A pilot study describing infant formula preparation and feeding practices.
Foodborne illnesses pose a problem to all individuals but are especially significant for infants. This observational study collected pilot data on formula preparation practices of 15 mothers of infants under the age of 7 months. A site survey tool was developed, based upon existing instruments. A trained observer traveled to the participants' homes to observe formula preparation and feeding. Some 73% of women did not wash their hands before preparing formula, 60% did not keep the prepared bottle cool during transport away from home, 53% checked the formula expiration date, 20% of infants slept with their bottle, 47% added cereal to formula, and 36% obtained information about formula preparation from a health professional. Hand washing is one of the most important home hygiene practices; however, hand washing practices by participants in our study prior to baby bottle preparation was poor.


Treatment of tic douloureux and hemifacial spasm by posterior fossa exploration: therapeutic implications of various neurovascular relationships.
A series of 152 posterior fossa explorations for tic douloureux and hemifacial spasm has been reviewed with assessment of outcome at the last follow-up examination. Among 103 cases of tic followed for an average of 48.3 months, 79 patients (77%) obtained good or excellent symptomatic relief, and there were 24 failures or recurrences (23%). Of 48 cases of hemifacial spasm followed for an average of 42.1 months, there were good or excellent results in 42 cases (87.5%); only 6 patients (12.5%) experienced failure or recurrence. Patients noted to have arterial contact at the 5th nerve entry zone responded significantly better to microvascular decompression than did patients with no arterial contact. Further, patients noted to have anatomical distortion of the 5th nerve by an artery or wedging of an artery into the crevice between the nerve and the pons had significantly better outcomes after microvascular decompression than did patients with other kinds of arterial contact. Partial sensory rhizotomy proved to be a highly effective alternative to microvascular decompression in cases of doubtful neurovascular compression. It was not possible to define similar neuroanatomical criteria predictive of response to microvascular decompression in patients with hemifacial spasm.


Chromatographically purified immunoglobulin G of endemic and sporadic goiter patients stimulates FRTL5 cell growth in a mitotic arrest assay.
A strain of differentiated rat thyroid cells (FRTL5) in continuous culture was used to study the presence of thyroid growth-promoting immunoglobulins (TGI) in the serum of patients with endemic and sporadic euthyroid goiters. To identify true in vitro cell proliferation a microscopic mitotic arrest assay was used. Immunoglobulins G (IgGs) were prepared with QAE-Sephadex A-50 or protein-A-Sepharose. A positive growth stimulation index was found in IgG preparations of 65 of 71 patients with endemic goiter and in 9 of 14 IgG preparations of patients with sporadic goiter. IgG preparations of 15 control subjects from an area where endemic goiter due to iodine deficiency does not occur and of 18 subjects without iodine deficiency and without thyroid enlargement living in the endemic area did not stimulate FRTL5 cell growth. FRTL5 cell growth stimulation with IgGs of these euthyroid goiter patients could only be detected when IgG was tested in combination with a small dose of TSH. Immunoprecipitation with polyclonal and monoclonal antihuman IgG was able to abolish the growth-promoting effects. In 32 blinded samples the Feulgen cytobiochemical assay, formerly used to detect TGI, was compared with the FRTL5 mitotic arrest assay. The two methods showed similar results. Our observations of chromatographically purified IgG promoting thyroid cell proliferation in vitro provide good evidence that IgG was responsible for thyroid cell growth in vitro and suggest that autoimmune growth mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of both endemic and sporadic goiters.


Phylogenetic relationships of Trachylepis skink species from Madagascar and the Seychelles (Squamata: Scincidae).
Lizards of the genus Trachylepis are a species-rich group of skinks mainly inhabiting Africa, Madagascar, and several other islands in the western Indian Ocean. All except one probably introduced species of Madagascan Trachylepis are endemic. Two species groups have been distinguished on the basis of subocular scale shape but their phylogenetic relationships remained unclear. We inferred a multilocus phylogeny of the Madagascan Trachylepis species, based on a concatenated dataset of 3261 bp from 3 mitochondrial and 4 nuclear genes with a dense Madagascan taxon sampling and find high support for the monophyly of the endemic Madagascan Trachylepis. The two species groups in Madagascar are highly supported as clades. The highland species T. boettgeri is nested in the T. aureopunctata species group of mainly arid-adapted species, suggesting a colonization of highland swamps by ancestors inhabiting dry western Madagascar. The Seychellois species were sister to the T. maculilabris/T. comorensis clade, suggesting their origin directly out of Africa as with Seychellois chameleons. In Madagascar, a high intraspecific molecular variation was confirmed for T. gravenhorstii, T. elegans, and T. vato, indicating a need for taxonomic revision.


Plumbagin-silver nanoparticle formulations enhance the cellular uptake of plumbagin and its antiproliferative activities.
Colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted much attention in recent years as diagnostics and new drug delivery system in cancer medicine. To study the effects of plumbagin (PLB), a relatively non-toxic napthaquinone isolated from the roots of Plumbago indica in human cervical cancer cell line and developed a formulation to enhance its cytotoxic activities. Silver nanoparticles were synthesised by chemical reduction method and complexed with PLB. Both the AgNPs and the complex PLB-AgNPs were characterised by dynamic light scattering, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The amount of PLB and PLB-AgNPs internalised was determined by ultra-violet-visible spectrophotometer. Cell inhibition was determined by sulphorhodamine B assay. Mitotic index was determined by Wright-Giemsa staining. Apoptosis induction was assessed by western blot using cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase antibody. The scanning electron microscope analysis indicated an average particle size of 32±8 nm in diameter. Enhanced internalisation of PLB into the HeLa cells was observed in PLB-AgNPs. PLB inhibited proliferation of cells with IC50 value of about 18±0.6 µM and blocked the cells at mitosis in a concentration-dependent manner. PLB also inhibited the post-drug exposure clonogenic survival of cells and induced apoptosis. The antiproliferative, antimitotic and apoptotic activities were also found to be increased when cells were treated with PLB-AgNPs. The authors results support the idea that AgNP could be a promising and effective drug delivery system for enhanced activity of PLB in cancer treatment.


Discovery, molecular and pharmacological characterization of GSA-10, a novel small-molecule positive modulator of Smoothened.
Activation of the Smoothened (Smo) receptor mediates Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Hh inhibitors are in clinical trials for cancer, and small-molecule Smo agonists may have therapeutic interests in regenerative medicine. Here, we have generated and validated a pharmacophoric model for Smo agonists and used this model for the virtual screening of a library of commercially available compounds. Among the 20 top-scoring ligands, we have identified and characterized a novel quinolinecarboxamide derivative, propyl 4-(1-hexyl-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxamido) benzoate, (GSA-10), as a Smo agonist. GSA-10 fits to the agonist pharmacophoric model with two hydrogen bond acceptor groups and four hydrophobic regions. Using pharmacological, biochemical, and molecular approaches, we provide compelling evidence that GSA-10 acts at Smo to promote the differentiation of multipotent mesenchymal progenitor cells into osteoblasts. However, this molecule does not display the hallmarks of reference Smo agonists. Remarkably, GSA-10 does not recognize the classic bodipy-cyclopamine binding site. Its effect on cell differentiation is inhibited by Smo antagonists, such as MRT-83, SANT-1, LDE225, and M25 in the nanomolar range, by GDC-0449 in the micromolar range, but not by cyclopamine and CUR61414. Thus, GSA-10 allows the pharmacological characterization of a novel Smo active site, which is notably not targeted to the primary cilium and strongly potentiated by forskolin and cholera toxin. GSA-10 belongs to a new class of Smo agonists and will be helpful for dissecting Hh mechanism of action, with important implications in physiology and in therapy.


Prevalence of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) and Associated Hearing Impairment Among School-aged Children in Yemen.
Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is one of the leading causes of preventable disabling hearing impairment (DHI) in developing countries. Early detection and management complements advances made in other survival programs, improves work capacity, and enhances learning opportunities for school children. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CSOM and associated DHI among school children aged six to 16 years in Socotra Island, Yemen. We conducted a cross-sectional community-based survey, from 20 April 2011 to 20 June 2011. The study procedures involved completing a questionnaire, an otoscopic ear examination, an audiometric test of hearing, and tuning fork tests for the type of DHI. A total of 686 children were interviewed and examined for CSOM and associated DHI of CSOM cases. The prevalence of CSOM was 7.4%, (95% CI 5.5-9.4). CSOM status was significantly associated with DHI (p=0.001), but no significant associations were found between demographic characteristics and CSOM status. Logistic regression identified four significant independent contributing factors: history of ear discharge in the last 12 months (odds ratio (OR) 7.8, 95% CI 3.9-15.6); swimming in local pools (OR 6.0, 95% CI 1.4-25.4); recurrent respiratory tract infection more than three times per year (OR 5.3, 95% CI 2.5-11.0); and overcrowding with more than three families per house (OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.7-11.5). . The burden of CSOM in the children studied indicates a high level of DHI in these communities within Yemen. A history of ear discharge, swimming in local pools, recurrent respiratory infections, and overcrowded housing were the strongest predictors for CSOM. There is a need for better ear care and screening programs for early detection and management of this disease.


Reproductive biology of Ferocactus recurvus (Mill.) Borg subsp. recurvus (Cactaceae) in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico.
Mexico has one of the highest diversities of barrel cacti species worldwide; however, all are threatened and require conservation policies. Information on their reproductive biology is crucial, but few studies are available. Ferocactus recurvus subsp. recurvus is a barrel cactus endemic to the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley. Our research aimed to characterise its floral and pollination biology. We hypothesised bee pollination, as suggested by its floral morphology and behaviour, and self-incompatibility, like most barrel cacti studied. Three study sites were selected in the semiarid Zapotitlán Valley, Mexico. We examined 190 flowers from 180 plants to determine: morphometry and behaviour of flowers, flower visitors and probable pollinators, and breeding system. Flowers showed diurnal anthesis, lasting 2-5 days, the stigma being receptive on day 2 or 3 after the start of anthesis. Flowers produced scarce/no nectar and main visitors were bees (Apidae), followed by flies (Muscidae), ants (Formicidae), thrips (Thripidae) and hummingbirds (Throchilidae); however, only native bees and occasionally wasps contacted the stigma and anthers. Pollination experiments revealed that this species is self-incompatible and xenogamous. In natural conditions, fruit set was 60% and cross-pollination fruit set was 100%. Percentage seed germination resulting from cross-pollination was higher than in the control treatment. Our results provide ecological information for conservation programmes to ensure a high probability of breeding and seed production in natural populations of F. recurvus.


