Book Review: Arnold S. Relman, M. D. New York: Public Affairs, 2007. 205 pp. $24.00 hardback, ISBN- 10: 1586484818, ISBN-13: 978-1586484811. A Second Opinion: Rescuing America’s Healthcare

With healthcare reform at the forefront of political debate, Dr. Relman’s book comes at a timely point in American history. With the prevailing rhetoric and healthcare reform proposals being touted by recent presidential candidates, the general public may be having a hard time separating myths and self-serving claims from reality. In A Second Opinion, Dr. Relman provides a ‘second opinion’ about the state of our healthcare system and the major reforms it requires. He outlines a thoughtful and measured approach on how to effectively rescue America’s healthcare system. A Second Opinion does an excellent job of dispelling the confusion about healthcare reform and helps readers understand key facts and issues that demand new policies. Dr. Relman’s background as a practicing physician, author, professor and medical journal editor, in addition to his clear compassion for people, provide him with a solid background to write this book

Controlling Behaviors in Middle School Youth’s Dating Relationships: Reactions and Help-Seeking Behaviors

This exploratory study examined middle school students’ (N = 380) help-seeking behaviors and other reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Over three-fourths of the participants perpetrated and were victimized by controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Youth used emotional/verbal and dominance/isolation forms of controlling behaviors. More youth were victimized by dominance/isolation controlling behaviors than emotional/verbal controlling behaviors. Gender and age differences emerged when evaluating the type of controlling behaviors youth used. The majority of youth were willing to seek help when confronted with various types of controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Gender and age differences also emerged in youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors. More understanding of youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships may assist prevention educators in intervening before controlling behaviors in dating relationships turn into actual dating violence

A study on the discrimination of human skeletons using X-ray fluorescence and chemometric tools in chemical anthropology

Forensic anthropological investigations are often restricted in their outcomes by the resources allocated to them, especially in terms of positively identifying the victims exhumed from commingled mass graves. Commingled mass graves can be defined as those graves that contain a number of disarticulated human remains from different individuals that have been mixed by either natural processes or human interventions. The research developed aimed to apply the technique of non-destructive XRF analysis to test whether there is substantial differentiation within the trace elemental composition and their ratios of individuals to separate them using chemometric analysis. The results of the different atomic spectroscopic analyses combined with the use of multivariate analysis on a set of 5 skeletons produced a series of plots using Principal Component Analysis that helped to separate them with a high percentage of accuracy when two, three or four skeletons needed to be separated. Also, two new elemental ratios, Zn/Fe related to metabolic activities and K/Fe related to blood flow into the bone, have been defined for their use in forensic anthropology for the first time to aid in the separation. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Restoration of Normal NF1 Function with Antisense Morpholino Treatment of Recurrent Pathogenic Patient-Specific Variant c.1466A>G; p.Y489C

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder with almost 3000 different disease-causing variants within the NF1 gene identified. Up to 44% of these variants cause splicing errors to occur within pre-mRNA. A recurrent variant in exon 13, c.1466A>G; p.Y489C (Y489C) results in the creation of an intragenic cryptic splice site, aberrant splicing, a 62 base pair deletion from the mRNA, and subsequent frameshift. We investigated the ability of phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) to mask this variant on the RNA level, thus restoring normal splicing. To model this variant, we have developed a human iPS cell line homozygous for the variant using CRISPR/Cas9. PMOs were designed to be 25 base pairs long, and to cover the mutation site so it could not be read by splicing machinery. Results from our in vitro testing showed restoration of normal splicing in the RNA and restoration of full length neurofibromin protein. In addition, we observe the restoration of neurofibromin functionality through GTP-Ras and pERK/ERK testing. The results from this study demonstrate the ability of a PMO to correct splicing errors in NF1 variants at the RNA level, which could open the door for splicing corrections for other variants in this and a variety of diseases

