The type-specimens of Caraboidea beetles (Coleoptera, Adephaga) deposited in the collections of the I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
A catalogue of type specimens of species and subspecies of caraboid beetles, tiger-beetles here treated as family Cicindelidae, and ground-beetles (Carabidae) of suborder Adephaga deposited in the I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine is provided. For all type-specimens original photos of each specimen (with label) and label data are given in the original spelling (translated to English if the original label was in Cyrillic alphabet). In some cases data concerning the current status of taxons are discussed. Nominal taxa names are alphabethically listed within each family. Altogether, 372 type specimens of 133 taxa names (species and subspecies) are included in the catalogue: 15 holotypes, 344 paratypes (120 species and subspecies) and 13 specimens (9 taxa) with other type status.


The use of split-thickness skin grafts on diabetic foot ulcerations: a literature review.
Diabetic foot ulcerations are historically difficult to treat despite advanced therapeutic modalities. There are numerous modalities described in the literature ranging from noninvasive topical wound care to more invasive surgical procedures such as primary closure, skin flaps, and skin grafting. While skin grafting provides faster time to closure with a single treatment compared to traditional topical wound treatments, the potential risks of donor site morbidity and poor wound healing unique to the diabetic state have been cited as a contraindication to its widespread use. In order to garner clarity on this issue, a literature review was undertaken on the use of split-thickness skin grafts on diabetic foot ulcers. Search of electronic databases yielded four studies that reported split-thickness skin grafts as definitive means of closure. In addition, several other studies employed split-thickness skin grafts as an adjunct to a treatment that was only partially successful or used to fill in the donor site of another plastic surgery technique. When used as the primary closure on optimized diabetic foot ulcerations, split-thickness skin grafts are 78% successful at closing 90% of the wound by eight weeks.


[A questionnaire for the assessment of women's perception of their own femininity: a study on women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser-syndrome and women with polycystic ovary syndrome].
Women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS) or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) experience substantial changes in female body characteristics. It was investigated how this is associated with changes concerning the experience of one's own femininity. A questionnaire was developed to measure the experience of one's own femininity. The question-naire assesses how important several aspects are to women for their experience of their own femininity. Data from 49 women with MRKHS and 55 women with PCOS were compared to a non-clinical sample (932 women). The experience of their own femininity differed between the clinical groups as well as in comparison to the control sample. Diagnosis-specific characteristics emerged, which should be considered in the treatment of affected women. The developed questionnaire proved to be suitable for measuring differences in the experience of one's own femininity between groups of gynecological -patients.


[Current status and trends of both dietary fat and cholesterol intake among Chinese children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 years old in 9 provinces of China, from 1991 to 2009].
To study the current status and trends of fat and cholesterol intake among Chinese children and adolescents in 9 provinces from 1991 to 2009, so as to provide evidence on dietary guidance. Data was collected in 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2009 from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Sample would include 7 - 17 years old healthy children and adolescents with a complete 3-day 24-hour-dietary data. Figures on the intake of fat, cholesterol, mean percentage of energy from fat and food source of fat per capita were calculated and compared with the Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Data showed that, in 1991 - 2009, the dietary fats, mean percentage of energy from total fat and intake of cholesterol had an increasing trend in the population of 9 provinces and were 65.8 g/d, 240.0 mg/d and 32.0% respectively, in 2009. The percentage of population whose mean energy coming from total fat and reached 57.0% in 2009. The dietary structure of children and adolescents in Chinese 9 provinces had changed significantly. 57.0% of the studied subjects had more than 30% increase of their fat intake exceeding the Chinese DRIs. It was necessary to provide children and adolescent with basic knowledge on nutrition, in order to properly control the intake of food rich in fat and cholesterol.


Dendritic Spikes in Sensory Perception.
What is the function of dendritic spikes? One might argue that they provide conditions for neuronal plasticity or that they are essential for neural computation. However, despite a long history of dendritic research, the physiological relevance of dendritic spikes in brain function remains unknown. This could stem from the fact that most studies on dendrites have been performed in vitro. Fortunately, the emergence of novel techniques such as improved two-photon microscopy, genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs), and optogenetic tools has provided the means for vital breakthroughs in in vivo dendritic research. These technologies enable the investigation of the functions of dendritic spikes in behaving animals, and thus, help uncover the causal relationship between dendritic spikes, and sensory information processing and synaptic plasticity. Understanding the roles of dendritic spikes in brain function would provide mechanistic insight into the relationship between the brain and the mind. In this review article, we summarize the results of studies on dendritic spikes from a historical perspective and discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the role of dendritic spikes in sensory perception.


Theoretical Basis for Logarithmic Correlations of Fractionated Radionuclide Compositions.
A theoretical basis for logarithmic correlations of fractionated radionuclide compositions is described. Implications for nuclear chemical studies of bomb debris and application to the prediction of partition of Sr(90) and other biologically important radionuclides among particles of various sizes, and consequently between local and world-wide fallout, are indicated.


Tumor angiogenesis--a potential target in cancer chemoprevention.
Tumor angiogenesis is critically important for the growth of solid tumors as tumors remain in dormant phase for a long time in the absence of the initiation of blood vessel formation. Tumors can grow up to approximately 2mm size without requirement of blood supply as diffusion is sufficient at this level to support the removal of wastes from and supply of nutrients to tumor cells. Therefore, angiogenesis process could be an important target to suppress tumor growth and metastasis. Angiogenesis is required at almost every step of tumor progression and metastasis, and tumor vasculature has been identified as strong prognostic marker for tumor grading. Endothelial cells are the main players of angiogenesis process and could be peculiar target for antiangiogenic therapy because they are non-transformed and easily accessible to achievable concentrations of antiangiogenic agents, and also are unlikely to acquire drug resistance. Several antiangiogenic strategies have been developed to inhibit tumor growth by targeting different components of tumor angiogenesis. Chemopreventive agents have been shown to target and inhibit different aspects and components of angiogenesis process and can be used conveniently as they are mostly non-toxic natural compounds and could be part of our daily diet. However, a risk assessment for the use of antiangiogenic phytochemicals is needed as they can also disrupt normal physiologic angiogenesis such as wound healing and endometrium development processes. This review focuses on how different chemopreventive phytochemicals target various components of angiogenesis, including angiogenic signaling, which usually starts from tumor cells producing angiogenic factors and affecting endothelial cells growth, migration and capillary vessel organization for tumor angiogenesis.


From Electrochemical Biosensors to Biomimetic Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in Environmental Determination of Heavy Metals.
Recent work relevant to heavy metal determination by inhibition-enzyme electrochemical biosensors and by selected biomimetic sensors based on molecularly imprinted polymers has been reviewed. General features and peculiar aspects have been evidenced. The replace of biological component by artificial receptors promises higher selectivity and stability, while biosensors keep their capability of producing an integrated response directly related to biological toxicity of the samples.


Novel interferon-gamma assays for diagnosing tuberculosis in young children in India.
The tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) are used as supportive evidence to diagnose active tuberculosis (TB). Novel IGRAs could improve diagnosis, but data are lacking in young children. Children (age 5 years) with suspected TB were prospectively screened at a tertiary hospital in Pune, India; the children underwent TST, and standard (early secretory antigenic target 6 and culture filtrate protein 10) and enhanced (five additional novel antigens) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assays. Of 313 children (median age 30 months) enrolled, 92% had received bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination, 53% were malnourished and 9% were coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); 48 (15%) had TB, 128 (41%) did not, and TB could not be ruled out in 137 (44%). The sensitivity of enhanced (45%) and standard (42%) ELISpot assays for diagnosing TB was better than that of TST (20%) (P  0.03); however, enhanced ELISpot was not more sensitive than the standard ELISpot assay (P = 0.50). The specificity of enhanced ELISpot, standard ELISpot and TST was respectively 82% (95%CI 74-89), 88% (95%CI 81-94) and 98% (95%CI 93-100). Rv3879c and Rv3615c, previously reported to be promising antigens, failed to improve the diagnostic performance of the ELISpot assay. The TST and the standard and novel ELISpot assays performed poorly in diagnosing active TB among young children in India.


Phase diagram of amorphous solid water: low-density, high-density, and very-high-density amorphous ices.
We calculate the phase diagram of amorphous solid water by performing molecular dynamics simulations using the extended simple point charge (SPC/E) model. Our simulations follow different paths in the phase diagram: isothermal compression/decompression, isochoric cooling/heating, and isobaric cooling/heating. We are able to identify low-density amorphous (LDA), high-density amorphous (HDA), and very-high density amorphous (VHDA) ices. The density rho of these glasses at different pressure P and temperature T agree well with experimental values. We also study the radial distribution functions of glassy water. In agreement with experiments, we find that LDA, HDA, and VHDA are characterized by a tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded network and that, as compared to LDA, HDA has an extra interstitial molecule between the first and second shell. VHDA appears to have two such extra molecules. We obtain VHDA, as in experiment, by isobaric heating of HDA. We also find that "other forms" of glassy water can be obtained upon isobaric heating of LDA, as well as amorphous ices formed during the transformation of LDA to HDA. We argue that these other forms of amorphous ices, as well as VHDA, are not altogether new glasses but rather are the result of aging induced by heating. Samples of HDA and VHDA with different densities are recovered at normal P, showing that there is a continuum of glasses. Furthermore, the two ranges of densities of recovered HDA and recovered VHDA overlap at ambient P. Our simulations reproduce the experimental findings of HDA --> LDA and VHDA --> LDA transformations. We do not observe a VHDA --> HDA transformation, and our final phase diagram of glassy water together with equilibrium liquid data suggests that for the SPC/E model the VHDA --> HDA transformation cannot be observed with the present heating rates accessible in simulations. Finally, we discuss the consequences of our findings for the understanding of the transformation between the different amorphous ices and the two hypothesized phases of liquid water.


