cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bilateral Laparoscopic Ovariectomy in Standing Mares: 22 Cases

Objective— To describe a technique for laparoscopic bilateral ovariectomy in standing mares and report the outcome of 22 clinical cases. Study Design— Prospective study. Animals or Sample Population— A total of 22 mares between 4 and 23 years of age, weighing between 360 and 600 kg. Methods— Mares with normal ovaries, as determined by palpation per rectum, were restrained in standing stocks and sedated with detomidine (0.01 to 0.02 mg/kg intravenously [IV]) and butorphanol (0.01 to 0.02 mg/kg IV). The laparoscope and instrument insertion sites were infiltrated with 2% lidocaine before incision. One laparoscope portal and two instrument portals were located in each paralumbar fossa. Ovariectomy was accomplished by intracorporeal dissection and ligation of the ovarian pedicles. The two instrument portals in each flank were ultimately connected resulting in a 4 to 5 cm laparotomy to facilitate ovarian removal. Results— No major operative or postoperative complications occurred. Minor complications included incomplete hemostasis of an ovarian pedicle with a single ligature (three mares), transient inappetence, pyrexia and incisional infection. Owner satisfaction and cosmetic results were considered excellent. Conclusions— Standing laparoscopic ovariectomy appears to eliminate many of the potential complications associated with traditional surgical methods for ovariectomy and avoids the risk of general anesthesia. Clinical Relevance— This technique requires minimal laparoscopic instrumentation and will provide surgeons with an alternative approach for bilateral ovariectomy in mares.
Autonomic Nerve Preservation During Rectal Cancer Resection

Identification and preservation of pelvic autonomic nerves is important during radical resection of a rectal cancer in order to reduce the risk of genitourinary dysfunction. Detailed anatomic dissections have highlighted the relationship between the pelvic autonomic nervous system (PANS) and other pelvic organs. The superior hypogastric plexus (SHP) receives sympathetic contributions directly from the sympathetic trunk or via the inferior mesenteric ganglion, while the inferior hypogastric plexus (IHP) receives its major parasympathetic contribution (nervi erigentes) from the third sacral nerve root, with lesser contributions from the second and fourth. Physiologic studies in animals and humans have demonstrated the importance of the parasympathetic nervous system in achieving and maintaining erection, while the sympathetic nervous system is important for ejaculation. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation of the urinary bladder influences continence via coordination of detrusor contraction and tone at the bladder neck. The introduction of total mesorectal excision (TME) in the operative treatment of rectal cancer has resulted in a decrease in local recurrence and improved survival. TME, in conjunction with autonomic nerve preservation (ANP), has improved rates of postoperative genitourinary dysfunction. In a report from our institution, rectal resection, incorporating the principles of TME and ANP, preserved the ability to have intercourse in 86% and 57% of men undergoing low anterior resection (LAR) and abdominoperineal resection (APR), respectively. The ability to achieve orgasm was maintained in 88% of men after LAR and 85% after APR. In women, postoperative sexual activity was continued in 86% of patients, while the ability to achieve orgasm was maintained in 91%. Because of the noted improvement in preserving bladder and sexual function following properly performed TME and ANP, surgical training programs have begun to incorporate these techniques into their curriculum. However, widespread implementation is still in its early stages. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to present a detailed, step-by-step approach for TME and ANP during rectal cancer resection.
The Utilization of a Psychoeducational Group Approach for Addressing Issues of Grief and Loss in Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract The examination of grief and loss associated with caregiving for individuals with Alzheimer's disease is just beginning to receive necessary empirical attention. With the increase in the number of people developing Alzheimer's disease, it is critical that social workers in aging specific agencies and in long-term care facilities identify strategies to assist caregivers with a variety of psychosocial reactions, including feelings of grief and loss. This article will present a model for a psychoeducational grief group specifically designed for caregivers of individuals with mid to late stage Alzheimer's disease. The model contains a curriculum for a 5-week group that allows caregivers to confront their personal grief and loss reactions, while also learning coping strategies. Recommendations for evaluation and replication of the group are identified.
Global identification of genes targeted by DNMT3b for epigenetic silencing in lung cancer

The maintenance cytosine DNA methyltransferase DNMT1 and de novo methyltransferase DNMT3b cooperate to establish aberrant DNA methylation and chromatin complexes to repress gene transcription during cancer development. The expression of DNMT3b was constitutively increased 5-20-fold in hTERT/CDK4-immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) before treatment with low doses of tobacco carcinogens. Overexpression of DNMT3b increased and accelerated carcinogen-induced transformation. Genome-wide profiling of transformed HBECs identified 143 DNMT3b-target genes, many of which were transcriptionally regulated by the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) complex and silenced through aberrant methylation in non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines. Two genes studied in detail, MAL and OLIG2, were silenced during transformation, initially through enrichment for H3K27me3 and H3K9me2, commonly methylated in lung cancer, and exert tumor suppressor effects in vivo through modulating cancer-related pathways. Re-expression of MAL and OLIG2 to physiological levels dramatically reduced the growth of lung tumor xenografts. Our results identify a key role for DNMT3b in the earliest stages of initiation and provide a comprehensive catalog of genes targeted for silencing by this methyltransferase in non-small-cell lung cancer.
Dynamic Mechanical Response of Renal Cortex Under Compression: Strain-Rate Effect

