Interlaboratory Comparison of Three Sediment Bioaccumulation Tests.
Standard bioaccumulation tests are commonly conducted using Macoma nasuta (clam), and Alitta virens (polychaete) for marine tests, and Lumbriculus variegatus (an oligochaete) for freshwater tests. Because the interlaboratory variability associated with these tests is unknown, four experienced laboratories conducted standard 28-day bioaccumulation tests with the above species using sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Chemical analysis of tissue samples was performed by a single laboratory. The intralaboratory variance among replicates was relatively low for PCB tissue concentrations, with coefficients of variation (CVs) ranging from 9% to 28% for all laboratories and species, with the exception of one laboratory reporting higher variability for L. variegatus (CV = 51%). Intralaboratory variance for PCB tissue concentrations was higher than interlaboratory variance for A. virens and L. variegatus, and the magnitude of difference (MOD) for laboratory means ranged from 1.4 to 2.0 across species. Intralaboratory variability was also low for lipid content, and lipid normalization of PCB and PAH body residues generally had little impact on variability. In addition to variability across bioassay laboratories, analytical variability was evaluated by different laboratories measuring the concentration of PCBs and total lipids in a subsample of tissue homogenate of sediment-exposed test organisms. Variability associated with tissue analysis was higher than bioassay laboratory variability only in tests with L. variegatus. Statistical differences between samples may be observed due to the low intralaboratory variability; however, the biological significance of these differences may be limited because the MOD is low. Considering the MOD when comparing bioaccumulation across treatments accounts for uncertainty related to inherent variability of the test in the interpretation of statistically significant results. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1260-1275. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.


Ginkgo biloba Extract (EGb 761®) Inhibits Glutamate-induced Up-regulation of Tissue Plasminogen Activator Through Inhibition of c-Fos Translocation in Rat Primary Cortical Neurons.
EGb 761(®) , a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves, has antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties in experimental models of neurodegenerative disorders such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) acts a neuromodulator and plays a crucial role in the manifestation of neurotoxicity leading to exaggerated neuronal cell death in neurological insult conditions. In this study, we investigated the effects of EGb 761 on the basal and glutamate-induced activity and expression of tPA in rat primary cortical neurons. Under basal condition, EGb 761 inhibited both secreted and cellular tPA activities, without altering tPA mRNA level, as modulated by the activation of p38. Compared with basal condition, EGb 761 inhibited the glutamate-induced up-regulation of tPA mRNA resulting in the normalization of overt tPA activity and expression. c-Fos is a component of AP-1, which plays a critical role in the modulation of tPA expression. Interestingly, EGb 761 inhibited c-Fos nuclear translocation without affecting c-Fos expression in glutamate-induced rat primary cortical neurons. These results demonstrated that EGb 761 can modulate tPA activity under basal and glutamate-stimulated conditions by both translational and transcriptional mechanisms. Thus, EGb 761 could be a potential and effective therapeutic strategy in tPA-excessive neurotoxic conditions.


Human intestinal parasites in Mahajanga, Madagascar: The kingdom of the protozoa.
Intestinal parasitic infections are a major public health problem in inter-tropical areas. The aim of our study was to describe the situation in Mahajanga, Madagascar with a particular focus on two protozoa, Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis sp. This was a prospective study from February to June 2015. Stool samples from symptomatic hospitalized patients and asymptomatic volunteers were submitted to microscopy and molecular assays in order to detect parasites. A wide panel of intestinal parasites were identified among the 265 included subjects, protozoa being the most prevalent with 72.8% whereas the prevalence of helminths and microsporidia was of 7.9% and 4.5%, respectively. Blastocystis sp. was the most prevalent protozoa (64.5% of the entire cohort) followed by various amoebas (35.5%) and flagellates (27,5%). We only detected subtypes 1, 2 and 3 of Blastocystis sp. Among the patients positive for D. fragilis (9.4%), 23 carried genotype 1 and 1 genotype 2. For the first time, we detected in 4 human stools the DNA of a recently described protozoon, Simplicimonas similis. Interestingly, subjects living in urban areas harbored significantly more different parasitic species than subjects living in rural areas with a correlation between sanitary level of neighborhood and protozoan infection. However, there was no difference in prevalence of digestive symptoms between parasite-free and parasite-infected subjects, except for Giardia intestinalis which had more symptomatic carriers. Our study reveals a high overall parasite prevalence, similar to what had been found in 2003 in the same city and to other prevalence studies conducted in Africa. The poor access of the population to sanitary infrastructures may explain this result. Data from our study provide valuable key for sanitation programs and prevention of fecal-related infectious diseases.


Postoperative acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after exposure to microfibrillar collagen hemostat.
Microfibrillar collagen hemostat, known by its trade name Avitene, has been used in neurosurgery for decades. Complications with this product have been documented in other surgical specialties and described as mostly immune-mediated foreign-body reactions that can lead to a granulomatous reaction. There has never been a case of disseminated encephalomyelitis associated with this topical hemostatic agent. In this report the authors present a case of postoperative acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after exposure to Avitene. Possible pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed and the pertinent literature is reviewed.


Moderate frequency of BRCA1 and BRCA2 germ-line mutations in Scandinavian familial breast cancer.
Previous studies of high-risk breast cancer families have proposed that two major breast cancer-susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, may account for at least two-thirds of all hereditary breast cancer. We have screened index cases from 106 Scandinavian (mainly southern Swedish) breast cancer and breast-ovarian cancer families for germ-line mutations in all coding exons of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, using the protein-truncation test, SSCP analysis, or direct sequencing. A total of 24 families exhibited 11 different BRCA1 mutations, whereas 11 different BRCA2 mutations were detected in 12 families, of which 3 contained cases of male breast cancer. One BRCA2 mutation, 4486delG, was found in two families of the present study and, in a separate study, also in breast tumors from three unrelated males with unknown family history, suggesting that at least one BRCA2 founder mutation exists in the Scandinavian population. We report 1 novel BRCA1 mutation, eight additional cases of 4 BRCA1 mutations described elsewhere, and 11 novel BRCA2 mutations (9 frameshift deletions and 2 nonsense mutations), of which all are predicted to cause premature truncation of the translated products. The relatively low frequency of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in the present study could be explained by insufficient screening sensitivity to the location of mutations in uncharacterized regulatory regions, the analysis of phenocopies, or, most likely, within predisposed families, additional uncharacterized BRCA genes.


Discriminating additive from dynamical noise for chaotic time series.
We consider the dynamics of the Hénon and Ikeda maps in the presence of additive and dynamical noise. We show that, from the point of view of computations of some statistical quantities, dynamical noise corrupting these deterministic systems can be considered effectively as an additive "pseudonoise" with the Cauchy distribution. In the case of the Hénon and Ikeda maps, this effect occurs only for one variable of the system, while the noise corrupting the second variable is still Gaussian distributed independent of distribution of dynamical noise. Based on these results and using scaling properties of the correlation entropy, we propose a simple method of discriminating additive from dynamical noise. This approach is also useful for estimation of noise level for chaotic time series. We show that the proposed method works well in a wide range of noise levels, providing that one kind of noise predominates and we analyze the variable of the system for which the contamination follows Cauchy-like distribution in the presence of dynamical noise.


Absence of bradycardic response to apnea and hypoxia in heart transplant recipients with obstructive sleep apnea.
In patients with obstructive sleep apnea, the vagal stimulation caused by inspiration against the upper airway obstruction results in sinus bradycardia during the apnea followed by a reflex tachycardia at apnea termination. We report on five heart transplant recipients with obstructive sleep apnea who demonstrated no change in baseline heart rate in spite of marked hemoglobin oxygen desaturation, presumably on account of parasympathetic denervation of the allograft. Heart transplant recipients with obstructive sleep apnea may be at an increased risk of development of potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmias if the allograft is unable to respond appropriately to hypoxia. Should cardiac parasympathetic reinnervation occur, prospective polysomnography may be a marker for this process in these patients.


MiR-147b inhibits cell viability and promotes apoptosis of rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes via down-regulating KLF13 expression.
Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to involve in the process of heart failure. This study aims to investigate the functional role of miR-147b in rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Cell viability of H9c2 cells was detected by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Expression of miR-147b and KLF13 mRNA was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. The relationship between miR-147b and KLF13 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Protein levels were detected by western blot analysis. It was found that H2O2 inhibited cell viability and promoted cell apoptosis of H9c2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. MiR-147b overexpression suppressed cell viability and increased apoptosis in H9c2 cells, while knock-down of miR-147b increased cell viability and reduced apoptosis in H2O2-treated H9c2 cells. Luciferase reporter assay and in vitro functional assay showed that KLF13 was a downstream target of miR-147b, and KLF13 knock-down suppressed cell viability and induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells. Enforced expression of KLF13 restored the effects of miR-147b overexpression on cell viability and apoptosis in H9c2 cells. MiR-147b modulated the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins, and the effects of miR-147b overexpression on apoptosis-related proteins levels were prevented by enforced expression of KLF13 in H9c2 cells. The in vivo experiments showed that miR-147b was up-regulated, and KLF13 was down-regulated in the myocardial tissues from rats with chronic heart failure. Collectively, miR-147b inhibits viability and promotes cell apoptosis by targeting KLF13 in H9c2 cells, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of heart failure.


[Molecular nature of allelic polymorphism of highly variable microsatellite locus Du161(arm) in unisexual lizard Darevskia armeniaca (Lacertidae)].
In the genome of unisexual (parthenogenetic) lizard Darevskia armeniaca, highly variable locus Du 161 (arm) was discovered. Analysis of allelic polymorphism was carried out using locus-specific PCR of the lizard DNA specimens from 13 isolated Armenian populations (N = 138). In the sample examined, a total of 12 Du 161(arm) alleles were identified, and their differences at the level of primary DNA structure were determined. Sequence analysis of the Du 161 (arm) alleles showed that their microsatellite clusters contained repeats of one type (GATA repeats). Allelic Du 161 (arm) variants differed in the number of GATA monomers in microsatellite, point mutations of transition and transversion types, located at fixed distances from microsatellite cluster, and by single nucleotide insertions, as well as by longer insertions located within and outside of the microsatellite cluster. Moreover, point mutations formed different combinations (haplotypes), typical of certain alleles. These combinations can be used for the analysis of the origin and inheritance of these alleles in D. armeniaca, as well as for investigation of their interspecific variation in the representatives of the genus Darevskia.


