cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Primer ID Next-Generation Sequencing for the Analysis of a Broad Spectrum Antiviral Induced Transition Mutations and Errors Rates in a Coronavirus Genome

Next generations sequencing (NGS) has become an important tool in biomedical research. The Primer ID approach combined with the MiSeq platform overcomes the limitation of PCR errors and reveals the true sampling depth of population sequencing, making it an ideal tool to study mutagenic effects of potential broad-spectrum antivirals on RNA viruses. In this report we describe a protocol using Primer ID sequencing to study the mutations induced by antivirals in a coronavirus genome from an in vitro cell culture model and an in vivo mouse model. Viral RNA or total lung tissue RNA is tagged with Primer ID-containing cDNA primers during the initial reverse transcription step, followed by two rounds of PCR to amplify viral sequences and incorporate sequencing adaptors. Purified and pooled libraries are sequenced using the MiSeq platform. Sequencing data are processed using the template consensus sequence (TCS) web-app. The Primer ID approach provides an accurate sequencing protocol to measure mutation error rates in viral RNA genomes and host mRNA. Sequencing results suggested that β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC) greatly increased the transition substitution rate but not the transversion substitution rate in the viral RNA genomes, and cytosine (C) to uridine (U) was found as the most frequently seen mutation.
Case Report: Management of Refractory Filamentary Keratitis with N-acetylcysteine

Significance Filamentary keratitis is frequently a recurrent corneal condition characterized by the presence of filaments attached to the cornea. This condition can be challenging to manage because the clinician must treat the underlying cause and filament formation. N-acetylcysteine, a mucolytic agent, should be considered as adjunctive therapy to manage refractory cases. Purpose This case demonstrates the utility of a mucolytic agent, N-acetylcysteine, to treat and manage filamentary keratitis when conventional therapies failed to provide long-term symptomatic relief and reduction of further filament formation. Case report A 70-year-old man with recurrent filamentary keratitis (first occurrence 8 years prior) presented to the clinic with worsening red and painful eyes for 2 days. Prior treatment and management included artificial tears and ointments, punctal plugs, topical corticosteroids, contact lenses, and eyelid hygiene. Slit-lamp examination revealed multiple corneal filaments that were removed with forceps. He was diagnosed with recurrent filamentary keratitis secondary to dry eye disease and treated with preservative-free ophthalmic ointment, oral doxycycline, and 10% N-acetylcysteine ophthalmic solution. The patient had complete resolution of corneal filaments with significant relief of symptoms at 3-week, 5-month, and 10-month follow-up examinations. Conclusions N-acetylcysteine is not commercially available in an ophthalmic solution and must be compounded by a local pharmacist for patient use. Because filamentary keratitis can be challenging to manage because of frequent recurrences, addition of N-acetylcysteine to the treatment regimen should be considered a viable option in refractory cases when other therapies have failed to provide sustained symptomatic relief and resolution of filaments.
Avoiding delays in time to renal transplantation: Pretransplant thyroid malignancy does not affect patient or graft survival after renal transplantation.

Abstract Background Pretransplant malignancy is associated with decreased patient and graft survival. Current US guidelines recommend a 2- to 5-year, tumor-free waiting period before transplantation. No large studies have examined the specific, modern day risk of pretransplant thyroid malignancy on patient and graft survival after renal transplant. Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing database was queried for all adult isolated renal transplant recipients between 2003 and 2019. Patient characteristics, rates of post-transplant malignancy, and survival were compared between patients with pretransplant thyroid malignancy and without pretransplant thyroid malignancy. Results Eighty-six patients had pretransplant thyroid malignancy diagnosed after listing and before renal transplantation. Both overall and graft survival were similar between cohorts (P > .05). There was no significant association between pretransplant thyroid malignancy and patient (hazard ratio: 0.66; P = .31) or graft (hazard ratio:0.32; P = .11) survival on multivariate analysis. Waitlist duration for pretransplant thyroid malignancy patients was significantly increased (1,444 vs 438 days; P Conclusion Given no association with decreased patient or allograft survival, our findings suggest that pretransplant thyroid malignancy patients are unnecessarily subjected to increased wait-list duration before transplant. We recommend an individualized approach for pretransplant thyroid malignancy patients diagnosed before or after listing.
Standardized Neurodevelopmental Surveillance of High-risk Infants Using Telehealth: Implementation Study during COVID-19

