[Pit cells--a tissue form of large granule-containing lymphocytes with natural killer activity].
Basing on structural and functional signs, pit cells and large granule-containing lymphocytes (LGCL) can be considered as the same type of cells. LGCL take origin from bone marrow, circulate in the blood stream and get into tissues as pit cells or as interepitheliocytic lymphocytes. Therefore, on this ground for convenience of studying and understanding these elements of cell immunity a suggestion is made to distinguish the LGCL system, possessing natural killer activity and paracrinic secretion. An increased functional load to the organism results in an intensified getting of LGCL into places of structural reconstructions of tissues (regenerative active zones). The same effector elements--LGCL (pit cells)--in dependence of necessary functional ensuring under various conditions, produce in the surrounding parenchyma both a proliferative effect and its opposite action. The latter can be manifested as a monocellular colliquational necrosis, or as apoptosis. Apoptosis (active cellular death) is of greatest interest. Disturbances of this mechanism can facilitate to an excess proliferation of cells, or to their extreme death; malignant growth and transplant-versus-host reaction can be mentioned as examples, respectively. LGCL play an important role in the immunobiological supervision and are effectors of active ageing mechanisms. Studying of this important link in regulation of quantity of cell population adequate to functional load should help to purposively influence it for stimulating or repressing cell proliferation, depending on certain concrete purposes.


Antibacterial activity of first and latest generation bioceramic sealers on the elimination of enterococcus faecalis: An in vitro study.
The main concern of endodontics are bacteria: the microorganisms and the toxins they release determine tissue destruction and inflammatory changes that trigger the pulpal and periapical pathology. Enterococcus faecalis is a particularly hostile bacterium; it is strongly associated with refractory periapical pathology. In this study 3 materials were tested: Aureoseal (OGNA, Italy) (Aur) (first generation bioceramic sealer); Endo Seuqence BC sealer (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA, USA) (EsBC) (latest generation bioceramic sealer); Endoidrox (OGNA, Italy) (Endx) (calcium hydroxide material). The antimicrobial activity of these materials against Enterococcus faecalis was evaluated using agar diffusion test (ADT). The results confirm the antibacterial activity of bioceramic sealers, which however do not show significant differences in the obtained values; it can therefore be concluded that there has been no increase in the antibacterial efficacy of the latest generation bioceramic sealers compared to those of the first generation.


A monoclonal antibody identifying a T-cell marker in the horse.
A cell surface molecule of equine T lymphocytes was identified and characterized using a mouse monoclonal antibody, HT23A. The molecule was detected on all T cells but not on other cells in peripheral blood, with the possible exception of a small subpopulation (about 5%) of B cells, as assessed by indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. HT23A labelled T cell areas of horse lymph nodes and spleen when used in an indirect immunoperoxidase assay on frozen sections. Macrophages and neutrophils were not labelled by the antibody nor were frozen sections of horse liver, kidney, or brain. HT23A precipitated a molecule of approximately 69 kDa from 125Iodine labelled horse lymphocytes.


Breast Cancer in Surat Thani, a Province in Southern Thailand: Analysis of 2004-2012 Incidence and Future Trends.
With the recent epidemiologic transition in Thailand, featuring decreasing incidences of infectious diseases along with increasing rates of chronic conditions, cancer is becoming a serious problem for the country. Breast cancer has the highest incidence rates among females, not only in the southern regions, but throughout Thailand. Surat Thani is a province in the upper part of Southern Thailand. A study was needed to identify the current burden, and the future trends of breast cancer. Here we used cancer incidence data from the Surat Thani Cancer Registry to characterize the incidences of breast cancer. Joinpoint analysis was used to investigate the incidences in the province from 2004 to 2012 and to project future trends from 2013 to 2030. Age-standardized incidence rates (world) of breast cancer in the upper parts of Southern Thailand increased from 35.1 to 59.2 cases per 100,000 female population, which is equivalent to an annual percentage change of 4.5-4.8%. Linear drift effects played a role in shaping the increase of incidence. Joinpoint projection suggested that incidence rates would continue to increase in the future with incidence for women aged 50 and above, at a higher rate than for women below the age of 50. The current early detection measures increase detection rates of early disease. Preparation of a budget for treatment facilities and human resources, both in surgical and medical oncology, is essential.


Efficacy of and effect on tooth sensitivity of in-office bleaching gel concentrations: a randomized clinical trial.
With the aim of reducing the side effects of in-office bleaching agents, less-concentrated hydrogen peroxide (HP) gels have been released by manufacturers. We evaluated the tooth sensitivity (TS) and bleaching efficacy (BE) of two HP concentrations in this study. Gels containing 35% and 20% HP (HP35 and HP20, respectively) were applied on teeth of 60 caries-free patients. Color was recorded at baseline and one week after the first and second bleaching sessions using the Vita Classical shade guide. TS was recorded on a 0-4 scale. BE at each weekly recall was evaluated by Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests (α=0.05). Absolute risk of TS and its intensity was evaluated by Fisher exact and Mann-Whitney tests, respectively (α=0.05). After two bleaching sessions, color change of approximately eight tabs was obtained with HP35; whereas, with HP20 it was six tabs (p<0.05). Only 26.7% (HP35) and 16.7% (HP20) of the participants reported TS, and no statistical differences were detected among them. Both in-office bleaching gels showed similar TS intensity, but the 35% HP agent produced faster bleaching.


The Association between Cognitive Impairment and Diabetic Foot Care: Role of Neuropathy and Glycated Hemoglobin.
Diabetes mellitus is associated with impairment in cognitive functions which can complicate adherence to self-care behaviors. We evaluated the incidence of cognitive impairment in patients with diabetes mellitus to determine the strength of the association between diabetic foot (a complication that occurs in about 10% of diabetic patients), adherence to the clinician's recommendations, glycemic control, and cognitive function. A prospective study was carried out in a probabilistic sample of older patients with diabetic foot living in three nursing homes. Cognitive functions were evaluated by the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination), the Trail Making test (TMT), and the Michigan neuropathy screening instrument (MNSI). There were no significant associations between cognitive function and neuropathy or foot alterations, although glycated hemoglobin (HB1Ac > 7%) significantly (p < 0.05) associated with MMSE and adherence to treatment in the 1 month follow-up visit. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that both HB1Ac and the MNSI score significantly (p < 0.05) discriminate subsequent adherence to treatment for foot complication, with a sensitivity of 80.0-73.3% and specificity 70.6-64.7%, respectively. Proper control of foot complications in diabetic patients involves appropriate glycemic control and less severe neuropathy, and seems to be unrelated to cognitive dysfunction, and warrants further studies in order to tailor appropriate treatments to central and peripheral nervous system disorders. Poor glycemic control (Hb1Ac level > 7%) and a neuropathy score of 5.5 in the MNSI are the best-cut off points to discriminate poor adherence to the clinician's recommendations for self-care behaviors in people with diabetic foot complication. In this study, we observed that foot disorders were associated with impaired global cognitive function in elderly patients (aged ≥ 65). Podiatrists and physicians should consider cognitive dysfunction as an important chronic complication in the management of diabetic foot.


A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Service-Learning on Physical Education Teacher Education Students.
Research examining Service-Learning (SL) in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) is ample. However, long-term investigations are still scarce and literature demands the application of this type of design to uncover the effects of SL on the long run. This study followed a longitudinal quantitative approach; thus, the participants completed the Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire (CASQ) in three occasions (pretest-postest1-postest2). Results show that there exist significant differences between mean values of the global outcomes of the CASQ; concretely, there was an improvement in the first interval followed by a decrease in the second period. Regarding the different dimensions of the CASQ, leadership skills, attitudes towards social justice and attitudes towards diversity showed significant differences too. This research leads towards better understanding of methodological strategies promoting quality education, positing SL as an adequate possibility in this respect, also in the long term.


Elucidating Interfacial Dynamics of Ti-Al Systems Using Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Markov State Modeling.
Due to their remarkable mechanical and chemical properties, Ti-Al-based materials are attracting considerable interest in numerous fields of engineering, such as automotive, aerospace, and defense. With their low density, high strength, and resistance to corrosion and oxidation, these intermetallic alloys and metal-compound composites have found diverse applications. However, additive manufacturing and heat treatment of Ti-Al alloys frequently lead to brittleness and severe formation of defects. The present study delves into the interfacial dynamics of these Ti-Al systems, particularly focusing on the behavior of Ti and Al atoms in the presence of TiAl3 grain boundaries under experimental heat treatment conditions. Using a combination of molecular dynamics and Markov state modeling, we scrutinize the kinetic processes involved in the formation of TiAl3. The molecular dynamics simulation indicates that at the early stage of heat treatment, the predominating process is the diffusion of Al atoms toward the Ti surface through the TiAl3 grain boundaries. Markov state modeling identifies three distinct dynamic states of Al atoms within the Ti/Al mixture that forms during the process, each exhibiting a unique spatial distribution. Using transition time scales as a qualitative measure of the rapidness of the dynamics, it is observed that the Al dynamics is significantly less rapid near the Ti surface compared to the Al surface. Put together, the results offer a comprehensive understanding of the interfacial dynamics and reveal a three-stage diffusion mechanism. The process initiates with the premelting of Al, proceeds with the prevalent diffusion of Al atoms toward the Ti surface, and eventually ceases as the Ti concentration within the mixture progressively increases. The insights gained from this study could contribute significantly to the control and optimization of manufacturing processes for these high-performing Ti-Al-based materials.


[Protective effect of recombinant beta-defensin-2 on acute lung injury induced by sepsis in rats].
To explore the protective effect of recombinant beta-defensin-2 (BD2) on acute lung injury induced by sepsis in rats. Recombinant adenovirus carrying an expression cassette of rat BD2 (rBD2) or control adenovirus carrying empty vector was administered intratracheally to Sprague-Dawley rats 48 h before acute lung injury, which was induced by cecal ligation and double puncture (CLP). Histological changes of the lungs and 7-day survival rate were determined. The alveolar damage, interstitial edema, and infiltration of neutrophils were reduced and the survival rate was increased significantly in BD2 group than those in control group (P < 0.05). The CFU of abdominal bacteria was comparable to that in the control rats (P > 0.05). The administration of recombinant BD2 protects lung injury and improves the survival of rats with induced sepsis.


