cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving postoperative quality of care in germ cell tumor patients: Does scheduled alvimopan, acetaminophen, and gabapentin improve short-term clinical outcomes after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection?

Abstract Introduction To determine the benefits of alvimopan and multimodal pain management strategies in men undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer. Methods A retrospective cohort study was completed in men undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection from January 2017 to May 2018. Patients were placed into the 3-drug, 2-drug, and control cohorts as a result of a prospectively determined protocol during the study period. Men in the 3-drug group were managed using alvimopan 12 mg PO the morning of surgery then BID until bowel movement, gabapentin 300 mg daily, and acetaminophen 1,000 mg q6H. The 2-drug group was managed with the above regimen excluding alvimopan. Controls were treated per our standard perioperative pathway. Primary outcomes were length of stay, IV narcotic consumption, bowel movement during hospitalization, and time to bowel movement and assessed in multivariate models controlling for operative time, concomitant surgery, chemotherapy receipt, and residual mass size. Results One-hundred and fifty-two consecutive patients underwent RPLND (42 3-drug, 38 2-drug, and 72 controls). Multivariable models indicated that the 3-drug (IRR 0.89, P Conclusions Multimodal pain management improves length of stay in men undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testis cancer. The addition of alvimopan allows for quicker return of bowel movements and reduces overall narcotic requirements.
Associations between Civic Engagement and Community College Completion in a Nationally Representative Sample of Young Adults.

Educational attainment is associated with voting and political trust, but less is known about whether voting and political trust are associated with subsequently higher educational attainment. In a...
Decreasing postoperative opioid use while managing pain: A prospective study of men who underwent scrotal surgery

Objective To compare postoperative pain control among men who received different quantities of narcotic prescriptions following scrotal surgery. We hypothesized that men receiving eight vs four pills of acetaminophen 300 mg/codeine 30 mg there would be no significant difference in mean pain following scrotal and inguinal surgery. Patients and methods In this prospective, open-label study, men who underwent scrotal surgery received eight or four acetaminophen 300 mg/codeine 30 mg pills. Men were encouraged to take scheduled non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), apply ice on the incision, and take acetaminophen 300 mg/codeine 30 mg as needed for breakthrough pain. Men were evaluated within 1-2 weeks after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and Stata/IC 15.1. Results A total of eighty-seven men met inclusion criteria, fifty-four men received eight acetaminophen/codeine pills, and thirty-three men received four pills. There was no significant difference in mean pain score (0-10) of men receiving eight pills vs four pills in the week after surgery (3.6 ± 1.9 vs 3.3 ± 1.8, P = .5004). Of men who used NSAIDs and ice, 93.5% and 92.3% found them to be moderately or very helpful. Conclusion Reducing the total prescription of combined narcotic/non-narcotic medication is not associated with increased postoperative pain in patients undergoing scrotal/inguinal surgery. There was no difference in postoperative pain in men taking eight or four acetaminophen 300 mg/codeine 30 mg pills. A limited prescription of eight or four pills was adequate for pain control in the majority of men who underwent scrotal surgery. NSAIDs and ice were found to be useful adjuncts for pain relief by those who used them.
Comparison of Reading Growth Among Students With Severe Reading Deficits Who Received Intervention to Typically Achieving Students and Students Receiving Special Education

This study compared the reading growth of students with and without learning disabilities, and students with and without reading deficits in response to tier 2 reading interventions within a response-to-intervention framework. Participants were 499 second- and third-grade students in six urban schools. Students who scored at or below the 10th percentile on the fall reading screening assessment were identified as having a severe reading deficit and received a tier 2 reading intervention that was targeted to their needs. Results showed a significant effect between groups on reading growth. Students with severe reading deficits receiving targeted tier 2 intervention grew at a rate that equaled the rate of growth of students without reading deficits and was significantly higher than students who were receiving special education services for reading. Implications for practice, suggestions for future research, and study limitations are discussed.
Thyroid Nodules and Cancer

Understand why most thyroid nodules are benign; know the general approach for a thyroid nodule work-up; review the causes of thyroid cancer.
Direct comparison of reproducibility and reliability in quantitative assessments of burn scar properties.

