cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retained palmar foreign body presenting as a late hand infection: proposed diagnostic algorithm to detect radiolucent objects

Penetrating injuries to the hand can compromise important anatomic structures, and persisting foreign objects may become a source of infection. Foreign body intrusions into the hand are among the most common injuries to the upper extremity seen in the Emergency Department. Radiolucent organic objects, as well as a few higher density inorganic materials such as plastic, present a diagnostic challenge and are routinely missed using standard radiography. While the literature describes the use of high-frequency ultrasound as an adjunct to conventional diagnostics, to our knowledge, no formal algorithm has been published. We describe a case of incomplete wooden splinter removal, presenting as a late midpalmar abscess five months after the initial injury, and requiring two subsequent surgical explorations for definitive treatment. This case has led us to implement a formal diagnostic pathway including high-frequency ultrasound at our institution. We contrast this presentation with a subsequent case involving a much smaller wooden palmar foreign body that was easily identified under ultrasound and removed without sequelae. Many hand injuries are caused by low density, radiolucent foreign bodies. These objects can easily escape traditional evaluation in the emergency room including standard radiography. We present an algorithm implementing high frequency ultrasound to minimize the risk of missing radiolucent penetrating foreign objects in the hand.
Airborne characterization of smoke marker ratios from prescribed burning

Abstract. A Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler – Total Organic Carbon (PILS-TOC) and fraction collector system was flown aboard a Twin Otter aircraft sampling prescribed burning emissions in South Carolina in November 2011 to obtain smoke marker measurements. The fraction collector provided 2 min time-integrated offline samples for carbohydrate (i.e., smoke markers levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan) analysis by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Each fire location appeared to have a unique Δlevoglucosan/Δwater-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) ratio (RF01/RF02/RF03/RF05 = 0.163 ± 0.007 μg C μg−1 C, RF08 = 0.115 ± 0.011 μg C μg−1 C, RF09A = 0.072 ± 0.028 μg C μg−1 C, and RF09B = 0.042 ± 0.008 μg C μg−1 C, where RF means research flight). These ratios were comparable to those obtained from controlled laboratory burns and suggested that the emissions sampled during RF01/F02/RF03/RF05 were dominated by the burning of grasses, RF08 by leaves, RF09A by needles, and RF09B by marsh grasses. These findings were further supported by the Δgalactosan/Δlevoglucosan ratios (RF01/RF02/RF03/RF05 = 0.067 ± 0.004 μg μg−1, RF08 = 0.085 ± 0.009 μg μg−1, and RF09A = 0.101 ± 0.029 μg μg−1) obtained as well as by the ground-based fuel and filter sample analyses during RF01/RF02/RF03/RF05. Differences between Δpotassium/Δlevoglucosan ratios obtained for these prescribed fires vs. laboratory-scale measurements suggest that some laboratory burns may not accurately represent potassium emissions from prescribed burns. The Δlevoglucosan/ΔWSOC ratio had no clear dependence on smoke age or fire dynamics suggesting that this ratio is more dependent on the type of fuel being burned. Levoglucosan was stable over a timescale of at least 1.5 h and could be useful to help estimate the air quality impacts of biomass burning.
Insulin resistance and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Insulin resistance plays a central role in the pathogenesis of the reproductive as well as metabolic aberrations that characterize the syndrome. Many women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) manifest a phenotype that overlaps substantially with the so-called “metabolic syndrome” or “syndrome X.” These manifestations include obesity, glucose intolerance, hypertension, macrovascular disease, and dyslipidemia. The etiology and manifestations of insulin resistance in PCOS are reviewed in this article.
Analysis of the sensing properties of silica microtube resonator sensors

We present a theoretical study of the sensing properties of silica microtube resonator sensors. By solving the Maxwell's equations to obtain the electric field distribution in a cylindrical coordinate system and by using the perturbation method, we have analyzed in detail the sensing properties of silica microtube resonator sensors, which include the bulk refractive index, surface, and absorption sensing sensitivities with different radial order resonant modes. We found that a type of resonant mode, different from the evanescent modes commonly employed in previous investigations, is very promising for sensing changes of the refractive index. Furthermore, the resonant mode with high electric field at the inner boundary of the microtube is ideal for surface sensing applications. The high Q factor resonant mode is useful for the absorption sensing application. These sensing properties analyzed by using the perturbation method match very well with the results from the Mie scattering method. Finally, the limitation of the perturbation method is discussed.
Model-based evaluation of cell phone menu interaction

Cell phone interfaces are now ubiquitous. In this paper, we describe concepts to support the analysis of cell phone menu hierarchies. We present an empirical study of user performance on five simple tasks of menu traversal on a cell phone. Two models we tested, based on GOMS and ACT-R, give very good predictions of behavior. We use the study results to motivate an effective evaluation process for menu hierarchies. Our work makes several contributions: a novel and timely study of a new, very common HCI task; new models for accurately predicting performance; novel development tools to support such modeling; and a search procedure to generate menu hierarchies that reduce traversal time, in simulation studies, by about a third.
Polarimetric Characterization of Ultrawideband Propagation Channels

