Evaluation of the relative roles of the Tabanidae and Glossinidae in the transmission of trypanosomosis in drug resistance hotspots in Mozambique.
Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) and tabanids (Diptera: Tabanidae) are haematophagous insects of medical and veterinary importance due to their respective role in the biological and mechanical transmission of trypanosomes. Few studies on the distribution and relative abundance of both families have been conducted in Mozambique since the country's independence. Despite Nicoadala, Mozambique, being a multiple trypanocidal drug resistance hotspot no information regarding the distribution, seasonality or infection rates of fly-vectors are available. This is, however, crucial to understanding the epidemiology of trypanosomosis and to refine vector management. For 365 days, 55 traps (20 NGU traps, 20 horizontal traps and 15 Epsilon traps) were deployed in three grazing areas of Nicoadala District: Namitangurine (25 traps); Zalala (15 traps); and Botao (15 traps). Flies were collected weekly and preserved in 70% ethanol. Identification using morphological keys was followed by molecular confirmation using cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Trap efficiency, species distribution and seasonal abundance were also assessed. To determine trypanosome infection rates, DNA was extracted from the captured flies, and submitted to 18S PCR-RFLP screening for the detection of Trypanosoma. In total, 4379 tabanids (of 10 species) and 24 tsetse flies (of 3 species), were caught. NGU traps were more effective in capturing both the Tabanidae and Glossinidae. Higher abundance and species diversity were observed in Namitangurine followed by Zalala and Botao. Tabanid abundance was approximately double during the rainy season compared to the dry season. Trypanosoma congolense and T. theileri were detected in the flies with overall infection rates of 75% for tsetse flies and 13% for tabanids. Atylotus agrestis had the highest infection rate of the tabanid species. The only pathogenic trypanosome detected was T. congolense. Despite the low numbers of tsetse flies captured, it can be assumed that they are still the cyclical vectors of trypanosomosis in the area. However, the high numbers of tabanids captured, associated to their demonstrated capacity of transmitting trypanosomes mechanically, suggest an important role in the epidemiology of trypanosomosis in the Nicoadala district. These results on the composition of tsetse and tabanid populations as well as the observed infection rates, should be considered when defining strategies to control the disease.


Femoral and acetabular re-alignment in slipped capital femoral epiphysis.
Based on improved knowledge of the vascular supply of the proximal femur, a safe surgical dislocation of the hip joint was established allowing direct insights to the pathomorphological malfunctioning of the joint. One insight was that slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) impingement leads to substantial damage of the chondrolabral rim area, even in the presence of minor slips. A further surgical development was the extended retinacular flap allowing for correction of the deformity with calculable risk for iatrogenic necrosis. In 20 years of experience, a treatment concept for SCFE could be established which replaces classic pinning in situ and indirect correction of the deformity with subcapital re-alignment when the physis is still open, with true femoral neck osteotomy for hips with closed physis. Pinning in situ still has a place in minor slips but should be combined with open or arthroscopic recreation of an anterior metaphyseal waisting. Loss of joint stability is a rare complication of anatomic re-alignment. It can be disease-related when the impingement has induced severe destruction of acetabular cartilage. It can be related to the surgical procedure, especially when the neck was excessively shortened and refixation of the trochanter was not advanced. Finally, in cases with severe and long-lasting deformity, the acetabulum may undergo adaptive flattening, being the cause of joint destabilisation with the correction of the deformity. Advancement of the greater trochanter and/or peri-acetabular osteotomy may be discussed to restabilise the joint.


Patient Experience and Satisfaction in Online Reviews of Obstetric Care: Observational Study.
The quality of care in labor and delivery is traditionally measured through the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems but less is known about the experiences of care reported by patients and caregivers on online sites that are more easily accessed by the public. The aim of this study was to generate insight into the labor and delivery experience using hospital reviews on Yelp. We identified all Yelp reviews of US hospitals posted online from May 2005 to March 2017. We used a machine learning tool, latent Dirichlet allocation, to identify 100 topics or themes within these reviews and used Pearson r to identify statistically significant correlations between topics and high (5-star) and low (1-star) ratings. A total of 1569 hospitals listed in the American Hospital Association directory had at least one Yelp posting, contributing a total of 41,095 Yelp reviews. Among those hospitals, 919 (59%) had at least one Yelp rating for labor and delivery services (median of 9 reviews), contributing a total of 6523 labor and delivery reviews. Reviews concentrated among 5-star (n=2643, 41%) and 1-star reviews (n=1934, 30%). Themes strongly associated with favorable ratings included the following: top-notch care (r=0.45, P<.001), describing staff as comforting (r=0.52, P<.001), the delivery experience (r=0.46, P<.001), modern and clean facilities (r=0.44, P<.001), and hospital food (r=0.38, P<.001). Themes strongly correlated with 1-star labor and delivery reviews included complaints to management (r=0.30, P<.001), a lack of agency among patients (r=0.47, P<.001), and issues with discharging from the hospital (r=0.32, P<.001). Online review content about labor and delivery can provide meaningful information about patient satisfaction and experiences. Narratives from these reviews that are not otherwise captured in traditional surveys can direct efforts to improve the experience of obstetrical care.


Transglutaminases: multifunctional cross-linking enzymes that stabilize tissues.
Transglutaminases catalyze the posttranslational modification of proteins by transamidation of available glutamine residues. This action results primarily in the formation of epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)lysine cross-links but includes the incorporation of polyamines into suitable protein substrates as well. The covalent isopeptide crosslink is stable and resistant to proteolysis, thereby increasing the resistance of tissue to chemical, enzymatic, and mechanical disruption. The plasma transglutaminase, factor XIIIa, is formed at sites of blood coagulation and impedes blood loss by stabilizing the fibrin clot. The squamous epithelium constituting the protective callus layer of skin is formed by the action of keratinocyte transglutaminase (TGK) and epidermal transglutaminase (TGE). The tissue transglutaminase (TGC) is a cytoplasmic enzyme present in many cells including those in the blood vessel wall. TGC function is unknown, although it could function to stabilize intra- and extra-cellular molecules in a wide variety of physiologic or pathologic processes. The amino acid sequences of factor XIII, TGC, and TGK establish them as a homologous gene family and also reveal a striking homology to the erythrocyte membrane protein, band 4.2. This review summarizes the current information on structures, functions, and evolution of the most prominent members of this gene family.


Pattern analysis of total item score and item response of the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6) in a nationally representative sample of US adults.
Several recent studies have shown that total scores on depressive symptom measures in a general population approximate an exponential pattern except for the lower end of the distribution. Furthermore, we confirmed that the exponential pattern is present for the individual item responses on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). To confirm the reproducibility of such findings, we investigated the total score distribution and item responses of the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6) in a nationally representative study. Data were drawn from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), which comprises four subsamples: (1) a national random digit dialing (RDD) sample, (2) oversamples from five metropolitan areas, (3) siblings of individuals from the RDD sample, and (4) a national RDD sample of twin pairs. K6 items are scored using a 5-point scale: "none of the time," "a little of the time," "some of the time," "most of the time," and "all of the time." The pattern of total score distribution and item responses were analyzed using graphical analysis and exponential regression model. The total score distributions of the four subsamples exhibited an exponential pattern with similar rate parameters. The item responses of the K6 approximated a linear pattern from "a little of the time" to "all of the time" on log-normal scales, while "none of the time" response was not related to this exponential pattern. The total score distribution and item responses of the K6 showed exponential patterns, consistent with other depressive symptom scales.


Entropy-Driven Reversible Agglomeration of Crown Ether Capped Gold Nanoparticles.
It is shown that plasmonic gold nanoparticles functionalised with a thiolated 18-crown-6 ligand shell agglomerate spontaneously from aqueous dispersion at elevated temperatures. This process takes place over a narrow temperature range, is accompanied by a colour change from red to purple-blue and is fully reversible. Moreover, the temperature at which it occurs can be adjusted by the degree of complexation of the crown ether moiety with appropriate cations. More complexation leads to higher transition temperatures. The process has been studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy, electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. A thermodynamic rationale is provided to suggest an entropy-driven endothermic agglomeration process based on attractive hydrophobic interactions of the complexed crowns that are competing against electrostatic repulsion of the charged ligand shells.


Paradigm Shifts of Heart Failure Therapy: Do We Need Another Paradigm?
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive condition with intermittent acute decompensation leading to poor prognosis despite established guideline-directed therapy. A paradigm of HF therapy has been shifted over last four decades. Until the early 1970s, HF was empirically managed, then was managed with the hemodynamic concept until the early 1980s. According to the results of large randomized clinical trials, HF therapy has been shifted to the neurohormonal paradigm since the late 1980s until recently. Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry is a multi-center registry that recruited a total of 5625 admitted patients with acute HF from 2011 to 2014 and followed until 2019. Through KorAHF registry, we could obtain invaluable information or messages in various fields such as epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of acute HF in Korea and also had opportunities to fill the gap between guideline-directed care and real-world practice. Considering significant unmet needs in HF therapy even at this moment, we do need another paradigm shift for HF therapy, such as molecular and regenerative paradigm using gene, stem cells, mechanical support as well as novel pharmacological agents.


