Kallikrein-related peptidase 7 is a potential target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers with very poor prognosis, and the five-year survival rate of the patients is less than 5% after diagnosis. Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) belong to a serine protease family with 15 members that play important roles in cellular physiological behavior and diseases. The high expression level of KLK7 in pancreatic cancer tissues is considered to be a marker for the poor prognosis of this disease. In this work, we set out to investigate whether KLK7 could be a target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) were designed and constructed in lentivirus to knock down KLK7 in pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1, and the real time cellular analysis (RTCA) was used to evaluate cell proliferation, migration and invasion abilities. Small molecules inhibiting KLK7 were discovered by computer-aided drug screening and used to inhibit PANC-1 cells. Our results confirmed that KLK7 is significantly up-regulated in pancreatic cancer tissue, and knocking down or inhibiting KLK7 efficiently inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. This study suggested that KLK7 could be a potential chemotherapy target for treatment of pancreatic cancer, which would provide us a novel strategy for the treatment of this disease.


Do soil organisms affect aboveground litter decomposition in the semiarid Patagonian steppe, Argentina?
Surface litter decomposition in arid and semiarid ecosystems is often faster than predicted by climatic parameters such as annual precipitation or evapotranspiration, or based on standard indices of litter quality such as lignin or nitrogen concentrations. Abiotic photodegradation has been demonstrated to be an important factor controlling aboveground litter decomposition in aridland ecosystems, but soil fauna, particularly macrofauna such as termites and ants, have also been identified as key players affecting litter mass loss in warm deserts. Our objective was to quantify the importance of soil organisms on surface litter decomposition in the Patagonian steppe in the absence of photodegradative effects, to establish the relative importance of soil organisms on rates of mass loss and nitrogen release. We estimated the relative contribution of soil fauna and microbes to litter decomposition of a dominant grass using litterboxes with variable mesh sizes that excluded groups of soil fauna based on size class (10, 2, and 0.01 mm), which were placed beneath shrub canopies. We also employed chemical repellents (naphthalene and fungicide). The exclusion of macro- and mesofauna had no effect on litter mass loss over 3 years (P = 0.36), as litter decomposition was similar in all soil fauna exclusions and naphthalene-treated litter. In contrast, reduction of fungal activity significantly inhibited litter decomposition (P < 0.001). Although soil fauna have been mentioned as a key control of litter decomposition in warm deserts, biogeographic legacies and temperature limitation may constrain the importance of these organisms in temperate aridlands, particularly in the southern hemisphere.


A comparative study of laparoscopic microwave ablation with laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation for colorectal liver metastasis.
Laparoscopic thermal ablation is a common alternative to surgical resection for treating colorectal liver metastasis, particularly for metastases located in difficult-to-reach regions. This study aimed to compare the short- and longterm outcomes of laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (LRFA) and laparoscopic microwave ablation (LMWA) used for treating colorectal liver metastasis. Data from patients with colorectal liver metastasis who had undergone LRFA or LMWA from January 2010 to January 2016 were examined. Baseline data, postoperative 30-day complications, complete ablation rates, local tumor progression rates, and disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were compared between the two treatment groups. A total of 179 patients with colorectal liver metastasis (71 with LMWA and 108 with LRFA) were treated via the laparoscopic approach. Major postoperative 30-day complication rates were 11.1% and 12.7% in the LRFA and LMWA groups, respectively (p=0.046). No perioperative or postoperative 30-day deaths occurred. Local tumor progression (LTP) rates were 10.2% (11/108) and 1.4% (1/71) in the LRFA and LMWA groups (p=0.046), respectively. Fiveyear OS rates were 56% and 58% (p=0.498) and 5-year DFS rates were 41% and 39% (p=0.557) in the LRFA and LMWA groups, respectively. LRFA and LMWA appear to be safe for treating colorectal liver metastasis. The OS and DFS rates were similar, although LTP rates were lower in the LMWA group than in the LRFA group.


A two-step bioluminescence assay for optimizing antibacterial coating of hollow-fiber membranes with polydopamine in an integrative approach.
Pure-water filtration membranes are often fouled by bacterial biofilms. Antibacterial coatings for preventing biofilm formation on such membranes should not rely on leaching of inhibiting compounds but should only be effective on surface contact. Certified assays for antibacterial coatings do not sufficiently exclude leaching effects and involve nutrient-rich cultivation media that do not correspond to conditions in pure-water systems. In this study, a two-step bioluminescence assay was developed for optimizing an antibacterial coating of PES/PVP ultrafiltration hollow-fiber membranes with a polydopamine as a sustainable, bio-inspired material for preventing bacterial biofilm formation. In the first step, leaching of the antimicrobial coating was analyzed by a bioluminescence assay with supernatants generated by washing coated membranes. In the second step, bioluminescence of bacterial biofilms on coated and uncoated membranes was measured using a nutrient-poor medium resembling site-specific conditions. Based on this bioluminescence assay, an optimized protocol for the coating process could be established by acidic polymerization of dopamine using 2 g/L sodium periodate and 4 g/L dopamine at 40 °C for 20 min reaction time. With coatings produced in this way, bioluminescence was reduced on coated membranes only while the corresponding supernatants exhibited no inhibitory effects.


Knowledge of Oral Cancer among the Fourth and Fifth Year Dental Students.
The literature data show insufficient knowledge and awareness about oral cancer among dental and medical students. To assess the knowledge of graduating dental students regarding oral cancer and to assess their awareness regarding the prevention and early detection of oral cancer. Also student's smoking status was examined aimed to investigate their attitude towards smoking as a risk factor for development of oral cancer and to assess the prevalence of smoking among dental students. The study group consisted of 83 students of the fourth and fifth years of dental medicine study who answered the questions written in the original 16-item questionnaire. More than half of the students considered their knowledge to be good, a quarter of them regarded their knowledge as being poor. Almost 16% of students considered their knowledge to be very good, whereas only two students rated their knowledge as 'excellent'. Students of the fifth year were more likely to be smokers compared to fourth year students (39.5% vs. 22.5%). Higher percentage of non-smokers than smokers had marked 'stop smoking' as an important preventive measure (non-smokers 91.2%, smokers 84.3%, p = 0.01). Majority of the students of fourth and fifth year of study rate their knowledge about oral cancer as good. A large number of students of both years considered hairy leukoplakia a potentially malignant disorder. Students non smokers recognize "stop smoking" as an important preventive measure unlike students smokers who show a more realistic attitude towards smoking as a risk factor for oral cancer.


Regeneration of the Achilles tendon after percutaneous tenotomy in infants: a clinical and MRI study.
We aimed to study the regeneration potential of tendo-achilles after percutaneous tenotomy in 34 clubfeet treated by Ponseti's technique. Clinical and MRI evaluation was done after 6 weeks and 6 months of tenotomy to assess the regeneration of the tendon. At the follow-up, Achilles tendon was palpated like a cord in all the feet. MRI study revealed continuity of the tendon in all cases at the end of 6 weeks and 6 months of the tenotomy. Thus, it could be concluded that tendo-achilles does regenerate following percutaneous tenotomy, used in the correction of clubfoot using Ponseti's technique.


Size of cervical lymph node and metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue and floor of mouth.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral tongue and floor of mouth are the most common head and neck cancers. Regional metastasis of SCC is most likely found at the cervical lymph node. Size and characteristics of pathologically suspicious lymph nodes are related to the aggressiveness of the primary tumor: The objective of this study is to analyze the conrrelation between sizes of cervical node and metastasis in SCC of oral tongue and floor of mouth. Retrospective review was conducted firom the patient's charts between January 2008 and December 2012. Clinical, histopathology and surgical records were reviewed. Cervical lymph nodes ofSCC of oral tongue and floor of mouth were reviewed and divided into four groups depending on their size (1-5 mm, 6-9 mm, 10-30 mm and more than 30 am,). A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. 196 patients with SCC of the oral cavity were recorded. Sixteen patients ofSCC of the oral tongue and 15patients of SCC of the floor of mouth underwent neck dissection (641 cervical nodes). Most ofthe patients were diagnosed with stage 3 (41.94%). Extracapsular extension was found in 72.15% of SCC of oral tongue and 73.33 % of SCC ofthe floor of mouth. Size of cervical lymph nodes less than 10 mm was found to be metastasis at 9.27% and 10.82% of SCC of oral tongue and floor of mouth, respectively. Cervical node metastasis can be found in SCC of the oral tongue and floor ofmouth with clinlically negative node andsize of cervical node less than 10 mm. Here in, size of cervical node less than 10 mm was still important due to the chance for metastasis especially high grade tumors, advanced stage cancer and lymphovascular invasion.


Bilateral otorrhagia and orbital hematoma complicating subgaleal hematoma.
A patient with bilateral otorrhagia and orbital hematoma following massive subgaleal hematoma is reported for the first time. The pathogenesis of the extensive subgaleal hematoma as well as the production of these unusual complications is discussed. This case would suggest that the weakest points in the attachment of the epicranial aponeurosis to the base of the calvarium are its attachments to the squamous part of the temporal bone and to the frontal bone under the eyebrow.


Cytology in the classification of diffuse non-leukaemic malignant lymphomata (lympho- and reticulosarcomata).
Cytological examination of smears or imprints of diffuse non-leukaemic lymphomata gives more details of the morphological aspects of the cells than does histological examination. It enables us to distinguish (a) prolymphocytic (but not lymphocytic), (b) lymphoblastic or lymphoblastoid and immunoblastic lymphosarcomata. It helps to diagnose so-called reticulosarcomata from carcinomata and to distinguish two types: (a) cytic and (b) blastic, but it makes us suspicious about the nature of the latter. Light microscopy shows the cells of the blastic type resemble transformed lymphocytes (immunoblasts) more than reticulum cells. Electron microscopy shows many polyribosomes, which enhances the suspicion that some so-called "reticulosarcomata" could be immunoblastic lymphosarcomata.


