cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic recovery of the optic nervehead geometry in optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses retroreflected light to provide micrometer-resolution, cross-sectional scans of biological tissues. OCT's first application was in ophthalmic imaging where it has proven particularly useful in diagnosing, monitoring, and studying glaucoma. Diagnosing glaucoma is difficult and it often goes undetected until significant damage to the subject's visual field has occurred. As glaucoma progresses, neural tissue dies, the nerve fiber layer thins, and the cup-to-disk ratio increases. Unfortunately, most current measurement techniques are subjective and inherently unreliable, making it difficult to monitor small changes in the nervehead geometry. To our knowledge, this paper presents the first published results on optic nervehead segmentation and geometric characterization from OCT data. We develop complete, autonomous algorithms based on a parabolic model of cup geometry and an extension of the Markov model introduced by Koozekanani, et al. to segment the retinal-nervehead surface, identify the choroid-nervehead boundary, and identify the extent of the optic cup. We present thorough experimental results from both normal and pathological eyes, and compare our results against those of an experienced, expert ophthalmologist, reporting a correlation coefficient for cup diameter above 0.8 and above 0.9 for the disk diameter.
Bradford F. Hinze şi Irfan A. Omar (eds.), Heirs of Abraham. The Future of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian Relations

Bradford F. Hinze si Irfan A. Omar (eds.), Heirs of Abraham. The Future of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian Relations Maryknoll, New York, 2005.
Effects of Categorization and Discrimination Training on Auditory Perceptual Space

Psychophysical phenomena such as categorical perception and the perceptual magnet effect indicate that our auditory perceptual spaces are warped for some stimuli. This paper investigates the effects of two different kinds of training on auditory perceptual space. It is first shown that categorization training using non-speech stimuli, in which subjects learn to identify stimuli within a particular frequency range as members of the same category, can lead to a decrease in sensitivity to stimuli in that category. This phenomenon is an example of acquired similarity and apparently has not been previously demonstrated for a category-relevant dimension. Discrimination training with the same set of stimuli was shown to have the opposite effect: subjects became more sensitive to differences in the stimuli presented during training. Further experiments investigated some of the conditions that are necessary to generate the acquired similarity found in the first experiment. The results of these experiments are used to evaluate two neural network models of the perceptual magnet effect. These models, in combination with our experimental results, are used to generate an experimentally testable prediction concerning changes in the brain’s auditory maps under different training conditions.
The use of spectral decomposition via the convex constraint algorithm in interpreting the CD-observed unfolding transitions of coiled coils.

Decomposition of CD spectra for the unfolding of both coiled-coil and single-helical molecules is carried out via the convex constraint algorithm (CCA) [A. Perczel, M. Hollosi, G. Tusnady, and G. D. Fasman (1991) Protein Engineering, Vol. 4, pp. 669-679]. Examined are (1) our thermal unfolding data for rabbit alpha alpha-tropomyosin and chicken gizzard gamma gamma-tropomyosin coiled coils, and for a 35-residue, tropomyosin-model peptide that forms single helices, not coiled coils; (2) extent pH-induced unfolding data for 50- and 400-residue poly-L-glutamic acid. Each set of spectra shows a sharp isodichroic point near 203 nm. We find here that the CCA is of sharply limited use for analyzing such data. The component spectra obtained for a given substance not only depend on the particular experimental spectra included and on the chosen number of component spectra, but all pass through the experimental isodichroic point. The latter is physically unlikely for more than three component spectra, and physically impossible for conformers, such as beta structures, having known isodichroic points elsewhere. Our conclusions are in contrast to those of an extant decomposition via CCA of thermal spectra for rabbit alpha alpha-tropomyosin [N. J. Greenfield and S. E. Hitchcock-DeGregori (1993) Protein Science, Vol. 2, pp. 1263-1273] that postulates the existence of five conformers, including beta structures, in the unfolding. Moreover, an extant diagnostic based on the theta 222/theta 208 ratio and allegedly distinguishing between spectra for coiled coil and for single alpha-helix is shown here to be unreliable.
'Telling Me Lies': The Constitutionality of Regulating False Statements of Fact

Using recent decisions dealing with the constitutionality of the Stolen Valor Act as its starting point, this Essay examines the First Amendment questions raised by statutes prohibiting lies as such, that is, outside the context of fraud and defamation. It evaluates the constitutionality of statutes imposing strict or negligence liability for lying, concluding that the First Amendment does not bar legislatures from adopting such statutes if the statutes are carefully drawn. It then assesses arguments that deliberate falsehoods can be prohibited because they have no social value, concluding that that judgment, while somewhat overbroad, is correct. In reaching that conclusion the Essay offers an interpretation of United States v. Stevens, the recently decided "animal snuff video" case, which some have thought stands as an obstacle to statutes prohibiting lies as such. The Essay also deals with false statements made by those who do not believe the statements to be false, observing that many such statements are "ideologically inflected" in ways that make is unwise, and probably unconstitutional, to regulate their dissemination. A final section briefly discusses statutes prohibiting false statements in political campaigns.
Students and Their Worlds: Nigerian Student Identity Development in Twenty-First Century Ireland

