Optimal dose of intravenous oxycodone for attenuating hemodynamic changes after endotracheal intubation in healthy patients: A randomized controlled trial.
Intravenous oxycodone has been used as an adjunct to anesthetic agents. This study aimed to assess the optimal dose of intravenous oxycodone for the attenuation of the hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was conducted. Ninety-five patients were randomly divided into 5 groups based on the oxycodone dose: 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2 mg/kg. After administering the assigned dose of intravenous oxycodone, anesthesia was induced with thiopental. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were measured at baseline, before intubation, and 1, 2, and 3 minutes after intubation. The percentage increase of BP was calculated as (highest BP after intubation - baseline BP)/baseline BP × 100 (%). The percentage increase of HR was calculated in same formula as above. Hypertension was defined as a 15% increase of systolic BP from baseline, and probit analysis was conducted. Hemodynamic data from 86 patients were analyzed. The percentage increase of mean arterial pressure after intubation in groups 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2 was significantly different from that in the control (P < 0.001). For HR, the percentage increase was lower than control group when oxycodone was same or more than 0.1 mg/kg (P < 0.05). Using probit analysis, the 95% effective dose (ED95) for preventing hypertension was 0.159 mg/kg (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.122-0.243). In addition, ED50 was 0.020 mg/kg (95% CI, -0.037 to 0.049). However, oxycodone was not effective for maintaining the HR in our study dosage. There were no significant differences in the incidence of hypotension during induction between groups. Using 0.1 mg/kg of intravenous oxycodone is sufficient to attenuate the increase of BP and HR during induction period in healthy patients. The ED95, which was 0.159 mg/kg, can be useful to adjust the dosage of IV oxycodone for maintain stable BP during induction of general anesthesia.


DREB1 and DREB2 Genes in Garlic (Allium sativum L.): Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Stress Response.
Dehydration-responsive element-binding (DREB) transcription factors (TFs) of the A1 and A2 subfamilies involved in plant stress responses have not yet been reported in Allium species. In this study, we used bioinformatics and comparative transcriptomics to identify and characterize DREB A1 and A2 genes redundant in garlic (Allium sativum L.) and analyze their expression in A. sativum cultivars differing in the sensitivity to cold and Fusarium infection. Eight A1 (AsaDREB1.1-1.8) and eight A2 (AsaDREB2.1-2.8) genes were identified. AsaDREB1.1-1.8 genes located in tandem on chromosome 1 had similar expression patterns, suggesting functional redundancy. AsaDREB2.1-2.8 were scattered on different chromosomes and had organ- and genotype-specific expressions. AsaDREB1 and AsaDREB2 promoters contained 7 and 9 hormone- and stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements, respectively, and 13 sites associated with TF binding and plant development. In both Fusarium-resistant and -sensitive cultivars, fungal infection upregulated the AsaDREB1.1-1.5, 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, and 2.8 genes and downregulated AsaDREB2.5, but the magnitude of response depended on the infection susceptibility of the cultivar. Cold exposure strongly upregulated the AsaDREB1 genes, but downregulated most AsaDREB2 genes. Our results provide the foundation for further functional analysis of the DREB TFs in Allium crops and could contribute to the breeding of stress-tolerant varieties.


A New 3D Object Pose Detection Method Using LIDAR Shape Set.
In object detection systems for autonomous driving, LIDAR sensors provide very useful information. However, problems occur because the object representation is greatly distorted by changes in distance. To solve this problem, we propose a LIDAR shape set that reconstructs the shape surrounding the object more clearly by using the LIDAR point information projected on the object. The LIDAR shape set restores object shape edges from a bird's eye view by filtering LIDAR points projected on a 2D pixel-based front view. In this study, we use this shape set for two purposes. The first is to supplement the shape set with a LIDAR Feature map, and the second is to divide the entire shape set according to the gradient of the depth and density to create a 2D and 3D bounding box proposal for each object. We present a multimodal fusion framework that classifies objects and restores the 3D pose of each object using enhanced feature maps and shape-based proposals. The network structure consists of a VGG -based object classifier that receives multiple inputs and a LIDAR-based Region Proposal Networks (RPN) that identifies object poses. It works in a very intuitive and efficient manner and can be extended to other classes other than vehicles. Our research has outperformed object classification accuracy (Average Precision, AP) and 3D pose restoration accuracy (3D bounding box recall rate) based on the latest studies conducted with KITTI data sets.


Evaluating toxicity from definitive radiation therapy for prostate cancer in men with inflammatory bowel disease: Patient selection and dosimetric parameters with modern treatment techniques.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is considered a contraindication to abdominopelvic radiation therapy (RT). We examined our experience in men with IBD who were treated with definitive RT for prostate cancer. We queried our institutional database for patients with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease, or IBD not otherwise specified. Endpoints were: acute and late ≥grade 2 (G2) GI toxicity and IBD flare after RT. Outcomes were compared with controls using propensity scoring matched 3 to 1. We matched controls to the IBD cohort according to: RT technique, RT dose, risk group, hormone use, treatment year, and age. We determined predictors of acute outcomes using the Fisher exact test and time to outcomes using the log-rank test. Between 1990 and 2010, 84 men were included. Sixty-three men served as matched controls and 21 with IBD: 13 ulcerative colitis, 7 Crohn disease, and 1 IBD not otherwise specified. For men with IBD, median age was 69 years, and median follow-up was 49 months. Median flare-free interval before RT was 10 years. Seven were taking IBD medications during RT. There was no difference in acute or late gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity in the IBD group versus controls. Among IBD patients, IBD medication use was the only predictor of acute ≥G2 GI toxicity: 57.1% with medication versus7.7% without (49.4% absolute difference, 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.0%-88.9%, P = .03). The 5-year risk of late GI toxicity in men with IBD versus controls was not statistically significant (hazard ratio = 1.19, 95%CI 0.28-5.01, P = .83). The crude incidence of late ≥G2 GI toxicity was 10%. Acute GI toxicity appears to be exacerbated in patients on concomitant medical therapy for IBD. Overall, late GI toxicity was relatively low and not significantly different between patients with IBD versus no IBD. However, the small sample size limits the interpretation of our estimates and the wide confidence intervals indicate these patients warrant careful selection.


Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Mothers/Caregivers on Household Water Treatment Methods in Northwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.
In Ethiopia, ensuring safe drinking water remains a big challenge where waterborne diseases, including diarrhea cause a great harm in many rural communities. Limited knowledge, misinformation, negative attitude, and lack of experience toward best practices of alternative water treatment technologies were among the leading challenges. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 23 to 30, 2015, in Dabat District. The study participants were selected by using simple random sampling method. Questionnaire-based face-to-face interview technique of data collection was used by 20 data collectors under close supervision with six supervisors. From the total of 845 participants with mother-child paired 49.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] (45.8, 52.5%) had good knowledge, and 54.8%, 95% CI (51.6, 58.3%) had favorable-attitude toward household water treatment. Only 23.1%, 95%CI (20, 26%) of the study participants had practiced household water treatment. Being an urban resident (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.58, 95% CI: [1.62, 4.11]), having good-knowledge (AOR: 2.62, 95% CI: [1.81, 3.79]), favorable attitude (AOR: 1.45, 95% CI: [1.01, 2.08]), and used unimproved water source (AOR: 1.67, 95% CI: [1.11, 2.50]) were factors associated with household water treatment practices in the district. Despite mothers/caregivers having a fairly good knowledge and positive attitude, their practice of treating drinking water at household level was quite low. Thus, well designed strategy for health education on effective water treatment methods through the national health extension program is recommended.


The Tol2 transposon system mediates the genetic engineering of T-cells with CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptors for B-cell malignancies.
Engineered T-cell therapy using a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CD19-CAR) is a promising strategy for the treatment of advanced B-cell malignancies. Gene transfer of CARs to T-cells has widely relied on retroviral vectors, but transposon-based gene transfer has recently emerged as a suitable nonviral method to mediate stable transgene expression. The advantages of transposon vectors compared with viral vectors include their simplicity and cost-effectiveness. We used the Tol2 transposon system to stably transfer CD19-CAR into human T-cells. Normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes were co-nucleofected with the Tol2 transposon donor plasmid carrying CD19-CAR and the transposase expression plasmid and were selectively propagated on NIH3T3 cells expressing human CD19. Expanded CD3(+) T-cells with stable and high-level transgene expression (~95%) produced interferon-γ upon stimulation with CD19 and specifically lysed Raji cells, a CD19(+) human B-cell lymphoma cell line. Adoptive transfer of these T-cells suppressed tumor progression in Raji tumor-bearing Rag2(-/-)γc(-/-) immunodeficient mice compared with control mice. These results demonstrate that the Tol2 transposon system could be used to express CD19-CAR in genetically engineered T-cells for the treatment of refractory B-cell malignancies.


Proteomics: from hypothesis to quantitative assay on a single platform. Guidelines for developing MRM assays using ion trap mass spectrometers.
High-throughput HPLC-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) is routinely used to profile biological samples for potential protein markers of disease, drug efficacy and toxicity. The discovery technology has advanced to the point where translating hypotheses from proteomic profiling studies into clinical use is the bottleneck to realizing the full potential of these approaches. The first step in this translation is the development and analytical validation of a higher throughput assay with improved sensitivity and selectivity relative to typical profiling assays. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) assays are an attractive approach for this stage of biomarker development given their improved sensitivity and specificity, the speed at which the assays can be developed and the quantitative nature of the assay. While the profiling assays are performed with ion trap mass spectrometers, MRM assays are traditionally developed in quadrupole-based mass spectrometers. Development of MRM assays from the same instrument used in the profiling analysis enables a seamless and rapid transition from hypothesis generation to validation. This report provides guidelines for rapidly developing an MRM assay using the same mass spectrometry platform used for profiling experiments (typically ion traps) and reviews methodological and analytical validation considerations. The analytical validation guidelines presented are drawn from existing practices on immunological assays and are applicable to any mass spectrometry platform technology.


