cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Education for Continuous Irrigation in the Humid Areas

Irrigation engineers as irrigation educators should be familiar with factors affecting costs, production and consequent net profits based on knowledge of irrigation frequency, land surface preparation, drainage and water distribution; analysis of these factors.
Comment: The Standing of Qui Tam Relators Under the False Claims Act

The False Claims Act ("FCA") is the federal government's chief defense against fraud. Passed during the Civil War to help deter fraud by defense contractors, the FCA grants a cause of action to the United States to sue for civil damages and penalties against any entity knowingly presenting a fraudulent claim to the government. The qui tam provision of the Act authorizes private individuals to adopt the government's cause of action and sue on behalf of the United States. These qui tam plaintiffs, or "relators," receive a "bounty" of up to thirty percent of the damage award or settlement, plus expenses, attorney fees, and costs of suit.After the qui tam plaintiff files a complaint, the government retains some control over the suit. The complaint remains under seal for sixty days after it is filed, in order to give the Attorney General time to decide whether to intervene. After the expiration of the sixty days, the Attorney General can elect to conduct the action, in which case the government has primary responsibility for prosecuting the action and is not bound by any action of the qui tam plaintiff. Alternatively, the government can allow the qui tam plaintiff to conduct the action, while retaining the right to intervene at a later date upon a showing of good cause.Although qui tam has been around for centuries, a recent surge in qui tam litigation under the FCA has prompted defendants to challenge its constitutionality. The attack has come on three fronts: the Article II Appointments Clause, separation of powers, and Article III standing. Lower courts have found the provision constitutional on all three grounds, but have offered little analysis on how a qui tam plaintiff can fulfill Article III standing requirements.This Comment focuses on the question of whether a qui tam relator can satisfy the Article III standing tests of injury in fact, causation, and redressability. The Comment first outlines the basic doctrine of standing and reviews the treatment given to this issue by the lower courts. Second, the Comment examines the history of standing doctrine to assess the proper role of original intent arguments in this context. This historical evaluation suggests that the lower courts have improperly afforded qui tam a strong presumption of constitutionality. Finally, this Comment shows how modern standing doctrine should be applied to qui tam. After concluding that a qui tam relator cannot fulfill the Article III injury requirement on his own, the Comment recommends the adoption of an assignment theory to allow standing in qui tam suits. Under this theory, qui tam plaintiffs have standing as assignees of the government's injury. Properly limited, the assignment theory gives effect to congressional intent while preserving the integrity of standing doctrine.
A cultural, community-based approach to health technology design

This research has examined how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can promote healthy eating habits amongst African Americans in low-income neighborhoods, a population that faces disproportionately high rates of diet-related health problems. In this dissertation, I describe the formative research I conducted to obtain system design guidelines and how I used those guidelines to develop two applications: EatWell and Community Mosaic. I also describe the results of the in-depth field studies I conducted to evaluate each application. Both EatWell and Community Mosaic incorporate the cultural construct of collectivism, a social orientation in which interdependence and communal responsibility are valued over individual goals and independence. As researchers have generally characterized the African American culture as collectivistic and argued for the value of designing collectivistic health interventions for this population, I examined the implications of taking such an approach to designing health promotion technologies. EatWell and Community Mosaic are collectivistic because they empower users to care for the health of their local community by helping others learn practical, locally-relevant healthy eating strategies. I discuss the results of my formative fieldwork and system evaluations, which characterize the value, challenge and nuances of developing community-based health information sharing systems for specific cultural contexts. By focusing on health disparities issues and the community social unit, I extend previous health technology research within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). In particular, my results describe (1) a set of characteristics that help make shared material useful and engaging, (2) how accessing this information affects how people view the feasibility of eating well in their local context, (3) the way in which sharing information actually benefits the contributor by catalyzing personal behavior reflection, analysis and modification and (4) how sharing information and seeing that information’s impact on others can help to build individuals’ capacity to be a community health advocate. In addition, my work shows how examining cultural generalizations such as collectivism is not a straightforward process but one that requires careful investigation and appreciation for the way in which such generalizations are (or are not) manifested in the lives of individual people. I further contribute to HCI by presenting a set of important considerations that researchers should make when designing and evaluating community-based health systems. I conclude this dissertation by outlining directions for future HCI research that incorporates an understanding of the relationship between culture and health and that attempts to address health disparities in the developed world.
Assessing Access to Fruit and Vegetable in Urban Underserved Communities

Studies on neighborhood food environments have focused on access to supermarkets as measured by store concentration and distance. Nonconventional food outlets can also provide important access sites, particularly in low-income urban neighborhoods. This study measured availability of fruits and vegetables to determine access of healthy food in underserved communities. Conventional and nonconventional food outlets in 8 census tracts were surveyed for fruit and vegetable availability in Evansville, Indiana. Fifty-six percent of the outlets were conventional and 44% were nonconventional. Access to healthful foods is a problem in urban Evansville communities. Strategies to change the food environment should be introduced in these communities to promote overall health.
Clinical Importance and Natural History of Biliary Sludge in Outpatients.