Technical note: effect of sample processing procedures on measurement of starch in corn silage and corn grain.
Methods for processing feedstuffs before analysis can affect analytical results. Effects of drying temperature (corn silage), preservation method (corn grain), and grinding method (corn silage and grain) on starch analysis values were evaluated. Corn silage samples dried at 55 or 105 degrees C and grain samples dried at 55 degrees C were ground to pass the 1-mm screen of an abrasion mill or cutting mill and analyzed for free glucose and starch corrected for free glucose. Starch analyses were performed in triplicate to assess the effect of treatment on precision of starch determination. Drying at 105 degrees C decreased free glucose and tended to decrease starch detected in silage. Decreased free glucose and starch values in silages dried at 105 degrees C may have been caused by the destruction of glucose and production of Maillard products through nonenzymatic browning. Maillard products with reducing activity could potentially interfere with the glucose oxidase-peroxidase glucose detection method used. Compared with the cutting mill, grinding samples through the abrasion mill increased the precision of starch measures in silage, likely due to the effect of the finer particle size produced by the abrasion mill allowing more accurate subsampling of a more homogeneous matrix. Starch values were greater for grain ground with an abrasion mill than with a cutting mill, with the difference greater for dry-rolled than for high-moisture corn. For starch analysis of corn silage and corn grain, drying at lower temperatures (55 degrees C) in forced-air ovens and grinding through the 1-mm screen of an abrasion mill or its equivalent is recommended.


Highly photoresponsive, ZnO nanorod-based photodetector for operation in the visible spectral range.
While significant advances have been made for gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-coupled zinc oxide (ZnO) as visibly blind, ultraviolet photodetection devices, very few ZnO nanomaterial systems have been developed specifically for use in the visible wavelength regime. Further efforts to develop ZnO-based visible photodetectors (PDs) are still highly warranted in order to better understand the precise effect of AuNP load, operation wavelength, and beam position on the device output. In this study, we demonstrate significantly enhanced, photoresponse behaviors of AuNP-coupled ZnO nanorod (NR) network devices in the visible wavelength range with their photoresponse capacity comparable to, if not far exceeding, most commercial PDs as well as recently reported, visible, AuNP-coupled ZnO detectors. In addition, the nature and degree of the photoresponsivity enhancement are systematically elucidated by investigating their light-triggered electrical signals under varying incident wavelengths, AuNP amounts, and illumination positions. We discuss a possible photoconduction mechanism of our AuNP-coupled ZnO NR PDs and the origins of the high photoresponsivity. Specifically related to the AuNP amount-dependent photoresponse behaviors, the nanoparticle density yielding photoresponse maxima is explained as the interplay between localized surface plasmon resonance, plasmonic heating, and scattering in our photothermoelectric effect-driven device. We show that the AuNP-coupled ZnO NR PDs can be constructed via a straightforward method without the need for ultrahigh vacuum, sputtering procedures, or photo/electron-beam lithographic tools. Hence, the approach demonstrated in this study may serve as a convenient and viable means to advance the current state of ZnO-based PDs for operation in the visible spectral range with greatly increased photoresponsivity.


Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with combined retrograde intramedullary nail and lateral L-plate.
Achieving stable fixation when performing tibiotalocalcaneal or tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis can be challenging. Patients undergoing these procedures often have osteopenia, poor bone stock, fragmentation of the bones of the foot and ankle, joint subluxation, or even dislocation. The author describes a technique of tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with intramedullary nail fixation augmented by lateral plating through the transfibular approach. This can provide excellent exposure of the ankle and subtalar joints, morselized bone for grafting, and better construct stability.


Cylindroniscus platoi (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Styloniscidae), a new cave-dwelling species from Lagoa Santa Karst, Southeastern Brazil.
The new species Cylindroniscus platoi n. sp. is herein described. As far as known, the species occurs only in three caves developed in a continuous limestone outcrop at Pedro Leopoldo municipality, Minas Gerais State. Cylindroniscus platoi n. sp. is regarded as an endemic troglobite based on its limited distribution and on non-obvious troglomorphisms found on its body surface.


[Morphological characteristics and gene mapping of a novel bent pedicel branch (bpb1) mutant in rice].
Rice pedicels are tightly associated with the yield of grain. In the present study, a novel and stable pedicel mutant bpb1 (bent pedicel branch 1) was obtained from the wild type "Zhenong 7" after 60Co γ-ray treatment. The mutant had the typical phenotype of bent pedicel branches with multiple abnormal phenotypes, such as longer pedicels, short panicles, and dwarfism. Detail examination using scanning electron microscopy revealed that the pedicel epidermal hairs and stomas in the mutant were smaller than those in the wild type. The epidermal and sclerenchymatous cells were arranged irregularly, and the cells in the bend region of pedicels became smaller and arranged closely. The transverse observation of the mutant pedicel branches showed that the small vascular bundles arranged differently from those of the wild type. Genetic analysis indicated that the abnormal phenotypes were controlled by a single recessive gene. Using the F2 mapping population from the bpb1 mutant crossed with the japonica rice variety "Zhenongda 104", the bpb1 gene was mapped in a 343 kb region between two SSR markers, RM21537 and RM21552, at the long arm of chromosome 7. Because no homologous gene was found in this region until now, bpb1 might be a novel gene related to the pedicel development and growth. This study could be beneficial to future cloning and functional analysis of the bpb1 gene.


Successful treatment of metastatic cerebral recurrence of pleuropulmonary blastoma.
Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare pediatric tumor. The central nervous system (CNS) is the most common site of extrathoracic metastasis. The prognosis of PPB patients with CNS metastases is dismal: most patients die within one year after recurrence. Here, we describe two patients diagnosed with PPB who developed intracranial recurrences shortly after the end of their initial treatment and were successfully treated by gross total resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Both patients are in complete remission four and three years after recurrence. Although an optimal regimen remains to be determined, these cases demonstrate that PPB with CNS metastases is potentially curable.


[A case of successful radical resection of rectal cancer with neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy].
In cases of advanced rectal cancer, preoperative chemoradiotherapy( CRT) serves to improve the local control rate, survival rate, radical resection rate, and/or probability of sphincter muscle preservation. According to the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) guidelines 2010 for the treatment of colorectal cancer, preoperative CRT is the standard treatment for rectal cancer in Europe and the United States. However, there is insufficient evidence in support of its efficacy and safety in Japan, and therefore, CRT needs to be evaluated in properly designed clinical trials. Recently, several studies have reported on the efficacy of preoperative CRT in Japan. Herein, we report a case of rectal cancer in which radical resection was successfully performed with neo-adjuvant CRT.


Can biochemical pregnancy be determined 5 days after frozen-thawed embryo transfer?
To study the predictive value of serum β-hCG on day 5 after frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) to predict pregnancy outcomes and to establish cut-off values for very early biochemical pregnancy diagnosis. This retrospective cohort study was performed at a private reproductive medicine centre and we reviewed the medical records of women who underwent FET cycles from January 2018 to June 2019. A total of 116 evaluated cycles had serum β-hCG levels measured on days 5 and 10 after FET. The predictive value of serum β-hCG levels measured on day 5 after FET was investigated for very early biochemical pregnancy diagnosis. The standard biochemical pregnancy diagnosis was defined as a β-hCG ≥25 IU/L on day 10 after FET. We then generated a receiver operating characteristic curve, and the cut-off value of β-hCG on day 5 for predicting biochemical pregnancies was 4.0 IU/L, with 93.4% sensitivity and 92.7% specificity (AUC, 0.960; 95% confidence interval, 0.923-0.997). Values for β-hCG at day 5 after FET ≥4.0IU/L are accurate for the diagnosis of biochemical pregnancy. The use of very early biochemical pregnancy diagnosis in clinical practice enables earlier management, patient counselling, and appropriate follow-up.


The use of a thermostable beta-glucanase gene from Clostridium thermocellum as a reporter gene in plants.
In order to take advantage of the high thermostability of its product, beta-1,3;1,4-glucanase (lichenase), we used a modified version of the licB gene from Clostridium thermocellum as a reporter gene for the analysis of gene expression in transformed plants. The coding region of the licB gene was truncated at both ends. The truncated enzyme retained its activity and thermostability. The modified gene (m-licB), with and without a plant leader peptide-encoding sequence, was expressed in tobacco plants under control of either the Agrobacterium octopine TR-DNA 2' gene promoter or the promoter of the gene for the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. Expression of licB can be measured quantitatively and accurately, the assay is sensitive and simple enough to be used for analysis of various gene fusion systems or for screening of transformants. The enzyme is very stable and remains active in tissue extracts even after storage for 1 year and survives many thawing-freezing cycles. The lichenase-encoding gene was expressed at high levels in transformed tobacco plants without any apparent detrimental effects on vegetative growth or flowering.


Base sequence-independent distorsions induced by interstrand cross-links in cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)-modified DNA.
Physico-chemical and immunological studies have been done in order to further characterize the distorsions induced in DNA by the interstrand cross-links formed between the antitumor drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cis-DDP) and two guanines on the opposite strands of DNA at the d(GC/GC) sites. Bending (45 degrees) and unwinding (79 +/- 4 degrees) were determined from the electrophoretic mobility of multimers of 21- 24-base pairs double-stranded oligonucleotides containing an interstrand cross-link in the central sequence d(TGCT/AGCA). The distorsions induced by the interstrand cross-link in the three 22-base pairs oligonucleotides d(TGCT/AGCA), d(AGCT/AGCT) and d(CGCT/AGCG) were compared by means of gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism, phenanthroline-copper footprinting and antibodies specifically directed against cis-DDP interstrand cross-links. The four different technical approaches indicate that the distorsions are independent of the chemical nature of the base pairs adjacent to the interstrand cross-link. The general conclusion is that the interstrand cross-link induces a bending and in particular an unwinding larger than other platinum adducts and the distorsions are independent of the nature of the bases (purine or pyrimidine) adjacent to the d(GC/GC) site.


