Information Mismatch: Cancer Risk Counseling with Diverse Underserved Patients.
As genetics and genomics become part of mainstream Medicine, these advances have the potential to reduce or exacerbate health disparities. Gaps in effective communication (where all parties share the same meaning) are widely recognized as a major contributor to health disparities. The purpose of this study was to examine GC-patient communication in real time, to assess its effectiveness from the patient perspective, and then to pilot intervention strategies to improve the communication. We observed 64 English-, 35 Spanish- and 25 Chinese-speaking (n = 124) public hospital patients and 10 GCs in 170 GC appointments, and interviewed 49 patients who were offered testing using the audio recordings to stimulate recall and probe specific aspects of the communication. Data analyses were conducted using grounded theory methods and revealed a fundamental mismatch between the information provided by GCs and the information desired and meaningful to patients. Several components of the communication that contributed to this mismatch and often resulted in ineffective communication included: (1) too much information; (2) complex terminology and conceptually difficult presentation of information; (3) information perceived as not relevant by the patient; (4) unintentional inhibition of patient engagement and question-asking; (5) vague discussions of screening and prevention recommendations. Our findings indicate a need to transform the standard model of genetic counseling communication using evidence-based principles and strategies from other fields of Medicine. The high rates of limited health literacy in the US, increasing access of diverse populations to genetic services, and growing complexity of genetic information have created a perfect storm. If not directly addressed, this convergence is likely to exacerbate health disparities in the genomic age.


Intervention research in highly unstable environments.
This article highlights issues and presents strategies for conducting intervention research in highly unstable environments such as schools, critical care units, and long-term care facilities. The authors draw on their own experiences to discuss the challenges that may be encountered in highly unstable settings. The concept of validity provides a framework for understanding the value of addressing the many methodological issues that can emerge in settings characterized by instability. We explain unstable environments by elaborating on knowable elements that contribute to instability. Strategies are provided for improving success of intervention research in unstable settings by carrying out an environmental assessment prior to beginning a study.


Creating havens for Black lesbian elders during COVID-19.
Black lesbians experience more adverse health outcomes and economic insecurity in older age than their White counterparts due to enduring a lifetime of marginalization associated with the intersections of race, gender, and sexual orientation. Yet, there is a lack of organizations dedicated to empowering and supporting this population. ZAMI NOBLA (National Organization of Black Lesbians on Aging) is the only Black lesbian led national organization in the United States solely invested in improving the wellbeing of Black lesbian elders. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked in solidarity with community partners across the country to leverage technological innovation and community solidarity to combat ageist ideology and elevate the spaces in which Black lesbians and their networks were able to learn, heal, thrive, and live. The organization's efforts fostered solidarity across generations of lesbians and the wider LGBTQ + community.


Benign lymphoid hyperplasia of the palate: report of two cases and immunohistochemical profile.
Two cases of benign lymphoid hyperplasia (BLH) of the palate are reported. The histologic appearances are those of a benign or reactive lymphoid aggregate and correlate well with other published accounts of this lesion. Using a battery of antileukocyte antibodies suitable for formalin-fixed tissue, analysis of the antigenic profile of oral BLH has been performed. The results indicate its benign nature: the germinal centres show tingible-body macrophages and polyclonal light chain restriction, the mantle zones are composed of both mature and immature B-cells, and the extramantle zones contain both B- and T-lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages, polymorphonuclear leukocytes and eosinophils. The histologic and immunohistochemical features are those of benign rather than malignant proliferation of lymphocytes. This is in agreement with published accounts of long-term follow-up, which have found no correlation between BLH in the mouth with either malignant association or malignant transformation.


Leptin, but not adiponectin, is a predictor of recurrent cardiovascular events in men: results from the LIPID study.
To investigate the relationships between plasma leptin and adiponectin levels and recurrent cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke) in men with earlier acute coronary syndromes. A nested case-control study examined circulating leptin and adiponectin levels in plasma obtained 4-6 years after entry into the Long-Term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease (LIPID) trial. Plasma was assayed from 184 men who suffered recurrent events within 4.4 years after blood collection and 184 matched controls who remained free of further events. The association between cardiovascular events and the explanatory variables was examined by conditional logistic regression analysis. Relative risk (RR) increased across increasing leptin quartiles; the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile was related to the highest risk (P for trend=0.002); the increased risk remained after adjustment for risk factors (P=0.018) or for obesity (P=0.038), but in the final model (adjusted for randomized treatment, other drugs, LIPID risk score, age and body mass index), the risk was attenuated (RR=1.61, 95% CI: 0.72-3.57, P for trend=0.34). Adiponectin did not predict cardiovascular events. Subjects randomly allocated to pravastatin had 6% lower leptin levels (P=0.04) than those allocated to placebo. Plasma leptin was a significant and independent predictor of recurrent cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke) in men with earlier acute coronary syndromes.


Update on indications for surgery in aortic insufficiency.
Aortic insufficiency is a valvular disease characterized by left ventricular volume overload. This article presents a logical approach for following up patients with aortic insufficiency and helps to determine the optimal timing for valve replacement. The various valve replacement techniques are discussed, and the specific benefits or risks associated with these procedures are described.


Arthroscopic evaluation and treatment of patellar malalignment.
The present retrospective study evaluates the clinical, arthroscopic, and follow-up findings in 37 patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome suspected to be a result of patellar tracking abnormality without patellar instability. The results indicate that arthroscopic evaluation of patellofemoral motion is an accurate way to define patellar malalignment. Arthroscopic lateral release gave satisfactory results in 39 of 43 knees. Unsatisfactory results were associated with chondromalacia, prolonged effusion, or painful crepitation.


Attitudes of health professionals involved in a school-based fluoride mouthrinse program.
A study was carried out to assess the attitudes of public health officials and dentists toward a school-based fluoride mouthrinse program administered in grades one through six in Kentucky. The responses were obtained by administering a questionnaire to health officials and dentists. The responses of the health directors indicate support for the program as a means of improving the overall dental care of children. These individuals do not feel a need for direct involvement in the daily operation of the program. They believe that adequately trained school personnel can implement the program. Dentists also view the fluoride mouthrinse program as an effective means of improving children's dental health. However, they feel that it should be part of a broad scope program which includes public health measures. Dentists are reluctant to support a program which they view as increasing the role of government in providing health care.


Structural analysis of the human HOX4A homeobox gene.
The HOX4A gene, one of a cluster of homeobox-containing genes on human chromosome 2, has been isolated by screening a genomic cosmid library with the HOX4B cDNA probe. The amino acid sequence was predicted according to the conceptual translation of 13 homology groups of human HOX genes (1). The HOX4A gene consists of at least two exons separated by a long intron of 1860 bp. The HOX4A protein predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the HOX4A gene is comprised of 416 amino acid residues. Comparison of the predicted HOX4A protein with the HOX2G protein revealed three regions of sequence similarity: an N-terminal octapeptide, a hexapeptide (pre-box) upstream of the homeodomain, and the homeodomain at the C-terminus.


Structure and function of nonhistone phosphoproteins.
Many nonhistone nuclear proteins have been shown to be phosphorylated and associated with a diverse range of cellular activities. The aim of this present review is to update the most recent developments in this field with respect to the traditional roles that these proteins have been postulated to play as enzymes, DNA-binding proteins, hormonal receptors, nucleosome associated proteins, and nucleolar associated proteins. In addition, evidence is presented suggesting that these proteins may also function as nuclear oncogene protein products, structural constituents of nuclear organization (e.g., lamina-nuclear matrix associated proteins), and RNA processing factors.


Generalized hierarchical markov models for the discovery of length-constrained sequence features from genome tiling arrays.
A generalized hierarchical Markov model for sequences that contain length-restricted features is introduced. This model is motivated by the recent development of high-density tiling array data for determining genomic elements of functional importance. Due to length constraints on certain features of interest, as well as variability in probe behavior, usual hidden Markov-type models are not always applicable. A robust Bayesian framework that can incorporate length constraints, probe variability, and bias is developed. Moreover, a novel recursion-based Monte Carlo algorithm is proposed to estimate the parameters and impute hidden states under length constraints. Application of this methodology to yeast chromosomal arrays demonstrate substantial improvement over currently existing methods in terms of sensitivity as well as biological interpretability.


The effect of feeding a dry enzyme mixture with fibrolytic activity on the performance of lactating cows and digestibility of a diet for sheep.
A dry enzyme mixture was added to the diets of lactating cows and growing lambs to evaluate its ability to improve milk production and nutrient digestibility, respectively. The enzyme mixture contained xylanase and cellulase activity over a broad range of pH (tested from 4 to 7). Twenty-four lactating cows between 50 and 150 d in milk and averaging about 40 kg of milk/ d were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) consisting of 26% [dry matter (DM) basis] corn silage, 17% alfalfa silage, 7% chopped alfalfa hay, and 50% concentrate. One-half of the cows were fed the TMR without supplementation and the remaining half of the cows were fed the same TMR supplemented with 10 g of the enzyme mixture/ cow per day. After 21 d, the treatments were crossed over for a second 21-d period. The dry enzyme mixture had no effect on DM intake, milk production, or milk composition. Addition of various concentrations of the enzyme mixture did not improve the in vitro digestion of neutral detergent fiber from the TMR. In a digestion trial, lambs were fed a commercial diet supplemented with 4 g of the enzyme mixture/lamb per day, and total feces and urine were collected. Although the ratio of enzyme to feed was much higher than it was in the experiment with lactating cows, addition of the enzyme mixture had no effect on the apparent digestion of DM, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, or N in the diet.


