Low-protein diet impairs vascular relaxation in virgin and pregnant rats.
Pregnancy is associated with increases in maternal cardiac output and plasma volume and a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance. Cardiac output and plasma volume are substantially reduced in pregnant rats fed a low-protein diet, but it is not known whether vascular function is also compromised. We have investigated vascular function in virgin and pregnant Wistar rats subjected to dietary protein restriction [9% (w/v) casein, compared with 18% (w/v) casein for controls]. The diets were fed to the groups for 18 days; in the pregnant rats, the diets were given from day 1 of pregnancy. Branches of the mesenteric arteries were studied on day 18 of the dietary period using myography. Significant reductions in sensitivity to acetylcholine occurred in vessels from virgin (P=0.04) and pregnant (P=0.01) rats that had consumed the 9% casein diet. In arteries from the virgin rats on the restricted diet there was also a significant reduction in sensitivity (P=0.0003) and maximum relaxation (P=0.009) to the NO donor spermine NONOate. Mean placental and fetal weights were significantly lower in the rats fed on 9% casein (P<0.0001 and P=0.005 respectively). Thus low-protein diets impair vasodilator responses in female rats. These effects may contribute to the poor cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy and lower fetal weights associated with restricted protein intake.


[Long-term usefulness of an information programme on practices in surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis].
In France, numerous concordant studies show that there are some discrepancies between guidelines on surgical antibiotic prophylaxis and the current practice. In a previous study, conducted in April-June 2001, we found that the rate of appropriateness of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis was approximately 40%. An information programme was implemented and the purpose of this paper was to present the short- and long-term usefulness of this campaign. A total of 13 pairs of surgeons/anaesthetists participated in data collection during the three periods of the study. Prescriptions were observed in order to answer to five questions. Five variables describing practices concerning antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery were compared to national recommendations (updated in 1999): did the surgical procedure require antibiotic prophylaxis and was this carried out? Was the antibiotic used appropriate? Was the timing of the first injection optimal? Was the total duration of the treatment correct? Was the dose correct? The overall compliance with recommendations was significantly improved during the third period (P = 0.0002). This improvement was particularly marked for antimicrobial prophylaxis duration. It seems that sequential surveillance of antimicrobial prophylaxis, including numerous surgical teams, could considerably improve the practices, if it was associated to informations that allowed physicians to appropriate the procedures.


PI3Kγ/AKT Signaling in High Molecular Weight Hyaluronan (HMWH)-Induced Anti-Hyperalgesia and Reversal of Nociceptor Sensitization.
High molecular weight hyaluronan (HMWH), a well-established treatment for osteoarthritis pain, is anti-hyperalgesic in preclinical models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. HMWH-induced anti-hyperalgesia is mediated by its action at cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), the cognate hyaluronan receptor, which can signal via phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), a large family of kinases involved in diverse cell functions. We demonstrate that intrathecal administration of an oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) antisense to mRNA for PI3Kγ (a Class I PI3K isoform) expressed in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), and intradermal administration of a PI3Kγ-selective inhibitor (AS605240), markedly attenuates HMWH-induced anti-prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) hyperalgesia, in male and female rats. Intradermal administration of inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; rapamycin) and protein kinase B (AKT; AKT Inhibitor IV), signaling molecules downstream of PI3Kγ, also attenuates HMWH-induced anti-hyperalgesia. In vitro patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments on cultured nociceptors from male rats demonstrate that some HMWH-induced changes in generation of action potentials (APs) in nociceptors sensitized by PGE2 are PI3Kγ dependent (reduction in AP firing rate, increase in latency to first AP and increase in slope of current ramp required to induce AP) and some are PI3Kγ independent [reduction in recovery rate of AP afterhyperpolarization (AHP)]. Our demonstration of a role of PI3Kγ in HMWH-induced anti-hyperalgesia and reversal of nociceptor sensitization opens a novel line of research into molecular targets for the treatment of diverse pain syndromes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We have previously demonstrated that high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMWH) attenuates inflammatory hyperalgesia, an effect mediated by its action at cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), the cognate hyaluronan receptor, and activation of its downstream signaling pathway, in nociceptors. In the present study, we demonstrate that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)γ and downstream signaling pathway, protein kinase B (AKT) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), are crucial for HMWH to induce anti-hyperalgesia.


Diagnosis of endometrial nerve fibers in women with endometriosis.
Recent studies indicated that there is a high density of small nerve fibers in the functional layer of the endometrium in women with endometriosis and that it can be used as a marker to detect endometriosis. In this study, the efficacy assessment of small nerve fibers' density as a diagnostic marker was compared in patients with and without endometriosis. In this study, women with history of pelvic pain and/or infertility who were candidates for laparoscopy or laparotomy in Rassoul hospital (2007-2009) were enrolled. Histological sections of endometrial tissue were prepared from endometrial biopsy from women with endometriosis (n = 12) (1) and without endometriosis (n = 15) (2). Protein gene product 9.5 and neurofilament were evaluated as marker from endometrial biopsies by immunohistochemical methods. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups according to age, body mass index. Nerve fibers were detected in all endometrial biopsies from all women with endometriosis but detected only in three women without endometriosis. The mean density of nerve fibers was 2.2 ± 4.7 mm(-2) in group without endometriosis and) 13.1 ± 3.3 (in group with endometriosis (p < 0.001). Women with endometriosis had significantly higher nerve fiber density in comparison with women without endometriosis. Our findings indicated that endometrial biopsy for detecting density of nerve fibers by usage of protein gene product 9.5, provided a reliable marker for diagnosis of endometriosis.


New hole transporting materials for planar perovskite solar cells.
Two new hole transporting materials (HTMs) based on triphenylamine and carbazole core moieties are designed and applied in planar perovskite solar cells. 18.2% power conversion efficiency (PCE) has been achieved, and 84% of the initial performance can be retained after 50 days.


Sun exposure and age-related macular degeneration. An Australian case-control study.
The notion that sun exposure is a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is widespread, but studies have not shown this conclusively. To test the hypothesis that AMD cases have greater ocular sun exposure than control subjects, the authors compared 409 cases with 286 control subjects resident in Newcastle, Australia. Sensitivity to sun and glare of the participants was characterized. Sun exposure was estimated from detailed histories and was validated against sun-seeking or avoidance behavior expected, given sun sensitivity and history of treatment for skin neoplasia. Contrary to the authors' hypothesis, control subjects had greater median annual ocular sun exposure (865 hours) than cases (723 hours), Mann-Whitney U (U) = 45704, z = -4.9, P > 0.0001. Cases had poorer tanning than did control subjects (mean 2 = 18.2, 4 df, P = 0.001) and as young adults were more sensitive to glare, odds ratio (OR), 2.5; 95% confidence intervals (CIs), 1.8 to 3.5. After stratifying by tanning ability, in the poor-tanning group, the median annual sun exposure of control subjects (685 hours) exceeded that of cases (619 hours), U = 6556, z = -1.9, P = 0.06. Among people who tanned well, control subjects also had significantly greater annual sun exposure than did cases (940 vs. 770 hours), U = 16263, z = -3.7, P = 0.0002. Sensitivity to glare and poor tanning ability are markers of increased AMD risk. Sun sensitivity confounds study of the postulated AMD-sunlight link. Despite analyses stratified by sun sensitivity, sun exposure was greater in control subjects than in cases with AMD.


The influence of a high-fibre diet on body weight, serum lipids and blood pressure in slightly overweight persons. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation with diet and fibre tablets (DumoVital).
Sixty slightly overweight women were treated with a weight-reducing diet for 12 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. In addition to the diet 30 women received dietary fibre tablets, whereas the remaining 30 women received identical-looking placebo tablets. During the trial both groups experienced a significant reduction in body weight (P less than 0.01). The mean weight loss 8.5 kg (7.5-9.5 kg) in the fibre group was significantly higher than that of the placebo group 6.7 kg (4.8-8.0 kg) (P less than 0.01). Both serum triglyceride and serum cholesterol concentrations were significantly lowered (P less than or equal to 0.02) after treatment in both groups. No significant differences were detected between the groups. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly reduced (P less than 0.01) in the fibre group. No significant reduction in blood pressure was found in the placebo group. Side-effects, which were gastrointestinal in nature, were of low frequency. We conclude that supplementation with dietary fibre of the form used in this study is useful in the treatment of overweight women.


Hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes after administration of hexavalent DTP-based combination vaccine: A description of 12 cases.
Hypotonic-hyporesponsive (HHE) episodes are known and recognized phenomena, which typically occur within 48 hours of immunisation..Our aim is to describe 12 cases of HHE brought to the Center of Pediatric Sleep Medicine, with attention to the clinical features of the episode and their follow-up. Medical charts of infants visited between 2005-2015 were reviewed. Twelve infants showed a HHE using HHE using Brighton Collaboration Criteria. All infants received a Hexavalent diphtheria -tetanus -pertussis acellular component -hepatitis B-,inactivated poliovirus- Haemophilus influenzae type-b conjugate vaccine. Five out of 12 were brought to Emergency Department, where 2 were symptomatic (one was hyporeactive, the other had fever). No infant died during the episode, or the follow-up, nor developed neurological disease after subsequent vaccinations. HHE are confirmed as benign events, even after administration of hexavalent vaccination, devoid of negative neuropsychomotor outcome.


