cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Arrhythmias with External Fixed-Rate Signal Generators in Shock Wave Lithotripsy with the Medstone Lithotripter

Objectives. To evaluate the incidence and outcome of cardiac arrhythmias associated with an external fixed-rate generator and the Medstone lithotripter with regard to stone location, anesthesia type, patient age, and gender. Methods. Data were obtained on 933 patients who underwent shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) with the Medstone lithotripter. Patients were randomly divided into two study groups, including those with pre-existing cardiac disease, hypertension, and cardiac medications. Group 1 (576 patients) were treated with the external fixed-rate signal generator (cardiac simulator). Group 2 (357 patients) underwent electrocardiogram-gated SWL (no simulator). All patients were monitored for arrhythmias during SWL. Patients who developed arrhythmias on the simulator were converted to gated SWL. Results. In group 1, 463 patients (80%) had no arrhythmias during treatment, whereas 113 patients (20%) developed cardiac arrhythmias (primarily premature ventricular contractions [PVCs]) and were successfully converted to gated SWL. Only 1 patient in group 2 (0.3%) had a documented arrhythmia (PVC). Group 1 patients who developed arrhythmias with a cardiac simulator were more likely to have renal rather than ureteral stones. Chi-square analysis showed a significant correlation between patients with and without arrhythmias in group 1 with regard to stone location (P <0.0001). In group 1, regional anesthesia, intravenous anesthesia, and general anesthesia had an arrhythmia rate of 14%, 27%, and 38%, respectively. The only patient in group 2 who developed arrhythmias was under general anesthesia. The differences between groups 1 and 2, with regard to anesthesia type and arrhythmia, were statistically significant (P <0.001). No patients required additional medical therapy or hospitalization for cardiac events, and all patients safely completed the SWL treatment. Conclusions. With careful monitoring and adequate precautions, external fixed-rate signal generators are safe, effective methods for pacing the Medstone shock wave lithotripter and probably other extracorporeal shock wave lithotripters.
Leveraging Service Oriented Architecture: A case study for ocean energy information management

Often Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is implemented after an organization has an already established legacy set of applications and data formats. SOA is a powerful approach in that it can encapsulate and streamline data into a format that can be understood by an entire organization. From the executive department to the field office, data can be universally accessible. If there is a need to gather, consume, and create reports from data stored in a MySQL database at the field office with an Oracle database from the accounting department and a Progress database at the manufacturing plant, then you need SOA. This interconnection is not exclusive to databases, but rather any form or type of data for which there is a need to gather and compare data. Whether it is stored in various file formats from a Linux server, Solaris server or Windows server to an embedded device, then you need a SOA. This paper is an analysis of one SOA approach and the basic underlying network layers of it. Choosing and subsequently implementing a service oriented architecture for a large organization can be a complex undertaking, but Swordfish and Eclipse SOA, the new emerging SOA framework and integrated development environment, could mediate this. In this paper the eclipse SOA and Swordfish runtime framework are investigated and presented as a viable open source service oriented architecture solution for the enterprise.
Autoradiography of [3H]quipazine in rodent brain.

The distribution of binding sites for [3H]quipazine was examined in sections from rat brain. This radioligand has been demonstrated to label 5-HT3 receptors in membrane homogenate studies. Specificity of [3H]quipazine for these receptors was obtained by using 10−7 M ICS 205-930, a highly selective 5-HT3 antagonist, to define non-specific binding. Several areas of dense 5-HT3-specific binding were detected in the medulla, most notably the nucleus of the solitary tract and the caudal portion of the spinal trigeminal tract. Low to moderate levelsof 5-HT3 binding were seen in several forebrain regions, including the pyriform cortex, posterior nuclei of the amygdala, ventral tegmental area, anterior olfactory nucleus and superior colliculus. [3H]Quipazine autoradiography was also performed on brain sections from mouse, gerbil, hamster and guinea pig. Specific binding was quite low throughout most of the brains from these species; however, in all but the guinea pig, dense streaks of binding were detected in nucleus of the solitary tract (and in the mouse, the nucleus of the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve). The distribution of 5-HT3 receptors in the brain may help explain some of the proposed CNS activities of 5-HT3-selective drugs. The anti-emetic and antinociceptive activities of 5-HT3 antagonists may be mediated by receptors in the sensory areas in the brainstem.
Enhanced functional recombinant factor VII production by HEK 293 cells stably transfected with VKORC1 where the gamma-carboxylase inhibitor calumenin is stably suppressed by shRNA transfection

