Techniques for Improving Communication of Emotional Content in Text-Only Web-Based Therapeutic Communications: Systematic Review.
Web-based typed exchanges are increasingly used by professionals to provide emotional support to patients. Although some empirical evidence exists to suggest that various strategies may be used to convey emotion during Web-based text communication, there has been no critical review of these data in patients with chronic conditions. The objective of this review was to identify the techniques used to convey emotion in written or typed Web-based communication and assess the empirical evidence regarding impact on communication and psychological outcomes. An electronic search of databases, including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library was conducted to identify literature published from 1990 to 2016. Searches were also conducted using Google Scholar, manual searching of reference lists of identified papers and manual searching of tables of contents for selected relevant journals. Data extraction and coding were completed by 2 reviewers (10.00% [573/5731] of screened papers, at abstract/title screening stage; 10.0% of screened [69/694] papers, at full-text screening stage). Publications were assessed against the eligibility criteria and excluded if they were duplicates, were not published in English, were published before 1990, referenced animal or nonhuman subjects, did not describe original research, were not journal papers, or did not empirically test the effect of one or more nonverbal communication techniques (for eg, smileys, emoticons, emotional bracketing, voice accentuation, trailers [ellipsis], and pseudowords) as part of Web-based or typed communication on communication-related variables, including message interpretation, social presence, the nature of the interaction (eg, therapeutic alliance), patient perceptions of the interaction (eg, participant satisfaction), or psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and distress. A total of 6902 unique publications were identified. Of these, six publications met the eligibility criteria and were included in a narrative synthesis. All six studies addressed the effect of smileys or emoticons on participant responses, message interpretation, or social presence of the writer. None of these studies specifically targeted chronic conditions. It was found that emoticons were more effective in influencing the emotional impact of a message than no cue and that smileys and emoticons were able to convey a limited amount of emotion. No studies addressed other techniques for conveying emotion in written communication. No studies addressed the effects of any techniques on the nature of the interaction (eg, therapeutic alliance), patient perceptions of the interaction (eg, participant satisfaction), or psychological outcomes (depression, anxiety, or distress). There is a need for greater empirical attention to the effects of the various proposed techniques for conveying emotion in Web-based typed communications to inform health service providers regarding best-practice communication skills in this setting.


Determination of Endogenous Indole-3-Acetic Acid in Plagiochila arctica (Hepaticae).
Endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was found in axenically cultured gametophytes of the leafy liverwort, Plagiochila arctica Bryhn and Kaal., by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Identification of the methylated auxin was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Addition of 57 micromolar IAA to cultures increased relative production of ethylene. This is the first definitive (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) demonstration of the natural occurrence of IAA in a bryophyte.


Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Increases in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Treated With Telbivudine Monotherapy and Combination Treatment.
Several studies have reported a renoprotective effect of telbivudine during the treatment of patients for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This longitudinal retrospective study aimed to examine the effects of telbivudine monotherapy and combination therapy (adefovir plus telbivudine) on renal function. This study included 336 Chinese CHB patients, who were selected from outpatients in Tongji Hospital. 44, 122, 66, 58, and 46 of these patients had been orally taking adefovir, telbivudine, entecavir, adefovir plus telbivudine, and adefovir plus lamivudine, respectively, for at least 24 months. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the telbivudine and adefovir plus telbivudine groups increased by 5.14 mL/min (P < 0.001) and 6.19 mL/min (P = 0.005), respectively. The patients taking the five drug regimens were further grouped into the following three subpopulations: those with compensated hepatic cirrhosis, those aged 50 or more years, and those with baseline eGFR values of 50 - 90 mL/min. The three subgroups that received telbivudine monotherapy exhibited eGFR increases of 6.38, 6.74, and 10.82 mL/min, respectively. The three subgroups that received combination therapy of adefovir plus telbivudine exhibited eGFR increases of 18.31, 14.73, and 16.59 mL/min, respectively (P < 0.05). The predictive factors for the change in eGFR levels over time were analyzed by means of two linear mixed effects models for the three monotherapy regimens and two combination regimens. Age, gender, and medication are predictive factors of eGFR changes. In addition, abnormal creatinine kinase (CK) levels in the telbivudine group were not correlated with eGFR changes (P = 0.992). These findings indicate that telbivudine, used in both monotherapy and combination therapy, improves the renal function of patients with CHB. The improvements are particularly significant in patients at high renal risk.


High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of alpha-amino acids in pharmaceutical dosage forms using aqueous mobile phase containing copper (II) ions.
A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of three alpha-amino acids (glycine, lysine, cysteine) and the amino acid derivative (N-acetylhomocysteine thiolactone) using aqueous mobile phase containing copper (II) ions. These amino acids were extracted from tablets, vials, effervescent salts and syrups and quantitatively diluted by the mobile phase. The separation was carried out on zorbax TMS column. The mobile phase was either 1.0 x 10(-3) M CuSO4 or 1.0 x 10(-3) M CuSO4 with 1.0% trimethylamine, pH 4.0. A linear relationship was obtained between detector response at 232 nm and the concentration of the studied amino acids in the range of 1.5-50 ng/microL. The intraday precision for 10-replicate samples varied from 0.59-2.66 while the interday precision ranged from 0.91-3.55 as CV%. A good recovery percentage was obtained in the analysis of many dosage forms ranging from 96.93 to 100.85 with a CV% from 0.33 to 1.74. The presented chromatographic separation method does not depend on any pretreatment or derivatization. The described chromatographic conditions, for both linearity and sensitivity, are sufficient for the selective determination of the cited amino acids. The interference from other combined pharmaceutical ingredients was resolved.


National adaptation and implementation of WHO Model List of Essential Medicines: A qualitative evidence synthesis.
The World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines (WHO EML) has played a critical role in guiding the country-level selection and financing of medicines for more than 4 decades. It continues to be a relevant evidence-based policy that can support universal health coverage (UHC) and access to essential medicines. The objective of this review was to identify factors affecting adaptation and implementation of WHO EML at the national level. We conducted a qualitative evidence synthesis by searching 10 databases (including CINAHL, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science) through October 2021. Primary qualitative studies focused on country-level implementation of WHO EML were included. The qualitative findings were populated in the Supporting the Use of Research Evidence (SURE) framework, and key themes were identified through an iterative process. We appraised the papers using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool and assessed our confidence in the findings using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation working group-Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (GRADE-CERQual). We screened 1,567 unique citations, reviewed 183 full texts, and included 23 studies, from 30 settings. Non-English studies and experiences and perceptions of stakeholders published in gray literature were not collected. Our findings centered around 3 main ideas pertaining to national adaptation and implementation of WHO EML: (1) the importance of designing institutions, governance, and leadership for national medicines lists (NMLs), particularly the consideration of transparency, coordination capacity, legislative mechanisms, managing regional differences, and clinical guidance; (2) the capacity to manage evidence to inform NML updates, including processes for contextualizing global evidence, utilizing local data and expert knowledge, and assessing budget impact, to which locally relevant cost-effectiveness information plays an important role; and (3) the influence of NML on purchasing and prescribing by altering provider incentives, through linkages to systems for financing and procurement and donor influence. This qualitative evidence synthesis underscores the complexity and interdependencies inherent to implementation of WHO EML. To maximize the value of NMLs, greater investments should be made in processes and institutions that are needed to support various stages of the implementation pathway from global norms to adjusting prescribed behavior. Moreover, further research on linkages between NMLs, procurement, and the availability of medicines will provide additional insight into optimal NML implementation. PROSPERO CRD42018104112.


Purine catabolism in plants : purification and some properties of inosine nucleosidase from yellow lupin (lupinus luteus L.) seeds.
Inosine nucleosidase (EC 22.214.171.124), the enzyme which hydrolyzes inosine to hypoxanthine and ribose, has been partially purified from Lupinus luteus L. cv. Topaz seeds by extraction of the seed meal with low ionic strength buffer, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and chromatography on aminohexyl-Sepharose, Sephadex G-100, and hydroxyapatite.Molecular weight of the native enzyme is 62,000 as judged by gel filtration. The inosine nucleosidase exhibits optimum activity around pH 8. Energy of activation for inosine hydrolysis estimated from Arrhenius plot is 14.2 kilocalories per mole. The K(m) value computed for inosine is 65 micromolar.AMONG THE INOSINE ANALOGS TESTED, THE FOLLOWING NUCLEOSIDES ARE SUBSTRATES FOR THE LUPIN INOSINE NUCLEOSIDASE: xanthosine, purine riboside (nebularine), 6-mercaptopurine riboside, 8-azainosine, adenosine, and guanosine. The ratio of the velocities measured at 500 micromolar concentration of inosine, adenosine, and guanosine was 100:11:1, respectively. Specificity (V(max)/K(m)) towards adenosine is 48 times lower than that towards inosine.In contrast to the adenosine nucleosidase activity which is absent from lupin seeds and appears in the cotyledons during germination (Guranowski, Pawełkiewicz 1978 Planta 139: 245-247), the inosine nucleosidase is present in both lupin seeds and seedlings.


Effect of Raw and Extruded Propionic Acid-Treated Field Beans on Energy and Crude Protein Digestibility (In-Vitro and In-Vivo), Growth and Carcass Quality in Grow-Finisher Pigs.
The in-vitro ileal digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) of field beans treated with propionic acid (trFB) and extruded trFB (exFB) was determined in experiment 1. The DE and dCP values of trFB and exFB were determined using the difference method in experiment 2. The effect of replacing SBM with trFB and exFB in grow-finisher diets on growth, carcass quality, apparent ileal digestibility (AiD), and total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM, OM, gross energy (GE), and CP were investigated in experiment 3. In exp. 1, in-vitro digestibility of exFB compared to trFB was unchanged for DM (p = 0.12), increased for OM (p < 0.05), and increased for CP (p < 0.05). In exp. 2, the DE value of trFB and exFB was 14.38 and 15.75 MJ/kg respectively; and the dCP value was 21.35% and 21.42% respectively (on DM basis). In exp. 3, ADFI was higher for pigs fed trFB and exFB compared to the control diet (CON; p < 0.05), while ADG, FCR and carcass quality parameters of pigs did not differ among treatments (p > 0.05).


