Interlog protein network: an evolutionary benchmark of protein interaction networks for the evaluation of clustering algorithms.
In the field of network science, exploring principal and crucial modules or communities is critical in the deduction of relationships and organization of complex networks. This approach expands an arena, and thus allows further study of biological functions in the field of network biology. As the clustering algorithms that are currently employed in finding modules have innate uncertainties, external and internal validations are necessary. Sequence and network structure alignment, has been used to define the Interlog Protein Network (IPN). This network is an evolutionarily conserved network with communal nodes and less false-positive links. In the current study, the IPN is employed as an evolution-based benchmark in the validation of the module finding methods. The clustering results of five algorithms; Markov Clustering (MCL), Restricted Neighborhood Search Clustering (RNSC), Cartographic Representation (CR), Laplacian Dynamics (LD) and Genetic Algorithm; to find communities in Protein-Protein Interaction networks (GAPPI) are assessed by IPN in four distinct Protein-Protein Interaction Networks (PPINs). The MCL shows a more accurate algorithm based on this evolutionary benchmarking approach. Also, the biological relevance of proteins in the IPN modules generated by MCL is compatible with biological standard databases such as Gene Ontology, KEGG and Reactome. In this study, the IPN shows its potential for validation of clustering algorithms due to its biological logic and straightforward implementation.


GENETIC VARIATION IN TIME AND SPACE: MICROSATELLITE ANALYSIS OF EXTINCT AND EXTANT POPULATIONS OF ATLANTIC SALMON.
Information on genetic composition of past and present populations may be obtained by analyzing DNA from archival samples. A study is presented on the genetic population structure of extant and extinct local populations of Atlantic salmon from 1913 to 1989 using dried scales as a source of DNA. Variation at six microsatellite loci was studied. Tests for differentiation among populations and among time series within populations showed that population structure was stable over time. This was also confirmed by a neighbor-joining dendrogram, which showed a clear clustering of samples from individual rivers that covered a time span of up to 76 years. These results suggest that salmon populations evolve as semi-independent units connected by modest amounts of gene flow. Additionally, a clear association between geographic and genetic distance was found. This relationship has otherwise been difficult to establish in several recent studies. The discrepancy may be due to impact of human activities on the genetic structure of present populations, whereas old samples represent populations in a more unaffected state. However, other explanations related to differences in the sampling of past and present populations may be equally valid.


Postsorafenib systemic treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma: questions and opportunities after the regorafenib trial.
The search for systemic therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma has been characterized by difficulties and failures. Despite recent progresses, many issues are still to be settled. In particular, the development of drugs inhibiting different neoplastic pathways remains a priority for patients intolerant or resistant to antiangiogenic drugs. This task may be daunting, as previous failures extensively demonstrated. We aimed to identify the future perspective of postsorafenib trials analyzing the strengths and the critical points of past and currently undergoing studies, in the light of the most recent evidences in the field. We identified various points (including stratification, biomarkers, end points, radiologic criteria of response, treatment beyond radiologic progression) that should be considered by future trials to reduce the risks of failure.


An algorithm for finding candidate synaptic sites in computer generated networks of neurons with realistic morphologies.
Neurons make synaptic connections at locations where axons and dendrites are sufficiently close in space. Typically the required proximity is based on the dimensions of dendritic spines and axonal boutons. Based on this principle one can search those locations in networks formed by reconstructed neurons or computer generated neurons. Candidate synapses are then located where axons and dendrites are within a given criterion distance from each other. Both experimentally reconstructed and model generated neurons are usually represented morphologically by piecewise-linear structures (line pieces or cylinders). Proximity tests are then performed on all pairs of line pieces from both axonal and dendritic branches. Applying just a test on the distance between line pieces may result in local clusters of synaptic sites when more than one pair of nearby line pieces from axonal and dendritic branches is sufficient close, and may introduce a dependency on the length scale of the individual line pieces. The present paper describes a new algorithm for defining locations of candidate synapses which is based on the crossing requirement of a line piece pair, while the length of the orthogonal distance between the line pieces is subjected to the distance criterion for testing 3D proximity.


Changing Trends of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern Odisha, India.
Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory skin disorder. Several studies have been published regarding its prevalence, demographic details, clinical spectrum, and various associated factors. In our out patient department (OPD), we noticed an increase in the number of cases of CLE in our area in the last few years. Therefore, the current cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the trends of CLE among patients who reported to a tertiary care hospital. The current study is a record-based cross-sectional study of 81 patients of CLE, who attended the dermatology OPD of a tertiary care hospital. Data were collected from 2017 to 2022 and were divided into three different periods of time (2017-2018, 2019-2020, and 2021-2022). Demographic details, clinical examination findings, and laboratory investigation reports were also collected. There was a rising trend in the cases of CLE. Females outnumbered males (2:1, 66.67%). The increase in cases from 2017-2018 to 2019-2020 was 157% and from 2019-2020 to 2021-2022 was 204%. In 2021-2022, 52% of cases of chronic CLE (CCLE) were males. Photosensitivity was the most common finding. The majority of patients were addicted to smoking. The current study noticed an increasing trend in all types of CLE. So, this rising trend should be investigated for possible triggering factors like climatic changes, infections, and drug factors with a larger sample size.


An introduction to primary skin imaging.
Dermatology is a field in which clinical examination is heavily relied upon for diagnosis. When required, a tissue biopsy may also be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Recent advances in imaging techniques have been applied to cutaneous lesions to improve diagnostic accuracy without the need for biopsy. These new imaging techniques are reviewed for their developing role in dermatology.


Lawsonia intracellularis contains a gene encoding a functional rickettsia-like ATP/ADP translocase for host exploitation.
ATP/ADP translocases are a hallmark of obligate intracellular pathogens related to chlamydiae and rickettsiae. These proteins catalyze the highly specific exchange of bacterial ADP against host ATP and thus allow bacteria to exploit their hosts' energy pool, a process also referred to as energy parasitism. The genome sequence of the obligate intracellular pathogen Lawsonia intracellularis (Deltaproteobacteria), responsible for one of the most economically important diseases in the swine industry worldwide, revealed the presence of a putative ATP/ADP translocase most similar to known ATP/ADP translocases of chlamydiae and rickettsiae (around 47% amino acid sequence identity). The gene coding for the putative ATP/ADP translocase of L. intracellularis (L. intracellularis nucleotide transporter 1 [NTT1(Li)]) was cloned and expressed in the heterologous host Escherichia coli. The transport properties of NTT1(Li) were determined by measuring the uptake of radioactively labeled substrates by E. coli. NTT1(Li) transported ATP in a counterexchange mode with ADP in a highly specific manner; the substrate affinities determined were 236.3 (+/- 36.5) microM for ATP and 275.2 (+/- 28.1) microM for ADP, identifying this protein as a functional ATP/ADP translocase. NTT1(Li) is the first ATP/ADP translocase from a bacterium not related to Chlamydiae or Rickettsiales, showing that energy parasitism by ATP/ADP translocases is more widespread than previously recognized. The occurrence of an ATP/ADP translocase in L. intracellularis is explained by a relatively recent horizontal gene transfer event with rickettsiae as donors.


Two-week-old infant with isopropanol intoxication.
Isopropyl alcohol continues to be a frequent toxicologic exposure. However, no cases involving the newborn period have been described. A 14-day-old male infant presented to the emergency department (ED) with the mother's chief complaint that "He is not himself." Physical examination observed the infant to be lethargic and hypotonic. Laboratory evaluation revealed a positive urine drug screen for isopropanol and acetone. Elevated serum levels (in mg/dl) of isopropanol/acetone at 2:45, 4:15, 11:10, and 29:53 hours postpresentation were 101/136, 81/149, 20/155, and 5/72, respectively. Overall, this patient did remarkably well with minimal supportive care and was noted to have a normal neurologic examination within 10 hours of presentation despite rising serum acetone levels. This case brings into question the hypothesis that acetone, a metabolite of isopropanol, prolongs central nervous system depression in acute isopropyl alcohol intoxication. The importance of urine drug screens in children who present to the ED with unusual neurologic examinations is appreciated.


Lichen planus in children: a case report.
Lichen planus (LP) is rare in children. A review of the literature reveals that it has some peculiarities with respect to sex, localization, clinical aspect, race, and family history. We present an Indian child with the documented peculiarities of infantile LP. A comparison of LP and graft-versus-host disease points to the importance of thymic involution in the pathogenesis of the former, which could explain the rarity of this disorder in infants.


In vitro the differences of inflammatory and oxidative reactions due to sulfur mustard induced acute pulmonary injury underlying intraperitoneal injection and intratracheal instillation in rats.
This study was to investigate the differences of inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress due to sulfur mustard (SM)-induced acute pulmonary injury via two ways in rats. In intraperitoneal and tracheal SM groups, injected intraperitoneally and instilled intratracheally with 0.1mL diluted SM (0.96 LD50=8mg/kg) and SM (0.98 LD50=2mg/kg) were administered in rats. In bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, serum, and alveolar septum, lactate dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, l-selectin, r-glutamyl transpeptidase, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels as well as the expression of CD4, CD20, CD68, 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2, and heme oxygenase-1 measured by ELISA, immune scatter turbidimetry and immunohistochemical method in the intraperitoneal SM group were increased at each time-point compared with the tracheal SM groups, respectively. These data demonstrated an increased inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress indices in rat via intraperitoneal injection under similar SM LD50 doses.


