A Randomized Controlled Study Assessing the Effects of a Shoe Lift Under the Nonparetic Leg on Balance Performance in Individuals With Chronic Stroke.
Improvement of balance and postural stability is an important goal in stroke rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a shoe lift under the nonparetic leg on balance function and balance confidence in persons with chronic stroke. Thirty-six individuals with chronic stroke (21 males and 15 females), who were able to walk independently and showed stance asymmetry, were randomized to a shoe insert and a control group. The interventions included a 6-week balance training program, in conjunction with a shoe lift under the nonaffected leg (shoe insert group, n = 18), or balance training alone (control group, n = 18). The outcome measures were weight-bearing asymmetry (WBA), root mean square (RMS) of anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) center-of-pressure (COP) velocity asymmetry, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. These were measured in both groups at baseline, after the intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up. A repeated-measure multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the impact of 2 different interventions on balance measures, across the 3 periods. No significant between-group differences were found for demographics and stroke-related characteristics of participants (P > .05). The outcome measures between the 2 groups were not significantly different at baseline (P > .05). There were between-group differences for WBA and the RMS of AP COP velocity asymmetry after the intervention and at the 3-month follow-up (P < .05). No significant difference in the RMS of ML COP velocity asymmetry, BBS, and ABC was identified between the 2 groups after the intervention and at the 3-month follow-up (P > .05). The results indicated that the use of a shoe lift under the nonaffected leg in the context of a balance training program could result in a greater improvement in static standing balance as compared with balance training alone in an individual with chronic stroke. The study was retrospectively registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20190603043808N1).


Is elective neck dissection necessary in cases of laryngeal recurrence after previous radiotherapy for early glottic cancer?
To assess the clinical utility of elective neck dissection in node-negative recurrent laryngeal carcinoma after curative radiotherapy for initial early glottic cancer. A retrospective review was undertaken of 110 consecutive early glottic cancer patients who developed laryngeal recurrence after radiotherapy (34 recurrent T1, 36 recurrent T2, 29 recurrent T3 and 11 recurrent T4a) and received salvage laryngeal surgery between 1995 and 2005. Six patients presented with laryngeal and neck recurrence and underwent salvage laryngectomy with therapeutic neck dissection, 97 patients with recurrent node-negative tumours underwent salvage laryngeal surgery without neck dissection and only 7 underwent elective neck dissection. No occult positive lymph nodes were documented in neck dissection specimens. During follow up, only three patients with neck failure were recorded, all in the group without neck dissection. There was no significant association between the irradiation field (larynx plus neck vs larynx) and the development of regional failure. A higher rate of post-operative pharyngocutaneous fistula development occurred in the neck dissection group than in the group without neck dissection (57.2 per cent vs. 13.4 per cent, p = 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that early (recurrent tumour-positive, node-positive) or delayed (recurrent tumour-positive, node-negative) neck relapse was not significantly related to the stage of the initial tumour or the recurrent tumour. An age of less than 60 years was significantly associated with early neck failure (recurrent tumour-positive, node-positive). Owing to the low occult neck disease rate and high post-operative fistula rate, elective neck dissection is not recommended for recurrent node-negative laryngeal tumours after radiation therapy if the initial tumour was an early glottic cancer.


The Influence of Age and Sexual Drive on the Predictive Validity of the Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol-Revised.
The Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol-Revised (J-SOAP-II) is the most commonly used measure in the assessment of recidivism risk among juveniles who have committed sexual offenses (JSOs), but mixed support exists for its predictive validity. This study compared the predictive validity of the J-SOAP-II across two offender characteristics, age and sexual drive, in a sample of 156 JSOs who had been discharged from a correctional facility or a residential treatment program. The J-SOAP-II appeared to be a better predictor of sexual recidivism for younger JSOs (14-16 years old) than for older ones (17-19 years old), with significant differences found for the Dynamic Summary Scale and Scale III (Intervention). In addition, several of the measure's scales significantly predicted sexual recidivism for JSOs with a clear pattern of sexualized behavior but not for those without such a pattern, indicating that the J-SOAP-II may have greater clinical utility for JSOs with heightened sexual drive. The implications of these findings are discussed.


Substance P contracts bovine tracheal smooth muscle via activation of myosin light chain kinase.
At near-threshold substance P concentrations, the isometric tension response of bovine tracheal strips is almost completely abolished by atropine, indicating mediation of contraction via substance P-stimulated release of acetylcholine from prejunctional nerve terminals. At near-maximal concentrations, the atropine-inhibited component of the tension response is less than 25%, indicating mainly direct activation. Under conditions in which activation by substance P is direct, peak tension is reached in approximately 11 min. Immunoblot analysis of the time course of phosphorylation of the 20-kDa myosin light chain (LC20) reveals incorporation of approximately 0.5 mol phosphate/mol light chain at 10 min. Two-dimensional tryptic phosphopeptide analysis of phosphorylated light chain reveals a single major phosphopeptide. The peptide migrates identically with that produced by myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation of purified tracheal myosin in vitro. Contraction stimulated by acetylcholine is more rapid, with attainment of peak tension in 2.5 min and a peak LC20 phosphorylation of 0.65 mol/mol. These results indicate that 1) substance P mediates contraction of bovine trachea both directly and indirectly, and 2) under conditions in which activation is direct, the tension and phosphorylation responses qualitatively resemble those observed with acetylcholine.


Initial ischemic event: perfusion-weighted MR imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient for stroke evolution.
To prospectively determine if the degree of acute perfusion or diffusion abnormalities measured prior to treatment onset help predict the evolution of brain infarction on magnetic resonance (MR) images. Local ethics committee approval and informed consent were obtained. On parametric maps obtained in 64 patients (mean age, 64 years +/- 13 [standard deviation]; 37 men and 27 women) with acute middle cerebral artery infarction, lesion volumetry was performed to determine time to peak, mean transit time, cerebral blood volume, and apparent diffusion coefficient obtained within 3 hours of symptom onset. The infarct lesions were assessed on T2-weighted MR images obtained at follow-up on day 8. Cerebrovascular changes were determined on MR angiograms. Inferential and correlation statistics were used. A perfusion delay of more than 6 seconds relative to the nonaffected hemisphere on time-to-peak maps helped to predict the lesion volume on T2-weighted images (r = 0.686, P < .001). In contrast, neither the volume nor the degree of the diffusion abnormality helped to predict the infarct volume (r < 0.46). This was because in one subgroup of patients there was an increase and in one subgroup there was a decrease in infarct volume on the T2-weighted images (P < .001). There was a greater prevalence (P < .02) of cerebral artery abnormalities in the patients with larger infarcts. Clinically, the neurologic impairment was more severe (P < .01) and the mean arterial pressure higher (P < .04) in these patients. The results suggest that in acute stroke the severity of the initial ischemic event as determined on time-to-peak maps indicates hemodynamic compromise in addition to internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery occlusion, because of abnormalities in other cerebral arteries.


N-glycosylation of Campylobacter jejuni surface proteins promotes bacterial fitness.
Campylobacter jejuni is the etiologic agent of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. In contrast, despite heavy colonization, C. jejuni maintains a commensal mode of existence in chickens. The consumption of contaminated chicken products is thought to be the principal mode of C. jejuni transmission to the human population. C. jejuni harbors a system for N-linked protein glycosylation that has been well characterized and modifies more than 60 periplasmic and membrane-bound proteins. However, the precise role of this modification in the biology of C. jejuni remains unexplored. We hypothesized that the N-glycans protect C. jejuni surface proteins from the action of gut proteases. The C. jejuni pglB mutant, deficient in the expression of the oligosaccharyltransferase, exhibited reduced growth in medium supplemented with chicken cecal contents (CCC) compared with that of wild-type (WT) cells. Inactivation of the cecal proteases by heat treatment or with protease inhibitors completely restored bacterial viability and partially rescued bacterial growth. Physiological concentrations of trypsin, but not chymotrypsin, also reduced C. jejuni pglB mutant CFU. Live or dead staining indicated that CCC preferentially influenced C. jejuni growth as opposed to bacterial viability. We identified multiple chicken cecal proteases by mass fingerprinting. The use of protease inhibitors that target specific classes indicated that both metalloproteases and serine proteases were involved in the attenuated growth of the oligosaccharyltransferase mutant. In conclusion, protein N-linked glycosylation of surface proteins may enhance C. jejuni fitness by protecting bacterial proteins from cleavage due to gut proteases.


The expression of human tumor necrosis factor in E. coli.
cDNA of human natural TNF (n-TNF) obtained by stimulating human leukemic B cell line (Ball-1) with Sendai virus was cloned. Valine-started-TNF (V-TNF) gene was constructed from the cDNA and expressed in E.coli HB101 under the control of a trp promoter by the induction of 3-indoleacrylic acid. The expression level of V-TNF clone was about 10% of the total E.coli protein. On the other hand, the expression level of glutamine started-TNF (Q-TNF) gene having the same SD-ATG sequence which was constructed from V-TNF gene was as low as about 1/20 of that of V-TNF. The nucleotide sequence around ATG (-4 approximately +12) of Q-TNF gene was randomly changed without modifying the coded amino acid sequence, resulting to obtain high expression clones as similar TNF protein yield as that of V-TNF. These clones possessed A residue rich sequence around the initiation codon ATG. These results show that some correlation might exist between the high expression rate and A residue rich sequence around the initiation codon.


Inhibition of the cortex using transcranial magnetic stimulation in psychiatric populations: current and future directions.
Several lines of evidence suggest that deficits in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory neurotransmission are implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Cortical inhibition refers to a neurophysiological process, whereby GABA inhibitory interneurons selectively attenuate pyramidal neurons. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) represents a noninvasive technique to measure cortical inhibition, excitability and plasticity in the cortex. These measures were traditionally specific to the motor cortex, which is an important limitation when nonmotor neurophysiological processes are of primary interest. Recently, TMS has been combined with electro encephalography (EEG) to derive such measurements directly from the cortex. This review focuses on neurophysiological studies related to inhibitory and excitatory TMS paradigms, linking dysfunctional GABAergic neurotransmission to disease states. We review evidence that suggests cortical inhibition deficits among psychiatric populations and demonstrate how each disorder has a specific neurophysiological response to treatment. We conclude by discussing the future directions of TMS combined with EEG, demonstrating the potential to identify biological markers of neuropsychiatric disorders.