[Pharmacokinetic and clinical studies with azithromycin (fine granule) in the pediatric field. Pediatric Study Group of Azithromycin].
Azithromycin (AZM) in 10% fine granules, a newly developed azalide antibiotic, was administered at a standard dose of 10 mg/kg once daily for 3 to 5 days (89.5% received 3 day administration) to children with infectious diseases and the efficacy and the safety of AZM were investigated. In addition AZM concentrations were determined in blood samples from 18 patients and in urine samples from 17 patients to examine o pharmacokinetic characteristics of AZM. 1. Absorption and excretion: Cmax's in 16 patients who received 10 mg/kg and 2 patients who received 20 mg/kg were 0.29 +/- 0.24 micrograms/ml and 0.75 micrograms/ml, respectively, while T 1/2's were 42.0 +/- 11.8 hours for the former and 51.3 hours for the latter. AUC(0 to approximately infinity)'s were 10.72 +/- 5.00 micrograms x hr/ml in the former and 28.83 micrograms x hr/ml in the latter. Urinary concentrations of AZM peaked at 48 to 72 hours after the administration of 10 mg/kg AZM in 14 patients, while it peaked at 24 to 48 hours in the patients who received 20 mg/kg. Urinary recovery rates in the first 120 hours after the start were 9.1 +/- 2.6% for 10 mg/kg and 10.8 +/- 3.4% for 20mg/kg. 2. Clinical efficacy: The study received 619 entries and 564 cases were evaluated for drug efficacy. The remaining were not evaluated because of dropout or exclusion. The efficacy rate, combining both "Excellent" and "Good" cases was 94.3% in 246 cases where pathogens were identified, classified as Group A. The efficacy rate was 90.7% for the remaining 321 cases, classified as Group B, where causative pathogens were unidentified. The difference between the two groups was no statistical significance. The combined efficacy rate was 92.2%. For the 116 cases where the patients had failed to respond to previous chemotherapies instituted for 3 days or longer, the efficacy rate for AZM was 94.0%. 3. Adverse reactions and abnormal laboratory tests: Incidents of diarrhea, soft stool, skin rashes, or vomiting were found in 15 patients (2.5%) of 596 cases eligible for evaluation. These reactions, however, were all transient and mild to moderate in severity in the 15 patients including 4 patients for whom the treatment was discontinued, all resolved in time. Abnormal changes in laboratory tests were found as follows: decrease in WBC in 23 patients (5.6%), increase in eosinophils in 28 (7.1%), increase in platelet count in 2 (0.5%), decrease in platelet count in 1 (0.3%), elevation of GOT in 3 (0.8%), and elevation of GPT in 6 (1.6%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Does reflection polarization by plants influence colour perception in insects? Polarimetric measurements applied to a polarization-sensitive model retina of Papilio butterflies.
Using imaging polarimetry, we have measured some typical reflection-polarization patterns of plant surfaces (leaves and flowers) under different illuminations. Using a quantitative model to determine photon absorptions in the weakly polarization-sensitive (PS approximately 2) photoreceptors of Papilio butterflies, we have calculated the influence of reflection polarization on the colours of leaves and flowers perceived by PAPILIO: Compared with a retina containing polarization-blind colour receptors, the colour loci of specularly reflecting and, thus, strongly polarizing areas on a plant are slightly shifted, which could cause the perception of false colours. However, the colour of specularly reflecting surfaces is strongly masked by white glare, which may prevent the perception of polarization-induced hue shifts. Although the perception of polarizational false colours by Papilio butterflies was previously demonstrated with artificial, strongly colour-saturated and totally linearly polarized stimuli, we expect that the weak polarization sensitivity of Papilio photoreceptors hardly influences colour perception under natural conditions.


A review of shaped colloidal particles in fluids: anisotropy and chirality.
This review treats asymmetric colloidal particles moving through their host fluid under the action of some form of propulsion. The propulsion can come from an external body force or from external shear flow. It may also come from externally-induced stresses at the surface, arising from imposed chemical, thermal or electrical gradients. The resulting motion arises jointly from the driven particle and the displaced fluid. If the objects are asymmetric, every aspect of their motion and interaction depends on the orientation of the objects. This orientation in turn changes in response to the driving. The objects' shape can thus lead to a range of emergent anisotropic and chiral motion not possible with isotropic spherical particles. We first consider what aspects of a body's asymmetry can affect its drift through a fluid, especially chiral motion. We next discuss driving by injecting external force or torque into the particles. Then we consider driving without injecting force or torque. This includes driving by shear flow and driving by surface stresses, such as electrophoresis. We consider how time-dependent driving can induce collective orientational order and coherent motion. We show how a given particle shape can be represented using an assembly of point forces called a Stokeslet object. We next consider the interactions between anisotropic propelled particles, the symmetries governing the interactions, and the possibility of bound pairs of particles. Finally we show how the collective hydrodynamics of a suspension can be qualitatively altered by the particles' shapes. The asymmetric responses discussed here are broadly relevant also for swimming propulsion of active micron-scale objects such as microorganisms.


The actions of intermediate and long-chain n-alkanols on unitary NMDA currents in hippocampal neurons.
The actions of the n-alkanols butanol, pentanol, and octanol on unitary currents passing through N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) ion channels have been studied in cultured CA1 hippocampal neurons. The cell-attached patch clamp method, with L-homocysteic acid included in the patch pipette, was used to record single channel NMDA currents at the cell resting potential or for hyperpolarizing patch potentials. With the n-alkanols added to the bath solution, the mean open times for the NMDA channel were diminished and the channel conductance was unchanged. A decrease in mean open time to about 70% of control value was found with butanol (3 mM), pentanol (1 mM), and octanol (0.02 mM). In addition the n-alkanols had small effects to decrease the frequency of channel openings and to increase the amplitude of the unitary currents. The effects of the alcohols on intracellular calcium levels, during NMDA applications, were also measured using the fluorescent dye FURA II.


[Effectiveness of heart tumor therapy in the cardiology department during 7 year follow-up].
Neoplasms of the heart are rare. Usually asymptomatic on the early stage are diagnosed incidentally. Among primary heart neoplasms the most often benign tumors are diagnosed--mostly myxomas, whereas the majority of malignant heart tumors are sarcomas. The aim of this paper was to present heart tumors diagnosed in the cardiology department, their symptoms, used diagnostic tests and therapy and to show after therapy quality of life changes. There were 18 patients included to the study, whom during hospitalization in the cardiology department heart tumors were diagnosed. There were 11 women and 7 men, aged from 33- to 76-years-old (mean 60,5 years). To all of the patients medical interview, physical examination, EKG, UCG and laboratory test were performed. Additionally in some cases computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the chest and coronary angiograms were done. Based on the diagnostic tests results the patients were qualified to conservative or surgical treatment. Among 18 heart tumor patients in 12 cases primary benign tumors were diagnosed (66,6%), 1 patient had primary malignant tumor (5,5%), there were 3 cases of metastatic tumors (16,6%) and 2 patients with non-neoplasmic tumors--clots (11,1%). From 18 subjects with heart tumor 3 patients died because of advanced stage of neoplasmic disease and presence of metastatic tumors in the heart. Results of the study show, that heart tumors, regardless of development of diagnostic tests, are still diagnosed too late. The study group follow-up proved, that early diagnosis and proper heart tumor treatment prevented complications and improved the quality of life. It is worth to emphasize, that coronary angiogram in some cases allowed to diagnose coronary artery disease, to treat heart tumor and to perform coronary artery by-pass grafting simultaneously.


Localization of cells in the rat brain expressing fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase, the deficient enzyme in hereditary tyrosinemia type 1.
Fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) is the terminal enzyme in the catabolic pathway of tyrosine. This enzyme which is mainly expressed in the liver and kidney is deficient in hereditary tyrosinemia type 1. As some affected individuals present neurologic abnormalities, we studied the expression of FAH in the rat and human brain. The FAH gene was shown to be expressed in the rat brain by immunoblot and Northern blot analysis. The FAH protein was also detected in human brain by the immunoblot assay. An immunohistochemical study was undertaken to localize the FAH-producing cells in the rat central nervous system. This analysis showed that the majority of FAH-producing cells are localized in the axonal nerve fibers of the white matter, although positive cells could also be found throughout the brain. The greatest number of FAH-positive cells were found in structures consisting essentially of white matter, such as the corpus callosum. This specific localization in the white matter indicates that some type of glial cells are responsible for the expression of the FAH protein in the rat central nervous system. The characteristic linear organization found in some of the FAH-positive cells in the corpus callosum suggests that these glial cells are oligodendrocytes. These findings are discussed with respect to the neurologic symptoms observed in some tyrosinemia patients.


Inducible Fli-1 gene deletion in adult mice modifies several myeloid lineage commitment decisions and accelerates proliferation arrest and terminal erythrocytic differentiation.
This study investigated the role of the ETS transcription factor Fli-1 in adult myelopoiesis using new transgenic mice allowing inducible Fli-1 gene deletion. Fli-1 deletion in adult induced mild thrombocytopenia associated with a drastic decrease in large mature megakaryocytes number. Bone marrow bipotent megakaryocytic-erythrocytic progenitors (MEPs) increased by 50% without increase in erythrocytic and megakaryocytic common myeloid progenitor progeny, suggesting increased production from upstream stem cells. These MEPs were almost unable to generate pure colonies containing large mature megakaryocytes, but generated the same total number of colonies mainly identifiable as erythroid colonies containing a reduced number of more differentiated cells. Cytological and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses of MEP progeny in semisolid and liquid cultures confirmed the drastic decrease in large mature megakaryocytes but revealed a surprisingly modest (50%) reduction of CD41-positive cells indicating the persistence of a megakaryocytic commitment potential. Symmetrical increase and decrease of monocytic and granulocytic progenitors were also observed in the progeny of purified granulocytic-monocytic progenitors and common myeloid progenitors. In summary, this study indicates that Fli-1 controls several lineages commitment decisions at the stem cell, MEP, and granulocytic-monocytic progenitor levels, stimulates the proliferation of committed erythrocytic progenitors at the expense of their differentiation, and is a major regulator of late stages of megakaryocytic differentiation.