The polarization characteristics of the indoor ultrawideband channel are investigated using dual-polar 3.1-10.6 GHz channel measurements. Under the generalized elliptical polarization framework, the channel cross-polar discrimination (XPD) statistics are evaluated. Lognormal and triangular distributions are shown to well model the XPD and ellipticity angle. Considerable spectral and small-scale spatial variability is observed in the XPD. Asymptotic convergence of XPD to its mean with increasing bandwidth is established. An analysis of the variation of tap XPD with excess delay indicates that the XPD is highest for the initial paths. It is shown that increased scattering leads to greater depolarization. The dependence of XPD on the channel's rms delay spread is modelled using a linear regression with -0.5 dB/ns slope. This characterization will aid the analysis of polarization-dependent loss and the design of polarized multiple-antenna systems.
Ozone air quality measurement requirements for a geostationary satellite mission

Abstract We conduct an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) to test the ability of geostationary satellite measurements of ozone in different spectral regions to constrain surface ozone concentrations through data assimilation. Our purpose is to define instrument requirements for the NASA GEO-CAPE geostationary air quality mission over North America. We consider instruments using different spectral combinations of UV (290–340 nm), Vis (560–620 nm), and thermal IR (TIR, 9.6 μm). Hourly ozone data from the MOZART global 3-D chemical transport model (CTM) are taken as the “true” atmosphere to be sampled by the instruments for July 2001. The resulting synthetic data are assimilated in the GEOS-Chem CTM using a Kalman filter. The MOZART and GEOS-Chem CTMs have independent heritages and use different assimilated meteorological data sets for the same period, making for an objective OSSE. We show that hourly observations of ozone from geostationary orbit improve the assimilation considerably relative to daily observation from low earth orbit, and that broad observation over the ocean is unnecessary if the objective is to constrain surface ozone distribution over land. We also show that there is little propagation of ozone information from the free troposphere to the surface, so that instrument sensitivity in the boundary layer is essential. UV + Vis and UV + TIR spectral combinations improve greatly the information on surface ozone relative to UV alone. UV + TIR is preferable under high-sensitivity conditions with strong thermal contrast at the surface, but UV + Vis is preferable under low-sensitivity conditions. Assimilation of data from a UV + Vis + TIR instrument reduces the GEOS-Chem error for surface ozone by a factor of two. Observation in the TIR is critical to obtain ozone information in the upper troposphere relevant to climate forcing.
Optical design of the Short Pulse Soft X-ray Spectroscopy beamline at the Advanced Photon Source

The Short Pulse X-ray facility planned for the Advanced Photon Source (APS) upgrade will provide two sectors with photon beams having picosecond pulse duration. The Short Pulse Soft X-ray Spectroscopy (SPSXS) beamline will cover the 150–2000 eV energy range using an APS bending magnet. SPSXS is designed to take full advantage of this new timing capability in addition to providing circular polarized radiation. Since the correlation between time and electron momentum is in the vertical plane, the monochromator disperses in the horizontal plane. The beamline is designed to maximize flux and preserve the time resolution by minimizing the number of optical components. The optical design allows the pulse duration to be varied from 1.5 to 100 ps full width at half-maximum (FWHM) without affecting the energy resolution, and the resolution to be changed with minimal effect on the pulse duration. More than 109 photons s−1 will reach the sample with a resolving power of 2000 and a pulse duration of ∼2 ps for photon energies between 150 and 1750 eV. The spot size expected at the sample position will vary with pulse duration and exit slit opening. At 900 eV and at a resolving power of 2000 the spot will be ∼10 µm × 10 µm with a pulse duration of 2.3 ps FWHM.
Spectrometric measurement of natural and cosmic-ray induced radioactivity in meteorites

Abstract A nondestructive method of analysis of meteorites for natural and cosmic-ray induced radioactivity using low-level γ-ray spectrometry of kilogram samples is reported. Results so far obtained are essentially qualitative but appear to be in agreement with previous chemical measurements of K and Al 26 in chondrites and achondrites. Cobalt 60 was detected in the Ussuri (Sikhote-Alin) siderite (fell 1947) but not in old falls such as Odessa and Canyon Diablo. The rate of production of some interesting cosmic-ray induced activities is discussed.
Molecular medicine for the brain: silencing of disease genes with RNA interference.