[Some features of [1-14C] leucine exchange in rat liver during acute oxythiamine avitaminosis].
The leucine content in rat liver and blood serum under acute oxythiamine avitaminosis is decreased. Simultaneously oxythiamine inhibits the activity of alpha-ketoisocaproate dehydrogenase resulting in a decrease of leucine catabolism in the liver. The level of total tRNA in hepatocyte cytosol is lowered, the radioactivity of leucine in aminoacyl-tRNA on the 6th min after injection of [1-14C]leucine is increased approximately 1.5-fold as compared to normal. The radioactivity of leucine in blood serum and aminoacyl-tRNA is directly significantly correlated with the content of leucine incorporated into the proteins, while the level of intracellular [14C]leucine is not correlated with the protein radioactivity (r=-0.154,p greater than 0.5) or with blood serum amino acid radioactivity (r=-0.184, p greater than 0.5). The results obtained thus indicate that 1) in acute oxythiamine avitaminosis when the labelled amino acid is incorporated within 3-6 min the label is "concentrated" in blood serum resulting in increased specific radioactivity of the protein in rat liver; 2) in blood serum leucine is predominantly utilized during protein biosynthesis; 3) acute oxythiamine avitaminosis has no significant effect on protein biosynthesis in rat liver; 4) specific radioactivity of the protein cannot serve as an index of protein synthesis rate.


Scalable surrogate deconvolution for identification of partially-observable systems and brain modeling.
For many biophysical systems, direct measurement of all state-variables, in - vivo is not feasible. Thus, a key challenge in biological modeling and signal processing is to reconstruct the activity and structure of interesting biological systems from indirect measurements. These measurements are often generated by approximately linear time-invariant dynamical interactions with the hidden system and may therefore be described as a convolution of hidden state-variables with an unknown kernel. In the current work, we present an approach termed surrogate deconvolution, to directly identify such coupled systems (i.e. parameterize models). Surrogate deconvolution reframes certain non linear partially-observable identification problems, which are common in neuroscience/biology, as analytical objectives that are compatible with almost any user-chosen optimization procedure. We show that the proposed technique is highly scalable, low in computational complexity, and performs competitively with the current gold-standard in partially-observable system estimation: the joint Kalman Filters (Unscented and Extended). We show the benefits of surrogate deconvolution for model identification when applied to simulations of the Local Field Potential and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal. Lastly, we demonstrate the empirical stability of Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF) kernel estimates for Mesoscale Individualized NeuroDynamic (MINDy) models of individual human brains. The recovered HRF parameters demonstrate reliable individual variation as well as a stereotyped spatial distribution, on average. These results demonstrate that surrogate deconvolution promises to enhance brain-modeling approaches by simultaneously and rapidly fitting large-scale models of brain networks and the physiological processes which generate neuroscientific measurements (e.g. hemodynamics for BOLD fMRI).


[PROPERTIES OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE VOLUTIN GRANULES UNDER CONDITIONS OF THE CHANGE OF SPACE WEATHER].
In this work, the impact of space weather on the staining and the motility of volutin granules ("dancing bodies") in vacuoles of yeast Saccharoniyces cerevisiae with normal and changed phosphoric metabolism was studied. It was showed that the installed ear- lier relation between metachromatic reaction of volutin granules and galactic cosmic rays was confirmed by DAPI-staining of inorganic polyphosphates in cells S. cerevisiae UCM Y-517. The inverse correlation of efficiency of DAPI-staining of volutin granules with some solar activity indexes was observed. During the period of study, the rhythmicity of motile volutin granules in the studied cultures (S. cerevisiae UCM Y-517, S. cerevisiae CRY, S. cerevisiae CNX) was marked. The strains S. cerevisiae UCM Y-517 and CRY, both with unmodified phosphoric metabolism, showed the same rhythmicity of mobile volutin granules. However, this rhythmicity in the strain CNX, which cannot synthesize exopolyphosphatases PPX1 and PPN1 (CF 18.104.22.168), was changed. The volutin granule motion coincided with the rhythmicity of galactic cosmic rays within the period of 9 days. It can be suggested that "dancing bodies" are synchronized with rhythms of galactic cosmic rays. Observed differences between mutant and parental strains may indirectly indicate participation of polyphosphates in the reaction of cells on the changes of space weather pa- rameters. Thus, correlating variability of staining and motion of polyphosphate-containing volutin granules under action of cosmophysical factors may be an evidence of possible key role of phosphoric metabolism in sensitivity of yeast cells to space weather changes.


Shaping a career trajectory in academic administration: leadership development for the deanship.
The nursing profession continues to face many challenges, one of which is an insufficient number of aspiring leaders. The role of an academic leader, specifically that of dean, brings with it unique challenges and opportunities. Shaping a career in academic administration requires careful consideration of the leadership skills necessary to perform in this complex and challenging role. However, it is critical to the future of nursing as a profession that ample numbers of aspiring leaders can successfully make this transition. One can be better prepared to take on this exciting and rewarding leadership opportunity when one understands the challenges deans face, asks questions such as "Do I really want a deanship?," identifies the required leadership skills, defines a career trajectory and pathway, and develops the leadership skills necessary for deans.


Relationship between Cognitive-Behavioral Processes and Stages of Change in Nutrient Use in Overweight Women Referring to Health Centers in Isfahan.
The positive impact of post-needs assessment training on the correction of eating habits is remarkable. The aim of present study was to determine the relationship between cognitive-behavioral processes and stages of change in nutrient use in overweight women referring to health centers in Isfahan. The present study was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2017 during a three-month period. Using systematic random sampling, 260 overweight women referring to Isfahan comprehensive health centers were chosen. Data collection was performed by a four-part researcher-made questionnaire including demographic information form, stages of change of behavior, cognitive and behavioral processes questionnaire, and standard 168-item Food Frequency Questionnaire. After confirming its validity and reliability, it was completed by the researcher. Data were then entered N4 software perfect and analyzed using descriptive and analytical tests (ANOVA and Bonferroni Post-Hoc). 59.30% of the subjects were in an inactive and 40.70% in an active phase. There was a significant difference with respect to different stages of change and the use of all behavior change processes (F4= 11.42, p < 0.001). The rate of using cognitive and behavioral processes increased during the nutrient change behavior (p < 0.001). The results of the study showed that moving away from pre-contemplation stage to maintenance phase increases the rate of using these processes that is due to the stability and improvement of changed behavior. Therefore, health plans should be designed based on the stage of the target group.


[Granulomatous mastitis: diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Case report and review of the literature].
The granulomatous mastitis is uncommon inflammatory disease of the breast of unknown etiology. The diagnosis is obtained only through hystopathology. We report a case of woman, 41 years old, showing lesions of the breast, that caused strong pain with ulcerations sero-haematic secretion and axillary omolateral lymphadenopathy. The diagnostic workup (sonography, mammography, multiples FNAB of single lesions, the culture of cells and hormonal profile) showed an inflammatory aspecific lesions with presence of atipic cells in nipple's secretion and in FNAB of periareola lesion. We performed an excisional biopsy. The hystopathologic diagnosis showed a granulomatous mastitis, confirming the validity of our diagnostic and therapeutic choices. The excisional biopsy has allowed to avoid an overtreatment and obtain a good aesthetic result.


Critical dose of lead affecting postural balance in workers.
The threshold blood lead (BPb) level for nervous system dysfunction in adults has been estimated to be 30-40 microg/dl. This study was carried out to estimate the critical dose of lead affecting the neuromotor function in workers by introducing the benchmark dose (BMD) approach, as well as to identify the specific postural sway to lead exposure. Postural sway parameters with spectral analysis were compared between 121 lead workers with BPb levels of 6-89 (mean 40) microg/dl and 60 unexposed controls. All sway parameters, except for sagittal sways with eyes open, were significantly larger in the lead workers than in the controls; also, the Romberg quotient for sagittal sway was significantly higher in the lead workers. The BPb level in the lead workers was significantly related to sagittal sways at 1-2 Hz and 2-4 Hz with eyes open, and sagittal and transversal sways at 1-2 Hz and 2-4 Hz with eyes closed. The BMD levels of BPb (i.e., lower 95% confidence limits of BMD) were estimated to be 12.1-17.3 (mean 14.4) microg/dl for postural sway. Neuromotor dysfunction in lead workers may be initiated at BPbs below the level previously accepted as effectless, and be characterized mainly by an increased sway of high frequency (1-4 Hz) in the sagittal direction with eyes closed (high Romberg quotient).


Sodium and potassium balances in Japanese young adults.
This study was conducted to estimate the requirements of sodium (Na) and potassium (K) in Japanese young adults. From 1986 to 2000, 109 volunteers (23 males, 86 females), ranging from 18 to 28 y old, took part in 11 mineral balance studies after written informed consent had been obtained. The duration of the study periods ranged from 5 to 12 d, with a 2-4 d adaptation period. Foodstuffs used in each study were selected from those commercially available. The Na and K content of the diet, feces, urine and sweat were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results of a study in which Na intake was 6.87 g/d (ca. 300 mmol/d), the highest of all the studies, showed apparent positive Na balances. In contrast, another study in which Na intake was 2.21 g/d (ca. 100 mmol/d), the lowest of all the studies, showed apparent negative Na balances. These two studies seemed to differ from the other studies, as shown by regression equations calculated from either data of all the studies (n= 109) or data that did not include the two studies (n=90). The dietary intakes of Na and K ranged between 38.56-142.23 and 26.77-74.42 mg/kg body weight (BW)/d, or 2.21-6.87 and 1.83-3.61 g/d, respectively in the complete data, and 43.71-96.40 and 26.77-63.70 mg/kg BW/d, or 3.06-4.06 and 1.83-2.68 g/d, respectively in the data that did not include the two studies. The intakes of the two minerals were positively correlated. Na intake (Intake) was correlated positively with apparent absorption (AA) of Na, which was also correlated with Na urinary output (Urine). In the data that did not include the two studies, Na balance (Balance) was not correlated significantly with either Na Intake (r2=0.005) or AA of Na (r2=0.006). However, analysis of all the data showed a significant correlation between Na Balance and both Na Intake (r2=0.361) and AA of Na (r2=0.360). In the complete data, the mean value and upper and lower limits of the 95% confidence interval for the regression equation between Intake and Balance for Na, when balance was equal to zero (i.e mean, upper and lower limits), were 55.824, 60.787 and 50.862 mg/ kg BW/d, respectively. K Intake was correlated positively with AA of K, which was also correlated with both Urine K and K Balance. There was a significant correlation between K Intake and K Balance in both the complete data (r2=0.213) and the data that did not include the two studies (r2 = 0.116). In all the cases, mean, upper and lower limits for K were 39.161, 41.782 and 36.540 mg/kg BW/d, respectively. Intakes of Na and K did not correlate with their respective AA rates (%). Within the ranges of K Intake in this study, K Balance was affected markedly by K Intake itself as well as by Na Intake. However, in the case of Na, when the data of the highest and lowest Na intake studies were excluded from the analysis, Na Balance did not correlate with Na Intake, whereas the data of all the studies showed Na Balance was affected strongly by Na Intake. The data of this study allowed the estimated average requirements (EARs) for both minerals to be derived.


