cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incidence and Prevalence of Achalasia in Central Chicago, 2004–2014, Since the Widespread Use of High-Resolution Manometry

Background & Aims Reported global incidence and prevalence values for achalasia vary widely, from 0.03 to 1.63 per 100,000 persons per year and from 1.8 to 12.6 per 100,000 persons per year, respectively. This study aimed to reconcile these low values with findings from a major referral center, in central Chicago (which began using high-resolution manometry in 2004 and used it in all clinical studies since 2005), and has determined the incidence and prevalence of achalasia to be much greater. Methods We collected data from the Northwestern Medicine Enterprise Data Warehouse database (tertiary care setting) of adults residing in Chicago with an encounter diagnosis of achalasia from 2004 through 2014. Patient files were reviewed to confirm diagnosis and residential address. US Census Bureau population data were used as the population denominator. We assumed that we encountered every incident case in the city to calculate incidence and prevalence estimates. Data were analyzed for the city at large and for the 13 zip codes surrounding the Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), the NMH neighborhood. Results We identified 379 cases (50.9% female) that met the full inclusion criteria; of these, 246 were incident cases. Among these, 132 patients resided in the NMH neighborhood, 89 of which were incident cases. Estimated yearly incidences were stable over the study period, ranging from 0.77 to 1.35 per 100,000 citywide (average, 1.07 per 100,000) and from 1.41 to 4.60 per 100,000 in the NMH neighborhood (average, 2.92 per 100,000). The corresponding prevalence values increased progressively, from 4.68 to 14.42 per 100,000 citywide and from 15.64 to 32.58 per 100,000 in the NMH neighborhood. Conclusions The incidence and prevalence of achalasia in central Chicago diagnosed using state-of-the-art technology and diagnostic criteria are at least 2- to 3-fold greater than previous estimates. Additional studies are needed to determine the generalizability of these data to other regions.
The Impact of Baseline Serum Creatinine on Complete Remission Rate and Long-Term Outcome in Patients with Severe Lupus Nephritis.

Background/Aim: We assess the impact of serum creatinine at baseline on complete remission rate and long-term outcome in severe lupus nephritis (SLN). &l
Effects of Rotator Cuff Pathology and Physical Therapy on In Vivo Shoulder Motion and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With a Symptomatic Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear.

Background:Physical therapy (PT) is often prescribed for patients with rotator cuff tears. The extent to which PT influences strength, range of motion (ROM), and patient-reported outcomes has been ...
Associations of Prenatal and Child Sugar Intake With Child Cognition.

Introduction Sugar consumption among Americans is above recommended limits, and excess sugar intake may influence cognition. The aim of this study was to examine associations of pregnancy and offspring sugar consumption (sucrose, fructose) with child cognition. Additionally, associations of maternal and child consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), other beverages (diet soda, juice), and fruit with child cognition were examined. Methods Among 1,234 mother–child pairs enrolled 1999–2002 in Project Viva, a pre-birth cohort, in 2017 diet was assessed during pregnancy and early childhood, and cognitive outcomes in early and mid-childhood (median ages 3.3 and 7.7 years). Analyses used linear regression models adjusted for maternal and child characteristics. Results Maternal sucrose consumption (mean 49.8 grams/day [SD=12.9]) was inversely associated with mid-childhood Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT-II) non-verbal scores (–1.5 points per 15 grams/day, 95% CI= –2.8, –0.2). Additionally, maternal SSB consumption was inversely associated with mid-childhood cognition, and diet soda was inversely associated with early and mid-childhood cognition scores. Early childhood consumption of SSBs was inversely associated with mid-childhood KBIT-II verbal scores (–2.4 points per serving/day, 95% CI= –4.3, –0.5) while fruit consumption was associated with higher cognitive scores in early and mid-childhood. Maternal and child fructose and juice consumption were not associated with cognition. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, the association between maternal diet soda consumption and mid-childhood KBIT-II verbal scores remained significant. Conclusions Sugar consumption, especially from SSBs, during pregnancy and childhood, and maternal diet soda consumption may adversely impact child cognition, while child fruit consumption may lead to improvements. Interventions and policies that promote healthier diets may prevent adverse effects on childhood cognition.
LEMAX: learning-based energy consumption minimization in approximate computing with quality guarantee

Approximate computing aims to trade accuracy for energy efficiency. Various approximate methods have been proposed in the literature that demonstrate the effectiveness of relaxing accuracy requirements in a specific unit. This provides a basis for exploring simultaneous use of multiple approximate units to improve efficiency under guarantees on quality of results. In this paper, we explore the effect of combining multiple approximate units on the energy consumption and identify the best setting that minimizes energy consumption under a quality constraint. Our approach also enables changes in unit configurations throughout the program. To do this effectively, we need a method to examine the combined impact of multiple approximate units on the output quality, and configure individual units accordingly. To solve this problem, we propose LEMAX that uses gradient descent approach to identify the best configuration of the individual approximate units for a given program. We evaluate the efficacy of LEMAX in minimizing the energy consumption of several machine learning applications with varying size (i.e., number of operations) under different quality constraints. Our evaluation shows that the configuration provided by LEMAX for a system with multiple approximate units improves the energy consumption by on average, 97.7%, 83.12%, and 73.95% for quality loss of 5%, 2% and 0.5%, respectively, compared to configurations obtained for a system with a single approximate resource.
Functional Study of Photoreceptor PDEδ

Cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase 6 (PDE6), a member of a large superfamily of phosphodiesterases (Soderling et al., 1998; Beavo et al., 1994), is a key enzyme in the rod and cone phototransduction cascades (Polans et al., 1996; McBee et al., 2001). PDE6 in rod photoreceptors (henceforth called PDE) is composed of two catalytic subunits-PDEα and PDE β-and two identical inhibitory subunits, PDEγ (Baehr et al., 1979; Fung et al., 1990; Deterre et al., 1988). Photoreceptor PDE is peripherally membrane-associated via the farnesyl and geranylgeranyl chains at C-termini of PDEα and PDE β, respectively (Anant et al., 1992; Qin et al., 1992; Qin and Baehr, 1994). PDEδ was originally copurified with photoreceptor PDE from bovine retina and considered the fourth subunit of PDE (Gillespie et al., 1989). Functional studies indicated that PDEδ could solubilize membrane-associated PDE and decouple the activation of transducin from hydrolysis of cGMP when added to the permeabilized rod outer segments (Cook and Beavo, 2000; Florio et al., 1996). However, first evidence arguing against PDEδ being an authentic PDE subunit came from the expression profile of PDEδ. Multiple tissue northern blots indicated that PDEδ mRNA is present in all tissues examined with relatively higher level in retinas, in contrast to PDE which is only expressed in photoreceptors of the retina (Florio et al., 1996; Marzesco et al., 1998). Furthermore, PDEδ homologues were also identified in organisms such as C. elegans which has no eyes or retina-like structures and does not express PDE6 (Li and Baehr, 1998). Like mammalian PDEd, recombinant PDEd from C. elegans can elute PDE from bovine rod outer segments, suggesting the functional conservation of PDEδ throughout evolution.
Conditional reflexes and sensory-evoked epilepsy: the nature of the therapeutic process.

Studies of conditional reflex therapy for patients with sensory-evoked epilepsy are reviewed and experimental studies in animals reported. The behavioral methods employed in the therapy are reviewed. They are of a conditioning nature and are defined as clinical therapeutic conditioning. Sensory-evoked epilepsy can be induced in animals by conditioning techniques, provided the animal brain has been rendered epileptogenic. Sensory-evoked epilepsy in patients can be made worse by conditioning, and can be changed from one type to another. However, sensory-evoked seizures in humans are not the result of conditional reflexes.
Charles François Sturm’s Writings on Optics

Sturm’s writings on geometrical optics consist of only four papers in all, their publication evenly spread over the span of his career. The first two, published in 1824 and 1826, discuss the theory of plane caustics. The third paper, an extension of his work on plane caustics to spatial caustics was published in 1838. Finally, a paper on the physiology of the eye appeared in 1845. It is in this paper that Sturm introduces the description of the so-called infinitely thin pencil often associated with his name. The same publication also contains a much simplified derivation of the formulas he had obtained in his third paper. The Royal Society Catalogue of Scientific Papers also lists a publication in English on cylindrical lenses of 1854 among Sturm’s papers. Most likely, however, this note was written by a namesake.1
Sustaining STEM Initiatives: The Challenge of a Worthy Investment

This essay includes highlights of a program within the LSU Office of Strategic Initiatives and also addresses the challenges of sustaining successful initiatives that increase persistence and broad...
Development of an apatite oxygen paleobarometer: Experimental characterization of Sm3+-substituted apatite fluorescence as a function of oxygen availability

Abstract Global, apatite-bearing phosphorites represent unique biogeochemical periods coincident with major transitions in biological evolution and, particularly, marine oxygenation. However, current understanding of such oxygenation is limited by qualitative and not uncommonly contrasting interpretations of the marine redox conditions evidenced by sedimentary isotope and trace element abundances. A potentially novel measure of ancient marine oxygenation has previously been indicated by fluorescence signatures detected in Sm3+-substituted microfossil-preserving apatite from Early Cambrian phosphorites, consistent with experimental studies demonstrating an oxygen-dependent mechanism for Sm3+ incorporation. Quantitative calibration of these signatures would enable the interpretation of oxygen concentrations during sedimentary apatite formation. In the experiments described, heat-promoted substitution of Sm3+ in apatite powder pellets has been conducted under gaseous oxygen concentrations ranging from 0 to 20.9%. The resulting fluorescence signals provide a comparison to those observed in naturally occurring phosphorites that should reflect the levels of oxygen in the immediate precipitating environment. These analyses suggest that a metric describing the relative spectral characteristics derived from end-member oxic and anoxic experiments, here described as an apatite oxygen paleobarometer (AOP), robustly correlates with gaseous oxygen concentrations. The application of this quantifiable metric to phosphorite apatite is expected to provide a fundamentally new dataset by which to probe ancient marine redox conditions, particularly during the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian phosphogenic event and diversification of early metazoans.
Exceptionalism, Contending Liberalisms and the Future of the Democratic Party