Spreading of fatigue-related effects from active to inactive parts in the medial gastrocnemius muscle of the cat.
In the medial gastrocnemius muscle of the decerebrate cat, the spatial spread of fatigue between active and inactive muscle parts was studied. Conditioning fatiguing stimulation (CFS) was applied to a part of the muscle to test whether it had an effect on the contraction efficiency in an unstimulated part. To exclude somato-sympathetic reflexes during CFS, a full rhizotomy of the lumbo-sacral spinal cord was performed. The same ipsilateral ventral root, either L7 or S1, was divided into seven filaments, one of which was used for the test stimulation, and four or five for CFS. The CFS consisted of 12 s sessions of distributed stimulation of five (or four) filaments at a rate of 40 s(-1), the sessions were repeated, every 40 s, 15 or more times. The test consisted of 12 s of regular stimulation at a rate of 10 s(-1), preceded and followed by a single stimulus. The tests applied just after CFS showed a strong decline of both tension and electromyogram (EMG), amounting to only [mean (SD)] 0.45 (0.18) and 0.51 (0.19) (n = 15), respectively, of the corresponding values in the tests before CFS. It thus turned out that depressive fatigue-related effects could spread within the muscle. At the same time, control reactions recorded in the lateral gastrocnemius during stimulation of its cut nerve did not change. Subsequent repetitions of the tests usually revealed a tendency towards restoration. The EMG reactions recovered more quickly than tension. The depression of EMG after CFS was accompanied by a slowing of the constituent M-waves; their latencies decreased during restoration. Distinct changes in the systemic blood pressure were observed during CFS. These changes were usually correlated well with muscle tension changes. The factors possibly underlying the observed effects may include diffusion of metabolites from active to inactive muscle fibres, lowering of the efficiency of neuro-muscular transmission due to squeezing of efferent motor terminals and changes in outer metabolite content, as well as local hypoxia due to increases in intramuscular pressure.


Generating Political Priority for Primary Health Care Reform in Romania.
This paper examines how political priority was generated for comprehensive reforms to address inequitable access to high-quality primary health care (PHC) in Romania. We apply John Kingdon's model of political agenda setting to explore how the convergence of problems, solutions, and political developments culminated in the adoption of a government program that included critical PHC reforms and approval of a results-based funding instrument for implementation. We draw on a review of the gray and peer-reviewed literature and stakeholder consultations, and use content analysis to identify themes organized in line with the dimensions of Kingdon's model. We conclude this paper with three lessons that may be relevant for generating political priority for PHC reforms in other contexts. First, national PHC reforms are likely to be prioritized when there is political alignment of health reforms with the broader political agenda. Second, the availability of technically sound and feasible policy proposals makes it possible to seize the political opportunity when the window opens. Third, partners' coordinated technical and financial support for neglected issues can serve to raise their priority on the political agenda.


Relational rule discovery in complex discrimination learning.
Failure to learn and generalize abstract relational rules has critical implications for education. In this study, we aimed to determine which training conditions facilitate relational transfer in a relatively simple (patterning) discrimination versus a relatively complex (biconditional) discrimination. The amount of training participants received had little influence on rates of relational transfer. Instead, trial-sequencing of the training contingencies influenced relational transfer in different ways depending on the complexity of the discrimination. Clustering instances of relational rules together during training improved transfer of both simpler patterning and more difficult biconditional rules, regardless of individual differences in cognitive reflection. However, blocking all trials of the same type together improved rule transfer only for biconditional discriminations. Individual differences in cognitive reflection were also more predictive of relational rule use under suboptimal training conditions. The results highlight the need for comprehensive accounts of relational learning to consider how learning conditions and individual differences affect the likelihood of engaging in learning relational structures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).


Open chest cardiac massage: an overview.
Open-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation has been shown to produce better blood flow in man than closed-chest massage. It therefore should be taught as part of the protocol for all hospital CPR teams.


Nanozyme: a rising star for cancer therapy.
In recent years, nanozymes have attracted enormous attention due to their effectiveness in promoting various catalytic reactions. To date, thousands of nanozymes have been discovered, including oxidase-like nanozymes, peroxidase-like nanozymes, and catalase-like nanozymes, covering noble metal, transition metal, and carbon nanomaterials. These nanozymes have been widely applied in various fields, including environmental protection, biosensing and nanomedicine. There are many reviews about this rising star being used in analytical chemistry. However, few works about nanozymes were related to cancer therapy. In this study, we comprehensively summarize the latest research advances on the strategies for cancer therapy based on different nanozymes. With traditional cancer treatment (including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy), nanozyme catalytic therapy exhibited a synergistic effect for limiting the growth of tumors. Opportunities and trends for nanozymes in future cancer therapy are also discussed.


Sparse Coding in Temporal Association Cortex Improves Complex Sound Discriminability.
The mouse auditory cortex is comprised of several auditory fields spanning the dorsoventral axis of the temporal lobe. The ventral most auditory field is the temporal association cortex (TeA), which remains largely unstudied. Using Neuropixels probes, we simultaneously recorded from primary auditory cortex (AUDp), secondary auditory cortex (AUDv), and TeA, characterizing neuronal responses to pure tones and frequency modulated (FM) sweeps in awake head-restrained female mice. As compared with AUDp and AUDv, single-unit (SU) responses to pure tones in TeA were sparser, delayed, and prolonged. Responses to FMs were also sparser. Population analysis showed that the sparser responses in TeA render it less sensitive to pure tones, yet more sensitive to FMs. When characterizing responses to pure tones under anesthesia, the distinct signature of TeA was changed considerably as compared with that in awake mice, implying that responses in TeA are strongly modulated by non-feedforward connections. Together, these findings provide a basic electrophysiological description of TeA as an integral part of sound processing along the cortical hierarchy.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This is the first comprehensive characterization of the auditory responses in the awake mouse auditory temporal association cortex (TeA). The study provides the foundations for further investigation of TeA and its involvement in auditory learning, plasticity, auditory driven behaviors etc. The study was conducted using state of the art data collection tools, allowing for simultaneous recording from multiple cortical regions and numerous neurons.


Analysis of arbitrary defects in photonic crystals by use of the source-model technique.
A novel method derived from the source-model technique is presented to solve the problem of scattering of an electromagnetic plane wave by a two-dimensional photonic crystal slab that contains an arbitrary defect (perturbation). In this method, the electromagnetic fields in the perturbed problem are expressed in terms of the field due to the periodic currents obtained from a solution of the corresponding unperturbed problem plus the field due to yet-to-be-determined correction current sources placed in the vicinity of the perturbation. Appropriate error measures are suggested, and a few representative structures are presented and analyzed to demonstrate the versatility of the proposed method and to provide physical insight into waveguiding and defect coupling mechanisms typical of finite-thickness photonic crystal slabs.


Intermolecular interactions in (arene)chromium carbonyl compounds: prediction of chiral crystal packing from racemate structure.
Six X-ray crystal structures are reported, all containing substituted triphenylmethanol derivative 4 either alone or as its mono or bis(chromium tricarbonyl) complexes. All four chromium complexes studied crystallize with two independent molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. It is demonstrated that from the X-ray crystal structure of the acentric racemic (+/-)-(1pR,1' 'R)(1pS,1' 'S)-[Cr(CO)(3)(eta(6)-t-BuC(6)H(3)(CMeOMe)CPh(2)OH)], (+/-)-3, it is possible to deduce the 4-fold helical structure of the chiral (-)-(1pR,1' 'R) isomer, (-)-3. The bimetallic derivatives demonstrate the ability to control intermolecular interactions by the positioning of relative stereochemistry.


Short versus long proximal femoral nail in the management of intertrochanteric fractures - a comparative study.
Intertrochanteric fractures are those that occur in the region spanning from the extracapsular basilar neck region to the region along the lesser trochanter proximal to the development of medullary canal. Low-energy falls account for 90% of fractures in people over the age of 50, with females having a higher prevalence. Intertrochanteric fractures in children and teenagers are caused by high-energy trauma. The aim of this study was to compare the functional and radiological outcomes as well as complications of intertrochanteric fractures treated with long proximal femoral nail (PFN) versus short proximal femoral nails. The study was a clinical randomized prospective comparative study which included 30 (2 groups of 15 patients each, being treated with short and long PFNs respectively) skeletally mature patients with fresh (less than 3 weeks old) intertrochanteric fractures of femur AO/OTA 31-A1, AO/OTA 31-A2 or AO/OTA 31-A3 as per AO/OTA classification. Harris Hip score was used to compare the functional outcomes. The average age of patients in short PFN group (Group A) was 62.1 ± 15.77 years and in long PFN group (Group B), it was 54.1 ± 10.8 years. Male-female ratio in the study was 1.7:1. AO31A2 of AO fracture classification was the most common type of fracture in both the groups. The mean injury to surgery interval in Group A was 9.6 ± 4.45 days and in Group B, it was 6 ± 4.12 days. The mean operative duration in Group A was 68.6 ± 6.62 minutes and in Group B, it was 78.6 ± 7.35 minutes. The average time of union in Group A was 15.69 ± 2.72 weeks while that of Group B was 15.77 ± 2.05 weeks. The average Harris Hip score at final follow up in Group A was 81.0 ± 11.62 and in Group B, it was 80.3 ± 10.83. There was 1 case of implant failure in each group, which were re-operated. One case of screw back-out in Group A led to a varus collapse and had to be reoperated. One case of non-union was reported in Group B. One case of superficial wound infection was reported in each group. The Proximal Femur Nail can be used as an efficient implant to manage per trochanteric fractures regardless of the length of the implant. However, the mean operative time was found to be lower when a short nail is used.


Orbital Single Particle Tracking on a commercial confocal microscope using piezoelectric stage feedback.
Single Particle Tracking (SPT) is a technique used to locate fluorescent particles with nanometer precision. In the orbital tracking method the position of a particle is obtained analyzing the distribution of intensity along a circular orbit scanned around the particle. In combination with an active feedback this method allows tracking of particles in 2D and 3D with millisecond temporal resolution. Here we describe a SPT setup based on a feedback approach implemented with minimal modification of a commercially available confocal laser scanning microscope, the Zeiss LSM 510, in combination with an external piezoelectric stage scanner. The commercial microscope offers the advantage of a user-friendly software interface and pre-calibrated hardware components. The use of an external piezo-scanner allows the addition of feedback into the system but also represents a limitation in terms of its mechanical response. We describe in detail this implementation of the orbital tracking method and discuss advantages and limitations. As an example of application to live cell experiments we perform the 3D tracking of acidic vesicles in live polarized epithelial cells.