Phenoptosis in arthropods and immortality of social insects.
In general, there are no drastic differences in phenoptosis patterns in plant and animal organisms. However, there are some specific features characteristic for insects and other arthropods: 1) their development includes metamorphosis with different biochemical laws at consecutive developmental stages; 2) arthropods can reduce or stop development and aging when in a state of diapause or temporal cold immobility; 3) their life cycle often correlates with seasonal changes of surroundings; 4) polymorphism is widespread - conspecifics differ by their lifespans and phenoptosis features; 5) lifespan-related sexual dimorphism is common; 6) significant situational plasticity of life cycle organization is an important feature; for example, the German wasp (Paravespula germanica) is obligatorily univoltine in the temperate zone, while in tropical regions its lifespan increases and leads to repeated reproduction; 7) life cycles of closely related species may differ significantly, for example, in contrast to German wasp, some tropical hornets (Vespa) have only one reproduction period. Surprisingly, many insect species have been shown to be subjected to gradual aging and phenoptosis, like the highest mammals. However, queens of social insects and some long-lived arachnids can apparently be considered non-aging organisms. In some species, lifespan is limited to one season, while others live much longer or shorter. Cases of one-time reproduction are rather rare. Aphagia is common in insects (over 10,000 species). Cannibalism is an important mortality factor in insects as well as in spiders. In social insects, which exist only in colonies (families), the lifetime of a colony can be virtually unlimited. However, in case of some species the developmental cycle and death of a colony after its completion are predetermined. Most likely, natural selection in insects does not lengthen individual lifespan, but favors increase in reproduction efficiency based on fast succession of generations leading to increased evolvability.


Localisation and endocrine control of hyaluronan synthase (HAS) 2, HAS3 and CD44 expression in sheep granulosa cells.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the hormonal regulation of hyaluronan (HA) components in sheep granulosa cells. HA components are present in the reproductive tract and have a range of physical and signalling properties related to reproductive function in several species. First, abattoir-derived ovaries of sheep were used to determine the localisation of HA synthase (HAS) 1-3 and CD44 proteins in antral follicles. Staining for HAS1-3 and CD44 proteins was most intense in the granulosa layer. Accordingly, the expression of HAS2, HAS3 and CD44 mRNA was measured in cultured granulosa cells exposed to 0-50ngmL(-1) of 17β-oestradiol and different combinations of oestradiol, gonadotropins, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and insulin for 48-96h (1ngmL(-1) FSH, 10ngmL(-1) insulin, 10ngmL(-1) IGF-1, 40ngmL(-1) E2 and 25ngmL(-1) LH.). mRNA expression was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction using a fold induction method. The results revealed that the hormones tested generally stimulated mRNA expression of the genes of interest in cultured granulosa cells. Specifically, oestradiol, when combined with IGF-1, insulin and FSH, stimulated HAS2 mRNA expression. Oestradiol and LH had synergistic effects in increasing HAS3 mRNA expression. In conclusion, we suggest that the hormones studied differentially regulate HAS2, HAS3 and CD44 in ovine granulosa cells in vitro. Further work is needed to address the signalling pathways involved.


Diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging of the forefeet in early rheumatoid arthritis when findings on imaging of the metacarpophalangeal joints of the hands remain normal.
To investigate the diagnostic role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the forefeet in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in whom findings on MR images of the hands are normal and conventional radiographs of the hands and feet do not show erosions. The study group comprised 25 patients with early RA (disease duration of <12 months) in whom erosions were not demonstrated on conventional radiographs of the hands and feet. These patients underwent MRI of the clinically dominant hand to detect signs of arthritis. If results of MRI of the hand were normal according to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) RA-MRI scoring system (RAMRIS), MRI of the dominant forefoot was performed. The MRI protocol comprised coronal and sagittal T1-weighted spin-echo (before and after administration of contrast medium), coronal fat-suppressed short tau inversion recovery sequences, coronal and sagittal T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences, and axial fat-suppressed T1-weighted spin-echo sequences after administration of contrast medium. MRI of the forefeet was analyzed on the basis of a modified RAMRIS. MRI revealed pathologic findings in the hands of 15 of 25 patients (edema in 9 patients, synovitis in 12, erosions in 6, defects in 3). In 10 patients with a mean disease duration of 9.4 weeks, hand MRI scans were normal according to RAMRIS. Four of these 10 patients had tenosynovitis of the finger flexor tendons (there was no OMERACT criterion for tenosynovitis). RAMRIS analysis of the corresponding MRI scans of the forefeet of these patients revealed signs of edema in 7 patients, synovitis in all 10 patients (at the third metatarsophalangeal [MTP] joint in 7, at the fourth MTP joint in 6, at the first MTP joint in 4, and at the fifth MTP joint in 2 patients), tenosynovitis of the foot flexor tendons in 2 patients, erosions at the second and third MTP joints in 1 patient, and a single defect at the first MTP joint in 1 patient. RAMRIS analysis of MRI scans of the forefeet detected synovitis and bone edema in patients with early RA in whom MRI of the finger joints was normal. MRI of the forefeet contributes an additional tool aimed at earlier and more accurate diagnosis and thus might allow an earlier decision to start appropriate medication in patients with early RA.


Characterization of human skin fibroblasts elastase activity.
We present evidence that enzyme activity hydrolyzing Succinoyl trialanine paranitroanilide (Suc(Ala)3NA) expressed by Human Skin Fibroblasts (HSF) in culture could be attributed to the concerted action of an endopeptidase and an aminopeptidase(s). Both endopeptidase and aminopeptidase activities were strongly inhibited by metal chelating agents and Copper and Zinc ions but were insensitive to Tissue Inhibitor of Metallo Proteases (TIMP). These protease activities coeluted on ion exchange chromatography (DEAE Tris acryl M) and were further separated by high-performance liquid chromatography HPLC (TSK 3000 SW). The endopeptidase activity, designated as HSF E1, was eluted at the position corresponding to an Mr equal to 94,000. It has only a limited elastinolytic potential as evaluated on 3H insoluble elastin, but it extensively degrades human skin elastic fibers as directly assessed on human skin tissue sections and further quantitated by automated image analysis. The level of HSF E1 increases with the number of fibroblast passages.


Lower urgency paediatric injuries: Parent preferences for emergency department or general practitioner care.
Injuries are a significant proportion of lower urgency (triage category 4 or 5) child presentations to the EDs in metropolitan Melbourne. The purpose of the present study was to assess parental preferences and experiences regarding the treatment of lower urgency child injuries and the role of general practitioners (GPs) in such care. A self-administered survey study of 1150 parents of children ≤9 years of age attending the ED at one of four Victorian hospitals triaged with a lower urgency condition (triage category 4 or 5) looked at whether children with lower urgency injuries are frequently referred by their GP to the ED and parent preferences for the care of lower urgency child injuries. Parents were recruited by time of day and weekday/weekend. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Fewer parents of injured children, compared with illness, attempted to make a GP appointment prior to attending ED (35% vs 46%; P < 0.001). A greater proportion of injured children were referred to the ED by their GP than ill children (84% vs 59%; P = <0.001). More parents (53%) preferred ED for the care of child injuries than primary care. Parents who presented to the ED with an ill child were more likely to indicate that they have greater trust in ED doctors for the treatment of injuries than primary care doctors (56% vs 46%; P = 0.003). Treatment provided in the ED for child injuries is valued highly by most parents, with a higher proportion of children with an injury being referred to the ED by their GP. Improving GP treatment skills and training opportunities may reduce GP referrals of lower urgency child injuries to the ED.


Access to Difficult-to-reach Population Subgroups: A Family Midwife Based Home Visiting Service for Implementing Nutrition-related Preventive Activities - A Mixed Methods Explorative Study.
Health and social inequality are tightly linked and still pose an important public health problem. However, vulnerable and disadvantaged populations are difficult to reach for health-related interventions. Given the long-lasting effects of an adverse, particular nutrition-related, intrauterine and neonatal environment on health development (perinatal programming), an early and easy access is essential for sustainable interventions. The goal of this explorative study was therefore to elucidate whether an existing access of family midwives (FMs) to families in need of support could be an option to implement effective public health and nutrition interventions. To that end three research objectives were formulated: (1) to determine whether a discernible impact of home visits by FMs can be described; (2) to identify subgroups among these families in need of more specific interventions; (3) to determine how relevant nutrition-related topics are for both FMs and the supported families. For addressing these objectives a mixed methods design was used: Routine documentation data from 295 families visited by a family midwife (FM) were analyzed (secondary analysis), and structured expert interviews with FMs were conducted and analyzed. Study reporting followed the STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) statement. Based on the FMs reports, a significant improvement (p < 0.001) regarding psycho-social variables could be determined after the home visits. Single mothers, however, seemed to benefit less from the FMs service compared to their counterparts (p = 0.015). Nutritional counseling was demanded by 89% of the families during the home visits. In addition, nutrition-related topics were reported in the interviews to be of high interest to both families and the FMs. Based on the obtained results it is concluded that FMs home visits offer a promising access to vulnerable and disadvantaged families for implementing nutrition-related preventive activities.


Bronchial mucosal dendritic cells in smokers and ex-smokers with COPD: an electron microscopic study.
Bronchial mucosal dendritic cells (DCs) initiate and regulate immune responses to inhaled antigens, viruses and bacteria. Currently, little is known of their numbers in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While reductions in their numbers have been reported recently in smokers with asthma, nothing is known of the effects of cigarette smoking on bronchial DCs in COPD. The present study compares DC numbers in smokers and ex-smokers with COPD. Endobronchial biopsies were obtained from 15 patients with moderate to severe COPD (10 current smokers with median forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 45.5% predicted (range 23-68) and 5 ex-smokers with median FEV1 30% predicted (range 21-52)), 11 non-smokers with asthma (median FEV1 102% predicted (range 89-116)) and 11 non-smoker healthy controls (median FEV1 110% predicted (range 92-135)). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to identify the total population of DCs by their ultrastructure and their number in the epithelium and subepithelium was counted. Median (range) DC numbers were significantly lower in current smokers with COPD in the epithelium (0.0 (0.0-156.8) cells/mm2) and the subepithelium (4.5 (0.0-63.6) cells/mm2) compared with ex-smokers with COPD (97.9 (93.5-170.3) cells/mm2 in the epithelium (p<0.05); 91.8 (38.2-283.3) cells/mm2 in the subepithelium (p<0.01)). DC numbers in ex-smokers with COPD were similar to those in subjects with atopic asthma and healthy controls (131.6 (33.3-235.5) cells/mm2 in the epithelium and 64.4 (0.0-182.4) cells/mm2 in the subepithelium for the latter). In COPD, bronchial mucosal DC numbers are lower in current smokers while, in those who quit, numbers are similar to non-smoking subjects with asthma and non-smoking healthy controls. The functional consequences of the reduction in mucosal DC numbers in smokers with COPD have yet to be determined.


