Malignant Transformation of Synovial Chondromatosis: A Systematic Review.
Synovial chondromatosis (SCh) can undergo malignant transformation. Pathologic diagnosis of secondary synovial chondrosarcoma (SChS) is challenging and misdiagnosis may result in over- or undertreatment. A systematic review revealed 48 cases of SChS published in 27 reports since 1957. Data was collected to identify findings indicative of SChS and outcomes of treatment. At median follow-up of 18 months, patients were reported as alive (10%), alive without disease (22%), alive with disease (15%), dead of disease (19%), dead of pulmonary embolism (4%), and unknown (29%). Initial diagnosis of SChS (grade: low/unknown 48%, intermediate/high 52%) was after biopsy in 58%, local resection in 29%, and amputation in 13%. Seventy-four percent of patients underwent 1.8 (mean) resections. Patients treated prior to 1992 were managed with amputation in 79% of cases compared to 48% after 1992. Symptoms were present for 72 mos prior to diagnosis of SChS. Synovial chondrosarcoma demonstrated symptom progression over several months (82%), rapid recurrence after complete resection (30%), and medullary canal invasion (43%). The SChS tumor dimensions were seldom quantified. Malignant degeneration of synovial chondromatosis is rare but can necessitate morbid surgery or result in death. Pathognomonic signs for SChS including intramedullary infiltration are present in the minority of cases. Progression of symptoms, quick local recurrence, and muscle infiltration are more suggestive of SChS. Periarticular cortical erosion, extra-capsular extension, and metaplastic chondroid features are non-specific. Although poorly documented for SChS, tumor size is a strong indicator of malignancy. Biopsy and partial resection are prone to diagnostic error. Surgical decisions are frequently based on size and clinical appearance and may be in conflict with pathologic diagnosis.


Contextualizing the first-round failure of the AHCA: down but not out.
On 8 November 2016 the American electorate voted Donald Trump into the Presidency and a majority of Republicans into both houses of Congress. Since many Republicans ran for elected office on the promise to 'repeal and replace' Obamacare, this election result came with an expectation that campaign rhetoric would result in legislative action on healthcare. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) represented the Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Key elements of the AHCA included modifications of Medicaid expansion, repeal of the individual mandate, replacement of ACA subsidies with tax credits, and a broadening of the opportunity to use healthcare savings accounts. Details of the bill and the political issues which ultimately impeded its passage are discussed here.


Systematic review of utilities in abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Two main treatments exist for the repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Open surgical repair has been the standard treatment, but more recently endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has been introduced as a less invasive technique. To compare the long-term outcomes of these, utility outcomes have been suggested to be relevant. To review studies comparing the utility outcomes of open repair and EVAR treatment for AAA. database search with strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search was performed in PubMed and EMBASE covering terms relating to AAA and utility. Studies were analysed qualitatively. 10 studies of AAA met the review criteria. The comparative utility scores for the different treatments varied considerably between studies. A Canadian cohort study estimated EVAR as more favorable than open repair, while randomised controlled trials reported lower utilities with EVAR, except for one month post-surgery in the EVAR 1 trial. Furthermore, after screening for AAA, patients testing positive gave similar QoL-5D scores, but worse visual analogue scores than those testing negative. There were few studies calculating utilities in AAA, with inconsistent findings. The limited reporting of data prevents in-depth analysis to explain the differences.


Self-Regenerating Antimicrobial Polymer Surfaces via Multilayer-Design - Sequential and Triggered Layer Shedding under Physiological Conditions.
Regeneration of materials properties through surface regeneration could extend the lifetime of devices and is still an emerging field of research. (Self-)regenerating antimicrobial polymer surfaces could help to fight biofilm formation and related bacterial infections. In this paper, four different polymer multilayer designs for the regeneration of antimicrobial surfaces by layer shedding are presented. The multilayer architectures consist of 100-200 nm thick, discrete polymer layers. They are made from poly(guanidinium oxanorbornene) networks as the antimicrobial component, and different interlayers made from degradable poly(adipic anhydrides), depolymerizable poly(ethyl glyoxylate), or water-soluble poly(acrylamide). Layer shedding is designed to occur after hydrolysis, dissolution or depolymerization under simulated physiological conditions. The multilayer fabrication and disassembly is monitored by fluorescence microscopy, ellipsometry FT-IR spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. By testing the antimicrobial activity of the restored surfaces, their functional integrity after layer shedding is confirmed.


Mental health care in the Lebanon War, 1982.
Lessons in mental health care learned from the October 1973 War were applied in the Lebanon War 1982. A three-echelon system of management was followed according to the practices prevalent in Western armies. The clinical pictures were essentially similar to those observed in other wars. Combat stress reactions (CSR) comprised 15 to 20% of the total casualties during the active phase of the war; the rate of late reactions was 30 to 40% of the total CSR. Treatment on the battlefield was more effective than treatment following airlift to the rear, in returning soldiers to their units. The role of stress in causing CSR, and the importance of leadership and cohesion in its prevention were evident. The important lessons learned from the Lebanon War are discussed and include: 1) the need for a broad definition of CSR; 2) the importance of forward unit intervention; 3) the necessity of mobility and divisibility of mental health treatment units; 4) fighting units should not be dispersed immediately after combat; and 5) the management of stress reactions to be the responsibility not only of the mental health services, but of all sections of the medical corps, both in treatment and prevention.


Elbow arthroscopy: a new setup to avoid visual paradox and improve triangulation.
Elbow arthroscopy is a useful diagnostic and therapeutic tool for various conditions. Conventional arthroscopy with the patient in the prone or lateral position where the screen is placed on the opposite side makes it difficult to interpret the image, results in visual paradox, and is associated with difficult triangulation. We present a modified setup for the operating room to help eliminate these problems and improve triangulation.


New finite-size correction for local alignment score distributions.
Local alignment programs often calculate the probability that a match occurred by chance. The calculation of this probability may require a "finite-size" correction to the lengths of the sequences, as an alignment that starts near the end of either sequence may run out of sequence before achieving a significant score. We present an improved finite-size correction that considers the distribution of sequence lengths rather than simply the corresponding means. This approach improves sensitivity and avoids substituting an ad hoc length for short sequences that can underestimate the significance of a match. We use a test set derived from ASTRAL to show improved ROC scores, especially for shorter sequences. The new finite-size correction improves the calculation of probabilities for a local alignment. It is now used in the BLAST+ package and at the NCBI BLAST web site ( http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).


Imported pediatric malaria at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada: a 16 year review.
Children under 5 represent 86% of annual malaria deaths in the world. Following increasing trends in international travel, cases of imported malaria are rising in North America. We describe the epidemiology of malaria diagnosed at a tertiary care pediatric center in the multicultural city of Toronto. Retrospective chart review of all laboratory confirmed malaria from birth to <18 years between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 2013. Epidemiological data, travel history, chemoprophylaxis history, as well as clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment were extracted. In total 107 children were diagnosed with malaria in the 16 year time period. Plasmodium falciparum malaria was identified in 76 (71%), Plasmodium vivax in 28 (26%). Median age of infected children was 6.7 years where 35% of children were born in Canada, 63% were recent or previous immigrants. Of those who resided in Canada, reason for travel included visiting friends or relatives (VFR) 95% and tourism or education (5%). Most common countries of infection were Ghana (22%), Nigeria (20%) and India (14%). Median parasitemia at presentation to our institution was 0.4% (IQR 0.1-2.3) with a maximum parasitemia of 31%. Nineteen (18%) met the WHO criteria for severe malaria due to hyperparasitemia, with 3 of these cases also meeting clinical criteria for severe malaria. One third of patients had a delay in treatment of 2 or more days. Ten percent of children had seen two or more primary health care professionals prior to admission. Prophylaxis was documented in 22 (21%), and out of those, 6 (27%) were appropriate for the region of travel and only 1 case was documented as adherent to their prescription. There were no cases of fatality. Malaria continues to be a significant disease in returning travelers and immigrant or refugee populations. An increase in physician awareness is required. Appropriate pre-travel advice, insect protection measures, effective chemoprophylaxis is needed to reduce the incidence and improve the management of imported pediatric malaria.


Fallout from the Chinese nuclear explosion of 17 June 1967.
Low-level activities of iodine-131, barium-140, and strontium-89 were found in a series of rain samples collected at Fayetteville, Arkansas, during the period from late June through August 1967. The ratios of these short-lived isotopes to strontium-90 were determined as accurately as possible. The data indicate that the debris from the Chinese nuclear explosion was injected primarily into the stratosphere.


19F high magnetic field NMR study of beta-ZrF4 and CeF4: from spectra reconstruction to correlation between fluorine sites and 19F isotropic chemical shifts.
High magnetic field and high spinning frequency one- and two-dimensional one-pulse MAS 19F NMR spectra of beta-ZrF4 and CeF4 were recorded and reconstructed allowing the accurate determination of the 19F chemical shift tensor parameters for the seven different crystallographic fluorine sites of each compound. The attributions of the NMR resonances are performed using the superposition model for 19F isotropic chemical shift calculation initially proposed by Bureau et al. (Bureau, B.; Silly, G.; Emery, J.; Buzaré, J.-Y. Chem. Phys. 1999, 249, 85-104). A satisfactory reliability is reached with a root-mean-square (rms) deviation between calculated and measured isotropic chemical shift values equal to 1.5 and 3.5 ppm for beta-ZrF4 and CeF4, respectively.


