Current Mechanistic Understandings of Lymphedema and Lipedema: Tales of Fluid,Fat, and Fibrosis

Lymphedema and lipedema are complex diseases. While the external presentation of swollen legs in lower-extremity lymphedema and lipedema appear similar, current mechanistic understandings of these diseases indicate unique aspects of their underlying pathophysiology. They share certain clinical features, such as fluid (edema), fat (adipose expansion), and fibrosis (extracellular matrix remodeling). Yet, these diverge on their time course and known molecular regulators of pathophysiology and genetics. This divergence likely indicates a unique route leading to interstitial fluid accumulation and subsequent inflammation in lymphedema versus lipedema. Identifying disease mechanisms that are causal and which are merely indicative of the condition is far more explored in lymphedema than in lipedema. In primary lymphedema, discoveries of genetic mutations link molecular markers to mechanisms of lymphatic disease. Much work remains in this area towards better risk assessment of secondary lymphedema and the hopeful discovery of validated genetic diagnostics for lipedema. The purpose of this review is to expose the distinct and shared (i) clinical criteria and symptomatology, (ii) molecular regulators and pathophysiology, and (iii) genetic markers of lymphedema and lipedema to help inform future research in this field.     

Patterns of workplace harassment, gender, and use of services: An update.

Using three waves of data from an ongoing study of current and former university employees (N = 1,656), the authors reexamined the roles of sexual (SH) and generalized (GWH) workplace harassment and gender in predicting use of professional services by focusing on patterning (chronic, remission, onset, intermittent, and never harassed). The authors also reexamined whether services moderated relationships between SH and GWH patterns and drinking and mental health outcomes. All patterns of SH, but only chronic GWH, predicted increased odds of services use. Services use did not moderate relationship between SH patterns and outcomes, but was associated with lower alcohol consumption for men with GWH remission or chronicity, reduced escape drinking for those with GWH remission, and reduced hostility for those with intermittent GWH. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depressive symptoms and close relationships during the transition to adulthood: Perspectives from dysphoric women, their best friends, and their romantic partners.

Late adolescent women's depressive symptoms and interpersonal functioning were assessed using reports from participants, their best friends, and their romantic partners. As predicted, the associations between relationship dysfunction and dysphoria were stronger in romantic relationships than in friendships. Unlike friends, romantic partners perceived dysphoric women as having poorer social skills. Romantic partners also reported providing less emotional support to dysphoric women, whereas friends reported providing more. Finally, romantic partners of dysphoric women had more Cluster A (odd-eccentric) personality disorder symptoms; these symptoms mediated the relation between women's depression and partners' nonsupportiveness. The findings suggest that dysphoric women may find themselves in emotionally nonsupportive romantic relationships because they have paired (through assortative pairing or mutual influence) with symptomatic partners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The dynamics of innovation efforts in the early career

Although innovation is highly valued in organizations, early-career professionals face a paradox of bringing in novel ideas, yet having varied latitude and support to see these new ideas through. Building on 35 critical-incident-based interviews with early-career engineers in the United States, this study illuminates the socially situated dynamics of their innovation efforts, examining the process of such promotive proactive behaviour. We find that all participants reported some engagement in creating, championing and implementing new ideas, typically in the form of self-initiated improvements to the tools and processes participants used in their jobs. Encouragement from direct supervisors, supportive organizational cultures and practices, job scope, time afforded and one's perceived status were key considerations in determining whether to take such initiative. Carrying out innovative work behaviours, in turn, was largely dependent on continued employee initiative and ad hoc, informal cooperation, with individual effort punctuated by influential interactions with others that often determined the perceived valence of efforts. The study adds to understanding the social interactions and perceptions of voice required for innovative work behaviour, revealing when and to whom these prerequisites are afforded. Implications for organizations' innovation capacity and new hires' participation in innovation are discussed.     

Performance characteristics of an axial-flow gas induction impeller

Power number, pressure coefficient, and induced gas flow rate of a novel axial-flow gas induction impeller with large openings for gas flow are reported. The effects of rotational speed, impeller diameter, submergence, and pumping mode are considered in turbulent operation. The pressure coefficient is measured using the reduction in pressure at speeds below the minimum induction speed as well as from the minimum induction speed. The minimum induction speed approach consistently yields lower pressure coefficient values, indicating the existence of impeller exit losses that are required to force gas from the centre of the impeller into the liquid. The induced gas flow rate is modelled using two approaches. The first approach relates the gas flow rate to the available pressure difference, and in this case, the relation is found to be strongly affected by impeller diameter. The second approach is a literature model that likens the induction process to water jet injection. While this approach appears promising, flow measurement device pressure losses make it difficult to definitively evaluate this method.     