Vapor-liquid equilibrium in electric field gradients.
We investigate the vapor-liquid coexistence of polar and nonpolar fluids in the presence of a nonuniform electric field. We find that a large enough electric field can nucleate a gas bubble from the liquid phase or a liquid droplet from the vapor phase. The surface tension of the vapor-liquid interface is determined within squared-gradient theory. When the surface potential (charge) is controlled, the surface tension increases (decreases) compared to the zero-field interface. The effect of the electric field on the fluid phase diagram depends strongly on the constitutive relation for the dielectric constant. Finally, we show that gas bubbles can be nucleated far from the bounding surfaces.


Preliminary ontogeny of the giraffe neck.
The giraffe juvenile has different proportions of head to neck from the adult. The head just about doubles in size from the juvenile to adult, whereas the neck increases almost 4.5× (roughly four times) in length. The T1 posterior dorsal vertebral width of the newborn is clearly wider than in the adult where it is narrow. In the okapi, the dorsal vertebral width is narrow in both juvenile and adult. The giraffe neck changes in ontogeny anisometrically. In the okapi the changes are more isometric. The giraffe juvenile vertebrae are shorter and do not have fused the cranial epiphyseal plates. That facilitates anterior elongation-growth. The ventral tubercles are undeveloped. The juvenile T1 is wide caudally unlike the adult. This may be a similarity to a gelocid (Gelocidae) ancestor of the giraffe.


Melioidosis: An Emerging Infection with Fatal Outcomes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from being nonendemic for melioidosis, India has now become endemic for the disease since 2012. Until then, melioidosis cases were being reported sporadically from India. There have been isolated case reports from few states across the country for the past few years. Most of the times, Burkholderia pseudomallei may be misreported as Pseudomonas species, especially in resource-poor laboratories. Due to its varied clinical presentation, the specific clinical diagnosis can be difficult, thereby making laboratory diagnosis mandatory. This could make a huge impact on patient care as this organism has a different treatment protocol as well as virulence determinants which influence the course of management. Although known for its endemicity in Australia, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries, B. pseudomallei has emerged in new areas such as India, Southern China, Brazil, and Malawi. We present a rare case of melioidosis with rapid disease progression to fatal outcome from Chennai, South India.


Discrepant Alcohol Use, Intimate Partner Violence, and Relationship Adjustment among Lesbian Women and their Relationship Partners.
This study examined the association between relationship adjustment and discrepant alcohol use among lesbian women and their same-sex intimate partners after controlling for verbal and physical aggression. Lesbian women (N = 819) who were members of online marketing research panels completed an online survey in which they reported both their own and same-sex intimate partner's alcohol use, their relationship adjustment, and their own and their partner's physical aggression and psychological aggression (i.e., verbal aggression and dominance/isolation). Partners' alcohol use was moderately correlated. Discrepancy in alcohol use was associated with poorer relationship adjustment after controlling for psychological aggression and physical aggression. Results are discussed in terms of the similarity and differences with previous literature primarily focused on heterosexual couples.


Evaluation of chemical enhancement on phytoremediation effect of Cd-contaminated soils with Calendula officinalis L.
The popular ornamental plant Calendula officinalis L was studied for its potential application in the phytoremediation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils. Enhancements to the Cd accumulation by the application of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylenegluatarotriacetic acid (EGTA) to the soil were investigated. Under these chemically enhanced treatments, EDTA was observed to be toxic to the plants leading to retarded growth. However, the application of SDS and/or EGTA was shown to result in significantly increased plant biomass (p < 0.05). Most of the chemical treatments resulted in increases to the shoot and root Cd concentrations, with the root Cd concentration being consistently higher than that shoot Cd concentration. Almost all of the investigated chemical treatments containing SDS or and EGTA were shown to lead to an increase in the total Cd content in the plants (p < 0.05). The application of EGTA alone led to an observed total Cd increase of up to 217%. This investigation revealed considerable efficiency of chemical enhancement and correspondingly increased potential of Calendula officinalis L. for applications of phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated sites.


Association of reduced interleukin-2 production with genetic susceptibility to Pichinde virus in inbred strains of hamsters.
Adult inbred MHA hamsters are susceptible to lethal infections with Pichinde virus while inbred LSH hamsters resist such infections. Previous studies demonstrated higher levels of endogenous and induced natural killer (NK) activity in MHA splenocytes than in LSH splenocytes. Preferential replication of Pichinde virus in cells with NK activity was suggested by showing that the greater numbers of infected spleen cells observed in MHA hamsters could be accounted for by a cell population that cosedimented with a peak of NK activity. Increased cellularity of thymi and spleens as well as increased cells sensitive to lymphokines was also found in MHA hamsters as compared to LSH hamsters. In the present study we found that injection of anti-asialo GM 1 serum reduced NK activity but did not alter susceptibility to virus infection. However, MHA hamsters were found to be relatively deficient in the production of interleukin 2 and injection of interleukin 2 altered the mortality of hamsters infected with Pichinde virus. These findings suggest that susceptibility to lethal infection by Pichinde virus is associated with reduced ability to produce interleukin 2 in MHA hamsters.


Circulating activated T cell subsets in autoimmune thyroid diseases: differences between untreated and treated patients.
To investigate the relationships between lymphocyte subsets and thyroid function, peripheral blood lymphocytes were analysed with cell surface antigens of activated (HLA-DR+) T, helper T (CD4+ 2H4-, CD4+ 4B4+) and suppressor-inducer T (CD4+ 2H4+, CD4+ 4B4-) cells subsets in 56 patients with Graves' disease, 16 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 7 patients with typical subacute thyroiditis and 2 patients with the thyrotoxic phase of autoimmune thyroiditis. Both patients with Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis had increased percentages of HLA-DR+ T (Ia+ CD3+) cells as well as HLA-DR+ helper-inducer T (Ia+ CD4+) cells, which seemed to be independent of treatments. The percentage of HLA-DR+ suppressor-cytotoxic T (Ia+ CD8+) cells was increased in euthyroid or hypothyroid patients with Graves' disease following treatment, but was normal in hyperthyroid patients. The percentages of Ia+ CD4+ cells and Ia+ CD8+ were also increased in patients with thyroiditis, whereas these abnormal values normalized in the remission phase. These findings suggest that an increase in Ia+ CD4+ cells characteristically occurs during immune system activation in patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and the thyrotoxic phase of subacute thyroiditis, whereas the activated CD8+ cells in Graves' disease are induced by antithyroidal therapy.


Nutrition knowledge and dietary patterns in ophthalmic patients.
Ophthalmic nutrition education programs and good dietary patterns are of considerable significance to ocular health outcomes. The study aimed at assessing the level of ophthalmic nutrition knowledge and to compare the dietary patterns between different ophthalmic patients. Four hundred and ninety-two adults (mean age 54.7 ± 19.4-years) receiving care at three eye-care facilities in Ghana were surveyed: 171 had senile cataract, 162 had open-angle glaucoma, and 159 had healthy eyes. A modified food frequency questionnaire was administered to elicit ophthalmic nutrition knowledge and dietary intake information of participants over the last 30-days. The results were compared between the three groups. More than half of the participants (n = 267; 54.3 per cent) had received some form of education on food sources that are good for the eyes and vision, with healthy participants accounting for 50.6 per cent of this proportion. Television (55.1 per cent; 147/267), radio (49.1 per cent; 131/267) and the eye doctor (34.1 per cent; 91/267) were the most frequent sources of ophthalmic nutritional knowledge. Overall, less than one-quarter of the participants (n = 108; 22.2 per cent) were able to correctly identify one food source for at least four out of seven selected ophthalmic nutrients. Vitamin C was the most frequently consumed ophthalmic nutrient, whereas lycopene was the least taken across all groups. The average ophthalmic nutrients intake score for those with healthy eyes (59.16 [53.39-64.93]) was significantly greater than for both glaucoma patients (37.73 [32.01-43.44]) and cataract patients (34.81 [29.24-40.37]). In addition to poor ophthalmic nutrition awareness and knowledge, both cataract and glaucoma patients, compared to those with healthy eyes, consumed a lesser amount of nutrients considered vital for eye health and vision. Ophthalmic nutrition education is needed to improve eye-health outcomes.


Comparison of three block bone substitutes for bone regeneration: long-term observation in the beagle dog.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of three types of block bone substitute material on bone formation and graft resorption in vivo. Standardized bone defects (n = 4 defects/animal) were created in the calvaria of nine dogs. Block bone substitutes made of deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM), beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and a mixture alpha-TCP and hydroxyapatite (α-TCP/HA) were inserted into the bone defects. A fourth defect was left untreated (empty). All sites were covered with a collagenous membrane. Block biopsies were harvested at 3, 6 and 12 months post-implantation and analyzed by micro-CT and histology. Biomaterial absorption was minimal and incorporation within the defect margin was good for all biomaterials. However, β-TCP demonstrated a relatively greater volume of new bone formation and less residual material volume when compared with DBBM and α-TCP/HA. Conversely, α-TCP/HA showed higher osteoconductive potential and a greater new bone area compared with the other two biomaterials. The block bone substitutes used in the present in vivo study showed advantageous in terms of maintenance of their original form in bony defect. However, the positive impact of all biomaterials on new bone formation and replacement of bone was minor even at 12 months. These findings indicate that block bone substitutes are not well suited to vertical bone augmentation. Further investigations are required to improve the insufficient new bone volume for promising clinical results.


