Effects of concurrent task demands on language planning in fluent children and adults.
The aim of the present study was to investigate how children and adults allocate cognitive resources to performing segmental encoding and monitoring in a dual task paradigm and the response patterns of the primary and secondary tasks in the dual task. Participants were 20 children divided equally into two age groups-7 to 11 years, 12 to 15 years, and 10 adults. The primary task required participants to monitor phonemic segments in a picture - written word interference paradigm while silently naming the pictures. The picture and distractor word were the same (replica), related (phoneme onset overlap), or unrelated. The secondary task required participants to make pitch judgments on tones presented at short (330 ms) or long (1130 ms) stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) from picture onset. Developmental differences were observed in both response times and percent errors in the primary and secondary tasks. Slower responses to the primary task were evident at the long SOA, related condition. Slower response times to the tone decision task were evident at the short than the long SOA. The findings support the capacity sharing account of dual task performance and suggest that dual task costs during language planning are higher in children than adults.


Interplay between Reactive oxygen Species and MicroRNAs in Cancer.
Since both reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and microRNAs expression signature have been associated with tumor development, progression, metastasis and therapeutic response, it is important to understand the crosstalk between ROS and microRNAs. Indeed, growing evidence suggests a reciprocal connection between ROS signaling and microRNAs pathway, resulting in diverse biological effects in cancer cells. In this mini review, we discussed the ROS-responsive microRNAs that have implications in cancer and the possible mechanisms in which ROS regulate microRNAs. We also highlighted the microRNAs which are able to modify cellular ROS homeostasis during tumorigenesis, their biological targets and subsequent functions. As the use of antioxidants is limited due to the diverse or even opposing roles of ROS signaling in cancer, the discovery of ROS-responsive microRNAs provides a potential new strategy to specifically overcome ROS-mediated tumor progression or benefit from ROS-induced apoptosis.


Mother-to-child HIV type 1 transmission in Argentina: BF recombinants have predominated in infected children since the mid-1980s.
The molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 in Argentina is more complex than was previously appreciated. One circulating recombinant form, CRF12_BF, and many related BF recombinant forms predominate in the capital city, Buenos Aires. This study of HIV-1 subtypes acquired perinatally between 1984 and 2000 has permitted, for the first time, a reconstruction of the history of BF recombination in Argentina. Sequencing of a partial genome region from the beginning of vpu to the beginning of env(gp120), which spans a breakpoint common in most contemporary Argentine BF recombinants, enabled samples to be rapidly screened. Among 23 children born between 1984 and 2000, 15 including 1 child born in 1986, harbored a BF recombinant. Thirteen of the 15 recombinants shared a common breakpoint at the 5' end of env(gp120). Full genome sequencing of two viruses, from 1986 and 1987, respectively, revealed them to be genetically related but not identical to CRF12_BF. Both contained more subtype B sequence than did CRF12_BF. BF recombinants related to CRF12_BF have been in circulation in Buenos Aires since 1986 and continue to predominate in perinatal transmissions.


Oral airway insertion tolerance: a study comparing thiopental and propofol.
An oral airway frequently is utilized in maintaining a patent airway. However, a patient must be able to tolerate such an aid. This study suggests that propofol induction is superior to thiopental (Pentothol) induction in this regard, because it allows for prompt and earlier airway insertion. Propofol, a phenol derivative, is an ultra-short-acting intravenous and maintenance agent. It features a rapid onset, short duration of action and rapid distribution and elimination, allowing patients to make a quick recovery. One-hundred fifty-two patients were studied in comparing propofol induction with pentothol induction. Oral airway insertion was attempted in all patients, and tolerance was evaluated. There was a statistically significant difference between thiopental induction and propofol induction in the non-smoking groups, showing that propofol induction was superior. In the smoking groups, no statistically significant differences were noted. Manifestations of airway irritability occurred in both groups. However, laryngospasms and respiratory distress occurred only in the pentothol group, with one of these patients requiring intubation. Patients who have irritable and/or difficult airways may benefit from oral airway insertion that is preceded by propofol induction.


Race/ethnicity, sexual partnerships with men involved with drugs, and sexually transmitted infections among a sample of urban young adult women.
In many urban neighbourhoods in the United States, drug markets borne from disadvantage have produced risk for sexually transmitted infections through altered sexual norms and partnerships. Presently, we examined the association of race, sexual partnerships with men involved with drugs, and self-reported sexually transmitted infections among 240 African American and white women aged 18-30 years. Thirty seven per cent reported ever having a sexually transmitted infection. Almost 30% of Whites reported sex with a drug user, compared to 5% of African Americans. Fifty eight per cent of African Americans compared to 31% of Whites reported sex with a drug dealer. On Step 1 of a sequential logistic regression model, race was associated with lifetime sexually transmitted infections (OR = 4.7, 95% CI = 2.61-8.34). Results from the full sequential logistic regression model indicated a significant, but smaller association of race and lifetime sexually transmitted infections (Adjusted OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.78-7.02) and an association of sex with a drug dealer and lifetime sexually transmitted infections (Adjusted OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.55-5.20). Forming sexual partnerships with drug dealers may place women at increased risk for sexually transmitted infections and explain racial disparities. More research focused on drug dealers as core transmitters is needed.


Obesity treatment: examining the premises.
Five basic premises underlie the recommendation that obese persons should lose weight: (1) obesity is physically unhealthy; (2) in obese persons, weight loss improves physical health; (3) long-term weight loss is possible; (4) the benefits of weight loss exceed the costs; and (5) weight loss is superior to or can add incrementally to the effects of alternative methods of improving the health and happiness of obese persons. Although the data are occasionally ambiguous, they generally support these premises. Obesity apparently causes increased morbidity and decreased longevity, even after controlling for many plausible confounding factors. Clinical studies consistently show that weight loss reduces morbidity. No adequate data exist on which to evaluate the effects of weight loss on mortality among obese persons. Additional data are needed, but long-term weight loss seems possible, although such losses remain difficult to maintain. A crude estimate is that about 20% of obese persons who attempt to lose weight can achieve and maintain a clinically meaningful weight loss. The short-term health and psychologic costs of gradual weight loss are minor, manageable, and easily surpassed by the short-term health and psychologic benefits. Long-term effects of weight loss on mortality are difficult to judge, and further research is needed. Weight loss can add incrementally to the effects of alternative methods to improve health and happiness among obese persons. Thus, these "alternatives" are better termed "complementary approaches," and their use need not preclude attempts at weight loss. Finally, we provide several guidelines to help practitioners assist obese persons in making reasonable informed decisions about weight loss.


z→-z symmetry of spin-orbit coupling and weak localization in graphene.
We show that the influence of spin-orbit (SO) coupling on the weak-localization effect for electrons in graphene depends on the lack or presence of z→-z symmetry in the system. While, for z→-z asymmetric SO coupling, disordered graphene should display a weak antilocalization behavior at lowest temperature, z→-z symmetric coupling leads to an effective saturation of decoherence time which can be partially lifted by an in-plane magnetic field, thus tending to restore the weak-localization effect.


[Treatment of Hodgkin's disease with bulky mediastinal involvement. Study of 28 cases].
Bulky mediastinal involvement in Hodgkin disease (HD) is usually considered an adverse prognostic factor. Patients treated with radiotherapy alone (RT) or chemotherapy alone (CT) have a high relapse rate. The combined chemotherapy plus radiotherapy is the therapy of choice. The objective of the present study was to report our results and complications in the treatment of 28 patients with HD with bulky mediastinal involvement. A retrospective analysis was made of a series of 28 patients with bulky mediastinal disease treated in our hospital from 1973-1993, with RT, CT or combined therapy. The overall survival rate and free of disease, the presence of residual mass, as well as therapy toxicity were studied. The overall remission rate was 85.7%. The overall survival rates and free of disease were 76% and 78% at 19 years. Five patients died due to progression of disease, and one due to pulmonary toxicity. Neither heart disease nor secondary neoplasms were documented. Our results, in agreement with those reported in literature, support the combined therapy, chemotherapy plus radiotherapy, as the therapy of choice for patients with HD and bulky mediastinal involvement.


A simple extended-cavity diode laser using a precision mirror mount.
We have developed an extended-cavity diode laser (ECDL) with a simple design by using a commercial precision mirror mount with minor modifications. Our design allows tuning of the external cavity configuration by tweaking the volume holographic grating without troublesome changes in the beam path of the laser output. The mode-hop-free tuning range of the presented ECDL is about 8 GHz with a linewidth of 475 kHz.


Prevalence of vitamin and iron deficiencies at cancer diagnosis at two pediatric oncology units in South Africa.
This study investigates the prevalence of vitamin and iron deficiencies at cancer diagnosis. Newly diagnosed children between October 2018 and December 2020 at two South African pediatric oncology units (POUs) were assessed for nutritional and micronutrient status (Vit A, Vit B12, Vit D, folate, and iron). A structured interview with caregivers provided information regarding hunger and poverty risks. There were 261 patients enrolled with a median age of 5.5 years and a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8. Nearly half had iron deficiency (47.6%), while a third had either Vit A (30.6%), Vit D (32.6%), or folate (29.7%) deficiencies. Significant associations existed between moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and low levels of Vit A (48.4%; p = .005), Vit B12 (29.6%; p < .001), and folate (47.3%; p = .003), while Vit D deficiency was associated with wasting (63.6%) (p < .001). Males had significantly lower Vit D levels (respectively, 40.9%; p = .004). Folate deficiency was significantly associated with patients born at full term (33.5%; p = .017), age older than five years (39.8%; p = .002), residing in provinces Mpumalanga (40.9%) and Gauteng (31.5%) (P = .032); as well as having food insecurity (46.3%; p < .001), or hematological malignancies (41.3%; p = .004). This study documents the high prevalence of Vit A, Vit D, Vit B12, folate, and iron deficiency in South African pediatric cancer patients, demonstrating the need to include micronutrient assessment at diagnosis to ensure optimal nutritional support for macro-and micronutrients.


