Verapamil decreases accumulation of 99Tcm-MIBI and 99Tcm-tetrofosmin in human breast cancer and soft tissue sarcoma cell lines.
99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (99Tcm-MIBI) and 99Tcm-tetrofosmin are cationic tracers recognized by the efflux pump P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Verapamil has been shown to be a competitive inhibitor of Pgp, and was one of the first multidrug-resistant reversing agents identified. The aim of this preclinical in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of verapamil on the accumulation of 99Tcm-MIBI and 99Tcm-tetrofosmin in the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 and in the human soft tissue sarcoma cell lines SW 982 and SW 1353, in comparison with respective control cells, i.e. without preincubation with verapamil. After preincubation with 10 or 100 microM of verapamil for 15 or 30 min, the 99Tcm-MIBI and 99Tcm-tetrofosmin accumulation in cells was assessed at 10, 30 and 60 min after incubation with these tracers. Addition of verapamil caused a decline in the accumulation of the two tracers at all incubation times, as compared with control cells. These effects of verapamil were neither dose- nor preincubation time-dependent in most cells. Our data indicate that verapamil is not a promising agent for increasing the sensitivity of scintigraphy with 99Tcm-MIBI or 99Tcm-tetrofosmin, or for evaluating Pgp tumour status in these types of tumours.


Anterior debridement, bone grafting and fixation for cervical spine tuberculosis: an iliac bone graft versus a structural manubrium graft.
Anterior debridement, decompression, bone grafting, and instrumentation are safe and effective techniques for patients with lower cervical spine tuberculosis. However, there is no consensus regarding the methods for using autogenous bone grafts. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical outcomes of anterior surgical management for cervical spine tuberculosis by using an iliac bone graft versus a structural manubrium graft. From January 2009 to September 2018, 23 patients with cervical spine tuberculosis were treated with anterior debridement, autogenous structural bone grafting and fixation at our spinal department. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the different graft materials, namely, iliac crest bone grafts (Group A) and structural manubrium grafts (Group B). The clinical and radiographic results of the 2 groups were analyzed and compared. The mean duration of follow-up was 24 months. Bony fusion was achieved in all patients without failure of internal fixation. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to the operation time, blood loss, fusion time, neurological outcomes, or postoperative local Cobb angle (P > .05). However, the donor site complication rate in Group A was greater than that in Group B. The postoperative ambulation time in Group A was later than that in Group B. The mean visual analog scale (VAS) score for donor site pain in Group A was higher than that in Group B at 1 week after surgery (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups at the last visit (P > .05). Both iliac bone grafts and sternal manubrium grafts can effectively reconstruct anterior column defects in anterior surgery. However, structural sternal manubrium autografts cause fewer complications associated with donor site morbidities than iliac bone grafts.


Interleukin-2-activated natural killer cells can induce both apoptosis and necrosis in rat hepatocytes.
Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in the elimination of virus-infected or transformed cells in the liver. In this article, we describe the mechanism by which liver cells are killed by NK cells. Interleukin-2-activated natural killer (A-NK) cells from the rat induced apoptotic cell death in 30% of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes within 60 minutes. Recognition by the A-NK cells of the hepatocytes as nonself was established by masking the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules on the hepatocytes with the OX18 antibody. During the killing process, a decrease of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), formation of blebs, phosphatidyl serine (PS) externalization, chromatin condensation, and nuclear fragmentation were observed. The hepatocytes became apoptotic before permeabilization of the plasma membrane occurred, suggesting that the observed cytolysis was caused by secondary necrosis. The apoptotic process was completely abolished by the caspase inhibitors, Z-Val-Ala-DL-Asp fluormethylketone (zVAD-fmk) and Ac-Asp-Glu-Val-aldehyde (DEVD-cho). However, under these conditions, A-NK cells killed a smaller fraction of the hepatocytes by (primary) necrosis. These results indicate that apoptosis is the major cytotoxic process induced by A-NK cells in hepatocytes. If apoptosis is prevented, a more limited necrotic effect is induced. Therefore, this study shows that NK cells are fully equipped to induce both apoptosis and necrosis in hepatocytes, but appear to prefer the apoptotic route.


Use of near-infrared spectroscopy for fast fraud detection in seafood: application to the authentication of wild European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).
The possibility of using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the authentication of wild European sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) was investigated in this study. Three different chemometric techniques to process the NIR spectra were developed, and their ability to discriminate between wild and farmed sea bass samples was evaluated. One approach used spectral information to directly build the discrimination model in a latent variable space; the second approach first used wavelets to transform the spectral information and subsequently derived the discrimination model using the transformed spectra; in the third approach a cascaded arrangement was proposed whereby very limited chemical information was first estimated from spectra using a regression model, and this estimated information was then used to build the discrimination model in a latent variable space. All techniques showed that NIRS can be used to reliably discriminate between wild and farmed sea bass, achieving the same classification performance as classification methods that use chemical properties and morphometric traits. However, compared to methods based on chemical analysis, NIRS-based classification methods do not require reagents and are simpler, faster, more economical, and environmentally safer. All proposed techniques indicated that the most predictive spectral regions were those related to the absorbance of groups CH, CH(2), CH(3), and H(2)O, which are related to fat, fatty acids, and water content.


Intravitreal bevacizumab as a primary treatment for idiopathic choroidal neovascularization.
To report long-term outcomes of the use of intravitreal bevacizumab in subjects with idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV). Six consecutive subjects with ICNV were included in this prospective study. All subjects received 1.25 mg intravitreal bevacizumab at diagnosis. A decrease in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), presence of increased retinal edema or hemorrhage, increased retinal thickness on optical coherence tomography (OCT) or increased leakage documented by fluorescein angiography prompted further injections of bevacizumab. The study cohort was comprised of 3 males and 3 females with a mean age of 31.17 years. Mean follow-up was 13.8 months (range, 8 months to 20 months). Following intravitreal bevacizumab injection, vision improved in 3 subjects, remained stable in 3 subjects and no patient lost visual acuity. The mean BCVA improved to logMAR 0.20 at final follow-up from baseline at 0.950 logMAR (P=0.031). The mean central macular thickness and central foveal thickness at the last postoperative visits were reduced from pre-treatment levels of 374.33 ± 146.52 and 347.16 ± 213.97 to 251.20±35.36 and 215.33 ± 43.94 μm, respectively. (P = 0.99 and P = 0.16, respectively). Four subjects required repeat treatments. The total number of repeat treatments was 4. Two subjects required no repeat injections, 3 subjects had 1 retreatment and one subject required 2 additional treatments. The injections were well tolerated by all the subjects, with no ocular or systemic adverse events. Intravitreal injection of 1.25 mg bevacizumab in patients with ICNV is effective in improving and stabilizing vision. Additional studies, particularly determination of optimal protocol for timing of re-injection are required to assess long-term effects.


Liver kinase B1 suppresses growth of lung cancer cells through sonic hedgehog signaling pathway.
Lung cancer is one of life-threatening cancers in the worldwide. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) has been reported to be closely related to cancers; however, the underlying mechanism of LKB1 in lung cancer remains unclear. In our study, a LKB1 specific shRNA was employed to down-regulate LKB1 levels and a LKB1 over-expression plasmid was constructed to up-regulate LKB1 levels. Thereafter, growth of lung cancer cells was assessed by MTT assay and flow cytometry. Effects of LKB1 on the activation of sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway were detected by Western blot. Effects of LKB1 on lung cancer growth and Shh signaling pathway activation were also assessed in vivo. Our results showed that LKB1 inhibited proliferation of lung cancer cells and induced their apoptosis. Moreover, LKB1 inhibited Shh signaling pathway activation. Our in vivo study also showed that LKB1 inhibited lung cancer growth in vivo and modulated Shh signaling pathway. Treatment with cyclopamine, a Shh signaling pathway inhibitor, reversed the effects of LKB1 silencing and enhanced the effects of LKB1 over-expression. Results of our study demonstrate that LKB1 inhibits lung cancer growth in vitro and in vivo through Shh signaling pathway.


Dietary Glucose Consumption Promotes RALDH Activity in Small Intestinal CD103+CD11b+ Dendritic Cells.
Retinal dehydrogenase (RALDH) enzymatic activities catalyze the conversion of vitamin A to its metabolite Retinoic acid (RA) in intestinal dendritic cells (DCs) and promote immunological tolerance. However, precise understanding of the exogenous factors that act as initial trigger of RALDH activity in these cells is still evolving. By using germ-free (GF) mice raised on an antigen free (AF) elemental diet, we find that certain components in diet are critically required to establish optimal RALDH expression and activity, most prominently in small intestinal CD103+CD11b+ DCs (siLP-DCs) right from the beginning of their lives. Surprisingly, systematic screens using modified diets devoid of individual dietary components indicate that proteins, starch and minerals are dispensable for this activity. On the other hand, in depth comparison between subtle differences in dietary composition among different dietary regimes reveal that adequate glucose concentration in diet is a critical determinant for establishing RALDH activity specifically in siLP-DCs. Consequently, pre-treatment of siLP-DCs, and not mesenteric lymph node derived MLNDCs with glucose, results in significant enhancement in the in vitro generation of induced Regulatory T (iTreg) cells. Our findings reveal previously underappreciated role of dietary glucose concentration in establishing regulatory properties in intestinal DCs, thereby extending a potential therapeutic module against intestinal inflammation.


[Random sample survey on the prevalence of smoking in the major cities of Brazil].
To provide access to the results of a randomized cross-sectional study conducted by the Brazilian Center for Information on Psychotropic Drugs in 2001. This survey involved a random sample of individuals ranging from 12 to 65 years of age and residing in the 107 largest cities (over 200,000 inhabitants) in Brazil, which represented 27.7% of the Brazilian population, estimated to be 169,799,170 inhabitants at the time. A total of 8,589 interviews were conducted. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration questionnaire, translated and adapted for use in Brazil, was used in the interviews. Of the sample as a whole, 41.1% of the interviewees reported having experimented with tobacco products. The prevalence of daily smokers was 17.4% (20.3% among males and 14.8% among females). We found that 9% of the sample (10.1% of the men and 7.9% of the women) were nicotine-dependent, according to the criteria of the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. The prevalence of current smoking in the 107 largest cities of Brazil is significantly lower in this decade than was the national prevalence at the end of last century.