Maternal labor force participation and differences by education in an urban birth cohort study - 1998-2010.
Maternal labor force participation has increased dramatically over the last 40 years, yet surprisingly little is known about longitudinal patterns of maternal labor force participation in the years after a birth, or how these patterns vary by education. We document variation by maternal education in mothers' labor force participation (timing, intensity, non-standard work, multiple job-holding) over the first nine years after the birth of a child. We use the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N~3000) to predict longitudinal labor force participation in a recent longitudinal sample of mothers who gave birth in large US cities between 1998 and 2000. Families were followed until children were age 9, through 2010. Labor force participation gradually increases in the years after birth for mothers with high school or less education, whereas for mothers with some college or more, participation increases between ages 1 and 3 and then remains mostly stable thereafter. Mothers with less than high school education have the highest rates of unemployment (actively seeking work), which remain high compared with all other education groups, whose unemployment declines over time. Compared with all other education groups, mothers with some college have the highest rates of labor force participation, but also high rates of part-time employment, non-standard work, and multiple job-holding. Simple conceptualizations of labor force participation do not fully capture the dynamics of labor force attachment for mothers in terms of intensity, timing of entry, and type of work hours, as well as differences by maternal education.


Alcanivorax indicus sp. nov., isolated from seawater.
A Gram-stain-negative, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated SW127T, was isolated from a seawater sample collected from the Indian Ocean. Strain SW127T was aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, and grew at 8-42 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 5.5-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and in the presence of 0.5-11.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0-4.0 %). Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SW127T belonged to the genus Alcanivorax, and closely related to Alcanivorax pacificus MCCC 1A00474T (96.7 % sequence similarity). The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain SW127T were C16 : 0 and summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c). Strain SW127T contained phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol as the major polar lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SW127T was 62.8 mol%. On the basis of its phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic data, strain SW127T represents a novel species of the genus Alcanivorax, for which the name Alcanivorax indicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SW127T (=CGMCC 1.16233T=KCTC 62652T).


Bed Bugs: The Australian Response.
Australia has experienced a sudden and unexpected resurgence in bed bug infestations from both Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus F. A survey in 2006 revealed that infestations had increased across the nation by an average of 4,500% since the start of the decade. In response, a multi-disciplinary approach to combat the rise of this public health pest was implemented and involved the coordinated efforts of several organizations. The key components of the strategy included the introduction of a pest management standard 'A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia' that defines and promotes 'best practice' in bed bug eradication, the development of a policy and procedural guide for accommodation providers, education of stakeholders in best management practices, and research. These strategies continue to evolve with developments that lead to improvements in 'best practice' while bed bugs remain problematic in Australia.


BC-N102 suppress breast cancer tumorigenesis by interfering with cell cycle regulatory proteins and hormonal signaling, and induction of time-course arrest of cell cycle at G1/G0 phase.
Mechanisms of breast cancer progression and invasion, often involve alteration of hormonal signaling, and upregulation and/or activation of signal transduction pathways that input to cell cycle regulation. Herein, we describe a rationally designed first-in-class novel small molecule inhibitor for targeting oncogenic and hormonal signaling in ER-positive breast cancer. BC-N102 treatment exhibits dose-dependent cytotoxic effects against ER+ breast cancer cell lines. BC-N102 exhibited time course- and dose-dependent cell cycle arrest via downregulation of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), androgen receptor (AR), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated (p)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p-Akt, CDK2, and CDK4 while increasing p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) signaling in breast cancer cell line. In addition, we found that BC-N102 suppressed breast cancer tumorigenesis in vivo and prolonged the survival of animals. Our results suggest that the proper application of BC-N102 may be a beneficial chemotherapeutic strategy for ER+ breast cancer patients.


Mercury Contamination: Review of a Residential Response.
A residential elemental mercury contamination incident in Rhode Island resulted in the evacuation of an entire apartment complex.To develop recommendations for improved response, all response-related documents were examined; personnel involved in the response were interviewed; policies and procedures were reviewed; and environmental monitoring data were compiled from specific phases of the response for analysis of effect.A significant challenge of responding to residential elemental mercury contamination lies in communicating risk to residents affected py a HazMat spill. An ongoing, open and honest dialogue is emphasized where concerns of the public are heard and addressed, particularly when establishing and/or modifying policies and procedures for responding to residential elemental mercury contamination.


Self-reports of psychosocial functioning among children and young adults with cleft lip and palate.
A cross-sectional study was employed to determine the psychosocial effects of cleft lip and/or palate among children and young adults, compared with a control group of children and young adults without cleft lip and palate. The study comprised 160 children and young adults with cleft lip and/or palate and 113 children and young adults without cleft lip and/or palate. All participants were between 8 and 21 years of age. Psychological functioning (anxiety, self-esteem, depression, and behavioral problems) was assessed using validated psychological questionnaires. Happiness with facial appearance was rated using a visual analog scale. Social functioning, including experience of teasing/bullying and satisfaction with speech, was assessed using a semistructured interview. Participants with cleft lip and/or palate reported greater behavioral problems (p < .001) and more symptoms of depression (p < .01); they were teased more often (p < .001) and were less happy with their facial appearance (p < .01) and speech (p < .001), compared with controls. There were no significant difference between subjects with cleft lip and/or palate and subjects without cleft lip and/or palate in terms of anxiety (p > .05) or self-esteem (p > .05). Having been teased was a significant predictor of poor psychological functioning, more so than having a cleft lip and/or palate per se (p < .001). Teasing was greater among participants who had cleft lip and/ or palate and it was a significant predictor of poorer psychosocial functioning. Children and young adults with cleft lip and/or palate require psychological assessment, specifically focusing on their experience of teasing, as part of their routine cleft care.


[Serum levels of IgG subclasses in the normal child. Evaluation by an immunoenzymatic method using monoclonal antibodies].
Serum IgG subclass levels were measured by an immunoenzymatic assay with monoclonal antibodies in 225 normal children aged 1 to 17 years. Adult concentrations of IgG1 and IgG3 were reached early (2 to 3 years of age), with mean IgG1 level slightly higher in children than in adults, whereas IgG2 and IgG4 showed a slow increase. Mean IgG2 levels in children aged 13 to 17 were still significantly lower than in adults. The distribution of IgG4 levels in every age group was very heterogeneous, with a fair incidence of subthreshold concentrations especially before 5 years of age. These data must be taken into account when defining IgG subclass deficiencies in children.


The systematic coronary risk evaluation (SCORE) for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Does evidence exist for its effectiveness? A systematic review.
The SCORE model predicts the ten-year risk of cardiovascular mortality but it is still unknown whether applying the SCORE in clinical practice subsequently improves cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of total cardiovascular risk estimation using the SCORE in preventing serious cardiovascular events in European adults without prior CVD. Data sources: eight bibliographical databases (2003 - August 2015), other internet sources and reference lists of articles were checked. This was supplemented by contact with the board members of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the authors of the SCORE model. all prospective studies in any language investigating the effect of using the SCORE on the clinical outcome (CVD death, major events and adverse outcomes) in an adult population were examined. Two reviewers assessed the studies independently (titles, abstracts, full texts). After removal of duplicates, 5,256 records were screened and 14 full text papers considered. No eligible studies were identified. An extensive literature search revealed no randomized control trial or other prospective study comparing significant clinical outcomes between groups that used the SCORE and those who did not. The effect of using the SCORE (with or without subsequent intervention) on CVD death, all-cause mortality, major CVD events like myocardial infarction and stroke, as well as adverse outcomes, is still unknown. A cluster randomised controlled trial is warranted to evaluate the use of the SCORE on important outcomes.


Do swallowing exercises improve swallowing dynamic and quality of life in Parkinson's disease?
To investigate the effect of motor swallowing exercises on swallowing dynamic, quality of life and swallowing complaints in Parkinson's disease (PD). A before-after trial. University Medical Center. Parkinson's disease patients with dysphagia complaints. Motor swallowing exercises designed to increase the strength and range of motion of the mouth, larynx and pharyngeal structures, coordination between breathing and swallowing, and airway protection. Patients should perform the exercises twice a day, five days a week, for five weeks. The primary outcome was the difference before and after the intervention in number of swallowing videofluoroscopic events (Swallowing Score). The secondary outcomes were quality of life (QOL) and swallowing complaints. Fifteen patients concluded the study (10 man/5 woman; mean age 59.2 ± 9.17). The videofluoroscopic events with greater improvement were loss of bolus control (P < 0.03), piecemeal swallow (P = 0.05) and residue on the tongue (P < 0.01), valleculae (P = 0.01) and pyriform sinuses (P = 0.05). Lingual pumping and dental absence were interfering factors associated with treatment failure (beta standardized coefficient = -16.6, 26.2; P = 0.02, 0.002, respectively). The domains with greater improvements in QOL were fear (P = 0.02) and symptom frequency (P = 0.05). Regarding swallowing complaints, patients reported to have reduced mainly their difficulty in moving food in the mouth when chewing (P = 0.02). Reduction in swallowing disorders was not related with QOL improvement (cor = 0.13, [95% CI, 0.6-0.4], P = 0.63). Motor swallowing exercises may reduce swallowing disorders in PD patients without lingual pumping and dental absence and impact positively QOL and swallowing complaints in individuals with PD.


Acceptance of Diagnosis in Psychiatry and Influence on Treatment in the Light of Creative Psychopharmacotherapy.
In this paper, we focused on the complexity of diagnosis in psychiatry and problems during its communication, and its acceptance / non-acceptance, both by the patient and family members of the patient, which has a significant impact on the success of treatment. It is not uncommon for somatic diseases to be related to mental illness, which due to damage to certain organs requires adequate psychiatric therapy. The treatment process is a joint agreement between the patient, his / her family members and the psychiatrist regarding the explanation of the illness, how to take the medication and the agreement with the patient about the psychotherapy that would suit him / her best. Psychosocial support to the patient(s) is also very important in the treatment of psychiatric patients, because only with such support do we empower sick people, their families and the social environment, and the result is successful treatment and reintegration into everyday life in the community.


