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Background: Microfocused ultrasound with visualization (MFU‐V; Ultherapy®, Merz North America) is US Food and Drug Administration‐cleared as a non‐invasive procedure that lifts the soft tissue of the neck, submentum and brow, and improves lines and wrinkles on the upper chest. Several other energy‐based devices are in use in countries outside the USA where they are marketed for indications similar to those of MFU‐V, although published studies supporting these indications are limited and none of the other devices provides visualization or verification they reach the superficial musculoaponeurotic system. Methods: Due to the evolving landscape of ultrasound technology as more devices enter the market, seven global thought leaders who are qualified experts on the use of various high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)/MFU‐V technologies convened to review data from an independent evaluation of the software, thermal characteristics, transducer acoustics and ultrasound therapy of MFU‐V and three other ultrasound‐based devices. Results: The independent testing demonstrated the devices have key differences in several parameters that play a role in safety and effectiveness. Specifically, MFU‐V has visualization capability but the other devices lack that feature. Other differences include the retention of patient history, consistent size and uniformity of thermal coagulation points (TCPs), precise localization of energy concentration at the focal point, and reliable thermal regulation during use. The expert panel established a consensus on the types of preventable complications associated with ultrasound‐based energy devices and techniques for preventing and treating complications. Conclusions: The independent test results of MFU‐V/HIFU devices and the consensus panel conclusions provide strong support that real‐time visualization and the capability to detect coupling, features found only in MFU‐V, help prevent complications and enhance the safety and effectiveness of energy‐based devices. The independent evaluation also revealed that MFU‐V has several additional features that play key roles in safety and clinical effectiveness, including uniformity of TCPs, tight thermal regulation, large focal gain, and short beam length, that were not found collectively in any of the HIFU devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a high‐throughput method to analyze the near‐infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. It detects the absorption of light by molecular bonds and can be used with live insects. In this study, we investigate the accuracy of NIR spectroscopy in determining triglyceride level and species of wild‐caught Drosophila. We employ the chemometric approach to produce a multivariate calibration model. The multivariate calibration model is the mathematical relationship between the changes in NIR spectra and the property of interest as determined by the reference analytical method. Once the calibration model was developed, we used an independent set to validate the accuracy of the calibration model. The optimized calibration model for triglyceride quantification yielded coefficients of determination of 0.73 for the calibration test set and 0.70 for the independent test set. Simultaneously, we used NIR spectroscopy to discriminate two species of Drosophila. Flies from independent sets were correctly classified into Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans with accuracy higher than 80%. These results suggest that NIRS has the potential to be used as a high‐throughput screening method to assess a live individual insect's triglyceride level and taxonomic status. Drosophila is a genus of flies belonging to the family Drosophilidae. A male with visible sex combs on the forelegs is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria, the energy-generating organelles, play a role in numerous cellular functions including adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, cellular homeostasis, and apoptosis. Maternal inheritance of mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is universally observed in humans and most animals. In general, high levels of mitochondrial heteroplasmy might contribute to a detrimental effect on fitness and disease resistance. Therefore, a disposal of the sperm-derived mitochondria inside fertilized oocytes assures normal preimplantation embryo development. Here we summarize the current research and knowledge concerning the role of autophagic pathway and ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolysis in sperm mitophagy in mammals, including humans. Current data indicate that sperm mitophagy inside the fertilized oocyte could occur along multiple degradation routes converging on autophagic clearance of paternal mitochondria. The influence of assisted reproductive therapies (ART) such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), mitochondrial replacement (MR), and assisted fertilization of oocytes from patients of advanced reproductive age on mitochondrial function, inheritance, and fitness and for the development and health of ART babies will be of particular interest to clinical audiences. Altogether, the study of spermmitophagy after fertilization has implications in the timing of evolution and developmental and reproductive biology and in human health, fitness, and management of mitochondrial disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of using telephone interviews in teaching his students.

Insoluble collagen was prepared from gingivae of full term. stillborn infants (SI) and from that of patients exhibiting gingival hyperplasia that was secondary to diphenylhydantoin therapy (DPH). During the preparations only 4% of the collagen from DPH was extracted and 17% from SI gingivae was solubilized, by neutral salt and dilute acid extractants. Subsequent amino acid analysis indicated the presence of a relatively large quantity of the noncollagenous protein(s) in the DPH collagen preparation. After collagen samples were converted to soluble cyanogen bromide (cNBr) peptides, the noncollagenous protein(s) proved 10 be insoluble in the dilute citrate buffer routinely used for initial chromotographic separation of the CNBr peptides This fraction, whether from DPH or SI gingivae, had essentially the same composition. The noncollagenous protein fraction comprised about 7 and 20%, respectively, of the dry weights of the SI and DPH insoluble collagen preparations. CNBr. peptides from gingival collagen have been purified, and shown to be identical with those reported for human skin collagen. Thus, the `collagen of gingivae is principally of the type with the chain structure [α](I)2α2. Preliminary data strongly suggest the presence in gingivae of a lower level of collagen of the [α1 (III)]3 type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixteen commercial dye samples and three liquid wastes from organic pigment and dye manufacture have been characterized without prior chromatography by thermospray ionization and low energy collision-activated dissociation of protonated molecules using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Many samples contained precursors of the dyes and other by-products of the synthesis. Many of these components were identified by collision-activated dissociation experiments and by inspection of the chemistry of dye manufacture. Detection limits of 20-200 ng in the positive ion mode were obtained for seven dyes of the anthraquinone, triarylmethane, xanthene, coumarin, azo and sulfonated azo dye classes. Under conditions of negative ionization, detection limits for an anthraquinone dye and a sulfonated azo dye were about one order of magnitude higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]