Tropomyosin localization reveals distinct populations of microfilaments in neurites and growth cones.
The functional and structural differences between neurites and growth cones suggests the possibility that distinct microfilament populations may exist in each domain. Tropomyosins are integral components of the actin-based microfilament system. Using antibodies which detect three different sets of tropomyosin isoforms, we found that the vast majority of tropomyosin was found in a microfilament-enriched fraction of cultured cortical neurons, therefore enabling us to use the antisera to evaluate compositional differences in neuritic and growth cone microfilaments. An antibody which reacts with all known nonmuscle isoforms of the alpha Tms gene (Tm5NM1-4) stains both neurites and growth cones, whereas a second antibody against the isoform subset, Tm5NM1-2, reacts only with the neurite. A third antibody which reacts with the Tm5a/5b isoforms encoded by a separate gene from alpha Tms was strongly reactive with both neurites and growth cones in 16-h cultures but only with the neurite shaft in 40-h cultures. Treatment of neurons with cytochalasin B allowed neuritic Tm5NM1-2 to spread into growth cones. Removal of the drug resulted in the disappearance of Tm5NM1-2 from the growth cone, indicating that isoform segregation is an active process dependent on intact microfilaments. Treatment of 40-h cultures with nocodazole resulted in the removal of Tm5NM1-2 from the neurite whereas Tm5a/5b now spread back into the growth cone. We conclude that the organization of Tm5NM1-2 and Tm5a/5b in the neurite is at least partially dependent on microtubule integrity. These results indicate that tropomyosin isoforms Tm5NM1-2, Tm5NM3-4, and Tm5a/5b mark three distinct populations of actin filaments in neurites and growth cones. Further, the composition of microfilaments differs between neurites and growth cones and is subject to temporal regulation.


Differential profile of letrozole and exemestane on bone turnover markers in vinylcyclohexene diepoxide treated ovotoxic female mice.
The third generation aromatase inhibitors are currently the drugs of choice for the treatment of early and advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. One of the significant limiting factor during therapy is their negative impact on bone health. In this study, we compared the effects of a nonsteroidal (letrozole) and a steroidal aromatase inhibitor (exemestane) on bone mineral density and markers of bone turnover including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), hydroxyproline (HxP), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL), sclerostin, and dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) in vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD)-induced ovotoxic female mice. VCD administration for 15 days mimicked a postmenopausal state with reduced serum estradiol levels. Ovotoxicity was accompanied by reduced ALP, HxP and enhanced TRAP, sclerostin and DKK-1 activity in femoral epiphysis and lumbar vertebrae of mice. While letrozole (1 mg/kg) administration for 1 month enhanced bone turnover in ovotoxic mice, exemestane (3.25 mg/kg) was devoid of such effects in both normal and ovotoxic mice. The latter, however, reduced ALP in femoral epiphysis of ovotoxic mice. Letrozole depleted estradiol levels in ovotoxic mice and enhanced RANKL activity while exemestane neither affected estradiol nor RANKL in both normal and ovotoxic mice, and enhanced sclerostin and DKK-1 in femoral epiphysis only. The study indicates that the two aromatase inhibitors possesses differential profile in terms of their effects on bone and that exemestane could be a better option for the treatment of breast cancer in postmenopausal women at least in terms of its effects on bone.


The active site of ICP47, a herpes simplex virus-encoded inhibitor of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded peptide transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP), maps to the NH2-terminal 35 residues.
The herpes simplex virus (HSV) immediate early protein ICP47 inhibits the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP)-dependent peptide translocation. As a consequence, empty major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and recognition of HSV-infected cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes is abolished. We chemically synthesized full-length ICP47 (sICP47) and show that sICP47 inhibits TAP-dependent peptide translocation in human cells. Its biological activity is indistinguishable from that of recombinant ICP47 (rICP47). By using synthetic peptides, we mapped the core sequence of ICP47 minimally required for TAP inhibition to residues 2-35. This segment is located within the region of the molecule conserved between ICP47 from HSV-1 and HSV-2. Through alanine scanning substitution we identified three segments within this region that are critical for the ability to inhibit TAP function. The interaction of ICP47 with TAP is unlikely to mimic precisely that of the transported peptides, as deduced from differential labeling of the TAP1 and TAP2 subunits using sICP47 fragments with chemical cross-linkers.


High in situ repeatability of behaviour indicates animal personality in the beadlet anemone Actinia equina (Cnidaria).
'Animal personality' means that individuals differ from one another in either single behaviours or suites of related behaviours in a way that is consistent over time. It is usually assumed that such consistent individual differences in behaviour are driven by variation in how individuals respond to information about their environment, rather than by differences in external factors such as variation in microhabitat. Since behavioural variation is ubiquitous in nature we might expect 'animal personality' to be present in diverse taxa, including animals with relatively simple nervous systems. We investigated in situ startle responses in a sea anemone, Actinia equina, to determine whether personalities might be present in this example of an animal with a simple nervous system. We found very high levels of repeatability among individuals that were re-identified in the same locations over a three week sampling period. In a subset of the data, where we used tide-pool temperature measurements to control for a key element of variation in microhabitat, these high levels of repeatability remained. Although a range of other consistent differences in micro-habitat features could have contributed to consistent differences between the behaviour of individuals, these data suggest the presence of animal personality in A. equina. Rather than being restricted to certain groups, personality may be a general feature of animals and may be particularly pronounced in species with simple nervous systems.


Prenatal Health Care Outcomes Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Pregnant Individuals and Their Newborns in an Integrated US Health System.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of telemedicine. However, data on the integration of telemedicine in prenatal health care and health outcomes are sparse. To evaluate a multimodal model of in-office and telemedicine prenatal health care implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with maternal and newborn health outcomes. This cohort study of pregnant individuals using longitudinal electronic health record data was conducted at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, an integrated health care system serving a population of 4.5 million people. Individuals who delivered a live birth or stillbirth between July 1, 2018, and October 21, 2021, were included in the study. Data were analyzed from January 2022 to May 2023. Exposure levels to the multimodal prenatal health care model were separated into 3 intervals: unexposed (T1, birth delivery between July 1, 2018, and February 29, 2020), partially exposed (T2, birth delivery between March 1, 2020, and December 5, 2020), and fully exposed (T3, birth delivery between December 6, 2020, and October 31, 2021). Primary outcomes included rates of preeclampsia and eclampsia, severe maternal morbidity, cesarean delivery, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. The distributions of demographic and clinical characteristics, care processes, and health outcomes for birth deliveries within each of the 3 intervals of interest were assessed with standardized mean differences calculated for between-interval contrasts. Interrupted time series analyses were used to examine changes in rates of perinatal outcomes and its association with the multimodal prenatal health care model. Secondary outcomes included gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, depression, venous thromboembolism, newborn Apgar score, transient tachypnea, and birth weight. The cohort included 151 464 individuals (mean [SD] age, 31.3 [5.3] years) who delivered a live birth or stillbirth. The mean (SD) number of total prenatal visits was similar in T1 (9.41 [4.75] visits), T2 (9.17 [4.50] visits), and T3 (9.15 [4.66] visits), whereas the proportion of telemedicine visits increased from 11.1% (79 214 visits) in T1 to 20.9% (66 726 visits) in T2 and 21.3% (79 518 visits) in T3. NICU admission rates were 9.2% (7014 admissions) in T1, 8.3% (2905 admissions) in T2, and 8.6% (3615 admissions) in T3. Interrupted time series analysis showed no change in NICU admission risk during T1 (change per 4-week interval, -0.22%; 95% CI, -0.53% to 0.09%), a decrease in risk during T2 (change per 4-week interval, -0.91%; 95% CI, -1.77% to -0.03%), and an increase in risk during T3 (change per 4-week interval, 1.75%; 95% CI, 0.49% to 3.02%). There were no clinically relevant changes between T1, T2, and T3 in the rates of risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia (change per 4-week interval, 0.76% [95% CI, 0.39% to 1.14%] for T1; -0.19% [95% CI, -1.19% to 0.81%] for T2; and -0.80% [95% CI, -2.13% to 0.55%] for T3), severe maternal morbidity (change per 4-week interval , 0.12% [95% CI, 0.40% to 0.63%] for T1; -0.39% [95% CI, -1.00% to 1.80%] for T2; and 0.99% [95% CI, -0.88% to 2.90%] for T3), cesarean delivery (change per 4-week interval, 0.06% [95% CI, -0.11% to 0.23%] for T1; -0.03% [95% CI, -0.49% to 0.44%] for T2; and -0.05% [95% CI, -0.68% to 0.59%] for T3), preterm birth (change per 4-week interval, 0.23% [95% CI, -0.11% to 0.57%] for T1; -0.37% [95% CI, -1.29% to 0.55%] for T2; and -0.15% [95% CI, -1.41% to 1.13%] for T3), or secondary outcomes. These findings suggest that a multimodal prenatal health care model combining in-office and telemedicine visits performed adequately compared with in-office only prenatal health care, supporting its continued use after the pandemic.


Synthesis and reactivity of 1-sulfonylcyclooctatriazoles.
Strained eight-membered cyclic alkynes undergo rapid inverse electron demand cycloaddition with sulfonyl azides to give the corresponding 1-sulfonylcyclooctatriazoles in excellent yield. Treatment of these sulfonyltriazoles with a chiral rhodium(II) carboxylate catalyst prompted transannular C-H bond insertion in good yield and with excellent ee, or 1,2-H shift.