In recent years, scores of adults and families have left Africa in search of “economic and cultural opportunities” elsewhere (Arthur, 201'8 XI). This movement of Africans has had far-reaching effects on many countries, including Ireland. Indeed, Ireland, a country of 4.6 million people, has become a destination for many immigrants from African nations, particularly Nigerians, who represent the largest African group moving to the country. Between 2006 and 2011 alone, the population of Nigerian residents in Ireland increased 8.2% to over 17,000 (This is Ireland, census 2011), even in the midst of Ireland’s economic crisis. This increase in African immigration has posed significant challenges for Irish schools that, lately, have experienced racism toward students of color (Bryan, 2009). This presentation will explore social “worlds” that influence the way(s) Nigerian students in Irish schools form their identities in light of rapid social and economic change in Ireland, and how these Nigerian students’ identities affect their schooling experiences. The social worlds to be addressed will include Nigerian students’ school, home, and peer groups. In the presentation, these three worlds will be analyzed to understand how they are interrelated, as well as how Nigerian students navigate between these worlds.
Extending the field of view of KD*P electrooptic modulators

The use of KD*P as a polarization rotator has been limited to small field of view instruments. To investigate this limitation, the index ellipsoid is used to describe the optical properties of KD*P and to calculate the retardance and fast axis as a function of the angle of incidence and voltage. Computed converging light patterns are then compared with observed intensity patterns formed by KD*P. Finally, computed intensity patterns are used to demonstrate how the field of view of KD*P can be increased when properly aligned with a positive uniaxial crystal.
Optimal feedback rate selection for energy harvesting with distributed transmit beamforming

This paper considers wireless power transfer with feedback-based distributed transmit beamforming in a narrowband setting where all nodes have independent local oscillators with stochastic dynamics. The receive node provides periodic feedback to the transmit nodes to facilitate efficient wireless power transfer. The optimal feedback rate to maximize the amount of energy harvested by the receive node per unit of time is analyzed and a method to numerically calculate the optimal feedback rate is provided. The results demonstrate that the efficiency of wireless power transfer can be significantly improved with feedback-based distributed transmit beamforming and feedback rate optimization.
Relations between language and cognition in native-signing children with autism spectrum disorder.

Two populations have been found to exhibit delays in theory of mind (ToM): deaf children of hearing parents and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Deaf children exposed to sign from birth by their deaf parents, however, show no such delay, suggesting that early language exposure is key to ToM development. Sign languages also present frequent opportunities with visual perspective-taking (VPT), leading to the question of whether sign exposure could benefit children with ASD. We present the first study of children with ASD exposed to sign from birth by their deaf parents. Seventeen native-signing children with a confirmed ASD diagnosis and a chronological- and mental age-matched control group of 18 typically developing (TD) native-signing deaf children were tested on American Sign Language (ASL) comprehension, two minimally verbal social cognition tasks (ToM and VPT), and one spatial cognition task (mental rotation). The TD children outperformed the children with ASD on ASL comprehension (p < 0.0001), ToM (p = 0.02), and VPT (p < 0.01), but not mental rotation (p = 0.12). Language strongly correlated with ToM (p < 0.01) and VPT (p < 0.001), but not mental rotation (p = ns). Native exposure to sign is thus insufficient to overcome the language and social impairments implicated in ASD. Contrary to the hypothesis that sign could provide a scaffold for ToM skills, we find that signing children with ASD are unable to access language so as to gain any potential benefit sign might confer. Our results support a strong link between the development of social cognition and language, regardless of modality, for TD and ASD children. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1304-1315. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The ‘Atlanta School’ of Black Political Science, 1972-2014: Theoretical Streams in Four Decades of Graduate Research

This panel traces the evolution of the ‘Atlanta School’ of Black Political Science through an analysis of the thematic and theoretical streams captured in graduate research and productivity over a four-decade span. One of the crucial though lesser-known chapters in what might be called the “Black intellectual tradition” was the establishment of the doctoral program in Political Science at Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) and its commitment to a unique study of the Black experience. The evolution of the Atlanta University Department of Political Science was a process that was defined by, inter alia, an effort to ground the discipline according to the realities of Black life in its local and global dimensions. The primary concern at the initial stage of its evolution was a focus on the epistemological reorientations that are relevant for knowing, interpreting and transforming what founding Chair Mack H. Jones referred to as “the black predicament.” At this stage, the Atlanta School institutionalized the study of the core definitions of Black politics that would shape the discipline for subsequent decades. Jones’s pioneering account of the emergence of the field took Black political science to mean the study of the various manifestations of a power struggle to transform the subordinate position that had been imposed upon Black people and communities. As such, this panel explores the epistemological and theoretical productivity in that tradition at CAU.
“WHAT DO BARBARIANS KNOW OF GRATITUDE?” — THE STEREOTYPE OF BARBARIAN PERFIDY AND ITS USES IN TANG FOREIGN POLICY RHETORIC

