[Orthodontic treatment and dental diseases].
The health of dental tissue is an important guarantee to obtain good orthodontic effect, and also the basis to achieve beauty, stability and function after orthodontic treatment. The classification of dental diseases is complex and diverse, which has different effects on orthodontic treatment. It is necessary to make clear diagnosis before orthodontic treatment, and take preventive and therapeutic measures according to the etiology and clinical symptoms, so as to achieve the goal of health treatment. Orthodontic treatment might cause a variety of changes in the teeth and pulp tissue. Such changes have certain rules and are complex and variable. Orthodontist should master relevant knowledge to minimize the side effects of orthodontic treatment.


Content and format of labeling for human prescription drug and biological products; requirements for pregnancy and lactation labeling. Final rule.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its regulations governing the content and format of the "Pregnancy," "Labor and delivery," and "Nursing mothers" subsections of the "Use in Specific Populations" section of the labeling for human prescription drug and biological products. The final rule requires the removal of the pregnancy categories A, B, C, D, and X from all human prescription drug and biological product labeling. For human prescription drug and biological products subject to the Agency's 2006 Physician Labeling Rule, the final rule requires that the labeling include a summary of the risks of using a drug during pregnancy and lactation, a discussion of the data supporting that summary, and relevant information to help health care providers make prescribing decisions and counsel women about the use of drugs during pregnancy and lactation. The final rule eliminates the "Labor and delivery" subsection because information about labor and delivery is included in the "Pregnancy" subsection. The final rule requires that the labeling include relevant information about pregnancy testing, contraception, and infertility for health care providers prescribing for females and males of reproductive potential. The final rule creates a consistent format for providing information about the risks and benefits of prescription drug and/or biological product use during pregnancy and lactation and by females and males of reproductive potential. These revisions will facilitate prescriber counseling for these populations.


Modulation of cardiac vascular endothelial growth factor and PGC-1α with regular postexercise cold-water immersion of rats.
Myocardial mitochondrial biogenesis and vascular angiogenesis biomarker responses to postexercise cold-water immersion (CWI) have not been reported. Therefore, to determine those cardiac adaptations, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: postexercise CWI (CWI; n = 13), exercise only (Ex; n = 12), and untreated control (CON; n = 10). CWI and Ex were trained for 10 wk, 5 sessions/wk, 30-60 min/session. CWI rats were immersed after each session in cold water (15 min at ~12°C). CON remained sedentary. Left ventricle tissue was obtained 48 h after the last exercise session and analyzed for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and heat shock protein 70 kDa (Hsp70) protein content and mRNA expression levels. In addition, superoxide dismutase activity and mRNA and malondialdehyde levels were evaluated. Ex and CWI induced higher PGC-1α protein content compared with CON (1.8 ± 0.6-fold, P < 0.001), which was significantly higher in CWI than Ex rats (P = 0.01). VEGF protein (4.3 ± 3.7-fold) and mRNA (10.1 ± 1.1-fold) were markedly increased only in CWI (P < 0.001) relative to CON. CWI and Ex augmented cardiac Hsp70 protein to a similar level relative to CON (P < 0.05); however, Hsp70 mRNA increased only in Ex (P = 0.002). No further differences were observed between groups. These results suggest that postexercise CWI may further enhance cardiac oxidative capacity by increasing the angiogenic and mitochondrial biogenic factors. In addition, CWI does not seem to worsen exercise-induced cardioprotection and oxidative stress. NEW & NOTEWORTHY A regular postexercise cold-water immersion for 10 wk of endurance training augmented the myocardial mitochondrial biogenesis and vascular angiogenesis coactivators peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor, respectively. In addition, postexercise cold-water immersion did not attenuate the exercise-induced increase in the cardioprotective biomarker heat shock protein 70 kDa or increase exercise-induced oxidative stress.


A Simplified Frailty Index to Predict Outcomes After Radical Cystectomy.
Traditional surgical risk indices are notoriously inaccurate, especially for the elderly, so there has been a trend to evaluate frailty instead. To describe a simplified five-item frailty index for evaluating radical cystectomy outcomes and compare its predictive ability with other risk assessment tools for a total patient cohort and a subgroup of patients aged ≥65yr. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database from 2007 to 2015 was queried for radical cystectomy cases for bladder cancer. A simplified five-item frailty index (sFI) was created based on previously described measures of frailty. Correlation of the sFI with postoperative outcomes was investigated using multivariate logistic regression analyses. The predictive ability of the sFI was compared to the extended 11-item frailty index, NSQIP risk calculator, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score by comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Subgroup analysis was performed for those aged ≥65 yr to evaluate the accuracy of the index in the older age group, for which traditional risk indices are notoriously inaccurate. Of 5516 cases identified, 10.7% experienced a Clavien grade ≥3 complication within 30 d of surgery. Individuals with an sFI of 3+ had a greater likelihood of experiencing a major complication (odds ratio 3.22, 95% confidence interval 2.01-5.17). The sFI outperformed the ASA score in predicting major complications and had a similar predictive ability to the more complex 11-item index and NSQIP risk calculator. There was also a significant correlation between the sFI and discharge destination. These relationships were consistent in the subgroup of patients aged ≥65yr. The study is limited by the database, which only records 30-d outcomes and does not allow evaluation of long-term sequelae. There is a strong correlation between frailty assessed via the sFI and radical cystectomy outcomes, including in the elderly. This tool can be used in the clinical setting to counsel patients and aid decision-making. This study demonstrated that a simple five-item frailty index can be used to assess preoperative risk in patients undergoing radical cystectomy.


Confidentiality of medical information: a study of Albertan family physicians.
The author of this paper examines physicians' regard for the confidentiality of medical information in the light of their perception of their own role. Five case studies of increasing complexity of medical management and ethical issues, derived from practice and accompanied by questions relating to confidentiality and medical management, were submitted to randomly selected family physicians in Alberta. Analysis of the replies to determine attitudes to confidentiality and how the respondents perceived patients' best interests, and statements of how they would act in certain situations, disclosed that a substantial minority of the physicians were still prepared to breach confidentiality and exercise Hippocratic professional judgement in certain situations. The bases of confidentiality of medical information are reviewed, together with changing modes of medical ethics and the increasing trend to rights derived from patients, autonomy, and the ways in which these factors may affect the physician-patient relationship.


Potential role of preoperative serum CA125 for the differential diagnosis between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma.
Most comparisons between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma have been based on postoperative pathological or molecular analyses. Very few reports have investigated preoperative differentiation between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma. Between January 1990 and December 2003, 42 consecutive patients with uterine leiomyosarcoma treated at index hospitals were analyzed. Meanwhile, 84 patients with uterine leiomyomas were used as controls. The diagnostic performance of preoperative serum CA125 for the differential diagnosis between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was evaluated. Data presentations were categorized into premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Diagnostic efficiency was calculated as the sensitivity multiplied by the specificity. Values of preoperative serum CA125 were significantly higher in the uterine leiomyosarcoma group than those in the uterine leiomyoma group. There was significant overlapping of preoperative serum CA125 between the uterine leiomyoma group and early-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma. For both the premenopausal and postmenopausal group, there was a significant difference in the distribution of preoperative serum CA125 in early-stage and advanced-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma. The optimal cutoff values of serum CA125 for the premenopausal group and postmenopausal group was 162 U/mL and 75 U/mL, respectively. These findings demonstrated that preoperative serum CA125 had a potential role in the differential diagnosis between early-stage and advanced-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma. Further investigation with a larger sample size at adequate power is necessary to verify the current study.


Synergistic effect of passive smoking and artificial feeding on hospitalization for respiratory illness in early childhood.
The synergism of passive smoking and artificial feeding on hospitalization for respiratory illness in early childhood was examined among 2,227 subjects born in the last quarter of 1983 in Chang-Ning District, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The eligible families were visited by the trained interviewers. A loglinear model shows no interaction on a multiplicative scale between these two factors on the frequency of hospitalization for respiratory illness during the first 18 months of life. However, the synergism of passive smoking and artificial feeding on the consequence was detected by using Rothman's approach that these two synergistic agents worked together producing a detrimental effect much more than that expected by their separate actions. These data suggested that it is more important to stop smoking in the families where the infants were artificially fed.


Phallic patheticness.
The characteristic of patheticness in the case of a young female victim of child abuse has been presented, underscoring the phallic quality of this trait and its root distinctiveness from the tragic character. Many patients, historical figures, and other individuals are prematurely judged as tragic when, in fact, we are reacting uncritically to the impact of their profound patheticness, at a point when, more often than not, such patheticness has not yet reached its lowest ebb, when it is still not too late to transform mute resignation to the neurosis of tragic fatalism into a more heroic deployment of destiny (Bollas, 1991, pp. 31-4). Phallic patheticness, in fact, represents a higher psychical achievement by virtue of its transient quality and its propensity to enable basic, if conflictual object-relationships and the recovery from psychic trauma. To be sure, many individuals with advanced personality structures have introjected into their personal value system a sense of the tragic, an identification with the tragic, or a special proclivity toward the tragic aspects of life, but this in and of itself does not render such individuals tragic, nor do they typically evoke in others the inner experience of maximum catastrophe or calamity. It is argued that the distinction between pathetic and tragic psychic structure can be clarified through carefully interpreted counter-transference.


Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) byproducts as a potential source of health-promoting antioxidant phenolics.
The present study reports a fast, economical, and feasible way to extract antioxidant phenolics from artichoke byproducts: raw artichoke (RA), blanched (thermally treated) artichoke (BA), and artichoke blanching waters (ABW). These byproducts represent a huge amount of discarded material in some industries. Two protocols, with possible industrial applicability, based on both methanol and water extractions were used. Phenolic contents (expressed as caffeic acid derivatives) (grams per 100 g of dry extract) were 15.4 and 9.9 for RA when extracted with methanol and water, respectively; 24.3 and 10.3 for BA when extracted with methanol and water, respectively; and finally, 11.3 g of phenolics/100 mL of ABW. Therefore, methanol extracts yielded more phenolics than water extracts, especially when BA byproducts were used. The higher amount of phenolics in BA could be due to the inactivation of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) at the industrial scale (due to blanching process), avoiding PPO-catalyzed oxidation of these phenolics, a phenomenon that could occur in RA byproducts. Artichoke extracts from industrial byproducts showed a high free radical scavenging activity (versus both DPPH* and ABTS*+ radicals) as well as capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation (ferric thiocyanate method). According to these results, the use of artichoke extracts from industrial byproducts as possible ingredients to functionalize foodstuffs (to decrease lipid peroxidation and to increase health-promoting properties) is suggested.


Clinical pathways for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) represent a group of diseases that pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to their clinical and pathological heterogeneity as well as the limited number of patients available for clinical trials. Over the last couple of decades, a major progress in understanding tumor biology led to the discovery of new potential targets for the medical treatment of these tumors. There are numerous novel targeted agents in various stages of preclinical and clinical development that offer considerable promise as monotherapy or combination therapy for PNETs. The question of whether traditional clinical research methods are appropriate for the development of novel, targeted anticancer agents has been the subject of many discussions. Major challenges include identifying a valid target, the most effective agent within a target class, the right subset of population to benefit from the drug, and the most appropriate setting to use the drug. As new agents emerge, oncologists are faced with making clinical decisions sometimes before having a high level of evidence. In this review, we attempt to address some of the management steps involved in treating patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, particularly well to moderately differentiated tumors. The purpose of this review is to offer a therapeutic sequence including surgery, liver-directed therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy for this disease.


Circadian rhythms in diet and habitat use in red ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra) and white-fronted brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus albifrons).
Daily variation in niche use among vertebrates is attributed to a variety of factors, including thermoregulatory, reproductive, and nutritional requirements. Lemuriform primates exhibit many behavioral and physiological adaptations related to thermoregulation and sharp, seasonal reproduction, yet they have rarely been subjects of a quantitative analysis of circadian (or daily) rhythms in niche use. In this study, I document daily rhythms in diet and microhabitat use over an annual cycle in two sympatric, frugivorous lemurs, Varecia rubra and Eulemur fulvus albifrons. Data on diet, forest site, and forest height were recorded at 5-min time points on focal animals and divided into three time blocks for analysis (06:00-10:00 hr, 10:00-14:00 hr, and 14:00-18:00 hr). I employed multivariate tests of independence to examine daily rhythms in diet and microhabitat use according to sex, season, and reproductive stage. Throughout the day, V. rubra is frugivorous and dwells in the upper canopy, with notable departures (especially for females) during the hot seasons, gestation, and lactation. E. f. albifrons has heterogeneous daily rhythms of food choice and microhabitat use, particularly across seasons, and both sexes are equally variable. These daily rhythms in diet and microhabitat use appear related to thermoregulatory and nutritional requirements, seasonal food availability and circadian rhythms of plant (and possibly insect) palatability, predator avoidance tactics, and in the case of Varecia, to reproduction. Daily rhythms of food choice in V. rubra support two previously suggested hypotheses explaining why primates consume more nonfruit items late in the day, whereas those of E. f. albifrons are too variable to lend support to these hypotheses.


Evaluation of the protective effects of β-blockers in the management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between early β-blocker continuation and major inpatient events in patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). This single centre, retrospective, investigational review board approved cohort study evaluated patients admitted for a primary diagnosis of AECOPD. Patients were evaluated based on early continuation of a β-blocker whether a β-blocker was initiated within 24 hours of admission and continued for at least 72 hours. Patients with AECOPD who did not receive β-blockers were assigned to the control group. Major inpatient events were a composite outcome composed of arrhythmias, myocardial infarction (MI) and death. Safety data were collected on the incidences of bradycardia, bronchospasms and hypotension. Of the 96 patients admitted for AECOPD, fifty-five patients were included in the early β-blocker group and forty-one patients in the control group. Early β-blocker utilization was associated with a significantly lower rate of major inpatient events compared with the control group (40% vs 80.5%; P < 0.001). Arrhythmias were significantly less common in the early β-blocker group (30.9% vs 65.9%; P = 0.001); however, there were no significant differences in the rates of MI (9.1% vs 14.6%; P = 0.54), death (0 vs 0) or safety outcomes between groups. β-blocker therapy could result in a paradigm shift in managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients from a true cardiopulmonary approach. This retrospective cohort study demonstrated early β-blocker continuation in patients admitted for an AECOPD was associated with less major inpatient events, primarily arrhythmias.


A bio-molecular film ex-vivo model to evaluate the influence of canal dimensions and irrigation variables on the efficacy of irrigation.
To devise an ex vivo model to test the efficacy of irrigation (static/dynamic) in removing a bio-molecular film from root canal walls. Forty human teeth with single straight canals were randomly allocated to two groups for static (n = 20) or dynamic (n = 20) irrigation. The root canals were prepared to different apical sizes (20, 40) and tapers (0.04, 0.08). The teeth were split longitudinally into two, stained collagen was applied to the canal surfaces and the tooth reassembled in a silicone matrix for dynamic or static irrigation. Digital images of the canal surface were taken before and after irrigation with 9, 18, 27 and 36 mL solution. The percentage of canal surface covered with stained collagen was quantified (ipWin4). The data were analysed using paired t-tests and linear regression models. All the five explanatory variables: 'volume of irrigant used', 'mode of irrigation', 'orientation of open port of needle', 'corono-apical level of canal' and 'root canal dimension' had a significant (P < 0.001) influence on outcome of irrigation. The corono-apical level of canal was the most dominating factor. After irrigation, the apical third had 19.9% and 33.8% less area covered with the bio-molecular film than the middle and coronal thirds respectively. The stained collagen bio-molecular film could not be removed completely by either static or dynamic irrigation. Factors influencing removal, in rank order of decreasing priority, were: corono-apical level, apical size and taper of canal preparation, and dynamic/static irrigation.


Treatment of brain metastases: a short review of current therapies and the emerging role of temozolomide.
Brain metastases are a major clinical challenge and usually signify very poor prognosis for most patients. Several recent strategies such as radiosensitizers, surgical resection, and radiosurgery have resulted in small gains in selected subsets of patients. Phase II and phase III clinical trials results with oral chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide have demonstrated objective radiographic and neurological responses. We provide a brief review of current and novel therapies for brain metastases, including new data on the efficacy and safety of temozolomide, a second-generation alkylating agent.


Pathophysiologic roles of the fibrinogen gamma chain.
Fibrinogen binds through its gamma chains to cell surface receptors, growth factors, and coagulation factors to perform its key roles in fibrin clot formation, platelet aggregation, and wound healing. However, these binding interactions can also contribute to pathophysiologic processes, including inflammation and thrombosis. This review summarizes the latest findings on the role of the fibrinogen gamma chain in these processes, and illustrates the potential for therapeutic intervention. Novel gamma chain epitopes that bind platelet integrin alpha IIbbeta3 and leukocyte integrin alphaMbeta2 have been characterized, leading to the revision of former dogma regarding the processes of platelet aggregation, clot retraction, inflammation, and thrombosis. A series of studies has shown that the gamma chain serves as a depot for fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), which is likely to play an important role in wound healing. Inhibition of gamma chain function with the monoclonal antibody 7E9 has been shown to interfere with multiple fibrinogen activities, including factor XIIIa crosslinking, platelet adhesion, and platelet-mediated clot retraction. The role of the enigmatic variant fibrinogen gamma chain has also become clearer. Studies have shown that gamma chain binding to thrombin and factor XIII results in clots that are mechanically stiffer and resistant to fibrinolysis, which may explain the association between gammaA/gamma' fibrinogen levels and cardiovascular disease. The identification of new interactions with gamma chains has revealed novel targets for the treatment of inflammation and thrombosis. In addition, several exciting studies have shown new functions for the variant gamma chain that may contribute to cardiovascular disease.


Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of response to peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C.
We aimed to determine whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) could be a predictor of antiviral response in chronic hepatitis C patients. A total of 602 consecutive patients (genotype 1, n = 263; genotype 2, n = 297; others/unknown, n = 42) receiving response-guided therapy with peginterferon plus ribavirin were recruited. NLR was related to clinical and virological features and to treatment outcome. Rapid virological response (RVR) and sustained virological response (SVR) were achieved in 436 (73%) and 458 (76%) of the patients, respectively. Higher NLR (≥1.42) was found to be associated with higher prevalence of DM (P = 0.039) and higher hepatitis C viral load (P = 0.002) and white cell count (P < 0.001). NLR was significantly lower in patients with RVR and SVR compared to those without (P = 0.032 and 0.034, resp.). However, NLR was not an independent factor by multivariate analysis. In the subgroup analysis, higher NLR (≥1.42) (odds ratio, 0.494, P = 0.038) was an independent poor predictor of SVR in genotype 2 patients but was not in genotype 1 patients. In conclusion, NLR is a simple and easily accessible marker to predict response to peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C genotype 2.


Mushroom-shaped structures formed in Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms grown in a roller bioreactor are associated with quorum sensing-dependent Csu-pilus assembly.
There is currently a need to develop simple biofilm models that facilitate investigation of the architecture/biology of mature bacterial biofilms in a consistent/standardized manner given their environmental and clinical importance and the need for new anti-biofilm interventions. This study introduces a novel biofilm culture system termed the rolling biofilm bioreactor (RBB). This easily operated system allows adherent microbial cells to be repeatedly exposed to air/solid/liquid interfaces optimizing biofilm growth. The RBB was exploited to investigate biofilm formation in Acinetobacter baumannii. High levels of A. baumannii biofilm biomass reproducibly accumulate in the RBB and, importantly, undergo a maturation step to form large mushroom-shaped structures that had not been observed in other models. Based on image analysis of biofilm development and genetic manipulation, we show how N-acylhomoserine lactone-dependent quorum sensing (QS) impacts on biofilm differentiation, composition and antibiotic tolerance. Our results indicate that extracellular DNA (eDNA) is a key matrix component in mature Acinetobacter biofilms as the mushroom-like structures consist of dense cellular masses encased in an eDNA mesh. Moreover, this study reveals the contribution of QS to A. baumannii biofilm differentiation through Csu pilus assembly regulation. Understanding the mechanisms of structural development of mature biofilms helps to identify new biofilm eradication and removal strategies.


