cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Constitutional Structure, Individual Rights, and the Pledge of Allegiance

This short article addreses whether the Establishment Clause should be construed as a structural provision of the Constitution or as a Clause that protects individual rights. The manner in which the Supreme Court has handled the issues of remedy (often permitting facial challanges) and standing in cases involving the Establishment Clause suggests that the Clause should be considered as a structural provision rather than as a Clause that protects individual rights.
Crafting a Remedy for the Naughtiness of Procedural Unconscionability

In this article I discuss the consequences of inducing someone to enter into an unconscionable contract and I suggest that there must be limitations on behavior associated with manipulative negotiation strategies. In addition, this article proposes that when inappropriate negotiation strategies result in an unconscionable term or agreement, there should be accountability if damages can be proven. Negotiation techniques and strategies are subject to scrutiny under the rubric of procedural unconscionability. Procedural unconscionability can be shown to have an impact on the sanctity of the contracting process. This article addresses the question of whether there is room in the law for a legal remedy for the consequences that may flow from procedural unconscionability. I propose a tort theory that I have named Consequential Procedural Unconscionability. The issues discussed are presented within the framework of a finding of unconscionability based on an unwarranted manipulation of cognitive biases or heuristics.
Non-hermetic micropackage for chronic implantable systems

We report on the development of a non-hermetic micropackage technology that employs multiple layers of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), epoxy, and parylene-C thin films for conformal coating of chronic biomedical implantable systems with laboratory testing results in saline bath at 85°C, achieving very long micropackaging lifetime (up to ~2–5 years). By combining experiments of material characterization and qualitative analysis of the observations, we explain the measured long lifetimes of the micropackages (projected equivalent of ~2–5 years) using these non-hermetic coating materials and composites.
Pkd Proteins Team Up to Tell Cilia Which Way to Go

Cilia are membrane-ensheathed microtubule bundles that protrude from nearly every cell in the nervous system, including neurons, glia, and ventricular ependymal cells (E-cells). Although their role was initially obscure, it is becoming increasingly clear that nervous system cilia are essential for
Growth and Survival of Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larvae Fed Diets Containing Honey Bee-collected Plant Resins

Honey bees, Apis mellifera L., varnish their combs with resins collected from woody plants. When these resins were incorporated into the diet of greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.), growth and survival were strikingly reduced. Feeding was not deterred, however, when larvae were offered a choice between resin-treated and control diets. An inhibitory action after consumption may account for reduced growth and survival. These observations suggest that honey bees gain a measure of protection from G. mellonella by utilizing plant resins in construction of their nests.
Failed Analogies: Net Neutrality Versus 'Search' and 'Platform' Neutrality

While many have lamented that the term “network neutrality” is boring and unclear, that concept has inspired millions around the world to file comments with national regulators, and led those regulators to take action in much of the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Perhaps as a sign of net neutrality’s success in public debate, some thinkers have started borrowing the word “neutrality” for concepts that are supposedly analogous to net neutrality, but really have very little in common with it. The two best-known expressions are “search neutrality” and “platform neutrality” (which apparently also encompasses app store neutrality), all of which have prompted discussion before regulators. Whatever the potential merit of these two concepts on their own (and there is good reason to doubt their merit), the supposed analogy to net neutrality is flawed and cannot justify them. As I explain in this short paper, net neutrality is a specific concept backed by over a decade of research and debate, descending from common carriage, rooted in the particulars of the economics of Internet networks. Search neutrality and platform neutrality lack rigorous research or debate, are incoherent new concepts unrelated to long-standing legal doctrines, and the economics of “search” and “platforms” are much different from those animating net neutrality. The only thing that net neutrality has in common with search neutrality and platform neutrality is the word neutrality. As a result, one would have to justify search neutrality or platform neutrality based on different arguments than the arguments that apply to network neutrality.
Wartime Adventures in Equitable Distribution Short of Rationing: Special Orders and Ratings:

S OUR war effort developed and expanded, scarcities of civilian goods multiplied and became more severe. Supplies of the durable goods which were no longer produced began to be exhausted and the reserve stocks of goods whose production was limited by order shrank toward the vanishing point. Even textile products which were plentiful in the early stages of the war were no longer made in quantities sufficient to satisfy a demand initially swollen by the increase in total spendible personal income and further inflated by the diversion of purchasing power from durable articles no longer procurable to nondurable goods which for the moment were relatively more abundant.
Use of Resistivity and EM Techniques to Map Subsidence Fractures in Glacial Drift