The body armor can protect the soldiers from penetrating and blunt injury during the war, but its prevention standard lacks the biomedical validity. To improve the protection gear and prevention strategies, we need valid input data in mathematical modeling at different impact loading conditions. Our aim is to provide the valid data for the computer modeling and simulation based on the injury levels. Dynamic mechanical behaviors of kidney tissues are needed as input data for the impact modeling of penetrating injury. Moreover, the knowledge of mechanical responses of kidney tissues is important for diagnosis, surgical simulation and training purposes. This work investigates the impact of strain rate effect of kidney tissue under compression. The dynamic response of kidney tissues is studied using Split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique. We have modified the classical SHPB technique to characterize the mechanical behavior of kidney tissues at high strain-rate ranging from 1000 s−1 to 3000 s−1 by incorporating quratz-crystal technique and hollow transmission bar. We have also studied the quasi-static response of kidney tissues at three different strain-rates of 0.01 s−1 , 0.1 s−1 and 1 s−1 as well as the intermediate strain rate at two different strain rates of 10 s−1 and 100s−1 . The experiment results indicate the non-linear stress-strain response of materials. The kidney tissue stiffens evidently with increasing strain-rate.© 2009 ASME
The use of second‐trimester transvaginal sonography to predict placenta previa

Our objective was to determine the incidence and rate of persistence of placenta previa diagnosed at 15-20 weeks' gestation by using transvaginal sonography (TVS), and to describe the characteristics of TVS that predict placenta previa at delivery. Patients having placental tissue within 20 mm of the cervical os were prospectively identified by transabdominal ultrasound and underwent TVS. The distance of the placental edge from the cervical os was measured in millimeters. Characteristics of TVS predicting placenta previa at delivery were analyzed by logistic regression. The incidence of placenta previa diagnosed by TVS at 15-20 weeks was 1.1%; 14% persisted until delivery. Gestational age at the time of TVS and the distance of the placental edge to the cervical os helped predict placenta previa at delivery. Between 15 and 24 weeks' gestation, placenta overlapping the internal os by > or = 10 mm identified patients at risk of placenta previa at delivery with 100% sensitivity and 85% specificity. The use of TVS in the second trimester to diagnose placenta previa resulted in a lower incidence than was historically reported with the use of transabdominal ultrasound. The distance of the placental edge from the cervical os helps identify patients at risk of previa at delivery.
A molecular simulation study of the structure and tribology of polymer brushes: Comparison of behavior in theta and good solvents

Abstract Implicit solvent Brownian dynamics simulations of the structure and tribology of opposing polymer-brush covered surfaces have been carried out as a function of surface separation and solvent quality. Consistent with experiment, shear forces were found to be greater under theta solvent conditions than in a good solvent at equal relative separations (normalized by the respective height of the brushes in theta and good solvents). Much higher relative compression is required before the onset of significant shear forces in good solvent compared to theta solvent. The dependence of shear force for a given relative separation on solvent quality can be accounted for by differences in interpenetration of the brushes. When compared as a function of absolute surface separation, greater interpenetration and greater shear force are observed at large separations for the brushes in good solvent than in theta solvent, consistent with the greater brush height in good solvent. At shorter separations, corresponding to moderate to high compression, brush–brush interactions result in significant deformation of the brushes. In this regime, greater interpenetration and greater shear forces are observed in theta solvent at a given separation, in qualitative agreement with experiment.
MHz-rate nitric oxide planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging in a Mach 10 hypersonic wind tunnel

Nitric oxide planar laser-induced fluorescence (NO PLIF) imaging at repetition rates as high as 1MHz is demonstrated in the NASA Langley 31 in. Mach 10 hypersonic wind tunnel. Approximately 200 time-correlated image sequences of between 10 and 20 individual frames were obtained over eight days of wind tunnel testing spanning two entries in March and September of 2009. The image sequences presented were obtained from the boundary layer of a 20° flat plate model, in which transition was induced using a variety of different shaped protuberances, including a cylinder and a triangle. The high-speed image sequences captured a variety of laminar and transitional flow phenomena, ranging from mostly laminar flow, typically at a lower Reynolds number and/or in the near wall region of the model, to highly transitional flow in which the temporal evolution and progression of characteristic streak instabilities and/or corkscrew-shaped vortices could be clearly identified.
Child sexual abuse: The female victim's relationship with her nonoffending mother

