cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Issue Conflict Accumulation and the Dynamics of Strategic Rivalry

Although states at times contend over a single issue (such as territory), international rivals often contend over multiple issues simultaneously. Issue conflicts tend to accumulate among rivals due to the development of enemy images of the “other,” which causes states to view as threatening, behavior that was previously viewed as non-threatening. Once multiple issues are on the agenda, issues become linked as states begin to view the “other” as the main problem in settling all disagreements. Issue accumulation also increases the stakes of rivalry, which likely increases the probability that states will choose to bear the costs of engaging in militarized conflict seeking the settlement of issues in one's favor. An examination of strategic rivals supports the expectations that issue conflict accumulation tends to increase the likelihood of militarized disputes and war. The results also reveal that some paths of issue accumulation, in which certain types of issues come under contention, tend to be more dangerous than others.
Visual display in Blanchard's cricket frogs (Acris blanchardi)

Abstract Most reports of anuran visual displays (especially those involving extension of the back legs) are of tropical species living within noisy habitats. Here, we provide a descriptive report of visual displays involving back leg extension in a temperate anuran, Blanchard's cricket frog (Acris blanchardi). We observed male cricket frogs engaging in bouts of display, lasting an average of 2.9 min and incorporating both visual and acoustic signals. In a typical display bout, frogs near each other began circling (during a chorus at the pond) within a small area while extending their back legs and occasionally vocalizing. Rarely, the frogs would attack one another by hopping onto, then off, an opponent. Bouts ended when individuals stopped displaying while remaining near each other. The most common behaviors observed during a display bout, in order of decreasing frequency, were leg extensions, direction changes, forward movements, and vocalizations. These observations increase prospects for the study of e...
Hemodynamic Correlates of Late Systolic Flow Velocity Augmentation in the Carotid Artery

Background. The contour of the common carotid artery (CCA) blood flow velocity waveform changes with age; CCA flow velocity increases during late systole, and this may contribute to cerebrovascular disease. Late systolic flow velocity augmentation can be quantified using the flow augmentation index (FAIx). We examined hemodynamic correlates of FAIx to gain insight into determinants of CCA flow patterns. Methods. CCA Doppler ultrasound and wave intensity analysis (WIA) were used to assess regional hemodynamics in 18 young healthy men (age 22 ± 1 years). Forward waves (W1) and backward waves (negative area, NA) were measured and used to calculate the reflection index (NA/W1 = RIx). Additional parameters included W2 which is a forward travelling expansion/decompression wave of myocardial origin that produces suction, CCA single-point pulse wave velocity (PWV) as a measure of arterial stiffness, and CCA pressure augmentation index (AIx). Results. Primary correlates of FAIx included W2 (r = − 0.52, P 0.05). Conclusions. FAIx is a complex ventricular-vascular coupling parameter that is associated with both increased expansion wave magnitude (increased suction from the left ventricle) and increased pressure from wave reflections.
Large-dose fractionation. (Hypofractionation)

Fractionation is a radiotherapeutic "modality" that may be manipulated to attempt to improve control of malignant tumors or to decrease effects on normal tissues. In addition, some fractionation regimen must be selected as the basis for addition of any other modality such as radiosensitizers or hyperthermia. Considerable literature derived from clinical experiences with reduced numbers of large fractions has become available in the last 15 years. A review of this literature is focused on tumor control and effects on normal tissues resulting from hypofractionation (fewer than five fractions/week), rapid fractionation (large daily fractions treated five times/week), and rapid split-course regimens that include a rest interval in the course of treatment. The evidence available indicates that a decrease in tumor control is associated with each of these large-dose fractionation approaches. At the same time, late effects on normal tissues are increased as the result of the large-sized fractions. The overall reduction in therapeutic ratio suggests that this avenue of clinical research should no longer be pursued and that such regimens should be adopted with caution for purposes of combining radiosensitizers or hyperthermia. Conversely, clinical research in radiotherapy justifiably can explore the effects of increased numbers of small fractions.
The Retail Value Chain: Linking Employee Perceptions to Employee Performance, Customer Evaluations, and Store Performance

The authors test a value chain model entailing a progression of influence from retail employee job perceptions → retail employee job performances → customer evaluations → customer spending and comparable store sales growth. The authors test the model using three matched samples of 1,615 retail employees, 57,656 customers, and 306 stores of a single retail chain. The authors find that three retail employee job perceptions (conscientiousness, perceived organizational justice, and organizational identification) have main and interactive effects on three dimensions of employee job performance (in-role performance, extra-role performance toward customers, and extra-role performance toward the organization). In turn, these performance dimensions exert influence on customer evaluations of the retailer (a satisfaction, purchase intent, loyalty, and word-of-mouth composite). The authors also show that employee perceptions exert a direct influence on customer evaluations, and that customer evaluations affect retail store performance (customer spending and comparable store sales growth). Finally, the authors conduct some simple simulations that show: (1) how changes in employee perceptions may raise average employee performances; (2) how changes in employee performances enhance average customer evaluations; and (3) how changes in customer evaluations raise average customer spending and comparable store sales growth. The authors then show that employee job perceptions and performances “ripple thru the system” to affect customer spending and store sales growth. The authors offer implications for theory and practice.
Optimizing C++ vector expressions

