Assessment of vendors and drug-product selection.
Methods of assessing services and drug products provided by pharmaceutical vendors are discussed. Pharmacists must develop and justify criteria other than cost for selecting drug products to avoid pressures for basing product selection on price alone. Criteria used by many hospitals for evaluating pharmaceutical vendors are inspection of vendor facilities, availability of returned-goods policies, and availability of institution-specific services. Factors influencing a hospital's selection of a particular brand of drugs include product bioavailability, packaging, and labeling. A variety of hospital personnel should be allowed to participate in the evaluation of vendors and drug products to ensure accuracy and broad institutional support of the system. Guidelines for vendor representative activities in hospitals should be developed to promote the most effective use of vendor services and to prevent undesirable use of hospital personnel time. Effective criteria for evaluating pharmaceutical vendors and drug products saves time for the institution and ensures that drugs purchased are not associated with hidden expenses related to drug use.


Modeling the role of water in Bacillus subtilis colonies.
We propose a simple cellular automaton model for the description of the evolution of a colony of Bacillus subtilis. The originality of our model lies in the fact that the bacteria can move in a pool of liquid. We assume that each migrating bacterium is surrounded by an individual pool, and the overlap of the latter gives rise to a collective pool with a higher water level. The bacteria migrate collectively when the level of water is high enough. When the bacteria are far enough from each other, the level of water becomes locally too low to allow migration, and the bacteria switch to a proliferating state. The proliferation-to-migration switch is triggered by high levels of a substance produced by proliferating bacteria. We show that it is possible to reproduce in a fairly satisfactory way the various forms that make up the experimentally observed morphological diagram of B. subtilis. We propose a phenomenological relation between the size of the water pool used in our model and the agar concentration of the substrate on which the bacteria migrate. We also compare experimental results from cutting the central part of the colony with the results of our simulations.


Alkyl Chain Introduction: In Situ Solar-Renewable Colorful Organic Mechanoluminescence Materials.
Mechanoluminescence (ML) materials are environmentally friendly and emit light by utilizing mechanical energy. This has been utilized in light sources, displays, bioimaging, and advanced sensors. Organic ML materials are strongly limited to application by in situ unrepeatable ML. Now, in situ solar-renewable organic ML materials can be formed by introducing a soft alkyl chain into an ML unit. For the first time, the ML from these polycrystalline thin films can be iteratively produced by simply recrystallizing the fractured crystal in situ after a contactless exposure to sunlight within a short time (≤60 s). Additionally, their ML color and lifetime can be also easily tuned by doping with organic luminescent dyes. Therefore, large-area sandwich-type organic ML devices can be fabricated, which can be repeatedly used in a colorful piezo-display, visual handwriting monitor, and sensitive optical sensor, showing a lowest pressure threshold for ML of about 5 kPa.


Accumulation of copper by the aquatic macrophyte Salvinia biloba Raddi (Salviniaceae).
Aquatic macrophytes have properties and mechanisms which are useful for the removal of substances in solution, commonly used in phytoremediation processes in aquatic environments. This study evaluated the performance of copper (Cu) accumulation by Salvinia biloba Raddi (Salviniaceae) in different metal concentrations (1, 3 and 5 µg mL-1), as well as the control treatment, measured at intervals of 0, 7 and 14 days under laboratory conditions, with control as to pH and luminosity. After the experiment, the S. biloba biomass was washed, kiln dried, crushed and subjected to the process of digestion, and subsequently the accumulated copper content was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that S. biloba is apt at accumulating copper, varying significantly between different treatments and days of exposure to the contaminant, as well as its interaction (treatment × days). The highest accumulation values were observed in treatment with 5 µg mL-1, which at 14 days, with 11,861 µg g-1 of copper. We observed symptoms of toxicity and mortality in plants, probably indicating the effect of copper on the species when at high levels. Salvinia biloba is an efficient species in the removal of copper in solution, its recommendation as a remediating agent in aquatic ecosystems being possible.


Genetically engineered peptides for inorganics: study of an unconstrained bacterial display technology and bulk aluminum alloy.
The first-ever peptide biomaterial discovery using an unconstrained engineered bacterial display technology is reported. Using this approach, we have developed genetically engineered peptide binders for a bulk aluminum alloy and use molecular dynamics simulation of peptide conformational fluctuations to demonstrate sequence-dependent, structure-function relationships for metal and metal oxide interactions.


Reduced Dentin Matrix Protein Expression in Camurati-Engelmann Disease Transgenic Mouse Model.
Overexpression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has been shown to lead to mineralization defects in both the enamel and dentin layers of teeth. A TGFB1 point mutation (H222D), derived from published cases of Camurati-Engelmann disease (CED), has been shown to constitutively activate TGF-β1, leading to excess bone matrix production. Although CED has been well documented in clinical case reports, there are no published studies on the effect of CED on the dentition. The objective of this study was to determine the dental manifestations of hyperactivated TGF-β1 signaling using an established mouse model of CED-derived TGF-β1 mutation. Murine dental tissues were studied via radiography, micro-CT, immunohistochemistry, and qRT-PCR. Results showed that initial decreased dental mineralized tissue density is resolved. Proliferation assays of incisor pulp and alveolar bone cell cultures revealed that cells from transgenic animals displayed a reduced rate of growth compared to alveolar bone cultures from wild-type mice. TGF-β family gene expression analysis indicated significant fold changes in the expression of Alpl, Bmp2-5, Col-1, -2, -4, and -6, Fgf, Mmp, Runx2, Tgfb3, Tfgbr3, and Vdr genes. Assessment of SIBLINGs revealed downregulation of Ibsp, Dmp1, Dspp, Mepe, and Spp1, as well as reduced staining for BMP-2 and VDR in mesenchymal-derived pulp tissue in CED animals. Treatment of dental pulp cells with recombinant human TGF-β1 resulted in increased SIBLING gene expression. Our results provide in vivo evidence suggesting that TFG-β1 mediates expression of important dentin extracellular matrix components secreted by dental pulp, and when unbalanced, may contribute to abnormal dentin disorders.


Droughts and Dragons: Geography, Rainfall, and Eighteenth-Century London's Water Systems.
By the end of the eighteenth century the majority of households in London received a piped water supply. This article examines the geographical, technological, and environmental challenges that London's private water companies faced as they created and expanded the large technological networks necessary to provide the growing city's water supply. It identifies geography and drought as the main drivers of innovation in London's water supply neworks, and argues that the main impediment to expansion for the majority of the water companies was overcoming the differences in elevation between their intake points and customer bases, with major improvements often made as a result of water shortages. The timing and the success or failure of a company's technological improvements proved pivotal in the subsequent development of the water market.


TCR-mediated activation promotes GITR upregulation in T cells and resistance to glucocorticoid-induced death.
T lymphocytes (pivotal in many inflammatory pathologies) are targets for glucocorticoid hormone (GC). How TCR-mediated activation and GC signaling via glucocorticoid receptor (GR) impact on T-cell fates is not fully defined. We delineated here the expression of a recently identified glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor (GITR) induced by GC and by TCR-mediated T-cell activation in GC receptor (GR)-deficient mice (GR-/-). We also compared the action of GC on GITR+ and GITR- T cells by monitoring apoptosis, proliferation and cytokine production stimulated by anti-CD3 antibody. By using GR-/- mice, we observed that the development of GITR+ T cells (both in thymus and periphery) is not dependent upon GR signaling. This contradicts the implication of GITR's name reflecting GC induction. TCR-mediated T-cell activation induced GITR expression in both GR+/+ and GR-/- cells. Somewhat unexpectedly, there was very modest GITR upregulation on GR+/+ T cells by a range of GC doses (10(-8) to 10(-6) M). Constitutive expression of GITR by a subset of CD4+ cells did not significantly render them resistant to GC-induced cell death. However, TCR-induced GITR upregulation on GR+/+ T cells was correlated with resistance to GC-mediated apoptosis suggesting that GITR, in conjunction with other (as yet unidentified) TCR-induced factors, protects T cells from apoptosis. Thus, even though GC is a potent inducer of apoptosis of T cells, activated T cells are resistant to GC-mediated killing. Meanwhile, although GC suppressed anti-CD3-induced cytokine production, cell proliferation was unaffected by GC in GR+/+ mice. GR deficiency has no effect on anti-CD3-induced cytokine production and proliferation. Our findings also have implications for GC treatment in that it would be more difficult to abrogate an ongoing T-cell mediated inflammatory response than to prevent its induction.


Multiconlitron: a general piecewise linear classifier.
Based on the "convexly separable" concept, we present a solid geometric theory and a new general framework to design piecewise linear classifiers for two arbitrarily complicated nonintersecting classes by using a "multiconlitron," which is a union of multiple conlitrons that comprise a set of hyperplanes or linear functions surrounding a convex region for separating two convexly separable datasets. We propose a new iterative algorithm called the cross distance minimization algorithm (CDMA) to compute hard margin non-kernel support vector machines (SVMs) via the nearest point pair between two convex polytopes. Using CDMA, we derive two new algorithms, i.e., the support conlitron algorithm (SCA) and the support multiconlitron algorithm (SMA) to construct support conlitrons and support multiconlitrons, respectively, which are unique and can separate two classes by a maximum margin as in an SVM. Comparative experiments show that SMA can outperform linear SVM on many of the selected databases and provide similar results to radial basis function SVM on some of them, while SCA performs better than linear SVM on three out of four applicable databases. Other experiments show that SMA and SCA may be further improved to draw more potential in the new research direction of piecewise linear learning.


