Association of arterial stiffness with left atrial structure and phasic function: a community-based cohort study.
Increased arterial stiffness is currently recognized as an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, although the pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association of arterial stiffness with left atrial (LA) volume and phasic function in a community-based cohort. We included 1156 participants without overt cardiovascular disease who underwent extensive cardiovascular examination. Arterial stiffness was evaluated by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Speckle-tracking echocardiography was employed to evaluate LA phasic function including reservoir, conduit, and pump strain as well as left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS). CAVI was negatively correlated with reservoir and conduit strain (r = -0.37 and -0.45, both P < 0.001), whereas weakly, but positively correlated with LA volume index and pump strain (r = 0.12 and 0.09, both P < 0.01). In multivariable analysis, CAVI was significantly associated with reservoir and conduit strain independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and LV morphology and function including LVGLS (standardized β = -0.22 and -0.27, respectively, both P < 0.001), whereas there was no independent association with LA volume index and pump strain. In the categorical analysis, the abnormal CAVI (≥9.0) carried the significant risk of impaired reservoir and conduit strain (adjusted odds ratio = 2.61 and 3.73 vs. normal CAVI, both P < 0.01) in a fully adjusted model including laboratory and echocardiographic parameters. Arterial stiffness was independently associated with LA phasic function, even in the absence of overt cardiovascular disease, which may explain the higher incidence of atrial fibrillation in individuals with increased arterial stiffness.


Toward a magnetostructural correlation for a family of Mn6 SMMs.
We have structurally and magnetically characterized a total of 12 complexes based on the Single-Molecule Magnet (SMM) [MnIII6O2(sao)6(O2CH)2(MeOH) 4] (1) (where sao2- is the dianion of salicylaldoxime or 2-hydroxybenzaldeyhyde oxime) that display analogous structural cores but remarkably different magnetic behaviors. Via the use of derivatized oxime ligands and bulky carboxylates we show that it is possible to deliberately increase the value of the spin ground state of the complexes [Mn6O2(Me-sao)6(O2CCPh3)2(EtOH)4] (2), [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6(O2CCMe3)2(EtOH)5] (3), [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6(O2CPh2OPh)2(EtOH)4] (4), [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6(O2CPh4OPh)2(EtOH)4(H2O)2] (5), [Mn6O2(Me-sao)6(O2CPhBr)2(EtOH)6] (6), [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6(O2CPh)2(EtOH)4(H2O)2] (7), [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6{O2CPh(Me)2}2(EtOH)6] (8), [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6(O2C11H15)2(EtOH)6] (9), [Mn6O2(Me-sao)6(O2C-th)2(EtOH)4(H2O)2] (10), [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6(O2CPhMe)2(EtOH)4(H2O)2] (11), and [Mn6O2(Et-sao)6(O2C12H17)2(EtOH)4(H2O)2] (12) (Et-saoH2 = 2-hydroxypropiophenone oxime, Me-saoH2 = 2-hydroxyethanone oxime, HO2CCPh3 = triphenylacetic acid, HO2CCMe3 = pivalic acid, HO2CPh2OPh = 2-phenoxybenzoic acid, HO2CPh4OPh = 4-phenoxybenzoic acid, HO2CPhBr = 4-bromobenzoic acid, HO2CPh(Me)2 = 3,5-dimethylbenzoic acid, HO2C11H15 = adamantane carboxylic acid, HO2C-th = 3-thiophene carboxylic acid, HO2CPhMe = 4-methylbenzoic acid, and HO2C12H17 = adamantane acetic acid) in a stepwise fashion from S = 4 to S = 12 and, in-so-doing, enhance the energy barrier for magnetization reorientation to record levels. The change from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic exchange stems from the "twisting" or "puckering" of the (-Mn-N-O-)3 ring, as evidenced by the changes in the Mn-N-O-Mn torsion angles.


Induction of abortion with 15(S)-15-methyl PGF2alpha (Tham) vaginal suppositories.
The repeated administration of vaginal suppositories containing 1 mg 15(S)-15 methyl PGF2alpha (Tham) sucessfully induced abortions in 60 of 62 patients. Among patients who successfully aborted, the mean abortion time was 19.0 hours. The mean abortion time was not related to gestational age or parity. Sixty (96.8 precent) aborted within 48 hours, and 53 (85.5 percent) aborted within 24 hours. Gastrointestinal side effects occurred for 33.9 percent of the patients. Diarrhea was the most frequent side effect. The abortion was complete for 40.3 percent of the patients.


A comparison of gene region simulation methods.
Accurately modeling LD in simulations is essential to correctly evaluate new and existing association methods. At present, there has been minimal research comparing the quality of existing gene region simulation methods to produce LD structures similar to an existing gene region. Here we compare the ability of three approaches to accurately simulate the LD within a gene region: HapSim (2005), Hapgen (2009), and a minor extension to simple haplotype resampling. In order to observe the variation and bias for each method, we compare the simulated pairwise LD measures and minor allele frequencies to the original HapMap data in an extensive simulation study. When possible, we also evaluate the effects of changing parameters. HapSim produces samples of haplotypes with lower LD, on average, compared to the original haplotype set while both our resampling method and Hapgen do not introduce this bias. The variation introduced across the replicates by our resampling method is quite small and may not provide enough sampling variability to make a generalizable simulation study. We recommend using Hapgen to simulate replicate haplotypes from a gene region. Hapgen produces moderate sampling variation between the replicates while retaining the overall unique LD structure of the gene region.


Low rates of hepatitis C testing among people who inject drugs in Thailand: implications for peer-based interventions.
Regular testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) provides an opportunity for HCV prevention and treatment efforts. In Thailand, the barriers and facilitators of HCV testing among people who inject drugs (IDU) are not known. Using data derived from the Mitsampan Community Research Project between July and October 2011, we assessed the prevalence and factors associated with ever having been tested for HCV antibodies using bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression. Among 427 participants, 141 (33.0%) reported a history of HCV antibody testing. In multivariate analyses, factors positively associated with receiving an HCV antibody test included higher than secondary education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35-3.64], binge drug use (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.12-2.93), methadone treatment enrollment (AOR = 3.47; 95% CI: 1.85-6.95) and having received peer-based education on HCV (AOR = 4.22; 95% CI: 2.66-6.77). We found one-third of Thai IDU in our sample reporting a history of HCV testing. The finding that IDU who received peer-based HCV education were more likely to access HCV testing provides evidence for the value of peer-based interventions for this population.


Eucaryotic expression of the nucleocapsid protein gene of porcine circovirus type 2 and use of the protein in an indirect immunofluorescence assay for serological diagnosis of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in pigs.
The purpose of this study was to develop a sensitive, rapid, and inexpensive immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using a recombinant porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) nucleocapsid protein for the serological detection of PCV2-specific antibodies in pig sera. The viral nucleocapsid protein encoded by the PCV2 ORF2 gene has recently been identified as the most immunoreactive viral protein that carries type-specific antigenic determinants. The ORF2 sequence of the IAF-2897 strain of PCV2 has been cloned into a pCEP5 eucaryotic expression vector under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter, downstream of a polyhistidine sequence tag. The recombinant plasmid was used in transfection experiments with human epithelial kidney 293 cells that were further tested, and positive expression of the viral nucleocapsid protein was confirmed by IFA and Western blotting. Strong, specific fluorescence was observed in the nuclei of transfected cells. Test specificity to PCV2 was verified with several related infectious agents. Sensitivity was compared to that of standard IFA using PCV2-infected cells by evaluating the reactivities of 44 field serum samples from pigs on farms with a porcine population suffering from postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome. The recombinant nucleocapsid-based test was able to detect 15 more positive-testing pigs than the PCV2-based IFA. Therefore, the relative sensitivity of the latter test was estimated at only 57.1% compared to that of the recombinant nucleocapsid-based test. The recombinant fusion protein has been purified by affinity chromatography and is being used to develop further sensitive serological tests.


Host genetics play a critical role in controlling CD8 T cell function and lethal immunopathology during chronic viral infection.
Effective CD8 T cell responses are vital for the control of chronic viral infections. Many factors of the host immune response contribute to the maintenance of effector CD8 T cell responses versus CD8 T cell exhaustion during chronic infection. Specific MHC alleles and the degree of MHC heterogeneity are associated with enhanced CD8 T cell function and viral control during human chronic infection. However, it is currently unclear to what extent host genetics influences the establishment of chronic viral infection. In order to examine the impact of MHC heterogeneity versus non-MHC host genetics on the development of chronic viral infection, an F1 cross of B10.D2 x B6 (D2B6F1) and BALB.B x BALB/c (BCF1) mice were infected with the clone-13 (Cl-13) strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Following chronic Cl-13 infection both H-2bxd D2B6F1 and BCF1 mice demonstrated increased viral control compared to homozygous mice. Strikingly, H-2bxd D2B6F1 mice on a C57BL genetic background exhibited mortality following Cl-13 infection. CD8 T cell depletion prevented mortality in Cl-13-infected D2B6F1 mice indicating that mortality was CD8 T-cell-dependent. D2B6F1 mice maintained more CD8 T cell effector cytokine production and exhibited reduced expression of the T cell exhaustion marker PD-1. In addition, D2B6F1 mice also induced a larger Th1 response than BCF1 mice and Cl-13-induced mortality in D2B6F1 mice was also dependent on CD4 T-cell-mediated IFN-γ production. Thus, following a chronic viral infection, increased functionality of the CD8 T cell response allowed for more rapid viral clearance at the cost of enhanced immunopathology dependent on both MHC diversity and the genetic background of the host.


The taxonomic status of Corethromyces bicolor from New Zealand, as inferred from morphological, developmental, and molecular studies.
Due to the absence of antheridial characters in collected material the precise placement of Corethromyces bicolor has remained troublesome up until now. Recent re-examination of receptacular and appendage characters present in the holotype led to its transfer to the genus Mimeomyces. Fresh collections of this fungus have provided the opportunity to re-assess its taxonomic position. Based on a combination of morphological and molecular characters, this species is re-instated within the genus Corethromyces.


