cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SM-02LEVETIRACETAM USAGE IN POST-OPERATIVE SEIZURE MANAGEMENT IN MALIGNANT GLIOMA

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of consensus in the use of newer-generation anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) as prophylaxis in patients with malignant glioma (MG) who undergo surgical resection. The rate of seizure occurrence in MG is less than low-grade gliomas, but due to the debilitating nature of seizures, clinicians routinely prescribe prophylactic AEDs. Recommendations were last published in 2000 by the American Academy of Neurology based on research of older generation AEDs. Levetiracetam (LEV) is a newer generation AED with an improved safety profile and proven efficacy in heterogeneous patient populations, but its efficacy has yet to be determined in MG patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of AED usage was conducted among 114 patients diagnosed with MG (WHO Grade III-IV) who underwent initial resection at a single institution during 2011-2012. Demographics, comorbidities, tumor and surgical characteristics, AED usage, toxicity and seizure occurrence were reviewed. Seizure history was characterized prior to and up to 6 months after surgery. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of LEV prophylaxis and other risk factors with post-operative seizure occurrence. RESULTS: Patients were male (58%), had a gross total resection (88%), a history of seizures (44%), and received LEV pre-operatively (45%). Post-operatively, 91% received LEV of which 25% experienced a seizure. Side effects of LEV use were rare (n = 10, 10%), and included irritability, somnolence, psychiatric disturbances, and thrombocytopenia. Patient's age was a significant predictor of seizure occurrence. Older patients had a higher risk of seizure in the 6 months post-operatively (OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.10-6.35, p = 0.0327). CONCLUSIONS: LEV is well tolerated in MG patients undergoing resection. Older age is associated with post-operative seizure occurrence. Future studies need to assess the effectiveness of LEV in reducing post-operative seizure recurrence in this population in comparison to other AEDs.
Thrombocytopenia. A clinical analysis of 500 cases.

The most common etiologic factors found in a series of 500 cases of thrombocytopenia were disorders of bone marrow and hepatic, splenic and systemic diseases.Idiopathic thrombocytopenia is being diagnosed less frequently as the factors involved in the development of thrombocytopenic states are better understood. Only 73 patients in this group had idiopathic thrombocytopenia.Study of historical data, physical examination, determination of associated hematologic abnormalities, examination of bone marrow, and other laboratory studies establish evidence of pathogenetic significance in thrombocytopenia.Appropriate therapy depends largely on the accurate determination of the etiologic factors involved.
A proposal to restructure hospital care for dying patients

Data from the recent Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatment (SUPPORT) indicate that the care of hospitalized dying patients continues to be inadequate.1 We propose a restructuring of hospital care for dying patients through the introduction of a hospice-like alternative-care unit designed to provide palliative care to dying patients who have been transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU). By functionally integrating these two modes of care, the hospital would legitimize palliative care strategies for critically ill patients, help patients and their families clarify goals, and facilitate a process of shared decision making concerning . . .
Study on antibacterial activities of eight traditional dried flowers

Object To investigate the antibacterial activities of water extract of eight kinds of traditional dried flowersagainst seven kinds of common intestinal pathogenic bacteria. Methods Eight kinds of traditional dried flowers commonlyused in Guangdong soup, including Hylocereus undatus, Bombax ceiba, Dolichos lablab L, Pueraria lobata(Willd.)Ohwi, Flosbuddlejae, Lonicera japonica, Flos sophorae, Cordyceps militaris were selected and their water extractions were made. Then theantibacterial rate, minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration(MBC) againstStaphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosaand Staphylococcus epidermidis were determined using microdilution broth method. Results The dried flowers showedstrong antimicrobial activity. Antibacterial effect against gram positive bacteria was stronger than that against gram-negativebacteria. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus was the strongest. MIC and MBC of Chinese caterpillar fungusflower were strongest than other dried flowers. Antibacterial effects of Pueraria lobata(Willd.)Ohwi and Flos buddlejae werethe lowest compared to others. The minimum inhibition concentration of Condyceps militaris was 67.5mg/mL.Conclusions Cordyceps militaris, Flos sophorae, Lonicera japonica. and other dried flowers in traditional Guangdong soup possess strongantibacterial effect.
Parameter estimation based on Schur-Hadamard product beamforming for coherently distributed source

For estimating parameters of local scattering distributed source,according to the symmetry assumption of angular signal intensity,the steering vector is deduced to be a Schur-Hadamard product comprising the steering vector of the point source and a real matrix for coherently distributed source.And then beamforming algorithm based on Schur-Hadamard product is proposed for estimating parameters-the central direction of arrival(DOA) and angular spread.The angular spread parameter is considered in the constraint,so the proposed algorithm is robustness,and can be applied to the scenarios where angular spread is large.Simulations clearly demonstrate that the algorithm enjoys better signal-to-noise ratio performance and improved precision compared with DSPE algorithm,and is more suitable for complicated environment.
Development of an intragenic gene transfer and selection protocol for sugarcane resulting in resistance to acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicide

