cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What is “treatment as usual” for nonepileptic seizures?

Abstract Objective A recent NINDS/NIMH/AES-sponsored international NES Treatment Workshop identified a lack of knowledge in the field regarding standard of care in the management of patients with psychological nonepileptic seizures (NES). Methods We administered a survey to AES clinicians to determine actual postdiagnostic instructions given to patients and referral practices, or NES treatment as usual. Results The majority of respondents were epileptologists, followed by neurologists, neuropsychologists, and nurses, evenly dispersed across the United States. Almost all respondents reported discussing the diagnosis of NES with the patients. Sixty-nine percent of neurologists continued to follow the patient after NES diagnosis. Treatment referrals were most commonly made to psychiatrists and psychologists. Antiepileptic drugs were tapered by 83% of the respondents, and 47% prescribed psychotropic medications if comorbid diagnoses were made. Conclusion This is the first known national survey that summarizes national practices and the range of care, or treatment as usual, offered to patients with NES.
Application of Water Soluble Anionic Dyes to Solvent-Treated Polyester:

Solvent-treated polyester is easily penetrated by nonionic fluorescent dye from an aqueous bath. Direct dyes exhaust onto the treated fiber from an aqueous solution containing salt, and the dried, dyed fiber is fast to aqueous washing. Low molecular weight dyes containing a single sulfonic acid substituent exhaust well onto solvent- treated polyester but not onto cellulose. Low molecular weight dyes containing un symmetrically placed sulfonic acid substituents fail to dye either solvent-treated poly ester or cellulose. Dyeing is attributed principally to the sharing of hydrophobic surfaces of dye and fiber.
“Cinderella Was a Wuss”: A Young Girl's Responses to Feminist and Patriarchal Folktales

In this longitudinal study we examine a young girl's responses to “feminist” and “patriarchal” folktales. Data were collected during five informal interviews with the participant at 8 and at 12 years of age and were analyzed according to grounded theory methodologies. Particularly salient issues raised by tales at both stages had to do with the exercise of personal agency, physical strength on the part of males and females, and the symbolic significance of dress. Findings challenge psychological theories about the appeal of folktales to young children, provide insight into developmental issues in young girls' response to narrative, raise questions about how young girls negotiate cultural scripts in a patriarchal world, and highlight the importance of disrupting the layering of polarized gender norms and ideals through alternative narratives.
History of the Electron Microscope in Cell Biology

In the years following World War II there was an explosion in the biological sciences with the rapid emergence of cell biology, molecular biology and biophysics. These events were affected by the development and use of new technologies for cellular fractionation and imaging, specifically the electron microscope, which provided a resolution, that is, unobtainable with light microscopes. Electron microscopes made visible the fine structure of cells and their organelles, the structure of viruses. Now cryo-electron microscopy is emerging as a key tool to visualize and localize the proteins in an entire cell, the organization of actin filaments in the cytoskeleton, and molecular complexes such as nuclear pores. Keywords: transmission electron microscope; scanning electron microscope; cryo-electron microscopy; cell ultrastructure; structural biology
Effective diffusion coefficients in square arrays of filament bundles

The effects of the polydispersity of the characteristic diffusion length of the pore space of fibrous media on the effective diffusion coefficients of gases are studied by investigating the problem of gaseous diffusion in the Knudsen, transition, and bulk regimes in square arrays of filament bundles, of cylindrical cross section, consisting of unidirectional, freely overlapping cylindrical filaments. Effective diffusion coefficients are computed using a stochastic simulation method based on the computation of the mean square displacement of a large number of molecules (random walkers) diffusing in the pore space. The dependence of effective diffusivity on filament to bundle radius ratio, intrabundle porosity, interbundle porosity, and Knudsen number is investigated in detail. The computed diffusivities are compared to the predictions of analytical or semianalytical formulas based on expressions derived in the literature for two-phase media or bidisperse pore structures.
Cardiovascular highlights from non-cardiology journals

Generic medications result in equivalent outcomes when compared with brand-name drugs, while simultaneously reducing costs and improving medication adherence. While generic medications are felt to be therapeutically interchangeable with each other and their brand name counterparts, there can be significant differences in shape and colour despite equivalent doses and these variations in pill appearance may impact patient refill behaviours. This study evaluated the impact of changes in pill shape or colour on medication persistence (continued use of a prescribed medication over time) among 11,513 patients in the year following a myocardial infarction (MI). The investigators used a cohort study to describe the overall rates of changing colour and shape of cardiovascular medications (beta blockers, statins, and angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers [ARBs]) among patients post-MI. The association between changing colour and shape and non-persistence of medication use was determined from a nested case-control analysis of nonpersistence episodes matched to controls. In total, 29% of patients had a change in pill shape or colour over the course of the study. Change in pill colour was associated with a 34% …
A practical guide for serologic evaluation of autoimmune connective tissue diseases.

