A program for real-time surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 genetics.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought forth an urgent need for widespread genomic surveillance for rapid detection and monitoring of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. It necessitated design, development, and deployment of a nationwide infrastructure designed for sequestration, consolidation, and characterization of patient samples that disseminates de-identified information to public authorities in tight turnaround times. Here, we describe our development of such an infrastructure, which sequenced 594,832 high coverage SARS-CoV-2 genomes from isolates we collected in the United States (U.

SARS-CoV-2 variant introduction following spring break travel and transmission mitigation strategies.

Background: University spring break carries a two-pronged SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission risk. Circulating variants from universities can spread to spring break destinations, and variants from spring break destinations can spread to universities and surrounding communities. Therefore, it is critical to implement SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance and testing strategies to limit community spread before and after spring break to mitigate virus transmission and facilitate universities safely returning to in-person teaching.

Occipital Nerve Stimulation: An Alternative Treatment of Chronic Migraine.

Purpose Of Review: This paper will examine the efficacy and safety of occipital nerve stimulation as a non-pharmacological alternative treatment for migraine.

Recent Findings: Migraine is characterized as a primary headache disorder with possible premonitory and aura phases, both of which vary greatly in symptomatology. The most common treatments for chronic migraine are pharmacological and are aimed at both acute relief (e.

The Antisense Oligonucleotide Nusinersen for Treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare, autosomal recessive neuromuscular degenerative disease characterized by loss of spinal cord motor neurons leading to progressive muscle wasting. The most common pathology results from a homozygous disruption in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene on chromosome 5q13 via deletion, conversion, or mutation. SMN2 is a near duplicate of SMN1 that can produce full-length SMN mRNA transcripts, but its overall production capability of these mRNA transcripts is lower than that seen in SMN1.

Surface characterization of a silicone hydrogel contact lens having bioinspired 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymer layer in hydrated state.

A silicone hydrogel contact lens material, with a unique chemical and physical structure has been designed for long-term ocular performance. Enhancement of this silicone hydrogel contact lens material was achieved through surface modification using a cross-linkable bioinspired 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer, which creates a soft surface gel layer on the silicone hydrogel base material. The surface properties of this MPC polymer-modified lens were characterized under hydrated condition revealing, inter alia, its unique polymer structure, excellent hydrophilicity, lubricity, and flexibility.

Extended elution of phospholipid from silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

Characterization of phospholipid release from an experimental reusable wear silicone hydrogel contact lens was performed to assess the possible use of these lenses for phospholipid delivery to increase eye comfort to patients who prefer reusable wear lenses. Contact lenses were loaded with 200 μg of radio-labeled 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) from a solution of n-propanol. To simulate 30 days of diurnal use with overnight cleaning, these lenses were eluted for 16 h at 35 °C into artificial tear fluid (ATF), and then eluted at room temperature (~22 °C) for 8 h in one of three commercial contact lens cleaning systems.

Loading and release of a phospholipid from contact lenses.

Purpose: Dry eye syndrome has been associated with the lack of phospholipids in the tear film, leading to disruption of the tear film and subsequent irritation. This study explores the feasibility of loading a phospholipid into contact lenses for controlled release to the eye.

Methods: Silicone hydrogel contact lenses were loaded with 33 μg of radio-labeled 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) from a solution of n-propanol.

Transport of phospholipid in silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

Characterization of the transport and release of phospholipids from a silicone hydrogel contact lens is required to assess the possible use of these lenses for phospholipid delivery to increase patient comfort. Contact lenses of silicone hydrogel composition were loaded with varying amounts of radiolabeled 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) from a solution of n-propanol. These lenses were eluted at 35°C into artificial tear fluid (ATF) or ATF containing varying amounts of DMPC.

Tear oxygen under hydrogel and silicone hydrogel contact lenses in humans.

Purpose: To determine the tear oxygen tension under a variety of conventional and silicone hydrogel contact lenses in human subjects.

Methods: Three hydrogel and five silicone hydrogel lenses (Dk/t = 17 to 329) were coated on the back surface with an oxygen sensitive, bovine serum albumin-Pd meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphine complex (BSA-porphine). Each lens type was placed on the right eye of 15 non-contact lens wearers to obtain a steady-state open eye tear oxygen tension using oxygen sensitive phosphorescence decay of BSA-porphine.

Neural signatures of phonetic learning in adulthood: a magnetoencephalography study.

The present study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine perceptual learning of American English /r/ and /l/ categories by Japanese adults who had limited English exposure. A training software program was developed based on the principles of infant phonetic learning, featuring systematic acoustic exaggeration, multi-talker variability, visible articulation, and adaptive listening. The program was designed to help Japanese listeners utilize an acoustic dimension relevant for phonemic categorization of /r-l/ in English.

Training the perception of Hindi dental and retroflex stops by native speakers of American English and Japanese.

Perception of second language speech sounds is influenced by one's first language. For example, speakers of American English have difficulty perceiving dental versus retroflex stop consonants in Hindi although English has both dental and retroflex allophones of alveolar stops. Japanese, unlike English, has a contrast similar to Hindi, specifically, the Japanese /d/ versus the flapped /r/ which is sometimes produced as a retroflex.

Sequestration and ultrasound-induced release of doxorubicin from stabilized Pluronic P105 micelles.

Controlled drug delivery from micelles requires that the micelles remain stable when diluted below their critical micelle concentration, such as upon injection into blood. A cross-linked, interpenetrating network of N,N-diethylacrylamide (NNDEA) was polymerized in the core of Pluronic P105 micelles to stabilize temporarily the micelles at concentrations below the critical micellar concentration of free P105. The stabilized Pluronic micelles (called Plurogels) were able to sequester the drug doxorubicin (Dox) and protect HL-60 cells from the drug at concentrations where non-stabilized Pluronic provided no protection.

Treatment of painful temporomandibular joint dysfunction with the sagittal split ramus osteotomy.

Purpose: We describe a new indication for the sagittal split ramus osteotomy with rigid fixation to treat patients with painful dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint.

Patients And Methods: Ten patients for whom nonsurgical management failed were found to have a mandibular condyle positioned postero-superior within the glenoid fossa with reduced joint space on corrected-axis tomograms. The sagittal split ramus osteotomy was used to reposition the proximal segment and to increase joint space.

The Graphite Calorimeter as a Standard of Absorbed Dose for Cobalt-60 Gamma Radiation.

Absorbed dose to water in a cobalt-60 gamma-ray beam has been determined using a thick-walled graphite ionization chamber. The chamber was calibrated in a graphite phantom against a graphite calorimeter, and the graphite calibration factor was converted to a water calibration factor using published energy absorption coefficient ratios and a measured replacement factor. Comparisons between the graphite and water measurements were made at pairs of points that were scaled in position according to the ratio of electron densities, so that the photon spectra were the same for the two points in a given pair.

Intercomparison of High-Energy X-Ray Intensity Measurements.

This paper describes experimental comparison of the sensitivity of the NBS P2-4 ionization chamber and a replica of Wilson's Quantameter. The sensitivity ratios are used to compare calorimetric measurements of total x-ray beam energy made at the NBS and in the USSR between 20 and 90 MeV. The agreement is within the combined errors, but the source of an apparent 2 percent systematic difference has not been found.