Membrane Fractionation of Liquors from Lignin-First Biorefining.
For the utilization of each lignin fraction in the lignin liquors, the development of separation strategies to fractionate the lignin streams by molecular weight ranges constitutes a timely challenge to be tackled. Herein, membrane filtration was applied to the refining of lignin streams obtained from a lignin-first biorefining process based on H-transfer reactions catalyzed by Raney Ni, by using 2-PrOH as a part of the lignin extraction liquor and as an H-donor. A two-stage membrane cascade was considered to separate and concentrate the monophenol-rich fraction from the liquor. Building on the results, an economic evaluation of the potential of membrane filtration for the refining of lignin streams was undertaken. In this proof-of-concept report, a detailed analysis is presented of future developments in the performance required for the utilization of membrane filtration for lignin refining and, more aspiringly, solvent reclamation.


Effect of commercial mouthwashes on the corrosion resistance of Ti-10Mo experimental alloy.
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of three commercial mouthwashes on the corrosion resistance of Ti-10Mo experimental alloy. Experiments were made at 37.0 +/- 0.5 degrees C in a conventional three-compartment double wall glass cell containing commercial mouthwashes. Three mouthwashes with different active ingredients were tested: (I) 0.05% sodium fluoride + 0.03% triclosan; (II) 0.5 g/l cetylpyridinium chloride + 0.05% sodium fluoride; (III) 0.12% chlorohexidine digluconate. The assessment of the individual effect of active ingredients was studied by using 0.05% sodium fluoride. Commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) was used as control. Microstructures from Ti-10Mo experimental alloy and CP Ti were also evaluated using optical microscopy. Ti-10Mo as-cast alloy shows the typical rapidly cooled dendrites microstructure (beta phase) while CP Ti has exhibited a metastable martensitic microstructure. Electrochemical behavior of dental materials here studied was more affected by mouthwash type than by Ti alloy composition or microstructure. In both alloys passivation phenomenon was observed. This process may be mainly related to Ti oxides or other Ti species present in spontaneously formed film. Small differences in passive current densities values may be connected with changes in film porosity and thickness. Protective characteristics of this passive film are lower in 0.05% sodium fluoride + 0.03% triclosan mouthwash than in the other two mouthwashes tested.


Decreased agonist affinity and chloride conductance of mutant glycine receptors associated with human hereditary hyperekplexia.
Hereditary hyperekplexia is a dominant neurological disorder associated with point mutations at the channel-forming segment M2 of the glycine receptor alpha 1 subunit. Voltage-clamp recordings from the heterologously expressed mutants (alpha 1R271L or alpha 1R271Q) revealed 146- to 183-fold decreased potencies of glycine to activate the chloride channel, and significantly reduced maximal whole-cell currents as compared with wild-type receptors. In contrast, the ability of the competitive antagonist strychnine to block glycine-induced currents was similar in all cases. Radioligand binding assays showed a 90- to 1365-fold reduction in the ability of glycine to displace [3H]strychnine from its binding site on the mutant receptors. Paralleling the reductions in whole-cell current, the elementary main-state conductances of the mutants (alpha 1R271L, 64 pS; alpha 1R271Q, 14 pS) were lower than that of the wild-type receptor (86 pS). The decreased agonist affinities and chloride conductances of the mutants are likely to cause neural hyperexcitability of affected patients by impairing glycinergic inhibition. In addition, our data reveal that structural modifications of the ion-channel region can affect agonist binding to the glycine receptor.


Immunoprofile of endocervical and endometrial stromal cells and its potential application in localization of tumor involvement.
To evaluate and compare the immunophenotype of endocervical and endometrial stromal cells and to asses its potential application in tumor localization. Paraffin sections of benign endocervix (n = 24), benign endometrium (n = 33), endocervical adenocarcinoma (n = 9), endometrial carcinoma (n = 13), and endometrial hyperplasia (n = 16) were stained with antibodies to CD10, Wilms Tumor-1, CD34, smooth muscle actin, and factor XIIIa by immunohistochemistry. In 16 cases, lower uterine segment was also available. Immunoreactivity of stromal cells was recorded as positive (>/=50% staining), focally positive (>/=5%-<50%) or negative (<5%). Endocervical stromal cells (ECSC) in either benign or malignant cervical epithelial lesions were predominantly CD34/CD10 (CD34 dominant immunophenotype). Endometrial stromal cells (EMSCs) in either benign or malignant epithelial lesions were primarily CD34/CD10 (CD10 dominant immunophenotype). Expression of Wilms Tumor-1 was decreased in EMSC of the EMCA when compared to their counterpart in endometrial hyperplasia. There was no differential expression of smooth muscle actin and factor XIIIa identified between ECSC and EMSC. The immunophenotypes of the ECSC and EMSC overlapped in the lower uterine segment. The functional status of the endometrium had no effect on the immunoprofile. The pattern of CD34 and CD10 immunostaining in stromal cells might be helpful in determining tumor involvement in uterine and cervical sites.


High volumes of intravenous fluid during cardiac surgery are associated with increased mortality.
Positive fluid balance during abdominal surgery has been associated with increased morbidity. We hypothesized that administration of large volumes of intravenous fluids in cardiac surgery is associated with increased mortality. Retrospective analysis of data on 1358 patients who underwent cardiac surgery from 2001 to 2005 at two major hospitals in Western New York. Patients were divided in to those who received intravenous fluids above the median volume (3.9 L) and those who received less than the median volume of intra-operative fluid. Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria based on serum creatinine were used to define Acute Kidney injury. Logistic regression and Cox-proportional models showed increased 90 day mortality (HR -2.8, 95% CI -1.16-7.01) in those patients who received greater than the median volume of intravenous during cardiac surgery. This was confirmed with propensity score analysis. Furthermore, the marginal effects analysis revealed that after about 4.0 liters of intravenous fluid, the survival probability falls significantly in cardiac surgery patients. Administration of large volumes of intra-operative intravenous fluid is independently associated with an increase in 90 day mortality in cardiac surgery.


Reducing the Impact of Sensor Orientation Variability in Human Activity Recognition Using a Consistent Reference System.
Sensor- orientation is a critical aspect in a Human Activity Recognition (HAR) system based on tri-axial signals (such as accelerations); different sensors orientations introduce important errors in the activity recognition process. This paper proposes a new preprocessing module to reduce the negative impact of sensor-orientation variability in HAR. Firstly, this module estimates a consistent reference system; then, the tri-axial signals recorded from sensors with different orientations are transformed into this consistent reference system. This new preprocessing has been evaluated to mitigate the effect of different sensor orientations on the classification accuracy in several state-of-the-art HAR systems. The experiments were carried out using a subject-wise cross-validation methodology over six different datasets, including movements and postures. This new preprocessing module provided robust HAR performance even when sudden sensor orientation changes were included during data collection in the six different datasets. As an example, for the WISDM dataset, sensors with different orientations provoked a significant reduction in the classification accuracy of the state-of-the-art system (from 91.57 ± 0.23% to 89.19 ± 0.26%). This important reduction was recovered with the proposed algorithm, increasing the accuracy to 91.46 ± 0.30%, i.e., the same result obtained when all sensors had the same orientation.


Emergency department syndromic surveillance providing early warning of seasonal respiratory activity in England.
Seasonal respiratory infections place an increased burden on health services annually. We used a sentinel emergency department syndromic surveillance system to understand the factors driving respiratory attendances at emergency departments (EDs) in England. Trends in different respiratory indicators were observed to peak at different points during winter, with further variation observed in the distribution of attendances by age. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed acute respiratory infection and bronchitis/bronchiolitis ED attendances in patients aged 1-4 years were particularly sensitive indicators for increasing respiratory syncytial virus activity. Using near real-time surveillance of respiratory ED attendances may provide early warning of increased winter pressures in EDs, particularly driven by seasonal pathogens. This surveillance may provide additional intelligence about different categories of attendance, highlighting pressures in particular age groups, thereby aiding planning and preparation to respond to acute changes in EDs, and thus the health service in general.


Palliative care for children with cancer.
Over the past two decades, paediatric palliative care has emerged as both a primary approach and as its own medical subspecialty, the overall aim of which is to ease suffering for children with life-threatening illness and their families through a concurrent model of care. However, most discussions have been focused on the transition to palliative care when no realistic hope for cure exists. We believe that, because the course of cancer is so unpredictable, this idea is misleading. Indeed, palliative care is increasingly being recognized as being about not just how to cope with the process of dying, but also about how to engage in living when faced with a life-threatening illness. This article will examine our current understanding of several areas of palliative care, with the ultimate message that palliative care is simply a novel term for the total care of a child and family, an approach that should be applied consistently and concurrently regardless of disease status. By improving familiarity with palliative care and building relationships with palliative care specialists, the paediatric oncology clinician will ensure that the best care possible for children and families is provided, regardless of outcome.


