cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Elbow Range of Motion Measurements: Smartphone-Based Digital Photography Versus Goniometric Measurements.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to validate elbow flexion and extension measured from smartphone photography obtained by participants and compared them with photographs obtained by surgeons and goniometric measurements. Methods We enrolled 32 participants with a total of 64 elbows, aged 25 to 68 years. Participants obtained smartphone photographs of full elbow flexion and extension. Then surgeons obtained the same photographs and goniometric measurement of elbow range of motion (ROM). We measured ROM from the photographs using Adobe Photoshop and calculated average ROM. Comparisons of manual goniometer versus digital measurements, participant versus surgeon photograph measurements, and interobserver measurements were statistically analyzed. Results Average ROM measured by manual goniometer and digital photographs was 0° to 129° (range, 0° to 140°) and 0° to 129° (range, 0° to 145°), respectively. The goniometer versus digital measurements interclass correlation was 0.828 (L) and 0.740 (R). Pearson coefficient was 0.845 (L) and 0.757 (R). Bland-Altman plots demonstrated that 30 of 32 digital measurements (L) and 31 of 32 measurements (R) were within the 95% confidence interval. Participant-obtained photographs compared with researcher's photographs interclass correlation was 0.955 (L) and 0.941 (R), with a Pearson coefficient of 0.962 (L) and 0.957 (R), respectively. Reviewing interobserver reliability, concordance coefficients were 0.793 (L) and 0.767 (R) and Pearson coefficients were 0.811 (L) and 0.780 (R). Bland-Altman plots demonstrated that 28 of 32 digital measurements (L) and 26 of 32 measurements (R) were within the 95% confidence interval. Conclusions Measuring elbow ROM using smartphone digital photography is valid and reliable. Participants were able to obtain accurate photographs and the measurements based on these photographs show no statistical difference from those taken by surgeons or goniometric measurement. Clinical relevance This study validates using smartphone photography for measuring elbow ROM by laymen in a remote setting. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic II.
Association of serum cytokines with oral HPV clearance.

Abstract Background Initial studies suggest higher serum levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines may be associated with decreased cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) clearance. However, the relationship of cytokines with oral HPV clearance has not been explored. Methods From 2010 to 2014, oral rinse and serum samples were collected semi-annually from 1601 adults. Oral rinse samples were tested for HPV DNA using PCR. Based on oral HPV results, 931 serum samples were selected for cytokine evaluation to include a roughly equal number of prevalent (n = 307), incident (n = 313), and no oral HPV infections (n = 311). Electrochemiluminescence multiplex assays were used to determine the concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-13. The relationship between serum cytokine concentrations (categorized into quartiles) and oral HPV clearance was evaluated with Wei-Lin-Weissfeld regression models, adjusting for HPV infection type (prevalent vs. incident), age, HIV status, and CD4 T cell count. Results Higher TNF-α concentration was associated with decreased clearance in men (highest vs. lowest quartile, adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.34–0.79) and women (aHR = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.55–1.04), with stronger associations in men than women (p-interaction = 0.049). Higher IL-2 concentration was associated with reduced clearance in men (aHR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.50–0.95), but not women (p-interaction = 0.058). Results were similar within CD4 T cell strata (CD4 ⩾ 500 or CD4 Conclusion High serum TNF-α is associated with reduced clearance of oral HPV infection.
Progression of the Surface Roughness of N+ Silicon Epitaxial Films as Analyzed by AFM

We report on the morphology of heavily phosphorous doped silicon films grown by ultra high vacuum chemical vapor deposition at temperatures of ∼550° C. The effects of PH3 on epitaxial films have been examined for silicon deposited using SiH4 and Si2H6. It is found that films grown using silane experience an increase in surface roughness with increasing phosphine partial pressure. AFM and RHEED studies indicate 3-D growth. As epitaxy progresses, it is believed that phosphorus segregation on the growing film surface greatly diminishes the adsorption and surface mobility of the silicon bearing species. Initial Si deposition results in a pitted surface, but as growth advances and the phosphorus coverage increases, growth within the pits decreases the surface roughness. In contrast to SiH4, it is found that Si2H6 provides excellent quality, smooth films even at high PH3 partial pressures.
Characterization of an antibacterial peptide from calf thymus.