Objectives Gallbladder sludge is a common diagnosis on routine abdominal sonography, yet its clinical importance is uncertain, especially in outpatients. To determine its natural history and potential future complications in this setting, we reviewed the imaging and clinical histories of nonhospitalized patients with a diagnosis of sludge on sonography. Methods We conducted a retrospective search of our institutional radiology information system for all sonographic reports using the key words “biliary sludge without gallstones” over a 3-year period. For each of the 104 patients with isolated biliary sludge on initial sonography, we reviewed the electronic medical records and all imaging for the development of pancreaticobiliary complications. Results We found an overall prevalence of biliary sludge in outpatients of 1.8%. Of the 104 patients reviewed with a mean follow up of 630 days (21 months), 25 developed a pancreaticobiliary complication, including cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, and pancreatitis. The most frequent complication was cholecystitis, with a total of 14 diagnoses (12 chronic acalculous and 2 acute with gallstones). An additional 6 patients developed gallstones without cholecystitis features; 4 patients developed pancreatitis; and 1 developed choledocholithiasis. Biliary sludge remained quiescent or resolved in 76% of patients. Conclusions Biliary sludge always represents a pathologic process, but its clinical implications among outpatients have not been previously investigated. Our ambulatory population developed pancreaticobiliary complications at similar rates as prior mixed–patient setting studies. Regardless of the patient setting, biliary sludge is likely of more clinical importance than previously regarded.
Metal Injection Molding of Pre-alloyed TiAl Powders with Various Ti/Al Ratios

Sintered binary Ti-Al compacts with various Ti/Al ratios prepared by metal injection molding process were investigated. Powder materials used for this study were pre-alloyed TiAl powders (average particle size:10μm), which compositions were Ti55Al45, Ti52Al48, Ti50Al50, Ti48Al52 and Ti45Al55. The green compacts were debound in air or vacuum(102Pa order). Subsequently, they were sintered at 1648K for 7.2ks in vacuum(10-2Pa).Sintered densities of the compacts after air debinding were lower than that of the compacts after vacuum debinding for all compositions. Relative sintered densities of Ti55Al45 to Ti48Al52 compacts after vacuum debinding were above 96.5%. A Ti45Al55 compact had lower density(94.5%) than the others. Microstructures of the former were composed of two phases of γ and α2. The latter showed γ-phase only. Lamellar structure was observed in the microstructures of Ti55Al45 to Ti50Al50 compacts. Tensile strength at room temperature of Ti55Al45 to Ti48Al52 compacts were in the range of approximately 350-400MPa. A Ti48Al52 compact had the highest strength in all of the TiAl compacts.
Hypoplasia of the systemic ventricle in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries: preoperative documentation and possible implications of operation.

This article describes the determination of small systemic ventricular volume by quantitative cineangiocardiography in two patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, Ebstein’s malformation of the systemic atrioventricular valve, and ventricular septal defect. A subjectively small systemic ventricle and an Ebstein-like abnormality of the systemic atrioventricular valve have been described previously in association with congenitally corrected transposition, but in vivo quantification of ventricular size and pump function has not been reported. An initial palliative rather than a totally corrective procedure is probably desirable in patients with this combination of findings. Ventricular volume calculations may prove useful as an aid in selection of operation in this setting.
Estramustine and vinblastine: use of prostate specific antigen as a clinical trial end point for hormone refractory prostatic cancer.

AbstractThe combination of estramustine phosphate and vinblastine sulfate, 2 agents with separate and unique antimicrotubular effects, has demonstrated additive cytotoxicity against the DU145 human prostate derived cell line in vitro. We evaluated this combination in 25 patients with progressive hormone refractory prostate cancer. Of 24 patients with an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) level at the start of treatment 13 (54%, 95% confidence limits 34 to 74%) had a greater than 50% decrease in PSA levels on at least 3 consecutive biweekly determinations. The median decrease in PSA in responding patients was 64% (mean 71.7%) and the median duration of response was 7 months. In 5 patients with bidimensionally measurable disease 2 partial responses were observed. Treatment was well tolerated, with mild and manageable toxicity. This is a well tolerated outpatient treatment regimen for patients with hormone-refractory prostatic cancer which deserves further investigation.
Primary tendon repairs; a study of 789 consecutive tendon severances.

