cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey of laparoscopic entry injuries provoking litigation.

Abstract Study Objective To examine injuries sustained during laparoscopic entry procedures that provoked malpractice claims in order to discern relative vulnerability of specific organs and differences in injury patterns, mortality, and financial awards, and specific entry devices involved in domestic claims versus those in other countries Design Survey (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Insurance company records. Intervention Abstracts of malpractice allegations in 135 domestic cases insured by United States member companies of the Physician Insurers Association of America and 111 cases by its non-United States affiliates were examined. Measurements and Main Results Most cases in the United States involved biliary-gastrointestinal surgery rather than gynecologic procedures; this was reversed for the non-United States database. Major vessel injury was proportionally more common in the domestic group. Small bowel led the group of structures injured. Most injuries involved trocars of various types (185), including blunt types (16); and needle injuries were noted in 39 cases. Injuries were recognized more immediately in the United States, and mortality was related to delay in diagnosis of bowel penetration. Indemnity payments were greater for serious nonfatal injuries versus deaths in the United States, but the opposite was true in other countries. Conclusion Probably no needle-trocar system can guarantee avoidance of injury during laparoscopic entry, especially when the trajectory of insertion puts great vessels at risk. Bowel injuries occur during open as well as closed techniques of insertion, and with optical trocar systems as well. Vascular injury is usually obvious, but delayed recognition of loss of bowel integrity is related to increased mortality, especially in patients over 60 years of age.
Seasonal CO2 exchange patterns of developing peach (Prunus persica) fruits in response to temperature, light and CO2 concentration

CO2 exchange rates per unit dry weight, measured in the field on attached fruits of the late-maturing Cal Red peach cultivar, at 1200 μmol photons m−2S−1 and in dark, and photosynthetic rates, calculated by the difference between the rates of CO2 evolution in light and dark, declined over the growing season. Calculated photosynthetic rates per fruit increased over the season with increasing fruit dry matter, but declined in maturing fruits apparently coinciding with the loss of chlorophyll. Slight net fruit photosynthetic rates ranging from 0. 087 ± 0. 06 to 0. 003 ± 0. 05 nmol CO2 (g dry weight)−1 S−1 were measured in midseason under optimal temperature (15 and 20°C) and light (1200 μmol photons m−2 S−1) conditions. Calculated fruit photosynthetic rates per unit dry weight increased with increasing temperatures and photon flux densities during fruit development. Dark respiration rates per unit dry weight doubled within a temperature interval of 10°C; the mean seasonal O10 value was 2. 03 between 20 and 30°C. The highest photosynthetic rates were measured at 35°C throughout the growing season. Since dark respiration rates increased at high temperatures to a greater extent than CO2 exchange rates in light, fruit photosynthesis was apparently stimulated by high internal CO2 concentrations via CO2 refixation. At 15°C, fruit photosynthetic rates tended to be saturated at about 600 μmol photons m−2 S−1. Young peach fruits responded to increasing ambient CO2 concentrations with decreasing net CO2 exchange rates in light, but more mature fruits did not respond to increases in ambient CO2. Fruit CO2 exchange rates in the dark remained fairly constant, apparently uninfluenced by ambient CO2 concentrations during the entire growing season. Calculated fruit photosynthetic rates clearly revealed the difference in CO2 response of young and mature peach fruits. Photosynthetic rates of younger peach fruits apparently approached saturation at 370 μl CO21−2. In CO2 free air, fruit photosynthesis was dependent on CO2 refixation since CO2 uptake by the fruits from the external atmosphere was not possible. The difference in photosynthetic rates between fruits in CO2-free air and 370 μl CO2 1−1 indicated that young peach fruits were apparently able to take up CO2 from the external atmosphere. CO2 uptake by peach fruits contributed between 28 and 16% to the fruit photosynthetic rate early in the season, whereas photosynthesis in maturing fruits was supplied entirely by CO2 refixation.
The declarative imperative: experiences and conjectures in distributed logic

The rise of multicore processors and cloud computing is putting enormous pressure on the software community to find solutions to the difficulty of parallel and distributed programming. At the same time, there is more--and more varied--interest in data-centric programming languages than at any time in computing history, in part because these languages parallelize naturally. This juxtaposition raises the possibility that the theory of declarative database query languages can provide a foundation for the next generation of parallel and distributed programming languages.In this paper I reflect on my group's experience over seven years using Datalog extensions to build networking protocols and distributed systems. Based on that experience, I present a number of theoretical conjectures that may both interest the database community, and clarify important practical issues in distributed computing. Most importantly, I make a case for database researchers to take a leadership role in addressing the impending programming crisis.This is an extended version of an invited lecture at the ACM PODS 2010 conference [32].
Aspects of Luo Socialization.