Simple Biophysical Model Predicts Faster Accumulation of Hybrid Incompatibilities in Small Populations Under Stabilizing Selection.
Speciation is fundamental to the process of generating the huge diversity of life on Earth. However, we are yet to have a clear understanding of its molecular-genetic basis. Here, we examine a computational model of reproductive isolation that explicitly incorporates a map from genotype to phenotype based on the biophysics of protein-DNA binding. In particular, we model the binding of a protein transcription factor to a DNA binding site and how their independent coevolution, in a stabilizing fitness landscape, of two allopatric lineages leads to incompatibilities. Complementing our previous coarse-grained theoretical results, our simulations give a new prediction for the monomorphic regime of evolution that smaller populations should develop incompatibilities more quickly. This arises as (1) smaller populations have a greater initial drift load, as there are more sequences that bind poorly than well, so fewer substitutions are needed to reach incompatible regions of phenotype space, and (2) slower divergence when the population size is larger than the inverse of discrete differences in fitness. Further, we find longer sequences develop incompatibilities more quickly at small population sizes, but more slowly at large population sizes. The biophysical model thus represents a robust mechanism of rapid reproductive isolation for small populations and large sequences that does not require peak shifts or positive selection. Finally, we show that the growth of DMIs with time is quadratic for small populations, agreeing with Orr's model, but nonpower law for large populations, with a form consistent with our previous theoretical results.


Advancement in biomarker based effective diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.
Neonatal sepsis is considered as alarming medical emergency and becomes the common global reason of neonatal mortality. Non-specific symptoms and limitations of conventional diagnostic methods for neonatal sepsis mandate fast and reliable method to diagnose disease for point of care application. Recently, disease specific biomarkers have gained interest for rapid diagnosis that led to the development of electrochemical biosensor with enhanced specificity, sensitivity, cost-effectiveness and user-friendliness. Other than conventional biomarker C-reactive protein to diagnose neonatal sepsis, several potential biomarkers including Procalcitonin (PCT), Serum amyloid A (SAA) and other candidates are extensively investigated. The present review provides insights on advancements and diagnostic abilities of protein and nucleotide based biomarkers with their incorporation in developing electrochemical biosensors by employing novel fabrication strategies. This review provides an overview of most promising biomarker and its capability for neonatal sepsis diagnosis to fulfil future demand to develop electrochemical biosensor for point-of-care applications.


Outdoor measurements of spherical acoustic shock decay.
Prior anechoic measurements of a small acetylene-oxygen balloon explosion were used to study spherical weak-shock decay over short ranges [Muhlestein et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 131, 2422-2430 (2012)]. Here, longer-range measurements conducted at the Bonneville Salt Flats with a larger balloon are described. Waveform and spectral characteristics and comparisons of the peak pressure decay with an analytical weak-shock model are presented. Weak shocks persist to at least 305 m, with an amplitude decay that is predicted reasonably well using the model. Deviations are discussed in the context of atmospheric effects and nonlinear ground reflections.


Health-Care Utilization and Complications of Endoscopic Esophageal Dilation in a National Population.
Esophageal stricture is usually managed with outpatient endoscopic dilation. However, patients with food impaction or failure to thrive undergo inpatient dilation. Esophageal perforation is the most feared complication, and its risk in inpatient setting is unknown. We used National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for 2007-2013. International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes were used to identify patients with esophageal strictures. Logistic regression was used to assess association between hospital/patient characteristics and utilization of esophageal dilation. There were 591,187 hospitalizations involving esophageal stricture; 4.2% were malignant. Endoscopic dilation was performed in 28.7% cases. Dilation was more frequently utilized (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; p<0.001), had higher in-hospital mortality (3.1% vs. 1.4%, p<0.001), and resulted in longer hospital stays (5 days vs. 4 days, p=0.01), among cases of malignant strictures. Esophageal perforation was more common in the malignant group (0.9% vs. 0.5%, p=0.007). Patients with malignant compared to benign strictures undergoing dilation were more likely to require percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or jejunostomy (PEG/J) tube (14.1% vs. 4.5%, p<0.001). Palliative care services were utilized more frequently in malignant stricture cases not treated with dilation compared to those that were dilated. Inpatient endoscopic dilation was utilized in 29% cases of esophageal stricture. Esophageal perforation, although infrequent, is more common in malignant strictures.


Investigation of the human nasal microbiome in persons with long- and short-term exposure to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria from the pig farm environment.
Since its emergence in the early 2000s, livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex 398 (LA-MRSA CC398) has led to an increasing number of human infections in Denmark and other European countries with industrial pig production. LA-MRSA CC398 is primarily associated with skin infections among pig farm workers but is also increasingly recognized as a cause of life-threatening disease among elderly and immunocompromised people. Pig farm workers may serve as vehicles for the spread of LA-MRSA CC398 and other farm-origin bacteria between farms and into the general population. Yet, little is known about the bacterial community dynamics in pig farm workers and other persons with long- and short-term exposure to the pig farm environment. To gain insight into this, we investigated the nasal microbiomes in pig farm workers during a workweek on four LA-MRSA CC398-positive pig farms, as well as in short-term visitors two hours before, immediately after, and 48 hours after a 1-hour visit to another LA-MRSA CC398-positive pig farm. S. aureus and LA-MRSA CC398 carriage was quantified by means of culture, and the composition of the bacterial communities was investigated through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Pig farm workers often carried LA-MRSA CC398 and other bacteria from the pig farm environment, both at work and at home, although at lower levels at home. In contrast, short-term visitors were subject to a less dramatic and rapidly reversible change in the nasal bacterial community composition. These results suggest that pig farm workers may be an important source of LA-MRSA CC398 and perhaps other pathogens of human and veterinary relevance.


[Determination of six amide herbicide residues in soil by QuEChERS-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].
A method was developed for the determination of six amide herbicides, such as acetochlor, alachlor, metolachlor, metazachlor, butachlor and pretilachlor, by QuEChERS-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The soil samples were extracted by 10 mL acetonitrile, 10 mL deionized water and 4 g sodium chloride, then purified with 50 mg N-propyl ethylenediamine (PSA), 50 mg C18, 10 mg graphitized carbon black (GCB) and 100 mg MgSO4. Low-polar silica capillary column HP-5MS was used. The extracts were detected by electron impact ionization (EI) source in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The results showed that good linearities were obtained with the mass concentrations of the six amide herbicides in the range of 0.01-1.00 mg/L, and their correlation coefficients ranged from 0.9996 to 1.0000. Under the condition of adding contents of 0.025, 0.10 and 0.50 mg/kg, the average recoveries of the six amide herbicides ranged from 92.0% to 108%, and the relative standard deviations were 1.64%-8.25%. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.002-0.006 mg/kg and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.005-0.02 mg/kg. Comparing with the gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) which used to detect the amide herbicides, this method can improve the anti-interference ability, and get better separation of the six amide herbicides. The method has the advantages of simplicity, rapidity, and application value.


Neuromuscular development in the absence of programmed cell death: phenotypic alteration of motoneurons and muscle.
The widespread, massive loss of developing neurons in the central and peripheral nervous system of birds and mammals is generally considered to be an evolutionary adaptation. However, until recently, models for testing both the immediate and long-term consequences of preventing this normal cell loss have not been available. We have taken advantage of several methods for preventing neuronal death in vivo to ask whether rescued neurons [e.g., motoneurons (MNs)] differentiate normally and become functionally incorporated into the nervous system. Although many aspects of MN differentiation occurred normally after the prevention of cell death (including the expression of several motoneuron-specific markers, axon projections into the ventral root and peripheral nerves, ultrastructure, dendritic arborization, and afferent axosomatic synapses), other features of the neuromuscular system (MNs and muscle) were abnormal. The cell bodies and axons of MNs were smaller than normal, many MN axons failed to become myelinated or to form functional synaptic contacts with target muscles, and a subpopulation of rescued cells were transformed from alpha- to gamma-like MNs. Additionally, after the rescue of MNs in myogenin glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (MyoGDNF) transgenic mice, myofiber differentiation of extrafusal skeletal muscle was transformed and muscle physiology and motor behaviors were abnormal. In contrast, extrafusal myofiber phenotype, muscle physiology, and (except for muscle strength tests) motor behaviors were all normal after the rescue of MNs by genetic deletion of the proapoptotic gene Bax. However, there was an increase in intrafusal muscle fibers (spindles) in Bax knock-out versus both wild-type and MyoGDNF mice. Together, these data indicate that after the prevention of MN death, the neuromuscular system becomes transformed in novel ways to compensate for the presence of the thousands of excess cells.


Underdiagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or Worse Lesion in Women with a Previous Colposcopy-Guided Biopsy Showing CIN 1.
Objective Expectant follow-up for biopsy-proven cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 is the current recommendation for the management of this lesion. Nevertheless, the performance of the biopsy guided by colposcopy might not be optimal. Therefore, this study aimed to calculate the rate of underdiagnoses of more severe lesions in women with CIN 1 diagnosis and to evaluate whether age, lesion extent and biopsy site are factors associated with diagnostic failure. Methods Eighty women with a diagnosis of CIN 1 obtained by colposcopy-guided biopsy were selected for this study. These women were herein submitted to large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). The prevalence of lesions more severe than CIN 1 was calculated, and the histological diagnoses of the LLETZ specimens were grouped into two categories: "CIN 1 or less" and "CIN 2 or worse." Results The prevalence of lesions diagnosed as CIN 2 or worse in the LLETZ specimens was of 19% (15/80). Three women revealed CIN 3, and 1 woman revealed a sclerosing adenocarcinoma stage I-a, a rare type of malignant neoplasia of low proliferation, which was not detected by either colposcopy or previous biopsy. The underdiagnosis of CIN 2 was not associated with the women's age, lesion extension and biopsy site. Conclusions The standard methods used for the diagnosis of CIN 1 may underestimate the severity of the true lesion and, therefore, women undergoing expectant management must have an adequate follow-up.


Draconarius manus sp. nov., the third species of D. pseudocoreanus-group from China (Araneae: Agelenidae).
Draconarius Ovtchinnikov, 1999 in the subfamily Coelotinae is the largest genus of the spider family Agelenidae and comprises 246 described species, mainly from East and Southeast Asia (World Spider Catalog 2018). The recently published volume on Chinese spiders in the Fauna Sinica series recorded a total 174 species of Draconarius in China, including 27 new species (Zhu, Wang Zhang 2017).