Long noncoding RNA linc00346 promotes the malignant phenotypes of bladder cancer.
More and more reports have demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in the development of a variety of carcinomas, including bladder cancer. However, only a small fraction of them have been characterized. Linc00346 have been found to be upregulated in bladder cancer tissues compared to normal tissues in a microarray-based lncRNA profiling study. In this study, we would like to explore the expression pattern and functional role of linc00346 in bladder cancer. We determined the expression of linc00346 in a cohort of bladder cancer tissues with matched normal tissues as well as human bladder cancer cell lines. We investigated the biological function of linc00346 with CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry analysis, transwell assay and tumor xenografts mice model. We found that linc00346 was upregulated in bladder cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. Knockdown of linc00346 inhibited bladder cancer cell proliferation and migration, induced cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis. Our study demonstrates that linc00346 could be a potential oncogene and a therapeutic target in bladder cancer.


ST36 Acupuncture Alleviates the Inflammation of Adjuvant-Induced Arthritic Rats by Targeting Monocyte/Macrophage Modulation.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the aggregation of immune cells and secretion of cytokines in the joint synovium, causing hyperblastosis and even bone destruction. Acupuncture has been proven effective in RA treatment. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory action of acupuncture, specifically, in relation to immune cell interactions and key mediators. Rats with adjuvant-induced arthritics (AIA) were treated with manual acupuncture (MA) at Zusanli (ST36). Joint edema and paw withdrawal latency were monitored to observe the effects on inflammation. The levels of 24 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in ankle joints during the treatment (on days 1, 7, 15, and 21) were detected by multiplex immunoassay. A bioinformatics analysis based on a directed weighted mathematical model was used to construct cell communication network diagrams and identify the key cells through calculation. The monocyte/macrophage polarization in inflamed joints was investigated by detecting M1- and M2-phenotypic populations and their related cytokines. ST36 MA alleviated paw edema and upregulated the nociceptive threshold of AIA rats. Several innate and adaptive immune cytokines were dynamically regulated by MA, and MA-treated rats showed a significant improvement in symptoms compared with AIA rats by day 21. The immune cell-cell communication networks were intensified with the development of RA but were significantly reduced after treatment with MA. MA was found to specifically regulate monocytes/macrophages in inflamed ankle joints ST36 MA also inhibited M1-phenotype macrophages accompanied by decreased levels of IL-1β. ST36 MA showed anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects as well as inhibition of immune cell communication networks in inflamed joints of AIA rats. Inhibiting the polarization of macrophages to the M1-phenotype in inflamed joints may be one of the key mechanisms of MA anti-inflammatory action. This research highlighted a systematic research paradigm for investigating mechanisms of acupuncture action.


[Nuchal-type fibromas in the posterior region of the neck].
Nuchal-type fibroma is a benign tumour usually presenting in the posterior region of the neck. It was first described in 1988, and the largest publication includes 52 cases of nuchal-type fibroma. It can easily be confused with lipoma, but upon surgical exploration it reveals as poorly defined and difficult to dissecate. Histologically nuchal-type fibroma is a paucicellular tumour with thick, randomly arranged collagen fibres with centrally lobulated architecture. We present three cases of nuchal-type fibroma.


Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the prostate with bladder invasion shortly after androgen deprivation: Two case reports.
To summarize the imaging, morphological and biological characteristics of sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) of the prostate with bladder invasion not long after castration. Our two cases were initially diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the prostate due to dysuria. However, prostate SC was diagnosed after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and castration after only 5 and 10 mo, respectively. Distinctive liver-like tissues appeared in the second TURP procedure in case 1, while a white, fish flesh-like, narrow pedicled soft globe protruded from the prostate to the bladder in case 2. The sarcomatoid component of SC may arise from one of the specific groups of cancer cells that are resistant to hormonal therapy. Morphological characteristics of SCs can present as "red hepatization" and "fish flesh". SCs grow rapidly and have a poor prognosis, and thus, extensive TURP plus radiation may be the treatment of choice.


CFTR regulates B cell activation and lymphoid follicle development.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that promotes persistent lung infection and inflammation and progressive loss of lung function. Patients with CF have increased lung lymphoid follicles (LFs) and B cell-activating factor of tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) that regulates B cell survival and maturation. A direct role for CFTR in B cell activation and disease pathogenesis in CF remains unclear. The number of LFs, BAFF+, TLR4+ and proliferation marker Ki67+ B cells in lung explants or resections from subjects with CF and normal controls was quantified by immunostaining. The role of CFTR in B cell activation and LF development was then examined in two independent cohorts of uninfected CFTR-deficient mice (Cftr -/-) and wild type controls. The number of lung LFs, B cells and BAFF+, CXCR4+, immunoglobulin G+ B cells was examined by immunostaining. Lung and splenocyte B cell activation marker and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC class II) expression was quantified by flow cytometry. Inflammatory cytokine levels were measured in supernatants from isolated B cells from Cftr -/- and wild type mice stimulated in vitro with Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide (LPS). There was a significant increase in well-formed LFs in subjects with CF compared to normal controls. Increased B cell activation and proliferation was observed in lung LFs from CF subjects as was quantified by a significant increase in B cell BAFF, TLR4 and Ki67 expression. Uninfected Cftr -/- mice had increased lung LFs and BAFF+ and CXCR4+ B cells compared to wild type controls. Lung B cells isolated from uninfected Cftr -/- mice demonstrated increased MHC class II expression. In vitro, isolated B cells from Cftr -/- mice produced increased IL-6 when stimulated with LPS compared to wild type controls. These data support a direct role for CFTR in B cell activation, proliferation and inflammatory cytokine production that promotes lung LF follicle development in cystic fibrosis.


Adverse drug reactions experienced by out-patients taking chlorpromazine or haloperidol at Zomba Mental Hospital, Malawi.
Drugs for managing mental disorders can cause adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that have negative impacts on patients yet, in Malawi, epidemiological data on the drug-related problems are limited. This study assessed the prevalence and severity of ADRs in out-patients at Zomba Mental Hospital. Twenty-six of forty patients (65.0%) were taking haloperidol and 14 (35.0%) chlorpromazine. The commonest diagnosis was schizophrenia (n = 23, 57.5%) followed by epileptic psychosis (n = 4, 10.0%) and general psychosis (n = 4, 10.0%) with one of psychotic depression and one psychosis secondary to general medical condition. Comorbidities were also found with epilepsy being the commonest (n = 4, 10.0%). All patients reported at least one ADR of varying severity (mild, moderate and severe). Polydipsia was the most prevalent (24, 60.0%) followed by weight gain (20, 50.0%), spasm (15, 37.5%) and xerostomia (15, 37.5%). Some ADRs were gender specific and these included impotence (6/27, 29.6%) for males and menstrual changes (3/14, 21.4%) for females. Severe ADRs were more common in the older aged group (> 35 years 8.3% vs 7.1%), in males (11.1% vs 0.0%) and on chlorpromazine (14.3% vs 3.8%). Patients taking chlorpromazine and haloperidol are at risk of experiencing a wide range of ADRs with varying degrees of severity.


Penile erectile dysfunction after brachial plexus root avulsion injury in rats.
Our previous studies have demonstrated that some male patients suffering from brachial plexus injury, particularly brachial plexus root avulsion, show erectile dysfunction to varying degrees. However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the erectile function after establishing brachial plexus root avulsion models with or without spinal cord injury in rats. After these models were established, we administered apomorphine (via a subcutaneous injection in the neck) to observe changes in erectile function. Rats subjected to simple brachial plexus root avulsion or those subjected to brachial plexus root avulsion combined with spinal cord injury had significantly fewer erections than those subjected to the sham operation. Expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase did not change in brachial plexus root avulsion rats. However, neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression was significantly decreased in brachial plexus root avulsion + spinal cord injury rats. These findings suggest that a decrease in neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the penis may play a role in erectile dysfunction caused by the combination of brachial plexus root avulsion and spinal cord injury.


DNA repair gene XRCC1 and XPD polymorphisms and the risk of idiopathic azoospermia in a Chinese population.
Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may influence individual variation in DNA repair capacity and further influence the risk of developing cancer. However, little information is available on these polymorphisms in infertility. To investigate whether polymorphisms in DNA repair genes, X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) and xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD), alone or in combination, are associated with the risk of developing idiopathic azoospermia, the genotype and allele frequencies of three observed polymorphisms (XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln, and XPD Lys751Gln) were examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism based on a Chinese population consisting of 171 idiopathic azoospermia patients and 247 normal-spermatogenesis fertile controls. Associations between the polymorphisms and the idiopathic azoospermia risk were estimated by logistic regression, and the Statistical analysis system was used to test the gene-gene joint effects. All observed polymorphisms were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The XPD 751Gln allele seemed to be a risk allele for azoospermia, with a frequency of 11.40% in the cases and 5.67% in the controls (p=0.004). Compared with the Lys/Lys genotype, the XPD 751 Lys/ increased 5.100- or 3.064-fold, respectively, when combined with the XRCC1 194 Arg/Arg or 399 Arg/Arg genotype. In conclusion, our study provided the first evidence that the XPD and XRCC1 polymorphisms contributed to the risk of developing idiopathic azoospermia in a selected Chinese population.


Quantitative approach to skin field cancerization using a nanoencapsulated photodynamic therapy agent: a pilot study.
This paper introduces a new nanoformulation of 5-aminolevulinic acid (nano-ALA) as well as a novel quantitative approach towards evaluating field cancerization for actinic keratosis and/or skin photodamage. In this pilot study, we evaluated field cancerization using nano-ALA and methyl aminolevulinate (MAL), the latter being commercialized as Metvix(®). Photodynamic therapy was used for the treatment of patients with selected skin lesions, whereas the fluorescence of the corresponding photosensitizer was used to evaluate the time evolution of field cancerization in a quantitative way. Field cancerization was quantified using newly developed color image segmentation software. Using photodynamic therapy as the precancer skin treatment and the approach introduced herein for evaluation of fluorescent area, we found that the half-life of field cancerization reduction was 43.3 days and 34.3 days for nano-ALA and MAL, respectively. We also found that nano-ALA targeted about 45% more skin lesion areas than MAL. Further, we found the mean reduction in area of skin field cancerization was about 10% greater for nano-ALA than for MAL. Although preliminary, our findings indicate that the efficacy of nano-ALA in treating skin field cancerization is higher than that of MAL.