Socialization is defined as the incorporation of a child into society on the basis of social and linguistic interaction. Central to this process is a child's advancement in communicative skills. As a child progresses in linguistic competence, the structure of interaction changes to accommodate his newfound skills, and underlying these changes are the Luo attitudes and beliefs on child-rearing, language acquisition, and the position of children in society. (Socialization; speech acquisition; social interaction; language attitudes.)
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) in tumorigenesis and cancer chemotherapy

Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase found in all eukaryotes, had been initially identified as a key regulator of insulin-dependent glycogen synthesis. It is now known that GSK3β functions in diverse cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, motility and survival. Aberrant regulation of GSK3β has been implicated in a range of human pathologies including non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, some neurodegenerative diseases, and bipolar disorder. As a consequence, the therapeutic potential of GSK3β inhibitors has become an important area of investigation. However, GSK3β also participates in neoplastic transformation and tumor development. The role of GSK3β in tumorigenesis and cancer progression remains controversial; it may function as a “tumor suppressor” for certain types of tumors, but promotes growth and development for some others. GSK3β also mediates drug sensitivity/resistance in cancer chemotherapy. Therefore, although GSK3β is an attractive therapeutic target for a number of human diseases, its potential impact on tumorigenesis and cancer chemotherapy needs to be carefully evaluated. This mini-review discusses the role of GSK3β in tumorigenesis/cancer progression as well as its modulation of cancer chemotherapy.
RPV Pioneer abroad USS Iowa-an EMI case history

The author reviews the two-year history of RDT&E (research, development, test, and evaluation) EMI (electromagnetic interference) control efforts provided by the US Navy's Shipboard Electromagnetic Compatibility Improvement Program (SEMCIP) to support introduction into the fleet of the remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) Pioneer. The effort encompassed fifteen test events from August 1986 to March 1989. Special EMI problems resulted from the 'off-the-shelf' or non-developmental item status of Pioneer. Other significant issues involved signal generation and processing, ship-system interactions, and application of radar absorbing material and ship barriers for systems isolation. It is concluded that the below-decks control station test environment specified in MIL-STD-461 should be raised from 12.75 V to about 30 V (6 dB above expected worst case). Further testing should be accomplished to determine what source impedance constraints (or power) might be appropriate to accompany this new MIL-STD-461 requirement. >
Quorum Sensing Regulates the Osmotic Stress Response in Vibrio harveyi

Bacteria use a chemical communication process called quorum sensing to monitor cell density and to alter behavior in response to fluctuations in population numbers. Previous studies with Vibrio harveyi have shown that LuxR, the master quorum-sensing regulator, activates and represses >600 genes. These include six genes that encode homologs of the Escherichia coli Bet and ProU systems for synthesis and transport, respectively, of glycine betaine, an osmoprotectant used during osmotic stress. Here we show that LuxR activates expression of the glycine betaine operon betIBA-proXWV, which enhances growth recovery under osmotic stress conditions. BetI, an autorepressor of the V. harveyi betIBA-proXWV operon, activates the expression of genes encoding regulatory small RNAs that control quorum-sensing transitions. Connecting quorum-sensing and glycine betaine pathways presumably enables V. harveyi to tune its execution of collective behaviors to its tolerance to stress.
Evolutionary design of a fuzzy classifier from data

Genetic algorithms show powerful capabilities for automatically designing fuzzy systems from data, but many proposed methods must be subjected to some minimal structure assumptions, such as rule base size. In this paper, we also address the design of fuzzy systems from data. A new evolutionary approach is proposed for deriving a compact fuzzy classification system directly from data without any a priori knowledge or assumptions on the distribution of the data. At the beginning of the algorithm, the fuzzy classifier is empty with no rules in the rule base and no membership functions assigned to fuzzy variables. Then, rules and membership functions are automatically created and optimized in an evolutionary process. To accomplish this, parameters of the variable input spread inference training (VISIT) algorithm are used to code fuzzy systems on the training data set. Therefore, we can derive each individual fuzzy system via the VISIT algorithm, and then search the best one via genetic operations. To evaluate the fuzzy classifier, a fuzzy expert system acts as the fitness function. This fuzzy expert system can effectively evaluate the accuracy and compactness at the same time. In the application section, we consider four benchmark classification problems: the iris data, wine data, Wisconsin breast cancer data, and Pima Indian diabetes data. Comparisons of our method with others in the literature show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
An automated client-driven approach to data extraction using an autonomous decentralized architecture

Over recent years, "Internet-able" applications and architectures have been used to support domains where there are multiple interconnected systems that are both decentralized and autonomous. One such domain is the support of data management at the enterprise level. Typically, in these domains, both the schema of the data repository and the individual query needs of the users evolve over time. These query needs can include both the type of data and the required format and structure. To handle this evolution, the resulting architecture must enforce the autonomy in systems that support the client needs and constraints, in addition to maintaining the autonomy in systems that support the actual data schema and extraction mechanisms. At the MITRE Corporation, this domain has been identified in the development of a composite data repository for the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD). In the development of such a repository, the supporting architecture includes specialized mechanisms to disseminate the data to a diverse evolving set of researchers. This paper presents the motivation and design of such an architecture to support these autonomous data extraction environments. This run-time configurable architecture is implemented using Web-based technologies such as the Extensible Markup Language (XML), Java Servlets, Extensible Stylesheets (XSL), and a relational database management system.
Granular cell tumors and congenital granular cell epulis in children: Similar entities

