[A literature review on the Messerer's fracture].
The characteristic wedge-shaped fracture was first described by Messerer (1880) and Bruns (1884) after performing experiments on long bones. Not much later, Messerer (1885) formulated the forensic significance of the direct bending fracture for the detection of the location and direction of blunt impact trauma. He developed the basic biomechanical theory of the origin of this fracture type, which is therefore called Messerer's fracture in the German-speaking world. In the following decades, the findings concerning the origin, specificity and forensic usability of Messerer's fractures were confirmed and supplemented by experiments and case studies. For forensic examinations, it is important to bear in mind that there are exceptions to the rule according to which the level of the wedge-shaped fracture corresponds exactly to the point of impact. The possibility of "false" or "reversed" wedges must also be considered. Already in the 19th century, authors had pointed out the mechanism of indirect formation of wedge-shaped bone fragments. That is why a forensic examination always has to consider the investigation results and medical findings in their entirety. Autopsy of traffic victims is of paramount importance. It must include a thorough examination of clothing, skin, soft tissues and skeletal system using special preparation techniques. The examination of bone injuries in living victims also requires special expertise. If properly applied, valuable results can be obtained by the forensic expert from the wedge-shaped fracture. Until recently, Messerer's fracture was a typical injury sustained by pedestrians hit by vehicles with protruding frontal elements. In modern car production, not only the dimensions of cars have been changed, but the front-end structures have also been modified, e. g. by integrated bumpers. These constructional changes are likely to reduce the frequency of narrow points of impact in collisions. However, further research on the frequency and significance of Messerer's fractures in road traffic accident victims is required.


Case of mediastinal seminoma with testicular microlithiasis.
Testicular microlithiasis is a rare condition in which calcified concretions fill the lumina of the seminiferous tubules. We report the case of a 19-year-old Japanese man with mediastinal seminoma, normal testicular physical findings and bilateral testicular microlithiasis seen on ultrasonography. Testicular needle biopsy demonstrated multiple laminated calcifications within the seminiferous tubules without any signals of a viable germ cell tumor. To our knowledge, this is only the sixth reported case of extragonadal germ cell tumor with testicular microlithiasis.


Precise Engineering of Prodrug Cocktails into Single Polymeric Nanoparticles for Combination Cancer Therapy: Extended and Sequentially Controllable Drug Release.
The synergistic combination of two or more chemotherapeutics frequently requires packaging in single delivery vehicles for the sequential release of each substance in a predictable manner. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the rational engineering of a prodrug cocktail into single polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) can enable the sequential release of chemotherapeutics in a controllable manner. Exploiting combretastatin-A4 (CA4, 1) as a model antiangiogenesis agent, two ester derivatives, 2 and 3, tethered with saturated fatty acids (butanoic and heptanoic acid for 2 and 3, respectively) were synthesized. 7-Ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN38) derivative 4, esterified with α-linolenic acid, was used as a cytotoxic drug. Because of their augmented lipophilicity and miscibility, all constructed prodrugs readily assembled with clinically approved polymeric matrices. Results showed that altering the aliphatic chains of modifiers for CA4 chemical derivatization enabled the drug retention capacity within particle systems to be adjusted, leading to the identification of the prodrug cocktail of 2 and 4 as an optimal combination for subsequent preclinical studies. Furthermore, in vivo assessements indicated that the resulting NPs simultaneously formulating 2 and 4 exhibited synergistic activities and outperformed NPs loaded with individual prodrugs 2 or 4 in terms of therapeutic efficacy. These findings highlight a novel and versatile strategy for tailoring chemically disparate prodrug cocktails for adaptation within a single nanoplatform as a potential modality for synergistic cancer therapy.


FZL, a dynamin-like protein localized to curved grana edges, is required for efficient photosynthetic electron transfer in Arabidopsis.
Photosynthetic electron transfer and its regulation processes take place on thylakoid membranes, and the thylakoid of vascular plants exhibits particularly intricate structure consisting of stacked grana and flat stroma lamellae. It is known that several membrane remodeling proteins contribute to maintain the thylakoid structure, and one putative example is FUZZY ONION LIKE (FZL). In this study, we re-evaluated the controversial function of FZL in thylakoid membrane remodeling and in photosynthesis. We investigated the sub-membrane localization of FZL and found that it is enriched on curved grana edges of thylakoid membranes, consistent with the previously proposed model that FZL mediates fusion of grana and stroma lamellae at the interfaces. The mature fzl thylakoid morphology characterized with the staggered and less connected grana seems to agree with this model as well. In the photosynthetic analysis, the fzl knockout mutants in Arabidopsis displayed reduced electron flow, likely resulting in higher oxidative levels of Photosystem I (PSI) and smaller proton motive force (pmf). However, nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence was excessively enhanced considering the pmf levels in fzl, and we found that introducing kea3-1 mutation, lowering pH in thylakoid lumen, synergistically reinforced the photosynthetic disorder in the fzl mutant background. We also showed that state transitions normally occurred in fzl, and that they were not involved in the photosynthetic disorders in fzl. We discuss the possible mechanisms by which the altered thylakoid morphology in fzl leads to the photosynthetic modifications.


Secondary hypertension: obesity and the metabolic syndrome.
The epidemic of obesity in the United States and around the world is intensifying in severity and scope and has been implicated as an underlying mechanism in systemic hypertension. Obese hypertensive individuals characteristically exhibit volume congestion, relative elevation in heart rate, and high cardiac output with concomitant activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. When the metabolic syndrome is present, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia may contribute to hypertension through diverse mechanisms. Blood pressure can be lowered when weight control measures are successful, using, for example, caloric restriction, aerobic exercise, weight loss drugs, or bariatric surgery. A major clinical challenge resides in converting short-term weight reduction into a sustained benefit. Pharmacotherapy for the obese hypertensive patient may require multiple agents, with an optimal regimen consisting of inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, thiazide diuretics, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers if needed to attain contemporary blood pressure treatment goals.


An interactive program for the analysis of ENG tracings.
An interactive program for clinical and research evaluation of vestibular nystagmus has been developed. Because of the interactive structure of the program, the clinician can make immediate decisions on the interpretation of controversial aspects of the nystagmogram; therefore even the more irregular and noisy ENG tracings, frequently obtained from pathological subjects, can be easily processed. In this way, speed and accuracy of computer processing are coupled with intelligent activity and critical judgement of the clinical evaluation. The program can be implemented on a general purpose minicomputer and no specific technical training is required for its use. The structure of the program and the operations performed by main subsystems are discussed in detail. Examples of ENG tracings processed with the program are reported.


Measles Outbreak Associated with Vaccine Failure in Adults--Federated States of Micronesia, February-August 2014.
On May 15, 2014, CDC was notified of two laboratory-confirmed measles cases in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), after 20 years with no reported measles. FSM was assisted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and CDC in investigating suspected cases, identify contacts, conduct analyses to guide outbreak vaccination response, and review vaccine cold chain practices. During February–August, three of FSM's four states reported measles cases: Kosrae (139 cases), Pohnpei (251), and Chuuk (3). Two thirds of cases occurred among adults aged ≥20 years; of these, 49% had received ≥2 doses of measles-containing vaccine (MCV). Apart from infants aged <12 months who were too young for routine vaccination, measles incidence was lower among children than adults. A review of current cold chain practices in Kosrae revealed minor weaknesses; however, an absence of historical cold chain maintenance records precluded an evaluation of earlier problems. Each state implemented vaccination campaigns targeting children as young as age 6 months through adults up to age 57 years. The preponderance of cases in this outbreak associated with vaccine failure in adults highlights the need for both thorough case investigation and epidemiologic analysis to guide outbreak response vaccination. Routine childhood vaccination coverage achieved in recent years limited the transmission of measles among children. Even in areas where transmission has not occurred for years, maintaining high 2-dose MCV coverage through routine and supplemental immunization is needed to prevent outbreaks resulting from increased measles susceptibility in the population.


A Case Report on Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.
A 71-year-old female with a past medical history of hypertension, seizure disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair complicated by spinal cord infarction resulting in lower extremity paraparesis with chronic urinary retention, and sacral decubitus ulcer initially presented to the emergency department (ED) complaining of a one-week history of chest pain. During her inpatient stay, acute myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism were ruled out and the patient was hemodynamically stable for discharge until she started experiencing new-onset nausea and dyspnea. Bedside electrocardiogram demonstrated ST elevations in the anterior leads with concomitant T-wave inversions in the inferolateral leads as well as a prolonged QTc. Troponin-HS was elevated at 907.69. Bedside transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) demonstrated a severely decreased left ventricular ejection fraction of 10%-15% (representing an acute decrease from a left ventricular ejection fraction of 55%-60% from a TTE performed seven days prior). Cardiac catheterization demonstrated mild non-obstructive coronary artery disease and no interventions were conducted. Such signs and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction, without demonstrable coronary artery stenosis, are consistent with stress induced or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. This phenomenon occurs in approximately 1%-2% of patients presenting with troponin-positive suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).


Sensitivity Evaluation and Stimulation Optimization of Ultralow Permeability Sandstone Reservoir.
Acidizing operation is normally applied in low permeability reservoirs, but if the acid system is not utilized properly, it will cause sensitive damage to the reservoir. As for the Sanjianfang Formation of the sandstone reservoir in the Shanshan oilfield, the problems existing in acidizing are especially serious. For these problems, the basic characteristics, sensitivity characteristics, and damage mechanisms were obtained by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Meanwhile, gas porosity and permeability were measured, and reservoir sensitivity characteristics were evaluated. The results showed that the reservoir rocks are mainly feldspar lithic sandstone and the clay minerals are mainly kaolinite and montmorillonite, which belong to the high clay mineral reservoir. It is an unsaturated reservoir with normal formation pressure that has low porosity and ultra-low permeability, heavy crude oil, and low porosity. The reservoir is highly stress sensitive, moderately weak velocity sensitive, alkali sensitive, water sensitive, salt sensitive, and weak acid sensitive. Based on these results, a multinanoscale stimulating liquid system was developed in the laboratory, and field application of this fluid system combined with mud acid was carried out. The combination system of multinanoscale highly efficient stimulation fluid and mud acid can meet the optimal dissolution rate of rock during the acidizing process and can increase the permeability of the targeted reservoir by 2.68 times, with a remarkable field application effect. The research results can provide a scientific basis for acidizing and stimulation of ultralow permeability sandstone reservoir.