Pathophysiological effects of endotoxins in ruminants. 1. Changes in body temperature and reticulo-rumen motility, and the effect of repeated administration.
Data from the literature on the clinical effects of bacterial endotoxins in ruminants are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the effects on body temperature and reticulo-rumen motility. Furthermore, the effects of repeated intravenous injection of endotoxin are summarised. Pathophysiological disturbances after intramammary infusion of endotoxins proved to be identical to those found after intravenous injection of non-lethal doses. Strikingly, however, no marked inhibitory effect on rumen motility nor abortion was observed after intramammary infusion of endotoxins. Moreover, in cows that were made tolerant to endotoxin by daily intravenous injections, intramammary infusion of one-fifth of this daily dose produced a maximum effect on body temperature and plasma Zn concentrations. This suggests that inflammatory endogenous mediators were released in the udder and then absorbed into the blood circulation, rather than the absorption of endotoxin.


Androgen receptor blockade using flutamide skewed sex ratio of litters in mice.
Maternal testosterone has been indicated to affect sex ratio of offspring. The present study was conducted to elucidate the role of androgen receptor in this regard by blockade of androgen receptor using flutamide in female mice. Mice were randomly assigned to two experimental groups. Mice in the control (n = 20) and treatment (n = 20) groups received 8 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection (8 IU) 47 hr later. In addition, mice in the control and treatment groups received four injections of ethanol-saline vehicle and flutamide solution (2.50 mg), respectively, started from 1 hr before eCG injection until hCG injection at 12-hr intervals. Conception rate was not different between the treatment (18/20: 90.00%) and control (19/20: 95.00%) groups (p > 0.05). Litter size was higher in the treatment (8.22 ± 0.26) than control (7.21 ± 0.28) group (p < 0.05). Male sex ratio was lower in the flutamide-treated mice (67/148: 45.30%) as compared with the untreated ones (80/137: 58.40%; odds ratio = 1.69; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the results showed that androgen receptor blockade could skew sex ratio of offspring toward females implying that the effect of testosterone on sex ratio might be through binding to androgen receptor. In addition, the blockade of androgen receptor using flutamide appeared to enhance litter size.


Sleep in children with cancer.
Advances in cancer treatment have improved the 5-year survival rate for childhood cancers to over 78%, resulting in a large population of pediatric cancer survivors. There is increasing recognition that sleep intersects with cancer through the circadian control of the cell cycle and that sleep problems are one of the 'effects' of cancer, its treatments, or both. Recognition of these intersections will facilitate new areas of treatment and the use of proven clinical interventions for sleep problems in cancer survivors. Discoveries in circadian biology have revealed that the biologic clocks, which control sleep/wake rhythms, are present in all cells and exert considerable control over the cell cycle. This has opened new opportunities for improving efficacy, decreasing toxicity, or both of cancer therapy through circadian timing of chemotherapy. Excessive daytime sleepiness has emerged as one of the most common, but often unrecognized, sleep symptoms in cancer survivors. Sleep complaints are especially common in survivors of childhood cancer who have sustained an injury to the hypothalamus or brainstem, have evidence of endocrine dysfunction, are obese, or have been treated with cranial radiation. If recognized and treated appropriately, sleep problems can be successfully managed.


Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of clinically negative lymph nodes versus sentinel node mapping in patients at high risk for axillary metastasis.
Sonographically directed fine-needle aspiration is a less invasive and less costly alternative to sentinel node (SN) mapping in breast cancer patients at high risk for metastatic disease but with clinically negative axillae. Radiographic, cytological, and histological diagnostic data on breast primary tumors from 114 consecutive SN candidates were prospectively assessed for clinicopathologic variables associated with an increased incidence of axillary metastases. Patients in whom these variables were identified underwent sonographic examination of their axillae followed by fine-needle aspiration when abnormal nodes were detected. SN mapping was performed in patients with normal axillary sonogram results or negative cytological results. Patients with positive cytological results proceeded to complete axillary dissection. Final axillary histological outcomes from patients not meeting the high-risk criteria were recorded. Additionally, a cost analysis was performed in which the costs of ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the axilla were compared with those of SN mapping. According to our selection criteria, a third of the patients with clinically negative axillae (37 of 114; 32%) were considered at high risk for axillary metastases. Fifty-nine percent of these patients (22 of 37) had metastatic disease on final histological analysis. Forty percent (15 of 37) of high-risk patients were spared SN mapping, with a reduction in health care costs of 20% in this patient population. Eighty-seven percent of patients not meeting high-risk criteria were SN negative. This study suggests that in patients at increased risk for axillary metastases, the use of sonographic evaluation of the axilla in combination with fine-needle aspiration is not only clinically justified, but also cost-effective.


The menopausal syndrome.
The average life span of women living in the United States is approximately 80 years of age, with one-third of those years spent after menopause. Of the approximately 35-40 million postmenopausal American women, only 10% are currently using estrogen replacement therapy. Atrophy of the genitourinary system may be prevented or reversed with estrogen therapy. In addition, 75% of all postmenopausal women have vasomotor symptoms severe enough to lead them to seek medical consultation. For 65%, these symptoms persist for at least 1 year, and for 20%, the hot flushes are present for more than 5 years. Estrogen replacement therapy is the treatment of choice for the management of vasomotor symptoms, with or without additional behavior symptoms, and should be considered safe for most postmenopausal women. It protects the bones and, most important, the cardiovascular system.


Body composition in patients with primary neuromuscular disease assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and three different bioimpedance devices.
Patients with primary neuromuscular disease have reduced muscle mass, and use of body mass index to assess nutritional status and body composition can therefore be questioned. Dual emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can estimate muscle mass, but is not always readily available. Bioimpedance is a simple, portable and "easy to use" method for the assessment of body composition. To assess muscle mass by DXA in 143 patients with primary neuromuscular disease and validate three bioimpedance devices; Impedimed SFB7, (BISIMPEDIMED), Xitron4200 (BISXITRON) and Tanita MC180MA (MFBIATANITA). Body composition was assessed by DXA in 143, by BISIMPEDIMED in 116, by MFBIATANITA in 104 and by BISXITRON in 35 patients. Muscle mass assessed by DXA, and phase angle (PhA) were below reference values in all female and 96% of male patients. BISIMPEDIMED underestimated muscle mass by 6.5 ± 14.2 kg (p < 0.001), but this could be corrected after exclusion of resistance (Ri) values > 3500 Ohm (p = 0.84). MFBIATANITA overestimated muscle mass by 30.8 ± 9.1 kg (p < 0.001) with systematic bias, whereas BISXITRON was in agreement with DXA, and without systematic bias. Muscle mass was strongly correlated to PhA (rPEARSON = 0.75, p < 0.01). Patients with primary neuromuscular disease have proportionally more fat and less muscle mass than the population in general, despite normal BMI. Muscle mass can be assessed by bioimpedance in these patients, but performance and bias depends on device. Phase angle by bioimpedance correlates to muscle mass, and could therefore potentially be used a surrogate measure of muscle mass during follow up.


Thymectomy in the treatment of myasthenia.
Thymectomy has been performed in 69 patients, 58 females and 11 males, age range 14 to 70 years, with a maximum in females between 20 to 30 years. Twenty-seven percent of the patients were older than 40 years. Considerable improvement resulting from remission and partial remission occurred in 89% of females and in about 50% of males, the figure for thymomatous myasthenia was about 65% in the first year after thymectomy. In the following years, improvements increased partially and the number of remissions rose as well. By chance the duration of the disease was longer than 6 years in 20% of our patients and in these a benefit from thymectomy was also found. There were 7 early deaths and 4 late deaths. Thymectomy cannot be called a cure but is an essential part of the whole treatment procedure of myasthenia comprising the administration of anticholinesterase and especially immunosuppressive agents. It was found difficult to estimate the effect of any single measure in this retrospective study by the major benefit of thymectomy is seen in initiating remissions or at least considerable improvements. Indication for operation is thought to be present in progressive myasthenia, acute or chronic, and thymoma, provided that the patient has reached an optimal condition preoperatively by adequate anticholinesterase adjustment, neurophysiological control and immunosuppressive treatment. Thymectomy is not an emergency operation and should be carefully planned. Since relapses after thymectomy are not rare, a careful neurological long-term follow-up appears obligatory.


Bacterial and fungal agents in house dust and wheeze in children: the PARSIFAL study.
Growing up on a farm and an anthroposophic lifestyle are associated with a lower prevalence of allergic diseases in childhood. This might be related to increased inhalatory exposure to microbial agents. To assess the association between microbial agents in house dust and atopic wheeze in farm children, Steiner school children and reference children. Levels of bacterial endotoxin, fungal beta(1,3)-glucans and fungal extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) in mattress and living room floor dust were measured in a population of 270 atopic (=Phadiatop-positive) children with self-reported wheezing, including 168 current atopic wheezers, and 441 non-atopic, non-symptomatic controls. These children were selected from a cross-sectional study in five European countries. In the study population as a whole, average levels of mattress dust endotoxin, EPS and glucans were slightly (1.1-1.2-fold; P<0.10) higher in control children than in atopic wheezers. Atopic wheeze was related to mattress levels of endotoxin, EPS and glucans in farm and farm-reference children. However, when adjusting for group (farm vs. farm-reference children), the associations became non-significant whereas the group effect remained. No associations between atopic wheeze and microbial agents were observed in Steiner and Steiner-reference children. For current atopic wheeze, the farm effect became non-significant after adjustment for microbial agent levels. Not only bacterial endotoxin but also mould components might offer some protection against atopic wheeze in children. However, the protective effect of being raised on a farm was largely unexplained by the mattress microbial agent levels measured in this study.


