Relational uncertainty: Does parental perception of adopted children's academic success change over time?
While initial findings suggested that children who are adopted (adoptees) perform less well academically, this result is not consistent across the literature. To explain these, often conflicting, results, researchers acquired a lagging view, in which adoptees need to "catch up" to their non-adopted peers. According to the lagging view, those adopted at a younger age have less catching up to do than those adopted when they are older. However, the lagging view does not account for the period in which adoptees and their new families adjust to one another. A period that we refer to as relational uncertainty. This is particularly relevant as data on adoptees' academic performance is largely based on parent reports. The overarching goal of this study was to determine if parental perception of adoptees' academic achievement changed over time, after accounting for the impact of age of adoption. Using a nationally representative dataset, we found that after accounting for age of adoption the length of time that children resided in their adoptive homes predicted parental perception of academic performance. Specifically, after accounting for age of adoption, parental perception of adoptees' academic performance demonstrated early consistency followed by a significant decline. We also investigated if the relation, of those factors previously associated with parental perception of adoptees' academic performance, remained after variance was accounted for by both age of adoption and children's length of stay in their adoptive homes. Several previous factors (where the child lived pre-adoption and the socioeconomic status of their adoptive household) and child characteristics (sex and the first language the child learned to speak) demonstrated a continued association. Results indicate the need for a paradigm shift in how we view parent reports of adoptees' academic achievement, as well as the frequently reported factors surrounding adoptees' academic performance. The implications for how to support adoptees' academic achievement are discussed.


Thrombosed large middle cerebral artery aneurysm mimicking an intra-axial brain tumor: case report and review of literature.
This case report presents a fully thrombosed large aneurysm of middle cerebral artery mimicking an intra-axial brain tumor in a 54-year-old male patient. A small mass like lesion was found incidentally in right frontal area. Brain magnetic resonance image showed dark signal intensity on T2-weighted images and peripheral high signal intensity on T1-weighted images with peripheral rim enhancement. We considered intra-axial tumors such as glioma or metastatic tumor as a differential diagnosis. The lesion was approached transcortically, and intraoperatively, the lesion was found to be a large thrombosed aneurysm originating from the lateral lenticulostriate artery of right middle cerebral artery. One vascular clip was applied at the parent artery, and the thrombosed aneurysm was totally removed. There have been many reports of other intracranial lesions wrongly diagnosed as intracranial neoplasms. And thrombosed aneurysms mimicking intracranial neoplasm have been reported in 4 cases previously. According to those case reports, there were no efficient imaging tools to differentiate between these thrombosed aneurysms and intracranial neoplasms. We reviewed those reports and considered about the efficient method to diagnosed accurately before surgery. To sum up, when a patient presents with an intracranial lesion lying on the course of major or distal cerebral arteries, the surgeon should have thrombosed aneurysm in mind as one of the differential diagnosis and be prepared when surgically treating such lesions.


Confronting barriers to universal screening for domestic violence.
Nationally, domestic violence has reached epidemic proportions. Universal screening is a vital means to identify those women who suffer in abusive relationships with intimate partners. Collaborative efforts between a community shelter for abused women and a local medical center's emergency department resulted in the development and implementation of a universal screening process. Barriers encountered by the emergency department nursing staff during the initial phase of screening included lack of information about domestic violence issues as well as about the tool, personal perceptions and feelings about domestic violence, and institutional barriers such as lack of time, space, and privacy in the emergency department. Of these, informational and affective barriers of nursing staff are viewed as the most significant. Discussion includes a call for emphasis on domestic violence in the curricula of nursing programs and those of other health care providers and use of universal screening to identify and assist abused women. Interdisciplinary methods of formal education, in-service training, and continuing education are encouraged to augment existing universal screening, as well as to assist those who have yet to implement such a process.


Genetic advances in dermatophytes.
Millions of superficial fungal infections are annually observed in humans and animals. The majority of these mycoses are caused by dermatophytes, a specialized group of filamentous fungi that exclusively infect keratinized host structures. Despite the high prevalence of the disease, dermatophytosis, little is known about the pathogenicity mechanisms of these microorganisms. This drawback may be related to the fact that dermatophytes have been investigated poorly at the molecular level. In contrast to many other pathogenic fungi, they grow comparatively slowly under in vitro conditions, and in the last decades, only a limited number of molecular tools have been established for their manipulation. In recent years, however, major promising approaches were undertaken to improve genetic analyses in dermatophytes. These strategies include efficient systems for targeted gene inactivation and gene silencing, and broad transcriptional profiling techniques, which have even been applied in sophisticated infection models. As a fundamental prerequisite for future genetic analyses, full genome sequences of seven different dermatophyte species have become available recently. Therefore, it appeared timely to review the available molecular tools and methodologies in dermatophyte research, which may provide future insights into the virulence of these clinically important pathogens.


Changes in Couples' Relationships and Their Differences in Type during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China.
This study explores changes in couples' relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, and analyzes the differences in the changes across three types: positive communication, criticism/defense, and demand/withdrawal. A total of 600 (567 valid) Chinese respondents participated in this study, and a questionnaire was utilized to determine changes in their overall relationship, verbal and nonverbal communication, emotion, and activities with their spouses. The average score of items related to positive communication is higher, compared with that of negative communication. Compared with the other two types of relationships, respondents with positive communication scored highest on all items related to positive communication and lowest on all items related to negative communication. Significant differences were noted between the positive communication types and the others. Results show that the relationships of couples included in this study have improved during the current pandemic. Therefore, improved consistency in the type of intimacy can lead to improved quality of couples' relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic.


The Syk-Coupled C-Type Lectin Receptors Dectin-2 and Dectin-3 Are Involved in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Recognition by Human Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells.
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), which have been extensively studied in the context of the immune response to viruses, have recently been implicated in host defense mechanisms against fungal infections. Nevertheless, the involvement of human pDCs during paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a fungal infection endemic to Latin America, has been scarcely studied. However, pDCs were found in the cutaneous lesions of PCM patients, and in pulmonary model of murine PCM these cells were shown to control disease severity. These findings led us to investigate the role of human pDCs in the innate phase of PCM. Moreover, considering our previous data on the engagement of diverse Toll-like receptors and C-type lectin receptors receptors in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis recognition, we decided to characterize the innate immune receptors involved in the interaction between human pDCs and yeast cells. Purified pDCs were obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors and they were stimulated with P. brasiliensis with or without blocking antibodies to innate immune receptors. Here we demonstrated that P. brasiliensis stimulation activates human pDCs that inhibit fungal growth and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and type I IFNs. Surprisingly, P. brasiliensis-stimulated pDCs produce mature IL-1β and activate caspase 1, possibly via inflammasome activation, which is a phenomenon not yet described during pDC engagement by microorganisms. Importantly, we also demonstrate that dectin-2 and dectin-3 are expressed on pDCs and appear to be involved (via Syk signaling) in the pDC-P. brasiliensis interaction. Moreover, P. brasiliensis-stimulated pDCs exhibited an efficient antigen presentation and were able to effectively activate CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrated for the first time that human pDCs are involved in P. brasiliensis recognition and may play an important role in the innate and adaptive immunity against this fungal pathogen.


Cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus in Lusaka, Zambia.
Of the 1124 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients studied, one or more cutaneous lesions were found in 113 (98.3%) of the 115 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and in 541 (53.6%) of 1009 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC). Kaposi's sarcoma, multidermatomal, necrotic herpes zoster, and pruritic maculopapular rashes are common cutaneous manifestations of AIDS and its related complex (ARC) in Zambia. The maculopapular rash results from a lymphoplasmacytic angiitis in the dermis, possibly in response to the presence of HIV in the dermis. Candidiasis, severe genital herpes, extensive molluscum contagiosum, and tinea corporis were less frequent and usually refractory to treatment. Drug reactions are also frequent in Zambians with AIDS. In seven patients given streptomycin, thiacetazone, and rifampicin for treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome occurred shortly after therapy was begun, and two died despite high-dose prednisone and discontinuance of tuberculosis therapy. Extensive seborrheic dermatitis refractory to topical fluorinated corticosteroids is also an associated condition in AIDS patients who have pulmonary tuberculosis.


Extended adjuvant endocrine therapy of early breast cancer.
Women who are diagnosed with early breast cancer remain at considerable risk of recurrence over the next several decades, even if their tumors were small and lymph nodes were negative, and despite receiving standard adjuvant therapy. A majority of breast cancers are hormone (estrogen) receptor-positive and amenable to endocrine therapy, and for those women five years of the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen is standard therapy. Longer treatment of node-negative patients with tamoxifen may reduce survival benefits, however, possibly due to tamoxifen resistance and emerging receptor agonist activity of that drug. Aromatase inhibitors, which indirectly prevent estrogen stimulation of breast cancer by suppressing whole-body estrogen synthesis in post-menopausal women, are being investigated as alternative, or complementary, therapy to adjuvant tamoxifen in those women: as an alternative to five years of tamoxifen, sequenced with two to three years of tamoxifen, or following five years of tamoxifen. The strategy to extend the benefits of adjuvant therapy beyond a standard course of tamoxifen, using the aromatase inhibitor letrozole, was explored in a large trial, MA.17. Compared with women who received placebo, those who were treated with letrozole experienced a significant 43% reduction in their residual risk of recurrence. This effect was seen regardless of nodal status. Based on the long-term risk of most women with early breast cancer and the MA.17 trial results, the extended adjuvant letrozole may benefit many of those women who are disease-free after five years of tamoxifen. This review is based on a literature search of databases including MEDLINE/PubMed, San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, and the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, up to and including August 2005, with information selected for its relevance to adjuvant therapy of breast cancer with endocrine therapy only.


Managing stress through the Stress Free app: Practices of self-care in digitally mediated spaces.
In this paper we are concerned with the question of how we feel when living in concert with multiple technologies. More specifically, we are focused on the influx of digital apps designed to manage psychological wellbeing. We draw on empirical work exploring one such app, Stress Free, and focus on the experiences of stress and technological tools designed to lessen stress. Our concern is with the way that technologies become part of the experience of stress as opposed to solely understanding the app as a tool aimed to reduce the occurrence and severity of stress. This involves taking a theoretical journey through philosophies of technology that provide valuable resources for conceptualising the relational characteristics of digitally mediated stress. Our wider interest is to speak to broader concerns with the movement to 'digital care' and the implications for how we conceptualise technology, self and care therein.


