Enzymes of phospholipid metabolism in the endoplasmic reticulum of castor bean endosperm.
The intracellular location of several enzymes concerned with phospholipid metabolism was investigated by examining their distribution in organelles separated on sucrose gradients from total homogenates of castor bean (Ricinus communis var. Hale) endosperm. The enzymes phosphatidic acid phosphatase, CDP-diglyceride-inositol transferase, and phosphatidyletha-nolamine-l-serine phosphatidyl transferase were all primarily or exclusively confined to membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. These results and those reported previously on lecithin synthesis establish a major role of the endoplasmic reticulum in phospholipid and membrane synthesis in plant tissues.


Cilostazol-induced relaxation of calf cardiac vein and coronary artery during cooling.
At present very little is known about the role of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) in the effects of temperature on vascular reactivity. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the influence of cooling (to 28 °C) on the vasodilatation induced by cilostazol(10-9-3x10-4M) on carbachol (10-6)-precontracted calf cardiac vein and coronary artery and the role of NO in these effects. Ring preparations of great cardiac vein and the anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery were used. Cilostazol produced concentration-dependent relaxation of calf cardiac vein and coronary artery rings precontracted with carbachol. During cooling, the pIC50 values, but not the maximal responses to cilostazol were significantly lower than at 37 °C in both preparations. Cooling to 28 °C in the presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10-4 M) did not modify the effect of temperature both in cardiac vein and coronary artery. These results demonstrate for the first time that cooling-induced changes of cilostazol in calf cardiac vein and coronary artery are independent of NO (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 32).


Strategies to prevent or control infections after bone marrow transplants.
Patients receiving bone marrow transplants are at risk of life-threatening infections early post-transplant. This predisposition results from extensive mucosal damage and severe granulocytopenia. Common causes of infection include bacteria and fungi. Infections with opportunistic pathogens occur later and are associated with defects in cellular and/or humoral immunity. The most common sites of infections are the gastrointestinal tract, oropharynx, lung, skin and indwelling vascular catheters. Empiric approaches designed to treat common bacterial and fungal pathogens are generally effective as are measures designed to prevent dissemination of infections. These approaches are also used to prevent fungal infections.


Dual drug nanocrystals loaded microparticles for fixed dose combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe.
Dual drug nanocrystals loaded nano embedded microparticles (DNEMs) were prepared for fixed dose combination of simvastatin (SIM) and ezetimibe (EZE) using NanoCrySP technology. The purpose was to generate nanonized SIM and EZE dispersed in matrix of single crystallization inducing excipient and investigate their in vitro performance. DNEM were prepared using mannitol (MAN) as crystallization inducer (active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)/MAN = 3:7 w/w) using spray drying. TPGS (0.1% w/v) was used as surfactant for stabilization of nanocrystals. Crystallinity of DNEM was confirmed by solid-state characterization using DSC and PXRD. Particle size analysis was carried out using Zetasizer® and the Scherrer equation as primary techniques and SEM and TEM as orthogonal techniques. Size of both SIM and EZE in DNEM was close to 600 nm. In vitro performance was assessed using USP apparatus II in 0.025% SLS containing sodium phosphate buffer. Powder dissolution of DNEM increased 1.45 times for SIM and 1.65 times for EZE as compared to their physical mixture in discriminatory medium. MAN did not plasticize SIM or EZE by virtue of its immiscibility with the two drugs. However, MAN helped in inducing crystallization via heterogeneous nucleation. The generated DNEM were stable in terms of assay, polymorphic form and dissolution for 90 days of accelerated storage at 40 °C/75% RH.


Endothelin-1 of canine basilar artery in vasospasm.
Cerebral vasospasm was induced in adult mongrel dogs by a two-hemorrhage method. The basilar arteries were quickly frozen after careful removal of surrounding blood clot and their level of immunoreactive endothelin-1, a strong vasoconstrictor produced by the endothelial and vascular smooth-muscle cells, was measured by sandwich-enzyme immunoassay. The levels of immunoreactive endothelin-1 (mean +/- standard deviation) were 112.9 +/- 7.0 pg/mg protein prior to vasospasm, 180.4 +/- 24.7 pg/mg protein on Day 2 after vasospasm, and 115.0 +/- 24.0 pg/mg protein on Day 7, showing a significant increase (p less than 0.01) in immunoreactive endothelin-1 only on Day 2. In addition, vasospasm was moderately reversed by the topical application of monoclonal antibody against endothelin-1 on Day 2 but rather resistant to topical monoclonal antibody on Day 7. It is suggested that endothelin-1 could act as a trigger in the early stages of cerebral vasospasm, but that the maintenance of cerebral vasospasm at later stages might be independent of endothelin-1.


A high throughput deep amplicon sequencing method to show the emergence and spread of Calicophoron daubneyi rumen fluke infection in United Kingdom cattle herds.
The prevalence of C. daubneyi infection in the United Kingdom has increased, but despite the potential for rumen flukes to cause production loss in ruminant livestock, understanding of their emergence and spread is poor. Here we describe the development of a method to explore the multiplicity of C. daubneyi infection and patterns of the parasite's emergence and spread, based on Illumina MiSeq deep sequencing of meta barcoded amplicons of a fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mt-COX-1) locus. Our results show high levels of genetic diversity in 32 C. daubneyi populations derived from finished prime cattle consigned to slaughter from northern United Kingdom. The results are consistent with a single introduction of C. daubneyi infection to some of the farms where the cattle had been grazed during their lifetime and multiple introductions to most. The results illustrate the impact of high levels of animal movements in the United Kingdom, whereby multiple common mt-COX-1 haplotypes were identified in 26 populations in the absence of geographical clustering of clades. This has implications for the adaptability of environmental and intermediate host stages of the parasite to changing climatic and animal management conditions, or of parasitic stages to exposure to anthelmintic drugs; potentially allowing for greater pathogenicity, or the development of anthelmintic resistance, respectively.


Cytokines in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Research during the last two decades established atheromatous lesions as active sites of inflammation and immune responses, contrasting to the traditional view of atherosclerosis as an acellular lesion composed of lipid deposits. In particular, cytokines appear to orchestrate the chronic development of atherosclerosis, eventually leading to the formation of complex atherosclerotic plaques, which can trigger acute thromboembolic complications, such as myocardial infarction or stroke. Indeed the rupture-prone plaque, characterized by a thin fibrous cap overlaying a voluminous lipid core, exhibits accumulation of various pro-inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines may control the clinical consequences of plaques by mediating infiltration and accumulation of immunocompetent cells, directing the turnover of fibrillar collagens (governing the fragility of the fibrous cap), or enhancing foam cell formation and thrombogenicity of the lipid core, among other processes outlined in this review. Thus, understanding the role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of the atherosclerotic plaque might provide a promising therapeutic avenue for this prevalent human disease. This review will focus on members of the interleukin, tumor necrosis factor, and interferon families of cytokines in modulating key processes of atherogenesis.


Clinical practice guidelines for the management of cirrhotic patients with ascites. Committee on Ascites of the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver.
An ad hoc Committee appointed by the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver prepared these Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Cirrhotic Patients with Ascites. The initial evaluation of a patient with ascites should include a history, physical evaluation, paracentesis with ascitic fluid analysis, abdominal ultrasonography and biochemistry to assess the severity of liver disease and renal functionality. To improve the efficiency of the choice between the different opportunities available in the treatment of ascites, patients can be classified into two subgroups: patients with uncomplicated ascites and patients with complicated ascites, including refractory ascites, bacterial peritonitis, hyponatraemia and renal failure. Based upon evidence emerging from controlled clinical trials or case-control studies, satisfactory treatment for uncomplicated ascites is represented by paracentesis, sodium-restricted diet and diuretics, whereas the treatment of patients with complicated ascites requires other specific approaches. As the prognosis for most patients with ascites is poor, the last part of the paper offers simple criteria in the selection of patients candidates for liver transplantation. The aim of these guidelines is to reduce inappropriate practice and to improve efficiency in the management of patients with ascites. The Committee holds that a periodic update will be necessary to conform to future scientific developments.


Differences in growth and physiological traits of two poplars originating from different altitudes as affected by UV-B radiation and nutrient availability.
Cuttings of Populus kangdingensis and Populus cathayana originating from altitudes of 3500 and 1500 m in southwestern China, respectively, were grown for one growing season in the field under ambient or ambient plus supplemental ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation with two levels of nutrients. In both species, enhanced UV-B radiation significantly increased UV-B absorbing compounds and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity, while no significant effects were observed in photosynthetic pigments and proline content. On the other hand, cuttings grown with high-nutrient availability had larger leaf area, higher total biomass and GPX activity as well as higher water use efficiency (WUE) (as measured by stable carbon isotope composition, delta(13)C) when compared with low-nutrient conditions, while UV-B absorbing compounds and ascorbic acid (AsA) content significantly decreased. Differences in responses to enhanced UV-B radiation and nutrient availability were observed between the two species. Nutrient-induced increases in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll as well as in carotenoids were greater in P. kangdingensis than in P. cathayana. In P. cathayana, enhanced UV-B radiation significantly decreased leaf area and total biomass, while it significantly increased WUE and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). In contrast, such changes were not observed in P. kangdingensis. In addition, the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on leaf area, total biomass and UV-B absorbing compounds were closely related to the nutrient status. Our results indicated that P. kangdingensis, which originates from the altitude of 3500 m and is apparently adapted to low-nutrient and high-UV-B habitats, exhibits better tolerance to enhanced UV-B radiation and greater growth under low-nutrient availability than does P. cathayana originating from the altitude of 1500 m.