Abstract Serologic testing is important in the evaluation of patients with autoimmune connective tissue diseases (CTD). There are many techniques. Each of the tests has different sensitivity and specificity with varying diagnostic value. These serologic tests detect antibodies to numerous cellular components. The diagnostic significance and specificity of each antibody vary. Choosing the appropriate test and understanding its clinical utility is an important aspect in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with CTD. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;42:159-74.) Learning Objective: At the conclusion of this learning activity, participants should be familiar with the various serologic tests for CTD, should understand the associations of specific antibodies with individual CTD, and should identify the factors that influence the predictive value of these serologic tests.
Rapid prototyping of fault-tolerant VLSI systems

We relate fault-tolerance constraints to chip area and present a methodology for rapidly compiling an algorithmic description into area-efficient fault-tolerant VLSI ICs. Whereas detection and recovery from environment induced transient faults is accomplished by checkpointing and rollback, uninterrupted operation for the lifetime of a mission is ensured by injecting redundancy. Towards validating this methodology, we synthesized fault tolerant implementations of a 16-point FIR filter starting from an algorithmic description. These fault-tolerant designs were then critically appraised. >
13C‐NMR Spectra of α‐Adrenergic Blocking Agents

The natural abundance 13C‐NMR spectra of five α‐adrenergic blocking agents, tolazoline, dibenamine, azapetine, phenoxybenzamine, and phentolamine, are reported. The chemical shifts of various carbon resonances were assigned on the basis of chemical shift theory, multiplicities observed in single‐frequency off‐resonance‐decoupled spectra, relaxation times, and comparisons with the chemical shifts of model compounds.
Functional characterization of the acyl-[acyl carrier protein] ligase in the Cryptosporidium parvum giant polyketide synthase

The apicomplexan Cryptosporidium parvum possesses a unique 1500-kDa polyketide synthase (CpPKS1) comprised of 29 enzymes for synthesising a yet undetermined polyketide. This study focuses on the biochemical characterization of the 845-amino acid loading unit containing acyl-[ACP] ligase (AL) and acyl carrier protein (ACP). The CpPKS1-AL domain has a substrate preference for long chain fatty acids, particularly for the C20:0 arachidic acid. When using [3H]palmitic acid and CoA as co-substrates, the AL domain displayed allosteric kinetics towards palmitic acid (Hill coefficient, h=1.46, K50=0.751 microM, Vmax=2.236 micromol mg(-1) min(-1)) and CoA (h=0.704, K50=5.627 microM, Vmax=0.557 micromol mg(-1) min(-1)), and biphasic kinetics towards adenosine 5'-triphosphate (Km1=3.149 microM, Vmax1=373.3 nmol mg(-1) min(-1), Km2=121.0 microM, and Vmax2=563.7 nmol mg(-1) min(-1)). The AL domain is Mg2+-dependent and its activity could be inhibited by triacsin C (IC50=6.64 microM). Furthermore, the ACP domain within the loading unit could be activated by the C. parvum surfactin production element-type phosphopantetheinyl transferase. After attachment of the fatty acid substrate to the AL domain for conversion into the fatty-acyl intermediate, the AL domain is able to transfer palmitic acid to the activated holo-ACP in vitro. These observations ultimately validate the function of the CpPKS1-AL-ACP unit, and make it possible to further dissect the function of this megasynthase using recombinant proteins in a stepwise procedure.
Advances in Ultrasound Mediated Gene Therapy Using Microbubble Contrast Agents

Microbubble ultrasound contrast agents have the potential to dramatically improve gene therapy treatments by enhancing the delivery of therapeutic DNA to malignant tissue. The physical response of microbubbles in an ultrasound field can mechanically perturb blood vessel walls and cell membranes, enhancing drug permeability into malignant tissue. In this review, we discuss literature that provided evidence of specific mechanisms that enhance in vivo gene delivery utilizing microbubble contrast agents, namely their ability to 1) improving cell membrane permeability, 2) modulate vascular permeability, and 3) enhance endocytotic uptake in cells. Additionally, we review novel microbubble vectors that are being developed in order to exploit these mechanisms and deliver higher gene payloads with greater target specificity. Finally, we discuss some future considerations that should be addressed in the development of next-generation microbubbles in order to improve in vivo microbubble gene delivery. Overall, microbubbles are rapidly gaining popularity as efficient gene carriers, and combined with their functionality as imaging contrast agents, they represent powerful theranostic tools for image guided gene therapy applications.
Wider Pore Superficially Porous Particles for Peptide Separations by HPLC