Truncating mutations in SPAST patients are associated with a high rate of psychiatric comorbidities in hereditary spastic paraplegia.
The hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a rare and heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders that are clinically characterised by progressive lower limb spasticity. They are classified as either 'pure' or 'complex' where spastic paraplegia is complicated with additional neurological features. Mutations in the spastin gene (SPAST) are the most common cause of HSP and typically present with a pure form. We assessed in detail the phenotypic and genetic spectrum of SPAST-related HSP focused on 118 patients carrying SPAST mutations. This study, one of the largest cohorts of genetically confirmed spastin patients to date, contributes with the discovery of a significant number of novel SPAST mutations. Our data reveal a high rate of complex cases (25%), with psychiatric disorders among the most common comorbidity (10% of all SPASTpatients). Further, we identify a genotype-phenotype correlation between patients carrying loss-of-function mutations in SPAST and the presence of psychiatric disorders.


Volume Change of Pedicled Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Flap after Partial Breast Reconstruction.
Despite successful breast reconstruction with oversized latissimus dorsi muscle flap after breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer, esthetic problems continue to exist due to flap shrinkage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the objective volume change of pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flap when it is used in breast reconstruction. Patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a breast-conserving surgery with immediate breast reconstruction with pedicled latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap between October 2009 and November 2015 were studied. Eleven patients who were followed up for more than 1 year after operation were included in the study. We evaluated the volume of muscle portion of the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap with computed tomography (CT) scan. We analyzed the rate of volume change of the latissimus dorsi muscle every year until 5 years after the operation. The latissimus dorsi muscle flaps of all 11 patients showed a volume decrease over time. The rate of volume change of the latissimus dorsi muscle flaps decreased 8.04% in the first year, 6.36% in the second year, 5.05% in the third year, 2.88% in the fourth year, and 2.56% in the fifth year after operation in average. This research shows the possibility of objectively evaluating the volume change of pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flaps after breast reconstruction. The findings will be helpful in designing the size of the flaps to use on defects after breast-conserving surgery.


[Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgG- and IgM antibodies in chlamydial infections of humans].
The development and evaluation of an indirect ELISA for IgG and IgM antibodies in human sera against the genus-specific chlamydial antigen is described. Application of commercial anti-immunoglobulins for production of conjugates usually resulted in direct conjugate/antigen reactions. Therefore, all immunoreagents had to be prepared by the authors. Using anti-immunoglobulins purified by affinity chromatography for the production of anti-human IgG(H + L)-peroxidase conjugates, these conjugates showed high specific activity and could be diluted 1/10,000 for the test, whereby direct reactions with antigens were negligible (12 +/- 12 ELISA units). Results with the mu-chain-specific IgM ELISA could be verified additionally by rheumatoid factor analysis and gel-chromatographic investigations. Reactions with sodium deoxycholate extracted antigen from cells not infected with chlamydiae ("negative antigen") were observed with sera from persons working with cell cultures. In comparison with microimmunofluorescence (MIF) test and radioimmunoassay (RIA), the ELISA was the most sensitive method. However, for differentiation of urogenital infections associated with chlamydiae, the type-specific MIF test was superior to the genus-specific ELISA. In comparison to persons with chlamydia-associated prostatitis, the high percentage of IgM-positive reactions in patients with nongonococcal urethritis (10% and 56%, respectively) pointed to a predominant participation of genus-specific IgM antibodies in recent infections. As compared to ELISA values of patients with infections of the urogenital tract (up to 875 ELISA units), in some apparently healthy blood donors significantly higher ELISA values (up to 1400 ELISA units) were recorded. Such reactions may be attributed to systemic infections, e.g. chlamydial pneumonias. The importance to differentiate between IgG and IgM antibodies in such infections is discussed.


Phylogeny of the TMEM16 protein family: some members are overexpressed in cancer.
TMEM16 proteins are found in all eukaryotes and have eight putative transmembrane domains with NH2 and COOH termini located on the luminal side of the vesicle or plasma membrane. Nine homologues exist in humans and mice. Several of the human genes are overexpressed in cancer and could be valuable tumor markers, especially in profiling gene expression with microarrays. In Drosophila, homologues are involved in chromosome separation. In Baker's yeast, the one homologue is expressed exclusively in the bud and involved in osmotic regulation. In sea urchin embryos, the protein is associated with nuclei. In mammals, the functions of TMEM16 proteins are still unknown. We predict that the TMEM16 proteins will gain importance in the study of normal and malignant tissues. This report presents the first comprehensive phylogeny of TMEM16 proteins. The two phylograms show that these proteins fall into distinct families, which are differentiated from each other in all animal lineages. Here, all previous studies on these proteins are compiled in table form with the hope this compilation will facilitate future work on these genes and their protein products.


Pleiotropic soybean mutants defective in both urease isozymes.
Two new soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Williams] loci, designated Eu2 and Eu3, were identified in which ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutation eliminated urease activity. These loci showed no linkage to each other or to the "Sun-Eul" locus described in the accompanying paper (Meyer-Bothling and Polacco 1987). Unlike sun (seed urease-null) mutations those at Eu2 and Eu3 affected both urease isozymes: the embryo-specific (seed) and the ubiquitous (leaf) urease. The eu2/eu2 mutant had no leaf activity and 0.6% normal seed activity. Two mutant Eu3 alleles were recovered, eu3-e1 and Eu3-e3. The eu3-e1/eu3-e1 genotype lacked both activities while Eu3-e3/Eu3-e3 had coordinately reduced leaf (0.1%) and seed (0.1%) activities. Only the Eu3-e3 mutation showed partial dominance, yielding about 5%-10% normal activity for each urease in the heterozygous state. Each homozygous mutant contained normal levels of embryo-specific urease mRNA and protein subunit, both of normal size. However, urease polymerization was aberrant in all three mutants. In all cases where urease could be measured, it was found to be temperature sensitive and, in addition, the embryo-specific urease of Eu3-e3/Eu3-e3 had an altered pH dependence. These mutants may be defective in a urease maturation function common to both isozymes as suggested by the normal levels of urease gene product, coordinately (or nearly so) reduced urease isozyme activities, temperature sensitivity in both ureases (Eu3-e3) and the non-linkage of Eu2 and Eu3 to the locus encoding embryo-specific urease (Sun-Eul). Ubiquitous urease activity is reduced in mutant seed coat and callus culture as well as in leaf and cotyledon tissue. No mutant callus utilized urea (5 to 10 nM0 as sole nitrogen source. However, all mutant cell lines tolerated normally toxic levels of urea (25 to 250 mM) added to medium containing KNO3/NH4No3 as nitrogen source. Urea thus may be used in cell culture as a selection agent for phenotypes either lacking or regaining an active ubiquitous urease.


Phonological recoding for reading: the effect of concurrent articulation in a Stroop task.
The present experiment obtained Stroop and reverse Stroop effects in a card-sorting task where subjects were required to sort cards into bins, labelled with either colour patches or colour names in black ink, under silent and concurrent articulation conditions. Performance by normal subjects and a conduction aphasic supported the notion that concurrent articulation affects post-lexical phonology. It was shown that the status of the hypothesis that pre-lexical phonology is normally used to access meaning during reading (the speech recoding hypothesis) remained uncertain if concurrent articulation only affected post-lexical phonology.


[Clinical study of postoperative sedation in pediatric patients--effects of inhalation anesthetics and postoperative analgesics].
The effects of three different inhalation anesthetics (sevoflurane, isoflurane and halothane) delivered with oxygen and nitrous oxide during surgery and of postoperative analgesics on degree %% postoperative sedation immediately following removal of the tracheal tube, in the recovery room and thereafter in the surgical ward, were studied in 74 pediatric patients under 12 years of age. They underwent elective surgical procedures including repair of inguinal hernia, orchidopexy, tonsillectomy, repair of cleft lip and certain orthopedic procedures. The degree of postoperative sedation was assessed using a nine-point behavioral scale (sedation score) designed for the rating of postoperative pain in children. There were no significant differences in sedation score or frequency of use of postoperative analgesics at any time of assessment among the three inhalation anesthetics. Thirty-eight percent of the patients received analgesics such as diclofenac and acetaminophen suppositories, and intravenous pentazocine. There were no significant differences in sedation score between the group of patients who received analgesics and the group of those who did not, and many patients had satisfactory sedation scores in the surgical ward, suggesting that appropriate administration of postoperative analgesics is possible.


Capillary gas chromatographic determination of 1,4-butanediol and gamma-hydroxybutyrate in human plasma and urine.
This article describes two methods for the determination of 1,4-butanediol and gamma-hydroxybutyrate in human plasma and urine using capillary gas chromatography. For 1,4-butanediol, plasma or urine samples (500 microl) were extracted by protein precipitation whereas for gamma-hydroxybutyrate, plasma or urine samples (500 microl) were extracted and derivatised with BF3-butanol. The compounds were separated on a Supelcowax-10 column and detection was achieved using a flame ionization detector. The methods are linear over the specific ranges investigated, accurate (with a percentage of the nominal concentration <109.8%) and showed intra-day and inter-day precision within the ranges of 5.0-12.0 and 7.0-10.1%, respectively. No interferences were observed in plasma and urine from hospitalized patients.