Chronic low backache and stiffness may not be due ankylosing spondylitis.
A 38 years old man presented with 2 years history of low backache and progressively increasing stiffness of the spine. Movements were restricted at lumbar spine due to stiffness especially forward flexion was markedly reduced. He was suspected to be suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. There was no tenderness over sacroiliac joints or lumbar spine. Yellowish green Ochronotic pigmentation of cartilage of ears was noted. Radiographs of lumbar and thoracic spine revealed narrowing of inter-vertebral spaces with calcification of intervertebral discs. Homogentisic acid was present in the patient's urine sample, suggesting him to be suffering from Alkaptonuria. Patient is being managed with non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and vitamin C, 1g daily.


[Effects of surgical operation on helper-inducer T-lymphocytes in sino-nasal neoplasms patients].
To explore the effects of surgical operation on helper-inducer T-lymphocytes (Th1/Th2) in sino-nasal neoplasms. From January 2004 to December 2011, 80 patients with malignant tumor in nasal cavities or sinuses were enrolled as experimental group and another 80 subjects with deflection of nasal septum as control group. The phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from both malignant tumor and normal control tissues. And flow cytometry was used to detect the expression percentages of interleukin-4 (IL-4) in Th2 cell and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in Th1 cell at pre and post-operation. The preoperative expression percentage of CD3(+) CD8(-) IL-4(+) cell in malignant tumor patients was higher than that in controls (6.6% ± 1.7% vs 2.8% ± 1.7%, P < 0.05) while the expression percentage of CD3(+) CD8(-) IFN-γ(+) cell was lower (18.7% ± 5.7% vs 59.3% ± 1.5%, P < 0.05). The preoperative expression percentage of CD3(+) CD8(-) IL-4(+) cell was higher than that at postoperation (6.6% ± 1.7 %vs 2.8% ± 1.5%, P < 0.05). And the postoperative expression percentage of CD3(+) CD8(-) IFN-γ(+) cell was higher than that at preoperation (54.0% ± 4.0% vs 18.7% ± 5.7%, P < 0.05). Surgery may restore the immune balance in patients with malignant tumors in nasal cavities or sinuses.


The crystal structure of seabream antiquitin reveals the structural basis of its substrate specificity.
The crystal structure of seabream antiquitin in complex with the cofactor NAD(+) was solved at 2.8A resolution. The mouth of the substrate-binding pocket is guarded by two conserved residues, Glu120 and Arg300. To test the role of these two residues, we have prepared the two mutants E120A and R300A. Our model and kinetics data suggest that antiquitin's specificity towards the substrate alpha-aminoadipic semialdehyde is contributed mainly by Glu120 which interacts with the alpha-amino group of the substrate. On the other hand, Arg300 does not have any specific interaction with the alpha-carboxylate group of the substrate, but is important in maintaining the active site conformation.


USP47 stabilizes BACH1 to promote the Warburg effect and non-small cell lung cancer development via stimulating Hk2 and Gapdh transcription.
Increasing studies demonstrated that ubiquitination plays a crucial part in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and targeted adjustment of the deubiquitination enzymes is a potential means for cancer treatment. However, the role of ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 47 (USP47) in NSCLC is still unclear. Here, we show that USP47 was upregulated in NSCLC clinical tissues and greatly related to advanced tumor stages and survival rate. Functional experimental results showed that USP47 promoted the cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. And the overexpression of USP47 promoted the glycolysis capacity of lung cancer cells. Mechanistic investigations showed that USP47 promoted NSCLC development, which depends a lot on directly binding to and deubiquitination of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor 1 (BACH1, BTB and CNC homology 1). BACH1 was also significantly overexpressed in primary NSCLC tissues and positively correlated with the expression of USP47. The promotion of USP47 on the Warburg effect and NSCLC progression was mediated by the deubiquitination of BACH1 and the downstream transcriptional regulation of hexokinase 2 (Hk2) and glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gapdh). Therefore, targeting USP47/BACH1 axis might offer a new way to inhibit the progression of NSCLC.


High rate of indeterminate results of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold in-tube test, third generation, in patients with systemic vasculitis.
To describe the frequency of QuantiFERON-TB Gold in-tube test® (QFT-GIT) indeterminate results due to no response to phytohaemagglutinin A stimulation in the control tube in vasculitis patients prior to immunosuppressant therapy; and to compare it with other groups of patients. This was a single-centre, retrospective study. Patients and controls were included between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2015. We assessed the rate of indeterminate results of the QFT-GIT in 38 patients with systemic vasculitis prior to any corticosteroid or immunosuppressant therapy, compared with 40 non-vasculitis patients with biological inflammatory syndrome, and 310 non-immunosuppressed patients matched for gender and age. Indeterminate results due to no response to phytohaemagglutinin A were more frequent in vasculitis patients (21.1%) compared with non-vasculitis patients with biological inflammatory syndrome (7.5%) (Fisher's exact test: P = 0.11) and to anonymized controls (7%) (P = 0.009). Responses to phytohaemagglutinin A were significantly lower in vasculitis patients compared with other groups (Kruskal-Wallis test: P < 0.0001) and compared with non-vasculitis patients with biological inflammatory syndrome (P = 0.0015). The multivariable analysis identified as independent predictors of an indeterminate result of the QFT-GIT: the presence of systemic vasculitis (odds ratio 9.64 [1.14-81.3], P = 0.037) and a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (odds ratio 1.70 [1.21-2.37], P = 0.002). One patient with an indeterminate result of QFT-GIT developed active tuberculosis after one year of corticosteroid therapy for giant cell arteritis. Our results question the reliability of QFT-GIT to rule out latent tuberculosis in vasculitis patients at diagnosis, prior to immunosuppressant therapy.


Left ventricular hypertrophy as a risk factor for arrhythmias in hemodialysis patients.
The contribution of left ventricular hypertrophy in determining ventricular arrhythmias (VAS) was studied in 81 chronic renal failure patients in chronic hemodialysis using two-dimensional echocardiographic and electrocardiogram Holter monitoring. The prevalence of LVH was 93% (96% in hypertensive and 87% in normotensive patients). The prevalence of VA was 48%. These arrhythmias were associated with increased cardiac mass, lack of potassium supplementation to the hemodialysis bath, and low K+ and PaO2 during dialysis. Severe forms of VA occurred in 19 of 78 patients, and the risk factors for this occurrence were (a) largely increased cardiac mass indices (exceeding in more than 40% the upper limit of normal for each sex) and (b) prolonged periods of time in hemodialysis treatment (34 +/- 5.5 vs. 17 +/- 2.7 months, p less than 0.05). Changes in potassium or oxygen content of the blood were not significantly associated with the occurrence of severe forms of VA.


Homocysteine Impairs Endothelial Cell Barrier Function and Angiogenic Potential via the Progranulin/EphA2 Pathway.
Hyperhomocysteinemia is a well-recognized independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. To date, the mechanism of pathological plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level elevation remains to be elucidated. We aimed to investigate the levels of progranulin (PGRN), Eph-receptor tyrosine kinase-type A2 (EphA2), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and Hcy in patients with arteriosclerosis and investigate their functions in Hcy-injured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). EphA2 knockdown was induced in HUVECs by shRNA lentivirus infection with EphA2-RNAi, and bulk RNA-seq assay was performed. Then we investigated the mechanism underlying the effect of recombinant human PGRN (rhPGRN) combined with shRNA interference of EphA2 on cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in Hcy-injured HUVECs. Results showed that serum EphA2, VCAM-1, and Hcy levels in acute coronary syndrome patients were significantly higher than those in chronic coronary syndrome patients (p = 0.000; p = 0.000; p = 0.033, respectively). In vitro, we demonstrated that knockdown of EphA2 significantly impaired cell adhesion and inhibited HUVECs migration and angiogenesis (p < 0.001), which was associated with reduction in VCAM1 and VE-cadherin (p < 0.05). Hcy modulated the expression of PGRN and EphA2 in a time-and dose-dependent manner. However, rhPGRN ameliorated the Hcy-induced reduction in cell viability and migration (p < 0.05). Mechanistically, we found that PGRN/EphA2 and its downstream AKT/NF-κB signaling might be the primary signal transduction pathways underlying Hcy-induced injury. The present study illustrated that PGRN plays a previously unrecognized role in Hcy-induced endothelial injury, which is achieved through its interaction with EphA2 signaling, implying a promising therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease.


The relationship between fibrinogen and in-hospital mortality in patients with type A acute aortic dissection.
Fibrinogen plays an important role in hemostasis and thrombosis and is proven to have prognostic significance in patients with cardiovascular disease. We examined the utility of fibrinogen as a prognostic indicator for patients with type A acute aortic dissection (AAD). This study was performed in consecutive patients with type A AAD admitted to our hospital within 24 hours after onset of symptoms. Fibrinogen levels were measured on admission. Baseline clinical characteristics and laboratory test results were collected. The endpoint was in-hospital mortality. A total of 143 patients with type A AAD were enrolled. Compared with the survivors, the nonsurvivors had significant lower fibrinogen levels (1.95(1.37, 2.38) vs. 2.37(1.85, 3.15) g/L, p=0.001). The cutoff level of fibrinogen determined by ROC curve analysis was 2.17 g/L, with a sensitivity, specificity of 71.9%, 60.4% respectively, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.686 (95% CI, 0.585-0.768; p=0.001). After controlling for potentially relevant confounding variables, we found an admission fibrinogen level less than 2.17g/L was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 5.527; 95% CI, 1.660-18.401; p=0.005) compared with those with fibrinogen greater than 2.17g/L. Low fibrinogen level on admission is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with type A AAD.


