cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emergence of atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia after surgical or catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: Are we creating the arrhythmia substrate?

Background Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is common in adults and often involves reentry through ≥2 atrioventricular nodal-atrial connections. Although AVNRT can be a trigger for atrial fibrillation (AF), we have observed new-onset AVNRT after AF ablation procedures. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether ablation involving the septum or proximal coronary sinus (CS) during AF ablation may create a substrate favorable for AVNRT. Methods Cases of ablation for persistent AF who required a repeat ablation procedure between 2009 and 2016 were reviewed for diagnosis of AVNRT. Results Nine patients were identified; the mean age was 54 years, 7 (78%) were men, 2 with prior Cox-MAZE procedures, 5 had radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for AF, and 2 patients had both RFA and Cox-MAZE procedure. None of the patients with prior RFA had dual atrioventricular node physiology at baseline. All patients had evidence of atrial fibrosis in the septum or proximal CS, and 6 had undergone ablation either at the septum or the CS ostium/body, and the other 3 had received inferior mitral lines at a surgical MAZE procedure. All had typical AVNRT inducible that was abolished by slow pathway ablation, but 5 required ablation in the roof of the CS or on the mitral valve annulus. Conclusion Ablation involving the septum or proximal CS may create a substrate favorable for AVNRT. These findings are consistent with the theory that the posteroseptal left atrium and its connections to the CS are critical for some forms of AVNRT.
Fire Response to Local Climate Variability: Huascarán National Park, Peru

In Huascaran National Park (HNP), Peru, grazing and anthropogenic burning have been interacting for decades with natural ignitions and climate variability to reconfigure the fire regimes of the vegetative communities. However, over the last few decades, human alterations to the region’s fire regime were perceived by resource managers to have led to an overall increase in fire occurrence and fire extent. Resource managers are now very concerned about the impacts of increasing anthropogenic fires in the National Park because these fires seem to disrupt ecological processes and tourism. To test these beliefs and examine the fire activity from 2002 to 2014, we used a time series of several different data products including the MODIS Terra and Aqua platforms (Active Fire and Burned Area) as well as local air temperature and precipitation data. The intra-annual distribution of fires in the HNP and its buffer zone (BZ) showed a consistent increase in the number of active fires and burned areas during the dry season (Peruvian winter). The active fire anomalies showed higher fire activity in the HNP over the period 2002 to 2014. However, burned area anomalies showed consistently higher fire activity in the BZ during the high fire years in 2003, 2005, 2010, and 2014. The spatial distribution of areas burned in the HNP and the BZ from 2002 to 2014 showed that most recurrent burning was inside the BZ, which is in compliance with the HNP’s policy but in contradiction with local resource managers’ perceptions. Although human activity may influence local fire dynamics, fire responses seemed to be mainly influenced by local climate oscillations. Our results suggest a clear fire response to local climate and, in particular, to precipitation variability. However, it appears that there was a low fire return interval for any given location and that the total area burned for a given year is relatively small. Therefore, small-scale fires created an appearance of larger fire impacts than actually occur within the HNP and its BZ. In this instance, fire perception and fire reality are not aligning and the new challenge for resource managers is how best to reconcile these two factors to more effectively manage the parklands.
A Dual-modal, Dual-channel, Mesoscopic-scale Theranostic Endoscope for Quantitative Imaging, Monitoring, and Light-triggering of Chemodrug Release from Liposomes in Vivo

We present a dual-modal, dual-channel, mesoscopic flexible endoscope that allows quantitative reflectance and fluorescence imaging for quantitative imaging, light delivery and monitoring of local drug concentrations in an ovarian cancer model in mice.
Do Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Antidepressant Drugs Promote Atherosclerosis

Major depressive disorder is a common debilitating condition affecting ≈10% of US adults annually.1 The lifetime prevalence of depression is ≈16% to 17%, and nearly half of depressive disorders are treated with drugs.1,2 Depression is relevant from a cardiovascular perspective because depression is common in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) with rates reported as high as 74% in patients with recent acute myocardial infarction,3 50% in patients awaiting coronary bypass surgery,4 and 30% in outpatients with a CHD diagnosis.5 Not only does CHD associate with depression but also depression in turn is associated with worse CHD outcomes.6 The mechanism(s) responsible for the link between depression and CHD remain unclear but may be related to genetics,7–9 behavioral and lifestyle factors,10–12 autonomic nervous system dysregulation,13,14 inflammatory/autoimmune pathways,15 and disturbances …
Is robotic beating heart totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass feasible for BMI > 35 morbidly obese patients?

