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  • Software DJ Creates Automated Pop Song Mashups #Acoustics23

    Software DJ Creates Automated Pop Song Mashups #Acoustics23

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    Newswise — SYDNEY, Dec. 7, 2023 – Song mashups are a staple of many DJs, who mix the vocals and instrumentals from two or more tracks into a seamless blend, creating a new and exciting final product. While the result is fun to listen to, the creation process can often be challenging, requiring knowledge and expertise to select the right tracks and mash them together perfectly.

    Xinyang Wu from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology took a different approach, designing a computer algorithm to intelligently create mashups using the drum tracks from one song and the vocals and instrumentals from another. He will present his work Dec. 7 at 4:20 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time, as part of Acoustics 2023, running Dec. 4-8 at the International Convention Centre Sydney.

    While some algorithms and automated software can attempt to create song mashups, their results are often clunky and unrefined. These methods layer the complete, unaltered tracks on top of each other, aligning them based on detected key moments in the music, rather than skillfully combining the vocals and instrumentals of different songs.

    “Imagine trying to make a gourmet meal with only a microwave – that’s sort of what automated mashup software is up against compared to a pro chef, or in this case, a professional music composer,” said Wu. “These pros can get their hands on the original ingredients of a song – the separate vocals, drums, and instruments, known as stems – which lets them mix and match with precision.”

    His algorithm takes a different approach, mimicking the process used by professionals. The software works to isolate the stems from each song and identify the most dynamic moments. It adjusts the tempo of the instrumental tracks and adds the drum beat mashup at exactly the right moment for maximum effect.

    The result is a unique blend of pleasing lyrics and exciting instrumentals with wide-ranging appeal.

    “From what I’ve observed, there’s a clear trend in what listeners prefer in mashups,” said Wu. “Hip-hop drumbeats are the crowd favorite – people seem to really enjoy the groove and rhythm that these beats bring to a mashup.”

    Now that the software has been tested on drum tracks, the team plans to tackle bass mashups next. For Wu, the dream is to expand the algorithm to incorporate the full instrumental suite and put user-friendly mashup technology directly into the hands of listeners.

    “Our ultimate goal is creating an app where users can pick any two songs and choose how to mash them up – whether it’s switching out the drums, bass, instrumentals, or everything together with the other song’s vocals,” said Wu.

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    ———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–

    The Acoustical Society of America is joining the Australian Acoustical Society to co-host Acoustics 2023 in Sydney. This collaborative event will incorporate the Western Pacific Acoustics Conference and the Pacific Rim Underwater Acoustics Conference.

    Main meeting website: https://acoustics23sydney.org/ 
    Technical program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL23    

    ASA PRESS ROOM

    In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/. 

    LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS

    ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

    PRESS REGISTRATION

    ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at [email protected]. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

    ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

    The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

    ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY

    The Australian Acoustical Society (AAS) is the peak technical society for individuals working in acoustics in Australia. The AAS aims to promote and advance the science and practice of acoustics in all its branches to the wider community and provide support to acousticians. Its diverse membership is made up from academia, consultancies, industry, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and all levels of Government. The Society supports research and provides regular forums for those who practice or study acoustics across a wide range of fields The principal activities of the Society are technical meetings held by each State Division, annual conferences which are held by the State Divisions and the ASNZ in rotation, and publication of the journal Acoustics Australia. https://www.acoustics.org.au/ 

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    Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

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  • Acne sufferers encounter social and professional stigma, study reveals.

    Acne sufferers encounter social and professional stigma, study reveals.

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    • Brigham researchers found that individuals with darker skin tones and more severe acne were likely to face greater stigma 

    • Researchers note the importance of treating acne as a medical problem and ensuring access to treatment 

     
    Newswise — A new study highlights how stigmatizing attitudes about individuals with acne may influence social and professional perceptions. Led by investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, the study found that individuals with acne face stigmatizing attitudes from the general public in professional and social scenarios. The researchers also found that more severe acne and darker skin tones were associated with a greater degree of stigma. These results, published in JAMA Dermatology, highlight the need to identify ways to reduce stigmatizing attitudes and increase access to care in order to improve the experience of individuals with acne. 
     

    “Our findings show that stigmatizing attitudes about acne can impair quality of life, potentially by affecting personal relationships and employment opportunities,” said corresponding author John Barbieri, MD, MBA, of the Department of Dermatology. “Acne is often wrongly perceived as merely a cosmetic issue. It’s important that people with this medical problem get access to treatment, just like any other condition.” 

    Most teenagers and many adults experience acne at some point in their lifetimes. While previous studies have examined how acne impacts the psychological well-being of individuals, not much is known about public perception and attitudes towards them. 

    ​​​For this study, Barbieri and his team obtained stock portraits of four adults, including males and females of either light or dark skin tone. The researchers digitally altered these pictures to create two additional versions of each with mild and severe acne, resulting in a total pool of 12 portraits. They then performed a cross-sectional internet survey of 1357 participants, who were randomly shown one of the 12 images and asked a set of questions regarding stigmatizing attitudes about the pictured individual. The answer scores for images with acne were compared with the corresponding original image without acne as baseline.  

    The team found that participants were less likely to want to be friends, have close contact, or post a photograph on social media with individuals with severe acne, compared to those without acne. Participants reported a greater desire to socially distance themselves from individuals with acne, particularly if the pictured individual had a darker skin tone. 

    The authors also observed that respondents were more likely to agree with stereotypes about individuals with severe acne, tending to perceive them as unhygienic, unattractive, unintelligent and untrustworthy. This stereotype endorsement was also higher in individuals with darker skin. 

    Participants with past or current acne had less stigmatizing attitudes and only 26.4% believed that acne was a cosmetic issue. Most agreed that acne does not affect only teenagers. 

    The study has some limitations. It was not possible to control for comparisons between images with differences in sex or skin tone (for example, female with light skin tone with severe acne versus male with dark skin tone and no acne). Therefore, the results regarding differences by skin tone could be due to other factors and should be interpreted cautiously. The survey population was mostly white and highly educated, limiting the generalizability of the results.  

    Further studies are required to better understand if the relationship between darker skin tones and stigmatizing attitudes result from underlying structural racism or other factors.  

    “Many insurers poorly cover acne and rosacea treatments, claiming that it’s cosmetic,” Barbieri said. “Our study highlights the need for that narrative to change and for ​​identifying approaches to reduce stigmatizing attitudes in the community.” 

    Authorship: Additional Mass General Brigham co-authors include Ali Shields (BWH), Sophia Ly (BWH), Priya Manjaly (BWH) and Arash Mostaghimi (BWH). 

    Other authors include Michael R. Nock. 

    Disclosures: Dr Mostaghimi reported personal fees from hims & hers, AbbVie, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Pfizer, Digital Diagnostics, Lilly, Equillium, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Fig.1 Beauty, Acom Healthcare, and Olaplex outside the submitted work. Dr Barbieri reported personal fees from Dexcel Pharma for consulting outside the submitted work. Dr Barbieri is Associate Editor and Evidence-Based Practice Editor of JAMA Dermatology but was not involved in any of the decisions regarding review of the manuscript or its acceptance. 
     
    Funding: This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. 

    Paper cited: Shields, Ali et al. “Evaluation of Stigma Toward Individuals With Acne” JAMA Dermatology DOI:10.1001/jamadermatol.2023.4487 

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    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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  • Early periods linked to higher mid-life diabetes risk.

    Early periods linked to higher mid-life diabetes risk.

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    Newswise — Starting menstrual cycles at a young age—before the age of 13—is linked to a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes in mid-life, finds US research published online in the open access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

    And it also seems to be associated with an increased risk of having a stroke before the age of 65 in those with the disease, particularly those who started having periods before the age of 10 or younger, the findings indicate.

    Diabetes and its complications are on the rise among young and middle aged US adults, while the age at which women start having periods is falling worldwide, note the researchers. 

    They therefore wanted to find out if there might be a link between these two phenomena in younger women, and drew on responses to the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018.

    Some 17,377 women aged between 20 and 65 were included in the study, all of whom specified the age at which they had had their first menstrual cycle. This was categorised as 10 or younger, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 and older.

    Of the total, 1773 (10%) reported a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. And of these, 205 (11.5%) reported some type of cardiovascular disease.

    Starting periods before the average age of 13 was associated with a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes, after accounting for a range of potentially influential factors, including age, race/ethnicity, education, motherhood, menopausal status and family history of diabetes, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption and weight (BMI). 

    This ranged from 32% greater (10 or younger) through 14% greater (age 11) to 29% greater (age 12).

    Among women with diabetes, earlier age at first menstrual cycle was associated with a heightened risk of stroke, although not cardiovascular disease in general, after accounting for the same set of potentially influential factors. 

    Very early age at first menstrual cycle—10 or younger—was associated with a more than doubling in stroke risk among women below the age of 65 with diabetes, after similar adjustments for influential factors.

    This risk fell in tandem with increasing age: 81% among those with their first menstrual bleed at the age of 11, to 32% at the age of 12, and to 15% at the age of 14.

    This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish causal factors. But, suggest the researchers: “Earlier age at [first menstrual cycle] may be one of early life indicators of the cardiometabolic disease trajectory in women.” 

    They explain: “One potential pathway explanation may be that [such] women are exposed to oestrogen for longer periods of time, and early [menstruation] has been associated with higher oestrogen levels.”

    They point out that while the observed associations between age at first menstrual cycle and stroke complications weakened slightly after accounting for weight, these still remained statistically significant. 

    “Therefore, adiposity may also play a role in the observed association between early age at [first menstrual cycle] and stroke complications, as higher childhood adiposity is associated with earlier age at [menstruation] and with cardiometabolic diseases later in life,” they suggest.

