International growth of neuropsychology.
Twenty-five years ago, the field of neuropsychology was well established in North America, Europe, and Australia, with less presence elsewhere. This article discusses the development of neuropsychology over the last 25 years in other regions. The growth of neuropsychology in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and New Zealand is reviewed. Sources drawn on include a 2016 edition of The Clinical Neuropsychologist describing the practice of neuropsychology in 18 countries; papers on the profession of neuropsychology in Latin America (Arango-Lasprilla, Stevens, Paredes, Ardila, & Rivera, 2016), the history of neuropsychology in Asia (Lee, Wang, & Collinson, 2016), and neuropsychology in Central America (Judd, 2017); INSNET; and personal communications. There has been tremendous variability in the development of neuropsychology across these regions over the last 25 years. Obstacles to the growth of neuropsychology have included economic constraints on health care provision, limited availability of appropriate assessment and treatment methods, linguistic diversity and illiteracy, stigma toward and/or lack of awareness of neuropsychological disorders, lack of graduate training and clinical supervision, absence of accreditation of neuropsychologists as a clinical profession, poor pay, and diminished visibility of the field within the regional culture. Despite these obstacles, neuropsychological research and practice is establishing itself in these regions and has grown significantly over the last quarter century. Major challenges remain in establishing awareness of the significance of and developing culturally appropriate methods of assessing and rehabilitating cognitive aspects of brain disorders, training programs, recognition as a profession, and dedicated funding for neuropsychology positions. (PsycINFO Database Record


Imagining the future in health anxiety: the impact of rumination on the specificity of illness-related memory and future thinking.
Individuals with health anxiety experience catastrophic fears relating to future illness. However, little research has explored cognitive processes involved in how health anxious individuals picture the future. Ruminative thinking has been shown to impede the ability to recall specific autobiographical memories, which in turn is related to maladaptive, categoric future thinking processes. This study examined the impact of rumination on memory and future thinking among 60 undergraduate participants with varying health anxiety (35% clinical-level health anxiety). Participants were randomized to experiential/ruminative self-focus conditions, then completed an Autobiographical Memory Test and Future Imaginings Task. Responses were coded for specificity and the presence of illness concerns. Rumination led to more specific illness-concerned memories overall, yet at the same time led to more categoric illness-related future imaginings. Rumination and health anxiety together best predicted overgeneral illness-related future imaginings. Highly specific illness-related memories may be maintained due to their personal salience. However, more overgeneral illness-related future imaginings may reflect cognitive avoidance in response to the threat of future illness. This divergent pattern of results between memory and future imaginings may exacerbate health anxiety, and may also serve to maintain maladaptive responses among individuals with realistic medical concerns, such as individuals living with chronic illness.


Pathogenesis of avian pneumovirus infection in turkeys.
Avian pneumovirus (APV) is the cause of a respiratory disease of turkeys characterized by coughing, ocular and nasal discharge, and swelling of the infraorbital sinuses. Sixty turkey poults were reared in isolation conditions. At 3 weeks of age, serum samples were collected and determined to be free of antibodies against APV, avian influenza, hemorrhagic enteritis, Newcastle disease, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis, Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, and Bordetella avium. When the poults were 4 weeks old, they were inoculated with cell culture-propagated APV (APV/Minnesota/turkey/2a/97) via the conjunctival spaces and nostrils. After inoculation, four poults were euthanatized every 2 days for 14 days, and blood, swabs, and tissues were collected. Clinical signs consisting of nasal discharge, swelling of the infraorbital sinuses, and frothy ocular discharge were evident by 2 days postinoculation (PI) and persisted until day 12 PI. Mild inflammation of the mucosa of the nasal turbinates and infraorbital sinuses was present between days 2 and 10 PI. Mild inflammatory changes were seen in tracheas of poults euthanatized between days 4 and 10 PI. Antibody to APV was detected by day 7 PI. The virus was detected in tissue preparations and swabs of nasal turbinates and infraorbital sinuses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, virus isolation, and immunohistochemical staining methods between days 2 and 10 PI. Virus was detected in tracheal tissue and swabs between days 2 and 6 PI using the same methods. In this experiment, turkey poults inoculated with tissue culture-propagated APV developed clinical signs similar to those seen in field cases associated with infection with this virus.


Clinical nurses' knowledge and practice of venous thromboembolism risk assessment and prevention in South Korea: a cross-sectional survey.
To examine Korean registered nurses' level of perceived knowledge and practice of venous thromboembolism risk assessment as well as prevention, self-efficacy in venous thromboembolism care and actual knowledge of venous thromboembolism. For hospitalised patients, venous thromboembolism is a preventable clinical disorder. Caring for venous thromboembolism patients requires coordination across multiple providers and settings. Clinical nurses can play a major role in improving venous thromboembolism prevention care, assessing venous thromboembolism risks and providing appropriate prophylactic measures to those who are at risk for venous thromboembolism. A cross-sectional descriptive study. Anonymous paper-based surveys were conducted for a convenience sample of registered nurses' (n = 452) from two university-affiliated hospitals in South Korea. The majority of participants indicated that their overall self-rated venous thromboembolism knowledge was 'fair', while only 2·4% rated it as 'very good' or 'excellent'. The overall mean score of the venous thromboembolism knowledge questions was 50·9 (±13·0) of a possible score of 100. The mean score of self-efficacy in practising venous thromboembolism prevention/prophylaxis was 3·0 (based on a one to five Likert scale). The self-reported venous thromboembolism assessment performance on patients varied among clinical units. Only 9·3% of participants reported having received in-service venous thromboembolism education from their hospital. The findings showed that overall venous thromboembolism knowledge and self-efficacy in venous thromboembolism prevention practices of Korean registered nurses' were not highly rated. Korean nurses demonstrated a lack of knowledge about venous thromboembolism, particularly in the areas of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis measures and venous thromboembolism diagnosis methods. Focused education on venous thromboembolism prevention and risk assessment should be considered a component of continuing education for Korean nurses.


A data-driven approach links microglia to pathology and prognosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that lacks a predictive and broadly applicable biomarker. Continued focus on mutation-specific upstream mechanisms has yet to predict disease progression in the clinic. Utilising cellular pathology common to the majority of ALS patients, we implemented an objective transcriptome-driven approach to develop noninvasive prognostic biomarkers for disease progression. Genes expressed in laser captured motor neurons in direct correlation (Spearman rank correlation, p < 0.01) with counts of neuropathology were developed into co-expression network modules. Screening modules using three gene sets representing rate of disease progression and upstream genetic association with ALS led to the prioritisation of a single module enriched for immune response to motor neuron degeneration. Genes in the network module are important for microglial activation and predict disease progression in genetically heterogeneous ALS cohorts: Expression of three genes in peripheral lymphocytes - LILRA2, ITGB2 and CEBPD - differentiate patients with rapid and slowly progressive disease, suggesting promise as a blood-derived biomarker. TREM2 is a member of the network module and the level of soluble TREM2 protein in cerebrospinal fluid is shown to predict survival when measured in late stage disease (Spearman rank correlation, p = 0.01). Our data-driven systems approach has, for the first time, directly linked microglia to the development of motor neuron pathology. LILRA2, ITGB2 and CEBPD represent peripherally accessible candidate biomarkers and TREM2 provides a broadly applicable therapeutic target for ALS.


Successful resection of a teratoma of the third ventricle in a 3-year-old boy.
Few cases of teratoma in the third ventricle have been reported in detail. We describe a 3-year-old Chinese boy presenting with increased intracranial pressure, headache, and vomiting. Preoperative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a teratoma in the third ventricle. Complete excision of the tumor was achieved through the interhemispheric transcallosal approach. The patient did well and was without neurologic deficits postoperatively. Although the majority of tumors located in the third ventricle are malignant and can penetrate the brain tissues that constitute the wall of the third ventricle, mature teratomas are an exception and total removal may be possible.


STUDIES OF MALE SURVIVORS OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION DUE TO "ESSENTIAL" ATHEROSCLEROSIS.
Serum lipids (total, ester and free cholesterol, phospholipid and standard S(f) 0-12, 12-20, 20-100 and 100-400 lipoproteins) were determined in 102 men, ages 30-70, with atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (C.H.D.), free of hypertension, diabetes or other complicating variables. All the lipid fractions had a lognormal distribution. All were significantly higher than in the controls up to the seventh decade. An explanation for the declining serum lipid levels with age was found. Contrary to previous reports, there was no abnormality in the relation of various lipid fractions to one another in C.H.D. A spurious correlation between C/P ratio and total cholesterol was found in both groups. In separating coronary and control subjects, cholesterol and 0-12 lipoproteins were the most reliable criteria and were equal in this respect. The misclassification rises from 20% in the fourth to 33% in the seventh decade. C/P ratio offered no improvement. The triglyceride-containing 100-400 lipoprotein was an inferior discriminator. Employing all the lipid fractions, discriminant analysis provided a minimum 12% misclassification in the fourth decade. There was no demonstrable relationship of cholesterol to body measurements, physical activity or family history of C.H.D.