Atelinae phylogenetic relationships: the trichotomy revived?
This research examines phylogenetic relationships between members of the Atelinae subfamily (Alouatta, Ateles, Brachyteles, and Lagothrix), based on analysis of three genetic regions. Two loci, cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) and the hypervariable I portion of the control region, are part of the mitochondrial genome. The other is a single-copy nuclear gene, Aldolase A Intron V. Analysis of these genetic regions provides support for tribe Alouattini containing the Alouatta species, while tribe Atelini contains the other three genera. However, these three genetic regions produce conflicting results for relationships among tribe Atelini members. Previous genetic studies supported grouping Brachyteles with Lagothrix, leaving Ateles in a separate subclade. The present data sets vary based on the genetic region analyzed and method of analysis suggesting all possible cladistic relationships. These results are more consistent with investigations of morphology and behavior among these primates. The primary cause of discrepancy between this study and previous genetic studies is postulated to reside in increased sampling in the present study of genetic variation among members of the Atelinae, specifically Ateles. The present study utilized samples of Ateles from all postulated species for this genetically variable primate, while previous studies used only one or two species of Ateles. This paper demonstrates that shifting relationships are produced when different species of Ateles are used to reconstruct phylogenies. This research concludes that a trichotomy should still be supported between members of tribe Atelini until further analyses, which include additional Atelinae haplotypes are conducted.


Efficacy of surgery and adjuvant therapy in older patients with colorectal cancer: a STROBE-compliant article.
The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of surgery and adjuvant therapy in older patients (age≥70 years) with colorectal cancer (CRC). Older CRC patients are under-represented in available clinical trials, and therefore their outcomes after receiving surgery and adjuvant therapy are unclear. From two prospective Swedish databases, we assessed a cohort of 1021 patients who underwent curative surgery for stage I, II, or III primary CRC, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy. Of the patients with colon cancer (n=467), 182 (39%) were aged <70 years, 162 (35%) aged 70 to 80 years, and 123 (26%) were aged ≥80 years. Of rectal cancer patients (n=554), 264 (48%) were aged <70 years, 234 (42%) aged 70 to 80 years, and 56 (10%) aged ≥80 years. Older patients with either colon or rectal cancer had higher comorbidity than did younger patients. Older patients with colon cancer had equivalent postoperative morbidity and 30-day mortality to younger patients. Rectal cancer patients aged ≥80 years had a higher 30-day mortality than younger patients (odds ratio [OR], 2.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-4.55; P=0.03). For either colon or rectal cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy compromised the 5-year overall survival (OS) of older patients with stage II disease and had no effect on those with stage III disease. Receiving adjuvant chemotherapy was a poor factor of OS for older patients with either colon (HR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.20-4.35, P=0.03) or rectal cancer (HR 1.72, 95% CI: 1.05-2.26, P=0.004). Preoperative short-course radiotherapy improved both OS and local control for older patients with stage III rectal cancer and had no effect on those with stage II disease. Radiotherapy was a favorable factor for the OS of the older patients with rectal cancer (HR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.21-3.57, P=0.01). In conclusion, Older CRC patients had equal safety of surgery as younger patients, except rectal cancer patients aged ≥80 years that had a higher mortality. Adjuvant 5FU-based chemotherapy did not benefit older CRC patient, while neoadjuvant radiotherapy improved the prognosis of older patients with stage III rectal cancer.


Disseminated mycobacterium kansasii infection presenting as cellulitis in a recipient of a renal homograft.
A recipient of a renal homograft developed disseminated infection caused by Mycobacterium kansaii. He initially presented with cellulitis and abscesses in one foot, and was thought to have a pyogenic bacterial infection. The daily administration of prednisone and azathioprine appears to have prevented the typical cell-mediated granulomatous reaction to mycobacterial infection and to have contributed to the patient's atypical inflammatory response. A switch to alternate-day prednisone combined with antimycobacterial medication resulted in rapid healing without rejection of the homograft.


Professional perspectives on providing recovery-oriented services in Taiwan: a qualitative study.
The experiences of professionals in well-established recovery-oriented programs are valuable for professionals in similar practice settings. This study explored professionals' experiences with providing recovery-oriented services in community psychiatric rehabilitation organizations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 professionals from five recovery-oriented psychiatric rehabilitation organizations in Taiwan. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data analysis. The analyses documented three main themes with 13 subthemes. Recovery-oriented service implementation included seven subthemes: Enabling clients to set their own goals and make decisions, using a strengths-based approach, establishing partnerships with clients, improving individuals' self-acceptance, encouraging community participation, seeking family, peer, and organizational support, and building team collaboration. Problems with implementing recovery-oriented services included limited policy and organizational support, a lack of understanding of recovery among professionals, stigma, clients' lack of motivation or self-confidence in their own ability to achieve recovery, and passive or overprotective family members. Strategies to resolve implementation problems included policy changes and organizational support, improving the recovery competence and confidence of professionals, and family and public education. To date, this is the first known study examining the perspectives of mental health professionals who have experience implementing recovery-oriented services in Asia. The participants identified family collaboration, anti-stigma efforts, and changes in policy and attitudes as critical to successful implementation and delivery of recovery-oriented services.


Comparative study of scientific publications in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay (1995-2004).
The study aimed to measure the scientific production in Ophthalmology and Vision (O&V) in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay over a period of 10 years (1995-2004), in order to find out temporal evolution and variations in this field of research. PubMed / Medline was used to retrieve records on O&V research literature. The search strategy included keywords, country in the affiliation field and publication date. Data were extracted from each citation and recorded in a spreadsheet. Subsequent analysis focused on type and main topic of publication, journals where articles had been published, and evolution of research done on animals and humans. A total of 1,216 citations were retrieved. Brazil had the largest number of authored publications with an average annual production of 82.4, followed by Argentina with 31.0, Chile 6.4, Uruguay 1.6, and Paraguay 0.2. The ratio of articles on O&V relative to publications involving Health Science ranged from 1.0 to 2.3. The frequency of publications almost tripled from 1995 to 2004. Research on humans showed a significant increase in Argentina and Brazil. Results provide initial benchmarks on O&V publication rates in countries in South America that may be useful to follow research trends.


A cross-sectional study of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom. Part 2: Health care and disease.
Geriatric horses (aged≥15 years) represent a substantial proportion of the equine population, yet very few studies have investigated the prevalence of diseases within the UK equine geriatric population. To describe the provision of routine preventive health care measures, prevalence of clinical signs of disease and the prevalence of owner reported diseases. Additionally, the effect of increasing age on the provision of preventive health care and the presence or absence of clinical signs and disease was assessed. A cross-sectional study was conducted, surveying a randomly selected sample of veterinary registered owners with horses aged≥15 years, using a self-administered postal questionnaire. As geriatric horses increased in age, there was a reduction in the provision of preventive health care measures, such as vaccination, farrier care and routine veterinary checks. Only 68.7% of horses had received a routine veterinary visit within the previous 12 months. Owners frequently observed clinical signs in their animals, with 77% reporting at least one clinical sign of disease. Increasing age was associated with increased reporting of many clinical signs of disease. Over half (58%) of horses had at least one episode of disease within the previous 12 months, yet only 31% of owners reported that their animal currently suffered from a known disease or disorder. Although owners frequently observed clinical signs in their aged horse, there may be incorrect or under recognition of many diseases and health problems. Reduced frequency of routine preventive health care measures, along with suboptimal owner recognition of health and welfare problems may lead to compromised welfare in the geriatric population.


Low-loss deflection prism for a laser beam with Brewster angle.
A low-loss deflection prism for a laser beam is proposed, and its various characteristics such as beam quality, transmittance, deflection angle, and polarization state are presented. The prism having a trapezoidal form is made from BK7 glass and is designed for a He-Ne laser beam. When a p-polarized beam is incident on the slant surface of the prism at the Brewster angle, the totally reflected and transmitted beam is deflected by 90 degrees, and the measured transmittance is nearly 98%. The theoretical transmittances of the proposed prism are compared with those of a Pellin-Broca prism.


The value of clinical characteristics from a standard questionnaire to discriminate cardiac from neurological syncope in the elderly.
To identify signs and symptoms to differentiate cardiac from neurological syncope in patients over 70 using a standardized questionnaire. Prospective cohort study. Five short-stay units in a French university hospital. One hundred thirty-one in-patients with syncope aged 70 and older. Patients were interviewed about the signs and symptoms that had been present before, during or after syncope. When possible, a witness who had been present during syncope was also interviewed to compare theirs and the patients' answers. The sensitivity and specificity of 35 questions were calculated among 3 groups defined according to the cause of syncope: cardiac (n = 58), neurological (n = 31) and syncope of unknown origin (n = 42). Statistical analyses were performed to determine discriminating signs and symptoms among the causes and crude agreement was calculated for answers from patients and witnesses. Only 8 and 3 of 35 questions had a sensitivity of at least 0.5 for cardiac and neurological causes respectively. A feeling of impending syncope, thoracic oppression, recall of events preceding syncope and a history of arrhythmia were independently and significantly discriminant among groups. Recall of events preceding syncope (Odds Ratio (OR) = 7.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.2-25.3) and a personal history of arrhythmia (OR = 4.8; 95% CI = 1.6-14.2) were discriminant between cardiac and neurological causes suggesting mostly a cardiac cause. Agreement between patients and witnesses was only found for questions on the patient's medical history or the circumstances surrounding the onset of syncope. Recall of events preceding syncope and a history of arrhythmia are strongly suggestive of a cardiac rather than a neurological cause of syncope. Interviews of witnesses are not helpful in suggesting a cause for syncope.


[Ultrasound artifacts and their diagnostic significance in internal medicine and gastroenterology - part 2: color and spectral Doppler artifacts].
Artifacts in ultrasonographic diagnostics are a result of the physical properties of the ultrasound waves and are caused by interaction of the ultrasound waves with biological structures and tissues of the body and with foreign materials. On the one hand, they may be diagnostically helpful. On the other hand, they may be distracting and may lead to misdiagnosis. Profound knowledge of the causes, avoidance, and interpretation of artifacts is a necessary precondition for correct clinical appraisal of ultrasound images. Part 1 of this review commented on the physics of artifacts and described the most important B-mode artifacts. Part 2 focuses on the clinically relevant artifacts in Doppler and color-coded duplex sonography. Problems and pitfalls of interpretation arising from artifacts, as well as the diagnostic use of Doppler and colour-coded duplex sonography, are discussed.