Turnover of cholesteryl esters of plasma lipoproteins in the rat.
Turnover of individual classes of cholesteryl esters (classified on the basis of the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acid moiety) in rat plasma lipoproteins and liver was studied after the administration of mevalonic acid-5-(3)H and mevalonic acid-2-(14)C. The relative turnover rate was greatest in the d < 1.019 lipoproteins, with monoenes > saturated = dienes > tetraenes. In the d > 1.063 lipoproteins, all cholesteryl esters had slower turnover rates, but tetraenes = pentaenes > dienes > monoenes = saturated. Comparisons of specific activities of individual cholesteryl ester classes of liver subcellular fractions and lipoproteins suggest that the d < 1.019 lipoprotein cholesteryl esters are synthesized from newly synthesized cholesterol in the liver and are rapidly released into this lipoprotein. Tetraenoic cholesteryl esters, however, may originate from esterification of free cholesterol in plasma. Tetraenoic esters are formed from cholesterol in plasma during incubation or ultracentrifugation unless a thiol-reacting or alkylating agent is added. Failure to add such a reagent to plasma results in erroneous specific activities. In the adrenal, relative rates of synthesis of cholesteryl esters are monoenes = dienes > tetraenes > trienes = pentaenes > saturated. It is concluded that cholesteryl ester turnover in the rat, as opposed to man, is determined not only by the particular lipoprotein class but also by the fatty acid moiety of the ester.


Evidence for genetic differentiation in timing of maturation among nine-spined stickleback populations.
Timing of maturation is an important life-history trait that is likely to be subjected to strong natural selection. Although population differences in timing of maturation have been frequently reported in studies of wild animal populations, little is known about the genetic basis of this differentiation. Here, we investigated population and sex differences in timing of maturation within and between two nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) populations in a laboratory breeding experiment. We found that fish from the high-predation marine population matured earlier than fish from the low-predation pond population and males matured earlier than females. Timing of maturation in both reciprocal hybrid crosses between the two populations was similar to that in the marine population, suggesting that early timing of maturation is a dominant trait, whereas delayed timing of maturation in the pond is a recessive trait. Thus, the observed population divergence is suggestive of strong natural selection against early maturation in the piscine-predator-free pond population.


Cartilage Repair in the Knee Using Umbilical Cord Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Embedded Onto Collagen Scaffolding and Implanted Under Dry Arthroscopy.
Cell-based cartilage repair procedures are becoming more widely available and have shown promising potential to treat a wide range of cartilage lesion types and sizes, particularly in the knee joint. More recently, techniques have evolved from 2-step techniques that use autologous chondrocyte expansion to 1-step techniques that make use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) embedded onto biocompatible scaffolding. Our 1-step technique has been further developed to provide cell-based cartilage repair using MSCs that have the potential to be used in an off-the-shelf manner, without the need for autologous tissue harvest. Precursor MSCs can be isolated in abundance from the Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord tissue. These cells have been shown to have the desired capacity for proliferation, differentiation, and release of trophic factors that make them an excellent candidate for use in the clinical setting to provide cell-based restoration of hyaline-like cartilage. Although allogeneic in nature, these cells stimulate little or no host immune response and can be stored for long periods while maintaining viability. We present a technique of cartilage repair in the knee using Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs embedded onto scaffolding and implanted in a minimally invasive fashion using dry arthroscopy.


Impact of π-Expanded Boron-Carbonyl Hybrid Acceptors on TADF Properties: Controlling Local Triplet Excited States and Unusual Emission Tuning.
Three donor-acceptor-type thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters (PXZBAO (1), PXZBTO (2), and PXZBPO (3)) comprising a phenoxazine (PXZ) donor and differently π-expanded boron-carbonyl (BCO) hybrid acceptor units are proposed. The emitters exhibit red (1) to orange (3) emissions with an increase in the π-expansion in the BCO acceptors. The control of the strength of local aromaticity for the BCO unit and the corresponding LUMO level is attributed to inducing the unusual emission color shifts. The photoluminescence quantum yield and delayed fluorescence lifetime of the emitters are also adjusted by the π-expansion. Notably, although 1 possesses a 3nπ* state in the acceptor unit as a local triplet excited state (3LE, T2), the T2 states of 2 and 3 mainly comprise a 3ππ* state in the acceptor. Consequently, all of the emitters exhibit strong spin-orbit coupling between their T2 and excited singlet (S1) states, leading to a fast reverse intersystem crossing with rate constants of ∼106 s-1. By employing the emitters as dopants, we realize efficient red-to-orange TADF-OLEDs. Maximum external quantum efficiencies of 17.7% for the yellowish-orange (3), 15.5% for the orange (2), and 13.9% for the red (1) devices are achieved, and the values are very close to the theoretical limit predicted from the optical simulation.


DivIVA Controls Progeny Morphology and Diverse ParA Proteins Regulate Cell Division or Gliding Motility in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus.
The predatory bacterium B. bacteriovorus grows and divides inside the periplasm of Gram-negative bacteria, forming a structure known as a bdelloplast. Cell division of predators inside the dead prey cell is not by binary fission but instead by synchronous division of a single elongated filamentous cell into odd or even numbers of progeny cells. Bdellovibrio replication and cell division processes are dependent on the finite level of nutrients available from inside the prey bacterium. The filamentous growth and division process of the predator maximizes the number of progeny produced by the finite nutrients in a way that binary fission could not. To learn more about such an unusual growth profile, we studied the role of DivIVA in the growing Bdellovibrio cell. This protein is well known for its link to polar cell growth and spore formation in Gram-positive bacteria, but little is known about its function in a predatory growth context. We show that DivIVA is expressed in the growing B. bacteriovorus cell and controls cell morphology during filamentous cell division, but not the number of progeny produced. Bacterial Two Hybrid (BTH) analysis shows DivIVA may interact with proteins that respond to metabolic indicators of amino-acid biosynthesis or changes in redox state. Such changes may be relevant signals to the predator, indicating the consumption of prey nutrients within the sealed bdelloplast environment. ParA, a chromosome segregation protein, also contributes to bacterial septation in many species. The B. bacteriovorus genome contains three ParA homologs; we identify a canonical ParAB pair required for predatory cell division and show a BTH interaction between a gene product encoded from the same operon as DivIVA with the canonical ParA. The remaining ParA proteins are both expressed in Bdellovibrio but are not required for predator cell division. Instead, one of these ParA proteins coordinates gliding motility, changing the frequency at which the cells reverse direction. Our work will prime further studies into how one bacterium can co-ordinate its cell division with the destruction of another bacterium that it dwells within.


Control of an Escherichia coli mixed culture via affinity binding.
A chemostat with population specific recycle was employed to alter the dynamics of a competitive mixed culture of Escherichia coli. Based on differential expression of a functional maltoporin, the two populations were separated by specific adhesion on starch-Sepharose. The slower growing population was the recycled to the reactor. The specific recycle was successful in maintaining the slower growing population at a high level than in comparable reactors without recycle.


Trafficking regulates the subcellular distribution of voltage-gated sodium channels in primary sensory neurons.
Voltage-gated sodium channels (Navs) comprise at least nine pore-forming α subunits. Of these, Nav1.6, Nav1.7, Nav1.8 and Nav1.9 are the most frequently studied in primary sensory neurons located in the dorsal root ganglion and are mainly localized to the cytoplasm. A large pool of intracellular Navs raises the possibility that changes in Nav trafficking could alter channel function. The molecular mediators of Nav trafficking mainly consist of signals within the Navs themselves, interacting proteins and extracellular factors. The surface expression of Navs is achieved by escape from the endoplasmic reticulum and proteasome degradation, forward trafficking and plasma membrane anchoring, and it is also regulated by channel phosphorylation and ubiquitination in primary sensory neurons. Axonal transport and localization of Navs in afferent fibers involves the motor protein KIF5B and scaffold proteins, including contactin and PDZ domain containing 2. Localization of Nav1.6 to the nodes of Ranvier in myelinated fibers of primary sensory neurons requires node formation and the submembrane cytoskeletal protein complex. These findings inform our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Nav trafficking in primary sensory neurons.


Contemporary pain management in total knee arthroplasty.
Pain management has become a very important part of postoperative care for total knee arthroplasty patients. Contemporary pain control has evolved from high-dose opioid in the past to state-of-the-art multimodal regimens. These include multiple non-opioid medication such as NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, and gabapentinoid, and novel anesthetic techniques such as preemptive analgesia and ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks. Another method which is gaining popularity is intraarticular injection of anesthetic cocktail during surgery. Pre-op education can also help patients cope with their pain better.


p53 expression in cutaneous malignant melanoma: an immunohistochemical study of 87 cases of primary, recurrent, and metastatic melanoma.
Recent studies on the role of the p53 gene in human melanoma have largely been contradictory. To further assess p53 expression in melanoma, we have studied p53 immunoreactivity in 87 cases of primary, recurrent, and metastatic melanoma. Routine immunostaining was performed on paraffin sections with the monoclonal antibody PAb1801 and a streptavidin-biotin method. All specimens were blindly and independently assessed by two observers for number of melanoma cells with granular nuclear staining. Seven melanomas (8%) exhibited from 1 to 50% positive cells and another eight cases (9%) showed p53 immunoreactivity in < 1% of cells. All of the melanomas found to be positive for p53 with one exception (< 1.50 mm) were either thicker than 1.50 mm, recurrent, or metastatic. We conclude that these findings provide little evidence for significant p53 alteration in the initiation and development of melanoma.