Abstract Background/purpose Granular cell tumor (GCT) is an unusual lesion thought to originate from Schwann cells. Congenital granular cell epulis (CGCE) is a rare fibroma-like lesion arising from the alveolar ridge in newborns. These entities have been described as distinct entities. Methods A retrospective review was performed of children with a histopathologic diagnosis of GCT or CGCE from 1991–2014. Data were recorded and analyzed. All values reported as the mean ± standard deviation. Results GCT or CGCE was identified in 41 patients with a mean age of 7.8 ± 6.1 years. Thirty-one patients had GCT, and 10 had CGCE. All patients underwent excisional biopsy, except 1 who underwent incisional biopsy only. Fifteen patients had positive margins after excision (12 GCT and 3 CGCE). Only 1 had a local recurrence, and this same patient had multifocal GCT. Only 1 patient had an invasive lesion without recurrence after wide local excision. All patients survived, with a median follow-up of 42.5 months (0.2–204.2 months). Conclusion In children, both GCT and CGCE exhibit benign behavior, and complete excision does not appear to be mandatory, as recurrence or invasive disease is rare. When invasive features are present, wide local excision should be undertaken.
Abstract 5041: Aspirin acetylates and activates p53 in HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cells

Increasing evidences from human epidemiological studies, animal models and in vitro experiments suggest that regular use of aspirin may reduce the risk of cancer of the colon; however, the mechanisms are not well understood. Since aspirin9s protective effect is mainly observed in epithelial cell types which are more resistant to chemotherapy, an urgent need exists to identify the primary targets and cancer preventive pathways affected by aspirin. We hypothesized that aspirin9s anti-cancer effect may involve acetylation of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and modulation of target gene expression. In the present study, we demonstrate that exposure of HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cells to aspirin caused acetylation of p53 at lysine 382 (K382). HT-29 cells harbor a mutant form of p53 (R273H), whereas HCT-116 contain wild type p53. Acetylated p53 was mainly localized to the nucleus. In both cell types aspirin induced acetylation of p53 in a concentration dependent manner, and this was associated with increased p53 DNA binding activity. Consistent with this, we also observed induction of p21, a protein involved in cell cycle arrest as well as Bax, a mitochondrial proapoptotic protein. Aspirin also caused acetylation of bacterially expressed recombinant p53 in vitro, suggesting that it is a non-enzymatic reaction. Our observation that aspirin acetylates p53 leading to induction of target gene expression suggest that its anti-cancer effect may involve activation of the p53 pathway. Since p53 is mutated in nearly 50% of all tumors which leads to loss of its function, our observation also suggests that aspirin may find use in chemotherapy to reactivate mutant p53. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5041.
Microgeographic population structure of green swordail fish: genetic differentiation despite abundant migration

Swordtails (Xiphophorus; Poeciliidae) have figured prominently in research on fish mating behaviours, sexual selection, and carcinogenesis, but their population structures and dispersal patterns have been relatively neglected. Using nine microsatellite loci, we estimated genetic differentiation in Xiphophorus helleri within and between adjacent streams in Belize. The genetic data were complemented by a tagging study of movement within one stream. In the absence of physical dispersal barriers (waterfalls), population structure followed an isolation by distance (IBD) pattern. Genetic differentiation (F(ST) up to 0.07) was significant between and within creeks, despite high dispersal in the latter as judged by the tagging data. Such heterogeneity apparently was a result of genetic drift in local demes, due to small population sizes and highly skewed paternity. The IBD pattern was interrupted by waterfalls, boosting F(ST) above 0.30 between adjacent samples across these barriers. Overall, our results are helpful in understanding the interplay of evolutionary forces and population dynamics in a small fish living in a changeable habitat.
Modifying the Brain Activation of Poor Readers during Sentence Comprehension with Extended Remedial Instruction: A Longitudinal Study of Neuroplasticity.

