cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural abundances of stable isotopes trace anthropogenic N and C in an urban stream

AbstractImportant ecological services of low-order streams are greatly affected by urbanization. North Buffalo Creek, in the headwaters of the Cape Fear River basin in Greensboro, North Carolina, receives point- and nonpoint-source pollutants. Natural abundances of the stable isotopes of C (13C) and N (15N) were used to determine the influence of anthropogenic nutrients on seston δ15N, nutrient concentrations, C/N ratios, and patterns of δ13C and δ15N in foodweb components in North Buffalo Creek during different hydrological conditions. Baseflow seston δ15N varied significantly among sampling sites. Baseflow seston δ15N ranged from 3.7‰ to 4.6‰ at forested sites and was slightly enriched at open sites, and probably reflected nonpoint sources of N in North Buffalo Creek. Seston δ15N also reflected point sources of N in North Buffalo Creek. The most enriched seston δ15N values (8.4‰) were found directly downstream of the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). Seston δ15N values at the Rankin Mill Road (Rankin)...
An analysis of output costs and procedures for an operational searching service

For more than two years the Center for Documentation and Communication Research of Western Reserve University has been actively engaged in operating the American Society for Metals Documentation Service. Since this has been a new venture in information retrieval, it is thought to be of sufficient interest to others to justify a report on our cost and operational experiences thus far. Five previous reports prepared under grant number G-10338 for the National Science Foundation have been concerned primarily with the ‘input’ portion of an information retrieval system. Although this is the sixth in the series, it is the first to report specifically on the ‘output,’ i.e., the provision of answers to questions by means of machine searching. It discusses in detail the procedures and costs of conducting searches, and it exposes several of the important but not easily predicted variables which affect the entire cost structure. Unlike Report No. IV, which analyzed the ‘input’ costs of the Service and formulated a final figure of $6.503 per abstract, Report No. VI presents ranges of costs which are applicable only to given situations. Future papers will expand on the phases of ‘output’ which are mentioned only briefly here and will report on the progress made in improving and refining procedures and in establishing a more compact cost structure.
Studies of the Chick Edema Disease 1. Body Water Distribution and Effect of Diet

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE chick edema disease is a relatively new pathological entity first reported in 1957. The early reports of the syndrome, Anonymous (1957, 1958a, b, c), presented no analytical data on the body changes characteristic of the condition. Schmittle, Edwards and Morris (1958) reported that the disease resulted from feeding various rations and was not caused by a bacterial or viral agent. These workers were the first to describe the gross pathological appearance of chicks with the syndrome. Various workers, Ames et al. (1959), Brew et al. (1959), Friedman et al. (1959), Wooten and Alexander (1959), Harman et al. (1960) and Yartzoff et al. (1960), have attempted to chemically separate, purify and characterize the toxic agent. The first comprehensive study of the anatomical, biochemical and histological changes of the chick edema disease was reported by Allen (1961). He found that feeding a fat containing the toxic principle resulted in reduced…
A patch source model for treatment planning of ruthenium ophthalmic applicators.

Beta-ray emitting Ru-106/Rh-106 ophthalmic applicators have been used for close to 4 decades in the treatment of choroidal melanoma. The form factor of these applicators is a spherically concave silver bowl with an inner radius of curvature between 12 and 14 mm, and a total shell thickness of 1 mm. The radioactive nuclide is deposited in a layer 0.1 mm below the concave surface of the applicator. Calculation of dose distributions for clinical treatment planning purposes is complicated by the concave nature of the distributed source, the asymmetric shape of the active region of some applicators, imperfections in the manufacturing process which can result in an inhomogeneous distribution of activity across the active surface, and absorption and scatter in the 0.1 mm layer of silver which seals and protects the radioactive layer. A semi-empirical method of calculating dose distributions for these applicators is described which is fundamentally compatible with treatment planning systems that use the AAPM TG43 brachytherapy formalism. Dose to water is estimated by summing a “patch source” dose function over a discrete number of overlapping patches uniformly distributed over the active surface of the applicator. The patch source dose function differs conceptually from a point source dose function in that it is intended to represent the macroscopic behavior of a small, disk-like region of the applicator. The patch source dose function includes an anisotropy term to account for angular variation in absorption and scatter as particles traverse the 0.1 mm silver window. It geometrically models the nearfield of a patch with properties akin to both a small disk and infinite plane, and models the farfield as if the patch were a point. This allows a manageable number of discrete patches (300 to 1000) to provide accuracy appropriate for clinical treatment planning. This approach has the advantages of using familiar concepts and data structures, it is computationally quick, and it readily adapts to asymmetric applicator shapes and inhomogeneities in the radionuclide distribution. A method for optimizing the patch source dose function parameters is presented, and the dosimetric calculations are compared with published Monte Carlo calculations and measurements.
Extracurricular activities and the development of social skills in children with intellectual and specific learning disabilities