Antibiotics, regional anaesthesia, and improved surgical facilities have made the repair of tendon injuries easier and more attractive than previously. The results of this study indicate that crushing fractures and vascular insufficiency are still problems of great magnitude. It is incumbent upon the surgeon to recognize that the therapeutic advances in the past decade have not appreciably altered tissue reaction to trauma, and that the success of primary repair depends on proper evaluation of these factors as well as upon surgical skill. I have attempted to delineate the areas where primary repair is still a worth-while venture.
The Book of Memory: The arts of memory

The mnemonic techniques that I have described so far are basic, their elementary nature attested by their ubiquity. Divisio and compositio are processes required by the physiology of memory itself, at least as the pre-modern world understood it. But it is important to keep in mind that in considering medieval memoria we are dealing with more than just a set of techniques or a descriptive psychology, yet also a more specifically realized value than ghostly ideas (like “the Gothic”) which modern students have attached to some philosophy or other, or to a metahistorical mentalite . From antiquity, memoria was fully institutionalized in education, and like all vital practices it was adapted continuously to circumstances of history. Memoria unites written with oral transmission, eye with ear, and helps to account for the highly mixed oral–literate nature of medieval cultures, which many historians of the subject have remarked. Yet it is also clear that the later Middle Ages, from the eleventh century onward, was a far more bookish culture than the earlier medieval centuries had been. Memoria was adapted to that change, without – as a set of practices – losing its central place in medieval ethical life. In this chapter I will focus on this change by considering the revival in the thirteenth century of the Herennian architectural mnemonic which I described in Chapter 2.
Childhood Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches similar to the typical adult form occurred in 35 patients at or before 18 years of age in a study from the Montefiore Medical Center and Schneider Children’s Hospital, New York.
Abstract 15921: Antihypertensive Effects of Minocycline Are Associated With Improvement of Inflammatory Status in Patients With Treatment Resistant Hypertension

Background: Treatment resistant hypertension (TRH) is present in ~15% of hypertensive patients. It markedly increases mortality risk. Based on our previous studies and evidence from literature, we ...
E6020, a synthetic TLR4 agonist, accelerates myelin debris clearance, Schwann cell infiltration, and remyelination in the rat spinal cord.

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are present throughout the adult brain and spinal cord and can replace oligodendrocytes lost to injury, aging, or disease. Their differentiation, however, is inhibited by myelin debris, making clearance of this debris an important step for cellular repair following demyelination. In models of peripheral nerve injury, TLR4 activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) promotes macrophage phagocytosis of debris. Here we tested whether the novel synthetic TLR4 agonist E6020, a Lipid A mimetic, promotes myelin debris clearance and remyelination in spinal cord white matter following lysolecithin-induced demyelination. In vitro, E6020 induced TLR4-dependent cytokine expression (TNFα, IL1β, IL-6) and NF-κB signaling, albeit at ∼10-fold reduced potency compared to LPS. Microinjection of E6020 into the intact rat spinal cord gray/white matter border induced macrophage activation, OPC proliferation, and robust oligodendrogenesis, similar to what we described previously using an intraspinal LPS microinjection model. Finally, a single co-injection of E6020 with lysolecithin into spinal cord white matter increased axon sparing, accelerated myelin debris clearance, enhanced Schwann cell infiltration into demyelinated lesions, and increased the number of remyelinated axons. In vitro assays confirmed that direct stimulation of macrophages by E6020 stimulates myelin phagocytosis. These data implicate TLR4 signaling in promoting repair after CNS demyelination, likely by stimulating phagocytic activity of macrophages, sparing axons, recruiting myelinating cells, and promoting remyelination. This work furthers our understanding of immune–myelin interactions and identifies a novel synthetic TLR4 agonist as a potential therapeutic avenue for white matter demyelinating conditions such as spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis.
Self-organized instability in disordered multimode fiber

We observe the self-organization of light into its most spatiotemporally-unstable state through propagation in graded-index multimode fiber. We understand this effect in terms of mode-coupling caused by dissipation, disorder, and nonlinearity.
Multi-Element Composition of Prairie Pothole Wetland Soils along Depth Profiles Reflects Past Disturbance to a Depth of at Least one Meter

Wetlands are influenced by direct disturbances due to agricultural practices, as well as by indirect effects from the surrounding landscapes. Management and restoration require condition assessments, which are usually based on properties of the vegetation and soils near the surface. Less knowledge exists about the effects of disturbance deeper down the soil profile. In this study, multi-element analysis along soil profiles was used to assess changes due to past disturbances. Soil cores were obtained from undisturbed and disturbed Prairie Pothole wetlands in North Dakota, USA. The objectives were to: 1) assess the vertical variation in multi-element composition of wetlands soils, 2) interpret the differences between undisturbed and disturbed wetlands, and 3) determine the relationships between the environmental variables and multi-element concentrations. We expected that data on concentrations of elements, in addition to ‘classical’ assessments (organic matter, particle size distributions, profile descriptions), would provide more detailed information about the depth to which past disturbance could be detected. Classical methods of assessment of disturbance identified impacts down to 60 cm depth, but the concentrations of Ca, Ba, Sr, Nb, La, Pr, Tb, Bi, Tl and Th showed that differences due to past disturbances persist to a depth of at least one meter.
Vegvisir: A Partition-Tolerant Blockchain for the Internet-of-Things

