Phylogenetic analysis of proteins involved in the stringent response in plant cells.
The nucleotide (p)ppGpp is a second messenger that controls the stringent response in bacteria. The stringent response modifies expression of a large number of genes and metabolic processes and allows bacteria to survive under fluctuating environmental conditions. Recent genome sequencing analyses have revealed that genes responsible for the stringent response are also found in plants. These include (p)ppGpp synthases and hydrolases, RelA/SpoT homologs (RSHs), and the pppGpp-specific phosphatase GppA/Ppx. However, phylogenetic relationship between enzymes involved in bacterial and plant stringent responses is as yet generally unclear. Here, we investigated the origin and evolution of genes involved in the stringent response in plants. Phylogenetic analysis and primary structures of RSH homologs from different plant phyla (including Embryophyta, Charophyta, Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Glaucophyta) indicate that RSH gene families were introduced into plant cells by at least two independent lateral gene transfers from the bacterial Deinococcus-Thermus phylum and an unidentified bacterial phylum; alternatively, they were introduced into a proto-plant cell by a lateral gene transfer from the endosymbiotic cyanobacterium followed by gene loss of an ancestral RSH gene in the cyanobacterial linage. Phylogenetic analysis of gppA/ppx families indicated that plant gppA/ppx homologs form an individual cluster in the phylogenetic tree, and show a sister relationship with some bacterial gppA/ppx homologs. Although RSHs contain a plastidial transit peptide at the N terminus, GppA/Ppx homologs do not, suggesting that plant GppA/Ppx homologs function in the cytosol. These results reveal that a proto-plant cell obtained genes for the stringent response by lateral gene transfer events from different bacterial phyla and have utilized them to control metabolism in plastids and the cytosol.


Astragalus Extract Mixture HT042 Improves Bone Growth, Mass, and Microarchitecture in Prepubertal Female Rats: A Microcomputed Tomographic Study.
Astragalus extract mixture HT042 is a standardized multiherbal mixture comprising Astragalus membranaceus, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Phlomis umbrosa, which has proven to promote children's height growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HT042 on longitudinal bone growth, bone mass, and bone microstructure in growing rats using a high-resolution microcomputed tomography system. Four-week-old female rats were fed an HT042-containing diet for 2 weeks. Tibial length was measured at baseline and weekly in vivo. At the end of the study, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and microarchitectural parameters were estimated in the trabecular and cortical bone of the tibia. Tibial length gain was significantly increased by HT042 compared to that reported with the control diet. In the proximal tibial metaphysis, HT042-treated rats had significantly higher trabecular vBMD, bone volume fraction, and trabecular number and lower trabecular separation, trabecular pattern factor, and structure model index values than control rats did. Total cross-sectional area and bone area of the cortical bone in the tibial diaphysis also increased. These findings suggest that HT042 increases longitudinal bone growth rate, improves trabecular bone mass, and enhances the microarchitecture of trabecular and cortical bone during growth.


Experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated rhino sinusitis in mink.
The nasal and sinus cavities in children may serve as reservoirs for microorganisms that cause recurrent and chronic lung infections. This study evaluates whether the mink can be used as an animal model for studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated rhino-sinusitis since there is no suitable traditional animal model for this disease. Nasal tissue samples from infected and control mink were fixed in formalin, demineralized, and embedded in paraffin. A histological examination of sections from the infected animals revealed disintegration of the respiratory epithelium lining the nasal turbinates and swelling and edema of the submucosa. The expression of mucins and sialylated glycans was examined using immunohistochemistry. MUC1, MUC2 and MUC5AC were upregulated in the inoculated animals as a much stronger staining was present in the respiratory epithelium in the infected animals compared to the controls. The goblet cells in the nasal epithelium from the infected mink showed high affinity to the Maackia amurensis lectin and anti-asialo GM1 indicating a high concentration of α2-3 sialic acid respectively βGalNAc1-4Galβ containing glycans in these mucin producing cells. The nasal cavity in the infected mink shows features of carbohydrate expression comparable to what has been described in the respiratory system after Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in humans. It is suggested that the mink is suitable for studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated rhino-sinusitis.


Hyposensitization in hay fever with grass pollen extracts: a three-year study comparing a dialysed alum adsorbed extract with allpyral.
Immunotherapy with a dialysed aqueous extracted alum absorbed extract of grass pollens and with undialysed pyridine extracted alum precipitated extract of grass pollens (Allpyral) was compared in 58 patients with hay fever over a three year period in a randomized open study. Both types of treatment resulted in similar immunological responses as measured by changes in grass specific serum IgE and IgG. The dialysis of the grass pollen material did not decrease or increase the stimulation of specific immunoglobulins. The incidence of both local and systemic side effects was similar in both treatments. More injection site granulomata occurred in patients treated with the new alum adsorbed extract, although the difference did not achieve statistical significance. Symptom-medication data showed that patients who received the conventional pyridine extracted materials obtained a better clinical response, but all treatments gave continuing clinical benefit in each successive year.


Sigmoid colonic carcinoma associated with deposited ova of Schistosoma japonicum: a case report.
We report a case of sigmoid colonic carcinoma associated with deposited ova of Schistosoma japonicum. A 57-year old woman presented with a 10-mo history of left lower quadrant abdominal pain and a 2-mo history of bloody stools. She had a significant past medical history of asymptomatic schistosomiasis japonica and constipation. A colonoscopy showed an exophytic fragile neoplasm with an ulcerating surface in the sigmoid colon. During the radical operative procedure, we noted the partially encircling tumor was located in the distal sigmoid colon, and extended into the serosa. Succeeding pathological analysis demonstrated the diagnosis of sigmoid colonic ulcerative tubular adenocarcinoma, and showed deposited ova of Schistosoma japonicum in both tumor lesions and mesenteric lymph nodes. Three days after surgery the patient returned to the normal bowel function with one defecation per day. These findings reveal that deposited schistosome ova play a possible role in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer.


Model-less prediction filter for adaptive adjustment process noise.
In this study, a filtering scheme suitable for high-precision sensors was proposed to extract high-precision sensor information. According to the principle of Kalman gain based on data fusion, a model-less prediction filter with minimum gain measurement noise compensation and process noise posteriori constraint adjustment was developed. In comparison to various Kalman filter methods, the proposed algorithm demonstrated better accuracy in the steady state. The high precision performance and effectiveness of the model-less prediction filter were verified under a digitally controlled linear power supply.


Mesenchymal stem cells derived from different origins have unique sensitivities to different chemotherapeutic agents.
BMSCs (bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells) and ADSCs (adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells) are virtually identical in cell surface marker profile and differentiation potential. These cell populations have promising characteristics for clinical application. We have investigated the sensitivity of these cell populations to various chemotherapeutic agents by testing the inhibition of cell proliferation, low molecular DNA bands formation, in situ apoptosis, apoptosis-related gene expression and cell senescence after treatment. BU (busulfan), methotrexate and doxorubicin treatment led to a marked and dose-dependent reduction in cell viability compared with 5-FU (5-fluorouracil) treatment. Different expression patterns of apoptosis-related genes were found in the BMSCs and ADSCs following treatment with the agents, but no low molecular mass DNA bands were detected. BMSCs had a higher percentage of apoptotic and senescent cells following treatment with chemotherapeutic agents compared with ADSCs. These findings suggest that these two cell populations respond differently to chemotherapy treatment. ADSCs are more resistant than BMSCs to chemotherapy-induced senescence and apoptosis, indicating that they might be more advantageous to use in the clinic than BMSCs.


Triggering and gating of motor responses by sensory stimulation: behavioural selection in Xenopus embryos.
Neural mechanisms underlying selection of motor responses are largely unknown in vertebrates. This study shows that in immobilized Xenopus embryos, brief mechanical or electrical stimulation of the trunk skin can trigger sustained fictive swimming, whereas sustained pressure or repetitive electrical stimulation can evoke fictive struggling. These two rhythmic motor patterns are distinct: alternating single motor root spikes propagate from head to tail during swimming; alternating motor root bursts propagate from tail to head during struggling. As both motor patterns can be evoked in embryos with the CNS transected caudal to the cranial roots, the sensory pathway responsible must have direct access to the spinal cord. Rohon-Beard sensory neurons provide the only such pathway known. They respond appropriately to brief stimuli applied to the trunk skin, and also to repetitive electrical stimuli and sustained pressure. The results suggest that Rohon-Beard sensory neurons can both trigger sustained swimming and 'gate in' struggling motor patterns, and thus effect behavioural selection according to their pattern of activity.


Correlations of the expressions of c-Jun and Egr-1 proteins with clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
This study intended to explore the correlation of the expressions of c-Jun and Egr-1 proteins with clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). From January 2008 to January 2011, 123 NPC patients and 59 patients with chronic rhinitis were enrolled in this study. Fresh NPC and normal nasopharynx tissue specimens were obtained during surgery. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was adopted to determine the positive expressions of the c-Jun and Egr-1 proteins. A 5-year clinical follow-up was conducted on all NPC patients. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression model were used for survival analysis. Compared with normal nasopharynx tissues, c-Jun expression was up-regulated but Egr-1 expression was down-regulated in NPC tissues. NPC patients with stage T3-T4 or stage III-IV had higher positive rates of c-Jun expression than those with stage T1-T2 or stage I-II. However, the positive rates of Egr-1 expression was higher in patients with stage T1-T2 or stage III-IV than those with stage T3-T4 or stage I-II. The survival rate of NPC patients with high c-Jun expression was lower than those with low/negative c-Jun expression, while the survival rate of NPC patients with high Egr-1 expression was higher than those with low/negative Egr-1 expression. The Cox regression analysis revealed that stage T3-T4, high c-Jun expression, and low Egr-1 expression were risk factors for poor prognosis of NPC patients. In conclusion, our study suggests that the c-Jun and Egr-1 proteins can serve as novel potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of NPC.