Transport of monosaccharides in kidney-cortex cells.
1. The aerobic accumulation of various monosaccharides in slices of rabbit kidney cortex at 25 degrees was studied. 2. d-Fructose and alpha-methyl d-glucoside were readily accumulated against their concentration gradient by a phlorrhizin-sensitive Na(+)-dependent active transport. In the absence of external Na(+) the maximal rate of alpha-methyl glucoside transport was decreased tenfold, the K(m) of entry into the cells (8.2mm) not being affected. Phlorrhizin and d-galactose inhibited the entry of alpha-methyl glucoside also in the absence of external Na(+). 3. d-Xylose, 6-deoxy-d-glucose and 6-deoxy-d-galactose were poorly accumulated ([S](i)/[S](o) ratios slightly above 1.0); this transport was inhibited by phlorrhizin and by the absence of Na(+). 4. 3-O-Methyl-d-glucose, d-arabinose and l-arabinose were not actively transported, [S](i)/[S](o) ratios never exceeding 1.0. 5. 2-Deoxy-d-glucose and 2-deoxy-d-galactose were readily accumulated against a high concentration gradient, this transport being Na(+)-independent and only slightly sensitive to phlorrhizin. External Na(+) was not required for an inhibitory action of phlorrhizin and d-galactose on the entry of 2-deoxy-d-galactose into the cells. 6. Interference for entry into the cells between the following saccharides was found: d-galactose inhibited alpha-methyl d-glucoside transport; d-xylose entry was inhibited by d-glucose; d-galactose transport was inhibited by d-xylose; a mutual interference between d-galactose and its 2-deoxy analogue was found. 7. It is concluded that d-glucose, d-galactose, alpha-methyl d-glucoside, d-xylose and possibly also some other monosaccharides share a common active transport system. 8. The specificity of the Na(+)-dependent phlorrhizin-sensitive active transport system for monosaccharides in kidney-cortex cells differs from that in intestinal epithelial cells.


The potential of restricted access media columns as applied in coupled-column LC/LC-TSP/MS/MS for the high-speed determination of target compounds in serum. Application to the direct trace analysis of salbutamol and clenbuterol.
This study investigated the potential of restricted access media (RAM) columns used as a first column in coupled-column LC hyphenated to thermospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC/LC-TSP/MS/MS) for the fast, selective, and sensitive determination of target drugs in serum samples. Because of their wide range in polarity, salbutamol and clenbuterol were chosen as model compounds and representatives of the class of beta 2-agonists. Three types of RAM columns were tested: (i) Pinkerton ISRP (internal surface reversed phase, 5 microns), (ii) SPS (semipermeable surface, 5 microns C18), and (iii) RP-18 ADS (alkyl-diol silica, 25 microns). A 3-micron C18 column (50 mm x 4.6 mm i.d.) was chosen as the second column. Tandem mass spectrometric detection was carried out in the selected reaction monitoring (one parent-->one daughter) mode. With regard to retention and, moreover, the peak elution volume of the analytes, the ISRP material was found to perform best: a 50-mm x 4.6-mm i.d. ISRP column in combination with a 100% aqueous buffer (pH of 7.0 +/- 0.2) allowed the injection of large volumes (up to 200 microL) of sample without additional band broadening of the analytes and provided sufficient preseparation between analytes and large-molecule serum constituents. Under the selected conditions, both analytes could be determined in serum samples up to a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.5 ng/mL, with a sample throughput of 7 and 5 h-1 for salbutamol and clenbuterol, respectively. Method validation was carried out by analyzing, in the course of several days, calf and human serum samples spiked with the analytes. In the case of salbutamol, the overall recovery from serum samples spiked at levels between 0.5 and 50 ppb (n = 33) was 103.4%, with a repeatability of 12.7% and reproducibility of 14.3%. The overall recovery for clenbuterol was 99.6% (n = 15, spiked level 0.5-5 ppb), with a repeatability of 15.2% and reproducibility of 16.4%. The adopted LC/LC-TSP/MS/ MS analyzer appeared to be very robust under the selected conditions, and, after the period of analysis involving the processing of more than 100 mL of serum, neither loss of chromatographic performance nor pressure increase of columns or of the interface was observed.


Allergens and allergic diseases in children.
The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing gradually. Exposure to allergens is one of the trigger factors for symptoms in sensitized individuals. House dust mites and cockroach are the two most common indoor aeroallergens in Taiwan. There are wide differences in the numbers in different locations and in different seasons of these allergens. Sensitization to food allergens is prominent in young infants and can predict further aeroallergen sensitization. However, whether early exposure to allergens might develop or prevent allergic diseases in later childhood requires further research. Up to the present, allergen avoidance has demonstrated no prominent clinical efficacy in the improvement of allergic symptoms, although it is able to reduce allergen load in the environment. In a clinical regard, allergen avoidance should still be included as a part of treatment plans and be well explained to patients.


Correlations between Vascular Stiffness Indicators, OPG, and 25-OH Vitamin D3 Status in Heart Failure Patients.
Background and objectives: The purpose of the study is to correlate vascular calcification biomarkers osteoprotegerin (OPG) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D3), indicators of arterial stiffness carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (c-f PWV) and renal resistive index (RRI), with parameters of left ventricular function in heart failure patients versus control. Materials and methods: Our case-control study compared 60 patients with ischemic heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (<40%) with a control group of 60 healthy age-matched subjects (CON). Serum levels of OPG and 25-OH-D3 were determined by ELISA. Left ventricular volumes (LVESV, LVEDV) and LVEF were measured by echocardiography. C-f PWV was determined using the arteriograph device. RRI was measured by duplex Doppler. Peak systolic velocity (PSV) and minimum end-diastolic velocity (EDV) were determined using angle correction. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the MDRD equation. The Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for interpretation of results. Results: OPG values were significantly higher in heart failure (HF) patients vs. CON (4.7 ± 0.25 vs. 1.3 ± 0.67 ng/mL, p < 0.001). 25-OH vitamin D3 levels were significantly lower in HF patients vs. CON (20.49 ± 7.31 vs. 37.09 ± 4.59 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis considering 25-OH D3 as a dependent variable demonstrated indicators of vascular stiffness RRI, c-f PWV and vascular calcification biomarker OPG as predictors. OPG values were significantly correlated with cardiac parameters LVEDV (r = 0.862, p < 0.001), LVEF (r = -0.832, p < 0.001), and c-f PWV(r = 0.833, p < 0.001), and also with 25-OH-D3 (r = -0.636, p < 0.001). RRI values were significantly correlated with cardiac parameters LVEDV (r = 0.586, p < 0.001) and LVEF (r = -0.587, p < 0.001), and with eGFR (r = -0.488, p < 0.001), c-f PWV(r = 0.640, p < 0.001), and 25-OH-D3 (r = -0.732, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed significant correlations between vitamin D deficit and vascular stiffness indicators in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction, demonstrating the importance of these examinations for a better evaluation of these patients. Together with the evaluation of renal function, the measurement of vascular stiffness indicators and biomarkers might play a key role in identifying patients at greater risk for worsening disease prognosis and for shorter life expectancy, who could benefit from vitamin D supplementation. The abstract was accepted for presentation at the Congress of the European Society of Cardiology, Munich, 2018.


Pharmacological postconditioning treatment of myocardial infarction with netrin-1.
The present study investigated whether pharmacological postconditoning with netrin-1 is cardioprotective against ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury, and the underlying signaling mechanisms. Langendorff perfused hearts isolated from wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 or DCC+/- mice underwent a 20-min of ischemia, followed by a 60-min of reperfusion, in the presence or absence of netrin-1, or netrin-1 in combination with U0126 (MEK1/2 inhibitor), or PTIO (nitric oxide/NO scavenger). In WT mice, netrin-1 postconditioning dramatically reduced infarct size to 17.0±2.5%, from 40.5±4.2% in the untreated I/R group. U0126 or PTIO alone had no effect on infarct size but abolished the effects of netrin-1. The protective effect of netrin-1 was markedly diminished in DCC+/- mice (44.5±2% vs. 15±2.6 % for infract size in DCC+/- vs. DCC+/+ group). Our results indicate that netrin-1, given as a pharmacological postconditioning agent, induces cardioprotection via a DCC-dependent mechanism that involves ERK1/2 activation and NO production. Combined with our previous findings, netrin-1 treatment proves to be extremely and consistently beneficial whenever delivered to the heart, establishing its substantial promises for being developed into a robust therapeutic strategy for acute myocardial infarction.


Proline-rich extensin-like receptor kinases PERK5 and PERK12 are involved in pollen tube growth.
Proline-rich extensin-like receptor kinases (PERKs) belong to the hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) superfamily known to be involved in many plant developmental processes. Here, we characterized two pollen-expressed PERKs from Arabidopsis thaliana, PERK5 and PERK12. Pollen tube growth was impaired in single and double perk5-1 perk12-1 loss of function mutants, with an impact on seed production. When the segregation was analysed, a male gametophytic defect was found, indicating that perk5-1 and perk12-1 mutants carry deficient pollen transmission. Furthermore, perk5-1 perk12-1 displayed an excessive accumulation of pectins and cellulose at the cell wall of the pollen tubes. Our results indicate that PERK5 and PERK12 are necessary for proper pollen tube growth, highlighting their role in cell wall assembly and reactive oxygen species homeostasis.