Assessing the Reliability of Stryd 27 for Variable Speed Running

Wearable technology is beneficial when it comes to tracking and optimizing performance. The Stryd 27 is a wearable footpod marketed as being more responsive in measuring power during running than the previous version (Stryd 25). However, the reliability of this newer device to return consistent values has not been determined. PURPOSE: This study aimed to observe whether Stryd 27 gives reliable metrics during variable speed running. METHODS: Sixteen participants (N = 16; 50% female; height = 174.1 ± 8.1 cm; mass = 73.0 ± 12.4 kg) were recruited, each equipped with two Stryd 27 footpods (updated to the same software version) affixed to the shoelaces of their running shoes. The researchers recorded data using the Stryd app on a mobile device that was connected to the Stryd 27 via Bluetooth. Recording on both devices were started and stopped at the same time. Each participant completed two, 10-minute runs on an indoor track. The initial run was used to establish a baseline. Following a 5-minute rest period, participants proceeded with the second run, during which they alternated between faster and slower intervals. The pace for these intervals was set to be 20% faster and 20% slower than what each participant’s average pace was during the first run. Reliability of power, cadence, form power, ground contact time (GCT), vertical oscillation (VO), leg spring stiffness (LSS), and stride length during the interval run was determined using coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), with CV0.70 (p \u3c 0.05) being considered evidence of reliability. RESULTS: Reliability data are shown in Table 1. The following measures were found to be reliable: power, cadence, form power, GCC, and VO. The measures of LSS and stride length were not found to be reliable. CONCLUSION: Runners using the new Stryd 27 can have confidence that most measures return reliable values (power, cadence, form power, GCT, and VO). Unfortunately, two measures were observed to not meet the threshold for reliability (LSS and stride length). Athletes interested in these measures should be cautious when interpreting their data

The Effectiveness of Running Power as a Metric of Exercise Intensity During Running Interval Training

Wearable power meters are increasingly popular among runners with Coros and Stryd offering running power as a real-time, trackable of a metric. PURPOSE: This study compared running power (RP) to physiological measures, heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption (VO2), across high and low intensity running intervals. METHODS: Thirteen adult participants (n = 6 male; height = 174.9 ± 6.9 cm; mass = 72.5 ± 12.0 kg) were equipped with a Stryd 27 RP meter, a Polar H10 HR monitor, and a Cosmed K5 portable metabolic unit. Participants’ self-selected RP was obtained during a 10-min run on an indoor track (10 laps/mile). After resting for five minutes, participants ran another 10 min, alternating between equal intervals of RP 20% higher and 20% lower than self-selected RP: 120 s × 2, 60 s × 2, 30 s × 4, and 15 s × 8. All devices were started simultaneously before each run. RP (W/kg) was sampled at 1 Hz. HR (bpm) and VO2 (mL/kg/min) were sampled at 0.1 Hz throughout the interval run. Data were analyzed from the 60 s mark through the end of the run. HR and VO2 data were interpolated to 1 Hz, and cross correlations (max lag = 60 s) were used to compare RP, HR, and VO2 (mean values in Table 1). RESULTS: There were weak to moderate correlations between RP and VO2 (r = 0.351; lag = -29.1 s), RP and HR (r = 0.475; lag = 9.38 s), and HR and VO2 (r = 0.572; lag = -29.1 s; Table 2). CONCLUSION: HR showed the strongest correlation and smallest time delay with RP. This may be practically useful because HR data is more readily available to runners than VO2. However, the correlation is only moderate. While related, the three metrics of running intensity are fundamentally different. When exercising at a moderate intensity, changes in HR or VO2, which take seconds to minutes to stabilize, may be less evident than changes in mechanical power, which are immediate. Thus, it is possible that HR and VO2 would show a stronger relationship with RP across intervals longer than the 120 s maximum observed here. While RP can be a useful metric, it may not be informative about physiological responses to running especially over short intervals or when running at high intensity

Stryd 25 vs. Stryd 27: Comparing Running Metrics Between a Predecessor and “The Next Gen Stryd”