The present study is an empirical analysis of 60 female victims of sexual abuse and their perceptions of their relationship with their nonoffending mothers. Contrary to much of the sexual abuse literature, which suggests a hostile and rejecting relationship, this study finds that the victims perceived a warm and accepting relationship with their mothers. The present study examines female victims of sexual abuse ages 7-12, who were interviewed within a few weeks of disclosure. Data collection includes the Parental Acceptance/Rejection Questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist by Achenbach. Sexual abuse variables related to the nature of the sexual abuse are also analyzed. Results indicate that sexually abused girls who perceived lower levels of maternal rejection had higher competency ratings and fewer behavior problems as compared with victims who perceived higher levels of maternal rejection. Abuse involving force by the offender is correlated with lower competency in the victims. More Violent Abuse is correlated with externalizing behavior problems and sexual behavior problems.
Reactivity of aromatic σ,σ-biradicals toward riboses

The gas-phase reactions of sugars with aromatic, carbon-centered σ,σ-biradicals with varying polarities [as reflected by their calculated electron affinities (EA)] and extent of spin-spin coupling [as reflected by their calculated singlet-triplet (S-T) gaps] have been studied. The biradicals are positively charged, which allows them to be manipulated and their reactions to be studied in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Hydrogen atom abstraction from sugars was found to be the dominant reaction for the biradicals with large EA values, while the biradicals with large S-T gaps tend to form addition/elimination products instead. Hence, not all σ,σ-biradicals may be able to damage DNA by hydrogen atom abstraction. The overall reaction efficiencies of the biradicals towards a given substrate were found to be directly related to the magnitude of their EA values, and inversely related to their S-T gaps. The EA of a biradical appears to be a very important rate-controlling factor, and it may even counterbalance the reduced radical reactivity characteristic of singlet biradicals that have large S-T gaps.
A Public Choice-Theoretic Test of Ricardian Equivalence

Despite significant empirical testing, a definitive conclusion on the Ricardian equivalence hypothesis has not been reached. An alternate empirical test examines whether legislators' votes to raise social security benefits are affected by the age compositions of their constituencies. Legislators should be influenced by the age composition of their constituencies only if the effects of the social security program are not offset by intergenerational transfers from parents to their children. Empincal evidence from 1972, when Congress raised social security benefits by 20%, yields no evidence that legislators were influenced by the share of their state or district population aged 45 (or 65) and above. The Ricardian equivalence hypothesis is not rejected.
Generation and cycloaddition reactions of indole-2,3-quinodimethanes

Abstract N-methyl and N-tert-butoxycarbonylindole-2,3-quinodimethanes ( 2 and 3 ) have been generated and observed to undergo intermolecular cycloaddition reactions with dienophiles.
Semicarbazide Formation in Flour and Bread

Azodicarbonamide, an approved food additive, is commonly used as a flour additive and dough conditioner in the United States and Canada. A number of researchers have clearly established a link between the use of azodicarbonamide and semicarbazide contamination in commercial bread products. However, all of these studies have primarily focused on the final baked product and have not extensively investigated the processing and conditions that affect the final semicarbazide levels. In this study, a previously developed method for measuring free semicarbazide in bread was applied to dough samples during the mixing and kneading process. Additionally, flour and bread samples were spiked with biurea or azodicarbonamide to help elucidate semicarbazide formation pathways. The results showed that semicarbazide was not formed as a byproduct of azodicarbonamide decomposition to biurea, which occurs upon the addition of water. Indeed, semicarbazide was not detected after room temperature or elevated temperature dough maturation, but only after baking. It was concluded that although azodicarbonamide is the initial starting material, semicarbazide formation in bread occurs through a stable intermediate, biurea.
Should terminally ill patients have the right to take drugs that pass phase I testing? Yes.

The United States is considering allowing experimental drugs to be given to people at the end of life. Emil J Freireich believes patients should be able to judge the risks for themselves, and Dean Gesme counters that use of such drugs outside trials will damage both individuals and science
Mechanical and biochemical effects of transient myocardial ischemia

