cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eigenposes: Using principal components to describe body configuration for analysis of postural control dynamics

Many studies of human postural control use data from video-captured discrete marker locations to analyze via complex inverse kinematic reconstruction the postural responses to a perturbation. We propose here that Principal Component Analysis of this marker data provides a simpler way to get an overview of postural perturbation responses. Using short (1, 4, and 16 mm) anterior platform step translations that are on the order of a young adult's normal sway path length, we find that the low order eigenmodes (which we call eigenposes) of the time-series marker data correspond dominantly to a simple anterior-posterior pendular motion about the ankle, and secondarily (and with less energy) to hip flexion and extension. A third much weaker mode is occasionally seen that is represented by knee flexion.
Two-color infrared full-Stokes imaging polarimeter development

Infrared polarization imaging shows great potential to improve system performance in a variety of tactical applications. Previous IR polarization imaging has highlighted the possible utility of polarization as a way to easily separate manmade objects from natural backgrounds. If the polarization signatures are indeed robust across a wide variety of tactical imaging conditions, polarization stands to significantly improve our ability to automatically detect and cue targets. Man-in-the-loop applications stand to benefit as well: in search scenarios both the time to detect and false alarm rate could be substantially reduced. The possible benefits of polarization imaging require a more complete study of target and background phenomenology before polarization imaging can seriously be considered as a candidate tactical sensor. In order to accurately quantify the target and background signatures and to address questions such as optimal waveband and choice of Stokes vector components sensed, the U.S. Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) is developing a breadboard infrared (IR) polarization imaging capability. This paper covers the sensor design, choice of polarization elements, problems with their fabrication, alignment, calibration and use. Different polarization sensing approaches are compared and their tactical utility is addressed. Sample imagery is then presented.
Validation of a Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase-PCR Assay for the Detection of H7 Avian Influenza Virus

SUMMARY. This report describes the validation of an avian influenza virus (AIV) H7 subtype-specific real-time reverse transcriptase–PCR (rRT-PCR) assay developed at the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory (SEPRL) for the detection of H7 AI in North and South American wild aquatic birds and poultry. The validation was a collaborative effort by the SEPRL and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories. The 2008 H7 rRT-PCR assay detects 10 1 50% embryo infectious doses per reaction, or 10 3 –10 4 copies of transcribed H7 RNA. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were estimated to be 97.5% and 82.4%, respectively; the assay was shown to be specific for H7 AI when tested with .270 wild birds and poultry viruses. Following validation, the 2008 H7 rRT-PCR procedure was adopted as an official U.S. Department of Agriculture procedure for the detection of H7 AIV. The 2008 H7 assay replaced the previously used (2002) assay, which does not detect H7 viruses currently circulating in wild birds in North and South America.
YETI: An interactive molecular mechanics program for small‐molecule protein complexes

YETI, an interactive molecular mechanics program for drug-design applications on small-molecule protein complexes, is described. To model short-range interactions in better agreement with experimental data, its force-field energy expression includes directional potential functions for H-bonds, salt linkages, and metal ligand interactions. The program works on an internal coordinate concept and uses a conjugate-gradient minimizer. YETI is available for distribution through the author. The program has been used to model details of small-molecule binding to the enzyme human carbonic anhydrase I. The impact of the directional potential functions on the geometry of H-bonds and metal-ligand interactions is discussed.
Book Review: Rosalind O’Hanlon, At the Edges of Empire: Essays in the Social and Intellectual History of India

Rosalind O’Hanlon, At the Edges of Empire: Essays in the Social and Intellectual History of India, Delhi: Permanent Black, 2014, pp. 539.
Enabling graph mining in RDF triplestores using SPARQL for holistic in-situ graph analysis

We present implementations of six popular graph mining algorithms using SPARQL.We present guidelines for efficient graph mining algorithms using SPARQL.We released our implementation as publicly available open-source project.We analyzed the performance of our implementation on various system environments. Graph analysis is now considered as a promising technique to discover useful knowledge from data. We posit that there are two dimensions of graph analysis: OnLine Graph Analytic Processing (OLGAP) and Graph Mining (GM) where each respectively focuses on subgraph pattern matching and automatic knowledge discovery. As these two dimensions aim to complementarily solve complex problems, holistic in-situ graph analysis which covers both OLGAP and GM in a single system is critical for minimizing the burdens of operating multiple graph systems and transferring intermediate result-sets between those systems. Nevertheless, most existing graph analysis systems are only capable of one dimension of graph analysis. In this work, we take an approach to enabling GM capabilities (e.g., PageRank, connected-component analysis, node eccentricity, etc.) in RDF triplestores, which are originally developed to store RDF datasets and provide OLGAP capability. More specifically, to achieve our goal, we implemented six representative graph mining algorithms using SPARQL. The approach allows a wide range of available RDF datasets directly applicable for holistic graph analysis within a system. For validation of our approach, we evaluate performance of our implementations with nine real-world datasets and three different computing environments - a laptop computer, an Amazon EC2 instance, and a shared-memory Cray XMT2 URIKA-GD graph-processing appliance. The experimental results show that our implementation can provide promising and scalable performance for real world graph analysis in all tested environments. The developed software is publicly available in an open-source project that we initiated.
Differential effects of temperature blockade on the proteolytic processing of three secretory granule-associated proteins