American politics and government have often been said to be “exceptional”. In popular politics the term celebrates the supposed superiority of American government and society. In analytical usage, it refers to an argument supported by King that the pattern of public policy in the USA is exceptional compared to other advanced democracies in providing for a more limited role for government, at least domestically. To the degree that this claim has validity, a key explanation is the absence in the USA of a counterpart to the social democratic parties of Europe and Australasia. However, in recent decades, the Democratic Party has come close to playing the role of being a cohesive center-left party promoting social and economic reform. Ironically, the Democratic Party therefore now faces, like social democratic parties, the difficulties of retaining working-class support while embracing non-class-based reforms such as feminism, racial justice and environmentalism.
Management of a Patient with an Unsatisfactory Labor Epidural, Now Going for Cesarean Delivery

An obese 32-year-old woman in good health, G1P0, needs a cesarean delivery for failure to progress in labor. Her cervix has not dilated beyond 6 cm, despite ample time and strength of uterine contractions as demonstrated by the use of an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC). The patient is exhausted and anxious and has had a fair amount of breakthrough pain above her pubic symphysis and in her back, despite three MD-administered epidural boluses of local anesthetic and fentanyl. The patient’s block level to cold sensation is at T8 (L-1).
How Does a Return Period Policy Change Affect Multichannel Retailer Profitability

Problem definition: This study extends the literature on consumer returns by assessing the impact of return period policy change on a multichannel retailer performance. Academic/practical relevance...
Flexible planar solar phase array antenna analysis for low Earth orbit space-based sensors

The most significant shortfall in countering the super-fast weapons threat is gaps in sensor coverage for persistent birthto-death target tracking. The Department of Defense Space Development Agency’s is a notional architecture proposed to consist of massive numbers of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to detect and track multiple hypersonic weapons and ballistic missiles [1]. This paper presents a trade study analysis of a rectangular flexible foldout phased array antenna structure to support the detection and tracking of these weapons from multiple LEO constellations. Potential integration of the array into a solar panel structure, for improved cost and launch mass properties, will introduce several positional error sources, both correlated (sinusoidal) and random in nature. These deformations can have a major impact on performance including antenna gain, sidelobes (peak, RMS), angle accuracy, and pointing error. These degradations can result in reduced detections and increased false targets, which stresses overall system performance.
A narrative of sexuality: reflections of a gay Latino man on his intercultural journey of study abroad

This article is based on findings from my doctoral dissertation that investigated the narratives of former short-term study abroad (3–4 weeks) participants after they had settled back in their home...
A Systematic Review of the Orthopedic Literature Involving National Hockey League Players.

Background Orthopedic injuries of National Hockey League (NHL) players are common and may significantly affect players' health and careers. Evidence-based injury management is important in guiding players' timely return to sport and their ability to play at their pre-injury levels of competition. Purpose To summarize all data published between January 1980 and March 2020 on orthopedic injuries experienced by professional ice hockey players competing in the NHL. Study Design Systematic review. Methods A literature review of studies examining orthopedic injuries in the NHL was performed using the Embase, PubMed, and CINAHL databases. The review included studies focusing on NHL players and players attending the NHL Combine and preseason NHL team camps. Studies pertaining to non-orthopedic injuries and case reports were excluded. Results A total of 39 articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The articles were divided by anatomic site of injury for further analysis: hip and pelvis (24%), general/other (14%), ankle (10%), knee (10%), foot (7%), shoulder (7%), thigh (7%), trunk (7%), spine (6%), elbow (4%), and hand and wrist (4%). The majority of articles were Level IV Evidence (51.3%), followed by Level III Evidence (38.5%). Most studies obtained data from publicly available internet resources (24.7%), player medical records (19.5%) or surveys of team physicians and athletic trainers (15.5%). A much smaller number of studies utilized the NHL Injury Surveillance System (NHLISS) (6.5%) or the Athlete Health Management System (AHMS) (2.6%). Conclusion This systematic review provides NHL team physicians with a single source of the current literature regarding orthopedic injuries in NHL players. Most research was published on hip and pelvis (24%) injuries, did not utilize the NHLISS and consisted of Level IV Evidence.
Technical note: Automatic scaling in single-step genomic BLUP.

