Cytogenetic features of human trophoblast cell lines SWAN-71 and 3A-subE

Immortalization of primary cells with telomerase is thought to maintain normal phenotypic properties and avoid chromosomal abnormalities and other cancer-associated changes that occur following simian virus 40 tumor antigen (SV40 Tag) induced immortalization. However, we report that the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)-immortalized SWAN-71 trophoblast cell line has a near pentaploid 103∼119,XXXX[cp20] karyotype. Additionally, DNA typing analysis indicated that SWAN-71 cells have acquired microsatellite instability. In comparison, the post-crisis SV40-transformed trophoblast cell line 3A-subE was hypertriploid 69∼81,XX[cp20]. Both cell lines contained multiple specific clonal rearrangements. These findings emphasize the need to monitor for genetic instability in hTERT-immortalized cells

When Self Abuse Becomes Child Abuse: The Need for Coercive Prenatal Government Action in Response to the Cocaine Baby Problem

This Commentary identifies prenatal drug exposure of infants as a problem with which our society must come to terms. The judicial system is capable of providing solutions, but a void of appropriate legislation hampers that ability. Among the legal vehicles available are criminal laws, child abuse and neglect laws, civil and criminal injunctions, and involuntary commitment laws. A balancing of the maternal, societal, and fetal interests involved can be accomplished on a case by case basis in the absence of enabling and guiding legislation. However, legislation in this highly sensitive area is a better way. This commentary explores the problem, the possible solution, and suggests an appropriate balancing of interests

The Vagina, More than a Penis Receptacle : Sexual Function Representations in Anatomy and Physiology Textbooks

A healthy understanding of sexual function is crucial for physiological and psychological well-being. What undergraduate students learn in their biology courses shapes the way they engage with these topics. Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) courses attract future healthcare practitioners who need to be able to communicate with their patients about sexual function in an inclusive manner. This study conducted a national survey to identify the most utilized A&P textbooks for undergraduate students, then used emergent thematic analysis on the resulting 14 textbooks to characterize how sexual function is represented. The vagina was often described as having three main functions: a “receptacle for the penis,” an “outlet for menstrual flow,” and “the passageway for childbirth.” This shows that women’s sexual function is often described in textbooks with a heteronormative, reproductive, and male-centric focus. A more holistic depiction of women’s sexual function is necessary for students to garner a full and healthy comprehension of the topic

Cultural responses to pain in UK children of primary school age: a mixed-methods study.

Pain-measurement tools are often criticized for not addressing the influence of culture and ethnicity on pain. This study examined how children who speak English as a primary or additional language discuss pain. Two methods were used in six focus group interviews with 34 children aged 4-7 years: (i) use of drawings from the Pediatric Pain Inventory to capture the language used by children to describe pain; and (ii) observation of the children's placing of pain drawings on red/amber/green paper to denote perceived severity of pain. The findings demonstrated that children with English as an additional language used less elaborate language when talking about pain, but tended to talk about the pictures prior to deciding where they should be placed. For these children, there was a positive significant relationship between language, age, and length of stay in the UK. The children's placement of pain drawings varied according to language background, sex, and age. The findings emphasize the need for sufficient time to assess pain adequately in children who do not speak English as a first language

RSRM-9 (360L009): Ballistics mass properties

The propulsion performance and reconstructed mass properties data from Thiokol's RSRM-9 motors which were assigned to the STS-36 launch are presented. The SRM propellant, TP-H1148, is a composite type solid propellant, formulated of polybutadiene acrylic acid acryonitrile terpolymer binder (PBAN), epoxy curing agent, ammonium perchlorate oxidizer and aluminum powder fuel. A small amount of burning rate catalyst (iron oxide) was added to achieve the desired propellant burn rate. The propellant evaluation and raw material information for the RSRM-9 are included. The propellant grain design consists of four segments. There is a forward segment with an eleven point star with a transition into a tapered circular perforated (CP) configuration. There are two center segments that result in a double tapered CP configuration and an aft segment with a triple taper CP configuration and a cutout for the partially submerged nozzle. The ballistic performance presented is based on the Operational Flight Instrumentation (OFI) 12.5 sample per second pressure data for the steady state and tail off portion of the pressure trace. No high sample rate pressure gauges, Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI), were used on this flight and therefore no ignition data is presented