Recently, I've been entertaining myself by studying all the nifty new programming techniques that have been invented since I was in school. I started with C++ and object-oriented programming. I'm now progressing through generic programming, aspect-oriented programming, partial evaluation and generative programming. What I'm really interested in is whether all these tricks work in the real world of graphics programming. My answer so far is "Yes, but...". To see "but what?", I define one of the problems I want to solve in in this article. I wanted to have a programming language that defined vectors and the arithmetic operations between them. C++ allows me to do this, but there are various pitfalls in doing this well. This article addresses one of these pitfalls: the speed of execution of vector arithmetic. The conventional approach turns out to be somewhat slow, but there's a very tricky technique that can make vector arithmetic very fast. It's based on the work of T. Veldhuizen (1998) and uses the C++ template mechanism in bizarre and unexpected ways.
Derivation of Many-Body Potentials for Examining Defect Behavior in Bcc Niobium

Many-body potentials, in either the Embedded Atom or Finnis-Sinclair form, have gained wide popularity recently. The major difficulty in implementing the method concerns the derivation of suitable forms for the pair potential, electron density, and embedding, function which reproduce a range of empirically observable parameters such as elastic constants, defect formation energies, and defect Green’s functions. This is a particularly difficult problem for niobium, which shows a variety of anomalous features in its phonon dispersion. Embedding functions which match only elastic constants may do a poor job of reproducing short wavelength behavior, and hence provide poor defect modeling. A straightforward method of deriving embedding functions for homonuclear BCC and FCC metals will be presented which provides excellent agreement with experimental phonon dispersion curves and elastic constants, as well as Griineisen coefficients, vacancy formation energies, lattice constants and heats of sublimation. The results of the application of a set of many-body potentials derived in this fashion to nitrogen irradiated niobium will be presented.
The Effects of Age and Latent Cytomegalovirus Infection on NK-Cell Phenotype and Exercise Responsiveness in Man

The redeployment of NK-cells in response to an acute bout of exercise is thought to be an integral component of the "fight-or-flight" response, preparing the body for potential injury or infection. We showed previously that CMV seropositivity impairs the redeployment of NK-cells with exercise in the young. In the current study, we examined the effect of aging on the redeployment of NK-cells with exercise in the context of CMV. We show here that CMV blunts the exercise-induced redeployment of NK-cells in both younger (23-39 yrs) and older (50-64 yrs) subjects with older CMV(neg) subjects showing the largest postexercise mobilization and 1 h postexercise egress of NK-cells. The blunted exercise response in CMV(pos) individuals was associated with a decreased relative redeployment of the CD158a+ and CD57+ NK-cell subsets in younger and older individuals. In addition, we show that aging is associated with a CMV-independent increase in the proportion of NK-cells expressing the terminal differentiation marker CD57, while CMV is associated with an age-dependent decrease in the proportion of NK-cells expressing the inhibitory receptors KLRG1 (in the younger group) and CD158a (in the older group). Collectively, these data suggest that CMV may decrease NK-cell mediated immunosurveillance after exercise in both younger and older individuals.
Mechanobiologic influences in long bone cross-sectional growth

We developed a computer model to simulate the interaction of biological and mechanobiological factors in the development of the cross-sectional morphology of long bones. The model incorporated a strong influence of biologically induced bone formation during early development. In addition, an assumed mechanical loading history during growth and development corresponding to age-related changes in body weight and muscle mass was applied. Based on the bone stress stimulus generated by the assumed loads, mechanically induced apposition and resorption rates were calculated at the periosteal and endosteal surfaces using a previously developed bone modeling theory. These methods successfully emulated the growth-related changes seen in long bone diaphyseal structure as well as changes observed in mature bones during aging. The simulations recreated the rapid increase in bone dimensions during development, stabilizing at maturity, and then the gradual, age-related subperiosteal expansion and cortical thinning. Throughout the growth, development, and aging simulations, the values of the bone radii, area, moments of inertia, and apposition rates corresponded well with measurements documented by other researchers.
TREATMENT OF LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTEWATERS WITH IONSIV™ IE-911 AND CHABAZITE ZEOLITE

Natural chabazite zeolite was selected as the baseline treatment technology for the removal of the fission products, 90Sr and 137Cs, from near-neutral-pH process wastewater and groundwater. The sorbent Ionsiv™ IE-911, a crystalline silicotitanate commercially developed and manufactured by UOP, was recently tested for this application and found to compare extremely well against the baseline material. This paper presents and compares the results of similar batch and column tests performed using both materials, and summarizes the physical and chemical characteristics of thesorbents. *Managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp. for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-96OR22464.
A broadband (1-20 GHz) SiGe monolithic SPDT switch