Sugarcane is a prime crop for commercial production of bioethanol and table sugar. Genetic engineering is complementing traditional breeding in sugarcane improvement. Costs and delays associated with regulatory approval for a transgenic event are substantial impediments to the commercialization of transgenic crops. Generation of intragenic sugarcane events carrying additional sequences from sexually compatible sorghum resembles traditional plant breeding and may facilitate regulatory approval. Acetolactate synthase (ALS), is a key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of branched-chain amino acids, and also a target for ALS-inhibiting herbicides including sulfonylureas and imidazolinones. In this study, we developed an intragenic minimal expression cassette encoding a mutant sorghum acetolactate synthase gene (mALS) under transcriptional control of the sorghum ubiquitin promoter and sorghum HSP 3′UTR. mALS was delivered into tissue cultures of sugarcane cultivar CP 88-1762 by biolistic gene transfer. A suitable selection protocol for recovery of intragenic events was developed for the herbicide bispyribac sodium. Intragenic sugarcane events were identified by PCR, and qRT-PCR analysis revealed events with different levels of mALS expression. Expression of the mALS gene in sugarcane resulted in chlorsulfuron resistance, as demonstrated by lower injury level and increased plant height following application of chlorsulfuron compared to the control cultivar. The results demonstrated that the mALS gene from sorghum supports the production of intragenic, herbicide resistant sugarcane. This is the first report of an intragenic selectable marker for sugarcane.
RECENT METHODOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLINICAL TRIALS

This paper is concerned with the maximum that can be achieved in clinical trials using optimal methodologies if such exist, i.e., with strategy and not tactics. It might be thought that strategy so defined is too vague and too general to be fruitfully discussed, but I hope to convince you of the contrary. Considerations of strategy will involve us in controversial questions about the foundations of statistics, but this prospect shall not inhibit us any more than it would have Reed or Frost. A point of view about statistical methods that was once universal and is still very common is that it provides unique, unequivocal answers to problems of analysis and design—that all statisticians faced with the same problem will, or at least should, provide the same answer. R. A. Fisher's writing, in particular, reflects this view, with continual glimpses furnished by such phrases as "uniquely superior" methods of "absolute validity," "canons of valid inference," "rigorous but uncertain conclusions," etc. His Design of Experiments was dazzling in its self-assurance and clarity and gave statisticians in many fields the inspiration and confidence to apply these unequivocal procedures, and to develop new ones. The extensions to clinical trials have been numerous and important, the key figure being Bradford Hill. In the opinion of the President of the Royal College of Surgeons they constitute as crucial a contribution to medicine as the discovery of penicillin (1). One would naturally have expected that continuing methodological advances would have accompanied these extensions. The statistical literature on
Physical Activity and Mental Health, edited by Angela Clow and Sarah Edmunds

Physical Activity and Mental Health explores the relationships between physical activity and general well-being, with a focus on mental health. The book is very well organized, including sections w...
Photonic Crystal Fiber for the Simultaneous Transmission of Information and Power in Optical Smart Grids

We consider new applications for photonic crystal fiber, namely: the distribution of solar energy over low-loss solid-core photonic bandgap fiber; and the creation of amplifiers for the new transmission windows via gas filled hollow-core fiber.
Monsoonal upwelling in the western Arabian Sea since the middle Miocene

The Asian monsoon has long been argued to be a product of the Himalaya–Tibetan Plateau, and simulation experiments have confirmed the key role of the Himalaya–Tibetan Plateau in transforming regional atmospheric and oceanic circulations. However, temporal constraints on the strengthening of the Asian monsoon inferred from foraminifer isotopic and faunal data and terrestrial climatic and ecological records are inconsistent with each other, which has obscured the tectonic-climatic linkage. In particular, discriminating the post-middle Miocene global cooling from the monsoon upwelling cooling is critical, but poorly understood due to the lack of adequate constraints for monsoonal upwelling. Here we present new middle to late Miocene biomarker-based reconstructions of sea-surface temperature (SST) for the western Arabian Sea. Our new SSTs capture a long-term ocean cooling since ca. 14.8 Ma and a major drop in SST in the period 11–10 Ma after which the SSTs reached similar values as the Holocene. The new SST record is consistent with planktonic foraminifer, siliceous biota, and geochemical tracer studies, suggestive of ocean cooling and high productivity associated with monsoonal upwelling. The 11–10 Ma ocean cooling is not clearly expressed in other tropical oceans, indicating that the ocean cooling in the western Arabian Sea is not a simple reflection of global cooling. We interpret the 11–10 Ma ocean cooling as representing the establishment of monsoonal upwelling in the western Arabian Sea, triggered by strong cyclonic activities as a result of the Neogene outward expansion of the Himalaya–Tibetan Plateau.
A healthy mix of emotions: underlying biological pathways linking emotions to physical health

