Comparison of manual and computer-automated procedures for tinnitus pitch-matching.
Clinical assessment of tinnitus usually includes pitch-matching between the tinnitus and a pure tone. Although such testing is performed routinely, response reliability has not been demonstrated yet. The present study continues a series of studies designed to develop automated methodology for quantifying tinnitus perceptual characteristics. Three methods for tinnitus pitch-matching were performed in a group of 42 subjects. Two methods were computer-automated (Binary and Subject-Guided) and the third method was a traditional manual technique. Each method provided excellent response reliability for about half of the subjects. The most reliable subjects, however, differed widely between the different methods. Each subject provided a total of 14 pitch matches using the three different methods. Analyses based on each subject's total of 14 pitch matches revealed the range of pitch matches for each subject. About half of the subjects selected pitch matches over a range of 2 1/3 octaves. Results of this study suggest that specifying the range of tinnitus pitch matches rather than attempting to identify a single pitch match may be more appropriate.


Impact of surface treatment of different reinforced glass-ceramic anterior crowns on load bearing capacity.
This study investigated the influence of different surface treatments on fracture load (FL) of canine crowns fabricated from two different pressable lithium-disilicate ceramics: A (HS10PC, estetic ceram, n=180) and B (IPS e.max Press, IvoclarVivadent, n=120). The standardized specimens were divided into groups of six different surface treatments and two glazing temperatures. A-group specimens were additionally assigned two glazing pastes with various thermal expansion coefficients (TEC). FL was measured and TECs were determined. Data were analyzed using three/one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Scheffe's test. B showed comparable or higher FL than A (B: 503-876 N; A: 375-734 N). Lithium-disilicate crowns show higher FL when not grinded but only polished or glazed. Glazing pastes affected FL depending on their TECs, firing temperature and crown treatment. TEC of A and B was 10 ppm/K, glazing pastes for A presented TECs of 7.5 ppm/K and 10 ppm/K and for B of 9 ppm/K.


Practical methods for the clinical assessment of information processing speed.
The rate at which individuals are capable of processing information is considered a sensitive indicator of brain dysfunction, particularly among clinical populations whose neurocognitive impairments generally are considered relatively mild in nature. Assessment of information processing speed often is confounded, however, by comorbid impairments in other constructs of neurocognition, including attentional capacity, visuospatial perception, language, immediate memory, and motor speed/coordination. This investigation examined the effect of controlling for various potential confounders on the strength of associations among several potential measures of information processing speed. Participants were 64 patients diagnosed with clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Analysis indicated consistent significant and positive associations among measures of processing speed, which generally persisted despite simultaneous statistical control of potential confounding factors. Results imply that examined confounding variables are similarly related to the measures of processing speed. Therefore, any of the measures of information processing speed considered in this study may be used as a proxy for the more direct measure of this construct derived from the Sternberg Memory Scanning Test.


Therapeutic Delivery of Butyrylcholinesterase by Brain-Wide Viral Gene Transfer to Mice.
Recent research shows that butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is not simply a liver enzyme that detoxifies bioactive esters in food and medications. In fact, in pursuing other goals, we recently found that it has an equally important role in regulating the peptide hormone ghrelin and its impact on hunger, obesity, and emotions. Here, we present and examine means of manipulating brain BChE levels by viral gene transfer, either regionally or globally, to modulate ghrelin signaling for long-term therapeutic purposes and to set the stage for exploring the neurophysiological impact of such an intervention.


Higher Rates of Operative Delivery and Maternal and Neonatal Complications in Persistent Occiput Posterior Position with a Large Head Circumference: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
We investigated whether large head circumference (HC) combined with persistent occiput posterior (OP) position is associated with higher rates of operative delivery and obstetric and neonatal complications than OP deliveries without large HC or in occiput anterior (OA) position. Term singleton deliveries in our centers from January 2010 to December 2014, delivered in cephalic OA (n = 41,038) or OP position (n = 1,740), were assessed. We compared delivery modes, maternal and neonatal complications in OA versus OP deliveries, and HC ≥90th centile versus HC <90th centile in persistent OP position. Persistent OP position combined with HC ≥90th centile was associated with higher rates of vacuum extraction and unplanned cesarean delivery than HC <90th centile in OP position (20.1 vs. 17.2%, OR 1.53 [95% CI 0.99-2.36], and 23.4 vs. 9.2%, OR 3.326 [95% CI 2.17-5.11], respectively). Rates of prolonged second stage of labor and neonatal intensive care unit admission were also increased compared to those in either OA position with HC ≥90th centile or OP position with HC <90th centile. Large HC combined with OP position is associated with higher rates of operative delivery and prolonged second stage of labor compared to OP delivery with HC <90th centile. HC might be included with other measures to assess women in labor, as it is associated with fetal outcomes in OP deliveries.


Improving cell-based therapies by nanomodification.
Cell-based therapies are emerging as a promising approach for various diseases. Their therapeutic efficacy depends on rational control and regulation of the functions and behaviors of cells during their treatments. Different from conventional regulatory strategy by chemical adjuvants or genetic engineering, which is restricted by limited synergistic regulatory efficiency or uncertain safety problems, a novel approach based on nanoscale artificial materials can be applied to modify living cells to endow them with novel functions and unique properties. Inspired by natural "nano shell" and "nano compass" structures, cell nanomodification can be developed through both external and internal pathways. In this review, some novel cell surface engineering and intracellular nanoconjugation strategies are summarized. Their potential applications are also discussed, including cell protection, cell labeling, targeted delivery and in situ regulation. It is believed that these novel cell-material complexes can have great potentials for biomedical applications.


Do earthquakes exhibit self-organized criticality?
If earthquakes are phenomena of self-organized criticality (SOC), statistical characteristics of the earthquake time series should be invariant after the sequence of events in an earthquake catalog are randomly rearranged. In this Letter we argue that earthquakes are unlikely phenomena of SOC because our analysis of the Southern California Earthquake Catalog shows that the first-return-time probability PM(T) is apparently changed after the time series is rearranged. This suggests that the SOC theory should not be used to oppose the efforts of earthquake prediction.


Rare cause of paradoxical worsening of pleural effusion in a patient with tuberculosis.
A 33-year-old patient, Known case of chronic kidney disease on maintenance dialysis presented with complaints of low-grade fever and weight loss of 2 months duration. Computed tomography (CT) revealed bilateral mild pleural effusion with significant mediastinal and abdominal adenopathy. CT-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology of abdominal lymph nodes and bone marrow culture was suggestive of tuberculosis. The patient was started on four drug anti-tubercular therapy, post 6 weeks of initiation he developed new onset fever and chest X-ray revealed moderate right pleural effusion. Diagnostic thoracocentesis was suggestive of chylothorax. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of chylothorax due to the paradoxical reaction in the HIV-negative tuberculous patient.


Efficacy of Intensive Radiofrequency Energy Delivery to the Localized Dense Scar Area in Post-Infarction Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation - A Comparative Study With Standard Strategy Targeting the Infarcted Border Zone.
Several reports have demonstrated the importance of severely low voltage areas as arrhythmogenic substrates of ventricular tachycardia (VT). However, a comparative study of dense scar-targeted and infarcted border zone-targeted strategies has not been reported.Methods and Results:We divided 109 consecutive patients with VT post-infarction from 6 centers into 2 groups according to the ablation strategy used: dense scar-targeted ablation (DS ablation, 48%) or border zone-targeted ablation (BZ ablation, 52%). During DS ablation, we attempted to identify VT isthmuses in the dense scar areas (≤0.6 mV) using detailed pace mapping, and linear ablation lesions were applied mainly to those areas. During BZ ablation, linear ablation of standard low voltage areas (0.5-1.5 mV) was performed along with good pace map sites of the clinical VT. Acute success was defined as complete success (no VTs inducible) or partial success (clinical VT was noninducible). The acute complete success rate was significantly higher for DS ablation than for BZ ablation (62% vs. 42%, P=0.043). During a median follow-up of 37 months, the VT-free survival rate was significantly higher for DS ablation than for BZ ablation (80% vs. 58% at 48 months; log-rank P=0.038). DS ablation may be a more effective therapy for post-infarction VT than BZ ablation in terms of the acute complete success rate and long-term follow-up.


Socioeconomic inequalities in cause-specific mortality after disability retirement due to different diseases.
Socioeconomic inequalities in both disability retirement and mortality are large. The aim of this study was to examine socioeconomic differences in cause-specific mortality after disability retirement due to different diseases. We used administrative register data from various sources linked together by Statistics Finland and included an 11% sample of the Finnish population between the years 1987 and 2007. The data also include an 80% oversample of the deceased during the follow-up. The study included men and women aged 30-64 years at baseline and those who turned 30 during the follow-up. We used Cox regression analysis to examine socioeconomic differences in mortality after disability retirement. Socioeconomic differences in mortality after disability retirement were smaller than in the population in general. However, manual workers had a higher risk of mortality than upper non-manual employees after disability retirement due to mental disorders and cardiovascular diseases, and among men also diseases of the nervous system. After all-cause disability retirement, manual workers ran a higher risk of cardiovascular and alcohol-related death. However, among men who retired due to mental disorders or cardiovascular diseases, differences in social class were found for all causes of death examined. For women, an opposite socioeconomic gradient in mortality after disability retirement from neoplasms was found. Conclusions: The disability retirement process leads to smaller socioeconomic differences in mortality compared with those generally found in the population. This suggests that the disability retirement system is likely to accurately identify chronic health problems with regard to socioeconomic status.


Modulation of transcription by DNA supercoiling: a deletion analysis of the Escherichia coli gyrA and gyrB promoters.
Expression of the genes determining the subunits of Escherichia coli DNA gyrase (gyrA and gyrB) is known to be induced by relaxation of the template DNA. In this paper we report a deletion analysis of the gyrA and gyrB promoter regions. We find that a DNA sequence 20 base pairs long that includes the -10 consensus region, the transcription start point, and the first few transcribed bases is responsible for the property of induction by DNA relaxation. We propose a model for relaxation-stimulated transcription in which promoter clearance is the rate-limiting step.