Carbon 1s excitation spectroscopy of propyne, trifluoropropyne, and propargyl alcohol.
The C 1s excitation spectra of propyne (HC2CH3), 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne (HC2CF3), and propargyl alcohol (HC3CH3OH) have been studied using synchrotron radiation and ion time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Discrete peaks below the carbon 1s ionization thresholds are compared and assigned, aided in part by ab-initio calculations incorporating an explicit C 1s hole. Calculated C 1s ionization potentials are in good agreement with previously reported experimental values. Calculated absolute excitation energies consistently underestimate the transition term values, but calculated relative excitation energies and intensities are in good agreement with the experimental results. The spectra are dominated by intense C 1s --> pi transitions. In the case of propyne, C 1s excitations from each of the three chemically inequivalent carbon atoms are observed. The effect of electronegative substitution is found to be different for the C 1s --> Rydberg transitions than for transitions to unoccupied valence levels, with Rydberg transition energies shifting with changes in the C 1s ionization potentials but valence transition energies showing only small changes with electronegative substitution. The C 1s (3a1,4a1) --> pi (6e) transitions of trifluoropropyne are shifted to lower energy relative to propyne even though the electronegative fluorine atoms cause a significant shift to higher energy in the corresponding C 1s IPs.


A multiobjective simultaneous learning framework for clustering and classification.
Traditional pattern recognition involves two tasks: clustering learning and classification learning. Clustering result can enhance the generalization ability of classification learning, while the class information can improve the accuracy of clustering learning. Hence, both learning methods can complement each other. To fuse the advantages of both learning methods together, many existing algorithms have been developed in a sequential fusing way by first optimizing the clustering criterion and then the classification criterion associated with the obtained clustering results. However, such kind of algorithms naturally fails to achieve the simultaneous optimality for two criteria, and thus has to sacrifice either the clustering performance or the classification performance. To overcome that problem, in this paper, we present a multiobjective simultaneous learning framework (MSCC) for both clustering and classification learning. MSCC utilizes multiple objective functions to formulate the clustering and classification problems, respectively, and more importantly, it employs the Bayesian theory to make these functions all only dependent on a set of the same parameters, i.e., clustering centers which play a role of the bridge connecting the clustering and classification learning. By simultaneously optimizing the clustering centers embedded in these functions, not only the effective clustering performance but also the promising classification performance can be simultaneously attained. Furthermore, from the multiple Pareto-optimality solutions obtained in MSCC, we can get an interesting observation that there is complementarity to great extent between clustering and classification learning processes. Empirical results on both synthetic and real data sets demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of MSCC.


Contraction of Entangled Polymers After Large Step Shear Deformations in Slip-Link Simulations.
Although the tube framework has achieved remarkable success to describe entangled polymer dynamics, the chain motion assumed in tube theories is still a matter of discussion. Recently, Xu et al. [ACS Macro Lett. 2018, 7, 190⁻195] performed a molecular dynamics simulation for entangled bead-spring chains under a step uniaxial deformation and reported that the relaxation of gyration radii cannot be reproduced by the elaborated single-chain tube model called GLaMM. On the basis of this result, they criticized the tube framework, in which it is assumed that the chain contraction occurs after the deformation before the orientational relaxation. In the present study, as a test of their argument, two different slip-link simulations developed by Doi and Takimoto and by Masubuchi et al. were performed and compared to the results of Xu et al. In spite of the modeling being based on the tube framework, the slip-link simulations excellently reproduced the bead-spring simulation result. Besides, the chain contraction was observed in the simulations as with the tube picture. The obtained results imply that the bead-spring results are within the scope of the tube framework whereas the failure of the GLaMM model is possibly due to the homogeneous assumption along the chain for the fluctuations induced by convective constraint release.


Estimating the stability of census-based racial/ethnic classifications: the case of Brazil.
This study presents a method of estimating the degree to which people change their racial/ethnic identity from one census enumeration to another. The technique is applied to the classification of skin colour in Brazil (white, black, brown, yellow). For the period 1950-80, the findings show a deficit of 38 per cent in the black category and a gain of 34 per cent in the brown category, suggesting that a large proportion of individuals who declared themselves black in 1950 reclassified themselves as brown in 1980. Estimates for 1980-90, adjusted for the effects of international migration, reveal a similar pattern, although the magnitude of colour reclassification may have declined somewhat during the 1980s. Procedures to determine the stability of racial/ethnic identity produce data useful to recent policy initiatives that rely on demographic censuses to measure changes in the status of minority groups in less developed countries.


Top-cited dermatology authors publishing in 5 "high-impact" general medical journals.
In addition to publishing in the dermatologic literature, some dermatologists also publish articles in the general medical journals, which enjoy wide circulation and whose articles are often cited. To identify articles and citations to these articles that the most frequently cited authors in the dermatologic literature published in highly cited general medical journals. We obtained a citation database from the Institute of Scientific Information, Philadelphia, Pa, that identified all articles published by the top-cited authors in the dermatologic literature in 5 "high-impact" general medical journals. The 5 high-impact general medical journals with the historically highest impact factors. Two hundred top-cited authors in dermatology journals and their coauthors. Number of citations to articles published in 5 high-impact general medical journals. From 1981 to 1998, 120 of the 200 top-cited dermatology authors published a total of 674 papers in the 5 most highly cited general medical journals. Original articles published in these high-impact general medical journals were cited an average 7.5 times more often than articles published in dermatology journals. Top-cited authors in dermatology journals also frequently publish in the leading 5 high-impact general medical journals. Publications in these journals by dermatologists are often highly cited.


Intrathecal baclofen down-regulates GABAB receptors in the rat substantia gelatinosa.
At present, it is not clear why drug tolerance develops in patients receiving intrathecal baclofen for the chronic treatment of spasticity of spinal origin. To investigate the mechanisms of tolerance to the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAB) agonist baclofen, rats were implanted with intrathecal catheters and continuously infused with either the drug or saline for 1, 3, or 7 days. The dose chosen, 1 microgram/hr, initially caused profound hindlimb motor weakness, but by Day 7 the rats had adapted to the drug and exhibited only minimal motor impairment. The animals were sacrificed on Day 1, 3, or 7 and quantitative autoradiography was used to determine the binding density and affinity of the GABAB receptors in the substantia gelatinosa of the lumbar spinal cord. After 1 day of drug infusion there was no change in binding parameters, but after 3 and especially after 7 days there was a significant decrease in the GABAB binding density (74% and 66%, respectively) in baclofen-treated rats as compared to saline-treated control rats. This GABAB receptor down-regulation correlated with tolerance to the motor weakness in the baclofen-treated animals and suggests that similar mechanisms contribute to drug tolerance in patients.


Integrated gray-level gradient method applied for the extraction of three-dimensional velocity fields of sprays in in-line digital holography.
In this study, an integrated gray-level gradient method is applied to extract the three-dimensional (3D) velocity fields of sprays. This method consists of a conventional edge-sharpness method and a new method, namely, the overall-sharpness method, which is an efficient supplement of the former. And then the synchronization system is designed and assembled to record double-exposure spray holograms in a short time interval. Finally, using the integrated gray-level gradient method and some image processing techniques, the 3D coordinates of droplets are easily obtained, which can be used to evaluate the 3D velocity fields and the size features of spray droplets in different spray injection pressures. It proves that the integrated gray-level gradient method is well applied to measure the characteristics of sprays in in-line digital holography.


A Critical Appraisal of Extracorporeal Photopheresis as a Treatment Modality for Acute and Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.
Although significant advances have been made in the biologic understanding of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and its treatment options, GVHD remains the single most challenging obstacle to the success of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) due to high risk of disabling morbidity and mortality. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has promising effects in controlling steroid-refractory GVHD, both acute and chronic, and it has been studied extensively. Its putative immunomodulatory mechanisms, while not immunosuppressive, position ECP as an attractive treatment strategy for GVHD patients who are already receiving global immunosuppression. However, ECP is relatively underutilized due in part to limited access and time commitment. Here, we review the recent findings on the ECP efficacy in both acute and chronic GVHD, primarily for steroid-refractory status, and we critically appraise its benefits. We also explore salient considerations on the optimal use of ECP in the treatment of refractory GVHD.


Polysubstance use in a community sample of Black cisgender sexual minority men and transgender women in Chicago during initial COVID-19 pandemic peak.
In response to COVID-19, the city of Chicago issued stay-at-home orders, which began on March 20, 2020, and restrictions meant to "flatten the curve" remained in effect until June 2, 2020. On June 3, 2020, Chicago entered the reopening phase. This study compares rates of polysubstance use by COVID-19 lockdown phase and across sociodemographic characteristics in a Chicago-based sample of Black cisgender sexual minority men (SMM) and transgender women. Data come from the Neighborhood and Networks (N2) cohort, an ongoing study of Black cisgender SMM and transgender women living in Chicago. Participants (N = 226) completed a survey between April 20, 2020, and July 30, 2020, during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Chicago. We conducted chi-square tests of independence and modified Poisson regression models with robust error variance and estimated adjusted prevalence ratios. Alcohol and marijuana were the most used substances, with 73.5% reporting at least one drinking day and 71.2% of the sample reporting marijuana use in the past 14 days. Tobacco was used by 41.6% of the sample, and illegal drug use, which does not include marijuana, was reported by 17.7% of the sample. Substance use was consistently associated with the use of other substances. As such, polysubstance use (i.e., using two or more substances) was common in this sample (63.7%). Few sociodemographic differences emerged, and substance use was not associated with lockdown phase. Substance use, including polysubstance use, was high in our sample of Black SMM and transgender women during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Continued monitoring is needed given the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the negative health consequences associated with substance use in this population.


The genetics of Drosophila transgenics.
In Drosophila, the genetic approach is still the method of choice for answering fundamental questions on cell biology, signal transduction, development, physiology and behavior. In this approach, a gene's function is ascertained by altering either the amount or quality of the gene product, and then observing the consequences. The genetic approach is itself polymorphous, encompassing new and more complex techniques that typically employ the growing collections of transgenes. The keystone of these modern Drosophila transgenic techniques has been the Gal4 binary system. Recently, several new techniques have modified this binary system to offer greater control over the timing, tissue specificity and magnitude of gene expression. Additionally, the advances in post-transcriptional gene silencing, or RNAi, have greatly expanded the ability to knockdown almost any gene's function. Regardless of the growing experimental intricacy, the application of these advances to modify gene activity still obeys the fundamental principles of genetic analysis. Several of these transgenic techniques, which offer more precise control over a gene's activity, will be reviewed here with a discussion on how they may be used for determining a gene's function.