Introduction Neurodevelopmental surveillance is critical for high-risk infants following neonatal intensive care discharge and is traditionally performed in-person. COVID-19 interruption of regular surveillance necessitated a rapid development of telehealth models for effective and standardized care. Methods We used implementation science and lean methodologies to develop an effective telehealth neurodevelopmental surveillance program for high-risk infants. Interventions included reorganization of visit flow processes and a telehealth toolkit for standardized neurological and developmental assessments. We tested and improved our intervention through plan-do-study-act cycles, value-added analysis, and parent- and provider-satisfaction questionnaires. Process metrics (standard elements, subspecialty referrals, diagnostic tests, and prescriptions ordered) were compared in group-level analyses between telehealth patients (N = 97) March 16, 2020-July 1, 2020 and a matched in-person cohort at the same period the previous year. Run charts examined shifts in balancing measures (provider efficiency and missed visits) over 8 weeks before and after implementation. Results Primary outcomes were visit completion (100%), patient parent satisfaction (>90% strongly agreed or agreed telehealth procedures were valuable and easy to use) and ability to accurately diagnose cerebral palsy (no statistical difference with comparison visits). Providers (N = 6) rated telehealth experiences favorably. Process metrics indicated no differences between telehealth and in-person visits (all P > 0.05). Following telehealth implementation, provider efficiency increased to near baseline (median 88.9% versus 91.7%) and median missed visits decreased to 0% from 20% (in-person). Conclusions Implementation of telehealth for neurodevelopmental surveillance in a tertiary high-risk infant follow-up clinic successfully provided standardized and timely care during stay-at-home orders; broader telehealth applications may overcome access barriers in this field.
“You Are Going to School”: Exploring the Precollege Experiences of First-Year Black Males in Higher Education:

Black males are often underrepresented in postsecondary education settings and frequently encounter many barriers in getting to college. Our aim in this qualitative investigation was to understand ...
The economics and political economy of broadcasting: challenges in developing an analytic foundation: A comment on the Noam paper

It seems premature to conclude that Noam has offered an analytic framework that will ultimately enable useful prediction concerning the array of issues he addresses. It appears that the employment of utility theory to aid in the selection of promising assumptions1 will be an important element of any successful further development of the framework. The apparent importance and difficulty of selecting a distribution for tastes suggests limited optimism. Moreover, it seems that the reliance on graphical methods is too restrictive a constraint to be accepted in future developments of the approach. Despite the apparent difficulty of using Noam's suggested framework, especially with the additional complexities recommended here, it or something like it may be the most promising alternative. (Has another been suggested?) The complexity of the issues involved suggests that no simpler framework is likely to suffice.
Bacteriolytic Enzymes Produced by Myxococcus xanthus

The bacteriolytic activities in the culture fluid of Myxococcus xanthus were purified and separated into six active fractions by the use of Bio-Gel CM-2 and Bio-Gel P-60. These fractions were identified as: (i) an amidase, (ii) a glucosaminidase, (iii) a glucosaminidase and an amidase, (iv) a protease with probable amidase activity, (v) another protease with probable amidase activity, and (vi) a peptidase active on both d-alanyl-diaminopimelate and d-alanyl-lysine peptide bonds. On one occasion, another amidase was eluted from Bio-Gel CM. Preliminary studies on some characteristics of the enzymes and their production during growth are reported.
Transverse location of anthracyclines in lipid bilayers. Paramagnetic quenching studies

Abstract Quenching of anthracycline fluorescence by a series of spin-labeled fatty acids was used to probe the transverse location of the drug in phosphatidylcholine bilayers in the form of small unilamellar vesicles. Stern-Volmer plots of the quenching data indicate that the fluorophore moiety of the anthracycline is intercalated into the hydrocarbon region of the bilayer,with deeper penetration observed in fluid-phase than in solid-phase vesicles. 31 P-NMR parameters ( T 1 , and nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE)) are unaffected by the presence of drug, consistent with a binding site removed from the interfacial region. Comparison of intensity ( F o / F ) plots with lifetime (θ o /θ) data shows that the predominant mechanism of anthracycline quenching by membrane-bound nitroxides is static. Since the membrane-bound drug is also accessible to quenching by I − , the binding site in the membrane must create a channel which is accessible to solvent. Two other fluorescent probes, 12-(-anthroyloxy)stearate (12-AS) and diphenylhexatriene (DPH), were employed to confirm the results obtained with the anthracyclines, giving quenching data representative of their location in the bilayer.
Modeling pump-induced wavefront distortions in large-aperture laser amplifiers

Summary form only given. In order to optimize the design of future Nd:glass laser drivers for inertial confinement fusion experiments, accurate computer models predicting all aspects of laser performance are needed. It will be especially important to have accurate predictions for the performance of the amplifiers, because they will be a major cost item. Accordingly we have developed computer models for various aspects of flashlamp-pumped, Nd:glass amplifiers. In this paper, we will discuss our efforts, both experimental and theoretical, in the area of pump-induced wavefront distortions.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer in Pregnancy and Postpartum: Two Case Reports in Hispanic Women