Associations between multiple green space measures and birth weight across two US cities.
Several measures of green space exposure have been used in epidemiological research, but their relevance to health, and representation of exposure pathways, remains unclear. Here we examine the relationships between multiple urban green space metrics and associations with term birth weight across two diverse US cities. We used Vital Statistics data to create a birth cohort from 2005 to 2009 in the cities of Portland, Oregon (n = 90,265) and Austin, Texas (n = 88,807). These cities have similar green space levels but very different population and contextual characteristics. Green space metrics derived from mother's full residential address using multiple buffer distances (50-1000m) included: Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), % tree cover, % green space, % street tree buffering, and access to parks (using US EPA EnviroAtlas Data). Correlation between green space metrics were assessed and mixed models were used to determine associations with term birth weight, controlling for a comprehensive set of individual and neighborhood factors. City-specific models were run to determine how contextual and population differences affected green space associations with birth weight. We observed moderate to high degrees of correlation between different green space metrics (except park access), with similar patterns between cities. Unadjusted associations demonstrated consistent protective effects of NDVI, % green space, % tree cover, and % street tree buffering for most buffer sizes on birth weight; however, in fully adjusted models most metrics were no longer statistically significant and no clear patterns remained. For example, in Austin the difference in birth weight for the highest versus lowest quartile of % green space within 50m was 38.3g (95% CI: 30.4, 46.1) in unadjusted and -1.5g (98% CI: -8.8, 6.3) in adjusted models compared to 55.7g (95%CI: 47.9, -63.6) and 12.9g (95% CI: 4.4, 21.4) in Portland. Maternal race, ethnicity and education had the largest impact on reducing green space and birth weight associations. However, consistent positive associations were observed for the high density areas of both cities using several green space metrics at small buffer distances. This study highlights the importance of understanding the individual and contextual factors that may confound and/or modify green space and birth weight associations.


Nitrogen and phosphorus removed from a subsurface flow multi-stage filtration system purifying agricultural runoff.
Agricultural nonpoint source pollution has been increasingly serious in China since the 1990s. The main causes were excessive inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides. A multi-stage filtration system was built to test the purification efficiencies and removal characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus when treating agricultural runoff. Simulated runoff pollution was prepared by using river water as source water based on the monitoring of local agricultural runoff. Experimental study had been performed from September to November 2013, adopting 12 h for flooding and 12 h for drying. The results showed that the system was made adaptive to variation of inflow quality and quantity, and had good removal for dissolved total nitrogen, total nitrogen, dissolved total phosphorus (DTP), and total phosphorus, and the average removal rate was 27%, 36%, 32%, and 48%, respectively. Except nitrate ([Formula: see text]), other forms of nitrogen and phosphorus all decreased with the increase of stages. Nitrogen was removed mainly in particle form the first stage, and mostly removed in dissolved form the second and third stage. Phosphorus was removed mainly in particulate during the first two stages, but the removal of particulate phosphorus and DTP were almost the same in the last stage. An approximate logarithmic relationship between removal loading and influent loading to nitrogen and phosphorus was noted in the experimental system, and the correlation coefficient was 0.78-0.94. [Formula: see text]: ammonium; [Formula: see text]: nitrite; [Formula: see text]: nitrate; DTN: dissolved total nitrogen; TN: total nitrogen; DTP: dissolved total phosphorus; TP: total phosphorus; PN: particulate nitrogen; PP: particulate phosphorus.


Coupled organic-inorganic nanostructures (COIN).
In this perspective, we provide an overview of the emerging field of coupled conjugates of quantum dots and organic semiconductors, referred to as "coupled organic-inorganic nanostructures" (COIN). We summarize important aspects of their optical properties and highlight suitable descriptions of their electrical transport behavior. In particular, we discuss the key role of the electronic structure at the interface of COINs and the impact of structural/morphological features on the optoelectronic properties. Finally, we comment on the physics of current quantum dot-based devices and novel opportunities provided by the application of COINs in this respect.


Multiplexed expression and screening for recombinant protein production in mammalian cells.
A variety of approaches to understanding protein structure and function require production of recombinant protein. Mammalian based expression systems have advantages over bacterial systems for certain classes of protein but can be slower and more laborious. Thus the availability of a simple system for production and rapid screening of constructs or conditions for mammalian expression would be of great benefit. To this end we have coupled an efficient recombinant protein production system based on transient transfection in HEK-293 EBNA1 (HEK-293E) suspension cells with a dot blot method allowing pre-screening of proteins expressed in cells in a high throughput manner. A nested PCR approach was used to clone 21 extracellular domains of mouse receptors as CD4 fusions within a mammalian GATEWAY expression vector system. Following transient transfection, HEK-293E cells grown in 2 ml cultures in 24-deep well blocks showed similar growth kinetics, viability and recombinant protein expression profiles, to those grown in 50 ml shake flask cultures as judged by western blotting. Following optimisation, fluorescent dot blot analysis of transfection supernatants was shown to be a rapid method for analysing protein expression yielding similar results as western blot analysis. Addition of urea enhanced the binding of glycoproteins to a nitrocellulose membrane. A good correlation was observed between the results of a plate based small scale transient transfection dot blot pre-screen and successful purification of proteins expressed at the 50 ml scale. The combination of small scale multi-well plate culture and dot blotting described here will allow the multiplex analysis of different mammalian expression experiments enabling a faster identification of high yield expression constructs or conditions prior to large scale protein production. The methods for parallel GATEWAY cloning and expression of multiple constructs in cell culture will also be useful for applications such as the generation of receptor protein microarrays.


mTOR inhibitor therapy as a disease modifying therapy for tuberous sclerosis complex.
Between 1993 and 2003, through experiments involving Drosophila sp., cancer biologists identified the protein kinase known as the mammalian target of rapamycin, its pathway, and its relationship to the genes responsible for tuberous sclerosis. Thereafter, clinical research has resulted in regulatory approval of mTOR inhibitors for four distinct manifestations of the disease: giant cell astrocytoma, angiomyolipoma, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and epilepsy. These developments are summarized and the practical use of mTOR inhibitors to improve the lives of patients with tuberous sclerosis reviewed.


PPARγ-targeting Potential for Radioprotection.
Peroxisomal proliferator receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a class of nuclear hormone receptor family involved in insulin sensitization. In addition, PPARγ has a key role in the protection against oxidative stress and inflammation through regulation of NFkappaB levels and crosstalk with the Nrf2 pathway. Also, its role in the modulation of immune response is substantial. Radiation-induced oxidative stress is the sole determinant of damage to hematopoietic, gastrointestinal system and immune system suppression. Uncontrolled exposure to normal cells during radiotherapy raises the demand for novel and efficient radioprotectors. In this review, we will present an overview of the involvement of PPARγ in radiation-induced damage and inflammation with major emphasis on whether PPARγ can serve as a suitable radiomodification target. Through this review, we have justified that PPARγ having both radioprotective as wells as radiotherapeutic potential, may serve as an attractive target for the development of novel and more effective therapies.


A two-stage method for microcalcification cluster segmentation in mammography by deformable models.
Segmentation of microcalcification (MC) clusters in x-ray mammography is a difficult task for radiologists. Accurate segmentation is prerequisite for quantitative image analysis of MC clusters and subsequent feature extraction and classification in computer-aided diagnosis schemes. In this study, a two-stage semiautomated segmentation method of MC clusters is investigated. The first stage is targeted to accurate and time efficient segmentation of the majority of the particles of a MC cluster, by means of a level set method. The second stage is targeted to shape refinement of selected individual MCs, by means of an active contour model. Both methods are applied in the framework of a rich scale-space representation, provided by the wavelet transform at integer scales. Segmentation reliability of the proposed method in terms of inter and intraobserver agreements was evaluated in a case sample of 80 MC clusters originating from the digital database for screening mammography, corresponding to 4 morphology types (punctate: 22, fine linear branching: 16, pleomorphic: 18, and amorphous: 24) of MC clusters, assessing radiologists' segmentations quantitatively by two distance metrics (Hausdorff distance-HDISTcluster, average of minimum distance-AMINDISTcluster) and the area overlap measure (AOMcluster). The effect of the proposed segmentation method on MC cluster characterization accuracy was evaluated in a case sample of 162 pleomorphic MC clusters (72 malignant and 90 benign). Ten MC cluster features, targeted to capture morphologic properties of individual MCs in a cluster (area, major length, perimeter, compactness, and spread), were extracted and a correlation-based feature selection method yielded a feature subset to feed in a support vector machine classifier. Classification performance of the MC cluster features was estimated by means of the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (Az ± Standard Error) utilizing tenfold cross-validation methodology. A previously developed B-spline active rays segmentation method was also considered for comparison purposes. Interobserver and intraobserver segmentation agreements (median and [25%, 75%] quartile range) were substantial with respect to the distance metrics HDISTcluster (2.3 [1.8, 2.9] and 2.5 [2.1, 3.2] pixels) and AMINDISTcluster (0.8 [0.6, 1.0] and 1.0 [0.8, 1.2] pixels), while moderate with respect to AOMcluster (0.64 [0.55, 0.71] and 0.59 [0.52, 0.66]). The proposed segmentation method outperformed (0.80 ± 0.04) statistically significantly (Mann-Whitney U-test, p < 0.05) the B-spline active rays segmentation method (0.69 ± 0.04), suggesting the significance of the proposed semiautomated method. Results indicate a reliable semiautomated segmentation method for MC clusters offered by deformable models, which could be utilized in MC cluster quantitative image analysis.


Characterization of supramolecular polymers.
Supramolecular polymers are made of monomers that are held together by noncovalent interactions. This is the reason for the wide range of novel properties, such as reversibility and responses to stimuli, exhibited by supramolecular polymers. A range of supramolecular polymerization methods have been developed leading to a number of novel supramolecular materials. However, standard techniques for the characterization of supramolecular polymers have yet to be established. The dynamic nature of supramolecular polymers makes them difficult to be fully characterized using conventional polymer techniques. This tutorial review summarizes various methods for characterizing supramolecular polymers, including theoretical estimation, size exclusion chromatography, viscometry, light scattering, vapor pressure osmometry, mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy, electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy-based single molecule force spectroscopy. Each of these methods has its own particular advantages and disadvantages. Most of the methods are used to characterize the supramolecular polymer chain itself. However, some of the methods can be used to study the self-assembled state formed by supramolecular polymers. The characterization of a supramolecular polymer cannot be realized with a single method; a convincing conclusion relies on the combination of several different techniques.