Managing comorbid obesity and depression through clinical pharmacotherapies.
Obesity and mood disorders co-occur more often than expected by chance alone. As no randomized, controlled pharmacotherapy trials have been conducted in obese patients with an active mood disorder, it is unclear how to use medication to treat this patient group. We briefly overview the relationship between obesity and mood disorders; the effects of psychotropic medications commonly used in mood disorders on body weight; the psychiatric effects of available anti-obesity medications; and highlight the few treatment studies of medications in obese patients with mood disorders or depressive symptoms. As binge eating and psychotropic-induced weight gain are common correlates of obese patients with mood disorders, we also provide brief overviews of the pharmacotherapy of these conditions. When treating a patient with a mood disorder and obesity, both conditions need to be a focus of clinical attention. Psychotropic medications that have minimal weight gain effects should be used if possible. Weight-loss agents can probably be used in some mood disorder patients, but must be done so cautiously and with a full understanding of their potential psychiatric effects and interactions with psychotropic medications. Knowledge of the pharmacotherapy of binge eating and psychotropic-induced weight gain is also crucial.


Fabrication process of carbon nanotube field effect transistors using atomic layer deposition passivation for biosensors.
Fabrication process of the carbon nanotube (CNT) field effect transistors (FETs) for biosensors was studied. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of HfO2 was applied to the deposition of the passivation/gate insulator film. The CNT-FETs did not show the drain current degradation after ALD passivation even though the passivation by Si3N4 deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) resulted in a significant drain current decrease. This indicates the advantage of the present ALD technique in terms of the damage suppression. The biosensing operation was confirmed using thus fabricated CNT-FETs.


Autophagy in immunity.
The molecular machinery of macroautophagy consists of Atg proteins and supports cytoplasmic constituent degradation in lysosomes as its canonical function, phagosome maturation and exocytosis. These different biological processes contribute to cell intrinsic, innate and adaptive immunity. For the respective immune responses, Atg proteins mediate direct pathogen degradation, inflammation restriction, antigen presentation on MHC molecules and survival of memory lymphocyte populations. During adaptive immunity MHC class II presentation of antigens is supported and MHC class I presentation restricted by the macroautophagy machinery. Considering these various functions might allow us to predict the outcome of interventions that manipulate the machinery of Atg proteins as immunotherapies for the benefit of human health.


The developmental expression of the asparagus intracellular PR protein (AoPR1) gene correlates with sites of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.
Previous reports have described the induction, by either wounding or attempted pathogen invasion, of an Asparagus officinalis intracellular pathogenesis-related (AoPR1) promoter-GUS gene fusion in transgenic tobacco. Here we describe the unexpected developmental expression pattern of the AoPR1-GUS gene which correlates well, temporally and spatially, with the developmental expression observed for GUS fusions with promoters derived from genes coding for enzymes in the 'core phenylpropanoid pathway'. Analysis of endogenous AoPR1 gene expression in asparagus and both AoPR1-GUS and AoPR1-luciferase gene fusions in transgenic tobacco suggests that the AoPR1 promoter directs similar cell-specific transcription patterns in both asparagus and transgenic tobacco. The AoPR1 promoter contains sequence motifs similar to those implicated as important in the regulation of phenylpropanoid pathway genes and another 'intracellular' PR gene. Treatment with salicylic acid enhances AoPR1 promoter gene activity both in tobacco and in asparagus.


Distinct BOLD Activation Profiles Following Central and Peripheral Oxytocin Administration in Awake Rats.
A growing body of literature has suggested that intranasal oxytocin (OT) or other systemic routes of administration can alter prosocial behavior, presumably by directly activating OT sensitive neural circuits in the brain. Yet there is no clear evidence that OT given peripherally can cross the blood-brain barrier at levels sufficient to engage the OT receptor. To address this issue we examined changes in blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity in response to peripheral OT injections (0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 mg/kg) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in awake rats imaged at 7.0 T. These data were compared to OT (1 μg/5 μl) given directly to the brain via the lateral cerebroventricle. Using a 3D annotated MRI atlas of the rat brain segmented into 171 brain areas and computational analysis, we reconstructed the distributed integrated neural circuits identified with BOLD fMRI following central and peripheral OT. Both routes of administration caused significant changes in BOLD signal within the first 10 min of administration. As expected, central OT activated a majority of brain areas known to express a high density of OT receptors, e.g., lateral septum, subiculum, shell of the accumbens, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. This profile of activation was not matched by peripheral OT. The change in BOLD signal to peripheral OT did not show any discernible dose-response. Interestingly, peripheral OT affected all subdivisions of the olfactory bulb, in addition to the cerebellum and several brainstem areas relevant to the autonomic nervous system, including the solitary tract nucleus. The results from this imaging study do not support a direct central action of peripheral OT on the brain. Instead, the patterns of brain activity suggest that peripheral OT may interact at the level of the olfactory bulb and through sensory afferents from the autonomic nervous system to influence brain activity.


The effects of dietary sugar-beet fibre and guar gum on lipid metabolism in Wistar rats.
This study investigates the mechanisms of action for the hypocholesterolaemic effects of sugar-beet fibre (SBF) and guar gum. Four groups of ten male Wistar rats were fed ad lib. on test diets containing either 100 g SBF or guar/kg, or control diets containing 100 g cellulose or wheat bran/kg for 28 d. Food intake, weight gain and food consumption ratios were unaffected by the diets. Circulating cholesterol and hepatic cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in both SBF- and guar-fed groups compared with either cellulose- or bran-fed animals. Circulating triacylglycerol concentrations were significantly lower in SBF- and guar-fed animals, but total hepatic lipid concentrations and hepatic and adipose tissue lipogenesis rates were unaffected by the diets. Hepatic cholesterol-7 alpha-hydroxylase (EC 184.108.40.206) activities were significantly higher in the guar-fed animals compared with cellulose or bran control groups. Hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (EC 188.8.131.52) activities were unaffected. Circulating bile acid concentrations were significantly lower in SBF- and guar-fed animals and faecal bile acid output was significantly higher in the guar-fed group compared with bran- or cellulose-fed groups. This study supports the hypothesis that guar exerts its hypocholesterolaemic effect via intraluminal bile acid binding and loss of cholesterol from increased faecal bile acid excretion. The mechanism of action for the hypocholesterolaemic effect of SBF is less clear; the results of the present study point to a mechanism involving disruption of the enterohepatic bile acid circulation, possibly via changes in the rate of absorption of dietary lipid.


Meniscus Repair Techniques.
The menisci play a vital role in maintaining knee function and protecting the chondral surfaces. Acute and chronic tears are common injuries among both young athletes and older patients with early degenerative changes. The progression of physiological derangement and chondral injury after meniscus injury and meniscectomy have prompted interest in expanding meniscus repair techniques. Recent literature encourages an attempt at repair in tear patterns previously declared irreparable if the tissue quality allows. The orthopedic surgeon should understand the multitude of techniques available to them and be prepared to combine techniques to optimize the quality of their repair construct. While biological augmentation may show some promising early results, the quality of the current data precludes strong recommendations in their favor.


Noninvasive Collateral Flow Velocity Imaging in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Intraindividual Comparison of 4D-CT Angiography with Digital Subtraction Angiography.
The collateral status can be defined not only by its morphological extent but also by the velocity of collateral filling characterized by the relative filling time delay (rFTD). The aim of our study was to compare different methods of noninvasive visualization of rFTD derived from 4D-CT angiography (4D-CTA) with digital substraction angiography (DSA) and to investigate the correlation between functional and morphological collateral status on timing-invariant CTA. 50 consecutive patients with acute occlusion in the M1 segment who underwent DSA for subsequent mechanical recanalization after multimodal CT were retrospectively analyzed. 4D-CTA data were used to assess the relative filling time delay between the A1 segment of the affected hemisphere and the sylvian branches distal to the occluded M1 segment using source images (4D-CTA-SI) and color-coded flow velocity visualization with prototype software (fv-CTA) in comparison to DSA. The morphological extent of collaterals was assessed on the basis of the Collateral Score (CS) on temporal maximum intensity projections (tMIP) derived from CT perfusion data. There was very good correlation of rFTD between fv-CTA and DSA (n = 50, r = 0.9, p < 0.05). Differences of absolute rFTD values were not significant. 4D-CTA-SI and DSA also showed good correlation (n = 50, r = 0.6, p < 0.05), but mean values of rFTD were significantly different (p < 0.05). rFTD derived from fvCTA and CS derived from timing-invariant CTA showed a negative association (R = - 0.5; P = 0.000). In patients with a favorable radiological outcome defined by a TICI score of 2b or 3, there was a significant negative correlation of CS and mRS at 3 months (R = - 0.4, P = 0.006). Collateral status plays an important role in the outcome in stroke patients. rFTD derived from 4D-CTA is a suitable parameter for noninvasive imaging of collateral velocity, which correlates with the morphological extent of collaterals. Further studies are needed to define valid thresholds for rFTD and to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value. · Collateral supply in anterior circulation stroke can be defined by the velocity of collateral filling. · Relative filling time delay (rFTD) can serve for quantitative measurement of collateral flow and correlates with the morphological extent of collaterals. · 4D-CTA is a suitable noninvasive imaging technique. · Muehlen I, Kloska SP, Gölitz P et al. Noninvasive Collateral Flow Velocity Imaging in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Intraindividual Comparison of 4D-CT Angiography with Digital Subtraction Angiography. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2019; 191: 827 - 835.