ABSTRACT Single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) requires compatibility between genomic and pedigree relationships for unbiased and accurate predictions. Scaling the genomic relationship matrix (G) to have the same averages as the pedigree relationship matrix (i.e., scaling by averages) is one way to ensure compatibility. This requires computing both relationship matrices, calculating averages, and changing G, whereas only the inverses of those matrices are needed in the mixed model equations. Therefore, the compatibility process can add extra computing burden. In the single-step Bayesian regression, the scaling is done by including a mean (μg) as a fixed effect in the model. The parameter μg can be interpreted as the average of the breeding values of the genotyped animals. In this study, such scaling, called automatic, was implemented in ssGBLUP via Quaas-Pollak transformation of the inverse of the relationship matrix used in ssGBLUP (H), which combines the inverses of the pedigree and genomic relationship matrices. Comparisons involved a simulated data set, and the genomic relationship matrix was computed using different allele frequencies either from the current population (i.e., realized allele frequencies), equal among all the loci, or from the base population. For all of the scenarios, we computed bias [defined as the average difference between true breeding values (TBV) and genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV)], accuracy (defined as the correlation between TBV and GEBV), and dispersion (defined as the regression coefficient of GEBV on TBV). With no scaling, the bias expressed in terms of genetic standard deviations was 0.86, 0.64, and 0.58 with realized, equal, and base population allele frequencies, respectively. With scaling by averages, which is currently used in ssGBLUP, bias was 0.07, 0.08, and 0.03, respectively. With automatic scaling, bias was 0.18 regardless of allele frequencies. Accuracies were similar among scaling methods, but about 0.1 lower in the scenario without scaling. The GEBV were more inflated without any scaling, whereas the automatic scaling performed similarly to the scaling by averages. The average dispersion for those methods was 0.94. When μg was treated as random, with the variance equal to differences between pedigree and genomic relationships, the bias was the same as with the scaling by averages. The automatic scaling is biased, especially when μg is treated as a fixed effect. The bias may be small in real data with fewer generations, when traits are undergoing weak selection, or when the number of genotyped animals is large.
Origin of self-focusing of nanosecond pulses in ZnSe

ZnSe has been shown to be an excellent optical-limiting material for picosecond pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm.1 Two-photon absorption (2PA) and the negative index contribution of photoexcited carriers are the primary mechanisms responsible for the limiting of the transmitted fluence. Furthermore, if the geometry is arranged so that the sample is much thicker than the depth of focus of the beam, these same mechanisms result in an internal limiting that prevents optical damage from occurring inside the bulk of the ZnSe. This mechanism may also be expected to work for longer pulses, as the carrier refraction is a cumulative effect. However, experiments with nanosecond pulses have shown that bulk damage does in fact occur. Further experiments showed that this effect is dependent on the focusing geometry, with damage observed in the bulk only for beam waists calculated to be less than 3 μm.2 Until now, the source of this damage has remained unresolved.
Comparison of Internal Energy Distributions of Ions Created by Electrospray Ionization and Laser Ablation-Liquid Vortex Capture/Electrospray Ionization

Recently a number of techniques have combined laser ablation with liquid capture for mass spectrometry spot sampling and imaging applications. The newly developed noncontact liquid-vortex capture probe has been used to efficiently collect material ablated by a 355 nm UV laser in a continuous flow solvent stream in which the captured material dissolves and then undergoes electrospray ionization. This sampling and ionization approach has produced what appears to be classic electrospray ionization spectra; however, the ‘softness’ of this sampling/ionization process versus simple electrospray ionization has not been definitely determined. In this work, a series of benzylpyridinium salts were employed as thermometer ions to compare internal energy distributions between electrospray ionization and the UV laser ablation/liquid-vortex capture probe electrospray combination. Measured internal energy distributions were identical between the two techniques, even with differences in laser fluence (0.7–3.1 J cm–2) and when using UV-absorbing or non-UV-absorbing sample substrates. These data, along with results from the analysis the biological molecules bradykinin and angiotensin III indicated that the ions or their fragments formed directly by UV laser ablation that survive the liquid capture/electrospray ionization process were likely to be an extremely small component of the total ion signal observed. Instead, the preponderate neutral molecules, clusters, and particulates ejected from the surface during laser ablation, subsequently captured and dissolved in the flowing solvent stream, then electrosprayed, were the principal source of the ion signal observed. Thus, the electrospray ionization process used controls the overall ‘softness’ of this technique.
Human response to vibration and mechanical shock

The response of human to vibration and mechanical shock was studied. A non-linear biodynamic model employed a neural network to produce an estimate of the spinal response. It was found that the vertical vibration at frequencies ranging between 0.1 Hz to 0.5 Hz resulted in motion sickness.
Trial of the Rosenbergs: An Account