Selective growth of dual-color-emitting heterogeneous microdumbbells composed of organic charge-transfer complexes.
We report a simple yet versatile solution route for constructing heterojunctions from luminescent organic charge-transfer (CT) complexes through a two-step seeded-growth method. Using this method, we achieved anisotropic and selective growth of anthracene-1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) complexes onto the tips of naphthalene-TCNB microtubes, resulting in the formation of microdumbbells. Significantly, the two-component microdumbbells appear as dual-color-emitting heterojunctions arising from integration of two distinct color-emitting materials. We further elucidated the two-step seeded-growth mechanism of the dumbbell-like organic heterostructures on the basis of structural analysis of the two crystals and surface-interface energy balance. In principle, the present synthetic route may be used to fabricate a wide range of sophisticated dual- or multicolor-emitting organic heterostructures via judicious choice of the CT complexes.


Influence of photoperiod and prolactin on body composition and in vitro lipid metabolism in wether lambs.
An experiment was conducted to determine the possible effects of photoperiod and prolactin on the physical and chemical composition of body weight gain. Prolactin was manipulated by im injections of 2-Br-alpha-ergocryptine (CB154) or sc injections of ovine prolactin (oPRL) and by two light:dark regimens (16L:8D and 8L:16D). The four treatments employed were: 1) 16L:8D, placebo injections; 2) 16L:8D, CB154 injections; 3) 8L:16D, placebo injections and 4) 8L:16D, oPRL injections. After a 9-wk growth study, animals were slaughtered at similar body weights over the next 2-wk period. Weight of intestines was directly related and weight of pelt inversely related to circulating concentrations of prolactin. Content of N and lipid in the carcass was not influenced by treatment. However, N content of the noncarcass components was elevated (P less than .01) in animals receiving CB154. In vitro rates of acetate incorporation (nmol X 100 mg tissue-1 X 3 h-1) were higher in subcutaneous than in perirenal adipose tissue (1,920 vs 777; P less than .001). Rates for treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 1,770, 953, 1,350, respectively. The rate for treatment 1 was greater than that for treatments 2 (P less than .001) and 3 (P less than .05). There was no stimulation of lipogenesis in response to insulin added to the incubation medium. In vitro rates of glycerol release (nmol X 100 mg tissue-1 X 2 h-1) were higher in perirenal than in subcutaneous adipose (135 vs 81; P less than .001). The respective treatment rates were 120, 84, 104 and 124, with treatment 1 being greater (P less than .05) than treatment 2. Epinephrine addition elevated glycerol release (156 vs 60; P less than .001). Differences for in vitro lipid metabolism between the perirenal and subcutaneous depots were independent of differences in cell size. Overall, these data indicate that the increased body weight gain due to extended lighting was not accompanied by detrimental effects on carcass composition. Nor was there any clear relationship between circulating concentrations of prolactin and in vitro lipid metabolism.


Usefulness of CURB-65 and pneumonia severity index for influenza A H1N1v pneumonia.
Usefulness of CURB-65 and pneumonia severity index for influenza A H1N1v pneumonia. A. Estella. Different prognostic scales have been documented to assess the severity and indications for hospitalization and ICU admissions of community acquired pneumonia. During the past two years Influenza A H1N1v infections have been commonly attended to in emergency departments. The aim of the study was to analyse the usefulness of the application of the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and CURB-65 prognostic scales in patients with primary viral pneumonia caused by influenza A H1N1v. A retrospective study was performed at a community hospital with a 17 bed-intensive care unit. Patients admitted in hospital with influenza A H1N1v pneumonia over a two year period were analysed. CURB 65 and PSI scales were applied in the emergency department and outcome and destination of admission were analysed. 24 patients were registered, 19 required ICU admission and 5 patients were admitted in medical wards. Most of the patients admitted to the intensive care unit (78.9%) required mechanical ventilation. Mortality was 21.1%. Most patients admitted to the ICU had CURB 65 scale of 1 (60%), 13.3% obtained 0 and 26.7% 2. PSI scale resulted class I in a 20%, class II 40%, 26.7% class IV and 13.3% class V. The scales CURB 65 and PSI showed no differences in scores according to the destination of admission and mortality. Use of CURB-65 and PSI in the emergency department may underestimate the risk of patients with Influenza A H1N1v pneumonia. Based in our results, the ability of these scales to predict ICU admissions for Influenza A H1N1v pneumonia is questioned.


Environmental Success Factors or the Justification for the Prohibition of High-Tech Swimsuits in Swimming.
The scope of the study was to elaborate and represent different aspects of high-tech suits which influence the swimming results and to justify the change of swimming rules in 2009. Impact of environmental factors on the result should not be greater than the athlete's impact. Impact of high-tech suits greatly contributes to the development of technology, new materials and modern design of sports equipment. The paper describes the genesis of the high-tech swimsuits and provides an analysis of causes and consequences of its prohibition. The arguments against the suits have an effect on prohibition of different sports requisites and equipment in all sports. This prohibition directly affects the modern swimmers who will have difficulties in breaking the world records swimming in high-tech suits.


Long-term outcomes of rotational atherectomy of underexpanded stents. A single center experience.
To analyze the procedural and long-term outcomes of the use of rotational atherectomy (RA) in underexpanded stents in our cohort and to provide an overview of currently available data on this technique. Stent underexpansion (SU) has been related to stent thrombosis and restenosis. RA has been used to treat undilatable SU as a bail-out strategy with encouraging results. This is an observational, single-center study. We included patients who underwent stentablation between 2013 and 2017. Baseline demographics, procedural results, in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and long-term follow-up MACE were retrospectively collected. A total of 11 patients (90.9% males, mean age 65.4 ± 18.6) were included in this study. Median left ventricle ejection fraction was 53.5% [46.2-55]. Median calculated Syntax score was 16 [9-31] and 45.5% of patients were admitted for acute coronary syndrome. Radial approach was used in 63.6% of cases. Most patients only required one burr (45% used a 1.5 mm diameter burr) during the intervention. Procedural success was achieved in 90.9% of the cases. Acute lumen gain was 42.7% [30.7-61.49]. There were no in-hospital deaths or MACE. At a median follow-up of 26 months, only one patient (9.1%) suffered MACE in the context of acute coronary syndrome, and two patients (18.2%) required non-target lesion revascularization. No deaths were reported. RA of under expanded stents is a feasible option with a high rate of procedural success. At long-term follow-up, all of them were alive and 90.9% of patients remained free from MACE.


Distribution of content in recently-viewed scenes whitens perception.
Anisotropies in visual perception have often been presumed to reflect an evolutionary adaptation to an environment with a particular anisotropy. Here, we adapt observers to globally-atypical environments presented in virtual reality to assess the malleability of this well-known perceptual anisotropy. Results showed that the typical bias in orientation perception was in fact altered as a result of recent experience. Application of Bayesian modeling indicates that these global changes of the recently-viewed environment implicate a Bayesian prior matched to the recently experienced environment. These results suggest that biases in orientation perception are fluid and predictable, and that humans adapt to orientation biases in their visual environment "on the fly" to optimize perceptual encoding of content in the recently-viewed visual world.


Putting responsive behaviours in place: Examining how formal and informal carers understand the actions of people with dementia.
Living alongside and working with people with dementia who yell or strike out can be very demanding and sometimes harmful. It is generally understood that such actions may be a response to the social and physical environment, yet very little attention has been paid to understanding what role the environment plays in eliciting and responding to these actions across different settings. Drawing on 27 semi-structured interviews with formal and informal carers, this article examines how carers understand the actions of people with dementia in relation to their environment. We identify individual, interpersonal, local environmental, macro-scale and temporal dynamics that influence the actions of people with dementia and carers' capacities to work with them. Drawing on relational thinking and the concept of structural violence, we argue that many of the problems and solutions associated with aggressive actions are located outside the person with dementia in broader relations and systems of care. We conclude with a discussion of how these understandings can inform developments in the systems of home and community care.


Modeling dendritic cell vaccination for influenza prophylaxis: potential applications for niche populations.
Cancer patients can exhibit negligible responses to prophylactic vaccinations, including influenza vaccination. To help address this issue, we developed in vitro and in vivo models of dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy for the prevention of influenza virus infection. Human cord blood (CB)-derived or mouse splenocyte-derived DCs were loaded with purified recombinant hemagglutinin (rHA). T-cell responses to HA-loaded CB-derived DCs were determined by ELISpot. Protective efficacy was determined by vaccination of BALB/c mice with a single injection of 10(6) autologous DCs. DC migration to peripheral lymphoid organs was verified by carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester staining, and HA-specific antibody titers were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mice were then challenged intranasally with BALB/c-adapted A/New Caledonia influenza virus derived from four consecutive lung pool passages. Antigen-presenting cell (APC) dysfunction was modeled using the MAFIA transgenic system, in which the Csf1r promoter conditionally drives AP20178-inducible Fas. CB-derived human DCs were able to generate de novo T-cell responses against rHA, as determined by a system of rigorous controls. Mice vaccinated intraperitoneally developed HA titers detectable at serum dilutions of >1:1000. HA seroconverters survived virus challenge, whereas unvaccinated controls and vaccinated nonseroconverters lost weight and died. Furthermore, use of a model of APC-specific immunosuppression revealed that DC vaccination could generate HA-specific antibody titers under conditions in which protein vaccination could not. The model demonstrates that DC immunotherapy for the prevention of influenza is feasible, and studies are underway to determine whether populations of immunosuppressed individuals might ultimately benefit from the procedure.


