Provocation of brachial plexus and systemic symptoms during the elevated arm stress test in individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome or idiopathic chronic fatigue.

Background: We have noted that some adolescents and young adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) report difficulty with arms-overhead activities, suggestive of brachial plexus dysfunction or thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). In the TOS literature, diagnostic maneuvers focus on the provocation of upper limb symptoms (arm fatigue and heaviness, paresthesias, neck and upper back pain), but not on elicitation of systemic symptoms.

Objectives: To estimate the proportion of patients with fatiguing illness who experience local and systemic symptoms during a common maneuver used in evaluating TOS-the elevated arm stress test (EAST).

A Case Study of Successful Application of the Principles of ME/CFS Care to an Individual with Long COVID.

Persistent fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of post-COVID conditions, also termed long COVID. At the extreme end of the severity spectrum, some individuals with long COVID also meet the criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), raising the possibility that symptom management approaches for ME/CFS may benefit some long COVID patients. We describe the long-term outcomes of a 19-year-old male who developed profound impairment consistent with ME/CFS after a SARS-CoV-2 infection early in the pandemic.

Synthesis of BaZrS and BaHfS Chalcogenide Perovskite Films Using Single-Phase Molecular Precursors at Moderate Temperatures.

Chalcogenide perovskites have garnered interest for applications in semiconductor devices due to their excellent predicted optoelectronic properties and stability. However, high synthesis temperatures have historically made these materials incompatible with the creation of photovoltaic devices. Here, we demonstrate the solution processed synthesis of luminescent BaZrS and BaHfS chalcogenide perovskite films using single-phase molecular precursors at sulfurization temperatures of 575 °C and sulfurization times as short as one hour.

Solution Deposition for Chalcogenide Perovskites: A Low-Temperature Route to BaMS Materials (M = Ti, Zr, Hf).

Chalcogenide perovskites, including BaZrS, have been suggested as highly stable alternatives to halide perovskites. However, the synthesis of chalcogenide perovskites has proven to be a significant challenge, often relying on excessively high temperatures and methods that are incompatible with device integration. In this study, we developed a solution-based approach to the deposition of BaZrS.

The exocyst complex is required for developmental and regenerative neurite growth in vivo.

The exocyst complex is an important regulator of intracellular trafficking and tethers secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. Understanding of its role in neuron outgrowth remains incomplete, and previous studies have come to different conclusions about its importance for axon and dendrite growth, particularly in vivo. To investigate exocyst function in vivo we used Drosophila sensory neurons as a model system.

Adolescent and Young Adult ME/CFS After Confirmed or Probable COVID-19.

Fatigue is a common acute symptom following SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19). The presence of persistent fatigue and impaired daily physical and cognitive function has led to speculation that like SARS-CoV-1 infection, COVID-19 will be followed by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). We describe three adolescent and young adult patients who had confirmed or probable COVID-19 infections early on during the pandemic and were referred for evaluation to the Chronic Fatigue Clinic at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

Endosomal Wnt signaling proteins control microtubule nucleation in dendrites.

Dendrite microtubules are polarized with minus-end-out orientation in Drosophila neurons. Nucleation sites concentrate at dendrite branch points, but how they localize is not known. Using Drosophila, we found that canonical Wnt signaling proteins regulate localization of the core nucleation protein γTubulin (γTub).

The Relationship Between Physical Characteristics and Maximal Strength in Men Practicing the Back Squat, the Bench Press and the Deadlift.

This study was designed to quantify the relationships between physical characteristics and maximal strength in the back squat, the bench press and the deadlift on powerlifters and football players. Eighteen male junior drug-tested classic powerlifters and seventeen NCAA Division II American football players' anthropometric measurements were taken to compare them with maximal strength results from either a powerlifting meet or testing from their supervised strength and conditioning program. Pearson's bivariate correlations analysis revealed (statistical significance was set at p<0.

Genome Sequences of Six Cluster N Mycobacteriophages, Kevin1, Nenae, Parmesanjohn, ShrimpFriedEgg, Smurph, and SpongeBob, Isolated on Mycobacterium smegmatis mc155.

The annotation of six cluster N phages (Kevin1, Nenae, Parmesanjohn, ShrimpFriedEgg, Smurph, and SpongeBob) reveals regions of genomic diversity, particularly within the central region of the genome. The genome of Kevin1 includes two orphams (genes with no similarity to other phage genes), with one predicted to encode an AAA-ATPase.

Pedicle screw design and cement augmentation in osteoporotic vertebrae: effects of fenestrations and cement viscosity on fixation and extraction.

Study Design: Experimental, human cadaveric study.

Objective: To assess the fixation effects of injecting cement augmentation before screw insertion or after insertion of fenestrated screws; the effect of modulating cement viscosity; and the effects of these techniques on screw removal.

Summary Of Background Data: It seems clear that cement augmentation can enhance pedicle screw fixation in osteoporotic bone.

Prevention and treatment of orthostatic hypotension in the orthopedic patient population.

Orthostatic hypotension, a symptomatic drop in blood pressure on standing, can have detrimental effects for orthopedic patients in the postoperative period. It is essential for orthopedic practitioners to understand the causes, risk factors, treatment options, and prevention techniques for orthostatic hypotension.