    “These findings add another dimension to the potentially less well understood determinants of cardiometabolic risk, particularly in women who have been relatively underrepresented in this area of research,” comments Professor Sumantra Ray, Executive Director of the NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition & Health, which co-owns BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

    “And they provide a clear steer on the need to design interventional studies looking at the prevention of cardiometabolic disease in ethnically diverse groups of women who start menstruating at a young age,” he adds.

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    BMJ

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  • How FLEXLAB® Is Helping to Decarbonize the Grid, Communities, and Buildings

    How FLEXLAB® Is Helping to Decarbonize the Grid, Communities, and Buildings

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    Key takeaways:

    • Decarbonizing buildings and the grid are key to meeting U.S. goals to achieve zero carbon emissions.
    • Demand flexibility in buildings and distributed energy resources can support low-carbon grid operations.
    • FLEXLAB® offers real-world testbeds to advance decarbonizing strategies for buildings and the grid.

    Newswise — The United States aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by 2050. Getting there depends on meeting clean electricity objectives by 2035 and achieving deep energy efficiency and electrification in the buildings sector. These ambitious goals also entail replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy such as wind and solar.

    Around 20% of all electricity for the U.S. grid is generated from renewable energy. Even more renewable energy is needed if utilities companies are to achieve zero carbon emissions in support of the nation’s clean energy goals. But how can grid operators ramp up and maintain power to customers with a supply of clean, emissions-free energy when the sun stops shining or the wind stops blowing?

    Grid operators could overcome these hurdles to a renewable grid by emphasizing energy efficiency and expanding the adoption of demand-flexibility technologies like smart thermostats, electric water heaters, and batteries. These advances in demand flexibility could enable buildings to self-regulate energy consumption for the mutual support of utilities customers and a clean grid while making the best use of clean renewable energy when it is available.

    For many years, researchers from the buildings and utilities sectors as well as policymakers have been working side by side with researchers at the Department of Energy’s FLEXLAB® Facility, a zero carbon and demand-flexibility buildings testbed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), to evaluate strategies and develop new technologies for a zero-carbon future.

    “FLEXLAB is uniquely qualified to help the nation advance its clean energy goals,” said Cindy Regnier, FLEXLAB’s executive director. “Our facility studies a full ecosystem of building technologies – from demand flexibility to zero-carbon retrofits and distributed energy resources – under real-world operating conditions.”

    FLEXLAB research is also on track to help California meet its 7 gigawatt “load shift” goal by 2030, which the California Energy Commission announced in May. That goal could enable a flexible energy system that can better deliver electricity and clean energy to customers, manage grid conditions, and help customers save money in utility bills.

    Here are three ways FLEXLAB is supporting the decarbonization of the U.S. grid, communities, and buildings: 

    Enabling equitable access to building electrification

    Business owners of small office spaces face greater burdens in identifying cost-effective retrofit solutions because they typically lack the capital needed to afford the cost of an energy-consulting service. What’s more, energy-consulting fees for large commercial buildings (more than 50,000 square feet) can be offset by their larger potential for energy cost savings, but small office spaces don’t have the same benefit.

    “Enabling equitable access to energy-saving retrofit information across all sectors is important in meeting zero carbon goals at the state and national level,” Regnier said. 

    In a recent project funded by the California Energy Commission, FLEXLAB researchers developed and demonstrated an identification tool for cost-effective electrification retrofits tailored for small commercial buildings.

    “FLEXLAB helps to provide solutions for under-resourced buildings that industry can rely on,” said Regnier, who led the project. “Our work aims to enable equitable access to energy analysis and the identification of net zero energy retrofit strategies for small commercial offices.”

    For the project, Regnier and team developed CBES (Commercial Building Energy Saver), a free online tool that provides retrofit recommendations and calculates retrofit energy savings and costs for small- to medium-sized office and retail buildings in California and other regions of the United States.

    “With the free CBES tool, a small business owner doesn’t have to worry about having to hire an energy consultant,” said Regnier.

    CBES can estimate savings in energy costs from building improvements such as window upgrades, lighting retrofits, and the replacement of natural gas furnaces with heat pumps. Unlike air conditioners or furnaces, heat pumps can serve as either a heating device that releases heat into a building – or as a cooling device that absorbs heat. CBES also allows users to assess how energy generated by a solar panel installation over the course of a year could provide further energy cost savings.

    After validating the CBES retrofit recommendations for energy savings and building occupant comfort at FLEXLAB, the research team then implemented most of the recommendations in an energy retrofit of a mental health services building. The researchers found that the selected retrofit package also resulted in a net zero carbon building.

    “This was a side benefit of the heat pump retrofit. Heat pumps are not only a good choice for energy efficiency reasons but they also support deeper carbon reduction,” Regnier said.

    The data also showed that the solar panel installation enabled the building to generate more energy than it consumed.  

    Advancing distributed energy resources to support clean grid operations and lower energy bills

    Distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop solar panels and backup energy storage can lower energy bills while providing other benefits such as providing some backup power supply during power outages. DERs are also key strategies to increasing grid reliability and reducing carbon emissions.

    A Berkeley Lab research team led by Jessica Granderson and Marco Pritoni has developed a machine learning algorithm that could enable a building to dynamically control multiple DERs. The method could enhance energy savings for customers while supporting the grid.   

    The new algorithm, which is based on a machine learning method called deep reinforcement learning (DRL), is designed to automatically adjust building load (a building’s electricity consumption) for optimal energy efficiency and demand flexibility.

    To test the DRL-based algorithm, the researchers set up two identical experimental rooms at FLEXLAB to represent a small office space with a large south-facing window. The experiments showed that the DRL-based algorithm can produce cost savings of up to 40% as compared to the conventional algorithm while maintaining similar thermal comfort in the building.

    Empowering communities and the grid through electric vehicle charging

    The United States aims to make half of all new cars sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs). In California, all new cars must be zero-emission vehicles beginning in 2035.

    To advance these goals, FLEXLAB is studying how EVs can be used as a clean energy resource that also provides resiliency and demand flexibility benefits to customers and the grid.

    “How do we make it economical for the customer to  provide power to the grid? FLEXLAB is uniquely equipped to help researchers answer this question,” said Regnier.

    With FLEXLAB’s bi-directional charger, researchers can charge EVs with electricity supplied from the grid or from solar energy when it’s available. “Bi-directional charging also allows us to use the car’s battery to provide power back to the building or even to the grid, supporting clean low-carbon grid operations,” she added. “Using an EV battery to power a building or home can provide great resilience benefits in the event of a power outage as well.”

    Since the 1970s, Berkeley Lab has been a world leader in advancing energy-efficiency breakthroughs across the building, appliance, water, and transportation sectors. Today, Berkeley Lab continues to partner with the Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, industry stakeholders, and community organizations to bring decarbonization solutions to the world.

    This work was supported by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

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    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to delivering solutions for humankind through research in clean energy, a healthy planet, and discovery science. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 16 Nobel Prizes. Researchers from around the world rely on the Lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

    DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.

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  • Chemists craft colorful organic molecules.

    Chemists craft colorful organic molecules.

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    Newswise — CAMBRIDGE, MA — Chains of fused carbon-containing rings have unique optoelectronic properties that make them useful as semiconductors. These chains, known as acenes, can also be tuned to emit different colors of light, which makes them good candidates for use in organic light-emitting diodes.

    The color of light emitted by an acene is determined by its length, but as the molecules become longer, they also become less stable, which has hindered their widespread use in light-emitting applications.

    MIT chemists have now come up with a way to make these molecules more stable, allowing them to synthesize acenes of varying lengths. Using their new approach, they were able to build molecules that emit red, orange, yellow, green, or blue light, which could make acenes easier to deploy in a variety of applications.

    “This class of molecules, despite their utility, have challenges in terms of their reactivity profile,” says Robert Gilliard, the Novartis Associate Professor of Chemistry at MIT and the senior author of the new study. “What we tried to address in this study first was the stability problem, and second, we wanted to make compounds where you could have a tunable range of light emission.”

    MIT research scientist Chun-Lin Deng is the lead author of the paper, which appears today in Nature Chemistry.

    Colorful molecules

    Acenes consist of benzene molecules — rings made of carbon and hydrogen — fused together in a linear fashion. Because they are rich in sharable electrons and can efficiently transport an electric charge, they have been used as semiconductors and field-effect transistors (transistors that use an electric field to control the flow of current in a semiconductor).

    Recent work has shown that acenes in which some of the carbon atoms are replaced, or “doped,” with boron and nitrogen have even more useful electronic properties. However, like traditional acenes, these molecules are unstable when exposed to air or light. Often, acenes have to be synthesized within a sealed container called a glovebox to protect them from air exposure, which can lead them to break down. The longer the acenes are, the more susceptible they are to unwanted reactions initiated by oxygen, water, or light.

    To try to make acenes more stable, Gilliard decided to use a ligand that his lab has previously worked with, known as carbodicarbenes. In a study published last year, they used this ligand to stabilize borafluorenium ions, organic compounds that can emit different colors of light in response to temperature changes.

    For this study, Gilliard and his co-authors developed a new synthesis that allowed them to add carbodicarbenes to acenes that are also doped with boron and nitrogen. With the addition of the new ligand, the acenes became positively charged, which improved their stability and also gave them unique electronic properties.

    Using this approach, the researchers created acenes that produce different colors, depending on their length and the types of chemical groups attached to the carbodicarbene. Until now, most of the boron, nitrogen-doped acenes that had been synthesized could emit only blue light.

    “Red emission is very important for wide-ranging applications, including biological applications like imaging,” Gilliard says. “A lot of human tissue emits blue light, so it’s difficult to use blue-fluorescent probes for imaging, which is one of the many reasons why people are looking for red emitters.”