Fractures caused by ground subsidence disrupt surface structures, alter hydraulic properties of rock or soil and may expose shallow aquifers to contamination from the surface. Geophysical techniques have the potential to rapidly and noninvasively determine the depth and lateral extent of subsidence fractures, even if they are obscured at the surface. This study tested the ability of two geophysical methods to characterize fractures in an overburden consisting of loess, glaciolacustrine deposits and till. Resistivity soundings and frequency-domain electromagnetic (EM) surveys were made before, during and after subsidence of a 90-m deep, 280-m wide longwall coal mine panel in the southern Illinois basin. Increases in resistivity of as much as 84 ohmm were recorded after subsidence over unsaturated drift cut by fresh air-filled fractures. These resistivity increases far exceeded seasonal fluctuations and were largest over the static tension zone just inside the panel margin. Resistivity increased only slightly in saturated portions of the drift after subsidence. Saturated drift resistivities returned to presubsidence levels within a few weeks as newly-formed fractures below the water table filled with ground water. Models based on resistivity soundings suggest fracturing extended from the surface to at least the water table; the maximum depth of fracturing could not be determined from soundings since deeper drift layers did not produce a distinctive resistivity response at the surface. Subsidence fracturing reduced apparent earth conductivities in the uppermost drift over the panel several milliSiemens/meter (mS/m), as measured with a Geonics EM31 electromagnetic induction unit. Subtraction of presubsidence apparent conductivities from post-subsidence conductivities revealed a zone of anomalously low conductivity coincident with the static tension zone near the south margin of the panel. Significantly lower apparent earth conductivities were measured with transmitter and receiver coils oriented perpendicular to fractures than with coils oriented parallel to fractures. This difference in response was used to estimate the width of fracturing within the static tension zone from vertical dipole conductivity profiles.
Influence of Microstructure on the Corrosion Behavior of a Ni-Si Alloy

Nickel-based alloys with over 7 percent silicon have excellent corrosion resistance to sulfuric acid, oleum and sulfate-ion-containing environments. This alloy is characterized by the presence of intermetallic Ni 3 Si (beta) and Ni 5 Si 2 (gamma) phases in Ni-Si solid solution (alpha) matrix. The corrosion resistance is provided by the coarse intermetallic phases. Size of intermetallic phases is dependent on the processing condition and the heat treatment. The corrosion resistance can be changed by heat treatment. Results of corrosion tests are explained in terms of microstructural features.
Comparative Toxicities of Selected Pesticides to Bulb Mite (Acari: Acaridae) and Twospotted Spider Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae)

The toxicities of 64 insecticides and acaricides belonging to several different chemical classes to the bulb mite, Rhizoglyphus echinopus (Fumouze and Robin), were examined with a contact-dip method. Results were compared with those obtained with many of the same compounds and the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, with the slide-dip method. Bulb mites generally were much more tolerant to the pesticides than were twospotted spider mites. Only 15 of 20 organophosphates and 6 of 8 carbamates had LC50’s <1,000 ppm for bulb mites after 72 h. Thus, the remaining organophosphates and carbamates and the 9 pyrethroids, 6 organochlorines, 4 formamidines, 14 specific acaricides, diflubenzuron, nicotine, and abamectin were inactive. Of the 49 compounds tested against twospotted spider mites, LC50’s <1,000 ppm after 48 h were obtained for all compounds except 6 organophosphates, 2 carbamates, endosulfan, and 2 specific acaricides. This marked difference in the pesticide susceptibility profile between these two herbivorous mite species suggests that major differences between these organisms may exist at the biochemical level.
Reduced Jacobian Matrix Based Method to Assess Local Static Reactive Power/Voltage Supporting Ability of Interconnected Wind Farm

Based on the reduced Jacobian matrix,a method to assess the reactive power/voltage supporting ability of interconnected wind farm is proposed. In this method,partial nodes in the studied region are chosen as "injection node" and by means of reduction of Jacobian matrix all of other nodes of the system are eliminated,thus a partial nodes reduced Jacobian matrix is obtained,and then the sensitivity of interconnecting point of wind farm to the variation of both local reactive power and wind farm reactive power can be solved,thus the voltage supporting ability index of wind farm to the partial region where it is interconnected is acquired. Meanwhile,by means of comparing relevant sensitivities,the position to install reactive power compensator for the interconnection of wind farm with power grid can be chosen and the reactive power compensation capacity can also be determined. Calculation results of practical power grid show that the proposed method is feasible and possesses good adaptability.
Advances in protection and application status of Guangxi wild rice resources

Because of its abundance in wild rice resources,Guangxi is known as one of the best wild rice production provinces(region).Based on the brief introduction of Guangxi wild rice resources,the quality of wild rice gene as well as its application status were explored and evaluated.It was induced that the sustainable utilization and research of wild rice could be achieved by stabilizing funds support,strengthening collection,exercising conservation of wild rice resources,establishing resources sharing platform,and improving cooperative model.In the future,modern molecular biological high-tech should be introduced to evaluate,localize,and clone quality wild rice gene in order to combat against insect pests,diseases,and stresses.Furthermore,consecutive backcross,multiple cross,and molecular marker-assisted selection should be adopted to accelerate the use of elite wild rice resources in rice breeding and material innovation.
Medical education on a collision course: sooner rather than later?

