cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Monoclonal Gammopathy with Progression to ESKD among US Veterans

Background and objectives Whether patients with monoclonal protein are at a higher risk for progression of kidney disease is not known. The goal of this study was to measure the association of monoclonal protein with progression to ESKD. Design, setting, participants, & measurements This was a retrospective cohort study of 2,156,317 patients who underwent serum creatinine testing between October 1, 2000 and September 30, 2001 at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center, among whom 21,898 had paraprotein testing within 1 year before or after cohort entry. Progression to ESKD was measured using linked data from the US Renal Data System. Results Overall, 1,741,707 cohort members had an eGFR≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, 283,988 had an eGFR of 45–59 ml/min per 1.73 m2, 103,123 had an eGFR of 30–44 ml/min per 1.73 m2 and 27,499 had an eGFR of 15–29 ml/min per 1.73 m2. The crude incidence of ESKD ranged from 0.7 to 80 per 1000 person-years from the highest to lowest eGFR category. Patients with low versus preserved eGFR were more likely to be tested for monoclonal protein but no more likely to have a positive test result. In adjusted analyses, a positive versus negative test result was associated with a higher risk of ESKD among patients with an eGFR≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (hazard ratio, 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.22 to 2.29) and those with an eGFR of 15–29 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (hazard ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.77), but not among those with an eGFR of 30–59 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Progression to ESKD was attributed to a monoclonal process in 21 out of 76 versus seven out of 174 patients with monoclonal protein and preserved versus severely reduced eGFR at cohort entry. Conclusions The detection of monoclonal protein provides little information on ESKD risk for most patients with a low eGFR. Further study is required to better understand factors contributing to a positive association of monoclonal protein with ESKD risk in patients with preserved and severely reduced levels of eGFR.
Construction of Sparse Weighted Directed Network (SWDN) from the Multivariate Time-Series

There are many studies focusing on network detection in multivariate (MV) time-series data. A great deal of focus have been on estimation of brain networks using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalogram (EEG). We present a sparse weighted directed network (SWDN) estimation approach which can detect the underlying minimum spanning network with maximum likelihood and estimated weights based on linear Gaussian conditional relationship in the MV time-series. Considering the brain neuro-imaging signals as the multivariate data, we evaluated the performance of the proposed approach using the publicly available fMRI data-set and the results of the similar study which had evaluated popular network estimation approaches on the simulated fMRI data.
The Professional Development of Teachers

This chapter provides a brief synopsis of past and present teacher preparation and credentialing practices along with common professional development (PD) programs emphasized in the United States and their influence in shaping instructional activities that have dominated classroom instruction. Research studies reveal that the PD of teachers has been costly yet ineffective. Thus, a consensus view of effective PD based on the learning sciences has been formed and is being promoted by the US Department of Education, among others. The latest view of effective PD may still fall short if we do not address the underlying constructs that determine a teacher’s PPATs such as their mental model of how students learn, their implicit theories of intelligence, and the forms of knowledge they employ. Addressing these constructs has the potential to create conceptual change in teachers, adjusting their PPATs to be more learner centered, and supporting the use of formative assessment practices. In addition to addressing these constructs, a new vision should be cast based on what students need to know and be able to do in a knowledge economy and teachers need to be trained and prepared to equip them accordingly.
Cell-machine interfaces for characterizing gene regulatory network dynamics.

Abstract Gene regulatory networks and the dynamic responses they produce offer a wealth of information about how biological systems process information about their environment. Recently, researchers interested in dissecting these networks have been outsourcing various parts of their experimental workflow to computers. Here we review how, using microfluidic or optogenetic tools coupled with fluorescence imaging, it is now possible to interface cells and computers. These platforms enable scientists to perform informative dynamic stimulations of genetic pathways and monitor their reaction. It is also possible to close the loop and regulate genes in real time, providing an unprecedented view of how signals propagate through the network. Finally, we outline new tools that can be used within the framework of cell–machine interfaces.
Sleep and health in older adults

Abstract Sleep characteristics can change considerably with aging. The homeostatic sleep drive and circadian rhythm are less robust in older adults than in young adults. Age-related changes in sleep make older adults more prone to developing sleep problems; however, disturbed sleep is not a part of normal aging. Disturbed sleep or sleep problems in aging are largely due to existing medical conditions and polypharmacy use in older adults. Research suggests that disturbed sleep can also result in a range of adverse health outcomes in older adults. This chapter provides a brief overview of changes of sleep in normal aging, sleep disorders in older adults, and current evidence on the relationship between sleep and health outcomes including cognitive functions, cardiovascular health, psychiatric illnesses, and pain in older adults. More research that examine these associations are needed. Future research also needs to explore whether adding strategies that promote sleep health could benefit the management of concurrent medical conditions and vice versa.
Perspectives of health educators and interviewers in a randomized controlled trial of a postpartum diabetes prevention program for Latinas: a qualitative assessment.