Background Children with intellectual disability and specific learning disabilities often lack age-appropriate social skills, which disrupts their social functioning. Because of the limited effectiveness of classroom mainstreaming and social skills training for these children, it is important to explore alternative opportunities for social skill acquisition. Participation in social activities is positively related to children's social adjustment, but little is known about the benefits of activity participation for children with intellectual and specific learning disabilities. Methods This study investigated the association between frequency and type of social activity participation and the social competence of 8–11-year-old children with intellectual disability (n = 40) and specific learning disabilities (n = 53), in comparison with typically developing peers (n = 24). Results More time involved in unstructured activities, but not structured activities, was associated with higher levels of social competence for all children. This association was strongest for children with intellectual disability, suggesting that participation in unstructured social activities was most beneficial for these children. Conclusion Future research on the quality of involvement is necessary to further understand specific aspects of unstructured activities that might facilitate social development.
Cladding-Structure Interaction under Impact Loads

This study was conducted utilizing precision impact testing to examine the characteristics of force transfer through cladding panels to an underlying structural support frame. Precision impact tests were conducted monitoring force and acceleration data to characterize load transfer. All specimens were considered identical and the impact loading was varied to provide several test conditions. The findings were that cladding systems may provide buildings with an external barrier capable of reducing short duration loading effects. Most test cases indicated an impact force dissipation of approximately 25–50%, depending on loading conditions.
Linkage relationships between a major gene for catechol-o-methyltransferase activity and 25 polymorphic marker systems

Segregation analysis has provided evidence suggesting the existence of a major gene for catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) activity in man. Five large families (4 Caucasian, 1 black), with a total of 1,189 individuals, were ascertained as part of a genetic study of blood pressure. Erythrocyte COMT activity and status at 25 polymorphic genetic marker loci were determined on more than 518 individuals in these pedigrees. Genetic linkage analysis of COMT with each of the 25 marker loci was performed in two ways: 1) using parameter estimates from segregation analysis of untransformed COMT activity, and 2) using parameter estimates from segregation analysis of the power transformation of the COMT activity that maximized the likelihood of the genetic hypothesis in each family. Tight and close linkage were excluded at 21 and 15 loci, respectively. A lod score of 1.27 at theta = 0.1 was found between the loci for COMT activity and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD). Transformation of the data had little effect on the outcome of the linkage analysis.
Neural network-based adaptive robust control of a class of nonlinear systems in normal form

Neural networks (NNs) and adaptive robust control (ARC) design philosophy are integrated to design performance oriented control laws for a class of n-th order nonlinear systems in a normal form in the presence of both repeatable and non-repeatable uncertain nonlinearities. Unknown nonlinearities can exist in the input channel also. All unknown but repeatable nonlinearities are approximated by outputs of multi-layer NNs. A discontinuous projection method with fictitious bounds is used to tune NN weights online with no prior information for a controlled learning process. Robust terms are constructed to attenuate model uncertainties effectively for a guaranteed output tracking transient performance and a guaranteed final tracking accuracy. If the unknown nonlinear functions are in the functional ranges of NNs and the ideal weights fall within the prescribed range, asymptotic output backing is also achieved. Furthermore, by choosing the prescribed range appropriately, the controller may have a well-designed built-in anti-integration windup mechanism.
Interconnect Customization for a Coarse-grained Reconfigurable Fabric

This paper describes several system-level interconnection strategies for a coarse-grained reconfigurable fabric designed for low-energy hardware acceleration. A small, representative sub-graph for signal and image processing applications is used to predict the success of mapping larger applications onto the fabric device with these different interconnection strategies, which include 32:1, 8:1, 5:1, 4:1, 3553:1 (3:1, 5:1, 5:1, 3:1) and 355:1 (3:1, 5:1, 5:1) cardinalities. Three mapping techniques are presented and used to complete mappings onto several of these fabric instances including a mixed integer linear programming technique, a constraint programming approach, and a greedy heuristic. We present results for area (in number of required rows), power, delay, and energy as well as run times for mapping a set of signal and image processing benchmarks onto each of these interconnects. Our results indicate that the 5:1 interconnect provides the best overall results and does not require any additional hardware resources than the baseline 4:1 technique. When compared with other implementation strategies, the reconfigurable fabric energy consumption, using 5:1-based interconnect, is within 5-10X of a direct ASIC implementation, is 10X better than an Virtex II Pro FPGA and is 100X better than an Intel XScale processor.
The Neglected "R"—Responsivity and the Federal Offender

Barriers that could impede the successful implementation of a supervision program (e.g., the responsivity principle) are frequently discussed under the risk, needs, and responsivity rubric, but have been historically under-researched. This paper describes an initial empirical investigation of the presence of responsivity factors among offenders under federal post-conviction supervision. From this analysis, we know that probation officers identified 28% of the nearly 20,000 offenders placed on federal supervision between November 2013 and March 2014 as having responsivity problems serious enough to constitute major barriers to supervision interventions. The most common responsivity factors identified are inadequate transportation and mental health. Offenders classified into the highest PCRA risk category were substantially more likely to have responsivity problems than their lower risk counterparts. These and other findings involving the presence of responsivity among federally supervised offenders will be further explored in this paper.
Object imaging with a piezoelectric robotic tactile sensor