BMP signaling regulates the fate of chondro-osteoprogenitor cells in facial mesenchyme in a stage-specific manner.
Lineage tracing has shown that most of the facial skeleton is derived from cranial neural crest cells. However, the local signals that influence postmigratory, neural crest-derived mesenchyme also play a major role in patterning the skeleton. Here, we study the role of BMP signaling in regulating the fate of chondro-osteoprogenitor cells in the face. A single Noggin-soaked bead inserted into stage 15 chicken embryos induced an ectopic cartilage resembling the interorbital septum within the palate and other midline structures. In contrast, the same treatment in stage 20 embryos caused a loss of bones. The molecular basis for the stage-specific response to Noggin lay in the simultaneous up-regulation of SOX9 and downregulation of RUNX2 in the maxillary mesenchyme, increased cell adhesiveness as shown by N-cadherin induction around the beads and increased RA pathway gene expression. None of these changes were observed in stage 20 embryos. These experiments demonstrate how slight changes in expression of growth factors such as BMPs could lead to gain or loss of cartilage in the upper jaw during vertebrate evolution. In addition, BMPs have at least two roles: one in patterning the skull and another in regulating the skeletogenic fates of neural crest-derived mesenchyme. Developmental Dynamics 245:947-962, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


[Health Station, a product of combining the ideas of public health with the modern Chinese national conditions].
The Health Station was a local health organization founded by the pioneers of the public health in modern China under the national conditions of "poverty, ignorance, illness and selfishness" , being the result of combining the ideas of public health with the Chinese national conditions of modern times. Though this organization appeared in backward modern China, it was advanced all over the world. John Grant was the planner of the Peiping First Health Station, whereas Li Ting'an, its builder.


Buckwheat: a crop from outside the major Chinese domestication centres? A review of the archaeobotanical, palynological and genetic evidence.
The two cultivated species of buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum (common buckwheat) and F. tataricum (Tartary buckwheat) are Chinese domesticates whose origins are usually thought to lie in upland southwestern China, outside the major centres of agricultural origins associated with rice and millet. Synthesis of the macro- and microfossil evidence for buckwheat cultivation in China found just 26 records across all time periods, of which the majority were pollen finds. There are few or no identifying criteria distinguishing F. esculentum and F. tataricum for any sample type. The earliest plausibly agricultural Fagopyrum occurs in northern China from the mid 6th millennium cal bp. The archaeobotanical record requires reconciliation with biogeographic and genetic inferences of a southwestern Chinese origin for buckwheat. Scrutiny of the genetic data indicates limitations related to sampling, molecular markers and analytical approaches. Common buckwheat may have been domesticated at the range margins of its wild progenitor before its cultivation expanded in the north, mediated by changing ranges of wild species during the Holocene and/or by cultural exchange or movement of early agriculturalists between southwest China, the Chengdu Plain and the southern Loess Plateau. Buckwheat probably became a pan-Eurasian crop by the 3rd millennium cal bp, with the pattern of finds suggesting a route of westward expansion via the southern Himalaya to the Caucasus and Europe.


Intrauterine positional deformations masquerading as multiple congenital malformations.
A 1,340-g male neonate was delivered by emergency cesarean section at 28 weeks' gestation following failed therapy with isoxsuprine hydrochloride and fetal distress. Transverse-lie presentation with the posterior side of the thorax wedged into the maternal pelvis and the head flexed firmly against the anterior side of the thorax led to a severe deformation sequence initially interpreted as multiple congenital malformations. This case illustrates the difficulty in distinguishing between pure deformations and malformations with and without subsequent deformations. It also emphasizes the clinician's need for a definitive diagnosis to guide the management of suspected malformations that are potentially lethal or portend a poor neurodevelopmental outcome.


Fine-needle aspiration of metanephric adenoma of the kidney with clinical, radiographic and histopathologic correlation: a review.
Metanephric adenoma of the kidney is an uncommon benign epithelial neoplasm with only a small number of reports that describe its cytologic features. We describe two additional cases of metanephric adenoma diagnosed on fine-needle aspiration biopsy and review the available literature. Our cases showed similar cytology and were composed of cellular smears with numerous clusters of small, oval to round cells arranged in a microfollicular pattern and papillary configurations. The tumor cells had scant cytoplasm, fine chromatin and absent nucleoli. Psamomma bodies, nuclear atypia, cellular cpleomorphism, necrosis, and mitoses were absent. Because of the rarity of this tumor and the common cytologic features it shares with other lesions, including malignant tumors such as Wilms' tumor and papillary renal cell carcinoma, awareness of the cytologic features of metanephric adenoma may aid in avoiding a diagnosis of malignancy, especially preoperatively, and in guiding the proper management for the patients.


How to avoid problems in redo coronary artery bypass surgery.
The objective of my presentation is to discuss the various intra- and perioperative problems related to redo coronary artery bypass surgery so that we can minimize complications during surgery and improve the final outcomes. When a patient accepts redo cardiac surgery in spite of known higher morbidity and mortality, the patient strongly believes that he will come out of this operation successfully and enjoy several more years of life. Weintraub reported that redo cardiac surgery has higher mortality and morbidity; 5% in elective cases, 11% in urgent cases, and 16.4% in emergency cases. He and associates described that the female gender, a low ejection fraction (EF), and preoperative arrhythmias are significant risk factors. Lemmer and associates described poor postoperative functional results with the majority of patients having emergency repeat coronary artery revascularization developing recurrent ischemic syndrome within a short period of time. I am outlining the problems from our experience of 543 patients in the last five years.


Dopamine multilocus genetic profile influence on reward network in chronic insomnia disorder with depression.
Chronic insomnia disorder (CID) is frequently comorbid with depression, and both conditions are believed to involve disruptions in the reward network. However, the potential effects of genetic polymorphisms in modulating this network remain largely unexplored. In this study, we recruited 50 CID patients with high (CID-HD) and low (CID-LD) depressive symptoms and assessed their reward networks using resting-state functional MRI. Additionally, we calculated the multilocus genetic profile score (MGPS) to examine the influence of depression and dopamine genetic variation on the nucleus accumbens functional connectivity (NAFC) network in CID patients. Although the MGPS did not show a significant difference between the two CID groups, its influence on the NAFC network was observed in the salience network (SN) and visual network (VN) in CID patients. When comparing CID-HD patients to CID-LD patients, we found that CID-HD patients exhibited decreased NAFC in the internal reward network, default mode network, SN, and sensorimotor network, while showing increased NAFC in the executive control network (ECN) and VN. Furthermore, the influence of MGPS on the reward network was only significant in CID-HD patients, specifically in the internal reward network and ECN. These findings suggest that genetic variations related to dopamine may modulate the reward network differently in CID patients with and without depressive symptoms. These results contribute to our understanding of the pathophysiology of polygenic effects underlying brain network abnormalities in CID patients with depression.


The Transcription Factor T-Bet Is Regulated by MicroRNA-155 in Murine Anti-Viral CD8+ T Cells via SHIP-1.
We report here that the expression of the transcription factor T-bet, which is known to be required for effector cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL) generation and effector memory cell formation, is regulated in CTL by microRNA-155 (miR-155). Importantly, we show that the proliferative effect of miR-155 on CD8+ T cells is mediated by T-bet. T-bet levels in CTL were controlled in vivo by miR-155 via SH2 (Src homology 2)-containing inositol phosphatase-1 (SHIP-1), a known direct target of miR-155, and SHIP-1 directly downregulated T-bet. Our studies reveal an important and unexpected signaling axis between miR-155, T-bet, and SHIP-1 in in vivo CTL responses and suggest an important signaling module that regulates effector CTL immunity.


[Elementary schoolchildren nutritional behaviors in pupils' and their parents' opinion].
The aim of this study was to compare pupils' and their parents' opinions of children nutrition behaviors. There were 97 pupils at the age of 10 and 87 parents participating in the study. Data was collected using questionnaire, filled by pupils and parents separately, including questions about: number and frequency of meals a day, frequency of fast food consumption and providing buying food in school shops. It was noted that parents' knowledge about children's nutrition behaviors was inadequate in comparison to pupils' declarations. School environment becomes important place to form health behaviors. It seems necessary to change nutrition policy in Polish schools by: changing of methods and teaching ranges of rational nutrition, improving school meals organization, changing assortment of food in school shops and regular education of people who are responsible for children nutrition behaviors.


Clinical practice recommendations for allergen-specific immunotherapy in children: the Italian consensus report.
Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is currently recognized as a clinically effective treatment for allergic diseases, with a unique disease-modifying effect. AIT was introduced in clinical practice one century ago, and performed in the early years with allergenic extracts of poor quality and definition. After the mechanism of allergic reaction were recognized, the practice of AIT was refined, leading to remarkable improvement in the efficacy and safety profile of the treatment. Currently AIT is accepted and routinely prescribed worldwide for respiratory allergies and hymenoptera venom allergy. Both the subcutaneous (SCIT) and sublingual (SLIT) routes of administration are used in the pediatric population.AIT is recommended in allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis with/without allergic asthma, with an evidence of specific IgE-sensitization towards clinically relevant inhalant allergens. Long-term studies provided evidence that AIT can also prevent the onset of asthma and of new sensitizations. The favorable response to AIT is strictly linked to adherence to treatment, that lasts 3-5 years. Therefore, several factors should be carefully evaluated before starting this intervention, including the severity of symptoms, pharmacotherapy requirements and children and caregivers' preference and compliance.In recent years, there have been increasing interest in the role of AIT for the treatment of IgE-associated food allergy and extrinsic atopic dermatitis. A growing body of evidence shows that oral immunotherapy represents a promising treatment option for IgE-associated food allergy. On the contrary, there are still controversies on the effectiveness of AIT for patients with atopic dermatitis.This consensus document was promoted by the Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (SIAIP) to provide evidence-based recommendations on AIT in order to implement and optimize current prescription practices of this treatment for allergic children.


MEASUREMENTS OF NATURAL SELECTION ON FLORAL TRAITS IN WILD RADISH (RAPHANUS RAPHANISTRUM). I. SELECTION THROUGH LIFETIME FEMALE FITNESS.
Although the role of natural selection in the evolution of floral traits has been of great interest to biologists since Darwin, studies of selection on floral traits through differences in lifetime fitness have been rare. We measured selection acting on flower number, flower size, stigma exsertion, and ovule number per flower using field data on lifetime female fitness (seed production) in wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum. The patterns of selection were reasonably consistent across three field seasons, with strong directional selection for increased flower production in all three years, weaker selection for increased ovule number per flower in two years, and selection for increased flower size in one year. The causes of the selection were investigated using path analysis combined with multiplicative fitness components. Increased flower production increased fruit production directly, and increased numbers of ovules per flower increased the number of seeds per fruit in all three years; pollinator visitation did not influence either of these fitness components. Increased flower size was associated with increases in both the number of fruit and the number of seeds per fruit in one year, with the latter relationship being stronger. Total lifetime seed production was affected more strongly by differences in fruit production than by differences in either the number of seeds per fruit or the proportion of fertilized seeds that were viable, but all three fitness components were positively correlated with total seed production.