Epianthropochory in Mexican weed communities.
The diaspores of the 50 most important maize field weed species (agrestals) in a traditional maize-growing area of south-central Mexico (region of Puebla and Tlaxcala) were analyzed for morphological adaptations to long-distance dispersal. Adaptations to wind-dispersal were absent and to endozoochory were minimal. Most species had no visible adaptations and are presumably transported with mud. However, about one-quarter of the taxa, particularly the tall and dominant ones, relied at least partially on burrs with hooks or awns. The possible vectors for these exo- or epizoochorous species are discussed: the most likely regular dispersers are humans (epianthropochory). Interviews with farmers confirm this conclusion. Using humans as vectors allows the plant to transport relatively large seeds to favorable habitats (directed dispersal). The importance of this relatively rare dispersal adaptation in Mexican maize field weeds leads to questions on the origin and evolution of these agrestals.


Evaluating the Artificial Intelligence Performance Growth in Ophthalmic Knowledge.
We aim to compare the capabilities of Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT)-3.5 and ChatGPT-4.0 (OpenAI, San Francisco, CA, USA) in addressing multiple-choice ophthalmic case challenges. Both models' accuracy was compared across different ophthalmology subspecialties using multiple-choice ophthalmic clinical cases provided by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) "Diagnosis This" questions. Additional analysis was based on image content, question difficulty, character length of models' responses, and model's alignment with responses from human respondents. χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted where appropriate, with p<0.05 considered significant. GPT-4.0 significantly outperformed GPT-3.5 (75% versus 46%, p<0.01), with the most noticeable improvement in neuro-ophthalmology (100% versus 38%, p=0.03). While both models struggled with uveitis and refractive questions, GPT-4.0 excelled in other areas, such as pediatric questions (82%). In image-related questions, GPT-4.0 also displayed superior accuracy that trended toward significance (73% versus 46%, p=0.07). GPT-4.0 performed better with easier questions (93.8% (least difficult) versus 76.2% (middle) versus 53.3% (most), p=0.03) and generated more concise answers than GPT-3.5 (651.7±342.9 versus 1,112.9±328.8 characters, p<0.01). Moreover, GPT-4.0's answers were more in line with those of AAO respondents (57.3% versus 41.4%, p<0.01), showing a strong correlation between its accuracy and the proportion of AAO respondents who selected GPT-4.0's answer (ρ=0.713, p<0.01). Our study demonstrated that GPT-4.0 significantly outperforms GPT-3.5 in addressing ophthalmic case challenges, especially in neuro-ophthalmology, with improved accuracy even in image-related questions. These findings underscore the potential of advancing artificial intelligence (AI) models in enhancing ophthalmic diagnostics and medical education.


Organic carbon-14 in the Amazon river system.
Coarse and fine suspended particulate organic materials and dissolved humic and fulvic acids transported by the Amazon River all contain bomb-produced carbon-14, indicating relatively rapid turnover of the parent carbon pools. However, the carbon-14 contents of these coexisting carbon forms are measurably different and may reflect varying degrees of retention by soils in the drainage basin.


Multi-wavelength lasers with suppressed spectral linewidth of 10 kHz.
High coherent multi-wavelength or multi-tone light source are in high demand for optical density wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) networks as the telecommunication capacity expands exponentially. However the linewidths of commercial multi-wavelength semiconductor lasers are typically a few MHz which is not acceptable when the frequency spacing of the multi-tones is 10 GHz. In this paper, a novel and simple method to suppress the linewidths of the multi-wavelength from ~6 MHz to ~10 kHz using an all-optical approach is proposed and demonstrated. The linewidths of the multi-wavelength are suppressed by a factor of 600 and the noise level of the multi-wavelength is decreased by nearly 20 dB. Each wavelength of the multi-wavelength operates in single longitudinal mode. Finally, more than 8 wavelengths over 10 nm are suppressed simultaneously through the approach and scheme presented in this work.


The status of early identification and early intervention in autism spectrum disorders in lower- and middle-income countries.
There is limited information on autism spectrum disorders from lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This paper reviews the status of early identification and early intervention for autism spectrum disorders in response to the article by Camarata (2014) . The PubMed database was searched to identify relevant epidemiological studies from LMIC. Seven studies from five countries were identified: Colombia, India, Jamaica, Jordan, and Mexico. The mean age of parental concern, at 21-24 months, and mean age of diagnosis, at 45-57 months, were similar in LMIC, but later than in high-income countries. Both country groups reported language disorder to be the symptom of initial concern. Similarities in biological aspects of the disorders were noted across LMIC and high-income countries. Comparable ages of identification and diagnosis across vastly different LMIC suggest limited resources to be the underlying contributory factor. Recommendations for improving early identification and intervention made by researchers in the LMIC are reported.


Direct density measurement of shock-compressed iron using hard x rays generated by a short laser pulse.
We present the application of short-pulse laser-driven hard x rays (>40 keV) for the direct density measurement of iron compressed by a laser-driven shock. By using an on-shot calibration of the spectral absorption, we are able to obtain line densities with 5%-10% precision, although the x-ray source is not monochromatic. We also discuss possibilities for increasing the precision, which would be an improvement for equation of state measurements.


Role of calmodulin/protein kinase C in interferon production by poly(rI).poly(rC) in primed human cell cultures.
Human cells treated with trifluoperazine (TFP) or K252a prior to and/or during priming with human interferon-alpha (HuIFN-alpha) produce significantly more IFN on induction with poly(rI).poly(rC) than primed cells in the absence of the drug. Results suggest that calmodulin/protein kinase activity may be involved in priming activity of HuIFN-alpha.


Is tidal expiratory flow limitation predictive of sleep-related disorders in the elderly?
Sleep-related disorders represent an important health burden and their prevalence increases with age. In patients with snoring or sleepiness, the presence of expiratory flow limitation (EFL), determined via the negative expiratory pressure (NEP) method, is related to the apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI). In this study, we examined whether EFL can be used to predict obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) in healthy asymptomatic older subjects. A group of 72-yr-old subjects (n = 448, 44% males) with a mean body mass index of 25.5±3.8 kg·m(-2) were examined. All subjects underwent spirometry, NEP (-5 cmH(2)O, sitting position) and ventilatory polygraphy (VP). Spirometry was within normal values in 88% of the group and EFL was present in 143 (32%) subjects with a higher prevalence in females (89 out of 249 versus 54 out of 199 in females and males, respectively). VP showed an AHI<15 h(-1) in 238 subjects (53%) and OSAS with an AHI ≥15 h(-1) in 47%. EFL was found in 15% of subjects with OSAS. Consequently, EFL had low sensitivity and specificity in the prediction of OSAS (31.4% and 67.7%, respectively). We conclude that the prevalence of EFL is elevated in healthy older subjects and cannot be used to predict the presence of sleep-related disorders in an older population.


Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis Associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection in a Child.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is responsible for approximately 20% to 30% of community-acquired pneumonia, and is well known for its diverse extrapulmonary manifestations. However, acute necrotizing pancreatits is an extremely rare extrapulmonary manifestation of M. pneumoniae infection. A 6-year-old girl was admitted due to abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and confused mentality. Acute necrotizing pancreatitis was diagnosed according to symptoms, laboratory test results, and abdominal computed tomography scans. M. pneumoniae infection was diagnosed by a 4-fold increase in antibodies to M. pneumoniae between acute and convalescent sera by particle agglutination antibody assay. No other etiologic factors or pathogens were detected. Despite the occurrence of a large infected pseudocyst during the course, the patient was able to discharge without morbidity by early aggressive supportive care. This is the first case in Korea of a child with acute necrotizing pancreatitis associated with M. pneumoniae infection.


Effect of parenteral zinc on paraquat toxicity in the rat.
The purpose of this study was to determine if elevating lung zinc would prevent the lethal effect of paraquat. Several doses of zinc sulfate (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally for 7 days and lung ainc measured. Only 80 mg/kg produced a significantly increase. Acute administration of 80 mg/kg zinc sulfate produced an 81% elevation in lung zinc within 4 hr. Animals were treated with zinc sulfate (80 mg/kg) followed 4 hr later by paraquat (42.5 mg/kg). They also received 2 additional doses of zinc during the next 48 hr. Zinc treated animals were not protected against the lethal effect of paraquat but, instead, had a higher fatality rate than animals treated with paraquat alone.


Overview of radiation dose to patients from medical X-ray examinations in Nigeria.
Medical Imaging accounts for the largest radiation exposure of population from artificial sources of radiation. The radiation dose rcceivedby patients from iedicail x-ray examinations in Nigeria has shown large variations within and among diagnostic centers for similar examinations. This could be traced to lack of imaging protocols and on avalability of local/national diagnostic reference, levels. Hence, the need to assess the trend of radiation doseto patients from radiological practice in Nigeria. Methocls:Entrance surface doses(ESDs) reported by, Nigerian authors for common x-ray examinations from 2000 - 2014 were extracted from articles published in peer reviewed journals, analyzed and compared with ifiternationally recommended Diagnostic Reference Levels (DkLs). Among x-ray examinations, skull accounted for 32% followed by chest (22%), lumbar spine (13%), abdomen (12%), pelvis (8%), extremitics(8%), thorax and cervical spine(5%). The range of mean ESDs reported for various projections of x-ray examination are chest (2.28 - 3.70 mGy); Abdomen (4.42 - 7.22 mGy); Skull (3.81 - 5.19 mGy); Pelvis (5.93 mGy); Lumbar spine (5.73 - 10.98 mGy); Thorax (0.96 - 1.85 mGy); Cervical spine (1.45 - 1.49mGy) and Extremitics (0.31 -0.49 mGy). In this study, it was found that the mean ESDs received by patients from chest, skull and pelvis ex'aminations were higher than the published DRLs for similar x-ray examinations. The results of this study showed that to harmonize radiation protection of patients and improve radiological practice in Nigeria there is need for development of comprehensive national diagnostic reference levels.