SummaryThe antibacterial thymus peptide has been characterized and strong confirmatory evidence has been presented to support the view that it has been derived from a histone present in thymus tissue.
Relationship of Proteasome Inhibitor PS-341 Induced Apoptosis with Cytoplasmic [Ca~(2+)] Changes in U266 Cells

Objective To investigate the influence of proteasome inhibitor PS-341(Bortezomib)on apoptosis-induced cell line U266 cytoplasmic [Ca~(2+)]([Ca~(2+)]i).Methods U266 cells were exposed to different concentrations of PS-341 for 4 hours,then cells apoptosis were analyzed by fluorescence microscope and flow cytometry(FCM)with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining,and cytoplasmic free calcium were detected on FCM throught Fluo-3/AM loading.Results(1)Apoptotic cells were gradually increased with PS-341 concentrantions increased under fluorescence microscope;(2)The appearance rates of apoptotic cells were 0.56%、7.71%、19.84%、31.10%、40.72% respectively on FCM and apoptotic cells rates were in dose-dependent;(3)The mean of [Ca~(2+)]i were 403.65 nmol/L、418.20 nmol/L、378.65 nmol/L、356.36 nmol/L、349.21 nmol/L,respectively,treated with PS-341.(4)PS-341 induced U266 cells apoptosis following [Ca~(2+)]i change,and was related to the down regulation of [Ca~(2+)]i when the dose exceeded 50nmol/L.Conclusion PS-341 induced U266 cells apoptosis in dose-dependent fashion;when concentration excessed 50 nmol/L PS-341 down regulated [Ca~(2+)]i,and to exert its induce apoptosis activity by these pathways.
Characterization of the mouse and human Monoacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase 1 (Mogat1) promoter in human kidney proximal tubule and rat liver cells

Monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (Mogat1) catalyzes the conversion of monoacylglycerols (MAG) to diacylglycerols (DAG), the precursor of several physiologically important lipids such as phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and triacylglycerol (TAG). Expression of Mogat1 is tissue restricted and it is highly expressed in the kidney, stomach and adipose tissue but minimally in the normal adult liver. To understand the transcriptional regulation of Mogat1, we characterized the mouse and human Mogat1 promoters in human kidney proximal tubule-2 (HK-2) cells. In-silico analysis revealed several peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE) binding sites in the promoters of both human and mouse Mogat1. These sites responded to all three peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) isoforms such that their respective agonist or antagonist activated or inhibited the expression of Mogat1. PPRE site mutagenesis revealed that sites located at -592 and -2518 are very effective in decreasing luciferase reporter gene activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay using PPARα antibody further confirmed the occupancy of these sites by PPARα. While these assays revealed the core promoter elements necessary for Mogat1 expression, there are additional elements required to regulate its tissue specific expression. Chromosome conformation capture (3C) assay revealed additional cis-elements located ~10-15 kb upstream which interact with the core promoter. These chromosomal regions are responsive to both PPARα agonist and antagonist.
Big Stick Management: Misconducts as Discipline Within a Correctional Reentry Facility

Reentry correctional facilities play a critical role in preparing inmates to successfully transition back to the community. Part of this role includes providing a structured program, which allows for gradual transition from prison life to the community through work, education, and counseling programs. Little research reveals how correctional officers (COs) maintain control and promote rule compliance within a reentry environment. Using administrative, survey, and ethnographic data, we examine how COs in a reentry-focused prison manage the inmate population. Correctional officers do not report using misconducts in surveys and observations, but administrative data reveal staff often use formal misconducts even for minor infractions. The number of accumulated misconducts an inmate received, seriousness of the current violation, and officer tenure significantly relate to the severity of present misconduct outcomes. Considering the mission and goals of reentry facilities, this study has significant implication...
Eyedrop Inoculation Causes Sublethal Leptospirosis in Mice

ABSTRACT Leptospirosis is potentially a fatal zoonosis acquired by contact of skin and mucosal surfaces with soil and water contaminated with infected urine. We analyzed the outcome of infection of C3H/HeJ mice with Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni using an enzootic mode of transmission, the conjunctival route. Infection led to weight loss and L. interrogans dissemination from blood to urine, and spirochetes were detected in blood and urine simultaneously. The infectious dose that led to consistent dissemination to kidney after conjunctival infection was ∼108 leptospires. Interestingly, a lower number of spirochetes appeared to colonize the kidney, given that we quantified ∼105 and ∼10 leptospires per μl of urine and per μg of kidney, respectively. Leptospira-specific IgM and IgG were detected at 15 days postinfection, and isotyping of the Ig subclass showed that the total IgG response switched from an IgG1 response to an IgG3 response after infection with L. interrogans. Histological periodic acid-Schiff D staining of infected kidney showed interstitial nephritis, mononuclear cell infiltrates, and reduced size of glomeruli. Quantification of proinflammatory immunomediators in kidney showed that keratinocyte-derived chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein 2, RANTES, tumor necrosis factor alpha, gamma interferon, and interleukin-10 were upregulated in infected mice. We show that the kinetics of disease progression after infection via the ocular conjunctiva is delayed compared with infection via the standard intraperitoneal route. Differences may be related to the number of L. interrogans spirochetes that succeed in overcoming the natural defenses of the ocular conjunctiva and transit through tissue.
Treatment of the Midwestern Endemic Mycoses, Blastomycosis and Histoplasmosis