Assessing community needs and agency capacity--an integral part of implementing effective evidence-based interventions.
Community-based organizations and public health departments have historically applied for and received funding to implement a variety of HIV prevention interventions, but it is unclear how they make decisions regarding which interventions to implement or whether their agency has sufficient capacity and/or resources to effectively carry them out. Assessment activities can play a valuable role in helping agencies make these decisions by providing information to better target services. Recent funding efforts supporting the Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions Project and other evidence-based approaches for HIV prevention require that agencies possess basic skills to effectively conduct individual-, group-, or community-level interventions, as well as the specific activities associated with an evidence-based intervention (EBI). We examine the link among community assessment, agency capacity, and intervention effectiveness, and provide resources to better guide programs in assessing their communities and organizations in order to implement the most effective EBI.


Effect of enteral feeding bag composition and freezing and thawing upon vitamin stability in an enteral feeding solution.
The effect of enteral feeding bag composition and freezing and thawing upon the stability of riboflavin and vitamins A and E in an enteral feeding solution was tested. Feeding bags composed of either polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene were filled with an enteral feeding solution. The samples were frozen for 3 months, thawed in warm water, and allowed to stand in room temperature for 12 hr. Samples for vitamin analysis were obtained prior to freezing, upon thawing, and at 12 hr after thawing. No significant differences in vitamin stability due to bag composition or time were seen. These results support the viability of the concept of mixing large batches of enteral feeding solution, and freezing aliquots in individual feeding bags for later use.


Detection of Long Non-coding RNA Expression by Non-radioactive Northern Blots.
With the advances in sequencing technology and transcriptome analysis, it is estimated that up to 75% of the human genome is transcribed into RNAs. This finding prompted intensive investigations on the biological functions of non-coding RNAs and led to very exciting discoveries of microRNAs as important players in disease pathogenesis and therapeutic applications. Research on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is in its infancy, yet a broad spectrum of biological regulations has been attributed to lncRNAs. As a novel class of RNA transcripts, the expression level and splicing variants of lncRNAs are various. Northern blot analysis can help us learn about the identity, size, and abundance of lncRNAs. Here we describe how to use northern blot to determine lncRNA abundance and identify different splicing variants of a given lncRNA.


Abnormal anterior belly of the digastric muscle: a proposal for the classification of abnormalities.
We recognized an abnormal anterior belly of the digastric muscle in an 83-year-old male cadaver. Three muscle bundles were observed on the left anterior belly: (i) attached to the left digastric fossa; (ii) attached to the right digastric fossa; and (ii) attached to the raphe of the mylohyoid muscle. Four muscle bundles were recognized on the right anterior belly: (i) attached to raphe of the mylohyoid muscle; (ii, iii) attached to the exterior surface on the base of the mandible from the raphe of the mylohyoid muscle; and (iv) attached to the interior surface on the base of the mandible from the raphe of the mylohyoid muscle. The raphe of the mylohyoid muscle was curved significantly to right and the four abnormal bundles found on the right anterior belly (see above) were attached to its curved point.


Reaction of the N-terminal methionine residues in cyanase with diethylpyrocarbonate.
Cyanase is an inducible enzyme in Escherichia coli that catalyzes the reaction of cyanate with bicarbonate to give ammonia and carbon dioxide. The enzyme is a decamer of identical subunits (M(r) = 17,000). Previous studies have shown that modification of either the single cysteine residue or the single histidine residue in each subunit gives an active decameric derivative that dissociates reversibly to inactive dimer derivative, indicating that decameric structure is required for activity and that the SH and imidazole groups are not required for catalytic activity [Anderson, P. M., Korte, J. J., Holcomb, T. A., Cho, Y.-G., Son, C.-M., & Sung, Y.-C. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 15036-15045]. Here the effects of reaction of the reagent diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) with cyanase or mutant cyanases are reported. DEPC reacts stoichiometrically with the histidine residue and at one additional site in each subunit when the enzyme is in the inactive dimer form, preventing reactivation. DEPC reacts stoichiometrically (with the same result on reactivation) at only one site per subunit with the inactive dimer form of cyanase mutants in which the single histidine residue has been replaced by one of several different amino acids by site-directed mutagenesis; the site of the reaction was identified as the amino group of the N-terminal methionine. DEPC does not react with the histidine residue of the active decameric form of wild-type cyanase and does not affect activity of the active decameric form of wild-type or mutant cyanases. Reaction with the N-terminal amino group of methionine apparently prevents reactivation of the mutant enzymes by blocking association to decamer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Synergy of small molecular inhibitors of hepatitis C virus replication directed at multiple viral targets.
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant worldwide health problem with limited therapeutic options. A number of novel, small molecular inhibitors of HCV replication are now entering early clinical trials in humans. Resistance to small molecular inhibitors is likely to be a significant hurdle to their use in patients. A systematic assessment of combinations of interferon and/or novel anti-hepatitis C virus agents from several different mechanistic classes was performed in vitro. Combinations of inhibitors with different mechanisms of action consistently demonstrated more synergy than did compounds with similar mechanisms of action. These results suggest that combinations of inhibitors with different mechanisms of action should be prioritized for assessment in clinical trials for chronic hepatitis C virus infection.


Therapeutic considerations in the management of the climacteric. A critical analysis of prevalent treatments.
The natural aging process affects a woman greatly during the climacteric; hormonal patterns, metabolic parameters, reproductive target organs and bone are involved. In every instance one can compare these changes with the effects of hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) on these same parameters. Therapy should reverse the negative trends imposed by the aging process and preserve the status quo. The approach must be holistic, and consideration must be given to the effects of HRT on all the parameters and not just to the uterus as the sole end point. Ideally the smallest amount of hormone should be used that will effectively treat symptoms and favorably affect metabolic parameters, the reproductive target organs and bone. Since recent clinical evidence has emphasized the protective nature of estrogen-plus-progestagen therapy in the prevention of endometrial and breast cancer and of osteoporosis, combination therapy is an essential feature of treatment. The shortfalls in our knowledge of the ideal therapy are undeniable. However, it is crucial to provide hormonal support with the available therapy to the woman suffering from estrogen-deficiency symptoms, particularly in view of the high mortality rates associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis, a preventable disease.


Comparative antitumour activity of cisplatin and two new cisplatin-analogues JM8 and JM9 in human testicular carcinoma xenografts.
The comparative antitumour activity of cisplatin, JM8 and JM9 was tested using a panel of different heterotransplanted human testicular tumour cell lines. All drugs were applied at equitoxic doses in a 5 day schedule. In the two cisplatin sensitive cell lines 2102 EP and H 12.1 both analogues were inferior to cisplatin. No significant therapeutic effect was achieved with any of the three drugs in the cisplatin resistant line H 23.1. Thus JM8 and JM9 seem to be less active in cisplatin sensitive tumours and seem to be of no advantage in the case of cisplatin resistance.


Development of a novel strategy to target CD39 antithrombotic activity to the endothelial-platelet microenvironment in kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is common during transplantation. IRI is characterised by inflammation and thrombosis and associated with acute and chronic graft dysfunction. P-selectin and its ligand PSGL-1 are cell adhesion molecules that control leukocyte-endothelial and leukocyte-platelet interactions under inflammatory conditions. CD39 is the dominant vascular nucleotidase that facilitates adenosine generation via extracellular ATP/ADP-phosphohydrolysis. Adenosine signalling is protective in renal IRI, but CD39 catalytic activity is lost with exposure to oxidant stress. We designed a P-selectin targeted CD39 molecule (rsol.CD39-PSGL-1) consisting of recombinant soluble CD39 that incorporates 20 residues of PSGL-1 that bind P-selectin. We hypothesised that rsol.CD39-PSGL-1 would maintain endothelial integrity by focusing the ectonucleotidase platelet-inhibitory activity and reducing leukocyte adhesion at the injury site. The rsol.CD39-PSGL-1 displayed ADPase activity and inhibited platelet aggregation ex vivo, as well as bound with high specificity to soluble P-selectin and platelet surface P-selectin. Importantly, mice injected with rsol.CD39-PSGL-1 and subjected to renal IRI showed significantly less kidney damage both biochemically and histologically, compared to those injected with solCD39. Furthermore, the equivalent dose of rsol.CD39-PSGL-1 had no effect on tail template bleeding times. Hence, targeting recombinant CD39 to the injured vessel wall via PSGL-1 binding resulted in substantial preservation of renal function and morphology after IRI without toxicity. These studies indicate potential translational importance to clinical transplantation and nephrology.


Bleomycin upregulates expression of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase in pulmonary artery endothelial cells.
The chemotherapeutic agent bleomycin induces pulmonary fibrosis through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are thought to contribute to cellular damage and pulmonary injury. We hypothesized that bleomycin activates oxidative stress response pathways and regulates cellular glutathione (GSH). Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells exposed to bleomycin exhibit growth arrest and increased cellular GSH content. gamma-Glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS) controls the key regulatory step in GSH synthesis, and Northern blots indicate that the gamma-GCS catalytic subunit [gamma-GCS heavy chain (gamma-GCS(h))] is upregulated by bleomycin within 3 h. The promoter for human gamma-GCS(h) contains consensus sites for nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and the antioxidant response element (ARE), both of which are activated in response to oxidative stress. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that bleomycin activates the transcription factor NF-kappaB as well as the ARE-binding factors Nrf-1 and -2. Nrf-1 and -2 activation by bleomycin is inhibited by the ROS quenching agent N-acetylcysteine (NAC), but not by U-0126, a MEK1/2 inhibitor that blocks bleomycin-induced MAPK activation. In contrast, NF-kappaB activation by bleomycin is inhibited by U-0126, but not by NAC. NAC and U-0126 both inhibit bleomycin-induced upregulation of gamma-GCS expression. These data suggest that bleomycin can activate oxidative stress response pathways and upregulate cellular GSH.


