Does the Nae Umeed group intervention improve mental health and social participation? A pre-post study in Uttarakhand, India.
There are few evidence-based interventions to support caregiver mental health developed for low- and middle-income countries. Nae Umeed is a community-based group intervention developed with collaboratively with local community health workers in Uttarakhand, India primarily to promote mental wellbeing for caregivers and others. This pre-post study aimed to evaluate whether Nae Umeed improved mental health and social participation for people with mental distress, including caregivers. The intervention consisted of 14 structured group sessions facilitated by community health workers. Among 115 adult participants, 20% were caregivers and 80% were people with disability and other vulnerable community members; 62% had no formal education and 92% were female. Substantial and statistically significant improvements occurred in validated psychometric measures for mental health (12-Item General Health Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and social participation (Participation Scale). Improvements occurred regardless of caregiver status. This intervention addressed mental health and social participation for marginalised groups that are typically without access to formal mental health care and findings suggest Nae Umeed improved mental health and social participation; however, a controlled community trial would be required to prove causation. Community-based group interventions are a promising approach to improving the mental health of vulnerable groups in South Asia.


Current findings from research on structured abstracts.
Structured abstracts were introduced into medical research journals in the mid 1980s. Since then they have been widely used in this and other contexts. The aim of this paper is to summarize the main findings from research on structured abstracts and to discuss the limitations of some aspects of this research. A narrative literature review of all of the relevant papers known to the author was conducted. Structured abstracts are typically longer than traditional ones, but they are also judged to be more informative and accessible. Authors and readers also judge them to be more useful than traditional abstracts. However, not all studies use "real-life" published examples from different authors in their work, and more work needs to be done in some cases. The findings generally support the notion that structured abstracts can be profitably introduced into research journals. Some arguments for this, however, have more research support than others.


[The effect of ofloxacin therapy in acute salmonellosis on the duration of fecal excretion of Salmonella].
During an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Salmonella typhimurium, the duration of excretion of salmonella was studied for patients who received no antibiotic therapy and for those treated with Ofloxacin. In untreated group 85.7% of patients at 8 days and 28.5% of patients at 18 days were excreting S. typhimurium. However, in Ofloxacin-treated group only 25.0% of patients at 8 days and 5.0% of patients at 18 days were excreting S. typhimurium. The differences were statistically significant. We showed that Ofloxacin shortens the duration of excretion of S. typhimurium in feces. This phenomen may important in halting the spread of infection.


[Loose peritoneal cysts – unexpected finding at laparoscopic surgery for suspected extrauterine pregnancy, a case report].
Loose peritoneal cysts - unexpected finding at laparoscopic surgery for suspected extrauterine pregnancy, a case report A 29 year old woman was admitted to inpatient care in the 7th week of pregnancy due to three previous episodes of abdominal pain. At admission a suspected pseudogestational sac and 2 × 3 centimetres of fluid in the cul-de-sac was noted at vaginal ultrasound examination. After two days she again developed pain and a laparoscopy was performed due to suspected extrauterine pregnancy. Instead, three clusters of thin-walled, clear cysts was found lying loose in the cul-de-sac. There were also signs of endometriosis. The abdominal pain resolved gradually. At follow-up after one week a missed abortion was diagnosed. The pathologic-anatomic diagnosis was benign peritoneal cysts. Loose cysts are a more rare form of peritoneal inclusion cysts. They are benign but the risk of reoccurrence is about 50%. Some previous case reports indicate that growth of peritoneal cysts can be stimulated by pregnancy. In this case it is however unlikely that the small, loose cysts caused the woman's pain.


CCR4 and CAF1 deadenylases have an intrinsic activity to remove the post-poly(A) sequence.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) recruit the CCR4-NOT complex, which contains two deadenylases, CCR4 and CAF1, to promote shortening of the poly(A) tail. Although both CCR4 and CAF1 generally have a strong preference for poly(A) RNA substrates, it has been reported from yeast to humans that they can also remove non-A residues in vitro to various degrees. However, it remains unknown how CCR4 and CAF1 remove non-A sequences. Herein we show that Drosophila miRNAs can promote the removal of 3'-terminal non-A residues in an exonucleolytic manner, but only if an upstream poly(A) sequence exists. This non-A removing reaction is directly catalyzed by both CCR4 and CAF1 and depends on the balance between the length of the internal poly(A) sequence and that of the downstream non-A sequence. These results suggest that the CCR4-NOT complex has an intrinsic activity to remove the 3'-terminal non-A modifications downstream from the poly(A) tail.


Left Ventricular Pseudo-aneurysm with Ventricular Septal Rupture Due to Anterior ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
We report a case with the simultaneous occurrence of pseudo-aneurysm of the left ventricle and ventricular septal rupture, which was successfully surgically repaired. A 77-year-old woman with a history of aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass graft presented to our clinic due to chest pain. She was diagnosed with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) based on an electrocardiogram. Echocardiography revealed pseudo-aneurysm of the left ventricle and ventricular septal rupture. Coronary angiography revealed 99% stenosis with delayed contrast filling in the mid left anterior descending artery. Surgical repair with a bovine pericardium patch was performed, and the postoperative course was uneventful.


Stage classifications of pancreatic cancer: comparison of the Japanese and UICC classifications and proposal for a new staging system. Union Internationale Contre le Cancer.
In the 4th edition of General Rules for the Study of Pancreatic Cancer by the Japan Pancreas Society (JPS), published in 1993 (English version published in 1996), a system resembling the TNM classification by the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) was adopted, based on the results of precise analysis of data from 11,317 cases of carcinoma of the pancreas registered by the JPS during the 10-year period from 1981 to 1990. We compare the two TNM classifications and staging groups, focusing on the simplicity and reproducibility of the diagnostic criteria and the reliability of predicting outcome. To compare the prognostic value of the two classification systems, we analyzed the published data on resected cases registered by Pancreatic Cancer Registration Committee of the JPS. The results showed that a major drawback of the JPS classification is that is difficult to apply and has poor reproducibility. Survival rates differed significantly among the four stages in the JPS classification, whereas the UICC staging system did not reflect differences in outcome among the four stages, especially between stages II and III. The prognostic value of the UICC T category is better than that of the JPS T category, whereas the N category of JPS has better prognostic value than that of the UICC system. Believing that a combination of the two systems would solve this problem, we propose a new TNM classification and stage-grouping system that draws on the merits of both. This new system may provide improvements in staging classification that will lead to the establishment of a more practical and universal staging system for ductal carcinoma of the pancreas.


Steering intermediate courses: desert ants combine information from various navigational routines.
A number of systems of navigation have been studied in some detail in insects. These include path integration, a system that keeps track of the straight-line distance and direction travelled on the current trip, the use of panoramic landmarks and scenery for orientation, and systematic searching. A traditional view is that only one navigational system is in operation at any one time, with different systems running in sequence depending on the context and conditions. We review selected data suggesting that often, different navigational cues (e.g., compass cues) and different systems of navigation are in operation simultaneously in desert ant navigation. The evidence suggests that all systems operate in parallel forming a heterarchical network. External and internal conditions determine the weights to be accorded to each cue and system. We also show that a model of independent modules feeding into a central summating device, the Navinet model, can in principle account for such data. No central executive processor is necessary aside from a weighted summation of the different cues and systems. Such a heterarchy of parallel systems all in operation represents a new view of insect navigation that has already been expressed informally by some authors.


A Cross-Sectional Study of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Croatian Homeland War Veterans Who Were Held as Prisoners of War and Are Affected by Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
As a extremely traumatic experience, captivity may cause other mental disorders in addition to posttraumatic stress disorder, which is highly prevalent among ex-prisoners of war, and which often occurs in comorbidity with at least one other mental disorder. This objective of this study is to identify the incidence of comorbid mental disorders in Homeland war veterans ex-prisoners of war affected by posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as to identify the factors that influenced psychiatric comorbidity. The study sample comprised 264 subjects, all of whom were Croatian Homeland War veterans with combat experience in the defence of the Republic of Croatia, and all of whom fulfilled clinical criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder at the time of the study. The subjects were divided into two groups: the experimental group was composed of ex-prisoners of war, and the control group of veterans who had never been prisoners of war. The methods of sociodemographic questionnaire, posttraumatic stress disorder self-report checklist and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire were used in the study. Psychiatric comorbidity data were retrieved from the subjects' anamnesis and medical records. The results showed that ex-prisoners of war were exposed to a statistically much higher number of traumatic events, and had a significantly higher total number of psychiatric comorbidities (p<0.01) than the control group. The incidence of acute and transient psychotic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders and psychological and behavioural factors associated with disorders or diseases classified elsewhere was significantly higher among ex-prisoners of war. There was no statistically significant difference in overall posttraumatic stress disorder intensity between the two groups (p<0.05). The results of the study confirm our hypothesis that the incidence of psychiatric comorbidity is higher in ex-prisoners of war.


Discovery and Characterization of a Myxobacterial Lanthipeptide with Unique Biosynthetic Features and Anti-inflammatory Activity.
The genomes of myxobacteria harbor a variety of biosynthetic gene clusters encoding numerous secondary metabolites, including ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) with diverse chemical structures and biological activities. However, the biosynthetic potential of RiPPs from myxobacteria remains barely explored. Herein, we report a novel myxobacteria lanthipeptide myxococin identified from Myxococcus fulvus. Myxococins represent the first example of lanthipeptides, of which the characteristic multiple thioether rings are installed by employing a Class II lanthipeptide synthetase MfuM and a Class I lanthipeptide cyclase MfuC in a cascaded way. Unprecedentedly, we biochemically characterized the first M61 family aminopeptidase MfuP involved in RiPP biosynthesis, demonstrating that MfuP showed the activity of an endopeptidase activity. MfuP is leader-independent but strictly selective for the multibridge structure of myxococin A and responsible for unwrapping two rings via amide bond hydrolysis, yielding myxococin B. Furthermore, the X-ray crystal structure of MfuP and structural analysis, including active-site mutations, are reported. Finally, myxococins are evaluated to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages without detectable cytotoxicity.