The production of direct object clitics in pre-school- and primary school-aged children with specific language impairments.
Third-person direct object (DO) clitic pronoun production is examined through an elicited production method in pre-school- and primary school-aged groups of Italian children with specific language impairment (SLI) to establish whether there is an improvement from age 5 years to age 7 years and whether there are qualitative differences in the two groups' responses. It was found that 5- and 7-year-old Italian children with SLI produce fewer third-person DO clitics than same-age peers. The kind of responses they provide changes: at 5 years, children with SLI tend to omit clitics, while at 7 years, they use a full noun. Production of third-person DO clitics is a persistent challenge for children with SLI and is confirmed to be a good clinical marker both at 5 and 7 years of age.


Do magnetic resonance imaging features differ between persons with multiple sclerosis of various races and ethnicities?
Those of African American or Latin American descent have been demonstrated to have more severe clinical presentations of multiple sclerosis (MS) than non-Latin American White people with MS. Concurrently, radiological burden of disease on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in African Americans with MS has also been described as being more aggressive. Here, we review MRI studies in diverse racial and ethnic groups (adult and pediatric) investigating lesion burden, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and imaging response to disease modifying therapy. We also discuss why such disparities may exist beyond biology, and how future studies may provide greater insights into underlying differences.


[Bispectral index monitoring in fast track pediatric cardiac surgery].
We evaluated the changes in the bispectral index (BIS) as a potential indicator of level of consciousness in infants and children undergoing fast track cardiac surgery. Twenty-one children undergoing fast track cardiac surgery were recruited into this study. Anesthesia was maintained with inhaled sevoflurane and intravenous fentanyl 10 microg x kg(-1). Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with mild hypothermia and an immediate tracheal extubation protocol were used. BIS was recorded throughout the operation. In average, BIS was kept almost under 70 with 0.5-3.0% of sevoflurane. During rewarming from mild hypothermia, BIS increased temporarily over 70 in about a half of children. We, therefore, treated them by increasing sevoflurane concentration. Nineteen children were extubated in the operating room, and two patients were extubated in ICU within three hours after surgery. BIS was kept within the level of adequate sedation during surgery. However, since the increase in BIS during the rewarming phase could reflect light anesthesia, caution should be taken around this phase.


Efficient supervision strategy for illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste: A networked game theory decision-making model.
While the construction industry has brought substantial economic benefits to society, it has also generated substantial construction and demolition waste (CDW). Illegal dumping, which refers to dumping CDW in an unauthorized non-filling location, has become widespread in many countries and regions. Illegally dumping CDW destroys the environment, causing groundwater pollution and forest fires and causing significant economic impacts. However, there is a lack of research on the decision-making behaviours and logical rules of the main participants, construction contractors and the government in the illegal CDW dumping process. This paper constructs an evolutionary game model on a small-world network considering government supervision to portray the decision-making behaviours of illegal dumping participants and conducts a numerical simulation based on empirical equations to propose an effective supervision strategy for the government to manage illegal CDW dumping efficiently. It is found that the illegal dumping behaviours of contractors are mainly affected by the intensity of government supervision, the cost of fines and the income of illegal dumping; while for government, a supervision strategy is found to be necessary, and a supervision intensity of approximately 0.7 is the optimal supervision probability given supervision efficiency. Notably, under a low-level supervision probability, increasing the penalty alone does not curb illegal dumping, and a certain degree of supervision must be maintained. The results show that in addition to setting fines for illegal dumping, the government must enforce a certain level of supervision and purify the market environment to steadily reduce illegal dumping.


Multifunctional Fe2O3@PPy-PEG nanocomposite for combination cancer therapy with MR imaging.
In recent years, magnetic hyperthermia nanoparticles have drawn great attention for cancer therapy because they have no limitation of tissue penetration during the therapy process. In this study, cubic nanoporous Fe2O3 nanoparticles derived from cubic Prussian blue nanoparticles were used as magnetic cores to generate heat by alternating the current magnetic field (AMF) for killing cancer cells. In addition, polypyrrole (PPy) was coated on the surfaces of the cubic Fe2O3 nanoparticles to load doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). The PEG component was then physically adsorbed onto the surfaces of the nanoparticles, resulting in a Fe2O3@PPy-DOX-PEG nanocomposite. The nanocomposite was triggered by acid stimulus and AMF to release DOX, resulting in a remarkable combination therapeutic effect via chemotherapy and magnetic hyperthermia. Furthermore, the nanocomposite could realize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to the magnetic core structure. The study provides an alternative for the development of new nanocomposites for combination cancer therapy with MR imaging in vivo.


[Estimating family correlation of quantitative traits using generalized estimating equation].
To study the method for measuring familial correlations of quantitative trait and analyzing family data set of body height. Generalized estimating equation 2 (GEE2) was employed to estimating both regression coefficients and the familial correlation. Analyses was carried out on software MAREG. A example from height pedigrees illustrated the method. GEE2 provided robust estimations of regression coefficients and familial correlations simultaneously. In body height the correlations between parents and offspring (r = 0.459) and between siblings (r = 0.671) were significantly higher than those between two parents (r = 0.184) after adjusting gender, residence and birth age. Of the same types of relative pairs, the correlation between pairs with individuals of the same gender (eg. father-son r = 0.603, mother-daughter r = 0.456, male sibling r = 0.947, female sibling r = 0.681) was higher than those individuals of different gender (eg father-daughter r = 0.431, mother-son r = 0.364, sibling with different gender r = 0.530). GEE2 should be considered a standard method for the investigation of familial aggregation due to its flexibility and robustness.


Two-incision Approach for the Open Reduction Internal Fixation of Intra-articular Hamate Body Fractures Using a Cannulated Headless Compression Screw.
Fractures of the hamate are relatively rare and there is a paucity of literature describing their natural history, indications for operative fixation, surgical techniques, and outcomes. Most authors recommend operative fixation of displaced intra-articular coronal hamate body fractures, and a dorsal approach with Kirschner wires has most commonly been recommended to achieve this. In this report, a 2-incision approach to the hamate is presented that facilitates rigid internal fixation of coronal hamate body fractures with a cannulated headless compression screw and minimizes the possibility of iatrogenic injury to critical branches of the ulnar nerve. The authors summarize a series of 2 patients with displaced, intra-articular coronal hamate body fractures of differing severity treated successfully with the proposed approach.


Electroacupuncture promotes insulin-like growth factors system in ovariectomized osteoporosis rats.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis (PMOP) is induced by the deficiency of estrogen in postmenopausal women. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been confirmed to be effective in clinic. We adopted ovariectomized osteoporosis model of rats to observe the role of EA in PMOP. Fifty female SD rats were divided randomly into 5 groups: intact (INT, n = 10), sham operation (Sham, n = 10), model (n = 10), estrogen (E, n = 10) and electroacupuncture (EA, n = 10). The bone mineral content (BMC) and the bone mineral density (BMD) were examined in lumbar(1-6) and right thigh-bone, respectively, and estrodiol (E(2)), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGF-BPs) were tested by RIA or ELISA. The results showed that BMC and BMD of lumbar 1-6 and right thigh-bone in PMOP model rats decreased markedly, while the level of serum E(2), IGF-I and IGF-BP1 were lower than in INT and Sham. However, EA could upgrade the contents of IGF-I and IGF-BP1 to increase BMD in PMOP rats, while no significant difference was seen in E group. Therefore, EA may promote IGF system to improve PMOP.


Defining Physician-Nurse Efforts toward Collaboration as Perceived by Medical Students.
Collaboration between physicians and nurses is essential to healthcare delivery and is associated with high-quality patient care, greater patient satisfaction, and better health outcomes. Hence, it is imperative that doctors and nurses have a particular set of interprofessional collaboration skills. This descriptive cross-sectional study assessed how medical students in the pre-clinical and clinical years perceived attitudes toward collaboration between physicians and nurses in a hospital setting. The Jefferson Scale of Attitude toward Physician-nurse Collaboration (JSAPNC) was reverse-translated into Arabic for the current study. The results showed a total JSAPNC mean score of 46.55, lower than other medical students in other universities. In general, the results of the study showed no significant difference in the total JSAPNC score among medical students when analyzed according to age, clinical exposure, and year level, except in the two factors of JSAPNC: shared education and teamwork (p = 0.038) and caring as opposed to curing (p = 0.043). The findings of this study suggest the necessity of integrating interprofessional education (IPE) across the medical school curriculum because, as future physicians, medical students would be well equipped to treat their patients in partnership with their nursing colleagues.


Is N-acetylglutamate a short-term regulator of urea synthesis?
A method is described for determining N-acetylglutamate as glutamate. N-Acetylglutamate content of hepatocytes from 48 h-starved rats is high. It shows no parallelism with rates of urea synthesis from glutamine. We question its accepted function as a short-term regulator of urea synthesis.


