An Ion-Engineering Strategy to Design Hollow FeCo/CoFe2 O4 Microspheres for High-Performance Microwave Absorption.
Although assembled hollow architectures have received considerable attention as lightweight functional materials, their uncontrollable self-aggregation and tedious synthetic methods hinder precise construction and modulation. Therefore, this study proposes a bi-ion synergistic regulation strategy to design assembled hollow-shaped cobalt spinel oxide microspheres. Dominated by the coordination-etching effects of F- and the hydrolysis-complex contributions of NH4 + , the unique construction is formed attributed to the dynamic cycles between metal complexes and precipitates. Meanwhile, their basic structures are perfectly retained after reduction treatment, enabling FeCo/CoFe2 O4 bimagnetic system to be obtained. Subsequently, in-depth analyses are conducted. Investigations reveal that multiscale magnetic coupling networks and enriched air-material heterointerfaces contribute to the remarkable magnetic-dielectric behavior, supported by the advanced off-axis electron holography technique. Consequently, the obtained FeCo/CoFe2 O4 composites exhibit excellent microwave absorption performances with minimal reflection losses (RLmin ) as high as -51.6 dB, an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.7 GHz, and a matched thickness of 1.4 mm. Thus, this work provides an informative guide for rationally assembling building blocks into hollow architectures as advanced microwave absorbers through bi-ion and even multi-ion synergistic engineering mechanisms.


The human neutrophil serine proteinases, elastase and cathepsin G, can mediate glomerular injury in vivo.
We infused microgram quantities of active or inactive PMN elastase and cathepsin G into the renal arteries of rats. Both active and inactive elastase localized to the glomerular capillary wall equally, and in amounts that could be achieved physiologically in GN. However, elastase-perfused rats developed marked proteinuria (196 +/- 32 mg/24 h) compared with control rats receiving inactive elastase (19 +/- 2 mg/24 h, p less than 0.005). Similar results were seen with active and inactive cathepsin G. Neither elastase nor cathepsin G infusion was associated with histologic evidence of glomerular injury. We conclude that the PMN neutral serine proteinases elastase and cathepsin G can mediate marked changes in glomerular permeability in vivo due to their proteolytic activity, and thus, may contribute to the proteinuria observed in PMN-dependent models of GN.


Self-Assessment Questionnaire for Efficient and Safe Evaluation of Patients with Mild COVID-19.
As the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 continues and the number of confirmed cases requiring isolation increases, there is a need for a safe and efficient system to assess patients' condition. We developed and evaluated a self-assessment questionnaire consisting of 23 symptoms with linear-scale scores from 0 to 10. Patients were asked to indicate their worst score for each symptom daily, and medical personnel assessed clinical improvement or deterioration based on the changes in scores. Focused communication on severity of specific symptoms was the primary advantage for the clinicians, and a thorough check for their symptoms was helpful for patients.


Color stability of orthodontic adhesive resins.
Color alteration of adhesive during treatment and after debonding may be implicated in long-term enamel discoloration. The aim of this study was to assess the color stability of light-cured and chemically cured adhesives subjected to artificial photoaging. Disk-shaped specimens of adhesives were colorimetrically evaluated before and after artificial photoaging using an ISO-recommended protocol. The measurement variable was the color change (deltaE) of adhesives induced by artificial, accelerated photoaging. The deltaE values derived from the two color recordings for the materials at pre- and postaging intervals were statistically analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with the adhesive brand serving as a discriminating variable. Differences among groups were further investigated using the Tukey multiple comparisons test (alpha = .05). To establish the statistical significance of the difference of the deltaE values of each adhesive and the deltaE threshold for clinical detection, a paired t-test was used (P = .05). All adhesives exhibited color change, which in some cases exceeded the clinically detectable color change limit. The extent of the color alterations of aged bonding systems may contribute to enamel discoloration after treatment.


Genetic differences between Chibcha and Non-Chibcha speaking tribes based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups from 21 Amerindian tribes from Colombia.
We analyzed the frequency of four mitochondrial DNA haplogroups in 424 individuals from 21 Colombian Amerindian tribes. Our results showed a high degree of mtDNA diversity and genetic heterogeneity. Frequencies of mtDNA haplogroups A and C were high in the majority of populations studied. The distribution of these four mtDNA haplogroups from Amerindian populations was different in the northern region of the country compared to those in the south. Haplogroup A was more frequently found among Amerindian tribes in northern Colombia, while haplogroup D was more frequent among tribes in the south. Haplogroups A, C and D have clinal tendencies in Colombia and South America in general. Populations belonging to the Chibcha linguistic family of Colombia and other countries nearby showed a strong genetic differentiation from the other populations tested, thus corroborating previous findings. Genetically, the Ingano, Paez and Guambiano populations are more closely related to other groups of south eastern Colombia, as also inferred from other genetic markers and from archeological data. Strong evidence for a correspondence between geographical and linguistic classification was found, and this is consistent with evidence that gene flow and the exchange of customs and knowledge and language elements between groups is facilitated by close proximity.


RhoB is stabilized by transforming growth factor beta and antagonizes transcriptional activation.
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is the prototype for an evolutionarily conserved superfamily of secreted factors implicated in diverse biological phenomena. The pleiotropic responses to TGF-beta are initiated by a heteromeric receptor complex that binds and phosphorylates downstream effectors. Among these, the Smads have been extensively studied. However, less attention has been directed toward alternative downstream effectors and their participation in TGF-beta signal transduction. We show that TGF-beta promotes accumulation of the labile monomeric GTPase RhoB by antagonizing its normal proteolytic destruction, presumably via the 26 S proteasome. RhoB accumulates in its isoprenylated form. Transient overexpression of wild type RhoB but not its dominant negative mutant RhoB-N19 antagonizes TGF-beta-mediated transcriptional activation. These results suggest a novel mechanism of regulation by TGF-beta and implicate RhoB as a negative regulator of TGF-beta signal transduction.


Programming Ionic Pore Accessibility in Zwitterionic Polymer Modified Nanopores.
Creating switchable and gradually tunable pores or channels that display transport control similar to biological pores remains a major challenge in nanotechnology. It requires the generation and manipulation of complex charge situations at the nanoscale and the understanding of how confinement influences chemistry and transport. Here, two different pore sizes, ∼100 nm and less than 10 nm, functionalized with varying amounts of responsive zwitterionic polycarboxybetaine methyl acrylate (PCBMA) give fascinating insight into the confinement controlled ionic transport of pores functionalized with pH-dependent zwitterionic polymers. Under basic conditions, the zwitterionic state offers complex, strongly pore-size-dependent ionic permselectivity characteristics. For mesoporous films with pore sizes smaller than 10 nm, complete ion exclusion is observed after reaching a critical zwitterionic polymer amount, clearly indicating an electrostatic behavior of "bipolar charged" pores. This ion exclusion is not observed for pore diameters of ∼100 nm. In addition, the solution pH of equal pore accessibility for oppositely charged ions and pore sizes smaller than 10 nm shifts with increasing polymer amount from a pH of 2.5 to 8.2, and the quantity of ions accessing the pores depends on the pore size. These observations clearly show the potential of controlling pore accessibility based on controlled functional composition at the nanoscale without changing the components themselves as well as the influence of spatial confinement on pore accessibility in the presence of complex (zwitterionic) charged states.


A genome-wide study of lupus: preliminary analysis and data release.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease in which genetics is one of the underlying risk factors. Complicating the analysis of SLE is the fact that the phenotype is heterogeneous, with variations in clinical features, and subgroups are associated with a variety of different autoantibodies. Many association studies of candidate genes as well as linkage studies have generated significant results, highlighting the multigenetic component of the disease. Those findings need to be replicated by independent laboratories and many other genes still remain to be identified. Here, we present our findings on the first genome-wide association study performed in 105 Caucasian patients and controls using the Affymetrix NspI array. The SLE patients studied here were all characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against the U1-6 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein antigen spliceosomal complex. Testing each SNP individually for association with disease, we identified 7 markers with an uncorrected P-value < 0.0001. Of those, three were in reported regions of linkage, namely 20p12, 2q37, and 4p15. To increase the power of our study, we included 60 controls corresponding to the parents from the publicly available CEPH families. The analysis of the 165 cases and controls leads to 28 SNPs being associated with an uncorrected P-value < 0.0001.


Electrostatic interactions in charged nanoslits within an explicit solvent theory.
Within a dipolar Poisson-Boltzmann theory including electrostatic correlations, we consider the effect of explicit solvent structure on solvent and ion partition confined to charged nanopores. We develop a relaxation scheme for the solution of this highly non-linear integro-differential equation for the electrostatic potential. The scheme is an extension of the approach previously introduced for simple planes (Buyukdagli and Blossey 2014 J. Chem. Phys. 140 234903) to nanoslit geometry. We show that the reduced dielectric response of solvent molecules at the membrane walls gives rise to an electric field significantly stronger than the field of the classical Poisson-Boltzmann equation. This peculiarity associated with non-local electrostatic interactions results in turn in an interfacial counterion adsorption layer absent in continuum theories. The observation of this enhanced counterion affinity in the very close vicinity of the interface may have important impacts on nanofluidic transport through charged nanopores. Our results indicate the quantitative inaccuracy of solvent implicit nanofiltration theories in predicting the ionic selectivity of membrane nanopores.