Silicon microring modulator for 40 Gb/s NRZ-OOK metro networks in O-band.
A microring-based silicon modulator operating at 40 Gb/s near 1310 nm is demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge. NRZ-OOK signals at 40 Gb/s with 6.2 dB extinction ratio are observed by applying a 4.8 Vpp driving voltage and biasing the modulator at 7 dB insertion loss point. The energy efficiency is 115 fJ/bit. The transmission performance of 40 Gb/s NRZ-OOK through 40 km of standard single mode fiber without dispersion compensation is also investigated. We show that the link suffers negligible dispersion penalty. This makes the modulator a potential candidate for metro network applications.


Disintegration of rocks based on magnetically isolated high voltage discharge.
Recently, a method utilizing pulsed power technology for disintegration of rocks arouses great interest of many researchers. In this paper, an improved method based on magnetic switch and the results shown that the uniform dielectrics like plastic can be broken down in water is presented, and the feasible mechanism explaining the breakdown of solid is proposed and proved experimentally. A high voltage pulse of 120 kV, rise time 0.2 μs was used to ignite the discharging channel in solids. When the plasma channel is formed in the solid, the resistance of the channel is quiet small; even if a relatively low voltage is applied on the channel on this occasion, it will produce high current to heat the plasma channel rapidly, and eventually disintegrate the solids. The feasibility of promising industrial application in the drilling and demolition of natural and artificial solid materials by the method we presented is verified by the experiment result in the paper.


Genetic disorders and malaria in Indo-China region.
High prevalence of malaria in Southeast Asia including Thailand is believed to be a major public health problem to the population in this area since time immemorial. Adaptation of the population in this area following the principle of natural selection coupled with genetic disorders can be expected. Some good examples for natural selection of malaria are the co-existence of high prevalence of thalassaemia as well as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. In this report, general aspects of some important genetic disorders and malaria in Indo-China area (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Yunnan and Manipur) are summarized and discussed.


Exploring the youth experience about sense of social security: a qualitative study.
Undoubtedly, one of the vital needs of man is security. Determinants and related factors to sense of social security is one of the most important research priorities, especially in adolescents and young people. To identify the factors affecting the social security of the youth. In 2017, using conventional content analysis, and benefiting from semi-structured in-depth interviews, we conducted a qualitative study exploring the opinions of young people about their feelings regarding social security. First, a targeted sampling method was determined to collect the data. Participants were young volunteers aged 18 to 30 who were selected from Tehran, the capital of Iran. Inclusion criteria for participants were willingness to participate in the study and ability to express their experiences. Data was extracted from 21 participants. The participants consisted of 21 young people who met the study inclusion criteria, of whom 12 participants were male. Their mean age was 24.4±0.41 years and their education varied from primary school to master's degree. Under two main categories of the need for economic and financial security and the need for a safe society, we extracted 11 subcategories following 32 codes. According to the findings, most participants agreed on the important role that sense of social security has in their lives and their health. The important role of sense of social security in participant's lives and health was the main important point of our findings, emphasized by most of participants. Based on the results; the assessment of the specific needs of different target groups, the design, development and implementation of health programs led to more effective interventions.


Canine bacterial endocarditis: a review.
Bacterial endocarditis is a disease of primarily middle-aged to older, large-breed dogs that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. It presents many challenges with respect to diagnosis and effective treatment. This paper reviews the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, progression, methods of diagnosis, and treatment of bacterial endocarditis in dogs. Methods for proper diagnosis, including echocardiographic findings and blood culture techniques, and recommendations for effective antimicrobial therapy are also provided.


Radiographic and computed tomography monitoring of a fractured needle fragment in the mandibular branch.
Some complications can arise with the usage of local anesthesia for dental procedures, including the fracture of needles in the patient. This is a rare incident, usually caused by the patient's sudden movements during anesthetic block. Its complications are not common, but can include pain, trismus, inflammation in the region, difficulty in swallowing, and migration of the object, which is the least common but has the ability to cause more serious damage to the patient. This report describes a case in which, after the fracture of the anesthetic needle used during alveolar nerve block for exodontia of the left mandibular third molar, the fragment moved significantly in the first 2 months, before stabilizing after the third month of radiographic monitoring.


Lipoprotein particle profiles mark familial and sporadic human longevity.
Genetic and biochemical studies have indicated an important role for lipid metabolism in human longevity. Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians and their offspring have large low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles as compared with control individuals. This profile also coincided with a lower prevalence of disease. Here, we investigate whether this observation can be confirmed for familial longevity in an outbred European population and whether it can be extended to sporadic longevity in the general population. NMR-measured lipoprotein profiles were analyzed in 165 families from the Leiden Longevity Study, consisting of 340 long-lived siblings (females >91 y, males >89 y), 511 of their offspring, and 243 partners of the offspring. Offspring had larger (21.3 versus 21.1 nm; p = 0.020) and fewer (1,470 versus 1,561 nmol/l; p = 0.011) LDL particles than their same-aged partners. This effect was even more prominent in the long-lived siblings (p < 10(-3)) and could be pinpointed to a reduction specifically in the concentration of small LDL particles. No differences were observed for HDL particle phenotypes. The mean LDL particle sizes in 259 90-y-old singletons from a population-based study were similar to those in the long-lived siblings and thus significantly larger than in partners of the offspring, suggesting that the relevance of this phenotype extends beyond familial longevity. A low concentration of small LDL particles was associated with better overall health among both long-lived siblings (p = 0.003) and 90-y-old singletons (p = 0.007). Our study indicates that LDL particle profiles mark both familial and sporadic human longevity already in middle age.


Supplemental ultrasound screening in patients with a history of lobular neoplasia.
To investigate the role of ultrasound (US) screening as an adjunct to annual mammography (M) in breast cancer detection in women with a history of lobular neoplasia (LN) diagnosed following core needle or excisional biopsy. A retrospective review of our database was performed between 11/2006 and 11/2011 to identify patients diagnosed with LN, and underwent annual screening. Patients with a lifetime risk >20% per risk modeling were excluded. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and cancer detection rate (CDR) of each screening test were identified. Cancer type and detection modality were recorded. A total of 100 patients who had M and/or US screening were included. Mean patient age was 54.7 years (range 33-83). All 100 patients underwent a mean of 3.9 rounds of screening M and 93 (93%) received US screening (mean 3.3 rounds). Of 93 patients who received both M and US screening, 12 (13%) were diagnosed with breast cancer. Mammographic CDR was 4%. Incremental US CDR was 6.5%. The sensitivity, specificity, and NPV for M screening alone was 33% (10%, 65%), 77% (67%, 85%), and 89% (80%, 95%), respectively. US and mammography screening had a combined sensitivity: 83% (52%, 98%), Specificity: 72% (62%, 81%), NPV: 97% (89%, 100%). Supplemental US screening resulted in a significant increase in sensitivity, yielding 6.5% incremental CDR in this high-risk patient subgroup that does not fulfill ACS high-risk MRI screening criteria.


[Bioinformatics analysis and key gene verification of sepsis myocardial macrophage microarray data based on GEO database].
Objective: Bioinformatics analysis was used to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in macrophages of sepsis myocardial injury and to verify key genes. Methods: Experiment 1 (gene chip and bioinformatics analysis): The gene chip data GSE104342 of cardiac macrophages in septic mice was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. DEGs were obtained by R language analysis. DAVID online database was used to obtain gene ontology and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of DEGs. STRING online database was used for protein-protein interaction network analysis of DEGs, and then key genes were screened by using Cytoscape software and molecular complex detection (MCODE) plug-ins. Experiment 2 (sepsis model construction and related protein verification): Ten male C57BL/6 mice, aged 8-14 weeks. Five mice were randomly selected as control group, and 5 mice were selected as the sepsis group by building a mice sepsis model in vivo. Echocardiography was used to detect the cardiac function. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to assess the cardiac morphology. TUNEL staining was used to evaluate cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of differentiation antigen cluster 206 (CD206),inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS),F4/80,suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (Socs3) ,interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (Il1rn) and chemokine C-C motif ligand 7 (Ccl7) protein. RAW264.7 macrophages were cultured in vitro and divided into 2 groups: LPS groupstimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 mg/L) and blank control group treated with equal-volume phosphate buffer solution. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to evaluate the expression of Socs3, Il1rn and Ccl7 in vitro. Results: Experiment 1: 24 647 genes were screened in GSE104342 dataset and 177 genes (0.72%) were differential expression, including 120 up-regulated genes and 57 down-regulated genes. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were mainly involved in inflammatory response, immune response, apoptosis regulation and antigen processing and presentation. KEGG signaling pathway analysis showed that DEGs in cardiac macrophages of septic mice were mainly enriched in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, NOD like receptor signaling pathway. Three hub genes were obtained by STRING and Cytoscape analysis, including Socs3, Il1rn and Ccl7. Experiment 2: In vivo, it was found that compared with the control group, the cardiac function of the sepsis mice decreased significantly, the myocardial cells were significantly edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, myocardial fiber rupture, some myocardial nuclei dissolved and disappeared, and the cardiomyocyte apoptosis increased, suggesting that the sepsis myocardial injury model of mice was successfully constructed. Compared with the control group, the expression of CD206 in the myocardium of septic mice was down-regulated, the expression of iNOS, F4/80, Socs3, Il1rn and Ccl7 were up-regulated. In addition, there was co-localization between Socs3, Il1rn, Ccl7 and F4/80 protein. Compared with the blank control group, the expression of Socs3, Il1rn and Ccl7 significantly upregulated after LPS intervention in vitro by RT-PCR. Conclusions: The selected key genes Socs3, Il1rn and Ccl7 were up-regulated in myocardial macrophages of septic mice. Socs3, Il1rn and Ccl7 are expected to become new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis cardiac injury.