Mid-Term Outcomes after Transapical and Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation for Aortic Stenosis and Porcelain Aorta with a Systematic Review of Transfemoral versus Transapical Approach.
We have aimed to analyze early and mid-term outcomes of patients undergoing transapical/transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TA-/TF-TAVI) for aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta (PAo) in our institution. Additionally, we postulated that the TA approach may be associated with a more favorable neurological outcome than the TF approach; hence, a systematic literature review was conducted. Between 2011 and 2017, 15 patients with PAo underwent TA-TAVI and 4 patients with PAo TF-TAVI at our institution. The assessment of PAo was done either intraoperatively after aborted sternotomy or via computed tomography for elective TAVI. We conducted mid-term follow-up. Furthermore, a systematic review was performed to compare the mortality and neurological outcomes of TF and TA-TAVI approaches. TA/TF-TAVIs were performed with 100% device success, without paravalvular leakage ≥ 2 and without procedural death. The 30-day mortality/stroke rates were 6.6%/0% in TA-TAVI and 0%/25% in TF-TAVI, respectively. The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year survival rates were in TA/TF-TAVI 93%/75%, 82%/66.6%, and 50%/0%, respectively.The pooled results derived from the literature review were as follows: The prevalence of PAo in the TAVI population is 9.74%; the mean logistic EuroSCORE is 41.9% in TA-TAVI versus 16.2% in TF-TAVI; the mean 30-day mortality is 5.9% in TA-TAVI versus 6.3% in TF-TAVI, and the mean stroke is 0.8% in TA-TAVI versus 9% in TF-TAVI. TA-TAVI shows promising early and mid-term outcomes in patients with PAo. TF-TAVI performed in patients with PAo is likely to be associated with higher rates of stroke than TA-TAVI.


[Comparison between binocular and monocular reading ability and its relation with central visual field sensitivity in glaucoma patients].
To evaluate binocular and monocular reading ability in glaucoma patients with good visual acuity and to examine its relationship with central visual field sensitivity. Glaucoma patients(35 individuals, mean +/- SD : 51.8 +/- 12.9 years) with a decimal visual acuity in each eye of >or=1.0, reading ability was tested both binocular and monocular using Japanese version of Minnesota Reading Acuity Chart (MNREAD-J). Reading ability parameters were calculated for maximum reading speed (MRS), critical print size (CPS), and reading acuity (RA). The results were compared with those of people with normal vision; differences in reading ability under varied testing conditions and correlations between visual field sensitivity and each parameter were examined. Under binocular reading conditions, MRS, CPS, and RA were decreased significantly in glaucoma patients compared with normal controls (p = 0.00044, p = 0.00004, p = 0.00028, respectively). Under monocular reading conditions, glaucoma patient MRS and RA were decreased significantly in comparison with normal controls (p=0.00155, p= 0.00142). In glaucoma patients undergoing binocular reading tests, MRS was greatest in the paracentral bottom right quadrant of the worse eye (r = 0.41709, p= 0.04447). The CPS decreased in proportion to the extent of the difference between both eyes in the mean deviation value and the visual field sensitivity of the paracentral bottom left (r = 0.40693, p = 0.02699 and r=0.41478, p=0.02384). RA improved in proportion to the extent of the difference between both eyes in the visual field sensitivity of the upper left (r = 0.33557, p=0.04799). In glaucoma patients, binocular reading is not necessarily useful in cases of visual field sensitivity differences.


DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism differentiates crossed from independent infections in nosocomial Xanthomonas maltophilia bacteremia.
Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of total DNA and rDNA were used to study the relationship between 11 isolates of Xanthomonas maltophilia, obtained from seven patients with nosocomial bacteremia in four distinct wards of a single hospital, and the type strain of the species, ATCC 13637. Our results indicated that there were episodes of cross-infection among the patients of two wards, but there were also independent infectious episodes in the two other wards.


Liver transplantation in the rat: surgical experience with 212 liver transplants.
A technique is described for orthotopic liver transplantation in the rat using polyethylene cuffs to re-establish subhepatic cava and portal vascular anastomoses. This procedure reduces the time of portal clamping, an important factor of survival. This technique was found to be reliable with a 72.9% long-term survival (more than 60 days) in an experimental group of 59 iso- and allografts. The method was employed in 212 animals during studies on iso-, allo- and xenografts to evaluate the tolerance and rejection mechanisms in rats of pure strain.


Adrenal androgen response to metyrapone, adrenocorticotropin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation in children with hypopituitarism.
We determined the adrenal steroid responses to metyrapone, ACTH, and CRH in 12 ACTH-intact and 5 ACTH-deficient hypopituitary children to determine the mechanisms that control adrenal androgen secretion. Serum adrenal androgen concentrations [dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and delta 4-androstenedione (delta 4-A)] rose in response to oral administration of metyrapone (450 mg/m2 X dose, every h for 7 doses) in ACTH-intact hypopituitary children with multiple or isolated pituitary hormone deficiencies [mean postmaryrapone level: DHEA, 225 ng/dL (range, 27-566); delta 4-A, 313 ng/dL (range, 105-651)], except in 2 young children in whom DHEA did not rise. These adrenal androgens did not rise in all ACTH-deficient hypopituitary children [mean postmetyrapone level: DHEA, 11.0 ng/dL (range, 3-16); delta 4-A, 6.2 ng/dL (range, 3-10)]. The increases in both serum cortisol and adrenal androgens, including DHEA sulfate, in response to short term ACTH infusion (40 U in 6 h) in ACTH-intact hypopituitary children were normal or above normal, while these steroid responses were significantly (P less than 0.05-0.01) lower in ACTH-deficient hypopituitary children compared to normal values. However, prolonged administration of ACTH (40 U/day, or im) for 6 days to 2 ACTH-deficient hypopituitary children resulted in normal DHEA responses to the 6-h ACTH stimulation test (DHEA levels after the first test, 14 and 30 ng/dL, after priming, 80 and 50 ng/dL). Furthermore, CRH administration to 4 ACTH-deficient patients caused a rise in serum DHEA and cortisol in patients with a normal ACTH response, while those with a poor ACTH response had a lesser rise in DHEA and cortisol. These data suggest that ACTH is the major tropic hormone for adrenal androgen secretion.


Tuning the transcription rate of recombinant protein in strong Escherichia coli expression systems through repressor titration.
The main goal of this work was to develop a strategy that enables tuning of recombinant gene expression relative to the metabolic capacity of the host cell synthesis machinery. In the past, strong expression systems have been developed in order to maximize recombinant gene expression. However, these systems exert an extremely high metabolic burden onto the host cell, which may even lead to cell death. Hence, the period of recombinant gene expression is significantly reduced, and therefore, maximal yield cannot be attained. To extend the production phase and to achieve optimal yields, adjustment of recombinant gene expression by modulation of the transcription rate is required. To control transcription, we designed a feed regime, which continuously supplies limiting amounts of inducer in a constant ratio to biomass. For the accurate determination of appropriate amounts of inducer, a time shifted exponential substrate and inducer feed strategy has been developed. The potential of this metabolic and engineering integrated approach was proven in fed-batch cultivation experiments using E. coli HMS174(DE3)(pET11ahSOD) as model system. Furthermore, our strategy enables the use of lactose as inducer, since its consumption can be compensated by appropriate feed profiles. The attained results fully comply with all requirements of industrial large scale cultivation and improve the applicability of strong expression systems.


Wear and tear of the intestinal visceral musculature by intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
The gut visceral musculature plays essential roles in not only moving substances through the lumen but also maintaining the function and physiology of the gut. Although the development of the visceral musculature has been studied in multiple model organisms, how it degenerates is poorly understood. Here, we employ the Drosophila midgut as a model to demonstrate that the visceral musculature is disrupted by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as aging, feeding, chemical-induced tissue damage, and oncogenic transformation in the epithelium. Notably, we define four prominent visceral musculature disruption phenotypes, which we refer as "sprout," "discontinuity," "furcation," and "crossover" of the longitudinal muscle. Given that the occurrence of these phenotypes is increased during aging and under various stresses, we propose that these phenotypes can be used as quantitative readouts of deterioration of the visceral musculature. Intriguingly, administration of a tissue-damaging chemical dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced similar visceral musculature disruption phenotypes in zebrafish larvae, indicating that ingestion of a tissue-damaging chemical can disrupt the visceral musculature in a vertebrate as well. Our study provides insights into the deterioration of the gut visceral musculature and lays a groundwork for investigating the underlying mechanisms in Drosophila as well as other animals.


Differential regulation of oxidative and osmotic stress induced Syk activation by both autophosphorylation and SH2 domains.
Syk, a nonreceptor protein-tyrosine kinase, is activated by both oxidative and osmotic stress and plays different roles in the transduction of stress signals. In this study, the regulation of oxidative and osmotic stress induced Syk activation was investigated utilizing Syk-negative DT40 cells, expressing various Syk mutants. Phosphorylation of Y518Y519 was demonstrated to be required for both oxidative and osmotic stress induced Syk activation. Syk activation by these two types of stress stimuli was a combination of both autophosphorylation and the activities of additional tyrosine kinases. Oxidative stress induced Syk tyrosine phosphorylation was almost completely attributed to autophosphorylation, whereas other tyrosine kinases were largely responsible for osmotic stress induced Syk tyrosine phosphorylation. Moreover, the Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of Syk differentially regulated Syk activation. Both mSH2(N) Syk and mSH2(C) Syk, in which the phosphotyrosine-dependent binding motif within the SH2 domains contained point mutations, showed a significantly higher activity than that observed in wild-type Syk, following osmotic stress treatment. In comparison, in response to oxidative stress, only mSH2(N) Syk demonstrated a stronger activation than wild-type Syk. Therefore, differential activation and regulation of Syk may give an insight into the distinctive functions of Syk in oxidative and osmotic stress signaling.