Over-Expression of miR-21 and Lower PTEN Levels in Wilms' Tumor with Aggressive Behavior.
Wilms' tumor (WT) is the most common pediatric kidney tumor. MiR-21 is one of the most frequently overexpressed microRNAs in solid tumors, while phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) is the most highly mutated tumor suppressor gene. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between miR-21 and PTEN in WT. The expression levels of miR-21 and the PTEN protein were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses in WT specimens, respectively. In WT tissues, the miR-21 expression levels were significantly higher and the PTEN protein levels were significantly lower, compared to the adjacent non-tumorous renal tissues. The higher levels of miR-21 and lower levels of PTEN were correlated with age (> 24 months), late clinical stage, unfavorable histopathological type and lymphatic metastasis. A univariate linear regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between higher miR-21 levels and lower PTEN levels. Using the SK-NEP-1 WT cell line, we showed that the decreased expression levels of miR-21 promoted cell proliferation and invasion, but inhibited apoptosis. Importantly, lowered expression levels of miR-21 increased the expression levels of PTEN protein and decreased the expression levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT), each of which functions in the downstream signaling pathway. Dual luciferase-reporter assays indicated that PTEN mRNA was a direct target of miR-21. In conclusion, higher miR-21 levels and lower PTEN protein levels are predictive biomarkers for poor prognosis of WT patients. Over-expression of miR-21 promotes aggressive behavior of WT by targeting PTEN.


The liver specific protein: evidence for species-specific and non-species-specific determinants.
Liver specific protein (LSP) is known to be a macrolipoprotein of complete organ-specificity but without complete species-specificity. This membrane antigen is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of human and experimental chronic active hepatitis (CAH). In the present study, we investigated the species-crossreactivity of LSP by crossed immunoelectrophoresis, tandem crossed immunoelectrophoresis and fused rocket immunoelectrophoresis. With a sheep anti human LSP serum, two determinants of human LSP could be detected--one was found to be species-specific, the other crossreacted with rabbit, rat, swine and mouse LSP; no reaction was found with bovine and sheep LSP. A rabbit anti human LSP serum, after short term immunization, reacted only with a species-specific determinant of human LSP, no species-crossreactivity was observed. In contrast, rabbits with experimentally induced CAH, after longterm immunization with human LSP, had developed an autoantibody to rabbit LSP in addition to antibodies to the species-specific determinant of human LSP. Antibodies to the liver membrane antigen (LM-Ag) could not be detected. In conclusion human LSP contains a species-specific and a non-species-specific determinant. CAH in rabbits is induced by the loss of tolerance to the non-species-specific determinant.


[Changes of HO-1 genes expression in liver following ischemia/reperfusion of limbs and their significance in rats].
To detect the changes of inducible heme oxygenase (HO-1) expression in liver following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) of hindlimbs and to elucidate their significance. I/R was established using the occlusion of the femoral arteries for 4h and reopening for 2-24 h in rats. The expression of HO-1 mRNA and HO-1 protein in liver tissue were detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical technique, respectively. The observation of pathologic changes of liver was made following the inhibition of HO-1 by zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP). Compared with control groups, the relative expression level of HO-1 mRNA significantly increased in I/R group. There were more HO-1 positive hepatocytes in I/R group than control groups. The pathologic changes of liver tissue became more severe in I/R + ZnPP group. The expressions of HO-1 mRNA and protein in liver tissue are significantly upregulated, induction of HO-1 is involved in protection for hepatocytes during the I/R of hindlimbs.


Assessing the macroporous structure of monolithic columns by transmission electron microscopy.
A set of monolithic stationary phases representing a broad span of monomers and porogens have been characterized directly in their capillary chromatographic format by computational assessment of their pore structure from transmission electron micrographs obtained after in situ embedment of the monoliths in contrast resin, followed by dissolution of the fused-silica tubing, further encasement of the resin-embedded monolith, and microtomy. This technique has been compared to mercury intrusion, a more conventional technique for macroporosity estimation. Supplementing the embedding resin by lead methacrylate gave a negative staining, and the resulting micrographs showed a good contrast between the polymeric monoliths and the embedding resin that allowed studies on the pore formation and polymer development. The technique was also applied to a commercial monolithic silica column.


AML1/Runx1 is important for the development of hindbrain cholinergic branchiovisceral motor neurons and selected cranial sensory neurons.
The mechanisms that regulate the acquisition of distinctive neuronal traits in the developing nervous system are poorly defined. It is shown here that the mammalian runt-related gene Runx1 is expressed in selected populations of postmitotic neurons of the embryonic central and peripheral nervous systems. These include cholinergic branchial and visceral motor neurons in the hindbrain, restricted populations of somatic motor neurons of the median and lateral motor columns in the spinal cord, as well as nociceptive and mechanoreceptor neurons in trigeminal and vestibulocochlear ganglia. In mouse embryos lacking Runx1 activity, hindbrain branchiovisceral motor neuron precursors of the cholinergic lineage are correctly specified but then fail to progress to a more differentiated state and undergo increased cell death, resulting in a neuronal loss in the mantle layer. In contrast, the development of cholinergic somatic motor neurons is unaffected. Runx1 inactivation also leads to a loss of selected sensory neurons in trigeminal and vestibulocochlear ganglia. These findings uncover previously unrecognized roles for Runx1 in the regulation of mammalian neuronal subtype development.


Comparison and improvement of RNA extraction methods in Sargassum (Phaeophyta).
Sargassum (Sargassaceae) is widely distributed globally and plays an important role in regulating climate change, but the landscape of genomes and transcripts is less known. High-quality nucleic acids are the basis for molecular biology experiments such as high-throughput sequencing. Although extensive studies have documented methods of RNA extraction, these methods are not very applicable to Sargassum, which contains high levels of polysaccharides and polyphenols. To find a suitable method to improve the quality of RNA extracted, we compared and modified several popular RNA extraction methods and screened one practical method with three specific Sargassum spp. The results showed that three CTAB methods (denoted as Methods 1, 2, and 3) and the RNAprep Pure Plant Kit (denoted as Method 4) could, with slight modifications, effectively isolate RNA from Sargassum species, except for Method 4 used with S. fusiforme. By performing further screening, we determined Method 4 was the best choice for S. hemiphyllum and S. henslowianum, as revealed by RNA yields, RNA Integrity Number (RIN), extraction time, and unigene mapped ratio. For S. fusiforme, Methods 1, 2, and 3 showed no obvious differences among the yields, quality, or time to perform. In addition, one other method was tested, but we found the quality of the RNA extracted by TRIzol reagent methods (denoted as Method 5) performed the worst when compared with the above four methods. Therefore, our study provides four suitable methods for RNA extraction in Sargassum and is essential for future genetic exploration of Sargassum.


Aetiology of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis.
Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is a rare chronic inflammatory lesion of the breast that can clinically and radiographically mimic breast carcinoma. The most common clinical presentation is an unilateral, discrete breast mass, nipple retraction and even a sinus formation often associated with an inflammation of the overlying skin. The etiology of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is still obscure. Its treatment remains controversial. The cause may be the autoimmune process, infection, a chemical reaction associated with oral contraceptive pills, or even lactation. Various factors, including hormonal imbalance, autoimmunity, unknown microbiological agents, smoking and α 1-antitrypsin deficiency have been suggested to play a role in disease aetiology. In this review, causing factors in the aetiology of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis are reviewed in detail.


Pneumocystis carinii.
This article covers the biology, epidemiology, and pathology of infection with Pneumocystis carinii. The clinical presentation, course, and treatment of pneumonia caused by this organism in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus is discussed.


An unusual cause of stroke in a patient with permanent transvenous pacemaker.
We report the case of a 61-year-old man with a stroke secondary to cerebral embolism resulting from inadvertent malposition of a permanent transvenous pacemaker lead in the left ventricle. An electrocardiogram and chest X-ray were suggestive of a left-sided positioned lead which was confirmed by transthoracic echocardiography. Because this malposition was complicated with a cerebrovascular event, transcatheter lead extraction was planned, however, the patient chose lifelong anticoagulation therapy.


Assessment of adherence to medication in patients after myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. Is there a place for newself-reported questionnaires?
Non-adherence to medication regimen after myocardial infarction (MI) leads to increased morbidity and mortality and generates additional cost to the healthcare system. The aim of this systematic review was to critically discuss assessment methods of adherence to medication in patients after myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention and the possible application of a new self-reported questionnaire. A systematic investigation of all published literature was conducted to minimize the risk of bias. A database search (PubMed, CENTRAL and Google Scholar databases) from January 1998 through December 2017. Adequate assessment of patient adherence to treatment is necessary to understand the potential for adverse outcomes. Methods developed for adherence evaluation are classified as subjective and objective or as direct and indirect. Direct, objective measures reflect pharmacokinetics and include measurement of the drug or its metabolite concentration, evaluation of the presence of biological markers given with the drug and direct observation of patients' medication-taking behavior. Several indirect, objective methods are based on evaluation of the availability of prescribed medications assuming that medication is taken exactly as prescribed. Assessment of the effectiveness of treatment, both at the pharmacodynamic and clinical level, indirectly but objectively reflects adherence to treatment. Subjective methods, including patient-kept diaries, patient interviews and self-reported questionnaires, due to their simplicity, real-time feedback and low cost, are often used for adherence evaluation in clinical practice. In spite of the availability, convenience and variety of methods, measuring adherence still remains a real challenge. Using a well designed questionnaire provides an opportunity to identify patients at increased risk of non-adherence and the obstacles impeding implementation of the treatment plan, allowing implementation of tailored interventions in order to improve patient medication-taking behavior.


People challenges in biospheric systems for long-term habitation in remote areas, space stations, moon, and Mars expeditions.
People who participate in remote and difficult expeditions, such as the 2-year (1991-1993) Biosphere 2 experiment or a future biospheric system on Mars or other long voyages, will face individual psycho-physiological, social, and cultural value challenges. The individual psycho-physiological vectors include the lure of being a hero/heroine and pushing it to the maximum, concealment of problems with the belief that he/she can overcome the obstacle alone, as well as the difficulty of keeping intact the critical differentiation of the risks associated with the overall expedition as opposed to the experimental objectives. The social challenges occur as a group dynamic context as well as for the individual, resulting in regressions and the need to "act out" one's difficulties. Cultural areas of importance that must be taken into consideration will include esthetic, ethical, cosmological, and epistemological values. The epistemological values must involve the five methods of scientific inquiry for a comprehensive total systems project to succeed fully.