Optimizing seed water content: relevance to storage stability and molecular mobility.
This research was conducted to determine the optimum moisture content (MC) that gave maximum longevity to seeds. Three species were used to represent seeds with different dry matter reserves, which gives them different sorption properties: maize (Zea mays L.), elm (Ulmus pumila L.) and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). The seeds of elm, safflower, and maize embryos with MC ranging from 0.00-0.15 g H2O/g dry weight (DW) were stored at 35 degrees C for different periods of time. The results showed that the optimum MC for seed and embryo storage varied between species (0.057 g H2O/g DW for maize embryos, 0.045 g H2O/g DW for elm, and 0.02 g H2O/g DW for safflower). Drying below this optimum MC increased the aging rate and there were detrimental effects of drying. The relative humidity corresponding to optimum MC in embryos of maize, elms and safflower was about 15%, 12% and 7% respectively, according to the lipid composition of the embryos. The data provided confirmatory evidence that molecular mobility (DeltaAzz) in elms, maize and safflower embryos was compatible with the optimum moisture content.


Orientation-dependent growth mechanisms of graphene islands on Ir(111).
Using low-energy electron microscopy, we find that the mechanisms of graphene growth on Ir(111) depend sensitively on island orientation with respect to Ir. In the temperature range of 750-900 °C, we observe that growing rotated islands are more faceted than islands aligned with the substrate. Further, the growth velocity of rotated islands depends not only on the C adatom supersaturation but also on the geometry of the island edge. We deduce that the growth of rotated islands is kink-nucleation-limited, whereas aligned islands are kink-advancement-limited. These different growth mechanisms are attributed to differences in the graphene edge binding strength to the substrate.


Lévy model for interstellar scintillations.
Observations of radio signals from distant pulsars provide a valuable tool for investigation of interstellar turbulence. The time shapes of the signals are the result of pulse broadening by the fluctuating electron density in the interstellar medium. While the scaling of the shapes with the signal frequency is well understood, the observed anomalous scaling with respect to the pulsar distance has remained a puzzle for more than 30 years. We propose a new model for interstellar electron density fluctuations, which explains the observed scaling relations. We suggest that these fluctuations obey Lévy statistics rather than Gaussian statistics, as assumed in previous treatments of interstellar scintillations.


Incremental significance and sex discrepancies of neck circumference on the odds of ischaemic stroke: a multistage, population-based, cross-sectional study from Northeast China.
Accumulated evidence suggests that neck circumference (NC) is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. However, limited studies are available regarding the association between NC or height normalised NC (neck-to-height ratio (NHR)) and risk of ischaemic stroke (IS) in the Chinese population. Therefore, we aimed at examining the associations between NC or NHR and odds of IS and exploring the discrepancies between men and women. A multistage cluster cross-sectional study. A population-based study carried out in Northeast China. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Northeast China between September 2017 and March 2019, involving 7236 men and 11 352 women, respectively. The median age of participants was 60.30 years, ranging from 40 to 97 years. The associations between NC or NHR and odds of IS were calculated using multiple logistic regression models. Dose-response relationships were depicted using restricted cubic spline functions. Reclassification analyses were carried out to determine the incremental significance of NC or NHR on the odds of IS. In women, NC and NHR were significantly associated with the odds of IS, independent of traditional risk factors and other anthropometric parameters for obesity. The highest quartile of NC and NHR had a 1.60 (95% CI 1.16 to 2.22)-and 1.72 (95% CI 1.23 to 2.41) times higher odds of IS compared with the lowest quartile. Furthermore, the odds of IS increased by 1.10 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.20) and 1.12 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.22) times per 1 SD increase in NC and NHR, respectively. Reclassification analyses showed that the proportion of correct classification increased by 11.5% (95% CI 2.2% to 20.7%) and 22.8% (95% CI 13.5% to 32.0%) after the addition of NC or NHR into established models, respectively. However, the findings could not be replicated in men. NC and NHR might be promising independent indicators for women IS. Their incremental value in the risk stratification of IS enables the individualised prevention of IS in women.


Patient and Family Experience With Discharge Directly Home From the Pediatric ICU.
Children are increasingly discharged directly from the PICU. Transitions have been recognized as a period of increased patient and caregiver stress and risk of adverse events. No study has evaluated patient and caregiver outcomes after direct discharge from the PICU. This study aimed to explore the family's experiences with discharge directly home (DDH) from the PICU. This exploratory mixed-methods study was conducted in the PICU of the Institution is Sainte-Justine Hospital from February to July 2021. We included families of children expected to be DDH within 12 hours. Semistructured interviews were conducted at discharge, followed by telephone interviews 7 and 28 days post-PICU discharge. We measured comfort on a 5-point Likert scale and screened for anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 tool. Families of 25 patients were interviewed. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed several themes, such as feeling stress and anxiety, feeling confident, anticipating home care, and needing support. These findings complemented the quantitative findings; the median comfort score was 4 (comfortable) (interquartile range 4-5) and 8 (interquartile range 4-12) for the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 on the day of discharge, with 16 reporting clinically significant anxiety. In the 28-day study period, 2 patients were readmitted and 6 had visited the emergency department. Despite feelings of anxiety, many families felt comfortable with DDH from the PICU. Increasing our understanding of the patient and family experiences of discharge from the PICU will help to better support these patients and their families during transition.


Phytoaccumulation of trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Zn) by Nicotiana glauca and Euphorbia segetalis growing in a Technosol developed on legacy mine wastes (Domingo Rubio wetland, SW Spain).
Sulfidic mine wastes have the potential to generate acid mine drainage (AMD) and release acid leachates containing high levels of iron, sulfate and potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Soils receiving AMD discharges are generally devoid of vegetation. Only a few metal-tolerant plant species can survive under such adverse soil conditions. This work investigates two plant species, Nicotiana glauca and Euphorbia segetalis, that have successfully colonized an AMD-impacted wetland area in south-western Spain. The uptake of PTEs from the soil by roots and their transfer and accumulation in the above-ground biomass were quantified. Results showed that these pioneer plants grew in patches of neutral soil within the wasteland despite the high concentrations of PTEs in the rhizosphere soil (up to: 613 mg kg-1 As, 18.7 mg kg-1 Cd, 6370 mg kg-1 Cu, 2210 mg kg-1 Pb and 5250 mg kg-1 Zn). The target organs of As, Cu and Pb accumulation were: root > leaf > stem in N. glauca, and root > stem > leaf in E. segetalis. Zinc and Cd showed a significant decrease in roots relative to aerial parts of N. glauca, and Co was preferentially partitioned in stems of N. glauca and leaves of E. segetalis. The soil-plant transfer coefficient values of PTEs in all parts of both plants were well below unity with the only exception of Cd in leaves of N. glauca (1.254), suggesting that roots acted as a barrier limiting the uptake of PTEs by plants. Interestingly, under the same soil conditions, N. glauca absorbed Cd in considerable proportions from soil and accumulated it in its leaves, while E. segetalis was not effective in transferring PTEs from roots shoots except for Co. In conclusion, soil pH and plant-related factors greatly influence the stabilization of PTE in the rhizospheric soil and produce inconsistencies in PTE phytoavailability. The findings of this study provide criteria to assist in natural remediation in other legacy contaminated sites worldwide.


A simple and rapid method for determination of G gamma:A gamma globin chain synthetic ratio.
A simple and rapid method for the determination of the G gamma- to A gamma-globin chain relative synthetic ratios is described. This technic uses 35S-methionine as the labeled amino acid and introduces a simple procedure for Hb-F purification. The chain separation is based on slab gel isoelectric focusing, and the gel after visualization of protein bands without staining is cut and solubilized in periodic acid, and the radioactivity is counted. This method can be applied in blood samples with low Hb-F levels, and as many as 20 samples can be analyzed at one time. The method was found to yield the expected synthetic ratio, and its reproducibility and repeatability were found to be high.


Alterations in cell signaling in sepsis.
Multiple intracellular signaling pathways involving kinases, transcriptional factors, and the expression of immunoregulatory mediators are altered in sepsis. Recent data have shown stable patterns of activation among peripheral blood mononuclear cells and neutrophils in healthy human subjects. Although polymorphisms in Toll-like receptors play a contributory role in determining cellular activation, other factors are involved as well. Increased activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase protein 38, Akt, and nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B in neutrophils and other cell populations obtained at early time points in the clinical course of sepsis-induced acute lung injury or after accidental trauma is associated with a more-severe clinical course, suggesting that a proinflammatory cellular phenotype contributes to organ system dysfunction in such settings. Identification of patients with cellular phenotypes characterized by increased activation of NF-kappa B, Akt, and protein 38, as well as discrete patterns of gene activation, may permit identification of patients with sepsis who are likely to have a worse clinical outcome, thereby permitting early institution of therapies that modulate deleterious signaling pathways before organ system dysfunction develops, reducing morbidity and improving survival.


Variations in oxytocin, vasopressin and neurophysin concentrations in the bovine ovary during the oestrous cycle and pregnancy.
Bovine ovaries were obtained from the abattoir and corpora lutea were classified as: (1) early luteal phase (approximately Days 1-4); (2) mid-luteal phase (Days 5-10); (3) late luteal phase (Days 11-17); (4) regressing (Days 18-20) and (5) pregnant (Days 90-230). In addition, preovulatory follicles and whole ovaries without luteal tissue were collected. Concentrations of oxytocin, vasopressin, bovine neurophysin I and progesterone were measured in each corpus luteum by radioimmunoassay. Progesterone and neurophysin I levels increased from Stage 1 to Stage 2, plateaued during Stage 3 and declined by Stage 4. Oxytocin and vasopressin concentrations increased from Stage 1 to Stage 2 but declined during Stage 3 and were low (oxytocin) or undetectable (vasopressin) in follicles, whole ovaries and pregnancy corpora lutea. Therefore the concentrations of both peptide hormones were maximal during the first half of the cycle and declined before those of progesterone. The high concentration of oxytocin within the corpus luteum coupled with the presence of bovine neurophysin I suggests that oxytocin is synthesized locally.