NY-ESO-1 as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for myxoid liposarcoma.
Myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) is a common lipogenic sarcoma, which is difficult to diagnose in small specimens. New York oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1) is a cancer-testis antigen expressed in neoplastic tissue. In this study, NY-ESO-1 expression was assessed in various soft tissue tumors (STTs), and we also evaluated its diagnostic utility. We included 434 cases of STTs for collection of clinicopathological data. Tissue microarrays were designed, and immunostaining for NY-ESO-1 was examined. We investigated the correlation between NY-ESO-1 expression and various clinicopathological parameters. We also evaluated the role of NY-ESO-1 as a diagnostic marker for MLS and its possible use in prognostication. Sixty-four of the 434 STTs (14.75%) were immunoreactive for NY-ESO-1, and the most frequent type of tumor in the NY-ESO-1 positive group was MLS (70.3%, 45/64), followed by synovial sarcoma (17.2%, 11/64). MLS showed 72.6% (45/62) immunopositivity for NY-ESO-1. The sensitivity and specificity of NY-ESO-1 expression for the diagnosis of MLS were 84.4% and 100%, respectively, compared to DDIT3 fluorescence in situ hybridization. When restricting analysis to the MLS (n=62), the NY-ESO-1 positive group had a poor overall survival (OS) rate (P=0.039). NY-ESO-1 was substantially and widely expressed in the majority of MLS cases. NY-ESO-1 positivity by IHC staining was also a predictor of a poor OS in patients with MLS. It is possible to use NY-ESO-1 for diagnosis and for predicting a prognosis in patients with MLS, and it may be used as a therapeutic target.


Tuning response curves for synthetic biology.
Synthetic biology may be viewed as an effort to establish, formalize, and develop an engineering discipline in the context of biological systems. The ability to tune the properties of individual components is central to the process of system design in all fields of engineering, and synthetic biology is no exception. A large and growing number of approaches have been developed for tuning the responses of cellular systems, and here we address specifically the issue of tuning the rate of response of a system: given a system where an input affects the rate of change of an output, how can the shape of the response curve be altered experimentally? This affects a system's dynamics as well as its steady-state properties, both of which are critical in the design of systems in synthetic biology, particularly those with multiple components. We begin by reviewing a mathematical formulation that captures a broad class of biological response curves and use this to define a standard set of varieties of tuning: vertical shifting, horizontal scaling, and the like. We then survey the experimental literature, classifying the results into our defined categories, and organizing them by regulatory level: transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational.


[Development of test systems for immunoenzyme analysis for the detection of the antigen of the transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine].
Direct and indirect variants of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) were developed for the detection of specific antigen of swine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). Preparation of IgG were obtained from highly specific hyperimmune sera of guinea pigs and gnotobiotic piglets and their optimal concentration for the tests were determined. For the direct EIA, a peroxidase conjugate was prepared from guinea pig IgG and its working dilution was determined. The developed EIA systems proved to be highly sensitive for the detection of TGEV antigen both in infected cell cultures and clinical specimens from sick piglets detecting 5 ng of the virus-specific protein.


Impact of physical exercise in cancer survivors during and after antineoplastic treatments.
Cancer patients experience symptoms and adverse effects of treatments that may last even after the end of treatments. Exercise is a safe, non-pharmacological and cost-effective therapy that can provide several health benefits in cancer patient and survivors, reducing cancer symptoms and cancer treatment side effects. The purpose of this review is to describe how the physical exercise is capable to reduce cancer symptoms and cancer treatment side effects. We realized a pragmatic classification of symptoms, dividing them into physical, psychological and psycho-physical aspects. For each symptom we discuss causes, therapies, we analyse the effects of physical exercise and we summarize the most effective type of exercise to reduce the symptoms. This review also points out what are the difficulties that patients and survivors face during the practice of physical activity and provides some solutions to overcome these barriers. Related to each specific cancer, it emerges that type, frequency and intensity of physical exercise could be prescribed and supervised as a therapeutic program, like it occurs for the type, dose and duration of a drug treatment.


Mitochondrial H2O2 production is reduced with acute and chronic eccentric exercise in rat skeletal muscle.
Oxidative stress with acute/chronic exercise has been so far examined using exercise involving a combination of concentric and eccentric contractions, but skeletal muscles are likely to be injured to a greater extent by pliometric contractions. In the present study, the effects of acute and chronic bouts of downhill running exercise on mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation (fluorimetric detection of a dimer with homovanillic acid in presence of horseradish peroxidase) and oxygen consumption in conjunction with antioxidant enzymes activity were examined. The results show that acute eccentric exercise was accompanied by a significantly reduced mitochondrial H2O2 production that is likely due to a decrease in complex I of the electron transport chain (ETC). On the other hand, eccentric training leads to positive adaptations, reflected by a higher citrate synthase activity and decreased mitochondrial H2O2 production. The decrease in mitochondrial H2O2 cannot be attributed to alterations in antioxidant capacities but rather to changes in mitochondrial membrane composition characterized by an increased polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids ratio, and decreased contents in arachidonic acid and plasmalogens. These results suggest that changes in mitochondrial membrane properties with eccentric training can affect H2O2 production by muscle mitochondria. It is hypothesized that these changes resulted in a mild uncoupling sufficient to reduce electron back flow through complex I of the ETC, the major generator of reactive oxygen species by skeletal muscle mitochondria.


Clonal composition of pituitary adenomas in patients with Cushing's disease: determination by X-chromosome inactivation analysis.
The synthesis and secretion of anterior pituitary hormones are subjected to a variety of positive and negative feedback mechanisms. Aberrancies of these highly regulated phenomena may lead to hyperplasia involving multiple cells of the anterior lobe. Alternatively, a rare genetic mutation in a single cell may precede its clonal expansion. Which of these mechanisms is operative in the development of corticotroph adenomas is not known. To examine this question, we studied the clonal composition of ACTH-producing pituitary adenomas from female patients with Cushing's disease by using X-chromosome inactivation analysis. Nine of 27 patients examined were heterozygous at 1 of the 2 X-chromosome-linked polymorphic loci, hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyl-transferase and phosphoglycerate-kinase. The methylation patterns of the hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyl-transferase and phosphoglycerate-kinase genes, distinguishing between the active and inactive alleles, were analyzed in DNA extracted from the central part of the tumor and compared with those of autologous lymphocyte DNA. Six tumors (4 microadenomas and 2 macroadenomas) showed a single active allele of the X-chromosome-linked genes and were monoclonal in nature. The other 3 pituitary adenomas (1 microadenoma and 2 macroadenomas, 1 from a patient with Nelson's syndrome) revealed a polyclonal pattern of X-chromosome inactivation. Our data demonstrate that corticotroph adenomas of the pituitary may arise from a single cell or from more than one cell. Whether fundamentally different endocrine mechanisms underlie the two processes remains to be seen.


Performance Characterization of a Switchable Acoustic Resolution and Optical Resolution Photoacoustic Microscopy System.
Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is a scalable bioimaging modality; one can choose low acoustic resolution with deep penetration depth or high optical resolution with shallow imaging depth. High spatial resolution and deep penetration depth is rather difficult to achieve using a single system. Here we report a switchable acoustic resolution and optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (AR-OR-PAM) system in a single imaging system capable of both high resolution and low resolution on the same sample. Lateral resolution of 4.2 µm (with ~1.4 mm imaging depth) and lateral resolution of 45 μm (with ~7.6 mm imaging depth) was successfully demonstrated using a switchable system. In vivo blood vasculature imaging was also performed for its biological application.


Angle-resolved coherent wave mixing using a 4 fs ultra-broad bandwidth laser.
We demonstrate angle-resolved coherent (ARC) wave mixing using 4 fs light pulses derived from a laser source that spans 550-1000 nm. We believe this to be the shortest pulse duration used to date in coherent multi-dimensional spectroscopy. The marriage of this ultra-broad band, few-cycle coherent source with the ARC technique will permit new investigations of the interplay between energy transfers and quantum superposition states spanning 8200 cm-1. We applied this configuration to measurements on the photosynthetic low light (LL) complex from Rhodopseudomonas palustris in solution at ambient temperature. We observe bi-exponential population dynamics for energy transfer across 5500 cm-1 (0.65 eV), which we attribute to energy transfer from the Qx transition of bacteriochlorophylls to the B850 pigment of the complex. We believe for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we demonstrate that ARC maps can be recorded using a single laser pulse.


Voluntary childlessness. Toward a theoretical integration.
Despite the recent proliferation of research on the topic of voluntary childlessness, a substantive theory has yet to be developed. A major objective of this article is to undertake such a theoretical formulation. A focus on social structural variables, that is, female education and employment, has led demographers and others to predict a phenomenal increase in voluntary childlessness. That this macro level theory is incomplete is evidenced by the fact that it cannot account for the decline or leveling off in the voluntary childless rate since 1975, despite continuing increases in women's educational achievements and labor force participation. A missing link in this formulation is the cultural component. An individual decision making model is necessary to show how social structural factors mesh with cultural components in influencing fertility decisions, in this case voluntary childlessness. Unless there is an effort to understand the micro level processes that distort the macro level patterns, a comprehensive understanding of voluntary childlessness cannot be forthcoming.


Designing a bio-responsive robot from DNA origami.
Nucleic acids are astonishingly versatile. In addition to their natural role as storage medium for biological information(1), they can be utilized in parallel computing(2,3) , recognize and bind molecular or cellular targets(4,5) , catalyze chemical reactions(6,7) , and generate calculated responses in a biological system(8,9). Importantly, nucleic acids can be programmed to self-assemble into 2D and 3D structures(10-12), enabling the integration of all these remarkable features in a single robot linking the sensing of biological cues to a preset response in order to exert a desired effect. Creating shapes from nucleic acids was first proposed by Seeman(13), and several variations on this theme have since been realized using various techniques(11,12,14,15) . However, the most significant is perhaps the one proposed by Rothemund, termed scaffolded DNA origami(16). In this technique, the folding of a long (>7,000 bases) single-stranded DNA 'scaffold' is directed to a desired shape by hundreds of short complementary strands termed 'staples'. Folding is carried out by temperature annealing ramp. This technique was successfully demonstrated in the creation of a diverse array of 2D shapes with remarkable precision and robustness. DNA origami was later extended to 3D as well(17,18) . The current paper will focus on the caDNAno 2.0 software(19) developed by Douglas and colleagues. caDNAno is a robust, user-friendly CAD tool enabling the design of 2D and 3D DNA origami shapes with versatile features. The design process relies on a systematic and accurate abstraction scheme for DNA structures, making it relatively straightforward and efficient. In this paper we demonstrate the design of a DNA origami nanorobot that has been recently described(20). This robot is 'robotic' in the sense that it links sensing to actuation, in order to perform a task. We explain how various sensing schemes can be integrated into the structure, and how this can be relayed to a desired effect. Finally we use Cando(21) to simulate the mechanical properties of the designed shape. The concept we discuss can be adapted to multiple tasks and settings.