The influence of language comprehension proficiency on assessment of global cognitive impairment following Acquired Brain Injury: A comparison between MMSE, MoCA and CASP batteries.
Language disorders are among the primary obstacles in care and rehabilitation process following acquired brain injuries (ABI). While early cognitive screening is considered critical for sketching a reliable picture of patients' residual abilities and devising efficient therapeutic plans, it has been shown that commonly-used screening tools-which strongly rely on verbal materials-might be inappropriate when used with ABI patients. This study aimed at testing the robustness and validity of the Cognitive Assessment for Stroke Patients (CASP) battery-devised to minimize the use of verbal materials-and two gold-standards in clinical practice-i.e. Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)-in presence of language comprehension difficulties. Forty-two ABI patients took part in the study. Half of the cohort was classified as aphasic. Participants underwent neuropsychological assessment including MMSE, MoCA and CASP, and completed the Token test to estimate language comprehension proficiency. The influence of linguistic ability on the outcomes of the screening tools was investigated. Regression analyses highlighted that, in aphasic patients, MMSE and MoCA scores proved to be significantly and remarkably determined by patients' proficiency in linguistic comprehension, while the outcome of the CASP battery was not significantly affected by language comprehension impairments.


[Changes of plasma high-sensitive C-reactive protein and monocyte chemotactic factor-1 following percutaneous coronary interventional procedures in patients with coronary artery disease].
To investigate the changes of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and monocyte chemotactic factor-1 (MCP-1) following percutaneous coronary interventional procedures (PCI) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and evaluate the impact of PCI on the inflammatory indices and postoperative vascular restenosis. This study involved 80 patients undergoing PCI procedures for CAD compromising a single coronary artery. Forty healthy individuals with normal findings by coronary angiography were selected as the control group. Before and after PCI or coronary angiography, plasma hs-CRP and MCP-1 were measured in all the subjects by immunonephelometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA), respectively. In the CAD patients, the plasma hs-CRP level was significantly elevated after PCI as compared with the preoperative level (2.37-/+0.56 microg/L vs 1.59-/+0.41 microg/L, P<0.01), whereas in the control group, the hs-CRP level underwent no significant changes after coronary angiography (1.18-/+0.37 microg/L vs the preoperative level of 1.13-/+0.32 microg/L, P>0.05). PCI procedures also resulted in significant elevation of plasma MCP-1 level in the CAD patients (26.04-/+5.43 pg/L vs the preoperative level of 18.07-/+4.30 pg/L, P<0.01), but in the control group, MCP-1 showed no significant variation after coronary angiography (9.80-/+2.64 pg/L vs the preoperative level of 9.63-/+2.52 pg/L, P>0.05). Plasma hs-CRP and MCP-1 are elevated in CAD patients following PCI procedures, but their roles in the vascular restenosis following the procedures need further investigation.


CuF-chemiluminescent reaction and plasma switching by laser ablation in the gaseous Cu-CF(4) system and their interactions with magnetic field.
In view of new metal catalysis reactions, CuF-chemiluminescent and plasma reactions in a gaseous Cu-CF(4) system are studied as well as their interactions with a magnetic field. As for the chemiluminescent reaction, the spectroscopic analysis of the CuF chemiluminescence in the reaction of CF(4) with Cu emitted by laser ablation with a fundamental beam of a Nd(3+):YAG laser indicates that the rotational, vibrational, and translational temperatures of the product CuF are rather similar, suggesting the simple heating mechanism. In this mechanism, the high translational energy of the reactant Cu atom will be used to go over the early barrier. The mechanism is evidenced by experimentally observing that the reaction barrier decreases with an increase in the translational energy of the reactant Cu by an increase in the laser power for ablation. On the other hand, in the further study, we find that Cu emitted by laser ablation can switch the plasma in an electric field less than that necessary for the direct discharge in dc-plasma and call it PLASLA (plasma switching by laser ablation). In PLASLA, the plasma is formed by the first ablation, quenched by the second ablation, formed by the third ablation, quenched by the fourth ablation, and so on. Thus PLASLA will be a promising new metal catalysis process for materials science. In particular, the cooperation of the ablation laser with the laser for photoreactions will be significant as a new technique. The studies on the mechanism of PLASLA with metals of Cu, Al, Ag, Zn, Co, Ni, Ti, Mo, and W indicate that the metals are classified into three groups. It is of great interest that the classification agrees with the classification by their electronic configurations. PLASLA is found to be formed rather easily and stable with Al, Ag, Cu, and Zn of group I. Species such as C, C(+), C(2+), and C(2) are observed in the time-resolved spectra of PLASLA luminescence at 0.5 mus after laser ablation, suggesting carbon polymers as the final product. In fact, the TOF (time-of-flight) mass spectrometric analysis of the product material confirms it. Furthermore, PLASLA and the CuF-chemiluminescent reaction are studied in a magnetic field. In the chemiluminescent reaction, we propose that the field switches the reaction paths by mixing the singlet and triplet potential surfaces at level crossing by breaking the spin selection rule. The field affects PLASLA through the MHD (magneto-hydrodynamic) processes such as E x B drifts and cyclotron circulation, as well as the singlet-triplet mixing.


Polymeric engineering of AIEgens for NIR-II fluorescence imaging and detection of abdominal metastases of ovarian cancer in vivo.
A polymeric engineering design principle is proposed for the construction of small-sized (∼20 nm) NIR-II AIEgen-doped nanodots (AIEdots) with high brightness and prolonged circulation time in blood vessels. With the utilization of the as-designed NIR-II AIEdots, the successful achievement of high-resolution NIR-II fluorescence imaging of tumor vessels and precise detection of abdominal metastases of ovarian cancer has been attained.


Functional expression of recombinant N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae--localization and pharmacological characterization.
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used for expressing the genes encoding the ionotropic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits from rats (NR1a, NR2A, NR2C) and mice (NR2B). Four plasmids were constructed by cloning the different NMDA receptor genes in the two multi-copy yeast-Escherichia coli shuttle vectors pMB01 (--> NR1a gene) and pMB02 (--> NR2A-2C genes). The protease-deficient S. cerevisiae strain cI3-ABYS-86 (leu-, ura-) was transformed or co-transformed with the resulting plasmids pMBNR1a (leu+) or pMBNR1a/pMBNR2A-C (ura+) respectively. Western blotting analysis with antibodies raised against amino acid sequences at the C-termini of the respective subunits revealed that the recombinant receptor proteins were differently expressed and only partially glycosylated in the cell membranes of the recombinant yeast strains. The expression and localization of the recombinant NMDA receptor proteins were also proved by immunofluorescence microscopy which indicated a distinct expression of the different NMDA receptor subunits in the plasma membrane of the transformed yeast cells. Pharmacological characterization of crude membrane preparations of the recombinant yeast cells showed saturable binding of the glycine antagonist [3H]MDL105,519 with Kd values of 56.9 +/- 6.19 nM (NR1a/NR2A), 26.72 +/- 2.13 nM (NR1a/NR2B), and 21.22 +/- 1.64 nM (NR1a/NR2C), and bound capacities of 17.94 +/- 1.24 pmol/mg membrane protein (NR1a/NR2A), 11.45 +/- 0.67 pmol/mg (NR1a/NR2B), and 16.15 +/- 0.86 (NR1a/NR2C) pmol/mg. The [3H]MDL105,519 binding was inhibited by the glycine antagonist 5,7-dichlorokynurenate, ethyl-2-carboxy-4,6-dichloro-3-indoleacetate, and itself, but not by glycine, D-serine or 1-amino-cyclopropanecarboxylic acid. Specific binding of [3H]glycine or the NMDA channel blocker [3H]dizolcipine were not observed.


Effect of dietary betaine supplementation on the liver transcriptome profile in broiler chickens under heat stress conditions.
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary betaine (BT) supplementation on the hepatic transcriptome profiles in broiler chickens raised under heat stress (HS) conditions. A total of 180 (21-d-old) Ross 308 male broiler chicks were allotted to 1 of 3 treatment groups with 6 replicated cages in a completely randomized design. One group was kept under thermoneutral conditions at all times and was fed a basal diet (PC). Other 2 groups were exposed to a cyclic heat stress condition. One of the 2 groups under heat stress conditions was fed the basal diet as a negative control (NC), whereas the other group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.2% BT. All chickens were provided with diets and water ad libitum for 21 d. Following the experiment, the liver samples were collected for RNA sequencing analysis. Broiler chickens in NC and BT group had decreased (p<0.05) growth performance. In the transcriptome analysis, the number of differentially expressed genes were identified in the liver by HS conditions and dietary BT supplementation. In the comparison between NC and PC treatments, genes related to energy and nucleic acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and immune system were altered by HS, which support the reason why heat-stressed poultry had decreased growth performance. In the comparison between NC and BT treatments, genes related to lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and immune system were differently expressed under HS conditions. HS negatively impacts various physiological processes, including DNA replication, metabolism of amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, and cell cycle progression in broiler chickens. Dietary BT supplementation, however, offers potential counteractive effects by modulating liver function, facilitating gluconeogenesis, and enhancing immune systems. These findings provide a basis for understanding molecular responses by HS and the possible benefits of dietary BT supplementation in broiler chickens exposed to HS.


Polarization dynamics induced by parallel optical injection in a single-mode VCSEL.
We report an experimental study of the polarization nonlinear dynamics in a 1550 nm single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) subject to parallel optical injection. Experimentally measured stability maps identifying regions of different nonlinear dynamics for various values of bias current are reported. We show that VCSELs with more than a 35 dB polarization mode suppression ratio can have rich nonlinear dynamics in both linear polarizations, including periodic and chaotic behaviors appearing simultaneously in both polarization modes.


Hepatoprotective, Antihyperlipidemic, and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Moringa oleifera in Diabetic-induced Damage in Male Wistar Rats.
The number of individuals with diabetes is increasing daily, and diabetes is presently estimated to affect about 422 million adults worldwide. Conventional drugs used to treat diabetes are not without severe side effects, accessibility, and affordability. This study elucidates the potential effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves extract to manage and treat diabetes induced in male Wistar rats. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 12/group): NC - nondiabetic rats (positive control), MO - nondiabetic-treated rats, DM - diabetic rats (negative control), DM + MO - diabetic-treated rats. Hepatic enzymes and biochemical parameters as well as antioxidant capacity and inflammatory cytokine levels were assessed. Levels of low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol were evaluated. Oral administration of methanolic extract of MO (250 mg/kg) to diabetic rats for 42 days showed a significant reduction in hepatic enzyme markers and normalized lipid profile parameters in the serum compared to normal control group. Treatment also increased the level of antioxidant capacity and alleviated inflammatory biomarkers of the liver. Histology sections of the liver tissue showed protective effect of MO in treated rats. MO showed hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering effects against streptozotocin-induced hepatotoxicity. Histological section demonstrated specific alterations in the liver of the diabetic and nondiabetic male Wistar rats while MO treatment revealed improvement in liver alterations. Abbreviations Used: IL 1: Interleukin 1, IL 6: Interleukin 16, MCP-1: Monocyte chemotactic protein, TNF-α: Tumor Necrotic factor alpha, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, MO: Moringa oleifera, STZ: Streptozotocin, SRC: Standard rat chow, ALP: Alkaline phosphatase, AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, ALT: Alanine aminotransferase, ORAC: Oxygen radical absorbance capacity, LDL: Low density lipoprotein, HDL: High density lipoprotein, CHOL: Total cholesterol.