Lifestyle interventions regularly rely on study staff to implement the intervention and collect outcomes data directly from study participants. This study describes the experiences of project staff in two randomized controlled trials of a postpartum lifestyle intervention to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes in Latinas. Latinas are the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. and have the highest rates of type 2 diabetes after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus. The challenges of implementing lifestyle interventions for postpartum women have been poorly documented. A qualitative focus group was conducted with eight staff members (five health educators and three health interviewers) involved in Proyecto Mama and Estudio Parto. The discussion was audio recorded, transcribed, and coded in NVivo. Focus group topics included: 1) participant recruitment, 2) participant retention, 3) implementation of the lifestyle intervention, 4) assessment of behavior change, 5) overall challenges and rewarding aspects of the trial, and 6) recommended changes for future trials. Key themes emerged regarding enabling factors and barriers to implementing a lifestyle intervention in postpartum Latinas. Enabling factors included: a) the staff’s belief in the importance of the intervention, b) opportunities associated with the longitudinal nature of the trial, c) belief that the staff could empower participants to make behavior change, d) benefits of flexible intervention sessions, and e) connection with participants due to shared cultural backgrounds. Barriers included: a) participant stressors: home, food, and financial insecurity, b) low health literacy, c) issues related to recent immigration to the continental U.S., d) handling participant resistance to behavior change, e) involvement of family members in assessment visits, f) limitations of the assessment tools, and g) time limitations. Findings highlight the challenging contexts that many study participants face, and shed light on the potentially influential role of health educators and interviewers in intervention implementation and data collection. Specific recommendations are made for strategies to improve adherence to diabetes prevention programs in postpartum underserved and minority populations in this challenging, transitional period of life. NCT01679210 . Registered 5 September 2012; NCT01868230 . Registered 4 June 2013.
Accurate appearance preserving prefiltering for rendering displacement-mapped surfaces

Prefiltering the reflectance of a displacement-mapped surface while preserving its overall appearance is challenging, as smoothing a displacement map causes complex changes of illumination effects such as shadowing-masking and interreflection. In this paper, we introduce a new method that prefilters displacement maps and BRDFs jointly and constructs SVBRDFs at reduced resolutions. These SVBRDFs preserve the appearance of the input models by capturing both shadowing-masking and interreflection effects. To express our appearance-preserving SVBRDFs efficiently, we leverage a new representation that involves spatially varying NDFs and a novel scaling function that accurately captures micro-scale changes of shadowing, masking, and interreflection effects. Further, we show that the 6D scaling function can be factorized into a 2D function of surface location and a 4D function of direction. By exploiting the smoothness of these functions, we develop a simple and efficient factorization method that does not require computing the full scaling function. The resulting functions can be represented at low resolutions (e.g., 42 for the spatial function and 154 for the angular function), leading to minimal additional storage. Our method generalizes well to different types of geometries beyond Gaussian surfaces. Models prefiltered using our approach at different scales can be combined to form mipmaps, allowing accurate and anti-aliased level-of-detail (LoD) rendering.
− and pH Dependence of the Electron Transfer from P+QA-QB to P+QAQB- in Rhodobacter sphaeroides Reaction Centers†

The electron transfer from the reduced primary quinone (QA - ) to the secondary quinone (QB) can occur in two phases with a well-characterized 100 Is component (U2) and a faster process occurring in less than 10 I s( U1). The fast reaction is clearly seen when the native ubiquinone-10 at Q A is replaced with naphthoquinones. The dependence of U1 on the free-energy difference between the P + QA - QB and P + QAQB - states (-¢G°) and on the pH was measured using naphthoquinones with different electrochemical midpoint potentials as QA in Rhodobacter sphaeroidesreaction centers (RCs) and in RCs where -¢G° is changed by mutation of M265 in the QA site from Ile to Thr (M265IT). QB was ubiquinone (UQB) in all cases. Electron transfer was measured by using the absorption differences of the naphthosemiquinone at QA and the ubisemiquinone at QB between 390 and 500 nm. As -¢G° was changed from -90 to -250 meV U1 decreased from 29 to 0.2 Is. The free-energy dependence of U1 provides a reorganization energy of 850 ( 100 meV for the electron transfer from QA - to QB. The slower reaction at U2 is free-energy independent, so processes other than electron transfer determine the observed rate. The fraction of the reaction at U1 increases with increasing driving force and is 100% of the reaction when -¢G° is 100 meV more favorable than in the native RCs with ubiquinone as QA. The fast phase, U1, is pH independent from pH 6 to 11 while U2 slows above pH 9. As the QA isoprene tail length is increased from 2 to 10 isoprene units the fraction at U1 decreases. However, U1, U2, and the fraction of the reaction in each phase are independent of the tail length of UQB.
Update on Partial Breast Irradiation

