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. Serum PGF2α levels during labour and the early post-partum period have been determined by radioimmunoassay. Random samples from 81 women showed that the highest levels are found in the late first stage of labour with lower levels in the second stage, at delivery and post-partum. The pattern in seven women who were followed through labour was similar to that seen in random samples and it was found that the change in serum PGF2α levels appears to be related to the stage of cervical dilatation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astronauts have an increased risk of back pain and disc herniation upon returning to Earth. Thus, it is imperative to understand the effects of spaceflight and readaptation to gravity on the musculoskeletal tissues of the spine. Here we investigated whether ~6 months of spaceflight led to regional differences in bone loss within the vertebral body. Additionally, we evaluated the relationships between vertebral bone density and paraspinal muscle morphology before flight, after flight, and after readaptation on Earth. We measured vertebral trabecular bone mineral density (Tb.BMD), paraspinal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), and muscle density in 17 astronauts using computed tomography (CT) images of the lumbar spine obtained before flight (before flight, n  = 17), after flight (spaceflight, n  = 17), and ~12 months of readaptation to gravitational loading on Earth (follow-up, n  = 15). Spaceflight-induced declines in Tb.BMD were greater in the superior region of the vertebral body (-6.7%) than the inferior (-3.1%, p  = 0.052 versus superior region) and transverse regions (-4.3%, p  = 0.057 versus superior region). After a year of readaptation to Earth's gravity, Tb.BMD in the transverse region remained significantly below preflight levels (-4.66%, p  = 0.0094). Paraspinal muscle CSA and muscle density declined -1.0% ( p  = 0.005) and -0.83% ( p  = 0.001) per month of spaceflight, respectively. Ultimately, bone loss in the superior vertebral body, along with fatty infiltration of paraspinal muscles and incomplete recovery even after a year of readaptation on Earth, may contribute to spinal pathology in long-duration astronauts. © 2023 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research., (© 2023 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.)

Frozen complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms) were developed as a class of particle stabilizers for Pickering emulsions. The C3Ms are composed of a core of electrostatically interacting weak polyelectrolytes, poly(acrylic acid) (pAA) and poly(dimethylaminopropylacrylamide) (pDMAPAA), surrounded by a corona of water-soluble and surface active poly( N -isopropylacrylamide) (pNiPAM). Mixing parameters of the two polymer solutions, including pH, mixing method, charge ratio, and salinity of the medium, were carefully controlled, leading to monodisperse, colloidally stable C3Ms. A combination of dynamic light scattering and proton nuclear magnetic resonance experiments showed that the C3Ms gradually disassembled from a dynamically frozen core state in pure water into free polyelectrolyte chains above 0.8 M NaCl. Upon formulation of dodecane-in-water emulsions, the frozen C3Ms adsorb as particles at the droplet interfaces in striking contrast with most of the conventional micelles made of amphiphilic block copolymers which fall apart at the interface. Eventually, increasing the salt concentration of the system triggered disassembly of the C3Ms, which led to emulsion destabilization.

The role of hybrid fibers as intermediates in fiber type transformations is not completely understood. In some cases hybrids are clearly transitional fibers changing from one type to another, but in others they represent phenotypically stable fibers in normal muscles. In the current study, our goal was to understand the fate of hybrid fibers in fiber type transitions that take place during muscle maturation. Previous studies have reported high proportions of hybrid fibers during postnatal development, but few have followed the fate of these fibers past the time of weaning. We quantified proportions of hybrid fibers in three different mouse skeletal muscles from newly weaned to 6-month-old mice. Hybrid fibers were very prevalent in the brachioradialis (BR) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles from newly weaned mice, where they constituted 50 and 40% of the fibers, respectively. These hybrids declined steadily to about 15-30% over the next several months. In the soleus muscle the proportion of hybrids did not change, but constituted approximately 20% of fibers. The reduction in IIX/IIB hybrids resulted from different processes in the BR and the TA. In the BR, the reduction was coincident with an increase in type IIX fibers. In the TA, the number of IIX/IIB hybrids was inversely correlated with the proportion of IIB fibers. These patterns reveal that the role of hybrid fibers as intermediates in muscle development is complex. Some hybrid fibers in maturing muscles represent transitional fiber types, while others are phenotypically stable. Moreover, the fate of transitional fibers may be distinct among similar fiber types within different muscles.

A review of the operative treatment of avulsion or rupture of the distal biceps brachii tendon is presented. Five cases are described. One patient had bilateral avulsion. All were operated on using the technique described by Thomsen or Boyd & Anderson.