Study on the Bacterial Communities of the Biofilms on Titanium, Aluminum, and Copper Alloys at 5,772 m Undersea in Yap Trench.
Biofilms formed on metal surfaces strongly affect metallic instruments serving in marine environments. However, due to sampling difficulty, less has been known about the bacterial communities of the biofilm on metallic surfaces in hadal environments, so the failure process of these deep-sea metallic instruments influenced by microbial communities could be hardly predicted. In this research, seven alloys, including titanium, aluminum, and copper alloys, were exposed in Yap Trench hadal environment for 1 year. Thus, the communities of the biofilms formed on metallic surfaces at 5,772 m undersea in Yap Trench were initially reported in previous studies. Then, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to visualize the in situ bacterial communities of the biofilms formed on titanium, aluminum, and copper alloys at 5,772 m undersea in Yap Trench. It was found that Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum in all samples, but distinct genera were discovered on various alloys. The titanium alloy provided a suitable substrate for a mutualistic symbiotic biofilm with abundant bacterial richness. Aluminum alloys without copper components showed the least bacterial richness and formed a cold-adapted and oligotrophic-adapted biofilm containing the genera Sulfurimonas and PS1 Clade, while copper-present alloys showed relatively high bacterial richness with copper-resistant or even copper-utilizing biofilms constituting the genera Stenotrophomonas, Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, and Achromobacter on the surfaces. Furthermore, among all the element components contained in alloys investigated in this research, copper element showed the strongest influences on the composition and function of microbial communities in the biofilms formed on various metallic surfaces.


Reactivity of secondary metallocene alkyls and the question of dormant sites in catalytic alkene polymerization.
The reactivity of [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(n-butyl)][MeB(C6F5)3] (4), [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(sec-butyl)][MeB(C6F5)3] (5), and [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(polypropenyl)][MeB(C6F5)3] with propene, ethene, and hydrogen was studied by low-temperature (<-40 degrees C) 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy in toluene solutions. In contrast with previous suggestions that 2 degrees zirconium alkyl species such as 5 are dormant sites, these measurements demonstrate reactivity of 2 degrees zirconium alkyls with propene and ethene comparable to the 1 degrees zirconium alkyl species 4 and [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(polypropenyl)][MeB(C6F5)3]. Because 2,1-insertion of propene is an infrequent event, these results preclude significant accumulation of catalyst in the form of 2 degrees zirconium alkyls for this metallocene and counterion. The reactivity of 5 with hydrogen is at least 2 orders of magnitude faster than other 1 degrees zirconium alkyls. Such high reactivity accounts for the puzzlingly high fraction of butyl end groups in prior hydrooligomerization studies and implies that catalyst responsivity to H2 as a molecular weight control agent correlates with the regioselectivity of the catalyst.


Versatile Hydrogel Dressings That Dynamically Regulate the Healing of Infected Deep Burn Wounds.
Severe burns threaten patient lives due to pain, inflammation, bacterial infection, and scarring. Most burn dressings that are commonly used perform a single function and are not well suited for the management of deep burns. Therefore, a multifunctional antimicrobial peptide- and stem cell-loaded macroporous hydrogel that can fight bacterial infection and regulate wound healing progression by temporally regulating cytokine production by internal stem cells is developed. The macroporous skeletal hydrogel is manufactured via the cryogenic gelation of hyaluronic acid (cryogel). Based on the oxidative polymerization reaction of dopamine, the antimicrobial peptide DP7 is immobilized on the surface of the cryogel (DA7CG). Placental mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) are then packaged inside the macroporous hydrogel (DA7CG@C). According to the results of in vitro and in vivo experiments, during the inflammatory phase, DP7 inhibits infection and modulates inflammation; during the proliferative phase, DA7CG@C accelerates the regeneration of skin, blood vessels, and hair follicles via internal stem cells; and during the remodeling phase, DA7CG@C contributes to extracellular matrix remodeling due to the ability of DP7 to regulate the paracrine secretion of PMSCs, synergistically promoting scar-free healing. DA7CG@C can participate in all phases of wound healing; therefore, it is a promising dressing for burn treatment.


Efficient string similarity join in multi-core and distributed systems.
In big data area a significant challenge about string similarity join is to find all similar pairs more efficiently. In this paper, we propose a parallel processing framework for efficient string similarity join. First, the input is split into some disjoint small subsets according to the joint frequency distribution and the interval distribution of strings. Then the filter-verification strategy is adopted in the computation of string similarity for each subset so that the number of candidate pairs is reduced before an effective pruning strategy is used to improve the performance. Finally, the operation of string join is executed in parallel. Para-Join algorithm based on the multi-threading technique is proposed to implement the framework in a multi-core system while Pada-Join algorithm based on Spark platform is proposed to implement the framework in a cluster system. We prove that Para-Join and Pada-Join cannot only avoid reduplicate computation but also ensure the completeness of the result. Experimental results show that Para-Join can achieve high efficiency and significantly outperform than state-of-the-art approaches, meanwhile, Pada-Join can work on large datasets.


The Roles of Hedgehog Signaling in Upper Lip Formation.
Craniofacial development consists of a highly complex sequence of the orchestrated growth and fusion of facial processes. It is also known that craniofacial abnormalities can be detected in 1/3 of all patients with congenital diseases. Within the various craniofacial abnormalities, orofacial clefting is one of the most common phenotypic outcomes associated with retarded facial growth or fusion. Cleft lip is one of the representative and frequently encountered conditions in the spectrum of orofacial clefting. Despite various mechanisms or signaling pathways that have been proposed to be the cause of cleft lip, a detailed mechanism that bridges individual signaling pathways to the cleft lip is still elusive. Shh signaling is indispensable for normal embryonic development, and disruption can result in a wide spectrum of craniofacial disorders, including cleft lip. This review focuses on the current knowledge about the mechanisms of facial development and the etiology of cleft lip that are related to Shh signaling.


Assessment of the toxic effects of mixtures of three lanthanides (Ce, Gd, Lu) to aquatic biota.
Lanthanide (LNs) release into the environment is expected to greatly increase in the coming years due to a high demand for new technologies. However there is a gap in the ecological risk assessment of these metals because most of the ecotoxicological studies have been performed with only one element, although they are usually found in nature as a group. This research evaluated the effects of mixtures of three lanthanides, cerium (Ce), gadolinium (Gd), and lutetium (Lu), representative of the light, middle and heavy rare earth elements, respectively, on seven aquatic species (A. fischeri, R. subcapitata, C. vulgaris, B. calyciflorus, H. incongruens, D. magna and D. rerio). Lanthanide content decreased over time in all toxicity test media and it was observed that LN sedimentation starts at the beginning of the tests with a steep decline of the available LN amount. Potential toxic effects of LNs were observed only in five species of the seven studied, predominantly in the unicellular organism (A. fischeri) and in the organisms belonging to the lower trophic levels (R. subcapitata and B. calyciflorus). The multi-toxicity approach performed in this study showed synergistic effects in tests performed with the bacteria A. fischeri and the algae R. subcapitata, and antagonistic effects for the rotifer B. calyciflorus. Although predicting the response of aquatic organisms exposed to multi-elements is not an easy task and can be masked by potential interactions with other compounds or even by nutrient removal. The variation in toxic action among species observed in this study reveals that lanthanide interaction in toxicity mechanisms should not be discarded, and supports that further studies with LN mixtures are required to properly understand their toxic behaviour in nature ecosystems.


[Study of anatomical and topographical peculiarities of the mucosal pattern on the dorsal surface of the tongue in the immediate and late postmortem periods].
The authors present information about anatomical and topographical peculiarities of the patterns of the mucous membrane at the backside surface of the tongue in the immediate and late postmortem periods. The apparent dynamics of the structural changes on this surface does not exclude the possibility of using them as the criteria for personality identification within 1 month after death.


Autophagy plays an essential role in ultraviolet radiation-driven skin photoaging.
Photoaging is characterized by a chronic inflammatory response to UV light. One of the most prominent features of cutaneous photoaging is wrinkling, which is due primarily to a loss of collagen fibers and deposits of abnormal degenerative elastotic material within the dermis (actinic elastosis). These changes are thought to be mediated by inflammation, with subsequent upregulation of extracellular matrix-degrading proteases and down-regulation of collagen synthesis. Autophagy is a vital homeostatic cellular process of either clearing surplus or damaged cell components notably lipids and proteins or recycling the content of the cells' cytoplasm to promote cell survival and adaptive responses during starvation and other oxidative and/or genotoxic stress conditions. Autophagy may also become a means of supplying nutrients to maintain a high cellular proliferation rate when needed. It has been suggested that loss of autophagy leads to both photodamage and the initiation of photoaging in UV exposed skin. Moreover, UV radiation of sunlight is capable of regulating a number of autophagy-linked genes. This review will focus on the protective effect of autophagy in the skin cells damaged by UV radiation. We hope to draw attention to the significance of autophagy regulation in the prevention and treatment of skin photoaging.


Indexes of aortic pressure augmentation markedly underestimate the contribution of reflected waves toward variations in aortic pressure and left ventricular mass.
Although indexes of wave reflection enhance risk prediction, the extent to which measures of aortic systolic pressure augmentation (augmented pressures [Pa] or augmentation index) underestimate the effects of reflected waves on cardiovascular risk is uncertain. In participants from a community sample (age >16), we compared the relative contribution of reflected (backward wave pressures and the reflected wave index [RI]) versus augmented (Pa and augmentation index) pressure wave indexes to variations in central aortic pulse pressure (PPc; n=1185), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI; n=793). Aortic hemodynamics and LVMI were determined using radial applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor) and echocardiography. Independent of confounders, RI and backward wave pressures contributed more than forward wave pressures, whereas Pa and augmentation index contributed less than incident wave pressure to variations in PPc (P<0.0001 for comparison of partial r values). In those <50 years of age, while backward wave pressures (partial r=0.28, P<0.0001) contributed more than forward wave pressures (partial r=0.15, P<0.001; P<0.05 for comparison of r values), Pa (partial r=0.13, P<0.005) contributed to a similar extent as incident wave pressure (partial r=0.22, P<0.0001) to variations in LVMI. Furthermore, in those ≥50 years of age, backward wave pressures (partial r=0.21, P<0.0001), but not forward wave pressures (P=0.98), while incident wave pressure (partial r=0.23, P<0.0001), but not Pa (P=0.80) were associated with LVMI. Pa and augmentation index underestimated the effect of wave reflection on PPc and LVMI in both men and women. Thus, as compared with relations between indexes of aortic pressure augmentation and PPc or LVMI, strikingly better relations are noted between aortic wave reflection and PPc or LVMI.