The evolving treatment paradigm of multiple myeloma: From past to present and future.
Multiple myeloma has been recognized since at least the middle of the 19 th century. The list of therapies used in the treat¬ment of myeloma is long but only recently has therapeutic success approached a level commensurate with disease con¬trol, although cure remains elusive. The complexity of the disease, invidual variations and very active ongoing clinical research warrants continous updating of current information. This review not only summarizes the level of success that has been achieved during the past years but also points to the drawbacks in the current treatment strategies giving emphasize to the potential solutions in the future.


Postinfarction Ventricular Septal Ruptures During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Two Case Series.
This case series highlights the occurrence of hemodynamically significant ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in two patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to emphasize the delayed presentation of cardiac emergencies, such as STEMI, due to concerns about contracting COVID-19. This delay has led to an increased risk of rare complications, including VSD, associated with STEMI. The first case involves a 92-year-old male with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and coronary artery disease. He presented with acute chest pain, and diagnostic tests revealed ST elevations and a VSD. Despite intervention efforts, including hemodynamic support, the patient's condition deteriorated, and he passed away due to advanced age and high surgical risk. The second case involves a 62-year-old female with a medical history of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. She presented with left-sided chest pain, and an angiogram revealed a mid-right coronary artery stenosis and a thrombus. During the procedure, the patient experienced hypotension, requiring hemodynamic support. Subsequent evaluations identified a large VSD with right ventricular dysfunction. The patient underwent a series of interventions, including a ventricular assist device and VSD closure, but experienced multi-organ failure and ultimately passed away. VSDs following acute myocardial infarction (MI) are rare but life-threatening complications. Early revascularization is crucial in preventing the development of VSDs. These cases demonstrate the importance of prompt diagnosis and intervention, as delayed presentation increases the risk of mechanical complications. Surgical closure remains the definitive treatment for postinfarction VSDs.


Scanning electrochemical microscopy studies of glutathione-modified surfaces. An erasable and sensitive-to-reactive oxygen species surface.
A surface sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS) was prepared by reduction of a diazonium salt on glassy carbon electrode followed by the chemical coupling of glutathione (GSH) playing the role of an antioxidant species. The presence of active GSH was characterized through spectroscopic studies and electrochemical analysis after labeling of the -SH group with ferrocene moieties. The specific reactivity of GSH vs ROS was evaluated with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) using the reduction of O(2) to superoxide, O(2)(•-), near the GSH-modified surface. Approach curves show a considerable decrease of the blocking properties of the layer due to reaction of the immobilized GSH with O(2)(•-) and the passage of GSH to the glutathione disulfide (GSSG). The initial surface could be regenerated several times with no significant variations of its antioxidant capacity by simply using the biological system glutathione reductase (GR)/NADPH that reduces GSSG back to GSH. SECM imaging shows also the possibility of writing local and erasable micropatterns on the GSH surface by production of O(2)(•-) at the tip probe electrode.


Test-retest reliability and differential patterns of score change on the group embedded figures test.
Retest reliability of the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) was examined under three different intervals between test and retest, all with an interpolated cognitive task. Despite a significant increase in the group mean score from test to retest in all three experiments, retest reliability coefficients were high, .78-.92. There was also a suggestion that reliability increased with duration of delay. Examination of individual patterns of test-retest score change revealed four patterns: consistent field dependent (FD), consistent field independent (FI), unclassifiable (UNCL), and latent field independent (FIL), whose retest scores took them from the FD range to the FI range. The latter two patterns accounted for the significant retest improvement. Relative frequencies of subjects in each pattern were relatively constant over the three experiments. Subjects in the pattern categories also differed with respect to score on number series completion tests, suggesting that the four patterns reflect more general individual differences in analytic ability. It was concluded that the GEFT is a reliable test, but suggestions for a more error-free classification procedure based on a test-retest score pattern is proposed. Implications of the findings for intervention studies of cognitive style are also noted.


Lysosomes and autophagy in cell death control.
Lysosomal hydrolases participate in the digestion of endocytosed and autophagocytosed material inside the lysosomal/autolysosomal compartment in acute cell death when released into the cytosol and in cancer progression following their release into the extracellular space. Lysosomal alterations are common in cancer cells. The increased expression and altered trafficking of lysosomal enzymes participates in tissue invasion, angiogenesis and sensitization to the lysosomal death pathway. But lysosomal heat-shock protein 70 locally prevents lysosomal-membrane permeabilization. Similarly, alterations in the autophagic compartment are linked to carcinogenesis and resistance to chemotherapy. Targeting these pathways might constitute a novel approach to cancer therapy.


Characteristics and risk factors of trauma patients readmitted to the ICU within the same hospitalization.
There is little evidence about the characteristics and outcomes of unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) readmission for adult trauma patients. This retrospective study examined the characteristics, risks factors, and outcomes for trauma patients with and without ICU readmission. With 5 years of data, 1117 patients met inclusion criteria for the study. Patient characteristics for readmission included increased age and diabetes, while identified risk factors included increased time between injury and ICU admission, admission from surgery or outside hospital, higher Injury Severity Score, along with glucose, albumin, and lower Glasgow Coma Scale values on the day of ICU discharge.


Nonlinear approaches for separation of slow and fast phase nystagmus signals.
Central nervous system (CNS) disorders and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) degradation contribute to the loss of orientation and balance, typically causing the illusion of motion. VOR degradation may be caused by illnesses or common prescription medications, and this degradation may have serious repercussions in affecting one's ability to walk, maintain balance, or track moving objects. The two current VOR analysis techniques are applied to nystagmus signals (recordings of eye position during standardized tests) to isolate the two neuronal pathways used. These techniques are only partially successful because the VOR signal is passed through several filtering layers, to isolate the nystagmus signal, leaving it severely altered. In this paper, several alternate approaches are introduced: nonlinear robust ordering procedures, mathematical morphology, and wavelet filtering techniques are demonstrated. All approaches were as successful as the current techniques in isolating data from one neuronal pathway. Techniques for each of the three were also developed which would identify data from the second neuronal pathway as well. The nonlinear approach, which works using raw position data, bypasses layers of filtering. A robust technique is used to identify the points at which the data changes from that due to one neuronal pathway to the other, and the end result is obtained by concatenating the respective segments. The other two approaches work with velocity data obtained by differentiation, and because they are applied to non-original data, their results may be open to the possibility of error. Additionally, the two most recent approaches in the literature (using order statistic filters and fuzzy logic) have been implemented for a comparison of results.


Multidimensional preparative liquid chromatography to isolate flavonoids from bergamot juice and evaluation of their anti-inflammatory potential.
Important objectives of a high-performance liquid chromatography preparative process are: purity of products isolated, yield, and throughput. The multidimensional preparative liquid chromatography method used in this work was developed mainly to increase the throughput; moreover purity and yield are increased thanks to the automated collection of the molecules based on the intensity of a signal generated from the mass spectrometer detector, in this way only a specific product can be targeted. This preparative system allowed, in few analyses both in the first and second dimensions, the isolation of eight pure compounds present at very different concentration in the original sample with high purity (>95%) and yield, which showed how the system is efficient and versatile. Pure molecules were used to validate the analytical method and to test the anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative potential of flavonoids. The contemporary presence, in bergamot juice, of all the flavonoids together increases the anti-inflammatory effect with respect to the single compound alone.


Evaluation of effectiveness of concentrated growth factor on osseointegration.
Growth factor-containing products have been reported to increase implant stability and accelerate osseointegration. Concentrated growth factor (CGF) can be used for this purpose with the growth factors it contains. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of CGF on implant stability and osseointegration. Twelve patients with maxillary anterior toothless were included in the study. Implant cavities prepared in the study group were covered with CGF membrane before implant placement, but conventional implant placement was performed in the control group. Resonance frequency measurements were performed with the Osstell device intra-operatively, post-operatively, at the 1st week, and at the 4th week. The mean ISQ values were found to be 79.40 ± 2.604 for the study group and 73.50 ± 5.226 for the control group at 1st week, 78.60 ± 3.136 for the study group and 73.45 ± 5.680 for the control group at 4th week. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). It was observed that the concentrated growth factor had positive effects on implant stabilization. The ISQ measurements at week 1 and week 4 were notably higher in the study group. Application of this material seems to accelerate osseointegration.


Novel form of rhizomelic skeletal dysplasia associated with a homozygous variant in GNPNAT1.
Studies exploring molecular mechanisms underlying congenital skeletal disorders have revealed novel regulators of skeletal homeostasis and shown protein glycosylation to play an important role. To identify the genetic cause of rhizomelic skeletal dysplasia in a consanguineous Pakistani family. Clinical investigations were carried out for four affected individuals in the recruited family. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was completed using DNA from two affected and two unaffected individuals from the family. Sequencing data were processed, filtered and analysed. In silico analyses were performed to predict the effects of the candidate variant on the protein structure and function. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were used to study the effect of Gnpnat1 gene knockdown in primary rat chondrocytes. The patients presented with short stature due to extreme shortening of the proximal segments of the limbs. Radiographs of one individual showed hip dysplasia and severe platyspondyly. WGS data analyses identified a homozygous missense variant c.226G>A; p.(Glu76Lys) in GNPNAT1, segregating with the disease. Glucosamine 6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase, encoded by the highly conserved gene GNPNAT1, is one of the enzymes required for synthesis of uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine, which participates in protein glycosylation. Knockdown of Gnpnat1 by siRNAs decreased cellular proliferation and expression of chondrocyte differentiation markers collagen type 2 and alkaline phosphatase, indicating that Gnpnat1 is important for growth plate chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation. This study describes a novel severe skeletal dysplasia associated with a biallelic, variant in GNPNAT1. Our data suggest that GNPNAT1 is important for growth plate chondrogenesis.