The purpose of this review is to assess the recommended treatment regimens for the major endemic mycoses, histoplasmosis and blastomycosis, which occur in the Midwestern USA and to provide information about the use of newer antifungal agents for these diseases. The basic approach to treatment of histoplasmosis and blastomycosis outlined in the IDSA Guidelines is helpful in managing these diseases. However, changes since these guidelines were published provide safer and better tolerated treatment regimens. Prolonged treatment with amphotericin B is rarely required, and lipid formulations of this drug have largely replaced the amphotericin B deoxycholate formulation. Although no clinical trials have been performed and the data are anecdotal, voriconazole and posaconazole are increasingly used in patients who cannot tolerate itraconazole. Voriconazole is especially useful when central nervous system infection is present. Posaconazole tablets provide consistently appropriate serum levels and the drug is well tolerated. New azole agents provide alternative therapeutic options for histoplasmosis and blastomycosis.
From startup to scalable enterprise: Laying the foundation

Abstract The essential steps in the transition from a nascent startup to an organization capable of sustained and profitable growth are not readily apparent to many early stage entrepreneurs. The life cycle of an entrepreneurial venture consists of four stages (startup, transition, scaling, and exit), each defined by the principal challenges faced by the founding team. The popular lean startup methodology emphasizes a disciplined process of exploration, validation, and refinement of the business concept as the essential first step in the process. Although it is undeniably important to get the business concept right in the beginning, there is a period of transition during which the founding team must establish a solid foundation for growth and scaling that may ultimately have a greater influence on venture success. To date, limited research has focused on transition and the field has offered little normative guidance. Entrepreneurs have largely been on their own as they struggle, through trial and error, to lay the foundation and build a scalable business. This article describes the essential tasks to be undertaken—the eight hurdles of transition—and provides normative guidance, solidly based on experience, regarding the actions required to establish the foundation for a scalable business.
The Zeiss Werke and the Ultramicroscope: The Creation of a Scientific Instrument in Context

I presented a first draft of part of this essay at a conference on “Instruments and Institutions: Making History Today” at The Science Museum, London (April, 1991); I thank Robert Bud and Susan Cozzens for their invitation to do so, and John Krige for his helpful comments and criticisms at the conference. I also presented first drafts of other parts of this essay at History of Science Society meetings in Madison (November, 1991) and New Orleans (October, 1994). Finally, I thank Jed Buchwald and, especially, Gerard L’E. Turner for their many instructive comments and criticisms.
Impulsivity and tobacco product use over time.

Abstract Impulsivity has been consistently associated with greater likelihood and intensity of cigarette smoking, but most studies have been cross-sectional. Additionally, while some initial studies are suggestive, less is known about links between impulsivity and use of e-cigarettes or hookah tobacco. The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the urgency and sensation seeking aspects of impulsivity would be prospectively associated with patterns of cigarette, e-cigarette, and hookah tobacco use over time. Young adults (n = 335; 56% male) aged 18–24 who were non- and never-daily cigarette smokers at baseline completed 9 online assessments of tobacco product use over two years. Longitudinal negative binomial regression models were used to evaluate relationships between impulsivity components and product use. Frequency of use of all three products declined over time. Higher levels of positive urgency (cigarette), negative urgency (hookah), and lack of premeditation (e-cigarette, hookah) were associated with smaller reductions in frequency of specific products. Additionally, higher negative urgency predicted greater quantity of cigarettes consumed, and higher sensation seeking was associated with more frequent e-cigarette use. Findings suggest impulsivity components differentially predict tobacco use over time, indicating that motives and/or risk factors for tobacco use may be product-specific.
Individual Predisposition to Coronary Microvascular Obstruction

Abstract Coronary microvascular obstruction (CMVO) during ST-elevation myocardial infarction can occur in up to half of those presenting to the cardiac catheterization laboratory and undergo percutaneous revascularization. Poor microvascular and endothelial function are known to be associated with CMVO, and are potential avenues for preventative strategies. In this chapter, we highlight the associations between poor microvascular and endothelial function, provide clinical signs and manifestations of poor systemic endothelial and/or microvascular function, and outline some strategies to prevent endothelial and microvascular function.
Multiple phenotypic divergence of mammary adenocarcinoma cell clones. I. In vitro and in vivo properties.