In vitro antagonistic activity of Lactobacillus strains isolated from healthy oral cavity against oral pathogens.
Lactobacilli were isolated from oral cavity of healthy children and identified by using standard bacteriological methods. The aim of the study was to show the prevalent of Lactobacilli in the oral cavity and to emphasis on the antagonistic activity of oral Lactobacilli on oral pathogens. Our results revealed that a variety of lactobacillus species were inhabited the healthy oral cavity of children and quantitative assay using Lactobacillus filtered supernatant is more reliable than Lactobacillus non filtered supernatant for screening of in vitro antagonistic activity.


Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) patient-specific risk reporting: its use and misuse.
Fundamental to maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening is the clinical utility of the laboratory report. It follows that the scientific form of expression in that report is vital. Professional societies concur that patient-specific risk reporting is the preferred form. However, some intermediate steps being taken to calculate patient-specific risks are invalid because of the erroneous assumption that multiples of the median (MoMs) represent an interlaboratory common currency. The numerous methods by which MoMs may be calculated belie the foregoing assumption.


Transforming your presentation into a publication.
Publication in scientific journals is required for academic promotion at universities. It is also the method by which most family medicine faculty members disseminate their scholarly work, establish a reputation in their field, and develop a clinical, teaching, or scholarly expertise. Publications are able to reach a broader audience than are presentations, which makes them the epitome of academic scholarship. Most academic family physicians give presentations to students, residents, or colleagues as part of their regular job duties and at regional and national meetings, but few write articles based on those presentations.


Bone demineralization and impaired mineral metabolism in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. A possible role of magnesium deficiency.
Osteoporosis, a recognized complication of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), may be related to this complex metabolic disorder; moreover, some data emphasize an altered vitamin D metabolism or parathyroid hormone secretion. Mineral homeostasis was studied in 29 children with IDDM (18 males, 11 females; 2.6-18.0 years). In 17 patients a stimulatory test (low-calcium diet) was performed for PTH and 1.25(OH)2D. Bone mineral content (BMC) and BMC/BW were lower in respect to our normal values; bone mineral loss was directly related to HbA1c levels and insulin requirements. A significant decrease of ionized calcium (p less than 0.001) and magnesium (p less than 0.001) was found; intact PTH values were in the low normal range but decreased for the ionized calcium values. 1.25(OH)2D levels were not significantly different from normal levels. 1.25(OH)2D and intact PTH did not rise during stimulatory test. The lack of 1.25(OH)2D and intact PTH increase after the stimulatory test may be due to the parathyroid gland's hyporesponsiveness related to hypomagnesemia which impaired PTH release and/or PTH action. Our data confirm an involvement of 1.25(OH)2D and PTH regulation in diabetic osteoporosis.


Secondary localized cutaneous amyloid in Bowen's disease.
A case of Bowen's disease is described in which striking quantities of amyloid were detected in the papillary dermis visualized easily by routine haematoxylin and eosin staining. The material showed positive labelling with an antikeratin monoclonal antibody consistent with the proposed origin of the amyloid as degenerate keratinocytes. The pathobiology of amyloid associated with dysplastic squamous lesions is discussed.


Wound opening in a thin incompressible viscoelastic tissue.
We develop a model to investigate analytically and numerically the mechanics of wound opening made in a viscoelastic, isotropic, homogeneous, and incompressive thin tissue. This process occurs just immediately after the wound infliction. Before any active biological action has taken place, the tissue relaxes, and the wound opens mostly due to the initial homeostatic tension of the tissue, its elastic and viscous properties, and the existing friction between the tissue and its substrate. We find that for a circular wound the regimes of deformation are defined by a single adimensional parameter λ, which characterizes the relative importance of viscosity over friction.


Linamarase expression in cassava cultivars with roots of low- and high-cyanide content.
This paper reports the expression and localization of linamarase in roots of two cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) cultivars of low and high cyanide. Two different patterns of linamarase activity were observed. In the low-cyanide type, young leaves displayed very high enzyme activity during the early plant growing stage (3 months), whereas in root peel, the activity increased progressively to reach a peak in 11-month-old plants. Conversely, in the high-cyanide cultivar (HCV), root peel linamarase activity decreased during the growth cycle, whereas in expanded leaves linamarase activity peaked in 11-month-old plants. The accumulation of linamarin showed a similar pattern in both cultivars, although a higher concentration was always found in the HCV. Linamarase was found mainly in laticifer cells of petioles and roots of both cultivars with no significant differences between them. At the subcellular level, there were sharp differences because linamarase was found mainly in the cell walls of the HCV, whereas in the low-cyanide cultivar, the enzyme was present in vacuoles and cell wall of laticifer cells. Reverse transcriptase-PCR on cassava tissues showed no expression of linamarase in cassava roots, thus, the transport of linamarase from shoots to roots through laticifers is proposed.


Inducible nitric oxide synthase mediates retinal apoptosis in ischemic proliferative retinopathy.
Ischemic proliferative retinopathy (e.g., diabetes mellitus, retinopathy of prematurity, or retinal vein occlusion) is a major cause of blindness worldwide. Apart from neovascularization, ischemic proliferative retinopathy leads to retinal degeneration. Apoptosis has been ascribed to be the leading mechanism in ischemic retinal degeneration. We showed recently that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is expressed in the avascular retina in proliferative retinopathy in vivo and that iNOS expression in retinal glial cells is responsible for retinal neuronal cell death in vitro. Here we show that retinal apoptosis and subsequent degeneration occur in the murine model of ischemic proliferative retinopathy. Furthermore, because NO can have beneficial or detrimental effects in the retina, we analyzed the role of iNOS on retinal apoptosis in ischemic proliferative retinopathy. Using iNOS knock-out mice and iNOS inhibitor 1400W, we demonstrate in vivo that iNOS expression induces apoptosis locally in the inner nuclear layer of the avascular retina and that protein nitration may be involved in this process. These findings are the first evidence for retinal apoptosis in an animal model of ischemic proliferative retinopathy, demonstrating that iNOS plays a crucial role not only in retinal neovascular disease but also in retinal degeneration. We show that it is an ideal target to protect the hypoxic retina from degeneration and to improve its vascularization.


[Possibilities and limits in the detection of nosocomial rotavirus infections].
During an epidemiological survey on rotavirus gastroenteritis in the area of Berne (Switzerland) different virus types were analyzed according to their genome segment pattern. Nosocomial rotavirus infections among pediatric patients were carefully investigated. Possible limitations of such studies are discussed in details.


Application of personalized spacers made with 3D-printed mold in the two-stage procedure for periarticular infection.
Cement spacers treat periarticular infection after bone tumor resection in patients with bone defects. Complications such as poor joint function, poor soft tissue reconstruction, and poor postoperative daily living ability are present. We present a case of periarticular infection treated successfully after distal femoral osteosarcoma surgery with a personalized spacer made with a 3D-printed mold. A two-stage procedure was performed on an 18-year-old patient with high-grade conventional osteosarcoma of the left distal femur. After two biopsies, the boy developed a periarticular infection of the affected limb during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We had a microbiologically confirmed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. Because of the infection risk associated with primary joint replacement, a two-stage procedure was planned. In the first stage of surgery, we prepared a personalized spacer using a 3D-printed mold, antibiotic-loaded polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and an intramedullary needle. This spacer restored the function of the knee joint and the daily activities of the affected limb, and the infection was effectively eradicated. This spacer was firmly fixed two years after the surgery, and there were no surgical or spacer-related complications. The patient underwent a second stage of surgery to replace a permanent metal mega-prosthesis, and the knee joint functions returned to near normal. This case report describes limb-salvage surgery following distal femoral resection for periarticular infection. The personalized spacers prepared by a 3D-printed mold can be used in periarticular infection after long bone resection, mega-prosthetic infection, or limb-salvage surgery for temporary joints in small children.


Neuronal synchrony reveals working memory networks and predicts individual memory capacity.
Visual working memory (VWM) is used to maintain sensory information for cognitive operations, and its deficits are associated with several neuropsychological disorders. VWM is based on sustained neuronal activity in a complex cortical network of frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal areas. The neuronal mechanisms that coordinate this distributed processing to sustain coherent mental images and the mechanisms that set the behavioral capacity limit have remained unknown. We mapped the anatomical and dynamic structures of network synchrony supporting VWM by using a neuro informatics approach and combined magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography. Interareal phase synchrony was sustained and stable during the VWM retention period among frontoparietal and visual areas in alpha- (10-13 Hz), beta- (18-24 Hz), and gamma- (30-40 Hz) frequency bands. Furthermore, synchrony was strengthened with increasing memory load among the frontoparietal regions known to underlie executive and attentional functions during memory maintenance. On the other hand, the subjects' individual behavioral VWM capacity was predicted by synchrony in a network in which the intraparietal sulcus was the most central hub. These data suggest that interareal phase synchrony in the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-frequency bands among frontoparietal and visual regions could be a systems level mechanism for coordinating and regulating the maintenance of neuronal object representations in VWM.


Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Patients with Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: A Review.
Helicobacter pylori is a prevalent cause of gastrointestinal infections. Recently, several studies have shown a relationship between H. pylori infection and a variety of extradigestive manifestations. The aim of this study was to review the literature regarding the prevalence of this infection in cases of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSR). We reviewed the EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar search engines; hand-searched many journals; and searched the cited references in published articles for relevant studies. We assessed 81 studies for eligibility. Finally, nine articles that met the inclusion criteria were included. The relationship between H. pylori infection (as the etiologic factor) and chorioretinal involvement was assessed by the effect size with 95% confidence interval (CI). Both fixed- and random-effects models showed that the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with CSR was significantly higher than in the control group (2.5-fold and 2.7-fold higher, respectively; P < 0.01). The results were not significantly different between the two models. Treatment of H. pylori infection should be considered in patients with CSR. However, additional randomized controlled clinical trials are required to determine the possible role of H. pylori eradication in the prognosis and treatment of patients with CSR.


