cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morbidity of Sentinel Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer: The Relationship Between the Number of Excised Lymph Nodes and Lymphedema

Despite the reduced morbidity associated with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), lymphedema remains a clinically relevant complication. We hypothesized that a higher number of lymph nodes (LNs) removed during SLNB is associated with a higher risk of lymphedema. Six hundred patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer who underwent SLNB were prospectively studied. Circumferential bilateral upper extremity measurements were performed preoperatively and at 3–8 years after surgery. Association of lymphedema with total number of LNs excised and other clinicopathologic variables was analyzed by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient, Fisher’s exact test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and logistic regression. At a median follow-up of 5 years, 5% of patients had developed lymphedema. Factors associated with lymphedema included weight and body mass index. There was no association between the number of LNs removed and the change in upper extremity measurements or in the incidence of lymphedema. Among patients with lymphedema (n = 31) compared to those without, the mean (3.9 vs. 4.2), median (4 vs. 3), and range (1–9 vs. 1–17) of number of LNs removed were similar (P = 0.93). Among the 33 women with ≥10 LNs removed, none developed lymphedema. In this population of 600 women who underwent SLNB, there is no correlation between number of LNs removed and change in upper extremity circumference or incidence of lymphedema. These data suggest that other factors, such as the global disruption of the lymphatic channels during axillary lymph node dissection, play a larger role in development of lymphedema than does the number of LNs removed.
INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON THE FATTY ACID PROFILE OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

Variation in the fatty acid profile of two Listeria monocytogenes strains grown at varying temperatures was determined. The fatty acid profiles varied greatly at different temperatures. General decreases in relative percentages of branched and medium chain (up to C16:0) fatty acids and variable changes in long chain fatty acids were found with increasing growth temperature. Individual fatty acid percentages between strains were variable. The relative percentages of unknown long chain fatty acids, detected in both strains at various temperatures, were greatest in Scott A (7.07%) and ATCC 19114 (13.15%) at 35C. Results demonstrated that L. monocytogenes had altered fatty acid profile in response to changes in growth temperature.
Characterization of a fully depleted CCD on high-resistivity silicon

Most scientific CCD imagers are fabricated on 30-50 (Omega) - cm epitaxial silicon. When illuminated form the front side of the device they generally have low quantum efficiency in the blue region of the visible spectrum because of strong absorption in the polycrystalline silicon gates as well as poor quantum efficiency in the far red and near infrared region of the spectrum because of the shallow depletion depth of the low-resistivity silicon. To enhance the blue response of scientific CCDs they are often thinned and illuminated from the back side. While blue response is greatly enhanced by this process, it is expensive and it introduces additional problems for the red end of the spectrum. A typical thinned CCD is 15 to 25 micrometers thick, and at wavelengths beyond about 800 nm the absorption depth becomes comparable to the thickness of the device, leading to interference fringes from reflected light. Because these interference fringes are of high order, the spatial pattern of the fringes is extremely sensitive to small changes in the optical illumination of the detector. Calibration and removal of the effects of the fringes is one of the primary limitations on the performance of astronomical images taken at wavelengths of 800 nm or more. In this paper we present results from the characterization of a CCD which promises to address many of the problems of typical thinned CCDs. The CCD reported on here was fabricated at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) on a 10-12 K$OMega-cm n-type silicon substrate.THe CCD is a 200 by 200 15-micrometers square pixel array, and due to the very high resistivity of the starting material, the entire 300 micrometers substrate is depleted. Full depletion works because of the gettering technology developed at LBNL which keeps leakage current down. Both front-side illuminated and backside illuminated devices have been tested. We have measured quantum efficiency, read-noise, full-well, charge-transfer efficiency, and leakage current. We have also observed the effects of clocking waveform shapes on spurious charge generation. While these new CCDs promise to be a major advance in CD technology, they too have limitations such as charge spreading and cosmic-ray effects. These limitations have been characterized and are presented. Examples of astronomical observations obtained with the backside CCD on the 1-meter reflector at Lick Observatory are presented.
Choosing Subsets with Maximum Weighted Average

Given a set ofnreal values, each with a positive weight, we wish to find the subset ofn?kvalues having maximum weighted average. This is equivalent to the following form of parametric selection: givennobjects with values decreasing linearly with time, find the time at which then?kmaximum values add to zero. We show that these problems can be solved in timeO(n) (independent ofk). A generalization in which weights are allowed to be negative is NP-complete.
Comparative analysis of phytochrome-mediated growth responses in internodes of dwarf and tall pea plants.

