Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Metastasis to the Lumbar Spine Masquerading as a Schmorl’s Node

Cory P. Daignault,Edwin L. Palmer,James A. Scott,John S. Swan,Gilbert H. Daniels 대한핵의학회 2015 핵의학 분자영상 Vol.49 No.3

A Schmorl’s node is a common incidental finding encountered during radiologic imaging. Despite the vertebral body being a common site of metastatic disease, a lytic lesion adjacent to an endplate with typical imaging features can often confidently be called a Schmorl’s node. This is a case report of a patient with a single well-defined FDG-avid papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis to the spine that had imaging findings characteristic of a Schmorl’s node on CT and MRI. This case is important to consider as it demonstrates that the imaging characteristics of metastatic disease and Schmorl’s nodes can overlap.

Echinacea Supplementation: Does it Really Improve Aerobic Fitness?

( Cory W Baumann ),( Dongmin Kwak ) 한국운동영양학회 2016 Physical Activity and Nutrition (Phys Act Nutr) Vol.20 No.3

[Purpose] Echinacea is an herbal supplement used by endurance athletes for its performance boosting properties. It is thought that Echinacea improves the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity by increasing production of erythropoietin (EPO), a glycoprotein that regulates red blood cell formation. Subsequently, these changes would lead to an overall improvement in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and running economy (RE), two markers of aerobic fitness. The purpose of this review is to briefly discuss the physiological variables associated with distance running performance and how these variables are influenced by Echinacea supplementation. [Methods] To determine Echinacea’s ergogenic potential, human studies that used Echinacea in conjunction to analyzing the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity and/or aerobic fitness were assessed. [Results] Taken together, the majority of the published literature does not support the claim that Echinacea is a beneficial ergogenic aid. With the exception of one study, several independent groups have reported Echinacea supplementation does not increase EPO production, blood markers of oxygen transport, VO2max or RE in healthy untrained or trained subjects. [Conclusion] To date, the published literature does not support the use of Echinacea as an ergogenic aid to improve aerobic fitness in healthy untrained or trained subjects.

AWARE Pulse: An Integrated Portal to the AWARE Platform

Benny Leong,Cory Q. Nguyen,Anthony H. Smith,Eric T. Matson,J. Eric Dietz 제어로봇시스템학회 2011 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2011 No.10

This paper presents the AWARE Pulse application that serves as a web portal to the AWARE platform that provides a mobile wireless network through the use of autonomous robotic agents. In particular, this paper discusses the overall application architecture including the various components within the application, the different roles of the application as well as the integration of AWARE Pulse into the existing AWARE platform.

Design and testing of a minimally invasive intervertebral cage for spinal fusion surgery

Walter Anderson,Cory Chapman,Zohreh Karbaschi,Mohammad Elahinia,Vijay Goel 국제구조공학회 2013 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.11 No.3

An innovative cage for spinal fusion surgery is presented within this work. The cage utilizes shape memory alloy for its hinge actuation. Because of the use of SMA, a smaller incision is needed which makes the cage deployment minimally invasive. In the development of the cage, a model for predicting the torsional behavior of SMAs was developed and verified experimentally. The prototype design of the cage was developed and manufactured. The prototype was subjected to static tests per ASTM specifications. The cage survived all of the tests, alluding to its safety within the body.

Materials Genome in Action: Identifying the Performance Limits of Physical Hydrogen Storage

Thornton, Aaron W.,Simon, Cory M.,Kim, Jihan,Kwon, Ohmin,Deeg, Kathryn S.,Konstas, Kristina,Pas, Steven J.,Hill, Matthew R.,Winkler, David A.,Haranczyk, Maciej,Smit, Berend American Chemical Society 2017 Chemistry of materials Vol.29 No.7

<P/><P>The Materials Genome is in action: the molecular codes for millions of materials have been sequenced, predictive models have been developed, and now the challenge of hydrogen storage is targeted. Renewably generated hydrogen is an attractive transportation fuel with zero carbon emissions, but its storage remains a significant challenge. Nanoporous adsorbents have shown promising physical adsorption of hydrogen approaching targeted capacities, but the scope of studies has remained limited. Here the Nanoporous Materials Genome, containing over 850 000 materials, is analyzed with a variety of computational tools to explore the limits of hydrogen storage. Optimal features that maximize net capacity at room temperature include pore sizes of around 6 Å and void fractions of 0.1, while at cryogenic temperatures pore sizes of 10 Å and void fractions of 0.5 are optimal. Our top candidates are found to be commercially attractive as “cryo-adsorbents”, with promising storage capacities at 77 K and 100 bar with 30% enhancement to 40 g/L, a promising alternative to liquefaction at 20 K and compression at 700 bar.</P>

