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Summary: Background: Although immunomodulators have established benefit against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in general, it is uncertain whether such agents improve outcomes without increasing the risk of secondary infections in the specific subgroup of previously immunocompromised patients. We assessed the effect of immunomodulators on outcomes of immunocompromised patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Methods: The protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022335397). MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and references of relevant articles were searched up to 01-06-2022. Authors of potentially eligible randomized controlled trials were contacted to provide data on immunocompromised patients randomized to immunomodulators vs control (i.e., placebo or standard-of-care). Findings: Eleven randomized controlled trials involving 397 immunocompromised patients hospitalized for COVID-19 were included. Ten trials had low risk of bias. There was no difference between immunocompromised patients randomized to immunomodulators vs control regarding mortality [30/182 (16.5%) vs 41/215 (19.1%); RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.61–1.41; p = 0.74], secondary infections (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.64–1.58; p = 0.99) and change in World Health Organization ordinal scale from baseline to day 15 (weighed mean difference 0.27, 95% CI -0.09–0.63; p = 0.15). In subgroup analyses including only patients with hematologic malignancy, only trials with low risk of bias, only trials administering IL-6 inhibitors, or only trials administering immunosuppressants, there was no difference between comparators regarding mortality. Interpretation: Immunomodulators, compared to control, were not associated with harmful or beneficial outcomes, including mortality, secondary infections, and change in ordinal scale, when administered to immunocompromised patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Funding: Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation.

Objective and Participants: The authors sought an updated examination of attitudes toward Human Papillomavirus (HPV) catch-up vaccination among college students at a private religious university. Methods: A total of 1557 college students completed a 62-question survey of religious and HPV vaccination attitudes during the fall of 2021. Students’ willingness to receive catch-up HPV vaccination and willingness to vaccinate a future child against HPV were recorded. Results: Of the 46.8% of students who reported being unvaccinated or unaware of vaccination status, ~26% reported being uninterested in receiving catch-up HPV vaccination; ~22% of all students surveyed reported being unwilling to vaccinate a future child against HPV. The strongest predictors of vaccine hesitancy included religious concerns about sexual abstinence and safety concerns. Conclusions: College health professionals can increase the rate of HPV vaccination among college students and subsequent future generations by addressing the safety and utility of the vaccine regardless of intentions for sexual abstinence prior to marriage. Additionally, rather than a uniform approach to all students who self-identify as Christian, an effort to identify and discuss the unique religiously influenced beliefs of individual students is recommended when discussing HPV vaccination.

Bone mechanics is well understood at every length scale except the nano-level. We aimed to investigate the relationship between bone nanoscale and tissue-level mechanics experimentally. We tested two hypotheses: (1) nanoscale strains were lower in hip fracture patients versus controls, and (2) nanoscale mineral and fibril strains were inversely correlated with aging and fracture. A cross-sectional sample of trabecular bone sections was prepared from the proximal femora of two human donor groups (aged 44–94 years): an aging non-fracture control group (n = 17) and a hip-fracture group (n = 20). Tissue, fibril, and mineral strain were measured simultaneously using synchrotron X-ray diffraction during tensile load to failure, then compared between groups using unpaired t-tests and correlated with age using Pearson’s correlation. Controls exhibited significantly greater peak tissue, mineral, and fibril strains than the hip fracture (all p < 0.05). Age was associated with a decrease in peak tissue (p = 0.099) and mineral (p = 0.004) strain, but not fibril strain (p = 0.260). Overall, hip fracture and aging were associated with changes in the nanoscale strain that are reflected at the tissue level. Data must be interpreted within the limitations of the observational cross-sectional study design, so we propose two new hypotheses on the importance of nanomechanics. (1) Hip fracture risk is increased by low tissue strain, which can be caused by low collagen or mineral strain. (2) Age-related loss of tissue strain is dependent on the loss of mineral but not fibril strain. Novel insights into bone nano- and tissue-level mechanics could provide a platform for the development of bone health diagnostics and interventions based on failure mechanisms from the nanoscale up.