Relationship of solvent to the photopolymerization process, properties, and structure in model dentin adhesives.
The ratio of the double-bond content of monomer to polymer, i.e. degree of conversion (DC) has been used frequently as a convenient means of comparing the behavior and properties of dental composites and adhesives. The purpose of this investigation was to study the relationship of photopolymerization processes, bulk properties, and structure using model dentin adhesives cured in the presence of different ethanol content as an example. There was little difference in the DC of model BisGMA-based adhesives cured in the presence of ethanol concentrations ranging from 0 to 40 wt %, but there were substantial differences in the mechanical properties. Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and modulus of elasticity decreased with an increase in ethanol content. Polymer structure was revealed by thermal behavior in the glass transition temperature (Tg) region; these measurements were obtained by modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry (MTDSC) technology, which removes the competing irreversible effects associated with release of volatiles and residual curing. Glass transition temperature of model adhesives decreased substantially with an increase in ethanol content. The DC based on the quantity of remaining double bond has been used extensively to characterize and provide a relative assessment of the quality of dentin adhesives and dental composites. Since polymers differing in linearity, and therefore crosslink density, may have a similar degree of conversion, the measurement of monomer/polymer conversion does not necessarily provide complete representation of the quality or durability of the polymer structure.


Asymmetry in facial expression of emotions by chimpanzees.
Asymmetries in human facial expressions have long been documented and traditionally interpreted as evidence of brain laterality in emotional behavior. Recent findings in nonhuman primates suggest that this hemispheric specialization for emotional behavior may have precursors in primate evolution. In this study, we present the first data collected on our closest living relative, the chimpanzee. Objective measures (hemimouth length and area) and subjective measures (human judgements of chimeric stimuli) indicate that chimpanzees' facial expressions are asymmetric, with a greater involvement of the left side of the face in the production of emotional responses. No effect of expression type (positive versus negative) on facial asymmetry was found. Thus, chimpanzees, like humans and some other nonhuman primates, show a right hemisphere specialization for facial expression of emotions.


Cytokine induction and exploitation in schistosome infections.
Schistosome parasites, despite being multicellular organisms several millimetres in length, can survive in the bloodstream of mammalian hosts for decades. The remarkable and complex adaptation exemplified in the host-parasite relationship in schistosomiasis may include not only immune evasion by the parasite, but also immune exploitation. While the developmental and adult stages of the parasite are by and large invisible to the immune response, the parasite egg induces a granulomatous reaction which not only protects the host from a diffusible parasite toxin, but also is required for normal transmission of parasite eggs from the host to the external environment. Other possible mechanisms of immune exploitation by schistosomes are discussed including skewing of cytokine responses, effects of cytokines on worm fecundity, exploitation of endothelial cell adherence, and induction of IgE.


When electron transfer meets electron transport in redox-active molecular nanojunctions.
A scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) was used to arrange two microelectrodes face-to-face separated by a micrometric gap. Polyaniline (PANI) was deposited electrochemically from the SECM tip side until it bridged the two electrodes. The junctions obtained were characterized by following the current through the PANI as a function of its electrochemical potential measured versus a reference electrode acting as a gate electrode in a solid-state transistor. PANI nanojunctions showed conductances below 100 nS in the oxidized state, indicating control of the charge transport within the whole micrometric gap by a limited number of PANI wires. The SECM configuration makes it possible to observe in the same experiment and in the same current range the electron-transfer and electron-transport processes. These two phenomena are distinguished here and characterized by following the variation of the current with the bias voltage and the scan rate. The electron-transfer current changes with the scan rate, while the charge-transport current varies with the bias voltage. Finally, despite the initially micrometric gap, a junction where the conductance is controlled by a single oligoaniline strand is achieved.


IgM production by bone marrow plasmablasts contributes to long-term protection against intracellular bacterial infection.
IgM responses are well known to occur early postinfection and tend to be short-lived, which has suggested that this Ig does not significantly contribute to long-term immunity. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic infection with the intracellular bacterium Ehrlichia muris elicits a protective, long-term IgM response. Moreover, we identified a population of CD138(high)IgM(high) B cells responsible for Ag-specific IgM production in the bone marrow. The IgM-secreting cells, which exhibited characteristics of both plasmablasts and plasma cells, contributed to protection against fatal ehrlichial challenge. Mice deficient in activation-induced cytidine deaminase, which produce only IgM, were protected against fatal ehrlichial challenge infection. The IgM-secreting cells that we have identified were maintained in the bone marrow in the absence of chronic infection, as antibiotic-treated mice remained protected against challenge infection. Our studies identify a cell population that is responsible for the IgM production in the bone marrow, and they highlight a novel role for IgM in the maintenance of long-term immunity during intracellular bacterial infection.


Esophagogastric junction distensibility assessed using the functional lumen imaging probe.
To assess reference values in the literature for esophageal distensibility and cross-sectional area in healthy and diseased subjects measured by the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP). Systematic search and review of articles in Medline and Embase pertaining to the use of FLIP in the esophagus was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Cross-sectional area and distensibility at the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) were abstracted for normal subjects, achalasia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients, stratified by balloon length and volume of inflation. Six achalasia studies (n = 154), 3 GERD (n = 52), and 5 studies including healthy controls (n = 98) were included in the systematic review. Normative data varied widely amongst studies of healthy volunteers. In contrast, studies in achalasia patients uniformly demonstrated low point estimates in distensibility ≤ 1.6 mm2/mmHg prior to treatment that increased to ≥ 3.4 mm2/mmHg following treatment at 40mL bag volume. In GERD patients, distensibility fell to the range of untreated achalasia (≤ 2.85 mm2/mmHg) following fundoplication. FLIP may be a useful tool in assessment of treatment efficacy in achalasia. The drastic drop in EGJ distensibility after fundoplication suggests that FLIP measurements need to be interpreted in the context of esophageal body motility and highlights the importance of pre-operative screening for dysmotility. Future studies using standardized FLIP protocol and balloon size are needed.


[Common causes of infectious mononucleosis].
Most cases of infectious mononucleosis are caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). However, other rare but potentially serious etiologies need to be considered. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Toxoplasma gondii infections, although generally benign, can cause severe congenital infections. An acute infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can also mimic infectious mononucleosis. Laboratory diagnostic of those infections relies primarily on the detection of specific antibodies and antigens. The interpretation of laboratory results can be impeded by cross-reactions or persistence over several months of markers of acute infection. This article reviews the most common causes of infectious mononucleosis and their diagnosis.


Multiple integration site of hepatitis B virus DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic active hepatitis tissues from children.
Attention was directed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) integration in tissues obtained from an hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of an 11-year-old boy and from the liver of his 6-year-old brother, who had chronic active hepatitis. Multiple HBV DNA integration sites were demonstrated in both tissues. Cell population(s) in the HCC and liver from the patient with chronic active hepatitis were assumed to be heterogeneous with regard to HBV integration. The integrated forms in the two tissues showed similar genetic organization without gross rearrangement. The location of one of the virus-chromosomal junctions was restricted to the 5'-end region of the minus-strand DNA of HBV. The experimental results support our previous model for the mechanism of HBV integration, in which minus-strand replicative intermediates integrate into chromosomal DNA. The integrated HBV DNAs were conserved in the same region of the viral genome, spanning from the C gene through the S gene to the X gene, which contains intrinsic promoter-enhancer sequences.


Badh2, encoding betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, inhibits the biosynthesis of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, a major component in rice fragrance.
In rice (Oryza sativa), the presence of a dominant Badh2 allele encoding betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH2) inhibits the synthesis of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP), a potent flavor component in rice fragrance. By contrast, its two recessive alleles, badh2-E2 and badh2-E7, induce 2AP formation. Badh2 was found to be transcribed in all tissues tested except for roots, and the transcript was detected at higher abundance in young, healthy leaves than in other tissues. Multiple Badh2 transcript lengths were detected, and the complete, full-length Badh2 transcript was much less abundant than partial Badh2 transcripts. 2AP levels were significantly reduced in cauliflower mosaic virus 35S-driven transgenic lines expressing the complete, but not the partial, Badh2 coding sequences. In accordance, the intact, full-length BADH2 protein (503 residues) appeared exclusively in nonfragrant transgenic lines and rice varieties. These results indicate that the full-length BADH2 protein encoded by Badh2 renders rice nonfragrant by inhibiting 2AP biosynthesis. The BADH2 enzyme was predicted to contain three domains: NAD binding, substrate binding, and oligomerization domains. BADH2 was distributed throughout the cytoplasm, where it is predicted to catalyze the oxidization of betaine aldehyde, 4-aminobutyraldehyde (AB-ald), and 3-aminopropionaldehyde. The presence of null badh2 alleles resulted in AB-ald accumulation and enhanced 2AP biosynthesis. In summary, these data support the hypothesis that BADH2 inhibits 2AP biosynthesis by exhausting AB-ald, a presumed 2AP precursor.


Stable Ligand Coordination at the Surface of Colloidal CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals.
Ruling over the surface chemistry of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) is crucial to access reliable luminophores. Here, we provide an atomic-level description of the surface of colloidal CsPbBr3 NCs, achieving an effective passivation strategy that leads to near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield. To this end, we used two different types of CsPbBr3 NCs, which had been synthesized with an outer shell of either oleylammonium bromide ion pairs or Cs-oleate complexes. We perturbed the dynamic equilibria at the NCs' surface with ligands from a comprehensive library, including amines (and their conjugated acids) with different basicities, chain lengths, and steric encumbrances. We demonstrate that control of both ligand binding affinity and ligand-to-NC molar ratio is essential to attain thermodynamically stable coordination of the NC surface. We thus present a reliable protocol for managing the surface chemistry of colloidal CsPbBr3 NCs and for selectively addressing their ligand-induced morphological (and structural) transformations.