Paranormal Beliefs: Using Survey Trends from the USA to Suggest a New Area of Research in Asia

Kim, Jibum,Wang, Cory,Nunez, Nick,Kim, Sori,Smith, Tom W.,Sahgal, Neha Center for Asian Public Opinion ResearchCollaborat 2015 Asian journal for public opinion research Vol.2 No.4

Americans continue to have beliefs in the paranormal, for example in UFOs, ghosts, haunted houses, and clairvoyance. Yet, to date there has not been a systematic gathering of data on popular beliefs about the paranormal, and the question of whether or not there is a convincing trend in beliefs about the paranormal remains to be explored. Public opinion polling on paranormal beliefs shows that these beliefs have remained stable over time, and in some cases have in fact increased. Beliefs in ghosts (25% in 1990 to 32% in 2005) and haunted houses (29% in 1990, 37% in 2001) have all increased while beliefs in clairvoyance (26% in 1990 and 2005) and astrology as scientific (31% in 2006, 32% in 2014) have remained stable. Belief in UFOs (50%) is highest among all paranormal beliefs. Our findings show that people continue to hold beliefs about the paranormal despite their lack of grounding in science or religion.

Evaluation of Hydroxyl Radical-Scavenging Abilities of Silica Hydride, an Antioxidant Compound, by a Fe2+-EDTA-Induced 2-Hydroxyterephthalate Fluorometric Analysis

G. Patrick Flanagan,Cory J. Stephanson,Anne M. Stephanson 한국식품영양과학회 2003 Journal of medicinal food Vol.6 No.3

The hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity and efficacy of a novel organosiliceous anionic hydride compound,silica hydride, were quantified by a recently developed method. The method measures a direct relationship between the hy-droxyl radical scavenging capability of the antioxidant compound and the linear decrease in signal from a fluorescent 2-hy-droxyterephthalate product created by reacting an Fe 21 -EDTA complex in the presence of a potential radical scavenger. Afluorescence signal half-inhibition, IC 50, value of 1.4 6 0.1 mM was obtained for silica hydride compounds. The validity ofthe analysis was verified by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, spectrophotometric analysis of NAD1 /NADH ratios, mi-tochondrial membrane potential measurements, and assays of both cytochrome c(Fe31 ) to cytochrome c(Fe21 ) and epineph-rine to adenochrome reductions.

Antioxidant Capability and Efficacy of Mega-H™ Silica Hydride, an Antioxidant Dietary Supplement, by In Vitro Cellular Analysis Using Photosensitization and Fluorescence Detection

G. Patrick Flanagan,Cory J. Stephanson,Anne M. Stephanson 한국식품영양과학회 2002 Journal of medicinal food Vol.5 No.1

Treatment of Chinese hamster ovary and mouse hybridoma cells with Mega-H™ brand sil-ica hydride, a marketed antioxidant, after photosensitization with singlet oxygen and hy-droxyl/superoxide reactive oxygen species through the use of rose bengal diacetate and mala-chite green resulted in an effective method of reducing free radical activity by more than 96%against singlet oxygen species and more than 86% for hydroxyl and superoxide free radicalswith the dosage recommended by the manufacturer. The analysis used a combinational spec-trafluorometric technique to determine cell viability and cytotoxicity through the mechanismof intracellular esterase activity and plasma membrane integrity. Photosensitized controls nottreated with silica hydride showed less than 1% viability under the same conditions. The re-duction of the introduced fre radicals and singlet oxygen species and the consequent highlevels of cell viability may be the result of effective and efficient antioxidant and radical scav-enging properties of silica hydride.9

Differential Metabolic Effects on Mitochondria by Silica Hydride Using Capillary Electrophoresis