Objective. Despite studies suggesting that triple negative breast cancer is more often seen in women of African ancestry, we report here two cases of pregnancy associated triple negative breast cancer in Hispanic women. Cases. Case one is a 37-year-old female para 2-0-0-2, who presented with a left breast mass, at 19 weeks of gestation, the biopsy of which reported an invasive ductal carcinoma, found to be triple receptor negative. The patient underwent chemotherapy during the pregnancy and was delivered with a cesarean at 37 weeks for obstetric indication. After delivery, the patient completed her chemotherapy that was followed by radical mastectomy and radiotherapy. Case two is a 28-year-old female para 6-0-1-5, who presented while breast-feeding with signs and symptoms of mastitis, and an engorged and tender right breast, five months postpartum. However, the sonogram revealed a fluid filled cavity. Aspiration and cytology did not reflect an infection and were negative for malignancy. High suspicion and lack of improvement led to biopsy that identified an invasive ductal carcinoma, found to be triple negative. The patient underwent chemotherapy followed by modified radical mastectomy. Conclusions. Triple negative breast cancer, during pregnancy or postpartum, poses a unique challenge and requires a multidisciplinary team to optimize treatment for these women.
Heterogeneous distribution of lysine 6-aminotransferase during cephamycin C biosynthesis in Streptomyces clavuligerus demonstrated using green fluorescent protein as a reporter.

The cellular distribution of the cephamycin biosynthetic enzyme lysine 6-aminotransferase (LAT) has been studied in Streptomyces clavuligerus hyphae by confocal microscopy using the S65T mutant of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter. LAT mediates the first committed step in the biosynthesis of the secondary metabolite cephamycin C by S. clavuligerus. The enzymic activity of LAT varies with time during the growth of S. clavuligerus in liquid medium. To investigate if this temporal variation occurs uniformly amongst all hyphae, S. clavuligerus was transformed with a plasmid containing the LAT-encoding gene translationally fused to the GFP-encoding gene. The LAT–GFP fusion product displayed fluorescence spectral characteristics of GFP, and showed similar temporal characteristics of LAT activity compared to the wild-type strain of S. clavuligerus. The transformed strain exhibited a heterogeneous distribution of fluorescence in mycelia grown in liquid cultures. This distribution varied significantly as the batch progressed: only a fraction of the mycelia fluoresced in the early growth phase, whereas nearly all hyphae fluoresced by the late growth phase. Thereafter, a non-uniform distribution of fluorescence was again observed in the declining growth phase. A large fraction of the non-fluorescent cells in the declining growth phase were found to be non-viable. Observations of S. clavuligerus colonies grown on solid agar also showed variation of LAT–GFP expression at different stages of growth. These observations in the solid phase can be explained in terms of nutrient deprivation and signalling molecules. The results suggest that physiological differentiation of S. clavuligerus mycelia leading to cephamycin C biosynthesis is both temporally and spatially distributed. The findings also revealed that the observed heterogeneity was independent of the position of individual cell compartments within the hypha. The potential of GFP as a reporter for the quantitative study of cephamycin biosynthesis at the cellular level has also been demonstrated.
Robust Kronecker Product PCA for Spatio-Temporal Covariance Estimation

Kronecker PCA involves the use of a space versus time Kronecker product decomposition to estimate spatio–temporal covariances. In this paper, the addition of a sparse correction factor is considered, which corresponds to a model of the covariance as a sum of Kronecker products of low (separation) rank and a sparse matrix. This sparse correction extends the diagonally corrected Kronecker PCA of [Greenewald, and Hero, 2014] to allow for sparse unstructured “outliers” anywhere in the covariance matrix, e.g., arising from variables or correlations that do not fit the Kronecker model well, or from sources such as sensor noise or sensor failure. We introduce a robust PCA-based algorithm to estimate the covariance under this model. An extension to Toeplitz temporal factors is also provided, producing a parameter reduction for temporally stationary measurement modeling. High dimensional MSE performance bounds are given for these extensions. Finally, the proposed extension of KronPCA is evaluated on both simulated and real data coming from yeast cell cycle experiments. This establishes the practical utility of robust Kronecker PCA in biological and other applications.
When Sharks (Don't) Attack: Wild Animal Agency in Historical Narratives

AbstractCompared to the endangered animals described in Peter Matthiessen's Wildlife in America, the shark that attacked and consumed Robert Pamperin in June 1959 off La Jolla, California, suggests...
Screening and Comprehensive Evaluation for Sleep Related Breathing Disorders

The dentist is well positioned to screen for patients at risk for a sleep disorders, most often a sleep related breathing disorder, and when adequately trained, can treat those diagnosed with sleep apnea using an oral appliance. This treatment requires some degree of training to be able to recognize the symptoms related to the more common sleep disorders. The dentist must determine if the patient is at risk for a sleep disorder through the use of screening questionnaires, reviewing the health history, and additional questioning of the patient.
Effect of transient thermal cycles in a supercritical water-cooled reactor on the microstructure and properties of ferritic–martensitic steels