The Guide to the Assessment of Test Session Behavior: validity in relation to cognitive testing and parent-reported behavior problems in a clinical sample.
Examined the validity of the Guide to the Assessment of Test Session behavior (GATSB) in a clinical sample. The GATSB is a structured and standardized measure that was normed on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) standardization sample. The purpose of this study was to extend validity research on the GATSB to cognitive measures other than the WISC-III and to parent-reported child behavior problems. Test observations were taken for 122 children ages 6 to 16 years who were referred to an outpatient psychology clinic for psychoeducational evaluations. GATSB scores demonstrated a moderate relation with general indexes from the WISC-III, the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised (WJ-R), and the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML), but displayed low magnitude correlations with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). These results expand existing data supporting the validity of the GATSB and suggest that it may be fruitfully adopted into a clinic setting.


Biogel Skinsense N: surgical glove management for latex allergies.
Healthcare staff with a high occupational exposure to latex gloves, such as those who work in the operating theatre, have a higher than average incidence of latex allergies. Certain patient groups are also known to be considered "high risk" for latex allergies. When wearing gloves, staff allergic to latex and those working with patients allergic to latex must wear latex-free gloves to protect themselves and their patients. Of all the different types of gloves available--examination, medical or diagnostic--surgical gloves have to meet the highest standards, offering both protection and comfort. However, latex-free surgical gloves have previously lacked some of the "comfort" qualities of natural latex. This article describes appropriate glove management for latex allergies and looks at the new generation of latex-free surgical gloves.


Troubleshooting non-infectious peritoneal dialysis issues.
Peritoneal dialysis is commonly preformed by patients and their caregivers in the home, in nursing homes, and in both acute and rehabilitation hospitals. The success of the therapy requires that the nurse overseeing the care of the patient on peritoneal dialysis in the acute, sub-acute, and chronic settings has the skills and knowledge to identify specific non-infectious issues, choose an appropriate and effective intervention activity, document the findings and outcomes, and educate the patient to assist in the resolution of the non-infectious issues, and avoid future recurrence. This article reviews the most common non-infectious complications that occur in patients on peritoneal dialysis and discusses an organized clinical process to troubleshoot the issues and achieve the desired clinical outcomes.


Influence of a Cluster Set Configuration on the Adaptations to Short-Term Power Training.
Morales-Artacho, AJ, Padial, P, García-Ramos, A, Pérez-Castilla, A, and Feriche, B. Influence of a cluster set configuration on the adaptations to short-term power training. J Strength Cond Res 32(4): 930-937, 2018-This study investigated the effects of a traditional (TT) vs. cluster (CT) resistance training on the lower-body force, velocity, and power output. Nineteen males were allocated to a CT or a TT group and took part of a 3-week resistance training (2 weekly sessions). CT involved 6 sets of 3 × 2 repetitions (30 seconds rest every 2 repetitions and 4 minutes 30 seconds between sets). TT comprised 6 sets of 6 continuous repetitions (5 minutes rest between sets). Before and after the training period, force (F25, F50, F75), velocity (V25, V50, V75), and power (P25, P50, P75) were obtained during the countermovement jump (CMJ) exercise at 3 external loading conditions (25, 50, and 75% of body mass). Individual linear regressions were used to determine the force-velocity profile including the Slope, estimated maximal theoretical force (F0), velocity (V0), and power (P0). After CT, very-likely moderate increments in P25 were observed compared with TT (p = 0.011, ES = 0.55) because of a very-likely moderate rise in V25 (p = 0.001, ES = 0.71). No significant differences were observed in any of the F-v profile variables between the TT and CT groups (p ≥ 0.207, ES ≤ 0.31). Our results suggest that 3 weeks of muscle power training including cluster set configurations are more efficient at inducing velocity and power adaptations specific to the training load.


Speech Analysis by Natural Language Processing Techniques: A Possible Tool for Very Early Detection of Cognitive Decline?
Background: The discovery of early, non-invasive biomarkers for the identification of "preclinical" or "pre-symptomatic" Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is a key issue in the field, especially for research purposes, the design of preventive clinical trials, and drafting population-based health care policies. Complex behaviors are natural candidates for this. In particular, recent studies have suggested that speech alterations might be one of the earliest signs of cognitive decline, frequently noticeable years before other cognitive deficits become apparent. Traditional neuropsychological language tests provide ambiguous results in this context. In contrast, the analysis of spoken language productions by Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques can pinpoint language modifications in potential patients. This interdisciplinary study aimed at using NLP to identify early linguistic signs of cognitive decline in a population of elderly individuals. Methods: We enrolled 96 participants (age range 50-75): 48 healthy controls (CG) and 48 cognitively impaired participants: 16 participants with single domain amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), 16 with multiple domain MCI (mdMCI) and 16 with early Dementia (eD). Each subject underwent a brief neuropsychological screening composed by MMSE, MoCA, GPCog, CDT, and verbal fluency (phonemic and semantic). The spontaneous speech during three tasks (describing a complex picture, a typical working day and recalling a last remembered dream) was then recorded, transcribed and annotated at various linguistic levels. A multidimensional parameter computation was performed by a quantitative analysis of spoken texts, computing rhythmic, acoustic, lexical, morpho-syntactic, and syntactic features. Results: Neuropsychological tests showed significant differences between controls and mdMCI, and between controls and eD participants; GPCog, MoCA, PF, and SF also discriminated between controls and aMCI. In the linguistic experiments, a number of features regarding lexical, acoustic and syntactic aspects were significant in differentiating between mdMCI, eD, and CG (non-parametric statistical analysis). Some features, mainly in the acoustic domain also discriminated between CG and aMCI. Conclusions: Linguistic features of spontaneous speech transcribed and analyzed by NLP techniques show significant differences between controls and pathological states (not only eD but also MCI) and seems to be a promising approach for the identification of preclinical stages of dementia. Long duration follow-up studies are needed to confirm this assumption.


Distributed Time-Varying Optimization of Second-Order Multiagent Systems Under Limited Interaction Ranges.
This article investigates the distributed time-varying optimization problem for second-order multiagent systems (MASs) under limited interaction ranges. The goal is to seek the minimum of the sum of local time-varying cost functions (CFs), where each CF is only available to the corresponding agent. Limited communication range refers to the scenario where the agents have limited sensing and communication capabilities, that is, a pair of agents can communicate with each other only if their distance is within a certain range. To handle such a problem, a new continuous connectivity-preserving mechanism is presented to preserve the connectivity of the considered network. Then, two distributed optimization algorithms are presented to solve the optimization problem with time-varying CFs and time-invariant CFs, respectively. Theoretical analysis and two numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the methods.


Carl Singer (1945-2013) - Life on a Plate: yeast genetics meetings and micromanipulators.
Micromanipulators, more than any other instrument, opened the early doors to developing the powerful genetics of yeast that underlies much of the molecular work today. The ability to separate the spores of a tetrad and analyze their phenotypes generated the genetic maps and biology upon which subsequent cloning, sequencing, cutting edge molecular and cell biology depended. This work describes the development of those micromanipulators from garage to barn to factory and the developer of the sophisticated instruments we use today. For more than 30 years Carl Singer and his family were staunch and generous supporters of the International Conferences on Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology meetings both in Europe and America. Carl Singer's displays at meetings became a traditional fixture and engaged the appetites of many students and advanced researchers to employ a technique that many perceived as too complicated or difficult, but which he made simple and easy to learn. His experiences also document a sketch of the international yeast meetings, their venues and how they developed through the years.


Long-pulse beam acceleration of MeV-class H(-) ion beams for ITER NB accelerator.
In order to realize neutral beam systems in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor whose target is to produce a 1 MeV, 200 A/m(2) during 3600 s D(-) ion beam, the electrostatic five-stages negative ion accelerator so-called "MeV accelerator" has been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency. To extend pulse length, heat load of the acceleration grids was reduced by controlling the ion beam trajectory. Namely, the beam deflection due to the residual magnetic field of filter magnet was suppressed with the newly developed extractor with a 0.5 mm off-set aperture displacement. The new extractor improved the deflection angle from 6 mrad to 1 mrad, resulting in the reduction of direct interception of negative ions from 23% to 15% of the total acceleration power, respectively. As a result, the pulse length of 130 A/m(2), 881 keV H(-) ion beam has been successfully extended from a previous value of 0.4 s to 8.7 s. This is the first long pulse negative ion beam acceleration over 100 MW/m(2).


Parametric optimization of domestic wastewater treatment in an activated sludge sequencing batch reactor using response surface methodology.
In this work, the parametric optimization of real domestic wastewater treated in an activated sludge sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was performed by means of the response surface methodology (RSM). The influences of influent organic matter concentration as chemical oxygen demand (CODinf), biomass concentration (Xs) and aeration time (t) on the COD, organic matter removal efficiency as COD (η) and sludge volume index (SVI) were determined to evaluate the performance of activated sludge SBR. The results showed that organic matter efficiency and maximum SVI were obtained at a t of 12 h, 300 mg L-1 of CODinf and 2000 mg L-1 of Xs. The SBR-activated sludge exhibited a η of 73% and an SVI of 119 mL g-1. Both values indicated a very good performance. Furthermore, the COD of the effluent under these conditions complied with Mexican regulations for wastewater discharged into water bodies.