Long-distance electron transfer in a filamentous Gram-positive bacterium.
Long-distance extracellular electron transfer has been observed in Gram-negative bacteria and plays roles in both natural and engineering processes. The electron transfer can be mediated by conductive protein appendages (in short unicellular bacteria such as Geobacter species) or by conductive cell envelopes (in filamentous multicellular cable bacteria). Here we show that Lysinibacillus varians GY32, a filamentous unicellular Gram-positive bacterium, is capable of bidirectional extracellular electron transfer. In microbial fuel cells, L. varians can form centimetre-range conductive cellular networks and, when grown on graphite electrodes, the cells can reach a remarkable length of 1.08 mm. Atomic force microscopy and microelectrode analyses suggest that the conductivity is linked to pili-like protein appendages. Our results show that long-distance electron transfer is not limited to Gram-negative bacteria.


Essential myoclonus: response to anticholinergic therapy.
Benztropine mesylate (Cogentin) in total daily dosages of 4 to 9 mg markedly suppressed the involuntary jerking movements in three patients (a brother and sister and a third apparently sporadic case) with essential myoclonus.


A method of aligning peak lists generated by gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry.
We report a method for the peak list alignment of gas chromatography high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry data. The alignment is performed in a z-score transformed retention time domain to standardize chromatographic peak distribution across samples. A mixture score is developed to assess the similarity between two peaks by simultaneously evaluating the mass spectral similarity and the closeness of retention time. An analysis of experimental data acquired under three different flow rates indicates that the proposed method is able to correctly align the heterogeneous data. The effectiveness of method is further validated by analyzing experimental data of multiple mixtures of metabolite extract from mouse liver with 28 spiked-in acids. All of the detected spiked-in acids were correctly aligned. A statistical test correctly detected the concentration differences of the spiked-in compounds between sample groups using the alignment table. The area under curve (AUC) value in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is larger than 0.85 in all three of the compared sample groups, indicating a high accuracy of peak alignment and supporting the potential application of the proposed method for metabolomics projects such as biomarker discovery.


Ethnic or racial differences revisited: impact of dosage regimen and dosage form on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Ethnic or racial differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics have been attributed to the distinctions in the genetic, physiological and pathological factors between ethnic/racial groups. These pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic differences are also known to be influenced by several extrinsic factors such as socioeconomic background, culture, diet and environment. However, it is noted that other factors related to dosage regimen and dosage form have largely been ignored or overlooked when conducting or analysing pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies in relation to ethnicity/race. Potential interactions can arise between the characteristics of ethnicity/race and a unique feature of dosage regimen or dosage form used in the study, which may partly account for the observed pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic differences between ethnic/racial groups. Ethnic/racial differences in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics can occur from drug administration through a specific route that imparts distinct pattern of absorption, distribution, transport, metabolism or excretion. For example, racial differences in the first-pass metabolism of a drug following oral administration may not be relevant when the drug is applied to the skin. On the other hand, ethnic/racial difference in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics can also happen via two different routes of drug delivery, with varying levels of dissimilarity between routes. For example, greater ethnic/racial differences were observed in oral clearance than in systemic clearance of some drugs, which might be explained by the pre-systemic factors involved in the oral administration as opposed to the intravenous administration. Similarly, changes in the dose frequency and/or duration may have profound impact on the ethnic/racial differences in pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic outcome. Saturation of enzymes, transporters or receptors at high drug concentrations is a possible reason for many observed ethnic/racial discrepancies between single- and multiple-dose regimens, or between low- and high-dose administrations. The presence of genetic polymorphism of enzymes and/or transporters can further complicate the analysis of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic data in ethnic/racial populations. Even within the same dosage regimen, the use of different dosage forms may trigger significantly different pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic responses in various ethnic/racial groups, given that different dosage forms may exhibit different rates of drug release, may release the drug at different sites, and/or have different retention times at specific sites of the body. It is thus cautioned that the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic data obtained from different ethnic/racial groups cannot be indiscriminately compared or combined for analysis if there is a lack of homogeneity in the apparent 'extrinsic' factors, including dosage regimen and dosage form.


Development and evaluation of a single-step duplex PCR for simultaneous detection of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica (family Fasciolidae, class Trematoda, phylum Platyhelminthes).
A single-step multiplex PCR (here referred to as a duplex PCR) has been developed for simultaneous detection and diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. These species overlap in distribution in many countries of North and East Africa and Central and Southeast Asia and are similar in egg morphology, making identification from fecal samples difficult. Based on a comparative alignment of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) spanning the region of cox1-trnT-rrnL, two species-specific forward primers were designed, FHF (for F. hepatica) and FGF (for F. gigantica), and a single reverse primer, FHGR (common for both species). Conventional PCR followed by sequencing was applied using species-specific primer pairs to verify the specificity of primers and the identity of Fasciola DNA templates. Duplex PCR (using three primers) was used for testing with the DNA extracted from adult worms, miracidia, and eggs, producing amplicons of 1,031 bp for F. hepatica and 615 bp for F. gigantica. The duplex PCR failed to amplify from DNA of other common liver and intestinal trematodes, including two opisthorchiids, three heterophyids, an echinostomid, another fasciolid, and a taeniid cestode. The sensitivity assay showed that the duplex PCR limit of detection for each Fasciola species was between 0.012 ng and 0.006 ng DNA. Evaluation using DNA templates from 32 Fasciola samples (28 adults and 4 eggs) and from 25 field-collected stools of ruminants and humans revealed specific bands of the correct size and the presence of Fasciola species. This novel mtDNA duplex PCR is a sensitive and fast tool for accurate identification of Fasciola species in areas of distributional and zonal overlap.


Total and spectral solar irradiance measured at ground surface.
This paper presents the results of a series of total and spectral solar irradiance measurements made at ground surface (Table Mountain Facility, Calif., altitude 2.18 km). The spectral irradiance data are presented for the 0.3-3.0-microm spectral region for air mass 1.5.


Cortactin: the gray eminence of the cytoskeleton.
Cortactin, an actin filament-binding protein and target of multiple kinases, has emerged as a central element connecting signaling pathways with cytoskeleton restructuring. It is involved in a perplexingly diverse array of cellular processes, including cell motility, invasiveness, synaptogenesis, endocytosis, intercellular contact assembly, and host-pathogen interactions, where the common denominator appears to be a role in the coordination of membrane dynamics with cytoskeletal remodeling. Although in recent years our knowledge about cortactin has increased exponentially, the exact mechanisms underlying its fundamental roles remain to be defined.


The tolerability of Potassium Citrate Tablet in patients with intolerance to Potassium Citrate Powder form.
To assess the tolerability of Potassium Citrate (KCit) tablet in patients with kidney stones that were not able to use the powder form of this drug due to unfavorable salty taste and gastrointestinal complications. Twenty-three stone formers, with intolerance to potassium citrate powder form, which had referred to Labbafinejad stone preventive clinic (2015), have been included in this study. All of the patients took two Potassium citrate tablets (10 meq), three times a day for two weeks. Spot urine sample and the 24-hour urine collections were performed before and after KCit therapy. In addition, a visual analog taste scale was completed to gauge the taste and palatability of the KCit tablet in comparing with the powder form. All of the patients claimed that they consumed the tablets as prescribed. The urine pH and the 24-hour citrate and potassium were significantly higher after the treatment. In addition, the mean visual analog scale score was significantly improved in KCit therapy with tablet form versus to powder type (good vs. terrible score). Oral tolerance of KCit therapy is improved with the use of Potassium Citrate tablet, with beneficial effects on 24-hour urine citrate, potassium, and pH.


Tuberculosis of the middle ear with post auricular abscess.
A case of tuberculous otitis media with post auricular abscess is being described in a 14-year-old female patient in view of its rare occurrence. The diagnosis was made on demonstration of acid fast bacilli (AFB) in the ear discharge and characteristic cytological features of post auricular abscess aspirate.


Liver Transplantation Using Dexmedetomidine in a Patient with a History of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy has been described in patients undergoing liver transplantation. However, the ideal anesthetic management of patients with a history of takotsubo cardiomyopathy remains unclear, especially in patients undergoing liver transplantation. We describe the use of dexmedetomidine in a patient with a history of takotsubo cardiomyopathy undergoing living-donor liver transplantation.


A clinicopathological study of infections in burn patients and importance of biopsy.
Thirty-four patients with burns were subjected to the clinicopathological study with special reference to culture of the wound and histological examination of the burned tissue. The commonest cause of burn was thermal burn (91.18%) followed by electric burn (5.88%) and chemical burn (2.94%). The maximum number of patients belonged to second and third decades of life (61.78%). Females were commonest victims, with male:female ratio was 1:1.6. On the 1st to 3rd postburn day (PBD) most of the wound remained sterile and Strept haemolyticus was first bacteria isolated on 1st PBD. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, specially pseudomonas, invaded the burn wound as early as 3rd PBD, it was more so with the patients of extensive burn. Among the Gram-positive bacteria Staph aureus was most notorious and invaded burn wound very early. Pseudomonas had maximum growth followed by klebsiella and Esch coli, multidrug resistance was more common with pseudomonas. Among the fungal infections Candida albicans had maximum incidence. Positive blood cultures for bacteria were seen during 2nd, 3rd and 4th postburn weeks. Pseudomonas was the commonest bacteria isolated. Biopsies were done in 17 patients and showed maximum incidence of bacterial infection followed by fungal infection. Patients with burn more than 60% of total body surface area (TBSA) had 100% mortality, while patients with 20-30% of TBSA burn had 20% mortality, the overall mortality was 50%. Biopsies of the burn wound played an important role in the accurate diagnosis and thus helped in starting early specific therapy to prevent death from sepsis.