Enduring Poststroke Motor Functional Improvements by a Well-Timed Combination of Motor Rehabilitative Training and Cortical Stimulation in Rats.
In animal stroke models, peri-infarct cortical stimulation (CS) combined with rehabilitative reach training (RT) enhances motor functional outcome and cortical reorganization, compared with RT alone. It was unknown whether the effects of CS + RT (a) persist long after treatment, (b) can be enhanced by forcing greater use of the paretic limb, and (C) vary with treatment onset time. To test the endurance, time sensitivity, and the potential for augmentation by forced forelimb use of CS + RT treatment effects following ischemic stroke. Adult rats that were proficient in skilled reaching received unilateral ischemic motor cortical lesions. RT was delivered for 3 weeks alone or concurrently with 100-Hz cathodal epidural CS, delivered at 50% of movement thresholds. In study 1, this treatment was initiated at 14 days postinfarct, with some subgroups receiving an overlapping period of continuous constraint of the nonparetic forelimb to force use of the paretic limb. The function of the paretic limb was assessed weekly for 9 to 10 months posttreatment. In study 2, rats underwent CS, RT, and the combination during the chronic postinfarct period. Early onset CS + RT resulted in greater functional improvements than RT alone. The CS-related gains persisted for 9 to 10 months posttreatment and were not significantly influenced by forced use of the paretic limb. When treatment onset was delayed until 3 months post-infarct, RT alone improved function, but CS + RT was no more effective than RT alone. CS can enhance the persistence, as well as the magnitude of RT-driven functional improvements, but its effectiveness in doing so may vary with time postinfarct.


Bone morphogenetic protein 2 decreases TRPC expression, store-operated Ca(2+) entry, and basal [Ca(2+)]i in rat distal pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells.
Recent studies indicate that multiple bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family ligands and receptors are involved in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension, yet the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Although BMP2 and BMP4 share high homology in amino acid sequence, they appear to exert divergent effects on chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (CHPH). While BMP4 promotes vascular remodeling, BMP2 prevents CHPH. We previously demonstrated that BMP4 upregulates the expression of canonical transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) proteins and, thereby, enhances store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) and elevates intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). In this study, we investigated the effects of BMP2 on these variables in rat distal PASMCs. We found that treatment with BMP2 (50 ng/ml, 60 h) inhibited TRPC1, TRPC4, and TRPC6 mRNA and protein expression. Moreover, BMP2 treatment led to reduced SOCE and decreased basal [Ca(2+)]i in PASMCs. These alterations were associated with decreased PASMC proliferation and migration. Conversely, knockdown of BMP2 with specific small interference RNA resulted in increased cellular levels of TRPC1, TRPC4, and TRPC6 mRNA and protein, enhanced SOCE, elevated basal [Ca(2+)]i, and increased proliferation and migration of PASMCs. Together, these results indicate that BMP2 participates in regulating Ca(2+) signaling in PASMCs by inhibiting TRPC1, TRPC4, and TRPC6 expression, thus leading to reduced SOCE and basal [Ca(2+)]i and inhibition of cell proliferation and migration.


Increased Mindfulness Skills as Predictors of Reduced Trauma-Related Guilt in Treatment-Seeking Veterans.
The present study examined the predictive role of increased self-reported mindfulness skills on reduced trauma-related guilt in a sample of veterans over the course of residential treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; N = 128). The residential treatment consisted of seven weeks of intensive cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD, as well as additional psychoeducational groups, including seven sessions on mindfulness skills. Increased mindfulness skills describing, acting with awareness, and accepting without judgment were significantly associated with reductions in trauma-related guilt over the course of treatment. Increases in the ability to act with awareness and accept without judgment were significantly associated with reductions in global guilt, R2 = .26, guilt distress, R2 = .23, guilt cognitions, R2 = .23, and lack of justification, R2 = .11. An increase in the ability to accept without judgment was the only self-reported mindfulness skill that was associated with reductions in hindsight bias, β = -.34 and wrongdoing, β = -.44. Increases in self-reported mindfulness skills explained 15.1 to 24.1% of the variance in reductions in trauma-related guilt, suggesting that mindfulness skills may play a key role in reducing the experience of trauma-related guilt during psychotherapy. Our results provide preliminary support for the use of mindfulness groups as an adjunct to traditional evidence-based treatments aimed at reducing trauma-related guilt, though this claim needs to be tested further using experimental designs.


Phytosterols on growth performance, antioxidant enzymes and intestinal morphology in weaned piglets.
Plant extracts have been used widely to improve growth, lower cholesterol, and exert antioxidative defense and antimicrobial activities in animal production. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary phytosterols (PS) on growth performance, antioxidant enzymes and intestinal morphology in weaned piglets. A total of 120 crossbred piglets, weighing 9.58 ± 0.26 kg, were randomly allocated to three treatments: control, PS (0.2 g kg-1 ) and polymyxin E (0.04 g kg-1 , antibiotic control). Compared to the control, PS or polymyxin E supplementation decreased diarrhea rate, serum cholesterol and malondialdehyde (MDA) of the piglets (P < 0.05). Liver MDA was significantly decreased in PS-fed piglets compared to the control (P < 0.05), although there was no difference between the control and polymyxin E-fed piglets. PS increased the villous height/crypt depth ratio of the duodenum and jejunum compared to the control (P < 0.05). Polymyxin E supplementation in piglets did not alter the villous height/crypt depth ratio but raised the villous height and crypt depth of the duodenum compared to the control (P < 0.05). The results of the present study indicated that PS could decrease diarrhea rate, lower serum cholesterol, reduce lipid peroxidation and ameliorate intestinal morphology in weaned piglets. In addition, PS exerted better amelioration on intestinal morphology than polymyxin E in piglets. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.


A Triptycene-Based Layered/Flower-Like 2D Conductive Metal-Organic Framework with 3D Extension as an Electrode for Efficient Li Storage.
2D metal-organic frameworks (2D MOFs) with π conjugation have attracted widespread attention in the field of lithium storage due to their unique electron transfer units and structural characteristics. However, the periodic 2D planar extension structure hides some active sites, which is not conducive to the utilization of its structural advantages. In this work, a series of triptycene-based 2D conductive MOFs (M-DBH, M = Ni, Mn, and Co) with 3D extension structures are constructed by coordinating 9,10-dihydro-9,10-[1,2]benzenoanthracene-2,3,6,7,14,15-hexaol with metal ions to explore their potential applications in lithium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries. This is the first study in which 2D conductive MOFs with the 3D extended molecule are used as electrode materials for lithium storage. The designed material generates rich active sites through staggered stacking layers and shows excellent performance in lithium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries. The capacity retention rate of Ni-DBH can reach over 70% after 500 cycles at 0.2 C in lithium-ion batteries, while the capacity of S@Mn-DBH exceeds 305 mAh g-1 after 480 cycles at 0.5 C in lithium-sulfur batteries. Compared with the materials with 2D planar extended structures, the M-DBH electrodes with 3D extended structures in this work exhibit better performance in terms of cycle time and lithium storage capacity.


The design and the dosimetry of bi-nuclide radioactive ophthalmic applicators.
A novel type of applicator for the treatment of intra-ocular tumors has been developed, based on the two radionuclides 106Ru/106Rh and 125I. The dose distribution of this ophthalmic plaque combines advantageous features of both radionuclides and can be optimally adapted to a tumor thickness in the range 6.5-9 mm, a size which is beyond the dosimetric limitations of the 106Ru/106Rh plaque therapy. Compared with 125I plaques a bi-nuclide plaque allows to maintain the tumor dosage while the dose in the irradiated volume outside of the target volume is significantly reduced. Consequently, radiosensitive structures within the eye can be spared more effectively. Dedicated methods have been developed for the dosimetry of this plaque. These methods are based on our own extensive dosimetric investigations with plastic scintillators. The precondition was the availability, developed in recent years, of a more accurate determination of the absolute dose rate to water of beta- and low energy emitters.


A relationship-oriented model of HIV-related stigma derived from a review of the HIV-affected couples literature.
Previous research has focused on the influence of HIV-related stigma for the psychological adjustment and physical health of persons with HIV/AIDS. Few studies, however, have examined the impact of HIV-related stigma on close relationships where one or both couple members have HIV/AIDS. The current review will integrate previous research findings to substantiate a relationship-oriented theoretical model of HIV-related stigma that delineates interpersonal variables important for understanding the influence of types of HIV-related stigma on couple-level as well as relevant individual-level outcomes. In doing so, supportive evidence is presented from the extant quantitative and qualitative literature that has assessed or examined HIV-affected couple members' experiences with HIV-related stigma. Implications from this review are presented for researchers who examine issues related to HIV-related stigma.


Silymarin (milk thistle extract) as a therapeutic agent in gastrointestinal cancer.
Silymarin contains a group of closely-related flavonolignan compounds including silibinin, and is extracted from Silybum marianum species, also called milk thistle. Silymarin has been shown to protect the liver in both experimental models and clinical studies. The chemopreventive activity of silymarin has shown some efficacy against cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Silymarin can modulate apoptosis in vitro and survival in vivo, by interfering with the expression of cell cycle regulators and apoptosis-associated proteins. In addition to its anti-metastatic activity, silymarin has also been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. The chemoprotective effects of silymarin and silibinin (its major constituent) suggest they could be applied to reduce the side effects and increase the anti-cancer effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in various cancer types, especially in gastrointestinal cancers. This review examines the recent studies and summarizes the mechanistic pathways and down-stream targets of silymarin in the therapy of gastrointestinal cancer.