Cost-Efficient and Easy to Perform PCR-Based Assay to Identify Met Exon 14 Skipping in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Samples.
MET is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that plays important roles in carcinogenesis. Despite being frequently overexpressed in cancer, clinical responses to targeting this receptor have been limited. Recently novel splicing mutations involving the loss of exon 14 (called METex14 skipping) have emerged as potential biomarkers to predict for responsiveness to targeted therapies with Met inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently, the diverse genomic alterations responsible for METex14 skipping pose a challenge for routine clinical diagnostic testing. In this report, we examine three different methodologies to detect METex14 and assess their potential utility for use as a diagnostic assay for both the identification of METex14 and intra-tumoural distribution in NSCLC.


[Origin of malaria epidemics on the plateaus of Madagascar and the mountains of east and south Africa].
The Highlands of Madagascar were malaria free until 1878, when a severe epidemic occurred, following the development of irrigated rice farming. Then, the disease became endemic. Between 1949 and 1962, malaria was "eradicated" on the Highlands by joint house spraying and chemoprophylaxis measures. The main vector An. funestus disappeared. In 1986-1988, a very severe epidemic with high lethality rate devastated the Highlands. It is now under control. Thanks to the data of a religious dispensary, we could follow the evolution of malaria on the Highlands from 1971 to 1995. The number of cases begin to grow in 1975 when the surveillance was neglected. A second step was observed in 1979, when chemoprophylaxis/chemotherapy centres were closed. Then, the increase of malaria became exponential up to 1988. At the time, the prevalence had became similar to that of 1948, before the eradication. The epidemic is not due to global warming because the temperature has been stable for the last 30 years. The malaria rise was due the cancellation of control measures. When control was reactivated, the epidemic ceased. In Swaziland, Zimbabwe and South Africa, malaria epidemics were also due to control failure. In Uganda Highlands, above 1500 m, malaria rise seems linked to the environmental changes, e.g. the cultures which replace papyrus swamp in the valley. But malaria did not overcame the altitude of 1900 which it had already reached in 1960. Rainfall should also be considered as a key factor in the epidemics. In the Sahel West Africa, temperature increased from 0.5 degree C to 01 degree C degree in the last 25 years, but rainfall decreased from 30%. As a result, one of the vector, Anopheles funestus disappeared and malaria prevalence dropped by 60 to 80%. It is not acceptable to predict the future evolution of malaria in taking in account only one parameter: the temperature. The whole factors involved in the epidemiology should be taken into account. The predictions based only on the temperature increase (global warming) can be totally wrong if the rainfall, for example, decreases.


Cripto-1 Promotes the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells.
Esophageal carcinoma is a major public health problem worldwide and one of the most aggressively malignant neoplasms. Although considerable diagnostic and therapeutic progress has been made in recent years, the prognosis of EC patients still remains dismal due to high rates of recurrence/metastasis and invasion. Previous studies have demonstrated that Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is proposed as a critical mechanism for the acquisition of malignant phenotypes by epithelial cells. Several lines of evidence have shown that Cripto-1 plays an important oncogenic role during tumorigenesis by promoting EMT. The aim of our study was to evaluate the significance of Cripto-1 which plays a role in EMT and its metastasis in esophageal carcinoma. Data of this study suggest that Cripto-1 overexpression is connected with the tumorigenesis and progression of esophageal carcinoma; shRNA might be feasible for the inhibition of the invasion and metastasis of esophageal carcinoma.


Immunosuppressive and autoimmune effects of thimerosal in mice.
The possible health effects of the organic mercury compound thimerosal (ethylmercurithiosalicylate), which is rapidly metabolized to ethylmercury (EtHg), have recently been much debated and the effect of this compound on the immune system is largely unknown. We therefore studied the effect of thimerosal by treating A.SW (H-2s) mice, susceptible to induction of autoimmunity by heavy metals, with 10 mg thimerosal/L drinking water (internal dose ca 590 microg Hg/kg body weight/day) for up to 30 days. The lymph node expression of IL-2 and IL-15 mRNA was increased after 2 days, and of IL-4 and IFN-gamma mRNA after 6 and 14 days. During the first 14 days treatment, the number of splenocytes, including T and B cells as well as Ig-secreting cells decreased. A strong immunostimulation superseded after 30 days treatment with increase in splenic weight, number of splenocytes including T and B cells and Ig-secreting cells, and Th2- as well as Th-1-dependent serum immunoglobulins. Antinucleolar antibodies (ANoA) targeting the 34-kDa nucleolar protein fibrillarin, and systemic immune-complex deposits developed. The H-2s strains SJL and B10.S also responded to thimerosal treatment with ANoA. The A.TL and B10.TL strain, sharing background genes with the A.SW and B10.S strain, respectively, but with a different H-2 haplotype (t1), did not develop ANoA, linking the susceptibility to H-2. Thimerosal-treated H-2s mice homozygous for the nu mutation (SJL-nu/nu), or lacking the T-cell co-stimulatory molecule CD28 (B10.S-CD28-/-), did not develop ANoA, which showed that the autoimmune response is T-cell dependent. Using H-2s strains with targeted mutations, we found that IFN-gamma and IL-6, but not IL-4, is important for induction of ANoA by thimerosal. The maximum added renal concentration of thimerosal (EtHg) and inorganic mercury occurred after 14 days treatment and was 81 microg Hg/g. EtHg made up 59% and inorganic mercury 41% of the renal mercury. In conclusion, the organic mercury compound thimerosal (EtHg) has initial immunosuppressive effects similar to those of MeHg. However, in contrast to MeHg, thimerosal treatment leads in genetically susceptible mice to a second phase with strong immunostimulation and autoimmunity, which is T-cell dependent, H-2 linked and may at least partly be due to the inorganic mercury derived from the metabolism of ethyl mercury.


Is there a role for chemosensitivity tests in head and neck cancer?
Despite many advances in predictive testing of human malignancies, we are far from using it routinely in clinical practice. Investigating the responsiveness of solid tumors to cytostatic drugs is particularly challenging. Nevertheless, for head and neck cancer, chemosensitivity testing is an increasingly attractive option, since chemotherapy has proven to have curative potential in the therapy of head and neck cancer, in particular in combination with radiation. The significant need for predictive methods to identify patients responsive to therapy, first of all in organ preservation programs, which is an alternative to first-line surgery, had recently renewed the discussion on a possible role of chemosensitivity testing in head and neck cancer. In this review, we discuss the current state of chemosensitivity testing in head and neck cancer. Recent methodological developments, in particular elimination of photochemical artifacts and inclusion of stromal cell response studies, may soon augment the value of ex vivo chemosensitivity testing for the management of head and neck cancer.


Photoinduced Divergent Alkylation/Acylation of Pyridine N-Oxides with Alkynes under Anaerobic and Aerobic Conditions.
Ortho-alkylated and ortho-acylated pyridines have been conveniently synthesized from pyridine N-oxides and alkynes under visible-light-mediation in a metal-free manner. The alkynes served as both alkylating and acylating agents via switching between anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The overall strategy accommodates a broad scope of substituted pyridine N-oxides and alkynes, with excellent regioselectivity in a number of cases.


[Psychological consequences of hair loss].
Hair plays an important role in human life. Quantitative or qualitative changes of hair are therefore perceived unfavorably. The psychological consequences of hair loss are described in both androgenic alopecia and alopecia areata. Alopecia areata should be distinguished from other diagnostic units such as trichotillomania. The issue of hair disease requires a multidisciplinary collaboration, in which the dermatologist has a key role to play.


[Application of multivariate statistical methods in research of Chinese medicinal materials resource ecology].
In this paper the application of multivariate statistical methods in research of Chinese medicinal materials resource ecology was introduced. The importance of multivariate statistical analysis used in research on analyzing ecological environment factors and region suitability of Chinese crude drugs has been pointed out. Several frequent used multivariate statistical methods have been presented.


Selecting the optimal anti-aliasing filter for multichannel biosignal acquisition intended for inter-signal phase shift analysis.
The availability of microcomputer-based portable devices facilitates the high-volume multichannel biosignal acquisition and the analysis of their instantaneous oscillations and inter-signal temporal correlations. These new, non-invasively obtained parameters can have considerable prognostic or diagnostic roles. The present study investigates the inherent signal delay of the obligatory anti-aliasing filters. One cycle of each of the 8 electrocardiogram (ECG) and 4 photoplethysmogram signals from healthy volunteers or artificially synthesised series were passed through 100-80-60-40-20 Hz 2-4-6-8th order Bessel and Butterworth filters digitally synthesized by bilinear transformation, that resulted in a negligible error in signal delay compared to the mathematical model of the impulse- and step responses of the filters. The investigated filters have as diverse a signal delay as 2-46 ms depending on the filter parameters and the signal slew rate, which is difficult to predict in biological systems and thus difficult to compensate for. Its magnitude can be comparable to the examined phase shifts, deteriorating the accuracy of the measurement. As a conclusion, identical or very similar anti-aliasing filters with lower orders and higher corner frequencies, oversampling, and digital low pass filtering are recommended for biosignal acquisition intended for inter-signal phase shift analysis.


Computation offloading for real-time health-monitoring devices.
Among the major challenges in the development of real-time wearable health monitoring systems is to optimize battery life. One of the major techniques with which this objective can be achieved is computation offloading, in which portions of computation can be partitioned between the device and other resources such as a server or cloud. In this paper, we describe a novel dynamic computation offloading scheme for real-time wearable health monitoring devices that adjusts the partitioning of data between the wearable device and mobile application as a function of desired classification accuracy.


