Category Archives: Physiology

Physiology

Kempf and Pakala honored by Boise State Foundation – Boise State University

The Boise State University Foundation recently honored Boise State faculty members Tim Kempf and Krishna Pakala with the 2022-2023 Boise State University Foundation Excellence Awards. The awards were previously known as the Foundation Scholars Awards. These awards honor Boise State faculty who have demonstrated ongoing commitment, expertise and accomplishments in teaching, research and service. The honorees will receive a $5,000 honorarium from the foundation and add their names to the list of recipients since the awards began in 1992.

The Boise State University Foundation is pleased to have an opportunity to recognize the Foundation Excellence Award recipients and the contributions made by faculty members at Boise State, said foundation Executive Director Paul Powell. Boise State faculty create a rich learning environment, advance the boundaries of knowledge, and serve their professions. Our relentless passion for excellence as a university makes Boise State a great place for students to learn and for our faculty and staff to work.

Tim Kempf is a clinical associate professor with the Department of Kinesiology. Kempf began his tenure at Boise State in 2011, teaching in the area of exercise science. His work includes mentorship, course and program development, and teaching courses in applied anatomy, exercise physiology, exercise testing and prescription and biomechanics. He previously worked in cardiac rehabilitation as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist at the University of Pittsburgh and conducted research in biomechanics and human motor learning and control at Rush Medical Center in Chicago.

Dr. Kempf is one of our strongest faculty members. His efforts are outstanding with regard to teaching and with student evaluation scores, he is near the top of the list of all of our instructors, said Lynda Ransdell, department chair of kinesiology. It is my perception that students very much enjoy engaging with and learning from Dr. Kempf at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I believe Dr. Kempf makes the extra effort whenever given a chance because he is the consummate professional and, for this reason, exceeds expectations in this area.

Krishna Pakala is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering. He began teaching at Boise State in 2012, overseeing courses in the areas of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer and more. He is involved in a number of faculty service responsibilities within the department and has served as the Faculty in Residence for seven years, receiving multiple awards for his work. Because of his critical involvement in students lives, he has been selected as the Honored Faculty by four Top Ten Scholar recipients awarded annually by the Boise State Alumni Association. He also helped establish and direct the Engineering Tutoring Center and the Peer Educator Program within the College of Engineering.

I am proud to support Dr. Krishna Pakalas nomination for this years Foundation Excellence Award for Tenured or Tenure-Track Faculty, said Todd Otanicar, department chair of mechanical and biomedical engineering. His novel instruction in the classroom, his passion for engaging all students, his growing scholarship contributions and his commitment to teaching and service excellence for the last 11 years are extremely impressive.

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Kempf and Pakala honored by Boise State Foundation - Boise State University

Physiology

From the U.S. Navy to Atrium Health: A Nursing Journey – Atrium Health

In high school, when many people are still trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be, Carolyn Lehmanknew two things with absolute certainty: She wanted to be a nurse and she wanted to serve our country.

After taking an anatomy and physiology course, I knew nursing would be for me, she says. I was always that kid who helped out if someone scraped their knee on the playground. I would run to check on them and help them to the school nurse. Even though I didnt realize it, nursing ran in my blood from an early age.

A third-generation nurse, Carolyn has spent the last decade working at Atrium Health and has been with Atrium Health Hospital at Home since it launched in 2020 as a revolutionary new care model to expand care options for patients with COVID-19.

When Atrium Health Hospital at Home first started, it was all COVID-19 patients, she says. Not only were we all dealing with the new, unfamiliar virus, we were trying to figure out the best way to provide the best care to the patients with this program. Its grown so much since then and continues to evolve. Now we have expanded to a wide range of adult medical surgical patients and every day we are growing. We now have continuous monitoring systems for most of our patients too.

While Carolyns grandmother and mother are also nurses, she says they didnt push her into a nursing career. She found her way there on her own. But there was something else running through her veins that she just couldnt ignore: a willingness to serve. Both her grandfathers served in World War II and she was inspired by their service and her own experiences growing up in New Jersey, just outside New York City.

On September 11, I could hear the fighter jets flying over my house, she recalls. A friend got me interested in joining the Navy. I knew I wanted to help people, but not just be stuck in one place. The Navy would offer me the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and travel, too. Plus, what could be better than to help the people who are willing to sacrifice everything for our freedom?

Carolyn considered enlisting right out of high school, but that anatomy and physiology class was imprinted on her brain. She wanted to be a nurse. So, she went to nursing school. But it was there, during her senior year, that Carolyn found a way to combine the two things that she was most passionate about.

I talked to a Navy recruiter at a job fair, she says. Thats when I knew I wanted to be a Navy Nurse Corps officer.

After graduating from nursing school, Carolyn began her military career as a Navy Nurse Corps officer. With stints across the country in places like Newport, Rhode Island, Portsmouth, Virginia, and Twentynine Palms, California, Carolyn had the chance to rotate through various nursing areas a unique experience she realizes most nurses dont get to have, especially fresh out of nursing school. These experiences altered the course of her life and her nursing career.