Age and the experience of chronic pain: differences in health and quality of life among younger, middle-aged, and older adults.
To describe age differences in chronic pain and to evaluate for differences in demographic and health-related variables among younger (18-39 years), middle-aged (40-59 years), and older adults (60-81 years) who reported chronic pain. A total of 4000 Norwegian citizens were mailed a questionnaire that measured pain, quality of life, mood, and demographic and health-related variables. Of the total sample (n = 1912), 19.2% of the younger age group, 27.5% of the middle-aged group, and 31.2% of the older group reported chronic pain (ie, >3 months duration). A total of 58.9% of the participants in chronic pain reported having a chronic disease, with the most common being musculoskeletal problems, chronic pain disorder, and osteoarthritis. Participants in the older age group reported pain of longer duration and more comorbidities and received pain treatment more often. They had higher total quality of life scores, were more satisfied with their material comforts and social life, and reported better mood. The middle-aged group reported the largest number of pain locations, reported having fibromyalgia more frequently, and reported that the cause of their pain was not known. They were less satisfied with their social life than the older age group. The younger age group reported the highest rates of injury and accidents as the cause of their pain, and almost 43% of this age group was not receiving any treatment of their chronic pain. This study found that the prevalence rates for chronic pain do vary with age and that the middle-aged group may be a high-risk group of patients with chronic pain.


What next for environmental health?
The aim of the wider research was to explore Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) during their early development stages, with a focus on health inequalities and the role of environmental health (EH). This article presents empirical findings relating to challenges facing the EH profession in the new English public health (PH) system and offers new practical suggestions as to how they might be overcome in relation to educating and training the new generation of EH practitioners (EHPs). Four case study HWBs in the Midlands and North of England were followed for 18 months from early 2012. In addition, EHPs and managers from each English region were interviewed. In total, 50 semi-structured interviews were carried out, around 55 h of HWB meetings were observed, and documents associated with HWBs such as strategies and minutes of meetings were collected. Data were analysed thematically, both inductively and deductively, using Atlas.ti. EH is largely invisible in the new PH system due to a variety of internal and external factors, including existing skill sets and practices. There is a new imperative to move away from reliance on statutory functions for funding and to engage with wider PH issues and colleagues, requiring new skills of evaluation and a change in perception from being 'doers' to include a greater role as 'thinkers'. This is being recognised by EHPs and managers, who are seeking ways to adapt to these new expectations. Recent changes to the English PH system have led to a period of reflection and the beginnings of adaptation in EH to overcome new challenges. Linked to this is a need for graduate training to prepare new practitioners to think critically, to thrive and become high-level managers of the future, while being technically competent. We suggest a new, enhanced role for Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)-accredited universities in securing the future of the profession by supporting new graduates. Specifically, a mentoring scheme could be introduced for the practical training element for new practitioners. This would help to embed criticality and evaluation in practice, provide consistency in training, and overcome the disconnect between academia and practice.


Odontogenic ghost cell carcinoma: a case report with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characterization.
The odontogenic ghost cell tumor (OGCT) is the rare, neoplastic variant of the calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC). To date, there have been only four reports of malignant OGCTs, in five patients. We report an additional case of a malignant odontogenic ghost cell tumor that involved the right maxilla of a 20-year-old man. Our report includes its immunocytochemical and ultrastructural characterization.


A parsimonious characterization of change in global age-specific and total fertility rates.
This study aims to understand trends in global fertility from 1950-2010 though the analysis of age-specific fertility rates. This approach incorporates both the overall level, as when the total fertility rate is modeled, and different patterns of age-specific fertility to examine the relationship between changes in age-specific fertility and fertility decline. Singular value decomposition is used to capture the variation in age-specific fertility curves while reducing the number of dimensions, allowing curves to be described nearly fully with three parameters. Regional patterns and trends over time are evident in parameter values, suggesting this method provides a useful tool for considering fertility decline globally. The second and third parameters were analyzed using model-based clustering to examine patterns of age-specific fertility over time and place; four clusters were obtained. A country's demographic transition can be traced through time by membership in the different clusters, and regional patterns in the trajectories through time and with fertility decline are identified.


Gain of power of the general regression model compared to Cochran-Armitage Trend tests: simulation study and application to bipolar disorder.
Most genome-wide association studies assumed an additive model of inheritance which may result in significant loss of power when there is a strong departure from additivity. The General Regression Model (GRM), which allows performing an assumption-free test for association by testing for both additive effect and deviation from additive effect, may be more appropriate for association tests. Additionally, GRM allows testing the underlying genetic model. We compared the power of GRM association test to additive and other Cochran-Armitage Trend (CAT) tests through simulations and by applying GRM to a large case/control sample, the bipolar Welcome Trust Case Control Cohort data. Simulations were performed on two sets of case/control samples (1000/1000 and 2000/2000), using a large panel of genetic models. Four association tests (GRM and additive, recessive and dominant CAT tests) were applied to all replicates. We showed that GRM power to detect association was similar or greater than the additive CAT test, in particular in case of recessive inheritance, with up to 67% gain in power. GRM analysis of genome-wide bipolar disorder Welcome Trust Consortium data (1998 cases/3004 controls) showed significant association in the 16p12 region (rs420259; P = 3.4E-7) which has not been identified using the additive CAT test. As expected, rs42025 fitted a non-additive (recessive) model. GRM provides increased power compared to the additive CAT test for association studies and is easily applicable.


Haematological and pathomorphological studies on chickens inoculated with transformation-defective sarcoma virus.
A transformation-defective mutant of Rous sarcoma virus (td PR-RSV-C) inoculated into chicken embryos caused a number of pathological changes in chickens after hatching. Disturbances in haematopoiesis were manifested by anaemia of different degree and by the presence of immature blood elements in the peripheral blood. The haematological picture of erythroblastosis was confirmed histologically. In addition to erythroblastosis, lymphoid leukosis and a proliferative lymphosarcoma-like tumour were demonstrated histologically.


Disseminated infection with Trichosporon beigelii. Report of a case and review of the cutaneous and histologic manifestations.
Trichosporonosis is a potentially life-threatening disseminated infection with Trichosporon beigelii, the causative agent of the white piedra. Systemic infection by this fungus has been most frequently described in immunocompromised hosts with neutropenia, but one case has been reported in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome setting. We report a second case of trichosporonosis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and review the clinical and histologic characteristics of cutaneous involvement with this opportunistic fungal pathogen. Trichosporonosis occurs most commonly in neutropenic patients receiving chemotherapy. We describe the second case developing in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome setting. Cutaneous involvement occurred in approximately 30% of patients and most frequently presented as purpuric papules and nodules with central necrosis or ulceration. Biopsy specimens of these lesions revealed dermal invasion by fungal elements, and culture was positive in greater than 90% of the cases. Disseminated infection with T beigelii can occur in immunosuppressed patients, including those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome particularly if associated with neutropenia. Cutaneous involvement is common, presenting as purpuric papules and nodules. Biopsy and culture of cutaneous findings can help establish an accurate diagnosis resulting in rapid and appropriate treatment.


Model-independent quantum phases classifier.
Machine learning has transformed science and technology. In this article, we present a model-independent classifier that uses the k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm to classify phases of a model for which it has never been trained. This is done by studying three different spin-1 chains with some common phases: the XXZ chains with uniaxial single-ion-type anisotropy, the bond alternating XXZ chains, and the bilinear biquadratic chain. We show that the algorithm trained with two of these models can, with high probability, determine phases common to the third one. This is the first step towards a universal classifier, where an algorithm can recognize an arbitrary phase without knowing the Hamiltonian, since it knows only partial information about the quantum state.


Neuropeptides and pain.
Peptides have recently been found to function as neuromodulators or neuromediators within nociceptive pathways at central and peripheral sites. More complex and varied in their chemistry compared to "classical" low molecular weight monoamine neurotransmitters, peptides may nonetheless co-exist with these within a single neuron. The biological activity of a peptide results from an "address" segment that permits receptor binding and a "message" segment that initiates reactions within the cell. Opioid peptides (endorphins) are derived from three precursors and act by altering ionic fluxes of potassium or calcium across cell membranes. Nonopioid peptides active in nociception include calcitonin and its gene-related peptide C.G.R.P., bradykinin, substance P, somatostatin, cholecystokinin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone, among others. Ongoing investigations show significant responses of several peptide systems in experimental models relevant to vascular pain. Although the creation of novel peptide analogues has therapeutic promise, their present clinical use must be cautious in light of reports of neurotoxicity after intraspinal application of some of these compounds in animal models.


A taxonomic review of Paramblynotus Cameron, 1908 in China, with descriptions of five new species (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Liopteridae).
Five new species of the genus Paramblynotus Cameron, 1908, are herein described from China: Paramblynotus anjiensis, new species, Paramblynotus qingliangfengensis, new species, Paramblynotus longipetiolus, new species, Paramblynotus magnatus, new species and Paramblynotus nigricaputus, new species. Three additional species, Paramblynotus reticulatus (Kieffer, 1910), Paramblynotus nipponensis Liu, Ronquist Nordlander, 2007 and Paramblynotus rufipes Liu, Ronquist Nordlander, 2007 are reported from China for the first time and the distribution of six previously reported species are updated with new collection data. Paramblynotus metatarsis He, 2004 and Paramblynotus tianmushanensis He, 2004 are redescribed. A taxonomic review, distribution map, and a taxonomic key are provided for the 19 known species of Paramblynotus from China.