Open Tibia Shaft Fractures and Soft-Tissue Coverage: The Effects of Management by an Orthopaedic Microsurgical Team.
To compare the timing of soft-tissue (flap) coverage and occurrence of complications before and after the establishment of an integrated orthopaedic trauma/microsurgical team. Retrospective cohort study. A single level 1 trauma center. Twenty-eight subjects (13 pre- and 15 post-integration) with open tibia shaft fractures (OTA/AO 42A, 42B, and 42C) treated with flap coverage between January 2009 and March 2015. Flap coverage for open tibia shaft fractures treated before ("preintegration") and after ("postintegration") implementation of an integrated orthopaedic trauma/microsurgical team. Time from index injury to flap coverage. The unadjusted median time to coverage was 7 days (95% confidence interval, 5.9-8.1) preintegration, and 6 days (95% confidence interval, 4.6-7.4) postintegration (P = 0.48). For preintegration, 9 (69%) of the patients experienced complications, compared with 7 (47%) postintegration (P = 0.23). After formation of an integrated orthopaedic trauma/microsurgery team, we observed a 1-day decrease in median days to coverage from index injury. Complications overall were lowered in the postintegration group, although statistically insignificant. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


Effects of tobacco smoking on HIV-infected individuals.
A longer life expectancy and a high prevalence of tobacco smoking among HIV patients have led to an increasing cumulative exposure to tobacco in this community. Clinical recommendations for smoking cessation in HIV patients are mainly based on the body of evidence from the general population plus few available data from HIV cohort studies. The assumption that the pathophysiology of tobacco-related diseases in HIV-infected patients is similar to that in the general population may be questionable. This article reviews the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying health problems attributable to tobacco in HIV patients, and how these mechanisms may interact with those of HIV infection. Tobacco smoking exerts a greater health impact on HIV-infected patients than on uninfected smokers. Components of tobacco smoke and HIV infection induce complex interrelated pathophysiological changes through different pathways, affecting various organ systems with a cumulative or synergistic effect. This review supports the contention that HIV infection may confer an increased susceptibility to the harmful effects of smoking. Tobacco-related harm in the setting of HIV infection is still underestimated. A better understanding of the pathophysiological interaction between tobacco smoking and HIV will help to promote smoking cessation in this specific population.


Improvement of Squalene Production from CO2 in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 by Metabolic Engineering and Scalable Production in a Photobioreactor.
The push-and-pull strategy for metabolic engineering was successfully demonstrated in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, a model photosynthetic bacterium, to produce squalene from CO2. Squalene synthase (SQS) was fused to either a key enzyme (farnesyl diphosphate synthase) of the methylerythritol phosphate pathway or the β-subunit of phycocyanin (CpcB1). Engineered cyanobacteria with expression of a fusion CpcB1-SQS protein showed a squalene production level (7.16 ± 0.05 mg/L/OD730) that was increased by 1.8-fold compared to that of the control strain expressing SQS alone. To increase squalene production further, the gene dosage for CpcB1·SQS protein expression was increased and the fusion protein was expressed under a strong promoter, yielding 11.98 ± 0.49 mg/L/OD730 of squalene, representing a 3.1-fold increase compared to the control. Subsequently, the best squalene producer was cultivated in a scalable photobioreactor (6 L) with light optimization, which produced 7.08 ± 0.5 mg/L/OD730 squalene (equivalent to 79.2 mg per g dry cell weight). Further optimization for photobioprocessing and strain development will promote the construction of a solar-to-chemical platform.


[The role of cytokines in the production of IL-17 and IFN-gamma via the induction of normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD4(+) T cells].
To investigate the role of cytokines (IL-23, IL-2 and IL-15) in the production and regulation of IL-17 and IFN-gamma via the induction of normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD4(+) T cells. PBMCs or CD4(+) T cells from normal human blood were cultured with IL-23, IL-2 or IL-15 in the presence or absence of IL-23. The level of IL-17 and IFN-gamma in the culture supernatants was assessed by ELISA. The frequency of IL-17 and IFN-gamma produced cells was detected by ELISPOT. IL-23 induced PBMCs to produce IL-17 and IFN-gamma. IL-2 and IL-15 induced the production of IL-17 and IFN-gamma in a dose dependent manner by PBMCs. Similar results were confirmed by ELISPOT assay. The addition of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) or anti-IL-12Rbeta1 mAbs resulted in the inhibition of IL-17 and IFN-gamma production induced by IL-23. Further study suggested that IL-23, IL-2 and IL-15 directly induced the production of IL-17 and IFN-gamma by purified CD4(+) T cells. IL-23, IL-2 and IL-15 can directly induce CD4(+) T cells to produce IL-17 and IFN-gamma. The production of IL-17 and IFN-gamma induced by IL-23 can be inhibited by Th2 cytokines and anti-IL-12Rbeta1 mAbs. The finding of our research may provide some new targets for the study of mechanism and treatment of IL-17-mediated autoimmune diseases.


Concurrent learning of temporal and spatial sequences.
In a serial reaction time task, stimulus events simultaneously defined spatial and temporal sequences. Responses were based on the spatial dimension. The temporal sequence was incidental to the task, defined by the response-to-stimulus intervals in Experiment 1 and stimulus onset asynchronies in Experiment 2. The two sequences were either of equal length and correlated or of unequal length. In both experiments, spatial learning occurred regardless of sequence length condition. In contrast, temporal learning occurred only in the correlated condition. These results suggest that timing is an integrated part of action representations and that incidental learning for a temporal pattern does not occur independently from the action. Interestingly, sequence learning was enhanced in the correlated condition, reflecting the integration of spatial-temporal information.


Growth arrest by trehalose-6-phosphate: an astonishing case of primary metabolite control over growth by way of the SnRK1 signaling pathway.
The strong regulation of plant carbon allocation and growth by trehalose metabolism is important for our understanding of the mechanisms that determine growth and yield, with obvious applications in crop improvement. To gain further insight on the growth arrest by trehalose feeding, we first established that starch-deficient seedlings of the plastidic phosphoglucomutase1 mutant were similarly affected as the wild type on trehalose. Starch accumulation in the source cotyledons, therefore, did not cause starvation and consequent growth arrest in the growing zones. We then screened the FOX collection of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) expressing full-length cDNAs for seedling resistance to 100 mm trehalose. Three independent transgenic lines were identified with dominant segregation of the trehalose resistance trait that overexpress the bZIP11 (for basic region/leucine zipper motif) transcription factor. The resistance of these lines to trehalose could not be explained simply through enhanced trehalase activity or through inhibition of bZIP11 translation. Instead, trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) accumulation was much increased in bZIP11-overexpressing lines, suggesting that these lines may be insensitive to the effects of T6P. T6P is known to inhibit the central stress-integrating kinase SnRK1 (KIN10) activity. We confirmed that this holds true in extracts from seedlings grown on trehalose, then showed that two independent transgenic lines overexpressing KIN10 were insensitive to trehalose. Moreover, the expression of marker genes known to be jointly controlled by SnRK1 activity and bZIP11 was consistent with low SnRK1 or bZIP11 activity in seedlings on trehalose. These results reveal an astonishing case of primary metabolite control over growth by way of the SnRK1 signaling pathway involving T6P, SnRK1, and bZIP11.


Experimental analysis of the hemodynamics in punctured vascular access grafts.
The hemodynamics in the vascular access graft are influenced by the flow aspirated and injected through the two needles during hemodialysis. For the first time, the impact of needle flow on vascular access performance, measured in an in vitro set up, is reported. A vascular access model, consisting of a loop polytetrafluoroethylene graft sewn to a compliant artery and vein, simulated the patient. The extracorporeal circuit was connected to the model. Three mean access flow rates (QG; 500, 1,000, and 1,500 ml/min) and five roller pump flow rates (Q(R); 0, 200, 300, 400, and 500 ml/min) were studied. Mean, systolic, and diastolic pressure and according pressure drops were derived at 14 loci. Systolic, diastolic, and mean pressures drop along the graft decreased with increasing Q(R) and decreasing Q(G). At Q(R) = 500 ml/min and Q(G) = 500 ml/min, the mean pressure drop over the graft was negative (-10 mm Hg), indicating a reversed pressure profile, originating at the puncture site of the venous needle. Mean pressure in the venous outlet segment was about 100 mm Hg compared with only 75 mm Hg without needle flow. The combination of a low Q(G) (500 ml/min) and high Q(R) (> 300 ml/min) must be avoided because venous pressures can rise to 100 mm Hg and load the venous system. The results of this in vitro setup indicate that high Q(R) (> 400 ml/min) should be avoided at Q(G) up to 1,000 ml/min; however, in vivo tests have to be performed to prove this thesis. This study demonstrates the need for a well-functioning vascular access (Q(G) > 600 ml/ min) to perform adequate dialysis and to avoid venous system loading.


Organophotocatalytic Generation of N- and O-Centred Radicals Enables Aerobic Oxyamination and Dioxygenation of Alkenes.
A cooperative TEMPO and photoredox catalytic strategy was applied for the first time to the direct conversion of N-H and O-H bonds into N- and O-centred radicals, enabling a general and selective oxidative radical oxyamination and dioxygenation of various β,γ-unsaturated hydrazones and oximes. In the reaction, O2 was employed not only as a terminal oxidant but also as the oxygen source. This protocol provided efficient access to the synthesis of various synthetically and biologically important pyrazoline, pyridazine and isoxazoline derivatives under metal-free and mild reaction conditions. Mechanistic studies revealed that the cooperative organophotocatalytic system functions through two single-electron-transfer (SET) processes.


Study on Enhanced Oil Recovery Mechanism of CO2 Miscible Flooding in Heterogeneous Reservoirs under Different Injection Methods.
The mechanism by which oil recovery can be enhanced by different injection methods of CO2 miscible flooding to alleviate the influence of heterogeneous reservoirs was studied to optimize the injection methods, further improving oil recovery. According to the reservoir heterogeneity characteristics of the TI oil formation group in Lunnan Oilfield, a 1 m double-layer long core was designed and prepared for four CO2 miscible displacement experiments with different injection methods. By analyzing the variation in the injection-production parameters, the displacement effects of different injection methods were compared, and the mechanism of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) was summarized. The results indicate the following. ① The displacement efficiency of the different injection methods lies in the following order. Alternate CO2-water injection, continuous CO2 flooding, cyclic CO2 flooding, and alternate CO2-hydrocarbon gas injection. ② The recovery of crude oil via CO2 miscible flooding in heterogeneous reservoirs relies on both convective diffusion and miscible mass transfer. Convective diffusion depends mainly on control of the displacement pressure differential and the plugging of preferential seepage channels in high-permeability areas, while miscible mass transfer depends mainly on the swept range of the convective diffusion and the degree of miscibility between CO2 and crude oil. ③ To improve the recovery efficiency of CO2 miscible flooding in heterogeneous reservoirs, it is necessary to choose an injection method that optimizes these two aspects.