Mechanism of sodium channel blockade in the cardiotoxic action of emetine dihydrochloride in isolated cardiac preparations and ventricular myocytes of guinea pigs.
Emetine is used in the therapy of special forms of amebiasis and is abused as syrup of ipecac by persons with bulimia. Severe cardiac side effects were reported. Thus the intracellular microelectrode technique and the patch-clamp technique in the cell-attached mode were used to study the effects of emetine on the action potential and upstroke velocity (Vmax) in papillary muscles and Purkinje fibers of guinea pigs as well as on macroscopic and (S)-DPI 201-106-modified and unmodified single-sodium-channel current (I(Na)) of guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. Emetine caused a tonic block of Vmax and reduced I(Na) independent of frequency. Hill plots were linear, with slopes ranging from 0.96 to 1.06, suggestive of a first-order reaction. The current-voltage relation was not influenced, indicating a voltage-independent blockade of the sodium channels. The most prominent effects were an increase of sweeps without activity, a decrease of the fast component of the open-time distribution, an increase of the slow component of the closed-time distribution, and a reduction in the number of bursts per record. The amplitude of the unitary current was not changed. From the results, we conclude that I(Na) blockade contributes to the cardiotoxicity of emetine.


Graphene based dots and antidots: a comparative study from first principles.
Graphene based quantum dots and antidots are two nanostructures of primary importance for their fundamental physics and technological applications, particularly in the emerging field of graphene-based nanoelectronics and nanospintronics. Herein, based on first principles density functional theory calculations, we report a comparative study on the electronic structure of these two structurally complementary entities, where the bandgap opening, edge magnetism and the role of hydrogenation are investigated. Our results show the diversity of electronic structures of various dots and antidots, whose properties are sensitive to the edge detailed geometry (including size and shape and edge type). Hydrogen passivation plays an essential roal in affecting the related properties, in particular, it leads to larger bandgap values and suppress the edge magnetism. The frontier orbital analysis is employed to rationalize and compare the complicated nature of dots and antidots. Based on the specific geometrical consideration and the total energy competition of the ground antiferromagnetic and the ferromagnetic states, some magnetic structures (the unpassivated 42-atom-antidot and 54-atom-dot) are proposed to be useful as magnetic switches.


Conversion of Natural Tannin to Hydrothermal and Graphene-Like Carbons Studied by Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering.
The atomic structure of carbon materials prepared from natural tannin by two different techniques, high-temperature pyrolysis and low-temperature hydrothermal carbonization, was studied by wide-angle X-ray scattering. The obtained diffraction data were converted to the real space representation in the form of pair distribution functions. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements provided information about the chemical state of carbon in tannin-based materials that was used to construct final structural models of the investigated samples. The results of the experimental data in both reciprocal and real spaces were compared with computer simulations based on the PM7 semiempirical quantum chemical method. Using the collected detailed information, structural models of the tannin-based carbons were proposed. The characteristics of the investigated materials at the atomic level were discussed in relation to their preparation method. The rearrangement of the tannin molecular structure and its transformation to graphene-like structure was described. The structure of tannin-based carbons pyrolyzed at 900 °C exhibited coherently scattering domains about 20 Å in size, consisting of two defected atomic layers and resembling a graphene-like arrangement.


The right heart and pulmonary circulation (IX). The right heart in adults with congenital heart disease.
Right ventricular dysfunction is not uncommon in adults with congenital heart disease. In congenital heart disease, unlike acquired heart disease, the right ventricle is not always the subpulmonary ventricle: it may support the systemic circulation as it does in patients with transposition complexes. The result is chronic right ventricular pressure overload. In contrast, pulmonary valve regurgitation -a frequent problem after surgical repair of the tetralogy of Fallot- imposes a volume overload on the right ventricle. Over time, both conditions may lead to right ventricular dysfunction and often this becomes a major clinical concern. Clearly, a thorough understanding of right ventricular anatomy and physiology is a necessity for those caring for patients with congenital heart disease. This article provides an overview of right ventricular morphology and the adverse effects of right ventricular dysfunction in adults with congenital heart disease.


Malignant Progression of an IDH Mutant Brainstem Glioma in Adult.
Brain stem gliomas (BSG) in adults are rare and less aggressive than those in children. However, the molecular profile of adult BSG cases has not been well characterized. We report a case of adult BSG with isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation. A 43-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with diplopia and right-sided hypesthesia. An open biopsy led to the tumor being diagnosed as a diffuse astrocytoma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for IDH1 R132H, but negative for H3K27M. The patient received 54 Gy of local radiotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide, which resulted in the size of the lesion decreasing significantly. At 56 months after the initial diagnosis, the patient was referred to our hospital with a severe headache and ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a contrast-enhanced lesion in the brain stem, which extended into the left cerebellar hemisphere and brainstem. Partial tumor removal was performed, and a pathological examination revealed the features of glioblastoma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for IDH1 R132H and p53 and negative for ATRX. To the best of our knowledge, there are few reports about adult case of brain stem astrocytoma to be confirmed via histological and molecular examinations of the primary and recurrent tumor. We exhibit detailed pathological and molecular findings which resembles to IDH mutant supratentorial diffuse astrocytic tumors.


The Oleaginous Yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281A as a New Potential Biodiesel Feedstock: Selection and Lipid Production Optimization.
A high throughput screening (HTS) methodology for evaluation of cellular lipid content based on Nile red fluorescence reads using black background 96-wells test plates and a plate reader equipment allowed the rapid intracellular lipid estimation of strains from a Brazilian phylloplane yeast collection. A new oleaginous yeast, Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281A, was selected, for which the gravimetric determination of total lipids relative to dry weight was 52.38% for glucose or 34.97% for pure glycerol. The lipid production was optimized obtaining 108 mg/L of neutral lipids using pure glycerol as carbon source, and the strain proved capable of accumulating oil using raw glycerol from a biodiesel refinery. The lipid profile showed monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) varying between 56 or 74% in pure or raw glycerol, respectively. M. guilliermondii BI281A bears potential as a new biodiesel feedstock.


Determinants of serum-induced SIRT1 expression in older men: the CHAMP study.
Circulating factors that have an effect on SIRT1 expression are influenced by caloric restriction. To determine the association between frailty and such circulating factors, we measured serum-induced SIRT1 expression from a nested cohort of frail (n = 77) and robust (n = 82) participants from Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project, a population-based study of community-dwelling men older than 70 years. Serum-induced SIRT1 expression was not different between frail and robust men (103.1 ± 17.0 versus 100.4 ± 19.3 μg/L). However, subsequent analyses showed that men with the lowest values (first quartile) were less likely to be frail (odds ratio = 0.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.2-1.0, p = .04) and had higher total body lean mass (p = .001) than the other participants. Serum-induced SIRT1 expression did not correlate with age, diseases, medications, albumin, fasting glucose, or lipids. Overall, there was no association between frailty and serum-induced SIRT1 expression; however, post hoc analysis suggested that there might be a paradoxical association between low serum-induced SIRT1 expression and robustness.


Comparison of Cases with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Accompanied by Simultaneous Medial Meniscus Bucket Handle Tear Repair and Isolated Medial Meniscus Bucket Handle Tear Repair.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the success of the all-inside repair technique for medial bucket-handle meniscus tear (BHMT) and the factors affecting healing. A total of 36 patients with BHMT who were operated between 2012 and 2018 and completed final follow-up examinations were included in the study. Functional evaluation was made with the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Lysholm score, and Tegner score. Healing was evaluated on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) slices. The patients were evaluated with respect to the effect on healing of factors such as demographic data, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, anterior cruciate ligament tear reconstruction (ACLTR) applied at the same time as BHMT repair, and the tear being chronic or acute. The mean age of the patients was 28.6 ± 8.6 years (range,18-46 years), the mean follow-up period was 25.8 ± 13.9 months (range, 13-59 months), and BMI was mean 25.6 ± 3.5 kg/m2 (range, 20.1-30.5 kg/m2). The meniscus tears were acute in 16 (44.4%) patients and chronic in 20 (55.6%). ACLTR was applied together with BHMT repair in 25 patients. The hybrid technique, as the outside-in technique in addition to the all-inside technique, was applied to 12 (33.3%) patients, where there was seen to be extension to the anterior horn. The failure rate was determined as 27.8% according to the postoperative MRI evaluation and the Barrett criteria. No positive or negative statistically significant effect on healing was determined of chronic BHMT or of simultaneous application of ACLTR (p = 1.00 and 0.457, respectively). Cigarette smoking and high BMI were determined to have a statistically significant negative effect on healing (p = 0.026 and 0.007, respectively). In conclusion, it can be seen that the success of the all-inside technique for BHMT remains controversial. Due to the features of the application, it can be used in meniscus tears of the posterior horn only. In the current study, with the success rate of 72.2% of the all-inside technique in meniscus body tears, it was seen that a high success rate could not be achieved.


Marriage, spousal caregiving, and a husband's move to a nursing home. A changing role for the wife?
1. Gerontological nurses, when working with elderly couples experiencing role transitions upon nursing home placement, must attend to the needs of the healthier spouse, as well as the institutionalized patient. 2. Letting the community-dwelling wife set the tone for what her continued role will be allows her to define her marriage in a way that serves her needs at this transitory time. 3. If a woman defines herself as a wife, the nurse or nurse clinician's task may be to aid her in redefining the role's tasks, responsibilities, and limitations imposed by the nursing home setting. 4. If a woman does not perceive herself as a wife, nurses must help her accept these feelings as natural, and support her need to establish an identity as an individual and not as part of a couple.