Widely wavelength tunable fast intensity-modulated light source for biophotonic applications.
High modulation depth, fast (megahertz to gigahertz), intensity-modulated light sources of various wavelengths within the 0.7-1.35 μm bio-penetration window are highly desirable for many biophotonic diagnosis systems. In this Letter, we present a novel scheme of a wavelength tunable, ultra-broadband light source which simply consists of a pump laser, a nonlinear fiber, and demodulation circuits. The working wavelength range of the light source is from 0.7 to 1.35 μm which covers a vast part of the bio-penetration window, and its modulation frequencies extends from tens of megahertz to gigahertz. The performances of the proposed light source in either working wavelength range or modulation frequency bandwidth are much superior to any typical laser diodes or solid state lasers currently employed in the frequency-domain or other biophotonic utilization. The wide applicability of this novel light source in diverse biophotonic applications can be observed from our carefully designed diffused optical spectroscopy phantom measurement.


Care at the Crossroads: Navigating the HIV, HCV, and Substance Abuse Syndemic.
For patients with both HIV/HCV coinfection and substance addiction, multidisciplinary teams can facilitate coordination of care and improve clinical outcomes. Such teams should include HIV/HCV treatment providers, mental health specialists, case managers, social workers, and substance abuse counselors.


Predictors of Blood Culture Positivity in Pediatric Brucellosis.
To investigate the predictors of blood culture positivity in children with brucellosis. Descriptive study. Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases in Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Turkey, from January to December 2015. Eighty-six children under 16 years of age, with brucellosis, were retrospectively evaluated. Compatible clinical findings plus presence of positivity at titers of >1:160 in serum and/or Coombs agglutination tests in a single serum sample and/or a minimum fourfold increase within a 2-3 week interval were diagnostic for brucellosis. Only patients with blood cultures were included. Patients' demographical, clinical, and laboratory risk factors, such as age, gender, presence and duration of symptoms, and laboratory characteristics were analysed. Brucella spp. grew in blood cultures of 24 (27.9%) patients. Children with blood culture positivity had shorter symptom duration than those with negative blood cultures (p=0.03). Absence of personal and household histories of brucellosis (p=0.02 and p=0.04, respectively), lower hemoglobin, iron, and vitamin D (p<0.001, p=0.006, and p=0.006, respectively), and higher leukocyte, CRP, and ferritin (p<0.001, p=0.001, and p<0.001, respectively) levels were associated with isolation of Brucella spp. in blood culture. Children with positive blood cultures had higher serum tube and Coombs agglutination test results (p=0.001 and p<0.001). ROC analysis showed that ferritin at a cut-off level of 122 ng/mL (CI 95% 0.86-0.97, p<0.001) and Brucella Coombs agglutination test at a cut-off level of 1/480 (CI 95% 0.84-0.96, p<0.001) were the most sensitive and specific predictors of bacteremia. Serum hemoglobin, iron, ferritin, vitamin D, and C-reactive protein levels, Brucellar tube and Coombs agglutination tests, and leukocyte count could help to predict definitive diagnosis in pediatric brucellosis when molecular techniques are not feasible, such as in source-limited countries.


The Role of Psychological Stress Reactions in the Longitudinal Relation Between Workplace Bullying and Turnover.
To investigate the association between workplace bullying and change of job/unemployment, and to investigate whether psychological stress reactions constitute a potential pathway linking workplace bullying and change of job/unemployment. We used questionnaire data on workplace bullying and psychological stress reactions and register data on change of job/unemployment. We applied a multiple pathway approach to estimate the proportion of the association between workplace bullying and subsequent change of job/unemployment that was potentially mediated by psychological stress reactions. Workplace bullying was associated with risk of change of job (odds ratio [OR] = 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.72; 24% potentially mediated by psychological stress reactions) and unemployment (OR = 4.90; 95% CI: 3.18-7.55; 19% potentially mediated by psychological stress reactions). Workplace bullying has important consequences for labor market outcomes. Psychological stress reactions may play a vital role in this process.


[Survey on blood transfusion policy within Dutch hospitals: wide discrepancies. Central Guidance Organization for Peer Review].
To describe the transfusion practices in Dutch hospitals. Descriptive. Late in 1995 a questionnaire was sent to the heads of the transfusion laboratories of all Dutch hospitals. The response was 91% (117/128). A large variation was found not only in the ways transfusion medicine was organised but also in laboratory methods used. The implementation of the consensus agreements on blood transfusion in the Netherlands (1983, revised in 1989) is poor. Continuous education of the participants should be encouraged. Implementation of these agreements could be facilitated by active participation of the blood bank in the transfusion committees of each hospital.


Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in captive maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) from southeastern and midwestern regions of Brazil.
The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum in captive maned wolves from Brazil, considering that little information is available at the literature about infections by these parasites in this wild animal. Serum samples were obtained from 59 maned wolves originated from six zoos and from one ecological reserve of the southeastern and midwestern regions of Brazil. To detect IgG antibodies against T. gondii, an ELISA protocol was used and the results were expressed as ELISA reactivity indexes (EI). Serology for N. caninum was carried out by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and cut-off titers were established at 1:25 dilution. From the total of the analyzed samples, 44 (74.6%) were seropositive for T. gondii and only 5 (8.5%) for N. caninum. Seropositivity for T. gondii ranged from 0 to 100% in the seven different origin locals, with rates over 50% among the six zoos, whereas no positivity was found in the samples from ecological reserve. For N. caninum, seroprevalence varied from 0 to 50% in the different locals, with the highest rates also detected in zoos. Seroprevalence for T. gondii was strongly related with age, with rates significantly higher among adult wolves (91.7%) when compared to newborn or young animals. Seropositive samples for N. caninum were found predominantly in adult wolves. For both parasites, seroprevalence did not show a significant distinction in relation to gender. Although seroprevalence for T. gondii was significantly higher when compared to N. caninum in the Brazilian captive maned wolves tested, these findings reflect the great exposure of this species to T. gondii and, in lower extension, to N. caninum. Also, the present study demonstrated for the first time the presence of antibodies to N. caninum in wild life from South America.


Fully transparent and rollable electronics.
Major obstacles toward the manufacture of transparent and flexible display screens include the difficulty of finding transparent and flexible semiconductors and electrodes, temperature restrictions of flexible plastic substrates, and bulging or warping of the flexible electronics during processing. Here we report the fabrication and performance of fully transparent and rollable thin-film transistor (TFT) circuits for display applications. The TFTs employ an amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide semiconductor (with optical band gap of 3.1 eV) and amorphous indium-zinc oxide transparent conductive electrodes, and are built on 15-μm-thick solution-processed colorless polyimide (CPI), resulting in optical transmittance >70% in the visible range. As the CPI supports processing temperatures >300 °C, TFT performance on plastic is similar to that on glass, with typical field-effect mobility, turn-on voltage, and subthreshold voltage swing of 12.7 ± 0.5 cm(2)/V·s, -1.7 ± 0.2 V, and 160 ± 29 mV/dec, respectively. There is no significant degradation after rolling the TFTs 100 times on a cylinder with a radius of 4 mm or when shift registers, each consisting of 40 TFTs, are operated while bent to a radius of 2 mm. For handling purposes, carrier glass is used during fabrication, together with a very thin (∼1 nm) solution-processed carbon nanotube (CNT)/graphene oxide (GO) backbone that is first spin-coated on the glass to decrease adhesion of the CPI to the glass; peel strength of the CPI from glass decreases from 0.43 to 0.10 N/cm, which eases the process of detachment performed after device fabrication. Given that the CNT/GO remains embedded under the CPI after detachment, it minimizes wrinkling and decreases the substrate's tensile elongation from 8.0% to 4.6%. Device performance is also stable under electrostatic discharge exposures up to 10 kV, as electrostatic charge can be released via the conducting CNTs.


Structural analysis of the Hox-3.1 transcription unit and the Hox-3.2--Hox-3.1 intergenic region.
The mouse Hox gene family is a set of mammalian homeobox genes that may represent developmental control genes. Complete information about the primary structure of these genes is a prerequisite for a systematic analysis of the mechanisms that determine their complex tempero-spatial expression patterns. In this report we describe the complete sequence of the Hox-3.1 locus and provide evidence for several closely spaced transcriptional start sites. Sequence analysis of the 5' region of the Hox-3.1 gene extending to its nearest upstream neighbor, Hox-3.2, allowed us to identify sequences known to be capable of interactions with transcription factors. Several of these sequence motifs are similar to cis-regulatory elements found in the regulatory regions of other known developmentally regulated genes.


Effect of ethanol on the glucose-induced movements of protons across the plasma membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 431.
The study of glucose-induced proton fluxes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 431 showed a decrease of proton net efflux by ethanol across the plasma membrane of energized cells. Furthermore a negative net proton efflux (an influx) occurred from a given ethanol concentration (between 1.3 and 1.5 M) whatever the experimental conditions used, thus allowing the definition of a nil-net exchange step where no net movement of protons across the plasma membrane could be observed. A new technique of ethanol tolerance determination in yeast based upon a correlation for the same ethanol concentration between both the collapse of the proton gradient and the growth cessation in cultures supplemented with ethanol after 8 h incubation was proposed. The defined method also showed a cumulated effect of temperature and ethanol on Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 431.