Outcomes after scoliosis surgery for children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.
This study aims (1) to evaluate and synthesize the evidence for the postoperative outcomes after scoliosis surgery for children with cerebral palsy (CP), and (2) to identify preoperative risk factors for adverse outcomes after surgery. Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PubMed were searched for relevant literature. Included studies were assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care tool. Quality of evidence for overall function, quality of life (QoL), gross motor function, caregiver outcomes, deformity correction, and postoperative complications were assessed using GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation). Fifty-one studies met inclusion criteria, including 35 case series designs. Risk of bias was high across all studies. On average good deformity correction was achieved, the trend appears positive for caregiver and QoL outcomes, but there was minimal to no change for gross motor or overall function. Inconsistent measurement limited synthesis. A mean overall complication rate of 38.1% (95% confidence interval 27.3-53.3) was found. The quality of evidence was very low across all functional outcomes. Limited high-quality evidence exists for outcomes after scoliosis surgery in children with CP, a procedure associated with a moderately high complication rate. The intervention appears indicated for deformity correction, but currently there is insufficient evidence to make recommendations for this surgery as a way to also improve functional outcomes, caregiver outcomes, and quality of life.


Role of potassium and calcium in the generation of cellular bursts in the dentate gyrus.
Epileptiform activity, which appears to be endogenous, has been recorded in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus before the onset of synchronized seizure activity and has been termed cellular bursts. It has been postulated that an increase in input to the dentate gyrus causes a local increase in extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]o) and a decrease in [Ca2+]o that results in this cellular bursting. The first test of this hypothesis is to determine whether the cellular bursts appear in ionic conditions that occur in vivo before the onset of synchronized epileptic activity. This hypothesis was tested in vitro by varying the ionic concentrations in the perfusing solution and recording changes in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus. Intra- and extracellular recordings were made in the dentate gyri of hippocampal slices prepared from anesthetized adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Increasing the extracellular potassium or decreasing the extracellular calcium of the perfusing solution caused three forms of spontaneous activity to appear: depolarizing potentials, action potentials, and cellular bursts. Increasing potassium or decreasing calcium also caused the granule cells to depolarize and reduced their input resistance. No synchronized extracellular field activity was detected. Simultaneously increasing potassium and decreasing calcium caused cellular bursts to appear at concentrations recorded in vivo before the onset of synchronized reverberatory seizure activity.


Effects of synthetic delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol on binocular depth inversion of natural and artificial objects in man.
Binocular depth inversion represents an illusion of visual perception that is sensitive to various behavioural and psychiatric conditions. It is affected by cannabinoids, reflecting associated changes in perception. The present study investigated the differences in binocular depth inversion of different classes of natural and artificial objects and the effect of synthetic delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Dronabinol) on these illusionary perceptions. Using this model, the effects of orally administered Dronabinol on binocular depth inversion were investigated in 17 healthy male volunteers. Pictures from natural and artificial objects were presented stereoscopically and the depth perception of the volunteers was scored in an operationalized way. The timecourse of the effects of Dronabinol on binocular depth inversion was analyzed with regard to the stimulus classes (natural and synthetic objects). Significant differences in binocular depth inversion of the different groups of stimuli were revealed. Objects with a higher degree of everyday familiarity were generally seen as more illusionary than those with a lower degree of everyday familiarity. A strong impairment of binocular depth inversion due to Dronabinol was found in most classes of objects. Analysis of different stimulus classes provides further information on the underlying perceptual processing of binocular depth inversion. An impairment of top-down processing of visual sensory data by Dronabinol is suggested. The anandamidergic system seems to be involved in areas of visual information processing.


Endothelin-1 signaling maintains glial progenitor proliferation in the postnatal subventricular zone.
Signaling molecules that regulate neurodevelopmental processes in the early postnatal subventricular zone (SVZ) are critical for proper brain development yet remain poorly characterized. Here, we report that Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a molecular component of the postnatal SVZ, promotes radial glial cell maintenance and proliferation in an autocrine manner via Notch signaling. Loss of ET-1 signaling increases neurogenesis and reduces oligodendrocyte progenitor cell proliferation (OPC) in the developing SVZ, thereby altering cellular output of the stem cell niche. We also show that ET-1 is required for increased neural stem cell and OPC proliferation in the adult mouse SVZ following demyelination. Lastly, high levels of ET-1 in the SVZ of patients with Cathepsin A-related arteriopathy with strokes and leukoencephalopathy correlate with an increased number of SVZ OPCs, suggesting ET-1's role as a regulator of glial progenitor proliferation may be conserved in humans. ET-1 signaling therefore presents a potential new therapeutic target for promoting SVZ-mediated cellular repair.


[Within-day and day-to-day variations of serum M-CSF levels in healthy volunteers].
We have investigated on within-day and day-to-day variations of serum M-CSF levels in healthy volunteers (ranges of age: 20-21 years old). M-CSF levels in serum were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum M-CSF levels in early morning were 1.31 +/- 0.30 ng/ml (mean +/- SD, n = 10) in male volunteers, 1.50 +/- 0.13 ng/ml (n = 10) in female volunteers. No significant difference was observed between male and female volunteers in serum M-CSF levels. No significant within-day variations in serum M-CSF levels were also observed. Serum M-CSF levels in period of thirteen days in each individual person were almost constant (n = 5). The inverse correlation was observed between M-CSF levels and number of neutrophils. The correlation, however, was not observed between M-CSF levels and number of monocytes. The present results suggest that there are mechanisms in vivo which maintain serum M-CSF in a constant level in each individual person.


Antidepressant drug studies, 1964 to 1986: empirical evidence for aging patients.
This review is based on 25 double-blind anti-depressant drug studies reported between 1964 and 1986 that focused on patients over 55 years of age. The number of studies located in the literature is appallingly small, particularly when we consider that we included experimental drugs as well as drugs not recommended for use with the elderly. In general, the results of our survey support clinical experience: the drugs are clearly superior to placebo; they show comparable therapeutic efficacy--about 50% improvement in Hamilton Psychiatric Rating Scale for Depression scores versus 20% to 25% on placebo; and all of them have undesirable side effects. Thus, the choice of drug is based on side effects profiles and potential drug-drug interactions rather than on degree of therapeutic efficacy. The review makes apparent the need for more substantial data on treatment outcome in patients over the age of 60 years. Beyond that, additional information is unlikely to change the 50% response rate or the potential for serious side effects with most of the currently available drugs. We clearly need better drugs.


Chronic C1-C2 Rotatory Subluxation Reduced by C1 Lateral Mass Screws and C2 Translaminar Screws: A Case Report.
C1-C2 rotatory subluxation can result from a variety or etiologies. Pediatric patients are particularly susceptible to C1-C2 rotatory subluxation. If left untreated the condition is termed an atlantoaxial rotatory fixation (AARF) and chronic neck pain and deformity can result. Patients failing conservative treatment or those with recurrent or chronic rotatory subluxation may require halo treatment or surgical intervention. This illustrative case report is about a patient with chronic C1-C2 AARF who was treated with C1 lateral mass screws and C2 translaminar screws, a treatment that has not been addressed by this technique in a pediatric population. This is a retrospective case review. After an unsuccessful attempt at reduction, an 11-year-old girl underwent surgery to treat her C1-C2 AARF. Through an all posterior approach, screws were placed bilaterally into the C1 lateral masses followed by the placement of C2 translaminar screws bilaterally. A small amount of distraction was applied through the screw construct to open up the C1-C2 articulation and the AARF was open reduced and fused. A detailed postoperative computed tomographic scan focused on the occiput C1-C2 joint confirmed the anatomical reduction of the joint complex. The patient had cosmetically pleasing relief of her torticollis and was doing well at 60 months after surgery. Level IV.


Note: development of a volume-limited dot target for a high brightness extreme ultraviolet microplasma source.
We report on production of volume-limited dot targets based on electron beam lithographic and sputtering technologies for use in efficient high brightness extreme ultraviolet microplasma sources. We successfully produced cylindrical tin (Sn) targets with diameters of 10, 15, and 20 μm and a height of 150 nm. The calculated spectrum around 13.5 nm was in good agreement with that obtained experimentally.


Mutant prion protein expression causes motor and memory deficits and abnormal sleep patterns in a transgenic mouse model.
A familial form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is linked to the D178N/V129 prion protein (PrP) mutation. Tg(CJD) mice expressing the mouse homolog of this mutant PrP synthesize a misfolded form of the mutant protein, which is aggregated and protease resistant. These mice develop clinical and pathological features reminiscent of CJD, including motor dysfunction, memory impairment, cerebral PrP deposition, and gliosis. Tg(CJD) mice also display electroencephalographic abnormalities and severe alterations of sleep-wake patterns strikingly similar to those seen in a human patient carrying the D178N/V129 mutation. Neurons in these mice show swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with intracellular retention of mutant PrP, suggesting that ER dysfunction could contribute to the pathology. These results establish a transgenic animal model of a genetic prion disease recapitulating cognitive, motor, and neurophysiological abnormalities of the human disorder. Tg(CJD) mice have the potential for giving greater insight into the spectrum of neuronal dysfunction in prion diseases.


Antiarthritic effect of VIP in relation to the host resistance against Candida albicans infection.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is one of the prospective candidates for clinical application in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Its antiarthritic effect is associated with the suppression of inflammatory and autoimmune responses. The ability of VIP to trigger a shift towards Th2 immunity suggests that anti-infectious host resistance might be affected. In the present study VIP was applied at the initiation and at the established phase of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Mice developed Th2 dominant anti-collagen response. The susceptibility to primary and secondary Candida albicans infection was determined after VIP administration at the established CIA. The percentage of survivors, kidney colonization, cytokine secretion by splenocytes and specific antibody synthesis were assessed. Reduced TNF-alpha production but not IFN-gamma and IL-10 was observed after the first challenge with the pathogen in CIA mice treated with VIP while the percentage of survivors was not significantly changed. The adaptive immune response was impaired in VIP-treated mice as they were more susceptible to reinfection, showed increased kidney colonization and suppressed anti-Candida IgG antibody production.