This essay argues that, in Tang foreign policy discourse, the stereotype of a moral dichotomy between barbarian perfidy and Chinese trustworthiness was primarily a tool for rhetorical posturing, deployed to justify making war on foreign peoples with whom the Tang had a prior peace agreement. This is demonstrated through close analysis of the political rhetoric surrounding Tang relations with neighboring steppe or Central Asian powers during the periods 625–645 and 734–739, with particular attention to contextualizing the rhetoric of the emperors Taizong and Xuanzong. The essay also presents a new interpretation of the famous 630 debate over the resettlement of the Eastern Turks, arguing that the rhetoric of perfidy, loyalty, and moral or cultural transformation in which that debate was conducted obscures its origin in a pragmatic strategic dilemma that could not be openly expressed.
Competing effect of spin-orbit torque terms on perpendicular magnetization switching in structures with multiple inversion asymmetries

Current-induced spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in structurally asymmetric multilayers have been used to efficiently manipulate magnetization. In a structure with vertical symmetry breaking, a damping-like SOT can deterministically switch a perpendicular magnet, provided an in-plane magnetic field is applied. Recently, it has been further demonstrated that the in-plane magnetic field can be eliminated by introducing a new type of perpendicular field-like SOT via incorporating a lateral structural asymmetry into the device. Typically, however, when a current is applied to such devices with combined vertical and lateral asymmetries, both the perpendicular field-like torque and the damping-like torque coexist, hence jointly affecting the magnetization switching behavior. Here, we study perpendicular magnetization switching driven by the combination of the perpendicular field-like and the damping-like SOTs, which exhibits deterministic switching mediated through domain wall propagation. It is demonstrated that the role of the damping-like SOT in the deterministic switching is highly dependent on the magnetization direction in the domain wall. By contrast, the perpendicular field-like SOT is solely determined by the relative orientation between the lateral structural asymmetry and the current direction, regardless of the magnetization direction in the domain wall. The experimental results further the understanding of SOTs-induced switching, with implications for spintronic devices.
Incorporation of La3+ into a Pt/CeO2/Al2O3 catalyst

The effects of La3+ incorporation into a Pt/CeO2/Al2O3 catalyst were investigated by a combination of activity, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), oxygen storage capacity (OSC), noble-metal surface area, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Incorporation of La3+ ions into the Al2O3, before CeO2 is added, promoted higher Pt and CeO2 dispersions. The oxygen storage capacity was also higher in the presence of La3+. This is attributed to a combination of Pt and CeO2 particle-size effects and possible blockage of the reaction between Al2O3 and CeO2. The XRD data show that La3+ forms LaAlO3 with Al2O3 and prevents α-Al2O3 formation after various heat treatments.
The Type I Interferon Response Determines Differences in Choroid Plexus Susceptibility between Newborns and Adults in Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis

ABSTRACT Newborns are significantly more susceptible to severe viral encephalitis than adults, with differences in the host response to infection implicated as a major factor. However, the specific host signaling pathways responsible for differences in susceptibility and neurologic morbidity have remained unknown. In a murine model of HSV encephalitis, we demonstrated that the choroid plexus (CP) is susceptible to herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) early in infection of the newborn but not the adult brain. We confirmed susceptibility of the CP to HSV infection in a human case of newborn HSV encephalitis. We investigated components of the type I interferon (IFN) response in the murine brain that might account for differences in cell susceptibility and found that newborns have a dampened interferon response and significantly lower basal levels of the alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) receptor (IFNAR) than do adults. To test the contribution of IFNAR to restricting infection from the CP, we infected IFNAR knockout (KO) adult mice, which showed restored CP susceptibility to HSV-1 infection in the adult. Furthermore, reduced IFNAR levels did not account for differences we found in the basal levels of several other innate signaling proteins in the wild-type newborn and the adult, including protein kinase R (PKR), that suggested specific regulation of innate immunity in the developing brain. Viral targeting of the CP, a region of the brain that plays a critical role in neurodevelopment, provides a link between newborn susceptibility to HSV and long-term neurologic morbidity among survivors of newborn HSV encephalitis. IMPORTANCE Compared to adults, newborns are significantly more susceptible to severe disease following HSV infection. Over half of newborn HSV infections result in disseminated disease or encephalitis, with long-term neurologic morbidity in 2/3 of encephalitis survivors. We investigated differences in host cell susceptibility between newborns and adults that contribute to severe central nervous system disease in the newborn. We found that, unlike the adult brain, the newborn choroid plexus (CP) was susceptible early in HSV-1 infection. We demonstrated that IFN-α/β receptor levels are lower in the newborn brain than in the adult brain and that deletion of this receptor restores susceptibility of the CP in the adult brain. The CP serves as a barrier between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid and plays a role in proper neurodevelopment. Susceptibility of the newborn choroid plexus to HSV-1 has important implications in viral spread to the brain and, also, in the neurologic morbidity following HSV encephalitis.
Affirmative Disclosure: Perspectives on FTC Orders