Squamous dysplasia of the uterine cervix: tissue sampling-related diagnostic considerations in 600 consecutive biopsies.
Despite the technological advances in colposcopic techniques, there continues to be a 10% to 20% discordance rate between the colposcopic findings and the histological diagnoses on the resultant biopsies. One of the many factors to which this may be theoretically attributable is related to sampling error from the paraffin-embedded tissue block. In this study, we evaluated the clinical efficacy of routinely obtaining 6 sections in cervical biopsies, using the frequency with which dysplastic lesions would be missed with various levels of sectioning as the sole benchmark determinant of clinical efficacy. Our database was searched for all cervical biopsies in which a diagnosis of squamous dysplastic lesion was made for the period February 1, 2006 to April 28, 2006. All cases were processed in 6-level sectioning, which entails cutting and staining (hematoxylin-eosin) 6 consecutive sections from the paraffin block without preserving or discarding any intervening unstained sections. The first level at which a diagnosis of dysplastic lesion could be unequivocally made by a gynecologic pathologist was determined. Six hundred consecutive biopsies from 404 patients were reviewed. For the whole cohort, the average level at which a dysplastic lesion was unequivocally diagnosable was 1.9 (median, 1). Three hundred fifty-seven (59.5%), 97 (16.2%), 41 (6.8%), 55 (9.2%), 34 (5.7%), and 16 (2.6%) of the 600 lesions were diagnosable at levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively. The cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 and 3 (n = 89) was, on average, diagnosable at an earlier level (1.35) compared with CIN 1 (level, 2.025; P < 0.001 [n = 511]). Indeed, 79.8% of the CIN 2-3 cases were diagnosable at level 1, as compared with 56% of the CIN 1 cases (P < 0.001); 87, 38, 52, 32, and 16 cases of CIN 1 and 10, 3, 3, 2, and 0 cases of CIN 2-3 were diagnosable at levels 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively. Therefore, if sectioning were limited to 3 levels, 17.5% (105/600) of all dysplastic lesions would have been missed, including 19.6% (100/511) of CIN 1 and 5.6% (5/89) of CIN 2-3. Because not more than 3 levels are routinely evaluated in most laboratories, our findings suggest that sampling error is indeed at least 1 significant factor contributing to colposcopic/histological discrepancies. Using our clinical efficacy standard, when no pathologic findings are initially identified in a colposcopic-directed biopsy, at least 5 levels (a priori or in recuts) are required to ensure a 100% diagnostic accuracy for CIN 2-3.


RIZ1 and histone methylation status in pituitary adenomas.
RIZ1 displays strong tumor-suppressive activities, which has a potential histone methyltransferase activity. The objective of the study was to evaluate the level and the methylation status of RIZ1 and analyze its association with clinicopathological features and the histone in the pituitary adenomas. We found that RIZ1-positive cases were 11/50 and H-Scores 22.75 ± 11.83 in invasive pituitary adenomas and 26/53 and 66.3 ± 21.7 in non-invasive pituitary adenomas (χ2 = 8.182, p = 0.004). RIZ1 and C-myc showed the opposite trend in these cases. The methylation levels of RIZ1 were more than 50% in 30.4% (7/23) CpG sites through MALDI-TOF Mass array. There was significant difference (p < 0.01) in 4 CpG sites between invasive pituitary adenoma group and non-invasive pituitary adenoma group; furthermore, the relieved methylation levels of H3K4/H3K9 and enhanced methylation levels of H3K27 in the patients' serum were found. Furthermore, there was statistic difference of H3K4 and H3K27 methylation between invasive pituitary adenoma and non-invasive pituitary adenoma group (p < 0.01). The average progression-free survival in high RIZ1 group was 52.63 ± 7.62 months and 26.06 ± 4.23 months in low RIZ1 group (p < 0.05). Promoter region methylation of RIZ1 may play an important role in the epigenetic silencing of RIZ1 expression in pituitary adenomas, which may translate into important diagnostic and therapeutic applications.


Effects of substance P on rate and perfusion pressure in the isolated guinea pig heart.
Negative chronotropic and vasodilator responses of the isolated perfused guinea pig heart to substance P (SP) were evaluated. Bolus injections of 2.5, 25 and 125 nmol of SP caused a dose-dependent bradycardia, with the largest dose decreasing heart rate by 53% of base line. Pretreatment with 1 microM atropine blocked the negative chronotropic response to 25 nmol of SP. Pretreatment with 0.5 microM neostigmine lowered base-line heart rate and potentiated the negative chronotropic response to 25 nmol of SP. A potent vasodilator response to SP was demonstrated after elevation of base-line perfusion pressure with 1 microM [Arg8]vasopressin or 40 mM KCl. The vasodilator effect of SP was dose-dependent and occurred at much lower doses than required to affect heart rate. The ED50 for vasodilation was less than 1 pmol in both preparations. In hearts with vascular tone increased by vasopressin, atropine (1 microM) decreased the maximum vasodilator response to SP by 23%, but neither atropine nor a combination of 10 microM cimetidine and 1 microM chlorpheniramine affected the ED50 for SP. These results suggest that SP causes bradycardia by stimulating cholinergic neurons and coronary vasodilation by some mechanism not involving either acetylcholine or histamine. Acetylcholine may, however, contribute to the maximum vasodilator response to SP.


Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in oral cavity--a rare site.
MPNST occurring in oral cavity, which is a rare site for the tumour, in a 35 year old female patient with history of swelling underneath the tongue present since one year diagnosed clinically as ranula is presented here. Histopathological examination of the excised mass showed features of spindle cell sarcoma following which a provisional diagnosis of MPNST was offered. The differential diagnosis considered were leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and spindle cell variant of squamous cell carcinoma (being the commoner tumour in oral cavity). Immunohistochemistry confirmed neural origin of the tumour. The case is reported in view of the rarity of the lesion in oral cavity.


Abdominoperineal resection following anterior resection.
A series of 11 patients undergoing abdoninoperineal resection for "suture line recurrence" following anterior resection is presented. Five-year survival is 10%. Technically, the procedure is difficult and major problems are encountered, including large blood loss and ureteral complications. These patients had an inadequate distal margin of resection at the time of anterior resection. The survival of this group of patients underscores the importance of making the correct judgment about anterior or abdominoperineal resection at the time of the initial presentation of the patient. The phrase "suture line recurrence" is a misnomer; all of these patients had advanced pelvic malignancy. If the adequacy of the distal margin is questionable or a distal margin of 5 cm cannot be obtained safely at the time of anterior resection, abdominoperineal resection should be performed, as the opportunity for cure of a recurrence should this rule be compromised is limited.


Prognostic Significance of Substaging according to the Depth of Lamina Propria Invasion in Primary T1 Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder.
To evaluate the prognostic significance of the depth of lamina propria invasion in primary T1 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 183 patients with primary T1 TCC of the bladder who had undergone transurethral resection (TUR) at our institution. Substaging was defined according to the depth of lamina propria invasion as follows: T1a, superficial invasion of lamina propria; T1b, invasion into the muscularis mucosa (MM); T1c, invasion beyond the MM but not to the muscularis propria. The prognostic significance of various clinicopathological variables for recurrence and progression was analyzed. Of the 183 patients, substaging was T1a in 119, T1b in 57, and T1c in 7 patients. The recurrence rate was 32.8% for T1a and 40.6% for T1b/c, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. The progression rate was significantly different between the two groups: 5.8% in T1a and 21.9% in T1b/c (p=0.003). The cancer-specific mortality rate was also significantly different: 4.2% in T1a and 14.0% in T1b/c (p=0.036). In the univariate analysis, microscopic tumor architecture was the only significant prognostic factor for recurrence. In the univariate and multivariate analysis concerning progression, depth of lamina propria invasion and concomitant carcinoma in situ were significant prognostic factors. Substaging according to the depth of lamina propria invasion in primary T1 TCC of the bladder was an independent prognostic factor for progression. This suggests that substaging would be helpful for guiding decisions about adjuvant therapies and follow-up strategies.


2D silver nanocrystal ordering modulated by various substrates and revealed using oxygen plasma treatment.
Here, 5 nm Ag nanocrystals are deposited, using the same procedure, on various substrates differing by their rms roughness, wetting properties and nanoparticle-substrate interactions leading, consequently, to different nanocrystal orderings. Theoretical calculations are carried out to understand how these parameters influence the size of the nanocrystal organizations on the substrate surface. When these nanocrystal arrays are subjected to an oxygen plasma treatment, the nanocrystals perfectly assembled in hexagonal networks remain intact, while the nanocrystals that are not well-packed coalesce to form larger particles independently on the used substrate. This phenomenon is observed on the entire substrate surface. This procedure gives an innovative way of using oxygen plasma generated by the reactive ion etching technique, as a new method to reveal defects in 2D Ag nanocrystal self-assemblies.


The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis.
Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) refers to the ability of the cardiopulmonary system to supply oxygen to skeletal muscles during exercise. Regular physical activity optimizes these systems by physiologic means that not only decrease cardiovascular risk factors but also independently affect mortality. Importantly, CRF is an integrative measure of the effects of its upstream risk factors including physical activity and genetics. In this review, we summarize the main methods that are frequently used to estimate CRF. We cite findings from the major studies on CRF, which demonstrate a beneficial effect on prevalent cardiovascular risk factor burden, subclinical atherosclerosis, and incident adverse outcomes including death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and cancer. We conclude by suggesting the incorporation of CRF into clinical decision-making given the prognostic information it provides.


Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of chronic tinnitus after traumatic brain injury: a case study.
Tinnitus is a frequent symptom of traumatic brain injury, which is difficult to treat. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has shown beneficial effects in some forms of tinnitus. However, traumatic brain injury in the past has been considered as a relative contraindication for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation because of the increased risk of seizures. Here we present the case of a 53-year-old male patient suffering from severe tinnitus after traumatic brain injury with comorbid depression and alcohol abuse, who received 5 treatment series of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (1 Hz stimulation protocol over left primary auditory cortex, 10 sessions of 2000 stimuli each, stimulation intensity 110% resting motor threshold). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was tolerated without any side effects and tinnitus complaints (measured by a validated tinnitus questionnaire and numeric rating scales) were improved in a replicable way throughout 5 courses of transcranial magnetic stimulation up to now.