BACKGROUND The escalating cost of medical education does not have transparency. This results in high percentages of medical students with progressively rising levels of indebtedness that are only exceeded by the increases in tuition. Indebtedness is a factor in specialty choice along with the "business" of medicine that reimburses procedural-based physicians much more than cognitive primary care-based services. In response to perceived increased physician demand by 2025, medical schools have increased enrollments, and new schools are online or in development. Despite the inevitable increase in medical graduates, the number of residency positions is static and may even contract. While these phenomena are being studied individually, almost no one is examining the bigger picture: increasing numbers of highly indebted students vying for static numbers of residency positions, especially in the more highly remunerative specialties. The workforce is out of balance now, and the desired workforce outcomes are not universally agreed upon, let alone how to achieve them. This collision of forces is imminent. Family medicine can become "counter culture" once again and advocate for change with education/cost data, political expertise, and outcome measures. Returning to our roots by advocating ultimately for the patient is fundamental to our discipline.
Group treatment of the mother-daughter relationship

(1973). Group Treatment of the Mother-Daughter Relationship. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 69-81.
Integrating Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Research with Patient Care.

Clinical trials of interventions in common practice can be built into the workflow of an electronic medical record. The authors review four such trials and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of this approach to gathering information.
What is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)

This paper describes a teacher knowledge framework for technology integration called technological pedagogical content knowledge (originally TPCK, now known as TPACK, or technology, pedagogy, and c...
Revolutionary Leaders and Mass Killing

This article argues that revolutionary leaders are more willing to commit mass killing than nonrevolutionary leaders. Revolutionary leaders are more ideologically committed to transforming society, more risk tolerant, and more likely to view the use of violence as appropriate and effective. Furthermore, such leaders tend to command highly disciplined and loyal organizations, built in the course of revolutionary struggles, that can perpetrate mass killing. This study uses time series cross-sectional data from 1955 to 2004 to demonstrate that revolutionary leaders are more likely to initiate genocide or politicide than nonrevolutionary leaders. The violent behaviors of revolutionary leaders are not limited to the immediate postrevolutionary years but also occur later in their tenure. This demonstrates that the association of revolutionary leaders and mass killing is not simply indicative of postrevolutionary instability. This article also provides evidence for the importance of exclusionary ideologies in mo...
Effect of Seed Age on Gold Nanorod Formation: A Microfluidic, Real-Time Investigation

We report a real time investigation into the effect of seed age on the growth of gold nanorods using a microfluidic reaction apparatus. Through small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) analysis, we observe the seeds aging in accordance with Ostwald ripening. A seed solution is then aged in situ and continuously injected into a microfluidic chip to initiate rod growth. We track nanorod formation in real time using in-line ultraviolet–visible and near-infrared (UV–vis–NIR) monitoring and observe a dramatic decrease in yield with increasing seed age. We then demonstrate that, by diluting the gold seed solution immediately following synthesis, the rate of aging can be reduced and nanorods synthesized continuously, in good yield. These findings suggest ultrasmall, catalytically active seeds, which are rapidly lost due to ripening and are critical for the formation of gold nanorods.
Tuning the physicochemical properties of biochar derived from Ashe juniper by vacuum pressure and temperature.

Abstract Ashe juniper is a problematic plant in central Texas due to rapid expansion causing the alteration of rangeland plant communities and hydrological landscapes. The thermochemical conversion of Ashe juniper into biochar with specific properties is a promising option for valorization of Ashe juniper. This study presents the effects of temperature (350, 450 and 520 °C) and vacuum pressure (0.09, 0.7 and 3 kPa) on physical and chemical properties of biochar produced by vacuum pyrolysis from Ashe juniper. We found that temperature had a major effect on the degree of carbonization and surface functionality, as well as the O/C and H/C ratios regardless of vacuum pressure. It was determined that the effect of vacuum pressure severity on product properties depends on pyrolysis temperature. In addition, the vacuum pressure was a crucial factor for controlling the surface area and porosity at each constant pyrolysis temperature. This work also demonstrated that the biochar from Ashe juniper under vacuum pyrolysis showed improved aromaticity and surface area compared to the biochar derived from other biomass. Biochar produced at 450 and 520 °C showed potential application as an adsorbent, a catalyst support and a carbon sequestration agent. Methylene blue (MB) adsorption test confirmed that biochar produced at 450 °C and 0.7 kPa showed potential as an adsorbent.
Evolving sharing strategies in cybersecurity information exchange framework