Fused-core superficially porous particles have recently created considerable interest for high-performance liquid chromatography separations because of their unusual high column efficiency and much lower back pressure when compared to sub-2-microm particles. With superficially porous particles, larger solutes can move rapidly in and out of a thin porous shell, resulting in reduced band broadening at higher mobile phase velocities for greater separation speeds. The original silica fused-core particles were 2.7 microm in diameter with a 0.5-microm thick shell of 90 A pores designed for the fast separation of small molecules with molecular weights of less than approximately 5000. This manuscript describes new fused-core particles with similar physical characteristics except with a porous shell of 160 A pores designed specifically for rapidly separating peptides (and some small proteins) with molecular weights up to approximately 15,000 Daltons. Because of the larger pore size, restricted diffusion of these larger molecules is not seen since ready access to the entire porous shell is featured. Data are given to define sample loading qualities for columns of these new particles. Column stability studies indicate that these particles bonded with a sterically protected C(18) stationary phase can be used at low pH and higher temperatures with excellent results. The wider-pore particles of this study are shown to be particularly useful with a mass spectrometer detector for the rapid gradient separation of peptides using both volatile trifluoroacetic acid and formic acid containing mobile phases. Examples are provided for the separation of complex peptide mixtures to illustrate the capabilities for columns of these new wider-pore, fused-core particles.
PREDATORY BEHAVIOR OF THREE SPECIES OF SAC SPIDERS ATTACKING CITRUS LEAFMINER

Abstract The predatory habit of three species of sac spiders, Chiracanthium inclusum, Hibana velox, and Trachelas volutus, on citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, was investigated. Observation of spider activities during the photophase and the scotophase confirmed that these three species of sac spiders are nocturnal. They detect their prey by sensing vibrations of the substrate induced by the concealed prey. Movements of P. citrella larvae and prepupae appear to create vibrations of the leaf substrate, which then serve as cues for the spiders to locate them. The searching and prey capture behaviors of these spiders are discussed. Two methods of prey attack were exhibited. In one method, the spider punctures the mine, immobilizes the larva and then bites it and sucks the larval body fluid. In the second behavioral pattern, the spider makes a slit in the mine, uses its forelegs to pull the larva or prepupa out of the mine, holds the prey securely, and finally bites it and regurgitates digestive juices...
Preparing Teachers for Diversity and High-Poverty Schools: A Research-Based Perspective

This chapter focuses on three bodies of research on teacher preparation for diversity and high-poverty schools in the U.S. Although the inference is that these contexts include relatively high numbers of students living in poverty or in very low-income families, few of these studies attended closely to preparing teachers to understand the particular needs of urban, immigrant, or poor learners. Rather, terms such as diverse and urban were relatively unproblematized code language for a constellation of characteristics that describe school populations and schools that have historically not been well-served by the mainstream education system, including traditional teacher preparation programs located at colleges and universities. The first body of research, which was intended to inform policy, focused primarily on determining the effects and effectiveness of human-capital policies and personnel practices regarding alternative certification and preparation as a solution to the problem of teacher shortages in high-poverty and minority schools. The second focused on preparing a predominantly White, middle-class teacher-candidate population for diverse schools, and the third on recruiting students of color into teacher education. The second and third were framed by the growing cultural gap between teachers and their students and were conducted mostly by teacher educators. These studies aimed to produce knowledge to improve the preparation of a culturally responsive teaching force. This chapter compares and contrasts these three lines of research and argues for more research that explicitly focuses on ways to prepare teachers to work with students from poor families and communities.
Using the land transformation model to forecast vacant land

Growing or shrinking cities can experience increases in vacant land. As urban populations and boundaries fluctuate, holes can open in once tight urban areas. Many cities chase growth-oriented approaches to dealing with vacancies. It is critical to understand land-use alteration to accurately predict transformations of physical change in order to make better informed decisions about this phenomenon. This research utilizes the land transformation model (LTM), an artificial neural networking mechanism in Geographic Information Systems, to forecast vacant land. Variable influence on vacant land prediction and accuracy of the LTM is assessed by comparing input factors and patterns, using time-series data from 1990 to 2010 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Results indicate that the LTM can be useful in simulating vacant land-use changes but more precise mechanisms are necessary to increase accuracy. This will allow for more proactive decisions to better regulate the process of urban decline and regeneration.
A Study of Charge Control and Gate Tunneling in a Ferroelectric-Oxide-Silicon Field Effect Transistor

It is known that conventional metal-oxide-silicon field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices will have gate tunneling related problems at very thin oxide thicknesses (dox ≤ 20 A). In this paper we discuss the potential of polar and non-polar high-dielectric films for gate tunneling suppression and charge control. We also examine ferroelectric thickness effects in ferroelectricoxide- silicon field effect transistors (MFISFETs). Our formalism is based on a blocking-layer model for the ferroelectric film and a self-consistent solution of the Poisson and Schrodinger equations. We show that the polarization effects of ferroelectrics can allow greater controllability of the silicon interface (mobile) charge density and also the high dielectric constant effectively suppresses gate tunneling probability. In addition, the effects of ferroelectric film thickness are quite important in a MFISFET device and allow a small control of the threshold voltage. Results will be presented for the capacitance-voltage curve, tunneling probability, and leakage currents. As an example, we find for a sheet charge of 1013 cm−2, the gate tunneling probability in a MOS structure is 10−6 (dox = 13 A), while that in a MFISFET is 10−14 with the same equivalent oxide thickness. Our studies also show that details of the blocking layer model (dead layer thickness, coercive field, and polar charge) can be estimated from C-V measurements.
Quantitative Analysis of Mongolia flower glycosides from Tuizhang Eye ointment by HPLC