Cytokines as Biomarkers for Evaluating Physical Exercise in Trained and Non-Trained Individuals: A Narrative Review.
Physical activity and exercise training have numerous health benefits, including the prevention and management of chronic diseases, improvement of cardiovascular health, and enhancement of mental well-being. However, the effectiveness of training programs can vary widely among individuals due to various factors, such as genetics, lifestyle, and environment. Thus, identifying reliable biomarkers to evaluate physical training effectiveness and personalize training programs is crucial. Cytokines are signaling molecules produced by immune cells that play a vital role in inflammation and tissue repair. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the potential use of cytokines as biomarkers for evaluating training effectiveness. This review article aims to provide an overview of cytokines, their potential as biomarkers, methods for measuring cytokine levels, and factors that can affect cytokine levels. The article also discusses the potential benefits of using cytokines as biomarkers, such as monitoring muscle damage and inflammation, and the potential for personalized training programs based on cytokine responses. We believe that the use of cytokines as biomarkers holds great promise for optimizing training programs and improving overall health outcomes.


Early L2 Spoken Word Recognition Combines Input-Based and Knowledge-Based Processing.
This study examines the perceptual trade-off between knowledge of a language's statistical regularities and reliance on the acoustic signal during L2 spoken word recognition. We test how early learners track and make use of segmental and suprasegmental cues and their relative frequencies during non-native word recognition. English learners of Mandarin were taught an artificial tonal language in which a tone's informativeness for word identification varied according to neighborhood density. The stimuli mimicked Mandarin's uneven distribution of syllable+tone combinations by varying syllable frequency and the probability of particular tones co-occurring with a particular syllable. Use of statistical regularities was measured by four-alternative forced-choice judgments and by eye fixations to target and competitor symbols. Half of the participants were trained on one speaker, that is, low speaker variability while the other half were trained on four speakers. After four days of learning, the results confirmed that tones are processed according to their informativeness. Eye movements to the newly learned symbols demonstrated that L2 learners use tonal probabilities at an early stage of word recognition, regardless of speaker variability. The amount of variability in the signal, however, influenced the time course of recovery from incorrect anticipatory looks: participants exposed to low speaker variability recovered from incorrect probability-based predictions of tone more rapidly than participants exposed to greater variability. These results motivate two conclusions: early L2 learners track the distribution of segmental and suprasegmental co-occurrences and make predictions accordingly during spoken word recognition; and when the acoustic input is more variable because of multi-speaker input, listeners rely more on their knowledge of tone-syllable co-occurrence frequency distributions and less on the incoming acoustic signal.


Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenylhydrazine (CCCP) Reverses Resistance to Colistin, but Not to Carbapenems and Tigecycline in Multidrug-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae.
Background: Carbapenems (CAR), colistin (CST), and tigecycline (TGC) alone or in combination therapy has become the last-resort antibiotics for treating infections caused by multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. However, resistance to these reserve antibiotics are increasingly being reported worldwide. Hence, the quest to find other agents that will synergistically restore the efficacy of these antibiotics have increased. Methods: Sixty-three clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates comprising of Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 24), Enterobacter spp. (n = 15), Serratia marcescens (n = 12), Citrobacter freundii (n = 8), Escherichia coli (n = 2), and K. oxytoca/michiganensis (n = 2) with known carbapenem resistance mechanisms and undescribed CST and TGC resistance mechanisms were subjected to broth microdilution and meropenem (MEM) disc synergy test in the presence and absence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazine (CCCP), a H+ conductor (protonophore). Results and conclusions: Susceptibility to MEM, imipenem (IMP), CST, and TGC was found in only 2, 0, 17, and 9 isolates respectively. Addition of CCCP reversed resistance to CST, TGC, IMP, and MEM in 44, 3, 0, and 0 isolates respectively; CST had the highest mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) fold change (193.12; p < 0.0001) post CCCP compared to that of MEM (1.70), IMP (1.49) and TGC (1.16). Eight isolates tested positive for the MEM-CCCP disc synergy test. We concluded that CCCP reverse CST resistance in CST-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Although CCCP is an experimental agent with no therapeutic value clinically, further studies are necessary to decipher the mechanisms underlying the CST-CCCP synergy to inform the development of adjuvants that could be therapeutically effective in CST-resistant infections.


Helminth community structure of 13 species of anurans from Atlantic rainforest remnants, Brazil.
This study aimed to evaluate the community composition and structure of the helminths found in 13 anuran species, and to evaluate whether this parasite community is determined by anuran characteristics. We found that the helminth fauna of the amphibians from five anuran families consisted of 13 taxa and that Cosmocercidae gen. sp. was the most prevalent taxon, followed by Oswaldocruzia subauricularis. Host body size was a determining factor of the composition and structure of the parasitic fauna. Helminth abundance and richness were positively correlated with host body size. The host Leptodactylus latrans had the highest helminth richness (n = 8). The frog Hypsiboas faber had the greatest helminth diversity (H' = 0.711). The mean helminth species richness and diversity differed significantly between host species (P < 0.05). Taken together, our data indicate that, in sympatric species of amphibians, the morphological and behavioural characteristics of the hosts are important for structuring the helminth parasite communities.


How to Score the Sexual Experiences Survey? A Comparison of Nine Methods.
Although assessments of sexual assault victimization and perpetration have greatly improved, current scoring methods do not fully utilize the wealth of information they provide. The present studies assessed new methods for scoring sexual assault severity using the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES; Koss et al., 2007). In two studies of female (n = 436) and male (n = 313) non-problem drinkers who had engaged in unprotected sex within the past year, we compared three severity ranking schemes as well as three scoring methods per severity scheme for a total of nine scoring methods. New severity ranking schemes considered tactic types separately, varied combinations of assault outcomes, and accounted for multiple types and frequencies of assaults. Measures assessing convergent validity were also administered. Seventy-eight percent (n = 340) of the women reported victimization, and 58% (n = 180) of the men reported perpetration. All severity scoring methods were strongly associated with convergent measures. Each scoring method is viable; however especially among samples with greater victimization/perpetration rates, there can be advantages to incorporating multiple types and frequencies of assault experiences into SES scores. Recent refinements of the SES necessitate commensurate improvements in its scoring methods in order to significantly advance the field of sexual assault assessment.


[Indications and diagnostic criteria for early ventilation of trauma patients].
Mechanical ventilation is the potential therapeutic approach to traumatic brain lesion and acute adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the wake of severe injury in an accident. Aggravating cerebral symptoms, such as non-targeted defence reactions in coma, hemiplegia, synergism of extension, convulsions, pontine respiratory disorders, and intracerebral pressure beyond 30 Torr are diagnostic criteria for immediate mechanical ventilation of patients with brain trauma. The same action is indicated for cases of ARDS exhibiting, on top of the typical constellation of causes, hypoxia below 60 Torr paO2 and vital capacity below 15 ml/kg body weight or respiratory rates in excess of 30/min.


KCB-328: a novel class III antiarrhythmic agent with little reverse frequency dependence in isolated guinea pig myocardium.
The effects of 1-(2-amino-4-methanesulfonamidophenoxy)-2-[N-(3,4-dimethoxypheneth yl)-N-methylamino] ethane hydrochloride (KCB-328), in comparison with those of dofetilide, were studied on the action potentials (APs) of isolated guinea pig papillary muscles. KCB-328 (0.003-3 microM) concentration-dependently prolonged the AP duration at 90% repolarization (APD90) at 1- and 3-Hz pacing, and the concentration-response relations at 1 and 3 Hz resemble each other. Dofetilide (0.001-1 microM) also produced the concentration-dependent prolongation of APD90 but more pronouncedly at 1 than at 3 Hz, demonstrating the reverse frequency-dependent effect. KCB-328 at 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, and 1 microM increased APD90 by 11 +/- 1, 19 +/- 1, 25 +/- 1, and 29 +/- 1% at 3 Hz and by 9 +/- 1, 19 +/- 2, 27 +/- 2, and 33 +/- 2% at 1 Hz, respectively. Prolongation of the effective refractory period (ERP) by each drug is parallel to those of APD90 at each pacing frequency. KCB-328 modified neither the maximal velocity of depolarization, amplitude of AP, and resting membrane potential in the fast APs, nor any parameters of the slow APs. In a separate experiment, the effects of KCB-328 on the ERP of contractile response (ERPc) of excised guinea-pig papillary muscles also were studied at 1 and 3 Hz. KCB-328 (0.01-10 microM) lengthened the ERPc in a concentration-dependent and frequency-independent manner as in the electrophysiologic results. This frequency-independent ERPc prolongation by KCB-328 was not influenced by increased extracellular K+ concentration from 4 to 10 mM. These results suggest that KCB-328 might be a selective class III agent with effects that are relatively frequency independent.


Shell Biorefinery: Dream or Reality?
Shell biorefinery, referring to the fractionation of crustacean shells into their major components and the transformation of each component into value-added chemicals and materials, has attracted growing attention in recent years. Since the large quantities of waste shells remain underexploited, their valorization can potentially bring both ecological and economic benefits. This Review provides an overview of the current status of shell biorefinery. It first describes the structural features of crustacean shells, including their composition and their interactions. Then, various fractionation methods for the shells are introduced. The last section is dedicated to the valorization of chitin and its derivatives for chemicals, porous carbon materials and functional polymers.


Bell states of atoms with ultralong lifetimes and their tomographic state analysis.
Arbitrary atomic Bell states with two trapped ions are generated in a deterministic and preprogrammed way. The resulting entanglement is quantitatively analyzed using various measures of entanglement. For this, we reconstruct the density matrix using single qubit rotations and subsequent measurements with near-unity detection efficiency. This procedure represents the basic building block for future process tomography of quantum computations. As a first application, the temporal decay of entanglement is investigated in detail. We observe ultralong lifetimes for the Bell states Psi(+/-), close to the fundamental limit set by the spontaneous emission from the metastable upper qubit level and longer than all reported values by 3 orders of magnitude.