Responses of dark-grown pea seedlings of a dwarf (Progress No. 9) and a tall (Alaska) cultivar to red light have been compared 24 hours after irradiation. Identical percentage inhibition of elongation in 10-mm sub-apical segments of intact third internodes, identical dose-response curves and similar reversal of the inhibition by far-red light were observed. The time courses of the growth inhibition were quantitatively dissimilar in that seedlings of Alaska showed greater inhibition soon after light treatment, but greater recovery at later stages.
A New Unified Account of Truth and Paradox

I propose an anti-realist account of truth and paradox according to which the logico-semantic paradoxes are not genuine inconsistencies. The �global� proofs of absurdity associated with these paradoxes cannot be brought into normal form. The account combines epistemicism about truth with a proof-theoretic diagnosis of paradoxicality. The aim is to combine a substantive philosophical account of truth with a more rigorous and technical diagnosis of the source of paradox for further consideration by logicians. Core Logic plays a central role in the account on offer. It is shown that the account is not prey to the problem of revenge paradox.
Geometry and texture recovery of scenes of large scale

This paper presents a systematic approach to the problem of photorealistic 3-D model acquisition from the combination of range and image sensing. The input is a sequence of unregistered range scans of the scene and a sequence of unregistered 2-D photographs of the same scene. The output is a true texture-mapped geometric model of the scene. We believe that the developed modules are of vital importance for a flexible photorealistic 3-D model acquisition system. Segmentation algorithms simplify the dense datasets and provide stable features of interest which can be used for registration purposes. Solid modeling provides geometrically correct 3-D models. Finally, the automated range to an image registration algorithm can increase the flexibility of the system by decoupling the slow geometry recovery process from the image acquisition process; the camera does not have to be precalibrated and rigidly attached to the range sensor. The system is comprehensive in that it addresses all phases of the modeling problem with a particular emphasis on automating the entire process interaction.
The Role of Perceived Self-Efficacy, Perceived Control, and Causal Attributions in Adaptation to Rheumnatoid Arthritis: Distinguishing Mediator from Moderator Effects

To examine mediational versus moderational relationships among perceived control self-efficacy, and causal attributions in adjustment to chronic iUness, data were obtained at two times from 64 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Adaptational outcomes were operationalized as depression and disability. Greater evidence wasfoundfor moderational than mediational models. Only one of six mediational hypotheses was significant: Self-efficacy mediated the relationship between perceived control and disability. Four of six moderational hypotheses were significant in concurrent adaptation, and three of these remained significant when later adaptation was assessed. Moderational effects differed for depression and disability: When RA controllability or patient selfefficacy was low, internal, global, stable attributions for the cause of a symptom flare were linked to greater depression but less disability. These disparate findings are discussed in terms of the learned-helplessness model and the context of chronic illness.
In situ conversion of coproporphyrinogen to heme by murine mitochondria: terminal steps of the heme biosynthetic pathway.

Coproporphyrinogen oxidase (EC 1.3.3.3), protoporphyrinogen oxidase (EC 1.3.3.4), and ferrochelatase (EC 4.99.1.1) catalyze the terminal three steps of the heme biosynthetic pathway. All three are either bound to or associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane in higher eukaryotic cells. A current model proposes that these three enzymes may participate in some form of multienzyme complex with attendant substrate channeling (Grand-champ, B., Phung, N., & Nordmann, Y., 1978, Biochem. J. 176, 97-102; Ferreira, G.C., et al., 1988, J. Biol. Chem. 263, 3835-3839). In the present study we have examined this question in isolated mouse mitochondria using two experimental approaches: one that samples substrate and product levels during a timed incubation, and a second that follows dilution of radiolabeled substrate by pathway intermediates. When isolated mouse mitochondria are incubated with coproporphyrinogen alone there is an accumulation of free protoporphyrin. When Zn is added as a substrate for the terminal enzyme, ferrochelatase, along with coproporphyrinogen, there is formation of Zn protoporphyrin with little accumulation of free protoporphyrin. When EDTA is added to this incubation mixture with Zn, Zn protoporphyrin formation is eliminated and protoporphyrin is formed. We have examined the fate of radiolabeled substrates in vitro to determine if exogenously supplied pathway intermediates can compete with the endogenously produced compounds. The data demonstrate that while coproporphyrinogen is efficiently converted to heme in vitro when the pathway is operating below maximal capacity, exogenous protoporphyrinogen can compete with endogenously formed protoporphyrinogen in heme production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Amino Acid Neurotransmitters in Nucleus Tractus Solitarius: An In Vivo Microdialysis Study