Summary The recent discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) has revolutionised biological research and now holds promise as a potential therapy for human diseases. Currently untreatable neurological diseases are especially attractive targets. Scientists have already succeeded in using RNAi to suppress dominant disease genes in vitro; in some cases, this suppression has been allele-specific, silencing the disease-causing allele while maintaining expression of the normal allele. The challenge now is to bring this powerful technology in vivo to animal models to suppress disease genes and correct disease phenotypes. In the confrontation of this challenge, research should benefit from recent advances in viral and non-viral delivery of therapy to the brain.
Adjuvant trastuzumab reduces locoregional recurrence in women who receive breast-conservation therapy for lymph node-negative, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer have a higher risk of locoregional recurrence (LRR), even in the setting of early stage, lymph node-negative disease. In this sequential, retrospective study, the authors evaluated whether adjuvant trastuzumab was associated with reduced LRR in women with lymph node-negative, HER2-positive disease who received breast-conservation therapy (BCT). METHODS: By using an institutional database, 197 women were identified who had lymph node-negative, HER2-positive breast cancer measuring ≤5 cm diagnosed between 2002 and 2008 and who received BCT, including whole-breast irradiation. Two cohorts were compared: 70 women who did not receive trastuzumab (the no-trastuzumab cohort) and 102 women who did receive trastuzumab (the trastuzumab cohort). Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate LRR-free survival. RESULTS: The 2 cohorts were similar in age, tumor size, histology, and hormone receptor status. Chemotherapy was received by 73% of the no-trastuzumab cohort and by 100% of the trastuzumab cohort. In both groups, 99% of patients completed radiotherapy with a median dose of 60 Gray. The median recurrence-free follow-up was 86 months for the no-trastuzumab cohort and 47 months for the trastuzumab cohort. The 3-year LRR-free survival rate was 90% (95% confidence interval, 83%-97%) for the no-trastuzumab cohort and 99% (95% confidence interval, 97%-100%) for the trastuzumab cohort. In the no-trastuzumab cohort, LRR occurred in 7 patients (median time to LRR, 14 months). In the trastuzumab cohort, there was 1 LRR at 14 months. CONCLUSIONS: Even among women with lower risk breast cancer, the relatively high locoregional failure rates associated with positive HER2 status could be reduced markedly with adjuvant trastuzumab chemotherapy. Within 3 years, a 10% LRR rate without trastuzumab and a 1% LRR rate with trastuzumab were observed in women with lymph node-negative disease who received BCT. Cancer 2012. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Caspase activity is not required for the mitotic checkpoint or mitotic slippage in human cells

Live-cell studies show that inhibiting or depleting caspases, whether alone, in combination, or in toto, has no effect on the duration or fidelity of mitosis in nontransformed human cells, nor does...
Growth and development of Pseudocalanus spp. in the northern Gulf of Alaska

Pseudocalanus are the numerically dominant calanoid species in coastal subarctic Pacific waters. We examined their juvenile growth rates, and explored their relationships to temperature, chlorophyll a and body size for Pseudocalanus spp. from 2002 to 2004 in the northern Gulf of Alaska. Generally, the monthly mean growth rates increased from 0.049 ± 0.007(SE) day −1 in March to 0.095 ± 0.016 day −1 in August, declining slightly to 0.074 ± 0.009 day −1 in October. Typically, growth rates at most stations were around 0.05 day −1 , with no consistent or significant pattern between stations. After standardization to 5 and 10°C, the mean growth rates were 0.045 ± 0.002 day −1 and 0.075 ± 0.004 day −1 respectively, with growth rate decreasing with increasing development stage. Unlike other local calanoid copepod species, Pseudocalanus species tend to be more temperature-dependent than food-dependent, with composite statistical models describing at most 30% of the observed variability in growth rate. Interestingly, development time was comparable to other co-occurring calanoid copepods; however, growth rates of Pseudocalanus spp. were considerably lower. We demonstrate this with a new multi-species model that describes the growth rates of other egg-scattering copepods in this ecosystem, but to which Pseudocalanus does not fit. Thus, the egg-carrying Pseudocalanus species appear to employ a life history strategy optimized for slow growth at low chlorophyll that keeps individuals relatively small, and may therefore reduce visual predation upon them.
Selective inactivation of micro-organisms with near-infrared femtosecond laser pulses

We demonstrate an unconventional and revolutionary method for selective inactivation of micro-organisms by using near-infrared femtosecond laser pulses. We show that if the wavelength and pulse width of the excitation femtosecond laser are appropriately selected, there exists a window in power density that enables us to achieve selective inactivation of target viruses and bacteria without causing cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. This strategy targets the mechanical (vibrational) properties of micro-organisms, and thus its antimicrobial efficacy is likely unaffected by genetic mutation in the micro-organisms. Such a method may be effective against a wide variety of drug resistant micro-organisms and has broad implications in disinfection as well as in the development of novel treatments for viral and bacterial pathogens.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Surgery

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is, for most patients, a chronic condition that will require management across the lifespan. Like most chronic diseases, prevention of OSA remains the ideal and most attractive treatment from a public health perspective. At this juncture, however, management of the large population of patients diagnosed with sleep-related breathing disorders (as well as those who are still undiagnosed), remains the critical focus of most sleep physicians. As with hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, the individual treatment plan is not aimed at “cure,” but rather (1) symptom and quality of life improvement and (2) reduction of cardiovascular and general health risk.
POI/POS in der Finanzwirtschaft: Kundenselbstbedienung an interaktiven Multimediaterminals im Spannungsfeld zwischen Kundenorientierung und Rationalisierung