     

    Better stability

    Another important feature of these acenes is that they remain stable in both air and water. Boron-containing charged molecules with a low coordination number (meaning the central boron atom has few neighbors) are often highly unstable in water, so the acenes’ stability in water is notable and could make it feasible to use them for imaging and other medical applications.

    “One of the reasons why we’re excited about the class of compounds that we’re reporting in this paper is that they can be suspended in water. That opens up a wide range of possibilities,” Gilliard says.

    The researchers now plan to try incorporating different types of carbodicarbenes to see if they can create additional acenes with even better stability and quantum efficiency (a measure of how much light is emitted from the material).

    “We think it will be possible to make a lot of different derivatives that we haven’t even synthesized yet,” Gilliard says. “There are a lot of optoelectronic properties that can be dialed in that we have yet to explore, and we’re excited about that as well.”

    Gilliard also plans to work with Marc Baldo, an MIT professor of electrical engineering, to try incorporating the new acenes into a type of solar cell known as a single-fission-based solar cell. This type of solar cell can produce two electrons from one photon, making the cell much more efficient.

    These types of compounds could also be developed for use as light-emitting diodes for television and computer screens, Gilliard says. Organic light-emitting diodes are lighter and more flexible than traditional LEDs, produce brighter images, and consume less power.

    “We’re still in the very early stages of developing the specific applications, whether it’s organic semiconductors, light-emitting devices, or singlet-fission-based solar cells, but due to their stability, the device fabrication should be much smoother than typical for these kinds of compounds,” Gilliard says.

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    The research was funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation and the National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Program.

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    Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

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  • Study shows how birth control pills affect women’s psychological and biological responses to stress

    Study shows how birth control pills affect women’s psychological and biological responses to stress

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    Newswise — A new UCLA Health study is shedding light on how using hormonal contraceptive pills may affect women’s responses to stress and their risk for inflammation-related illnesses.

    The study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, is the first to directly measure differences in hormonal contraceptive users’ and non-users’ psychological and immune responses to socially stressful situations.

    Researchers at the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences’ Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research found contraceptive users and non-users processed stress differently at the molecular level, with contraceptive users also reporting a more negative psychological response to stress compared to non-users.

    Study lead author Summer Mengelkoch said the findings could help researchers uncover the mechanisms underlying the interactions between birth control pills, stress responses, and inflammation, potentially improving health outcomes for the hundreds of millions of women who use birth control pills around the world.

    “I hope this research is the beginning of work that can advance a precision medicine-based approach to hormonal contraceptive use so that women and their doctors can make truly informed decisions about their health,” said Mengelkoch, a UCLA postdoctoral fellow. “To do this, we need basic science research that investigates how both endogenous sex steroid hormones that women already have in their bodies and exogenous sex steroid hormones from contraceptives impact their stress processing, inflammation, and risk for inflammation-related disorders.”

    Although hormonal contraceptives are safely used by more than 300 million women worldwide (as of a 2019 study by the United Nations), there has been minimal research on their downstream physiological and behavioral effects.

    Past research has found hormonal contraceptive pills may increase women’s risk for chronically elevated inflammation, which carries the long-term risk of developing illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders, as well as potential mood disorders, including depression. However, the mechanisms behind this association have remained understudied and unclear, Mengelkoch said.

    Hormonal contraceptive users have been shown in past research to have higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a marker of systemic inflammation, compared to non-users. At the same time, past research has also found no differences in the basal, or resting, levels of other markers of inflammation, including cytokines, between users and non-users. Cytokines are immune-response proteins that increase inflammation in response to stress and can contribute to systemic inflammation over time. Mengelkoch and fellow researchers, including her UCLA faculty mentor, Dr. George Slavich, sought to test for differences in these proinflammatory cytokines in response to stress between hormonal contraceptive users and non-users.

    In the study, nearly 130 women – 60 women using hormonal contraceptive pills and 67 being naturally cycling, or free from hormonal contraceptive use – provided researchers a saliva sample and then rated their mood and stress levels. Each participant then underwent a stress test in which they gave a five-minute speech about their dream job to a stone-faced researcher who did not react or provide positive affirmation. Following this speech, the participant was surprised with a mental math task in which they had to count backward from 1,022 in intervals of 13 for five minutes. If the participant made a mistake, they were told to start again. Following the test, participants provided a second saliva sample as well as rated their mood and stress levels.

    Researchers found that women who use contraceptives had higher levels of an inflammatory cytokine called TNF-alpha both before and after the stress test. Mengelkoch said this cytokine may be associated with a more “male-typical” response to stress. In comparison, naturally cycling women had a more “female-typical” response to stress, with higher levels of the cytokine known as interleuken-6 rising alongside increases in cortisol.

    There are different types of synthetic hormones in different contraceptive pills which have been found to bind with different types of receptors in the body. Mengelkoch said the findings of this study suggest that synthetic hormones in some contraceptives that bind more to androgen receptors – sites in the body where testosterone usually binds – may be causing differences in inflammatory stress response for some contraceptive users.

    The findings also found that women who used contraceptives reported a more negative emotional response to the stress as their levels of cortisol – a steroid hormone that works to reduce inflammation – rose.

    “Cortisol gets a bad rap, but increases in cortisol in response to stress help the body manage stressful situations,” Mengelkoch said. “If women on the pill are having these increases in cortisol but their mood is getting worse, it could mean that the pill is preventing their bodies and minds from returning to normal following stress.”

    Article: Hormonal contraceptive use is associated with differences in women’s inflammatory and psychological reactivity to an acute social stressor Published Nov. 30, 2023, Mengelkoch et al. Brain, Behavior and Immunity, Volume 115, 2024, ISSN 0889-1591, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2023.10.033

    Funding: Study authors are funded by the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research/California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (grant #OPR21101)

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    University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

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  • Taming Noise Behind Bars #Acoustics23

    Taming Noise Behind Bars #Acoustics23

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    SYDNEY, Dec. 6, 2023 – Prisons are typically noisy environments, filled with clanking metal bars and echoing concrete surfaces. This level of constant noise is harmful to both prisoners and staff, but there are few guidelines for designing better, quieter facilities.

    James Boland, an acoustician for SLR Consulting, employed insights from the field of sensory criminology to better understand the unique acoustic needs inside prison environments. His presentation will take place Dec. 6 at 2:40 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time, as part of Acoustics 2023 Sydney, running Dec. 4-8 at the International Convention Centre Sydney.

    “Sensory criminology examines how sensory experiences, such as sight, sound, and touch, influence and shape perceptions of crime and justice,” said Boland. “It emphasizes the impact of auditory elements on the experiences of both prisoners and staff and considers how the constant noise contributes to the overall atmosphere, perceptions, and communication within the prison environment.”

    Auditory guidelines for prisons are often adapted from existing protocols for schools and hospitals. However, prisons are unique environments with different relationships to sound and noise. For instance, both prisoners and staff rely on noise to gauge the level of social tension. A prison that is ‘too quiet’ can sometimes be worse than one that is too loud.

    In the context of prisons, acoustic design can contribute to transforming communication dynamics and alleviating negative social interactions. By focusing on speech intelligibility, strategic reduction of noise levels, and the incorporation of privacy considerations, acoustic design can significantly improve the overall prison environment. Creating distinct zones within the prison and balancing moments of quiet with activity are essential to fostering a more comfortable and secure space.

    “The crux lies in recognizing the significance of ‘noise’ from the perspective of those inhabiting these spaces,” said Boland. “For prisoners, it’s about how sound influences their outlook in terms of power or dynamic safety in their daily lives, while for staff, it becomes a tool for decision-making and maintaining safety for themselves and those under their care.”

    By seeking input from the people who occupy and live in these spaces, Boland hopes to gain an understanding of the complex role of sound inside prisons. Such an understanding could lead to better guidelines for current and future prison facilities, benefiting everyone inside.

    “Ultimately, thoughtful acoustic design in prisons can directly influence the lived experiences of individuals, promoting positive social interactions and supporting rehabilitation efforts,” said Boland.

    ###

    ———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–

    The Acoustical Society of America is joining the Australian Acoustical Society to co-host Acoustics 2023 in Sydney. This collaborative event will incorporate the Western Pacific Acoustics Conference and the Pacific Rim Underwater Acoustics Conference.

    Main meeting website: https://acoustics23sydney.org/ 
    Technical program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL23     

    ASA PRESS ROOM

    In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/. 

    LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS

    ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

    PRESS REGISTRATION

    ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at [email protected]. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

    ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

    The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

    ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY

    The Australian Acoustical Society (AAS) is the peak technical society for individuals working in acoustics in Australia. The AAS aims to promote and advance the science and practice of acoustics in all its branches to the wider community and provide support to acousticians. Its diverse membership is made up from academia, consultancies, industry, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and all levels of Government. The Society supports research and provides regular forums for those who practice or study acoustics across a wide range of fields The principal activities of the Society are technical meetings held by each State Division, annual conferences which are held by the State Divisions and the ASNZ in rotation, and publication of the journal Acoustics Australia. https://www.acoustics.org.au/ 

    ###

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    Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

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  • Reliable research and evidence-based recommendations scarce for women who exercise according to menstrual cycle

    Reliable research and evidence-based recommendations scarce for women who exercise according to menstrual cycle

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    Newswise — Hamilton, ON, December 5, 2023 – There is no shortage of advice for women on what to eat, how to train, or what supplements to take during their menstrual cycles, but a new review by an international team of scientists has found little evidence to support such recommendations.

    In fact, they found sparse research on women and exercise at all, and even less on the effect of their periods on sports performance, physiology, or physical fitness.