While the intersection of blockchains and the Internet of Things (IoT) have received considerable research interest lately, Nakamoto-style blockchains possess a number of qualities that make them poorly suited for many IoT scenarios. Specifically, they require high network connectivity and are power-intensive. This is a drawback in IoT environments where battery-constrained nodes form an unreliable ad hoc network such as in digital agriculture. In this paper we present Vegvisir, a partition-tolerant blockchain for use in power-constrained IoT environments with limited network connectivity. It is a permissioned, directed acyclic graph (DAG)-structured blockchain that can be used to create a shared, tamperproof data repository that keeps track of data provenance. We discuss the use cases, architecture, and challenges of such a blockchain.
Protein Sorting and Targeting in Myelin-Forming Schwann Cells

Structural and functional specialization of cell surface membranes is essential for the normal function and survival of all eurkaryotic cells. Understanding how cells establish and maintain specialized surface membrane domains is a major challenge to cell biologists. Moreover, the failure to polarize surface membranes into specialized domains can have drastic effects on cell function and survival. Even the simplest cells can organize their surface membranes into discrete domains; yeasts, for example, specialize their surface membranes into growing buds and mating projections (Drubin, 1991).
Sputtering off Metals and Semiconductors by Low Energy Argon Ions

Sputtering yields for poly crystalline semiconductor and metal targets under normally incident A + - ion bombardment were measured in the energy range from 30 to 800 eV. The measurements were made in a low pressure (2—5 μ ) high density argon plasma created in a demountable low voltage hot cathode discharge tube. The yields ( number of atoms removed/incident ion ) were determined by measuring the weight loss of spherical targets immersed like large negative Langmuir probes in the plasma. The yields are independent of gas pressure ( below p = 30 μ ), ion current density and target temperature. At 100 eV ion energy the yields range from 0.06 atoms/ion for Si to 0.6 atoms/ion for Ag. The curves are discussed in terms of the ion parameters.
Generating synthetic imagery of complex scenes from ideal synthetic source imagery via MSERs on entropy imagery

Synthetic imagery generation is not a new topic; however, it has reemerged as a major focus in recent years. This is in part due to the success achieved by modern machine learning methodologies, in particular, deep learning. One reason these technologies have succeeded is due to the wealth of available training data. A majority of the available data are of generic objects or scenes. However, there are numerous applications in which data are neither readily available nor easily obtained in large quantities. In such scenarios, synthetic imagery is an appealing choice to address this shortcoming. While still faster than the performance of data collections, physics- based models tend to have computational complexity and require extensive computational time. This work seeks to investigate the use of reduced-order modeling (ROM) of relevant objects identified by a maximally stable extremal region (MSER) detector from the entropy image of simple ideal high-fidelity, physics-based synthetic images. Specifically, this work will utilize MSERs to identify pertinent objects to be placed within the simple scene via ROM to produce a more complex scene. This approach has the benefit of rapidly increasing both the complexity of simple, ideal, high-fidelity, physics-based scenes and the amount of synthetic imagery generated via random or statistically-based placement of the objects throughout the scene.
The Economics of Teachers’ Unions in the United States

Teachers' unions are important actors in education policy in the United States, yet not much is empirically known about the effects of teachers' unions on district and student outcomes. This article briefly reviews the history of teachers' unions in the United States as well as the regulations that govern them. It then examines the theoretical ways in which teachers' unions may enhance or detract from district outcomes such as resource distribution and student test scores. Finally, the article discusses findings from current empirical literature on the relationships between teachers' unions and district outcomes.
FNEE2 The Warehouse: Delivering a Multi-Pronged, Community-Based Nutrition Assistance and Education Program to a Rural City in Arkansas