Pivotal trials of letrozole: a new aromatase inhibitor.
Letrozole (Femara) is a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor that is approximately 10,000 times as potent as aminoglutethimide in vivo. Two pivotal multinational phase III trials have compared letrozole (0.5 and 2.5 mg/d) against megestrol acetate and aminoglutethimide, respectively, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. The letrozole vs megestrol acetate trial showed the superiority of letrozole (2.5 mg/d) over megestrol acetate with respect to response rate, response duration, duration of overall clinical benefit (complete response plus partial response plus stable disease > or = 6 months), time to progression, and time to treatment failure. The letrozole-treated patients also showed a nonsignificant trend toward better survival. In the letrozole vs aminoglutethimide trial, letrozole (2.5 mg/d) was significantly superior in terms of duration of overall clinical benefit and survival. There were also strong trends favoring letrozole with regard to objective response rate and duration of response. Unexpectedly, both trials demonstrated a dose-response effect for 2.5 mg of letrozole over 0.5 mg in terms of response and overall survival. This finding raises the possibility that intratumoral aromatase suppression may be more relevant in breast cancer therapy than are plasma estrogen levels.


Tooth polishing: Relevance in present day periodontal practice.
Time has seen the emergence of more efficient and effective devices like jet abrasives. However, the role of rubber cups with prophy angles cannot be overlooked as they are still being widely used and provide an economical alternative. Owing to several shortcomings associated with the air polishing device using sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3)), trends are shifting towards the usage of low abrasive powders. Recent demonstration of Glycine Powder Air Polishing (GPAP) in removing subgingival biofilm results in less gingival erosion than hand instrumentation or NaHCO(3) air-polishing. Despite the emergence of latest advances in polishing, data suggesting selective polishing of teeth is compelling.


Intimate Partner Violence and Gestational Weight Gain in a Population-Based Sample of Perinatal Women.
To examine the effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) at varied time points in the perinatal period on inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain. Retrospective cohort using population-based secondary data. Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System and birth certificate data from New York City and 35 states. Data were obtained for 251,342 U.S. mothers who gave birth from 2004 through 2011 and completed the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey 2 to 9 months after birth. The exposure was perinatal IPV, defined as experiencing physical abuse by a current or ex-partner in the year before or during pregnancy. Adequacy of gestational weight gain (GWG) was categorized using 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines. Weighted descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models were used. Approximately 6% of participants reported perinatal IPV, 2.7% reported IPV in the year before pregnancy, 1.1% reported IPV during pregnancy only, and the remaining 2.5% reported IPV before and during pregnancy. Inadequate GWG was more prevalent among participants who experienced IPV during pregnancy and those who experienced IPV before and during pregnancy (23.3% and 23.5%, respectively) than in participants who reported no IPV (20.2%; p < .001). Participants who experienced IPV before pregnancy only were significantly more likely to have excessive GWG (p < .001). Results were attenuated in the multivariate modeling; only participants who experienced IPV before pregnancy had weakly significant odds of excessive GWG (adjusted odds ratio = 1.14, 95% CI [1.02, 1.26]). The association between perinatal IPV and inadequate GWG was explained by confounding variables; however, women who reported perinatal IPV had greater rates of GWG outside the optimal range. Future studies are needed to determine how relevant confounding variables may affect a woman's GWG.


Effect of feed additive antibiotics on chickens infected with Eimeria tenella.
Six experiments were carried out to study the effect of feed additive antibiotics on body weight, mortality and oocyst production in chickens infected with coccidiostat-susceptible or -resistant strain of E. tenella. Levels of antibiotic and coccidiostat in fed (mg./kg.) were: thiopeptin, 2; zinc bacitracin, 20; penicillin, 12; chlortetracycline, 22; amprolium plus ethopabate, 125 plus 8; clopidol, 125. All experiments included 7 groups; 2 of these groups were uninfected and infected controls, and the 5 remaining groups were all infected and given diet containing antibiotic, amprolium plus ethopabate, antibiotic and amprolium plus ethopabate, clopidol, or antibiotic and clopidol. Chickens in each group were fed respective diet beginning one day prior to coccidia exposure. In two experiments, infection with a coccidiostat-susceptible strain resulted in severe clinical coccidiosis in chickens on the basal ration and on thiopeptin-diet, but dietary thiopeptin prompted recovery of body weight. In one experiment where chickens were infected with a strain resistant to amprolium plus ethopabate and clopidol, birds on dietary thiopeptin attained higher body weight than birds on the basal ration. In three experiments when a strain resistant to amprolium plus ethopabate was inoculated, birds given the basal ration, bacitracin, penicillin, chlortetracycline, or amprolium plus ethopabate diet developed cecal coccidiosis. Chickens on ration containing antibiotic alone attained higher body weight than chickens on the basal ration. Combination of antibiotic and amprolium plus ethopabate resulted in higher weight attained than amprolium plus ethopabate alone. Clopidol suppressed development of coccidiosis, and the combination of antibiotic and clopidol resulted in higher gains than in clopidol alone.


Perioperative safety in coronary artery bypass grafting: the role of the anesthesiologist.
As our population ages and cardiovascular disease increases in prevalence, a growing number of patients will be candidates for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Outcomes from this common surgery can be improved by a coordinated team approach involving physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals from multiple specialties. This review will discuss the role cardiovascular anesthesiologists play in the perioperative care of these complex patients. Cardiovascular anesthesiologists may play a variety of important roles throughout the entire perioperative period of patients undergoing CABG. This may include identification and optimization of preoperative comorbidities, employment of enhanced recovery pathways, perioperative echocardiographic assessment of complex cardiovascular states, management of patients on cardiopulmonary bypass, and others. There is growing evidence that each of these areas contributes to better care and improved outcomes. Care of the patient undergoing CABG requires a team approach. Optimal team dynamics translate into better care for patients and improved outcomes. The cardiovascular anesthesiologist is an integral member of this team whose role is central in the coordination of all aspects of perioperative care. Preoperative optimization begins the process, which continues throughout surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass, and into the postoperative period.


Characterization of the species Malassezia pachydermatis and re-evaluation of its lipid dependence using a synthetic agar medium.
The genus Malassezia includes lipophilic yeasts, which are part of the skin microbiota of various mammals and birds. Unlike the rest of Malassezia species, M. pachydermatis is described as non-lipid-dependent, as it is able to grow on Sabouraud glucose agar (SGA) without lipid supplementation. In this study we have examined the phenotypic variability within M. pachydermatis and confirmed its lipid-dependent nature using a synthetic agar medium. We used a selection of representative non-lipid-dependent strains from different animal species and three atypical lipid-dependent strains of this species, which were not able to grow after multiple passages on SGA. More than 400 lipid-dependent Malassezia isolates from animals were studied in order to detect the three lipid-dependent strains of M. pachydermatis. The identity of the atypical strains was confirmed by DNA sequencing. On the other hand, we have modified the Tween diffusion test, which is widely used in the characterization of these yeasts, by using a synthetic agar-based medium instead of SGA. This modification has proved to be useful for differentiation of M. pachydermatis strains, providing reproducible results and a straightforward interpretation. The finding of these peculiar lipid-dependent strains exemplifies the large variability within the species M. pachydermatis, which involves rare atypical strains with particular growth requirements.


Translational Multimodality Neuroimaging.
Recently high-resolution, noninvasive, multimodality in-vivo molecular imaging with PET, SPECT, CT and MRI, employing fusion algorithms has revolutionized personalized medicine. However, novel discovery of specific radiopharmaceuticals (RPs) for the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, drug addiction, and other cognitive impairments still remains a significant challenge. The primary objective of this review is to highlight the clinical significance of multimodality fusion neuroimaging for the determination of: pharmacokinetics and pre-clinical development of radiopharmaceuticals (RPs); in-vivo monitoring of stem cell transplantation therapy; nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) investigations; and regional cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism in cognitively-impaired subjects employing multimodality noninvasive PET, CT, MRI/MRS, and SPECT imaging. Recent methodology to perform multimodality imaging employing computer-based fusion algorithms is provided with a primary emphasis on nanoSPECT/CT, PET-CT, and PET-MRI in experimental animals. Multimodality imaging is performed to detect CNS infections using 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Furthermore, limitations of individual neuroimaging system, body movements due to cardiorespiratory activity, and co-registration of multimodality neuroimaging data are described. Multimodality neuroimaging is clinically-significant because it emphasizes the importance of complementary imaging for theranostic applications and minimizes the inherent limitations of individual neuroimaging approach. However, it may increase the radiation dose to a susceptible pediatric population. Future developments in specific RPs with minimum radiation exposure will facilitate early differential diagnosis, prevent, slowdown and/or cure neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Eventually, conventional and functional neuroimaging, combined with clinical, laboratory and - omics analyses will facilitate theranostics to accomplish the ultimate goal of personalized medicine.


Evaluation of pediatric epigenetic clocks across multiple tissues.
Epigenetic clocks are promising tools for assessing biological age. We assessed the accuracy of pediatric epigenetic clocks in gestational and chronological age determination. Our study used data from seven tissue types on three DNA methylation profiling microarrays and found that the Knight and Bohlin clocks performed similarly for blood cells, while the Lee clock was superior for placental samples. The pediatric-buccal-epigenetic clock performed the best for pediatric buccal samples, while the Horvath clock is recommended for children's blood cell samples. The NeoAge clock stands out for its unique ability to predict post-menstrual age with high correlation with the observed age in infant buccal cell samples. Our findings provide valuable guidance for future research and development of epigenetic clocks in pediatric samples, enabling more accurate assessments of biological age.