Prevalence of depression and quality of life in primary caregiver of children with cerebral palsy.
Study the correlation of depression and quality of life (QoL) in primary caregivers (mothers) of children with cerebral palsy (CP). An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 203 primary caregivers (mothers) of children with CP. The depression and QoL in the caregivers were assessed using the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale and World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) (physical, psychological, social and environmental domains), respectively. The child's gross motor function level was determined using the Gross Motor Functional Classification System-Expanded and Revised (GMFCS-ER). The association of depression and QoL in mothers to functional limitation in children were assessed. For statistical methods, P < 0.05 was considered significant. The severity of the depression showed a statistically significant negative correlation with the physical domain (r = -0.498, P < 0.0001), psychological domains (r = -0.486, P < 0.0001), social relationships (r = -0.165, P = 0.019) and environmental domains (r = -0.195, P = 0.005). The mean QoL domains scores showed a decreasing trend with increasing motor dysfunction of the child, with a statistical association for physical (r = -0.327, P < 0.0001) and psychological domains (r = -0.440, P < 0.0001). Out of all the baseline demographic factors, the child's age was a significant risk factor affecting the mother's QoL (P = 0.041). CP, being a debilitating disease, requires around-the-clock caregiving for the child. However, caregiving causes a significant impact on the QoL with increasing severity of depression among the mothers.


[Changes of lung microbiome of acute respiratory distress syndrome before and after treatment under open airway].
To analyze the differences and similarities of pre-treatment and post-treatment lung microbiome of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and find out the change rules of the lung microbiome in the progression of ARDS according to different prognosis. A retrospective study was conducted. Patients with ARDS caused by severe pneumonia admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Jiangmen Central Hospital from February 2019 to January 2020 were enrolled as the study subjects. The patients were divided into pre-treatment (ARDS-preT) group (24 cases), post-treatment survival (ARDS-poT-Survival) group (17 cases), and post-treatment death (ARDS-poT-Dead) group (7 cases). ICU patients with mild pulmonary infection and non-ARDS admitted to ICU during the same period were enrolled as control group (25 cases). The similarities and differences of lung microbiome in four groups were analyzed and compared, and the possible pathogenic bacteria (potential risk factors for death) and probiotics (potential survival and protective factors) related to death caused by ARDS were screened. In terms of pathogenic microorganisms, the positive rates of Escherichia coli and Candida albicans in the ARDS-poT-Dead group were significantly higher than those in the ARDS-poT-Survival group [57.1% (4/7) vs. 5.9% (1/17) and 57.1% (4/7) vs. 0% (0/7), both P < 0.05]. In the screening of background bacteria, the decrease of bacteria in the ARDS-preT group compared with the ARDS-poT-Survival group, the ARDS-poT-Dead group compared with the ARDS-poT-Survival group, the ARDS-poT-Dead group compared with the control group, the reduced bacteria might be pulmonary probiotics (potential protective factor for ARDS). The screening result was Hydrobacter [ARDS-preT group vs. ARDS-poT-Survival group: 62.5% (15/24) vs. 94.1% (16/17); ARDS-poT-Dead group vs. ARDS-poT-Survival group: 14.3% (1/7) vs. 94.1% (16/17); ARDS-poT-Dead vs. control: 14.3% (1/7) vs. 96.0% (24/25), all P < 0.05]. In the screening of background bacteria, the increase of bacteria in the ARDS-poT-Dead group compared with the ARDS-preT group, the ARDS-poT-Dead group compared with the ARDS-poT-Survival group, the ARDS-poT-Dead group compared with the control group, and the increased bacteria might be potential pulmonary pathogen (potential risk factor for death of ARDS), which belonged to Enterobacteria: Edwardsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Kluyvera, Lelliottia, Pantoea, Raoultella. The results revealed the increase of Escherichia coli or Candida albicans in pulmonary pathogenic microorganisms, or the increase of Enterobacteria in background bacteria may be the risk factors for the death of ARDS. Additionally, background bacteria Hydrobacter probably is a protective factor for the survival of ARDS. Whether it can be used as a novel treatment for ARDS is worth further investigation.


Epidemiology of scapular fractures. Incidence and classification of 338 fractures.
We have studied scapular fractures, with special reference to intraarticular glenoid fractures, during a 10-year period in 2 Swedish counties. There were 338 scapular fractures in 322 patients. The annual incidence was 10/10(5) inhabitants, of which 30 percent affected the glenoid cavity. Out of 100 intraarticular glenoid fractures, 55 occurred in men and 45 in women. The mean age of the women at the time of fracture (64 years) was significantly higher than the mean age of men (49 years). The most common intraarticular glenoid fracture type was the anterior chip fragment fracture which, in about two-thirds of the cases, was associated with shoulder dislocation.


Effect of a hepatitis B vaccination program on the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection.
In April 1991, surveys for serologic evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were conducted among 3- to 4-year-old children born after a hepatitis B immunization program of newborns began and among 6- to 11-year-old children targeted for early childhood vaccination in American Samoa. Compared with 3- to 4-year-olds tested in 1991, children tested at baseline in 1985 were more likely to have been infected with HBV (5/40 vs. 2/93; prevalence ratio [PR] = 5.8, 95% confidence limits [CL] = 1.2, 28.7) and to have chronic infection with HBV (3/40 vs. 0/95; PR = undefined, lower CL = 1.2). Compared with 6- to 11-year-olds tested in 1991, children in 1985 were more likely to have been infected with HBV (32/121 vs. 53/386; PR = 1.9, CL = 1.3, 2.8) and to have chronic infection with HBV (8/121 vs. 7/386; PR = 3.6, CL = 1.3, 9.8). The incorporation of hepatitis B vaccine into routine childhood vaccination schedules can prevent acute and chronic HBV infection in areas of high endemicity.


An outbreak of adenovirus D8 keratoconjunctivitis in Leicester, United Kingdom, from March to August 2019.
We report a large epidemic (n = 126) of keratoconjunctivitis predominantly with two lineages of adenovirus (AdV) type D8 in patients seen in eye casualty between march and August 2019. Other AdV species identified by viral sequencing included B, C, and E. Despite various features of more severe eye disease being present, these were not significantly different between the different AdV species, with similar rates of pseudomembrane formation and keratitis observed in patients with AdV species B as for those with AdV species D.


Volatile Organic Compounds of Bacillus cereus Strain Bc-cm103 Exhibit Fumigation Activity against Meloidogyne incognita.
Bacillus cereus strain Bc-cm103 shows nematicidal activity and, therefore, has been used as a biological control agent to control the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. However, it remains unknown whether volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by B. cereus strain Bc-cm103 are effective in biocontrol against M. incognita. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the activity of Bc-cm103 VOCs against M. incognita. The B. cereus strain Bc-cm103 significantly repelled the second-stage juveniles (J2s) of M. incognita. In vitro evaluation of VOCs produced by the fermentation of Bc-cm103 in a three-compartment Petri dish revealed the mortality rates of M. incognita J2s as 90.8% at 24 h and 97.2% at 48 h. Additionally, evaluation of the ability of Bc-cm103 VOCs to suppress M. incognita infection in a double-layered pot test showed that root galls on cucumber roots decreased by 46.1%. Furthermore, 21 VOCs were identified from strain Bc-cm103 by solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, including alkanes, alkenes, esters, and sulfides. Among them, dimethyl disulfide (30.63%) and S-methyl ester butanethioic acid (30.29%) were reported to have strong nematicidal activity. Together, these results suggest that B. cereus strain Bc-cm103 exhibits fumigation activity against M. incognita.


Metabolic rate monitoring and energy expenditure prediction using a novel actigraphy method.
A novel actigraphy method, the proportional integral mode, was used for monitoring metabolic rate and energy expenditure during different levels of exercise intensity. 13 young (24+/-3 yrs) male subjects, clothed in T-shirts, shorts and athletic shoes, ran/walked for 30 min on a level treadmill at different speeds (3, 5, 2, 6, 4, and 7 mph), 5 min at each speed. The following variables were continuously measured: Actigraphy (PCD, USA) data at three different modes (proportional integral mode, zero crossing, and time above threshold) from the wrist; oxygen consumption (Sensor Medics, USA), and heart rate (Polar, Finland). Analysis of the measured data revealed with low correlation between oxygen consumption and zero crossing or time above threshold (R=0.364 and 0.384, respectively), but with high correlation between oxygen consumption and proportional integral mode (R=0.843). The proportional integral mode, which is unlike the other modes, followed the oxygen consumption and the heart rate curves, showing a potential unique method to predict oxygen consumption and energy expenditure.


BUB1B (BUB1 Mitotic Checkpoint Serine/Threonine Kinase B) promotes lung adenocarcinoma by interacting with Zinc Finger Protein ZNF143 and regulating glycolysis.
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the most common causes of cancer death in men. BUB1B (BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase B) has been reported to contribute to the initiation and development of several cancers. Here, we aimed to explore the potential role of BUB1B in LUAD. We found BUB1B was upregulated in LUAD, suggesting its potential role as a biomarker for LUAD diagnosis. Significantly, LUAD patients with high BUB1B expression had a shorter survival time than those with low BUB1B expression. Knocking-out BUB1B resulted in suppression of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and inhibition of tumor growth in the xenograft experiment. Further analysis revealed that BUB1B regulates glycolysis in LUAD and interacting with ZNF143 in LUAD cells. The interaction was demonstrated by silencing ZNF143, which led to a decrease in proliferation, migration, and invasion in LUAD cells, whereas overexpressing BUB1B had the opposite effects. Our study suggested that the ZNF143/BUB1B axis plays a pivotal role in LUAD progression, which might be a potential target for LUAD management.


Chemical reactivity assessments in R&D.
The evaluation of reactive chemical hazards at the pilot and manufacturing scale, using laboratory testing, is increasingly used and has been well documented. However, reactive chemical hazard evaluation at the R&D scale presents special challenges. The typical hazard testing program requires a significant amount of sample, often takes time (>3 days) to complete, and is can be quite costly. On the other hand, the synthesis of new molecules in the R&D environment often produces only a few grams, occurs quickly (<2 days), may only happen once and many synthetic reactions may be carried out before a suitable candidate for scale-up will be found. However, with each new synthesis there is the risk of injury, possibly serious or fatal, caused by unexpected and maybe violent reactivity. While it may not be possible at the R&D stage of product development to define the critical limits of temperature, pressure, concentration, and safe dosing rates of processes it is possible to identify the potential hazards of the planned synthesis. This paper describes a staged approach for chemical reactivity hazard evaluation and assessment applicable to an R&D environment. We will describe these initial phases of the R&D hazard evaluation process that rely on only data that can be obtained from the open literature. We will also indicate how the need for additional assessments can be determined from this initial hazard review.