The immune response to a hybrid protein molecule; specificity of secondary stimulation and of tolerance induction.
Upon immunization with LDH-III (subunit composition AABB) rabbits produce anti-A and anti-B antibodies in comparable amounts. These antibodies fit equally well to the hybrid enzyme and to LDH-V (AAAA) or LDH-I (BBBB) respectively, as tested by passive hemagglutination inhibition. No antibodies reacting with both LDH-I and LDH-V were detected. A minority of hybrid-specific antibodies was, however, present in the sera. Animals primed with LDH-III respond regularly to a boosting injection of LDH-V with the production of large amounts of anti-A (but not anti-B) antibodies. A similar injection of LDH-I stimulates (if it has any effect at all) the production of anti-B antibodies only. Stimulation with one of the pure types does not impair a subsequent response to the other. The majority of the animals primed with LDH-III responded not at all or weakly to a boosting injection of LDH-I, though antibodies to LDH-I were present in the sera at the time of stimulation. This effect can hardly be explained on the basis of serological sepcificity. Hyporesponsiveness to LDH-III can be induced by injection of LDH-V into the newborn. Both anti-A and anti-B titers are equally depressed. Within the dose range tested, LDH-I does not exert any tolerogenic action with respect to LDH-III. The carrier property of subunit A is evident in the induction of both immunity and tolerance to LDH-III. The early phase of the immune response to the hybrid enzyme may be carrier-specific, and receptors for the haptenic subunit B may not exist at that stage.


Mismatch of bulk viscosity reduces interfacial diffusivity at an aqueous-oil system.
A significant decrease in the diffusivity of phospholipid molecules at an aqueous-oil monolayer was observed experimentally when the bathing solutions had different viscosities eta(1) not equal eta(2). Near the point of isoviscosity eta(1) approximately eta(2), the diffusion constant at the monolayer can be drastically affected by a slight change in the viscosity mismatch. We interpreted this phenomenon by considering the effect of vertical fluctuations which affect the long-term dynamics of two-dimensional lateral diffusion at the monolayer.


Radiation effect on rat Sertoli cell function in vitro and in vivo.
To investigate the response of Sertoli cell function to 60Co gamma-rays. Rat Sertoli cells were exposed in vitro and in vivo to 60Co gamma-rays in the dose range 3 Gy to 48 Gy and at 3 Gy and 6 Gy respectively. Cell viability and transferrin and IL-6 production were measured at different times following irradiation. This study confirms the resistance of in vitro irradiated rat Sertoli cells in the dose range 3 Gy to 48 Gy in terms of cell number. Radiation had no effect on the IL-1 activity of Sertoli cells. However, the experiments show that despite the absence of a macroscopic effect, Sertoli cells respond to ionizing radiation by increasing transferrin secretion, transferrin response to (Bu)2cAMP stimulation and IL-6 activity. Transferrin is involved in the transport of iron into germ cells and in cell differentiation. IL-6 is a potent inhibitor of meiotic DNA synthesis. Radio-induced transferrin and IL-6 could play a role in the protection of germ cells and could explain, in part, the resistance of Sertoli cells to radiation.


Genetic analysis of idiopathic hemochromatosis using both qualitative (disease status) and quantitative (serum iron) information.
An ongoing family study of idiopathic hemochromatosis in Brittany, France, allowed us to investigate the segregation of this trait and its linkage and association to the HLA-A locus in 147 pedigrees, comprising 1,408 individuals with over 900 characterized for relevant biological parameters and typed for HLA. The joint consideration of affection status and serum iron concentration reveals no dominance effect on the latter trait and documents the increased information afforded by the consideration of a biological correlate of liability to affection for disease exhibiting incomplete penetrance. Our overall results are in general agreement with published results on a Utah family study.


The association between dietary patterns, diabetes and depression.
Type 2 diabetes and depression are commonly comorbid high-prevalence chronic disorders. Diet is a key diabetes risk factor and recent research has highlighted the relevance of diet as a possible risk for factor common mental disorders. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationship among dietary patterns, diabetes and depression. Data were integrated from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (2009-2010) for adults aged 18+ (n=4588, Mean age=43yr). Depressive symptoms were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and diabetes status determined via self-report, usage of diabetic medication and/or fasting glucose levels ≥126mg/dL and a glycated hemoglobin level ≥6.5% (48mmol/mol). A 24-h dietary recall interview was given to determine intakes. Multiple logistic regression was employed, with depression the outcome, and dietary patterns and diabetes the predictors. Covariates included gender, age, marital status, education, race, adult food insecurity level, ratio of family income to poverty, and serum C-reactive protein. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five dietary patterns (healthy; unhealthy; sweets; 'Mexican' style; breakfast) explaining 39.8% of the total variance. The healthy dietary pattern was associated with reduced odds of depression for those with diabetes (OR 0.68, 95% CI [0.52, 0.88], p=0.006) and those without diabetes (OR 0.79, 95% CI [0.64, 0.97], p=0.029) (interaction p=0.048). The relationship between the sweets dietary pattern and depression was fully explained by diabetes status. In this study, a healthy dietary pattern was associated with a reduced likelihood of depressive symptoms, especially for those with Type 2 diabetes.


The protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPN7 is a negative regulator of ERK activation and thromboxane generation in platelets.
Protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 7 (PTPN7), also called hematopoietic protein tyrosine phosphatase, controls extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in T lymphocytes. Because ERK1/2 plays an important role in regulating thromboxane A2 (TXA2) generation in platelets, we investigated the function of PTPN7 in these cells. Using immunoblot analysis, we detected PTPN7 in both human and mouse platelets but not in PTPN7-null mice. PTPN7 KO mouse platelets exhibited increased platelet functional responses, including aggregation, dense granule secretion, and TXA2 generation, compared with platelets from WT littermates, upon stimulation with both G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and glycoprotein VI (GPVI) agonists. Using the GPCR agonist AYPGKF in the presence of the COX inhibitor indomethacin, we found that PTPN7 KO mouse platelets aggregated and secreted to the same extent as WT platelets, suggesting that elevated TXA2 is responsible for the potentiation of platelet functional responses in PTPN7-KO platelets. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was also elevated in PTPN7 KO platelets. Stimulation of platelets with the GPVI agonist collagen-related peptide along with the COX inhibitor indomethacin did not result in phosphorylation of ERK1/2, indicating that GPVI-mediated ERK phosphorylation occurs through TXA2 Although bleeding times did not significantly differ between PTPN7-null and WT mice, time to death was significantly faster in PTPN7-null mice than in WT mice in a pulmonary thromboembolism model. We conclude that PTPN7 regulates platelet functional responses downstream of GPCR agonists, but not GPVI agonists, through inhibition of ERK activation and thromboxane generation.


Enantioselective Type II Cycloaddition of Alkynes via C-C Activation of Cyclobutanones: Rapid and Asymmetric Construction of [3.3.1] Bridged Bicycles.
Synthesis of bridged scaffolds via Type II cyclization constitutes substantial challenges due to the intrinsic ring strain accumulated in reaction transition states. Catalytic enantioselective Type II-cyclization methods are even rarer. Here, we describe a detailed study of developing a Rh(I)-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular Type II cyclization of alkynes via C-C activation of cyclobutanones. This method offers a rapid approach to access a wide range of functionalized [3.3.1]-bridged bicycles along with an exocyclic olefin and an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter. Excellent enantioselectivity has been achieved using a combination of cationic rhodium(I) and DTBM-segphos. Attributed to the redox neutral and strong acid/base-free reaction conditions, high chemoselectivity has also been observed. For the oxygen-tethered substrates, the reaction can proceed at room temperature. In addition, partial kinetic resolution has been achieved for substrates with existing stereocenters, forging interesting chiral tricyclic scaffolds. The methylalkyne-derived substrates gave unexpected dimeric structures in good yield with excellent enantioselectivity and complete diastereoselectivity. Furthermore, the bridged bicyclic products can be diversely functionalized through simple transformations. Finally, mechanistic studies reveal a surprising reaction pathway that involves forming a metal-stabilized anti-Bredt olefin intermediate.


Impaired discriminative fear-conditioning resulting from elevated fear responding to learned safety cues among individuals with panic disorder.
Classical fear-conditioning is central to many etiologic accounts of panic disorder (PD), but few lab-based conditioning studies in PD have been conducted. One conditioning perspective proposes associative-learning deficits characterized by deficient safety learning among PD patients. The current study of PD assesses acquisition and retention of discriminative aversive conditioning using a fear-potentiated startle paradigm. This paradigm was chosen for its specific capacity to independently assess safety- and danger learning in the service of characterizing putative anomalies in each type of learning among those with PD. Though no group difference in fear-potentiated startle was found at retention, acquisition results demonstrate impaired discriminative learning among PD patients as indexed by measures of conditioned startle-potentiation to learned safety and danger cues. Importantly, this discrimination deficit was driven by enhanced startle-potentiation to the learned safety cue rather than aberrant reactivity to the danger cue. Consistent with this finding, PD patients relative to healthy individuals reported higher expectancies of dangerous outcomes in the presence of the safety cue, but equal danger expectancies during exposure to the danger cue. Such results link PD to impaired discrimination learning, reflecting elevated fear responding to learned safety cues.