The Rosenberg Trial is the sum of many stories: a story of betrayal, a love story, a spy story, a story of a family torn apart, and a story of government overreaching. As is the case with many famous trials, it is also the story of a particular time: the early 1950's with its cold war tensions and headlines dominated by Senator Joseph McCarthy and his demagogic tactics. The Manhattan Project was the name given to the top-secret effort of Allied scientists to develop an atomic bomb. One of the Manhattan Project scientists working in Los Alamos was a British physicist named Klaus Fuchs. Twice in 1945 Fuchs met with a Soviet agent named Raymond and provided notes on the working design for the atomic bomb. In February 1950, less than two weeks after a jury convicted Alger Hiss of perjury for denying under oath that he had passed secret information to a Communist agent named Whittaker Chambers, Klaus Fuchs was arrested and confessed to disclosing to the Soviets information about the Manhattan Project. One week after Fuchs' arrest, Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin propelled himself into the headlines by charging that the State Department employed over 200 Communist agents. It was a bad time to be a suspected Communist; it was a terrible time to be a suspected spy. Fuchs' arrest, which began the chain of investigations that led authorities to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, was made possible by American cryptanalysts who successfully deciphered intercepted cables (the Venona Cables) from the Soviet Consulate to the KGB. One cable was a report by Fuchs on the progress of the Manhattan Project. When confronted with evidence of his espionage, Klaus confessed and told authorities of his meetings with a spy he knew only as Raymond. Within three months, the FBI began to focus on a pudgy, middle-aged chemist, Harry Gold, as the Raymond to whom Fuchs had given information about the bomb. Within a week after the FBI first began to ask Gold questions such as "Were you ever west of the Mississippi?", Gold offered a voluntary confession. By June 1, authorities knew of a soldier, stationed at Los Alamos, married with no children, who Gold paid $500 to in September of 1945 in Albuquerque in exchange for information about the implosion lens for the atomic bomb. Gold could not remember the soldier's name, but thought his wife may have been Ruth and that he was a New York City native. Within two days, Gold was shown a picture of a man meeting the description he had given. The man pictured was David Greenglass. Gold told investigators that Greenglass resembled the man he met in New Mexico. On June 15, 1950, FBI officials questioned David Greenglass. In his first interview, Greenglass admitted that he was the machinist-soldier stationed in Los Alamos that had passed information to Gold. He also identified his wife, Ruth, and his brother-in-law, Julius Rosenberg, as participants in the Soviet spy ring.
Survivin structure: Crystal unclear

The recent X-ray structures of the anti-apoptotic protein survivin reveal two different dimeric interfaces. More experiments are needed to determine the biologically relevant dimer interface and to probe survivin function on the basis of its structure.
Design and Prototyping of a Cost-Effective Sun Tracking System for Photovoltaic Panels

The paper discusses the design and prototype build of a sun tracking system for photovoltaic panels, that consists of a slider-rocker mechanism and a controls system. The slider-rocker is optimized for best transmission angle properties, near linear input-output function and 180 degrees rocker travel. The control system includes three shaded light-dependent resistors pointing in different directions, and operational amplifiers to sense the imbalance in their illumination. The amplified imbalanced signal is used to control the linear motor of the slider-rocker mechanism towards minimizing this imbalance. A small scale prototype of the system has been built and tested successfully.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
One-Year Efficacy Testing of Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity Through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER) Randomized Control Trial

Background. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER) intervention at 1-year, postintervention follow-up. Method. A mixed between–within subjects design was used to evaluate the trial. Independent variables included a two-level, group assignment: EMPOWER (experimental intervention) based on social cognitive theory (SCT) as well as a knowledge-based intervention Healthy Lifestyles (active control intervention). Dependent variables were evaluated across four levels of time: baseline (Week 0), posttest (Week 4), 1-month follow-up (Week 8), and 1-year follow-up (Week 60). Dependent variables included five maternal-facilitated SCT constructs (environment, emotional coping, expectations, self-control, and self-efficacy) as well as four child behaviors (minutes of child physical activity, cups of fruits and vegetables consumed, 8-ounce glasses of sugar-sweetened beverages consumed, a...
Agentes diplomáticos de los Estados Unidos y el golpe de Melo

Describe las relaciones diplomaticas entre Colombia y Estados Unidos en 1854 bajo el gobierno de Melo y la ingerencia de diplomaticos norteamericanos en asuntos de politica interna colombiana.
Sa'ad Zaghlul's Gramophone: The Effects of Popular Music on the Egyptian Nation

Egyptian music was affected by and had a significant effect on Egyptian politics, economics, and society prior to the 1919 revolution. In this paper, I explore the diverse musical traditions of Egyptian populations in the era prior to the fall of the Khedivate to give context to the changes that occurred during the years of the British Protectorate and World War I. I highlight the democratizing effect that the introduction of new recording technologies had on Egyptian society, demonstrating that the marketization of musical culture in many ways homogenized what was previously a culturally diverse population. Finally, I argue that the social networks created by popular song allowed Egyptians of all backgrounds to construct and participate in a public national consciousness, creating an environment ripe for the 1919 revolutions and the independence movement that followed.
Correlation of interferon-inducible chemokine plasma levels with disease severity in systemic sclerosis.