Abstract Introduction Recombinant members of the vitamin K-dependent protein family (factors IX and VII and protein C) have become important pharmaceuticals in treatment of bleeding disorders and sepsis. However, because the in vivo γ-carboxylation system in stable cell lines used for transfection has a limited capacity of post translational γ-carboxylation, the recovery of fully γ-carboxylated and functional proteins is low. Materials and methods In this work we have engineered recombinant factor VII producing HEK 293 cells to stably overexpress VKORC1, the reduced vitamin K γ-carboxylase cofactor and in addition stably silenced the γ-carboxylase inhibitory protein calumenin. Results and conclusions Stable cell lines transfected with only a factor VII cDNA had a 9% production of functional recombinant factor VII. On the other hand, these recombinant factor VII producing cells when engineered to overexpress VKORC1 and having calumenin stably suppressed more than 80% by shRNA expression, produced 68% functional factor VII. The technology presented should be applicable to all vertebrae members of the vitamin K-dependent protein family and should lower the production cost of the clinically used factors VII, IX and protein C.
Challenging the Assumptions about the Frequency and Coexistence of Learning Disability Types.

A popular but unsubstantiated belief is that a reading disability is the most prevalent type of learning disability (LD), that LD in mathematics is rare, and that LD in written expression is very rare. In 485 clinical children administered the WISC-III and WIAT, 65 percent had LD. The most common was LD in written expression (92 percent), either alone (50 percent) or in combination with LD in reading and/or mathematics (42 percent). Only 4 percent of the children had LD in reading alone, and 4 percent had LD in mathematics alone. Total LD percentages for reading and mathematics were similar (33 percent and 32 percent). Children with writing problems had far greater difficulty with compositional skills than with spelling.
The Effects of Processing on EEPROM Reliability

EEPROMs have one significant advantage over the more common EPROM. This is in the ease with which data can be changed in just a matter of milliseconds. In this paper we will investigate the effects that the various critical process steps can have on the two key reliability aspects of these memories, namely: Data Retention and Write/Erase endurance. In particular we will examine effects of the tunnel oxidation conditions and protective overcoat type on these parameters.
Language modeling using a statistical dependency grammar parser

The constraint dependency grammar (CDG) uses constraints to determine a sentence's grammatical structure that is represented as assignments of dependency relations to functional variables associated with each word in the sentence. This paper presents the evaluation of a statistical CDG parser-based language model (LM). This LM, when used to rescore lattices from the Wall Street Journal continuous speech recognition task, obtains a significant reduction in word error rate (WER) compared to a CDG-based almost-parsing LM and obtains a WER comparable to or lower than several state-of-the-art parser-based LM.
Cellulose-degrading bacteria associated with the invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio

Sirex noctilio is an invasive wood-feeding wasp that threatens the world's commercial and natural pine forests. Successful tree colonization by this insect is contingent on the decline of host defenses and the ability to utilize the woody substrate as a source of energy. We explored its potential association with bacterial symbionts that may assist in nutrient acquisition via plant biomass deconstruction using growth assays, culture-dependent and -independent analysis of bacterial frequency of association and whole-genome analysis. We identified Streptomyces and γ-Proteobacteria that were each associated with 94% and 88% of wasps, respectively. Streptomyces isolates grew on all three cellulose substrates tested and across a range of pH 5.6 to 9. On the basis of whole-genome sequencing, three Streptomyces isolates have some of the highest proportions of genes predicted to encode for carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZyme) of sequenced Actinobacteria. γ-Proteobacteria isolates grew on a cellulose derivative and a structurally diverse substrate, ammonia fiber explosion-treated corn stover, but not on microcrystalline cellulose. Analysis of the genome of a Pantoea isolate detected genes putatively encoding for CAZymes, the majority predicted to be active on hemicellulose and more simple sugars. We propose that a consortium of microorganisms, including the described bacteria and the fungal symbiont Amylostereum areolatum, has complementary functions for degrading woody substrates and that such degradation may assist in nutrient acquisition by S. noctilio, thus contributing to its ability to be established in forested habitats worldwide.
Modeling and Simulation of n-Type Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistors Using Ca as Contact Electrodes

In this research work, a model has been proposed in view of the recent experimental demonstration using Calcium (Ca) as a contact metal to realize the n-type carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNTFET). In order to fully optimize this proposed device model, effects of different parameters like the work function, oxide thickness, the oxide capacitance and the source velocity limits were studied. Among all the parameters, the work function of the contact metal plays an important role for controlling the flow of carriers through the carbon nanotube channel and to reduce the threshold voltage. A semi-classical simulation of the proposed n-type CNTFET has been performed. Results show an excellent subthreshold swing value of 62.91 mV/decade, close to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductor (ITRS) specifications.
Does Russian Legal Reform Matter? Evidence from Crude-Oil Export Allocations