Cybersecurity information sharing among participating organizations proactivly helps defend against attackers. However, such sharing also exposes potentially sensitive organizational information. We attack the problem of finding sharing incentives and penalties that maximize sharing utility while minimizing risk by modeling cybersecurity information sharing as an iterated prisoner's delimma-like game. A genetic algorithm then evolves potential strategies that lead to high utility for an organization participating in a Cybersecurity Information Exchange. Preliminary results indicate that the genetic algorith finds strategies better random or Tit-for-tat.
Student learning in higher education: a longitudinal analysis and faculty discussion

AbstractAnswering a call put forth decades ago by the higher education community and the federal government, we investigated the impact of US college coursework on student learning gains. Students gained, on average, 3.72 points on a 66-item test of quantitative and scientific reasoning after experiencing 1.5 years of college. Gain scores were unrelated to the number of quantitative and scientific reasoning courses completed when controlling and not controlling for students’ personal characteristics. Unexpectedly, yet fortunately, gain scores showed no discernable difference when corrected for low test-taking effort, which indicated test-taking effort did not compromise the validity of the test scores. When gain scores were disaggregated by amount of completed coursework, the estimated gain scores of students with quantitative and scientific reasoning coursework were smaller than what quantitative and scientific reasoning faculty expected or desired. In sum, although students appear on average to be makin...
Structural and Functional Imaging

The use of imaging studies in the clinical practice of psychiatry continues to lag behind the other clinical neurosciences. This explains the clinical psychiatrist’s relative unease with ordering and interpreting imaging studies. Even though various clinical practice guidelines in psychiatry recommend imaging studies as part of the diagnostic work-up for the psychiatric disorders, no signature imaging findings have been reported as diagnostic of any psychiatric disorder. This includes psychiatric disorders with onset later in life with the exception of the neurocognitive disorders. Over a decade of research in the role of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers including imaging biomarkers in the neurocognitive disorders led to the framework first proposed by the International Working Group (IWG) in 2007 for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in which diagnostic biomarkers had a central role. This was subsequently expanded upon by the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association (NIA-AA) criteria published in 2011. Around the same time, molecular imaging was approved for use in diagnosing some movement disorders. Consequently, imaging (and fluid) biomarkers have gradually found their way into memory and movement disorders clinics, and biomarkers now play an important role in categorizing several neurocognitive disorders as “possible” or “probable” as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5) classification. This chapter provides a broad overview of the imaging modalities commonly used in the clinical practice of neuropsychiatry today that have documented diagnostic utility at the individual level. Indications for the use of imaging in the clinic are discussed first and a case is made for improving the training of psychiatrists in ordering and interpreting imaging studies. Next, structural, functional, and molecular imaging modalities are discussed in some detail, including computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and dopamine transporter SPECT. Imaging modalities that are primarily used in research have not been covered unless the imaging modality is either a major breakthrough (functional MRI) or when it is expected that clinical use for that modality will be approved in the near future (amyloid PET, 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine, MIBG myocardial scintigraphy). Practical aspects of archiving and viewing imaging studies are discussed at the end. Given that the clinical indications for the use of imaging studies in neuropsychiatry are still mostly restricted to the neurocognitive and movement disorders, the bulk of the chapter deals with the role of imaging studies in diagnosing these disorders. The role of imaging as a prognostic biomarker is outside the scope of this chapter. Also, the discussion in each section has been mostly limited to the underlying theory and general methodology, while the signature imaging findings in the individual disorders will be covered in the chapters on those disorders.
Small City School Districts’ Capacity for Improvement and the Struggle for Educational Equity:

The problems faced by many small city school districts are often overshadowed by concerns for big city and rural school districts. We focus on some of the challenges faced by three small city schoo...
Fast track article: Bubble-sensing: Binding sensing tasks to the physical world