Medical management of Crohn's disease.
The medical approach to Crohn's disease has been modified in recent years thanks to the introduction of new therapies, like biologics. Also, well-designed studies and systematic reviews have allowed better evaluation of the role of old drugs like steroids and immunosuppressors. This review aims to evaluate the recent evidence on the medical approach to Crohn's disease in the different settings of the disease. Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses were included in the review. The research on all the studies discussed was based on the Cochrane Library, Medline and Embase, using the following medical subject headings: Crohn's disease, clinical trial, therapy, 5-aminosalicylic acid, steroid, budesonide, immunosuppressant, anti-meta-analysis TNF and biologics. In a mild active inflammatory ileocecal disease, budesonide is considered the best approach. The efficacy of aminosalicylates is limited, but a trial that has recently compared aminosalicylates and budesonide has shown that the two drugs are comparable. In a mild colonic disease, sulfasalazine, antibiotics and steroids are effective but the evidence for antibiotics is less clear. The maintenance of remission in this setting is debatable, but sulfasalazine seems the better choice. In a moderate severe ileal and colonic disease, steroids are the best therapy to induce remission. Once remission is reached, immunosuppressors remain today the better choice to maintain the remission. Anti-TNF therapy is indicated in patients intolerant or not responding to steroids and immunosuppressors and in fistulizing Crohn's disease. Early therapy with biologics may be considered in patients with severe disease.


Serotype 3 pneumococci sequester platelet-derived human thrombospondin-1 via the adhesin and immune evasion protein Hic.
Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 strains emerge frequently within clinical isolates of invasive diseases. Bacterial invasion into deeper tissues is associated with colonization and immune evasion mechanisms. Thus, pneumococci express a versatile repertoire of surface proteins sequestering and interacting specifically with components of the human extracellular matrix and serum. Hic, a PspC-like pneumococcal surface protein, possesses vitronectin and factor H binding activity. Here, we show that heterologously expressed Hic domains interact, similar to the classical PspC molecule, with human matricellular thrombospondin-1 (hTSP-1). Binding studies with isolated human thrombospondin-1 and various Hic domains suggest that the interaction between hTSP-1 and Hic differs from binding to vitronectin and factor H. Binding of Hic to hTSP-1 is inhibited by heparin and chondroitin sulfate A, indicating binding to the N-terminal globular domain or type I repeats of hTSP-1. Competitive inhibition experiments with other pneumococcal hTSP-1 adhesins demonstrated that PspC and PspC-like Hic recognize similar domains, whereas PavB and Hic can bind simultaneously to hTSP-1. In conclusion, Hic binds specifically hTSP-1; however, truncation in the N-terminal part of Hic decreases the binding activity, suggesting that the full length of the α-helical regions of Hic is required for an optimal interaction.


Daily Eating Frequency in US Adults: Associations with Low-Calorie Sweeteners, Body Mass Index, and Nutrient Intake (NHANES 2007-2016).
Studies of relationships between eating frequency and/or timing and energy intake have not examined associations with low-calorie sweeteners (LCS). We assessed the frequency of eating behavior related to LCS consumption emphasizing timing, calorie intake, and body mass index (BMI) among United States (US) adults aged ≥19 years. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2016, we defined eating episodes as food and/or beverage intake within 15 min of one another over the first 24-h dietary recall. We coded items ingested during episodes (n = 136,938) and assessed LCS presence using US Department of Agriculture (USDA) food files. Episode analysis found intakes of foods only (27.4%), beverages only (29.5%), and foods with beverages (43.0%). LCS items were consumed without concurrent calories from other sources in fewer than 2.7% of all episodes. Within participants having normal weight (29.4%), overweight (33.6%) and obese (37.1%) BMIs, LCS consumers (35.2% overall) evidenced: more episodes/day; and fewer: calories, carbohydrates, fats, and protein per episode. Per person, those consuming LCS had lower total calories and higher fiber intake per day. LCS consumption was associated with higher BMI. Number of eating episodes/day and longer hours when eating episodes occurred were also consistently associated with higher BMI. Consuming LCS did not modify these relationships. These results did not show that LCS consumption was associated with increased caloric intake from other dietary sources.


Novel inorganic frameworks constructed from double-four-ring (D4R) units: computational design, structures, and lattice energies of silicate, aluminophosphate, and gallophosphate candidates.
The design of new and interesting inorganic frameworks is an ongoing challenge in materials sciences. New structures containing double-four-ring (D4R) units have recently received particular attention. The present work focuses on the computational design of new three-dimensional frameworks made of D4R units exclusively. In a first step, our simulations explore the possible ways to assemble predefined D4R units in 3D space using a sophisticated cascade of simulated annealing/minimizations steps (autoassembly of secondary building units method). While the existing zeotype topologies were successfully generated, new topologies were predicted including very open frameworks containing new types of cages. In a second step, lattice energy minimizations were performed to estimate the viability of these hypothetical frameworks as silicate, aluminophosphaste, and gallophosphate candidates. When comparing the hypothetical structures to existing compounds, our results raise the challenging question of the appropriate chemical composition that should be aimed at for a given framework topology of interest.


Platform motorized wheelchairs in congregate care centers: a survey of usage and safety.
A survey of residents was done in three congregate care facilities to determine the prevalence and safety of platform motorized wheelchairs (PMWs) otherwise known as three-wheeled motorized wheelchairs or scooters. Thirty-one drivers of these vehicles were identified, 30 of whom consented to be interviewed. The mean age of the drivers was 80.7 years and 84% were women. Arthritis was the most frequent reason for use of the PMW (47%), followed by neurologic problems (23%) and orthopedic problems (23%). Of this group, 77% had their PMW prescribed by a physician, most commonly an orthopedic surgeon (40%) with only 14% being prescribed by a geriatrician or physiatrist. Thirty percent of the drivers felt other drivers in their facility drove unsafely. Most residents (57%) had no training in the use of the vehicle and two admitted they had a medical condition that made it difficult to drive. Five accidents were reported, two of which involved either a serious injury or property damage. Based on the results obtained from this survey, we conclude that driver safety evaluation should be done on all users of PMWs in congregate care facilities.


[Desmoid tumor of the mesentery secondary to colectomy. An exceptional cause of ureteric obstruction].
Desmoid tumours are rare lesions with a local invasive potential and a risk of recurrence, considered to be benign due to the absence of metastases. They are classified as fibromatoses and may be associated with Gardner's syndrome. The authors report an unusual case, in a 33-year-old woman, of a desmoid tumour invading the right ureter with upper tract dilatation. Etiologic factors (traumatic, hormonal, auto-immune...) are discussed, together with the treatment of choice to lower the risk of recurrence.


Clinical Inquiry: Do pedometers increase activity and improve health outcomes?
In overweight and obese patients, exercise interventions using a pedometer increase steps by about a mile per day over the same interventions without access to pedometer information and are associated with a modest 4 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure (BP) over baseline. In overweight patients with diabetes, pedometer use with nutritional counseling is associated with 0.86 kg greater weight loss than nutritional counseling alone.


Skeletal and cardiovascular consequences of a positive calcium balance during hemodialysis.
Patients on hemodialysis are exposed to calcium via the dialysate at least three times a week. Changes in serum calcium vary according to calcium mass transfer during dialysis, which is dependent on the gradient between serum and dialysate calcium concentration (d[Ca]) and the skeleton turnover status that alters the ability of bone to incorporate calcium. Although underappreciated, the d[Ca] can potentially cause positive calcium balance that leads to systemic organ damage, including associations with mortality, myocardial dysfunction, hemodynamic tolerability, vascular calcification, and arrhythmias. The pathophysiology of these adverse effects includes serum calcium changes, parathyroid hormone suppression, and vascular calcification through indirect and direct effects. Some organs are more susceptible to alterations in calcium homeostasis. In this review, we discuss the existing data and potential mechanisms linking the d[Ca] to calcium balance with consequent dysfunction of the skeleton, myocardium, and arteries.


[Developmental trends in farm animal husbandry from an ethological point of view].
The current discussion on "semi-natural" or "extensive" animal production and husbandry shows that such terms are vague and are often used for various meanings. This paper addresses what can be referred to as natural environmental conditions from an ethological point of view, as well as the animal's environment in today's animal production, and how "near to nature" animal husbandry can realistically be. Apart from some outdoor systems with few ethological problems, the predominant part of milk and meat production in the future will still largely take place indoors. Thus, the development of housing conditions which are more appropriate to the animal's needs will still be an important issue of farm animal behaviour science. Consequently the essential environmental requirements of cattle and pigs derived from their species-specific behaviour are described and explained. In the future, an improved fulfillment of ethological requirements will lead to increased group housing in cold and open, structured barns with indoor straw-bedded lying compartments and integrated outdoor feeding and activity areas. This process will also be influenced by ecological, economic and technical aspects. Finally, several studies on cattle and pigs are presented which demonstrate the possible benefits from more appropriate housing systems or the fulfillment of single ethological requirements regarding behaviour, health, fertility and production of the animals.


Focused X-Ray Histological Analyses to Reveal Asbestos Fibers and Bodies in Lungs and Pleura of Asbestos-Exposed Subjects.
Asbestos bodies are the histological hallmarks of asbestos exposure. Both conventional and advanced techniques are used to evaluate abundance and composition in histological samples. We previously reported the possibility of using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) for analyzing the chemical composition of asbestos bodies directly in lung tissue samples. Here we applied a high-performance synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (XRF) set-up that could allow new protocols for fast monitoring of the occurrence of asbestos bodies in large histological sections, improving investigation of the related chemical changes. A combination of synchrotron X-ray transmission and fluorescence microscopy techniques at different energies at three distinct synchrotrons was used to characterize asbestos in paraffinated lung tissues. The fast chemical imaging of the XFM beamline (Australian Synchrotron) demonstrates that asbestos bodies can be rapidly and efficiently identified as co-localization of high calcium and iron, the most abundant elements of these formations inside tissues (Fe up to 10% w/w; Ca up to 1%). By following iron presence, we were also able to hint at small asbestos fibers in pleural spaces. XRF at lower energy and at higher spatial resolution was afterwards performed to better define small fibers. These analyses may predispose for future protocols to be set with laboratory instruments.