Abstract Microstructural and mechanical property changes in modified 9Cr–1Mo and HCM12A ferritic–martensitic steels resulting from short-duration thermal transients that occur during loss of feedwater flow events in a supercritical water reactor (SCWR) were studied. Specimen blanks were exposed to reference transients with 810 and 840 °C maximum temperatures using a thermal cycle simulator, and the subsequent microstructure, hardness, and creep-rupture strength were evaluated. Exposure to five consecutive cycles at either temperature resulted in no significant changes – only very slight indications of overtempering. Subsequent study of a wider variety of transient conditions showed that significant ferrite-to-austenite transformation occurred during thermal transients whose maximum temperature exceeded 860 °C, or during transients with holds exceeding 10 s at 840 °C maximum temperature. The subsequent presence of untempered martensite in the microstructure, coupled with severe overtempering, resulted in an order of magnitude decrease in creep-rupture strength at 600 °C. The findings were consistent with measured A c1 temperatures for the two steels and the dependence of A c1 on heating rate.
Why something like socialism is necessary for the transition to something like communism

The basic conclusion of the analysis of this article is that for a combination of economic and political reasons, a capitalist road to communism is implausible, and for political reasons a socialist road is more likely to succeed than the mixed road. The pure capitalist road is impossible because capital flight would immediately undermine the economic base of the communism-inducing universal grant proposal, and because even if this problem were solved, the political use of disinvestment would make the system unreproducible. The mixed road, combining elements of capitalist and socialist property relations, is economically feasible, but would be politically precarious. Only in a socialist society would the political conditions for a stable growth of the universal grants be secure enough to make movement along the road to communism likely. This general conclusion is based on what is a largely unargued assumption present thoughout this article, namely that socialism itself is unambiguously compatible with the emergence and development of communism- that collective ownership of the means of production by workers is compatible with a gradual growth in the “realm of freedom,” in the predominance of distribution according to need. Following VP, I acted as if the only issue were the extent to which capitalism might also be so compatible, and if not, the extent to which certain aspects of capitalism might be compatible in what I have called the mixed road. The assumption that socialism is compatible with the growth of communism rests on two more basic claims: first, that eliminating capitalist property relations does not necessarily produce authoritarian-bureaucratic forms of the state and politics, and, second, that in democratic socialism productivity will continue to increase (for without increasing productivity, expanding the sphere of distribution according to need becomes very problematic). While I will not attempt to defend them here, I believe both of these claims to be true. If either of these assumptions is false, however, then the only feasible road to communism, no matter how precarious it might be politically, may be the quasicapitalist/quasi-socialist mixed road described above, a road that combines elements of substantial state control over investments with capitalist economic rationality.
An electrophoretic proﬁling method for thiol‐rich phytochelatins and metallothioneins

Thiol-rich peptides such as phytochelatins (PCs) and metallothioneins (MTs) are important cellular chelating agents which function in metal detoxiﬁcation and/or homeostasis. The variations in molecular sizes and lack of chromophores of these peptides make their analysis difﬁcult. This paper reports an electrophoresis-based method for a broad screen of thiol-rich peptides and proteins. The method uses the thiol-selective ﬂuorescent tag, monobromobimane, coupled with Tricine–sodium dodecyl sulphate–urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for a sensitive determination of both PCs and MTs. Results for PCs were conﬁrmed by two-dimensional NMR and HPLC-tandem MS analyses. Sample throughput is substantially improved over chromatography-based methods through parallel sample analysis in 1 h of electrophoretic separation. The method is versatile in that peptides ranging from glutathione to large proteins can be analysed by simple modiﬁcation(s) of the extraction and electrophoretic conditions, and the nature of the method supports serendipitous detection of unexpected or novel thiol metabolites. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SOLUBILITY AND DISSOLUTION RATES IN REACTIVE MEDIA.

The relationship between the diffusion-controlled dissolution rate of a substance in a reactive medium and the solubility of the substance in the medium has been analyzed. The results reconcile the total solubility method and the simultaneous diffusion and chemical reaction method of interpreting data on dissolution rates.
Learning to read words: Individual differences in developmental sequences

Developmental sequences provide a valuable tool for analyzing individual differences in how children develop various cognitive skills, including the early reading of words. With methods adapted from the study of cognitive development, a set of school-based tasks were designed to test developmental sequences in phonological and visual-graphic domains for single words. The methods allowed detection of individual differences in developmental sequences. A total of 120 first-, second-, and third-grade children (30 of whom were low readers) were assessed on six tasks for each of 16 words. The profiles of task performances were used to detect developmental sequences by means of statistics based on Guttman scaling, called partially ordered scaling and pattern analysis, as well as by more traditional statistics. The results showed three developmental sequences. Most common was a "normal" sequence, which was consistent with a traditional model of reading acquisition involving the integration of visual-graphic and phonological domains. The other two sequences, which were associated with reading problems, involved a lack of integration of these domains. One sequence showed two independent branches--one for reading skills and one for rhyming--which occurred in both low and normal readers. The other showed three branches--reading, letter identification, and rhymingand occurred primarily in low readers. The findings suggest not only an analysis of developmental pathways in reading, but a way of analyzing diversity in developmental pathways more generally.
Agency Traits That Build Capacity to Manage Disease

Fish and wildlife disease outbreaks are increasing globally, negatively affecting wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Responding to such outbreaks presents a challenge for fish and wildlife age...
The photoelectron spectrum of tetramethyldiazetine: The elucidation of ring size effects on azo group ionization potentials