A two-dimensional, electrically-multiplexed robotic tactile sensor was realized by coupling a piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer film to a monolithic silicon integrated circuit (IC). The IC incorporates 64 sensor electrodes arranged in a symmetrical 8*8 matrix. Each electrode occupies a 400*400 mu m square area, and they are separated from each other by 300 mu m. A 40- mu m thick piezoelectric PVDF polymer film was attached to the electrode array with an electrically non-conductive urethane adhesive. The response of the tactile sensor is linear for loads spanning 0.8 to 135 grams of force (gmf). The response bandwidth is 25 Hz, the hysteresis level is tolerable, and, for operation in the sensor's linear range, taxel crosstalk is negligible. The historically persistent stability and response reproducibility limitation associated with piezoelectric-based tactile sensors has been solved by implementing a novel pre-charge voltage bias technique to initialize the pre- and post-load sensor responses. A rudimentary tactile object image measurement procedure for applied loads has been devised to recognize the silhouette of a sharp edge, square, trapezoid, isosceles triangle, circle, toroid, slotted screw, and cross-slotted screw. >
β2-Adrenergic Receptor Lacking the Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Consensus Sites Fully Activates Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 in Human Embryonic Kidney 293 Cells: Lack of Evidence for Gs/Gi Switching.

Stimulation of the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (beta(2)AR) in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells causes a transient activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) 1/2. One of the mechanisms proposed for this activation is a PKA-mediated phosphorylation of the beta(2)AR that switches receptor coupling from G(s) to G(i) and triggers internalization of the receptor. To examine these phenomena, we characterized agonist activation of ERK1/2 in HEK293 cells by the endogenous beta(2)AR and in HEK293 cells stably overexpressing either the wild-type beta(2)AR or a substitution mutant beta(2)AR (PKA(-)) that lacks the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) consensus phosphorylation sites (S261A, S262A and S345A, S346A). As the baseline, we established that epinephrine stimulation of the endogenous beta(2)AR in HEK293 cells (20-30 fmol/mg) caused a rapid and transient activation of ERK1/2 with an EC(50) of 5 to 6 nM. In contrast, the potency of epinephrine stimulation of ERK1/2 in cells stably overexpressing WTbeta(2)AR and PKA(-) (2-4 pmol of beta(2)AR/mg) was increased by over 100-fold relative to HEK293 cells, the EC(50) values being 20 to 60 pM. The nearly identical 100-fold shift in EC(50) for ERK1/2 activation in the PKA(-) and WTbeta(2)AR relative to that in the HEK293 showed that the PKA(-) are fully capable of activating ERK1/2. We also found maximal activation of ERK1/2 in the overexpressing cell lines at concentrations of epinephrine that cause no internalization (i.e., the EC(50) for internalization was 75 nM). Pertussis toxin pretreatment caused only a weak inhibition of epinephrine activation of ERK1/2 in the HEK293 (7-16%) and no inhibition in the PKA(-) cells. Finally we found that the Src family kinase inhibitor 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (10 microM) caused a >90% inhibition of epinephrine or forskolin activation of ERK1/2 in both cell lines. Our results indicate that the dominant mechanism of beta(2)AR activation of ERK1/2 does not require PKA phosphorylation of the beta(2)AR, receptor internalization or switching from activation of G(s) to G(i) but clearly requires activation of a Src family member that may be downstream of PKA.
Multi-gram syntheses of four crown ethers using K+ as templating agent

Abstract Dibenzo-30-crown-10 ( DB30C10 , 1c ), dibenzo-24-crown-8 ( DB24C8 , 1a ), 4-carbomethoxydibenzo-24crown-8 ( 1b ) and a new crown ether, 4-carbomethoxydibenzo-30-crown-10 ( 1d ), were synthesized by a simple, high yielding, three-step method. Potassium ions from the highly soluble KPF 6 were employed to template the cyclization step, which resulted in very high isolated yields (80–90%).
Policy Uncertainty, Macroeconomic Dynamics, And US Unemployment Conditions

This study provides empirical verification of the link between policy uncertainty [1] , unemployment rate and other key US macroeconomic and performance indicators. A VAR augmented model (augmented by impulse responds function (IRF)) and Granger Causality test are employed in this study. Empirical results based on quarterly time series data (spanning the period 1960 to 2011) shows deficit induced policy uncertainty has significant negative impact on key US macroeconomic and performance indicators. This study also finds that one standard deviation policy uncertainty shock has immediate and significant negative impact on unemployment rate, GDP growth and other indicators tested. Concluding Granger causality test also shows deficit induced policy uncertainty granger cause variability in GDP and fixed private investment growth. [1] Measured in terms of Relative Political Capacity (RPC) formally introduced by Organski and Kugler (1980); and modified by Kugler and Arbetman (1997).
IGF-I alters lymphocyte survival and regeneration in thymus and spleen after dexamethasone treatment.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is a growth factor for the immune system, increasing lymphocyte number and function via greater lymphocyte generation and/or survival. We investigated the effec...
Nanoelectronic three-dimensional (3D) nanotip sensing array for real-time, sensitive, label-free sequence specific detection of nucleic acids