This paper reports the performances of a broadband monolithic SiGe PIN diode SPDT switch that is based on the IBM 5-HP SiGe foundry process. The switch contains a tightly integrated series-shunt vertical PIN structure in each arm having a junction area of 50 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ and 80 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ respectively. On-chip resistive bias networks are used to ensure broadband operation. The switch "ON" arm demonstrates a path-loss of less than 1.3 dB while its "OFF" arm maintains an isolation of greater than 40 dB across 1-20 GHz. The total DC power consumption for maintaining such a high performance is only 22 mW. The switching speed, the 1-dB insertion loss compression point and the third order intercept point were found to be <1 nsec, 19 dBm, and 30.0 dBm respectively.
Decision making in head and neck cancer care.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To describe patterns of patient involvement in head and neck cancer decision making. Study Design: Prospective longitudinal ethnography of otolaryngology patients making treatment decisions. Methods: Grounded theory analysis of verbatim transcripts and original voice recordings from: 1) participant-driven diaries, 2) participants' office visits with their physicians, and 3) semistructured interviews completed after a treatment decision had been made. Results: Patients with serious illness and experiencing considerable pain, discomfort, or alteration in the ability to perform activities of daily living, and who fear for their life, do not make decisions in a way that adheres to the conventional model of decision making, which presumes a sequential, office-based interaction with clear patient autonomy. These patients have the ability to interpret information they receive during office visits, but they describe making a treatment decision as “deciding to do something” not choosing a specific treatment. This group also describes “trust” or “confidence” in the physician as the most important factor in making a decision, not the type or amount of information received. They move through providers toward treatment in a linear fashion, from one physician specialty to the next, usually without doubling back to revisit previous decisions or discussions. Conclusions: Decision making in serious illness unfolds differently than in less serious problems. The conventional model does not fit this patient population, and reliance on trust of the physician figures prominently. Decision support should be aimed at physician decision making, promoting explicit incorporation of patient-specific data into the process.
The Mechanical Energies of the Global Atmosphere in El Niño and La Niña Years

Two meteorological reanalysis datasets are analyzed to determine the mechanical energies of the global atmosphere in the El Nino and La Nina years. The general consistency of the mean energy components between the two datasets reveals ;1%-3% increase and ;2%-3% decrease in the mean energies in the El Nino years and La Nina years, respectively. These analyses further reveal that the tropospheric temper- ature responds to the sea surface temperature anomaly with a time lag of two months, which leads to the varying mean atmospheric energies in the El Nino and La Nina years.
Preliminary survey of dynamic stability of a cable-connected spinning space station.

The primary factors that affect the passive stability of a spinning cable-connected satellite are reviewed. These include perturbations due to gravity gradient, criteria to assure stable transients, and a discussion on spinning up and down as well as reeling out and in. Existing literature indicates that gravity gradient is not likely to produce instability in practical designs that have damping. However, a single cable lacks torsional stiffness, and this proves to be the primary source of difficulty. The effective torsional stiffness of multiple-cable systems is studied and compared with that which may be achieved on single-cable systems by exploiting inertial properties. Results are presented of a freefall experimental model program to verify analytic criteria for stability during spinup. It is concluded that inherently stable single-cable systems can be designed provided that certain nondimensional inertial ratios are maintained within suitable bounds.
Costs of predator-induced morphological defences in Daphnia

SUMMARY 1. Inducible defences are advantageous because they protect the prey while limiting associated fitness costs. The presence of these costs is an essential component of this conditional strategy, since their absence would favour constitutive (fixed) defences. In some cases, however, these costs have been difficult to measure because of complex interactions between the defences themselves, resultant life history changes and the organism’s environment. 2. The pond-dwelling water flea, Daphnia pulex, forms defensive neck spines in response to kairomones released by predatory larvae of the phantom midge, Chaoborus. This predator–prey interaction and the formation of these inducible defences have been well studied, but costs associated with the development of neck spines remain unclear. In this study, I address this problem by analysing the effect of Chaoborus kairomones on the life history responses (and fitness costs associated with these responses) of two clones of D. pulex that are from the same pond population, but differ greatly in their degree of neck spine development. 3. Both D. pulex clones exhibited the same predator-induced shifts in life history: larger size at birth, reduced juvenile growth rate (producing a smaller size at maturity), delayed reproduction and a reduction in the number of neonates produced after the first clutch. Relative fitness decreased significantly and to the same degree (c. 10% reduction in r) in each clone. This observed fitness cost was not directly related to the neck spines per se since the cost was the same in both clones, despite their considerable differences in neck spine development. Rather, it appears to be indirectly related to this antipredator morphology via a combination of delayed reproduction and a set of life history trade-offs (decreased growth rate, decreased reproduction after the first clutch) for increased neonate body size, which is necessary for neck spines to be effective defences. This suite of induced responses is probably a result of local adaptation of these two D. pulex clones to their common pond environment. 4. Costs of inducible defences do not always entail direct allocation costs associated with forming and maintaining a defence, but may also involve indirect life history responses that are specific to particular environmental situations. This local adaptation would explain the highly variable life history responses observed among D. pulex clones from different pond environments.
Antagonism of triazolam self-administration in rhesus monkeys responding under a progressive-ratio schedule: In vivo apparent pA2 analysis.