Der Markt fur Finanzdienstleistungen in Deutschland gerat immer starker unter Druck; dieser “Wind of Change” (um es mit einem bekannten Popsong zu umschreiben) wird sich durch zahlreiche Faktoren noch erheblich verstarken.
Cytology of Thyroid Lesions

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) represents one of the most important diagnostic tools for evaluating thyroid lesions. It has a worldwide application because of its simplicity, safety and cost-effectiveness, leading to a correct diagnosis in more than 70 % of cases and to a correct clinical approach in more than 90 % of cases [1–4].
Abstract TP112: Post-conditioning with Isoflurane Reduces Ischemia-induced Hemorrhage and Brain Injury Following MCAO in Rats: A Longitudinal Study with MRI

The objective of this study was to use multimodal MR imaging to evaluate the effect of isoflurane on short-term and long-term neuronal tissue damage and neurological deficits after focal brain isch...
Sequential blocking of metabolic pathways in vivo.

SummaryThe action of two or more inhibitors, each of which acts on the same metabolic sequence but upon different enzymes within a limited portion of the sequence, was defined as sequential blocking. As a model of such a system, the combined action of malonate and fluoroacetate was studied in vivo. It was shown that malonate decreased citrate formation to varying degrees in thymus, kidney, spleen and brain, but increased citrate formation in heart following the injection of fluoroacetate into rats.
Habitat preferences and dispersal patterns in native female screwworm flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Habitat preferences and dispersal patterns of female screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), flies were studied in tropical habitats in Mexico and Belize. Flies were captured and released in two contrasting habitat types, open pasture and dense forest, situated such that movements within and between habitats could be measured. Flies were abundant at both study areas, and about one third of marked flies were recaptured at least once. For original captures and subsequent recaptures, there was a clear preference for forest habitats. Dispersal behavior of flies was significantly related to habitat type; flies in open habitats tended to disperse greater distances than those within forested habitats. There was a net movement of flies from pasture into forest habitats. These data indicate that surveys or studies should consider forested habitats as preferred sampling locations.
pH Valve Based on Hydrophobicity Switching

pH switchable valves were constructed using nanoporous membranes, the surface of which was modified by mixtures of aminopropyl trimethoxy silane and butyl trimethoxy silane. The modified membranes are dry at neutral and basic conditions because of their hydrophobicity but open to flux of aqueous solutions at slightly acidic pH because of protonation of amino groups. The resulting high contrast between the open and the closed states and a high flux in the open state because of large pore size make the approach attractive in applications where pH switching is employed, for example, in drug delivery applications.
The effect of several psychotomimetic drugs on human serum cholinesterase.

The effects of a number of drugs of psychiatric interest on human serum cholinesterase are reported. The reported occurrence of an atypical form of human serum cholinesterase, differing in sensitivity to some inhibitors, has been confirmed. LSD and BOL, both potent inhibitors of human serum cholinesterase, do not fit into any of the three groups of inhibitors defined by their relative effectiveness as inhibitors of typical and atypical human serum cholinesterase. Some of the limitations of these findings are discussed.
ATP-sensitive potassium channel activation before cardioplegia. Effects on ventricular and myocyte function.

Background-Pretreatment with potassium channel openers (PCOs) has been shown to provide protective effects in the setting of myocardial ischemia. The goal of the present study was to examine whether PCO pretreatment would provide protective effects on left ventricular (LV) and myocyte function after cardioplegic arrest. Methods and Results-The first study quantified the effects of PCO pretreatment on LV myocyte contractility after simulated cardioplegic arrest. LV porcine myocytes were randomly assigned to 3 groups: (1) normothermic control: 37°C× 2 hours (n=116); (2) cardioplegia: K + 24 mEq/L, 4°C×2 hours followed by reperfusion and rewarming (n=62); and (3) PCO/cardioplegia: 5 minutes of PCO treatment (50 μmol/L, SR47063, 37°C; n = 94) followed by cardioplegic arrest and rewarming. Myocyte contractility was measured after rewarming by videomicroscopy. The second study determined whether the effects of PCO pretreatment could be translated to an in vivo model of cardioplegic arrest. Pigs (weight 30 to 35 kg) were assigned to the following: (1) cardioplegia: institution of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cardioplegic arrest (K + 24 mEq/L, 4°C×2 hours) followed by reperfusion and rewarming (n=8); and (2) PCO/ cardioplegia: institution of CPB, antegrade myocardial PCO perfusion without recirculation (500 mL of 50 μmol/L, SR47063, 37°C), followed by cardioplegic arrest (n=6). LV function was examined at baseline (pre-CPB) and at 0 to 30 minutes after separation from CPB by use of the preload-recruitable stroke work relation (PRSWR; ×10 5 dyne cm/mm Hg). LV myocyte velocity of shortening was reduced after cardioplegic arrest and rewarming compared with normothermic control (37±3 vs 69±3 μm/s, P<0.05) and was improved with 5 minutes of PCO treatment (58± 3 μm/s). In the intact experiments, the slope of the PRSWR was depressed in the cardioplegia group compared with baseline with separation from CPB (1.07±0.15 vs 2.57±0.11, P<0.05) and remained reduced for up to 30 minutes after CPB. In the PCO-pretreated animals, the PRSWR was higher after cessation of CPB when compared with the untreated cardioplegia group (1.72±0.07, P<0.05). However, in the PCO pretreatment group, 50% developed refractory ventricular fibrillation by 5 minutes after CPB, which prevented further study. Conclusions-PCO pretreatment improved LV myocyte contractile function in an in vitro system of cardioplegic arrest. The in vivo translation of this improvement in contractile performance with PCO pretreatment was confounded by refractory arrhythmogenesis. Thus the application of PCO pretreatment as a protective strategy in the setting of cardiac surgery may be problematic.
SIALIC ACID AND CELL AGGREGATION