This study used fMRI to longitudinally assess the impact of intensive remedial instruction on cortical activation among 5th grade poor readers during a sentence comprehension task. The children were tested at three time points: prior to remediation, after 100 h of intensive instruction, and 1 year after the instruction had ended. Changes in brain activation were also measured among 5th grade good readers at the same time points for comparison. The central finding was that prior to instruction, the poor readers had significantly less activation than good readers bilaterally in the parietal cortex. Immediately after instruction, poor readers made substantial gains in reading ability, and demonstrated significantly increased activation in the left angular gyrus and the left superior parietal lobule. Activation in these regions continued to increase among poor readers 1 year post-remediation, resulting in a normalization of the activation. These results are interpreted as reflecting changes in the processes involved in word-level and sentencelevel assembly. Areas of overactivation were also found among poor readers in the medial frontal cortex, possibly indicating a more effortful and attentionally guided reading strategy.
Biochemical Studies on Inositol VIII. PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF THE ENZYME SYSTEM WHICH CONVERTS GLUCOSE 6-PHOSPHATE TO INOSITOL

In the previous publication of this series (2) we described a soluble enzyme system from yeast which catalyzes the biosynthesis of inositol’ from glucose and glucose B-phosphate. The cofactors for this synthesis were shown to be diphosphopyridine nucleotide and Mg+, and when glucose was the substrate ATP was also needed. We have extended these studies, and the present communication presents data on the purification of this system, its properties, and the origin of the carbon atoms of inositol.
Estimating the Impact of Understaffing on Sales and Profitability in Retail Stores

In this study, we use hourly data on store traffic, sales, and labor from 41 stores of a large retail chain to identify the extent of understaffing in retail stores and quantify its impact on sales and profitability. Using an empirical model motivated from queueing theory, we calculate the benchmark staffing level for each store, and establish the presence of systematic understaffing during peak hours. We find that all 41 stores in our sample are systematically understaffed during a 3-hour peak period. Eliminating understaffing in these stores can result in a significant increase in sales and profitability in these stores. Also, we examine the extent to which forecasting errors and scheduling constraints drive understaffing in retail stores and quantify their relative impacts on store profits for the retailer in our study.
Phosphate-halogen metasomatism of lunar granulite 79215: Impact-induced fractionation of volatiles and incompatible elements

In the last decade, it has been recognized that the Moon contains significant proportions of volatile elements (H, F, Cl), and that they are transported through the lunar crust and across its surface. Here, we document a significant segment of that volatile cycle in lunar granulite breccia 79215: impact-induced remobilization of volatiles, and vapor-phase transport with extreme elemental fractionation. 79215 contains ~1% volume of fluorapatite, Ca_5(PO_4)_3(F,Cl,OH), in crystals to 1 mm long, which is reflected in its analyzed abundances of F, Cl, and P. The apatite has a molar F/Cl ratio of ~10, and contains only 25 ppm OH and low abundances of the rare earth elements (REE). The chlorine in the apatite is isotopically heavy, at δ^(37)Cl = +32.7 ± 1.6‰. Hydrogen in the apatite is heavy at δD = +1060 ± 180‰; much of that D came from spallogenic nuclear reactions, and the original δD was lower, between +350‰ and +700‰. Unlike other P-rich lunar rocks (e.g., 65015), 79215 lacks abundant K and REE, and other igneous incompatible elements characteristic of the lunar KREEP component. Here, we show that the P and halogens in 79215 were added to an otherwise “normal” granulite by vapor-phase metasomatism, similar to rock alteration by fumarolic exhalations as observed on Earth. The ultimate source of the P and halogens was most likely KREEP, it being the richest reservoir of P on the Moon, and 79215 having H and Cl isotopic compositions consistent with KREEP. A KREEP-rich rock was heated and devolatilized by an impact event. This vapor was fractionated by interaction with solid phases, including merrillite (a volatile-free phosphate mineral), a Fe-Ti oxide, and a Zr-bearing phase. These solids removed REE, Th, Zr, Hf, etc., from the vapor, and allowed the vapor to transport primarily P, F, and Cl, with lesser proportions of Ba and U into 79215. Vapor-deposited crystals of apatite (to 30 μm) are known in some lunar regolith samples, but lunar vapor has not (before this) been implicated in significant mass transfer. It seems unlikely, however, that phosphate-halogen metasomatism is related to the high-Th/Sm abundance ratios of this and other lunar magnesian granulites. The metasomatism of 79215 emphasizes the importance of impact heating in the lunar volatile cycle, both in mobilizing volatile components into vapor and in generating strong elemental fractionations.
Fast ferrite tuner for the BNL synchrotron light source

A new type of ferrite tuner has been tested at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The ferrite tuner uses garnet slabs partially filling a stripline. One of the important features of the tuner is that the ferrite is perpendicularly biased for operation above ferromagnetic resonance, thus reducing the magnetic losses. A unique design was adopted to achieve efficient cooling. The principle of operation of the tuner as well as preliminary results on tuning a 52 MHz cavity are reported. Optimized conditions under linear tunability of 80 kHz was demonstrated. The tuner's losses and its effect on higher-order modes in the cavity are discussed. >
Passive residual heat removal systems for current and future light water reactors