Intubation conditions after rocuronium or succinylcholine for rapid sequence induction with alfentanil and propofol in the emergency patient.
Previous studies mainly conducted on elective patients recommend doses of 0.9-1.2 mg kg[-1] rocuronium to obtain comparable intubation conditions with succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] after 60 s during a rapid-sequence induction. We decided to compare the overall intubating conditions of standard doses of rocuronium 0.6 mg kg[-1] and succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] during a strict rapid-sequence induction regimen including propofol and alfentanil. Male and female patients (ASA I-III) older than 17 yr scheduled for emergency abdominal or gynaecological surgery and with increased risk of pulmonary aspiration of gastric content were randomized to a rapid-sequence induction with succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] or rocuronium 0.6 mg kg[-1]. Patients with a predicted difficult airway were excluded. A senior anaesthesiologist 'blinded' for the randomization performed the intubation 60 s after injection of the neuromuscular blocker. Intubating conditions were evaluated according to an established guideline. Tracheal intubation not completed within 30 s was recorded as failed. 222 patients were randomized. Three patients had their operation cancelled and 10 did not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Clinically acceptable intubation conditions were present in 93.5% and 96.1% of patients in the succinylcholine group (n=107) and the rocuronium group (n=102), respectively (P=0.59). During a rapid-sequence induction with alfentanil and propofol, both rocuronium 0.6 mg kg[-1] and succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] provide clinically acceptable intubation conditions in 60 s in patients scheduled for emergency surgery. Under the conditions of this rapid-sequence induction regimen rocuronium may be a substitute for succinylcholine.


High serum resistin levels are associated with peripheral artery disease in the hypertensive patients.
Hypertension is a risk factor for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Subjects with PAD are at increased risk of future cardiovascular (CV) events. Resistin is involved in the pathological processes of CV diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate whether resistin level is correlated with PAD in hypertensive patients. One hundred and twenty-four hypertensive patients were enrolled in this study. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) values were measured using the automated oscillometric method. An ABI value < 0.9 defined the low ABI group. Anthropometric analysis with waist circumference and body mass index, and fasting serum levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total calcium, phosphorus, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured using standard enzymatic automated methods. Serum levels of human resistin were determined using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay. Eighteen hypertensive patients (14.5%) were included in the low ABI group. Hypertensive patients in the low ABI group were older (p = 0.043) and had higher serum creatinine (p < 0.001), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP; p = 0.013), and resistin (p < 0.001) levels but a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (p = 0.002) than patients in the normal ABI group. After the adjustment for factors that were significantly associated with PAD on multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum resistin (odds ratio [OR], 1.176; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.028-1.345; p = 0.018) was also an independent predictor of PAD in hypertensive patients. A high serum resistin level is an independent predictor of PAD in hypertensive patients.


Alterations to the pituitary-gonadal axis in the peripubertal female rat exposed in utero and through lactation to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
The environmental pollutant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; dioxin) is a potent disrupter of vertebrate endocrine systems. It was shown previously that in utero and lactational (IUL) exposure to TCDD resulted in a reduction in serum estradiol concentrations; however, the mechanism for this remains unknown. In the current study, the effects of perinatal exposure to TCDD on the pituitary-ovarian axis were examined. Pregnant rats were given a single oral dose of 1 microg TCDD/kg or vehicle as control on gestation Day 15, and female pups were killed on postnatal Day 21. Pituitaries were assayed for gonadotropin beta-subunit mRNA; additional pituitaries were cultured for 4 h and the media were assayed for FSH. Gonadotropin receptor mRNAs from vehicle- and TCDD-exposed animals were compared, with some ovaries cultured and the media assayed for estrogen secretion. LH, FSH, progesterone, and androstenedione concentrations were determined in serum. IUL exposure to TCDD resulted in a significant reduction of pituitary FSHbeta mRNA. Although estrogen output was shown to be reduced, neither serum FSH nor LH concentration was increased significantly, and FSH secretion in vitro was not altered. Similarly, serum progesterone and androstenedione were not altered by TCDD exposure, while in vitro estrogen secretion was significantly reduced. These data suggest that TCDD did not act on serum gonadotropin concentrations. The reduction in the concentration of serum estrogen appears to result from direct or indirect actions on the ovary at some point following androstenedione production.


Cardiac index and oxygen delivery during low and high tidal volume ventilation strategies in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: a crossover randomized clinical trial.
The beneficial effect of low tidal volume (TV) ventilation strategy on mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been attributed to the protective effect on ventilator-induced lung injury, and yet its effect on cardiovascular function might also play an important role. The aim of this study was to assess whether low TV ventilation improves cardiac output and oxygen delivery compared with high TV ventilation strategy in patients with ARDS. In this crossover randomized clinical trial 16 ARDS patients were recruited in an intensive care unit at a university-affiliated hospital. Each patient was ventilated for 30 min with low (6 mL/kg) and 30 min with high (12 mL/kg) TV. The two experimental periods, applied in random order and with allocation concealment, were separated by 30 min of basal ventilation. Minute ventilation was constantly maintained by appropriate respiratory rate changes. Compared with high TV ventilation, low TV ventilation showed decreased pH (7.37 vs. 7.41, P = 0.001) and increased PaCO₂ (49 vs. 43 mmHg; P = 0.002). Cardiac index and oxygen delivery index were increased with low compared with high TV ventilation (3.9 vs. 3.5 L.min⁻¹.m⁻², P = 0.012, and 521 vs. 463 mL.min⁻¹.m⁻², P = 0.002, respectively), while oxygen extraction ratio decreased (0.36 vs. 0.44, P = 0.027). In four patients oxygen extraction ratio was >0.5 during high TV but not during low TV strategy. The magnitude of the change in cardiac index was positively associated with PaCO₂ variation (P = 0.004), while it was unrelated to the magnitude of changes in TV and airway pressure. The decrease of cardiac index was predicted by PaCO₂ reduction, with and area under ROC curve of 0.72. Our findings suggest that a low TV ventilation strategy increases cardiac index and oxygen delivery, thus supporting the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of low TV ventilation in patients with ARDS could be partially explained by hemodynamic improvement. In other words, low tidal volume ventilation could be protective also for the cardiovascular system and not only for the lung. The slight increase of PaCO₂ during low TV ventilation seems to predict the increase of cardiac index. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00713713.


Spanish version of the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire for sport: Cultural adaptation and initial validation.
This study aimed to translate the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire into Spanish and provide an initial validation. A recommended methodology for translation and cultural adaptation of questionnaires was applied. Once this had been completed, three hundred and thirty-two young athletes completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire. The results revealed that the five factor solution Talent Development Environment Questionnaire was confirmed. With the exclusion of one item due to low factor loading, the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 had robust statistical support for its factor structure (χ2 (df = 305) = 499.64, p<0.01, CFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.045, SRMR = 0.055). It also demonstrated adequate convergent and discriminant validity. While the internal reliability was lower than in previous studies, it revealed acceptable levels. Specifically the overall 27 item Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 had a Cronbach α score of .877, and the reliability scores for individual factors 1-5 were .622; .761; .658; .605; .602 respectively. As such, it is recommended that the Spanish Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 can be used with confidence in Spain in both applied and research settings.


Virus propagation in a swine monocyte cell line.
The propagation of seventeen virus strains, classified into five virus families, in a swine monocyte cell line (SW/K99) was studied in the point of infective progeny production. The viruses examined were adapted to grow in a swine epithelial cell line (KSEK6) and were proved to show clear CPE in advance. These viruses were successively passaged in the monocyte cultures regardless of CPE occurrence. The cultures at 3rd passage level were titrated for their infectivity using KSEK6 cells. Out of the viruses examined, only Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) was able to propagate in the monocytes. Four ADV strains, two virulent and two attenuated strains, were compared for their growth in two cell lines. The final amount of infective progeny measured at 72 hours incubation at 36.5 degrees C was almost in a similar order between 2 cell lines. However, the amount of infective progeny produced at 24 hours incubation was higher in SW/K99 cells than that in KSEK6 cells. The occurrence of CPE was also more evident in SW/K99 cells in an early incubation. The data indicate that viral susceptibility of the monocytes to ADV is higher than that of epithelium. Other viruses were abortive in the monocytes.


TMP195 Exerts Antitumor Effects on Colorectal Cancer by Promoting M1 Macrophages Polarization.
Studies have shown that epigenetic enzymes such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) are closely related to cancers and that several HDAC inhibitors exert antitumor effects. Studies have further suggested that class IIa HDAC inhibitors are related to immune functions, including immune responses and the expression of chemokines and complement pathway components. TMP195, a selective class IIa HDAC inhibitor, has been reported to be effective against breast cancer. However, the role and mechanism of TMP195 in colorectal cancer remain unknown. In this study, we found that TMP195 significantly reduced the tumor burden in two mouse models of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) and subcutaneous tumor. Mechanistically, TMP195 decreased the proportion of total macrophages but increased the proportion of M1 macrophages by promoting polarization, resulting in the increased release of inflammatory cytokines. TMP195 had no direct effect on the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells, and its antitumor effect on the colorectal cancer disappeared when macrophages were partly depleted by clodronate liposomes. In addition, TMP195 enhanced the efficacy of PD-1 blockade. The present study revealed that the combination of TMP195 and PD-1 blockade may provide a therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer.


An unusual presentation of primary sclerosing cholangitis.
This case report describes the unusual presentation of a patient who had findings which were initially suggestive of a type IV choledochal cyst. Her liver biopsy demonstrated biliary cirrhosis. She was treated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and biliary stent exchanges over one year. Her cholangiogram one year later demonstrated resolution of the biliary cystic dilation which led to her initial diagnosis, with beading and stricturing of the hepatic ducts consistent with primary sclerosing cholangitis. Liver-associated enzymes and physical findings also improved. A liver biopsy one year later demonstrated a marked improvement in hepatic fibrosis with no evidence of cirrhosis.


