Excerpt of Letter from Sue L. McBeth to Dr. Lowrie Mentioning Mary Sibley, August 27, 1879

Transcription Excerpt of Letter from Sue L. McBeth to Dr. Lowrie Mentioning Mary Sibley, August 27, 1879. McBeth was a missionary teacher to the Nez Perce Native American tribe

Much Ado About Nothing Much: Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia v. Truro Church

This essay reviews the issues the Supreme Court of Virginia resolved in Truro and notes important issues it did not resolve. Part II supplies the factual background and procedural history ofthe dispute. Part III summarizes the court\u27s opinion and the reasoning underlying its determination that Virginia Code section57-9(A) is not applicable to this particular action. Part IV critiques the opinion, noting the issues the court resolved and how it resolved them. Part V briefly addresses issues that remain unresolved by the court\u27s decision and discusses the implications of leaving those issues unresolved. Part VI presents the authors\u27 conclusions

The relationship between psychological distress and multiple tender points across the adult lifespan

Multiple tender points are common in the population and, in studies of mid-life adults, are strongly associated with high levels of psychological distress. Whether this relationship occurs in older adults is unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated whether high levels of psychological distress would be associated with a high tender point count and whether the relationship would be moderated by age. Three thousand three hundred and seventy-nine individuals were mailed a questionnaire which included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, the Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS), the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief IPQ), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A random sample of approximately 10% of subjects who returned the questionnaire undertook a physical assessment, including a manual tender point count assessment.A total of 2385 (71%) subjects completed the questionnaire, of whom 798 (33%) were invited to take part in the physical assessment and 290 (12%) participated. Of the 290 participants the median age was 64 years (range 34-97) and 63% were female. The median HAD score was 9 (IQR 5-14) and the median number of tender points was 3 (range 0-7).Increasing HAD score was positively and significantly associated with tender point count, but this relationship was not moderated by age. In a final multivariable model, sex, HAD score and PSQI score were independent predictors of multiple tender points.Psychological distress was associated with multiple tender points independent of age. Psychological distress and trouble sleeping were important, potentially modifiable factors associated with the outcome

Genetic variation in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal stress axis influences susceptibility to musculoskeletal pain: results from the EPIFUND study

<b>Objectives</b> To determine if genetic variation in genes in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, the primary stress response system, influences susceptibility to developing musculoskeletal pain.<p></p> <b>Methods</b> Pain and comorbidity data was collected at three time points in a prospective population-based cohort study. Pairwise tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected and genotyped for seven genes. Genetic association analysis was carried out using zero-inflated negative binomial regression to test for association between SNPs and the maximum number of pain sites across the three time points in participants reporting pain, reported as proportional changes with 95% CIs. SNPs were also tested for association with chronic widespread pain (CWP) using logistic regression reporting odds ratios and 95% CI.<p></p> <b>Results</b> A total of 75 SNPs were successfully genotyped in 994 participants including 164 cases with persistent CWP and 172 pain-free controls. Multiple SNPs in SERPINA6 were associated with the maximum number of pain sites; for example, each copy of the T allele of rs941601 was associated with having 16% (proportional change=1.16, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.28, p=0.006) more pain sites compared to participants with the CC genotype. SERPINA6 gene SNPs were also associated with CWP. Significant associations between the maximum number of pain sites and SNPs in the CRHBP and POMC genes were also observed and a SNP in MC2R was also associated with CWP. Associations between SNPs and comorbidity of poor sleep quality and depression explained some of the associations observed.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> Genetic variation in HPA axis genes was associated with musculoskeletal pain; however, some of the associations were explained by comorbidities. Replication of these findings is required in independent cohorts

Characterization of coals, other kerogens, and their extracts by thermal mass spectrometry

The objective of this study is to elucidate the nature of the medium size molecules derived from coals by a succession of stronger extraction conditions. The Argonne Premium Coals have been extracted with pyridine, binary solvents and with KOH/ethylene glycol at 250{degrees}C. Thermal desorption and pyrolysis mass spectrometry were the major approaches chosen to provide detailed information on structure and heteroatom composition. Soft ionization techniques including desorption chemical ionization (DCI) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) were combined with high resolution and tandem MS techniques. This paper will focus on the comparison of the nature of the unextracted coals, the pyridine extract and the extracted coal residue. With this approach the desorption-pyrolysis yields of the extracts and residues combined were greater than the yields from the starting material. Although molecule weight distributions had a monitor dependence on rank, the nature of molecules with the same nominal mass varied greatly with rank

Do genetic predictors of pain sensitivity associate with persistent widespread pain?