Quinidine and propranolol binding to very low and low density lipoproteins of human plasma.
The interaction of quinidine (Q) and propranolol (P) with human very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) was determined by ultrafiltration in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) for Q and in phosphate and Tris buffers (pH 7.4-7.5) for P, respectively. The Scatchard plots of Q are curved and were best described by a model assuming two independent classes of binding sites on lipoproteins. When working with P, the Scatchard plots were also nonlinear, but positive cooperativity was observed for the VLDL fraction in phosphate buffer and apparently also for the LDL fraction in Tris buffer. These nonlinear curves were described by the model used for Q, excluding any data falling in the cooperating region. The binding parameters, primary (K1) and secondary (K2) affinity constants and the number of sites in each class of independent binding sites, were generated by a computer program. The results of this in vitro study suggest that drug binding (and possibly distribution) to lipoproteins may be affected by the nature and concentration of some ions present in serum.


Overall effect of carbon production and nutrient release in sludge holding tank on mainstream biological nutrient removal efficiency.
The potential of hydrolysis/fermentation of activated sludge in sludge holding tank (SHT) to produce additional carbon for the biological nutrient removal (BNR) process was investigated. The study was conducted in anaerobic batch tests using the BNR sludge (from a full-scale Westside process) and the mixture of BNR sludge with conventional non-BNR activated sludge (to have higher biodegradable particulate chemical oxygen demand (bpCOD) in sludge). The BioWin 4.1 was used to simulate the anaerobic batch test of the BNR sludge. Also, the overall effect of FCOD production and nutrient release on BNR efficiency of the Westside process was estimated. The experimental results showed that the phosphorous uptake of sludge increased during hydrolysis/ fermentation condition up to the point when poly-P was completely utilized; afterwards, it decreased significantly. The BioWin simulation could not predict the loss of aerobic phosphorous uptake after poly-P was depleted. The results showed that in the case of activated sludge with relatively higher bpCOD (originating from plants with short sludge retention time or without primary sedimentation), beneficial effect of SHT on BNR performance is feasible. In order to increase the potential of SHT to enhance BNR efficiency, a relatively low retention time and high sludge load is recommended.


Psychological considerations of anonymous oocyte donation.
This study involved 50 patients interviewed in conversations with a psychologist. It was found that it was possible to characterize the kind of couples using assisted reproductive techniques in terms of diagnostic and psychological profile. Other observations included the repercussions of this action on the couples' stability in case of failure or success, the desire for children and the plans concerning them, the secrecy theme and questions arising from the practice of anonymous or non-anonymous oocyte donation. The relationship between recipients and donors, as well as the specific relationship between couples and their consultants, were also examined. It is concluded that the problems encountered differ according to the infertility diagnosis. Donor anonymity allows oocyte recipients to impose their own identity patterns onto the future child and to introduce him/her in an unbiased way to their own lives. Artificial techniques to assist in the conception of a child do not appear to interfere with the couple's relationship and their desire for a child, which remains constant for each member of the couple.


Polar temperature of venus.
The presence of substantial polar cooling of Venus, as derived from microwave interferometry at 10.6 cm wavelength, is shown to be open to doubt. Other microwave measurements give little evidence for significant pole-ward variation in temperature on the planet.


[Effect of a novel analgesic disposable urinary catheter in prevention of restlessness caused by catheter-related bladder discomfort in general anesthesia patients in recovery period].
To investigate the effect of a novel analgesic disposable urinary catheter invented by the authors in prevention of restlessness caused by catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) in general anesthesia patients in anesthesia recovery period. Two hundred patients, who underwent general anesthesia for general surgical operation, were divided randomly into 2 equal groups: observation group, undergoing insertion of F16 novel analgesic disposable Foley urinary catheter after inducement of general anesthesia, and control group undergoing insertion of conventional F16 Foley urinary catheter after induction of anesthesia. The rate of restlessness caused by CBRD and the rate of catheter pulling-off were compared. The CRBD rate of the observation group was 9%, significantly lower than that of the control group (61%, P < 0.01), the rate of CRBD-caused restlessness of the observation group was 0, significantly lower then that of the control group (23%, P < 0.001). The extent of CRBD of the observation group was significantly lighter than that of the control group. The catheter inserting after the induction of anesthesia is an element related to the restlessness in anesthesia recovery period and other serious postoperative complications. The novel analgesic disposable urinary catheter effectively prevents CRBD-caused restlessness in general anesthesia patients in the anesthesia recovery period.


Evaluating the impact of at-plant termination of a cereal rye cover crop with different corn planting dates on arthropod activity.
Greater cover crop biomass is expected to result in a favorable microhabitat for beneficial arthropods. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cover crop termination guidelines are based on the cash crop planting date. Therefore, a delay in cash crop planting could result in greater cover crop biomass. However, studies on delays in cash crop planting and greater cover crop biomass have led to a decrease in cash crop yield. Thus, a field study was conducted in eastern Nebraska over two years to evaluate the impact of early and late corn planting dates with at-plant cover crop terminations on pest potential, beneficial arthropod activity, and agronomic parameters. To measure arthropod activity and pests in the system, pitfall traps, and corn injury assessments were performed during the early stages of corn development. A total of 11,054 and 43,078 arthropods were collected in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The results have shown no impact of the corn planting dates with at-plant cover crop termination on arthropods but identified that cereal rye cover crop supports greater Araneae activity while its alternative prey varied when compared to the no-cover treatment. Significant yield penalties were observed when cover crop was used regardless of the corn planting dates. Pest pressure was not significant in any year, however, future research using cereal rye and different cover crop species should be used in this system with an artificial infestation of a pest to be able to evaluate the trade-offs between possible cash crop yield reductions and potential biological control of pests.


Design of JT-60SA core Thomson scattering diagnostic system.
An incoherent Thomson scattering diagnostic will be installed in the JT-60SA tokamak to measure electron temperature and electron density profiles. The target radial spatial resolution is 25 mm with 46 spatial channels. The accuracy in electron temperature and density is a few percent at ne = 7.5 × 1019 m-3, which is the expected value in the plasma core. This paper presents the designs of collection optics, fibers with their alignment system, and polychromators. The collection optics overcomes unique issues for superconducting fusion devices, i.e., limited design space, high-temperature measurements, and harsh radiation condition. When in several years the more performing plasma will generate intense nuclear radiation, the lens materials of the optics can be replaced by radiation resistant glasses without major changes in the lens holder. It will prevent transmission degradation and keep stable measurement accuracy.


Neural correlates of verbal semantic memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.
Functional imaging data suggest that the core network engaged in verbal semantic memory (SM) processing encompasses frontal and temporal lobe structures, with a strong left lateralization in normal right handers. The impact of long term temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) on this network has only partly been elucidated. We studied verbal SM in 50 patients with chronic, intractable TLE (left TLE=26, right TLE=24) and 35 right handed normal controls using a verbal fMRI semantic decision paradigm. All patients had language lateralized to the left hemisphere, as verified by the intracarotid amobarbital procedure. Within and between group analyses showed remarkable, group-specific activation profiles. The control group activated frontal and temporal areas bilaterally, with a strong left predominance. Left TLE patients showed a shift of activations of left frontal and medial temporal areas to homologous regions in the right hemisphere. Furthermore, left TLE subjects utilized subcortical structures such as the thalamus and putamen to accomplish the verbal SM task. Contrastively, the activation pattern of right TLE patients resembled that of normal controls, but exhibited "hypofrontality" with a shift from frontal to posterior regions in the temporal, parietal and occipital lobe. Our results show that chronic epileptic activity originating from temporal seizure foci is associated with an alteration of neural circuits which support semantic language processing and that side of seizure focus has a specific impact on the resulting activation network. These findings presumably result from morphological changes and from functional reorganization which are both inherent to chronic TLE.


"Bending" and beyond: Better estimates of quantitative genetic parameters?
Multivariate estimation of genetic parameters involving more than a handful of traits can be afflicted by problems arising through substantial sampling variation. We present a review of underlying causes and proposals to improve estimates, focusing on linear mixed model-based estimation via restricted maximum likelihood (REML). Both full multivariate analyses and pooling of results from overlapping subsets of traits are considered. It is suggested to impose a penalty on the likelihood designed to reduce sampling variances at the expense of a little additional bias. Simulation results are discussed which demonstrate that this can yield REML estimates that are on average closer to the population values than their unpenalized counterparts. Suitable penalties can be obtained based on assumed prior distributions of selected parameters. Necessary choices of penalty functions and of the stringency of penalization are examined. We argue that scale-free penalty functions lend themselves to a simple scheme imposing a mild, default penalty which can yield "better" estimates without being likely to incur detrimental effects.


Wettability Contrast Gravure Printing.
Silicon gravure patterns are engineered to have cells that are wettable and lands that are not wettable by aqueous inks. This strategy allows excess ink on the lands to be removed without using a doctor blade. Using an aqueous silica ink, continuous lines as narrow as 1.2 μm with 1.5 μm space are gravure printed.


In-utero diagnosis of Norrie disease by ultrasonography.
Obstetric ultrasonography of an obligate Norrie disease carrier revealed bilateral retinal detachments in a third trimester male fetus. Postnatal examination confirmed the diagnosis of Norrie disease. DNA linkage analysis with the markers L1.28 and MAO had been uninformative for this family. This report suggests that retinal detachment occurs late in the gestation of the affected fetus.


