ only by the presence in the former and the absence in the latter of an hydroxyl group at C12. Other antidigoxin Abs, however, can distinguish between these ligands by three orders of magnitude in binding. Inspection of the structure of Fab 26–10 complexed with digoxin shows a gap in complementarity in the region between the digoxin O12 and LCDR3. We proposed that insertions in LCDR3 might result in Abs that bind digitoxin preferentially. We produced libraries of mutants displayed on bacteriophage which were randomized at LCDR3 and contained LCDR3 insertions. Mutants were selected by panning against digoxin and analogs. The mutants bound digitoxin preferentially up to 47-fold greater than digoxin. The mutants that bound well to digitoxin demonstrated a consensus sequence including the substitution of Trp at position L:94. Using site-directed mutagenesis, the binding to digitoxin was shown to be maximized by the combination of an insertion and L:Trp94 mutation, moving the L 94 side chain closer to digoxin. We also selected mutants that bound preferentially to gitoxin, which, like digitoxin, lacks the 12-hydroxyl, increasing relative binding to gitoxin up to 600-fold compared to the unmutated Ab 26–10.
Rapid carbon sequestration at the termination of the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

The Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum warm event about 56 million years ago was caused by the release of large amounts of carbon to the ocean and atmosphere. Estimates of the rate of recovery from the event suggest that about 2,000 Pg of the carbon released was sequestered as organic carbon. The Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), an approximately 170,000-year-long period of global warming about 56 million years ago, has been attributed to the release of thousands of petagrams of reduced carbon into the ocean, atmosphere and biosphere1,2. However, the fate of this excess carbon at the end of the event is poorly constrained: drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide has been attributed to an increase in the weathering of silicates or to increased rates of organic carbon burial1,3,4,5. Here we develop constraints on the rate of carbon drawdown based on rates of carbon isotope change in well-dated marine and terrestrial sediments spanning the event. We find that the rate of recovery is an order of magnitude more rapid than that expected for carbon drawdown by silicate weathering alone. Unless existing estimates of carbon stocks and cycling during this time are widely inaccurate, our results imply that more than 2,000 Pg of carbon were sequestered as organic carbon over 30,000–40,000 years at the end of the PETM. We suggest that the accelerated sequestration of organic carbon could reflect the regrowth of carbon stocks in the biosphere or shallow lithosphere that were released at the onset of the event.
POU4F1 is associated with t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia and contributes directly to its unique transcriptional signature

The t(8;21)(q22;q22) translocation, present in approximately 5% of adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases, produces the AML1/ETO (AE) fusion protein. Dysregulation of the Pit/Oct/Unc (POU) domain-containing transcription factor POU4F1 is a recurring abnormality in t(8;21) AML. In this study, we showed that POU4F1 overexpression is highly correlated with, but not caused by, AE. We observed that AE markedly increases the self-renewal capacity of myeloid progenitors from murine bone marrow or fetal liver and drives the expansion of these cells in liquid culture. POU4F1 is neither necessary nor sufficient for these AE-dependent properties, suggesting that it contributes to leukemia through novel mechanisms. To identify targets of POU4F1, we performed gene expression profiling in primary mouse cells with genetically defined levels of POU4F1 and identified 140 differentially expressed genes. This expression signature was significantly enriched in human t(8;21) AML samples and was sufficient to cluster t(8;21) AML samples in an unsupervised hierarchical analysis. Among the most highly differentially expressed genes, half are known AML1/ETO targets, implying that the unique transcriptional signature of t(8;21) AML is, in part, attributable to POU4F1 and not AML1/ETO itself. These genes provide novel candidates for understanding the biology and developing therapeutic approaches for t(8;21) AML.
Methylene ATP analogs as modulators of extracellular ATP metabolism and accumulation

1 Transient accumulation of extracellular ATP reflects both release of ATP from intracellular stores and altered rates of ATP metabolism by ecto-enzymes. Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (eNTPDases) and ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatases (eNPPs) degrade ATP, while ecto-nucleotide diphosphokinases (eNDPKs) synthesize ATP from ambient ADP. 2 Although the methylene ATP analogs betagamma-meATP and alphabeta-meATP are widely used as metabolically stable tools for the analysis of purinergic signaling, their specific effects on eNTPDase, eNPP, and eNDPK activities have not been defined. This study compared the actions of these analogs on extracellular ATP metabolism by human 1321N1 astrocytes, rat PC12 pheochomocytoma cells, and rat C6 glioma cells. 3 Both analogs significantly reduced clearance of extracellular ATP by 1321N1 cells that express both eNTPDases and eNPPs, as well as by C6 cells that exclusively express eNPPs. In contrast, both analogs were much less efficacious in inhibiting ATP clearance by PC12 cells that predominantly express eNTPDases. Betagamma-meATP, but not alphabeta-meATP, was effectively hydrolyzed by the 1321N1 and C6 cells; PC12 cells did not significantly degrade this analog. 4 Alphabeta-meATP, but not betagamma-meATP, acted as a substrate for purified yeast NDPK to generate ATP via trans-phosphorylation of ADP. alphabeta-meATP also acted as substrate for the eNDPK activities expressed by 1321N1, PC12, and C6 cells and thereby induced extracellular ATP accumulation in the presence of ambient or exogenously added ADP. 5 These results indicate that methylene ATP analogs exert complex and cell-specific effects on extracellular ATP metabolism that can significantly modify interpretation of studies that use these reagents as probes of purinergic signal transduction in intact tissues.
Array of Plasmonic Nanoparticles Enabling Light Coupling and Guiding in Solar Systems: A Theoretical Analysis

This paper demonstrates a novel approach for enhancing energy coupling into thin-layered solar cells enabled by depositing non-periodic arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles. Theoretical models are developed to characterize the structure and determine novel physical performance.