Inhaler use in children with asthma.
1. Coordination difficulties, stop of inhalation at actuation and fast inhalations are the most important problems children experience when using a PA while difficulties with correct loading and splitting of the capsule are the most prevalent problems with the RO. 2. Most children older than 5 years can be taught effective use of an inhaler and once the correct technique has been learned is it rarely forgotten if the inhaler is used regularly. 3. Insufficient instruction at the time of prescription is the major cause of inefficient inhaler use in children who use their inhalers regularly. 4. Use of a TS makes it easier for children to inhale slowly. Furthermore, compared with a PA and TS reduces the occurrence of coordination problems and stop of inhalation when the aerosol is fired; otherwise there seems to be little clinical difference between a PA and a TS. 5. Problems with correct inhaler use are accentuated during episodes of acute wheeze when supervision or help from an adult may be needed. 6. Pauses between doses of inhaled bronchodilators are likely to improve bronchodilation during episodes of acute wheeze, whereas there is no need to recommend pauses between the puffs of bronchodilators or between puffs of bronchodilators and corticosteroids in the routine day to day management of patients. 7. Children using a TS should be taught to inhale as slowly as possible. Tilting the head back during inhalation, breath-holding after the inhalation and exhalation through the nose do not enhance response. Furthermore, the lung volume at which the aerosol is actuated is relatively unimportant as long as the child inhales as deeply as possible after actuating the aerosol. 8. The effect of powder inhalers is dependent upon a certain inspiratory flow rate and therefore there is a risk of reduced effect during episodes of acute wheeze or in children with low pulmonary function. This risk may be greater with a RO than with a FPI. 9. Children using a Rotahaler or a Fenoterol powder inhaler should be taught to inhale as fast as possible. They need not tilt the head backwards during inhalation or hold their breath afterwards. 10. Conclusions from one inhaler should be applied with caution to other inhalers. 11. The long list of instructions currently considered to represent the essentials of correct inhalation technique can be markedly simplified without any significant loss of effect in children receiving inhaled therapy with bronchodilators and corticosteroids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Chemoprotective effect of Ixora coccinea L. flowers on cisplatin induced toxicity in mice.
The active fraction from Ixora coccinea flowers prevented a decrease in body weight, haemoglobin levels and leucocyte counts of mice treated with cisplatin. It also significantly prolonged the life span of cisplatin treated mice and maintained their blood urea nitrogen levels in the near normal range, indicating its chemoprotective effects.


Effect of Hypertension, Waist-to-Height Ratio, and Their Transitions on the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Analysis from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.
Diabetes is a major reason of death and disability worldwide and frequently coexists with hypertension and central obesity. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of hypertension, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and their dynamic transitions on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) onset among middle-aged and elderly people in China. We analyzed 9843 participants free of T2DM (average age, 59.04 ± 9.26 years) at baseline from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. We classified the participants into the following four categories based on hypertension and WHtR statuses: nonhypertensive with a normal WHtR (NHNW); hypertensive with a normal WHtR (HTNW); nonhypertensive with an elevated WHtR (NHEW); and hypertensive with an elevated WHtR (HTEW). By using a Cox proportional hazards regression model, we assessed whether hypertension, WHtR, and their transitions over time correlated with T2DM risk. During the follow-up of 8 years, 1263 participants developed incident T2DM. The hazard ratio (HR) for T2DM was 1.48 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.97), 1.56 (95% CI: 1.27, 1.92), and 2.15 (95% CI: 1.74, 2.67) in the HTNW, NHEW, and HTEW groups, respectively, compared with the NHNW group after controlling for confounding factors. When stratified by statuses of hypertension and WHtR transitions, the participants who transitioned from HTNW to HTEW (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.24-3.17), or NHEW to NHNW/HTNW (HR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.14-2.65), or remained NHEW (HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04-1.93), or NHEW to HTEW (HR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.66-3.49), or remained HTEW (HR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.87-3.37) during the follow-up period showed a higher T2DM risk than the consistently NHNW participants. Being HTNW, NHEW or HTEW or occurring adverse transitions between those states was strongly associated with T2DM onset. Effectively warding off hypertension and central obesity or preventing their further aggravation may substantially decrease the T2DM risk.


Soluble Fas and soluble Fas L levels in patients with acute pancreatitis.
The FasL-Fas system is an apoptosis induction system and plays an important role in homeostasis and biophylaxis. The present study was conducted to investigate soluble Fas (sFas), soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients with acute pancreatitis. As acute pancreatitis became severe, the levels of sFas in the serum increased significantly, while those of sFasL decreased significantly. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the serum levels of sFas and those of sFasL. Also, a significant positive correlation was observed between the levels of TNF-alpha and sFas. A greater increase in serum sFas and decrease in serum sFasL levels was observed in patients with complicating multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) than in those without it. The results of the study suggest that the pathological aggravation of acute pancreatitis could be related to changes in the Fas-FasL system.


MR imaging of the brain in patients with AIDS: value of routine use of i.v. gadopentetate dimeglumine.
A prospective study was conducted to explore the value of routine administration of IV gadopentetate dimeglumine for MR imaging of the brain in patients with AIDS. Over a 19-month period, MR images of the brain in 51 consecutive AIDS patients were obtained routinely both with and without IV gadopentetate dimeglumine. Unenhanced and contrast-enhanced images from the resulting 63 studies were viewed together. Findings were classified into one or more of three categories: normal, mass or focal lesions, or white matter disease. The number of focal or mass lesions was recorded. Lesion conspicuity on the unenhanced and enhanced images was compared. Ventricular enlargement was also graded. Available medical records and laboratory data of the patients were reviewed. Of the 63 MR studies reviewed, 39 (62%) were abnormal. In no case was a normal unenhanced MR study rendered abnormal after the administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Overall, T2-weighted images showed twice as many focal or mass lesions than contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images did. Most lesions detected on the T2-weighted images did not show enhancement with contrast material. White matter disease was the most common abnormality detected. The group of patients with white matter disease also had the highest occurrence of ventriculomegaly. Our study does not support the routine use of gadopentetate dimeglumine for MR imaging of the brain in patients with AIDS. Our experience emphasizes the importance of a normal T2-weighted image.


Synthesis of vinyl sulfides by copper-catalyzed decarboxylative C-S cross-coupling.
A novel method for the synthesis of vinyl sulfides by the decarboxylative cross-coupling of arylpropiolic acids with thiols using copper(I) salts as catalysts has been developed. In the presence of CuI and Cs(2)CO(3), a variety of thiols reacted with arylpropiolic acids to afford the corresponding vinyl sulfides in good to excellent yields with high stereoselectivity for Z-isomers.


Inhibition of human steroid 5alpha reductases type I and II by 6-aza-steroids: structural determinants of one-step vs two-step mechanism.
We have discovered that 17beta-[N,N-(diethyl)carbamoyl]-6-azaandrost-4-en-3-one is a time-dependent inhibitor of type II 5alpha-reductase, as is the drug finasteride. Unlike finasteride, the 6-aza-steroid is not a time-dependent inhibitor of type I 5 alpha-reductase. Finasteride inhibition of type II enzyme proceeds in a two-step mechanism. At pH 6 and 37 degrees C, an initial finasteride-reductase complex is formed with a K(i)(app) of 11.9 +/- 4.1 nM. In a second step, an irreversible complex is formed with a rate constant of inactivation of 0.09 +/- 0.01 s(-1). In contrast, the 6-aza-steroid is a reversible inhibitor. From the results of a simplified mathematical analysis, based on the rapid equilibrium approximation, the inhibitor and the enzyme form an initial complex with a K(i) of 6.8 +/- 0.2 nM. The reversible formation of a final complex, with an overall K(i) of 0.07 +/- 0.02 nM, is characterized by a first-order isomerization rate constant 0.0035 +/- 0.0001 s(-1) for the forward step and 0.00025 +/- 0.00006 s(-1) for the backward step. All rate constants for the two-step mechanism were obtained by using a general numerical integration method. The best fit values for the association and dissociation rate constants were 5.0 microM(-1) s(-1) and 0.033 +/- 0.008 s(-1), respectively, and the isomerization rate constants were 0.0035 +/- 0.007 s(-1) and 0.000076 +/- 0.000019 s(-1). These values correspond to an initial K(i) of 6.5 nM and an overall dissociation constant of 0.14 nM. The data presented here show that both finasteride and the 6-aza-steroid analogs are potent against type II 5alpha-reductase, although their mechanisms of inhibition are different.


[The urodynamic effects of an alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist on the bladder and urethra of female dogs].
It has been known that alpha 1-adrenoceptors play an important role in urethral contraction. The incompetence of the urethral contraction is a cause of stress incontinence. We studied the urodynamic effects of a selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist (midodrine hydrochloride) on the bladder and urethra of female dogs. Under anesthesia with intravenous chloralose, four doses (0.03, 0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) of midodrine were administered intravenously and urodynamic studies including cystometry, urethral pressure profilometry and electromyography (EMG) of the external urethral sphincter were performed. The administration of midodrine induced a significant increase of the maximum closing pressure in the proximal portion of the urethra (p less than 0.05 at 0.03 mg/kg and p less than 0.01 at 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 mg/kg). There were no significant changes in the functional profile length, the closing pressure at the external sphincters, the maximum bladder pressure, bladder capacity and bladder compliance. The administration of 0.3 mg/kg or more of midodrine produced a significant increase in the mean arterial blood pressure. After midodrine administration, transient increases in the external sphincter EMG activities were recognized. The activities showed the synergistic pattern during the bladder contractions. In conclusion, lower dose administration of a selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist (midodrine) specifically produced an increase of the closing pressure in the proximal portion of the urethra without affecting blood pressure. These results suggest that midodrine is useful for the treatment of stress incontinence in humans.