Contribution of lymphatic myogenic activity and respiratory movements to pleural lymph flow.
In 11 anesthetized spontaneously breathing rabbits, we studied the contribution to total pleural lymph flow of myogenic activity of pleural lymphatics ("intrinsic mechanism") and the effect due to mechanical action of respiratory movements ("extrinsic mechanism"). Isoncotic saline solution (5 ml) containing 100 microCi of 125I-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was injected into right pleural space; in all but three control rabbits, injectate contained 1 mM amiloride in dimethyl sulfoxide to induce relaxation of smooth muscle tone. At 3 h, rabbits were killed and pleural fluid was collected and its volume measured. LDH radioactivity in pleural liquid and parietal pleural tissue was counted. In control rabbits, net pleural liquid flow (Jnet) at 3 h was -0.17 +/- 0.04 (SD) ml.kg-1.h-1; LDH concentration (C) and quantity (Q) decreased by 40.3 and 51.1% of initial value, respectively; total pleural lymphatic flow (Jl), calculated from LDH clearance, was 0.58 +/- 0.01 ml.kg-1.h-1. In amiloride-treated rabbits, Jnet was 0.01 +/- 0.1 ml.kg-1.h-1, C decreased by 34.4% and Q by 33.1%, and Jl averaged 0.39 +/- 0.02 ml.kg-1.h-1. C in parietal pleura, rich in lymphatics, was 13-fold higher in control than in amiloride-treated animals. The significant decrease of pleural lymphatic flow observed with amiloride (-40% relative to control) resulted from impairment of intrinsic mechanism, whereas, at comparable breathing frequencies, extrinsic mechanism remained unaltered. The direct effect of topical application of 1 mM amiloride was confirmed on exposed mesenteric collecting lymphatic ducts (data from 5 rats): amiloride reduced lymph flow by 40% by decreasing stroke volume without greatly affecting contraction rate of lymphatic walls.


Control of prostate cancer with radiotherapy: long-term results.
The long-term outcome for 1,245 patients with carcinoma of the prostate treated with external beam radiation therapy is presented. The median survival for all patients without evidence of distant metastases but irrespective of T stage of the primary tumor, histopathological grade or lymph node status was 10 years compared to 15 years for an age-matched cohort of California men. The cause specific survival at 15 years was 52%. The data base is subdivided into a series of subsets that demonstrate the impact of T stage, Gleason pattern score and lymph node involvement on long-term outcome. The best results were shown in stages T1 and T2a cases with histopathologically proved negative lymph nodes. Survival at 15 years was 53%, which was essentially identical to the 55% survival rate of an age-matched cohort. The actuarial survival at 15 years for all stages T1 and T2N0M0 cancer patients was 45% compared to 56% for an age-matched cohort.


Effect of Rice Processing towards Lower Rapidly Available Glucose (RAG) Favors Idli, a South Indian Fermented Food Suitable for Diabetic Patients.
The Asian food pattern primarily embraces rice and rice-based products, which mainly comprise 90% starch. Among these various food products, Idli is mostly prepared through fermentation. It has high palatability, and the rapid and highly digestible nature of the food product results in a higher post-glucose level in diabetic patients. A heat-treated Idli rice sample was prepared by roasting parboiled rice at the temperature range of 155 to 165 °C for 65 to 75 s. Idli/rice-based Dokala made from heat-treated rice is better when compared to untreated rice in terms of its microbiological profile and physiochemical properties. The proximate composition of heat-treated parboiled rice Idli/Rice Dokala showed slightly higher values than the untreated parboiled rice Idli/Rice Dokala, which reveals that it has marginally higher nutritive value. Determination of the Rapidly Available Glucose (RAG) and Slowly Available Glucose (SAG) values, SEM analysis, resistant starch analysis, microbial assay, and in vivo studies were performed to determine the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load in normal and diabetic persons. Sensory analysis also proved that heat-treated Idli/Rice Dokala is superior to untreated based on the color, flavor, appearance, taste, and texture.


Miliary PCP in AIDS.
The most frequent radiographic presentation of (PCP) is bilateral interstitial or alveolar infiltrates. Atypical features include lobar distribution, pleural effusions, hilar adenopathy, cyst formation and spontaneous pneumothorax. A diffuse miliary pattern has not been described previously for PCP. A 30-year-old male intravenous drug abuser, with AIDS, presented to our institution complaining of fever and productive cough. Admission chest x-ray film revealed a "classic" miliary pattern. Sputum smears were negative for acid-fast bacilli and both bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy revealed only PCP. Repeat bronchoscopy one month later was unrevealing and marked x-ray resolution occurred after treatment with pentamidine alone. The incidence of atypical roentgenographic features of PCP in AIDS is approximately 10 percent. Given the frequency of this infection in AIDS, knowledge of the unusual presentations is imperative. Based on this report, PCP must be included in the differential diagnosis of a miliary x-ray pattern.


Angiotensin II-stimulated Na+/H+ exchange in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Evidence for protein kinase C-dependent and -independent pathways.
Angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor, is known to stimulate Ca2+ mobilization and Na+ influx in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The fact that the Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor, amiloride, blocks angiotensin II-stimulated Na+ influx and is itself a vasodilator suggests that Na+/H+ exchange may play a role in the angiotensin II-mediated effects on VSMC. We have used a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye to study Na+/H+ exchange in cultured rat aortic VSMC. Basal intracellular pH was 7.08 in physiological saline buffer. Angiotensin II stimulation caused an initial transient acidification, followed by a Na+-dependent alkalinization. Angiotensin II increased the rate of alkalinization with apparent threshold, half-maximal, and maximal effect of 0.01, 3, and 100 nM, respectively. Angiotensin II stimulation appeared to be mediated by a shift in the Km of the Na+/H+ exchanger for extracellular Na+. Since angiotensin II activates phospholipase C in VSMC, we tested the possibility that angiotensin II increased Na+/H+ exchange by activation of protein kinase C via stimulation of diacylglycerol formation. The phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), stimulated Na+/H+ exchange in VSMC cultured for 24 h in serum-free medium, and the subsequent angiotensin II response was inhibited. However, VSMC grown in serum and treated for 24 h with TPA to decrease protein kinase C activity showed no inhibition of angiotensin II-stimulated Na+/H+ exchange. TPA caused no intracellular alkalinization of VSMC grown in serum, while the angiotensin II response was actually enhanced compared to VSMC deprived of serum for 24 h. We conclude that angiotensin II stimulates an amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchange system in cultured VSMC which is mediated by protein kinase C-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Angiotensin II-mediated Na+ influx and intracellular alkalinization may play a role in excitation-response coupling in vascular smooth muscle.


Neonatal resuscitation emergencies at birth: case reports, using NRP 2000 guidelines.
In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association formulated new international evidence-based guidelines for neonatal resuscitation. Whereas the earlier Neonatal Resuscitation Program guidelines incorporated a hierarchical approach to resuscitation, the revised program bases interventions on simultaneous assessment of breathing, heart rate, and color. Resuscitation success builds on the concepts of resuscitation readiness, knowledge and skills, teamwork, and self-efficacy. Six case reports illustrate revised Neonatal Resuscitation Program guidelines for managing selected resuscitation emergencies of newborns.


Combination of sorafenib and everolimus impacts therapeutically on adrenocortical tumor models.
Treatment options are insufficient in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Based on the efficacy of sorafenib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin in tumors of different histotype, we aimed at testing these drugs in adrenocortical cancer models. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors (VEGFR1-2) was studied in 18 ACCs, 33 aldosterone-producing adenomas, 12 cortisol-producing adenomas, and six normal adrenal cortex by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry and by immunoblotting in SW13 and H295R cancer cell lines. The effects of sorafenib and everolimus, alone or in combination, were tested on primary adrenocortical cultures and SW13 and H295R cells by evaluating cell viability and apoptosis in vitro and tumor growth inhibition of tumor cell line xenografts in immunodeficient mice in vivo. VEGF and VEGFR1-2 were detected in all samples and appeared over-expressed in two-thirds of ACC specimens. Dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability was observed particularly in SW13 cells after 24 h treatment with either drug; drug combination produced markedly synergistic growth inhibition. Increasing apoptosis was observed in tumor cells treated with the drugs, particularly with sorafenib. Finally, a significant mass reduction and increased survival were observed in SW13 xenograft model undergoing treatment with the drugs in combination. Our data suggest that an autocrine VEGF loop may exist within ACC. Furthermore, a combination of molecularly targeted agents may have both antiangiogenic and direct antitumor effects and thus could represent a new therapeutic tool for the treatment of ACC.


Comparative Validation of the S-STS, the ISST-Plus, and the C-SSRS for Assessing the Suicidal Thinking and Behavior FDA 2012 Suicidality Categories.
This exploratory study examines the concurrent validity for mapping symptoms of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and suicidal behavior as recorded on the InterSePT Scale for Suicidal Thinking-Plus, the Sheehan-Suicidality Tracking Scale (clinician- and patient-rated and reconciled patient/clinician versions), and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale to the 11 United States Food and Drug Administration-Classification Algorithm of Suicide Assessment (September 2012) categories. Forty subjects with varying degrees of suicidal ideation and behavior severity (from not present to extremely severe) were recruited from inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room settings. Each patient was interviewed using all three scales (InterSePT Scale for Suicidal Thinking-Plus, the Sheehan-Suicidality Tracking Scale, and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale) on the same day. The scales were administered in a random sequence by three independent raters who were blind to the ratings on the other scales. The Sheehan-Suicidality Tracking Scale and the InterSePT Scale for Suicidal Thinking-Plus show acceptable agreement with the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale in detecting the presence or absence of the 2012 Food and Drug Administration-Classification Algorithm of Suicide Assessment categories 1, 5, 6, 10, and 11 (passive ideation; active ideation with method, intent, and plan; completed suicide; preparatory actions; and self-injurious behavior) but not of categories 2, 3, and 4 (3 other active suicidal ideation combination categories) or to 8 and 9 (aborted and interrupted attempt). Despite the significant disagreement between the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale on the one side and the InterSePT Scale for Suicidal Thinking-Plus and the Sheehan-Suicidality Tracking Scale on the other in the ability to accurately map to the 2012 Food and Drug Administration-Classification Algorithm of Suicide Assessment categories on some items, there was close agreement between the InterSePT Scale for Suicidal Thinking-Plus and the Sheehan-Suicidality Tracking Scale on these categories. The results of this exploratory study invite discussion and debate about the validity of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale and its ability to accurately assess key active suicidal ideation categories, since it disagrees so much with the other two standardized scales that agree so closely with each other.