The evolution of the Russian crude oil sector during the ongoing transition to a market economy is a fascinating case study in the determinants of state allocation of scarce transport capacity. Under socialism, the crude oil sector was a completely integrated monopoly and the all-Union government had exclusive control over investment, pricing, production, transport and export decisions. The substantial spreads between fluctuating world prices and fixed domestic prices provided one of the key sources of state hard currency earnings. During the transition, product market competition has increased in the crude oil sector. There has been the rapid formation and entry of large vertically integrated enterprises and the entry of foreign joint ventures. Prices have been liberalized. Nevertheless, substantial spreads between domestic and world market price have persisted beyond the 1995 price liberalization and the federal government has retained almost near monopoly control over crude oil transport and export allocation by retaining a controlling stake in the pipeline-transport joint stock company Transneft. In order to understand just how the state (federal government) uses its near monopoly power during a period of rapid privatization and price liberalization, this paper analyzes the determinants of export capacity allocation to the major Russian oil companies. It is found that, by 1996, one relatively clear law was that a domestic firm's access to world markets should be proportional to its lagged production volume. It is found that this law was operational in 1996. However, controlling for this allocation law, scarce capacity was allocated to reward firms that incurred debts from sales due to non-payments from buyers in the domestic market and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) market. While export allocation was driven by these legal and political criteria, some attention was paid to efficiency considerations such as distance to port and production efficiency.
A self-organizing model of vocabulary acquisition by elementary school children

This study reports a connectionist model of vocabulary acquisition by elementary school children. Our model is based on the self-organizing feature maps which have significant psychological and biological plausibility. The model derives the orthographic and phonological representations of Chinese phonograms on the basis of realistic language corpus from vocabulary learning by elementary school children, and successfully simulates the effects of grade, regularity, frequency, and their interactions. The results from our modeling match up with children's learning patterns found in empirical studies, and are also consistent with statistical analyses of the available language corpora. Our study shows that children's vocabulary acquisition reflects their learning of statistical regularities inherent in the linguistic input.
A phylogenomic study of the genus Alphavirus employing whole genome comparison: Research Articles

The phylogenetics of the genus Alphavirus have historically been characterized using partial gene, single gene or partial proteomic data. We have mined cDNA and amino acid sequences from GenBank for all fully sequenced and some partially sequenced alphaviruses and generated phylogenomic analyses of the genus Alphavirus genus, employing capsid encoding structural regions, non-structural coding regions and complete viral genomes. Our studies support the presence of the previously reported recombination event that produced the Western Equine Encephalitis clade, and confirm many of the patterns of geographic radiation and divergence of the multiple species. Our data suggest that the Salmon Pancreatic Disease Virus and Sleeping Disease Virus are sufficiently divergent to form a separate clade from the other alphaviruses. Also, unlike previously reported studies employing limited sequence data for correlation of phylogeny, our results indicate that the Barmah Forest Virus and Middelburg Virus appear to be members of the Semliki Forest clade. Additionally, our analysis indicates that the Southern Elephant Seal Virus is part of the Semliki Forest clade, although still phylogenetically distant from all known members of the genus Alphavirus. Finally, we demonstrate that the whole Rubella viral genome provides an ideal outgroup for phylogenomic studies of the genus Alphavirus. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Parallel Algorithm for $N$-Way Interval Set Intersection

The comparison of sets of genome intervals (e.g., genes, repeats, ChIP-seq peaks) is essential to genome research, especially as modern sequencing technologies enable ever larger and more complex experiments. Relationships between genomic features are commonly identified by their intersection: that is, if feature sets contain overlapping intervals then it is inferred that they share a common biological function or origin. Using this technique, researchers identify genomic regions that are common among multiple (or unique to individuals) data sets. While there have been recent advances in algorithms for pairwise intersections between two sets of genomic intervals, few advances have been made to the intersection of many sets of genomic intervals. Identifying intersections among many interval sets is particularly important when attempting to distill biological insights from the massive, multidimensional data sets that are common to modern genome research. For such analyses, speed and efficiency are crucial, given the size and sheer number of data sets involved. To solve this problem, we present a novel “slice-then-sweep” algorithm that, given $N$ interval sets, efficiently reveals the subset of intervals that are common to all $N$ sets. We demonstrate that our algorithm is more efficient in the sequential case and has a vastly higher capacity for parallelization with a 19x speedup over the existing algorithm.
Accounting and Financial Reporting by a Late 18th Century American Charity

Empirical research to date has neglected accounting and external financial reporting among 18th century American charitable institutions. Contemporary understanding of 18th century American practices is supported by evidence relating to commercial transactions primarily among colonial merchants. Our study examines the accounting and financial reporting of the Charleston Orphan House, the first municipal orphanage in America, from its inception in 1790 through its first five years of operations. The institution was established by city ordinance in 1790 which required the institution “to keep a book of fair and regular accounts of all receipts and expenditures which will be subject at all times to the inspection of the Commissioners.” The ordinance charged the orphanage's Committee on Accounts to “audit” its accounts. The City Council required the institution's board chairman to countersign the financial statements in 1792 before subjecting them to a second “audit.” The Orphan House employed a system of acc...
Exposing Gaps in/Between Discourses of Linguistic Deficits