Background We investigated the outcomes of morbidly obese patients after robotic beating heart totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (BH-TECAB). Methods This is a retrospective single center study. From July 2013 to December 2016, the outcomes of patients undergoing BH-TECAB were reviewed. Results A total of 234 patients underwent BH-TECAB (172 male, mean age 65.2 years). There were 43 morbidly obese patients defined as body mass index (BMI) greater than 35, and 191 non-morbidly obese patients. Postoperative complications, or mortality in morbidly obese and other patients were similar except for prolonged ventilation >24 h (11.6% vs 2.1%, P = 0.008). Conclusions Morbidly obese patients had an increased incidence of prolonged ventilation after BH-TECAB, but an otherwise reasonably low morbidity and mortality similar to patients with a lower BMI. We believe that adoption of robotics technology allows for BH-TECAB and can lead to improved outcomes in this high-risk population.
Finalizing the Consultant Effectiveness Scale: An Analysis and Validation of the Characteristics of Effective Consultants

As consultation becomes a larger part of the school psychologist's role and function, the need to empirically identify the characteristics of effective consultants is increasingly important. To thi...
Changes in proteome solubility indicate widespread proteostatic disruption in mouse models of neurodegenerative disease

The deposition of pathologic misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is hypothesized to burden protein homeostatic (proteostatic) machinery, potentially leading to insufficient capacity to maintain the proteome. This hypothesis has been supported by previous work in our laboratory, as evidenced by the perturbation of cytosolic protein solubility in response to amyloid plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer's amyloidosis. In the current study, we demonstrate changes in proteome solubility are a common pathology to mouse models of neurodegenerative disease. Pathological accumulations of misfolded tau, α-synuclein and mutant superoxide dismutase 1 in CNS tissues of transgenic mice were associated with changes in the solubility of hundreds of CNS proteins in each model. We observed that changes in proteome solubility were progressive and, using the rTg4510 model of inducible tau pathology, demonstrated that these changes were dependent upon sustained expression of the primary pathologic protein. In all of the models examined, changes in proteome solubility were robust, easily detected, and provided a sensitive indicator of proteostatic disruption. Interestingly, a subset of the proteins that display a shift towards insolubility were common between these different models, suggesting that a specific subset of the proteome is vulnerable to proteostatic disruption. Overall, our data suggest that neurodegenerative proteinopathies modeled in mice impose a burden on the proteostatic network that diminishes the ability of neural cells to prevent aberrant conformational changes that alter the solubility of hundreds of abundant cellular proteins.
Obesity and recovery of muscle strength after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in pediatric patients.

Purpose:To explore factors influencing muscle strength after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) in pediatric patients. We hypothesized that obesity/overweight, autograft hamstri...
Common Mode Voltage Reduction in Active Front End Drives with Different PWM Switching Frequencies for Rectifier and Inverter

In active front end (AFE) drive systems, higher switching frequency $(f_{sw})$ is preferred on rectifier to reduce filter size and improve control performance, while the inverter side could reduce switching loss and improve efficiency by adopting a lower switching frequency. Different switching frequencies for rectifier and inverter may cause high common mode voltage in the system, especially under low speed situation. This paper proposes a novel method to reduce the common mode voltage for this scenario. Without hardware change, it is fully implemented in PWM algorithm. Details on algorithm will be elaborated. Simulation results will be presented, which shows a common mode voltage (CMV) reduction from $\pm V_{dc}$ to $\pm 2/3V_{dc}$ .
Enabling Rapid Testing Through Service Delivery and Composition

There is no doubt that the delivery of services to end-users is and has been a huge productivity gain for developers. This is a key aspect when one talks about digitisation of business today. The same should also be provided to testers of software and services. In this paper we present early results that show how service delivery and composition of multiple service instances is achieved for testers. This is made possible through the adoption of standard interfaces and an early research platform, ElasTest.
Editorial: Writing across: Tracing transliteracies as becoming across time, space, and settings

Abstract This editorial introducing the special issue, “Writing across: Tracing transliteracies as becoming across time, space, and settings,” argues that research and theories on writing have too often focused on writing in, whether writing in particular physical locations (writing in a classroom, in a workplace) or writing in more metaphorical or virtual spaces (writing in a discipline, in an online community). The articles in this special issue focus on theory, methods, and cases of writing across. The transliteracies perspective we take involves not only attention to how writing travels, but also to the fact that writing is a synecdochal (part-for-whole) representation of the full semiotic activity that necessarily is entangled in any act of writing. Finally, we argue in this editorial that it is crucial to view writing across as not just about communication or representation, but as the ongoing becoming of both people and sociomaterial worlds.
Site Soil-Fertility and Light Availability Influence Plant-Soil Feedback