Effect of RIP Overexpression on Abiotic Stress Tolerance and Development of Rice.
Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are a class of cytotoxic enzymes that can inhibit protein translation by depurinating rRNA. Most plant RIPs are synthesized with a leader sequence that sequesters the proteins to a cell compartment away from the host ribosomes. However, several rice RIPs lack these signal peptides suggesting they reside in the cytosol in close proximity to the plant ribosomes. This paper aims to elucidate the physiological function of two nucleocytoplasmic RIPs from rice, in particular, the type 1 RIP referred to as OsRIP1 and a presumed type 3 RIP called nuRIP. Transgenic rice lines overexpressing these RIPs were constructed and studied for developmental effects resulting from this overexpression under greenhouse conditions. In addition, the performance of transgenic seedlings in response to drought, salt, abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate treatment was investigated. Results suggest that both RIPs can affect methyl jasmonate mediated stress responses.


[Current therapeutic strategy of hepatocellular carcinoma with extensive portal thrombus].
Prognosis of the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombi in the portal vein is known to be extremely poor. The current results of various therapies, such as surgery, chemotherapy, immuno-therapy, radiation and combination therapy were reviewed, herein. Our recent therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombi in portal vein is also shown.


Blockade of cue-induced brain activation of abstinent alcoholics by a single administration of amisulpride as measured with fMRI.
Once alcohol dependence is established, alcohol-associated cues may induce dopamine release in the reward system, which is accompanied by alcohol craving and may lead to relapse. In cocaine addicts, dopamine release in the thalamus was positively correlated with cocaine craving. We tested the effects of the atypical dopamine D(2/3) blocker amisulpride on cue-induced brain activation in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm. Alcohol-associated and neutral pictures were presented in a block design to 10 male abstinent alcoholics (1-3 weeks after detoxification) and 10 healthy men during fMRI. The fMRI scans were acquired before and 2 hours after the oral application of 400 mg amisulpride. Before and after each scan, alcohol craving was measured with visual analogue scales. Before the application of amisulpride, alcohol versus control cues elicited a higher blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the left frontal and orbitofrontal lobe, left cingulate gyrus, bilateral parietal lobe, and bilateral hippocampus in alcoholics compared with healthy controls. After amisulpride, alcoholics showed a reduced activation in the right thalamus compared with the first scan. Alcoholics no longer showed significant differences in their cue-elicited BOLD response after amisulpride medication compared with medication-free controls. Self-reported craving was not affected by amisulpride medication. Amisulpride medication was associated with reduced cue-induced activation of the thalamus, a brain region closely connected with frontostriatal circuits that regulate behavior and may influence relapse risk.


Plasma levels of microparticles at 24 weeks of gestation do not predict subsequent pregnancy complications.
To discern whether plasma levels of microparticles (MPs) measured at 24 weeks of gestation predict late complications of pregnancy. Secondary analysis of samples obtained prospectively. Large academic medical center. Two hundred sixty-two healthy women selected from 642 nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies. Sampling for blood cell MPs and thrombophilias at 24 weeks of gestation and measurements of blood flow resistance in uterine, placental, and umbilical arteries at 24 and 31 to 33 weeks of gestation. Relationship between levels of MPs and late pregnancy complications, thrombophilias, and blood flow resistance. Flow cytometry only detected MPs derived from endothelial cells (CD31(+)) and platelet (CD41(+)). No statistically significant correlation was found between levels of CD31(+) or CD41(+) MPs and subsequent occurrence of pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, or small for gestational age infants. Nor was there a statistically significant correlation with blood flow resistance parameters at 24 weeks of gestation (except for the left uterine artery) or at 31 to 33 weeks of gestation. Levels of these MPs in thrombophilic and nonthrombophilic women were similar. Levels of circulating MPs at 24 weeks of gestation had no predictive value for subsequent development of pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, or small for gestational age infants.


The psychoactive effects of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken leaves in young zebrafish.
Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken (BP) is a plant that is used worldwide to treat inflammation, infections, anxiety, restlessness, and sleep disorders. While it is known that BP leaves are rich in flavonoids, the extent of the beneficial and toxic effects of its crude extracts remains unclear. Although some neurobehavioral studies using leaf extracts have been conducted, none has examined the effects of water-extracted leaf samples. The zebrafish is a powerful animal model used to gain insights into the efficacy and toxicity profiles of this plant due to its high fecundity, external development, and ease of performing behavioral assays. In this study, we performed behavioral testing after acute exposure to different concentrations of aqueous extract from leaves of B. pinnatum (LABP) on larval zebrafish, investigating light/dark preference, thigmotaxis, and locomotor activity parameters under both normal and stressed conditions. LABP demonstrated dose-and time-dependent biphasic effects on larval behavior. Acute exposure (25 min) to 500 mg/L LABP resulted in decreased locomotor activity. Exposure to 300 mg/L LABP during the sleep cycle decreased dark avoidance and thigmotaxis while increasing swimming velocity. After sleep deprivation, the group treated with 100 mg/L LABP showed decreased dark avoidance and increased velocity. After a heating stressor, the 30 mg/L and 300 mg/L LABP-treated groups showed decreased dark avoidance. These results suggest both anxiolytic and psychoactive effects of LABP in a dose-dependent manner in a larval zebrafish model. These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying relevant behavioral effects, consequently supporting the safe and effective use of LABP for the treatment of mood disorders.


Increased Surface Roughness in Polydimethylsiloxane Films by Physical and Chemical Methods.
Two methods, the first physical and the other chemical, were investigated to modify the surface roughness of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films. The physical method consisted of dispersing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and magnetic cobalt ferrites (CoFe₂O₄) prior to thermal cross-linking, and curing the composite system in the presence of a uniform magnetic field H. The chemical method was based on exposing the films to bromine vapours and then UV-irradiating. The characterizing techniques included scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The surface roughness was quantitatively analyzed by AFM. In the physical method, the random dispersion of MWCNTs (1% w/w) and magnetic nanoparticles (2% w/w) generated a roughness increase of about 200% (with respect to PDMS films without any treatment), but that change was 400% for films cured in the presence of H perpendicular to the surface. SEM, AFM and MFM showed that the magnetic particles always remained attached to the carbon nanotubes, and the effect on the roughness was interpreted as being due to a rupture of dispersion randomness and a possible induction of structuring in the direction of H. In the chemical method, the increase in roughness was even greater (1000%). Wells were generated with surface areas that were close to 100 μm² and depths of up to 500 nm. The observations of AFM images and FTIR spectra were in agreement with the hypothesis of etching by Br radicals generated by UV on the polymer chains. Both methods induced important changes in the surface roughness (the chemical method generated the greatest changes due to the formation of surface wells), which are of great importance in superficial technological processes.


Influence of type of muscle on volatile compounds throughout the manufacture of Celta dry-cured ham.
The effect of muscle type on volatile compounds throughout the manufacture of Celta dry-cured ham was studied. Thirty Celta ham were taken from the fresh pieces, after the end of the salting stage, after 120 days of post-salting, after the end of drying-ripening stage, and after 165 and 330 days of "bodega" step. The volatile compounds from semimembranosus (SM) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles were extracted by using headspace-solid phase microextraction (SPME) and analysed by gas chromatographic/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Fifty-five volatile compounds were identified and quantified. The number of volatile compounds increased during the different steps of the process, reaching at 550 days of process 39 and 40 volatile compounds in SM and BF muscles, respectively. Results indicated that the most abundant chemical family in flavour at the end of the manufacturing process were esters in the two muscles studied, followed by aliphatic hydrocarbons and aldehydes. During the manufacturing process, an increase in the total amount of volatile compounds was observed, being this increase more marked in samples from BF muscle (from 550.7 to 1118.9 × 10(6) area units) than in samples from SM muscle (from 459.3 to 760.4 × 10(6) area units). Finally, muscle type displayed significant (P < 0.05) differences for four esters, two alcohols, one aldehyde, one ketone and four aliphatic hydrocarbons.


Classifying childhood war trauma exposure: latent profile analyses of Sierra Leone's former child soldiers.
Former child soldiers are at elevated risk for mental health problems (e.g., traumatic stress, emotion dysregulation, and internalizing and externalizing problems). To examine which groups of former child soldiers are more likely to have difficulties with emotion regulation, interpersonal relationships, and mental health postconflict, we explored patterns of war trauma exposure and their effects on subsequent mental health problems among former child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Participants were 415 (23.86% female) Sierra Leonean former child soldiers participating in a 15-year, four-wave longitudinal study. At T1 (2002), 282 former child soldiers (aged 10-17) were recruited. T2 (2004) included 186 participants from T1 and an additional cohort of self-reintegrated former child soldiers (NT2 = 132). T3 (2008) and T4 (2016/2017) participants were youth enrolled in previous waves (NT3 = 315; NT4 = 364). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to classify participants based on the first-time reports of eight forms of war exposure (separation and loss of assets, parental loss, loss of loved ones, witnessing violence, victimization, perpetrating violence, noncombat activities, and deprivation). ANOVA examined whether patterns of war exposure were associated with sociodemographic characteristics and mental health outcomes between T1 and T4. LPA identified two profiles: higher exposure versus lower exposure, using cumulative scores of eight forms of war-related trauma exposure. The 'higher war exposure' group comprised 226 (54.5%) former child soldiers and the 'lower war exposure' group included 189 (45.5%). Significantly higher levels of violence-related and combat experiences characterized the group exposed to more traumatic events. The 'higher war exposure' group reported more PTSD symptoms at T2, more hyperarousal symptoms across all waves, and more difficulties in emotion regulation at T4. Former child soldiers exposed to higher levels of war-related traumatic events and loss should be prioritized for mental health services immediately postconflict and as they transition into adulthood.