Objective To measure interferon (IFN)–inducible chemokines in the plasma of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and investigate whether the chemokine levels are correlated with disease severity. Methods Plasma levels of the IFN-inducible chemokines IFNγ-inducible protein 10 (IP-10/CXCL10), IFN-inducible T cell α chemoattractant (I-TAC/CXCL11), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (CCL2) were measured in SSc patients and examined for correlation with the IFN gene expression signature. A composite IFN-inducible chemokine score was generated for chemokines showing a correlation with the IFN gene signature (IP-10 and I-TAC), and this score was compared between 266 patients with SSc enrolled in the Genetics versus Environment in Scleroderma Outcome Study (GENISOS) cohort and 97 matched control subjects. Subsequently, the correlation between the IFN-inducible chemokine score at baseline and markers of disease severity was assessed. In addition, the course of the IFN-inducible chemokine score over time was examined. Results The plasma IFN-inducible chemokine score correlated with the IFN gene expression signature, and this score was higher in SSc patients compared to controls. The IFN-inducible chemokine score was also associated with the absence of anti–RNA polymerase III antibodies and presence of anti–U1 RNP antibodies, but not with disease duration, disease type, or other autoantibodies. The chemokine score correlated with concomitantly obtained scores on the Medsger Severity Index for muscle, skin, and lung involvement in SSc, as well as the forced vital capacity, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, and creatine kinase levels. The association of the chemokine score with disease severity was independent of the presence of anti–U1 RNP or other potential confounders (age, sex, ethnicity, disease duration, and treatment with immunosuppressive agents). Finally, there was not a significant change in the IFN-inducible chemokine score over time. Conclusion The IFN-inducible chemokine score is a stable serologic marker of a more severe form of SSc and may be useful for risk stratification of patients, regardless of disease type (limited or diffuse) or duration of disease.
Phosphorylation of purified Novikoff hepatoma topoisomerase I.

Abstract The purified Novikoff hepatoma nuclear phosphoprotein with a molecular weight of 110 kdalton and pI 8.4 was found to be a type I topoisomerase. When isolated from 32P-labeled Novikoff ascites cells or incubated in vitro with protein kinase, phosphoserine was found to be its major phosphorylated amino acid. The enzymatic activity of topoisomerase I was altered by changes in phosphorylation. Its activity was increased by protein kinase and it was decreased by alkaline phosphatase.
Shape of Elastic Strings in Euclidean Space

We construct a 1-parameter family of geodesic shape metrics on a space of closed parametric curves in Euclidean space of any dimension. The curves are modeled on homogeneous elastic strings whose elasticity properties are described in terms of their tension and rigidity coefficients. As we change the elasticity properties, we obtain the various elastic models. The metrics are invariant under reparametrizations of the curves and induce metrics on shape space. Analysis of the geometry of the space of elastic strings and path spaces of elastic curves enables us to develop a computational model and algorithms for the estimation of geodesics and geodesic distances based on energy minimization. We also investigate a curve registration procedure that is employed in the estimation of shape distances and can be used as a general method for matching the geometric features of a family of curves. Several examples of geodesics are given and experiments are carried out to demonstrate the discriminative quality of the elastic metrics.
X-ray bright spots on the sun and the nonequilibrium of a twisted flux rope in a stratified atmosphere

The calculations are concerned with the hydrostatic equilibrium of a magnetic flux tube whose two ends are anchored at some level in a stratified atmosphere. It is shown that no hydrostatic equilibrium exists if the whole flux tube is twisted more than a modest amount, equivalent to a 45degree pitch over only one scale height. When the total twisting exceeds this small amount, the tube is subject to negative tension (compression) and buckles, spirals, and/or lengthens into a contorted form which causes rapid dissipation and reconnection of the magnetic field. The rapid dissipation continues until the excess azimuthal field is consumed and equilibrium is again possible. It is suggested that the magnetic flux tubes in the Sun generally have more than the allowed twisting, so that, when they rise up through the surface, as a consequence of their buoyancy, they are subject to rapid dissipation, causing the phenomenon observed as the X-ray bright spot. (AIP)
Estimating La tent Variable Interactions and Quadratics: The State of This Art:

Because there is little guidance for substantive researchers, the paper reviews the techniques for detecting latent variable interactions and quadratics. After examining plausible research situations where including these nonlinear variables might be appropriate, the paper describes the available detection techniques. Recent advances in nonlinear structural equation analysis are given particular attention, and suggestions for substantive researchers are made.
Co‐creating learning: insights from complexity theory

Purpose – Recent advances in the interactive technologies have transformed the way today's organizations and their different stakeholders learn. Now, because of the increasing learning requirements, neither these organizations nor their stakeholders can afford to be too self‐focused while learning; instead, they collaborate and learn together. Existing theories of learning are not sufficient to explain this complex learning “co‐creation”. Therefore, this paper aims to explore how different actors of a value network co‐create emergent creativity, learning and adaptability in the presence of imposed administrative control and coordination.Design/methodology/approach – The approach adopted in the paper draws on human complex adaptive systems (CAS) perspectives.Findings – Within the value networks, the emergent and informal constraints imposed by interdependent relationships coexist with the imposed administrative controls. Despite being valuable for planning and coordination, these administrative controls do...
Violent Peers, Network Centrality, and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration by Young Men