Kinematics and Kinetics of Squats, Drop Jumps and Imitation Jumps of Ski Jumpers.
Squats, drop jumps, and imitation jumps are commonly used training exercises in ski jumping to enhance maximum force, explosive force, and sport-specific skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the kinetics and kinematics of training exercises in ski jumping and to find objective parameters in training exercises that most correlate with the competition performance of ski jumpers. To this end, barbell squats, drop jumps, and imitation jumps were measured in a laboratory environment for 10 elite ski jumpers. Force and motion data were captured, and the influence of maximum vertical force, force difference, vertical take-off velocity, knee moments, knee joint power, and a knee valgus/varus index was evaluated and correlated with their season jump performance. The results indicate that, especially for the imitation jumps, a good correlation exists between the vertical take-off velocity and the personal jump performance on the hill (R = 0.718). Importantly, however, the more the athletes tended toward a valgus knee alignment during the measured movements, the worse their performance (R = 0.729 imitation jumps; R = 0.685 squats). Although an evaluation of the athletes' lower limb alignment during competitive jumping on the hill is still required, these preliminary data suggest that performance training should additionally concentrate on improving knee alignment to increase ski jumping performance.


Forecasting Fluid Flows Using the Geometry of Turbulence.
The existence and dynamical role of particular unstable solutions (exact coherent structures) of the Navier-Stokes equation is revealed in laboratory studies of weak turbulence in a thin, electromagnetically driven fluid layer. We find that the dynamics exhibit clear signatures of numerous unstable equilibrium solutions, which are computed using a combination of flow measurements from the experiment and fully resolved numerical simulations. We demonstrate the dynamical importance of these solutions by showing that turbulent flows visit their state space neighborhoods repeatedly. Furthermore, we find that the unstable manifold associated with one such unstable equilibrium predicts the evolution of turbulent flow in both experiment and simulation for a considerable period of time.


Increased CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells correlate with poor short-term outcomes in hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure patients.
The roles of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) in chronicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have been confirmed. We aimed to explore alteration of Treg in patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Thirty-two HBV-related ACLF patients, 44 chronic hepatitis B patients, and 41 healthy controls were recruited. We detected frequencies of peripheral Treg and intrahepatic forkhead winged helix transcription factor (Foxp3)(+) cells. Inhibitory activity of Treg was assessed by functional suppression assays. Serum interferon-γ and interleukin-10 were also determined. Peripheral Treg and intrahepatic Foxp3(+) cells were more markedly increased in ACLF than chronic hepatitis B and controls (all p < 0.001), and the Foxp3(+) cells located predominantly in the portal areas. The Treg frequency was positively correlated with HBV DNA load, international normalized ratio, model of end stage liver disease score, and serum interleukin-10 level in ACLF patients. Functional assays in vitro demonstrated that ACLF patients exhibited higher suppressive effects of Treg on proliferations of autologous CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells than controls. On logistic regression, prolonged international normalized ratio and higher peripheral Treg frequency predicted 30-day survival of ACLF. The patients with HBV-related ACLF exhibit increased amounts of Treg, of which redistribution from periphery to liver seems to modulate liver inflammation. Higher Treg amounts are associated with more severe liver disease in ACLF, and its level in combination with international normalized ratio may assist prediction of short-term outcomes of HBV-related ACLF.


Abductor digiti minimi myocutaneous flap for opponensplasty in congenital hypoplastic thumbs.
Although abductor digiti minimi transfer is a common form of opponensplasty for congenital hypoplastic thumbs, the inclusion of hypothenar skin with this flap--to create a myocutaneous flap--is not well-described. From a series of over 600 index pollicizations and hypoplastic thumb reconstructions performed from 1977 to 2007, 14 patients with congenital thumb hypoplasia are presented who had abductor digiti minimi myocutaneous flap transfer to improve thumb opposition. The primary indications for transfer were inadequate thumb opposition and aplastic palmar and thenar soft tissues. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 22 years. All 14 transfers survived and were successful in improving thumb opposition. Key pinch strengths averaged 40 percent of normal. The inclusion of the skin paddle eliminated routing the muscle through tight palmar soft tissues while improving thenar bulk and appearance. In select cases of congenital thumb hypoplasia, opponensplasty using the abductor digiti minimi myocutaneous flap is more advantageous than the traditional muscle transfer.


Low-dose CT screening for lung cancer reduced lung cancer mortality in Hitachi City.
Purpose: To detect early, curable lung cancer, screening using low-dose CT (CT screening) was initiated in Japan and Western countries around the early 1990s. Material and methods: In 2013, the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) reported that annual CT screening for high-risk participants leads to a 16% reduction in lung cancer death. In Hitachi City, CT screening for citizens 50 years of age or older was started in 1998, and 30% of the citizens had received a CT examination at least once by 2006. Results: We reported excellent survival (5-year survival of 90%) of 210 patients with lung cancer detected by CT screening. Based on a time trend analysis, a significant reduction (24%) in lung cancer mortality was observed 4 to 8 years after the introduction of CT screening among Hitachi residents. CT images can detect numerous smoking-related factors represented by pulmonary emphysematous change (CT emphysema). If we can evaluate the risk of respiratory disease according to these images, the benefits of screening are expected to increase further. Conclusion: To establish the effectiveness of CT screening for the general population, an optimum screening schedule is desired based on the risk of individuals. In addition, long-term follow-up is necessary to evaluate the effects of radiation exposure.


CHROMATOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES IN PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS IN POIAND: HISTORY AND THE PRESENCE ON THE BASIS OF PAPERS PUBLISHED IN SELECTED POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNALS IN XX CENTURY.
For a long time, chromatographic techniques and techniques related to them have stimulated the development of new procedures in the field of pharmaceutical analysis. The newly developed methods, characterized by improved metrological parameters, allow for more accurate testing of, among others, the composition of raw materials, intermediates and final products. The chromatographic techniques also enable studies on waste generated in research laboratories and factories producing pharmaceuticals and parapharmaceuticals. Based on the review of reports published in Polish pharmaceutical journals, we assessed the impact of chromatographic techniques on the development of pharmaceutical analysis. The first chromatographic technique used in pharmaceutical analysis was a so-called capillary analysis. It was applied in the 1930s to control the identity of pharmaceutical formulations. In the 1940s and 1950s, the chromatographic techniques were mostly a subject of review publications, while their use in experimental work was rare. Paper chromatography and thin layer chromatography were introduced in the 1960s and 1970s, respectively. These new analytical tools have contributed to the intensive development of research in the field of phytochemistry and the analysis of herbal medicines. The development of colunm chromatography-based techniques, i.e., gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography took place in the end of 20th century. Both aforementioned techniques were widely applied in pharmaceutical analysis, for example, to assess the stability of drugs, test for impurities and degradation products as well as in pharmacokinetics studies. The first decade of 21" century was the time of new detection methods in gas and liquid chromatography. The information sources used to write this article were Polish pharmaceutical journals, both professional and scientific, originating from the interwar and post-war period, i.e., "Kronika Farmaceutyczna", "Farmacja Współczesna", "Wiadomości Farmaceutyczne", "Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica", "Farmacja Polska", "Dissertationes Pharmaceuticae", "Annales UMCS sectio DDD Phamacia". The number of published works using various chromatography techniques was assessed based on the content description of individual issues of the journal "Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica".


A Diarrhoeagenic EnteropathogenicEscherichia coli (EPEC) Infection Outbreak That Occurred among Elementary School Children in Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province of South Korea Was Associated with Consumption of Water-Contaminated Food Items.
(1) Background: In response to the notification made by an elementary school authority that reported a number of elementary school children being absent in three schools as a result of gastroenteritis symptoms on 4 July 2018, in Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province, South Korea, an epidemic investigation was carried out to determine the extent, cause, and source of the outbreak in order to prevent secondary cases and make recommendations to prevent future recurrences. (2) Methods: In this epidemiologic study, a total of 106 human subjects (school children, staff members, and cooks) who had consumed the possibly contaminated foodstuffs were enrolled retrospectively. Human specimens from clinically defined cases, food and drinks, supply and storage of them, and environmental and sanitary conditions were also assessed by observation, laboratory tests, and survey questionnaires-where and whatever applicable. The attack rate and positive rate for human specimens were first presented followed by the calculation of the relative risk ratio (RR) with 95% CI (confidence intervals) in order to identify the exposure and outcome relationships. (3) Results: The attack rate was 12.26% (13/106) for those who had ingested the food items at the three schools and the positive rate of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) was 15.38% (2/13). The relative risk (RR) of developing food poisoning of those who consumed the cucumber chili with ssamjang and seasoned cucumber and chives were 4.55 (95% CI 1.05-19.54) and 9.20 (95% CI 1.24-68.22), respectively. In addition, within the human specimens as well as the water and environmental samples different strains of diarrhoeagenic enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) were detected. (4) Conclusions: Provision of safe and wholesome water access to all elementary schools by concerned authorities, especially during the likely seasons of water source contamination, as well as health education promotion about foodborne outbreaks to all school stakeholders is therefore recommended.


Changes of redox activity during the development of rape.
Redox activity was measured in vegetative and generative apical parts (5 mm of the stem) and youngest leaves of winter (cv. "G6rczański") and spring (cv. "Młochowski") rape. Both genotypes were cultured under the same growth conditions (17/15 degrees C day/night, 16 h photo-period), but winter rape was additionally vernalized (5/2 degrees C day/night, 56 days) in order to induce the generative development. The cyclic voltammetric method was used to measure the redox potential of samples in the presence of Fe3+ ions. Changes in the redox activity were compared with changes in riboflavin content and activities of antioxidative enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The higher level of Fe3+ ions and riboflavin detected in generative apices and leaves of winter and spring varieties indicated that electrons (and their donors) were present at a lower level in these organs in comparison with the vegetative ones. On the contrary, SOD and CAT activity were lower in generative than in vegetative organs. This confirms changes in the redox balance and involvement of oxygen radicals in the generative development of rape plants. The similarity of the measured parameters between winter and spring varieties indicates that the observed changes are independent of the way of generative induction (vernalization). Riboflavin can serve as one of the electron carriers between other oxidation-reduction substances.