Local acetate inhibits brown adipose tissue function.
Brown adipose tissue has been extensively studied in the last decade for its potential to counteract the obesity pandemic. However, the paracrine regulation within brown tissue is largely unknown. Here, we show that local acetate directly inhibits brown fat thermogenesis, without changing acetate levels in the circulation. We demonstrate that modulating acetate within brown tissue at physiological levels blunts its function and systemically decreases energy expenditure. Using a series of transcriptomic analyses, we identified genes related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and brown adipocyte formation, which are down-regulated upon local acetate administration. Overall, these findings demonstrate that local acetate inhibits brown fat function.


Optimization of Surface Loading of the Silatrane Anchoring Group on TiO2.
Anchoring groups are usually needed for the attachment of small molecules to metal oxide surfaces such as in water-splitting dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells (WS-DSPECs). Here, we optimize the surface loading onto titanium dioxide surfaces of the silatrane anchoring group, a triethanolamine-protected trialkoxysilane. This anchoring group is not yet widely used because prior protocols afforded low surface coverage, but it has the advantage of high stability over a wide pH range and at both oxidizing and reducing potentials when bound. A new and improved method for estimating surface coverage is described here and used to determine that loading using previously reported binding protocols is very low. However, we were able to uncover several factors contributing to this low loading, which has allowed us to develop methods to greatly improve surface coverage for a variety of silatranes. Most notably, we were able to increase the loading of a model arylsilatrane by 145% through use of a benzoic acid additive. This is not general acid catalysis because alkylsilatranes are not similarly affected and 4-t-butylbenzoic acid, having a similar pKa to benzoic acid, is not effective. Because the bulky t-butyl group of the latter additive is not expected to pi-stack with our arylsilatrane, we have tentatively assigned this enhancement to aromatic stacking between the aromatic additive and the arylsilatrane.


Identification, purification, and characterization of monoacylglycerol acyltransferase from developing peanut cotyledons.
Biosynthesis of diacylglycerols in plants occurs mainly through the acylation of lysophosphatidic acid in the microsomal membranes. Here we describe the first identification of diacylglycerol biosynthetic activity in the soluble fraction of developing oilseeds. This activity was NaF-insensitive and acyl-CoA-dependent. Diacylglycerol formation was catalyzed by monoacylglycerol (MAG) acyltransferase (EC ) that transferred an acyl moiety from acyl-CoA to MAG. The enzyme was purified by successive chromatographic separations on octyl-Sepharose, blue-Sepharose, Superdex-75, and palmitoyl-CoA-agarose to apparent homogeneity from developing peanut (Arachis hypogaea) cotyledons. The enzyme was purified to 6,608-fold with the final specific activity of 15.86 nmol min(-1) mg(-1). The purified enzyme was electrophoretically homogeneous, and its molecular mass was 43,000 daltons. The purified MAG acyltransferase was specific for MAG and did not utilize any other acyl acceptor such as glycerol, glycerol-3-phosphate, lysophosphatidic acid, and lysophosphatidylcholine. The K(m) values for 1-palmitoylglycerol and 1-oleoylglycerol were 16.39 and 5.65 micrometer, respectively. The K(m) values for 2-monoacylglycerols were 2- to 4-fold higher than that of the corresponding 1-monoacylglycerol. The apparent K(m) values for palmitoyl-, stearoyl-, and oleoyl-CoAs were 17.54, 25.66, and 9.35 micrometer, respectively. Fatty acids, phospholipids, and sphingosine at low concentrations stimulated the enzyme activity. The identification of MAG acyltransferase in oilseeds suggests the presence of a regulatory link between signal transduction and synthesis of complex lipids in plants.


Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and graft-versus-host disease: a case study.
Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is an acceptable treatment option for children with hematologic malignancies that are refractory to traditional treatments. Reports in the literature suggest that acute graft-verus-host disease (aGVHD), a common complication of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. aGVHD, a complex immunologic response, is reported in allogeneic transplants in which there is antigen presentation and activation of the donor T cell. The release of cytokines from the activated lymphocytes results in host cell death. This article reports on a 3-year-old child with a hematologic malignancy who, upon relapse, had received an identically matched allogeneic stem cell transplant from a sibling. Prophylaxis against aGVHD included several immunosuppressive agents. The dosage and serum levels of mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus were carefully monitored; however, the aGVHD progressed to include the liver and gut. As the child continued to deteriorate the aggressive treatment against aGVHD continued without success. A review of this case of aGVHD will provide nurses a knowledge base that is necessary to provide optimal care to the patient and family members alike.


[Intraoperative staining of tissues].
Possibilities of vital dyeing to determine blood supplied from non blood supplied tissues are subject of many years' investigations. They may play an important role in traumatology, reconstructive and septic surgery. In acute traumatic changes one of the methods known is the so called immediate surgical treatment with delayed operation. In chronic and septic pathological changes there exists a great difficulty distinguishing necrotic parts of bone or soft tissues, which are the cause of long lasting inflammation and external fistulas. This process can last for months or even years if not treated by a proper and precise surgical procedure. Very helpful may be vital dying of tissues which was introduced by K. Klemm in 1970 for the surgical treatment of septic bone necrosis using the Disulphine Blue, produced by Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Pharmaceuticals, Division, Macclesfield Cheshire, G. B. The tissue dyes are used widely for subcutaneous injections in lymphography, i.e. in about 30,000 patients in USA yearly. Disulphine Blue is a water soluble and partly spirit soluble powder giving a blue solution, which can be sterilized in autoclave. After an intravenous application of 0.25-0.5 ml/kg body of 6.2% solution a green colour of skin and conjunctivas appears in 5 minutes. The dye can appear in bile, bronchial tree, feces and in intestine secretions. It is evacuated with urine. Green colour of the skin disappear after 36 hours in children and after 48 hours in adults. This dye has been used as a direct visual test to investigate normal blood-supplied and necrotic soft and bone tissues. This phenomenon can have a special significance for defining the vitality in inflammation of bone tissue, in burns and in necrosis of soft tissues a.a. of the Achilles tendon. A demonstrative case report. Patient K. J., 32 years old, a worker and sportsman was hospitalized in our clinic because of chronic inflammation and purulent fistulas 10 weeks after two operations in one of hospitals because of traumatic right Achilles tendon rupture. During the first operation the tendon was sutured and the leg immobilized for a period of 6 weeks. After that time the plaster dressing was removed and during the rehabilitation was stated a secondary Achilles tendon rupture. The tendon was resutured. The course after the operation was complicated with haematoma and purulent fistulas. Antibiotics were used but without effect. In our Clinic 10 weeks after the primary injury and unsuccessful local treatment we performed a subsequent operation after slow intravenous injection of 10 ml Disulphine Blue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


A novel tetranuclear copper(I) sulfanide complex with bis(diphenylphosphino)amine.
The title novel mixed mu(2)-SH- and mu(3)-SH-bridged tetranuclear copper(I) complex, cyclo-bis[mu(2)-bis(diphenylphosphino)amine]di-mu(3)-sulfanido-di-mu(2)-sulfanido-tetracopper(I) methanol disolvate, [Cu(4)(SH)(4)(C(24)H(21)NP(2))(2)].2CH(3)OH, has crystallographically imposed centrosymmetry and affords a neutral Cu(4)S(4) core with a distorted step-like structure. The distances of 2.8458 (16) and 2.8179 (16) A between copper(I) centres indicate the presence of ligand-supported Cu...Cu interactions. Strong N-H...O and O-H...S hydrogen bonds between the tetranuclear cluster and methanol solvent molecules result in a two-dimensional hydrogen-bonded supramolecular network. This complex is the first example of a coinage tetranuclear metal complex with mixed mu(2)-SH- and mu(3)-SH-bridged chromophores.


Detection of quantitative trait loci controlling bud burst and height growth in Quercus robur L.
Genetic variation of bud burst and early growth components was estimated in a full-sib family of Quercus robur L. comprising 278 offspring. The full sibs were vegetatively propagated, and phenotypic assessments were made in three field tests. This two-generation pedigree was also used to construct a genetic linkage map (12 linkage groups, 128 markers) and locate quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling bud burst and growth components. In each field test, the date of bud burst extended over a period of 20 days from the earliest to the latest clone. Bud burst exhibited higher heritability (0.15-0.51) than growth components (0.04-0.23) and also higher correlations across field tests. Over the three tests there were 32 independent detected QTLs ( P<or=5% at the chromosome level) controlling bud burst, which likely represent at least 12 unique genes or chromosomal regions controlling this trait. QTLs explained from 3% to 11% of the variance of the clonal means. The number of QTLs controlling height growth components was lower and varied between two and four. However the contribution of each QTL to the variance of the clonal mean was higher (from 4% to 19%). These results indicate that the genetic architecture of two important fitness-related traits are quite different. On the one hand, bud burst is controlled by several QTLs with rather low to moderate effects, but contributing to a high genetic (additive) variance. On the other hand, height growth depends on fewer QTLs with moderate to strong effects, resulting in lower heritabilities of the trait.


A randomized controlled clinical trial of a patient decision aid for posttraumatic stress disorder.
Patient decision aids have been used in many clinical situations to improve the patient centeredness of care. A patient decision aid for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has not been developed or tested. The authors evaluated the effects of a patient decision aid on the patient centeredness of PTSD treatment. The study was a randomized trial of a patient decision aid for PTSD versus treatment as usual (control group). The participants were 132 male and female veterans who presented to a single U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital with a new diagnosis of PTSD. Patient centeredness was assessed by knowledge of PTSD and its treatment, level of decisional uncertainty, and ability to state a preferred treatment option. Secondary outcomes included treatments received and PTSD symptoms in the six months after study entry. Compared with the control group (N=65), participants who reviewed the patient decision aid (N=63) had higher scores for PTSD knowledge (p=.002) and less conflict about their choice of treatment (p=.003). In addition, participants who reviewed the patient decision aid were more likely to select and receive an evidence-based treatment for PTSD (p=.04) and had superior PTSD outcomes (p=.004) compared with the control group. Use of a patient decision aid was associated with improvements in patient-centered PTSD treatment. The patient decision aid was also associated with greater use of evidence-based treatments and improvement of PTSD symptoms. This study suggests that clinics should consider using a patient decision aid for patients with PTSD.