The main problem with nuclear power during a shutdown is that the decay heat is still present and needs to be removed in order to prevent a number of problems and a potential disaster. The traditional method of removing heat is through forced circulation powered by pumps. This setup works well until the pumps are damaged or lose electricity. Therefore, there has been plenty of research conducted on Passive Residual Heat Removal Systems (PRHRS). These types of systems use multiple natural convection paths to dissipate the residual heat from both the reactor vessel and the containment structure before it can cause major problems. The purpose of this paper is to review the PRHRS for the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) and to show where they stand in terms of future reactor design and possible retrofits for existing reactors.
Effects of Transcranial Focal Electrical Stimulation via Concentric Ring Electrodes on Seizure Activity

Epilepsy affects approximately one percent of the planets population. There does not appear to be any single therapy that works for all types of epilepsy. As an alternative we have been developing a noninvasive, or minimally invasive, transcranial focal electrical stimulation (TFS) based on the novel tripolar concentric ring electrode (TCRE). By applying biphasic, charge balanced, constant current, pulses noninvasively through the TCRE we have realized acute seizure attenuation in rats. We found that the TFS significantly reduced penicillin-induced myoclonic jerks. There was also a significant improvement in survival for the TFS-treated animals compared to those without application of TFS due to the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). Long-lasting control of SE, without antiepileptic drugs, provided positive proof that TFS had antiseizure effects. We also found that TFS via TCREs significantly reduced Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced hypersynchrony at the beta and gamma frequencies as quantified from cross channel coherence performed on the electroencephalograms (EEGs) recorded from the TCREs. Further, we developed a noninvasive automated seizure control system utilizing TFS and EEG signals from the TCREs. The automatically triggered TFS significantly reduced the power of the EEG. We have also performed safety testing, applying TFS once or multiple times. The histological analysis on scalp, cortex, and hippocampal areas suggests there is no significant difference between the controls and the TFS-treated samples. In conclusion we have found TFS to be effective at attenuating acute seizures from three different rat models and safe. In the future we need to test if TFS is effective in models of pharmacoresistant epilepsy.
Predator‐induced phenotypic plasticity in an arid‐adapted tropical tadpole

Adaptive phenotypic plasticity is widespread and involves diverse phenotypes. Key environmental stressors, such as predation risk, can simultaneously induce changes in multiple traits, but the magnitude of response is dependent upon the environmental conditions. Species that utilize temporary ponds are expected to exhibit stronger predator-induced responses in the form of morphology than behaviour (i.e. reduced activity) to meet the demands of rapid development by maintaining high foraging activity while reducing predation risk via morphologically plastic traits. In a laboratory experiment, I examined the effects of predator chemical cues and conspecific alarm cues on activity, development and morphology on Leptodactylus bufonius tadpoles. This species has terrestrial oviposition and completes the early part of its development outside of ephemeral and temporary ponds in the Gran Chaco ecoregion of South America. Tadpoles in the predator treatments exhibited both behavioural and morphological predator-induced plastic responses. Tadpoles tended to possess shorter, deeper tails when exposed to predators. The greatest reduction in activity was observed in tadpoles exposed to both predator and conspecific alarm cues, which subsequently resulted in the slowest development. Temporary and ephemeral pond adapted species with terrestrial oviposition may capitalize on a head start in development by being able to afford reduced growth rates via a reduction in activity. This may occur when the constraints imposed by pond hydroperiod (e.g. risk of pond drying) are relaxed when compared with species with aquatic oviposition, which must undergo all stages of development during the pond's hydroperiod. Thus, in addition to the predator and hydroperiod gradients, examining phenotypically plastic responses along a ‘terrestriality gradient’ in a comparative framework would provide insights as to the costs and benefits of increasing terrestriality in anuran reproductive modes to environmental stressors.
A Closed-Form Lower Bound on the Allowable Motion for an Ellipsoidal Body and Environment

In this paper, we present the closed-form representation of a subset of the allowable motion of an ellipse and an ellipsoid inside a simple elliptical and ellipsoidal environment based on the idea of kinematics of containment. Identifying an object’s free motion space, or equivalently the configuration space (C-space), is of great interest and practical use in computer-aided design and path planning problems. A special case exists when the object is constrained in an environment that is slightly larger than itself. We motivate our research by looking at the amount of free space in a cell for motion of the nucleus relative to the cell membrane. Therefore, we focus on elliptical and ellipsoidal shapes because of their similarity to the actual shape of a cell and its nucleus.The subset of C-space defined by our closed-form representation is in spherical shape and the convexity of sphere makes it convenient to check whether two nodes in the C-space can be connected without collision. We derive the explicit expressions of the equation for both the single ellipse and single ellipsoid case. Existing methods are implemented and verified while a new method is proposed that shows better performance at enclosing a sub C-space with a larger volume.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Web-Enhanced teaching of steel design: From case study to CD