Seroprevalence of antibodies to astrovirus in chickens in Grenada, West Indies.
Chicken astroviruses (CAstV) are known to cause mild gastroenteritis, growth depression, and even mortality in poultry, especially in chickens, turkeys, and ducks. To the best our knowledge, there is no published information on CAstV in Grenada. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of astrovirus in chickens in Grenada. Blood samples from 366 indigenous chickens and 92 commercial chicken layers were collected from all parishes of the island and tested for antibodies against CAstV using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The seroprevalence of antibodies against astrovirus was 57.6% (95%, Confidence interval [CI]: 47.4-67.2) in commercial layers and 61.5% (95%, CI: 56.4-66.3) in indigenous chickens. The results show the presence of infection throughout the island. The results show the infection with CAstV in approximately half of the chicken population in Grenada. This is the first report on the prevalence of CAstV in chickens in Grenada and the Caribbean region.


Interprofessionalism in health care: communication with the patient's identified family.
Communication with the patient's identified family is one of the most important and ongoing service to be provided by the inter-professional team in health care. Placing this important service within the context of "attachment, security and trust" should help professional team members to learn how to configure patient's families into the circle of health care collaboration. The communication offered to the patient and patient's family is the most important aspect to inter-professionalism within health care. Breakdowns in this communication of trust can have drastic effects with long standing emotional impact.


Microdeletion of 12q24.31: report of a girl with intellectual disability, stereotypies, seizures and facial dysmorphisms.
We provide a detailed clinical and molecular characterization of an 11-year-old female patient presenting with neurodevelopmental delay (NDD), intellectual disability (ID), seizures, stereotypies and dysmorphic features. Chromosomal microarrays analysis (CMA) detected a small, rare de novo deletion on chromosome 12q24.31 encompassing 31 protein-coding RefSeq genes and a microRNA. Phenotypic comparison with molecularly well-defined cases previously reported in the literature harboring an overlapping 12q24.31 microdeletion indicate that these patients shared common clinical features including neurodevelopmental delay, intellectual disability and behavioral problems. Also, seizures and dysmorphic features are frequent and a consistent pattern was recognized. Since there are remarkable resemblance between the patient described here and at least another one previously reported, our report is provides supportive evidence for the existence of an emerging syndrome caused by a microdeletion in 12q24.31. We propose a minimal region shared among patients contributing to the etiology of the common clinical features observed suggesting as candidate, for the first time, the gene SETD1B which is a component of a histone methyltransferase complex. In addition, we speculate on the possible contributive role of the MIR4304 to some clinical features observed in our patient. Evaluation of more patients with well-characterized deletions within 12q24.31, as well as careful clinical assessment of them, is needed to corroborate our hypothesis, to perform a more detailed genotype-phenotype correlation and, finally, to fully delineate this emerging microdeletion syndrome.


Cryptococcus neoformans carried by Odontomachus bauri ants.
Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common causative agent of cryptococcosis worldwide. Although this fungus has been isolated from a variety of organic substrates, several studies suggest that hollow trees constitute an important natural niche for C. neoformans. A previously surveyed hollow of a living pink shower tree (Cassia grandis) positive for C. neoformans in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was chosen for further investigation. Odontomachus bauri ants (trap-jaw ants) found inside the hollow were collected for evaluation as possible carriers of Cryptococcus spp. Two out of 10 ants were found to carry phenoloxidase-positive colonies identified as C. neoformans molecular types VNI and VNII. The ants may have acted as a mechanical vector of C. neoformans and possibly contributed to the dispersal of the fungi from one substrate to another. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of C. neoformans with ants of the genus Odontomachus.


Non-linear Growth Models in Mplus and SAS.
Non-linear growth curves or growth curves that follow a specified non-linear function in time enable researchers to model complex developmental patterns with parameters that are easily interpretable. In this paper we describe how a variety of sigmoid curves can be fit using the Mplus structural modeling program and the non-linear mixed-effects modeling procedure NLMIXED in SAS. Using longitudinal achievement data collected as part of a study examining the effects of preschool instruction on academic gain we illustrate the procedures for fitting growth models of logistic, Gompertz, and Richards functions. Brief notes regarding the practical benefits, limitations, and choices faced in the fitting and estimation of such models are included.


Gamma and beta bursts during working memory readout suggest roles in its volitional control.
Working memory (WM) activity is not as stationary or sustained as previously thought. There are brief bursts of gamma (~50-120 Hz) and beta (~20-35 Hz) oscillations, the former linked to stimulus information in spiking. We examined these dynamics in relation to readout and control mechanisms of WM. Monkeys held sequences of two objects in WM to match to subsequent sequences. Changes in beta and gamma bursting suggested their distinct roles. In anticipation of having to use an object for the match decision, there was an increase in gamma and spiking information about that object and reduced beta bursting. This readout signal was only seen before relevant test objects, and was related to premotor activity. When the objects were no longer needed, beta increased and gamma decreased together with object spiking information. Deviations from these dynamics predicted behavioral errors. Thus, beta could regulate gamma and the information in WM.


Two-vibron bound states in alpha-helix proteins: the interplay between the intramolecular anharmonicity and the strong vibron-phonon coupling.
The influence of the intramolecular anharmonicity and the strong vibron-phonon coupling on the two-vibron dynamics in an alpha-helix protein is studied within a modified Davydov model. The intramolecular anharmonicity of each amide-I vibration is considered, and the vibron dynamics is described according to the small polaron approach. A unitary transformation is performed to remove the intramolecular anharmonicity, and a modified Lang-Firsov transformation is applied to renormalize the vibron-phonon interaction. Then a mean field procedure is realized to obtain the dressed anharmonic vibron Hamiltonian. It is shown that the anharmonicity modifies the vibron-phonon interaction, which results in an enhancement of the dressing effect. In addition, both the anharmonicity and the dressing favor the occurrence of two different bound states whose properties strongly depend on the interplay between the anharmonicity and the dressing. This dependence was summarized in a phase diagram which characterizes the number and the nature of the bound states as a function of the relevant parameters of the problem. For a significant anharmonicity, the low-frequency bound states describe two vibrons trapped onto the same amide-I vibration, whereas the high-frequency bound states refer to the trapping of the two vibrons onto nearest neighbor amide-I vibrations.


Quantum Monte Carlo study of porphyrin transition metal complexes.
Diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (DMC) calculations for transition metal (M) porphyrin complexes (MPo, M=Ni,Cu,Zn) are reported. We calculate the binding energies of the transition metal atoms to the porphin molecule. Our DMC results are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from density functional theory calculations using the B3LYP hybrid exchange-correlation functional. Our study shows that such calculations are feasible with the DMC method.


Integration of target responsive hydrogel with cascaded enzymatic reactions and microfluidic paper-based analytic devices (µPADs) for point-of-care testing (POCT).
Paper based microfluidics (µPADs) with advantages of portability, low cost, and ease of use have attracted extensive attention. Here we describe a novel method that integrates glucoamylase-trapped aptamer-crosslinked hydrogel for molecular recognition with cascaded enzymatic reactions for signal amplification and a µPAD for portable readout. Upon target introduction, the hydrogel decomposes to release glucoamylase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of amylose to produce a large amount of glucose. With a simple folding of the µPAD, the sample solution containing glucose product wicks and diffuses in parallel to each test-zone to carry out homogeneous assays, where glucose is used to produce I2 for brown color visualization through multiple enzymatic and chemical cascade reactions. Through color gradient changes based on different concentrations of the target, a semiquantitative assay is achieved by the naked eye, and quantitation can be obtained by handheld devices. Detection of cocaine in buffer and urine was performed to demonstrate the utility of the hydrogel-µPAD system. More importantly, the hydrogel-µPAD system can be extended to the detection of various targets by incorporating the corresponding aptamer into the hydrogel. The hydrogel-µPAD system reported here provides a new platform for portable, disposable and visual detection of a wide range of targets.


Characterizing normal perinatal development of the human brain structural connectivity.
Early brain development is characterized by the formation of a highly organized structural connectome. The interconnected nature of this connectome underlies the brain's cognitive abilities and influences its response to diseases and environmental factors. Hence, quantitative assessment of structural connectivity in the perinatal stage is useful for studying normal and abnormal neurodevelopment. However, estimation of the connectome from diffusion MRI data involves complex computations. For the perinatal period, these computations are further challenged by the rapid brain development and imaging difficulties. Combined with high inter-subject variability, these factors make it difficult to chart the normal development of the structural connectome. As a result, there is a lack of reliable normative baselines of structural connectivity metrics at this critical stage in brain development. In this study, we developed a computational framework, based on spatio-temporal averaging, for determining such baselines. We used this framework to analyze the structural connectivity between 33 and 44 postmenstrual weeks using data from 166 subjects. Our results unveiled clear and strong trends in the development of structural connectivity in perinatal stage. Connection weighting based on fractional anisotropy and neurite density produced the most consistent results. We observed increases in global and local efficiency, a decrease in characteristic path length, and widespread strengthening of the connections within and across brain lobes and hemispheres. We also observed asymmetry patterns that were consistent between different connection weighting approaches. The new computational method and results are useful for assessing normal and abnormal development of the structural connectome early in life.


Epileptic disorder as the first neurologic manifestation of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome.
Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome is an uncommon neurocutaneous disorder characterized by distinctive vascular malformations on the body surface. Vascular malformations of internal organs (typically the gastrointestinal tract) are also frequently present. However, malformations of the central nervous system have only rarely been described. We report a case of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome in a 5-month-old boy with cutaneous manifestations characteristic of this process present from birth and multiple cerebral angiomas detected by magnetic resonance imaging. At age 1(1/2) months, the patient showed myoclonic seizures and complex partial seizures that were refractory to various antiepileptic regimens. At age 5 months, electroencephalograms (EEGs) showed continuous generalized slow spike-waves, predominantly in the right temporal region; however, EEGs normalized after induction of coma with intravenous midazolam. At age 13 months, the patient suffered from occasional seizures and slightly retarded psychomotor development. Epilepsy is rare in this syndrome but as in other neurocutaneous syndromes (e.g., Sturge-Weber syndrome) can compromise psychomotor development; thus, every effort should be made to control seizures.