Cascade synthesis with (triphenylphosphoranylidene)-ethenone as a versatile reagent for fast synthesis of heterocycles and unsaturated amides under microwave dielectric heating.
A general procedure for the synthesis of a large variety of compounds comprising an alpha, beta,-unsaturated carbonyl functionality was developed. The use of one-pot cascade synthesis with (triphenylphosphora-nylidene)ethenone as a versatile reagent for various formations including heterocycles of different ring sizes and unsaturated amides in combination with microwave dielectric heating is described. The method was used to synthesize a small library of unsaturated amides.


[Bioassay of Lyso-PAF platelet activating factor and it's role in bronchial asthma].
Plasma and lung homogenate lyso-PAF were measured by using the method of bioassay in guinea pigs with allergic asthma and asthmatic patients. The results showed that Lyso-PAF levels were increased significantly in asthmatics, and it was positively correlated with TXB2 levels. It is suggested that PAF plays an important role in bronchial asthma, which may be correlated with TXA2. The method of bioassay of Lyso-PAF is stable, reliable and special instruments are not needed.


Leading by Example: Role Modeling Resilience Helps Our Learners and Ourselves.
The issues of burnout and its consequences are some of the most prevalent topics in conversations about the practice of medicine today. Many reports have focused on the contributors that fuel this epidemic, but the time has come to begin to focus on solutions. Prominent national efforts, including a National Academy of Medicine collaborative task force and the 2017 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education common program requirements' focus on wellness, are presenting opportunities for academic medicine faculty to take the lead in turning this tide. While solutions to the burnout crisis are complex, the foundations of improving this epidemic lie in restoring a sense of purpose and balance in the lives of those who work in academic medicine. The inherent value of academic medicine to improve others' lives through patient care, the advancement of knowledge, and the education of the next generation is a unique opportunity that many other professions do not share. On the best days, academic medicine faculty must remember to look for that joy and to express it to learners, and, on the worst, they must demonstrate to learners how to practice self-care and how to create personal resilience. By taking on the role of becoming resilient, faculty start to foster a culture of well-being rather than burnout and can begin to find solutions instead of continuing to describe the problem.


Pharmaceutical organogels prepared from aromatic amino acid derivatives.
Organogels are semi-solid systems in which an organic liquid phase is immobilized by a 3-dimensional network composed of self-assembled gelator molecules. Although there is a large variety of organogel systems, relatively few have been investigated in the field of drug delivery, owing mostly to the lack of information on their biocompatibility and toxicity. In this work, organogelator-biocompatible structures based on aromatic amino acids, namely, tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine were synthesized by derivatization with aliphatic chains. Their ability to gel an injectable vegetable oil (i.e. safflower oil) and to sustain the release of a model anti-Alzheimer drug (i.e. rivastigmine) was then evaluated. Organogels and molecular packing were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, rheology analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The amino acid derivatives were able to gel safflower oil through van der Waals interactions and H-bonds. Tyrosine-derivatives produced the strongest gels while tryptophan was associated with poor gelling properties. The superior gelling ability of tyrosine derivatives could be explained by their well-structured 2-dimensional packing in the network. The addition of an optimal N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone amount to tyrosine gels fluidized the network and allowed their injection through conventional needles. Upon contact with an aqueous medium, the gels formed in situ and released entrapped rivastigmine in a sustained fashion.


Rad52 Restrains Resection at DNA Double-Strand Break Ends in Yeast.
Rad52 is a key factor for homologous recombination (HR) in yeast. Rad52 helps assemble Rad51-ssDNA nucleoprotein filaments that catalyze DNA strand exchange, and it mediates single-strand DNA annealing. We find that Rad52 has an even earlier function in HR in restricting DNA double-stranded break ends resection that generates 3' single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) tails. In fission yeast, Exo1 is the primary resection nuclease, with the helicase Rqh1 playing a minor role. We demonstrate that the choice of two extensive resection pathways is regulated by Rad52. In rad52 cells, the resection rate increases from ∼3-5 kb/h up to ∼10-20 kb/h in an Rqh1-dependent manner, while Exo1 becomes dispensable. Budding yeast Rad52 similarly inhibits Sgs1-dependent resection. Single-molecule analysis with purified budding yeast proteins shows that Rad52 competes with Sgs1 for DNA end binding and inhibits Sgs1 translocation along DNA. These results identify a role for Rad52 in limiting ssDNA generated by end resection.


Towards Endoscopic No-Touch Saphenous Vein Graft Harvesting in Coronary Bypass Surgery.
The saphenous vein is the most used conduit for coronary artery bypass surgery. However, the patency rate of this graft is inferior to the internal thoracic artery patency rate, which is the gold standard. Using the conventional technique, the saphenous vein is harvested via a large open incision and excised in such a way that causes both vascular damage and wound healing complications. Consequently, vein graft patency and surgical site infection may be compromised. Graft patency is markedly improved when the saphenous vein is harvested atraumatically with minimal damage and with surrounding cushion of perivascular fat intact. However, despite the improved graft performance, wound healing complications and infection remain a problem. Although wound healing complication is reduced when using endoscopic vein harvesting, there may be a negative impact on graft performance. This is due to vascular damage associated with application of forces to the vein that are usually avoided in open vein harvesting, including traction, adventitial stripping, and venous compression. There is evidence to suggest that improved patency of endoscopically harvested saphenous veins is associated with the surgeon's experience of the technique. Recently, endoscopic methods of harvesting have been described where the saphenous vein is removed intact and with minimal vascular damage caused. In addition, wound healing complications, infection, and scarring are reduced. While the effect of these techniques on vein graft patency have yet to be reported, the ability to obtain a superior graft with reduced wound complications will be of great benefit to patients undergoing coronary revascularization procedures.


Meiotic behavior of a nonaploid accession endorses x = 6 for Brachiaria humidicola (Poaceae).
Brachiaria humidicola (Poaceae), originally from Africa, is an economically important pasture plant in tropical South America. An accession of B. humidicola (H038) collected from the wild African savanna (Mbeya, Tanzania) showed irregular microsporogenesis. This meiotic behavior was consistent with an allopolyploid origin. Multivalent chromosome association at diakinesis gave tri- to octavalents, associated with two nucleoli in some cells. Six non-congregated univalents in metaphase I and anaphase I, along with previous lines of evidence for x = 6 in B. humidicola, confirm H038 as a nonaploid accession, 2n = 9x = 54. Asynchrony in the genome during microsporogenesis also corroborated this assumption. Its putative origin could be a cross between two related species with different rhythms in meiosis. The meiotic behavior of this accession reinforces the hypothesis of the existence of a new basic chromosome number (x = 6) for Brachiaria. The use of this accession in the breeding of this important forage grass for the tropics is discussed.


The Role of Interface Ions in the Control of Water Transport through a Carbon Nanotube.
Controlling the water transport toward a given direction is still challenging, particularly due to thermal fluctuations of water motion at the nanoscale. While most of the previous works focus on the symmetric hydrophobic membrane systems, the role of the membrane in affecting the water transport remains largely unexplored. In this work, by using extensive molecular dynamics simulations, we find an interesting electropumping phenomenon, that is, the flowing counterions on an asymmetric hydrophobic-hydrophilic membrane can significantly drive the single-file water transport through a carbon nanotube, suggesting a nanometer water pump in a highly controllable fashion. The ion-water coupling motion in electric fields on the charged surface provides an indirect driving force for this pumping phenomenon. The water dynamics and thermal dynamics demonstrate a unique behavior with the change in electric fields, surface charge density, and even charge species. Particularly, due to the ion flux bifurcation for the positive and negative surfaces, the water dynamics such as the water flow, flux, and translocation time also exhibit similar asymmetry. Surprisingly, the positive surface charge induces an abnormal three-peak dipole distribution for the confined water and subsequent high flipping frequency. This can be attributed to the competition between the surface charge and interface water orientation on it. Our results indicate a new strategy to pump water through a nanochannel, making use of the counterion flowing on an asymmetric charged membrane, which are promising for future studies.


Signalprocessing in transmission pulse hemometry.
Supplying organs and body tissues with sufficient oxygen is one of the most important vital human functions. Commercial pulse oximeters compute the functional oxygen saturation from relative values (reduced hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin). Methemoglobin (MetHb) and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) are not taken into account, since they are considered to be reduced hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin (RHb, HbO2). The total hemoglobin concentration is not included, and is determined by invasive methods. In this work, a non-invasive pulse oximeter is developed, which finds the entire hemoglobin concentration photometrically, and measures the fractional oxygen saturation and pulse rate. The signal of transmitted light I is processed according to the Lambert-Beer-law. The signal decays exponentially with the thickness d of the irradiated sample and its absorption coefficient alpha (I = I0 e -alpha d), where I0 is the incident light intensity.


Hierarchical additive modeling of nonlinear association with spatial correlations--an application to relate alcohol outlet density and neighborhood assault rates.
Previous studies have suggested a link between alcohol outlets and assaults. In this paper, we explore the effects of alcohol availability on assaults at the census tract level over time. In addition, we use a natural experiment to check whether a sudden loss of alcohol outlets is associated with deeper decreasing in assault violence. Several features of the data raise statistical challenges: (1) the association between covariates (for example, the alcohol outlet density of each census tract) and the assault rates may be complex and therefore cannot be described using a linear model without covariates transformation, (2) the covariates may be highly correlated with each other, (3) there are a number of observations that have missing inputs, and (4) there is spatial association in assault rates at the census tract level. We propose a hierarchical additive model, where the nonlinear correlations and the complex interaction effects are modeled using the multiple additive regression trees and the residual spatial association in the assault rates that cannot be explained in the model are smoothed using a conditional autoregressive (CAR) method. We develop a two-stage algorithm that connects the nonparametric trees with CAR to look for important covariates associated with the assault rates, while taking into account the spatial association of assault rates in adjacent census tracts. The proposed method is applied to the Los Angeles assault data (1990-1999). To assess the efficiency of the method, the results are compared with those obtained from a hierarchical linear model.