Amino acid neurotransmitters in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) are thought to play a key role in the mediation of visceral reflexes and glutamate has been proposed as the neurotransmitter of visceral afferent nerves projecting to this region. The present studies sought to characterize the use of in vivo microdialysis to examine extracellular fluid levels of amino acids in the NTS of anesthetized rats. Using a microdialysis probe that was 450 microns in length and a sensitive HPLC assay for amino acids, amino acids could be measured in dialysate samples collected from the NTS. Perfusion of the microdialysis probe with 60 mM K+, to elicit depolarization of nerve terminals in the vicinity of the probe, resulted in increased dialysate fluid levels of aspartate, glutamate, glycine, taurine, and GABA. In contrast, glutamine and tyrosine were decreased and other amino acids were not significantly affected. Prior removal of the ipsilateral nodose ganglion did not alter the K(+)-evoked changes in dialysate levels of any of these amino acids. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves, using a variety of stimulus parameters, did not significantly alter dialysate levels of glutamate or any of the other amino acids that were measured. Blockade of glutamate uptake with dihydrokainate increased dialysate levels of glutamate, aspartate, and GABA, but in the presence of dihydrokainate vagal stimulation did not alter dialysate levels of these amino acids. The results show that in vivo microdialysis can be used to examine amino acid efflux in the rat NTS and provide further evidence for amino acidergic neural transmission in the NTS. However, these studies fail to support the hypothesis that vagal afferents release glutamate or aspartate.
Mercury removal from aqueous streams utilizing microemulsion liquid membranes

The goal of this work is the removal of mercury ion from wastewater using thermodynamically stable microemulsions as liquid membranes. The research focuses on identification and modeling of the appropriate aqueous and organic phase equilibrium reactions for mercury extraction and stripping, comparison of extraction kinetics between coarse emulsions and microemulsions, and demulsification and recovery of the emulsion components. An oleic acid microemulsion liquid membrane (water-in-oil) containing sulfuric acid as the internal phase reduces the feed phase mercury concentration from 460 mg/l to 0.84 mg/l in a single contacting. This compares favorably with a control extraction (oleic acid/no internal phase) which results in a final concentration of 20 mg/l Hg{sup +2}. Microemulsions can be demulsified using butanol as an additive. The demulsification kinetics are proportional to butanol concentration and temperature and inversely proportional to surfactant concentration. The demulsification rate is second order with respect to water concentration which implies that the rate-limiting step in the process is the rate of internal phase droplet encounters. Proof-of-principle experiments demonstrate the ability to extract mercury ion using microemulsions formulated with recycled organic phase, albeit at a somewhat reduced efficiency. The reduced efficiency is attributed to increased internal phase leakage due to residual butanol inmore » the oil phase. Finally, the cycle is brought around full circle by recovering metallic mercury from the internal phase by electroplating. 27 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.« less
A case study on regional impacts of climate change: peak loads on the power grid in Rochester, New York

Understanding the effects of climate change and determining appropriate mitigation and adaptation measures comprise a paradigmatic example of an issue that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries and requires communication and collaboration across many fields of study. For example, it is well documented that power consumption in the USA increases drastically when summer temperatures spike (Wong et al., IEEE Trans Powere Syst 25:480–488, 2010). As people resort to air conditioning to curb the heat, the strain on the power grid can become overwhelming, occasionally leading to blackouts. This is already a serious issue in some areas of the USA. However, it is unclear to what extent future climate scenarios will increase electrical demand in any particular area and whether this will lead to increased risk of blackouts from excessive electrical demand. To illustrate the powerful potential for interdisciplinary collaboration between departments of mathematics and environmental studies and sciences, we use predictions of peak electrical load and the likelihood of resultant blackouts in Rochester, NY under the IPCC A2 climate change scenario as a case study. Using publicly available climate simulations and regional climate data, coupled with simple mathematical modeling of extreme events (generalized extreme value distributions), we develop a planning tool for predicting regional power demand. In this case, our model forecasts that a given extreme peak load which now occurs only once every 20 years, will occur annually by around 2050. This information is crucial for planning our future electrical power needs.
GaAs heteroepitaxy with submicron Si CMOS: an experimental compatibility study

Routine use of optical interconnections in MCM based computing systems ideally favors monolithic integration to achieve both high density and manufacturability. The central issue facing this monolithic evolutionary path is the compatibility of both III-V semiconductor growth and subsequent optoelectronic device and passive optical interconnection processing with existing and future generations of CMOS and advanced packaging technology. The influence of GaAs heteroepitaxy and device processing on submicron CMOS is the subject of an ongoing program seeking to experimentally determine compatibility conflicts and through understanding of their physical mechanisms identify directions for achieving GaAs heteroepitaxy compatibility with future CMOS generations. Following a brief review of GaAs heteroepitaxy compatibility concerns, preliminary results from the current experimental program exploring the influence of both thermally simulated and actual GaAs heteroepitaxy on commercial 0.9 micrometers (0.6 micrometers minimum channel length) CMOS are presented including parametric device modeling, interface state, and hot electron measurements of experimental test lot devices.
β-lactamase inhibitors display anti-seizure properties in an invertebrate assay