The improvements in our ability to sequence and genotype DNA have opened up numerous avenues in the understanding of human biology and medicine with various applications, especially in medical diagnostics. But the realization of a label free, real time, high-throughput and low cost biosensing platforms to detect molecular interactions with a high level of sensitivity has been yet stunted due to two factors: one, slow binding kinetics caused by the lack of probe molecules on the sensors and two, limited mass transport due to the planar structure (two-dimensional) of the current biosensors. Here we present a novel three-dimensional (3D), highly sensitive, real-time, inexpensive and label-free nanotip array as a rapid and direct platform to sequence-specific DNA screening. Our nanotip sensors are designed to have a nano sized thin film as their sensing area (~ 20 nm), sandwiched between two sensing electrodes. The tip is then conjugated to a DNA oligonucleotide complementary to the sequence of interest, which is electrochemically detected in real-time via impedance changes upon the formation of a double-stranded helix at the sensor interface. This 3D configuration is specifically designed to improve the biomolecular hit rate and the detection speed. We demonstrate that our nanotip array effectively detects oligonucleotides in a sequence-specific and highly sensitive manner, yielding concentration-dependent impedance change measurements with a target concentration as low as 10 pM and discrimination against even a single mismatch. Notably, our nanotip sensors achieve this accurate, sensitive detection without relying on signal indicators or enhancing molecules like fluorophores. It can also easily be scaled for highly multiplxed detection with up to 5000 sensors/square centimeter, and integrated into microfluidic devices. The versatile, rapid, and sensitive performance of the nanotip array makes it an excellent candidate for point-of-care diagnostics, and high-throughput DNA analysis applications.
Updates in reconstruction of skull base defects.

Purpose of review Skull base surgery has undergone a fundamental transformation with the development and rapid adoption of endoscopic endonasal expanded approaches. Defects created from these newer approaches have necessitated an evolution of novel reconstructive techniques, which are reviewed here. Recent findings New reconstructive techniques continue to be developed for repairing surgical defects from endoscopic endonasal skull base resections. Improvisations also allow well known flaps to be used in these approaches. Long term outcomes from repair using some of these techniques are now becoming available. Summary Endoscopic resection of previously unapproachable skull base lesions has become possible with advancements in technology, as well as reconstructive methods. These newer techniques may offer improved outcomes and lower morbidity over conventional surgery.
Determination of Cocaine and Its Major Metabolite, Benzoylecgonine, in Amniotic Fluid, Umbilical Cord Blood, Umbilical Cord Tissue, and Neonatal Urine: A Case Study

The determination of cocaine abuse among pregnant women has become a topical issue for both legal and emotional reasons. The analysis of urine from both mother and baby using immunoassay procedures is the most common method of determining the presence of cocaine and its metabolites. However, unless exposure to cocaine has occurred recently, false negatives are frequently obtained from the analysis of neonatal urine (1). More recently, meconium has been used to determine cocaine abuse. Because meconium is cumulative throughout the pregnancy after about 16 weeks, it has been suggested that it may be a more accurate sample for determining cocaine use than the more commonly used urine (2,3). Amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, and umbilical cord tissue have not been analyzed for cocaine and its metabolites even though they are present for the entire pregnancy. A study of the available maternal and fetal biological fluids following a premature delivery in order to determine cocaine abuse during pregnancy was carded out. The maternal urine tested positive for cocaine metabolite using immunoassay. Ease of sample collection, extraction, and determination were all considered to be important factors in sample analysis. Solid-phase extraction using XTrackT | high-flow sorbents (Worldwide Monitoring) allowed the easy extraction of amniotic fluid, homogenized umbilical cord, and umbilical cord blood. The more common Clean Screen | sorbents were used for urinalysis. The extracts were subsequently analyzed and quantitated using HPLC with multiwavelength UV detection (4,5). Results are shown in Table I. Neonatal urine showed the highest concentration of benzoylecgonine, which is probably indicative of recent Table I. Results of HPLC Analyses Benzoylecg0nine Cocaine Sample
Female Cabbage Looper Sex Pheromone Attracts Male Scirtes orbiculatus F.