Frequency of acquired von Willebrand's disease in children with congenital heart disease.
Bleeding tendency of paediatric patients with congenital heart disease has been well recognized. The underlying pathologies of this bleeding tendency have been studied extensively and many causes were identified. Among these causes, we aimed to find the frequency of acquired von Willebrand's disease (AvWD) in children with congenital heart disease. Forty-nine children with different forms of congenital cardiopathies who were assigned for surgery, are included in the study. Serum von Willebrand factor antigen level as well as ristocetin cofactor agglutination ratios were determined preoperatively and at one week and 6 months postoperatively. Six patients (12.2%) were found to have AvWD. However, we found no relation between bleeding tendency and AvWD status. Although frequency of von Willebrand factor deficiency is higher in children with congenital heart disease than in the normal population, this condition does not result in adverse clinical outcomes like increased bleeding tendency during operation.


Carbohydrate does not modulate the in vivo effects of injected interleukin-3.
Murine interleukin-3 (IL-3) has extensive N-linked glycosylation. Experiments were performed to determine whether the T cell-derived glycosylated IL-3 differs in its biological activity in vivo when compared with a chemically synthesized form of nonglycosylated IL-3. Groups of mice were treated by intravenous injection with identical units of IL-3 bioactivity as determined in vitro in a cell-proliferation assay. Mice that were treated with seven 5000-unit doses of either form of IL-3, given in 12-hour intervals, showed a small but significant increase in the frequency of mast cell precursor cells in the spleen and of IL-3-responsive colony-forming unit cells (CFU-C). There was no difference in potency of glycosylated and nonglycosylated IL-3. Induction, by IL-3, of histidine decarboxylase in bone marrow and spleen cells was used as a second measure for IL-3 bioactivity. Both IL-3 preparations showed good in vivo histidine decarboxylase inducing activity; however, T cell-derived glycosylated IL-3 was significantly more effective than synthetic IL-3 in inducing the enzyme histidine decarboxylase in bone marrow and in spleen cells. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that chemically synthesized IL-3 was cleared about twice as fast as the T cell-derived IL-3 and that there may be some tissue trapping of glycosylated IL-3. The shorter in vivo half-life of nonglycosylated IL-3 appears to have significant pharmacological consequences on the short-term effect of inducing histidine decarboxylase activity, but not on the effect of the long-term treatment of IL-3 on stimulating the increase of hematopoietic progenitor cells.


Excitation-contraction coupling in heart failure.
A central feature of the excitation-contraction cycle-myocardial Ca2+ handling--is altered in humans with cardiomyopathy. Many adaptive changes in excitation-contraction mechanisms observed in aged or hypertensive animals also supervene in the failing human heart. Heart failure may thus emerge when such changes lead to systolic or diastolic insufficiency.


Radiation-resistant Macrococcus caseolyticus (A) isolated from radiation-processed semidried prawns.
A radiation-resistant bacterial isolate from gamma-radiation-processed (5 kGy) semidried prawns was identified as a new strain of Macrococcus caseolyticus and was designated as M. caseolyticus (A) on the basis of morphological and biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA sequencing. DNA-DNA hybridization studies with M. caseolyticus DSM 20597(T) further confirmed the isolate as M. caseolyticus. Major fatty acids present in M. caseolyticus (A) were C14:0, C16:1ω11c, and C18:1ω9c, whereas C15:0anteiso, C16:0iso, and C18:0iso were absent. The closest match for the isolate, as per fatty acid methyl ester analysis, was M. caseolyticus DSM 20597(T). However, the similarity index was significantly low (0.112), which indicates that the isolate could be a new strain of M. caseolyticus. The decimal reduction dose (D10) for M. caseolyticus (A), M. caseolyticus JCSC5402, and Staphylococcus aureus MTCC96 was 1.18, 0.607, and 0.19 kGy, respectively. This is the first report on radiation resistance of M. caseolyticus. Macrococcus caseolyticus (A) is more resistant to gamma and UV radiation stress than are M. caseolyticus JCSC5402 and S. aureus MTCC96; however, it is sensitive to heat as well as desiccation stress.


Trypanosoma cruzi: pattern of RNA synthesis following infection of vertebrate cells.
The pattern of RNA synthesis of intracellular Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes, immediately following infection of Lesch-Nyhan human fibroblasts, was studied by autoradiography. Amastigote RNA synthesis, determined by [3H]guanine incorporation, was not detected until 2 h after infection. At 8 h postinfection more than 90% of intracellular amastigotes were labeled. It was verified that extracellular trypomastigotes also synthesized RNA. Therefore it was concluded that, if RNA is required for trypomastigote-to-amastigote transformation, this nucleic acid is already present in the trypomastigotes before infection of the vertebrate cell. It is probable that the RNA synthesized by amastigotes during the prereplicative lag period (the period between initial infection and the onset of DNA synthesis) is required for intracellular growth and reproduction.


Anaesthetic management of a patient with complete tracheal rupture following blunt chest trauma.
Complete tracheal resection is extremely rare after blunt chest trauma. A high degree of suspicion is essential to identify these cases and early intervention is associated with better outcome. We report a patient with complete tracheal resection, in whom the airway was secured whilst the patient remained awake, breathing spontaneously under fibreoptic bronchoscopic guidance. As a precautionary measure, we had kept cardiopulmonary bypass set up in readiness. Anaesthetic management needed to be modified during repair of the trachea, by using total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol and rocuronium infusion and insertion of a separate endotracheal tube into the distal portion of the trachea whilst reconstruction of the trachea took place. The usual inhalational technique could not be used. The anaesthesiologist managing such a case should be aware of the difficulties during securing the airway and during repair of the trachea. Proper planning and keeping back-up plans ready helps in successful management of these patients.


Methods and procedures for estimating HIV/AIDS and its impact: the UNAIDS/WHO estimates for the end of 2001.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have produced country-specific estimates of HIV/AIDS biannually since 1997. These estimates are a primary source of information about the extent and spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its impact. The importance of having comparable country-specific estimates of HIV/AIDS is growing as estimates are used to determine how international resources to fight HIV/AIDS will be allocated to countries. This paper describes the procedures and process used to make the 2001 round of UNAIDS/WHO estimates of HIV/AIDS. The paper focuses on the different approaches used to make estimates of prevalence in countries with generalized and low-level and concentrated epidemics as well as on new curve-fitting software that was developed to produce epidemic curves for each country. In addition, it presents the assumptions used (e.g. survival from infection to death, the rate of mother-to-child transmission) that are required to derive estimates of incidence and mortality in adults, as well as prevalence, incidence and mortality in children. The paper describes the general process by which the estimation and modelling procedures have been refined and improved over time. The paper also discusses the limitations and weaknesses of the procedures and the data used to make the estimates, and suggests areas where further improvements need to be made.


Haemophilus influenzae from four laboratories in one Canadian city.
Serotype, biotype and antimicrobial susceptibilities of 250 clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae from University, affiliated and community hospitals and a private laboratory were compared. For each drug, agar dilution susceptibility testing was compared to at least one other method (modified Kirby-Bauer and/or microdilution). Most isolates (86%) were non-typable, 10% were type b. Biotype II was most common (58%). The highest prevalence of serotype b (28%) was seen in the community hospital, which also had only 4% of all biotype III isolates. beta-Lactamase production ranged from 20% (private laboratory) to 5% (affiliated hospital); it was higher among type b (23%), biotype II (17%), and from non-respiratory (26%) than respiratory sites (8%). 51% of 35 beta-lactamase producers were found in the 24% of patients under age 6. Microdilution missed seven while agar dilution and disc diffusion detected all. All isolates were susceptible to cefamandole, cefuroxime, cotrimoxazole and chloramphenicol, 86%, 98%, 99% and 27% to ampicillin, cefaclor, tetracycline and erythromycin respectively. Microdilution is unreliable for detection of ampicillin resistance mediated by beta-lactamase production.


[What can be expected of the microscopic study of a biopsy of the accessory salivary glands? An argument for a new approach: "D.D." (diagnosis, destruction)].
Histological study is made on labial salivary gland biopsies in three usual circumstances: presence of a sicca syndrome; suspicion of a Gougerot-Sjogren's disease or of another systemic disease (sarcoïdosis; amyloïdosis). Its aim is: to appreciate the accuracy of the biopsy; to analyse elementary lesions and to suggest an etiologic diagnosis. The authors put emphasis on the interest: 1) to use new techniques of immunocytochemistry or molecular biology to appreciate the degree of evolutivity of lesions; 2) to quantify lymphoïd infiltrates, fibrosis and epithelial alterations; 3) to formulate results with regard not only to the etiological Diagnosis but also to the glandular Destruction by means of a double descriptive score: the "D.D." score.


Characterization of Group Behavior of Corruption in Construction Projects Based on Contagion Mechanism.
With the rapid development of construction projects, more and more engineering corruption problems have emerged. Therefore, this paper proposes a SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered) based corruption model to better understand the propagation process of corruption cases in construction projects. In this model, the data samples are collected from the 2018 Engineering Corruption Case Judgment Document, the propagation parameters are obtained through actual case analysis with the help of complex networks, the change process and key influencing factors of actual nodes in engineering corruption cases are simulated by Python. The study results indicate that the personnel conforms to the "4-9 transmission law," in which the early stage is a period of high incidence of corruption cases. The network of corruption cases is somewhat vulnerable, and its spread is about minus 8 times the change in crackdown rate and 10 times the change in infection rate. The variation range of the susceptible population S and the removed person R in the propagation simulation curve can predict the relationship between corruption infection rate and crackdown rate, which can provide theoretical guidance for preventing the occurrence of corruption.


Effect of methadone addiction on N-demethylation activity of rat liver microsomes.
Adult male rats were addicted to methadone via small dosages in their drinking water. The N-demethylation activity of microsomal mixed function oxidase in liver was determined for partially addicted (25 days of drug consumption) and fully addicted (38 days of drug consumption) rats. Compared to controls which did not receive the drug, enzyme activity expressed on a microsmal protein basis was increased in partially addicted, but not increased in fully addicted animals. Enzyme activity expressed on a liver weight basis was decreased in partially addicted animals but unchanged from contro levels in fully addicted animals. Brief (three-day) exposures to phenobarbital or high dosages of methadone led to an increase in N-demethylation activity.