Amelioration of soil pH and magnesium concentration with sulfur application

Base saturation of magnesium (Mg) in northern Illinois soils is excessive leading to high soil pH. Magnesium has a high influence on soil pH. Lowering the magnesium concentration in soils would lower soil pH. When considering sulfur in crop production, sulfur in the plant and its effect on crop yield increases are commonly studied. In calcareous soils, the addition of elemental sulfur can reduce soil pH. However, the addition of larger amounts of sulfur has been deemed economically unfeasible to lower soil pH. The goal of this creative component was to ascertain if elemental sulfur application is an economically viable practice to lower soil pH. The specific objectives of the project were to 1) show that specific sulfur treatments can lower soil pH, 2) demonstrate a change in base saturation of cations, specifically by reducing Mg with S application, 3) compare changes in total amount of cations in the soil profile, 4) compare yields in those areas over the study period, and 5) analyze cations in comparison with the total CEC of the soil to understand the effects different rates of sulfur application have on base saturations. Soil samples were taken from fields identified as “Field 1,” “Field 21,” and “Field 22” from the Prairie Lane Farms. Initial soil samples were collected in 2016 and compared with soil samples from 2021. Sulfur treatments were AMS, MESZ, or elemental sulfur. For Fields 1, 21, and 22, AMS was applied in December 2017 at rates of 200 or 400 pounds (lbs.) per acre (ac). MESZ was applied at a rate of 100 lbs. ac-1. For comparison, control plots had 0 lbs. ac-1 of sulfur. This study was an on-farm study with naturally unbalanced treatments in the experimental design where each field was considered a “block.” The Generalized Linear Model (GML) was used for statistical analysis with SAS version SAS 9.4M8 to analyze all treatment effects collectively, rather than individually. Results showed an average soil pH of 7.1 in Field 1 from 2016 to 2021 in the range of 7.0 to 7.5 with an average change in pH units of 0.3. In Field 21, the average soil pH was 7.4 in the range from 7.1 to 7.9 from 2016 to 2021 with an average change in pH units of -1.0. In Field 22, the average soil pH from 7.4 in the range from 7.1 to 7.8 from 2016 to 2021 with an average change of -0.1 in pH units. Across the three fields, the average soil pH was 7.4 from 2016 to 2021. The results showed changes in magnesium in all the three fields between 2016 and 2021. In Field 1, Field 21, and Field 22, magnesium decreased by 6.5% or 145.9 pounds per acre, 7.9% or 267.2 pounds per acre, and 5.9% or 438.1 pounds per acre, respectively. Corn and soybean yield between 2016 and 2021 across all three fields showed yield decreases. The results from this study showed that sulfur applications can be an effective soil management strategy to reduce soil pH and the magnesium in high magnesium content soils. However, it will be difficult to link any changes in corn and soybean yields directly to any one change in soil fertility management, including the application of sulfur as a soil amendment. Experimentation with soil management practices that seek to enhance soil fertility and quality should not be included in a soil fertility program if soil nutrient levels are lower than sufficiency levels to achieve production goals

Pain assessment in children undergoing venipuncture: the Wong–Baker faces scale versus skin conductance fluctuations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the subjective Wong–Baker faces pain rating scale (WBFS) and of the objective skin conductance fluctuation (SCF) test in assessing pain in children undergoing venipuncture. One-hundred and fifty children (aged 5–16 years) entered the study. All underwent venipuncture at the antecubital fossa to collect blood specimens for routine testing in the same environmental conditions. After venipuncture, the children indicated their pain intensity using the WBFS, whereas the number of SCFs was recorded before, during and after venipuncture. So, pain level was measured in each child with WBFS and SCF. We found that the level of WBFS-assessed pain was lower in all children, particularly those above 8 years of age, than SCF-assessed pain (p < 0.0001). Moreover, the number of SCFs was significantly higher during venipuncture than before or after venipuncture (p < 0.0001). At multivariate regression analysis, age and previous experience of venipuncture influenced the WBFS (β = −1.81, p < 0.001, and β = −0.86, p < 0.001, respectively) but not SCFs. In conclusion, although both procedures can be useful for research and clinical practice, our findings show that WBFS was affected by age and previous venipuncture, whereas SCF produced uniform data. If verified in other studies, our results should be taken into account when using these tools to evaluate pain in children