An Internet-based teaching aid for undergraduate steel design was developed and enhanced at the University of Kansas with the support of the American Institute of Steel Construction. The teaching aid consists of a case study of the design of a fictitious three-story steel braced-frame office building. The main goal of this teaching aid is to provide instructors with a tool to expose students to design of steel building elements in a realistic building context. This tool bridges the gap between typical book text element design examples and the design situation students will encounter in a realistic professional environment. To facilitate the distribution of the material through the use of the Internet, the drawings are in AutoCAD electronic files and the calculations use Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Animations are in Microsoft .avi format with smaller versions in .mpg format. This project was developed as a package that can be passed on to professors at other universities, for use in steel design courses. The project package includes member design and load calculation spreadsheets, floor plans, elevations, and drawings that display the application of vertical and lateral loads. This package is delivered as a web document, with links to all included drawings and spreadsheets. This web document is built in HTML, so that it can be easily viewed and edited. All aspects of this package are compatible with PC and Macintosh formats. This package is broken into and arranged by topic in order to allow it to be easily implemented into a lecture or lab session. To ease the use of the material in varying learning/teaching environments, the following range of formats has been used: Microsoft Excel (.xls); Microsoft Word (.doc); Adobe Acrobat (.pdf); AutoCAD (.dwg); Encapsulated Postscript (.eps) and simple text files (.txt). The use of the Web is not required for class delivery. The use of hardcopy can be used as a choice for class delivery.
SAR and Lead Optimization of an HIV-1 Vif-APOBEC3G Axis Inhibitor.

We describe structure–activity relationship and optimization studies of RN-18, an HIV-1 Vif-APOBEC3G axis inhibitor. Targeted modifications of RN-18 ring C, ring B, ring A, bridge A–B, and bridge B–C were performed to identify the crucial structural features, which generated new inhibitors with similar (4g and 4i) and improved (5, 8b, and 11) activities. Two potent water-soluble RN-18 analogues, 17 and 19, are also disclosed, and we describe the results of pharmacological studies with compound 19. The findings described here will be useful in the development of more potent Vif inhibitors and in the design of probes to identify the target protein of RN-18 and its analogues.
The Influence of Evidence in the Surgical Treatment of Thumb Basilar Joint Arthritis

Background For surgical treatment of thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis, current evidence suggests that simple trapeziectomy is as effective and may be safer than trapeziectomy and ligament reconstruction (LR) with or without tendon interposition (TI). We examined whether current practice patterns in the surgical treatment of thumb CMC arthritis reflect adoption of simple trapeziectomy as best practice. Furthermore, we investigated whether surgeon preferences and third-party payer patterns are associated with use of simple trapeziectomy.
35% OF EMPIRIC ATRIOVENTRICULAR DELAY SETTINGS MAY BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL OPTIMIZATION

Vendor-specific atrioventricular (AV) delay settings in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) offer a convenient alternative to Echocardiographic Doppler-Guided optimization yet it is still unclear how optimized these settings are. This study investigates the effect of empiric device settings on
Why Armies Break: Explaining Mass Desertion in Conventional War

What explains mass desertion from armies fighting conventional wars? To date, our theories of military effectiveness have largely ignored the question of why soldiers abandon the fight. I argue that wartime desertion is tied to the prewar nature of the collective identity that a regime uses to legitimate its rule: the more exclusionary toward internal populations, the greater the odds a military will "break" on the battlefield. I test this argument using a new dataset of 825 combatants in 250 conventional (civil) wars since 1800. A mixed method framework combines crossnational regression, a two-control group comparison via matching, and the use of matching to select a representative paired comparison for causal process-tracing with primary documents. Taken together, evidence suggests that mass desertion is associated with identity type; little support is found for regime type, material preponderance, or other accounts of mass desertion.
263 PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL HEART DISEASE BY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA, FROM 2004 TO 2006.

Background Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a significant cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Its prenatal detection rate remains low in most parts of the world; an important proportion of infants with serious CHD are diagnosed only postnatally. Objectives To evaluate the proportion of significant CHD prenatally diagnosed. Methods This report includes data from 1,546 patients seen from January 2004 to July 2006 by our group, which is the only referral group for pediatric cardiac evaluation in Clark County, Nevada. Study population is composed of all prenatal cardiac evaluations and all patients with significant CHD diagnosed in the first year of life, born in Las Vegas and without prenatal echocardiography. Results From 775 fetal evaluations, 60 patients were diagnosed with serious CHD (8%); in all 60 patients, the prenatal diagnosis was confirmed at postnatal examination (100% accuracy). Of 771 patients with a CHD seen postnatally without prenatal evaluation, 130 patients were diagnosed with serious CHD (17%). The most frequent diagnoses were aortic coarctation/hypoplasia (17%), tetralogy of Fallot (16%), abnormal atrioventricular connections (13%), ventricular septal defects (10%), and hypoplastic left heart (6%). Conclusions This study shows that only one-third of patients with serious CHD were diagnosed prenatally; therefore, further efforts should be made to encourage referring pregnant women who are suspected of carrying a fetus with CHD for prenatal cardiac evaluation.
Spectrophotometric Determination of Trace Mercury in Water after Cloud Point Extraction