Blood cell changes after radiation exposure as an indicator for hemopoietic stem cell function.
This paper describes the criteria to be used in the management of persons accidentally exposed to ionizing radiation for predicting whether the stem cell pool damage was reversible or irreversible. This question is of importance. If the damage was reversible, the clinical management may be restricted to symptomatic therapeutic measures (antibiotics, platelet transfusions). If the indicators show that the stem cell damage is irreversible (from a clinical viewpoint) then stem cell transplantation must be considered and performed. A granulocyte computer simulation model is discussed that may be useful in the analysis and evaluation of blood cell regeneration patterns after radiation and transfusion of stem cells from different sources.


Treatment of mild hypertension with diuretics. The importance of ECG abnormalities in the Oslo Study and in MRFIT.
The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT) showed that diuretic treatment of hypertensive men with certain ECG abnormalities at entry was associated with an increased coronary heart disease mortality in the special-intervention group as compared with the usual-care group. Following the same criteria for resting ECG abnormalities as in MRFIT, The Oslo Study trial of mild hypertension has been reanalyzed for similar effects. Although numbers of first coronary events are low in this study (20 cases in the treated group and 13 in the control group), similar trends are present in The Oslo Study. The excess of seven cases of coronary events in the Oslo treatment group can mainly be explained by introduction of the MRFIT ECG-Minnesota codes.


Azomethine Ylides from Nitrones: Using Catalytic nBuLi for the Totally Stereoselective Synthesis of trans-2-Alkyl-3-oxazolines.
The cycloaddition of azomethine ylide N-oxides (nitrone ylides) with aldehydes provides 3-oxazolines in a completely stereoselective manner in the presence of a catalytic amount of n-butyllithium. The process involves an initial nucleophilic attack on the aldehyde, followed by intramolecular oxygen addition to the nitrone moiety and lithium-assisted elimination of water, regenerating the catalytic species. Various Li-based catalytic systems are possible and the in situ generated water is required for continuing the catalytic cycle. The best results are observed with 20 mol % of n-butyllithium, whereas the use of stoichiometric amounts inhibit the rate of catalysis. Experimental, spectroscopic, and computational mechanistic studies have provided evidence of lithium-ion catalysis and rationalized several competing catalytic pathways.


Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae cause lower respiratory tract disease in paediatric patients.
New studies suggest that Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae play a more significant role as causes of lower respiratory tract infections in childhood than was previously thought. In particular, the incidence of infections caused by these pathogens is high in children aged less than 5 years, the infections themselves seem to be a possible cause of wheezing, and may present a more complicated course when not treated with adequate antimicrobial agents. However, despite the increasing pathogenic significance of M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae, progress in fighting them is hampered by the lack of rapid and standardized diagnostic methods. This not only makes it practically impossible for practitioners to make a specific microbiological diagnosis, but has also had an adverse effect on treatment trials and has generated some questionable results. Carefully randomized and controlled trials are clearly needed to examine the effectiveness of different antibiotics against M. pneumoniae or C. pneumoniae and the optimal duration of therapy in various patient populations.


Use of mutated FLP recognition target (FRT) sites for the exchange of expression cassettes at defined chromosomal loci.
Using the FLP/FRT system for site-specific recombination and the wild-type recognition site (FRT) in conjunction with certain mutant FRT sites, it becomes possible to provoke, with high yield, a double-reciprocal crossover event in cultured mammalian cells. It is demonstrated that this technology enables a targeting of expression cassettes to appropriate chromosomal reference sites in the recipient cell to improve the concepts of reverse genetics. The design of mutant FRT sites promoting such a process will be delineated. Our results show that the five spacer mutations tested are functional as the wild type but differ in the extent of their cross-recombination, which has to be minimized for their simultaneous usage.


Validation of a dual LC-HRMS platform for clinical metabolic diagnosis in serum, bridging quantitative analysis and untargeted metabolomics.
Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics is a rapidly growing field in both research and diagnosis. Generally, the methodologies and types of instruments used for clinical and other absolute quantification experiments are different from those used for biomarkers discovery and untargeted analysis, as the former requires optimal sensitivity and dynamic range, while the latter requires high resolution and high mass accuracy. We used a Q-TOF mass spectrometer with two different types of pentafluorophenyl (PFP) stationary phases, employing both positive and negative ionization, to develop and validate a hybrid quantification and discovery platform using LC-HRMS. This dual-PFP LC-MS platform quantifies over 50 clinically relevant metabolites in serum (using both MS and MS/MS acquisitions) while simultaneously collecting high resolution and high mass accuracy full scans to monitor all other co-eluting non-targeted analytes. We demonstrate that the linearity, accuracy, and precision results for the quantification of a number of metabolites, including amino acids, organic acids, acylcarnitines and purines/pyrimidines, meets or exceeds normal bioanalytical standards over their respective physiological ranges. The chromatography resolved highly polar as well as hydrophobic analytes under reverse-phase conditions, enabling analysis of a wide range of chemicals, necessary for untargeted metabolomics experiments. Though previous LC-HRMS methods have demonstrated quantification capabilities for various drug and small molecule compounds, the present study provides an HRMS quant/qual platform tailored to metabolic disease; and covers a multitude of different metabolites including compounds normally quantified by a combination of separate instrumentation.


Continuous Manual Exchange Transfusion for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: An Efficient Method to Avoid Iron Overload.
Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) may be at risk of cerebral vasculopathy and strokes, which can be prevented by chronic transfusion programs. Repeated transfusions of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) is currently the simplest and most used technique for chronic transfusion programs. However, iron overload is one of the major side effects of this therapy. More developed methods exist, notably the apheresis of RBC (erythrapheresis), which is currently the safest and most efficient method. However, it is costly, complicated, and cannot be implemented everywhere, nor is it suitable for all patients. Manual exchange transfusions combine one or more manual phlebotomies with a PRBC transfusion. At the Reference Center of Sickle Cell Disease, we set up a continuous method of manual exchange transfusion that is feasible for all hospital settings, demands no specific equipment, and is widely applicable. In terms of HbS decrease, stroke prevention, and iron overload prevention, this method showed comparable efficiency to erythrapheresis. In cases where erythrapheresis is not available, this method can be a good alternative for patients and care centers.


Phytoforensics, dendrochemistry, and phytoscreening: new green tools for delineating contaminants from past and present.
As plants evolved to be extremely proficient in mass transfer with their surroundings and survive as earth's dominant biomass, they also accumulate and store some contaminants from surroundings, acting as passive samplers. Novel applications and analytical methods have been utilized to gain information about a wide range of contaminants in the biosphere soil, water, and air, with information available on both past (dendrochemistry) and present (phytoscreening). Collectively these sampling approaches provide rapid, cheap, ecologically friendly, and overall "green" tools termed "Phytoforensics".


[Meniscus preserving interventions of the knee joint].
A meniscal lesion is the most frequent injury of the knee joint. Several experimental and clinical studies of the past 15 years pointed to the importance of the meniscus for the biomechanics of the knee joint. In particularly the posterior horn of the medial meniscus plays an important role regarding the stability of the joint. On the one hand, a total resection of the meniscus raises the risk of arthrosis, whereas on the other hand it increases the relative insufficiency of the medial capsule and collateral ligament. Because of these findings, nowadays the aim is to preserve most parts of the meniscus in case of injury. Apart from meniscopexia, longitudinal tears of the vascularised meniscus layer near the base, as well as of the so-called degeneration area, are sutured. Arthrographies performed postoperatively revealed smooth contours of the meniscus without any penetration of contrast fluid, which would have been a sign for a persistent lesion.


The Acceptability and Usefulness of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Older Adults with Dementia: A Narrative Review.
Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is an evidence-based therapy for individuals with mild-to-moderate dementia. Past reviews have only synthesized outcomes obtained through quantitative study which does not fully represent the understanding on the acceptability and usefulness of CST. Therefore, the present review aims to integrate outcomes obtained from both quantitative and qualitative studies to provide a deeper understanding on the acceptability and usefulness of CST for older adults with dementia. Findings of literature were retrieved from searches of computerized databases in relation to CST for people with dementia. Literatures were selected according to selection criteria outlined. Results obtained in previous studies pertaining to the effects of CST were discussed in relation to variables such as cognitive function, quality of life, and family caregivers' wellbeing. The review also explores the use of CST in different cultural context, the perception on its effectiveness, and individualized CST (iCST). There is considerable evidence obtained through quantitative and qualitative studies on the usefulness and acceptability of CST for older adults with dementia. Recommendations for future research are provided to strengthen the evidence of CST's effectiveness.


[Management of surgical abdominal emergencies in Kara teaching hospital (Togo): 10-year retrospective study of 594 cases].
The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of surgical abdominal emergencies in a teaching hospital in a developing country (Togo). This retrospective study included the medical files of all patients managed for surgical abdominal emergencies from March 1, 2002, to March 1, 2012. The study included 594 patients, with a mean age of 30.3 years (range: 1 month to 80 years) and a 2.1 male:female sex ratio. The emergencies were acute generalized peritonitis (54.5%), intestinal obstruction (26.6%), acute appendicitis (14.5%), and abdominal trauma (4.4%). Plain abdominal radiographs were taken for 414 patients with acute generalized peritonitis (324 cases) and intestinal obstructions without a strangulated hernia (90 cases). Nine patients had abdominal ultrasounds for abdominal trauma (5 cases) and appendicular abscess (4 cases). No abdominal CT scan was performed. All patients underwent surgery, 316 (53.2%) by physician assistants and 278 (46.8%) by surgeons. Resuscitation and anesthesia were performed by nurse-anesthetists. The postoperative course was complicated in 182 cases (30.7%). These complications included parietal suppurations (18.2%), eviscerations (5.1%), ileal fistulas (4.4%), and postoperative peritonitis (3%). The death rate was 11.4%. Surgical abdominal emergencies at the Kara teaching hospital were both common and serious. Their particularly high morbidity and mortality might be reduced through the adoption of reasonably practicable measures: paramedical personnel training, public awareness, establishment of management protocols, and improvement of technical equipment (laboratory).