[Therapeutic use of carbamazepine for treatment of agitation and affective disorders in geriatric psychiatry patients].
Symptomatic behavioral disturbances including agitation, motor restlessness, outbursts and hostility remain a major problem in clinical management of gerontopsychiatric patients. Termination of home care and subsequent hospitalisation is caused largely by behavior disturbances and not cognitive deficits. Clinical efficacy of neuroleptic treatment seems to be modest and is limited by unwanted side effects. Carbamazepine shows psychotropic effects and seems to improve limbic pathology including aggression and poor impulse control in various psychiatric disorders. Treatment with carbamazepine was evaluated in an open study design in 29 gerontopsychiatric inpatients. Carbamazepine was efficient in treating agitated behavior disturbances in dementia and other disorders. Adverse effects of the drug showed up only in a small percentage of the patients and were reversible after discontinuation of the drug. The results suggest that carbamazepine may be effective in treating agitated behavior in gerontopsychiatric patients with different disorders. It may represent a sensible alternative or complementation to other therapeutic interventions.


Flatness-based control approach to drug infusion for cardiac function regulation.
A new control method based on differential flatness theory is developed in this study, aiming at solving the problem of regulation of haemodynamic parameters. Actually control of the cardiac output (volume of blood pumped out by heart per unit of time) and of the arterial blood pressure is achieved through the administered infusion of cardiovascular drugs such as dopamine and sodium nitroprusside. Time delays between the control inputs and the system's outputs are taken into account. Using the principle of dynamic extension, which means that by considering certain control inputs and their derivatives as additional state variables, a state-space description for the heart's function is obtained. It is proven that the dynamic model of the heart is a differentially flat one. This enables its transformation into a linear canonical and decoupled form, for which the design of a stabilising feedback controller becomes possible. The proposed feedback controller is of proven stability and assures fast and accurate tracking of the reference setpoints by the outputs of the heart's dynamic model. Moreover, by using a Kalman filter-based disturbances' estimator, it becomes possible to estimate in real-time and compensate for the model uncertainty and external perturbation inputs that affect the heart's model.


How TK-TD and population models for aquatic macrophytes could support the risk assessment for plant protection products.
This case study of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) workshop MODELINK demonstrates the potential use of mechanistic effects models for macrophytes to extrapolate from effects of a plant protection product observed in laboratory tests to effects resulting from dynamic exposure on macrophyte populations in edge-of-field water bodies. A standard European Union (EU) risk assessment for an example herbicide based on macrophyte laboratory tests indicated risks for several exposure scenarios. Three of these scenarios are further analyzed using effect models for 2 aquatic macrophytes, the free-floating standard test species Lemna sp., and the sediment-rooted submerged additional standard test species Myriophyllum spicatum. Both models include a toxicokinetic (TK) part, describing uptake and elimination of the toxicant, a toxicodynamic (TD) part, describing the internal concentration-response function for growth inhibition, and a description of biomass growth as a function of environmental factors to allow simulating seasonal dynamics. The TK-TD models are calibrated and tested using laboratory tests, whereas the growth models were assumed to be fit for purpose based on comparisons of predictions with typical growth patterns observed in the field. For the risk assessment, biomass dynamics are predicted for the control situation and for several exposure levels. Based on specific protection goals for macrophytes, preliminary example decision criteria are suggested for evaluating the model outputs. The models refined the risk indicated by lower tier testing for 2 exposure scenarios, while confirming the risk associated for the third. Uncertainties related to the experimental and the modeling approaches and their application in the risk assessment are discussed. Based on this case study and the assumption that the models prove suitable for risk assessment once fully evaluated, we recommend that 1) ecological scenarios be developed that are also linked to the exposure scenarios, and 2) quantitative protection goals be set to facilitate the interpretation of model results for risk assessment.


Opening up ZSM-5 Hierarchical Zeolite's Porosity through Sequential Treatments for Improved Low-Density Polyethylene Cracking.
An adequately tuned acid wash of hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolites offers a levelling up in the catalytic cracking of low-density polyethylene. Identification of crucial and limiting factors governing the activity of the zeolite was extended with studies about the accessibility of acid sites, nature of the realuminated layer and role of Lewis acid sites. The sequential treatment of a ZSM-5 zeolite offered enhanced activity in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) cracking at low and high conversions, as confirmed by a decrease in the temperatures needed to reach 20% and 80% conversion (T20 and T80, respectively). A linear dependence of the T80 on the coupled IHF (indexed hierarchy factor) and AFB (accessibility factor) highlighted the importance of the textural and acidic parameters in the catalytic cracking of LDPE. Operando FT-IR-GC studies confirmed a higher fraction of short-chain hydrocarbons (C3-C5) in the product distribution of hierarchical catalysts resulting from the effective polymer cracking in easily accessible pores.


[Treatment regimen for children and adolescents with Hodgkin's disease designed to decrease late complications of radiotherapy].
Between 1997 to 1999 in 9 centres of the Polish Paediatlic Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group, 167 children and adolescents (aged 2-19 years) with stage 1 to IV Hodgkin's disease (HD) were treated according to a regimen with a limited use of radiotherapy (RT). All patients received B-DOPA and MVPP chemotherapy. The number of cycles of chemotherapy was adjusted in respective risk groups. In 13 children with stage IA and IIA disease with favourable prognostic factors chemotherapy alone was used. In other patients the dose of RT applied to lymphatic regions was 15-46,4 Gy. In case of a small tumour at presentation and good response to initial chemotherapy the RT dose was 15-16 Gy. In other cases doses of 25-30 Gy were planned. The use of higher doses, particularly exceeding 35 Gy, in eleven patients, was not justified. Among all the 167 patients, three oftliem (1.2%) with advanced disease (Stage III-1V) did not achieve first remission. The 4-year overall survival (OS), relapse free survival (RFS) and event free survival (EPS) were 99%. 93% and 90%, respectively. Relapses occurred in 8 children (first remission lasted for 4-29 (median = 9 months). All 13 children in whom chemotherapy alone was used remain in first remission. In the group of children who received RT in the dose of 15-16 Gy relapse occurred in one child. Our preliminary analysis indicates that limited use of RT in selected cases of HD in children and adolescents did not show worse results of treatment. However, the assessment of possible influence of this regimen on the decreased rate of late complications requires longer follow-up.


Multivariate data analysis and metabolic profiling of artemisinin and related compounds in high yielding varieties of Artemisia annua field-grown in Madagascar.
An improved liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) protocol for rapid analysis of co-metabolites of A. annua in raw extracts was developed and extensively characterized. The new method was used to analyse metabolic profiles of 13 varieties of A. annua from an in-field growth programme in Madagascar. Several multivariate data analysis techniques consistently show the association of artemisinin with dihydroartemisinic acid. These data support the hypothesis of dihydroartemisinic acid being the late stage precursor to artemisinin in its biosynthetic pathway.


Cannulated Screw Fixation For Femoral Neck Fractures : A 5-year Experience In A Single Institution.
Cannulated screw fixation is a widely accepted surgical method for management of fractures of the neck of femur especially in patients with poor premorbid conditions, minimally displaced fractures and those from a younger age group. A five year retrospective study was carried out in 53 consecutive patients between 2006 to 2010 to determine the pattern of injuries, management, outcomes and the associated predictive factors.All the patients underwent cannulated screw fixation, with 37 (69.8%) having had surgery within 24 hours and the remaining 16 (30.2%) 24 hours after the initial injury. All patients were followed up to union of fractures and complications thereafter if any. Good outcome was observed in 43 (81.1%) patients leaving only 10 (18.9%) patients with a poor outcome, of whom nine developed avascular necrosis (90%) and one non-union (10%). We found no significant relationship between the incidence of avascular necrosis and age of patient, fracture displacement, numbers of cannulated screws used, fracture reduction acceptability and anatomical location of the fracture. The time interval from injury to surgery and the presence of posterior comminution did seem to influence the rate of avascular necrosis but due to the small number of patients, was not statistically significant.We conclude that cannulated screw fixation is a viable option of treatment for fractures of the neck of femur. femoral neck fractures, screw fixation.


Design and Implementation of a Bespoke Robotic Manipulator for Extra-corporeal Ultrasound.
With the potential for high precision, dexterity, and repeatability, a self-tracked robotic system can be employed to assist the acquisition of real-time ultrasound. However, limited numbers of robots designed for extra-corporeal ultrasound have been successfully translated into clinical use. In this study, we aim to build a bespoke robotic manipulator for extra-corporeal ultrasound examination, which is lightweight and has a small footprint. The robot is formed by five specially shaped links and custom-made joint mechanisms for probe manipulation, to cover the necessary range of motion with redundant degrees of freedom to ensure the patient's safety. The mechanical safety is emphasized with a clutch mechanism, to limit the force applied to patients. As a result of the design, the total weight of the manipulator is less than 2 kg and the length of the manipulator is about 25 cm. The design has been implemented, and simulation, phantom, and volunteer studies have been performed, to validate the range of motion, the ability to make fine adjustments, mechanical reliability, and the safe operation of the clutch. This paper details the design and implementation of the bespoke robotic ultrasound manipulator, with the design and assembly methods illustrated. Testing results to demonstrate the design features and clinical experience of using the system are presented. It is concluded that the current proposed robotic manipulator meets the requirements as a bespoke system for extra-corporeal ultrasound examination and has great potential to be translated into clinical use.