The lepidopteran sex pheromone Z-7-dodecenyl acetate specifically attracts male Scirtes orbiculatus beetles in large numbers. In trials over five seasons carried out at different locations near Urbana, Ill., no beetles were caught in traps baited with equivalent quantities of six closely related synthetic acetate esters of C12 to C18 unsaturated alcohols, or with an epoxide, synthetic racemic disparlure.
Abstract 15: Inhibition of IGF-1 suppress genomic instability and epithelial lineage aberrations in the mammary gland of BRCA1 deficient mice

Women carriers of mutations in the tumor suppressor gene, BRCA1, have an up to 80% risk of developing breast cancer, as well as a 40% risk of ovarian cancer. Men who develop breast cancer are frequently BRCA1 mutation carriers. Moreover, cancers associated with BRCA1 mutations are frequently triple-negative (negative for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 amplification), which have a very poor prognosis. Experimental data have shown that BRCA1 has a dual role in the mammary epithelium in both DNA damage repair and in epithelial lineage commitment that contribute to the high frequency of triple-negative breast cancer. Brca1 deficiency in experimental models is also associated with increased phosphorylation of the IGF-1 receptor which in turns, leads to the MAPK signaling activation and results in increased proliferation. We evaluated a novel IGF-1 inhibitor in the Brca1 loxP/loxP C57bl/6 mouse that develops an early mammary gland hyper-proliferative phenotype characterized by aberrant ductal morphogenesis and DCIS around 9 months of age. Centrosome aberrations, defined cells with more than 2 centrosomes, were significantly increased the mammary epithelium of these mice compared to C57bl/6 control mice (19.8%±0.8%, n=13 vs 8.4%±0.9%, n=6, p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 15. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-15
Occupational Health Examination Results of Occupational Groups in Hurairou District of Beijing City in 2009

[Objective]To understand the main occupational hazards in Huirou District through analysis on the health status of occupational groups,so as to take intervention timely.[Methods]The occupational health checklist of occupational groups who worked in Huairou District in 2009 were collected and analyzed to indentify the main factors for occupational hazards.[Results]The main occupational hazards in Huairou District were noise,dust,benzene,heat,nitrogen oxides,TCE,chlorine,gasoline,hydrogen sulfide,hexane and the combined effects of occupational hazards which caused damage mainly on hearing,blood system,nervous system,cardiovascular system,respiratory system.[Conclusion]The main occupational hazards in Huairou District are the noise from the industry of cans production,punching,automobile manufacturing,followed by benzene and dust.The key point of occupational health is the control of the hazards of noise,dust and benzene.
Localization of Nephrocalcin in the Nephron

Nephrocalcin (NC) is known as a major inhibitor of crystal aggregation and growth in the renal tubular system. Therefore, the cellular origin of this protein is of great interest to understand its physiological function in the nephron. Previous attempts at NC immuno-localization have been unsuccessful because of cross-reactivity of the antisera to Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP). The current study utilizes a new antibody to NC which confirms localization of the antigen to the thick ascending limb of Henle’s loop (TAHL) and proximal tubule.
Replicating the Co-Variation of Adolescent Problem Behavior

An earlier study of ours that used data collected in 1972 found that a single common factor accounted for the positive correlations among a number of adolescent problem behaviors, including problem drinking, marijuana use, delinquent-type behavior, and precocious sexual intercourse. The present maximum-likelihood factor analyses replicated this finding on new samples of male and female 11th- and 12th-grade students tested 13 years later, in 1985. The findings lend further support to the concept of a syndrome of problem behavior in adolescence.
Models for Magnetic Coupling in Metallocene Based Donor/Acceptor Complexes

A variety of models for magnetic behavior are summarized and applied to the molecular magnet, decamethylferrocenium tetracyanoethenide, [Fe(C5Me5)2].+[TCNE].-. The use of the McConnell model as a means for predicting the sign of the Heisenberg J for pairwise spin interactions is described. A three-dimensional mean-field model for a two-site system is summarized. The results for the magnitude of an effective J from a mean-field model are presented and show that J must be small, on the order of a few degrees Kelvin. The results of molecular orbital calculations on cyanocarbon acceptors are summarized as are local density functional (LDF) calculations on ferrocene and ferrocenium. The results show that the spin on the ferrocenium is localized on the Fe, but that the spin on the radical anions is quite delocalized and has a significant in-plane component.
Elementary Design Patterns

As onemay expect, a software engineer who has had experience developing a number of application systems is able to utilise the expertise gained in future projects. Although two applications may not be alike and may exhibit relatively little similarity at the outset, delving deeper into the design may reveal a number of similar issues.Working on a variety of projects, a software engineer gets exposure to problems that are common to multiple scenarios, which hones his/her ability to identify repeated instances of problems and spell out solutions for them fairly quickly. From an object-oriented perspective, what it means is that two different applications may provide design issues that are alike; the solutions may involve the development of a set of classes with similar functionalities and relationships. Thus the class structures for the two subproblems may end up being the same although there may be differences in details.
Endovascular Reconstruction for Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease

Severe aortoiliac occlusive disease was traditionally treated with open aortic reconstruction most often in the form of an aortobifemoral bypass. With the advancement of wire and catheter technology, endovascular reconstructions can be offered as an alternative procedure. This chapter describes indications, essential steps, variations, and complications of this procedure. It provides a detailed template operative note for the procedure.
Asymptomatic carotid stenosis is associated with cognitive impairment

Abstract Background Cerebrovascular risk factors (eg, hypertension, coronary artery disease) and stroke can lead to vascular cognitive impairment. The Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis and Cognitive Function study evaluated the isolated impact of asymptomatic carotid stenosis (no prior ipsilateral or contralateral stroke or transient ischemic attack) on cognitive function. Cerebrovascular hemodynamic and carotid plaque characteristics were analyzed to elucidate potential mechanisms affecting cognition. Methods There were 82 patients with ≥50% asymptomatic carotid stenosis and 62 controls without stenosis but matched for vascular comorbidities who underwent neurologic, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and comprehensive neuropsychological examination. Overall cognitive function and five domain-specific scores were computed. Duplex ultrasound with Doppler waveform and B-mode imaging defined the degree of stenosis, least luminal diameter, plaque area, and plaque gray-scale median. Breath-holding index (BHI) and microembolization were measured using transcranial Doppler. We assessed cognitive differences between stenosis patients and control patients and of stenosis patients with low vs high BHI and correlated cognitive function with microembolic counts and plaque characteristics. Results Stenosis and control patients did not differ in vascular risk factors, education, estimated intelligence, or depressive symptoms. Stenosis patients had worse composite cognitive scores ( P = .02; Cohen's d = 0.43) and domain-specific scores for learning/memory ( P = .02; d = 0.42) and motor/processing speed ( P = .01; d = 0.65), whereas scores for executive function were numerically lower ( P = .08). Approximately 49.4% of all stenosis patients were impaired in at least two cognitive domains. Precisely 50% of stenosis patients demonstrated a reduced BHI. Stenosis patients with reduced BHI performed worse on the overall composite cognitive score ( t = −2.1; P = .02; d = 0.53) and tests for learning/memory ( t = −2.7; P = .01; d = 0.66). Cognitive function did not correlate with measures of plaque burden (degree of stenosis, least luminal diameter, and plaque area) or with plaque gray-scale median. Conclusions Asymptomatic carotid stenosis is associated with cognitive impairment independent of known vascular risk factors for vascular cognitive impairment. Approximately 49.4% of these patients demonstrate impairment in at least two neuropsychological domains. The deficit is driven primarily by reduced motor/processing speed and learning/memory and is mild to moderate in severity. The mechanism for impairment is likely to be hemodynamic as evidenced by reduced cerebrovascular reserve and the likely result of hypoperfusion from a pressure drop across the stenosis in the presence of inadequate collateralization.
Usages of Computers and Smartphones to Develop Dementia Care Education Program for Asian American Family Caregivers

Families of ethnic minority persons with dementia often seek help at later stages of the disease. Little is known about the effectiveness of various methods in supporting ethnic minority dementia patients' caregivers. The objective of the study was to identify smartphone and computer usage among family caregivers of dementia patients (i.e., Korean and Vietnamese Americans) to develop dementia-care education programs for them.Participants were asked various questions related to their computer or smartphone usage in conjunction with needs-assessment interviews. Flyers were distributed at two ethnic minority community centers in Southern California. Snowball recruitment was also utilized to reach out to the families of dementia patients dwelling in the community.Thirty-five family caregivers, including 20 Vietnamese and 15 Korean individuals, participated in this survey. Thirty participants (30 of 35, 85.7%) were computer users. Among those, 76.7% (23 of 30) reported daily usage and 53% (16 of 30) claimed to use social media. A majority of the participants (31 of 35, 88.6%) reported that they owned smartphones. More than half of smartphone users (18 of 29, 62%) claimed to use social media applications. Many participants claimed that they could not attend in-class education due to caregiving and/or transportation issues.Most family caregivers of dementia patients use smartphones more often than computers, and more than half of those caregivers communicate with others through social media apps. A smartphone-app-based caregiver intervention may serve as a more effective approach compared to the conventional in-class method. Multiple modalities for the development of caregiver interventions should be considered.
Long-term safety and efficacy of single-port pars plana anterior vitrectomy with limbal infusion during anterior segment surgery.