Clinical Applications of Substance P (Neurokinin-1 Receptor) Antagonist in Canine Medicine.
Substance P binds to the Neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors found in the emetic center of the central nervous system (CNS) to induce emesis. Maropitant is a selective NK-1 receptor antagonist that inhibits the binding of substance P to NK-1 receptors and is commonly used to prevent and treat vomiting in dogs. This review study aimed to discuss and analyze the therapeutic potential of substance P (Neurokinin-1 receptor) antagonist with a particular focus on the drug maropitant in canine medicine. A systematic literature review was performed to identify the existing literature on the subject during the past 20 years (2001-2021) using such databases as ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The initial search identified 173 articles; however, 41 articles were selected for further analysis, based on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies have already confirmed the role of substance P and NK-1 receptors in central pain processing, intestinal smooth muscle contraction, vasodilation, and neurogenic inflammation. Maropitant is one of the most effective veterinary antiemetic drugs that work well against peripheral and central stimuli that trigger the vomiting center. It has been already demonstrated that the therapeutic efficacy of maropitant for managing acute vomiting in dogs is associated with pancreatitis, gastritis, and parvoviral enteritis. It can also prevent and treat chemotherapy-induced emesis and delay the signs of nausea and adverse gastrointestinal effects. Regarding the broad-spectrum antiemetic activity of maropitant, it can be recommended for managing uremic vomiting in dogs. In addition, it has also exhibited an anesthetic sparing effect since the dogs treated with maropitant require a slightly lower percentage of isoflurane as an inhalational anesthetic. The NK-1 receptors are also identified in different areas of the pain pathways. Therefore, NK-1 receptor antagonists might be effective for managing visceral pain. However, further studies are required to establish the broad therapeutic potential of NK-1 receptor antagonist drugs, such as maropitant in canine medicine. It has been shown that the pain associated with the subcutaneous administration of maropitant is due to metacresol, a preservative used in some formulations. Therefore, the side effects can be eliminated by developing novel maropitant formulations specifically for dogs.


Bee Community of Commercial Potato Fields in Michigan and Bombus impatiens Visitation to Neonicotinoid-Treated Potato Plants.
We conducted a bee survey in neonicotinoid-treated commercial potato fields using bowl and vane traps in the 2016 growing season. Traps were placed outside the fields, at the field edges, and 10 and 30 m into the fields. We collected 756 bees representing 58 species, with Lasioglossum spp. comprising 73% of all captured bees. We found seven Bombus spp., of which B. impatiens was the only known visitor of potato flowers in our region. The majority of the bees (68%) were collected at the field edges and in the field margins. Blue vane traps caught almost four-times as many bees and collected 30% more species compared to bowl traps. Bee communities did not differ across trap locations but they were different among trap types. We tested B. impatiens visitation to neonicotinoid treated and untreated potato flowers in field enclosures. The amount of time bees spent at flowers and the duration of visits were not significantly different between the two treatments. Our results demonstrate that a diverse assemblage of bees is associated with an agroecosystem dominated by potatoes despite the apparent lack of pollinator resources provided by the crop. We found no difference in B. impatiens foraging behavior on neonicotinoid-treated compared to untreated plants.


[Malaria in the Mediterranean world. The historical and present-day distribution].
The three Plasmodium species have existed in the mediterranean basin since the prehistoric era and the arrival of man. They were still widely prevalent until the beginning of the fifties. In Europe, since that time, most of malaria cases are either imported or post transfusional, except in Greece and especially in Turkey, where P. vivax has caused epidemics since 1973. In other parts of the mediterranean basin, P. falciparum is very rare and the predominant species are P. vivax and to a lesser extent P. malariae.


Varying presentations of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
The diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) may be difficult when the major criteria are not present or when the clinical, laboratory, and radiographic findings have been altered by prior corticosteroid therapy. However, the early diagnosis of ABPA is important because it may lead to the prevention of evolution to the corticosteroid-dependent asthma stage (stage IV) or fibrotic lung disease stage (stage V). The clinical histories of 3 ABPA patients are reviewed to demonstrate that these patients may appear in different stages of ABPA and with markedly varied presentations. The high index of suspicion required for diagnosis of ABPA deserves emphasis as does the importance of excluding a diagnosis of ABPA in all asthmatics with immediate skin reactivity to Aspergillus fumigatus.


Serum pepsinogen II is a better diagnostic marker in gastric cancer.
To investigate screening makers for gastric cancer, we assessed the association between gastric cancer and serum pepsinogens (PGs). The subjects comprised 450 patients with gastric cancer, 111 individuals with gastric atrophy, and 961 healthy controls. Serum anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) immunoglobulin G (IgG), PGI and PG II were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gastric atrophy and gastric cancer were diagnosed by endoscopy and histopathological examinations. Odds ratios and 95%CIs were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. Rates of H. pylori infection remained high in Northeastern China. Rates of H. pylori IgG positivity were greater in the gastric cancer and gastric atrophy groups compared to the control group (69.1% and 75.7% vs 49.7%, P < 0.001). Higher levels of PG II (15.9 μg/L and 13.9 μg/L vs 11.5 μg/L, P < 0.001) and lower PGI/PG II ratio (5.4 and 4.6 vs 8.4, P < 0.001) were found in patients with gastric cancer or gastric atrophy compared to healthy controls, whereas no correlation was found between the plasma PGI concentration and risk of gastric cancer (P = 0.537). In addition, multivariate logistic analysis indicated that H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis were independent risk factors for gastric cancer. Lower plasma PGI/PG II ratio was associated with higher risks of atrophy and gastric cancer. Furthermore, plasma PG II level significantly correlated with H. pylori-infected gastric cancer. Serum PG II concentration and PGI/PG II ratio are potential biomarkers for H. pylori-infected gastric disease. PG II is independently associated with risk of gastric cancer.


New Onset Biopsy-Proven Nephropathies after COVID Vaccination.
To date, almost 7 billion doses of the different types of vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 have been administered worldwide. Although the severity of new cases of SARS-CoV-2 has progressively decreased, and the pressure on national health systems has declined, the development of de novo glomerular injuries has been suggested. This study aimed to examine the patients who were hospitalized in our Unit between April and November 2021 and underwent renal biopsy for new-onset urinary abnormalities (UA) and/or renal impairment within 3 months of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We identified 17 patients who developed UA and/or renal insufficiency within 3 months of vaccination. Minimal change disease was the most common disease in our cohort (5 patients, 29.4%) followed by acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN; 3 patients, 17.6%), membranous nephropathy (3 patients, 17.6%), and rapidly progressive IgA nephropathy (2 patients, 11.8%). The other 4 patients had a diagnosis of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (1 patient), systemic lupus erythematosus (1 patient), ANCA-associated vasculitis (1 patient), and tip-variant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (1 patient), respectively. Eight out of the 17 patients (47.1%) developed acute kidney injury. Two patients with acute TIN had to start hemodialysis that was discontinued after 1 and 2 months, respectively, due to the recovery of renal function. All patients underwent treatment with corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants. Although it is not possible to conclusively determine whether there is a causal relationship between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and new-onset nephropathies, based on the appearance of UA and/or renal insufficiency shortly after vaccination, we hypothesize that the immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine may be a trigger of nephropathies. Therefore, our results highlight the need for pharmacovigilance. However, this report should not lead to vaccine hesitation during this pandemic as the benefits of vaccination strongly outweigh the potential risks.


Phosphatidic acid formation is required for extracellular ATP-mediated nitric oxide production in suspension-cultured tomato cells.
*In animals and plants, extracellular ATP exerts its effects by regulating the second messengers Ca(2+), nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In animals, phospholipid-derived molecules, such as diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid (PA) and inositol phosphates, have been associated with the extracellular ATP signaling pathway. The involvement of phospholipids in extracellular ATP signaling in plants, as it is established in animals, is unknown. *In vivo phospholipid signaling upon extracellular ATP treatment was studied in (32)P(i)-labeled suspension-cultured tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cells. *Here, we report that, in suspension-cultured tomato cells, extracellular ATP induces the formation of the signaling lipid phosphatidic acid. Exogenous ATP at doses of 0.1 and 1 mM induce the formation of phosphatidic acid within minutes. Studies on the enzymatic sources of phosphatidic acid revealed the participation of both phospholipase D and C in concerted action with diacylglycerol kinase. *Our results suggest that extracellular ATP-mediated nitric oxide production is downstream of phospholipase C/diacylglycerol kinase activation.


Iron sensitizer converts light to electrons with 92% yield.
Solar energy conversion in photovoltaics or photocatalysis involves light harvesting, or sensitization, of a semiconductor or catalyst as a first step. Rare elements are frequently used for this purpose, but they are obviously not ideal for large-scale implementation. Great efforts have been made to replace the widely used ruthenium with more abundant analogues like iron, but without much success due to the very short-lived excited states of the resulting iron complexes. Here, we describe the development of an iron-nitrogen-heterocyclic-carbene sensitizer with an excited-state lifetime that is nearly a thousand-fold longer than that of traditional iron polypyridyl complexes. By the use of electron paramagnetic resonance, transient absorption spectroscopy, transient terahertz spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations, we show that the iron complex generates photoelectrons in the conduction band of titanium dioxide with a quantum yield of 92% from the (3)MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer) state. These results open up possibilities to develop solar energy-converting materials based on abundant elements.


Coronovirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic and Cardiac Electrophysiology: Guidance Protocol From a UK Tertiary Cardiac Center.
Since December 2019, the coronovirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in more than 2,160,000 positive cases and more than 145,000 deaths until April 18, 2020. The pressure to the health services worldwide has been unprecedented. The redeployment of staff and resources to treat more efficiently COVID-19 cases along with the need to reduce disease transmission has affected the field of electrophysiology among many others. Amendments to clinical pathways are obligatory in this perspective to continue to provide the necessary health services to the people who need them, although at the same time, infection control and prevention are not compromised by inadvertent disease transmission or unnecessary use of resources. We aim to provide a guide of the logistic aspects of electrophysiology procedures derived from our tertiary cardiac center during the current COVID-19 pandemic.