Hydroxyethyl starch macromolecules reduce myocardial reperfusion injury.
We assessed the value of a fraction of hydroxyethyl starch (HES Pz) in reducing the myocardial reperfusion injury in a canine open-chest model in which 1 hour of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion was followed by 24 hours of reperfusion. Three treatment infusions (5% of blood volume) were compared: Ringer's lactate, serum albumin, and HES Pz (70% of the macromolecules between 100,000 and 1,000,000 d). When compared with Ringer's lactate and albumin, HES Pz significantly reduced the ratio of 24-hour infarct size to pretreatment area at risk (3% vs 19% and 16%, respectively) and myocardial water content (0.5% vs 3% and 1%). Potassium content differences between injured and normal myocardium were significantly less in the infarct regions of animals receiving HES Pz. In the canine model, HES Pz reduced 1-hour myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury significantly.


Adenosine and the control of adrenergic regulation of adipose tissue lipolysis during lactation.
Adenosine is a locally active factor that is produced intracellularly and extracellularly in adipose tissue. Adenosine binds to receptors in the plasma membrane of adipocytes; this activates a guanine triphosphate binding protein that inhibits adenylate cyclase activity and, hence, lipolysis. Lactation results in an enhanced responsiveness of adipocytes to beta-agonists, which stimulate lipolysis, and, paradoxically, to adenosine, which inhibits lipolysis. These adaptations are partly due to increases in ligand binding and to changes in postreceptor components of the signal transduction systems. Somatotropin is implicated in the chronic adaptations of the beta-adrenergic system, whereas insulin, somatotropin, glucocorticoids, and at least one unidentified factor have a role in the chronic control of the adenosine system of adipocytes.


Adaptive elements of aging: Self-image discrepancy, perfectionism, and eating problems.
Age-related changes in personality variables that may contribute to the reduction of symptoms of eating disorders with adult development were examined. Undergraduate sorority women (n = 52; mean age = 19.85 years) were compared with alumnae of the same sorority (n = 34; mean age = 33.74 years). Eating pathology was correlated with greater discrepancy between the real (current) and the ideal (desired) self-image and with perfectionism. Both self-image discrepancy and perfectionism were markedly lower among the alumnae. Variance in these variables together accounted for the lowered level of eating pathology among the older participants. Specific content domains of the real and ideal self-image and different facets of perfectionism showed distinctive age-related changes and differential relationships with eating pathology.


Two-dimensional XY and clock models studied via the dynamics generated by rough surfaces.
The p-state clock model is studied, for general values of p , from simulations using a heat-bath single spin flipping Monte Carlo method, and a mapping of the corresponding spinlike configurations to a solid-on-solid growth model. The growth exponents are calculated. From the dynamics generated by this far from equilibrium kinetic roughening of the surface one is able to characterize the corresponding equilibrium magnetic properties of the original model, such as the high temperature Berezinskii-Koserlitz-Thouless (BKT) transitions, the low-temperature long-range ordered phase transitions, as well as the conventional second-order phase transitions. The present method suggests that for p>or=5 the high-temperature phase transition is indeed a BKT one, whose value is the same as that for p-->infinity ( XY model), while the low-temperature phase transition has a first-order character.


Nonamplification ERBB2 genomic alterations in 5605 cases of recurrent and metastatic breast cancer: An emerging opportunity for anti-HER2 targeted therapies.
Activating, nonamplification ERBB2 mutations (ERBB2mut) are not detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), but are detected by DNA sequencing and may predict clinical responses to human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2)-targeted therapy. The authors queried 5605 advanced/metastatic breast cancers (mBC) to uncover the frequency of ERBB2mut genomic alterations. Clinical responses to anti-HER2 therapeutics were identified. DNA was extracted from 40 µm of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections. Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) was used to evaluate up to 315 genes (592× mean coverage depth). Results were analyzed for base substitutions, short indels, copy number changes, and selected rearrangements. Of 5605 cases, 698 (12.5%) featured ERBB2 alterations, including 596 (10.6%) ERBB2 amplifications (ERBB2amp) and 138 (2.4%) ERBB2mut; 38 cases (0.7%) had co-occurring ERBB2amp and ERBB2mut. ERBB2mut predominantly affected the kinase (124 cases; 90%) or extracellular (15 cases; 11%) domains. Both primary BC (52 cases; 38%) and metastatic site biopsies (86 cases; 62%) were found to harbor ERBB2mut, which were distributed across carcinoma not otherwise specified (NOS) (69 cases; 50%), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) (40 cases; 29%), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) (27 cases; 20%), and mucinous mBC (2 cases; 1%). Genes commonly coaltered with ERBB2 were tumor protein 53 (TP53) (49%); phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) (42%); cadherin 1, type 1 (CDH1) (37%); MYC (17%); and cyclin D1 protein (CCND1) (16%). CDH1 mutations were enriched in ERBB2mut mBC (P<0.0006) and associated with recurrent mBC. Selected patients with ERBB2mut, without ERBB2amp, who responded to anti-HER2 targeted therapies are presented herein. Within this large series, 1.8% of cases harbored ERBB2mut, which are undetectable by standard-of-care IHC or FISH tests. Metastatic BC driven by ERBB2mut respond to anti-HER2 targeted therapies, and expanding clinical trials designed to detect ERBB2mut by CGP and optimize targeted treatments are warranted. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society. Cancer 2016;122:2654-2662. © 2016 American Cancer Society.


Purification and immunochemical characterization of the cytoplasmic androgen-binding protein of rat liver.
The cytoplasmic androgen-binding (CAB) protein of the male rat liver has been implicated to play a role in the androgen-dependent regulation of alpha 2u-globulin synthesis. The liver of the adult male rat contains about 50 fmol of specific high-affinity androgen-binding activity per milligram of total cytosolic protein. Photoaffinity labeling with [3H]R-1881 followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography shows that the CAB is a 31-kilodalton protein. By means of DEAE-cellulose chromatography and preparative SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we have purified the CAB protein to electrophoretic homogeneity and have raised polyclonal rabbit antiserum that is monospecific to this protein. In the sucrose density gradient, the antiserum reacted with the androgen-binding component of the male liver cytosol prelabeled with tritiated dihydrotestosterone. Western blot analysis of the liver cytosol showed that the antiserum recognizes only the 31-kDa androgen-binding component. Such immunoblotting also showed that unlike the young adult, the androgen-insensitive states during prepuberty and senescence are associated with a marked reduction in the hepatic concentration of the immunoreactive CAB protein. No immuno-chemical cross-reactivity between CAB and another androgen-binding component of Mr 29K (which is associated with androgen insensitivity during prepuberty and senescence) was observed. The latter finding favors the possibility that 31- and 29-kDa androgen-binding components may have distinct sequence structure.


Experience with sublabial transseptal transsphenoidal hypophysectomy at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The transseptal transsphenoidal hypophysectomy has become a relatively frequent procedure in recent years. We performed 20 such procedures between January 1984 and December 1987 for various pituitary disorders. Significant complications such as CSF rhinorrhea, meningitis, diabetes insipidus, haemorrhage and septal perforation are discussed. The mortality rate for the series was 5%. In analysing the data, we feel that this technique of hypophysectomy is a safe procedure.


Emergency nurses' current practices and understanding of family presence during CPR.
To examine emergency nurses' current practices and understanding of family presence during CPR in the emergency department, Cork University Hospital, Republic of Ireland. A quantitative descriptive design was used in the study. A questionnaire developed by ENA was distributed to emergency nurses working in a level I trauma emergency department at Cork University Hospital. The total sample number was 90, including all emergency nurses with at least 6 months' emergency nursing experience. Emergency nurses often took families to the bedside during resuscitation efforts (58.9%) or would do so if the opportunity arose (17.8%). A high percentage (74.4%) of respondents would prefer a written policy allowing the option of family presence during CPR. The most significant barrier to family witnessed resuscitation (FWR) was conflicts occurring within the emergency team. The most significant facilitator to FWR was a greater understanding of health care professionals on the benefits of FWR to patients and families, indicating the need for educational development. The findings of the study and previously published studies indicate the need for development of written polices and guidelines on the practice to meet the needs of patients, families, and staff by providing consistent, safe, and caring practices for all involved in the resuscitation process. Recommendations of the study include the development of a written policy and an educational programme on the safe implementation and practices of FWR.


Individuals with chronic low back pain have greater difficulty in engaging in positive lifestyle behaviours than those without back pain: an assessment of health literacy.
Despite the large volume of research dedicated to understanding chronic low back pain (CLBP), patient outcomes remain modest while healthcare costs continue to rise, creating a major public health burden. Health literacy - the ability to seek, understand and utilise health information - has been identified as an important factor in the course of other chronic conditions and may be important in the aetiology of CLBP. Many of the currently available health literacy measurement tools are limited since they measure narrow aspects of health literacy. The Health Literacy Measurement Scale (HeLMS) was developed recently to measure broader elements of health literacy. The aim of this study was to measure broad elements of health literacy among individuals with CLBP and without LBP using the HeLMS. Thirty-six community-dwelling adults with CLBP and 44 with no history of LBP responded to the HeLMS. Individuals were recruited as part of a larger community-based spinal health study in Western Australia. Scores for the eight domains of the HeLMS as well as individual item responses were compared between the groups. HeLMS scores were similar between individuals with and without CLBP for seven of the eight health literacy domains (p > 0.05). However, compared to individuals with no history of LBP, those with CLBP had a significantly lower score in the domain 'Patient attitudes towards their health' (mean difference [95% CI]: 0.46 [0.11-0.82]) and significantly lower scores for each of the individual items within this domain (p < 0.05). Moderate effect sizes ranged from d = 0.47-0.65. Although no differences were identified in HeLMS scores between the groups for seven of the health literacy domains, adults with CLBP reported greater difficulty in engaging in general positive health behaviours. This aspect of health literacy suggests that self-management support initiatives may benefit individuals with CLBP.


A study of the fibrin plate assay of fibrinolytic agents. Optimal conditions, reproducibility and precision.
The reproducibility, precision and required conditions of the fibrin plate method for determination of fibrinolytic agents are described in detail. Under optimal conditions the assay is a sensitive and precise method for the quantitative determination of fibrinolytic agents. Thus, with a tissue plasminogen activator preparation its sensitivity is approximately 0.02 CTA urokinase units/ml, and dilutions yielded a curve with a slope (double-logarithmic) with a day-to-day mean of 0.53 with a coefficient of variation of 5.1%.