Variable temperature single-molecule dynamics of MEH-PPV.
Herein, we continue our investigation of the single-molecule spectroscopy of the conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy,5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene-vinylene] (MEH-PPV) at cryogenic temperatures. First, the low temperature microsecond dynamics of single MEH-PPV conjugated polymer molecules are compared to the dynamics at room temperature revealing no detectible temperature dependence. The lack of temperature dependence is consistent with the previous assignment of the dynamics to a mechanism that involves intersystem crossing and triplet-triplet annihilation. Second, the fluorescence spectra of single MEH-PPV molecules at low temperature are studied as a function of excitation wavelength (i.e. 488, 543, and 568 nm). These results exhibit nearly identical fluorescence spectra for different excitation wavelengths. This strongly suggests that electronic energy transfer occurs efficiently to a small number of low-energy sites in the multichromophoric MEH-PPV chains.


Impact of long-term use of opioids on quality of life in patients with chronic, non-malignant pain.
The use of opioids in the management of non-malignant pain remains controversial. For many physicians, pain relief stemming from opioid use is not enough unless there is also a noticeable change in quality of life (QoL) and patient functioning. The impact of long-term opioid treatment on patients' QoL has been investigated in a limited number of trials, and these studies differ considerably with respect to their design and principal findings. This systematic review presents the results of these studies. MEDLINE (1966 to November/December 2004), EMBASE (1974 to November/December 2004), the Oxford Pain Relief Database (Bandolier; 1954-1994) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for relevant papers by combining search terms for function with terms for opioid analgesia, non-malignant and pain. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they met all of the pre-defined criteria specifying study design, population, intervention and outcome measures. Eleven studies evaluated long-term treatment with opioids in patients with chronic, non-malignant pain and assessed QoL (N = 2877). Six studies were randomised trials and the remaining five were observational studies. In general, the former had higher Jadad rating scores for the quality of the paper than the latter. Of the four randomised studies in which baseline QoL was reported, three showed an improvement in QoL. Similarly, of the five observational studies, a significant improvement in QoL was reported in four. There is both moderate/high- and low-quality evidence suggesting that long-term treatment with opioids can lead to significant improvements in functional outcomes, including QoL, in patients with chronic, non-malignant pain. However, further methodologically rigorous investigations are required to confirm the long-term QoL benefit of opioid treatment in these patients, and to elucidate the effect of physical tolerance, withdrawal and addiction, which are all associated with long-term use of opioids, on patients' functional status.


Carryover effects and climatic conditions influence the postfledging survival of greater sage-grouse.
Prebreeding survival is an important life history component that affects both parental fitness and population persistence. In birds, prebreeding can be separated into pre- and postfledging periods; carryover effects from the prefledging period may influence postfledging survival. We investigated effects of body condition at fledging, and climatic variation, on postfledging survival of radio-marked greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Great Basin Desert of the western United States. We hypothesized that body condition would influence postfledging survival as a carryover effect from the prefledging period, and we predicted that climatic variation may mediate this carryover effect or, alternatively, would act directly on survival during the postfledging period. Individual body condition had a strong positive effect on postfledging survival of juvenile females, suggesting carryover effects from the prefledging period. Females in the upper 25th percentile of body condition scores had a postfledging survival probability more than twice that (Φ = 0.51 ± 0.06 SE) of females in the bottom 25th percentile (Φ = 0.21 ± 0.05 SE). A similar effect could not be detected for males. We also found evidence for temperature and precipitation effects on monthly survival rates of both sexes. After controlling for site-level variation, postfledging survival was nearly twice as great following the coolest and wettest growing season (Φ = 0.77 ± 0.05 SE) compared with the hottest and driest growing season (Φ = 0.39 ± 0.05 SE). We found no relationships between individual body condition and temperature or precipitation, suggesting that carryover effects operated independently of background climatic variation. The temperature and precipitation effects we observed likely produced a direct effect on mortality risk during the postfledging period. Conservation actions that focus on improving prefledging habitat for sage-grouse may have indirect benefits to survival during postfledging, due to carryover effects between the two life phases.


Intrasession Repeatability and Interocular Symmetry of Foveal Avascular Zone and Retinal Vessel Density in OCT Angiography.
To measure intrasession repeatability and interocular symmetry of the foveal avascular zone area (FAZA) and superficial retinal vessel density (SRVD) using AngioVue Analytics optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Fifty healthy individuals were prospectively enrolled. OCTA scans (3 × 3 and 6 × 6 mm) were acquired twice in right and once in left eyes. FAZA (with and without rescaling) and SRVD for 18 regions (whole, fovea, parafovea, six parafoveal subregions, and nine square zones) were compared between two scans in right eyes (repeatability) and between both eyes (symmetry). Coefficients of repeatability (CRs) and limits of agreement (LAs) were calculated. Axial length-based image size rescaling had negligible impact on the intrasession CR of FAZA in both 3 × 3- and 6 × 6-mm images. The intrasession CRs for the foveal SRVD were 3.3% and 6.1% in the 3 × 3- and 6 × 6-mm OCTA images, respectively. Age and axial length did not influence test-retest variability of FAZA or SRVD. The interocular LAs in FAZA (0.039-0.059 mm2) was comparable to its CR. However, the interocular LAs in foveal SRVD were -4.5% to +3.8%, with 13% of the cohort showing an interocular difference greater than the CR. FAZA repeatability is not influenced by image size correction, and foveal SRVD is more variable in 6 × 6- than 3 × 3-mm OCTA images. Low image quality may contribute to interocular SRVD asymmetry. CRs and LAs can be used to set a threshold for true changes in FAZA and SRVD in longitudinal studies of healthy individuals.


Methicillin resistance and beta-lactamase production in Staphylococcus aureus.
Staphylococcus aureus isolates were either sensitive, resistant or partially resistant (minimum inhibitory concentration 90 of 4 micrograms/ml) to methicillin. Low-level methicillin resistance was shown to be due to beta-lactamase production. The clinical significance of this beta-lactamase-mediated resistance is still unclear, so it is recommended that these strains should, at present, be regarded as methicillin-resistant.


Two cases of adult-onset Still's disease with orbital inflammatory lesions originating from the lacrimal gland.
Orbital inflammation has been rarely associated with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). We herein describe two AOSD patients who developed lacrimal gland enlargement with inflammation spreading to the contiguous tissues in the orbit. Case 1 was a 26-year-old woman who developed bilateral eyelid swelling while taking prednisolone (22.5 mg/day) for AOSD. The swelling of the eyelid worsened after other symptoms emerged, such as a fever, a rash, and arthritis. The laboratory findings, including leukocytosis, liver dysfunction, and ferritin elevation, also suggested an AOSD flare-up. Case 2 was a 62-year-old woman who presented with left eyelid swelling. She was diagnosed with AOSD at 45 years of age but sustained remission. During admission, she subsequently developed a fever, a rash, arthritis, lymphadenopathy, and ocular hyperemia. AOSD was suspected from the clinical course. We speculate that dacryoadenitis and orbital inflammation are manifestations of AOSD.


PET-avid hepatocellular adenomas: incidental findings associated with HNF1-α mutated lesions.
Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) is the second most common benign liver neoplasm and occurs predominantly in women in their reproductive years. Positron-emission tomography (PET) using [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is commonly used in cancer staging, surveillance and evaluation of the treatment response. PET-avid HCA is rare and can be falsely interpreted as malignancies. A retrospective review of four institutions' database was performed to identify the PET-avid HCAs with clinico-pathological correlation. Nine patients with histological proven PET-avid HCA was identified. Eight out of nine patients were female with a median age at diagnosis of 44 years. All patients' tumours with available histological subtyping (8/8) were HNF1-α mutated and had no inflammatory changes; six out the nine lesions had prominent (>50%) steatotic changes. Hepatocellular adenomas, specifically the HNF1-α subtype, can cause false-positive PET findings when seeking to identify malignancy. Concomitantly, PET-CT may have the potential to identify the HCA histopathological variant with the lowest malignant and haemorrhagic potential.


Principal component analysis of the pH-dependent conformational transitions of bovine beta-lactoglobulin monitored by heteronuclear NMR.
To clarify the pH-dependent conformational transitions of proteins, we propose an approach in which structural changes monitored by heteronuclear sequential quantum correlation (HSQC) spectroscopy were analyzed by using a principal component analysis (PCA). We use bovine beta-lactoglobulin, a protein widely used in protein folding studies, as a target. First, we measured HSQC spectra at various pH values and subjected them to a PCA. The analysis revealed three apparent transitions with pK(a) values of 2.9, 4.9, and 6.8, consistent with previous reports using different methods. Next, Gdn-HCl-induced unfolding was examined by measuring tryptophan fluorescence at various pH values. Between pH 2 and 8, beta-lactoglobulin exhibited a number of structural transitions as well as changes in stability represented by the free energy change of unfolding, DeltaG(U). By combining the NMR and fluorescence results, the change in DeltaG(U) was suggested to result from the decreased pK(a) of some acidic residues. Notably, the native state at neutral pH is destabilized by deprotonation of Glu-89, leading to an increase in the relative population of the intermediate. Thus, the PCA of pH-dependent HSQC spectra provides a more comprehensive understanding of the stability and function of proteins.