    The authors of the paper, from McMaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University and the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, are calling for much more high quality, standardized research on women.

    A key finding from the review was that hormonal levels vary substantially between women during their menstrual periods and between the cycles of individual women. Virtually no woman has a standard version of a menstrual cycle, which is typically 28 days long, with ovulation consistently occurring on day 14.

    “The data suggests that from woman to woman, there are significant variations in estrogen and progesterone, the primary hormones that characterize the phases of the menstrual cycle,” says co-lead author Alysha D’Souza, a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University.

    The findings are published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology.  

    “Hormone levels can vary substantially. Not just between two women, but within one woman from one cycle to the next,” says Mai Wageh, a PhD candidate in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster and co-lead author of the article.

    The findings prompted D’Souza and Wageh to dig deeper into physiological differences across the menstrual cycle, broadly categorized into follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases. They found few or no differences when they looked at exercise results across the cycle phases and examined women’s use of fat versus carbohydrates, the potential for muscle growth, or blood-vessel function. 

    The review relied on various methods, including a systematic review and meta-analysis, narrative interpretation and a previous umbrella review.

    “Many women are following advice and planning exercises and practices based on some ostensible benefit of menstrual cycle phase-based exercise. We saw no evidence that such practice is science-based,” said Stuart Phillips, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster and senior author of the review.

    “Women can feel better or worse, and some are even incapacitated during various phases of their cycle,” said Wageh. “You need an individualized approach to training.  Track your cycle and your symptoms in each phase and adjust your exercise plan accordingly. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.”

    The next steps for this work will be to determine whether symptoms often associated with menstruation are cycle-related or due to other stressors, including lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or work and relationship-related issues.

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    McMaster University

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  • Wearable Ultrasound Monitor Can Aid Rehabilitation from Injury #Acoustics23

    Wearable Ultrasound Monitor Can Aid Rehabilitation from Injury #Acoustics23

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    Newswise — SYDNEY, Dec. 5, 2023 – Millions suffer from musculoskeletal injuries every year, and the recovery process can often be long and difficult. Patients typically undergo rehabilitation, slowly rebuilding muscle strength as their injuries heal. Medical professionals routinely evaluate a patient’s progress via a series of tasks and exercises. However, because of the dynamic nature of these exercises, obtaining a clear picture of real-time muscle function is extremely challenging.

    Parag Chitnis of George Mason University led a team that developed a wearable ultrasound system that can produce clinically relevant information about muscle function during dynamic physical activity. He will present his work Dec. 5 at 5:00 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time, as part of Acoustics 2023 running Dec. 4-8 at the International Convention Centre Sydney.

    Many medical technologies can give doctors a window into the inner workings of a patient’s body, but few can be used while that patient is moving. A wearable ultrasound monitor can move with the patient and provide an unprecedented level of insight into body dynamics.

    “For instance, when an individual is performing a specific exercise for rehabilitation, our devices can be used to ensure that the target muscle is actually being activated and used correctly,” said Chitnis. “Other applications include providing athletes with insights into their physical fitness and performance, assessing and guiding recovery of motor function in stroke patients, and assessing balance and stability in elderly populations during routine everyday tasks.”

    Designing a wearable ultrasound device took much more than simply strapping an existing ultrasound monitor to a patient. Chitnis and his team reinvented ultrasound technology nearly from scratch to produce the results they needed.

    “We had to completely change the paradigm of ultrasound imaging,” said Chitnis. “Traditionally, ultrasound systems transmit short-duration pulses, and the echo signals are used to make clinically usefully images. Our systems use a patented approach that relies on transmission of long-duration chirps, which allows us to perform ultrasound sensing using the same components one might find in their car radio.”

    This modified approach allowed the team to design a simpler, cheaper system that could be miniaturized and powered by batteries. This let them design an ultrasound monitor with a small, portable form factor that could be attached to a patient.

    Soon, Chitnis hopes to further improve his device and develop software tools to more quickly interpret and analyze the ultrasound signals.

    ###

    ———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–

    The Acoustical Society of America is joining the Australian Acoustical Society to co-host Acoustics 2023 in Sydney. This collaborative event will incorporate the Western Pacific Acoustics Conference and the Pacific Rim Underwater Acoustics Conference.

    Main meeting website: https://acoustics23sydney.org/ 
    Technical program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL23     

    ASA PRESS ROOM

    In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/. 

    LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS

    ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

    PRESS REGISTRATION

    ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at [email protected]. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

    ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

    The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

    ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY

    The Australian Acoustical Society (AAS) is the peak technical society for individuals working in acoustics in Australia. The AAS aims to promote and advance the science and practice of acoustics in all its branches to the wider community and provide support to acousticians. Its diverse membership is made up from academia, consultancies, industry, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and all levels of Government. The Society supports research and provides regular forums for those who practice or study acoustics across a wide range of fields The principal activities of the Society are technical meetings held by each State Division, annual conferences which are held by the State Divisions and the ASNZ in rotation, and publication of the journal Acoustics Australia. https://www.acoustics.org.au/ 

    ###

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    Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

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  • A Farsighted Approach to Tackle Nearsightedness #Acoustics23

    A Farsighted Approach to Tackle Nearsightedness #Acoustics23

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    As humans age, our eyes adjust based on how we use them, growing or shortening to focus where needed, and we now know that blurred input to the eye while the eye is growing causes myopia.

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    Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

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  • Over three-fourths of Americans lose sleep due to digital distractions – sleep experts urge a change

    Over three-fourths of Americans lose sleep due to digital distractions – sleep experts urge a change

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    Newswise — As the countdown to the New Year begins, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about fresh starts and new habits, like reducing digital disruptions before bedtime. A recent survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 91% of individuals reported they have lost sleep because they stayed up past their bedtime to binge-watch a TV show. Browsing and buying is also keeping people up at night as 75% of respondents have lost sleep because they stayed up past their bedtime to shop online. 

    “Bedtime procrastination is a common problem, as people often stay up later than intended while binge-watching a program or shopping online,” said sleep medicine physician Dr. Alexandre Abreu, a spokesperson for the AASM. “It’s important to prioritize sleep so that you can feel good and perform your best throughout the day.” 

    When having trouble falling asleep, the survey found that half of Americans (50%) watch TV and 45% use their smartphone. More than eight in 10 people (87%) keep their smartphone in the bedroom, often within arm’s reach, making midnight scrolling and late-night binge-watching an enticing habit that can unknowingly compromise sleep duration and quality. 

    “With so many digital distractions vying for our time, it can be tempting to watch one more episode or scroll through one more viral video, but anything that keeps us from getting the recommended seven hours of sleep each night can be harmful to overall health and well-being,” said Abreu.   

    The AASM recommends the following tips to reduce digital disruptions and achieve a better night of sleep: 

    • Disconnect from devices at night—Turn off all electronics at least 30 minutes to an hour before your bedtime to help prepare for sleep. 
    • Leave your phone in another room—It’s tempting to go on your phone, so keep it in a separate room at night. If you use your phone for a morning alarm, consider using an alarm clock instead. 
    • Follow a relaxing nighttime routine—Find something you look forward to doing, like taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book or journaling to help you wind down at the end of the day. 
    • Have a sleep schedule—Go to bed and get up at the same time on a regular basis and hold yourself to it. Don’t let scrolling stop you from getting your precious hours of sleep.
    • Turn off push notifications—If you must have your phone in your bedroom at night, turn off push notifications and sound to avoid distracting alerts. 

    Download these 2023 AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey results in the AASM newsroom. To learn more about the importance of healthy sleep, visit SleepEducation.org. 

    ###   

    About the Survey  

    The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commissioned an online survey of 2,005 adults in the U.S. The overall margin of error fell within +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95%. Fieldwork took place between March 24-29, 2023. Atomik Research is an independent market research agency. 

    About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine   

    Established in 1975, the AASM advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM has a combined membership of 12,000 accredited sleep centers and individuals, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who care for patients with sleep disorders. As the leader in the sleep field, the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research (aasm.org).  

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    American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)

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  • Investigation of degradation mechanism for all-solid-state batteries takes another step toward commercialization

    Investigation of degradation mechanism for all-solid-state batteries takes another step toward commercialization

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    Newswise — Often referred to as the ‘dream batteries’, all-solid-state batteries are the next generation of batteries that many battery manufacturers are competing to bring to market. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which use a liquid electrolyte, all components, including the electrolyte, anode, and cathode, are solid, reducing the risk of explosion, and are in high demand in markets ranging from automobiles to energy storage systems (ESS). However, devices that maintain the high pressure (tens of MPa) required for stable operation of all-solid-state batteries have problems that reduce the battery performance, such as energy density and capacity, and must be solved for commercialization.

    Dr. Hun-Gi Jung and his team at the Energy Storage Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have newly identified degradation factors that cause rapid capacity degradation and shortened lifespan when operating all-solid-state batteries at pressures similar to those of lithium-ion batteries. Unlike previous studies, the researchers confirmed for the first time that degradation can occur inside the cathode as well as outside, showing that all-solid-state batteries can be operated reliably even in low-pressure environments in the future.

    In all-solid-state batteries, the cathode and anode have a volume change during repeated charging and discharging, resulting in interfacial degradation such as side reaction and contact loss between active materials and solid electrolytes, which increase the interfacial resistance and worsen cell performance. To solve this problem, external devices are used to maintain high pressure, but this has the disadvantage of reducing energy density as the weight and volume of the battery increase. Recently, research is being conducted on the inside of the all-solid-state cell to maintain the performance of the cell even in low-pressure environments.