Both positive ( e.g. , happiness) and negative ( e.g. , anxiety) emotions have been distinctively associated with health and disease outcomes. However, whether emotion-related effects are driven by specific emotions or by shared underlying features of similar co-occurring (or mixes of) emotions is still debated. This narrative review summarizes recent scientific advances regarding whether mixed emotions and emotion regulation abilities influence physical health over the lifecourse. While behavioral and biological pathways are commonly proposed to explain these relationships, biological pathways are less well understood. As a result, here we specifically focus on known and novel biological pathways. Future directions for empirical and clinical research aimed at identifying ways to lower the risk of and burden related to chronic diseases are also discussed.
State-dependent sensorimotor gating in a rhythmic motor system

Sensory feedback influences motor systems (i.e., motor circuits and their projection neuron inputs). However, whether regulation of sensory feedback to these projection neurons is consistent across...
Design, Synthesis, Molecular Modeling, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Amine-based Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are promising drug targets for a variety of therapeutic applications. Herein we describe the design, synthesis, biological evaluation in cellular models of cancer, and preliminary drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies (DMPK) of a series of secondary and tertiary N-substituted 7-aminoheptanohydroxamic acid-based HDAC inhibitors. Introduction of an amino group with one or two surface binding groups (SBGs) yielded a successful strategy to develop novel and potent HDAC inhibitors. The secondary amines were found to be generally more potent than the corresponding tertiary amines. Docking studies suggested that the SBGs of tertiary amines cannot be favorably accommodated at the gorge region of the binding site. The secondary amines with naphthalen-2-ylmethyl, 5-phenylthiophen-2-ylmethyl, and 1H-indol-2-ylmethyl (2 j) substituents exhibited the highest potency against class I HDACs: HDAC1 IC50 39-61 nm, HDAC2 IC50 260-690 nm, HDAC3 IC50 25-68 nm, and HDAC8 IC50 320-620 nm. The cytotoxicity of a representative set of secondary and tertiary N-substituted 7-aminoheptanoic acid hydroxyamide-based inhibitors against HT-29, SH-SY5Y, and MCF-7 cancer cells correlated with their inhibition of HDAC1, 2, and 3 and was found to be similar to or better than that of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). Compounds in this series increased the acetylation of histones H3 and H4 in a time-dependent manner. DMPK studies indicated that secondary amine 2 j is metabolically stable and has plasma and brain concentrations >23- and >1.6-fold higher than the IC50 value for class I HDACs, respectively. Overall, the secondary and tertiary N-substituted 7-aminoheptanoic acid hydroxyamide-based inhibitors exhibit excellent lead- and drug-like properties and therapeutic capacity for cancer applications.
High performance affinity chromatography and related separation methods for the analysis of biological and pharmaceutical agents

The last few decades have witnessed the development of many high-performance separation methods that use biologically related binding agents. The combination of HPLC with these binding agents results in a technique known as high performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). This review will discuss the general principles of HPAC and related techniques, with an emphasis on their use for the analysis of biological compounds and pharmaceutical agents. Various types of binding agents for these methods will be considered, including antibodies, immunoglobulin-binding proteins, aptamers, enzymes, lectins, transport proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Formats that will be discussed for these methods range from the direct detection of an analyte to indirect detection based on chromatographic immunoassays, as well as schemes based on analyte extraction or depletion, post-column detection, and multi-column systems. The use of biological agents in HPLC for chiral separations will also be considered, along with the use of HPAC as a tool to screen or study biological interactions. Various examples will be presented to illustrate these approaches and their applications in fields such as biochemistry, clinical chemistry, and pharmaceutical research.
Joint reconstruction of initial pressure distribution and acoustic skull parameters in transcranial photoacoustic computed tomography (Conference Presentation)

The development of photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) for neuroimaging in humans will fill an important void left by available imaging techniques. However, due to the presence of the skull, accurate image reconstruction in transcranial PACT remains challenging. Variations in the shear and longitudinal wave speed distributions due to the skull can induce strong aberrations in the measured photoacoustic wavefields. To mitigate these artifacts, image reconstruction methods in transcranial PACT require knowledge of these acoustic properties. However, such information may be difficult to obtain in practice. To circumvent this, we developed a joint reconstruction (JR) method for transcranial PACT where the longitudinal and shear speed distributions are reconstructed concurrently with the sought-after initial pressure distribution. The joint estimation of the initial pressure, longitudinal speed, and shear speed distributions from PACT data alone is unstable. To overcome this instability, we propose to incorporate prior information about the acoustic properties of the skull. Specifically, a low-dimensional parameterized acoustic representation of the skull is established with the aid of adjunct CT data. The use of a low-dimensional representation of the acoustic skull parameters effectively overcomes the instability of the JR problem and allows stable reconstruction of the acoustic skull parameters and the initial pressure distribution concurrently. To validate the proposed method, we conducted 3D numerical studies based on realistic human skull models derived from adjunct CT data. The efficacy of the proposed JR method was demonstrated through accurate reconstruction of the initial pressure, longitudinal speed, and shear speed distributions from PACT measurement data alone.
Small group gender ratios impact biology class performance and peer evaluations.

Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Evidence suggests the microclimate of the classroom is an important factor influencing female course grades and interest, which encourages retention of women in STEM fields. Here, we test whether the gender composition of small (8–9 person) learning groups impacts course performance, sense of social belonging, and intragroup peer evaluations of intellectual contributions. Across two undergraduate active learning courses in introductory biology, we manipulated the classroom microclimate by varying the gender ratios of learning groups, ranging from 0% female to 100% female. We found that as the percent of women in groups increased, so did overall course performance for all students, regardless of gender. Additionally, women assigned higher peer- evaluations in groups with more women than groups with less women. Our work demonstrates an added benefit of the retention of women in STEM: increased performance for all, and positive peer perceptions for women.
Fast factorization of rectangular Vandermonde matrices with Chebyshev nodes

The polynomial interpolation problem with distinct interpolation points and the polynomial represented in the power basis gives rise to a linear system of equations with a Vandermonde matrix. This system can be solved efficiently by exploiting the structure of the Vandermonde matrix with the aid of the Bjorck–Peyrera algorithm. We are concerned with polynomial least-squares approximation at the zeros of Chebyshev polynomials. This gives rise to a rectangular Vandermonde matrix. We describe fast algorithms for the factorization of these matrices. Both QR and QR-like factorizations are discussed. The situations when the nodes are extreme points of Chebyshev polynomials or zeros of some classical orthogonal polynomial also are considered.
Therapeutic effect of liposomal superoxide dismutase in an animal model of retinopathy of prematurity

A newborn rat model of retinopathy of prematurity was used to test the hypothesis that a lack of superoxide dismutase contributes to the retinal vaso-attenuation seen during exposure of the animals to hyperoxic conditions. To determine the endogenous superoxide dismutase activity of the retina under hyperoxic conditions, litters of albino rats were placed in either constant 80% ambient oxygen (constant hyperoxia), or placed in 21% oxygen (room air) immediately after birth. Every other day, for 14 days, several rat pups were sacrificed and their retinas removed for the determination of total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and manganese-associated SOD activity. An attempt was made to increase retinal SOD activity by intraperitoneal administration of exogenous SOD encapsulated in polyethylene glycol-modified liposomes. Additional litters were exposed to the same oxygen treatments and supplemented twice daily with either liposome-encapsulated superoxide dismutase in saline or liposomes containing saline without SOD. Animals were sacrificed at various time points for the determination of total superoxide dismutase activity and computer-assisted analysis of vessel density and avascular area. Animals raised in an atmosphere of constant 80% oxygen had significantly reduced levels of retinal superoxide dismutase activity through 6 days of life when compared to their room air-raised littermates. At 6 days of age, daily supplementation with liposome-encapsulated SOD had significantly increased retinal superoxide dismutase activity and reduced oxygen-induced vaso-attenuation as evidenced by increased vessel density and decreased avascular area, when compared to littermates exposed to constant hyperoxia that received control liposomes. Superoxide dismutase had no adverse effects on any of the animals regardless of treatment. Tracing experiments demonstrated that liposomes entered the retina and were found in cells morphologically resembling microglia. Delivery of SOD to the retina via long-circulating liposomes proved beneficial, suggesting that restoration and/or supplementation of endogenous antioxidants in oxygen-damaged retinal tissue is a potentially valuable therapeutic strategy.
Cooperative Physical Human-Human and Human-Robot Interaction

This chapter examines the physical interaction between two humans and between a human and a robot simulating a human in the absence of all other modes of interaction, such as visual and verbal. Generally, when asked, people prefer to work alone on tasks requiring accuracy. However, as demonstrated by the research in this chapter, when individuals are placed in teams requiring physical cooperation, their performance is frequently better than their individual performance despite perceptions that the other person was an impediment. Although dyads are able to perform certain actions significantly faster than individuals, dyads also exert large opposition forces. These opposition forces do not contribute to completing the task, but are the sole means of haptic communication between the dyads. Solely using this haptic communication channel, dyads were able to temporally divide the task based on task phase. This chapter provides further details on how two people haptically cooperate on physical tasks.
Comparison of utilization rate of CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis in patients with elevated BMI compared to patients with normal BMI presenting to the ER with gastrointestinal symptoms