ABSTRACTHart and Risley’s (1995) concept of a “word gap” (aka “language gap”) is widely used to describe inferior cognitive development and lower academic achievement as by-products of the language patterns of families from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In recent decades, this line of deficit research has proliferated and caused a surge in public exposure in the media and political realms. In this discussion, we employ critical discourse analysis to illuminate intertextual links across three essential domains of “language gap” discourse: (a) academic research literature, (b) public news media, and (c) institutional narratives. The data are analyzed in terms of interdiscursive connections within and between research articles; news and magazine stories; and institutional documents from academic, political, and philanthropic organizations. Here, we demonstrate how discourses that are generated within a socially insulated “language gap” research paradigm propagate a deficit orientation of linguistic...
Sylvatic Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi Among Domestic and Wildlife Reservoirs in Texas, USA: A Review of the Historical Literature.

Summary Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi infection) is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases affecting the Americas. The transmission dynamic of this parasite is a complicated process that involves three genera of Triatominae subfamily and over 100 known mammalian reservoirs composed of domestic, peridomestic and wildlife species. Understanding the complex relationship between vector species and mammalian hosts is important for preventing transmission to humans. We performed a historical literature review to assess the disease burden in the Texas wildlife and domestic animal population. Reports of sylvatic transmission in Texas date back to the 1940s. We found that up to 23 species can serve as reservoirs for T. cruzi in the state with wood rats, raccoons, and wild and domestic canine species most frequently reported as positive for the parasite. We finish with a discussion of the current research gaps, implications for high-risk populations and future directions for research.
Progress in integrated gyroscopes

Fully integrated gyroscopes have some unique advantages in low power, size, weight, and cost. The progress in bringing an integrated gyroscope to mass production is described, together with some of the strategies employed to overcome difficulties with this class of device, in particular, the measures to produce shock and vibration immunity. A natural progression for future products is also outlined.
Historic and Industrial Lead within the Northwest Pacific Ocean Evidenced by Lead Isotopes in Seawater.

We report the continued lead (Pb) contamination of the Northwest Pacific Ocean in 2002 and present the first comprehensive Pb isotope data set for that region. In the upper ocean, a Pb concentration maxima (64–113 pmol kg–1) extended throughout the entire North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). We determined most of the Pb in this feature was from industrial emissions by many nations in the 1980s and 1990s, with the largest contributions from leaded gasoline emissions. In contrast, the deep water (>1000 m) Pb concentrations were lower (6–37 pmol kg–1), and constituted a mix of background (natural) Pb and anthropogenic Pb inputs from preceding decades. Deep water below the Western Subarctic Gyre (WSAG) contained more industrial Pb than below the NPSG, which was attributed to a calculated 60-fold greater flux of particulate Pb to abyssal waters near the Asian continent. Assuming Pb isotope compositions in the North Pacific Ocean were homogeneous prior to large-scale 20th century anthropogenic inputs, this ev...
Techniques for tuning two-dimensional photonic crystal devices

We investigate methods for actively tuning two-dimensional photonic crystal devices by modulating the index of refraction of the constituent materials. The index of refraction is modulated by infiltrating liquid crystals into a photonic crystal lattice of air cylinders in silicon. Moreover, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules within the cylinders is actively modulated in order to induce a change in the dielectric tensor; thereby, tuning the optical properties of the photonic crystal. We validate and characterize the tunability of these devices both experimentally and with three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method simulations. Furthermore, we integrate these tunable devices to demonstrate their enhancement of WDM photonic crystal applications.
Fabrication of high quality multilayer blazed gratings using ion beam assisted deposition

A method for generating high quality multilayer blazed gratings using ion beam assisted deposition is proposed and analyzed with numerical simulations. Conventional fabrication methods for multilayer blazed gratings are limited by unwanted smoothing of the surface profile during multilayer deposition. By contrast, we demonstrate that our proposed method is capable of producing gratings that retain a nearly ideal blazed grating profile after the deposition of an arbitrary number of layers. Through numerical analysis, we establish the conditions in which this procedure produces a high quality multilayer blazed grating. These gratings would be suitable for use in the extreme ultraviolet or soft X-ray regime. We also discuss how the control parameters may be selected to optimize the gratings formed in an experiment.
Prolonged leg bending impairs endothelial function in the popliteal artery.