When Carolyn made the decision to leave active duty 10 years ago, she knew she still wanted to serve. The U.S. Navy Reserves offered her that opportunity, as did working at Atrium Health, which has been recognized on theForbeslist ofBest Employers for Veteranstwo years in a row.

The reserves offer me the opportunity to have unique nursing experiences that I wouldnt have in the civilian world alone, Carolyn explains. It has given me a chance to travel the country to different military hospitals, continue with military training, stay in shape and stay connected. Every time I have done my required reservist duty, I have bumped into someone I know from my active-duty time.

Carolyn fulfills her reservist duties one weekend a month and two weeks a year, usually at a military hospital working as a bedside nurse, combat training or completing required training or a class. She also performs collateral duty from home, which includes things like teleconferences and training.

Her day job includes caring for patients via telephone and video visits, assessing their symptoms, vital signs and status, helping them review their medications and educating them on how to use them or explaining a diagnosis and treatment plan to patients and their families.

I still find helping people and providing them comfort and support during their illness the most rewarding, she says.

Through Atrium Health Hospital at Home, she also works with the medical equipment team, case management, social work, nutritionist, radiology, chaplain service and other services to ensure patient needs are being fully addressed. She is passionate about her work and the patients she cares for but acknowledges it can be challenging.

I wish people realized how hard nursing is, she says. Regardless of what nursing role you have, it is still an emotional, physical, tasking job and I dont think people appreciate all the hard work that nurses do every day for their patients.

Thats why its so important for nurses like Carolyn, to take care of themselves too, whether reading, working out, cooking or spending time with her husband and their three children. She advises new nurse graduates to find their footing with a solid nursing base and keep an open mind.

The beauty of nursing is there are so many areas to explore, she says, so if you dont like one area or specialty, dont be afraid to try something new.

Carolyns Advice for New Nurse Graduates

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From the U.S. Navy to Atrium Health: A Nursing Journey - Atrium Health

Physiology

The Importance of PALS Certification for Healthcare Professionals – Eye On Annapolis

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification is vital for healthcare professionals working with children in critical medical situations. Developed by the American Heart Association (AHA), the PALS course focuses on the knowledge and skills required to effectively recognize and manage pediatric emergencies. This certification aims to improve the quality of care for critically ill or injured children by equipping healthcare professionals with the most up-to-date, evidence-based practices.Quizzma.comoffers a helpful resource for PALS Precourse Self-Assessment Answers for those interested in learning more about PALS.

As the needs and physiology of children differ significantly from adults, it is essential for healthcare providers to possess specialized skills to address pediatric emergencies effectively. PALS certification ensures that healthcare professionals can confidently and competently handle a wide range of pediatric emergencies, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

In the following sections, we will delve deeper into the importance of PALS certification and how it benefits healthcare professionals working with children.

A fundamental aspect of PALS certification is the comprehensive understanding of pediatric physiology and anatomy. Childrens bodies respond differently to illness and injury than adults, and their vital signs, airway management, and fluid requirements also vary.

Healthcare professionals can effectively make informed decisions and tailor their approach to pediatric emergency care by learning the nuances of pediatric physiology and anatomy.

PALS certification equips healthcare professionals to quickly recognize and manage pediatric emergencies, such as respiratory distress, shock, cardiac arrest, and traumatic injuries.

The course covers essential skills, including airway management, vascular access, medication administration, and effective resuscitation techniques. These skills enable healthcare providers to swiftly assess, intervene, and stabilize a childs condition during critical situations, ultimately saving lives.

Timely intervention is crucial in pediatric emergencies, as delays in treatment can lead to irreversible damage or even death. PALS certification emphasizes the importance of early intervention and teaches healthcare professionals to identify subtle signs of deterioration in a childs condition.

By recognizing these early warning signs, healthcare providers can initiate appropriate interventions to prevent further complications and improve patient outcomes. The prompt and effective management of pediatric emergencies, as taught in PALS courses, ensures that healthcare professionals are well-prepared to handle these high-stakes situations.

PALS algorithms guide healthcare professionals in managing pediatric emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, and shock. These algorithms are based on the latest evidence and best practices, ensuring that healthcare providers follow a standardized approach to pediatric emergency care.

By following these algorithms, healthcare professionals can systematically assess and intervene in critical situations, ensuring optimal patient care.

PALS certification courses incorporate simulation-based training to help healthcare professionals apply the learned algorithms in real-life emergency scenarios. This hands-on training allows participants to practice and refine their skills in a controlled environment, making them more adept at managing pediatric emergencies.

By mastering applying PALS algorithms, healthcare professionals can confidently handle complex and high-pressure situations, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

Certain pediatric patients, such as those with chronic medical conditions, congenital heart defects, or developmental disabilities, may require special considerations during emergency care. PALS certification courses teach healthcare professionals how to adapt and modify standard algorithms to accommodate the unique needs of these patients.