Effect of polyaramid fiber reinforcement on the strength of 3 denture base polymethyl methacrylate resins.
The interactive effects of synthetic polyaramid reinforcement fibers on the transverse strength of intact and repaired heat-polymerized denture base acrylic resins were investigated. Three polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) polymers were tested: Acron MC (GC International Corp, Scottsdale, AZ), Lucitone 199 (Dentsply International Inc, York, PA), and Microlon (The Hygienic Corp, Akron, OH). With each polymer, there were 2 controls and 4 experimental groups (n = 9 per group). The treatment groups were intact heat-polymerized PMMA control, PMMA with unreinforced repair, PMMA with polyaramid reinforced repair, intact polyaramid reinforced heat-polymerized PMMA control, polyaramid reinforced PMMA with unreinforced repair, and polyaramid reinforced PMMA with polyaramid reinforced repair. The transverse fracture strengths of the samples were measured with a 3-point bending test on a Zwick Universal Testing Machine (Zwick of America, Inc, East Windsor, CT). The highest mean strength at fracture was recorded with intact polyaramid reinforced heat-polymerized PMMA controls for all resins. Analysis of variance showed significant differences in transverse strength (p < .05) by experimental group, by material, and by interaction of group and material. Tukey HSD (honestly significant difference) Multiple Comparisons Test (alpha = 0.05) showed that intact polyaramid reinforced heat-polymerized PMMA controls were significantly stronger than intact heat-polymerized PMMA controls and all the other treatment groups. Use of polyaramid reinforcement in repair of unreinforced PMMA or polyaramid reinforced PMMA did not result in significantly increased transverse strength. Polyaramid reinforcement significantly increased the transverse strength of intact heat-polymerized PMMA. Polyaramid fibers did not significantly increase strength to reinforce PMMA repairs.


Identification of Novel Molecular Therapeutic Targets and Their Potential Prognostic Biomarkers Based on Cytolytic Activity in Skin Cutaneous Melanoma.
Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) attracts attention worldwide for its extremely high malignancy. A novel term cytolytic activity (CYT) has been introduced as a potential immunotherapy biomarker associated with counter-regulatory immune responses and enhanced prognosis in tumors. In this study, we extracted all datasets of SKCM patients, namely, RNA sequencing data and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, conducted differential expression analysis to yield 864 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) characteristic of CYT and used non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) method to classify molecular subtypes of SKCM patients. Among all genes, 14 hub genes closely related to prognosis for SKCM were finally screen out. Based on these genes, we constructed a 14-gene prognostic risk model and its robustness and strong predictive performance were further validated. Subsequently, the underlying mechanisms in tumor pathogenesis and prognosis have been defined from a number of perspectives, namely, tumor mutation burden (TMB), copy number variation (CNV), tumor microenvironment (TME), infiltrating immune cells, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Furthermore, combined with GTEx database and HPA database, the expression of genes in the model was verified at the transcriptional level and protein level, and the relative importance of genes in the model was described by random forest algorithm. In addition, the model was used to predict the difference in sensitivity of SKCM patients to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Finally, a nomogram was constructed to better aid clinical diagnosis.


Joint tenderness, jaw opening, chewing velocity, and bite force in patients with temporomandibular joint pain and matched healthy control subjects.
To evaluate the effect of temporomandibular arthralgia on mandibular mobility, chewing, and bite force. Twenty female patients (ages 19 to 45 years) with unilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain during chewing (49 +/- 27 mm on a 100-mm visual analog scale) and provocation, as well as TMJ tenderness, were studied. The TMJ conditions were classified as disc derangement disorders (n = 9), osteoarthritis (n = 7), and inflammatory disorders (n = 4). The patients were compared with matched healthy volunteers without orofacial pain or tenderness. Exclusion criteria were the presence of fewer than 24 teeth or malocclusion. The methods used were (1) algometric assessment of the pressure pain threshold (PPT) over the TMJ; (2) clinical recordings of maximum jaw opening; (3) computerized kinematic assessment of maximum vertical distance, velocity, and cycle duration during chewing of soft gum; and (4) measurement of unilateral molar bite force. The mean (+/- SD) PPT in the patients' painful side (69 +/- 20 kPa; P = .000001) was significantly lower than in the control subjects (107 +/- 22 kPa). Jaw opening was also significantly less (P = .00003) in the patients (42 +/- 9 mm) than in the controls (52 +/- 4 mm). Chewing cycle duration and maximum closing velocity were significantly different (P < or = .03) in the patients (948 +/- 185 milliseconds and 142 +/- 46 mm/s, respectively) versus the controls (765 +/- 102 milliseconds and 173 +/- 43 mm/s, respectively), and bite force was significantly lower (P = .000003) in the patients (238 +/- 99 N) than in the controls (394 +/- 80 N). Both bite force and jaw opening in patients were significantly correlated (P < or = .02) with PPT (r = 0.53 and 0.63, respectively). These systematic findings supplement results from acute pain experiments and confirm indications from unspecified patient groups that the clinical presence of long-standing TMJ pain is associated with marked functional impairment. This impairment might be a result of reflex adaptation and long-term hypoactivity of the jaw muscles.


Chronic corticosterone treatment induces parallel changes in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit messenger RNA levels and antagonist binding sites in the hippocampus.
Some of the effects of glucocorticoids on the function and neuronal plasticity of the hippocampus are mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation. We tested the hypothesis that chronic corticosterone administration increases N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor expression in the hippocampus of the rat. We used in situ hybridization histochemistry to measure the messenger RNA levels for the NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and [3H]dizocilpine maleate (a non-competitive antagonist) binding to measure N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor density. Since corticosterone depresses circulating testosterone levels, we also examined whether the effects of corticosterone are mediated by or interact with the effects of testosterone. In the intact animal, corticosterone increased messenger RNA levels for NR2A and NR2B but not NR1 subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in all regions of the hippocampus. Testosterone had no significant effect on messenger RNA levels of any of the subunits. The subunit composition determines the functional and pharmacological properties of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. We used ifenprodil inhibition of [3H]dizocilpine maleate binding, which has been used to distinguish NR2A- from NR2B-containing receptors, to determine whether corticosterone altered the proportion of high- and low-affinity sites for ifenprodil in parallel with the changes in subunit messenger RNA levels. Corticosterone increased the density of [3H]dizocilpine maleate binding sites without changing the dissociation constant for [3H]dizocilpine maleate or the proportion of high- and low-affinity sites for ifenprodil. These data suggest that the effects of corticosterone on hippocampal function are mediated, in part, by parallel increases in NR2A and NR2B subunit levels and the number of receptor channel binding sites.


Acute Bilateral Swelling of the Parotid Gland After General Anesthesia in Lateral Decubitus Position.
A rare but well-known anesthetic side effect is acute parotid gland enlargement after general anesthesia, sometimes known as anesthesia mumps or acute post-operative sialadenitis. Acute dehydration, obstruction of glandular excretory ducts caused by the position of the patient, and/or medications such as atropine that increase saliva viscosity have all been proposed as potential causes, while the specific cause is still unknown. We present a case of a 41-year-old patient who underwent a right open anatrophic pyelolithotomy for a staghorn calculus in the left lateral decubitus position and had swelling in the right and left preauricular and postauricular regions, which had progressed to the angle of the mandible post-operatively.


Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in plasma and tissue.
Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in rat plasma and tissue was studied after administration of quinapril, a new orally active ACE inhibitor with an intermediate duration of action. Tissue and plasma ACE was assessed by a radioinhibitor-binding assay and by in vitro autoradiography using [125I]351A as the radioligand. Individual tissues in rats were differentially inhibited in time and degree. The highest ACE inhibition in plasma and in tissues occurred within the first 2 h after gavage treatment with quinapril, 0.3 mg/kg. After 24 h, ACE was still inhibited by 25% in plasma, by 30% in the aorta, by 35% in the kidneys, and by more than 40% in cardiac atria and ventricles. Plasma and kidney tissues showed increasing ACE inhibition in a dose-dependent manner after oral dosing with quinapril. In the brain, only the structures outside the blood-brain barrier were inhibited after the administration of 0.1 mg/kg of quinapril. Similarly, testicular ACE was unaffected by quinapril. These results demonstrate a prolonged effect of quinapril on tissue ACE and suggest that ACE inhibition in the heart, vasculature, and kidneys may be of particular importance in pathologic states such as hypertension or heart failure.


Basic acoustic properties of microbubbles.
Small (encapsulated) gas bubbles in a contrast medium react to an external oscillating pressure field with volume pulsations. Depending on the magnitude of the ultrasound wave, the vibrations will be related either linearly or nonlinearly to the applied acoustic pressure. For low acoustic pressures, the instantaneous radius oscillates linearly in relation to the amplitude of the applied external pressure field. The oscillation of the bubble is governed by parameters such as resonance frequency, damping coefficients, and shell properties. For higher amplitudes of the external field, the pulsation of the bubbles becomes nonlinear. The spectrum of the scattered ultrasound wave also contains higher harmonics of the emitted frequency in addition to the fundamental frequency. The emitted frequency, bubble size, and nonlinear propagation effects have significant influence on the harmonic generation. For encapsulated bubbles exposed to even higher acoustic amplitudes, their scattering effectiveness increases dramatically and becomes transient. The scattered frequency spectrum broadens, containing higher harmonics. This consequence is due to rupture, disappearance, change of gas content, etc. Using these specific characteristics of the contrast bubbles will open new perspectives in imaging and analysis for medical diagnosis.


Copper-catalyzed construction of eight-membered rings via oxidative ring expansion and intermolecular cyclization sequencing of indoles with amidines: efficient synthesis of benzo[1,3,5]triazocin-6(5H)-ones.
Novel and efficient synthesis of eight-membered nitrogen heterocycles in one pot by copper-catalyzed oxidative ring expansion and intermolecular cyclization sequencing of indoles with amidines has been described. This protocol features easily available substrates and high step-economy. More importantly, dioxygen as the most ideal oxidant was employed under mild reaction conditions. A variety of valuable benzo[1,3,5]triazocin-6(5H)-one derivatives bearing functional groups were assembled in middle to good yields.