Negative plant-soil feedback (PSF) , where plant performance is reduced in soils conditioned by conspecifics, are widely documented in plant communities. However, the strength and sometimes direction of PSF can vary widely, presumably due to environmental context. We hypothesized that soil fertility and light availability influence the direction and strength of plant-soil feedback experienced by tree seedlings. We conducted a 10-week greenhouse experiment and assessed survivorship of black cherry (Prunus serotina) in low (~1% full sun) vs. high (~18% full sun) light availability and in non-sterile vs. sterile soils collected under the canopy of conspecific vs. heterospecific adult trees at five sites that vary in nutrient availability in Manistee National Forest, Michigan, USA. Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) also was included in the experiment, but no seedlings died and thus there are no survivorship responses to report. Prunus serotina seedlings experienced microbe-mediated negative plant-soil feedback in low fertility sites (higher C:N ratios and lower NH4+) but positive feedback at high fertility sites, but these feedbacks occurred only under high light availability. Consistent with these results, microbe-mediated negative PSF increased with soil Fe3+ and C:N ratios and decreased with NH4+. Thus lower fertility soils, characterized by high C:N and Fe3+availability and low NH4+, are associated with stronger negative conspecific feedback for P. serotina seedlings. Conversely, higher fertility soils flip the feedback to positive. Our results demonstrate the important role of environmental context, specifically light and soil nutrient availability, on the magnitude and direction of conspecific plant soil feedback. Thus, PSF is likely an important driver in plant community dynamics that may be either destabilizing (promote species coexistence) or stabilizing (promote monodominance) depending upon environmental context.
Design of a Continuous Pellet Fueling System for Wendelstein 7-X

A continuous pellet fueling system (CPFS) is currently being designed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the long pulse operation of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator. The purpose of the CPFS is to provide deep continuous fueling for feedback-controlled high-density operation and mitigation of predicted hollow density profiles. The system will provide the capability to inject cylindrical pellets of solid hydrogen or deuterium into the plasma core, with flexibility to vary the pellet size, velocity, and injection frequency. Pellets are nominally of 3 mm in diameter and have a length between 1 and 4 mm. The heart of the CPFS is a vertically oriented, twin-screw extruder, cooled by three Gifford-McMahon cryocoolers in parallel, designed to form a continuous filament of hydrogen or deuterium. The filament width, which determines the pellet length, can be adjusted by means of a variable nozzle driven by a linear actuator at the base of the extruder. Coupled to the nozzle is a solenoid-operated gas gun and cutter assembly. A pneumatic propellant valve pulses a burst of ~60 bar helium to accelerate the cut pellet into W7-X. Three gaps in the guide tubes provide pumping locations to remove the helium propellant before it reaches the plasma. The maximum velocity of the pellet is limited by its ability to survive navigating the guide tube trajectory intact. A microwave cavity located within the guide tube provides the capability to measure the pellet size and velocity. The mechanical and thermal designs of the W7-X extruder, adjustable nozzle, and gun and cutter assembly design are described. A guide tube design and experimental pellet survivability test results are presented.
The Syndemic Interaction of Intimate Partner Violence, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and HIV Infection among African American Women: Best Practices and Strategies

Sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV infection, and intimate partner violence (IPV) are major public health problems that occur at high rates among African American women compared t...
Determinants of cardiac adverse events of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in 20 years of drug safety surveillance reports

Author(s): Cohen, Isaac; Makunts, Tigran; Moumedjian, Talar; Issa, Masara; Abagyan, Ruben | Abstract: Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medications for treating non-resistant malaria, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In addition, both drugs are currently used off-label in hospitals worldwide and in numerous clinical trials for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, CQ and HCQ use has been associated with cardiac side effects, which is of concern due to the higher risk of COVID-19 complications in patients with heart related disorders, and increased mortality associated with COVID-19 cardiac complications. In this study we analyzed over thirteen million adverse event reports form the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System to confirm and quantify the association of cardiac side effects of CQ and HCQ. Additionally, we identified several confounding factors, including male sex, NSAID coadministration, advanced age, and prior diagnoses contributing to the risk of drug related cardiotoxicity. These findings may help guide therapeutic decision making and ethical trial design for COVID-19 treatment.
Expanding Pre-apprenticeship Training Programs as a Model to Improve Recruitment and Retention of Building Construction Tradeswomen

The United States’ (U.S.) construction industry is experiencing a labor shortage. Within construction, the most severe worker scarcities are in building trade occupations. In the U.S., though women...
Improved chemosensitivity following mucolytic therapy in patient-derived models of mucinous appendix cancer.

