Cantharidins induce ER stress and a terminal unfolded protein response in OSCC.
Mortality and morbidity associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unacceptably high with disfiguring treatment options and a death rate of 1 per hour in the United States. The approval of cituximab for advanced OSCC has been the only new treatment for these patients since the 1970s, although it has not significantly increased overall survival. To address the paucity of effective new therapies, we undertook a high-throughput screen to discover small molecules and natural products that could induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and enforce a terminal unfolded protein response (UPR) in OSCC. The terpenoid cantharidin (CNT), previously used to treat various malignancies in culture-specific medical practices for over 2,000 y, emerged as a hit. CNT and its analog, cantharidic acid, potently induced protein and gene expression profiles consistent with the activation of ER stress, the UPR, and apoptosis in OSCC cells. Murine embryonic fibroblasts null for the UPR-associated transcription factors Atf4 or Chop were significantly protected from CNT, implicating a key role for the UPR in the death response. These data validate that our high-throughput screen can identify novel modulators of UPR signaling and that such compounds might provide a new therapeutic approach to treating patients with OSCC.


[Postnatal growth of nasal septum].
Up to now little is known about the anatomy and histology and especially about the germinative zones of the growing nasal septum. We totally removed 18 septa of children between 0 and 10 years immediately after death. After photographical documentation these septa were studied histologically and microadiographically. It was found that at birth the connection between the cartilaginous septum and vomer only consists of a small and very loose layer of connective tissues. During the first year of life several ossification areas appear between vomer and cartilage in the dorsal part of the septum. An enchondral ossification zone at the rostrum sphenoidale was regularly seen in the neonatal septum, but disappears soon after birth. The development of the perpendicular plate starts from multiple ossification centersregularlytobefoundinthedorso-cranialpartoftheneonatalseptum. The perpendicular plate is the fastest growing part of the septum and even in the tenth year of life still shows an enchondral ossification zone around its border. The shape and the size ofthe septum changes most during the first six years; subsequently septal growth slows down markedly. As the enchondral ossification zone resembles an epiphysis cartilage, it is assumed thatlesions in this area may lead to growth disturbances of the inner and outer nose. It is therefore emphasized that, rgarding rhinoplasty in children, this ossification zone should be preserved by the surgeon.


[Treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome].
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZE) is characterized by severe peptic ulcer disease, hypersecretion of gastric acid and gastrinoma of the pancreas. A 56-year-old woman with abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss with ZE is presented. Large doses of H2 blockers were ineffective. At operation hepatic metastases from a gastrinoma were found and highly selective vagotomy (HSV) was performed. The combination of omeprazol and streptozotocin then lowered gastric secretion to normal. Conservative operation has included HSV or total gastrectomy. Medical treatment based on H2 blockers or omeprazol and chemotherapy are given as necessary.


Grooming future execs. War of words erupts over whose job it is.
Several of healthcare's professional organizations have squared off against a newcomer--the National Center for Healthcare Leadership--over how best to train the next generation of healthcare leaders. Backed by industry icons, including Gail Warden and Gary Mecklenburg, the NCHL says its brand of educational programming is needed. What's needed, critics say, is more collaboration among existing organizations.


Effect of B-cell depletion using anti-CD20 therapy on inhibitory antibody formation to human FVIII in hemophilia A mice.
We herein tested the effect of B-cell depletion on tolerance induction to factor VIII (FVIII) in a mouse model of hemophilia A. Two subclasses of anti-mouse CD20 monoclonal antibodies with differential depletion effects were used. Thus, IgG1 anti-CD20 selectively depleted follicular B cells and spared marginal zone B cells, whereas IgG2a anti-CD20 efficiently depleted both. In FVIII primed mice, a single dose of either IgG1 or IgG2a anti-CD20 pretreatment prevented the increase in inhibitor formation in the majority of treated mice by subsequent daily, high-dose FVIII intravenous injection as a model for immune tolerance induction. However, the IgG1, but not the IgG2a, anti-CD20 pretreatment led to a significant increase of regulatory T cells in the spleen. Importantly, 3 months after the partial B-cell depletion with IgG1 anti-CD20, the FVIII-specific hyporesponsive state remained. We suggest a tolerogenic role of the remaining marginal zone B cells as a potential mechanism for anti-CD20 therapy.