Objective Reducing barriers to healthy food access is difficult in rural parts of Arkansas. Community-based education and behavior change programs that employ multiple strategies to affect change across multiple levels of influence have a greater impact than any single strategy alone. Use of Theory or Research The Warehouse impacts residents across the socio-ecological model through community-based strategies to address barriers to healthy food access. Target Audience McCrory area residents seeking increased access to healthy foods between August and October of 2018. Program Description The Warehouse is a community facility supported by the Woodruff County Extension Service, ARcare, and the City of McCrory, Arkansas. These organizations collaborate to provide a resource for participants to attend meal-planning workshops to increase their food preparation skills, while nutrition education provides the necessary knowledge for understanding the importance of a healthy diet. Health screening services provide participants with knowledge about how diet impacts overall health. Evaluation Methods Program evaluation assessed changes in food-related participant behavior, post-utilization of services at The Warehouse. Descriptive data was collected via self-reported survey. Results A majority of participants (83%) attended multiple sessions at the Warehouse, with several attending primarily for food distribution (42%) and nutrition education (27%). Few participants (26%) reported that they would have enough food to last through the month without the food distribution services of the Warehouse, and 60% of participants indicated that they have prepared Warehouse recipes at home. Further, 94% of participants indicated that they are eating ‘Somewhat’ (64%) or ‘Definitely’ (30%) healthier than before attending. Conclusion The Warehouse, with its multi-layered strategy to provide knowledge and skill-building opportunities to its patrons, has been successful in creating and maintaining a local culture of health. Community-based programming can benefit from the collaboration of several organizations employing multiple strategies to reduce barriers to healthy food access in Arkansas. Funding Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education.
The Engaged and Entrepreneurial University: A Model for Success for Smaller Programs

In this chapter we offer a model for the development of engaged and entrepreneurial relationships from the university’s perspective, where we concentrate largely on smaller university programs and their partners. We start by describing engaged and entrepreneurial universities and then move on to how they build relationships with outside partners. Many of the processes driving the formation of dyadic relationships between universities and firms are often inefficient and unclear (Calcagnini et al. in Small Bus Econ 46(1):31–43, 2016). We therefore utilize the general stages of group development (Tuckman in Psychol Bull 63(6):384–399, 1965) which have been examined and explored as a building block for our proposed process model for university-industry collaborative relationships. Following Santoro and Chakrabarti (Res Policy 31:1163–1180, 2001) typology, we focus on industrial firms that are considered ‘Targeted Players’; small firms, often with limited resources that need problems specific to their business solved within a relatively short time horizon. We then discuss process spanning issues and conclude with implications for theory, practice and future research.
Determining and Achieving Target Limb Length and Offset in Total Hip Arthroplasty Using Intraoperative Digital Radiography.

Abstract Background Achieving appropriate limb length and offset in total hip arthroplasty (THA) is challenging. Target limb length and offset may not always mean equal radiographic measurements bilaterally. The goal of this study is to introduce a method for determining as well as achieving target limb length and offset using digital radiographic measurements. Methods One hundred and two consecutive patients with unilateral hip osteoarthritis undergoing primary THA in the lateral decubitus position were included. Limb length and offset were measured on anterior-posterior pelvic radiographs preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. Offset was defined as the length of a line parallel to the inter-teardrop line, extending from the edge of the ischium, at about the lower border of the ipsilateral obturator foramen, to the edge of the femoral cortex, usually at, or just below, the neck resection level. Target limb length was determined for each patient based on patient perception and severity of disease. Target offset equaled the contralateral limb. Using intraoperative digital radiography, adjustments were made until targets were achieved and the hip was stable. Patients were followed for an average of 4.2 years postoperatively. Results Limb length was within 5 mm of target measurements in 100% of patients and offset was within 5 mm of targets in 97.1%. Target measurements differed by >5 mm from the contralateral side in 2.0% of limb length and 2.9% of offset measurements. There were no significant differences between intraoperative and postoperative limb length (P = .261) or offset (P = .747) measurements. At final follow-up, there were no dislocations or reoperations and average Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement was 95.78. Conclusion Target limb length and offset goals can be determined for most patients undergoing THA. Targets are not always equal to the contralateral side. Intraoperative digital radiography can allow surgeons to accurately achieve target limb length and offset to within 5 mm in a homogenous cohort of patients with unilateral hip osteoarthritis with excellent clinical outcomes.
Innate Immunity-Based Mucosal Modulators and Adjuvants

Abstract The development of mucosally administered vaccines remains a goal of many researchers who desire to develop a needle-free method of immunization that can induce antigen-specific immune responses in both systemic and mucosal tissues. The coadministration of adjuvants is often required to maximize the induction of protective immunity following mucosal vaccination, especially when subunit immunogens are used. A major class of mucosal vaccine adjuvants and modulators includes substances that can activate the innate immune system. Innate immune system activators that exhibit mucosal vaccine adjuvant and modulator activity will be discussed, including proinflammatory cytokines, nanoemulsions, mast cell activators, and toll-like receptor ligands.
An objective model for collaborative flight scheduling in a single mega-hub network

Single mega-hub (SMH) airports are among the highest passenger volume airports in the world. Eight operational features that distinguish an SMH airport are identified, including collaborative fligh...
Verbal memory measurement towards digital perspectives in first-episode psychosis: A review.