    The research team analyzed the cause of performance degradation by repeatedly operating a coin-type all-solid-state battery with a sulfide-based solid electrolyte in a low-pressure environment of 0.3 MPa, similar to that of a coin-type Li-ion battery. After 50 charge-discharge cycles, the NCM cathode layer had expanded in volume by about two times, and cross-sectional image analysis confirmed that severe cracks had developed between the cathode active material and the solid electrolyte. This newly revealed that in addition to the interfacial contact loss, cracking of the cathode material and irreversible cathode phase transformation are the causes of degradation in low-pressure operation.

    Furthermore, after replacing the lithium in the cathode with an isotope (6Li) to distinguish it from the lithium present in the solid electrolyte, the team used time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to identify for the first time the mechanism by which lithium consumption in the cathode contributes to the overall cell capacity reduction. During repeated charge-discharge cycles, sulfur, a decomposed product of the solid electrolyte, infused the cracks in the cathode material to form lithium sulfide, a byproduct that is non-conductive. This depleted the active lithium ions and promoted cathode phase transformation, reducing the capacity of the all-solid-state batteries.

    By clearly identifying the cause of the degradation of all-solid-state batteries in low-pressure operating environments, these analytical methods provide a clue to solving the problem of poor cycling characteristics compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. If this problem is solved, it is expected that the economics of all-solid-state batteries can be secured by eliminating external auxiliary devices, which have been a major cause of rising production costs.

    “For the commercialization of all-solid-state batteries, it is essential to develop new cathode and anode materials that can be operated in a pressure-free or low-pressure environment rather than the current pressurized environment,” said Dr. Hun-Gi Jung of KIST. “When applying low-pressure-working all-solid-state batteries to medium and large-scale applications such as electric vehicles, it will be expected to make full use of established lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities.”

    ###

    KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/

    This research was supported by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology institutional program funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea (Minister Lee Jong-ho), by the Development Program of Core Industrial Technology funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Minister Bang, Moon Kyu), and by the Technology Development Program to Solve Climate Changes funded by the National Research Foundation (President Lee, Kwang-bok). The research results were published as a front cover article in the latest issue of Advanced Energy Materials (IF 27.8, top 2.5% in JCR), an international journal in the field of energy materials.

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    National Research Council of Science and Technology

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  • Needle-Free Ultrasound Vaccine Delivery #Acoustics23

    Needle-Free Ultrasound Vaccine Delivery #Acoustics23

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    Newswise — SYDNEY, Dec. 4, 2023 – An estimated quarter of adults and two-thirds of children have strong fears around needles, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet, public health depends on people being willing to receive vaccines, which are often administered by a jab.

    Darcy Dunn-Lawless, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering, is investigating the potential of a painless, needle-free vaccine delivery by ultrasound. He will share the recent advancements in this promising technique as part of Acoustics 2023 Sydney, running Dec. 4-8 at the International Convention Centre Sydney. His presentation will take place Dec. 4 at 11:00 a.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time.

    “Our method relies on an acoustic effect called ‘cavitation,’ which is the formation and popping of bubbles in response to a sound wave,” said Dunn-Lawless. “We aim to harness the concentrated bursts of mechanical energy produced by these bubble collapses in three main ways. First, to clear passages through the outer layer of dead skin cells and allow vaccine molecules to pass through. Second, to act as a pump that drives the drug molecules into these passages. Lastly, to open up the membranes surrounding the cells themselves, since some types of vaccine must get inside a cell to function.”

    Though initial in vivo tests reported 700 times fewer vaccine molecules were delivered by the cavitation approach compared to conventional injection, the cavitation approach produced a higher immune response. The researchers theorize this could be due to the immune-rich skin the ultrasonic delivery targets in contrast to the muscles that receive the jab. The result is a more efficient vaccine that could help reduce costs and increase efficacy with little risk of side effects.

    “In my opinion, the main potential side effect is universal to all physical techniques in medicine: If you apply too much energy to the body, you can damage tissue,” Dunn-Lawless said. “Exposure to excessive cavitation can cause mechanical damage to cells and structures. However, there is good evidence that such damage can be avoided by limiting exposure, so a key part of my research is to try and fully identify where this safety threshold lies for vaccine delivery.”

    Dunn-Lawless works as part of a larger team under the supervision of Dr. Mike Gray, Professor Bob Carlisle, and Professor Constantin Coussios within Oxford’s Biomedical Ultrasonics, Biotherapy and Biopharmaceuticals Laboratory (BUBBL). Their cavitation approach may be particularly conducing to DNA vaccines that are currently difficult to deliver. With cavitation able to help crack open the membranes blocking therapeutic access to the cell nucleus, the other advantages of DNA vaccines, like a focused immune response, low infection risk, and shelf stability, can be better utilized.

    ###

    ———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–

    The Acoustical Society of America is joining with the Australian Acoustical Society to co-host Acoustics 2023 Sydney. This collaborative event will incorporate the Western Pacific Acoustics Conference and the Pacific Rim Underwater Acoustics Conference.

    Main meeting website: https://acoustics23sydney.org/ 
    Technical program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL23     

    ASA PRESS ROOM

    In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/. 

    LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS

    ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

    PRESS REGISTRATION

    ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at [email protected]. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

    ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

    The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

    ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY

    The Australian Acoustical Society (AAS) is the peak technical society for individuals working in acoustics in Australia. The AAS aims to promote and advance the science and practice of acoustics in all its branches to the wider community and provide support to acousticians. Its diverse membership is made up from academia, consultancies, industry, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and all levels of Government. The Society supports research and provides regular forums for those who practice or study acoustics across a wide range of fields The principal activities of the Society are technical meetings held by each State Division, annual conferences which are held by the State Divisions and the ASNZ in rotation, and publication of the journal Acoustics Australia. https://www.acoustics.org.au/ 

    ###

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    Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

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  • The Science of Consciousness Conference 2024 – Announcement + Call for Abstracts

    The Science of Consciousness Conference 2024 – Announcement + Call for Abstracts

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    Dear Friends,

    Newswise — We are pleased to announce the 30th annual conference ‘The Science of Consciousness’ (‘TSC’), April 22-27, 2024 at the beautiful Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in the hills above Tucson, Arizona. The conference is hosted and sponsored by the University of Arizona, Center for Consciousness Studies and co-sponsored by the University of Michigan, Center for Consciousness Science.

     

    Conference Themes – The Science of Consciousness 2024

    • Cortical Oscillations & Traveling Waves
    • Psychedelics & Psychoplastogens
    • Astrobiology & Astroconsciousness
    • Dual Aspect Monism
    • Megahertz EEG & DoDecoGraphy (DDG)
    • Theories of Consciousness
    • Consciousness & Reality
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Consciousness
    • Detecting Consciousness
    • Microtubule Time Crystals
    • Searching for Consciousness and Entanglement in Cerebral Organoids
    • Brain Dimensions, Wavefunctions and Symmetry

     

    Keynote Speakers 

    Earl K Miller – Susan Schneider – Anirban Bandyopadhyay – Dante Lauretta

     

    Plenary Speakers

    Steven Laureys

    Donald Hoffman

    Tanya Luhrmann

    Brian Muraresku

    George Mashour

    Sir Roger Penrose

    Caleb Scharf

    Hartmut Neven

    Pieter-Jan Maes

    Giulio Tononi

    Paavo Pylkkanen

    Claudia Passos

    Gina Poe

    Stuart Hameroff

    Harald Atmanspacher

    Dinesh Pal

    David Chalmers

    Alysson Muotri

    Dean Rickles

    Santosh A. Helekar

    Melanie Boly

    Deepak Chopra

    Bill Seager

    Christof Koch

    Zirui Huang

    Aaron Schurger

    Dimitris Pinotsis

    Andre Bastos

    Pulin Gong

    Phillip Schmitt-Kopplin

    Valerie Gray Hardcastle

    Matteo Grasso

     

    Program Sessions by Day

     

    WORKSHOPS / SYMPOSIUM

    TSC Workshops are 4 hour parallel sessions on particular topics Monday morning,

    afternoon and evening. Attendance is included in your registration.

     

    MONDAY April 22, 2024

     

    8:30 am to 12:30 pm (Workshop speakers listed below)

    • Quantum Biology
    • Dual Aspect Monism
    • Dreamless Sleep
    • Indian Knowledge Systems and Medical Applications (IKSHMA)

     

    2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

    • Neurophysiology of Loss and Recovery of Consciousness
    • Meditation and Global Spiritual Practices
    • Education in Consciousness Studies
    • Terminal Lucidity

     

    SYMPOSIUM

    7:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Symposium and Open Discussion

    • Integrated Information Theory of Consciousness

    Giulio Tononi, Christof Koch, Melanie Boly, Matteo Grasso, Paavo Pylkkanen (Moderator)

     

    TUESDAY April 23, 2024

    7:15 am – 8:00 am – Kiva Plaza

    Meditation Wellness Kickoff with Deepak Chopra

     

    PLENARY PROGRAM 

    8:30 am to 10:40 am – Plenary 1

    ‘Detecting Consciousness’

    Steven Laureys, Claudia Passos, Gina Poe

     

    11:10 am to 12:30 pm – KEYNOTE/Plenary 2

    ‘Cortical Oscillations, Waves and Consciousness 1’

    Earl K. Miller

    2:00 pm to 4:10 pm – Plenary 3

    ‘Consciousness and Reality’

    Donald Hoffman, Deepak Chopra, Paavo Pylkkanen

     

    CONCURRENTS

    5:00-7:00 pm – Concurrent Sessions 1-8 (Speakers TBA)

    C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, C-6, C-7, C-8

    6:30-9:00 pm Welcome Reception

     

    WEDNESDAY April 24, 2024

    PLENARY

    8:30 am to 10:40 am – Plenary 4

    ‘Cortical Oscillations,Waves and Consciousness 2’