Clinical validation of a new immunoradiometric assay for intact human osteocalcin.
The purpose of this study was to estimate clinical validity of a new available immunoradiometric assay for circulating intact human BGP (N-tact Osteo SP) by measuring this protein in a large number of normal subjects and patients with the most common metabolic bone diseases. One hundred normal subjects were studied in order to obtain our normal ranges (4.9 +/- 1.7 ng/ml). The mean values found in 28 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (17.5 +/- 22.8 ng/ml, P < 0.001), 15 glucocorticoid-treated patients (1.9 +/- 1.5, P < 0. 001), 10 patients with hypoparathyroidism (1.5 +/- 0.7, P < 0.001), 9 with hyperthyroidism (8.3 +/- 3.8, P < 0.001), 8 with skeletal metastases (7.2 +/- 2.3, P < 0.001), and 4 with humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (2.42 +/- 1.91, P < 0.005) were significantly different from mean values found in normal subjects. Mean decrease of serum osteocalcin T-score values was significantly greater when evaluated by N-tact Osteo SP assay in 15 steroid-treated patients (-1.4 +/- 1.0) and 19 primary hyperparathyroid (PHPT) patients (3.6 +/- 1.9), compared with the mean values obtained with the Elsa-Osteo assay (-0.67 +/- 1.2, P < 0. 002 and 4.3 +/- 2.8, P < 0.04, respectively). We found significant correlations between the global skeletal uptake of 99mTc-methylendiphosphonate and serum BGP levels assayed by both N-tact Osteo SP (P < 0.01) and Elsa-Ost-Nat assay (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that this new immunoradiometric assay for the intact human osteocalcin has the potential for good discrimination between normal subjects and patients with both low and high bone turnover. Furthermore, our findings emphasize the fact that, in the absence of available standardized commercial assays, one should rely on only one assay because different results are obtained by different assays under different clinical conditions.


Tumor cell expression of HLA-DM associates with a Th1 profile and predicts improved survival in breast carcinoma patients.
Studies aimed at elucidating the immunological and prognostic significance of HLA-DR expression on breast carcinoma cells have yielded contradictory results. To expand on previous studies, we have investigated the associations of tumor cell expression of HLA-DR and its related co-chaperones, invariant chain (Ii) and HLA-DM, with infiltrating inflammatory cells, in situ cytokine mRNA levels and prognosis and outcome in 112 breast carcinoma patients with a median follow-up of 59 months. While the majority of HLA-DR+ tumors co-express Ii, only a minority express HLA-DM. Tumor cell expression of HLA-DR and co-chaperones positively associated with both infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets (P < 0.01). Expression of HLA-DR and Ii associated with decreased estrogen receptor alpha levels and younger age at diagnosis, suggesting a role for hormones in the control of HLA class II expression in breast carcinoma. Patients with DR+Ii+DM- tumors had markedly decreased recurrence-free and disease-specific survival as compared with patients with DR+Ii+DM+ tumors (P < 0.05) and HLA-DR/co-chaperone expression was an independent predictor of survival by multivariate Cox regression analysis, controlling for standard prognostic indicators. Tumors that co-express HLA-DR, Ii and HLA-DM have increased levels of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-12 mRNA, suggesting improved survival of patients with DR+Ii+DM+ tumors may be attributable to Th1-dominated immunity. We conclude that expression of determinants of the immune response by tumor cells may influence breast tumor progression and patient outcome.


Combination of noncovalent mass spectrometry and traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry reveals sugar-induced conformational changes of central glycolytic genes repressor/DNA complex.
The central glycolytic genes repressor (CggR) is a 37 kDa transcriptional repressor protein which plays a key role in Bacillus subtilis glycolysis by regulating the transcription of the gapA operon. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), identified as the effector sugar, has been shown to abolish the binding cooperativity of CggR to its DNA target and to modify the conformational dynamics of the CggR/DNA complex. In the present study, noncovalent mass spectrometry (MS) was used to obtain deeper insights into FBP-dependent CggR/DNA interactions. The effect of FBP binding on CggR alone and on CggR/DNA complexes was examined using automated chip-based nanoelectrospray MS and traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS). Our results revealed that tetrameric CggR dissociates into dimers upon FBP binding. Moreover, FBP binding to CggR/DNA complexes triggers disruption of intermolecular protein/protein interactions within the complex, significantly modifying its conformation as evidenced by a 5% increase of its collision cross section. For the first time, the use of IM-MS is reported to probe ligand-induced conformational modifications of a protein/DNA complex with an emphasis on the comparison with solution-based techniques.


Immunoadsorption therapy in dilated cardiomyopathy.
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a common myocardial disease characterized by ventricular chamber enlargement and systolic dysfunction that result in heart failure. In addition to genetic predisposition, viral infection and myocardial inflammation play a causal role in the disease process of dilated cardiomyopathy. Experimental and clinical studies suggest that activation of the humoral immune system, with production of circulating cardiac autoantibodies, plays an important functional role in the development and progression of cardiac dysfunction in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Small open-controlled studies showed that removal of circulating antibodies by immunoadsorption results in improvement of cardiac function and decrease in myocardial inflammation. At present, immunoadsorption is an experimental treatment option for improvement of cardiac function - therapy that calls for confirmation by a placebo-controlled multicenter study.


Infection with the secondary tsetse-endosymbiont Sodalis glossinidius (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae) influences parasitism in Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae).
The establishment of infection with three Trypanosoma spp (Gruby) (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), specifically Trypanosoma brucei brucei (Plimmer and Bradford), T. b. rhodesiense (Stephen and Fatham) and T. congolense (Broden) was evaluated in Glossina pallidipes (Austen) (Diptera: Glossinidae) that either harbored or were uninfected by the endosymbiont Sodalis glossinidius (Dale and Maudlin) (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae). Temporal variation of co-infection with T. b. rhodesiense and S. glossinidius was also assessed. The results show that both S. glossinidius infection (χ(2)= 1.134, df = 2, P = 0.567) and trypanosome infection rate (χ(2)= 1.85, df = 2, P = 0.397) were comparable across the three infection groups. A significant association was observed between the presence of S. glossinidius and concurrent trypanosome infection with T. b. rhodesiense (P = 0.0009) and T. congolense (P = 0.0074) but not with T. b. brucei (P = 0.5491). The time-series experiment revealed a slight decrease in the incidence of S. glossinidius infection with increasing fly age, which may infer a fitness cost associated with Sodalis infection. The present findings contribute to research on the feasibility of S. glossinidius-based paratransgenic approaches in tsetse and trypanosomiasis control, in particular relating to G. pallidipes control.


Better Evaluations to Support the Needs of Older People in the UK.
Transforming health and care for older people is complex and demanding. Evaluating such efforts requires a range of approaches and ideas, and a reflection on ways to improve how evaluations are commissioned, completed and used in a changing policy landscape. This article by researchers at RAND Europe summarises three workshops undertaken with evaluators, commissioners of evaluations and services, and those delivering services that are evaluated with the explicit aim of addressing these questions.


Atlanto-occipital dislocation: case report and discussion.
Atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) is a devastating condition that frequently results in prehospital cardiorespiratory arrest and accounts for 15% of fatal spinal trauma. Atlanto-occipital dislocation occurs 5 times more commonly in children than adults, and is believed to be caused by hyperextension. Because of improvements in prehospital resuscitation, more victims with AOD now survive to reach the emergency department. Neurologic injury is usually severe secondary to ligamentous disruption that allows the cranium to move with respect to the cervical spine, and associated facial and head injuries are common. There are, however, reports of survivors without neurologic deficits. We present the case of a 46-year-old woman who suffered an AOD after a motor vehicle crash and we discuss the diagnosis of this condition. The signs of AOD are often subtle, and the possibility of this diagnosis must be kept in mind in all patients with a neck injury, even in the absence of neurologic signs. A systematic approach to assessing the cranio-cervical relationship on the lateral cervical x-ray and the appropriate use of CT scanning is essential to identifying AOD. Through this case report we hope to familiarize clinicians with mechanisms of injury and appropriate imaging interpretation that will assist in the diagnosis of AOD.


Testosterone, oxytocin, and the development of human parental care.
The steroid testosterone (T) and neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) have each been implicated in the development of parental care in humans and animals, yet very little research addressed the interaction between these hormones at the transition to parenthood in mothers and fathers. One hundred and sixty mothers and fathers (80 couples) were visited 1 and 6months after the birth of their first child, plasma OT and T were assayed at each time-point, and interactions between each parent and the infant were observed and micro-coded for two key parental behaviors; affectionate touch and parent-infant synchrony. T showed gender-specific effects. While paternal T was individually stable across the first six months of parenting and predicted lower father-infant synchrony, maternal T was neither stable nor predictive of maternal behavior. An interaction of OT and T showed that T has complex modulatory effects on the relations of OT and parenting. Slope analysis revealed that among fathers, only when T was high (+1SD), negative associations emerged between OT and father affectionate touch. In contrast, among mothers, the context of high T was related to a positive association between OT and maternal touch. Our findings, the first to test the interaction of OT and T in relation to observed maternal behavior, underscore the need for much further research on the complex bidirectional effects of steroid and neuropeptide systems on human mothering and fathering.


Response surface analysis of photocatalytic degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether by core/shell Fe3O4/ZnO nanoparticles.
The degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was investigated in the aqueous solution of coated ZnO onto magnetite nanoparticale based on an advanced photocatalytic oxidation process. The photocatalysts were synthesized by coating of ZnO onto magnetite using precipitation method. The sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). Besides, specific surface area was also determined by BET method. The four effective factors including pH of the reaction mixture, Fe3O4/ZnO magnetic nanoparticles concentration, initial MTBE concentration and molar ratio of [H2O2]/ [MTBE] were optimized using response surface modeling (RSM). Using the four-factor-three-level Box-Behnken design, 29 runs were designed considering the effective ranges of the influential factors. The optimized values for the operational parameters under the respective constraints were obtained at PH of 7.2, Fe3O4/ZnO concentration of 1.78 g/L, initial MTBE concentration of 89.14 mg/L and [H2O2]/ [MTBE] molar ratio of 2.33. Moreover, kinetics of MTBE degradation was determined under optimum condition. The study about core/shell magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) recycling were also carried out and after about four times, the percentage of the photocatalytic degradation was about 70%.