Resource document for curriculum development in cancer genetics education. American Society of Clinical Oncology.
The rapid growth in the use of genetic testing for heritable cancers and other diseases has led to the establishment of many committees to assess the status and future implications of such testing. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) published a statement on genetic testing for cancer susceptibility in May 1996. In that statement, ASCO recognized the need for a major initiative to develop courses and other educational materials for ASCO members and other health care professionals that were pertinent to cancer genetics and the role of cancer predisposition testing in clinical oncology. These curriculum guidelines represent an effort to promote formal instruction on the assessment and management of familial cancer risks in training programs and continuing education courses. An Ad hoc Task Force was created from the ASCO membership and other professional organizations. Goals of ASCO's cancer genetics education initiative, curriculum guidelines, and plans for implementation of the curriculum have been developed. To gain understanding and competency in cancer genetics and cancer predisposition testing, the curriculum emphasizes formal instruction in: (1) basic concepts and principles of genetics; (2) an understanding of the role of genetics in the etiology, diagnosis, and management of different malignancies; (3) an understanding of the ethical, legal, and social issues that surround predisposition testing; and (4) long-term management plans for individuals at high risk for cancer. This document is broad in scope and applicable to all types of malignancies. It should be considered as the framework around which cancer genetics education is developed. It is expected that implementation of training activities over the next few years will allow ASCO to fulfill its obligations to the membership. This curriculum should prove a valuable guide to those who wish further education on cancer genetics and the appropriate use of cancer predisposition testing.


MUST--a participatory method for designing sustainable health IT.
Several important issues in designing sustainable health IT, such as coherent visions for change and genuine user involvement, are too often neglected or not paid enough attention to in practice. The MUST method addresses the early stages in the design of sustainable IT applications. The method highlights how those issues can be dealt with as it provides practical recommendations in terms of principles, tools and techniques. The method has proven helpful in assisting project participants to focus on and combine issues that are also crucial when designing health IT. MUST has been developed and tested in commercial settings. Here however, we illustrate the method's potential for health IT as it was recently used for the evaluation of a faulty health IT project intended to support shared care in relation to pregnancy.


From Corrective to Predictive Maintenance-A Review of Maintenance Approaches for the Power Industry.
Appropriate maintenance of industrial equipment keeps production systems in good health and ensures the stability of production processes. In specific production sectors, such as the electrical power industry, equipment failures are rare but may lead to high costs and substantial economic losses not only for the power plant but for consumers and the larger society. Therefore, the power production industry relies on a variety of approaches to maintenance tasks, ranging from traditional solutions and engineering know-how to smart, AI-based analytics to avoid potential downtimes. This review shows the evolution of maintenance approaches to support maintenance planning, equipment monitoring and supervision. We present older techniques traditionally used in maintenance tasks and those that rely on IT analytics to automate tasks and perform the inference process for failure detection. We analyze prognostics and health-management techniques in detail, including their requirements, advantages and limitations. The review focuses on the power-generation sector. However, some of the issues addressed are common to other industries. The article also presents concepts and solutions that utilize emerging technologies related to Industry 4.0, touching on prescriptive analysis, Big Data and the Internet of Things. The primary motivation and purpose of the article are to present the existing practices and classic methods used by engineers, as well as modern approaches drawing from Artificial Intelligence and the concept of Industry 4.0. The summary of existing practices and the state of the art in the area of predictive maintenance provides two benefits. On the one hand, it leads to improving processes by matching existing tools and methods. On the other hand, it shows researchers potential directions for further analysis and new developments.


Surgery for small-cell lung cancer.
Treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is typically chemotherapy with or without radiation, depending on the extent of disease. There are several situations where surgery may have a role to play. Patients with clinical stage T1-2 N0 SCLC may benefit from surgery for confirmation of diagnosis and improved local control when combined with chemotherapy. Surgery itself rarely contributes to prolonged survival for N2 SCLC. In this view, mediastinoscopy is recommended to exclude N2 disease before surgery is considered. Patients with a combined histology tumor (mixtures of SCLC with non-SCLC components) may be offered surgery since the non-SCLC component is less sensitive to chemotherapy and resection may contribute to cure. Salvage surgery should be considered for patients having relapse only in the primary site or a localized chemotherapy-resistant tumor, which can occur because of an unrecognized mixed tumor. Recent evidence has shown that platinum-based chemotherapy with concurrent hyperfractionated radiotherapy followed by surgery is feasible and a promising strategy for highly selected patients with SCLC. Among patients with nodal disease, only those with negative nodes following induction chemo/chemoradiotherapy should be candidates for surgery, which may offer improved local control. Further evidence for this strategy will be obtained from ongoing randomized clinical trials.


Acute vertebrobasilar artery thrombosis: long-term benefit of vertebral artery stenting.
Acute vertebrobasilar artery occlusion is a life-threatening event, even after thrombolytic treatment with local intraarterial (IA) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. We report a 70-year-old man with acute vertebral artery occlusion in which IA thrombolysis resulted in partial recanalisation and revealed pre-existing severe stenosis as the underlying cause. Stenosis was managed with stenting with excellent long-term clinical as well as angiographical outcomes.


Antiphospholipid syndrome presenting as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: a case series and a review.
The cerebral venous sinus system is a rare site for venous thrombosis except in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome. We describe three patients presenting with cerebral venous thrombosis in association with other thrombotic sites in two patients and as an only site in one patient. Antiphospholipid syndrome has varied clinical manifestations but the defining feature is the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. In this report we will review the clinical and laboratory diagnostic criteria and the management of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.


[Antioxidant properties of proteins after freezing-thawing].
Experimental data are presented which were obtained under comparative evaluation of influence of different freezing-thawing conditions on antioxidant properties of isolated proteins: human serum albumin, cytochrome c from the horse heart and glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger. The observed protein antioxidant activity alterations are assumed to be a result of protein conformational changes. The character of freezing-thawing influence on the protein antioxidant activity depends on the molecular structure and cooling conditions.


fNIRS detects temporal lobe response to affective touch.
Touch plays a crucial role in social-emotional development. Slow, gentle touch applied to hairy skin is processed by C-tactile (CT) nerve fibers. Furthermore, 'social brain' regions, such as the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) have been shown to process CT-targeted touch. Research on the development of these neural mechanisms is scant, yet such knowledge may inform our understanding of the critical role of touch in development and its dysfunction in disorders involving sensory issues, such as autism. The aim of this study was to validate the ability of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), an imaging technique well-suited for use with infants, to measure temporal lobe responses to CT-targeted touch. Healthy adults received brushing to the right forearm (CT) and palm (non-CT) separately, in a block design procedure. We found significant activation in right pSTS and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to arm > palm touch. In addition, individual differences in autistic traits were related to the magnitude of peak activation within pSTS. These findings demonstrate that fNIRS can detect brain responses to CT-targeted touch and lay the foundation for future work with infant populations that will characterize the development of brain mechanisms for processing CT-targeted touch in typical and atypical populations.


Treatment of Insomnia with Zaleplon in HIV+ Significantly Improves Sleep and Depression.
More than 50% of individuals who are HIV positive report insomnia, which can reduce HIV treatment adherence, impair quality of life, and contribute to metabolic dysfunction. Major depressive disorder is also highly comorbid in this population, leading to further impairment. There is evidence that treating insomnia may improve not only sleep, but depression and metabolic function, as well. The present study aimed to examine the effects of pharmacotherapeutic treatment of insomnia on sleep, depression, and metabolic functioning in individuals with HIV. 20 individuals with asymptomatic seropositive HIV and comorbid insomnia and depression were administered zaleplon for 6 weeks. Insomnia severity was assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and depression severity was assessed using the Quick Inventory of Depression, both prior to treatment and 6 weeks post treatment. Metabolomic changes were assessed using a comprehensive platform measuring ~2000 lipid features and polar metabolites. Linear mixed effects models demonstrated that 6 weeks of treatment with zaleplon significantly improved symptoms of both insomnia and depression. Metabolomic analyses also demonstrated that changes in insomnia severity were associated with significant changes in key branched chain amino acid metabolites. Our results show that improvement in insomnia is associated with reduced depressive symptoms and beneficial metabolomic changes. Additionally, changes in key branched chain amino acid metabolites following treatment may serve as useful biomarkers of treatment response.


Techniques for Accurate Sizing of Gold Nanoparticles Using Dynamic Light Scattering with Particular Application to Chemical and Biological Sensing Based on Aggregate Formation.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have found broad applications in chemical and biological sensing, catalysis, biomolecular imaging, in vitro diagnostics, cancer therapy, and many other areas. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is an analytical tool used routinely for nanoparticle size measurement and analysis. Due to its relatively low cost and ease of operation in comparison to other more sophisticated techniques, DLS is the primary choice of instrumentation for analyzing the size and size distribution of nanoparticle suspensions. However, many DLS users are unfamiliar with the principles behind the DLS measurement and are unware of some of the intrinsic limitations as well as the unique capabilities of this technique. The lack of sufficient understanding of DLS often leads to inappropriate experimental design and misinterpretation of the data. In this study, we performed DLS analyses on a series of citrate-stabilized AuNPs with diameters ranging from 10 to 100 nm. Our study shows that the measured hydrodynamic diameters of the AuNPs can vary significantly with concentration and incident laser power. The scattered light intensity of the AuNPs has a nearly sixth order power law increase with diameter, and the enormous scattered light intensity of AuNPs with diameters around or exceeding 80 nm causes a substantial multiple scattering effect in conventional DLS instruments. The effect leads to significant errors in the reported average hydrodynamic diameter of the AuNPs when the measurements are analyzed in the conventional way, without accounting for the multiple scattering. We present here some useful methods to obtain the accurate hydrodynamic size of the AuNPs using DLS. We also demonstrate and explain an extremely powerful aspect of DLS-its exceptional sensitivity in detecting gold nanoparticle aggregate formation, and the use of this unique capability for chemical and biological sensing applications.