Capability of Neutrophils to Form NETs Is Not Directly Influenced by a CMA-Targeting Peptide.
During inflammatory reaction, neutrophils exhibit numerous cellular and immunological functions, notably the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and autophagy. NETs are composed of decondensed chromatin fibers coated with various antimicrobial molecules derived from neutrophil granules. NETs participate in antimicrobial defense and can also display detrimental roles and notably trigger some of the immune features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other autoimmune diseases. Autophagy is a complex and finely regulated mechanism involved in the cell survival/death balance that may be connected to NET formation. To shed some light on the connection between autophagy and NET formation, we designed a number of experiments in human neutrophils and both in normal and lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice to determine whether the synthetic peptide P140, which is capable of selectively modulating chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) in lymphocytes, could alter NET formation. P140/Lupuzor™ is currently being evaluated in phase III clinical trials involving SLE patients. Overall our in vitro and in vivo studies established that P140 does not influence NET formation, cytokine/chemokine production, or CMA in neutrophils. Thus, the beneficial effect of P140/Lupuzor™ in SLE is apparently not directly related to modulation of neutrophil function.


PpNUDX8, a Peach NUDIX Hydrolase, Plays a Negative Regulator in Response to Drought Stress.
Drought stress is a serious abiotic stress source that affects the growth and fruit quality of peach trees. However, the molecular mechanism of the NUDIX hydrolase family in peaches in response to drought stress is still unclear. Here, we isolated and identified the PpNUDX8 (Prupe.5G062300.1) gene from the peach NUDIX hydrolase family, and found that PpNUDX8 has a typical NUDIX hydrolase domain. In this study, we performed 15% PEG6000 drought treatment on peach seedlings, and qRT-PCR analysis showed that 15% PEG6000 induced the transcription level of PpNUDX8. Overexpression of PpNUDX8 reduced the tolerance of calli to 4% PEG6000 treatment. Compared with wild-type apple calli, PpNUDX8 transgenic apple calli had a lower fresh weight and higher MDA content. After 15% PEG6000 drought treatment, PpNUDX8 transgenic tobacco had a greater degree of wilting and shorter primary roots than Under control conditions. The chlorophyll, soluble protein, and proline contents in the transgenic tobacco decreased, and the MDA content and relative conductivity increased. At the same time, PpNUDX8 negatively regulated ABA signal transduction and reduced the transcriptional expression of stress response genes. In addition, PpNUDX8 was not sensitive to ABA, overexpression of PpNUDX8 reduced the expression of the ABA synthesis-related gene NCED6 and increases the expression of the ABA decomposition-related gene CYP1 in tobacco, which in turn leads to a decrease in the ABA content in tobacco. In addition, Under control conditions, overexpression of PpNUDX8 destroyed the homeostasis of NAD and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in tobacco. After 15% PEG6000 drought treatment, the changes in NAD and NADH in PpNUDX8 transgenic tobacco were more severe than those in WT tobacco. In addition, PpNUDX8 also interacted with PpSnRk1γ (Prupe.6G323700.1).


Kyrieleis like plaques - atypical presentation of ocular Behcet's disease.
Purpose: To report an unusual presentation with kyrieleis like plaques in a patient with ocular Behcet's disease. Case presentation: A 28-year-old young male presented with blurring of vision in the left eye, fundus examination revealing focal segmental intra-arterial plaques involving all branches of retinal artery characteristics of kyrieleis-like plaques with no features of retinitis in retinal periphery and mild vitritis. All routine investigations were normal, the patient testing positive for HLA-B51 marker, diagnosed as a case of ocular Bechet's disease and managed with oral steroids and immunosuppressive agents. Results: The patient had good recovery of vision with substantial resolution of intra-arterial plaques. Conclusion: Ocular Bechet's disease can present with uncommon features of kyrieleis like plaques. Ophthalmologists need to be vigilant for the presence of such potential ocular manifestations as the likely initial presentation in order to obtain early diagnosis and initiate timely management.


COllaborative Shared care to IMprove Psychosis Outcome (COSIMPO): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Psychotic disorders are a group of severe mental disorders that cause considerable disability to sufferers and a high level of burden to families. In many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), traditional and faith healers are the main providers of care to affected persons. Even though frequently canvassed as desirable for improved care delivery, collaboration between these complementary alternative health providers (CAPs) and conventional health providers has yet to be rigorously tested for feasibility and effectiveness on patient outcomes. COSIMPO is a single-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) being conducted in Nigeria and Ghana to compare the effectiveness of a collaborative shared care (CSC) intervention program implemented by CAPs and primary health care providers (PHCPs) with care as usual (CAU) at improving the outcome of patients with psychosis. The study is designed to test the hypotheses that patients receiving CSC will have a better clinical outcome and experience fewer harmful treatment practices from the CAPs than patients receiving CAU at 6 months after study entry. An estimated sample of 296 participants will be recruited from across 51 clusters, with a cluster consisting of a primary care clinic and its neighboring CAP facilities. CSC is a manualized intervention package consisting of regular and scheduled visits of PHCPs to CAP facilities to assist with the management of trial participants. Assistance includes the administration of antipsychotic medications, management of comorbid physical condition, assisting the CAP to avoid harmful treatment practices, and engaging with CAPs, caregivers and participants in planning discharge and rehabilitation. The primary outcome, assessed at 6 months following trial entry, is improvement on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). Secondary outcomes, assessed at 3 and 6 months, consist of levels of disability, experience of harmful treatment practices and of victimization, and levels of perceived stigma and of caregivers' burden. Information about whether collaboration between orthodox and complementary health providers is feasible and can lead to improved outcome for patients is important to formulating policies designed to formally engage the services of traditional and faith healers within the public health system. National Institutes of Health Clinical Trial registry, ID: NCT02895269 . Registered on 30 July 2016.


Vascular ultrasonographic findings in canine patients with clinically diagnosed phlebitis.
Peripheral vein phlebitis (inflammation) is a relatively frequent complication in dogs, however, published information on the ultrasonographic characteristics is currently lacking. This prospective, observational study describes the ultrasound (US) characteristics of normal canine cephalic veins, and veins with clinical phlebitis. Correlations among US findings and between US findings versus time that the intravenous catheter was in place were investigated. Safety of the US procedure was evaluated. Fifty patients were prospectively recruited for the study and 18 met the final inclusion criteria. Each patient underwent daily US examinations and was assessed for multiple criteria (vascular wall appearance, compressibility, spontaneity of flow, color fill, and presence/absence of filling defects, flow contour, direction, non-pulsatility). Characteristics of normal canine cephalic veins were as follows: smooth and thin wall, complete compressibility, no flow disturbances, no filling defects, smooth flow contours, and unidirectional, non-pulsatile flow with no turbulence. Characteristics of cephalic veins with clinical phlebitis were as follows: wall thickening (83%), decreased compressibility (55%), filling defects consistent with intraluminal thrombus (55%), vessel wall hyperechogenicity (44%), and abnormal color Doppler flow (39%). Significant correlations were found between Doppler filling defects and compressibility, Doppler filling defects and presumed thrombosis, and compressibility and presumed thrombosis (P = .001, P = .001, P = .000, respectively). No correlation was found between the US findings and time the intravenous catheter was in place. Findings indicated that duplex and compressibility US are feasible and safe methods for characterizing and monitoring cephalic veins in dogs with clinical phlebitis.


SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Kidneys: An Evolving Picture.
Since December 2019, a novel coronavirus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused an outbreak of a respiratory illness worldwide. Even though SARS-CoV-2 primarily affects the respiratory system, other organs such as the heart and kidneys are implicated. The pathophysiology of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) patients is not clearly defined. Direct kidney injury results from virus entry through angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptors which are highly expressed by the podocytes and proximal convoluted tubules, as suggested by "viral-like" particles on electron microscopy. However, the link between the presence of viral particles in kidney tissue and kidney injury has not been fully explained. Furthermore, it is also hypothesized that collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), myoglobin toxicity, sepsis-linked, and glomeruli fibrin thrombi is part of the mechanism for AKI. Reported cases link FSGS and high-risk apolipoprotein 1 (APOL1) alleles in patients of African ancestry. Typically, these patients present with AKI and nephrotic-range proteinuria. The rate of AKI in hospitalized patients is high and associated with a higher mortality rate in older patients with comorbidities. Even higher mortality is now being reported in patients with chronic kidney disease and kidney transplant recipients due to immune system dysfunction. Herein, we review the current literature on kidney disease and pathogenesis in COVID-19 patients.


Four new taraxastane-type triterpenoic acids from Cirsium setosum.
Four new taraxastane-type triterpenoids acids 3β,22α-dihydroxy-20-taraxasten-30-oic acid (1), 3β-hydroxy-22-oxo-20-taraxasten-30-oic acid (2), 3-oxo-22α-hydroxy-20- taraxasten-30-oic acid (3), and 3β,19β-dihydroxy-20-taraxasten-30-oic acid (4) were isolated and characterized from Cirsium setosum (Willd.) MB. Their structures were determined by the combination of 1D and 2D NMR experiments ((1)H-(1)HCOSY, HSQC, HMBC and ROESY) and mass spectrometry. Compound 2 exhibited potent selective cytotoxicity against human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 with an IC50 value of 3.9 μM.