By understanding how to tailor their approach, healthcare providers can ensure they deliver the most appropriate care for every child, regardless of their specific needs or circumstances.

Effective teamwork is crucial for successfully managing pediatric emergencies, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response. PALS training emphasizes the importance of teamwork, with simulation-based exercises that require participants to collaborate in various emergency scenarios. By learning to work as a cohesive unit, healthcare professionals can optimize their response to pediatric emergencies and ensure the best possible care for their patients.

Clear and concise communication is essential during pediatric emergencies, as it facilitates rapidly exchanging critical information between healthcare providers. PALS certification courses teach healthcare professionals how to communicate effectively with their colleagues verbally and non-verbally to minimize errors and misunderstandings.

This focus on clear communication enhances the overall efficiency of emergency care and allows healthcare providers to quickly identify and address any issues that may arise during treatment.

In pediatric emergencies, healthcare professionals often need to collaborate with specialists from various disciplines, such as pediatricians, cardiologists, and respiratory therapists, to provide comprehensive care.

PALS certification equips healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills to effectively collaborate with these specialists and integrate their expertise into the patients care plan. By fostering interdisciplinary cooperation, PALS training ensures that healthcare professionals can provide optimal patient care during critical situations.

Like other advanced life support certifications, PALS certification requires periodic recertification to ensure that healthcare professionals maintain their knowledge and skills. Recertification courses typically occur every two years and involve a combination of lectures, hands-on training, and assessments.

This regular recertification process ensures that healthcare providers stay current with the latest advancements in pediatric emergency care and continue to deliver the highest quality care to their patients.

Pediatric emergency medicine is continuously evolving, with new guidelines and best practices being developed to improve patient outcomes. PALS certification courses are regularly updated to reflect these changes, ensuring that healthcare professionals receive the most current and evidence-based training.

Pursuing PALS certification and maintaining it through regular recertification offers healthcare professionals opportunities for growth and development within their field. By mastering the latest pediatric emergency care techniques, providers can enhance their clinical competence, improve their job prospects, and even pursue leadership roles within their organizations.

In addition, PALS certification demonstrates a healthcare professionals commitment to providing the highest quality care to their patients, which can enhance their reputation among colleagues and patients alike.

PALS certification can significantly boost healthcare professionals confidence in managing pediatric emergencies effectively. By mastering the necessary knowledge and skills through the PALS course, healthcare providers can approach high-stakes situations with greater assurance.

This increased confidence can lead to better decision-making, faster response times, and improved patient outcomes.

Pediatric emergencies can be highly stressful for healthcare professionals, as the stakes are high, and time is of the essence. PALS training prepares providers for these high-stress situations by teaching them to remain calm, focused, and organized under pressure.

Through a combination of lectures, hands-on training, and simulation-based exercises, healthcare professionals learn to navigate the challenges of pediatric emergency care effectively, ensuring they are well-prepared to handle even the most complex cases.

Simulation-based training is a critical component of PALS certification courses, as it allows healthcare professionals to practice and refine their skills in a safe and controlled environment.

This hands-on training exposes participants to realistic emergency scenarios, enabling them to apply their knowledge and skills without the risk of harming actual patients. By engaging in repeated practice and receiving instructor feedback, healthcare professionals can build competence and confidence in their abilities, ultimately improving their performance in pediatric emergencies.

PALS certification has been shown to positively impact patient outcomes by reducing morbidity and mortality rates in pediatric emergencies. Healthcare professionals who have completed PALS training are better equipped to recognize and manage life-threatening situations, leading to quicker interventions and a higher likelihood of successful outcomes.

As a result, children who receive care from PALS-certified providers are more likely to experience better health outcomes, with reduced complications and a higher chance of survival.

Healthcare professionals with PALS certification are trained to provide the highest quality care to pediatric patients in emergencies. They possess the necessary knowledge and skills to assess, stabilize, and treat critically ill or injured children, ensuring that these patients receive the best care. This improved quality of care contributes to better patient outcomes but also helps to establish trust and confidence among patients and their families.

PALS-certified healthcare professionals play a crucial role in contributing to overall patient and family satisfaction. By providing expert, compassionate care during pediatric emergencies, these providers can help alleviate the anxiety and stress experienced by patients and their loved ones.

The confidence and competence demonstrated by PALS-certified healthcare professionals can significantly impact the overall experience of patients and families during these critical situations, ultimately leading to greater satisfaction with the care received.

In conclusion, PALS certification is paramount for healthcare professionals working with children in emergencies. The comprehensive training provided in PALS courses ensures that healthcare providers possess the necessary knowledge and skills to manage pediatric emergencies, ultimately improving patient outcomes effectively.

PALS-certified professionals are committed to providing the highest quality of care, enhancing teamwork and communication, and staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in pediatric emergency medicine. The positive impact of PALS certification extends beyond healthcare professionals, contributing to overall patient and family satisfaction during critical situations.