Abstract Introduction Determining the efficacy of anti-scar technologies can be difficult as qualitative, subjective assessments are often utilized instead of systematic, objective measures. Perceptions regarding the reliability of instruments for quantitative measurements along with their high cost and increased data collection time may discourage their use, leading to use of scar scales which are relatively quick and low-cost. To directly evaluate the reliability of instruments for quantitative measurements of scar properties, instruments and two qualitative scales were compared by assessing a variety of cutaneous scars. Methods Scar height and surface texture were evaluated using a 3D scanner and a mold/cast technique. Scar color was evaluated by using a spectroscopy-based tool, the Mexameter®, and digital photography with image analysis. Scar biomechanics were evaluated using the BTC-2000™, Dermal Torque Meter (DTM®), and ballistometer®. The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) were used to qualitatively evaluate the same scar properties. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to determine inter- and intra-user reliability (poor, moderate, good, excellent) with all instruments and the kappa reliability statistic was used to asses inter-user reliability (poor, fair, moderate, good, very good) for VSS and POSAS. Time for measurement collection and post-collection analysis was also recorded. Results The Mexameter® was the most reliable method for evaluating erythema and pigmentation compared to digital photography and image processing, POSAS and VSS. Digital photography and analysis was more reliable than POSAS and VSS. Assessment of scar height was significantly more reliable when using a 3D scanner versus VSS and POSAS. The 3D scanner and mold-cast techniques also offered an additional benefit of providing an absolute value to scar height relative to the surrounding tissue. Intra-user reliability for all mechanical tests was moderate to good. Inter-user reliability was greater when using the BTC-2000™ and ballistometer® versus the DTM®. All quantitative measurements took less than 90 seconds for collection, with the exception of the mold/cast technique. Conclusion Non-invasive instruments allow scar properties to be quantitatively assessed with high sensitivity and as a function of time and/or treatment without the need for biopsy collection. Overall, the reliability of scar assessments was significantly improved when quantitative instruments were utilized versus scar scales. Quantitative assessment of color and biomechanics were swift, requiring less than 90 seconds per measurement while assessments of texture and height required additional analysis time post collection. With proper training of clinical staff and well-defined protocols for measurement collection, reliable, quantitative assessments of scar properties can be collected with little disruption to the clinical workflow.
Retinal Degeneration and Alzheimer's Disease: An Evolving Link.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma are degenerative conditions of the retina and a significant cause of irreversible blindness in developed countries. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common dementia of the elderly, is often associated with AMD and glaucoma. The cardinal features of AD include extracellular accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) and intracellular deposits of hyper-phosphorylated tau (p-tau). Neuroinflammation and brain iron dyshomeostasis accompany Aβ and p-tau deposits and, together, lead to progressive neuronal death and dementia. The accumulation of Aβ and iron in drusen, the hallmark of AMD, and Aβ and p-tau in retinal ganglion cells (RGC), the main retinal cell type implicated in glaucoma, and accompanying inflammation suggest overlapping pathology. Visual abnormalities are prominent in AD and are believed to develop before cognitive decline. Some are caused by degeneration of the visual cortex, while others are due to RGC loss or AMD-associated retinal degeneration. Here, we review recent information on Aβ, p-tau, chronic inflammation, and iron dyshomeostasis as common pathogenic mechanisms linking the three degenerative conditions, and iron chelation as a common therapeutic option for these disorders. Additionally discussed is the role of prion protein, infamous for prion disorders, in Aβ-mediated toxicity and, paradoxically, in neuroprotection.
Detection and identification of Giardia species using real-time PCR and sequencing.

Abstract We report a specific region of Giardia spp. 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rDNA) that serves as an ideal target for quantitative PCR (qPCR) detection and sequencing to identify Giardia species, including the clinically-relevant G. duodenalis , in clinical and environmental samples. The presence of multiple copies of the 18S rDNA gene and variations in the selected 18S genomic region enabled the development of a rapid, sensitive qPCR screening method for the detection of Giardia spp. The analytical sensitivity of the Giardia qPCR assay was determined to be a cyst equivalent of 0.4 G. duodenalis cysts per PCR reaction. Amplicon sequencing of the PCR product confirmed Giardia spp. detection and among the 35 sequences obtained, 31, 3 and 1 isolates were classified as belonging to G. duodenalis, G. microti and G. muris , respectively. The TaqMan assay reported here may be useful for the detection of low levels of Giardia in clinical and environmental samples, and further enables the effective use of direct sequencing of the PCR product for Giardia confirmation and to identify major species of Giardia, including G. duodenalis.
US Health Care Spending by Race and Ethnicity, 2002-2016.