Bulk synaptic vesicle endocytosis is rapidly triggered during strong stimulation.
Bulk endocytosis in central nerve terminals is activated by strong stimulation; however, the speed at which it is initiated and for how long it persists is still a matter of debate. To resolve this issue, we performed a characterization of bulk endocytic retrieval using action potential trains of increasing intensity. Bulk endocytosis was monitored by the loading of the fluorescent dyes FM2-10 and FM1-43, uptake of tetramethylrhodamine-dextran (40 kDa), or morphological analysis of uptake of the fluid-phase marker horseradish peroxidase. When neuronal cultures were subjected to mild stimulation (200 action potentials at 10 Hz), bulk endocytosis was not observed using any of our assay systems. However, when more intense trains of action potentials (400 or 800 action potentials at 40 and 80 Hz, respectively) were applied to neurons, bulk endocytosis was activated immediately, with the majority of bulk endocytosis complete by the end of stimulation. This contrasts with single synaptic vesicle endocytosis, the majority of which occurred after stimulation was terminated. Thus, bulk endocytosis is a fast event that is triggered during strong stimulation and provides the nerve terminal with an appropriate mechanism to meet the demands of synaptic vesicle retrieval during periods of intense synaptic vesicle exocytosis.


Squalene-hopene cyclase: insight into the role of the methyl group on the squalene backbone upon the polycyclization cascade. Enzymatic cyclization products of squalene analogs lacking a 26-methyl group and possessing a methyl group at C7 or C11.
To provide deep insight into the polycyclization reaction of squalene, some analogs were synthesized and incubated with the cell-free homogenates of the recombinant Escherichia coli encoding the wild-type squalene cyclase. The presence of C6-Me leads to an efficient polycyclization cascade. Substitution of the C14-H and the C18-H with a methyl group halted the polycylization reaction at the tricyclic ring stage having a 6/6/6-fused ring system and the tetracycle with a 6/6/6/6-fused ring, respectively, both of which were produced according to a Markovnikov closure. Replacement of the C7-H and the C11-H with a methyl group led to no cyclization. These results, in conjunction with our previous reports, indicated that the methyl positions are important for bringing to completion of the normal polycylization reaction and further demonstrated that the precise steric bulk size at the methyl positions of squalene is critical to the correct folding and the strong binding of the substrate to the squalene cyclase.


Cloning of the beta subunit of the leukocyte adhesion proteins: homology to an extracellular matrix receptor defines a novel supergene family.
We have isolated cDNA clones encoding the beta subunit of the human LFA-1, Mac-1, and p150,95 family of leukocyte adhesion proteins. The deduced 769-amino-acid sequence defines a cysteine-rich polypeptide with the characteristic features of an integral membrane protein. Peptide sequence data, Northern blot analysis, and Southern blot analysis suggest that a single gene encodes the beta subunit of all three leukocyte adhesion proteins. There is 45% homology between the beta subunit sequence and band III of integrin, a chick fibronectin and laminin receptor. This homology defines a new supergene family of cellular adhesion proteins.


Ebola epidemic--Liberia, March-October 2014.
On March 21, 2014, the Guinea Ministry of Health reported the outbreak of an illness characterized by fever, severe diarrhea, vomiting and a high fatality rate (59%), leading to the first known epidemic of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in West Africa and the largest and longest Ebola epidemic in history. As of November 2, Liberia had reported the largest number of cases (6,525) and deaths (2,697) among the three affected countries of West Africa with ongoing transmission (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone). The response strategy in Liberia has included management of the epidemic through an incident management system (IMS) in which the activities of all partners are coordinated. Within the IMS, key strategies for epidemic control include surveillance, case investigation, laboratory confirmation, contact tracing, safe transportation of persons with suspected Ebola, isolation, infection control within the health care system, community engagement, and safe burial. This report provides a brief overview of the progression of the epidemic in Liberia and summarizes the interventions implemented.


Local eosinophilia in stroma of tumors related to prognosis.
The stromal reactions of oral, gastric, breast, and cervical carcinomas were uniformly examined for the presence of eosinophilic granulocytes. Their numbers were expressed in terms of a three-grade scale. While in the carcinomas of the uterine cervix a positive correlation between the quantity of the reaction and survival rate was found, in the other groups of patients eosinophilic granulocytes occurred only as a small admixture in a limited number of cases.


Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from Spirulina microalgae and its antibacterial activity.
The present work focuses on a low-cost, simple, and green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by mixing AgNO3 solution with the extract of Spirulina platensis (SP) without any chemical reducing and/or capping agents. The green synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by the color change from colorless to yellowish brown. The biosynthesis of AgNPs was further confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), biological transmission electron microscopy (Bio-TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The UV-vis spectroscopy results showed the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of AgNPs around 450 nm. Bio-TEM analysis revealed that the Ag nanoparticles were well dispersed with average range of 5-50 nm. XRD results indicated that the green synthetic process produced face-centered cubic structure of AgNPs. FT-IR spectroscopy analysis showed that the bioactive molecules from the SP extract believed to be the responsible for the reduction of Ag ions. Furthermore, the synthesized AgNPs were evaluated against pathogens such as Staphylococcus sp. and Klebsiella sp. The AgNPs (1-4 mM) extensively reduced the growth rate of the pathogens.


Observations on the use of oral poliovirus vaccines in the Caribbean and Canada.
Investigations on the use of poliovirus vaccines in the Caribbean and Canada are reviewed. Studies in Trinidad and Tobago in 1963 showed that children who were given two doses of oral poliovirus vaccine responded satisfactorily to the type 2 and type 3 components but poorly to the type 1 component. Studies on poliovirus vaccines in Canada have indicated that both killed and live vaccines are capable of controlling poliomyelitis. Results of studies undertaken in Ontario suggested that the response to a killed vaccine was not entirely satisfactory. The need for continued surveillance for poliomyelitis is emphasized. Action should be taken to review immunization procedures when a single case occurs. Consideration should be given to the use of monovalent vaccines in tropical countries.


Cytochrome oxidase activity in splanchnic organs of portal hypertensive rats.
Portal hypertension is characterized by hyperdynamic splanchnic circulation associated with the development of portosystemic portal collateral circulation. Since blood flow regulation mechanisms in the splanchnic organs can be metabolic, its metabolic capacity has been studied using the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome C oxidase as histochemical marker. Cytochrome oxidase was quantified with a histochemical technique in the liver, pancreas and small bowel of Wistar rats in the control group (n = 8) and in rats with portal hypertension by triple stenosing ligation of the portal vein (n = 9) at 28 days of evolution. All rats with portal hypertension develop portosystemic collateral circulation. In these animals, cytochrome oxidase activity increases (p < 0.01) in the liver (left lateral lobe, periportal zone: 91.81 +/- 5.18 vs. 86.03 +/- 2.82) exocrine pancreas (125.6 +/- 7.25 vs 117.57 +/- 6.43; p < 0.05) as well as in the mucosa (crypts) and duodenum serosa, jejunum and ileum while it decreases in the pericentral zone of the hepatic acinus and intestinal villi. Cytochrome oxidase is considered an endogenous marker of local tissular metabolic capacity, so that its increased activity in the small bowel mucosa, crypts, exocrine pancreas and visceral peritoneum may be a metabolic factor that induces splanchnic hyperdynamic circulation in short-term portal hypertensive rats.


Object-selective cortex exhibits performance-independent repetition suppression.
Object-selective cortical regions exhibit a decreased response when an object stimulus is repeated [repetition suppression (RS)]. RS is often associated with priming: reduced response times and increased accuracy for repeated stimuli. It is unknown whether RS reflects stimulus-specific repetition, the associated changes in response time, or the combination of the two. To address this question, we performed a rapid event-related functional MRI (fMRI) study in which we measured BOLD signal in object-selective cortex, as well as object recognition performance, while we manipulated stimulus repetition. Our design allowed us to examine separately the roles of response time and repetition in explaining RS. We found that repetition played a robust role in explaining RS: repeated trials produced weaker BOLD responses than nonrepeated trials, even when comparing trials with matched response times. In contrast, response time played a weak role in explaining RS when repetition was controlled for: it explained BOLD responses only for one region of interest (ROI) and one experimental condition. Thus repetition suppression seems to be mostly driven by repetition rather than performance changes. We further examined whether RS reflects processes occurring at the same time as recognition or after recognition by manipulating stimulus presentation duration. In one experiment, durations were longer than required for recognition (2 s), whereas in a second experiment, durations were close to the minimum time required for recognition (85-101 ms). We found significant RS for brief presentations (albeit with a reduced magnitude), which again persisted when controlling for performance. This suggests a substantial amount of RS occurs during recognition.