Given the significant benefits of PALS certification, healthcare professionals working with pediatric patients are strongly encouraged to pursue and maintain this essential credential. By obtaining and regularly updating their PALS certification, healthcare providers can ensure they are well-prepared to handle pediatric emergencies effectively and compassionately. Ultimately, investing in PALS certification elevates the quality of care provided to patients and contributes to the professional growth and development of healthcare professionals in the field.

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The Importance of PALS Certification for Healthcare Professionals - Eye On Annapolis

Physiology

LPU organized two-day International Conference on Plant … – :: India News Calling ::

Jalandhar, 28.-04-23: The School of Bioengineering and Biosciences at Lovely Professional University (LPU) held a two-day international conference on plant physiology and biotechnology (ICPPB) at the campus. Providing & promoting the cutting edge research; the scientifically significant conference covered different aspects for the betterment in agricultural & biotechnology fields and crop improvement, thereof.

Chief Patron of the conference, LPU Chancellor Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal congratulated all engaged in the various proceedings of the conference for making it truly global and result oriented. On this occasion, a 151 paged abstract book containing 147 solid solutions through plants and processes was also released in the esteemed presence of LPU Pro Chancellor Mrs Rashmi Mittal. It was organized by LPUs Division of Research & Development (DRD) and department of Molecular Biology & Genetic Engineering.

Inaugural address was made by the Chief Guest, Prof. Sant Saran Bhojwani, Emeritus Professor, Director, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Agra). Secretary for the Plant Tissue Culture Association of India, Padma Shree, Prof Dr Pramod Tandon was the Guest of Honour was chaired & co-chaired by Prof Rakhi Chaturvedi (IIT, Guwahati) and, Prof Ariel D. Arencibia from Catholic University of Maule, Chile.

Here, important discussions were made to provide biotech solutions to boost plant salinity tolerance using the secrets of mangrove trees by Prof Dr Pannaga Krishnamurthyr from National University of Singapore.

Prof Dr Gian Pietro Di Sansebastiano, University of Salento (Italy) informed about plants-based low-cost platform for drugs discovery and screening.

Similarly, during other sessions, Prof Dr Karel Doleal from Palack University (Czech Republic) forwarded research made on new phytohormone derivatives as modern tools for basic and applied research in plant biotechnology from synthesis to analysis and back. Dr Pinky Agarwal, from National Institute of Plant and Genome Research, (NIPGR), talked about factors regulating rice grain size. Dr. Dilfuza Jabborova from Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences also chaired an important session.

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LPU organized two-day International Conference on Plant ... - :: India News Calling ::

Physiology

Ancient human DNA was extracted from a 20,000-year-old deer … – Science News Magazine

A new, nondestructive way to recover ancient DNA has shown its potential for illuminating Stone Age peoples lives.

Genetic material extracted from a pierced deer tooth, possibly worn as a pendant, identifies its maker or wearer as a female Homo sapiens who lived roughly 20,000 years ago in Siberia, researchers report May 3 in Nature. Comparisons of DNA indicate that the female who handled the artifact was closely related to people who lived farther east in Siberia around the same time (SN: 8/28/14).

When applied to other finds, the technique could help clarify whether males and females alike made and used personal ornaments. And it could reveal whether H. sapiens or Neandertals made certain types of tools and ornaments in parts of Eurasia once occupied by both species at the same time.

By extracting DNA from tools and ornaments directly, we can now begin to study the division of labor and the role of individuals [from different Homo species] in Pleistocene societies, says molecular biologist Elena Essel of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

Researchers usually extract ancient DNA from small amounts of powder drilled out of bones and teeth.Evolutionary geneticist Svante Pbo, also at Max Planck, won the 2022 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for developing that method (SN: 10/3/22). But there is understandable reticence to drill into and disfigure, or potentially destroy, rare and delicate finds such as pendants and other ornaments. H. sapiens and Neandertal DNA can also be isolated from artifact-bearing sediment (SN: 4/15/21). But that DNA cannot identify the sex or species of who handled specific tools or ornaments.

In the new study, Essel, Pbo and colleagues describe their method for ancient DNA extraction, which involves submerging bone and tooth artifacts in a sodium phosphate solution for three 30-minute periods at each of four temperatures. Objects are first placed in a room temperature solution, followed by three increasingly hotter solutions, ending at 90 Celsius.

Treatment at the highest temperature released human DNA that had penetrated deeply into the tooth artifact via extensive contact when it was made or used, the researchers say. Milder solution temperatures yielded ancient DNA closer to the pendants surface that originated from surrounding sediment, including that of an elk species.

Analyses of recovered human and elk mitochondrial DNA, usually inherited from mothers, generated an age estimate for the pendant of roughly 18,500 to 24,700 years old. Thats consistent with radiocarbon dates for burned wood that the researchers unearthed near the pendant. Radiocarbon dates are more precise than those generated from ancient DNA but cannot always be obtained from fragile or small artifacts, Essel says.