Vesicular transport within the secretory pathway can be arrested by incubating cells at 15 degrees C or 20 degrees C to block exit from the endoplasmic reticulum or trans-Golgi network, respectively. Using this powerful tool we have compared the intracellular sites of endoproteolytic processing of proopiomelanocortin and two prohormone processing enzymes in AtT-20 mouse pituitary corticotrope tumor cells. For comparison, proopiomelanocortin processing was also evaluated in primary neurointermediate pituitary cultures. AtT-20 cells synthesize and store endogenous proopiomelanocortin and prohormone convertase 1; AtT-20 cells expressing high levels of integral membrane or soluble peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase were generated by stable transfection. Cells were incubated with [35S]methionine and chased at 4 degrees C, 15 degrees C, 20 degrees C or 37 degrees C. The endoproteolytic processing of peptidylglycine alpha-amidating mono-oxygenase, prohormone convertase 1, and proopiomelanocortin was compared following immunoprecipitation. Endoproteolytic processing of integral membrane and soluble peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase proteins was completely blocked by incubation of cells at 20 degrees C. In contrast, prohormone convertase 1 processing from the 87 kDa precursor to the 81 kDa intermediate proceeded to completion at both 15 degrees C and 20 degrees C, while cleavage to generate the 63 kDa prohormone convertase 1 protein was completely blocked at 20 degrees C. In AtT-20 cells and neurointermediate pituitary cultures, generation of beta-lipotropin from proopiomelanocortin continued at a slow but significant rate at 20 degrees C, while processing of beta-lipotropin to beta-endorphin was blocked. Thus prohormone convertase 1 processing begins in the endoplasmic reticulum and is not completed until after the trans-Golgi network, while peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase processing begins after the trans-Golgi network. Selected proopiomelanocortin cleavages begin before entry into immature granules.
Commercial Optical Communication Software Simulation Tools

System simulation tools can enhance and accelerate user modeling capabilities and provide real field design scenarios using extensive industry specifications. Users of these tools include optical component and equipment manufacturers, system integrators, service providers, as well as government labs and academic institutions. Modeling tools can be used to maximize performance, minimize costs, reduce time-to-market, fast-prototyping, and analyze multiple “what-if” scenarios for optical communication networks. In this chapter we briefly review three system level modeling tools that are commercially available, namely, OptSim™ from RSoft Design Group (http://www.rsoftdesign.com), VPItransmissionMaker™ Optical Systems from VPIphotonics, a division of VPIsystems (http://www.vpiphotonics.com), and OptiSystem™ from Optiwave Systems Corporation (http://www.optiwave.com). This is not an attempt to compare the tools and no recommendation should be implied from the order or content of the material presented, but rather a presentation of what resources are available to the scientific community.
Application of the Gompertz Function in Studies of Growth in Dusky Salamanders (Plethodontidae: Desmognathus)

Gompertz growth functions were fitted to skeletochronological data sets of three species of desmognathine salamanders from an assemblage (Wolf Creek) in the Cowee Mountains of southwestern North Carolina. The results were compared to earlier evaluations of growth in desmognathines from a nearby assemblage (Coweeta) in the Nantahala Mountains. In two of the species, Desmognathus quadramaculatus and D. monticola, larger adult body sizes were attained at Coweeta than at Wolf Creek, whereas adult body sizes of the third species, D. ocoee, were similar in the two populations. Growth in both standard length (snout–vent length) and body mass were evaluated. The early phases of growth, prior to sexual maturation, were similar in the larger D. quadramaculatus and the smaller D. monticola, and higher in both species than in the even smaller D. ocoee. In all three species, growth rates tended to be higher in the Coweeta populations than in those at Wolf Creek. The inflexions of the Gompertz curves for body mass vers...
Enhanced Lithium Ion Battery Cycling of Silicon Nanowire Anodes by Template Growth to Eliminate Silicon Underlayer Islands

It is well-known that one-dimensional nanostructures reduce pulverization of silicon (Si)-based anode materials during Li ion cycling because they allow lateral relaxation. However, even with improved designs, Si nanowire-based structures still exhibit limited cycling stability for extended numbers of cycles, with the specific capacity retention with cycling not showing significant improvements over commercial carbon-based anode materials. We have found that one important reason for the lack of long cycling stability can be the presence of milli- and microscale Si islands which typically form under nanowire arrays during their growth. Stress buildup in these Si island underlayers with cycling results in cracking, and the loss of specific capacity for Si nanowire anodes, due to progressive loss of contact with current collectors. We show that the formation of these parasitic Si islands for Si nanowires grown directly on metal current collectors can be avoided by growth through anodized aluminum oxide templ...
Mood Manipulation in Marketing Research: An Examination of Potential Confounding Effects:

Recently marketing researchers have begun to direct attention to the influence of “mood” on consumer behavior. Researchers generally assume that commonly used mood manipulations produce “converging...
Children EPI vaccines immunization coverage rate survey of Tongzhou district in Nantong city in 2013

Objective This study was aimed at learning the current situation on EPI immunization among children in Tongzhou district of Nantong city. Methods A total of 577 children born between 2007 and 2012 were randomly selected on April of 2013,and immunization of EPI vaccines among the children was surveyed. Results Among local children,the immunization card rate,the timely immunization card rate and the qualified immunization card rate were 100%,98. 1%,and 95. 1% respectively. The immunization card rate among floating children was 99. 7%. The'five vaccines' coverage rate was above 95%,the reinforced immunization coverage rates of Men A + C and OPV among floating children were 90. 9% and 84. 4% respectively. Conclusions Floating children management is the key point to EPI vaccination,especially the reinforced immunization coverage rates should be improved.
Comparison of Gait Parameters for Predicting Cognitive Decline: The Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.

Background Previous studies reported that slower gait speed might predict cognitive impairment and dementing illnesses, supporting the role of gait speed as a possible subclinical marker of cognitive impairment. However, the predictive value of other gait parameters for cognitive decline is unclear. Objective To investigate and compare the association with, and prediction of, specific gait parameters for cognition in a population-based sample. Methods The analysis included 3,426 cognitively normal participants enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. At baseline and every 15 months (mean follow-up = 1.93 years), participants had a study coordinator evaluation, neurological examination, and a neuropsychological assessment using nine tests that covered four domains. Gait parameters were assessed with the GAITRite® instrument. General linear mixed effects models were used to compute the annualized rate of change in cognitive domain z-scores, controlling for age, sex, education, depression, comorbidities, body mass index, APOE ɛ4 allele, and visit number, and excluding individuals with a history of stroke, alcoholism, Parkinson's disease, subdural hematoma, and normal pressure hydrocephalus. Results Spatial (stride length), temporal (ambulatory time, gait speed, step count, cadence, double support time), and spatiotemporal (cadence) gait parameters, and greater intraindividual variability in stride length, swing time, and stance time were associated with a significant decline in global cognition and in specific domains including memory, executive function, visuospatial, and language. Conclusions Spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal measures of gait and greater variability of gait parameters were associated with and predictive of both global- and domain-specific cognitive decline.
kappa-Opioid agonist inhibition of osmotically induced AVP release: preferential action at hypothalamic sites

Although several studies indicate that kappa-opioid agonists induce a water diuresis by inhibiting vasopressin (AVP) secretion, the locus of the kappa-receptors (neurohypophysial vs. hypothalamic) responsible for this effect remains unclear. We have ascertained the effect of the selective kappa-agonist BRL-52656 (BRL) on AVP secretion by using compartmentalized rat hypothalamoneurohypophysial explants in culture. When applied to the hypothalamus, nanomolar concentrations of BRL inhibited osmotically stimulated AVP secretion. This response was blocked by the highly selective kappa-opioid antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (BNI). However, osmotically stimulated AVP release was suppressed at the neurohypophysial site only by 100 nM BRL and was not reversed by BNI but only by naloxone. This dose of BRL, administered to the posterior pituitary compartment, did not appear to act by the agonist gaining access to hypothalamic kappa-opiate receptors, because BNI added to the hypothalamus failed to prevent the inhibition of AVP secretion. The data demonstrate that BRL is a potent inhibitor of osmotically stimulated AVP secretion via activation of kappa-opiate receptors within the hypothalamus, but that higher concentrations of the drug may also stimulate non-kappa-neurohypophysial opiate receptors that suppress AVP release.
Directionality and the Coda Condition

It is well established that major place assimilation in coda-onset clusters is typically regressive (Webb 1982, Ohala 1990, Mohanan 1993, Jun 1995, 2004, among others). Stemming from earlier work in Autosegmental Phonology (Steriade 1982, Ito 1986, 1989), the Coda Condition has been maintained in Optimality Theory as a restriction on place features in coda position (Prince & Smolensky 1993/2004, Ito & Mester 1994, Zoll 1998, McCarthy 2007, 2008), militating regressive assimilation in heterorganic clusters. An alternate analysis places the explanatory locus within the domain of faithfulness (Shryock 1996, Beckman 1998, Bakovic 2007), employing a directionally apathetic Coda Condition. These two approaches largely overlap in their predicted typologies, though they differ on the status of progressive and bidirectional assimilation systems. An asymmetric markedness constraint disallows progressive place assimilation; its symmetric counterpart allows progressive place assimilation but other constraints disfavor it. This paper compares the predictions made by these alternatives with cross-linguistic data to argue in favor of a directionally apathetic Coda Condition.
Results of a Pilot Study with a Robot Instructor for Group Exercise at a Senior Living Community