Purpose To report the safety and efficacy of single-port pars plana anterior vitrectomy. Setting Cincinnati Eye Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Design Retrospective case series. Methods Eyes that had anterior vitrectomy from September 2010 to June 2016 were electronically identified. Charts were reviewed for demographics, history of ocular trauma, underlying ocular or systemic comorbidity, surgical indications, outcomes, and postoperative complications. Results The mean postoperative follow-up was 10.9 months with a mean patient age of 62.4 years. Three hundred thirty-five eyes (97.7%) were scheduled as planned anterior vitrectomies, whereas 8 eyes (2.3%) were operated on unexpectedly after posterior capsule ruptures. Eighty-two eyes (23.9%) had a history of trauma. Twenty-five eyes (7.3%) had documented postoperative cystoid macular edema (CME), whereas 7 (2.0%) of these eyes had known preoperative CME. There were 3 eyes (0.9%) with retinal detachments and 1 eye (0.3%) with a retinal tear without detachment. There were no cases of endophthalmitis and no evidence of residual vitreous prolapse in the anterior chamber in any eye postoperatively. Conclusions The safety and efficacy profile of a pars plana technique compared favorably against historical data for both coaxial and bimanual limbal clear corneal infusion and cutting. Sutureless pars plana anterior vitrectomy might be considered a safe and reliable solution for the anterior segment surgeon in managing vitreous prolapse during anterior segment surgeries.
Vehicle crime mapping

The chapter starts by explaining the basics of routine activity theory, which suggests that for a crime to occur there is a requirement for the meeting in time and space of a motivated offender and a suitable target, in the absence of a capable guardian. For the investigator, understanding the interplay of these three elements (motivated offender, suitable target, absence of capable guardian) can be a starting point from which to consider ways to prevent future thefts. The chapter explains the basics of how a GIS works. This outline includes the generation of map coordinates through geo-coding, and how the layers approach within a GIS allows for different pieces of information to be combined within a single analysis. The chapter then goes on to examine vehicle crime in particular, with a look at the ways in which a GIS can spatially explore the characteristics of locations such as where a car is stolen from, where it is stripped or damaged, and where it is abandoned or arsoned. The chapter also explains a number of ways in which modus operandi, vehicle model and characteristics, and offender crime scene behavior can be mapped to determine whether significant spatial patterns exist. The chapter concludes with a primer on mapping services, so that the investigator has an overview of what resources are available, and knows the data requirements for a GIS to function as an effective investigative tool.
Absolute kinematic GPS positioning using satellite clock estimation every 1 second

An algorithm for absolute positioning through satellite clock estimation has been developed. Using IGS precise orbits and measurements, the GPS clock errors were estimated at 30-second intervals and these estimates were compared to values determined by JPL. The agreement was at the level of about 0.1 nsec (3 cm). The clock error estimates were then used in an application of a single-differenced (between satellite) positioning algorithm in static and kinematic mode. For the static case, an IGS station was selected and the coordinates were estimated. The estimated absolute position coordinates and the known values had a mean difference of up to 18 cm with standard deviation less than 2 cm. For the kinematic case, data (every second) obtained from a GPS buoy were tested and the result from the absolute positioning was compared to a DGPS solution. The mean difference between two algorithms is less than 45 cm and the standard deviation is less than 30 cm. It was proved that a higher rate of satellite clock determination is necessary to do absolute kinematic positioning at better than 10 cm precision.
Correctional Facility Establishments and Neighborhood Housing Characteristics

In the 1990s, the United States experienced unprecedented correctional population growth and accommodated the increase by building new facilities. Worries about the negative effect of such faciliti...
KC2: Key-Condition Crunching for Fast Sequential Circuit Deobfuscation

Logic locking and IC camouflaging are two promising techniques for thwarting an array of supply chain threats. Logic locking can hide the design from the foundry as well as end-users and IC camouflaging can thwart IC reverse engineering by end-users. Oracle-guided SAT-based deobfuscation attacks against these schemes have made it more and more difficult to securely implement them with low overhead. Almost all of the literature on SAT attacks is focused on combinational circuits. A recent first implementation of oracle-guided attacks on sequential circuits showed a drastic increase in deobfuscation time versus combinational circuits. In this paper we show that integrating the sequential SAT-attack with incremental bounded-model-checking, and dynamic simplification of key-conditions (Key-Condition Crunching or KC2), we are able to reduce the runtime of sequential SAT-attacks by two orders of magnitude across benchmark circuits, significantly reducing the gap between sequential and combinational deobfuscation. These techniques are applicable to combinational deobfuscation as well and thus represent a generic improvement to deobfuscation procedures and help better understand the complexity of deobfuscation for designing secure locking/camouflaging schemes.
Intraoperative Aneurysm Rupture during Resection for Presumed Metastasis

A 54-year-old male with metastatic melanoma, including a presumed brain metastasis underwent elective surgery when there was sudden onset of extensive bleeding upon resection. An emergent cerebral angiogram revealed a fusiform left posterior cerebral artery aneurysm. Malignant melanoma commonly metastasizes to the brain and has shown to assume a wide variety of appearances with involvement of almost any intracranial structures. The unexpected intraoperative finding required immediate action and strategic rethinking. The patient successfully underwent vessel sacrifice by means of coil embolization.
Molecular Structure of Binary Chromium(III)–DNA Adducts

Chromium(VI) is a carcinogen and mutagen, and its mechanisms of action are proposed to involve binding of its reduction product, chromium(III), to DNA. The manner in which chromium(III) binds DNA has not been established, particularly at a molecular level. Analysis of oligonucleotide duplex DNAs by NMR, EPR, and IR spectroscopies in the presence of chromium(III) allows the elucidation of the Cr binding site. The metal centers were found to interact exclusively with guanine N7 positions. No evidence of chromium interactions with other bases or backbone phosphates nor of Cr forming intra-strand crosslinks between neighboring guanine residues was observed.
The Relationship of Personality Style and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children.