Long-term outcomes of the classic Konno-Rastan procedure in paediatric and adult patients: impact of aortic annulus size on patient outcomes.
The classic Konno-Rastan procedure may yield different outcomes regarding aortic annulus diameters ≤15 mm and larger. Focusing on the effect of the diameter of the aortic annulus, we described the long-term outcomes of our patients. The outcomes of paediatric and adult patients who underwent surgery from 2000 to 2021 were studied retrospectively. The patient population was divided into 2 groups with aortic annulus diameters ≤15 mm and >15, and the outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. A total of 48 patients, with a mean age of 12.24 ± 9.42 years (2-53 years) and a median follow-up duration of 8 years (7 months to 20 years) with an IQR of 5.5, were enrolled. The mean peak instantaneous pressure gradient was 78.97 ± 25.29 mmHg, which decreased to 21.43 mmHg (P-value = 0.012). The maximum left ventricular outflow tract gradient at the last follow-up was 28.21 mmHg, with the exception of 1 case with a gradient of 68.45 mmHg. The mean diameter of the aortic annulus was 15.34 ± 3.87 mm (8-23 mm), and the mean prosthetic valve size was 20.31 mm, which was 5 mm (33%) larger than the native annulus diameter. The overall mortality rate was 6.3%, with 1 death in the hospital and 2 in the first year after the surgery. The major complication rate, including mortality, heart block and reintervention, was higher in patients with ≤15 mm annulus (P-value = 0.028.) However, there was no difference between the 2 groups in follow-up. Four (8%) late cardiac reoperations were performed, none of which were related to our surgeries. Kono-Rastan surgery for patients with aortic valve diameter of ≤15 mm can be performed with acceptable long-term outcomes.


Bottom-Up Fabrication of Sulfur-Doped Graphene Films Derived from Sulfur-Annulated Nanographene for Ultrahigh Volumetric Capacitance Micro-Supercapacitors.
Heteroatom doping of nanocarbon films can efficiently boost the pseudocapacitance of micro-supercapacitors (MSCs); however, wafer-scale fabrication of sulfur-doped graphene films with a tailored thickness and homogeneous doping for MSCs remains a great challenge. Here we demonstrate the bottom-up fabrication of continuous, uniform, and ultrathin sulfur-doped graphene (SG) films, derived from the peripherical trisulfur-annulated hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (SHBC), for ultrahigh-rate MSCs (SG-MSCs) with landmark volumetric capacitance. The SG film was prepared by thermal annealing of the spray-coated SHBC-based film, with assistance of a thin Au protecting layer, at 800 °C for 30 min. SHBC with 12 phenylthio groups decorated at the periphery is critical as a precursor for the formation of the continuous and ultrathin SG film, with a uniform thickness of ∼10.0 nm. Notably, the as-produced all-solid-state planar SG-MSCs exhibited a highly stable pseudocapacitive behavior with a volumetric capacitance of ∼582 F cm-3 at 10 mV s-1, excellent rate capability with a remarkable capacitance of 8.1 F cm-3 even at an ultrahigh rate of 2000 V s-1, ultrafast frequency response with a short time constant of 0.26 ms, and ultrahigh power density of ∼1191 W cm-3. It is noteworthy that these values obtained are among the best values for carbon-based MSCs reported to date.


Effects of pantoprazole on xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in rat liver microsomes: a comparison with other proton pump inhibitors.
The effects of pantoprazole on xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in rat liver microsomes were examined. Groups of female Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered pantoprazole and other proton pump inhibitors, omeprazole and lansoprazole, at 5, 50, or 300 mg/kg/day for 7 days, followed by assays to detect changes in the levels of liver microsomal protein, cytochrome P450, cytochrome b5, NADPH cytochrome c reductase, and drug metabolizing enzyme activities. Increases in total cytochrome P450 contents were evident after a 7-day high-dose administration of all the proton pump inhibitors tested, and the increase by treatment with pantoprazole was less than that with lansoprazole. The three proton pump inhibitors increased the enzymatic activities and cytochrome P450 enzyme levels of CYP1A, CYP2B, and CYP3A. CYP1A was less induced with pantoprazole than with omeprazole or lansoprazole. In contrast, CYP2B was more strongly induced with pantoprazole than with other proton pump inhibitors. NADPH cytochrome c reductase was induced with omeprazole and pantoprazole. The present results suggest that enzyme induction differs among these proton pump inhibitors not only quantitatively but also qualitatively.


Halo structure of the island of inversion nucleus 31Ne.
The cross sections for single-neutron removal from the very neutron-rich nucleus 31Ne on Pb and C targets have been measured at 230 MeV/nucleon using the RIBF facility at RIKEN. The deduced large Coulomb breakup cross section of 540(70) mb is indicative of a soft E1 excitation. Comparison with direct-breakup model calculations suggests that the valence neutron of 31Ne occupies a low-l orbital (most probably 2p(3/2)) with a small separation energy (S(n) approximately < 0.8 MeV), instead of being predominantly in the 1f(7/2) orbital as expected from the conventional shell ordering. These findings suggest that 31Ne is the heaviest halo system known.


Temporal patterns of death after trauma: evaluation of circadian, diurnal, periodical and seasonal trends in 260 fatal injuries.
Temporal patterns of trauma deaths may indicate potential for prevention or systems improvement, but have been poorly investigated in the Scandinavian trauma population. This study examines patterns in trauma deaths to the occurrence in hour and time of the day, day and time in the week, and month and season. Investigation of the temporal patterns of death in 260 fatalities undergoing autopsy. Time of death were explored according to time of the day (hour; day/night), time of the week (day of week; weekday/weekend) and time of the year (month; season) and analyzed for difference in gender, age, injury type and severity, and mechanisms of injury and death. A total of 260 trauma deaths were included, of which 125 (48%) died in hospital and 194 (75%) were male. No particular peak-hour of the day when deaths occurred was found. One-third of deaths occurred during weekends. For inhospital deaths during weekends, significantly more patients had respiratory distress (RR > 20 or < 16 in 72.5% for weekends and 47.0% for weekdays; p = 0.008) and hypotension (SBP < 90 mmHg in 61% vs 40%; p = 0.048) during weekends. Deaths occurred with some monthly variance demonstrated with two monthly peaks in February/March and July/August, respectively. Overall, no statistically different seasonal differences in the occurrence of traumatic deaths, nor any differences in cause of death, type or severity of injury, nor in physiological parameters was found. However, a higher number of inhospital deaths presented with reduced consciousness level (GCS < 8) and severe head injuries (AIS-head = 4) during spring and summer (P = 0.045, chi-square for trend) compared to winter and fall. Trauma deaths in a Scandinavian population did not demonstrate statistically significant differences in overall circadian, weekly or seasonal patterns of trauma death occurrence. However, the impact of fatal head injuries during spring and summer warrants further investigation.


Lifetime of B_{c}^{-} Mesons Constrains Explanations for Anomalies in B→D^{(*)}τν.
We investigate a new constraint on new-physics interpretations of the anomalies observed in B→D^{(*)}τν decays making use of the lifetime of the B_{c}^{-} meson. A constraint is obtained by demanding that the rate for B_{c}^{-}→τ^{-}ν[over ¯] does not exceed the fraction of the total width that is allowed by the calculation of the lifetime in the standard model. This leads to a very strong bound on new-physics scenarios involving scalar operators since they lift the slight, but not negligible, chiral suppression of the B_{c}^{-}→τ^{-}ν[over ¯] amplitude in the standard model. The new constraint renders a scalar interpretation of the enhancement measured in R_{D^{*}} implausible, including explanations implementing extra Higgs doublets or certain classes of leptoquarks. We also discuss the complementarity of R_{D^{(*)}} and a measurement of the longitudinal polarization of the τ in the B→D^{*}τν decay in light of our findings.


Efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of olefins with hydrazine-derived diphosphoramidites.
Enantiopure, BINOL-derived diphosphoramidites built upon an achiral hydrazine spacer are efficient ligands for the hydrogenation of 2-(acetylamino)-3-(aryl)-propenoic methyl esters. The activity and enantioselectivity of the hydrazine derivatives were shown to be markedly influenced by the nature of the two NR substituents, symmetrical but bulky R groups leading to the best results. A diphosphosphoramidite obtained from (t)BuHNNH(t)Bu resulted in ee's as high as 95%. The present results contradict previous reports on "short" diphosphoramidites.


Ensembl 2009.
The Ensembl project (http://www.ensembl.org) is a comprehensive genome information system featuring an integrated set of genome annotation, databases, and other information for chordate, selected model organism and disease vector genomes. As of release 51 (November 2008), Ensembl fully supports 45 species, and three additional species have preliminary support. New species in the past year include orangutan and six additional low coverage mammalian genomes. Major additions and improvements to Ensembl since our previous report include a major redesign of our website; generation of multiple genome alignments and ancestral sequences using the new Enredo-Pecan-Ortheus pipeline and development of our software infrastructure, particularly to support the Ensembl Genomes project (http://www.ensemblgenomes.org/).


Using the consensus development conference method in healthcare research.
Consensus methods are increasingly being used in healthcare research, particularly for formulating policy and strategic directions. This paper by Elizabeth Halcomb, Patricia Davidson and Laura Hardaker discusses the issues central to the planning and conduct of the consensus development conference, and offers practical recommendations to researchers intending to use this approach.


