Behavioral assessment of well-being in the naïve laboratory ferret (Mustela putorius furo).

Domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are an emerging model species in biomedical research. While behavioral studies are a critical translational tool for evaluating neurologic function in disease models and toxicology studies, there is a lack of ferret-specific behavioral assays and corresponding data on baseline behavior. Play behavior is a promising target for evaluation of psychological well-being, particularly because ferrets engage in solitary and social play well into adulthood.

Transcriptional response of primary hippocampal neurons following exposure to 3.0 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.

Exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) has been associated with the modulation of neuronal electrophysiology and synaptic plasticity. Given the potential of these changes to coincide with alterations in gene expression, this study investigated whether a transcriptional response would occur in neurons following exposure to RF-EMF, under both thermal and nonthermal conditions. Rat primary hippocampal neurons (PHNs) underwent either a single (one-time) or a multiple (3-times, once a day) exposures to RF-EMF (3.

Anticoagulation Can Be Held in Traumatically Injured Patients on Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support.

Traumatic injury is associated with several pulmonary complications, including pulmonary contusion, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), and the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). There is a lack of literature on these patients supported with veno-venous extracorporeal oxygenation (VV ECMO). Understanding the safety of using VV ECMO to support trauma patients and the ability to hold anticoagulation is important to broaden utilization.

Improving inpatient hyperglycaemia in non-critically ill adults in resident wards through audit and feedback.

Inpatient hyperglycaemia is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality, number of rehospitalisations and length of hospitalisation. Although the advantages of proper glycaemic control in hospitalised patients with diabetes are well established, a variety of barriers limit accomplishment of blood glucose targets. Our primary aim was to decrease the number of glucose values above 180 mg/dL in non-critical care hospitalised patients using an audit and feedback intervention with pharmacy and internal medicine residents.

Effect of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) on coronavirus survival.

Previous work demonstrated inactivation of influenza virus by GHz frequency electromagnetic fields. Despite theoretical and experimental results, the underlying mechanism driving this inactivation remains unknown. One hypothesis is that the electromagnetic field is causing damage to the virion membrane (and therefore changing spike protein orientation) rendering the virus unable to attach and infect host cells.

Evaluation of inactivation of bovine coronavirus by low-level radiofrequency irradiation.

Inactivation of influenza A virus by radiofrequency (RF) energy exposure at levels near Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) safety thresholds has been reported. The authors hypothesized that this inactivation was through a structure-resonant energy transfer mechanism. If this hypothesis is confirmed, such a technology could be used to prevent transmission of virus in occupied public spaces where RF irradiation of surfaces could be performed at scale.

Early veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an effective strategy for traumatically injured patients presenting with refractory respiratory failure.

Background: Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) is used for respiratory failure when standard therapy fails. Optimal trauma care requires patients be stable enough to undergo procedures. Early VV ECMO (EVV) to stabilize trauma patients with respiratory failure as part of resuscitation could facilitate additional care.

Analysis of global DNA methylation changes in human keratinocytes immediately following exposure to a 900 MHz radiofrequency field.

The increasing use of nonionizing radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) in a wide range of technologies necessitates studies to further understanding of biological effects from exposures to such forms of electromagnetic fields. While previous studies have described mechanisms for cellular changes occurring following exposure to low-intensity RF-EMFs, the role of molecular epigenetics has not been thoroughly investigated. Specifically unresolved is the effect of RF-EMFs on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation, which is a powerful epigenetic process, used by cells to regulate gene expression.

The mutation rescues dauer formation defects seen in mutants.

Collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP2) in humans, UNC-33 in , is a molecule that mediates axonal outgrowth and stability. UNC-33/CRMP2 has been hypothesized as a potential drug target for treating Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, which can often be attributed in part to aging. In aging, CRMP2 becomes hyperphosphorylated, which decreases the protein's functionality, destabilizes the cellular skeleton, and contributes to neurodegeneration.

Evaluation of Viral Inactivation on Dry Surface by High Peak Power Microwave (HPPM) Exposure.

Previous research has shown that virus infectivity can be dramatically reduced by radio frequency exposure in the gigahertz (GHz) frequency range. Given the worldwide SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which has caused over 1 million deaths and has had a profound global economic impact, there is a need for a noninvasive technology that can reduce the transmission of virus among humans. RF is a potential wide area-of-effect viral decontamination technology that could be used in hospital rooms where patients are expelling virus, in grocery and convenience stores where local populations mix, and in first responder settings where rapid medical response spans many potentially infected locations within hours.

Environmental assessment in fine jewelry in the U.S.-Mexico's Paso del Norte region: A qualitative study via X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

Heavy metal contamination in raw materials has spread widely in the United States. The high increased number of recalls in consumer products and the lack of stricter regulations in the raw materials to be used in the jewelry industry have raised concerns among consumers. Studies in low-cost jewelry have shown the presence and high content of heavy metals; this environmental problem led to a child's death after swallowing a charm containing elevated levels of lead (Pb).

Targeting Metal Impurities for the Detection and Quantification of Carbon Black Particles in Water via spICP-MS.

Carbon black (CB) is a nanomaterial with numerous industrial applications and high potential for integration into nano-enabled water treatment devices. However, few analytical techniques are capable of measuring CB in water at environmentally relevant concentrations. Therefore, we intended to establish a quantification method for CB with lower detection limits through utilization of trace metal impurities as analytical tracers.