Quantitative studies on the mixed lymphocyte interaction in rats. VI. Reactivity of lymphocytes from conventional and germfree rats to allogeneic and xenogeneic cell surface antigens.
The proliferative reactivity of lymphocytes from rat donors maintained under germfree or conventional conditions was examined in mixed lymphocyte cultures stimulated with allogeneic and xenogeneic cell surface antigens. The results show (a) that lymphocytes from conventionally maintained rats are less reactive to human, hamster, guinea pig, and mouse cell surface antigens than to the major H alloantigens, and (b) that lymphocytes from germfree rats display no demonstrable reactivity to xenogeneic cells, but are quantitatively normal in their response to allogenic cells. The conclusion drawn from these observations is that the circulating lymphocyte pool of an individual consists of a greater proportion of cells reactive to H alloantigens of other members of the same species than to the xenogeneic cellular antigens of members of other species and that this large number of cells is not generated by a mechanism involving immunization to cross-reactive environmental antigens.


Cellular prion protein: A co-receptor mediating neuronal cofilin-actin rod formation induced by β-amyloid and proinflammatory cytokines.
Increasing evidence suggests that proteins exhibiting "prion-like" behavior cause distinct neurodegenerative diseases, including inherited, sporadic and acquired types. The conversion of cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) to its infectious protease resistant counterpart (PrP(Res)) is the essential feature of prion diseases. However, PrP(C) also performs important functions in transmembrane signaling, especially in neurodegenerative processes. Beta-amyloid (Aβ) synaptotoxicity and cognitive dysfunction in mouse models of Alzheimer disease are mediated by a PrP(C)-dependent pathway. Here we review how this pathway converges with proinflammatory cytokine signaling to activate membrane NADPH oxidase (NOX) and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to dynamic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. The NOX signaling pathway may also be integrated with those of other transmembrane receptors clustered in PrP(C)-enriched membrane domains. Such a signal convergence along the PrP(C)-NOX axis could explain the relevance of PrP(C) in a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders, including neuroinflammatory-mediated alterations in synaptic function following traumatic brain injury. PrP(C) overexpression alone activates NOX and generates a local increase in ROS that initiates cofilin activation and formation of cofilin-saturated actin bundles (rods). Rods sequester cofilin from synaptic regions where it is required for plasticity associated with learning and memory. Rods can also interrupt vesicular transport by occluding the neurite within which they form. Through either or both mechanisms, rods may directly mediate the synaptic dysfunction that accompanies various neurodegenerative disorders.


Cosmid vectors for rapid genomic walking, restriction mapping, and gene transfer.
We have designed cosmid vectors for rapid genomic "walking" and restriction mapping. These vectors contain the transcription promoters from either bacteriophage SP6, T7, or T3 flanking a unique BamHI cloning site. Mammalian expression modules encoding the dominant marker neomycin phosphotransferase or the amplifiable dihydrofolate reductase gene expressed from SV40 promoters were inserted for use in gene transfer studies. Restriction sites for the enzymes Not I and Sfi I, which cut mammalian DNA very infrequently, have been engineered near the transcriptional promoters to enable the excision of most inserts as single, full-length fragments. Genomic libraries representative of mouse, human, and hamster genomes were constructed by inserting 33- to 44-kilobase-pair (kbp) DNA fragments, generated by partial cleavage of genomic DNA with Mbo I or Sau3A, into the unique BamHI site. Digestion of recombinant cosmids with restriction enzymes that cleave frequently but do not disrupt the transcriptional promoters generates two small DNA templates for the synthesis of end-specific RNA probes to facilitate directional "walking." Cosmid restriction maps can be determined rapidly by one of several methods. The cosmids and methods we describe should have wide utility in determining the functional and structural organization of complex eukaryotic genomes and for physically linking distant genetic loci.


Education at school about sexually transmitted diseases.
Although sex education in West German schools started officically in 1968, a survey of 700 children aged 14 to 15 years showed that they understood more about birth control than about sexually transmitted disease (STD). This contrasts with the rising incidence of gonorrhoea and falling birth rate. There is a general lack of published information of STD and it is proposed that an international body like the IUVDT should be formed to promote the spread of information.


Cytoskeletal and cytocontractile protein composition of smooth muscle cells in developing and obstructed rabbit bladder.
The differentiation patterns of smooth muscle cells (SMC) in rabbit bladder during development and in the hypertrophic response to partial outflow obstruction induced in adult animals were evaluated by biochemical and immunochemical techniques and by using a panel of monoclonal antibodies specific for desmin, vimentin, alpha-actin of smooth muscle (SM) type, SM myosin, and nonmuscle (NM) myosin isoforms. Desmin and SM alpha-actin were homogeneously distributed in SMC of developing, adult, and obstructed bladders. Conversely, marked changes in the ratio and antigenicity of SM myosin isoforms were observed by SDS electrophoresis and Western blotting, respectively. In particular, the 205 K (SM1) isoform was down-regulated with development whereas the 200 K (SM2) isoform was up-regulated around 7 days after birth and down-regulated in the obstructed bladder. Vimentin was expressed in SMC of the fetal bladder and declined markedly during postnatal, physiological hypertrophy of SMC, which occurs concomitantly with diminution of DNA synthesis. This polypeptide became detectable, however, in SMC of obstructed bladders. The 196 K (NM) myosin isoform recognized by NM-A9 antibody, present only in endothelium of blood vessels and in mucosa of normal fetal and adult bladders, became expressed in detrusor muscle, when SMC underwent a process of pathological hypertrophy. The reexpression of vimentin and the de novo appearance of NM myosin isoform in hypertrophic bladders can be reversed when the tissue mass is reduced, such as in bladders after 1-month recovery from partial obstruction. Thus, a specific NM myosin isoform can be used as a marker of SMC hypertrophy in obstructed bladder. In addition, the combined use of anti-vimentin and NM-A9 antibodies can distinguish between SMC which are in the physiological or in the pathological condition of adaptive bladder hypertrophy.


Transient synaptic activation of NMDA receptors leads to the insertion of native AMPA receptors at hippocampal neuronal plasma membranes.
The molecular mechanisms underlying long-term potentiation (LTP) of excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus are not well understood. Transient depolarisation of cultured postnatal hippocampal neurones (3x1 s exposure to 90 mM K+) induces a form of LTP that is manifest primarily as an increase in mEPSC frequency. Site-directed antibodies that recognise an extracellular region of all AMPA receptor (AMPAR) subunits (GluR1-4) were used for the immunolabelling of living neurones. These antibodies were raised in two species to enable sequential immunofluorescent labelling of individual living neurones before and after the induction of LTP. High K+ treatment resulted in the appearance of new AMPAR clusters at sites on the neuronal surface that previously lacked detectable AMPARs. The appearance of new AMPAR clusters was NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent since it was antagonised by the application of NMDAR antagonists. Our data indicate that the transient synaptic activation of NMDARs can lead to the insertion of native AMPARs at sites on the neuronal membrane that initially lacks AMPARs.


Statistical data presentation.
Data are usually collected in a raw format and thus the inherent information is difficult to understand. Therefore, raw data need to be summarized, processed, and analyzed. However, no matter how well manipulated, the information derived from the raw data should be presented in an effective format, otherwise, it would be a great loss for both authors and readers. In this article, the techniques of data and information presentation in textual, tabular, and graphical forms are introduced. Text is the principal method for explaining findings, outlining trends, and providing contextual information. A table is best suited for representing individual information and represents both quantitative and qualitative information. A graph is a very effective visual tool as it displays data at a glance, facilitates comparison, and can reveal trends and relationships within the data such as changes over time, frequency distribution, and correlation or relative share of a whole. Text, tables, and graphs for data and information presentation are very powerful communication tools. They can make an article easy to understand, attract and sustain the interest of readers, and efficiently present large amounts of complex information. Moreover, as journal editors and reviewers glance at these presentations before reading the whole article, their importance cannot be ignored.


Imagine All the People: A Guided Internet-Based Imagery Training to Increase Assertiveness among University Students-Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.
The importance of communication skills for well-being and self-realization is widely accepted. Despite that, research on assertiveness and assertiveness training has declined significantly in recent decades. Consequently, traditional training does not consider the most recent novel technologies used to spread psychological interventions. This study proposes the development of ComunicaBene: a guided Internet-based imagery intervention to promote assertiveness. Moreover, it describes the study protocol for a randomized control trial to investigate the intervention's efficacy and acceptability. Participants will be randomly assigned to an experimental (ComunicaBene) or waitlist control condition. ComunicaBene consists of different online training modules corresponding to three phases: psychoeducation, imaginative exposure, and in vivo-exposure. Each module provides participants with theoretical and practical content about needs, emotions, communication style, and assertiveness. Moreover, during the program, every student is supervised by a Tutor. Participants in the control condition will be included in a waiting list. Primary and secondary outcomes will include changes in assertiveness, well-being, emotional awareness, worry, and rumination. Outcomes will be assessed at pre- and post-intervention, and via a 6-month follow-up. We expect that the results will support the efficacy of ComunicaBene as an innovative, scalable, affordable, and acceptable intervention to spread assertive training through the Internet and among a broad population.