Changes in thyroid peroxidase activity in response to various chemicals.
Thyroperoxidase (TPO) is a large heme-containing glycoprotein that catalyzes the transfer of iodine to thyroglobulin during thyroid hormone (TH) synthesis. Previously, we established an in vitro assay for TPO activity based on human recombinant TPO (hrTPO) stably transfected into human follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC-238) cells. It is important to determine whether environmental chemicals can disrupt TPO activity because it is an important factor in the TH axis. In this study, we used our assay to examine the changes in TPO activity in response to various chemicals, including benzophenones (BPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Overall, BPs, PAHs, and POPs slightly altered TPO activity at low doses, as compared with the positive controls methimazole (MMI), genistein, and 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxy BP. Benzophenone, benzhydrol, 3-methylchloranthracene, pyrene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(e)pyrene, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and heptachlor decreased TPO activity, while 2,4-dihydroxy BP, 2,2'-dihydroxy-4-methoxy BP, and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene increased TPO activity. From these data, we can predict the disruption of TPO activity by various chemicals as a sensitive TH end point. TPO activity should be considered when enacting measures to regulate environmental exposure to thyroid-disrupting chemicals.


Potential hazards and mitigation of X-ray radiation generated by laser-induced plasma from research-grade laser systems.
A large range of laser-matter applications employ ultrashort pulses and high laser intensity. Such processes can lead to unrequired X-ray generation, which represents a hazardous radiation factor even for common laboratory research-grade laser systems. We present here an analysis of the radiation dose rate and X-ray spectrum emitted during ablation of a rotating copper cylinder with respect to several laser parameters. The results show that focused sub-picosecond pulses with intensity above 1013 W/cm2 can exceed the annual irradiation limit even in one hour, requiring appropriate shielding for the safety of the researchers.


The ultrasonographic diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and ventriculitis in infancy: six case reports.
Five infants with meningitis and ventriculitis, and a sixth patient with meningitis only are reported. In one hydrocephalic infant, infection of the central nervous system (CNS) was not suspected until cerebral ultrasonography revealed features of ventriculitis. It appears that in non-communicating hydrocephalus managed with a ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt, infection may involve predominantly the "sequestered ventricles" rather than the spinal meninges. In four infants, bacterial meningitis had been proven but ventriculitis was not diagnosed until cerebral ultrasonography was performed. In a sixth neonate, E coli Kl meningitis was diagnosed and treated very early and cerebral ultrasonography showed involvement of the surface of the brain, but not the ventricles. The ultrasonographic features of bacterial ventriculitis and meningitis in infancy are: Increased echogenicity of the ventricular fluid, either in a fine homogeneous pattern, or with strand-like material and coarse particles. Increased echogenicity of the ependymal lining of the ventricles. Loss of definition of the surface of the choroid plexuses. Hydrocephalus, which may be progressive, with or without loculation of fluid. Abnormally wide and prominent cerebral sulci as a sign of meningitis. With treatment, the ventricular fluid became normal in a few days. The other abnormalities resolved more slowly. Hydrocephalus and fluid loculation were slowest to resolve. Ultrasonography has the potential for recognition of other complications such as subdural fluid collections and cerebral abscess.


Fractionation and Concentration of High-Salinity Textile Wastewater using an Ultra-Permeable Sulfonated Thin-film Composite.
A sulfonated thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration membrane was fabricated using 2,2'-benzidinedisulfonic acid (BDSA) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) on a polyether sulfone substrate by conventional interfacial polymerization. Due to a nascent barrier layer with a loose architecture, the obtained TFC-BDSA-0.2 membrane showed an ultrahigh pure water permeability of 48.1 ± 2.1 L-1 m-2 h-1 bar-1, and a considerably low NaCl retention ability of <1.8% over a concentration range of 10-100 g L-1. The membrane, which possesses a negatively charged surface, displayed an excellent rejection of over 99% toward Congo red (CR) and allowed the fast fractionation of high-salinity textile wastewater. The prepared membrane required only 3-fold water addition to accomplish the separation of multiple components, whereas the commercial NF270 (Dow) membrane required 4-fold water addition and almost double the length of time. Furthermore, the TFC-BDSA-0.2 membrane was subsequently tested for the dye concentration process. It maintained a high flux of 8.2 L-1 m-2 h-1 bar-1 and a negligible dye loss, even when the concentration factor reached ∼10. Finally, by using a 20% alcohol solution as a back-washing medium, a flux recovery ratio (FRR) of 95.6% was achieved with TFC-BDSA-0.2, and the CR rejection ability remained the same. These results prove the outstanding antifouling and solvent-resistant properties of the membrane.


Association between glycated hemoglobin A1c levels with age and gender in Chinese adults with no prior diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.
The present cross-sectional study consisted of 18,265 Chinese patients not previously diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, and who underwent physical examination at the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen between June 2014 and May 2015 (mean patient age, 51.312±15.252 years). The study was composed of 11,770 males and 6,495 females. The aim was to investigate the association between glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, gender and age. HbA1c values were measured using a Bio-Rad VARIANT™ II HbA1c Reorder Pack. All data was collected for analysis of the HbA1c levels in different gender and age groups, in order to investigate the association between HbA1c levels and age. Analysis of the 18,265 total cases and 16,734 cases with HbA1c levels <6.5%, demonstrated a positive correlation between levels of HbA1c and patient age. Linear regression for patient age and HbA1c levels demonstrated that HbA1c (%) = 0.020 × age (years) + 4.523 (r=0.369, P<0.0001) and HbA1c (%) = 0.014 × age (years) + 4.659 (r=0.485, P<0.0001), respectively. HbA1c levels of the male group were significantly higher than those of the female group (P<0.0001). Furthermore, in different gender groups, HbA1c levels gradually rose with increasing age. Therefore, HbA1c levels are associated with age and gender in Chinese populations, and this should be considered when selecting HbA1c as a criterion for future diabetes screening.


Preparing a grant proposal--Part 5: Organization and revision.
Translating a research idea into a well-written grant proposal takes planning and commitment. This Spotlight is the fifth in a series by the members of the Center for Clinical Investigation (CCI) of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society. The aim of this series is to facilitate high-quality grant writing and encourage submissions to WOCN's grants program. This article provides guidance on the development of a grant proposal and the revisions necessary to result in a polished final product.


Generation and Screening of Transgenic Mice with Neuronal Labeling Controlled by Thy1 Regulatory Elements.
Major progress has been made using in vivo imaging in mice to study mammalian nervous system development, plasticity, and disease. This progress has depended in part on the wide availability of two-photon microscopy, which is capable of penetrating deep into scattering tissue. Equally important, however, is the generation of suitable transgenic mouse models, which provide a "Golgi staining"-like labeling of neurons that is sparse and bright enough for in vivo imaging. Particularly prominent among such transgenic mice are the so-called Thy1-XFP mice (in which XFP stands for any fluorescent protein) that are used in numerous studies, especially to visualize spine plasticity in the cortex and remodeling in peripheral synapses. New generations of Thy1-XFP mice are now being generated at a high rate, and these have allowed previously difficult experiments to become feasible. Moreover, with easy access to core facilities or commercial providers of pronuclear injections, generating simple Thy1 transgenic mice is now a possibility even for small laboratories. In this introduction, we discuss the Thy1 regulatory elements used to generate transgenic lines with neuronal labeling. We provide a brief overview of currently available Thy1 transgenic mice, including lines labeling neuronal organelles or reporting neuronal function.


Critical role of PTEN for development and progression of nerve sheath tumors in neurofibromatosis type 1.
Evaluation of: Gregorian C, Nakashima J, Dry SM et al.: PTEN dosage is essential for neurofibroma development and malignant transformation. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 106(46), 19479-19484 (2009). Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is among the most common inherited tumor-predisposing syndromes in humans. Development of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) from neurofibroma significantly affects the morbidity and mortality of NF1 patients. The authors demonstrate, using different genetically engineered mouse models, that loss of the tumor suppressor Pten in combination with overexpression of the K-ras oncogene is an important step in MPNST development. In both mouse and human tumors, the transition from low-grade neurofibromas to MPNST is associated with reduced Pten expression, deregulated mTOR signaling activity and increased proliferation. This tumor transition can be monitored by (18)F-fluoro-D-glucose-PET, offering close clinical monitoring of NF1 patients and thus early detection of MPNST development in the future.


GPs' experiences with enhanced collaboration between psychiatry and general practice for children with ADHD.
Most general practitioners (GPs) do not feel comfortable with diagnosing and treating children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This is problematic since ADHD is a prevalent disorder and an active role of GPs is desired. In the Netherlands a collaborative ADHD programme was established, comprising of shortened diagnostic assessment in specialized mental healthcare followed by psycho-education in mental healthcare and pharmacological treatment by pre-trained GPs. To explore the experiences of GPs regarding the diagnosis and treatment of children with uncomplicated ADHD within this programme. Semi-structured interviews with 15 GPs were conducted. The GPs participated in an evaluation of the collaborative ADHD programme. Data was analysed using the principles of constant comparative analysis. Most participating GPs expressed reluctance to diagnose ADHD themselves. The reluctance was due to a lack of time, knowledge and experience. The GPs welcomed the collaborative programme because it met their need for both quick and adequate diagnosis by a specialist. Furthermore, an online ADHD course, offered by the programme, gave them the confidence to start and monitor ADHD medication. Finally, they appreciated the possibility of consulting a specialist when necessary. GPs preferred that ADHD was diagnosed by a specialist. In the context of the ADHD collaborative programme, they felt competent and comfortable to start and monitor medication in children with uncomplicated ADHD. Key Messages Within a collaborative ADHD programme for children, participating GPs were positive about a quick and specialist diagnostic process within secondary care. After an online course, GPs felt confident to start and monitor ADHD medication in children with uncomplicated ADHD. GPs were content about the collaboration between primary and secondary care.