Comparing Self to Peers in Percentile Equivalents during Cognitive Testing: More Accurate Self-Appraisal Estimates are Associated with Greater Ability and Less Reliance on the Representativeness Heuristic.
For individuals with neurologic disorders, self-awareness of cognitive impairment is associated with indicators of better treatment course and clinical outcomes. Lower self-appraisal accuracy has been found to be associated with impairments in neuropsychological test performance, but individuals who perform unusually well may be equally vulnerable to inaccurate self-ratings. The mixed pattern of cognitive strengths and deficits in individuals with neurologic disorders complicates development of formal metrics for assessment of self-awareness. It remains unclear to what extent distortions in self-appraisal represent a deficit associated with impaired cognitive functioning, or a normal reliance on the "representativeness-heuristic" that results in greater bias in self-ratings in both strong and poor performers. The present study investigated these hypotheses using a common-metric approach (Rothlind, Dukarm, and Kraybill, 2016). Participants included 199 adults, recruited from community sources, including healthy adult volunteers and individuals at-risk for neuropsychological impairment secondary to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive status or active heavy alcohol consumption or both. Immediately following completion of standardized neuropsychological tests, participants estimated their own performance percentile ranking. Both high and low-scoring examinees displayed a conservative bias in ranking their own neuropsychological performance. However, lower scores were associated with least accurate self-appraisals overall. Findings suggest that cognitive impairments are associated with lower accuracy in self-rating of cognitive ability, but also that normal biases complicate interpretation of self-appraisal ratings across the spectrum of neuropsychological functioning. The importance of recognizing these biases in clinical research and practice is emphasized, and directions for future research are discussed.


DNA synthesis in rabbit spleen explants. Its relationship to cell division.
The synthesis of DNA, as measured by the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into the nuclei of cells of cultured explants of rabbit spleen, has been studied and correlated with estimation of DNA content of these nuclei using Feulgen densitometry, with and without colcemid arrest. Observations of the proportion of nuclei labelled with [3H]thymidine and their DNA content indicated that many cells were incorporating this precursor for DNA synthesis without the concomitant increases in DNA expected of cells in division cycle. Colcemid arrest failed to produce the changes in DNA content expected of a cell population as rapidly dividing as the labelling kinetics suggested. The results indicated that [3H]thymidine-labelled material, possibly DNA, was being transferred between cells and this accounted for the increased labelling index seen after pulsing with [3H]thymidine. The suppression of [3H]thymidine uptake by hydroxyurea indicated that this was not repair synthesis of damaged DNA.


Developing the Miami-Dade County Injury Surveillance System: using surveillance to build community capacity for injury prevention.
The Miami-Dade County Injury Surveillance System was created as part of a hospital-based injury prevention program associated with the Injury Free Coalition for Kids. Initially the program utilized trauma center and mortality data to describe injury. However, as community programming and coalition-building developed, so did the demands on the surveillance system. Coalition partners and potential partners desired a more comprehensive and population-based system. As a result of the county-wide approach and open access to results, the surveillance system has engaged new partners and leveraged additional resources to injury prevention.


Functional circuits of new neurons in the dentate gyrus.
The hippocampus is crucial for memory formation. New neurons are added throughout life to the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), a brain area considered important for differential storage of similar experiences and contexts. To better understand the functional contribution of adult neurogenesis to pattern separation processes, we recently used a novel synapse specific trans-neuronal tracing approach to identify the (sub) cortical inputs to new dentate granule cells (GCs). It was observed that newly born neurons receive sequential innervation from structures important for memory function. Initially, septal-hippocampal cells provide input to new neurons, including transient innervation from mature GCs as well as direct feedback from area CA3 pyramidal neurons. After about 1 month perirhinal (PRH) and lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), brain areas deemed relevant to integration of novel sensory and environmental information, become substantial input to new GCs. Here, we review the developmental time-course and proposed functional relevance of new neurons, within the context of their unique neural circuitry.


Left heart morphology and function in primary aldosteronism.
Primary aldosteronism is the most frequent cause of secondary hypertension, accounting for up to 11% of cases in selected populations. Patients affected by primary aldosteronism have shown higher prevalence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events compared with patients with essential hypertension, despite similar blood pressure levels. Several studies have been performed over past years aiming to explain these data; many of these evaluated echocardiographic differences in hypertension-related cardiac organ damage between primary aldosteronism and essential hypertension. This article summarizes the present knowledge about structural and functional alteration of the human left heart in primary aldosteronism.


Psychological perspectives in the patient with chronic orchialgia.
Chronic orchialgia is a challenging problem to both the practitioner and unhappy patient and may be a poorly understood manifestation of a potential variety of different discrete causes. Treatment options can be wide ranging and include conservative measures, medical therapy, in office treatments and surgical procedures. Research has primarily focused on these more concrete treatment options with little focus on the either co-morbid or causative psychological issues. By at least considering the potential psychological co-morbidities and stressors that may be associated with chronic orchialgia, physicians can better utilize a multi-modal approach to this vexing problem.


The effects of copper oxy chloride waste contamination on selected soil biochemical properties at disposal site.
A study was carried out at a sanitary waste disposal site for Kutsaga Tobacco Research Station, Zimbabwe, which uses large amounts of copper oxy chloride for sterilization of recycled float trays in flooded bench tobacco seedling production systems. Soil samples randomly collected from six stream bank zones (bands up the valley slope) varying in their distance ranges from the centre of both the wastewater-free and wastewater-affected paths [0-5 m (B1); 6-10 m (B2); 11-15 m (B3); 16-20 m (B4); 21-25 m (B5) and 26-30 m (B6)] in two sample depths (0-15; 15-30 cm) were analysed for metal copper, organic matter contents, and soil pH and subjected to agarized incubation for microbial counts. Results suggest that the repeated disposals of copper oxy chloride waste from tobacco float tray sanitation sinks into a creek amplify metal copper loads in the soil by 500 fold. The greatest concentrations of copper in both the topsoil and upper subsoil were recorded in the B3, B4 and B5 stream bank zones of the wastewater path. The concentration of copper was significantly lower in the middle of the waste-affected creek than that in the stream bank zones. This trend in the copper concentration coincided with the lowest acidity of the soil. Overloading the soil with copper, surprisingly, enhances the content of soil organic matter. The repeated release of copper oxy chloride waste into a stream causes an accelerated build-up of metal copper and soil acidity in the stream bank on-site while contamination is translocated to either underground water reserve or surface stream water flow in the middle of the wastewater path.


Spatial and simultaneous representative seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in owners and their domiciled dogs in a major city of southern Brazil.
Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, has traditionally been considered an important water and foodborne protozoonosis with important public health considerations. Although felids play a well-established role as definitive hosts, canine epidemiological involvement in the parasite's life cycle remains questionable and controversial. The increasing closeness of the human-dog bond, particularly seen in urban settings, has been recognized as a historically unprecedented worldwide movement. Sharing daily lives in the same households, dogs may be exposed to similar associated risks of T. gondii infection as their owners. Thus, epidemiological assessment of the intra-domiciled environment, especially among socio-economically different human populations, may provide novel information regarding the actual role of dogs in animal and human toxoplasmosis. Despite spatial approaches being recently used for other water and foodborne diseases, no study has been conducted on the simultaneous spatial seroprevalence of both human and animal IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies in urban areas of major cities. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to assess the seroprevalence and associated variables of Toxoplasma infection in owners and their domiciled dogs in Londrina, southern Brazil. Human and canine seroprevalence rates and variables associated with seroprevalence were investigated through representative random sampling among 564 households, which included 597 owners and 729 dogs. Overall, statistically significant differences between the seroprevalence of human and dog anti-T. gondii antibodies were found by Immunofluorescence Antibody Testing in 248/597 (41.54%) owners and 119/729 (16.32%) dogs. Through multiple analysis, significant concomitant variables for seropositivity of household individuals (people and dogs) were determined, including public sewer service, yard cleaning frequency, and having a dirty yard. Although no statistically significant multiple logistic model was observed among owners, univariate analysis detected associations with monthly income, soil contact, and occupation. Among dogs, the absence of other dogs and the absence of a dirty yard were concomitant significantly protective associated factors. Age differences between seropositive and seronegative individuals was significant only for human beings, with the median age of negative individuals significantly higher than positive individuals. Although no spatial clusters were identified for humans or residences, a significant cluster was identified for dogs. In conclusion, characteristics of urban toxoplasmosis may include significantly higher owner seroprevalence than their owned dogs, with canine seroprevalence directly associated with having more dogs and a dirty backyard, and spatial differences in both human and dog exposures. Although not a good indicator for human foodborne diseases, dogs may be a reliable sentinel for environmental infection. Moreover, such a holistic approach may provide crucial information for more focused prevention and monitoring programs, particularly in households with multiple pets and trash-filled backyards.


Recent Developments in Direct C-H Functionalization of Quinoxalin-2(1H)-Ones via Heterogeneous Catalysis Reactions.
In recent years, Web of Science has published nearly one hundred reports per year on quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, which have attracted great interest due to their wide applications in pharmaceutical and materials fields, especially in recyclable heterogeneous catalytic reactions for direct C-H functionalisation. This review summarises for the first time the methods and reaction mechanisms of heterogeneous catalytic reactions of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, including six major types of heterogeneous catalysts involved. The heterogeneous reactions of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones are summarised by classifying different types of catalytic materials (graphitic phase carbon nitride, MOF, COF, ion exchange resin, piezoelectric materials, and microsphere catalysis). In addition, this review discusses the future development of heterogeneous catalytic reactions of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, including the construction of C-B/Si/P/RF/X/Se bonds by heterogeneous catalytic reactions, the enrichment of heterogeneous catalysts such as metal oxides, graphene-based composites, doped metal nanoparticles, and molecular sieve-based porous materials, asymmetric synthesis, and other areas. The aim of this review is to contribute to the development of green and sustainable heterogeneous reaction methods for quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with applications in materials chemistry and pharmacology.