We have shown that, with in vitro passage, subclones derived from clonal cell populations of 13762NF mammary adenocarcinoma undergo phenotypic drift and diversification in their cellular properties. Here we examine whether phenotypic divergence of 13762NF cell clones extends to therapeutic treatments used in eliminating mammary tumors and whether the apparent rates of phenotypic divergence vary for different treatments. Six subclones isolated from low passage clone MTF7 (T11 l; tissue culture passage 11) cells were compared to a similar number of subclones isolated from high passage clone MTF7 (T35; tissue culture passage 35) cells. Subclones derived from clone MTF7 (TI l) were relatively homogeneous (not significantly different) in their inherent sensitivities to ionizing radiation, extrapolation coefficients and quasithreshold dose values (Do = 1·61–1·99 Gy; n=0·89–3·42; Dq = 0–2·34). When the MTF7 (Tll) subclones were examined for their sensitivities to 45°C hyperthermic treatment, the inherent sensitivities and dose-response curve parameters (Do = 5·24–10·05 min; n = 1·08–10·47; Dq = 0·78–12·31) were heterogeneous (significantly different). In addition, the MTF7 (T1 l) subclones were heterogeneous (significantly different) in their sensitivities and dose-response curve parameters to 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (FUdR) treatment (slope= −0·70 to −1·59; y-intercept = 1·31 × 102 to 47·80 × 102). The LD50 values for FUdR ranged from 14–150 nm for the MTF7 (T11) subclones. At high passage MTF7 (T35) subclones were heterogeneous in their dose-response parameters to ionizing radiation (Do = 1·17–2·05 Gy; n = 0·80–41·18; Dq = 1·79-\24·94), hyperthermia (Do = 3·57–6·32 min; n = 2·08–13·54; Dq = 3·68–9·30) and FUdR (slope= −0·77 to −0·93; y-intercept = 4·64 × 102 to 8·83 × 102; LD50 = 50–160nm). The results indicate that clonal cells diverge for distinct phenotypic properties at differing rates to form heterogeneous cell populations with unique sensitivities to various therapeutic treatments.
Pectoral girdle and forelimb musculoskeletal function in the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus): insights into mammalian locomotor evolution.

Although evolutionary transformation of the pectoral girdle and forelimb appears to have had a profound impact on mammalian locomotor and ecological diversity, both the sequence of anatomical chang...
Assessing epitaxial regrowth material quality on a micro-transfer printed GaAs substrate

Abstract Micro-transfer printing has demonstrated value for device- and array-level heterogeneous integration in a variety of applications. Here, it is used instead to assemble unique substrates with the potential to enable III–V growth templates that are both low-cost and specified at any desired lattice parameter within the range of III–V materials. Critical to this, epitaxial growth crystal quality must be established as comparable to that produced on conventional epi-ready substrates. We demonstrate epitaxial regrowth on gallium arsenide membranes that were transfer printed from their source substrate and onto a target handle. Both morphology and luminescence properties were characterized. Comparing the transfer printed membrane epitaxy with epitaxy on a conventional substrate, we found recombination rates and spatial uniformity from power-dependent photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence, respectively, to yield similar results, suggesting material quality was not adversely limited by the engineered substrate.
An immunocompromised mouse model to infect Ixodes scapularis ticks with the relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi.

Abstract The hard tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi, has recently gained attention as a cause of human illness, but fundamental aspects of its enzootic maintenance are still poorly understood. Challenges to experimental studies with B. miyamotoi-infected vector ticks include low prevalence of infection in field-collected ticks and seemingly inefficient horizontal transmission from infected immunocompetent rodents to feeding ticks. To reliably produce large numbers of B. miyamotoi-infected ticks in support of experimental studies, we developed an animal model where immunocompromised Mus musculus SCID mice were used as a source of B. miyamotoi-infection for larval and nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks. Following needle inoculation with 1 × 105 spirochetes, the SCID mice developed a high spirochetemia (greater than 1 × 107 copies of B. miyamotoi purB per mL of blood) that persisted for at least 30 d after inoculation. In comparison, immunocompetent M. musculus CD-1 mice developed transient infections, detectable for only 2–8 d within the first 16 d after needle inoculation, with a brief, lower peak spirochetemia (8.5 × 104 – 5.6 × 105 purB copies per mL of blood). All larval or nymphal ticks fed on infected SCID mice acquired B. miyamotoi, but frequent loss of infection during the molt led to the proportion infected ticks of the resulting nymphal or adult stages declining to 22–29%. The ticks that remained infected after the molt had well-disseminated infections which then persisted through successive life stages, including transmission to larval offspring.
Extremity soft tissue sarcoma in the elderly: Are we overtreating or undertreating this potentially vulnerable patient population?