[Acute intestinal ischemia after voluntary drug poisoning].
A case is reported of a patient who suffered from ischaemic enteritis after having taken an overdose of several drugs. The 42-year-old woman was found out no more than 7 h after she had taken a mixture of benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants and barbiturates (4 mg.l-1 blood level on admission). She had been lying against a bedpost, resulting in compression of her anterior abdominal wall below the umbilicus, involving her right femoral nerve. There was a severe rhabdomyolysis. Despite clinical improvement, the patient being extubated the following day, her abdomen remained painful and swollen. A CT abdominal scan showed a peritoneal effusion and a distended small bowel. Laparatomy revealed severe ischaemia of the terminal 80 cm of ileum, with some gangrenous areas. This was resected, and a right-sided ileostomy performed. Histopathological examination demonstrated a mucosal necrosis without mesenteric arterial thrombosis. A bilateral pleural effusion occurred during postoperative course, requiring drainage. Thereafter, the clinical course was uneventful, with intestinal continuity being re-established three months later. The femoral paralysis receded spontaneously. It is likely that this unusual postural complication of coma may be attributed to a transient compression of mesenteric vessels.


Synthesis, function, and regulation of sterol and nonsterol isoprenoids.
Cholesterol, the bulk end-product of the mevalonate pathway, is a key component of cellular membranes and lipoproteins that transport lipids throughout the body. It is also a precursor of steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. In addition to cholesterol, the mevalonate pathway yields a variety of nonsterol isoprenoids that are essential to cell survival. Flux through the mevalonate pathway is tightly controlled to ensure cells continuously synthesize nonsterol isoprenoids but avoid overproducing cholesterol and other sterols. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase (HMGCR), the rate limiting enzyme in the mevalonate pathway, is the focus of a complex feedback regulatory system governed by sterol and nonsterol isoprenoids. This review highlights transcriptional and post-translational regulation of HMGCR. Transcriptional regulation of HMGCR is mediated by the Scap-SREBP pathway. Post-translational control is initiated by the intracellular accumulation of sterols, which causes HMGCR to become ubiquitinated and subjected to proteasome-mediated ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Sterols also cause a subfraction of HMGCR molecules to bind the vitamin K2 synthetic enzyme, UbiA prenyltransferase domain-containing protein-1 (UBIAD1). This binding inhibits ERAD of HMGCR, which allows cells to continuously synthesize nonsterol isoprenoids such as geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), even when sterols are abundant. Recent studies reveal that UBIAD1 is a GGPP sensor, dissociating from HMGCR when GGPP thresholds are met to allow maximal ERAD. Animal studies using genetically manipulated mice disclose the physiological significance of the HMGCR regulatory system and we describe how dysregulation of these pathways contributes to disease.


Clinical Application of Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients with Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Combined with Intermediate Lesions.
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance and safety of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) combined with intermediate lesions. Sixty-five NSTEACS patients with intermediate lesions confirmed with coronary angiography at our department were included in this study. Among them, 33 patients received only standardized drug treatment (drug group) and the other 32 patients received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) according to the OCT examination based on drug treatment (OCT group). Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), revascularization, success rate of OCT examination, related complications, and other patient situations in the two groups during hospitalization and the 12-month follow-up period were compared. No death or stroke occurred in either group during hospitalization and follow-up. In the drug treatment group, six patients experienced frequent angina, and five patients with acute myocardial infarction were rehospitalized and underwent PCI procedures. In the OCT group, although two patients underwent repeat revascularization, no additional acute myocardial infarction events occurred. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P < .01). All patients in the OCT group successfully completed the related vessel examination, and 24 patients underwent PCI procedures because of unstable plaque diagnosed with OCT. OCT-guided PCI is safe and effective for the treatment of patients with NSTEACS combined with intermediate lesions.


TnSmu1 is a functional integrative and conjugative element in Streptococcus mutans that when expressed causes growth arrest of host bacteria.
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are major drivers of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. They mediate their own transfer from host cells (donors) to recipients and allow bacteria to acquire new phenotypes, including pathogenic and metabolic capabilities and drug resistances. Streptococcus mutans, a major causative agent of dental caries, contains a putative ICE, TnSmu1, integrated at the 3' end of a leucyl tRNA gene. We found that TnSmu1 is a functional ICE, containing all the genes necessary for ICE function. It excised from the chromosome and excision was stimulated by DNA damage. We identified the DNA junctions generated by excision of TnSmu1, defined the ends of the element, and detected the extrachromosomal circle. We found that TnSmu1 can transfer from S. mutans donors to recipients when co-cultured on solid medium. The presence of TnSmu1 in recipients inhibited successful acquisition of another copy and this inhibition was mediated, at least in part, by the likely transcriptional repressor encoded by the element. Using microscopy to track individual cells, we found that activation of TnSmu1 caused an arrest of cell growth. Our results demonstrate that TnSmu1 is a functional ICE that affects the biology of its host cells.


Energy Expenditure of Standing Compared to Sitting While Conducting Office Tasks.
Objectives This study aimed to investigate the energy expenditure of common office-based tasks. The objectives were to: (a) test the classification of tasks as sedentary or light-intensity physical activity and (b) compare the energy expenditure of tasks under two postural conditions (sitting and standing). Background The sedentary nature of office work has been highlighted as a health risk, and strategies to reduce sedentary behavior at work have been developed. However, there is limited evidence to guide the utilization of sit-stand workstations in the workplace for metabolic health benefits. Method A repeated measures laboratory-based study compared the energy expenditure of common office tasks in sitting and standing using indirect calorimetry ( n = 22). Four standardized tasks (sitting/standing quietly, reading, typing, sorting paper) under two postural conditions (sitting, standing) were performed in a randomized order. Results The mean energy expenditure for all tasks in sitting and standing was <1.5 METs. There were no significant differences in the energy expenditure of doing the same task in sitting compared to standing. In a repeated measures ANOVA, task ( p < .001) had a greater influence on METs expended than posture ( p = .030). Conclusion The study confirmed that the difference in energy expenditure of tasks carried out in sitting compared to standing is negligible. Application The ubiquitous use and utility of sit-stand workstations in the workplace needs to be reviewed. Notwithstanding the potential benefits of movement that may occur naturally, this study confirmed that standing as opposed to sitting does not produce a clinically important increase in energy expenditure.


[HL-A system in psoriasis; study of 31 families (author's transl)].
31 families with at least two psoriatic members, including sometimes three generations (4 families) have been studied looking for HL-A markers. They include 80 affected (45 females, 35 males) and 75 healthy persons. BW 17 has been found present in 58 p. 100 of the unrelated patients, versus 7 p. 100 only in the normal population (p less than 10-9). Relative risk (R.R.) for the people bearing BW 17 is 38.34. Increase of B 13 is slight and non significant. BW 16, BW 37, BW 27 are within normal range. B 12 (R.R. :0.36) seems to have a protecting effect. B 8, B 14 are also decreased. Study of way of genetic transmission favours existence of a dominant gene of susceptibility frequently associated with BW 17 and particularly with haplotype A 1, BW 17. But other genetic or environmental factors may also play a role.


Phase transition of a single lipid bilayer measured by sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy.
In this communication, we demonstrate the first use of sum-frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy to measure directly the phase transition temperature (Tm) of a single planar supported lipid bilayer (PSLB). Three saturated phospholipids, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), 1,2-diheptadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC), and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC), were studied. Lipid bilayer films were prepared by the the Langmuir-Blodgett method at a surface pressure of 30 nN/m. The symmetric nature of the bilayer was used to determine the Tm of bilayers by measuring the intensity of the symmetric methyl stretch at 2875 cm-1 from the lipid fatty acid chains as a function of temperature. A maximum in the CH3 symmetric stretch transition was observed at the Tm of the lipid film due to the reduction of symmetry in the bilayer. The SFG measured Tm for DPPC, DHPC, and DSPC were 41.0 +/- 0.4, 52.4 +/- 0.7, and 57.9 +/- 0.5 degrees C, respectively. These values correlate well with the literature values of 41.3 +/- 1.8, 49 +/- 3, and 54.5 +/- 1.5 degrees C for DPPC, DHPC, and DSPC, respectively obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of lipid vesicles in solution. The high degree of correlation between the SFG spectroscopic measurements and the DSC results suggests the Tm of these lipids is not significantly altered upon immobilization on a surface.


Factors influencing the documentation of care.
Nursing care plans should provide clear evidence of the quality of patient care provided. A study of a care plan used in a coronary care unit found that nurses were critical of the plan's format. Nurses need adequate education on the use of the chosen care plan and an understanding of the nursing model on which it is based.


[Human leukocyte antigen polymorphism of HIV infected persons without disease progress for long-term in Henan province, 2011-2016].
Objective: To understand the disease progression and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene polymorphism of HIV-infected persons without disease progress for long term, also known as long-term non-progressors (LTNPs), in Henan province. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 48 LTNPs with complete detection and follow-up information during 2011-2016 in Henan. Changes of CD(4)(+)T cells counts (CD(4)) and viral load (VL) during follow-up period were discussed. Polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP) was used for the analyses of HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 alleles between LTNPs and healthy controls. Results: From 2011 to 2016, forty-eight LTNPs showed a decrease of the quartile (P(25)-P(75)) of CD(4) from 601.00 (488.50-708.72)/μl to 494.00 (367.00-672.00)/μl, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The increase of the quartile (P(25)-P(75)) of log(10)VL from 3.40 (2.87-3.97) to 3.48 (2.60-4.37), but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). HLA polymorphism analysis revealed that HLA-B*13:02 and HLA-B*40:06 were more common in LTNPs (P<0.05), while HLA-B*46:01 and HLA-DRB1*09:01 were more common in healthy controls (P<0.05). Conclusions: The CD(4) of LTNPs in Henan showed a downward trend year by year. HLA-B*13:02 and B*40:06 might be associated with delayed disease progression for HIV infected persons in Henan.