[Influence of mercury on thymulin production: metallothioneins role].
Occupational or environmental exposure to various metals affects human health. In particular, mercury is known to affect the immune system adversely. Metallothioneins (MTs) are low molecular weight, cysteine-rich, intracellular proteins, with high affinity for bivalent metals of which they regulate intracellular concentrations, thereby being playing a fundamental role in metal homeostasis. MTs protect cells from stress, inflammation and free radical damage and are involved in zinc homeostasis. Zinc has an important role in the immune system because it is indispensable for the activation andfunctioning of the thymic hormone, thymulin, which in turn is involved in T-lymphocyte differentiation and maturation. MTs participate in the detoxification process following acute poisoning, and are expressed in the various tissues, as well as in chronic intoxication, where continuous stress and the persistent inflammatory state induce their over-expression. The present study was undertaken to gain insights into the potential mechanisms acting on the immune system/altering the immune status in the presence of low mercury concentrations. To do this, the genic expression of MT-I and the amount of active thymulin produced by thymic endothelial cells were studied in mice exposed to different doses of mercury.


Fully Soft Pressure Sensor Based on Bionic Spine-Pillar Structure for Robotics Motion Monitoring.
Soft and stretchable sensors are essential to the development of electronic skin, especially their potential applications in health care and intelligent robots, which have increasingly attracted attentions. Herein, inspired by the epidermal tissue hierarchy, we propose a high-sensitivity fully soft capacitive pressure sensor with bionic spine-pillar microstructure. Benefiting from the combination of the random microscale spines and the millimeter-sized pillar array prepared based on polydimethylsiloxane, the proposed sensor exhibits a well deformability, a high sensitivity up to 2.87 k/Pa at low-pressure range, and a broad linear pressure dynamic range from 5 Pa to 100 kPa. A simple equivalent circuit model was established to demonstrate the sensing mechanism and geometric effect. For practical application demonstrations, the sensor was utilized to monitor local subtle and large movements of the skin, such as finger bending, wrist bending, swallowing, and facial muscle movements. The sensor shows a conformality with human skin to follow the skin extension closely. Furthermore, the proposed sensing strategy can provide a distinguishable tactile feedback for controlling robot arm and soft claw in various tasks, illustrating its potential applications in robotics.


Refolding and single-step purification of porcine interferon-gamma from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies. Conditions for reconstitution of dimeric IFN-gamma.
Recombinant porcine interferon-gamma, overexpressed in Escherichia coli, was found to accumulate in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. The influence of various physicochemical parameters on refolding was investigated using 6 M guanidine/HCl-solubilised inclusion bodies which had been purified by ultracentrifugation on a sucrose step gradient. It appeared that the yield of reconstitution of denatured protein reached 60-70% under optimum conditions, i.e. at an intermediary guanidine/HCl concentration of 0.5 M and at a protein concentration of 10-20 microM (0 degrees C). Since intermediary guanidine/HCl concentrations at 0.5-1.65 M increasingly promoted off-pathway formation of soluble aggregates and at 0.5-0.2 M progressively promoted precipitation, maximal recovery of biologically active protein required a twofold transition in the surrounding guanidine/HCl concentration (6 M-->0.5 M-->0 M). A single additional size-exclusion chromatographic step yielded a final product that was > 99.5% pure, had specific antiviral activity > 10(7) U/mg protein and contained < or = 25 pg/ml endotoxin. Cross-linking by means of disulfosuccinimidyl tartarate revealed that the refolded protein possessed a dimeric structure. Furthermore, we have characterized three different molecular species of recombinant porcine interferon-gamma that are formed under non-optimal refolding conditions (1 M guanidine/HCl) and that differ from each other in specific activity, size and stability. One of these converts irreversibly into dimeric interferon-gamma in a temperature-dependent manner and is therefore considered as a productive folding intermediate.


[Clinical diagnosis and treatment of BK virus infection in renal transplant recipients].
To explore methods of clinical diagnosis and treatment of BK virus (BKV) infection in renal transplant recipients. Urine samples were collected from 227 renal transplant recipients who had undergone renal transplantation at most 48 months to detect the decoy cells. Samples of urine and peripheral blood (BP) were collected to undergo real-time PCR to detect the BKV DNA. Part of the renal-recipients received graft biopsy. The recipients with BKV viruria or viremia were divided into 2 groups: intervention group and control group. The 51 patients of the intervention group had the doses of cyclosporine A (CsA) reduced (n=19), had their doses of FK506 reduced (n=22), or underwent replacement of FK506 with CsA (n=10). And other 29 patients in the control group did not receive any intervention. Acute rejection was intensively monitored. The amount of decoy cells, and BKV load in the urine and PB samples were measured again after 3 months. The positive rates of urine decoy cell, BKV viruria, and viremia in all patients were 33.0%, 33.5%, and 15.4% respectively. In the intervention group, the median levels of decoy cells in urine, and of BKV DNA in urine and PB before intervention were 5.0/10 HP, 1.50 x 10(4) copies/ml and 0 copy/ml respectively ; and the median levels of decoy cell in urine, and of BKV DNA in urine and PB were all 0 after intervention, all significantly lower than those before intervention (all P < 0.01). In the control group, the median levels of decoy cells in urine, and of BKV DNA in urine and PB were 6.0 /10 HP, 0.79 x 10(4) copies/ml, and 0 copy/ml respectively before observation, and the median level of BKV load in urine ofter observation was 2.21 x 10(4) copies/m, significantly higher than that before observation (P < 0.01), however, the median levels of decoy cells in urine and of BKV DNA in PB were 5.0 /10 HP and 0 copy/ml respectively, not significantly different from those before observation ( both P > 0.05). The differences between the levels of urine decoy cells, urine BKV DNA level and blood BKV DNA level of the intervention group were all significantly greater than those of the control group (Z = -2.749, -5.089, -1.996; P = 0.006, 0.000, 0.046 respectively). And during the intervention no acute rejection was observed. Four cases of BKVAN were diagnosed. Treatment of immunosuppression reduction showed effectiveness in 4 BKVAN recipients. The levels of decoy cells in urine, and BKV load in urine and in PB samples were all decreased. The graft functions were improved. Urine cytology is very convenient, useful and sensitive for the evaluation and followup of renal transplant patients, and can reflect renal histological presentation indirectly. Also BKV DNA detection in the urine and peripheral blood is important to screen the evidence of BK reaction in order to prevent irreversible graft damage of BKVAN. The treatment of immunosuppressant reduction and replacement of FK506 with CsA are effective in BKV infection recipients at the early stage.


Auxin Transport, Gibberellin, and Apical Dominance.
Substitution of indoleacetic acid plus gibberellic acid for Pisum shoot apices restored apical dominance more effectively than indoleacetic acid alone. Studies of translocation, in which carbon-14-labeled indoleacetic acid was used (as determined by paper chromatography and scintillation counting) revealed that gibberellic acid caused more indoleacetic acid to be present and effective far from the site of application.


[Risk of death from circulatory diseases in a cohort of patients exposed to chronic radiation].
To assess mortality from circulatory diseases (CD) in a cohort of workers exposed occupationally to chronic radiation in relation to external and internal exposure, by taking into account known non-radiation risk factors (RFs), such as smoking (including smoking index), alcohol consumption, hypertension, and body mass index. Mortality from CD (ICD-10: I00 - I99) was studied in a cohort of 22,377 nuclear power plant («Mayak» Production Association) workers exposed occupationally to chronic radiation. The study was based on the individual dose estimates of external and internal exposure taken from the new Mayak workers dosimetry system 2008 (MWDS-2008). The quantitative characteristics of smoking (smoking index) were used for the first time to assess the risk for CD in the cohort of workers exposed to chronic radiation. There was a statistically significant linear relationship between CD mortality and external gamma-dose after adjusting for the non-radiation RFs; the excess relative risk per unit dose (ERR/Gy) was 0.05 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0 to 0.11). Introducing an additional adjustment for internal alpha-dose resulted in a twofold increase in ERR/Gy=0.10 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.21). There was a statistically significant increasing trend in CD mortality with the elevated absorbed dose from internal alpha-radiation in the liver (ERR/Gy=0.27; 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.48). However, ERR/Gy decreased and lost its statistical significance after adjusting for external gamma-dose. The results of this study are in good agreement with risk estimates obtained in the Japanese cohort of atomic bomb survivors and in the cohorts of occupationally exposed workers.


Erythema elevatum diutinum: clinical, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical characteristics of six patients.
Erythema elevatum diutinum (EED) is a chronic cutaneous vasculitis occurring in association with a variety of conditions including autoimmunity, infectious disease, and hematological abnormalities. The role of associated medical problems is controversial, and the exact pathogenesis of EED is unknown. A series of six cases is reported. The typical clinical presentation was that of erythematous papules and plaques involving the extensor surfaces of the extremities. Histologically, a spectrum from leukocytoclastic vasculitis to vessel occlusion and dermal fibrosis was seen. The lesions of EED have many mimics clinically and histologically. Establishing the diagnosis of EED is important so appropriate screening for associated conditions can ensue. The vascular endothelium of EED stains positive for CD31, CD34, VEGF, and factor VIIIa and negative for factor XIIIa, TGFB, and LANA, a reaction pattern that does not distinguish it from similar appearing lesions. Thus, the chronic and recurrent nature of EED is the primary means of distinguishing it from entities that are clinically and histologically similar.