Immunogenic cell death triggered by impaired deubiquitination in multiple myeloma relies on dysregulated type I interferon signaling.
Proteasome inhibition is first line therapy in multiple myeloma (MM). The immunological potential of cell death triggered by defects of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and subsequent perturbations of protein homeostasis is, however, less well defined. In this paper, we applied the protein homeostasis disruptors bortezomib (BTZ), ONX0914, RA190 and PR619 to various MM cell lines and primary patient samples to investigate their ability to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). Our data show that while BTZ treatment triggers sterile type I interferon (IFN) responses, exposure of the cells to ONX0914 or RA190 was mostly immunologically silent. Interestingly, inhibition of protein de-ubiquitination by PR619 was associated with the acquisition of a strong type I IFN gene signature which relied on key components of the unfolded protein and integrated stress responses including inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), protein kinase R (PKR) and general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2). The immunological relevance of blocking de-ubiquitination in MM was further reflected by the ability of PR619-induced apoptotic cells to facilitate dendritic cell (DC) maturation via type I IFN-dependent mechanisms. Altogether, our findings identify de-ubiquitination inhibition as a promising strategy for inducing ICD of MM to expand current available treatments.


Promotion of Water Channels for Enhanced Ion Transport in 14 nm Diameter Carbon Nanotubes.
Ion transport plays an important role in solar-to-electricity conversion, drug delivery, and a variety of biological processes. Carbon nanotube (CNT) is a promising material as an ion transporter in the applications of the mimicking of natural ion channels, desalination, and energy harvesting. Here, we demonstrate a unique, enhanced ion transport through a vertically aligned multiwall CNT membrane after the application of an electric potential across CNT membranes. Interestingly, electrowetting arising from the application of an electric potential is critical for the enhancement of overall ion transport rate through CNT membranes. The wettability of a liquid with high surface tension on the interior channel walls of CNTs increases during an electric potential treatment and promotes the formation of water channels in CNTs. The formation of water channels in CNTs induces an increase in overall ion diffusion through CNT membranes. This phenomenon is also related to a decrease in the charge transfer resistance of CNTs (Rct) after an electric potential is applied. Correspondingly, the enhanced ion flow rate gives rise to an enhancement in the capacitive performance of CNT based membranes. Our observations might have profound impact on the development of CNT based energy storage devices as well as artificial ion channels.


[Management of radiation injuries--new organization, new guidelines].
The medical management of radiation accident victims is based on a rapid assessment and reconstruction of the radiation dose and quality combined with prompt, targeted treatment efforts performed at specialized medical units. To facilitate such medical emergency preparedness in Sweden, the National Board of Health and Welfare has recently established a new Centre for Radiation Medicine, located at the Karolinska institute in Stockholm. Among the tasks of this centre are also to contribute with health care information, education, advice and carry out research activities in areas related to medical effects of ionizing radiation. A close collaboration is being established with the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority and also with various other national and international bodies. The initiation of the Centre for Radiation Medicine comes in parallel with a rapid development of the understanding of and treatment options for patients acquiring an acute radiation syndrome, mainly due to improved diagnostic procedures combined with novel therapeutic options, such as stem cell transplantation and cytokine administration.


EVOLUTION OF BIPARENTAL CARE IN THE HERMAPHRODITIC POLYCHAETE WORM OPHRYOTROCHA DIADEMA.
Ophryotrocha diadema is a simultaneously hermaphroditic polychaete worm with a brief adolescent protandrous phase. In the mating system of this worm, pairs are formed preferentially between simultaneous hermaphrodites. Both partners of a pair regularly alternate sex roles, reciprocate egg exchange, and care for developing embryos. It was experimentally shown that neglected eggs have a 31% probability of dying, but eggs cared for by both parents, by a single parent, or even by an unrelated individual have a 95% probability of developing. In pairs experimentally prevented from caring for eggs, intruders succeeded in substituting one of the partners significantly more frequently than in pairs allowed to care for eggs. Thus, the main adaptive value of biparental care would be to guarantee a partner for egg reciprocation. Protandrous males are inefficient brooders, and biparental care becomes fully established only when individuals are able to reciprocate egg exchange, i.e., they have reached the simultaneously hermaphroditic stage.


Spatial filtering of electron micrographs of negatively stained alpha-amylase crystals.
Images of the alpha-amylase molecule from pig pancreas have been obtained in two projections by the application of spatial filtering techniques to electron micrographs of negatively stained microcrystals of the enzyme. The Fourier filtering was performed on a PPD 11/40 digital computer after microdensitometry on an Optronics P-1000 photoscan system. The set of procedures and programs we employed are described herein. We compared these images with equivalent images obtained by three-dimensional X-ray diffraction analysis using conventional isomorphous replacement at approximately twice the resolution. We find that there is quite good agreement between the two kinds of images, and that a number of gross structural features compare quite well. We conclude that the combination of electron microscopy with digital spatial filtering when applied to protein microcrystals yields very respectable results.


The influence of age, height, and body weight on cerebrospinal fluid amine metabolites and tryptophan in women.
Cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (CSF 5HIAA), homovanillic acid, and tryptophan were measured in 33 depressed, 36 alcoholic, and 32 neurological control female patients selected by strict operational criteria and investigated under controlled circumstances. Plasma total tryptophan was also measured in blood samples taken simultaneously with lumbar punctures. A multivariate regression analysis was done to discover the effect of age, height, and body weight on these four biochemical measures. Only CSF 5HIAA was significantly dependent on the nonspecific patient variables: height, but neither age nor weight, accounted for more than 10% of the variance of 5HIAA. The same analysis was carried out in all three separate patient groups: the relationship between height and CSF 5HIAA was present throughout, and only 2 of 12 correlations proved to be non-homogeneous. To demonstrate the significantly of these clinical parameters a multivariate analysis of covariance was done to eliminate their effect on the four biochemical variables. As a result significant differences emerged in CSF 5HIAA and total plasma tryptophan for some of the patient groups which were not demonstrable without this correction.


Inhibition of branched-chain amino acid degradation by ketone bodies.
The present study deals with mechanisms for the accumulation of intermediates in the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids in patients with ketoacidosis. Two different systems have been developed to measure the degradation rates of leucine and valine intermediates in rat liver mitochondria. 3-Hydroxybutyrate was found to inhibit the conversion of isobutyryl-CoA to propionyl-CoA, and this appeared to be partly due to an elevated NADH2/NAD ratio. 3-Methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase was strongly inhibited by acetoacetyl-CoA and to a lesser extent by the nonesterified ketone bodies. These inhibitory effects of ketone bodies may explain the accumulation of branched-chain amino acid intermediates during ketoacidosis.


Proteomic Interactome of C. elegans Mediator Complex Subunit 28 (MDT-28) Reveals Predominant Association with a Restricted Set of Core Mediator Subunits and an Affinity to Additional Structural and Enzymatic Proteins.
Transcription factors exert their regulatory potential on RNA polymerase II machinery through a multiprotein complex called Mediator complex or Mediator. The Mediator complex integrates regulatory signals from cell regulatory cascades with the regulation by transcription factors. The Mediator complex consists of 25 subunits in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and 30 or more subunits in multicellular eukaryotes. Mediator subunit 28 (MED28), along with MED30, MED23, MED25 and MED26, belong to presumably evolutionarily new subunits that seem to be absent in unicellular eukaryotes and are likely to have evolved together with multicellularity and cell differentiation. Previously, we have shown that an originally uncharacterized predicted gene, F28F8.5, is the true MED28 orthologue in Caenorhabditis elegans (mdt-28) and showed that it is involved in a spectrum of developmental processes. Here, we studied the proteomic interactome of MDT-28 edited as GFP::MDT-28 using Crispr/Cas9 technology or MDT-28::GFP expressed from extrachromosomal arrays in transgenic C. elegans exploiting the GFPTRAP system and mass spectrometry. The results show that MDT-28 associates with the Head module subunits MDT-6, MDT-8, MDT-11, MDT-17, MDT- 20, MDT-22, and MDT-30 and the Middle module subunit MDT-14. The analyses also identified additional proteins as preferential MDT-28 interactants, including chromatin-organizing proteins, structural proteins and enzymes. The results provide evidence for MDT-28 engagement in the Mediator Head module and support the possibility of physical (direct or indirect) interaction of MDT-28 with additional proteins, reflecting the transcription-regulating potential of primarily structural and enzymatic proteins at the level of the Mediator complex.


Late diagnosis of ectodermal dysplasia syndrome.
This case study reports the clinical, skin biopsy and molecular findings in a 56-year-old Filipino man with the autosomal recessive ectodermal dysplasia disorder, Schöpf-Schulz-Passarge syndrome, the precise nature of which was established only after reading of a similar case in this journal. In addition to the late diagnosis, successful clinical management of his acral hyperkeratosis and ulceration has been difficult, with oral retinoids exacerbating the skin fragility.


Paraneoplastic skin disorders: a review.
Paraneoplastic disorders are manifestations of internal malignancies without the direct action of the tumor. Its pathogenesis involves production of substances that interfere with cellular activity of distant tissues. Paraneoplasias may be the first sign of cancer, and clinicians should be familiarized with its manifestations in order to perform an early diagnosis of the underlying neoplasm. The aim of this review was to describe most common paraneoplastic skin diseases.