American Cranberry (Oxycoccus macrocarpus (Ait.) Pursh) Leaves Extract and Its Amino-Acids Preparation: The Phytochemical and Pharmacological Study.
The liver is an organ with several important biofunctions, for which there are very few effective and safe preparations that promote the functioning, protection, and regeneration of cells. Sufficiently safe preparations with hepatoprotective activity can be found in plants. The aim of our study was to investigate the chemical composition of an extract made from American cranberry (Oxycoccus macrocarpus (Ait.) Pursh) leaves and its amino-acids preparations as well as their possible hepatoprotective activity. Using the UPLC-MS/MS method, we identified 19 phenolic compounds (8 flavonoids (flavones and flavonols), 4 anthocyanins, 3 hydroxycinnamic acids, and 2 catechins). The prophylactic and therapeutic administration of the American cranberry-leaves extracts led to a decrease in the lipid-peroxidation process during a study of tetrachloromethane acute toxic damage in the liver of rats. As a result of animal studies, the most effective hepatoprotective activity was found in the extract preparations with valine and arginine.


Multidimensional profiles of parent involvement: Antecedents and impact on student engagement.
Parent involvement in school is a consistent predictor of educational success. However, research has been inconsistent in addressing how parent involvement ought to be defined and measured, which has led to varied findings across schools and educational systems. Attending to the multidimensionality of the construct, this study adopted a person-centred approach to identify subpopulations of school-based parent involvement. Subsequently, profile differences were investigated in relation to student engagement and three antecedent variables (gender, socio-economic status, and authoritative parenting). Data were obtained from primary (10-year old; N = 4,284) and secondary (14-year old; N = 3,346) school students in Singapore. Latent profile analysis was conducted on student-rated surveys of multiple parent involvement behaviours in school and their perceptions. Subsequently, the manual BCH method was employed to concurrently model covariates and outcomes on the latent profile model. Pairwise comparisons between profiles were examined for statistical significance. Consistent across both cohorts, four distinct profiles emerged that revealed high, moderate, selective, and low parent involvement patterns. High parent involvement reflected high ratings across multiple activities, combined with positive perceptions of parental involvement. These profiles differed significantly in terms of their antecedent characteristics, particularly, authoritative parenting, and in relation to their impact on student engagement. Results from this study clarify relations between multi-faceted dimensions of parent involvement in school. Additionally, there is a case for continued school-family partnerships among secondary students as students remain academically engaged when parents are involved in school and students relate positively to their involvement.


The Application of Automatic Identification System Information and PSO-LSTM Neural Network in CRI Prediction.
Considering that collision accidents happen sometimes, it is necessary to predict the collision risk to ensure navigation safety. With the information construction in maritime and the popularity of automatic identification system application, it is more convenient to obtain ship navigation dynamics. How to obtain ship encounter dynamic parameters through automatic identification system information, assess ship collision risk, find out dangerous target ships, and give early warning and guarantee for ship navigation safety, is a problem that scholars have been studying. As an index to measure the degree of ship collision risk, CRI, namely, collision risk index, is usually obtained by calculating ship encounter parameters and comprehensive analysis. There are many factors that affect CRI, and the values of many parameters depend on expert judgment. The corresponding CRI has nonlinear and complex characteristics, which is highly correlated with the time sequence. In order to enhance the prediction accuracy and efficiency, PSO-LSTM neural network is applied in the paper to predict CRI. Experiments show that PSO-LSTM neural network can effectively predict collision risk and provide a reference for navigation safety.


Survival of bacteriophage 1 of the Salmonella typhimurium phage typing scheme in different liquid pharmaceutical preparations.
The survival of bacteriophage 1 of the Salmonella typhimurium phage typing scheme was studied in seven commonly used liquid pharmaceutical preparations of different composition. Commercially available flacons of Septobore colyre, Thilodexine eye drops, Bradoral gargle solution, Novalgin drops, Garamycin injection, Anatoxal-antigen tetanic purificate and Antidiphtheric serum, were used. It was found that the phage viability in these drugs varied greatly. Thus in Septobore the page was almost completely eliminated in less than one week, while in Garamycin the number of plaque forming units (PFU) remained stable during the experiment (18 months). The viability of the phage showed intermediate values in the other five pharmaceutical preparations. The possible reasons for these differences in viability and the significance of phage (and viruses) survival in medicins are discussed.


Exploring the efficacy of endoscopic ventriculostomy for hydrocephalus treatment via a multicompartmental poroelastic model of CSF transport: a computational perspective.
This study proposes the implementation of a Multiple-Network Poroelastic Theory (MPET) model coupled with finite-volume computational fluid dynamics for the purpose of studying, in detail, the effects of obstructing CSF transport within an anatomically accurate cerebral environment. The MPET representation allows the investigation of fluid transport between CSF, brain parenchyma and cerebral blood, in an integral and comprehensive manner. A key novelty in the model is the amalgamation of anatomically accurate choroid plexuses with their feeding arteries and a simple relationship relaxing the constraint of a unique permeability for the CSF compartment. This was done in order to account for the Aquaporin-4-mediated swelling characteristics. The aim of this varying permeability compartment was to bring to light a feedback mechanism that could counteract the effects of ventricular dilation and subsequent elevations of CSF pressure through the efflux of excess CSF into the blood system. This model is used to demonstrate the impact of aqueductal stenosis and fourth ventricle outlet obstruction (FVOO). The implications of treating such a clinical condition with the aid of endoscopic third (ETV) and endoscopic fourth (EFV) ventriculostomy are considered. We observed peak CSF velocities in the aqueduct of the order of 15.6 cm/s in the healthy case, 45.4 cm/s and 72.8 cm/s for the mild and severe cases respectively. The application of ETV reduced the aqueductal velocity to levels around 16-17 cm/s. Ventricular displacement, CSF pressure, wall shear stress (WSS) and pressure difference between lateral and fourth ventricles (ΔP) increased with applied stenosis, and subsequently dropped to nominal levels with the application of ETV. The greatest reversal of the effects of atresia come by opting for ETV rather than the more complicated procedure of EFV.


Evaluation of Tucatinib in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients With Brain Metastases: A United States-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of tucatinib in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) patients with brain metastases (BMs) and the subgroup of active BMs from the United States (US) payer perspective. A 3-state Markov model was developed to compare the cost-effectiveness of 2 regimens in HER2-positive BC patients with BMs: (1) tucatinib, trastuzumab, and capecitabine (TTC); (2) placebo, trastuzumab, and capecitabine (PTC). And subgroup analysis of active BMs was also performed. Lifetime costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and incremental net-health benefit (INHB) were estimated. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was $200,000/QALY. The robustness of the model was tested by sensitivity analyses. Additional scenario analysis was also performed. Compared with PTC, the ICER yielded by TTC was $418,007.01/QALY and the INHB was -1.08 QALYs in patients with BMs. In the subgroup of active BMs, the ICER and the INHB were $324,465.03/QALY and -0.71 QALY, respectively. The results were most sensitive to the cost of tucatinib. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses suggested that the cost-effective probability of TTC was low at the current WTP threshold in the patients with BMs and the subgroup of active BMs. Tucatinib is unlikely to be cost-effective in HER2-positive BC patients with BMs from the US payer perspective but shows better economics in patients with active BMs. Selecting a favorable population, reducing the price of tucatinib or offering appropriate drug assistance policies might be considerable options to optimize the cost-effectiveness of tucatinib.


Incidence of Cardiovascular Events after Nephrectomy - A Single Centre, Matched Pair Analysis between Donor and Tumour Nephrectomy in a Long Term Follow-Up.
The study aimed to compare the incidence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) after donor nephrectomy (DN) and radical tumor nephrectomy (RN), according to an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), were evaluated over time. Follow-up was collected for DN who underwent surgery from 1998 to 2007 for CVE and renal function. All DN were matched for age to patients treated by RN or adenoma enucleation (control group), who were eligible for DN. eGFR was estimated using the Cockgroft-Gould formula. Patients with preoperative comorbidities were excluded. Thirty DN (median age 48.9 years) were included with a median follow-up of 138.5 months (interquartile range 119-159). No significant differences in patients' characteristics were found preoperatively (p > 0.5). Four out of 30 DN developed a CVE (3 myocardial infarctions (MI), 1 stroke), 2 of 30 patients in the control group (both MI) and 8 of 30 RN patients (6 MI, 2 strokes, p > 0.05). Arterial hypertension developed in 14 DN (46.7%), in 12 (40%) after RN and in 15 controls. The CVE occurred after a median time of 68 months (5-231) and were related to a drop of ∼30% in the eGFR irrespective of the group. Decline of renal function after nephrectomy is the main risk factor for CVE. Close monitoring of renal function and new onset hypertension is warranted.


The effect of the iron saturation of transferrin on its binding and uptake by rabbit reticulocytes.
Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in urea was used to prepare the four molecular species of transferrin:diferric transferrin, apotransferrin and the two monoferric transferrins with either the C-terminal or the N-terminal metal-binding site occupied. The interaction of these 125I-labelled proteins with rabbit reticulocytes was investigated. At 4 degrees C the average value for the association constant for the binding of transferrin to reticulocytes was found to increase with increasing iron content of the protein. The association constant for apotransferrin binding was 4.6 X 10(6)M-1, for monoferric (C-terminal iron) 2.5 X 10(7)M-1, for monoferric (N-terminal iron) 2.8 X 10(7)M-1 and for diferric transferrin, 1.1 X 10(8)M-1. These differences in the association constants did not affect the processing of the transferrin species by the cells at 37 degrees C. Accessibility of the proteins to extracellular proteinase indicated that the transferrin was internalized by the cells regardless of the iron content of the protein, since in each case 70% was inaccessible. Cycling of the cellular receptors may also occur in the absence of bound transferrin.


Technique profile: mesenteric reconstructions for occlusive disease.
Visceral ischemic syndromes are rare but catastrophic disorders. In acute presentations, treatment modalities include thrombolytic therapy, open surgical revascularization and percutaneous endovascular therapy. Endovascular therapy has become the most commonly utilized treatment option for chronic mesenteric ischemia and should be considered the first line of therapy for patients with anatomically suitable lesions or excessive open surgical risk. Open surgical revascularization has been associated with outstanding long-term outcomes. The various surgical and endovascular techniques and their associated outcomes for the treatment of mesenteric ischemic syndromes are reviewed in detail.