Importance Measuring health care spending by race and ethnicity is important for understanding patterns in utilization and treatment. Objective To estimate, identify, and account for differences in health care spending by race and ethnicity from 2002 through 2016 in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants This exploratory study included data from 7.3 million health system visits, admissions, or prescriptions captured in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2002-2016) and the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (2002-2012), which were combined with the insured population and notified case estimates from the National Health Interview Survey (2002; 2016) and health care spending estimates from the Disease Expenditure project (1996-2016). Exposure Six mutually exclusive self-reported race and ethnicity groups. Main Outcomes and Measures Total and age-standardized health care spending per person by race and ethnicity for each year from 2002 through 2016 by type of care. Health care spending per notified case by race and ethnicity for key diseases in 2016. Differences in health care spending across race and ethnicity groups were decomposed into differences in utilization rate vs differences in price and intensity of care. Results In 2016, an estimated $2.4 trillion (95% uncertainty interval [UI], $2.4 trillion-$2.4 trillion) was spent on health care across the 6 types of care included in this study. The estimated age-standardized total health care spending per person in 2016 was $7649 (95% UI, $6129-$8814) for American Indian and Alaska Native (non-Hispanic) individuals; $4692 (95% UI, $4068-$5202) for Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) individuals; $7361 (95% UI, $6917-$7797) for Black (non-Hispanic) individuals; $6025 (95% UI, $5703-$6373) for Hispanic individuals; $9276 (95% UI, $8066-$10 601) for individuals categorized as multiple races (non-Hispanic); and $8141 (95% UI, $8038-$8258) for White (non-Hispanic) individuals, who accounted for an estimated 72% (95% UI, 71%-73%) of health care spending. After adjusting for population size and age, White individuals received an estimated 15% (95% UI, 13%-17%;P Conclusions and Relevance In the US from 2002 through 2016, health care spending varied by race and ethnicity across different types of care even after adjusting for age and health conditions. Further research is needed to determine current health care spending by race and ethnicity, including spending related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Impact of Proper Opioid Disposal Education.

BACKGROUND Every day, more than 190 people in the United States die from opioid overdose. Unused opioid medications pose a risk to the patient and the community as they increase the potential for abuse or misuse. A contributing factor is lack of education on the proper disposal methods of unused opioid medications. PURPOSE The purpose of this quasi-experimental nursing study was to examine whether providing education on proper disposal of opioid medications would increase the proportion of patients who properly dispose of unused opioids. METHODS The study site's mandatory orthopaedic preoperative class was used for consenting patients. The control group did not receive targeted education on opioid disposal, whereas the intervention group did receive targeted education. A total of 86 patients were consented during Months 1 and 2 of the study. Forty-one patients were in the control group and 45 were in the intervention group. Demographic variables such as age, gender, and marital status were collected to determine whether certain demographic factors had an influence over whether or not opioids would be disposed of properly. FINDINGS Those in the intervention group who attended the class were slightly younger than those in the control group (68.2 ± 9.9 years vs. 70.3 ± 10.6 years, p = .5098), primarily male (57.5% vs. 35.0%, p = .0436), and more likely to live with a significant other (94.7% vs. 74.4%, p = .0249). Of those who had medication left over, 62.5% disposed of their unused opioid prescription in the intervention group compared with 40.7% in the control group (p = .1208). In the intervention group, 86.7% of the individuals with leftover medication disposed of it correctly compared with 63.5% in the control group (p = .3478). CONCLUSION Those who received education on appropriate opioid disposal were more likely to dispose of it in general as well as dispose of it correctly. Although not statistically significant, the findings from this study are clinically significant in that they provide direction on the importance of standardized and focused patient education on proper opioid disposal.
Automated design of Bayesian perceptual inference networks

We previously presented (Sarkar and Boyer, 1993) the Perceptual Inference Network (PIN), a formalism based on Bayesian Networks, to reason among a set of object or feature hypotheses and to integrate multiple sources of information in the context of perceptual organization. The design of a PIN requires knowledge of the dependency structure among the organizations of interest and the specification of the conditional probabilities. This design was done manually with large doses of tedium and guesswork. In this paper we present an algorithm based on structural entropic measures and random parametric structural descriptions (RPSDs) to design a PIN automatically and in a (more) theoretically sound fashion. Experimental results present evidence of the robustness of the algorithm and make performance comparisons on real image data with a manually structured PIN. Since PINs are a form of Bayesian Network, we hope that this work will also prove useful towards structuring Bayesian Networks in other computer vision contexts. >
Anti–VLA4/VCAM-1—Induced Mobilization Requires Cooperative Signaling Through the kit/mkit Ligand Pathway

Although a large body of data on mobilization have yielded valuable clues, the mechanism(s) dictating egress of stem/progenitor cells during baseline hematopoiesis and after their mobilization are poorly understood. We have previously provided functional in vivo evidence that cytoadhesion molecules, specifically the beta1 integrins, are involved in mobilization; however, the mechanism by which this was achieved was unclear. To provide further insights into the anti-very late antigen 4 (VLA4)/anti-vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1)-induced mobilization, we used these antibodies to treat mutant mice with compromised growth factor receptor function. We found that mobilization by anti-VLA4 does not depend on a functional granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-7 (IL-7), or IL-3alpha receptor. By contrast, the functional kit receptor is required, because W/Wv mice responded minimally, whereas Steel-Dickie (Sl/Sld) responded normally. Both Wv and Sl/Sld mice did not respond to anti-VCAM-1 treatment, in contrast to their +/+ littermates and despite normal levels of VCAM-1 expression in bone marrow cells. The defective response to anti-VCAM-1 in W/Wv mice was corrected after their transplantation with +/+ cells. mev/mev mice showed increased numbers of circulating progenitors before treatment and a heightened response after anti-VLA4 or anti-VCAM-1 treatment. Downmodulation of kit expression was detected in normal bone marrow cells after anti-VLA4 treatment. On the strength of the above findings we conclude that (1) anti-VLA4/VCAM-1-induced mobilization likely requires signaling for stimulation of cell migration; (2) this cooperative signaling involves the kit/kit ligand pathway, and provides a novel example of integrin/cytokine crosstalk; and (3) migration mediated through the kit/kit ligand pathway may be a common contributor to different mobilization stimuli. Dissection of the exact molecular pathways that lead to mobilization remains a future challenge.
The pharmacokinetics of the interstitial space in humans