Outcomes of reoperations after Ross procedure.
Potential for difficult reoperations has been a concern for patients undergoing a Ross procedure. Data regarding the outcomes of such reoperations is extremely limited. We examined our experience to define the current scope and risk of these operations. Between 1996 and 2020, 83 patients who had a previous Ross procedure underwent 89 reoperative surgeries. There were 72 males and average age was 48 with a range of 18-76. Twenty-four patients had more than one prior reoperation, with five patients having more than one reoperation post Ross. Patients were stratified by primary reason for reoperation including autograft dysfunction, homograft dysfunction, or other cardiac surgical problems. Demographic, operative, and outcomes data were collected from clinical records and placed in a secure data base for analysis. A total of 176 procedures were done in the 89 operations. Autograft dysfunction affected 68 patients. Homograft dysfunction affected 27 patients. Both of these were seen in 17 patients. Other cardiac problems required 79 other procedures. There were two (2.2%) operative deaths, with perioperative morbidity affecting six patients (6.7%). Survival following reoperation after Ross was 82.3% and 77.5% (±2), at ten and fifteen years respectively. Reoperations after a Ross procedure can be challenging but can be done with a high degree of safety and long-term benefit in experienced hands.


Changes of gait parameters following constrained-weight shift training in patients with stroke.
[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effects of training involving compelled weight shift on the paretic lower limb on gait parameters and plantar pressure distribution in patients with stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Forty-five stroke patients participated in the study and were randomly divided into: group with a 5-mm lift on the non-paretic side for constrained weight shift training (5: constrained weight shift training) (n=15); group with a 10-mm lift on the non-paretic side for constrained weight shift training (10: constrained weight shift training) (n=15); or the control group (n=15). Both, the 5 constrained weight shift training and 10 constrained weight shift training groups underwent constrained weight shift training 5 times per week for 4 weeks, whereas the control group performed ergometer exercises for lower limb muscle strengthening. [Results] The 10 constrained weight shift training group showed a significant increase in the contact surface and impulse of the hindfoot compared to the control group, and the step length and walking speed were significantly longer and faster. [Conclusion] We found that constrained weight shift training on the paretic lower limb is an effective treatment method for improving normal gait pattern in stroke patients.


Boroles from alumoles: accessing boroles with alkyl-substituted backbones via transtrielation.
The alumole Cp3tAlC4Et4 (Cp3t = 1,2,4-tris(tert-butyl)cyclopentadienyl) is reported to be capable of transferring its butadiene moiety to aryl(dihalo)boranes to generate boroles through aluminum-boron exchange. The products feature a rare alkyl-substituted backbone, which, as shown in other examples, often leads to dimerization due to insufficient steric protection of the antiaromatic borole ring. Sterically crowded aryl groups bound to the boron atom are shown to prevent dimerization, allowing access to the first monomeric derivatives of this type. Results from UV-vis spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and DFT calculations reveal that the alkyl substituents cause remarkable modifications in the optical and electronic properties of the boroles compared to their perarylated counterparts.


The Evidence for Dietary Interventions and Nutritional Supplements as Treatment Options in Multiple Sclerosis: a Review.
This review aims to critically evaluate published studies examining diets and nutritional supplements (excepting vitamin D) for the impact on prevention and prognosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). There is a negative relationship between the Mediterranean diet and vascular disease, and vascular co-morbidities are associated with a worse MS prognosis. Low-fat, fish-based diets, sodium-restricted diets, calorie restriction, the paleo diet, and gluten-free diets have been examined, mostly in observational studies; results are inconclusive. With regard to nutritional supplements, pilot data show a possible benefit of biotin with respect to disability worsening in people with progressive MS (PMS). The best designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for PUFA supplementation have not shown significant impact, but several weaker RCTs have. Many other nutritional supplements have been tested, including several anti-oxidants. While some early studies show positive results, no result has been definitive. Unfortunately, there is no strong evidence for a direct benefit of any given dietary intervention on MS risk or prognosis. However, due to its relationship with vascular co-morbidities, the Mediterranean diet has the strongest rationale for employment in PwMS. Higher-quality clinical trials are needed to ascertain the possible benefits of nutritional supplements.


Lupanine Improves Glucose Homeostasis by Influencing KATP Channels and Insulin Gene Expression.
The glucose-lowering effects of lupin seeds involve the combined action of several components. The present study investigates the influence of one of the main quinolizidine alkaloids, lupanine, on pancreatic beta cells and in an animal model of type-2 diabetes mellitus. In vitro studies were performed with insulin-secreting INS-1E cells or islets of C57BL/6 mice. In the in vivo experiments, hyperglycemia was induced in rats by injecting streptozotocin (65 mg/kg body weight). In the presence of 15 mmol/L glucose, insulin secretion was significantly elevated by 0.5 mmol/L lupanine, whereas the alkaloid did not stimulate insulin release with lower glucose concentrations. In islets treated with l-arginine, the potentiating effect of lupanine already occurred at 8 mmol/L glucose. Lupanine increased the expression of the Ins-1 gene. The potentiating effect on secretion was correlated to membrane depolarization and an increase in the frequency of Ca(2+) action potentials. Determination of the current through ATP-dependent K⁺ channels (KATP channels) revealed that lupanine directly inhibited the channel. The effect was dose-dependent but, even with a high lupanine concentration of 1 mmol/L or after a prolonged exposure time (12 h), the KATP channel block was incomplete. Oral administration of lupanine did not induce hypoglycemia. By contrast, lupanine improved glycemic control in response to an oral glucose tolerance test in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. In summary, lupanine acts as a positive modulator of insulin release obviously without a risk for hypoglycemic episodes.


Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in a Self-Selecting and Self-Paying Community Setting.
We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) when implemented in a community setting as a self-referred and self-paid course. Pre-post changes and Cohen's d effect sizes were calculated for questionnaire measures of mindfulness, perceived stress, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We compared these effect sizes with those from intervention groups in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with populations similar to our study sample. These RCTs reported significant effects of MBSR compared to control condition. MBSR was delivered in three different Danish cities by ten different MBSR teachers with various professional backgrounds and MBSR teaching experience. One hundred and thirty-two participants were included in the study: 79% were women, mean age 45 ± 10.4 years, 75% of the participants had more than 15 years of education, 38% had a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) score≥18, and 27% had a history of mental disorder. Post MBSR, the proportion of participants with a PSS≥18 decreased by 16% points (95%CI -26 to -6), p = 0.0032. Within-group effect sizes for (i) the total study population (ii) the subgroup with PSS≥18 at baseline (iii) intervention group in reference RCTs were as follows: PSS: d = 0.50:1.47:1.00, Symptom Check List 5: d = 0.48:0.81:0.77, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire: d = 0.67:1.09:1.00. Our results showed that MBSR was effective. The effects were largest among the participants reporting highest perceived stress level at baseline. Our participants were mainly women who were middle-aged, with high educational levels, and more perceived stress and a greater history of mental disorder than the general population, and who were able to seek out and pay for an MBSR course. Reaching vulnerable groups with a clear need for stress management will, however, require other implementation strategies.


Experiences of what influences physical activity adherence in Iranian patients with heart failure: A qualitative study.
Heart failure (HF) is becoming one of the important health care problems around the world. Physical activity as the foundation of the cardiac rehabilitation program is poorly adhered by patients with HF. This study aimed to understand the experiences of patients with HF in terms of adherence to physical activity. This study was conducted using conventional qualitative content analysis. Data were collected by semistructured telephone interviews with 25 patients with HF through open-ended questions. Data were collected from patients with HF in Birjand and Mashhad hospitals and heart departments from December 2021 to March 2022. Data were analyzed using Max-QDA10 and data analysis was continuous, comparative, and simultaneous with data collection. After data analysis, three main categories were identified: (1) patient-related barriers and facilitators, (2) support system-related barriers and facilitators, and (3) environmental barriers and facilitators. These categories were subdivided into two main themes: (1) threatening disease and (2) challenging disease. The results showed that beyond patient-related, support system-related, and environmental categories, perceiving the disease as a challenge or a threat is crucial in the activity of patients with HF. Nurses and other health care providers can train problem-solving behaviors to patients with HF to improve their physical and mental well-being. It is suggested that theoretical-behavioral approaches can be used in future clinical trials to improve adherence to physical activity.


Neurotrophins are expressed in giant cell arteritis lesions and may contribute to vascular remodeling.
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is characterized by intimal hyperplasia leading to ischaemic manifestations that involve large vessels. Neurotrophins (NTs) and their receptors (NTRs) are protein factors for growth, differentiation and survival of neurons. They are also involved in the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Our aim was to investigate whether NTs and NTRs are involved in vascular remodelling of GCA. We included consecutive patients who underwent a temporal artery biopsy for suspected GCA. We developed an enzymatic digestion method to obtain VSMCs from smooth muscle cells in GCA patients and controls. Neurotrophin protein and gene expression and functional assays were studied from these VSMCs. Neurotrophin expression was also analysed by immunohistochemistry in GCA patients and controls. Whereas temporal arteries of both GCA patients (n = 22) and controls (n = 21) expressed nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and sortilin, immunostaining was more intense in GCA patients, especially in the media and intima, while neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and P75 receptor (P75NTR) were only detected in TA from GCA patients. Expression of TrkB, a BDNF receptor, was higher in GCA patients with ischaemic complications. Serum NGF was significantly higher in GCA patients (n = 28) vs. controls (n = 48), whereas no significant difference was found for BDNF and NT-3. NGF and BDNF enhanced GCA-derived temporal artery VSMC proliferation and BDNF facilitated migration of temporal artery VSMCs in patients with GCA compared to controls. Our results suggest that NTs and NTRs are involved in vascular remodelling of GCA. In GCA-derived temporal artery VSMC, NGF promoted proliferation and BDNF enhanced migration by binding to TrkB and p75NTR receptors. Further experiments are needed on a larger number of VSMC samples to confirm these results.