Chick embryo neural retina cells from 7-, 10- and 14-day embryos and muscle cells from 9-day embryos, dissociated mechanically or with trypsin, reaggregate at the same initial rate whether treated before and during aggregation with active or inactive N -acetyl neuraminidase. N -acetyl neuraminidase treatment also has no effect on the size or number of aggregates formed over 24 or 48 h of aggregation. It was also found that the amount of trypsin used to dissociate the tissue into single cells alters the initial rate of aggregation but has no effect on the size or number of aggregates formed over a 24-h period.
Selenium in Plants

Selenium (Se) and sulfur (S) are chemically similar. Most plants cannot discriminate between the two, with the exception of Se hyperaccumulator species, which preferentially accumulate Se over S. Genetic engineering of various genes from the S/Se assimilation pathway has successfully enhanced plant Se tolerance, accumulation, and volatilization, in both laboratory and field. Results from genomic studies are beginning to shed better light on Se tolerance and (hyper)accumulation mechanisms, pointing to particular growth regulators (jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene) and constitutive upregulation of S/Se uptake and assimilation pathways. Selenium accumulation in plants profoundly affects ecological interactions. It protects plants from herbivores via both deterrence and toxicity, as well as from microbial pathogens. High-Se plants do not deter pollinators. Selenium hyperaccumulators enhance Se levels in neighboring plants, which can have a negative (allelopathic) effect if these are Se sensitive, but a positive effect if they are Se tolerant, via protection from herbivores. Thus, in seleniferous ecosystems Se hyperaccumulators may favor Se-resistant ecological partners while selecting against Se-sensitive partners. In this way, hyperaccumulators may affect species composition at multiple trophic levels, as well as Se cycling.
Investigating group behavior in dance: an evolutionary dynamics approach

We investigate group behavior in dance using an evolutionary dynamic model. Our approach is motivated by observations of nineteen dancers during a performance in which they choose a sequence of dance movements from a finite set of allowable movement modules as they perform. Results show evidence that subgroups of dancers performing the same movement module with greater representation are aware of their dominance, which in turn influences their switching rates between modules. We introduce the notion of awareness of dominance into the well-studied framework of replicator-mutator dynamics, where modules are represented as strategies. By letting awareness of dominance tune mutation strength, we demonstrate its influence in the evolution of strategies. The tuning yields a feedback controlled bifurcation in the model dynamics, which predicts persistence of dominant strategies as observed in the behavior of the dance group.
Hepatocellular carcinoma after locoregional therapy: Magnetic resonance imaging findings in falsely negative exams

Hepatocellular carcinoma after locoregional therapy: Magnetic resonance imaging findings in falsely negative exams
Four-Node Quadrilateral Element

Purpose of Lesson To formulate the stiffness matrix and evaluate the modeling characteristics of a four-node quadrilateral finite element.
Multiple-soliton solutions for extended (3+1)-dimensional Jimbo–Miwa equations

Abstract In this work we investigate two extended ( 3 + 1 ) -dimensional Jimbo–Miwa equations. We use the simplified Hirota’s method to derive multiple soliton solutions of distinct physical structures for each extended equation. We show that the dispersion relations and the phase shifts of the extended equations are distinct compared to the dispersion and shifts of the Jimbo–Miwa equation.
A Heuristic Method for Identifying Near-Optimal Defending Strategies for a Road Network Subject to Traffic Congestion

In this study we investigate the vulnerability of road networks to interdictions. We consider that an intentional attacker wants to maximize the congestion level on the network by interdicting some links of the network. The drivers are assumed to be selfish and always choose the route that minimizes the individual travel cost. In this case, network traffic flow follows user equilibrium (UE) traffic assignment, which however is affected by the interdiction initiated by the attacker. In this problem, the role of the defender is to minimize the damage that can be caused by an attack. A heuristic method is developed to solve for near-optimal attack (interdiction) and defense strategies, the effectiveness of which is demonstrated by simulation results. Numerical experiments are conducted to examine factors that influence the application of this method. Specifically, we compare the efficiency of this method when applied to different Cartesian grid-like networks. Managerial insights into the vulnerability and defense of road networks are drawn from the analysis.
Risky family processes prospectively forecast shorter telomere length mediated through negative emotions.