Abstract Background Conventional benzodiazepines bind non-selectively to GABAA receptors containing α1, α2, α3, and α5 subunits (α1GABAA, α2GABAA, α3GABAA, and α5GABAA receptors, respectively), and the role of these different GABAA receptor subtypes in the reinforcing effects of benzodiazepines has not been characterized fully. We used a pharmacological antagonist approach with available subtype-selective ligands to evaluate the role of GABAA receptor subtypes in the reinforcing effects of the non-selective conventional benzodiazepine, triazolam. Methods Rhesus monkeys (n = 4) were trained under a progressive-ratio schedule of intravenous midazolam delivery and dose–response functions were determined for triazolam, in the absence and presence of flumazenil (non-selective antagonist), βCCT and 3-PBC (α1GABAA-preferring antagonists), and XLi-093 (α5GABAA-selective antagonist). Results Flumazenil, βCCT and 3-PBC shifted the dose–response functions for triazolam to the right in a surmountable fashion, whereas XLi-093 was ineffective. Schild analyses revealed rank orders of potencies of flumazenil = βCCT > 3-PBC. Comparison of potencies between self-administration and previous binding studies with human cloned GABAA receptor subtypes suggested that the potencies for βCCT and 3-PBC were most consistent with binding at α2GABAA and α3GABAA receptors, but not α1GABAA or α5GABAA receptor subtypes. Conclusions Our findings were not entirely consistent with blockade of α1GABAA receptors and are consistent with the possibility of α2GABAA and/or α3GABAA subtype involvement in antagonism of the reinforcing effects of triazolam. The α5GABAA receptor subtype likely does not play a substantial role in self-administration under these conditions.
Fracture Morphologies of Carbon-Black-Loaded SBR Subjected to Low-Cycle, High-Stress Fatigue

Abstract In the absence of a mechanical defect at the surface, failure is almost always initiated in the bulk of a sample at a material flaw. A variety of flaw morphologies are observed; however, the extent of cyclic damage could not be related to either flaw size or flaw type. Energy dispersive spectographic analysis did not reveal any differences in chemistry between a flaw site and regions remote from a flaw. The size and definition of a flaw increase with an increase in carbon-black loading. Initiation flaw sites are enveloped by fan-shaped or penny-shaped regions which develop during cycling. With the highly loaded carbon-black samples, these regions consist of concentric bands which increase in number and become more prominent with an increase in test temperature. This is attributed to the presence of knotty tearing. With low carbon-black loadings, the absence of any significant disorientations in the tearing paths during either a cycle or a series of cyclic events results in the absence of individu...
Acute Gastrointestinal Luminal Hemorrhage

Gastrointestinal bleeding in the emergency or intensive care unit setting can present significant diagnostic and management challenges. Initial care is focused on airway stabilization, aggressive fluid and blood product resuscitation, and correction of coagulopathy/thrombocytopenia. Subsequent diagnosis (and often treatment), both of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding, can usually be accomplished with a combination of endoscopy and angiography. Nuclear medicine studies, capsule endoscopy, and other techniques are employed if the initial measures fail. Variceal bleeding can be managed similarly, although often medical or infusion management is added. Rarely, surgical intervention is required for unstable, refractory, or difficult to localize hemorrhage.
3D Printing PDMS Elastomer in a Hydrophilic Support Bath via Freeform Reversible Embedding

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer is used in a wide range of biomaterial applications including microfluidics, cell culture substrates, flexible electronics, and medical devices. However, it has proved challenging to 3D print PDMS in complex structures due to its low elastic modulus and need for support during the printing process. Here we demonstrate the 3D printing of hydrophobic PDMS prepolymer resins within a hydrophilic Carbopol gel support via freeform reversible embedding (FRE). In the FRE printing process, the Carbopol support acts as a Bingham plastic that yields and fluidizes when the syringe tip of the 3D printer moves through it, but acts as a solid for the PDMS extruded within it. This, in combination with the immiscibility of hydrophobic PDMS in the hydrophilic Carbopol, confines the PDMS prepolymer within the support for curing times up to 72 h while maintaining dimensional stability. After printing and curing, the Carbopol support gel releases the embedded PDMS prints by using phosphat...
The hemolytic uremic syndromes: Pathogenesis.