"Tumor-mimicking" multiple sclerosis.
The spectrum of clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS) may include rare cases where cerebral lesions simulate brain tumors or abscesses on neuroimaging. We report here on a 43-year-old woman with numerous ring-enhancing cystic lesions in the white matter of cerebral hemispheres, brainstem and cerebellum. The radiological picture was overwhelmingly in favor of a metastatic or infectious etiology, but brain biopsy showed subacute demyelination with central necrosis.


An investigation of the effect of gastrointestinal microbial activity on oral arsenic bioavailability.
In vitro gastrointestinal (GI) microbial activity in the colon compartment facilitates the arsenic release from soils into simulated GI fluids. Consequentially, it is possible that in vitro models that neglect to include microbial activity underestimate arsenic bioaccessibility when calculating oral exposure. However, the toxicological relevance of increased arsenic release due to microbial activity is contingent upon the subsequent absorption of arsenic solubilized in the GI lumen. The objectives of this research are to: (1) assess whether microbes in the in vitro small intestine affect arsenic solubilization from soils, (2) determine whether differences in the GI microbial community result in differences in the oral bioavailability of soil-borne arsenic. In vitro GI microbial activity in the distal small intestine increased arsenic release from soils; however, these effects were unlikely to be relevant since they were transient and demonstrated small effect sizes. In vivo arsenic absorption for juvenile swine was unaffected by antibiotic treatment. Therefore, it appears that microbial effects on arsenic release do not result in increased arsenic bioavailability. However, it remains to be seen whether the results for the limited set of soils described herein can be extrapolated to arsenic contaminated sites in general.


Asymptomatic shedding and subsequent transmission of genital herpes simplex virus.
We report the transmission of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection from an asymptomatic woman shedding virus from the cervix to two male sexual partners and further transmission from these two men while their infection was in the prodromal phase. The value of the restriction enzyme analysis of viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is presented. Guidelines regarding the management of patients who are found to be asymptomatic shedders of HSV are discussed.


A long-term follow-up study of open reduction using Ludloff's approach for congenital or developmental dislocation of the hip.
There are several reports clarifying successful results following open reduction using Ludloff's medial approach for congenital (CDH) or developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH). This study aimed to reveal the long-term post-operative course until the period of hip-joint maturity after the conventional surgical treatments. A long-term follow-up beyond the age of hip-joint maturity was performed for 115 hips in 103 patients who underwent open reduction using Ludloff's medial approach in our hospital. The mean age at surgery was 8.5 months (2 to 26) and the mean follow-up was 20.3 years (15 to 28). The radiological condition at full growth of the hip joint was evaluated by Severin's classification. All 115 hips successfully attained reduction after surgery; however, 74 hips (64.3%) required corrective surgery at a mean age of 2.6 years (one to six). According to Severin's classification, 69 hips (60.0%) were classified as group I or II, which were considered to represent acceptable results. A total of 39 hips (33.9%) were group III and the remaining seven hips (6.1%) group IV. As to re-operation, 20 of 21 patients who underwent surgical reduction after 12 months of age required additional corrective surgeries during the growth period as the hip joint tended to subluxate gradually. Open reduction using Ludloff's medial approach accomplished successful joint reduction for persistent CDH or DDH, but this surgical treatment was only appropriate before the ambulating stage. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:1-6.


The use of biodiesel in a school transportation system: the case of Medford Township, New Jersey.
A combination of high fuel prices, bus maintenance costs, and the health and safety of school children, along with a consideration of federal and state regulations, prompted Medford Township school district in southern New Jersey to explore the use of alternative fuels, specifically biodiesel. The school district owns and operates 62 school buses that transport 3500 children daily. The evolution of this switch from petroleum-based fuel to biodiesel is described. The district is the nation's longest continuous user of biodiesel in a school transportation system.


Protein electrocatalysis for direct sensing of circulating microRNAs.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are potentially useful biomarkers for diagnosis, classification, and prognosis of many diseases, including cancer. Herein, we developed a protein-facilitated electrocatalytic quadroprobe sensor (Sens(PEQ)) for detection of miRNA signature of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in human serum. The developed signal-ON sensor provides a compatible combination of two DNA adaptor strands modified with four methylene blue molecules and electrocatalysis using glucose oxidase in order to enhance the overall signal gain. This enhanced sensitivity provided the response necessary to detect the low-abundant serum miRNAs without preamplification. The developed Sens(PEQ) is exquisitely sensitive to subtle π-stack perturbations and capable of distinguishing single base mismatches in the target miRNA. Furthermore, the developed sensor was employed for profiling of three endogenous miRNAs characteristic to CLL, including hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-21-5p, and hsa-miR-150-5p in normal healthy serum, chronic lymphocytic leukemia Rai stage 1 (CLL-1), and stage 3 (CLL-3) sera, using a non-human cel-miR-39-3p as an internal standard. The sensor results were verified by conventional SYBR green-based quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis.


Frequency-resolved optical gating of femtosecond pulses in the extreme ultraviolet.
Femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses were fully characterized for the first time by using a newly developed cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) technique in the XUV region. This method utilizes laser-assisted two-photon ionization as a nonlinear optical process. Near-infrared pulses characterized by FROG were used as a reference. The amplitude and phase of XUV pulses with a pulse duration of 10 fs were found to be in good agreement with a model analysis, taking into account phase modulation by ionization, self-phase modulation, and the atomic dipole phase.


Comparison of early and on-demand maternal feeding after Caesarean delivery: a prospective randomised trial.
This study aimed to compare early and on-demand maternal feeding after Caesarean delivery in terms of gastrointestinal complaints and patient satisfaction. A total of 262 women with uncomplicated singleton term pregnancies who underwent a Caesarean section under regional anaesthesia were randomised to a soft food diet served at Postoperative Hour 2 (early feeding group) or eating whenever they wanted to upon return to the ward (on-demand group). Patient satisfaction scores at the time of discharge and gastrointestinal complaints were compared. The fed-early group comprised 133 (50.8%) women and the on-demand group comprised 129 (49.2%) women. Major characteristics and surgical procedures were comparable between the two groups. No significant between-group differences in demographic criteria or surgical procedures were evident (p > 0.05). The mean time to the first feeding was 120.00 ± 00.00 minutes for the early feeding group as compared to 236.59 ± 107.74 minutes for the on-demand feeding group (p = 0.001). Satisfaction levels did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = 0.366). Duration to first breastfeeding, analgesia on the ward, passage of flatus, defecation, mobilisation and urination after catheter removal did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05). Early initiation of solid food in low-risk women after Caesarean delivery under regional anaesthesia was associated with high satisfaction and did not increase gastrointestinal complaints. We suggest having flexibility in terms of postoperative feeding time. This may shorten hospitalisation time and reduce hospitalisation costs.


Advertising and promotion of medical devices.
Dr. Portnoy, a former senior clinical reviewer and manager for the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, provides guidance for determining acceptable practices for the claims, content, and appearance of advertising and promotional materials for medical devices. In the course of doing so, he discusses important regulatory and legal precedents, and provides examples of successful and problematic advertising and promotion strategies including those that resulted in FDA Warning Letters, enforcement activities, and in some cases, monetary and criminal penalties.


[Ideal Medication-Readiness Cutoff Score for Initiating Antiviral Therapy in HIV Patients].
There has been a global consensus since 2016 that antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be initiated following HIV diagnosis regardless of CD4-count test results. Identifying an instrument that is able to accurately assess the readiness of HIV-infected persons for treatment initiation is thus critical. (1) To evaluate the comparative readiness of patients receiving ART and those who are not yet on ART; (2) to evaluate the respective readiness variation within these 2 groups over a one-year period; and (3) to identify the cutoff value for medication readiness that indicates the ideal time to initiate ART. A multicenter cohort study design was conducted and 297 newly diagnosed patients with HIV were enrolled at four time points, including: baseline and at 1, 3-6, and 9-12 months after ART initiation. Data collection included a demographics datasheet, the Chinese version of the HIV Medication Readiness Scale (HMRS), and 2 items, readiness to take ART for a long period of time and confidence in adhering to ART, which were scored using a 10-point Likert scale. Overall, 224 (75.4%) of the participants had initiated ART. Over time, the medication readiness of participants with ART initiation had increased significantly over that of non-ART user (p < .001). The mean scores of the 2-item self-rated readiness scale for patients with ART initiation were significantly greater than those without (p < .001). The cutoff values for HMRS, self-rating readiness for ART, and confidence in adherence to ART were 23.5, 5.5, and 6.5, respectively. The optimal cutoff value of the Chinese version HMRS for evaluating HAART initiation among persons with HIV infection was 23.5. HIV healthcare professionals may apply the Chinese version HMRS and the two simple self-rated items as a clinical tool for quickly assessing the initiation of ART in people living with HIV.


Olanzapine Reverses MK-801-Induced Cognitive Deficits and Region-Specific Alterations of NMDA Receptor Subunits.
Cognitive dysfunction constitutes an essential component in schizophrenia for its early presence in the pathophysiology of the disease and close relatedness to life quality of patients. To develop effective treatment of cognitive deficits, it is important to understand their neurobiological causes and to identify potential therapeutic targets. In this study, adopting repeated MK-801 treatment as an animal model of schizophrenia, we investigated whether antipsychotic drugs, olanzapine and haloperidol, can reverse MK-801-induced cognitive deficits and how the reversal processes recruited proteins involved in glutamate neurotransmission in rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. We found that low-dose chronic MK-801 treatment impaired object-in-context recognition memory and reversal learning in the Morris water maze, leaving reference memory relatively unaffected, and that these cognitive deficits can be partially reversed by olanzapine, not haloperidol, treatment. At the molecular level, chronic MK-801 treatment resulted in the reduction of multiple N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits in rat mPFC and olanzapine, not haloperidol, treatment restored the levels of GluN1 and phosphorylated GluN2B in this region. Taken together, MK-801-induced cognitive deficits may be associated with region-specific changes in NMDA receptor subunits and the reversal of specific NMDA receptor subunits may underlie the cognition-enhancing effects of olanzapine.


