Interlaboratory analytical comparison of fatty acid concentrations in serum or plasma.

Background: There are a large number of clinical studies focusing on the measurement of individual fatty acids in serum or plasma; however, few studies have focused on the interlaboratory comparisons of these measurements. The National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (NIH-ODS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has initiated a quality assurance program for assessing and improving the comparability of individual fatty acid measurements in serum and plasma.

Methods: This is a performance-based study so participants are encouraged to use their laboratory's methods for the quantification of the individual fatty acids that they typically measure in the unknown serum or plasma samples along with a control material.

Generalization of skills between operant control and discrimination of EEG alpha.

While biofeedback is often said to increase self-control of physiological states by increasing awareness of their subjective correlates, relatively few studies have analyzed the relationship between control (standard biofeedback) and awareness (a discrimination paradigm). We hypothesized that the two skills would generalize and facilitate each other for 8-12Hz EEG amplitude (alpha). Participants were given 7 sessions of training to either control or discriminate Pz alpha followed by 3 sessions of the other paradigm.

Vital Signs: Disparities in Antihypertensive Medication Nonadherence Among Medicare Part D Beneficiaries - United States, 2014.

Introduction: Nonadherence to taking prescribed antihypertensive medication (antihypertensive) regimens has been identified as a leading cause of poor blood pressure control among persons with hypertension and an important risk factor for adverse cardiovascular disease outcomes. CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services analyzed geographic, racial-ethnic, and other disparities in nonadherence to antihypertensives among Medicare Part D beneficiaries in 2014.

Methods: Antihypertensive nonadherence, defined as a proportion of days a beneficiary was covered with antihypertensives of <80%, was assessed using prescription drug claims data among Medicare Advantage or Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with Medicare Part D coverage during 2014 (N = 18.

Aneurysm Study of Pipeline in an Observational Registry (ASPIRe).

Background And Objective: Few prospective studies exist evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The Aneurysm Study of Pipeline In an observational Registry (ASPIRe) study prospectively analyzed rates of complete aneurysm occlusion and neurologic adverse events following PED treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Materials And Methods: We performed a multicenter study prospectively evaluating patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms treated with PED.

Elucidating Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain Supercomplexes in the Heart During Ischemia-Reperfusion.

Aims: Mitochondrial supercomplexes (SCs) are the large supramolecular assembly of individual electron transport chain (ETC) complexes that apparently provide highly efficient ATP synthesis and reduce electron leakage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Oxidative stress during cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (IR) can result in degradation of SCs through oxidation of cardiolipin (CL). Also, IR induces calcium overload and enhances reactive oxygen species (mitROS) in mitochondria that result in the opening of the nonselective permeability transition pores (PTP).

Does Patella Tendon Tenodesis Improve Tibial Tubercle Distalization in Treating Patella Alta? A Computational Study.

Background: Patellofemoral malalignment associated with patella alta may cause pain and arthritis; because of this, the condition sometimes is treated surgically. Two common procedures are tibial tubercle distalization with or without patellar tendon tenodesis. However, the biomechanical consequences of these interventions for patella alta are not clearly understood.

A systematic evaluation of the potential effects of trichloroethylene exposure on cardiac development.

The 2011 EPA trichloroethylene (TCE) IRIS assessment, used developmental cardiac defects from a controversial drinking water study in rats (Johnson et al. [51]), along with several other studies/endpoints to derive reference values. An updated literature search of TCE-related developmental cardiac defects was conducted.

Hip-Extensor Strength, Trunk Posture, and Use of the Knee-Extensor Muscles During Running.

Context: Diminished hip-muscle performance has been proposed to contribute to various knee injuries.

Objective: To determine the association between hip-extensor muscle strength and sagittal-plane trunk posture and the relationships among hip-extensor muscle strength and hip- and knee-extensor work during running.

Design: Descriptive laboratory study.

Advancing Risk Analysis for Nanoscale Materials: Report from an International Workshop on the Role of Alternative Testing Strategies for Advancement.

The Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) has a history of bringing thought leadership to topics of emerging risk. In September 2014, the SRA Emerging Nanoscale Materials Specialty Group convened an international workshop to examine the use of alternative testing strategies (ATS) for manufactured nanomaterials (NM) from a risk analysis perspective. Experts in NM environmental health and safety, human health, ecotoxicology, regulatory compliance, risk analysis, and ATS evaluated and discussed the state of the science for in vitro and other alternatives to traditional toxicology testing for NM.

Comparison of Electromyographic Activity of the Superior and Inferior Portions of the Gluteus Maximus Muscle During Common Therapeutic Exercises.