High-sensitivity fluorescence lifetime thermal sensing based on CdTe quantum dots.
The potential use of CdTe quantum dots as luminescence nano-probes for lifetime fluorescence nano-thermometry is demonstrated. The maximum thermal sensitivity achievable is strongly dependent on the quantum dot size. For the smallest sizes (close to 1 nm) the lifetime thermal sensitivity overcomes those of conventional nano-probes used in fluorescence lifetime thermometry.


Transmission Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 That Hinder Effective Control.
The most important characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission that makes it difficult to control are 1) asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission, 2) low incidence or lack of dominant systemic symptoms such as fever, 3) airborne transmission that may need a high infectious dose, and 4) super-spread events (SSEs). Patients with COVID-19 have high viral loads at symptom onset or even a few days prior to symptom onset, and most patients with COVID-19 have only mild respiratory symptoms or merely pauci-/null-symptoms. These characteristics of the virus enable it to easily spread to the community because most patients are unaware of their potential infectivity, and symptom-based control measures cannot prevent this type of transmission. Furthermore, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is also capable of airborne transmission in conditions such as aerosol-generating procedures, under-ventilated indoor spaces, and over-crowded areas. In this context, universal mask-wearing is important to prevent both outward and inward transmission until an adequate degree of herd immunity is achieved through vaccination. Lastly, the SSEs of SARS-CoV-2 transmission emphasize the importance of reducing contacts by limiting social gatherings. The above-mentioned transmission characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 have culminated in the failure of long-lasting quarantine measures, and indicate that only highly effective vaccines can keep the communities safe from this deadly, multifaceted virus.


Intranasal delivery of a bivalent norovirus vaccine formulated in an in situ gelling dry powder.
The global health community is beginning to understand the burden of norovirus-associated disease, which has a significant impact in both developed and developing countries. Norovirus virus like particle (VLP)-based vaccines are currently under development and have been shown to elicit systemic and mucosal immune responses when delivered intranasally. In the present study, we describe the use of a dry powder formulation (GelVac™) with an in situ gelling polysaccharide (GelSite™) extracted from Aloe vera for nasal delivery of a bivalent vaccine formulation containing both GI and GII.4 norovirus VLPs. Dose-ranging studies were performed to identify the optimal antigen dosages based on systemic and mucosal immune responses in guinea pigs and determine any antigenic interference. A dose-dependent increase in systemic and mucosal immunogenicity against each of the VLPs were observed as well as a boosting effect for each VLP after the second dosing. A total antigen dose of ≥50 μg of each GI and GII.4 VLPs was determined to be the maximally immunogenic dose in guinea pigs. The immunogenicity results of this bivalent formulation, taken together with previous work on monovalent GelVac™ norovirus vaccine formulation, provides a basis for future development of this norovirus VLP vaccine.


[Brucellosis spondylodiscitis: case report].
A case of spondylodiscitis due to Brucella with systematic manifestation of the disease, in a 56-year-old male patient who was a farmer, is reported. The diagnosis was made from serological tests, with a titer of 1/160. The blood culture was positive and the blood sedimentation rate was high. Radiological abnormalities showed spondylodiscitis at the T8/T9 level that were compatible with this disease. The patient was treated with streptomycin at 1g IM/day for 15 days, and doxycycline plus rifampicin for six weeks, with a clinical improvement in the condition. Vertebral involvement in brucellosis is a complication of variable occurrence in the literature. However, it is considered to be infrequent and difficult to diagnose, particularly in regions with high prevalence of tuberculosis, given that this may mimic conditions of brucellosis. Attention is drawn to this rare case of spondylodiscitis due to brucellosis, given the need for early diagnosis and treatment in order to avoid possible sequelae.


Severity of disease correlated with fever reduction in febrile infants.
A prospective study of the effects of fever reduction on the clinical appearance of infants at risk for occult bacteremia was undertaken to study the hypothesis that infants with bacteremic illness fail to improve clinically following defervescence compared with infants with benign viral illness. A total of 154 children were enrolled in the study, including 19 with bacteremia: 13 with occult Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia, two with occult Haemophilus influenzae, type b bacteremia, and four with Haemophilus meningitis and bacteremia. There were no differences in degree of temperature reduction with acetaminophen between the bacteremic and nonbacteremic groups of infants. Among infants with bacteremia but without meningitis, differences from nonbacteremic children were detected in clinical appearance prior to fever reduction but not following defervescence. All patients with meningitis appeared seriously ill before and after defervescence. It was concluded that clinical improvement with defervescence is not a reliable indicator of the presence of occult bacteremia. Lack of clinical improvement with defervescence may be a reliable indicator for the presence of meningitis. Because there were differences in clinical appearance prior to fever reduction, routine administration of acetaminophen may interfere with the clinical evaluation by the physician.


Dynamic measures of vergence accommodation.
Dynamic measures of vergence accommodation (VG-ACC) are necessary for complete analysis of the triadic near response but are difficult to obtain because eyeball rotation affects accommodative measures. A dynamic optometer that uses the third Purkinje image is shown to be insensitive to small eye rotations and permits dynamic measures of VG-ACC responses. Such measures are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of this method. Average latency measures of 260 msec for VG-ACC fall between the latency of 160 msec for disparity vergence and the latency of 380 msec for accommodation. Additional dynamic features of VG-ACC resemble those of other components of the near triad.


Predictive Factors for Drainage Volume after Expander-based Breast Reconstruction.
Closed suction drains are widely used in breast reconstruction, and the drains are removed based on a volume criterion. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no study analyzing predictive factors for drainage volume after breast reconstruction. Data of daily drainage in cases with expander-based breast reconstruction between February 2013 and March 2015 (131 patients and 134 expanders) were retrospectively analyzed. Patient factors and operative factors were examined for their influences on total drainage using univariate and multivariate analyses. The total drainage was 557.3 ± 359.7 mL. A strong correlation was observed between total drainage and duration of drains (correlation coefficient, 0.908). Operative factors, such as mastectomy type, expander type, operative time, and blood loss, did not affect the total drainage. Patients with axillary lymph node dissection showed a higher total volume of drainage (P < 0.001). The weight of the resected specimen, body weight, and breast volume calculated preoperatively showed a strong correlation with total drainage (correlation coefficients, 0.454, 0.388, and 0.345, respectively). In multiple regression analysis with preoperative data, age (P = 0.008), body weight (P = 0.018), and scheduled axillary dissection (P < 0.001) were significant predictive factors for total drainage. Among postoperative data, age (P = 0.003), axillary dissection (P = 0.032), and weight of resected specimen (P = 0.013) were significant predictors. Based on preoperative and/or postoperative information, plastic surgeons can predict the total drainage and duration of drains after expander-based breast reconstruction. Age, breast mass, and axillary lymph node dissection are important factors for this prediction.


Immune-mediated diseases: what can be found in the oral cavity?
Immune-mediated diseases frequently affect oral mucosa, which may often be the first site of clinical manifestation. In this review, we describe the most important oral lesions related to inflammatory disorders and present their management and novel therapies. The review is based on an open PubMed literature search from 1980 to 2012 with relevant keywords. Pemphigus vulgaris, oral lichen planus, cicatricial pemphigoid, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, and linear IgA dermatosis are the immune-mediated diseases with oral manifestations discussed. Etiology is unknown in most of these diseases, but recently some of them have been found to share common genes. Modern treatment of these diseases is based on drugs that interfere along the pathogenic mechanisms instead of the still commonly used palliative measures. However, the immunomodulatory drugs may also cause oral side effects, complicating the clinical picture. Therefore, consulting dental or oral medicine specialists can be necessary in some cases with various immune-mediated diseases.


The diagonal ventricular dimension: a method for predicting shunt malfunction on the basis of changes in ventricular size.
Serial computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging studies are critical in the evaluation of patients who present with symptoms and signs of recurrent hydrocephalus or possible ventricular shunt malfunction. Subtle changes in ventricular volume or complex variations in ventricular anatomy often make subjective assessment of changes in ventricular size difficult, and no previously described method relates these changes to intracranial pressure or shunt system function. The purpose of this study was to develop an objective, reproducible, simple linear method of detecting changes in ventricular size that provides an accurate reflection of shunt function on the basis of serial imaging studies. We developed a simple, linear estimate of ventricular volume--the diagonal ventricular dimension--to objectively assess changes in ventricular size on serial computed tomographic scans and magnetic resonance imaging scans. Serial imaging studies for 14 patients ages 1.6 to 71 years who underwent evaluation for shunt malfunction were used in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of this method in predicting shunt malfunction was compared with other well-established linear estimates of ventricular size as well as with a radiologist's interpretation of the same studies. The "gold standard" for measuring the status of ventricular shunt system function in this study was the measurement of intracranial pressure via shunt tap or surgical exploration results. The sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%) of the diagonal ventricular dimension in detecting changes in ventricular size consistent with shunt malfunction was superior to that of any other linear estimate and to a radiologist's interpretation of the same films. The diagonal ventricular dimension provides an objective, simple linear method of assessing changes in ventricular size that correlates well with shunt system function in the context of a collaborative examination.


Three-dimensional craniofacial reconstruction imaging.
This review article aims to describe and discuss the imaging techniques most commonly used in medicine and dentistry to obtain three-dimensional images of the craniofacial complex. Three-dimensional imaging techniques provide extensive possibilities for the detailed and precise analysis of the whole craniofacial complex, for virtual (on-screen) simulation and real simulation of orthognathic surgery cases on biomodels before treatment, as well as for the detailed evaluation of the effects of treatment. Laser scanning in combination with the stereolithographic biomodeling seems to be a very promising combination for three-dimensional imaging, although there is still considerable room for improvement. Constant efforts should be made in the direction of developing and enhancing the existing techniques as well as exploring the potential for developing new methods based on emerging sectors of technology.