Direct Spectrophotometric Measurement of Photosystem I and Photosystem II Activities of Photosynthetic Membrane Preparations from Cyanophora paradoxa, Phormidium laminosum, and Spinach.
Vesicles prepared with the French press from membranes of cyanelles of Cyanophora paradoxa retain O(2) evolution activity with rates up to 500 micromoles 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol reduced per hour per milligram chlorophyll. This activity is immediately lost when the vesicles are transferred from the sucrose-phosphate-citrate preparation buffer into dilute phosphate buffer. Similar preparations from Phormidium laminosum, a thermophilic cyanobacterium retain activity under such conditions. Photosystem I activities of both cyanobacterial vesicle preparations were determined by direct spectrophotometric measurement of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine photooxidation in the presence of anthraquinone-2-sulfonate. The rates so determined were compared with rates of O(2) taken up in the presence of methyl viologen or anthraquinone-2-sulfonate as electron acceptors. The predicted stoichiometry of two was observed for moles of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine oxidized per mole of oxygen taken up. Anthraquinone-2-sulfonate was the better electron acceptor, and maximal rates of 943 micromoles per hour per milligram chlorophyll for O(2) uptake were observed for Phormidium laminosum preparations in the presence of superoxide dismutase. For purposes of comparison, spinach chloroplasts were assayed for similar activities. All preparations were readily assayed for photosystem I activity by the direct spectrophotometric method, which has advantages of simplicity and freedom from errors introduced by photoxidation of other substrates by photosystem I when O(2) uptake is measured.


Keratinocyte growth factor can enhance alveolar epithelial repair by nonmitogenic mechanisms.
Pretreatment with keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) ameliorates experimentally induced acute lung injury in rats. Although alveolar epithelial type II cell hyperplasia probably contributes, the mechanisms underlying KGF's protective effect remain incompletely described. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that KGF given to rats in vivo would enhance alveolar epithelial repair in vitro by nonproliferative mechanisms. After intratracheal instillation (48 h) of KGF (5 mg/kg), alveolar epithelial type II cells were isolated for in vitro alveolar epithelial repair studies. KGF-treated cells had markedly increased epithelial repair (96 +/- 22%) compared with control cells (P < 0.001). KGF-treated cells had increased cell spreading and migration at the wound edge but no increase in in vitro proliferation compared with control cells. KGF-treated cells were more adherent to extracellular matrix proteins and polystyrene. Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor with tyrosine kinase inhibitors abolished the KGF effect on epithelial repair. In conclusion, in vivo administration of KGF augments the epithelial repair rate of alveolar epithelial cells by altering cell adherence, spreading, and migration and through stimulation of the EGF receptor.


[Plans of the German Roentgen Society and the Professional Association for Quality Assurance in Mammography].
A high level of quality is an unequivocal prerequisite for obtaining the highest possible accuracy in symptomatic patients and for reproducing the results concerning mortality reduction, which were obtained in large screening trials. Present deficiencies in Germany are due to legal regulations, which have not been updated and which are thus below European standard. Furthermore the quality assurance program has not proven sufficiently effective for mammography. In order to promote mammographic quality assurance, the German Roentgen Society proposes an accreditation program. The accreditation, which concerns A.) mammographic technique and positioning and B.) mammographic reporting is not obligatory, but will allow acquisition of special official certificates, which may support the patients to find doctors who perform and read mammograms with high quality and expertise. The accreditation shall be performed by personnel and/or institutions who are specifically trained surveyed.


[Velamentous insertion--epidemiology and clinical aspects of the pathological insertion of the umbilical cord].
Among 9460 birth an incidence of 1.6% of velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord is recorded and the clinical relevance of this anomaly is examined. Apart from statistical confirmation of well-known connections between membranous insertion of the umbilical cord on the one hand, and malformations, multiple pregnancies and bleeding sub partu on the other hand, the present investigation is mainly concerned with premature births and/or placental insufficiency in the case of velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord, which is associated with "late premature births" in the 35th, 36th and 37th week of pregnancy as characteristic finding.


Effect of dose escalation on the in vivo oral absorption and disposition of glycylsarcosine in wild-type and Pept1 knockout mice.
This study evaluated the in vivo absorption and disposition of glycylsarcosine (GlySar), after escalating oral doses, in wild-type and peptide transporter 1 (Pept1) knockout mice. [(3)H]GlySar was administered to mice at doses of 1, 10, 100, 1000, and 5000 nmol/g b.wt. Serial blood samples were obtained over 480 min, the plasma was harvested, and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) was determined. It was observed that the GlySar AUC was 60, 45, and 30% lower in knockout than wild-type mice when evaluated over 2, 4, and 8 h, respectively (p < 0.01). Plasma levels of GlySar reached a plateau at 90 min in knockout mice and then rose to a second plateau at 240 min. In wild-type mice, the plasma levels rose continuously to reach a single plateau at 90 min. When partial AUC (0-120 min) was used as an indicator for rate of absorption, there was a 60% reduction in GlySar absorption rate in knockout mice compared with wild-type animals. Tissue distribution studies were also performed after 10 nmol/g oral doses of [(3)H]GlySar. When sampled 1 h after dosing, GlySar tissue concentrations were significantly lower in knockout versus wild-type mice and, with the exception of intestines, reflected differences in the systemic exposure of dipeptide between these two genotypes. Overall, PEPT1 ablation in mice resulted in significant reductions, in vivo, in the rate and extent of GlySar absorption. The AUC of GlySar was proportional to dose in both genotypes over 1 to 100 nmol/g, with minor decrements at the two highest doses.


[HIV management in Africa].
Africa is the continent hardest hit by the HIV pandemic with, according to the WHO for 2004, more than 25 million people infected. Although the mortality and socioeconomic consequences of HIV infection have been visible and predictable, only since 2000 has the catastrophic situation in Africa and other developing areas mobilized international political and medical attention, in view of the impressive results from antiretroviral treatments where they are accessible. The intolerable lack of access to medical care and effective treatments has engendered a fusion of energy and will - political and scientific, local and international - to make HIV treatment available in Africa. Access to treatment must be accompanied by creation of national public health programs and establishment of infrastructures and trained teams. Necessary steps including anticipation and prevention of pitfalls in the large-scale use of antiretrovirals, long-term planning, organization of supplies and distribution, ensuring the permanence of financial support, and making appropriate strategic choices. These steps are required to guarantee the future and to prevent an epidemic rebound due to drug-resistant HIV strains. The conditions of international economic and medical aid have been clarified and are now better adapted to real needs. Nonetheless large disparities still exist according to country and region. The initial results of cohorts of treated patients show results similar to those in the industrialized countries and provide encouragement about the future. Results in countries such as Uganda and Senegal show that local political involvement is primordial for long-term success. Access to antiretroviral drugs is an urgent and essential marker of comprehensive management, but the conditions of their use must be taken into account in assessing future projects if we want to change the course of HIV in Africa.


CAR-3 and CA 19-9 serum levels in pancreatic cancer: any differences between two epitopes of the same mucin-like glycoprotein?
The aim of this study was to compare the utility of two recently identified tumour markers of pancreatic cancer, CA 19-9 and CAR-3, and to ascertain the roles of some factors influencing both antigens. CA 19-9 and CAR-3 were measured in sera of 18 control subjects, 27 patients with pancreatic cancer, 25 with chronic pancreatitis, and 29 with extra-pancreatic diseases. CA 19-9 and CAR-3 were, respectively, found to be increased in 85 per cent and 44 per cent of patients with pancreatic cancer, 28 per cent and 0 per cent with chronic pancreatitis and 72 per cent and 28 per cent with extra-pancreatic diseases. The ROC curves showed that, for any serum value considered, CA 19-9 is more effective than CAR-3 in discriminating between pancreatic cancer and control subjects and chronic pancreatitis. With the combined use of both antigens the results were no better than those given by CA 19-9 alone. Correlations were found between liver function tests and CA 19-9 levels and between cholestasis indices only and CAR-3 values. Our findings show that CAR-3 is not a sufficiently reliable marker of pancreatic cancer, due to its low sensitivity. Nor does it offer any more information than CA 19-9. Both assays are influenced, at least in part, by the extent of the neoplasia. Cholestasis which can greatly influence a serum glycoproteic marker such as CA 19-9, was found also to affect, to a lesser extent, CAR-3, an epitope on the same mucin molecule.


Lymphatic drainage patterns of head and neck cutaneous melanoma: does primary melanoma site correlate with anatomic distribution of pathologically involved lymph nodes?
The aim of this study was to analyse patterns of metastatic spread from cutaneous head and neck melanoma, which are said to be highly variable. The medical records of 145 patients with pathologically proven metastatic melanoma were reviewed retrospectively. The location of pathologically positive lymph nodes was compared with clinically predicted spread, and patients with metastatic disease in areas outside of predicted drainage patterns were considered aberrant. There were 33 curative and 73 elective neck dissections. 21 of 77 patients undergoing parotidectomy had positive results for metastases. Clinical prediction proved to be correct in 33 of 45 cases (73.3%). Two patients with lateralized melanomas were initially seen with contralateral metastases. Six of 45 patients (13.3%) developed contralateral metastases after neck dissection. Patients with clinical involvement of the parotid gland were at high risk of occult neck disease (40%). Patients undergoing neck dissection for primaries originating in face, forehead, coronal scalp, periauricular area, and upper neck should be considered for parotidectomy. Patients with posterior scalp and posterior neck primaries should be considered for selective neck dissection in conjunction with posterior lymphadenectomy. In patients with coronal scalp and periauricular primaries, a complete neck dissection including parotidectomy is the recommended approach.


Gender differences in the acquisition of salary negotiation skills: the role of goals, self-efficacy, and perceived control.
The authors examined the effectiveness of different training programs in men's and women's acquisition of salary negotiation skills. MBA students received a 2-stage training program that provided initial content instruction in negotiation tactics, followed by supplemental training in either goal setting or self-management. After both training sessions, participants conducted salary negotiations with trained confederates who used standardized guides to award salary increases. Results indicated that, although women negotiated lower salaries than men following the initial training, controlling for goals eliminated this difference. Analysis of salary improvements following supplemental training revealed that gender differences were reduced for self-management participants only. Changes in perceived control over the negotiation appeared to mediate this effect. Implications of these findings for understanding training effectiveness are discussed.