We propose bubble-sensing, a new sensor network abstraction that allows mobile phone users to create a binding between sensing tasks and the physical world at locations of interest, that remains active for a duration set by the user. We envision mobile phones being able to affix sensing task bubbles at places of interest and then receive sensed data as it becomes available in a delay-tolerant fashion, in essence, creating a living documentary of places of interest in the physical world. The system relies on other mobile phones that opportunistically pass through bubble-sensing locations to acquire tasks and do the sensing on behalf of the initiator, and deliver the data to the bubble-sensing server for retrieval by the user who initiated the task. We describe an implementation of the bubble-sensing system using sensor-enabled mobile phones, specifically, Nokia's N80 and N95 (with GPS, accelerometers, microphone, camera). Task bubbles are maintained at locations through the interaction of ''bubble carriers'', which carry the sensing task into the area of interest, and ''bubble anchors'', which maintain the task bubble in the area when the bubble carrier is no longer present. In our implementation, bubble carriers and bubble anchors implement a number of simple mobile phone based protocols that refresh the task bubble state as new mobile phones move through the area. Phones communicate using the local Ad-Hoc 802.11g radio to transfer task state and maintain the task in the region of interest. This task bubble state is ephemeral and times out when no bubble carriers or bubble anchors are in the area. Our design is resilient to periods when no mobiles pass through the bubble area and is capable of ''reloading'' the task into the bubble region. In this paper, we describe the bubble-sensing system and a simple proof-of-concept experiment.
12 – Streak Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy: A Novel Technology for Quantitative FRET Imaging

This chapter provides a comprehensive description of this streak camera-based fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) imaging (StreakFLIM) system and contrasts its performance with that of the other currently available time-domain FLIM systems. The FLIM methods are relatively insensitive to artifacts that can affect spectroscopic characteristics of fluorophores and can provide distinct lifetimes characteristic of the individual fluorophores attached to each protein (for example, donor and acceptor). The main component of the StreakFLIM system is the streak camera, also known as streakscope, a device that can measure ultrafast light phenomena with a temporal resolution as low as 2 picoseconds (ps). In addition to intensity and time information, the streakscope can be used to obtain either spatial or wavelength information. The streak camera has good radiant sensitivity over a wide bandwidth of wavelengths, making it suitable for both single-photon and multiphoton imaging applications without compromising detection sensitivity. While in the conventional time-domain FLIM, multigate detection with a gated microchannel plate image intensifier and a charge-coupled device (CCD) imaging camera is used.
Effectiveness of Nutrition Programs in Increasing Healthy Eating Behaviors among Low Income Women

This article presents a review of the literature regarding nutrition education programs targeting low income women. A total of 15 interventions were found, which met inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria included publication between January 1, 2001 and January 1, 2007, focus on low income females, focus exclusively on nutrition and improvement of dietary behaviors, publication in English, and intervention took place in the US. The 15 studies meeting the search criteria were, in turn, re-reviewed collectively by the authors. Ten main themes were found: 1) WIC and EFNEP-based interventions, 2) collaborative approaches, 3) theoretical framework, 4) learner-centered, 5) skills-based programs, 6) use of produce coupons or vouchers, 7) computer-based programs, 8) culturally-based interventions, 9) peer teaching, and 10) recommendations to include social support or physical activity. A summary of each was developed and emergent themes were identified. In this manner, effective strategies and lessons learned from the research regarding increasing healthy eating among low income females could be more clearly delineated and discussed. This paper could be quite beneficial to health educators and health researchers interested in increasing healthy dietary practices among low income females.
Standard and Bayesian Random Coefficient Model Estimation of US Corn–Soybean Farmer Risk Attitudes

We estimated standard and Bayesian random coefficient models (RCMs) to examine the risk attitudes of US corn–soybean farmers by revenue class using national survey data covering the 2000–2006 growing seasons. Attitudes toward risk are shown to depend on revenue class, with the magnitude of the effect being relatively small. The hypothesis of risk-neutral preferences is not rejected for small- or medium-revenue farmers but is rejected, in favor of a very slight level of risk tolerance, for large- and very large-revenue farmers and for the entire sample of farmer types. The hypothesis of downside risk neutrality is not rejected for small-revenue farmers but is rejected, in favor of a very slight level of downside risk aversion, for medium-, large-, and very large-revenue farmers. Although risk neutrality is rejected for the entire sample of farmer types, the magnitudes of our estimates of the coefficients of absolute risk aversion and absolute downside risk aversion are extremely small. This suggests that the frequent assumption of risk-neutral preferences adopted in the agricultural economics literature is justifiable for the case of US corn–soybean farmers during 2000–2006.
The Postmodern Environment

The significance of nature changed with the advent of modern science. What had been a term of moral import became an object of studied conquest. “The environment” is that part of nature not appropriated by science, which makes possible man’s conquest of the rest. Science encourages human beings to distrust their ordinary experience of nature. Because nature is volatilized by science, modern citizens require science and the media to inform them of the condition of nature. Nature can no longer be preserved just through the cultivation of one’s land. But the loss of belief in modern ideals has given way to the fragmentation of postmodernity . Modern democracy, which encourages that fragmentation, inclines men to defer to the “immense beings” of government and nature. We pass off to government and the market the task of preserving nature. Protection of the environment has no explanation outside our free arrangement of the signs of our world—as an object of changing consumer fashion or a sign of one’s social status. We want the benefits of liberty and technology with the assurance that we do nature no harm, and take from nature no guidance. We distance ourselves from the control of nature and from restrictions on that control. The market and the law assume the ecological burdens we refuse to meet and hide from us the manipulation of nature that always frightens us up close.
An alternating polarity switching assay for quantification of oxycodone and topiramate: An application of LC-MS/MS method in support to PK/PD study in rodents.