Introduction. This study was to identify personality correlates ofchildren with a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder(ADHD). The Jungian Personality Type dimensions primarilyconsidered were Sensing/Intuiting and Perceiving/Judging.A Sensing child is likely to be very present-centered. A Perceivingchild tends to be curious and resist order and structure. Methods. Children attending a general pediatric clinic with a diagnosisof ADHD were eligible to participate. Enrolled childrenwere administered the Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator forChildren. Binomial tests were performed comparing Perceivingand Sensing personality components to accepted population rates. Results. Participants (n = 117) were predominantly male(78%) with a median age of 10 years. The Sensing trait (72%)was more prevalent than expected, though prevalence for thePerceiving trait (44%) did not differ from population rates. Conclusions. Personality types occasioned with the diagnosisof ADHD could be useful in establishing/normalizingtreatment regimens and approaches to assist thesechildren and their families better. KS J Med 2017;10(2):26-29.
ChangeNet: Learning to Detect Changes in Satellite Images

Change detection in temporal sequences of satellite images is an important component of many remote sensing applications such as land cover monitoring, urban expansion evaluation, forest degradation assessment, and mine site monitoring. The objective of this paper is to localize and identify relevant pixelwise changes in time-varying images taken at the same location. Detecting relevant change in images is difficult due to "unimportant" or "nuisance" forms of change such as illumination variation, shadows, occlusion, and possible seasonal changes. Traditional methods for change detection require sophisticated image preprocessing and possibly manual interaction. In this work, we present an end-to-end approach for dense change detection in satellite images by employing conditional Generative Adversarial Networks. We use the conditional GAN network to improve classification results by closing the gap between expected and predicted label distributions. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves better performance compared with existing methods.
Practical Considerations for Full Duplex Enabled 5G Integrated Access and Backhaul

With the advent of 5G networks means for backhauling network traffic emerged as a major consideration. Densification via small cell deployment has made wired solution cost prohibitive, leading to the adoption of spectrally efficient wireless solutions, namely, Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB). This paper discusses the different options for IAB and focuses on novel solutions for in-band IAB using Full Duplex (FD) enabled nodes. Dynamically reconfigured beam steering antennas are presented as a means of passively suppressing Self-Interference (SI). Experimental results confirm up to 65 dB of SI cancellation in a harsh environment with obstacle. Finally, robust methods for managing FD practical considerations including timing and frequency offsets are presented, with experimental results confirming performance.
The mediating role of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the association between obesity and problematic social media use in young adults.

Background: Obesity has been associated with problematic internet use or internet use characterized by impulsivity, dependence, risk taking or impairment. Despite the unique affordances and growing popularity of social media, few studies have investigated obesity in relation to the problematic use of social media in contrast to general internet use. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between obesity and problematic social media use and to test symptoms of anxiety and depression as potential mediators of this relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to young adults between the ages of 18-25 using the Qualtrics platform. Two mediation models were tested using model 4 of the PROCESS Macro in SPSS. Results: Participants (n = 4939) were between the ages of 18-25 (M = 21.74, SD = 2.3). Participants were 50.6% female (n = 2496) and 58.1% White (n = 2871). Reporting obesity was positively associated with reporting increased levels of problematic social media use, B = 1.15, SE B = .32, t(1, 4938) = 3.59, p < .001. The indirect effects in each model from obesity to problematic social media use, through both symptoms of anxiety and depression separately, were significant, B = .14, SE B = .05, confidence interval [0.055, .231] and B = .16, SE B = .07, confidence interval [0.018, .317], respectively. Conclusions: Young adults who present both with obesity and with symptoms of depression or anxiety are more at risk for problematic social media use. These patients may benefit from education on health-promoting social media use.
Superconducting Nanowire Spiking Element for Neural Networks

As the limits of traditional von Neumann computing come into view, the brain's ability to communicate vast quantities of information using low-power spikes has become an increasing source of inspiration for alternative architectures. Key to the success of these largescale neural networks is a power-efficient spiking element that is scalable and easily interfaced with traditional control electronics. In this work, we present a spiking element fabricated from superconducting nanowires that has pulse energies on the order of ∼10 aJ. We demonstrate that the device reproduces essential characteristics of biological neurons, such as a refractory period and a firing threshold. Through simulations using experimentally measured device parameters, we show how nanowire-based networks may be used for inference in image recognition and that the probabilistic nature of nanowire switching may be exploited for modeling biological processes and for applications that rely on stochasticity.