[Antenatal diagnosis of ovarian cyst: perinatal management].
More than 85% of prenatal ovarian cysts have a follicular or luteal origin. Their natural history is a spontaneous involution. However, adnexal torsion resulting in the loss of the ovary can occur at any time of the evolution. Pre and postnatal changes in the sonographic aspects allow to choose the appropriate therapeutical indications: conservative approach, laparoscopic surgery, or percutaneous aspiration. Prenatal aspiration must be avoided. The last prenatal sonographic examination should be performed as close as possible from the end of the gestation, and the first postnatal echography within the first 24 hours of life. Surgery of prenatal complicated cysts has to be planned a few days after birth. Uncomplicated prenatal cysts will be treated depending on size and echographic patterns at birth.


Predicting Productivity Losses from Health-Related Quality of Life Using Patient Data.
This paper estimates productivity loss using the health of the patient in order to allow indirect estimation of these costs for inclusion in economic evaluation. Data from two surveys of inpatients [Health outcomes data repository (HODaR) sample (n = 42,442) and health improvement and patient outcomes (HIPO) sample (n = 6046)] were used. The number of days off paid employment or normal activities (excluding paid employment) was modelled using the health of the patients measured by the EQ-5D, international classification of diseases (ICD) chapters, and other health and sociodemographic data. Two-part models (TPMs) and zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) models were identified as the most appropriate specifications, given large spikes at the minimum and maximum days for the dependent variable. Analysis was undertaken separately for the two datasets to account for differences in recall period and identification of those who were employed. Models were able to reflect the large spike at the minimum (zero days) but not the maximum, with TPMs doing slightly better than the ZINB model. The EQ-5D was negatively associated with days off employment and normal activities in both datasets, but ICD chapters only had statistically significant coefficients for some chapters in the HODaR. TPMs can be used to predict productivity loss associated with the health of the patient to inform economic evaluation. Limitations include recall and response bias and identification of who is employed in the HODaR, while the HIPO suffers from a small sample size. Both samples exclude some patient groups.


Edema worsens target coverage in high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy of mobile tongue cancer: a report of two cases.
We report our study on two patients to highlight the risk of underdosage of the clinical target volume (CTV) due to edema during high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDR-ISBT) of mobile tongue cancer. To treat the lateral side of the CTV, flexible applicator tubes were implanted on the mouth floor. Two-dimensional planning was performed using X-ray images for Case 1, and three-dimensional (3D) planning was performed using computed tomography (CT) for Case 2. Prescribed doses for both cases were 54 Gy in nine fractions. Case 1 was treated for cancer of the right lateral border of the tongue in 2005. Tongue edema occurred after implantation, and part of the lateral border of the tongue protruded between the applicator tubes. Acute mucosal reaction abated in the protruded area earlier than in the other parts of the CTV. In this case, the tumor recurred in this area 5 months after the treatment. Case 2 was treated for cancer of the left lateral border of the tongue. Because tongue edema occurred in this case also, plastic splints were inserted between the applicator tubes to push the edematous region into the irradiated area. The mucosal surface of the CTV was covered by the 70% isodose, and 100% isodose line for before and after splint insertion. Local control of the tumor was achieved 4 years after treatment. To ensure sufficient target coverage, 3D image-based planning using CT should be performed, followed by re-planning using repeated CT as needed. Also, the development of devices to prevent protrusion of the edematous tissue outside the target area will help to ensure the full dosing of CTV.


Tunable magnetic and electronic properties of BN nanosheets with triangular defects: a first-principles study.
Experimentally, vacancy defects are commonly observed in BN nanosheets, expecially nitrogen-terminated triangular defects. Based on first-principles calculations, we systematically investigate the magnetic and electronic properties of BN nanosheets with these triangular vacancies (referred to as Vi(i = 1 - 4) defects with i representing the number of N atoms on each side of the triangle). It is found that the Vi defects bring diverse magnetic states into BN sheets, which are ferrimagnetic for V1, nonmagnetic for V2, ferrimagnetic for V3 and antiferromagnetic for V4 defects. When the isotropic strains are applied, the ferrimagnetic state is sustained for V1 defect, whereas the V2 defect undergoes a nonmagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition and the V3, V4 defects experience an abrupt change in the absolute magnetic moments under small strains, which are originated from the N-N bond breaking at these defects. Different from the BN nanoribbons, the antiparallel coupling is more favorable for the N atoms at the edges of triangular defects. Due to the triangular defects, the band gaps of BN sheets are reduced substantially, which could be further modulated by the strains. When the defective BN sheets serve as a substrate for graphene, the V1, V3 and V4 defects in BN would induce p-type doping in the graphene sheet. Interestingly, when the V2 defect is embedded in BN sheets, the doping behavior of graphene can be well-controlled by the strain, which is charge neutral at the strain-free state and p-type doped under strains. Our studies demonstrate that the rich magnetic and electronic properties of BN sheets with triangular defects enable the system's potential applications in nanodevices.


Arabidopsis transcription factor WRKY8 functions antagonistically with its interacting partner VQ9 to modulate salinity stress tolerance.
The WRKY transcription factors have been demonstrated to play crucial roles in regulating stress responses; however, the exact mechanisms underlying their involvement in stress responses are not fully understood. Arabidopsis WRKY8 was predominantly expressed in roots and was highly upregulated by salt treatment. Disruption of WRKY8 rendered plants hypersensitive to salt, showing delayed germination, inhibited post-germination development and accelerated chlorosis. Further investigation revealed that WRKY8 interacted with VQ9, and their interaction decreased the DNA-binding activity of WRKY8. The VQ9 protein was exclusively localized in the nucleus, and VQ9 expression was strongly responsive to NaCl treatment. Mutation of VQ9 enhanced tolerance to salt stress, indicating that VQ9 acts antagonistically with WRKY8 to mediate responses to salt stress. The antagonist functions of WRKY8 and VQ9 were consistent with an increased or reduced Na⁺/K⁺ concentration ratio, as well as contrasting expression patterns of downstream stress-responsive genes in salt-stressed wrky8 and vq9 mutants. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays showed that WRKY8 directly bound the promoter of RD29A under salt conditions. These results provided strong evidence that the VQ9 protein acts as a repressor of the WRKY8 factor to maintain an appropriate balance of WRKY8-mediated signaling pathways to establish salinity stress tolerance.


The orientation of the cervical vertebral column in unrestrained awake animals. I. Resting position.
The orientation of the cervical vertebral column was studied by X-ray photography of the region containing the head and the neck in nine unrestrained species of vertebrates (man, monkey, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, chicken, frog, lizard). In addition, the orientation of the horizontal semicircular canals was measured in four species using landmarks on the skull. In all vertebrates studied, with the exception of frog and lizard, the general orientation of the cervical vertebral column was vertical when animals were at rest, and not horizontal or oblique as suggested by the macroscopic appearance of the neck. The posture of the animal, whether lying, sitting or standing, had little effect on this general vertical orientation, although some variability was noticed depending on the species. This finding prompted the definition of a resting zone, where the cervical column can take any orientation within a narrow range around a mean position. The cervical vertebral column composes part of the S-shaped structure of the entire vertebral column, with one inflection around the cervico-thoracic (C7/Th1) junction. This feature is already noticable in the lizard. The vertical orientation of the cervical vertebral column is interpreted to provide a stable and energy saving balance of the head. Furthermore, when the head is lowered or raised, the atlanto-occipital and cervico-thoracic junctions are predominantly involved, while the entire cervical column largely preserves its intrinsic configuration. The curved configuration of the cervico-thoracic vertebral column embedded in long spring-like muscles is interpreted to function as a shock absorber. At rest, animals did not hold their heads with the horizontal canals oriented earth horizontally all the time, but often maintained them pitched up by ca. 5 deg, as has been reported for man. At other times, presumably when the vigilance level increased, the horizontal canals were brought into the earth horizontal plane. The vertical orientation of the cervical column results in a vertical positioning of the odontoid process of the axis (second cervical vertebra, C2), which thus provides the axis of rotation for yaw movements of the head. This axis corresponds to that of the horizontal semicircular canals. The vertical organization of the cervical vertebral column in birds and mammals, whether the animal is quadrupedal or bipedal, points to a common organizational principle for eye and head movement systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Negligible effect of vitamin D supplementation on exacerbation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: meta-analysis.
The focus of this meta-analysis was how vitamin D supplementation influences exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and vitamin D deficiency (VDD). Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed databases have been systematically searched in an attempt to collect randomized controlled trials related to vitamin D supplementation in COPD patients with VDD published in English available by July 2022. Primary outcome indicators included the mean number of exacerbation and rate of exacerbation. Secondary outcome indicators included forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration. Five studies involving 522 COPD patients with VDD (defined as 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L) were included, among them 61 were severely deficient in vitamin D (25(OH)D < 25 nmol/L). The results showed that vitamin D supplementation did not decrease the mean number of exacerbation (standardized mean difference (SMD): - 0.10, 95% CI: - 0.29 to 0.09) and the rate of exacerbation (relative risk (RR): 0.89, 95% CI: 0.76 to 1.04, P = 0.179). Also, its effect on FEV1 (SMD: - 0.06, 95% CI: - 0.30 to 0.17) and FEV1/FVC (SMD: -0.10, 95% CI: - 0.48 to 0.27) remained negligible. However, it could increase the serum 25(OH)D concentration (SMD: 2.44, 95 CI%: 2.20 to 2.68, P < 0.001). The effects of vitamin D supplementation on decreasing exacerbation and improving pulmonary function were not significant.