Analysis of lipolytic protein trafficking and interactions in adipocytes.
This work examined the colocalization, trafficking, and interactions of key proteins involved in lipolysis during brief cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activation. Double label immunofluorescence analysis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes indicated that PKA activation increases the translocation of hormonesensitive lipase (HSL) to perilipin A (Plin)-containing droplets and increases the colocalization of adipose tissue triglyceride lipase (Atgl) with its coactivator, Abhd5. Imaging of live 3T3-L1 preadipocytes transfected with Aquorea victoria-based fluorescent reporters demonstrated that HSL rapidly and specifically translocates to lipid droplets (LDs) containing Plin, and that this translocation is partially dependent on Plin phosphorylation. HSL closely, if not directly, interacts with Plin, as indicated by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments. In contrast, tagged Atgl did not support FRET or BiFC with Plin, although it did modestly translocate to LDs upon stimulation. Abhd5 strongly interacted with Plin in the basal state, as indicated by FRET and BiFC. PKA activation rapidly (within minutes) decreased FRET between Abhd5 and Plin, and this decrease depended upon Plin phosphorylation. Together, these results indicate that Plin mediates hormone-stimulated lipolysis via direct and indirect mechanisms. Plin indirectly controls Atgl activity by regulating accessibility to its coactivator, Abhd5. In contrast, Plin directly regulates the access of HSL to substrate via close, if not direct, interactions. The differential interactions of HSL and Atgl with Plin and Abhd5 also explain the findings that following stimulation, HSL and Atgl are differentially enriched at specific LDs.


Magnetoencephalographic recordings demonstrate attentional modulation of mismatch-related neural activity in human auditory cortex.
It is widely agreed that the negative brain potential elicited at 150-200 ms by a deviant, less intense sound in a repetitive series can be modulated by attention. To investigate whether this modulation represents a genuine attention effect on the mismatch negativity (MMN) arising from auditory cortex or attention-related activity from another brain region, we recorded both the MMN and the mismatch magnetic field (MMF) elicited by such deviants in a dichotic listening task. Deviant tones in the attended ear elicited a sizable MMF that was well modeled as a dipolar source in auditory cortex. Both the MMN and MMF to unattended-ear deviants were highly attenuated. These findings support the view that the MMN/MMF elicited in auditory cortex by intensity deviants, and thus the underlying feature-analysis and mismatch-detection processes, are not strongly automatic but rather can be gated or suppressed if attention is strongly focused elsewhere.


Yoga in premature ejaculation: a comparative trial with fluoxetine.
Yoga is a popular form of complementary and alternative treatment. It is practiced both in developing and developed countries. Use of yoga for various bodily ailments is recommended in ancient ayvurvedic (ayus = life, veda = knowledge) texts and is being increasingly investigated scientifically. Many patients and yoga protagonists claim that it is useful in sexual disorders. We are interested in knowing if it works for patients with premature ejaculation (PE) and in comparing its efficacy with fluoxetine, a known treatment option for PE. To know if yoga could be tried as a treatment option in PE and to compare it with fluoxetine. A total of 68 patients (38 yoga group; 30 fluoxetine group) attending the outpatient department of psychiatry of a tertiary care hospital were enrolled in the present study. Both subjective and objective assessment tools were administered to evaluate the efficacy of the yoga and fluoxetine in PE. Three patients dropped out of the study citing their inability to cope up with the yoga schedule as the reason. Intravaginal ejaculatory latencies in yoga group and fluoxetine control groups. We found that all 38 patients (25-65.7% = good, 13-34.2% = fair) belonging to yoga and 25 out of 30 of the fluoxetine group (82.3%) had statistically significant improvement in PE. Yoga appears to be a feasible, safe, effective and acceptable nonpharmacological option for PE. More studies involving larger patients could be carried out to establish its utility in this condition.


High-Precision, Gas-Phase Hydrogen/Deuterium-Exchange Kinetics by Mass Spectrometry Enabled by Exchange Standards.
Mass spectrometry (MS) has become a primary tool for identifying and quantifying biological molecules. In combination with other orthogonal techniques, such as gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange (gHDX), MS is also capable of probing the structure of ions. However, gHDX kinetics can depend strongly on many factors, including laboratory temperature, instrumental conditions, and instrument platform selection. These effects can lead to high variability with gHDX measurements, which has hindered the broader adoption of gHDX for structural MS. Here we introduce an approach for standardizing gHDX measurements using cosampled standards. Quantifying the exchange kinetics for analytes relative to the exchange kinetics of the standards results in greater accuracy and precision than the underlying absolute measurements. The standardization was found to be effective for several types of analytes including small molecules and intact proteins. A subset of analytes showed deviations in their standardized exchange profiles that are attributed to field heating and the concomitant conformational isomerization. Inclusion of helium during the gHDX process for collisional cooling helps mitigate such variations in exchange kinetics related to ion heating. We anticipate that the outcomes of this research will enable the broader use of gHDX in MS-based workflows for molecular identification and isomer differentiation.


Dose-response relationships of balance training in healthy young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Balance training (BT) has been used for the promotion of balance and sports-related skills as well as for prevention and rehabilitation of lower extremity sport injuries. However, evidence-based dose-response relationships in BT parameters have not yet been established. The objective of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis was to determine dose-response relationships in BT parameters that lead to improvements in balance in young healthy adults with different training status. A computerized systematic literature search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and SPORTDiscus from January 1984 up to May 2014 to capture all articles related to BT in young healthy adults. A systematic approach was used to evaluate the 596 articles identified for initial review. Only randomized controlled studies were included if they investigated BT in young healthy adults (16-40 years) and tested at least one behavioral balance performance outcome. In total, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Studies were evaluated using the physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale. Within-subject effect sizes (ESdw) and between-subject effect sizes (ESdb) were calculated. The included studies were coded for the following criteria: training status (elite athletes, sub-elite athletes, recreational athletes, untrained subjects), training modalities (training period, frequency, volume, etc.), and balance outcome (test for the assessment of steady-state, proactive, and reactive balance). Mean ESdb demonstrated that BT is an effective means to improve steady-state (ESdb = 0.73) and proactive balance (ESdb = 0.92) in healthy young adults. Studies including elite athletes showed the largest effects (ESdb = 1.29) on measures of steady-state balance as compared with studies analyzing sub-elite athletes (ESdb = 0.32), recreational athletes (ESdb = 0.69), and untrained subjects (ESdb = 0.82). Our analyses regarding dose-response relationships in BT revealed that a training period of 11-12 weeks (ESdb = 1.09), a training frequency of three (mean ESdb = 0.72) or six (single ESdb = 1.84) sessions per week, at least 16-19 training sessions in total (ESdb = 1.12), a duration of 11-15 min for a single training session (ESdb = 1.11), four exercises per training session (ESdb = 1.29), two sets per exercise (ESdb = 1.63), and a duration of 21-40 s for a single BT exercise (ESdb = 1.06) is most effective in improving measures of steady-state balance. Due to a small number of studies, dose-response relationships of BT for measures of proactive and reactive balance could not be qualified. The present findings must be interpreted with caution because it is difficult to separate the impact of a single training modality (e.g., training frequency) from that of the others. Moreover, the quality of the included studies was rather limited, with a mean PEDro score of 5. Our detailed analyses revealed effective BT parameters for the improvement of steady-state balance. Thus, practitioners and coaches are advised to consult the identified dose-response relationships of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis to implement effective BT protocols in clinical and sports-related contexts. However, further research of high methodological quality is needed to (1) determine dose-response relationships of BT for measures of proactive and reactive balance, (2) define effective sequencing protocols in BT (e.g., BT before or after a regular training session), (3) discern the effects of detraining, and (4) develop a feasible and effective method to regulate training intensity in BT.


Prognostic features in laser trabeculoplasty.
Of 59 phakic eyes with open-angle glaucoma initially treated with laser trabeculoplasty, 45 eyes were followed at least 6 months. Intraocular pressure (IOP) at 6 months was less than 22 mmHg in 37 (82%), of which 25 (81%) were on fewer medications; of 26 eyes followed at least 12 months, IOP was less than 22 mmHg in 24 (92%). Of 49 eyes of patients over 55 years, 43 (88%) had a final IOP less than 22 mmHg, significantly (P less than 0.01) greater than 5/10 eyes of patients under 55 years. Initial IOP correlated positively with reduction of IOP (r = 0.66). IOP was measured 1 h after treatment in 42 eyes, of which 11 (26%) rose greater than or equal to 8 mmHg. This pressure elevation did not significantly affect the success rate.


Regulation of tension-induced mechanotranscriptional signals by the microtubule network in fibroblasts.
Mechanical loading of connective tissues induces the expression of extracellular matrix and cytoskeletal genes that are involved in matrix remodeling. These processes depend in part on force transmission through beta1 integrins and actin filaments, but the role of microtubules in regulating mechanotranscriptional responses is not well defined. We assessed the involvement of microtubules in the mechanotranscriptional regulation of filamin A, an actin-cross-linking protein that protects cells against force-induced apoptosis by stabilizing cell membranes. Collagen-coated magnetite beads and magnetic fields were used to apply tensile forces to cultured fibroblasts at focal adhesions. Force enhanced recruitment of alpha-tubulin and the plus end microtubule-binding protein cytoplasmic linker protein-170 (CLIP-170) at focal adhesions. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated no direct binding of tubulin to actin or filamin A, but CLIP-170 interacted with tubulin, filamin A, and beta-actin. The association of CLIP-170 with beta-actin was enhanced by force. Force activated the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, increased filamin A expression, and induced the relocation of p38 and filamin A to focal adhesions. Disruption of microtubules with nocodazole, independent of force application, enhanced filamin A expression and Sp1-mediated filamin A promoter activity, while stabilization of microtubules with Taxol inhibited force induction of both filamin A mRNA and protein. We conclude that in response to tensile forces applied through beta1 integrins and actin the microtubule network modulates mechanotranscriptional coupling of filamin A.