C/EBP homologous protein is necessary for normal osteoblastic function.
C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) suppresses adipogenesis and accelerates osteoblastogenesis in vitro. However, the effects of CHOP in the skeleton in vivo are not known. To investigate the actions of CHOP on bone remodeling, we examined the skeletal phenotype of chop null mice from 1 to 12 months of age. Chop null mice appeared normal and their growth and serum insulin like growth factor (IGF) I and osteocalcin levels were normal. X-ray analysis of the skeleton revealed no abnormalities and bone mineral density was normal. Static and dynamic histomorphometry revealed that chop null mice had decreased bone formation rates, without changes in osteoblast cell number, indicating an osteoblastic functional defect. The number of osteoblasts and osteoclasts and eroded surface were normal. Northern blot analysis revealed decreased type I collagen and osteocalcin mRNA levels in calvariae of chop null mice. In conclusion, chop null mice exhibit decreased bone formation and impaired osteoblastic function, indicating that CHOP is necessary for the normal expression of the osteoblastic phenotype.


Commentary: Is Wearable Fitness Technology a Medically Approved Device? Yes and No.
Wearable technologies, i.e., activity trackers and fitness watches, are extremely popular and have been increasingly integrated into medical research and clinical practice. To assist in optimizing health, wellness, or medical care, these devices require collaboration between researchers, healthcare providers, and wearable technology companies in order to clarify their clinical capabilities and educate consumers on the utilities and limitations of the wide-ranging wearable devices. Interestingly, activity trackers and fitness watches often track both health/wellness and medical information within the same device. In this commentary, we will focus our discussions regarding wearable technology on (1) defining and explaining the technical differences between tracking health, wellness, and medical information; (2) providing examples of health and wellness compared to medical tracking; (3) describing the potential medical benefits of wearable technology and its applications in clinical populations; and (4) elucidating the potential risks of wearable technology. We conclude that while wearable devices are powerful and informative tools, further research is needed to improve its clinical applications.


Deletion of the ventral noradrenergic bundle obliterates the early ACTH response after systemic LPS, independently from the plasma IL-1β surge.
We have recently shown that total lesion of the ventral noradrenergic bundle (VNAB-X), enhanced the short-lived (<120 min) triggering effect of intra-arterially (i.a.) given IL-1β on plasma ACTH levels. In the present study we used the same VNAB-X paradigm to explore the mechanisms of the long-lived (480 min) LPS stimulatory effect on plasma ACTH, corticosterone (CORT) and IL-1β levels. In control rats, 25 μg kg(-1) LPS induced a 20-fold increase in ACTH and a 7-fold increase in CORT concentrations at 30 min, which continued to rise until 60 min, before receding to baseline at 480 min. In contrast, the plasma IL-1β concentration started to increase above undetectable levels only at 120 min. In VNAB-X animals, the early (30 min) ACTH/CORT response to LPS was completely blunted, and the ACTH surge was reduced by 75% at 60 min. However, the sustained hormonal response (120 to 480 min) was unaltered. Both the temporal pattern and the amplitude of the plasma IL-1β response were normal. We conclude that (1) the VNAB is involved in the early (first 60 min) ACTH/CORT response to systemic LPS, (2) plasma IL-1β does not appear to be associated with this early corticotropic activation and (3) the later stages of the ACTH/CORT response to LPS (60 to 480 min) appear to be independent of the VNAB control and may therefore involve different control mechanisms, in which the IL-1β, by this stage massively released in the blood, may play a major role.


Injury pattern, injury severity, and mortality in 33,495 hospital-admitted victims of motorized two-wheeled vehicle crashes in The Netherlands.
Road traffic accidents involving motorized two-wheeled vehicle (MTV) riders often result in severe morbidity and mortality. The aim of this nationwide study is to describe the influence of the type of motorized two-wheeled vehicle on the patient injury severity and mortality on hospitalization, after MTV accidents in The Netherlands. Data from the Institute for Road Safety Research and the Hospital Trauma Databases were analyzed. All MTV crash victims admitted to Dutch hospitals from 1993 to 2008 were included. Logistic regression analysis was performed on sex, age, type of MTV, Injury Severity Score, and Abbreviated Injury Scale to calculate the relative risks of severe trauma and mortality for motor and light-moped riders according to the Mantel and Haenszel procedure (RRmh). Among 33,495 MTV crash victims, 10,607 were motorcyclists, 19,708 moped riders, and 3,180 light-moped riders. In the light-moped rider group head injury, especially severe head injury was most common in light-moped riders, and the prevalence of severe trauma (17.1%) and mortality (4.2%) was highest, compared with motorcyclists and moped riders. In elderly crash victims (>55 years), the risk to sustain severe trauma was almost twofold higher in light-moped riders compared with moped riders (RRmh: 1.79). Young motorcyclists (<25 years) had highest chances of dying (RRmh: 1.64). Hospitalized light-moped riders show more severe head injuries, severe trauma, and higher mortality than moped riders and motorcyclists. Young motorcyclists and elderly light-moped riders are most vulnerable, with highest chances of severe trauma and mortality. Continuing improvement of the MTV safety is urgent. II, epidemiological study.