We discuss the motivation, design, implementation, and pilot study of an agent-based exercise robot for five senior residents and five staff members in a senior living community. Our goals of the study were to evaluate the performance of the resident group and the attitudes, acceptance, and opinions of both groups. The pilot study was performed on-site where senior participants were selected a priori by the staff. We use soft systems methodology as a guide to refine the requirements and to evolve the exercise protocol and robot behaviors over multiple exercise sessions. Based on a 30-min session with both groups combined, followed by focus sessions with each group individually, our findings suggest that senior residents moderately accept the robot as a group exercise leader and staff members are cautiously enthusiastic about the idea.
Metal storage in reeds from an acid mine drainage contaminated field

Phragmites australis has been used to treat acid mine drainage (AMD)-contaminated soil. However, the mechanism about metal translocation in reeds was not widely reported. This study investigated metal (Fe, Al, and Mn) storage location in reeds grown in five different sampling sites of an AMD field. As expected, the more metals in soil, the more metals entered the belowground organs of plants. Reeds grown in soils with the highest levels of metals accumulated 0.16 ± 0.04 mg/g Mn, 16.29 ± 4.15 mg/g Fe, and 1.31 ± 0.22 mg/g Al in roots. Most of the iron was sequestered in the roots, while Al was transferred to the shoots. Histological staining found that most of the iron was sequestered in the exodermis, while Al extended the endodermis of roots. Al even entered the stele of roots grown in soil with higher Al levels. The epidermis, cortex, and central cylinder of rhizomes were the main tissues for Fe and Al storage. The more metals in rhizomes, the stronger intensity of the staining was observed around the vascular systems of rhizomes. No structural difference was observed among reeds collected from different sites. Further studies may be needed to enhance the transfer of metals in reeds and increase the phytoremediation efficiency.
Definition of a fusion plasma

Introduction In previous chapters a plasma has been defined qualitatively as an ionized gas whose behavior is dominated by collective effects and by possessing a very high electrical conductivity. The purpose of this chapter is to derive explicit criteria that allow one to quantify when this qualitative definition is valid. In particular, for a general plasma, not restricted to fusion applications, three basic parameters are derived: a characteristic length scale (the Debye length λ D ), a characteristic inverse time scale (the plasma frequency ω p ), and a characteristic collisionality parameter (the “plasma parameter” Λ D ). The sizes of these parameters allow one to distinguish whether certain partially or fully ionized gases are indeed plasmas, for example a thin beam of electrons, the ionosphere, the gas in a fluorescent light bulb, lightening, a welding arc, or especially a fusion “plasma.” It is shown in this chapter that for an ionized gas to behave like a plasma there are two different types of criterion that must be satisfied. One type involves the macroscopic lengths and frequencies as compared to λ D and ω P . The macroscopic length is defined as the typical geometric dimension of the ionized gas ( L ∼ a ∼ R 0 ), while the macroscopic frequency is defined as the inverse thermal transit time for a particle to move across the plasma (ω T ≡ v T / L ). Plasma behavior requires a small Debye length λ D 《 L and a high plasma frequency ω P 》 ω T .
Bradstreet and Trans-Atlantic Non-Conformism in the American-Prophetic Mode

In the spring of 1654 a woman named Anna Trapnel found herself arrested and jailed at Bridewell by parliamentary forces. Months before she had held a trance-like vigil for just under two weeks, with followers recording her prophecies related to the new Commonwealth government and especially regarding the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. At turns ecstatic and mystical, gnomic, and revelatory, Trapnel concerned herself with issues of eschatology, politics, government, and apocalypse.1 Trapnel functioned as a popular female prophet, indeed she was so popular that she was released from imprisonment by virtue of her own defence only a few months after her arrest.2 Over the course of her life she promulgated her visionary theology in works like Strange and Wonderful News from White-Hall, A Report and Plea, The Cry of a Stone, and A Legacy for Saints.3 It is a testament to both her power and attitudes towards the prophetic in the period that she was able to avoid long-term imprisonment, prosecution, and punishment, especially as she enthusiastically spoke out against the state.4 In a prose style not uncharacteristic of the vibrant non-conformists and dissenters that wrote and published during the Interregnum, Trapnel commented on the key political and religious controversies of her day.5 Central to her vision was her association with the Fifth Monarchy Men. The group were a perhaps surprisingly strategically successful millenarian party; they subscribed to a teleological view of history based upon their own readings of Daniel and Revelation.6 They awaited the arrival of ‘King Jesus’, and, contrary to the conservative Augustinianism of normative Christianity (be it Catholic or Protestant), they saw the enactment of this millennial goal as being the responsibility of humans living within and participating in history. For them apocalypse was an explicitly political goal, and society was to be redrawn according to it.7 Increasingly mutually distrustful of Cromwell, the Fifth Monarchy Men would eventually see him as a pseudo-monarchical replacement for kingly tyranny, no better than Charles whose regicide they had championed. It is in this chaotic and fractured context that Anna Trapnel preached her utopian gospel of the coming fall of Cromwell, the return of Christ, and the mystical equivalence of men and women. For Trapnel it was a new and future England that was to be the site of this future Fifth Monarchy, the final and godly kingdom to rule for Christ’s return.8
Does the NPC Matter