Age-dependent altered proportions in subpopulations of tonsillar lymphocytes.
Age-related changes in functional subsets of lymphocytes may influence the potential to build up immune responses. In particular, the capacity of tonsillar lymphocytes to counter infections may be altered during ageing. In order to address this question we investigated the proportional distribution of several subsets of tonsillar T and B cells with regard to ageing. Tonsils were derived from 119 patients between 2 and 65 years of age. Lymphocyte subsets were monitored by three-colour fluorescence of relevant CD markers in flow cytometry. As a general tendency the percentage of CD3+ T cells steadily increased whereas that of CD19+ B cells decreased at the same time. No significant differences were observed between lymphocytes of patients with and without inflammatory history of the tonsils. The percentage of CD8+ T cells declined whereas that of CD4+ T cells increased during the same time span. CD45RA+ T cells increased during the first two decades of life and gradually decreased thereafter. In contrast, CD45RO+ T cells showed an opposite trend. No differences were seen in the population of CD3-/CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells. The mature B cell marker CD40 showed no significant changes during ageing. However, CD38+ B cells, representing B cells of late maturation stages, dramatically declined up to the age of 65. In a similar manner the CD5+ subpopulation of B cells decreased during ageing. Substantial changes in major tonsillar T and B cell populations as shown in this study may have an impact on the ageing process of the immune system.


Trends in GP prescribing of psychotropic medications among young patients aged 16-24 years: a case study analysis.
Current clinical guidelines recommend non-pharmacological interventions as first-line treatments for young patients aged 16-24 years with a mental health condition (MHC). However, several studies have noted increasing trends in psychotropic prescribing for this age group, especially in antidepressant prescribing. In Australia, the vast majority of psychotropic medications prescribed to young people come from the general practice setting. To assess whether Australian General Practitioners (GPs) are prescribing in accordance with clinical guideline recommendations, this study examined trends in GP prescribing of psychotropic medications to young patients aged 16-24 years. We performed a retrospective analysis of routine general practice data from 9112 patients aged 16-24 years with a MHC. Data were extracted from the Melbourne East Monash General Practice Database from 1/01/2009 to 31/12/2014. The main outcome measures included the number of consultations for patients with MHCs, psychotropic prescribing by GPs, and patient characteristics associated with the likelihood of being prescribed a psychotropic. In total, 9112 out of a total of 77,466 young patients were identified as having a MHC in this study, and 11,934 psychotropic prescriptions were provided to 3967 (43.5%) of them over the study period. Antidepressants accounted for 81.4% of total psychotropic prescriptions, followed by anxiolytics (9.6%) and antipsychotics (9.0%). The number of prescriptions issued to individuals with MHCs increased over time. Women and patients aged 21-24 years had higher incidence rates for prescription than men and those aged 16-17 (IRR: 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.22, IRR: 1.93, 95% CI 1.750-2.11). Our findings demonstrate an increasing trend in GP prescribing of psychotropics to young people over the study period with higher levels of prescribing to women and those 21-24 years of age. Although GP prescribing corresponded with guideline recommendations on the whole, there were discrepancies between GP's antidepressant prescribing and guideline recommendations, reasons for which were unclear. Research is needed to investigate GPs decision-making processes underlying their prescribing, to target interventions to improve existing data in GP records to improve management, and to identify areas of further training if needed to facilitate greater concordance between clinical practice and guideline recommendations.


Application of joint permutations for predicting coupled time series.
In this work, we introduce a model for predicting multivariate time series data. This model was obtained by partitioning the state space with joint permutations. We review the theoretical framework of the previous works, show a simple extension to multivariate data, and compare its performance to the previous model obtained by permutations for predicting scalar time series data.


On some clinical implications of action language.
Schafer's action language can be criticized on purely theoretical grounds; here, the emphasis is on some of its clinical implications. First, action language tends to put the patient into an adversary position with respect to the analyst; this interferes with the therapeutic alliance, discourages regression, and encourages self-consciousness and problem-solving reasoning. Second, action language tempts the analyst to use premature labels in place of ambiguous metaphors; premature clarification may undercut the process of analytic discovery. Third, a focus on action and responsibility, because it highlights conscious mechanisms and the secondary process, may run the danger of working against the analytic process. It may yield rationalization rather than insight and convey the message that the analyst does not take seriously the concept of the unconscious. Fourth, by emphasizing clarity in favor of metaphor, action language may put an unnecessary emphasis on rationality and may discourage the kind of groping self-exploration that is the essence of productive analysis.


National surveillance for respiratory syncytial virus, United States, 1985-1990.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes pneumonia and bronchiolitis in infants and young children and serious disease in the elderly and persons with compromised immune systems. To determine the temporal and geographic patterns of RSV outbreaks in the United States, monthly reports from 74 laboratories were analyzed for July 1985 through June 1990. RSV outbreaks were identified in 197 (93%) of the 211 laboratory years analyzed, with widespread activity beginning each fall, peaking in winter, and returning to baseline in April or May. Each year, the timing of outbreaks did not differ significantly between most regions; the few differences were small, and no region consistently had early or late outbreaks. These findings are consistent with RSV transmission within communities rather than between communities or regions. Health care personnel should consider the possibility of RSV infection in their treatment and prevention efforts from November through April each year in the United States.


Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 and phosphodiesterase 4B: towards an understanding of psychiatric illness.
Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is one of the most convincing genetic risk factors for major mental illness identified to date. DISC1 interacts directly with phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B), an independently identified risk factor for schizophrenia. DISC1-PDE4B complexes are therefore likely to be involved in molecular mechanisms underlying psychiatric illness. PDE4B hydrolyses cAMP and DISC1 may regulate cAMP signalling through modulating PDE4B activity. There is evidence that expression of both genes is altered in some psychiatric patients. Moreover, DISC1 missense mutations that give rise to phenotypes related to schizophrenia and depression in mice are located within binding sites for PDE4B. These mutations reduce the association between DISC1 and PDE4B, and one results in reduced brain PDE4B activity. Altered DISC1-PDE4B interaction may thus underlie the symptoms of some cases of schizophrenia and depression. Factors likely to influence this interaction include expression levels, binding site affinities and the DISC1 and PDE4 isoforms involved. DISC1 and PDE4 isoforms are targeted to specific subcellular locations which may contribute to the compartmentalization of cAMP signalling. Dysregulated cAMP signalling in specific cellular compartments may therefore be a predisposing factor for major mental illness.


Weatherwise: evaluation of a cue-based training approach for the recognition of deteriorating weather conditions during flight.
Inappropriate and ineffective weather-related decision making continues to account for a significant proportion of general aviation fatalities in the United States and elsewhere. This study details the evaluation of a computer-based training system that was developed to provide visual pilots with the skills necessary to recognize and respond to the cues associated with deteriorating weather conditions during flight. A total of 66 pilots were assigned to one of two groups, and the evaluation process was undertaken at both a self-report and performance level. At the self-report level, the results suggested that pilots were more likely to use the cues following exposure to the training program. From a performance perspective, there is evidence to suggest that cue-based training can improve the timeliness of weather-related decision making during visual flight rules flight. Actual or potential applications of this research include the development of computer-based training systems for fault diagnosis in complex industrial environments.


Length of Utterance, in Morphemes or in Words?: MLU3-w, a Reliable Measure of Language Development in Early Basque.
The mean length of utterace (MLU), which was proposed by Brown (1973) as a better index for language development in children than age, has been regularly reported in case studies as well as in cross-sectional studies on early spontaneous language production. Despite the reliability of MLU as a measure of (morpho-)syntactic development having been called into question, its extensive use in language acquisition studies highlights its utility not only for intra- and inter-individual comparison in monolingual language acquisition, but also for cross-linguistic assessment and comparison of bilinguals' early language development (Müller, 1993; Yip and Matthews, 2006; Meisel, 2011). An additional issue concerns whether MLU should be measured in words (MLU-w) or morphemes (MLU-m), the latter option being the most difficult to gauge, since new challenges have arisen regarding how to count zero morphemes, suppletive and fused morphemes. The different criteria have consequences, especially when comparing development in languages with diverging morphological complexity. A variant of MLU, the MLU3, which is calculated out of the three longest sentences produced (MLU3-w and MLU3-m), is included among the subscales of expressive language development in CDI parental reports (Fenson et al., 1993, 2007). The aim of the study is to investigate the consistency and utility of MLU3-w and MLU3-m as a measure for (morpho-)syntactic development in Basque, an agglutinative language. To that end, cross-sectional data were obtained using either the Basque CDI-2 instrument (16- to 30-month-olds) or the Basque CDI-3 (30- to 50-month-olds). The results of analyzing reports on over 1,200 children show three main findings. First, MLU3-w and MLU3-m can report equally well on very young children's development. Second, the strong correlations found between MLU3 and expressive vocabulary in the Basque CDI-2 and CDI-3 instruments, as well as between MLU3 and both nominal and verbal morphology scales, confirm the consistency not only of MLU3 but also of the two Basque CDI instruments. Finally, both MLU3-w and MLU3-m subscales appear sensitive to input after age 2, which emphasizes their utility for identifying developmental patterns in Basque bilinguals.


Levels of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Indian shrimp undergoing processing for export.
A study of 56 samples of raw prawns, 50 samples of processed prawns, and 57 samples of frozen prawns from five prawn-processing factories around Mangalore for the levels of Vibrio parahaemolyticus revealed that most of these samples carry a load of less than 10/g. None of the samples had counts greater than 10(2)/g, indicating that the prawn-processing factories are able to meet the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) suggested limit of 10(2) V. parahaemolyticus per gram for frozen prawns.


Assessment of hydration status in a large population.
Both acute and chronic dehydration can have important implications for human behaviour and health. Young children, non-autonomous individuals and the elderly are at a greater risk of dehydration. Mild hypertonic dehydration could be related to less efficient cognitive and physical performance and has been reported to be associated with frequently occurring pathological conditions, especially nephrolithiasis. The assessment of hydration status in a large sample appears to be of interest for conducting epidemiological and large clinical studies aimed at improving preventive and curative care. Especially in large-population studies, methods that are used have to be accurate, cheap, quick and require no technical expertise. Body weight change is widely used to determine acute hydration changes, but seems to be insufficiently accurate in longitudinal studies. Bioimpedance analysis methods enable the assessment of total body water content, but their use is still under debate. Because plasma osmolality directly reflects intracellular osmolality, it constitutes a good marker to assess acute hydration changes, but not chronic hydration status because it changes constantly. Moreover, venepuncture is considered to be invasive and is not suitable for a large-sample study, especially in children. Urinary markers appear to be good alternatives for assessing hydration status in large populations. Collection of urine samples is non-invasive and cheap. High technical expertise is not required to perform urinary marker measurements and these measurements can be carried out quickly. Thus, methods based on urinary markers are very well suited for field studies. Urine colour is probably the least sensitive marker despite its high specificity. Urine osmolality and especially urine specific gravity could be easily used for determining hydration status in large-sample studies.