Abstract Global myocardial ischemia was studied in 10 dogs on total cardiopulmonary bypass for periods of 20 min under normothermia and moderate hyperthermia (28°C). Ventricular performance before and after ischemic arrest was assessed by graded distention of an intraventricular balloon and correlated with subcellular function of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and myofibrils. Peak systolic and end-diastolic forces showed no significant differences between prearrest and postarrest values in both groups. Left ventricular pressure work was consistently lower following ischemic arrest under normothermia but the values did not reach statistical significance. No difference in pre- and postarrest values was seen in the hypothermic group. Subcellular function was evaluated by isolating the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and myofibrils from the endocardial and epicardial portions of the free wall of the left ventricle by differential centrifugation. Global myocardial ischemia under normothermic conditions was associated with a significant depression of both SR calcium uptake and myofibrillar ATPase activity from the endocardium. Epicardial myofibrillar ATPase activity was not significantly different in the two groups (normothermic vs hypothermic) and SR calcium uptake was only slightly depressed in the normothermic group. In contrast, both myofibrillar ATPase activity and SR calcium uptake from the endocardium of the hypothermic preparations demonstrated significantly higher activity when compared to the normothermic group. It is concluded that normothermic arrest for 20 min results in a depression of the subcellular functions responsible for the regulation of myocardial contractility and that hypothermic arrest is capable of protecting the endocardial myofibrillar ATPase activity and SR calcium uptake during global ischemia. Therefore myocardial protection afforded by hypothermia seems warrented even for relatively brief periods of clinical ischemic arrest.
A versatile, high-resolution particle identifier - Theory

Abstract A method of measurement and analysis is presented which makes maximum use of the dependence of energy loss d E d x upon range to identify isotopically particles which stop in an identifier consisting of several thick, solid state detectors. Theoretical identification efficiency, mass resolution, charge resolution, and energy resolution are determined. A following paper provides experimental resolutions and describes two identifiers; one used to provide particle identification during heavy ion fragmentation studies at the Bevatron, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory; the other, a rocket-borne instrument used to measure the isotopic abundances in the inner trapped radiation belt.
Small correlation length solutions for planar symmetry beam transport in a stochastic medium

Abstract This paper considers planar symmetry, steady-state, monoenergetic linear transport of a normally incident particle beam through a purely scattering thin slab, composed of a stochastic mixture of two immiscible materials. The scattering process is assumed sufficiently forward peaked so that the Fokker-Planck description is valid. If the material mixing obeys Markovian statistics, and ignoring particle backscattering, this situation is a joint Markov process. As such, the stochastic Livouville master equation is valid, and we obtain a set of two coupled linear transport equations describing exactly the ensemble-averaged solution for the particle intensity. An asymptotic expansion is used to reduce these two equations, in the small correlation length limit, to a single renormalized equation. This equation is treated by an angular moments method, exploiting the assumed peakedness in angle of the solution. An analytic solution of these moment equations provides a simple and explicit solution for the spatial distribution of the particle density. The effect of stochasticity is to increase the solution over the corresponding nonstochastic result recently reported in the literature.
Neural correlates of genetically abnormal social cognition in Williams syndrome

Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS), caused by a microdeletion of approximately 21 genes on chromosome 7q11.23, is characterized by unique hypersociability combined with increased non-social anxiety. Using functional neuroimaging, we found reduced amygdala activation in individuals with WBS for threatening faces but increased activation for threatening scenes, relative to matched normal controls. Activation and interactions of prefrontal regions linked to amygdala, especially orbitofrontal cortex, were abnormal, suggesting a genetically controlled neural circuitry for regulating human social behavior.
Two-dimensional modeling of sintering of a powder layer on top of nonporous substrate

Selective laser sintering (SLS) of a two-component metal powder layer on the top of multiple sintered layers by a moving Gaussian laser beam is modeled. The loose metal powder layer is composed of a powder mixture with significantly different melting points. The physical model that accounts the shrinkage induced by melting is described by using a temperature-transforming model. The effects of the porosity and the thickness of the atop loose powder layer with different numbers of the existing sintered metal powder layers below on the sintering process are numerically investigated. The present work will provide a better understanding to simulate much more complicated three-dimensional SLS process.
A coupled-channel treatment of baryon resonances in nuclei

Abstract A coupled-channel treatment of the two-baryon system is carried out in order to study the effects of baryon-resonance components in nuclear states. The coupling potentials are derived in a static one-pion-exchange model, and a one-boson-exchange interaction is used in the two-nucleon channel. For the deuteron, the wave function of the Δ(1236)-Δ(1236) component is calculated and found to have high Fourier components. For N-N scattering the Δ(1236) components are shown to account for much of the intermediate range attraction for which scalar mesons are introduced in one-boson-exchange models.
On the Circular Summation of the Eleventh Powers of Ramanujan's Theta Function

Abstract Let f ( a , b ) denote Ramanujan's theta series. In his “Lost Notebook”, Ramanujan claimed that the “circular” summation of n th powers of f satisfies a factorization of the form f ( a n , b n ) F n ( a n b n ) where F n ( q )=1+2 nq ( n −1)/2 +…. Moreover, he listed explicit closed formulas for F 2 , F 3 , F 4 , F 5 , and F 7 . Berndt and Son have asked for a similar expression for any other F n . Here we obtain such an expression for F 11 ( q ).
P-POD, The Princeton Protein Orthology Database, as a Tool for Identifying Gene Function