The photoelectron spectrum of 3,3,4,4-tetramethyldiazetine (4-Me4) has been measured. By comparison with the previously reported photoelectron spectra of 3,3-dimethyldiazirine and 3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrazoline, 4-Me4 has three resolved low energy ionization (8.87, 10.36, and 11.65 eV) with an anomalously low second ionization potential. MINDO/3-and ab initio STO-3G calculations on 3-, 4-, and 5-membered ring azo compounds (diazenes) have been carried out, and these allow definite conclusions about the order of n−, n+, and π ionization potentials to be made for the diazetine (n− < N+ < π) and for 3,3-dimethyldiazirine and 3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrazoline(n− < π n+), in agreement with the predictions of Heilbronner. Ab initio STO-3G calculations on the nitrogen and alkyl fragments of the cyclic diazenes reveal the origin of ionization energy shifts with changes in ring size.
MR Imaging Tools to Assess Cartilage and Joint Structures.

A combination of both morphologic and quantitative MR provides objective data to assess not only cartilage morphology but also cartilage biochemistry, inclusive of proteoglycan content and collagen orientation. Challenges still exist, however, as these quantitative techniques increase scan time, are not universally available across sites, and are sometimes restricted to higher magnetic field strengths of 3 T. Standardization of post-processing algorithms and registration software are important to provide more uniform data in multicenter trials. Several ongoing longitudinal registries are being established to study populations at risk, and these preliminary studies will provide important information suitable for powering studies aimed at assessing potential pharmaceutical intervention to delay the progression of OA. In addition, these MR data provide important insight into the appropriate timing of surgical treatments aimed at delaying progression and provide noninvasive and objective assessment of cartilage repair techniques.
Trend Surface Analysis of Flood Plain and Alluvial Terraces in Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky

First-degree trend surfaces were fitted to the elevations from the flood plain and two terrace surfaces along both sides of the lower Ohio Valley between New Liberty and Cairo, Illinois, in an attempt to determine whether the terraces are of fluvial or lacustrine origin. The results suggest that the lower terrace is the result of stream deposition, whereas the higher appears to be due to lake deposition.
Child Psychiatry and Child Welfare: A Collaboration for Change

ABSTRACT This article describes an innovative program, the Comprehensive Assessment and Response Training System (CARTS), designed to address the clinical needs of a selected population of adolescents with severe emotional disturbances who were made wards of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for severe abuse and neglect. A collaborative effort between DCFS and the University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, the CARTS Program provides crisis intervention, intensive evaluation and treatment planning services, technical assistance and consultation to residential facilities, and consultation to DCFS.
Low-temperature heat capacities, thermophysical properties, optical spectra, and analysis of Schottky contributions to Pr(OH)3☆

From values of the heat capacity of microcrystalline Pr(OH)3 determined by precise adiabatic calorimetry from 15 to 350 K, the Schottky contribution associated with all but the lowest Stark level was resolved with the aid of a model of the lattice heat capacity based upon the molar volumes of the lanthanide trihydroxides. Visible and infrared absorption spectra were taken at approximately 95 K on microcrystalline mulls and the energy-level scheme and crystalline electric-field parameters evaluated. The Schottky contribution of all levels above the first excited state (μ = 3) was resolved by a new scheme for modeling the lattice contribution and compared with the same contribution deduced from the spectral results. Excellent accord was observed. These results together with magnetic results and the first excited Stark level were used to adjust the low-temperature heat capacities and thermodynamic functions so as to evaluate CpR, SoR, and − {Go − Ho(0)}RT, at 298.15 K as 14.154, 15.84, and 7.766, respectively.
Study of Subsurface Structure Based On Borehole Gravimetry

Although borehole gravimetry has been used for over three decades to locate subsurface density anomalies, its application to reconstruct subsurface structures has not received much attention. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between subsurface lateral heterogeneities and borehole gravity measurements, with the ultimate goal of testing how accurate a subsurface structure can be delineated on the basis of borehole gravimetry. According to our study to date, we have found that some high frequency deviations from a subsurface gravity profile can be explained quite satisfactorily by density variations associated with the subsurface layering. These variations do not necessarily imply the existence of any horizontal mass heterogeneities. In order to delineate lateral density structure, borehole gravimetric (BHGM) density must be compared with other directly measured in-situ density. Their difference forms the basis of anomalous density reconstruction. On the basis of this approach, we have developed a forward modeling procedure to reconstruct a small reef in Manistee County of Michigan. Our study indicates that an accurate picture of the reef can only be obtained if precise 7 7 log density is available.
Impact of the HIV epidemic on population and household structure: the dynamics and evidence to date.