The synchronisation of hatching in quail embryos: aspects of development affected by a retarding stimulus.
One hundred twenty-eight quail embryos were tested in 33 groups. In each group one egg was stimulated with sounds at a rate known to delay hatching (0.9 clicks/second). In groups of bobwhite quail, stimulation began three days or two days before hatching, and three days before hatching in groups of Japanese quail. All eggs were incubated separately and respiration was monitored to indicate 1) the onset of lung ventilation, 2) the time when the egg began to click, and 3) the hatching time. In one set of bobwhite quail heart rate was also monitored. Stimulated bobwhite quail hatched later than controls, but only when stimulated from three days before hatching. In the Japanese quail fewer embryos were retarded. In retarded bobwhites the duration of breathing, but not the duration of clicking, was lengthened. Respiration rates in stimulated bobwhites were higher throughout stimulation than those of controls. One factor contributing to this increase appeared to be the pacing of breathing in stimulated embryos: breathing tended to stabilise at the level of the stimulation rate. The heart rate of stimulated embryos was higher than that of controls, significantly so around the time of the onset of breathing. In bobwhite, but not in Japanese quail, the increase in respiration rate was found to be associated with retardation and not with stimulation alone; it did not occur in those embryos which were stimulated but not retarded.


[Voluntary inerruption of pregnancy in adolescents from 13 to 18 years of age. Clinical and sociologic analysis of 295 cases].
The study reports on 295 cases of induced abortion in teenagers (13-18 years) performed in Belgium (where abortion remains illegal), in 1979. This group was compared with a group of 2968 women aged 19-48, also aborted in 1979, for clinical and sociodemographic analysis. The comparative situations of the young patient and he partner were also studied. The latter were elder (62% over 25 years), had higher levels of income, of education, and had better jobs. No difference was found between younger and older patients as concerns access to centres, mean ages of pregnancy (although teenagers presented more often advanced pregnancies: 9.5% between 12 and 16 weeks and 4.5% between 17 and 21), religion, instruction, psychological reactions. We found that different people came with patients at different age groups (parents with the younger, partners with the older). There were fewer foreigners in the younger group and of course there were differences in numbers of previous pregnancies, parity, marital status and income. A stable relationship was rarer in the younger (39%) than in the older (66%). Contraception was indeed used by young patients (61%) but they chose less effective methods (61%) and often admitted that they used the methods wrongly (66%). It is no surprise that young patients mainly ask for abortion (54%) because of socio-economic motives. The second reason was because there was no stable relationship (17%). The discussion covers the special problems of abortion in adolescents and emphasizes the very difficult social situation, the need for support by health workers. Better education should lead to conscious acknowledgment of the consequences of sexual activity.


Overweight and hypertension: longitudinal study in school-aged children.
A continuous increase in overweight has been documented in the paediatric population. The increase occurred in many developed and also developing countries. In the United States prevalence of overweight is 21.5% among African-Americans, 21.8% among Hispanics, and 12.3% among non-Hispanic whites; in Europe, from 10% to 20% in Northern Europe and 20% to as high as 36% in parts of Southern Italy (International Obesity Task Force data). The association between overweight and hypertension in children has been reported. This longitudinal study assessed the prevalence of hypertension and the relationships between gender, overweight, and blood pressure. School-based screening was performed in 1.563 children (3-16 years). Age, gender, height, weight and blood pressure were registered every year for 3 subsequent years, in the period 1997-2000. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was calculated and overweight was defined as centile corresponding to BMI = or >25 at 18 years. Blood pressure > 95th centile defined hypertension. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure at first, second and third screenings was 35.1%, 33.8% and 23.9% in males, and 41%, 40.2% and 31.2% in females. The relative risk was significant for overweight subjects. These results confirm an increasing epidemic of cardiovascular risk in children, as evidenced by an increase in the prevalence of overweight and hypertension. This increase in association with other cardiovascular risk factors that include dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, type II diabetes mellitus, suggest the necessity of accurate prevention strategies.


Noise analysis of a digital radiography system.
The sources of noise in a digital video subtraction angiography system were identified and analyzed. Signal-to-noise ratios of digital radiography systems were measured using the digital image data recorded in the computer. The major sources of noise include quantum noise, TV camera electronic noise, quantization noise from the analog-to-digital converter, time jitter, structure noise in the image intensifier, and video recorder electronic noise. A new noise source was identified, which results from the interplay of fixed pattern noise and the lack of image registration. This type of noise may result from image-intensifier structure noise in combination with TV camera time jitter or recorder time jitter. A similar noise source is generated from the interplay of patient absorption inhomogeneities and patient motion or image re-registration. Signal-to-noise ratios were measured for a variety of experimental conditions using subtracted digital images. The measured signal-to-noise ratios were found to fluctuate on repeat trials with about a 10% standard deviation. Averaging of video frames was found to reduce the noise level by the expected square root N relation, where N is the number of frames averaged. Image-intensifier structure noise was shown to be a dominant noise source in unsubtracted images at medium to high radiation exposure levels. A total-system signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 750:1 was measured for an input exposure of 1 mR/frame at the image intensifier input. The effect of scattered radiation on subtracted image SNR was found to be greater than previously reported. The detail SNR was found to vary approximately as one plus the scatter degradation factor. Quantization error noise with 8-bit image processors (signal-to-noise ratio of 890:1) was shown to be of increased importance after recent improvements in TV cameras. The results of the analysis are useful both in the design of future digital radiography systems and the selection of optimum clinical techniques.


Clinicopathological correlates of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia: a comparative analysis of 82 cases with and 152 cases without pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia is often associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and is presumed to be its precursor. It has been difficult to determine the frequency of these lesions because until recently, there was no consensus regarding the terminology and criteria for their grading. Here we compare the frequency and clinical correlates of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia in pancreata involved by ductal adenocarcinoma and in benign ones, using the criteria put forward recently. We evaluated pancreatectomy specimens from 82 patients with ductal adenocarcinoma and 152 patients who underwent pancreatectomy for reasons other than primary malignancy (trauma, pancreatitis, and metastatic tumor to pancreas) for the presence, grade, and number of foci of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia. Cases were graded by the highest grade of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia focus identified. An average of 5.3 sections of pancreas was available for evaluation (range, 1-28 sections). Overall, the frequency of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions in ductal adenocarcinoma patients, including Grade 1A (mucinous duct lesions), was 82%, which was significantly higher than the one in benign pancreata -54%, P <.001. There was a progressive increase from normal pancreata to pancreatitis and to ductal adenocarcinoma in the frequency of overall pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions (16%, 60%, and 82%, respectively) and Grade 3 pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (0%, 4%, and 40%, respectively). In most instances, in any given case of higher-grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesion, there were also several foci of lower grade lesions. The frequency of higher-grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions (2 and 3) in pancreata resected for ductal adenocarcinoma was 59%, significantly higher than in those without primary carcinoma (17%). This progressive increase in frequency of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia from incidental pancreatectomies (presumed to have a nonpathologic pancreas) to pancreatitis (considered a risk factor for carcinoma) and to ductal adenocarcinoma constitutes an indirect support for the precancerous role attributed to pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions. The relatively high absolute occurrence of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia Grade 1A (mucinous duct lesions) in benign conditions (43%) suggests that this group represents a combination of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions.


Molecular alterations in epidermal growth factor receptors as potential predictors of invasion in complete hydatidiform moles (CHM).
Molecular alterations in Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were investigated for the first time in molar placenta using protein expression, activation status, differential amplification status and mutational analysis. Invasive lesions showed upregulation of internal domain and downregulation of external domain with concomitantly high gene amplification and phosphorylation. Mutations distributed across different exons in non-invasive cases in contrast to single mutations restricted to exons 4 and 6 in invasive cases displayed a strong correlation to overexpression and phosphorylation status suggesting that higher copies of EGFR gene and mutations in exon 4&6 influence the invasive capacity of trophoblasts and can be used as a biomarker of invasion.


Cortical and tectal control of visual orientation in the gerbil: evidence for parallel channels.
Two experiments were carried out with Mongolian gerbils to determine the roles of optic tectum and visual cortex in the mediation of visually guided head turns and locomotion elicited and controlled by discrete visual targets. In Experiment 1, the behavior of animals with either a sham operation, a bilateral lesion of optic tectum, or a bilateral ablation of areas 17, 18a, and 18b was recorded on videotape as they ran from the center of a circular arena toward a small visual target projected in different locations around the perimeter of the arena. The amplitude and direction of the head turns and the accuracy of their locomotor responses were reconstructed from a frame by frame analysis of the videotapes. Sham-operate gerbils made a series of head turns before running accurately and efficiently toward the target. The gerbils with lesions of areas 17, 18a, and 18b rarely made more than one head turn before running toward the perimeter of the arena. Although the single head turn they did make was often well-correlated with the position of the target in their visual field, the direction of their locomotor response was largely determined by the direction and amplitude of that head turn. As a consequence, these animals undershot the target more often than did the sham-operate animals, and even ran into the visual half field opposite the target if their head turn had also been made into that half field. Unlike the sham operates, these animals were unable to make further adjustments in their orientation toward the stimulus after their initial head turn. The head turns and locomotor behavior of the gerbils with lesions of optic tectum were even more disorganized and inaccurate than those of the posterior decorticates. Nevertheless, when the target was presented within 45 degrees from their visual midline, their head turns and locomotor responses showed a systematic relationship with the eccentricity of the target. Their behavior to stimuli outside this central wedge of their visual field was completely disorganized and showed no relationship to the location of the target. In Experiment 2, unilateral lesions of area 17 were performed in the gerbils that had already received bilateral tectal lesions to determine whether such lesions would affect the "residual" ability of these animals to orient toward stimuli located within the central portion of their visual field. During retesting, these animals were able to respond to targets only if they were located in the central portion of the field ipsilateral to the cortical lesion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Challenges and constraints of using oxygen cathodes in microbial fuel cells.
The performance of oxygen reduction catalysts (platinum, pyrolyzed iron(ll) phthalocyanine (pyr-FePc) and cobalt tetramethoxyphenylporphyrin (pyr-CoTMPP)) is discussed in light of their application in microbial fuel cells. It is demonstrated that the physical and chemical environment in microbial fuel cells severely affects the thermodynamics and the kinetics of the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction. The neutral pH in combination with low buffer capacities and low ionic concentrations strongly affect the cathode performance and limit the fuel cell power output. Thus, the limiting current density in galvanodyanamic polarization experiments decreases from 1.5 mA cm(-2) to 0.6 mA cm(-2) (pH 3.3, E(cathode) = 0 V) when the buffer concentration is decreased from 500 to 50 mM. The cathode limitations are superposed by the increasing internal resistance of the MFC that substantially contributes to the decrease of power output. For example, the maximum power output of a model MFC decreased by 35%, from 2.3 to 1.5 mW, whereas the difference between the electrode potentials (deltaE = E(anode) - E(cathode)) decreased only by 10%. The increase of the catalyst load of pyr-FePc from 0.25 to 2 mg cm(-2) increased the cathodic current density from 0.4 to 0.97 mA cm(-2) (pH 7, 50 mM phosphate buffer). The increase of the load of such inexpensive catalyst thus represents a suitable means to improve the cathode performance in microbial fuel cells. Due to the low concentration of protons in MFCs in comparison to relatively high alkali cation levels (ratio C(Na+,K+)/C(H+) = 5 x E5 in pH 7, 50 mM phosphate buffer) the transfer of alkali ions through the proton exchange membrane plays a major role in the charge-balancing ion flux from the anodic into the cathodic compartment. This leads to the formation of pH gradients between the anode and the cathode compartment.