Supported, Concerned, Submitted, Best Wishes Lei Chuang looks the part of an activist. When we met, he was 26 years old and enrolled in an engineering graduate program at Shanghai Jiaotong University. He wore long hair and thin-framed glasses. He spoke about Chinese politics and society without reservation. Lei's issue was discrimination, specifically discrimination against carriers ofHepatitis B. The virus is transmitted through blood and other bodily fluids and can cause cirrhosis of the liver and other life-threatening conditions. In China, vaccination programs remain underdeveloped, and recent estimates suggest the country may have as many as 130 million carriers (Niu 2011). The disease is particularly widespread in rural areas, where doctors have a tendency to reuse syringes, and citizens are less aware of the risk of transmission. Hepatitis B carriers in China are a stigmatized group, both socially and professionally. Most citizens lack basic knowledge about how the virus is spread, and many wrongly believe that sharing food or chopsticks with carriers brings risk of infection. A 2005 survey by the Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control (CFHPC) shows that 37.5% of respondents from Sichuan and Guangzhou said they would not want to work or eat at a table with carriers of the virus (Lu 2006). Employers are not legally permitted to inquire about a prospective employee's carrier status, but many do so anyway. Carriers are routinely denied employment once traces of the virus are discovered in their blood samples during mandatory physicals. Another survey found that 35% of state-owned enterprises publicly stated that they would not employ Hepatitis B carriers. Over 60% screen their employees for the virus, paying a trivial fine for doing so (“Hepatitis B Carriers” 2012). Lei is a Hepatitis B carrier himself and has some personal experience with discrimination. In 2007, his brother signed an employment contract with a company in Wuhan, but was later refused employment because of his condition. In August of that year, Lei began his first of many awareness campaigns, walking around city streets holding a sign reading, “I am a Hepatitis B carrier” (Zheng and Sun 2012). In 2011, he started writing letters to Premier Wen Jiabao – one new letter every day – asking him to dinner as a representative of the Hepatitis B community.The dinner would publicly demonstrate that there is no risk of infection from sharing ameal.
Flavor and Texture of Cottage Cheese Made by Direct-Acid-Set and Culture Methods

Consumers were asked to indicate a flavor and texture preference for one of two creamed and salted small-curd cottage cheeses made by direct-acid-set or conventional short-set culture methods. When a commercial starter distillate flavor was added to direct-acid-set cheese, its flavor and texture were preferred over cheese made by the culture method. Conversely, when flavor was not added to the direct-acid-set cheese, consumers preferred the flavor and texture of the cultured product. Differences among mean flavor or texture scores of three age groups were not significant ( 40). Preferences for texture appeared to be biased by flavor.
Impact of Light Intensity on Control in Photoinduced Organocatalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization.

Organic photoredox catalysts have been shown to operate organocatalyzed atom transfer radical polymerizations (O-ATRP) using visible light as the driving force. In this work, the effect of light intensity from white LEDs was evaluated as an influential factor in control over the polymerization and the production of well-defined polymers. We posit the irradiation conditions control the concentrations of various catalyst states necessary to mediate a controlled radical polymerization. Systematic dimming of white LEDs allowed for consideration of the role of light intensity on the polymerization performance. The general effects of decreased irradiation intensity in photoinduced O-ATRP were investigated through comparing two different organic photoredox catalysts: perylene and an 3,7-di(4-biphenyl) 1-naphthalene-10-phenoxazine. Previous computational efforts have investigated catalyst photophysical and electrochemical characteristics, but the broad and complex effects of varied irradiation intensity as an exp...
Laparoscopic Repair of Diaphragmatic Rupture: A Case Report with Radiological and Surgical Correlation

The leading cause of diaphragmatic rupture is penetrating abdominal trauma, including gunshot- and stab-related wounds; however, diaphragmatic rupture can also result from blunt trauma to the abdomen. The diagnosis can be difficult to make as the physical examination may be unremarkable, and imaging, that is, a conventional chest X-ray and/or CT imaging, may initially fail to reveal the injury. Failure to recognize diaphragmatic rupture can result in a delayed presentation, sometimes years later, with a potential catastrophic outcome. Therefore, prompt and swift diagnosis is critical to avoid this potential harmful scenario. Traditionally, repair is performed through a laparotomy or a thoracotomy incision. Owing to the many advances made in minimally invasive surgery, not only has laparoscopy become the modality of choice to diagnose diaphragmatic rupture due to its high degree of sensitivity and specificity, but it can provide simultaneous therapeutic intervention as well. We report a case of laparoscopic repair of a diaphragmatic rupture in a 22-year-old female who sustained blunt abdominal trauma during a motor vehicle accident.
Novel mechanism of action of Anti-malarial drugs in the inhibition of Type I interferon production