For early-stage breast cancer, partial breast irradiation (PBI) allows for reduction in the irradiated volume of normal tissues by confining the radiation target to the area surrounding the lumpectomy cavity after breast-conserving surgery. This approach has been supported by phase 2 data. However, widespread adoption of PBI has awaited the results of randomized controlled trials. This review discusses the results of randomized controlled trials comparing whole breast irradiation to PBI, including the recently published National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) B39/Radiotherapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0413, and the Canadian RAPID trials. PBI techniques, dose/fractionation schedules, and patient selection are also reviewed.
Allosteric regulation of thioesterase superfamily member 1 by lipid sensor domain binding fatty acids and lysophosphatidylcholine

Nonshivering thermogenesis occurs in brown adipose tissue to generate heat in response to cold ambient temperatures. Thioesterase superfamily member 1 (Them1) is transcriptionally up-regulated in brown adipose tissue upon exposure to the cold and suppresses thermogenesis in order to conserve energy reserves. It hydrolyzes long-chain fatty acyl-CoAs that are derived from lipid droplets, preventing their use as fuel for thermogenesis. In addition to its enzymatic domains, Them1 contains a C-terminal StAR-related lipid transfer (START) domain with unknown ligand or function. By complementary biophysical approaches, we show that the START domain binds to long-chain fatty acids, products of Them1's enzymatic reaction, as well as lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lipids shown to activate thermogenesis in brown adipocytes. Certain fatty acids stabilize the START domain and allosterically enhance Them1 catalysis of acyl-CoA, whereas 18:1 LPC destabilizes and inhibits activity, which we verify in cell culture. Additionally, we demonstrate that the START domain functions to localize Them1 near lipid droplets. These findings define the role of the START domain as a lipid sensor that allosterically regulates Them1 activity and spatially localizes it in proximity to the lipid droplet.
Acute Cholecystitis-like Presentation in an Adult Patient with Gallbladder Agenesis: Case Report and Literature Review.

Introduction. Gallbladder agenesis (GA) is a rare congenital malformation, and majority are asymptomatic; however, symptomatic patients present with a clinical picture similar to biliary colic. Work up usually shows contracted gallbladder (GB) on ultrasound (US), and HIDA scan shows nonvisualization. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) can be helpful in the diagnosis; however, the diagnosis without the latter can only be established intraoperatively. Management should be conservative treatment with antispasmodic drugs. Case Report. A 35-year-old female presented to the emergency department with nausea, vomiting, and worsening right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain. Vitals and laboratory values were unremarkable except for mild leukocytosis, and RUQ US reported “contracted GB, cholelithiasis, 4.2 mm wall thickness, and no ductal dilation.” Surgical consultation was prompted by the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. The patient was transferred to the operating room for laparoscopic cholecystectomy; however, no GB was found, which was confirmed by intraoperative indocyanine green cholangiography. The procedure was aborted. Postoperatively, CT scan showed absent GB. A HIDA scan showed nonvisualization of the GB after 4 hours. Gastroenterology consultation was suggested to assess for peptic ulcer disease, stricture, or other etiology for her presenting symptoms, and the upper endoscopy showed gastritis. Upper GI with small bowel follow-through study showed mild delayed gastric emptying and contrast in the colon in 45 minutes. Conclusion. When US imaging findings are equivocal for nonvisualization of GB in a patient with no known history of prior cholecystectomy, additional imaging is required considering the diagnosis of gallbladder agenesis. MRCP is the test of choice. Management is usually conservative with smooth muscle relaxants without the need for surgical operation.
Distribution of gammarid Amphipoda (Crustacea) on Cascadia Abyssal Plain (Oregon)

Abstract Based on 19 epibenthic sled samples, the species composition and relative abundance of the gammarid amphipod assemblages at nearshore and offshore stations on the Cascadia Abyssal Plain off Oregon were found to be very different, despite their similar depths (2800 m) and physical environments. Particle size and food availability seem to be the most likely causes of the observed faunal differences.
Antiandrogen therapy in hidradenitis suppurativa: finasteride for females.

Background Given its widely accepted efficacy, androgen blockade therapy for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has become a standard of care. Although much less frequently used than spironolactone, a small number of HS studies have reported finasteride as an alternative in women. In this study, we describe the response to and perception of finasteride therapy in a diverse cohort of women with HS. Objective We aimed to describe finasteride therapy in a diverse cohort of female patients with HS. Methods We conducted an IRB-approved retrospective chart review and telephone survey of 20 female patients, 18-years or older, with a diagnosis of HS. Finasteride was prescribed by a single provider at a specialized hidradenitis suppurativa center. Results The mean age of patients was 34.3 ± 13.5 years. Finasteride was initiated predominantly because of one or more contraindications to spironolactone or poor responsiveness. Most patients interviewed (90%; n=18) were willing to take finasteride again or continue with therapy if indicated. Ten patients (50%) reported overall satisfaction with finasteride; seven (35%) were neutral, and three (15%) were unsatisfied. No patients reported worsening disease activity while on finasteride, and only one (5%) reported decreased quality of life. When asked about side effects of finasteride, 80% (n=16) reported none; 20% (n=4) experienced one or more of the following: headache, nausea, menstrual irregularities, breast tenderness or reduced libido/sexual function. Conclusions Our study suggests that androgen blockade therapy with finasteride is a safe and effective alternative for female patients with HS who have a contraindication(s) or intolerance to spironolactone.
Attitudes, emotions, and acceptance of wolf management in Illinois