[Association of -160(C-->A) polymorphism in CDH1 gene with gastric cancer risk in Fujian Chinese population].
CDH1, encoding E-cadherin, is an important tumor suppressor gene. The present study aims to investigate the association of -160(C-->A) polymorphism in CDH1 gene with susceptibility to gastric cancer in Fujian province. One hundred and two patients from independent families and 101 healthy control subjects were analyzed. Genotype analysis was performed through polymerase chain reaction-based denaturing high performance liquid chromatography. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression model. The frequencies of -160(C-->A) polymorphism CC, CA and AA genotype in case group and controls were 58(56.9%), 38(37.3%)ì6(5.9%) and 55(54.5%), 41(40.6%), 5(5%), respectively. AA genotype did not present a significantly increased risk for gastric cancer (OR=1.12; 95% CI:0.32-3.95). No association was found between A allele and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer. -160(C-->A) polymorphism in CDH1 gene promoter region may not be in association with genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer in Chinese population from Fujian.


Detecting Estrogenic Ligands in Personal Care Products using a Yeast Estrogen Screen Optimized for the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory.
The Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) is used to detect estrogenic ligands in environmental samples and has been broadly applied in studies of endocrine disruption. Estrogenic ligands include both natural and manmade "Environmental Estrogens" (EEs) found in many consumer goods including Personal Care Products (PCPs), plastics, pesticides, and foods. EEs disrupt hormone signaling in humans and other animals, potentially reducing fertility and increasing disease risk. Despite the importance of EEs and other Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) to public health, endocrine disruption is not typically included in undergraduate curricula. This shortcoming is partly due to a lack of relevant laboratory activities that illustrate the principles involved while also being accessible to undergraduate students. This article presents an optimized YES for quantifying ligands in personal care products that bind estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and/or beta (ERβ). The method incorporates one of the two colorimetric substrates (ortho-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) or chlorophenol red-β-D-galactopyranoside (CPRG)) that are cleaved by β-galactosidase, a 6-day refrigerated incubation step to facilitate use in undergraduate laboratory courses, an automated application for LacZ calculations, and R code for the associated 4-parameter logistic regression analysis. The protocol has been designed to allow undergraduate students to develop and conduct experiments in which they screen products of their choosing for estrogen mimics. In the process, they learn about endocrine disruption, cell culture, receptor binding, enzyme activity, genetic engineering, statistics, and experimental design. Simultaneously, they also practice fundamental and broadly applicable laboratory skills, such as: calculating concentrations; making solutions; demonstrating sterile technique; serially diluting standards; constructing and interpolating standard curves; identifying variables and controls; collecting, organizing, and analyzing data; constructing and interpreting graphs; and using common laboratory equipment such as micropipettors and spectrophotometers. Thus, implementing this assay encourages students to engage in inquiry-based learning while exploring emerging issues in environmental science and health.


Public Pension, Labor Force Participation, and Depressive Symptoms across Gender among Older Adults in Rural China: A Moderated Mediation Analysis.
Due to insufficient financial support and unceasing work, the rural elderly in China experience a range of mental disorders, and the most common one is depression. This study aims to investigate the association between public pension, labor force participation (LFP), and depressive symptoms for older men and women in rural China. A moderated mediation analysis is conducted using data in the 2015 wave extracted from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a continuous national social survey. A total of 2709 available surveys were obtained in our analysis. Using PROCESS, results revealed that the income from China's New Rural Pension Scheme (NRPS) was directly negatively related to depressive symptoms. However, LFP did not mediate the link between pension income (PI) and depressive symptoms in the total study population. The results of moderated mediation estimates indicated that gender significantly moderated the relationship between LFP and depressive symptoms. Specifically, for older women, the indirect effect of PI on depressive symptoms via LFP was significant, but not for the opposite sex. In order to improve the mental health of older adults in rural China, the policy makers and mental health therapists need to pay attention to the aforementioned factors.


Surgical Treatment of Acetabular Posterior Wall Fracture with Hip Arthroscopy: A Case Report.
Posterior wall fractures are the most common type of acetabular fractures. Treatment can be conservative or surgical. Operative treatment is indicated for acetabular fractures that result in hip joint instability and/or incongruity, as well injuries with incarceration of fragments of bone or soft tissue within the hip joint. Surgical treatment can range from open reduction and osteosynthesis to hip arthroplasty. Arthroscopy has recently been used as the main surgical technique or as a reduction aid. In this case a 26-year-old male with a fracture of the posterior wall who underwent a posterior miniinvasive approach, followed by hip arthroscopy. This allowed joint wash, removal of the loose body, confirmation of reduction and absence of intra-articular hardware. Excellent clinical and radiological results were obtained. This case demonstrates the advantage of using hip arthroscopy in assessment of fracture reduction, the absence of intra-articular hardware or fragments, as well as a less invasive approach.


A comprehensive review on COVID-19 vaccines: development, effectiveness, adverse effects, distribution and challenges.
The present SARS-CoV-2 induced COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for millions of deaths, illnesses, and economic loss worldwide. There are 21 COVID-19 vaccines from different platforms approved worldwide for emergency use until 13 August 2021. Later, BNT162b2 obtained full approval from the FDA. The efficacy of the leading vaccines such as BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, Gam-Covid-Vac, Ad26.COV2.S, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, and BBIBP-CorV, against SARS-CoV-2 documented as 95%, 94.1%, 91.6%, 67%, 70.4%, and 78.1%, respectively. Moreover, against the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, BNT162b2, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, and BBV152 showed 88%, 70%, and 65.2% efficacy, respectively. Apart from the common adverse effects such as fever, fatigue, headache, and pain in the injection site, Bell's palsy with BNT162b2, myocarditis and pericarditis with mRNA-1273, and thrombosis with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 have been reported though seemed not alarming. Furthermore, global production and distribution of vaccines should be ensured in an equal and justifiable way that the immunity and protection against the virus would be optimum and persistent.


Serum thyroid-stimulating antibody, thyroglobulin levels, and thyroid suppressibility measurement as predictors of the outcome of combined methimazole and triiodothyronine therapy in Graves' disease.
The value of the criteria used to anticipate the outcome of treatment of Graves' hyperthyroid patients with methimazole (MMI) remains controversial. We have reported that high MMI doses combined with T3 administration was correlated with higher remission rates. In this study, we used the lowest MMI dose able to control the hyperthyroidism, keeping the free T4 index (FT4I) values below the normal range throughout treatment, and compared the results with patients treated with a high MMI regimen. Both groups received T3. We also evaluated the usefulness of goiter size, serum thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb: adenylate cyclase stimulation in human thyroid membrane), thyroglobulin (Tg) levels, and the T3 suppressibility of 24 h RAIU as prognostic markers for the outcome of Graves' disease therapy. Twenty-four Graves' hyperthyroid patients were treated with high MMI dose (mean +/- SD 60 +/- 19, range 40-120 mg daily), and 25 patients received low MMI dose (17 +/- 4.3, 5-20 mg daily). T3, 75 micrograms daily, was given to both groups of patients for 15 +/- 4 (13-22) months of treatment. After cessation of drug therapy, 31 patients (63%) remained euthyroid for 18 +/- 3 (13-49) months of follow-up, 15 (62.5%) and 16 (64%) patients in the high and low dose groups, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Determination of glucosamine in raw materials and dietary supplements containing glucosamine sulfate and/or glucosamine hydrochloride by high-performance liquid chromatography with FMOC-Su derivatization: collaborative study.
A collaborative study was conducted for determination of glucosamine in raw materials and dietary supplements containing glucosamine sulfate and/or glucosamine hydrochloride by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with N-(9-fluorenyl-methoxycarbonyloxy) succinimide (FMOC-Su) derivatization. Thirteen blind materials, one pair of which were duplicates, were tested by 12 collaborating laboratories. The test samples consisted of various commercial products, including tablets, capsules, drink mix, and liquids as well as raw materials, blanks, and those for spike recovery analyses. The tests with blank products and products spiked with glucosamine showed good specificity of the method. The average recoveries at spike levels of 100 and 150% of the declared amount were 99.0% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.1%, and 101% with an RSD of 2.3%, respectively. The test results between laboratories on each commercial product were reproducible with RSD values of no more than 4.0%, and the results were repeatable in the same laboratory with an average RSD of 0.7%. HorRat values ranged from 0.5 to 1.7 on both tests of spike recovery and reproducibility between laboratories on commercial products. The average determination coefficient of the calibration curves from the laboratories was 0.9995 with an RSD of 0.03%. All of the 12 collaborating laboratories succeeded in the study and none of their reported test results were outliers, partly indicating the robustness of the method. It is recommended that the method be accepted by AOAC INTERNATIONAL as Official First Action.