Induction of a proliferative response of T cells by a high-molecular antigen in Dermatophagoides farinae feces.
We have previously demonstrated that high-molecular mite antigen (HM1) from Dermatophagoides farinae feces is an allergen which binds to mite-allergic patients IgE. HM1 also induced a proliferative response in lymph node cells from mite-immunized mice as well as nonimmunized mice. In the present study, we demonstrated that HM1 induced T cell proliferation and investigated the HM1-stimulated T cell proliferative pathways using nonallergic human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC). Blood samples were obtained from 10 healthy donors. Using primary culture, T cell response stimulated with HM1 was performed on purified T cells, CD19+ cell-depleted PBMC and CD11b+ cell-depleted PBMC. In addition, interleukin (IL)-5 and interferon (IFN)-gamma produced by mite-allergic and healthy donors stimulated with HM1 were estimated by enzyme immunoassay. T cell proliferation was detected only in CD19+ cell-depleted PBMC. When T cells were cocultured with CD11b+ cells they recovered their proliferative response to HM1. In addition, the pathway of HM1-stimulated T cell proliferation did not involve HLA class II restriction. Both activated CD11b+ cells and their conditioned media were needed to induce HM1-stimulated T cell proliferation. Furthermore, HM1 induced IFN-gamma production in both healthy and allergic donors. The high-molecular mite antigen, HM1, induced a proliferative response of T cells in healthy as well as allergic donors, without HLA class II restriction. Our results suggest that further investigation of HM1 could constitute a valuable avenue of research into complex allergic diseases.


Early therapy with interferon for acute hepatitis C acquired through a needlestick.
Because there is no effective neutralizing antibody or vaccine for preventing hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission, HCV can be transmitted to health care workers through accidental needlesticks. Recently, two of our health care workers acquired HCV infection through needlestick accidents and developed acute hepatitis C. The route of transmission was confirmed by molecular evolutionary analysis with use of the E2 region of the HCV genome. After the clinical onset of acute hepatitis, the health care workers were treated with interferon (IFN) (total dose, approximately 300 megaunits). Neither individual developed chronic hepatitis. This finding raises the possibility that treatment with low-dose IFN following an accidental needlestick may be beneficial, even when it is started after the clinical onset of hepatitis.


Growth and growth hormone secretion.
Growth hormone pulse amplitude is intimately connected with growth in childhood. Its effects are most clear in middle childhood, although the influence of adrenal androgens is probably also important. In infancy, nutrition plays an important part and, in the adolescent growth spurt, the synergism with sex steroids is important. Detailed attention needs now to be focussed on the mechanisms by which growth hormone is secreted and has its action; these include the effects of GHRH, somatostatin, insulin and IGF-I.


Separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate in electrokinetic chromatography.
Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) was used as an additive in separating a broad range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by capillary electrophoresis. In the absence of micelles, using an acetonitrile-water (40:60) electrolyte, the separation mechanism was predicted as solvophobic association of the PAH molecules with hydrophobic chains of the SDBS surfactant and a possible pi-pi interaction between aromatic groups of PAHs and SDBS. The effects of voltage, acetonitrile and SDBS concentrations on separation were investigated. SDBS provides a good selectivity for PAHs not only between different ring numbers (1 to 5) but also between the pairs of structural isomers. Under optimum conditions, 11 aromatic compounds were separated with efficiencies between 130,000 and 230,000 theoretical plates. Reproducibilities of migration times range between 1.15 and 1.55% RSD and peak areas between 2 and 9% RSD.


Study of a simple model for the transition between the ballistic and the diffusive regimes in diffusive media.
A Monte Carlo simulation was utilized to investigate a simple model for the transition between the ballistic and the diffusive regimes in diffusive media. The simulation focuses on the propagation of visible and near-infrared light in biological tissues. This research has mainly two findings: (1) the transition can be described, as was found experimentally, with good accuracy by only two terms (ballistic and diffusive). (2) The model can be utilized for cases where the absorption coefficient is not negligible compared to the scattering coefficient by adding a power-law prefactor to the diffusive term.


[Controlled modification of fetal lung-maturity using dexamethasone].
A report is given on the induction of the fetal lung-maturity by administering glucocorticoide dexamethazone to the mother. The lecithin-level and the L/S ratio are established in amniotic fluid before and after tthe treatment. Before the 32. week of gestation no influence of the phospholipidlevel was evident. After the 32. week and after treatment the physiological increase is deeper. Propositions of treatment for premature and induced premature delivery are given corresponding to the results.


Protein-protein interaction network analysis of osteoarthritis-related differentially expressed genes.
The purpose of this study was to identify genes and pathways for osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis and therapy. We downloaded the gene expression profile of OA from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database including 10 early OA, 9 late OA, and 5 normal control samples. Next, we screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between early- and late-stage OA samples comparing with healthy control samples. Then, the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) software was used to construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, which was to predict the proteins that may interact with DEGs. The Gene Ontology (GO)-enrichment method was used to analyze the function of genes in the PPI networks. Meanwhile network module analysis was performed using Cytoscape. A total of 24 and 29 DEGs were identified for the early and late OA, respectively. TAC1 showed the highest degree in the PPI network. Functional annotation of the TAC1 network module indicated that this gene is associated with the G protein-coupled signal transduction pathway. In summary, TAC1, together with G protein-coupled receptors, appear to play a role in the biogenesis and progress of OA. Further analysis of this gene and pathway could therefore provide a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of OA.


Fertility protective effect of taxifolin in cisplatin-induced ovarian damage.
The aim of our study was to investigate the protective effect of taxifolin on ovarian damage and reproductive dysfunction created by cisplatin administration. A total of 36 albino Wistar female adult rats were equally divided into 3 groups as cisplatin administered only (CIS), taxifolin+cisplatin (T+C) and healthy control group (HG). Taxifolin 50 mg/kg was administered orally by gavage in the T+C (n=12) group. In the HG (n=12) and CIS (n=12) groups, the same volume of distilled water as a solvent was orally administered. One hour after administration of taxifolin or distilled water, animals in the T+C and CIS groups were injected with cisplatin at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally. This procedure was repeated once a day for 14 days. Six animals from each group were sacrificed on day 15, and their ovaries were removed for histopathological and biochemical analysis. Ovarian tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), total Glutathione (tGSH), Nuclear Factor-Kappa B (NF-kB), Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured. The remaining animals (n=6 in each group) were kept in the laboratory with mature male rats for two months to breed. CIS administration led to an increase in inflammatory molecules and membrane lipid peroxidation products, and decreased the synthesis of antioxidant molecules. Compared to the CIS group, the ovarian tissue MDA, NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels were found to be significantly decreased in the T+C group (p<0.001 for all comparisons). On the other hand, the tGSH levels of the T+C group were significantly higher than the CIS group (p<0.001). Milder ovarian necrosis, fibrosis and follicle damage were detected in animals which were given taxifolin. Four out of the six rats (67%) treated with taxifolin gave birth within 27 days. We demonstrated, for the first time, that taxifolin ameliorates cisplatin-induced ovarian injury by decreasing MDA and proinflammatory cytokines and increasing the antioxidant enzyme. The fact that more than half of the animals receiving taxifolin became pregnant suggests that the cytoprotective effect of taxifolin is strong enough to preserve fertility.


An HLA-DR/DP recombinant family involving DPw6. Evidence for cross-reactivity between DPw6 and GNN2B.
HLA typing of an HLA-B/GLO recombinant family using bulk-expanded DP(SB) alloreactive T-cells (GNN1 to 6) as well as conventional HLA-ABC, D, DR, and DQ typing showed that a paternal recombination had taken place between HLA-DR and DQ on the one hand and HLA-DP(SB) on the other. The recombinant child was DPw4,6-heterozygous and differed in terms of class II determinants only for DPw6 from two otherwise HLA identical siblings, who were probably DPw4/4-homozygous. These siblings did not stimulate the recombinant in MLC whereas they responded to his cells indicating that DPw6 can stimulate in primary MLC. Moreover, it was possible to generate and bulk-expand DPw6-reactive lymphocytes (PLs) between MT and MA as responders and BN as stimulator. The correlation coefficient (r) between the reaction of these PLs and the GNN6 (anti-DPw6) reagents was 1.0 when tested against a panel of 71 individuals. This is the first report demonstrating that the DPw6 gene, like the DPw1-w5 genes, is located between DR/DQ and GLO. The frequency of the DPw6 antigen in 41 unrelated, randomly selected Danes was 7%. HLA-DP typing of the BN family revealed that the DPw6 positive but not DPw6 negative family members gave intermediate responses with one (GNN2B) but not with another (GNN2A) anti-DPw2-reagent. Studies of 63 healthy individuals (unrelated to the BN family) revealed seven similar discrepancies between GNN2A and GNN2B. Strikingly, all four DPw6 positive stimulators gave rise to such discrepancies indicating that the GNN2B reagent is cross-reactive and recognize a common part of the DPw2 and DPw6 molecules. No cases of GNN2A+/GNN2B- stimulators were found.


Cytokinin promotes growth cessation in the Arabidopsis root.
The Arabidopsis root offers good opportunities to investigate how regulated cellular growth shapes different tissues and organs, a key question in developmental biology. Along the root's longitudinal axis, cells sequentially occupy different developmental states. Proliferative meristematic cells give rise to differentiating cells, which rapidly elongate in the elongation zone, then mature and stop growing in the differentiation zone. The phytohormone cytokinin contributes to this zonation by positioning the boundary between the meristem and the elongation zone, called the transition zone. However, the cellular growth profile underlying root zonation is not well understood, and the cellular mechanisms that mediate growth cessation remain unclear. By using time-lapse imaging, genetics, and computational analysis, we analyze the effect of cytokinin on root zonation and cellular growth. We found that cytokinin promotes growth cessation in the distal (shootward) elongation zone in conjunction with accelerating the transition from elongation to differentiation. We estimated cell-wall stiffness by using osmotic treatment experiments and found that cytokinin-mediated growth cessation is associated with cell-wall stiffening and requires the action of an auxin influx carrier, AUX1. Our measurement of growth and cell-wall mechanical properties at a cellular resolution reveal mechanisms via which cytokinin influences cell behavior to shape tissue patterns.