Ventilatory and heart rate adjustments during submaximal and maximal exercise in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.
Thirty-four patients with chronic obstructive lung disease were exercised stepwise up to maximal work load. V02 at maximal work load showed a slightly significant correlation to FEV1, while a closer association with VC as well as Ve and Vt was noted. In most patients Vt during maximal exercise was around 50% of VC, while no such limit was present when Vt was related to FEV1. These patterns were independent of the clinical type of obstructive lung disease. At 300 kpm/min (50 W) Vt/VC% as well as heart rate was negatively correlated to V02 max, but not to FEV1. No significant relationship was seen between V02 or Ve at this exercise level and V02 max, as well as FEV1. The ventilatory pattern during exercise seemed to reflect the patients' ventilatory strain more adequately than pre-exercise FEV1. The negative relationship between heart rate during moderate exercise and V02 max might further reflect this strain.


Laccases: Production, Expression Regulation, and Applications in Pharmaceutical Biodegradation.
Laccases are a family of copper-containing oxidases with important applications in bioremediation and other various industrial and biotechnological areas. There have been over two dozen reviews on laccases since 2010 covering various aspects of this group of versatile enzymes, from their occurrence, biochemical properties, and expression to immobilization and applications. This review is not intended to be all-encompassing; instead, we highlighted some of the latest developments in basic and applied laccase research with an emphasis on laccase-mediated bioremediation of pharmaceuticals, especially antibiotics. Pharmaceuticals are a broad class of emerging organic contaminants that are recalcitrant and prevalent. The recent surge in the relevant literature justifies a short review on the topic. Since low laccase yields in natural and genetically modified hosts constitute a bottleneck to industrial-scale applications, we also accentuated a genus of laccase-producing white-rot fungi, Cerrena, and included a discussion with regards to regulation of laccase expression.


Regulatory effect of gammadelta T cells on IL-17+ uveitogenic T cells.
To characterize the regulatory effect of gammadelta T cells in the activation of IL-17+ uveitogenic T cells. The authors administered the gammadelta TCR-specific antibody GL3 to B6 mice before or after antigen immunization and examined Th1- or Th17-polarized T-cell responses. The intensity of Th17 responses was also examined in responder T cells containing varying numbers of gammadelta T cells. GL3 treatment resulted in varying degrees of depletion of circulating gammadelta T cells, depending on when the antibody was administered. The intensity of the alphabetaTCR+IL-17+, but not the alphabetaTCR+IFN-gamma+, IRBP-specific T-cell responses was correlated to the percentage of gammadelta T cells in the responder T cells. Kinetic studies showed that early IL-17+ T cells were primarily gammadelta T cells, with a later gradual shift to alphabeta T cells. A close association was seen between the intensity of the IL-17+ autoreactive T-cell response and the percentage of gammadelta T cells in the responder T cells. Although a modest increase in gammadelta T cells among the responder T cells promoted the expansion of IL-17+ alphabetaTCR+ T cells, a higher proportion of gammadelta T cells inhibited it. gammadelta T cells are actively involved in the generation of alphabetaTCR+IL-17+ T cells. The number of gammadelta T cells and the alphabeta/gammadelta T-cell ratio in the responder T cells regulate the intensity of the Th17-type autoreactive T-cell response.


The temporomandibular joint in children after breech delivery.
In an effort to explain the aetiology of early temporomandibular joint (TMJ) injuries, their incidence in children born by vaginal breech delivery and possible correlation with such deliveries were investigated. The study covered 156 children aged from 4 to 6 years, eighty-three of them born by vaginal breech delivery under application of the classical Mauriceau manoeuvre in seventeen cases and the Bracht manoeuvre in sixty-six. Seventy-three children delivered spontaneously in vertex presentation served as the control group. Signs of TMJ injury were found in 59.6% of the total group, the by-birth percentages being 67.5 in those after breech delivery and 50.7 in those after spontaneous delivery--the difference is statistically significant. The difference was even more significant for the more severe TMJ disorders, their percentages being in two groups respectively 48.2 and 29.7. In the children born by breech delivery the TMJ disorders were invariably attended by severe forms of distocclusion, among which the unilateral form deserves particular attention. The authors conclude that vaginal breech delivery is probably among the factors responsible for early TMJ abnormalities. They call the attention of paediatricians and obstetricians to this fact and urge examination of this joint as a very important part of oral examination in children born by vaginal breech delivery.


Having female role models correlates with PhD students' attitudes toward their own academic success.
Research indicates that increasing diversity in doctoral programs can positively affect students' academic success. However, little research examines students' responses to female scholars' representation. The two studies presented here examine how students' exposure to female academic role models shapes students' attitudes toward their own academic success (i.e. self-efficacy). Such attitudes are critical because they predict student retention rates. In our first study, we randomly exposed 297 Ph.D. students in one academic discipline to either a gender-diverse (i.e. 30% female authors) or non-diverse syllabus in research methods (i.e. 10% female authors). We examined the effect of the intervention on students' perceived likelihood of succeeding in the hypothetical course. Contrary to expectations derived from the literature, we found that increasing women's representation in syllabi did not affect female students' self-efficacy. Rather, male students expressed lower self-efficacy when evaluating the more gender-diverse syllabus. We also found that students' attitudes toward diversity in academia predicted their reactions more strongly than did their own gender: gender-diverse syllabi reduced self-efficacy among those students unsupportive of diversity. In our second study, we analyzed non-interventional survey questions to examine the relationship between female role models and long-term academic self-efficacy. Analysis was observational and thus did not assess causality. We found that students with more role models have higher academic self-efficacy, irrespective of student and role model gender. Nonetheless, results also suggested that some students actively seek female role models: namely, female students, and particularly those valuing diversity. Our results ultimately suggest that exposure to female role models relates in surprising ways to Ph.D. students' self-efficacy. Having more female role models correlates with greater expectations of academic success among certain groups of students, but with diminished expectations of academic success among other groups.


Redefining biomaterial biocompatibility: challenges for artificial intelligence and text mining.
The surge in 'Big data' has significantly influenced biomaterials research and development, with vast data volumes emerging from clinical trials, scientific literature, electronic health records, and other sources. Biocompatibility is essential in developing safe medical devices and biomaterials to perform as intended without provoking adverse reactions. Therefore, establishing an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biocompatibility definition has become decisive for automating data extraction and profiling safety effectiveness. This definition should both reflect the attributes related to biocompatibility and be compatible with computational data-mining methods. Here, we discuss the need for a comprehensive and contemporary definition of biocompatibility and the challenges in developing one. We also identify the key elements that comprise biocompatibility, and propose an integrated biocompatibility definition that enables data-mining approaches.


Targeted deletion of thioredoxin-interacting protein regulates cardiac dysfunction in response to pressure overload.
Biomechanical overload induces cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role in both processes. Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein (Txnip) is encoded by a mechanically-regulated gene that controls cell growth and apoptosis in part through interaction with the endogenous dithiol antioxidant thioredoxin. Here we show that Txnip is a critical regulator of the cardiac response to pressure overload. We generated inducible cardiomyocyte-specific and systemic Txnip-null mice (Txnip-KO) using Flp/frt and Cre/loxP technologies. Compared with littermate controls, Txnip-KO hearts had attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and preserved left ventricular (LV) contractile reserve through 4 weeks of pressure overload; however, the beneficial effects were not sustained and Txnip deletion ultimately led to maladaptive LV remodeling at 8 weeks of pressure overload. Interestingly, these effects of Txnip deletion on cardiac performance were not accompanied by global changes in thioredoxin activity or ROS; instead, Txnip-KO hearts had a robust increase in myocardial glucose uptake. Thus, deletion of Txnip plays an unanticipated role in myocardial energy homeostasis rather than redox regulation. These results support the emerging concept that the function of Txnip is not as a simple thioredoxin inhibitor but as a metabolic control protein.


A dual removable activating group enabled the Povarov reaction of N-arylalanine esters: synthesis of quinoline-4-carboxylate esters.
A dual removable activating group enabled Povarov reaction of N-arylalanine esters was reported. N-Arylalanine ester was utilized as the sole carbon source to generate N-arylimine and its tautomer, enamine, in situ by aerobic oxidation of sp3 C-H bonds, and then the consecutive reaction delivered the desired quinoline-4-carboxylate esters in high yields.


Lonidamine and domperidone inhibit expansion of transformed cell areas by modulating motility of surrounding nontransformed cells.
Cancer cells intrinsically proliferate in an autonomous manner; however, the expansion of cancer cell areas in a tissue is known to be regulated by surrounding nontransformed cells. Whether these nontransformed cells can be targeted to control the spread of cancer cells is not understood. In this study, we established a system to evaluate the cancer-inhibitory activity of surrounding nontransformed cells and screened chemical compounds that could induce this activity. Our findings revealed that lonidamine (LND) and domperidone (DPD) inhibited expansion of oncogenic foci of KRASG12D-expressing transformed cells, whereas they did not inhibit the proliferation of monocultured KRASG12D-expressing cells. Live imaging revealed that LND and DPD suppressed the movement of nontransformed cells away from the attaching cancer cells. Moreover, we determined that LND and DPD promoted stress fiber formation, and the dominant-negative mutant of a small GTPase RhoA relieved the suppression of focus expansion, suggesting that RhoA-mediated stress fiber formation is involved in the inhibition of the movement of nontransformed cells and focus expansion. In conclusion, we suggest that elucidation of the mechanism of action of LND and DPD may lead to the development of a new type of drug that could induce the anticancer activity of surrounding nontransformed cells.


Trichoflectin, a bioactive azaphilone from the ascomycete Trichopezizella nidulus.
Trichoflectin (1), a new azaphilone belonging to the deflectin series, 6-deoxy-7-0-demethyl-3,4-anhydrofusarubin (2), and 6-deoxy-3,4-anhydrofusarubin (3) were isolated from submerged cultures of the ascomycete Trichopezizella nidulus. All compounds showed antimicrobial activity and inhibited dihydroxynaphthalene melanin biosynthesis in fungi. The structure of trichoflectin (1) was elucidated by spectroscopic methods.