P-POD, the Princeton Protein Orthology Database, classifies proteins from model organisms and medically-important organisms into families of homologs and provides curated evidence from the literature addressing these relationships. The web page for each protein family includes a phylogenetic tree, sequence alignment, and cross-references to disease-related papers from SGD, papers describing complementation experiments, and OMIM gene and disease information.As participants in the Gene Ontology Consortium’s Reference Genome project, we seek to provide a consistent centralized method to identify orthologous proteins. We have expanded P-POD to include the protein complement of the twelve Reference Genomes. In addition, we have added new tools and search options to provide greater depth, breadth, and flexibility. Users may view families from multiple analyses generated by different methods and/or based on different sets of proteins. Using Notung, a software package that uses duplication-loss parsimony to resolve uncertainty in protein family trees, we have improved P-POD’s phylogenetic trees by fitting the protein trees to an established species phylogeny and annotating them with duplications and losses. A Notung applet on the P-POD web site identifies orthologous and paralogous relationships within each family and allows users to perform custom analyses on the phylogenies. These improvements and others make P-POD, in conjunction with the PANTHER database, an ideal tool for predicting the function of new, uncharacterized genes on the basis of their orthologous relationships to characterized ones.All the data in P-POD are freely and publicly available through the web and by downloading the entire database system via the URL "http://ortholog.princeton.edu/". This work is supported by supplemental funds (Kara Dolinski, subcontract PI) to NHGRI grant HG002273 (PIs Judith Blake, Michael Ashburner, J. Michael Cherry and Suzanna Lewis).
How to Market Your Library’s Electronic Resources

In her presentation titled “How to Market Your Library’s Electronic Resources” at the Mississippi State University Libraries’ eResource & Emerging Technologies Summit in August 2013, Marie Kennedy provided research, strategies, and applications that answer the question, “How … do librarians best connect their patrons to appropriate electronic resources?” While librarians typically may resist the application of marketing strategies and terminology to library operations, we all have in common the challenge to connect patrons to the resources available to them. Kennedy presented her nine components to the marketing cycle and explicated cross-disciplinary techniques, evidence-based approaches, and experiments with crowd sourcing in pursuit of effective marketing.
Metabolism of arachidonic acid by rat adrenal glomerulosa cells: Synthesis of hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids

Metabolites of arachidonic acid have been implicated in the regulation of aldosterone release. To form a basis for further investigations in this area, the present study has isolated and identified the metabolites formed from exogenous arachidonic acid by adrenal zona glomerulosa cells and characterized the effects of several inhibitors on the synthesis of these eicosanoids. Rat adrenal glomerulosa cells metabolized exogenous [14C]arachidonic acid to products comigrating with the prostaglandins (PGs), hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). The metabolites were found in the cells and the incubation media; however, none of the metabolites were found esterified to cellular lipids. The major metabolites were identified as 6-keto PGFlα, PGE2, PGF2α, PGD2, 12(S)-HETE, 15(S)-HETE, 14,15-EET, 11,12-EET, 8,9- EET, and 5,6-EET. The identities of the HETEs and EETs were confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. There was no evidence for the synthesis of leukotrienes. The...
An Extension to the Irreversibility Minimization Analysis Applied to Heat Exchangers

The irreversibility minimization method of heat exchanger optimization is extended to include a term to account for the exergy of the material of construction of the heat exchanger. The method permits physically realistic optimization to the conducted with the resulting optimum designs providing conceptually beneficial guideposts, which do not change with time or location. Such optima are in contrast to the optima obtained by presently advocated methods, which on one hand indicate unrealistic infinite area heat exchangers, and on the other hand point to optima that may change dramatically wtih location and time. Although the analysis presented here does not represent a cure-all for heat exchanger analysis (economic optimization is still recommended), it does provide valuable conceptual insights and nonchanging guideposts for optimal design. Accompanying energy efficiency expressions using the same type of material exergy term show physically more realistic values than the usual expressions.
Aversive control of self-injurious behavior in a psychotic boy

Abstract Two studies are reported which indicate how quickly and effectively chronic self-injurious behavior was controlled in a 9-yr-old blind psychotic boy. In the first study, the self-injurious responses were punished by contingent withdrawal of human physical contact. In the second study, response-contingent electric shock was employed.
Comparison of Horizontal, Vertical and Diagonal Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements in Normal Human Subjects

Abstract We compared horizontal and vertical smooth pursuit eye movements in five healthy human subjects. When maintenance of pursuit was tested using predictable waveforms (sinusoidal or triangular target motion), the gain of horizontal pursuit was greater, in all subjects, than that of vertical pursuit; this was also the case for the horizontal and vertical components of diagonal and circular tracking. When initiation of pursuit was tested, four subjects tended to show larger eye accelerations for vertical as opposed to horizontal pursuit; this trend became a consistent finding during diagonal tracking. These findings support the view that different mechanisms govern the onset of smooth pursuit, and its subsequent maintenance when the target moves in a predictable waveform. Since the properties of these two aspects of pursuit differ for horizontal and vertical movements, our findings also point to separate control of horizontal and vertical pursuit. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Plasma resonance reflection in arsenic

Abstract The infrared reflectivity of arsenic has been measured in the vicinity of the plasma resonance frequency for the E -vector both parallel and perpendicular to the trigonal axis. The plasma frequencies were determined from the reflectivity minima which occured at 77 K at 4.3 μm (0.288 eV) and 4.65 μm (0.266 eV) for E parallel and perpendicular to the trigonal axis, respectively.
Genomics and the transformation of neurology.