Aeroacoustic characteristics of owl-inspired blade designs in a mixed flow fan: effects of leading- and trailing-edge serrations.
There is an increasing need in industry for noise reduction in fans. Inspired by owls' silent flight, we propose four owl-inspired blade designs for a mixed-flow fan to examine whether leading-edge (LE) and/or trailing-edge (TE) serrations can resolve the tradeoff between sound suppression and aerodynamic performance. We investigate the blades' aeroacoustic characteristics through various experimental methods and large-eddy simulation (LES)-based numerical analyses. Experimental results suggest that 'slotted', simply-fabricated LE serrations can achieve a lowering of the noise level while sustaining the aerodynamic performance of the fan, whereas TE serrations fail. In addition, the inclination angle can improve LE serration performance in aeroacoustic and aerodynamic performance with a reduction in the specific noise level by around 1.4 dB. LES results and noise spectral analysis indicate that the LE serrations can suppress flow separation, reducing the broadband noise at low-to-middle frequencies (40-4k Hz). This passive-flow-control mechanism, likely due to local higher incidence angles associated with LE serrations, is capable of alleviating the intensive pressure gradient while suppressing wall-pressure fluctuations over the LE region, hence weakening the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The tonal noise also shows a marked reduction at the highest peak frequency associated with fan-vane interaction. Moreover, we find that the high-frequency noise by-product radiates mainly from the LE serrations andsurroundings, due to the small eddies broken up when the vortical flows pass through the LE serrations. Our results demonstrate that the biomimetic design of the LE serrations can facilitate the break-up of LE vortices passively and effectively without negatively impacting aerodynamic performance, which can be utilized as an effective device to improve the aeroacoustic performance of fan blades.


Similar Operative Outcomes between the da Vinci Xi® and da Vinci Si® Systems in Robotic Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer.
The robotic system for surgery was introduced to gastric cancer surgery in the early 2000s to overcome the shortcomings of laparoscopic surgery. The more recently introduced da Vinci Xi® system offers benefits allowing four-quadrant access, greater range of motion, and easier docking through an overhead boom rotation with laser targeting. We aimed to identify whether the Xi® system provides actual advantages over the Si® system in gastrectomy for gastric cancer by comparing the operative outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent robotic gastrectomy as treatment for gastric cancer from March 2016 to March 2017. Patients' demographic data, perioperative information, and operative and pathological outcomes were collected and analyzed. A total of 109 patients were included in the Xi® group and 179 in the Si® group. Demographic characteristics were similar in both groups. The mean operative time was 229.9 minutes in the Xi® group and 223.7 minutes in the Si® group. The mean estimated blood loss was 72.7 mL in the Xi® group and 62.1 mL in the Si® group. No patient in the Xi® group was converted to open or laparoscopy, while 3 patients in the Si® group were converted, 2 to open surgery and 1 to laparoscopy, this difference was not statistically significant. Bowel function was resumed 3 days after surgery, while soft diet was initiated 4 days after surgery. We found no difference in surgical outcomes after robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer between the da Vinci Xi® and da Vinci Si® procedures.


Histone deacetylase inhibitors: the epigenetic therapeutics that repress hypoxia-inducible factors.
Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) have been actively explored as a new generation of chemotherapeutics for cancers, generally known as epigenetic therapeutics. Recent findings indicate that several types of HDACIs repress angiogenesis, a process essential for tumor metabolism and progression. Accumulating evidence supports that this repression is mediated by disrupting the function of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1, HIF-2, and collectively, HIF), which are the master regulators of angiogenesis and cellular adaptation to hypoxia. Since HIF also regulate glucose metabolism, cell survival, microenvironment remodeling, and other alterations commonly required for tumor progression, they are considered as novel targets for cancer chemotherapy. Though the precise biochemical mechanism underlying the HDACI-triggered repression of HIF function remains unclear, potential cellular factors that may link the inhibition of deacetylase activity to the repression of HIF function have been proposed. Here we review published data that inhibitors of type I/II HDACs repress HIF function by either reducing functional HIF-1α levels, or repressing HIF-α transactivation activity. In addition, underlying mechanisms and potential proteins involved in the repression will be discussed. A thorough understanding of HDACI-induced repression of HIF function may facilitate the development of future therapies to either repress or promote angiogenesis for cancer or chronic ischemic disorders, respectively.


Structural Investigation of Chemiresistive Sensing Mechanism in Redox-Active Porous Coordination Network.
By changing the rate of evaporation, two kinds of crystalline films composed of redox-active porous coordination networks (1 and 2) were selectively prepared on a gold-patterned substrate using a DMF solution of 2,5,8-tri(4-pyridyl)1,3-diazaphenalene and Cd(NO3)2. We found the highly sensitive humidity sensing ability of film 1. Single crystal structures and infrared spectroscopic analyses before and after hydration of a single crystal of 1 revealed the sensing mechanism: exchange of nitrate ions with water on Cd atoms occurred in hydrated conditions to generate a conductive cationic network.


Dynamic fields in the partial magnetization plateau of Ca₃Co₂O₆.
Fluctuation dynamics in magnetization plateaus is a relatively poorly explored area in frustrated magnetism. Here we use muon spin relaxation to determine the fluctuation timescale and associated field distribution width in the partial magnetization plateau of Ca(3)Co(2)O(6). The muon spin relaxation rate has a simple and characteristic field dependence which we model and, by fitting to the data at 15 K, we extract a fluctuation timescale τ = 880(30) ps and a field distribution width Δ = 40.6(3) mT. Comparison with previous results on Ca(3)Co(2)O(6) suggests that this fluctuation timescale can be associated with short-range, slowly fluctuating magnetic order.


Gefitinib in Combination with Weekly Docetaxel in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Caused Unexpected Toxicity: Results from a Randomized Phase II Clinical Trial.
In patients with metastatic breast cancer, taxane treatment demonstrates activity but is not curative. Targeted treatment modalities are therefore necessary in order to improve outcomes in this group. A randomized placebo-controlled phase II trial was initiated to evaluate effect and toxicity of gefitinib (250 mg QD) and docetaxel 35 mg/m(2) (six of seven weeks) (NCT 00319618). The inclusion of 66 patients was planned. The study was closed due to treatment-related toxicity. Of the 18 included patients, seven (of which three received gefitinib) were withdrawn from the study due to toxicity. Of the nine patients receiving gefitinib and chemotherapy, one achieved a partial response and four stable disease. In the chemotherapy of nine patients, four had a partial response and four stable disease. The breast cancer patients in this study were genotyped using a panel of 14 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), previously found associated with docetaxel clearance in a cohort of lung cancer patients. We were unable to identify genes related to toxicity in this study. Nevertheless, toxicity was aggravated by the addition of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In conclusion, despite adequately tolerated as monotherapy, combination regimens should be carefully considered for overlapping adverse events in order to avoid increased treatment-related toxicity.


Hepatitis C virus therapy in liver transplant recipients: response predictors, effect on fibrosis progression, and importance of the initial stage of fibrosis.
Antiviral therapy after liver transplantation (LT) using interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) can achieve a sustained virological response (SVR) rate ranging from 20% to 45%. The aims of our study were to assess efficacy and tolerability of therapy, effect on fibrosis progression and the importance of the initial fibrosis stage to outcome. A total of 113 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected LT patients received 133 courses of IFN (standard, n = 29, pegylated IFN [pegIFN], n = 104) and RBV (75% genotype 1). Early virological response (EVR), end-of-treatment (EOT), and SVR were obtained in 74%, 55%, and 38%, respectively. EVR, completion of treatment, viral load before therapy, genotype non-1, and use of pegIFN were predictive of SVR, but only EVR remained in the multivariate analysis. SVR was obtained in 45% patients who received a second course of therapy. Paired biopsies at baseline, at EOT and at long-term were available in 42 patients. The mean fibrosis stage remained stable in patients with SVR and increased in patients without response. Rejection episodes were observed in 6% of patients. Tolerability of therapy decrease in patients with fibrosis stage > or =3 on baseline liver biopsy. A total of 20% of them died or were retransplanted due to liver failure as opposed to 1% of patients who had fibrosis stage <3. In conclusion, IFN and RBV achieved SVR in 38% of patients. EVR is independently associated with SVR. Fibrosis stage remained stable in patients with SVR and increased in nonresponders. Fibrosis stage > or =3 was associated with a high rate of liver failure, arguing for an early introduction of antiviral therapy.


Chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils from Acacia mearnsii de Wild.
The volatile oils of the leaves and the stem bark of Acacia mearnsii de Wild obtained by hydro-distillation were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 20, 38, 29 and 38 components accounted for 93.8%, 92.1%, 78.5% and 90.9% of the total oils of the fresh, dry leaves and fresh, dry stem bark, respectively. The major components of the oil were octadecyl alcohol (25.5%) and phytol (10.5%); cis-verbenol (29.5%); phytol (10.1%) and phytol (23.4%) for the fresh leaves, dried leaves, fresh stem, dry stem bark, respectively. Oral administration of essential oils at a dose of 2% showed significant (p < 0.05) anti-inflammatory properties in the albumin-induced test model in rats. Oils from the fresh leaves and dry stems inhibited inflammation beyond 4 h post treatment. The potent anti-inflammatory activity of essential oils of A. mearnsii hereby confirmed its traditional use in treating various inflammatory diseases.


Combined valproate or carbamazepine and electroconvulsive therapy.
This pharmacoepidemiological study was undertaken to determine if the combination of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the anticonvulsants valproate (VPA) or carbamazepine (CBZ) is safe and efficacious. The charts of seven patients receiving ECT and VPA or CBZ (ECT-anticonvulsant group) concurrently between May 8, 1989, and May 9, 1993, were reviewed to determine the indication for each treatment, the number and type of ECT treatments, the seizure duration, adverse events, and the efficacy of the combination. The ECT-anticonvulsant group was compared to patients not treated with anticonvulsants (ECT-alone group) to determine if there were any differences in the two groups. Three patients had a marked clinical improvement, two a moderate response, one a minimal response, and one no response. The ECT-AC group, compared to the control group, had a shorter duration of seizures when unilateral treatments were used. However, there were no differences in the other variables compared. One patient had moderate confusion, and the other mild confusion and hypomania. This small case series suggests that the combination of ECT and anticonvulsants is safe and may be considered in patients for whom prophylaxis with anticonvulsant drugs is planned. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm our findings.