Phenotypic and molecular characterisation of the Aarskog-Scott syndrome: a survey of the clinical variability in light of FGD1 mutation analysis in 46 patients.
Faciogenital dysplasia or Aarskog-Scott syndrome (AAS) is a genetically heterogeneous developmental disorder. The X-linked form of AAS has been ascribed to mutations in the FGD1 gene. However, although AAS may be considered as a relatively frequent clinical diagnosis, mutations have been established in few patients. Genetic heterogeneity and the clinical overlap with a number of other syndromes might explain this discrepancy. In this study, we have conducted a single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the entire coding region of FGD1 in 46 AAS patients and identified eight novel mutations, including one insertion, four deletions and three missense mutations (19.56% detection rate). One mutation (528insC) was found in two independent families. The mutations are scattered all along the coding sequence. Phenotypically, all affected males present with the characteristic AAS phenotype. FGD1 mutations were not associated with severe mental retardation. However, neuropsychiatric disorders, mainly behavioural and learning problems in childhood, were observed in five out of 12 mutated individuals. The current study provides further evidence that mutations of FGD1 may cause AAS and expands the spectrum of disease-causing mutations. The importance of considering the neuropsychological phenotype of AAS patients is discussed.


Plan Quality Assessment of Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy Treatment Plans in Patients With Brain Metastases.
The treatment options available in the management of brain metastases includes fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatments. FSRT treatments have proved to be useful mainly in the treatment of larger volumes. This study aims to evaluate the FSRT treatment technique used in our department based on various plan quality indices. 24 treatment plans of 23 patients were analyzed. Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans were generated in line with the department protocol. The following parameters were extracted: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group conformity index (RTOG CI), Paddick conformity index (Paddick CI), gradient index (GI), quality index (Q), homogeneity index (HI), and V24.4 volume as a parallel index of V12 used at SRS plan evaluation. Plan conformity was acceptable, RTOG CI mean was 0.942; Paddick CI mean was 0.824. The mean GI value was 6.146. The mean of HI and Q indices were 1.263 and 0.94, respectively. V24.4 mean was 33.434 cm3. All plans achieved clinically acceptable organs-at-risk (OAR) constraints. PTV volumes were clustered into either 10 cm3 or 15 cm3 bins depending on the plan quality metric we used. The mean values show a balanced distribution of plan indices along the various PTV bins. Our results based on the derived indices show that our FSRT approach can achieve clinically acceptable treatment plans. Furthermore, the clustering of PTV volumes show that these plan quality metrics remain acceptable for a wide spectrum of PTV volumes.


Validation of a shortened electronic version of the environmental symptoms questionnaire.
The purpose of this study was to validate a shortened (11-item) electronic version of the 67-item paper and pencil Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire (ESQ-III) to assess acute mountain sickness (AMS). Thirty-three volunteers (means +/- SE; 28 +/- 1 yr; 74 +/- 2 kg) were given both the paper and pencil and electronic versions of the ESQ (IPAQ 5550, Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto, CA) to complete one after the other at residence altitude (RA) and after 24-h (PP24), 48-h (PP48), and 72-h (PP72) exposure to 4300 m on the summit of Pikes Peak (PP). The AMS-Cerebral (AMS-C) weighted factor score was calculated from responses to the same 11 items for each version of the ESQ. If AMS-C was >or=0.7, then the individual was classified as having AMS. There were no differences in the AMS-C scores between the paper and pencil and electronic versions of the ESQ at RA (0.05 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.05 +/- 0.02), PP24 (0.76 +/- 0.16 vs. 0.74 +/- 0.15), PP48 (0.61 +/- 0.15 vs. 0.53 +/- 0.14), and PP72 (0.34 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.34 +/- 0.09). There were no differences in the incidence of AMS between the paper and pencil and electronic versions of the ESQ at RA (0% vs. 0%), PP24 (33% vs. 36%), PP48 (27% vs. 27%), and PP72 (21% vs. 21%). The relationships between AMS-C calculated from the two versions of the ESQ at RA (r = 0.43; p = 0.01), PP24 (r = 0.92; p = 0.0001), PP48 (r = 0.82; p = 0.0005), and PP72 (r = 0.95; p = 0.0001) were significant. The relationships between the incidence of AMS calculated from the two version of the ESQ at RA (k = 0.90; p = 0.01), PP24 (k = 0.90; p = 0.01), PP48 (k = 0.91; p = 0.01), and PP72 (k = 0.92; p = 0.01) were significant. Our findings suggest that the shortened electronic version can be substituted for the paper and pencil version of the ESQ to assess AMS.


Single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: initial experience.
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy has become the standard treatment of choice for pancreatic tail cystic and solid tumors when technically feasible. Technological advances have led to the development of single-port laparoscopic surgery, a safe alternative procedure. We present our experiences with single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. We retrospectively reviewed clinical records and compared clinical outcomes in 40 patients diagnosed with a pancreatic tail mass between 2007 and 2013 who received either conventional laparoscopic (n=28) or single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (n=12). The mean surgery time in the single-port group (279.8±53.0 minutes) was significantly longer than in the conventional group (186.9±86.6 minutes) (P=.001). The mean duration of postoperative hospital stay in the single-port group (12.2±5.4 days) was also significantly longer than in the conventional group (8.3±4.7 days) (P=.028). The spleen was preserved more in the conventional group (60.7%) than in the single-port group (33.3%), but the difference was not significant (P=.112). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, tumor size, conversion rate, or postoperative complications between the two groups. Blood loss and postoperative complications of single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy are similar to those of conventional laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. Single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy can be performed safely and effectively in select patients with pancreas tail neoplasms, but is associated with a longer surgery time and postoperative hospital stay.


Timing of puberty and fetal growth.
Children born small for gestational age (SGA: birth weight or birth length more than 2 standard deviations below the mean score) are at a higher risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality and of a number of chronic diseases in later life such as hypertension, decreased insulin sensitivity, diabetes mellitus type 2 and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The programming of the endocrine axes occurs during critical phases of fetal development and might thus be affected by intrauterine growth retardation. Studies in Northern Spanish adolescent girls have indicated associations between reduced fetal growth and the occurrence of precocious adrenarche, pubarche, hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hyperinsulinism. These findings have attracted much attention because it might have serious consequences in later life. However, hyperandrogenism and precocious pubarche were not confirmed in a large Dutch study in short children born SGA. Two studies reported a lower number of follicles in the ovaries in girls born SGA, which might have an impact on fertility. Clearly, further studies are required before definite conclusions can be drawn. There are still only limited data concerning the timing of puberty in children born SGA. Most studies indicate that these children start their puberty at a normal age but relatively early within the normal range. Age at menarche seems comparable with controls. Data on duration of puberty, influence of puberty on attainment of adult height, peak height velocity during puberty and fertility are not yet known.


Chronic hyponatremia associated with diabetic amyotrophy.
In most diabetic patients, the presence of hyponatremia is usually ascribed to severe hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, oral hypoglycemic agents, or other drugs. We describe two insulin-treated type II diabetic patients who were seen with severe rapid weight loss, hyponatremia, and diabetic amyotrophy despite good metabolic control. Laboratory evaluation of the hyponatremia suggested the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. Their clinical presentations led to the suspicion of an underlying malignant neoplasm in each case. One patient required demeclocycline for treatment of his symptomatic hyponatremia, while the other improved with fluid restriction and intermittent furosemide therapy. The hyponatremia resolved spontaneously with improvement in body weight and the amyotrophy resolved after four to six months. After 24 to 36 months of close follow-up, no evidence of malignancy has been documented in either of the patients. We conclude that this clinical entity of amyotrophy is benign and should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic hyponatremia in diabetic patients.


Structure and per-rectal ultrasonography of prostatic disease using cadaver specimens.
One hundred cadaver prostates were examined by per-rectal ultrasound and the findings correlated with the microradiographic and histopathological features of whole sections taken at the levels of scanning. The normal gland consists of both periurethral muscle and glands. The periurethral muscle has little structure on microradiography and is therefore hypoechoic (low amplitude echoes) on ultrasound scanning. The gland itself, both central and peripheral zones, has a lattice appearance on microradiography (reticular structure) and therefore produces mid-range amplitude echoes on ultrasound. Benign hypertrophy develops at the edge of the periurethral muscle and is microadenomatous in structure. This produces mid-range amplitude echoes which are coarser than in the normal gland. Associated calcification has a characteristic distribution around the adenomas. Cancer produces an amorphous structure resulting in loss of ultrasonic echoes (hypoechoic). In a few cancers irregular calcification is present, resulting in high echoes in the ultrasound scan (hyperechoic) which are not in the typical benign distribution. The internal structure of the prostate was therefore demonstrated in its histopathological states by the technique of microradiography and seen to relate to its representation by ultrasound.


Three cases of inter-sterno-costo-clavicular ossification associated with tonsillar infection.
Three cases of inter-sterno-costo-clavicular ossification (ISCCO) associated with chronic tonsillitis are reported. Two cases had additional symptoms of pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP). All the patients underwent tonsillectomy. The histological changes of the palatine tonsils of case 1 and case 2 were characterized by so-called focal small lacunar ulcers and periarteriolar fibrosis (onion-skin lesion). Some multinucleated giant cells were observed in case 2. Following tonsillectomy, symptoms in the clavicular region and the PPP improved. It is possible to consider that ISCCO is caused by focal tonsillar infection.


Detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in stool samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of C. difficile-associated diarrhea.
Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is the major cause of health care-associated infectious diarrhea. Current laboratory testing lacks a single assay that is sensitive, specific, and rapid. The purpose of this work was to design and validate a sensitive and specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic test for CDAD. This observational validation study of a new real-time PCR assay occurred from July 2004 through April 2006 and involved the testing of 1368 stool samples. As the final validation portion of the investigation, 350 inpatients were prospectively interviewed for clinical findings for 365 episodes of diarrheal illness. Test results and clinical criteria were used to assess the performance of 4 assays. Using clinical criteria requiring at least 3 loose stools in 1 day as part of the reference standard for a positive test result supporting CDAD, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 73.3%, 97.6%, 73.3%, and 97.6%, respectively, for enzyme immunoassay; 93.3%, 97.4%, 75.7%, and 99.4%, respectively, for real-time PCR; 76.7%, 97.1%, 69.7%, and 97.9%, respectively, for cell culture cytotoxin assay; and 100.0%, 95.9%, 68.2%, and 100.0%, respectively, for anaerobic culture (for toxigenic C. difficile strains). The real-time PCR and anaerobic culture assays were significantly more sensitive than the enzyme immunoassay (P<.01 to P<.05). With an assay turnaround time of <4 h, real-time PCR is a more sensitive and equally rapid test, compared with enzyme immunoassay, and is a feasible laboratory option to replace enzyme immunoassay for toxigenic C. difficile detection in clinical practice, as well as for use during the development of new therapeutic agents.


Feature determination from powered wheelchair user joystick input characteristics for adapting driving assistance.
Background: Many powered wheelchair users find their medical condition and their ability to drive the wheelchair will change over time. In order to maintain their independent mobility, the powered chair will require adjustment over time to suit the user's needs, thus regular input from healthcare professionals is required. These limited resources can result in the user having to wait weeks for appointments, resulting in the user losing independent mobility, consequently affecting their quality of life and that of their family and carers. In order to provide an adaptive assistive driving system, a range of features need to be identified which are suitable for initial system setup and can automatically provide data for re-calibration over the long term. Methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect information from powered wheelchair users with regard to their symptoms and how they changed over time. Another group of volunteer participants were asked to drive a test platform and complete a course which represented manoeuvring in a very confined space as quickly as possible. Two of those participants were also monitored over a longer period in their normal home daily environment. Features, thought to be suitable, were examined using pattern recognition classifiers to determine their suitability for identifying the changing user input over time. Results: The results are not designed to provide absolute insight into the individual user behaviour, as no ground truth of their ability has been determined, they do nevertheless demonstrate the utility of the measured features to provide evidence of the users' changing ability over time whilst driving a powered wheelchair. Conclusions: Determining the driving features and adjustable elements provides the initial step towards developing an adaptable assistive technology for the user when the ground truths of the individual and their machine have been learned by a smart pattern recognition system.


Repetitive Plantar Flexion Test as an Adjunct Tool for the Diagnosis of Common Peroneal Nerve Entrapment Neuropathy.
The diagnosis of common peroneal nerve entrapment neuropathy (CPNEN) is based on clinical symptoms and nerve conduction studies. However, nerve conduction studies may not detect abnormalities. Under the hypothesis that repetitive plantar flexion that loads the peroneal nerve (PN) at the entrapment point without lumbar loading would be a useful CPNEN provocation test, we evaluated the repetitive plantar flexion (RPF) test as an adjunct diagnostic tool for CPNEN. The study design was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Our study population consisted of 18 consecutive patients whose ipsilateral CPNEN improved significantly after PN neurolysis. Using repetitive ankle plantar flexion as a CPNEN provocation test, results were recorded as positive when it elicited numbness and/or pain in the affected area of the PN. The RPF test induced symptoms on all affected sides in the course of 57.4 seconds (range, 14-120 seconds). In 3 patients it induced numbness in the affected area of the PN in the normal leg. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of the test were 94.4% each. The suggested cutoff point was 110 seconds and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.93-1.02). The positive and the negative predictive values were 89.5% and 94.1%, respectively. Our simple RPF test elicited the symptoms of CPNEN and our provocation test helped to identify dynamic PN entrapment neuropathy as the origin of intermittent claudication.


[Principle of biological clock and its regulation on allergic rhinitis].
Mast cell degranulation plays a central role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.Recent studies have shown that mast cell degranulation exhibits circadian rhythm, which may be related to the periodic expression of circadian clock gene in mast cell and to the association with this kind of circadian clock genes and FcεRI. This paper focused on the biological clock mechanism of mast cell degranulation and summarized the neuroendocrine mechanism of allergic rhinitis under the regulation of biological clock.


Unique Views on Obesity-Related Behaviors and Environments: Research Using Still and Video Images.
To document challenges to and benefits from research involving the use of images by capturing examples of such research to assess physical activity- or nutrition-related behaviors and/or environments. Researchers (i.e., key informants) using image capture in their research were identified through knowledge and networks of the authors of this paper and through literature search. Twenty-nine key informants completed a survey covering the type of research, source of images, and challenges and benefits experienced, developed specifically for this study. Most respondents used still images in their research, with only 26.7% using video. Image sources were categorized as participant generated (n = 13; e.g., participants using smartphones for dietary assessment), researcher generated (n = 10; e.g., wearable cameras with automatic image capture), or curated from third parties (n = 7; e.g., Google Street View). Two of the major challenges that emerged included the need for automated processing of large datasets (58.8%) and participant recruitment/compliance (41.2%). Benefit-related themes included greater perspectives on obesity with increased data coverage (34.6%) and improved accuracy of behavior and environment assessment (34.6%). Technological advances will support the increased use of images in the assessment of physical activity, nutrition behaviors, and environments. To advance this area of research, more effective collaborations are needed between health and computer scientists. In particular development of automated data extraction methods for diverse aspects of behavior, environment, and food characteristics are needed. Additionally, progress in standards for addressing ethical issues related to image capture for research purposes is critical.


Tribenzylbutyrolactones and Dibenzyldiphenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzofuranones from Kyrtuthrix maculans
Ten novel compounds, maculalactones B-K (2-11), have been isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Kyrtuthrix maculans. Their structures, which involve either three benzyl groups substituted on a butyrolactone ring or two benzyl and two phenyl groups substituted on a 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzofuranone nucleus, were determined by 2D NMR spectroscopy. Some speculation is made concerning the biogenesis of these two novel classes of natural products.


Perirenal hematomas induced by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Therapeutic management.
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is nowadays accepted as the treatment of choice for the majority of patients with renal or proximal ureteral calculi. Although, a relatively noninvasive modality with low morbidity, minor or major complications can be noted. A relative severe complication for the patient and confusing for the treating physician is the perirenal hematoma. With review the literature and an example of perirenal hematoma induced by ESWL in a patient treated in our department, we describe its therapeutic management.


Fiber-based flexible interference lithography for photonic nanopatterning.
Flexible interference lithography using fibers as laser beam splitting and delivering system is demonstrated. A laser beam at 325 nm is used as the ultraviolet light source. Fiber bundles consisting of two, three, or four optical fibers have been utilized for the fabrication of two-dimensional photonic structures with different lattice configurations and different periods. The effective area of the fabricated waveguide grating structures is in the scale of centimeters in diameter with excellent homogeneity, which has much space for further improvement. This flexible interference lithography technique enables simple, compact, and efficient fabrication of photonic structures.


Epitope determination of immunogenic proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the causative organism of gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted disease that globally accounts for an estimated 80 to 100 million new infections per year. Increasing resistances to all common antibiotics used for N. gonorrhoeae treatment pose the risk of an untreatable disease. Further knowledge of ways of infection and host immune response are needed to understand the pathogen-host interaction and to discover new treatment alternatives against this disease. Therefore, detailed information about immunogenic proteins and their properties like epitope sites could advance further research in this area. In this work, we investigated immunogenic proteins of N. gonorrhoeae for linear epitopes by microarrays. Dominant linear epitopes were identified for eleven of the nineteen investigated proteins with three polyclonal rabbit antibodies from different immunisations. Identified linear epitopes were further examined for non-specific binding with antibodies to Escherichia coli and the closely related pathogen Neisseria meningitidis. On top of that, amino acids crucial for the antibody epitope binding were detected by microarray based alanine scans.


Enhancing the safety of children in foster care and family support programs: automated critical incident reporting.
The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 has made child safety an explicit focus in child welfare. The authors describe an automated critical incident reporting program designed for use in foster care and family-support programs. The program, which is based in Lotus Notes and uses e-mail to route incident reports from direct service staff to supervisors and administrators, facilitates timely clinical oversight and risk management and ensures the security of clients' protected health information. The authors present data collected using the program to illustrate how it can be used to monitor abuse and neglect allegations in a foster care program. A survey of users found that the program saved time, was easy to use, and helped manage critical incident reports.


[Vascular Complications Of Cancer Chemotherapy].
Development and use of new anticancer drugs has resulted in the improving of 5‑year survival rates in patients with cancer. However, many of the modern chemotherapies are associated with cardiovascular toxicities that increases cardiovascular risk in cancer patients, including hypertension, heart failure, thrombosis and thromboembolism, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias. These side effects limitation restrict treatment options and farther perspectives. With increasing use of modern chemotherapies and prolongation of the cancer patients survival, the incidence of cardiovascular disease in this patient population will continue to increase. Accordingly, careful assessment and management of cardiovascular risk factors in cancer patients by oncologists and cardiologists working together is essential for optimal care.


Thrombomodulin, calretinin and c-kit (CD117) expression in cardiac myxoma.
The immunohistochemical profile of cardiac myxoma has been debated. The tumor is thought to be derived from multipotential undifferentiated mesenchymal cells. A consistent marker for this tumor has not been found. In this article an immunohistochemical study of 23 cardiac myxomas was accomplished. This study comprised the immunoreactivity of the tumors for thrombomodulin, calretinin and and c-kit (CD117). To the best of our knowledge, thrombomodulin and c-kit have not been tested in cardiac myxoma. Calretinin expression has been recently demonstrated in cardiac myxoma, although this finding has not been yet validated. Surface lining cells, tumor vascular endothelium, cells around the vascular slits and stromal cells embedded in the myxoid matrix were assessed independently. All tumors showed reactivity for thrombomodulin in the surface cells and in the endothelium of neoplastic vessels. 82.6% of cardiac myxomas expressed thrombomodulin in the stromal cells and 69.6% of the tumors were reactive in the perivascular cells. 73.9% of cardiac myxomas expressed calretinin in the stromal cells and in the perivascular cells. All myxomas were negative for c-kit. Thrombomodulin and calretinin may be important diagnostic aids for cardiac myxoma. Cardiac myxoma cells do not express embryonic/fetal endothelial antigens.