Advances in Polysaccharide Production Based on the Co-Culture of Microbes.
Microbial polysaccharides are natural carbohydrates that can confer adhesion capacity to cells and protect them from harsh environments. Due to their various physiological activities, these macromolecules are widely used in food, medicine, environmental, cosmetic, and textile applications. Microbial co-culture is an important strategy that is used to increase the production of microbial polysaccharides or produce new polysaccharides (structural alterations). This is achieved by exploiting the symbiotic/antagonistic/chemo-sensitive interactions between microbes and stimulating the expression of relevant silent genes. In this article, we review the performance of polysaccharides produced using microbial co-culture in terms of yield, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to the advantages and application prospects of co-culture. Moreover, the potential for microbial polysaccharides to be used in various applications is discussed.


MrTADFinder: A network modularity based approach to identify topologically associating domains in multiple resolutions.
Genome-wide proximity ligation based assays such as Hi-C have revealed that eukaryotic genomes are organized into structural units called topologically associating domains (TADs). From a visual examination of the chromosomal contact map, however, it is clear that the organization of the domains is not simple or obvious. Instead, TADs exhibit various length scales and, in many cases, a nested arrangement. Here, by exploiting the resemblance between TADs in a chromosomal contact map and densely connected modules in a network, we formulate TAD identification as a network optimization problem and propose an algorithm, MrTADFinder, to identify TADs from intra-chromosomal contact maps. MrTADFinder is based on the network-science concept of modularity. A key component of it is deriving an appropriate background model for contacts in a random chain, by numerically solving a set of matrix equations. The background model preserves the observed coverage of each genomic bin as well as the distance dependence of the contact frequency for any pair of bins exhibited by the empirical map. Also, by introducing a tunable resolution parameter, MrTADFinder provides a self-consistent approach for identifying TADs at different length scales, hence the acronym "Mr" standing for Multiple Resolutions. We then apply MrTADFinder to various Hi-C datasets. The identified domain boundaries are marked by characteristic signatures in chromatin marks and transcription factors (TF) that are consistent with earlier work. Moreover, by calling TADs at different length scales, we observe that boundary signatures change with resolution, with different chromatin features having different characteristic length scales. Furthermore, we report an enrichment of HOT (high-occupancy target) regions near TAD boundaries and investigate the role of different TFs in determining boundaries at various resolutions. To further explore the interplay between TADs and epigenetic marks, as tumor mutational burden is known to be coupled to chromatin structure, we examine how somatic mutations are distributed across boundaries and find a clear stepwise pattern. Overall, MrTADFinder provides a novel computational framework to explore the multi-scale structures in Hi-C contact maps.


NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+/SiO2 Core/Shell Upconverting Nanocrystals for Luminescence Thermometry up to 900 K.
The rapid development of nanomaterials with unique size-tunable properties forms the basis for a variety of new applications, including temperature sensing. Luminescent nanoparticles (NPs) have demonstrated potential as sensitive nanothermometers, especially in biological systems. Their small size offers the possibility of mapping temperature profiles with high spatial resolution. The temperature range is however limited, which prevents use in high-temperature applications such as, for example, nanoelectronics, thermal barrier coatings, and chemical reactors. In this work, we extend the temperature range for nanothermometry beyond 900 K using silica-coated NaYF4 nanoparticles doped with the lanthanide ions Yb3+ and Er3+. Monodisperse ∼20 nm NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocrystals were coated with a ∼10 nm silica shell. Upon excitation with infrared radiation, bright green upconversion (UC) emission is observed. From the intensity ratio between 2H11/2 and 4S3/2 UC emission lines at 520 and 550 nm, respectively, the temperature can be determined up to at least 900 K with an accuracy of 1-5 K for silica-coated NPs. For bare NaYF4:Yb,Er NPs, the particles degrade above 600 K. Repeated thermal cycling experiments demonstrate the high durability and reproducibility of the silica-coated nanocrystals as temperature probes without any loss of performance. The present results open avenues for the development of a new class of highly stable nanoprobes by applying a silica coating around a wide variety of lanthanide-doped NPs.


Characterization of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins secreted by isolated sheep thyroid epithelial cells.
We have characterized the insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGF-BPs) released by isolated sheep thyroid epithelial cells. Thyroid follicles were isolated with collagenase and cultured in Coon's modified F-12 M (0H medium) supplemented with insulin, cortisol, transferrin, glycyl-histidyl-lysine and somatostatin (5H medium) and TSH (6H medium). Conditioned 0H medium specifically bound both 125I-labelled IGF-I and -II, although binding capacity was reduced following acid-gel filtration to separate endogenous IGF-BP complexes, suggesting some destruction of BPs. The binding of 125I-labelled IGF-I or -II to conditioned (0H) medium was progressively displaced by increasing amounts of unlabelled homologous peptides, while fractionation on concanavalin A-Sepharose showed that the IGF-BPs consisted of both glycoprotein and non-glycoprotein components. The molecular sizes of the IGF-BPs were resolved by separation of 0H medium on SDS-PAGE and ligand blot analysis with 125I-labelled IGF-I or -II. Conditioned medium contained four specific binding species for IGF-II of 19, 30, 38 and 46 kDa; all but the smallest also binding radiolabelled IGF-I. Prior fractionation on concanavalin A-Sepharose showed that the 46 kDa binding species was a glycoprotein. Competition studies with increasing concentrations of unlabelled IGF-I or -II during ligand blotting suggested that the 46 and 30 kDa binding species had a greater affinity for IGF-II than IGF-I, while the 38 kDa had a greater relative affinity for IGF-I. Incubation of cells in 5H medium reduced the abundance of the 46 kDa binding protein, while incubation in 6H medium decreased the release of all binding protein species. Results show that isolated thyroid follicles released several forms of IGF-BP with differing relative affinities for IGF-I and -II. Gross changes seen in the presence of BPs between 0H, 5H and 6H media suggest acute hormonal control of release.


Sexual dimorphism in estrogen-induced synaptogenesis in the adult hippocampus.
It has long been known that estradiol influences synaptic plasticity in the female hippocampus. The density of dendritic spines varies during the estrous cycle and correlates positively with varying levels of estradiol in serum. In accordance, ovariectomy results in a loss of spines that can be rescued by estradiol treatment in animals, suggesting that estradiol originating from the ovaries induces spine formation in the hippocampus. More recent studies point to a role of hippocampus-derived estradiol in synaptogenesis in the female hippocampus, rather than of estradiol of ovarian origin. In our studies, we have shown that inhibition of hippocampal estrogen synthesis results in spine synapse loss in female animals and, more importantly, also in ovariectomized animals. Surprisingly, inhibition of local estradiol synthesis had no effect on synapse formation in males, in spite of a similar capacity to synthesize estradiol in male and female hippocampal neurons. In females, neuro-sexual steroid production is promoted by hypothalamic, cyclic GnRH release and likely underlies the estrus cyclicity of spine synapse density in the hippocampus. As a result, peripheral serum concentrations of estradiol determine the amount of estradiol synthesis in the hippocampus. This paradigm may also be true in males. In support of this hypothesis, we found that the content of estradiol in hippocampal tissue is higher in female compared to that in male animals, with low levels of estradiol in serum and tonic and acyclical GnRH release. In summary, our data point to important sex-specific differences in sexual steroid-induced synaptogenesis.


Nano-graphene induced positive effects on methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion.
The effects of nano-graphene on methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion was investigated. Short-term results showed that graphene (30 and 120mg/L) had significantly positive effects on methane production rate, which increased by 17.0% and 51.4%. Further investigation indicated that acetate-consuming methanogenesis was enhanced. The failure of quinones to replicate graphene stimulation effects on methanogenesis suggested that graphene did not function as electron shuttles. After 55 day's operation at room temperature (from 20 to 10°C, the methane production rate with 30mg/L graphene was 14.3% higher than that of the control, while 120mg/L graphene showed a slight inhibition on methane yield. Illumina sequencing data showed that the archaeal community structure remained fairly constant as the incubated sludge with graphene at low temperature, in which Methanoregula, Methanosaeta and Methanospirillum were the dominant species. Besides, Geobacter enrichment was observed with graphene, suggesting that the direct interspecies electron transfer might be promoted.


Anisotropic poly (glycerol sebacate)-poly (ϵ-caprolactone) electrospun fibers promote endothelial cell guidance.
Topographical cell guidance is utilized to engineer highly organized and aligned cellular constructs for numerous tissue engineering applications. Recently, electrospun scaffolds fabricated using poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) and poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) have shown a great promise to support valvular interstitial cell functions for the development of tissue engineered heart valves. However, one of the major drawbacks of PGS-PCL scaffolds is the lack of control over cellular alignment. In this work, we investigate the role of scaffold architecture on the endothelial cell alignment, proliferation and formation of organized cellular structures. In particular, PGS-PCL scaffolds with randomly oriented and highly aligned fibers with tunable mechanical properties were fabricated using electrospinning technique. After one week of culture, endothelial cells on the aligned scaffolds exhibited higher proliferation compared to those cultures on randomly oriented fibrous scaffolds. Furthermore, the endothelial cells reorganized in response to the topographical features of aligned scaffolds forming highly organized cellular constructs. Thus, topographical contact guidance, provided by aligned PGS-PCL scaffolds, is envisioned to be useful in developing cellular structures for vascular tissue engineering.


Defining nomograms for predicting prognosis of early and late recurrence in gastric cancer patients after radical gastrectomy.
There are few studies on the predictive factors of early recurrence (ER) and late recurrence (LR) of advanced gastric cancer (GC) after curative surgery. Our study aims to explore the independent predictors influencing the prognosis between ER and LR in patients with advanced GC after curative intent surgery respectively. And we will further develop nomograms for prediction of post recurrence survival (PRS). Data of patients with GC who received radical gastrectomy was retrospectively collected. Recurrence was classified into ER and LR according to the 2 years after surgery as the cutoff value. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to explore significant predictors in our analysis. Then these significant predictors were integrated to construct nomograms. The 1-, 2- and 3-year probabilities of PRS in patients with ER were 30.00%, 16.36% and 11.82%, respectively. In contrast, the late group were 44.68%, 23.40%, and 23.30%, respectively. Low body mass index (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.86, P = .001), elevated monocytes count (HR = 4.54, P = .003) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (HR = 1.03, P = .037) at the time of recurrence were risk factors of PRS after ER. Decreased hemoglobin (HR = 0.97, P = .008) and elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (HR = 1.06, P = .045) at the time of recurrence were risk factors of PRS after LR. The calibration curves for probability of 1-, 2-, and 3-year PRS showed excellent predictive effect. Internal validation concordance indexes of PRS were 0.722 and 0.671 for ER and LR respectively. In view of the different predictive factors of ER and LR of GC, the practical predictive model may help clinicians make reasonable decisions.