    Andre Bastos, Pulin Gong, Dimitris Pinotsis

     

    11:10 am to 12:30 pm – KEYNOTE/Plenary 5

    ‘AI and the Future of the Mind’

    Susan Schneider

     

    2:00 pm to 4:10 pm – Plenary 6

    ‘Psychedelics and Altered States’

    Tanya Luhrmann, Brian Muraresku, Dinesh Pal

     

    CONCURRENTS

    5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Concurrents 9-16 (Speakers TBA)

    C-9. C-10, C-11, C-12, C-13, C-14, C-15, C-16

    6:30 pm – 9:00 pm – Art-Tech Demos, Exhibits, Posters (Presenters TBA)

    Refreshments

    Cash Bar

     

    THURSDAY April 25, 2024

    PLENARY

    8:30 am to 10:40 am – Plenary 7

    ‘Mechanisms of Consciousness’

    Aaron Schurger, Pieter-Jan Maes, George Mashour

     

    11:10 am to 12:30 pm – KEYNOTE/Plenary 8

    ‘DoDecoGraphy (‘DDG’) – 12 Orders of Frequency Oscillations in EEG’

    Anirban Bandyopadhyay

     

    2:00 pm to 4:10 pm – Plenary 9

    Astrobiology and Astroconsciousness

    Caleb Scharf, Phillipe Schmitt-Kopplin, Stuart Hameroff

    6:30-9:00 pm – optional dinner under the stars – tickets required

     

    FRIDAY April 26, 2024

    PLENARY

    8:30 am to 10:40 am – Plenary 10

    ‘Dual Aspect Monism’

    Harald Atmanspacher, Bill Seager, Dean Rickles

     

    11:10 am to 12:30 pm – KEYNOTE/Plenary 11

    ‘Molecules of Life and Consciousness from the Asteroid Bennu

    Dante Lauretta

     

    2:00 pm to 4:10 pm – Plenary 12

    ‘The Science of Consciousness – 30 Years On’

    Panel: Valerie Gray Hardcastle, David Chalmers, Christof Koch,

    Stuart Hameroff, Paavo Pylkkanen

     

    CONCURRENTS

    5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Concurrents 17-24

    C-17, C-18, C-19, C-20, C-21, C-22, C-23, C-24 (Speakers TBA)

     

    7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

    Art-Tech Demos, Exhibits, Posters (Presenters TBA)

    Reception

    Poetry Slam / No-End of Consciousness Party

    Cash Bar

     

     

    SATURDAY April 27, 2024

    PLENARY

    9:00 am to 10:30 am – Plenary 13

    ‘Dimensions, Wavefunctions and Symmetry in the Brain’

    Zirui Huang, Santosh Helekar, Sir Roger Penrose

     

    11:00 am to 12:30 pm – Plenary 14

    ‘Searching for Consciousness and Entanglement in Cerebral Organoids’

    Alysson Muotri, Harmut Neven

     

    Conference Close 

     

    For more information visit https://conta.cc/3T5iZvh

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    Center for Consciousness Studies, University of Arizona

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  • فهم العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) وآثارها الجانبية المحتملة

    فهم العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) وآثارها الجانبية المحتملة

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    جاكسونفيل، فلوريدا — العلاج المناعي يسخر جهاز المناعة في الجسم لمحاربة السرطان. العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (العلاج بخلايا CAR-T) هو شكل من أشكال العلاج المناعي الذي يقوم فيه أخصائيو الرعاية الصحية بإزالة الخلايا التائية للشخص — خلايا الدم البيضاء المعروفة باسم الخلايا اللمفية التي تشارك في استجابة الجهاز المناعي — وتعديلها وراثيًا لإنتاج مستقبلات المستضد الخيمرية (CARs). يتم بعد ذلك حقن الخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) مرة أخرى في مجرى دم المريض، حيث تستهدف الخلايا السرطانية وتقتلها.

    يقول دكتور محمد خرفان دباجة، دكتور في الطب اختصاصي الدَّمَويات والأورام في مايو كلينك: “يعد العلاج بخلايا CAR-T من بين أكثر المجالات الواعدة لعلاج السرطان، مع العديد من قصص النجاح في جميع أنحاء العالم. لقد أعطى أملًا جديدًا للمرضى الذين كانت لديهم في السابق خيارات محدودة.”

    من مؤهل للعلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T)؟

    وافقت إدارة الأدوية الفيدرالية على العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) لعلاج سرطانات الدم التالية:

    الأشخاص الذين يعانون من هذه التشخيصات والذين لم يستجب مرضهم للعلاج (المقاومة) أو الذين انتكس مرضهم قد يكونون مؤهلين للعلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T). يجب أن يخضع المرضى لتقييم شامل لتحديد ما إذا كان العلاج بخلايا CAR-T هو الخيار الأفضل للعلاج.

    كم يستغرق الأمر من الوقت لإتمام العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T)؟

    تعتبر عملية العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) معقدة ويمكن أن تستغرق عدة أسابيع. يعاني معظم الأشخاص من رد فعل تجاه الخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) مما قد يتطلب منهم البقاء في المستشفى للمراقبة والإدارة.

    يقول الدكتور خرفان دباجة: “يجب على الأشخاص الذين يخططون لتلقي العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) أن يتوقعوا البقاء في المستشفى بعد حقن الخلايا لعدة أيام حتى يتمكن فريق الرعاية الخاص بهم من مراقبة استجابتهم للعلاج”.

    ما الآثار الجانبية المحتملة للعلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T)؟

    في حين أن الآثار الجانبية لعلاج الخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) قابلة للعكس بشكل عام، إلا أن الدكتور خرفان دباجة يقول إنها قد تشمل:

    • متلازمة إطلاق السيتوكين (CRS): تعد متلازمة إطلاق السيتوكين (CRS) أحد الآثار الجانبية الأكثر شيوعًا للعلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T)، وتنجم عن الاستجابة المناعية التي تحدث عند إدخال الخلايا التائية المعدلة إلى مجرى دم المريض. عندما تبدأ الخلايا التائية في استهداف الخلايا السرطانية، فإنها تطلق عددًا كبيرًا من السيتوكينات – وهي بروتينات يمكن أن تتسبب في المبالغة في رد فعل الجهاز المناعي. وقد يؤدي هذا إلى الحُمّى، وانخفاض ضغط الدم، وآلام في العضلات وأعراض أخرى تشبه أعراض الإنفلونزا. في الحالات الشديدة، يمكن أن نسبب متلازمة إطلاق السيتوكين (CRS) فشل الأعضاء وحتى أن تكون مميتة. يمكن التحكم في معظم الأعراض المرتبطة بمتلازمة إطلاق السيتوكين (CRS) باستخدام الأدوية والمراقبة الحثيثة.
    • السمية العصبية: قد يعاني بعض المرضى من تأثير عصبي يعرف باسم السمية العصبية بعد تلقي العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T). هذه حالة خطيرة محتملة تؤثر فيها الاستجابة المناعية للعلاج على الجهاز العصبي المركزي. في حين أن السبب الدقيق للتسمم العصبي غير مفهومًا جيدًا، تشير بعض الدراسات إلى أنه يرتبط جزئيًا بخطورة متلازمة إطلاق السيتوكين (CRS). يمكن أن تشمل الأعراض الارتباك والنوبات المَرَضية وصعوبة التحدث أو المشي. يتم حل معظم حالات السمية العصبية من خلال المراقبة الحثيثة دون آثار جانبية طويلة المدى.
    • اضطرابات الدم: يمكن أن يؤدي العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) إلى تغيرات في الدم يمكن أن تؤدي إلى فقر الدم ، ونقص الصفيحات (انخفاض عدد الصفائح الدموية) واضطرابات الدم الأخرى. عادةً ما تكون هذه التأثيرات قصيرة الأمد وتختفي من تلقاء نفسها بمرور الوقت، ولكنها قد تكون أكثر خطورة لدى بعض المرضى.
    • العَدوى: قد يكون الأشخاص الذين يتلقون العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) أكثر عرضة للإصابة بالعدوى، خاصة خلال الأسابيع القليلة الأولى بعد العلاج عندما يعمل الجهاز المناعي وقتًا إضافيًا لمحاربة السرطان. يمكن أن يبقى الأشخاص الذين يعانون من انخفاض عدد خلايا الدم البيضاء أكثر عرضة لخطر الإصابة بالعَدوى لبعض الوقت. ويجب مراقبتهم عن قرب بحثًا عن مؤشرات العَدوى، بما في ذلك الحُمّى والقشعريرة والشعور العام بالتوعك.
    • الآثار الجانبية طويلة المدى: نظرًا لأن العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) لا يزال جديدًا نسبيًا، فإن المتخصصين في الرعاية الصحية لا يعلمون بعد النطاق الكامل لآثاره الجانبية طويلة المدى.

    يشجع الدكتور خرفان دباجة الأشخاص الذين يفكرون في العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) على التحدث مع فرق الرعاية الخاصة بهم حول المخاطر والفوائد المحتملة وأي مخاوف بشأن صحتهم على المدى الطويل. ويوصي أيضًا بالسعي للحصول على تقييم للعلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T) في مركز علاج السرطان الشامل.

    يقول الدكتور: “إذا كنت تعتقد أنك أو شخص عزيز لديك قد تكون مرشحًا لهذا العلاج، فمن الأفضل التواصل مع فريق رعاية لديه خبرة في علاج العديد من مرضى السرطان الذين يتلقون العلاج بالخلايا التائية المستقبلة للمستضدات الخيمرية (CAR-T)”.

    تم نشر هذه المقالة في الأصل على مدونة مركز مايو كلينك الشامل للسرطان.