BACKGROUND As the U.S. population ages, differences in oncologic outcomes among the elderly have been recognized. Our objective was to analyze the clinical, pathologic, and treatment outcomes for elderly soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients, hypothesizing significant differences in the management and response to therapy. METHODS Using the National Cancer Database, we identified 33 859 patients with nonmetastatic extremity STS. We defined elderly as ≥74 years in age and compared patient and treatment variables between adult and elderly patients. Cox-proportional hazards analysis was used to determine predictors of overall survival (OS). RESULTS We identified 8504 elderly patients. Significant differences in histologic subtype, grade, and facility type between elderly and nonelderly patients (P < 0.05) exist. Elderly patients were less likely to undergo R0 resection (P = 0.001) and had a higher 90-day mortality (P = 0.001). Surgical elderly patients experienced superior OS compared with nonsurgical patients (P = 0.001). Among elderly patients, younger age, and female sex, lower Charlson-Deyo score, lower grade, smaller tumors, surgical resection, negative surgical margins, and radiation therapy were associated with better OS. CONCLUSIONS Key differences exist in elderly extremity STS patients, including a narrower benefit/risk ratio with surgical management. These data highlight that elderly patients represent a distinct cohort for whom more careful selection appears indicated.
The Urbanism of Exception: The Dynamics of Global City Building in the Twenty-First Century

This book challenges the conventional (modernist-inspired) understanding of urbanization as a universal process tied to the ideal-typical model of the modern metropolis with its origins in the grand Western experience of city-building. At the start of the twenty-first century, the familiar idea of the 'city' - or 'urbanism' as we know it - has experienced such profound mutations in both structure and form that the customary epistemological categories and prevailing conceptual frameworks that predominate in conventional urban theory are no longer capable of explaining the evolving patterns of city-making. Global urbanism has increasingly taken shape as vast, distended city-regions, where urbanizing landscapes are increasingly fragmented into discontinuous assemblages of enclosed enclaves characterized by global connectivity and concentrated wealth, on the one side, and distressed zones of neglect and impoverishment, on the other. These emergent patterns of what might be called enclave urbanism have gone hand-in-hand with the new modes of urban governance, where the crystallization of privatized regulatory regimes has effectively shielded wealthy enclaves from public oversight and interference.
Zebrafish as a Model to Understand Vertebrate Development

Abstract Whether human, bird, or fish, all organisms with a backbone look quite similar at one common point in their lives—during the earliest life stage, the time of embryogenesis. The complex form of an adult organism originated from the diversification of much simpler beginnings as an embryo. From the fusion of two haploid genomes, a single-celled zygote is conceived. This earliest staged embryo is tasked with the challenge of building many more cells while simultaneously establishing the basic positional locations of the head, tail, back, and belly. The zebrafish model system was itself conceived for the main purpose of investigating the genetics governing vertebrate embryogenesis (See also Chapter 1; Anderson & Ingham, 2003; Grunwald & Eisen, 2002; Li, Huang, Dong, Zhu, & Liu, 2013; Meunier, 2012). In this chapter, we will discuss the many advantages and novel insights the zebrafish model system has brought to our understanding of the developmental biology governing vertebrate embryogenesis.
Seeing Is Believing? Unique Capabilities of Internet-Only Studies as a Tool for Implementation Research on HIV Prevention for Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Review of Studies and Methodological Considerations.

BACKGROUND In 2014, Grov et al published a comprehensive review cataloguing both men who have sex with men's (MSM's) sexual behavior transitions in online environments from the 1990s through 2013, as well as researchers' efforts in tandem to use the internet to engage MSM into research, treatment, and prevention. METHODS In this article, we discuss historical events and research having occurred in the half decade since the Grov et al publication. RESULTS Notable transitions include MSM's expanded use of geosocial networking apps, as well as other forms of social media accessed primarily through mobile devices, as well as the addition of biomedical prevention strategies (eg, pre-exposure prophylaxis and undetectable = untransmittable) to the proverbial HIV prevention toolkit. In tandem, researchers have rapidly expanded their employment of internet-mediated methods for the recruitment and engagement of key populations for HIV research, treatment, and prevention. In this article, we discuss methodological considerations for using the internet to conduct HIV prevention research with MSM: (1) sources of recruitment (eg, geosocial apps, Facebook, crowdsourced online panels); (2) design (eg, cross sectional, longitudinal, diaries); (3) incentives (including disincentivizing fraudulent participants and/or spam bots); (4) confidentiality; and (5) representativeness. CONCLUSION We conclude by discussing future directions in HIV prevention research in light of forthcoming technologies such as fifth generation (5G) mobile networks, combined use of self-collected biological data alongside self-report, and the utility of metadata and metaresearch to document, evaluate, and inform best practices.
Seeing the Forest in Family Violence Research: Moving to a Family-Centered Approach.