Staining of granulocytic cells by Chlorazol black E.
Using the trisazo dye Chlorazol black E, granules in neutrophilic granulocytes stained pale orange, gray and black. In promyelocytes, granules were mainly orange, whereas in myelocytes and metamyelocytes, mixtures of orange and black granules were seen. In neutrophils, a few orange granules were seen, and most of the granules stained gray and black. In eosinophils and basophils, granules stained orange. In monocytes, a few black and gray staining granules were seen. In lymphocytes, as well as other marrow cells like erythroblasts and megakaryocytes, granules were not visualized. Chlorazol black E may be a useful addition to the cytochemistry of blood cells, particularly in distinguishing cells of granulocytic origin from other cell types.


Ultrasonographic alterations of bovine claws sole soft tissues associated with claw horn disruption lesions, body condition score and locomotion score in Holstein dairy cows.
Claw Horn Disruption Lesions (CHDL) negatively affect the sole soft tissue structures located beneath the sole horn. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of CHDL on sole soft tissues by ultrasound means, correlating Body condition score (BCS), locomotion score and CHDL with ultrasonography evaluations of sole soft tissues in Holstein dairy cows. 100 Holstein dairy cows were enrolled in the study. BCS and locomotion score were assessed and functional trimming was performed on all animals. 84 healthy claws and 174 claws with solely one CHDL per claw were evaluated both clinically and with ultrasound, and CHDL were identified and recorded. Sole soft tissues thickness (mm) and echogenicity was determined, and ultrasonographic alterations, related to CHDL presence, where measured long their vertical (L1) and horizontal (L2) axis. Statistically significant (P < .001) differences were found in echogenicity between healthy claws and all the affected ones, with the healthy ones being mainly anechoic. Statistically significant (P < .001) differences were found for vertical (L1) and horizontal (L2) axis measures between the diverse CHDL, confirming ultrasonography as a useful tool to distinguish lesions and their extension by measuring L1 and L2. BCS had an influence both on sole soft tissues ultrasonographic appearance and on CHDL insurgency. These results confirm ultrasonography as a reliable tool for detecting an increase in sole soft tissues echogenicity, that was seen to occur with CHDL insurgency, and in determining lesion extension.


Laparoscopic versus open resection for colorectal liver metastases: a single-center study with propensity score analysis.
The aim of the study was to compare the long-term oncologic results of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) versus open liver resection (OLR) for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) using a propensity score analysis. This propensity score matching (PSM) study was based on a prospective database of a single tertiary-care center. Patients with primarily resectable CRLM were selected for a 1:1 PSM between LLR and OLR. Covariates for PSM estimation were age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, primary tumor location, CRLM presentation, location, size, and number. Moreover, the year of surgery was included in the PSM model. Operative, postoperative, and survival rates were compared between groups. From 2000 to 2013, in total, 339 liver resections for CRLM met the selection criteria. Among these, 52 LLR patients were matched with 52 OLR patients. The two surgical approaches showed similar postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. LLR was associated with significantly less blood loss, less frequent need for and shorter duration of pedicle clamping, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stay. Moreover, the overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were, respectively, 83% and 76% for LLR and 87% and 62% for OLR (P=.51). The 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were, respectively, 28% and 21% for LLR and 31% and 21% for OLR (P=.71). The LLR achieves similar oncological results to those of the standard open surgery for CRLM, with the additional benefit of significantly faster recovery.


Prenatal determination of fetal rhesus D status by DNA amplification of peripheral blood of rhesus-negative mothers.
We have developed a sensitive PCR-based assay for the RhD gene and used it to detect circulating fetal cells from RhD-positive fetuses from peripheral blood of RhD-negative mothers. With further improvement in diagnostic accuracy, this assay may have implications in the management of RhD-sensitized pregnancies in women whose partners are heterozygous for the RhD gene. Further studies are required to determine the relationship between maternal anti-D levels and circulating fetal cell numbers.


Augmented Reality (AR) for Surgical Robotic and Autonomous Systems: State of the Art, Challenges, and Solutions.
Despite the substantial progress achieved in the development and integration of augmented reality (AR) in surgical robotic and autonomous systems (RAS), the center of focus in most devices remains on improving end-effector dexterity and precision, as well as improved access to minimally invasive surgeries. This paper aims to provide a systematic review of different types of state-of-the-art surgical robotic platforms while identifying areas for technological improvement. We associate specific control features, such as haptic feedback, sensory stimuli, and human-robot collaboration, with AR technology to perform complex surgical interventions for increased user perception of the augmented world. Current researchers in the field have, for long, faced innumerable issues with low accuracy in tool placement around complex trajectories, pose estimation, and difficulty in depth perception during two-dimensional medical imaging. A number of robots described in this review, such as Novarad and SpineAssist, are analyzed in terms of their hardware features, computer vision systems (such as deep learning algorithms), and the clinical relevance of the literature. We attempt to outline the shortcomings in current optimization algorithms for surgical robots (such as YOLO and LTSM) whilst providing mitigating solutions to internal tool-to-organ collision detection and image reconstruction. The accuracy of results in robot end-effector collisions and reduced occlusion remain promising within the scope of our research, validating the propositions made for the surgical clearance of ever-expanding AR technology in the future.


Interlocked feedback loops balance the adaptive immune response.
Adaptive immune responses can be activated by harmful stimuli. Upon activation, a cascade of biochemical events ensues the proliferation and the differentiation of T cells, which can remove the stimuli and undergo cell death to maintain immune cell homeostasis. However, normal immune processes can be disrupted by certain dysregulations, leading to pathological responses, such as cytokine storms and immune escape. In this paper, a qualitative mathematical model, composed of key feedback loops within the immune system, was developed to study the dynamics of various response behaviors. First, simulation results of the model well reproduce the results of several immune response processes, particularly pathological immune responses. Next, we demonstrated how the interaction of positive and negative feedback loops leads to irreversible bistable, reversible bistable and monostable, which characterize different immune response processes: cytokine storm, normal immune response, immune escape. The stability analyses suggest that the switch-like behavior is the basis of rapid activation of the immune system, and a balance between positive and negative regulation loops is necessary to prevent pathological responses. Furthermore, we have shown how the treatment moves the system back to a healthy state from the pathological immune response. The bistable mechanism that revealed in this work is helpful to understand the dynamics of different immune response processes.


Exploring the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006: What is the impact on innovation in the EU food sector?
Literature suggests that despite its positive aim of promoting innovation, the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 (NHCR) may bring along several compliance challenges, which might affect innovation in the EU food sector. This study investigates the challenges faced by companies to comply with the NHCR (specifically Article 13.1) and their impact on innovation. To this end, we conducted an online survey with 105 companies involved in the EU food sector. Results indicate that companies perceive wording of claims, missing transparency and limited financial resources as major challenges to comply with the NHCR (Article 13.1). Companies reported not to have increased their R&D expenditure or innovation activities after the NHCR (Article 13.1) was implemented. Thus, this study highlights specific compliance challenges related to the NHCR (Article 13.1) and indicates that currently, the regulation does not seem to have fostered innovation in the EU food sector.


Advanced Donor Age Impairs Bone Marrow Cell Therapeutic Efficacy for Cardiac Disease.
Therapeutic results of clinical autologous bone marrow cell (BMC) therapy trials for cardiac disease have been modest compared to results of BMC implantation into rodent hearts post-myocardial infarction (MI). In clinical trials, autologous BMCs are typically harvested from older patients who have recently suffered an MI. In contrast, experimental studies in rodent models typically utilize donor BMCs isolated from young, healthy, inbred mice that are not the recipients. Using unfractionated BMCs from donor mice at ages of young, middle-aged, and old, we discovered that recipient left ventricular function post-MI was significantly improved by young donor BMC implantation but was only preserved by middle-aged donor BMCs. Notably, old donor BMCs did not slow the decline in recipient post-MI cardiac function, suggesting BMC impairment by advanced donor age. Furthermore, we also show here that BMCs that are therapeutically impaired by donor age can be further impaired by concurrent donor MI. In conclusion, our findings suggest that therapeutic impairment of BMCs by advanced age is one of the important factors that can limit the success of clinical autologous BMC-based therapy.


[Maltose-dextran--a new combination solution for the induction of diuresis in man].
40 healthy men received an infusion solution of low molecular dextran with either 0%, 5%, 10% or 20% Maltose over a 60 min period. The combination of LMWD with 10% maltose solution showed a significant increase of urine excretion from 132 ml/h to 315 ml/h at the end of the infusion. The overall excretion rate in 3 h was 683 ml, 185 ml more than infused. The increase in urine excretion from 53.0 ml/h to 173.5 ml/h after the application of 5% maltose/dextran 40 solution was only due to a water diuresis. The maltose concentration was not high enough to induce a visible osmotic diuresis. The application of 20% maltose/dextran 40 solution showed a clear osmotic effect. Nevertheless, there was no significant increase in the urinary excretion rate compared to the LMWD solution without any maltose. The high oncotic and osmotic pressure of this combination activated mechanisms, which were opposed to the induced osmotic diuresis.


The role of radiotherapy in the management of diabetes insipidus caused by Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
Diabetes insipidus (DI) occurs in 5-50% of patients with a diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). DI is the most common manifestation of central nervous system (CNS) involvement and is due to defects in the function of the posterior pituitary. Radiotherapy is recommended as early as possible after the diagnosis of DI, because response rates increase and the need for pitressin therapy may be obviated. The optimal period for radiotherapy seems to be less than one week. Generally, a total radiotherapy dose of 15-20 Gy or less is preferred. Further prospective studies are strongly needed to compare recurrence rates, late effects, disease course, and survival in treated and untreated groups.