Abstract Background Even in the early phases of psychotic spectrum illnesses such as schizophrenia, patients can experience cognitive decline or deficits prior to the onset of psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. In this systematic review, we assessed which verbal memory assessments are most widely used in first-episode psychosis and may be applied via digital technologies (smartphone applications, etc.) for use in early detection. Methods In November 2019, we searched for studies measuring verbal memory in first episode psychosis or schizophrenia over the past 10 years on PubMed and PsycINFO. We screened abstracts of these studies and excluded review studies. Full-texts of included studies were used to identify the verbal memory measurement tests, follow-up frequencies, and sample sizes. Results We screened 233 reports and found that 120 original research studies measured verbal memory in first episode psychosis over the past 10 years. Four of these studies specified using a computer, 24 (20%) used a paper-pen format, 1(1%) used both, and 91 (76%) studies did not specify their administration tools or suggest there were offered in digital formats. Thirty-five (30%) studies had follow-up measurements of verbal memory, while 85 (70%) had only a single verbal memory measurement. Discussion While many scales are commonly used to measure verbal memory in first episode psychosis, they are not often administered via digital technology. There is an emerging opportunity to administer these and other tests via digital technologies for expanding access to early detection of cognitive decline in clinical high risk and first-episode psychosis.
Low rate of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD-65) antibodies in chronic epilepsy.

Abstract Purpose Autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD-65) have been identified in patients with chronic epilepsy. In this study, we ask (1) what is the frequency of GAD-65 antibodies in chronic epilepsy? (2) what is the frequency and type of epilepsy in individuals with GAD-65 antibodies? Methods For cohort 1, serum samples of patients with epilepsy (without type I diabetes) were obtained from our biobank. Samples were tested for GAD-65 antibodies using a cell-based assay and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. For cohort 2, patients with positive GAD-65 antibodies were identified and their medical records were reviewed for the presence and characteristics of epilepsy. Results Cohort 1 included 270 patients, of which 53% were women; median age was 47 years; median duration of epilepsy was 16 years. Epilepsy was focal in 87% (temporal lobe in 20%), and drug-resistant in 45%. GAD-65 antibodies were present in two out of 270 cases (0.7%) and zero controls. Cohort 2 consisted of 23 patients with known GAD-65 antibodies, of which ten had epilepsy (43%). Of these, 80% were women with a median age of 40 years and a median duration of epilepsy of 18 years. All ten patients had focal epilepsy, nine had temporal lobe epilepsy, and seven were drug resistant. Conclusions In patients with chronic epilepsy, the frequency of GAD-65 antibodies detected with our cell-based assay was substantially lower than previously reported with use of other methods. When present, GAD-65 antibodies are associated with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. GAD-65 positive epilepsy patients merit further investigation.
Review of two-phase flow instabilities in macro- and micro-channel systems

Abstract Study of two-phase flow instabilities began in the late 1920′s, and in the nearly 100 years since, significant progress has been made in both experimental and theoretical understanding of them. Despite these advances, many key deficiencies remain, solution of which will provide appreciable value for system designers looking to leverage phase change heat transfer technologies in a safe and repeatable manner. The present review provides a systematic overview of all key two-phase instabilities focusing on the fundamental mechanisms leading to their occurrence. Emphasis is placed on how these mechanisms may change depending on whether flow may be classified as macro- or micro-channel, particularly relevant due to the modern proliferation of parallel micro-channel heat sinks. Extensive literature surveys are performed for each instability type, and strengths and weaknesses of existing literature assessed. Focus is placed on providing recommendations for future work based on the status of current literature. Important takeaways include the significant mechanistic differences for Density Wave Oscillations and Parallel Channel Instability between macro- and micro-channels, the need for better understanding of the role of parallel micro-channels on external pressure curves (impacting Ledinegg instability and Pressure Drop Oscillations), and the influence of size and position of compressible volume on Pressure Drop Oscillations.
519-P: Comparison of Chronic Kidney Disease Risk Factors between Normoalbuminuric and Albuminuric Patients with Diagnosed Diabetes and Reduced Kidney Function

The prevalence of normoalbuminuric diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has increased in the past 20 years in the U.S. While previous studies reported the significance of nonalbuminurics pathway to kidney function loss in DKD, the factors associated with the nonalbuminuric kidney function decline remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to compare the CKD risk factors between nonalbuminuric and albuminuric DKD. Among NHANES participants (1999-2016) with diagnosed diabetes and reduced eGFR ( Disclosure M. Mosslemi: None. R.M. Hanna: None. C. Rhee: Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc. K. Kalantar-Zadeh: None. E. Streja: None.
Proteoglycan-driven Autophagy: A Nutrient-independent Mechanism to Control Intracellular Catabolism.