Two coauthors of the new study archaeologists Maxim Kozlikin and Michael Shunkov of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk directed a 2019 excavation that produced the newly analyzed pierced tooth at Siberias Denisova Cave (SN: 1/30/19).

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Neandertals and other Stone Age hominids called Denisovans periodically occupied this site from nearly 300,000 years ago until around 55,000 years ago. Bone tools and personal ornaments found in previous digs indicated that H. sapiens visited Denisova Cave as early as around 30,000 years ago. Excavators in 2019 wore gloves and face masks to minimize contamination of unearthed objects with their own DNA.

In future work, archaeologists will need to use those anticontamination measures and more, including refrigeration of freshly excavated artifacts, to boost the ability of the new technique to ferret out ancient DNA, Essel says.

In tests her group conducted with 11 nonhuman animal bones previously excavated at a 35,000- to 45,000-year-old French site, the nondestructive DNA technique largely identified genetic material from people who had handled the finds without gloves during or after the dig.

The new technique could help determine whether H. sapiens or Neandertals made bone pendants and stone tools dating to as early as around 45,000 years ago at several sites in southwestern Europe, says evolutionary geneticist Carles Lalueza-Fox of the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona who did not participate in the new study. Scientists disagree whether distinctive stone tools found with those ornaments were products of H. sapiens or Neandertals (SN: 5/9/06).

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Ancient human DNA was extracted from a 20,000-year-old deer ... - Science News Magazine

Physiology

New tusk-analysis techniques reveal surging testosterone in male … – EurekAlert

Graphics //Video

Traces of sex hormones extracted from a woolly mammoth's tusk provide the first direct evidence that adult males experienced musth, a testosterone-driven episode of heightened aggression against rival males, according to a new University of Michigan-led study.

In male elephants, elevated testosterone during musth was previously recognized from blood and urine tests. Musth battles in extinct relatives of modern elephants have been inferred from skeletal injuries, broken tusk tips and other indirect lines of evidence.

But the new study, scheduled for online publication May 3 in the journal Nature, is the first to show that testosterone levels are recorded in the growth layers of mammoth and elephant tusks.

The U-M researchers and their international colleagues report annually recurring testosterone surgesup to 10 times higher than baseline levelswithin a permafrost-preserved woolly mammoth tusk from Siberia. The adult male mammoth lived more than 33,000 years ago.

The testosterone surges seen in the mammoth tusk are consistent with musth-related testosterone peaks the researchers observed in an African bull elephant tusk, according to the study authors. The word "musth" comes from the Hindi and Urdu word for intoxicated.

"Temporal patterns of testosterone preserved in fossil tusks show that, like modern elephants, mature bull mammoths experienced musth," said study lead authorMichael Cherney, a research affiliate at the U-M Museum of Paleontology and a research fellow at the U-M Medical School.

The study demonstrates that both modern and ancient tusks hold traces of testosterone and other steroid hormones. These chemical compounds are incorporated into dentin, the mineralized tissue that makes up the interior portion of all teeth (tusks are elongated upper incisor teeth).

"This study establishes dentin as a useful repository for some hormones and sets the stage for further advances in the developing field of paleoendocrinology," Cherney said. "In addition to broad applications in zoology and paleontology, tooth-hormone records could support medical, forensic and archaeological studies."

Hormones are signaling molecules that help regulate physiology and behavior. Testosterone is the main sex hormone in male vertebrates and is part of the steroid group of hormones. It circulates in the bloodstream and accumulates in various tissues.

Scientists have previously analyzed steroid hormones present in human and animal hair, nails, bones and teeth, in both modern and ancient contexts. But the significance and value of such hormone records have been the subject of ongoing scrutiny and debate.

The authors of the new Nature study say their findings should help change that by demonstrating that steroid records in teeth can provide meaningful biological information that sometimes persists for thousands of years.

"Tusks hold particular promise for reconstructing aspects of mammoth life history because they preserve a record of growth in layers of dentin that form throughout an individual's life," said study co-authorDaniel Fisher, a curator at the U-M Museum of Paleontology and professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

"Because musth is associated with dramatically elevated testosterone in modern elephants, it provides a starting point for assessing the feasibility of using hormones preserved in tusk growth records to investigate temporal changes in endocrine physiology," said Fisher, who is also a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

For the study, researchers sampled tusks from one adult African bull elephant and two adult woolly mammothsa male and a femalefrom Siberia. The samples were obtained in accordance with relevant laws and with appropriate permits.

The researchers used CT scans to identify annual growth increments within the tusks. A tiny drill bit, operated under a microscope and moved across a block of dentin using computer-actuated stepper motors, was used to grind contiguous half-millimeter-wide samples representing approximately monthly intervals of dentin growth.

The powder produced during this milling process was collected and chemically analyzed.