Development and standardization of a "do-eat" activity of daily living performance test for children.
The Do-Eat was developed to evaluate daily task performance abilities among children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). This study investigated the tool's reliability and validity. Participants were 59 children ages 5 to 6.5 years; 30 children diagnosed with DCD according to the DSM-IV-TR; and a control group of 29 children, who were matched for age, gender, and sociodemographic background. Both the Do-Eat and the accompanying Parent Questionnaire yielded high internal consistency (alpha s = .89-.93). Construct validity was demonstrated by significant between-group differences on the Do-Eat (t[57] = 14.09, p<.001) and the Parent Questionnaire (t[57] = 3.64, p<.001). Significant correlations between children's scores on the sensory-motor component of the Do-Eat and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children final score confirmed concurrent validity (r = -.86, p<.001). Results suggest that the Do-Eat is a reliable, valid tool for identifying children at risk for DCD.


[The role of alveolar macrophage activation in rats with lung injury associated with acute necrotizing pancreatitis].
To discuss the role of alveolar macrophage activation in rats with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) associated with lung injury. 30 adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6): normal control group, one-hour group, three-hour group, six-hour group and twelve-hour group after ANP induction. ANP was induced by intraductal administration of 3% sodium taurocholate, while the normal control received an infusion of physiological saline. Alveolar macrophages were harvested by bronchoalveolar lavage. The protein content of lavage fluids, the myeloperoxidase of lung tissue (MPO), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and nitric oxide (NO) secreted by alveolar macrophages were examined. The expression of TNFalpha mRNA and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA was measured with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique. Histology of the lung and pancreas was scored in a blinded fashion. Lung injury was gradually aggravated with disease progression. The level of myeloperoxidase of lung tissue and protein content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids increased progressively and reached the peak at 12 hour [(10.78 +/- 0.58) U/g for MPO and (2 011.0 +/- 105.5) micro g/ml for protein respectively]. TNFalpha and NO secreted by alveolar macrophages were gradually elevated and peaked on the sixth hour, the maximums were (1 624.2 +/- 149.2) pg/ml and (88.8 +/- 6.5) micro mol/L respectively, but decreased on the twelfth hour. The expression of TNFalpha mRNA and iNOS mRNA was similar with the changes of TNFalpha and NO, upregulated after induction of acute necrotizing pancreatitis and reached their peaks on the sixth hour, then downregulated on the twelfth hour. All the parameters of ANP groups compared to control group were statistical significant (P < 0.05). The histology scores demonstrated an increasing damage of the lung. The expression of TNFalpha mRNA and iNOS mRNA is closely related to lung injury (r = 0.67 for TNFalpha mRNA and r = 0.64 for iNOS mRNA respectively, P < 0.01). The activation of alveolar macrophage may play an important role in lung injury associated with acute necrotizing pancreatitis.


Phylogeographic patterns of host-race evolution in Tephritis conura (Diptera: Tephritidae).
Host-race evolution is a prime candidate for sympatric speciation because host shifts must take place in the presence of both hosts. However, the geographic context in which the shift takes place may have strong allopatric or peripatric components if the primary host within a localized area is scarce or even goes extinct. Inference of the relative importance of the geographic mode of speciation may be gained from phylogeographic imprints. Here, we investigate the phylogeography of host races of the tephritid fly Tephritis conura from sympatric, parapatric and allopatric populations of Cirsium heterophyllum and Cirsium oleraceum (Asteraceae) in Europe, for addressing the age and direction, and the geographic context of host-race formation. Haplotype networks of the host races differed significantly in molecular diversity and topology. However, host-race haplotypes were nested within the same network, with a central haplotype H1 being the most common haplotype in both host races. C. heterophyllum flies were genetically more diverse and substructured than flies from C. oleraceum, suggesting that the latter is the derived race. The phylogeographic imprint indicates either that C. heterophyllum flies colonized C. oleraceum during range expansion or that heterophyllum flies went extinct in an area where oleraceum flies persisted (followed by re-immigration). These imprints are in concordance with peripatric diversification, probably in the European Alps and related to the last ice age, where the host-race diversification was largely completed before the postglacial range expansion on C. oleraceum to current areas of sympatry and parapatry with C. heterophyllum.


Population structure of avian malaria parasites.
The geographic distribution of genetic diversity in malaria parasite populations (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida) presumably influences local patterns of virulence and the evolution of host-resistance, but little is known about population genetic structure in these parasites. We assess the distribution of genetic diversity in the partial Domain I of apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) in three mtDNA-defined lineages of avian Plasmodium to determine spatial population structure and host-parasite genetic relationships. We find that one parasite lineage is genetically differentiated in association with a single host genus and among some locations, but not with respect to other hosts. Two other parasite lineages are undifferentiated with respect to host species but exhibit geographic differentiation that is inconsistent with shared geographic barriers or with isolation-by-distance. Additional differentiation within two other lineages is unassociated with host species or location; in one case, we tentatively interpret this differentiation as the result of mitochondrial introgression from one of the lineages into a second lineage. More sampling of nuclear genetic diversity within populations of avian Plasmodium is needed to rule out coinfection as a possible confounding factor. If coinfections are not responsible for these findings, further assessment is needed to determine the frequency of mitonuclear discordance and its implications for defining parasite lineages based on mitochondrial genetic variation. This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally-shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at Genbank https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/, accession numbers MK965548-MK965653 and MK929797-MK930264.


Carbon nanotube-cellulose ink for rapid solvent identification.
In this work, a conductive ink based on microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was used to produce transducers for rapid liquid identification. The transducers are simple resistive devices that can be easily fabricated by scalable printing techniques. We monitored the electrical response due to the interaction between a given liquid with the carbon nanotube-cellulose film over time. Using principal component analysis of the electrical response, we were able to extract robust data to differentiate between the liquids. We show that the proposed liquid sensor can classify different liquids, including organic solvents (acetone, chloroform, and different alcohols) and is also able to differentiate low concentrations of glycerin in water (10-100 ppm). We have also investigated the influence of two important properties of the liquids, namely dielectric constant and vapor pressure, on the transduction of the MFC-MWCNT sensors. These results were corroborated by independent heat flow measurements (thermogravimetric analysis). The proposed MFC-MWCNT sensor platform may help paving the way to rapid, inexpensive, and robust liquid analysis and identification.


Effects of glucagon-like peptide 1 and oxyntomodulin on neuronal activity of ghrelin-sensitive neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and oxyntomodulin (OXM) are structurally related gastrointestinal hormones that are secreted in response to food intake. They reduce food intake and body weight and exert partly overlapping actions on glucose homeostasis and gastrointestinal function. The hypothalamic arcuate (ARC) nucleus is among the central structures expressing a high density of GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1R), which are known to be activated by both peptides. It was the aim of our electrophysiological studies to characterize the effects of GLP-1 and OXM on functionally defined ghrelin-sensitive ARC neurons. GLP-1 and OXM (10(-7) M) exerted excitatory effects in about two-thirds of ghrelin-inhibited neurons and in approximately one-third of ghrelin-excited cells. In addition, a minor fraction of the ghrelin-excited cells was inhibited by both peptides. There was a high degree of cosensitivity to GLP-1 and OXM, and the effects of both hormones were blocked by the GLP-1R antagonist exendin(9-39). The GLP-1R-mediated excitations and inhibitions persisted under synaptic blockade, indicating a direct postsynaptic mode of action. Our results demonstrate that GLP-1 and OXM directly and similarly alter neuronal activity in the ARC, probably via a common GLP-1R-mediated mechanism. Ghrelin-antagonistic effects on neuronal activity, which might be implicated in ghrelin-antagonistic in vivo actions, resulting from GLP-1R stimulation (e.g., GLP-1R dependent supression of food intake), predominated in ghrelin-inhibited ARC neurons. However, a subset of ghrelin-excited ARC neurons showed responses to OXM or GLP-1, suggesting the existence of a common mode of action for these hormones; the functional relevance of this effect remains to be elucidated.


Evidence of apoptosis in human primordial and primary follicles.
Apoptosis may operate the 'selection' between follicles destined for atresia and follicles that will remain available for ovulation. The aim of this study is to assess the expression of apoptosis in quiescent follicles. Ovarian cortex samples from women of reproductive age, fixed in formalin, were used for immunohistochemical and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) methods. In histological sections the follicles were classified as primordial, primary, secondary and antral. Follicle density was defined as the total number of follicles/0.5 cm(2) of ovarian cortical tissue. Mab DO-7 (anti-p53) and Mab 124 (anti-bcl-2) were used in the immunohistochemical study. TUNEL was positive in 23.4% of the primordial follicles, and in 23.2% of the primary follicles, both in oocytes and granulosa cells, whereas all secondary follicles were negative. Bcl-2 activity was expressed in 75% of secondary follicles. p53 was negative in all samples. Apoptosis could be the process responsible for atresia of quiescent follicles and hence depletion of the ovarian germ stockpile. Follicular cells expressing Bcl-2 may therefore be the viable cells that escape the apoptotic process. Negative p53 patterns may be a favourable prognostic finding showing genome integrity in the replicating follicular cells of women of reproductive age.


Developmental change in calcitonin secretory capacity of fetal rat thyroid C-cells.
Developmental changes in calcitonin (CT) secretory capacity of C-cells were studied by using primary cultures prepared from the thyroid glands of rat fetuses at 16th, 18th and 20th day of gestation and the thyroid glands of 28-day-old rats. Both CT content of C-cells and high Ca2(+)-stimulated CT secretion increased with the age of the rats. The ratio of secreted CT to the CT content of C-cells also increased according to the age. These results demonstrated the functional development of C-cells during the fetal period.