Objective:To establish an optimal HPLC method to determine the content s of Mongolia flower glycosides from Tuizhang Eye ointment.Methods:Column:Shimadzu ODS-c(4.6mm×150mm),mobile phase:methanol-water-glacial acetic acid(45∶54∶1),column temperature : 35 ℃,flow rate:1.0 mL ·min-1,wavelength:326nm.Results:Mongolia flower glycosides was over the range of 0.006768～ 0.13536μg.The corresponding mean recovery rate was 98.95%with RSD 1.29 %(n=6) accordingly.Conclusion:The HPLC method established was simple,feasible,accurate,highly sensitive and reliable,which can be used to control the quality of Mongolia flower glycosides.
Challenging the Status Quo: Evidence That Introductory Psychology Can Dispel Myths.

Student beliefs in common psychological misperceptions were assessed at the beginning of an introductory psychology course, the end of the course, and again 1 year later. At the end of the course, students’ previously held misperceptions of psychological phenomena shifted toward more accurate perceptions, and 1 year later, students reported that they had not reverted to the original misconceptions for the majority of the myths evaluated. Results of this study suggest that the introductory psychology course can be effective in correcting common misperceptions of psychological phenomena.
Late onset adrenal hyperplasia: mutation at codon 282 of the functional 21-hydroxylase gene is not ubiquitous

Ten patients affected with 21-hydroxylase (21-OH) deficient late-onset adrenal hyperplasia were studied to determine the prevalence of a mutation at codon 281 of the functional 21-OH gene (CYP21B) that results in a valine to leucine amino acid shift. This mutation has been reported in eight unrelated late-onset adrenal hyperplasia patients of Ashkenazi Jewish descent possessing the human leukocyte antigen-B14, DR1 haplotype. Normally, there are two 21-OH genes; a pseudogene (CYP21A) and a functional gene (CYP21B). The aberrant codon 281 sequence is normally present only in CYP21A. In all of our late-onset adrenal hyperplasia patients, hybridization of an oligonucleotide probe specific for this mutation was demonstrated to CYP21A but not to CYP21B. The mutation at codon 281 of CYP21B does not appear to be a ubiquitous genetic marker for 21-OH deficient late-onset adrenal hyperplasia, suggesting that this disorder may demonstrate the same molecular heterogeneity as congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Identification of a restriction fragment length polymorphism involving the oncogene ETS-1 on chromosome 11q23

Twenty four samples of DNA from 23 unrelated individuals were analyzed for the presence of a novel restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) involving the proto-oncogene ETS-1 at an Xba I site. Four samples from unrelated individuals lacked an Xba I site, giving rise to a longer restriction fragment detectable by Southern analysis; two samples were from normal tissue, and two were from acute myelogenous leukemic blasts. Thus, no association could be found between the RFLP and disease among the individuals studied. Pedigree analysis of another cohort demonstrated Mendelian inheritance consistent with a somatic polymorphism. The practical applications of RFLP analysis in clinical and research settings, and the usefulness of this Xba I RFLP in the study of hematologic malignancies because of its location in 11q23, are discussed.
Potassium currents in the inner segment of single retinal cone photoreceptors.

1. The K+ currents of cone inner segments isolated from the retina of a lizard were studied with the use of tight-seal electrodes in the whole cell configuration. To conduct these studies other ide...
Increased body mass index and adjusted mortality in ICU patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis

At least 25 % of adults admitted to intensive care units (ICU) in the United States have an overweight, obese or morbidly obese body mass index (BMI). The effect of BMI on adjusted mortality in adults requiring ICU treatment for sepsis is unclear. We performed a systematic review of adjusted all-cause mortality for underweight, overweight, obese and morbidly obese BMIs relative to normal BMI for adults admitted to the ICU with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE electronic databases were searched through November 18, 2015, without language restrictions. We included studies that reported multivariate regression analyses for all-cause mortality using standard BMI categories for adults admitted to the ICU for sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. Articles were selected by consensus among multiple reviewers. Electronic database searches yielded 10,312 articles, of which six were eligible. Data were extracted by one reviewer and then reviewed by three independent reviewers. For the meta-analyses performed, the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of mortality were combined using a random-effects model. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale for cohort studies. Four retrospective (n = 6609 patients) and two prospective (n = 556) studies met inclusion criteria. Compared to normal BMI, across five studies each, overweight or obese BMIs reduced the adjusted odds ratio (95 % CI) of mortality [aOR] [0.83 (0.75, 0.91) p < 0.001 and 0.82 (0.67, 0.99) p = 0.04, respectively] with low or moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 15.7 %, p = 0.31 and I2 = 53.0 %, p = 0.07, respectively). Across three studies each, morbidly obese BMI and underweight BMI did not alter aOR [0.90 (0.59, 1.39), p = 0.64; I2 = 43.3 %, p = 0.17; and 1.24 (0.79, 1.95), p = 0.35; I2 = 15.6 %, p = 0.31 respectively]. Only one study clearly defined how and when height and weight measurements were calculated. Site of underlying infection and illness severity may have favored overweight and obese BMIs. This is the first meta-analysis to show that overweight or obese BMIs reduce adjusted mortality in adults admitted to the ICU with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock. More rigorous studies that address these limitations are needed to clarify the impact of BMI on sepsis ICU outcomes. PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews 10.15124/ CRD42014010556 . Registered on July 11, 2014.
Effect of weight loss on renal function in overweight and obese patients with heart failure