Abundant intraperitoneal (IP) accumulation of extracellular mucus in patients with appendiceal mucinous carcinoma peritonei (MCP) causes compressive organ dysfunction and prevents delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to cancer cells. We hypothesized that reducing extracellular mucus would decrease tumor-related symptoms and improve chemotherapeutic effect in patient-derived models of MCP. Mucolysis was achieved using a combination of bromelain (BRO) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Ex vivo experiments of mucolysis and chemotherapeutic drug delivery/effect were conducted with MCP and non-MCP tissue explants. In vivo experiments were performed in mouse and rat patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of early and late (advanced) MCP. MCP tumor explants were less chemosensitive than non-MCP explants. Chronic IP administration of BRO + NAC in a mouse PDX model of early MCP and a rat PDX model of late (advanced) MCP converted solid mucinous tumors into mucinous ascites (mucolysis) that could be drained via a percutaneous catheter (rat model only), significantly reduced solid mucinous tumor growth and improved the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. Combination of BRO + NAC efficiently lyses extracellular mucus in clinically relevant models of MCP. Conversion of solid mucinous tumors into mucinous ascites decreases tumor bulk and allows for minimally invasive drainage of liquified tumors. Lysis of extracellular mucus removes the protective mucinous coating surrounding cancer cells and improves chemotherapeutic drug delivery/efficacy in cancer cells. Our data provide a preclinical rationale for the clinical evaluation of BRO + NAC as a therapeutic strategy for MCP.
JA:2021-14. OSHA and AG: An Industry Training Program for Agricultural Workers and Supervisors

Purpose: An OSHA 10-hour General Industry program, taught by OSHA Outreach Instructors, was developed at OSU with application to agricultural environments. As a voluntary program, the course teache...
Blood-Flow Restriction Training for a Person With Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: A Case Report.

Objective Blood flow restriction (BFR) training, in which an inflatable cuff partially occludes blood flow around the proximal portion of a limb, coupled with low-intensity resistance training (LIRT) has resulted in gains comparable with traditional progressive resistive exercise in healthy populations. The use of BFR with LIRT may enable people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to improve strength without an increase in fatigue. The purpose of this case report is to describe the use of a BFR/LIRT program for a person with MS. Methods The patient was a 54-year-old woman with a 13-year history of primary progressive MS with an Extended Disability Severity Score of 3.0 out of 10. She received a BFR/LIRT program for both lower extremities biweekly for 12 weeks. Outcomes measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 weeks included the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12), Fatigue Severity Scale, Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) (goals: running for exercise and pleasure for 45 minutes, 100% confidence in negotiating a flight of stairs, confidently and safely drive without restriction), and 14 lower extremity strength tests. Results The intervention was well tolerated without adverse events. After 6 weeks, the MSWS-12 score improved; however, it did not exceed minimum detectable change (MDC). Fatigue Severity Scale was unchanged. All PSFS goals improved beyond MDC, and improvements in strength exceeded MDC in 2 out of 14 tests. After 12 weeks, MSWS-12 improvements persisted and the Fatigue Severity Scale score improved, but neither exceeded MDC. The PSFS improvements persisted. There were improvements exceeding MDC for 8 out of 14 strength tests. The remaining 6 strength tests improved but did not exceed MDC. Conclusion The patient had measurable improvements following the use of a BFR/LIRT program. BFR/LIRT may be an option for strength training in people with MS; however, research is needed to determine its safety and effectiveness across the population of people with MS. Impact Traditional physical therapist interventions for people with MS have been shown to be beneficial; however, their usefulness has been limited by fatigue. A growing body of literature has demonstrated the effects of a BFR/LIRT program on strength and other measures of physical function in healthy populations and those with chronic disease. This case report adds missing information to the existing literature and suggests directions for research on the effectiveness of BFR/LIRT in people with primary progressive MS. Lay summary Blood flow restriction, which has been used to help improve strength in healthy adults and in some people with chronic disease, applies pressure around the arm or leg to limit the flow of blood to that body part during exercise, helping to reduce fatigue. Blood flow restriction coupled with low-intensity strengthening exercises can be used for a person with MS.
Caring for Older Adults with Depression Receiving Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) During the 2020 Pandemic

Introduction Caregivers are essential in providing valuable patient information to medical providers, such as recent changes in health, family history, previous hospitalizations, and medication reactions. Caring for elderly patients with a mental illness, in particular, is a unique and challenging job that may lead to caregiver stress and inability to provide proper care. As a result, patients with stressed caregivers are at increased risk of elder neglect and abuse. With limited available research investigating caregiver burden among those caring for patients receiving ECT and the new life challenges presented by the 2020 pandemic, it is more important than ever to take a closer look at the caregivers’ experiences. Methods Emory's Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital is one of the busiest ECT services in the country with around 2000 treatments completed every year. In this study, researchers are expecting to enroll and interview 25 caregivers of patients receiving ECT using the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview. This assessment includes 22 questions assessing the nature and frequency of caregiver emotions when caring for their dependents in order to examine the impact of the patient's condition on caregiver wellbeing. The score ranges from 0 (no burden) to 88 (severe burden) and the questions cover information about the caregivers’ current emotional state and struggles. Other objective assessments completed with ECT patients are BDI (Beck Depression Inventory), BDI Suicide, Sheehan Disability Scale, ECCA (Electrocompulsive Cognitive Assessment), GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale), and CGI (Clinical Global Impression). The purpose of these interviews is to investigate whether the higher severity of depression in patients correlates with higher levels of caregiver burden and whether the pandemic contributed to caregiver burden. Results The Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview has been administered on five patients (n=5) currently undergoing ECT for depressive symptoms. Additional patients are being interviewed in the ECT suite and further data collected will be presented at the 2021 AAGP Annual Meeting. Conclusions As the world adjusts to life in the COVID-19 era, caregivers face new challenges in providing care for vulnerable, at-risk populations. Caregivers of patients receiving ECT facilitate frequent COVID testing and limited visitation policies while continuing to provide care and emotional support to patients with advanced age and a mental illness. The main focus of the medical team is typically on patients; however, caregivers fill an essential role in the care of our geriatric patients receiving ECT and it is equally as important to be mindful of caregivers’ experiences in order to catch and potentially prevent serious consequences resulting from caregiver burnout. Administrating the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview can help providers look at the degree of burden in caregivers of patients receiving ECT for depressive symptoms and provide better caregiving strategies during the 2020 pandemic. Funding Not Applicable
Automating situational reporting