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if patients with elevated BMI were more likely to get Abdominopelvic CT imaging compared to patients with normal BMI presenting with similar Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms to the Emergency Room (ER). Methods The study included 611 adults presenting to the ER with GI symptoms during the study period, of which 291 patients underwent CT imaging. ER triage notes and electronic records were used to identify patients' demographic data, symptoms, body weight and height. BMI was used as a measure of obesity. Reports of the CT scans were reviewed and categorized into normal cases, cases with non-acute incidental findings and cases with acute significant findings by the reviewers. A chi-square test was used to compare the two groups. Results Of the 611 patients, 231 (37.8%) had a normal BMI ( 2 ), and 380 (62.2%) had an elevated BMI (>25 kg/m 2 ). Of the 231 patients with normal BMI, 98 (42.4%) received CT imaging. Of the 380 patients with elevated BMI, 193 (50.8%) underwent CT imaging, (p = 0.045). The percentage of acute significant CT findings was similar in both groups (45.9% vs. 45.6%), (p > 0.05). The elevated BMI group had a higher percentage of normal exams compared to the normal BMI group (44.0% vs. 10.2%), (p Conclusion According to our study results, there is a positive correlation between increased BMI and a higher utilization rate of abdominal CT imaging, (p = 0.045).
Adaptive personalized multivariable artificial pancreas using plasma insulin estimates

Abstract An adaptive and personalized multivariable artificial pancreas (mAP) system using plasma insulin estimates is proposed to efficiently accommodate major disturbances to the blood glucose concentration, such as meal and physical activity. Accurate adaptive glycemic models are developed through a recursive subspace identification technique with wearable physiological measurements and estimates of unannounced meal effect and plasma insulin concentration (PIC) along with continuous glucose concentration signals to characterize the glucose concentration dynamics under various conditions such as food consumption and physical activity. The identified models with time-varying parameters are employed in the design of an adaptive model predictive control (MPC) system that is cognizant of the PIC. The adaptive controller parameters, dynamic PIC constraint, addition of physiological measurements from wearable devices, feature variables generated from the glucose measurements, and estimation of uncertain model parameters, including the meal effect, enable the mAP system to effectively compute the optimal insulin infusion over diverse diurnal variations without meal and exercise announcements. Simulation case studies using a multivariable simulator demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed mAP system.
Discontinuous Precipitation in U-10 wt.%Mo Alloy: Reaction Kinetics, Effect of Prior γ-UMo Microstructure, the Role of Grain-Boundary Misorientation, and the Effect of Ternary Alloying Addition

Discontinuous precipitation (DP) plays a major role during eutectoid transformation in U-10 wt.%Mo (U10Mo) alloy. DP results in the formation of a lamellar microstructure consisting of an α-U and Mo-enriched bcc γ-UMo phase along the prior γ-UMo grain boundaries. DP is the main mode of transformation at 500°C. However, continuous precipitation of γ′-U2Mo phase together with grain-boundary DP is observed at 400°C. The reaction kinetics are noted to be much slower at 400°C compared with 500°C. The degree of eutectoid transformation is related to the prior γ-UMo grain size, and a smaller average grain size leads to a larger amount of transformation at a given reaction temperature. Minor addition (0.2 wt.%) of a third alloying element (Cr, Ni, or Co) leads to substantial alterations in the nature of the DP mechanism in U10Mo alloy. In addition, high-angle grain boundaries with misorientation of 30°–45° are observed to be the major DP initiation sites. The microstructural evolution of U10Mo alloy regarding the DP-based reaction is discussed.
Idempotent Factorizations: A New Addition to the Cryptography Classroom

While it is commonly believed RSA requires two primes p and q, that is incorrect. Infinite examples of RSA encryption moduli n=pq exist with p and/or q composite that generate correct RSA keys. This can be explained in the undergraduate cryptography classroom with support from public domain technologies like the python numbthy library and the Gephi graph processor.
Longitudinal health-related quality of life assessment: Implications for prognosis in ovarian cancer.

5049 Background: Several studies in the oncology literature have demonstrated the prognostic value of baseline quality of life (QoL). However, there is little to no information on the prognostic ef...
Cell Death and Recovery in Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although TBI leads to mechanical damage during initial impact, secondary damage also occurs as results from delayed neurochemical process and intracellular signaling pathways. Accumulated animal and human studies demonstrated that apoptotic mechanism contributes to overall pathology of TBI. Apoptotic cell death has been identified within contusional brain lesion at acute phase of TBI and in region remote from the site directly injured in days to weeks after trauma. TBI is also dynamic conditions that cause neuronal decline overtime and is likely due to neurodegenerative mechanisms years after trauma. Current studies have even suggested association of neuronal damage through apoptotic pathway with mild TBI, which contributes chronic persistent neurological symptoms and cognitive deficits. Thus, a better understanding of the acute and chronic consequences of apoptosis following TBI is required. The purpose of this review is to describe (1) neuronal apoptotic pathway following TBI, (2) contribution of apoptosis to acute and chronic phase of TBI, and (3) current treatment targeting on apoptotic pathway.
Overlapping finite element meshes in AMORE