Considerations regarding the genetics of obesity.
The genetics of human body fat content (obesity) are clearly complex. Genetic and physiological analysis of rodents have helped enormously in pointing to critical molecules and cells in central nervous system and "peripheral" pathways mediating the requisite fine control over the defense of body fat. Human and animal studies are consistent with inferences from evolutionary considerations that the strengths of defenses against fat loss are greater than those against gain. Many of the genes participating in these pathways have reciprocal effects on both energy intake and expenditure, though different genes may have primary roles in respective responses to weight gain or loss. Such distinctions have important consequences for both research and treatment strategies. The body mass index (BMI) is a useful gross indicator of adiposity, but more refined measurements of body composition and energy homeostasis will be required to understand the functional consequences of allelic variation in genes of interest. Phenotypes related to energy intake and expenditure-which clearly are the major determinants of net adipose tissue storage-are not salient when individuals are in energy balance (weight stable); measurements obtained during weight perturbation studies are likely to provide more revealing phenotypes for genetic analysis. The advent of high-density genome-wide scans in large numbers of human subjects for association analysis will revolutionize the study of the genetics of complex traits such as obesity by generating substantial numbers of powerful linkage signals from smaller genetic intervals. Many of the genes implicated will not have been previously related to energy homeostasis (e.g., recent experience with FTO/FTM as described below), and will have relatively small effects on the associated phenotype(s). The mouse will again prove useful in determining the relevant physiology of these new genes. New analytic tools will have to be developed to permit the necessary analysis of the gene x gene interactions that must ultimately convey aggregate genetic effects on adiposity.


Host binding proteins and bacterial adhesion: ecology and binding model.
Defining the involvement of specific recognition and (or) adhesion molecules in the precise association formed between cells of an organism during development or between bacteria and specific host tissues has become a focus of extensive research. The possibility that the same molecules responsible for cellular adhesion in the host may also play a major role in determining host-bacterial interactions is now becoming more evident. The following review looks at the interaction of a group of host binding proteins, including lectins, fibronectin, and laminin, with respect to their specific association with bacteria. This information is dealt with both from the perspective of the ecology of the host and its autochthonous and pathogenic bacterial populations, as well as in terms of the difficulties in defining the nature of ligand associations even in the more simplified bacterial-host interaction.


Thermosensitive biomaterial gels with chemical permeation enhancers for enhanced microneedle delivery of naltrexone for managing opioid and alcohol dependency.
Naltrexone (NTX) can be transdermally delivered using microneedles (MN) to treat opioid and alcohol misuse disorders, but delivery is blunted by rapid in vivo micropore closure. Poloxamer (P407), a thermosensitive biocompatible hydrogel, sustains NTX delivery through MN-treated skin by generating a drug depot within the micropores. Optimizing P407 formulations could maintain sustained delivery after micropore closure while reducing required patch sizes, which would be more discreet and preferred by most patients. Here we developed NTX-loaded P407 gels with chemical permeation enhancers (CPEs) and used these novel formulations alongside MN treatment to enhance NTX permeation, utilizing parallel micropore and intact skin transport pathways. We analyzed physicochemical and rheological properties of CPE-loaded P407 formulations and selected formulations with DMSO and benzyl alcohol for further study. In vitro permeation tests demonstrated more consistent and sustained NTX delivery through MN-treated porcine skin from 16% P407 formulations vs. aqueous solutions. P407 with 1% benzyl alcohol and 10% DMSO significantly, P < 0.05, increased flux through MN-treated skin vs. formulations with benzyl alcohol alone. This formulation would require a smaller size patch than previously used to deliver NTX in humans, with half the NTX concentration. This is the first time poloxamer biomaterials have been used in combination with CPEs to improve MN-assisted transdermal delivery of an opioid antagonist. Here we have demonstrated that P407 in combination with CPEs effectively sustains NTX delivery in MN-treated skin while requiring less NTX than previously needed to meet clinical goals.


Diastereo- and Enantioselective Dearomative [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Reaction of 2-Nitrobenzofurans with 3-Isothiocyanato Oxindoles.
Enantioselective dearomative [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of 2-nitrobenzofurans with 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles was developed. The reaction employs a chiral bis(oxazoline)/Zn(OTf)2 catalyst, allowing a practical, straightforward access to structurally diverse spirooxindoles containing a 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran motif and three contiguous stereocenters with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The synthetic potentials of the method have been demonstrated by the scale-up experiment and transformations of the products. The preliminary mechanism was investigated with experimental observations, nonlinear effects studies, and MS experiments.


Quitting drugs: quantitative and qualitative features.
According to the idea that addiction is a chronic relapsing disease, remission is at most a temporary state. Either addicts never stop using drugs, or if they do stop, remission is short lived. However, research on remission reveals a more complex picture. In national epidemiological surveys that recruited representative drug users, remission rates varied widely and were markedly different for legal and illegal drugs and for different racial/ethnic groups. For instance, the half-life for cocaine dependence was four years, but for alcohol dependence it was 16 years, and although most dependent cocaine users remitted before age 30, about 5% remained heavy cocaine users well into their forties. Although varied, the remission results were orderly. An exponential growth curve closely approximated the cumulative frequency of remitting for different drugs and different ethnic/racial groups. Thus, each year a constant proportion of those still addicted remitted, independent of the number of years since the onset of dependence.


Tautomerism of histidine 64 associated with proton transfer in catalysis of carbonic anhydrase.
The imidazole (15)N signals of histidine 64 (His(64)), involved in the catalytic function of human carbonic anhydrase II (hCAII), were assigned unambiguously. This was accomplished by incorporating the labeled histidine as probes for solution NMR analysis, with (15)N at ring-N(delta1) and N(epsilon2), (13)Cat ring-Cepsilon1, (13)C and (15)N at all carbon and nitrogen, or (15)N at the amide nitrogen and the labeled glycine with (13)C at the carbonyl carbon. Using the pH dependence of ring-(15)N signals and a comparison between experimental and simulated curves, we determined that the tautomeric equilibrium constant (K(T)) of His(64) is 1.0, which differs from that of other histidine residues. This unique value characterizes the imidazole nitrogen atoms of His(64) as both a general acid (a) and base (b): its epsilon2-nitrogen as (a) releases one proton into the bulk, whereas its delta1-nitrogen as (b) extracts another proton from a water molecule within the water bridge coupling to the zinc-bound water inside the cave. This accelerates the generation of zinc-bound hydroxide to react with the carbon dioxide. Releasing the productive bicarbonate ion from the inside separates the water bridge pathway, in which the next water molecules move into beside zinc ion. A new water molecule is supplied from the bulk to near the delta1-nitrogen of His(64). These reconstitute the water bridge. Based on these features, we suggest here a catalytic mechanism for hCAII: the tautomerization of His(64) can mediate the transfers of both protons and water molecules at a neutral pH with high efficiency, requiring no time- or energy-consuming processes.


Kitchen Adequacy and Child Diet Quality in a Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sample.
This study examined kitchen adequacy in a racially/ethnically diverse low-income sample and associations with child diet quality. Families with children age five to seven years old (n = 150) from non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, Native American, Hmong, and Somali families were recruited through primary care clinics. More than 85% of families had 15 of the 20 kitchen items queried, indicating that the sample had adequate kitchen facilities. Only one item (a kitchen table) was associated with higher overall diet quality of children. In contrast, children living in households with can openers and measuring spoons consumed more sodium and added sugars, respectively.


Nonpeptide factor Xa inhibitors: DPC423, a highly potent and orally bioavailable pyrazole antithrombotic agent.
DPC423, 1-[3-(aminomethyl)phenyl]-N-[3-fluoro-2'-(methylsulfonyl)[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl]-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide, is a synthetic, orally bioavailable, competitive, and selective inhibitor of human coagulation factor Xa (K(i) [nM]: factor Xa, 0.15; trypsin, 60; thrombin, 6000; plasma kallikrein, 61; activated protein C, 1800; factor IXa, 2200; factor VIIa, >15,000; chymotrypsin, >17,000; urokinase, >19,000; plasmin, >35,000; tissue plasminogen activator, >45,000; complement factor I, 44,000 [IC(50)]). In vitro, DPC423 produced anticoagulant effects in human plasma in which it doubled prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and Heptest clotting time at 3.1 +/- 0.4, 3.1 +/- 0.4, and 1.1 +/- 0.5 microM, respectively. In dogs, DPC423 had a good pharmacokinetic profile with an oral bioavailability of 57%, a plasma clearance of 0.24 L/kg/h, and a plasma half-life of 7.5 h. In rabbit and rat models of arteriovenous shunt thrombosis, DPC423 was an effective antithrombotic agent with an IC(50) of 150 and 470 nM, respectively. The antithrombotic effect of DPC423 is likely to be related to the inhibition of factor Xa but not to the inhibition of thrombin or due to direct inhibition of platelet aggregation. Therefore, based on potency, selectivity, efficacy, and oral bioavailability, DPC423 was selected for clinical development as an oral anticoagulant for the potential treatment of thrombotic disorders. Preliminary human data suggest that DPC423 is orally bioavailable in humans and has a long plasma half-life.