Antibiotics containing a beta-lactam ring (e.g. ceftriaxone) display anti-glutamate effects that underlie their efficacy in animal models of central nervous system (CNS) diseases [Rothstein JD, Patel S, Regan MR, Haenggeli C, Huang YH, Bergles DE, Jin L, Dykes Hoberg M, Vidensky S, Chung DS, Toan SV, Bruijn LI, Su ZZ, Gupta P, Fisher PB (2005) Nature 433:73-77]. We hypothesized that the structurally related beta-lactamase inhibitors (clavulanic acid, tazobactam)--which also contain a beta-lactam ring--will mimic ceftriaxone efficacy in an invertebrate (planarian) assay designed to screen for anti-seizure activity [Rawls SM, Thomas T, Adeola M, Patil T, Raymondi N, Poles A, Loo M, Raffa RB (2009) Pharmacol Biochem Behav 93:363-367]. Glutamate or cocaine administration produced planarian seizure-like activity (pSLA). Glutamate- or cocaine-induced pSLA was inhibited by ceftriaxone, clavulanic acid, or tazobactam, but not by the non-beta-lactam antibiotic vancomyocin. The present findings indicate beta-lactamase inhibitors display efficacy, and mimic ceftriaxone activity, in an invertebrate anti-seizure screen. These results suggest beta-lactamase inhibitors--particularly ones such as clavulanic acid that display enhanced brain penetrability, oral bioavailability, and negligible anti-bacterial activity--might offer an attractive alternative to direct antibiotic therapy for managing CNS diseases caused by increased glutamate transmission and provide a solution to the growing concern that ceftriaxone will be of only limited utility as a CNS-active therapeutic because of its intolerable side effects.
CERTIFICATES OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: CAN THE TRAIN WRECK BE AVERTED?

ABSTRACT Certificates of Financial Responsibility (COFRs) have become one of the major issues facing the international shipping industry. This paper reviews the origins of the COFR impasse, assesses the alternatives presented to date, and outlines the characteristics of a possible new solution. Implications for shipowners are drawn as well.
Associations Among Child Perceptions of Parenting Support, Maternal Parenting Efficacy and Maternal Depressive Symptoms

Children and parents often rely on the support provided by non-parental adults such as extended family members. Expanding conceptualizations of social support beyond traditional nuclear family paradigms to include non-parental adults may be particularly relevant to identifying family strengths among economically disadvantaged and Latino families. In the present study, we examine the extent to which child reports of parenting support provided by non-parental adults are linked to variations in mother-reported parenting efficacy and depressive symptoms, and whether these associations vary according to maternal marital status and Latino/Hispanic race/ethnicity. The present study considers how child-reported social support specific to parenting is associated with maternal self-reported wellbeing among a community sample of 59 mothers and their 10–12 year-old children. Findings indicate that controlling for maternal perceptions of global social-emotional support, parenting support is inversely related to parenting efficacy among single mother and Latino/Hispanic families. Further, Latino/Hispanic children of mothers with higher levels of depressive symptoms report greater support from non-parental adults. These results suggest that parenting support may in this cross-sectional study be a response to maternal need. Further, the function of support from non-parental adults may vary for single-mother versus two-parent families, and Latino/Hispanic families in comparison to European American families.
Cellulosic ethanol production in the United States: Conversion technologies, current production status, economics, and emerging developments

Abstract Details of existing conversion technologies for cellulosic ethanol production, both hydrolysis and thermochemical, have been discussed along with their present adoption status. Furthermore, economics of ethanol production by using different conversion technologies has been discussed. Emerging conversion technologies and other developments which might affect the cellulosic ethanol production are also characterized. Based on current estimates, it was found that about 400 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol will be produced in the country in coming years using different conversion technologies. It was noticed that out of several available conversion technologies, thermochemical-based technologies are gaining popularity and it is projected that the use of these conversion technologies will reduce the cellulosic ethanol production cost significantly. Similarly, recent advancements in hydrolysis-based technologies have also helped in reducing the production cost of cellulosic ethanol. However, more resources will be needed in coming years to meet the policy goal of producing 21 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol by the year 2022. It is expected that this review will be helpful in efficient allocation of resources for facilitating future technology development and in streamlining the whole initiative of cellulosic ethanol production in the United States.
Thick-skinned deformation of the Archean Wyoming province during Proterozoic arc-continent collision

Two major mylonite zones are exposed in the southeastern Archean Wyoming province: the Cheyenne belt, which marks the boundary between the Wyoming and Colorado provinces, and the Laramie Peak shear zone, across which Archean rocks have been uplifted differentially at least 10 km. Between the two mylonite zones is a 60-100-km-wide belt of Archean migmatitic gneiss, which has been intruded by diabase dikes and peridotites and contains enclaves of high-grade metasedimentary rocks. We interpret this belt of high-grade rocks as a tectonically reactivated block of Archean crust, uplifted during the development of the Cheyenne belt collisional zone at ca. 1.8 Ga. This block does not exhibit a decreasing metamorphic gradient away from the mylonite zone, but is at uniformly high grade. Thus, rather than a thick-skinned thrust-ramp model for uplift, we invoke vertical uplift along a high-angle reverse fault without rotation. This style of uplift may be a tectonic response to transpression, underplating, or tectonic interfingering at depth during collisional orogeny, and it may be a more common feature of basement uplifts within foreland fold-and-thrust belts than has been previously recognized.
Using surveillance data to monitor entry into care of newly diagnosed HIV-infected persons: San Francisco, 2006-2007.