One stage uncemented revision of infected total hip replacement using cancellous allograft bone impregnated with antibiotics.
Infection of a total hip replacement (THR) requires component removal and thorough local debridement. Usually, long-term antibiotic treatment in conjunction with a two-stage revision is required. This may take several months. One-stage revision using antibiotic-loaded cement has not gained widespread use, although the clinical and economic advantages are obvious. Allograft bone may be impregnated with high levels of antibiotics, and in revision of infected THR, act as a carrier providing a sustained high local concentration. We performed 37 one-stage revision of infected THRs, without the use of cement. There were three hips which required further revision because of recurrent infection, the remaining 34 hips (92%) stayed free from infection and stable at a mean follow-up of 4.4 years (2 to 8). No adverse effects were identified. Incorporation of bone graft was comparable with unimpregnated grafts. Antibiotic-impregnated allograft bone may enable reconstruction of bone stock, insertion of an uncemented implant and control of infection in a single operation in revision THR for infection.


Characteristics and treatments of patients with peripheral arterial disease referred to UK vascular clinics: results of a prospective registry.
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is often associated with risk factors including cigarette smoking, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia, and patients have a high risk of future vascular events. Good medical management results in improved outcomes and quality of life, but previous studies have documented sub-optimal treatment of risk factors. We assessed the management of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with PAD referred to specialist vascular clinics. This was a prospective, protocol driven registry carried out in UK vascular clinics. Patients who were first-time referrals for evaluation of PAD were eligible if they had claudication plus ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) < or = 0.9. Statistical associations between key demographic and treatment variables were explored using a chi-squared test. We enrolled 473 patients from 23 sites. Mean age was 68 years (SD 10) and 66% were male. Mean estimated claudication distance was 100 m, and ABPI was 0.74. Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 155 mmHg, and 42% had a SBP >160 mmHg. Forty percent were current smokers and half had tried to give up in the prior 6 months, but there was no evidence of a systematic method of smoking cessation. Mean total cholesterol was 5.4 (SD1.2) mmol/l and 30% had levels >6 mmol/l. Antiplatelet therapy had been given to 70% and statins to 44%. Prior CHD was present in 29% and these patients had significantly higher use of antiplatelet therapy, statins and ACE-inhibitors. In spite of attempts to raise awareness about PAD as an important marker of cardiovascular risk, patients are still poorly treated prior to referral to a vascular clinic. In particular, the use of evidence-based treatments is sub-optimal, while hypertension and cigarette smoking are poorly managed. More work needs to be done to educate health professionals about the detection and optimal medical management of PAD.


Increased bias to report heat or pain following emotional priming of pain-related fear.
Emotional and attentional factors have been identified to play a significant role in modulating pain perception with negative emotions increasing pain sensitivity. Recent studies suggest that fearful images may activate the attentional components of fear driven behaviours and facilitate an attentional bias or sensitivity toward noxious stimuli. The current investigation examines whether priming of pain-related fear will affect performance by increasing sensitivity to punctuate heat stimuli. A modified version of the visual dot probe task was employed to provide priming of pain-related fear and a heat detection task was used to measure the effects of priming on sensitivity. The results indicated a significant facilitation of heat and pain perception at varying temperatures following emotional priming. In particular, there was an increase in the bias toward reporting a heat stimulus following emotional priming. The findings emphasise the efficacy of the visual dot probe task as a method of priming and provide a possible method for probing hypervigilance in chronic pain patients.


Functional analysis of recombinant 2-Cys peroxiredoxin from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis.
Ticks are obligate haematophagous arthropods that feed on vertebrate blood containing high levels of iron. The host-derived iron reacts to oxygen in the tick's body, and then high levels of reactive oxygen species, including hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), may be generated. High levels of H(2)O(2) cause oxidative stress to aerobic organisms. Therefore, antioxidant responses are necessary to control H(2)O(2). We focused on peroxiredoxins (Prxs), H(2)O(2) -scavenging enzymes. The sequence of Haemaphysalis longicornis 2-Cys Prx (HlPrx2) was identified from fat body cDNA libraries of this tick and recombinant HlPrx2 was then prepared using Escherichia coli. By comparison with the 2-Cys Prxs of other organisms, we found two conserved cysteines in HlPrx2, Cys51 and Cys172. We examined the antioxidant activity of HlPrx2 and mutant proteins produced by a single base substitution, converting one or both of these cysteines into serines. The assays revealed that proteins containing Cys51 showed antioxidant activity when H(2)O(2) was removed. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography demonstrated that only the wild-type HlPrx2 formed homodimers and that all of the proteins that we made had a high molecular weight peak. These results indicate that both Cys51 and Cys172 are essential for the dimerization of HlPrx2, whereas only the Cys51 residue is necessary for antioxidant activity.


Long-term use of noble metal alloy coated urinary catheters reduces recurrent CAUTI and decreases proinflammatory markers.
The objective of this study was to investigate a case of a permanently (suprapubic) catheterized woman with neurogenic bladder dysfunction. The patient had suffered from recurrent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) since 2009, despite several prevention approaches and attempts. In 2013, the patient's catheter was substituted for the BIP Foley Catheter, coated with a noble metal alloy (NMA) of gold, silver, and palladium. This is a retrospective-prospective clinical case study covering 4 years history for the control catheters and up to 2.5 years for the anti-infective BIP Foley Catheter. CAUTI incidences, symptoms, antibiotics, catheter performance, and comfort were evaluated. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines were measured pre- and post-substitution to BIP Foley Catheter in urine of the case and of four other permanently catheterized patients. In addition, the levels of noble metals were assessed in urine of the case subject during use of the BIP Foley Catheter. While using control catheters, the patient experienced symptomatic CAUTIs requiring antibiotics almost every month for 4 years. After 1 month with the BIP Foley Catheter, the symptoms disappeared, and the patient remained free of symptomatic CAUTIs and antibiotic treatment for the following 2.5 years, despite bacteriuria. The patient was satisfied with the comfort during insertion, use, and removal of the BIP Foley Catheter. Urinary levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) decreased towards normal levels post catheter type substitution. Traces of noble metals detected in a few urine samples were ⩽4% of the permitted daily exposure. The levels of the noble metals gold, silver, and palladium remaining on the BIP Foley Catheter after use were the same as for unused catheters. Long-term use of a NMA-coated catheter was associated with cessation of frequent CAUTIs. The catheter was experienced as comfortable and inflammatory markers were reduced with time. The coating was stable, with no significant metal release into urine and is therefore safe for patient use.


Estrogen specifically stimulates expression and production of osteoprotegerin from rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts.
We studied the effects of estrogen on human fibroblast-like synovial cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-FLS) focusing on receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and its decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG), the osteoclast formation and function regulators that have a substantial role in bone erosion of RA. Estrogen influences osteoporosis and the onset of RA clinically. The cellular responses of RA-FLS to estrogen are initiated via two high-affinity estrogen receptors (ERs). Culture of RA-FLS in the presence of 10(-6) M 17beta-estradiol (E2) increased expression of estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha, but not ER-beta. OPG mRNA expression was significantly increased, whereas RANKL mRNA was unaffected. E2 treatment also significantly increased the amount of OPG released in the culture supernatant. The increase of OPG and ER-alpha was specifically antagonized by the pure estrogen antagonist ICI 182780. Tamoxifen, a selective ER moderator, did not increase OPG. The results indicate that estrogen stimulates secretion of OPG from RA-FLS by acting on ER-alpha, which likely prevents bone erosion in RA.


Prophylactic ankle brace use in high school volleyball players: a prospective study.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of prophylactic ankle bracing on the incidence of ankle injuries in a high school population of interscholastic volleyball players followed prospectively for one season. The study was designed to evaluate the effect of different types of ankle braces on the incidence of ankle sprains in high school volleyball players. There were 957 players in the group that wore braces and 42 in the control group who did not wear a brace. Information was collected on age, sex, previous injury, incidence of injury, and time off from play. Only the dominant ankle was studied. Overall, the use of a prophylactic ankle brace did not significantly alter the incidence of ankle sprains in high school volleyball players. However, in players without a previous ankle sprain, the use of an ankle brace did make a significant difference in two of the braced groups. The Active Ankle Trainer II and the Aircast Sports Stirrup protected volleyball players from a sprain only if they had not had a previous sprain. If the player had a history of a previous ankle sprain, these two brace groups did not protect the ankle from another ankle sprain (p < 0.05). In addition, there were significantly more injuries in the female group of players who wore a non-rigid brace versus those who wore a more rigid brace. This information may be helpful in deciding whether to recommend prophylactic ankle braces in volleyball players.


[Principles of urinary tract reconstructive surgery.]
In the last 15 years, the role of laparoscopic surgery has progressively increased to include reconstructive procedures such as pyeloplasty and management of ureteral stricture, in addition to being a field in continuous development, this refers to the improvement of ergonomics, new instruments and new techniques. We present a review on basic features of laparoscopic reconstructive surgery in urology. For this review, an exhaustive literature search was performed in PUBMED, MEDILNE, BioMed central and others, with the keywords: reconstructive surgery, urology, laparoscopy. Only articles including urologic procedures in the adult and published in the last 6 years, were selected for this review. One of the objectives of any urological reconstructive procedure is to treat any segment of the genitourinary tract that is obstructed due to scar tissue following trauma or iatrogenic causes. After the excision of such segment or scar, a mobilization of the 2 healthy extremities of the urinary tract must be performed in order to proceed with a tension-free anastomosis. Occasionally, if there is tension, a mobilization of the organs at each side of the lesion should be performed to reduce the tension of the anastomosis; also, it should be a water-tight anastomosis to ensure good functional results. Another type of procedure is to perform laparoscopic repair surgery of pelvic organ prolapse in which the vaginal anatomy should be adequately restored, with good function maintained (sexual, urinary, intestinal) and durability. With the worldwide expansion of minimally invasive surgery in the area of laparoscopy and robotics, it has been possible to reproduce many of the reconstructive techniques that have followed the evolutionary course of surgery from the open to the robot assisted technique, which has made clear that such therapeutic options exist and are reproducible with good results.


