The hemostatic effects of acute exposure to colored cornstarch powder during a 5k run

PURPOSE: To examine the acute hemostatic effects of particulate matter (PM) in the form of colored corn starch powder during a 5 kilometer race. METHODS: 10 recreationally active adults completed two 5k runs, one with color and one without color. 10 mL blood samples were taken 6 hours prior to the trial and immediately following the trial. PAI-1 activity, FVIII antigen, and tPA activity were measured using an ELISA. RESULTS: No significant main effects or interaction effects (P\u3c0.05) were observed among any of the variables although a trend (P = 0.082) was observed for increased PAI-1 activity during exercise in the color condition. CONCLUSIONS: There is a trend towards increased PAI-1 activity levels during exercise during color runs that could be due to increased inflammation. Furthermore, the lack of increased FVIII:ag and tPA activity suggests that the intensity of the exercise may not have been adequate and further research should be conducted in this area

A Proactive Abortion Agenda: Federal and State Policies To Protect and Expand Access

This report outlines federal- and state-level policy recommendations to advance abortion rights and access. Where relevant, the authors offer international and domestic examples of countries and states working to make abortion access meaningful for everyone—and highlight the advocacy of other organizations and providers to achieve some of these policies. Some recommendations have been covered in previous reports from the Center for American Progress, as well as other federal and state organizations leading on various issues; but the objective here is to provide a comprehensive road map for state and federal lawmakers to develop and enact policies that achieve equitable abortion access

Control of the cation occupancies of MnZn ferrite synthesized via reverse micelles

Variations in cation occupancy in mixed metal ferrite systems can affect their electronic and magnetic properties. It is known that different synthesis parameters can lead to various cation distributions and the ability to tune these distributions is of great interest. This study uses the extended x-ray-absorption fine structure–IR relationship to investigate the effect of various Fe2+/Fe3+ ratios in initial synthesis conditions on cation distribution for manganesezincferrite (MZFO). Differences in the precipitated material before firing could lead to differences in the final material if fired under similar conditions. This work uses several different ratios of Fe3+/Fe2+, which will affect the initial cell potential for the reaction, to synthesize nano MZFO. All samples were fired for 5h at 500°C under flowing nitrogen. Transmission electron microscopy micrographs reveal highly crystalline uniform nanoparticles of 16±2nm. The x-ray diffraction revealed single phase crystalline MZFO with an average crystallite size of around 14nm. The saturation magnetization ranged from 43to68emu∕g as measured by vibrating-sample magnetometry. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was used to determine the cation occupancies while changing the initial Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios from 10∕90 to90∕10. The FTIRspectra revealed a shift in the first absorption region in the far IR from 566.98to549.62cm−1 corresponding to the octahedral occupancies. This shift corresponds to a change in the percentage of octahedral sites occupied by manganese from roughly 25% to 12%. This change in manganese occupancy is also observed in the iron occupancies, which in turn help to explain the variation in saturation magnetization

TRIPTOLIDE IS A POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC AGENT FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Mounting evidence indicates an involvement of inflammation in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. While there are other mechanisms involved, it is this role of inflammatory processes that we wish to investigate. Triptolide is the major constituent in the Chinese herb, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, and has been used for centuries as part of Chinese herbal medicine. The four ringed structure has close homology to drugs of the steroid class and it has been shown to be beneficial as an anti-inflammatory for rheumatoid arthritis and for treatment of certain cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of Triptolide on the neuropathology and deficits of spatial 6 learning and memory in amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1) doubletransgenic mice, a well established Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model. After treatment of APP/PS1 mice with Triptolide (40μg/kg, three times weekly,), initiated when the mice were 5 months old, for as little as 8 weeks, significant decrease in β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and microglia activation was observed. Moreover, Triptolide treatment robustly rescued spatial memory deficits observed in APP/PS1 mice. However, APP processing, tau hyperphosphorylation, and the activities of the two major kinases involved in tau hyperphosphorylation, cyclin dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) were not affected by the Triptolide treatment. Based on the recent finding for the inhibitory effect of Triptolide on Aβ-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines from microglia, we propose that Triptolide treatment may have beneficial properties in halting glial activation and help restore an immune system that fights plaque deposition. Although the exact mechanism of action has yet to be deduced, the increase in APP CTFs while having a significant decrease in amyloid plaque deposition suggests that alterations in gamma secretase activity may be a possible answer. Currently, these results support the use of Triptolide as an effective therapeutic to prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s disease

Surgical Education in the 21st Century

Surgical education has evolved drastically since the 19th century. Previously education of surgical residents was limited to on job clinical training following the “see one, do one, teach one” model with knowledge gleaned from textbooks and journals. Presently a growing emphasis has been placed on both patient safety and resident well-being leading to a development of novel training paradigms. The textbook, while remaining a core source of knowledge, is now only one of many resources available to residents. Many residencies have their libraries online, making learning possible almost anywhere, even without physical books in hand. Most programs now incorporate education days where a structured curriculum allows for standardized education; this makes it less likely that residents miss out on mandatory concepts. The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has led to further evolution of this model, making the classroom virtual yet interactive. Technology has allowed for residents to train on surgical simulators, so that laparoscopic and robotic skills may be practiced before application on a live patient. Altogether residents are afforded multiple ways to learn due to greater availability of time, structured educational modules, and technology

Anesthesiology for Trauma Medicine: Roles, Medications, Airway Management, and Multidisciplinary Team Coordination

Given the complex nature of trauma, a highly organized, multidisciplinary approach is necessary to ensure the best possible outcomes. Anesthesia providers play a critical role in the management and effective treatment of trauma patients. This chapter will address both the multidisciplinary and multitiered management of trauma patients with a focus on the intersection of trauma staff and anesthesia in three phases: the initial evaluation (i.e., in the bay), intraoperative care, and postoperative care. Included is a brief discussion on more recent methodologies and newly incorporated technologies in the resuscitation of trauma patients