Prevalence of Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax among patients with periodontal disease attending Dental Clinic, University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Periodontal disease is often caused by bacterial plaque. However, there are indications that some infective agents, including parasites, may play important roles in the pathogenesis of the disease. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis, as well as the prevalence of Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax, in the oral biofilm of individuals with periodontal diseases using polymerase chain reaction. One hundred and six respondents with periodontal disease participated in the study. All study participants had a full-mouth examination, and dental plaque samples were collected with a sterile curette. Samples were transported to the laboratory in a cold chain and stored frozen till analyzed. DNA was extracted from the samples and amplified using EGO and ENTAM primers for Entamoeba and TGBK primers for T. tenax. The mean age of respondents was 45 ± 16.3 years, with none using tobacco. The prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis obtained from this study was 84.9% and 15.1%. The prevalence obtained for Entamoeba and T. tenax was 0.9% each; however, no participant had both parasites. The positive samples were from male participants with moderate gingivitis. Gingivitis was more prevalent than periodontitis, though with a high preponderance in females. E. gingivalis and T. tenax may not be of etiologic importance in periodontal disease as they occurred sparsely in the studied population.


Anti-inflammatory ergosterol derivatives from the endophytic fungus Fusarium chlamydosporum.
Two new ergosterol derivatives namely, chlamydosterols A [(22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β-triol 6-decanoate] (1) and B [5α,6β,25-trihydroxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-3-one] (5) and three known ergosterols: ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-ol (2), ergosta-5,7,22-triene-3β-ol (3), and ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β-triol (4) were separated from the EtOAc extract of the endophytic fungus Fusarium chlamydosporum isolated from Anvillea garcinii (Asteraceae) leaves growing in Saudi Arabia. Their structural assignment was accomplished by various spectroscopic analyses, as well as comparing with the published data. The 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitory potential of the isolated metabolites was assessed. Compounds 1 and 3 displayed moderate 5-LOX inhibitory potential with IC50s 3.06 and 3.57 µM, respectively compared to indomethacin (IC50 1.13 µM).


Treatment practices and quantification of antimicrobial drug usage in conventional and organic dairy farms in Wisconsin.
The objective of this study was to develop a method to quantify antimicrobial drug usage and treatment practices on conventional and organic dairy farms that had been recruited to represent a broad spectrum of potential exposure to antimicrobial drugs. Data on disease prevalence and treatment practices of organic (n = 20) and conventional (n = 20) farms were obtained during a farm visit using a survey instrument. A standardized estimate of antimicrobial drug usage was developed using a defined daily dose (DDD) of selected compounds. Density of antimicrobial drug usage was expressed as the number of DDD per adult cow per year. Differences in prevalence and management of selected diseases between conventional and organic farms were identified. The overall estimated prevalence of selected diseases was greater for conventional farms compared with organic farms. Organic farmers reported use of a variety of nonantimicrobial compounds for treatment and prevention of disease. Conventional farmers reported that penicillin was the compound most commonly used for dry cow therapy and cephapirin was most commonly used for treatment of clinical mastitis. On conventional farms, the estimated overall exposure to antimicrobial drugs was 5.43 DDD per cow per year composed of 3.58 and 1.85 DDD of intramammary and parenteral antimicrobial drugs, respectively. Of total intramammary antimicrobial drug usage, treatment of clinical mastitis contributed 2.02 DDD compared with 1.56 DDD attributed to the use of dry cow therapy. Of total parenteral treatments, the distribution of exposure was 0.52 (dry cow therapy), 1.43 (clinical mastitis treatment), 0.39 (treatment of foot disease), 0.14 (treatment of respiratory disease), and 0.32 (treatment of metritis) DDD. For treatments of foot infections (0.33 DDD), respiratory infections (0.07 DDD), and metritis (0.19 DDD), the mean density of ceftiofur usage was significantly greater compared with other compounds.


Acetone and water on TiO2(110): H/D exchange.
Isotopic H/D exchange between coadsorbed acetone and water on the TiO2(110) surface was examined using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) as a function of coverage and two surface pretreatments (O2 oxidation and mild vacuum reduction). Coadsorbed acetone and water interact repulsively on reduced TiO2(110) on the basis of results from the companion paper to this study, with water exerting a greater influence in destabilizing acetone and acetone having only a nominal influence on water. Despite the repulsive interaction between these coadsorbates, about 0.02 monolayers (ML) of a 1 ML d6-acetone on the reduced surface (vacuum annealed at 850 K to a surface oxygen vacancy population of 7%) exhibits H/D exchange with coadsorbed water, with the exchange occurring exclusively in the high-temperature region of the d6-acetone TPD spectrum at approximately 340 K. The effect was confirmed with combinations of d0-acetone and D2O. The extent of exchange decreased on the reduced surface for water coverages above approximately 0.3 ML due to the ability of water to displace coadsorbed acetone from first layer sites to the multilayer. In contrast, the extent of exchange increased by a factor of 3 when surface oxygen vacancies were pre-oxidized with O2 prior to coadsorption. In this case, there was no evidence for the negative influence of high water coverages on the extent of H/D exchange. Comparison of the TPD spectra from the exchange products (either d1- or d5-acetone depending on the coadsorption pairing) suggests that, in addition to the 340 K exchange process seen on the reduced surface, a second exchange process was observed on the oxidized surface at approximately 390 K. In both cases (oxidized and reduced), desorption of the H/D exchange products appeared to be reaction limited and to involve the influence of OH/OD groups (or water formed during recombinative desorption of OH/OD groups) instead of molecularly adsorbed water. The 340 K exchange process is assigned to reaction at step sites, and the 390 K exchange process is attributed to the influence of oxygen adatoms deposited during surface oxidation. The H/D exchange mechanism likely involves an enolate or propenol surface intermediate formed transiently during the desorption of oxygen-stabilized acetone molecules.


Bimolecular decomposition pathways for carboxylic acids of relevance to biofuels.
The bimolecular thermal reactions of carboxylic acids were studied using quantum mechanical molecular modeling. Previous work1 investigated the unimolecular decomposition of a variety of organic acids, including saturated, α,β-unsaturated, and β,γ-unsaturated acids, and showed that the type and position of the unsaturation resulted in unique branching ratios between dehydration and decarboxylation, [H2O]/[CO2]. In this work, the effect of bimolecular chemistry (water-acid and acid-acid) is considered with a representative of each acid class. In both cases, the strained 4-centered, unimolecular transition state, typical of most organic acids, is opened up to 6- or 8-centered bimolecular geometries. These larger structures lead to a reduction in the barrier heights (20-45%) of the thermal decomposition pathways for organic acids and an increase in the decomposition kinetics. In some cases, they even cause a shift in the branching ratio of the corresponding product slates.


Prophylactic hyperthermic limb perfusion in stage I melanoma.
Ninety-three patients with stage I primary cutaneous malignant melanoma of the lower limb were treated by wide local excision and hyperthermic isolated regional perfusion with melphalan (L-phenylalanine dihydrochloride) in a prospective non-randomized study between 1976 and 1982. Eighteen patients (19.4%) developed recurrent melanoma. Nine had recurrent regional disease, one with in transit metastases and eight with positive regional nodes. Nine patients developed distant metastases. No patient had locally recurrent disease. This series confirmed the close correlation between tumour microstaging, melanoma recurrence and survival. Seventy-nine per cent of patients were disease-free at 5 years. Males had deeper lesions (mean 4.56 mm) and increased recurrence (33%) than females (mean 3.36 mm and 13%). Superficial spreading melanoma had the most favourable prognosis of the three histological types. Overall survival was 83% (female 86%; males 64%) at 5 years. Significant morbidity occurred in two patients with deep vein thrombosis. Adjuvant therapy using hyperthermic regional perfusion provides improved local and intransit control of limb melanoma.


Intrahepatic expression of the hepatic stellate cell marker fibroblast activation protein correlates with the degree of fibrosis in hepatitis C virus infection.
Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), recognised by their alpha smooth muscle actin immunoreactivity, are primarily responsible for liver fibrosis. However, the presence of alpha smooth muscle actin positive HSCs is not always associated with the development of liver fibrosis. Recently, other markers of human HSCs including the gelatinase fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and glial fibrillary acidic protein have been identified. We examined the relationship between the expression of these HSC markers and the severity of liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Liver tissue from 27 patients was examined using immunohistochemistry. Linear correlation analysis was used to compare staining scores with the stage and grade of liver injury. FAP expression, seen at the tissue-remodelling interface, was strongly and significantly correlated with the severity of liver fibrosis. A weaker correlation was seen between glial fibrillary acidic protein expression and fibrosis stage. This contrasted with the absence of a relationship between alpha smooth muscle actin and the fibrotic score. A correlation was also observed between FAP expression and necroinflammatory score. In summary, FAP expression identifies a HSC subpopulation at the tissue-remodelling interface that is related to the severity of liver fibrosis.


Functional MRI studies in disruptive behaviour disorders.
Aggressive or antisocial behaviours with violations of social rules are the main features of disruptive behaviour disorders (DBDs), which are developmental diseases and include conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. In the last decade, several efforts have been made to shed light on the biological underpinnings of DBDs. In this context, the main findings of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies in DBD are reported here. There are indications of neural dysfunctions in response to affective stimuli, especially regarding medial and orbitofrontal prefrontal cortex and connected subcortical structures.