Abstract Victims of family violence are sorted into fragmented systems that fail to address the family as an integrated unit. Each system provides specialized care to each type of victim (child; older adult; adult; animal) and centers on the expertise of the medical and service providers involved. Similarly, researchers commonly study abuse from the frame of the victim, rather than looking at a broader frame - the family. We propose the following five steps to create a research paradigm to holistically address the response, recognition, and prevention of family violence. (1) Establish common definitions and data elements for family violence. Definitions and data elements should be useable across medical, social, and legal systems of care. Outcomes should be relevant to patients, family members, and providers. (2) Measure the efficacy and cost of the current medical-social-legal system that addresses violence. (3) Develop actionable screening recommendations for at-risk household contacts when violence is initially identified. (4) Develop and test family-centered interventions, especially those that target modifiable risk factors such as substance use or mental illness. (5) Target support and prevention strategies for families at highest risk. By developing an integrated research model to address family violence, and by using that model to support integrated systems of care, we propose a fundamental paradigm shift to improve the lives of families living with and suffering from violence.
Defining Pain That Does Not Interfere With Activities Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to: 1) characterize the distribution of noninterfering pain (defined as the pain intensity level at which individuals can function without interference) across different aspects of life among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 2) identify clinical characteristics associated with differing levels of noninterfering pain. METHODS Patients with RA in FORWARD, The National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases completed 8 items from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain interference item bank that asked about interference with activities. If subjects reported pain interference, they were asked, "At what level would pain no longer interfere with this activity?" on a scale of 0 to 10. Subjects were also asked, "At what level of pain would you be able to do everything you want to do?" Multiple linear regression analyses examined associations between clinical characteristics and noninterfering pain. RESULTS A total of 3,949 patients with RA completed the questionnaires. Pain interference was most common for daily activities and least common for ability to concentrate. The mean ± SD level at which pain no longer interfered with activities ranged from 2.7 ± 2.1 for ability to fall/stay asleep to 3.1 ± 2.0 for social activities. Overall, the mean ± SD threshold for noninterfering pain was 2.8 ± 1.9. The mean ± SD level of pain at which patients could do everything they wanted to do was 2.3 ± 1.9. More severe pain intensity was associated with higher noninterfering pain. CONCLUSION The mean pain level that did not interfere with activities was 3. High pain intensity was associated with high self-reported noninterfering pain.
The use of a genetically incompatible combination of host and virus (MHV) for the study of mechanisms of host resistance.

In 1960 when we found that mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) could grow in, and would destroy, macrophages in tissue culture, and that macrophage behavior in vitro reflected the single gene for susceptibility in the mouse,1,2 we constructed a simple model of how genetic resistance and susceptibility to this virus functioned. Today, the basic experimental findings remain unchanged, but new findings have compelled a very different interpretation of the same data. We believe that this re-interpretation applies to many host-virus genetic systems. It may be useful to first follow each item that has been re-interpreted, and then illustrate how the more complex model can clarify one way in which the environment affects host-parasite interrelations. We believe that the effects of environmental pollutants could be tested in this system. The original view of the system and the change in viewpoint between 1960 and 1980 are shown in Table 1.
Association of social network structure and physical function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective To test the association between physical function and the social environment in multiple sclerosis (MS), we quantified personal social networks. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 2 academic MS centers, with center 1 serving as a discovery group and center 2 as the extension group. We performed a meta-analysis of the centers to extend the analysis. We used responses from a questionnaire to map the structure and health habits of participants9 social networks as well as the NIH Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) physical function scale (0–100, mean 50 for US general population) as the primary outcome. We applied multivariable models to test the association between network metrics and physical function. Results The discovery cohort included 263 patients with MS: 81% were women, 96% non-Hispanic European, 78% had relapsing MS, average age was 50 (12.4) years, and mean disease duration was 17 (12.3) years. The extension group included 163 patients, who were younger, more racially diverse, and less physically disabled, and had shorter disease duration. In the meta-analysis, higher network constraint, a measure of tightly bound networks, was associated with worse physical function (β = −0.163 ± 0.047, p Conclusions Our study highlights personal networks as an important environmental factor associated with physical function in MS. Patients with close-knit networks had worse function than those with more open networks. Longitudinal studies are warranted to evaluate a causal relationship between network structure and physical impairment.
An Institutional Explanation of Troop Contributions in UN Peacekeeping Missions

What makes a UN member state contribute more peacekeepers to be deployed in hostile environments and place their troops at risk? A significant amount of scholarly research explores the need for, an...
How to choose an abdominal imaging fellowship

Radiologists in training draw from their early experiences in residency when choosing a fellowship. Once they have decided on an abdominal imaging fellowship, applicants must learn to navigate the interview process. During this challenging time, applicants explore the difference in clinical curricula and rotations, meet potential mentors and clinical faculty, consider potential academic interests and projects, and choose what location they would like to train for one year after residency. When in training, fellows undergo the challenge of finding employment while learning new skills and refining their abilities to become a well-rounded radiologist and clinician. This article summarizes key points potential applicants should consider when deciding on an abdominal imaging fellowship, how to prepare for the interview season, and how to plan their fellowship year before fellows take the next step to becoming attendings.
Predicting Road Blockage Due to Building Damage Following Earthquakes