The dural entrance of cerebral bridging veins into the superior sagittal sinus: an anatomical comparison between cadavers and digital subtraction angiography.
Intracranial venous structures have received increasing attention due to improved neuroimaging techniques and increased awareness of cerebral venous disease. To date, few studies have attempted to investigate the dural entrance of the cerebral bridging vein (BV). The aim of this study was to use the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) as an example to identify anatomical features of the dural entrance of the BVs into the SSS in both human cadavers and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images. A total of 30 adult and 7 fetal human cadavers and 36 patients were examined with anatomical dissections, vascular casting and DSA. The number, diameter and angle of the BVs entering the SSS were measured and compared between the cadavers and DSA images. The results demonstrated that (1) the way a BV entered the SSS varied in three dimensions, and thus the BV dural entrance was difficult to precisely localize by DSA, (2) the distribution pattern of the dural entrance of the BVs into the SSS was relatively constant and a nontributary segment of the SSS was centered at the coronal suture and was identifiable by DSA, and (3) nearly all the BVs (97%, 561/581) entered the SSS at an angle opposite to the direction of blood flow. Unique anatomical features of the dural entrance of a BV into the SSS should be considered in neuroimaging interpretation of the sinus and its associated veins.


PPT-DB: the protein property prediction and testing database.
The protein property prediction and testing database (PPT-DB) is a database housing nearly 30 carefully curated databases, each of which contains commonly predicted protein property information. These properties include both structural (i.e. secondary structure, contact order, disulfide pairing) and dynamic (i.e. order parameters, B-factors, folding rates) features that have been measured, derived or tabulated from a variety of sources. PPT-DB is designed to serve two purposes. First it is intended to serve as a centralized, up-to-date, freely downloadable and easily queried repository of predictable or 'derived' protein property data. In this role, PPT-DB can serve as a one-stop, fully standardized repository for developers to obtain the required training, testing and validation data needed for almost any kind of protein property prediction program they may wish to create. The second role that PPT-DB can play is as a tool for homology-based protein property prediction. Users may query PPT-DB with a sequence of interest and have a specific property predicted using a sequence similarity search against PPT-DB's extensive collection of proteins with known properties. PPT-DB exploits the well-known fact that protein structure and dynamic properties are highly conserved between homologous proteins. Predictions derived from PPT-DB's similarity searches are typically 85-95% correct (for categorical predictions, such as secondary structure) or exhibit correlations of >0.80 (for numeric predictions, such as accessible surface area). This performance is 10-20% better than what is typically obtained from standard 'ab initio' predictions. PPT-DB, its prediction utilities and all of its contents are available at http://www.pptdb.ca.


Humoral vasopressor agents in primary hypertension.
In essential hypertension and in the spontaneously hypertensive rat, there are indications for a yet unidentified vasopressor agent which may play an important role in pathogenesis. It has been demonstrated in the spontaneously hypertensive rat by parabiosis, cross-circulation, cross-transplantation of kidneys and by injection of hypertensive plasma fractions. In plasma from essential hypertensives, an agent sensitizing the vasculature to pressor hormones and a substance with direct vasopressor actions have been found. The relationship of the hypertensive factor to the natriuretic hormone is not clear.


The Structure of Natural and Recombinant Antibodies.
Immunoglobulins (Ig) isotypes A, D, E, G, and M are glycoproteins which are mainly composed of a "Y"-shaped Ig monomer (~150 kDa), consisting of two light and two heavy chains. Both light and heavy chains contain variable (N-terminal) and constant regions (C-terminal). Each light chain consists of one variable domain and one constant domain, whereas each heavy chain has one variable domain and three constant domains. However, heavy-chain antibodies consisting of only heavy chains and lacking the light chains are found in camelids and cartilaginous fishes. Unlike other immunoglobulins, the heavy chain of avian antibody IgY (~180 kDa) consists of four constant domains. The single-chain variable fragment (scFv; ~25 kDa) of an antibody contains variable regions of antibody heavy and light chains. The fragment antigen-binding (Fab; ~50 kDa) region has the full antibody light chain but the heavy chain is composed of a variable region and one constant domain.


Estimating the prevalence of ex-injecting drug use in the population.
Injecting drug use is the main route of transmission for the hepatitis C virus in the developed world. Knowledge about the characteristics of the past and current injecting drug user (IDU) population is therefore vital in order to understand the epidemiology of hepatitis C. The IDU population is ;hard to reach' and hence most epidemiological studies have concentrated on estimating current IDU prevalence, whilst little is known about the potentially large pool of ex-injectors. We demonstrate a method for estimating the proportion of ex-users in the population, by considering injecting drug use as a time-to-event process. We show how unbiased estimates of injecting duration and historical patterns in injecting initiation can be derived from a sample of ex-IDUs obtained from a population survey, and how such data lead to estimates of the proportion of ex-IDUs in the population. Finally, we show how to obtain estimates of the prevalence of ex-IDUs by using additional information on the prevalence of current IDUs.


Bed rest with or without hospitalisation for hypertension during pregnancy.
Bed rest or restriction of activity, with or without hospitalisation, have been advocated for women with hypertension during pregnancy to improve pregnancy outcome. However, benefits need to be demonstrated before such interventions can be recommended since restricted activity may be disruptive to women's lives, expensive, and increase the risk of thromboembolism. To assess the effects on the mother and the baby of different degrees of bed rest, compared with each other, and with routine activity, in hospital or at home, for primary treatment of hypertension during pregnancy. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (April 2005), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2005), and EMBASE (January 2002 to December 2004). Randomised trials evaluating bed rest for women with hypertension in pregnancy were selected. Two review authors assessed trials for inclusion independently, and extracted data. Data were entered into RevMan software and double-checked. Four small trials (449 women) were included. Three were of good quality. Two trials (145 women) compared strict bed rest with some rest, in hospital, for women with proteinuric hypertension. There was insufficient evidence to demonstrate any differences between the groups for reported outcomes. Two trials (304 women) compared some bed rest in hospital with routine activity at home for non-proteinuric hypertension. There was reduced risk of severe hypertension (1 trial, 218 women; RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.89) and a borderline reduction in risk of preterm birth (1 trial, 218 women; RR 0.53, CI 0.29 to 0.99) with some rest compared to normal activity. More women in the bed rest group opted not to have the same management in future pregnancies, if the choice were given (1 trial, 86 women; RR 3.00, 95% CI 1.43 to 6.31). There were no significant differences for any other outcomes. Few randomised trials have evaluated rest for women with hypertension during pregnancy, and important information on side-effects and cost implication is missing from available trials. Although one small trial suggests that some bed rest may be associated with reduced risk of severe hypertension and preterm birth, these findings need to be confirmed in larger trials. At present, there is insufficient evidence to provide clear guidance for clinical practice. Therefore, bed rest should not be recommended routinely for hypertension in pregnancy, especially since more women appear to prefer unrestricted activity, if the choice were given.


The mouse plasma PAF acetylhydrolase: I. Characterization and properties.
Mouse plasma platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) has an apparent Km of 7.4 microM and a Vmax of 21.6 nmol/min per mg protein. Comparison with values reported for the human and the rat enzymes shows at least a 5-fold higher Vmax and similar enzyme-substrate affinity. Although lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and one component of the PAF-AH share similar masses and lipoprotein association, they are distinct enzymes. Similarly, PAF-AH is distinct from the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and the lysophospholipase of mouse plasma. A series of PAF structural analogs showed either competitive inhibition or a mixed type of inhibition of PAF-AH. Mouse plasma PAF-AH is highly sensitive to 5,5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) and is activated by deoxycholate. SDS-PAGE showed that two distinct proteins with molecular masses of 46 and 63 kDa contribute to the PAF-AH activity. The HDL-VHDL lipoprotein associated PAF-AH is precipitated to an extent of about 60% by phosphotungstate-MgCl2 and Tween 20 only partially solubilises the precipitated enzyme under conditions which can precipitate and solubilise the human enzyme.


The effect of protective nutrients on mucosal defense in the immature intestine.
Oral nutrition plays a dual role in the gut, providing nutrition to the body while affecting the function of the gastrointestinal tract. The exposure of the gut to food antigens, in the form of either beneficial or harmful nutritional substances, contributes to a vast array of physiological and pathologic gastrointestinal responses with secondary systemic implications. The immune system of the gastrointestinal tract is always involved in the first line of defense, and its actions are particularly important in the early period of life as maturation takes place. From maturation, a balance ensues in the regulatory mechanism of host defense, ultimately leading to either tolerance or immune reaction. This paper emphasizes how some nutrients may beneficially affect the gastrointestinal immune system's maturation in both term and especially premature neonates.


Evidence for Vitamin D Receptor Expression and Direct Effects of 1α,25(OH)2D3 in Human Skeletal Muscle Precursor Cells.
Presence of the vitamin D receptor and direct effects of vitamin D on the proliferation and differentiation of muscle precursor cells have been demonstrated in animal models. However, the effects and mechanisms of vitamin D actions in human skeletal muscle, and the presence of the vitamin D receptor in human adult skeletal muscle, remain to be established. Here, we investigated the role of vitamin D in human muscle cells at various stages of differentiation. We demonstrate that the components of the vitamin D-endocrine system are readily detected in human muscle precursor cells but are low to nondetectable in adult skeletal muscle and that human muscle cells lack the ability to convert the inactive vitamin D-metabolite 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 to the active 1α,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2D3). In addition, we show that 1α,25(OH)2D3 inhibits myoblast proliferation and differentiation by altering the expression of cell cycle regulators and myogenic regulatory factors, with associated changes in forkhead box O3 and Notch signaling pathways. The present data add novel information regarding the direct effects of vitamin D in human skeletal muscle and provide functional and mechanistic insight to the regulation of myoblast cell fate decisions by 1α,25(OH)2D3.