Trends in adolescent research: a review of articles published in Adolescence--1976-1981.
Adolescence is one of the few journals devoted exclusively to topics that are important to adolescents and researchers in adolescent psychology. Developmental psychologists, clinicians, and others can keep abreast of current studies in their specialties. With a few years' perspective, a researcher can estimate the importance of particular topics by noting the frequency of their occurrence. This study examines the 455 articles published in the 24 issues of Adolescence between Spring 1976 and Winter 1981. The most frequently appearing topics are noted. Some interesting observations with reference to these topics are made. The important conclusions reached in the eight most frequent topics are also compiled.


Tracking tool for frailty: ABCDEF.
The aging population leads to psychological, medical and social reflection for optimal care of the elderly, especially characterized by a frailty state. The frailty is the cause of morbi-mortality require screening to anticipate these complications. The objective was to evaluate the statistical performance and feasibility of the tool "ABCDEF" to screen frailty defined by Fried's criteria. A prospective multicenter study including 300 ambulatory elderly consultants was conducted. ABCDEF appears feasible without major prior training or special equipment by any doctor or caregiver during an assessment in 98% of consultants. His sensitivity to detect frailty, is of 75% and specificity of 64%. The frailty tracking threshold is 3 criteria (6). Its negative predictive value is interesting because it eliminates the hypothesis of frailty in 91% of cases. This tracking tool requires, when abnormal, further geriatric assessment. It provides a standardized and normative approach to describe frailty whose frequency is high in people older than 80 and whose consequences are major.


[Pharmacological studies on leaf of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. I. Combined effect of 50% methanolic extract from Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. (bearberry leaf) and prednisolone on immuno-inflammation].
The effect of 50% methanolic extract (U-ext) from Bearberry leaf on immuno-inflammation was studied by contact dermatitis caused by picryl chloride (PC-CD) in mice. The combined effect of U-ext and prednisolone was also investigated by using similar experimental model. When given orally twice immediately before and 16 h after the application of PC-CD, U-ext did not show an inhibitory effect on the swelling induced by PC-CD while it exhibited a significant therapeutic effect at a dose of 100 mg/kg or more once 24 h after the application. When U-ext (p.o.) and prednisolone (s.c.) in a given portion were simultaneously administered, the inhibitory effect was more potent than that of prednisolone alone in both administration immediately before and 16 h after or once 24 h after the application. Arbutin isolated from U-ext also increased the inhibitory effect of prednisolone similarly to that of U-ext. These results suggest that Bearberry leaf possesses a therapeutic effect against immuno-inflammation induced by PC-CD and also increases the inhibitory effect of prednisolone, and its active principle may be arbutin.


Circulating MicroRNAs predict glycemic improvement and response to a behavioral intervention.
MicroRNAs may be important regulators of risk for type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this longitudinal observational study was to assess whether circulating microRNAs predicted improvements in fasting blood glucose, a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, over 12 months. The study included participants (n = 82) from a previously completed trial that tested the effect of restorative yoga on individuals with prediabetes. Circulating microRNAs were measured using a flow cytometry miRNA assay. Linear models were used to determine the optimal sets of microRNA predictors overall and by intervention group. Subsets of microRNAs were significant predictors of final fasting blood glucose after 12-months (R2 = 0.754, p < 0.001) and changes in fasting blood glucose over 12-months (R2 = 0.731, p < 0.001). Three microRNAs (let-7c, miR-363, miR-374b) were significant for the control group only, however there was no significant interaction by intervention group. Circulating microRNAs are significant predictors of fasting blood glucose in individuals with prediabetes. Among the identified microRNAs, several have previously been associated with risk for type 2 diabetes. This is one of the first studies to use a longitudinal design to assess whether microRNAs predict changes in fasting blood glucose over time. Further exploration of the function of the microRNAs included in these models may provide new insights about the complex etiology of type 2 diabetes and responses to behavioral risk reduction interventions. This study was a secondary analysis of a previously completed clinical trial that is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01024816) on December 3, 2009.


Miltefosine in children with visceral leishmaniasis: a prospective, multicentric, cross-sectional study.
Miltefosine, an alkyl phospholipid has been found effective against visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in adults in various studies. The authors safety, tolerance and efficacy of Miltefosine and compared with available gold standard anti-Ieishmanial drug, Amphotericin B, a parenteral formulation in children with VL. All consecutive children aged 1 yr to 14 yr, presented with fever, splenomegaly and positive LD body in splenic smear examination, admitted in pediatric ward of Nalanda Medical college and Child care center between 1st July 03 to 30th June 05 were taken for study. Patients were randomized into four groups. Group-l and 2 patients were given Miltefosine in dose of 2.5 mg/Kg day o.d. or b.i.d. per orally to a maxiIpum of 100 mg and group 3 and 4 Amphotericin B at a dose of 1 mg/Kg/day (total: 15 mg/Kg). All patients were followed at completion of therapy, 3 months and 6 months for clinical response, splenic size and parasitologically. Out of 125 children, 44 were in group-I, 20 in group-2, 38 in group-3 and 23 in group- 4, 124 patients had parasitological cure with relapse in one patient of group 1 during follow up. One patient in-group II had no response with first course but became parasitologically negative with 2nd course of Miltefosine. In-group I, one patient had persistent splenomegaly and found to have associated portal hypertension. Final cure rate with Miltefosine and Amphotericin B was 93.2%, 95%, 92.1% and 91.3% in-group 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively, which are statistically insignificant. Majority of patients had pancytopenia. Eievated". AL T (>3 times of normal) were seen in 28, 11, 19 and 13 patients of group 1, 2, 3 and group 4 respectively which returned to normal in subsequent follow up. Raised BUN was observed more in patients who got Amphotericin B i.e. 65.42% and 73.91 % in-group 3 and 4 respectively. GI side effects i.e. diarrhea and vomiting were observed in 26 and 23 patients in-group 1 and 2 respectively. Miltefosine is safe, well tolerable, and highly effective and has same efficacy as Amphotericin B in newly diagnosed and SAG resistant children with visceral leishmaniasis.


Use of the radial artery for hemodialysis access.
Under limited conditions, use of the radial artery (RA) for hemodialysis access in patients with end-stage renal disease is safe and effective. The nondominant upper extremities of 211 consecutive patients with end-stage renal disease were evaluated with duplex ultrasonography to assess RA and ulnar artery (UA) flow contributions to their hands. Diameters and peak systolic velocities were measured in each artery, from which peak flows were calculated. Arteries of less than 2.0 mm in diameter were deemed unusable for access procedures or inadequate as the sole supply to the hand. Flow rates within 20% of each other were considered equivalent, and the RA was dominant if its flow exceeded that of the UA by 20%. Radial arteries with peak flow rates of less than 125 mL/min were judged inadequate, and RAs were not used in patients with peak UA flow rates of less than 100 mL/min. The RA flow was equivalent to the UA flow in 56 patients and was dominant in 120. Flow through the RA was adequate in 166 patients, but 41 had insufficient UA flow contributions and 15 had unsatisfactory UA diameters. Overall, 25 patients had inadequate RA diameters, 72 patients had inadequate UA diameters, and 16 patients had insufficient calibers of both vessels. The RA carried sufficient flow to support a shunt or fistula in 78.7% of patients, but it would have been unwise to use it in about one third of those cases because of potentially insufficient perfusion to the hand by the UA. The RA could therefore be safely used in 49.8% of patients with end-stage renal disease evaluated for hemodialysis access.


Micro coulter counters with platinum black electroplated electrodes for human blood cell sensing.
We demonstrated a novel micro Coulter counter featuring platinum-black electrodes for human blood cell counting application. Two designs of micro Coulter counter were fabricated using two distinct technologies: integrated parylene and soft lithography. Platinum-black enhanced detection in the intermediate frequency range ( approximately 100 Hz to 7 MHz), which is the operation frequency suitable for sensing the cells flowing by the electrodes. A detailed theoretical modeling of the sensing mechanism has been performed for the design of the electrodes, and electrical impedance spectra measurements confirmed the theoretical model. The surface morphology and roughness of the platinum black electroplated surface were characterized by SEM and AFM measurements. Polystyrene beads of various sizes were initially used to validate the operation of the devices, and using excitation frequency of 10 kHz, the signal magnitude was found to be correlated with the volume of the individual bead. Human blood cell sensing was successfully demonstrated with diluted whole blood and leukocyte rich plasma under the same excitation frequency. The histogram of impedance magnitude of the cells matched well with volume distributions of erythrocytes and leukocytes measured by conventional counting techniques. Micro Coulter counters have the advantages of small foot-print, low sample volume, and reduced cost of operation. Further development of the devices can lead to the development of a highly-sensitive and high-throughput handheld blood counting system for point-of-care applications.


[Tn5037-a Tn21-like mercury transposon, detected in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans].
The 6645-bp mercury resistance transposon of the chemolithotrophic bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was cloned and sequenced. This transposon, named Tn5037, belongs to the Tn21 branch of the Tn21 subgroup, many members of which have been isolated from clinical sources. Having the minimum set of the genes (merRTPA), the mercury resistance operon of Tn5037 is organized similarly to most of the Gram-negative bacteria mer operons and is closest to that of Thiobacillus 3.2. The operator-promoter region of the mer operon of Tn5037 also has the common (Tn21/Tn501-like) structure. However, its inverted, presumably MerR protein binding repeats in the operator/promoter element are two base pairs shorter than in Tn21/Tn501. In the merA region, this transposon shares 77.4, 79.1, 83.2 and 87.8% identical bases with Tn21, Tn501, T. ferrooxidance E-15, and Thiobacillus 3.2, respectively. No inducibility of the Tn5037 mer operon was detected in the in vivo experiments. The transposition system (terminal repeats plus gene tnpA) of Tn5037 was inactive in Escherichia coli K12, in contrast to its resolution system (res site plus gene tnpR). However, transposition of Tn5037 in this host was provided by the tnpA gene of Tn5036, a member of the Tn21 subgroup. Sequence analysis of the Tn5037 res site suggested its recombinant nature.