Uninterrupted sitting blunts vascular endothelial function in the lower extremities; however, the factors contributing to this impairment remain largely unknown. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that prolonged flexion of the hip and knee joints, as it occurs during sitting, and associated low shear stress and disturbed (i.e., turbulent) blood flow caused by arterial bending, impairs endothelial function at the popliteal artery. Bilateral measurements of popliteal artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were performed in 12 healthy subjects before and after a 3-h lying-down period during which one leg was bent (i.e., 90-degree angles at the hip and knee) and the contralateral leg remained straight, serving as internal control. During the 3-h lying down period, the bent leg displayed a profound and sustained reduction in popliteal artery blood flow and mean shear rate; whereas a slight but steady decline that only became significant at 3 h was noted in the straight leg. Notably, 3 h of lying down markedly impaired popliteal artery FMD in the bent leg (pre: 6.3 ± 1.2% vs. post: 2.8 ± 0.91%; P < 0.01) but not in the straight leg (pre: 5.6 ± 1.1% vs. post: 7.1 ± 1.2%; P = 0.24). Collectively, this study provides evidence that prolonged bending of the leg causes endothelial dysfunction in the popliteal artery. This effect is likely secondary to vascular exposure to low and disturbed blood flow resulting from arterial angulation. We conclude that spending excessive time with legs bent and immobile, irrespective of whether this is in the setting of sitting or lying-down, may be disadvantageous for leg vascular health.
Longitudinal Associations Between Alcohol-Related Cognitions and Use in African American and European American Adolescent Girls.

Background African American (AA) girls initiate alcohol use later and drink less than European American (EA) girls, potentially reflecting differences in the development of drinking behaviors. This study examined alcohol-related cognitions: expectancies, attitudes, and intention to drink, as possible sources of variation by race in alcohol use. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature and degree of association between cognitions and use over time and by race in EA and AA girls. Methods Data were drawn from the longitudinal Pittsburgh Girls Study (N = 2,450), an urban population-based sample of girls and their caregivers recruited when girls were between ages 5 and 8, and assessed annually through adolescence. Cross-lagged panel models were conducted separately by race (56.2% AA, 43.8% EA) to identify patterns of association between alcohol use and cognitions from ages 12 to 17 in 2,173 girls. Results Endorsement of cognitions and use was higher overall in EA than AA girls but the magnitude of cross-lagged path coefficients did not differ significantly by race. In both groups, bidirectional effects emerged between intentions and use, and alcohol use largely predicted cognitions across ages. However, intention to drink was the only alcohol-related cognition that consistently predicted subsequent use (odds ratios ranged from 1.55 to 2.71). Conclusions Although rates of alcohol use and endorsement of cognitions were greater in EA than AA girls, the anticipated racial differences in longitudinal associations between cognitions and use did not emerge, indicating that variation in associations between use and cognitions does not account for the lower prevalence of alcohol use in AA compared with EA girls. Furthermore, our finding that intention to drink is a consistent, robust predictor of subsequent alcohol use suggests the need to investigate potentially modifiable factors that influence intention to drink across racial groups.
Integrating Operator Information for Manual Grinding and Characterization of Process Performance Based on Operator Profile

Author(s): Das, J; Bales, GL; Kong, Z; Linke, B | Abstract: Due to its high versatility and scalability, manual grinding is an important and widely used technology in production for rework, repair, deburring, and finishing of large or unique parts. To make the process more interactive and reliable, manual grinding needs to incorporate "skill-based design," which models a person-based system and can go significantly beyond the considerations of traditional human factors and ergonomics to encompass both processing parameters (e.g., feed rate, tool path, applied forces, material removal rate (MRR)), and machined surface quality (e.g., surface roughness). This study quantitatively analyzes the characteristics of complex techniques involved in manual operations. A series of experiments have been conducted using subjects of different levels of skill, while analyzing their visual gaze, cutting force, tool path, and workpiece quality. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate regression analysis were performed and showed that the unique behavior of the operator affects the process performance measures of specific energy consumption and MRR. In the future, these findings can be used to predict product quality and instruct new practitioners.
Quiet voices: Misalignment of the three Cs in public administration curriculum

ABSTRACTScholars preach congruence between the three Cs (concepts, context, and content) of public administration in order to keep the field relevant. The current context of public administration is embodied by diversity of thought. One such type of diversity is descriptive and symbolic representation of women. This research examines the initial socialization of many public administrators to the field by performing a content analysis of the syllabi of highly ranked MPA programs and evaluating what percentage of assigned authors are female and how the curriculum addresses gender diversity. On average, women write less than 20% of required readings and only 5% of courses have specific units on gender diversity. This suggests the content and concepts taught in the MPA classroom do not match the context of the field. The article provides strategies for instructors desiring to increase the alignment of the three Cs in their curriculum.
Moving technical communication off the grid

This article argues for an “off the grid” approach to thinking about technology and technical communication. First, the author presents a metatheory that connects numerous descriptive theories of t...
Endothelial Ligands for L-Selectin: From Lymphocyte Recirculation to Allograft Rejection

The article by Toppila et al 1 in this issue of The American Journal of Pathology raises the provocative possibility that the adhesion molecule L-selectin may play a significant role in the recruitment of lymphocytes to human heart allografts during rejection. The case made by these authors relies strongly on current knowledge about the high-endothelial-venule-expressed ligands (HEV ligands) for L-selectin, which participate in the constitutive homing of lymphocytes to secondary lymphoid organs. The purpose of this Commentary is to summarize and update this rapidly evolving field.
A simple methodology for the routine production and partial purification of human lymphoblastoid interferon.