The pharmacokinetics of extracellular solutes is determined by the blood-tissue exchange kinetics and the volume of distribution in the interstitial space in the different organs. This information can be used to develop a general physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model applicable to most extracellular solutes. The human pharmacokinetic literature was surveyed to tabulate the steady state and equilibrium volume of distribution of the solutes mannitol, EDTA, morphine-6-glucuronide, morphine-3-glucuronide, inulin and β-lactam antibiotics with a range of protein binding (amoxicillin, piperacillin, cefatrizine, ceforanide, flucloxacillin, dicloxacillin). A PBPK data set was developed for extracellular solutes based on the literature for interstitial organ volumes. The program PKQuest was used to generate the PBPK model predictions. The pharmacokinetics of the protein (albumin) bound β-lactam antibiotics were characterized by two parameters: 1) the free fraction of the solute in plasma; 2) the interstitial albumin concentration. A new approach to estimating the capillary permeability is described, based on the pharmacokinetics of the highly protein bound antibiotics. About 42% of the total body water is extracellular. There is a large variation in the organ distribution of this water – varying from about 13% of total tissue water for skeletal muscle, up to 70% for skin and connective tissue. The weakly bound antibiotics have flow limited capillary-tissue exchange kinetics. The highly protein bound antibiotics have a significant capillary permeability limitation. The experimental pharmacokinetics of the 11 solutes is well described using the new PBPK data set and PKQuest. Only one adjustable parameter (systemic clearance) is required to completely characterize the PBPK for these extracellular solutes. Knowledge of just this systemic clearance allows one to predict the complete time course of the absolute drug concentrations in the major organs. PKQuest is freely available http://www.pkquest.com .
Counter Cultures, Group Dynamics and Religious Terrorism

Totalistic ideologies are breeding grounds for radicalization. Communities that adhere to such ideologies tend to rally when they feel threatened by powerful outsiders. Under such circumstances, co...
Of Indians and Anthropologists

The Modern Sioux: Social Systems and Reservation Culture. Ethel Nurge, ed. The Cherokee Nation of Indians. Charles C. Royce. Introduction by Richard Mack Bettis, President, Tulsa Tsa-La-Gi-Ya Cherokee Community. Native American Library. Historical Sketch of the Cherokee. James Mooney. Foreword by W. W. Keeler, Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Introduction by Richard Mack Bettis, President, Tulsa Tsa-La-Gi-Ya Cherokee Community. Native American Library.
A heuristic global optimization algorithm and its application to CMOS circuit variability minimization

A global optimization method with heuristic searching methodology is presented. By introducing the strategy of cluster analysis and random reflection adjustment, the optimum searching procedure is put in an adaptive mode. Numerical testing and design practice of IC variability minimization show that the algorithm is moderately robust and efficient. Since no strict assumptions about the objective function are made, it is suitable for different formulations of various design optimization problems, such as l/sub 1/ norm and minimax designs. >
Left-right spin asymmetry in ℓN↑→hX

In this study, we consider the inclusive production of hadrons in lepton-nucleon scattering. For a transversely polarized nucleon this reaction shows a left-right azimuthal asymmetry, which we compute in twist-3 collinear factorization at leading order in perturbation theory. All non-perturbative parton correlators of the calculation are fixed through information from other hard processes. Our results for the left-right asymmetry agree in sign with recent data for charged pion production from the HERMES Collaboration and from Jefferson Lab. However, the magnitude of the computed asymmetries tends to be larger than the data. Potential reasons for this outcome are identified. We also give predictions for future experiments and highlight in particular the unique opportunities at an Electron Ion Collider.
Traumatic Coxofemoral Luxation In Dogs Results of Repair

The medical records of 171 dogs with traumatic hip luxations were examined. German shepherds, mixed breeds, and poodles were significantly overrepresented. The mean age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 4.4 years (range 5 months to 14 years). Vehicular trauma caused 83% of the 133 luxations where the etiology was known; 53% had at least one other diagnosed traumatic injury. Long-term results were obtained from owner questionnaires (25 dogs) or clinical and radiographic examinations (11 hip joints). The short-term recurrence rate after closed reduction (47.3%) was higher than that after surgical reduction using any of the three surgical techniques most frequently used here (9.5, 12.5, and 14.3%), even when the operation was performed after failure of a closed reduction (11.8%). Excluding dogs that had a femoral head ostectomy, 68% (17 of 25) of the dogs had a normal gait, 16% had only a mild lameness, and 16% had more severe lameness when evaluated on an average of 31 months after repair. Of 11 hip joints radiographed on an average of 25 months following repair, five had no radio-graphic abnormalities related to the luxation and six showed one or more of the following: periosteal new bone formation, femoral head subluxation, partial resorption of the femoral head, periarticular osteophytes, and subchondral bone erosion. Closed reduction should be the initial treatment of choice in uncomplicated luxations even though the rate of reluxation is high, because it avoids the need for surgery in approximately one half of affected dogs and does not increase the recurrence rate following subsequent surgical reduction.
Evidence-based management of toxic multinodular goiter (Plummer's Disease).