Abstract Purpose To measure the association between affiliation with violent peers in adolescence and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration by men in early adulthood, and how peer network structure influences the strength of this association. Methods Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we analyzed a cohort of male subjects, originally in grades 7–12, reporting on sexual relationships 7 years later. At baseline, peer network violence was estimated as the average of network members' reports of their frequency of fighting during the past year, and centrality (number of friendships) was measured. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations between peer network violence, network centrality, and perpetration of IPV in recent intimate relationships. Results The probability of IPV perpetration was 37% for young men with a large number of friends (>13) engaging in an average of six to seven fights in the past year. However, young men in small- ( Conclusions School-based interventions that target fighting by male subjects can reduce risk of IPV perpetration later in life.
Tuning in the spatial dimension: Evidence from a masked speech identification task

Spatial release from masking was studied in a three-talker soundfield listening experiment. The target talker was presented at 0 degrees azimuth and the maskers were either colocated or symmetrically positioned around the target, with a different masker talker on each side. The symmetric placement greatly reduced any "better ear" listening advantage. When the maskers were separated from the target by +/-15 degrees , the average spatial release from masking was 8 dB. Wider separations increased the release to more than 12 dB. This large effect was eliminated when binaural cues and perceived spatial separation were degraded by covering one ear with an earplug and earmuff. Increasing reverberation in the room increased the target-to-masker ratio (TM) for the separated, but not colocated, conditions reducing the release from masking, although a significant advantage of spatial separation remained. Time reversing the masker speech improved performance in both the colocated and spatially separated cases but lowered TM the most for the colocated condition, also resulting in a reduction in the spatial release from masking. Overall, the spatial tuning observed appears to depend on the presence of interaural differences that improve the perceptual segregation of sources and facilitate the focus of attention at a point in space.
Outcomes after sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stent implantation in patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus.

Insulin-treated diabetic patients undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation are prone to high rates of adverse cardiac events. The efficacy of the sirolimus- (SES) and paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) in this population was analyzed. Registry data for 434 consecutive patients with insulin-treated diabetes who underwent SES or PES implantation were analyzed. The end point, major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 1 year, was high for patients with SESs and PESs (20.6% vs 20.2%; p = 0.91). Cox regression and propensity analysis were used to compare outcomes. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for MACEs according to stent type (Cox model) was 1.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64 to 1.76, p = 0.82). The propensity score–adjusted (C statistic = 0.66) HR was 0.95 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.61, p = 0.84). Stent thrombosis rates were relatively high at 2.0% for SESs and 1.5% for PESs (p = 0.49). The propensity score–adjusted HR for stent thrombosis was 2.7 (95% CI 0.31 to 23.6, p = 0.37). In conclusion, SESs and PESs are similarly efficacious in insulin-treated diabetic patients. The high MACE and stent thrombosis rates are of concern. Additional studies in this group of patients are required to determine the optimal mode of revascularization and minimize the overall stent thrombosis rate.
Generation of Single-sentence Paraphrases from Predicate/Argument Structure using Lexico-grammatical Resources

Paraphrases, which stem from the variety of lexical and grammatical means of expressing meaning available in a language, pose challenges for a sentence generation system. In this paper, we discuss the generation of paraphrases from predicate/argument structure using a simple, uniform generation methodology. Central to our approach are lexico-grammatical resources which pair elementary semantic structures with their syntactic realization and a simple but powerful mechanism for combining resources.
Technology Insight: optical coherence tomography—current status and future development

The understanding of concepts in coronary artery disease, such as the vulnerable or high-risk plaque, which accounts for many acute coronary events arising from non-flow-limiting coronary lesions, has advanced remarkably. Although coronary angiography is an established imaging technique for visualizing atherosclerotic disease, it is limited by its two-dimensional imaging aspect and a low sensitivity for identifying lesions in the presence of positive remodeling and diffuse disease. Moreover, coronary atherosclerotic plaques cannot be characterized. Although intravascular ultrasound is currently the most commonly employed adjunctive method to better define lesions, it is limited by low resolution. The development of new technologies for improved coronary plaque characterization has, thus, been desired. Optical coherence tomography is a developing technique that uses near-infrared light for the cross-sectional visualization of the vessel wall at the microscopic level. It enables excellent resolution of coronary architecture and precise characterization of plaque architecture. Quantification of macrophages within the plaque is also possible. These capabilities allow precise identification of the most common type of vulnerable plaque, the thin-cap fibroatheroma. Here, we discuss results from clinical studies which indicate that optical coherence tomography is a promising imaging technique for improved characterization of the coronary atherosclerotic plaque.
Molecular micro- and macroevolution in the primate alpha-globin gene family.