The affirmative disclosure orders of the Federal Trade Commission have dealt with a wide range of problems, and the ordered disclosures have employed various elements. This article provides an overview of the types of disclosures, cases, and orders that have recently emerged. Further, in order to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of these disclosures, it was necessary to develop an "evaluative" framework into which each individual case order could be classified. The nature of this framework will first be summarized, followed by some key findings, conclusions, and recommendations for improvements. An appendix, referencing each affirmative disclosure order, is included for readers interested in locating specific cases.
The Integration of Distributed Dam Safety Information Systems

The concept of integrated management of watershed is put forward. The integration scheme of distributed dam monitoring systems in a watershed is introduced. The solution of the supervisory control integration and data information integration is discussed,and the standard protocols of the distributed integration are proposed. Through integrated management,the management efficiency of the dams in the watershed is improved,and the management cost is reduced. The system is effective and valuable.
Bilateral renal cell carcinoma: influence of synchronous and asynchronous occurrence on patient survival.

AbstractTwenty-seven patients with synchronous (19 cases) or asynchronous (8 cases) bilateral renal cell carcinoma were treated and followed for as long as 20 years. Tumor grade and stage generally were more favorable in the former group, which is reflected in the higher surgical intervention rate. Nonsurgical treatment yielded poor results. The 5-year survival rate for patients with synchronous bilateral renal cell carcinoma (77.8 per cent) was significantly higher than that for patients with asynchronous lesions (37.5 per cent). Because of its different presentation and favorable prognosis when treated surgically synchronous bilateral renal cell cancer should be distinguished from the asynchronous form, with its dismal outcome. For the latter cases thorough long-term followup may make early surgical intervention feasible and, thus, improve patient survival.
Constructing a Good Life

In The Value of Living Well, Mark LeBar develops a position that he calls “virtue eudaimonism” ( VE ). VE is both a eudaimonistic theory of practical reasoning and a constructivist account of the metaphysics of value. In this essay, I will explain the core of LeBar’s view and focus on two issues, one concerning VE ’s eudaimonism and the other concerning VE ’s constructivism. I will argue that, as it stands, VE does not adequately address the charge of egoism, once that charge has been formulated in the strongest way. I will also argue that a substantive constructivism like VE must have considerably less explanatory power than any (successful) constructivism that appeals to a formal characterization of agency. Although my remarks are largely critical, I offer them in a spirit of sympathetic engagement with LeBar’s impressive book.
Methods for Studying Electronic Structure at Very High Pressure

In this chapter we discuss the methods which have been extensively used to investigate electronic behavior in the pressure range to several hundred kilobars. We touch on the actual physical nature of the apparatus only to the degree necessary to give an idea as to the possibilities and limitations. The details necessary for construction of the apparatus appear in the literature [1–8]. We confine ourselves primarily to techniques used in this laboratory because we understand their possibilities and limitations. There exist more general reviews of high pressure technique [9–11].
Issues and challenges of public service procurement in China: A collaborative governance perspective

As a form of collaborative governance, government procurement of public services from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has become a major channel for public service delivery. Different from the relative mature practices of public service procurement in Western countries, China is attempting to adopt this mechanism in recent years, calling for more research in sense making the issues and challenges in the procurement process. This paper discusses six major issues in Chinese Government procurement of public services from the perspective of collaborative governance theory, analyses the reasons that lead to these six challenges, and proposes some important solutions to these issues.
Transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET) in a leporine model of gastroschisis.

Abstract Background/purpose Transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET) with amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (afMSCs) has been shown to mitigate bowel damage in a rodent model of gastroschisis. As a prerequisite to clinical translation, we sought to study TRASCET in a larger animal model. Methods New Zealand rabbit fetuses (n=64) with surgically created gastroschisis were divided into three groups. One group (untreated) had no further manipulations. Two groups received volume-matched intraamniotic injections of either saline or a suspension of afMSCs. Nonmanipulated fetuses served as controls. Histomorphologic measurements of intestinal damage, along with biochemical profiling of inflammation markers, were performed at term. Statistical comparisons were by Fisher's exact test, ANOVA and the Wald test ( P Results Overall survival was 62.5%. Segmental and total intestinal wall thicknesses were significantly decreased in the afMSC group compared with the untreated and saline groups (all P P =0.24 to 1.00, depending on layer). Muscularis and serosal layers were significantly thicker in the afMSC group than in normal controls ( P =0.045 and P Conclusions Concentrated intraamniotic injection of afMSC lessens, yet does not prevent, intestinal damage in a leporine model of gastroschisis. TRASCET may become a valuable strategy in the management of gastroschisis. Level of evidence N/A - animal/experimental studies.
Critical review of high-gain X-ray FEL experiments