Proteoglycans are rapidly emerging as versatile regulators of intracellular catabolic pathways. This is predominantly achieved via the non-canonical induction of autophagy, a fundamentally and evol...
Orientation of the preferred retinal locus (PRL) is maintained following changes in simulated scotoma size

Although macular lesions often enlarge, we know little about what happens when the preferred retinal locus (PRL) is enveloped by the lesion. We present a prospective study of subjects with normal vision who were trained to develop a PRL using simulated scotomas with a gaze-contingent visual display. We hypothesized that, when subjects had developed a robust PRL and the scotoma size was increased, the PRL would move to remain outside the scotoma and in a direction that maintained the orientation (theta) of the PRL relative to the fovea. Nine subjects with normal vision were trained to develop a PRL and were then exposed to scotoma sizes that ranged from 4° to 24° in diameter. Subjects tracked a stimulus using saccades or smooth pursuits. Fixation stability was measured by calculating the bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA). To measure the reassignment of the oculomotor reference (OMR) to the PRL, we analyzed the spread (BCEA) of saccade first landing points. All subjects developed a robust PRL that did not vary more than 0.8° on average between blocks of trials of a scotoma size, and they maintained the orientation of the PRL as the simulated scotoma size varied (±9° median standard deviation in theta, defined as orientation angle). Fixation stability and OMR to the PRL worsened (larger BCEA) with increasing scotoma size. This, and related studies, could guide development of a PRL training method to help people with central vision loss.
Natural regeneration in urban forests is limited by early-establishment dynamics: implications for management

Urban forested natural areas are valuable ecological and social resources, but long-term sustainability of these habitats is challenged by environmental and social factors associated with urban ecosystems. Advances in city-scale assessments of urban forests have increased the resolution of forest community types and conditions, allowing for improved understanding of ecological function, such as natural regeneration, in these urban habitats. By applying metrics of tree regeneration that are commonly used for the management of rural forests, urban ecologists can test the potential for traditional forest management strategies within our cities. In this study, we compare urban and rural oak-hickory forest composition and structure and the capacity for natural regeneration in the New York metropolitan area. Specifically, we use two metrics of advance regeneration that describe the abundance of seedlings and saplings at different size classes to test whether this management for natural regeneration is a viable option. We found differences in recruitment dynamics between urban and rural forests that have implications for the sustainability of these forests and new management strategies. First, after controlling for forest community type, species composition in urban and rural sites was significantly different across multiple strata and within the seed bank. Species-specific capacity for natural regeneration was different in urban and rural sites, signaling the possibility of divergent successional trajectories. Second, while differences in species composition exist, both urban and rural sites were dominated by native species across all forest strata except for urban seed banks. Third, despite finding significantly lower average annual seedling abundance in urban (1.9 seedlings/m2 ) compared to rural (7.1 seedlings/m2 ) sites, we observed greater density of saplings in urban forests, and no significant difference in stocking index between sites. These findings suggest that early-establishment barriers to recruitment are greater in urban forest sites. However, once established, seedling transition into advance regeneration stages may not be different between site types, and advance regeneration may, in some cases, be more viable in urban forested natural areas. These results highlight functional differences between urban and rural forest recruitment dynamics that may impact on the future community composition of oak-hickory forests in the two landscape settings.
Child Sexual Abuse as a Unique Risk Factor for the Development of Psychopathology: The Compounded Convergence of Mechanisms

Meta-analytic, population cohort, prospective, and clinical studies provide systematic evidence that child sexual abuse accounts for unique variation in several deleterious outcomes. There is strong evidence for psychiatric disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder and mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and mixed evidence for personality disorders. Evaluation of sex-specific outcomes shows strong evidence for teenage childbearing, sexual revictimization, and sexual dysfunction and mixed evidence for heightened sexual behaviors and sexual offending. This review further demonstrates not only that survivors suffer the noxious impact of traumatic sexualization but that additional transdiagnostic mechanisms, including the biological embedding of stress, emotion dysregulation, avoidance, and insecure attachment, converge to compound risk for deleterious outcomes. A road map to enhance the rigor of future research is outlined, and specific recommendations for evidence-based policy making to boost prevention efforts and increase access to treatment are discussed.
Effect of modeling uncertainty on multi-limit state performance of controlled rocking steel braced frames