Magnetic Biochar Derived from Fenton Sludge/CMC for High-Efficiency Removal of Pb(II): Synthesis, Application, and Mechanism.
Magnetic biochar composites (MBC) were developed by a simple one-step pyrolysis method using Fenton sludge waste solid and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium. Detailed morphological, chemical, and magnetic characterizations corroborate the successful fabrication of MBC. Batch adsorption experiments show that the synthesized MBC owns high-efficiency removal of Pb(II), accompanied by ease-of-separation from aqueous solution using magnetic field. The experiment shows that the equilibrium adsorption capacity of MBC for Pb(II) can reach 199.9 mg g-1, corresponding to a removal rate of 99.9%, and the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) reaches 570.7 mg g-1, which is significantly better than that of the recently reported magnetic similar materials. The adsorption of Pb(II) by MBC complies with the pseudo second-order equation and Langmuir isotherm model, and the adsorption is a spontaneous, endothermic chemical process. Investigations on the adsorption mechanism show that the combination of Pb(II) with the oxygen-containing functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, etc.) on biochar with a higher specific surface area are the decisive factors. The merits of reusing solid waste resource, namely excellent selectivity, easy separation, and simple preparation make the MBC a promising candidate of Pb(II) purifier.


New strategies for allergen T cell epitope identification: going beyond IgE.
Type I allergy and allergic asthma are common diseases in the developed world associated with IgE antibodies and Th2 cell reactivity. To date, the only causative treatment for allergic disease is specific immunotherapy (SIT). Here, we review recent works from our laboratory focused on identifying human T cell epitopes associated with allergic disease and their potential use as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for SIT. In previous studies, we have mapped T cell epitopes associated with the major 10 timothy grass (Tg) allergens, defined on the basis of human IgE reactivity by ELISPOT. Interestingly, in about 33% of allergic donors, no T cell epitopes from overlapping peptides spanning the entire sequences of these allergens were identified despite vigorous T cell responses to the Tg extract. Using a bioinformatic-proteomic approach, we identified a set of 93 novel Tg proteins, many of which were found to elicit IL-5 production in T cells from allergic donors despite lacking IgE reactivity. Next, we assessed T cell responses to the novel Tg proteins in donors who had been treated with subcutaneous SIT. A subset of these proteins showed a strong reduction of IL-5 responses in donors who had received subcutaneous SIT compared to allergic donors, which correlated with patients' self-reported improvement of allergic symptoms. A bioinformatic-proteomic approach has successfully identified additional Tg-derived T cell targets independent of IgE reactivity. This method can be applied to other allergies potentially leading to the discovery of promising therapeutic targets for allergen-specific immunotherapy.


Gene expression analysis of estrogenic compounds in the liver of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using a custom cDNA microarray.
Exposure to a variety of compounds with estrogenic activity has been shown to interfere with normal developmental and reproductive processes in various vertebrate species. The aim of this study was to determine the transcriptional profile of the natural estrogen, 17 beta-estradiol, and three synthetic estrogenic compounds (4-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, ethinylestradiol) in the liver of common carp, using a custom cDNA microarray. For that purpose, fish were aqueously exposed to three concentrations of each chemical for 24 or 96 h. Microarray analysis revealed that a total of 185 different gene transcripts were differentially expressed following exposure to at least one of the estrogen(-like) concentrations. We were able to identify a common set of 28 gene fragments, whose expression was significantly modified in the same way by the three xenoestrogens and 17 beta-estradiol. Although several of these gene expression effects corroborated past literature data, we also discovered some novel target genes of (xeno)estrogen exposure, providing interesting insights into the molecular basis of estrogenic effects. In addition, each of the four compounds induced gene expression changes that were not, or only partially, shared by the other chemicals, suggesting that not all chemicals with estrogenic activity act alike. These results demonstrate the potential of our custom Cyprinus carpio microarray to detect common estrogen-like activity as well as to identify unique compound-associated effects of (estrogenic) endocrine disruptors in fish.


Clinical, functional, and radiographic assessments of the conventional and modified Boyd-Anderson surgical procedures for repair of distal biceps tendon ruptures.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes of the conventional and modified Boyd-Anderson procedures for repair of distal biceps tendon ruptures. Thirteen of 18 men who underwent surgical repair for unilateral distal biceps tendon ruptures at one university center participated in the study. In general, follow-up outcomes were favorable with respect to return to premorbid activity levels, patient satisfaction with surgical outcome, and overall clinical results. Elbow flexion, forearm supination, and upper extremity functional concentric peak torque and range of motion results were not significantly different between the surgical and nonsurgical arms when dominance was controlled as a confounding factor. Radiographic findings revealed no clinically remarkable signs of heterotopic ossification or proximal radioulnar synostosis. Results of the study reveal that the conventional and modified Boyd-Anderson procedures are clinically, functionally, and radiographically efficacious for repair of distal biceps tendon ruptures.


Direct sequencing of bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) and prokaryotic genomes by biotin-capture PCR.
Determination of unknown DNA sequences adjacent to known segments is an important task in genome-related research. We have applied the methodology of biotin-capture PCR for direct sequencing of bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) and bacterial genomes. The strategy involves extension of a biotinylated primer from a known locus into unknown regions of the template to yield single-stranded DNA, which is immobilised onto paramagnetic beads. An arbitrary primer initiates extension from the unknown region and back towards the known locus. The arbitrary primer contains a universal primer 'handle', which is utilised for subsequent amplification. The PCR products are then directly sequenced by solid-phase or cycle sequencing. The fact that BACs or bacterial chromosomes can be sequenced without prior purification or subcloning might be useful in numerous applications, such as gap-filling, sequencing of regulatory regions upstream known genes and determination of intron/exon-boundaries.


Single Molecular Layer of Chitin Sub-Nanometric Nanoribbons: One-Pot Self-Exfoliation and Crystalline Assembly into Robust, Sustainable, and Moldable Structural Materials.
Sub-nanometric materials (SNMs) represent a series of unprecedented size-/morphology-related properties applicable in theoretical research and diverse cutting-edge applications. However, in-depth investigation and wide utilization of organic SNMs are frequently hindered, owing to the complex synthesis procedures, insufficient colloidal stability, poor processability, and high cost. In this work, a low-cost, energy-efficient, convenient, effective, and scalable method is demonstrated for directly exfoliating chitin SNMs from their natural sources through a one-pot "tandem molecular intercalation" process. The resultant solution-like sample, which exhibits ribbon-like feature and contains more than 85% of the single molecular layer (thickness <0.6 nm), is capable of being solution-processed to different types of materials. Thanks to the sub-nanometric size and rich surface functional groups, chitin SNMs reveal versatile intriguing properties that rarely observe in their nano-counterparts (nanofibrils), e.g., crystallization-like assembly in the colloidal state and alcoplasticity/self-adhesiveness in the bulk aggregate state. The finding in this work not only opens a new avenue for the high value-added utilization of chitin, but also provides a new platform for both the theoretical study and practical applications of organic SNMs.


Catalysis by Imidazole of Deuterium-Hydrogen Exchange in Amide N-H Groups.
Imidazole, at concentrations of 0.05M to 0.2M, has been found to increase the rate of deuterium-hydrogen exchange in a model amide by 40-fold or more. Since imidazole side-chains occur in proteins, deuterium exchange in these macromolecules may be strongly affected by the presence of these or similar activating groups.


Binding of initiation factor 2 and initiator tRNA to the Escherichia coli 30S ribosomal subunit induces allosteric transitions in 16S rRNA.
The specific effect of the binding of IF2 and initiator fMET-tRNA(fMet) on Escherichia coli 16S rRNA has been probed by phosphate alkylation with ethylnitrosourea. The results show that IF2 does not significantly shield portions of 16S rRNA but induces both reductions and enhancements of reactivity scattered in the entire molecule. Most of them are topographically constrained in a region corresponding to the cleft, the lateral protrusion, and the part of the head facing the protrusion (positions 694, 771, 791, 1225, 1268, 1398, 1401, 1504, and 1527). Weak effects are also observed in distant parts of the subunit (positions 301, 302, 492, and 1428). All the reactivity changes induced by the binding of IF2 are still observed in the presence of the initiator tRNA and AUG as messenger. The additional changes induced by the tRNA are mostly centered around the cleft-head-lateral protrusion region, near positions affected by IF2 binding. Most of the changes correspond to reduced reactivities (positions 791, 1222, 1263, 1393, 1395, 1430, 1431, 1504, 1528, and 1529), while enhanced reactivities are observed at positions 708, 709, and 1398. Functional implications are discussed, which stress the dynamic properties of the ribosome.


In vitro comparison of the activity of RU 28965, a new macrolide, with that of erythromycin against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.
RU 28965, a novel macrolide antibiotic, inhibited most gram-positive species at concentrations similar to that of erythromycin but was not active, even at alkaline pH, against Pseudomonas spp. or members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Staphylococci and streptococci resistant to erythromycin were resistant to RU 28965. RU 28965 inhibited Haemophilus influenzae, including a number of beta-lactamase, ampicillin-resistant isolates, and Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae at concentrations similar to those of erythromycin. Against anaerobic species, Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridia and Fusobacterium spp., RU 28965 was less active than erythromycin, but its activity against Campylobacter and Legionella spp. was similar to that of erythromycin.