Anti-malarial drugs (AMD) such as Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and Quinacrine (QC) are effective in the treatment of skin rash and arthritis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However which mechanism(s) are responsible for their beneficial action is uncertain. Type I interferon, (IFN-I) is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of SLE and ‘interferonopathies’ such as Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome (AGS). A new DNA activated IFN-I pathway, cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS), was recently discovered and linked to AGS and mouse models of Lupus. In silico screening of drug libraries identified several antimalarial drugs (AMD) which could potentially inhibit cGAS activity by interacting with cGAS/DNA dimer complex. Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay revealed that AMD disrupted the double stranded DNA-cGAS complex in a dose dependent manner. These AMD also inhibited IFN-I expression in THP1 cells transfected with dsDNA and in 293T cells transfected with cGAS/STING plasmids validating that cGAS is a target of AMD. We synthesized several new AMD. One of these compounds, X6, had excellent water solubility and cell penetration. X6 localized to the cytosol and had a lower toxicity profile compared to QC. Biochemical and cellular assay revealed that X6 was a more potent inhibitor of IFN-I production than HCQ. Our studies identify new DNA sensor cGAS as a target of AMD activity, which provide a novel mechanism of action of these AMD. We have synthesized new AMD like drugs that are also able to inhibit cGAS as well as Toll pathways. These drugs could be beneficial for the treatment of AGS and/or Lupus.
Structures and Protonation States of Hydrophilic-Cationic Diblock Copolymers and Their Binding with Plasmid DNA.

Complexation between plasmid DNA (pDNA) and a set of diblock copolymers, each with one cationic block and one hydrophilic, charge-neutral block, is examined. A range of hydrophilic block structures are explored, whereas the cationic block is fixed as poly(N-(2-aminoethyl) methacrylamide) (PAEMA) with a degree of polymerization of 60 ± 3. The hydrophilic blocks include poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG45), poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (P(OEGMA)51), and poly(2-deoxy-2-methacrylamido glucopyranose) (PMAG52). The numbers represent the degrees of polymerization and are chosen such that the diblock contour lengths are similar (37 ± 2 nm). The three diblock copolymers and a homopolycation control, PAEMA59, are compared with respect to their state of dissolution in aqueous environments, as well as their complexation with pDNA. The diblock copolymers are found to partially aggregate as pH increases above 6, whereas each separate block generally dissolves well over a wide pH range. The hydrophili...
Personal Motivation as a Criterion in Evaluating Social Work Practice

The personal motivations that guide, influence, or are associated with performance must be regarded as functionally irrelevant in evaluating a social worker's performance of social work functions. ...
Inflammatory pathology and rapidly progressive dementia contribute to the classic PSP phenotype (P4.014)

Objective: To describe a patient with rapidly worsening dementia and an examination suggestive of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), who was found to have an unknown CSF antibody against CNS and renal tissue and mixed pathology on autopsy, but no tauopathy in the brainstem or white matter. Background: PSP, a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by tauopathy in the brainstem and subcortical white matter, is classically characterized by early postural stability with falls and vertical supranuclear palsy (Litvan). Design/Methods: A 72-year-old retired longshoreman with pre-existing vascular disease presented with about 1.5 years of shuffling gait, festination, falls and vertical supranuclear gaze palsy. He then developed prominent language, executive function and behavioral abnormalities, which rapidly progressed in the final months of his life. Results: MRI showed diffuse atrophy, somewhat more prominent in fontal and temporal regions, an increased T2 periventricular signal and a low midbrain-to-pons ratio (0.29), without abnormal enhancement. Two oligoclonal bands were present in the CSF, and Mayo clinic antibody testing revealed an unnamed antibody against CNS and renal tissue. Pathological examination revealed a variety of pathologies: Braak Stage 5 AD with moderate plaque density, limbic and midbrain Lewy pathology, hippocampal sclerosis out of proportion to tangles, and moderate arteriosclerosis involving deep gray matter and out of proportion to his age. Tau pathology was limited to the usual AD distribution, and was not present in the deep gray matter, brainstem, or white matter. There was also evidence of inflammation with intravascular and perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates consistent with encephalitis, and moderate to severe white matter loss in the cerebrum and cerebellum, consistent with active gliosis. CD3 immunostains revealed perivascular T-cells. CD68 immunstains showed microglial activation. Conclusions: A PSP-like phenotype can occur in the setting of mixed pathology without midbrain and white matter tauopathy. Concomitant autoimmune processes must be considered in cases of PSP with rapidly progressive dementia. Disclosure: Dr. Dale has nothing to disclose. Dr. Erten-Lyons has received research support from Lundbeck, Eisai, Roche and Lilly. Dr. Bittner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jong has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bourdette has nothing to disclose. Dr. Woltjer has nothing to disclose.
Corroboration: Sensitivity, Safety, and Explanation