Cloning and characterization of a novel mannanase from Paenibacillus sp. BME-14.
A mannanase gene (man26B) was obtained from a sea bacterium, Paenibacillus sp. BME-14, through the constructed genomic library and inverse PCR. The gene of man26B had an open reading frame of 1,428 bp that encoded a peptide of 475- amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 53 kDa. Man26B possessed two domains, a carbohydrate binding module (CBM) belonging to family 6 and a family 26 catalytic domain (CD) of glycosyl hydrolases, which showed the highest homology to Cel44C of P. polymyxa (60% identity). The optimum pH and temperature for enzymatic activity of Man26B were 4.5 and 60 degrees C, respectively. The activity of Man26B was not affected by Mg(2+) and Co(2+), but was inhibited by Hg(2+), Ca(2+), Cu(2+), Mn(2+), K(+), Na(+), and beta-mercaptoethanol, and slightly enhanced by Pb(2+) and Zn(2+). EDTA did not affect the activity of Man26B, which indicates that it does not require divalent ions to function. Man26B showed a high specific activity for LBG and konjac glucomannan, with K(m), V(max), and k(cat) values of 3.80 mg/ml, 91.70 micromol/min/mg protein, and 77.08/s, respectively, being observed when LBG was the substrate. Furthermore, deletion of the CBM6 domain increased the enzyme stability while enabling it to retain 80% and 60% of its initial activity after treatment at 80 degrees C and 90 degrees C for 30 min, respectively. This finding will be useful in industrial applications of Man26B, because of the harsh circumstances associated with such processes.


"Influence of plasmids, selection markers and auxotrophic mutations on Haloferax volcanii cell shape plasticity".
Haloferax volcanii and other Haloarchaea can be pleomorphic, adopting different shapes, which vary with growth stages. Several studies have shown that H. volcanii cell shape is sensitive to various external factors including growth media and physical environment. In addition, several studies have noticed that the presence of a recombinant plasmid in the cells is also a factor impacting H. volcanii cell shape, notably by favoring the development of rods in early stages of growth. Here we investigated the reasons for this phenomenon by first studying the impact of auxotrophic mutations on cell shape in strains that are commonly used as genetic backgrounds for selection during strain engineering (namely: H26, H53, H77, H98, and H729) and secondly, by studying the effect of the presence of different plasmids containing selection markers on the cell shape of these strains. Our study showed that most of these auxotrophic strains have variation in cell shape parameters including length, aspect ratio, area and circularity and that the plasmid presence is impacting these parameters too. Our results indicated that ΔhdrB strains and hdrB selection markers have the most influence on H. volcanii cell shape, in addition to the sole presence of a plasmid. Finally, we discuss limitations in studying cell shape in H. volcanii and make recommendations based on our results for improving reproducibility of such studies.


Chronic, treatment-resistant depression and right fronto-striatal atrophy.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is relatively common but its neurobiological basis is poorly understood. Fronto-striatal structural brain changes have been reported in patients with depression but their association with treatment resistance and chronicity has not been established. Magnetic resonance images of 20 patients with TRD were compared with images of 20 recovered patients and 20 healthy controls. Images were compared using a voxel-based analysis (VBA) method; the results were validated by conventional volumetric analysis. The clinical associations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes with illness duration and severity were examined by VBA. Only the TRD group exhibited right fronto-striatal atrophy, and subtle MRI changes in the left hippocampus on VBA. Atrophy was confirmed on volumetric analysis, the degree correlating with the cumulative number of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments received, suggesting an acquired deficit. This is the first study to demonstrate fronto-striatal atrophy in patients with depression with poor outcome; the atrophy is more marked in those with more severe illness.


Bronchodilators for the prevention and treatment of chronic lung disease in preterm infants.
Chronic lung disease (CLD) occurs frequently in preterm infants. Bronchodilators have the potential effect of dilating small airways with muscle hypertrophy. Increase in compliance and tidal volume and decrease in pulmonary resistance have been documented with use of bronchodilators in studies of pulmonary mechanics in infants with CLD. Therefore, it is possible that bronchodilators might have a role in the prevention and treatment of CLD. To determine the effect of bronchodilators given either prophylactically or as treatment for CLD on mortality and other complications of prematurity in preterm infants at risk for or having CLD. For this update of the review, searches of The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2012; MEDLINE 1966; EMBASE; CINAHL; personal files and reference lists of identified trials were performed in March 2012. In addition Web of Science and abstracts from the Annual meetings of the Pediatric Academic Societies were searched electronically from 2000 to 2012 on PAS Abstracts2view(TM.) No language restrictions were applied. Randomised controlled trials involving preterm infants were eligible for inclusion. Initiation of bronchodilator therapy had to occur within two weeks of birth for prevention of CLD. For treatment of CLD, treatment had to be initiated before discharge from the neonatal unit. The intervention had to include the administration of a bronchodilator either by nebulisation, metered dose inhaler (with or without a spacer device), intravenously or orally versus placebo or no intervention. Eligible studies had to include at least one of the predefined clinical outcomes (mortality, CLD, number of days on oxygen, number of days on ventilator, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), pulmonary interstitial emphysema (PIE), pneumothorax, any grade of intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), sepsis and adverse effects of bronchodilators. Adverse effects of bronchodilators included hypokalaemia, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, tremor, hypertension and hyperglycaemia). We used the standard method described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (Higgins 2011). Two investigators extracted and assessed all data for each study. We reported risk ratio (RR) and risk difference (RD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous outcomes and weighted mean difference (WMD) for continuous data. In this update we identified four randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of bronchodilators in preterm infants. None of these studies fulfilled our inclusion criterion that clinical outcomes should be reported. One eligible study was previously found dealing with prevention of CLD; this study used salbutamol and enrolled 173 infants. No eligible studies were found dealing with treatment of CLD. Prophylaxis with salbutamol did not show a statistically significant difference in mortality (RR 1.08; 95% CI 0.50 to 2.31; RD 0.01; 95% CI -0.09 to 0.11) or CLD (RR 1.03; 95% CI 0.78 to 1.37; RD 0.02; 95% CI -0.13 to 0.17). No statistically significant differences were seen in other complications associated with CLD or preterm birth. No side effects due to salbutamol were commented on in this study. There are insufficient data to reliably assess the use of salbutamol for the prevention of CLD. Further clinical trials are necessary to assess the role of salbutamol or other bronchodilator agents in prophylaxis or treatment of CLD. Researchers studying the effects of bronchodilators in preterm infants should include relevant clinical outcomes in addition to pulmonary mechanical outcomes.


CLINICAL MANAGEMENT OF THIRD PHALANX FRACTURES IN LESSER (TRAGELAPHUS IMBERBIS) AND GREATER KUDU (TRAGELAPHUS STREPSICEROS).
Two greater kudu ( Tragelaphus strepsiceros ) and one lesser kudu ( T. imberbis ) from two zoological institutions presented with overgrown front hooves, and were diagnosed with fractures of the third phalanges in the affected digits. Both greater kudu had milder lamenesses at diagnosis, and were managed conservatively with hoof trims, stall rest, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Ongoing management through regular hoof trims led to improvement and eventual resolution of lameness. The more severely lame lesser kudu received hoof blocks on the front claws not associated with fractured phalanges. This therapy was well tolerated and resulted in resolution of lameness immediately after application. Radiographic evidence of healing was present 8 wk posttherapy. Diagnosis of these fractures was greatly aided by radiographic views obtained at a 45° oblique angle with the claws distracted.


A systematic literature review of protective factors mitigating intimate partner violence exposure on early childhood health outcomes.
The objective of this integrative review was to critically synthesize the evidence on protective factors in early childhood that buffer the effects of exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) on young children's health outcomes. Studies were eligible for inclusion in this review if the article was (a) in English, (b) title or abstract discussed protective factors, buffering, resilience or mitigating factors in early childhood for young children who experienced IPV. A total of 23 articles of 492 manuscripts identified from the search from peer-reviewed journals from 2010 to 2022 were included. Individual-level protective factors for young children exposed to IPV and include emotional self-regulation, child temperament and child self-esteem. Family-level protective factors were maternal physical and mental health; warm, responsive parenting; knowledge of child development; socioeconomic advantage; caregiver employment; and maternal education. The results of this integrative review highlight the critical importance of a dyadic approach to early childhood intervention. Health and legal systems should not only focus solely on pathology of family violence but also conceptualize treatment and courses of action from a strength-based perspective in order to empower victims of IPV, and promote the safety, health and well-being of children. Future research should examine the role of system-level protective factors. This review adds to the growing body of the evidence of positive relational health as a key social determinant of health for children. This will be foundational to design interventions that shield children from further harm and promote health, flourishing and recovery from violence and trauma.


Comparative study on Salmonella isolation from sewage-contaminated natural waters.
A comparative study of five factors influencing the isolation of salmonellas from sewage-contaminated natural waters was carried out. The effect of pre-enrichment in buffered peptone water was compared with single-step enrichment in NR10 broth incubated at 43 degrees C. A modification of NR10 has been compared with the original composition. Bismuth sulphite agar (BSA), Hektoen enteric agar (HE) and brilliant green agar (BGA) have been used as plating media. Other factors considered have been temperature of the water and sampling site. A total of 759 salmonella strains belonging to 36 different serotypes has been recovered in a two-year study. All five factors considered in the study have shown a significant effect on the recovery of salmonellas. The combination of direct enrichment in NR10, followed by BSA or HE as plating media was most effective for the isolation of Salmonella. The influence of water temperature and characteristics of the sampling sites have also been discussed.


Inhibition of melibiose transporter by amiloride in Escherichia coli.
Amiloride inhibited the active transport of melibiose via the melibiose transporter in Escherichia coli. Since amiloride is known to inhibit the Na+/H+ antiporter which is essential for the establishment of an electrochemical potential of Na+ that is the driving force for melibiose transport, we tested the effect of amiloride on the activity of the melibiose transporter itself. Amiloride inhibited the melibiose counterflow. Also, inhibition of Na+ uptake induced by melibiose influx and some inhibition of H+ uptake induced by melibiose influx were observed. These results indicate that amiloride directly inhibits the melibiose transporter, perhaps by competing with Na+. It seems that the Na+ binding site and the H+ binding site in the melibiose transporter are somehow different from each other judging from the difference in the inhibition pattern of amiloride.