To help the Illinois Department of Natural Resources develop a comprehensive wolf management strategy, a mail survey was conducted of non-hunters (n = 1,145) and hunters (n = 1,489). Results suppor...
Exogenous Drug Disposition as a Diagnostic Biomarker Strategy for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and is diagnosed by a liver biopsy. Due to the invasiveness of a biopsy, the majority of patients with NASH are undiagnosed. Additionally, the prevalence of NAFLD and NASH creates the need for a simple screening method to differentiate patients with NAFLD versus NASH. Non-invasive strategies for diagnosing NAFLD versus NASH have been developed, typically relying on imaging techniques and endogenous biomarker panels. However, each technique has limitations, and none can accurately predict the associated functional impairment of drug metabolism and disposition. The function of several drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters have been described in NASH that impacts drug pharmacokinetics. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the existing non-invasive strategies to diagnose NASH, and to propose a novel strategy based on altered pharmacokinetics using an exogenous biomarker whose disposition and elimination pathways are directly impacted by disease progression. Altered disposition of safe and relatively inert exogenous compounds may provide the sensitivity and specificity needed to differentiate patients with NAFLD and NASH to facilitate a direct indication of hepatic impairment on drug metabolism and prevent subsequent adverse drug reactions. Significance Statement This review provides an overview of the main non-invasive techniques (imaging and panels of biomarkers) used to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) along with a biopsy. Pharmacokinetic changes have been identified in NASH and this review proposes a new approach to predict NASH and the related risk of adverse drug reactions, based on the assessment of drug elimination disruption using exogenous biomarkers.
A defense system on ddos attacks in mobile ad hoc networks

Network security is a weak link in wired and wireless network systems. Malicious attacks have caused tremendous loss by impairing the functionalities of the computer networks. Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed DoS (DDoS) attacks are two of the most harmful threats to the network functionality. Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANET) are even more vulnerable to such attacks. Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) is an outstanding wireless routing protocol. However, AODV has significant security vulnerabilities. Most current proposed security strategies for AODV or other MANET routing protocols require modifications of the protocols, or of the topology, or even both. Fixing the protocol flaws is obvious and straightforward. But it is impractical and infeasible for an operational commercial MANET. To circumscribe the attack traffic by deploying a large amount of the edge ingress control nodes or clustering the networks is effective. But it is costly and also requires protocol modification in some circumstances. The dissertation presents the security solution for AODV and AODV-like networks from a novel perspective. The proposed defense system is based on proxy-based overlay architecture. The proxy guard nodes control the service-related traffic, filter the malicious packets and reinforce the legitimate ones. It assumes a strong restriction on any secure modification on the objective MANET infrastructure. The proposed solution assures a minimum impact on the objective system infrastructure or the network communication interface to make it easy to implement and update, while providing an acceptable secure protection against DDoS attacks, such as Router Requirement (RREQ) flooding, data flooding and black-hole.
SU-E-T-194: Commissioning of Monaco Treatment Planning System On An Elekta VersaHD Linear Accelerator

Purpose: The Monaco treatment planning system (TPS) uses a Monte-Carlo algorithm based dose computation engine to model the photon beams of a linear accelerator. The aim is to perform verification of Monaco TPS beam modeling of a Elekta VersaHD linac with 6MV, 6MV FFF, 10 MV, 10MV FFF, 18MV photon beams and 160 multileaf collimators (MLC) with a projected width of 5-mm at the isocenter. Methods: A series of dosimetric tests were performed to validate Monaco calculated beams including point dose measurement in water with and without heterogeneity and 2-dimensional dose distributions on a Delta4 bi-planar diode dosimeter array (Scandidos, Uppsala, Sweden). 3D conformal beams of different field sizes, source-to-surface distances, wedges, and gantry angles were delivered onto a phantom consisting of several plastic water and Styrofoam slabs. Point dose measurements were verified with a PTW 31013 Semiflex 0.3 cc ionization chamber (PTW, Freiburg, Germany). In addition, 8 step and shoot intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) beams included in the Monaco TPS commissioning suite were verified against measurements on Delta4 to test and fine tune parameters in the beam model. IMRT verification was computed using gamma analysis with dose difference and distance-to-agreement criteria of 3%/3mm with a dose threshold of 10%. Results: Point dose measurements agreed within 2% in the homogeneous phantom and within 3% in the heterogeneous phantom for all photon energies. IMRT beams yielded a passing percentage of 99.1±1.1% in the gamma analysis which is well above the institutional passing threshold of 90%. Conclusion: Monaco TPS commissioning was successfully performed for all the photon energies on the Elekta VersaHD linac prior to clinical usage.
Children at Play: An American History