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to examine prospective associations of risky family environments with subsequent levels of negative emotions and peripheral blood mononuclear cell telomere length (TL), a marker of cellular aging. A second purpose was to determine whether negative emotions mediate the hypothesized link between risky family processes and diminished telomere length. METHOD Participants were 293 adolescents (age 17 years at the first assessment) and their primary caregivers. Caregivers provided data on risky family processes when the youths were age 17 years, youths reported their negative emotions at age 18 years, and youths' TL was assayed from a blood sample at age 22 years. RESULTS The results revealed that (a) risky family processes forecast heightened negative emotions (β = .316, p < .001) and diminished TL (β = -.199, p = .003) among youths, (b) higher levels of negative emotions forecast shorter TL (β = -.187, p = .012), and (c) negative emotions served as a mediator connecting risky family processes with diminished TL (indirect effect = -0.012, 95% CI [-0.036, -0.002]). CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that risky family processes presage premature cellular aging through effects on negative emotions, with potential implications for lifelong health. (PsycINFO Database Record
Areas of Concern for Public Health

An editorial is presented which addresses the author's views public health-related concerns in America as of 2017, and it mentions the election of businessman Donald J. Trump as the president of the U.S., as well as the film "High Anxiety" and Trump's push to repeal the nation's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. American federal budget cuts are examined, along with the country's Prevention and Public Health Fund. Reduced enrollment in the Medicaid health insurance program is assessed.
Four new cases of pediatric thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) with review of the molecular genetic basis, utilizing the newly published consensus nomenclature.

Abstract The majority of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) in the pediatric population are due to post repair etiology (iatrogenic). Although rare, underlying inheritable disease and congenital cardiac anomalies represent the most common non-iatrogenic cause of TAA among patients in this age group (1–21 years of age). Herein, we present a case series of 9aortic aneurysms with varying underlying etiology. We discuss the molecular genetic basis of these syndromes in conjunction with the radiological findings and histological description utilizing the newly published consensus criteria article.
Implications of Biobehavioral States for the Education and Treatment of Students with the Most Profoundly Handicapping Conditions.

Implications of biobehavioral state measures for the assessment of students with profoundly handicapping conditions are discussed in relation to similar behaviors observed in infants and among persons recovering from severe head trauma. Data are presented showing different profiles in biobehavioral states among students with severe and profound disabilities. These profiles are compared with similar descriptions of physical and psychological functioning described in the head-trauma literature, with a discussion of similar education and intervention problems and the need for more exchange of information between special education and rehabilitation therapy for persons with severe neurological impairments. Additionally, biobehavioral state measures among persons with severe and profound disabilities are offered as a potentially valuable assessment tool with important implications for improved intervention strategies and future research directions.
Classroom Intervention with Young Children After a Tornado Disaster

The United States is the most tornado-active country in the world, accounting for about 75% of the yearly number of tornadoes worldwide. Among just the top 14 tornado-prone U. S. states, there are over 12 million kindergarten and elementary school children potentially at-risk. The intensity and unpredictability of tornado storm stimuli can be especially stressful or traumatizing for young children because their perceptions, thoughts, and feelings are much more sensory-oriented than those of older children, adolescents, and adults. Moreover, children’s coping abilities may be easily overwhelmed in the aftermath of a disaster event that impacts their families and their communities. Teachers are often the professionals most knowledgeable about individual children’s needs outside of immediate family members. They stand in a pivotal and critical position to assist children’s successful adaptation to, and recovery from, tornado disasters. This chapter contains information about the range of young children’s reactions to tornado events, recommendations to manage children’s post-disaster recovery in the classroom, and bibliographic and web-based links to access tornado-relevant resources.
Aesthetic partial-coverage dental restorations.

Periodontal disease activity is defined clinically by progressive loss of probing attachment and radiographically by progressive loss of alveolar bone. The natural history of periodontal disease was originally considered to be nearly continuous and slowly progressive. Clinical research conducted in the last decade suggests that periodontal disease demonstrates periods of exacerbation and remission. Using sensitive automated probes, studies published during the past year have demonstrated that different patterns of disease activity can exist, and that these patterns may be dependent on the disease threshold. Subtraction radiography continues to be refined, but cost and methodology prevent this diagnostic tool from having widespread clinical application. A variety of clinical, microbiologic, and host-response parameters have been studied for their relationship to periodontal disease activity. Many research groups are attempting to develop a diagnostic test that identifies the risk for development of active disease. A relatively simple test based on the presence of a microbial virulence factor, or the host inflammatory or immune response to the subgingival microflora, may be a practical means for clinicians to detect the active phases of periodontal disease.
Risk Stratification for Erectile Dysfunction After Pelvic Fracture Urethral Injuries