[The effect of kidney function on the optimization of medical therapy and on mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction].
Renal dysfunction is a main limiting factor of applying and up-titrating guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Our retrospective monocentric observational study aimed to analyse the application ratio of combined neurohormonal antagonist therapy (RASi: ACEI/ARB/ARNI + βB + MRA) and 12-month all-cause mortality differences in terms of renal dysfunction among HFrEF patients hospitalized for heart failure. We retrospectively analysed the cohort of consecutive HFrEF patients, hospitalized at the Heart Failure Unit of our tertiary cardiological centre in 2019-2021. The application ratio of discharge triple therapy (TT) in five groups established on admission eGFR parameters, representing severity of renal dysfunction (eGFR≥90, eGFR = 60-89, eGFR = 45-59, eGFR = 30-44, eGFR<30 ml/min/1.73 m2) was investigated with chi-square test, while 12-month mortality differences were analysed with Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. 257 patients were included. Median eGFR was 57 (39-75) ml/min/1.73 m2, 54% of patients had eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m2. The proportion of patients in eGFR≥90, 60-89, 45-59, 30-44, <30 ml/min/1.73 m2 subgroups was 12%, 34%, 18%, 21%, 15%, respectively. 2% of patients were on dialysis. Even though the application rate of TT was notably high (77%) in the total cohort, more severe renal dysfunction led to a significantly lower implementation rate of TT (94%, 86%, 91%, 70%, 34%; p<0.0001): the application rate of RASi (100%, 98%, 96%, 89%, 50%, p<0.0001), βB (94%, 88%, 96%, 79%, 68%; p = 0.003) and MRA therapy (97%, 99%, 98%, 94%, 82%; p = 0.001) differed significantly. 12-month all-cause mortality was 23% in the whole cohort. Mortality rates were higher in more severe renal dysfunction (3%, 15%, 22%, 31%, 46%; p<0.0001). Even though the proportion of patients on TT in the whole cohort was remarkably high, renal dysfunction led to a significantly lower application ratio of TT, associating with worse survival. Our results highlight that despite renal dysfunction the application of HFrEF cornerstone pharmacotherapy is essential. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(35): 1387-1396.


Regenerating the Anal Sphincter: Cytokines, Stem Cells, or Both?
Healing of an anal sphincter defect at a time distant from injury is a challenge. We aimed to investigate whether re-establishing stem cell homing at the site of an anal sphincter defect when cytokine expression has declined using a plasmid engineered to express stromal derived factor 1 with or without mesenchymal stem cells can improve anatomic and functional outcome. This was a randomized animal study. Thirty-two female age- and weight-matched Sprague Dawley rats underwent 50% excision of the anal sphincter complex. Three weeks after injury, 4 interventions were randomly allocated (n = 8), including no intervention, 100-μg plasmid, plasmid and 800,000 cells, and plasmid with a gelatin scaffold mixed with cells. The differences in anal sphincter resting pressures just before and 4 weeks after intervention were used for functional analysis. Histology was analyzed using Masson staining. One-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey post hoc test was used for pressure and histological analysis. All 3 of the intervention groups had a significantly greater change in resting pressure (plasmid p = 0.009; plasmid + cells p = 0.047; plasmid + cells in scaffold p = 0.009) compared with the control group. The plasmid-with-cells group showed increased organization of muscle architecture and increased muscle percentage, whereas the control group showed disorganized architecture at the site of the defect. Histological quantification revealed significantly more muscle at the site of defect in the plasmid-plus-cells group compared with the control group, which had the least muscle. Quantification of connective tissue revealed significantly less fibrosis at the site of defect in the plasmid and plasmid-plus-cells groups compared with the control group. Midterm evaluation and muscle morphology were not defined. At this midterm follow-up, local delivery of a stromal derived factor 1 plasmid with or without local mesenchymal stem cells enhanced anal sphincter muscle regeneration long after an anal sphincter injury, thereby improving functional outcome. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A324.


Prediction of novel drug indications using network driven biological data prioritization and integration.
With the rapid development of high-throughput genomic technologies and the accumulation of genome-wide datasets for gene expression profiling and biological networks, the impact of diseases and drugs on gene expression can be comprehensively characterized. Drug repositioning offers the possibility of reduced risks in the drug discovery process, thus it is an essential step in drug development. Computational prediction of drug-disease interactions using gene expression profiling datasets and biological networks is a new direction in drug repositioning that has gained increasing interest. We developed a computational framework to build disease-drug networks using drug- and disease-specific subnetworks. The framework incorporates protein networks to refine drug and disease associated genes and prioritize genes in disease and drug specific networks. For each drug and disease we built multiple networks using gene expression profiling and text mining. Finally a logistic regression model was used to build functional associations between drugs and diseases. We found that representing drugs and diseases by genes with high centrality degree in gene networks is the most promising representation of drug or disease subnetworks.


An Ultralow-Power Sleep Spindle Detection System on Chip.
This paper describes a full system-on-chip to automatically detect sleep spindle events from scalp EEG signals. These events, which are known to play an important role on memory consolidation during sleep, are also characteristic of a number of neurological diseases. The operation of the system is based on a previously reported algorithm, which used the Teager energy operator, together with the Spectral Edge Frequency (SEF50) achieving more than 70% sensitivity and 98% specificity. The algorithm is now converted into a hardware analog based customized implementation in order to achieve extremely low levels of power. Experimental results prove that the system, which is fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS technology, is able to operate from a 1.25 V power supply consuming only 515 nW, with an accuracy that is comparable to its software counterpart.


Baseline serum phosphatidylcholine plasmalogen concentrations are inversely associated with incident myocardial infarction in patients with mixed peripheral artery disease presentations.
Despite current best care, patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) remain at high risk of myocardial infarction, and biomarkers to more accurately assess cardiovascular risk are needed. This study assessed the relationship between the serum lipidome and incident myocardial infarction in a cohort of PAD patients. 265 PAD patients were followed up for a median of 23 months, during which 18 people suffered a myocardial infarction. Fasting serum concentrations of 332 lipid species were measured via mass spectrometry and their association with incident myocardial infarction was assessed via Cox regression. Secondary analyses investigated prognostic potential of specific lipid species. Total serum concentrations of alkyl-phosphatidylcholine and alkenylphospatidylcholine (plasmalogen) lipids were inversely associated with incident myocardial infarction after adjusting for multiple testing (hazards ratio (95% confidence intervals): 0.43 (0.24-0.74); p = 0.032; and 0.28 (0.14-0.56), p = 0.010, respectively). Specifically, 10 alkenylphosphatidylcholine species and 6 alkyl-phosphatidylcholine species were negatively associated with incident myocardial infarction after adjusting for traditional risk factors and correcting for multiple testing (hazards ratios ranging from 0.07 to 0.51, p < 0.05). Incorporation of serum phosphatidylcholine plasmalogen species PC(P-40:6) concentration within analyses designed to determine subsequent myocardial infarction incidence led to an improvement in predictive accuracy compared to traditional risk factors alone. Serum concentrations of phosphatidylcholine plasmalogens and alkyl-phosphatidylcholines were negatively associated with incident myocardial infarction and have potential to act as novel prognostic markers in at-risk populations.


Thermoresponsive cationic copolymer brushes for mesenchymal stem cell separation.
Thermoresponsive, cationic, copolymer brushes poly(N-isopropylacrylamide(IPAAm)-co-N,N-dimethylaminopropylacrylamide-co-N-tert-butylacrylamide(tBAAm)) and poly(IPAAm-co-3-acrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium chloride-co-tBAAm) were prepared on glass substrates through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. Prepared copolymer brushes were investigated as thermally modulated cell separation materials. Densely packed cationic copolymer brushes were formed on the glass substrates, and the positive charge density was modulated by controlling the composition of cationic moieties and species. During observation of cell adhesion and detachment properties on copolymer brushes, human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hbmMSC) exhibited thermally modulated cell adhesion and detachment, while other bone-marrow-derived cells did not adhere. Using these properties, hbmMSC could be purified from mixtures of human bone-marrow-derived cells simply by changing the external temperature. Therefore, the prepared cationic copolymer brush is useful for separation of hbmMSC.


The Clinical Significance of Fibrin Monomers.
Fibrin monomer (FM) concentrations reflect pro-thrombin activity and have the potential to predict thrombotic events relatively earlier than other haemostatic markers. Most often, FM are compared with D-dimer (DD) as increased DD have been documented in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. Although DD have a high sensitivity and negative predictive value, their specificity is much lower depending on the assay chosen, clinical pre-test probability and patient condition. There are limited reports investigating the utility of FM in hyper-coagulable patients. We performed a literature search of FM concentrations in hyper-coagulable patients including those with DIC, acute ischaemic stroke, atrial fibrillation, acute myocardial infarction, venous thromboembolism (VTE) and cancer, as well as those who are pregnant or undergoing surgery. FM were increased in patients with DIC and those with malignancy. In contrast, detection of VTE or post-operative DVT development is likely enhanced using both FM and DD concentrations. Similarly, measuring FM concentrations with other biomarker levels may be more beneficial in patients suffering an acute myocardial infarction or acute ischaemic stroke. Lastly, FM concentrations vary substantially throughout pregnancy with no definitive role of FM as of yet. Utilizing FM concentrations to assess hyper-coagulable patients seems promising; however, there are limitations including variations in FM cut-off values, the effect of patient medications and the timing of FM measurement relative to an acute event. Thus, further investigation is required before a true advantage for FM as a haemostatic marker can be established.