Bovine blastocyst production in vitro after inhibition of oocyte meiotic resumption for 24 h.
The aims of the present study were to assess the effect of various substances on meiotic resumption and subsequent development to the blastocyst stage of bovine oocytes. Immature cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured for 24 h in (a) Medium 199 (M199) alone, or M199 supplemented with (b) 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), (c) 1 micrograms cycloheximide ml-1, (d) 2 mmol 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) l-1, or (e) 0.1 mmol vanadate l-1. After 24 h, groups (a) and (b) were inseminated with frozen-thawed spermatozoa and subsequently cultured, while groups (c-e) were washed and cultured for a second 24 h in M199 + FCS, after which they were inseminated and cultured. At all time points a representative sample of oocytes were fixed and stained with orcein to observe the nuclear status, while others were labelled with [35S]methionine to study protein biosynthesis. Incubation with 6-DMAP, cycloheximide or vanadate completely blocked germinal vesicle breakdown with most oocytes remaining at the germinal vesicle stage after 24 h culture (89%, 100% and 85%, respectively). This inhibitory effect was fully reversible in the case of 6-DMAP and cycloheximide; after a second period of incubation, germinal vesicle breakdown occurred in almost all cases (99% and 100%, respectively), and most reached metaphase II (85% and 83%, respectively). In contrast, inhibition with vanadate was only reversible in 56% of oocytes, with only 6% reaching metaphase II. Cleavage rates at 72 h after insemination and blastocyst yields on day 8 of culture were, respectively: (i) M199, 72% and 34%; (ii) M199 + FCS, 80% and 45%; (iii) M199 + cycloheximide, 81% and 19%; (iv) M199 + 6-DMAP, 77% and 14%. 6-DMAP did not modify methionine incorporation. However, cycloheximide completely blocked protein synthesis when present during the period of labelling. Addition of epidermal growth factor to cycloheximide-inhibited oocytes was without effect. In contrast, epidermal growth factor overcame the effect of 6-DMAP in about 50% of oocytes, resulting in lower developmental rates after IVF. These results give an indication of the feasibility of in vitro meiotic inhibition as a tool in the study of the mechanisms involved in acquisition of competence.


Dynamics of Boltzmann Q learning in two-player two-action games.
We consider the dynamics of Q learning in two-player two-action games with a Boltzmann exploration mechanism. For any nonzero exploration rate the dynamics is dissipative, which guarantees that agent strategies converge to rest points that are generally different from the game's Nash equlibria (NEs). We provide a comprehensive characterization of the rest point structure for different games and examine the sensitivity of this structure with respect to the noise due to exploration. Our results indicate that for a class of games with multiple NEs the asymptotic behavior of learning dynamics can undergo drastic changes at critical exploration rates. Furthermore, we demonstrate that, for certain games with a single NE, it is possible to have additional rest points (not corresponding to any NE) that persist for a finite range of the exploration rates and disappear when the exploration rates of both players tend to zero.


A region-based multiple testing method for hypotheses ordered in space or time.
We present a multiple testing method for hypotheses that are ordered in space or time. Given such hypotheses, the elementary hypotheses as well as regions of consecutive hypotheses are of interest. These region hypotheses not only have intrinsic meaning but testing them also has the advantage that (potentially small) signals across a region are combined in one test. Because the expected number and length of potentially interesting regions are usually not available beforehand, we propose a method that tests all possible region hypotheses as well as all individual hypotheses in a single multiple testing procedure that controls the familywise error rate. We start at testing the global null-hypothesis and when this hypothesis can be rejected we continue with further specifying the exact location/locations of the effect present. The method is implemented in the R package cherry and is illustrated on a DNA copy number data set.


Generalized pustular psoriasis: current management status and unmet medical needs in Japan.
Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare, inflammatory skin disease characterized by recurrent flares of pustulation accompanied by systemic symptoms that can be life-threatening. The clinical and humanistic burden of GPP in Japan is high, and it is a designated intractable disease. We reviewed clinical evidence and guidelines for GPP treatment in Japan to identify unmet needs and assess data supporting the development and use of new targeted therapies. Using specific search terms in PubMed and Embase, with additional back-referencing, we retrieved literature related to GPP in Japan focusing on clinical and pathogenic characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment. Although there are approved systemic therapies for GPP in Japan, all present uncertainties in terms of safety and efficacy. Clinical evidence supporting their use comes mostly from studies in patients with mild or moderate disease, and their effectiveness in treating acute phase GPP is unknown. The interleukin-36 pathway appears to be central to GPP pathogenesis. New therapies targeting this pathway show promise in patients presenting with acute phase GPP. The rarity and intermittent course of GPP make it challenging to recruit sufficient patients for trials and robustly investigate the efficacy and safety of these agents to treat GPP.


Comparison of As(2)O(3) and As(4)O(6) in the detection of SiHa cervical cancer cell growth inhibition pathway.
An arsenical compound, As(2)O(3), has been reported to be effective for treating acute leukemia and inducing apoptosis in many different tumor cells. In this study, the ability of As(4)O(6) to suppress cell growth and induce gene expression patterns was tested using a cDNA microarray in HPV16 immortalized cervical carcinoma cells, SiHa cells, along with As(2)O(3). A novel arsenical compound, As(4)O(6), was designed and its ability to induce cell growth inhibition as well as gene expression profiles along with As(2)O(3) in HPV16 infected SiHa cervical cancer cells was compared. Both As(2)O(3) and As(4)O(6) induced apoptosis in SiHa cells, as determined by DNA ladder formation. To further compare the gene expression profiles between these two drugs, a 384 cDNA microarray system was employed. Also, the gene expression profiles were classified into the Gene Ontology (GO) to investigate apoptosis-related cellular processes. As(4)O(6) was more effective i suppressing the growth of SiHa cells in vitro compared to As(2)O(3). In the case of treatment with As(2)O(3), 41 genes were up- or down-regulated at least 2 fold compared to non-treatment. However, 65 genes were up- or down-regulated by As(4)O(6) treatment. In particular, 27 genes were commonly regulated by both arsenic compounds. Also, the GO analysis indicated that down-regulation of cell-regulatory functions, such as cell cycle, protein kinase activity and DNA repair, induced anti-tumor effect. These data support that As(4)O(6) could be more effective than As(2)O(3) in inhibiting the growth of HPV16 infected cervical cancer cells. This appears to be mediated through a unique, but overlapping regulatory mechanism(s), suggesting that the regulated genes and cellular processes could be further used as a new potential drug approach for treating cervical cancer in clinical settings.


[Serratia marcescens. Cutaneous involvement. Preliminary report].
Three cases of skin infections are reported. The biological examination revealed the presence of gram-negative bacillus Serratus marcescens whose chemical characteristics enabled its identification. Treatment was based on the respective antibiograms, cure being obtained in two patients. The third patient was treated with an antibiotic to which he was not sensible, with the consequent failure. Perusal of the literature at our disposal failed to reveal skin infections due to Serratus marcescens. Thus, in such patients who do not respond to the usual therapy, it is suggested that the Serratus marcescens bacillus be systematically looked for an reported in order to confirm this preliminary publication.


[Human resources allocation in centers of disease prevention and control in China].
To compare the human resources allocation of CDC in different areas and different levels. By stratified cluster sampling we get 70 CDC's manpower data, which come from different areas(east, middle part, west)and different levels (province, city, county). (1) The average number of CDC's staff is 62. (2)CDC of province level are understaffed by 15%, while CDC of county level are overstaffed by 3%, and CDC of county level are overstaffed by 12%. (3) Structure of age: The average age of CDC's staff is 62, people under 35 years old in CDC is 39.4%, people above 55 years old is 3.5% (4) Structure of education: People with graduate degree are only 0.8%, and people come from technicalsecondary school are 57.0%. (5) Structure of specialty: A majority of people's majors are clinical medicine, and the percent of people having a non-medical-major are 36.6%. (6) Area distributing. Distribution of average quality score of staff are imbalance in different areas, the average quality score of staff in east area are 1.07 times than that in middle area, and 1.12 times than that in west area.


Adrenergic receptors in the ptotic human eyelid: correlation with phenylephrine testing and surgical success in ptosis repair.
To investigate the relationship between adrenergic receptors in Müller muscle and response to phenylephrine testing in patients undergoing ptosis surgery. This study also compares outcomes of Fasanella and Putterman approaches to posterior ptosis repair. Prospective analysis of 71 patients undergoing posterior ptosis surgery. Eyelid height was measured before and after phenylephrine. Müller muscle was examined for alpha-1D, alpha-2C, beta-1, and beta-2 receptors. Specimens were graded on receptor staining intensity. Patients were seen 1 week and 6 weeks following surgery. Surgical outcomes were scored on a scale of 1 (most favorable) to 3 (least favorable). Adrenergic receptors were found in decreasing order: alpha-1D, beta-1, alpha-2C, and beta-2. Receptor grade significantly predicted eyelid height for alpha-2C receptors (p = .03). Mean outcome scores for 36 Putterman (1.10) and 35 Fasanella (1.27) procedures were not significantly different. Alpha 1D, alpha-2C, and beta-2 receptors are documented within human Müller muscle. Human eyelid elevation response to phenylephrine is inversely related to the amount of alpha-2C receptor staining in Müller muscle. Fasanella and Putterman procedures have equal outcomes, independent of adrenergic receptors.