Some factors that influence prolonged interfacial continuity.
Bringing a percutaneous implant through the integument with the intentions of leaving it as a functional device for prolonged periods of time has not yet become a reality. If we are ever to achieve prolonged uninfected implants, attention must be directed toward a variety of failure mechanisms. Some of these mechanisms have defied our scrutiny, and our awareness of others are poorly understood. Some of the causes for failure of a percutaneous implant are the forces, either extrinsic or intrinsic, that cause shearing and tearing at the skin-implant interface. Extrinsic forces are defined as those forces applied either to the skin or the implant by the external environment. Intrinsic forces are those that have to do directly or indirectly with the body's growth and cell maturation, such as the retraction of maturing scar tissue and the surface migration of squamous epithelium. An intact skin-implant interface is important to attain in order to close the portal which might allow microbial invasion. The integument must remain intact, since a suppurative wound makes the implant's removal mandatory.


Comparing rice production systems in China: Economic output and carbon footprint.
In recent years, many rotational and integrated rice production systems coupled with several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation practices have been developed and adopted for demand of low carbon production. However, there have been only few studies about comparisons on the balance between high production and mitigation of GHG emissions in different rice production systems. We therefore aimed to evaluate economic output and carbon footprint of different rice production systems, based on several long-term experiments conducted by our lab. CH4 and N2O emission were measured by the same static chamber/gas chromatogram measurement procedure in different rice production systems, including rice-fallow, rice-rapeseed, rice-wheat, double rice, and integrated rice-crayfish production system. Then, we applied the DeNitrification DeComposition model to simulate CH4 and N2O emission over different years under the same condition for comparison. Carbon footprint was calculated following the process-based life cycle assessment (PLCA) methodology. The economic benefit of rice production systems was assessed by cost-benefit analysis. According to the analysis, the double-rice production system exhibited the highest intensity of carbon footprint (ICF = 4.14 kg CO2-eq yuan-1), rain-fed treatment in the rice-rapeseed system had the lowest (ICF = 0.68 kg CO2-eq yuan-1). The intensity of carbon footprint in different treatments in the integrated rice-crayfish production system was around 0.8 kg CO2-eq yuan-1. Overall, the results of this case study suggest: (1) the proposed practices in different rice production systems are no straw returning (rice-fallow), no-tillage without straw returning (rice-wheat), rain-fed farming (rice-rapeseed), no insect and no inoculation (double rice), and feeding with straw returning (rice-crayfish); (2) rotational and integrated systems can achieve high net output with low carbon emission; (3) reducing the amount of nitrogenous fertilizer application is the most important and effective GHG mitigation practice for rotational systems.


Non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease: progress and advances in the development of novel candidate and repurposed drugs.
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are opportunistic pathogens that can infect all body tissues and organs. In particular, the lungs are the most commonly involved organ, with NTM pulmonary diseases causing serious health issues in patients with underlying lung disease. Moreover, NTM infections have been steadily increasing worldwide in recent years. NTM are also naturally resistant to many antibiotics, specifically anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs. The lack of drugs targeting NTM infections and the increasing drug resistance of NTM have further made treating these mycobacterial diseases extremely difficult. The currently recommended NTM treatments rely on the extended indications of existing drugs, which underlines the difficulties of new antibiotic discovery against NTM. Another challenge is determining which drug combinations are most effective against NTM infection. To a certain extent, anti-NTM drug development depends on using already available antibiotics and compounds. Here, we aimed to review new antibiotics or compounds with good antibacterial activity against NTM, focusing on their mechanisms of action, in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities.


An Assessment of National EMT Certification Among Enlisted Military Medics.
Navy Hospital Corpsmen (HMs) are the Navy equivalent to Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) both in-garrison and on the battlefield. In 2000, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Education Agenda for the Future highlighted the need for a single certification agency to provide consistent evaluation of entry level competence for each nationally recognized EMS provider level. Administered by the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT), National EMT Certification is currently utilized by 46 states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and six federal organizations as part of their processes for granting licensure. Unlike the Air Force (USAF) and Army (USA), the Navy (USN) does not require National EMT Certification to perform the duties equivalent to a civilian EMT. Our objective is to describe the number of USN HMs, USAF medics, and USA combat medics who have obtained National EMT Certification from 2007 through 2014. Results from all USN HMs, USAF medics, and USA combat medics who tested between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2014 were queried from the NREMT database. Descriptive statistics were calculated based on a retrospective review of prospectively collected testing data. During the study period, 89,136 Military Service Members received their EMT certification from the NREMT. The breakdown of the total and percent of total is; USA Combat Medics (n = 69,761; 78.3%), USAF Medics (n = 16,195; 18.1%), and USN HMs (n = 3,180; 3.6%). Approximately 4,000 HMs graduate yearly from the Department of Defense Medical Education and Training Campus at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and 253 HMs obtained certification in 2014. About 6.3% (253/4,000) HMs obtained National EMT Certification in 2014, which is a nationally recognized standard for entry-level competence utilized by civilian EMTs and other branches of the military. More information about those HMs that obtain certification may help Commanders maximize the number of HMs obtaining certification. Mandating National EMT Certification for HMs graduating from initial entry training would increase the numbers obtaining certification and bring them in line with USA, USAF, and national movement toward requiring certification for medical providers at all levels.


Improvement of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for equine herpesvirus type 4 by using a synthetic-peptide 24-mer repeat sequence of glycoprotein G as an antigen.
To increase the sensitivity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) that uses a 12-mer peptide of glycoprotein G (gG4-12-mer: MKNNPIYSEGSL) [4], we used a longer peptide consisting of a 24-mer repeat sequence (gG4-24-mer: MKNNPIYSEGSLMLNVQHDDSIHT) as an antigen. Sera of horses experimentally infected with EHV-4 reacted much more strongly to the gG4-24-mer peptide than to the gG4-12-mer peptide. We used peptide ELISAs to test paired sera from horses naturally infected with EHV-4 (n=40). gG4-24-mer ELISA detected 37 positive samples (92.5%), whereas gG4-12-mer ELISA detected only 28 (70.0%). gG4-24-mer ELISA was much more sensitive than gG4-12-mer ELISA.


Simple elbow dislocation.
The elbow is the second most commonly dislocated major joint in adults. Good long-term outcomes have been reported after non-operative management; however, a small proportion (<10%) of patients have a poor outcome and some do require surgical intervention. A review of the anatomy, pathoanatomy, management and outcomes of simple elbow dislocations is presented. Emphasis is placed on emerging concepts regarding the soft tissue injury, the stabilising structures that are injured, the sequence and mechanism of injury and the relationship to elbow stability. The benefits of nonsurgical and surgical management are discussed and a treatment algorithm based on the pathoanatomy is proposed.


[The influence of the dose, time since ingestion and concentration of the xenobiotic on the clinical state and severity of liver damage with patients intoxicated with paracetamol].
The aim of this study was to determine relations between the clinical state and the severity of liver damage comparing to the amount of ingested paracetamol, time since ingestion and serum concentration of paracetamol with patients after acute intoxication with this drug. A retrospective analysis of medical records of 95 patients hospitalized in the Toxicology Department in Kraków or treated in the Toxicological Admission Room in 2002-2004 years because of acute paracetamol intoxication was performed. The general clinical state connected with intoxication and the severity of liver damage were determined using the Poisoning Severity Score (PSS). The level of consciousness was determined with the Glasgow Coma Scale and Matthew's scale. The serum concentration of paracetamol during admission to the hospital, levels of biochemical markers of liver damage (AST, ALT), bilirubin and INR index were also performed. We found a statistically significant positive correlation between the ingested dose of paracetamol comparing to the gravity of poisoning, the severity of liver damage, levels of aminotransferases and bilirubin. A positive correlation between time since ingestion of paracetamol to hospitalization and the gravity of poisoning according to PSS scale was also statistically significant. A paracetamol concentration measured during admission to the hospital had no influence on neither the clinical state of patient nor the severity of liver damage. We conclude that the therapeutical approach should consider possibly shortening of the time since drug ingestion to hospitalization and institution of specific treatment (N-acetylcysteine) as well as minimalization of the paracetamol dose, which could be absorbed, by different methods of elimination from the GI tract (eg., gastric lavage, activated charcoal laxatives).


Enhancement of whole cell synaptic currents by low osmolarity and by low [NaCl] in rat hippocampal slices.
We recorded whole cell currents of patch-clamped neurons in stratum pyramidale of CA1 region of rat hippocampal tissue slices. Synaptic currents were evoked by orthodromic stimulation while holding potential of the neuron was varied from hyperpolarized to depolarized levels. Extracellular osmolarity (pi(o)) was lowered by superfusion with artificial cerebrospinal fluid in which NaCl concentration ([NaCl]) was reduced. The effect of low extracellular NaCl was tested in additional trials in which NaCl was substituted by isosmolar fructose. Both lowering of pi(o) and isosmotic lowering of extracellular [NaCl] ([NaCl]o) caused reversible increase of excitatory postsynaptic currents. The effect of lowering pi(o) was concentration dependent, and it was significantly stronger than the effect of equivalent isosmotic lowering of [NaCl]o. Inhibitory postsynaptic currents also increased in many but not in all cases. Lowering of pi(o) caused a prolongation of the time constant of relaxation of the capacitive charging current induced by small hyperpolarizing voltage steps. A virtual input capacitance, calculated by dividing this time constant by the input resistance, increased during hypotonic exposure. Isosmotic lowering of [NaCl]o had no effect on time constant or input capacitance. Depolarizing voltage commands evoked spikelike inward currents presumably representing Na+-dependent action potentials generated outside the voltage-clamped region of the cell. These current spikes became smaller in low pi(o) and in low [NaCl]o. Broader, voltage-dependent, presumably Ca2+-mediated inward currents became more prominent during hypotonic exposure. We conclude that lowering of [NaCl]o causes enhancement of excitatory synaptic transmission. Transmission may be facilitated by the uptake of Ca2+ into presynaptic terminals as well as into postsynaptic target neurons, induced by the low [NaCl]o. Lowering of pi(o) enhances synaptic transmission more than does a corresponding isosmotic lowering of [NaCl]. The excess increase recorded from the cell soma in low pi(o) may in part be due to changing electrotonic length caused by the swelling of dendrites.