Abstract Quantifying and propagating uncertainties in structural response is critical to robust performance-based seismic assessments. This paper evaluates the influence of structural model parameter uncertainty on the seismic response and limit state assessment of controlled rocking steel braced frames (CRSBFs). The dead load on the rocking frame, fuse yield strength, initial post-tension ( P T ) force and yield strength of the braced frame elements are the random variables considered. Realizations of 3-, 6- and 9-story CRSBF nonlinear structural models are constructed using the random variable instances generated by Latin Hypercube Sampling ( L H S ) . The structural model realizations are subjected to multiple stripe analyses using six sets of hazard-consistent ground motions. Three limit states are considered including immediate occupancy, repairability and collapse prevention. The probability distribution of maximum transient and residual story drift ratios, P T strain and fuse shear deformation are also established. These four engineering demand parameters also serve as the basis for the limit state assessments. The effect of modeling uncertainty is examined by comparing the dispersion of the responses and limit state performance from “mean models” (i.e., models constructed based on mean values of random variables) with those obtained from the L H S -generated models. The results showed that model uncertainty had the greatest impact on the response and performance of the 9-story CRSBF.
Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare disease that continues to cause significant morbidity and occupies a disproportionate amount of otolaryngology care relative to its incidence. As there is no cure for the disease process once it has manifested, recent efforts continue to focus on treatment modalities that delay papilloma re-growth. Systemic bevacizumab has been used off-label in severe cases of juvenile RRP with profound reduction in disease volume; however, it requires maintenance therapy of unknown duration. An international adoption of HPV vaccination has led to a decreased incidence of RRP and could potentially eradicate the disease entirely if herd immunity is reached in the USA. RRP remains a disease with significant morbidity and few successful long-term treatment modalities. For severe cases, systemic bevacizumab shows promise, but comes at significant cost. Ultimately, nationwide HPV vaccination will be the most successful measure to eradicate this disease entirely.
Félix José de Restrepo, las ambigüedades de la esclavitud y la sensibilidad antiesclavista. Popayán, 1783-1808

Before standing out as the author of early Colombia’s free womb and gradual slave manumission law, Felix Jose de Restrepo owned and legally represented slaves in colonial Popayan. This article analyzes Restrepo’s ambiguous relationship with slavery, as well as his intellectual formation and legal practice over the last colonial years in the New Kingdom of Granada. Assessing Restrepo’s life before the Revolution allows us to account for the colonial roots of the antislavery sensibility that would crystalize as a republican political proposition after 1808. Restrepo recognized in an early stage that no homogenous juridical doctrine on the origins of slavery existed, and maintained that slaves possessed human dignity. With his background in modern philosophy and drawing on his knowledge of the Latin canon, Castilian law, and seventeenth-century political theory, Restrepo autochthonously developed this position in the justice tribunals of Popayan.
Network protocol safe configuration search in one shot

Model checking techniques can verify correctness properties by exhaustively traversing the state space of a formal model. A large number of works [1, 4, 5] done by networking researchers use model checking. Each of the works comes with one or more formal models, which constitutes a valuable asset for the networking security research community. Nevertheless, we find these works do not fully exploit the potentials of their models.
Rational Shear Analysis of Box Girders

A SERIOUS obstacle to rational design of wings of the shell type has been the lack of a coordinated method of calculating stresses resulting from the bending, torsion, and shear loads present in the general case. Hence, in spite of the fact that a shell wing is a single structural unit, approximate methods have been used, in which the wing is split up into a number of fictitious "beams," and various modifications of the "elastic axis" conception have been tried. Such methods have the apparent advantage of simplicity, in that they seem to evaluate the torsion couple and the bending distribution in a straightforward manner. The first obvious difficulty usually comes in the attempt to distribute the shear to the webs. That this is the only obvious difficulty does not imply that it is the only source of error, however, for any method which fails to take account of the elastic interactions of all the parts cannot lead to correct evaluation of the effects of either bending, shear, or torsion. The following analysis attempts to demonstrate that the stress distribution in a singleor multiple-celled box girder under shear, torsion, and bending can be calculated without recourse to such approximations.
Liquid Chromatographic Determination of 5-(Methylamino)-2-Phenyl-4-[3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-3-(2H)-Furanone in Soil

(...) The method consists of extraction of soil samples with methanol, filtration, liquid chromatographic separation of methanol-soluble components using a C 18 column, and UV detection at 275 nm. Recoveries were 94, 96, and 94% from the Greenville, Cecil, and Dothan soils, respectively. Average relative standard deviation was 8.0% in the Greenville soil. The qualitative limit of detection was 20 ppb and the limit of quantitation was 40 ppb in 25 g soil samples
Response to the Editorial Response Letter by Dr. Caraway et al.

Dear Editor, Dr. Caraway and his coauthors have failed to address the key issues discussed in my Perspective piece [1]. The Perspective editorial does not make the claim that interventional treatment is bad or that it should be avoided; rather, it makes the point that interventional treatments should be done in the context of comprehensive pain management. Furthermore, the label “Interventional Pain Medicine” sends the message that the practitioner is interested in unimodal rather …
Kansa Origins: An Alternative

Re-examination of historical and archaeological data related to the origin of the Kansa suggests the possibility that Oneota sites in northeastern Kansas previously identified as Kansa may be Oto. If this is the case, Kansa origins once again become a problem of interest On the basis of settlement pattern and architectural continuities, it is argued that the Pomona variant of eastern Kansas and western Missouri is possibly ancestral to the Kansa.