Abstract Transportation infrastructure supports the social and economic activities of communities. One of the impacts of roads’ disruption is the obstruction of emergency services (e.g., ambulance, firefighting, evacuation). Furthermore, the recovery process of a community following an extreme event (e.g., a natural hazard) depends on the functionality of the transportation infrastructure. Therefore, conducting a risk and resilience analysis of transportation infrastructure is critical to help communities minimize the initial impact of hazards and promote a rapid recovery. Current approaches model the probability of road blockage due to building damage using high-resolution optical satellite images and aerial photographs collected after past events. However, the data used by these methods are limited, and few data have been collected before 2010. Besides, data may not be available for specific regions that have not experienced recent earthquakes. Thus, a probabilistic predictive method is needed for risk and resilience analysis of roads. This paper proposes a probabilistic model using the data from the 2010 Haiti Earthquake and calibrated by Bayesian approach to predict the debris distance from undamaged buildings (e.g., the distance debris can reach from the footprint of the undamaged building). The model is then used to construct fragility curves that give the conditional probability of road blockage at a given road section for a given seismic intensity. The proposed model considers the relevant factors affecting the road blockage probability, including building types, damage level, and road characteristics. The probability of road blockage at a given road section is estimated for the four general road section types, considering buildings on only one side of the road or both sides, and with or without a raised traffic median. The probability of road blockage for an entire road is then calculated by system and parallel reliability analysis. The proposed models apply to any general urban area without the dependence on historical data from past earthquakes.
Cefotaxime and prophylaxis: New approaches with a proven agent

Cefotaxime, a third-generation cephalosporin, is active against many troublesome gram-negative organisms and anaerobes that now more frequently cause nosocomial infection. Single-dose cefotaxime, 1 g or 2 g administered 30 minutes prior to surgery, has been proven to be effective as prophylaxis for infection following gastrointestinal, biliary, obstetric, gynecologic, and genito-urinary procedures. When published trials are compiled, single-dose cefotaxime is more effective than multiple-dose cefazolin (p less than 0.01) in these types of surgery. Unfortunately, the dramatic increase in cephalosporin use has been accompanied by the emergence of resistant organisms such as enterococci and fungi. In Europe, some centers successfully prevent nosocomial pneumonia in intubated patients by decontaminating gastric contents with a combination of nonabsorbable antimicrobial agents including cefotaxime. Further trials may validate this concept for use in the United States.
Two VLSI design advances in arithmetic coding

This paper presents two VLSI design advances for arithmetic coding which is an entropy coding technique for image coding. First, we present an algorithm which has less performance degradation in finite word-length implementation than two previously analyzed algorithms. Second, we propose the implementation of the interval width register update operation using redundant arithmetic to obtain further speed-up in the VLSI implementation of the JPEG/JBIG binary arithmetic coding algorithm known as QM-coder. The resulting hardware design achieves a faster clock rate and can be combined with previously proposed high speed techniques.
Nuclear fusion from explosions of femtosecond laser-heated deuterium clusters

As a form of matter intermediate between molecules and bulk solids, atomic clusters have been much studied1. Light-induced processes in clusters can lead to photo-fragmentation2,3 and Coulombic fission4, producing atom and ion fragments with a few electronvolts (eV) of energy. However, recent studies of thephotoionization of atomic clusters with high intensity (>1016 W cm−2) femtosecond laser pulses have shown that these interactions can be far more energetic5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13—excitation of large atomic clusters can produce a superheated microplasma that ejects ions with kinetic energies up to 1 MeV (ref. 10). This phenomenon suggests that through irradiation of deuterium clusters, it would be possible to create plasmas with sufficient average ion energy for substantial nuclear fusion. Here we report the observation of nuclear fusion from the explosions of deuterium clusters heated with a compact, high-repetition-rate table-top laser. We achieve an efficiency of about 105 fusion neutrons per joule of incident laser energy, which approaches the efficiency of large-scale laser-driven fusion experiments. Our results should facilitate a range of fusion experiments using small-scale lasers, and may ultimately lead to the development of a table-top neutron source, which could potentially find wide application in materials studies.
Critical Theory and Information Studies: A Marcusean Infusion

In the field of library and information science, also known as information studies, critical theory is often not included in debates about the discipline's theoretical foundations. This paper argues that the critical theory of Herbert Marcuse, in particular, has a significant contribution to make to the field of information studies. Marcuse's focus, for instance, on ‘technical rationality’ as a tool of domination in modern capitalist society is a useful construct for understanding how discourses of information technology are being used to perpetuate modernist notions of information and capitalist logics of consumption. It is argued here that critical theory theory and critical theory of technology have a particular relevance and salience to the study of information, and that any discipline that claims to study the creation, use, classification, and access of information simply cannot ignore the larger socio-political critiques of modern, technological society that Marcuse proposes.
Types of Abdominal Injury