With the vast amounts of unstructured data that is accrued through surveillance, body-cameras, mobile phones, and other sources, there is a need to perform data synthesis into natural language through automated methods. Recent advances in machine learning have enabled compression of data sequences into short, compact, informal summaries as keyframes and video thumbnails. Additionally, the capability to generate text that describes an overall image or full motion video has rapidly increased. However, generating text in more formal structures, such as reports, remains a relatively unsolved area of Natural Language Generation (NLG). This work is an initial attempt to understand the gap in the data summarization and document generation problem, specifically for the generation of situation reports and study the data annotations necessary to implement an end-to-end pipeline that would ingest data, summarize it, and generate a situation report for easy consumption by a user.
A Sample-Efficient Scheme for Channel Resource Allocation in Networked Estimation

Remote estimation over communication channels of limited capacity is an area of research with applications spanning many economically relevant areas, including cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things. One popular choice of communication/scheduling policies used in remote estimation is the class of event-triggered policies. Typically, an eventtriggering threshold is optimized assuming complete knowledge of the system's underlying probabilistic model. However, this information is seldom available in real-world applications. This paper addresses the learning of an optimal threshold policy based on data samples collected at the sensor. Leveraging symmetry, quasi-convexity, and the method of Kernel density estimation, we propose a data-driven algorithm, which is guaranteed to converge to a globally optimal solution. Moreover, empirical evidence suggests that our algorithm is more sample-efficient than traditional learning approaches based on empirical risk minimization.
Demographic Factors Associated with Non-Guideline-Based Treatment of Kidney Cancer in the United States

Importance Significant demographic disparities have been found to exist in the delivery of health care. Demographic factors associated with clinical decision-making in kidney cancer have not been thoroughly studied. Objective To determine whether demographic factors, including sex and race/ethnicity, are associated with receipt of non-guideline–based treatment for kidney cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the National Cancer Database for the years 2010 through 2017. Included patients were individuals aged 30 to 70 years with localized (ie, cT1-2, N0, M0) kidney cancer and no major medical comorbidities (ie, Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Index score of 0 or 1) treated at Commission on Cancer–accredited health care institutions in the United States. Data were analyzed from November 2020 through March 2021. Exposures Demographic factors, including sex, race/ethnicity, and insurance status. Main Outcomes and Measures Receipt of non-guideline–based treatment (undertreatment or overtreatment) for kidney cancer, as defined by accepted clinical guidelines, was determined. Results Among 158 445 patients treated for localized kidney cancer, 99 563 (62.8%) were men, 120 001 individuals (75.7%) were White, and 91 218 individuals (57.6%) had private insurance. The median (interquartile range) age was 58 (50-64) years. Of the study population, 48 544 individuals (30.6%) received non-guideline–based treatment. Female sex was associated with lower adjusted odds of undertreatment (odds ratio [OR], 0.82; 95% CI, 0.77-0.88;P Conclusions and Relevance This study found that there were significant disparities in treatment decision-making for patients with kidney cancer, with increased rates of non-guideline–based treatment for women and Black and Hispanic patients. These findings suggest that further research into the mechanisms underlying these disparities is warranted and that clinical and policy decision-making should take these disparities into account.
Affordability and features of home scales for self-weighing.