We report a methodology suitable for the large scale production and partial purification of human lymphoblastoid interferon with a minimum expense and reasonable (10%) degree of purity of product. The cells used were Namalwa lymphoblastoid cells, which have the advantage of being both easy to grow and well characterized. They were grown in RPMI 1640 containing 10% fetal calf serum to a density of 1.5–2×10 cells/ml and then diluted 50% by the addition of serum free medium containing 2mM sodium butyrate. After 48 hours, the medium was removed and the cells induced to produce interferon by Sendai virus. Typical initial interferon titres were in the region of 4–4.8 log10 units/ml, while specific activities were in the region of 106 units/mg protein. The initial stage in the purification involved batchwise adsorption of the interferon to Procion red-HE7B Sepharose CL6B. The Sepharose was then packed into a column, washed with 0.5M KCl and the interferon eluted with 2M KCl. The interferon was further purified by gel filtration to give an activity of approximately 10 units/mg protein. Yields were between 30–50% of the initial interferon in a volume of 25ml. Further separation of the components of the heterogeneous alpha interferon could be obtained on Procion blue-HER Sepharose, or by utilizing reverse phase HPLC.
Treatment based on H-reflexes testing improves disability status in patients with cervical radiculopathy.

BACKGROUND Postural modification in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy either causes further H-reflex suppression, indicating increased root compression, or it effects recovery, indicating decompression of the spinal root. The posture that effects maximum recovery of the H-reflex amplitude is called optimum spinal posture (OSP) and is suggested as a therapeutic exercise to decompress the compromised nerve root. The focus of this study was to identify the OSP that effects the maximum recovery of the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) H-reflex and to study its effect on the disability status in patients with cervical radiculopathy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Fourteen patients (46 +/- 12 y) with confirmed symptoms of C7 radiculopathy for the previous 6 months volunteered for the study. The FCR H-reflex was elicited by electrical stimulation of the median nerve at the cubital fossa (0.5 ms, 0.2 pps at H-max). Signals from the FCR muscle were recorded using a Cadwell 5200A EMG unit. The FCR H-reflex was recorded in natural sitting position with the head in natural position and in the OSP. Four traces of the H-reflex were recorded and averaged. The disability status was evaluated, using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), before exercising in the OSP and after 2 days of exercise in the OSP. DATA ANALYSIS Paired t-test and Spearman's correlation coefficients were used. RESULTS The H-reflex amplitude and latency were significantly different in the OSP and with the head in a natural position (P < 0.004; P < 0.011). Larger reflex amplitude and shorter latency were recorded in the OSP. The NDI scores were considerably improved after exercising in the OSP (P < 0.001). Spearman's correlation coefficient showed negative association between the H-reflex amplitude and the NDI scores (r = -0.64 to -0.54; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Exercising in the OSP increased the H-reflex amplitude and decreased latency of the compromised cervical root. It resulted in decreasing the disability status in this group of patients.
Alternative Designs for Inflation-Indexed Bonds: P-Linkers vs. C-Linkers

This paper analyzes the before-tax and after-tax cash flows for two stylized types of inflation-indexed bonds-"P-Linkers" and "C-Linkers." P-Linkers, like U.S. TIPS, have a fixed interest rate and link the accrued principal to changes in the consumer price index. C-Linkers are floating-rate notes that adjust the coupon interest rate for inflation while the principal is held constant. While both types of linkers provide protection from unexpected inflation, they differ significantly in terms of the amount and timing of cash flows, how and when cash flows are taxed, as well as in their price sensitivities to changes in real rates (i.e., their duration statistics). These differences impact investor strategies, especially those at aim to match the durations of assets and liabilities, and decisions about holding the inflation-indexed bonds in a tax-deferred structure like a retirement plan.
Progressive Massive Fibrosis Resurgence Identified in U.S. Coal Miners Filing for Black Lung Benefits, 1970-2016.