First measurements of highly ionized impurity emission distribution by grazing-incidence flat-field extreme ultraviolet spectrometer in HL-2A.
A space-resolved grazing-incidence flat-field extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer has been developed in the HL-2A tokamak to measure vertical impurity emission profiles with simultaneous spectral, temporal, and spatial resolution. The spectrometer working in the wavelength range of 30-500 Å has been equipped with a gold-coated varied-line-spacing holographic grating with curvature of 5606 mm and a back illuminated charge-coupled device with size of 6.6 × 26.6 mm(2) (255 × 1024 pixels). A lower half of the HL-2A plasma with averaged minor radius of 40 cm is observed when the spectrometer with horizontal dispersion is placed at a distance of 7.5 m away from the plasma center. An excellent spatial resolution of 12 mm is achieved when a space-resolved slit with vertical width of 0.5 mm is adopted. The radial profiles of intrinsic impurities in several ionization stages have been measured with high throughput and extremely low stray light.


Reproducibility of nighttime home blood pressure measured by a wrist-type nocturnal home blood pressure monitoring device.
The authors investigated the reproducibility of nighttime home blood pressure (BP) measured by a wrist-type BP monitoring device. Forty-six hypertensive patients (mean 69.0±11.6 years, 56.5% male) self-measured their nighttime BP hourly using simultaneously worn wrist-type and upper arm-type nocturnal home BP monitoring devices at home on two consecutive nights. Using the average 7.4±1.3 measurements on the first night and the average 7.0 ± 1.8 measurements on the second night, the authors assessed the reliability and the reproducibility of nighttime BP measured on the two nights. The difference between nights in systolic BP (SBP) measured by the wrist-device was not significant (1.6±7.0 mmHg, p = .124), while the difference in diastolic BP (DBP) was marginally significant (1.4±4.9 mmHg, p = .050). The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for agreement between nights were high both in SBP and DBP average (SBP: 0.835, DBP: 0.804). Averaging only three points of SBP resulted in lower ICC values, but still indicated good correlations (ICC > 0.6). On the other hand, the correlations of the standard deviation and average real variability of SBP between nights were low, with ICCs of 0.220 and 0.436, respectively. In conclusion, the average SBP values measured on the first night were reliable even when averaging only three readings. The reproducibility of nighttime BP variability seemed inferior to that of BP average; it might be better to measure nighttime BP over multiple nights to assess BP variability. However, this hypothesis needs verification in other study population. In addition, our study population had well-controlled BP, which limits the generalizability of this findings to all hypertensive patients.


Disorders of the brain-gut interaction and eating disorders.
Eating disorders (ED) involve both the nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. A similar double involvement is also found in disorders of the brain-gut interaction (DGBI) and symptoms are sometimes similar. To find out where there is an association and a cause-effect relationship, we looked for the comorbidity of DGBI and ED. A systematic review was undertaken. A literature search was performed. Inclusion criteria for the articles retained for analysis were: Observational cohort population-based or hospital-based and case-control studies, examining the relationship between DGBI and ED. Exclusion criteria were: Studies written in other languages than English, abstracts, conference presentations, letters to the Editor and editorials. Selected papers by two independent investigators were critically evaluated and included in this review. We found 29 articles analyzing the relation between DGBI and ED comprising 13 articles on gastroparesis, 5 articles on functional dyspepsia, 7 articles about functional constipation and 4 articles on irritable bowel syndrome. There is no evidence for a cause-effect relationship between DGBI and ED. Their common symptomatology requires correct identification and a tailored therapy of each disorder.


Artificial Magnetic Pattern Arrays Probed by Polarized Neutron Reflectivity.
Traditionally, neutron scattering is an essential method for the analysis of spin structures and spin excitations in bulk materials. Over the last 30 years, polarized neutron scattering in terms of reflectometry has also contributed largely to the analysis of magnetic thin films and magnetic multilayers. More recently it has been shown that polarized neutron reflectivity is, in addition, a suitable tool for the study of thin films laterally patterned with magnetic stripes or islands. We provide a brief overview of the fundamental properties of polarized neutron reflectivity, considering different domain states, domain fluctuations, and different domain sizes with respect to the neutron coherence volume. The discussion is exemplified by a set of simulated reflectivities assuming either complete polarization and polarization analysis, or a reduced form of polarized neutron reflectivity without polarization analysis. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of the neutron coherence volume for the interpretation of specular and off-specular intensity maps, in particular when studying laterally non-homogeneous magnetic films. Finally, experimental results, fits, and simulations are shown for specular and off-specular scattering from a magnetic film that has been lithographically patterned into a periodic stripe array. These experiments demonstrate the different and mutually complementary information that can be gained when orienting the stripe array parallel or perpendicular to the scattering plane.


Pain-related synaptic plasticity in spinal dorsal horn neurons: role of CGRP.
The synaptic and cellular mechanisms of pain-related central sensitization in the spinal cord are not fully understood yet. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been identified as an important molecule in spinal nociceptive processing and ensuing behavioral responses, but its contribution to synaptic plasticity, cellular mechanisms and site of action in the spinal cord remain to be determined. Here we address the role of CGRP in synaptic plasticity in the spinal dorsal horn in a model of arthritic pain. Whole-cell current- and voltage-clamp recordings were made from substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons in spinal cord slices from control rats and arthritic rats (> 6 h postinjection of kaolin/carrageenan into the knee). Monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were evoked by electrical stimulation of afferents in the dorsal root near the dorsal root entry zone. Neurons in slices from arthritic rats showed increased synaptic transmission and excitability compared to controls. A selective CGRP1 receptor antagonist (CGRP8-37) reversed synaptic plasticity in neurons from arthritic rats but had no significant effect on normal transmission. CGRP facilitated synaptic transmission in the arthritis pain model more strongly than under normal conditions where both facilitatory and inhibitory effects were observed. CGRP also increased neuronal excitability. Miniature EPSC analysis suggested a post- rather than pre-synaptic mechanism of CGRP action. This study is the first to show synaptic plasticity in the spinal dorsal horn in a model of arthritic pain that involves a postsynaptic action of CGRP on SG neurons.


[Epidemiological characteristics of imported malaria cases after malaria elimination in Yixing City of Jiangsu Province].
To analyse the epidemiological characteristics of imported malaria cases after malaria elimination in Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, so as to provide reference for malaria prevention and control in grassroots healthcare institutions. All data pertaining to malaria cases reported in Yixing City from 2016 to 2022 were retrieved from Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System, and the data pertaining to vector monitoring and human malaria parasite infections from 2016 to 2022 were collected for a descriptive statistical analysis. A total of 14 imported malaria cases were reported in Yixing City from 2016 to 2022, including 12 cases with Plasmodium falciparum malaria, one case with P. vivax malaria and one case with P. ovale malaria, and all cases acquired infections in Africa and then returned to Yixing City. Malaria cases were reported across 2016 to 2022 except in 2020 and 2021. Malaria cases were predominantly reported during the period between December and February of the next year, and workers were the predominant occupation. The institutions where malaria was initially diagnosed included county-level general hospitals, county-level disease prevention and control institutions and grassroots healthcare centers, and there were 10 cases with definitive diagnosis of malaria on the day of initial diagnosis, with a 64.29% (9/14) correct rate of initial diagnosis. There were 5 cases diagnosed with severe malaria, and the standardized response rate was 100.00% following the "1-3-7" surveillance and response strategy. Of all malaria vectors, only Anopheles sinensis was monitored in Yixing City from 2016 to 2022, and all humans were tested negative for blood smears exceptimportedmalariacases. The correct rate of initial malaria diagnosis was not high in healthcare institutions in Yixing City from 2016 to 2022, and there are still multiple challenges for prevention of re-establishment of imported malaria.


Experimental pancreatitis: influence of secretory state of the pancreas.
The influence of the secretory state of the pancreas on the development of pancreatitis in an isolated, ex vivo, perfused canine pancreas model was evaluated. Free fatty acid infusion was used to induce pancreatitis, and secretin, glucagon, and atropine were administered to influence the secretory state. Despite a 40-fold difference in hourly secretory output, the development of pancreatitis as judged by weight gain, hemoconcentration, amylase value, and arterial blood pressure response was similar in the stimulated, basal, and suppressed states. This study casts further doubt on the role of hypersecretion in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.


Hidden consequences of olfactory dysfunction: a patient report series.
The negative consequences of olfactory dysfunction for the quality of life are not widely appreciated and the condition is therefore often ignored or trivialized. 1,000 patients with olfactory dysfunction participated in an online study by submitting accounts of their subjective experiences of how they have been affected by their condition. In addition, they were given the chance to answer 43 specific questions about the consequences of their olfactory dysfunction. Although there are less practical problems associated with impaired or distorted odor perception than with impairments in visual or auditory perception, many affected individuals report experiencing olfactory dysfunction as a debilitating condition. Smell loss-induced social isolation and smell loss-induced anhedonia can severely affect quality of life. Olfactory dysfunction is a serious condition for those affected by it and it deserves more attention from doctors who treat affected patients as well as from scientist who research treatment options.


Hospital service recovery.
An organization's ability to correct service errors is an important factor in achieving success in today's service economy. This paper examines service recovery in hospitals in the U.S. First is a general review of service recovery theories. Next is a discussion of specific service issues related to the hospital environment. The literature on service recovery is used to make specific recommendations to hospitals for ways to improve their ability to remedy service errors when they occur. Suggestions for future research in the field of service recovery are also made.


Aluminum-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Silylalkynes with Aliphatic C-F Bonds.
We report the generation of aliphatic and benzylic acetylenes via reaction of primary, secondary, and tertiary aliphatic fluorides with various trimethylsilyl acetylides. These reactions are catalyzed by Al and B Lewis acids, most effectively by the extremely fluorophilic tris(pentafluorophenyl)alane, representing the first example of catalytic incorporation of alkynes into aliphatic C-F positions. The fluorophilicity of the catalysts gives rise to fluorine selectivity over other halogens, allowing orthogonal reactivity pathways.


Iterative Monte Carlo for quantum dynamics.
We present a fully quantum mechanical methodology for calculating complex-time correlation functions by evaluating the discretized path integral expression iteratively on a grid selected by a Monte Carlo procedure. Both the grid points and the summations performed in each iteration utilize importance sampling, leading to favorable scaling with the number of particles, while the stepwise evaluation of the integrals circumvents the exponential growth of statistical error with time.