Abstract The AMORE scheme of “ a utomatic m eshing with o verlapping and r egular e lements” has been recently proposed, in which the concept of overlapping finite elements plays a central role. In earlier work we focused on the overlapping of individual elements. In this paper, we present a technique to overlap finite element meshes so that elements from different meshes can overlap in any geometric form. Meshes for different parts of the analysis domain can be independently spanned, which is an effective way to adapt meshes to various geometric features and solution gradients. Hence, the meshing effort is much reduced and high solution accuracy is achieved. We formulate the new scheme, analyze its solvability and convergence, and propose an implementation. The solutions of some engineering problems are given to illustrate the use and performance of the new scheme.
Mothers' Dreams: Abortion and the High Price of Motherhood

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, pro-choice and anti-abortion activists battled over the sacred ground of motherhood. Signs wielded by protestors outside clinics often read, “Choose life—your mother did,” while bumper-stickers on the pro-choice side struggled to fight fire with fire with the slogan, “Pro-Child, Pro-Family, Pro-Choice.” Yet, in recent years, the mother-oriented pro-choice slogan seems in short supply. Choice rhetoric of the past decade has returned to focus more on women’s individual rights to privacy, autonomous control of sexuality, and bodily integrity/avoidance of forced pregnancy. In response to the increasingly gruesome photographs of fetuses from the anti-abortion side, pro-choice activists produced posters depicting the often terrible conditions for women needing abortions in the pre-Roe era, such as the striking set of ads by the New York Citybased Pro-Choice Public Education Project. In the face of the most systematic attacks of the past thirty years on women’s reproductive freedom by both the Bush administration and Congress, such reminders are crucial. At the same time, we must use all of the tools at our disposal, and not limit ourselves to arguments based on women’s individual privacy rights. Drawing on material from the growing literature on care work, this Article argues that we need to add a new arrow to the quiver of abortion rights advocacy. In addition to the important individualistic claims of privacy, freedom of choice, and consent/bodily integrity,
Towards Universal Access to Home Monitoring for Assisted Living Environment

The improvement of the conditions of daily life at home and work, promoted by the socio-economic progression, best quality private living environments and the immense development in healthcare and biomedical technologies has extended the average age of life beyond 70. According to recent surveys this "population aging" phenomenon will contribute to reach the record number of 1 billion people over 60 years on earth by the year 2020. Due to a variety of reasons such as convenience or a need for security and privacy these elderly people generally prefer to avail healthcare facilities at their home. This is time to break through the physical boundaries of hospitals and bring healthcare facilities to the homes. Wireless and internet-based healthcare devices can play a vital role in this regard given that reliable, individualized systems with user-friendly interfaces are developed to enable elderly people feel comfortable with making use of novel technology. This paper presents a remote home monitoring application called Living Assistant that could be utilized to continuously monitor and control a wide range of electronic appliances and ambient parameters. Basically it has been designed to function as a healthcare aide for elderly patients suffering from restricted mobility or other chronic diseases. The advanced ways of user interfaces presented in this paper are simple, generic and universally applicable. With little customization the application can be used to accommodate other user groups as well.
Wie baut sich ein Forschungsprojekt auf

Dieser Artikel soll als Leitfaden fur Jungforscher in der Orthopadie und Traumatologie dienen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, den jungen Forscher auf wesentliche Elemente in der Planung und Durchfuhrung von Forschungsprojekten hinzuweisen, die oftmals ubersehen werden und infolgedessen Probleme bereiten konnen. Mit Hilfe von Illustrationen und Flussdiagrammen werden Planung und Ablauf eines Forschungsprojekts illustriert.
An efficiently implementable Gauss-Newton-like method for solving singular nonlinear equations

A Gauss-Newton-like method for solving singular nonlinear equations is presented. The local convergence analysis shows that this method converges quadratically. The algorithm requires second derivative information in the formF″ ab only, which makes it attractive from the viewpoint of computational effort.
A survey of torque transduction methodologies for industrial applications

The measurement of direct shaft torque and its transduction to various forms of signal is a primary interest of many electric machine builders and process application end users. Since torque multiplied by the instantaneous shaft rotational speed is the instantaneous power being delivered to the product and its integration over time the delivered process energy, the use of torque transduction to indicate everything from delivered mass of product to the energy change necessary to produce the proper change of state in a mix has increased dramatically. This paper reviews the basic methods and applications of torque sensing and transduction in industrial applications and provides comparison of their relative operational characteristics and performance. Nondirect methods such as inferred torque (i.e., reaction strain gage) are compared to direct methods such as "torduction". It is shown that the recent advances in noncontact types of direct torque measurement have made them a more practical choice for many industrial applications where speed of response is a dominant consideration, but the indirect methods must be carefully considered in comparison because of higher steady state accuracy, durability, and reduced cost.
Conformational Analysis of the Enzyme-Substrate Complex in the Dehydrogenation of Sterols by Tetrahymena pyriformis