There are several conditions that have the clinical phenotype of the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This phenotype consists of acute hemolytic anemia with fragmented erythrocytes, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal injury. The Typical or classical from of HUS tends to occur in infants and children, usually in association with an acute episode of bloody diarrhea, may be mild or severe, and frequently has a good prognosis. The commonest cause of this form of HUS is a verotoxin-producing bacterium such as E. coli O157: H7, or a shiga toxin-producing shigella bacterium. This form of HUS cannot be confused easily with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Recent studies have shown that these patients have very high levels of elastase, and that most of them have a typical pattern of circulating VIII: vwf multimers. There are two groups of Inherited forms of HUS: autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant. These patients tend to have an insidious onset of HUS with either no predisposing cause, or they may have a preceding “viral” infection. The clinical condition is often progressive, and death or end stage renal failure often occur.
The Diagnostic Evaluation: History, Physical Examination, Urinalysis, and Imaging

SUMMARY Utilizing techniques of history, physical examination, and office laboratory tests, the primary care practitioner can diagnose many urologic disorders. Familiarity with uroradiologic studies as described in this article will further aid the diagnostic process and the interpretation of recommendations from consultants.
Mysterious Ucumari: The Andean Bear in Nature and Culture

The only ursid native to South America, the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) still occurs in parts of the Urubamba Valley and its tributaries where human impact has been low. Small size (90–150 kg), distinctive facial markings, and a strong tree-climbing habit set this species, called ucumari in Quechua, apart from bears elsewhere in the world. Never abundant, the bear’s chief habitat has been in the upper montane zone from Western Venezuela to Southern Bolivia. Although its present geographic spread approximates the past, its distribution has contracted into non-contiguous “island” zones. Human associations with the spectacled bear give it a minor role in folk medicine and peasant nourishment, but a striking place in Andean folklore. Certain anthropic resemblances between man and beast reinforced a belief that male bears sexually paired with women. Far from being an indigenous notion, evidence indicates that Spaniards transferred this to the Andes from a similar folklore involving the European bear species. Shy and elusive, the ucumari is better known from inferential evidence of it, such as claw marks, than from encounters with the animal itself. To reverse its declining numbers, hunting and habitat must be addressed. When spectacled bears eat crops (especially maize) or attack livestock, peasants target them. Recently, agents have begun buying bear parts that are valued in Asian medicine. The future of this bear, a wild animal of the Andes, also depends upon maintaining the pristine character of the upper montane forest where human impact has been low, but is now increasing.
Engineering implications of ground motions from the Northridge earthquake

The magnitude, duration, and frequency content of ground motions from the Northridge earthquake are analyzed and compared to predictive relationships typically used in engineering design and to the 1994 Uniform Building Code (UBC). A relationship between maximum horizontal acceleration on soil versus maximum horizontal acceleration on rock is presented based on strong-motion recordings at free-field sites. The effect of geologic conditions on localized damage patterns is shown to be important for this earthquake, although many of the sites within the affected region are stiff soil sites classified as S1 or S2 sites by the UBC. The results of preliminary seismic site response analyses performed at two deep alluvial sites indicate that much of the observed site amplification can be captured by one-dimensional wave propagation analyses.
A High-Voltage-Compliant Current-to-Digital Sensor for DC–DC Converters in Standard CMOS Technology

Efficient current, voltage, and power sensing are critical blocks for power management, switching regulators, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuit, and motor control. This paper presents a standard CMOS and low-power current-to-digital converter (IDC) that senses the current flowing at high-voltage nodes. The proposed sensor uses a CMOS-switched capacitor circuit to sense a dc–dc converter output current and gives digital output without an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), or the need for high-voltage technologies. Compared to the resistor-based current-sensing methods that require current-to-voltage circuit, gain block, and an ADC converter, the proposed sensor is a low-power integrated circuit that achieves high resolution, lower complexity, and lower power consumption. The IDC circuit is fabricated on a 5 V, 0.7 μm, and three metal CMOS technology and occupied less than 10% area (1 mm2 area) compared to other sensors. It consumes 18 mW that is less than 40% power consumed by other sensors, and its current measurement error is below 0.4%. The proposed IDC circuit has been characterized as standalone and with a boost dc–dc regulator and MPPT for photovoltaic systems.
MRI in Tuberous Sclerosis with Normal I.Q.

The number, size and distribution of cerebral hamartomas determined by MRI in 11 patients with tuberous sclerosis and normal intellect are reported from the Bath Unit for Research into Paediatrics, Royal United Hospital, Combe Park, Bath, Avon, England and Bristol MRI Centre, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol.
His-Bundle Pacing for Identifying Optimal Ablation Sites in Patients Undergoing Atrioventricular Junction Ablation: Teaching an Old Dog a New Trick.