Background Linkage to care after HIV diagnosis is associated with both clinical and public health benefits. However, ensuring and monitoring linkage to care by public health departments has proved to be a difficult task. Here, we report the usefulness of routine monitoring of CD4 T cell counts and plasma HIV viral load as measures of entry into care after HIV diagnosis.
Probes for rare mRNAs reveal distributed cell subsets in canary brain

Abstract cDNA clones of 7 low-abundance canary brain RNAs hybridize in situ to different subsets of brain cells. Although these cell sets are distinct, they are dispersed in a variety of brain regions with overlapping anatomical distributions. These cDNA clones were initially selected by their relative hybridization to forebrain and rest-of-brain RNAs and represent a sampling of a much larger population of differentially expressed RNAs present at individual concentrations of 10 -7 to 10 -4 as a fraction of polyadenylated RNA mass. Our results suggest the existence of several thousand low-abundance brain mRNAs likely to be distributed in diverse and overlapping brain cell subsets. Furthermore, our experiments define a simple and general strategy for producing and analyzing molecular probes for subsets of brain cells and provide an initial set of useful reagents for further study of brain organization and development.
WHEN DOES A REGULATION BECOME A TAKING? THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT'S MOST RECENT PRONOUNCEMENTS

Summary Keystone Bituminous Coal, Irving, and Nollan are thus each consistent with paths taken in relevant precedents–the former two with “multifactor balancing” cases such as Penn Central and the latter with “enduring invasion equals taking” decisions such as Loretto v. TeleprompterM. However, can these twosets of precedents themselves be reconciled? I believe that the correct answer is “yes,” and that we therefore have another reason for asserting that Keystone Bituminous Coal and Nollan are consistent with each other. The tests are compatible in that the Court will first ask itself whether the regulation results in a longstanding occupation of property. If the answer is “yes,” it will declare a seizure then and there. Only if the answer if “no” will it proceed to balance.
Multi-Scale Micro-Mechanical Poroelastic Modeling of Fluid Flow in Cortical Bone

To explore the potential role that load-induced fluid flow plays as a mechano-transduction mechanism in bone adaptation, a lacunar-canalicular scale bone poroelasticity model is developed and exercised. The model uses micromechanics to homogenize the pericanalicular bone matrix, a system of straight circular cylinders in the bone matrix through which bone fluids can flow, as a locally anisotropic poroelastic medium. In this work, a simplified two-dimensional model of a periodic array of lacunae and their surrounding systems of canaliculi is developed and exercised to quantify local fluid flow characteristics in the vicinity of a single lacuna. When the cortical bone model is loaded, microscale stress and strain concentrations occur in the vicinity of individual lacunae and give rise to microscale spatial variations in the pore fluid pressure field. Consequently, loading of cortical bone can induce fluid flow in the canaliculi and exchange of fluid between canaliculi and lacunae. For realistic bone morphology parameters, and a range of loading frequencies, fluid pressures and fluid-solid shear stresses in the canalicular bone are computed and the associated energy dissipation in the models compared to that measured in physical in vitro experiments on human cortical bone. For realistic volume fractions of canaliculi, deformation-induced fluid flow is found to have a much larger characteristic time constant than deformation-induced flow in the Haversian system.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Broadcasting with random faults

Abstract We consider the problem of broadcasting in an n-vertex graph a message that originates from a given vertex, in the presence of random edge faults. If the number of edge faults is at most proportional to the total number of edges, there are networks for which the broadcast can be done in time O(log n), with high probability.
A Note On Escalation Requirements, Cost-of-Living Comparisons, and Homeownership Costs

The correct procedure for indexing income transfers in social insurance programs such as social security depends on the escalation objective. In particular, implement ing the objective of maintaining the base period living standards of transfer recipients requires information on how the recipients' sources of income have changed as well as on changes in the cost of living. This article considers implementing this escalation objective for homeowners, to whom housing is a source of implicit income. In this situation, should homeowners be compensated for increases in living costs? The answer should, in part, depend on whether homeowners are fully hedged against increases in the cost of housing (when increases in housing costs are always fully offset by increases in potential rental income). The author argues that this hedging assumption is implacit in the "rental equivalence" approach to measuring housing costs for homeowners used in the consumer price index.
Near-total esophagectomy: the influence of standardized multimodal management and intraoperative fluid restriction,