DFT studies on catalytic properties of isolated and carbon nanotube supported Pd9 cluster. Part II. Hydro-isomerization of butene isomers.
The processes involved in the butene hydro-isomerization, occurring on a small palladium cluster in the presence of dissociated hydrogen, have been investigated by means of DFT and DFT/MM approaches. This study has been performed both on an isolated (unsupported) Pd(9) cluster and on the same cluster when it is supported on a portion of a single-walled armchair(6,6) carbon nanotube. The study follows another investigation which has already been published concerning the adsorption, fragmentation and diffusion of hydrogen on the same metal cluster. The main aspects involved in the parallel reaction steps of the whole hydro-isomerization mechanisms are not strongly affected by the presence of the support, which does, however, modify the energetics involved, likely due to the presence of strong metal surface interaction (SMSI) effects. Noticeably, a common step corresponding to the diffusion of one hydrogen atom is present. This diffusion step creates a characteristic semihydrogenated surface species along the occurrence of all the reaction pathways. Hence, the semihydrogenated species is a kind of molecular node able to connect the transformation pathways of the different surface species involved in the hydro-isomerization processes. Considering the energetics involved in the processes of both supported and unsupported systems and being aware of the simplification introduced in studying the same systems, it is still possible (i) to emphasize the basis importance of taking account of the support in modeling catalytic properties and (ii) to state that the models proposed here are able to capture the main characteristics of the title reaction.


[Second-look arthroscopy study after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: effect of residual anterior cruciate ligament tissue upon accelerating revascularization of allologous bone-patellar tendon-bone grafting].
To explore via an arthroscopic second-look the effect of preserved residual anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tissue upon revascularization of allologous bone-patellar tendon-bone (B-PT-B) grafting. Twenty-eight patients with allologous B-PT-B ACL reconstruction were recruited. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the amount of residual ACL tissue. Group A: ACL residual tissue was cleared; Group B: ACL residual tissue was preserved. Patients were advised to undergo arthroscopic second-look at 6 months after ACL reconstruction. During second surgery, ACL photos were taken during 10 minutes after tourniquet was released. Photoshop was used to analyze red chroma of ACL tissue. The percentage area of three degrees of red chroma was calculated and a standard curve plotted. Fourteen cases in group A and 13 cases in group B were examined by second-look arthroscopy. According to Photoshop analysis, ACL graft in group B had better red chroma appearance than group A. Two peaks were observed on grade three red chroma curve. Residual ACL tissue can be preserved during allologous B-PB-B reconstruction of ACL At 6 months post-reconstruction, the revascularization of graft with preserved residual ACL tissue was much better than the other grafts. Small vessels were found on surface of all ACL grafts at 6 months post-reconstruction.


Comparison of tight junction protein expression in the ciliary epithelia of mouse, rabbit, cat and human eyes.
Tight junctions in the nonpigmented epithelium (NPE) of the ciliary processes and the iris vascular endothelium form the ocular blood aqueous barrier that prevents leakage of proteins, immune cells and non-immune cells of blood into the anterior chamber. We attempted to determine whether ultrastructural differences in tight junctions reported in earlier studies are reflected in the expression pattern of tight junction proteins (TJP) and whether the TJP in mice, rabbits and cats resemble those of humans. For immunohistochemistry, 10 μm thick cryosections were rehydrated in PBS and fixed in 50 mM ammonium chloride at room temperature. After rinses in PBS, the sections were incubated twice in 0.1% Triton X-100, 10% goat serum, specific primary antibody or in PBS. After rinses in PBS, the sections were incubated in FITC-conjugated secondary antibody. After rinses in PBS, the sections were mounted with Vectashield mounting medium with propidium iodide, examined and photographed using a confocal microscope. The expression patterns of TJP in ocular ciliary epithelium of human, rabbit, cat and mouse were similar. Occludin immunoreactivity was observed as a sharp line along the junction between pigmented epithelium (PE) and NPE, and along the apico-lateral surfaces of NPE. Very light staining of the ciliary stroma was observed in cat and mouse. Claudin-1 was expressed along the entire boundaries of NPE and was more distinct between PE and NPE in rabbit. The ciliary stroma showed faint staining in cat and mouse. ZO-1 showed staining between PE and NPE, and at the adjacent membrane. Moderate staining was seen in PE in cat and mouse, which suggests that claudin-1, occludin and ZO-1 are expressed along the junction between PE and NPE, and the apico-lateral border of NPE. Lack of major difference in the expression patterns among the different species is important for validating the use of rabbit, mouse and cat in studies of intraocular inflammation in humans.


Oxygen-Content-Controllable Graphene Oxide from Electron-Beam-Irradiated Graphite: Synthesis, Characterization, and Removal of Aqueous Lead [Pb(II)].
A high-energy electron beam was applied to irradiate graphite for the preparation of graphene oxide (GO) with a controllable oxygen content. The obtained GO sheets were analyzed with various characterization tools. The results revealed that the oxygen-containing groups of GO increased with increasing irradiation dosages. Hence, oxygen-content-controllable synthesis of GO can be realized by changing the irradiation dosages. The GO sheets with different irradiation dosages were then used to adsorb aqueous Pb(II). The effects of contact time, pH, initial lead ion concentration, and ionic strength on Pb(II) sorption onto different GO sheets were examined. The sorption process was found to be very fast (completed within 20 min) at pH 5.0. Except ionic strength, which showed no/little effect on lead sorption, the other factors affected the sorption of aqueous Pb(II) onto GO. The maximum Pb(II) sorption capacities of GO increased with irradiation dosages, confirming that electron-beam irradiation was an effective way to increase the oxygen content of GO. These results suggested that irradiated GO with a controllable oxygen content is a promising nanomaterial for environmental cleanup, particularly for the treatment of cationic metal ions, such as Pb(II).


MTA1 regulation of ERβ pathway in salivary gland carcinoma cells.
Although Metastatic-tumor antigen 1 (MTA1) is differentially expressed in metastatic cancer and coregulates the status and activity of nuclear receptors, its role upon estrogen receptor β (ERβ) - a potent tumor suppressor, remains poorly understood. Here we investigated whether MTA1 regulates the expression and functions of ERβ, an ER isoform predominantly expressed in salivary gland cancer cells. We found that the depletion of the endogenous MTA1 in the HSG and HSY salivary duct carcinoma cell lines enhances the expression of ERβ while MTA1 overexpression augmented the expression of ERβ in salivary duct carcinoma cells. Furthermore, MTA1 knockdown inhibited the proliferations and invasion of HSG and HSY cells. The noted ERβ downregulation by MTA1 overexpression involves the process of proteasomal degradation, as a proteasome inhibitor could block it. In addition, both MTA1 knockdown and ERβ overexpression attenuated the cell migration and inhibited the ERK1/2 signaling in the both cell lines. These findings imply that MTA1 dysregulation in a subset of salivary gland cancer might promote aggressive phenotypes by compromising the tumor suppressor activity of ERβ, and hence, MTA1-ERβ axis might serve a new therapeutic target for the salivary gland cancer.


Outcome and management of patients with large rectoanal intussusception.
Rectoanal intussusception is the funnel-shaped infolding of the rectum, which occurs during evacuation. The aims of this study were to evaluate the risk of full thickness rectal prolapse during follow-up of patients with large rectoanal intussusception, and whether therapy improved functional outcome. Between September 1988 and July 1997, patients diagnosed with a large rectoanal intussusception by cinedefecography (intussusception > or = 10 mm, extending into the anal canal) were retrospectively evaluated. Patients with full thickness rectal prolapse on physical examination or cinedefecography were excluded, as were patients with colonic inertia or a history of surgery for rectal prolapse. The patients were divided into three groups according to the treatment received: group I, conservative dietary therapy; group II, biofeedback; and group III, surgery. Outcomes were obtained by postal questionnaires or telephone interviews. Parameters included age, gender, past medical and surgical history, change of bowel habits, fecal incontinence score, and development of full thickness rectal prolapse. Of the 63 patients, 18 were excluded (seven patients had confirmed full thickness rectal prolapse, four had previous surgery for rectal prolapse, three had colonic inertia, and four died). Follow-up data were obtained in 36 (80%) of the remaining 45 patients. The mean follow-up of this group was 45 months (range, 12-118 months). There were 34 women and two men, with a mean age of 72.4 yr (range, 37-91 yr). The mean size of the intussusception was 2.2 cm (range, 1.0-5.0 cm). The patients were classified as follows: group I, 13 patients (36.1%); group II, 13 patients (36.1%); and group III, 10 patients (27.8%). Subjectively, symptoms improved in five (38.5%), four (30.8%), and six (60.0%) patients in the three groups (p > 0.05). Among the patients with constipation, the decrease in numbers of assisted bowel movements per week (time of diagnosis to present) was significantly greater in group II compared to group 1 (8.1+/-2.8 vs 0.8+/-0.5, respectively, p = 0.004). Among the patients with incontinence, incontinence scores improved more in group II as compared to either group I or group III (time of diagnosis to present, 3.7+/-4.2 to 1.1+/-5.4 vs 1.4+/-2.2, respectively, p > 0.05). Six patients (two in group I, three in group II, and one in group III) had the sensation of rectal prolapse on evacuation; however, only one patient in group I developed full thickness rectal prolapse. This study demonstrated that the risk of full thickness rectal prolapse developing in patients medically treated for large intussusception is very small (1/26, 3.8%). Moreover, biofeedback is beneficial to improve the symptoms of both constipation and incontinence in these patients. Therefore, biofeedback should be considered as the initial therapy of choice for large rectoanal intussusception.


H1N1 and institutions of higher education.
Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) have been preparing for the likely resurgence of Influenza A (H1N1) virus this Fall. Amongst the multitude of factors affecting their preparatory efforts, medical considerations and evidence serve to provide the foundation for many planning decisions. The authors reviewed the relevant medical literature for evidence of effective measures to mitigate the consequences of H1N1. Evidence was reviewed as it pertains to IHE. The authors opted to focus on vaccination, antiviral medications, masks, hand washing, environmental cleaning, and isolation and quarantine. Despite the limited evidence found for the IHE setting, recommendations were made to encourage vaccination, deemphasize the role of antivirals in most IHE students, and provide surgical masks for ill students, as they may leave their living environment, while simultaneously stressing self isolation without quarantine. Additionally, frequent hand washing and high traffic fomite cleaning should be encouraged. Preparation for pandemic influenza in the IHE context is very complex and all decisions should be based on the best evidence available.