Wearable technology has claimed the top spot in the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends in all but two years since 2016. A popular wearable among runners is the Stryd power meter. The company markets its latest model, the Stryd 27, as 5x more responsive in measuring running power. Yet, it is unclear whether the new model performs differently than its predecessor. PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare running metrics of the Stryd 25 and Stryd 27 in self-paced and interval runs. METHODS: Participants consented (N = 16; 50% female; height = 174.1 ± 8.1 centimeters [cm]; mass = 73.0 ± 12.4 kilograms) and were equipped with the Stryd 25 and Stryd 27, attached randomly to the left and right shoelaces. Each Stryd was paired with a separate mobile device using the Stryd app. Researchers started and stopped recording on each Stryd simultaneously. Participants ran for 10 minutes at a self-selected pace counterclockwise around an indoor track (10 laps/mile) before resting for five minutes. Then participants ran 10 more minutes, alternating between fast and slow intervals: 120 seconds (s) × 2, 60 s × 2, 30 s × 4, and 15 s × 8. Fast and slow intervals were 20% faster and 20% slower, respectively, than the participant’s mean pace of the first run. The Stryd app recorded power in watts (W), cadence in steps per minute (spm), vertical oscillation (VO) in cm, and stride length in meters (m). Four independent t-tests were run to compare these measurements between the two Stryd models for the self-paced and interval runs. The alpha level was .05, and the effect size was Cohen’s d (0.2 small, 0.5 medium, 0.8 large). RESULTS: See Table 1. CONCLUSION: Four running metrics were statistically similar between the Stryd 25 and Stryd 27 during two indoor runs. Runners using the predecessor indoors can be confident it returns similar data to the newest model

Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Against Human Sperm Antigens by Immunoassays Including Sperm Function Assays and Epitope Evaluation

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98406/1/j.1600-0897.1987.tb00104.x.pd

Reconstrucción perianal con colgajo V-Y por tumor de Büschke-Löwenstein

Introducción: El condiloma acuminado gigante es una rara enfermedad que se manifiesta en el 0,1 % de las personas con vida sexual activa, su tratamiento es variable; la cirugía es el más radical y definitivo, aunque la recurrencia no es despreciable. Ante grandes defectos de la región perianal luego de la resección es útil la rotación de colgajos para recubrir el defecto. Objetivos: Exponer el tratamiento quirúrgico reconstructivo realizado a un paciente con tumor de Büschke-Löwenstein perianal. Caso clínico: Paciente masculino de 47 años, afroamericano, con antecedentes de infección por el VIH, diagnosticado 8 meses antes de la consulta por el cuadro actual; en tratamiento con antirretrovirales. Acude a consulta con una lesión anal en forma de coliflor, que ocupa un diámetro de aproximadamente 10 cm; se le realizó un procedimiento quirúrgico para tratamiento definitivo, mediante escisión y anoplastia con colgajo en V-Y y se extirpó a lesión vegetante sobre el borde interno del glúteo derecho, cuya área formó parte del colgajo V-Y. Conclusiones: Las técnicas reconstructivas en la región perianal se deben individualizar en cada caso, en dependencia del tipo de defecto, su topografía y las condiciones locales; aunque pudiese existir la preferencia de una sobre otras, la literatura científica no aporta suficiente evidencia al respecto. La técnica reconstructiva realizada al paciente demostró que, aun con altas tasas de recurrencia y complicaciones, resultó efectiva para el paciente pese a tener comorbilidades que pudieron influir en una evolución tórpida

Three-micron spectra of AGB stars and supergiants in nearby galaxies

The dependence of stellar molecular bands on the metallicity is studied using infrared L-band spectra of AGB stars (both carbon-rich and oxygen-rich) and M-type supergiants in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC) and in the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy. The spectra cover SiO bands for oxygen-rich stars, and acetylene (C2H2), CH and HCN bands for carbon-rich AGB stars. The equivalent width of acetylene is found to be high even at low metallicity. The high C2H2 abundance can be explained with a high carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratio for lower metallicity carbon stars. In contrast, the HCN equivalent width is low: fewer than half of the extra-galactic carbon stars show the 3.5micron HCN band, and only a few LMC stars show high HCN equivalent width. HCN abundances are limited by both nitrogen and carbon elemental abundances. The amount of synthesized nitrogen depends on the initial mass, and stars with high luminosity (i.e. high initial mass) could have a high HCN abundance. CH bands are found in both the extra-galactic and Galactic carbon stars. None of the oxygen-rich LMC stars show SiO bands, except one possible detection in a low quality spectrum. The limits on the equivalent widths of the SiO bands are below the expectation of up to 30angstrom for LMC metallicity. Several possible explanations are discussed. The observations imply that LMC and SMC carbon stars could reach mass-loss rates as high as their Galactic counterparts, because there are more carbon atoms available and more carbonaceous dust can be formed. On the other hand, the lack of SiO suggests less dust and lower mass-loss rates in low-metallicity oxygen-rich stars. The effect on the ISM dust enrichment is discussed.Comment: accepted for A&