Corroborative evidence may be understood as having two epistemic effects: a primary effect by which it offers direct evidence for some claim, and a secondary effect by which it bolsters the appraised probative, or evidential, value of some other piece of evidence for that claim. This paper argues that the bolstering effect of corroborative evidence is epistemically legitimate because corroboration provides a reason to count the belief based on the initial evidence as sensitive to, and safe from, defeat in a way that it was not previously recognized to be. Discovering that our initial evidence tracks the truth in a way we previously did not recognize provides a reason to positively reappraise the probative value of that evidence. The final section of the paper relates the proposed sensitivity- and safety-based account of corroboration to an explanation-based account.
The Case in the Vase: What Can a Ming Novel Tell Us about Traditional Chinese Legal Culture?*

The more than thirty legal disputes and cases mentioned in The Plum in the Golden Vase ( Jinpingmei ) make this late Ming novel an invaluable source for the study of law and legal culture in premodern China. This lecture illustrates that the cases in the novel describe in considerable detail each of the formal steps in the Ming process of legal adjudication. But the work also conveys the message that despite the formal process, the legal system does not deliver justice. However, an alternative system of justice that is mostly implicit in the text, the justice of a disinterested and moral Heaven, ultimately prevails. Finally, the contemporary implications of this traditional understanding of law and justice are explored.
Deep image-based relighting from optimal sparse samples

We present an image-based relighting method that can synthesize scene appearance under novel, distant illumination from the visible hemisphere, from only five images captured under pre-defined directional lights. Our method uses a deep convolutional neural network to regress the relit image from these five images; this relighting network is trained on a large synthetic dataset comprised of procedurally generated shapes with real-world reflectances. We show that by combining a custom-designed sampling network with the relighting network, we can jointly learn both the optimal input light directions and the relighting function. We present an extensive evaluation of our network, including an empirical analysis of reconstruction quality, optimal lighting configurations for different scenarios, and alternative network architectures. We demonstrate, on both synthetic and real scenes, that our method is able to reproduce complex, high-frequency lighting effects like specularities and cast shadows, and outperforms other image-based relighting methods that require an order of magnitude more images.
Perceptions and acceptance of immunization during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE To estimate patients' perceptions of the need, safety and acceptability of vaccination during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN An office-based survey was offered to patients presenting for obstetric and gynecologic care from December 2007 to July 2008 at an academic women's hospital. The anonymous questionnaire assessed demographics, medical and vaccination history, interest in receiving vaccines, and beliefs about vaccination safety. Data were evaluated using descriptive statistics and chi2 analyses. RESULTS A total of 1,436 completed surveys were available for analysis, including 573 from pregnant women. Pregnant women were less likely than non-pregnant women to report perceived risks from vaccine-preventable illness (22.8% vs. 34.5%, p < 0.001) and to believe that their doctor thinks they should get vaccines (42.6% vs. 49.7%, p < 0.027). Nearly two-thirds (61%) reported concern about possible vaccine effects on their pregnancy. However, the overwhelming majority (89%) of pregnant women surveyed reported willingness to accept vaccination during pregnancy if recommended by their obstetrician. CONCLUSION Despite concerns about vaccine safety and a low perceived need for immunization, most pregnant respondents endorse acceptance of vaccination when recommended by their obstetrician. These findings suggest that obstetric providers should maximize opportunities for uptake of appropriate immunizations during pregnancy.
Strukturelle Verlaufsuntersuchungen bei funktionellen Psychosen

Die strukturelle Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT), als modernes hochauflosendes bildgebendes Verfahren gibt der Hirnforschung die Moglichkeit einer quantitativen strukturellen Analyse des Gehirns in-vivo.
Novel targets in solid tumors: MEK inhibitors.

Dr. Messersmith is Assistant Professor of Oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, where Dr. Hidalgo is Associate Professor of Oncology and Dr. Carducci is Associate Professor of Oncology and Urology. Dr. Eckhardt is Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora, Colo. Address correspondence to:Wells Messersmith, MD, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, CRB 1M88, 1650 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21231; Tel: 410-502-3543; Fax: 410-614-9006; E-mail: wmesser1@jhmi.edu.Abstract: MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitors constitute a promising class of novel targeted therapies. Although some of the initial clinical results with these compounds were disappointing, newer agents with more advantageous pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic prop-erties have entered clinical trials. Partial responses have been seen in patients with advanced melanoma and pancreatic cancer, along with prolonged stable disease in several tumor types. Rash, diarrhea, edema, and visual disturbances have been common toxicities. With the recent finding that cell lines with B-raf mutations are exquisitely sensitive to these compounds, the possibility of genetic-based patient selection and indiviualized therapy has been raised. Whether these predictions will be borne out in clinical testing remains to be seen.
An Evaluation of EEG-based Metrics for Engagement Assessment of Distance Learners