Abstract Background and Objectives: Esophagectomy can be associated with high morbidity and mortality. We present our experience managing these patients using a standardized multimodal approach that emphasizes intraoperative fluid restriction and early extubation. Methods: This case series includes 56 consecutive patients over a 2-year period (1999-2000) that underwent near-total esophagectomy at a high-volume center. Surgical approach was determined by patient and tumor characteristics; intraoperative fluid replacement was conservative; and patient-controlled epidural anesthesia/analgesia was used to promote early extubation, enteral feeding, and ambulation. Results: Overall morbidity was 18%; in-hospital and 30-day mortality was zero. Intraoperative urinary volume averaged 0.57 mL/kg/h. No patient developed postoperative renal dysfunction or pulmonary complications. All patients were extubated in the operating room. First ambulation averaged 1.6 days after surgery. Median intensive care unit and hospital stays were 1 and 10 days, respectively. Side effects from thoracic epidural analgesia were minimal. Conclusions: Significant reduction in esophagectomy-related morbidity is possible using a standardized multimodal approach in routine clinical practice. Intraoperative fluid restriction may facilitate early extubation and reduce pulmonary complications without compromising renal function. This preliminary observation warrants further study in a randomized clinical trial.
Alternative models of issue voting: The case of the 1991 and 1995 elections in Belgium

Previous research has indicated that the success of the directional model of issue voting depends on levels of political sophistication and how party position is measured. Using 1991and 1995 Belgian Election Surveys, the predictive power of proximity and directional measures are compared controlling for both variables. It is shown that when one uses overall mean placements, instead of mean placements by level of political sophistication, the proximity effect declines most among the highly sophisticated voters. The article also compares the performance of the proximity and directional measures across party systems. Contrary to theoretical expectations, party-system differences between Flanders and Wallonia do not affect the explanatory power of either of these measures. It is only in the cases of the liberal, socialist and extreme right parties that the directional measure is clearly superior. A closer analysis of this result indicates that the relative success of the directional measure is due to the limited number of issues from which those parties draw support.
Abstract 5203: Identification of an intrinsic determinant critical for maspin subcellular localization and function.

Abstract: Maspin is a novel serine protease inhibitor (serpin) that does not act as a classical serine protease inhibitor. Our lab demonstrated that maspin directly inhibits the serine protease-like enzyme, histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), which is a major deacetylase up-regulated in many types of cancers. To our knowledge, maspin is the only endogenous polypeptide inhibitor of HDAC1 identified thus far. Interestingly, the differential regulation of maspin during tumor progression is characterized by changes in overall expression and subcellular distribution. In particular, a significant shift in maspin subcellular localization from the nucleus to the cytosol has been observed at the transition from benign epithelial cells to precancerous or low grade carcinoma cells. Accumulated clinical evidence suggests that nuclear retention of maspin is correlated with better overall patient survival. We propose that hypothesized that the configuration and conformation of maspin coded by its primary sequence, i.e. cis elements are the key determinants for where maspin may be retained in a given molecular context. We noted that at the C-terminal end of the RCL sequence is an Aspartate 346 (D 346 ) which is also unique among all maspin homologs and orthologs. In the current study, using the mutagenesis approach, we aimed to determine whether D 346 acts as the cis element essential for maspin subcellular localization and function. We showed that in comparison to the maspin WT , which is distributed in both cytosol and nuclei of cancer cells, maspin D346E is predominantly localized in the nuclei of cancer cells. In addition, maspin D346E had an increased affinity towards HDAC1 and it was more effective inhibitor of HDAC1 as compared to the maspin WT . These findings led to a novel molecular model that explains how maspin may be disregulated during tumor progression resulting in loss of its tumor suppressive potential. Citation Format: Sijana H. Dzinic, Alexander Kaplun, Xiaohua Li, Margarida M. Bernardo, Ivory Dean, Fulvio Lonardo, Shijie Sheng. Identification of an intrinsic determinant critical for maspin subcellular localization and function. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5203. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5203
Characteristic polynomials and eigenvalues of molecular graphs with a greater than twofold axis of symmetry

Abstract Molecular graphs with greater than a twofold axis of symmetry will possess at least one pair of identical eigenvalue subsets. Deletion of any atomic vertex or placement of a heteroatom or polyene substituent on any position of such a molecular graph, leads to a successor molecular graph still retaining one of these eigenvalue subsets. This graph theoretical property enabled the construction of a list of substructural units for recognizing the presence of select eigenvalues in molecules containing them.
Current Issues in Bilingualism: Cognitive and Socio-linguistic Perspectives

Interest in bilingualism and multilingualism has grown tremendously in the past 20 years. Realizing the theoretical as well as practical significance of delving into bilingualism or multilingualism...
Perspectives on Growth Theory

This essay relates recent developments in growth theory to problems and ideas that first engaged R. F. Harrod, E. Domar, and their neoclassical successors. The body of 'new growth theory' began by finding special ways to assume that there are constant returns to capital. It is shown that this is a very nonrobust assumption, thus not a good basis for growth theory. More promising is the attempt to create a genuinely endogenous theory of the process of innovation. This notion has always been present in the literature or just beneath the surface. Current ideas, for all their ingenuity, may be too mechanical.
Genetics of asthma and allergy: What have we learned?

