Research Priorities for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response: An Interdisciplinary Delphi Study.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a multisensory experience most often associated with feelings of relaxation and altered consciousness, elicited by stimuli which include whispering, repetitive movements, and close personal attention. Since 2015, ASMR research has grown rapidly, spanning disciplines from neuroscience to media studies but lacking a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. To build a cohesive and connected structure for ASMR research moving forwards, a modified Delphi study was conducted with ASMR experts, practitioners, community members, and researchers from various disciplines.

An fMRI investigation of the neural correlates underlying the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR).

: The "autonomous sensory meridian response" (ASMR) is a neologism used to describe an internal sensation of deep relaxation and pleasant head tingling which is often stimulated by gentle sounds, light touch, and personal attention. : An fMRI-based methodology was employed to examine the brain activation of subjects prescreened for ASMR-receptivity (n=10) as they watched ASMR videos and identified specific moments of relaxation and tingling. : Subjects who experienced ASMR showed significant activation in regions associated with both reward (NAcc) and emotional arousal (dACC and Insula/IFG).

Pharmacy students' use and perceptions of Apple mobile devices incorporated into a basic health science laboratory.

Objective: To describe pharmacy students' use of mobile devices in a basic health science laboratory and to report the students' perceptions on how solving cases with their mobile devices influenced their attitudes, abilities, and view on the use of mobile devices as tools for pharmacists.

Methods: First-year pharmacy students utilized mobile devices to solve clinical case studies in a basic health sciences laboratory. A pre-survey and two post-surveys were administered to assess the students' comfort, awareness, use, and perceptions on the use of their mobile devices and apps.

Pharmacy students' preference for using mobile devices in a clinical setting for practice-related tasks.

Objective: To examine pharmacy students' ownership of, use of, and preference for using a mobile device in a practice setting.

Methods: Eighty-one pharmacy students were recruited and completed a pretest that collected information about their demographics and mobile devices and also had them rank the iPhone, iPad mini, and iPad for preferred use in a pharmacy practice setting. Students used the 3 devices to perform pharmacy practice-related tasks and then completed a posttest to again rank the devices for preferred use in a pharmacy practice setting.

First report of warfarin dose requirements in patients possessing the CYP2C9*12 allele.

Background: Warfarin is the most frequently prescribed anticoagulant in North America and Europe. It is administered as a racemate, but S-warfarin is principally responsible for its anticoagulant activity. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 is the enzyme primarily responsible for the metabolism of S-warfarin.

Comparison of cell cycle regulatory gene mRNA in three different types of human trophoblasts and effect of transforming growth factor.

Aim: Identifying the factors responsible for reducing the proliferation, syncytialization, and invasiveness of trophoblast tissues, as seen with preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and spontaneous miscarriage, is a current challenge in reproductive biology. These factors, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta as an example, can work by altering trophoblast differentiation or proliferation. We therefore investigated and compared specific markers of trophoblast proliferation and differentiation in three commonly used trophoblast tissue cell models, and also investigated the influence of TGF-beta on these markers.

Enzymatic removal of asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains from heterodimer human chorionic gonadotrophin and effect on bioactivity.

The native form of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a heterodimer protein with two asparagine (Asn)-linked carbohydrate chains on each subunit. Removal of the Asn-linked carbohydrate chains from hCG has resulted in hCG variants with consistent antagonistic properties on isolated murine cells. Specific and direct enzymatic removal of these carbohydrate chains from native hCG with resultant antagonistic properties has not been reported.

Monocytes are progressively activated in the circulation of pregnant women.

Pregnancy is characterized by the presence of generalized leukocyte activation. We used flow cytometry to investigate changes in phenotype and intracellular cytokines of circulating granulocytes, monocytes, and T lymphocytes of pregnant women during gestation. We report that peripheral circulation of pregnancy is characterized by an increased percentage of granulocytes and a decrease in lymphocytes.