A randomized trial of external cephalic version with tocolysis in late pregnancy.
The effect of external version under tocolysis with intravenous ritodrine during the 37th week of gestation was studied in a prospective randomized trial comprising 130 consecutive women with a fetus in breech presentation. Version was successful in 41% of the patients, all of whom had a cephalic vaginal delivery. Of the 56 women in the control group in whom version was not attempted; 8 (14%) converted to the vertex presentation spontaneously. Failure of version was significantly correlated with primiparity, location of the placenta on the anterior uterine wall, and maternal weight. The caesarean section rate was significantly lower in the version group (27%) than in the control group (46%) (P less than 0.05). The overall caesarean section rate for a fetus in breech presentation was 50%. There were no serious complications associated with version and the condition of the infants at birth was better in the version group than in the control group. We advise external version under tocolysis in late pregnancy to reduce the frequency of breech presentation in labour.


Hepatoblastoma: radiologic-pathologic correlation in 50 cases.
Fifty cases of hepatoblastoma were reviewed. Virtually all patients were infants or young children with hepatomegaly or a mass. Calcification seen on 11 of 20 radiographs was often in a pattern of small chunks, and eight of these correlated with osteoid formation in histologically mixed hepatoblastomas. Angiography generally showed tumor vascularity, sometimes with a spoke-wheel pattern. Suggestion of tumor nodularity or lobulation on sonography or computed tomography (CT) correlated with the gross appearance. The tumor was usually echogenic and occasionally had small hypoechoic or anechoic areas representing necrosis or hemorrhage. On CT it was usually hypodense, with minimal if any enhancement. The calcification pattern and demonstration of tumor lobulation with septation may help differentiate hepatoblastoma from other liver neoplasms in infants and children under 5 years of age.


Metabolite profiling of obese individuals before and after a one year weight loss program.
We and others have previously characterized changes in circulating metabolite levels following diet-induced weight loss. Our aim was to investigate whether baseline metabolite levels and weight-loss-induced changes in these are predictive of or associated with changes in body mass index (BMI) and metabolic risk traits. Serum metabolites were analyzed with gas and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in 91 obese individuals at baseline and after participating in a 1 year non-surgical weight loss program.ResultsA total of 137 metabolites were identified and semi-quantified at baseline (BMI 42.7±5.8, mean±s.d.) and at follow-up (BMI 36.3±6.6). Weight-loss-induced modification was observed for levels of 57 metabolites in individuals with ⩾10% weight loss. Lower baseline levels of xylitol was predictive of a greater decrease in BMI (β=0.06, P<0.01) and ⩾10% weight loss (odds ratio (OR)=0.2, confidence interval (CI)=0.07-0.7, P=0.01). Decreases in levels of isoleucine, leucine, valine and tyrosine were associated with decrease in BMI (β>0.1, P<0.05) and ⩾10% weight loss (isoleucine: OR=0.08, CI=0.01-0.3, leucine: OR=0.1, CI=0.01-0.6, valine: OR=0.1, CI=0.02-0.5, tyrosine: OR=0.1, CI=0.03-0.6, P<0.02). Diet-induced weight loss leads to mainly reduced levels of metabolites that are elevated in obese insulin resistant individuals. We identified multiple new associations with metabolic risk factors and validated several previous findings related to weight loss-mediated metabolite changes. Levels of specific metabolites, such as xylitol, may be predictive of the response to non-surgical weight loss already at baseline.


A retrospective analysis of serological & molecular testing data on dengue fever in Kolkata & adjacent districts during 2016-2019.
Regional Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory established at ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) regularly receives samples for dengue screening and serotyping from patients of acute febrile illness (AFI) from Kolkata and adjacent districts. In this study, data over a three year period (August 2016-July 2019) was retrospectively analyzed to provide insight into the epidemiological trends of dengue fever in this region. Serological screening of dengue was performed by detection of NS1 antigen and/or immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody. Dengue serotyping was done by conventional or real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR. The data were analyzed to describe the distribution of dengue with respect to age of patient, duration of fever on the day of blood collection and month of the year. Zip codes were used for spatial plotting. Out of the 24,474 samples received from Kolkata and its adjacent districts (Hooghly, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas), 38.3 per cent (95% confidence interval: 37.7-38.9%) samples were screened positive for dengue. The correlation between age and dengue positivity was found to be weak. A combination of dengue NS1 antigen and dengue IgM antibody detection may be a better option for detecting dengue positivity compared to a single test. Most AFI cases were tested from August to November during the study period, with maximum dengue positivity noted during September (45.9%). The predominant serotype of 2016, dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1), was almost entirely replaced by DENV-2 in 2017 and 2018. Dengue continues to be an important cause of AFI in the region and round-the-year preventive measures are required for its control. Serotype switching is alarming and should be monitored routinely.


Graphene-enhanced environmentally-benign cutting fluids for high-performance micro-machining applications.
A canola-based cutting oil enhanced with graphene platelet (GPL) additives has been developed to fulfill the need for environmentally benign cutting oils for high performance micro-machining applications. Carboxyl-functionalized graphene platelets are used to enable stable GPL dispersion in the polar oil. Three oil formulations consisting of 0.05%, 0.10% and 0.15% GPL by weight are tested. The GPL-laden canola oil is first characterized based on its kinematic viscosity, thermal conductivity and coefficient of friction. Micro-turning tests are then performed to study the effect of GPL loading on the cutting temperature, cutting force, and the surface finish of the part. All tested loadings improve the cooling and lubricating properties of the canola oil. For cooling, this improvement is seen to increase with GPL loading. In the case of lubrication, there appears to be an optimal loading of around 0.10%. The presence of GPL also leads to a decrease in the surface roughness of the micro-machined surface but this improvement drops with increased GPL loading.


[Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with jejunum localisation, unusual source of digestive bleeding. Considerations about two cases].
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are those gastrointestinal tumors , which expression antigens for CD 117 and CD 34. GIST arise from c - kit gene mutation through inadequate function of KIT enzyme (thyroxine kinase). However, the name is gastrointestinal stromal tumor, their localisation maybe under esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small bowel or colorectal.. CT scanning shows tumoral mass with nonspecific affiliation thanks to this development extraluminal and exophytic. Digestive hemorrhage, through GIST with small bowel localisation was called "obscure" because of impossibility to detect preoperative a bleeding source. We present, two cases of hemorrhage through GIST with jejunal localisation, male 70 years old with 10 cm tumor, discovered through CT scanning such as tumoral mass in left hypochondrium and female 55 years old, with 3 m tumor, discovered through emergency laparotomy for severe digestive bleeding. Also, it is discussed the possibility of intraoperative diagnosis, criterion to appreciate benign and malign features of the tumors and to determine their mitotic index for the supervision of these two cases.


Prolonged isobaric relaxation time in small mesenteric arteries of the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
Prolonged isometric relaxation in hypertensive aortic and caudal arterial smooth muscle has been demonstrated; however, isobaric relaxation in resistance arteries is more pertinent to studies in hypertension. A comparative study of mesenteric arterial isobaric relaxation times was made using spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), and MK-421 treated SHR (treatment commenced at 8 weeks of age and was maintained until sacrifice). Relaxation rates of vessels constricting against a range of pressures and achieving different degrees of narrowing or changes in circumference were analyzed. Comparisons were made between SHR, WKY, and MK-421 treated SHR arteries that had constricted from the same initial circumference and against the same magnitude of pressure. The SHR mesenteric arteries relaxed at a slower rate than did the WKY vessels. The normotensive MK-421 treated SHR showed the same prolonged relaxation rate as did the untreated SHR preparations. Thus the slower rate of relaxation in SHR arteries does not appear to be a consequence of the hypertension. Such prolonged time for narrowing would function to increase the average peripheral resistance and thus may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of increased blood pressure.


Understanding the contribution of biofilm in an integrated fixed-film-activated sludge system (IFAS) designed for nitrogen removal.
The objective of this study is to improve knowledge on the integrated fixed-film-activated sludge (IFAS) system designed for nitrogen removal. Biofilm growth and its contribution to nitrification were monitored under various operating conditions in a semi-industrial pilot-scale plant. Nitrification rates were observed in biofilms developed on free-floating media and in activated sludge operated under a low sludge retention time (4 days) and at an ammonia loading rate of 45-70 gNH4-N/kgMLVSS/d. Operational conditions, i.e. oxygen concentration, redox potential, suspended solids concentration, ammonium and nitrates, were monitored continuously in the reactors. High removal efficiencies were observed for carbon and ammonium at high-loading rate. The contribution of biofilm to nitrification was determined as 40-70% of total NOx-N production under the operating conditions tested. Optimal conditions to optimize process compacity were determined. The tested configuration responds especially well to winter and summer nitrification conditions. These results help provide a deeper understanding of how autotrophic biomass evolves through environmental and operational conditions in IFAS systems.


