A detailed description of the short-term musculoskeletal and cognitive effects of prolonged standing for office computer work

Due to concerns about excessive sedentary exposure for office workers, alternate work positions such as standing are being trialled. However, prolonged standing may have health and productivity impacts, which this study assessed. Twenty adult participants undertook two hours of laboratory-based standing computer work to investigate changes in discomfort and cognitive function, along with muscle fatigue, movement, lower limb swelling and mental state. Over time, discomfort increased in all body areas (total body IRR [95% confidence interval]: 1.47[1.36–1.59]). Sustained attention reaction time (β = 18.25[8.00–28.51]) deteriorated, while creative problem solving improved (β = 0.89[0.29–1.49]). There was no change in erector spinae, rectus femoris, biceps femoris or tibialis anterior muscle fatigue; low back angle changed towards less lordosis, pelvis movement increased, lower limb swelling increased and mental state decreased. Body discomfort was positively correlated with mental state. The observed changes suggest replacing office work sitting with standing should be done with caution.

Practitioner Summary: Standing is being used to replace sitting by office workers; however, there are health risks associated with prolonged standing. In a laboratory study involving 2 h prolonged standing discomfort increased (all body areas), reaction time and mental state deteriorated while creative problem-solving improved. Prolonged standing should be undertaken with caution.     

Time series-based bibliometric analysis of a systematic review of multidisciplinary care for opioid dose reduction: exploring the origins of the North American opioid crisis

Scientometrics - Bibliometric analyses of systematic reviews offer unique opportunities to explore the character of specific scientific fields. In this time series-based analysis, dynamics of...     

Label-free electronic detection of the antigen-specific T-cell immune response

Detection of antigen-specific T-cells is critical for diagnostic assessment and design of therapeutic strategies for many disease states. Effective monitoring of these cells requires technologies that assess their numbers as well as functional response. Current detection of antigen-specific T-cells involves flow cytometry and functional assays and requires fluorescently labeled, soluble forms of peptide-loaded major histocompatability complexes (MHC). We demonstrate that nanoscale solid-state complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology can be employed to allow direct, label-free electronic detection of antigen-specific T-cell responses within seconds after stimulation. Our approach relies on detection of extracellular acidification arising from a small number of T-cells (as few as approximately 200), whose activation is induced by triggering the T-cell antigen receptor. We show that T-cell triggering by a nonspecific anti-CD3 stimulus can be detected within 10 s after exposure to the stimulus. In contrast, antigen-specific T-cell responses are slower with response times greater than 40 s after exposure to peptide/MHC agonists. The speed and sensitivity of this technique has the potential to elucidate new understandings of the kinetics of activation-induced T-cell responses. This combined with its ease of integration into conventional electronics potentially enable rapid clinical testing and high-throughput epitope and drug screening.     

TEM-based metrology for HfO2 layers and nanotubes formed in anodic aluminum oxide nanopore structures

Nanotubes are fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) into nanopore arrays created by anodic aluminum oxide (AAO). A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methodology is developed and applied to quantify the ALD conformality in the nanopores (thickness as a function of depth), and the results are compared to existing models for ALD conformality. ALD HfO2 nanotubes formed in AAO templates are released by dissolution of the Al2O3, transferred to a grid, and imaged by TEM. An algorithm is devised to automate the quantification of nanotube wall thickness as a function of position along the central axis of the nanotube, by using a cylindrical model for the nanotube. Diffusion-limited depletion occurs in the lower portion of the nanotubes and is characterized by a linear slope of decreasing thickness. Experimentally recorded slopes match well with two simple models of ALD within nanopores presented in the literature. The TEM analysis technique provides a method for the rapid analysis of such nanostructures in general, and is also a means to efficiently quantify ALD profiles in nanostructures for a variety of nanodevice applications.     

The neonatal injury-induced spinal learning deficit in adult rats: Central mechanisms.

Previous research has shown that small injuries early in development can alter adult pain reactivity and processing of stimuli presented to the side of injury. However, the mechanisms involved and extent of altered adult spinal function following neonatal injury remain unclear. The present experiments were designed to 1) determine whether the effects of neonatal injury affect processing contralateral to the injury and 2) evaluate the role of cells expressing the NK1 receptor, shown to be involved in central sensitization in adults, in the negative effects of neonatal injury. The present findings indicate that the effects of neonatal injury are primarily isolated to the injured hind limb and do not result in a bilateral alteration in adult spinal function. In addition, the effects of neonatal injury appear to be partially dependent on cells expressing the NK1 receptor as ablating these cells at the time of injury or in adulthood results in attenuation of the neonatal injury-induced spinal learning deficit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A validity study of functionally-based behavioral consultation with students with emotional/behavioral disabilities.