How food insecurity could lead to obesity in LMICs: When not enough is too much: a realist review of how food insecurity could lead to obesity in low- and middle-income countries.
While food insecurity is a well-known cause of under-nutrition and stunting, in recent decades it has also been linked with obesity. Understanding and thus minimising the risk factors for obesity in low- and middle-income country contexts, which often lack the health system capacity to treat the consequent obesity-related illnesses, is crucial. This study adopted realist review methodology because it enabled us to analyse and organise the evidence from low- and middle-income countries into a coherent scheme. By comparing this evidence to existing theory on food security and nutrition, we aimed to provide a richer understanding of the nuances and the socio-demographic nature of the food insecurity-obesity relationship. The review generated 13 peer-reviewed articles which studied the relationship between food insecurity and overweight/obesity in low- and middle-income countries. Affordability of high-energy, processed foods was identified as a main mechanism, which determined whether or not food insecurity leads to obesity in low- and middle-income countries. Other mechanisms identified were: quantity and diversity of food consumed; spatial-temporal access to nutritious food; inter-personal food choice and distribution; and non-dietary behaviours. Despite the limited empirical evidence available, our review presents meaningful and policy-relevant insights into the food insecurity-obesity relationship in from low- and middle-income countries. Interventions to address the food insecurity-obesity link need to address diet quality, and demand a broad understanding across a variety of experiences.


Localization of dopamine receptors and associated mRNA in transplants of human fetal striatal tissue in rodents with experimental Huntington's disease.
Huntington's Disease (HD) is characterized by deficits in motor and cognitive functions. This neurodegenerative disease shows an extensive loss of medium-sized spiny projection neurons (GABAergic) within the neostriatum. With the loss of these neurons, there is a concomitant loss of associated receptors, such as those for GABA, glutamate, and dopamine. In the present study, we have addressed the question of whether dopamine receptors are re-established in the lesioned rodent striatum following the transplantation of human striatal cells. Human striatal cell suspension or saline (transplant controls) was injected into the striatum of rats previously lesioned with quinolinic acid (QA). Three nine months following transplantation, the animals were sacrificed and the brains were processed for receptor autoradiography and in situ hybridization of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor subtypes. Our results demonstrate that animals transplanted with human striatal cells show a significant increase in D1 receptors following transplantation when compared to the lesion area in control animals, while D1 receptor mRNA remains unchanged. In contrast to D1 receptor binding, D2 receptor levels are not increased in the lesioned and transplanted area of the striatum when compared to controls; however, D2 receptor mRNA levels are significantly increased. These results demonstrate that at the times the animals were examined, D1 and D2 receptors were differentially regulated. Our results further indicate that human striatal primordium will survive following transplantation and will express D1 receptors and D2 receptor mRNA that are depleted in the QA lesioned rodent striatum. This study compliments and extends previous findings on human striatal cell transplantation in rodent models of HD.


[Cytokeratins and transitional epithelium of the bladder. Particular distribution of cytokeratins].
The purpose of this study was to determine the tissue distribution of certain cytokeratins in the urothelium. A series of ten cystectomy specimens containing normal tissues was investigated by immunocytochemical labeling with specific antibodies against cytokeratins 19, 18, 8, 7, 10. Monoclonal antibodies were used on frozen sections. Distribution of keratin was correlated with morphologic changes. All specimens were lined by a normal transitional epithelium. Low molecular weight cytokeratins (polypeptides 19, 18, 8, 7) were detected in all cell layers. Anticytokeratin 19 stained epithelium in a rather uniform way. Different antibodies specific for cytokeratin 18 reacted differently on the same tissue. With certain anticytokeratins 18 and 8, a higher staining intensity was found in superficial layers as compared with intermediate cell layers. So-called "umbrella" cells were strongly stained. Anticytokeratin 10 revealed very rare endocrine-like cells. This normal urothelial pattern is in agreement with previous reports. This pattern of expression of cytokeratin polypeptides differs from that of nonkeratinizing squamous epithelium. Therefore, histological differentiation of epithelia is accompanied by pronounced changes in the expression of cytokeratin polypeptides.


Depression among schoolchildren and adolescents aged 9-17 years during the outbreak of COVID‑19 in Beijing: a cross-sectional online survey.
The COVID-19 outbreak and related confinement have highly impacted psychological health among children and adolescents. This study aimed to explore the potential risk factors for depression among primary and middle school students and provide advices for psychological interventions during the outbreaks. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 18 primary and middle school students via quota sampling in Beijing during March 2020. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to assess depression. Differences between characteristics and depression were examined by chi-square tests. Multivariate logistic regression was used to reveal the potential risk factors for depression. A total of 7377 participants were included. The proportion of depression was 29.7%. Students in rural areas, with higher school categories, in graduating grades, with poor or excessive sleep duration, and without daily exercise were associated with a higher proportion of depression. Furthermore, students with a higher knowledge performance of COVID-19 showed a lower proportion of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 0.900, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 0.888-0.913). Students who worried about academic performance (OR = 1.919, 95% CI: 1.718-2.144) or COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.450, 95% CI: 1.268-1.658) exhibited a high proportion of depression. The proportion of depression among primary and middle school students was negatively associated with the knowledge score and positively associated with their worry. Our findings suggest that psychological intervention might be more necessary for students with specific characteristics.


Strontium Titanate Based Artificial Leaf Loaded with Reduction and Oxidation Cocatalysts for Selective CO2 Reduction Using Water as an Electron Donor.
Thin film of SrTiO3 nanorods loaded with reduction and oxidation cocatalysts drove the selective reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), as well as caused the production of equivalent oxygen molecules through water oxidation under UV irradiation. The described film functioned as a free-standing plate without any bias potential application, similar to a natural leaf. The film was facilely fabricated by a simple hydrothermal and annealing treatment of a titanium substrate to produce the SrTiO3 nanorod film (STO film) followed by two steps of loading the reduction and oxidation cocatalysts onto the surface of the STO. As a reduction cocatalyst, a CuxO nanocluster was chosen to achieve selective reduction of CO2 into CO, whereas a cobalt- and phosphate-based cocatalyst (CoPi) facilitated oxidation on the STO surface to promote oxygen generation. For the photocatalysis test, a wireless film was simply set into an aqueous solution bubbled with CO2 in a reactor, and CO production was observed in the headspace of the reactor under UV irradiation. Compared to the bare STO film, the dual cocatalyst-loaded STO film exhibited 2.5 times higher CO generation. H2 production was very limited in our system, and the amount of molecules generated by the reduction reaction was almost twice that of the generated oxygen molecules, proving that water molecules acted as electron donors. Our artificial leaf consists of abundant and nontoxic natural elements and represents the first achievement of stoichiometric CO2 reduction using water as an electron donor by a free-standing natural leaflike plate form.


Large eddy simulation on wind-induced interference effects of staggered chamfered square cylinders.
Chamfered corners in buildings are the main means to reduce the control effect of wind load on the structure, and the interference effect of chamfered buildings cannot be ignored. At present, only the mutual interference coefficients of square and rectangular section buildings are given in the Chinese code, without the interference effect of chamfered buildings being specified. Therefore, in this paper, aerodynamic force and wind pressure coefficients of chamfered square cylinders of different spacing are obtained by the large eddy simulation method. Wind load characteristics, non-Gaussian characteristics and interference effects of chamfered square cylinders with different arrangements are studied based on aerodynamic coefficients, wind pressure coefficients and interference coefficients. The results show that when the wall y plus value is 1, the large eddy simulation is the most accurate to simulate the wind load and wind field parameters. Besides, the aerodynamic effects, non-Gaussian characteristics and interference effects between the chamfered square cylinders are mainly controlled by the cross-wind interval and the spacing (4.0, 4.0) is the characteristic coordinate. That means, when the spacing is smaller than this coordinate, the interference effect of the square cylinder is more obvious. When the spacing coordinate is greater than (4.0, 4.0), the aerodynamic coefficients and non-Gaussian regional distributions of the principal square cylinder and the isolated cylinder are the same, and the interference factor approaches 1.


A randomized comparison of video demonstration versus hands-on training of medical students for vacuum delivery using Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS).
To compare medical students' skills for vaginal operative delivery by vacuum extraction (VE) after hands-on training versus video demonstration. We randomized medical students to an expert demonstration (group 1) or a hands-on (group 2) training using a standardized VE algorithm on a pelvic training model. Students were tested with a 40-item Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) scoring system after training and 4 days later. OSATS scores were the primary outcome. Performance time, self-assessment, confidence, and global rating scale were secondary outcomes. We assessed the constructive validity of OSATS in this VE model comparing metric scores of experts and students. In all, 137 students were randomized. OSATS scores were higher in group 2 (n = 63) compared with group 1 (n = 74) (32.89 ± 6.39 vs 27.51 ± 10.27, respectively; P < 0.0001). Global rating scale (1.49 ± 0.76 vs 2.33 ± 0.94, respectively; P < 0.0001), confidence (2.22 ± 0.75 vs 3.26 ± 0.94, respectively; P = 0.04), self-assessment (2.03 ± 0.62 vs 2.51 ± 0.77, respectively; P < 0.0001), and performance time (38.81 ± 11.58 seconds vs 47.23 ± 17.35 seconds, respectively; P = 0.001) also favored group 2. After 4 days, this effect persisted with OSATS scores still being significantly higher in group 2 (30.00 ± 6.50 vs 25.59 ± 6.09, respectively; P = 0.001). The assessed OSATS scores showed constructive validity. In a multiple linear regression analysis, group assignment independently influenced OSATS scores, whereas sex, handedness, sports activities, and type of curriculum were not independently associated with OSATS scores. Hands-on training is superior to video demonstration for teaching VE on a pelvic model.