The recent publication of the sequence of the human genome will accelerate the discovery of new genetic susceptibility factors for human disease, leading to the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics. The exhaustive analysis of the human genome sequence will be the focus of the biomedical research community for many years to come. In particular, comparative analysis of the available eukaryotic genome sequences is an important approach to further our understanding of gene structure, function, and evolution. Our initial analysis of the human genome sequence has revealed many interesting features that are relevant to nervous system function, evolution, and disease. We analyzed the prominent features of predicted human proteins involved in neuronal function and prepared a comparative analysis of 146 human genes that have alleles (or mutations) conferring susceptibility for 168 neurologic diseases.
Direct private query in location-based services with GPU run time analysis

Private query in location-based service allows users to request and receive nearest point of interest (POI) without revealing their location or object received. However, since the service is customized, it requires user-specific information. Problems arise when a user due to privacy or security concerns is unwilling to disclose this information. Previous solutions to hide them have been found to be deficient and sometimes inefficient. In this paper, we propose a novel idea that will partition objects into neighborhoods supported by database design that allows a user to retrieve the exact nearest POI without revealing its location, or the object retrieved. The paper is organized into two parts. In the first part, we adopted the concept of topological space to generalize object space. To help limit information disclosed and minimize transmission cost, we create disjointed neighborhoods such that each neighborhood contains no more than one object. We organize the database matrix to align with object location in the area. For optimization, we introduce the concept of kernel in graphical processing unit (GPU), and we then develop parallel implementation of our algorithm by utilizing the computing power of the streaming multiprocessors of GPU and the parallel computing platform and programming model of Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA). In the second part, we study serial implementation of our algorithm with respect to execution time and complexity. Our experiment shows a scalable design that is suitable for any population size with minimal impact to user experience. We also study GPU---CUDA parallel implementation and compared the performance with CPU serial processing. The results show 23.9$$\times $$× improvement of GPU over CPU. To help determine the optimal size for the parameters in our design or similar scalable algorithm, we provide analysis and model for predicting GPU execution time based on the size of the chosen parameter.
Intercepted photosynthetically active radiation estimated by spectral reflectance

Interception of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was evaluated relative to greenness and normalized difference (MSS (7-5)/(7+5) for five planting dates of wheat for 1978-79 and 1979-80 at Phoenix, Arizona. Intercepted PAR was calculated from leaf area index and stage of growth. Linear relatinships were found with greeness and normalized difference with separate relatinships describing growth and senescence of the crop. Normalized difference was significantly better than greenness for all planting dates. For the leaf area growth portion of the season the relation between PAR interception and normalized difference was the same over years and planting dates. For the leaf senescence phase the relationships showed more variability due to the lack of data on light interception in sparse and senescing canopies. Normalized difference could be used to estimate PAR interception throughout a growing season.
Variational Principles for Nonlinear Buckling of Elastic Columns (A Revival of Euler's Theory)

Following a historical introduction, a known finite element model of a column is suggested, which can be generalized to plate and shell theory. A loss of stability and certain paradoxical results in computing the corresponding deflection are discussed. It is shown that static equilibrium is impossible to attain for large loads, thus contradicting “the usual” spectral theory for the linear beam or plate operators. The static and dynamic models are compared. A computational algorithm is offered for the nonlinear model of buckling. Nach einer historischen Einleitung wird ein bekanntes Finite-Elemente-Modell fur eine Saule vorgeschlagen, das auch auf Platten- und Schalentheorie verallgemeinert werden kann. Es werden ein Stabilitatsverlust und gewisse paradoxe Ergebnisse bei der Berechnung der entsprechenden linearen Auslenkung diskutiert. Es wird gezeigt, das es nicht moglich ist, fur grose Belastungen ein statisches Gleichgewicht zu erreichen, was der ‘gewohnlichen’ Spektraltheorie fur die linearen Balken-oder Plattenoperatoren widerspricht. Statisches und dynamisches Modell werden verglichen. Es wird ein Algorithmus zur numerischen Berechnung des nichtlinearen Beulmodells angeboten.
General loop fusion technique for nested loops considering timing and code size