Abstract Both ergosta-5,24(28)-dien-3β-ol and stigmasta-5,trans-24(28)-dien-3β-ol were metabolized in Tetrahymena pyriformis to give the respective Δ5,7,22,24(28)-tetraenes, vis. ergosta-5,7,trans-22,24(28)-tetraen-3β-ol and stigmasta-5,7,-trans-22,trans-24(28)-tetraen-3β-ol. While stigmasta-5, trans-24(28)-dien-3β-ol yielded some triene (stigmasta-5,7, trans-24(28)-trien-3β-ol), stigmasta-5,cis-24(28)-dien-3β-ol was converted almost entirely to the triene (stigmasta-5,7,-cis-24(28)-trien-3β-o1). No dealkylation at C-24 occurred. The results are interpreted to mean that, in the enzyme-substrate complex for the introduction of a Δ22 bond, the side chain assumes a conformation in which C-20, C-22, C-23, C-24, C-25, C-28, and (if present) C-29 lie in a plane, and one side of the plane is exposed to the enzyme with cis-elimination of 2 hydrogen atoms. Such a conformation is thermodynamically favorable with the 24-methylene and trans-24-ethylidene sterols, allowing 22,23-dehydrogenation to occur, but unfavorable with the cis-24-ethylidene sterol, thereby restricting 22,23-dehydrogenation. Since in all three cases the Δ7 bond was introduced, the capacity of the side chain to assume one or the other of these conformations appears to be irrelevant in the formation of a complex with the Δ7-oxidoreductase.
PARENT EDUCATION INTERVENTION RESULTS IN DECREASED CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR AND IMPROVED TASK ENGAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES DURING ACADEMIC TASKS

Children with developmental disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often engage in challenging behavior when presented with academic demands. Parents of school-age children with such diagnoses are commonly asked to assist their child with academic tasks but may struggle to do so as a result of challenging behavior. This study evaluated the effects of a parent education intervention on the challenging behaviors and task engagement of three school-age children with disabilities during academic activities. Parent education consisted of (i) weekly didactic instruction; (ii) modeling; (iii) role-play; and (iv) in vivo coaching and performance feedback. Using a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants with embedded individual multi-element design, this study demonstrates that a parent education intervention results in decreases in challenging behavior and increases in task engagement. These results suggest that parent education focused on addressing challenging behavior during one-to-one instruction may facilitate completion of academic tasks. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of turkey meat on residual nitrite in cured meat products.

A response surface experimental design was employed to estimate residual nitrite level at various initial nitrite concentrations, percent turkey meat in the formula, and heat quantity (F) values using a typical wiener as the test system. Pork and mechanically separated turkey were used as the meat ingredients. Residual nitrite and pH were measured at day 1, 7 days, 14 days, and 49 days after processing. Protein, fat, salt, moisture, and CIE (L * a * b * ) color values were also determined. Results showed that the effect of turkey meat on residual nitrite level was significant (P < 0.01). An increased amount of turkey meat in the formula resulted in lower residual nitrite levels at a fixed pH. The residual nitrite level was initially proportional to initial nitrite concentration, but it became a nonsignificant factor during longer storage time. Differences in heat quantity had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on residual nitrite level initially. Greater heat quantity decreased residual nitrite level in finished cured meat products at a fixed pH. However, this effect became nonsignificant during longer storage. Reduction of residual nitrite in wieners because of turkey meat addition at a fixed pH was due to characteristics of the turkey tissue, but the mechanism of action remains unknown. It was also established that commercial wieners had a higher pH if poultry meat was included in the formulation.
Tangentially positive isometric actions and conjugate points

Let (M, g) be a complete Riemannian manifold with no conjugate points and f: (M,g) → (B,g B ) a principal G-bundle, where G is a Lie group acting by isometries and B the smooth quotient with g B the Riemannian submersion metric. We obtain a characterization of conjugate point-free quotients (B, g B ) in terms of symplectic reduction and a canonical pseudo-Riemannian metric on the tangent bundle TM, from which we then derive necessary conditions, involving G and M, for the quotient metric to be conjugate point-free, particularly for M a reducible Riemannian manifold. Let μ G : TM → ®*, with ® the Lie Algebra of G, be the moment map of the tangential G-action on TM and let Gp be the canonical pseudo-Riemannian metric on TM defined by the symplectic form dΘ and the map F: TM → M x M, F(z) = (exp(-z),exp(z)). First we prove a theorem, stating that if Gp is not positive definite on the action vector fields for the tangential action along μG -1 (0) then (B, g B ) acquires conjugate points. (We proved the converse result in 2005.) Then, we characterize self-parallel vector fields on M in terms of the positivity of the Gp-length of their tangential lifts along certain canonical subsets of TM. We use this to derive some necessary conditions, on G and M, for actions to be tangentially positive on relevant subsets of TM, which we then apply to isometric actions on complete conjugate point-free reducible Riemannian manifolds when one of the irreducible factors satisfies certain curvature conditions.
Successful surgical management of abdominal abscessation secondary to Strongylus edentatus migration