    ### 

    نبذة عن مايو كلينك
    مايو كلينك هي مؤسسة غير ربحية تلتزم بالابتكار في الممارسات السريرية والتعليم والبحث وتوفير التعاطف والخبرة لكل مَن يحتاج إلى الاستشفاء والرد على استفساراته. لمعرفة المزيد من أخبار مايو كلينك، تفضَّل بزيارة شبكة مايو كلينك الإخبارية.

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    Mayo Clinic

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  • UNC ObGyn, Orange County Department of Health Receive Funding to Reduce Inequities in Maternal Health Care and Outcomes

    UNC ObGyn, Orange County Department of Health Receive Funding to Reduce Inequities in Maternal Health Care and Outcomes

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    Newswise — A study between the UNC Chapel-Hill and Orange County Health Department, called “Thriving Hearts: Healing-Centered, Integrated, Community Maternity Care,” has been approved for a $21-million funding award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), an independent, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. The funding award will be used to reduce the incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and improve maternal outcomes across 10 North Carolina counties over the next six years.

    In the United States, rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity are rising, especially among Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women and women with disabilities, low incomes, or rural residences. Black women with HDP – a group of high blood pressure disorders that includes preeclampsia and gestational hypertension – are 3.7 times more likely to die from complications and are more likely to experience severe morbidity than their white counterparts.

    The project, led by Alison Stuebe, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the UNC School of Medicine, and Quintana Stewart, director of Orange County’s Health Department, will be coordinating with local health departments, families, and community groups to make pregnancy and birth safer. Their project strategy involves a multi-level intervention to provide support and connection at the individual patient level, the healthcare team level, and the community level.

    “The overarching goal of ‘Thriving Hearts’ is to cultivate conditions for mothers to not only survive pregnancy, but to thrive,” said Stuebe, who is also a Distinguished Scholar of Infant and Young Child Feeding at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. “By implementing a multi-level intervention, we want to help community advocates, health system leaders, and policymakers understand what types of support matter to growing families.”

    A Multi-Level Intervention

    The intervention will be delivered by local health departments in Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Cumberland, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Johnston, Orange, and Person Counties, with the goal of strengthening the ecosystem for pregnant and parenting people across each county.

    Local health department staff will be supported to work with maternity care practices in their county to implement home blood pressure monitoring, provide healing-centered support for the health care workforce, and meet the emotional, social, and logistical needs of county residents.

    In addition to health department staff, the project team is comprised of people with lived experience of HDP, including doulas, community health workers, dieticians, social workers, nurses, and researchers. The team will be providing community-informed, multicomponent interventions that simultaneously address health conditions and social determinants of health at the individual, healthcare provider, and community level.

    At the individual level, members of the team will support prenatal clinic staff to determine patients’ risk for developing HDP. Women at high risk will receive a care kit that includes blood pressure-checking tips, a home blood pressure monitor, and a bottle of low-dose aspirin to prevent HDP. They will also be able to sign up for free informational text messages.

    Team members will also be deployed to local hospitals and clinics to provide workshops on burnout and compassion fatigue for health department staff and community healthcare providers. Along with providing small grants to neighborhood organizations, the team’s community health workers will be contacting pregnant women to introduce them to local resources and events and offering referrals to a Medical Legal Partnership to help solve problems like unsafe housing.

    The Five-Year Comparative Effectiveness Study

    Researchers will conduct a five-year study to see how well the Thriving Hearts program works. They will track the progress of the participants – about 140,000 women – before and after the Thriving Hearts program begins.

    Using hospital records, insurance claims, and birth certificates, the team will track how many women get HDP, and how well the program prevented HDP from developing. About three months after birth, the team will survey the participants about their health, well-being, and care. Healthcare workers will also be surveyed to see if their burnout lessened after their county has the Thriving Hearts program.

    Finally, the team will assess how well counties took to Thriving Hearts, and what particular elements were difficult to implement by speaking with patients, community groups, and health team members.

    The funding award for the Thriving Hearts study has been approved pending completion of a business and programmatic review by PCORI staff and issuance of a formal award contract.

     

    About Orange County Health Department

    The mission of Orange County Health Department (OCHD) is to promote and protect health, enhance quality of life, and preserve the environment for everyone in Orange County. In 2023, North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation (NCLHDA) Board awarded OCHD Reaccreditation with Honors, highlighted two unique programs during their visit: Family Success Alliance (FSA), which serves families to break the cycle of poverty, and the Gateway Collaborative, which offers services in the Gateway Village housing community with the goal of bringing agencies together to support residents.

     

    About UNC School of Medicine

    The UNC School of Medicine (SOM) is the state’s largest medical school, graduating more than 180 new physicians each year. It is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the US, including 5th overall for primary care by US News & World Report, and 6th for research among public universities. More than half of the school’s 1,700 faculty members served as principal investigators on active research awards in 2021. Two UNC SOM faculty members have earned Nobel Prize awards.

    # # # #

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    University of North Carolina School of Medicine

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  • American University Experts Discuss the Legacy of Sandra Day O’Connor

    American University Experts Discuss the Legacy of Sandra Day O’Connor

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    What:

    Experts from American University are available to discuss the life and legacy of Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

    When:

    December 1, 2023 – ongoing

    Where:

    Zoom, FaceTime, in-person

    Background:

    American University experts who are available for comments:

    Amy Dacey is Executive Director of the Sine Institute of Policy & Policy at American University. For more than two decades, she managed prominent national organizations, advised leading elected officials and candidates, including President Barack Obama and Senator John Kerry, and counseled a variety of nonprofits and companies. During the 2016 presidential election, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Democratic National Committee. During the 2004 elections, she worked for then-Senator John Kerry on his presidential campaign and, following his narrow loss, helped to lead Kerry’s political operation. She also managed Rep. Louise Slaughter’s congressional campaign in 1998. Ms. Dacey can comment on Sandra Day O’Connor’s service to civic education and the way she sought collaboration in the court. 

    Elizabeth Earle Beske is an associate professor of law at the Washington College of Law at American University. After graduating from Columbia University Law School, she clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the United States Supreme Court and Judge Patricia M. Wald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In recent years, she has worked as a consultant specializing in appellate writing. Beske can comment on federal courts, constitutional law and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s legacy.  

    Betsy Fischer Martin is an Emmy-winning journalist and former TV news executive. She is the Executive Director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University and a faculty member in the School of Public Affairs, where she teaches courses on campaigns and elections. During her earlier career in television journalism, she spent 23 years at NBC News serving as the longtime Executive Producer of Meet the Press with Tim Russert and as the Managing Editor of NBC News Political Programming. Fischer Martin can comment on how Justice O’Connor challenged traditional gender roles by demonstrating that women could attain the highest levels of influence and decision-making in this country.

    Jessica Waters is a faculty member in the School of Public Affairs and has also taught at the Washington College of Law. Her research focuses primarily on reproductive rights law and questions related to the legal impact of women’s medical decisions during pregnancy and childbirth, employment-based conscience protections for reproductive health care providers, and the reproductive rights of employees working for religiously affiliated employers. She can discuss Sandra Day O’Connor’s legacy in the context of the reproductive rights debate.

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    American University

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  • Nature Inspires a New Wave of Biotechnology

    Nature Inspires a New Wave of Biotechnology

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    The Science

    Newswise — Biological molecules called peptides play a key role in many biological activities, including the transport of oxygen and electrons. Peptides consist of short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. They are also the inspiration for new kinds of biotechnology. Researchers are developing a synthetic form of a peptide that self-assembles into nanoscale fibers that conduct electricity when combined with heme. Heme is a substance that helps proteins in nature move electrons from one place to another. The researchers determined how electrical conductivity of their peptide nanofibers was affected by the length of the sequence of amino acids in the peptide and their identity

    The Impact

    Structural parameters of  peptides in nature determine their function and their promise for biotechnology. These parameters include sequence length—the length of the peptide segments that make up complete peptide chains. They also include how some amino acids are arranged in a peptide. This study’s results help researchers design peptide assemblies that form nanoscale fibers and transport electrons over long distances, which could make these fibers useful in medical devices, biosensors for a wide range of applications, and robotics. They also have promise in the development of new enzymes, which companies use to make and improve things such as medical-grade and household cleaning products.

    Summary

    Fields in materials and biochemistry research explore protein and peptide nanostructures found in nature. These nanostructures show great promise as bioelectronic materials. The development of a synthetic analog capable of forming one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures would greatly improve scientists’ understanding of the natural system and provide a platform for developing new materials. Researchers in the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory investigated a series of peptides that self-assemble into 1D layered nanostructures. The peptides PA-(Kx)n are denoted simply as PA-Kxn, where PA is c16-AH with c16-A being modified alanine (A) and H is histidine, K is lysine, n is the sequence repeat length (1-4), and x is the amino acid leucine (L), isoleucine (I), or phenylalanine (F).

    The team determined how the length of the peptide sequence (n) and the identity of the hydrophobic amino acid affect key factors: the binding affinity of heme to pre-assembled peptides, the heme density, and the electronic properties. With a sequence length of 2, the peptide assembly yielded the greatest binding affinity. The resulting nanoscale assemblies produced ordered arrays of the electroactive molecule heme. All the peptides, with the exception of PA-KL1, had nanofibers with a long aspect ratio regardless of repeat unit length and sequence. Such structures have potential utility as supramolecular bioelectronic materials useful in biomedical sensing and the development of enzymatic materials.

    Funding

    Research at the Center for Nanoscale Materials, a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility, was supported by DOE Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.