Inhibition of nuclear factor kappaB induces apoptosis following treatment with tumor necrosis factor alpha and an antioxidant in human prostate cancer cells.

Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFbeta-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), an activator of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), modulate apoptosis and/or cell growth. This study was designed to investigate the activity of NF-kappaB and its regulation of inhibitor of apoptosis gene (c-IAP2) in two human prostate cancer cell lines, DU-145 (which is androgen unresponsive) and ALVA-101 (which is moderately androgen responsive). These cells were treated with and without various concentrations of a strong antioxidant, pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC), and TNF-alpha at various time intervals.

In-line pressure-flow module for in vitro modelling of haemodynamics and biosensor validation.

An in-line pressure-flow module for in vitro modelling of haemodynamics and biosensor validation has been developed. Studies show that good accuracy can be achieved in the measurement of pressure and of flow, in steady and pulstile flow systems. The model can be used for development, testing and evaluation of cardiovascular-mechanical-electrical anlogue models, cardiovascular prosthetics (i.

Transforming growth factor beta-1 and beta-2 and type II receptor functional regulation of ALVA-101 human prostate cancer cells.

Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFbeta-1) causes apoptosis of many epithelial cells, including the prostate, but other secondary effects of TGFbeta-1 may be important in carcinogenesis. In a human prostate cancer cell line (ALVA-101), we determined the effects of TGFbeta-1 and TGFbeta type I and II receptor antibody on cell proliferation and TGFbeta-1 receptor binding. TGFbeta-1 and -2 and TGFbeta type II receptor mRNA expression levels were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Northern blot analysis.

Development of a flow feedback pulse duplicator system with rhesus monkey arterial input impedance characteristics.

An in vitro pulsatile pump flow system that is capable of producing physiologic pressures and flows in a mock circulatory system tuned to reproduce the first nine harmonics of the input impedance of a rhesus monkey was developed and tested. The system was created as a research tool for evaluating cardiovascular function and for the design, testing, and evaluation of electrical-mechanical cardiovascular models and chronically implanted sensors. The system possesses a computerized user interface for controlling a linear displacement pulsatile pump in a controlled flow loop format to emulate in vivo cardiovascular characteristics.

Evaluation of dual-tip micromanometers during 21-day implantation in goats.

Investigative research efforts using a cardiovascular model required the determination of central circulatory haemodynamic and arterial system parameters for the evaluation of cardiovascular performance. These calculations required continuous beat-to-beat measurement of pressure within the four chambers of the heart and great vessels. Sensitivity and offset drift, longevity, and sources of error for eight 3F dual-tipped micromanometers were determined during 21 days of implantation in goats.

Evaluation of transit-time and electromagnetic flow measurement in a chronically instrumented nonhuman primate model.

The Physiology Research Branch at Brooks AFB conducts both human and nonhuman primate experiments to determine the effects of microgravity and hypergravity on the cardiovascular system and to identify the particular mechanisms that invoke these responses. Primary investigative efforts in our nonhuman primate model require the determination of total peripheral resistance, systemic arterial compliance, and pressure-volume loop characteristics. These calculations require beat-to-beat measurement of aortic flow.

Development of an in-vitro circulatory system with known resistance and capacitance.

An in-vitro (hydrodynamic) model of the circulatory system was developed. The model consisted of a pump, compliant tubing, and valves for resistance. The model is used to simulate aortic pressure and flow.

Beat-to-beat determination of peripheral resistance and arterial compliance during +Gz centrifugation.

This study focused on the problem of describing changes in total peripheral resistance (TPR) and systemic arterial compliance (SAC) under time-varying +Gz acceleration stress. Nonsteady-state measures of peripheral resistance can only be derived when arterial compliance is taken into account. We have developed a successful analytical model to track simultaneous changes in peripheral resistance and systemic arterial compliance during non-stationary periods of increased gravitational load on a beat-to-beat basis.

Pronuclear positioning and migration during fertilization in Pelvetia.

The position and migration of egg and sperm pronuclei were studied in the brown alga Pelvetia. The egg pronucleus was located near the center of the cell before and after fertilization and, unlike pronuclei in animal eggs, did not migrate. Inhibitor studies indicated that anchoring of the egg pronucleus in the cell center was dependent on microtubules and microfilaments.

Fine structure of spermatozoa retrieved from retrograde ejaculates.

The proportion of viable, motile spermatozoa retrieved from retrograde ejaculates has been consistently low. Electron microscopic studies of spermatozoa of retrograde ejaculates collected in Baker's buffer and washed in Ham's F10 medium supplemented with 2% human serum albumin revealed considerable ultrastructural lesions to the sperm head and the midpiece. Swelling and/or loss of plasma membrane was observed in most of the sperm.

Turbulent blood flow in the ascending aorta of dogs.

A conical hot film anemometer probe was used to measure instantaneous velocities in the ascending aorta of anaesthetised, open-chest dogs. The probe was mounted on a saddle which allowed traversal of the aorta in 1 mm increments 4 cm above the aortic valve. From these point measurements, the radial distribution of velocity was obtained by averaging ten cardiac cycles.