IL-36γ sustains a proinflammatory self-amplifying loop with IL-17C in anti-TNF-induced psoriasiform skin lesions of patients with Crohn's disease.
Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy-induced psoriasiform skin lesions are a recently described side effect in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 neutralization is an effective therapy for these lesions. As Th17 cytokines, such as IL-17A, and IL-1 family members, such as IL-36, play a significant role in plaque psoriasis, we analyzed the involvement of IL-17C and IL-36γ in anti-TNF-induced skin lesions of patients with Crohn's disease. IL-36γ and IL-17C levels in biopsies of anti-TNF-induced psoriasiform skin lesions of patients with Crohn's disease were assessed by immunohistochemical analysis and correlated to additional immunohistochemical data. IL-36γ and IL-17C messenger RNA, protein, and induced gene expression in human primary keratinocytes were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IL-36γ and IL-17C are increased in anti-TNF-induced psoriasiform skin lesions of patients with Crohn's disease, compared with healthy controls. Epidermal IL-36γ and IL-17C levels strongly correlate with each other (r = 0.748, P = 0.003). In contrast to IL-12 and IL-23, IL-36γ increases the expression of proinflammatory signals and effector molecules of innate immunity in keratinocytes. However, IL-17C affects keratinocyte defensin gene expression only in combination with TNF-α. IL-36γ induces TNF-α expression in keratinocytes and sustains a self-amplifying proinflammatory loop with IL-17C by inducing its own expression and that of IL-17C. Our study demonstrates a unique role of the previously unknown self-amplifying, proinflammatory IL-36γ/IL-17C loop in the pathogenesis of anti-TNF-induced psoriasiform skin lesions. These findings suggest a beneficial effect of IL-36γ/IL-17C inhibition during anti-TNF-induced psoriasiform lesions in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.


The PedsQL Brain Tumor Module: initial reliability and validity.
Brain tumors (BT) are second only to acute lymphoblastic leukemia as the most prevalent form of pediatric cancer, with BT 5-year survival rates approaching 70%. With increased survival, quality of life has emerged as an essential health outcome. This investigation examines the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Brain Tumor Module. The PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales, PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and PedsQL Brain Tumor Module were administered to 99 families. The average age of the 56 boys and 43 girls was 9.76 years (range=2-18 years). The sample included children with tumors located in the posterior fossa/brainstem (N=62, 62.6%), supratentorial (N=15, 15.2%), and midline (N=22, 22.2%). Children were on treatment (N=46, 46.5%), off treatment<12 months (N=19, 19.2%), or off treatment>12 months/long-term survivor (N=34, 34.3%). Treatment included radiation (N=61, 61.6%), surgery (N=83, 83.8%), chemotherapy (N=87, 87.9%), and bone marrow transplant (N=5, 5.1%). Internal consistency reliability was demonstrated for the 24-item PedsQL Brain Tumor Module (average alpha=0.78-0.92, parent proxy-report, n=99; average alpha=0.76-0.87, child self-report, n=51). Construct validity for the PedsQL Brain Tumor Module was supported through an analysis of the intercorrelations with the Generic Core Scales and Fatigue Scale. The findings provide support for the measurement properties of the PedsQL Brain Tumor Module.


Minimally invasive isolated tricuspid valve surgery.
Outcomes after minimally invasive isolated tricuspid valve (TV) surgery have not been well described. Hence, an assessment was made of the authors' results for minimally invasive, isolated TV surgery. Between September 2000 and January 2008, at the authors' institution, a total of 35 patients (15 males, 20 females; mean age 59.2 +/- 14.9 years) underwent isolated TV surgery for TV regurgitation, using a right lateral mini-thoracotomy. The preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was 57 +/- 11%. The TV pathology included annular dilatation (n = 22), recurrent regurgitation after previous repair (n = 4), ruptured chordae (n = 4), endocarditis (n = 2), intracardiac tumor (n = 2), and blunt chest trauma (n = 1). Twenty patients had previously undergone a total of 30 cardiac operations, eight of which involved the TV. A TV repair was performed in 27 patients (77%), and involved the implantation of an annuloplasty ring in all cases. A leaflet repair was performed in addition to an annuloplasty in two patients, and eight patients underwent TV replacement. The hospital mortality was 5.7%, with two deaths due to low cardiac output syndrome on days 1 and 9 after surgery. The latter patient underwent reoperation on day 7 for recurrent TV regurgitation and a ventricular septal defect. Early and mid-term echocardiographic follow up revealed no TV regurgitation in 19 patients, but trivial and mild regurgitation each in eight patients. The mean follow up time was 35 +/- 40 months, and was 100% complete. A Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed an estimated five-year survival of 90% (95% CI: 73-97). Isolated TV surgery can be performed through a minimally invasive approach, with good results. A high repair rate can be achieved, and the procedure has been particularly valuable in redo surgery.


Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the effects of different feeding times on the hepatopancreas of Chinese mitten crabs.
Feeding rhythms affect a range of physiological functions in crustaceans. To investigate their effect on the physiological functions of Eriocheir sinensis, herein, we analyzed the influence of different feeding times on the hepatopancreas transcriptome via high-throughput sequencing. We harvested the hepatopancreas of crabs at 12:00 on day 11 of the experiment. We weighted the crabs before and after the experiment and found that those in the 06:00 group had the highest weight gain rate. In addition, 512 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were grouped into nine distinct clusters. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that E. sinensis metabolic and immune processes were affected by the feeding time. Furthermore, we mapped the DEGs involved in retinol metabolism and the lysosome pathway. To our knowledge, this is the first comparative transcriptomic analysis of the hepatopancreas of E. sinensis based on different feeding times, which provides multi-level information to reveal the mechanism underlying the regulation of feeding rhythms in E. sinensis.


Fecal Incontinence: a woman's view.
Fecal incontinence (FI) has a prevalence of 2-7% in the general community and increases substantially in hospitalized patients and nursing home residents. Incontinent patients often isolate themselves from society for fear of having an incontinent episode in public. Few of these patients ever discuss this ailment with their doctor, despite a significant increase in depression and anxiety. Women have gender-specific medical and surgical conditions that predispose them to FI such as pregnancy, scleroderma, MS, IBS, childbirth, and pelvic surgeries. This article will address multiple facets of FI, but will focus specifically on issues related to women.


Fuzzysplit: demultiplexing and trimming sequenced DNA with a declarative language.
Next-generation sequencing technologies create large, multiplexed DNA sequences that require preprocessing before any further analysis. Part of this preprocessing includes demultiplexing and trimming sequences. Although there are many existing tools that can handle these preprocessing steps, they cannot be easily extended to new sequence schematics when new pipelines are developed. We present Fuzzysplit, a tool that relies on a simple declarative language to describe the schematics of sequences, which makes it incredibly adaptable to different use cases. In this paper, we explain the matching algorithms behind Fuzzysplit and we provide a preliminary comparison of its performance with other well-established tools. Overall, we find that its matching accuracy is comparable to previous tools.


Binding abilities of a chiral calix[4]resorcinarene: a polarimetric investigation on a complex case of study.
Polarimetry was used to investigate the binding abilities of a chiral calix[4]resorcinarene derivative, bearing L-proline subunits, towards a set of suitably selected organic guests. The simultaneous formation of 1:1 and 2:1 host-guest inclusion complexes was observed in several cases, depending on both the charge status of the host and the structure of the guest. Thus, the use of the polarimetric method was thoroughly revisited, in order to keep into account the occurrence of multiple equilibria. Our data indicate that the stability of the host-guest complexes is affected by an interplay between Coulomb interactions, π-π interactions, desolvation effects and entropy-unfavorable conformational dynamic restraints. Polarimetry is confirmed as a very useful and versatile tool for the investigation of supramolecular interactions with chiral hosts, even in complex systems involving multiple equilibria.


The problem with gentamicin: reducing administration and prescribing errors in neonates treated for early onset infection with gentamicin.
We describe a quality improvement (QI) project to reduce the number of administration and prescribing errors with gentamicin on a local neonatal unit in a district general hospital, from January 2017 to August 2019. Baseline data collected showed seven errors in the first 16 months of the project (from 1999 doses). The aim of this QI project was to have no low-level, moderate-level or severe level harm errors in the intervention period. A number of interventions were carried out including a change to local guidelines and teaching sessions for staff. All Datix reports for gentamicin were reviewed as well as data collected from the pharmacy team for a further 16 months. One low harm error was reported in this period (from 1938 doses). Education of the medical and nursing staff has been a key intervention in reducing our gentamicin errors as well as changing the way we prescribe gentamicin.


Referential communication in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Referential communication was studied in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including children with autism and Asperger syndrome. The aim was to study alternative explanations for the children's communicative problems in such situations. Factors studied were theory of mind, IQ, verbal ability and memory. The main results demonstrated diminished performance in children with autism spectrum disorder, mirroring performance in everyday life, in comparison to verbal IQ and mental age matched typically developing children. Among children with autism spectrum disorders, there was a positive relationship between performance in referential communication and theory of mind. Memory capacity also proved to play a role in success in the task.


Bronchial reactivity in relation to immune responses in rats after subcutaneous sensitization without adjuvant.
Rats of BNxWi /Fu strain were immunized by daily subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of antigen without the use of adjuvant for two 2-week periods with a 4-week interval. The bronchial responses to airway and intravenous (i.v.) antigen challenge were measured during and after the immunization period. These responses were compared with both the humoral and the cell-mediated immune response of the animals. Immunization induced bronchial reactivity of the animals to antigen after airway and i.v. challenge. This reactivity persisted for 7 weeks following the second immunization period. Specific IgE antibodies were detected in serum, bronchial fluid and in supernatants from cultured peripheral lymph node cells. The immunization also resulted in an IgG antibody response. Neither the amount of IgE, IgG2a, nor of any other isotype, correlated with the bronchial reactivity in the animals. Antigen stimulation of lymph node cells mixed with syngeneic spleen cells induced proliferation. This procedure also resulted in a maturation of mast cells in 3-week cultures. The immunization also resulted in some increase in the number of mast cells around vessels in the lung. There was no correlation between these parameters of cell-mediated immunity and either antibody responses or bronchial reactivity.