The study required new methods, developed in the laboratory of U-M endocrinologist and study co-authorRich Auchus, to extract steroids from tusk dentin for measurement with a mass spectrometer, an instrument that identifies chemical substances by sorting ions according to their mass and charge.

"We had developed steroid mass spectrometry methods for human blood and saliva samples, and we have used them extensively for clinical research studies. But never in a million years did I imagine that we would be using these techniques to explore 'paleoendocrinology,'" said Auchus, professor of internal medicine and pharmacology at the U-M Medical School.

"We did have to modify the method some, because those tusk powders were the dirtiest samples we ever analyzed. When Mike (Cherney) showed me the data from the elephant tusks, I was flabbergasted. Then we saw the same patterns in the mammothwow!"

The African bull elephant is believed to have been 30 to 40 years old when it was killed by a hunter in Botswana in 1963. According to estimates based on growth layers in its tusk, the male woolly mammoth lived to be about 55 years old. Its right tusk was discovered by a diamond-mining company in Siberia in 2007. Radiocarbon dating revealed that the animal lived 33,291 to 38,866 years ago.

The tusk from the female woolly mammoth was discovered on Wrangel Island, which was connected to northeast Siberia in glacial periods of lower sea level but is now separated from it by the Arctic Ocean. Carbon-dating showed an age of 5,597 to 5,885 years before present. (Wrangel Island is the last known place where woolly mammoths survived, until around 4,000 years ago.)

In contrast to the male tusks, testosterone levels from the female woolly mammoth tusk showed little variation over timeas expectedand the average testosterone level was lower than the lowest values in the male mammoth's tusk records.

"With reliable results for some steroids from samples as small as 5 mg of dentin, these methods could be used to investigate records of organisms with smaller teeth, including humans and other hominids," the authors wrote. "Endocrine records in modern and ancient dentin provide a new approach to investigating reproductive ecology, life history, population dynamics, disease, and behavior in modern and prehistoric contexts."

In addition to Cherney, Fisher and Auchus, the authors of the Nature study are Adam Rountrey and Scott Beld of the U-M Museum of Paleontology; Perrin Selcer of the U-M Department of History and the Program in the Environment; Ethan Shirley of the U-M Museum of Paleontology and the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Bernard Buigues of Mammuthus, France; Dick Mol of the Natural History Museum in Rotterdam, Netherlands; Gennady Boeskorov of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Sergey Vartanyan of the Far-East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; and Alexei Tikhonov of the Russian Academy of Sciences and North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, Russia.

Tusk specimens were CT scanned using laboratories at the U-M School of Dentistry, Ford Motor Co., U-M Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and U-M Orthopaedic Research Laboratories. The study received support from U-M's seed funding program for innovative interdepartmental collaborations, Mcubed 3.0.

"This is one of the reasons we come to work every morning at the University of Michigan: to make discoveries that empower us to see the world in new ways," co-authorSelcersaid. "The project shows you the importance of both collaboration across schoolsthanks to Mcubed 3.0and of the university's instrumentation infrastructure."

Study (available once embargo lifts):Testosterone histories from tusks reveal woolly mammoth musth episodes(DOI 10.1038/s41586-023-06020-9)

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New tusk-analysis techniques reveal surging testosterone in male ... - EurekAlert

Physiology

Effective Physio Care for Mild and Chronic Pain – Movement 101 … – Digital Journal

Chatswood, NSW - At Movement 101 Chatswood, patients can receive effective solutions for both mild and chronic pain. The clinic's skilled professionals offer comprehensive physiotherapy services, including massages, heat and cold therapy, exercises, and Pilates, to address a range of conditions resulting from sports injuries, accidents, overuse, postoperative injuries, and more. Each patient is provided with a personalised treatment plan tailored to their unique health needs, ensuring effective relief from pain.

The experienced Chatswood physiotherapist can treat a variety of conditions, including neck and back pain, disc injuries, and muscle and nerve problems. The clinic also offers physio care for patients experiencing lack of movement or strength, ongoing headaches, whiplash, and work injuries. Patients of all ages, from children to older adults, can benefit from physiotherapy, which can accelerate the recovery rate for post-surgery patients and those with broken bones.

For professional athletes and sports enthusiasts, Movement 101 Chatswood's Elite Sports Physiotherapy offers a tailored approach to meet their specific requirements. The clinic provides relief from both minor and severe sports injuries, such as golfer's elbow, fractures, sprains, dislocations, and strains, using the same elite treatment approach for all patients.

Expert Manual Therapy is a primary modality used at the clinic, involving hands-on treatment to alleviate pain by realigning the spine and body structure. This approach includes spinal manipulations, which unblock nerve pathways, resulting in improved functionality and gradual symptom reduction.

Moreover, the Chatswood physiotherapy clinic offers physiotherapy for women's health, including an assessment and treatment for issues such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunctions, and abdominal separation. This service enhances comfort and function for women of all ages, including pregnant mothers, to help them feel comfortable in their bodies again.