Because hemoglobin is among the most abundant and accessible proteins in the human body, the molecular basis for its production is arguably the best-known genetic system in any higher organism. The hemoglobin molecule is tetrameric and consists all developmental stage of two copies of each of two components, alpha-like (141 amino acids) and beta-like (146 amino acids). The beta-like globins are located in a tight cluster on chromosome 11 and the alpha-like globins on chromosome 16. The alpha-globin cluster consists of several functional genes and nonfunctional pseudogenes, each the product of an ancient duplication of primordial genes. The cluster therefore affords us a window on the major features of molecular evolution. Within human populations hypervariable regions exist which may serve as useful genetic markers; and unequal crossing-over creates the most prevalent genotypes of alpha-thalassemia. Recently a new member of the alpha-globin cluster was discovered in the orangutan genome and then subsequently in other taxa, including Homo sapiens. It appears to encode a unique alpha-like globin, and its protein product has yet to be isolated.
Transparent, Flexible Microplasma Arrays Fabricated by a Micro Replica Molding Process

Summary form only given. The fabrication of flexible, and optically transparent, arrays of microplasma devices having microcavities fabricated by a polymer-based, replica molding process is reported. This process enables arrays of microcavity plasma devices or microchannels with feature sizes as small as ~ 10 mum to be produced inexpensively and precisely over surface areas of at least tens of cm2. With the incorporation of a thin dielectric barrier coating within and around the microcavity, stable glow discharges are obtained without any degradation of the device or outgassing from surrounding polymeric materials. Devices having transparent electrodes and substrates (including glass and flexible plastic) have been operated successfully at rare gas pressures up to 800 Torr. Individual microplasma pixels with cross-sectional dimensions of 200 times 200 mum2 and 50 times 50 mum2, as well as plasma channels having widths of 20 mum and 150 mum and aspect ratios as large as 104:1, have been fabricated and tested. Hermetically sealed microplasma arrays with various microcavity shapes are successfully demonstrated for applications such as transparent displays, micro-reactors, and micro-fluidic cell detectors. Representative voltage-current data for these structures and lifetime measurements for a series of arrays are presented.
New Cr4+ laser materials for the near infrared

Cr4+ doped in forsterite and YAG form broadly tunable lasers in the 1.2-1.6 micrometers region. These lasers can operation cw with output powers up to 2W, they re both pumped with the 1.06 micrometers output of a Nd:YAG laser, and they can both be modelocked to produce femtosecond pulses. We report on the latest results from these lasers, including self-modelocked operation of the Cr:YAG laser at 1.52 micrometers , with 120 femtosecond pulses, and with 480 mW output power. Both lasers are significantly affected by temperature: output power decreases with increasing temperature. Attempts to find a new host lattice for Cr4+ which does not have the deleterious temperature sensitivity of forsterite of YAG have not led to any breakthroughs.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Convenient Synthesis and Characterization of the Chiral Complexes cis- and trans-[Ru((SS)-Pr(i)pybox)(py)(2)Cl]PF(6) and [Ru((SS)-Pr(i)pybox)(bpy)Cl]PF(6).

The chiral oxazoline complexes cis- and trans-[Ru((SS)-Pripybox)(py)2Cl]PF6 were prepared from the common precursor trans-[Ru((SS)-Pripybox)(py)Cl2], and all three complexes were spectroscopically and structurally characterized. The complex cis-[Ru((SS)-Pripybox)(py)2Cl]PF6 crystallized in P212121 with Z = 4, a = 8.396(2) A, b = 18.396(3) A, c = 20.954(3) A, and R = 0.039 for 4131 reflections. The complex trans-[Ru((SS)-Pripybox)(py)2Cl]PF6 crystallized in P21 with Z = 2, a = 10.110(2) A, b = 13.566(2) A, c = 12.043(2) A, β = 106.10(2)°, and R = 0.039 for 3869 reflections. The precursor trans-[Ru((SS)-Pripybox)(py)Cl2] crystallized in P212121 with Z = 8, a = 15.856(2) A, b = 17.216(1) A, c = 17.768(1) A, and R = 0.030 for 5826 reflections. A related reagent, [Ru((SS)-Pripybox)(bpy)Cl]PF6, was prepared by a more direct route and was also characterized. Aqua complexes were formed by hydrolysis of the chloride ligand in the bis(pyridine) complexes with retention of the stereochemistry. Electrochemical oxidat...
Long-term follow-up of amniocentesis

Prenatal diagnosis literature expresses risk for complication of genetic amniocentesis as 1/200, 1/300, etc. The dysmorphology literature expresses incidence of major human malformations as 2-5%; Myrianthopoulos found this to be more on the order of 6.8% after following 65,000 children for 7. We have undertaken a chart review of all amniocenteses performed since opening a private medical genetics practice in suburban Chicago, IL. We have done over 3000. Reviewing the first 300, performed between 3/89 and 4/91, excluding pregnancies known to have had adverse outcomes, we sent letters to patients, followed by phone calls. Loss to follow-up was considerable given the lengthy time interval. We present here the results in 1) short-term complications of the procedure, 2) late pregnancy problems, 3) delivery problems, 4) neonatal difficulties, 5) malformations appreciated at delivery or 6) discovered later, 7) birth weight/length, 8) childhood illnesses, 9) follow-up weight/height, 10) school performance. We compare early (<15 weeks) to traditional (15+ weeks) procedures across all criteria. We discuss roles of operator experience and bias, and other issues pertinent to appropriate pre-amnio counseling practices.