A cloud point extraction process using the nonionic surfactant Triton X-114for extracting mercury from environmental water by spectrophotometric method was investigated.In Na2B4O7buffer solution(pH=9.0),Hg2+reacted with dithizone to form a complex.Using Triton X-114as the surfactant,the complex was quantitatively extracted into the surfactant-rich phase of small volume.The absorbance was measured at the wavelength of maximum absorbance of the complex,514nm,by spectrophotometry.A good linearity was observed for mercury in the range of 0.1-0.7μg/mL with the limit of detection(S/N=3)of0.0136μg/mL and the relative standard deviation(RSD)of 0.80%(n=6).The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of mercury in environmental water with the recoveries of 98.7%-101.7%.
Partner deployment and stress in pregnant women

OBJECTIVE: To determine if having a partner deployed in the military during wartime increased the stress levels in pregnant women and to determine predictors of reporting higher stress. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was administered to all pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune from January to May 2005. RESULTS: Of the 525 surveys distributed, 463 (88.2%) were returned. Women with , deployed partners more often reported higher stress levels than those with homeland partners (39.6% and 24.2%, respectively; p 1 child at home (OR 2.30, 95%; CI 1.12-4.73; p = 0.02) all predicted higher stress reporting. Having a support person present was protective against stress (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.20-0.78; p 1 child at home and those who lack a support person are at high risk of reporting increased stress levels in pregnancy. Sufficient support must be given to these women to optimize prenatal care.
Epigenetics and breast cancer.

Epigenetics has been defined as the study of heritable changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms not involving changes in DNA sequence (1). Although epigenetic regulation of gene expression has been known and studied for decades, little cancer-related work was being done in this area until the close of the last century. Among the reasons why this concept has languished in the backwaters of cancer research lies in the reluctance of molecular geneticists to embrace the revolutionary principle that not all of the significant changes driving this disease are due to lesions in DNA sequence. Identifying and characterizing genes that are amplified, deleted, rearranged, or subjected to point or other mutations in breast malignancies have been primary goals of breast cancer research for the past 30 years. These endeavors have uncovered numerous oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and other genes that play major roles in the development and phenotype of these cancers. Nevertheless, the slow progress made in curtailing breast cancer incidence and mortality during the previous century implies that key pieces of information essential for fully understanding its initiation and pathogenesis are still missing. The current issue of the Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia signifies the emergence of the field of epigenetics at the forefront of breast cancer research. The articles herein present compelling evidence that epigenetics may be as important as mutations in breast cancer development and progression.
Enhanced Recovery Pathways for Improving Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Oncology Surgery.

OBJECTIVE:To estimate whether an enhanced recovery after surgery pathway facilitates early recovery and discharge in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery.METHODS:This was a retrospective case–control study. Consecutive gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparosco
Decoding the Signaling through Homomeric and Heteromeric Dopamine D2 and Cannabinioid CB1 Receptors

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play critical roles in signal transduction and represent around half of drug targets. Accumulating evidence supports that GPCRs form both homomers and heteromers. Utilizing electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors were found to co-localize with dopamine 2 (D2) receptors in the somata and dendrites of striato-pallidal GABA neurons. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer and co-immunoprecipitation studies have provided evidence for heteromerization of D2 and CB1 receptors. In addition, the D2-CB1 receptor complex shows an interesting switching behavior of its G protein coupling specificity from Gi/o to Gs signaling. Both homomeric D2 and CB1 receptors are preferentially Gi/o coupled and decrease cAMP levels induced by forskolin stimulation. However, application of CB1 receptor agonist in a cell line co-expressing D2 and CB1 receptors increased cAMP levels, consistent with Gs signaling.Electrophysiological assays using GIRK channels as reporters of Gs activity corroborated the switching behavior of the CB1 receptor, although not reproducibly. We sought additional assays to study the switch in signaling specificity of CB1 receptors in CB1-D2 complexes. G alpha 16 belongs to the Gq superfamily and its activation leads to phospholipase C activation and Ca2+ release. We constructed G alpha 16 chimeras in which the last 11 or 30 amino acids were replaced with the corresponding sequence of Go and Gs. HEK 293 cells were transfected transiently with D2 or CB1 receptor and chimeric G alpha 16 cDNA and calcium responses were monitored by Fluo4-AM in a FlexStation. Stimulation of the D2 receptor showed increases in intracellular calcium levels in cells co-transfected with the D2 receptor and G16/o chimeras but not with G16/s or G16 wt. Signaling through the CB1 receptor and D2-CB1 receptor complex is currently being tested.
Parabolic Orbits in the Three-Body Problem†‡