The staff at Movement 101 Chatswood works with local and international physiotherapy practices and hospitals. These networks have contributed much to improving their vast experience in the field. The staff regularly update their knowledge to adopt new, advanced techniques they consider helpful to their patients.

A quote from the clinic website stated this about their services,

"We use a range of advanced physiotherapy techniques to get results you can feel from your very first appointment. Our team's expertise and knowledge ensures you a faster, more effective recovery."

In addition to physiotherapy, Movement 101 Chatswood offers a range of services, including podiatry, exercise physiology, remedial massage, and clinical pilates. The podiatry team at the clinic provides treatment for patients experiencing heel pain, diabetes, or requiring skin and nail care.

For patients seeking to prevent or manage specific health conditions, the clinic offers one-on-one or group exercise physiology sessions. These sessions are tailored to the individual's needs, allowing them to achieve their physical goals through guided physical training.

Moreover, Movement 101 Chatswood contributes to the community's development by providing physiotherapy, podiatry, and exercise physiology services to people with disabilities. The clinic is NDIS registered and fully equipped to cater to the specific needs of individuals under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

To book an appointment, contact the clinic at (02) 7205 7339. Visit the clinic's website for more information on their professional physiotherapy services. Movement 101 Chatswood is located at 2/1A Freeman Rd, Chatswood, NSW, 2067, AU.

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Company NameMovement 101 ChatswoodContact NameMarcio FerreiraPhone(02) 7205 7339Address2/1A Freeman RdCityChatswoodStateNSWPostal Code2067CountryAustraliaWebsitehttps://www.movement101.com.au/chatswood.html

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Effective Physio Care for Mild and Chronic Pain - Movement 101 ... - Digital Journal

Physiology

Real Madrid and Abbott inaugurate the Innovation Lab – Real Madrid

Located at the first-team facilities at Real Madrid City, the centre will be home to research into sports nutrition and physiology.

Real Madrid andAbbott have launched their Innovation Lab, a space for the Real Madrid Medical Services and Abbott's scientists to collaborate in creating innovative ideas and exploring the future of nutrition and physiology in sports.The centre is located in the first-team facilities atReal Madrid Cityand it's a project aimed at enhancing our players' performance.The collaboration will originate seminars, conferences and studies like the one conducted by Abbott and Real Madrid, and published in the specialist scientific magazineFrontiers, which deals with the role of biomarkersin aiding an understanding of player fatigue and recovery.The ultimate goal is for the work carried out at the Innovation Lab to help the medical teams devise optimised nutrition protocols to boost sporting performance.

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Real Madrid and Abbott inaugurate the Innovation Lab - Real Madrid

Physiology

Student Poster Presentation Winners Announced | Northern Today – Northern Today

Northern Michigan University has announced the poster presentation winnes from itsCelebration of Student Scholarship held April 20. Categories included undergraduate lower division, undergraduate upper division, graduate projects, group projects and the people's choice award.

Undergraduate Lower Division:

1st Place: Jason Andary, Freshman, Clinical Laboratory Science, Comparative analysis between colorimetric LAMP and RPA diagnostic methods to detect IDH1 R132H mutation in GBM.

2nd Place: Skylar Grubb, Sophomore, Biology (concentration in Zoology), Relative Abundance of Black Bears, Bobcats, and Coyotes in Relation to Human Modification.

3rd Place: Gabriela Moreno, Freshman, Biology, Urbanization in the Southwest and Its Effects on the Relative Abundance of Competing Species and Their Prey.

Undergraduate Upper Division:

1st Place: Leah Gibbons, Senior, Biology, The Relative Abundance of Gray Wolves, Coyotes, and Red Foxes in Urbanized Areas of the Great Lakes.

2nd Place: Calandra Bungart, Junior, Biology, The Impact of Urban Landcover on Coyotes (Canis latrans), Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes), and Eastern Cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) Within the Northeast Region of the U.S.

3rd Place: Mary Kelly, Junior, Environmental Science, Assessing the effects of forest land cover change on nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and coyote (Canis latrans) populations in the southeastern United States.

Graduate Projects:

1st Place: Garrett Lundteigen, Graduate, Psychology, Effect of Positive Imagery on Self Efficacy.

2nd Place: Kristian Choate, Graduate, Biology, Optimization of Lysis for Detection of Staphylococcus aureus via Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification.

3rd Place: Mandy Joslyn, Graduate, Biology, How Does Human Decomposition Affect the Soil Microbiome?

Group Projects:

1st Place: Nicole C. Thomas, Graduate, Psychology, Bella Enger, Sophomore , Neuroscience, Peyton Osborn, Sophomore, Biology, Rebecca Balinski, Senior, Psychology, Genetic Alterations Associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

2nd Place: J.D. D. Payne, Senior, Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience, Ender Harris, Junior, Cognitive Neuroscience, Lily Briggs, Junior, Interdisciplinary Psychology, Brandon Godin, Graduate, non-degree seeking, Discrimination Reversal Task Training in C57 and CD1 mice strains.