Ibuprofen suspension in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group.
Ninety-two children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to treatment in a multicenter, double-blind, 12-week trial designed to compare the efficacy and safety of a liquid formulation of ibuprofen at a dosage of 30 to 40 mg/kg/day versus those of aspirin at a dosage of 60 to 80 mg/kg/day. No significant intergroup differences in response rates or in the amount of improvement in articular indexes of disease activity were observed. More children treated with aspirin discontinued treatment early because of adverse reactions. After this trial, 84 additional patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis entered a 24-week, multidose (30, 40, and 50 mg/kg/day), open trial of ibuprofen suspension. Favorable response rates for the three groups were similar, and continued improvement was observed throughout the 24-week period. A dose-response relationship was observed with respect to adverse reactions of the upper gastrointestinal tract. We conclude that ibuprofen suspension is an effective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug and that its tolerability in children is acceptable.


Aerobic characteristics, oxygen debt and blood lactate in speed endurance athletes during training.
Aerobic characteristics, oxygen debt and blood lactate were analysed in 20 male speed endurance athletes (400 m sprinters and 400 m hurdlers). The subjects were tested three times; at the beginning of March, at the end of May and at the end of August. Aerobic and anaerobic threshold and maximal oxygen uptake measured on the treadmill decreased (p < 0.05-0.01) from the second test occasion to the third one. The anaerobic work test on the treadmill was a constant load test at 5.56 m.s-1 with a slope of 4 degrees. The time to exhaustion increased (p < 0.05) from the first test occasion (112 +/- 17 s) to the second one (136 +/- 35 s) and did not change in the last test (135 +/- 25 s). Following the anaerobic work test oxygen debt was measured during 20 minutes. The highest total oxygen debt values (144 +/- 19 ml.kg-1) were observed in the second test occasion. Peak blood lactate following the anaerobic work increased (p < 0.05) from the first test occasion to the second one and remained at the same level during the next three competitive months. The good speed endurance athletes differed from the poor counterparts in time to exhaustion (p < 0.01), in 100 m record time (p < 0.01) and in maximal oxygen uptake (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that aerobic characteristics decrease during the competitive period in speed endurance athletes. The anaerobic performance capacity including work time and peak blood lactate is at high level in the competitive period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Preparation and Physicochemical Properties of Blend Films of Feather Keratin and Poly(vinyl alcohol) Compatibilized by Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane.
Blend films of feather keratin (FK) and synthetic poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) that were compatibilized by tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) were successfully prepared by a solution-casting method. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that a phase separation occurred in the FK/PVA/Tris blended system. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the main interactions between the three components were hydrogen bonds. In addition, X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the FK/PVA/Tris blend films were partially crystalline. The barrier properties, mechanical properties, and contact angles of the FK/PVA/Tris films were investigated to determine the effects of the PVA and Tris concentrations. More specifically, upon increasing the PVA content, the elongation at break, the hydrophilicity, and the oxygen barrier properties were enhanced. However, at a constant PVA content, an increase in the Tris content caused the oxygen permeability and the contact angle to decrease, while the tensile strength, elongation at break, and oxygen barrier properties were enhanced. These results indicated that the mechanical properties and gas resistance of the FK/PVA/Tris blend films could be successfully improved using the method described herein, confirming that this route provided a convenient and promising means to prepare FK plastics for practical applications.


Perioperative analgesia for forequarter amputation in a child: a dual paravertebral approach.
We describe the management of postoperative pain for a 10-year-old girl who underwent forequarter amputation for osteosarcoma of the left humerus. Because the brachial plexus itself was divided and resected during surgery, and the main body part innervated by the nerves from this plexus (the entire upper limb including the scapula and clavicle) was removed, providing analgesia via a brachial plexus block alone would probably not have provided adequate coverage. Because the tissue not resected with this surgery was innervated via the cervical and brachial plexuses and some upper thoracic nerve roots, we elected to combine a perioperative high continuous cervical paravertebral block at the C5 level with a continuous thoracic paravertebral block at the T2 level for postoperative analgesia. Our patient experienced excellent postoperative analgesia and required no narcotics during the immediate postoperative period.


Fibroblast growth factor-23 and cardiac structure and function.
Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) is a phosphaturic factor previously associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and systolic dysfunction among individuals with chronic kidney disease. Whether FGF-23 acts directly to induce left ventricular hypertrophy, potentially independent of its klotho coreceptor, remains uncertain. We investigated associations of FGF-23 with cardiac structural abnormalities among individuals with a broad range of kidney function and explored potential biological mechanisms using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and histology in klotho-null mice, an established model of constitutively elevated FGF-23. Among 887 participants with coronary artery disease in the Heart and Soul Study, FGF-23 was modestly associated with worse left ventricular ejection fraction (-1.0% per standard deviation increase in lnFGF-23; standard error, 0.4%), but was not associated with the overall prevalence of concentric hypertrophy (odds ratio, 1.5; CI, 0.9 to 2.4) or eccentric hypertrophy (odds ratio, 1.1; CI, 0.9 to 1.3). FGF-23 was only associated with concentric hypertrophy among individuals with diminished kidney function (eGFR <60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2); odds ratio, 2.3; CI, 1.0 to 5.3; P-interaction=0.28). Comparing klotho-null with wild-type mice, null mice did not have greater left ventricular mass (P=0.37) or a lower ejection fraction (P=0.94). Together, our results suggest that FGF-23 is unlikely to have major effects on cardiovascular structure and function among patients free of substantial chronic kidney disease, and these effects may not be independent of the klotho coreceptor.


Antigen-specific memory and naïve CD4+ T cells following secondary Chlamydia trachomatis infection.
Memory antigen-specific CD4+ T cells against Chlamydia trachomatis are necessary for protection against secondary genital tract infection. While it is known that naïve antigen-specific CD4+ T cells can traffic to the genital tract in an antigen-specific manner, these T cells are not protective during primary infection. Here, we sought to compare the differences between memory and naïve antigen-specific CD4+ T cells in the same mouse following secondary infection using transgenic CD4+ T cells (NR1 T cells). Using RNA sequencing, we found that there were subtle but distinct differences between these two T cell populations. Naïve NR1 T cells significantly upregulated cell cycle genes and were more proliferative than memory NR1 T cells in the draining lymph node. In contrast, memory NR1 T cells were more activated than naïve NR1 T cells and were enriched in the genital tract. Together, our data provide insight into the differences between memory and naïve antigen-specific CD4+ T cells during C. trachomatis infection.


Judgment, 7 July 1987.
The owner of condom vending machines located on the outside wall of a restaurant challenged an administrative order requiring the removal of the machines. The Court noted that under previous case law the sale of condoms could be prohibited only under very restrictive circumstances since such a prohibition interferes with the guaranteed right to exercise a profession. It held that the location of the vending machine did not amount to such circumstances because the machine was not necessarily visible to passers-by and did not create a disturbance for children, churchgoers, or anyone else. It also pointed out the prevailing current liberal attitudes towards sexuality.


Structural and dynamical aspects of the unsymmetric hydration of Sb(III): an ab initio quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics simulation.
An ab initio quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics (QMCF MD) simulation was performed to investigate the behavior of the Sb(3+) ion in aqueous solution. The simulation reveals a significant influence of the residual valence shell electron density on the solvation structure and dynamics of Sb(3+). A strong hemidirectional behavior of the ligand binding pattern is observed for the first hydration shell extending up to the second hydration layer. The apparent domain partitioned structural behavior was probed by solvent reorientational kinetics and three-body distribution functions. The three-dimensional hydration space was conveniently segmented such that domains having different properties were properly resolved. The approach afforded a fair isolation of localized solvent structural and dynamical motifs that Sb(3+) seems to induce to a remarkable degree. Most intriguing is the apparent impact of the lone pair electrons on the second hydration shell, which offers insight into the mechanistic aspects of hydrogen bonding networks in water. Such electronic effects observed in the hydration of Sb(3+) can only be studied by applying a suitable quantum mechanical treatment including first and second hydration shell as provided by the QMCF ansatz.


Sebaceous neoplasms in Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University: a 9-year-retrospective study.
Sebaceous neoplasms are adnexal neoplasms that contain a varying number ofsebocytes, i.e. large cells with lipid-laden vacuolated cytoplasm, soap-bubble in appearance, and crenate nuclei. They are uncommon compared to other adnexal neoplasms. Various sebaceous neoplasms with complex histopathologic features and varying degree ofsebaceous cells differentiation have been described in the literature. To study the prevalence of sebaceous neoplasms, i.e., nevus sebaceus, sebaceous hyperplasia, sebaceous adenoma, sebaceoma, sebaceous epithelioma, superficial epithelioma with sebaceous differentiation, and sebaceous carcinoma diagnosed in the Department of Pathology, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University during the 9-year-period between 1997 and 2005. To study the prevalence of tumor transformation that occurs in nevus sebaceus. A retrospective study of all sebaceous neoplasms including Nevus sebaceous, sebaceous hyperplasia, sebaceous adenoma, sebaceoma, sebaceous epithelioma, superficial epithelioma with sebaceous differentiation, sebaceous carcinoma, and all neoplasms containing the term "sebaceous" was performed. All slides were re-analyzed and re-diagnosed, without knowledge of the previous diagnosis or any clinical data, according to the criteria described in the standard textbooks of dermatopathology by Elder, McKee. Comparison between the previous diagnoses and the reviewed diagnoses was performed to assess the initial accuracy of all sebaceous neoplasms diagnosed. Small-sized biopsies or biopsies that possess incomplete sebaceous differentiation, in which the sebocytes were few and subtle, sometimes are difFicult to diagnose. In these instances, the clinical correlation was needed for positive diagnosis. Afterwards, these reviewed diagnoses were recorded and classified according to the patient's age, gender, and localization. Two hundred seven sebaceous neoplasms (2.34%) from the 8819 skin biopsies that were taken in the Department of Pathology, Siriraj Hospital during the 9-year-period, were included After exclusion of some authentically non-sebaceous neoplasms, 182 sebaceous neoplasms were found Nevus sebaceus (n=85, 46.7%) and sebaceous hyperplasia (n=64, 35.1%) were the two most common benign lesions. The others were sebaceoma (n=3, 1.6%), sebaceous adenoma (n=2, 1.1%), sebaceous epithelioma (n=1, 0.5%), sebaceous carcinoma (n=26, 14.3%), and one unclassified sebaceous lesion that could not be considered a neoplasm. Tumor degeneration was found in 14 nevus sebaceus in which 21 neoplasms existed, namely, trichilemmoma (wart)-like lesion (n=4), primitive follicular induction (n=7), syringocystadenoma papilliferum (n=3), trichoblastoma (n=3), and one of each of trichoepithelioma, sebaceous adenoma, tumor of follicular infundiculum, and mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Twenty-six sebaceous carcinomas out of 182 sebaceous neoplasms, occurring mostly on the patients'eyelids, were found The most common sebaceous neoplasm was nevus sebaceus (n=85); the prophylactic excision of this lesion was recommended as tumor degeneration was frequent (14 out of 85 cases). Epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) usually decorated both normal and abnormal sebocytes. It was very helpful in the detection of sebocytes in basaloid cells in sebaceous neoplasms and among lymphoid cells within metastasized lymph nodes and a discriminant between sebaceous and nonsebaceous neoplasms.