Maintaining students’ cognitive engagement in educational settings is crucial to their performance, though quantifying this mental state in real-time for distance learners has not been studied extensively in natural distance learning environments. We record electroencephalographic (EEG) data of students watching online lecture videos and use it to predict engagement rated by human annotators. An evaluation of prior EEG-based engagement metrics that utilize power spectral density (PSD) features is presented. We examine the predictive power of various supervised machine learning approaches with both subject-independent and individualized models when using simple PSD feature functions. Our results show that engagement metrics with few power band variables, including those proposed in prior research, do not produce predictions consistent with human observations. We quantify the performance disparity between cross-subject and per-subject models and demonstrate that individual differences in EEG patterns necessitate a more complex metric for educational engagement assessment in natural distance learning environments.
Register in English for Academic Purposes and English for Specific Purposes

Abstract Susan Conrad, Professor of Applied Linguistics at Portland State University (USA), contributes this article on the applications of register research to English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Her research focuses on topics including academic register variation, discipline-specific language, student and workplace writing, and grammar and writing pedagogy. Since the 1990s, her work has advocated for and exemplified the ways in which register-based descriptions can facilitate language teaching, including building awareness of register variation in learners and novice writers themselves. This focus is illustrated in her book Real Grammar: A Corpus-Based Approach to English (Conrad & Biber 2009, Pearson Longman), which takes many of the major register-based patterns of variation in English grammar (described in the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English,Biber et al. 1999) and translates them into practical grammar lessons for language learners, making explicit how grammar use is mediated by register. Her applied focus is also evident in her work as Principal Investigator for the Civil Engineering Writing Project . The project, funded by the National Science Foundation, addresses the writing needs of Civil Engineering students through corpus-based register comparisons (of university student writing, practitioner workplace writing, and published academic writing), applying the results to the development and evaluation of pedagogical materials that improve students’ preparation for writing in the workplace.
Rapid disease progression following discontinuation of ibrutinib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated in routine clinical practice

We identified all patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia at Mayo Clinic treated with ibrutinib outside the context of a clinical trial; timing and reasons for discontinuation were ascertained, ...
Use of an Educational Video to Reduce Barriers to Military Mental Health Care.

Objective:Although there is significant need for mental health care among service members, stigma surrounding these services, along with myths associated with behavioral health treatment, discourag...
Nickel Coordination Chemistry with Oxothiolate Ligands and Its Relevance to Hydrogenase Enzymes

The coordination chemistry of several new nickel complexes with multidentate oxo/thiolate ligands, in relation with the active site problem of hydrogenase enzymes, is described. Structural, spectroscopic and electrochemical data are reported and discussed.
Impact of swell on the wind-sea and resulting modulation of stress

Abstract Investigation of 37,106 ocean surface wave spectra from the Pacific, Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico demonstrate that swell modulates the energy level of the high frequency tail of the wind-sea wave spectrum, altering sea surface roughness. With a mixture of sea and swell, the wind-sea part of spectra follows the well-known f - 4 (equilibrium range) and f - 5 (saturation range) power laws. Swell modulates the energy levels but does not change the power-law structure. For swell with minimal winds, the spectra follow the −4, −5 power-law paradigm, but energy correlates to swell steepness not wind speed. Swell shifts the transition between the two sub-ranges towards lower frequencies. For sea-swell mixtures, a modulation factor λ is proposed that depends on wind speed and swell steepness which allows parameterization of the spectral tail. Comparison of large swell with little wind to wind-sea spectra of same height and period, indicates that there is little difference in spectral shape and suggests that the Hasselmann Snl source term is likely the mechanism by which energy is transferred into the wind-sea tail causing the modulation. Analysis of 33,000+ directional spectra at Ocean Station Papa shows that the mean direction for the wind-sea high frequency tail is strongly correlated to wind direction, no matter the swell direction or steepness or level of swell dominance. An equation for the friction velocity of a sea state with swell (u*s) is developed, u ∗ s = λ 1 / 2 u ∗ o where u ∗ o is the friction velocity in the absence of swell, by neglect of the direct swell impact. Noting that this is only a partial estimate of the total measured stress, the prediction is evaluated for 3,000+ observed spectra yielding a correlation of 0.91 suggesting that it may be of consequence. Observations of u ∗ / u ∗ o suggest a dependence with swell steepness that is similar to that predicted by λ 1 / 2 . At low winds, λ 1 / 2 overestimates the stress, but noting that it was derived absent the components from the swell frequencies. In the tail, the momentum transport is downward, while in the swell the transport is predominantly upward, suggests a possible correction for λ 1 / 2 . The case of a swell generated wind is discussed.