Clinical Insight on Proton Therapy for Paediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma.
This paper offers an insight into the use of Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) in paediatric patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the literature, investigating comparative photon-proton dosimetry, outcome, and toxicity. In the complex and multimodal scenario of the treatment of RMS, clear evidence of the therapeutic superiority of PBT compared to other modern photon techniques has not yet been demonstrated; however, PBT can be considered an excellent treatment option, in particular for young children and patients with specific primary sites, such as the head and neck area (and especially the parameningeal regions), genito-urinary, pelvic, and paravertebral regions. The unique depth-dose characteristics of protons can be exploited to achieve significant reductions in normal tissue doses and may allow an escalation of tumour doses and greater sparing of normal tissues, thus potentially improving local control while at the same time reducing toxicity and improving quality of life. However, access of children with RMS (and more in general with solid tumors) to PBT remains a challenge, due to the limited number of available proton therapy installations.


Divergence of Genes Encoding CITED1 and CITED2 in Blunt Snout Bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) and Their Transcriptional Responses to Hypoxia.
The proteins CITED belong to a family of non-DNA-binding transcriptional co-regulators involved in the regulation of various transcriptional responses. Previous studies suggest that members of CITED family may function in response to hypoxia in mammals. however, the molecular and functional information on CITED genes in aquaculture fish is unclear. Here, we characterized and examined the transcriptional patterns of CITED1 and CITED2 genes in the hypoxia-sensitive blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Blunt snout bream CITED1 and CITED2 genes shared a relatively low sequence identity of 45%. CITED1 and CITED2 mRNAs were widely transcribed in adult tissues. During embryogenesis, CITED1 mRNA was significantly transcribed at 4, 24, 28, 40, and 44 hpf, whereas CITED2 mRNA levels fluctuated from the zygote to 44 hpf larval stage. Whole-mount in situ hybridization demonstrated that CITED1 and CITED2 mRNAs were detected in the brain at 12 hpf, brain and gut at 24 hpf, and brain at 36 hpf. In addition, low expression of CITED1 mRNA was detected in the tailbud at 24 hpf. The results of acute hypoxia experiment showed that CITED1 and CITED2 mRNAs were markedly upregulated in the kidney and downregulated in the liver, brain, gill, and heart under hypoxia. Embryos in hypoxic conditions at different developmental stages showed a significant increase in mRNA levels of CITED1 and CITED2. These results provide a new insight into the divergence of CITED1 and CITED2 genes and their transcriptional responses to hypoxia.


Characterization and expression of a novel Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane protein, Omp28.
We report the characterization of a Porphyromonas gingivalis gene, designated omp28, encoding a protein that we have previously purified and characterized as a 28-kDa outer membrane protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of the omp28 open reading frame displayed an outer membrane leader sequence and lipoprotein attachment site but did not exhibit any significant overall sequence identity with protein sequences in the databases. A small stretch of amino acids (19 residues) exhibits 50% sequence identity with a segment of a fimbrial protein from Dichelobacter nodosus involved in adhesion, suggesting that Omp28 may be a surface adhesin/receptor of P. gingivalis. Using the pET-24 vector we expressed recombinant Omp28 (rOmp28) in Escherichia coli. Western blot analyses of purified rOmp28 with rabbit antisera to a P. gingivalis outer membrane preparation, protective rat anti-whole P. gingivalis antisera and pooled human sera from chronic periodontitis patients showed that the recombinant was recognized by all antisera. Further, anti-rOmp28 antisera exhibited strong reactivity with a panel of four laboratory strains and 10 clinical isolates of P. gingivalis from the United States, Sudan, Romania and Norway. These results suggest that Omp28 is expressed by a wide distribution of P. gingivalis strains.


Childhood sexual assault victims: long-term outcomes after testifying in criminal court.
We report a longitudinal study of long-term outcomes of participating in criminal cases following child sexual abuse (CSA). In the 1980s, 218 child victim/witnesses took part in a study of short-term sequelae of legal involvement. Approximately 12 years later, 174 of them, as well as a comparison group of 41 matched individuals with no CSA history, were interviewed about their mental health and legal attitudes. Being young when the legal case started was associated with poorer later adjustment. Additionally, even when controlling for psychological problems at the start of the legal case and other familial, CSA, and life stressors, testifying repeatedly in childhood predicted poorer current functioning. These associations were often moderated by the severity of both the CSA and the perpetrator's sentence: Testifying repeatedly in cases involving severe abuse, and not testifying when the perpetrator received a light sentence, predicted poorer current mental health. In partial contrast to the mental health results, being older when the case began and the perpetrator receiving a lenient sentence predicted more negative feelings about the legal system. In addition, not having testified when the perpetrator received a light sentence predicted more negative legal attitudes. Individuals' emotional reactions while waiting to testify and while actually testifying were also associated with their current mental health and attitudes toward the legal system: Greater distress predicted poorer adjustment, especially in individuals who were adolescents when they went to court. Greater distress also predicted more negative attitudes. Finally, when the former CSA victim/witnesses were compared with individuals with no CSA history, the former reported poorer adjustment and more negative feelings about the legal system. Results have implications for multilevel-transactional models of development, for understanding developmental sequelae of legal involvement following childhood trauma, and for social policy concerning the treatment of child victim/witnesses.


Effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on intestinal microvillus membrane lipid composition and fluidity.
Chronic ethanol consumption produces nutrient malabsorption. The mechanisms by which this occurs are poorly understood. One potential mechanism is an alteration in microvillus membrane (MVM) composition and fluidity. The effects of in vivo ethanol exposure on MVM lipid composition and fluidity were determined in rats fed either a standard diet or 15% ethanol in water for 2 months. Acute jejunal exposure to 4% ethanol was also performed in vivo in each feeding group. Acute exposure to ethanol produced an increase in static and dynamic membrane fluidity associated with a decrease in MVM cholesterol regardless of prior ethanol exposure. Chronic ethanol feeding alone did not alter membrane fluidity. Changes in membrane fatty acid composition were minor and variable after both acute and chronic ethanol exposure. Prior chronic ethanol feeding did not prevent the acute effects of ethanol on MVM composition or fluidity. These data support the theory that ethanol acutely disrupts nutrient transport by changing MVM lipid fluidity. The absence of adaptive changes in membrane composition and fluidity may also explain the persistent absorptive defects seen with chronic alcoholism.


Populus × canescens root suberization in reaction to osmotic and salt stress is limited to the developing younger root tip region.
Populus is a valuable and fast-growing tree species commonly cultivated for economic and scientific purposes. But most of the poplar species are sensitive to drought and salt stress. Thus, we compared the physiological effects of osmotic stress (PEG8000) and salt treatment (NaCl) on poplar roots to identify potential strategies for future breeding or genetic engineering approaches. We investigated root anatomy using epifluorescence microscopy, changes in root suberin composition and amount using gas chromatography, transcriptional reprogramming using RNA sequencing, and modifications of root transport physiology using a pressure chamber. Poplar roots reacted to the imposed stress conditions, especially in the developing younger root tip region, with remarkable differences between both types of stress. Overall, the increase in suberin content was surprisingly small, but the expression of key suberin biosynthesis genes was strongly induced. Significant reductions of the radial water transport in roots were only observed for the osmotic and not the hydrostatic hydraulic conductivity. Our data indicate that the genetic enhancement of root suberization processes in poplar might be a promising target to convey increased tolerance, especially against toxic sodium chloride.


Association between reported diet and all-cause mortality. Twenty-one-year follow-up on 27,530 adult Seventh-Day Adventists.
This report examines the association between mortality from all causes during a 21-year period and frequency of consumption of 28 specific foods among 27,530 adult California members of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Food consumption was measured at the beginning of the study (1960) by a self-administered questionnaire. Deaths were identified by computer-assisted matching of study subjects to the file of death certificates for all deaths that occurred in California during 1960-1980. All-cause mortality showed a significant negative association with green salad consumption and a significant positive association with consumption of eggs and meat. For green salad and eggs, the association was stronger for women; for meat, the association was stronger for men. All the observed associations were adjusted for age, sex, smoking history, history of major chronic disease, and age at initial exposure to the Adventist Church.


Improved Short-Term Clock Prediction Method for Real-Time Positioning.
The application of real-time precise point positioning (PPP) requires real-time precise orbit and clock products that should be predicted within a short time to compensate for the communication delay or data gap. Unlike orbit correction, clock correction is difficult to model and predict. The widely used linear model hardly fits long periodic trends with a small data set and exhibits significant accuracy degradation in real-time prediction when a large data set is used. This study proposes a new prediction model for maintaining short-term satellite clocks to meet the high-precision requirements of real-time clocks and provide clock extrapolation without interrupting the real-time data stream. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) is used to analyze the linear prediction residuals of real-time clocks. The periodic terms obtained through FFT are adopted in the sliding window prediction to achieve a significant improvement in short-term prediction accuracy. This study also analyzes and compares the accuracy of short-term forecasts (less than 3 h) by using different length observations. Experimental results obtained from International GNSS Service (IGS) final products and our own real-time clocks show that the 3-h prediction accuracy is better than 0.85 ns. The new model can replace IGS ultra-rapid products in the application of real-time PPP. It is also found that there is a positive correlation between the prediction accuracy and the short-term stability of on-board clocks. Compared with the accuracy of the traditional linear model, the accuracy of the static PPP using the new model of the 2-h prediction clock in N, E, and U directions is improved by about 50%. Furthermore, the static PPP accuracy of 2-h clock products is better than 0.1 m. When an interruption occurs in the real-time model, the accuracy of the kinematic PPP solution using 1-h clock prediction product is better than 0.2 m, without significant accuracy degradation. This model is of practical significance because it solves the problems of interruption and delay in data broadcast in real-time clock estimation and can meet the requirements of real-time PPP.


Marfan syndrome: a review.
Cardiac complications of Marfan syndrome can be fatal. This article reviews the assessment of a patient with this hereditary disorder, complications and their treatment, and nursing care.