There is a renewed interest at the present time to develop x-ray free electron lasers (FELs). The interest is driven by the scientific opportunities with coherent x-rays glimpsed at the third generation light sources. With the recent development in linac technology in producing high-energy, high-brightness electron beams, it is now possible to design intense coherent x-ray source for wavelengths as short as one Angstrom based on the self- amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) principle. Major linac laboratories such as SLAC and DESY are therefore actively pursuing detailed design studies for the x-ray SASE facilities. The x-rays from these facilities will provide a peak brightness more than ten orders of magnitude higher than that of the current synchrotron radiation sources. Short wavelength coherent radiation could also be generated with harmonic generation techniques in linacs or storage rings. However, these schemes are not expected to be effective for 1 {Angstrom} wavelengths. This review will therefore concentrate on the linac based SASE scheme. The critical components of the SASE are: an electron source consisting of an RF photocathode gun with the emittance corrector producing high brightness electron beam; the beam bunching and acceleration; and a long undulator in which the radiation develops from initially incoherent radiation to intense, coherent radiation. We discuss the critical experimental issues in these components highlighting some relevant recent experiments. We also discuss issues related to the SASE experiment which are distinct from the usual free electron lasers. We give a brief survey of the world-wide SASE experiments. We conclude with a summary and outlook.
Co-Folding of a FliF-FliG Split Domain Forms the Basis of the MS:C Ring Interface within the Bacterial Flagellar Motor

The interface between the membrane (MS) and cytoplasmic (C) rings of the bacterial flagellar motor couples torque generation to rotation within the membrane. The structure of the C-terminal helices of the integral membrane protein FliF (FliFC) bound to the N terminal domain of the switch complex protein FliG (FliGN) reveals that FliGN folds around FliFC to produce a topology that closely resembles both the middle and C-terminal domains of FliG. The interface is consistent with solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance, small-angle X-ray scattering, in vivo interaction studies, and cellular motility assays. Co-folding with FliFC induces substantial conformational changes in FliGN and suggests that FliF and FliG have the same stoichiometry within the rotor. Modeling the FliFC:FliGN complex into cryo-electron microscopy rotor density updates the architecture of the middle and upper switch complex and shows how domain shuffling of a conserved interaction module anchors the cytoplasmic rotor to the membrane.
Responsible Capacity Development

Long-term relationships are generally believed to incentivize investments better than short-term relationships. We show that while this is true for quality investments, it is not always true for responsibility investments. In particular, when a reliable and an unreliable supplier compete for the business of a responsible buyer, the buyer achieves higher responsibility by offering a short-term commitment to the unreliable supplier. The result is reversed and follows standard intuition only if the buyer cannot control purchase prices. Optimal contracts are derived in closed form and are linked to prevailing corporate strategies.
Parasites of age-0 walleye, Sander vitreus and yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Percidae) from Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, Michigan, U.S.A.

One-hundred age-0 walleye Sander vitreus and 100 age-0 yellow perch Perca flavescens collected in September 2015 from Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, Michigan, U.S.A., were examined for parasites. Five parasite species (Allacanthochasmus sp., Ichthyocotylurus sp., Bothriocephalus cuspidatus, Camallanus oxycephalus, Ergasilus luciopercarum) infected walleye. Ergasilus luciopercarum had the highest prevalence (97%), mean intensity (9.0), and mean abundance (8.7). Ichthyocotylurus sp. and B. cuspidatus each had a prevalence of 73%. Twelve parasite species (Myxobolus neurophilus, Allacanthochasmus sp., Diplostomum sp., Ichthyocotylurus sp., Neascus sp., Crepidostomum sp., B. cuspidatus, Proteocephalus sp., Dichelyne cotylophora, Eustrongylides tubifex, Philometra cylindracea, Ergasilus luciopercarum) occurred in yellow perch. Ichthyocotylurus sp. had the highest prevalence (72%), mean intensity (7.9), and mean abundance (5.7). Proteocephalus sp. had the next highest prevalence (40%). Walleye and yellow perch are new host records for metacercariae of Allacanthochasmus. Saginaw Bay is a new locality record for M. neurophilus in yellow perch and for C. oxycephalus in walleye. This study is the first survey of the parasites of age-0 walleye and age-0 yellow perch in the Great Lakes.
Novel Phenotype of ATP1A3 Mutation Starting in Infancy (P1.311)