RNA Interference: A Novel Source of Resistance to Combat Plant Parasitic Nematodes.
Plant parasitic nematodes cause severe damage and yield loss in major crops all over the world. Available control strategies include use of insecticides/nematicides but these have proved detrimental to the environment, while other strategies like crop rotation and resistant cultivars have serious limitations. This scenario provides an opportunity for the utilization of technological advances like RNA interference (RNAi) to engineer resistance against these devastating parasites. First demonstrated in the model free living nematode, Caenorhabtidis elegans; the phenomenon of RNAi has been successfully used to suppress essential genes of plant parasitic nematodes involved in parasitism, nematode development and mRNA metabolism. Synthetic neurotransmitants mixed with dsRNA solutions are used for in vitro RNAi in plant parasitic nematodes with significant success. However, host delivered in planta RNAi has proved to be a pioneering phenomenon to deliver dsRNAs to feeding nematodes and silence the target genes to achieve resistance. Highly enriched genomic databases are exploited to limit off target effects and ensure sequence specific silencing. Technological advances like gene stacking and use of nematode inducible and tissue specific promoters can further enhance the utility of RNAi based transgenics against plant parasitic nematodes.


The predictive value of the zona-free hamster egg penetration test in relation to in-vitro fertilization at various insemination concentrations.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of the zona-free hamster egg penetration test (ZHEPT) for success in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) at various insemination concentrations ranging between 0.1 and >0.6 x 10(6)/ml. The ZHEPT was assessed using sperm samples from 87 couples undergoing IVF treatment. A similar test was simultaneously performed on the same semen sample following ionophore induction of the acrosome reaction (ZHEPTii test). Both the tests were poorly correlated with the fertilization rate of IVF at all the insemination concentrations except at >0.6 x 10(6)/ml, when there was good correlation between the ZHEPTii test and the fertilization rate. Following exclusion of two cases with an oocyte problem, further statistical analysis revealed that both the ZHEPT and ZHEPTii tests were poorly correlated with fertilization rate in IVF in this treatment group. This study suggests that the ZHEPT (with and without ionophore induction of the acrosome reaction) has a poor predictive value for the success of fertilization in IVF treatment at any insemination concentration.


Situational leadership: a model for leading telecommuters.
To describe a leadership model aimed at assisting health care leaders to incorporate situational leadership into their practice when leading telecommuters. Technological developments have grown in two areas, including medicine and communication, which have facilitated an enhanced information exchange in health care. These technological enhancements have allowed the health care arena to expand and improve its capabilities, including the delivery of health care and the information exchange among patients, providers and workers. Traditional leadership styles must be modified to respond to the needs of telecommuters. Situational leadership gives structured guidance to the nursing leader when managing telecommuters. Situational leadership has been used in the traditional work setting and can be used in the virtual workplace. The strategies and techniques used have to be modified for the telecommuter and must focus on increasing communication.


Modified leopard-crawl technique using intravascular lithotripsy balloon in calcified coronary lesions.
Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) has emerged as a novel therapy for the treatment of coronary calcification. Numerous studies have reported the safety and efficacy of IVL in calcified coronary lesions, while IVL balloon-uncrossable calcified coronary lesions are sometimes encountered in clinical practice. This case report represents a novel technique called "modified leopard-crawl" to advance the IVL balloon antegradely by creating significant calcium cracking forward when the enhanced stent visualization system reveals that the distal emitter seems adjacent to calcification. This technique might be a valuable alternative when conventional procedures fail and has the potential to enhance the clinical applicability of IVL in daily practice.


Quantification in proteomics through stable isotope coding: a review.
This review focuses on techniques for quantification and identification in proteomics by stable isotope coding. Methods are examined for analyzing expression, post-translational modifications, protein:protein interactions, single amino acid polymorphism, and absolute quantification. The bulk of the quantification literature in proteomics focuses on expression analysis, where a wide variety of methods targeting different features of proteins are described. Methods for the analysis of post-translational modification (PTM) focus primarily on phosphorylation and glycosylation, where quantification is achieved in two ways, either by substitution or tagging of the PTM with an isotopically coded derivatizing agent in a single process or by coding and selecting PTM modified peptides in separate operations. Absolute quantification has been achieved by age-old internal standard methods, in which an isotopically labeled isoform of an analyte is synthesized and added to a mixture at a known concentration. One of the surprises is that isotope coding can be a valuable aid in the examination of intermolecular association of proteins through stimulus:response studies. Preliminary efforts to recognize single amino acid polymorphism are also described. The review ends with the conclusion that (1) isotope ratio analysis of protein concentration between samples does not necessarily relate directly to protein expression and rate of PTM and (2) that multiple new methods must be developed and applied simultaneously to make existing stable isotope quantification methods more meaningful. Although stable isotope coding is a powerful, wonderful new technique, multiple analytical issues must be solved for the technique to reach its full potential as a tool to study biological systems.


Evaluation of the Cutaneous Silent Period in a Healthy Brazilian Population.
To establish cutaneous silent period (CSP) normative values and investigate the variables that may influence them. We tested 41 healthy subjects. All subjects underwent nerve conduction studies, and we evaluated the CSP in both arms. Four subjects did not have CSP and were excluded. The analyses were performed in the healthy group composed of 23 women and 14 men, with a mean age of 35 (range, 19-64) years. The CSP median duration was 23.2 milliseconds (ms), with 2 to 98th percentile at 11.3 and 48.7 ms. The median onset latency was 87.9 (range, 72.9-109) ms, and the median end latency was 112 (range, 93.8-138) ms. The CSP onset latency positively correlated with height, whereas CSP end latency and duration were weakly but significantly associated with age. Some measurements of ulnar nerve conduction study also correlated with CSP measures. The interrater coefficients for the primary measures of onset and end latency demonstrates the reproducibility of the method. The CSP with the fifth digit stimulation and recording from the abductor digiti minimi muscle is a valid diagnostic tool that can be used in clinical practice.


Tolerance to Stretching in Thiol-Terminated Single-Molecule Junctions Characterized by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.
We investigated the change in the metal-molecule interaction in a 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT) single-molecule junction using a combination of surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra and current-voltage curves. During the stretching process, the conductance of the junction systematically decreased, accompanied by an increase in the vibrational energy of the CC stretching mode. By analyzing the current-voltage curves and Raman spectra, we found that the interaction between the π orbital of BDT and the electronic states of Au was diminished by the orientation change of BDT during the stretching process. A comparison with a 4,4'-bipyridine single-molecule junction revealed that the reduction of coupling of the Au-S contacts was smaller than that of Au-pyridine contacts. Therefore, the electronic states originating from the contact geometry are responsible for the tolerance to the stretching of thiol-terminated molecular junctions.


Thermodynamics of denaturation of mutants of barnase with disulfide crosslinks.
We have measured the effects of disulfide crosslinks on the thermodynamics of denaturation of three mutants of barnase that contain cystine and the corresponding single and double cysteine mutants. At first sight, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that disulfide crosslinks stabilise proteins through entropic destabilisation of the denatured state, but the decreases in the entropy of denaturation are larger than predicted and are accompanied by decreases in the enthalpy of denaturation. These effects are not a unique feature of the disulfide crosslink and are observed in a range of non-crosslinked mutants of barnase as part of a general enthalpy-entropy compensation phenomenon. Similarly, effects on the heat capacity change for denaturation (delta C(p)d), determined from the slope of the enthalpy of denaturation versus temperature, are not confined to mutants with disulfide crosslinks. The value of delta C(p)d is lower in four stabilised mutants than in wild-type barnase, irrespective of the presence of a disulfide crosslink, while the delta C(p)d remains unchanged in a destabilised mutant containing a disulfide. The variation in delta C(p)d may result from an inherent temperature-dependence of delta C(p)d, since it is measured for each mutant over a different temperature range. The thermodynamics of denaturation of the disulfide mutant with a crosslink between positions 70 and 92 change anomalously with pH but in a similar way to that of the D93N mutant of barnase, which lacks the D93-R69 salt-bridge present in the wild-type. This finding confirms initial observations in the X-ray structure of this disulfide mutant that the salt-bridge has been disrupted by the introduced crosslink.


Root Bending Is Antagonistically Affected by Hypoxia and ERF-Mediated Transcription via Auxin Signaling.
When plants encounter soil water logging or flooding, roots are the first organs to be confronted with reduced gas diffusion resulting in limited oxygen supply. Since roots do not generate photosynthetic oxygen, they are rapidly faced with oxygen shortage rendering roots particularly prone to damage. While metabolic adaptations to low oxygen conditions, which ensure basic energy supply, have been well characterized, adaptation of root growth and development have received less attention. In this study, we show that hypoxic conditions cause the primary root to grow sidewise in a low oxygen environment, possibly to escape soil patches with reduced oxygen availability. This growth behavior is reversible in that gravitropic growth resumes when seedlings are returned to normoxic conditions. Hypoxic root bending is inhibited by the group VII ethylene response factor (ERFVII) RAP2.12, as rap2.12-1 seedlings show exaggerated primary root bending. Furthermore, overexpression of the ERFVII member HRE2 inhibits root bending, suggesting that primary root growth direction at hypoxic conditions is antagonistically regulated by hypoxia and hypoxia-activated ERFVIIs. Root bending is preceded by the establishment of an auxin gradient across the root tip as quantified with DII-VENUS and is synergistically enhanced by hypoxia and the auxin transport inhibitor naphthylphthalamic acid. The protein abundance of the auxin efflux carrier PIN2 is reduced at hypoxic conditions, a response that is suppressed by RAP2.12 overexpression, suggesting antagonistic control of auxin flux by hypoxia and ERFVII. Taken together, we show that hypoxia triggers an escape response of the primary root that is controlled by ERFVII activity and mediated by auxin signaling in the root tip.