Objective To compare the frequency and severity of erectile dysfunction (ED) among pelvic fracture patients with and without urethral injuries and to identify potential risk factors for ED in the setting of pelvic fracture injury. Materials and Methods A retrospective review was conducted of male patients treated for pelvic fractures with and without urethral injuries at a Level 1 trauma center between 2005 and 2016. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire was administered to patients by telephone to assess post-injury ED. Additional questions about pre-injury ED, post-injury symptoms, and past medical history were reviewed. Results Fifty patients (42%, n = 118) responded to the IIEF-5 questionnaire: 29 with pelvic fractures alone and 21 with PFUIs. We observed a numerical increase in frequency of new onset ED in patients with pelvic fracture urethral injuries (PFUIs) (n = 12, 57%) compared with patients with pelvic fractures alone (n = 11, 38%) (P = .3). Patients with PFUIs reported lower IIEF-5 scores (ie worse ED) than patients with pelvic fractures alone (13 versus 18, P = .05). There were no significant differences in potential risk factors between the 2 groups on univariate analyses. Conclusion ED was more severe following PFUI than pelvic fracture alone. We suspect that urethral injury is not the direct cause of ED, but rather a surrogate for extensive pelvic injury and risk for neurovascular injury. A larger prospective analysis is warranted to clarify this hypothesis and to further stratify risk factors for developing ED in pelvic fracture patients with and without urethral injuries.
Cryptococcal Meningitis and Other Opportunistic Fungal Infections of the Central Nervous System: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Abstract Fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are rare but often fatal. This type of disease affects patients with immunocompromised conditions. Cryptococcal meningitis—the leading cause of fungal meningitis—is a well-known global pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals as well as in people with other immune deficiencies. Cryptococcal meningitis management requires high clinical skills; we review the most up-to-date concepts for its diagnosis and treatment. Other molds, endemic fungi, and yeasts have also shown CNS infection capabilities. They are sources of human disease in the appropriate geographic, host, and exposure settings. We review their epidemiology and the most current medical knowledge. Successful management of disseminated fungal infections affecting the CNS requires a high clinical suspicion as well as a comprehensive understanding of the most up-to-date diagnostic and therapeutic options.
Ethnicity and Crime in the Netherlands

The research on the relationship between immigration and crime is central to the debate on immigration policies throughout Europe. This article reviews the research on whether immigrants in the Net...
Striated Muscle Disorder (Myasthenia Gravis)

Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disease characterized by voluntary muscle weakness and fatigability which increases with use of the involved muscles and improves with rest.
The Importance of Cultural Studies for Education: For Teachers and Policymakers in America

Here, I make the case for the value of a cultural studies approach to educational studies for teacher education programs that prepare future teachers and support the continued learning of teachers working in schools in America. I am making the case for my colleagues in higher education and teachers in the schools, as well as the intended audience of legislators and policymakers to help them understand the importance of cultural studies programs as they seek to find ways to improve schools in America. I lay out in the section “Educational foundations” some historical context to educational foundations as a field of study within teacher education programs. In the section “Cultural studies of education”, I describe cultural studies as a multidisciplinary approach to educational foundations. In the section “Policy studies and educational studies”, I consider what cultural studies has to offer for educators in the future and explore ways that cultural studies contributes to the understanding of educational issues for policymakers whose policies effect teachers’ and students’ daily lives in our schools.
A 13-ENOB Second-Order Noise-Shaping SAR ADC Realizing Optimized NTF Zeros Using the Error-Feedback Structure

The noise-shaping successive approximation register (NS-SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is an emerging hybrid architecture that achieves high resolution and power efficiency simultaneously by combining the merits of the SAR ADC and the $\Delta \Sigma $ ADC. Most prior works adopting the cascaded integrator feed-forward (CIFF) structure demonstrate inefficiency in realizing optimized noise transfer function (NTF). This paper presents a second-order NS-SAR ADC employing the error-feedback (EF) structure to realize complex NTF zeros for noise-shaping enhancement with the minimum modification to a standard SAR. It implements a low-power scaling-friendly EF path by using a passive finite impulse response (FIR) and a comparator-reused dynamic amplifier with process-voltage-temperature (PVT) tracking background calibration. Fabricated in 40-nm CMOS, the prototype chip consumes $84~\mu \text{W}$ when operating at 10 MS/s. The NS-SAR achieves peak Schreier FoM of 178 dB with 79-dB signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) at an oversampling ratio (OSR) of 8.
Loss Aversion and Risk Aversion in Wagering on Jeopardy!’s “Daily Double”*