Background Atrioventricular (AV) junction (AVJ) ablation is conventionally performed by localizing the His-bundle electrogram (HBE). Identification of HBE in the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) can be difficult, and can make this simple procedure challenging. In this study, we describe our experience with an alternative approach to localize optimal ablation sites using His-bundle pacing (HBP). Methods Between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2015, we performed 13 AVJ ablations using the standard electrogram-guided approach and 11 ablations using HBP. All cases utilized a long femoral guiding sheath and an 8-mm-tip electrode radiofrequency (RF) energy ablation catheter. Pacing was performed at high output (10 mA at 2 ms) to initially achieve right bundle branch capture. The catheter was withdrawn until a narrow QRS morphology and increased stim-to-QRS time were observed. HBP was confirmed when paced and native QRS were identical in morphology. RF energy was applied at the site of HBP capture until AV block was observed. Results Baseline characteristics of patients in each arm were not significantly different. Compared with the standard approach, HBP was associated with trends toward lower RF applications (3 vs. 2, P = 0.16) and shorter mean RF time (208 seconds vs. 128 seconds, P = 0.19). Conclusion HBP is an effective technique to identify optimal ablation sites during AVJ ablation and may shorten procedure time. HBP can be used to identify the AV node during AF without recording the His potential. Future studies with larger sample size are needed to better characterize the utility of this technique.
Pesticides: Perceived Threat and Protective Behaviors Among Latino Farmworkers

ABSTRACTObjectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and beliefs of 72 Latino farmworkers in North Carolina about the threat of health effects of pesticides, including cancer. It sought to explore relationships between threat perceptions and pesticide protective behaviors observed in the field. Methods/Results: Utilizing stepwise multiple regression, the authors found that years worked in agriculture in the United States was associated with decreased use of protective clothing. Conclusion: Pesticide protective behaviors in the field may be improved by utilizing moderately experienced farmworkers (<10 years) as lay advisors to reinforce training.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Neuropathogenesis: A Model for HIV-Induced CNS Inflammation and Neurodegeneration

Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV), similar to its human analog human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), enters the central nervous system (CNS) soon after infection and establishes a protected viral reservoir. The ensuing inflammation and damage give rise to varying degrees of cognitive decline collectively known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Because of the similarities to HIV infection and disease, FIV has provided a useful model for both in vitro and in vivo studies of CNS infection, inflammation and pathology. This mini review summarizes insights gained from studies of early infection, immune cell trafficking, inflammation and the mechanisms of neuropathogenesis. Advances in our understanding of these processes have contributed to the development of therapeutic interventions designed to protect neurons and regulate inflammatory activity.
Ant-Based Modeling: Agent-Based City Simulation with Ants

Ant-Based Modeling explores the possibility of implementing agent-based modeling with living ants and external stimuli such as electromagnetic radiations, magnetic fields, and electric fields. In an experiment with fire ants, we discovered that ultraviolet and infrared lights can affect their behavior in the form of attraction and dispersion towards the light, respectively. The video highlights some of the LEGO- made landscapes we use in our explorations and how the behavior of ants can be influenced by ultraviolet light to achieve certain purposes such as exploring a new area or dragging a ping pong ball to a specific location. These experiments have allowed us to learn more about ants and have inspired us to explore novel forms of human-ant interaction.
246 nm AlN-delta-GaN quantum well ultraviolet light-emitting diode

The 246 nm AlN-delta-GaN quantum well ultraviolet light-emitting diode was proposed and realized experimentally, with the dominant transverse electric-polarized emission been verified by both the k·p simulation and the room-temperature polarization-dependent electroluminescence measurements.
Use of Oxyhemoglobin Saturation, Rather Than Oxygen Tension, as a Marker of Oxygenation in Cyanotic Patients

This study analyzes clinically indicated arterial blood gas values from patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease to determine whether oxyhemoglobin saturation or arterial oxygen tension provides a better measure of oxygenation.
A tunable 0.86–1.03 GHz FDD wireless communication system with an evanescent-mode diplexer and a self-interference-cancelling receiver

A tunable multiband FDD system is presented in this paper. For the first time, a tunable evanescent-mode cavity diplexer and a 65 nm CMOS self-interference-cancelling receiver are combined to provide high Tx-to-Rx isolation required in a multiband FDD system. Self-interference-cancellation reduces the required filter order for a given Tx-to-Rx isolation, reducing the loss associated with the tunable filter. The system has a measured tuning range of 0.86–1.03 GHz with 45 dB Tx-to-Rx isolation bandwidths of 4 MHz, at low band, and 2 MHz at high band. Simultaneous transmission and reception using 16-QAM signals are also demonstrated, showing the feasibility of using the presented system in a realistic tunable FDD system.
Pioneers: The Pre-1940 PhD’s

This chapter focuses on women in American mathematics during the century leading up to the founding of the AWM in 1971. In particular, it reviews results that appear in the authors’ 2009 book Pioneering Women in American Mathematics: The Pre-1940 PhD’s and in the supplementary material that can be found on the webpage http://www.ams.org/publications/authors/books/postpub/hmath-34-PioneeringWomen.pdf. To provide context for the understanding of women’s early participation in American mathematics, we summarize the family backgrounds, education, and employment of the 228 women who earned doctorates before 1940. We provide details of the experiences and contributions of a number of these women.
Visual and anatomic outcomes of vitreoretinal surgery: results at the Boston VA and a review of the literature.