Early Identification of Children with Dyslexia: Variables Differentially Predict Poor Reading Versus Unexpected Poor Reading.
Definitions of dyslexia typically make reference to unexpected poor reading, although how best to operationalize unexpected remains an issue. When operationally defined as reading below expectations based on level of oral language, cases of unexpected poor reading make up fewer than half of cases of poor reading, and cases of unexpected poor reading occur throughout the range of reading proficiency. An implication is that what optimally predicts poor reading may not optimally predict unexpected poor reading. The goal of the three presented studies was to test this implication empirically. In Study 1, a model-based meta-analysis, phonological awareness accounted for 40% of the variance in decoding but only 1% of the variance in decoding that was unexpected based on level of vocabulary. Conversely, unexpected phonological awareness accounted for 34% of the variance in unexpected decoding but only 1% of the variance in decoding. An analogous pattern of results occurred for reading comprehension. In Study 2, a study of 766 children in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade, latent variables were used to represent oral vocabulary, phonological awareness, and decoding. As was seen in Study 1, unexpected decoding was better predicted by unexpected phonological awareness than by phonological awareness. In Study 3, a longitudinal study of 1,025 children followed from preschool through grade 2, the pattern of results mirrored those of Studies 1 and 2. An important implication of these studies is that typical assessments may be better at identifying poor reading than they are at identifying unexpected poor reading or dyslexia.


Unilateral renal agenesis associated with bicornuate uterus.
A case of bicornuate uterus associated with unilateral renal agenesis in a 45-year-old woman is reported. The embryologic problems of müllerian or wolffian ducts in this anomaly are discussed. By using radiological, nuclear or ultrasound methods unnecessary surgery could be evaded.


Mechanism of sperm immobilization by Escherichia coli.
To explore the influence of Escherichia coli on the motility of human spermatozoa and its possible mechanism. Highly motile preparations of spermatozoa from normozoospermic patients were coincubated with Escherichia coli for 4 hours. At 1, 2 and 4 hours of incubation, sperm motility was determined. The factor responsible for sperm immobilization without agglutination was isolated and purified from filtrates. This report confirms the immobilization of spermatozoa by E. coli and demonstrates sperm immobilization factor (SIF) excreted by E. coli. Further this factor was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel permeation chromatography, and ion-exchange chromatography. Purified SIF (56 kDa) caused instant immobilization without agglutination of human spermatozoa at 800 microg/mL and death at 2.1 mg/mL. Spermatozoa incubated with SIF revealed multiple and profound alterations involving all superficial structures of spermatozoa as observed by scanning electron microscopy. In conclusion, these results have shown immobilization of spermatozoa by E. coli and demonstrate a factor (SIF) produced and secreted by E. coli which causes variable structural damage as probable morphological correlates of immobilization.


Prototype Sodium-Ion Batteries Using an Air-Stable and Co/Ni-Free O3-Layered Metal Oxide Cathode.
A prototype rechargeable sodium-ion battery using an O3-Na0.90[Cu0.22 Fe0.30 Mn0.48]O2 cathode and a hard carbon anode is demonstrated to show an energy density of 210 W h kg(-1) , a round-trip energy efficiency of 90%, a high rate capability (up to 6C rate), and excellent cycling stability.


Acute respiratory distress syndrome related to influenza A H1N1 infection: correlation of pulmonary computed tomography findings to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment and clinical outcome.
The aim of the present study was to correlate computed tomography appearances with clinical severity and outcome using a total lung disease (TLD) score in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to influenza A H1N1 infection. Chest computed tomographic scans of 33 patients admitted in the intensive care unit with ARDS related to influenza A H1N1 were retrospectively reviewed. Total lung disease was calculated from the combined extent of consolidation (TLC) and ground glass (TLGG) in the anterior, middle, and posterior segments of the lungs at 3 different levels (apex, hila, and base) using the method described by Goodman et al (Radiology. 213:545-552;1999). Total lung disease, TLC, and TLGG were statistically correlated with demographic characteristics, requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment, and patient outcome. Total lung disease is higher in patients who require ECMO treatment (P = .016). It is significantly higher (P = .003) in the posterior segments and significantly lower (P = .0001) in the anterior segments compared with TLGG. Total consolidation significantly increases (P = .0001), whereas TLGG significantly decreases (P = .0001) from the anterior toward the posterior segments. There is also a significant increase in TLD (P = .0001), TLC (P = .0001), and TLGG (P = .004) from the apices to the lung bases. There is a negative correlation between TLD and age (P = .01), and TLGG and body mass index (P = .014). Total consolidation is higher (P = .013) and TLGG is lower (P = .012) in patients with a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m(2). A greater extent of air-space disease in ARDS related to influenza A H1N1 infection is associated with progression to ECMO treatment and, therefore, clinical severity. The extent of total air-space disease is greater in younger patients, and obesity is related to a more extensive consolidation.


Ultrasound biomicroscopy of sclerotomy sites: the effect of vitreous shaving around sclerotomy sites during pars plana vitrectomy.
To study the difference in the amount of vitreous incarceration between conventional pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and PPV with vitreous shaving around sclerotomy sites. A dynamic in vivo examination using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) was performed on the sclerotomy sites of 22 eyes after PPV. Patients were divided into two groups. In the study group (n = 11), the vitreous was completely shaved from the internal initial sclerotomy by cotton-tip depressed vitrectomy under coaxial illumination. In the control group (n = 11), no vitreous shaving was performed. Vitreous incarceration into sclerotomy sites was significantly less in the study group compared with the control group (P <0.001). No difference was seen among the three sclerotomy sites regarding vitreous incarceration within individual eyes. No difference was seen between eyes operated by right- and left-handed surgeons. Vitreous shaving of sclerotomy sites using depressed vitrectomy significantly reduces vitreous incarceration. This may reduce the rate of sclerotomy-related complications following PPV in selected cases.


Application of Machine Learning Approaches for Protein-protein Interactions Prediction.
Proteomics endeavors to study the structures, functions and interactions of proteins. Information of the protein-protein interactions (PPIs) helps to improve our knowledge of the functions and the 3D structures of proteins. Thus determining the PPIs is essential for the study of the proteomics. In this review, in order to study the application of machine learning in predicting PPI, some machine learning approaches such as support vector machine (SVM), artificial neural networks (ANNs) and random forest (RF) were selected, and the examples of its applications in PPIs were listed. SVM and RF are two commonly used methods. Nowadays, more researchers predict PPIs by combining more than two methods. This review presents the application of machine learning approaches in predicting PPI. Many examples of success in identification and prediction in the area of PPI prediction have been discussed, and the PPIs research is still in progress.


Short- to Mid-Term Clinical Outcomes of Posterior-Stabilized Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty with Trabecular Metal Components.
This study aimed to evaluate the short- to mid-term clinical results of posterior-stabilized trabecular metal total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with cementless fixation of all components and investigate the radiographic changes of tibial and patellar components and cut bone surfaces over time. We retrospectively collected the data of 128 knees from 88 consecutive patients who had undergone initial TKA with NexGen LPS-Flex TM implants. A total of 66 knees from 45 patients (mean ± standard deviation age: 70.3 ± 7.5 years) met the selection criteria, which had been employed cementless fixation of all parts and at least 3 years of postoperative follow-up duration. Clinical evaluations included range of motion, conventional knee score, function score, postoperative complications, and revision. For radiological evaluations, the bone contact surface of each implant was divided into 7 zones for tibial component and 2 zones for patellar component. Each region was examined immediately after surgery, at 6 and 12 months, and then every year afterwards. The mean observation period of 45 subjects was 4.2 years. Adequate fixation of tibial components was maintained during follow-up, although the patellar components of 2 knees required revision after repeated falls. No loosening was observed in any implants. The initial gap in tibial components disappeared in all knees, and a reactive line remained in 4 knees. There were no revisions, except for 2 cases, which were ascribed to patellar component fracture caused by repeated falls. Cementless posterior-stabilized trabecular metal TKA appears to be a good surgical option. Longer-term examination for revision cases is required to validate our results.


Removal of a broken Synthes proximal spiral blade.
Use of cephalomedullary nails is an option for treatment of subtrochanteric femur fractures. However, the magnitude of bending forces in this area of the femur often can lead to implant failure before union. We report on a case of hardware failure of a specific device (Synthes spiral blade) and a method for removal.


[Microanalysis of plasma isoniazid and acetylisoniazid by high performance liquid chromatography].
A method for the analysis of isoniazid and acetylisoniazid in plasma or serum has been developed. This report describes a simple, quick and economically optimized reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic assay using a small sample size without solvent extraction step. Isoniazid was condensed with cinnamic aldehyde after trichloroacetic acid deproteinisation. The method correlated well with a fluorimetric procedure. Precision, sensibility and accuracy were good. Common antituberculous drugs did not interfere.


"I Get It, I'm Sick Too": An Autoethnographic Study of One Researcher/Practitioner/Patient With Chronic Illness.
This autoethnographic research utilizes reflexivity as a method to explore my self-experience of Lyme disease while holding co-occurring identities as a researcher, health professional, and mother. Awareness of self is central in psychotherapy so that therapists do not adversely impact their clients. This is similar for researchers who are ethically required to acknowledge and reduce any potential risk(s) of harm to their participants. In this study, I describe and systematically analyze my experiences as a patient with symptom-persistent Lyme disease, contextualized through co-occurring identities as a mother, a regulated (mental) health professional, and a scholar investigating the embodied experience of being a Lyme disease patient in the Canadian context. The central research question guiding this study is: "What are my experiences with symptom-persistent Lyme disease?" The results of this study suggest reflexivity is an important practice in both health research and healthcare. Relationships with health professionals have a significant impact on patients' healthcare experiences, and engaging in reflexive practice may improve the responsivity of healthcare professionals toward patients' needs and embodied experiences and serve as a check on pre-existing power relations in healthcare. Further, this research contributes to the current academic knowledge on symptom-persistent Lyme disease by offering a reflexive representation of my experiences as a researcher who is also a health professional and a patient within the Canadian healthcare system. Representations of patients' experiences are critical in advancing health research and ensuring equitable care for patients. Autoethnography offers important insights into patients' disease experiences.