What every physician needs to know about disability insurance.
Physicians and their patients rely on disability insurance to provide economic protection against unforeseen illness or injury. This article discusses various types of disability coverage and issues that arise in disability claims both from the perspective of the physician as treater as well as consumer.


Myricetin protects against diet-induced obesity and ameliorates oxidative stress in C57BL/6 mice.
Myricetin is a naturally occurring antioxidant commonly found in various plants. However, little information is available with respect to its direct anti-obesity effects. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of myricetin on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in C57BL/6 mice. Administration of myricetin dramatically reduced the body weight of diet-induced obese mice compared with solely HFD-induced mice. Several parameters related to obesity including serum glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol were significantly decreased in myricetin-treated mice. Moreover, obesity-associated oxidative stress (glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) and inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)) were ameliorated in myricetin-treated mice. Further investigation revealed that the protective effect of myricetin against HFD-induced obesity in mice appeared to be partially mediated through the down-regulation of mRNA expression of adipogenic transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), and lipogenic transcription factor sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c). Consumption of myricetin may help to prevent obesity and obesity-related metabolic complications.


Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate stimulated Cl- secretion in mouse trachea.
Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a derivate of tanshinone IIA, a lipophilic compound in Salvia miltiorrhiza. This study aimed to investigate the effect of STS on ion transport in mouse tracheal epithelium and the mechanisms underlying it. Short-circuit current (Isc) was measured to evaluate the effect of STS on transepithelial ion transport. Intracellular Ca2+ imaging was performed to observe intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) changes induced by STS in primary cultured mouse tracheal epithelial cells. Results showed that the apical application of STS at mouse trachea elicited an increase of Isc, which was abrogated by atropine, an antagonist of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR). By removing ambient Cl- or applying blockers of Ca2+-activated Cl- channel (CaCC), the response of STS-induced Isc was suppressed. Moreover, STS elevated the [Ca2+]i in mouse tracheal epithelial cells. As a result, STS stimulated Cl- secretion in mouse tracheal epithelium via CaCC in an mAChR-dependent way. Due to the critical role of Cl- secretion in airway hydration, our findings suggested that STS may be used to ameliorate the airway dehydration symptom in cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


Necrotizing Pneumocystis carinii vasculitis associated with lung necrosis and cavitation in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
Pulmonary cavitation is an infrequent manifestation of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The pathogenesis of lung cavities associated with P carinii pneumonia has not been fully elucidated by detailed morphologic studies. This article describes a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and P carinii pneumonia who developed roentgenographically identified lung cavitation while being treated with azidothymidine. At autopsy, necrotizing vasculitis with vascular infiltration by Pneumocystis organisms was associated with lung necrosis and cavitation. No other causes of pulmonary cavitation were identified. Thus, in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, P carinii, per se, may result in lung necrosis and cavitation, possibly through the mechanism of necrotizing angiitis.


Coinage metal complexes supported by a "PN(3)P" scaffold.
A series of monovalent group 11 complexes, [2,6-{Ph2PNMe}2(NC5H3)]CuBr 1, [2,6-{Ph2PNMe}2(NC5H3)]CuOTf 2, [2,6-{Ph2PNMe}2(NC5H3)]AgOTf 3, and [2,6-{Ph2PNMe}2(NC5H3)](AuCl)24, supported by a neutral PN(3)P ligand have been synthesized and characterized by multinuclear NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The variation of the coordination properties were analyzed and electronic structure calculations have been carried out to provide insight on the bonding details in these complexes. The Cu(I) complexes displayed an unusual coordination geometry with a tridentate pincer ligand and an overall four coordinate trigonal pyramidal geometry. In contrast the Ag(I) analogue displayed a bidentate κ(2)-P,P' ligation leaving the pyridyl-N atom uncoordinated and yielding a pyramidalized trigonal planar geometry around Ag. The bimetallic Au(I) complex completed the series and displayed a monodentate P-bonded ligand and a linear coordination geometry.


Template-free synthesis of renewable macroporous carbon via yeast cells for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials.
The urgent need for sustainable development has forced material scientists to explore novel materials for next-generation energy storage devices through a green and facile strategy. In this context, yeast, which is a large group of single cell fungi widely distributed in nature environments, will be an ideal candidate for developing effective electrode materials with fascinating structures for high-performance supercapacitors. With this in mind, herein, we present the first example of creating three-dimensional (3D) interpenetrating macroporous carbon materials via a template-free method, using the green, renewable, and widespread yeast cells as the precursors. Remarkably, when the as-prepared materials are used as the electrode materials for supercapacitors, they exhibit outstanding performance with high specific capacitance of 330 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), and good stability, even after 1000 charge/discharge cycles. The approach developed in this work provides a new view of making full use of sustainable resources endowed by nature, opening the avenue to designing and producing robust materials with great promising applications in high-performance energy-storage devices.


Abnormal lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme pattern in a critically ill patient.
We have described a patient who had an abnormal isoenzyme of lactate dehydrogenase in both serum and tissue. The presence of LD6 is indicative of a poor prognosis. Some of the biochemical characteristics of the isoenzyme are (1) LD6 is not an artifact, (2) it contains an M subunit but not an H subunit, and (3) it is not an immunoglobulin complex. We believe LD6 may arise during episodes of severe shock as lysosomes rupture and is either a previously sequestered lysosomal LD or is a lysosomal modification of LD5.


Digital twins for land-based aquaculture: A case study for rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss).
The virtual, digital counterpart of a physical object, referred as digital twin, derives from the Internet of Things (IoT), and involves real-time acquisition and processing of large data sets. A fully implemented system ultimately enables real-time and remote management, as well as the reproduction of real and forecasted scenarios. Under the emerging framework of Precision Fish Farming, which brings control-engineering principles to fish production, we set up digital twin prototypes for land-based finfish farms. The digital twin is aimed at supporting producers in optimizing feeding practices, oxygen supply and fish population management with respect to 1) fish growth performances; 2) fish welfare, and 3) environmental loads. It relies on integrated mathematical models which are fed with data from in-situ sensors and from external sources, and simulate several dynamic processes, allowing the estimation of key parameters describing the ambient environment and the fishes. A conceptual application targeted at rearing cycles of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) in an operational in-land aquafarm in Italy is presented. The digital twin takes into account the disparate levels of automation and control that are found within this farm, and considerations are made on preferential directions for future developments. In spite of its potential, and not only in the aquaculture sector, the development of digital twins is still at its early stage. Furthermore, Precision Fish Farming applications in land-based systems as well as targeted at rainbow trout are novel developments.


Trapping a Silicon(I) Radical with Carbenes: A Cationic cAAC-Silicon(I) Radical and an NHC-Parent-Silyliumylidene Cation.
The trapping of a silicon(I) radical with N-heterocyclic carbenes is described. The reaction of the cyclic (alkyl)(amino) carbene [cAACMe ] (cAACMe =:C(CMe2 )2 (CH2 )NAr, Ar=2,6-iPr2 C6 H3 ) with H2 SiI2 in a 3:1 molar ratio in DME afforded a mixture of the separated ion pair [(cAACMe )2 Si:. ]+ I- (1), which features a cationic cAAC-silicon(I) radical, and [cAACMe -H]+ I- . In addition, the reaction of the NHC-iodosilicon(I) dimer [IAr (I)Si:]2 (IAr =:C{N(Ar)CH}2 ) with 4 equiv of IMe (:C{N(Me)CMe}2 ), which proceeded through the formation of a silicon(I) radical intermediate, afforded [(IMe )2 SiH]+ I- (2) comprising the first NHC-parent-silyliumylidene cation. Its further reaction with fluorobenzene afforded the CAr -H bond activation product [1-F-2-IMe -C6 H4 ]+ I- (3). The isolation of 2 and 3 confirmed the reaction mechanism for the formation of 1. Compounds 1-3 were analyzed by EPR and NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations, and X-ray crystallography.


Control of adhesive ligand density for modulation of nucleus pulposus cell phenotype.
Cells of the nucleus pulposus have been observed to undergo a shift from their notochordal-like juvenile phenotype to a more fibroblast-like state with age and maturation. It has been demonstrated that culture of degenerative adult human nucleus pulposus cells upon soft (<1 kPa) full length laminin-containing hydrogel substrates promotes increased levels of a panel of markers associated with the juvenile nucleus pulposus cell phenotype. In the current work, we observed an ability to use soft polymeric substrates functionalized with short laminin-mimetic peptide sequences to recapitulate the behaviors elicited by soft, full-length laminin containing materials. Furthermore, our work suggests an ability to mimic features of soft systems through control of peptide density upon stiffer substrates. Specifically, results suggest that stiffer polymer-peptide hydrogel substrates can be used to promote the expression of a more juvenile-like phenotype for cells of the nucleus pulposus by reducing adhesive ligand presentation. Here we show how polymer stiffness combined with adhesive ligand presentation can be controlled to be supportive of nucleus pulposus cell phenotype and biosynthesis.


An interesting case that included visual hallucinations in a patient with severe hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia.
A 57-year-old man presenting with profound visual hallucinations was found to have severe hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia with a normal level of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Magnesium is essential to the release of PTH so the suspected pathophysiology was thought to be: low Mg → inappropriately low PTH → low Ca. He commenced supplementation and his symptoms resolved. Causes of hypomagnesaemia are discussed.


X-Shaped α-FeOOH with Enhanced Charge Separation for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting.
Photocatalytic overall water splitting (POWS) is a promising route for converting solar energy into green and sustainable energy. Herein, we report a facile hydrothermal approach for the fabrication of x-shaped α-FeOOH photocatalysts containing high-index facets for POWS. The x-shaped α-FeOOH photocatalysts exhibited enhanced visible-light-driven POWS activities in comparison with that of FeOOH without x-structures, with a maximum H2 and O2 evolution rate of 9.2 and 4.7 μmol h-1 g-1 , respectively. The morphology and particle size of the α-FeOOH could be controlled by adjusting the NH4 F concentration in the precursors. The photodeposition of Pt and RuO2 on the x-shaped α-FeOOH revealed the specially separated reduction and oxidation centers on the surface of α-FeOOH, with the oxidation-active sites selectively located on the edges of the α-FeOOH x-structures. Electrochemical experiments further affirmed the enhanced charge separation in the x-shaped α-FeOOH. The smaller particle size and unique x-shape of the α-FeOOH photocatalyst were shown to enhance the POWS performance owing to the large specific surface area, high proportion of exposed high-index facets, high electron-transfer efficiency and effective separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The current study revealed that the x-shaped α-FeOOH products could serve as cost-effective and stable photocatalysts for POWS.


