Autonomous electrochemical system for ammonia oxidation reaction measurements at the International Space Station.

An autonomous electrochemical system prototype for ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR) measurements was efficiently done inside a 4'' x 4'' x 8'' 2U Nanoracks module at the International Space Station (ISS). This device, the Ammonia Electrooxidation Lab at the ISS (AELISS), included an autonomous electrochemical system that complied with NASA ISS nondisclosure agreements, power, safety, security, size constrain, and material compatibility established for space missions. The integrated autonomous electrochemical system was tested on-ground and deployed to the International Space Station as a "proof-of-concept" ammonia oxidation reaction testing space device. Here are discussed the results of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry measurements done at the ISS with a commercially available channel flow-cell with eight screen-printed electrodes, including Ag quasi-reference (Ag QRE) and carbon counter electrodes. Pt nanocubes in Carbon Vulcan XC-72R were used as the catalyst for the AOR and 2 µL drop of Pt nanocubes/ Carbon Vulcan XC-72R, 20 wt%, ink was placed on the carbon working electrodes and allowed to dry in air. After the AELISS was prepared for launch to the ISS, a 4 days delayed (2 days in the space vehicle Antares and 2 days space transit to the ISS) cause a slight shift on the Ag QRE potential. Nevertheless, the AOR cyclic voltametric peak was observed in the ISS and showed ca. 70% current density decrease due to the buoyancy effect in agreement with previous microgravity experiments done at the zero-g aircraft.

Video Representation of Dopamine-Responsive Multiple System Atrophy Cerebellar Type.

BACKGROUND Multiple system atrophy cerebellar type (MSA-C) is a subtype of MSA that presents with predominant ataxia along with lesser signs of parkinsonism and autonomic dysfunction. Previous studies have shown benefits from carbidopa/levodopa therapy for the MSA parkinsonian subtype but few studies have focused on the MSA-C subtype. We present a video case of MSA-C that demonstrated significant improvement with carbidopa/levodopa therapy. CASE REPORT A right-handed 61-year-old man with a past medical history of chronic microvascular ischemia, mild lower extremity neuropathy, and lumbar and cervical stenosis status after decompression presented with progressive worsening gait changes over several months with acute deterioration before admission. The initial neurological workup demonstrated bilateral cogwheel rigidity; difficulty with movement initiation. including standing up from a seated position; slow saccadic eye movements; masked facies (hypomimia); right ankle clonus; bilateral upper and left lower limb ataxia; and hyperreflexia. A follow-up workup was negative for metabolic, infectious, and paraneoplastic causes, but magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated cerebellar atrophy along with a "hot cross bun sign" suggestive of probable MSA-C according to consensus criteria, and the patient was started on carbidopa-levodopa. He subsequently demonstrated improvement in key motor domains, including his cogwheel rigidity and gait testing, and was discharged shortly thereafter. CONCLUSIONS Through this case report, we highlight a significant response to L-dopa therapy beyond what is normally expected according to diagnostic criteria for MSA. MSA treatment responsiveness can vary significantly across patients, which warrants additional studies into appropriate treatment choices for patients with Parkinson's disease and MSA.

The Emerging Role of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors as Effective Therapeutic Agents in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the US. However, no significant changes in management have occurred since the tyrosine kinase era until the recent breakthrough with checkpoint inhibitors. Therefore, the need for more therapeutic options is paramount. Our objective was to determine whether PARP inhibition represents a novel therapeutic option for RCC. We used publicly available COSMIC, GDC Data Portal, and cBioPortal databases to explore mutations in DNA repair genes in RCC tissues from the TCGA cohort. We treated a human normal renal epithelial cell line RPTEC/TERT1 and two human renal cancer cell lines ACHN and CAKI-2 with PARPi niraparib, olaparib, rucaparib, veliparib, and talazoparib. Cell survival, cell proliferation, clonogenic ability, and apoptosis were assessed. RCC xenografts in SCID mice were treated with PARPi to evaluate their efficacy in vivo. Data mining revealed that ~27-32% of RCC tissues contain mutations in homologous recombination genes. Niraparib and talazoparib were the most effective at reducing cell survival, proliferation, and clonogenic ability in vitro. Niraparib, talazoparib, and rucaparib were the most effective in reducing RCC xenograft growth in vivo. Agents such as PARPi that exploit mutations in DNA damage repair genes may be effective therapeutic options for RCC.

IgLON 5 Antibody Syndrome: Isolated Case of a Patient With Indolent Disease Progression and Unusual MRI Findings.

IgLON-5 antibody syndrome has a myriad of clinical presentations, including gait instability, movement disorders, abnormal eye movements, bulbar symptoms, sleep disorders, neuropsychiatric symptoms, dysautonomia, and peripheral neuropathy. Abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings have also been reported such as leukoariotic changes and cerebral and cerebellar atrophy. We present a case of IgLON-5 antibody syndrome with a unique MRI finding of persistent leptomeningeal enhancement. A close follow-up would be warranted as the progression of the disease may be indolent.

Selective attentional processing to fall-relevant stimuli among older adults who fear falling.

Fear of falling is known to affect more than half of community-dwelling older adults over 60 years of age. This fear is associated with physical and psychological effects that increase the risk of falling. The authors' theory is that attentional processing biases may exist in this population that serve to perpetuate fear of falling and subsequently increase fall risk. As a starting point in testing this proposition, the authors examined selective attentional processing bias to fall-relevant stimuli among older adults. Thirty older adult participants (M(age) = 70.8 ± 5.8), self-categorized to be Fearful of Falling (FF, n = 15) or Non-Fearful of Falling (NF, n = 15) completed a visual dot-probe paradigm to determine detection latencies to fall-threatening and general-threat stimuli. Attentional processing was defined using three index scores: attentional bias, congruency index, and incongruency index. Bias indicates capture of attention, whereas congruency and incongruency imply vigilance and disengagement difficulty, respectively. Both groups showed an attentional bias to fall-threat words but those who were fearful of falling also showed an incongruency effect for fall-threat words. These findings confirm that selective attentional processing profiles for fall-relevant stimuli differ between older adults who exhibit fear of falling and those who do not have this fear. Moreover, in accordance with current interpretations of selective attentional processing, the incongruency effect noted among fall-fearful older adults presents a possibility for a difficulty disengaging from fall-threatening stimuli.