Condom-use intentions and the influence of partner-related barriers among women at risk for HIV.
To examine intentions to engage in condom use and potential partner-related barriers to condom use, including intimate partner violence (IPV), low levels of sexual relationship power and perceptions of monogamy, among women at risk for HIV. In the United States, women account for approximately one in four new HIV infections. Despite the effectiveness of consistent condom use, women often confront biological, cultural and psychosocial barriers that limit their ability to engage in condom-use. Cross-sectional, quantitative study. Participants (N = 90) were recruited from a domestic violence shelter, a domestic violence support organisation and an obstetrics/gynaecology clinic in Philadelphia, PA. Data were collected by questionnaires to assess women's condom-use intentions, actual condom-use behaviour, sexual partner risk factors, experience of IPV, level of sexual relationship power and perceptions of monogamy. Fifty-eight per cent of participants (n = 52) indicated a difference between their preference and intentions to use condoms vs. their actual use, with 62% (n = 32) using condoms less frequently than they would like. Significant differences in condom use emerged for women with low vs. high sexual relationship power and women who reported being in a monogamous relationship vs. those who did not. Of particular concern, a majority of these relationships were with high-risk partners, further increasing women's already elevated risk of acquiring HIV. Condom use is a multifaceted issue, particularly in sexual relationships involving power differentials and perceived monogamy. Condom use was complicated by women's own preferences, sexual relationship power differentials and by the perceived exclusivity of the relationship with their sexual partners. These findings have important implications for nurses as they are uniquely positioned to facilitate HIV risk reduction among their patients through the discussion of sexual health issues and barriers to negotiating condom use that women may confront.


Contemporary issues: diseases with a food vector.
Foodborne disease has become a contemporary issue. Several large, well-publicized outbreaks of foodborne disease have heightened public awareness that harmful microorganisms may be present in food and that chronic as well as acute disease may be caused by foodborne microbes. The field of food microbiology has likewise experienced a resurgence of interest. New tools, such as recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid technology and monoclonal antibody production, used to elucidate microbial virulence factors have facilitated identification of disease-causing microbes once thought to be harmless and demonstrated the complexity of individual virulence mechanisms previously considered to be well understood. Foodborne pathogens are also causing disease via some surprising food vectors, such as chopped, bottled garlic and sauteed onions. In addition to acute gastrointestinal disturbances, certain microorganisms may, through complex interactions with the human immune response, cause chronic diseases that affect several major organ systems. These microbes are serving as models in studies of molecular mimicry and genetic interrelatedness of procaryotes and eucaryotes. Other recently recognized attributes of foodborne microorganisms, such as the heat shock phenomenon and the possible nonculturability of some bacteria, may affect their ability to cause disease in humans. Because foodborne disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, the study of these diseases and their causative microorganisms presents a unique challenge to many professionals in the subdisciplines of microbiology, epidemiology, and clinical medicine.


Isolation and purification of protease from human placenta by foam fractionation.
The effect of operating parameters like pH, protein concentration, column geometry, and gas flow rate on the separation efficiency of proteolytic enzymes from crude human placental homogenate has been studied in a batch foam column. Purification has been found to be optimum at pH 8.0, close to the isoelectric pH, at which the surface adsorption of the protein on the foam bubbles is maximum. Both purification and recovery varied significantly with total protein concentration. Stable bubble formation was hindered at lower protein concentrations, while extraneous proteins rather than the protease were preferentially adsorbed at higher protein concentrations, decreasing the purification efficiency. Column diameter and column height should be optimized for any specific feed protein concentration and gas flow rate. However, the enrichment ratio was found to decrease with the increase in flow rate. The results indicate that foam fractionation is an effective separation process for recovering valuable biochemicals from biological materials.


Flexible cycloalkyl-substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes.
The use of two metal systems cis-Pt(NHC)(2)Me(2) and cis-Ir(NHC)(CO)(2)Cl help to highlight the flexibility of a series of cycloalkyl-substituted N-heterocyclic carbene ligands (ICy, ICy(7), ICy(8), ICy(12)). Bond dissociation enthalpies of several N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in cis-Pt(NHC)(2)Me(2) are estimated. Electronic and steric parameters of the ICy(n) ligands are quantified and discussed.


Fertility concerns among child and adolescent cancer survivors and their parents: A qualitative analysis.
Cancer diagnoses and treatment may have long-term effects on fertility. Semistructured interviews were administered to young cancer survivors (<20 years) and their parents (n = 97). Fertility related concerns were reported by 45 participants (46.4%). Themes included: distress regarding potential infertility; the effect of infertility on future relationships, self-esteem, and miscommunications/confusion about fertility status; access to fertility testing; and preservation options. Parents also reported challenges regarding how and when it was developmentally appropriate to talk to their children about fertility. The development of comprehensive consumer-driven approaches to managing the fertility concerns of young survivors and their families is essential.


Clinical effects of proteinase, sfericase (AI-794), on chronic bronchitis and similar diseases.
The clinical effect and utility of sfericase was compared with an inactive placebo by a double-blind method in three groups of a total 109 patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases who had complained of difficult expectoration of sputum. A significantly greater improvement of expectoration was obtained in Group A-1 (6 tablets/day). Also in group A-1, more cases showed subjective and objective improvement, i.e., improvement in expectoration, reduction in coughs, decrease in the amount of sputum, and disappearance of râles. However, the sputum and its degree of purulency remained unchanged in most cases in all three groups. Side effects were few. The clinical efficacy of sfericase in the group with 2 tablets, 3X/day (total daily dose of 6 tablets) was shown to be significantly superior to the other two groups. This dosage was established as the optimal dose for treating difficulty in expectoration.


[Infection with opistorchis larvae in the fish family cyprinidae in the Ob-Irtysh River basin in the Tyumen region].
Fishes, such as ide (Leuciscus idus), dace (Leuciscus leuciscus), carpbream (Abramis brama), roach (Rutilus rutilus), and muvarica (Alburnus alburnus), with different frequency and rate of invasion and abundance index were infested with larvae of O. felineus, M. bilis, and P. truncatum. There were the highest rates of fish infection with P. truncatum larvae in the subtaiga zone (the south of the region) and with O. felineus metacercariae in the northern subtaiga and taiga zones. In research, experimental, and clinical studies, the nosological entity opisthorchiasis is a parasitic cenosis consisting of 2-3 co-members requiring their specific identification, which allows therapeutic measures to be more effectively implemented among the population of a hyperendemic focus.


PCSK9 Induces CD36 Degradation and Affects Long-Chain Fatty Acid Uptake and Triglyceride Metabolism in Adipocytes and in Mouse Liver.
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) promotes the degradation of the low-density lipoprotein receptor thereby elevating plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease. Thus, the use of PCSK9 inhibitors holds great promise to prevent heart disease. Previous work found that PCSK9 is involved in triglyceride metabolism, independently of its action on low-density lipoprotein receptor, and that other yet unidentified receptors could mediate this effect. Therefore, we assessed whether PCSK9 enhances the degradation of CD36, a major receptor involved in transport of long-chain fatty acids and triglyceride storage. Overexpressed or recombinant PCSK9 induced CD36 degradation in cell lines and primary adipocytes and reduced the uptake of the palmitate analog Bodipy FL C16 and oxidized low-density lipoprotein in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and hepatic HepG2 cells, respectively. Surface plasmon resonance, coimmunoprecipitation, confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, and protein degradation pathway inhibitors revealed that PCSK9 directly interacts with CD36 and targets the receptor to lysosomes through a mechanism involving the proteasome. Importantly, the level of CD36 protein was increased by >3-fold upon small interfering RNA knockdown of endogenous PCSK9 in hepatic cells and similarly increased in the liver and visceral adipose tissue of Pcsk9(-/-) mice. In Pcsk9(-/-) mice, increased hepatic CD36 was correlated with an amplified uptake of fatty acid and accumulation of triglycerides and lipid droplets. Our results demonstrate an important role of PCSK9 in modulating the function of CD36 and triglyceride metabolism. PCSK9-mediated CD36 degradation may serve to limit fatty acid uptake and triglyceride accumulation in tissues, such as the liver.


[Vitamin D and latitude as environmental factors in multiple sclerosis].
Multiple sclerosis (MS) shows a multifold increase in prevalence with an increase in latitudes, both north and south of the equator. One of the potential factors related to the difference of the prevalence is vitamin D, because the strength of ambient ultraviolet light, which is essential for vitamin D production, decreases with increasing latitude. It is known that vitamin D has immunomodulatory functions and suppresses an animal model of MS. It is also considered that vitamin D-related genes are critical susceptible genes for MS. An approach from environmental and genetic aspects is needed to investigate the association between vitamin D and MS.


One-step synthesis of FePt nanoparticles with tunable size.
A one-step synthesis of FePt nanoparticles is reported. The size, composition, and shape of the particles are controlled by varying the synthetic parameters such as molar ratio of stabilizers to metal precursor, addition sequence of the stabilizers and metal precursors, heating rate, heating temperature, and heating duration. An assembly of large (6 nm or greater) FePt nanoparticles, especially oxide-coated FePt nanoparticles, can sustain higher temperature (up to 650 degrees C) annealing without noticeable particle sintering. Room temperature coercivity of an assembly containing discrete FePt dots can reach as high as 1.3 T, a value that is suitable for hard magnetic applications.