Loop fusion is commonly used to improve the instruction-level parallelism of loops for high-performance embedded computing systems. Loop fusion, however, is not always directly applicable because the fusion prevention dependencies may exist among loops. Most of the existing techniques still have limitations in fully exploiting the advantages of loop fusion. In this paper, we present a general loop fusion technique for loops or nested loops based on the loop dependency graph model, retiming, and multi-dimensional retiming concepts. We show that any "J+K" model loop can be legally fused using our legalizing fusion technique. Polynomial-time algorithms are developed to solve the loop fusion problem for "J+K" model loops considering both timing and code size of the final code. Our technique produces the final code and calculates the resultant code size directly from the retiming values. The experimental results show that our loop fusion technique always significantly reduces the schedule length.
Visualization of exciton transport in ordered and disordered molecular solids

Transport of nanoscale energy in the form of excitons is at the core of photosynthesis and the operation of a wide range of nanostructured optoelectronic devices such as solar cells, light-emitting diodes and excitonic transistors. Of particular importance is the relationship between exciton transport and nanoscale disorder, the defining characteristic of molecular and nanostructured materials. Here we report a spatial, temporal and spectral visualization of exciton transport in molecular crystals and disordered thin films. Using tetracene as an archetype molecular crystal, the imaging reveals that exciton transport occurs by random walk diffusion, with a transition to subdiffusion as excitons become trapped. By controlling the morphology of the thin film, we show that this transition to subdiffusive transport occurs at earlier times as disorder is increased. Our findings demonstrate that the mechanism of exciton transport depends strongly on the nanoscale morphology, which has wide implications for the design of excitonic materials and devices.
Synthesis and crystal structure of a novel Zintl phase: K3SbTe3

Abstract A ternary Zintl phase material of the formula K 3 SbTe 3 has been prepared following a high temperature procedure. The material consists of an ionic lattice of potassium ions and discrete [SbTe 3 ] 3− ions. K 3 SbTe 3 is a poor semiconductor (ϱ = 2 × 10 5 Ω-cm) and dissolves in several polar solvents (e.g., H 2 O, DMF, DMSO). Crystal data for K 3 SbTe 3 include the following: cubic, space group P 2 1 3 (No. 198), a = 10.306(1) A, V = 1094.6(2) A 3 , Z = 4, D calc = 3.773 g cm −3 at T = 110(5) K, Mo K radiation, λ ( K ) = 0.71073 A, μ = 114.7 cm −1 , M r = 621.86, F (000) = 1056, and R = 0.023 for 574 unique observed reflections.
A statistical nonlinearization technique for multi-degrees of freedom nonlinear systems under white noise excitations

A statistical nonlinearization (SNL) technique is proposed for the solution of the joint probability density function of general multi-degrees of freedom (mdof) nonlinear systems under stationary white noise excitations. The nonlinearities associated with damping and restoring forces as well as the intensities of excitations are not necessarily small. It is based on the application of the exact solution of the joint probability density function of a mdof nonlinear systems under stationary white noise excitations. This exact solution is different from that of Caughey in that in the present exact solution the ratios of damping coefficients to applied white noise excitations are not identical. The exact solution is also different from those of Cai and Lin, and Zhu and Huang in that the present exact solution is obtained directly from the theory of differential equations while that of Cai and Lin requires satisfaction of a relatively restrictive criterion. Furthermore, the Hamiltonian formulation is applied by Zhu and Huang. Their solution depends on the number of independent integrals of motion, for example. Results by applying the proposed technique for a general two-degrees of freedom nonlinear system are compared with those obtained by Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). It is concluded that the technique is accurate, simple to implement and is applicable to mdof systems with both nonlinear damping and nonlinear restoring forces.
Signs, Symbols and Discourses: A New Direction for Computer-Aided Literature Studies

Computer-aided literature studies have failed to have a significant impact on the field as a whole. This failure is traced to a concentration on how a text achieves its literary effect by the examination of subtle semantic or grammatical structures in single texts or the works of individual authors. Computer systems have proven to be very poorly suited to such refined analysis of complex language. Adopting such traditional objects of study has tended to discourage researchers from using the tool to ask questions to which it is better adapted, the examination of large amounts of simple linguistic features. Theoreticians such as Barthes, Foucault and Halliday show the importance of determining the linguistic and semantic characteristics of the language used by the author and her/his audience. Current technology, and databases like the TLG or ARTFL, facilitate such wide-spectrum analyses. Computer-aided methods are thus capable of opening up new areas of study, which can potentially transform the way in which literature is studied.
Efficient computation of PCA with SVD in SQL