Examining early and late onset of multimorbidity in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.
The study objective was to understand characteristics and health outcomes of multimorbidity, distinguishing between multimorbidity onset in earlier and later phases of life among community-dwelling older adults in Canada. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). This analysis included 11,161 older adults who were between the ages of 65 and 85 years at baseline and who were living in community-based settings. Multimorbidity was defined using two cutpoints: two or more chronic conditions (MM2+) and three or more chronic conditions (MM3+). After calculating the age of diagnosis for eligible participants, "early multimorbidity" was defined as multiple chronic conditions diagnosed before 45 years of age, while "late multimorbidity" was defined as multiple chronic conditions diagnosed at or after 45 years of age. The five health outcomes explored were physical disability, social limitation, frailty level, perceived general health status, and perceived mental health status. Overall, the prevalence of MM2+ was 75.3% (95% CI: 74.3, 76.1) and the prevalence of MM3+ was 47.0% (95% CI: 46.0, 48.0). The majority of participants (both females and males) living with multimorbidity were categorized with late multimorbidity. Participants with early multimorbidity or both early and late multimorbidity had increased odds of physical disability, social limitation, increased frailty level, and negative perceived general and mental health. These patterns were detected for both MM2+ and MM3+. This study examined the impact of the timing of multimorbidity onset on five health outcomes. Our findings highlight the importance of clinical and public health interventions to prevent and manage the causes and consequences of multimorbidity, with particular focus on age of onset. Future longitudinal research should be done to further articulate the relationships between multimorbidity and these health outcomes over time.


Human rights at work: Physical standards for employment and human rights law.
This review focuses on the human rights dimensions of creating and implementing physical standards for employment for prospective and incumbent employees. The review argues that physical standards for employment engage two fundamental legal concepts of employment law: freedom of contract and workplace human rights. While the former promotes an employer's right to set workplace standards and make decisions of whom to hire and terminate, the latter prevents employers from discriminating against individuals contrary to human rights legislation. With reference to applicable human rights legislative regimes and their judicial interpretation in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, this review demonstrates the judicial preference for criterion validation in testing mechanisms in the finding of bona fide occupational requirements. With particular attention to the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Meiorin, this review argues that an effective balance between workplace safety and human rights concerns can be found, not in applying different standards to different groups of individuals, but in an approach that holds employers to demonstrating a sufficient connection between a uniform physical standard of employment and the actual minimum requirements to perform the job safety and efficiently. Combined with an employer's duty to accommodate, such an approach to lawful physical standards for employment conceives of worker and public safety and workplace diversity as emanating from a shared concern for human rights.


Stress fractures of the femoral neck in runners: a review.
A systematic review, following strict inclusion criteria, identified 32/48 low and 16/48 high-performance runners with stress fractures of the femoral neck. Surgical treatment was performed in 33/48 cases and was significantly higher (p = 0.009) in high-performance runners. Among the 28/48 runners who resumed running, there were significantly more lower-performance runners (23/32) than higher-performing runners (5/16) (p = 0.012) and significantly more non-displaced (22/30) than displaced fractures (6/18) (p = 0.014). Complicated cases showed significantly less favourable follow-up results (p = 0.036). A significantly shorter (p = 0.032) diagnostic time for evaluation occurred with a previous history of a stress fracture or a relevant comorbidity. Stress fractures of the femoral neck represent an incisive incident for runners, and early consideration in the differential diagnosis of hip pain is required to avoid potential long-term sequelae and suboptimal function.


Anesthetic considerations for pericardectomy in uremic pericardial effusion.
Fifteen patients with impending uremic cardiac tamponade underwent either anterior pericardectomy or pericardiostomy under general anesthesia. Anesthetic agents and technics were selected in the light of physiopathologic derangements involving fluids and electrolyte balance, excretory and cardiovascular disturbances, and pharmacodynamics. Anesthesia was induced with diazepam and maintained with N2O-O2 (70:30) and fentanyl. Pancuronium was used for muscle relaxation. Adequate preoperative assessment of patient, careful monitoring of vital signs, maintenance of the critical balance of fluid and blood replacement, and selection of anesthetic agents for minimal depression of vital multiorgan systems provided excellent results. No postanesthetic morbidity or mortality occurred.


[Resorption of collagen by hepatocytes during the reverse development of liver cirrhosis].
Electron microscopy applied in experiments on white mice has demonstrated the presence of vacuoles containing collagen fibers in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes during reverse development of liver cirrhosis. As the organ regenerated, the number of vacuoles with decomposing collagen in the hepatocytes and the number of phagocytosing hepatocytes increased. Based on the data obtained the conclusion is made that during reverse development of liver cirrhosis one can observe the phenomenon of intracellular resorption of collagen by hepatocytes by means of collagen phagocytosis.


Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity and Acute Toxicity of Methanol Extracts of Artemisia absinthium, Datura stramonium, and Solanum anguivi.
Bacterial pathogens have evolved numerous defense mechanisms against commercial antimicrobial agents, and their resistance to most of the available antimicrobials is increasing. Medicinal plants are a potential source of antimicrobial agents during the spread and emergence of infectious disease caused by resistant microorganisms. The aim of this study was thus to investigate the antimicrobial activity and acute toxicity of 80% methanol extracts of leaves of Artemisia absinthium, seeds of Datura stramonium, and fruit of Solanum anguivi. The 80% methanol extracts were prepared by cold maceration. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated against five bacterial species using agar-well diffusion at concentrations of 125, 250, and 500 mg/mL in the presence of positive and negative controls. Minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by broth dilution. The acute toxicity study was done following OECD guidelines. The 80% methanol extract of the fruit of S. anguivi exhibited better activity against most of the bacterial strains, of which Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was found to be the most susceptible, with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of 1.3 mg/mL and 1.95 mg/mL, respectively, while the seed extract of D. stramonium showed the least activity against most test organisms. The acute toxicity study showed that all three plants had an LD50 >2,000 mg/kg body weight, and were thus safe. The results of this study revealed that the methanol extracts of the three plants (A. absinthium, D. stramonium, and S. anguivi) had different degrees of antibacterial activity against the selected pathogenic bacteria and were safe at higher doses, thus being of great potential to be developed as antibacterial agents. The study also provided scientific evidence to support the continued traditional use of these medicinal plants by communities in different parts of Ethiopia to treat infectious diseases.


Critical Analysis of the Commercial Potential of Plants for the Production of Recombinant Proteins.
Over the last three decades, the expression of recombinant proteins in plants and plant cells has been promoted as an alternative cost-effective production platform. However, the market is still dominated by prokaryotic and mammalian expression systems, the former offering high production capacity at a low cost, and the latter favored for the production of complex biopharmaceutical products. Although plant systems are now gaining widespread acceptance as a platform for the larger-scale production of recombinant proteins, there is still resistance to commercial uptake. This partly reflects the relatively low yields achieved in plants, as well as inconsistent product quality and difficulties with larger-scale downstream processing. Furthermore, there are only a few cases in which plants have demonstrated economic advantages compared to established and approved commercial processes, so industry is reluctant to switch to plant-based production. Nevertheless, some plant-derived proteins for research or cosmetic/pharmaceutical applications have reached the market, showing that plants can excel as a competitive production platform in some niche areas. Here, we discuss the strengths of plant expression systems for specific applications, but mainly address the bottlenecks that must be overcome before plants can compete with conventional systems, enabling the future commercial utilization of plants for the production of valuable proteins.


The impact of Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) on medical education.
Artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine is developing rapidly. The advent of Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) has taken the world by storm with its potential uses and efficiencies. However, technology leaders, researchers, educators, and policy makers have also sounded the alarm on its potential harms and unintended consequences. AI will increasingly find its way into medicine and is a force of both disruption and innovation. We discuss the potential benefits and limitations of this new league of technology and how medical educators have to develop skills and curricula to best harness this innovative power.


c-Fos and related immediate early gene products as markers of activity in neuroendocrine systems.
Expression of c-Fos, or other immediate early gene products, by individual neurons can be used as a marker of cell activation, making staining of these proteins an extremely useful technique for functional anatomical mapping of neuroendocrine systems. Because these proteins are located in the nucleus, identification of the phenotype of the activated neuron using substances located within the cytoplasm can be accomplished with standard double-labeling immunocytochemical techniques. Although it is clear that neurons have the capacity to express a number of immediate early gene products, what remains to be established is whether there is a different pattern of expression following various stimuli. In our studies, we focus primarily on expression of one immediate early gene product, the c-Fos protein. We also include some experiments using expression of other members of the Fos family and Jun proteins as markers for neuronal activation. Our studies describe uses of c-Fos expression in both parvocellular and magnocellular hypothalamic systems to address the following issues: (a) identification of neuroendocrine cells activated by specific treatments and conditions, (b) ascertainment of functional differences in subpopulations activated by specific stimuli, (c) evaluation of neuronal activity in complex areas containing multiple neuroendocrine systems, (d) identification of other brain areas activated in conjunction with neuroendocrine systems following specific stimuli, (e) analysis of connectivity of activated neuroendocrine systems with other parts of the brain, and (f) identification of stimuli that decrease neuronal activity. The neuroendocrine systems studied include those that secrete arginine vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OT), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), and dopamine (DA). The use of c-Fos expression has permitted functional neuroanatomical mapping of these systems in response to specific stimuli such as cholecystokinin (CCK), hyperosmolality, and volume depletion, or during various physiological states such as the proestrous ovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge and lactation. Although the use of c-Fos as a marker of neuronal activation will continue to be an extremely powerful technique, future studies will also be directed at relating immediate early gene expression to changes in neuroendocrine gene expression. To this end, we have shown that both c-Fos and c-Jun are expressed in neuroendocrine neurons in response to a number of stimuli, setting the stage for potential regulatory drive to genes containing AP-1 binding sites.