The growing burden from osteoporosis and fragility fractures highlights a need to improve osteoporosis management across healthcare systems. Sub-optimal management of osteoporosis is an area suitable for digital health interventions. While fracture liaison services (FLSs) are proven to greatly improve care for people with osteoporosis, such services might benefit from technologies that enhance automation. The term ‘Digital Health’ covers a variety of different tools including clinical decision support systems, electronic medical record tools, patient decision aids, patient apps, education tools, and novel artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Within the scope of this review are AI solutions that use algorithms within health system registries to target interventions. Clinician-targeted, patient-targeted, or system-targeted digital health interventions could be used to improve management and prevent fragility fractures. This review was commissioned by The Royal Osteoporosis Society and Bone Research Academy during the production of the 2020 Research Roadmap ( https://theros.org.uk ), with the intention of identifying gaps where targeted research funding could lead to improved patient health. We explore potential uses of digital technology in the general management of osteoporosis. Evidence suggests that digital technologies can support multidisciplinary teams to provide the best possible patient care based on current evidence and to support patients in self-management. However, robust randomised controlled studies are still needed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these technologies.

Abstract Background The management of prediabetes in the community setting is a global priority. We evaluated the feasibility of a 6-month multilevel practice nurse-led prediabetes dietary intervention which involved goal setting. The aim of this paper is to explore the weight loss goals and strategies reported by participants to achieve their weight loss goals as recorded by practice nurses, and report on factors that influenced dietary behaviours. Methods This study used a convergent mixed-methods design. A six-month pragmatic non-randomised pilot study with a qualitative process evaluation was conducted in two neighbouring provincial cities in New Zealand. A structured dietary intervention delivered by practice nurses was implemented in four practices in 2014–2016. Content analysis of the text and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results One hundred and fifty seven people with prediabetes were enrolled (85 intervention, 72 control). The intervention group lost a mean 1.3 kg more than the control group (p

Minority and underresourced communities experience disproportionately high rates of fatal cancer and cardiovascular disease. The intersection of these disparities within the multidisciplinary field of cardio‐oncology is in critical need of examination, given the risk of perpetuating health inequities in the growing vulnerable population of patients with cancer and cardiovascular disease. This review identifies 13 cohort studies and 2 meta‐analyses investigating disparate outcomes in treatment‐associated cardiotoxicity and situates these data within the context of oncologic disparities, preexisting cardiovascular disparities, and potential system‐level inequities. Black survivors of breast cancer have elevated risks of cardiotoxicity morbidity and mortality compared with White counterparts. Adolescent and young adult survivors of cancer with lower socioeconomic status experience worsened cardiovascular outcomes compared with those of higher socioeconomic status. Female patients treated with anthracyclines or radiation have higher risks of cardiotoxicity compared with male patients. Given the paucity of data, our understanding of these racial and ethnic, socioeconomic, and sex and gender disparities remains limited and large‐scale studies are needed for elucidation. Prioritizing this research while addressing clinical trial inclusion and access to specialist care is paramount to reducing health inequity.

Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak, porous and fracture more easily. While a vertebral fracture is the archetypal fracture of osteoporosis, it is also the most difficult to diagnose clinically. Patients often suffer further spine or other fractures, deformity, height loss and pain before diagnosis. There were an estimated 520,000 fragility fractures in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017 (costing £4.5 billion), a figure set to increase 30% by 2030. One way to improve both vertebral fracture identification and the diagnosis of osteoporosis is to assess a patient’s spine or hips during routine computed tomography (CT) scans. Patients attend routine CT for diagnosis and monitoring of various medical conditions, but the skeleton can be overlooked as radiologists concentrate on the primary reason for scanning. More than half a million CT scans done each year in the National Health Service (NHS) could potentially be screened for osteoporosis (increasing 5% annually). If CT-based screening became embedded in practice, then the technique could have a positive clinical impact in the identification of fragility fracture and/or low bone density. Several companies have developed software methods to diagnose osteoporosis/fragile bone strength and/or identify vertebral fractures in CT datasets, using various methods that include image processing, computational modelling, artificial intelligence and biomechanical engineering concepts. Technology to evaluate Hounsfield units is used to calculate bone density, but not necessarily bone strength. In this rapid evidence review, we summarise the current literature underpinning approved technologies for opportunistic screening of routine CT images to identify fractures, bone density or strength information. We highlight how other new software technologies have become embedded in NHS clinical practice (having overcome barriers to implementation) and highlight how the novel osteoporosis technologies could follow suit. We define the key unanswered questions where further research is needed to enable the adoption of these technologies for maximal patient benefit.

IntroductionChronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder diagnosed based on patient-reported symptoms and the absence of structural gastrointestinal abnormalities. Individuals with CIC typically institute dietary changes and use stool softeners or over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives, possibly at the direction of a healthcare provider, before prescription medications for CIC are initiated. Although highly prevalent, there is limited information regarding CIC patient experiences with OTC medications.MethodsThis post-hoc analysis used patient-reported data from a questionnaire administered during patient screening for a prospective linaclotide Phase 3b clinical trial in patients with CIC (N = 1482 screened). The questionnaire asked patients to report their experiences with OTC CIC medications over the preceding 6 months.ResultsAmong patients with screening responses (N = 1423), most were female (85%) and white (66%), with a mean age of 48.9 years. A high proportion of patients had used one or more OTC medications (70% had ≥1 OTC; 19% had ≥3 OTCs), with the majority being bisacodyl (33%) and polyethylene glycol (30%). The most commonly cited reason for stopping an OTC medication was insufficient symptom relief (17-40%). The majority of patients taking OTC medications reported no or little satisfaction with the medication's effect on their constipation (62%) and CIC-specific abdominal symptoms (78%). Many patients had little to no confidence in bowel movement (BM) frequency after taking OTC medications and their confidence in their ability to predict BM timing was also low (49-81% not at all confident).ConclusionsTreatment effects on individual CIC symptoms, predictability of bowel habits, and satisfaction with treatment are all important factors for healthcare providers and patients to consider when establishing an effective treatment regimen for CIC.Trial registration numberNCT01642914.

Mycolactone, a lipid-like toxin, is the major virulence factor of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the etiological agent of Buruli ulcer. Its involvement in lesion development has been widely described in early stages of the disease, through its cytotoxic and immunosuppressive activities, but less is known about later stages. Here, we revisit the role of mycolactone in disease outcome and provide the first demonstration of the pro-inflammatory potential of this toxin. We found that the mycolactone-containing mycobacterial extracellular vesicles produced by M. ulcerans induced the production of IL-1β, a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine, in a TLR2-dependent manner, targeting NLRP3/1 inflammasomes. We show our data to be relevant in a physiological context. The in vivo injection of these mycolactone-containing vesicles induced a strong local inflammatory response and tissue damage, which were prevented by corticosteroids. Finally, several soluble pro-inflammatory factors, including IL-1β, were detected in infected tissues from mice and Buruli ulcer patients. Our results revisit Buruli ulcer pathophysiology by providing new insight, thus paving the way for the development of new therapeutic strategies taking the pro-inflammatory potential of mycolactone into account.

Abstract Background Primary care nurse-led prediabetes interventions are seldom reported. We examined the implementation and feasibility of a 6-month multilevel primary care nurse-led prediabetes lifestyle intervention compared with current practice in patients with prediabetes, with weight and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) as outcomes. Methods This study used a convergent mixed methods design involving a 6-month pragmatic non-randomised pilot study with a qualitative process evaluation, and was conducted in two neighbouring provincial cities in New Zealand, with indigenous Māori populations comprising 18.2% and 23.0%, respectively. Participants were non-pregnant adults aged ≤ 70 years with newly diagnosed prediabetes (HbA1c 41-49 mmol/mol), body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 and not prescribed Metformin. A structured dietary intervention tool delivered by primary care nurses with visits at baseline, 2–3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months was implemented in four intervention practices. Four control practices continued to provide usual care. Primary quantitative outcome measures were weight and HbA1c. Linear and quantile regression models were used to compare each outcome between the two groups at follow-up. Qualitative data included: observations of nurse training sessions and steering group meetings; document review; semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of key informants (n = 17) and intervention patients (n = 20). Thematic analysis was used. Results One hundred fifty-seven patients with prediabetes enrolled (85 intervention, 72 control), 47.8% female and 31.2% Māori. Co-morbidities were common, particularly hypertension (49.7%), dyslipidaemia (40.1%) and gout (15.9%). Baseline and 6 month measures were available for 91% control and 79% intervention participants. After adjustment, the intervention group lost a mean 1.3 kg more than the control group (p