AcknowledgmentsPreface Introduction 1 Childhood and Play in Early America, 1600-18002 The Attempt to Domesticate Childhood and Play, 1800-1850 3 The Stuff of Childhood, 1850-19004 The Invasion of Children's Play Culture, 1900-1950 5 The Golden Age of Unstructured Play, 1900-1950 6 The Commercialization and Co-optation of Children's Play, 1950 to the Present 7 Children's Play Goes Underground, 1950 to the Present ConclusionNotes Index About the Author
Induction in mice of cell-mediated immunity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa by high molecular weight polysaccharide and vinblastine.

The effect of the cytotoxic drug vinblastine on the development of immunity to high m.w. polysaccharide (PS) isolated from culture supernates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated. One microgram of PS, a normally nonimmunogenic, nonprotective dose, plus 75 micrograms of vinblastine were administered to BALB/c mice, and afforded protection to live organism challenge with the homologous strain. The kinetics and serotype specificity of the immune response indicated an active immunization had occurred. Analyses of serum antibody levels of mice given the PS-drug regimen in a sensitive, radioactive antigen-binding assay (RABA) failed to show development of antibody to the immunizing PS. Immunity could be passively transferred with spleen cells but not by serum from PS-drug-immunized animals, and the effector cell was removed by antisera to the Thy-1.2 antigen. Nu/nu mice were also protected against challenge after immunization with PS and vinblastine, but this protection was observed in association with the development of serum antibody to PS in these mice, as measured in the RABA. Protective immunity could not be elicited in the BALB/c mice by PS plus cyclophosphamide. These data suggest that under certain conditions, PS antigens can elicit T cell-dependent immune phenomena, and this T cell-dependent immunity can protect mice from live organism challenge against an extracellular bacterial pathogen.
Against Relativism: Cultural Diversity and the Search for Ethical Universals in Medicine

Against Relativism: Cultural Diversity and the Search for Ethical Universals in Medicine. Ruth Macklin. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. 290 pp.
Genetic Requirements for the Single-Strand Annealing Pathway of Double-Strand Break Repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

HO endonuclease-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) within a direct duplication of Escherichia coli lacZ genes are repaired either by gene conversion or by single-strand annealing (SSA), with > 80% being SSA. Previously it was demonstrated that the RAD52 gene is required for DSB-induced SSA. In the present study, the effects of other genes belonging to the RAD52 epistasis group were analyzed. We show that RAD51, RAD54, RAD55, and RAD57 genes are not required for SSA irrespective of whether recombination occurred in plasmid or chromosomal DNA. In both plasmid and chromosomal constructs with homologous sequences in direct orientation, the proportion of SSA events over gene conversion was significantly elevated in the mutant strains. However, gene conversion was not affected when the two lacZ sequences were in inverted orientation. These results suggest that there is a competition between SSA and gene conversion processes that favors SSA in the absence of RAD51, RAD54, RAD55 and RAD57. Mutations in RAD50 and XRS2 genes do not prevent the completion, but markedly retard the kinetics, of DSB repair by both mechanisms in the lacZ direct repeat plasmid, a result resembling the effects of these genes during mating-type (MAT) switching.
Steroid effects on the course of abdominal pain in children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura is a systemic vasculitis of unknown cause that is characterized primarily by abdominal pain, arthritis, and purpuric skin lesions. Abdominal pain is the most common gastrointestinal symptom, but intestinal bleeding and intussusception may occur. Previous studies have supported the use of steroids in managing the abdominal pain of Henoch-Schonlein purpura.1,2 Because there are no controlled trials using steroids in this disease, their value in affecting the intestinal lesions of Henoch-Schonlein purpura remains unknown. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the effect of corticosteroids on the outcome of abdominal pain in children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura. PATIENTS AND METHODS
Markov chain-like quantum biological modeling of mutations, aging, and evolution

