Extreme risk protection orders, race/ethnicity, and equity: Evidence from California.

Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) provide a civil mechanism to temporarily remove firearm access from individuals at high risk of harming themselves or others. Evidence and theory suggest that ERPOs can prevent firearm-related harm, but the policy's impact on racial/ethnic equity is largely unknown. To examine potential inequities by race/ethnicity in public perceptions and use of California's ERPO law, we drew on two complementary data sources: 1) a 2020 state-representative survey of California adults, and 2) ERPO court documents for the first 3 years of policy implementation (2016-2018). Majorities (54-89%) of all racial/ethnic groups reported that ERPOs are at least sometimes appropriate, and 64-94% were willing to ask a judge for an ERPO for a family member. However, Black and Hispanic/Latinx survey participants less often perceived ERPOs as appropriate and were less willing to serve as petitioners, with Black participants citing lack of knowledge about ERPOs and not trusting the system to be fair as their top reasons for unwillingness. Similarly, review of ERPO court documents revealed that no family or household members served as petitioners for Black and Hispanic/Latinx ERPO respondents. Additionally, Black respondents were the least likely to have documented access to a firearm and legal representation in court. Racial/ethnic equity in ERPO use may be improved by reducing barriers to petitioning, incorporating non-law enforcement intervention professionals like behavioral health specialists into the ERPO process, providing legal assistance to respondents and petitioners, and investing in the social safety net.

Acute metabolic, hormonal, and psychological responses to strength training with superimposed EMS at the beginning and the end of a 6 week training period.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to determine metabolic and hormonal responses to strength training with or without superimposed electromyostimulation (EMS) at the beginning and the end of a 6 week training period. METHODS: 20 strength trained subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group (S) performed 4 sets of back squats with a constantly adjusted additional load of their individual 10 repetition maximum (10 RM) twice a week over 6 weeks. The second group (S+E) did the same training program with superimposed EMS on leg and trunk muscles. Physiological responses were determined before and after the first (TS 1) and the last training session (TS 12). RESULTS: No significant differences of hormonal responses could be observed between groups and TSs. However, small to large effects on metabolism occurred between groups and TSs. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) was significantly higher 48h after TS 1 for S+E. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a higher DOMS after S+E, there is no acute effect of superimposed EMS on hormonal response to exhaustive resistance exercise. We suggest that, because of the high resistance during 10 RM bouts, most of the muscle fibers are already activated and superimposed EMS only activates few additional muscle fibers.

Effects of load and training modes on physiological and metabolic responses in resistance exercise.

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of three different loads (LOAD) in combination with four different exercise modes (MODE) on physiological responses during and after one fatiguing bout of bench press exercise. Ten resistance-trained healthy male subjects performed bench press exercise each at 55% (LOW), 70% (MID) and 85% (HIGH) of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) for as many repetitions as possible and in four training modes: 4-1-4-1 (4-s concentric, 1-s isometric, 4-s eccentric and 1-s isometric successive actions), 2-1-2-1, 1-1-1-1 and MAX (maximum velocity concentric). Oxygen uptake [Formula: see text] was measured during exercise and for 30-min post-exercise. Maximum blood lactate concentration (blood LA(max)) and heart rate (HR(max)) were also determined. Number of repetitions (REPS) and exercise time (EXTIME) were recorded and accumulated lifted mass (MASS), defined by REPS × lifted mass, was calculated. LOAD had a significant effect on REPS (LOW > MID > HIGH, p < 0.01). A significant increase of REPS was obtained exercising at a faster MODE except from 1-1-1-1 to MAX (p < 0.01). EXTIME significantly decreased with increasing LOAD (LOW > MID > HIGH, p < 0.01 for all) and faster MODE (4-1-4-1, 2-1-2-1, 1-1-1-1 > MAX; p > 0.01). MASS decreased significantly with increasing LOAD (p < 0.01) but increased with a faster MODE (p < 0.05) with the exception of 1-1-1-1 to MAX. MODE had a significant effect on VO(2) (4-1-4-1 > MAX; p < 0.05). LOAD had a significant effect on consumed O(2) during exercise (LOW > MID and HIGH; p > 0.01) and on blood LA(max) (LOW and MID > HIGH; p < 0.01). The data indicate that physiological responses on different resistance exercises depend on both the load and the velocity mode.

[Anemia as the cause of bilateral papilledema]. / Anämie als Ursache einer beidseitigen Stauungspapille.

The case of a 41-year-old male patient is described who presented with progressive deterioration of vision in both eyes. The results of laboratory tests and magnetic resonance tomography led to the suspicion of a plasmacytoma, which was confirmed by serum electrophoresis. Treatment with two cycles of vincristine, adriamycine and dexamethasone led to a regression of the papilledema and remission of the system disease.

The effects of ranibizumab (Lucentis) on retinal function in isolated perfused vertebrate retina.

BACKGROUND: Intraocular ranibizumab (Lucentis, Novartis, Basel Switzerland) is the primary choice in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to be a survival factor for neuronal cells. Therefore, blockage of all VEGF isoforms by ranibizumab could induce retinal dysfunction. METHODS: Using isolated bovine retinas, the electroretinogram (ERG) was recorded as a transretinal potential using Ag/AgCl electrodes, while the retinas were perfused with an oxygen preincubated nutrient solution. For 45 min, ranibizumab was applied at a concentration of 0.2 mg/ml and alternatively the solvent carrier without the active agent. The ERG was monitored before, during and after exposure. RESULTS: The concentration of 0.2 mg/ml ranibizumab induced a non-significant b-wave reduction of 22.32% after exposure (p = 0.13). For the a-wave amplitude only a reduction of 4% was detected (p = 0.18). The solvent carrier induced no significant reduction of the a- and b-wave amplitudes (p = 0.30 and p = 0.979, respectively). CONCLUSION: In the ex vivo model, the isolated perfused vertebrate retina, ranibizumab has been proven to be a safe compound at the concentrations applied. The stability of the ERG-amplitudes rules out a considerable retinal dysfunction after an injection of up to 1 mg ranibizumab.

Reconstitution of CD8 T cells is essential for the prevention of multiple-organ cytomegalovirus histopathology after bone marrow transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the period of temporary immunodeficiency after haematoablative treatment and bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is associated with a risk of graft failure and multiple-organ CMV disease. The efficacy of immune system reconstitution is decisive for the prevention of CMV pathogenesis after BMT. Previous data in murine model systems have documented a redundancy in the immune effector mechanisms controlling CMV. CD8 T cells proved to be relevant but not irreplaceable as antiviral effectors. Specifically, in a state of long-term in vivo depletion of the CD8 T-cell subset, CD4 T cells were educed to become deputy effectors controlling CMV by a mechanism involving antiviral cytokines. It is of medical importance to know whether one can trust in this 'flexible defence' in all clinical settings. It is demonstrated here that reconstitution of CD8 T cells is crucial for the prevention of fatal multiple-organ CMV disease under the specific conditions of BMT.