Frequency stabilization of an optically pumped far-infrared laser to the harmonic of a microwave synthesizer.
Measurements of the frequency stability of a far-infrared molecular laser have been made by mixing the harmonic of an ultrastable microwave source with a portion of the laser output signal in a terahertz (THz) Schottky diode balanced mixer. A 3 GHz difference-frequency signal was used in a frequency discriminator circuit to lock the laser to the microwave source. Comparisons of the short- and long-term laser frequency stability under free-running and locked conditions show a significant improvement with locking. Short-term frequency jitter was reduced by an order of magnitude, from approximately 40 to 4 kHz, and long-term drift was reduced by more than three orders of magnitude, from approximately 250 kHz to 80 Hz. The results, enabled by the efficient Schottky diode balanced mixer downconverter, demonstrate that ultrastable microwave-based frequency stabilization of THz optically pumped lasers (OPLs) will now be possible at frequencies extending well above 4.0 THz.


Diagnostic Accuracy of Immunochromatographic Tests for the Detection of Norovirus in Stool Specimens: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Noroviruses are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups and constitute a major health and economic burden worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of immunochromatographic tests (ICTs) for the detection of norovirus in stool specimens, which has not been performed previously. In this systematic review and meta-analysis (registered on PROSPERO, CRD42020186911), we searched Medline/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for all studies published up to 16 May 2020. The values for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+), negative likelihood ratio (LR-), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of ICTs with 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled using a bivariate random-effects model. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve were used to summarize overall test accuracy. We included 43 studies describing 7,428 samples. The overall estimates of sensitivity, specificity, LR+, LR-, DOR, and accuracy of ICT for diagnosing norovirus were 0.61 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.67), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95 to 0.98), 17.08 (95% CI, 11.15 to 26.18), 0.40 (95% CI, 0.34 to 0.46), 53.9 (95% CI, 31.32 to 92.78), and 0.928, respectively. Significant differences in pooled sensitivities were noted between age groups and in pooled DOR and LR+ between genogroups of included samples. ICT provides low sensitivity but high specificity and accuracy for detecting norovirus. Thus, an ICT for norovirus can be a rapid and convenient way for identifying patients early; however, a negative result cannot rule out norovirus infection and should be confirmed by a reference test.


PyNTTTTGT and CpG immunostimulatory oligonucleotides: effect on granulocyte/monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) secretion by human CD56+ (NK and NKT) cells.
CD56+ cells have been recognized as being involved in bridging the innate and acquired immune systems. Herein, we assessed the effect of two major classes of immunostimulatory oligonucleotides (ODNs), PyNTTTTGT and CpG, on CD56+ cells. Incubation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMC) with some of these ODNs led to secretion of significant amounts of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and granulocyte/monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), but only if interleukin 2 (IL2) was present. IMT504, the prototype of the PyNTTTTGT ODN class, was the most active. GM-CSF secretion was very efficient when non-CpG ODNs with high T content and PyNTTTTGT motifs lacking CpGs were used. On the other hand, CpG ODNs and IFNα inhibited this GM-CSF secretion. Selective cell type removal from hPBMC indicated that CD56+ cells were responsible for GM-CSF secretion and that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs) regulate this process. In addition, PyNTTTTGT ODNs inhibited the IFNα secretion induced by CpG ODNs in PDCs by interference with the TLR9 signaling pathway. Since IFNα is essential for CD56+ stimulation by CpG ODNs, there is a reciprocal interference of CpG and PyNTTTTGT ODNs when acting on this cell population. This suggests that these synthetic ODNs mimic different natural alarm signals for activation of the immune system.


The clinical grading of lens opacities.
A simple system has been developed for the clinical grading of the presence and severity of lens opacities. The densities of nuclear opacities as seen on clinical slit-lamp examination are graded in comparison with a set of standard photographs. The extent of cortical opacities seen on retroillumination is estimated in terms of segments involved. The dimensions of posterior subcapsular opacities are measured using the slit beam. Inter- and intraobserver trials were conducted with three observers. Twenty subjects were selected to provide a range of lens opacities. Weighted Kappa statistics for intraobserver agreement for these three types of opacities range between 0.58 and 1.00 and for interobserver agreement between 0.41 and 0.71. This clinical grading system shows good reproducibility and compares well with the grading of lens opacities in photographs. It should prove to be of considerable use in clinical and epidemiological studies of cataract.


Role of the ERK pathway in psychostimulant-induced locomotor sensitization.
Repeated exposure to psychostimulants results in a progressive and long-lasting facilitation of the locomotor response that is thought to have implications for addiction. Psychostimulants and other drugs of abuse activate in specific brain areas extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), an essential component of a signaling pathway involved in synaptic plasticity and long-term effects of drugs of abuse. Here we have investigated the role of ERK activation in the behavioral sensitization induced by repeated administration of psychostimulants in mice, using SL327, a brain-penetrating selective inhibitor of MAP-kinase/ERK kinase (MEK), the enzyme that selectively activates ERK. A dose of SL327 (30 mg/kg) that reduced the number of activated ERK-positive neurons by 62 to 89% in various brain areas, had virtually no effect on the spontaneous locomotor activity or the acute hyperlocomotion induced by cocaine or D-amphetamine. Pre-treatment with SL327 (30 mg/kg) prior to each drug administration prevented the locomotor sensitization induced by repeated injections of D-amphetamine or cocaine. The SL327 pre-treatment abolished also conditioned locomotor response of mice placed in the context previously paired with cocaine or D-amphetamine. In contrast, SL327 did not alter the expression of sensitized response to D-amphetamine or cocaine. Altogether these results show that ERK has a minor contribution to the acute locomotor effects of psychostimulants or to the expression of sensitized responses, whereas it is crucial for the acquisition of locomotor sensitization and psychostimulant-conditioned locomotor response. This study supports the important role of the ERK pathway in long-lasting behavioral alterations induced by drugs of abuse.


Hypogonadism in a patient with mild hereditary haemochromatosis.
Hypogonadism is a potential complication of haemochromatosis, usually seen in patients with severe iron overload and liver cirrhosis. We describe the diagnostic workup of a patient with an early stage of hereditary haemochromatosis, presenting with only mildly elevated liver enzymes and central hypogonadism in the absence of cirrhosis or diabetes, but with concurrent sarcoidosis.


Changes in stress distribution of orthodontic miniscrews and surrounding bone evaluated by 3-dimensional finite element analysis.
Miniscrews can be used to provide absolute anchorage during orthodontic treatment. If we could obtain the optimum design or shape of the miniscrew, we might be able to reduce its size and lessen the chance of root contact. In addition, miniscrews are placed at several angles, and orthodontic forces are applied in various directions for clinical requirements. In this study, we used finite element analysis to investigate changes in stress distribution at the supporting bone and miniscrew by changing the angle and the shape of the miniscrew and the direction of force. Three types of miniscrews (cylindrical pin, helical thread, and nonhelical thread) were designed and placed in 2 types of supporting bone (cancellous and cortical). The miniscrews were inclined at 30°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, and 90° to the surface of the supporting bone. A force of 2N was applied in 3 directions. Significantly lower maximum stress was observed in the cancellous bone compared with the cortical bone. By changing the implantation angle, the ranges of the maximum stress distribution at the supporting bone were 9.46 to 14.8 MPa in the pin type, and 17.8 to 75.2 MPa in the helical thread type. On the other hand, the ranges of the maximum stress distribution at the titanium element were 26.8 to 92.8 MPa in the pin type, and 121 to 382 MPa in the helical thread type. According to the migration length of the threads in the nonhelical type, the maximum stresses were 19.9 to 113 MPa at the bone, and 151 to 313 MPa at the titanium element. By changing the angle of rotation in the helical thread type, the maximum stress distributions were 25.4 to 125 MPa at the bone, and 149 to 426 MPa at the titanium element. Furthermore, the maximum stress varied at each angle according to the direction of the applied load. From our results, the maximum stresses observed in all analyzed types and shapes of miniscrews were under the yield stress of pure titanium and cortical bone. This indicates that the miniscrews in this study have enough strength to resist most orthodontic loads.


Societal costs of antenatal and obstetrical care.
Perinatal health care is an important part of a nation's health care system. In the Nordic countries this type of health care is provided by the national public health systems without cost for the women. The societal costs of the care provided have, however, not been known. The aim of the present study was to estimate societal costs of antenatal and obstetrical care in a Norwegian county during a twelve month period 1988-89. A total of 1908 women delivered during the registration period. The mean total cost was estimated to NOK 36.300 per woman. Primary care antenatal visits accounted for 8%, outpatient visits (inclusive ultrasound screening) 4%, and hospital care in connection with delivery represented 36% of the total cost. The major determinant of societal costs was sick leave during pregnancy, contributing 43% to the total cost. This underlines the importance of the ongoing debate about sick leave in pregnancy. The mean cost of primary care based antenatal care, averaging 10.8 visits per woman, was estimated to NOK 2.800. An important factor was use of patients' own time, accounting for 35% of this amount. The prevalence at the time of admission for delivery of five important complications or obstetrical conditions (pre-eclampsia, placenta previa, intrauterine growth retardation, twin pregnancy, and breech presentation) was recorded. The mean total societal cost for women with the indicator conditions was approximately one fifth greater than for women without any of the indicator conditions.


Spin relaxation of fullerene C(70) photoexcited triplet in molecular glasses: Evidence for onset of fast orientational motions of molecules in the matrix near 100 K.
Electron spin echo (ESE) was applied to study transversal spin relaxation of photoexcited triplet state of fullerene C(70) molecules in glassy o-terphenyl and cis-/trans-decalin matrices (glass transition temperatures of 243 and 137 K, respectively). The relaxation rate T(2) (-1) was found to increase sharply above 110 K in o-terphenyl and above 100 K in decalin. It is suggested that this increase arises from interaction of (3)C(70) pseudorotation with fast molecular librations in the matrix. Both these types of motion involve atomic vibrations and are uniaxial in their nature, the known literature data on Raman light scattering and others indicate that molecular librations may be thermally activated in glasses just near 100 K. The increase in T(2) (-1) near 100 K is not observed for photoexcited triplet state of fullerene C(60), for which pseudorotation is not uniaxial. As the fullerene molecule has a size much larger than that for glass solvent molecules, it is likely that molecular librations in the matrix are of collective nature.