Complete structural characterization of metallacyclic complexes in solution-phase using simultaneously X-ray diffraction and molecular dynamics simulation.
Wide-angle X-ray diffraction and molecular dynamics simulation has been used to perform complete structural characterization of nitromethane solution of a 16-membered gold(I) ring. The joint application of these two methods was an adequate tool to describe not only the structure of the complex but also the solvation properties of the complex in nitromethane and the effect of the solvation on the bulk structure. It has been found that a relatively diffuse slightly distorted solvation shell is formed around the complex, following the shape of the molecule. Nitromethane molecules in the solvation sphere are distributed randomly; no special orientation can be detected. The interaction energy of the complex with nitromethane molecules is attractive. In bulk, besides the antiparallel orientation of the nitromethane molecules, T-shape orientation and long-range order in antidipole orientation can also be detected.


Safety and effectiveness of a four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate for vitamin K antagonist reversal following a fixed-dose strategy.
Early reversal of anticoagulation improves outcomes in major bleeding and emergency surgery. To reverse vitamin K antagonists (VKA), vitamin K in addition to prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) is recommended. Dosing recommendations for VKA reversal provided by the manufacturer are 25-50 IU/kg depending on the baseline international normalised ratio (INR). Nevertheless, we recommend an initial fixed dose of 1000 IU, and additional 500 IU doses evaluated on a case-by-case basis. As there is a paucity of clinical data demonstrating the efficacy and safety of this strategy, we designed this study to assess the effectiveness and safety of a four-factor (4F)-PCC for VKA reversal following a fixed-dose strategy. This was a retrospective study of adult patients who received 4F-PCC for VKA reversal. The primary outcome was INR correction. INR correction was achieved if the first INR draw after 4F-PCC was ≤1.5. Safety outcome was any confirmed thromboembolic event within 3 months after 4F-PCC. Secondary outcomes included activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) correction, as well as haemostatic effectiveness for bleeding patients. A total of 145 patients were included: 106 (73.1%) in the bleeding group and 39 (26.9%) in the emergency surgery group. The INR target was reached in 102 (70.3%) patients (p<0.0001). In one case, a thromboembolic complication was possibly related to 4F-PCC. The aPTT ratio target was reached in 113 (77.9%) patients (p<0.0001), and 79 of the 106 (74.5%) patients reversed for bleeding achieved haemostatic effectiveness. After 4F-PCC, the majority of patients achieved the target INR, meaning 4F-PCC is a useful modality for rapid INR reduction. The safety profile may be considered acceptable. Fixed-dose 4F-PCC was able to restore haemostasis rapidly while minimising the risk of adverse events and optimising available resources.


Focal cortical dysplasia type IIb in the rolandic cortex: functional reorganization after early surgery documented by passive task functional MRI.
Surgery for seizures arising from the rolandic area can be performed effectively, and accurate mapping of eloquent regions may improve seizure and functional outcome. Noninvasive cortical mapping is, however, hardly feasible in young children. We studied two children with epileptogenic focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type IIb in the rolandic area, in whom preoperative passive task functional MRI (fMRI) during sedation helped planning a tailored surgical approach. In one patient the dysplastic cortex was functionally activated. After complete lesionectomy both children exhibited motor impairment that readily improved. Repeat fMRI, performed after complete (Patient 1) or partial (Patient 2) recovery, demonstrated relocation of motor-related activations posterior to the area of resection. fMRI during sedation can be used to demonstrate postsurgical functional reorganization of the motor cortex in young children. There is interindividual variability in functional activation of FCD type IIb.


The Impulse of Force as an Effective Indicator of Exercise Capacity in Competitive Rowers and Canoeists.
The aim of the research was to present the importance of measuring the impulse of force in assessing exercise capacity in professional rowers and canoeists rather than conducting traditional physiological and biochemical analyses. A group of 20 athletes (12 rowers and 8 canoeists) underwent progressive intensity exercise tests in two testing sessions (before and after a training period). During the tests, maximal aerobic capacity, impulse of strength, metabolic indices, and markers of skeletal muscle damage were assessed. Total testosterone, free testosterone, cortisol, interleukin 1,6, and creatine kinase were evaluated in venous blood. The impulse of force at the ventilatory threshold and at the maximum load was correlated with free testosterone and a total testosterone/cortisol ratio during exercise (p ≤ 0.05) and was negatively correlated with cortisol concentration (p ≤ 0.05) in the first testing session (before training intervention). Values were positively correlated with concentration of total testosterone, free testosterone and total testosterone/cortisol, and free testosterone/cortisol ratios during exercise (p ≤ 0.05) in the second testing session (after training intervention). Biochemical indices of overtraining were correlated with maximum oxygen uptake in each session and with the impulse of force at the ventilatory threshold and the maximum load of exercise. Thus, there is an indirect relationship between maximal aerobic capacity and the impulse of force. The measurement of the impulse of force can become a simple and effective method for evaluating the overall exercise capacity of rowers because of its relationship with indices of the load and changes in hormonal indices of anabolic and catabolic processes during exercise. Therefore, it may constitute a replacement for the traditional laboratory measurement of VO2max in highly qualified rowers and canoeists.


CD4 cell counts in human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients with tuberculosis.
We evaluated 85 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients with tuberculosis for clinical features and CD4 cell counts. Thirty-seven patients had low CD4 cell counts (mean +/- SD, 341 +/- 116 cells/microL), and 48 patients had normal CD4 cell counts (mean +/- SD, 830 +/- 254 cells/microL). CD4 cell counts were most strongly correlated with total lymphocyte counts (r = 0.84). If total lymphocyte count was excluded, depressed CD4 cell counts were significantly associated with low serum albumin levels, extensive pulmonary disease, low body-mass index, and low hematocrit. Of these four variables, multivariate linear discriminant analysis revealed that the serum albumin level was the best single predictor of low CD4 cell counts and that the other three variables did not improve predictive value. Because these four variables are markers of severe tuberculosis, these findings suggest that disease severity is associated with greater depression of the total lymphocyte and CD4 cell counts. The CD4 cell counts returned to normal levels in most patients after 1 month of therapy.


[Diagnosis in pediatric "allergic" patients].
A clinician who deals with allergic patients needs the help of in vivo and in vitro allergometric tests in order to decide difficult therapeutic choices. In the section of Clinical Immunology of the Institute of Paediatrics (Palermo University) two allergologic tests, prick and MAST-CLA, have been studied retrospectively, they were performed on patients observed for allergic disorders over 5 years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic capacity of these tests "on the field". The study population is made of 459 patients (age range from 6 months to 16 years) affected with asthma, rhinitis, presumably allergic dermatitis, association of asthma and dermatitis, urticaria, selected on the basis of anamnesis and clinical examination. Eosynophils, basophils, total IgE, specific IgE with DHS-MAST-CLA and prick tests (Bayropharm) for the allergens most frequently responsible of allergic disease in our country, have been evaluated. A double controlled assay of 1040 pairs of allergens with MAST-CLA has been performed. The agreement between prick and MAST appeared to be satisfactory for inhaled allergens. Eosynophils count and total IgE levels showed a significative difference between patients negative versus patients positive for at least one allergen. The pattern of the allergens most frequently positive changes with age and patients positive for pollens showed positivity for vegetal food allergens with a frequency higher than expected.


Cystic adventitial disease of the common femoral vein: a case report and review of the literature.
We report on a 52-year-old female patient who presented with a 6-month history of right lower extremity swelling and tenderness. The patient was treated as an outpatient with full anticoagulation, without any improvement. Her medical history was significant for hypertension and high cholesterol, and she had a full coagulopathy profile that was negative for any hypercoagulable syndrome. On examination, the patient was moderately obese, with significant tenderness over the medial aspect of the right groin. A venous duplex examination revealed hypoechoic structure ± acute deep vein thrombosis of right common femoral vein (CFV). A computed tomography of the venous phase revealed an eccentric compression over the medial wall of the right CFV. During surgical exploration, adventitial cystic mucinous disease was enucleated from the medial wall of the right CFV, and the pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis. The postoperative course was uneventful, and all swelling and tenderness were completely resolved. The patient continued to do well, and she had an unremarkable venous duplex evaluation at her 6-month follow-up.


Transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect in a patient with situs inversus and dextrocardia.
Successful transcatheter closure of a perimembranous ventricular septal defect with an Amplatzer device has been reported in patients with levocardia. We report a case in which the device could be deployed successfully in a child with isolated perimembranous ventricular septal defect with situs inversus and dextrocardia.


BnaC.Tic40, a plastid inner membrane translocon originating from Brassica oleracea, is essential for tapetal function and microspore development in Brassica napus.
Here, we describe the characteristics of a Brassica napus male sterile mutant 7365A with loss of the BnMs3 gene, which exhibits abnormal enlargement of the tapetal cells during meiosis. Later in development, the absence of the BnMs3 gene in the mutant results in a loss of the secretory function of the tapetum, as suggested by abortive callose dissolution and retarded tapetal degradation. The BnaC.Tic40 gene (equivalent to BnMs3) was isolated by a map-based cloning approach and was confirmed by genetic complementation. Sequence analyses suggested that BnaC.Tic40 originated from BolC.Tic40 on the Brassica oleracea linkage group C9, whereas its allele Bnms3 was derived from BraA.Tic40 on the Brassica rapa linkage group A10. The BnaC.Tic40 gene is highly expressed in the tapetum and encodes a putative plastid inner envelope membrane translocon, Tic40, which is localized into the chloroplast. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and lipid staining analyses suggested that BnaC.Tic40 is a key factor in controlling lipid accumulation in the tapetal plastids. These data indicate that BnaC.Tic40 participates in specific protein translocation across the inner envelope membrane in the tapetal plastid, which is required for tapetal development and function.