Prevalence of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern in Enterococcus Faecalis Isolated from Urinary Tract Infection in Shahrekord, Iran.
This study aims to specify the antimicrobial resistance pattern and virulence genes of Enterococcus faecalis isolated from urinary tract infections in Shahrekord, Iran. Urine samples of 1000 people suspected of having urinary tract infections referred to Shahrekord medical diagnostic laboratories were examined. Biofilm assays were performed by microtiter plate test through reading the OD490. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was applied to study the virulence factors. Enterococcus faecalis was detected in 60 samples. After performing microbiological tests, all samples were positive in the molecular analysis. Strong, moderate and weak biofilm reactions reported 66.67%, 25%, and 8.33% respectively. The most resistance reported to cotrimoxazole, vancomycin and amikacin and the lowest resistance to nitrofurantoin (8.33%) was reported. Statistical analysis with Fisher's exact test showed a statistically significant relationship between biofilm production and resistance to cotrimoxazole, vancomycin and cefotaxime. Prevalence of efe A, ace, gel E, esp, cyl M, agg, cyl A and cyl B in strong biofilm formation isolates was reported 100%, 87.5%, 82%, 62.5%, 55%, 37.5% 25% and 22.5% respectively. There was a significant relationship between the frequency of efa A and strong biofilm reaction. The presence of E. faecalis strains resistant to co-trimoxazole and vancomycin and present of some virulence factors is alarming the researchers. Since antibiotic resistance genes are probably transmitted among enterococci, and Staphylococci, controlling infections made by enterococci as well as the appropriate administration of antibiotics could treat the nosocomial infections effectively.


Neonatal orbital irritant contact dermatitis caused by gentamicin ointment.
The common preventive therapy in our department for newborns' eyes is tetracycline ophthalmic ointment. Due to temporary shortage of tetracycline ophthalmic ointment for one week in December 1991, the preventive therapy given to seventy-one newborns was gentamicin sulfate ophthalmic ointment. Five babies (7 percent of all newborns) experienced marked edema of the eyelids, foci of erythema, and serous exudate within the first days of life. The lesions regressed gradually and disappeared entirely within two to three weeks without any complications. These lesions represent the first description of orbital irritant contact dermatitis in newborns, most probably caused by topical gentamicin preparation. However, one cannot exclude sensitivity to paraben, which is the preservative used in gentamicin ointment, or a synergistic action of both agent and preservative.


Risk perception, but also political orientation, modulate behavioral response to COVID-19: A randomized survey experiment.
Prior work has shown that accurately perceiving the risk for COVID-19 is associated with higher adherence to protective health behaviors, like face mask use, and more acceptance of governmental restrictive measures such as partial or complete banning of indoor activities and social gatherings. In this study we explored these associations at the beginning of the second wave of COVID-19 in Argentina through a national representative probabilistic survey that evaluated personal and contextual risk perception, self-reported compliance with protective health behaviors, attitude to governmental restrictive measures, and political orientation and psychological distress as potential modulators. Also, going beyond measures of association, here we sought to test whether messages highlighting potential risks increased acceptance of restrictive measures. Three types of messages were randomized to the participants. Two messages conveyed risk-related content (either through emotional arousal or cognitive appraisal) and the third a prosocial, altruistic content. Between March 29th and 30th, 2021, 2,894 participants were recruited (57.57% female). 74.64% of those surveyed evaluated the current health situation as "quite serious" or "very serious" and 62.03% estimated that the situation will be "worse" or "much worse" in the following 3 months. The perception of personal risk and the level of adherence to protective behaviors gradually increased with age. Through a regression model, age, perceived personal risk, and contextual risk appraisal were the variables most significantly associated with protective behaviors. In the case of the acceptance of restrictive measures, political orientation was the most associated variable. We then found messages aimed at increasing risk perception (both emotionally or cognitively focused) had a significantly greater effect on increasing the acceptance of restrictive measures than the prosocial message, mainly for government supporters but also for non-supporters. However, the level of response was also modulated by the political orientation of the participants. We propose a mechanism of "ideological anchoring" to explain that participants were responsive to risk modulation, but within the limits established by their pre-existent political views. We conclude that messages highlighting risk can help reinforce the acceptance of restrictive measures even in the presence of polarized views, but must be calibrated by age and political orientation.


A Lineage-Specific Paralog of Oma1 Evolved into a Gene Family from Which a Suppressor of Male Sterility-Inducing Mitochondria Emerged in Plants.
Cytoplasmic male sterility (MS) in plants is caused by MS-inducing mitochondria, which have emerged frequently during plant evolution. Nuclear restorer-of-fertility (Rf)genes can suppress their cognate MS-inducing mitochondria. Whereas many Rfs encode a class of RNA-binding protein, the sugar beet (Caryophyllales) Rf encodes a protein resembling Oma1, which is involved in the quality control of mitochondria. In this study, we investigated the molecular evolution of Oma1 homologs in plants. We analyzed 37 plant genomes and concluded that a single copy is the ancestral state in Caryophyllales. Among the sugar beet Oma1 homologs, the orthologous copy is located in a syntenic region that is preserved in Arabidopsis thaliana. The sugar beet Rf is a complex locus consisting of a small Oma1 homolog family (RF-Oma1 family) unique to sugar beet. The gene arrangement in the vicinity of the locus is seen in some but not all Caryophyllalean plants and is absent from Ar. thaliana. This suggests a segmental duplication rather than a whole-genome duplication as the mechanism of RF-Oma1 evolution. Of thirty-seven positively selected codons in RF-Oma1, twenty-six of these sites are located in predicted transmembrane helices. Phylogenetic network analysis indicated that homologous recombination among the RF-Oma1 members played an important role to generate protein activity related to suppression. Together, our data illustrate how an evolutionarily young Rf has emerged from a lineage-specific paralog. Interestingly, several evolutionary features are shared with the RNA-binding protein type Rfs. Hence, the evolution of the sugar beet Rf is representative of Rf evolution in general.


Genesis, a winged helix transcriptional repressor with expression restricted to embryonic stem cells.
A novel member of the winged helix (formerly HNF-3/Forkhead) transcriptional regulatory family, termed Genesis, was isolated and characterized. Putative translation of the complete cDNA revealed the winged helix DNA binding domain to be centrally located within the protein, with regions on either side that contain known transcriptional regulatory motifs. Extensive Northern analysis of Genesis found that the message was exclusively expressed in embryonic stem cells or their malignant equivalent, embryonal carcinoma cells. The Genesis transcript was down-regulated when these cells were stimulated to differentiate. DNA sequences that Genesis protein would interact with were characterized and were found to contain a consensus similar to that found in an embryonic stem cell enhancer sequence. Co-transfection experiments revealed that Genesis is a transcriptional repressor. Genesis mapped to mouse chromosome 4 in a region syntenic with human chromosome 1p31, a site of nonrandom abnormalities in germ cell neoplasia, neuroblastoma, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Genesis is a candidate for regulating the phenotype of normal or malignant embryonic stem cells.


[A Swiss physician's perspective of public health care in the south of Germany, autumn 1946].
In the autumn of 1946, a committee of Swiss physicians toured southern Germany to examine German measures for air-raid protection and to evaluate the country's wartime public health care. One of the participants, the St. Gallen physician Hans Richard von Fels, complemented the committee's official report with a personal diary of the journey. This document includes von Fels' personal observations of the physical, psychic and political state of the German population, the wartime destruction of the cities, and local public health services. This text is an important historical document, partly because it is one of the few "ego-documents" relating to the public health sector in post-war Germany.


Efficacy and ligand bias at the μ-opioid receptor.
In order to describe drug action at a GPCR, a full understanding of the pharmacological terms affinity, efficacy and potency is necessary. This is true whether comparing the ability of different agonists to produce a measurable response in a cell or tissue, or determining the relative ability of an agonist to activate a single receptor subtype and produce multiple responses. There is a great deal of interest in the μ-opioid receptor (MOP receptor) and the ligands that act at this GPCR not only because of the clinically important analgesic effects produced by MOP agonists but also because of their liability to induce adverse effects such as respiratory depression and dependence. Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying these effects, as well as the ability to develop new, more effective MOP receptor drugs, depends upon the accurate determination of the efficacy with which these ligands induce coupling of MOP receptors to downstream signalling events. In this review, which is written with the minimum of mathematical content, the basic meaning of terms including efficacy, intrinsic activity and intrinsic efficacy is discussed, along with their relevance to the field of MOP receptor pharmacology, and in particular in relation to biased agonism at this important GPCR.