Recent evidence suggests that quantum mechanics is relevant in photosynthesis, magnetoreception, enzymatic catalytic reactions, olfactory reception, photoreception, genetics, electron-transfer in proteins, and evolution; to mention few. In our recent paper published in Life, we have derived the operator-sum representation of a biological channel based on codon basekets, and determined the quantum channel model suitable for study of the quantum biological channel capacity. However, this model is essentially memoryless and it is not able to properly model the propagation of mutation errors in time, the process of aging, and evolution of genetic information through generations. To solve for these problems, we propose novel quantum mechanical models to accurately describe the process of creation spontaneous, induced, and adaptive mutations and their propagation in time. Different biological channel models with memory, proposed in this paper, include: (i) Markovian classical model, (ii) Markovian-like quantum model, and (iii) hybrid quantum-classical model. We then apply these models in a study of aging and evolution of quantum biological channel capacity through generations. We also discuss key differences of these models with respect to a multilevel symmetric channel-based Markovian model and a Kimura model-based Markovian process. These models are quite general and applicable to many open problems in biology, not only biological channel capacity, which is the main focus of the paper. We will show that the famous quantum Master equation approach, commonly used to describe different biological processes, is just the first-order approximation of the proposed quantum Markov chain-like model, when the observation interval tends to zero. One of the important implications of this model is that the aging phenotype becomes determined by different underlying transition probabilities in both programmed and random (damage) Markov chain-like models of aging, which are mutually coupled.
A Rapid Complexometric Titration of Serum Calcium

The procedure of Yarbro and Golby (2) for the determination of urinary calcium has been modified for use in determining serum calcium on 0.2 to 2 ml. of serum. Ferrous iron in concentrations that might be expected in serum from partially hemolyzed blood does riot interfere. Variation among calcium determinations on replicate samples of serum was within ±4 per cent, and recoveries of calcium added to serum ranged from 94 to 103 per cent. An individual determination of serum calcium by this procedure requires 3-5 minutes.
Radiological Pulmonary Changes During Gram Negative Bacillary Nosocomial Bloodstream Infection (BSI) In Premature Infants. † 1143

We designed a retrospective study to characterize changes in chest radiographs that occur at the time of Gram negative bacilli (GNB) nosocomial BSI and to determine the radiological findings of neonatal nosocomial pneumonia. Forty-one infants who had BSI (study group) and 50 GNB airway colonized infants who had sepsis workup with negative blood cultures (control group) were studied. We correlated clinical data, 95 blood and 305 tracheal aspirate (TA) cultures, with radiographic findings from the day before, the day of, and the day after blood cultures were taken. Two radiologists independently graded 258 films using a modified score (AJDC, 1984;138:581) for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and a semi-quantitative system (probable, possible or unlikely) for pneumonia. Of the study population, 54% were male, 21% black, 89% received surfactant, 79% dexamethasone and 88% survived. Mean birth weight was 1057g and 1044g for the study and control groups, respectively. Average age at the time of blood cultures was 23 days for both groups. Most common isolates from blood and TA were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. BSI infants (mainly P.aeruginosa and K.pneumonia) died twice as often as controls. Radiological findings: BPD scores did not change in relation to the day of the blood culture and were similar between study and control groups. Twenty-one BSI patients presented with newly positive TA at the time, or within 24 hours of blood culture. Probable or possible pneumonia was diagnosed in 18 of them. Their BPD scores were higher than those of the remaining BSI patients, of whom 7 were already airway colonized, 9 had negative TA's, and 4 were not intubated. Only one of these 20 patients had a possible pneumonia score. CONCLUSION: Radiographic signs of pneumonia in infants with BPD are of significance only when associated with positive blood culture with a respiratory pathogen. Thus, the CDC definition of nosocomial pneumonia is correct and is further supported by the recovery of the same GNB from the airway of an infant with previously negative tracheal aspirate cultures.
The bingo model of survivorship V. The problems of conformation to the empirical evidence

We discuss the statistical and biological problems of adapting the theoretical bingo model to the analysis of empirical data. A distinction is made between an idealized pathogenetic model, which aims to represent the disease in as much authentic detail as the present state of knowledge allows and in components that have literal interpretation, and an empirical model, which deals with those effects of the pathogenetic model that one may hope to observe clinically. We review a variety of empirical models distinguishable by the amount of data available on intermediate degrees of damage short of total destruction. The relationship of damage to time is explored, and we consider the criteria and usefulness of linearization of this relationship where the diachronic ("longitudinal") data are few and extend over a comparatively short time. Every time a patient is examined, the degree of cumulative damage is assessed in each of the body systems of interest. Thus the examination will furnish a set of measurements, which is obtained on each of several examinations, taken over a period that for preference is long relative to the survival of the system. Specific disorders discussed include dentition and enlargement of the aorta with age in the Marfan syndrome.
Epistemic Beliefs and Conceptual Understanding in Biotechnology: A Case Study

The purpose of this investigation was to explore students’ epistemic beliefs and conceptual understanding of biotechnology. Epistemic beliefs can influence reasoning, how individuals evaluate information, and informed decision making abilities. These skills are important for an informed citizenry that will participate in debates regarding areas in science such as biotechnology. We report on an in-depth case study analysis of three undergraduate, non-science majors in a biotechnology course designed for non-biochemistry majors. We selected participants who performed above average and below average on the first in-class exam. Data from multiple sources—interviews, exams, and a concept instrument—were used to construct (a) individual profiles and (b) a cross-case analysis of our participants’ conceptual development and epistemic beliefs from two different theoretical perspectives—Women’s Ways of Knowing and the Reflective Judgment Model. Two independent trained researchers coded all case records independently for both theoretical perspectives, with resultant initial Cohen’s kappa values above .715 (substantial agreement), and then reached consensus on the codes. Results indicate that a student with more sophisticated epistemology demonstrated greater conceptual understandings at the end of the course than a student with less sophisticated epistemology, even though the latter performed higher initially. Also a student with a less sophisticated epistemology and low initial conceptual performance does not demonstrate gains in their overall conceptual understanding. Results suggest the need for instructional interventions fostering epistemological development of learners in order to facilitate their conceptual growth.
Testing for human immunodeficiency virus.