Mechanism of antigenic variation in an individual epitope on influenza virus N9 neuraminidase.
Monoclonal antibodies which inhibit influenza virus neuraminidase (NA) and which therefore indirectly neutralize virus infectivity bind to epitopes located on the rim of the active-site crater. The three-dimensional structure of one of these epitopes, recognized by monoclonal antibody NC41, has previously been determined (W. R. Tulip, J. N. Varghese, R. G. Webster, G. M. Air, W. G. Laver, and P. M. Colman, Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 54:257-263, 1989). Nineteen escape mutants of influenza virus A/tern/Australia/G70c/75 (N9) NA selected with NC41 were sequenced. A surprising restriction was seen in the sequence changes involved. Ten mutants had a Ser-to-Phe change at amino acid 372, and six others had mutations at position 367. No escape mutants with changes at 369 or 370 were found, although these mutations were selected with other antibodies and rendered the epitope unrecognizable by antibody NC41. Another N9 NA, from A/ruddy turnstone/NJ/85, which differs by 14 amino acids from the tern virus NA, still bound antibody NC41. Epitope mapping by selecting multiple escape mutants with antibody NC41 thus identified only three of the five polypeptide loops on NA that contact the antibody. Escape mutants selected sequentially with three different monoclonal antibodies showed three sequence changes in two loops of the NC41 epitope. The multiple mutants were indistinguishable from wild-type virus by using polyclonal rabbit antiserum in double immunodiffusion tests, but NA inhibition titers were fourfold lower. The results suggest that although the NC41 epitope contains 22 amino acids, only a few of these are so critical to the interaction with antibody that a single sequence change allows selection of an escape mutant. In that case, the variety of amino acid sequence changes which can lead to polyclonal selection of new epidemic viruses during antigenic drift might be very limited.


Yeast gene KTI13 (alias DPH8) operates in the initiation step of diphthamide synthesis on elongation factor 2.
In yeast, Elongator-dependent tRNA modifications are regulated by the Kti11•Kti13 dimer and hijacked for cell killing by zymocin, a tRNase ribotoxin. Kti11 (alias Dph3) also controls modification of elongation factor 2 (EF2) with diphthamide, the target for lethal ADP-ribosylation by diphtheria toxin (DT). Diphthamide formation on EF2 involves four biosynthetic steps encoded by the DPH1-DPH7 network and an ill-defined KTI13 function. On further examining the latter gene in yeast, we found that kti13Δ null-mutants maintain unmodified EF2 able to escape ADP-ribosylation by DT and to survive EF2 inhibition by sordarin, a diphthamide-dependent antifungal. Consistently, mass spectrometry shows kti13Δ cells are blocked in proper formation of amino-carboxyl-propyl-EF2, the first diphthamide pathway intermediate. Thus, apart from their common function in tRNA modification, both Kti11/Dph3 and Kti13 share roles in the initiation step of EF2 modification. We suggest an alias KTI13/DPH8 nomenclature indicating dual-functionality analogous to KTI11/DPH3.


Multi-photon excited coherent random laser emission in ZnO powders.
We report the observation and analysis of anti-Stokes coherent random laser (RL) emission from zinc oxide (ZnO) powders excited by one-, two- or three-photon femtosecond laser radiation. The ZnO powders were produced via a novel proteic sol-gel, low-cost and environmentally friendly route using coconut water in the polymerization step of the metal precursor. One- and two-photon excitation at 354 nm and 710 nm, respectively, generated single-band emissions centred at about 387 nm. For three-photon excitation, the emission spectra showed a strong ultraviolet (UV) band (380-396 nm) attributed to direct three-photon absorption from the valence band to the conduction band. The presence of an intensity threshold and a bandwidth narrowing of the UV band from about 20 to 4 nm are clear evidence of RL action. The observation of multiple sub-nanometre narrow peaks in the emission spectra for excitation above the RL threshold is consistent with random lasing by coherent feedback.


Development of standardized image interpretation for 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT to detect prostate cancer recurrent lesions.
After primary treatment, biochemical relapse (BCR) occurs in a substantial number of patients with prostate cancer (PCa). PET/CT imaging with prostate-specific membrane antigen based tracers (68Ga-PSMA) has shown promising results for BCR patients. However, a standardized image interpretation methodology has yet to be properly agreed. The aim of this study, which was promoted and funded by European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), is to define standardized image interpretation criteria for 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT to detect recurrent PCa lesions in patients treated with primary curative intent therapy (radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy) who presented a biochemical recurrence. In the first phase inter-rater agreement between seven readers from seven international centers was calculated on the reading of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT images of 49 patients with BCR. Each reader evaluated findings in five different sites of recurrence (local, loco-regional lymph nodes, distant lymph nodes, bone, and other). In the second phase the re-analysis was limited to cases with poor, slight, fair, or moderate agreement [Krippendorff's (K) alpha<0.61]. Finally, on the basis of the consensus readings, we sought to define a list of revised consensus criteria for 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT interpretation. Between-reader agreement for the presence of anomalous findings in any of the five sites was only moderate (K's alpha: 0.47). The agreement improved and became substantial when readers had to judge whether the anomalous findings were suggestive for a pathologic, uncertain, or non-pathologic image (K's alpha: 0.64). K's alpha calculations for each of the five sites of recurrence were also performed and evaluated. First Delphi round was thus conducted. A more detailed definition of the criteria was proposed by the project coordinator, which was then discussed and finally agreed by the seven readers. After the second Delphi round only four cases of disagreement still remained. These were evaluated for a final round, allowing a final agreement table to be written. We hope that by developing these consensus guidelines on the interpretation of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT, clinicians reporting these studies will be able to provide more consistent clinical reports and that within clinical trials, abnormality classifications will be harmonized, allowing more robust assessment of its diagnostic performance.


Late preterm birth: can be reduced.
Defined as delivery at 34(0/7)-36(6/7) weeks, late preterm births have increased by 15% between 1992 and 2002 and currently they occur in about 8% of singletons and 35% of multiple gestations. Compared with newborns at 39 weeks, late preterm births undeniably have a significantly higher rate of morbidity (respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, need for ventilation), as well as neonatal and infant mortality. Thus, to lower the rate of late preterm birth seems to be self-evident necessity, but there is a need for judicious caution because there is insufficient evidence that prolonging these pregnancies improves maternal-fetal outcomes.


Linkage disequilibrium patterns and persistence of phase in purebred and crossbred pig (Sus scrofa) populations.
Genomic selection and genomic wide association studies are widely used methods that aim to exploit the linkage disequilibrium (LD) between markers and quantitative trait loci (QTL). Securing a sufficiently large set of genotypes and phenotypes can be a limiting factor that may be overcome by combining data from multiple breeds or using crossbred information. However, the estimated effect of a marker in one breed or a crossbred can only be useful for the selection of animals in another breed if there is a correspondence of the phase between the marker and the QTL across breeds. Using data of five pure pig (Sus scrofa) lines (SL1, SL2, SL3, DL1, DL2), one F1 cross (DLF1) and two commercial finishing crosses (TER1 and TER2), the objectives of this study were: (i) to compare the equality of LD decay curves of different pig populations; and (ii) to evaluate the persistence of the LD phase across lines or final crosses. Almost all of the lines presented different extents of LD, except for the SL2 and DL3, both of which exhibited the same extent of LD. Similar levels of LD over large distances were found in crossbred and pure lines. The crossbred animals (DLF1, TER1 and TER2) presented a high persistence of phase with their parental lines, suggesting that the available porcine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip should be dense enough to include markers that have the same LD phase with QTL across crossbred and parental pure lines. The persistence of phase across pure lines varied considerably between the different line comparisons; however, correlations were above 0.8 for all line comparisons when marker distances were smaller than 50 kb. This study showed that crossbred populations could be very useful as a reference for the selection of pure lines by means of the available SNP chip panel. Here, we also pinpoint pure lines that could be combined in a multiline training population. However, if multiline reference populations are used for genomic selection, the required density of SNP panels should be higher compared with a single breed reference population.


Salt and water balance and renin activity in renal hypertension of rats.
In male Sprague-Dawley rats, renal artery constriction in the presence of an inact contralateral kidney induced sodium retention (for 2-3 wk), moderate potassium loss,elevation of blood volume (BV), and an increase in water turnover. It is suggestedthat renal artery constriction activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, resulting in disordered regulation of salt and water balance and in blood pressure (BP) elevation. Subsequently, sodium balance was reestablished in one group of hypertensive rats. The previously retained sodium was kept in the body, and BV and reninactivity remained elevated. In a second group of animals, a malignant course of hypertension developed: BP surpassed a critical level of about 180 mmHg; sodium, potassium, and water were lost; BV declined; renin activity was further stimulated; and in the contralateral kidney malignant nephrosclerosis occurred. It is assumed that pressure diuresis and natriuresis induce a vicious circle: the increasing renin activity may maintain or further increase BP level, therby inducing further salt and water loss, etc.; high BP levels and high renin activities induce vascular damage and deterioration of renal function.


Investigation of bovine tuberculosis outbreaks by using a trace-back system and molecular typing in Korean Hanwoo beef cattle.
Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic contagious disease responsible for major agricultural economic losses. Abattoir monitoring and trace-back systems are an appropriate method to control bovine tuberculosis, particularly in beef cattle. In the present study, a trace-back system was applied to bovine tuberculosis cases in Korean native Hanwoo beef cattle. Bovine tuberculosis was detected in three index beef cattle during abattoir monitoring in Jeonbuk Province, Korea, and the original herds were traced back from each index cow. All cattle in each original herd were subjected to tuberculin skin test. The positive rates in the tuberculin skin test were 64.6% (62 of 96), 4.8% (2 of 42), and 8.1% (3 of 37) at farms A, B, and C, respectively. On post-mortem examination of 56 tuberculin-positive cattle, 62% had granulomatous lesions, and Mycobacterium bovis was cultured from 40 (71.4%) of the cattle. Molecular typing by spoligotyping and the mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem repeat assay revealed the genotype of the M. bovis strains from the index cattle were same as the M. bovis genotype in each original herd. The results suggest that tracing back from index cattle to the original herd is an effective method to control bovine tuberculosis in beef cattle.