Self-weighing is an evidence-based weight management strategy, which requires patients to have a home scale. For clinicians to effectively counsel patients on self-weighing, they should be aware of the costs and features available in typical home scales. Our objective was to describe the cost and features of the top bathroom scales available online. We performed content analysis of top 100 scales listed on a popular online retailer. Two coders independently extracted price and scale features (i.e., digital connectivity, body mass index [BMI] calculation, maximum weight accommodated). We used t-tests and ANOVA, as appropriate, to examine the relationships between price and features. Among the 97 scales included, mean scale price was $28.99 (SD $21.06; range $7.20-$139.95). Of the advanced features, 20.6% of scales had digital connectivity and 28.9% calculated BMI. Scales with advanced features cost significantly more than scales without (digital connectivity: $49.18 vs. $23.74, P 400 lbs. Price was higher for scales with a higher maximum weight (P = 0.002). No scale with maximum weight > 500 lbs had advanced features. Scales that have digital connectivity for telemedicine or can accommodate higher weights are less commonly available online and their costs may be prohibitive for some patients who need these features. Future research might consider testing whether insurance coverage for scales improves scale access and patient weight management outcomes.
DNA Damage of the 5,6-Dihydroxydihydrothymine Type Induced by Solar UV-B in Human Cells

The magnitude of an acute skin dose of ionizing radiation which produces an abundance of 5,6-dihydroxydihydrothymine (t′) equal to that produced by a plausible daily exposure to solar UV (313±6 nm) is calculated to range from 0.27 krad (winter) to 5.65 krad (summer) in temperate latitudes. Considering the evidence for the possible biological importance of the t′ lesion, and the carcinogenicity of a 1.6 krad acute skin dose of ionizing radiation in one strain of rat, these t′ damage. equivalent doses emphasize the magnitude of the challenge presented by solar UV-B.
The effect of calphostin C, a potent photodependent protein kinase C inhibitor, on the proliferation of glioma cells in vitro

Recent studies have suggested that the proliferation of malignant gliomas may result from activation of protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated pathways; conversely, inhibition of PKC may provide a strategy for blocking tumor growth. In the current studies, we examined the effect of a novel PKC inhibitor, calphostin C, which is a selective, highly potent, photo-activatable inhibitor of the PKC regulatory domain, on the proliferation and viability of three established and three low-passage malignant glioma cell lines, four low-passage low-grade glioma cell lines, and in adult human and neonatal rat non-neoplastic astrocyte cell lines in vitro. Under light-treated conditions, calphostin C consistently inhibited cell proliferation in each of the tumor cell lines and in the neonatal rat astrocyte cell line with a 50% effective concentration of 30 to 50 ng/ml (40 to 60 nm), which was comparable to the previously reported median inhibitory concentration (IC50) for PKC inhibition by calphostin C. Complete elimination of proliferation was achieved at concentrations of 50 to 100 ng/ml (60 to 125 nM). Cell viability decreased sharply with calphostin C concentrations of 100 to 300 ng/ml (125 to 380 nM). In contrast, under light-shielded conditions, calphostin C had a comparatively modest effect on cell proliferation and viability, with a median effective concentration of approximately 300 ng/ml. No significant inhibition of proliferation was noted in the non-neoplastic adult astrocyte cell line under either light-treated or light-shielded conditions. These findings provide further evidence that PKC may play an essential role in mediating the proliferation of both benign and malignant glioma cells in vitro and may also contribute to the proliferation of non-neoplastic immature astrocytes. Light-sensitive inhibition of proliferation and viability by agents such as calphostin C may provide a novel strategy for applying photodynamic therapy to the treatment of neoplastic glial cells.
Inter-Packet Delay Based Correlation for Tracing Encrypted Connections through Stepping Stones

Network based intrusions have become a serious threat to the users of the Internet. Intruders who wish to attack computers attached to the Internet frequently conceal their identity by staging their attacks through intermediate "stepping stones". This makes tracing the source of the attack substantially more difficult, particularly if the attack traffic is encrypted. In this paper, we address the problem of tracing encrypted connections through stepping stones. The incoming and outgoing connections through a stepping stone must be correlated to accomplish this. We propose a novel correlation scheme based on inter-packet timing characteristics of both encrypted and unencrypted connections. We show that (after some filtering) inter-packet delays (IPDs) of both encrypted and unencrypted, interactive connections are preserved across many router hops and stepping stones. The effectiveness of this method for correlation purposes also requires that timing characteristics be distinctive enough to identify connections. We have found that normal interactive connections such as telnet, SSH and rlogin are almost always distinctive enough to provide correct correlation across stepping stones. The number of packets needed to correctly correlate two connections is also an important metric, and is shown to be quite modest for this method.
Measurement of the longitudinal parameters of an electron beam in a storage ring

We discuss the determination of the longitudinal parameters of a bunched beam of electrons or positrons circulating in a storage ring. From the analysis of the beam current observed at a fixed azimuthal location, one can learn much about the longitudinal behavior. We present an elementary analysis of the time-dependence of the current. In particular, we discuss the determination of the average current, bunch length, synchrotron oscillation frequency, and the coherent synchrotron oscillation modes associated with longitudinal instabilities. A brief discussion is also given of the incoherent synchrotron oscillations, or Schottky noise. We review the electromagnetic field traveling with a charge in uniform motion, and introduce some of the most common devices used to detect this field: capacitive pick-up, stripline monitor, and DC beam current transformer. Our paper is organized as follows: We discuss the analysis of the time-dependence of the beam current. Then, the measurement of the current is considered. Finally, we describe some measurements of energy spread and bunch lengthening made recently at SLAC on the SLC damping ring. 12 refs., 6 figs.
Sum-frequency phonon spectroscopy on α -quartz

