Chemical and mass spectrometric studies on organogermanes

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High blood cortisol levels and low cortisol receptor affinity: is the chub, Leuciscus cephalus, a cortisol-resistant teleost?

In contrast to the relatively minor intra- and inter-species differences in blood cortisol levels reported for salmonid species, there is a more pronounced distinction between cortisol levels among the Salmonidae and Cyprinidae, with both basal and stress-induced cortisol levels markedly higher in the latter. This study shows that in the chub, Leuciscus cephalus, a widely distributed European cyprinid, mean blood cortisol levels during stress (1500 ng ml-1) exceeded those reported for most other species of fish and even in unstressed chub, cortisol levels (50 – 100 ng ml-1) were within the range known to cause immunosuppression, growth retardation and reproductive dysfunction in salmonid fish. The chub appears to be atypical only with respect to plasma cortisol levels; the levels of plasma glucose and plasma lactate in unstressed and stressed chub are similar to those reported for other species. Plasma levels of 11-ketotestosterone in males and 17beta-estradiol in females are lower than reported for salmonids but similar to other cyprinid species and display clear stress-induced reduction. Comparative analysis of the binding characteristics of the trout and chub gill cortisol receptor revealed that the total number of binding sites in gill tissue for each species was similar (Bmax; approx 50 – 100 fmol mg-1 protein). However, the affinity of the binding site for cortisol displayed an 8-fold difference between the species (rainbow trout: Kd approx. 6 nM; chub: Kd approx. 50 nM). Therefore, the potentially adverse effects of high circulating levels of cortisol found both at rest and under conditions of stress in chub may be offset by the lower affinity of the cortisol receptor, rather than the abundance of target-tissue receptor sites. This strategy is similar to that reported for some glucocorticoid-resistant rodent species and New World primates

The homological slice spectral sequence in motivic and Real bordism

For a motivic spectrum $E\in \mathcal{SH}(k)$, let $\Gamma(E)$ denote the global sections spectrum, where $E$ is viewed as a sheaf of spectra on $\mathrm{Sm}_k$. Voevodsky's slice filtration determines a spectral sequence converging to the homotopy groups of $\Gamma(E)$. In this paper, we introduce a spectral sequence converging instead to the mod 2 homology of $\Gamma(E)$ and study the case $E=BPGL\langle m\rangle$ for $k=\mathbb R$ in detail. We show that this spectral sequence contains the $\mathcal{A}_*$-comodule algebra $(\mathcal{A}//\mathcal{A}(m))^*$ as permanent cycles, and we determine a family of differentials interpolating between $(\mathcal{A}//\mathcal{A}(0))^*$ and $(\mathcal{A}//\mathcal{A}(m))^*$. Using this, we compute the spectral sequence completely for $m\le 3$. In the height 2 case, the Betti realization of $BPGL\langle 2\rangle$ is the $C_2$-spectrum $BP_{\mathbb R}\langle 2\rangle$, a form of which was shown by Hill and Meier to be an equivariant model for $\mathrm{tmf}_1(3)$. Our spectral sequence therefore gives a computation of the comodule algebra $H_*\mathrm{tmf}_0(3)$. As a consequence, we deduce a new ($2$-local) Wood-type splitting $$\mathrm{tmf}\wedge X\simeq \mathrm{tmf}_0(3)$$ of $\mathrm{tmf}$-modules predicted by Davis and Mahowald, for $X$ a certain 10-cell complex.Comment: Comments welcom

Utilising proteomics to understand and define hypertension: where are we and where do we go?

Introduction: Hypertension is a complex and multifactorial cardiovascular disorder. With different mechanisms contributing to a different extent to an individual’s blood pressure the discovery of novel pathogenetic principles of hypertension is challenging. However, there is an urgent and unmet clinical need to improve prevention, detection and therapy of hypertension in order to reduce the global burden associated with hypertension-related cardiovascular diseases. Areas covered: Proteomic techniques have been applied in reductionist experimental models including angiotensin II infusion models in rodents and the spontaneously hypertensive rat in order to unravel mechanisms involved in blood pressure control and end organ damage. In humans proteomic studies mainly focus on prediction and detection of organ damage, particularly of heart failure and renal disease. Whilst there are only few proteomic studies specifically addressing human primary hypertension there are more data available in hypertensive disorders in pregnancy such as preeclampsia. We will review these studies and discuss implications of proteomics on precision medicine approaches. Expert commentary: Despite the potential of proteomic studies in hypertension there has been moderate progress in this area of research. Standardised large-scale studies are required in order to make best use of the potential that proteomics offers in hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases

Equal pay debates in international women’s football

One of the most visible discussion points around international level, professional women's football in recent years has been that of gender equitable payment of players. This chapter presents some of the cornerstones of the equal pay debates at play in women's football. First, the emergence of international women's football as a major force in the global sport nexus is highlighted, which has enabled women to be paid to play football as a profession. Second, the historical roots of equal pay debates are presented, before turning to the most public and high-profile remuneration dispute in the sport of football, that of the USWNT versus the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). In this chapter, we outline how the drawn-out legal process has undoubtedly contributed to greater pay parity on the international stage for many professional women footballers and conclude the chapter by offering our thoughts as to the significance, and future, of gendered pay debates in football

Randomized Controlled Study of a Remote Flipped Classroom Neuro-otology Curriculum

CONTEXT: Medical Education can be delivered in the traditional classroom or via novel technology including an online classroom. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that learning in an online classroom would result in similar outcomes as learning in the traditional classroom when using a flipped classroom pedagogy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. A total of 274 subjects enrolled in a Neuro-otology training program for non-Neuro-otologists of 25 h held over a 3-day period. Subjects were randomized into a control group attending a traditional classroom and a trial group of equal numbers participating in an online synchronous Internet streaming classroom using the Adobe Connect e-learning platform. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomized into a control group attending a traditional classroom and a treatment group of equal numbers participating in an online synchronous Internet streaming classroom. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pre- and post-multiple choice examinations of VOR, Movement, Head Turns, Head Tremor, Neurodegeneration, Inferior Olivary Complex, Collateral Projections, Eye Movement Training, Visual Saccades, Head Saccades, Visual Impairment, Walking Speed, Neuroprotection, Autophagy, Hyperkinetic Movement, Eye and Head Stability, Oscilllatory Head Movements, Gaze Stability, Leaky Neural Integrator, Cervical Dystonia, INC and Head Tilts, Visual Pursuits, Optokinetic Stimulation, and Vestibular Rehabilitation. METHODS: All candidates took a pretest examination of the subject material. The 2-9 h and 1-8 h sessions over three consecutive days were given live in the classroom and synchronously in the online classroom using the Adobe Connect e-learning platform. Subjects randomized to the online classroom attended the lectures in a location of their choice and viewed the sessions live on the Internet. A posttest examination was given to all candidates after completion of the course. Two sample unpaired t tests with equal variances were calculated for all pretests and posttests for all groups including gender differences. RESULTS: All 274 subjects demonstrated statistically significant learning by comparison of their pre- and posttest scores. There were no statistically significant differences in the test scores between the two groups of 137 subjects each (0.8%, 95% CI 85.45917-86.67952; P = 0.9195). A total of 101 males in the traditional classroom arm had statistically significant lower scores than 72 females (0.8%, 95% CI 84.65716-86.53096; P = 0.0377) but not in the online arm (0.8%, 95% CI 85.46172-87.23135; P = 0.2176) with a moderate effect size (Cohen\u27s d = -0.407). CONCLUSION: The use of a synchronous online classroom in neuro-otology clinical training has demonstrated similar outcomes to the traditional classroom. The online classroom is a low cost and effective complement to medical specialty training in Neuro-Otology. The significant difference in outcomes between males and females who attended the traditional classroom suggests that women may do better than males in this learning environment, although the effect size is moderate. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03079349

Separation of rhodium from iridium through synergistic solvent extraction

There are currently few effective processes for the solvent extraction of rhodium from hydrochloric acid streams, and none that allow rhodium to be selectively extracted over iridium. Realizing this goal could allow rhodium to be recovered earlier in a typical platinum group metal (PGM) refining flowsheet and reduce the environmental impact of PGM refining. In this work, we show that a synergistic combination of a tert-alkyl primary amine LA and various inner-sphere ligands L can be used to recover rhodium via the complex [RhCl5L].HLA2. Although we show that rhodium is extracted by several extractant combinations, it is only readily stripped from the amine/amide synergistic mixture. As this extraction relies on the inner-sphere coordination of the amide to the metal, this process also demonstrates a route to obtain preferential extraction of rhodium over more inert iridium chloridometalates under industrially relevant conditions.</p