How Trust in Cancer Information Has Changed in the Era of COVID-19: Patterns by Race and Ethnicity.
COVID-19 emerged during an era of heightened attention to systemic racism and the spread of misinformation. This context may have impacted public trust in health information about chronic diseases like cancer. Here, we examine data from the 2018 and 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (N = 7,369) to describe how trust in cancer information from government health agencies, doctors, family and friends, charitable organizations, and religious organizations changed after COVID-19 became a pandemic, and whether that change varied by race/ethnicity. Statistical methods included chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression modeling. Overall, the proportion of respondents who reported a high degree of trust in cancer information from doctors increased (73.65% vs. 77.34%, p = .04). Trends for trust in information from government health agencies and family and friends varied significantly by race/ethnicity, with substantial declines observed among non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) only. The odds of reporting a high degree of trust in cancer information from government health agencies and friends and family decreased by 53% (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.24-0.93) and 73% (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.09-0.82), respectively, among NHB, but were stable for other groups. Future studies should monitor whether recent declines in trust among NHB persist and unfavorably impact participation in preventive care.


PKCδ promotes fertilization of mouse embryos in early development via the Cdc25B signaling pathway.
Protein kinase C type δ (PKCδ) is involved in B-cell signaling and the regulation of growth, apoptosis and differentiation of a variety of cell types. Cell division cycle 25 (Cdc25) is a key mediator of cell cycle progression that activates cyclin-dependent kinase complexes that drive the cell cycle and participates in the regulation of DNA damage checkpoints. Cdc25B is a member of the Cdc25 family of phosphatases. The present study investigated the role and mechanism of PKCδ in regulating the fertilization of mouse embryos in early development. The expression and subcellular localization of PKCδ and Cdc25B were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and immunofluorescence in one-cell stage mouse embryos. Specific small interfering RNAs targeting PKCδ were used to knockdown the expression of PKCδ. Subsequently, Scansite software was used to predict the target of phosphorylated Cdc25B. Western blotting was used to measure the effects of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in one-cell stage mouse embryos at different cell cycle phases. PKCδ was expressed during M phase and served a positive role in one-cell stage mouse embryos. Immunofluorescence data revealed that PKCδ and Cdc25B were expressed during G1, S, G2 and M phases of the cell cycle. Furthermore, phosphorylated levels of Cdc25B-Ser96 were observed during G2 and M phases. Microinjection with mimics of phosphorylated Cdc25B-Ser96 mRNA promoted the development of one-cell stage mouse embryos. When PKCδ was suppressed, microinjection with mimics of phosphorylated Cdc25B-Ser96 mRNA reversed the inhibition of PKCδ. To conclude, PKCδ serves a positive role in the first cell cycle of mouse embryos by phosphorylating Cdc25B-Ser96, and provides novel insights for the regulation of early embryonic development.


Markets and public programs: insights from Oregon and Tennessee.
Medicaid is the major national program promoting access to care for low-income populations, but the program also is a federal-state partnership. With costs rising and universal access still a remote objective, many states have turned to market-based strategies involving managed care, with the goals of generating savings for the state, improving access for Medicaid beneficiaries, and sometimes expanding coverage to those who were previously uninsured. Yet Medicaid is a complex social insurance system that over time has been used to finance a variety of needs, often using cross-subsidies. In addition, states vary in both the scope of their Medicaid programs and the sophistication of the skills and resources they can bring to bear in shaping them. Understanding how these influence the ability to implement market-based strategies in Medicaid and what the effects of these strategies appear to be is of crucial importance because most states now include some features of this approach in their programs.


A combined global and local approach to elucidate spatial organization of the Mycobacterial ParB-parS partition assembly.
Combining diverse sets of data at global (size, shape) and local (residue) scales is an emerging trend for elucidating the organization and function of the cellular assemblies. We used such a strategy, combining data from X-ray and neutron scattering with H/D-contrast variation and X-ray footprinting with mass spectrometry, to elucidate the spatial organization of the ParB-parS assembly from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The ParB-parS participates in plasmid and chromosome segregation and condensation in predivisional bacterial cells. ParB polymerizes around the parS centromere(s) to form a higher-order assembly that serves to recruit cyto-skeletal ParA ATPases and SMC proteins for chromosome segregation. A hybrid model of the ParB-parS was built by combining and correlating computational models with experiment-derived information about size, shape, position of the symmetry axis within the shape, internal topology, DNA-protein interface, exposed surface patches, and prior knowledge. This first view of the ParB-parS leads us to propose how ParB spread on the chromosome to form a larger assembly.


Low-grade inflammation causes gap junction-coupled cell dysfunction throughout the body, which can lead to the spread of systemic inflammation.
Gap junction-coupled cells form networks in different organs in the body. These networks can be affected by inflammatory stimuli and become dysregulated. Cell signaling is also changed through connexin-linked gap junctions. This alteration affects the surrounding cells and extracellular matrix in organs. These changes can cause the spread of inflammatory substances, thus affecting other network-linked cells in other organs in the body, which can give rise to systemic inflammation, which in turn can lead to pain that can turn into chronic. This is a review based on literature search and our own research data of inflammatory stimuli that can affect different organs and particularly gap-junction-coupled cells throughout the body. A remaining question is which cell type or tissue is first affected by inflammatory stimuli. Can endotoxin exposure through the air, water and body start the process and are mast cells the first target cells that have the capacity to alter the physiological status of gap junction-coupled cells, thereby causing breakdown of different barrier systems? Is it possible to address the right cellular and biochemical parameters and restore inflammatory systems to a normal physiological level by therapeutic strategies?


Effect of spices formulations on the physicochemical and sensory properties of Nnam gon, a Cameroonian dish prepared with cucurbitaceae seeds.
Nnam gon, a cake made by steam cooking a mixture of Cucurbitaceae seeds paste and others ingredients specially spices, is a highly prized dish in Central African region. A preliminary investigation conducted as part of this study highlighted that formulations used in the processing of Nnam gon vary according to the spices used. This study was carried out to determine the best formulation for the preparation of this dish. For this purpose, Nnam gon samples were produced from four formulations which differ according to the number of spices used: F0 (no spices); F1 (0.91 g of Allium cepa paste); F2 (0.88 g of A. cepa paste, 0.35 g of Allium sativum paste, 0.41 g of fresh Officinale zingiber paste, 0.41 g of fresh Petroselinum crispum paste, 0.33 g of Monodora myristica, 0.48 g of fresh Celery graveolens paste, 1.19 g of fresh Allium porrum paste, 0.13 g of Allium lepidophyllus powder, and 0.13 g of Piper nigrum), and F3 (0.90 g of A. cepa paste, 0.35 g of A. sativum paste, and 0.42 g of fresh O. zingiber paste). The samples were evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics and sensory profile (Quantitative Descriptive Analysis). The results revealed that proteins (16.56-17.38%), carbohydrates (4.71-5.10%), lipids (23.14-24.25%), ash (4.03-5.92%), and fibers (2.17-2.68%) increased significantly (p < .05) with spices adding. The increase in polyphenols (310.55-592.80 mg/100 g FM) and phytates (2.23-12.49 mg/100 g FM) contents was positively correlated with antioxidant properties of Nnam gon which also increased with spices adding. Significant differences were observed between the samples for all attributes generated (appearance, odor, taste, flavor, texture, and oral texture). Spices adding induced a decrease in hardness, cohesivity, elasticity, and granulous of cake but enhanced oily. Nnam gon produced with spicy formulation (F2 and F3) had higher mean score for general acceptance which was highly correlated (p < .05) with spice odor (r = .99), spice taste (r = .92), and color (r = .84). From this study, it is suggested that spicy Cucurbitaceae paste could improve nutritional value, antioxidant properties, and general acceptance of Nnam gon.


Epitope Addition and Ablation via Manipulation of a Dengue Virus Serotype 1 Infectious Clone.
Despite the clinical relevance, dengue virus (DENV) research has been hampered by the absence of robust reverse genetic systems to manipulate the viral serotypes for propagation and generation of mutant viruses. In this article, we describe application of an infectious clone system for DENV serotype 1 (DENV1). Similar to previous clones in both flaviviruses and coronaviruses, the approach constructs a panel of contiguous cDNAs that span the DENV genome and can be systematically and directionally assembled to produce viable, full-length viruses. Comparison of the virus derived from the infectious clone with the original viral isolate reveals identical sequence, comparable endpoint titers, and similar focus staining. Both focus-forming assays and percent infection by flow cytometry revealed overlapping replication levels in two different cell types. Moreover, serotype-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) bound similarly to infectious clone and the natural isolate. Using the clone, we were able to insert a DENV4 type-specific epitope recognized by primate MAb 5H2 into envelope (E) protein domain I (EDI) of DENV1 and recover a viable chimeric recombinant virus. The recombinant DENV1 virus was recognized and neutralized by the DENV4 type-specific 5H2 MAb. The introduction of the 5H2 epitope ablated two epitopes on DENV1 EDI recognized by human MAbs (1F4 and 14C10) that strongly neutralize DENV1. Together, the work demonstrates the utility of the infectious clone and provides a resource to rapidly manipulate the DENV1 serotype for generation of recombinant and mutant viruses. IMPORTANCE Dengue viruses (DENVs) are significant mosquito-transmitted pathogens that cause widespread infection and can lead to severe infection and complications. Here we further characterize a novel and robust DENV serotype 1 (DENV1) infectious clone system that can be used to support basic and applied research. We demonstrate how the system can be used to probe the antigenic relationships between strains by creating viable recombinant viruses that display or lack major antibody epitopes. The DENV1 clone system and recombinant viruses can be used to analyze existing vaccine immune responses and inform second-generation bivalent vaccine designs.


University student musician noise-dosage study measuring both ensemble and full-day noise exposure.
A risk factor shared by all musicians is a potential for noise-induced hearing loss. A study was conducted to explore what factors determine noise dosage during musical events experienced by college student musicians. First, noise exposure during specific activities was explored, including during ensemble rehearsal and personal practice. Next, full-day noise exposure was investigated by measuring levels experienced by student musicians during a typical daily routine. Factors such as instrument played, type of activity, location within ensemble, and room environment were related to noise dosage. Disparities in results using different standards to calculate noise dosage were also explored. Risk of noise overexposure was found to be greater in some instrument classes, such as wind instruments, than in others, such as string instruments, and can yield vastly different results depending on the metric used for noise dosage calculation.