Influence of body mass index and waist-hip ratio on male semen parameters in infertile men in the real world: a retrospective study.
It is suggested that body mass index (BMI) can affect male semen quality; however, the results remain controversial. In addition, most studies have focused on the effect of obesity on semen quality. Evidence on the relationship of underweight or waist-hip ratio (WHR) with semen quality is rare. This study aimed to assess the association of BMI and WHR with semen quality. Data, including BMI and WHR, was collected from 715.00 men who underwent a fertility evaluation. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized as <18.50 (underweight), 18.50-24.90 (normal), 25.00-27.90 (overweight), and ≥28.00 (obese) kg/m2 for analysis. WHR was categorized as <0.81 (normal) and ≥0.81 (high). Semen volume, sperm concentration, progressive motility, and total motile sperm count were detected by experienced clinical technicians. Spearman's correlation showed that BMI was weakly associated with sperm progressive motility (r = 0.076, P < 0.05), while WHR showed no relationship with semen parameters. The azoospermia rate was significantly higher (33.33% vs. 2.10%, P < 0.001) and the sperm concentration was lower (P < 0.05) in the underweight group. The nonlinear correlation analysis showed that BMI was negatively associated with sperm concentration while BMI was more than 22.40 kg/m2 (P < 0.05), while WHR was negatively related to sperm progressive motility within 0.82 to 0.89 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the multivariate logistic analysis showed that follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) was an independent risk factor for normal sperm concentration (odds ratio [OR]: 0.791, P = 0.001) and morphology (OR: 0.821, P = 0.002), BMI was an independent risk factor for normal sperm progressive motility, and testosterone was an independent risk factor for sperm morphology (OR: 0.908, P = 0.023). BMI and WHR were significantly associated with semen parameters, while BMI was an independent risk factor for normal sperm progressive motility. Reproductive hormones, including FSH and testosterone, had a significant influence on sperm concentration and sperm morphology.


Individual differences in the recognition of facial expressions: an event-related potentials study.
Previous studies have shown that early posterior components of event-related potentials (ERPs) are modulated by facial expressions. The goal of the current study was to investigate individual differences in the recognition of facial expressions by examining the relationship between ERP components and the discrimination of facial expressions. Pictures of 3 facial expressions (angry, happy, and neutral) were presented to 36 young adults during ERP recording. Participants were asked to respond with a button press as soon as they recognized the expression depicted. A multiple regression analysis, where ERP components were set as predictor variables, assessed hits and reaction times in response to the facial expressions as dependent variables. The N170 amplitudes significantly predicted for accuracy of angry and happy expressions, and the N170 latencies were predictive for accuracy of neutral expressions. The P2 amplitudes significantly predicted reaction time. The P2 latencies significantly predicted reaction times only for neutral faces. These results suggest that individual differences in the recognition of facial expressions emerge from early components in visual processing.


Toxicologic evaluations of recombinant liver-targeting interferon IFN-CSP: Genotoxicity and tegenicratoity.
Interferon alpha as the one of FDA recommended drugs for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has many side effects. Targeting IFNα to the liver may be a strategy to increase its efficacy locally and may increase efficacy of IFNα-based therapy of HBV infection. We have prepared a novel liver-targeting fusion interferon (IFN-CSP) combining IFN α2b with plasmodium region I peptide and have revealed it may be an excellent candidate as a liver-targeting anti-HBV agent. In this study, we investigated the genotoxic and teratogenic effects of IFN-CSP. The genotoxicity of IFN-CSP was evaluated by using a standard battery of tests (bacterial reverse mutation assay, mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay, and mouse sperm malformation assay). The results showed that IFN-CSP did not increase the number of revertant colonies in the plates of four strains, had no marked effect on the incidence of mouse bone marrow micronucleus and did not affect sperm deformity proportion at doses up to 8.8 × 108IU/kg, which was 1128.2 folds of the maximum' clinical equivalent dosage. Meanwhile, for teratogenicity test of IFN-CSP in female SD rats at the dosage of 6.3 × 107 IU/kg, no toxicological signs were observed. These results indicated that IFN-CSP has no genotoxicity and teratogenicity under the testing conditions.