Examination of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene wound healing models.
The object of this animal study was to examine and further develop the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene wound healing model. The goal was to increase its potential for assessing wound healing by increasing yield, reducing variability, establishing the elements of a standard technique, and further testing its ability to detect variations of healing which have clinical significance. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene implants of various dimensions and fabrications and several implantation and sterilization techniques were compared in rats. Hydroxyproline, DNA, and protein deposition into the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene implants as parameters for wound healing were assessed. Additionally, a 4 cm skin incision for tensile strength assessment was created. Wound healing was assessed under normal and corticosteroid-impaired healing conditions. The highest yield of collagen was found in the stiffer fabrication of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene with the larger pore size and after the more traumatic implantation technique of incisional placement. Variability was unaffected by fabrication, implantation technique, indexing by various geometric dimensions of the implant, sterilization, or sampling techniques. Variability was the same in the individual animals as in groups of animals. The expanded polytetrafluoroethylene method also detects the influence of antiinflammatory corticosteroids and reflects the tensile strength of incisional wounds made in other sites in the same animal.


RNA isolation from precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) from different species.
Functional 3D organ models such as precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) have recently captured the attention of biomedical research. To enable wider implementation in research and development, these new biologically relevant organ models are being constantly refined. A very important issue is to improve the preparation of high-quality RNA (ribonucleic acid) from PCLS for drug discovery and development of new therapies. Gene expression analysis at different levels is used as an important experimental readout. Genome-wide analysis using microarrays is mostly applied for biomarker selection in disease models or in comprehensive toxicological studies. Specific biomarker testing by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR) is often used in efficacy studies. Both applications require high-quality RNA as starting material for the generation of reliable data. Additionally, a small number of slices should be sufficient for satisfactory RNA isolation to allow as many experimental conditions as possible to be covered with a given tissue sample. Unfortunately, the vast amount of agarose in PCLS impedes RNA extraction according to the standard procedures. We established an optimized protocol for RNA isolation from PCLS from humans, rats, mice, marmosets, and rhesus macaques based on the separation of lysis and precipitation steps and a magnetic-bead cleanup procedure. The resulting RNA is of high purity and possesses a high degree of integrity. There are no contaminations affecting RTqPCR efficiency or any enzymatic step in sample preparation for microarray analysis. In summary, we isolated RNA from PCLS from different species that is well suited for RTqPCR and for microarray analysis as downstream applications.


Identification of Protein Direct Interactome with Genetic Code Expansion and Search Engine OpenUaa.
Protein crosslinks occur endogenously such as modifications by ubiquitin-like proteins for signaling, or exogenously through genetically encoded chemical crosslinkers (GECX) for studying elusive protein-protein interactions. However, it remains challenging to identify these protein crosslinks efficiently at the proteomic scale. Herein, software OpenUaa is developed for identifying protein crosslinks generated by genetically encoded unnatural amino acids and endogenous protein conjugation. OpenUaa features inclusive and open search capability, dramatically improving identification sensitivity and coverage. Integrating GECX with OpenUaa, the direct interactome of thioredoxin is identified in Escherichia coli cells, yielding 289 crosslinked peptides and corresponding to 205 direct binding protein of thioredoxin. These identified direct binders provide evidence for thioredoxin's regulation of redox state and mitochondria energy metabolism. When identifying endogenous conjugation of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO), OpenUaa also markedly improves coverage of SUMOylated peptides by ≈92%, revealing new SUMO targets. GECX-OpenUaa will enable efficient identification of direct interactomes of various proteins in live cells.


Clay Swelling: Role of Cations in Stabilizing/Destabilizing Mechanisms.
The stepwise hydration of clay minerals has been observed repeatedly in studies, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Previous numerical studies confirmed the presence of one-water layer (1W) and two-water layer (2W) hydration states. However, the undisturbed transition between these hydration states has never been captured. Using molecular dynamics simulation, this study (i) simulated for the first time the free 1W-2W transition during clay hydration and (ii) identified the underlying mechanism to be the detachment of cations from the clay surface and the formation of a shell of water molecules around the cation. The swelling dynamics of clay was found to be affected by the clay charge, clay mineralogy, and counterions through complex cation-clay interactions, cation hydration capacity, and cation migration rate.


Rabies, rabies vaccine, and renal failure: Clinical issues.
Rabies is an important neurological infection that is prevalent in tropical countries. The rabid animals can bring rabies to humans by biting. The disease can result in serious neurological problem and death is the end result. The best way is prevention of disease by postexposure prophylaxis against rabies. The effect of rabies on the renal system is little mentioned in the literature. In the previous literature, acute kidney injury was observable in half of the rabies patients. Rabies is also transmittable by organ transplantation. Although it is rare and <10 cases had ever been reported in literature, it is proven that kidney transplant patients are at risk of getting rabies if the donor come from endemic country or with a history of travel to endemic country and has unclear cause of death. Regarding rabies immunization, the use of vaccination for patients with the underlying renal failure is interesting. In this short article, the authors summarize on those important clinical issues of rabies and renal failure.


Specific thymus-derived (T) cell recognition of papova virus-transformed cells.
As a first step toward identifying papova virus-specific transplantation antigens and characterizing the immune response to these antigens, a series of congenic B10 mouse lines transformed by polyoma virus and SV40 has been obtained. B10.D2 (H-2d) mice immunized with x-irradiated polyoma-transformed B10.D2 cells (PyB10.D2) contained within their spleens a population of T cells that upon restimulation in vitro preferentially lyse 51Cr-labeled PyB10.D2 compared with other allogeneic polyoma-transformed target cells or SV40-transformed B10.D2 cells. Twenty hours after acute infection with polyoma virus, SV10.D2 cells express cell surface structures recognizable by polyoma-specific CTL. This CTL activity is therefore both polyoma specific and H-2 restricted, indicating associative recognition of H-2 molecules along with the virus-specific antigen.


[Prostaglandin E1 in decreased arterial perfusion].
Prostaglandin E 1 has been used for the past 15 years in decreased peripheral arterial perfusion with differing degrees of success. The exact mechanism of action has not been clarified so far. Vasodilatation, increased fibrinolytic activity and an improved cellular metabolism were observed in response to PGE 1 in animal experiments both in vivo and in vitro. In the clinical studies performed so far PGE 1 has been used in cases of decreased peripheral arterial perfusion after functional, inflammatory, degenerative or diabetic arteriopathy (stages IIb-IV). Reduction or alleviation of ischaemic rest pain, as well as a faster healing of tissue necrosis was reported after intaarterial administration, especially in non-controlled, but also in controlled studies. Intravenous administration of PGE 1 had a positive influence on clinical symptoms in non-placebo-randomized patients; in the controlled studies, however, the results were not significant. The greatest therapeutic success can be achieved using intermittent intraarterial administration in decreased peripheral arterial perfusion due to functional or inflammatory arteriopathies.


Insulin-releasing pituitary cells as a model for somatic cell gene therapy in diabetes mellitus.
Insulin delivery by somatic cell gene therapy was evaluated using murine pituitary AtT20MtIns-1.4 cells. These cells have been stably transfected to release human insulin by the introduction of a recombinant plasmid bearing a human preproinsulin cDNA under the control of a zinc-sensitive metallothionein promoter. 6 x 10(7) AtT20MtIns-1.4 cells were implanted subcutaneously into streptozotocin-diabetic mice immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A. Release of human insulin was assessed using a specific plasma human C-peptide assay. On days 1 and 2 after implantation human C-peptide concentrations were about 0.02 pmol/ml. Consumption of zinc sulphate solution (500 mg/l) as drinking fluid for days 3-5 increased plasma human C-peptide concentrations to 0.11 +/- 0.01 pmol/ml (mean +/- S.E.M.), n = 11, P < 0.01, and concentrations declined when zinc was discontinued. The extent of hyperglycaemia was slightly lower (P < 0.05) than in a group implanted with non-transfected AtT20 cells. The study was terminated after 9 days, and tumour-like aggregations of implanted cells were identified at autopsy. These comprised a large necrotic core with insulin-containing cells at the periphery. The study provides support for the view that somatic cell gene therapy offers a potential approach to insulin delivery in diabetes mellitus.


Method validation for determination of cadmium and lead in offal by means of quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
Offal includes viscera and internal organs that have been removed from butchered animals, that may be either directly eaten or processed for the production of other foodstuff. Such organs are able to accumulate high concentrations of potentially toxic heavy metals posing a risk for human health when ingested. Because high levels of Cd and Pb may produce damages to humans, Commission Regulation no. 1881/2006 and its amendment established maximum levels for those two elements in edible bovine, porcine, and ovine offal. In the present study, a method based on microwave acid-assisted digestion and quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric quantification of Cd and Pb in offal was validated according to the EU common standards. The main parameters evaluated in the validation process were: the detection and the quantification limits (LoD, LoQ), the recovery, the repeatability, the within-laboratory reproducibility, the linearity range, and the standard measurement uncertainty. The results obtained for LoD and LoQ in microg kg(-1) were, respectively, Cd, 1.8 and 5.4; Pb, 5.1 and 15.5; meanwhile, the mean recovery was about 98% for Cd and 103% for Pb. Repeatability was around 5% for Cd and 4% for Pb. The expanded standard measurement uncertainty, expressed as percentage and with a coverage factor of 2, was estimated as follows: Cd, 4.9%; Pb, 8.7%. For both elements, the main contribution was due to the within-laboratory reproducibility of the measurements.