The effect of intentional weight loss on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in overweight and obese patients with heart failure (HF), diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or metabolic syndrome (MS) has not been studied. The purpose of the present study is to assess the short term effects of intentional weight loss on renal function in this population.Fifty nine patients were recruited to participate in a 3-month intensive behavioral weight management intervention and received one of two standard structured energy-restricted meal plans (1200 or 1500kcal/day) based on their computed calorie deficit. Weight and renal function (serum creatinine, BUN and estimated glomerular filtration rate based on two formulas - Modification in Renal Disease Study (MDRD), and modified version of Cockcroft-Gault formula reported by Salazar Corcoran for obese patients (absolute and relative formulas) - were evaluated at baseline and at 3 months.Participants had eGFR in the normal range at baseline and lost an average of 7.56±14.9 pounds (p<0.0001) over 3 months; however, there was no significant reduction in serum creatinine, BUN or eGFR.This study provides evidence that intentional weight loss in overweight and obese patients with HF along with DM, and/or MS and normal baseline renal function does not adversely affect renal function overtime.
Lamina depth and thickness correlate with glaucoma severity

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between lamina cribrosa (LC) morphology and glaucoma severity in patients with primary forms of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) using enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and Humphrey visual field test (HVF). Subjects and Methods: Patients with OAG (n = 166), divided into normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and high-tension glaucoma (HTG) groups (n = 66 and n = 100), were imaged using SD-OCT to obtain horizontal B-scan images of the optic nerve head (ONH). Laminar depth (LD) and laminar thickness (LT) were measured at the center of ONH. Results: The mean (±standard deviation) values of LD, LT, and visual field mean deviation (MD) were 555.4 ± 142.3 μm, 179.9 ± 49.7 μm, and − 5.7 ± 6.4 dB, respectively. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, LD, LT, and intraocular pressure (IOP) were significantly correlated with MD (P = 0.007, P = 0.037, and P = 0.004, respectively). In the subgroup analyses, only LD was associated with MD in the NTG group (n = 66), whereas LT and IOP were correlated with MD in the HTG group (n = 100). Neither axial length nor central corneal thickness was associated with LD or LT. Conclusions: Glaucoma severity, as measured by HVF MD, shows significant correlations with LD and LT, with greater severity associated with increasing LD and decreasing LT. Normal- and high-tension OAG patients have different associations with LD and LT, which implies that the pathogenesis of these two entities might be different.
Unidirectional or Bidirectional Relationships of Behaviors: The Importance of Positive Behavioral Momentum

Theoretically based behavioral interventions provide the most evidence for successful change; however, several issues should be considered when applying these interventions. For example, school-based obesity prevention programs can be used to teach children how to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors from an early age. Ecological systems theory provides a framework to design, implement, and evaluate school-based obesity prevention programs. An ecological framework emphasizes that the characteristics within and between systems place children at risk for obesity. Although this developmental process is considered to occur continuously and simultaneously, in practice, we tend to consider the relationships to be unidirectional. Using a positive behavioral momentum approach in practice may assist in addressing these complexities.
The Meaning of a Compact

To mark the 30th anniversary of Campus Compact, leaders from across the network came together in the summer of 2015 to reaffirm a shared commitment to the public purposes of higher education. Campus Compact’s 30th Anniversary Action Statement of Presidents and Chancellors is the product of that collective endeavor. In signing the Action Statement, institutional leaders commit to deepening engagement work that maximizes impact for students and communities by building effective partnerships, preparing students for lives of citizenship, embracing place-based responsibilities, and challenging inequality. They also make a specific commitment to developing a campus civic action plan that makes public how they will implement the principles articulated in the document. As chair of the board of Connecticut Campus Compact, Anna Wasescha was an active participant in shaping the Action Statement; in this President’s Essay, she shares her vision for why a compact still matters from the perspective of a community college president.
Are we ready to embrace connected and self-driving vehicles? A case study of Texans