Effect of stimulation frequency on immediate freezing of gait in newly activated STN DBS in Parkinson's disease.
Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) may develop freezing of gait (FOG) with chronic deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) at the commonly used frequency of 130 Hz and FOG can be ameliorated by 60 Hz stimulation in some patients. It is not clear whether the development of FOG is due to the disease progression or the chronic stimulation at this 130 Hz frequency. To investigate the effect of stimulation frequency on immediate FOG in newly activated STN DBS patient with PD and determine if stimulation frequency alone could affect the FOG. Two cases of PD who developed FOG immediately upon activation of the newly placed STN DBS were studied for the effect of stimulation frequency on FOG in both `off' and `on' medication status. Both patients developed severe FOG with the commonly used 130 Hz stimulation. Switching the frequency to 60 Hz immediately alleviated the FOG, without change in contacts, voltages and pulse widths. This frequency effect on FOG was present in both `off' and `on' statuses and remained effective during the 10-month follow-up period. These two cases demonstrate that lower frequency stimulation of 60 Hz could improve FOG, while the commonly used 130 Hz stimulation could cause FOG or make it worse. In addition, the beneficial effect of low frequency DBS was additive to dopaminergic medication effect and included other axial symptoms.


Physical activity patterns and associations with health-related quality of life in bladder cancer survivors.
Physical activity has been shown to significantly improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and survivorship in a variety of patients with cancer . However, little is known about the physical activity patterns of bladder cancer survivors and how these are related to HRQOL in the United States. Our objective was to describe self-reported physical activity patterns and HRQOL and examine the association between these measures in a large cohort of bladder cancer survivors. In this cross-sectional study, long-term bladder cancer survivors identified through an institutional database were mailed a survey that included the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Bladder Cancer (FACT-BL) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Associations between HRQOL, as assessed by the FACT-BL, and physical activity, as assessed by the IPAQ, were examined by stratified analyses of HRQOL by different levels of physical activity, proportional odds ordinal logistic regression models, and local polynomial regression models. A total of 472 subjects (49% response rate) completed the survey. The mean age was 74 years; 81% were male and 87% were white. The median total weekly physical activity was 2,794 MET-min. Subjects reporting "high" physical activity had a median FACT-BL score of 129 compared with 119 among those reporting "low" physical activity, a statistically and clinically significant difference. Similarly, subjects reporting "high" physical activity had a 2.2-fold increased odds of reporting higher global HRQOL compared with subjects reporting "low" physical activity. This large cohort of bladder cancer survivors reported high levels of physical activity. Physical activity was positively associated with HRQOL. Further studies investigating the causal relationship between physical activity and HRQOL in the posttreatment setting in bladder cancer survivors are warranted.


Management of aortopulmonary collateral arteries in Fontan patients: occlusion improves clinical outcome.
Children with chronic cyanotic heart disease often develop systemic-to-pulmonary artery collateral vessels that can be deleterious at the time of a Fontan procedure because of excessive pulmonary blood flow with resultant ventricular volume overload. We therefore occlude all significant collateral arteries during preoperative cardiac catheterization. From June 1993 to September 2001, 137 children ranging from 1.5 to 18.3 years old (median, 2.4 years), underwent a fenestrated lateral tunnel Fontan procedure. Of these, 130 (95%) had a previous bidirectional Glenn anastomosis, including 43 (31%) with a Norwood procedure. Preoperatively, 52 children (38%) required occlusion of collateral vessels. Two of five perioperative deaths (operative survival, 96%) resulted from excessive pulmonary blood flow; one from unrecognized collateral arteries and one from uncontrollable collateral arteries. Postoperatively, 29 children (22%) required coil occlusion of collateral vessels for elevated pulmonary artery pressures, heart failure, or prolonged chest tube drainage. At follow-up of 1.5 months to 8.3 years (mean, 4.1 years), there have been four late deaths (two from pneumonia, two secondary to heart failure); nine patients underwent cardiac transplantation for refractory heart failure. Ten of 11 patients with ventricular failure required occlusion of significant collateral vessels postoperatively. Hemodynamically significant collateral arteries are common in Fontan candidates. Aggressive control can result in good early and medium-term survival. After the Fontan operation, the presence of significant collateral vessels may be a marker for eventual cardiac failure; 11 of the 29 patients who required postoperative coil placement went on to transplantation or died of heart failure.


Use of recombinant activated factor VII for bleeding following resection of mediastinal angiosarcoma.
Sarcomatous lesions of the mediastinum usually present as aggressive and multicentre masses often attached to adjoining structures including heart and lungs. A forty one year male diagnosed with sarcomatous lesion in mediastinum presented for biopsy through midsternotomy later confirmed as angiosarcoma on histopathology. Patient bled excessively after surgery and required reopening of the chest. However, bleeding could not be controlled with reopening, blood products and packing of the mediastinal cavity. Bleeding could only be controlled by using recombinant activated factor VII as rescue therapy without any adverse effects.


[Successful Treatment of Repeated Bilateral Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion by Performing Mechanical Thrombectomy in a Patient with Trousseau Syndrome].
We report a patient with Trousseau syndrome who presented with repeated acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, which was successfully treated by performing mechanical thrombectomy. A 66-year-old man with a lung lesion and abdominal lymph node swelling experienced a sudden onset of left hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) revealed a right MCA occlusion. Perfusion-weighted imaging revealed reduced cerebral blood flow in the right MCA territory. Complete recanalization of the occluded vessel was achieved by performing mechanical thrombectomy, and his symptoms remarkably disappeared. Twenty days after the procedure, he experienced right hemiparesis and total aphasia. MRA revealed a left MCA occlusion, which was located on the contralateral side of the first occlusion. The second mechanical thrombectomy was successfully performed, and complete recanalization was successfully achieved. Right hemiparesis improved after the procedure. Histological examination of the retrieved clots revealed coagulated fibrin and platelets. Cytodiagnosis of pleural effusion revealed adenocarcinoma, and he was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma and cancerous pleurisy. Trousseau syndrome was the presumed primary cause of the patient's tendency for thrombogenesis. To the best of our knowledge, there were no reports regarding the repeated use of mechanical thrombectomy for patients with bilateral MCA occlusion caused by Trousseau syndrome. Neuroendovascular therapy can offer good neurological outcomes even in patients with malignant lesions.


Rapid climate change: scientific challenges and the new NERC programme.
In this paper the scientific challenges of observing, modelling, understanding and predicting rapid changes in climate are discussed, with a specific focus on the role of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation. The palaeo and present-day observational and modelling studies being carried out to meet these challenges, under the aegis of a new NERC Rapid Climate Change thematic programme (RAPID), are outlined. In particular, the paper describes the work being done to monitor changes in the meridional overturning circulation of the North Atlantic. The paper concludes with some speculative comments about potential mechanisms for rapid changes.


Analysis and outcomes of right lobe hepatectomy in 101 consecutive living donors.
The shortage of deceased organ donors has created a need for right lobe living donor liver transplantation (RLDLT) in adults. Concerns regarding donor safety, however, necessitate continuous assessment of donor acceptance criteria and documentation of donor morbidity. We report the outcomes of our first 101 donors who underwent right lobectomy between April 2000 and November 2004. The cohort comprised 58 men and 43 women with a median age of 37.8 years (range: 18.6-55 years); median follow-up is 24 months. The middle hepatic vein (MHV) was taken with the graft in 55 donors. All complications were recorded prospectively and stratified by grade according to Clavien's classification. Overall morbidity rate was 37%; all complications were either grade 1 or 2, and the majority occurred during the first 30 days after surgery. Removal of the MHV did not affect morbidity rate. There were significantly fewer complications in the later half of our experience. All donors are well and have returned to full activities. With careful donor selection and specialized patient care, low morbidity rates can be achieved after right hepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation.


Harvesting Light To Produce Heat: Photothermal Nanoparticles for Technological Applications and Biomedical Devices.
The photothermal properties of nanoparticles (NPs), that is, their ability to convert absorbed light into heat, have been studied since the end of the last century, mainly on gold NPs. In the new millennium, these studies have developed into a burst of research dedicated to the photothermal ablation of tumors. However, beside this strictly medical theme, research has also flourished in the connected areas of photothermal antibacterial surface coatings, gels and polymers, of photothermal surfaces for cell stimulation, as well as in purely technological areas that do not involve medical biotechnology. These include the direct conversion of solar light into heat, a more efficient sun-powered generation of steam and the use of inkjet-printed patterns of photothermal NPs for anticounterfeit printing based on temperature reading, to cite but a few. After an analysis of the photothermal effect (PTE) and its mechanism, this minireview briefly considers the antitumor-therapy theme and takes an in-depth look at all the other technological and biomedical applications of the PTE, paying particular attention to photothermal materials whose NPs have joined those based on Au.


Atg7 Deficiency Intensifies Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptosis in Pseudomonas Sepsis.
Sepsis is a severe and complicated syndrome that is characterized by dysregulation of host inflammatory responses and organ failure, with high morbidity and mortality. The literature implies that autophagy is a crucial regulator of inflammation in sepsis. In this article, we report that autophagy-related protein 7 (Atg7) is involved in inflammasome activation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa abdominal infection. Following i.p. challenge with P. aeruginosa, atg7fl/fl mice showed impaired pathogen clearance, decreased survival, and widespread dissemination of bacteria into the blood and lung tissue compared with wild-type mice. The septic atg7fl/fl mice also exhibited elevated neutrophil infiltration and severe lung injury. Loss of Atg7 resulted in increased production of IL-1β and pyroptosis, consistent with enhanced inflammasome activation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that P. aeruginosa flagellin is a chief trigger of inflammasome activation in the sepsis model. Collectively, our results provide insight into innate immunity and inflammasome activation in sepsis.