Objective: We report a 32-month-old boy demonstrating the novel phenotype of manifestations of each of severe Epileptic Encephalopathy (EE), Rapid Onset Dystonia Parkinsonism (RDP), and Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC). Background: ATP1A3 mutations present as AHC, RDP, EE or as other syndromes. We present a patient with a unique combination of EE, RDP and AHC features. Design/Methods: Case Report Results: The patient began having secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures at age 2 months. These were resistant to seven medications (occurring daily to weekly). Between the ages of 4–29 months he had 11 admissions for generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus (SE) episodes. Video-EEG: seizures originated from the central, left and right temporal lobes. Interictal EEG: generalized slowing, bilateral temporal focal and sharp waves. Between 20–22 months, he had distinct episodes of unilateral and bilateral plegias independent of any seizure activity. These occurred 2–3/week, each lasted 1–2 hours and resolved during sleep. After a febrile illness (age 29 months) and an accompanying SE he regressed. His exam, which previously manifested diffuse low axial tone, ability to elevate arms and legs and to focus on faces, transformed into diffuse severe continuous increased tone with rigidity of all body, no visual fixation, with superimposed severely painful attacks of dystonia of the whole body (2–3 minutes each, 4–6/day) with no concurrent EEG changes. MRI: diffuse atrophy. Extensive workup and WES: novel de novo P.V589F ATP1A3 mutation (c. 1765 G>T), in a conserved position. In silico analysis predicted it to be probably damaging to protein structure. Conclusions: Our patient manifests a novel phenotype with overlaps with prior syndromes caused by a novel ATP1A3 mutation. Study Supported by: N/A Disclosure: Dr. Richards has nothing to disclose. Dr. McDonald has nothing to disclose. Dr. McConkie-Rosell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shashi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mikati has nothing to disclose.
Cost Function Estimates

The cost function describes the cost-minimizing combinations of inputs required for production of different levels of output. Empirical cost function studies take both short-run and long-run approaches and can be structurally consistent with microeconomic theory versus more behavioral or real-world data oriented. Studies of health care providers face numerous challenges including the multiproduct nature of the firm, difficulty in controlling for quality of service, and frequent failure of the profit-maximization assumption. Cost function applications in health care are numerous and include such topics as optimal firm size, performance inefficiency measures, and comparisons of production costs with third-party payments.
Ethanol Intoxication and Memory

A qualitative description of the acute effects of ethanol intoxication on learning and memory is presented. Mechanisms underlying the acquisition impairments observed in intoxicated subjects are discussed. Recent studies on retroactive facilitation are also considered. The importance of considering changes in attention, arousal, and mood in any account of the effects of ethanol on higher mental functions is emphasized. In the future, studies are needed in which the effects of ethanol are compared and contrasted with those of other agents. Such studies will not only improve our knowledge about ethanol’s effects but will also enhance our understanding of cognition.
Spreading Electron Density Thin: Increasing the Chromophore Size in Polyaromatic Wires Decreases Interchromophoric Electronic Coupling

The development of novel polychromophoric materials using extended polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as a single large chromophore holds promise for long-range charge-transfer applications in photovoltaic devices and molecular electronics. However, it is not well-understood how the interchromophoric electronic coupling varies with the chromophore size in linearly connected molecular wires. Here, we show with the aid of electrochemistry, electronic spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations, and theoretical modeling that as the number of aromatic moieties in a single chromophore increases, the interchromophoric electronic coupling decreases and may reach negligible values if the chromophore is sufficiently large. The origin of this initially surprising result becomes clear when one considers this problem with the aid of Huckel molecular orbital theory, as at the polymeric limit energies of the molecular orbitals cluster to form bands and thus the energy spacing between orbitals, and thereby the el...
SOCIO-CULTURAL DIMENSION AND MODERN INTERPRETATION OF THE THEORY OF A SOCIAL AGREEMENT

Purpose of Article. The purpose of the article is to reveal the socio-cultural dimension of the theory of social contract, to comprehend the basic determinants of service-oriented public policy through the implementation of a comparative analysis of theories of "contractionism" ("contractualism") and "clientelism" ("clientism"), especially in the clarification of functional relationships between subjects and objects of interaction in the context of their historiography and modern use. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study is a comparative and systematic analysis, as well as historical logical and retrospective methods that ensured the study of the theories of "contractionism" ("contractualism") and "clientelism" ("clientism") in the historical context of development and interpretation of modern development of the Ukrainian state, allowed to reveal the essence and highlight the ideology and socio-cultural foundations of service-oriented public policy. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty consists in expanding theoretical ideas concerning the ideology of constructing a service state and the role of customer-oriented relations in international and national practice of public governance. The service orientation is substantiated as the basic principle of the transformation of the system of rendering of governance services. Conclusions. The relevance of the concept of a public contract (social contract) is substantiated by the necessity for practical implementation of the ideology of the service state. The basic principles of contractualism and constructive dialogue as the value orientations of modern integration processes in Ukraine are determined. The importance of contractualism as a mechanism of constructive dialogue in the conditions of functioning of a social contract is substantiated. The achievement of social consensus through the conclusion of a social contract is considered as the basis for the development of civil society, and, at the same time, a guarantee of the legitimacy of power. At the same time, the destructiveness of clientism (clientelism) in the relationship between government and civil society is substantiated.
Fecal Incontinence Symptoms and Impact in Older Versus Younger Women Seeking Care