ADA3-containing complexes associate with estrogen receptor alpha.
Transcriptional repression and activation by nuclear receptors (NRs) are brought about by coregulator complexes. These complexes modify the chromatin environment of target genes and affect the activity of the basal transcription machinery. We have previously implicated the yeast ADA3 protein in transcriptional activation by estrogen and retinoid X receptors in yeast and mammalian cells. Here we report the cloning of the mouse homolog of ADA3 and its characterization with respect to the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) function. Mouse mADA3 is 23% identical and 47% similar to yeast yADA3, and mADA3 in contrast to yADA3 does not interact with NRs directly even though it contains two LxxLL NR boxes. However, the ADA3-containing TBP-free-TAF-containing complex (TFTC) can interact with ERalpha in a ligand-independent manner, indicating that other subunits of the complex are sufficient to mediate interaction with NRs.


Assessing the disease burden due to epilepsy by disability adjusted life year in rural China.
To demonstrate the application of Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) as an aid in health outcome measures to evaluate the epilepsy disease burden in rural China and to provide Chinese data to achieve a better understanding of disease burden due to epilepsy. The DALY is the sum of the number of years of survival with disability (Years Lived with Disability, YLD) and the number of years lost because of premature mortality (Years of Life Lost, YLL). We calculated the YLD based on the prevalence survey of epilepsy among 66,393 people sampled in Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangsu, Ningxia, Shanghai, and Shanxi provinces in 2000. The epilepsy mortality data from Chinese literature provided the YLL due to epilepsy. We applied sensitivity analysis to evaluate the influence of uncertainty on the epilepsy mortality value and disability weight in the study. In 2000, epilepsy caused 1.83 and 2.48 DALY lost per 1,000 population in Henan and Ningxia province, which had the lowest and the highest DALY lost among the six study areas. Overall, epilepsy caused 1.41 YLLs and 0.67 YLDs per 1,000 population; thus the DALYs lost because of epilepsy was 2.08 per 1,000 population, representing the epilepsy disease burden in rural China. The DALY measure, which includes the extent of disability from epilepsy, provides a useful tool for the epilepsy disease burden assessment. The disease burden of epilepsy in China is considered higher than previous estimations.


Improved spatial separation of neutral molecules.
We have developed and experimentally demonstrated an improved electrostatic deflector for the spatial separation of molecules according to their dipole-moment-to-mass ratio. The device features a very open structure that allows for significantly stronger electric fields as well as for stronger deflection without molecules crashing into the device itself. We have demonstrated its performance using the prototypical carbonyl sulfide molecule and we discuss opportunities regarding improved quantum-state-selectivity for complex molecules and the deflection of unpolar molecules.


Acute effects of static stretching on peak and end-range hamstring-to-quadriceps functional ratios.
To evaluate if static stretching influences peak and end-range functional hamstring-to-quadriceps (H/Q) strength ratios in elite women athletes. Eleven healthy female athletes in an elite competitive level participated to the study. All the participants fulfilled the static stretching or non-stretching (control) intervention protocol in a randomized design on different days. Two static unassisted stretching exercises, one in standing and one in sitting position, were used to stretch both the hamstring and quadriceps muscles during these protocols. The total time for the static stretching was 6 ± 1 min. The isokinetic peak torque measurements for the hamstring and quadriceps muscles in eccentric and concentric modes and the calculations for the functional H/Q strength ratios at angular velocities of 60°/s and 180°/s were made before (pre) and after (post) the control or stretching intervention. The strength measurements and functional strength ratio calculations were based during the entire- and end-range of knee extension. The pre-test scores for quadriceps and hamstring peak torque and end range values were not significantly different between the groups (P > 0.05). Subsequently, although the control group did not exhibit significant changes in quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength (P > 0.05), static stretching decreased eccentric and concentric quadriceps muscle strength at both the 60°/s and 180°/s test speeds (P < 0.01). Similarly, static stretching also decreased eccentric and concentric hamstring muscle strength at both the 60°/s and 180°/s test speeds (P < 0.01). On the other hand, when the functional H/Q strength ratios were taken into consideration, the pre-intervention values were not significant different between the groups both during the entire and end range of knee extension (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the functional H/Q strength ratios exhibited no significant alterations during the entire and end ranges of knee extension both in the static stretching or the control intervention (P > 0.05). According to our results, static stretching routine does not influence functional H/Q ratio. Athletes can confidently perform static stretching during their warm-up routines.


Effects of the kinetics of osmotic pressure variation on yeast viability.
The variation rate of the osmotic pressure increase was found to have a great effect on the viability of yeasts subjected to hyperosmotic stress. A low intensity of the increase rate of osmotic pressure could maintain an important viability of the cells (about 90 to 100%) even for very high levels of osmotic pressure (about 10(8) Pa). The viability level was found to be highly dependent on the physiological state of the cells: Variations in the properties of the cell membrane were supposed to be involved in such a dependence.


Less Postoperative Restrictions Following Total Hip Arthroplasty With Use of a Posterolateral Approach: A Prospective, Randomized, Noninferiority Trial.
Patient restrictions are prescribed after total hip arthroplasty (THA) to ensure proper healing and prevent early dislocation. It has been suggested that less or nonrestrictive protocols following THA do not lead to higher dislocation rates. Nonetheless, restrictions are still widely used. The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate of early dislocations when patients were restricted to supine sleeping or unrestricted sleeping in the first 8 weeks after THA using a posterolateral approach. The study design was a single-center, parallel-group, stratified, randomized, noninferiority trial in which primary THA patients were allocated to either a restricted group or a nonrestricted group. The primary outcome was early (<8 weeks) dislocation rate. Secondary outcomes include pain (visual analog scale [VAS]), function in activities of daily living (Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [HOOS]), and quality of life (EuroQoL 5 Dimension [EQ-5D]). A total of 408 patients were randomized into 2 groups: those who were restricted in their sleeping position (n = 203) and those who received no restrictions in sleeping position (n = 205). Three patients (1.48%) from the restricted group and 3 patients (1.46%) from the unrestricted group had a dislocation. The noninferiority of the restricted group compared to the nonrestricted group was established for early dislocation. In addition, no statistically significant differences were found for VAS, HOOS, and QoL-5D between both groups. Both groups showed a significant improvement in VAS, HOOS, and QoL-5D. Early dislocation rates in patients who were advised to comply to an unrestricted sleeping position following THA were not inferior to the dislocation rates in patients who were advised to sleep in a supine position following THA. The results of the present study strengthen the discussion regarding the relevance of providing patients with restrictions following THA.


Factors Affecting Online Chinese as a Foreign Language Learning Stickiness: A Study on International Students in China.
This study explored international students' online Chinese as a foreign language learning stickiness in a Chinese university context. A new theoretical model was designed and verified to serve the mixed-method investigation. Participants were a group of 194 international students learning CFL online in a Chinese university. Data were collected through an online questionnaire for all the students and semi-structural individual interviews with eight volunteer participants. The structural equation modeling was conducted to analyze the collected quantitative data, and content analysis was used for the qualitative interview. Findings revealed that the online learning stickiness was significantly impacted by students' learning expectancy confirmation, which was closely correlated with three key factors: academic integration, social integration, and technological factors. Moreover, social integration was found to be a direct contributor to learning stickiness. These results highlighted the importance of the high quality of the curriculum, the harmonious learning atmosphere, and the need for technical preparations and training for online Chinese language teaching and learning. The study also emphasized the need of integrating social interaction into Chinese learning in an online context. Investigation of a wider range of Chinese learners was recommended for future studies on learning stickiness and the new online approach.


Screening of Baccaurea ramiflora (Lour.) extracts for cytotoxic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, neuropharmacological and antidiarrheal activities.
It has been observed that the various part of Baccaurea ramiflora plant is used in rheumatoid arthritis, cellulitis, abscesses, constipation and injuries. This plant also has anticholinergic, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, antiviral, antioxidant, diuretic and cytotoxic activities. The present studyaimed to assess the cytotoxic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, CNS depressant and antidiarrheal activities of methanol extract of Baccaurea ramiflora pulp and seeds in mice model. The cytotoxic activity was determined by brine shrimp lethality bioassay; anti-nociceptive activity was determined by acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin- induced licking and biting, and tail immersion methods. The anti-inflammatory, CNS depressant and anti-diarrheal activities were assessed by carrageenan-induced hind paw edema, the open field and hole cross tests, and castor oil-induced diarrheal methods, respectively. The data were analyzed by one way ANOVA (analysis of variance) followed by Dunnett's test. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the LC50 values of the methanol extracts of Baccaurea ramiflora pulp and seed were 40 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL, respectively. Our investigation showed that Baccaurea ramiflora pulp and seed extracts (200 mg/kg) inhibited acetic acid induced pain 67.51 and 66.08%, respectively (p < 0.05) that was strongly comparable with that of Ibuprofen (72%) (p < 0.05). The Baccaurea ramiflora pulp and seed extracts (200 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced 58.5 and 53.4 in early and 80.8%, 76.61% in late phase of formalin-induced licking and biting. At 60 and 90 min pulp and seed extracts (200 mg/kg) inhibited nociception of thermal stimulus 50.16 and 62.4%, respectively (p < 0.05) which was comparable with the standard (morphine, 75.9% inhibition). The pulp and seed extracts (200 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced inflammation (42.00 and 55.22%, respectively) in carrageenan-induced hind paw edema and defecations (59.7 and 63.03%, respectively) in castor oil induced diarrhea. Both the extracts showed high sedative activity at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. Our investigation demonstrated significant cytotoxic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, CNS depressant and antidiarrheal activities of methanol extract of Baccaurea ramiflora pulp and seeds (200 mg/kg).