We demonstrate here, using $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-quartz as an example, that IR-visible sum-frequency (SF) spectroscopy can be employed to probe zone-center optical phonons of crystals without inversion symmetry. Because only modes both IR and Raman active are allowed in the SF process, the observed phonon spectrum is greatly simplified. The intrinsic flexibility of SF spectroscopy also permits more accurate determination of relative magnitudes and signs of relevant Raman polarizabilities.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a structured, time-limited psychotherapy first developed for the treatment of depression. It examines the ways in which relationship problems contribute to psychological symptoms and emotional distress. Interpersonal psychotherapy is a manualized, empirically validated psychotherapy that involves three distinct phases of treatment. It assumes that psychiatric disorders, regardless of etiology, occur within an interpersonal context. Treatment focuses on resolving one or two interpersonal problem area(s) most related to the patient's current symptoms (grief/ loss, role transitions, interpersonal role disputes, and interpersonal deficits) and enhancing and utilizing social supports. This entry provides an overview of IPT, its history, conceptual model, therapy structure, and content. Keywords: psychology of relationships; psychotherapies; depression; interpersonal
Is response to OROS-methylphenidate treatment moderated by treatment with antidepressants or psychiatric comorbidity? A secondary analysis from a large randomized double blind study of adults with ADHD.

SUMMARY Aims: The main aim of this post hoc analysis was to evaluate whether response to osmotic release oral system (OROS) methylphenidate (OROS-MPH) was moderated by the concomitant use of antidepressants in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) adults stabilized on these medicines for the treatment of depression or anxiety disorders, or a history of mood, anxiety, or substance use disorders. Methods: Two hundred and ninety-six subjects were screened for participation; 227 were randomized (112 to OROS-MPH and 115 to placebo), and 223 were analyzed (N= 109 and N= 114 for OROS-MPH and placebo, respectively). Subjects with anxiety disorders and depression treated with a stable medication regimen of non-MAOI antidepressants or benzodiazepines for at least 3 months could be enrolled in the study. Subjects currently receiving pharmacotherapy for anxiety disorders or depression were required to have Hamilton-Depression and Hamilton-Anxiety rating scales below 15 (mild range). Results: Concomitant antidepressant use at baseline was not associated with ADHD response, OROS-MPH dose, study completion rate, adverse effects, or exacerbation of anxiety/depression. We did find nominally significant evidence that a lifetime history of mood (P= 0.09) or anxiety (P= 0.04) disorders was a moderator of ADHD symptoms and that a lifetime history of substance use disorder (P= 0.02) was a potential moderator of dose at endpoint. Discussion and Conclusions: We found few moderating effects in this large clinical trial of OROS-MPH in adults with ADHD, which supports the robustness of the clinical response to OROS-MPH in adult ADHD despite variable clinical pictures.
Treatment outcomes for workers compensation patients in a U.S.-based interdisciplinary pain management program.

Objectives: Assess the efficacy of an outpatient-based interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program for patients with active workers compensation claims. Patients: Data were available for 101 patients, primarily with chronic low back pain (75%), who participated in the program. Methods: Treatment included a 4-week (Monday to Friday), 8-hours/day graded progressive program that included individual and group therapies (pain psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, relaxation training/biofeedback, aerobic conditioning, pool therapy, vocational counseling, patient education and medical management). Outcome measures included program completion status, release-to-work status, return-to-work status, total scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the McGill Pain Questionnaire Visual Analogue Scale (MPQ VAS). The majority of the patients (65%) graduated from the program. Pre-postoutcome data were available for those who graduated from the program. For noncompleters, last obtained MPQ VAS was compared with their initial MPQ VAS scores. Results: Of those completing the program, most patients (91%)were released to return to work; with 80% released to full-time status and 11% released to gradual return. Approximately half (49%) of the program completers returned to work. Paired-samples t-tests showed that program completers had significant reductions in depression (P = 0.000), pain-related catastrophizing (P = 0.033), and pain intensity (P = 0.000), but not in anxiety (P = 0.098). Interestingly, the last obtained (at early discharge/withdrawal) pain intensity scores (M = 70.33) were higher than at baseline (M = 61.20) in the noncompleters. This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.127) but may be clinically meaningful. Discussion: Our results support the efficacy of an outpatient-based 4-week interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program in decreasing emotional distress, reducing pain intensity, and improving return-to-work status in the majority of completers in this challenging population. Patients reporting increased pain at discharge or those discharged early may have been due to operant factors.
Molecular Basis for Action of Ionizing Radiations