Time serial transcriptome reveals Cyp2c29 as a key gene in hepatocellular carcinoma development.
Objective: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severely lethal cancer that usually originates from chronic liver injury and inflammation. Although progress on diagnosis and treatment is obvious, the cause of HCC remains unclear. In this study, we sought to determine key genes in HCC development. Methods: To identify key regulators during HCC progression, we performed transcriptome sequencing to obtain time series gene expression data from a mouse model with diethylnitrosamine-induced liver tumors and further verified gene expression and function in vitro and in vivo. Results: Among the differentially expressed genes, Cyp2c29 was continuously downregulated during HCC progression. Overexpression of Cyp2c29 suppressed NF-κB activation and proinflammatory cytokine production by increasing the production of 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid in vitro. Furthermore, overexpression of Cyp2c29 in vivo protected against liver inflammation in mouse models of liver injury induced by both acetaminophen and CCl4. Two human homologs of mouse Cyp2c29, CYP2C8 and CYP2C9, were found to be downregulated in human HCC progression, and their expression was positively correlated with overall survival in patients with HCC (significance: P = 0.046 and 0.0097, respectively). Conclusions: Collectively, through systematic analysis and verification, we determined that Cyp2c29 is a novel gene involved in liver injury and inflammation, which may be a potential biomarker for HCC prevention and prognosis determination.


Efficacy and tolerability of pregabalin in partial epilepsy.
Pregabalin, the most recently approved antiepileptic drug, is a structural analog of GABA with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile. Pregabalin binds to the alpha2-delta subunit of a neuronal voltage-gated calcium channel and is believed to exert its anticonvulsant effect by modulating the release of specific neurotransmitters from hyperexcited presynaptic neurons. Animal models of epilepsy have suggested that this drug will be efficacious against partial-onset and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Four pivotal, add-on clinical trials conducted in patients with partial-onset seizures demonstrated that pregabalin at daily doses of 150-600 mg is efficacious and associated with dose-dependent adverse events. Meta-analyses of efficacy and tolerability indicated that pregabalin is an efficacious and relatively well-tolerated antiepileptic drug.


Requirement of a downstream sequence for generation of a poly(A) addition site.
The 3' terminus of most, if not all, eucaryotic polyadenylated mRNAs is formed as a result of endonucleolytic cleavage of a larger precursor RNA. That is, transcription does not terminate at the mRNA 3' sequence but rather proceeds through this site, terminating at some distance downstream. Using a plasmid containing the adenovirus E2A transcriptional unit, we have investigated the sequence requirement for the formation of a mature mRNA 3' terminus, focusing on the role of sequences immediately distal to the poly(A) addition site. Deletion mutants were constructed in the region distal to the poly(A) addition site and assayed by transfection into human 293 cells. The results demonstrate that 35 nucleotides distal to the site of poly(A) addition are sufficient for the formation of a mature E2 mRNA. However, removal of an additional 15 nucleotides, leaving 20 nucleotides distal to the poly(A) site, abolished the ability to produce functional E2A mRNA. The defect in the production of functional mRNA from such a mutant appears to be in the proper cleavage of the primary transcript at the poly(A) addition site. It would thus appear that sequences immediately distal to the site of poly(A) addition do not contribute to the mature mRNA but are essential for the formation of mature mRNA.


Shock-induced solitary waves in granular crystals.
Solitary waves (SWs) are generated in monoatomic (homogeneous) lightly contacting spherical granules by an applied input force of any time-variation and intensity. We consider finite duration shock loads on one-dimensional arrays of granules and focus on the transition regime that leads to the formation of SWs. Based on geometrical and material properties of the granules and the properties of the input shock, we provide explicit analytic expressions to calculate the peak value of the compressive contact force at each contact point in the transition regime that precedes the formation of a primary solitary wave. We also provide explicit expressions to estimate the number of granules involved in the transition regime and show its dependence on the characteristics of the input shock and material/geometrical properties of the interacting granules. Finally, we assess the accuracy of our theoretical results by comparing them with those obtained through numerical integration of the equations of motion.


Acetylprocainamide therapy in patients with previous procainamide-induced lupus syndrome.
Acetylprocainamide was used to treat 11 patients with previous procainamide-induced lupus syndrome for their cardiac arrhythmias. Three patients from whom procainamide had been withdrawn and whose lupus was in remission did not have a recurrence during a course of acetylprocainamide therapy of a longer average duration than their prior procainamide therapy. Lupus symptoms subsided during treatment in two patients who had symptoms when acetylprocainamide was started. Drug fever developed in one patient, and another had a mild recurrence of lupus symptoms during high-dose acetylprocainamide therapy that regressed with dosage reduction. All patients had small amounts of circulating procainamide from in-vivo deacetylation of acetylprocainamide. These observations strongly support the hypothesis that the aromatic amino group on procainamide is important for induction of the lupus syndrome and that acetylating this amino group blocks the lupus-inducing effect.


Chronic forced swim stress inhibits ultra-low dose morphine-induced hyperalgesia in rats.
Ultra-low doses of morphine (UL-morphine) induce hyperalgesia, which is assumed to be mediated by stimulatory G proteins (G(alphas)) signaling pathway. G(alphas) pathway inhibition and chronic stress both attenuate development of tolerance to analgesic effect of morphine. This study evaluated the effect of chronic stress on UL-morphine-induced hyperalgesia to find out if chronic stress interacts with the G(alphas) signaling pathway. Repeated daily forced swim stress was applied to induce chronic stress. UL-morphine (1 microg/kg, intraperitoneal)-induced hyperalgesia was assessed using the tail-flick test on day 6, in male rats that during days 1-5 received different treatments of swim stress, dexamethasone, swim stress following adrenalectomy (ADX) or swim stress after sham operation. Chronic stress by itself induced hyperalgesia in control and sham-operated rats but inhibited UL-morphine-induced hyperalgesia. In ADX animals, chronic stress did not produce hyperalgesia and could not inhibit UL-morphine-induced hyperalgesia. Chronic dexamethasone produced hyperalgesia but did not change the UL-morphine-induced hyperalgesia. Inhibition of UL-morphine hyperalgesia by chronic stress suggests that chronic stress interacts with the G(alphas) signaling pathway, which is responsible for UL-morphine-induced hyperalgesia. The absence of this effect in the ADX-rats or after repetitive dexamethasone administration demonstrates that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation is necessary for controlling UL-morphine-induced hyperalgesia. Finally, the interaction of stress with the G(alphas) signaling pathway may provide an explanation for the inhibitory effect of stress on development of tolerance to the analgesic effect of morphine.


Silenced expression of NFKBIA in lung adenocarcinoma patients with a never-smoking history.
Nuclear factor of κ-light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells inhibitor α (NFKBIA), which is a tumor suppressor gene, was found to be silenced in lung adenocarcinomas. We examined NFKBIA expression, mutations in the EGFR and K-ras genes, and EML4-ALK fusion in 101 resected lung adenocarcinoma samples from never-smokers. NFKBIA expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. NFKBIA expression was negative in 16 of the 101 samples (15.8%). EGFR and K-ras mutations and EML4-ALK fusion were detected in 61 (60.5%), 1 (1.0%), and 2 (2.0%) of the 101 samples, respectively, in a completely mutually exclusive manner. Negative NFKBIA expression was observed significantly more frequently among the tumors with none of the three genetic alterations compared to those with such alterations (p = 0.009). In addition, negative NFKBIA expression was significantly more frequent among the EGFR-wild type samples compared to the EGFR-mutant samples (p = 0.013). In conclusion, NFKBIA expression was silenced in adenocarcinomas without EGFR/K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusion, suggesting that the silencing of NFKBIA may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of adenocarcinomas independent of EGFR/K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusion.


Comparison of Colchicine Monotherapy Versus Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Monotherapy or Combination Therapy for the Prevention of Recurrent Pericarditis in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction and/or Coronary Artery Disease.
Objective: Guidelines recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or aspirin for 2-4 weeks with colchicine for 3 months for the treatment of acute pericarditis. In patients with HFrEF and/or CAD, the adverse effect profile of NSAIDs pose concern. While previous studies evaluated colchicine as adjunctive therapy, colchicine monotherapy has never been assessed. This study aims to compare the efficacy of colchicine monotherapy to NSAID monotherapy or combination therapy for the prevention of recurrent pericarditis in patients with HFrEF and/or CAD. Methods: This was a single health-system, retrospective, observational cohort study. Patients were 18 years or older, had a diagnosis of acute pericarditis and HFrEF and/or CAD, and were discharged on colchicine and/or NSAID therapy. Patients were excluded if they had an episode of pericarditis within the previous 12 months. The primary outcome was the incidence of pericarditis recurrence or documentation of incessant symptoms within 12 months of the index hospitalization. Results: Of the 77 patients included, 43 (55.8%) were treated with colchicine monotherapy, 7 (9.1%) were treated with NSAID monotherapy, and 27 (35.1%) were treated with combination therapy. Pericarditis recurrence or documentation of incessant symptoms occurred in 16.3% of patients treated with colchicine monotherapy, 28.6% of those treated with NSAID monotherapy, and 18.5% of those treated with combination therapy (P = .740). Conclusion: In this study, no difference in the primary outcome was observed between groups. However, a prospective, randomized trial is needed to further elucidate the efficacy of colchicine monotherapy for the treatment of acute pericarditis in patients with HFrEF and/or CAD.


Molecular cytogenetics of alpha satellite DNA from chromosome 12: fluorescence in situ hybridization and description of DNA and array length polymorphisms.
A 340-bp EcoRI fragment of alpha satellite DNA from human chromosome 12 has been isolated and used in molecular cytogenetic and genetic studies. The clone, pSP12-1, detects tandemly repeated 1.4-kb repeat units at the centromeric region of chromosome 12. By fluorescence in situ hybridization, biotinylated pSP12-1 is highly specific for chromosome 12 and has been used to confirm an i(12p) in a case of Pallister-Killian syndrome, both in metaphase spreads and in interphase nuclei. A dominant DNA polymorphism for the centromeric D12Z3 locus is detected with the enzyme TaqI. In addition, a high frequency of D12Z3 array length polymorphisms can be detected using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The D12Z3 array has been measured by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to span approximately 2,250-4,300 kb at the centromeric region of chromosome 12.