While connected, highly automated, and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) will eventually hit the roads, their success and market penetration rates depend largely on public opinions regarding benefits, concerns, and adoption of these technologies. Additionally, the introduction of these technologies is accompanied by uncertainties in their effects on the carsharing market and land use patterns, and raises the need for tolling policies to appease the travel demand induced due to the increased convenience. To these ends, this study surveyed 1088 respondents across Texas to understand their opinions about smart vehicle technologies and related decisions. The key summary statistics indicate that Texans are willing to pay (WTP) $2910, $4607, $7589, and $127 for Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 automation and connectivity, respectively, on average. Moreover, affordability and equipment failure are Texans’ top two concerns regarding AVs. This study also estimates interval regression and ordered probit models to understand the multivariate correlation between explanatory variables, such as demographics, built-environment attributes, travel patterns, and crash histories, and response variables, including willingness to pay for CAV technologies, adoption rates of shared AVs at different pricing points, home location shift decisions, adoption timing of automation technologies, and opinions about various tolling policies. The practically significant relationships indicate that more experienced licensed drivers and older people associate lower WTP values with all new vehicle technologies. Such parameter estimates help not only in forecasting long-term adoption of CAV technologies, but also help transportation planners in understanding the characteristics of regions with high or low future-year CAV adoption levels, and subsequently, develop smart strategies in respective regions.
Enhancing silymarin fractionation using the conductor-like screening model for real solvents.

A significant hurdle for discovery of plant-derived products is the numerous trial-and-error experiments required to develop an effective purification strategy. To overcome the experimental burden, a quantum mechanics-based molecular modeling approach – known as the COnductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents (COSMO-RS) – was used to predict a suitable two-phase solvent system to purify six silymarins from an aqueous mixture. Silymarins, a class of flavonolignans found in milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.), are well suited for assessing the use of a molecular modeling approach to predict partitioning in a countercurrent chromatography (CCC) separation because they are well characterized and previous studies report low purity fractionation in liquid–liquid solvent systems. They also present an opportunity to evaluate the use of COSMO-RS in predicting the partitioning of structurally similar isomeric compounds that are present together in an aqueous solution upon extraction from their native source. The COSMO-RS model results predicted the partition coefficients in: three traditional ARIZONA solvent systems (composed of heptane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water), nine additional variations of this quaternary solvent system, and two chloroform, methanol, and water solvent systems. Predicted results were concise but not accurate when compared to experimental results determined by the shake flask method. The 1:4:3:5 n-heptane:ethyl acetate:methanol:water (v/v/v/v) system was identified to be an improvement on the 1:4:3:4 system previously reported. The present study verified the ability of COSMO-RS to hone in on one or two solvent systems that will yield the best fractionation using CCC.
Generalized Gromov method for stochastic particle flow filters

We describe a new algorithm for stochastic particle flow filters using Gromov’s method. We derive a simple exact formula for Q in certain special cases. The purpose of using stochastic particle flow is two fold: improve estimation accuracy of the state vector and improve the accuracy of uncertainty quantification. Q is the covariance matrix of the diffusion for particle flow corresponding to Bayes’ rule.
Early Partial Stomata Closure with Soil Drying

The soil volumetric water content at which partial stomatal closure is initiated with soil drying is a critical variable in comparing the sensitivity of plants to water-deficit conditions. Those plants that initiate stomatal closure at higher soil water contents result in soil water conservation, which allows water use to be spread over more days resulting in sustained crop physiological activity during the ongoing development of water deficit. The threshold for the initiation of the partial stomatal closure appears to be fairly stable for individual genotypes when referenced against soil water contents, defined as fraction transpirable soil water (FTSW). Although early partial closure of stomata is associated with decreased photosynthetic capacity, simulations have shown that the overall benefit of sustained physiological activity with developing drought as a result of this trait is generally expected to allow yield increase.
Experimental Evaluation of a Nitrous-Oxide Axial-Injection, End-Burning Hybrid Rocket

This experimental and theoretical work examines the effects of gaseous oxidizer flow rates and pressure on the regression rates of porous fuels for hybrid rocket applications using polyethylene as ...
Assessing the Causes of District Homogeneity in U.S. House Elections

The argument that U.S. House districts have become more demographically homogenous over time—either through intentional gerrymandering, geographic self-sorting, or some combination of the two— is a central component of most explanations of the growth of partisan polarization in Congress. In recent research, we developed a highly sophisticated method of creating simulated, randomized districts in all states with more than one member of the House (see Powell, Clark, and Dube 2015, 2016). In this paper we build on that prior research to examine the extent to which geographic self-sorting may or may not account for trends in district homogeneity. To do so, we compare the homogeneity of actual districts as drawn to repeated iterations of randomized, simulated districts within each state. We extend this analysis to examine changes in the margins of victory in these districts. Thus, this paper presents a thorough examination of the hypothesis that geographic self-sorting (or intentional gerrymandering) is creating safer House seats and a more polarized legislative environment in Congress.
Spatially-correlated site occupancy in the nonstoichiometric meta-stable ε-Al60Sm11 phase during devitrification of Al-10.2 at.% Sm glasses