The effect of particle structure of chitosan-coated liposomes and type of chitosan on oral delivery of calcitonin.
To optimize the properties of chitosan-coated liposomes for oral administration of peptide drugs, we examined the effect of type of chitosan and the structure of liposomal systems on the mucoadhesiveness of liposomes and resultant pharmacological effects of the liposomal peptide drug. A low-molecular weight chitosan (LCS) and a high-molecular weight chitosan (CS) were used as coating polymers of liposomes containing elcatonin (eCT). The muco-penetrative behaviors across the mucous gel layer covering the intestinal epithelial cells and the pharmacological effect after intragastric administration were determined in rats. The results showed that both LCS-coated liposomes (LCS-Lips) and CS-coated liposomes (CS-Lips) could permeate the mucous layer in the small intestine. The most interesting result was that LCS-Lips containing eCT showed remarkably more prolonged effectiveness in decreasing the blood calcium concentration than did CS-Lips containing eCT, moreover, it was also found that LCS had more efficiency to protect eCT from the enzymatic degradation than CS. In comparing the area above the plasma calcium concentration time curves (AAC) values among eCT-containing liposomes with different structures, i.e. eCT adsorbed on coated liposomes (eCT-ad-CS-Lip, eCT-ad-LCS-Lips) and eCT encapsulated in coated liposomes (eCT-encap-CS-Lips, eCT-encap-LCS-Lips), eCT-encap-CS-Lip showed much higher effectiveness than eCT-ad-CS-Lip. However, the AAC value for eCT-ad-LCS-Lip was comparable to that for eCT-encap-CS-Lip, while the value for eCT-ad-CS-Lip was nearly zero. These results suggested that LCS is a good mucoadhesive polymer candidate for enhancing the bioavailability of orally administered peptide containing liposomes, while encapsulation of eCT within the liposomal particles is important to protect eCT against enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.


[Investigation of abnormal menstruation of female workers in petrochemical industry].
Objective: To explore the influencing factors of abnormal menstruation of female workers in a petrochemical enterprise. Methods: A total of 5186 female employees in a petrochemical enterprise were selected as the research objects from July 2018 to December 2019. A questionnaire survey was conducted from four aspects: basic information, occupational status, psychological status at work, reproductive and reproductive health, and a multivariate logistic regression model was used for analysis. Results: Among 5132 female workers, 676 were postmenopausal and 1117 (25.1%) among 4456 non-postmenopausal women had abnormal menstruation in the last 6 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that age (<30、30~35 years) and length of service (≤20 years) were protective factors (OR=0.573, 0.590, 0.798, P<0.05) . Age (40~45、45~50 years old) , sleep duration (<6 h) , premature OR late menopause of maternal relatives, occupational exposure to dust, occupational exposure to chemicals, not wearing earplugs, leave due to health reasons in the last 6 months, reproductive tract infection OR symptoms in the last 6 months, spontaneous abortion, induced abortion, physical fatigue and mental fatigue were risk factors for menstrual abnormalities in female workers (OR=2.318, 5.544, 1.231, 1.199, 1.336, 1.403, 1.351, 1.538, 1.613, 1.584, 1.199, 1.601, 1.936, P<0.05) . Conclusion: The abnormal menstruation of female workers is affected by many factors in the occupational process, and specific measures should be taken to improve the reproductive health of female workers.


Time-Resolved Fluorescence Immunochromatographic Assay Developed Using Two Idiotypic Nanobodies for Rapid, Quantitative, and Simultaneous Detection of Aflatoxin and Zearalenone in Maize and Its Products.
Aflatoxins and zearalenone (ZEN) are highly common mycotoxins in maize and maize-based products. This study aimed to report a time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic assay (TRFICA) developed using two idiotypic nanobodies for rapid, quantitative, and simultaneous detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ZEN in maize and its products. A novel Eu/Tb(III) nanosphere with enhanced fluorescence was prepared as a label and conjugated to anti-idiotypic nanobody (AIdnb) and monoclonal antibody (mAb). On the basis of nanosphere-antibody conjugation, two patterns of competitive time-resolved strip methods (AIdnb-TRFICA and mAb-TRFICA) were established and compared. The half inhibition concentration of AIdnb-TRFICA was 0.46 and 0.86 ng·mL-1 for AFB1 and ZEN, which was 18.3- and 20.3-fold more sensitive than that of mAb-TRFICA for AFB1 and ZEN, respectively. Under optimal conditions, AIdnb-TRFICA for dual mycotoxin was established and provided a quantitative relationship ranging from 0.13 to 4.54 ng·mL-1 for AFB1 and 0.20 to 2.77 ng·mL-1 for ZEN, with a detection limit of 0.05 and 0.07 ng·mL-1 in the buffer solution, respectively. AIdnb-TRFICA showed good recoveries (72.6%-106.6%) in samples and was applied to detect dual mycotoxin in maize samples with satisfying results. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report about a time-resolved strip method based on AIdnbs for dual mycotoxin.


[Effects of Chinese herbal compound on monoamine and neuronal amino acids in rat's telencephalon in the course of exhaustion and recovery process].
To observe the effect of Chinese herbal compound on variance of neurotransmitters in rat telencephalon and to further discuss the mechanism underlying Chinese herbal compound in improving exercise capacity and promoting recovery from exercise-induced fatigue. 64 rats (8 week old) were randomly divided into medicine group (MG) and control group (CG). Chinese herbal compound was administered to rats of MG for 8 weeks. 8 weeks later, every group was divided into 4 subgroups and all were killed at different time point separately, and then neurotransmitter in rat brain was tested. The exhaustion time of MG was significantly longer than that in CG (P < 0.01). In rest conditions, glutamic acid (GLU) of MG was significantly higher than that in CG (P < 0.01), while, there were no significant differences between MG and CG in other indexes. After fixed quantitative load exercise, the content of 5-hydroxytryptamineZZ(5-HT), 5-hydroindole acetic (5-HIAA), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), Dopamine (DA) and 5-HT/5-HIAA were significantly lower than those in CG, while, GLU, GLU/GABA and DA/5-HT were significantly higher than those in CG. Compared with CG, exhaustion significantly (P < 0.05) decreased 5-HT, GABA and 5-HT/5-HIAA, and significantly (P<0.05) increased GLU, DA/5-HT and GLU/GABA level in MG. 12 h after exhaustion, in contrast to CG, level of 5-HT and 5-HT/5-HIAA in MG were significantly (P < 0.01) lower while GLU, DA, GABA and DA/5-HT were significantly (P < 0.01) higher. During exhaustion exercise, Chinese herbal compound demonstrated strong inhibiting effect on synthesis of 5-HT, 5-HIAA, DA, GABA and promoting effect on GLU synthesis, this had been confirmed by the combined effect, including increase of excitatory transmitter and excitability of central nervous system and the prolongation of exhaustion time and promoting recovery from fatigue.


Lipid peroxidation and acute lung injury after thermal trauma to skin. Evidence of a role for hydroxyl radical.
The authors have previously shown that thermal injury to the skin of rats results in the development of acute lung injury that is susceptible to systemic treatment of animals with catalase and dependent on the presence of neutrophils. The current studies have been expanded for exploration of the nature of the neutrophil-derived oxygen products responsible for the lung injury and have also focused on evidence of the appearance of products of lipid peroxidation (conjugated dienes). With respect to the former, treatment of rats with iron chelators (deferoxamine mesylate, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid), with scavengers of hydroxyl radical (dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl thiourea, sodium benzoate), or with vitamin E affords a significant degree of protection from acute lung injury as assessed by changes in lung vascular permeability and by morphologic parameters. These data suggest that lung vascular injury after thermal trauma of the skin is related to the generation by neutrophils of the hydroxyl radical. Conjugated dienes have been demonstrated to appear sequentially both in the burned skin (at 1/4 hour) and in the lungs (at 2 hours), as well as in the plasma (with peaks at 1/2 and at 3 hours) after thermal injury. The appearance of the conjugated dienes in plasma at the two intervals of time is greatly diminished if animals are pretreated with the iron chelator deferoxamine, with catalase, or with scavengers of hydroxyl radical. Furthermore, the appearance of conjugated dienes in plasma at 30 minutes and 3 hours is significantly diminished if animals are depleted of neutrophils, complement-depleted, or the burned skin is excised immediately after thermal injury. These data indicate a linkage between thermal trauma of skin, secondary injury of lung, and appearance in plasma and tissues of products of lipid peroxidation.


Self-organization of swimmers drives long-range fluid transport in bacterial colonies.
Motile subpopulations in microbial communities are believed to be important for dispersal, quest for food, and material transport. Here, we show that motile cells in sessile colonies of peritrichously flagellated bacteria can self-organize into two adjacent, centimeter-scale motile rings surrounding the entire colony. The motile rings arise from spontaneous segregation of a homogeneous swimmer suspension that mimics a phase separation; the process is mediated by intercellular interactions and shear-induced depletion. As a result of this self-organization, cells drive fluid flows that circulate around the colony at a constant peak speed of ~30 µm s-1, providing a stable and high-speed avenue for directed material transport at the macroscopic scale. Our findings present a unique form of bacterial self-organization that influences population structure and material distribution in colonies.


Elucidating the Biological Activity of Fish-Derived Collagen and Gelatine Hydrolysates using Animal Cell Culture - A Review.
A large percentage of a fish's weight is generally discarded during fish processing. Reducing the waste products of marine origin is a subject of great interest within the scientific community. Pelagic byproducts, such as the structural protein collagen, which can be generated during the processing of fish, have been proposed as an alternative to terrestrial, mammalian sources due to advantages including high availability and low risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Gelatine has multiple possible applications, ranging from nutraceutical applications to cosmetics and has the advantage of being generally regarded as safe. In this multidisciplinary review, the chemistry of gelatine and its parent protein collagen, the chemical reactions to generate their hydrolysates, and studies on their biological activities using animal cell culture are discussed.