BubR1 insufficiency inhibits neointimal hyperplasia through impaired vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in mice.
BubR1, a cell cycle-related protein, is an essential component of the spindle checkpoint that regulates cell division. Mice with BubR1 expression reduced to 10% of the normal level display a phenotype characterized by progeria; however, the involvement of BubR1 in vascular diseases is still unknown. We generated mice in which BubR1 expression was reduced to 20% (BubR1(L/L) mice) of that in wild-type mice (BubR1(+/+)) to investigate the effects of BubR1 on arterial intimal hyperplasia. Ten-week-old male BubR1(L/L) and age-matched wild-type littermates (BubR1(+/+)) were used in this study. The left common carotid artery was ligated, and histopathologic examinations were conducted 4 weeks later. Bone marrow transplantation was also performed. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were isolated from the thoracic aorta to examine cell proliferation, migration, and cell cycle progression. Severe neointimal hyperplasia was observed after artery ligation in BubR1(+/+) mice, whereas BubR1(L/L) mice displayed nearly complete inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia. Bone marrow transplantation from all donors did not affect the reconstitution of 3 hematopoietic lineages, and neointimal hyperplasia was still suppressed after bone marrow transplantation from BubR1(+/+) mice to BubR1(L/L) mice. VSMC proliferation was impaired in BubR1(L/L) mice because of delayed entry into the S phase. VSMC migration was unaffected in these BubR1(L/L) mice. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-inhibited VSMCs showed low expression of BubR1, and BubR1-inhibited VSMCs showed low expression of p38. BubR1 may represent a new target molecule for treating pathological states of vascular remodeling, such as restenosis after angioplasty.


Reduced blood circulating calcium level is an outstanding biomarker for preeclampsia among 48 types of human diseases.
Calcium ion (Ca2+) is essential for human physiology by regulating various signal transduction pathways inside all cells and in the blood circulation. We compared circulating Ca2+ levels in the healthy control against 48 different types of human diseases. A total of 144 201 independent test results of Ca2+ levels from 48 clinically defined diseases and 141 679 independent test results of Ca2+ from healthy individuals who came to the hospital for annual physical examination were retrieved during the past 5 years. Ca2+ was determined by the standard 'Arsenazo III method' in the clinical laboratory of Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. We analyzed all data using RStudio V.1.3.1073 and python libraries 3.8. All 48 types of diseases had decreased Ca2+ levels than the healthy control based on either mean or median values. Patients suffering from preeclampsia had the lowest Ca2+ levels among all 48 diseases. The perfect area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity values of 1.0, 0.96 and 0.96 indicated that Ca2+ was an excellent biomarker for diagnosing preeclampsia. Extremely low Ca2+ was present in patients suffering kidney-related diseases. Since the correlation between each disease on the statistical features is proportional to their vector distance, the two-component analysis revealed that preeclampsia, sepsis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were closely related among 48 diseases. All human diseases were associated with reduced circulating Ca2+ levels, where the decreased Ca2+ was a perfect biomarker for preeclampsia. Kidney-related conditions were related to over-down-regulation of Ca2+ levels. The resemblance of preeclampsia to sepsis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on two-component analysis suggested that the three unrelated diseases might share a similar mechanism of the circulating Ca2+ regulation.


Comparison of tracheal extubation in patients deeply anesthetized with desflurane or isoflurane.
A randomized, single-blind study design was used to compare desflurane with isoflurane in 31 adults undergoing intraocular surgery to determine whether the lower blood:gas partition coefficient of desflurane would result in a more rapid emergence after endotracheal extubation of deeply anesthetized patients. A standardized general anesthetic technique was used, consisting of sufentanil, 0.25 microgram/kg, and propofol, 1.5 mg/kg, followed by either isoflurane (n = 15) or desflurane (n = 16) in an air/oxygen mixture. After the operation and reversal of residual neuromuscular block, spontaneous ventilation was reestablished and the patients' tracheas were extubated at equianesthetic concentrations of desflurane and isoflurane (i.e., approximately 1.4 times the minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration [MAC]). Spontaneous movements occurred 5.7 (+/- 2.4) and 8.7 min (+/- 3.1; P = 0.005) after extubation in the desflurane and isoflurane groups, respectively. Eye opening and orientation also occurred significantly earlier after desflurane compared to isoflurane. Patients receiving desflurane (versus isoflurane) were also able to be transferred from the operating room significantly earlier (10.4 +/- 3.7 vs 14.5 +/- 4.3 min, P = 0.01). Use of desflurane (versus isoflurane) was not associated with an increased incidence of coughing or airway irritation during the emergence period. However, use of desflurane did not significantly reduce the duration of the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay or alter later recovery events compared to isoflurane. In conclusion, the more rapid emergence would favor the use of desflurane when tracheal extubation during deep anesthesia is required.


Use of brewing industry waste to produce carbon-based adsorbents: Paracetamol adsorption study.
This work aimed to produce activated carbon (AC) from brewing industry waste (the malt bagasse) to adsorb Paracetamol. Malt bagasse was characterized by moisture and ash contents and thermogravimetric analysis. Three types of AC were prepared: C400 (400 °C) and C500 (500 °C) under oxidizing atmosphere, and CN550 (550 °C) under nitrogen atmosphere. Some of these ACs were characterized by pH, point of zero charge (pHPZC), infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, and temperature-programed desorption of CO2 and NH3. A pHPZC value < 7.0 and high density of acid sites were identified for CN550. Specific surface areas were between 192.5 and 364.0 m2.g-1. Adsorption kinetic studies were performed in a batch system with 50 mL of Paracetamol solution (100 mg.L-1) under pH 4 and 0.75 g of adsorbent (optimized conditions). The time to reach adsorption equilibrium was 20 min with 98.3% Paracetamol removal for CN550 AC. The pseudo-second order model and the Langmuir isotherm best fitted experimental data. Brewing industry waste can be used as a source of organic matter for AC production, since the percentage of Paracetamol removal in this study showed that CN550 AC presentes high adsorption efficiency and economically viable production.


Mechanical stimulation of bone marrow in situ induces bone formation in trabecular explants.
Low magnitude high frequency (LMHF) loading has been shown to have an anabolic effect on trabecular bone in vivo. However, the precise mechanical signal imposed on the bone marrow cells by LMHF loading, which induces a cellular response, remains unclear. This study investigates the influence of LMHF loading, applied using a custom designed bioreactor, on bone adaptation in an explanted trabecular bone model, which isolated the bone and marrow. Bone adaptation was investigated by performing micro CT scans pre and post experimental LMHF loading, using image registration techniques. Computational fluids dynamic models were generated using the pre-experiment scans to characterise the mechanical stimuli imposed by the loading regime prior to adaptation. Results here demonstrate a significant increase in bone formation in the LMHF loaded group compared to static controls and media flow groups. The calculated shear stress in the marrow was between 0.575 and 0.7 Pa, which is within the range of stimuli known to induce osteogenesis by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. Interestingly, a correlation was found between the bone formation balance (bone formation/resorption), trabecular number, trabecular spacing, mineral resorption rate, bone resorption rate and mean shear stresses. The results of this study suggest that the magnitude of the shear stresses generated due to LMHF loading in the explanted bone cores has a contributory role in the formation of trabecular bone and improvement in bone architecture parameters.


Augmentation by epidermal growth factor of basal and stimulated progesterone production by human luteinized granulosa cells.
Human granulosa cells were prepared from follicular aspirates obtained during oocyte collection for in vitro fertilization. Following several days in culture, cells were washed and then progesterone output was measured in 2-h incubations. After culture for 3 days, incubated cells responded well to human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and prostaglandin (PG) E2 with similar levels of maximum response. Exposure of cultured cells to epidermal growth factor (EGF) for 2 days (days 3-5) led to substantial increases both in basal production and in responses to hCG and PGE2 during subsequent incubations. These effects of EGF were not accompanied by measurable increases in DNA levels in cultures over this time. Results may point to a possible paracrine role for EGF-like factors modulating the activity of cells forming the early corpus luteum.


Subjective versus objective sleep in men with Klinefelter syndrome.
To investigate sleep among men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS). We compared the sleep domains latency, disturbance, and efficiency in 30 men with KS (M age = 36.7 years, SD = 10.6) to 21 age-matched non-KS controls (M age = 36.8 years, SD = 14.4). Actigraphs were used to objectively measure sleep across 7 days and nights. Participants also completed a sleep diary over the same period, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The mean correlation between the objective and subjective sleep measures was lower for the KS sample (M r = .15) than for controls (M r = .34). Sleep disturbance was significantly larger in the KS sample, as measured by actigraphy (p = .022, d = 0.71) and the PSQI (p = .037, d = 0.61). In regression models predicting sleep domains from KS status, age, educational level, vocational status, IQ, and mental health, KS status was not a significant predictor. Higher age was associated with more actigraphy-measured sleep disturbance. Higher educational level and being employed were associated with better sleep efficiency. Sleep disturbance may be a particular problem for men with KS and should be measured with complimentary methods.


Management of medical complications.
Medical comorbidities and complications are expected following stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. The neurorehabilitation physician's role is to manage these comorbidities, prevent complications, and serve as a medical and neurologic resource for the patient, family, and neurorehabilitation team. The most common comorbidities are similar to those found in the general population, namely hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease. Frequent complications encountered in the neurorehabilitation unit relate to medication side effects, medical comorbidities, and the direct effect of the neurologic injury. They include orthostatic hypotension; syncope or presyncope; cardiac arrhythmia; bowel and bladder dysfunction; seizures; pressure sores; dysphagia-related pneumonia, dehydration, and malnutrition; venous thromboembolism; falls; and sexual dysfunction. This article discusses strategies for managing comorbidities and avoiding complications.