Abstract A metastable e -Al60Sm11 phase appears during the initial devitrification of as-quenched Al-10.2 at.% Sm glasses. The e phase is nonstoichiometric in nature since Al occupation is observed on the 16f Sm lattice sites. Scanning transmission electron microscopic images reveal profound spatial correlation of Sm content on these sites, which cannot be explained by the “average crystal” description from Rietveld analysis of diffraction data. Thermodynamically favorable configurations, established by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations based on a cluster-expansion model, also give qualitatively different correlation functions from experimental observations. On the other hand, molecular dynamics simulations of the growth of e -Al60Sm11 in undercooled liquid show that when the diffusion range of Sm is limited to ∼4 A, the correlation function of the as-grown crystal structure agrees well with that of the scanning transmission electronic microscopy (STEM) images. Our results show that kinetic effects, especially the limited diffusivity of Sm atoms plays the fundamental role in determining the nonstoichiometric site occupancies of the e -Al60Sm11 phase during the crystallization process.
Dopant-Dependent SFG Response of Rhenium CO2 Reduction Catalysts Chemisorbed on SrTiO3 (100) Single Crystals

Monolayers of fac-Re(4,4′-dicarboxyl-2,2′-bipyridine)(CO)3Cl (ReC0A) complexes, covalently bound to TiO2-terminated SrTiO3 (100) (STO) single crystals, were studied by both vibrational Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory (DFT). Homodyne-detected SFG results show that the SFG spectral shape of ReC0A on Nb-doped STO surfaces is almost opposite to that of ReC0A on undoped or Fe-doped STO surfaces, which we assign to a phase change of the SFG response of STO induced by the Nb rather than a change in orientation of the molecule. DFT calculations show that the doping with Nb populates the conduction band of the system, giving a metallic nature to the otherwise insulator STO substrate. This change in electronic structures of the substrate leads to a big nonresonant SFG response and thus interference with the spectra. The orientation of the ReC0A on all three substrates was found to be tilted by ∼45–50°, with a bidentate binding geometry and the Cl atom facing the surface. Th...
Arsenic sorption on zero-valent iron-biochar complexes.

Abstract Arsenic (As) is toxic to human and is often found in drinking water in India and Bangladesh, due to the natural abundance of arsenides ores. Different removal procedures such as precipitation, sorption, ion exchange and membrane separation have been employed for removal of As from contaminated drinking water (CDW), however, there is a critical need for low-cost economically viable biochar modification methods which can enhance As sorption. Here we studied the effectiveness of zero-valent iron (ZVI)-biochar complexes produced by high temperature pyrolysis of biomass and magnetite for removing As5+ from CDW. Batch equilibration and column leaching studies show that ZVI-biochar complexes are effective for removing As5+ from CDW for the studied pH range (pH ∼7–7.5) and in the presence of competing ions. XPS As 3d analysis of ZVI-biochar complexes exposed to As5+ in the batch and column studies show primarily As3+, indicating simultaneous oxidation of Fe° to Fe3+ and reduction of As5+ to As3+. SEM-EDS and XRD analyses show isomorphous substitution of As3+ for Fe3+ in neo-formed α/γ-FeOOH on biochar surfaces, which is attribute to co-precipitation. This study also demonstrates the efficacy of pyrolyzing biomass with low-cost iron ores at 900 °C to rapidly produce ZVI-biochar complexes, which have potential to be used for treatment of As CDW.
Embracing Unconscionability’s Safety Net Function

Despite courts' and commentators' denial of morality and focus on efficiency in contract law, fairness and flexibility have remained the bedrocks of the unconscionability doctrine. This Article therefore departs from the popular formalist critiques of unconscionability that urge for the doctrine's demise or constraint based on claims that its flexibility and lack of clear definition threaten efficiency in contract law. Contrary to this formalist trend, this Article proposes that unconscionability is necessarily flexible and contextual in order to serve its historical and philosophical function of protecting core human values. Unconscionability is not frivolous gloss on classical contract law. Instead, it provides a flexible safety net for catching contractual unfairness that slips by formulaic contract defenses.
LYING, STEALING, AND CHEATING: THE ROLE OF ARBITRATORS AS ETHICS ENFORCERS

This work is the third in a trilogy of Articles in the area of ethics for arbitration participants. This work completes the trilogy by considering the role of the arbitrator in dealing with ethical violations as they occur. The paper outlines the arbitrator's authority to deal with ethical violations as they occur and must take a more active role as an “ethics enforcer” given the limited judicial review and questionable applicability of perjury and similar criminal laws to the arbitral forum.
Expressing Culture: Teaching and Learning Music of Ghana, West Africa:

In recent years, there has been much criticism of multiculturalism for its failure to address the power and privilege that keep the status quo in music education. Continued support and education is...
Brain-to-speech decoding will require linguistic and pragmatic data.