Substrate modulation of cultured rabbit conjunctival epithelial cell differentiation and morphology.
This study demonstrated that growth and differentiation of rabbit conjunctival epithelial cells could be promoted by such substrata as collagen gel, matrigel or various mixtures of collagen and matrigel in a defined culture system. On conventional plastic or glass culture, the conjunctival epithelial cells adopted a monolayer of small epithelioid cells in primary cultures. They became enlarged, squamoid and exhibited notable senescence upon subcultures. On collagen gel, cells formed an organized monolayer sheet with cuboid shape and cell polarity. On matrigel, cells formed globules with stratified appearance including the basal layer of the outer part of globule and the squamoid cells of the central part of globule. The epithelial origin of these cultures was verified by the positive immunostaining of anti-keratin monoclonal antibodies. Expression of mucin antigen was lost on plastic or glass culture, but promoted on collagen gel or matrigel, as demonstrated by staining with periodic acid Schiff's reagent and anti-mucin monoclonal antibody stainings. These results indicate that both collagen gel and matrigel can provide a permissive substrate environment for goblet cell differentiation. Furthermore, this unique phenotypic expression may be possessed only by a selective cell subpopulation. This culture system will allow us to further explore the mechanism by which the goblet cell differentiation is controlled.


Ozone Layer Depletion and Emerging Public Health Concerns - An Update on Epidemiological Perspective of the Ambivalent Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure.
Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure is the primary etiological agent responsible for developing cutaneous malignancies. Avoiding excessive radiation exposure, especially by high-risk groups, is recommended to prevent UV-induced photo-pathologies. However, optimal sun exposure is essential for the healthy synthesis of about 90% of vitamin D levels in the body. Insufficient exposure to UV-B is linked to vitamin D deficiency in humans. Therefore, optimal sun exposure is necessary for maintaining a normal state of homeostasis in the skin. Humans worldwide face a major existential threat because of climate change which has already shown its effects in several ways. Over the last 4 to 5 decades, increased incidences in skin cancer cases have led international health organizations to develop strong sun protection measures. However, at the same time, a growing concern about vitamin D deficiency is creating a kind of exposure dilemma. Current knowledge of UV exposure to skin outweighs the adverse effects than the beneficial roles it offers to the body, necessitating a correct public health recommendation on optimal sun exposure. Following an appropriate recommendation on optimal sun exposure will lead to positive outcomes in protecting humans against the adverse effects of strict recommendations on sun protection measures. In this short review, we spotlight the ambivalent health effects of UV exposure and how ozone layer depletion has influenced these effects of UVR. Further, our aim remains to explore how to lead towards a balanced recommendation on sun protection measures to prevent the spurt of diseases due to inadequate exposure to UV-B.


Four phases of the Flint Water Crisis: Evidence from blood lead levels in children.
The Flint Water Crisis (FWC) is divisible into four phases of child water-lead exposure risk: Phase A) before the switch in water source to the Flint River (our baseline); Phase B) after the switch in water source, but before boil water advisories; Phase C) after boil water advisories, but before the switch back to the baseline water source of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD); and Phase D) after the switch back to DWSD. The objective of this work is to estimate water-lead attributable movements in child blood lead levels (BLLs) that correspond with the four phases in the FWC. With over 21,000 geo-referenced and time-stamped blood lead samples from children in Genesee County drawn from January 01, 2013 to July 19, 2016, we develop a series of quasi-experimental models to identify the causal effect of water-lead exposure on child BLLs in Flint. We find that the switch in water source (transitioning from phase A to B) caused mean BLLs to increase by about 0.5μg/dL, and increased the likelihood of a child presenting with a BLL ≥ 5μg/dL by a factor of 1.91-3.50, implying an additional 561 children exceeding 5μg/dL. We conservatively estimate cohort social costs (through lost earnings alone) of this increase in water-lead exposed children at $65 million, contrasted with expected annual savings of $2 million from switching water source. On the switch from Phase B to C, we find BLLs decreased about 50% from their initial rise following boil water advisories and subsequent water avoidance behaviors by households. Finally, the return to the baseline source water (Phase D) returned child BLLs to pre-FWC levels further implicating water-lead exposure as a causal source of child BLLs throughout the FWC.


Human ribonuclease H1 resolves R-loops and thereby enables progression of the DNA replication fork.
Faithful DNA replication is essential for genome stability. To ensure accurate replication, numerous complex and redundant replication and repair mechanisms function in tandem with the core replication proteins to ensure DNA replication continues even when replication challenges are present that could impede progression of the replication fork. A unique topological challenge to the replication machinery is posed by RNA-DNA hybrids, commonly referred to as R-loops. Although R-loops play important roles in gene expression and recombination at immunoglobulin sites, their persistence is thought to interfere with DNA replication by slowing or impeding replication fork progression. Therefore, it is of interest to identify DNA-associated enzymes that help resolve replication-impeding R-loops. Here, using DNA fiber analysis, we demonstrate that human ribonuclease H1 (RNH1) plays an important role in replication fork movement in the mammalian nucleus by resolving R-loops. We found that RNH1 depletion results in accumulation of RNA-DNA hybrids, slowing of replication forks, and increased DNA damage. Our data uncovered a role for RNH1 in global DNA replication in the mammalian nucleus. Because accumulation of RNA-DNA hybrids is linked to various human cancers and neurodegenerative disorders, our study raises the possibility that replication fork progression might be impeded, adding to increased genomic instability and contributing to disease.


Status and development of allied health personnel in cardiothoracic surgery in Latin America.
The role of allied health personnel (not physician) in cardiothoracic surgery has evolved substantially since the beginnings of this discipline in the 70´s, especially in developed countries. To explore the status of allied health personnel in cardiothoracic surgery in Latin America, a research was geared to know the general context of human resources in public health and specifically in cardiothoracic surgery. Official data from the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization were acquired. An on-line survey was sent to Latin-American cardiothoracic surgeons through either scientific societies or personal e-mail, to get direct information on human resources management of the surgical services. There is lack of information on the medical literature regarding the allied health personnel activities in the region. Sixty one Latin American cardiothoracic centers answered the survey. The survey revealed that the profile of the allied health personnel is outlined by nurses, perfusion and anesthesiology technicians; whose routine activities are restricted to minor controls. At the moment, the lack of information and official data generates difficulties in analyzing the development status of allied health personnel in cardiothoracic surgery departments in the region of Latin America. In the light of the results and growing interest of developed countries in incorporating the allied health personnel to improve the work capacity and the quality of care in cardiothoracic surgery centers, it would be sensible to develop policies oriented to train and organize this activity in Latin America.


alpha1-beta interaction in voltage-gated cardiac L-type calcium channels.
The beta subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels normalize current amplitude, kinetics and voltage dependence of these channels by interacting with the channel's pore forming subunit alpha1. By screening an epitope expression library of alpha1Ca fusion proteins, a beta2a binding site of 22 amino acids was identified within the I-II cytoplasmic linker but not on other cytoplasmic sequences of alpha1Ca. This binding site overlaps by 14 amino acids with the conserved 18 amino acid peptide assumed to be essential for alpha1-beta interaction. The common 14 amino acid motif of alpha1Ca is sufficient to bind beta2a, and in addition beta1a, beta3 and beta4.


Medical laboratory sciences graduates: are they satisfied at work?
In this study, the overall job satisfaction of medical laboratory scientist graduates of one Kuwaiti University was examined in relation to the environment and organizational features of their places of employment. A questionnaire was distributed to 105 graduates of the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University from the years 1982 to 2001 who are currently working in Ministry of Health hospitals. Of those, 85 questionnaires were returned and this was a response rate of 80 percent. Fifty-six percent of respondents were satisfied overall with their jobs, but 44% were not satisfied. Overall job satisfaction was found to be associated with having the opportunity of applying their academic knowledge and laboratory skills to their work when job conditions were conducive to the work and there was collegiality in the laboratory. Reporting to only one supervisor also showed a positive relationship with overall job satisfaction. In contrast, perceptions of unhealthy working conditions, where employees tended to be a hindrance to another employee, were associated with lower overall job satisfaction. Forty-nine percent of all respondents reported that they were not satisfied with organizational practice, 44% were not satisfied with the work environment, and 39% were not satisfied with their autonomy and freedom to work. A high percentage of laboratory technologists were not satisfied overall with their jobs or with specific aspects of their jobs. Particularly important in this respect were whether technologists felt that their work appropriately used their knowledge, feelings of technical competency, work related rules/procedures, and presence of unhealthy competition. These issues of health worker dissatisfaction need to be addressed by the health authority managers responsible for these services and by academics who train MLS workers.


Erythrocyte osmotic fragility and general health status of adolescent Sprague Dawley rats supplemented with Hibiscus sabdariffa aqueous calyx extracts as neonates followed by a high-fructose diet post-weaning.
High-fructose diets (HFD) can cause oxidative damage to tissues including erythrocyte cell membranes. Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) has protective antioxidant properties. Rats were used to investigate whether the consumption of HS by neonates would result in long-term effects on their erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and general health when later fed a high-fructose diet post-weaning through adolescence. Eighty of four-day-old Sprague Dawley rat pups were divided randomly into three treatment groups. The controls (n = 27) received distilled water at 10 ml/kg b. w, while the other groups received either 50 mg/kg (n = 28) or 500 mg/kg (n = 25) of an HS aqueous calyx extract orally till post-natal day 14. The rats in each group were weaned and divided into two subgroups; one continued on normal rat chow, and the other received fructose (20% w/v) in their drinking water for 30 days. Blood was collected in heparinised tubes and added to serially diluted (0.0-0.85%) phosphate-buffered saline to determine the EOF. Clinical markers of health status were determined with an automated chemical analyser. HS extracts did not programme metabolism in the growing rats to alter their general health and EOF in response to the HFD.


Participant Perspectives on Community Health Workers' Critical Role in Their Experience of the Pathways Program to Address Complex Needs.
This study aimed to describe participants' experiences of Pathways, a community hub care coordination model, including its impact on their lives and their relationship with the Pathways community health worker (CHW). The research team conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews with Pathways participants (n = 13) and analyzed interviews using thematic analysis. Interviews reveal how Pathways helps individuals navigate systems more confidently, increases access to needed resources, and improves well-being. CHWs defined participants' experience, providing a safe, reliable setting to make progress toward goals. Our findings support the evidence base for Pathways as an effective model of care coordination for people with complex needs.