High-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry based method for the determination of organic arsenic feed additives and speciation of anionic arsenics in animal feed.
A novel method has been developed to detect two organic arsenic animal feed additives including roxarsone and p-arsanilic acid, as well as other arsenic species such as arsenite, dimethylarsinic acid, monomethylarsonic acid, arsenate, and 4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, by using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HPLC-ICP-MS). The influence of the type and concentrations of ion-pairing reagents on the separation efficiency of the different arsenic compounds was examined. The effects of the mobile phase pH on the retention of arsenic species on the chromatography column were studied. When a gradient elution procedure was used, the best separation of the seven arsenic species could be achieved in <20 min with a mobile phase consisting of 8% methanol and 92% aqueous tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (4 mM, pH 6.25) followed by 92% trifluoroacetic acid aqueous solution (0.1%, pH 2.0). Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used as an assistant tool to screen arsenobetain (AsB) in the feed samples by monitoring the reaction at m/z 179-->120. The extractions of arsenic compounds from formula feed samples were studied, and results showed that the extraction with methanol/water (1:1) mixture yielded the most efficient percent compound recovery and the fastest extraction time for all arsenic species. Under optimum conditions, the limits of detection were <1.7 microg of As kg(-1), and the recoveries of all seven arsenic species were >78.5% with the relative standard deviation of <10%. The ion-pair reversed phase HPLC-ICP-MS method was then successfully applied to the speciation of arsenic in feedstuff and formula feed samples.


Here, There, and Anywhere? Arguments for and against the Physical Plasma Cell Survival Niche.
To maintain Ab titers, individual plasma cells must survive for extended periods, perhaps even for the life of the host. Although it is clear that plasma cell survival requires cell extrinsic signals, the nature and source of these signals remains open for debate. It is commonly postulated that plasma cells only gain access to these signals within specialized regulatory microenvironments, or niches, in the bone marrow or in the gut. In this review we discuss current concepts and information surrounding plasma cell survival niches, and consider two opposing models to explain long-term serologic immunity.


Impact of the Dry Law on road traffic mortality in Brazilian states: an interrupted time series analysis.
To assess the impact of 2008 Public Law number 11,705, also known as Dry Law (DL-08), on mortality from road traffic accidents (RTA), in each of the 27 Brazilian Federative Units (BFUs). Ecological study of interrupted time series with RTA data from 2002 to 2015, totalizing 168 months. Data were obtained from the Mortality Information System, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and from the National Traffic Department. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models were adjusted to assess the impact of DL-08 in each BFUs. After the implementation of the DL-08, there was a significant decrease in mortality from RTA in the state of Santa Catarina (pre DL-08 = 2.60 ± 0.30 and post DL-08 = 2.32 ± 0.35; p < 0.001) and in the Federal District (pre DL-08 = 2.22 ± 0.40 and post DL-08 = 1.76 ± 0.35; p = 0.002), a significant increase in mortality in the states of Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Mato Grosso, and a stability in the other states. The sensitivity analysis conducted over a shorter time series with 24 months showed results similar to those obtained with the 168-month series for most of the 27 BFUs. The DL-08 had a heterogeneous impact on mortality from traffic accidents on BFUs.


Deciphering diversity and ecological function from marine metagenomes.
Metagenomic sequencing now represents a common, powerful approach for investigating diversity and functional relationships in marine ecosystems. High-throughput datasets generated from random fragments of environmental DNA can provide a less biased view of organismal abundance (versus PCR-based amplicon sequencing) and enable novel exploration of microbial genomes by recovering genome assemblies from uncultured species, identifying ecological functions, and reconstructing metabolic pathways. This review highlights the current state of knowledge in marine metagenomics, focusing on biological insights gained from recent environmental studies and detailing commonly employed methods for data collection and analysis.


Electrocochleography: a comparison of action potential and behavioral thresholds.
Using the technique of electrocochleography with transtympanic electrode placement, it is possible to estimate behavioral thresholds from AP data for a acoustic stimulus. The correlation between behavioril and AP "thresholds" for the same stimulus was statistically significant and there was a better correlation for subjects with a mild hearing loss than for those with normal hearing or larger degrees of hearing loss (as determined by the pure tone average). Larger amplitudes of the AP at the maximum stimulus level tended to be associated with a more accurate threshold estimation. The AP "thresholds" showed best correlation with the pure tone audiometric thresholds at 1 000 Hz, at other tone frequencies the correlation was poorer. This agrees with the spectral contents of the click.


Higher-order assembly of Sorting Nexin 16 controls tubulation and distribution of neuronal endosomes.
The activities of neuronal signaling receptors depend heavily on the maturation state of the endosomal compartments in which they reside. However, it remains unclear how the distribution of these compartments within the uniquely complex morphology of neurons is regulated and how this distribution itself affects signaling. Here, we identified mechanisms by which Sorting Nexin 16 (SNX16) controls neuronal endosomal maturation and distribution. We found that higher-order assembly of SNX16 via its coiled-coil (CC) domain drives membrane tubulation in vitro and endosome association in cells. In Drosophila melanogaster motor neurons, activation of Rab5 and CC-dependent self-association of SNX16 lead to its endosomal enrichment, accumulation in Rab5- and Rab7-positive tubulated compartments in the cell body, and concomitant depletion of SNX16-positive endosomes from the synapse. This results in accumulation of synaptic growth-promoting bone morphogenetic protein receptors in the cell body and correlates with increased synaptic growth. Our results indicate that Rab regulation of SNX16 assembly controls the endosomal distribution and signaling activities of receptors in neurons.


Defective lymphocyte chemotaxis in beta-arrestin2- and GRK6-deficient mice.
Lymphocyte chemotaxis is a complex process by which cells move within tissues and across barriers such as vascular endothelium and is usually stimulated by chemokines such as stromal cell-derived factor-1 (CXCL12) acting via G protein-coupled receptors. Because members of this receptor family are regulated ("desensitized") by G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK)-mediated receptor phosphorylation and beta-arrestin binding, we examined signaling and chemotactic responses in splenocytes derived from knockout mice deficient in various beta-arrestins and GRKs, with the expectation that these responses might be enhanced. Knockouts of beta-arrestin2, GRK5, and GRK6 were examined because all three proteins are expressed at high levels in purified mouse CD3+ T and B220+ B splenocytes. CXCL12 stimulation of membrane GTPase activity was unaffected in splenocytes derived from GRK5-deficient mice but was increased in splenocytes from the beta-arrestin2- and GRK6-deficient animals. Surprisingly, however, both T and B cells from beta-arrestin2-deficient animals and T cells from GRK6-deficient animals were strikingly impaired in their ability to respond to CXCL12 both in transwell migration assays and in transendothelial migration assays. Chemotactic responses of lymphocytes from GRK5-deficient mice were unaffected. Thus, these results indicate that beta-arrestin2 and GRK6 actually play positive regulatory roles in mediating the chemotactic responses of T and B lymphocytes to CXCL12.


Answering the rehabilitation needs of leprosy-affected persons in integrated setting through primary health care services and community-based rehabilitation.
This article aims to discuss the strategies for answering the rehabilitation needs of persons with leprosy-related disabilities in integrated settings through primary health care (PHC) services and community-based rehabilitation (CBR). While the provision of rehabilitation services through the PHC system remains problematic in most developing countries, the article concludes that CBR programmes have the potential for rehabilitation of leprosy-affected persons in integrated settings. However, the limited coverage of CBR programmes may pose an obstacle to such an approach. The author suggests the use of existing specific rehabilitation infrastructures meant only for leprosy-affected persons for initiating, sustaining and extending the CBR coverage to the surrounding communities. At the same time, the author asks for support and strengthening of organizations of leprosy-affected persons, promoting their active involvement in all rehabilitation processes.


Ask the experts how to treat individuals with spatial neglect: a survey study.
Spatial neglect (SN) impedes rehabilitation success and leaves long-term consequences. We asked experts to provide their opinions in addressing SN by scenario (ideal vs. reality) and by recovery phase (earliest, acute, subacute, and chronic). Experts were individuals who have assessed or treated patients with SN clinically. This study was conducted using an anonymous survey on the Internet with 189 responders over 3 months. Located in 23 different countries, 127 experts of seven disciplines were included (occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing, speech and language pathology or therapy, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and psychology or neuropsychology). Comparing the two scenarios, more treatments were selected in the ideal than in the reality scenario for all recovery phases except for the chronic phase. In both scenarios, (1) more treatments were selected in acute and subacute phases than in earliest or chronic phases, (2) less experienced experts selected diverse treatment options more often, and (3) highly experienced experts were more likely to provide their reasons of treatment selection, suggestions of treatment delivery methods, and other insights. Finally, 83.7% reported obstacles in treating SN. Experts' treatment selections are consistent with current evidence and practice guidelines. Recognizing the limitation of evidence, their opinions may help generate ideas in various topics (e.g., dosing, integrative intervention, and treatment implementation) to be examined in future studies. Implications for Rehabilitation Clinicians with experience in treating people with spatial neglect (i.e., experts as defined in the present study) recognized the limitation of evidence but nonetheless suggested specific treatments by recovery phase. In both the reality and ideal scenarios, experts included visual scanning, active limb activation, and sustained attention training in the top-five selections. Prism adaptation was in the top-five selections in the ideal scenario, while in the reality scenario, it was in the top-five in all phases except for the earliest phase where it was the sixth most selected. They also shared their valuable opinions in when to use which treatment to address spatial neglect and how to deliver certain interventions, which may help to generate ideas in various topics (e.g., dosing, integrative intervention, knowledge dissemination, and treatment implementation) that can be examined in future studies. We suggest that (1) clinicians consider collective expert opinions reported here to enhance their clinical judgment and practices, (2) researchers develop studies focused on treatments with limited evidence but selected here by experts, and (3) funding agencies provide the means to research and implementation projects that will generate rich information for improving practice guidelines and rehabilitation outcomes for patients with spatial neglect. The majority of the experts reported some obstacles in providing treatment for spatial neglect, and time and equipment shortages were the most common barriers, which should be addressed at the system level to determine whether removing those barriers have long-term beneficial impacts on both patients and healthcare systems.