Giant Aneurysm of Left Main Coronary Artery in a Patient With Prior Operation for 4-Valve Endocarditis.
Left main coronary artery aneurysm is an unusual complication of infective endocarditis. Although this type of aneurysm is often asymptomatic, rupture and thrombus formation that result in myocardial infarction are known complications; therefore, prompt recognition and surgical intervention are warranted. This report describes a patient who presented with a giant left main coronary artery aneurysm 3.5 years after being treated for 4-valve endocarditis. The management and technical aspects of this challenging case are discussed here.


Effects of lighting pattern and photoperiod on egg production and egg quality of a native chicken under free-range condition.
The paper aimed to study the effects of lighting pattern and photoperiod alone and in combination on egg production, egg quality in Beijing You Chicken (BYC). A total of 630 19-wk-old BYC laying hens were randomly allocated to 6 groups with 105 birds each, 3 replicates per group, reared in individually lit floor pens with separate outdoor areas. A 2 × 3 factorial experiment (2 lighting patterns: continuous and intermittent lighting; 3 photoperiods: 16, 14, 12 h) was arranged, including 16L:8D (6:00 to 22:00) for group 1; 12L:2D:4L:6D (6:00 to 18:00, 20:00 to 24:00) for group 2; 14L:10D (6:00 to 20:00) for group 3; 10L:2D:4L:8D (6:00 to 16:00, 18:00 to 22:00) for group 4; 12L:12D (6:00 to 18:00) for group 5, and 8L:4D:4L:8D (6:00 to 14:00, 18:00 to 22:00) for group 6, respectively. Egg production parameters were calculated for 22 to 43, 44 to 57, and 22 to 57 wk, and egg quality parameters were measured at the end of 37 and 57 wk. The results showed that the egg production of BYC was not significantly affected by lighting pattern, photoperiod alone, or in combination during 22 to 43 and 22 to 57 wk (P > 0.05), but average feed intake in 12 h groups was significantly higher than those in 14 and 16 h groups during 22 to 43 and 22 to 57 wk (P < 0.05). Egg mass and feed egg ratio were significantly affected by lighting pattern, photoperiod alone, and in combination during 44 to 57 wk (P < 0.05). Egg mass was significantly higher (P = 0.05) and feed egg ratio was significantly lower (P = 0.03) in continuous groups than in intermittent groups. There were significant effects for eggshell thickness, albumen height, haugh unit, and egg grade by lighting pattern alone (P < 0.05) at 37 wk. The study suggested that 1) the egg production was not significantly affected by lighting pattern alone during 22 to 57 wk (P > 0.05), but the photoperiod significantly affected average feed intake (P < 0.05); 2) continuous lighting is better for the egg production during 44 to 57 wk, and intermittent lighting is better for egg quality of the native bird at 37 wk; 3) 12 h lighting is enough for meeting the requirement of the native chicken during the laying period; (4) no change in photoperiod from the rearing to the production phase (12 to 12 L) will have long-lasting effects on egg production or egg quality under the present condition.


Analysis of air-, moisture- and solvent-sensitive chemical compounds by mass spectrometry using an inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe.
A novel method has been developed that enables chemical compounds to be transferred from an inert atmosphere glove box and into the atmospheric pressure ion source of a mass spectrometer whilst retaining a controlled chemical environment. This innovative method is simple and cheap to implement on some commercially available mass spectrometers. We have termed this approach inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe ( iASAP) and demonstrate the benefit of this methodology for two air-/moisture-sensitive chemical compounds whose characterisation by mass spectrometry is now possible and easily achieved. The simplicity of the design means that moving between iASAP and standard ASAP is straightforward and quick, providing a highly flexible platform with rapid sample turnaround.


A metabolomics study of the intervention effect of Tartary buckwheat on hyperlipidemia mice.
Tartary buckwheat can improve hyperlipidemia and affect the changes of metabolic pathways to the body. In this study, we use LC/MS to obtain metabolic fingerprints of plasma samples collected from control (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD), Tartary buckwheat protein (BWP), and Tartary buckwheat starch (BWS). Using the metabolic network database, through OPLS-DA, the potential biomarkers and pathways of BWP and BWS intervention in hyperlipidemia mice are initially determined. The results showed that there are 30 metabolites in total, among which linoleic acid, glycerol, phosphatidyl, ethanolamine, and galactose ceramide are the most important differentially expressed metabolites in BWP and BWS plasma samples. These metabolites are involved in eight metabolic pathways, such as linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism. Tartary buckwheat can alleviate the symptoms of hyperlipidemia in mice by affecting the above-mentioned metabolic pathways. This research has a profound impact on the development of nutritious foods of buckwheat. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Tartary buckwheat, also known as wild buckwheat, is a typical embodiment homology of medicine and food. We have clarified that the protein and starch extracted from tartary buckwheat have the function of reducing blood lipids. It is expected to be applied to functional food materials in the health food market. Also, the effects of tartary buckwheat protein and starch in improving metabolic pathways can be generally applied as a physiological active compound of functional food supplements.


Long-term results of salvage surgery in severely injured feet.
The purpose of our study was to analyze the long-term outcome of salvage surgery in severely injured feet. Clinical-functional scores and radiographic findings were used to assess the outcome of 18 patients (19 feet) with severe trauma to the foot treated at a tertiary teaching hospital from January, 1985 to October, 2005. Fourteen males and four females with a mean age of 35 years were studied. The mean followup period was 76 months. There was a high incidence of late complications and poor functional results (mean AOFAS = 68/100): chronic pain, 15 of 19 (mean analogical pain score 3.4/10); global foot stiffness, 11 of 19 (with radiographic evidence of arthritis of the remaining foot joints in 13 of 19); residual deformity, 13 of 19; arterial-venous insufficiency, 12 of 19; signs of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, seven of 19; chronic ulcers, six of 19; and chronic osteomyelitis, two of 19. Twelve patients had a visible limp and only 8 of 19 returned to work. Five years after severe foot injury most patients had painful stiffness and only 40% returned to work. Long-term clinical-functional results of the severely injured foot may be disappointing.


Fluorometric assay of human serum carnosinase activity in normal children, adults and patients with myopathy.
A sensitive, accurate method has been established for the assay of serum carnosinase by measuring the fluorescence emitted from the L-histidine liberated on treatment with o-phthaldialdehyde. Using this method the serum values for normal adults, infants and children were measured. The mean value was very low in infants of less than 1 year old but increased with age, being almost the same in children aged 6 years or more as in adults. In adult men, the mean activity was 1.85 mumol/mL/h and in adult women it was 2.07 mumol/mL/h. Low activity was observed in patients with muscular dystrophy.


A Meningioma With Extensive Peritumoral Edema Mimicking Metastatic Brain Tumor: A Case Report.
Meningioma is the most common brain tumor among all histologically reported malignant and non-malignant tumors of the central nervous system. Angiomatous meningioma is one of the subtypes of meningioma that is rarely reported. In this paper, we present a case of a 67-year-old female patient who sought consultation due to seizure, cognitive decline, and parkinsonism. Contrast-enhanced MRI showed a well-defined tumor in the left frontal lobe convexity with extensive perilesional edema. A tumor excision was done and histopathology studies revealed an angiomatous meningioma subtype. This case is reportable because angiomatous meningioma is a recognized rare entity. It is important to share this entity with other medical professionals and start to consider this condition in differential diagnosis when diagnosing a patient with an intracranial mass with an extensive peritumoral edema. Furthermore, the patient's unusual presentation of parkinsonian features and its occurrence with colorectal cancer history suggest a possible association between these conditions.


Radiotherapy-induced cell death activates paracrine HMGB1-TLR2 signaling and accelerates pancreatic carcinoma metastasis.
Dying cells after irradiation could promote the repopulation of surviving cancer cells leading to tumor recurrence. We aim to define the role of dying cells in promoting pancreatic cancer cells metastasis following radiotherapy. Using the transwell system as the in vitro co-culture model, a small number of untreated pancreatic cancer cells were seeded in the upper chamber, while a larger number of lethally treated pancreatic cancer cells were seeded in the lower chamber. A series of experiments were conducted to investigate the role of dying-cell-derived HMGB1 on the invasion of pancreatic cancer in vitro and cancer metastasis in vivo. We then designed shRNA knockdown and Western blot assays to detect signaling activity. We found that dying pancreatic cancer cells significantly promote the invasion of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and cancer metastasis in vivo. HMGB1 gene knockdown attenuated the migration-stimulating effect of irradiated, dying cells on living pancreatic cancer cells. Finally, we showed that dying-cell-derived HMGB1 functions in a paracrine manner to affect cancer-cell migration dependent on acquiring an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype and PI3K/pAkt activation. This process is mediated by the receptor for TLR2. Our study indicates that, during radiotherapy, dying pancreatic cancer cells activate paracrine signaling events that promote the mobility of surviving tumor cells. We suggest a strategy to inhibit HMGB1 for preventing pancreatic carcinoma relapse and metastasis.


The Correlations among Circulating Tumor Cells, Epstein-Barr Virus Status, and Epidemiology in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.
Studies have shown that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, the relationship between CTCs and tumor stage is still controversial. This study aims to investigate the correlations among CTCs, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status, clinicopathologic features, and epidemiological risk factors in patients with NPC. Three hundred and thirty primary NPC patients with complete clinical data and epidemiology information were collected. Analysis of CTCs was performed using the CTCBIOPSY system. The plasma EBV DNA load was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Detection of VCA-IgA and EA-IgA antibodies titers was conducted by immunoenzymatic assay. EBNA1-IgA and Zta-IgA were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The presence of CTCs was associated with high EBV DNA load (p < 0.05). The positive rate of CTCs was correlated with T and M classifications of NPC (T: 13.2% vs. 22.9%; M: 17.9% vs. 34.8%, p < 0.05). Compared with never and former smokers, current smokers exhibited a higher positive rate of EBNA1-IgA (83.3% and 81.0% vs. 92.5%, p < 0.05); the patients with pack-years of smoking ≥ 15 displayed a significantly higher positive rate of EBNA1-IgA than those with pack-years of smoking < 15 (98.0% and 92.5% vs. 81.0%, p < 0.05). CTCs positivity was closely associated with tumor burden and distant metastasis of NPC. Smoking status and smoking cumulative dose of NPC patients might be correlated with EBV activation.