Resection of local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma in a hemodialysis patient 6 years after radical nephrectomy.
Left radical nephrectomy was performed on a 39-year-old-man because of renal cell carcinoma (grade 1, clear cell and granular cell carcinoma: pT3b pN0 pM0), 6 years after the beginning of hemodialysis. The second surgical intervention for local recurrence was performed 6 years after the first operation (grade 2 > 3, clear cell and granular cell carcinoma). This is the second published case report of the resection of a local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy in a hemodialysis patient. Even after the curative operation, follow up for local recurrence should be continued in hemodialysis patients, especially for high stage renal cell carcinoma.


Adverse impact of pneumoperitoneum on intraperitoneal implantation and growth of tumour cell suspension in an experimental model.
An investigation of the effect of laparoscopy and CO2 pneumoperitoneum on the pattern of tumour implantation and growth in the peritoneal cavity was carried out. A suspension of viable adenocarcinoma cells was introduced into the left upper quadrant of the peritoneal cavity of 36 syngeneic immune-competent rats at laparotomy, laparoscopy with CO2 insufflation, and gasless laparoscopy (12 rats in each group). Six days later the peritoneal cavity and surgical wounds were examined for macroscopic evidence of implanted tumour. The abdominal cavity was divided into sectors and macroscopic tumour implantation was determined for each sector and wound. This was confirmed by histological examination. While tumour implantation occurred in the vicinity of the tumour suspension introduction site in the laparotomy and gasless laparoscopy groups, implantation occurred throughout the peritoneal cavity, including areas remote to the introduction site, in the laparoscopy with CO2 insufflation group. Tumour growth was more likely in the port wounds of rats undergoing laparoscopy with insufflation than without. In this model, CO2 insufflation during laparoscopy resulted in widespread tumour dissemination and implantation, when compared to laparotomy and gasless laparoscopy, supporting the postulate that wound metastasis and tumour spread may be more likely following laparoscopic cancer surgery in humans when CO2 insufflation is used.


Business Results and Well-Being: An Engaging Leadership Intervention Study.
The present quasi-experimental study tested the business impact of a leadership development program focusing on psychological well-being through the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. Based on the concept of engaging leadership and self-determination theory, the 8-month program targeted midlevel team leaders of the customer fulfilment center of a health systems multinational organization. The program was designed in co-creation between senior leadership and the team leaders that participated in the program. Outcomes showed positive business results through significant increases in a preselected key performance indicator and decreased employee absenteeism. Through changes in autonomy satisfaction and intrinsic motivation, the team leaders (N = 14) benefitted in a moderate to very large extent relative to a similar control group (N = 52). In contrast, team members (N = 148) displayed no such benefits. Specifically, higher levels of autonomy satisfaction are said to lead to higher levels of psychological well-being and motivation. Still, the link with business performance is absent in most organizational studies within self-determination theory, making the present study one of the first to fill this gap. The study discloses the program design, compares the effects to a relevant control group, evaluates the lessons learned, and provides practical suggestions.


Survivin gene expression is negatively regulated by the p53 tumor suppressor gene in non-small cell lung cancer.
Survivin is considered to be associated with tumorigenesis by regulating apoptosis and cell proliferation. Recent experimental studies reported survivin gene expression to be negatively regulated by wild-type p53. We investigated resected tumor specimens from 140 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR analysis was performed to evaluate survivin gene expression. PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism following sequencing was performed to investigate mutations of p53. The apoptotic index and the Ki-67 proliferation index were also evaluated according to the survivin expression. The survivin expression was low in normal lung tissue. In contrast, the survivin expression varied greatly among tumor tissues. The survivin expression in squamous cell carcinomas was significantly higher than that in adenocarcinomas (P=0.0109). The survivin expression in moderately or poorly differentiated tumors was significantly higher than that in well-differentiated tumors (P=0.0334). Furthermore, the survivin expression in tumors with mutant p53 was significantly higher than that in tumors with wild-type p53 (P=0.0026). In addition, the apoptotic index was significantly lower in high-survivin tumors than in low-survivin tumors (P<0.0001). The Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in high-survivin tumors than in low-survivin tumors (P<0.0047). This study indicated survivin gene expression to be negatively regulated by p53 in NSCLC, and that survivin expression could inhibit apoptosis and accelerate tumor cell proliferation to produce more aggressive carcinomas.


Pancreatitis and pancreatic carcinoma, diagnosed by peroperative fine needle aspiration biopsy.
Thirty-seven cases of fine needle aspiration biopsies from the pancreas with histologic control are reviewed. The different cell types are described and illustrated. The cytologic/histologic correlation was very high. Only cells from very highly differentiated cancers were difficult to distinguish from atypical ductal cells. The clinical implications of the cytologic findings are briefly discussed.


Modification of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the guinea-pig by cyclophosphamide.
Pretreatment of guinea-pigs with cyclophosphamide (Cy) (300 mg/kg) 3 days before cutaneous infection with Leishmania enriettii caused an increased intensity of the lesion at the site of infection and an increase in the incidence of widespread metastases. Decreased levels of circulating antibody were found from the first to fourth week after infection. Decreased delayed type hypersensitivity could only be detected beyond 4 weeks. Peritoneal macrophages obtained form guinea-pigs 3 days after Cy pretreatment showed increase rather than decreased ability to phagocytose L. enriettii. Phagocytosis of L. enriettii by peritoneal macrophages obtained from guinea-pigs pretreated with Cy 24 days previously was normal. It is suggested that more attention should be taken of antibody levels during the early phase of infection and that control of infection could be due to a synergism between antibody and cell-mediated immunity. Upset in the balance by suppression of either function might lead to the development of widespread metastatic lesions.


Supersizing effect sizes raises concerns: a reply to Zimmerman (2014).
Zimmerman (2014) suggested that our reanalysis adds little to the scientific literature. We disagree. We clarify our motivations and explain how further analyses based on his suggestion for age do not change our conclusions. Moreover, we believe the nascent experimental literature is more in line with our interpretations than Zimmerman's. We continue to believe that scientists should be cautious when describing effect sizes.


Molecular cloning, heterologous expression, and primary structure of the structural gene for the copper enzyme nitrous oxide reductase from denitrifying Pseudomonas stutzeri.
The nos genes of Pseudomonas stutzeri are required for the anaerobic respiration of nitrous oxide, which is part of the overall denitrification process. A nos-coding region of ca. 8 kilobases was cloned by plasmid integration and excision. It comprised nosZ, the structural gene for the copper-containing enzyme nitrous oxide reductase, genes for copper chromophore biosynthesis, and a supposed regulatory region. The location of the nosZ gene and its transcriptional direction were identified by using a series of constructs to transform Escherichia coli and express nitrous oxide reductase in the heterologous background. Plasmid pAV5021 led to a nearly 12-fold overexpression of the NosZ protein compared with that in the P. stutzeri wild type. The complete sequence of the nosZ gene, comprising 1,914 nucleotides, together with 282 nucleotides of 5'-flanking sequences and 238 nucleotides of 3'-flanking sequences was determined. An open reading frame coded for a protein of 638 residues (Mr, 70,822) including a presumed signal sequence of 35 residues for protein export. The presequence is in conformity with the periplasmic location of the enzyme. Another open reading frame of 2,097 nucleotides, in the opposite transcriptional direction to that of nosZ, was excluded by several criteria from representing the coding region for nitrous oxide reductase. Codon usage for nosZ of P. stutzeri showed a high G + C content in the degenerate codon position (83.9% versus an average of 60.2%) and relaxed codon usage for the Glu codon, characteristic features of Pseudomonas genes from other species. E. coli nitrous oxide reductase was purified to homogeneity. It had the Mr of the P. stutzeri enzyme but lacked the copper chromophore.


Effect of age on tolerance of calves to chlorpyrifos.
Groups of five calves (1 to 2 weeks old) or older calves (4 to 6 months old) were treated topically with increasing concentrations of chlorpyrifos [O,O-diethyl-O(-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl) phosphorothioate] to determine their susceptibility to chlorpyrifos toxicity. Newborn calves also were given oral doses of technical grade (97.4%) chlorpyrifos to estimate their susceptibility by this treatment route. Topical applications to newborn calves consisted of 0.02%, 0.06%, or 0.12% chlorpyrifos administered as a spray to the entire body surface. Oral dosages given the newborn calves consisted of 5, 10, or 25 mg of chlorpyrifos/kg of body weight. Topical applications were administered to the older calves in the same manner as were applications to the newborn calves, but at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.9%, or 2.3%. Minimum dosages producing signs of toxicosis in newborn calves which were orally and topically given chlorpyrifos were 25 mg/kg of body weight and 0.06%, respectively. All five newborn calves sprayed with 0.12% chlorpyrifos were severely poisoned and were treated with atropine. One of these calves died within 48 hours after exposure to chlorpyrifos despite antidotal therapy. Signs of poisoning were not observed in older calves sprayed with 0.25%, 0.5%, or 0.9% chlorpyrifos. One Brahman-cross calf sprayed with 2.3% chlorpyrifos developed signs of mild poisoning that dissipated in 72 hours without treatment. Four older non-Brahman calves sprayed with 2.3% chlorpyrifos did not show signs of poisoning. Seemingly, 4- to 6-month old calves have an increased tolerance to topically applied chlorpyrifos compared with the tolerance of newborn calves, and the magnitude of this increased tolerance is 30-fold or higher.