Improving wound and pressure area care in a nursing home.
Wound and pressure ulcer prevention are key quality indicators of nursing care. This article describes a collaborative project between a community skin care service and a nursing home. The aim of the project was to establish whether the implementation of a wound and pressure ulcer management competency framework within a nursing home would improve patient outcomes and reduce the severity and number of wounds and pressure ulcers. Following the project's implementation, there was a reduction in the number of wounds and pressure ulcers, hospital admissions and district nursing visits. Nursing home staff also reported an increase in their knowledge and skills.


Assessing the Causality Factors in the Association between (Abdominal) Obesity and Physical Activity among the Newfoundland Population-A Mendelian Randomization Analysis.
A total of 1,263 adults from Newfoundland and Labrador were studied in the research. Body mass index (BMI) and percent trunk fat (PTF) were analyzed as biomarkers for obesity. The Mendelian randomization (MR) approach with two single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the fat-mass and obesity (FTO) gene as instruments was employed to assess the causal effect. In both genders, increasing physical activity significantly reduced BMI and PTF when adjusted for age and the FTO gene. The effect of physical activity was stronger on PTF than BMI. Direct observational analyses showed significant increase in BMI/PTF when physical activity decreased. A similar association in MR analyses was not significant. The association between physical activity and BMI/PTF could be due to reversed causality or common confounding factors. Our study provides insights into the causal contributions of obesity to physical activity in adults. Health intervention strategies to increase physical activity among adults should include some other plans such as improving diet for reducing obesity.


Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is an advanced complication of diabetic retinopathy that can cause blindness. It consists of the presence of new vessels in the retina and vitreous haemorrhage. Although panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) is the treatment of choice for PDR, it has secondary effects that can affect vision. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), which produces an inhibition of vascular proliferation, could improve the vision of people with PDR. To assess the effectiveness and safety of anti-VEGFs for PDR and summarise any relevant economic evaluations of their use. We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register; 2022, Issue 6); Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid Embase; the ISRCTN registry; ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO ICTRP. We did not use any date or language restrictions. We last searched the electronic databases on 1 June 2022. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing anti-VEGFs to another active treatment, sham treatment, or no treatment for people with PDR. We also included studies that assessed the combination of anti-VEGFs with other treatments. We excluded studies that used anti-VEGFs in people undergoing vitrectomy. Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias (RoB) for all included trials. We calculated the risk ratio (RR) or the mean difference (MD), and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence. We included 15 new studies in this update, bringing the total to 23 RCTs with 1755 participants (2334 eyes). Forty-five per cent of participants were women and 55% were men, with a mean age of 56 years (range 48 to 77 years). The mean glycosylated haemoglobin (Hb1Ac) was 8.45% for the PRP group and 8.25% for people receiving anti-VEGFs alone or in combination. Twelve studies included people with PDR, and participants in 11 studies had high-risk PDR (HRPDR). Twelve studies were of bevacizumab, seven of ranibizumab, one of conbercept, two of pegaptanib, and one of aflibercept. The mean number of participants per RCT was 76 (ranging from 15 to 305). Most studies had an unclear or high RoB, mainly in the blinding of interventions and outcome assessors. A few studies had selective reporting and attrition bias. No study reported loss or gain of 3 or more lines of visual acuity (VA) at 12 months. Anti-VEGFs ± PRP probably increase VA compared with PRP alone (mean difference (MD) -0.08 logMAR, 95% CI -0.12 to -0.04; I2 = 28%; 10 RCTS, 1172 eyes; moderate-certainty evidence). Anti-VEGFs ± PRP may increase regression of new vessels (MD -4.14 mm2, 95% CI -6.84 to -1.43; I2 = 75%; 4 RCTS, 189 eyes; low-certainty evidence) and probably increase a complete regression of new vessels (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.24; I2 = 46%; 5 RCTS, 405 eyes; moderate-certainty evidence). Anti-VEGFs ± PRP probably reduce vitreous haemorrhage (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.90; I2 = 0%; 6 RCTS, 1008 eyes; moderate-certainty evidence). Anti-VEGFs ± PRP may reduce the need for vitrectomy compared with eyes that received PRP alone (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.93; I2 = 43%; 8 RCTs, 1248 eyes; low-certainty evidence). Anti-VEGFs ± PRP may result in little to no difference in the quality of life compared with PRP alone (MD 0.62, 95% CI -3.99 to 5.23; I2 = 0%; 2 RCTs, 382 participants; low-certainty evidence). We do not know if anti-VEGFs ± PRP compared with PRP alone had an impact on adverse events (very low-certainty evidence). We did not find differences in visual acuity in subgroup analyses comparing the type of anti-VEGFs, the severity of the disease (PDR versus HRPDR), time to follow-up (< 12 months versus 12 or more months), and treatment with anti-VEGFs + PRP versus anti-VEGFs alone. The main reasons for downgrading the certainty of evidence included a high RoB, imprecision, and inconsistency of effect estimates. Anti-VEGFs ± PRP compared with PRP alone probably increase visual acuity, but the degree of improvement is not clinically meaningful. Regarding secondary outcomes, anti-VEGFs ± PRP produce a regression of new vessels, reduce vitreous haemorrhage, and may reduce the need for vitrectomy compared with eyes that received PRP alone. We do not know if anti-VEGFs ± PRP have an impact on the incidence of adverse events and they may have little or no effect on patients' quality of life. Carefully designed and conducted clinical trials are required, assessing the optimal schedule of anti-VEGFs alone compared with PRP, and with a longer follow-up.


Formulating autism systemically: Part 1 - A review of the published literature and case assessments.
Autism is a psychiatric disorder of unknown aetiology. In this article, the literature on genetic, neurological, psychological, relational and cultural causes of autism is reviewed, beginning with the 2014 review of Crittenden, Dallos, Landini et al. (pp. 64-70) up to and including recent publications in 2017. Some of the findings were unexpected; others led to new questions. The unexpected findings were the minimal contribution of genes to autism, the extremely evident neurological differences, the interpersonal quality of the psychological findings (that lacked evidence of parents' behaviour), the relational evidence that mothers' childhood trauma, perinatal stress and marital stress increased the risk of autism, and the reciprocal relation between funding for treatment of autism and diagnoses of autism. Notably, there was an abundance of genetic studies, numerous neurological studies and only scattered psychological, relational and cultural studies, thus rendering those findings speculative. The new questions included whether mothers used postural/gestural signs to signal their children to maintain distance and whether mothers experienced wariness of males as a result of childhood trauma, with their sons possibly experiencing gender confusion. Following the literature review, a small archival set of video-recorded and transcribed assessments of attachment of cases of autism were examined for evidence to corroborate or refute the psychological and relational findings of the literature review. The findings were striking in their support of mothers' use of postural/gestural communication regarding distance, children's close attention to mothers' bodily signals, without looking at mothers' face, mothers' greater comfort when they approached their sons than when their sons approached them, one boy's lack of verbal self-representation and mothers' childhood triangulation. These became hypotheses regarding what to look for in Part 2 of this article, a prospective, 12-year case study.


[The list of literature (review) on studying urinary stones by russian researchers (Dated between 1965 and 2015, in 2 parts) Part II].
Research on urinary stones involves urologists, crystallographers, mineralogists. A considerable amount of literature has been published as articles, abstracts of articles presented at conferences and seminars (mineralogical and urological), and monographs, dissertations. The authors of the scientific review prepared the list of the literature, reflecting the scientific activities of Russian scientists in studying the mineral composition and structure of urinary stones for half a century (1965-2015). The list is presented in two parts. The information provided in the 2nd part (2002-2015), is an update of the scientific review on studying urinary stones (Part I, 1965-2001).


Drug therapy for hypertension in hemodialysis patients.
The majority of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are hypertensive. Drug therapy for hypertension in hemodialysis (HD) patients includes all classes of antihypertensive drugs, with the sole exception of diuretics. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers may decrease morbidity and mortality by reducing the mean arterial pressure (MAP), aortic pulse wave velocity, and aortic systolic pressure augmentation, as well as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and probably reduction of C-reactive protein (CRP) and oxidant stress. Potential risk factors include hyperkalemia, anaphylactoid reaction with AN69 membranes (particularly ACE inhibitors), and aggravation of renal anemia. beta-blockers decrease not only mortality, blood pressure (BP), and ventricular arrhythmias, but also improve left ventricular function in ESRD patients. Nonselective beta-blockers can cause an increase in serum potassium (particularly during fasting or exercise). Lisinopril and atenolol have a predominant renal excretion and therefore a prolonged half life in ESRD patients. Thus thrice-weekly supervised administration of these drugs after HD can enhance BP control. The use of calcium channel blockers is also associated with lower total and cardiovascular-specific mortality in HD patients. Minoxidil is a very potent vasodilator that is generally reserved for dialysis patients with severe hypertension. Hypertensive dialysis patients who are noncompliant with their medications may benefit from transdermal clonidine therapy once a week. The majority of dialysis patients need a combination of several antihypertensive drugs for adequate BP control.


Diffuse axonal injury in a rugby player.
Sections of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem of a rugby player who died 15 hours after being tackled were stained using an immunoperoxidase technique to detect beta-amyloid protein. The sections of the pons showed axonal spheroids in the base, and those of the cerebellum showed axonal spheroids in deep white matter. The findings demonstrated axonal injury following a fall from the victim's height in a team sporting event.