Photoactivated processes in optical fibers: generation and conversion mechanisms of twofold coordinated Si and Ge atoms.
In this work we present an extensive investigation of nanoscale physical phenomena related to oxygen-deficient centers (ODCs) in silica and Ge-doped silica by means of first-principles calculations, including nudged-elastic band, electron paramagnetic resonance parameters calculations, and many-body perturbation theory (GW and Bethe-Salpeter equation) techniques. We show that by neutralizing positively charged oxygen monovacancies we can obtain model structures of twofold Si and Ge defects of which the calculated absorption spectra and singlet-to-triplet transitions are in excellent agreement with the experimental optical absorption and photo-luminescence data. In particular we provide an exhaustive analysis of the main exciton peaks related to the presence of twofold defects including long-range correlation effects. By calculating the reaction pathways and energy barriers necessary for the interconversion, we advance a double precursory origin of the [Formula: see text] and Ge(2) centers as due to the ionization of neutral oxygen monovacancies (Si-Si and Ge-Si dimers) and as due to the ionization of twofold Si and Ge defects. Furthermore two distinct structural conversion mechanisms are found to occur between the neutral oxygen monovacancy and the twofold Si (and Ge) atom configurations. Such conversion mechanisms allow to explain the radiation induced generation of the ODC(II) centers, their photobleaching, and also their generation during the drawing of optical fibers.


Extracting twins from orientation imaging microscopy scan data.
Automated electron backscatter diffraction or orientation imaging microscopy (OIM) provides spatially specific measurements of crystallographic orientation. These measurements are typically collected on regular grids. By inspecting the misorientation between neighbouring measurements on the grid, potential twin boundaries can be identified. If the misorientation is within some given tolerance of a specified twin misorientation, the boundary separating the two measurements may be identified as a potential twin boundary. In addition, for a coherent twin, the twinning planes must be coincident with the grain boundary plane. As OIM scans are inherently two-dimensional, the scan data provide only limited information on the boundary plane. Thus, it is not possible to ascertain definitively whether the twinning planes are coincident with the boundary plane. Nonetheless, the alignment of the surface traces of the twinning planes with the trace of the boundary provides a partial indication of coincidence. An automated approach has been developed that allows data concerning both twin criterion to be extracted from OIM scans. Application of the methodology to deformed zirconium suggests that the twinning planes remain coherent during deformation. The methodology was also used to improve grain size distributions measured by OIM. These results more closely match those obtained by conventional metallography.


Novel nonsense mutation in MSX1 causes tooth agenesis with cleft lip in a Chinese family.
Tooth agenesis is one of the most common developmental disorders in humans. Previous studies have attributed non-syndromic tooth agenesis to mutations in several genes, including MSX1, PAX9, EDA, and AXIN2. In this study, we investigated a Chinese family with tooth agenesis combined with cleft lip. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood samples of all available family members. Candidate genes MSX1 and PAX9 were amplified by the PCR and directly sequenced. A novel heterozygous mutation at c.C565T, exon 2 of MSX1, was identified in affected members. To analyze the effect of the nonsense mutation on MSX1 expression, vectors containing wild-type and mutated MSX1 were constructed and transfected into COS7 cell lines. Real-time PCR showed that the mRNA expression of the mutated MSX1 was dramatically reduced compared with that of the wild-type MSX1. Our findings suggest that the nonsense mutation in MSX1 might have resulted in rapid degradation of the mutated transcript and caused the phenotype of tooth agenesis with cleft lip in the Chinese family.


Secondary cytoreductive surgery in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.
Secondary surgical cytoreduction (SCR) represents a promising therapeutic strategy for patients affected by ovarian cancer disease recurrence. The aim of this prospective observational trial was to analyze the role of SCR in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer underwent SCR by a single surgical team. Clinical and oncologic data were prospectively recorded. A total of 47 patients underwent SCR from 1999 to 2003. The mean operating time was 210 minutes, and mean blood loss was 500 mL. The most frequent surgical procedures carried out were splenectomy, lymphadenectomy, bowel resection, and extensive peritonectomy. Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in 41 patients. Thirty-seven patients had no visible tumor at the end of SCR. Overall median survival was 49 months. Patients who achieved optimal residual disease had a median survival of 61 months, whereas patients who had residual disease >1 cm had a median survival of 19 months. Positive CA-125 (cancer antigen 125) was identified as a negative prognostic factor at multivariate analysis. After careful selection, optimal cytoreduction can be achieved in most patients who are subjected to SCR with acceptable morbidity. Residual tumor and CA-125 represent the most important prognostic factors.


Virus safety of pasteurized factor VIII and factor IX concentrates: study in virgin patients.
In a long term surveillance study hemophilia A and B patients were treated with a Factor VIII HS and Factor IX HS concentrate respectively, both pasteurized by heating in solution: 10 hours at 60 degrees C. None of 31 virgin hemophiliacs treated with Factor VIII HS Behringwerke developed hepatitis B during a follow up between 6 to 60 months. One patient who received 379.280 IU Factor VIII by 977 applications showed a seroconversion after 961 days of treatment. Passive/active immunisation is suggested. 4 patients had moderate elevations of transaminases (less than 120 U/l) without clinical signs of liver disease. 2 patients suffered a non-icteric NA NB-hepatitis two months after synovectomy in the same hospital. 6 virgin hemophilia B patients who had been treated with Factor IX concentrate HS Behringwerke remained serologically negative and did not develop any symptoms indicative of a hepatic disease during a follow up between 11-29 months. The HTLV-III safety of Factor VIII HS and Factor IX HS Behringwerke is presently under investigation by determination of the corresponding antibody.


The management of glomus jugulare tumours.
The treatment details of 58 patients treated for glomus jugulare tumours in Newcastle upon Tyne are examined in the light of other studies reported in the literature. For the group of 55 patients treated by radiotherapy, the 20 year survival is 94% (determined actuarially). The 20 year disease-free survival (determined actuarially) is 77%. This is comparable with other series reported. As no glomus tympanicum tumour has recurred following surgery and there has been no morbidity due to these tumours they have not been included in the series. It is recommended that patients who are fit and have tumours confined to the tympanum should have primary surgical treatment. All other patients should be treated by accurately planned radiotherapy, using a dose of 50Gy in 5 weeks to the tumour volume. The morbidity of this treatment policy will be low.


Direct measurement of the deposition of submicron soot particles on leaves of Platanus acerifolia tree.
Submicron soot particles (<1.0 μm in aerodynamic diameter) are responsible for global warming and health burdens worldwide. However, studies on bio-monitoring of submicron soot particles and their associated sources by using tree leaves are not comprehensively illustrated. Here, we determined the seasonal trends of submicron soot particles on the leaves of the Platanus acerifolia collected from two cities (Lu'an, Anhui Province, and Nanjing, Jiangsu Province) in the Yangtze River Delta region, China. The source apportionment of submicron soot particles was performed using stable carbon isotopic analyses. Significant seasonal trends of submicron soot particles were observed in two cities with averaged levels of 0.41-1.36 mg m-2 in cold seasons and averaged levels of 0.13-0.24 mg m-2 in warm seasons. The levels of δ13C for submicron soot at the suburban site of Lu'an city were observed to be in the range of -25.6‰ to -18.2‰ with fossil fuels dominated (∼58%) in summer and -23.0‰ to -15.6‰ with biomass burning dominated in winter (∼67%). In comparison, the ranges in the levels of δ13C in submicron soot were found to be from -26.5‰ to -20.4‰ in winter, and -24.2‰ to -17.9‰ in summer at the urban site of Nanjing. Fossil fuels accounted for a large fraction of submicron soot with average contributions of 53% in winter and 73% in summer, respectively. These findings demonstrate that Platanus acerifolia trees could be used as an effective and low-cost bio-monitoring tool for monitoring the pollution status of submicron soot and associated source contribution.


Neutro-Connectedness Cut.
Interactive image segmentation is a challenging task and receives increasing attention recently; however, two major drawbacks exist in interactive segmentation approaches. First, the segmentation performance of region of interest (ROI)-based methods is sensitive to the initial ROI: different ROIs may produce results with great difference. Second, most seed-based methods need intense interactions, and are not applicable in many cases. In this paper, we generalize the neutro-connectedness (NC) to be independent of top-down priors of objects and to model image topology with indeterminacy measurement on image regions, propose a novel method for determining object and background regions, which is applied to exclude isolated background regions and enforce label consistency, and put forward a hybrid interactive segmentation method, NC Cut (NC-Cut), which can overcome the above two problems by utilizing both pixelwise appearance information and region-based NC properties. We evaluate the proposed NC-Cut by employing two image data sets (265 images), and demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art interactive image segmentation methods (Grabcut, MILCut, One-Cut, MGCmaxsum, and pPBC).


[Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate: Clinical features and therapeutic strategies].
To analyze the clinicopathological and imaging features of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate (PSCC) and provide some new ideas for exploring suitable diagnostic and treatment strategies for the disease. We retrieved and analyzed the studies published at home and abroad between 1976 and 2022 and reviewed the clinical data of our Department of Medical Oncology on 70 cases of PSCC, as well as the survival statistics of another 58 cases. Clinically, PSCC was characterized by normal PSA and increased squamous cell carcinoma antigen. Overall survival of the patients was evidently correlated to the PSCC stage, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, significantly longer in those treated by chemotherapy with platinum than in those without platinum (P = 0.001). Univariate analysis suggested that the overall survival of the patients was significantly correlated with chemotherapy. PSCC has a poor prognosis. A deep insight into the clinical characteristics of PSCC is important for timely detection and suitable treatment of the malignancy.