Cyclopentenylcytosine (CPE-C): In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation as an Antiviral against Adenoviral Ocular Infections.
Adenoviruses are the major cause of ocular viral infections worldwide. Currently, there is no approved antiviral treatment for these eye infections. Cyclopentenylcytosine (CPE-C) is an antiviral that has demonstrated activity against more than 20 viruses. The goals of the current study were to determine the in vitro and in vivo antiviral activity of CPE-C as well as its ocular toxicity. Antiviral activity was evaluated in vitro using standard plaque reduction assays to determine the 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) and in vivo in the Ad5/NZW rabbit ocular replication model. Ocular toxicity was determined in uninfected rabbit eyes following topical ocular application. The in vitro EC50s for CPE-C ranged from 0.03 to 0.059 μg/mL for nine adenovirus types that commonly infect the eye. Ocular toxicity testing determined CPE-C to be non-irritating or practically non-irritating by Draize scoring. In vivo, 3% CPE-C topically administered 4X or 2X daily for 7 days to adenovirus-infected eyes demonstrated effective antiviral activity compared with the negative control and comparable antiviral activity to the positive control, 0.5% cidofovir, topically administered twice daily for 7 days. We conclude CPE-C was relatively non-toxic to rabbit eyes and demonstrated potent anti-adenoviral activity in vitro and in vivo.


Inhibition of Melanization by a Parasitoid Serine Protease Homolog Venom Protein Requires Both the Clip and the Non-Catalytic Protease-Like Domains.
Endoparasitoid wasps inject a variety of components into their host hemocoel at oviposition to facilitate successful development of their progeny. Among these are venom proteins which have been shown to play crucial roles in host regulation. A serine protease homolog (SPH)-like venom protein from Cotesia rubecula was previously shown to inhibit melanization in the host hemolymph by blocking activation of prophenoloxidase to phenoloxidase, a key enzyme in melanin formation. Similar to other SPHs, Vn50 consists of a clip and a protease-like (SPL) domain. Protein modeling demonstrated that Vn50 has a very similar structure to known SPHs and functional analysis of Vn50 domains expressed in insect cells indicated that neither of the domains on its own has an inhibitory effect on melanization.


Effects of L-isoleucine and L-valine on hot flushes and serum homocysteine: a randomized controlled trial.
To investigate whether L-isoleucine was effective in the treatment of hot flushes and whether L-isoleucine, L-valine, or the combination of both amino acids reduced fasting serum homocysteine. After a 1-week baseline period, 100 postmenopausal women experiencing at least five moderate-severe hot flushes per day were randomized with equal probability to one of four groups (phase 1/phase 2): placebo/L-valine, placebo/L-valine and L-isoleucine, L-isoleucine/L-valine, and L-isoleucine/L-valine and L-isoleucine. Phase 1 was 12 weeks long, and phase 2 was 10 weeks long. Patients took five capsules by mouth, twice a day throughout the study, with each capsule containing 500 mg of compound. Data were obtained from daily hot flush diaries, fasting blood work, and several questionnaires. The primary outcome variable was the percent change in hot flush composite score from baseline to week 12. In phase 1 of the study, there were no significant differences between the L-isoleucine and placebo groups for any of the outcome measures. At week 12, there was a mean 13.9% decrease in hot flush composite score compared with baseline in the L-isoleucine group and a mean 25% decrease in the placebo group (P=.28). In phase 2 of the study, there was no significant change in fasting serum homocysteine levels associated with any of the amino acid therapies. L-isoleucine therapy appears to be ineffective in the treatment of hot flushes in postmenopausal women. L-isoleucine and L-valine, either alone or in combination, appear to have no effect on fasting serum homocysteine levels. CLINCIAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, (www.clinicaltrials.gov), NCT00081952. I.


Cellular fluid shear stress on implant surfaces-establishment of a novel experimental set up.
Mechanostimuli of different cells can affect a wide array of cellular and inter-cellular biological processes responsible for dental implant healing. The purpose of this in vitro study was to establish a new test model to create a reproducible flow-induced fluid shear stress (FSS) of osteoblast cells on implant surfaces. As FSS effects on osteoblasts are detectable at 10 dyn/cm2, a custom-made flow chamber was created. Computer-aided verification of circulation processes was performed. In order to verify FSS effects, cells were analysed via light and fluorescence microscopy. Utilising computer-aided simulations, the underside of the upper plate was considered to have optimal conditions for cell culturing. At this site, a flow-induced orientation of osteoblast cell clusters and an altered cell morphology with cellular elongation and alteration of actin fibres in the fluid flow direction was detected. FSS simulation using this novel flow chamber might mimic the peri-implant situation in the phase of loaded implant healing. With this FSS flow chamber, osteoblast cells' sensitivity to FSS was verified in the form of morphological changes and cell re-clustering towards the direction of the flow. Different shear forces can be created simultaneously in a single experiment.


Neuroprotection Against Diisopropylfluorophosphate in Acute Hippocampal Slices.
Diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) is an irreversible inhibitor of acetylcholine esterase and a surrogate of the organophosphorus (OP) nerve agent sarin. The neurotoxicity of DFP was assessed as a reduction of population spike (PS) area elicited by synaptic stimulation in acute hippocampal slices. Two classical antidotes, atropine, and pralidoxime, and two novel antidotes, 4R-cembranotriene-diol (4R) and a caspase nine inhibitor, were tested. Atropine, pralidoxime, and 4R significantly protected when applied 30 min after DFP. The caspase inhibitor was neuroprotective when applied 5-10 min before or after DFP, suggesting that early synaptic apoptosis is responsible for the loss of PSs. It is likely that apoptosis starts at the synapses and, if antidotes are not applied, descends to the cell bodies, causing death. The acute slice is a reliable tool for mechanistic studies, and the assessment of neurotoxicity and neuroprotection with PS areas is, in general, pharmacologically congruent with in vivo results and predicts the effect of drugs in vivo. 4R was first found to be neuroprotective in slices and later we demonstrated that 4R is neuroprotective in vivo. The mechanism of neurotoxicity of OPs is not well understood, and there is a need for novel antidotes that could be discovered using acute slices.


[Studies on experimental miliary pulmonary embolism with special reference to the mechanism of initial elevation in pulmonary arterial pressure. Significance of myogenic factor].
It is generally accepted that a vasoconstrictive mechanism participates in transient pulmonary hypertension observed in miliary embolism, in addition to the mechanical blockade of pulmonary vascular tree. For the explanation, some neural and humoral factors, especially those released from adhesion-aggregation process of platelets, have been emphasized. In our previous reports, we have stressed the importance of some local vascular factors in this vasoconstrictive mechanism. Present study was undertaken to elucidate those local factors extensively. Miliary pulmonary embolism in the isolated perfused canine lung lobe was produced by injecting lycopodium spore suspension in saline, in which hepalinized autologous blood and three different artificial solutions were employed as the perfusate. Although each perfusate made a slight difference in perfusing condition, probably owing to its viscosity and oncotic pressure, all preparations showed definite response to embolization. After each embolization, pulmonary inflow pressure was raised rapidly and reached to a maximal level after 30-60 sec., then fell gradually. Repeated embolization at an interval of 6 min., before pulmonary inflow pressure returned to the control level, produced a cumulative effect. There was no significant difference between perfusations with autologous blood and artificial perfusates at the first and the second embolizations, but it was more distinct in those with autologous blood at the third and the fourth embolizations. The results have showed that the initial pulmonary pressure elevation in miliary embolism is observed apparently even under the bloodless and denervated conditions. It was concluded that "Myogenic Factor" (existing locally in the pulmonary arterial and arteriolar endothelium-smooth muscle) must play a very important role as to initial elevation in pulmonary arterial pressure induced by miliary embolizations. Further advanced studies on the myogenic factor is expected.


Ocular involvement in varicella.
Twenty-four children with classical chickenpox were referred for ophthalmic assessment because of lesions on the lids and in the eye. The appearance of these lesions, their treatment, and their complications are discussed. Twenty-five percent of these children were documented to have an anterior uveitis.


Shared Patterns of Gene Expression and Protein Evolution Associated with Adaptation to Desert Environments in Rodents.
Desert specialization has arisen multiple times across rodents and is often associated with a suite of convergent phenotypes, including modification of the kidneys to mitigate water loss. However, the extent to which phenotypic convergence in desert rodents is mirrored at the molecular level is unknown. Here, we sequenced kidney mRNA and assembled transcriptomes for three pairs of rodent species to search for shared differences in gene expression and amino acid sequence associated with adaptation to deserts. We conducted phylogenetically independent comparisons between a desert specialist and a non-desert relative in three families representing ∼70 million years of evolution. Overall, patterns of gene expression faithfully recapitulated the phylogeny of these six taxa providing a strong evolutionary signal in levels of mRNA abundance. We also found that 8.6% of all genes showed shared patterns of expression divergence between desert and non-desert taxa, much of which likely reflects convergent evolution, and representing more than expected by chance under a model of independent gene evolution. In addition to these shared changes, we observed many species-pair-specific changes in gene expression indicating that instances of adaptation to deserts include a combination of unique and shared changes. Patterns of protein evolution revealed a small number of genes showing evidence of positive selection, the majority of which did not show shared changes in gene expression. Overall, our results suggest that convergent changes in gene regulation play an important role in the complex trait of desert adaptation in rodents.