Spatial and temporal patterns of diarrhoea in Bhutan 2003-2013.
To describe spatiotemporal patterns of diarrhoea in Bhutan, and quantify the association between climatic factors and the distribution and dynamics of the disease. Nationwide data on diarrhoea were obtained for 2003 to 2013 from the Health Information and Management System (HIMS), Ministry of Health, Bhutan. Climatic variables were obtained from the Department of Hydro Met Services, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bhutan. Seasonal trend decomposition was used to examine secular trends and seasonal patterns of diarrhoea. A Bayesian conditional autoregressive (CAR) model was used to quantify the relationship between monthly diarrhoea, maximum temperature, rainfall, age and gender. The monthly average diarrhoea incidence was highly seasonal. Diarrhoea incidence increased by 0.6% (95% CrI: 0.5-0.6%) for every degree increase in maximum temperature; and 5% (95 Cr I: 4.9-5.1%) for a 1 mm increase in rainfall. Children aged <5 years were found to be 74.2% (95% CrI: 74.1-74.4) more likely to experience diarrhoea than children and adults aged ≥5 years and females were 4.9% (95% CrI: 4.4-5.3%) less likely to suffer from diarrhoea as compared to males. Significant residual spatial clustering was found after accounting for climate and demographic variables. Diarrhoea incidence was highly seasonal, with positive associations with maximum temperature and rainfall and negative associations with age and being female. This calls for public health actions to reduce future risks of climate change with great consideration of local climatic conditions. In addition, protection of <5 years children should be prioritize through provision of rotavirus vaccination, safe and clean drinking water, and proper latrines.


The genome sequence of the thick-headed fly, Myopa tessellatipennis (Motschulsky, 1859).
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Myopa tessellatipennis (Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Conopidae). The genome sequence is 249.3 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into four chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the assembled X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 18.3 kilobases in length.


The blood glucose lowering effects of exercise and glibenclamide in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Physical exercise is associated with a fall in serum insulin levels, whereas sulphonylurea administration increases insulin release. To date, the opposing effects of exercise and sulphonylurea administration have not been systematically studied in Type 2 diabetic patients, who are not infrequently treated with sulphonylureas. In this study nine patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were subjected to four treatments in random order on separate days: (A) endurance exercise after the administration of 3.5 mg glibenclamide; (B) as A but given only 1.75 mg glibenclamide; (C) as A but with placebo; (D) rest and administration of 1.75 mg glibenclamide. Exercise and placebo resulted in only a small decrease in glycaemia. Rest and administration of 1.75 mg glibenclamide led to a moderate but steady fall in blood glucose concentrations. If glibenclamide administration and exercise were combined, blood glucose concentrations declined more markedly. Serum insulin concentrations showed a physiological decrease during exercise and placebo administration. If patients rested after administration of glibenclamide serum insulin levels rose and remained elevated. When exercise and glibenclamide were combined the rise in serum insulin levels was blunted and insulin levels fell once exercise was begun. Thus, exercise attenuates the glibenclamide induced increase in serum insulin in moderately hyperglycaemic Type 2 diabetic patients. Nevertheless, exercise has a substantial hypoglycaemic effect in glibenclamide treated Type 2 diabetic patients.


Transvesical and transabdominal closure of vesicovaginal fistulas.
Between 1973 and 1985, a total of 46 patients were operated for vesicovaginal fistula. Depending on the extension and localization of the fistula, transvesical or transperitoneal closure was performed. In 12 patients ureteral neoimplantation was made. Fistula recurrence was observed in 6 cases. Based on their favourable experience, authors recommend this surgical solution for the closure of fistulas adjacent to the ureteral orifices and/or for that of larger fistulas.


Interplay Among Hydrogen Sulfide, Nitric Oxide, Reactive Oxygen Species, and Mitochondrial DNA Oxidative Damage.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitric oxide (NO), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play essential signaling roles in cells by oxidative post-translational modification within suitable ranges of concentration. All of them contribute to the balance of redox and are involved in the DNA damage and repair pathways. However, the damage and repair pathways of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are complicated, and the interactions among NO, H2S, ROS, and mtDNA damage are also intricate. This article summarized the current knowledge about the metabolism of H2S, NO, and ROS and their roles in maintaining redox balance and regulating the repair pathway of mtDNA damage in plants. The three reactive species may likely influence each other in their generation, elimination, and signaling actions, indicating a crosstalk relationship between them. In addition, NO and H2S are reported to be involved in epigenetic variations by participating in various cell metabolisms, including (nuclear and mitochondrial) DNA damage and repair. Nevertheless, the research on the details of NO and H2S in regulating DNA damage repair of plants is in its infancy, especially in mtDNA.


Targeting Inflammation and Downstream Protein Metabolism in Sarcopenia: A Brief Up-Dated Description of Concurrent Exercise and Leucine-Based Multimodal Intervention.
Sarcopenia is defined as the progressive loss of muscle mass with age, and poses a serious threat to the physiological and psychological health of the elderly population with consequential economic and social burdens. Chronic low-grade inflammation plays a central role in the development of sarcopenia such that it alters cellular protein metabolism to favor proteolysis over synthesis, and thereby accelerates muscular atrophy. The purpose of this review is to highlight how exercise and nutrition intervention strategies can attenuate or treat sarcopenia. Resistance exercise increases not only muscle mass but also muscle strength, while aerobic exercise is able to ameliorate the age-related metabolic disorders. Concurrent exercise training integrates the advantages of both aerobic and resistance exercise, and may exert a significant synergistic effect in the aging organism. Higher protein intakes rich in the amino acid leucine appear to restore skeletal muscle protein metabolism balance by rescuing protein synthesis in older adults. There is good reason to believe that a multimodal treatment, a combination of exercise and increased leucine consumption in the diet, can combat some of the muscle loss associated with aging. Future research is needed to consolidate these findings to humans, and to further clarify to what extent and by which mechanisms protein metabolism might be directly involved in sarcopenia pathogenesis and the multimodal treatment responses.


Dental findings in a child with chronic renal failure secondary to cystinosis.
Cystinosis is a genetically determined metabolic disorder whose most prominent feature is end-stage renal disease. This case report describes the dental status of a 12-year-old child with a history of chronic renal failure secondary to cystinosis. Observed dental anomalies included enamel hypoplasia and hypocalcification, delayed dental development, and dental agenesis. Oral manifestations of nephropathic cystinosis are not well documented in the literature, so it is very important to highlight the dental characterizations of this complex disease.


Identifying HSV infected neurons after ocular inoculation.
ICR mice were inoculated intracamerally with McKrae strain herpes simplex virus (HSV) followed by intraperitoneal injection with 3H-thymidine. Infected mice were sacrificed after 3 or 4 days and the eyes, trigeminal ganglia (TG) and superior cervical ganglia (SCG) were embedded in glycol methacrylate, sectioned, and dipped for autoradiography. Light microscopy revealed silver grain labeling over neurons in the ipsilateral retina, TG and SCG of infected animals. No labeling of neurons was noted in the contralateral TG or SCG. Since the DNA of mature neurons does not replicate, we interpret these labeled neurons to represent cells with active replication of HSV. This technique allows the study of HSV infection of the nervous system with excellent tissue preservation. Furthermore, it may be used to distinguish those neurons with intrinsic viral synthesis from those harboring virus synthesized at a distant site with subsequent intracellular spread.


Method of cell transplantation promoting the organization of intraarterial thrombus.
Endovascular aortic repairs have been developed as less invasive treatments for aortic aneurysms. Some aneurismal cavities, however, remain without organization, causing a re-expansion of the aneurysms. We studied cell transplantation into the aneurismal sac to promote the organization of thrombus for the complete healing of aneurysms. Skin fibroblasts and skeletal myoblasts were isolated from rats for cell transplantation. An intraarterial thrombus model was made by ligation of the carotid artery. Culture medium (medium group, n=11), collagen gel (gel group, n=11), fibroblasts with collagen gel (F group, n=15), myoblasts with collagen gel (M group, n=12), or mixture of fibroblasts and myoblasts with collagen gel (F+M group, n=14) were injected into the thrombus. After 28 days, histologically, the arterial lumens of the F and M groups were partly filled with fibrous tissues, whereas in the F+M group organization was almost completed and luminal sizes diminished. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive cells were more abundantly contained in the organized area of the F+M group than in the other groups. We also analyzed cellular function in vitro with immunofluorescence; coculture of fibroblasts and myoblasts showed that the fraction of alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive fibroblasts increased. This phenomenon accounts for the rapid organization of thrombus in the F+M group in vivo. Cell transplantation accelerated thrombus organization. Especially, myoblasts enhanced differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, contributing to rapid thrombus organization. Cell transplantation into unorganized spaces seems applicable to endovascular treatment of aneurysms.


Interplay among pain intensity, sleep disturbance and emotion in patients with non-specific low back pain.
Low back pain (LBP) is the most common problem worldwide. There are several negative consequences of LBP, such as sleep disorders, work leave, disability, depression, anxiety, and poor quality of life. In this study, we designed to evaluate the prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with non-specific LBP(NSLBP), and cross-correlation among sleep disorder, anxiety, depression and pain intensity in patients with NSLBP. In this study, we designed to evaluate the prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with NSLBP, and cross-correlation among sleep disorder, anxiety, depression and pain intensity in patients with NSLBP. A cross-sectional self-assessment questionnaire survey was carried out in an outpatient clinic. Anonymous assessments were used to characterize the presence of NSLBP, PSQI, VAS, SF-36 form, ODI, BAI and BDI. Cross-correlation among the severity of NSLBP and sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression and life quality were evaluated. Patients with NSLBP have a higher incidence of sleep disorder, anxiety and depression, and higher ODI scores than healthy people without LPB (P < 0.01). NSLBP patients with sleep disorders have more severe anxiety, depression, an increased VAS score and poor daily living (P < 0.05). NSLBP patients with anxiety have declined sleep quality, poor daily living, decreased work and social skills, and increased LBP severity (P < 0.05). NSLBP patients with depression have declined sleep quality, poor daily living, decreased work and social skills (P < 0.05). Significant associations were found between the severity of NSLBP and sleep disorders, anxiety and ODI scores. Psychological and social factors play an important role in the development of NSLBP. NSLBP leads to sleep disorders, which decrease the sleep quality and increase the unpleasant emotions and memories in return; these can exacerbate the severity of LBP, with the cycle repeating to form a vicious circle.