Biophoton emission of a lichen species Parmelia tinctorum.
The properties of biophoton signals emitted by samples of lichen species P. tinctorum are investigated. The shape of a light induced signal is determined from 5 ms onwards using successively the bin resolution of 1, 10 and 100 ms; 1000 measurements in successive bins are made at each resolution. The measurement of the shape is repeated at various temperatures in the range (1 degree-40 degrees C) in steps of 1 degree C. It is found that a biophoton signal is very sensitive to temperature and different portions of the signal show different sensitivity. The temperature dependence of the decaying part is even qualitatively different from that of the non-decaying part. The signal responds to temperature changes of 0.1 degrees C in less than 1 ms. The effect of monochromatic stimulation on the strengths of the signal and its red, blue and green spectral components are determined in the wavelength range (400-700) nm in steps of 10 nm. The signal and its broad spectral components have similar excitation curves. The relative strength of spectral component appears independent of the stimulating wavelength. The shape of the decaying portion of the signal and its red, blue and green components is also determined. The character of decay in all four cases is non-exponential. The measurements with various interference filters spanning the entire visible region are made with the bin size of 20 s. These measurements are qualitative because of large fluctuations but suggest that the spectral components of a biophoton signal are distributed in the entire visible region. The probabilities of detecting different number of photons in the non-decaying portion are determined by making 30,000 measurements in each set with the bin size of 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 700 ms. The probabilities determine the parameters of a squeezed state of light--the magnitude of its displacement parameter is different but the phase of its displacement parameter and its squeezing parameter are same for different sizes of a bin. These measurements further indicate that the average signal strength remains constant for 19 hr.


Delivery of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells attenuates airway responsiveness and inflammation in a mouse model of ovalbumin-induced asthma.
Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) possess immunomodulation property, yet their therapeutic potential in asthma is unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects of ADMSCs on airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma models. The underlying mechanism(s) was also examined. BALB/c mice were sensitized with OVA on days 0, 7, and 14, followed by 8-week OVA challenge from day 22. ADMSCs were injected via tail vein on day 21. Animals were measured for airway responsiveness, lung pathology, IgE and cytokine levels in serum, cell composition in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), gene expression in the lung, and regulatory T cells (Tregs). We found that delivery of ADMSCs decreased airway responsiveness and eosinophil counts in BALF and reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and number of mucus-expressing goblet cells in the lung in OVA-challenged mice. OVA-evoked elevation of serum IgE levels and alteration of cytokine production in serum and BALF was significantly prevented by ADMSCs. In addition, administration of ADMSCs impaired the regulation of lung IL-10, Foxp3, IL-17, and RORγ expression by OVA challenge and restored the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs in the spleen. In conclusion, ADMSCs confer protection against OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation, which is associated with induction of Tregs and restoration of immune homeostasis. These findings suggest that ADMSCs may have therapeutic implications for allergic asthma.


CTLA-4Ig immunotherapy of obesity-induced insulin resistance by manipulation of macrophage polarization in adipose tissues.
It has been established that obesity alters the metabolic and endocrine function of adipose tissue and, together with accumulation of adipose tissue macrophages, contributes to insulin resistance. Although numerous studies have reported that shifting the polarization of macrophages from M1 to M2 can alleviate adipose tissue inflammation, manipulation of macrophage polarization has not been considered as a specific therapy. Here, we determined whether cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4IgG1 (CTLA-4Ig) can ameliorate insulin resistance by induction of macrophages from proinflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2 polarization in the adipose tissues of high fat diet-induced insulin-resistant mice. CTLA4-Ig treatment prevented insulin resistance by changing gene expression to M2 polarization, which increased the levels of arginase 1. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis confirmed the alteration of polarization from CD11c (M1)- to CD206 (M2)-positive cells. Concomitantly, CTLA-4Ig treatment resulted in weight reductions of epididymal and subcutaneous adipose tissues, which may be closely related to overexpression of apoptosis inhibitors in macrophages. Moreover, proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels decreased significantly. In contrast, CCAAT enhancer binding protein α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and adiponectin expression increased significantly in subcutaneous adipose tissue. This novel mechanism of CTLA-4lg immunotherapy may lead to an ideal anti-obesity/inflammation/insulin resistance agent.


[Dynamic characteristics of nutrient elements in Castanea henryi plantation at beginning of fructification and its simulation].
The dynamic variation of nutrient elements in Castanea henryi plantation was analysed and simulated by means of a system analysis, and the models of four compartments including aboveground, root, soil and litter were constructed. Evaluation on the nutrient pools of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the four compartments at the beginning of fructification showed that soil compartment had highest content of N, P, K and Ca which was up to 311.47, 11.64, 218.90 and 87.56 kg.hm-2, respectively. The highest Mg occurred in litter compartment, up to 7.563 kg.hm-2. Based on the compartment model, the fluxes and rates of the five nutrient elements between the compartments were calculated, and their changing trends in compartments in 5 years were forecasted. The results showed that the most suitable amount of annually compensating the five elements was 20(N), 8(P), 5(K), 10 (Ca) and 5 (Mg) kg.hm-2, respectively. This nutrient compensation promoted the nutrient flows, and normalised the growth and metabolism of the tree. The research could provide with important basic data for nutrient management of this type of plantation at this stage.


[Hepatic cysts: a case report and anatomicopathological and clinico-therapeutic considerations].
The recent observation of a case of non-parasitic cyst of the liver brought the authors to a literature review. A 62 year old male, affected by type 2 diabetes and hypertension, after a CT scan and ETG, underwent resection and "capitonnage" of the cyst. Three months after surgery a CT scan showed a complete repletion of the cavity previously occupied by the cyst as a consequence of regeneration and reorganization of the hepatic parenchyma. In conclusion, hepatic cysts are rare and clinically relevant only when huge. The diagnosis is possible with the use of ETG and CT scan of the abdomen, however, in some cases angiography is also useful. The intervention of choice is the "capitonnage" of the cyst.


Liquid phase deposition of TiO2 nanolayer affords CH3NH3PbI3/nanocarbon solar cells with high open-circuit voltage.
Hybrid organic/inorganic perovskite solar cells are attracting intense attention and further developments largely hinge on understanding the fundamental issues involved in the cell operation. In this paper, a liquid phase deposition (LPD) method is developed to design and grow a TiO(2) nanolayer at room temperature for carbon-based perovskite solar cells. The TiO(2) nanolayer grown on FTO glass is compact but polycrystalline consisting of tiny anatase TiO(2) nanocrystals intimately stacked together. By directly exploiting this TiO(2) nanolayer in a solar cell of TiO(2) nanolayer/CH(3)NH(3)PbI(3)/nanocarbon, we have achieved a Voc as high as 1.07 V, the highest value reported so far for hole transporter-free CH(3)NH(3)PbI(3) solar cells. This is rationalized by the slower electron injection and longer electron lifetime due to the TiO(2) nanolayer, which enhances the electron accumulation in CH(3)NH(3)PbI(3) and consequently the Voc. By employing a rutile TiO(2) nanorod (NR) array as a base structure for the LPD-TiO(2) nanolayer to support the CH(3)NH(3)PbI(3) layer, the photocurrent density is considerably increased without obviously compromising the Voc (1.01 V). As a result, the power conversion efficiency is boosted from 3.67% to 8.61%. More elaborate engineering of the TiO(2) nanolayer by LPD in conjunction with judicious interfacing with other components has the potential to achieve higher performances for this type of solar cell.


Effect of dimethacrylates in resin cement on durability against thermal stress of adhesion to titanium.
The present study examined the effect of crosslinking of resin cement on durability of adhesion between titanium and resin against repeated thermal stress. Titanium disks, polished and treated with a phosphate monomer, were bonded to acrylic rods with resins composed of poly (methyl methacrylate), methyl methacrylate containing 0 approximately 5% dimethacrylates or diacrylate as crosslinking agent, and a benzoyl peroxide/amine initiator system. The bonded specimens were subjected to thermocycling in water and then tensile strength testing. The addition of 5% crosslinking agent, irrespective of its type, to the resin resulted in a significant decrease in bond strength after 500 thermocycles. No significant difference in durability was revealed among the five crosslinking agents studied.


Selecting cases for feedback to pre-hospital clinicians - a pilot study.
Background There are currently limited avenues for routine feedback from hospitals to pre-hospital clinicians aimed at improvements in clinical practice. Objective The aim of this study was to pilot a method for selectively identifying cases where there was a clinically significant difference between the pre-hospital and in-hospital diagnoses that could have led to a difference in pre-hospital patient care. Methods This was a single-centre retrospective study involving cases randomly selected through informatics extraction of final diagnoses at hospital discharge. Additional data on demographics, triage and diagnoses were extracted by explicit chart review. Blinded groups of pre-hospital and in-hospital clinicians assessed data to detect clinically significant differences between pre-hospital and in-hospital diagnoses. Results Most (96.9%) patients were of Australasian Triage Scale category 1-3 and in-hospital mortality rate was 32.9%. Of 353 cases, 32 (9.1%; 95% CI: 6.1-12.1) were determined by both groups of clinical assessors to have a clinically significant difference between the pre-hospital and final in-hospital diagnoses, with moderate inter-rater reliability (kappa score 0.6, 95% CI: 0.5-0.7). Conclusion A modest proportion of cases demonstrated discordance between the pre-hospital and in-hospital diagnoses. Selective case identification and feedback to pre-hospital services using a combination of informatics extraction and clinician consensus approach can be used to promote ongoing improvements to pre-hospital patient care. What is known about the topic? Highly trained pre-hospital clinicians perform patient assessments and early interventions while transporting patients to healthcare facilities for ongoing management. Feedback is necessary to allow for continual improvements; however, the provision of formal selective feedback regarding diagnostic accuracy from hospitals to pre-hospital clinicians is currently not routine. What does this paper add? For a significant proportion of patients, there is a clinically important difference in the diagnosis recorded by their pre-hospital clinician compared with their final in-hospital diagnosis. These clinically significant differences in diagnoses between pre-hospital and in-hospital clinicians were most notable among acute myocardial infarction and trauma subgroups of patients in this study. What are the implications for practitioners? Identification of patients who have a significant discrepancy between their pre-hospital and in-hospital diagnoses could lead to the development of feedback mechanisms to pre-hospital clinicians. Providing pre-hospital clinicians with this selective feedback would be intended to promote ongoing improvements in pre-hospital assessments and thereby to improve service delivery.