Genetic risk factors for pain sensitivity may also play a role in susceptibility to chronic pain disorders, in which subjects have low pain thresholds. The aim of this study was to determine if proposed functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the GTP cyclohydrolase (GCH1) and μ opioid receptor (OPRM1) genes previously associated with pain sensitivity affect susceptibility to chronic widespread pain (CWP). Pain data was collected using body manikins via questionnaire at three time-points over a four year period from subjects aged 25-65 in the North-West of England as part of a population based cohort study, EPIFUND. CWP was defined at each time point using standard criteria. Three SNPs forming a proposed "pain-protective" haplotype in GCH1 (rs10483639, rs3783641 and rs8007267) and two SNPs in OPRM1 (rs1777971 (A118G) and rs563649) were genotyped in cases with persistent CWP (CWP present at ≥2 time-points) and controls who were pain-free at all time-points. The expectation-maximisation algorithm was used to estimate haplotype frequencies. The frequency of the "pain-protective" (CAT - C allele of rs10483639, A allele of rs3783641 and T allele of rs8007267) haplotype was compared to the frequency of the other haplotypes between cases and controls using the χ2 test. Allele frequencies and carriage of the minor allele was compared between cases and controls using χ2 tests for the OPRM1 SNPs. The frequency of the proposed GCH1 "pain-protective" haplotype (CAT) did not significantly differ between cases and controls and no significant associations were observed between the OPRM1 SNPs and CWP. In conclusion, there was no evidence of association between proposed functional SNPs, previously reported to influence pain sensitivity, in GCH1 and OPRM1 with CWP. Further evidence of null association in large independent cohorts is required to truly exclude these SNPs as genetic risk factors for CWP

Structural elucidation of Argonne premium coals: Molecular weights, heteroatom distributions and linkages between clusters

The objective of this study is to create a statistically accurate picture of important structural features for a group of coals representing a broad rank range. Mass spectrometric techniques are used to study coals, coal extracts and chemically modified coals and extracts. Laser desorption mass spectrometry is used to determine molecular weight distributions. Desorption chemical ionization high resolution mass spectrometry provides detailed molecular information on compound classes of molecules is obtained using tandem mass spectrometry. These results are correlated with other direct studies on these samples such as solid NMR, XPS and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. From the complex sets of data, several general trends are emerging especially for heteroatom containing species. From a statistical point of view, heteroatoms must play important roles in the reactivity of all coals. Direct characterization of sulfur containing species in the Argonne coals has been reported from XANES analysis. Indirect methods used include: TG-FTIR and HRMS which rely on thermal desorption and pyrolysis to vaporize the samples. Both XANES and XPS data on nitrogen has been reported, but at this time, the XPS information is probably more reliable. Results from HRMS are discussed in this paper. Most other information on nitrogen is limited to analysis of liquefaction products. However, nitrogen can be important in influencing characteristics of coal liquids and as a source of NO{sub x}`s in coal combustion

Remote sampling of biomarkers of inflammation with linked patient generated health data in patients with rheumatic diseases:an Ecological Momentary Assessment feasibility study

BACKGROUND: People with rheumatic diseases experience troublesome fluctuations in fatigue. Debated causes include pain, mood and inflammation. To determine the relationships between these potential causes, serial assessments are required but are methodologically challenging. This mobile health (mHealth) study explored the viability of using a smartphone app to collect patient-reported symptoms with contemporaneous Dried Blood Spot Sampling (DBSS) for inflammation. METHODS: Over 30 days, thirty-eight participants (12 RA, 13 OA, and 13 FM) used uMotif, a smartphone app, to report fatigue, pain and mood, on 5-point ordinal scales, twice daily. Daily DBSS, from which C-reactive Protein (CRP) values were extracted, were completed on days 1–7, 14 and 30. Participant engagement was determined based on frequency of data entry and ability to calculate within- and between-day symptom changes. DBSS feasibility and engagement was determined based on the proportion of samples returned and usable for extraction, and the number of days between which between-day changes in CRP which could be calculated (days 1–7). RESULTS: Fatigue was reported at least once on 1085/1140 days (95.2%). Approximately 65% of within- and between-day fatigue changes could be calculated. Rates were similar for pain and mood. A total of 287/342 (83.9%) DBSS, were returned, and all samples were viable for CRP extraction. Fatigue, pain and mood varied considerably, but clinically meaningful (≥ 5 mg/L) CRP changes were uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: Embedding DBSS in mHealth studies will enable researchers to obtain serial symptom assessments with matched biological samples. This provides exciting opportunities to address hitherto unanswerable questions, such as elucidating the mechanisms of fatigue fluctuations. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12891-022-05723-w

Chronic Pain and Mortality: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background: Chronic pain is common, often widespread and has a substantial impact on health and quality of life. The relationship between chronic pain and mortality is unclear. This systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate evidence for a relationship between chronic pain and mortality

Chronic pain and mortality: a systematic review

Chronic pain is common, often widespread and has a substantial impact on health and quality of life. The relationship between chronic pain and mortality is unclear. This systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate evidence for a relationship between chronic pain and mortality