Surface microgrooves and acid etching on titanium substrata alter various cell behaviors of cultured human gingival fibroblasts.
This study aimed to investigate the influence of surface microgrooves and acid etching on titanium substrata on cell proliferation and gene expression of cultured human gingival fibroblasts. Ti substrata with various dimensions of microgrooves and further acid etching comprised four experimental groups (E15/3.5, E30/5, E60/10, and E90/15), whereas smooth and acid etched Ti discs were both used as control (NE0 and E0). The chemical composition of the control and experimental cp Ti substrata was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Cell proliferation, gene expression, and protein expression of cultured human gingival fibroblasts were analyzed between all groups using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assay, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western blotting, respectively. The XPS results showed that the Ti substrata used in this study showed no significant differences in the expression of surface chemical composition. BrdU assay showed that cell proliferation was significantly increased in E60/10 compared with that in any other group. In RT-PCR, E60/10 was noted to increase the expression of various genes involved in cell-matrix adhesion and adhesion-dependent cell cycle progression. In Western blotting, increased expression of fibronectin and Rho A was noted in E60/10 compared with that in NE0 or E15/3.5. This study indicates that surface microgrooves 60 mum in width and 10 mum in depth, and further acid etching on Ti substrata trigger the proliferation and alter the expression of both genes and proteins in cultured human gingival fibroblasts.


Efficient high-quality volume rendering of SPH data.
High quality volume rendering of SPH data requires a complex order-dependent resampling of particle quantities along the view rays. In this paper we present an efficient approach to perform this task using a novel view-space discretization of the simulation domain. Our method draws upon recent work on GPU-based particle voxelization for the efficient resampling of particles into uniform grids. We propose a new technique that leverages a perspective grid to adaptively discretize the view-volume, giving rise to a continuous level-of-detail sampling structure and reducing memory requirements compared to a uniform grid. In combination with a level-of-detail representation of the particle set, the perspective grid allows effectively reducing the amount of primitives to be processed at run-time. We demonstrate the quality and performance of our method for the rendering of fluid and gas dynamics SPH simulations consisting of many millions of particles.


Extracorporeal life support - systems, indications, and limitations.
Extracorporeal life support is becoming increasingly popular with the miniaturization of the devices necessary for cardiac and pulmonary support. In the present report, the current systems, indications for placement and limitations are reviewed.


Evaluation of antibacterial and cytotoxic effects of nano-sized bioactive glass/collagen composites releasing tetracycline hydrochloride.
To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of silicate bioactive glass nanoparticles/collagen composites functionalized with tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). Different concentrations of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) were incorporated on silicate bioactive glass nanoparticles/collagen composites by dipping these biomaterials for 48 h at 37°C in a solution of simulated body fluid (SBF) plus 0·05, 0·20 or 0·35 mg ml(-1) of the antibiotic. TCH release was assessed in double-distilled water at 37°C up to 72 h. The antibacterial activity of the samples has been evaluated in two ways: inhibition zone test and plate count method. The experiments were performed in vitro up to 48 h on four staphylococci strains (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29213, ATCC25923, ATCC6538P and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC12228). The new composites were also tested for cytotoxicity on MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells. The results showed that the incorporation and release of TCH was dependent on the initial concentration of TCH in SBF. The biomaterials also inhibited the Staph. aureus cell growth even though the efficacy was similar for all concentration. On the other hand, no cytotoxic effects were found on osteoblast-like cells, even at the highest concentration. Considering all results, it can be concluded that the new composite acts as a suitable bioactive carrier of TCH and could have potential in the prevention of biomaterial related infections. The results suggest a potential application as wound dressing.


Breast cancer in Circumpolar Inuit 1969-1988.
Breast cancer was studied over a 20-year period in Inuit populations in the Circumpolar region. A total of 193 breast cancers were observed in women. The incidence increased from 28.2 per 100 000 in 1969-1973 to 34.3 per 100 000 in 1984-1988. However, the incidence is low, about half what could be expected based on the rates in Denmark, Canada and Connecticut (USA). The low incidence could be explained by the Inuit diet and other lifestyle factors. These benefits should be preserved, in particular in the young, to maintain a low breast cancer incidence.


Acute haematogenous osteomyelitis in children - the reliability of skeletal scintigraphy.
Thirty-nine bone scans were performed in children (1 week - 14 years of age), with symptoms and signs of acute osteomyelitis. All but two scintigrams were obtained within the first week of the disease. Nine scans showed locally increased isotope accumulation. The diagnosis of osteomyelitis was later confirmed by radiological examination or by positive cultures. Twenty-nine scans were reported negative. Nevertheless, four patients developed characteristic radiological signs of osteomyelitis. In one of these four cases a decreased uptake ("cold" lesion) in the scintigram was over-looked. In spite of surgical drainage the patient developed chronic osteomyelitis. It is concluded that bone scanning is a valuable adjunct in the early diagnosis of osteomyelitis. A negative scintigram, however, does not exclude this diagnosis. A "cold" lesion may indicate a high pressure abscess and a risk for sequestrum formation. Prompt surgical drainage is advocated when such lesions are encountered in the scintigram.


Functional assessment of Ca(2+)-current in the mouse motor nerve terminals.
The purpose of this study was to characterize voltage-gated Ca2+ channels on the mouse motor nerve terminals. Mouse diaphragm and triangularis sterni preparations were used for this study in order to assess the functional Ca2+ channels in the transmitter release. The results showed that omega-conotoxin MVIIC (CTx-MVIIC, 0.5-1 microM) but not omega-conotoxin GVIA (1 mM) markedly inhibits not only the nerve-evoked muscle contractions accompanied by a decrease in the amplitude of end plate potentials (epps) in the mouse phrenic-nerve diaphragm but also the Ca(2+)-waveforms in the nerve terminals of triangularis sterni. The inhibitory effects of CTx-MVIIC were considered to be specifically presynaptic rather than myogenic, since none of the electrical properties of muscle fibers including action potentials, resting membrane potentials and the miniature endplate potential, were affected. Moreover, Na(+)- and K(+)-waveforms of the nerve terminals were unaffected by CTx-MVIIC. At a saturating concentration of 3-5 mM, CTx-MVIIC exerted a maximal inhibitory effect by 38% of 3,4-diaminopyridine-prolonged epps area and inhibited only the slow component of Ca(2+)-current, respectively, and the remaining fast component could be inhibited by subsequent addition of cadmium chloride (Cd2+). All of these findings indicate that at least two components (a slow CTx-MVIIC sensitive component and a fast Cd2+ sensitive component) of the mouse motor nerve terminals would cooperate in the induction of the transmitter release from motor nerve endings.


Sex differences in preferences for ideal female body shape.
The investigator aimed to replicate on an African sample Fallon and Rozin's (1985); Huon, Morris, and Brown's (1990); and Tiggemann and Pennington's (1990) findings of sex differences in female body preferences. Males and females were asked to identify their ideal female body shape and the one they believed men and women in general would prefer. A simple analysis of variance and t test demonstrated a discrepancy between women's actual and preferred body sizes, while the males knew the females' preferred size. These findings support the previous studies. The female undergraduates' and adult women's consistently negative evaluations of their own body compared with their ideal or preferred body are explored and found to result from being subjected to implicit pressures toward thinness not suffered by their male counterparts. Recommendations for future research are made.


Photoinduced Cu(II)-Mediated RDRP to P(VDF-co-CTFE)-g-PAN.
Photoinduced Cu(II)-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) was employed to synthesize poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene)-graft-polyacrylonitrile (P(VDF-co-CTFE)-g-PAN). The concentration of copper catalyst (CuCl₂) loading was as low as 1/64 equivalent to chlorine atom in the presence of Me₆-Tren under UV irradiation. The light-responsive nature of graft polymerization was confirmed by "off-on" impulsive irradiation experiments. Temporal control of the polymerization process and varied graft contents were achieved via this photoinduced Cu(II)-mediated RDRP.


[When demography considers women's work].
"The purpose of this paper is to outline the various approaches to women's work adopted in social sciences, and to suggest that the one developed in demography for studying the interrelationship between work and fertility represents an important methodological contribution." The geographic focus is worldwide. In particular, the author notes the value of the longitudinal approach used in demography. (SUMMARY IN ENG AND SPA)


Regulation of pendrin by cAMP: possible involvement in β-adrenergic-dependent NaCl retention.
The sodium-independent anion exchanger pendrin is expressed in several tissues including the kidney cortical collecting duct (CCD), where it acts as a chloride/bicarbonate exchanger and has been shown to participate in the regulation of acid-base homeostasis and blood pressure. The renal sympathetic nervous system is known to play a key role in the development of salt-induced hypertension. This study aimed to determine whether pendrin may partly mediate the effects of β adrenergic receptors (β-AR) on renal salt handling. We investigated the regulation of pendrin activity by the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway, both in vitro in opossum kidney proximal (OKP) cells stably transfected with pendrin cDNA and ex vivo in isolated microperfused CCDs stimulated by isoproterenol, a β-AR agonist. We found that stimulation of the cAMP/PKA pathway in OKP cells increased the amount of pendrin at the cell surface as well as its transport activity. These effects stemmed from increased exocytosis of pendrin and were associated with its phosphorylation. Furthermore, cAMP effects on the membrane expression and activity of pendrin were abolished by mutating the serine 49 located in the intracellular N-terminal domain of pendrin. Finally, we showed that isoproterenol increases pendrin trafficking to the apical membrane as well as the reabsorption of both Cl(-) and Na(+) in microperfused CCDs. All together, our results strongly suggest that pendrin activation by the cAMP/PKA pathway underlies isoproterenol-induced stimulation of NaCl reabsorption in the kidney collecting duct, a mechanism likely involved in the sodium-retaining effect of β-adrenergic agonists.