The overall purpose of this review is to present an update on genetic approaches to understanding the susceptibility and expression (severity) of common diseases, such as asthma and allergy. Five key questions are addressed in this review: (1) What phenotypes are being studied? Multiple disease phenotypes in carefully characterized patients are required. (2) Are the same genes that are important in disease susceptibility important in disease severity? (3) Are there racial differences in disease expression and genetic susceptibility? (4) Are the genes important in normal variation in lung function important in asthma severity? (5) Are the genes important in other common diseases, such as chronic inflammatory diseases or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, important in asthma or allergy? In addition, a discussion of some of current areas of research is presented, including the issue that current genome-wide association study results do not account for a significant portion of trait variability, the potential role of rare variants and large genome-sequencing studies, and pharmacogenetics: is there a role for basing treatment decisions on the results of genetic testing? Finally, the potential usefulness of DNA, personalized medicine, is discussed.
Bacteriology of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia

Hospital-acquired pneumonia was studied prospectively for 3½ years in a 549-bed facility with acute medical-surgical care wards, convalescent wards, and a chronic care unit. Bacteriological studies were limited to transtracheal aspirates, pleural fluid, and blood cultures. The predominant isolates in 159 patients were gram-negative bacilli (47%), anaerobic bacteria (35%), Staphylococcus aureus (31%), andStreptococcus pneumoniae(26%). Nearly half of all specimens yielded a polymicrobial flora with more than one potential pathogen. Distribution of pathogens was similar with analysis of all patients, including patients with a monomicrobial infection and patients with bacteremic pneumonia. The prevalence of cases and distribution of bacteria were similar for patients located on acute medical-surgical wards and those in the nursing home care unit. Nosocomial pneumonia was judged directly responsible for lethal outcome in 19% of patients and a contributing factor to death in another 13%. (Arch Intern Med1986;146:868-871)
Finding family and friends in the aftermath of a disaster using federated queries on social networks and websites

In the aftermath of any major disaster, people are desperate to find information about their family and friends. The Internet has proven an invaluable tool in this quest. Search engines, social networking sites, government websites, non-governmental organizations' (NGO) websites, and citizen volunteer websites have all proven to be valuable resources. The primary problem for people searching for their family and friends is figuring out where to find information. A secondary issue is that the search mechanism must be accessible to all, including novice users more concerned with answering the simple question, “Are you OK?” and less concerned with learning how to use idiosyncratic technology (such as hashtags) facilitating the search. This paper describes a search system called Family and Friends Finder (F3) that provides a federated search against disparate data sources. The system integrates structured data coming from government and NGO websites along with unstructured data coming from social networks. A prototype system was developed for tropical cyclone Yasi with promising results.
Impact of Storage Rings on Elementary Particle Physics

It is well known that new experimental discoveries often closely follow the development of new technology. There is hardly a better example of this than the close coupling between new discoveries in the frontiers of elementary particle physics and the development of the art and science of making high-energy accelerators. It is almost twenty-five years since the construction of the Bevatron made possible the discovery of the antiproton; and, since that time, knowledge and understanding of particle physics has made enormous strides in step with new developments in both the accelerator and the detector arts. An attempt is made to document how intimately many of the recent advances have been tied to the success in the development of storage rings and colliding beams.
Regarding Reality: Some Consequences of Two Incapacities

By what empirical means can a person determine whether he or she is presently awake or dreaming? Subjecting the experienced reality to a statistical test for bizarreness requires a set of baseline measurements. In a dream or in a simulation, those would be vulnerable to tampering by the same processes that give rise to the experienced reality, making the outcome of a reality test impossible to trust. Moreover, cryptographic defenses against tampering cannot be relied upon, because of the potentially unlimited reach of reality modification, which may range from the integrity of the verification keys to the declared outcome of the entire process. Although the rational course of action in the face of this double predicament is to take reality at face value, even the most revealing insight that a person may gain into the ultimate nature of reality (for instance, by attaining enlightenment) is ultimately unreliable, for the reasons just mentioned. However, to adhere to this principle, one has to be aware of it, which may not be possible in various states of altered cognitive function (e.g., dreaming). Thus, a subjectively enlightened person may still lack the one truly important piece of the puzzle concerning his or her existence.
Effects of electroconvulsive shock on food and water intake in the rat