Inflammatory Markers and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as Potential Bridges Linking Bipolar Disorder and Cardiovascular Risk Among Adolescents.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with increased rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inflammatory markers are leading biomarkers in BD. We examined whether these biomarkers underlie the link between BD and CVD proxies among adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders. Subjects were 60 adolescents, 13-19 years old (40 with BD and 20 healthy controls [HCs]). Semistructured interviews determined diagnoses based on DSM-IV. Serum was assayed for BDNF, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and flow-mediated dilation were assessed using ultrasound. Procedures were conducted at a subspecialty clinic (January 2011-May 2014). Adolescents with BD had significantly greater waist circumference (BD: 81.72 cm [11.67 cm], HC: 75.64 cm [8.63 cm]; U = 547.5, P = .021), body mass index (BMI) (BD: 25.50 kg/m²undefined[5.29 kg/m²], HC: 21.76 kg/m² [3.43 kg/m²]; U = 608.5, P < .0001), pulse pressure (BD: 42.31 mm Hg [10.57 mm Hg], HC: 33.84 mm Hg [6.69 mm Hg]; U = 561.5, P < .001), and IL-6 (BD: 8.93 pg/mL [7.71 pg/mL], HC: 4.96 pg/mL [6.38 pg/mL]; U = 516.0, P < .0001) than HC adolescents. Subjects with BD-I (n = 14) and BD-II (n = 16) had greater IL-6 versus HCs (F₃,₅₁ = 5.29, P = .003). Controlling for BMI and age did not alter these findings. IL-6 was higher in symptomatic (n = 19) and asymptomatic BD (n = 21) versus that found in HCs (F₂,₅₂ = 7.96, P = .001). In symptomatic BD, lower BDNF was associated with greater mean cIMT (ρ = -0.507, P = .037). This study found evidence of increased inflammation among adolescents with BD. While present findings suggest a potential interplay between symptomatic status, biomarkers, and atherosclerosis proxies, there were no significant differences in cIMT or flow-mediated dilation in adolescents with BD compared to HCs. This may indicate that there is potential opportunity for CVD prevention strategies in adolescents with BD.


Endocardial electrograms from pacemaker catheters.
Proper placement of pacemaker catheters can be facilitated by recording endocardial electrograms from the catheters. These electrograms are also helpful in the investigation of pacemaker failure. Endocardial contact is indicated by S-T segment elevation. When bipolar catheters are used, these "contact currents" may be visible in electrograms from the tip or ring electrodes, or both. Right ventricular cavity electrograms are characterized by their high voltage and are influenced by intraventricular conduction defects and acute myocardial infarction. Serial changes have been described indicating myocardial injury, infarction, and healing in the area underlying the catheter tip.


Unique presentation of intra-abdominal testis: small bowel obstruction.
We describe here a two-year-old male who required urgent laparotomy to relieve a strangulated small bowel caused by internal herniation around an intra-abdominal testis. This clinical presentation has not been reported previously.


The Paradox of Humiliation: The Acceptance of an Unjust Devaluation of the Self.
Despite growing attention the study of humiliation is receiving, there is little consensus as to how humiliation differs from other related emotions. We here argue that humiliation shares central characteristics with anger, shame, and embarrassment, but also differs from these emotions in meaningful ways. In Study 1, participants read about a professor who demeaned a student's work. We manipulated key appraisals of this scenario and measured humiliation, shame, anger, and embarrassment, as well as the tendencies for approach and avoidance. Results indicated that humiliation arises from accepting a devaluation of the self, which, simultaneously, is appraised as unjust. Moreover, humiliation is associated with tendencies for approach and avoidance simultaneously. We replicated these results in Study 2 in which participants referred to actual experiences in their lives during which they felt humiliated, ashamed, or angry. Taken together, results provide evidence of the unique nature of humiliation as a distinct, self-conscious emotion.


Evidence of Lagos bat virus circulation among Nigerian fruit bats.
During lyssavirus surveillance, 350 brains from four species of fruit bats and one species of insectivorous bat were collected from seven locations in Northern Nigeria during May to October, 2006. Lyssavirus antigen was not detected in the brains, and isolation attempts in mice were unsuccessful. However, serologic tests demonstrated the presence of lyssavirus-neutralizing antibodies in bat sera. Of 140 sera tested, 27 (19%) neutralized Lagos bat virus, and two of these additionally neutralized Mokola virus. The positive samples originated from the straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) and the Gambian epaulet bat (Epomophorus gambianus). No neutralizing activity was detected against other lyssaviruses including rabies, Duvenhage, and West Caucasian bat viruses.


A novel dibenzo[a,c]phenazine-based fluorescent probe for fast and selective detection of thiophenols in environmental water.
We herein report a novel dibenzo[a,c]phenazine-based fluorescent probe with fast response to thiophenols over a wide pH range from 5 to 13. The probe possesses a large Stokes shift (120 nm). More importantly, it displays a high selectivity and sensitivity for thiophenols in the presence of other analytes such as biothiols and common metal ions. A good linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity at 570 nm and the thiophenol concentration in the range of 0-20 μM was observed with a low detection limit at 40 nM. In addition, it has been successfully applied to detect thiophenols in environmental water (such as seawater, tap water and spring water) with high recovery, which confirmed its potential value in environmental monitoring.


Induction of peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gamma and peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 by unsaturated fatty acids, retinoic acid, and carotenoids in preadipocytes obtained from bovine white adipose tissue1,2.
The importance of dietary fat components, such as fatty acids, in the expression of multiple genes is clear. In the case of beef cattle, fat in the form of fatty acids (saturated or unsaturated), vitamin A (mainly retinoic acid), or carotenoids (beta-carotene and lutein) is obtained from dietary feed or pasture. The aim of this work was to study the effect of fatty acids (phytanic and pristanic acids), vitamin A (all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acid), and carotenoids (beta-carotene and lutein) on the expression of PPARgamma and its coactivator PGC-1alpha during differentiation of bovine white adipose tissue. Samples were collected at slaughter from subcutaneous adipose tissue and processed in a solution containing type II collagenase for 2 h at 37 degrees C. Cells were resuspended in basal medium, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 5% fetal bovine serum, plated on 24-well culture plates at a density of 1 x 10(4) cells/cm(2), and incubated at 37 degrees C in a 5% CO(2) atmosphere. Preadipocyte differentiation after reaching confluence was induced by various treatments: rosiglitazone (20 microM); unsaturated fatty acids: phytanic acid (25, 50, 100 microM) and pristanic acid (25, 50, 100 microM); retinoids: 9-cis retinoic acid (0.5, 0.75, 1 microM) and all-trans retinoic acid (0.5, 0.75, 1 microM); and carotenoids: beta-carotene (10, 20, 30 microM) and lutein (10, 20, 30 microM). Expression of PPARgamma and PGC-1alpha was measured in differentiated cells. Phytanic acid, all-trans retinoic acid, and 9-cis retinoic acid were the best activators of PPARgamma expression, and the combination of 9-cis and all-trans retinoic acid was the best activator of PGC-1alpha expression (P < 0.05). Therefore, these are powerful agents for the promotion of bovine adipogenesis and constitute promising compounds to be used in bovine fattening.


X-ray-induced water vaporization.
We present quantitative evidence for x-ray-induced water vaporization: water is vaporized at a rate of 5.5 pL/s with the 1-Å-wavelength x-ray irradiation of ~0.1 photons per Å(2); moreover, water vapor is reversibly condensed during pauses in irradiation. This result fundamentally suggests that photoionization induces vaporization. This phenomenon is attributed to surface-tension reduction by ionization and would be universally important in radiological and electrohydrodynamic situations.


An OTX2 Gene Mutation Causing a More Severe Retinal Phenotype in a Female RPGR Mutation Carrier.
This study describes the clinical features of a pedigree with a novel retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator gene mutation in whom one hemizygous man has a typical manifesting phenotype and three heterozygous women demonstrate a typical carrier phenotype. A fourth heterozygous woman is described with a strikingly severe retinal phenotype and also harbors an independent disease-causing mutation in the OTX2 gene and an associated systemic phenotype. This study hypothesizes that the OTX2 mutation in combination with the familial retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator gene variant results in a more severe ocular phenotype than is seen in the other heterozygous women in this pedigree due to a loss of OTX2-mediated photoreceptor protection. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2022;53(4):216-220.].


The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior: current status and future directions.
The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior (Joiner, 2005) holds that an individual will die by suicide if he or she has both the desire for suicide and capability to act on that desire. According to the theory, suicidal desire results from the convergence of two interpersonal states: perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. However, desire alone is not sufficient to result in death by suicide--a third component must be present: the acquired capability for suicide, which develops from repeated exposure and habituation to painful and provocative events. The purpose of this article is to discuss four viable and timely directions for future research, given the current status of the theory.


Social determinants of health and frailty are associated with all-cause mortality in older adults.
To examine the longitudinal association between the social determinants of health (SDH) and frailty status with all-cause mortality in older Mexican adults. Longitudinal study with a sample of adults aged 60 and over of Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE) in Mexico. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the SDH and frailty-related hazard ratios (HR) for mortality over the study period. Overall mortality rate was 16.9%. Higher education, having a higher frequency of inter-personal contacts (HR=0.96; p<0.01) reduced the risk of dying, after adjusting for potential confounders. While, not counting on someone to trust (HR= 1.59; p<0.03) and having a sense a lack of control over important decisions in life increased the mortality risk. Given that frailty and the SDH affect health using independent pathways, public health systems in Mexico could benefit from increasing the capacity of identifying frail and isolated older adults and providing a risk-stratified health care accordingly.