Clinical value of Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 as a prognostic marker in patients with digestive system cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 (TPX2) is a microtubule-associated protein that plays an important role in spindle assembly and dynamics. However, the clinical and prognostic value of TPX2 in the digestive system cancers remains unclear. The objective of this review was to evaluate the association of TPX2 expression with disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and clinicopathological features of digestive system cancers. The software Stata 12.0 was used to analyze the outcomes, including OS, disease-free survival (DFS), and clinicopathological characteristics. A total of 10 eligible studies with 906 patients were included. Elevated TPX2 expression was significantly associated with poor DFS (pooled hazard ratio [HR] =2.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.96-3.13) and OS (pooled HR =2.66, 95% CI: 2.04-3.48) of digestive system malignancies. Subgroup analyses showed that cancer type, sample size, study quality, and laboratory detection methods did not alter the significant prognostic value of TPX2. Additionally, TPX2 expression was found to be an independent predictive factor for DFS (HR =2.31, 95% CI: 1.78-3.01). TPX2 expression might be associated with TNM stage and pathological grade in digestive system cancer. In conclusion, TPX2 is an independent prognostic factor for survival of patients with digestive system cancer. Furthermore, its overexpression is associated with TNM stage and pathological grade in digestive system cancer.


Effect of a mutation preventing lipid modification on localization of the pCloDF13-encoded bacteriocin release protein and on release of cloacin DF13.
The pCloDF13-encoded bacteriocin release protein (BRP; Mr 2,871) is essential for the translocation of cloacin DF13 across the cell envelope of producing Escherichia coli cells. Overproduction of this BRP provokes lysis (quasilysis) of cells. Construction and analysis of a hybrid BRP-beta-lactamase protein (BRP-Bla) demonstrated that the BRP contains a lipid modified cysteine residue at its amino terminus and is mainly located in the outer membrane. The significance of lipid modification for the localization and functioning of the BRP was investigated. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to substitute the cysteine residue for a glycine residue in the lipobox of the BRP and the BRP-Bla protein. The mutated BRP was unable to bring about the release of cloacin DF13 and could not provide the lysis (quasilysis) of host cells. However, the mutated BRP strongly inhibited the colony-forming ability of the cells, indicating that induction of the mutated protein still affected cell viability. In contrast to the wild-type BRP-Bla protein, the mutated BRP-Bla protein was mainly located in the cytoplasmic membrane, indicating that the mutation prevented the proper localization of the protein. The results indicated that lipid modification of the BRP is required for its localization and release of cloacin DF13, but not for its lethality to host cells.


Pharmacogenomics: bridging the gap between science and practice.
To educate pharmacists about principles and concepts in pharmacogenomics, clinical applications of pharmacogenomic information, and the social, ethical, and legal aspects of pharmacogenomics and to describe a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-supported pharmacogenomics education program for pharmacists and other health professionals. Primary literature from PubMed, recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration and Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Working Group, prescribing information, websites of government agencies and professional organizations, and relevant textbooks. Not applicable. Not applicable. Principles and concepts of pharmacogenomic nomenclature, polymorphism types, and systematic approach to understanding polymorphisms were reviewed. Drug therapy for select therapeutic areas that highlight the applicability of pharmacogenomics are presented, including abacavir, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tamoxifen, and warfarin. Challenges of translating pharmacogenomics into clinical practice included ethical, social, legal, and economic issues. We have developed a pharmacogenomics education program to disseminate evidence-based pharmacogenomics information and provide a resource for health professionals, including pharmacists. Pharmacists play a critical role in the education of patients and health professionals in the area of pharmacogenomics.


Low risk of apparent transmission of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci from bacteraemic patients to hospitalized contacts.
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are primarily opportunistic pathogens with incalculable clinical significance. In addition, the effectiveness of isolation in VRE is often not easily assessed. The goals of this study were to estimate the transmissibility of VRE of patients with VRE bacteraemia to other hospitalized patients and to document reliable epidemiologic data on all VRE cases in a large health care center. A prospective survey on in-patients colonized and/or systemically infected with VRE was conducted at a 2,000-bed tertiary care university hospital in Germany. All roommates of VRE bacteraemia patients were analyzed. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to assess clonal relatedness. 16,507 Screening tests were performed on 9,258 patients, of which 560 tested positive for VRE (6.1%). Nineteen patients also suffered from VRE bacteraemia, an incidence of 3.4%. This cohort was multimorbid and had high rates of exposure to external risk factors (eg, previous hospital stay prior to admission, 78.9%). The transmission rate to contacts was low (3.5%). Contact time of negative contacts was significantly lower than that of VRE-positive contacts (19.3 hours vs 72.0 hours, respectively, P < .006). VRE bacteraemia was found exclusively in multimorbid patients, transmission occurred seldom, and average contact time of positive contacts was very high. The risk of transmission of VRE from bacteraemic patients to hospitalized contacts is low.


Efficacy of intramuscular BCG polysaccharide nucleotide on mild to moderate bronchial asthma accompanied with allergic rhinitis: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study.
Atopy is a state of allergy to common antigens and is founded on an immune disturbance of exuberant Th2 activity and IgE production. There is also epidemiological and experimental evidence that exposure to mycobacteria has the potential to suppress the development of asthma or atopy. Since Th1 and Th2 immune mechanisms are significantly antagonistic, it is hypothesized that mycobacterial exposure may moderate atopic disease by modification of immune responses. One hundred and twenty mild to moderate persistent asthmatics accompanied with allergic rhinitis were randomly divided into four groups with one injection every other day for 18 times for group A with 1 ml of normal saline, B with 0.5 mg of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin polysaccharide nucleotide (BCG-PSN) and C with 1 mg of BCG-PSN, 36 times for group D with 0.5 mg of BCG-PSN. Markers for the severity of asthma and rhinitis including the amount of inhaled corticosteriod, bronchodilator and oral H1 blocker-loratidine being used to obtain optimal symptomatic control, symptom scores of asthma and allergic rhinitis, peak expiratory flow (PEF), histamine provocative dose that produces at least a 20% change in forced expiratory volume with in 1 second (PD20-FEV1), blood IgE levels as well as dermatophagoides pteronysinus (DP) and dermatophagoides farinae (DF) skin prick test were measured every visit for 6 months. There were no differences for symptom scores of asthma, daily use of bronchodilator, PEF, PD20-FEV1, blood IgE as well as DF and DP skin prick test among the four groups. Score for allergic rhinitis decreased significantly in groups B, C and D on day 36 and 72 as compared with group A (P < 0.05). Score for allergic rhinitis increased after day 72 in group B and C while it was significantly lower in group D (P < 0.05). The patients in group D used less amount of inhaled beclomethosone than other groups (P < 0.05) from day 72 after the treatment to day 180. Oral loratadine consumption in groups B, C and D was significantly less on day 36 and 72 as compared with their baseline and group A after the treatment (P < 0.05). Group D maintained significantly lower dosage of oral loratadine until day 150 comparing with its baseline and group A. BCG-PSN has a symptomatic effect on allergic rhinitis. BCG-PSN may reduce the dosage of non-sedative H1 blocker loratadine as well as the dosage of inhaled beclomethosone in the treatment of mild to moderate asthma and allergic rhinitis.


The potential of precision psychiatry: what is in reach?
Progress in developing personalised care for mental disorders is supported by numerous proof-of-concept machine learning studies in the area of risk assessment, diagnostics and precision prescribing. Most of these studies primarily use clinical data, but models might benefit from additional neuroimaging, blood and genetic data to improve accuracy. Combined, multimodal models might offer potential for stratification of patients for treatment. Clinical implementation of machine learning is impeded by a lack of wider generalisability, with efforts primarily focused on psychosis and dementia. Studies across all diagnostic groups should work to test the robustness of machine learning models, which is an essential first step to clinical implementation, and then move to prospective clinical validation. Models need to exceed clinicians' heuristics to be useful, and safe, in routine decision-making. Engagement of clinicians, researchers and patients in digitalisation and 'big data' approaches are vital to allow the generation and accessibility of large, longitudinal, prospective data needed for precision psychiatry to be applied into real-world psychiatric care.


Control-group selection importance in studies of antimicrobial resistance: examples applied to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococci, and Escherichia coli.
We aimed to illustrate the importance of control-group selection on the results of risk factor analysis for (1) imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, (2) vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and (3) ampicillin-sulbactam-resistant Escherichia coli. Case patients were compared with 2 different control groups: patients with the susceptible form of the organism (type 1), and control patients among whom the case patients arose during the same period as the case patients (type 2). Comparison of case patients who had imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa with type-1 control patients identified use of imipenem (odds ratio [OR], 27.1) and quinolones (OR, 3.25) as a risk factor for selection of antimicrobial resistance, and comparison of the same case patients with type-2 control patients identified imipenem (OR, 6.34). When case patients with VRE were compared with type-1 and with type-2 control patients, use of vancomycin was identified as a risk factor (OR, 4.38 and 2.77, respectively). Comparison of case patients who had ampicillin-sulbactam-resistant E. coli compared with type-1 control patients identified ampicillin-sulbactam (OR, 2.71) and quinolones (OR, 2.72), and comparison with type-2 control patients identified ampicillin-sulbactam (OR, 1.68). The selection of control patients from the potentially suboptimal control type 1 can falsely identify certain antibiotics and overestimate the OR of the resistance-defining antibiotic.


Internodal length in ventral roots of bovine spinal nerves varies independently of fibre calibre.
The length of internodes in bovine ventral spinal nerve root fibres varies in an irregular pattern along the spinal cord with short internodes for the cervicothoracic and lumbosacral segments, and long internodes for the high cervical, thoracic and sacral segments. This pattern of variation is independent of axon calibre, which is fairly constant between roots. The data show that internode length and fibre calibre vary independently of each other, resulting in internodes of different proportions (length/diameter quotient) for different roots. Maximum internode length was determined at approximately 2400 microns; the longest internode found measured 2847 microns. The segmental variance in ventral root internode length in the cow differs from that in man or rat, which show a craniocaudal increase in internode length. These species-dependent differences relate to differences in the degree of the 'developmental ascensus' of the spinal cord.