Background Toxic multinodular goiter (Plummer’s disease) has posed challenges to surgeons, endocrinologists, and radiation oncologists since its description in 1913. A literature review with evidenced-based methodology has not yet been reported.
Early Engineering Studies of the TPF-Coronagraph Telescope

The Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C) is currently conducting preliminary design and analysis studies based on an 8x3.5m elliptical aperture, monolithic lightweight primary mirror feeding a Lyot coronagraph. The primary and secondary mirrors will have very tight static performance and stability requirements. We report on recent integrated modeling activities and trade studies. We present the requirements on the telescope; these are quite preliminary at this early project phase. Then we present the first baseline telescope design and report on preliminary assessments of s tability performance. We report on the technology demonstration mirror (TDM) which is intended to retire some of the fabrication risks associated with the TPF-C primary mirror. As an example of the various trade studies completed or underway we present a mirror shape trade study.
A precondition prover for analogy.

Abstract We describe here a prover PC (precondition) that normally acts as an ordinary theorem prover, but which returns a ‘precondition’ when it is unable to prove the given formula. If F is the formula attempted to be proved and PC returns the precondition Q, then (Q → F) is a theorem (that PC can prove). This prover, PC, uses a proof-plan. In its simplest mode, when there is no proof-plan, it acts like ordinary abduction. We show here how this method can be used to derive certain proofs by analogy. To do this, it uses a proof-plan from a given guiding proof to help construct the proof of a similar theorem, by ‘debugging’ (automatically) that proof-plan. We show here the analogy proofs of a few simple example theorems and one hard pair, Ex4 and Ex4L. The given proof-plan for Ex4 is used by the system to prove automatically Ex4; and that same proof-plan is then used to prove Ex4L, during which the proof-plan is ‘debugged’ (automatically). These two examples are similar to two other, more difficult, theorems from the theory of resolution, namely GCR (the ground completeness of resolution) and GCLR (the ground completeness of lock resolution). GCR and GCLR have also been handled, in essence, by this system but not completed in all their details.
First-principles nonlocal-pseudopotential approach in the density-functional formalism. II. Application to electronic and structural properties of solids

We apply our previously developed first-principles nonlocal pseudopotentials (obtained for all atoms of rows 1-5 in the Periodic Table) to study self-consistently the electronic structure of Si and Ge and the transition metals Mo and W. For Si and Ge we find that the first-principles pseudopotentials yield valenceband states in good agreement with the empirically adjusted pseudopotential and photoemission data, whereas the low conduction-band states appear to be consistently lower in energy due apparently to incomplete cancellation of the self-interaction effects. The calculated x-ray scattering factors (obtained by core orthogonalization of the pseudo-wave-functions) are in excellent agreement with experiment. The self-consistent valence charge density shows a distinct elongation of the covalent bond along the internuclear axis, in good agreement with the experimentally synthesized density. The systematic deviations of the empirical pseudopotential results from the present are discussed in terms of the underlying differences in the potentials in the high-momentum regions. Using a mixed Gaussian-plane-wave representation, we calculated the self-consistent band structures of Mo and W, and compared them with the available augmented-plane-wave results. We find good agreement in the internal structure of the $d$ bands, however, the present nonmuffin-tin self-consistent calculation yields substantially different $s\ensuremath{-}d$ and $p\ensuremath{-}d$ splittings. The bonding characteristics and Fermi surfaces in these materials are discussed. Finally, we show that these first-principles potentials provide a topological separation of both the octet ${A}^{N}{B}^{8\ensuremath{-}N}$ and the suboctet ${A}^{N}{B}^{P\ensuremath{-}N}$ ($3\ensuremath{\le}P\ensuremath{\le}6$) crystal structures. It is concluded that the presently developed pseudopotentials can be successfully used for studying both the electronic structure of wide range of materials and structural properties, without resorting to empirical parametrization.
Mapping of Interdomain Interfaces Required for the Functional Architecture of Yor1p, a Eukaryotic ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) Transporter