Cytologic atypia associated with microglandular hyperplasia.
Although it has long been known that microglandular hyperplasia (MGH) may be associated with cytologic atypia in cervical smears, the cytomorphology of MGH has not been described in great detail. To clarify its cytomorphology, Pap smears obtained from biopsy proven cases of MGH over a 3-yr period were reviewed. Of 122 smears containing endocervical cells, 34 (28%) showed striking glandular abnormalities. In two cases, adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma in situ were falsely suggested and a high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL-CIN III) was not confirmed in a conization specimen which showed only low grade SIL and MGH. Review of six cytologic diagnoses of HGSIL (CIN III) unconfirmed on biopsy suggested overcalls related to MGH related atypia in five. Cytologic features of MGH, therefore, may occasionally result in erroneous interpretations of HGSIL as well as glandular neoplasia. Although these changes may be striking, comparison with glandular atypia not associated with MGH shows that they are not entirely specific.


Natural killer cells: detectors of stress.
Natural killer (NK) cells are a key component of the innate immune system, as they are able to detect microbe-infected cells, tumors as well as allogeneic cells, without specific sensitization. NK cell effector functions (cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion) are regulated by a wide array of inhibitory and activating receptors. MHC class I molecules are the ligands of most inhibitory receptors, while activating receptors recognize either pathogen-encoded molecules, or self-proteins whose expression is up-regulated upon microbial infection or tumor development. Upon integration of these negative and positive signals, Natural Killer cells can discriminate between healthy "self" (tolerance) and autologous cells undergoing different types of cellular stress or allogeneic cells (immunosurveillance). The knowledge of the different mechanisms of target cell recognition is thus crucial to dissect NK cell involvement in homeostatic and disease conditions as well as to develop novel alternative therapeutic approaches based on NK cell manipulation.


Resting-state functional connectivity associated with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.
Cognitive impairment is common in PD, even in early stages. The construct of mild cognitive impairment has been used to identify clinically evident cognitive impairment without functional decline in PD patients (PD-MCI). The aim of the present study was to investigate brain connectivity associated with PD-MCI through RS-fMRI. RS-fMRI at 3T was collected in 42 PD patients and 20 matched healthy controls. Among PD patients, 21 were classified as having MCI (PD-MCI) and 21 as cognitively unimpaired (PD-nMCI) based on criteria for possible PD-MCI (level I category). Single-subject and group-level ICA was used to investigate the integrity of brain networks related to cognition in PD patients with and without MCI. Image data processing and statistical analysis were performed in BrainVoyager QX. In addition, we used VBM to test whether functional connectivity differences were related to structural abnormalities. PD-nMCI and PD-MCI patients compared with controls showed decreased DMN connectivity. PD-MCI patients, but not PD-nMCI, compared with controls, showed decreased functional connectivity of bilateral prefrontal cortex within the frontoparietal network. The decreased prefrontal cortex connectivity correlated with cognitive parameters but not with clinical variables. VBM analysis did not reveal any difference in local gray matter between patients and controls. Our findings suggest that an altered DMN connectivity characterizes PD patients, regardless of cognitive status, whereas a functional disconnection of the frontoparietal network could be associated with MCI in PD in the absence of detectable structural changes.


Focused open necrosectomy in necrotizing pancreatitis.
The control of sepsis is the primary goal of surgical intervention in patients with infected necrosis. Simple surgical approaches that are easy to reproduce may improve outcomes when specialists in endoscopy are not available. The aim of the present study was to describe the experience with a focused open necrosectomy (FON) in patients with infected necrosis. A prospective pilot study conducted to compare a semi-open/closed drainage laparotomy and FON with the assistance of peri-operative ultrasound. The incidence of sepsis, dynamics of C-reactive protein (CRP), intensive care unit (ICU)/hospital stay, complication rate and mortality were compared and analysed. From a total of 58 patients, 36 patients underwent a conventional open necrosectomy and 22 patients underwent FON. The latter method resulted in a faster resolution of sepsis and a significant decrease in mean CRP on Day 3 after FON, P = 0.001. Post-operative bleeding was in 1 versus 7 patients and the incidence of intestinal and pancreatic fistula was 2 versus 8 patients when comparing FON to the conventional approach. The median ICU stay was 11.6 versus 23 days and the hospital stay was significantly shorter, 57 versus 72 days, P = 0.024 when comparing FON versus the conventional group. One patient died in the FON group and seven patients died in the laparotomy group, P = 0.139. FON can be an alternative method to conventional open necrosectomy in patients with infected necrosis and unresolved sepsis.


Purification and characterization of protein kinase CK2 from Candida albicans: evidence for the presence of two distinct regulatory subunits beta and beta'.
Protein kinase CK2 of Candida albicans has been purified to near homogeneity by a procedure which involves chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, Q-Sepharose, and heparin-agarose. The purified enzyme has the characteristic properties of animal and yeast CK2, i.e., it utilizes ATP as well as GTP as phosphate donor, phosphorylates serine and threonine residues on casein, is inhibited by low concentrations of heparin, and is stimulated by NaCl and polycationic compounds such as polylysine, spermine, and spermidine. The native form of the enzyme exhibits a molecular mass of 159 kDa, and SDS-PAGE analysis indicates that it is composed of four polypeptides with relative molecular masses of 44, 39, 37 and 36 kDa. The 39- and 37-kDa polypeptides were identified as distinct catalytic subunits alpha and alpha' on the basis of in situ phosphorylation assays and immunological recognition with heterologous antibodies. The purified kinase undergoes autophosphorylation on the 44- and 36-kDa polypeptides, a characteristic of the beta subunits from other species. Antibodies raised against the beta subunit of Drosophila melanogaster and human CK2 crossreact only with the 36-kDa polypeptide. The 44-kDa polypeptide was identified as an unusually large beta' subunit by Western blotting with an antibody raised against the beta' subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. All these data suggest that C. albicans CK2 has an alpha alpha' beta beta' heterotetrameric composition similar to that found in S. cerevisiae.


The effect of prosthesis alignment on the symmetry of gait in subjects with unilateral transtibial amputation.
A high degree of gait symmetry is characteristic of healthy gait. The aim of this study is to examine the symmetry of various gait parameters in subjects with unilateral trans-tibial amputation over a range of acceptable anteroposterior translational and tilt alignments, and further to examine if a consistent alignment of highest symmetry can be found. Acceptable alignments were determined by bench, static and dynamic testing on level and non-level surfaces. A total of 15 kinetic and kinematic parameters were then measured in the seven subjects participating in this study. Results indicate that some parameters show consistently higher symmetries, particularly the vertical ground reaction force parameters and the stance duration, step length and time to full knee flexion during the swing phase. Symmetries in other parameters such as knee flexion at loading response, acceleration impulse, and peak anteroposterior propulsive force seem to have little relevance in determining whether the gait pattern for that prosthetic alignment is acceptable or not. While analysis of the symmetry of more relevant gait parameters may assist the prosthetist in consistently and objectively identifying a most symmetrical alignment within the acceptable range, further clinical study is required before any conclusions can be drawn regarding evaluation of symmetry as a tool in defining any optimum alignment.


A template-free nano-wrapping technique for the fabrication of copper hollow nanospheres smaller than 20 nm.
A new template-free "nano-wrapping" method has been developed for the fabrication of copper hollow nanospheres with the smallest size of around 15 nm and its significance is highlighted to its composition tunability of the metal encapsulated inside the copper nanoshell.


Dying-arm disease in grapevines: diagnosis of infection with Eutypa lata by metabolite analysis.
Dying-arm disease in grapevines, produced by infection with the ascomycete Eutypa lata, is responsible for major production losses in vineyards. Dieback of the shoots and cordon is believed to be due to acetylenic phenol metabolites produced by the fungus. To identify specific metabolites that could potentially be used for diagnosis of infection, eight E. lata isolates were grown in vitro on hot water extracts from grape varieties with various degrees of tolerance to the foliar symptoms of E. lata dieback. HPLC analysis showed that eutypinol was consistently produced in large amounts, together with smaller amounts of methyleutypinol and eulatachromene; eutypine, the putative toxin, was produced solely on Sauvignon Blanc extract and then in only barely detectable amounts. When E. lata isolates from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were grown on identical media, the amounts of metabolites produced differed significantly between isolates but the pattern of metabolites was quite similar, with eutypinol again predominating. The consistent production of eutypinol indicated that this was the most suitable metabolite for which to analyze in order to diagnose the presence of E. lata. Extraction and analysis of grapevine tissues exhibiting symptoms of dieback failed to show the presence of any metabolites. However, when infected cordon sections were placed in water and cultured for 5 days, eutypinol was readily detected in the aqueous solution; metabolites were not produced from uninfected tissue. This provides a method for detection of infected tissue and indicates that the toxic metabolites react at the point of production, disrupting the vascular structure and inhibiting transport of nutrients, rather than being translocated to tissues that exhibit symptoms.