A protocol for linking participants' retailer 'loyalty card' records into the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).
Longitudinal population studies (LPS) have a long history of providing insights into how individual consumption patterns and other lifestyle choices affect health and socio-economic outcomes. LPS typically operate as research databanks, integrating rich and deep phenotypic data - covering diverse aspects of individual, family and household status - with genomic data and linked records on health and socio-economic outcomes. However, individual consumption and behavioural choices are traditionally studied solely using self-report methods which are prone to known biases. We propose to enrich LPS databanks with a new form of digital footprint data - individual shopping history records. These are collected by supermarkets through "loyalty" card schemes and can provide a new perspective on real world behaviours and history of consumption. However, as a novel class of data in the context of longitudinal research, our ability to assess the quality and completeness of the data is unknown, as is our ability to effectively triangulate between self-reported and linked data. This paper describes a protocol for linking individual level shopping history data into a LPS using Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) as a testbed. The protocol covers the process of establishing participant fair processing, an ethical and legal basis for the linkage framework itself, and how these data will be integrated into the ALSPAC databank. It does not cover the subsequent research use of these data. The protocol was built on an extensive participant engagement and acceptability work and has been approved by the ALSPAC Law and Ethics committee.


A comprehensive study of piezomagnetic response in CrPS4 monolayer: mechanical, electronic properties and magnetic ordering under strains.
We performed first-principles calculations to investigate the magnetic, mechanical and electronic properties of the tetrachalcogenide CrPS4. Although bulk CrPS4 has been shown to exhibit a low-dimensional antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state where ferromagnetic (FM) Cr-chains are coupled antiferromagnetically, our calculations indicated that the monolayer can be transformed to an FM material by applying a uniaxial tensile strain of ⩾4% along the FM Cr-chain direction. The AFM-to-FM transition is explained to be driven by an increase of the exchange interaction induced by a decrease in the distance between the FM Cr-chains. A huge nonlinear piezomagnetism was predicted at the strain-induced magnetic phase boundary. Our study provides insight about rational design of single-layer magnetic materials for a wide range of spintronic devices and energy applications.


Stomach content and stable isotope analyses provide complementary insights into the trophic ecology of coastal temperate bentho-demersal assemblages under environmental and anthropogenic pressures.
Assessing organic matter fluxes and species interactions in food webs is of main interest to understand the ecological functioning in bays and estuaries characterised by a wide diversity of primary producers and consumers. Demersal fish and cephalopod assemblages were studied across a network of 24 shallow subtidal stations in the bay of Saint-Brieuc for their diversity, stable isotope compositions and stomach contents. The community was composed of 21 taxa, eight species accounting for 94.4% of the total abundance. Three different assemblages were identified along bathymetric gradient and spatial patterns in fish dredging. Marine POM and SOM were the most likely bases of food webs regarding δ13C range displayed by fish and cephalopod without differences among assemblages. Amphipoda was the main prey item in stomachs leading to significant diet overlaps among fish species, with some variations in additional items. Sepia officinalis was characterised by a singular diet and very low dietary overlap with other species. Contrasted stable isotope values and niche overlaps among species were evidenced in the δ13C/δ15N space. Callionymus lyra and Buglossidium luteum, characterised by the widest isotopic niches, encompassed those of other species, except the singular 13C-depleted Spondyliosoma cantharus. Coupling taxonomic assemblages, stomach contents and stable isotope analyses help disentangling the resources uses and evidencing trophic pathways. Contrasts in fish and cephalopod demersal assemblages occurring at different depths not necessarily imply differences in the trophic resources uses in such complex shallow coastal ecosystems under anthropogenic influences.


Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Homopropargylallene-Alkynes through C(sp3 )-C(sp) Bond Activation.
Upon exposure to a catalytic amount of [RhCl(CO)2 ]2 in 1,4-dioxane, homopropargylallene-alkynes underwent a novel cycloisomerization accompanied by the migration of the alkyne moiety of the homopropargyl functional group to produce six/five/five tricyclic compounds in good yields. A plausible mechanism was proposed on the basis of an experiment with 13 C-labeled substrate. The resulting tricyclic derivatives were further converted into the corresponding bicyclo[3.3.0] skeletons with vicinal cis dihydroxy groups.


Virus-specific factors in experimental Argentine hemorrhagic fever in rhesus macaques.
A nonhuman primate model for Argentine hemorrhagic fever has been developed that closely mimics the human clinical syndrome. Parenteral infection of adult Macaca mulatta with low-passage isolates of two Junin viral strains resulted in distinctive hemorrhagic or neurological disease in rhesus macaques that correlated with clinical illness patterns present in the humans from whom the viral strains were obtained. Transient leukopenia, together with thrombocytopenia and secondary bacterial septicemia, were documented among animals infected with both viral strains. In contrast, differing patterns of viremia, oropharyngeal viral shedding, and antibody response occurred in the two virus-infected groups. These results, together with postmortem virologic and histopathologic findings, suggest that viral-strain-specific factors are important determinants of clinical disease patterns in this model system.


Image Recognition by Predicted User Click Feature With Multidomain Multitask Transfer Deep Network.
The click feature of an image, defined as a user click count vector based on click data, has been demonstrated to be effective for reducing the semantic gap for image recognition. Unfortunately, most of the traditional image recognition datasets do not contain click data. To address this problem, researchers have begun to develop a click prediction model using assistant datasets containing click information and have adapted this predictor to a common click-free dataset for different tasks. This method can be customized to our problem, but it has two main limitations: 1) the predicted click feature often performs badly in the recognition task since the prediction model is constructed independently of the subsequent recognition problem and 2) transferring the predictor from one dataset to another is challenging due to the large cross-domain diversity. In this paper, we devise a multitask and multidomain deep network with varied modals (MTMDD-VM) to formulate image recognition and click prediction tasks in a unified framework. Datasets with and without click information are integrated in the training. Furthermore, a nonlinear word embedding with a position-sensitive loss function is designed to discover the visual click correlation. We evaluate the proposed method on three public dog breed image datasets, and we utilize the Clickture-Dog dataset as the auxiliary dataset that provides click data. The experimental results show that: 1) the nonlinear word embedding and position-sensitive loss function largely enhance the predicted click feature in the recognition task, realizing a 32% improvement in accuracy; 2) the multitask learning framework improves accuracies in both image recognition and click prediction; and 3) the unified training using the combined dataset with and without click data further improves the performance. Compared with the state-of-the-art methods, the proposed approach not only performs much better in accuracy but also achieves good scalability and one-shot learning ability.


Determination of denitrifying sludge settleability using contact angle measurements.
The adaptation of the technique for measuring the contact angle (CA) in order to follow the changes of sludge settleability of a denitrifying sludge surface is described. Denitrifying sludge was continuously fed into an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor with acetate and nitrate. The loss of settleability in the sludge was induced by decreasing the hydraulic residence time (HRT) from 1 d to 0.125 d. CA was measured with air and nitrogen bubbles. A comparison between sludge volume index (SVI) and the CA and their correlation with sludge settleability was carried out. Results showed that CA method had a high correlation with sludge settleability. Moreover the CA method showed to be simpler and less time consuming than the SVI method.


[Biological treatments of schizophrenia].
Biological treatments of schizophrenia primarily consist of neuroleptics. These drugs can be prescribed in a relatively standardized manner (chlorpromazine equivalent), but neuroleptics will be less than effective on the type of schizophrenia with negative symptoms. Treatment can also be performed by utilizing the bipolarity of some drugs, and it is only with these drugs that resistant schizophrenia can be mobilized. Consideration is also given to other biological treatments and new prospects in chemotherapy.


Urinary Tract Infections among Indonesian Pregnant Women and Its Susceptibility Pattern.
Pregnant women are usually at risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) such as asymptomatic bacteriuria. In the current multidrug-resistance era, appropriate diagnosis and treatment should be provided to avoid complications in pregnant women in developing countries, which have limited facilities, such as Indonesia. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro susceptibility tests. Urinary isolates were collected from 715 pregnant women who visited eight Community Health Centers in Jakarta, Indonesia, between 2015 and 2017. We identified bacterial uropathogens from samples that were positive for nitrite/leukocyte esterase (LE), using two types of VITEK cards. Since noncompliance among patients is a major problem, fosfomycin-trometamol 3 g single-dose sachets were given to the patients, and the side effects of the medication and neonatal outcomes were reported. Asymptomatic bacteriuria was found in 10.5% of the 715 pregnant women. Escherichia coli was the most common etiological factor (26.7%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (20%), Streptococcus agalactiae (9.3%), Enterobacter cloacae (5.3%), Enterococcus faecalis (5.3%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (4%), Acinetobacter baumannii (4%), and others. Out of 76 pregnant women who took fosfomycin-trometamol, two complained of diarrhea that subsided without medication and fever that responded to paracetamol. Neonatal outcomes showed 100% full-term and normal-weight babies. E. coli, including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing E. coli, was 100% susceptible to fosfomycin. Nitrite/LE test results are often used as evidence for empiric antibiotic administration for treating asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy, but the diagnosis should be confirmed using culture tests. Based on in vitro susceptibility patterns and medication outcomes, fosfomycin-trometamol single dose could be administered to noncompliant UTI patients, including pregnant women.