Summary This report describes the successful surgical management of abdominal abscessation secondary to Strongylus edentatus migration. Abdominal abscesses are a relatively common source of recurrent fever in the horse and are primarily managed with long-term antimicrobial administration. However, identification of the definitive cause, extent of the abscesses and successful resolution in this case were not possible without an exploratory celiotomy to facilitate surgical resection.
Epidural and spinal opioids

Epidural and spinal opioid use has developed into a well established mode of perioperative anesthetic and analgesic management. A large number of studies have examined factors important in determining the efficacy and the extent of side effects of such therapy. This article reviews some of the most
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF PRIORITY SCHEDULING IN A BANK CHECK PROCESSING OPERATION

This paper reports on a simulation study which was undertaken to determine if float could be significantly reduced by altering a bank's check-processing priority assignments. Float, the dollar value of check payments not yet collected from parent banks, represents a significant opportunity cost in terms of lost interest income to receiving banks. The study consisted of a comparison of a major city bank's present checksorting decision rules based on minimization of check handling, versus a proposed sorting scheme based on dollar magnitudes of checks. The reults of the research indicated that float could be substantially reduced and interest income increased by employing the proposed priority of scheduting rules.
CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF UNSTAGEABLE PROSTATE CANCER: ANALYSIS OF THE CaPSURE™ DATABASE

ABSTRACTPurpose:: The new and older clinical staging systems for prostate cancer overlook a group of patients in whom abnormal digital rectal examinations (DREs) do not correlate with prostate biopsy findings. These cases are clinically unstageable. We evaluated the prevalence and pathological characteristics of these patients and stratified them into the 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer clinical staging categories.Materials and Methods:: Using the CaPSURE™ database, a longitudinal disease registry of patients with various stages of prostate cancer, the unstageable cohort was identified. The postoperative pathological stage distribution of the unstageable cohort was used to assign the appropriate preoperative clinical stages in retrograde fashion. Pearson product moment correlation was used to establish the best clinical stage for this unstageable group.Results:: A total of 5,543 patients with recorded DREs were evaluated, of whom 2,610 (47%) had an isolated unilateral abnormality on DRE. A total o...
Erratum: Phase-shift perfluorocarbon agents enhance high intensity focused ultrasound thermal delivery with reduced near-field heating [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134, 1473–1482 (2013)]

Information regarding the contributions of the authors was not included in the original publication. In the original format of the paper submitted for review, the author order was Phillips, Puett, Sheeran, Miller, Matsunaga, and Dayton. This order was agreed on by all authors to properly acknowledge levels of contribution according to standard biomedical convention with primary contributor first and senior author last. However, the authors wish to note that because of the standard format style of JASA, the authors in the published document are grouped by institution. Dr. Phillips, as first author, conducted all of the studies in the manuscript, analyzed data, wrote the manuscript, and performed editing. Mr. Puett and Mr. Sheeran assisted with data collection and analysis, as did Dr. Miller. Dr. Matsunaga provided expertise as to the nanodroplet formulations. Dr. Dayton was the senior author on this work, contributed to study concept and design, applied for the funding, and edited the manuscript.
Japanese policing ‐ an American invention

In the 1990s, the renewed scholarly interest in community policing includes more comparative and historical research, with many studies focusing on Japan. This article presents historical evidence that the highly‐touted Japanese police system was an American invention originating from the post‐World War II occupation of Japan. A review of the facts indicates that not only did the USA reform the Japanese police system, but insisted on re‐creating it according to American models.
The static head method for determining the charge stoichiometry of coupled transport systems. Applications to the sodium-coupled D-glucose transporters of the renal proximal tubule.

Abstract The static head method for determining the charge stoichiometry (the number of moles of charge translocated per mole of substrate) of a coupled transport system is presented. The method involves establishing experimental conditions under which a membrane potential exactly balances the thermodynamic driving force of a known substrate gradient. The charge stoichiometry can then be calculated from thermodynamic principles. In contrast to the usual steady-state method for determining charge stoichiometry in cell suspensions and vesicle preparations, the static head method is applicable to systems which are not capable of maintaining a constant membrane potential over time. The charge stoichiometries of two renal sodium coupled d -glucose transporters previously identified in brush-border membrane vesicle preparations from the outer cortex (early proximal tubule) and outer medulla (late proximal tubule) are determined. The charge stoichiometries of these transporters are in good agreement with their sodium/glucose coupling ratios arguing against the possibility that glucose transport is coupled to ions other than sodium in these membranes.