Vitreous advanced glycation endproducts and α-dicarbonyls in retinal detachment patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-diabetic controls.
Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and their precursors α-dicarbonyls are implicated in the progression of diabetic retinopathy. The purpose of this study was to assess AGEs and α-dicarbonyls in the vitreous of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with early stages or absence of diabetic retinopathy. We examined vitreous samples obtained during vitrectomy from 31 T2DM patients presenting themselves with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and compared these to 62 non-diabetic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment patients, matched on age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, smoking, intra-ocular lens implantation, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy. AGEs (pentosidine, Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine, Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine, and 5-hydro-5-methylimidazolone) and α-dicarbonyls (3-deoxyglucosone, methylglyoxal, and glyoxal) were measured by ultra performance liquid chromatography or high performance liquid chromatography. Skin autofluorescence was measured by the AGE Reader. Mean age was 64 ± 7.6 years for T2DM patients and 63 ± 8.1 years for controls. For T2DM patients, median diabetes duration was 2.2 (0.3-7.4) years. Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy was present in 1 patient and classified as absent or background retinopathy in 30 patients. Vitreous levels of pentosidine (2.20 vs. 1.59 μmol/mol lysine, p = 0.012) and 3-deoxyglucosone (809 vs. 615 nmol/L, p = 0.001) were significantly elevated in T2DM patients compared to controls. Other AGEs and α-dicarbonyls in the vitreous were not significantly different. There was a trend for increased skin autofluorescence in T2DM patients as compared to controls (p = 0.07). Pentosidine and 3-deoxyglucosone concentrations were increased in the vitreous of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment patients with a relatively short duration of diabetes compared to non-diabetic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment patients.


Insulinotropic action of 6-O-acyl-D-glucose esters.
Several 6-O-acyl-D-glucose esters were examined for their possible insulinotropic action in rats islets incubated for 90 minutes in the absence or presence of either D-glucose or L-leucine. As a rule, 6-O-acetyl-D-glucose and either medium- and long-chain acyl-D-glucose esters only exerted modest effects upon insulin release, much less pronounced than those previously recorded with hexose pentaacetate esters. Nevertheless, under suitable experimental conditions, 6-O-octanoyl-D-glucose and 6-O-decanoyl-D-glucose significantly augmented insulin output, suggesting that such esters could be used, instead of D-glucose itself, as cell nutrients.


Effect of biological time on the determination of the LD50 of 5-fluorouracil in mice.
The LD50 was determined for 5-fluorouracil (FU) in mice at 11.00 and 23.00 h during one 24-hour period. These times were chosen because in mice kept on a light-dark cycle, with lights on from 06.00 to 18.00 h, the natural circadian rhythm in DNA synthetic activity in many different normal organs attains peak levels around 24.00 h (mid-dark) and through levels around 12.00 h (mid-light). The LD50 of FU, in milligrams per kilogram body weight, was much higher (450-500 mg/kg) at 11.00 than at 23.00 h (250-300 mg/kg). Since the biology of the living animal oscillates significantly on a daily or circadian basis, it is understandable that the degree of susceptibility or resistance to drugs should also fluctuate over the circadian period. Determination of the LD50 of a drug at that point in time when the animal is naturally resistant to that drug will result is a false appraisal of the toxic effects to the drug. To assess correctly the risk a drug poses, it should be tested at its time of maximal susceptibility in the living animal.


Effects of air pollution and habitual exercise on the risk of death: a longitudinal cohort study.
Exercise may exacerbate the adverse health effects of air pollution by increasing the inhalation of air pollutants. We investigated the combined effects of long-term exposure to fine particle matter (PM2.5) and habitual exercise on deaths from natural causes in Taiwan. We recruited 384 130 adults (aged ≥ 18 yr) with 842 394 medical examination records between 2001 and 2016, and followed all participants until May 31, 2019. We obtained vital data from the National Death Registry of Taiwan. We estimated PM2.5 exposure using a satellite-based spatiotemporal model, and collected information on exercise habits using a standard self-administered questionnaire. We analyzed the data using a Cox regression model with time-dependent covariates. A higher level of habitual exercise was associated with a lower risk of death from natural causes, compared with inactivity (hazard ratio [HR] 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80-0.88 for the moderate exercise group; HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.62-0.68 for the high exercise groups), whereas a higher PM2.5 exposure was associated with a higher risk of death from natural causes compared with lower exposure (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.98-1.07, and HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.10-1.20, for the moderate and high PM2.5 exposure groups, respectively). Compared with inactive adults with high PM2.5 exposure, adults with high levels of habitual exercise and low PM2.5 exposure had a substantially lower risk of death from natural causes. We found a minor, but statistically significant, interaction effect between exercise and PM2.5 exposure on risk of death (HR 1.03 95% CI 1.01-1.06). Subgroup analyses, stratified by PM2.5 categories, suggested that moderate and high levels of exercise were associated with a lower risk of death in each PM2.5 stratum, compared with inactivity. Increased levels of exercise and reduced PM2.5 exposure are associated with a lower risk of death from natural causes. Habitual exercise can reduce risk regardless of the levels of PM2.5 exposure. Our results suggest that exercise is a safe health improvement strategy, even for people residing in relatively polluted regions.


Mites of the superfamily Rhodacaroidea (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Colombia, with a key for the world species of Desectophis Karg (Ologamasidae).
Three species of Rhodacaroidea are reported from soil in Colombia. Desectophis anthuriumsetis n. sp. (Ologamasidae) and Multidentorhodacarus colombianus n. sp. (Rhodacaridae) are described from newly-collected material. Multidentorhodacarus triramulus (Karg, 1998) is redescribed from the holotype and adult females collected in this study. A key for the separation of females of the five recognisable world species of Desectophis Karg is provided.


The lipid metabolism in normal and diabetic pregnancy.
In order to study the lipid metabolism in normal and diabetic pregnancy, the serum obtained in the third trimester and postpartum was fractionated into VLDL, LDL, and HDL by ultracentrifugation. The lipid concentrations in each lipoprotein fraction were determined. The hyperlipidemia induced by pregnancy was mainly due to the increase in the amount of VLDL-triglyceride, which was enhanced in diabetic pregnancy. Each lipid in the VLDL fraction was increased, but compositionally unchanged from that observed in non-pregnant women. On the contrary, the percentage of triglyceride in the LDL and HDL increased with reciprocal percentage reductions in cholesterol and phospholipid. This tendency was more prominent in diabetic pregnancy than in normal pregnancy. PHLA, which was determined to study the catabolism of triglyceride, was suppressed in the third trimester in normal and diabetic pregnancy, compared to that in non-pregnant women. Moreover, the ratio of apo C II/C III1 + C III2 in the VLDL was investigated and found to be significantly lower in the third trimester in normal and diabetic pregnancy than than in non-pregnant women. The impaired removal of VLDL-triglyceride was one of the factors which caused hyperlipidemia during pregnancy. In addition, the overproduction of VLDL-triglyceride affected hyperlipidemia in diabetic pregnancy.


Association of Insulin Resistance and Elevated Androgen Levels with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): A Review of Literature.
The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the disease featured by elevated levels of androgens, ovulatory dysfunction, and morphological abnormalities. At reproductive stage of women, the rate of PCOS occurrence is measured as 6-10% and the prevalence rate may be double. There are different pathophysiological factors involved in PCOS, and they play a major role in various abnormalities in individual patient. It is clear that there is noteworthy elevation of androgen in PCOS, causing substantial misery and infertility problems. The overexposure of androgen is directly linked with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia. It has been reported previously that PCOS is related to cardiac metabolic miseries and potently increases the risk of heart diseases. Endometrial cancer is also a serious concern which is reported with exceedingly high incidence in women with PCOS. However, the overexposure of androgen has direct and specific influence on the development of insulin resistance. Although many factors are involved, resistance to the insulin and enhanced level of androgen are considered the major causes of PCOS. In the present review, we have focused on the pathophysiology and major revolutions of insulin resistance and excessive levels of androgen in females with PCOS.


Production and characterization of an in vitro engineered human oral mucosa.
The role of epithelial cells in oral pathologies is poorly understood. Until now, most studies have used normal or transformed epithelial cell monolayers, a system that largely bypasses oral mucosal complexity. To overcome these limitations, an engineered human oral mucosa (EHOM) model has been produced and characterized. Following histological and immunohistochemical analyses, EHOM showed well-organized and stratified tissues in which epithelial cells expressed proliferating keratins such as Ki-67, K14, and K19 and also differentiating keratin (K10). In this model, epithelial cells interacted with fibroblasts in the lamina propria by secreting basement membrane proteins (laminins) and by expressing integrins (beta1 and alpha2beta1). Cytokine analyses using cultured supernatants showed that cells in EHOM were able to secrete interleukins (IL) including IL-1beta and IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Finally, cells in this engineered model were able to secrete different metalloproteinases such as gelatinase-A and gelatinase-B. In conclusion, using tissue engineering technology, we produced well-organized EHOM tissues. It is anticipated that this model will be useful for examining mechanisms involved in oral diseases under controlled conditions by modeling the interactions between mucosa and microorganisms in the oral cavity.


Bcl-2 oncogene expression in estrogen receptor-positive and negative breast carcinoma.
The aim of this study was to evaluate Bcl-2 oncogene expression in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and negative breast carcinomas. A study involving 72 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast in postmenopausal women divided into two groups: Group A (ER positive, n=37) and Group B (ER negative, n=35). Immunohistochemical analysis of bcl-2 expression was carried out semiquantitatively based on the percentage of stained tumoral cells and the intensity of staining. The chi-square test was used in the statistical analysis of the data and significance was established at p < 0.05. Bcl-2 oncogene expression was statistically greater in tumors of Group A (59.5%) compared to those of Group B (8.6%), (p < 0.001). Bcl-2 had a significantly greater expression in the ER-positive breast tumors compared to ER-negative tumors.


The prevention of hereditary breast cancer.
In the past 10 years our knowledge of hereditary breast cancer, and specifically the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, has dramatically increased, as has our understanding of prevention options for high-risk women. Effective strategies to reduce the risk of breast cancer include prophylactic mastectomy, prophylactic oophorectomy, and chemoprevention. In this article we review the current evidence regarding the efficacy of each of these management strategies.


Emergency Department Visits for Injury and Illness Among Adults Aged 65 and Over: United States, 2012-2013.
Data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey ● During 2012-2013, adults aged 65 and over had an emergency department (ED) visit rate of 12 per 100 persons for injury and 36 per 100 persons for illness. ● Among adults aged 65 and over, women had a higher ED visit rate for injury (14 per 100 women) compared with men (10 per 100 men).There was no difference between women and men in the visit rate for illness. ● The percentage of injury visits resulting in hospital admission (17%) was lower than for illness visits (32%) among adults aged 65 and over. The same pattern held for critical care admissions (2% compared with 5%). ● Imaging was ordered at 75% of injury visits among adults aged 65 and over, which was higher than for illness visits (63%).