Rationale: There has been a resurgence of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) in the United States, particularly among central Appalachian miners.Objectives: We characterized the proportion of PMF a...
Body Image Disturbance in Surgically Treated Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Prospective Cohort Pilot Study:

This prospective cohort pilot study sought to characterize the short-term temporal trajectory of, and risk factors for, body image disturbance (BID) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Most patients were male (35/56), had oral cavity cancer (33/56), and underwent microvascular reconstruction (37/56). Using the Body Image Scale (BIS), a validated patient-reported outcome measure of BID, the prevalence of BID (BIS ≥10) increased from 11% preoperatively to 25% at 1 month postoperatively and 27% at 3 months posttreatment (P < .001 and P = .0014 relative to baseline, respectively). Risk factors for BID included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-19.8), pT 3 to 4 tumors (OR, 8.9; 95% CI, 2.0-63.7), and more severe baseline shame and stigma (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.13), depression (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06-1.51), and social isolation (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.01-1.49). The prevalence and severity of BID increase immediately posttreatment. Demographic, oncologic, and psychosocial characteristics identify high-risk patients for targeted interventions.
Using Exponential and Logarithmic Thresholds to Optimize Scalable Video Traffic Over Passive Optical Networks

Demand for internet services is rising quickly with the recent growing influx of internet-connected devices. Networks are continually being optimized or upgraded to accommodate this traffic with Passive Optical Networks (PONs) being a popular choice for replacing dated infrastructure due to their high performance to cost ratio. However, video traffic makes up an increasingly large portion of global IP traffic causing optimization to be difficult. This difficulty stems from the high coefficient of variability of compressed video traffic and is then compounded by the growing use of PONs which commonly employ a star topology thereby mandating the use of a centralized MAC protocol. Video traffic over PONs can be optimized by changing a video stream’s bit-rate during transmission thus adapting to the bandwidth available to a PON at any point in time. This is accomplished by dropping a variable number of Medium Grain Scalable (MGS) H.264 AVC video enhancement layers. In this work two novel packet dropping schemes are proposed, one employing a logarithmic dropping threshold and the other employing an exponential dropping threshold. It is shown that though the performance improvements gained from dropping all of the scalable video layers is small, the most efficient way to do so is through employing the logarithmic threshold dropping scheme which achieved a 146.9% improvement over the base layer for video delay jitter easily outperforming the 89.8% and 44.5% improvement for linear and exponential dropping respectively. The benefits of logarithmic dropping over linear and exponential dropping are reinforced in the data queueing delay and video queueing delay performance metrics.
Isolated multiple lumbar transverse process fractures with spinal instability: an uncommon yet serious association

Isolated vertebral transverse process fractures of thoracolumbar spine without other vertebral injuries and neurological deficit are generally considered as minor injuries with no concern for associated spinal instability. This report describes a case of multiple lumbar transverse fractures associated with an unexpected yet clinically significant spinal instability. A young male presented with right flank pain following being pushed and trapped against the ground by a reversing truck. The neurological examination was normal, and computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed multiple fractures at right transverse processes from L1 to L5, a single left-sided transverse process fracture at L2 and subtle facet joint distraction without other spinal lesions or visceral injuries. The injury was initially deemed as stable requiring symptomatic treatment and in-patient observation. However, discharge upright X-rays taken in a brace showed marked subluxation of L2/L3 and L3/L4 levels. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed significant discoligamentous injuries involving anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments, annulus fibrosus as well as posterior ligamentous complex. The patient underwent posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion of L1 to L5. This is the first case description of association of multisegmental lumbar transverse process fractures with notoriously unstable injuries of the major soft-tissue stabilizers of the spine presenting subtle changes on CT images. When a seemingly benign spinal injury is caused by high-energy trauma, careful scrutiny for associated instability is needed. In this case, the standing in-brace X-ray was able to avoid a misdiagnosis and potentially unfavourable outcome.
Bone Marrow Adipocytes: A Novel Negative Regulator of the Hematopoietic Microenvironment.

In the bone marrow (BM), osteoblasts and endothelium constitute functional niches providing positive or negative signals for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal. In addition to hematopoietic cells, endothelial cells, and osteoblasts, adult BM contains numerous adipocytes. Interestingly, the number of adipocytes correlates inversely with the gross hematopoietic activity of the marrow. Whether adipocytes have a direct effect on hematopoietic progenitors or whether they act as mere space-fillers in this context remains unclear. To determine the potential role of bone marrow adipocytes in hematopoiesis, we induced bone marrow-derived OP9 mesenchymal cells to differentiate into either osteoblastic or adipocytic stroma, and then tested their capacity to serve as surrogate HSC niches during in vitro hematopoietic culture in the absence of exogenous growth factors. We found that the presence of BM-derived adipocytes suppresses the expansion of short-term hematopoietic progenitors by at least two fold, as measured by the number of CD45+ cells expanded, the number of colony forming unit cells (CFU-Cs) and the competitive repopulation units (CRUs) during the first two months post-transplant. As an in vivo correlate, we compared the hematopoietic activity within the BM of the adipocyte-poor thoracic vertebrae and the adipocyte-rich proximal tail vertebrae. Indeed, we found that the percentage of HSCs (ckit+Lin-Sca1+), CMPs, GMPs and MEPs was decreased by two fold in the adipocyte-rich BM as determined phenotypically by FACS and functionally by short-term and long-term competitive repopulation assays. Mechanistically, oligonucleotide expression microarrays and conditioned media experiments on the OP9 co-cultures suggest that the inhibition of the progenitor compartment in adipocyte-rich environments is due to the loss of supportive factors (Notch ligands, N-cadherin, Angiopoietin-1, SCF, BMPs and Wnt5a) in addition to the presence of an active inhibitor. Finally, we found bone marrow adipocytes to accumulate in great numbers upon bone marrow ablation, a process that is hindered in genetically adipocyte-deficient mice. Since early BM transplant survival depends on the rapid accumulation of short term hematopoietic progenitors, whose replication we found hindered in adipocyte-rich BM, we were interested to explore whether the absence of adipocytes in the context of BM transplantation would foster faster recovery of lethally irradiated mice. As predicted, circulating leukocyte counts on the third week post-transplant were 3–5 times higher on the recovering fatless mice. Accordingly, the percentage of CFU-Cs, HSCs, CMPs, GMPs and MEPs on day 17 post-transplant was doubled on the adipocyte-depleted mice as compared to their wildtype littermates. We therefore conclude that, as seen in vitro, the presence of adipocytes in the recovering HSC niche is detrimental to the rapid hematopoietic expansion required to reconstitute blood production. We are currently examining the pharmacologic modulation of adipocyte formation for its effects in BM transplantation.
Adolescents' Depressive Symptom Experience Mediates the Impact of Long-Term Exposure to Maternal Depression Symptoms on Adolescents' Body Mass Index.