Treatment Outcome of Tuberculosis Patients Registered at DOTS Centre in Ogbomoso, Southwestern Nigeria: A 4-Year Retrospective Study.
Background Information. Monitoring outcome of tuberculosis treatment and understanding the specific reasons for unsuccessful treatment outcome are important in evaluating the effectiveness of tuberculosis control program. This study investigated tuberculosis treatment outcomes and predictors for unsuccessful treatment outcome in Ogbomoso town, Southwestern Nigeria. Methodology. Medical records of all tuberculosis patients registered from January 2008 to December 2011 in 5 Local Government areas, Ogbomoso, Southwestern Nigeria, were reviewed. Treatment outcome and tuberculosis type were categorized according to the national tuberculosis control guideline. Bivariate analysis was used to analyse the association between treatment outcome and potential predictor variables. Results. Out of the 965 total TB patients (579 males and 386 females) with mean age 42.4 ± 1.9 years, 866 (89.74%) were categorized as pulmonary tuberculosis and 109 (11.30%) as extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Treatment outcome among total 914 subjects was as follows: 304 (33.26%) patients got cured, 477 (52.19%) completed treatment, 87 (9.52%) died, 9 (0.98%) defaulted, and 1 (0.11%) failed treatment while 36 (3.94%) were transferred out. Higher treatment success rate was associated with those on Category 1 treatment (P < 0.05). Conclusion. The treatment success rate of tuberculosis patients was high (85.45%) compared to national target. However, certain proportion of patients died (9.52%) and defaulted (0.98%), which is a serious public health concern that needs to be addressed urgently.


Efficiency of auricular acupuncture in climacteric symptoms after cancer treatments.
This paper aims to highlight the efficiency of auriculotherapy in the treatment of hot flushes, especially in cancer-related menopausal transition. We used systematically collected data from patients in 2014 in a medical oncology practice. The treatment was made according to the guidelines of The Inter-University Diploma and the cartography of the World Health Organization; data on satisfaction were collected orally. In 2014, 49 patients, among whom 41 had cancer, were treated for hot flushes. Although it is not recommended to treat several symptoms during the same session, we dealt with 1.7 symptoms per session on average. Sixty-nine percent of the patients were satisfied. We lacked data for nine patients, who did not come to the minimal recommended number of treatments (three). Only one patient among those who did not observe any improvement received three treatments. Auricular acupuncture is a safe and cheap method to treat hot flushes. It has been effective in numerous and various cases, among which were patients who presented cancer-related menopausal symptoms. It may be applied for a large variety of other symptoms.


Component architecture in drug discovery informatics.
This paper reviews the characteristics of a new model of computing that has been spurred on by the Internet, known as Netcentric computing. Developments in this model led to distributed component architectures, which, although not new ideas, are now realizable with modern tools such as Enterprise Java. The application of this approach to scientific computing, particularly in pharmaceutical discovery research, is discussed and highlighted by a particular case involving the management of biological assay data.


Mutation rate and predicted phenotypic target sizes in ethylnitrosourea-treated mice.
Chemical mutagenesis of the mouse is ongoing in several centers around the world, with varying estimates of mutation rate and number of sites mutable to phenotype. To address these questions, we sequenced approximately 9.6 Mb of DNA from G1 progeny of ethylnitrosourea-treated mice in a large, broad-spectrum screen. We identified 10 mutations at eight unique sites, including six nonsynonymous coding substitutions. This calibrates the nucleotide mutation rate for two mutagenesis centers, implies significance criteria for positional cloning efforts, and provides working estimates of effective genetic target sizes for selected phenotypes.


Tumour regression does not increase the risk of sentinel node involvement in thin melanomas.
Few studies have analysed the relationship between tumour regression and risk of nodal metastasis in patients with thin melanomas (Breslow thickness < or = 1 mm), and the conclusions reported have been conflicting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of histological regression as a predictor of lymph node metasta- sis in a selected group of patients with thin melanomas, submitted to lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy. From November 1999 to November 2006, 59 patients with thin melanomas (28 females and 31 males; mean age: 58.7 years) underwent lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy. The mean Breslow thickness was 0.60 mm (range: 0.24-1 mm). Tumour ulceration was present in 2 patients (3.4%) and histological regression in 45 (76.3%). Sentinel lymph node metastases were detected in 2 of 59 patients (3.4%), but only one patient with a positive sentinel lymph node exhibited histological regression of his tumour. Therefore, the sentinel lymph node positivity rate in thin regressing melanomas was 2.2%. Literature data and our experience suggest that tumour regression is not a predictor of sentinel lymph node metastasis in patients with thin melanomas, and therefore does not justify the routine use of lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in this melanoma setting.


Synovial Sarcoma Mimicking Myositis Ossificans.
A calcification mass was incidentally found in the soft tissue of a patient who had a history of trauma to the extremity during examination. The patient had no symptom. The pathological analysis of the mass revealed it was an early-phase synovial sarcoma (SS). The diagnosis was made before the onset of symptoms and proper surgical intervention was performed. Therefore, in case of a <1 cm lesion clinically suspicious of myositis ossificans, SS should be taken into consideration as a possible diagnosis.


Different drought resistance mechanisms between two buckwheat species Fagopyrum esculentum and Fagopyrum tataricum.
Water availability is one of the main factors affecting crop production and the occurrence of drought periods is expected to increase in the context of ongoing climate change. We investigated the impact of water stress on two pseudocereal species, common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions under two water regimes: control (40-50% soil humidity) and water stress (<20% soil humidity). Although closely related, both species differed by their resistance to water stress. The vegetative growth was affected in F. esculentum but not in F. tataricum as water stress decreased leaf production, leaf fresh, and dry weight, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and photosynthesis rate in the former but not in the latter. However, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were not affected by water stress, whatever the species, and the chlorophyll content increased in water-stressed plants in both species. Oxidative stress was observed in both species in response to water stress, and antioxidant content was increased in F. tataricum. The reproductive phase was affected by water stress in both species: the number of inflorescences and pollen production decreased, mainly in F. esculentum. Seed set was maintained in F. tataricum while this parameter was not investigated in F. esculentum due to its self-incompatibility. Our results suggested that F. tataricum was more resistant to water stress than F. esculentum and that F. esculentum had characteristics of drought avoidance, while F. tataricum exhibited traits of drought tolerance.


Biventricular pacing-induced acute response in baroreflex sensitivity has predictive value for midterm response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.
In a previous study we demonstrated that the institution of biventricular pacing in chronic heart failure (CHF) acutely facilitates the arterial baroreflex. The arterial baroreflex has important prognostic value in CHF. We hypothesized that the acute response in baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) after the institution of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has predictive value for midterm response. One day after implantation of a CRT device in 33 CHF patients (27 male/6 female; age, 66.5 +/- 9.5 yr; left ventricular ejection fraction, 28 +/- 7%) we measured noninvasive BRS and heart rate variability (HRV) in two conditions: CRT device switched on and switched off (on/off order randomized). Echocardiography was performed before implantation (baseline) and 6 mo after implantation (follow-up). CRT responders were defined as patients in whom left ventricular end-systolic volume at follow-up had decreased by > or =15%. Responders (69.7%) and nonresponders (30.3%) had similar baseline characteristics. In responders, CRT increased BRS by 30% (P = 0.03); this differed significantly (P = 0.02) from the average BRS change (-2%) in the nonresponders. CRT also increased HRV by 30% in responders (P = 0.02), but there was no significant difference found compared with the increase in HRV (8%) in the nonresponders. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the percent BRS increase had predictive value for the discrimination of responders and nonresponders (area under the curve, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.51-0.87; maximal accuracy, 0.70). Our study demonstrates that a CRT-induced acute BRS increase has predictive value for the echocardiographic response to CRT. This finding suggests that the autonomic nervous system is actively involved in CRT-related reverse remodeling.


[Acute aneurysm surgery and the Glasgow Coma Scale: relationship with 6-month outcome].
A series of 610 patients who had aneurysm surgery within 7 days of the hemorrhage were analyzed as to the relationship between the preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and the outcome assessed by using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 6 months after surgery. The patient distribution in accordance with the GCS scores in descending order from 15 to 3 was as follows: 265, 109, 44, 24, 17, 20, 25, 15, 18, 12, 16, 23, and 22 cases, respectively. In general, the larger the GCS score, the better the outcome. Thus, the overall results proved to be significantly correlated with the GCS score prior to surgery (r = 0.608, P < 0.01). As for demarcation levels along the GCS axis in terms of the GOS, a significant difference in the outcome was observed at the level of GCS scores between 15 and 14 (P < 0.0001, Wilcoxon test). However, no borderlines were evident at any GCS levels other than 15/14. The problems of applying the GCS to the grading system of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage are discussed.


Influence of a putative intermolecular interaction between core and the pre-S1 domain of the large envelope protein on hepatitis B virus secretion.
Virion release of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from hepatocytes is a tightly regulated event. It is a dogma that only the mature HBV genome is preferentially allowed to export from the intracellular compartment (J. Summers and W. S. Mason, Cell 29:403-415, 1982). Recently, an "immature secretion" phenotype of a highly frequent naturally occurring HBV variant containing a leucine residue at amino acid 97 of the core protein was identified. Unlike wild-type HBV, this variant secretes almost equal amounts of mature and immature genomes. This phenomenon is not caused by any instability of core particles or by any deficiency in viral reverse transcription (T. T. Yuan, P. C. Tai, and C. Shih, J. Virol. 73:10122-10128, 1999). In this study, our kinetic analysis of virion secretion of the mutant F97L (phenylalanine to leucine) indicates that the secretion of its immature genome does not occur earlier than that of its mature genome. In addition, the secretion kinetics of the mature genomes are comparable between the wild-type HBV and the mutant F97L. Therefore, the immature secretion phenomenon of mutant F97L is not caused by premature secretion or more efficient secretion. Previously, we hypothesized that the immature secretion phenotype is probably caused by the aberrant interaction between its mutant core and wild-type envelope proteins. Here, we further demonstrated that a pre-S1 envelope mutation at position 119, changing an alanine (A) to a phenylalanine (F), can offset the immature secretion phenotype of the mutant I97L (isoleucine to leucine) and successfully restore the wild-type-like selective export of the mature genome of the double mutant pre-S1-A119F/core-I97L.


Subdural haematoma in a patient with immune thrombocytopenic purpura.
A patient with bilateral subdural haematomas in association with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is documented. She was managed successfully with platelet rich plasma and immunosuppressive therapy with steroids.