Tomato Fruit Nutritional Quality Is Altered by the Foliar Application of Various Metal Oxide Nanomaterials.

Carbohydrates and phytonutrients play important roles in tomato fruit's nutritional quality. In the current study, FeO, MnFeO, ZnFeO, ZnMnFeO, MnO, and ZnO nanomaterials (NMs) were synthesized, characterized, and applied at 250 mg/L to tomato plants via foliar application to investigate their effects on the nutritional quality of tomato fruits. The plant growth cycle was conducted for a total of 135 days in a greenhouse and the tomato fruits were harvested as they ripened.

A double-edged effect of manganese-doped graphene quantum dots on salt-stressed Capsicum annuum L.

The objective of the current study is to evaluate both the positive and negative effects of manganese-doped graphene quantum dots (GQD-Mn) on Capsicum annuum L. grown under salt stress. GQD-Mn was synthesized, characterized, and foliar-applied (250 mg/L, 120 mg/L, 60 mg/L) to C.

Meta-Analysis of Cyber Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization: Different Types and their Associations with Face-to-Face IPV among Men and Women.

Cyber intimate partner violence (C-IPV) is a technology-mediated form of violence. It has been examined only in the last 10 years as a form of violence that can cause psychological damage to its victims. How this phenomenon connects to and differs from face-to-face IPV (F2F-IPV) has been, as yet, little studied.

Changes in the excitability of primary hippocampal neurons following exposure to 3.0 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.

Exposures to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs, 100 kHz to 6 GHz) have been associated with both positive and negative effects on cognitive behavior. To elucidate the mechanism of RF-EMF interaction, a few studies have examined its impact on neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity. However, there is still a need for additional basic research that further our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of RF-EMFs on the neuronal system.

UNC-33L partially rescues life span and locomotion defects in mutants but fails to rescue dauer formation defects.

Herein, we tested the ability of UNC-33L to rescue dauer formation, lifespan, and locomotion defects of mutants. Results show that the presence of UNC-33L does not rescue the defective dauer phenotype in mutants. However, UNC-33L significantly rescued premature death and uncoordinated locomotion in young adults.

Intrinsic properties of primary hippocampal neurons contribute to PIP depletion during nsEP-induced physiological response.

High-energy, short-duration electric pulses (EPs) are known to be effective in neuromodulation, but the biological mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. Recently, we discovered that nanosecond electric pulses (nsEPs) could initiate the phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphate (PIP) depletion in non-excitable cells identical to agonist-induced activation of the G coupled receptors. PIP is the precursor for multiple intracellular second messengers critically involved in the regulation of intracellular Ca homeostasis and plasma membrane (PM) ion channels responsible for the control of neuronal excitability.

A Novel and Accurate Palpation Method for Identification of the L4 Spinous Process: A Preliminary Study of Accuracy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess a novel method of lumbar spinous process (SP) palpation by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) high-signal marker reference standards for verification.

Methods: Clinicians (doctors of chiropractic) in this study used either: (1) the standard/traditional method of identifying the L4 SP using the supracristal plane (n = 14) or (2) a novel method that manually induced sacral motion to identify the L5 and then the L4 SP (n = 54). The clinicians, blinded to the results of each other, used a grease pencil to mark the location identified as the L4 SP.

Caveolin-1 is Involved in Regulating the Biological Response of Cells to Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields.

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) induce changes in the plasma membrane (PM), including PM permeabilization (termed nanoporation), allowing free passage of ions into the cell and, in certain cases, cell death. Recent studies from our laboratory show that the composition of the PM is a critical determinant of PM nanoporation. Thus, we hypothesized that the biological response to nsPEF exposure could be influenced by lipid microdomains, including caveolae, which are specialized invaginations of the PM that are enriched in cholesterol and contain aggregates of important cell signaling proteins, such as caveolin-1 (Cav1).

Travel to Mexico and uropathogen-antibiotic susceptibility mismatch in the emergency department.

Introduction: International travel results in an increased risk of colonization and infection with multidrug-resistant organisms. This study aimed to determine if recent travel to Mexico affects the rate of uropathogen-antibiotic susceptibility mismatch (UASM) in outpatients treated for urinary tract infection (UTI) in a South Texas emergency department (ED).

Methods: A retrospective cohort of adult patients presenting to the ED and treated outpatient for UTI from October 1, 2014, to February 25, 2020, was conducted at a community hospital located within approximately 15 miles of the United States-Mexico border.

Interventions and measurements of highly reliable/resilient organization implementations: A literature review.

Since the inception of High Reliability Theory in 1981, researchers and practitioners have theorized about the questions, "How do you know if you're an HRO, and how do you validate it?" Evidence now exists that organizations seeking high reliability and resilience have moved away from the theoretical phase, and into the application phase where organizations adopt the HRO hallmarks plus culture as operational targets and create interventions to effect change. The evidence of high reliability operations in organizations is key for validating that HRO is implementable and is also beneficial. After collecting over 1400 artifacts, we found 34 scholarly efforts published which purposefully targeted implementation measures toward achieving an HRO state and measured the outcomes.

Investigation into the thermodynamics and kinetics of the binding of Cu and Pb to TiS nanoparticles synthesized using a solvothermal process.

In the present study, titanium (IV) sulfide (TiS) was synthesized and investigated for the removal of Cu and Pb ions from aqueous solutions. TiS nanoparticles synthesized through a solvothermal synthesis were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The average particle size for the TiS material was determined to be 8.