Background: HIV is contracted most frequently at birth and during early adulthood. The epidemic may thus impact the demographic structure and the household structure of affected populations. Methods: This paper reviews earlier evidence of such an impact, uses demographic theory to anticipate its changes over time, and reviews the most recent evidence for indications of these changes. Results: Modest increases in the male : female ratio are beginning to show within certain age groups only (approximately 15% among 25–34 year olds). Similarly sized increases in the proportion of 15–29 year olds relative to 30–54 year olds are observed in some age pyramids. These ‘youth bulges’ are expected to fade out, whereas an aging effect phases in with the fertility impact of the epidemic. In the longer run, the size of all age groups will be reduced, but relatively less so for middleaged adults. Proportions of orphans and widows have increased in the most affected countries. Fewer remarriage probabilities for widows were observed. Resulting increases in the proportion of female-headed households should only be temporary, as female mortality is catching up with male mortality. The number of double orphans is beginning to increase, but overall, orphans continue to live predominantly with a family member, most often the grandparents if not with the surviving parent. Conclusion: To date, the epidemic’s impact on the population and household structure has been limited by demographic (aging) and social (adaptive movements of kin across households) processes that contribute to diffuse the epidemic throughout the entire population and all households.
Do the adult criminal careers of African Americans fit the “facts”?

Abstract Purpose A major gap in the criminal career research is our understanding of offending among African Americans, especially beyond early adulthood. In light of this gap, this study describes the criminal career patterns of a cohort of African American males and females. Methods This paper uses official criminal history data spanning ages 17 to 52 from the Woodlawn Study, a community cohort of 1,242 urban African American males and females. We use basic descriptive statistics as well as group-based modeling to provide a detailed description of the various dimensions of their adult criminal careers. Results We find cumulative prevalence rates similar to those for African Americans from national probability sample estimates, yet participation in offending extends farther into midlife than expected with a substantial proportion of the cohort still engaged in offending into their 30s. Conclusions The descriptive analyses contribute to the larger body of knowledge regarding the relationship between age and crime and the unfolding of the criminal career for African American males and females. The applicability of existing life course and developmental theories is discussed in light of the findings.
Aspects of the ecology and life history of the sculpin, Coitus aleuticm(Gilbert), in Lake Washington

Aspects of the ecology and life history of the sculpin, Cottus aleuticus (Gilbert) were investigated. The fish exhibited a diurnal vertical migration towards the surface at night and towards the bottom during the day. It grew to a total length of 54 mm and attained this size at an age of about two years. The growth pattern was the same irrespective of season. It fed mainly on ostracods and chironomid larvae. Fecundity varied from 114–298 eggs.
Using Taguchi methods to determine/optimize robot process capability for path following

Abstract A methodology based on Taguchi methods was implemented to determined/optimize robot process capability (RPC) for path following. The methodology consists of the characterization of the robot path data, the experimental design, the data analysis procedure, and the verification of the results. Four figures of merit (FOMs) for accuracy and four FOMs for repeatability were used to characterize a robot's controlled path capability. The experiment considered seven controllable factors (i.e. load, speed, shape, size, direction, orientation, and height) and used an L 27 (3 13 ) orthogonal array. From the results of the data analysis, the optimal factor-level combinations for the best path capability and minimum process variation were determined. The experimental runs were verified. The recommended methodology has the advantages of cost effectiveness, efficiency, data compression, and flexibility.
Nauturalistic Studies of Self-Disclosure

Three naturalistic experimental approaches to studying self-disclosure between strangers are presented. Their advantages and liabilities, both methodological and ethical, are discussed.
Polymorphism in yttrium molybdate Y2Mo3O12

Abstract Yttrium molybdate (Y2Mo3O12) has been prepared by non-hydrolytic sol–gel chemistry. The phase evolution upon heating was investigated using in situ and ex situ heat treatments combined with powder X-ray diffraction. This method has led to the isolation of two orthorhombic phases with different atomic connectivity. Yttrium adopts 6- and 7-coordinate sites in the Pbcn and Pba2 structures, respectively. Cocrystallization of both phases was observed in a narrow temperature range, suggesting that crystallization kinetics play a major role in phase formation. It was found that the Pba2 phase is the stable polymorph below 550 °C, and converts to Pbcn at higher temperatures.
Relaxation methods for network flow problems with convex arc costs

We consider the standard single commodity network flow problem with both linear and strictly convex possibly nondifferentiable arc costs. For the case where all arc costs are strictly convex we study the convergence of a dual Gauss-Seide! type relaxation method that is well suited for parallel computation. We then extend this method to the case where some of the arc costs are linear. As a special case we recover a relaxation method for the linear minimum cost network flow problem proposed in Bertsekas (1) and Bertsekas and Tseng (2).
Trends in the cost of illness for asthma in the United States, 1985-1994.