Objectives The objective of the study was to test predictions of loss aversion and risk aversion by analyzing contestant wagers in the game show Jeopardy! Methods The primary method employed in this article is ordinary least squares regression analysis but the mean wagers of contestants in various player subcategories and stages of the game are also analyzed. Results The results support the core proposition of loss aversion in that the mean wagers of contestants who are behind in the game are greater than are the mean wagers of contestants who are ahead in the game. The results also indicate some differences in the behavior of men and women in risk taking and that contestants make use of frames of reference in making their wagers such as how far ahead or behind they are in points and how much “time” is left in the game at the time of their wager. Conclusion Given the results of this article and a review of other relevant literature, the suggestion is made that future studies of loss aversion and risk aversion continue to explore complexity and variation in the context of decision making and that future research into possible differences by sex in risk aversion explore scenarios in which choices are grounded in other‐ or community‐oriented situations rather than scenarios centering only on individual gains.
Baumslag–Solitar Groups

We introduce and explore the Baumslag–Solitar groups which is the famous collection of groups first described by G. Baumslag and D. Solitar. This collection, also referred to as BS groups, includes the first examples of finitely generated, one-relator non-hopfian groups. BS groups are widely known and provide many counter-examples and test-cases in combinatorial and geometric group theory.
Forecasting and Early Warning for Adversarial Targeting in Industrial Control Systems

A new feature-based forecasting framework of abnormalities is presented for early warning for cyber-physical control systems. The abnormalities may refer to intelligent cyber-attacks or naturally occurring faults and failures. Techniques presented here are aimed at protecting against unauthorized intrusions as well as fault prevention. Time series signals from system monitoring nodes are converted to features using feature discovery techniques. The feature behavior for each monitoring node is characterized in the form of decision boundaries, separating normal and abnormal space with operating data collected from the plant or by running virtual models of the plant. A set of ensemble state-space models are constructed for representing feature evolution in time-domain, where the ensembles are selected using Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) clustering. The forecasted outputs are anticipated time-evolution of features, computed by applying an adaptive Kalman predictor to each ensemble model. The overall features forecast is then obtained through dynamic ensemble averaging. This is done by projecting evolution of feature vector to future times in a receding horizon fashion. The features forecast are compared to the decision boundary to estimate if/when the feature vectors will cross the boundary. Simulation results in a high fidelity GE gas turbine platform, show the effectiveness of our approach for forecasting abnormalities.
The evolution of open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair at a tertiary care center.

Abstract Background The characteristics of and indications for open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have evolved over time. We evaluated these trends through the experience at a tertiary care academic center. Methods A retrospective review was conducted for patients undergoing open AAA repair (inclusive of type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms) from 2005 to 2018 at an academic institution. Trends over time were evaluated using the Spearman test; Cox regression was used to determine predictors of mortality and to generate adjusted survival curves. Results There were 628 patients (71.5% male; 88.2% white) with a mean age of 70.5 ± 9.4 years who underwent open AAA repair with a mean aneurysm diameter of 6.2 ± 1.5 cm. The median length of stay was 10 days, and the median intensive care unit length of stay was 3 days. Urgent repair was undertaken in 21.1%; 22.3% were type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repairs, and 9.9% were performed for explantation. Our series favored a retroperitoneal approach in the majority of cases (82.5%). The proximal clamp sites were supraceliac (46.1%), suprarenal (29.1%), and infrarenal (24.8%), with approximately a third requiring renal artery reimplantation. The average cross-clamp time was 25.5 ± 14.9 minutes; the mean renal ischemia time for supraceliac and suprarenal clamp sites was 28.4 ± 12.3 minutes and 23.5 ± 12.7 minutes, respectively. Postoperative renal dysfunction occurred in 19.6% of the overall cohort, with 6.2% requiring hemodialysis. Of those requiring postoperative hemodialysis, the majority (75%) received an urgent repair. The in-hospital mortality was 2.3% for elective cases vs 20.9% for urgent repair, and 29.8% of patients were discharged to rehabilitation, with an overall 30-day readmission rate of 7.9%. Over time, there were trends of increased aneurysm repair complexity, with decreasing infrarenal clamp sites, increasing supraceliac clamp sites, increasing proportion of explantations, and increasing need for bifurcated grafts. The acuity of aneurysm repair likewise changed, with the proportion of urgent repairs increasing over time, largely attributable to the rise in explantations. Clamp site influenced the frequency of perioperative complications. Urgent repairs and age at operation were associated with mortality, whereas mortality was not associated with need for explantation and clamp location. Conclusions Aneurysm repair reflected increasing complexity over time, with the need for explantation among urgent repairs significantly on the rise. Urgency and clamp location independently predicted long-term mortality, even after adjustment for age. These findings underscore the changing landscape of open AAA repair in the current era.
Small Codes for Big Signals

This chapter explores a different kind of use of neural networks. Rather than classifying or detecting patterns directly, we try to build low dimensional representations of high dimensional signals. The simplest reason to do so is to build a map of a dataset. We’ve already seen one procedure for doing so. It turns out that procedure has problems; this chapter starts with two alternative procedures. These are useful in their own right for mapping datasets.