3rd Place: Christina Ferrera, Senior, Biology (concentration in Physiology) and Anne Carrier, Freshman, Biology (concentration in Microbiology), Utilizing Digital Droplet PCR to Detect Mpox Virus in Wastewater.

People's Choice:

1st Place: Teni Ajayi, Sophomore, Biology (concentration in Physiology), Human-Wildlife Interactions in the context of Population Density: A Study of Three Species.

2nd Place: Grace Robinson, Freshman, Biology, A New Collection of Freshwater Crabs from Northern Madagascar that Includes a Possible New Species (Brachyura: Potamoidea: Deckeniidae).

3rd Place: Brady Rudh, Senior, Fisheries & Wildlife Management, Waterbody Type as a Determinant of Contiguous Balsam Fir Growth Rate.

This was the 27th annual iteration of the Celebration of Student Scholarship, whichreturned to an in-person format. Nearly every academic department on campus submitted a presentation.

For more information on the event, click here.

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Student Poster Presentation Winners Announced | Northern Today - Northern Today

Physiology

From Spiritual Journey to Physiological Phenomena: The … – Pager Publications, Inc.

For Muslims all over the globe, Ramadan is a month-long period of spiritual reflection and purification. During this time, Muslims practice self-discipline by abstaining from food, drink and other physical needs from sunrise to sunset to seek forgiveness and purify their souls. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of Islams Five Pillars, along with declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity to the poor and making the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia for those who are able.

Muslims break their fast at sunset, which is known as iftar. The exact time for iftar varies based on location and time of year, but it usually occurs during the Maghrib prayer, one of Islams five daily prayers. Muslims break their fast by eating dates and drinking water, just as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did.

The thirst is gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah will. This is a supplication we make when breaking the fast. As a Muslim living in a city with a hot and humid climate, I can attest that when its time to break my fast, water is the only thing on my mind. Drinking water seems to immediately quench my thirst. But does this mean that the water is absorbed from my stomach into the bloodstream at the exact moment of consumption?

The holy month of Ramadan and the great desire to drink water after more than fourteen hours of fasting in a very hot city inspired me to learn about thirst mechanisms and their different stimuli in order to answer this question.

Thirst is a homeostatic response to blood changes. An increase in plasma osmolarity or a decrease in plasma volume or pressure causes thirst, which motivates animals to seek out and consume water, restoring these parameters to their physiological set points.

The thirst center is a group of neurons in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates bodily processes such as thirst and hunger. The thirst center gets signals from our bodys fluid and electrolyte balance, causing thirst when fluid intake is required. When the body is dehydrated or there is an electrolyte imbalance, the thirst center sends signals to the brain, motivating the person to pursue and ingest fluids. However, it may take 30 to 60 minutes after intake to reabsorb and distribute the water throughout the body.

So, why does thirst seem to vanish as soon as you consume water? Dryness of the mouth and mucous membranes of the esophagus can cause thirst. As a result of simply dampening the mouth and esophagus, even if the water has yet to be absorbed into the bloodstream, a thirsty person may feel immediate relief after drinking it. Another mechanism for immediate thirst quenching is gastrointestinal distension, which can alleviate thirst to some extent as gastrointestinal stimuli influence thirst; for example, simple inflation of a balloon in the stomach can relieve thirst. Mechanical pharyngeal stimulation also plays a role, as drinking water partly alleviates thirst even if there isnt a surface on the pharynx or esophagus or through which water can get absorbed into the bloodstream. The relief from these mechanisms, however, is fleeting. The sensation of thirst is only completely satisfied when the primary imbalance either plasma osmolarity or blood volume reverts to normal. Furthermore, experimental studies have repeatedly demonstrated that animals drink nearly precisely the amount required to restore plasma osmolarity and volume to normal.

In conclusion, drinking water relieves the sensation of thirst immediately, but temporarily, by overcoming the dryness of the mouth and mucous membranes of the esophagus, as well as through the gastrointestinal distension caused by drinking water. The immediate thirst-quenching power of water not only provides immediate satisfaction after a long fast, but plays an essential homeostatic role. If drinking water does not immediately relieve thirst, a person may continue to drink excessively, resulting in overhydration and excessive dilution of bodily fluids.

References:

Guyton, A. C., & Hall, J. E. (2016). Textbook of Medical Physiology (13th ed.). Elsevier.

Contributing Writer

Hadhramout University College of Medicine

Ahmed Ben Dohman is a fifth-year medical student at Hadhramout University College of Medicine. He is committed to excellence in his studies and is always seeking new ways to advance his skills and knowledge in the field of medicine. In his free time, Ahmed enjoys exploring new topics and staying intellectually engaged through reading and other thought-provoking activities. He is also an avid chess player and enjoys solving puzzles such as Sudoku and Rubik's cubes, which he believes help keep his mind sharp and focused.

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From Spiritual Journey to Physiological Phenomena: The ... - Pager Publications, Inc.