[Relationship between condyle movement and disc position in patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion].
To investigate the relationship between condyle movement and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients with Class II division 1 malocclusion. Twenty patients (from 11 to 12 years old) with Class II division 1 malocclusion before treatment were collected. Computer aided diagnosis axiograph (CADIAX) and magnetic resonance images (MRI) were used to analyze the condyle movement between disc displacement and normal groups. The sensitive values were found in open/close process in patients with disc displacement: Y [Left: (0.32 +/- 0.10) mm, Right: (-0.91 +/- 0.49) mm ], Z [Left: (4.20 +/- 0.70) mm, Right: (3.44 +/- 0.21) mm], sagittal condylar inclination (SCI) [Left: (32.48 +/- 7.70) degrees , Right: (33.47 +/- 12.60) degrees ] and horizontal condylar inclination (TCI) [Left: (-2.60 +/- 2.02) degrees , R: (-9.23 +/- 5.58) degrees ], and those items showed significant difference between two groups. The side shift of condyle movement in maximum open/close process might be the inducement of disc displacement. It was revealed that the changes in condyle movement could give useful information in early stage of functional treatment.


What Is in Your Zirconia?
The immense popularity of zirconia as an indirect restorative material in dentistry has led to seemingly countless numbers of companies selling zirconia discs and blocks. The reliability of zirconia, however, is subject to specific manufacturing and processing protocols. Thus, it is of paramount importance for any dental professional utilizing zirconia to be aware of the source of the material and the various factors that can affect the success or failure of a final restoration. This article discusses the journey of zirconia, from being found among the elements of the earth to being placed in the patient's mouth. It also touches on drawbacks, such as translucency, associated with zirconia.


Evaluation of hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in the elderly.
The results of 139 hepatic resections in 154 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) operated upon in the last 6 years are reported. These 139 Japanese patients were classified into three groups according to age. Group I included 58 patients under 55 years of age, group II 44 aged from 56 to 65 years and group III 37 aged over 66 years. Fewer cases in group III had histological evidence of cirrhosis than in the other two groups. There was a statistically significant marked decline in the preoperative cardiac and pulmonary function in group III patients. However, there was no statistical difference in postoperative complications, mortality and survival rate among the three groups. The results after hepatic resection seemed to depend on pre-operative liver function and histology, and on control of the haemorrhage at operation. The results indicate that liver surgery for elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma is justifiable given careful patient selection.


Does IL-15 have a causative role in large granular lymphocyte leukemia?
Evaluation of: Mishra A, Liu S, Sams GH et al. Aberrant overexpression of IL-15 initiates large granular lymphocyte leukemia through chromosomal instability and DNA hypermethylation. Cancer Cell 22(5), 645-655 (2012). There is increasing evidence identifying a link between inflammation and cancer. A potent proinflammatory cytokine, IL-15, stimulates the proliferation and maintenance of both NK and T cells, and it is therefore likely that it may play a prominent role in certain hematologic malignancies. Previous studies have demonstrated that IL-15 overexpression can initiate leukemic transformation in murine models and that both NK- and T-cell malignancies can develop; the mechanism is explored in this article. The authors illustrate that IL-15 can cause chromosomal instability and DNA hypermethylation in large granular lymphocytes. These aberrations led to an aggressive acute large granular lymphocyte leukemia. Through studying the affected pathways, the authors were able to identify potential therapeutic targets and induce remission in a murine model.


Detection of mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in the chicken.
3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation assay has been generally used to measure lymphocyte proliferation in the chicken. Disadvantages of this assay are that radioisotope is biological hazard to the person and environment and that it can not measure which subset of lymphocytes proliferates. In this study, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay by flow cytometry was compared with 3H-TdR incorporation assay. As a result, BrdU incorporation assay showed a strong correlation with 3H-TdR incorporation assay, and it could be applied simultaneously to detect BrdU incorporation and expression of cell surface marker antigens. These results suggest that the BrdU incorporation assay by flow cytometry is useful to analyze lymphocyte proliferation in detail.


Transcriptional network predicts viral set point during acute HIV-1 infection.
HIV-1-infected individuals with higher viral set points progress to AIDS more rapidly than those with lower set points. Predicting viral set point early following infection can contribute to our understanding of early control of HIV-1 replication, to predicting long-term clinical outcomes, and to the choice of optimal therapeutic regimens. In a longitudinal study of 10 untreated HIV-1-infected patients, we used gene expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to identify transcriptional networks for viral set point prediction. At each sampling time, a statistical analysis inferred the optimal transcriptional network that best predicted viral set point. We then assessed the accuracy of this transcriptional model by predicting viral set point in an independent cohort of 10 untreated HIV-1-infected patients from Malawi. The gene network inferred at time of enrollment predicted viral set point 24 weeks later in the independent Malawian cohort with an accuracy of 87.5%. As expected, the predictive accuracy of the networks inferred at later time points was even greater, exceeding 90% after week 4. The composition of the inferred networks was largely conserved between time points. The 12 genes comprising this dynamic signature of viral set point implicated the involvement of two major canonical pathways: interferon signaling (p<0.0003) and membrane fraction (p<0.02). A silico knockout study showed that HLA-DRB1 and C4BPA may contribute to restricting HIV-1 replication. Longitudinal gene expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with acute HIV-1 infection can be used to create transcriptional network models to early predict viral set point with a high degree of accuracy.


Type 1 human poliovirus binds to human synaptosomes.
Poliovirus is a neurotropic virus that selectively infects human motoneurons in vivo. The basis for the specificity of this infection is not fully understood. It has been suggested that this tropism occurs because motoneurons are the only neurons to express poliovirus receptors. We have examined this hypothesis by measuring the binding of 125I-labeled poliovirus type 1 to neural tissues. With this assay we have detected highly specific binding sites in human but not rodent neural tissue. Regional assays of binding in human central nervous system homogenates demonstrate that binding sites are not confined to motoneurons. Rather, they are widely distributed throughout the human neuraxis. Particularly in the forebrain, binding is more abundant in gray than white matter. For this reason, we performed tissue fractionation studies which indicate that poliovirus binding sites are enriched in synaptosomes, the subfraction of central nervous system gray matter tissue rich in synaptic endings. The preferential expression of poliovirus binding sites in synaptic endings may be an important factor in the motor tropism of this virus, inasmuch as the major category of neurons with synaptic endings outside the central nervous system are motoneurons; thus, particles of virus may preferentially bind to this cell type during poliovirus viremia.


Correlation between IL-17A/F, IL-23, IL-35 and IL-12/-23 (p40) levels in peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures and disease activity in Behcet's patients.
Behcet's disease is a chronic multisystemic disease with remissions and relapses. Several studies have shown that immune mechanisms play an important role in the development of the disease. In order to assess the association of disease activity with IL-17A/F, IL-23, IL-12/23 (p40) and IL-35 expression, we aimed to investigate production of these cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Behcet's patients and normal controls. Furthermore, we included Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) as disease control to evaluate the specificity of our data for immunopathogenesis of BD. Totally 15 active, 15 inactive Behcet's patients, 12 active and 12 inactive SLE patients and 12 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated, lymphocyte cultures were performed and IL-17A/F, IL-12/23 p(40), IL-23, IL-35 cytokine levels were measured by ELISA in culture supernatants in the presence or absence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on time-dependent manner. IL-17 A/F levels increased parallel to IL-23 levels in Behcet's and SLE patients. Compared to healthy controls, IL-17 A/F levels were higher in active Behcet's and SLE patients; on the contrary, levels of IL-35 were lower. IL-17A/F, IL-12/23 (p40) and IL-23 levels were detectable most frequently in active Behcet's patients followed by active SLE patients. Our results indicate that IL-17 A/F, IL-23 and IL-12/23 (p40) may play role in the immunopathogenesis of BD so as Th17 and Th1 cell responses. Since IL-35 levels were lower in active Behcet's patients compared to inactive patients and healthy controls, there may be a plasticity between Th17 and Treg cells according to the state of disease activity.


Effects of chitin/chitosan and their oligomers/monomers on release of type I collagenase from fibroblasts.
The effects of chitin/chitosan and their oligomers/monomers on the release of type I collagenase (MMP-1) from fibroblasts were evaluated using adult (adFB) and neonatal human fibroblasts (neFB) by a immunological assay. Release of MMP-1 from adFB increased significantly or tended to increase for all samples, while there was no significant change in MMP-1 levels with neFB. Because the oligomers and monomers of chitin and chitosan influenced MMP-1 activity, it was suggested that the elevated MMP-1 activity would continue until biodegradation of chitin and chitosan was complete.


Is conservative management of partial zone II flexor tendon laceration possible? A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
Background: There is still no consensus on managing zone II level partial flexor tendon lacerations, and the management of zone II partial flexor tendon injuries is controversial. No reliable large cohort studies or metaanalysis papers on partial flexor tendon laceration management are available in PubMed or Embase.Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Insight, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for primary research articles investigating outcomes of patients with partial flexor tendon injuries. The initial search was limited to human studies that were published from 1970-2021 and indexed as randomized controlled or clinical trials or observational, cross-sectional, or cohort studies. We used statistical package R version 4.1.2 for this meta-analysis.Results: The Standardised mean difference (SMD) of the common effects model was 2.020 (95% CI; 1.583-2.457; P < 0.0001), indicating that the results of conservative treatment without surgical intervention are similar to surgical intervention or better in some articles. The SMD of the random effect model was 7.093 (95% CI; 1.090-13.096; P < 0.0206), indicating the same result. Higgins' I2 value was 97.6%, indicating serious heterogeneity.Conclusions: In this first meta-analysis on flexor zone II conservative treatment, five papers with publication bias were analyzed. It is meaningful to verify the result of conservative treatment statistically. Even though this is a heterogeneous paper, conservative treatment seems to have a lot of benefits for the patient, including offering a fairly solid longterm prognosis with very few complications.