Hemorrhagic Renal Cyst, a Case Report.
A 73-year-old male presented with one day of hematuria associated with urinary frequency and acute on chronic abdominal cramping. On exam, he had diffuse abdominal tenderness, which he stated was normal for him. He was afebrile with no costovertebral angle tenderness or any other pertinent findings on physical exam. The urinalysis showed large red blood cells and small leukocyte esterase and nitrites. Labs were significant for white blood cell count (WBC) 24.6/mm3, hemoglobin 11.6 g/dL, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 56 mg/dL, creatinine 3.8 mg/dL (baseline 2.8 six months ago), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 16 mL/min. These findings were consistent with acute on chronic kidney injury with concomitant urinary tract infection - specifically concerning for pyelonephritis or an infected renal stone. Bedside renal ultrasound demonstrated a right renal cyst with echogenic debris consistent with a hemorrhagic cyst (red arrow). In addition, a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a 4mm non-obstructing right renal stone and bilateral renal cysts. The CT also confirmed the ultrasound finding of a right renal cyst with mild perinephric stranding possibly consistent with a hemorrhagic cyst. Simple renal cysts are typically single, unilateral, and usually possess four distinct characteristics: lack internal echoes, have increased posterior acoustic enhancement, have a uniform round/oval shape, and have thin posterior walls/demarcated borders.1 If all of these ultrasound features are met, additional imaging does not always have to be obtained.1,2 Simple renal cysts are usually benign, asymptomatic, and often appear as incidental findings on imaging.2,3 Generally, the number of renal cysts increase as a person ages.3A renal cyst may be classified as a complex cyst when it fails to be defined as a simple cyst.1 Characteristics of complex renal cysts may include septations, calcifications, internal echoes, or other irregularities.1 Cysts can also become more complex by hemorrhage or infection, which is usually evident on ultrasound by internal echoes.1 Calcifications can also form within the cyst, which can make it challenging to discriminate a simple cyst from cystic renal tumors.2 Both malignant and hemorrhagic cysts often have irregular boarders and echogenic material within their walls and within the cyst.4 On ultrasound, infected renal cysts are characterized by thickened walls sometimes with debris or gas.1,3 Calcifications may be present with increased attenuation.3 Infected cysts are diagnosed by a combination of imaging findings and clinical characteristics.3,5 While simple cysts are usually asymptomatic, malignant or more complex cysts are more likely to be symptomatic.3To further distinguish hemorrhagic cysts from malignant tumors, a CT or magnetic resistance imaging (MRI) should be performed.2 Computed tomography is more sensitive than ultrasound for identifying a renal mass, but ultrasound is effective for further characterizing a simple cyst from a complex cyst.3,6 One study reported that CT, MRI, and MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) had 100% sensitivity at identifying the presence of possible malignant renal lesions, but CT and MRI had lower specificity (66.9% and 68.8%) than MRI with DWI (93.8%).7Further classifying the type of renal cyst - simple vs complex or hemorrhagic vs infected vs malignant - aids in guiding management. While simple cysts usually do not need additional imaging, complex cysts may need to be further characterized.2 If malignancy is unlikely, hemorrhagic cysts are typically followed with serial ultrasounds.1 If there is concern for infection, antibiotics should be started.5 Further evaluation may include aspiration and drainage.1. This patient was started on antibiotics and admitted to the hospital. Urology, nephrology, and infectious disease were consulted. He was continued on antibiotics for 3 weeks due to concern for possible infected renal cyst. The patient was discharged and recommended to follow-up with urology for an outpatient cystoscopy and repeat renal ultrasound in 3 months to evaluate for a possible neoplasm. Renal cyst, hemorrhagic cyst, hematuria, bedside ultrasound, POCUS.


Access to piperidine imino-C-glycosides via stereoselective thiazole-based aminohomologation of pyranoses.
The access to piperidine homoazasugars (dideoxyiminoheptitols) from pyranoses via formal one-carbon chain elongation and exchange of the ring oxygen with the NH group is described. The key process involves the stereoselective addition of 2-thiazolylmagnesium bromide to an N-glycosylhydroxylamine, i.e., a hidden open-chain sugar nitrone. The N-thiazolylalkylhydroxylamine formed in this way is reduced to amine, and this transformed into a substituted piperidine via intramolecular cyclization by an S(N)2 process. Cleavage of the thiazole residue attached to C2 of the piperidine ring reveals the formyl group, and this is reduced to hydroxymethyl to give the target homoazasugar. A collection of six stereodiversified compounds with free OH and NH groups and isolated as hydrochlorides has been prepared.


In Situ Monitoring of Pb2+ Leaching from the Galvanic Joint Surface in a Prepared Chlorinated Drinking Water.
A novel method using a micro-ion-selective electrode (micro-ISE) technique was developed for in situ lead monitoring at the water-metal interface of a brass-leaded solder galvanic joint in a prepared chlorinated drinking water environment. The developed lead micro-ISE (100 μm tip diameter) showed excellent performance toward soluble lead (Pb2+) with sensitivity of 22.2 ± 0.5 mV decade-1 and limit of detection (LOD) of 1.22 × 10-6 M (0.25 mg L-1). The response time was less than 10 s with a working pH range of 2.0-7.0. Using the lead micro-ISE, lead concentration microprofiles were measured from the bulk to the metal surface (within 50 μm) over time. Combined with two-dimensional (2D) pH mapping, this work clearly demonstrated that Pb2+ ions build-up across the lead anode surface was substantial, nonuniform, and dependent on local surface pH. A large pH gradient (ΔpH = 6.0) developed across the brass and leaded-tin solder joint coupon. Local pH decreases were observed above the leaded solder to a pH as low as 4.0, indicating it was anodic relative to the brass. The low pH above the leaded solder supported elevated lead levels where even small local pH differences of 0.6 units (ΔpH = 0.6) resulted in about four times higher surface lead concentrations (42.9 vs 11.6 mg L-1) and 5 times higher fluxes (18.5 × 10-6 vs 3.5 × 10-6 mg cm-2 s-1). Continuous surface lead leaching monitoring was also conducted for 16 h.


Kuijie decoction ameliorates ulcerative colitis by affecting intestinal barrier functions, gut microbiota, metabolic pathways and Treg/Th17 balance in mice.
Currently, the clinical treatment is limited and difficult to achieve satisfactory results for ulcerative colitis (UC). The role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of UC is very complex. Kuijie decoction (KJD) as a classic TCM, is widely used in the clinical treatment of UC, but the mechanism of its action is still unclear. This study is to investigate the protective effects of KJD on UC and the underlying mechanisms. The experimental model of UC was induced by DSS, and KJD was introduced into the model at the same time. Clinical symptoms, including the body weight, colon length and colon histopathological, were used to measure the severity of colitis. The expression of inflammatory cytokines and tight junction proteins was quantified. The effect of KJD on intestinal flora and intestinal metabolism was determined by 16S rRNA and untargeted metabolomics analysis, respectively. The proportion of Th17 cells and Tregs in the spleen was examined by flow cytometry. Mice treated with KJD showed significantly alleviated clinical symptoms and histological damage, such as more body weight gain, lower disease activity index (DAI) score, and longer colon length. The administration of KJD also led to the down-regulation of inflammatory mediators, upregulation of the expression of ZO-1, occludin and decreased claudin-2, as well as altered microbiota composition against DSS challenges (especially an increase of Lachnospiraceae). KJD enhanced the percentage of Treg cells but decreased the proportion of Th17 cells to maintain intestinal homeostasis by improving gut microbiota metabolism. In summary, KJD maintained intestinal epithelial homeostasis by regulating epithelial barrier function, intestinal flora, and restoring Th17/Treg balance. KJD has the potential to be a Chinese medicine treatment for UC.


Endothelial damage in monkeys after radial keratotomy performed with a diamond blade.
Anterior radial keratotomy was performed with a diamond blade in ten rhesus monkey eyes. Results were compared with those of a previous study in which a metal blade was used. Histologic assessment showed endothelial degeneration, but fewer edematous endothelial cells, than in the previous study. Specular microscopy demonstrated statistically significant endothelial cell losses (7.99%), when preoperative and three-month postoperative values were compared. Autoradiography showed little cell division in the endothelial cell layer. Cell loss seemed to be repaired mainly by the spreading of neighboring cells. Endothelial cell division is also limited in humans, and the cumulative loss of cells due to surgical trauma combined with continuous damage-related losses and later age-related reductions in cell numbers could produce corneal decompensation in some patients years after radial keratotomy.


Nutritional rehabilitation of mitochondrial aberrations in aplastic anaemia.
Aplastic anaemia (AA) is a disease characterised by bone marrow hypocellularity and peripheral blood pancytopenia. AA is also associated with mitochondrial aberrations. The present study was undertaken primarily to test the hypothesis that a nutrient mixture could affect the nutritional rehabilitation of mitochondrial aberrations in AA mice. BALB/c AA mice were induced by a combination of hypodermic injections of acetylphenylhydrazine (100 mg/kg), X-rays (2·0 Gy) and intraperitoneal injections of cyclophosphamide (80 mg/kg). We treated these mice with nutrient mixture-supplemented diets in a dose-dependent manner (1445·55, 963·7, 674·59 mg/kg per d), and the effects of the nutrient mixture for mitochondrial rehabilitation were analysed in AA mice. Transmission electron microscopy showed that mitochondrial ultrastructural abnormalities in bone marrow cells, splenocytes and hepatocytes of the nutrient mixture groups were restored markedly, compared with the AA group. Mitochondrial membrane potentials of the nutrient mixture groups were increased remarkably. Western blot analysis also revealed that the nutrient mixture significantly inhibited cytochrome c release of mitochondria in the AA group. Furthermore, the mitochondrial DNA content of the nutrient mixture groups was also increased. Our data suggest that the nutrient mixture may promote the rehabilitation of mitochondrial aberrations, and consequently protects against mitochondrial dysfunction in AA mice.