Interleukin 4 and interleukin 10 levels are elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
In neurodegenerative diseases, increasing attention has been focused on inflammatory mediators such as pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and their potential influence in the process of neurodegeneration. In prion diseases, much data has been gained on the cell culture and animal disease models level, but only limited information is available on humans affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). To obtain data on anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 4 and interleukin 10 in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with CJD, patients with other dementia, and nondemented neurological patients and controls. Cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected from CJD patients and control subjects, and concentrations of the anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 4 and interleukin 10 were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cerebrospinal fluid samples from 61 patients were analyzed. The group was composed of patients with CJD (n = 20), patients with other forms of dementia (n = 10), patients with motoneuron disease (n = 6), patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (n = 5), and control subjects (n = 20). Interleukin 10 levels were significantly elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of CJD patients (median, 9.8 pg/mL). The elevation was significant to other dementia (median, 7.9 pg/mL, P<.05), motoneuron disease (median, 7.9 pg/mL, P<.05), normal pressure hydrocephalus (median, 7.0 pg/mL, P<.05), and controls (median, 1.3 pg/mL, P<.001). Levels of interleukin 4 were significantly elevated in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with CJD (median, 26.4 pg/mL) compared with control subjects (median, 6.2 pg/mL, P<.001) and patients with a motoneuron disease (median, 10.5 pg/mL, P<.001) Elevated levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 4 and interleukin 10 in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with CJD are new findings. The data of the present study provide a clue toward the possible role of cytokines as immunological modifiers in the neurodegenerative process of CJD.


Insights into the SAM Synthetase Gene Family and Its Roles in Tomato Seedlings under Abiotic Stresses and Hormone Treatments.
S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) is a key enzyme involved in many important biological processes, such as ethylene and polyamine biosynthesis, transmethylation, and transsulfuration. Here, the SAM synthetase (SAMS) gene family was studied in ten different plants (Arabidopsis, tomato, eggplant, sunflower, Medicago truncatula, soybean, rice, barley, Triticum urartu and sorghum) with respect to its physical structure, physicochemical characteristics, and post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications. Additionally, the expression patterns of SAMS genes in tomato were analyzed based on a real-time quantitative PCR assay and an analysis of a public expression dataset. SAMS genes of monocots were more conserved according to the results of a phylogenetic analysis and the prediction of phosphorylation and glycosylation patterns. SAMS genes showed differential expression in response to abiotic stresses and exogenous hormone treatments. Solyc01g101060 was especially expressed in fruit and root tissues, while Solyc09g008280 was expressed in leaves. Additionally, our results revealed that exogenous BR and ABA treatments strongly reduced the expression of tomato SAMS genes. Our research provides new insights and clues about the role of SAMS genes. In particular, these results can inform future functional analyses aimed at revealing the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of SAMS genes in plants.


Distribution of CCR5-Delta32, CCR2-64I, SDF1-3'A, CX3CR1-249I, and CX3CR1-280M in Chinese populations.
Polymorphisms of CCR5, CCR2, SDF, and CX3CR1 were reported to be involved in HIV-1 infection or the development of disease progression to AIDS. Cohort studies showed that CCR5-Delta32, SDF1-3'A, and CCR2-64I were protective, which could provide resistance to HIV-1 infection or delay disease progression, although the effect of SDF1-3'A homozygosity in the later stage of progression to AIDS was still controversial. The two SNPs of CX3CR1-249I and 280M were independent risk factors, which could accelerate the progression to AIDS. In this study, we surveyed the frequency distributions of the five alleles in Chinese populations using PCR and PCR-RFLP. We found that the frequencies of the alleles varied substantially from population to population. We also observed that there was a large discrepancy between these alleles among populations of the north and south. Populations in the same language-speaking family or with the same origin shared similar allele distributions. Furthermore, genotype distributions were found to be in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and a significant linkage disequilibrium was observed between 249I and 280M. The comprehensive genotype analysis of the three-locus CCR5-Delta32, CCR2-64I, SDF1-3'A, and CX3CR1-249I-280M haplotypes for the first time provides host genetic information for future studies of HIV infection and disease progression in Chinese populations.


Induction of physiological thermotolerance in MDCK monolayers: contribution of heat shock protein 70.
Enhanced survival of both individual cells and whole organisms following a heat stress is termed thermotolerance. In organisms, the maintenance of tissue function rather than the survival of individual cells ultimately determines outcome following thermal challenge. We used MDCK kidney epithelial cells to compare alterations in chaperone activity (as a measure of cellular tolerance) and epithelial barrier function (as a measure of physiological tolerance) after thermal challenge. Quercetin, an inhibitor of heat shock factor-dependent transcriptional activity, both potentiated the effects of heat on naive monolayers and blocked conditioning of monolayers following moderate heat shock, suggesting a central role of heat shock protein (HSP) family members in the maintenance of epithelial integrity. We used MDCK cells that constitutively overexpressed HSP70 to demonstrate 2 functionally distinct components of the response of monolayers to thermal stress. The maintenance of epithelial barrier function during exposure to elevated temperatures is regulated by a complex network of processes that involve the actions of HSP70 but that are independent of alterations in chaperone activity as reflected by changes in the thermal inactivation/refolding of luciferase. In contrast, the restoration of barrier function following a heat stress is directly modulated by HSP70 in a manner that can be fully accounted for by changes in chaperone activity. This study demonstrates an important, albeit complex, protective role for heat shock proteins in the modulation of MDCK epithelial barrier function following a thermal stress.


Ultrasensitive, self-calibrated cavity ring-down spectrometer for quantitative trace gas analysis.
A cavity ring-down spectrometer is built for trace gas detection using telecom distributed feedback (DFB) diode lasers. The longitudinal modes of the ring-down cavity are used as frequency markers without active-locking either the laser or the high-finesse cavity. A control scheme is applied to scan the DFB laser frequency, matching the cavity modes one by one in sequence and resulting in a correct index at each recorded spectral data point, which allows us to calibrate the spectrum with a relative frequency precision of 0.06 MHz. Besides the frequency precision of the spectrometer, a sensitivity (noise-equivalent absorption) of 4×10-11 cm-1 Hz-1/2 has also been demonstrated. A minimum detectable absorption coefficient of 5×10-12 cm-1 has been obtained by averaging about 100 spectra recorded in 2 h. The quantitative accuracy is tested by measuring the CO2 concentrations in N2 samples prepared by the gravimetric method, and the relative deviation is less than 0.3%. The trace detection capability is demonstrated by detecting CO2 of ppbv-level concentrations in a high-purity nitrogen gas sample. Simple structure, high sensitivity, and good accuracy make the instrument very suitable for quantitative trace gas analysis.


[The catamenial pneumothorax: a diagnosis often overlooked].
The catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is defined as recurrent pneumothorax occurring from the day before menstruations until 72 hours after their beginning, but remains a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. We herein report the cases of two young women who presented several episodes of pneumothorax. The first patient (28 years old) underwent 18 recurrent pneumothorax before the diagnosis of CP. The video-assisted mini-thoracotomy found many diaphragmatic perforations, which were sutured after resection and biopsy. The latter patient underwent four pneumothorax before diagnosis of CP. A video-assisted mini-thoracotomy associated with pleurectomy and pleural freshening was then performed. CP is a rare entity of spontaneous pneumothorax often associated with thoracic endometriosis. The difficulty remains in diagnosis (diagnostic delay before the start of appropriate care), as well as in the treatment. Overall, CP requires a multidisciplinary approach combining pulmonology, thoracic surgery and gynecology.


A systematic review of specialised palliative care for terminal patients: which model is better?
There is evidence of improved effectiveness of specialised palliative care for terminally ill patients in comparison to conventional care. However, there is uncertainty about which model is better. The objective of this systematic review was to identify studies that compare specialised palliative care models between them assessing their effectiveness or cost-effectiveness. We searched studies published between 2003 and 2006 in several electronic databases and updated the search in MEDLINE up to 2008. Papers published before 2003 were identified by means of previous systematic reviews and manual search. Studies with broad designs comparing two or more specialised palliative care programmes in adults with terminal illness were selected. Six systematic reviews, three studies on effectiveness and one cost study were included. All systematic reviews drew the conclusion that specialised palliative care is more effective than conventional care. The methodological limitations of the original studies and the heterogeneity of programmes did not allow to draw conclusions about whether a specific model of specialised palliative care is more or less effective or cost-effective than other.


[CORRESPONDENCE OF POLYMICROBIAL BACTERIURIA IN THE UNCOMPLICATED URINARY TRACT INFECTION OF THE PREMENOPAUSAL WOMAN].
(Objectives) We report the clinical features about polymicrobial bacteria detection cases in the uncomplicated urinary tract infection of the premenopausal woman from the voided midstream urine culture. (Methods) We retrospectively reviewed the premenopausal woman from 18-49 years patients visited Sendai City Hospital from April, 2006 to December, 2014, diagnosed uncomplicated cystitis or uncomplicated pyelonephritis. We analyzed for 375 specimens from the voided midstream urine culture. (Results) Among 375 specimens, the urine culture-positive for uropathogens were 211 specimens. The monomicrobial bacterial were detected in 184 specimens (87.2%) and polymicrobial bacterial specimens were 27 specimens (12.8%). The most combination group was the caused bacteria and periurethral microorganisms in 20 specimens (74.1%). Then 6 periurethral microorganisms specimens (22.2%), the caused bacteria were only 1 specimen was overlapped (3.7%). The case of urinary tract infections recurrence or revealed voiding dysfunction that need periodic treatment were more prevalent in the polymicrobial than the monomicrobial group (22.2% vs 9.8%, p=0.043). (Conclusions) When polymicrobial bacteria were detected in uncomplicated urinary tract infection in premenopausal woman, it was confirmed that there were the most combinations of caused bacteria and periurethral microorganisms. In these cases, treatment intended for only the caused bacteria. A risk of the infection recurrence and voiding dysfunction were statistically significant higher rate in the polymicrobial bacteria detection cases, and it might be necessary to consider that search to complicated urinary tract infection.