Comparative study of four growth models applied to weight and height growth data in a cohort of US children from birth to 9 years.
The objective of our study was to compare the fit of four growth models for weight and height in contemporary US children between birth and 9 years. In Project Viva, we collected weight and height growth data between birth and 9 years. We compared the Jenss model, the adapted Jenss model that adds a quadratic term, and the Reed 1st and 2nd order models. We used the log likelihood ratio test to compare nested models and the Akaike (AIC)/Bayesian information criterion (BIC) to compare nonnested models. For weight and height, the adapted Jenss model had a better fit than the Jenss model (for weight: p < 0.0001), and the Reed 2nd order model had a better fit than the Reed 1st order model (for weight: p < 0.0001). Compared with the Reed 2nd order model, the adapted Jenss model had a better fit for both weight (adapted Jenss vs. Reed 2nd order, AIC: 66,974 vs. 82,791, BIC: 67,066 vs. 82,883) and height (adapted Jenss vs. Reed 2nd order, AIC: 87,108 vs. 87,612, BIC: 87,196 vs. 87,700). In this pre-birth study of children aged 0-9 years, for both weight and height the adapted Jenss model presented the best fit of all four tested models.


Estimating the use of antibiotics for humans across China.
The present study aimed to propose a method to estimate the spatially resolved dataset for human-use antibiotics, which are highly needed in exposure models dealing with regions of various environmental characteristics. In this study, a regression model describing the relationship between the use of antibiotics and a set of socio-economic determinants was developed. It has been demonstrated that economic status (expressed using per capita gross domestic production) dominates the antibiotic use at least in China. Linear regression analysis was used to build the model, resulting in high goodness-of-fit, R(2) (>0.75). Internal and external validations along with residue plot indicated that the model was robust and predictive. The model was successfully applied to allocate the use of antibiotics in China in 2011 at national-, provincial-, prefectural-, and county-level, which are comparable to that back-calculated from the available data of wastewater analysis in some cities. Antibiotic uses were higher in East China than other regions and it was found that uses of total antibiotics vary among Chinese counties on four orders of magnitude (0.186-1645 t antibiotics per year per county). Also management practice could be worked out according to our exploration of the impact transition of social-economic factors on antibiotic uses. To our knowledge, this is the first endeavor to explore this economic dominated relationship for estimating spatially resolved use map of antibiotics in China.


Recurrent Dislocation of the Extensor Carpi Ulnaris Tendon with Ulnar-Sided Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Injury in an Ice Hockey Player: A Case Report.
Ulnar-sided wrist pain is common among athletes who subject their wrists to forceful rotational movements. Injury to the numerous complex structures in the ulnar wrist, including the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), can result in ulnar-sided wrist pain. Although differentiating between ECU tendinitis and TFCC injury is necessary, ECU tendon disorders and TFCC injury occasionally occur concurrently. Subluxation or dislocation of the ECU tendon is rare but may cause symptoms in athletes subjecting their wrists to forceful rotational movements. We present a case of recurrent dislocation of the ECU tendon and ulnar-sided TFCC injury in a 21-year-old male university-league ice hockey player. He initially underwent ECU stabilization; however, his ulnar wrist pain persisted, which adversely affected his athletic performance. He underwent additional surgery to repair the TFCC, which led to definitive resolution of his symptoms and resulted in his return to competitive performance 3 months postoperatively. Treatment of symptomatic dislocation of the ECU remains controversial. In our patient, recurrent dislocation of the ECU tendon with concurrent ulnar-sided TFCC injury resulted in ulnar-sided wrist pain. Combined reconstruction of the tendon's subsheath, using the extensor retinaculum, and repair of the TFCC injury was required for full recovery of his athletic performance.


Heterogeneous Decomposition of Volatile Organic Compounds by Visible-Light Activated N, C, S-Embedded Titania.
In this study, a N-, C-, and S-doped titania (NCS-TiO2) composite was prepared by combining the titanium precursor with a single dopant source, and the photocatalytic activity of this system for the decomposition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at indoor-concentration levels, under exposure to visible light, was examined. The NCS-TiO2 composite and the pure TiO2 photocatalyst, used as a reference, were characterized via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The average efficiencies of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and o-xylene decomposition using NCS-TiO2 for were 70, 87, -100, and -100%, respectively, whereas the values obtained using the pure TiO2 powder were -0, 18, 49, and 51%, respectively. These results suggested that, for the photocatalytic decomposition of toxic VOCs under visible-light exposure conditions, NCS-TiO2 was superior to the reference photocatalyst. The decomposition efficiencies of the target VOCs were inversely related to the initial concentration and relative humidity as well as to the air-flow rate. The decomposition efficiencies of the target chemicals achieved with a conventional lamp/NCS-TiO2 system were higher than those achieved with a light emitting diode/NCS-TiO2 system. Overall, NCS-TiO2 can be used for the efficient decomposition of VOCs under visible-light exposure, if the operational conditions are optimized.


Serological survey of lyssaviruses in synanthropic bats and human exposure to bats in Slovakia.
Bats are considered natural reservoirs for lyssaviruses. A total of 17 out of 19 known lyssaviruses circulate in bat populations. Lyssaviruses cause rabies in animals and humans. The transmission of lyssaviruses from European bats to terrestrial animals and humans is rare, but the risk of infection still exists even in developed countries. Slovakia is currently a rabies-free country. The aim of the study was to assess the potential circulation of EBLV-1 in synanthropic bats present in human inhabited buildings, and to give an overview of human exposure to bats. A passive serological survey targeted the prevalence of antibodies to bat lyssaviruses in synanthropic bats between 2009 - 2019. A total of 598 bats of the species Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Eptesicus serotinus, Nyctalus noctula and Vespertilio murinus were captured in buildings mainly in Eastern Slovakia, and examined by the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). Lyssavirus-specific antibodies were detected in 2 (0.3%) of the 598 examined bats. Additionally, brain tissues of bats found dead were examined using the standard fluorescent antibody test (FAT) with negative results. An overview of available data on human exposure to bats recorded in Slovakia from 2007 - 2019 is also included. The study confirmed the presence of lyssavirus antibodies in synanthropic bats in Slovakia, suggesting the active circulation of bat lyssaviruses in bat populations exploiting human buildings. Although the seroprevalence was found to be extremely low, the results show that any case of human exposure to bats must be treated with caution in order to protect public health.


Say what? Integrating hearing into an ophthalmology practice.
More people experience hearing loss than any other undiagnosed medical problem. Vision and hearing are our two most important senses. Your patients must see and hear sufficiently to maximize their quality of life; it makes sense to treat them together. This hearing testing program is part of your ophthalmology practice; effectively administering the program and delivering the message is what works. The patients are already in your office, i.e., same age demographic as for hearing loss. They and their family wish their ophthalmologist had a program to address their hearing related needs. They trust their ophthalmic physician. They know that they receive quality care.


The Use of Vedolizumab in Patients with Concomitant Cirrhosis and Crohn's Disease.
Vedolizumab is a humanized monoclonal α4β7 integrin antibody used in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Limited data are available on the use of vedolizumab in patients with concurrent cirrhosis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Patients with cirrhosis are unique, as they have a predilection for developing opportunistic infections and malignancies. Additionally, it is not known if vedolizumab alters the natural course of cirrhosis. We report our experience in three patients with concomitant CD and cirrhosis, who were treated with vedolizumab. In our limited cohort, all the three patients tolerated vedolizumab well. None of them experienced significant infectious complications, nor did any have decompensated cirrhosis. Our limited series suggest that vedolizumab is well tolerated in patients with compensated cirrhosis.


Drug delivery to the posterior segment of the eye.
Delivery of drugs to the posterior eye is challenging, owing to anatomical and physiological constrains of the eye. There is an increasing need for managing rapidly progressing posterior eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinitis pigmentosa. Drug delivery to the posterior segment of the eye is therefore compounded by the increasing number of new therapeutic entities (e.g. oligonucleotides, aptamers and antibodies) and the need for chronic therapy. Currently, the intravitreal route is widely used to deliver therapeutic entities to the retina. However, frequent administration of drugs via this route can lead to retinal detachment, endophthalmitis and increased intraocular pressure. Various controlled delivery systems, such as biodegradable and non-biodegradable implants, liposomes and nanoparticles, have been developed to overcome such adverse effects, with some success. The periocular route is a promising alternative, owing to the large surface area and the relatively high permeability of the sclera. Yet, the blood-retinal barrier and efflux transporters hamper the transport of therapeutic entities to the retina. As such, the efficient delivery of drugs to the posterior eye remains a major challenge facing the pharmaceutical scientist. In this review, we discuss the barriers of the posterior eye drug delivery and the various drug-delivery strategies used to overcome these barriers.


[Effect of promoter duplication in the synthetic interferon gene on the level of its expression].
The expression of the artificial gene for the human leukocyte interferon (IFN) synthesized by the chemo-enzymic method has been studied in Escherichia coli cells. The genetic constructions in which the IFN gene transcription is carried out from A2 and B promoters of T7 phage or from E. coli lacZ UV5 gene promoter have been obtained, based on pEMB101 plasmid. In addition, the level of interferon production, depending on the promoter used, has been studied. It has been shown that the tandemly located promoters increase efficiency of the IFN gene expression.


[Ocular complications of hepatitis C treatment].
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma. According to current recommendations, the treatment is based on the association of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Strict treatment criteria are available and apply for the 8,000 patients diagnosed every year in France. Ophthalmological side effects are numerous, unpredictable, and sometimes severe. We report the case of a patient treated with an association of interferon and ribavirin for hepatitis C, who presented two periods of decreased visual acuity 4 years apart. Interferon-related toxic retinopathy was suggested for the first event, while optical neuropathy was diagnosed for the second. Ocular complications of hepatitis C treatment with interferon and ribavirin are frequent but often benign. Our recommendations are periodic ophthalmological examinations, including visual acuity and fundus examination, before starting the treatment, at 3 months, and if necessary at 9 months.