Purification and properties of cysteine protease from rhizomes of Curcuma longa (Linn.).
Turmeric rhizome (Curcuma domestica Linn.) contains proteases and has proteolytic activity. Curcumin from turmeric rhizomes has been used for healing many ailments, including cancer. The purpose of this study was to purify turmeric protease and to research their biochemical characteristics [corrected]. Cysteine protease from C. domestica has been purified to homogeneity using acetone precipitation followed by preparatory native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). This protocol resulted in six fold purification with 28% final recovery. The purified turmeric protease showed a prominent single peak and band on high-performance liquid chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE, respectively, and an estimated molecular weight of 43 KDa, and exhibited optimal activity between 37 and 60 degrees C. The protease activity of the turmeric protease was significantly inhibited by iodoacetic acid. The turmeric protease had higher alanine and glutamate content and cleaved synthetic peptides N-Cbz-Ile-Pro and N-Cbz-Phe-Leu in a time-dependent manner. Peptide mass fingerprint using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy revealed peptide matches to proteasome subunit alpha type 3 of Oryza sativa ssp. japonica (Rice). The turmeric protease showed antifungal activity at 10 microg mL(-1) towards pathogens Pythium aphanidermatum, Trichoderma viride and Fusarium sp. Cysteine addition significantly activated turmeric protease. The protease inhibition test suggested that turmeric protease belonged to the cysteine type. The biochemical characteristics of turmeric protease described in this paper can provide useful information for potential end uses of turmeric protease for pharmaceutical industry applications such as therapeutics.


Revisit, Subsequent Hospitalization, Recurrent Fall, and Death Within 6 Months After a Fall Among Elderly Emergency Department Patients.
We seek to describe the risk during 6 months and specific risk factors for recurrent falls, emergency department (ED) revisits, subsequent hospitalizations, and death within 6 months after a fall-related ED presentation. This was a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort of elderly fall patients who presented to the ED from one urban teaching hospital. We included patients aged 65 years and older who had an ED fall visit in 2012. We examined the frequency and risk factors of adverse events (composite of recurrent falls, ED revisits, subsequent hospitalization, and death, selected a priori) at 6 months. Our study included 350 older adults. Adverse events steadily increased, from 7.7% at 7 days, 21.4% at 30 days, and 50.3% at 6 months. Within 6 months, 22.6% of patients had at least one recurrent fall, 42.6% revisited the ED, 31.1% had subsequent hospitalizations, and 2.6% died. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, psychological or sedative drug use predicted recurrent falls, ED revisits, subsequent hospitalizations, and adverse events. More than half of fall patients had an adverse event within 6 months of presenting to the ED after a fall. The risk during 6 months of these adverse events increased with psychological or sedative drug use. Larger future studies should confirm this association and investigate methods to minimize recurrent falls through management of such medications.


Pacemaker Lead Dislodgement Due to Left Shoulder Dislocation: A Case Report.
A 63-year-old man with a cardiac pacemaker presented with a left shoulder dislocation. His heart rate was 46 beats per minute, and pacemaker testing demonstrated an elevated pacing threshold, a decreased sensing threshold, and stable pacemaker lead impedance. Lead dislodgement due to the shoulder dislocation was suspected, and the patient underwent repositioning of the lead. When a patient with a pacemaker dislocates a shoulder, it should be confirmed that the heart rate is above the programmed lower rate of the pacemaker; electrocardiography should be performed, and the pacing parameters should be checked to ensure that pacing failure is not overlooked.


[Molecular Mechanisms of Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Homeostasis].
Sleep-wake cycle is controlled by the interplay between circadian rhythm and sleep homeostasis. Genetic studies, through the discovery of mutants with altered sleep-wake behaviors, have explored the molecular components that regulate our daily rhythms. In mammalian circadian clocks, negative-feedback loops composed of a set of transcription activators and inhibitors generate a cell-autonomous oscillation of transcriptional activity. Recent studies further discovered that such transcriptional feedback is controlled through post-translational modifications for the fine-tuning of the oscillation period. Compared to circadian clocks, the canonical molecular model for sleep homeostasis is not established yet. However, recent advances in mammalian forward and reverse genetic studies discovered several genes that regulate sleep duration. Interestingly, these genes include ion channels and kinases, which potentially modify these channels. A part of sleep-related ion channels is involved in Ca2+-dependent hyperpolarization of the neuronal membrane potential. Computational models suggest that the hyperpolarization pathway underlies the firing patterns observed in the cortical pyramidal neurons during sleep. Thus, ion channels controlling the membrane potential of the cortical neurons may be involved in sleep homeostasis.


Effects of triflusal and aspirin in a rat model of cerebral ischemia.
Neuroinflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia. Triflusal, a selective cyclooxygenase-2, and its active metabolite 3-hydroxy-4-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid may inhibit apoptosis and inflammation after cerebral ischemia. An in vivo model of cerebral ischemia was used to investigate the effects of triflusal and aspirin treatment on infarct volume, and inflammation after cerebral ischemia in the rat. Male Wistar rats were subjected to a permanent right-sided middle cerebral artery occlusion. Rats received oral administration of either triflusal or aspirin. After 3 days after surgery, immunostaining was used to detect neuroinflammatory cells and molecules, and infarct volumes were measured. Both triflusal and aspirin at a dose of 30 mg/kg but not 10 mg/kg significantly reduced infarct volume compared with vehicle treatment. Middle cerebral artery occlusion resulted in increased astrocyte and heat shock protein-27 (Hsp27) immunostaining in the ipsilateral cortex. Triflusal (30 mg/kg) or aspirin treatment (30 mg/kg) did not reduce the levels of GFAP or Hsp27 immunostaining. Triflusal (30 mg/kg) also significantly decreased the protein levels of IL-Ibeta but not nuclear factor kappa B or tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the cortex ipsilateral to the middle cerebral artery occlusion. The results suggest that triflusal and aspirin appear to be equally neuroprotective against middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced cerebral ischemia. Therefore, strong rationale exists to continue the neuroprotective examination of triflusal in brain injury.


[Expert consensus on orbital defects restoration with prosthesis].
Orbital defect is a common type of maxillofacial defect, which can not be reconstructed by surgical means at present. However, there is no expert consensus on how to make prosthesis accurately and quickly to reconstruct the appearance of patients. In order to solve this problem, the Society of Prosthodontics, Chinese Stomatological Association invited several experts and professors from related professional fields in China to jointly study and develop this expert consensus. The purpose of this consensus is to comprehensively explain the knowledge of prosthesis in repairing orbital defects from the aspects of basic theory, prosthesis principles, prosthesis materials and prosthesis techniques, and to guide more prosthesis physicians to understand and master these knowledge and techniques. So as to improve the overall level of orbital defect repair and reconstruction in China, improve the quality of life of such patients, and better serve the majority of patients.


A comparison of virulence genes, antimicrobial resistance profiles and genetic diversity of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) isolates from broilers and broiler breeders in Thailand and Australia.
ABSTRACT Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is the causative agent of colibacillosis resulting in economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. A total of 168 APEC isolates, equal numbers from Australian and Thai broilers/broiler breeders, were identified and tested for their susceptibility to ten antimicrobial agents. Most of the Thai APEC isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) (60.7%) whilst Australian APEC isolates showed a MDR rate of just 10.7%. The Thai APEC isolates exhibited high resistance to tetracycline (TET) (84.5%), amoxicillin (AMX) (70.2%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) (51.2%) whilst the Australian APEC isolates showed lower levels of resistance (TET 36.9%, AMX 29.8%, SXT 17.86%). The 34 Thai APEC and four Australian APEC isolates which were resistant to nalidixic acid were characterized for their carriage of mutations in the quinolone resistance determining region of gyrA, gyrB, parC and parE. While no mutations were detected in gyrB in the Thai isolates, the Ser83Leu and Asp87Asn substitutions in gyrA and Ser80Ile in parC were common (n = 9/34). In regard to the Australian isolates, the Ser83Leu and Asp678Glu substitution in gyrA, Pro385Ala and Ser492Asn in gyrB and Met241Ile and Asp475Glu in parC were identified (n = 3/4). Rep-PCR analysis of the 84 Thai and 84 Australian APEC isolates showed 16 main clusters that mostly contained isolates from both countries. Our results suggest that the emergence of MDR is a major concern for the Thai APEC isolates and that more prudent use of antimicrobial agents in Thai poultry production is required.


Distribution pattern of the adenomatoid odontogenic tumor: a retrospective study from the files of a government teaching hospital, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India.
To determine the distribution and clinicopathologic characteristics of adenomatoid odontogenic tumors from Tamil Nadu, India, to provide meaningful data for comparison among different population groups, mainly in the Asian context. Forty-three adenomatoid odontogenic tumors were reviewed from 493 odontogenic tumors recorded between 1970 and 2008. The data pertaining to age, sex, anatomic site, associated impacted teeth and radiographic details, provisional diagnoses, and macroscopic and microscopic details of the 43 odontogenic tumors were reviewed. The relative frequency of adenomatoid tumors comprised 8.72% of the total odontogenic tumors. The age range was 9-30 years, with a mean age of 16.88 years for combined adenomatoid odontogenic tumors. The mean age for other variants of adenomatoid odontogenic tumors assessed in this study differed slightly between sexes. Forty occurred within the bone and three peripherally. In general, the maxilla was the predominant site of involvement (72.5%), and the anterior region of jaw was affected in 92.5%. For combined adenomatoid odontogenic tumors, the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.26, and the maxilla-to-mandible ratio was 2.9:1. Microscopically, cystic lesions comprised 37.5% and occurred more often in males with a lower mean age. The present study shows variations in the distribution of adenomatoid odontogenic tumors within the population assessed, but no definite conclusion emerged with regard to regional or ethnic effect.