Distinct and gradient distributions of connexin26 and connexin30 in the cochlear sensory epithelium of guinea pigs.
Connexin26 (Cx26) and Cx30 are predominant isoforms of gap junction channels in the cochlea and play a critical role in hearing. In this study, the cellular distributions of Cx26 and Cx30 in the cochlear sensory epithelium of guinea pigs were examined by immunofluorescent staining and confocal microscopy in whole mounts of the cochlear sensory epithelium and dissociated cell preparations. The expression of Cx26 and Cx30 demonstrated a longitudinal gradient distribution in the epithelium and was reduced threefold from the cochlear apex to base. The reduction was more pronounced in the Deiters cells and pillar cells than in the Hensen cells. Cx26 was expressed in all types of supporting cells, but little Cx30 labeling was seen in the Hensen cells. Cx26 expression in the Hensen cells was concentrated mainly in the second and third rows, forming a distinct band along the sensory epithelium at its outer region. In the dissociated Deiters cells and pillar cells, Cx30 showed dense labeling at the cell bodies and processes in the reticular lamina. Cx26 labeling largely overlapped that of Cx30 in these regions. Cx26 and Cx30 were also coexpressed in the gap junctional plaques between Claudius cells. Neither Cx26 nor Cx30 labeling was seen in the hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons. These observations demonstrate that Cx26 and Cx30 have a longitudinal gradient distribution and distinct cellular expression in the auditory sensory epithelium. This further supports our previous reports that Cx26 and Cx30 can solely and concertedly perform different functions in the cochlea.


Three octave visible to mid-infrared supercontinuum generation seeded by multimode silica fiber pumped at 1064 nm.
Hyperspectral spectroscopy requires light sources with wide spectral ranges from the visible to the mid-infrared. Here, we demonstrate the first fiber-based mid-infrared supercontinuum covering three octaves of frequency by leveraging 1-µm laser technology. The process consists in spectral broadening of a 1064-nm pump toward 0.48-2.5 µm in a graded-index multimode fiber, followed by a fluoro-indate fiber used to reach deeper into the near infrared (4.3 µm). Finally, an arsenic selenide chalcogenide fiber allows us to reach the 6-µm wavelength region, providing a 0.75-6-µm supercontinuum. We illustrate the potential of this light source by recording mid-infrared absorption spectra of organic compounds.


[Regulation of the activity and synthesis of 3-deoxy-D-arabinoheptuloso-7-phosphate synthase in the obligate methylotroph Methylobacillus flagellatum KT].
The activity of the first enzyme of aromatic path 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptuloso-7-phosphate-synthase (DAHP-synthase) is regulated by retro-inhibition and is a subject of repression. Analysis of partially purified preparations of the enzyme has revealed three isoenzymes: DAHP-synthase-Tyr, DAHP-synthase-Trp and DAHP-synthase-Phe, each of them being regulated by a corresponding amino acid. DAHP-synthase-Phe is a dominant isoenzyme presenting 70% of the enzyme activity, 30% inhibition of which is possible by 7.0 mkM of phenylalanine. DAHP-synthase-Tyr and DAHP-synthase-Trp are minor isoenzymes (sharing 15% of enzyme activity each) and are controlled by tyrosine and tryptophane correspondingly. 50% of inhibition of activity is possible by adding 0.7 and 0.8 mkM of corresponding amino acid. Regulation of the enzyme synthesis was studied in the Trp-, Phe- and Tyr- mutants. The enzyme activity was registered under the conditions of limiting and surplus of each aromatic amino acid. The synthesis of DAHP-synthase in M. flagellatum KT is repressed by tryptophane and tyrosine decreasing the synthesis 18.8 and 15.6 fold.


[Peculiarities of chemico-toxicological analysis of biological material aimed to detection of narcotic and psychoactive substances misuse by servicemen].
The authors give an approval of military personnel biosphere research, which is necessary for prevention and early detection of substance misuse among military personnel of the Armed Forces. The article provides documents, regulating procedure of the chemico-toxicological analysis of a biological material, and staging of early detection of substance misuse among conscripts and professional soldiers. The authors gave information about main current problems of this activity, revealed its disadvantages and detected prevention measures.


Peptidoglycan composition of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.
Muropeptide composition of peptidoglycan isolated from isogenic vancomycin-resistant and sensitive Enterococcus faecium strains was analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography combined with amino acid and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometric analyses. Peptidoglycan of the sensitive and resistant strains was the same and was composed of tri- and tetrapeptides stem peptide subunits with or without aspartate or asparagine substitutions on the epsilon-amino group of the lysine residue. Thus, the synthesis of lactate-terminating peptidoglycan precursors in vancomycin-resistant E. faecium did not affect the chemical composition of peptidoglycan.


Are anxiety and depression associated with cognition and cardiovascular function in young male and female adults?
The results of recent studies suggested that emotional disorders (such as anxiety and depression), cognitive impairments and cardiovascular disorders are related on the subclinical level. These major health issues are often concomitant and have complex, sex-dependent relationships; it is therefore important to study these issues concomitantly in the general population, in order to gain a better understanding of early-stage subclinical relationships between these conditions. The objective of this exploratory study was to assess correlations between anxiety, depression, cognition, and endothelial function in young adults from the general population. Endothelial function (via the reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) was assessed with a plethysmographic device. Depression and anxiety were self-reported via the Beck Disorder Inventory II and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery was used to measure performances in visuospatial memory, visuospatial working memory, and sustained attention. Performances in inhibition and flexibility were evaluated with the Color Word Interference Test. Forty-four young adults (21 males; mean ± standard deviation age: 25.8 ± 1.1; 23 females; mean age: 25.6 ± 1.4) were included in the study. Anxiety was correlated with a low RHI (r = -0.40, p = 0.015, 95% CI [-0.64, -0.08]). In females, the depression score was positively correlated with the number of errors in the visuospatial memory task (r = 0.42, p = 0.049; 95% CI [-0.002, 0.70]) and visuospatial working memory (r = 0.57, p = 0.005; 95% CI [0.10, 0.79]). In males, high anxiety and depression scores were negatively correlated with the number of errors in visuospatial working memory task (anxiety: r = -0.77, p = 0.001; 95% CI [-0.91, -0.43]; depression r = -0.61, p = 0.004, 95% CI [-0.82, -0.22], respectively). However, the relationship between cognitive performance and RHI was not significant. Our data suggest that anxiety and depression could be differentially related to cognitive and endothelial functions in a non-clinical population of young adults. More research is needed to confirm these results, understand the pathophysiological mechanisms in more details, and assess the importance of a sex-specific approach.


Gender differences in cardiac remodeling secondary to chronic volume overload.
Gender differences in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, both clinical and experimental, led us to evaluate the influence of gender on ventricular remodeling induced by chronic volume overload. Chronic volume overload was induced in male and female rats via infrarenal aortocaval fistula. Ventricular function was assessed 8 weeks after fistula surgery in surviving rats. Left ventricular, right ventricular, and lung weights were measured. Mortality in female rats was 10-fold less than in male rats after 8 weeks of volume overload. Both sexes had significant increases in left ventricular weights relative to controls (77% increase for female v 114% for male rats; P <.05). Corresponding increases were also observed in right ventricular weight (134% for female v 161% for male rats; P <.05). However, lung weight was significantly increased only in males. In contrast to males, female rats had no indications of congestive heart failure. Male rats had marked dilatation and increased compliance, whereas female rats had no significant change in left ventricular dilatation or compliance. There are clear gender-specific differences in ventricular function, structural remodeling, and mortality induced by chronic volume overload in this model of heart failure.


Strategies for implementing global budgets.
Implementing global budgets requires setting a desired level of spending as well as establishing a set of policies to assure the budget will be met. Four alternative approaches are analyzed: one relies on all-payer rate setting coupled with volume controls; the second is a system of premium regulation that controls both the levels and rates of insurance premium increase; in another system, price competition among insuring organizations limits growth in spending while incorporating a global budget that limits the aggregate costs of all premiums; finally, either managed competition or premium regulation is combined with all-payer rate setting. The fourth model is singled out for its ability to control costs. An independent policy toward capital expenditures could increase the likelihood of success under any of the strategies.


Dang-Ki healing: An embodied relational healing practice in Singapore.
This article explores the processes of transformation of the self in dang-ki healing, a form of Chinese spirit mediumship in Singapore, drawing on more than a decade of ethnographic research. In dang-ki healing, it is believed that a deity possesses a human, who is called a dang-ki, to help clients (i.e., devotees). Through the dang-ki, clients can interact with powerful deities in ways that help them feel hopeful and supported. The dang-kis themselves may also benefit therapeutically from their participation as mediums. Many dang-kis suffer from personal conflicts and distress before becoming a medium and they express and transform their distress through the idiom of spirit possession. Since deities represent traits and moral values promoted in Chinese culture, possession by a deity allows the dang-ki to embody an ideal self and to acquire spiritual knowledge by engaging in ritual practices involving cleansing, self-mortification, stereotyped movements, and altered consciousness. At the same time, junior possessing deities must undergo training under the guidance of senior deities to achieve a higher level of spiritual existence by helping clients through the dang-ki's body. Thus, in dang-ki healing, practitioners, clients and possessing deities are transformed in parallel ways. The dynamics of this reciprocal and interdependent healing process differ from the individualistic approaches in Western psychotherapy and shed light on the links between healing processes, cultural ontologies, and concepts of personhood.


Disseminated cutaneous-only histoplasmosis in a patient with AIDS.
Histoplasmosis is an opportunistic fungal infection that occurs predominantly in immunocompromised patients. Cutaneous lesions in histoplasmosis are rare and typically occur in the absence of extra-cutaneous manifestations. We present a rare case of disseminated cutaneous-only histoplasmosis in a patient with recently diagnosed AIDS.