Complications of hysterectomy.
The complications of hysterectomy are discussed, generally speaking their definition is poorly standardized and direct comparisons are extremely difficult. Furthermore, there is uncertainty as to what is meant by laparoscopic hysterectomy. The complications are discussed as post-operative fever, haemorrhage, injury to adjacent organs, other complications and life-threatening events. The incidence of post-operative infection and haemorrhage is least with the laparoscopic approach, but injury to surrounding organs is probably greater. In 1982, the Collaborative Review of Sterilization study data suggested an average woman of reproductive age with no pre-existing medical condition, no previous abdominal surgery, and who received prophylactic antibiotics, was best served by vaginal hysterectomy without colpororrhaphy rather than an abdominal procedure. This does not seem to have changed. The incidence of abdominal hysterectomy may be reduced by adding laparoscopy to vaginal hysterectomy to deal with adhesive disease, endometriosis or adnexal disease. Laparoscopic hysterectomy is feasible and safe but the indications for this approach have not yet been established.


Visual impairment amongst adult diabetics attending a tertiary outpatient clinic.
To determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy maculopathy and cataract amongst diabetics and the prevalence of visual impairment amongst diabetics attending the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital eye unit. There are no current data in the study area on the prevalence of visual impairment and blindness amongst diabetics. This data is required in planning for screening and prevention of blindness due to diabetics. This was a hospital based cross sectional study. Subjects were diabetic patients attending the diabetic clinic. Simple random sampling was used. Demographic was taken. Visual acuity and refraction was done. Slit lamp examination was used to identify cataract. Maculopathy and retinopathy was determined using a 90D Volk lens and an indirect ophthalmoscope. Non -insulin dependent diabetics constituted 97.1% whilst 2.9% were insulin dependent diabetics. The prevalence of the outcomes measures was: Cataract (23.7%) mild and moderate retinopathy (13.7%) severe proliferative retinopathy (1.8%) maculopathy (6.8%). Prevalence of low vision and blindness was 18.4%. Amongst diabetics 59.1% had no previous eye evaluation. Impaired vision due to cataract was 24.0 % representing a 40% decline in a decade. The prevalence of visual impairment was high at 18.4%. The reduction in impaired vision due to cataract over a decade is suggestive of either an improved cataract surgical rate or improved diabetic care or both. Majority of the diabetic patients 59.1% had not received prior ocular evaluation. There is an urgent need to have a screening program in this area. None.


[Changes in the rhythms of the alpha-fetoprotein content of the blood serum of mice with hepatoma 22A and of tumor cell proliferation depending on the time of cyclophosphane administration].
A study was made of the content of alpha-fetoprotein (alpha-FP) in the blood serum and of proliferative processes in hepatoma 22A-bearing mice after injection of cyclophosphamide in a dose of 150 mg/kg at varying time of 4-day tumor growth. The data obtained indicate that the time of appearance of alpha-FP in the blood, the pattern of rhythmic fluctuations in protein content and in the number of DNA-synthesizing and mitotic cells of the tumor depend on the time of the cytostatic injection during the day. Besides, cyclophosphamide exerts a more powerful inhibitory effect on the content of alpha-FP in the blood serum and less powerful on the proliferative processes in hepatoma 22A.


Cigarette smoking and the risk of primary Sjögren's syndrome: a nested case control study.
Smoking is reported to affect the risk of a number of chronic disorders, including rheumatic diseases. Previous cross-sectional studies have shown a lower frequency of smoking in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of smoking and socioeconomic status on the risk of subsequent diagnosis of pSS in a nested case-control study. Participants in two large population-based health surveys who were later diagnosed with pSS were identified through linkage with the Malmö Sjögren's Syndrome Register. Matched controls were obtained from the health surveys. Sixty-three patients with pSS with pre-diagnostic data from the health surveys were identified. Current smoking was associated with a significantly lower risk of later being diagnosed with pSS (odds ratio (OR) 0.3; 95% CI 0.1-0.6). Furthermore, former smoking was associated with an increased risk of subsequent pSS diagnosis (OR 4.0; 95% CI 1.8-8.8) compared to never smoking. Similar results were found in a sub-analysis of patients with reported symptom onset after inclusion in the health surveys. Socioeconomic status and levels of formal education had no significant impact on the risk of later being diagnosed with pSS. In this nested case-control study, current smoking was associated with a reduced risk of subsequent diagnosis of pSS. In addition, former smoking was associated with an increased risk. Whether this reflects a biological effect of cigarette smoking or other mechanisms should be further investigated in future studies.


[Not Available].
The Discovery of the Unconscious by Henri F. Ellenberger has become a common topic in the historiography of (dynamic) psychiatry. But many users of this term have still the opinion that Sigmund Freud was the unique discoverer. In reality there was a scientific context at the fin de siècle, which corresponded intensively with Freud's original concepts and formed their implications (e.g. Darwinism, Neurophysiology). Besides well-documented synchronic analogies Freud implanted diachronic traditions within his psychoanalytic theory. Especially, his main work The Interpretation of Dreams implied Greek mythology as well as natural philosophy of romanticism. Freuds special concepts like 'transfer' and 'resistance' have to be analysed as historical metaphors.


Diabetes Management - Lowering Cardiovascular Risk.
Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common diseases to plague the present day. Sixty percent of mortality in diabetic patients is caused by coronary artery disease. Numerous studies have shown that improving glycaemic control helps manage microvascular complications. On the other hand, some studies have shed light on the fact that a too tight glycaemic control can have adverse effects, especially on patients with high cardiovascular risk. Thus 'the lower the better' attitude should be exchanged for 'the earliest the best' attitude. A multidisciplinary approach should therefore be undertaken in order to achieve a proper management of the cardiovascular risk for diabetic patients. This includes using hypoglycaemic agents, antihypertensive medication and statins to balance the myriad of cardiovascular risk factors.


Isolation and cultivation of Walsby's square archaeon.
In 1980, A. E. Walsby described a square halophilic archaeon. This archaeon is of specific interest because of its unique shape and its abundance in hypersaline ecosystems, which suggests an important ecophysiological role. Ever since its discovery, the isolation and cultivation of 'Walsby's square archaeon' has been a holy grail for many microbiologists working on halophiles. Despite their abundance and easy recognition by microscopy, all cultivation attempts have failed up to now, marking the organism as one of the unculturables. Cultivation of the square archaeon is essential to understand their ecophysiological role and the nature of their unique morphologically features. Here, we report the isolation and cultivation of the enigmatic square archaeon that we propose to name Haloquadratum walsbyi. Pure cultures are easily maintained in simple artificial hypersaline media. Initial growth experiments revealed a tolerance to high concentrations of MgCl(2) (>2 M) in the presence of 3.3 M NaCl. Fresh cultures contained extraordinary large cells (>40 x 40 microm) without any visible division structures, ranking them among the largest prokaryotes known to date. The genome was estimated to contain approximately three million basepairs.


Cost-effective conservation of amphibian ecology and evolution.
Habitat loss is the most important threat to species survival, and the efficient selection of priority areas is fundamental for good systematic conservation planning. Using amphibians as a conservation target, we designed an innovative assessment strategy, showing that prioritization models focused on functional, phylogenetic, and taxonomic diversity can include cost-effectiveness-based assessments of land values. We report new key conservation sites within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest hot spot, revealing a congruence of ecological and evolutionary patterns. We suggest payment for ecosystem services through environmental set-asides on private land, establishing potential trade-offs for ecological and evolutionary processes. Our findings introduce additional effective area-based conservation parameters that set new priorities for biodiversity assessment in the Atlantic Forest, validating the usefulness of a novel approach to cost-effectiveness-based assessments of conservation value for other species-rich regions.


Depression and Resilience in Breast Cancer Patients.
A significant number of breast cancer patients, during their life with the diagnosis, experience emotional distress in the form of depression and anxiety. Psychological resilience is the ability of a person to protect his/her mental health when faced with adverse circumstances such as the cancer diagnosis. This study aims to assess the resilience in breast cancer patients and to explore whether depression affects the resilience. Two hundred eighteen (218) women, treated for early breast cancer responded to Connor - Davidson Resilience Scale and Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale, in order to assess the level of psychological resilience and the level of depression. There is a significant negative correlation between depression and resilience in our sample (r = - 0.562, p < 0.001). Individuals with higher levels of depression have lower levels of psychological resilience. There is no statistically significant correlation between the ages of the participants; time passed since diagnosis, cancer stage and resilience levels. This study shows that patients who are less depressed have higher levels of resilience and that psychological resilience may independently contribute to lower levels of depression among breast cancer patients. The level of psychological resilience may be a protective factor for depression and psychological distress.


Leprosy in HIV infection: a study of three cases.
The course of leprosy in patients with HIV infection has been a controversial issue for a long time. It is still a matter of debate whether the HIV status of an individual has any impact on the natural history of leprosy and response to anti-leprosy treatment. We report here three HIV-positive leprosy cases (two BT and one BB) along with their CD4 counts and HIV staging with anti-leprosy therapeutic response. Both BT cases responded well to conventional WHO MDT (PB) for 6 months, whereas the BB case relapsed 3 months after completion of MDT (MB) for one year. However, he became inactive again following a further one-year course of MDT (MB).


Effects of yeast cell wall-derived mannan-oligosaccharides on jejunal gene expression in young broiler chickens.
The use of mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) has gained in popularity in recent years due to regulatory restrictions of using AGP in food animal production. Benefits of MOS usage include improvement on animal performance, feed efficiency, and gastrointestinal health. The molecular mechanisms of these functions however are not clear. The goal of the current study was to use a transcriptomics approach to investigate the effects of MOS on the intestinal gene expression profile of young broilers and characterize biological gene pathways responsible for the actions of MOS. One hundred and twenty 1-d-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly divided into 2 groups and were fed either a standard wheat-soybean meal-based (control) diet or the same diet supplemented with 2.2 g/kg of MOS (Bio-Mos, Alltech, Nicholasville, KY) for 3 wk, followed by jejunal gene expression profiling analysis using chicken-specific Affymetrix microarrays. Results indicated that a total of 672 genes were differentially expressed (P < 0.01 and fold change >1.2) in the jejunum by MOS supplementation. Association analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes are involved in diverse biological functions including energy production, cell death, and protein translation. Expression of 77 protein synthesis-related genes was differentially regulated by MOS in the jejunum. Further pathway analysis indicated that 15 genes related to oxidative phosphorylation were upregulated in the jejunum, and expression of genes important in cellular stress response, such as peroxiredoxin 1, superoxide dismutase 1, and thioredoxin, were also increased by MOS. Differential expression of genes associated with cellular immune processes, including lysozyme, lumican, β 2-microglobin, apolipoprotein A-1, and fibronectin 1, were also observed in MOS-fed broilers. In summary, this study systematically identified biological functions and gene pathways that are important in mediating the biological effects of MOS in broilers.