Abstract Forty-two male rats were habituated to laboratory conditions for four weeks under constant light conditions. Food and water intakes were recorded daily. Following the habituation period half of the animals were given electroconvulsive shock (ECS) and half Sham-ECS (SECS). ECS treatments produced significant decrements in both food and water intakes which returned to baseline levels after three days.
Donepezil plus estradiol treatment enhances learning and delay-dependent memory performance by young ovariectomized rats with partial loss of septal cholinergic neurons

Effects of estrogen therapy on cognitive performance appear to diminish with age and time following the loss of ovarian function. We hypothesize that this is due to a reduction in basal forebrain cholinergic function and that treatment with a cholinergic enhancer can reverse the effect. This study tested whether combining the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil with estradiol treatment can enhance/restore estradiol effects on cognitive performance in young ovariectomized rats with selective lesions of septal cholinergic neurons. 192IgG-saporin was injected directly into the medial septum to produce selective cholinergic lesions. Rats were then treated with donepezil (Don, daily injections of 3mg/kg/day, i.p.) or vehicle, and then with 17β-estradiol (E2, administered by silastic capsule implanted s.c.) or an empty capsule. Rats were trained on a delayed matching-to-position (DMP) T-maze task which previous studies have shown is sensitive to ovariectomy and estrogen replacement. Results show that neither estradiol nor donepezil alone significantly enhanced acquisition of the DMP task in rats with cholinergic lesions. Combination therapy was effective, however, depending on the severity of the lesion. Don+E2 significantly enhanced acquisition of the task in rats with partial lesions (<50% loss of cholinergic neurons), but not in rats with severe lesions. This effect was due largely to a reduction in perseverative behavior. Don+E2 also improved working memory in rats with partial lesions, as evidenced by significantly better performance than controls during increased intertrial delays. These findings suggest that even partial loss of septal cholinergic neurons can reduce effects of estrogen therapy on cognitive performance, and demonstrate that combining a cholinesterase inhibitor with estrogen therapy can help to restore beneficial effects on performance. We propose that combination therapy may have similar beneficial effects in women, particularly in older women who have not used estrogen therapy for many years and are beginning to show signs of cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's disease.
Interaction of granule, Purkinje and inferior olivary neurons in lurcher chimeric mice. II. Granule cell death

Abstract Lurcher «+ ichthyosis chimeric mice were constructed to determine whether the death of cerebellar granule cells in lurcher mutants is caused by intrinsic or extrinsic factors. Quantitative analysis demonstrates that more lurcher granule cells survive in the chimeras than would have in the mutants themselves. Thus the granule cell death is an indirect consequence of the lurcher gene acting on some other cell type, probably the cerebellar Purkinje cells.
The studies of hemoglobinopathies and thalassemia in China--the experiences in Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics.

Abstract Background: In the past two decades, a large-scale survey of hemoglobinopathies and thalassemia was carried out in mainland China, involving nearly one million people in 28 provinces. The incidences of hemoglobin (Hb) variants, α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia were 0.33%, 2.64% and 0.66%, respectively. The chemical structural analysis identified 67 Hb variants. Among them, 20 are new variants. The analysis of the α-globin gene organization in 111 HbH patients showed 76 cases (68.5%) were of the deletion type, 8 had Hb Constant Spring and the other cases were of non-deletion type. The results of the molecular characterization of more than 200 β-thalassemia alleles showed that the most common types of β-thalassemia mutations in China are CD 41/42 (−4 bp), IVS-II-nt.654 C→T, CD 17 A→T, CD 71/72 (+A) and −28 A→G. Methods: To explore the simple method for molecular diagnosis of β-thalassemia, multiplex allele-specific amplification (MAS-PCR) was used that could simultaneously detect the above five common types of β-thalassemia mutations. Results: Based on the molecular analysis of β-thalassemia intermedia, β-thalassemia homozygotes or compound heterozygotes combined with α-thalassemia, as well as the conjunctive abnormalities of β-thalassemia heterozygote with triplicated haplotype of α-globin genes, were the most common cause of thalassemia intermedia in China. We also used the RT-PCR quantitation method to show that the most common β-thalassemia allele, IVS-II-nt.654 C→T, still produced a small amount (about 15%) of normally spliced β-globin mRNA, therefore, causing β+-thalassemia. In clinical trials of hydroxyurea (HU) treatment for β-thalassemia patients, we found that HU may enhance the expression of the β-globin gene in some patients, leading to an alleviation of clinical symptoms. In the studies of the reversal of aberrant splicing of IVS-II-nt.654 C→T allele by the antisense approach, we constructed a mammalian expression vector that can produce an antisense RNA targeting against the aberrant splice sites of IVS-II-nt.654 C→T pre-mRNA. Conclusions: The results indicated that the antisense RNA produced from the vector could efficiently suppress the aberrant splicing pattern and restore the correct splicing pathway in vitro and in vivo, leading to the improvement of globin chain biosynthesis in thalassemia cells.