PCA is one of the most common dimensionality reduction techniques with broad applications in data mining, statistics and signal processing. In this work we study how to leverage a DBMS computing capabilities to solve PCA. We propose a solution that combines a summarization of the data set with the correlation or covariance matrix and then solve PCA with Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Deriving the summary matrices allow analyzing large data sets since they can be computed in a single pass. Solving SVD without external libraries proves to be a challenge to compute in SQL. We introduce two solutions: one based in SQL queries and a second one based on User-Defined Functions. Experimental evaluation shows our method can solve larger problems in less time than external statistical packages.
Empowering Patients: Partnering in Pain Management Using Patient-Controlled Oral Medication

Childbearing Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program To increase our hospital's low patient satisfaction scores in the area of “How well was your pain controlled?” from the Press Ganey survey. Proposed Change The proposed change to patient controlled oral medication (PCOM) for analgesia was developed by a task force of nurses and pharmacists in collaboration with physicians, information technology staff, regulatory nurses from the Quality Department, Risk Management, Forms Committee, Education Council, Practice Council, and Leadership Council. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation The implementation of this initiative began with a pilot program that lasted 1 month. When a patient who is about to deliver arrives in the labor and delivery unit, an obstetric assessment is completed by a registered nurse (RN), including patient screening. The patient is asked if she is able and wants to participate in PCOM. Postpartum, the physician orders ibuprofen PCOM. Upon arrival to the postpartum wing, the RN explains PCOM, the flow sheet, and documents. The outcome of this pilot program was a survey of RNs and patients using the PCOM. The PCOM program was re‐examined taking into consideration concerns from both surveys. We began the initiative again in 2010 with a few changes suggested by the nurses and patients. We used the Press Gainey survey to evaluate the program. In October 2010, our score for “How well was your pain controlled?” was 82.0. Seventeen months after implementation of the PCOM program in March 2012, our score was 90.9, 99% in ranking with like hospitals. Implications for Nursing Practice The implementation of a patient controlled oral pain management program allows the patient and the nurse to partner in pain management following delivery. The patient has ready access to pain medication and is able to manage medications based on her specific situation and needs.
In Vitro Susceptibility of Canine Influenza A (H3N8) Virus to Nitazoxanide and Tizoxanide

Infection of dogs with canine influenza virus (CIV) is considered widespread throughout the United States following the first isolation of CIV in 2004. While vaccination against influenza A infection is a common and important practice for disease control, antiviral therapy can serve as a valuable adjunct in controlling the impact of the disease. In this study, we examined the antiviral activity of nitazoxanide (NTZ) and tizoxanide (TIZ) against three CIV isolates in vitro. NTZ and TIZ inhibited virus replication of all CIVs with 50% and 90% inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.17 to 0.21 𝜇M and from 0.60 to 0.76 𝜇M, respectively. These results suggest that NTZ and TIZ are effective against CIV and may be useful for treatment of canine influenza in dogs but further investigation of the in vivo efficacy against CIV as well as the drug's potential for toxicity in dogs is needed.
A quantitative thermoelastic stress analysis method for pultruded composites

A non-contact Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) method is proposed to measure the sum of the direct strain components on the coated surface of thick pultruded composites. Traditionally, TSA methods are used to relate the change of surface temperature to the change of the first invariant of the stress. The proposed method takes advantage of the in-plane transversely isotropic surface layer and relates the measured temperature change to the sum of the surface strains because the latter are directly related to the first invariant of stress. Quantitative strain measurements using the TSA method are verified for multi-axial stress states by comparing the measured in-plane strain invariant in plate samples with a circular hole to those obtained from finite element (FE) simulations. Good comparisons are obtained when compared to the FE strain contours.
αB-crystallin: A novel marker of invasive basal-like and metaplastic breast carcinomas

Basal-like tumors are a newly recognized estrogen receptor (ER) negative and HER2 negative breast cancer subtype that express basal epithelial genes and are associated with poor survival. Metaplastic carcinomas are thought to belong within the basal-like group. We have recently demonstrated that the small heat shock protein alphaB-crystallin is commonly expressed in basal-like tumors and contributes to their aggressive phenotype. The current study examined the rates and patterns of alphaB-crystallin expression in whole tissue sections of human breast, including normal tissue, proliferative lesions, in situ and invasive carcinomas (ER positive, HER2 positive, basal-like, and metaplastic cancers). In normal breast tissue, proliferative lesions and in situ carcinomas, alphaB-crystallin expression was restricted to the myoepithelial cell compartment of ductal and lobular units. Most basal-like and metaplastic carcinomas demonstrated cytoplasmic expression of alphaB-crystallin (81% and 86%, respectively). Conversely, no staining for alphaB-crystallin was observed in nonbasal-like (ie, ER positive or HER2 positive) breast carcinomas. Taken together, our results indicate that alphaB-crystallin is a sensitive (81%) and specific (100%) marker for basal-like breast carcinomas. Moreover, the high rates of expression of alphaB-crystallin in metaplastic breast carcinomas (86%) suggest that these tumors may represent a histologically distinctive subset of basal-like breast tumors with a similar underlying molecular etiology.