Abstract Background: During the past decade, there have been notable changes in asthma prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. In this same time period, there have also been important national efforts to increase asthma awareness and improve asthma care. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in US cost of illness for asthma during the 10-year period from 1985-1994. Methods: The study was a two-period (1985 and 1994), cross-sectional, cost-of-illness analysis. Cost estimates were based on US population and health care survey data available from the National Center for Health Statistics. Results: The total US costs of asthma for 1994 were $10.7 billion. On the basis of 1985 estimates adjusted to 1994 dollars, total asthma costs increased by 54.1% and direct medical expenditures increased by 20.4% during the 10-year period. In 1985, hospital inpatient care represented the largest component cost of direct medical expenditures (44.6%). Hospital inpatient costs decreased to 29.5% of direct medical expenditures in 1994, primarily because of shorter lengths of stay, as opposed to a decrease in the total number of admissions. In 1994, medications represented the largest component cost of direct medical expenditures (40.1%, up from 30.0% in 1985). The largest component increase in indirect costs was due to loss of work. On the basis of adjusted dollars, estimated costs per affected person with asthma declined by 3.4% (decrease of 15.5% for children and an increase of 2.9% for persons 18 years and older) during this time period. Conclusion: Although the US costs of asthma increased during the 1985-1994 time period, estimated costs per person with asthma demonstrated a modest decline. These findings may represent a combination of reductions in hospital lengths of stay and increasing prevalence of persons with low consumption of asthma-related health care resources. In examining the component costs, it is unclear whether these changes can be attributed to the many local, regional, and national efforts aimed at controlling untoward asthma outcomes during the 1985-1994 time period. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106:493-9.)
A Note of Caution on the use of 3-Axis Thermal Anemometers for Eddy-Correlation Flux Measurements

A brief description of three-axis thermal anemometers is presented as well as a brief summary of data reduction procedures. Wind tunnel (laminar flow) and field tests were performed using Thermo-Systems Inc. Model No. 1080 anemometers, but the results reported would be valid for similar designs. In laminar flow, with angles of attack distributed throughout the domain of ±90° in the horizontal and ±60° in the vertical, accuracy of measured flow direction was within the specified ±3°. However, comparisons of eddy-correlation measurements and flux-gradient calculations of friction velocity at neutral through moderately stable conditions showed good agreement (regression coefficient = 0.85) only when the horizontal azimuth angle (α) was within ±18°. Internal data consistency checks confirm these results in that for ¦α¦> 18°, a unique instantaneous flow vector could not be defined from the data in over one-half of the recorded scans. The conclusion is reached that, with the possible exception of high instabilities, high quality eddy-correlation measurements can be attained with these systems, provided the sensor orientation relative to the mean wind can be maintained to within ±18°.
FURTHER STUDIES ON THE SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO OF A MALARIAL PARASITE.

The survival of Plasmodium lophurae in vitro is favored by the presence of calcium pantothenate (0.02 mg. per ml). Survival of about 2 weeks in vitro at 40–41°C. has been obtained under the following conditions: a medium consisting of duck red cell extract in balanced salt solution with glutathione and glucose or glycogen, serum, embryo extract, and calcium pantothenate; daily replacement of about half of the medium with fresh medium; addition of fresh uninfected erythrocytes every 2nd day; gentle agitation of the preparation on a rocking machine. In some of these preparations significant increases in male gametocytes and, more rarely, in total numbers of parasites occurred during the first few days.
Homogenization in micro-plasticity

Homogenized descriptions of plasticity on micro- and macro-scale are essentially different. A key distinction is that the energy of micron-size specimens, in contrast to that of macro-specimens, is not a functional of integral characteristics of the dislocation networks. Thus, energy must be considered as an independent characteristic of the body which is additional to all other characteristics. In this paper, a homogenized description of dislocation motion on the micro-scale is proposed. The theory is considered for the case of anti-plane constrained shear which admits an analytical treatment.
Identifying Nonlinear Covariate Effects in Semimartingale Regression Models

LetX t be a semimartingale which is either continuous or of counting process type and which satisfies the stochastic differential equationdX t=Ytα(t, Zt) dt+dMt, whereY andZ are predictable covariate processes,M is a martingale and α is an unknown, nonrandom function. We study inference for α by introducing an estimator for $$A(t,z) = \int\limits_0^z {\int\limits_0^t {\alpha (s,x)dsdx} } $$ and deriving a functional central limit theorem for the estimator. The asymptotic distribution turns out to be given by a Gaussian random field that admits a representation as a stochastic integral with respect to a multiparameter Wiener process. This result is used to develop a test for independence ofX from the covariateZ, a test for time-homogeneity of α, and a goodness-of-fit test for the proportional hazards model α(t,z)=α1(t)a 2(z) used in survival analysis.
Retinal and intraventricular cerebral hemorrhages in the preterm infant born at or before 30 weeks' gestation.