CO2 methanation is often performed on Ni/Al2O3 catalysts, which can suffer from mass transport limitations and, therefore, decreased efficiency. Here we show the application of a hierarchically porous Ni/Al2O3 catalyst for methanation of CO2. The material has a well-defined and connected meso- and macropore structure with a total porosity of 78%. The pore structure was thoroughly studied with conventional methods, i.e., N2 sorption, Hg porosimetry, and He pycnometry, and advanced imaging techniques, i.e., electron tomography and ptychographic X-ray computed tomography. Tomography can quantify the pore system in a manner that is not possible using conventional porosimetry. Macrokinetic simulations were performed based on the measures obtained by porosity analysis. These show the potential benefit of enhanced mass-transfer properties of the hierarchical pore system compared to a pure mesoporous catalyst at industrially relevant conditions. Besides the investigation of the pore system, the catalyst was studied by Rietveld refinement, diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (DRUV/vis) spectroscopy, and H2-temperature programmed reduction (TPR), showing a high reduction temperature required for activation due to structural incorporation of Ni into the transition alumina. The reduced hierarchically porous Ni/Al2O3 catalyst is highly active in CO2 methanation, showing comparable conversion and selectivity for CH4 to an industrial reference catalyst.

Adoptive transfer of T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is an effective immunotherapy for B-cell malignancies but has failed in some solid tumors clinically. Intracerebral tumors may pose challenges that are even more significant. In order to devise a treatment strategy for patients with glioblastoma (GBM), we evaluated CARs as a monotherapy in a murine model of GBM. CARs exhibited poor expansion and survival in circulation and failed to treat syngeneic and orthotopic gliomas. We hypothesized that CAR engraftment would benefit from host lymphodepletion prior to immunotherapy and that this might be achievable by using temozolomide (TMZ), which is standard treatment for these patients and has lymphopenia as its major side effect. We modelled standard of care temozolomide (TMZSD) and dose-intensified TMZ (TMZDI) in our murine model. Both regimens are clinically approved and provide similar efficacy. Only TMZDI pretreatment prompted dramatic CAR proliferation and enhanced persistence in circulation compared to treatment with CARs alone or TMZSD + CARs. Bioluminescent imaging revealed that TMZDI + CARs induced complete regression of 21-day established brain tumors, which correlated with CAR abundance in circulation. Accordingly, TMZDI + CARs significantly prolonged survival and led to long-term survivors. These findings are highly consequential, as it suggests that GBM patients may require TMZDI as first line chemotherapy prior to systemic CAR infusion to promote CAR engraftment and antitumor efficacy. On this basis, we have initiated a phase I trial in patients with newly diagnosed GBM incorporating TMZDI as a preconditioning regimen prior to CAR immunotherapy (NCT02664363).

ObjectivesBone material properties are a major determinant of bone health in older age, both in terms of fracture risk and implant fixation, in orthopaedics and dentistry. Bone is an anisotropic and hierarchical material so its measured material properties depend upon the scale of metric used. The scale used should reflect the clinical problem, whether it is fracture risk, a whole bone problem, or implant stability, at the millimetre-scale. Indentation, an engineering technique involving pressing a hard-tipped material into another material with a known force, may be able to assess bone stiffness at the millimetre-scale (the apparent elastic modulus). We aimed to investigate whether spherical-tip indentation could reliably measure the apparent elastic modulus of human cortical bone.Materials and methodsCortical bone samples were retrieved from the femoral necks of nineteen patients undergoing total hip replacement surgery (10 females, 9 males, mean age: 69 years). The samples underwent indentation using a 1.5 mm diameter, ruby, spherical indenter tip, with sixty indentations per patient sample, across six locations on the bone surfaces, with ten repeated indentations at each of the six locations. The samples then underwent mechanical compression testing. The repeatability of indentation measurements of elastic modulus was assessed using the co-efficient of repeatability and the correlation between the bone elastic modulus measured by indentation and compression testing was analysed by least-squares regression.ResultsIn total, 1140 indentations in total were performed. Indentation was found to be repeatable for indentations performed at the same locations on the bone samples with a mean co-efficient of repeatability of 0.4 GigaPascals (GPa), confidence interval (C.I): 0.33-0.42 GPa. There was variation in the indentation modulus results between different locations on the bone samples (mean co-efficient of repeatability: 3.1 GPa, C.I: 2.2-3.90 GPa). No clear correlation was observed between indentation and compression values of bone elastic modulus (r = 0.33, p = 0.17). The mean apparent elastic modulus obtained by spherical indentation was 9.9 GPa, the standard deviation for each indent cycle was 0.11 GPa, and the standard deviation between locations on the same sample was 1.01 GPa. The mean compression apparent elastic modulus was 4.42 GPa, standard deviation 1.02 GPa.DiscussionSpherical-tip indentation was found to be a repeatable test for measuring the elastic modulus of human cortical bone, demonstrated by a low co-efficient of repeatability in this study. It could not, however, reliably predict cortical bone elastic modulus determined by platens compression testing in this study. This may be due to indentation only probing mechanical properties at the micro-scale while platens compression testing assesses millimetre length-scale properties. Improvements to the testing technique, including the use of a larger diameter spherical indenter tip, may improve the measurement of bone stiffness at the millimetre scale and should be investigated further.