Adverse reaction signals mining and hemorrhagic signals comparison of ticagrelor and clopidogrel: A pharmacovigilance study based on FAERS.
Background: Ticagrelor and clopidogrel are commonly used antiplatelet agents, and we conducted a pharmacovigilance analysis using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) to provide a reference for safe and reasonable clinical use. Methods: Data were collected in FAERS from 2012 Q1 to 2022 Q2 for data cleaning. We used system organ classes (SOCs) and prefer terms (PTs) from the Medical Dictionary of Regulatory Activity (MedDRA version 25.1). Adverse event reports were retrieved at the PT level. Adverse reaction (ADR) signals of ticagrelor and clopidogrel were mined by calculating reporting odds ratios (ROR), proportional reporting ratios (PRR), information component (IC) and empirical Bayesian geometric mean (EBGM). After that, further analysis of the hemorrhagic signals and their clinical information were performed. Results: The number of ADR reports where the primary suspect (PS) drugs were 15,133 for ticagrelor and 23,860 for clopidogrel. Significant ADR signals were identified by the SOC analysis for ticagrelor including cardiac disorders (ROR 4.87, PRR 4.46), respiratory disorders (ROR 2.45, PRR 2.28), and vascular disorders (ROR 2.22, PRR 2.16). Clopidogrel included blood disorders (ROR 2.86, PRR 2.77), vascular disorders (ROR 2.71, PRR 2.61), and cardiac disorders (ROR 2.29, PRR 2.22). At the PT level, the more frequent ADR signals for ticagrelor were dyspnoea, contusion, and haemorrhage, while clopidogrel were gastrointestinal haemorrhage, anaemia, and drug interaction. The hemorrhagic signals of both were mainly focused on the SOC level of gastrointestinal disorders, injury disorders and vascular disorders and nervous system disorders. The death and life-threatening rate of ticagrelor was 7.76 percentage higher than that of clopidogrel. Conclusion: Clinicians need to pay attention to not only common ADRs but also be alert to new ADR signals when choosing to use ticagrelor and clopidogrel. This study provides a reference for the reasonable and safe clinical use of ticagrelor and clopidogrel.


Circulating monoclonal B lymphocytes in multiple myeloma.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 28 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and nine patients with monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) were studied by immunoglobulin gene analysis. Clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBIGRA) were demonstrated in 10 of the 28 MM patients (36%). Bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were studied simultaneously in five of these 10 patients, and identical gene rearrangements were demonstrated in both. The incidence of such gene arrangements was higher in patients with active disease (cases at presentation or relapsed = 10/19 [47%]) compared to remission status (0/9) and higher in untreated (47%) compared to treated patients (11%) (P less than 0.05). Patients with this phenomenon had higher serum calcium levels (P less than 0.001), and higher bone marrow plasma cell counts (P less than 0.05). Serum creatinine and beta 2-microglobulin were also higher but did not reach statistical significance. None of the patients with monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance had gene arrangements. Our findings confirm that circulating B lymphocytes are part of the malignant clone in MM and their presence correlates with high tumour volume.


Measurement of the local pressure of the intervertebral foramen and the electrophysiologic values of the spinal nerve roots in the vertebral foramen.
The intraoperative findings of the local pressure of the intervertebral foramen and the electrophysiologic values of the spinal nerve roots were evaluated. To investigate the neurophysiologic changes of the spinal nerve roots in the vertebral foramen. As far as we know, few reports have so far described the neurophysiologic changes of the spinal nerve roots in the vertebral foramen. The local pressure of the intervertebral foramen was continuously measured while the lumbar spine posture was changed in 66 vertebral foramens. In addition, 20 L5 nerve roots were electrophysiologically evaluated using the compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) from tibialis anterior (TA) muscle after L5 nerve root stimulation. The local pressure of the intervertebral foramen was significantly increased during lumbar spine extension (P < 0.001); moreover, the latency and amplitude of the CMAPs both significantly deteriorated in line with the increasing local pressure. Our findings suggested that a double compression of the nerve root exists in lumbar spinal stenosis with lumbar spine extension, which includes the spinal canal and the vertebral foramen.


Health Risks of Hypovitaminosis D: A Review of New Molecular Insights.
Hypovitaminosis D has become a pandemic, being observed in all ethnicities and age groups worldwide. Environmental factors, such as increased air pollution and reduced ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation, as well as lifestyle factors, i.e., decreased outdoor activities and/or poor intake of vitamin D-rich food, are likely involved in the etiology of a dramatic reduction of vitamin D circulating levels. The insufficiency/deficiency of vitamin D has long been known for its association with osteoporosis and rickets. However, in the last few decades it has become a serious public health concern since it has been shown to be independently associated with various chronic pathological conditions such as cancer, coronary heart disease, neurological diseases, type II diabetes, autoimmune diseases, depression, with various inflammatory disorders, and with increased risk for all-cause mortality in the general population. Prevention strategies for these disorders have recently involved supplementation with either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 or their analogs at required daily doses and tolerable upper-limit levels. This review will focus on the emerging evidence about non-classical biological functions of vitamin D in various disorders.


ERRα induces H3K9 demethylation by LSD1 to promote cell invasion.
Lysine Specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1) removes mono- and dimethyl groups from lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4) or H3K9, resulting in repressive or activating (respectively) transcriptional histone marks. The mechanisms that control the balance between these two antagonist activities are not understood. We here show that LSD1 and the orphan nuclear receptor estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) display commonly activated genes. Transcriptional activation by LSD1 and ERRα involves H3K9 demethylation at the transcriptional start site (TSS). Strikingly, ERRα is sufficient to induce LSD1 to demethylate H3K9 in vitro. The relevance of this mechanism is highlighted by functional data. LSD1 and ERRα coregulate several target genes involved in cell migration, including the MMP1 matrix metallo-protease, also activated through H3K9 demethylation at the TSS. Depletion of LSD1 or ERRα reduces the cellular capacity to invade the extracellular matrix, a phenomenon that is rescued by MMP1 reexpression. Altogether our results identify a regulatory network involving a direct switch in the biochemical activities of a histone demethylase, leading to increased cell invasion.


Source and risk factors of a cutaneous anthrax outbreak, Jiangsu, Eastern China, 2012.
Anthrax is still a severe public health problem and threat to human health. A cutaneous anthrax outbreak occurred in Jiangsu Province, a non-endemic anthrax region of eastern China, from July to August 2012. Epidemiological and laboratory investigation were initiated to trace the source of infection and identify the risk factors of the outbreak. On 25 July 2012, 17 persons were exposed to a sick cow, which had been imported from northeast China a few days previously. Of the 17 exposed, eight developed symptoms between 1 and 8 days and were diagnosed as cutaneous anthrax cases. Three main genes of Bacillus anthracis were detected from both human and cow meat samples, indicating that the outbreak was associated with this infected cow. A retrospective cohort study showed that contact with blood and presence of skin damage contributed to the case infection with B. anthracis. The outbreak highlights the need to enhance quarantine for imported livestock, which should have been vaccinated prior to importation, the significance of education for high-risk individuals, and training for primary healthcare workers even in anthrax-free areas.


Outcomes of lung transplantation in patients with scleroderma.
Patients with pulmonary insufficiency due to scleroderma have long been considered suboptimal candidates for lung transplantation. This has been supported by small single-center experiences that did not reflect the entire U.S. experience. We sought to evaluate the outcome of patients with scleroderma who underwent lung transplantation. We conducted a retrospective review of 47 patients with scleroderma who underwent lung transplantation at 23 U.S. centers between 1987 and 2004 and were reported to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Women constituted 57% of the patients. The mean age was 46 years. Twenty-seven patients received single lung transplants (57%), and the remaining received double lung transplants. The mean cold ischemia time was 4.1 hours. There were 7 early deaths (< or =30 days) and 17 late deaths (> 30 days). The causes of early death were primary graft failure and a cardiac event in two patients each and bacterial infection and stroke in one patient each. Late mortality was due to infection in seven patients, respiratory failure in three, malignancy in two, and multisystem organ failure, rejection, pulmonary hypertension, and a cardiac event in one patient each. The causes of early and late death were not recorded for two patients. One patient received a second transplant owing to graft failure of the first. Twenty-three patients (49%) were alive at a mean follow-up of 24 months. The Kaplan-Meier 1- and 3-year survival rates were 67.6% and 45.9% respectively, which are not significantly different from those of 10,070 patients given transplants for other lung conditions during the same period (75.5% and 58.8% respectively, P = 0.25). Donor gender, recipient's age, and type of transplant did not affect survival. In carefully selected patients with scleroderma who have end-stage lung disease, lung transplantation is a valid life-saving therapeutic option. Available data suggest acceptable short-term morbidity and mortality and a long-term survival similar to that of patients given transplants for other lung conditions.


Development of an ultrasound-capable phantom with patient-specific 3D-printed vascular anatomy to simulate peripheral endovascular interventions.
Today, ultrasound-guided peripheral endovascular interventions have the potential to be an alternative to conventional interventions that are still X-ray and contrast agent based. For the further development of this approach, a research environment is needed that represents the individual patient-specific endovascular properties as realistically as possible. Aim of the project was the construction of a phantom that combines ultrasound capabilities and the possibility to simulate peripheral endovascular interventions. We designed a modular ultrasound-capable phantom with exchangeable patient specific vascular anatomy. For the manufacturing of the vascular pathologies, we used 3D printing technology. Subsequently, we evaluated the constructed simulator with regards to its application for endovascular development projects. We developed an ultrasound-capable phantom with an exchangeable 3D-printed segment of the femoral artery. This modality allows the study of several patient-specific 3D-printed pathologies. Compared to the flow properties of a human artery (male; age 28) the phantom shows realistic flow properties in the duplex ultrasound image. We proved the feasibility of the simulator by performing an ultrasound-guided endovascular procedure. Overall, the simulator showed realistic intervention conditions. With the help of the constructed simulator, new endovascular procedures and navigation systems, such as ultrasound-guided peripheral vascular interventions, can be further developed. Additionally, in our opinion, the use of such simulators can also reduce the need for animal experiments.