Chromatin modifier enzymes, the histone code and cancer.
In all organisms, cell proliferation is orchestrated by coordinated patterns of gene expression. Transcription results from the activity of the RNA polymerase machinery and depends on the ability of transcription activators and repressors to access chromatin at specific promoters. During the last decades, increasing evidence supports aberrant transcription regulation as contributing to the development of human cancers. In fact, transcription regulatory proteins are often identified in oncogenic chromosomal rearrangements and are overexpressed in a variety of malignancies. Most transcription regulators are large proteins, containing multiple structural and functional domains some with enzymatic activity. These activities modify the structure of the chromatin, occluding certain DNA regions and exposing others for interaction with the transcription machinery. Thus, chromatin modifiers represent an additional level of transcription regulation. In this review we focus on several families of transcription activators and repressors that catalyse histone post-translational modifications (acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination and SUMOylation); and how these enzymatic activities might alter the correct cell proliferation program, leading to cancer.


[Effect of a Family Pharmacist System on Medication Adherence of Patients with Dyslipidemia during a COVID-19 Epidemic].
The pharmacy pharmacist's function as a family pharmacist is expected to improve adherence to medication in patients suffering from chronic diseases, including dyslipidemia. This is true even in infectious disease epidemics. In this study, using anonymously processed receipt data from 700 insurance pharmacies in our group, we evaluated medication adherence in patients taking statin drugs before, during the first and second years of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in terms of medication persistence and medication possession, and compared the results between the family pharmacist group (FP group) and non-family pharmacist group (NoFP group). The odds ratios of good medication adherence (medication persistence and medication possession) rates for the FP group relative to the NoFP group were 1.446 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.210-1.727] in the pre-epidemic period, 1.428 (1.192-1.710) in the first year of the epidemic, and 1.270 (1.113-1.450) in the second year of the epidemic. The FP group was significantly higher in all time periods. Therefore, it is suggested that the family pharmacist function improves adherence to statins not only before but also during the COVID-19 epidemic.


Computational models in nano-bioelectronics: simulation of ionic transport in voltage operated channels.
In this article, a novel mathematical and computational model is proposed for the numerical simulation of Voltage Operated ionic Channels (VOC) in Nano-bioelectronics applications. This is a first step towards a multi-physics description of hybrid bio-electronical devices such as bio-chips. The model consists of a coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations, comprising a Poisson-Nernst-Planck system to account for electro-chemical phenomena, and a Navier-Stokes system to account for fluid-mechanical phenomena. Suitable functional iteration techniques for problem decoupling and finite element methods for discretization are proposed and discussed. Numerical results on realistic VOCs illustrate the validity of the model and its accuracy by comparison with relevant computed channel equivalent electrical parameters with measured data.


Detection and isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from food samples: implications of sublethal injury.
Detection of L. monocytogenes is often limited by the performance of the enrichment media used to support bacterial growth to detectable levels. Because Listeria may exist at extremely low levels in foods, sample enrichment protocols must amplify these low initial populations to detectable limits. Listeria may also exist in an injured state in food products as a result of processing treatments such as heating, freezing, exposure to acids, or exposure to sanitizing compounds. Selective agents in enrichment media normally used for recovery of Listeria may inhibit repair and detection of sublethally injured Listeria, which may go on to repair, grow, and regain pathogenicity. Simple modifications to existing regulatory protocols, such as those that use more than one enrichment broth, raise sensitivity of detection to 90%. This review shows the efficacy of repair/enrichment strategies, which increase sensitivity of detection to 97.5-98.8% compared with 65-70% by standard regulatory protocols. Ribotype analysis of isolates obtained from meat samples reveals a complex microbial ecology, with striking differences in both number and distribution of distinct genetic types of Listeria, depending upon whether samples are enriched in selective or repair/enrichment media. In studies on enrichment of dairy environmental samples in University of Vermont medium and Listeria repair broth (UVM and LRB), combining these 2 primary enrichment media into a single tube of Fraser broth for dual secondary enrichment yielded a significantly higher percentage (p < 0.05) of Listeria-positive samples than did use of either LRB or UVM alone. Refinement of conventional Listeria recovery methods should consider the importance of the enrichment step, the nutritional needs of specific genetic types, and the physiological condition of Listeria isolates in foods.


Kid cleaves specific mRNAs at UUACU sites to rescue the copy number of plasmid R1.
Stability and copy number of extra-chromosomal elements are tightly regulated in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Toxin Kid and antitoxin Kis are the components of the parD stability system of prokaryotic plasmid R1 and they can also function in eukaryotes. In bacteria, Kid was thought to become active only in cells that lose plasmid R1 and to cleave exclusively host mRNAs at UA(A/C/U) trinucleotide sites to eliminate plasmid-free cells. Instead, we demonstrate here that Kid becomes active in plasmid-containing cells when plasmid copy number decreases, cleaving not only host- but also a specific plasmid-encoded mRNA at the longer and more specific target sequence UUACU. This specific cleavage by Kid inhibits bacterial growth and, at the same time, helps to restore the plasmid copy number. Kid targets a plasmid RNA that encodes a repressor of the synthesis of an R1 replication protein, resulting in increased plasmid DNA replication. This mechanism resembles that employed by some human herpesviruses to regulate viral amplification during infection.


Shock Index in Patients Presenting With Acute Heart Failure: A Multicenter Multinational Observational Study.
Shock index (SI) has a prognostic role in coronary heart disease; however, data on acute heart failure (AHF) are lacking. We evaluated the predictive values of SI in patients with AHF. Data were retrospectively analyzed from the Gulf Acute Heart Failure Registry. Patients were categorized into low SI versus high SI based on the receiver operating characteristic curves. Primary outcomes included cardiogenic shock (CS) and mortality. Among 4818 patients with AHF, 1143 had an SI ≥0.9. Compared with SI <0.9, patients with high SI were more likely males, younger, and having advanced New York Heart Association class, fewer cardiovascular risk factors and less prehospital β-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use. Shock index had significant negative correlations with age, pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure, and left ventricle ejection fraction and had positive correlation with hospital length of stay. Shock index ≥0.9 was significantly associated with higher composite end points, in-hospital, and 3-month mortality. Shock index ≥0.9 had 96% negative predictive value (NPV) and 3.5 relative risk for mortality. Multivariate regression analysis showed that SI was independent predictor of mortality and CS. With a high NPV, SI is a simple reliable bedside tool for risk stratification of patients with AHF. However, this conclusion needs further support.


Ornstein-Zernike equation and Percus-Yevick theory for molecular crystals.
We derive the Ornstein-Zernike equation for molecular crystals of axially symmetric particles and apply the Percus-Yevick approximation. The one-particle orientational distribution function rho((1)) (Omega) has a nontrivial dependence on the orientation Omega, in contrast to a liquid, and is needed as an input. Despite some differences, the Ornstein-Zernike equation for molecular crystals has a similar structure as for liquids. We solve both equations numerically for hard ellipsoids of revolution on a simple cubic lattice. Compared to molecular liquids, the orientational correlators in direct and reciprocal space exhibit less structure. However, depending on the lengths a and b of the rotation axis and the perpendicular axes of the ellipsoids, respectively, different behavior is found. For oblate and prolate ellipsoids with b greater, similar 0.35 (in units of the lattice constant), damped oscillations in distinct directions of direct space occur for some of the orientational correlators. They manifest themselves in some of the correlators in reciprocal space as a maximum at the Brillouin zone edge, accompanied by a maximum at the zone center for other correlators. The oscillations indicate alternating orientational fluctuations, while the maxima at the zone center originate from ferrorotational fluctuations. For a less, similar 2.5 and b less, similar 0.35, the oscillations are weaker, leading to no marked maxima at the Brillouin zone edge. For a greater, similar 3.0 and b less, similar 0.35, no oscillations occur any longer. For many of the orientational correlators in reciprocal space, an increase of a at fixed b or vice versa leads to a divergence at the zone center q=0, consistent with the formation of ferrorotational long-range fluctuations, and for some oblate and prolate systems with b less, similar 1.0 a simultaneous tendency to divergence of few other correlators at the zone edge is observed. Comparison of the orientational correlators with those from Monte Carlo simulations shows satisfactory agreement. From these simulations we also obtain a phase boundary in the a-b plane for order-disorder transitions.


[AIDS: possibilities of active immunization].
The development of an AIDS vaccine represents a major challenge for medical research. Efforts are undertaken for the production of appropriate immunogens in sufficient quantity and purity, especially by the use of recombinant DNA technology. Unfortunately, all immunization experiments using chimpanzees were negative so far, since in no case infection could be prevented by vaccination. Nevertheless, immunization trials were started in humans, although it is unclear which type of immune response could mediate protection. It is at present not possible to predict at which time and if at all an AIDS vaccine will become available.