Is life physicochemically unique? No. Is life unique? Yes. Life manifests innumerable formalisms that cannot be generated or explained by physicodynamics alone. Life pursues thousands of biofunctional goals, not the least of which is staying alive. Neither physicodynamics, nor evolution, pursue goals. Life is largely directed by linear digital programming and by the Prescriptive Information (PI) instantiated particularly into physicodynamically indeterminate nucleotide sequencing. Epigenomic controls only compound the sophistication of these formalisms. Life employs representationalism through the use of symbol systems. Life manifests autonomy, homeostasis far from equilibrium in the harshest of environments, positive and negative feedback mechanisms, prevention and correction of its own errors, and organization of its components into Sustained Functional Systems (SFS). Chance and necessity—heat agitation and the cause-and-effect determinism of nature’s orderliness—cannot spawn formalisms such as mathematics, language, symbol systems, coding, decoding, logic, organization (not to be confused with mere self-ordering), integration of circuits, computational success, and the pursuit of functionality. All of these characteristics of life are formal, not physical.

To what degree could chaos and complexity have organized a Peptide or RNA World of crude yet necessarily integrated protometabolism? How far could such protolife evolve in the absence of a heritable linear digital symbol system that could mutate, instruct, regulate, optimize and maintain metabolic homeostasis? To address these questions, chaos, complexity, self-ordered states, and organization must all be carefully defined and distinguished. In addition their cause-and-effect relationships and mechanisms of action must be delineated. Are there any formal (non physical, abstract, conceptual, algorithmic) components to chaos, complexity, self-ordering and organization, or are they entirely physicodynamic (physical, mass/energy interaction alone)? Chaos and complexity can produce some fascinating self-ordered phenomena. But can spontaneous chaos and complexity steer events and processes toward pragmatic benefit, select function over non function, optimize algorithms, integrate circuits, produce computational halting, organize processes into formal systems, control and regulate existing systems toward greater efficiency? The question is pursued of whether there might be some yet-to-be discovered new law of biology that will elucidate the derivation of prescriptive information and control. “System†will be rigorously defined. Can a low-informational rapid succession of Prigogine’s dissipative structures self-order into bona fide organization?

Early bone development may have a significant impact upon bone health in adulthood. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mass are important determinants of adult bone strength. However several studies have shown that BMD and bone mass decrease after birth. If early development is important for strength why does this reduction occur? To investigate this more data characterising gestational, infant and childhood bone development are needed in order to compare with adults. The aim of this study is to document early vertebral trabecular bone development; a key fragility fracture site and infer whether this period is important for adult bone mass and structure. A series of 120 vertebrae aged between 6 months gestation to 2.5 years were visualised using micro-CT. Spherical volumes of interest were defined, thresholded and measured using 3D bone analysis software (BoneJ, Quant3D). The findings showed that gestation was characterised by increasing bone volume fraction whilst infancy was defined by significant bone loss (≈2/3rds) and the appearance of a highly anisotropic trabecular structure with a predominantly inferior-superior direction. Childhood development progressed via selective thickening of some trabeculae and the loss of others; maintaining bone volume whilst creating a more anisotropic structure. Overall the pattern of vertebral development is one of gestational overproduction followed by infant ‘sculpting’ of bone tissue during the first year of life (perhaps in order to regulate mineral homeostasis or to adapt to loading environment) and then subsequent refinement during early childhood. Comparison of early bone developmental data in this study with adult bone volume values taken from the literature shows that the loss in bone mass that occurs during the first year of life is never fully recovered. Early development could therefore be important for developing bone strength, but through structural changes in trabecular micro-architecture rather than bone mass.