Introduction The veteran population presents unique challenges in the management of vitreoretinal disorders. We compiled the surgical outcomes for the most common visually significant vitreoretinal diagnoses. Those results were then compared to visual and anatomic outcomes established in the literature. Materials and Methods Medical records over a three-year time period, from January 2005 through December 2007, were reviewed for 208 persons who underwent vitreoretinal surgery for vitreous hemorrhage, retained lens fragment, rhegmatogenous and tractional retinal detachment, macular hole, and macular pucker at the Jamaica Plain Campus of the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System in Boston, MA. A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted on Medline. Data from several large case series and meta-analyses were compared to results obtained at the VA Boston. Results A total of 208 veterans underwent vitreoretinal surgery from January 2005 to December 2007. After excluding those with rare diagnoses and lack of adequate follow-up data, the outcomes of 181 vitreoretinal procedures were included in this study. Discussion Overall, veterans at a regional referral center in Boston demonstrate postoperative visual and anatomic outcomes comparable to outcomes reported in the ophthalmic literature.
Identification of direct negative cross-talk between the SLIT2 and bone morphogenetic protein–Gremlin signaling pathways

Slit guidance ligand 2 (SLIT2) is a large, secreted protein that binds roundabout (ROBO) receptors on multiple cell types, including neurons and kidney podocytes. SLIT2-ROBO–mediated signaling regulates neuronal migration and ureteric bud (UB) outgrowth during kidney development as well as glomerular filtration in adult kidneys. Additionally, SLIT2 binds Gremlin, an antagonist of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and BMP–Gremlin signaling also regulates UB formation. However, direct cross-talk between the ROBO2–SLIT2 and BMP–Gremlin signaling pathways has not been established. Here, we report the discovery of negative feedback between the SLIT2 and BMP–Gremlin signaling pathways. We found that the SLIT2–Gremlin interaction inhibited both SLIT2–ROBO2 signaling in neurons and Gremlin antagonism of BMP activity in myoblasts and fibroblasts. Furthermore, BMP2 down-regulated SLIT2 expression and promoter activity through canonical BMP signaling. Gremlin treatment, BMP receptor inhibition, and SMAD family member 4 (SMAD4) knockdown rescued BMP-mediated repression of SLIT2. BMP2 treatment of nephron progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells decreased SLIT2 expression, further suggesting an interaction between the BMP2–Gremlin and SLIT2 pathways in human kidney cells. In conclusion, our study has revealed direct negative cross-talk between two pathways, previously thought to be unassociated, that may regulate both kidney development and adult tissue maintenance.
End-to-end azides as bridging ligands in lanthanide coordination chemistry: Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of tetranuclear Ln4 (Ln = Gd, Dy) complexes exhibiting a rare rhombus topology

Abstract The syntheses and magnetic properties of two new isostructural tetranuclear lanthanide complexes, [Ln4(N3)4(Tpz)8] (Ln = GdIII (1), DyIII (2) and, Tpz = tris(pyrazolyl)borate) are reported. In these complexes the lanthanide ions are eight coordinate with distorted geometries and are bridged by end-to-end azido ligands in a rare rhombus topology. Direct current magnetic susceptibility studies revealed the presence of weak ferromagnetic exchange interactions between the metal ions which were quantified in the case of the isotropic Gd4 analog to give J = 0.0080(2) cm−1 and g = 2.01(1). Complex 2 exhibits frequency and temperature dependent out-of-phase (χ″) ac magnetic susceptibility signals under a 0.1 T applied field, suggestive of SMM behavior. Low temperature magnetization studies revealed that compound 1 exhibits an appreciable magnetic entropy change, −ΔSm, which reaches a value of ∼20.9 J kg−1 K−1 at T = 3 K for ΔH = 7 T. Theoretical calculations further support the experimental results.
Sustainable packaging waste-derived activated carbon for carbon dioxide capture

Abstract Global greenhouse gases emissions have increased tremendously since 1950’s due to excessive burning of fossil fuel. The objective of this work is to develop and investigate packaging waste-derived activated carbon for carbon capture. Activated carbon was synthesized by carbonization of peanut-shaped packaging waste followed by chemical activation using KOH at a ratio of one to four. The activated carbon was characterized for it is textural properties using N2 adsorption at 77 K, and carbon dioxide adsorption isotherms at 273, 298 and 323 K. Non-Linear Density Functional Theory (NDLFT) was applied to carbon dioxide isotherm at 273 K to characterize narrow micropores and microporous structure of activated carbon. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate morphology and microstructure. TEM micrographs confirmed the existence of random micropores. We have also noticed that the textural properties were highly dependent on the concentration of the activating agent. Carbon dioxide adsorption on activated carbon materials has shown dependency on the volume of narrow micropores (less than 0.8 nm). The activated carbon materials have narrow micropore volume in a range of 0.155–0.292 cm3, and BET surface area of 761–1383 m2/g. Carbon activated with KOH ratio of three (WDC-03) has shown excellent CO2 uptake of 5.33 and 4.24 mmol/g at 273 and 298 K respectively. Moreover, it has also shown a high value for the isosteric heat of adsorption (29.8–14.3 KJ/mol) and selectivity of ∼16 over nitrogen.
Evaluation and Treatment of Gender Dysphoria to Prepare for Gender Confirmation Surgery.