G. Patrick Flanagan,Cory J. Stephanson 한국식품영양과학회 2004 Journal of medicinal food Vol.7 No.1

Working as an extension of a newly developed method for a capillary electrophoretic analysis of purine nu-cleotides, nucleosides, bases, and catabolism, an assay of the differential metabolic properties by a novel organosiliceous an-ionic hydride compound, silica hydride, was evaluated with Chinese hamster ovary mitochondria using a 50-mm poly(acry-loylaminopropanol)-coated, fused-silica capillary. The results of this organellar differential analysis indicate a correlation ofincreased redox pair of NADH to NAD 1 ratios by two times and an increase in ATP levels in the assayed mitochondria bysix times. Glucose levels in the organelles were half of the original values. This study validates the electrophoretic methodutilizing live organelle fractions for differential metabolic analysis and aditionally illustrates some of the emerging novelproperties of silica hydride. As confirmation of the results obtained in this assay, additional methods of standard protocol wereused to monitor the mitochondrial metabolic activity.

Positive Cooperativity in the Template-Directed Synthesis of Monodisperse Macromolecules

Belowich, Matthew E.,Valente, Cory,Smaldone, Ronald A.,Friedman, Douglas C.,Thiel, Johannes,Cronin, Leroy,Stoddart, J. Fraser American Chemical Society 2012 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY - Vol.134 No.11

<P>Two series of oligorotaxanes R and R' that contain -CH(2)NH(2)(+)CH(2)- recognition sites in their dumbbell components have been synthesized employing template-directed protocols. [24]Crown-8 rings self-assemble by a clipping strategy around each and every recognition site using equimolar amounts of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldehyde and tetraethyleneglycol bis(2-aminophenyl) ether to efficiently provide up to a [20]rotaxane. In the R series, the -NH(2)(+)- recognition sites are separated by trismethylene bridges, whereas in the R' series the spacers are p-phenylene linkers. The underpinning idea here is that in the former series, the recognition sites are strategically positioned 3.5 ? apart from one another so as to facilitate efficient [ππ] stacking between the aromatic residues in contiguous rings in the rotaxanes and consequently, a discrete rigid and rod-like conformation is realized; these noncovalent interactions are absent in the latter series rendering them conformationally flexible/nondiscrete. Although in the R' series, the [3]-, [4]-, [8]-, and [12]rotaxanes were isolated after reaction times of <5-30 min in yields of 72-85%, in the R series, the [3]-, [4]-, [5]-, [8]-, [12]-, [16]-, and [20]rotaxanes were isolated in <5 min to 14 h in 88-98% yields. It follows that while in the R' series the higher order oligorotaxanes are formed in lower yields more rapidly, in the R series, the higher order oligorotaxanes are formed in higher yields more slowly. In the R series, the high percentage yields are sustained throughout, despite the fact that up to 39 components are participating in the template-directed self-assembly process. Simple arithmetic reveals that the conversion efficiency for each imine bond formation peaks at 99.9% in the R series and 99.3% in the R' series. This maintenance of reaction efficiency in the R series can be ascribed to positive cooperativity, that is, when one ring is formed it aids and abets the formation of subsequent rings presumably because of stabilizing extended [ππ] stacking interactions between the arene units. Experiments have been performed wherein the dumbbell is starved of the macrocyclic components, and up to five times more of the fully saturated rotaxane is formed than is predicted based on a purely statistical outcome, providing a clear indication that positive cooperativity is operative. Moreover, it would appear that as the R series is traversed from the [3]- to the [4]- to the [5]rotaxane, the cooperativity becomes increasingly positive. This kind of cooperative behavior is not observed for the analogous oligorotaxanes in the R' series. The conventional bevy of analytical techniques (e.g., HR-MS (ESI) and both (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy) help establish the fact that all the oligorotaxanes are pure and monodisperse. Evidence of efficient [ππ] stacking between contiguous arene units in the rings in the R series is revealed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Ion-mobility mass spectrometry performed on the R and R' series yielded the collisional cross sections (CCSs), confirming the rigidity of the R oligorotaxanes and the flexibility of the R' ones. The extended [ππ] stacking interactions are found to be present in the solid-state structures of the [3]- and [4]rotaxanes in the R series and also on the basis of molecular mechanics calculations performed on the entire series of oligomers. The collective data presented herein supports our original design in that the extended [ππ] stacking between contiguous arene units in the rings of the R series of oligorotaxanes facilitate an essentially rigid rod-like conformation with evidence that positive cooperativity improves the efficiency of their formation. This situation stands in sharp contrast to the conformationally flexible R' series where the oligorotaxanes form with no cooperativity.</P>