The severity of penetrating abdominal injury varies with the injuring agent and the organs affected. The variety of injuries that can be produced is a challenge to the diagnostic and therapeutic skills of the physicians involved in the patient’s care. Accidents, animal attacks, environmental upheavals, and wars (using relatively low-velocity missiles such as rocks, knives, spears, and arrows) accounted for most visceral trauma prior to the introduction of gunpowder. However, since the introduction of gunpowder in the fourteenth century, there has been a progressively increasing incidence of injury from relatively high-velocity missiles, causing extensive soft-tissue and osseous injury.
Chemical contaminant exposure and effects in four fish species from Tampa Bay, Florida

Concentrations of selected anthropogenic chemical contaminants and levels of pollution-related biological effects were measured during three consecutive years (1990–1992) in hardhead catfish (Arius felis), Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis), longnose killifish (F. majalis), and red drum (Scieaenops ocellatus) from 12 subtidal and intertidal sites in Tampa Bay and nearby Sarasota Bay. Each species was collected from at least four sites. Compared to nonindustrialized sites, concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, and alpha-chlordane in liver, and of fluorescent aromatic compounds in bile, were highest in fish from sites in or near Hillsborough Bay, the most industrialized portion of Tampa Bay. The results of analyses for two biochemical markers of contaminant-induced effects in fish, hepatic cytochrome P4501A activities and levels of hepatic DNA adducts, also showed the highest levels to be in all four fish species from sites in the vicinity of Hillsborough Bay. Liver lesions, considered to be pollution-associated in several other bottom-feeding fish species, were found in hardhead catfish and longnose killifish, exclusively from sites in Hillsborough Bay. Overall, concentrations of selected contaminants and their derivatives in the four target fish species generally reflected concentrations of these contaminants found in sediment. The biochemical and histopathological responses demonstrated that chemical contaminant concentrations in the vicinity of Hillsborough Bay are sufficiently high to cause adverse effects in indigenous fish species. The results, collectively, showed that the extent of contaminant exposure and biological effects in fish from sites in Tampa Bay were low to moderate compared to more urbanized coastal sites of the United States. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY073 00009
There Comes a Time: Biography and the Founding of a Movement Organization

The social movement literature lacks a historically sensitive analysis of pathways to founding and leading a movement organization. I connect biography and history to explain the timing and form of organizational emergence. I show how Robert Welch’s founding of the conspiratorial John Birch Society was pre-dated by moral shocks, a supportive culture and social network, experience organizing people in committees, as well as some dumb luck (in the form of fortuitous timing), all of which grew his reputation in the latent conservative movement. A national reputation allowed him to gather resources and unite regionally dispersed radical rightists into a coherent national organization.
Effects of Composition Mode and Self-Perceived Computer Skills on Essay Scores of Sixth Graders.

Abstract This study was conducted to gather evidence regarding effects of the mode of writing (handwritten vs. word-processed) on compositional quality in a sample of sixth grade students. Questionnaire data and essay scores were gathered to examine the effect of composition mode on essay scores of students of differing computer skill levels. The study was replicated across two writing prompts; essays were assessed on six elements of writing on which a Writing Process Model theoretical framework predicted differences across modes. Statistically significant effects for mode and computer skills were found for some essay elements, although no statistically significant effects were found for others. These results were inconsistent across writing prompts. With the surge in high-stakes testing in American schools and with increasingly more importance being placed on writing skills in many areas, it is critical that test developers ensure that the composition mode of these tests is not putting certain students at a disadvantage. Accordingly, this article concludes with implications for writing instruction and assessment.
Control theory and understanding motivated behavior: A different conclusion

In the preceding article it was argued that control theory is not a useful paradigm for understanding work motivation. In doing so, three primary criticisms were presented: (a) that control theory, as originally formulated, does not adequately describe human behavior, (b) that modifications of control theory to describe human behavior have not been successful, and (c) that the use of logical deductions to develop a control theory model of work motivation is less efficacious than a grounded theory approach. In this reply, it will be shown that (a) the first criticism is not incorrect but is an inappropriate basis for criticism, (b) statements regarding modified control theory models are either inaccurate or premature, and (c) both inductive and deductive reasoning play an important role in theory development. In addressing these issues and in discussing the distinct advantages of current control theory models it will be shown that control theory does provide a viable paradigm for understanding work motivation.
Specificity of acid RNase from HeLa cell lysosomes

Abstract The specificity of the lysosomal acid RNase [Saha, B.K., Graham, M.Y. and Schlessinger, D. (1979). J. Biol. Chem. 5951-5957] has been determined by 5'-end labeling and sequencing gel electrophoresis of rRNA. The enzyme has a predilection for the dinucleotide sequence ...NU..., which is cleaved into ...Np and HOU.... Sequences AU and GU sequences is enhanced by the presence of adjacent purine residues. The specificity remains unaltered after partial denaturation of the RNA.