Recognition of major DNA adducts of enantiomeric cisplatin analogs by HMG box proteins and nucleotide excision repair of these adducts.
We examined HMG domain protein recognition of major 1,2-GG intrastrand DNA crosslinks, formed by two bifunctional enantiomeric analogs of antitumor cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin), and removal of these crosslinks during in vitro nucleotide excision repair (NER) reactions. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that domains A and B of HMGB1 protein bind to (2R,3R)-diaminobutanedichloroplatinum(II)-generated crosslinks with a higher affinity than to those generated by (2S,3S)-diaminobutanedichloroplatinum(II). The crosslinks of both enantiomers are removed by NER with a similar efficiency; however, HMG1B protein significantly inhibits removal of the (2R,3R)-diaminobutaneplatinum(II) adduct, but not that of the (2S,3S) enantiomer. Thus, HMG domain proteins discriminate among different conformations of the 1,2-GG intrastrand crosslinks of the two enantiomeric analogs of cisplatin, which results in different NER of these crosslinks. This observation may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying antitumor activity of cisplatin and its analogs.


Quantification of mixing in vesicle suspensions using numerical simulations in two dimensions.
We study mixing in Stokesian vesicle suspensions in two dimensions on a cylindrical Couette apparatus using numerical simulations. The vesicle flow simulation is done using a boundary integral method, and the advection-diffusion equation for the mixing of the solute is solved using a pseudo-spectral scheme. We study the effect of the area fraction, the viscosity contrast between the inside (the vesicles) and the outside (the bulk) fluid, the initial condition of the solute, and the mixing metric. We compare mixing in the suspension with mixing in the Couette apparatus without vesicles. On the one hand, the presence of vesicles in most cases slightly suppresses mixing. This is because the solute can be only diffused across the vesicle interface and not advected. On the other hand, there exist spatial distributions of the solute for which the unperturbed Couette flow completely fails to mix whereas the presence of vesicles enables mixing. We derive a simple condition that relates the velocity and solute and can be used to characterize the cases in which the presence of vesicles promotes mixing.


Disruption of N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated cell signaling and iron acquisition in epiphytic bacteria by leaf surface compounds.
Since N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) are key mediators of cell density-dependent regulation of traits involved in virulence and epiphytic fitness in gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas syringae, a variety of plant species were examined to determine their production of leaf surface compounds that could interact with these signaling systems. Leaf washings of 17 of 52 plant species tested stimulated or inhibited AHL-dependent traits in at least one of the bacterial reporter strains used. The active compounds from most plants could be distinguished from known AHLs due to different patterns of mobility during C8 and C18 reverse-phase thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and normal-phase TLC compared to the patterns for authentic bacterial AHLs. All plant extracts were also tested to determine their abilities to sequester iron and trigger bacterial siderophore synthesis on a medium containing abundant iron. Leaf washings from 16 of the 52 plant species, as well as tannic acid solutions, stimulated pyoverdine synthesis in P. syringae in a high-iron medium. These preparations also inhibited the growth of a P. syringae mutant unable to produce pyoverdine siderophores but not the growth of the wild-type bacterium. The stimulation of siderophore production and the growth inhibition by plant extracts and purified tannins were both reversed by addition of ferric chloride to culture media, indicating that iron was made unavailable by the compounds released onto the leaf surface.


Combination of the Level-Set Methods with the Contourlet Transform for the Segmentation of the IVUS Images.
Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging is a catheter-based medical methodology establishing itself as a useful modality for studying atherosclerosis. The detection of lumen and media-adventitia boundaries in IVUS images constitutes an essential step towards the reliable quantitative diagnosis of atherosclerosis. In this paper, a novel scheme is proposed to automatically detect lumen and media-adventitia borders. This segmentation method is based on the level-set model and the contourlet multiresolution analysis. The contourlet transform decomposes the original image into low-pass components and band-pass directional bands. The circular hough transform (CHT) is adopted in low-pass bands to yield the initial lumen and media-adventitia contours. The anisotropic diffusion filtering is then used in band-pass subbands to suppress noise and preserve arterial edges. Finally, the curve evolution in the level-set functions is used to obtain final contours. The proposed method is experimentally evaluated via 20 simulated images and 30 real images from human coronary arteries. It is demonstrated that the mean distance error and the relative mean distance error have increased by 5.30 pixels and 7.45%, respectively, as compared with those of a recently traditional level-set model. These results reveal that the proposed method can automatically and accurately extract two vascular boundaries.


Utility of computerized morphometry combined with AgNOR staining in distinguishing benign from malignant pleural effusions.
A study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of computer-aided image analysis in distinguishing benign from malignant pleural effusions. Morphometric measurements of preparations stained by the routine Leishman technique and quantitation of nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) were done on 65 cytologic samples randomly selected for the study and divided as follows: 30 samples from patients having benign pleural cytology and 35 samples from patients with pleural malignancies. The following parameters were obtained: nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio (N/C); nuclear and cytoplasmic area (NA and CA, respectively) and perimeter (NP and CP, respectively); major and minor nuclear diameter (DN and dN, respectively); major and minor cytoplasmic diameter (DC and dC, respectively); and absolute and fractional AgNOR (AgNOR/NA) area. Conformational characteristics of both nucleus (FFN) and cytoplasm (FFCy) were also computed. Statistical studies were done by means of discriminant analysis. The discriminant function generated from the morphometric data correctly diagnosed 100% of the cases. The validity of the classification provided by the function was tested by a jack knife ("one out" procedure), which again classified all the cases correctly. Our data support the concept that quantitative morphologic studies could be used in the management of patients with pleural effusions.


Combined open and endovascular treatment of complex aortic disease.
The purpose of this article is to report whether combined open and endovascular treatment could be applied in patients with complex aortic disease. A retrospective study including four patients with complex aortic disease was undertaken. In all patients, extra-anatomic bypass to the visceral arteries was made through a laparotomy while the aortic lesion was repaired by stent grafting. One patient died on the first postoperative day and another died 3 months after treatment from a myocardial infarction. The other two patients were alive 13 and 34 months after treatment, respectively. However, a patient treated for a ruptured thoracoabdominal type 2 aneurysm on the basis of a dissection suffers from postoperative paraplegia. The combination of open surgery with extra-anatomic bypass to visceral arteries and stent grafting could be an option for the treatment of patients with complex aortic disease, especially in high-risk cases in which more extensive open surgery is contraindicated.


[Laparoscopic management during pregnancy--own material (1996-2002)].
Utility of laparoscopic procedures in pregnant women. Is laparoscopy safe for the foetus? Between 1996 an 2002 14 pregnant patients were admitted and laparoscopy was performed. In 10 cases laparoscopic cyst enucleation (6 simplex, 1 endometrial, 3 dermoidal), in 1 case myomectomy and in 2 adnexectomy was performed. There were no complications during surgery. In one case miscarriage occurred 3 weeks after laparoscopic surgery and 9 healthy babies were delivered. There is no doubt that laparoscopy is well accepted in gynecological surgery and is going to be more and more accepted in obstetrics. Due to several differences between non-pregnant and pregnant women laparoscopic procedures in pregnancy require special attention. All papers show good foetal outcome even with preterm labour. In our material all babies were born healthy. Laparoscopic procedures during pregnancy are feasible and safe. Nevertheless they have to be performed by experienced gynecological-surgical teams.


Larger cortical motor maps after seizures.
Expansion of motor maps occurs in both clinical populations with epilepsy and in experimental models of epilepsy when the frontal lobes are involved. We have previously shown that the forelimb area of the motor cortex undergoes extensive enlargement after seizures, although the extent to which many movement representation areas are altered is not clear. Here we hypothesize that movement representations in addition to the forelimb area will be enlarged after cortical seizures. To test our hypotheses, Long Evans Hooded rats received 20 sessions of callosal (or sham) kindling, and then were subjected to intracortical microstimulation to map several movement representations including the jaw, neck, forelimb, hindlimb, trunk and tail. We found significantly larger total map areas of several movement representations, including movements that could be evoked more posterior than they are in control rats. We also show the presence of more multiple movement sites and lower movement thresholds in kindled rats, suggesting that movements not only overlap and share cortical territory after seizures, but become present in formerly non-responsive sites as they become detectable with our intracortical microstimulation methodology. In summary, several motor map areas become larger after seizures, which may contribute to the interictal motor disturbances that have been documented in patients with epilepsy.


Gastrointestinal side effects in children with Wilson's disease treated with zinc sulphate.
To investigate the side effects of a zinc sulphate therapy in a cohort of Polish pediatric patients with Wilson's disease. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 53 pediatric patients with Wilson's disease treated at the Children's Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw, Poland between the years 1996 and 2011 with zinc sulphate. Patients were diagnosed with Wilson's disease according to the scoring system of Ferenci, with 49 cases confirmed by mutation analysis. Data about the dosage scheme of zinc sulphate, side effects and efficacy and toxicity of the treatment were collected and recorded in the patient's medical chart at each visit to the hospital. Mean age of diagnosis for the entire cohort was 10 years (range, 2.5-17 years). Duration of treatment with zinc sulfate was 83.3 wk (range, 8-344 wk). Side effects, all of gastrointestinal origin, were observed in 21 patients (40%--9 males and 12 females), irrespective of the duration of therapy. Thirteen out of 21 patients were over the age of 10 years. The most common ATP7B mutation was p.H1069Q. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, performed in 7 patients (33.3%) suffering from persistent and severe abdominal pain, revealed gastrointestinal ulcerations or erosions with negative Helicobacter pylori tests in all subjects investigated. The above mentioned 7 patients were treated with proton pump inhibitors. Three of those experienced resolution of symptoms, whereas proton-pump inhibitors failed to alleviate symptoms of the remaining four children and conversion of therapy to D-penicillamine was needed. Zinc sulphate appears to cause significant gastrointestinal side effects, which children on therapy for Wilson's disease should be closely monitored for.


Multiple-phoneme-misarticulating children's perception and production of voice onset time.
6 language-impaired misarticulating and 6 normal kindergarten children produced and perceived differences in word-initial stop consonant voicing. Individuals' productive and perceptual phonemic boundaries were similar. No statistically reliable differences were noted between the groups' mean productive or perceptual boundaries. Individual exceptions suggest that some misarticulating , language-impaired children may be inordinately challenged by synthetic speech stimuli or may pass through a developmental stage in which perceptual ability outstrips productive ability.