Highly Selective Potentiometric Sensing of Biologically Relevant Pyrophosphate and Lysophosphatidic Acid Using N-Alkyl/Aryl Ammonium Resorcinarenes/Extended-Resorcinarenes as Ionophores.
The ionophore properties of four kinds of N-alkyl/aryl ammonium resorcinarenes and extended-resorcinarenes were inspected for the first time to fabricate polymeric membrane electrodes for determination of biologically relevant pyrophosphate (PPi) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). The proposed ion selective electrodes (ISEs) showed significant preference for PPi and LPA with significant selectivity pattern differences from the Hofmeister series. To gain further insight into the performances of the developed ISEs, the binding constants of ionophore-anion complexes in the plasticized membrane phase were investigated, along with the optimized geometries and calculated electrostatic potential. Nernstian potential responses with good reversibility to target anions can be observed when shifting the optimized membranes in aqueous solutions in the concentration range from 10-6.5 to 10-2.3/10-2.2 M. Moreover, potentiometric sensings of PPi and LPA in mineral water and artificial serum were achieved in low μM concentration range, demonstrating their promising real-world applications. These results provide a promising avenue for the development of polymeric membrane electrodes for biological relevant anions and will broaden the scope of potentiometric sensing.


"In-bone" utricle cultures--a simplified, atraumatic technique for in situ cultures of the adult mouse (Mus musculus) utricle.
The "in-bone" method of culturing utricles described here is a reliable and atraumatic technique for culturing mature mouse hair cells and studying hair cell death and protection. The current in vitro technique for studying hair cells of the mature mouse utricle involves removal from the temporal bone and free floating culture in media. This technique can be problematic because of variability in the preservation of the sensory epithelium and a steep learning curve that results in injury of the sensory epithelium in less experienced hands. We present a new atraumatic technique of culturing the utricle in situ within the temporal bone. Leaving the temporal bone largely intact, a window is opened in the bony vestibule overlying the mouse utricle. The entire temporal bone is then placed into culture media. Utricles were cultured in situ for several days with minimal damage to the epithelium. The utricles are then fixed in situ, removed from the temporal bone, and processed. A standardized aminoglycoside-induced hair cell damage protocol was developed. Mature mouse utricles maintained hair cell numbers for 3 days in culture. Exposure to neomycin resulted in significant dose-dependent hair cell toxicity (p < 0.0001, 1-way analysis of variance). Exposure to the protective drug tacrine resulted in significant protection against neomycin (p < 0.05, 3-way analysis of variance). The "in-bone" technique is a reliable and atraumatic method for culturing mature mouse utricles and studying hair cell death and protection. It is easily mastered and can make in vitro study of hair cells accessible to more research groups.


A common progenitor for retinal astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
Developing neural tissue undergoes a period of neurogenesis followed by a period of gliogenesis. The lineage relationships among glial cell types have not been defined for most areas of the nervous system. Here we use retroviruses to label clones of glial cells in the chick retina. We found that almost every clone had both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. In addition, we discovered a novel glial cell type, with features intermediate between those of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which we have named the diacyte. Diacytes also share a progenitor cell with both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.


Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1874)--the average man and indices of obesity.
The quest for a practical index of relative body weight that began shortly after actuaries reported the increased mortality of their overweight policyholders culminated after World War II, when the relationship between weight and cardiovascular disease became the subject of epidemiological studies. It became evident then that the best index was the ratio of the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters, or the Quetelet Index described in 1832. Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1874) was a Belgian mathematician, astronomer and statistician, who developed a passionate interest in probability calculus that he applied to study human physical characteristics and social aptitudes. His pioneering cross-sectional studies of human growth led him to conclude that other than the spurts of growth after birth and during puberty, 'the weight increases as the square of the height', known as the Quetelet Index until it was termed the Body Mass Index in 1972 by Ancel Keys (1904-2004). For his application of comparative statistics to social conditions and moral issues, Quetelet is considered a founder of the social sciences. His principal work, 'A Treatise of Man and the development of his faculties' published in 1835 is considered 'one of the greatest books of the 19th century'. A tireless promoter of statistical data collection based on standard methods and definitions, Quetelet organized in 1853 the first International Statistical Congress, which launched the development of 'a uniform nomenclature of the causes of death applicable to all countries', progenitor of the current International Classification of Diseases.


Development of selective attention: perceptual load influences early versus late attentional selection in children and adults.
The moderating effect of perceptual load on visual selective attention was examined in 2 studies. In Study 1, children and young adults searched displays of varying set size flanked by irrelevant distractors. Children's performance was as efficient as adults' under conditions of high but not low loads, suggesting that early selection engages rapidly maturing neural systems and late selection engages later-maturing systems. In Study 2, 4 age groups were tested, and place markers were set at empty locations to examine perceptual grouping effects. Study 1's pattem was replicated in all age groups, with onset of early selection occurring at lower loads for younger children. Overall, children initiated early selection at lower loads to compensate for immature anterior-system interference control processes.


Central nervous system lesions in pediatric patients: Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging.
Twenty pediatric patients, aged 2-18 years, with known or suspected masses in the brain and/or spinal cord were studied with magnetic resonance imaging at 0.6T with and without use of 0.1 mmol/kg gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA). The multisection, multiecho imaging mode was utilized. Surgically proved mass lesions included astrocytoma (n = 6), medulloblastoma (n = 2), ependymoma (n = 1), craniopharyngioma (n = 1), oligodendroglioma (n = 1), germinoma (n = 1) and fibrosarcoma (n = 1). Presumptive diagnoses included astrocytoma (n = 3), arachnoid cyst (n = 1), tuberous sclerosis (n = 1), cryptic vascular malformation (n = 1), and normal (n = 1). There was dramatic enhancement in 11 of 20 patients, with improved definition of the presence and extent of lesions in six patients. No adverse effects were noted in any of the 20 patients. It is concluded that Gd-DTPA is useful in delineating the presence, extent, and number of certain lesions of the central nervous system in children.


Usefulness of Adenosinetriphosphate Bioluminescence Assay (ATPmetry) for Monitoring the Reprocessing of Endoscopes.
To assess the diagnostic value of an adenosinetriphosphate bioluminescence assay (ATPmetry) to monitor the effectiveness of the reprocessing of endoscopes compared with microbiologic sampling. Diagnostic study. A 2,200-bed teaching hospital performing 5,000 to 6,000 endoscopic procedures annually. All samples from bronchial or gastrointestinal endoscopes whatever the context. Samples for microbiologic analysis and ATPmetry measurements were taken when each endoscope was inspected following reprocessing. Sampling was performed by flushing each endoscope with 300 mL Neutralizing Pharmacopeia Diluent thiosulfate rinsing solution divided equally between the endoscope channels. For each endoscope a series of 3 ATPmetry measurements were made on a vial containing the first jet from each channel and a second series on the whole sample. Of 165 samples from endoscopes, 11 exceeded the acceptability threshold of 25 colony-forming units/endoscope. In the first jet collected, the median (interquartile range) level of ATPmetry was 30.5 (15.3-37.7) relative light units (RLU) for samples with 25 or fewer colony-forming units compared with 37.0 (34.7-39.3) RLU for samples with more than 25 colony-forming units (P=.008). For the whole sample, the median (interquartile range) level of ATPmetry was 24.8 (14.3-36.3) RLU and 36.3 (36.0-38.3) RLU (P=.006), respectively. After adjusting on the batch of cleansing solution used, no difference in ATPmetry values was found between microbiologically acceptable and unacceptable samples. ATPmetry cannot be used as an alternative or complementary approach to microbiologic tests for monitoring the reprocessing of endoscopes in France.


The Palm-Heart Diameter: A Prospective Simple Screening Tool for Identifying Heart Enlargement.
Several speculations have linked the size of the fist to be equal to the size of the heart. However, the substantial scientific report still lacks to support this theory. This study aims to provide the validity of the fist-heart assumption by correlating the palm and heart diameters while benchmarking it as a reference tool for determining the normal heart size. Volunteers from the public were recruited during a health fair organised by the school. A self-administered questionnaire for necessary information was distributed after the volunteers signed the consent forms. The palm of both hands was measured in duplicates using a flexible ruler. Ultrasound examination was used in measuring the diameter of the heart with the landmark being from the anterior fibrous pericardium to the lowest part of the posterior fibrous pericardium. The level of significance was kept at P < 0.05. A total of 275 people, consisting of 123 males and 152 females participated in the study. The age range was from 15 to 80 years with a mean age of 28.16 ± 16.18. The measurement showed that the size of both palms correlated with the heart diameter, p < 0.05. Other factors such as age and height showed a substantial level of correlation. However, this correlation ceased with older participants. Palm size did not correlate among participants with previously diagnosed prehypertension. However, participants with previously diagnosed hypertension with good medication compliance maintained the correlation. This study establishes the correlation between the palm and heart diameters. Since the heart tissue and the upper limb share a similar embryonic origin, being the mesoderm, this study prospects the fact that heart enlargement could be preliminarily identified by measuring the size of the hand.


Antiplasmodial Ealapasamines A-C,'Mixed' Naphthylisoquinoline Dimers from the Central African Liana Ancistrocladus ealaensis.
Three unusual heterodimeric naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids, named ealapasamines A-C (1-3), were isolated from the leaves of the tropical plant Ancistrocladus ealaensis J. Léonard. These 'mixed', constitutionally unsymmetric dimers are the first stereochemically fully assigned cross-coupling products of a 5,8'- and a 7,8'-coupled naphthylisoquinoline linked via C-6' in both naphthalene portions. So far, only two other West and Central Ancistrocladus species were known to produce dimers with a central 6,6″-axis, yet, in contrast to the ealapasamines, usually consisting of two 5,8'-coupled monomers, like e.g., in michellamine B. The new dimers 1-3 contain six elements of chirality, four stereogenic centers and the two outer axes, while the central biaryl axis is configurationally unstable. The elucidation of the complete stereostructures of the ealapasamines was achieved by the interplay of spectroscopic methods including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR (in particular ROESY measurements), in combination with chemical (oxidative degradation) and chiroptical (electronic circular dichroism) investigations. The ealapasamines A-C display high antiplasmodial activities with excellent half-maximum inhibition concentration values in the low nanomolar range.