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are a large superfamily of proteins that mediate substrate translocation across biological membranes. Our goal was to define the intramolecular interactions that contribute to quaternary assembly of a eukaryotic ABC transporter and determine how the architecture of this protein influences its biogenesis within the secretory pathway. We used chemical cross-linking approaches to map interdomain interactions in the yeast ABC transporter, Yor1p, which functions as a pleiotropic drug pump at the plasma membrane. We have defined interactions between the two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) and between the NBDs and specific intracellular loops (ICLs) that are consistent with current structural models of bacterial ABC exporters. Furthermore, we detected relatively weak NBD-NBD and ICL-ICL interactions that may correspond to transient sites of cross-talk between domains required for coupling of ATP hydrolysis with substrate translocation. Mutation of a key residue in ICL2 caused misassembly of the altered protein, leading to increased sensitivity to the mitochondrial poison, oligomycin. We identified intragenic suppressing mutations that rescued the oligomycin resistance associated with this aberrant protein and demonstrated that the suppressing mutations restored multiple interdomain interfaces. Together, our biochemical and genetic approaches contribute to a greater understanding of the architecture of this important class of proteins and provide insight into the quality control surveillance that regulates their biogenesis and deployment within the eukaryotic cell.
A history of cancer rehabilitation.

More than 8 million people in the United States have a history of cancer and more than 1 million new cancers are diagnosed each year. The 5-year survival rates for most tumors continue to improve due to earlier detection and treatment strategies. With increased cancer survival rates, there is a greater need for physiatrists (physicians trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation) to coordinate rehabilitation services and prepare a comprehensive plan for treatment and follow-up. Rehabilitation for patients with cancer should be no different from rehabilitation for other diagnostic conditions. The ultimate goal should be the achievement of the highest functional status possible within the limits of the disease and the patient's choices. Physiatrists have training that enables them to assess functional disability, biomechanics, quality of life, and human development, as well as the knowledge to prescribe appropriate medications, modalities, and orthotic, prosthetic, and assistive devices. An examination of the history of cancer rehabilitation will steer us toward future success for our patients. It is important that past lessons direct us away from pitfalls, and that patients receive the rehabilitation services to which they are entitled.
Walt Whitman and the American reader

Preface Part I. Whitman and the Conditions for Authorship in Nineteenth-century America: 1. Homage to the tenth muse 2. The evolution of American literary culture, 1820-50 3. Going forth into literary America 4. 'I am a writer, for the press and otherwise' Part II. Whitman, Leaves of Grass and the Reader: 5. Intentions and ambitions 6. Whitman and the reader, 1855 7. The public response 8. Whitman and the reader, 1856 9. 'Publish yourself of your own personality' 10. 1860: 'year of meteors' 11. Whitman and his readers through the century Notes Index.
Generating-Tree Isomorphisms for Pattern-Avoiding Involutions

We show that for k ≥ 5 and the permutations τ k = (k − 1)k(k − 2). . .312 and J k = k(k − 1). . .21, the generating tree for involutions avoiding the pattern τ k is isomorphic to the generating tree for involutions avoiding the pattern J k . This implies a family of Wilf equivalences for pattern avoidance by involutions.
Distribution of DNA and RNA content in the bone marrow and alveolar macrophages of rats after subchronic inhalation of formaldehyde

The technique of flow cytometry was used to monitor the cell-cycle distribution of DNA and RNA in selected tissues of rats that were subchronically exposed to formaldehyde (HCHO) inhalation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats inhaled HCHO vapor concentrations of 0, 0.5, 3, or 15 ppm for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week, for up to 24 weeks. Simultaneous two-parameter measurements were made on a Phywe ICP 22 pulse cytophotometer by use of an acridine orange stain of the DNA and RNA of each cell sampled. No significant changes relative to the controls were determined in the percentage S and G2 + M phases of the DNA from sample tissues of the HCHO-exposed animals. Increases of 50 to 60% in the RNA content of G1 cells (RI) in the alveolar macrophages were seen after 1 week of exposure at all three HCHO doses. This effect was diminished after subchronic exposure. No HCHO-related effect was observed, though, in the RI of the rat bone marrow cells at any time point. However, the observed changes in RNA content were of rather limited magnitude relative to the cell-cycle perturbation induced by known cytotoxic agents in this and other flow cytometry studies. These modest and transient RI increases therefore probably did not reflect any significant effect on cell viability or cell proliferation in the affected tissues.
Putting resources into practice

English has been deemed the most successful language ever, having more than a billion speakers internationally. English will probably maintain and grow its dominance, moving from being ‘a marker of...
Altered T-dependent antigen responses and development of autoimmune symptoms in mice lacking E2A in T lymphocytes.