BACKGROUND The differential impact of aging on fecal incontinence symptom severity and condition-specific quality of life remains unclear. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to characterize differences in symptom distress, quality of life, and anorectal physiology assessments in older versus younger women with fecal incontinence. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study. SETTINGS This study was conducted at a tertiary genitorectal disorder clinic. PATIENTS Women presenting for fecal incontinence evaluation between 2003 and 2016 were classified as older or younger based on age ≥65 or <65 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcomes were symptom-specific quality of life and distress measured by validated questionnaires (the Modified Manchester Health Questionnaire containing the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index); anorectal physiology and anatomy were assessed by manometry and endoanal ultrasound. RESULTS Of 879 subjects, 286 and 593 were classified as older and younger (mean ages, 71.4 ± 5.3 y and 51.3 ± 10.5 y). Solid stool leakage was more frequent in older women (83.2% vs 76.7%; p = 0.03), whereas liquid stool leakage (83.2% vs 82.8%; p = 0.88) and fecal urgency (76.9% vs 78.8%; p = 0.54) did not differ between groups. Mean symptom severity scores were similar between groups (28.0 ± 11.9 and 27.6 ± 13.5; p = 0.69); however, there was greater negative impact on quality of life among younger women (46.3 ± 22.0 vs 51.8 ± 21.8; p < 0.01). Multivariable linear regression controlling for pertinent covariates revealed younger age as an independent predictor for worse condition-specific quality-of-life scores (p < 0.01). Squeeze pressures were similar between groups, whereas younger women had greater resting pressures and higher rates of sphincter defects (external, 7.7% vs 20.2%; internal, 12.2% vs 26.8%; both p < 0.01). LIMITATIONS This study was limited by its lack of patient obstetric history and the duration of their incontinence symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Characteristics differ between older and younger women seeking care for fecal incontinence. The differential impact and age-related phenotypes may provide useful information for patient counseling and developing management algorithms for women with fecal incontinence. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A910.
Sacroiliac joint pain following iliac-bone marrow aspiration and biopsy: a cohort study

Background: Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is a common source of lower back pain; the factors associated have not been studied in cancer patients. Observing patients with bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMAB) who subsequently developed SIJ-pain led to this investigation. Aim: To investigate this possible relationship. Methods: A cohort study of cancer patients diagnosed with SIJ pain. The association of BMAB with SIJ pain was evaluated, as were variables that differed between the groups. Results: The prevalence of SIJ pain was 4.95% (231/4669). Among 231 patients with SIJ pain, 34% (78/231) did not have prior history of lower back pain and had undergone BMAB prior to their diagnosis of SIJ pain. A statistically significant association between BMAB-SIJ-pain was found (p < 0.01). Conclusion: We found linear correlation between BMAB and subsequent SIJ pain.
Contralateral Routing of Signal Systems Can Improve Speech Recognition and Comprehension in Dynamic Classrooms

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of hearing aid-based rerouting systems (remote microphone [RM] and contralateral routing of signals [CROS]) on speech recognition and comprehension for children with limited usable hearing unilaterally. A secondary purpose was to evaluate students' perceptions of CROS benefits in classrooms. Method Twenty children aged 10-16 years with limited useable hearing in one ear completed tasks of sentence recognition and comprehension in a laboratory. For both tasks, speech was presented from one of four loudspeakers in an interleaved fashion. Speech loudspeakers were either midline, monaural direct, or monaural indirect, and noise loudspeakers surrounded the participant. Throughout testing, the RM was always near the midline loudspeaker. Six established users of CROS systems completed a newly developed questionnaire that queried experiences in diverse listening situations. Results There were no effects of RM or CROS use on performance for speech presented from front or monaural direct loudspeakers. However, for monaural indirect loudspeakers, CROS improved sentence recognition and RM impaired recognition. In the comprehension task, CROS improved comprehension by 11 rationalized arcsine units, but RM did not affect comprehension. Questionnaire results demonstrated that students report CROS benefits for talkers in the front and from the side, but not for situations requiring localization. Conclusions The results support CROS benefits without CROS disadvantages in a laboratory environment that reflects a dynamic classroom. Thus, CROS systems have the potential to improve hearing in contemporary classrooms for students, especially if there is only a single microphone.
Supporting Observing-on-the-Move with Proximity-Based Technology: Designing for Children’s Scientific Observations Outdoors