Twelve months clinical outcome after bioresorbable vascular scaffold implantation in patients with stable angina and acute coronary syndrome. Data from the Polish National Registry.
There are limited data describing bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) implantation in complex lesions. Only short-term clinical outcomes are available for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). To evaluate 12-month clinical outcome, safety and effectiveness of BVS implantation in complex lesions and in stable angina (SA) or ACS. Five hundred ninety-one patients with SA/ACS were enrolled between October 2012 and November 2013 in 30 invasive cardiology centres in Poland. At least one BVS implantation during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was the only inclusion criteria. The clinical endpoint was the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) (all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), clinically driven target lesion revascularisation (TLR) with urgent PCI or target vessel revascularisation (TVR) with urgent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)) and device-oriented composite endpoint (DOCE) (cardiac death, urgent target vessel revascularisation with PCI/CABG, target vessel MI) during 12-month follow-up. After 12 months TLR with urgent PCI was significantly more often reported in patients with diagnosed UA (4.59%; p < 0.02) in comparison with other PCI indications. No significant differences were found in terms of composite MACE endpoint, cumulative MACE (p = 0.09), stent thrombosis (p = 0.2) or restenosis (p = 0.2). There were no significant differences in cumulative MACE and composite MACE endpoint between patients with no/mild versus moderate/severe tortuosity and no/mild versus moderate/severe calcification of the target vessel. No significant difference was found between groups of patients with or without bifurcation of the target vessel. Device-oriented composite endpoint was significantly more often reported in the ACS group (3.2% vs. 0.47%; p < 0.03), most frequently in patients with diagnosed UA (5.5%). Bioresorbable vascular scaffold can be successfully and safely used for ACS treatment and in lesions of higher complexity.


Ethical challenges in pharmacoepidemiological research in Colombia.
To illustrate and to discuss some ethical challenges encountered during pharmacoepidemiological research in a developing country (Colombia), as well as the decisions made to solve them. The authors in Bogotá describe three recent studies. The first one collected data from clinical records to evaluate the prescriptions patterns in recently graduated physicians. The second used an interrupted time series design, with a set of observations prior and after a combined intervention, to assess whether it improved the quality of intravenous antibiotic prescribing practices in a university-based hospital. The third evaluated pharmacists' advice in childhood acute respiratory infection and acute diarrhea through a community survey, followed by focus groups and in-depth interviews of key informers. The ethical issues raised by these studies include the need for obtaining informed consent from participants (physicians in Study 1 and drug sellers in Study 3), deciding when to intervene in case of gross prescription mistakes detected during the collection of data as part of the time series assessment (Study 2), the use of simulated clients to collect data in the community survey, and the use of study resources to buy, in some cases, useless medications (Study 3). Although ethical challenges in pharmacoepidemiology in non-industrialized countries like Colombia may be different from those in developed nations, ethical principles that guide research remain the same. The processes to safeguard these principles in Colombia for virtually all research are also universal in nature, and include the ethical review committee, subject privacy, informed consent, and disclosure of funding sources.


[Cultivation and morphological characteristics of rat adipose tissue-derived vascular endothelial cells in vitro].
The subcutaneous adipose tissue from the inguen of four Sprague-Dawley rats was obtained, then digested with one volume of collagenase type I and cultured with BGJb medium. The obtained adipose stromal cells were induced in human endothelial-SFM for 7 d. The cells were observed under inverted microscope every day and identified by transmission electron microscope and immunocytochemical staining with factor VIII antigen. The results showed the induced cells uniformly had characteristic cobblestone morphology of endothelial cells. Factor VIII antigen staining was positive in cytoplasm. Under transmission electron microscope, the cells displayed many finger like microvilli and numerous lysosomes, mitochondria, a few coarse endoplasmic reticulum and Weibel-Palade bodies. The characteristics of the rat adipose tissue-derived endothelial cells were consistent with those of vascular endothelial cells derived from other tissues. It seems that subcutaneous adipose tissue may represent a new alternative source of endogenous vascular endothelial cells.


[Effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy in the treatment of chronic heart failure].
As a result of cardiac resynchronization therapy in all 10 patients with chronic NYHA class III-IV heart failure at duration of observation from 2 to 20 months was noted positive dynamics: improvement of self feeling, increase of 6 min walking distance, decrease of heart failure class, and improvement of functional parameters of the heart according to echocardiography data. Implantation of biventricular cardiac pacemaker to patients with chronic heart failure is relatively safe and accomplish-able from technical point of view. Cardiac resynchronization in patients with pronounced chronic heart failure appears to be an effective supplementation of drug therapy.


Workers' involvement--a missing component in the implementation of occupational safety and health management systems in enterprises.
Effective implementation of occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation based on European Union directives requires promotion of OSH management systems (OSH MS). To this end, voluntary Polish standards (PN-N-18000) have been adopted, setting forth OSH MS specifications and guidelines. However, the number of enterprises implementing OSH MS has increased slowly, falling short of expectations, which call for a new national policy on OSH MS promotion. To develop a national policy in this area, a survey was conducted in 40 enterprises with OSH MS in place. The survey was aimed at identifying motivational factors underlying OSH MS implementation decisions. Specifically, workers' and their representatives' involvement in OSH MS implementation was investigated. The results showed that the level of workers' involvement was relatively low, which may result in a low effectiveness of those systems. The same result also applies to the involvement of workers' representatives and that of trade unions.


Molecular dynamics simulation of confined fluids in isosurface-isothermal-isobaric ensemble.
A method for the simulation of fluids confined between surfaces is developed. The molecular dynamics, with coupling to an external bath, simulation method of Berendsen et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 81, 3684 (1984)] is extended for this purpose. We keep the temperature and the parallel component of pressure fixed and change the box length in the perpendicular direction with respect to the confining surfaces to archive equilibrium. The simulation is easy to perform, especially in the case of solvation force computation. Employing this method, the simulation results on the confined Lennard-Jones and water are presented and are compared to previous grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulation results. While consistent with other methods, our results show that spherical Lennard-Jones particles and water form layered structures parallel to the confining surfaces with enhanced layering with increasing pressure. Also we studied the oscillatory behaviors of solvation force and number density of confined particles as well as the stepwise variation of particle numbers as a function of separation between confining surfaces.


The role of blood volume in cardiac dysfunction and reduced exercise tolerance in patients with diabetes.
Blood volume is an integral component of the cardiovascular system, and fundamental to discerning the pathophysiology of multiple cardiovascular conditions leading to exercise intolerance. Based on a systematic search of controlled studies assessing blood volume, in this Personal View we describe how hypovolaemia is a prevalent characteristic of patients with diabetes, irrespective of sex, age, and physical activity levels. Multiple endocrine and haematological mechanisms contribute to hypovolaemia in diabetes. The regulation of intravascular volumes is altered by sustained hyperglycaemia and hypertension. Chronic activation of endocrine systems controlling fluid homeostasis, such as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and vasopressin axis, has a role in progressive kidney desensitisation and diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, albumin loss from the intravascular compartment reduces the osmotic potential of plasma to retain water. Hypovolaemia also affects the loading conditions and filling of the heart in diabetes. The elucidation of modifiable volumetric traits will plausibly have major health benefits in the diabetes population.


In vitro and in vivo action of cyclosporin A on the induction of human interleukin-2 receptor alpha and beta chains.
To compare in vitro and in vivo cyclosporin A (CyA) effects on early events involved in human T cell activation, lymphocytes obtained from healthy donors and from diabetic patients undergoing CyA therapy were studied for their interleukin 2 (IL-2) responsiveness, surface IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression and IL-2R mRNA accumulation, following stimulation with mitogen or anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. T cells recovered from eight in vivo CyA-treated patients and stimulated in vitro for 4 h with mitogen or anti-CD3 (in the absence of CyA) showed significant (50-60%) inhibition of Tac mRNA accumulation, as assessed and quantified by scanning densitometry. Conversely, these cells showed no modification in their expression of membrane alpha (p55, Tac) or beta (p70) chains of IL-2R in binding experiments performed with both iodinated anti-Tac and IL-2 following 18 h stimulation with either mitogen or anti-CD3. Normal lymphocytes treated in vitro with CyA showed significant inhibition of alpha chain IL-2R expression both at the mRNA and the membrane level. At variance, expression of the IL-2R beta chain was unaffected; a significant number of high-affinity IL-2 binding sites was still detectable after in vitro CyA treatment. These results suggest that: (1) a residual immunosuppressive effect of CyA on T cell activation may be evidenced in in vivo treated cells by measuring very early events triggered following short-term stimulation; (2) CyA activity on T cell activation seems similar in vivo and in vitro; and (3) the described approach would be potentially useful to monitor the individual in vivo immunosuppressive capacity of CyA.