Study Design Controlled laboratory study, repeated-measures design. Background Previous studies have reported that the superior and inferior portions of the gluteus maximus have different functional roles. Knowledge of how the different portions of the gluteus maximus are activated during therapeutic exercise may lead to more specific exercise prescription.

Aminoglycoside resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis results from convergent evolution in the mexZ gene.

Rationale: Aminoglycoside (AG) resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with poorer clinical outcomes and is usually due to overexpression of the efflux pump MexXY. MexXY is regulated by mexZ, one of the most commonly mutated genes in CF P. aeruginosa isolates.

Neurocritical care in the treatment of stroke.

In this review, we briefly introduce recent developments and updates in neurocritical care in the treatment of stroke, including both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Time to recanalization remains the major rate limiting step in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke as only a minority of patients arrive within a timeframe appropriate for treatment. Whether caring for a patient following ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, the principle focus of neurocritical care for acute brain catastrophes is the identification and prevention of secondary brain injury.

An In-Silico Investigation of Phytochemicals as Antiviral Agents Against Dengue Fever.

A virtual screening analysis of our library of phytochemical structures with dengue virus protein targets has been carried out using a molecular docking approach. A total of 2194 plant-derived secondary metabolites have been docked. This molecule set comprised of 290 alkaloids (68 indole alkaloids, 153 isoquinoline alkaloids, 5 quinoline alkaloids, 13 piperidine alkaloids, 14 steroidal alkaloids, and 37 miscellaneous alkaloids), 678 terpenoids (47 monoterpenoids, 169 sesquiterpenoids, 265 diterpenoids, 81 steroids, and 96 triterpenoids), 20 aurones, 81 chalcones, 349 flavonoids, 120 isoflavonoids, 74 lignans, 58 stilbenoids, 169 miscellaneous polyphenolic compounds, 100 coumarins, 28 xanthones, 67 quinones, and 160 miscellaneous phytochemicals.

The Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Enzyme Tankyrase Antagonizes Activity of the β-Catenin Destruction Complex through ADP-ribosylation of Axin and APC2.

Most colon cancer cases are initiated by truncating mutations in the tumor suppressor, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). APC is a critical negative regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway that participates in a multi-protein "destruction complex" to target the key effector protein β-catenin for ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Prior work has established that the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzyme Tankyrase (TNKS) antagonizes destruction complex activity by promoting degradation of the scaffold protein Axin, and recent work suggests that TNKS inhibition is a promising cancer therapy.

Cytopathologic features of clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma: A recently described variant to be considered in the differential diagnosis of clear cell renal epithelial neoplasms.

Background: Clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma (CCPRCC) is a distinctive variant of renal cell carcinoma that has been formally adopted by the new Word Health Organization classification. An emerging consensus has documented its particularly indolent course and emphasized its separation from conventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) for treatment planning. CCPRCC features in cytologic preparations have not been studied.

Evidence of altered corticomotor excitability following targeted activation of gluteus maximus training in healthy individuals.

It has been proposed that strengthening and skill training of gluteus maximus (GM) may be beneficial in treating various knee injuries. Given the redundancy of the hip musculature and the small representational area of GM in the primary motor cortex (M1), learning to activate this muscle before prescribing strength exercises and modifying movement strategy would appear to be important. This study aimed to determine whether a short-term activation training program targeting the GM results in neuroplastic changes in M1.

Human cerebrospinal fluid microRNA: temporal changes following subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a devastating form of hemorrhagic stroke with 30-day mortality between 33 and 45%. Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is the chief cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who survive the initial aSAH. DCI accounts for almost 50% of deaths in patients surviving to treatment of the ruptured aneurysm.

Lower limb dynamics vary in shod runners who acutely transition to barefoot running.

Relative to traditional shod rear-foot strike (RFS) running, habituated barefoot running is associated with a forefoot-strike (FFS) and lower loading rates. Accordingly, barefoot running has been purported to reduce lower-extremity injury risk. Investigations, however, indicate that novice barefoot runners may not innately adopt a FFS.

Restrictive educational placements increase adolescent risks for students with early-starting conduct problems.

Background: Students with early-starting conduct problems often do poorly in school; they are disproportionately placed in restrictive educational placements outside of mainstream classrooms. Although intended to benefit students, research suggests that restrictive placements may exacerbate the maladjustment of youth with conduct problems. Mixed findings, small samples, and flawed designs limit the utility of existing research.

Hip Muscle Strength Predicts Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Male and Female Athletes: A Prospective Study.

Background: Prospective studies have reported that abnormal movement patterns at the trunk, hip, and knee are associated with noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Impaired hip strength may underlie these abnormal movement patterns, suggesting that diminished hip strength may increase the risk of noncontact ACL injury.

Purpose: To determine whether baseline hip strength predicts future noncontact ACL injury in athletes.