Photo-switched magnetic coupling in spin-crossover complexes.
Photo-switched spin-crossover (SCO) complexes, especially iron(ii)-based ones, have been widely studied in the past few decades owing to their promising applications in high density information storage, optical memory materials, magneto-optical devices and light-responsive switches. In particular, photo-induced spin-crossover involves not only the changing of the spin state and magnetic anisotropy of metal centers, but also the magnetic coupling interactions between neighbouring metal centers, which is also of vital importance to the overall magnetic properties. The exchange interactions can be reversibly switched on and off via light-induced excited spin-state trapping (LIESST) and reverse processes, leading to an abrupt changing of the magnetization value, spontaneous magnetization, and even molecular nanomagnet properties, depending on their dimensionalities and topologies. In this feature article, we will discuss the recent progress on the photoswitchable magnetic coupling in spin-crossover complexes reported by both our group and other groups and highlight the role of magnetic coupling in determining their magnetic properties. The design strategy of magnetically coupled photo-switched SCO complexes will be discussed. Finally, a perspective with respect to the remaining challenges and growing trends in this field will be given.


Thymic hyperplasia in Graves' disease.
Graves' disease is an autoimmune thyroid condition characterized by the production of autoantibodies against the thyrotropin receptor. It is known to be associated with autoimmune conditions such as myasthenia gravis, Addison's disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and vitiligo. We present a case of rare autoimmune association of Graves' disease with thymic hyperplasia which regressed after treatment with antithyroid drugs. Exact pathophysiology of thymic hyperplasia in Graves' is not well understood; it is likely to be the result of rather than the cause of Graves' disease.


Multiparticle composites in density-imbalanced quantum fluids.
We consider two-component one-dimensional quantum gases with a density imbalance. While generically such fluids are two-component Luttinger liquids, we show that if the ratio of the densities is a rational number, p/q, and mass asymmetry between components is sufficiently strong, one of the two eigenmodes acquires a gap. The gapped phase corresponds to (algebraic) ordering of (p+q)-particle composites. In particular, for attractive mixtures, this implies that the superconducting correlations are destroyed. We illustrate our predictions by numerical simulations of the fermionic Hubbard model with hopping asymmetry.


Early exposure to violence, relationship violence, and relationship satisfaction in adolescents and emerging adults: The role of romantic attachment.
Violence in romantic relationships is highly prevalent in adolescence and early adulthood and is related to a wide array of negative outcomes. Although the scientific literature increasingly highlights potential risk factors for the perpetration of violence toward a romantic partner, integrative models of these predictors remain scarce. Using an attachment framework, the current study examines the associations between early exposure to violence, perpetration of relationship violence, and relationship satisfaction. We hypothesized that exposure to family violence fosters the development of attachment anxiety and avoidance, which in turn are related to relationship violence and low relationship satisfaction. At Time 1, a sample of 1,252 (72.3% women) adolescents and emerging adults were recruited from high schools and colleges. Participants completed measures of exposure to family violence, attachment, perpetrated relationship violence and relationship adjustment. Three years later (Time 2), 234 of these participants agreed to participate in a follow-up assessment. Structural equation modeling was used to test cross-sectional and longitudinal models. The findings suggest that exposure to family violence predicts relationship violence both directly and indirectly through attachment anxiety, whereas attachment avoidance and relationship violence are predictors of relationship satisfaction. Longitudinal analyses also show that changes in romantic attachment are associated with changes in relationship violence and satisfaction. Romantic attachment is a significant target for the prevention and treatment of violence in intimate relationships involving adolescents or emerging adults. (PsycINFO Database Record


Ectopic DICER-LIKE1 expression in P1/HC-Pro Arabidopsis rescues phenotypic anomalies but not defects in microRNA and silencing pathways.
Expression of the viral silencing suppressor P1/HC-Pro in plants causes severe developmental anomalies accompanied by defects in both short interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) pathways. P1/HC-Pro transgenic lines fail to accumulate the siRNAs that mediate RNA silencing and are impaired in both miRNA processing and function, accumulating abnormally high levels of miRNA/miRNA* processing intermediates as well as miRNA target messages. Both miRNA and RNA silencing pathways require participation of DICER-LIKE (DCL) ribonuclease III-like enzymes. Here, we investigate the effects of overexpressing DCL1, one of four Dicers in Arabidopsis thaliana, on P1/HC-Pro-induced defects in development and small RNA metabolism. Expression of a DCL1 cDNA transgene (35S:DCL1) produced a mild gain-of-function phenotype and largely rescued dcl1 mutant phenotypes. The 35S:DCL1 plants were competent for virus-induced RNA silencing but were impaired in transgene-induced RNA silencing and in the accumulation of some miRNAs. Ectopic DCL1 largely alleviated developmental anomalies in P1/HC-Pro plants but did not correct the P1/HC-Pro-associated defects in small RNA pathways. The ability of P1/HC-Pro plants to suppress RNA silencing and the levels of miRNAs, miRNA*s, and miRNA target messages in these plants were essentially unaffected by ectopic DCL1. These data suggest that P1/HC-Pro defects in development do not result from general impairments in small RNA pathways and raise the possibility that DCL1 participates in processes in addition to miRNA biogenesis.


Building a network of sentinel centres for the care of women in an abortion situation: advances in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Previous reports have already estimated the overall number of abortions and the number of unsafe abortions in Latin America. Conversely, there are few reliable data from this region to inform public policies aiming to meet women's needs. In this context, the Latin American Centre of Perinatology (Centro Latinoamericano de Perinatología (CLAP)) created a network specialising in the care of women in an abortion situation (CLAP MUSA-Network) in an attempt to strengthen healthcare surveillance in Latin America by using the Perinatal Information System (Sistema Informático Perinatal (SIP)). This system was developed by the CLAP with a special module named SIP Abortion (SIP-A), a data collection tool designed by Latin American experts to be routinely used in cases of legal and incomplete abortions. The SIP-A follows the standards established by WHO, allowing investigators to systematise information, generate local reports and monitor changes after training and follow-up interventions based on national guidelines. This network promotes collaborative work between institutions to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, cooperative investigation and development of a critical mass of professionals skilled in sexual and reproductive health. Currently, 29 sentinel centres from 13 countries jointly work exchanging information to improve surveillance of healthcare indicators of women in an abortion situation. Latin America was the first region in the world to have a network of sentinel centres that continuously monitors healthcare provision to these women. Data collected by this network are already being used to design, implement and evaluate public policies.


β-Secretase inhibition by C-methylisoflavones from Abronia nana.
The methanol extract of Abronia nana suspension cultures were subjected to column chromatography to identify potential inhibitors of β-secretase, which is a major factor in Alzheimer's disease development. Two new C-methylisoflavones boeravinone T (1) and U (4) were isolated with three knowns boeravinone B (2), J (3) and X (5). The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of compounds 1-5 were 18.29, 8.57, 7.87, 12.02 and 5.30 μM, respectively. The most potent 5, non-competitively inhibited β-secretase [inhibition constant (Ki) = 3.79 μM]. Compounds 1-5 did not inhibit other proteases such as chymotrypsin, trypsin and elastase at concentrations up to 1 mM, indicating that they were relatively specific inhibitors of β-secretase. A free hydroxyl group at C-3 position of the C-methylisoflavone skeleton appeared to be responsible for the stronger inhibitory activity against β-secretase.


Impact of sulfur starvation on cysteine biosynthesis in T-DNA mutants deficient for compartment-specific serine-acetyltransferase.
Sulfur plays a pivotal role in the cellular metabolism of many organisms. In plants, the uptake and assimilation of sulfate is strongly regulated at the transcriptional level. Regulatory factors are the demand of reduced sulfur in organic or non-organic form and the level of O-acetylserine (OAS), the carbon precursor for cysteine biosynthesis. In plants, cysteine is synthesized by action of the cysteine-synthase complex (CSC) containing serine acetyltransferase (SAT) and O-acetylserine-(thiol)-lyase (OASTL). Both enzymes are located in plastids, mitochondria and the cytosol. The function of the compartmentation of the CSC to regulate sulfate uptake and assimilation is still not clearly resolved. To address this question, we analyzed Arabidopsis thaliana mutants for the plastidic and cytosolic SAT isoenzymes under sulfur starvation conditions. In addition, subcellular metabolite analysis by non-aqueous fractionation revealed distinct changes in subcellular metabolite distribution upon short-term sulfur starvation. Metabolite and transcript analyses of SERAT1.1 and SERAT2.1 mutants [previously analyzed in Krueger et al. (Plant Cell Environ 32:349-367, 2009)] grown under sulfur starvation conditions indicate that both isoenzymes do not contribute directly to the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in sulfate uptake and assimilation. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about the regulation of cysteine biosynthesis and the contribution of the different compartments to this metabolic process. We relate hypotheses and views of the regulation of cysteine biosynthesis with our results of applying sulfur starvation to mutants impaired in compartment-specific cysteine biosynthetic enzymes.


Modulation of magnetization dynamics of an Er(III) coordination polymer by the conversion of a ligand to a radical using UV light.
Light-induced substance conversion is highly promising for creating new radical-based compounds. Herein, we report an Er(III) coordination polymer [Er(CA)(ACA)(DMF)(H2O)]n (1) and its Y(III)-diluted analogue 1@Y (H2CA = 2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-p-quinone, HACA = 9-anthracene carboxylic acid) with the light-induced transformation of the ligand to a radical. The χMT values of light-transformed products 1a and 1a@Y are higher than those of 1 and 1@Y, respectively, due to the formation of radicals by ultraviolet light irradiation, confirmed by EPR measurement as well. The effective energy barriers for magnetization reversal (Ueff) decrease from 72 K for 1 to 67 K for 1a, and from 117 K for 1@Y to 94 K for 1a@Y. This work not only provides a new light-conversion system but also reveals the nature of photo-induced variation of magnetic properties.