Release of immunoreactive canine leukocyte elastase normally and in endotoxin and pancreatitic shock.
A specific ELISA has been developed for the determination of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor-bound leukocyte elastase in canine plasma and tissue fluids. Comparison of the sequence of the first 16 N-terminal amino acids of the isolated canine leukocyte elastase to other elastases indicated moderate homology with porcine pancreatic elastase and pronounced identity with human leukocyte elastase. Normal canine plasma contains about 66 micrograms/l leukocyte elastase measured as elastase alpha 1-proteinases inhibitor complexes. This represents about 70% of the total amount of leukocyte elastase released in plasma. The remaining 30% is bound by alpha 1 alpha 2-macroglobulin. Blood coagulation leads to a rapid release of elastase from the leukocytes. Slow intravenous infusion of a lethal dose of endotoxin into dogs is followed by a marked drop in leukocyte count and a simultaneous rapid increase in plasma leukocyte elastase concentration reaching a plateau level of 2-3 mg/l plasma. Bile-induced pancreatitis in dogs is accompanied by successive increases in leukocyte elastase levels in plasma as well as in peritoneal exudates, reaching a level of about 15 mg/l in the exudates during the late stages of disease.


A Real-World Study of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone in the Treatment of Idiopathic Short Stature and Growth Hormone Deficiency.
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in the treatment of children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) and growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and to explore the related factors affecting treatment efficacy. The current research reflects a real-world study. A total of 79 patients with ISS and 95 patients with GHD (both groups pre-puberty) who had been treated with rhGH for more than one year from January 2010 to September 2019 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, ie, an ISS and a GHD group, respectively. The growth indexes, such as chronological age (CA), bone age (BA), height standard deviation score (HtSDS), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) SDS, and body mass index were recorded and compared between the two groups before and after treatment. The treatment efficacy was evaluated according to changes in HtSDS before and after treatment, and the influencing factors of clinical efficacy were analyzed using a multivariate regression model. At the start of treatment, the differences in CA, BA, height, weight, sexual development stage, HtSDS, mid-parental height SDS, and IGF-1 SDS between the two groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). However, the initial dose of rhGH in the GHD group was significantly lower than in the ISS group (P < 0.001). Following rhGH treatment, the differences in CA, BA, BA/CA ratio, and IGF-1 SDS measured at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months between the ISS and GHD groups were not statistically significant, while the difference in HtSDS measured at 6 months was statistically significant. With the extension of rhGH treatment time, the annual growth rate (GV) gradually decreased, and the difference between HtSDS and the baseline gradually increased; however, the differences between the ISS and GHD groups were not statistically significant. The most important factor affecting the treatment efficacy for patients with ISS was age at the start of treatment; the most important factors affecting the treatment efficacy for patients with GHD were age and IGF-1 SDS. Recombinant human growth hormone treatment can significantly improve the height of patients with ISS and GHD. There was no significant difference in growth rate between patients with ISS and those with GHD at relatively high doses. The common factor affecting the treatment efficacy of the two groups was the age at the start of treatment. During treatment, monitored data indicated that rhGH treatment of GHD and ISS thyroid function showed a clinical phenomenon in the form of increased free triiodothyronine, rather than hypothyroidism, which was rarely reported in existing studies.


Maintenance of in vivo-like keratin expression, sex steroid responsiveness, and estrogen receptor expression in cultured human ectocervical epithelial cells.
In the present manuscript we demonstrate that ectocervical epithelial cells (ECE cells) retain a high degree of differentiated function when cultured using feeder layers. We characterize the cultured cells with respect to morphology, expression of cytokeratins, responsiveness to sex steroids, and the presence of estrogen-binding sites. Like ectocervical cells in vivo, the cultured cells display a typical epithelial cell morphology and undergo extensive stratification and envelope (superficial cell) formation. Like the in vivo ectocervical epithelium, the cultured ECE cells express type I cytokeratins K13, K14, K16, K17, and K19 and type II cytokeratins K5 and K6. Under normal culture conditions, however, cytokeratins K1, K2, K4, K11, and K15, which are expressed in vivo, are not expressed. An interesting finding is that ECE cells, in contrast to endocervix and epidermis in vivo and cultured epidermal keratinocytes, express very abundant levels of K13. In fact, K13 appears to be a specific marker of ECE cells in the female reproductive tract. When incubated with 10 nM diethylstilbestrol, ECE cell envelope production increased 3-fold, while incubation with 100 nM progesterone decreased envelope formation 3.4-fold. Simultaneous incubation with progesterone antagonized the diethylstilbestrol stimulation. Thus, in vivo-like sex steroid regulation of ECE cell differentiation is maintained in culture. In addition, the cells possess a high affinity, limited capacity binding site for estradiol that has a Kd of 1.2 +/- 0.1 nM. This system is likely to provide a useful model for the study of sex steroid regulation of normal ectocervical epithelial cell function.


Genetic diversity and structure of an endangered desert shrub and the implications for conservation.
Population genetic information can provide valuable insight for the conservation and management of threatened and endangered plant species. Tamarix taklamakanensis is an endangered shrub endemic to arid basins of northwestern China. This species serves to stabilize soils in this region, but has seen substantial loss in its abundance due to depletion of ground water. The populations of this species have become small and fragmented, warranting conservation. Seven microsatellite loci were used to assess the genetic diversity and structure of 15 populations in the Tarim Basin, China. Among populations, the expected heterozygosity and total gene diversity were both moderate (HE = 0.392, hT = 0.432), however the allelic diversity was low (A = 2.4). Eleven populations were detected to have experienced recent bottlenecks using Wilcoxon's test and a model-shift test. Most populations of T. taklamakanensis in the centre of Tarim Basin showed low levels of genetic differentiation, but higher levels in geographically outlying populations. Genetic structure based on Bayesian assignment, the neighbour-joining network and principal coordinates analyses produced similar results, supporting five groups in the Tarim Basin. Gene flow was high among Bayesian groups based on historical gene flow estimated by private alleles. The genetic structure of T. taklamakanensis supports a pattern where gene flow principally occurs along river corridors through hydrochory of seeds and insect-mediated pollination. Populations upstream have contributed to a more diverse mixture of populations near the confluence of several rivers near the centre of Tarim Basin. This pattern of genetic structure could be influenced by the flow of water from different river systems. Conservation efforts should focus on fostering the regeneration of this species, maintaining genetic diversity and preserving the extant genetic structure. Conservation efforts are contingent upon maintaining ground water and streamflows in this arid basin.


New enumeration algorithm for protein structure comparison and classification.
Protein structure comparison and classification is an effective method for exploring protein structure-function relations. This problem is computationally challenging. Many different computational approaches for protein structure comparison apply the secondary structure elements (SSEs) representation of protein structures. We study the complexity of the protein structure comparison problem based on a mixed-graph model with respect to different computational frameworks. We develop an effective approach for protein structure comparison based on a novel independent set enumeration algorithm. Our approach (named: ePC, efficient enumeration-based Protein structure Comparison) is tested for general purpose protein structure comparison as well as for specific protein examples. Compared with other graph-based approaches for protein structure comparison, the theoretical running-time O(1.47 rnn2) of our approach ePC is significantly better, where n is the smaller number of SSEs of the two proteins, r is a parameter of small value. Through the enumeration algorithm, our approach can identify different substructures from a list of high-scoring solutions of biological interest. Our approach is flexible to conduct protein structure comparison with the SSEs in sequential and non-sequential order as well. Supplementary data of additional testing and the source of ePC will be available at http://bioinformatics.astate.edu/.


Awareness of situational effects on drinking.
Conducted a survey to determine how aware drinkers are of the situational determinants of alcohol (N = 64). Findings showed that social drinkers were well aware of the effects of different settings on the quantity consumed and the effects experienced. These findings suggest the need for caution in generalizing laboratory findings conducted under "non-natural" conditions to practical applications.


Structure and function of the LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR) family proteins.
The LysR family of transcriptional regulators represents the most abundant type of transcriptional regulator in the prokaryotic kingdom. Members of this family have a conserved structure with an N-terminal DNA-binding helix-turn-helix motif and a C-terminal co-inducer-binding domain. Despite considerable conservation both structurally and functionally, LysR-type transcriptional regulators (LTTRs) regulate a diverse set of genes, including those involved in virulence, metabolism, quorum sensing and motility. Numerous structural and transcriptional studies of members of the LTTR family are helping to unravel a compelling paradigm that has evolved from the original observations and conclusions that were made about this family of transcriptional regulators.


The association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among older African Americans: the role of psychological and social factors.
BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Several studies have demonstrated a link between perceived discrimination and depression in ethnic minority groups, yet most have focused on younger or middle-aged African Americans and little is known about factors that may moderate the relationship. Participants were 487 older African Americans (60-98 years old) enrolled in the Minority Aging Research Study. Discrimination, depressive symptoms, and psychological and social resources were assessed via interview using validated measures. Ordinal logistic regression models were used to assess (1) the main relationship between discrimination and depression and (2) resilience, purpose in life, social isolation, and social networks as potential moderators of this relationship. In models adjusted for age, sex, education, and income, perceived discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR]: 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.31; p < .001). However, there was no evidence of effect modification by resilience, purpose in life, social isolation, or social networks (all ps ≤ .05). Findings provide support for accumulating evidence on the adverse mental health effects of discrimination among older African Americans. Because the association was not modified by psychological or social factors, these findings do not support a role for a buffering effect of resources on discrimination and depressive symptoms. Further studies are needed to examine a wider range of coping resources among older adults.