P053 Interstitial Nephritis from IBD: Complicated Conclusions.
BACKGROUND: Kidney injury in IBD is challenging. Tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) is linked to aminosalicylates, but also described in drug-naïve patients, suggesting that TIN may be a direct manifestation of IBD. We describe three cases of TIN in IBD to illustrate the challenges in determining the etiology of the injury. Case #1: 58-year-old male with a horseshoe kidney deformity, uncontrolled hypertension, GERD and small bowel stricturing Crohn's disease (CD), previously on mercaptopurine and allopurinol, subsequently transitioned to adalimumab, maintaining clinical and radiologic remission. Two years later, he developed acute kidney injury in setting of high fevers and sweats, with negative infectious evaluation. Medications included adalimumab, PPI, valacyclovir and torsemide. Renal biopsy revealed TIN with dense, zonal and focal granulomatous features suggestive of drug-induced hypersensitivity, chronic infection, sarcoidosis or an extra-intestinal manifestation of CD. Case #2: 45-year-old female with SLE, nephrolithiasis, GERD, hypertension and ulcerative colitis (UC), initially on mesalamine, then vedolizumab, with clinical and endoscopic remission. Her SCr increased at the time of her UC diagnosis, and worsened over 6 months while on mesalamine, vedolizumab, PPI and losartan. Renal biopsy demonstrated acute and chronic TIN with eosinophils raising concern for an allergic/drug-induced injury. Nephrology concluded that her TIN was secondary to either UC or one of her medications. Case #3: 33-year-old male with UC transitioned to vedolizumab, having failed budesonide and mesalamine. He had latent TB and received 9 months of isoniazid. While on mesalamine, vedolizumab and PPI, he developed fever, chills and night sweats, with an acute rise in SCr, prompting discontinuation of meds. Three months later, still in remission and with improved SCr, he restarted vedolizumab. A year later he developed low-grade fever with elevated SCr, prompting discontinuation. Renal biopsy revealed acute and chronic TIN with severe interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy and focal global glomerulosclerosis. He started prednisone and remained off other IBD therapy for 6 months, but repeat colonoscopy revealed mild colitis. He restarted mesalamine, but again developed elevated SCr 2 months later. Repeat renal biopsy revealed TIN with less interstitial fibrosis and focal global glomerulosclerosis, and nephrology suggested his interstitial nephritis was likely secondary to UC over his medications. He started azathioprine with significant improvement in SCr and clinical remission of UC. In all three cases, neither nephrology consultation nor renal biopsy helped distinguish the etiology of renal injury, defaulting to either the IBD meds or an extra-intestinal manifestation of IBD, and not accounting for the acute inflammatory symptoms in two of the cases. While literature review reveals several cases that allege kidney injury as an extra-intestinal target of IBD serious doubts remain. TIN secondary to aminosalicylates is well-documented, but there are few reports of adalimumab-induced granulomatous TIN and only one report of vedolizumab-induced TIN. Each of our patients had well-controlled IBD and multiple confounding variables that could impact kidney function or cause TIN, including hypertension and multiple potential culprit medications, illustrating the dilemma of determining the etiology of renal injury in IBD patients.


Review of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods in Finance Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence.
The influence of Artificial Intelligence is growing, as is the need to make it as explainable as possible. Explainability is one of the main obstacles that AI faces today on the way to more practical implementation. In practise, companies need to use models that balance interpretability and accuracy to make more effective decisions, especially in the field of finance. The main advantages of the multi-criteria decision-making principle (MCDM) in financial decision-making are the ability to structure complex evaluation tasks that allow for well-founded financial decisions, the application of quantitative and qualitative criteria in the analysis process, the possibility of transparency of evaluation and the introduction of improved, universal and practical academic methods to the financial decision-making process. This article presents a review and classification of multi-criteria decision-making methods that help to achieve the goal of forthcoming research: to create artificial intelligence-based methods that are explainable, transparent, and interpretable for most investment decision-makers.


Structure-dependent fluorescence efficiencies of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes.
Single-nanotube photometry was used to measure the product of absorption cross section and fluorescence quantum yield for 12 (n,m) structural species of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes in aqueous SDBS suspension. These products ranged from 1.7 to 4.5 x 10(-19) cm(2)/C atom, generally increasing with optical band gap as described by the energy gap law. The findings suggest fluorescent quantum yields of approximately 8% for the brightest, (10,2) species and introduce the empirical calibration factors needed to deduce quantitative (n,m) distributions from bulk fluorimetric intensities.


The limits of health-care seeking behaviour: how long will patients travel for STI care? Evidence from England's 'Patient Access and the Transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections' ('PATSI') study.
The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with (i) longer patient travel time to genitourinary (GU) medicine clinics and (ii) not attending the nearest clinic. Questionnaires were completed by 4600 new attendees from seven sociodemographically and geographically different GU clinics across England between October 2004 and March 2005. These data were then linked to the routine clinic database. Median travel time was 25 minutes and varied significantly by clinic (P < 0.001) but not by gender (P = 0.96). Of all the respondents, 10% spent at least one hour getting to a GU clinic and this was significantly more likely in patients with less education, those who travelled by public transport and those who did not attend their closest clinic. Longer travel times were not associated with delays in seeking care. Patients reporting a previous sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis were more likely not to go to their nearest GU clinic (P = 0.0006), as were those who used/tried to use other health-care providers prior to attending the clinic (P = 0.007). To facilitate access to STI care, comprehensive local services need to be provided to avoid long journey times, especially for those who have to rely on public transport to get to clinic.


Correction Workers' Burnout and Outcomes: A Bayesian Network Approach.
The present study seeks to demonstrate how Bayesian Network analysis can be used to support Total Worker Health® research on correction workers by (1) revealing the most probable scenario of how psychosocial and behavioral outcome variables in corrections work are interrelated and (2) identifying the key contributing factors of this interdependency relationship within the unique occupational context of corrections work. The data from 353 correction workers from a state department of corrections in the United States were utilized. A Bayesian Network analysis approach was used to probabilistically sort out potential interrelations among various psychosocial and behavioral variables. The identified model revealed that work-related exhaustion may serve as a primary driver of occupational stress and impaired workability, and also that exhaustion limits the ability of correction workers to get regular physical exercise, while their interrelations with depressed mood, a lack of work engagement, and poor work-family balance were also noted. The results suggest the importance of joint consideration of psychosocial and behavioral factors when investigating variables that may impact health and wellbeing of correction workers. Also, they supported the value of adopting the Total Worker Health® framework, a holistic strategy to integrate prevention of work-related injury and illness and the facilitation of worker well-being, when considering integrated health protection and promotion interventions for workers in high-risk occupations.


Secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients: current perspectives.
Secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC) is a term used for a group of chronic cholestatic disease affecting the intra- and/or extrahepatic biliary tree with inflammation and progressive stricture formation, which can lead to biliary cirrhosis. A newly recognized form of SSC is secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients (SSC-CIP). Pathogenesis is believed to involve ischemic injury of intrahepatic bile ducts associated with prolonged hypotension, vasopressors administration, and/or mechanical ventilation in patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Patients diagnosed with SSC-CIP have no prior history of liver disease and no known pathologic process or injury responsible for bile duct obstruction prior to ICU treatment. Reasons leading to ICU treatment are many including multitrauma, burn injury, cardiac surgery, severe pneumonia, other infections, or bleeding after abdominal surgery. Patients have in common prolonged ICU admission. SSC-CIP is associated with rapid progression to liver cirrhosis and poor survival with limited treatment options except a liver transplantation. Transplant-free survival is around 17-40 months, which is lower than in other SSC patients. During the initial stages of the disease, the clinical symptoms and biochemical profile are not specific and easily missed. Biliary casts formation may be considered pathognomonic for SSC-CIP since most patients have them in early stages of the disease. Increased awareness and early detection of the disease and its complications is considered to be crucial to improve the poor prognosis.


Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in the first year of life affects brain function, structure, and metabolism at age nine years.
The present study sought to determine whether supplementation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) during the first year of life influenced brain function, structure, and metabolism at 9 years of age. Newborns were randomly assigned to consume formula containing either no LCPUFA (control) or formula with 0.64% of total fatty acids as arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4n6) and variable amounts of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n3) (0.32%, 0.64%, or 0.96% of total fatty acids) from birth to 12 months. At age 9 years (±0.6), 42 children enrolled in a follow-up multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study including functional (fMRI, Flanker task), resting state (rsMRI), anatomic, and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H MRS). fMRI analysis using the Flanker task found that trials requiring greater inhibition elicited greater brain activation in LCPUFA-supplemented children in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and parietal regions. rsMRI analysis showed that children in the 0.64% group exhibited greater connectivity between prefrontal and parietal regions compared to all other groups. In addition, voxel-based analysis (VBM) revealed that the 0.32% and 0.64% groups had greater white matter volume in ACC and parietal regions compared to controls and the 0.96% group. Finally, 1 H MRS data analysis identified that N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and myo-inositol (mI) were higher in LCPUFA groups compared to the control group. LCPUFA supplementation during infancy has lasting effects on brain structure, function, and neurochemical concentrations in regions associated with attention (parietal) and inhibition (ACC), as well as neurochemicals associated with neuronal integrity (NAA) and brain cell signaling (mI).


Longterm conditions of mimicked weightlessness influences the cytoskeleton in thyroid cells.
Weightlessness influences the human immune and hormone system, reduces bone mass, leads to muscle atrophy and cardiac atrophy. Effects on control mechanisms for proliferation, programmed cell death and differentiation are well documented. The principal aim of this study was to investigate changes of the cytoskeleton in thyroid cells cultured in vector-averaged gravity under clinostat rotation. After 12 hours the formation of multicellular spheroids started. An increase of extracellular matrix proteins and beta 1-integrin was observed. Laser scanning confocal microscopy of ML-1 follicular thyroid carcinoma cells and normal thyroid HTU-5 cells immunostained with anti-cytokeratin to demonstrate these intermediate filaments revealed that cytokeratin filaments extended from centers, were thickened, coalesced and shortened as compared to control cells. Moreover, vimentin was highly disorganized. The vimentin network formed a coiled aggregate closely associated with the nucleus. Western blot analyses of talin, alpha- and beta-tubulin showed a clear increase of these proteins in cells cultured under simulated 0 g. Our data suggest that the effects of microgravity on cultured human thyroid cells are accompanied by noticeable functional cellular changes. Future studies to clarify the pathway that regulate the observed integrin activation and the mechanisms by which they function have to be performed.