Silymarin constrains diacetyl-prompted oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in rats: involvements of Dyn/GDNF and MAPK signaling pathway.
Neuroinflammation, a major component of many CNS disorders, has been suggested to be associated with diacetyl (DA) exposure. DA is commonly used as a food flavoring additive and condiment. Lately, silymarin (Sily) has shown protective and therapeutic effects on neuronal inflammation. The study aimed to explore the role of Sily in protecting and/or treating DA-induced neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation was induced in rats by administering DA (25 mg/kg) orally. Results revealed that Sily (50 mg/kg) obviously maintained cognitive and behavioral functions, alleviated brain antioxidant status, and inhibited microglial activation. Sily enhanced IL-10, GDNF and Dyn levels, reduced IFN-γ, TNFα, and IL-1β levels, and down-regulated the MAPK pathway. Immunohistochemical investigation of EGFR and GFAP declared that Sily could conserve neurons from inflammatory damage. However, with continuing DA exposure during Sily treatment, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation were less mitigated. These findings point to a novel mechanism involving the Dyn/GDNF and MAPK pathway through which Sily might prevent and treat DA-induced neuroinflammation.


Spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection presenting as hypoglossal nerve palsy.
A 42-year-old man presented with right temporal headache, dysarthria, and dysphagia. On examination, he had a right hypoglossal nerve palsy. The diagnosis of right internal carotid artery dissection was suggested by magnetic resonance imaging and confirmed by carotid angiography. A dynamic computed tomogram demonstrated enlargement of the carotid artery. In carotid dissection, the hypoglossal nerve may be compromised by local factors as it passes close to the carotid artery in the neck.


Sialolithotomy of the submandibular duct using sialendoscopy.
Conventionally, indirect radiography has been used to diagnose salivary gland diseases. However, with the development of sialendoscopy, diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland diseases have become more effective. Herein, we report a case of sialolithotomy treated with sialendoscopy and compare it with the existing methods through a literature review. Two patients with a foreign body sensation under the tongue and dry mouth visited the Anam Hospital, Korea University. Radiographic examination revealed salivary stones inside the right Wharton duct, and the patients underwent sialolithotomy under local or general anaesthesia. The stones were totally removed, and there were no postoperative complications such as bleeding or pain. The development of sialendoscopy has enabled better definitive diagnosis of salivary gland diseases compared with the conventional methods; better treatment outcomes can be obtained when sialendoscopy is used in appropriate cases.


Controlling neocortical epileptic seizures using forced temporal spike-time stimulation: an in silico computational study.
Epileptic seizure is typically characterized by highly synchronized episodes of neural activity. Existing stimulation therapies focus purely on suppressing the pathologically synchronized neuronal firing patterns during the ictal (seizure) period. While these strategies are effective in suppressing seizures when they occur, they fail to prevent the re-emergence of seizures once the stimulation is turned off. Previously, we developed a novel neurostimulation motif, which we refer to as "Forced Temporal Spike-Time Stimulation" (FTSTS) that has shown remarkable promise in long-lasting desynchronization of excessively synchronized neuronal firing patterns by harnessing synaptic plasticity. In this paper, we build upon this prior work by optimizing the parameters of the FTSTS protocol in order to efficiently desynchronize the pathologically synchronous neuronal firing patterns that occur during epileptic seizures using a recently published computational model of neocortical-onset seizures. We show that the FTSTS protocol applied during the ictal period can modify the excitatory-to-inhibitory synaptic weight in order to effectively desynchronize the pathological neuronal firing patterns even after the ictal period. Our investigation opens the door to a possible new neurostimulation therapy for epilepsy.


Acetonitrile cluster solvation in a cryogenic ethane-methane-propane liquid: Implications for Titan lake chemistry.
The atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, exhibits interesting UV- and radiation-driven chemistry between nitrogen and methane, resulting in dipolar, nitrile-containing molecules. The assembly and subsequent solvation of such molecules in the alkane lakes and seas found on the moon's surface are of particular interest for investigating the possibility of prebiotic chemistry in Titan's hydrophobic seas. Here we characterize the solvation of acetonitrile, a product of Titan's atmospheric radiation chemistry tentatively detected on Titan's surface [H. B. Niemann et al., Nature 438, 779-784 (2005)], in an alkane mixture estimated to match a postulated composition of the smaller lakes during cycles of active drying and rewetting. Molecular dynamics simulations are employed to determine the potential of mean force of acetonitrile (CH3CN) clusters moving from the alkane vapor into the bulk liquid. We find that the clusters prefer the alkane liquid to the vapor and do not dissociate in the bulk liquid. This opens up the possibility that acetonitrile-based microscopic polar chemistry may be possible in the otherwise nonpolar Titan lakes.


Squamous cell carcinoma presenting as a refilled thin-walled cavity in lung: a case report.
Thin-walled cavity with air-fluid level is often considered radiographically benign-looking lesion. We recently encountered a patient with a rare lung cavity. A 58-year-old male presented with intermittent fever, chest pain and hemoptysis. A large thin-walled cavity, with a smooth inner surface and a clear air-fluid level, occupied the left upper lobe on the chest computerized tomography (CT) scan. After intravenous antibiotics was administrated, the air-fluid level in the cavity disappeared, and the cavity was gradually fluid refilled unexpectedly. However, the cavitary lesion kept the previous contour. Then CT-guided percutaneous needle lung biopsy was performed, revealing a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Although it is rare, a refilled thin-walled cavity in lung may be malignant, which should be kept in mind by clinician.


Mechanisms of immunological tolerance loss versus erythrocyte self-antigens and autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
Recent studies on animal and human autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) suggest that immunological tolerance loss toward red blood cells (RBC) self-antigens may be originate by different, non-mutually exclusive, mechanisms. According to now available data the identified mechanisms may be: ignorance against RBC self-antigens; molecular mimicry; polyclonal T and/or B cells activation; errors in central or peripheral tolerance; immunoregulatory disorders including cytokine network alteration. In some patients with AIHA, stimulation of PMBC by synthetic Rh peptides indicate that ignorant T and/or B cell clones may recognize cryptic RBC self-antigens. AIHA associated with bacterial or viral infections seems to be produced by polyclonal T and/or B cells activation against foreign antigens which mimic protein or carbohydrate epitopes on RBC. Polyclonal activation of host B cell clones by donor alloreactive T cells causes the AIHA in chronic GVHD. As the tolerance loss is concerned, experiments on mouse lines expressing a transgene with autoantibody activity against murine RBC have shown that non-deleted peripheral B cell clones may produce RBC autoantibodies. In humans a genetic defect of Fas/FasL autoreactive lymphocytes apoptosis may be associated to AIHA. Immunoregulatory disorders due to depletion of CD4+ CD25+ T cells or Th1/Th2 cytokines imbalance may induce autoimmune diseases. In mice AIHA may be induced or improved by cytokines or anticytokine antibodies administration. In NZB/W mice and human AIHA there is an increased production of Th2 cytokines as IL4 and IL10 but INF-gamma reduced production. In addition in human AIHA has been shown a downregulation of IL12 and therefore, an IL10/IL12 immunoregulatory circuit imbalance which might facilitate the RBC autoantibodies production.


Experimental neuroprotection in ischemic stroke: a concise review.
Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. To date, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and mechanical thrombectomy have been standards of care for AIS. There have been many advances in diagnostic imaging and endovascular devices for AIS; however, most neuroprotective therapies seem to remain largely in the preclinical phase. While many neuroprotective therapies have been identified in experimental models, none are currently used routinely to treat stroke patients. This review seeks to summarize clinical studies pertaining to neuroprotection, as well as the different preclinical neuroprotective therapies, their presumed mechanisms of action, and their future applications in stroke patients.


Kernel based quantum machine learning at record rate: Many-body distribution functionals as compact representations.
The feature vector mapping used to represent chemical systems is a key factor governing the superior data efficiency of kernel based quantum machine learning (QML) models applicable throughout chemical compound space. Unfortunately, the most accurate representations require a high dimensional feature mapping, thereby imposing a considerable computational burden on model training and use. We introduce compact yet accurate, linear scaling QML representations based on atomic Gaussian many-body distribution functionals (MBDF) and their derivatives. Weighted density functions of MBDF values are used as global representations that are constant in size, i.e., invariant with respect to the number of atoms. We report predictive performance and training data efficiency that is competitive with state-of-the-art for two diverse datasets of organic molecules, QM9 and QMugs. Generalization capability has been investigated for atomization energies, highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital eigenvalues and gap, internal energies at 0 K, zero point vibrational energies, dipole moment norm, static isotropic polarizability, and heat capacity as encoded in QM9. MBDF based QM9 performance lowers the optimal Pareto front spanned between sampling and training cost to compute node minutes, effectively sampling chemical compound space with chemical accuracy at a sampling rate of ∼48 molecules per core second.


Anesthetic Management Including Postoperative Regional Anesthesia in a Young Adult Patient With Von Willebrand Disease and Osteogenesis Imperfecta.
There are no established guidelines regarding anesthesia with a peripheral nerve block (PNB) in the young adult population with von Willebrand disease (vWD) type I. We present a case of a successful PNB outcome in a 20-year-old male patient with vWD type I, osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who underwent an intramedullary nailing surgery after suffering a left distal femur fracture secondary to a sports injury. Before the procedure, the patient was treated with HUMATE-P® [antihemophilic factor and von Willebrand factor (human)], ALPHANATE® (antihemophilic factor/von Willebrand factor complex), and aminocaproic acid for hematologic control. Left femoral and popliteal nerve blocks were performed for postoperative pain control. The patient was discharged home uneventfully three days after the surgery. In this case, PNB proved to be a safe and effective alternative in the management of a vWD type I young adult patient with comorbidities. Given the lack of established guidelines, a multidisciplinary team should be involved in the pre and perioperative management of these patients due to the risk of delayed bleeding.