Abstract In mass spectrometry, compounds that have different ionization properties experience challenges in simultaneous analysis. In the present paper, the authors proposed a polarity switching (+ve and -ve) LC-MS/MS method to analyze oxycodone and topiramate in a single run. The developed method was validated in the range of 5–1000 ng/mL for oxycodone and 20–5000 ng/mL for topiramate as per the US FDA guidelines. The mass spectrometer was operated in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode to analyze oxycodone and topiramate simultaneously using oxycodone-d6 and topiramate-d12 as internal standards, respectively. Sample preparation was performed in 96-well protein precipitation plates using acetonitrile. Processed samples were analyzed using a C18 column with a gradient mobile phase composed of 10 mm ammonium formate with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile. The method was validated for selectivity, specificity, linearity, precision and accuracy, dilution integrity and stability. After validation, this method was successfully applied to quantify oxycodone and topiramate in plasma of concomitantly treated Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.
Contributions of shared autonomous vehicles to climate change mitigation

Abstract The climate change impacts of the anticipated growth in shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) are highly uncertain due to competing mechanisms whose magnitudes are difficult to estimate. On the one hand, SAVs could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by driving more efficiently, avoiding traffic congestion, accelerating adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, and charging in alignment with renewable electricity generation. On the other hand, SAVs could induce more vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by lowering the time cost of travel and allowing non-drivers to travel more by car. In this study, we develop an energy system optimization model that integrates the electricity and transport sectors, computes endogenous technology adoption, and distinguishes SAVs from privately owned vehicles (POVs) to explore the contributions of SAVs to climate change mitigation. Our results show that widespread SAV adoption lowers costs and emissions, and that these desirable outcomes remain true even if SAVs induce double the VMT of the POVs they replace. SAVs dramatically accelerate the market penetration of electric vehicles. The environmental and economic benefits of this electrification trend are larger if electric SAV charging can be optimally aligned with renewable electricity generation. Especially in the short to medium term, SAV adoption can be a more impactful lever than a carbon tax for decarbonizing vehicle travel.
Modal Analysis of Rotating Tires in Stationary and Rotating Frames of Reference

Design and development of tires require accurate characterization of their dynamic response. For this purpose, Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) techniques have been heavily utilized. However, as the focus shifts from stationary to rotating tires, testing solutions become limited and more challenging. Conventionally, cleat excitation with force measurements on the fixed spindle has been the standard approach for testing tires in rotation. However, the limited control on the input excitation has hindered the characterization of rotating tires, especially at high frequency.
Nitriding of a high entropy FeNiMnAlCr alloy

Abstract The as-cast, two-phase, f.c.c. + B2, lamellar-structured, high-entropy alloy Fe28.2Ni18.8Mn32.9Al14.1Cr6 was annealed in pure nitrogen at either 800 °C or 1000 °C for 100 h in order to harden the surface by nitridation. Similar nitriding treatments were performed on a comparably-structured, four-component alloy Fe30Ni20Mn35Al15 for comparison. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to analyze the resulting microstructures and phase compositions. AlN formation near the surface completely depleted the matrix of Al resulting in a f.c.c. matrix containing AlN particles, while a two-phase lamellae structure remained in the center of the specimens. Nevertheless, the AlN-containing region exhibited a higher hardness than the AlN-free area. Interestingly, the presence of Cr led to much more rapid diffusion of nitrogen into the material.
Does cardiorespiratory fitness knowledge carry over in middle school students

Abstract Conceptual knowledge development in physical education is critical to helping learners become physically literate. Understanding physical education learners' long-term knowledge development is one of the first steps in designing effective curriculum. Guided by the constructivist learning theory, this study aimed to determining the extent to which the cardiorespiratory fitness knowledge learned in the first year contributed to further knowledge development in the second year. A two-year longitudinal design was adopted to track 716 students' learning documented in their physical education workbook from sixth grade to seventh grade. Canonical correlation and multivariate multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship of learning during the two years. The results showed that student knowledge development in the first year did facilitate their knowledge development in the second year (Rc = 0.54; Wilks' λ = 0.69, F (9, 1728.1) = 30.99, p
If you love it, let it go: the role of home attachment in wildfire evacuation decisions