It is hoped that the general picture presented will provide a convenient framework within which to order many of the phenomena treated in radiobiology. The picture incorporates many of the concepts found useful in earlier theories, and also is simple, concrete, and easily visualized. From the theory, a reasonable estimate may be made of the effect of a given dose of radiatlon on a specific kind of molecule in a cell. Conversely, from the immediate effects produced by a certain dose, some estimate may be made of the mass of intracellular material which must be involved in the processes which are assayed for. It is felt that these advantages will suffice to carry the theory over its many difficulties and deficiencies until another and more encompassing viewpoint can be reached. (P.C.H.)
A bilateral approach to givenness : A hearer-status algorithm and a centering algorithm

Les As. remettent en question l'affirmation selon laquelle une hierarchie unique du caractere donne ou de l'accessibilite des referents peut rendre compte correctement de la relation entre la forme et l'interpretation des expressions referentielles. Ils proposent une approche bilaterale, distinguant un algorithme de statut de l'auditeur, qui rend compte de la distinction caractere defini/caractere indefini, et un algorithme rendant compte des cas ou une entite est telle qu'elle peut ou ne peut pas etre pronominalisee. Une analyse du statut discursif des entites d'un extrait narratif de show televise montre comment le second type d'algorithme opere dans le discours naturel
THE PHAGOCYTOSIS OF SOLID PARTICLES : II. CARBON.

1. By measurements of the diameter and velocity of leucocytes and of the particles in two carbon suspensions, the relative rates of ingestion of the two suspensions by the leucocytes are predicted and the predictions verified experimentally. 2. The results indicate that 4.7µ particles of carbon are ingested as readily as 3.2µ particles. The more rapid apparent rate of ingestion of the 4.7µ particles is due to their greater availability rather than the greater capability of the leucocytes. 3. There is almost no phagocytosis of carbon in absence of serum or in heated serum. 4. The clumping of unwashed leucocytes is accllerated by serum and by the ingestion of carbon. 5. The available evidence indicates that the phagocytosis of bacteria does not follow the law for a monomolecular reaction, possibly because of the toxic effect upon the leucocytes of bacterial extracts.
Mechanical Heart Valves in Pregnancy: A Sticky Business.

Caring for women with mechanical heart valves (MHVs) in pregnancy poses one of the greatest clinical challenges in our specialty. Pregnancy is a prothrombotic state because of the relative increases in fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitors, clotting factors, Von Willebrand factor, and platelet adhesion molecules, and concomitant decreases in protein S activity. These hypercoaguable changes begin in early pregnancy and persist for at least 6 to 12 weeks postpartum. Evidence from contemporary and historical cohorts of women with mechanical valves in pregnancy suggests an increased risk of maternal cardiovascular events, obstetric morbidity such as hemorrhage and preterm birth, and fetal complications including growth restriction, miscarriage, and stillbirth. Because of these risks, pregnant women with mechanical valves need rigorous control of their anticoagulation; however, the ability to achieve meticulous anticoagulation is hampered by the increased renal clearance and volume of distribution associated with pregnancy. Thus, pregnant women are at the highest risk for complications of mechanical valves at a time when it is the most difficult to maintain adequate anticoagulation. In caring for these women, we strive for a balance between the maternal risk of valve thrombosis, systemic thromboembolism, and hemorrhage with the fetal risk of exposure to oral vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Article see p 132 Pregnant women with MHVs have many choices for anticoagulation, but all options carry risk for the mother and fetus. VKAs are the preferred choice for preventing thrombotic complications; however, these medications freely cross the placenta, and exposure in the first trimester may result in warfarin embryopathy characterized by nasal bone hypoplasia and stippled epiphyses.1 Case series of pregnant women with MHVs exposed to warfarin in the first trimester suggest an embryopathy rate of ≈5% to 7%.2,3 There also appears to be a dose-dependent relationship with increased adverse outcomes such as miscarriage, …
Influence of STM tip on electronic structure: Si(100) dimers

Abstract There are strong reasons for believing that dimers in defect-free regions of the Si(100) surface are asymmetric (tilted), but they appear to be symmetric in STM images. It has been suggested that these symmetric images result from a strong distortion of the dimer's electronic structure (and, as a consequence, its geometry) when the STM voltage is applied. Here we report first-principles calculations for the Si(100) surface in the presence of a voltage applied by a simple model of an STM tip: a uniform sphere of charge, 1.06 A in diameter and centered 2.5 A above the surface. For voltages comparable to those used in STM experiments, there is only a very small distortion of the electronic structure, both below and above the Fermi energy EF. Even for large applied voltages, the results indicate that the STM images should be far from symmetric. On the other hand, the time-averaged charge densities for rapidly flipping asymmetric dimers are fully consistent with the STM observations.