Dimensional dependence of electronic structure of fullerene polymers.
Fullerene polymers made of C(60) are systematically investigated by means of a first-principles pseudopotential approach within the local density approximation of the density functional theory. We assume 10 different structures of fullerene polymers. The first three are C(60) polymer networks cross-linked by [2+2] cycloadditional four-membered rings, and the other seven are composed of peanut-shaped fused C(60) polymer chains cross-linked by either seven-membered rings or eight-membered rings. Owing to the overlap of wave functions as well as the hybrid networks of sp(2)-like (3-fold coordinated) and sp(3)-like (4-fold coordinated) carbon atoms, the electronic structure is considerably different from each other. We find that the resulting electronic structure is either semiconductor or semimetal depending on the spatial dimensionality of materials.


Fire Analysis of Timber-Framed Walls Lined with Gypsum.
This investigation analyses the influence of the depth and the distance between studs on the fire resistance of lightweight timber-framed (LTF) walls lined with gypsum plasterboards. The simplified model used to determine the fire resistance in Eurocode EN 1995-1-2 provides very conservative values, as few parameters are considered. The new generation of Eurocode EN 1995-1-2 includes an upgrade of the simplified model, allowing us to predict the fire resistance of LTF wall assemblies more accurately. This separating function method considers the number, the thickness and the material of the protection layers, but does not explicitly consider the variation of the depth and the distance between the studs for the calculation of the insulation time of the assembly, besides including some limitations for both parameters. To demonstrate the influence of these parameters, 36 numerical simulations were carried out using the finite element method previously validated with experimental tests. The results obtained from the parametric analyses confirmed that such parameters affect the fire resistance of the LTF wall assemblies in a significant way. In addition, the results revealed an important contribution in the study of LTF wall assemblies against fire resistance, demonstrating the need for including extra geometric parameters in the simplified model in order to increase the accuracy of current models.


Doppler echocardiography in normal functioning valve prostheses.
Even though there has been some criticism regarding the Doppler evaluation in prosthetic valves because of inter-observer and intra-observer variability, among other factors, and Doppler study has a tendency to have falsely high gradients compared to invasive studies, especially mechanical aortic prostheses, Doppler evaluation can provide reliable hemodynamic information about valve function. This test may be particularly useful if used serially, when baseline values are known. Doppler measurement of gradient and valve area has an expected normal range that is specific for the prosthetic type, size, anatomical position, and chronological age. Clearly, a database involving these aspects is needed to provide a more accurate normal range. This study is intended to provide guidance for echocardiographers.


[COPD--Update 2009].
In the last years understanding of mechanisms in COPD has grown. At the same time therapeutic options have increased. Therapeutic nihilism is not anymore indicated when facing a patient with newly diagnosed COPD. Different strategies are important: Nicotine cessation, long-acting bronchodilators acting against bronchial obstruction and exertional dynamic hyperinflation, and an intensive physical training in the setting of a pulmonary rehabilitation program. They allow altogether a significant improvement of life quality and daily life activities.


Post-COVID-19 Symptoms and Conditions Among Children and Adolescents - United States, March 1, 2020-January 31, 2022.
Post-COVID-19 (post-COVID) symptoms and conditions* are new, recurring, or ongoing health problems that occur 4 or more weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). Previous studies have characterized and estimated the incidence of post-COVID conditions among adults (1,2), but data among children and adolescents are limited (3-8). Using a large medical claims database, CDC assessed nine potential post-COVID signs and symptoms (symptoms) and 15 potential post-COVID conditions among 781,419 U.S. children and adolescents aged 0-17 years with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 (patients with COVID-19) compared with 2,344,257 U.S. children and adolescents without recognized COVID-19 (patients without COVID-19) during March 1, 2020-January 31, 2022. The analysis identified several symptoms and conditions with elevated adjusted hazard ratios among patients with COVID-19 (compared with those without). The highest hazard ratios were recorded for acute pulmonary embolism (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.01), myocarditis and cardiomyopathy (1.99), venous thromboembolic event (1.87), acute and unspecified renal failure (1.32), and type 1 diabetes (1.23), all of which were rare or uncommon in this study population. Conversely, symptoms and conditions that were most common in this study population had lower aHRs (near or below 1.0). Patients with COVID-19 were less likely than were patients without to experience respiratory signs and symptoms, symptoms of mental conditions, muscle disorders, neurological conditions, anxiety and fear-related disorders, mood disorders, and sleeping disorders. COVID-19 prevention strategies, including vaccination for all eligible children and adolescents, are critical to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequent illness, including post-COVID symptoms and conditions (9).


Developmental expression of mRNAs encoding platelet proteins in rat megakaryocytes.
The committed bone marrow megakaryocyte (MK) progenitor undergoes a series of highly regulated stages of development resulting in a large multi-nucleated platelet-producing cell. We studied the developmental expression of the mRNA for two alpha granule proteins, fibronectin (FN) and fibrinogen gamma chain (gamma-FIB), and a cytoskeletal protein, actin, in MKs from marrow of Sprague-Dawley rats. By the method of in situ RNA:RNA hybridization, we showed that mRNAs for the alpha granule proteins were expressed most abundantly in a population of 15-microns diameter promegakaryocytes and in cells as small as 10 microns whose identity as immature MKs was inferred by positive staining for platelet- and MK-specific markers. gamma-FIB and FN mRNAs were present in reduced abundance in a small proportion of intermediate MKs; however, little or no expression was seen in mature platelet-producing MKs. In contrast, high levels of actin mRNA were expressed predominantly in mature, multi-nucleated MKs, and less abundantly in the immature forms. These results suggest that FN and gamma-FIB are transcribed early in MK development to permit translation and packaging of the protein into alpha granules, after which transcription ceases. On the other hand, transcription of actin occurs continuously throughout development, with highest levels in mature platelet-producing MKs, in which actin is needed for shape changes and intracellular movement of organelles. Our data suggest that in situ RNA:RNA hybridization for platelet-specific markers will provide additional criteria by which to establish MK lineage in immature marrow progenitors.


Locomotor training modifies soleus monosynaptic motoneuron responses in human spinal cord injury.
The objective of this study was to assess changes in monosynaptic motoneuron responses to stimulation of Ia afferents after locomotor training in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). We hypothesized that locomotor training modifies the amplitude of the soleus monosynaptic motoneuron responses in a body position-dependent manner. Fifteen individuals with chronic clinical motor complete or incomplete SCI received an average of 45 locomotor training sessions. The soleus H-reflex and M-wave recruitment curves were assembled using data collected in both the right and left legs, with subjects seated and standing, before and after training. The soleus H-reflexes and M-waves, measured as peak-to-peak amplitudes, were normalized to the maximal M-wave (M(max)). Stimulation intensities were normalized to 50% M(max) stimulus intensity. A sigmoid function was also fitted to the normalized soleus H-reflexes on the ascending limb of the recruitment curve. After training, soleus H-reflex excitability was increased in both legs in AIS C subjects, and remained unchanged in AIS A-B and AIS D subjects during standing. When subjects were seated, soleus H-reflex excitability was decreased after training in many AIS C and D subjects. Changes in reflex excitability coincided with changes in stimulation intensities at H-threshold, 50% maximal H-reflex, and at maximal H-reflex, while an interaction between leg side and AIS scale for the H-reflex slope was also found. Adaptations of the intrinsic properties of soleus motoneurons and Ia afferents, the excitability profile of the soleus motoneuron pool, oligosynaptic inputs, and corticospinal inputs may all contribute to these changes. The findings of this study demonstrate that locomotor training impacts the amplitude of the monosynaptic motoneuron responses based on the demands of the motor task in people with chronic SCI.


Addressing the access problem for patients with serious mental illness who require tertiary medical care.
There is evidence to suggest that people with serious mental illness (SMI) have lower access to tertiary care than patients without SMI, particularly when care is complex. Barriers are present at the level of the individual, providers, and the health care system. High levels of co-morbidity and the associated health care costs, along with a growing focus on facilitating equal access to quality care for all, urges health care systems to address existing gaps. Some interventions have been successful at improving access to primary care for patients with SMI, but relatively little research has focused on access to complex interventions. This paper summarizes the scope of the problem regarding access to complex tertiary medical care among people with SMI. Barriers are discussed and potential solutions are proposed. Policies and programs must be developed, implemented, and evaluated to determine cost-effectiveness and impact on outcomes.


Recurrent secondary hyperparathyroidism due to implanted parathyroid tissue: a case report.
Hyperparathyroidism is a common complication of chronic renal failure. Although many patients can be managed by conservative measures, surgery is sometimes necessary. One of two operations can be performed: subtotal parathyroidectomy or total parathyroidectomy with reimplantation of parathyroid tissue into muscle. A case is presented of a patient who underwent the first and then the second of these procedures for recurrent hyperparathyroidism. A further recurrence was found to be caused by the implanted parathyroid tissue in a forearm muscle, requiring a third procedure for control of the disorder.


Hydrogen peroxide as a paracrine vascular mediator: regulation and signaling leading to dysfunction.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the ability of a variety of vascular cells, including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts, to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Until recently, major emphasis was placed on the production of superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) in the vasculature as a result of its ability to directly attenuate the biological activity of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO). The short half-life and radius of diffusion of O(2)(-) drastically limit the role of this ROS as an important paracrine hormone in vascular biology. On the contrary, in recent years, the O(2)(-) metabolite hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) has increasingly been viewed as an important cellular signaling agent in its own right, capable of modulating both contractile and growth-promoting pathways with more far-reaching effects. In this review, we will assess the vascular production of H(2)O(2), its regulation by endogenous scavenger systems, and its ability to activate a variety of vascular signaling pathways, thereby leading to vascular contraction and growth. This discussion will include the ability of H(2)O(2) to (i) initiate calcium flux as well as (ii) stimulate pathways leading to sensitization of contractile elements to calcium. The latter involves a variety of protein kinases that have also been strongly implicated in vascular hypertrophy. Previous intensive study has emphasized the ability of NADPH oxidase-derived O(2)(-) and H(2)O(2) to activate these pathways in cultured smooth muscle cells. However, growing evidence indicates a considerably more complex array of unique oxidase systems in the endothelium, media, and adventitia that appear to participate in these deleterious effects in a sequential and temporal manner. Taken together, these findings seem consistent with a paracrine effect of H(2)O(2) across the vascular wall.