Abstract Background Gender dysphoria is the experience of marked distress due to incongruence between genetically determined gender and experienced gender. Treatment of gender dysphoria should be individualized and multidisciplinary, involving a combination of psychotherapy, social gender transition, cross-sex hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, and/or ancillary procedures and services. The goal of all treatment modalities is to alleviate distress and affirm the patient’s experienced gender identity. This article is the first in a 3-part series focused on the diagnostic assessment and non-operative treatment of gender dysphoria. Parts 2 and 3 focus on operative aspects of gender dysphoria treatment. Aim To summarize the recommendations of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the Endocrine Society (ES), as well as review published literature regarding the non-operative treatment of gender dysphoria. Methods A review of relevant literature through January 2017 was performed via PubMed. Outcomes WPATH guidelines regarding diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of gender dysphoria, specifically regimens and risks of cross-sex hormone therapy were reviewed. Results Few physicians have experience with the diagnosis or treatment of gender dysphoria, although the number of patients seeking treatment has risen substantially in recent years. As a result, clinicians have turned to published recommendations from WPATH and ES, both of which promote high-quality, evidence-based care for patients with gender dysphoria. Successful treatment requires an individualized multidisciplinary approach. Non-operative treatment is both safe and effective for the majority of patients with gender dysphoria. Conclusions Guidelines from WPATH and ES, along with published literature pertaining to the diagnosis and non-operative treatment of gender dysphoria, were reviewed and summarized. Hadj-Moussa M, Ohl DA, Kuzon WM. Evaluation and Treatment of Gender Dysphoria to Prepare for Gender Confirmation Surgery. Sex Med Rev 2018;6:607–617.
Identifying systemic cancer therapy treatment and dosing in structured electronic data.

e18599Background: Researchers need efficient and validated processes to accurately summarize treatment and total dose history data for patients treated for cancer. We developed and validated an alg...
Real-Time GPU Based Video Segmentation with Depth Information

In the context of video segmentation with depth sensor, prior work maps the Metropolis algorithm, a simulated annealing based key routine during segmentation, onto an Nvidia Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and achieves real-time performance for 320×256 video sequences. However that work utilizes depth information in a very limited manner. This paper presents a new GPU-based method that expands the use of depth information during segmentation and shows the improved segmentation quality over the prior work. In particular, we discuss various ways to restructure the segmentation flow, and evaluate the impact of several design choices on throughput and quality. We introduce a scaling factor for amplifying the interaction strength between two spatially neighboring pixels and increasing the clarity of borderlines. This allows us to reduce the number of required Metropolis iterations by over 50% with the drawback of over-segmentation. We evaluate two design choices to overcome this problem. First, we incorporate depth information into the perceived color difference calculations between two pixels, and show that the interaction strengths between neighboring pixels can be more accurately modeled by incorporating depth information. Second, we pre-process the frames with Bilateral filter instead of Gaussian filter, and show its effectiveness in terms of reducing the difference between similar colors. Both approaches help improve the quality of the segmentation, and the reduction in Metropolis iterations helps improve the throughout from 29 fps to 34 fps for 320×256 video sequences.
Stewardship Value of Income: The Role of Income Statement Classification

This study investigates the stewardship role of components of earnings. Results of an analysis of compensation paid to CEOs of 1017 firms indicate that nonrecurring items receive smaller weight in compensation than recurring items. However, not all nonrecurring items are treated equally. While special items receive positive weight, below the line items, which are largely beyond the control of CEO, are filtered in compensation function. Thus, compensation committees seem to respond to the economic substance of earnings items, namely persistence and controllability rather than their position on the income statement. These findings suggest a sophisticated use of information contained in income statement classification.
Targeting STAT3 signaling in kidney disease.

The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway is a multifaceted transduction system that regulates cellular responses to incoming signaling ligands....
Aspect ratio effects in wind energy harvesting using piezoelectric inverted flags

The transformation of wind energy into low-power electricity using piezoelectric materials enables the possibility of powering wireless electronic components especially in high wind areas. This work thoroughly explores the effect of aspect ratio (length/width) on the performance of inverted flag-based piezoelectric energy harvesters. Wind tunnel experiments are conducted for a range of electrical loads to quantify the optimal power output. Conclusions are drawn regarding the overall dynamics of the multiphysics system for the design and optimization of this new class of scalable wind energy harvesters.