All-Optical Reversible Azo-Based Wrinkling Patterns with High Aspect Ratio and Polarization-Independent Orientation for Light-Responsive Soft Photonics.
Azobenzene-containing polymers (azopolymers) can serve as building blocks for an emerging class of soft photonics. Using their photoresponses for the micro/nanofabrication of smart surface is a key but still a challenging step. Here, we report a simple visible-light-illumination strategy to trigger diverse configurations of surface wrinkling on azopolymer-based film/substrate systems, which can be switched between flat and wrinkled states by controlling the intensity of the incident light. Different photoresponsive characteristics of azobenzene are involved in driving the wrinkling/dewrinkling switch. For the first time, we achieve the controlled wrinkling with an unexpected high aspect ratio and surprisingly polarization-independent ordered orientation by exploiting the unique photosoftening effect of azobenzene. Theoretical analysis reveals that an in situ photoinduced reversible soft/hard-contrast boundary determines the wrinkling orientation, which is used to fabricate diverse on-demand hierarchical wrinkles. These photoresponsive systems find broad photonic applications that are not easily accessible to other systems, e.g., optically reversible smart display, information security, and well-regulated optical devices.


Atypical Cutaneous Presentation Of Adult Onset Still Disease.
Adult onset still disease is a rare systemic inflammatory disease which presents with cardinal symptoms of spiking fever, arthralgia, and characteristic non pruritic evanescent salmon pink rash and neutrophilic leukocytosis. However it can have accompanied atypical cutaneous manifestations of pruritic plaques and papules. Clinicians need to be aware of this condition so that they can correctly diagnose it and prevent its serious complications.


Impact of sperm DNA fragmentation on clinical in vitro fertilization outcomes.
We studied the association between sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and several clinical in vitro fertilization outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed 169 consecutive fresh IVF cycles. Semen was collected on the day of oocyte retrieval, and we assessed standard semen parameters and the SDF level (by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling). Poor ovarian response (POR) was defined as the collection of three or fewer mature oocytes. Oocytes were inseminated by the conventional method or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. SDF did not affect the fertilization or pregnancy rate, but did have a significant effect on the miscarriage rate. In the miscarriage group (n=10), the SDF level was significantly higher (23.9% vs. 14.1%) and number of mature oocytes was significantly lower (4.3 vs. 7.6) than in the live birth group (n=45). Multiple regression analysis showed that SDF was an independent predictor of miscarriage (odds ratio, 1.051; 95% confidence interval, 1.001-1.104). The cutoffs for the SDF level and number of mature oocytes that could predict miscarriage were >13% and ≤3, respectively. In the low-SDF group (≤13%), the miscarriage rate was similar in POR patients and those with a normal ovarian response (NOR; 14.2% vs. 4.3%). In the high-SDF group (>13%), the miscarriage rate was significantly higher in the POR group than in the NOR group (60.0% vs. 13.3%, p=0.045). Our study demonstrated that a high SDF level (>13%) was associated with a high miscarriage rate, and that it mainly contributed to miscarriage in the POR group. The results suggest that SDF measurements should be considered in couples with POR in order to predict the prognosis of the pregnancy.


Drug abuse risk and protective factors among black urban adolescent girls: a group-randomized trial of computer-delivered mother-daughter intervention.
A group-randomized design tested a mother-daughter intervention in which researchers aimed to increase protective factors in a community sample of Black urban adolescent girls. Girls and their mothers at 2 community agencies were pretested and, by agency, were randomized to either an intervention arm or a control arm. Intervention arm girls and their mothers received a program for improving mother- daughter rapport. Posttest data collected 3 weeks after program delivery revealed that intervention arm mothers and daughters improved more than did control arm mothers and daughters on measures of communication and closeness. At 3-month follow-up, intervention arm mothers, relative to control arm mothers, continued to report better communication with and closeness to their daughters. Girls and mothers in the intervention arm rated the computer program favorably on parameters of enjoyment, comfort, relevance, usefulness of information, improvements to their relationship with one another, and whether they would recommend the computer program to friends.


Fabrication of nanochannels by anisotropic wet etching on silicon-on-insulator wafers and their application to DNA stretch.
We report a new approach to fabricate nanochannels on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers using conventional micromachining techniques. Proper selection of the size of the photomask-window and the thickness of the top silicon layer is necessary to obtain nano-sized regions. Silicon anisotropic wet etching followed by an additional reactive-ion-etching (RIE) process and a second silicon wet etching step resulted in long channels (1 cm) of about 200 nm width and 100 nm depth. Finally, we demonstrated the ability of the nanochannels to stretch random coiled DNA by applying YOYO-1 stained lamda-DNA to the nanochannel sealed by PDMS polymer using fluorescence microscopy. This fabrication method provides a basis for simple and cost-effective mass production of nanochannels with controllable dimensions. It is therefore expected that the nanochannels fabricated have great potential for biological applications.


Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Outcomes in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant comorbidity in aortic stenosis (AS) patients. We examined the impact of baseline CKD, postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and CKD progression on clinical outcomes in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Consecutive patients with severe AS who underwent TAVI were classified into CKD stages 1-2 (≥60 mL/min/1.72m2), 3 (30-59 mL/min/1.73m2) and 4-5 (<30 mL/min/1.73m2 or dialysis) based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcomes included 1-year echocardiographic data on aortic valve area (AVA), mean pressure gradient (MPG) and aortic regurgitation (AR). A total of 216 patients were included. Higher eGFR was associated with lower overall mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [AHR] 0.981, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.968-0.993, P = 0.002). CKD 4-5 were associated with significantly higher mortality from non-cardiovascular causes (P <0.05). Patients with CKD 3-5 had higher incidence of moderate AR than those with CKD 1-2 (P = 0.010); no difference in AVA and MPG was seen. AKI patients had higher mortality (P = 0.008), but the effect was attenuated on multivariate analysis (AHR 1.823, 95% CI 0.977-3.403, P = 0.059). Patients with CKD progression also had significantly higher mortality (AHR 2.969, 95% CI 1.373-6.420, P = 0.006). CKD in severe AS patients undergoing TAVI portends significantly higher mortality and morbidity. Renal disease progression impacts negatively on outcomes and identifies a challenging subgroup of patients for optimal management.


Effect of Large Apertures on the Optical Quality of Three Multifocal Lenses.
To compare the optical quality under large apertures among three multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs): the TECNIS Symfony ZXR00 (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL), the AT LISA tri 839MP (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany), and the Finevision (PhysIOL, Liège, Belgium). The in vitro optical quality of each lens was assessed with an instrument that measured the modulation transfer function (MTF). The optical quality of each lens was described in terms of MTF and through focus average MTF. The Strehl ratio, cut-off frequency, area of visibility, and percentage energy were calculated to objectively describe the optical quality of each lens. These metrics were assessed for the best lens distance focus and at four vergences (from -1.50 to -3.00 D in 0.50-D steps) at a 4.5-mm aperture. The through focus average MTF of the AT LISA and Finevision IOLs showed three mean areas corresponding to distance, intermediate, and near vision. The TECNIS Symfony IOL showed two main areas corresponding to distance and intermediate vision. All metrics revealed that the Finevision IOL showed the best optical quality at distance vision, the TECNIS Symfony IOL at intermediate vision, and the AT LISA IOL at near vision. The TECNIS Symfony IOL showed the most homogeneous light distribution between its best vision foci. The TECNIS Symfony IOL is less vergence dependent than the AT LISA and Finevision IOLs under dim conditions. These results may help clinicians to choose the proper lens depending on the patient's visual requirements.


Einstein relation and hydrodynamics of nonequilibrium mass transport processes.
We derive hydrodynamics of paradigmatic conserved-mass transport processes on a ring. The systems, governed by chipping, diffusion, and coalescence of masses, eventually reach a nonequilibrium steady state, having nontrivial correlations, with steady-state measures in most cases not known. In these processes, we analytically calculate two transport coefficients, bulk-diffusion coefficient and conductivity. Remarkably, the two transport coefficients obey an equilibrium-like Einstein relation even when the microscopic dynamics violates detailed balance and systems are far from equilibrium. Moreover, we show, using a macroscopic fluctuation theory, that the probability of large deviation in density, obtained from the above hydrodynamics, is in complete agreement with the same derived earlier by Das et al. [Phys. Rev. E 93, 062135 (2016)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.93.062135] using an additivity property.


The Mechanism of Phosphonium Ylide Alcoholysis and Hydrolysis: Concerted Addition of the O-H Bond Across the P=C Bond.
The previous work on the hydrolysis and alcoholysis reactions of phosphonium ylides is summarized and reviewed in the context of their currently accepted mechanisms. Several experimental facts relating to ylide hydrolysis and to salt and ylide alcoholysis are shown to conflict with those mechanisms. In particular, we demonstrate that the pKa values of water and alcohols are too high in organic media to bring about protonation of ylide. Therefore, we propose concerted addition of the water or alcohol O-H bond across the ylide P=C bond. In support of this, we provide NMR spectroscopic evidence for equilibrium between ylide and aclohol that does not require the involvement of phosphonium hydroxide. We report the first P-alkoxyphosphorane to be characterised by NMR spectroscopy that does not undergo exchange on an NMR timescale. Two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic techniques have been applied to the characterisation to P-alkoxyphosphoranes for the first time.