Background Obesity is a cardiovascular disease risk factor and affects approximately 13.7 million U.S. children and adolescents between the ages 2 and 19 years old in 2015-2016. Purpose To determine the relationship between children's average long-term exposure to maternal depressive symptoms age 1 month to Grade 6 and adolescents' body mass index (BMI) z-score at age 15 mediated by the adolescents' depressive symptom experience. Methods A total of 1,364 infants and their families from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were recruited. Results Mediation analyses revealed a significant relationship between children's average long-term exposure to maternal depressive symptoms from age 1 month to Grade 6 and adolescents' BMI z-score at age 15 (total effect = 0.015, p = .013, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0032, 0.027). The adolescents' experience of depressive symptoms significantly mediated this relationship (indirect effect = 0.0021, bias-corrected bootstrapped 95% CI: 0.0004, 0.0044), with this mediated relationship more pronounced in girls. Conclusions Findings indicate the possible existence of a mediating role of adolescents' depressive symptoms experience in the pathway from average long-term exposure to maternal depressive symptoms during children's early life to adolescents' elevated BMI.
Does smartphone addiction fall on a continuum of addictive behaviors

Due to the high accessibility and mobility of smartphones, widespread and pervasive smartphone use has become the social norm, exposing users to various health and other risk factors. There is, however, a debate on whether addiction to smartphone use is a valid behavioral addiction that is distinct from similar conditions, such as Internet and gaming addiction. The goal of this review is to gather and integrate up-to-date research on measures of smartphone addiction (SA) and problematic smartphone use (PSU) to better understand (a) if they are distinct from other addictions that merely use the smartphone as a medium, and (b) how the disorder(s) may fall on a continuum of addictive behaviors that at some point could be considered an addiction. A systematic literature search adapted from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was conducted to find all relevant articles on SA and PSU published between 2017 and 2019. A total of 108 articles were included in the current review. Most studies neither distinguished SA from other technological addictions nor clarified whether SA was an addiction to the actual smartphone device or to the features that the device offers. Most studies also did not directly base their research on a theory to explain the etiologic origins or causal pathways of SA and its associations. Suggestions are made regarding how to address SA as an emerging behavioral addiction.
Market Exclusivity for Drugs with Multiple Orphan Approvals (1983-2017) and Associated Budget Impact in the US.

The Orphan Drug Act extends exclusivity of branded drugs by 7 years for each rare disease approval. By extending market exclusivity, manufacturers can forestall generic competition. We determined the prevalence of drugs with multiple orphan approvals, the duration for which manufacturers are able to maintain exclusivity using this mechanism, and the budget impact of these additional exclusivity periods on US spending on orphan drugs. We analyzed a retrospective cohort of US orphan drug approvals filed between 1983 and 2017. Drug costs throughout this time period were measured using IQVIA claims data. We estimated additional years of exclusivity per drug per orphan approval using mixed-effects negative binomial regression. The budget impact analyzed potential cost-savings for exclusivity periods greater than 7 years after the initial orphan approval based on potential price reductions from the introduction of biosimilar/generic competition. A total of 432 branded drugs were approved for 615 orphan indications, of which 108 had multiple indications. Market exclusivity, beyond the initial 7 years, increased by 4.7 years with two orphan approvals, and there were 3.1-, 2.7-, and 2.9-year extensions for three, four, and five approvals, respectively (p 10 years through the Orphan Drug Act, thereby delaying rare disease cohorts’ access to generic/biosimilar equivalents.