[Waterhouse Fridericksen syndrome in adults. Radiological diagnosis. Apropos of a case].
Waterhouse-Fridericksen syndrome is a rare possibility in the adult. The case reported here included full radiological evaluation. The diagnosis was made by ultrasonographic and CT scan imaging. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging was obtained for the purposes of documentation.


Direct mutation analysis of 495 patients for fragile X carrier status/proband diagnosis.
With the cloning of the FMR-1 gene, direct mutation analysis is possible for fragile X syndrome. We have analyzed 495 patients using the StB12.3 probe/EcoRI/EagI system of Rousseau et al. [N Engl J Med 325:1673-1681, 1991] and 167 of these also with PCR analysis according to Brown et al. [JAMA 270:1569-1575, 1993]. For 28 patients requesting carrier status due to a family history of fragile X, 10 were shown to have either premutations or full mutations; for the remainder with varied backgrounds, 1 in 182 was shown to carry a premutation. For proband diagnosis, 7 of 14 with a fragile X family history carried a full mutation; 11 of 271 with other family histories carried the full mutation.


Symptom dimensions in obsessive-compulsive disorder: factor analysis on a clinician-rated scale and a self-report measure.
Although obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is regarded as a unitary nosological entity, it encompasses a rich variety of heterogeneous mental and behavioural phenomena. The identification of clinical subtypes within this broad concept has been a focus of attention in recent years. In the present study, we administered a clinician-rated scale, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) with the Y-BOCS Symptom Checklist (Y-BOCS CL), as well as a self-report questionnaire, the Padua Inventory revised (PI-R), to 150 outpatients with OCD. A principal component analysis on the Y-BOCS CL, along with the PI-R, identified 6 consistent symptom clusters: (1) contamination obsessions and cleaning compulsions, (2) sexual/religious/somatic obsessions and checking, (3) high risk assessment and checking, (4) impulses and fear of loss of control, (5) need for symmetry and exactness, and ordering and counting compulsions, and finally (6) rumination. The Y-BOCS CL and PI-R showed great overlap and consistency regarding content and severity of the OCD symptoms. On inspection of items with identical content, only half of the items showed significant agreement. Both inventories have unique factors: rumination is represented solely in the PI-R, somatic obsessions and checking solely in the Y-BOCS CL. This means that the use of both clinician-administered and self-report measures is recommended, so that the entire spectrum of symptoms is represented.


[Verbal and oral dyspraxia in children and juveniles].
Childhood apraxia of speech and oral dyspraxia are subtypes of dyspraxia: a neurological motor disorder with absence of neuromuscular deficits. The core impairment is in planning and/or programming spatiotemporal parameters of movement sequences, which results in errors in speech sound production and prosody, or in oral motor movements and gestures. Correct diagnostics and focus on differential diagnoses and co-morbidity are crucial, as treatment differs from other types of speech- and oral motor disorders. Early and specialized intervention is recommended.


Quantum Oscillator Noise Spectroscopy via Displaced Cat States.
Quantum harmonic oscillators are central to many modern quantum technologies. We introduce a method to determine the frequency noise spectrum of oscillator modes through coupling them to a qubit with continuously driven qubit-state-dependent displacements. We reconstruct the noise spectrum using a series of different drive phase and amplitude modulation patterns in conjunction with a data-fusion routine based on convex optimization. We apply the technique to the identification of intrinsic noise in the motional frequency of a single trapped ion with sensitivity to fluctuations at the sub-Hz level in a spectral range from quasi-dc up to 50 kHz.


Dual-Component Gelatinous Peptide/Reactive Oligomer Formulations as Conduit Material and Luminal Filler for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.
Toward the next generation of nerve guidance conduits (NGCs), novel biomaterials and functionalization concepts are required to address clinical demands in peripheral nerve regeneration (PNR). As a biological polymer with bioactive motifs, gelatinous peptides are promising building blocks. In combination with an anhydride-containing oligomer, a dual-component hydrogel system (cGEL) was established. First, hollow cGEL tubes were fabricated by a continuous dosing and templating process. Conduits were characterized concerning their mechanical strength, in vitro and in vivo degradation and biocompatibility. Second, cGEL was reformulated as injectable shear thinning filler for established NGCs, here tyrosine-derived polycarbonate-based braided conduits. Thereby, the formulation contained the small molecule LM11A-31. The biofunctionalized cGEL filler was assessed regarding building block integration, mechanical properties, in vitro cytotoxicity, and growth permissive effects on human adipose tissue-derived stem cells. A positive in vitro evaluation motivated further application of the filler material in a sciatic nerve defect. Compared to the empty conduit and pristine cGEL, the functionalization performed superior, though the autologous nerve graft remains the gold standard. In conclusion, LM11A-31 functionalized cGEL filler with extracellular matrix (ECM)-like characteristics and specific biochemical cues holds great potential to support PNR.


Using (green) bricks and mortar for dialysis clinic construction.
The completed dialysis unit demonstrates that building green means creating and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout a building's life cycle. The common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the environment on human health and the natural environment by: using energy, water and other resources more efficiently; protecting patient health while improving staff productivity; reducing waste.


The asialoglycoprotein receptor is associated with a tyrosine kinase in HepG2 cells.
The asialoglycoprotein (ASGP) receptor undergoes constitutive endocytosis in HepG2 cells, which is regulated by tyrosine kinase activity (Fallon, R. J., Danaher, M., Saylors, R. L., and Saxena, A. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 11011-11017). In this study we show that the receptor copurifies with a tyrosine kinase activity, as defined by tyrosine phosphorylation of an exogenous substrate (reduced carboxyamidomethylated and maleylated lysozyme). Analysis of cells transfected with one subunit of the ASGP receptor showed that signals in the cytoplasmic domain of the H1 subunit are sufficient for receptor kinase association. In addition, receptor kinase association is not dependent on the single cytoplasmic tyrosine at position 5. Analysis of the components of anti-ASGP receptor immunoprecipitates revealed the presence of a 127-kDa protein (p127), which becomes phosphorylated on tyrosine upon addition of gamma-[32P]ATP and which is capable of binding ATP.p127 was also demonstrated in anti-transferrin receptor immunoprecipitates but not in immunoprecipitates of a resident membrane protein, human HLA. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the ASGP receptor, a protein that participates in constitutive, rapid endocytosis, is associated with a cellular tyrosine kinase.


Characterization of the integrase gene and attachment site for the Myxococcus xanthus bacteriophage Mx9.
Bacteriophage Mx9 is a temperate phage that infects Myxococcus xanthus. It lysogenizes the bacteria by integrating into the bacterial chromosome by site-specific recombination at one of two sites, attB1 or attB2. Integration at attB1 results in deletion of DNA between the two attB sites. The attB2 site lies within the 5' region of the M. xanthus tRNA(Gly) gene. Mx9 integration requires a single protein, Int. Analysis of integration revealed that the phage attachment site (attP) is contained in the int gene and that upon integration, the 3' end of the int gene is altered. Plasmids containing fusions of the pilA or mgl promoter to lacZ integrated at either Mx9 attB site have higher levels of transcription than the same fusions integrated at the Mx8 attB site.


Variability of glutathione levels in normal breast tissue and subcutaneous fat during the menstrual cycle: an in vivo study with microdialysis technique.
A small increase in the risk of breast cancer has been reported after long term use of combined estrogen-progestagen treatment. Free oxygen radicals and antioxidants such as glutathione are involved in the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis and thereby in carcinogenesis. To study whether the glutathione levels are sex hormone dependent, we used the microdialysis technique to measure the in vivo concentrations of glutathione in breast tissue and sc fat during the menstrual cycle. Six healthy women (23-32 yr old) were investigated early in the follicular phase and the midluteal phase. Two 60-min fractions each were collected by microdialysis of periumbilical fat and breast tissue, respectively. The samples were stored at -70 C and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Glutathione concentrations increased in the midluteal phase compared to those in the follicular phase in both adipose tissue and breast tissue (P < 0.05). The variability of glutathione levels during the menstrual cycle, with higher levels late in the menstrual cycle, indicates that the antioxidant system could be sex hormone dependent. This may be of importance in breast cancer development.


Expression profile of circular RNA in rat intimal hyperplasia and target gene prediction.
Intimal hyperplasia is an important cause of stenosis or occlusion after vascular injury. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are known to be related to various cardiovascular diseases. However, the expression profile of circRNAs in the neointima has not been reported in detail. In this study, we established a rat common carotid artery (CCA) injury model. A microarray detection showed significant differences in circRNA expression between the normal and injured CCA. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction verified the differences. We used bioinformatics to predict the microRNAs that possibly interact with the differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs and linked the potential functions of circRNAs to the target genes of the microRNAs. We believe that the DE circRNA in neointima may affect the differentiation, proliferation, and migration of vascular cells through a variety of target genes. The intervention or utilization of certain circRNAs should be a new method for preventing and treating intimal hyperplasia.


On the Neural and Mechanistic Bases of Self-Control.
Intertemporal choice requires a dynamic interaction between valuation and deliberation processes. While evidence identifying candidate brain areas for each of these processes is well established, the precise mechanistic role carried out by each brain region is still debated. In this article, we present a computational model that clarifies the unique contribution of frontoparietal cortex regions to intertemporal decision making. The model we develop samples reward and delay information stochastically on a moment-by-moment basis. As preference for the choice alternatives evolves, dynamic inhibitory processes are executed by way of asymmetric lateral inhibition. We find that it is these lateral inhibition processes that best explain the contribution of frontoparietal regions to intertemporal decision making exhibited in our data.