Incidence of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus'-Infected Plants Among Citrandarins as Rootstock and Scion Under Field Conditions.
Huanglongbing (HLB), caused by the bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter' spp., is currently one of the most serious diseases of citrus plants and has caused substantial economic losses. Thus far, there is no source of genetic resistance to HLB in the genus Citrus or its relatives. However, several studies have reported Poncirus trifoliata and some of its hybrids to be more tolerant to the disease. The main objective of this study was to report differences in the incidence of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' infection in citrandarin plants, hybrids from Sunki mandarin (Citrus sunki (Hayata) hort. ex Tanaka), and trifoliate orange Rubidoux (P. trifoliata (L.) Raf.)), after conducting an extensive survey under field conditions. These hybrid plants were established for approximately 7 years in an area with a high incidence of 'Ca. L. asiaticus'-infected plants. We selected two experimental areas (area A and area B), located approximately 10 m apart. Area A consists of Pera sweet orange (C. sinensis (L.) Osb.) grafted onto 56 different citrandarin rootstocks. Area B consists of citrandarin scions grafted onto Rangpur lime (C. limonia Osb.) rootstock. Bacteria in the leaves and roots were detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The incidence of 'Ca. L. asiaticus'-infected plants was 92% in area A and 14% in area B. Because infected plants occurred in both areas, we examined whether the P. trifoliata hybrid rootstock influenced HLB development and also determined the distribution of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' in Citrus tree tissues. Although this survey does not present evidence regarding the resistance of P. trifoliata and its hybrids in relation to bacteria or psyllids, future investigation, mainly using the most promising hybrids for response to 'Ca. L. asiaticus', will help us to understand the probable mechanism of defense or identifying compounds in P. trifoliata and its hybrids that are very important as strategy to combat HLB. Details of these results are presented and discussed in this article.


Repertoires of T cells directed against a large protein antigen, beta-galactosidase. I. Helper cells have a more restricted specificity repertoire than proliferative cells.
The proliferative and helper T cell repertoires were compared in the CBA/J mouse for the response to the large protein antigen, tetrameric beta-galactosidase (GZ = 1021 a.a/monomer). The systems assessed the ability of cyanogen bromide (CB) peptides of GZ to: 1) prime for a T cell proliferative response to GZ; or 2) generate T cell help, measured by the production of anti-FITC PFC in the in vitro response to GZ-FITC. Priming for in vitro proliferation was attempted with 11 CB peptides comprising 70% of the GZ molecule. Strong priming was found with five peptides and intermediate priming was found with four other peptides; two peptides were without effect (CB-20 = a.a 767-862, and CB-4 = a.a. 188-202). Despite this indication of generally dispersed recognition of GZ epitopes, only two CB peptides, CB-2 (a.a. 3-92) and CB-10 (a.a. 378-418) were able to induce a T helper cell response. The surprising dearth of helper T cell-inducing epitopes may be peculiar to the limited fluorescein (FITC) substitution on GZ-FITC (17-25 FITC residues per tetramer) or it may reflect the constraints involved in T cell recognition required for T-B collaboration. Also considered was the possibility that the helper T cell repertoire might be distinct from the proliferative repertoire, the latter reflecting DNA synthesis and recruitment by other functional T cell subpopulations.


Regional flow and deformation analysis of Basin-fill aquifer systems using stress-dependent parameters.
Changes in effective stress due to water pressure variations modify the intrinsic hydrodynamic properties of aquifers and aquitards. Overexploited groundwater systems, such as basins with heavy pumping, are subject to nonrecoverable modifications. This results in loss of permeability, porosity, and specific storage due to system consolidation. This paper presents (1) the analytical development of model functions relating effective stress to hydrodynamic parameters for aquifers and aquitards constituted of unconsolidated granular sediments, and (2) a modeling approach for the analysis of aquifer systems affected by effective stress variations, taking into account the aforementioned dependency. The stress-dependent functions were fit to laboratory data, and used in the suggested modeling approach. Based on only few unknowns, this approach is computationally simple, efficiently captures the hydromechanical processes that are active in regional aquifer systems under stress, and readily provides an estimate of their consolidation.


Gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and coffee seed quality during pre- and post-physiological maturity.
Seeds collected at different maturation stages vary in physiological quality and patterns of protective antioxidant systems against deterioration. In this study we investigated the expression of genes that codify catalase (CAT), dismutase superoxide (SOD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) during the pre- and post-physiological maturation phases in whole seeds and in endosperms and embryos extracted from the seeds. Coffea arabica L. berries were collected at the green, yellowish-green, cherry, over-ripe, and dry stages, and the seeds were examined physiologically. The transcription levels of the genes were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using coffee-specific primers. The highest level of SOD expression was observed in the endosperm at the cherry and over-ripe stages; in addition, these seeds presented the greatest physiological quality (assessed via germination test). The highest CAT3 transcript expression was observed at the green stage in whole seeds, and at the green and over-ripe stages in the embryos and endosperms. High expression of the PPO transcript was observed at the green and yellowish-green stages in whole seeds. In embryos and endosperms, peak expression of the PPO transcript was observed at the green stage; subsequently, peaks at the cherry and over-ripe stages were observed. We concluded that the expression patterns of the SOD and CAT3 transcripts were similar at the more advanced maturation stages, which corresponded to enhanced physiological seed quality. High expression of the PPO transcript at the over-ripe stage, also observed in the embryos and endosperms at the cherry stage, coincided with the highest physiological seed quality.


[Clinico-electroencephalographic indices of the parkinsonian syndrome induced by MPP+ in rats].
The bilateral intranigral injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium ion (MPP+) (10 g) produced significant oligokinesia, rigidity and weak tremor in rats. The extrapyramidal disturbances manifest a high-amplitude paroxysmal activity (PA) in the structures studied. It was found that the Pa was remarkable and more stable in the caudata nucleus than in other brain structures. It is PA that gives us the real basis to conclude the formation of the generator of pathologically enhanced excitation (GPEE) in the caudata nuclei. The analysis of PA dynamics revealed that the formation of the GPEE in the caudata nuclei correlated with development of parkinsonian syndrome (PS).


Glucocorticoid inhibitory action on the response to PHA of residual circulatory lymphocytes in renal transplant patients following immunosuppressive therapy.
The inhibitory effect of glucocorticoids on the in vitro response to phytohaemagglutinin of the residual circulating T lymphocytes in renal transplant patients during maintenance immunosuppressive therapy with glucocorticosteroids and azathioprine has been investigated. As in normal subjects, the steroid-induced inhibition of transplanted patients' lymphocyte response was inversely correlated with the mitogen concentration used. On the other hand, the response of the various lymphocyte preparations from transplanted patients appeared less inhibited by steroids than the corresponding preparations from normal subjects. The addition to the culture of the adherent cell product interleukin 1 was effective in removing to a similar extent the steroid inhibitory effect on lymphocytes from normal and transplanted subjects. Thus, the lesser inhibitory effect of glucocorticoids on transplanted patient lymphocytes could be explained by the higher percentages of monocytes present in all peripheral blood mononuclear cell preparations. These results suggest that during immunosuppressive therapy with glucocorticoids and azathioprine the residual circulating lymphocytes have a responsiveness to in vitro dexamethasone suppression similar to that of normal peripheral blood lymphocytes.


[Effects of particle size of zero-valent iron on the reactivity of activating persulfate and kinetics for the degradation of acid orange 7].
This research described the heterogeneous reactions of persulfate with different particle sizes of zero-valent iron (including 1 mm-ZVI,150 μm-ZVI,50 nm-ZVI) for degradation of acid orange 7(AO7) , and studied the kinetics and intermediate products of AO7 under these systems. The results demonstrated that these three types of ZVI were efficient in promoting the degradation of AO7, the degradation efficiencies of AO7 were 43% , 97% , and 100% within 90 min respectively, in the 1 mm-ZVI,150 μm-ZVI and 50 nm- ZVI systems, respectively. With the results of kinetic fitting models, the pseudo first-order kinetics exhibited better fitting results in the 1 mm-ZVI,150 μm-ZVI systems, while the second-order kinetics exhibited better fitting results in the 50 nm-ZVI system. And the different ZVI types exhibited difference on the AO7 degradation rate constant, which ranged as 50 nm-ZVI > 150 μm-ZVI > 1 mm-ZVI. The iron corrosion products coating on the ZVI after reaction were composed of α-Fe2 O3 and some Fe3O4 in the 1 mm-ZVI system while that consisted of Fe3O4 and α-Fe2O3, FeOOH respectively, in thel50 μm-ZVI and 50 nm-ZVI systems,. Which were identified by scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and Raman spectroscopy. Some intermediate products, including 2-naphthalenol, 2-methylphenol, 4-ethyl- 3-methyl-phenol, isoindole- 1,3-dione and phthalic acid et al. were identified by GC/MS measurement. Both UV-vis absorbance spectra and GC/MS determination indicated that there was difference in degradation paths of AO7 between the three systems.


Aggregation behavior of rod-coil-rod triblock copolymers in a coil-selective solvent.
Recent experiments have reported that the self-assembly of conjugated polymers mimicking rod-coil-rod triblock copolymers (BCPs) in selective solvents exhibits unique aggregate morphologies. However, the nature of the arrangement of the polymers within the aggregates and the spatial organization of the aggregates remain an unresolved issue. We report the results of coarse-grained Langevin dynamics simulations, which investigated the self-assembly behavior of rod-coil-rod BCPs in a coil-selective solvent. We observe a rapid formation of cylindrically shaped multichain clusters. The initial stages of formation of the aggregates was seen to be independent of the strength of the solvent selectivity. However, for higher solvent selectivities, the clusters were seen to merge into larger units at later stages. A reduction in rod to coil block ratio was observed to decrease the size and number of clusters. In the limit of a highly concentrated solution, we observe the formation of a networked system of distinct clusters, which however retain the cylindrical arrangement observed at lower polymer concentrations.


Building energy storage device on a single nanowire.
Hybrid electrochemical energy storage devices combine the advantages of battery and supercapacitors, resulting in systems of high energy and power density. Using LiPF(6) electrolyte, the Ni-Sn/PANI electrochemical system, free of Li-based electrodes, works on a hybrid mechanism based on Li intercalation at the anode and PF(6)(-) doping at the cathode. Here, we also demonstrate a composite nanostructure electrochemical device with the anode (Ni-Sn) and cathode (polyaniline, PANI) nanowires packaged within conformal polymer core-shell separator. Parallel array of these nanowire devices shows reversible areal capacity of ∼3 μAh/cm(2) at a current rate of 0.03 mA/cm(2). The work shows the ultimate miniaturization possible for energy storage devices where all essential components can be engineered on a single nanowire.