Excerpt To the editor: Dr. Goedert's editorial on the testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (1) admirably points out the importance of disease prevalence for screening programs. He notes t...
Automorphisms on Catalan trees and bracketings

Two mirror-image isomorphisms between general bracketings and binary bracketings are formalized which parallel the isomorphisms described by De Bruijn and Morselt between plane trees and trivalent plane trees. These maps lead to automorphisms on these four Catalan families. It is found that the orbit structure of these automorphisms is determined by certain “primitive” elements of the four families, and that the enumerator pn of these primitive elements satisfies the equations: pn = mn−2 + mn−1, where mn = Σk=0 (2kn)ck, cn the Catalan numbers, and cn+2=∑k=0nkpk+2. It is then shown that these automorphisms yield isomorphisms between several interesting subsets of the trees and brackets, most of them enumerated by mn. In particular, it is shown that the general bracketings containing no occurrence of “(g)(g)(g)” and those containing no occurrence of “((g))” are mapped to each other.
Tricks of the Trade: What Social Workers Can Learn about Female Sex Workers through Dialogue

Social work practice with women who exchange sex for material goods dates back to the beginnings of the social work profession in the settlements, benevolent societies, and charity organizations. This article presents the theoretical frameworks, methods and findings of a qualitative, participatory inquiry with six adult female sex workers in Seattle, Washington. The study participants worked as street workers, dancers, and escort workers. The findings discuss how and why the women entered the sex industry, how they talk about and define what they do (with a significant focus on emotional labor) from their perspective, the intersections of race and class in their work experiences, and agency as it applies to their personal and professional lives. The article concludes with recommendations for social work practice from the study participants.
The effect of surfactant on the efficiency of shear-induced drop coalescence

Abstract The volume-averaged shear-induced drop-coalescence efficiency ev is measured by in situ videomicroscopy of blends of poly(propylene glycol) and poly(ethylene glycol), emulsified with poly(ethyleneglycol-b-propyleneoxide-b-ethyleneglycol) block copolymer surfactant. Adsorption of copolymer to the immiscible blend interface is indicated by a reduction in the interfacial tension, measured by the drop retraction method. The effects of temperature, copolymer molecular weight, copolymer concentration, and capillary number Ca are explored. At small Ca, ev is essentially independent of shear rate and drop size, and depends mainly on the solubility, diffusivity, and surface pressure of the surfactant, indicating that drop trajectories during flow are perturbed by surfactant Marangoni stresses that are controlled by the diffusion-limited sorption of surfactant. At larger Ca, ev approaches zero. This arrest of coalescence is associated with the onset of slight deformation of the drops during their collision, and drainage of a film of continuous fluid between them. The effect of the surfactant, though significant, saturates even while the amount of surfactant adsorbed to the interface is quite small. Governing dimensionless parameters, associated material parameters and the behavior of more insoluble surfactants are discussed.
Non-linear, non-steady burning of a solid propellent in three coordinate systems

Abstract The non-linear partial differential equation controlling the temperature distribution in a burning solid propellent in a rectangular, cylindrical or spherical coordinate system is transformed from a fixed coordinate system to a moving Lagrangian coordinate system, and then, using a similarity variable is further transformed to a non-linear, second order, ordinary differential equation. The burning wall temperature is time dependent, and the burning rate is an explicit function of the wall surface temperature. The boundary conditions for the resulting non-linear differential equation are given, and the necessary form of the burning rate is determined. Additionally, the linear partial differential equation for this burning solid propellent problem is also treated in all three coordinate systems. A non-linear example is given and solved, in all three coordinate systems, to illustrate the method.
Perceptions of Controllability and Attitudes Toward Cancer and Cancer Patients1

This study explored the possibility that widely held beliefs that cancer is uncontrollable underlie the public's negative attitudes toward this disease. One-hundred-and-sixty undergraduates read a paragraph describing a disease that was labelled either as cancer or as “Haltmar's Disease,” a fictitious disease. The descriptions were designed to manipulate subjects' perceptions regarding both the degree to which the disease could be controlled through preventive behaviors (disease preventability) and the likelihood that it could be controlled through treatment (disease treatability). Subjects then completed a questionnaire on which they indicated their attitudes toward the described disease as well as toward a patient with that disease. Results generally supported the hypothesis that when a disease is perceived as controllable it is evaluated less negatively than when it is perceived as uncontrollable. Perceptions of control also influenced attitudes toward patients with the fictitious disease. As predicted by the Just World hypothesis, attitudes toward patients with the fictitious disease were more negative when the disease was described as uncontrollable. Attitudes toward cancer patients, however, were positive regardless of level of control. Overall, cancer was described significantly more negatively than the fictitious disease and cancer (vs. Haltmar's) patients were described significantly more positively.
Hidden sl(2,ℝ) symmetry in 2d CFTs and the wave function of 3d quantum gravity