Evacuation is the preferred method in the U.S. for preserving public safety in wildfire. However, alternatives such as staying and defending are used both in North America and Australia. Dangerous delays in the decision to evacuate are also common. One contributor to the evacuation decision is attachment to the home, however, little research has examined its role in evacuation decisions. We explored the role of home attachment in the evacuation decision and the effectiveness of communication and other cues in motivating safer, more decisive response actions. Using an online sample (n = 268), we conducted a 3 (information) × 2 (physical cue) experimental design. We hypothesized that higher home attachment would increase intentions to stay and defend the home, or to wait and see before making the decision to evacuate. We also hypothesized that the effect of information and cues on behavioral intentions would be conditional on residents’ attachment to their home. Surprisingly, with high attachment, defense benefit information and the presence of physical cues decreased waiting intentions. With low attachment, defense benefit information increased waiting intentions and cues had no effect. Our findings suggest that caution should be used when communicating about the benefits of home defense in isolation, as this may motivate decision delays.
Enhancing group projects in software engineering

Many professors in computer science feel that group projects are not worth the hassle and complications[1]. Several reasons have been cited: different student schedules make it difficult to get together, centralizing information is tedious and usually hard to secure, and it is hard to monitor group participation. The problem with not creating group projects means students are missing a vital component of their educations. This paper describes how a Software Engineering Course used Blackboard CourseInfo to increase collaboration, learning, and interactivity while working on a group project to create software. In addition, a brief study and comparison between Software Engineering courses that used CourseInfo and those that did not is included. The course, which is described in this paper, used CourseInfo as a resource but did not replace the classroom experience.
Evaluating the role of surface topography in the surveillance of scoliosis

Literature review. To review the history, modern uses, limitations, and future direction of surface topography (ST) in surveillance of scoliosis. Spinal deformities, including scoliosis, can be characterized using measurements such as the Cobb angle, lateral curvature, and vertebral rotation. The gold standard for diagnosis and surveillance of such deformities utilizes radiographic images. To minimize repeated radiation exposure, many systems have been developed utilizing ST. ST measures local deviations of a surface from a flat plane. Applying this concept to spinal deformities, ST can non-radiographically study the 3-dimensional shape of the back. One ST system, rasterstereography, projects parallel white light lines onto a patient’s back and analyzes line distortion with a camera. While radiography has long been considered the primary diagnostic tool for scoliosis, rasterstereography may possess alternative or complementary benefits in monitoring scoliosis and other diseases. A comprehensive literature review was performed on the history, development, and validity of ST. The advantages and limitations of this technique were compared to those of radiography. While the initial goal of ST, designing a system to accurately reproduce the Cobb angle, was not successful, research efforts over the last 40 years have attempted to improve this correlation. ST technologies, including rasterstereography and the Formetric ST System, currently play important roles in scoliosis surveillance, research, and minimizing radiation exposure in longitudinal care of patients. Such technologies are also useful as an adjunct to X-rays for monitoring disease progression, especially in Parkinson’s disease. Despite its limitations, ST has proven useful across multiple fields of medicine. It is a safe and cost-effective tool for long-term surveillance of scoliosis and early detection of progressive disease. With technological improvements, the Formetric System will become a critical alternative in dynamic spinal motion and gait analysis. N/A.
Impact of regional versus local resolution air quality modeling on particulate matter exposure health impact assessment

As much of the population lives in close proximity to high-traffic roads, there is the potential for health impact assessments based on regional air quality modeling to underpredict health impacts. We compare the estimated health impacts from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) using local (0.04 × 0.04 km upscaled to census block group resolution) compared to regional (12 × 12 km resolution) modeled concentrations for three locations in Connecticut: Hartford, New Haven, and Willimantic. We use concentration estimates from the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) regional model and a hybrid model combining CAMx with a near road model (HYCAMR) in the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program—Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) to calculate the difference in estimated human health impacts using different resolution air quality estimates from PM2.5 exposure including mortality, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and asthma exacerbation. This provides an estimate of the potential underprediction of health impacts resulting from not accounting for the sharp concentration gradients in near road environments in urban areas. The fine-scale estimates capture the elevated concentrations near the roadways leading to increased estimates of overall mortality and morbidity in the population. We find an increase in the estimated likelihood of emergency department visits and mortality in the urban core. We also compare the impact of model resolution on the health impact estimates for different demographic groups. Of the locations investigated, we see the largest differences between demographic groups in Willimantic, CT. Our results indicate that using regional air pollutant concentrations may lead to an underprediction of human health impacts from air pollution exposure.
Evaluation of a TrkB agonist on spatial and motor learning in the Ube3a mouse model of Angelman syndrome