This research employs mobile, proximity-based technologies to create opportunities for children to engage in place-based science learning in an arboretum. We present data from a mobile, iBeacon-ena...
The human ribosomal protein S3 binds to 8-oxoguanine residues in DNA and interacts with the base excision repair proteins hAPE/Ref-1 and hOGG1

1558 The human ribosomal protein S3 (hS3) possesses multifunctional activities that are involved in both protein translation, as well as the ability to cleave apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) DNA via a β-elimination reaction. Unlike its Drosophila homologue, however, hS3 does not contain an N-glycosylase activity for the liberation of 8-oxoG residues in oxidatively-damaged DNA. On the other hand, hS3 was found to bind to an 8-oxoG residue embedded in a 5′ end labeled 37mer DNA oligonucleotide. To understand the interaction of hS3 and DNA templates containing 8-oxoG, we carried out real-time analysis using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Using this technique, hS3 was found to have an apparent three orders of magnitude higher binding affinity (KD) for 8-oxoG than the human N-glycosylase/AP lyase base excision repair (BER) enzyme OGG1. An even more dramatic five orders of magnitude apparent higher binding affinity for AP DNA was found for hS3 as opposed to hOGG1. Tests were also conducted to determine if hS3 interacted with proteins associated with BER. Results using SPR analysis showed that hS3 positively interacts with the DNA BER enzymes hOGG1 and human APE/Ref-1. A physical interaction between hS3 and the BER enzymes was further documented through co-immunoprecipitation experiments. The human S3 has also been previously implicated in nucleotide excision repair (NER), where its AP lyase expression is totally absent in xeroderma pigmentosum group-D fibroblasts. Taken together, these results suggest that hS3 may possibly be involved in cross-talk between BER and NER.
Association of lower extremity injuries and injury mechanism with previous concussion history in adolescent athletes.

Abstract Objective Determine the association between concussion and subsequent contact, non-contact, and overuse lower extremity (LE) injuries in a cohort of adolescent athletes. Secondarily, to identify this association between males and females. Study design Cross-sectional. Setting Summer athletic events with participants ages 12–18. Main outcome Anonymous survey included sport-related injuries (injury month/year) and participants classified injuries as a contact, non-contact, overuse injury, or concussion. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between a concussion event and a subsequent LE injury while controlling for age and any previous LE injury. Results A concussion was reported in 219 athletes (Female = 96, 44%) and were matched with 219 non-concussed athletes (438 total participants). Concussion was not association with a specific injury mechanism but was significant for any subsequent LE injury (OR = 1.58 95%CI = [1.03–2.41]; p 0.5). Conclusion A history of concussion was associated with any subsequent LE injury, but not associated with a specific mechanism of injury. The association with concussion and a subsequent LE injury was different between males and females.
Coping on the inside: Design for therapeutic incarceration interventions - A case study.

Background Adjusting to incarceration is traumatic. An under-utilized strategy understood to buffer and counteract the negative impacts of incarceration are nature interventions. Objective Outcomes of an interdisciplinary design studio course focused on developing masterplans for a women's prison in the Pacific Northwest (US) are presented. Course objectives included comprehension and application of therapeutic and culturally expressive design principles to increase the benefits of environmental design within a carceral setting; collaboration, developing a deeper, more representative understanding of how design processes can improve the lives of marginalized populations; and enhancing design skills, including at masterplan and schematic scale using an iterative process and reflection. Methods A landscape architect, occupational therapist, and architect teaching team, with support from architects and justice specialists facilitated an elective design studio course to redesign the Washington Corrections Center for Women campus. Results In a ten-week academic quarter, six student design teams created conceptual masterplans for therapeutic outdoor spaces at the Washington Corrections Center for Women. Students presented their plans to prison staff, current and ex-offenders, and architects and landscape architects in practice, and then received positive feedback. Conclusion Despite well-documented need for and value of nature interventions to improve health and wellbeing for everyone regardless of circumstance or situation, the project awaits administrative approval to move forward to installation.
Protein design by provable algorithms

Protein design algorithms can leverage provable guarantees of accuracy to provide new insights and unique optimized molecules.
Dynamic Pricing in a Non-stationary Growing Environment

Many emerging businesses and services encounter growing environments where the stochastic demand gradually increases. The increases are often not only in the expectation of the demand but also in the variance. Because of the growing environments, sequential decision making problems raise additional challenges when model parameters are unknown and need to be dynamically learned from sequentially observed data. In this work, we use a single-product dynamic pricing problem to illustrate how the non-stationary growing environment influences policy design and policy performance such as regret. We prove matching upper and lower bounds on regret and design near-optimal pricing policies. We then demonstrate how the growth rate of demand variance affects the best achievable policy performance as well as the near-optimal policy design. In the analysis, we also prove that that whether the seller knows the length of time horizon in advance or not render different optimal regret orders.