    Journal Link: Nanoscale, Jun-2022

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    Department of Energy, Office of Science

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  • Entendendo a terapia celular CAR-T e seus possíveis efeitos colaterais

    Entendendo a terapia celular CAR-T e seus possíveis efeitos colaterais

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    Newswise — JACKSONVILLE, Flórida — A imunoterapia aproveita o sistema imunológico do corpo para lutar contra o câncer. A terapia de células T com receptor de antígeno quimérico (terapia celular CAR-T) é uma forma de imunoterapia na qual os profissionais de saúde removem as células T de uma pessoa, os glóbulos brancos do sangue conhecidos como linfócitos que estão envolvidos na resposta do sistema imunológico, e fazem a modificação genética para produzir receptores de antígenos quiméricos (CARs). Então, essas células CAR-T são devolvidas à corrente sanguínea do paciente, onde atacam e matam as células cancerígenas.

    “A terapia celular CAR-T está entre as áreas mais promissoras para o tratamento de câncer, com muitas histórias de sucesso ao redor do mundo”, explica o Dr. Mohamed Kharfan Dabaja, hematologista e oncologista da Mayo Clinic. “Ela deu uma esperança para pacientes que tinham opções limitadas.”

    Quem pode receber a terapia celular CAR-T?

    A Administração Federal de Medicamentos dos EUA aprovou a terapia celular CAR-T para tratar os seguintes tipos de câncer do sangue:

    • Precursor de células B, adulto e pediátrico – leucemia linfoblástica aguda (LLA)
    • Linfoma difuso de grandes células B (LDGCB)
    • Linfoma de grandes células B mediastinal primário
    • Linfoma de grandes células B transformado a partir de linfoma folicular
    • Linfoma de células B de alto grau
    • Linfoma de células B agressivo sem especificação
    • Linfoma de células do manto
    • Linfoma folicular
    • Mieloma múltiplo

    As pessoas que receberam esses diagnósticos, cuja doença não respondeu ao tratamento (refratário) ou cuja doença tenha reincido, podem estar aptas para a terapia celular CAR-T. Os pacientes devem passar por uma avaliação completa para determinar se a terapia celular CAR-T é a melhor opção de tratamento.

    Quanto tempo leva para a conclusão da terapia celular CAR-T?

    O processo de terapia celular CAR-T é complexo e dura muitas semanas. A maioria das pessoas tem reação às células CAR-T. Elas podem precisar ficar no hospital para receber monitoramento e cuidados.

    “As pessoas que planejam receber a terapia celular CAR-T devem ter a predisposição de permanecer no hospital depois da infusão das células por muitos dias para que a equipe de saúde possa monitorar a resposta à terapia”, explica o Dr. Kharfan Dabaja.

    Quais são os possíveis efeitos colaterais da terapia celular CAR-T?

    Ainda que os efeitos colaterais da terapia CAR-T em geral sejam reversíveis, o Dr. Kharfan Dabaja explica que eles podem incluir:

    • Síndrome de tempestade de citocina (STC): A síndrome de liberação de citocina é um dos efeitos colaterais mais comuns da terapia celular CAR-T e é acionada pela resposta imunológica que ocorre quando as células T modificadas são introduzidas na corrente sanguínea do paciente. Conforme as células T começam a atacar as células cancerígenas, elas liberam um grande número de citocinas, que são proteínas que podem causar uma reação exagerada do sistema imunológico. Isso pode levar à febre, baixa pressão arterial, dor muscular e outros sintomas semelhantes a uma gripe. Em casos graves, a STC pode causar falência de órgãos e pode até ser fatal. A maioria dos sintomas relacionados à STC podem ser gerenciados com medicamentos e monitoramento minucioso.
    • Neurotoxicidade: Alguns pacientes podem sofrer um efeito neurológico conhecido como neurotoxicidade depois de receber a terapia celular CAR-T. O efeito pode ser uma condição potencialmente perigosa na qual a resposta imunológica ao tratamento afeta o sistema nervoso central. Ainda que a causa exata da neurotoxicidade não seja bem compreendida, alguns estudos sugerem que ela esteja parcialmente relacionada com a gravidade da STC. Os sintomas podem incluir confusão, convulsões e dificuldade para falar ou caminhar. Com o monitoramento minucioso, a maioria dos casos de neurotoxicidade é resolvida sem efeitos colaterais de longo prazo.
    • Distúrbios sanguíneos: A terapia celular CAR-T pode resultar em alterações sanguíneas que podem causar anemia, trombocitopenia (baixa contagem de plaquetas) e outros distúrbios sanguíneos. Geralmente, esses efeitos acontecem em um curto período e se resolvem ao longo do tempo, mas eles podem ser mais graves em alguns pacientes.
    • Infecções: As pessoas que recebem terapia celular CAR-T podem ter maior risco de infecções, especialmente durante as primeiras semanas após o tratamento, quando o sistema imunológico trabalha mais do que o normal para lutar contra o câncer. As pessoas com baixa contagem de glóbulos brancos podem ter maior risco de infecções por algum tempo. Elas devem ser monitoradas de perto quanto a sinais de infecção, inclusive febre, calafrios e uma sensação geral de mal-estar.
    • Efeitos colaterais em longo prazo: Dado que a terapia celular CAR-T seja relativamente nova, os profissionais de saúde ainda não sabem qual é o espectro completo dos efeitos colaterais em longo prazo.

    O Dr. Kharfan Dabaja encoraja as pessoas que estão pensando em fazer a terapia celular CAR-T a conversar com as equipes de saúde sobre os possíveis riscos, benefícios e outras preocupações relacionadas com a saúde em longo prazo. Ele também recomenda fazer a avaliação para a terapia celular CAR-T em um centro de câncer abrangente.

    “Se o paciente considera que ele ou algum de seus entes queridos pode ser candidato para a terapia, deve entrar em contato com uma equipe de saúde que tenha experiência no tratamento com a terapia CAR-T em muitos pacientes”, explica o Dr. Kharfan Dabaja.

    Este artigo foi originalmente publicado no blog do Centro de Câncer da Mayo Clinic.

    ### 

    Sobre a Mayo Clinic
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  • 1 in 8 older adults use cannabis products, suggesting need to screen for risks

    1 in 8 older adults use cannabis products, suggesting need to screen for risks

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    Newswise — More older Americans use cannabis now than before the pandemic, with 12% saying they’ve consumed a THC-containing substance in the past year and 4% saying they do so multiple times a week, according to a new study of people aged 50 to 80. Those who drink alcohol at risky levels have a much higher rate of cannabis use.

    The new findings, published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoids Research by a team from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, suggest a need for more education and screening of older adults for cannabis-related risks.

    “As the stress of the pandemic and the increased legalization of cannabis by states converged, our findings suggest cannabis use increased among older adults nationally. Older adults represent a vulnerable age group for cannabis use due to interactions with medications, risky driving, cannabis-related mental health impacts and increased possibility of falls and memory issues,” said Anne Fernandez, Ph.D., an addiction psychologist in the U-M Addiction Center and Department of Psychiatry who led the study.

    The data in the study come from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, which IHPI runs with funding from AARP and Michigan Medicine, U-M’s academic medical center. The national poll of 2,023 older adults was taken in January 2021, nine months into the official pandemic declaration and just as the first COVID-19 vaccines were being made available to the groups at the highest risk.

    The 12% overall past-year use of cannabis seen in the new study is higher than the 9.5% seen in 2019 by other researchers pre-pandemic, and far higher than the 3% seen in another study in 2006, when only 12 states had passed medical cannabis laws. The NPHA in 2017 found that 6% of older adults had used cannabis for medical purposes.

    In the new study, in addition to the 4% who said they use cannabis products four or more times a week, another 5% said they use cannabis once a month or less. The poll question asked about use of any product containing THC, the main psychoactive component of cannabis — including edibles – and used multiple common names for cannabis. It did not differentiate between medical and recreational use of cannabis.

    Older adults who said they were unemployed, those who said they were unmarried and had no partner, and those who said they drank alcohol were more likely to say they used cannabis.

    Fernandez notes an especially concerning finding: those whose alcohol use was high enough to cause physical and psychological harms were nearly eight times as likely to say they had used cannabis in the past year. But even those with low-risk alcohol drinking patterns were more than twice as likely to say they had used cannabis in the past year.

    This group of dual-substance users is one that doctors and public health officials should pay special attention to, she said.

    “Other research has shown that using both alcohol and cannabis increases the chance that a person will drive while impaired,” she explained. “They are also more likely to have physical and mental health issues, including substance use disorders. Screening for alcohol use, cannabis use, and other drug use could help more people get counseling and reduce their risk and risk to others.”

    While there were no statistical differences among older adults by age, health or mental health status, income or education, those who said they had Hispanic backgrounds were less likely than non-Hispanic older adults to say they used cannabis. Fernandez says this is consistent with other research showing lower cannabis use in the Latino community.

    She advises any older adult who chooses to use cannabis products for any reason to be open with their health care provider about it, especially if they also drink alcohol or take certain medications. Physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists can advise if any medications a person is taking might interact with cannabis, including ones for insomnia, depression and anxiety, opioid-containing pain medications, seizure medications, and blood thinners.

    For more about the poll methodology, see https://www.healthyagingpoll.org/survey-methods

    In addition to Fernandez, the study’s authors are U-M addiction psychologist Lara Coughlin, Ph.D., poll deputy director Erica S. Solway, Ph.D., poll manager Dianne C. Singer, poll director Jeffrey T. Kullgren, M.D., M.S., M.P.H., poll data lead Matthias Kirch, M.S. and Preeti N. Malani, M.D., former poll director and current poll senior advisor.

     

    In addition to the poll funding, Fernandez has research funding from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA023869).

    Prevalence and Frequency of Cannabis Use Among Adults Ages 50–80 in the United States, Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0056 https://doi-org.proxy.lib.umich.edu/10.1089/can.2023.0056

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    Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan

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