Broadband achromatic metasurfaces for sub-diffraction focusing in the visible.
Conventional achromatic optical systems are matured to achieve effective chromatic aberration correction and diffraction-limited resolution by the multiple bulky lenses. The emergence of the super-oscillation phenomenon provides an effective method for non-invasive far-field super-resolution imaging. Nevertheless, most super-oscillatory lenses are significantly restricted by the chromatic aberration due to the reliance on delicate interference; on the other hand, most achromatic lenses cannot break the diffraction limit. In this article, a single-layer broadband achromatic metasurface comprising sub-wavelength anisotropic nanostructures has been proposed to achieve sub-diffraction focusing with a focal length of f=60 µm and a diameter of 20 µm in the visible ranging from 400 nm to 700 nm, which are capable of generating sub-diffraction focal spots under the left-handed circularly polarized incident light with arbitrary wavelength in the working bandwidth at the same focal plane. This method may find promising potentials in various applications such as super-resolution color imaging, light field cameras, and machine vision.


Silencing of GPR82 with Interference RNA Improved Metabolic Profiles in Rats with High Fructose Intake.
Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a clinical condition, constituted by alterations that lead to the onset of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It has been reported that orphan G-protein-coupled receptor 82 (GPR82) participates in metabolic processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the function of GPR82 in MS using a small interfering RNA (siRNA) against this receptor. We used Wistar rats of 10-12 weeks of age fed with a high-fructose solution (70%) for 9 weeks to induce MS. Subsequently, the rats were treated with an intrajugular dose of an siRNA against GPR82 and the effects were evaluated on day 3 and 7 after administration. On day 3 the siRNA had a transient effect on decreasing blood pressure and triglycerides and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which recovered to the MS control on day 7. Decreased gene expressions of GPR82 mRNA in the aorta and heart were observed on day 3; moreover, decreased gene expression was maintained in the aorta on day 7. Therefore, we conclude that the orphan receptor GPR82 participates in the development of MS induced by fructose and the silencing of this receptor could ameliorate metabolic components.


Self-Healing Supramolecular Hydrogels Based on Reversible Physical Interactions.
Dynamic and reversible polymer networks capable of self-healing, i.e., restoring their mechanical properties after deformation and failure, are gaining increasing research interest, as there is a continuous need towards extending the lifetime and improving the safety and performance of materials particularly in biomedical applications. Hydrogels are versatile materials that may allow self-healing through a variety of covalent and non-covalent bonding strategies. The structural recovery of physical gels has long been a topic of interest in soft materials physics and various supramolecular interactions can induce this kind of recovery. This review highlights the non-covalent strategies of building self-repairing hydrogels and the characterization of their mechanical properties. Potential applications and future prospects of these materials are also discussed.


Cyclic Peroxidic Carbon Dioxide Dimer Fuels Peroxyoxalate Chemiluminescence.
Peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence is used in self-contained light sources, such as glow sticks, where oxidation of aromatic oxalate esters produces a high-energy intermediate (HEI) that excites fluorescence dyes via electron transfer chemistry, mimicking bioluminescence for efficient chemical energy-to-light conversion. The identity of the HEI and reasons for the efficiency of the peroxyoxalate reaction remain elusive. We present here unequivocal proof that the HEI of the peroxyoxalate system is a cyclic peroxidic carbon dioxide dimer, namely, 1,2-dioxetanedione. Oxalic peracids bearing a substituted phenyl group were unable to directly excite fluorescent dyes; hence, they could be ruled out as the HEI. However, base-catalyzed cyclization of these species results in bright chemiluminescence, with decay rates and chemiexcitation quantum yields that are influenced by the electronic phenylic substituent properties. Hammett (ρ = +2.2 ± 0.1) and Brønsted (β = -1.1 ± 0.1) constants for the cyclization step preceding chemiexcitation imply that the loss of the phenolate-leaving group and intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the percarboxylate anion occur in a concerted manner, generating 1,2-dioxetanedione as the unique outcome. The presence of better leaving groups influences the reaction mechanism, favoring the chemiluminescent reaction pathway over the nonemissive formation of aryl-1,2-dioxetanones.


The Clinical Impact and Cost-effectiveness of Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination to Prevent Measles Importations Among International Travelers From the United States.
Measles importations and the subsequent spread from US travelers returning from abroad are responsible for most measles cases in the United States. Increasing measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination among departing US travelers could reduce the clinical impact and costs of measles in the United States. We designed a decision tree to evaluate MMR vaccination at a pretravel health encounter (PHE), compared with no encounter. We derived input parameters from Global TravEpiNet data and literature. We quantified Riskexposure to measles while traveling and the average number of US-acquired cases and contacts due to a measles importation. In sensitivity analyses, we examined the impact of destination-specific Riskexposure, including hot spots with active measles outbreaks; the percentage of previously-unvaccinated travelers; and the percentage of travelers returning to US communities with heterogeneous MMR coverage. The no-encounter strategy projected 22 imported and 66 US-acquired measles cases, costing $14.8M per 10M travelers. The PHE strategy projected 15 imported and 35 US-acquired cases at $190.3M per 10M travelers. PHE was not cost effective for all international travelers (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio [ICER] $4.6M/measles case averted), but offered better value (ICER <$100 000/measles case averted) or was even cost saving for travelers to hot spots, especially if travelers were previously unvaccinated or returning to US communities with heterogeneous MMR coverage. PHEs that improve MMR vaccination among US international travelers could reduce measles cases, but are costly. The best value is for travelers with a high likelihood of measles exposure, especially if the travelers are previously unvaccinated or will return to US communities with heterogeneous MMR coverage.


Stretching and breaking of a molecular junction.
Density functional theory (DFT) calculations based on band structure are used to investigate the electromechanical properties of a molecular junction consisting of a dithiolbenzene molecule sandwiched between two gold slabs. This represents a prototypical system for the field of molecular electronics; such a system has previously been studied in break-junction measurements and electron-transport calculations. The stretching and breaking behavior of the junction is analyzed for different geometric conformations, and it is found that the breakage occurs through dissociation of one of the sulfur-gold bonds with a maximum force of 1.25 nN. The molecular electronic states shift during stretching, and, at the point of highest stress in the junction, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the molecule is located exactly at the Fermi level.


Influencing Factors Analysis of Facial Nerve Function after the Microsurgical Resection of Acoustic Neuroma.
To explore and analyze the influencing factors of facial nerve function retainment after microsurgery resection of acoustic neurinoma. Retrospective analysis of our hospital 105 acoustic neuroma cases from October, 2006 to January 2012, in the group all patients were treated with suboccipital sigmoid sinus approach to acoustic neuroma microsurgery resection. We adopted researching individual patient data, outpatient review and telephone followed up and the House-Brackmann grading system to evaluate and analyze the facial nerve function. Among 105 patients in this study group, complete surgical resection rate was 80.9% (85/105), subtotal resection rate was 14.3% (15/105), and partial resection rate 4.8% (5/105). The rate of facial nerve retainment on neuroanatomy was 95.3% (100/105) and the mortality rate was 2.1% (2/105). Facial nerve function when the patient is discharged from the hospital, also known as immediate facial nerve function which was graded in House-Brackmann: excellent facial nerve function (House-Brackmann I-II level) cases accounted for 75.2% (79/105), facial nerve function III-IV level cases accounted for 22.9% (24/105), and V-VI cases accounted for 1.9% (2/105). Patients were followed up for more than one year, with excellent facial nerve function retention rate (H-B I-II level) was 74.4% (58/78). Acoustic neuroma patients after surgery, the long-term (≥1 year) facial nerve function excellent retaining rate was closely related with surgical proficiency, post-operative immediate facial nerve function, diameter of tumor and whether to use electrophysiological monitoring techniques; while there was no significant correlation with the patient's age, surgical approach, whether to stripping the internal auditory canal, whether there was cystic degeneration, tumor recurrence, whether to merge with obstructive hydrocephalus and the length of the duration of symptoms.


A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults.
We performed a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression to determine if dietary protein supplementation augments resistance exercise training (RET)-induced gains in muscle mass and strength. A systematic search of Medline, Embase, CINAHL and SportDiscus. Only randomised controlled trials with RET ≥6 weeks in duration and dietary protein supplementation. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions with four a priori determined covariates. Two-phase break point analysis was used to determine the relationship between total protein intake and changes in fat-free mass (FFM). Data from 49 studies with 1863 participants showed that dietary protein supplementation significantly (all p<0.05) increased changes (means (95% CI)) in: strength-one-repetition-maximum (2.49 kg (0.64, 4.33)), FFM (0.30 kg (0.09, 0.52)) and muscle size-muscle fibre cross-sectional area (CSA; 310 µm2 (51, 570)) and mid-femur CSA (7.2 mm2 (0.20, 14.30)) during periods of prolonged RET. The impact of protein supplementation on gains in FFM was reduced with increasing age (-0.01 kg (-0.02,-0.00), p=0.002) and was more effective in resistance-trained individuals (0.75 kg (0.09, 1.40), p=0.03). Protein supplementation beyond total protein intakes of 1.62 g/kg/day resulted in no further RET-induced gains in FFM. Dietary protein supplementation significantly enhanced changes in muscle strength and size during prolonged RET in healthy adults. Increasing age reduces and training experience increases the efficacy of protein supplementation during RET. With protein supplementation, protein intakes at amounts greater than ~1.6 g/kg/day do not further contribute RET-induced gains in FFM.