Abstract The codon redundancy (degeneracy) found in protein-coding regions of mRNA also prescribes Translational Pausing (TP). When coupled with the appropriate interpreters, multiple meanings and functions are programmed into the same sequence of configurable switch-settings. This additional layer of Ontological Prescriptive Information (PIo) purposely slows or speeds up the translation-decoding process within the ribosome. Variable translation rates help prescribe functional folding of the nascent protein. Redundancy of the codon to amino acid mapping, therefore, is anything but superfluous or degenerate. Redundancy programming allows for simultaneous dual prescriptions of TP and amino acid assignments without cross-talk. This allows both functions to be coincident and realizable. We will demonstrate that the TP schema is a bona fide rule-based code, conforming to logical code-like properties. Second, we will demonstrate that this TP code is programmed into the supposedly degenerate redundancy of the codon table. We will show that algorithmic processes play a dominant role in the realization of this multi-dimensional code.

Abstract Charles Dickens created almost a thousand fictional characters, many of whom have become synonyms for distinctive types of people or their pecu- liar traits. This article surveys seventeen Dickensian eponyms, cites their first appearance as such, and provides examples of their usage in magazines, books, and the Internet.

Extinct animal behavior has often been inferred from qualitative assessments of relative brain region size in fossil endocranial casts. For instance, flight capability in pterosaurs and early birds has been inferred from the relative size of the cerebellar flocculus, which in life protrudes from the lateral surface of the cerebellum. A primary role of the flocculus is to integrate sensory information about head rotation and translation to stabilize visual gaze via the vestibulo-occular reflex (VOR). Because gaze stabilization is a critical aspect of flight, some authors have suggested that the flocculus is enlarged in flying species. Whether this can be further extended to a floccular expansion in highly maneuverable flying species or floccular reduction in flightless species is unknown. Here, we used micro computed-tomography to reconstruct "virtual" endocranial casts of 60 extant bird species, to extract the same level of anatomical information offered by fossils. Volumes of the floccular fossa and entire brain cavity were measured and these values correlated with four indices of flying behavior. Although a weak positive relationship was found between floccular fossa size and brachial index, no significant relationship was found between floccular fossa size and any other flight mode classification. These findings could be the result of the bony endocranium inaccurately reflecting the size of the neural flocculus, but might also reflect the importance of the flocculus for all modes of locomotion in birds. We therefore conclude that the relative size of the flocculus of endocranial casts is an unreliable predictor of locomotor behavior in extinct birds, and probably also pterosaurs and non-avian dinosaurs.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are used to reduce the flammability of plastics, textiles, and electronics. BFRs vary in their chemical properties and structures, and it is expected that these differences alter their biological interactions and toxicity. Zebrafish were used as the model organism for assessing the toxicity of nine structurally-diverse BFRs. In addition to monitoring for overt toxicity, the rate of spontaneous movement, and acetylcholinesterase and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were assessed following exposure. The toxicities of BFRs tested can be ranked by LC50 as tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) < 4,4′-isopropylidenebis[2-(2,6-dibromophenoxyl)ethanol] (TBBPA-OHEE) < Pentabromochlorocyclohexane (PBCH) < 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) < hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) < hexabromobenzene (HBB) < Tetrabromophthalic anhydride (PHT4). No adverse effect was observed in di(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) or dibromoneopentyl glycol (DBNPG)-treated embryos. The rate of spontaneous movement was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner following exposure to four of the nine compounds. GST activity was elevated following treatment with PBCH, TBBPA, HBCD, and HBB. The results indicate that exposure to several BFRs may activate an antioxidant response and alter behavior during early development. Some of the BFRs, such as TBBPA and TBBPA-OHEE, induced adverse effects at concentrations lower than chemicals that are currently banned. These results suggest that zebrafish are sensitive to exposure to BFRs and can be used as a comparative screening model, as well as to determine alterations in behavior following exposure and probe mechanisms of action.