High-Efficiency and Stable Zn-Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 Aqueous Battery Enabled by Electrolyte-Induced Interphasial Engineering.
Aqueous zinc batteries have been regarded as a promising energy storage technology due to their high energy, high material abundance, low toxicity, and intrinsic safety. NASICON-type materials have been proposed as efficient cathodes for rechargeable batteries, yet they suffer from fast degradation and low Coulombic efficiency in aqueous batteries. Here we demonstrate that a rationally designed aqueous electrolyte containing a supporting Na salt and polymer additive can efficiently suppress the water activity through hydrogen bonding and facilitate the anion involvement in interfacial reactions, thus enabling the stable operation of sodium superionic conductor (NASICON) cathodes in aqueous zinc batteries. As exemplified by a Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 cathode, the cell with zinc metal anode exhibits high cycling Coulombic efficiencies (around 99.9 % in average) with a steady output voltage and capacity retention for 300 cycles. This work addresses the potential issues with NASICON-type cathodes in aqueous zinc batteries and proposes an effective solution via fundamental interphasial chemistry to design efficient and sustainable aqueous electrolytes.


[Analysis of anesthetic methods for tracheal resection and reconstruction with artificial trachea: a report of 25 cases].
To analyze and discuss the anesthetic methods and processes for the operations including long-segment resection of the trachea and one-stage anastomosis or reconstruction with artificial trachea. The clinical data of 25 cases from January 1987 to August 2007 with trachea diseases were analyzed retrospectively. There were 10 cases with benign diseases and 15 cases with malignant diseases. All cases represented tracheal stenosis. Some cases represented severe dyspnea. The length of the tracheal lesions was from 2.5 to 7.5 cm. The longest resection of the trachea was 8.0 cm. Direct reanastomosis were carried out in 14 cases. Reconstruction with artificial trachea were carried out in 7 cases. Thirteen cases underwent general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation only, while 2 cases were assisted with artificial cardiopulmonary bypass. Eight cases were intubated via existed tracheotomy. Two cases received bedside tracheotomy with local anesthesia. Two cases were assisted with high frequency jet ventilation. During the operation, a tube was inserted into the distal trachea or contralateral main bronchus to maintain anesthesia and ventilation after the trachea resection. All of the 25 patients had good outcome. There was no death caused by anesthesia or operation. However, transient lower SaO2 was found in 2 cases because of the difficult intubation of left main bronchus after the resection of the trachea. One case was ventilated with only lower lobe because of the extra-deep intubation of the left main bronchus. Anastomosis dehiscence happened in 1 case when the non-balloon trachea tube was used immediately after the operation. The mortality of anesthesia for tracheal operation are quite high. Therefore, individual treatment with carefully-designed anesthetic and operative protocol, and good communications and cooperation between anesthesiologists and surgeons is the key factor for the success of anesthesia and operation.


Monoamines: biochemical markers of suicide?
The purpose of this article is to give the clinician not proficient in biochemistry an understanding of the biochemical research data on neurotransmitters and suicide. This literature review reports the current findings on serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE) as possible biochemical markers of depression and suicide. In conjunction with known environmental and behavioral indicators of suicide, neurotransmitter balance could be a factor in determining the severity of depression and the possible suicidal ideation in patients. Numerous studies have been performed on the monoamines: Serotonin, Dopamine and Norepinephrine, neurotransmitters that innervate parts of the spinal cord and all areas of the brain. Studies appear to suggest a relationship among monoamine levels, depression, and suicide. Significantly low levels of serotonin and the neurotransmitter metabolite (5-HIAA) may be correlated with suicidal behavior.


Reliability of Endoscopic Ultrasound Using Miniprobes and Grayscale Histogram Analysis in Diagnosing Upper Gastrointestinal Subepithelial Lesions.
To assess the role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal subepithelial lesions (SELs) and to investigate EUS combined with a grayscale histogram analysis for the differentiation of leiomyomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). A retrospective study of 709 patients with upper gastrointestinal SELs was conducted by EUS before endoscopic resection. The EUS findings of SELs and pathological results after endoscopic resection were compared. The EUS images of SELs, particularly, leiomyoma and GIST, were further analyzed via a grayscale histogram to differentiate between the two tumors. Of the 709 patients, 47 cases were pathologically undetermined. The diagnostic consistency of EUS with endoscopic resection was 88.2% (584/662), including 185 muscularis mucosa, 61 submucosa, and 338 muscularis propria, respectively. The diagnostic consistency of EUS with pathology was 80.1% (530/662). The gray value of GISTs was significantly higher than that of leiomyomas (58.9 ± 8.3 vs. 39.5 ± 5.9, t = 57.0, P < 0.0001). The standard deviation of leiomyomas was significantly lower than that of GISTs (20.6 ± 7.0 vs. 39.8 ± 9.3, t = 23.7, P < 0.0001). The grayscale histogram analysis of GISTs showed higher echo ultrasound, and the echo of leiomyoma was more uniform. EUS is the preferred procedure for the evaluation of upper gastrointestinal SELs. EUS combined with a grayscale histogram analysis is an effective method for the differentiation of leiomyomas and GISTs.


Open infarct artery, late potentials, and other prognostic factors in patients after acute myocardial infarction in the thrombolytic era. A prospective trial.
Successful reperfusion of the infarct-related artery in patients with acute myocardial infarction has been shown to reduce in-hospital as well as 1-year mortality. Besides the thrombolysis-induced myocardial salvage, there is increasing evidence that an open infarct-related artery results in increased electrical stability of the heart and that this effect is at least in part responsible for the favorable long-term outcome of these patients. The exact incidence of arrhythmic events during the first year after myocardial infarction and the predictive value of different risk factors for these complications, however, have not been determined in patients in the thrombolytic era. A total of 173 patients with acute myocardial infarction, 51% treated with thrombolysis, were prospectively entered into the study. At the time of hospital discharge, signal-averaged ECG, Holter monitoring, radionuclide angiography, coronary angiography, and levocardiography were performed in all patients. An open infarct-related artery was documented in 136 patients. The overall incidence of late potentials was 24% (41 patients). By multivariate analysis, an occluded infarct-related artery (P = .04) and the presence of regional wall motion abnormalities (P = .02) were the strongest independent predictors for the development of a late potential. Residual ischemia was treated by either percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or surgery in 86 of 173 patients (50%). Seventy percent of the patients received beta-blocker therapy. During a mean follow-up of 12 +/- 5 months, 7 patients died suddenly or had ventricular fibrillation documented, while only 2 developed sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. Overall 1-year mortality was 4.1%. Multivariate analysis revealed only an occluded infarct-related artery as an independent predictor of arrhythmic complications (P = .017). In patients with acute myocardial infarction treated according to contemporary therapeutic guidelines, with a large proportion of individuals undergoing coronary artery revascularization, a low incidence of arrhythmic events, particularly of ventricular tachycardia, was observed in the first year after the index infarction. The presence or absence of an open infarct-related artery was the strongest independent predictor of these events, whereas other traditional risk factors, such as late potentials, were less helpful in identifying patients prone to sudden death. These findings emphasize the importance of the open artery hypothesis in patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction.


Systematic review on "vitamin E and prevention of colorectal cancer".
Colorectal cancers (CRC) are highly prevalent cancer all over the world and need appropriate and timely prevention and treatment. Since years it has been argued that antioxidant vitamins have a potential role in the prevention of several neoplasm including colorectal cancer though the answer remained controversial. Most of the observational studies in past have shown that Vitamin E has some protective effect in the primary prevention of colorectal cancer, however its exact role is not yet established. On the other hand recently conducted experimental studies have shown variable results regarding the role of vitamin E in preventing colorectal cancers. Thus this review was conducted to study the role of vitamin E in preventing colorectal neoplasm. This review study was conducted from September 2008 to February 2009. We searched multiple electronic sources including (PUBMED) MEDLINE, Cochrane Database for identifying existing Systematic Reviews, OVID data base and other library sources to identify relevant studies for this review. Data was collected using data extraction form. Meta analysis was performed in Review Manager version 4.3. We identified four trials on vitamin E role for primary prevention of CRC, includes 94069 participants (47029 in vitamin E Vs 47040 in placebo), aged 40 years or above, who were randomized to vitamin E supplement versus placebo. The outcome measure in our review was incidence of colorectal cancer in the follow up period of 7 to 10 years. We found no sufficient evidence of vitamin E role for decreasing risk of CRC incidence (RR: 0.89, CI: 0.76, 1.05; p-value = 0.18). It has been identified in the review that Vitamin E does not have protective role in the prevention of colorectal cancer. Further studies on diverse population are required to determine the role vitamin E for the primary prevention of colorectal cancer.


Interleukin-8 production in red blood cell incompatibility.
Hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR) are characterized by fever, shock, organ system failure, intravascular coagulation, and possibly death. The same findings may be associated with sepsis. Neutrophils have been implicated in the pathogenesis of HTR, although a mechanism for neutrophil activation has not been shown. In addition, the possible role that cytokines may play in HTR has not been investigated. We show that interleukin-8 (IL-8), a cytokine with chemotactic and neutrophil-activation properties, is produced in whole blood following addition of ABO-incompatible red blood cells, in a dose- and time-dependent manner related to the degree of hemolysis, and is inhibited by inactivation of complement. IL-8 production is accompanied by increased gene expression in the buffy coat. This observation has implications for the understanding of the pathogenesis of and for the treatment of HTR.