Enhancement of Non-photochemical Quenching as an Adaptive Strategy under Phosphorus Deprivation in the Dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum.
Intensified water column stratification due to global warming has the potential to decrease nutrient availability while increasing excess light for the photosynthesis of phytoplankton in the euphotic zone, which together will increase the need for photoprotective strategies such as non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). We investigated whether NPQ is enhanced and how it is regulated molecularly under phosphorus (P) deprivation in the dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum. We grew K. veneficum under P-replete and P-depleted conditions, monitored their growth rates and chlorophyll fluorescence, and conducted gene expression and comparative proteomic analyses. The results were used to characterize NPQ modulation and associated gene expression dynamics under P deprivation. We found that NPQ in K. veneficum was elevated significantly under P deprivation. Accordingly, the abundances of three light-harvesting complex stress-related proteins increased under P-depleted condition. Besides, many proteins related to genetic information flow were down-regulated while many proteins related to energy production and conversion were up-regulated under P deprivation. Taken together, our results indicate that K. veneficum cells respond to P deprivation by reconfiguring the metabolic landscape and up-tuning NPQ to increase the capacity to dissipate excess light energy and maintain the fluency of energy flow, which provides a new perspective about what adaptive strategy dinoflagellates have evolved to cope with P deprivation.


Constructions and properties of a class of random scale-free networks.
Complex networks have abundant and extensive applications in real life. Recently, researchers have proposed a large variety of complex networks, in which some are deterministic and others are random. The goal of this paper is to generate a class of random scale-free networks. To achieve this, we introduce three types of operations, i.e., rectangle operation, diamond operation, and triangle operation, and provide the concrete process for generating random scale-free networks N(p,q,r,t), where probability parameters p,q,r hold on p+q+r=1 with 0≤p,q,r≤1. We then discuss their topological properties, such as average degree, degree distribution, diameter, and clustering coefficient. First, we calculate the average degree of each member and discover that each member is a sparse graph. Second, by computing the degree distribution of our network N(p,q,r,t), we find that degree distribution obeys the power-law distribution, which implies that each member is scale-free. Next, according to our analysis of the diameter of our network N(p,q,r,t), we reveal the fact that the diameter may abruptly transform from small to large. Afterward, we give the calculation process of the clustering coefficient and discover that its value is mainly determined by r.


Acute hepatitis C in HIV-infected men who have sex with men.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is usually transmitted via the parenteral route, but there are widely discrepant findings on its possible sexual transmission. Thus there are no recommendations concerning protected sex for couples in which only one partner is HCV-infected. Whether HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases could favour HCV transmission remains unclear, but recent data suggesting an increasing incidence of acute HCV in HIV-infected men underline the major public health implications of this issue. Between June 2002 and July 2003, five HIV-infected homosexually active men presented with primary (n=4) and secondary (n=1) syphilis and concomitant abnormal liver function tests revealing acute asymptomatic HCV seroconversion. Other causes of acute viral hepatitis were inquired into and excluded. Highly at-risk sexual behaviour, including unprotected anal intercourse and unsafe oral sex, with concomitant syphilis, was found to be the only identifiable important risk factor for transmission of HCV. Sexual transmission may be fuelling a significant increase in HCV seroconversions among HIV-infected men who have highly risky sexual behaviours. Given the recent data suggesting the spread of sexually transmitted infections among HIV-infected gay men, specific recommendations concerning safe sex are urgently needed.


Shell Engineering on Thermal Sensitivity of Lifetime-Based NIR Nanothermometers for Accurate Temperature Measurement in Murine Internal Liver Organ.
Lifetime-based NIR luminescent nanothermometry is ideally suited for temperature detection in living cells and in vivo, but the thermal sensitivity (Sr) modulation remains elusive. Herein, a thorough investigation is performed to unveil the shell effect on lifetime-based Sr by finely controlling the shell thickness of lanthanide-doped core-shell-shell nanoparticles. Owing to the space-dependent energy transfer and back energy transfer between Nd3+ and Yb3+ as well as the energy migration to surface quenchers, both active and inert shells can regulate the thermal-dependent nonradiative decays and NIR luminescence lifetime of Yb3+, which in turn modulates the Sr from 0.56% to 1.54% °C-1. After poly(acrylic acid) modification of the optimal architecture, the tiny nanoprobes possess robust stability to fluctuations in the microenvironment, which enables accurate temperature mapping of inflammation in the internal liver organ of living mouse. This work will provide new insights for optimizing Sr and guidance for precise temperature measurements in vivo.


From Olympia to Atlanta: a cultural-historical perspective on diet and athletic training.
Greek and Roman writers described diet and training of Olympic athletes. Lucian (A.D. 120-ca. 180) described distance and speed work in runners; Galen (A.D. 131-201) recommended ball-related exercises to train vision and the body; Philostratos (A.D. 170-249) suggested cross training by endurance running, weight training, and wrestling with animals. The ancient Greek training system, the tetrad (eta tau epsilon tau rho alpha sigma), was a four-day cycle with each day devoted to a different activity. Diogenes Laertius (died A.D. 222) wrote that Greek athletes trained on dried figs, moist cheese and wheat; then the pattern changed and focused on meat. Epictetus (2nd century A.D.) wrote that Olympic victors avoided desserts and cold water and took wine sparingly. Philostratos deprecated athletic diet in his era, a pattern based on white bread sprinkled with poppy seeds, fish and pork. Americans at the XIth Olympiad in Berlin (1936) consumed beefsteak with average daily intake of 125 grams of butter or cotton oil, three eggs, custard for dessert and 1.5 L of milk. The American pattern at Berlin was characterized by ad libitum intake of white bread, dinner rolls, fresh vegetables and salads. At Atlanta, more than 5 million meals will be served during the Olympic festival. The highly varied menu will include fresh vegetables and dips; fruits, cheeses and breads; salads; pasta, rice and fruit salads; soups; meat and seafood entrees; hot vegetables; desserts; and beverages. American Southern specialties will be served.


Self-Harm among Young People Detained in the Youth Justice System in Sri Lanka.
Self-harm is prevalent in incarcerated adults, yet comparatively few studies of self-harm in detained youth (and even fewer in low- and middle-income countries) have been published. We examined the prevalence and correlates of self-harm in a sample of 181 young people (mean age 15.0 years, SD = 2.3) detained in the youth justice system in Sri Lanka. Structured face-to-face questionnaires assessed demographic characteristics, family and social background, substance use, self-harm history (including frequency, method, and intention), bullying victimization, physical and sexual abuse (victimization and perpetration), and exposure to self-harm/suicide by others. Seventy-seven participants (43%) reported a lifetime history of self-harm, 19 of whom (25%) who reported doing so with suicidal intent. Fifty participants (65% of those with a history of self-harm) reported engaging in self-harm impulsively, with no prior planning. A history of self-harm was associated with being female, prior sexual abuse victimization, prior exposure to self-harm by friends, and a lifetime history of self-harm ideation. High rates of substance use, bullying victimization, parental incarceration, and exposure to suicide were reported across the sample. Young people detained in the youth justice system in Sri Lanka are a vulnerable group with high rates of self-harm, substance use, and psychosocial risk factors. Strategies for identifying and preventing self-harm, and targeted psychological interventions designed specifically to address impulsivity, may contribute to more positive outcomes in this marginalised population.


Modification of the wound construction to prevent dehiscence of radial keratotomy incision in cataract surgery: Wave-shaped scleral incision.
We describe a modified scleral tunnel incision to provide adequate fracture resistance and maneuverability during manipulations in cataract surgery after radial keratotomy (RK) surgery. In cases without sufficient space between the RK incisions to create a corneal incision, the modified incision can be performed. A scleral groove of one-half scleral thickness is made 3.0 mm posterior to the limbus. The groove circumvents the end of the preexisting RK incision at the limbus. To prevent the incisional edge from sagging, the ends of the external incision are swept up slightly, forming a wave-shaped edge. After horizontal lamellar dissection, the wound construction is completed with a steel keratome. The modified incision was performed in 3 cases after RK surgery. The method prevented dehiscence of the RK incision and provided fracture resistance and maneuverability.


Constructing the Schizophrenia Recognition Method Employing GLCM Features from Multiple Brain Regions and Machine Learning Techniques.
Accurately diagnosing schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, is crucial for effectively managing the treatment process and methods. Various types of magnetic resonance (MR) images have the potential to serve as biomarkers for schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to numerically analyze differences in the textural characteristics that may occur in the bilateral amygdala, caudate, pallidum, putamen, and thalamus regions of the brain between individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls via structural MR images. Towards this aim, Gray Level Co-occurence Matrix (GLCM) features obtained from five regions of the right, left, and bilateral brain were classified using machine learning methods. In addition, it was analyzed in which hemisphere these features were more distinctive and which method among Adaboost, Gradient Boost, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbors, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), and Naive Bayes had higher classification success. When the results were examined, it was demonstrated that the GLCM features of these five regions in the left hemisphere could be classified as having higher performance in schizophrenia compared to healthy individuals. Using the LDA algorithm, classification success was achieved with a 100% AUC, 94.4% accuracy, 92.31% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and an F1 score of 91.9% in healthy and schizophrenic individuals. Thus, it has been revealed that the textural characteristics of the five predetermined regions, instead of the whole brain, are an important indicator in identifying schizophrenia.