Malignant pleural mesothelioma incidence and survival in the Republic of Ireland 1994-2009.
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignancy associated with exposure to asbestos. The protracted latent period of MPM means that its incidence has continued to rise across Europe after the introduction of restrictions on asbestos use. In order to obtain a clearer indication of trends in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), incidence and survival were assessed based on all MPM cases reported since the establishment of the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCR). NCR recorded 337 MPM diagnoses in the ROI during 1994-2009. Survival was assessed for all cases diagnosed with adequate follow-up (n=330). Crude and European age-standardized incidence rates were calculated for all cases and for 4-year periods. A Cox model of observed (all-cause) survival was used to generate hazard ratios for the effect of: gender; age at diagnosis; diagnosis cohort; region of residence; histological type; and tumour stage. Single P-values for the variables indicated were calculated using either a stratified log-rank test or stratified trend test. Over the study period the age-standardized MPM incidence in the ROI rose from 4.98cases per million (cpm) to 7.24cpm. The 1-year survival rate for all MPM cases was 29.6% (CI 24.7-34.6%). Excess mortality risk was associated with age at diagnosis (75-89 yrs vs. 55-64 yrs, HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.35-2.63, P<0.001) and tumour stage (III vs. I HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.00-2.48, P<0.05; IV vs. I HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.08-2.21, P<0.05). Age showed a significant survival trend (P<0.001) but tumour stage did not (P=0.150). There was significant heterogeneity between the survival of patients resident in different regions (P=0.027). MPM incidence and mortality continued to rise in the ROI after the restrictions on asbestos use and the predictors of survival detected in this study are broadly consistent with those identified for other countries.


Egret Swarm Optimization Algorithm: An Evolutionary Computation Approach for Model Free Optimization.
A novel meta-heuristic algorithm named Egret Swarm Optimization Algorithm (ESOA) is proposed in this paper, which is inspired by two egret species' hunting behavior (Great Egret and Snowy Egret). ESOA consists of three primary components: a sit-and-wait strategy, aggressive strategy as well as discriminant conditions. The learnable sit-and-wait strategy guides the egret to the most probable solution by applying a pseudo gradient estimator. The aggressive strategy uses random wandering and encirclement mechanisms to allow for optimal solution exploration. The discriminant model is utilized to balance the two strategies. The proposed approach provides a parallel framework and a strategy for parameter learning through historical information that can be adapted to most scenarios and has well stability. The performance of ESOA on 36 benchmark functions as well as 3 engineering problems are compared with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Differential Evolution (DE), Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), and Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO). The result proves the superior effectiveness and robustness of ESOA. ESOA acquires the winner in all unimodal functions and reaches statistic scores all above 9.9, while the scores are better in complex functions as 10.96 and 11.92.


Phenytoin and magnesium sulfate effects on fetal heart rate tracings assessed by computer analysis.
To compare the effects of maternally administered phenytoin and magnesium sulfate on the fetal heart rate (FHR) using computer analysis. Thirty-six nonlaboring preeclamptic women between 27-41 weeks' gestation were treated with either phenytoin or magnesium sulfate in a nonrandomized fashion. All fetuses were deemed to be well by traditional electronic-biophysical criteria. One-hour FHR recordings were analyzed by computer analysis before treatment. No other medications were administered. Tracings recorded 1 hour after drug administration were analyzed. Therapeutic serum levels were achieved in both groups before FHR tracings were reevaluated. Statistical analysis used paired Student t test, with significance set at P < or = .05. There were no differences in birth weight, gestational age, Apgar scores, or computer-analyzed FHR characteristics between the groups before treatment. Magnesium sulfate reduced significantly the frequency of accelerations of ten and 15 beats per minute; caused a 62% reduction in reactivity, defined as accelerations of 15 beats per minute in 20 minutes of FHR tracing (but no change in reactivity with accelerations of ten beats per minute); and reduced short- and long-term variability. Phenytoin reduced short-term variability only. Phenytoin does not confound the computer analysis of FHR tracings and may offer some advantage over magnesium sulfate when used for prophylaxis against eclampsia.


Arsenite induces DNA damage via mitochondrial ROS and induction of mitochondrial permeability transition.
Arsenite is an established DNA-damaging agent and human carcinogen. We initially selected conditions in which the metalloid causes DNA strand scission in the absence of detectable apoptotic DNA degradation in U937 cells. This response was suppressed by catalase and by treatments (rotenone and ascorbic acid), or manipulations (respiration-deficient phenotype), preventing the mitochondrial formation of O2-. ( mitoO2-.). MitoO2-., and its dismutation product, H2 O2 , are therefore critically involved in the arsenite-dependent DNA-damaging response. We then established a link between mitoO2-./H2 O2 and mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), and found that this second event also promoted the formation of DNA-damaging species. As a consequence, the DNA damage induced by arsenite, in addition to being abolished by the aforementioned treatments/manipulations, was also significantly reduced by the MPT inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA). A CsA-sensitive induction of p53 mRNA expression was also detected. Finally, evidence of CsA-sensitive DNA strand scission was also obtained in MCF-7, HT22, and NCTC-2544 cells. MitoO2-./H2 O2 therefore directly mediates DNA damage induced by arsenite and indirectly promotes the formation of additional DNA-damaging species via the induction of MPT. © 2017 BioFactors, 43(5):673-684, 2017.


[Application of bedside ultrasound in measuring gastric residual volume in neurosurgical critical patients with enteral nutrition support].
Objective: To explore the effect of bedside ultrasound in measuring gastric residual volume in neurosurgical critical patients with enteral nutrition support. Method: From March to August 2016, 70 critically neurological patients with continues enteral nutrition who admitted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were randomized into two groups. The observation group applied the bedside ultrasound monitoring gastric residual volume every day to guide the implementation of enteral nutrition. The control group used syringes withdrawing every 8 hours to measure the gastric residual volume. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of complications include regurgitation and aspiration in this two group patients (P=0.356; P=1.000), while the times of interrupting enteral nutrition was lower in the observation group(25.7% vs 5.7%, 74.3% vs 94.3%, P=0.045), the length of target feeding time and the length of ICU stay, the operation time was shortened, with a statistically significant difference[(2.37±0.69) d vs (3.49±0.74) d, P=0.028; (8.52±5.45) d vs (6.40±2.71) d, P=0.022; (58.29±11.22)s vs (67.60±7.05) s, P=0.000]. Conclusion: The application of bedside ultrasound to measure gastric residual volume can be a scientific method to guide enteral nutrition in neurosurgical critical patients, which can reduce the times of interrupting enteral nutrition and shorten the length of target feeding time and ICU length of stay, reduce the workload of nurses.


Evaluation of the formation and stability of hydroxyalkylsulfonic acids in wines.
The presence of carbonyl compounds (CCs) in wines has sparked the interest of researchers in several countries. The quantification of some of these compounds has been used as a parameter of quality for many fermented beverages. Although present in minute quantities (except for acetaldehyde), they have a strong olfactory impact. In addition, the CCs found in wines have a strong affinity for bisulfite and can form stable adducts, which will also interfere in the characteristics of aroma. The greatest challenge, however, is to predict which CCs have the strongest affinity for S(IV) and what conditions favor this interaction. To better understand the reaction of CC-bisulfite adduct formation (HASA), this study has evaluated the profile of 22 CCs in a "synthetic wine" containing bisulfite and in 10 real samples of different wines from the São Francisco Valley, northeastern Brazil. On the basis of principal component analysis (PCA) and dissociation constants, the results revealed that aliphatic aldehydes form adducts with S(IV), whereas ketones, cyclic aldehydes, and trans-alkenes interact weakly and are found predominantly in their free form. These results revealed also that pH 10 and 11 were defined as the most appropriate for CC-SO 2 adduct dissociation, and the total CCs were quantified reliably.


Attitudes of psychiatric hospital staff towards mental illness.
The use of the social model of psychiatry as a form of treatment is increasingly accepted as a legitimate therapy. This is expressed in the continued growth of the 'therapeutic community' regimes. However, investigations into components of the social model, i.e. attitudes of nursing staff in psychiatric hospitals, have not accompanied this growth. A cross-section of research over the past 25 years has shown an omission of behavioural correlations in attempting to measure staff attitudes. Research into attitudes expressed indicate a correlation between age, education, regime in hospital and occupation and the responses to attitude questionnaires. Without behavioral correlations however, the value of this research is very questionable. A few studies have included behavioral correlations such as perception of staff, discharge rates and length of stay in the community. An example of an area in nursing that attitude studies with behavioral correlations could usefully be employed is in examining the effectiveness of using staff from different cultures in therapeutic communities.


Complete nucleotide sequence of a gene conferring polymyxin B resistance on yeast: similarity of the predicted polypeptide to protein kinases.
Polymyxin B is an antibiotic that kills sensitive cells by disrupting their membranes. We have cloned a wild-type yeast gene that, when present on a high-copy-number plasmid, renders the cells resistant to the drug. The nucleotide sequence of this gene is presented. A single open reading frame within the sequence has the potential to encode a polypeptide (molecular mass of 77.5 kDa) that shows strong homologies to polypeptides of the protein kinase family. The gene, PBS2, located on chromosome X, is not allelic to the previously described PBS1 gene (where PBS signifies polymyxin B sensitivity). Although pbs1 mutations confer resistance to high levels of polymyxin B, double mutants, pbs1 pbs2, are not resistant to the drug, indicating that PBS2 is essential for pbs1 activity. Models based on the proposed protein kinase activity of the PBS2 gene product are presented to explain the interaction between PBS1 and PBS2 gene products involved in conferring polymyxin B resistance on yeast cells.