Feasibility of the "Bring Your Own Device" Model in Clinical Research: Results from a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of a Mobile Patient Engagement Tool.
Rising rates of smartphone ownership highlight opportunities for improved mobile application usage in clinical trials. While current methods call for device provisioning, the "bring your own device" (BYOD) model permits participants to use personal phones allowing for improved patient engagement and lowered operational costs. However, more evidence is needed to demonstrate the BYOD model's feasibility in research settings. To assess if CentrosHealth, a mobile application designed to support trial compliance, produces different outcomes in medication adherence and application engagement when distributed through study-provisioned devices compared to the BYOD model. 87 participants were randomly selected to use the mobile application or no intervention for a 28-day pilot study at a 2:1 randomization ratio (2 intervention: 1 control) and asked to consume a twice-daily probiotic supplement. The application users were further randomized into two groups: receiving the application on a personal "BYOD" or study-provided smartphone. In-depth interviews were performed in a randomly-selected subset of the intervention group (five BYOD and five study-provided smartphone users). The BYOD subgroup showed significantly greater engagement than study-provided phone users, as shown by higher application use frequency and duration over the study period. The BYOD subgroup also demonstrated a significant effect of engagement on medication adherence for number of application sessions (unstandardized regression coefficient beta=0.0006, p=0.02) and time spent therein (beta=0.00001, p=0.03). Study-provided phone users showed higher initial adherence rates, but greater decline (5.7%) than BYOD users (0.9%) over the study period. In-depth interviews revealed that participants preferred the BYOD model over using study-provided devices. Results indicate that the BYOD model is feasible in health research settings and improves participant experience, calling for further BYOD model validity assessment. Although group differences in medication adherence decline were insignificant, the greater trend of decline in provisioned device users warrants further investigation to determine if trends reach significance over time. Significantly higher application engagement rates and effect of engagement on medication adherence in the BYOD subgroup similarly imply that greater application engagement may correlate to better medication adherence over time.


A rare solitary and endobronchial pulmonary hyalinising granuloma requiring bilobectomy.
Pulmonary hyalinising granuloma is a very rare disease often presenting as multiple smooth rounded nodules within the lung parenchyma and mimicking metastatic disease. Solitary pulmonary hyalinising granuloma is an even rarer subgroup, and to our knowledge, there have been no endoluminal pulmonary hyalinising granulomas reported. A 36-year-old female non-smoker with no significant past medical history presented with a persistent cough and was found to have a right lower lobe bronchial lesion causing lower lobe obstruction. After multiple failed attempts at tissue diagnosis from both percutaneous and endobronchial biopsies, and with worsening haemoptysis, the patient underwent a right thoracotomy and lower bilobectomy. The histopathology was reported as a solitary endobronchial pulmonary hyalinising granuloma. Although benign in nature, tissue diagnosis can be difficult in these lesions, especially when presenting as a solitary mass in a central location. This report demonstrates that these lesions can also be found endobronchially necessitating parenchymal resection for diagnosis and obstructive symptoms.


Adoption of Machine Learning Algorithm-Based Intelligent Basketball Training Robot in Athlete Injury Prevention.
In order to effectively prevent sports injuries caused by collisions in basketball training, realize efficient shooting, and reduce collisions, the machine learning algorithm was applied to intelligent robot for path planning in this study. First of all, combined with the basketball motion trajectory model, the sport recognition in basketball training was analyzed. Second, the mathematical model of the basketball motion trajectory of the shooting motion was established, and the factors affecting the shooting were analyzed. Thirdly, on this basis, the machine learning-based improved Q-Learning algorithm was proposed, the path planning of the moving robot was realized, and the obstacle avoidance behavior was accomplished effectively. In the path planning, the principle of fuzzy controller was applied, and the obstacle ultrasonic signals acquired around the robot were taken as input to effectively avoid obstacles. Finally, the robot was able to approach the target point while avoiding obstacles. The results of simulation experiment show that the obstacle avoidance path obtained by the improved Q-Learning algorithm is flatter, indicating that the algorithm is more suitable for the obstacle avoidance of the robot. Besides, it only takes about 250 s for the robot to find the obstacle avoidance path to the target state for the first time, which is far lower than the 700 s of the previous original algorithm. As a result, the fuzzy controller applied to the basketball robot can effectively avoid the obstacles in the robot movement process, and the motion trajectory curve obtained is relatively smooth. Therefore, the proposed machine learning algorithm has favorable obstacle avoidance effect when it is applied to path planning in basketball training, and can effectively prevent sports injuries in basketball activities.


Understanding Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among Haitian American Women: A Cultural Perspective.
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is 19.7% in Haiti (DeGennaro et al., 2018). Haitian American women (HAW) experience difficulties with adherence to T2DM treatment and management (Bivins, 2016; Magny-Normilus et al., 2019; Vimalananda et al., 2011; Huffman et al., 2013); however, no previous study was found that focused exclusively on Haitian American women with T2DM. Van Manen's six research activities guided this phenomenological qualitative inquiry. Recruitment included 25 Haitian American women (N = 25) with T2DM from three South Florida counties. Data were collected using a vignette and audio-recorded semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Recordings were then transcribed and analyzed to identify thematic concepts and patterns. Themes of spiritualizing and shifting cultural norms with the subtheme of dietary restrictions were found. In conclusion, to promote health outcomes nurses must incorporate these salient factors in the care of Haitian American women with T2DM.


Hexagonal-Phase Cobalt Monophosphosulfide for Highly Efficient Overall Water Splitting.
The rational design and synthesis of nonprecious, efficient, and stable electrocatalysts to replace precious noble metals are crucial to the future of hydrogen economy. Herein, a partial sulfurization/phosphorization strategy is proposed to synthesize a nonstoichiometric pyrrhotite-type cobalt monophosphosulfide material (Co0.9S0.58P0.42) with a hexagonal close-packed phase for electrocatalytic water splitting. By regulating the degree of sulfurization, the P/S atomic ratio in the cobalt monophosphosulfide can be tuned to activate the Co3+/Co2+ couples. The synergy between the nonstoichiometric nature and the tunable P/S ratio results in the strengthened Co3+/Co2+ couples and tunable electronic structure and thus efficiently promotes the oxygen/hydrogen evolution reaction (OER/HER) processes toward overall water splitting. Especially for OER, the Co0.9S0.58P0.42 material, featured with a uniform yolk-shell spherical morphology, shows a low overpotential of 266 mV at 10 mA cm-2 (η10) with a low Tafel slope of 48 mV dec-1 as well as high stability, which is comparable to that of the reported promising OER electrocatalysts. Coupled with the high HER activity of Co0.9S0.58P0.42, the overall water splitting is demonstrated with a low η10 at 1.59 V and good stability. This study shows that phase engineering and composition control can be the elegant strategy to realize the Co3+/Co2+ couple activation and electronic structure tuning to promote the electrocatalytic process. The proposed strategy and approaches allow the rational design and synthesis of transition metal monophosphosulfides toward advanced electrochemical applications.


High-resolution SSCP analysis using polyacrylamide agarose composite gel and a background-free silver staining method.
We describe here an improved methodology for single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of PCR products. The method utilizes a polyacrylamide agarose composite gel and background-free silver staining. In comparison with conventional pure polyacrylamide gel for PCR-SSCP analysis, the composite gels have a much greater mechanical strength and improved resolution. The background staining commonly seen in many silver staining protocols has been eliminated by incorporation of thiosulfate, which can prevent nonspecific deposits of silver salts. As shown in our titration tests, the composite gel and background-free silver staining together have allowed clear identification of point mutations in samples containing as little as 5% of the target sequences, the same sensitivity achieved by radioactive labeling methods.


Lymphomas and bone tumors: clinical presentation, management, and potential late effects of current treatment strategies.
While many pediatric malignancies are seen predominantly in pre-school children, many cases of childhood non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and most cases of Hodgkin's disease and bone tumors are seen in the older child and adolescent. This review focuses on current knowledge concerning the epidemiology, histopathology, molecular biology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, staging, treatment, and prognosis for older children and adolescents diagnosed with lymphoma or either of the two commonly seen childhood bone tumors, namely osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. Survival figures for all of these childhood malignancies have increased markedly in the past two decades. We now have the relatively new experience of having an increasingly large population of childhood cancer survivors to study and, unfortunately, are beginning to see the long-term consequences of these more successful treatments. This review concludes with an overview of the potential late effects of cancer therapy, effects that may first be detected by the primary care physician caring for the adolescent who is a cancer survivor.


Parental investment and avian reproductive rate: Williams's principle reconsidered.
Beginning with George Williams's concept of present and residual (future) reproductive value, life-history theory has considered that the optimized level of parental investment (i.e., assumed risk) should increase in proportion to the annual mortality rate of parent individuals. However, when the survival of young from independence to maturity is separated from parental reproductive success, optimized parental investment is proportional, instead, to prereproductive survival when reproductive and nonreproductive components of adult mortality are additive (simultaneous risk) or to the ratio of prereproductive survival to adult nonreproductive survival when the adult mortality components are multiplicative (independent risk). Applied to the lower, and largely nonoverlapping, brood sizes of tropical compared to temperate and boreal birds, estimates of both adult and prereproductive survival do not predict different levels of reproductive investment. Accordingly, the pervasive increase in clutch size with latitude would appear to reflect increasing availability of food resources to provision offspring.


Magnetic flexible endoscope for colonoscopy: an initial learning curve analysis.
Background and study aims Colonoscopy is a technically challenging procedure that requires extensive training to minimize discomfort and avoid trauma due to its drive mechanism. Our academic team developed a magnetic flexible endoscope (MFE) actuated by magnetic coupling under supervisory robotic control to enable a front-pull maneuvering mechanism, with a motion controller user interface, to minimize colon wall stress and potentially reduce the learning curve. We aimed to evaluate this learning curve and understand the user experience. Methods Five novices (no endoscopy experience), five experienced endoscopists, and five experienced MFE users each performed 40 trials on a model colon using 1:1 block randomization between a pediatric colonoscope (PCF) and the MFE. Cecal intubation (CI) success, time to cecum, and user experience (NASA task load index) were measured. Learning curves were determined by the number of trials needed to reach minimum and average proficiency-defined as the slowest average CI time by an experienced user and the average CI time by all experienced users, respectively. Results MFE minimum proficiency was achieved by all five novices (median 3.92 trials) and five experienced endoscopists (median 2.65 trials). MFE average proficiency was achieved by four novices (median 14.21 trials) and four experienced endoscopists (median 7.00 trials). PCF minimum and average proficiency levels were achieved by only one novice. Novices' perceived workload with the MFE significantly improved after obtaining minimum proficiency. Conclusions The MFE has a short learning curve for users with no prior experience-requiring relatively few attempts to reach proficiency and at a reduced perceived workload.