Abstract This study examined the influence of religion on women's decision to retain their birth names after marriage. Samples (N = 2575) were derived from wedding announcements in the New York Times, a major US newspaper. Multivariate analysis, controlling for age and year of marriage, indicated that the net effect of religion accounted for 2.6 percent of the likelihood of name keeping (p

Abstract Three studies showed that medical doctors and lawyers were disproportionately more likely to have surnames that resembled their professions. A fourth study showed that, for doctors, this influence extended to the type of medicine they practiced. Study 1 found that people with the surname "Doctor" were more likely to be doctors than lawyers, whereas those with the surname "Lawyer" were more likely to be lawyers. Studies 2 and 3 broadened this finding by comparing doctors and lawyers whose first or last names began with three-letter combinations representative of their professions, for example, "doc," "law," and likewise found a significant relationship between name and profession. Study 4 found that the initial letters of physicians' last names were significantly related to their subspecialty, for example, Raymonds were more likely to be radiologists than dermatologists. These results provide further evidence names influence medical career choices.

Abstract Although only recently legalized in many countries, women's boxing is gaining increasing worldwide popularity. However, participation of women in this hypermasculinized sport is inconsistent with long-standing cultural expectations of femininity. This survey catalogs the nicknames given to women boxers, obtained from two online data bases (Women's Boxing Archive Network; Boxing Encyclopedia) and contends that many of these nicknames are intended to reassure the boxing audience, and often the boxers themselves, that despite their aggressiveness, these women are still inherently female.

Abstract After surveying some of the origins for American placenames associated with the Devil, we determined the prevalence of those placenames including their cognates, e.g., Satan or equivalents in other languages, e.g. Diablo, and related terms such as Hell and its synonyms, e.g. Hades, compared to placenames with angel or Heaven and their equivalents, e.g., archangel, Cielo. We found a much higher prevalence of Devil and Hell placenames attached to natural sites such as mountains and lakes compared to inhabited sites such as cities and schools which were more likely to contain the terms angel or Heaven in their placenames. We also found a considerably higher percentage of Devil and Hell placenames in the western and southern states than in the northeastern and Midwestern states.

Abstract This study tested Levi-Strauss's hypothesis that birds are more likely to be given human names than are dogs or other pets. The hypothesis was not supported. Instead, dogs (and cats) are much more likely to be given human names. The results were interpreted in terms of the relationships people feel with different kinds of pets. Pets housed outside the home are least likely to be given human names. Inside the house, pets kept in cages are less likely to be given human names than are pets allowed to roam freely within the home.

Abstract Pets are considered as part of the family in many households. As such, the names people give their pets ought to resemble the names they give their children in terms of sex-stereotypic phonological characteristics. A previous study indicated that this was true for Golden Retriever dogs. The present study determined 1) if such sex stereotyping was true for dogs in general, 2) also extended to cats, and 3) if the same phenomena held for both the United States and Australia. We compared the final written letter and final spoken phoneme in pet and human names, as well as the ‘first and last consonants, and syllable lengths in their names. We found that people applied the same gender-related naming practices for pets that they used for both male and female children. The only difference we found between U.S. and Australian naming for pets was that Americans gave their pets names that were more characteristic of male names than female names. We concluded that Americans and Australians used the same masculine/feminine rules for naming their pets as they do for naming their children.

Abstract This study examines the nicknames of American Civil War Generals. Beyond categorizing these names in terms of “external” physical or behavioral characteristics, and “internal” word play, this analysis offers a context and a semantic paradigm for understanding their referential and expressive aspects, and the prevailing cultural values associated with them. Few Generals were given nicknames. Those that did had to have had some characteristic or had to have done something that made them distinctive. A distinction is made between those nicknames that were given by men who had a personal relationship with the nicknamee and those who did not. Examples are given of the way these nicknames affected attitudes toward and the behavior of nicknamees.