Folic acid conjugated poly (Amidoamine) dendrimer grafted magnetic chitosan as a smart drug delivery platform for doxorubicin: In-vitro drug release and cytotoxicity studies.
This study reports the development of a magnetic and pH-responsive nanocarrier for targeted delivery and controlled release of doxorubicin (DOX). A multifunctional magnetic chitosan nanocomposite (FA-PAMAMG2-MCS) was fabricated by grafting poly(amidoamine) dendrimer and folic acid onto the MCS surface for active targeting. DOX was loaded into this core-shell bio-nanocomposite via adsorption. Structural and morphological characterization of the prepared nanomaterials was performed using XRD, FT-IR, VSM, TGA, BET, FE-SEM/EDX, and TEM techniques. Adsorption capacity of the FA-PAMAMG2-MCS was optimized by changing diverse parameters, such as pH, initial drug concentration, temperature, contact time, and adsorbent dosage. The maximum adsorption capacity for DOX was 102.85 mg g-1 at 298 K. The in-vitro drug release curve at pHs 5.6 and 7.4 manifested a faster drug release from the prepared nanocarrier in acidic environments and, conversely, a slower release in neutral environments over 48 h. The release kinetics followed Peppas-Sahlin models, showing non-Fickian behavior. Moreover, the in-vitro cytotoxicity studies against the human breast cancer (MDA-MB 231) cell line demonstrated the remarkable anticancer activity of the DOX@FA-PAMAMG2-MCS and declared its potency for nanomedicine applications. This multifunctional system could overcome limitations of conventional chemotherapeutic agents through pH-triggered drug release, enabling targeted cytotoxicity against cancer cells.


MECHANISMS OF FEMALE CHOICE IN RED JUNGLE FOWL.
We examined mate preference behavior in red jungle fowl, Gallus gallus, to determine if the mechanism of mate preference used by females was relative or absolute. Under a relative model, females compare males and prefer the one with the most exaggerated form of secondary sex character, regardless of where the proffered males lie along the population distribution of the trait. Under an absolute or threshold model, females have a threshold for the character, above which they will exert a preference and below which they will not. Female red jungle fowl preferred roosters with longer combs and redder irises, but this preference was exerted only when hens mated quickly; females mating slowly mated at random. The threshold model was supported in two ways: i) chosen males from the fast-mating group had larger combs than chosen males in the slow-mating group; ii) when the same female was presented with two pairs of males in two different trials, one large-combed pair and one small-combed pair, hens mated significantly more slowly, and often refused to mate, when only short-combed roosters were available. Hens thus alter their behavior depending on the males they see, and they may not exert a preference at all if both males fall below the threshold. Further corroborating evidence comes from a set of mate choice trials using underdeveloped roosters, in which males had small combs and females mated slowly or did not mate. The method of choice used by females could affect the speed with which correlations develop between the genes for male traits and genes for female preferences. Sexual selection for good genes may be more consistent with an absolute than a relative method of female choice.


[Inhibitory effect of 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma xenograft in nude mice].
5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) is an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase; it may reactivate methylated antioncogene, therefore, inhibit the growth of cancer cells. This study was to observe the inhibitory effect of 5-Aza-CdR on the growth of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells and xenografts in nude mice, explore the possible mechanisms, and search for new treatment target of NPC. NPC cell line CNE cells were treated with 5-Aza-CdR; the methylation status of death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) gene was evaluated by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The model of human NPC xenograft in nude mice was constructed and treated with 5-Aza-CdR; the xenograft growth in nude mice was observed, and the mRNA and protein expression of DAPK was detected by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. No expression of DAPK mRNA was found in CNE cells and the xenografts in nude mice without treatment of 5-Aza-CdR. After treatment, the expression of DAPK mRNA in CNE cells and the xenografts was increased along with the increasing concentration of 5-Aza-CdR; the growth of CNE cells and the xenografts in nude mice were obviously inhibited, and the methylated DAPK gene was reactivated. Four weeks after treatment, no significant difference was found in body weight of nude mice between 5-Aza-CdR group and control group [(22.35+/-2.02) g vs. (21.68+/-2.14) g, t=0.011, P>0.05]; the volume of xenografts was significantly smaller in 5-Aza-CdR group than in control group [(195.32+/-27.57) mm(3) vs. (343.67+/-23.08) mm(3), t=10.11, P<0.01]. 5-Aza-CdR may reactivate antioncogene silenced by de novo methylation, therefore, inhibit the growth of CNE cells in vivo and in vitro.


Hepatitis B immunoglobulins inhibit dendritic cells and T cells and protect against acute rejection after liver transplantation.
The efficacy of anti-viral intravenous immunogobulins (anti-HBs Ig and anti-CMV Ig) in preventing acute rejection after liver transplantation was assessed in a retrospective analysis, and correlated to their effects on immune cells in vitro. HBs Ag-positive liver graft recipients (n = 40) treated prophylactically with anti-HBs Ig had a significantly lower incidence of acute rejection compared with recipients without viral hepatitis (n = 147) (12% vs. 34%; p = 0.012), while the incidence of rejection in HCV-positive recipients (n = 29) was similar to that in the control group. Treatment with anti-CMV Ig (n = 18) did not protect against rejection. In vitro, anti-HBs Ig suppressed functional maturation of and cytokine production by human blood-derived dendritic cells (DC) at concentrations similar to the serum concentrations reached during anti-HBs Ig treatment of liver graft recipients. In addition, anti-HBs Ig inhibited allo-antigen- and lectin-stimulated proliferation of peripheral T cells. Anti-CMV Ig suppressed functional DC-maturation and alloantigen-stimulated T-cell proliferation, but not lectin-driven T-cell proliferation. In conclusion, anti-HBs Ig protects against acute rejection after liver transplantation, probably by functional inhibition of the two principal immune cells involved in allograft rejection, DC and T cells.


A derivative of lipid A is involved in signal recognition particle/SecYEG-dependent and -independent membrane integrations.
A cell-free system was developed that allows the correct integration of single and multispanning membrane proteins of Escherichia coli into proteoliposomes. We found that physiological levels of diacylglycerol were required to prevent spontaneous integration into liposomes even of the polytopic mannitol permease. Using diacylglycerol-containing proteoliposomes, we identified a novel integration-stimulating factor. Integration of mannitol permease was dependent on both the SecYEG translocon and this factor and was mediated by signal recognition particle and signal recognition particle receptor. Integration of M13 procoat, which is independent of both signal recognition particle/signal recognition particle receptor and SecYEG, was also promoted by this factor. Furthermore, the factor stimulated the post-translational translocation of presecretory proteins, suggesting that it also mediates integration of a signal sequence. This factor was found to be a lipid A-derived membrane component possessing a peptide moiety.


An upper-crust lid over the Long Valley magma chamber.
Geophysical characterization of calderas is fundamental in assessing their potential for future catastrophic volcanic eruptions. The mechanism behind the unrest of Long Valley Caldera in California remains highly debated, with recent periods of uplift and seismicity driven either by the release of aqueous fluids from the magma chamber or by the intrusion of magma into the upper crust. We use distributed acoustic sensing data recorded along a 100-kilometer fiber-optic cable traversing the caldera to image its subsurface structure. Our images highlight a definite separation between the shallow hydrothermal system and the large magma chamber located at ~12-kilometer depth. The combination of the geological evidence with our results shows how fluids exsolved through second boiling provide the source of the observed uplift and seismicity.


Comparison of Emergency Echocardiographic Results between Cardiologists and an Emergency Medicine Resident in Acute Coronary Syndrome.
Early detection of regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) can be a reliable tool for rapid disposition of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the emergency department. In this study, the diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care echocardiography performed by a trained emergency medicine resident was evaluated in comparison with board-certified cardiologists. A prospective, cross-sectional study was implemented on adult patients with ACS. A trained emergency medicine (EM) PGY-3 resident performed point-of-care echocardiography under the supervision of two cardiologists and the reports were compared with cardiologists as a reference test. 100 patients with the mean age of 54.1 ± 11.5 years were recruited (65% male). Based on Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and History, EKG, Age, Risk factors, and troponin (HEART) scores, 43.0% and 25.0% of patients were categorized as low-risk for ACS, respectively. The absolute measure of agreement between cardiologists to determine ejection fraction (EF) was 0.829 (95% CI: 0.74-0.89) based on intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimation. The measurements of agreement between specialists and the EM resident based on the analysis of Kappa coefficient were 0.677 and 0.884 for RWMA and pericardial effusion, respectively. Moreover, 25 patients were in the-low risk group according to the HEART score with an agreement rate of 92% for the lack of RWMA between the EM resident and cardiologists. This study found acceptable agreement between the EM resident and cardiologists in assessing RWMA in different ACS risk groups. In addition, there was acceptable agreement between the EM resident and cardiologists in determining left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and pericardial effusion.


Covid-19 Interstitial Pneumonia: Histological and Immunohistochemical Features on Cryobiopsies.
The pathogenetic steps leading to Covid-19 interstitial pneumonia remain to be clarified. Most postmortem studies to date reveal diffuse alveolar damage as the most relevant histologic pattern. Antemortem lung biopsy may however provide more precise data regarding the earlier stages of the disease, providing a basis for novel treatment approaches. To ascertain the morphological and immunohistochemical features of lung samples obtained in patients with moderate Covid-19 pneumonia. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy was carried out in 12 Covid-19 patients within 20 days of symptom onset. Histopathologic changes included spots of patchy acute lung injury with alveolar type II cell hyperplasia, with no evidence of hyaline membranes. Strong nuclear expression of phosphorylated STAT3 was observed in >50% of AECII. Interalveolar capillaries showed enlarged lumen and were in part arranged in superposed rows. Pulmonary venules were characterized by luminal enlargement, thickened walls, and perivascular CD4+ T-cell infiltration. A strong nuclear expression of phosphorylated STAT3, associated with PD-L1 and IDO expression, was observed in endothelial cells of venules and interstitial capillaries. Alveolar spaces macrophages exhibited a peculiar phenotype (CD68, CD11c, CD14, CD205, CD206, CD123/IL3AR, and PD-L1). Morphologically distinct features were identified in early stages of Covid-19 pneumonia, with epithelial and endothelial cell abnormalities different from either classical interstitial lung diseases or diffuse alveolar damage. Alveolar type II cell hyperplasia was a prominent event in the majority of cases. Inflammatory cells expressed peculiar phenotypes. No evidence of hyaline membranes and endothelial changes characterized by IDO expression might in part explain the compliance and the characteristic pulmonary vasoplegia observed in less-advanced Covid-19 pneumonia.