Diverticular Disease of the Colon: Neuromuscular Function Abnormalities.
Colonic diverticular disease is a frequent finding in daily clinical practice. However, its pathophysiological mechanisms are largely unknown. This condition is likely the result of several concomitant factors occurring together to cause anatomic and functional abnormalities, leading as a result to the outpouching of the colonic mucosa. A pivotal role seems to be played by an abnormal colonic neuromuscular function, as shown repeatedly in these patients, and by an altered visceral perception. There is recent evidence that these abnormalities might be related to the derangement of the enteric innervation, to an abnormal distribution of mucosal neuropeptides, and to low-grade mucosal inflammation. The latter might be responsible for the development of visceral hypersensitivity, often causing abdominal pain in a subset of these patients.


[A comparison of total knee replacement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and those with degenerative arthritis].
This article aims at determining the differences in resources needed for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis as opposed to osteoarthritis. Data on ten patients for each of these diagnoses, all of whom had been subject to the implantation of a knee arthroplasty,were compared. We looked at parameters such as the duration of surgery, further diagnoses, costs of radiological measures and medical treatment, simultaneous operations, need of nursing care,physical and occupational therapy and complications. Patients presenting with rheumatoid arthritis in many respects required substantially more clinical and/or financial resources than osteoarthritis patients. This statement holds true at least for the period of hospital care during which the knee-prosthesis was implanted.


Immunological cross-reactivity of the fragments of staphylococcal enterotoxins A and E generated by digestion of proteolytic enzymes.
Three major fragments were generated by limited digestion of staphylococcal enterotoxins A (SEA) and E (SEE) with papain, whereas five major fragments were generated by limited digestion with staphylococcal protease V8 (V8). All of these fragments were detected by immunoblotting with polyclonal anti-SEA and -SEE sera. Some of generated fragments were detected by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with specificities for SEA (A-111 and A-211), SEE (E-142), or both (AE-32, AE-37, and AE-53). This indicates that fragments of SEA and SEE containing the type-specific and cross-reacting epitopes may be generated by digestion of the toxins with either papain or V8.


Molybdenum-Bismuth Bimetallic Chalcogenide Nanosheets for Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol.
Methanol is a very useful platform molecule and liquid fuel. Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to methanol is a promising route, which currently suffers from low efficiency and poor selectivity. Herein we report the first work to use a Mo-Bi bimetallic chalcogenide (BMC) as an electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction. By using the Mo-Bi BMC on carbon paper as the electrode and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate in MeCN as the electrolyte, the Faradaic efficiency of methanol could reach 71.2 % with a current density of 12.1 mA cm(-2) , which is much higher than the best result reported to date. The superior performance of the electrode resulted from the excellent synergistic effect of Mo and Bi for producing methanol. The reaction mechanism was proposed and the reason for the synergistic effect of Mo and Bi was discussed on the basis of some control experiments. This work opens a way to produce methanol efficiently by electrochemical reduction of CO2 .


Partial deletion of p53 gene in alpha particle-induced transformant of Syrian hamster embryo cells.
The mutation of p53 gene was detected in Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells neoplastically initiated with alpha particles. The level of the p53 mRNA in transformant was obviously higher than that in non-irradiated counterpart, as measured by Northern blot analysis of total RNA. A pair of primers were designed based on p53 cDNA sequence to produce the whole length of coding sequence about 1.2 kilobase (Kb) by reverse transcription of mRNA followed by the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), but the length of fragment amplified from transformant mRNA was about 0.3 Kb, remarkably shorter than that from normal SHE cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of p53 protein showed that no heavy staining was found on slice of tumor derived from transformant inoculated in nude mice with hamster specific p53 monocloned antibody HD200. The results implied that p53 gene had been mutated by deletion, which might lead to loss of p53 protein expression but the increased expression of p53 remained in alpha particle-induced SHE transformant.


CircTUBD1 Regulates Radiation-induced Liver Fibrosis Response via a circTUBD1/micro-203a-3p/Smad3 Positive Feedback Loop.
Radiation-induced liver fibrosis (RILF), delayed damage to the liver (post-irradiation) remains a major challenge for the radiotherapy of liver malignancies. This study investigated the potential function and mechanism of circTUBD1 in the development of RILF. By using a dual luciferase assay, RNA pull-down assays, RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation (known as ChIP) assays, and a series of gain- or loss-of-function experiments, it was found that circTUBD1 regulated the activation and fibrosis response of LX-2 cells induced by irradiation via a circTUBD1/micro-203a-3p/Smad3 positive feedback loop in a 3D system. Knockdown of circTUBD1 not only reduced the expression of α-SMA, as a marker of LX-2 cell activation, but also significantly decreased the levels of hepatic fibrosis molecules, collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), collagen type III alpha 1 (COL3A1), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in a three-dimensional (3D) culture system and RILF model in vivo. Notably, knockdown of circTUBD1 alleviated early liver fibrosis induced by irradiation in mice models. This study is the first to reveal the mechanism and role of circTUBD1 in RILF via a circTUBD1/micro-203a-3p/Smad3 feedback loop, which provides a novel therapeutic strategy for relieving the progression of RILF.


Theta Band-Power Shapes Amyloid-Driven Longitudinal EEG Changes in Elderly Subjective Memory Complainers At-Risk for Alzheimer's Disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) includes progressive symptoms spread along a continuum of preclinical and clinical stages. Although numerous studies uncovered the neuro-cognitive changes of AD, very little is known on the natural history of brain lesions and modifications of brain networks in elderly cognitively-healthy memory complainers at risk of AD for carrying pathophysiological biomarkers (amyloidopathy and tauopathy). We analyzed resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) of 318 cognitively-healthy subjective memory complainers from the INSIGHT-preAD cohort at the time of their first visit (M0) and two-years later (M24). Using 18F-florbetapir PET-scanner, subjects were stratified between amyloid negative (A-; n = 230) and positive (A+; n = 88) groups. Differences between A+ and A- were estimated at source-level in each band-power of the EEG spectrum. At M0, we found an increase of theta power in the mid-frontal cortex in A+ compared to A-. No significant association was found between mid-frontal theta and the individuals' cognitive performance. At M24, theta power increased in A+ relative to A- individuals in the posterior cingulate cortex and the pre-cuneus. Alpha band revealed a peculiar decremental trend in posterior brain regions in the A+ relative to the A- group only at M24. Theta power increase over the mid-frontal and mid-posterior cortices suggests an hypoactivation of the default-mode network in the A+ individuals and a non-linear longitudinal progression at M24. We provide the first source-level longitudinal evidence on the impact of brain amyloidosis on the EEG dynamics of a large-scale, monocentric cohort of elderly individuals at-risk for AD.


[Long-term treatment with amiodarone].
The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and the side effects of a long-term treatment with amiodarone. We analyzed the data of 41 patients in whom amiodarone therapy had been initiated between 1974 and 1984. Twenty-one patients had dilative cardiomyopathy, 14 patients had chronic myocardial infarction, four patients suffered from WPW syndrome with intermittent atrial fibrillation, one patient had aortic valve surgery, whereas in one patient there was no clinical evidence of a heart disease. All patients had salvos of ventricular extrasystoles, ventricular tachycardia or documented intermittent ventricular fibrillation. There have been seven drop-outs up to the present time. In each patient, the lowest antiarrhythmically effective dose was applied, which was generally higher in patients with low ejection fraction. Effective treatment of the ventricular tachycardia was achieved in 55-92% of patients and did not depend on the duration of treatment. In 10 patients in whom amiodarone therapy had to be stopped for various reasons. Sudden cardiac death was slightly more frequent than in the 24 patients treated with amiodarone, though the difference was not significant. In cases with a history of syncope the prognosis was poor, even with amiodarone therapy. Due to side effects, a dosage reduction or discontinuation of amiodarone treatment became necessary in 14 patients. Amiodarone proved to be an effective drug also for the long-term treatment of ventricular tachycardia, and possibly for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. With the exception of blue skin color, there was no accumulation of side effects, even during long-term treatment of several years.


Effect of iron deficiency without anaemia on days alive and out of hospital in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery.
Comprehensive evidence regarding the treatment of non-anaemic iron deficiency in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the association between non-anaemic iron deficiency and postoperative outcomes in these patients. We retrospectively analysed 321 patients of which 180 (56%) had iron deficiency (defined as serum ferritin < 100 ng.ml-1 or < 300 ng.ml-1 with transferrin saturation < 20%). While the iron-deficient group had lower pre-operative haemoglobin levels than the non-iron deficient group (median (IQR [range]) 134 (127-141 [120-172]) g.l-1 , 143 (133-150 [120-179]) g.l-1 , p = 0.001), there was no between-group difference in allogeneic red blood cell transfusion. Median (IQR [range]) days alive and out of hospital at postoperative day 90 was 1 day shorter in the iron-deficient group (80 (77-82 [9-85]) days vs. 81 (79-83 [0-85]) days, p = 0.026). In multivariable analysis, only cardiopulmonary bypass duration (p = 0.032) and intra-operative allogeneic red blood cell transfusion (p = 0.011) were significantly associated with reduced days alive and out of hospital at postoperative day 90. Iron deficiency did not exert any adverse influence on secondary outcomes except length of hospital stay. Our findings indicate that non-anaemic iron deficiency alone is not associated with adverse effects in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery when it does not translate into an increased risk of allogeneic transfusion.