E2A has been shown to be an important transcription factor downstream of the T-cell receptor (TCR) signal during T-cell development. The TCR signal is known to elicit different cellular responses at different stages of T-cell development. Whether E2A is still required for normal TCR signalling in mature T cells is unknown. Here we examined T-cell function after disruption of the E2A gene exclusively in the T-cell lineage. The conditional E2A-deficient mice show enhanced humoral immunity to a T-dependent antigen. We further show that E2A is involved in regulating TCR-induced T-cell proliferation events. However, E2A seems to play opposite roles in naive and effector T cells. In the absence of E2A, TCR-induced proliferation is increased in naive T cells and decreased in effector T cells. At older ages, these mice frequently develop antinuclear antibodies and proteinuria. Our studies suggest that E2A regulates T-cell function and the loss of E2A may promote age-dependent autoimmune diseases.
Empirical determination of the o+o collision frequency

Abstract The collision frequency between an oxygen atom and its singly charged ion controls the transfer of energy between the solar radiation and the thermosphere. We define a factor F , often called the Burnside factor, as the ratio of the empirical to the theoretical collision frequencies whose deviation from unity is a measure of inconsistency between theory and observation. Assuming given values for the theoretical parameters, here we apply the observational data to the empirical determination of this factor. The data are taken at the Millstone Hill Observatory, which consist of two distinct sets of data A and B. Three methods of analysis have been used. These are the method of linear-least-squares, a method due to Hines et al., 1997 , and a third method based on lognormal distribution of the data. While the linear-least-squares and lognormal distribution methods are based on Gaussian and lognormal distributions, respectively, no distribution assumption is made in the Hines et al. method, and this makes the method more general. The linear-least-squares and the Hines et al. methods give consistent estimates for F , differing in values from each other by only a few units in their third decimal places. Based on Pesnell et al., 1993 calculated collision frequency, the F estimates for the sets A and B are 0.91 and 1.06, respectively. In addition, Hines et al., 1997 and lognormal distribution methods set rigorous upper and lower bounds on the estimates of F . The bounds in the two methods are consistent with each other. Designating the true value of F by F t , based on Pesnell et al. calculated collision frequency, we obtain 0.89 F t F t F t = 1.0. We have also shown that the deviation of F for each measurement from F t is lognormally distributed. It is shown that a shift of about 15% of the F estimates between the two sets indicated above is principally due to systematic errors in the oxygen atom densities in the two sets, which is of the order of 11%. An alternative way to find the atomic oxygen density by calculation is suggested here. To recommend a realistic formula for the user to calculate the collision frequency, without rigorous justification, we average the two estimates of F , leading to F = 0.98. Since the Pesnell et al., 1993 formula is valid to two significant figures, we recommend their formula with an uncertainty of 8% attached to it, which is due to the difference between the two estimates of F .
Gene Expression Changes in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J Mice Following Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Background Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Not all women who consume alcohol during pregnancy have children with FASD and studies have shown that genetic factors can play a role in ethanol teratogenesis. We examined gene expression in embryos and placentae from C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) mice following prenatal alcohol exposure. B6 fetuses are susceptible to morphological malformations following prenatal alcohol exposure while D2 are relatively resistant.
Phytogeographical outline of aquatic and wetland angiosperms in continental eastern North America

Abstract The distributions of native North American hydrophytes, other than those of widespread range, are correlated here with the eastern and midwestern physiographic regions of the continent. These regions reflect the present-day topography of the landscape that has resulted from the past geological, climatological, glacial, and floristic history. From the time of the origin of the angiosperms, the oldest regions available for their occupancy in eastern North America were the southern Appalachian Upland and the Interior Highlands or Ozark-Ouachita Plateau. These large areas have been available for plant occupancy since the retreat of the continental Cretaceous seas and the withdrawal of the Wisconsinan glacial ice sheet. Those hydrophytes that originated or invaded the southern Appalachian Upland or the Interior Highlands, have had the oppurtunity to spread in various directions and at different times as the result of geological and historical events on the continent. The following migrations of hydrophytes must have occured from the Southern Appalachian Upland and/or the Interior Highlands: (1) invasion of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains that became available following withdrawal of the Cretaceous seas and later following the retreat of the Eocene and Miocene waters during the Tertiary; (2) invasion of the largest region, the northern US and Canada, that became available for extensive occupation of plants following the retreat of the Wisconsinan glacier. The invasion of non-indigenous (foreign, alien) species has occurred since the mid-eighteenth century by the migration and settlement of European people on the North American continent. These invasive species can be recognized into six broad distribution patterns: (1) widespread; (2) northern US and Canada and western US and British Columbia; (3) northeastern US and eastern Canada; (4) southeastern US and pacific Coastal States; (5) southeastern US; (6) Coastal Pacific States of the US. In North America, aquatic and wetland species, both native and foreign, may have parallel distributions. Native species are expanding and contracting conforming to distributional patterns already The invasions of foreign species through time develop distributions that also come to conform to ranges and patterns similar to those of native species. For example, similar distributional ranges are evident with both native and non-native species that occupy the Coastal Plains of the eastern southern US, the northeastern US and southeastern Canada, and inland to include the Great lakes region and even farther western, and also in the individual states of California and Florida The distribution patterns of present-day aquatic and wetland angiosperms, at the continental or worldwide scope, are primarily the result f two major disturbances on the earth surface: (1) the natural disturbance from Pleistocene Glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere, and (2) the artificial disturbance from agricultural, industrial, and recreational activities of human beings throughout the entire world.
Observation of critical coupling in a fiber taper to a silica-microsphere whispering-gallery mode system