Sensory adaptation to electrical stimulation of the somatosensory nerves.
Sensory systems adapt their sensitivity to ambient stimulation levels to improve their responsiveness to changes in stimulation. The sense of touch is also subject to adaptation, as evidenced by the desensitization produced by prolonged vibratory stimulation of the skin. Electrical stimulation of nerves elicits tactile sensations that can convey feedback for bionic limbs. In this study, we investigate whether artificial touch is also subject to adaptation, despite the fact that the peripheral mechanotransducers are bypassed. Using well-established psychophysical paradigms, we characterize the time course and magnitude of sensory adaptation caused by extended electrical stimulation of the residual somatosensory nerves in three human amputees implanted with cuff electrodes. We find that electrical stimulation of the nerve also induces perceptual adaptation that recovers after cessation of the stimulus. The time course and magnitude of electrically-induced adaptation are equivalent to their mechanically-induced counterparts. We conclude that, in natural touch, the process of mechanotransduction is not required for adaptation, and artificial touch naturally experiences adaptation-induced adjustments of the dynamic range of sensations. Further, as it does for native hands, adaptation confers to bionic hands enhanced sensitivity to changes in stimulation and thus a more natural sensory experience.


Extinction memory is facilitated by methylphenidate and regulated by dopamine and noradrenaline receptors.
Extinction is defined as the learned inhibition of retrieval and is the mainstay of exposure therapy, which is widely used to treat drug addiction, phobias and fear disorders. The psychostimulant, methylphenidate (MPH) is known to increase extracellular levels of noradrenaline and dopamine by blocking their reuptake and studies have demonstrated that MPH can modulate hippocampal physiology and/or functions including long-term potentiation (LTP), learning and memory. However, the influence of MPH on fear extinction memory has been insufficiently studied. Here we investigate the effect of MPH infused into the CA1 region of the hippocampus on extinction memory in animals normally incapable of showing contextual fear conditioning (CFC) extinction because of weak training, and the possible mechanisms through which it acts during this process. For this, male Wistar rats with infusion cannulae stereotaxically implanted in the CA1 region were submitted to a weak extinction protocol in a CFC apparatus. Animals that received intra-CA1 infusion of MPH (12.5μg/side) 20min before the extinction training (Ext Tr) expressed less freezing behavior than Veh-treated animals during both Ext Tr and extinction retention Test (Ext Test). Additionally, the administration of MPH+Timolol (1μg/side) or MPH+SCH23390 (1.5μg/side) intra-CA1 20min before the Ext Tr blocked the enhancing effect of the MPH on extinction learning. These results suggest that MPH in the CA1 region of the hippocampus is able to induce the consolidation of extinction memory and this process occurs through both β-adrenergic and D1/D5 dopaminergic receptors.


The influence of authentic leadership on safety climate in nursing.
This study analysed nurses' perceptions of authentic leadership and safety climate and examined the contribution of authentic leadership to the safety climate. It has been suggested and emphasised that authentic leadership should be used as a guidance to ensure quality care and the safety of patients and health-care personnel. This predictive study was conducted with 350 nurses in three Turkish hospitals. The data were collected using the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire and the Safety Climate Survey and analysed using hierarchical regression analysis. The mean authentic leadership perception and the safety climate scores of the nurses were 2.92 and 3.50, respectively. The percentage of problematic responses was found to be less than 10% for only four safety climate items. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that authentic leadership significantly predicted the safety climate. Procedural and political improvements are required in terms of the safety climate in institutions, where the study was conducted, and authentic leadership increases positive perceptions of safety climate. Exhibiting the characteristics of authentic leadership, or improving them and reflecting them on to personnel can enhance the safety climate. Planning information sharing meetings to raise the personnel's awareness of safety climate and systemic improvements can contribute to creating safe care climates.


Detection by ELISA of IgA and IgM antibodies in secretion and IgM antibodies in serum in primary lower respiratory syncytial virus infection.
Twenty-six infants and children with primary lower RS virus infection, diagnosed by the detection of RS virus in nasopharyngeal secretion (NPS) by use of immunofluorescent antibody (FA) technique, were studied with respect to the presence of IgA and IgM antibodies. Samples of NPS and serum obtained during the first 3-4 months following the beginning of illness, were investigated. Employing a reverse ELISA technique, we found IgM antibodies in the acute, but not during the convalescent, phase of illness in NPS from 20 of the patients and in serum from 21 of the patients. The majority of the IgM antibody conversions observed occurred in NPS as well as in serum on days 5-8 following the illness. RS virus IgA antibodies, also detected by a reverse ELISA technique, were demonstrated in NPS in 22 of the patients, with antibody conversions being found in 19 of the patients on days 5-8 following the beginning of the illness. Two patients still had IgA antibodies in NPS approximately 3 months FSOI. By comparison, RS virus was detected in acute-phase NPS by double-antibody sandwich ELISA in 25 of the 26 patients investigated.


Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Liver Fibrosis in People Living With HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
It is unclear if a high level of alcohol consumption is a risk factor for liver fibrosis for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study systematically summarizes the risk relationship between different alcohol consumption and the incidence of liver fibrosis among PLWH. We identified potential studies by searching the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science Library, and CNKI databases up to September 26th, 2021. Observation studies in PLWH that evaluated the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of liver fibrosis and estimated the effect of alcohol with pooled odds ratios (pooled ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were included. There were total 15 studies included in data analysis. Three studies were set up as cohort studies and the other twelve were cross-sectional studies. Our study was based on 22,676 individuals and 2,729 liver fibrosis cases from 15 studies. Alcohol abuse is a significant risk factor of liver fibrosis (pooled OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.59-3.17, p < 0.05) among PLWH. Daily alcohol consumption > 50 g can elevate the risk of liver fibrosis (pooled OR = 3.10, 95% CI: 2.02-4.73, p < 0.05) among PLWH. However, high-risk alcohol consumption determined by AUDIT-C (AUDIT-C ≥ 4) had little or no effect on subsequent liver fibrosis risk. Further, alcohol consumption > 50 g is also a risk factor to liver fibrosis in PLWH co-infected with HCV (pooled OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.62-3.80, p < 0.05) and in HIV mono-infected (pooled OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.00-3.43, p < 0.05). Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of liver fibrosis in PLWH. HCV co-infection with alcohol abuse could possibly induce a higher risk of liver fibrosis than HIV mono-infected patients. PROSPERO, identifier (CRD42021272604).


Aggressive behaviors and treatable risk factors of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder.
Aggressive behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are common. We conducted this study to describe the aggressive mode of preschool children with ASD and examine the associations between specific aggressive behaviors and two treatable factors: sleep problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. In total, 577 typically developing (TD) children and 490 children with ASD were investigated in this study. The Institute for Basic Research - Modified Overt Aggression Scale (IBR-MOAS) was used to assess aggressive behaviors. Children's social impairments, sleep problems and ADHD symptoms were also measured with specific scales. The total IBR-MOAS score was significantly higher (worse) in the TD group [4.47 (5.36)] than in the ASD group [3.47 (5.63), P = 0.004]. The aggressive modes differed between groups: when compared with each other, the TD group received higher scores on Verbal and Physical Aggression Toward Others (all P < 0.01), while the ASD group had higher scores on Physical Aggression Against Self (P = 0.006). The linear regression model demonstrated that the aggressive behaviors of children with ASD were significantly associated with two treatable factors: sleep problems and ADHD symptoms. These findings have substantial clinical implications: treatment of these two risk factors may be helpful in managing aggressive behavior in children with ASD. Autism Res 2017. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1155-1162. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Detection panel for identification of twelve hemorrhagic viruses using real-time RT-PCR.
Viral hemorrhagic fevers are caused by viruses from four viral families and develop diseases with high fatality rates. However, no commercial diagnostic assay for these pathogens is available. We developed real-time RT-PCR assays for viruses Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Guanarito, Machupo, Junin, Sabiá, Seoul, Puumala, Hantaan, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and Rift Valley fever virus. The assays were optimized for identical reaction conditions and can be performed using several types of real-time PCR instruments, both capillary and plate, including a portable Ruggedized Advanced Pathogen Identification Device (R.A.P.I.D.) (Idaho Technology, Inc.). In combination with primers and probes from previously published studies, we present a simple system for rapid identification of hemorrhagic filoviruses, arenaviruses and bunyaviruses with sufficient sensitivity for first contact laboratory and diagnosis under field conditions.


[Effects of scorpion venom heat-resistant protein on kainic acid induced-damage of cultured primitive rat hippocampal neuropeptide Y-nergic neurons].
To investigate the effects of scorpion venom heat-resistant protein (SVHRP) on kainic acid induced-damage of cultured primitive rat hippocampal neuropeptide Y-nergic neurons. We observed morphological changes, celluar vigor, NPY-immunoreactivity and NPY mRNA expression by means of Thionine staining, MTT assay, immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively, on the primitively cultured Sprague-Dawley rat hippocampal neuron treated with KA and SVHRP for 24 h. MTT assay and morphologic analysis showed that SVHRP markedly increased neuron survival-rate, and protected them from kA-induced damage. The expression of NPY-immunoreactivity and NPY mRNA in SVHRP group increased obviously compared with other groups. SVHRP protected the primitively cultured hippocampal neurons from KA-induced neuroexcitotoxicity and promoted the expression of NPY.


Effect of blanching and ultrasound pretreatment on moisture migration, uniformity, and quality attributes of dried cantaloupe.
To overcome problems of browning and crusting during the pretreatment process and provide theoretical guidance for cantaloupe convection drying at 80°C, the effects of blanching (BL) and ultrasonic (US) treatments were examined. The effects of various BL (5, 10, and 15 s) and US (10, 20, 30, and 40 min) durations on convection drying were tested. The moisture ratio, drying rate, moisture effective diffusivity, color, browning, nuclear magnetic resonance characteristics, and texture were assessed. Compared with the control group, the maximal decreases in the drying time of BL and US pretreatment groups were 40% and 33.3%, respectively. BL and US pretreatments significantly increased the effective diffusion coefficient and shortened the drying time because of the destruction of the cell structure. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that free water is mainly lost during the initial drying stage, while solidified water is mainly lost during middle and late stages. According to the results of magnetic resonance imaging, the moisture distribution shows that cavitation from US acts on internal tissue, while BL disrupts the structure of external tissue. Texture data define the area enclosed by SC-D as uniform. After BL and US pretreatment, the hardness of dried cantaloupe decreased and the uniformity increased significantly. The best pretreatment process for cantaloupe at 80°C was 10 min of US. These findings provide a reference for testing in the industrial production of dried cantaloupe and are deeply relevant for practice.