Eighteen students (K-11th grade) with emotional/behavioral disorders who were at-risk for change of placement to more restrictive settings participated. Construct validity of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) was assessed with a multifunction-multimethod matrix that showed excellent convergent and divergent agreement with combined FBA methods and functional analysis results. Treatment validity was assessed with random assignment to either a FBA with consultation condition (FBC) or to a behavioral consultation without FBA condition (BC). Growth curve analysis showed a significant decrease in inappropriate behavior from baseline to treatment for both treatment groups compared to a control group. The efficiency of teachers' implementation effected treatment validity. Effect sizes showed that regardless of treatment condition that interventions with good fidelity realized the largest effect (d = -1.14). Social and habilitative validity was assessed with telephone interviews conducted a year after treatment. Sixty-five percent attributed the students' problem behaviors to their thoughts or feelings, whereas only 25% attributed it to classroom variables. Many (57%) indicated the most helpful intervention would be individual counseling, whereas only 14% indicated a more involved classroom management plan would be useful. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improvement of Lubricant Materials Using Ruthenium Isomerization

Production of an effective industrial lubricant additive from vegetable oils is a high profile and difficult undertaking. One candidate is alkyl 9(10)-dibutylphosphonostearate, which has been made through a radical transformation of alkyl 9-cis-octadecanoate. It is effective, but still suffers from drawbacks. In this report, that synthesis is combined with a ruthenium based isomerization process to create not just one, but an entire series of new chemical compounds. A low level of [Ru(CO)₂(EtCO₂)]_n is first used for the isomerization of the starting material, then radical chemistry is employed. A series of methyl dibutylphosphonooctadecanoates was made. In an analogous fashion, trans-7-tetradecene was also isomerized and then polymerized. As in the phosphonate case, the follow-up chemistry could be performed in the presence of the residual isomerization catalyst. The alkane:alkene ratio, observed by ¹H NMR, was found to change from 14:1 in the isomerized starting material to a value of 41:1 in the polymerized material. This methodology, isomerization in tandem with other reactions, gives suitable routes to both biobased polyolefins, and biobased phosphonates, potential key ingredients in biobased lubrication formulations.     

Developmental and Ripening-Related Effects on the Cell Wall of Pepino (Solanum muricatum) Fruit

Several cell wall components in ripening pepino fruit have been quantitatively and qualitatively characterised, with the aim of identifying their contributions to the loss of tissue firmness. Pepinos were graded into nine groups based on progressive, characteristic skin colour changes, previously shown to correspond with decreasing fruit firmness. While fruit softening began when the pepinos were still green but with newly acquired purple stripes, the first significant quantitative signs of cell wall modification (total pectin and hemicellulose content declining and CDTA-soluble pectin content increasing, on a fresh weight basis) were detectable later in ripening, when the fruit began to acquire yellow skin pigmentation. Gel fractionation studies demonstrated that there were increased levels of low-molecular-weight pectin and xyloglucan during pepino ripening. The change in molecular weight distribution of CDTA-soluble pectin occurred as fruit started to acquire yellow pigmentation, while xyloglucan polymers were modified at an earlier stage that coincided with the initial loss of firmness. © 1997 SCI.     

Operant escape learning in decerebrate duck embryos.

Trained 192 Peking duck embryos (Anas platythynchos) in an operant escape task on Day 25 of incubation (total incubation period of 27 days) following decerebration on Day 24. Experimental embryos successfully acquired the operant response, which involved the performance of a discrete foot flexion to terminate a shock applied to the wing. The decerebrate embryos resembled normal unoperated embryos of this age in their acquisition of the operant behavior. Results demonstrate that this form of learning can be acquired without benefit of telencephalic structures, at least at this point in development. Differences in the consequences of decerebration during prenatal or neonatal vs adult stages are discussed. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phase separation of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) solutions and gels using a near infrared fiber laser

We used a tunable near infrared fiber laser in the wavelength range of 1533–1573 nm to induce photothermal phase changes in poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) aqueous solutions and hydrogels. The laser induces the hydrophilic to hydrophobic transition of the polymer by heating the surrounding water. We report our observations of the phase changes based on using a novel fiber backreflectance method coupled with visual cloud point measurements. At 1533 nm the phase transition was induced at the end of a single mode optical fiber with 9 mW of power at an ambient temperature of 24°C. We found that the power required to reach the lower critical solution temperature was inversely proportional to the absorption spectrum of water. In addition, phase changes in both solutions and gels occurred very rapidly (<1 s) as the laser was turned on and off. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007