Publisher Summary It is said that an orbit of the three-body problem is parabolic if two bodies remain bounded while the third limits to infinity with zero velocity. An orbit is oscillatory if two bodies remain bounded while the third is unbounded but does not limit to infinity. This chapter discusses the concept of parabolic orbits in the three-body problem. Sitnikov showed the existence of oscillatory motion for the three-body problem by introducing certain symmetries. Alekseev studied Sitnikov's example from a more general point of view and related it to the homoclinic point theory defined by Poincare. The chapter presents Sitnikov's example to homoclinic point theory by showing that the set of all parabolic orbits can be regarded as the stable and unstable manifolds to a degenerate periodic orbit introduced at infinity. By considering the Poincare map of the periodic orbit, the parabolic orbits are represented as the stable and unstable manifolds to a degenerate fixed point.
Effects of Sodium Sulfate Induced Corrosion on the Static Fatigue Life of Silicon Nitride Containing Different Dopants

Flexure testing was used to determine the effects of sodium sulfateinduced corrosion on the static fatigue life of two silicon nitride ceramics at 1000°C. The results show that the static fatigue life of the MgO-doped silicon nitride is significantly reduced when Na2SO4 is introduced. Conversely, the static fatigue life of the Y2O3 + A1203- doped silicon nitride is increased in the presence of Na2SO4.
Human Aggressive and Escape Responding: Effects of Provocation Frequency

The effect of point loss frequency on aggressive and escape responding was investigated in two experiments. Subjects could respond on levers marked “A,” “B,” or “C” available as nonreversible options. Subjects were instructed that “A” responses earned points exchangeable for money, “B” responses subtracted points from a second subject, and “Cm responses protected their counter from point loss for a period of time. These options were defined as nonaggressive (A), aggressive (B), and escape (C) responses, respectively. A variable time schedule of point loss engendered aggressive and escape responding. The preexperimental instructions attributed point losses to the subject’s fictitious partner. Levers B and C responding escaped point loss by initiating an interval free of provocation (PFI). In Experiment 1 systematically decreasing PFI increased the frequency of point loss and increased aggressive responding for three of the four subjects. In Experiment 2 Pfi durations were systematically alternated between 500 seconds and 125 seconds in an Abab or Baba design. Escape responding increased as a function of increased provocation frequency for all subjects. Order of exposure affected frequency of aggressive and escape responses.
GFR ≤25 years postdonation in living kidney donors with (vs. without) a first-degree relative with ESRD.

An increased risk of ESRD has been reported for living kidney donors, and appears to be higher for those donating to a relative. The reasons for this are not clear. One possibility is that ESRD may be due the nephrectomy-related reduction in GFR, followed by an age-related decline that may be more rapid in related donors. Between 1/1/1990 – 12/31/2014, we did 2002 living donor nephrectomies. We compared long-term postdonation eGFR trajectory for donors with (n=1245) versus without (n=757) a first-degree relative with ESRD. Linear mixed-effects models were used to model the longitudinal trajectory of eGFR. With all other variables held constant, there was a steady average increase in eGFR until donors reached age 70; 1.12 (95% CI: 0.92–1.32) ml/min/year between 6 weeks–5 years postdonation; 0.24 (0.00–0.49) ml/min/year between 5-10 years; and 0.07 (-0.10–+0.25) ml/min/year between 10-20 years for donors with attained age less than 70. After age 70, eGFR declined. After adjustment of predonation factors, the difference in eGFR slopes between related and unrelated donors was 0.20mL/min/1.75m2/year (0.07-0.33) Our data suggests that: postdonation, kidney donor eGFR increases each year for a number of years and that eGFR trajectory does not explain an increase in ESRD after donation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Fixation Strength of Polyetheretherketone Sheath-and-Bullet Device for Soft Tissue Repair in the Foot and Ankle.

Abstract Tendon transfers are often performed in the foot and ankle. Recently, interference screws have been a popular choice owing to their ease of use and fixation strength. Considering the benefits, one disadvantage of such devices is laceration of the soft tissues by the implant threads during placement that potentially weaken the structural integrity of the grafts. A shape memory polyetheretherketone bullet-in-sheath tenodesis device uses circumferential compression, eliminating potential damage from thread rotation and maintaining the soft tissue orientation of the graft. The aim of this study was to determine the pullout strength and failure mode for this device in both a synthetic bone analogue and porcine bone models. Thirteen mature bovine extensor tendons were secured into ten 4.0 × 4.0 × 4.0-cm cubes of 15-pound per cubic foot solid rigid polyurethane foam bone analogue models or 3 porcine femoral condyles using the 5 × 20-mm polyetheretherketone soft tissue anchor. The bullet-in-sheath device demonstrated a mean pullout of 280.84 N in the bone analog models and 419.47 N in the porcine bone models. ( p = .001). The bullet-in-sheath design preserved the integrity of the tendon graft, and none of the implants dislodged from their original position.