Factors relevant to adoption of cats in an animal shelter.
This study performed a multifactor analysis of the effects of the provision of toys, cage location, and cat characteristics (activity level, age, sex, and coat color) on 111 cats available for adoption in a nonhuman animal shelter. The analysis revealed a greater adopter viewing of cats housed at eye level and of those with toys-even though the toys did not affect the cats' behavior. Adopters viewed cats who were active for longer periods of time. The active cats were more likely to be adopted during the 16-week study than cats who were less active.


Magnetic tuning of biquadratic exchange coupling in magnetic thin films.
The effective interlayer coupling between antiferromagnetically coupled hard and soft ferromagnetic thin films is investigated as a function of the magnetic bit length in the hard layer, which is controlled using a magnetic recording system. The interlayer coupling is explored by studying the magnetization reversal of the soft layer. As the bit length decreases, the coupling evolves from antiferromagnetic to biquadratic to uncoupled. These results are reproduced using a micromagnetic model and determine the applicability range of Slonczewski's fluctuation model of biquadratic coupling.


Spatial analysis of myocardial infarction in Iran: National report from the Iranian myocardial infarction registry.
Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Iran. No spatial analysis of MI has been conducted to date. The present study was conducted to determine the pattern of MI incidence and to identify the associated factors in Iran by province. This study has two parts. One part is prospective and hospital-based, and the other part is an ecological study. In this study, the data of 20,750 new MI cases registered in Iranian Myocardial Infarction Registry in 2012 were used. For spatial analysis in global and local, spatial autocorrelation, Moran's I, Getis-Ord, and logistic regression models were used. Data were analyzed by Stata software and ArcGIS 9.3. Based on autocorrelation coefficient, a specific pattern was observed in the distribution of MI incidence in different provinces (Moran's I: 0.75, P < 0.001). Spatial pattern of incidence was approximately the same in men and women. MI incidence was clustering in six provinces (North Khorasan, Yazd, Kerman, Semnan, Golestan, and Mazandaran). Out of the associated factors with clustered MI in six provinces, temperature, humidity, hypertension, smoking, and body mass index (BMI) could be mentioned. Hypertension, smoking, and BMI contributed to clustering with, respectively, 2.36, 1.31, and 1.31 odds ratio. Addressing the place-based pattern of incidence and clarifying their epidemiologic dimension, including spatial analysis, has not yet been implemented in Iran. Report on MI incidence rate by place and formal borders is useful and is used in the planning and prioritization in different levels of health system.


Effect of respirator resistance on tolerant capacity during graded load exercise.
Respirator breathing resistance impacts performance of wearers during constant work load. However, it is less clear as to how breathing resistance affects the tolerant capacity of users during graded work load. The present study investigated the tolerant capacity of 8 individuals during incremental work load. The 8 subjects were required to wear two matched respirators (respirators I and II which were designed to have different breathing resistances and the same dead space) respectively on separate days and then work to end points. Minute ventilation (V(E)), breathing frequency (BF), oxygen consumption (VO(2)) and heart rate (HR) were recorded during exercise, while tolerant time, response time and breathing discomfort were measured at the end of each test trial. The test variables were compared between the two respirators by using matched-pairs t-test. The results showed that the tolerant time was significantly reduced for the respirator I with higher level of breathing resistance when compared with its counterpart with lower breathing resistance (respirator II) (P<0.05). The same changes occurred for response time. Results also showed a significant increase in V(E) and BF for respirator I wearers when the work load was above 125 W. The O(2) consumption was similar under the two breathing resistance conditions. These findings suggested that the respiratory resistance caused by self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) has an impact on the tolerant capacity of users.


THE NEUROLOGICAL FACE OF CELIAC DISEASE.
Several neurological disorders have also been widely described in celiac disease patients. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of accompanying different neurologic manifestations in children with celiac disease at the time of diagnosis and to discuss these manifestations in the light of the recent literature. This prospective cross sectional study included 297 children diagnosed with celiac disease. The medical records of all patients were reviewed. In neurological evaluation, totally 40 (13. 5%) of the 297 celiac patients had a neurological finding including headache, epilepsy, migraine, mental retardation, breath holding spells, ataxia, cerebral palsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Down syndrome and Turner syndrome in order of frequency. There was not any significant difference between the laboratory data of the patients with and without neurological manifestations. However; type 3a biopsy was statistically significantly more common among patients without neurological manifestations, while type 3b biopsy was statistically significantly more common among patients with neurological manifestations. It is important to keep in mind that in clinical course of celiac disease different neurological manifestations may be reported.


Vision, hearing, balance, and sensory impairment in Americans aged 70 years and over: United States, 1999-2006.
Sensory impairments are a substantial problem for older Americans: One out of six has impaired vision; one out of four has impaired hearing; one out of four has loss of feeling in the feet; and three out of four have abnormal postural balance testing. Sensory impairments increase with age: Vision and hearing impairments each double, and loss of feeling in the feet increases by 40% in persons aged 80 years and over compared with persons aged 70-79 years. One in five Americans below the poverty threshold has impaired vision: 50% higher than other Americans. Balance problems are also common among the poor. Over one-half of those with impaired vision could improve their eyesight by using glasses or by getting a corrected prescription. For those with hearing problems, 72% might benefit from a hearing aid but do not use one.


Plant and animal steroids a new hope to search for antiviral agents.
Scientific literature provides evidence about the use of steroids as an adjunct treatment to antiviral therapies. Immunomodulatory activity of some steroids would account for the recovery in patients with herpetic and other viral infections. However, in vitro studies have demonstrated a direct antiviral effect of this kind of molecules. In this review we discuss recent reports about the mechanism of antiviral action of steroids from animal and plant origin. Chemical structures of most active compounds are also provided.


RalA and RalB function as the critical GTP sensors for GTP-dependent exocytosis.
Although it has been established that the activation of GTPases by non-hydrolyzable GTP stimulates neurotransmitter release from many different secretory cell types, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study we aimed to elucidate the functional role(s) for endogenous Ras-like protein A (RalA) and RalB GTPases in GTP-dependent exocytosis. For this purpose stable neuroendocrine pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cell lines were generated in which the expressions of both RalA and RalB were strongly downregulated. In these double knock-down cells GTP-dependent exocytosis was reduced severely and was restored after the expression of RalA or RalB was reintroduced by transfection. In contrast, Ca2+-dependent exocytosis and the docking of dense core vesicles analyzed by electron microscopy remained unchanged in the double knock-down cells. Furthermore, the transfected RalA and RalB appeared to be localized primarily on the dense core vesicles in undifferentiated and nerve growth factor-differentiated PC12 cells. Our results indicate that endogenous RalA and RalB function specifically as GTP sensors for the GTP-dependent exocytosis of dense core vesicles, but they are not required for the general secretory pathways, including tethering of vesicles to the plasma membrane and Ca2+-dependent exocytosis.


Percutaneous obliteration of left ventricular cavity to eliminate aortic regurgitation and presumed coronary steal in an infant with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
The phenomenon of coronary steal is well known in the setting of HLHS (Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome) early after the Classical Norwood Operation. We report a rare case of an infant with HLHS [Severe Aortic Stenosis (AS), Mitral Stenosis (MS) and small Left Ventricle (LV)], who developed aortic regurgitation and presumed coronary steal late after the Sano Modification of the Norwood Procedure. Coronary steal developed secondary to progressive aortic and mitral regurgitation and resulted in poor right ventricular function and severe tricuspid regurgitation. We describe a novel interventional approach for obliteration of the LV cavity by using hydrogel coils. LV obliteration eliminated the presumed steal and resulted in improvement in ventricular function, tricuspid regurgitation and clinical course.


Structure and reactivity of Ru nanoparticles supported on modified graphite surfaces: a study of the model catalysts for ammonia synthesis.
Supported ruthenium metal catalysts have higher activity than traditional iron-based catalysts used industrially for ammonia synthesis. A study of a model Ru/C catalyst was carried out to advance the understanding of structure and reactivity correlations in this structure-sensitive reaction where dinitrogen dissociation is the rate-limiting step. Ru particles were grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) via a Ru(3)(CO)(12) precursor on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface modified with one-atomic-layer-deep holes mimicking activated carbon support. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has been used to investigate the growth, structure, and morphology of the Ru particles. Thermal desorption of dissociatively adsorbed nitrogen has been used to evaluate the reactivity of the Ru/HOPG model catalysts. Two different Ru particle structures with different reactivities to N(2) dissociation have been identified. The initial sticking coefficient for N(2) dissociative adsorption on the Ru/HOPG model catalysts is approximately 10(-6), 4 orders larger compared to that of Ru single-crystal surfaces.


Compassionate liberals and polite conservatives: associations of agreeableness with political ideology and moral values.
Political conservatism has been characterized by resistance to change and acceptance of inequality, with liberalism characterized by the polar opposite of these values. Political attitudes are heritable and may be influenced by basic personality traits. In previous research, conservatism (vs. liberalism) has been associated positively with Conscientiousness and negatively with Openness-Intellect, consistent with the association of conservatism with resistance to change. Less clear, however, are the personality traits relating to egalitarianism. In two studies, using a personality model that divides each of the Big Five into two aspects, the present research found that one aspect of Agreeableness (Compassion) was associated with liberalism and egalitarianism, whereas the other (Politeness) was associated with conservatism and traditionalism. In addition, conservatism and moral traditionalism were positively associated with the Orderliness aspect of Conscientiousness and negatively with Openness-Intellect. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of personality's relation to political attitudes and values.