Anti-biofilm Activity of Human Milk Oligosaccharides in Clinical Strains of Streptococcus agalactiae with Diverse Capsular and Sequence Types

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is an encapsulated Gram-positive bacterial pathogen that causes severe perinatal infections. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are short-chain sugars that have recently been shown to possess antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity against a variety of bacterial pathogens, including GBS. We have expanded these studies to demonstrate that HMOs can inhibit and dismantle biofilm in both invasive and colonizing strains of GBS. A cohort of 30 diverse strains of GBS were analyzed for susceptibility to HMO-dependent biofilm inhibition or destruction. HMOs were significantly effective at inhibiting biofilm in capsular-type- and sequence-type-specific fashion, with significant efficacy in CpsIb, CpsII, CpsIII, CpsV, and CpsVI strains as well as ST-1, ST-12, ST-19, and ST-23 strains. Interestingly, CpsIa as well as ST-7 and ST-17 were not susceptible to the anti-biofilm activity of HMOs, underscoring the strain-specific effects of these important antimicrobial molecules against the perinatal pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae.     

Low-head dam removal increases functional diversity of stream fish assemblages

Despite the growing number of dam removals, few have been studied to understand their impacts on stream fish communities. An even smaller proportion of dam removal studies focus on the impacts of low-head dam removals, although they are the most common type of dam. Instead, the majority of removal studies focus on the impacts of larger dams. In this study, two previously impounded Illinois Rivers were monitored to assess the impacts of low-head dam removal on the functional assemblage of stream fishes. Study sites were sampled each fall from 2012–2015 (pre-dam removal) and 2018–2020 (post-dam removal) in three locations: the tailrace, impoundment, and river channel. Fishes were aggregated into habitat and reproductive guilds, relating community changes to habitat, environmental metrics, and stream quality. Prior to removal, the slackwater guild was the most prevalent habitat guild throughout both rivers, while nest builders and benthic spawners were the most abundant reproductive guilds. During the two years following removal, fish assemblage throughout both rivers shifted to a more evenly distributed representation of habitat and reproductive guilds, while restoration of lotic habitat conditions increased, as surface water temperatures decreased and QHEI, IBI, and dissolved oxygen increased. This shift in environmental metrics and increase in overall stream quality increased, particularly in the formerly impounded reaches, indicate diminished habitat homogeneity, and a shift towards natural habitat diversity. This habitat diversification likely led to the restoration of a range of potential niches, thereby increasing the array of guild types inhabiting these rivers, while simultaneously preventing single-guild dominance.     

Glass alteration in 19th century glass photographic plates: Potential role in gelatin delamination

The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History houses the largest remaining collection of inter-positive composite glass plate images from the production of Eadweard Muybridge's Animal Locomotion series. These photographs, which are approximately 150 years old, exhibit a wide range of degradation phenomena and products, including alteration of the glass plates. Compositions of both the image-bearing glass plates and support glass panels were obtained through quantitative scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersive spectrometry. Electron imaging of cross-sectioned samples of the image-bearing glass plates reveals a visible sodium-depleted glass alteration layer. Furthermore, electron imaging shows delamination of the image-containing gelatin layer and captures evidence that suggests that interfacial stresses between the glass alteration layer and the unaltered glass contribute to the delamination of this layer along with the overlaid gelatin.     

Modulating the RAGE-Induced Inflammatory Response: Peptoids as RAGE Antagonists

While the primary pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is defined by brain deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles, chronic inflammation has emerged as an important factor in AD etiology. Upregulated cell surface expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), a key receptor of innate immune response, is reported in AD. In parallel, RAGE ligands, including Aβ aggregates, HMGB1, and S100B, are elevated in AD brain. Activation of RAGE by these ligands triggers release of inflammatory cytokines and upregulates cell surface RAGE. Despite such observation, there are currently no therapeutics that target RAGE for treatment of AD-associated neuroinflammation. Peptoids, a novel class of potential AD therapeutics, display low toxicity, facile blood-brain barrier permeability, and resistance to proteolytic degradation. In the current study, peptoids were designed to mimic Aβ, a ligand that binds the V-domain of RAGE, and curtail RAGE inflammatory activation. We reveal the nanomolar binding capability of peptoids JPT1 and JPT1a to RAGE and demonstrate their ability to attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production as well as upregulation of RAGE cell surface expression. These results support RAGE antagonist peptoid-based mimics as a prospective therapeutic strategy to counter neuroinflammation in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.     

Propulsion efficiency of achiral microswimmers in viscoelastic polymer fluids

We report the effects of polymer size, concentration, and polymer fluid viscoelasticity on the propulsion kinematics of achiral microswimmers. Magnetically driven swimmer's step-out frequency, orientation angle, and propulsion efficiency are shown to be dependent on fluid microstructure, viscosity, and viscoelasticity. Additionally, by exploring the swimming dynamics of two geometrically distinct achiral structures, we observe differences in propulsion efficiencies of swimmers. Results indicate that larger four-bead swimmers are more efficiently propelled in fluids with significant elasticity in contrast to smaller 3-bead swimmers, which are able to use shear thinning behavior for efficient propulsion. Insights gained from these investigations will assist the development of future microswimmer designs and control strategies targeting applications in complex fluids.