We present the observation of critical coupling in a high-Q fused-silica microsphere whispering-gallery mode resonator coupled to a fiber taper. Extremely efficient and controlled power transfer to high-Q (∼10^7) resonators has been demonstrated. Off-resonance scattering loss was measured to be less than 0.3%. On-resonance extinction in transmitted optical power through the fiber coupler was measured as high as 26 dB at the critical coupling point. This result opens up a range of new applications in fields as diverse as near-field sensing and quantum optics.
Potential functions for a compressible and anisotropic plasma medium

It is shown that, in a compressible and anisotropic plasma medium when both electric and magnetic current sources are present, the longitudinal components of the electric and magnetic fields and the pressure variation satisfy the inhomogeneous coupled wave equations. Generalised potential functions for the solution of such equations are presented. The complicated, difficult problem of analysing sources radiating in a compressible and anisotropic plasma is thus reduced to the solution of Helmholtz equations. Expressions for the determination of the transverse components of the electric and magnetic fields with sources are also derived. As an application of the general formulas, a complete solution for a magnetic line source is worked out in detail.
Effect of Previous Ileosigmoidostomy on Survival Period of Dogs with Low Ileal Obstruction

Conclusions1. Preliminary ileosigmoidostomy results in increased survival period following establishment of low ileal obstruction. 2. Adaptation of the ileum to conditions of the colon preliminary to obstruction results in increase of functional length with subsequent increased survival period. 3. The lethal factors in low ileal obstructions, although not well understood are apparently dependent upon some peculiarity or alteration of function of the bowel above the level of obstruction.
Cellular and learned tolerances for ethanol hypothermia

Abstract Four groups of rats received ethanol: 1) intermittently while experiencing hypothermia, 2) chronically while experiencing hypothermia, 3) intermittently while protected from hypothermia, and 4) chronically while being protected from hypothermia. On postchronic testing, Group 1 showed tolerance to 2.0 and 2.3 but not 2.7 g/kg ethanol, Group 2 was tolerant to all 3 doses, Group 3 was tolerant to none, and Group 4 was tolerant only to 2.7 g/kg. On withdrawal of chronic ethanol or vehicle, Groups 1 and 2 showed trends to lose tolerance which became significant after subsequent extinction training. The treatments were repeated in other rats up to postchronic test for test for tolerance, after which they were killed at 15–120 min after ethanol to assay serum and brain concentrations. Serum and brain levels of ethanol were higher in Groups 2 and 4 despite less intense hypothermia (i.e., no metabolic tolerance). Analysis of covariance indicated less tolerance in Group 1 vs. Group 2 and Group 3 vs. Group 4 for the same brain levels of ethanol (i.e., cellular tolerance in Groups 2 and 4). Therefore, both learned and cellular tolerances were observed in these subjects and appeared to be separable phenomena according to the various treatments imposed.
Finite temperature quantum logic

The engineering of practical quantum computers requires dealing with the so-called "temperature mismatch problem". More specifically, analysis of quantum logic using ensembles of quantum systems typically assumes very low temperatures, kT<< E, where T is the temperature, k is the Boltzmann's constant, and E is the energy separation used to represent the two different states of the qubits. On the other hand, in practice the electronics necessary to control these quantum gates will almost certainly have to operate at much higher temperatures. One solution to this problem is to construct electronic components that are able to work at very low temperatures, but the practical engineering of these devices continues to face many difficult challenges. Another proposed solution is to study the behavior of quantum gates devices continues to face many difficult challenges. Another proposed solution is to study the behavior of quantum gates different from the T=0 case, where collective interactions and stochastic phenomena are not taken into consideration. In this paper we discuss several aspects of quantum logic at finite temperature. In particular, we present analysis of the behavior of quantum systems undergoing a specified computation performed by quantum gates at nonzero temperature. Our main interest is the effect of temperature on the practical implementation of quantum computers to solve potentially large and time-consuming computations.
An introduction to the UCSC Genome Browser.

The Genome Browser at the University of California Santa Cruz provides a uniform graphical interface to sequences, features, and annotations of genomes across a wide spectrum of organisms, from yeast to humans. In particular, it covers seven nematode genomes: Caenorhabditis elegans, C. sp. 11, C. brenneri, C. briggsae, C. remanei, C. japonica, and Pristionchus pacificus and thus is particularly useful for multiple-genome comparative analysis. One can use the provided tools and visual aides to facilitate sequence feature detection and examination. This article provides a brief introduction for using the Genome Browser from the perspective of a C. elegans researcher. Interested users should read the official user guide and explore the site more deeply as there are many more features not mentioned here.