Objective. Advances in electrophysiological methods such as electrocorticography (ECoG) have enabled researchers to decode phonemes, syllables, and words from brain activity. The ultimate aspiration underlying these efforts is the development of a brain-machine interface (BMI) that will enable speakers to produce real-time, naturalistic speech. In the effort to create such a device, researchers have typically followed a bottom-up approach whereby low-level units of language (e.g. phonemes, syllables, or letters) are decoded from articulation areas (e.g. premotor cortex) with the aim of assembling these low-level units into words and sentences. Approach. In this paper, we recommend that researchers supplement the existing bottom-up approach with a novel top-down approach. According to the top-down proposal, initial decoding of top-down information may facilitate the subsequent decoding of downstream representations by constraining the hypothesis space from which low-level units are selected. Main results. We identify types and sources of top-down information that may crucially inform BMI decoding ecosystems: communicative intentions (e.g. speech acts), situational pragmatics (e.g. recurrent communicative pressures), and formal linguistic data (e.g. syntactic rules and constructions, lexical collocations, speakers' individual speech histories). Significance. Given the inherently interactive nature of communication, we further propose that BMIs be entrained on neural responses associated with interactive dialogue tasks, as opposed to the typical practice of entraining BMIs with non-interactive presentations of language stimuli.
Misdiagnosis of CADASIL: A single Medical Center experience (P1.251)

Objective: To describe earliest clinical manifestations, and management of patients with CADASIL evaluated at Loyola University Medical Center, between January 1 st , 2006 to September 30 th , 2016. Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), an inherited cerebral small-vessel disease associated with mutations in the NOTCH3 gene on chromosome 19, is often misdiagnosed. Design/Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of 25 patients with CADASIL followed at our stroke clinics. Results: There were 17 women (mean age 50) and 8 men (mean age 51). Earliest clinical manifestations were attacks of migraines with or without aura in 44% of our patients. Approximately half of our patients had either TIAs or subcortical ischemic strokes; none had received intravenous thrombolysis. Epileptic seizures were present in 2 patients. Mood disorders were seen frequently among our patients. Symmetric anterior pole of the temporal lobe involvement on T2-weighted or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was seen in 76% of our patients. On average, our patients had a delay of 10 years from symptom onset until diagnosis of CADASIL. Multiple sclerosis accounted for the most frequent diagnosis (5 of 25), prior to confirmation, either by genetic testing (24 of 25) or skin biopsy (2 of 25; one patient had both studies) positivity for granular osmiophilic material on electron microscopy. One patient was misdiagnosed with herpes encephalitis and another with cerebral amyloid angiopathty. Twenty-three patients (92%) received platelet antiaggregants, none were treated with anticoagulant therapy. Conclusions: CADASIL is the most prevalent monogenic cerebral small-vessel arteriopathy. Despite wide availability of genetic testing, misdiagnosis and delay diagnosis are common. We encourage for enhanced awareness of CADASIL among patients with migraines with aura, recurrent TIAs or subcortical ischemic strokes, and mood disorder, in order to provide appropriate multidisciplinary treatment, psychological support and genetic counseling Study Supported by: n/a Disclosure: Dr. Ortiz-Garcia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Orjuela has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sweis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Biller has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity forThe Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Frontiers in Neurology, and Up-To-Date.
T cells, the last samurai against humoral rejection in lung transplants

Specialized T cells in induced bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue regulate alloimmune responses in the lung allograft.
The effect of the speed and range of motion of movement on the hyperemic response to passive leg movement.

Passive leg movement (PLM)-induced hyperemia is used to assess the function of the vascular endothelium. This study sought to determine the impact of movement speed and range of motion (ROM) on the hyperemic response to PLM and determine if the currently recommended protocol of moving the leg through a 90° ROM at 180°/sec provides a peak hyperemic response to PLM. 11 healthy adults underwent multiple bouts of PLM, in which either movement speed (60-240°/sec) or ROM (30-120° knee flexion) were varied. Femoral artery blood flow (Doppler Ultrasound) and mean arterial pressure (MAP; photoplethysmography) were measured throughout. Movement speed generally exhibited positive linear relationships with the hyperemic response to PLM, eliciting ~15-20% increase in hyperemia and conductance for each 30°/sec increase in speed (P < 0.05). However, increasing the movement speed above 180°/sec was physically difficult and seemingly impractical to implement. ROM exhibited curvilinear relationships (P<0.05) with hyperemia and conductance, which peaked at 90°, such that a 30° increase or decrease in ROM from 90° resulted in a 10-40% attenuation (P < 0.05) in the hyperemic response. Alterations in the balance of antegrade and retrograde flow appear to play a role in this attenuation. Movement speed and ROM have a profound impact on PLM-induced hyperemia. When using PLM to assess vascular endothelial function, it is recommended to perform the test at the traditional 180°/sec with 90° ROM, which offers a near peak hyperemic response, while maintaining test feasibility.
Growth hormone co-treatment on controlled ovarian stimulation in normal ovarian response women can improve embryo quality.

AbstractTo investigate the clinical efficacy of growth hormone (GH) in normal response patients with poor embryo quality in previous in vitro fertilization cycles. A total of 1562 infertile women w...