[Preliminary study on standardization of production and processing of Scutellaria baicalensis pieces].
Decoction pieces are important raw materials in the production of traditional Chinese medicine( TCM),and their quality could directly affect the clinical efficacy and medication safety. Research on the production and processing technology of TCM is the basis for the normalization and standardization of Chinese medicine decoction pieces. At present,the production and processing standards for Scutellaria baicalensis pieces are non-regulated,lacking data foundation. In this study,with baicalin,baicalein,wogonoside and wogonin contents as evaluation indicators,single factor experiment was designed to optimize the softening,drying and cutting processes of S. baicalensis,providing a basis for the standardization of their production and processing. The effects of different softening,drying and cutting processes on the contents of the main components in S. baicalensis were comprehensively analyzed by the summation of relative differences. RESULTS:: showed that the contents of the four components and comprehensive indexes were affected by different softening methods and drying temperatures. The content of wogonin in boiling method was higher than that in boiling with cold water,and the content of glycosides in 70 ℃ drying condition was higher than that in other groups. The content of baicalin was significantly affected by different cutting thicknesses,but not by comprehensive index. Eventually,the optimal preparation process for S. baicalensis was determined as follows: boiled in boiling water for 20 min,cut into thin slices( 1-2 mm),and then dried at 70 ℃ in blast drier. This process was close to the actual production,practical and feasible and meanwhile,it was of great significance to improve the quality of S. baicalensis pieces.


Insights from natural history collections: analysing the New Zealand macroalgal flora using herbarium data.
Herbaria and natural history collections (NHC) are critical to the practice of taxonomy and have potential to serve as sources of data for biodiversity and conservation. They are the repositories of vital reference specimens, enabling species to be studied and their distribution in space and time to be documented and analysed, as well as enabling the development of hypotheses about species relationships. The herbarium of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (WELT) contains scientifically and historically significant marine macroalgal collections, including type specimens, primarily of New Zealand species, as well as valuable exsiccatae from New Zealand and Australia. The herbarium was initiated in 1865 with the establishment of the Colonial Museum and is the only herbarium in New Zealand where there has been consistent expert taxonomic attention to the macroalgae over the past 50 years. We examined 19,422 records of marine macroalgae from around New Zealand collected over the past 164 years housed in WELT, assessing the records in terms of their spatial and temporal coverage as well as their uniqueness and abundance. The data provided an opportunity to review the state of knowledge of the New Zealand macroalgal flora reflected in the collections at WELT, to examine how knowledge of the macroalgal flora has been built over time in terms of the number of collections and the number of species recognised, and identify where there are gaps in the current collections as far as numbers of specimens per taxon, as well as with respect to geographical and seasonal coverage.


Strategies for reducing the fertilizer application rate in the ridge and furrow rainfall harvesting system in semiarid regions.
The ridge and furrow rainwater harvesting (RFRH) system is a promising water-saving planting technique for dryland farming, but we lack a full understanding of the effects of different fertilizer rates (N:P) on plant nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency (NuUE) in foxtail millet using this planting method, as well as the available nutrient residues in the soil. We conducted field studies (Loess Plateau, China) comparing RFRH planting (R) and traditional flat planting (T) at four different fertilizer rates to determine suitable fertilizer application rates for R during 2013-2015. Compared with T, R improved the soil moisture and the utilization of rainwater and fertilizer, thereby enhancing the grain yield, water use efficiency (WUE), grain nutrient uptake, and NUE in a dry year, but with no improvements in a rainy year. The grain yield and WUE exhibited parabolic increasing trends as the fertilizer application rate increased over three years, but no significant increase was found when the fertilizer rate exceeded 189:96 kg N:P ha-1 under R, which significantly reduced the NuUE and might waste nutrients. Therefore, we recommend R combined with 189:96 kg N:P ha-1 as a promising planting strategy for foxtail millet in semiarid areas.


Functional dissection of translocon proteins of the Salmonella pathogenicity island 2-encoded type III secretion system.
Type III secretion systems (T3SS) are essential virulence factors of most Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. T3SS deliver effector proteins directly into the cytoplasm of eukaryotic target cells and for this function, the insertion of a subset of T3SS proteins into the target cell membrane is important. These proteins form hetero-oligomeric pores acting as translocon for the delivery of effector proteins. Salmonella enterica is a facultative intracellular pathogen that uses the Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 2 (SPI2)-encoded T3SS to manipulate host cells in order to survive and proliferate within the Salmonella-containing vacuole of host cells. Previous work showed that SPI2-encoded SseB, SseC and SseD act to form the translocon of the SPI2-T3SS. Here we investigated the structural requirements of SseB and SseD to form a functional translocon. Based on bioinformatic predictions, deletional analyses of SseB and SseD were performed and the effect on secretion by the T3SS, formation of a translocon, translocation of effector proteins and intracellular replication was investigated. Our data showed that both SseB and SseD are very sensitive towards alterations of the primary structure of the proteins. Although proteins encoded by mutant alleles were still secreted, we observed that all mutations resulted in a loss of function of the SPI2-T3SS. These observations indicate that translocon proteins of the SPI2-T3SS are highly evolved towards the formation of multi-subunit complex in the host cell membrane. Structural alterations are not tolerated and abrogate translocon function.


Impact of computerized physician order entry on physician time.
We examined the effect of computerized physician order entry on housestaff time use patterns, using time motion techniques. For both medical and surgical house officers, writing orders on the computer took about twice as long (p < 0.001), or 44 minutes for medical and 73 minutes for surgical house officers. Medical house officers recovered about half this time because some administrative tasks--e.g. looking for charts--were made easier. Within types of orders, sets of stereotyped orders took much less time with order entry, but one-time orders took longer. We have since developed strategies to make it easier to enter one-time orders.


Quantitative analysis of protein interaction network dynamics in yeast.
Many cellular functions are mediated by protein-protein interaction networks, which are environment dependent. However, systematic measurement of interactions in diverse environments is required to better understand the relative importance of different mechanisms underlying network dynamics. To investigate environment-dependent protein complex dynamics, we used a DNA-barcode-based multiplexed protein interaction assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to measure in vivo abundance of 1,379 binary protein complexes under 14 environments. Many binary complexes (55%) were environment dependent, especially those involving transmembrane transporters. We observed many concerted changes around highly connected proteins, and overall network dynamics suggested that "concerted" protein-centered changes are prevalent. Under a diauxic shift in carbon source from glucose to ethanol, a mass-action-based model using relative mRNA levels explained an estimated 47% of the observed variance in binary complex abundance and predicted the direction of concerted binary complex changes with 88% accuracy. Thus, we provide a resource of yeast protein interaction measurements across diverse environments and illustrate the value of this resource in revealing mechanisms of network dynamics.


Fatigue and training of obstetrics and gynaecology trainees in Australia and New Zealand.
Several studies have linked doctor fatigue with adverse patient events and an increase in risk to doctors' personal safety and wellbeing. The present study assesses the rostering structure of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) trainees and its association with trainees' reported fatigue levels, training opportunities and wellbeing, which were secondary outcomes of a larger study of trainee working hours which has been separately reported. An anonymous, online survey of RANZCOG trainees was conducted. Demographic data collected included: age, gender, level of training and current rotation. Data were also collected on hours worked per week, long shifts (>12 h), self-reported fatigue levels, and opinions regarding current rostering and training. A majority (72.9%) of respondents regularly felt fatigued, with higher fatigue levels being associated with more hours worked per week (P = <0.001) and working long shifts (>12 h) (P = 0.007). Fatigue was associated with an increased risk of dozing while driving (P = 0.028), with 56.1% of respondents reporting that this occurs. Trainees appeared to be less confident in achieving their technical skill requirements, with increasing hours not increasing confidence in achieving these skills (P = 0.594). Trainees who worked under 50 h per week were less likely to report fatigue (P = <0.001) and more likely to report greater work enjoyment (P = 0.043), and working hours being conducive to learning (P = 0.015). Fatigue was frequently reported by RANZCOG trainees with increased working hours and long shifts being significant factors in fatigue levels. Strategies should be developed and trialled to enable trainees to obtain adequate case exposure and teaching without compromising patient and doctor safety.


[Development of anti-tumor blood vessel antibodies by phage display method].
Tumor blood vessels are essential for tumor growth. Therefore, these blood vessels are potential targets for anti-cancer therapy. The purpose of this study is to develop anti-tumor endothelial cell (TEC) antibodies for delivering anti-cancer agents or drugs. To achieve this goal, we utilized the phage antibody display library method to create monoclonal antibodies in vitro. Accordingly, we developed anti-TEC antibodies from an single chain Fv fragment (scFv) phage display library prepared using the Fv genes amplified from the mRNAs isolated from the TEC-immunized mice. The size of the phage antibody library prepared from the mRNA of the TEC-immunized mice was approximately 1.3x10(7) CFU. To select and enrich for the phages displaying the anti-TEC antibodies, cell panning was performed first using the TEC followed by subtractive panning using the normal endothelial cell. After five cycles of panning, the affinity of bound phage clones increased approximately 10 000 folds. Subsequently, clones isolated from the post-panning output library were tested for their antigen-specificity by ELISA and western blotting. One of the scFv phage clones showing antigen-specificity recognized only TEC in vitro, and when injected into the Colon26 bearing mice, this clone accumulated more on the tumor tissue than the wild type phage. These results suggest that the isolated an antibody and this clone's target molecule could be potentially useful for novel anti-tumor therapies.