High flow humidified nasal oxygen in pregnant women.
Failed airway management in the obstetric patient undergoing general anaesthesia is associated with major sequelae for the mother and/or fetus. Effective and adequate pre-oxygenation is an important safety strategy and a recommendation in all current major airway guidelines. Pre-oxygenation practice in the obstetric population may be suboptimal based on current literature. Recently, clinical applications for high flow nasal oxygen, also known as transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilatory exchange or THRIVE, are expanding in the non-obstetric population and may have theoretical benefits if used for pre-oxygenation and apnoeic oxygenation in the obstetric population. We review the current literature surrounding high flow nasal oxygen relevant to the pregnant woman. We also propose a basis for potential advantages and complications for its use in this context.


Blunt chest trauma.
Chest trauma remains the major initiating cause of respiratory failure in the trauma patient. The degree of injury can be substantially modified with appropriate early preventive and treatment measures. The lung injury itself can be divided into early and late phases. The early phase is primarily the result of mechanical forces transmitted to the chest. Initial management should focus not just on the lung; there should also be a search for commonly present, associated, nonpulmonary injuries. Optimizing early restoration of perfusion is also crucial in the multiple trauma patient, instead of too "wet" or too "dry." The most complex phase is the late phase resulting from the host inflammatory response to injury, both local and systemic. Stress modification and control of inflammation are the keys to controlling this aspect of the disease process.


Cobalt chemistry with mixed aminotroponiminate salicylaldiminate ligands: synthesis, characterization, and nitric oxide reactivity.
A new class of mixed aminotroponimine salicylaldimine ligands and their corresponding cobalt(II) complexes are reported. This work expands the family of cobalt(II) aminotroponiminato complexes to include salicylaldiminate and derivatized fluorescein moieties. The H2iPrSATI-n (n = 3, 4) ligands 3 and 4, respectively, contain an aminotroponimine moiety and a salicylaldimine fragment connected with an alkyl linker. In the H2iPrFATI-n (n = 3, 4) ligands 5 and 6, a derivatized fluorescein replaces the salicylaldimine fragment. The cobalt(II) complexes [Co(iPrSATI-3)] (7) and [Co2(iPrSATI-4)(2)] (9) were prepared and structurally characterized. The reaction of NO with both complexes ultimately results in the formation of a dinitrogen-containing species. The mononitrosyl, [Co(iPrSATI-3)(NO)] (8), was isolated and characterized. The reactivity of [Co(iPrFATI-3)] (10) and [Co(iPrFATI-4)] (11) with NO mimics that observed for the salicylaldimine derivatives, as monitored by solution IR spectroscopy. When followed by fluorescence spectroscopy, reaction of 11 with NO evoked a 3-fold increase in emission intensity after 22 h.


Evaluation of anorexia as the cause of altered protein synthesis in skeletal muscles from nongrowing mice with sarcoma.
The importance of decreased food intake as the mechanism behind altered protein metabolism in skeletal muscle in cancer was evaluated. A methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma (MCG 101) transplanted in weight-stable and nongrowing mice (C57BL/6J) was used as the tumor-animal model. Three study groups with appropriate control groups were used: sarcoma-bearing mice; pair-fed mice; and starved mice. The synthesis of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins was decreased in sarcoma-bearing mice. This was correlated to decreased content of RNA in the muscles and caused a net loss of muscle tissue was measured by dry weight of skeletal muscles. The incorporation rate of amino acids into myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins was decreased to the same extent in the pair-fed mice as that in the sarcoma-bearing mice. This probably reflected decreased protein synthesis, since the radioactivity (dpm/mg) did not differ significantly in the crude transfer RNA fraction between the groups. Separation of soluble proteins from muscle tissue by means of ion-exchange chromatography showed that the pattern of decreased protein synthesis was not tumor specific when compared to muscle affected by starvation. The decrease in protein synthesis was more or less selective, since the synthesis of basic proteins was considerably decreased and was influenced more than were neutral and acidic proteins in both cancer and starvation. Anorexia of a tumor-bearing host is a sufficient trigger to induce decreased protein synthesis in skeletal muscles, but other factors may also be of quantitative importance.


Metal oxide microrings with femtoliter capacity for Raman microspectroscopy.
A simple strategy, based on ultrafast heating of polystyrene microspheres infiltrated with a zinc acetate solution, is employed here for preparing ZnO microcontainers with femtoliter capacity. Their potential exploitation in micro-Raman assays for basic studies in bio- and nanotechnology is tested in different proof-of-concept experiments concerning the in situ analysis of l-glutathione crystals and gold-yeast cytochrome c bioconjugates. The ZnO microcontainers are also used as scaffolds for atomic layer deposition of TiO(2) overlayers with a fine-tuning of thickness and morphology. The resulting ZnO/TiO(2) heterostructures are tested in different photocatalytic experiments involving degradation and laser-induced conversion of methylene blue.


An overview of recent developments in corneal immunobiology: potential relevance in the etiogenesis of corneal disease in the horse.
This paper overviews some recent developments in mammalian corneal immunobiology, and discusses how these may act as pointers towards understanding the immunology underlying some common corneal diseases in the horse, including infectious ulceration and presumptively immune-mediated non-ulcerative disease. Specifically, three aspects of corneal immunobiology are examined: the role of Toll-like receptors in surface immunity and in the etiogenesis of microbial ulceration, the relationship between conjunctiva associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) and immunoprotection of the corneal surface, and the mechanisms determining corneal immune privilege (IP) and how down regulation of IP may be an important factor in the genesis of corneal immunoinflammatory disease.


Activating Metal Sites for Biological Electron Transfer.
This review focuses on the unique spectroscopic features of the blue copper active sites. These reflect a novel electronic structure that activates the site for rapid long-range electron transfer in its biological function. The role of the protein in determining the geometric and electronic structure of this site is defined, as is its contribution to function. This has been referred to as the entatic/rack-induced state. These concepts are then extended to cytochrome c, which is also determined to be in an entatic state.


Chaotic operation by a single transistor circuit in the reverse active region.
In this paper, we present an externally triggered experimental chaotic circuit with a bipolar junction transistor operating in its reverse active region in order to investigate for possible control features in its output phase portraits. Nonlinear time series modeling techniques are applied to analyze the circuit's output voltage oscillations and reveal the presence of chaos, while the chaos itself is achieved by controlling the amplitude of the applied input signal. The phase space, which describes the behavior evolution of a nonlinear system, is reconstructed using the delay embedding theorem suggested by Takens. The time delay used for this reconstruction is chosen after examining the first minimum of the collected data average mutual information, while the sufficient embedding dimension is estimated using the false nearest-neighbor algorithm which has a value of 5. Also the largest Lyapunov exponent is estimated and found equal to 0.020 48. Finally, the phase space embedding based weight predictor algorithm is employed to make a short-term prediction of the chaotic time series for which the system's governing equations may be unknown.


A Preliminary Study of the Effect of Hyperadrenocorticism on Calcium and Phosphate Concentrations, Parathyroid Hormone and Markers of Bone Turnover in Dogs.
Reports on the effects of hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) on bone turnover in dogs are largely confined to radiographic studies. The aim of this study was to more accurately assess bone turnover in dogs with HAC by measuring circulating total and ionized calcium and phosphate concentrations, both intact and whole parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations and markers of both osteoblastic (osteocalcin) and osteoclastic [carboxyterminal cross-linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen (ICTP) and urine aminoterminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (NTX) activity]. Dogs with HAC and a control group were prospectively enrolled for comparison. Results from 49 dogs with HAC were compared with 39 dogs from a hospital control population. Plasma intact and whole PTH concentrations were determined using a human immunoradiometric assay. Serum osteocalcin and NTX concentrations were measured using human enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. Serum ICTP concentration was measured using a human radioimmunoassay. Total calcium concentrations in dogs with HAC (2.67 ± 0.25 mmol/L) were not significantly different than in the control group (2.67 ± 0.14 mmol/L). By contrast, phosphate concentrations were significantly (P = 0.0143) higher in dogs with HAC (1.46 ± 0.30 mmol/L) compared to the control group (1.28 ± 0.33 mmol/L). The median intact PTH concentration in HAC dogs was 9.25 (range, 1.34-95.45) pmol/L, which was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than in the control group [median, 3.88 (range, 2.01-10.31) pmol/L]. Whole PTH concentrations were also significantly (P < 0.0001) higher in the HAC group [median, 4.61 (range, 0.56-125.16) pmol/L] compared to the control group [median, 1.83 (range, 0.88-6.81) pmol/L]. Serum osteocalcin and urine NTX concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups of dogs. The median ICTP concentration in dogs with HAC was 2.98 (range, 1.15-6.62) ng/mL which was significantly (P < 0.0001) lower than in the control dogs [median, 7.30 (range, 3.68-21.25) ng/mL]. Both whole and intact PTH concentrations are increased in dogs with HAC compared to a hospital control population. This does not however appear to be associated with a decrease in bone formation (as assessed by osteocalcin) or an increase in bone resorption (as assessed by ICTP and urine NTX).


Surface freezing in binary mixtures of chain molecules. I. Alkane mixtures.
X-ray surface scattering and surface tension measurements are used to study surface freezing in molten mixtures of alkanes. These binary mixtures consist of protonated and deuterated alkanes, as well as of alkanes of different lengths. As for pure alkanes, a crystalline monolayer is formed at the surface a few degrees above the bulk freezing temperature. The structure of the monolayer has been determined on an angstrom scale. A simple theoretical approach is used to account for the thermodynamical observations at the surface and in the bulk. The model is based on a competition between entropic mixing and a repulsive interaction due to chain-length mismatch. The surface and bulk liquid phases are treated as ideal mixtures, while the solid phases are treated as regular mixtures. The theory is found to account well for all the mixtures studied, both hydrogenated-hydrogenated and hydrogenated-deuterated. The repulsive interaction and its dependence on the chain lengths of the components are determined from fits to the measured data.