Detecting Ligand-Binding Events and Free Energy Landscape while Imaging Membrane Receptors at Subnanometer Resolution.
Force-distance curve-based atomic force microscopy has emerged into a sophisticated technique for imaging cellular membranes and for detecting specific ligand-binding events of native membrane receptors. However, so far the resolution achieved has been insufficient to structurally map ligand-binding sites onto membrane proteins. Here, we introduce experimental and theoretical approaches for overcoming this limitation. To establish a structurally and functionally well-defined reference sample, we engineer a ligand-binding site to the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin of purple membrane. Functionalizing the AFM stylus with an appropriate linker-system tethering the ligand and optimizing the AFM conditions allows for imaging the engineered bacteriorhodopsin at subnanometer resolution while structurally mapping the specific ligand-receptor binding events. Improved data analysis allows reconstructing the ligand-binding free energy landscape from the experimental data, thus providing thermodynamic and kinetic insight into the ligand-binding process. The nanoscopic method introduced is generally applicable for imaging receptors in native membranes at subnanometer resolution and for systematically mapping and quantifying the free energy landscape of ligand binding.


Sintering and Microstructure of BaTiO3 Nano Particles Synthesized by Molten Salt Method.
In order to establish thinner dielectric layers in thick film electronic components such as MLCC (Multilayer ceramic capacitor), BaTiO3 nanoparticles have been utilized. However, studies on the synthesis of nanoparticles smaller than 20 nm, the characteristics of the BaTiO3 powder, and the powder's sintering are lacking. Therefore, this paper aims to synthesize BaTiO3 particles smaller than 20 nm by using the molten salt method and evaluate the microstructure and dielectric properties by varying the sintering temperature from 750 degrees C to 1200 degrees C. Through the molten salt method and by using KOH-KCl mixed salt, 20 nm BaTiO3 powder was synthesized at a low temperature of 150 degrees C. Sintering the pellets formed from the synthesized 20 nm BaTiO3 nano powder led to the observation of an unusual phenomenon where the particles grew to approximate sizes below 850 degrees C where densification progressed. At sintering temperatures above 950 degrees C, particles that expanded into rod shapes were observed and these particles were identified to be unreacted TiO2 based on the results of the EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) analysis and phase analysis results.


[Comparative study of main components of ginseng on immune function of rats].
Ginseng and its effective components are famous for their influence to enhance human immunity, regulate endocrine and antioxidant action. However, the different effects of different components are not clear. In this study, Wistar rats were used to study the effects of main components of ginseng, including total ginsenoside, panaxadiol saponins, panaxtrol saponin and ginseng polysaccharide. The results showed that the effects of panaxadiol saponins and ginseng polysaccharide on improving animal immune organ weight, plasma interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 6 (IL-6), plasma gamma-interferon (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were better than that of the other groups. Total ginsenoside and panaxtrol saponin can effectively increase the concentration of spleen NK cells (NKC) while panaxadiol saponins and ginseng polysaccharide can significantly increase the concentrations of rat plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone (CORT) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). As for the effect of increasing organization nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA), total ginsenoside is better than that of other groups. In brief, different components in ginseng possess different effects on enhancing immunity, regulating endocrine and resisting oxidation. Panaxadiol saponins and ginseng polysaccharide are better in enhancing immune, and total ginsenoside shows advantages in resisting oxidation and stress.


Peripheral glucose uptake in young men with myocardial infarction.
Forearm glucose uptake (FGU) was studied during 100 g oral glucose tolerance tests (GTT) in nonobese, nondiabetic men who had suffered a myocardial infarction (MI) at or before the age of 40, and the results compared with the response in age-matched normal men. In the MI group the rise in both glucose and insulin concentrations after glucose loading was similar to that in normal subjects, although in the former, peak levels tended to be slightly higher. Concomitant FGU, however, was significantly greater in the MI group than in control subjects in the period 0-90 min and in the test as a whole (0-180 min). The results show that at least in some nondiabetics suffering MI at an early age hyperinsulinism is not a feature and peripheral tissue sensitivity is increased.


Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Presenting as Supraventricular Tachycardia.
Despite numerous advancements in diagnostics and treatment, lung cancer carries a high mortality rate. This is primarily attributable to the fact that the majority of patients present with stage III or IV disease and otherwise non-specific symptoms. In this article, we discuss a rare case of stage IV lung cancer presenting as supraventricular tachycardia secondary to cardiomediastinal involvement. Unfortunately, by the time the tumor had involved the mediastinum, surgical options were limited and treatment was largely palliative.


Frequency-dependent electrical stimulation of the visual cortex.
Noninvasive cortical stimulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have proved to be powerful tools for establishing causal relationships between brain regions and their functions. In the present study, we demonstrate that a new technique called transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can interact with ongoing rhythmic activities in the visual cortex in a frequency-specific fashion and induce visual experiences (phosphenes). We delivered an oscillatory current over the occipital cortex with tACS. In order to observe interactions with ongoing cortical rhythms, we compared the effects of delivering tACS under conditions of light ("Light" condition) or darkness ("Dark" condition). Stimulation over the occipital cortex induced perception of continuously flickering light most effectively when the beta frequency range was applied in an illuminated room, whereas the most effective stimulation frequency shifted to the alpha frequency range during testing in darkness. Stimulation with theta or gamma frequencies did not produce any visual phenomena. The shift of the effective stimulation frequency indicates that the frequency dependency is caused by interactions with ongoing oscillatory activity in the stimulated cortex. Our results suggest that tACS can be used as a noninvasive tool for establishing a causal link between rhythmic cortical activities and their functions.


Color distribution and visual color assessment of human gingiva and mucosa: a systematic review of the literature.
This study undertook a systematic overview of the literature on the description and visual measurement of gingival color. Two research questions were formulated. The first addressed the description of gingival color, while the second aimed at visual color measurement techniques. An electronic search was performed in 22 literature databases. The electronic search was complemented by hand searching. The retrieved articles were independently reviewed by two members of the research team. The levels of evidence of the articles were classified following the guidelines of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Of the nine articles retrieved by the two searches, six applied to the first question, two applied to the second question, and one applied to both questions. Three articles were published in Japanese and dealt with the color of gingival and alveolar mucosa. The clinical studies showed that the intraoral tissues of younger persons are of a lighter color. Evidence levels were no higher than 4. Studies on the description of gingival color used a narrative approach. Studies on visual gingival color measurement had diverse aims, methods, and parameters. It is impossible to compare or even combine their outcomes in a scientifically meaningful manner. Since none of the investigations used a controlled or randomized design, they represent low levels of evidence.


Role of HDAC9-FoxO1 Axis in the Transcriptional Program Associated with Hepatic Gluconeogenesis.
Histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) regulates hepatic gluconeogenesis by deacetylating Forkhead box O 1 (FoxO1). HDAC9 upregulation is involved in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated exaggerated gluconeogenesis. Herein, we found in addition to FoxO1, HDAC9 also regulates other gluconeogenic transcription factors, including peroxisomeproliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Unlike FoxO1, which is regulated by post-translational modification responses to HDAC9, HDAC9 regulates PGC-1α, CREB and GR by altering gene expression. Similar to PGC-1α, CREB and GR were found to be novel regulatory targets of FoxO1 by examination of the FoxO1 binding site in their promoter. PGC-1α, CREB and GR were upregulated in response to HDAC9 via FoxO1 deacetylation. These findings indicate that HDAC9-FoxO1 signalling contributes to gluconeogenesis by modulating the expression of gluconeogenic transcription factors. In particular, metabolic profiling demonstrated a clear shift towards gluconeogenesis metabolism, and HDAC9-FoxO1 signalling can be strongly induced to upregulate gluconeogenic transcription factors following HCV infection. The positive correlation between HDAC9 and gluconeogenic transcription factor expression levels in the livers of both HCV-infected patients and normal individuals further emphasizes the clinical relevance of these results. Thus, HDAC9-FoxO1 signalling axis is involved in regulating gluconeogenic transcription factors, gluconeogenesis, and HCV-induced type 2 diabetes.


Design of cyclic peptides with biological activities from biologically active peptides: the case of peptide modulators of melanocortin receptors.
Design of biologically active peptides is of critical importance for the development of potent, selective, nontoxic bioavailable drugs. A major approach that has been developed to accomplish this is the development of methods for the design and synthesis of a wide variety of cyclic peptides and peptidomimetics. In this short and general review, we outline the methods that have been developed for cyclization of peptides and how these have been used for peptide and peptidomimetic design using the melanotropin peptides and melanocortin receptors MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R to illustrate aspects of this approach.


New insights on molecular pathways utilized by salmonella species in cell binding.
Salmonella infections are a principal source of gastroenteritis and enteric fever in a variety of animals, including humans. An essential step in the development of Salmonella pathogenesis is the entry of bacteria into non-phagocytic cells, including those that line the intestinal epithelium. As a consequence of specific cues from the host intestinal micro-environment, Salmonella entry into the intestinal epithelium is the product of a multistep process that culminates in host cell membrane ruffling, and subsequent bacterial uptake. The events that trigger the internalization event appear to require an array of bacterial secreted proteins, exemplified by the formation of bacterial surface appendages (invasomes) which are important for the induction of host-cell signal transduction pathways that lead to membrane ruffling. In addition, during intestinal disease states induced by Salmonella typhimurium, transepithelial migration of neutrophils rapidly follows attachment of the bacteria to the epithelial membrane. Current evidence indicates that the intestinal epithelium plays a key role in orchestrating the inflammatory response to surface attached S. typhimurium. In this review, we explore current insights on the molecular pathways utilized by Salmonella spp. in cell binding that are important not only in the processes of Salmonella internalization but also in the generation of signals which lead to active states of intestinal inflammation.