The effect of removable partial dentures on alveolar bone resorption: a retrospective study with cone-beam computed tomography.
The aim of this study was to compare vertical and horizontal mandibular alveolar bone resorption by measuring bone morphological variation in Kennedy Class II removable partial denture (RPD) wearers and non-wearers using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). In total, 124 sites in the CBCT scans of 62 (29 RPD non-wearers, 33 RPD wearers) Kennedy Class II patients were analyzed retrospectively. Three-dimensional representations of the mandible with superimposed cross-sectional slices were developed with the CBCT scans to evaluate the mandibular alveolar height and width by measuring distances between the mandibular canal, mylohyoid ridge, alveolar crest, and lower border of the mandible in four regions (eight sites) of Kennedy Class II non-wearers and wearers of RPDs. Mandibular alveolar bone height and width were significantly lower in edentulous sites when compared with dentate sites in both Kennedy Class II non-wearers and wearers of RPDs (p < 0.05). Additionally, mean vertical and horizontal mandibular bone resorption was significantly higher in RPD wearers than in non-wearers (p < 0.05). Vertical and horizontal alveolar bone resorption was found to be higher in the RPD wearing patients when comparing the dentate and edentulous sites.


Three small nucleolar RNAs that are involved in ribosomal RNA precursor processing.
Three small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), E1, E2 and E3, have been described that have unique sequences and interact directly with unique segments of pre-rRNA in vivo. In this report, injection of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides into Xenopus laevis oocytes was used to target the specific degradation of these snoRNAs. Specific disruptions of pre-rRNA processing were then observed, which were reversed by injection of the corresponding in vitro-synthesized snoRNA. Degradation of each of these three snoRNAs produced a unique rRNA maturation phenotype. E1 RNA depletion shut down 18 rRNA formation, without overaccumulation of 20S pre-rRNA. After E2 RNA degradation, production of 18S rRNA and 36S pre-rRNA stopped, and 38S pre-rRNA accumulated, without overaccumulation of 20S pre-rRNA. E3 RNA depletion induced the accumulation of 36S pre-rRNA. This suggests that each of these snoRNAs plays a different role in pre-rRNA processing and indicates that E1 and E2 RNAs are essential for 18S rRNA formation. The available data support the proposal that these snoRNAs are at least involved in pre-rRNA processing at the following pre-rRNA cleavage sites: E1 at the 5' end and E2 at the 3' end of 18S rRNA, and E3 at or near the 5' end of 5.8S rRNA.


Diferrocen-yl(meth-yl)phenyl-silane.
In the title mol-ecule, [Fe(2)(C(5)H(5))(2)(C(17)H(16)Si)], the cyclo-penta-dienyl rings linked to the same Fe atom are approximately eclipsed and the inter-planar angles are 1.8 (2) and 3.4 (2)°. The Fe atom is slightly closer to the substituted cyclo-penta-dienyl ring.


Evidence-base for the beneficial effect of nutraceuticals in canine dermatological immune-mediated inflammatory diseases - A literature review.
Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are associated with an abnormal immune response, resulting in a disturbed homeostasis and chronic inflammation. Most canine dermatological IMIDs (cDIMIDs), such as allergies, autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases, require long-term treatment with immunosuppressive drugs with potential adverse effects. In general, nutraceuticals are thought to be safe. As a result, there is a tendency for the more frequent use of nutraceuticals in veterinary medicine. The aim of this review was to present evidence-based proof for the use of various nutraceuticals in the treatment of cDIMIDs and, where possible, to provide conclusions to guide their use in veterinary dermatological practice. A comprehensive literature search on common cDIMIDs and nutraceuticals was performed. Only peer-reviewed articles published in English and related to the study topic were included. A total of 64 eligible publications were classified in five categories based on study design and substantively assessed on additional criteria such as standardisation of diets and number of included animals. For final appraisal, classification of major, minor or no evidence was used whereby efficacy was based on clinical outcome measurements. Minor evidence for the beneficial use of several nutraceuticals, including essential fatty acids, niacinamide and probiotics, was found for treatment of specific cDIMIDs. These nutraceuticals may improve clinical signs or reduce the required dose of concurrent medication (e.g. drug-sparing effect) in some dogs. Some nutraceuticals also may be used for long-term maintenance therapy. Despite some promising findings, major evidence for the use of nutraceuticals in cDIMIDs is lacking, warranting further research.


Intrinsic gas production kinetics of selected intermediates in anaerobic filters for demand-orientated energy supply.
As a consequence of a growing share of solar and wind power, recent research on biogas production highlighted a need for demand-orientated, flexible gas production to provide grid services and enable a decentralized stabilization of the electricity infrastructure. Two-staged anaerobic digestion is particularly suitable for shifting the methane production into times of higher demand due to the spatio-temporal separation of hydrolysis and methanogenesis. To provide a basis for predicting gas production in an anaerobic filter, kinetic parameters of gas production have been determined experimentally in this study. A new methodology is used, enabling their determination during continuous operation. An order in methane production rate could be established by comparing the half lives of methane production. The order was beginning with the fastest: acetic acid>ethanol>butyric acid>iso-butyric acid>valeric acid>propionic acid>1,2propanediol>lactic acid. However, the mixture of a natural hydrolysate from the acidification tank appeared to produce methane faster than all single components tested.


Carbon Electrode Materials for Advanced Potassium-Ion Storage.
Tremendous progress has been made in the field of electrochemical energy storage devices that rely on potassium-ions as charge carriers due to their abundant resources and excellent ion transport properties. Nevertheless, future practical developments not only count on advanced electrode materials with superior electrochemical performance, but also on competitive costs of electrodes for scalable production. In the past few decades, advanced carbon materials have attracted great interest due to their low cost, high selectivity, and structural suitability and have been widely investigated as functional materials for potassium-ion storage. This article provides an up-to-date overview of this rapidly developing field, focusing on recent advanced and mechanistic understanding of carbon-based electrode materials for potassium-ion batteries. In addition, we also discuss recent achievements of dual-ion batteries and conversion-type K-X (X=O2 , CO2 , S, Se, I2 ) batteries towards potential practical applications as high-voltage and high-power devices, and summarize carbon-based materials as the host for K-metal protection and possible directions for the development of potassium energy-related devices as well. Based on this, we bridge the gaps between various carbon-based functional materials structure and the related potassium-ion storage performance, especially provide guidance on carbon material design principles for next-generation potassium-ion storage devices.


Health-related quality of life and physical activity in persons at high risk for type 2 diabetes.
The aim of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of persons at risk for type 2 diabetes to that of the Finnish general population. In addition, the associations between physical activity and HRQOL at-risk persons were studied. One hundred thirty-two at-risk persons were recruited from health care centres in Central Finland. Participants filled out questionnaires including demographic characteristics, HRQOL (SF-36), frequency of vigorous physical activity (< or =2 times a week, once a week, less than once a week) and comorbidities. HRQOL of at-risk persons differed significantly from that of the Finnish population in four of the eight dimensions of SF-36. Compared with reference values of the general population, the values of at-risk persons were worse for general health and pain, but better for mental health and role limitation (emotional) dimensions. Among at-risk persons those physically more active had less depressiveness and lower body weight. HRQOL decreased linearly with decreasing physical activity in all dimensions. People with elevated risk for type 2 DM have reduced HRQOL in general health and body pain dimensions, but mental health and emotional role dimensions were better compared with that of the population. Among at-risk persons, the benefits of physical activity on HRQOL were seen in all HRQOL dimensions. Regular exercise and body weight control may improve subjective health and reduce risk for type 2 DM and its consequences.


[Preparation of a monoclonal antibody (HI30)-mitomycin C conjugate utilizing dextran T-40 and its specific cytotoxicity against human leukemia cell line CEM].
The anticancer drug mitomycin C (MMC) was conjugated with an affinity-purified murine monoclonal antibody (HI30) to a human T lymphocyte surface differentiation antigen with dextran T-40 as the intermediate carrier. The conjugate (HI30:MMC molar ratio, 1:7) retained full antibody binding activity as determined by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. E. Coli HB101 growth inhibition test showed that the antimicrobial activity [MMC equivalent (microgram/ml)] of the conjugate was about 29.2% as potent as free MMC. In a cytotoxicity test, the conjugate was about 3-10 times more cytotoxic against the antibody-reactive human T lymphocyte leukemia CEM cells than was free MMC or the mixture of HI30 and MMC [IC50 of the MMC equivalent (microgram/ml) was 0.4147, 2.212, 2.171, respectively] and was less cytotoxic against the antibody-nonreactive L1210 cells (IC50 were 1.311, 0.8683, 0.7308, respectively). The selective cytotoxicity was also confirmed by competitive inhibition with free antibody, showing a dependence on antibody binding of the target cell surface antigen. There was no detectable free MMC released from HI30-Dex-MMC conjugate stored at 4 degrees C for over one month as measured by chromatography on a Sephadex G-25 column.


Genetic transformation of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) via infection of androgenetic pollen cultures with Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
A novel genetic transformation method for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), based on infection of androgenetic pollen cultures with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, is presented. Winter-type barley cv. 'Igri' was amenable to stable integration of transgenes mediated by A. tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harbouring a vector system that confers hypervirulence, or by the non-hypervirulent strain GV3101 with a standard binary vector. The efficacy of gene transfer was substantially influenced by pollen pre-culture time, choice of Agrobacterium strain and vector system, Agrobacterium population density, medium pH and the concentrations of acetosyringone, CaCl(2) and glutamine. After co-culture, rapid removal of viable agrobacteria was crucial for subsequent development of the pollen culture. To this end, the growth of agrobacteria was suppressed by the concerted effects of appropriate antibiotics, low pH, reduced level of glutamine and high concentrations of CaCl(2) and acetosyringone. Following infection with LBA4404 and GV3101, about 31% and 69%, respectively, of the primary transgenic (T(0)) plants carried a single copy of the sequence integrated. The use of hypervirulent A. tumefaciens and hygromycin resistance as a selectable marker resulted in 3.7 T(0) plants per donor spike. About 60% of the primary transgenic plants set seed, indicating spontaneous genome doubling. An analysis of 20 T(1) populations revealed that four progenies did not segregate for reporter gene expression. This indicates that the approach pursued enables the generation of instantly homozygous primary transgenic plants. The method established will be a valuable tool in functional genomics as well as for the biotechnological improvement of barley.