We show that all two-dimensional conformal field theories possess a hidden sl(2,) affine symmetry. More precisely, we add appropriate ghost fields to an arbitrary CFT, and we use them to construct the currents of sl(2,). We then define a BRST operator whose cohomology defines a physical subspace where the extended theory coincides with the original CFT. We use the sl(2,) algebra to construct candidate wave functions for 3-d quantum gravity coupled to matter, and we discuss their viability.
Constrained planar remeshing for architecture

Material limitations and fabrication costs generally run at odds with the creativity of architectural design, producing a wealth of challenging computational geometry problems. We have developed an algorithm for solving an important class of fabrication constraints: those associated with planar construction materials such as glass or plywood.Starting with a complex curved input shape, defined as a NURBS or subdivision surface, we use an iterative clustering method to remesh the surface into planar panels following a cost function that is adjusted by the designer. We solved several challenging connectivity issues to ensure that the topology of the resulting mesh matches that of the input surface.The algorithm described in this paper has been implemented and developed in conjunction with an architectural design seminar. How the participants incorporated this tool into their design process was considered. Their important feedback led to key algorithmic and implementation insights as well as many exciting ideas for future exploration. This prototype tool has potential to impact not only architectural design, but also the engineering for general fabrication problems.
Quasi-likelihood regression models with missing covariates

SUMMARY This paper presents methods to handle missing covariates when the quasi-likelihood equations for the complete data are available. Our suggestion is to replace the functions of the missing data appearing in the quasi-likelihood equation with their conditional means given the observed data or with unbiased predictors, so that the resulting equation is unbiased. We focus on two models. One is a random effects model for count data, where random effects are treated as missing covariates. The other is the overdispersed binomial regression model with partially missing covariates. We also investigate the efficiency of the proposed estimates relative to the maximum likelihood estimators.
Sphingosine Kinase 1 Regulates Tumor Necrosis Factor-mediated RANTES Induction through p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase but Independently of Nuclear Factor κB Activation

Sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1) produces the pro-survival sphingolipid sphingosine 1-phosphate and has been implicated in inflammation, proliferation, and angiogenesis. Recent studies identified TRAF2 as a sphingosine 1-phosphate target, implicating SK1 in activation of the NF-κB pathway, but the functional consequences of this connection on gene expression are unknown. Here, we find that loss of SK1 potentiates induction of the chemokine RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted; also known as CCL5) in HeLa cells stimulated with TNF-α despite RANTES induction being highly dependent on the NF-κB pathway. Additionally, we find that SK1 is not required for TNF-induced IKK phosphorylation, IκB degradation, nuclear translocation of NF-κB subunits, and transcriptional NF-κB activity. In contrast, loss of SK1 prevented TNF-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, and inhibition of p38 MAPK, like SK1 knockdown, also potentiates RANTES induction. Finally, in addition to RANTES, loss of SK1 also potentiated the induction of multiple chemokines and cytokines in the TNF response. Taken together, these data identify a potential and novel anti-inflammatory function of SK1 in which chemokine levels are suppressed through SK1-mediated activation of p38 MAPK. Furthermore, in this system, activation of NF-κB is dissociated from SK1, suggesting that the interaction between these pathways may be more complex than currently thought.
Fibroblast Growth Factor-10: A Stromal Mediator of Epithelial Function in the Ovine Uterus

Abstract Fibroblast growth factor-10 (FGF-10) is a stromal-derived paracrine growth factor considered to be important during embryogenesis; however, its expression by cells in the female reproductive tract has not been investigated. Therefore, an ovine FGF-10 cDNA was cloned from an ovine endometrial cDNA library to investigate expression and potential paracrine characteristics of FGF-10 in the ovine uterus. The ovine FGF-10 cDNA encodes a protein of 213 amino acids and possesses an unusually long 5′ untranslated region (UTR). In situ hybridization demonstrated that ovine FGF-10 mRNA was expressed by endometrial stromal cells and by mesenchymal cells of the chorioallantoic placenta. The mRNA for FGF-7, a homologue of FGF-10, was localized in the tunica muscularis of blood vessels in endometrium and myometrium. In contrast, FGF receptor 2IIIb, the high-affinity receptor for both FGF-10 and FGF-7, was expressed exclusively in luminal epithelium, glandular epithelium, and placental trophectoderm. The in vivo...