Lifelong exercise, but not short-term high-intensity interval training, increases GDF11, a marker of successful aging: a preliminary investigation.
Lifelong exercise is associated with regulation of skeletal mass and function, reductions in frailty, and successful aging. Yet, the influence of exercise on myostatin and myostatin-interacting factors is relatively under examined in older males. Therefore, we investigated whether serum total myostatin, free myostatin, follistatin, and growth and differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) were altered following high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in a group of 13 lifelong sedentary (SED; 64 [6] years) and 11 lifelong exercising (LEX; 62 [6] years) older males. SED follistatin was moderately greater than LEX pre-HIIT (Cohen's d = 0.66), and was largely greater post-HIIT (Cohen's d = 1.22). The HIIT-induced increase in follistatin was large in SED (Cohen's d = 0.82) and absent in LEX (Cohen's d = 0.03). GDF11 was higher in LEX pre-HIIT (Cohen's d = 0.49) and post-HIIT (Cohen's d = 0.63) compared to SED HIIT resulted in no change to GDF11 in LEX or SED (Cohen's d = 0.00-0.03). Peak power output and GDF11 were correlated (r = 0.603), independent of grouping. Differences in GDF11 with lifelong exercise training, paired with the correlation between GDF11 and peak power output, suggested that GDF11 may be a relevant myostatin-interacting peptide to successful aging in humans, and strategies to maintain this need to be further explored.


Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its association with depression in patients with schizophrenia.
To identify the point prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia and to evaluate the association between depressive symptoms and metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia. Metabolic syndrome was assessed based on an updated definition derived from the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) and the International Diabetes Federation criteria. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) was used to measure depressive symptoms in 80 patients with schizophrenia. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression for the association between each depressive symptom and metabolic syndrome. The point prevalence rates of metabolic syndrome according to the modified NCEP-ATP III and International Diabetes Federation criteria were 37% and 35%, respectively. The risk of having metabolic syndrome significantly increased in those who were widowed or separated, or had longer duration of illness. Central obesity was the metabolic feature with the highest odds ratios for metabolic syndrome at 19.3. Three out of 17 items of HDRS subscales were found to be significantly associated with metabolic syndrome, including depressed mood, middle insomnia, and retardation with the odds ratios of 3.0, 3.4, and 3.6, respectively. This study showed that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia was higher than the overall rate but was slightly lower than in the general population in the USA. Central obesity, measured by waist circumference, was found to be highly correlated with metabolic syndrome. Depressed mood, middle insomnia, and retardation were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia. Waist circumference and screening for depression should be done at the clinics during patient follow-up.


Real-time processing of ASL signs: Delayed first language acquisition affects organization of the mental lexicon.
Sign language comprehension requires visual attention to the linguistic signal and visual attention to referents in the surrounding world, whereas these processes are divided between the auditory and visual modalities for spoken language comprehension. Additionally, the age-onset of first language acquisition and the quality and quantity of linguistic input for deaf individuals is highly heterogeneous, which is rarely the case for hearing learners of spoken languages. Little is known about how these modality and developmental factors affect real-time lexical processing. In this study, we ask how these factors impact real-time recognition of American Sign Language (ASL) signs using a novel adaptation of the visual world paradigm in deaf adults who learned sign from birth (Experiment 1), and in deaf adults who were late-learners of ASL (Experiment 2). Results revealed that although both groups of signers demonstrated rapid, incremental processing of ASL signs, only native signers demonstrated early and robust activation of sublexical features of signs during real-time recognition. Our findings suggest that the organization of the mental lexicon into units of both form and meaning is a product of infant language learning and not the sensory and motor modality through which the linguistic signal is sent and received.


Yersinia enterocolitica and eye infection: a case report.
The authors reported a culturally proven case of orbital cellulitis, uveitis and conjunctivitis due to Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 0:9. This case, in addition to the previously reported, remarks the importance of Yersinia enterocolitica as ocular pathogen.


Examination of different pointwise linear regression methods for determining visual field progression.
To compare the specificity and sensitivity of several different methods for using pointwise linear regression (PLR) to detect progression (deterioration) in visual fields. First, theoretical results were derived to predict which of the considered PLR methods would be the most specific and hence the least sensitive. Then, a "Virtual Eye" simulation model was developed that simulates series of sensitivity readings for a point over time. The model adds normally distributed noise (estimated from published results) to the sensitivity at each point to produce a series of fields to be analyzed using each method. Stable and deteriorating eyes were simulated, with the latter defined to have a noise-free loss of 2 dB/y at a significant cluster of points over the series. The most sensitive method tested was to flag a visual field as progressing if it had a point that exhibited a statistically significant slope (at the 1% level) of at least -1 dB/y in the sensitivity. The most specific was a new "Three-Omitting" method that is being proposed, using two confirmation fields in a novel way. Current methods of using confirmation fields to verify a significant slope incorrectly flagged up to twice as many stable eyes as having progressing fields as did our new method. Using the new proposed PLR method is recommended in preference to current PLR methods in any applications when a high degree of specificity is the main priority.


The effect of memory in the stochastic master equation analyzed using the stochastic Liouville equation of motion. Electronic energy migration transfer between reorienting donor-donor, donor-acceptor chromophores.
This paper discusses the process of energy migration transfer within reorientating chromophores using the stochastic master equation (SME) and the stochastic Liouville equation (SLE) of motion. We have found that the SME over-estimates the rate of the energy migration compared to the SLE solution for a case of weakly interacting chromophores. This discrepancy between SME and SLE is caused by a memory effect occurring when fluctuations in the dipole-dipole Hamiltonian (H(t)) are on the same timescale as the intrinsic fast transverse relaxation rate characterized by (1/T(2)). Thus the timescale critical for energy-transfer experiments is T(2) approximately 10(-13) s. An extended SME is constructed, accounting for the memory effect of the dipole-dipole Hamiltonian dynamics. The influence of memory on the interpretation of experiments is discussed.


Increased Arctic sea ice drift alters adult female polar bear movements and energetics.
Recent reductions in thickness and extent have increased drift rates of Arctic sea ice. Increased ice drift could significantly affect the movements and the energy balance of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) which forage, nearly exclusively, on this substrate. We used radio-tracking and ice drift data to quantify the influence of increased drift on bear movements, and we modeled the consequences for energy demands of adult females in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas during two periods with different sea ice characteristics. Westward and northward drift of the sea ice used by polar bears in both regions increased between 1987-1998 and 1999-2013. To remain within their home ranges, polar bears responded to the higher westward ice drift with greater eastward movements, while their movements north in the spring and south in fall were frequently aided by ice motion. To compensate for more rapid westward ice drift in recent years, polar bears covered greater daily distances either by increasing their time spent active (7.6%-9.6%) or by increasing their travel speed (8.5%-8.9%). This increased their calculated annual energy expenditure by 1.8%-3.6% (depending on region and reproductive status), a cost that could be met by capturing an additional 1-3 seals/year. Polar bears selected similar habitats in both periods, indicating that faster drift did not alter habitat preferences. Compounding reduced foraging opportunities that result from habitat loss; changes in ice drift, and associated activity increases, likely exacerbate the physiological stress experienced by polar bears in a warming Arctic.


In silico structural modeling and analysis of physicochemical properties of curcumin synthase (CURS1, CURS2, and CURS3) proteins of Curcuma longa.
Pharmaceutically important curcuminoid synthesis in C. longa is controlled by CURS1, CURS2, and CURS3 genes. The present study detected the physicochemical properties and structural characteristics including the secondary and 3D structure of CURS proteins. The primary, secondary, and tertiary structure of the CURS proteins were modeled and characterized using multiple bioinformatics tools such as ExPasy ProtParam tools, self-optimized prediction method with alignment (SOPMA), PSIPRED, and SWISS-MODEL. The predicted secondary structure of curcumin synthase provided an α-helix and random coil as the major components. The reliability of the modeled structure was confirmed using PROCHECK and QMEAN programs. The molecular weight of CURS1 is 21093.19 Da, theoretical pI as 4.93, and an aliphatic index of 99.19. Molecular weight of CURS2 and CURS3 proteins are 20266.13 Da and 20629.52 Da, theoretical pI as 5.28 and 4.96, and an aliphatic index of 89.30 and 86.37, respectively. In the predicted secondary structure of CURS proteins, alpha helices and random coils of CURS1, CUR2, and CURS3 were 42.72, 41.38, and 44.74% and 24.87, 31.03, and 17.89, respectively. The extended strands were 16.24, 19.40, and 17.89. QMEAN Z-score is - 0.83, - 0.89, and - 1.09 for CURS1, CURS2, and CURS3, respectively. Prediction of the 3D model of a protein by in silico analysis is a highly challenging aspect to confirm the NMR or X-ray crystallographic data. This report can contribute to the understanding of the structure, physicochemical properties, structural motifs, and protein-protein interaction of CURS1, CUR2, and CURS3.


Temperament and body weight from ages 4 to 15 years.
In adulthood, conscientiousness and neuroticism are correlates of body weight and weight gain. The present research examines whether the childhood antecedents of these traits, persistence and negative reactivity, respectively, are associated with weight gain across childhood. We likewise examine sociability as a predictor of childhood weight gain and whether these three traits are associated with weight concerns and weight-management strategies in adolescence. Participants (N=4153) were drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, an ongoing, population-based study of child and family health and well-being. At the baseline assessment, caregivers reported on their child's temperament. At every assessment from ages 4-5 to 14-15 years, study children were weighed and measured by trained staff; there were up to six biennial assessments of body mass index and waist circumference. At ages 14-15 years, study children (n=2975) also self-reported on their weight concerns and weight-management strategies. Study children rated lower in persistence or higher in negative reactivity in early childhood gained more weight between the ages of 4 and 15 years. Sociability was associated with weight gain among girls but not among boys. Lower persistence and higher negative reactivity at ages 4-5 years were also associated with greater weight concerns, restrained eating and use of unhealthy weight-management strategies at ages 14-15 years. Childhood traits related to conscientiousness and neuroticism are associated with objective weight gain across childhood and with concerns and strategies to manage weight in adolescence. These results are consistent with a lifespan perspective that indicates that trait psychological functioning contributes to health-related markers from childhood through old age.