Angelman syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a mutation in the maternal allele of the gene Ube3a The primary symptoms of Angelman syndrome are severe cognitive deficits, impaired motor functions, and speech disabilities. Analogous phenotypes have been detected in young adult Ube3a mice. Here, we investigate cognitive phenotypes of Ube3a mice as compared to wild-type littermate controls at an older adult age. Water maze spatial learning, swim speed, and rotarod motor coordination and balance were impaired at 6 mo of age, as predicted. Based on previous findings of reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor in Ube3a mice, a novel therapeutic target, the TrkB agonist 7,8-DHF, was interrogated. Semichronic daily treatment with 7,8-DHF, 5 mg/kg i.p., did not significantly improve the impairments in performance during the acquisition of the water maze hidden platform location in Ube3a mice, after training with either massed or spaced trials, and had no effect on the swim speed and rotarod deficits. Robust behavioral phenotypes in middle-aged Ube3a mice appear to result from continued motor decline. Our results suggest that motor deficits could offer useful outcome measures for preclinical testing of many pharmacological targets, with the goal of reducing symptoms in adults with Angelman syndrome.
TFTR 1mm Density Interferometer

A primary control diagnostic instrument on the Princeton Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) will be a 1mm double-pass interferometer. The interferometer will provide: (a) line average electron density measurements for densities up to 2 × 1014 cm−3, (b) a permissive signal for control of neutral beam firing, and (c) an input signal for the gas feedback controlling system that regulates the electron density level. A 1mm wavelength was selected because of the following considerations: 1. A reliable 1 watt carcinotron source is available. 2. The cut-off density for the probing frequency, 1015 cm−3, is a factor of 3 above the highest average density to be measured. 3. At 1mm wavelength refraction problems are not severe along the available horizontal mid-plane transmission path (i.e., along the density gradient). 4. Low-loss in over-sized waveguide allows the interferometer to be located remotely from the tokamak and thus minimize environmental problems. 5. The interferometer is relatively insensitive to vibration.
Risk-based inspection planning of deteriorating structures

Structural deterioration due to environmental and mechanical stressors is a major concern for civil and marine structures. Inspection actions can reduce uncertainties, facilitate decision-making on...
An evaluation of venetoclax in combination with azacitidine, decitabine, or low-dose cytarabine as therapy for acute myeloid leukemia.

Older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) ineligible for conventional chemotherapy have historically received low-intensity treatments, if any, and have had dismal outcomes. Recent phase III...
A Novel UHPLC-MS/MS Method for Measuring 8-iso-Prostaglandin F2α in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid.

In August 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received the first reports of lung injuries that were eventually termed e-cigarette, or vaping, product use–associated lung injury (EVALI). As part of the investigation, CDC laboratories rapidly developed assays for analyzing substances in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid collected from EVALI case patients. This report describes the development and validation of a high-throughput isotope dilution UHPLC-MS/MS method for measuring a major oxidative stress biomarker, 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-isoprostane), in BAL fluid samples. The method showed good sensitivity, 17.6 pg/mL LOD, and requires only 50 μL of sample volume. The method had high throughput with an analytical run time of 11 minutes. The within-day and between-day coefficient of variation (CV) were below 2%. Accuracy, calculated from spiked recovery, at three spiking levels, ranged from 95.5 - 101.8%. This novel UHPLC-MS/MS method characterizes oxidative stress in lung epithelial tissue and thus helps to elucidate potential pathologic processes.
A hybrid potential of mean force approach for simulation of fracture in heterogeneous media

Abstract Material heterogeneity at small scales is a key driver of material’s effective macroscopic properties and fracture response. We present a hybrid energy-based approach based on a potential of mean force formulation of lattice element method for reliable and efficient modeling of fracture and crack propagation in heterogeneous materials. The proposed framework rests on direct application of the Griffith fracture criteria and removes material points to create fracture surfaces in energetically favorable directions. Computational efficiency is achieved through a probing of high energy bonds and quasi-static relaxation leading to near global imposition of the energy-based criteria for crack path resolution. We validate the proposed hybrid approach against results in literature and use it to examine fracture response of defective and layered materials. For layered materials with fracture energy heterogeneity, the effective toughness is shown to be the maximum of fracture energies of layers irrespective of their volume fraction and the direction of crack propagation. For layered materials with elastic modulus heterogeneity, the maximum energy release rate occurs when the crack approaches the compliant-stiff interface from within the compliant phase. We examine the scaling of fracture toughness with modulus contrast, the link to volume fraction of the layers and the relationship between toughness anisotropy and the gradient of elastic modulus heterogeneity, offering insights with potential to inform the design of materials for fracture.