[Inhibitory effect of Fasudil on activation and inflammatory response of mouse astrocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide and its mechanism].
Objective To evaluate the influence of Fasudil on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation and inflammatory response of astrocytes and TLR4/ NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods Astrocytes were separated from the cerebral cortex of newly-born C57BL/6 mice and cultured in vitro. The cells were divided into PBS control group, 1 μg/mL LPS stimulation group, 1 μg/mL LPS combined with 15 μg/mL Fasudil treatment group. The production of NO in the cell supernatant was detected by Griess reagent. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin -6(IL-6), IL-10 and IL-4 were measured by ELISA. The expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and TLR4 in the astrocytes were detected by immunofluorescence cytochemistry. The protein levels of GFAP, TLR4 and p-NF-κBp65 were assessed by Western blot analysis. Results Compared with the PBS control group, the levels of NO, TNF-α and IL-6 in the LPS group significantly increased, but the levels of IL-10 and IL-4 decreased. Fasudil treatment significantly inhibited LPS-induced the secretion of NO, TNF-α and IL-6 and enhanced the production of IL-10 and IL-4. The expression of GFAP significantly decreased in the Fasudil treatment group, and the protein levels of TLR4 and p-NF-κBp65 also decreased. Conclusion Fasudil can inhibit LPS-induced astrocyte activation and inflammatory response by blocking TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.


Modulation of atherosclerotic risk factors by seal oil: a preliminary assessment.
We examined whether dietary supplementation with seal oil influenced the risk factors of atherosclerosis in healthy volunteers. Two intervention studies were carried out as preliminary steps in a larger project which aim at elucidating the disease preventive potential of seal oil. In study I ten healthy volunteers added 10 capsules of seal oil to their normal Western diet for six weeks. Blood tests were analysed for total-, HDL-, and LDL-cholesterol and plasma triglyceride, and the ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acid was determined in plasma and erythrocyte membranes. In study II we examined the effect in five healthy volunteers who had only 5 capsules of seal oil daily for six weeks. As an additional test in study II, the effect on the proinflammatory TNF-alpha cytokine in lymphocytes was determined. A slightly decreased, however, not significant effect was observed for each of the cholesterol's after seal oil supplementation. In both studies plasma triglyceride, and the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio of plasma and erythrocytes were significantly reduced upon seal oil intake. During the intervention period of study II a distinct reduced level of TNF-alpha was observed in isolated lymphocytes. The examinations suggest that supplementation of seal oil, 10 capsules or 5 capsules/day, may have beneficial effects on factors thought to be associated with cardiovascular and thrombotic diseases.


Cell culture of biopsied endometriomas after danazol/hormonal therapy: a study of growth features and fertility effects.
The growth features of cells from endometriomas biopsied from patients who had been treated with Danazol or with hormones have not been studied in vitro. Danazol is a versatile drug and despite its recognised efficacy in controlling endometriosis, little is known about is cytotoxicity and mechanism of action. Culture of the biopsied endometriomas permitted qualitative cytotoxic assessments by way of comparison with cultured normal uterine endometrial cells treated in vitro with Danazol. The growth characteristics were studied in monolayer and collagen gel cultures. Cytopathology was characterised by light and electron microscopy. Since endometriosis is associated with infertility in women, data from in vitro fertilisation (IVF) were analysed with respect to treatment modalities as compared with cases suffering fallopian occlusion. Danazol reduced pregnancy chances. Two factors may be responsible: (a) altered follicle development resulting in poor oocyte quality (b) reduced nidation because of long-lasting endometrial cytotoxicity. The experimental findings reported here support the latter explanation. Consequently, Danazol therapy should be conditional; patients wishing to achieve pregnancy should preferably receive hormonal therapy.


Do you know this syndrome? Ectrodactyly - ectodermal dysplasia - cleft lip/palate(EEC) syndrome.
Ectrodactyly - ectodermal dysplasia - cleft lip/palate syndrome (EEC) is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder, with variable expression and penetrance. This congenital disorder is associated either with a mutation in chromosome 7 or with a translocation between chromosomes 7 and 9, reflected primarily in the abnormalities listed in its name. This case report describes a 35-year-old male with syndromic stigmata since birth and no cleft lip/palate. Four relatives are also affected by the condition.


Do visits help improve the quality of teaching within undergraduate teaching practices?
The Academic Unit of Primary Care (AUPC) at the University of Leeds is responsible for the quality assurance of 79 teaching practices, who contribute 14% of the MBChB clinical placements. We wanted to analyse the effects of visiting undergraduate teaching practices as part of an approach to quality assurance. A survey of 79 practices in Yorkshire revealed a high level of tutor satisfaction with the process and 41% showed evidence of change following the visit. Some qualitative information was elicited from the survey and is used to illustrate examples of change. Our paper looks at the role of practice visits as part of a system of quality assurance and makes further recommendations to improve their focus and effectiveness. The paper is timely given the large increase in primary care placements and the recent discussions about the development of quality criteria for undergraduate medical teaching in the community.


Recent advances in superhydrophobic surfaces and their relevance to biology and medicine.
By mimicking naturally occurring superhydrophobic surfaces, scientists can now realize artificial surfaces on which droplets of a few microliters of water are forced to assume an almost spherical shape and an extremely high contact angle. In recent decades, these surfaces have attracted much attention due to their technological applications for anti-wetting and self-cleaning materials. Very recently, researchers have shifted their interest to investigate whether superhydrophobic surfaces can be exploited to study biological systems. This research effort has stimulated the design and realization of new devices that allow us to actively organize, visualize and manipulate matter at both the microscale and nanoscale levels. Such precise control opens up wide applications in biomedicine, as it allows us to directly manipulate objects at the typical length scale of cells and macromolecules. This progress report focuses on recent biological and medical applications of superhydrophobicity. Particular regard is paid to those applications that involve the detection, manipulation and study of extremely small quantities of molecules, and to those that allow high throughput cell and biomaterial screening.


Risk of deterministic effects during endovascular aortic stent graft implantation.
Since the 1990s, stent graft implantation for aortic pathology has become an alternative to extensive surgical procedures in some patients. Indeed, many patients with such pathology are now treated endovascularly. Only limited data concerning the risk of a deterministic effect during aortic stent graft implantation are available Accordingly, 179 consecutive patients treated in our institute between October 2002 and July 2008 with endovascular aortic stent grafts were included in this study. Dosimetric data (kerma area product (KAP) and cumulative dose at the interventional reference point (CD(irp))) from radiograph reports were analysed for 172 patients. On a group of 19 patients, GAFCHROMIC XR type dosimetric films were also used to verify the automatic measurements. Readings from the integrated KAP meter were found to be too high and were therefore corrected - KAP to dose area product (DAP) and CD(irp) to entrance skin dose (ESD). Median DAP was 153 Gy cm² (35-700 Gy cm²) and median ESD was 0.44 Gy (0.12-2.73 Gy). Recorded dosimetric quantities were found to be good predictors of the skin dose and highlighted 4 patients (2.3%) who received skin doses that might cause possible deterministic effects. Endovascular stent graft implantation is less invasive than a surgical procedure and is widely used; mid-term results are encouraging. In a small number of patients, deterministic effects can occur even in departments with well-trained staff. Operators should inform the patients of possible skin injury after receiving high doses of ionising radiation and proper support must be available should that occur.


Spinal glutamatergic NMDA-dependent cyclic pelvic nerve-to-external urethra sphincter reflex potentiation in anesthetized rats.
The purposes of this study were to investigate whether the pelvic nerve-to-external urethra sphincter (EUS) reflex potentiation can be induced under physiological conditions and to determine whether glutamatergic neurotransmission is involved in the reflex potentiation. Stimulation-evoked reflex activities, during rhythmic bladder contractions caused by a continuous saline infusion, in 21 anesthetized rats were recorded with/without the intrathecal administration of 10 microl of CNQX (a glutamatergic AMPA receptor antagonist; 100 microM) and APV( a glutamatergic NMDA receptor antagonist; 100 microM). Reflex activities became potentiated following the increment of intravesical pressure (IVP) during the storage phase (2.39 +/- 0.28 spikes/mmHg, n = 21) and the ascending period of the voiding phase (1.46 +/- 0.35 spikes/mmHg, n = 21) and decreased following the decrement of IVP during the descending period of the voiding phase (1.50 +/- 0.33 spikes/mmHg, n = 21). Although it is characterized by a low IVP, a postvoiding reflex potentiation in stimulation-evoked activities was elicited at the critical period after a voiding contraction had just finished (23.95 +/- 8.96 spikes/mmHg, n = 21). The slope of the regression line of evoked activities vs. the IVP during the storage phase was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of the ascending and descending periods of the voiding phase, but there was no statistical difference between the ascending and the descending periods (P > 0.05). In addition, the slope of the regression line of posttetanic reflex potentiation was significantly higher than that of the storage phase (P < 0.01). All the slopes of the regression lines decreased after intrathecal CNQX administration (from 3.15 +/- 0.44, 2.10 +/- 0.57, 2.13 +/- 0.53, and 21.30 +/- 3.41 to 0.83 +/- 0.31, 0.74 +/- 0.12, 0.76 +/- 0.12, and 4.31 +/- 3.71 spikes/mmHg in storage, ascending and descending period of the voiding phase, and postvoiding potentiation, respectively; all P < 0.01, n = 10). The slopes of the regression lines became almost horizontal after intrathecal APV administration (from 3.15 +/- 0.44, 2.10 +/- 0.57, 2.13 +/- 0.53, and 21.30 +/- 3.41 to 0.16 +/- 0.12, 0.21 +/- 0.07, 0.18 +/- 0.05, and 0.23 +/- 0.76 spikes/mmHg in storage, ascending and descending period of voiding phase, and postvoiding potentiation, respectively; all P < 0.01, n = 10). Our results suggest that a potentiation in the pelvic nerve-to-EUS reflex can be induced under physiological conditions and the glutamatergic mechanism appears to be involved in this reflex potentiation.