Abstract Purpose: To determine the prevalence of retinal hemorrhages and their association with cerebral intraventricular hemorrhages (IVH) in low-birth-weight preterm neonates born at or before 32 weeks' gestation. Methods: We prospectively studied a consecutive series of 22 neonates (24-30 weeks' gestation; mean gestational age, 27 weeks; mean weight, 1065 g) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Anterior segment and indirect ophthalmoscopic examination, as well as cranial ultrasonographic examination, were performed on day 1 and day 10 of life. The prevalence of retinal and intraventricular hemorrhage was tested statistically for association with obstetric and neonatal clinical variables. Results: The prevalence of retinal hemorrhage was 9% (2/22; 95% CI, 3%-21%) on day 1 and 2% (1/22) on day 10. The prevalence of IVH was 27% (6/22; 95% CI, 9%-46%): 14% (3/22) on day 1 and 23% (5/22) on day 10. Retinal hemorrhages occurred with greater frequency in neonates born to women who had intrauterine infection (chorioamnionitis, P = .043) and low umbilical cord pH levels ( P = .027). No association was found between the presence of retinal hemorrhage and IVH ( P = 1.000), mode of delivery (ie, vaginal vs cesarean section, P = 1.000), birth weight ( P = .476), or gestational age ( P = 1.000). The presence of subconjunctival hemorrhage was associated with IVH ( P = .046). Conclusions: Retinal hemorrhages occur in less than 10% of low-birth-weight neonates, ie, a prevalence one half that observed in term neonates (22%). The hemorrhages tend to resolve without sequelae in the first 10 days of life and occur more commonly in infants born to women with uterine infection. Retinal hemorrhages in very premature neonates are not predictive of IVH-related brain damage. (J AAPOS 2001;5:90-4)
Molecular study of the sodium-iodide symporter (NIS): A new field in thyroidology

The active transport of iodide into the thyroid is mediated by the Na(+)-I- symporter (NIS), an intrinsic membrane protein. NIS plays key roles in thyroid pathophysiology as the route by which I- reaches the gland for thyroid hormone biosynthesis, and as a means for diagnostic scintigraphic imaging and for radioiodide therapy in thyroid cancer. The molecular characterization of NIS started with the isolation in 1996 of a cDNA encoding rat NIS, and has subsequently led to a virtually new field in thyroidology. The research reviewed in this article clearly has far-reaching implications in the areas of structure/function of transport proteins, thyroid pathophysiology, hormone action mechanisms, cell differentiation and cancer.
The continuing relevance of class analysis — comments

If the evidence I discuss above is correct, then it certainly seems premature to declare the death of class. Class may not be the most powerful or fundamental cause of “societal organization,” and class struggle may not be the most powerful transformative force in the world today. Class primacy as a generalized explanatory principle across all social explananda are implausible. Nevertheless, class remains a significant and sometimes powerful determinant of many aspects of social life. Class boundaries, especially the property boundary, continue to constitute real barriers in people's lives; inequalities in the distribution of capital assets continue to have real consequences for material interests; capitalist firms continue to face the problem of extracting labor effort from non-owning employees; and class location continues to have real, if variable, impacts on individual subjectivities.
Microtubules in distress release arrest.

Injured tissues can replace damaged cells by proliferating. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Bossing et al. (2012) provide evidence that developing nervous system cells sense injury using their microtubule cytoskeleton and respond by dividing to replace the missing cells.
Acting on black box warnings requires a GRADE evidence table and an implementation guide: the case of teriparatide

Abstract Objectives To assess how well do the black box warnings present and communicate evidence in a way that is consistent with evidence-based patient-centered practice, through evaluating the boxed warning on teriparatide-induced osteosarcoma. Study Design and Setting We critically appraised teriparatide black box warning for osteosarcoma by reviewing human and animal studies that were used as basis for the warning. We also evaluated the quality of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. Results We found that this warning was based on very low-quality evidence that was derived primarily from animal studies. The quality of evidence was rated down because of high risk of bias in addition to inconsistency, indirectness, and imprecision of the estimates. The warning does not provide sufficient guidance for practice like an implementation tool or an evidence profile to clarify the limitations of the evidence. Conclusion Black box warning for teriparatide-associated osteosarcoma does not explicitly present the quality of evidence, and therefore, it could be of limited use in evidence-based practice. We propose that black box warnings should include an evidence profile and an implementation guide to be more useful in evidence-based patient-centered practice.
Processing Comparable Corpora With Bilingual Suffix Trees

We introduce Bilingual Suffix Trees (BST), a data structure that is suitable for exploiting comparable corpora. We discuss algorithms that use BSTs in order to create parallel corpora and learn translations of unseen words from comparable corpora. Starting with a small bilingual dictionary that was derived automatically from a corpus of 5.000 parallel sentences, we have automatically extracted a corpus of 33.926 parallel phrases of size greater than 3, and learned 9 new word translations from a comparable corpus of 1.3M words (100.000 sentences).
A chronology of Antarctic exploration: a synopsis of events and activities from the earliest times until the international polar years, 2007–09

A chronology of Antarctic exploration: a synopsis of events and activities from the earliest times until the international polar years, 2007–09, by Robert Keith Headland, London, Bernard Quartich, ...
Atrial Flutter in Infants

Atrial Flutter in InfantsKaren M. Texter, Naomi J. Kertesz, Richard A. Friedman, Arnold L. Fenrich, JrWe reviewed the natural history of atrial flutter (AFL) in 50 infants. The majority presented a...