Rare GPR37L1 variants reveal potential roles in anxiety and migraine disorders.
GPR37L1 is an orphan receptor that couples through heterotrimeric G-proteins to regulate physiological functions. Since its role in humans is not fully defined, we used an unbiased computational approach to assess the clinical significance of rare GPR37L1 genetic variants found among 51,289 whole exome sequences from the DiscovEHR cohort. Briefly, rare GPR37L1 coding variants were binned according to predicted pathogenicity, and analyzed by Sequence Kernel Association testing to reveal significant associations with disease diagnostic codes for epilepsy and migraine, among others. Since associations do not prove causality, rare GPR37L1 variants were then functionally analyzed in SK-N-MC cells to evaluate potential signaling differences and pathogenicity. Notably, receptor variants exhibited varying abilities to reduce cAMP levels, activate MAPK signaling, and/or upregulate receptor expression in response to the agonist prosaptide (TX14(A)), as compared to the wild-type receptor. In addition to signaling changes, knockout of GPR37L1 or expression of certain rare variants altered cellular cholesterol levels, which were also acutely regulated by administration of the agonist TX14(A) via activation of the MAPK pathway. Finally, to simulate the impact of rare nonsense variants found in the large patient cohort, a knockout (KO) mouse line lacking Gpr37L1 was generated, revealing loss of this receptor produced sex-specific changes implicated in migraine-related disorders. Collectively, these observations define the existence of rare GPR37L1 variants in the human population that are associated with neuropsychiatric conditions and identify the underlying signaling changes that are implicated in the in vivo actions of this receptor in pathological processes leading to anxiety and migraine. G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent a diverse group of membrane receptors that contribute to a wide range of diseases and serve as effective drug targets. However, a number of these receptors have no identified ligands or functions, i.e., orphan receptors. Over the past decade, advances have been made, but there is a need for identifying new strategies to reveal their roles in health and disease. Our results highlight the utility of rare variant analyses of orphan receptors for identifying human disease associations, coupled with functional analyses in relevant cellular and animal systems, to ultimately reveal their roles as novel drug targets for treatment of neurological disorders that lack wide-spread efficacy.


Biomaterial Applications in Cell-Based Therapy in Experimental Stroke.
Stroke is an important health issue corresponding to the second cause of mortality and first cause of severe disability with no effective treatments after the first hours of onset. Regenerative approaches such as cell therapy provide an increase in endogenous brain structural plasticity but they are not enough to promote a complete recovery. Tissue engineering has recently aroused a major interesting development of biomaterials for use into the central nervous system. Many biomaterials have been engineered based on natural compounds, synthetic compounds, or a mix of both with the aim of providing polymers with specific properties. The mechanical properties of biomaterials can be exquisitely regulated forming polymers with different stiffness, modifiable physical state that polymerizes in situ, or small particles encapsulating cells or growth factors. The choice of biomaterial compounds should be adapted for the different applications, structure target, and delay of administration. Biocompatibilities with embedded cells and with the host tissue and biodegradation rate must be considerate. In this paper, we review the different applications of biomaterials combined with cell therapy in ischemic stroke and we explore specific features such as choice of biomaterial compounds and physical and mechanical properties concerning the recent studies in experimental stroke.


Design of an aprotinin variant with inhibitory activity against chymotrypsin and cathepsin G by recombinant DNA technology.
The [Phe15,17, Glu52]aprotinin gene was constructed from synthetic [Glu52]aprotinin gene by DNA cassette mutagenesis. For substitution of the P1, P'1, P'2 residues of aprotinin (Lys15-Ala16-Arg17) two complementary synthetic oligonucleotides including a new segment coding for the Phe15-Ala16-Phe17 sequence were inserted into the expression vector. The expression was carried out in an E. coli host and [Phe15,17, Glu52]aprotinin was obtained as fusion protein with bacteriophage MS2 polymerase and deposited in inclusion bodies. After CNBr cleavage and renaturation of aprotinin on CM Sepharose Fast Flow the active aprotinin variant was isolated and its specificities investigated. The new [Phe15,17, Glu52]aprotinin was shown to be an inhibitor for bovine chymotrypsin (Ki = 6.5 x 10(-10)M) essentially identical to the previously prepared semisynthetic [Phe15]aprotinin (Ki = 2.0 x 10(-10)M) (1). However, the new variant exhibited an additional inhibitory activity against cathepsin G from human leukocytes (Ki = 5.0 x 10(-7)M) in contrast to semisynthetic [Phe15] variant which was inactive.


Application of the hub and spokes model in improving access to cervical cancer screening in Ghana.
To examine the contribution of lower-level health facilities in increasing access to cervical cancer screening in the North Tongu District. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. The Cervical Cancer Prevention and Training Centre (CCPTC) of the Catholic Hospital, Battor, served as the hub, and six health facilities (3 health centres and 3 CHPS compounds) served as the spokes. From April 2018 to September 2019, the well-resourced CCPTC trained 6 nurses at selected Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) / Health Centres (HCs) (spokes) to provide cervical cancer screening services. The nurses, after training, started screening with VIA and HPV DNA testing. A total of 3,451women were screened by the trained nurses. This comprised 1,935 (56.1%) from the hub and 1,516 (43.9%) from the spokes. The detection of screen positives. The screen positives were 19.4% (375/1935) at the hub and 4.9% (74/1516) at the spokes. We have demonstrated that a hub and spokes model for cervical cancer screening is possible in limited resource settings. Designating and resourcing a 'hub' that supports a network of 'spokes' could increase women's access to cervical cancer screening. This approach could create awareness about cervical cancer screening services and how they can be accessed. None declared.


The Nature and Consequences of Essentialist Beliefs About Race in Early Childhood.
It is widely believed that race divides the world into biologically distinct kinds of people-an essentialist belief inconsistent with reality. Essentialist views of race have been described as early emerging, but this study found that young children (n = 203, Mage = 5.45) hold only the more limited belief that the physical feature of skin color is inherited and stable. Overall, children rejected the causal essentialist view that behavioral and psychological characteristics are constrained by an inherited racial essence. Although average levels of children's causal essentialist beliefs about race were low, variation in these beliefs was related to children's own group membership, exposure to diversity, as well as children's own social attitudes.


Eosinophil crystalloid granules: structure, function, and beyond.
Eosinophils are granulocytes associated with host defense against parasitic helminths with allergic conditions and more recently, with immunoregulatory responses. Eosinophils are distinguished from leukocytes by their dominant population of cytoplasmic crystalloid (also termed secretory, specific, or secondary) granules that contain robust stores of diverse, preformed cationic proteins. Here, we provide an update on our knowledge about the unique and complex structure of human eosinophil crystalloid granules. We discuss their significance as rich sites of a variety of receptors and review our own recent research findings and those of others that highlight discoveries concerning the function of intracellular receptors and their potential implications in cell signaling. Special focus is provided on how eosinophils might use these intracellular receptors as mechanisms to secrete, selectively and rapidly, cytokines or chemokines and enable cell-free extracellular eosinophil granules to function as independent secretory structures. Potential roles of cell-free eosinophil granules as immune players in the absence of intact eosinophils will also be discussed.


Quantitative assessment of Cerenkov luminescence for radioguided brain tumor resection surgery.
Cerenkov luminescence imaging (CLI) is a developing imaging modality that detects radiolabeled molecules via visible light emitted during the radioactive decay process. We used a Monte Carlo based computer simulation to quantitatively investigate CLI compared to direct detection of the ionizing radiation itself as an intraoperative imaging tool for assessment of brain tumor margins. Our brain tumor model consisted of a 1 mm spherical tumor remnant embedded up to 5 mm in depth below the surface of normal brain tissue. Tumor to background contrast ranging from 2:1 to 10:1 were considered. We quantified all decay signals (e±, gamma photon, Cerenkov photons) reaching the brain volume surface. CLI proved to be the most sensitive method for detecting the tumor volume in both imaging and non-imaging strategies as assessed by contrast-to-noise ratio and by receiver operating characteristic output of a channelized Hotelling observer.


Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of full-length cDNA for rabbit liver NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase mRNA.
The nucleotide sequence of the mRNA for NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase from rabbit liver was determined from a full-length cDNA clone (pFP105). The clone contains 2,269 nucleotides complementary to rabbit liver reductase mRNA. The single open reading frame of 2,037 nucleotides codes for a 679-amino acid polypeptide with a calculated molecular weight of 76,583 daltons. The cloned cDNA contains the complete 3'-noncoding region of 193 nucleotides, including 68 nucleotides of poly(A), and 39 nucleotides of the 5'-noncoding region. The nucleotide sequence in the coding region of cDNA of rabbit reductase (pFP105) showed 85% homology to that of rat reductase (Porter, T.D. & Kasper, C.B. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 82, 973-977, and Murakami, H. et al. (1986) DNA 5, 1-10). Rabbit reductase has one more amino acid residue than the rat enzyme, and the amino acid compositions of the two enzymes are similar. The amino acid sequence of the rabbit enzyme showed 91% identity with that of the rat enzyme. The segment related to binding of FMN and FAD was well conserved among rabbit, rat, and pig reductases. The sequence related to AMP moiety-binding was also conserved among these species, and was found in the amino acid sequence of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, another flavoenzyme in the microsomal electron transport system.


Sorptive removal of trivalent and hexavalent chromium from binary aqueous solutions by composite alginate-goethite beads.
In this study, the removal of hexavalent and trivalent chromium ions from binary aqueous solutions by composite alginate-goethite beads was investigated in a batch mode. Equilibrium sorption experiments were carried out at different temperatures and pH values. The data were correlated with Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The thermodynamic parameters calculated were: change in free energy, in enthalpy, in entropy and the heat of adsorption. The influence of mixing rate, sorbent concentration and sorbent particle size was studied at kinetic runs. The effective diffusion coefficients were evaluated by employing the homogeneous diffusion model and the shrinking core model for hexavalent and trivalent chromium, respectively. Desorption experiments were conducted by employing various eluants showed that the loaded material could be regenerated satisfactorily.


Anticoagulation after intracoronary stent insertion.
Stents rarely thrombose in the first 24 hours after implantation; secondly, heparin has some influence on the extrinsic pathway. Additionally, if too much heparin is present it interferes with the INR, and the half life of prothrombin suggests that the patient should be anticoagulated with heparin for up to 96 hours after starting warfarin. This is the evidence on which our standard protocol is based.