Adequacy of Informed Consent in Elective Surgical Procedures: A Study in a Navi Mumbai Tertiary Care Centre.
Background Informed consent (IC) is a voluntary authorisation given by a patient or research subject after fully comprehending the risks involved in various procedures and treatments. Though a patient may fulfill all the aspects of consent by completing an informed consent form (ICF), research indicates poor execution of the IC process by ill-informed patients with little comprehension. The present study was done on patients to assess their understanding and involvement in the consenting process, thereby providing insight into the adequacy and sufficiency of the IC process. Materials and methodology Patients undergoing elective surgical procedures were surveyed using a questionnaire to study whether the written informed consent (IC) process was adequately used in elective surgeries and to assess the patient's understanding of the IC and whether the informed consent forms (ICF) used met the ethical and legal standards for this purpose. The questionnaire was administered to the patients by two surveyors. As per the inclusion/exclusion criteria, data was collected from 221 admitted patients who were planned to undergo or recently underwent various elective surgical/operative procedures. Descriptive analysis using frequency and percentages of the positive and negative responses was used to analyse the data. Results In 219 (99%) of the cases, informed consent was taken. Two hundred-eight patients (94.1%) understood the knowledgeable consent information, while 13 (5.9%) did not. Of the total 221 patients, more than 90% of patients were informed about the nature and indication of the surgery. The expected benefits were told to 83.25% of patients, while possible complications of the procedure were reported to 91 patients (41.2%). Of the total, 58.37 % of patients knew the type of anaesthesia used for elective surgery. Two hundred and sixteen (97.73%) patients favoured the informed consent process, and 213 (96.38%) were satisfied with the information provided in the consent form. The education status of the patient varied, with nearly 15.5% being illiterate while 35.3% being educated till high school. Patients undergoing surgical procedures must be explained the nature and indication of the proposed surgical treatment, including its benefits and risks. About 208 (94.1%) of the patients stated that they understood all the information provided in the ICF, and 213 patients (96.3%) were satisfied with it. Most patients (88.7%) exercised autonomy in deciding to undergo surgery. Ninety-seven percent of patients favoured the IC process, of which 38.46% believed informed consent has a medicolegal significance. Conclusion The present study revealed that a better understanding of the informed consent by the patients is a vital component of the process as it helps exercise autonomy in the decision-making process. However, the lack of information in the informed consent forms critically affects the quality and adequacy of the IC, thus posing ethical and legal challenges to genuinely informed consent.


Mini Med School: why you should try a virtual, medical student-led program.
Mini Med School (MMS) programs led by medical students provide a unique opportunity for community members to access free and accurate health information while engaging with the education of medical students. Virtually delivered MMS programs reduce barriers to access. 90.3% of participants in a recent MMS enjoyed medical students delivering the seminars. 63.6% of participants preferred virtual MMS seminars, with 31.8% preferring a combination of virtual and in-person delivery. Student-led, virtually delivered MMS programs are an engaging way to support both medical student and community education while strengthening community ties with local medical schools.


Accurate quantification of endogenous androgenic steroids in cattle's meat by gas chromatography mass spectrometry using a surrogate analyte approach.
Determination of endogenous steroids in complex matrices such as cattle's meat is a challenging task. Since endogenous steroids always exist in animal tissues, no analyte-free matrices for constructing the standard calibration line will be available, which is crucial for accurate quantification specially at trace level. Although some methods have been proposed to solve the problem, none has offered a complete solution. To this aim, a new quantification strategy was developed in this study, which is named "surrogate analyte approach" and is based on using isotope-labeled standards instead of natural form of endogenous steroids for preparing the calibration line. In comparison with the other methods, which are currently in use for the quantitation of endogenous steroids, this approach provides improved simplicity and speed for analysis on a routine basis. The accuracy of this method is better than other methods at low concentration and comparable to the standard addition at medium and high concentrations. The method was also found to be valid according to the ICH criteria for bioanalytical methods. The developed method could be a promising approach in the field of compounds residue analysis.


The impact of synapsin III gene on the neurometabolite level alterations after single-dose methylphenidate in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder patients.
To investigate the neurometabolite level changes according to synapsin III gene rs133945G>A and rs133946C>G polymorphisms by using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Fifty-seven adults diagnosed with ADHD were recruited for the study. The participants were examined by single-voxel (1)H MRS when medication naïve and 30 minutes after oral administration of 10 mg methylphenidate (Mph). Those who had been on a stimulant discontinued the medication 48 hours before MRS imaging. Spectra were taken from the anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, striatum, and cerebellum, and N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline, and creatine levels were examined. For genotyping of the synapsin III gene polymorphisms, DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. The effects of age, sex, and ADHD subtypes were controlled in the analyses. After a single dose of Mph, choline levels increased significantly in the striatum of rs133945G>A polymorphism-GG genotypes (P=0.020) and NAA levels rose in the anterior cingulate cortex of rs133946C>G polymorphism-CG genotypes (P=0.014). Both rs133945G>A and rs133946C>G polymorphisms were found to statistically significantly affect the alteration of NAA levels in response to Mph in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with two-way repeated measure of analysis of variance. Post hoc comparisons revealed a significant difference between CG and GG genotypes of rs133946C>G polymorphisms after Bonferroni adjustment (P=0.016). Synapsin III gene polymorphisms may be affecting the changes in neurometabolite levels in response to Mph in adult ADHD patients. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings.


Modulation of human melanoma cell metastasis and adhesion may involve integrin phosphorylation mediated through protein kinase C.
A correlation between changes in protein kinase C (PKC) activity and tumor metastasis has been reported previously with several murine tumor cell lines. Treatment of a human metastatic melanoma cell line, M24met, with phorbol ester, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), followed by injection into the tail vein of scid mice doubled pulmonary metastasis. Adhesion of M24met cells exposed to PMA, was enhanced to collagens I and IV, but not to laminin or fibronectin, suggesting a change in specific adhesion receptors on the tumor cells. Treatment of M24met cells with PMA did not affect de novo synthesis of integrin subunits (alpha 2, alpha 3, beta 1) known to form collagen receptors. However, PMA stimulated the phosphorylation of integrin subunits alpha 3 and beta 1 on serine. Therefore, PMA effects on metastasis and cell adhesion may occur through PKC-mediated phosphorylation of integrins.


Topical triple-antibiotic ointment as a novel therapeutic choice in wound management and infection prevention: a practical perspective.
Triple-antibiotic ointment (TAO) is a safe and effective topical agent for preventing infections in minor skin trauma. The formulation contains neomycin, polymyxin B and bacitracin in a petrolatum base. TAO is active against the most common disease-causing pathogens found in wounds and on the skin and may be an attractive alternative to oral therapy in select circumstances. Resistance to TAO does not develop readily, and safety studies have shown that the risk of allergic sensitivity to TAO is low. Susceptibility profiles of TAO have remained relatively unchanged since its discovery. Prophylaxis or treatment with TAO should be considered as resistant organisms continue to emerge in the community and hospital setting.


The poly(C)-binding proteins: a multiplicity of functions and a search for mechanisms.
The poly(C) binding proteins (PCBPs) are encoded at five dispersed loci in the mouse and human genomes. These proteins, which can be divided into two groups, hnRNPs K/J and the alphaCPs (alphaCP1-4), are linked by a common evolutionary history, a shared triple KH domain configuration, and by their poly(C) binding specificity. Given these conserved characteristics it is remarkable to find a substantial diversity in PCBP functions. The roles of these proteins in mRNA stabilization, translational activation, and translational silencing suggest a complex and diverse set of post-transcriptional control pathways. Their additional putative functions in transcriptional control and as structural components of important DNA-protein complexes further support their remarkable structural and functional versatility. Clearly the identification of additional binding targets and delineation of corresponding control mechanisms and effector pathways will establish highly informative models for further exploration.


Achievable accuracy of hip screw holding power estimation by insertion torque measurement.
To ensure stability of proximal femoral fractures, the hip screw must firmly engage into the femoral head. Some studies suggested that screw holding power into trabecular bone could be evaluated, intraoperatively, through measurement of screw insertion torque. However, those studies used synthetic bone, instead of trabecular bone, as host material or they did not evaluate accuracy of predictions. We determined prediction accuracy, also assessing the impact of screw design and host material. We measured, under highly-repeatable experimental conditions, disregarding clinical procedure complexities, insertion torque and pullout strength of four screw designs, both in 120 synthetic and 80 trabecular bone specimens of variable density. For both host materials, we calculated the root-mean-square error and the mean-absolute-percentage error of predictions based on the best fitting model of torque-pullout data, in both single-screw and merged dataset. Predictions based on screw-specific regression models were the most accurate. Host material impacts on prediction accuracy: the replacement of synthetic with trabecular bone decreased both root-mean-square errors, from 0.54 ÷ 0.76 kN to 0.21 ÷ 0.40 kN, and mean-absolute-percentage errors, from 14 ÷ 21% to 10 ÷ 12%. However, holding power predicted on low insertion torque remained inaccurate, with errors up to 40% for torques below 1 Nm. In poor-quality trabecular bone, tissue inhomogeneities likely affect pullout strength and insertion torque to different extents, limiting the predictive power of the latter. This bias decreases when the screw engages good-quality bone. Under this condition, predictions become more accurate although this result must be confirmed by close in-vitro simulation of the clinical procedure.


New approaches to achieving dietary change.
Current approaches to achieving dietary change are reviewed. The more successful strategies are those that are tailored to the individual and his or her situation and readiness for change, supported when possible by broader social and environmental changes. Some methods of reducing dietary fat intake are better accepted and maintained than others; an emphasis on these may be helpful.


Simvastatin could prevent increase of the serum MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio in acute ischaemic stroke.
MMP-9 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AIS and predicts haemorrhagic transformation of the ischaemic focus. The aim of our study was to analyse both serum MMP-9 and its most specific endogenous inhibitor (TIMP-1) levels in AIS and to check whether HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (simvastatin) affects the MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio value. Fifty patients with AIS were randomly divided into two groups: Group I (N = 25) treated with 40 mg/day with simvastatin within 24 hours after the onset of stroke and Group II (N = 25) non-treated with statin. To evaluate MMP-9 and TIMP-1 serum levels, the ELISA method was used. The serum MMP-9 level was significantly elevated on the 7th day of stroke in both groups (from 668 to 862 ng/ml and 670 to 855 ng/ml, respectively, in Group I and II). The serum TIMP-1 level was also elevated on the 7th day of stroke in both groups but the results were not significant. The MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio was elevated on the 7th day of stroke in both groups, but the result was significant only in the Group II (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that simvastatin given during 24 hours after the onset of stroke could have an influence on the MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio during AIS.