Improved management of farm dams increases vegetation cover, water quality, and macroinvertebrate biodiversity.
In many farming landscapes, aquatic features, such as wetlands, creeks, and dams, provide water for stock and irrigation, while also acting as habitat for a range of plants and animals. Indeed, some species threatened by land-use change may otherwise be considerably rarer-or even suffer extinction-in the absence of these habitats. Therefore, a critical issue for the maintenance of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes is the extent to which the management of aquatic systems can promote the integration of agricultural production and biodiversity conservation. We completed a cross-sectional study in southern New South Wales (southeastern Australia) to quantify the efficacy of two concurrently implemented management practices-partial revegetation and control of livestock grazing-aimed at enhancing the vegetation structure, biodiversity value, and water quality of farm dams. We found that excluding livestock for even short periods resulted in increased vegetation cover. Relative to unenhanced dams (such as those that remained unfenced), those that had been enhanced for several years were characterized by reduced levels of turbidity, nutrients, and fecal contamination. Enhanced dams also supported increased richness and abundance of macroinvertebrates. In contrast, unenhanced control dams tended to have high abundance of a few macroinvertebrate taxa. Notably, differences remained between the macroinvertebrate assemblages of enhanced dams and nearby "natural" waterbodies that we monitored as reference sites. While the biodiversity value of semilotic, natural waterbodies in the region cannot be replicated by artificial lentic systems, we consider the extensive system of farm dams in the region to represent a novel ecosystem that may nonetheless support some native macroinvertebrates. Our results show that management interventions such as fencing and grazing control can improve water quality in farm dams, improve vegetation structure around farm dams, and support greater abundance and diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates.


Tyrosine phosphorylation in T cells is regulated by phosphatase activity: studies with phenylarsine oxide.
Activation of T cells induces rapid tyrosine phosphorylation on the T-cell receptor zeta chain and other substrates. These phosphorylations can be regulated by a number of protein-tyrosine kinases (ATP: protein-tyrosine O-phosphotransferase, EC 18.104.22.168) and protein-tyrosine-phosphatases (protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 184.108.40.206). In this study, we demonstrate that phenylarsine oxide can inhibit tyrosine phosphatases while leaving tyrosine kinase function intact. We use this reagent to investigate the effect of tyrosine phosphatase inhibition in a murine T-cell hybridoma. Increasing concentrations of phenylarsine oxide result in an increase in tyrosine phosphate on a number of intracellular substrates in unstimulated T cells, suggesting that a protein-tyrosine kinase is constitutively active in these cells. The effect of phenylarsine oxide on T cells stimulated with an anti-Thy 1 monoclonal antibody is more complex. At low concentrations of drug, there is a synergistic increase in the level of tyrosine phosphate on certain cellular substrates. At higher concentrations, anti-Thy 1-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation is inhibited. These results indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation in T cells is tightly regulated by tyrosine phosphatases. Partial inhibition of these enzymes results in enhanced substrate phosphorylation. Inhibition of all stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation by high doses of phenylarsine oxide suggests that tyrosine kinase activity is regulated by tyrosine phosphatases.


Glycoprotein NMB promotes tumor formation and malignant progression of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), although one of the most common head and neck cancers, has a static or slightly decreased survival rate because of difficulties in early diagnosis, lack of effective molecular targeting therapy, and severe dysfunction after radical surgical treatments. Therefore, a novel therapeutic target is crucial to increase treatment efficacy and survival rates in these patients. Glycoprotein NMB (GPNMB), whose role in LSCC remains elusive, is a type 1 transmembrane protein involved in malignant progression of various cancers, and its high expression is thought to be a poor prognostic factor. In this study, we showed that GPNMB expression levels in LSCC samples are significantly higher than those in normal tissues, and GPNMB expression is observed mostly in growth-arrested cancer cells. Furthermore, knockdown of GPNMB reduces monolayer cellular proliferation, cellular migration, and tumorigenic growth, while GPNMB protein displays an inverse relationship with Ki-67 levels. Therefore, we conclude that GPNMB may be an attractive target for future LSCC therapy.


Molecular characterization of HES-2, a mammalian helix-loop-helix factor structurally related to Drosophila hairy and Enhancer of split.
Drosophila hairy (h) plays a crucial role in early development as a pair-rule segmentation gene. h and its structurally related gene Enhancer of split [E(spl)] are also required for normal sensory neurogenesis in late development. To analyze the molecular mechanisms of mammalian development, we recently characterized three rat helix-loop-helix (HLH) factors that show structural homology to the Drosophila h and E(spl) gene products, and found that rat factors exhibit distinct spatiotemporal expression patterns and act as a negative regulator. Here, we report the molecular characterization of another member of this family, designated HES-2. Rat HES-2 protein has a basic HLH domain homologous to h and E(spl) as well as the carboxy-terminal Trp-Arg-Pro-Trp sequence conserved among this family. The HES-2 mRNA is present as early as embryonic day 9.5 and is detected in a variety of tissues of both embryos and adults. DNase-I-footprinting analyses indicate that HES-2 binds to all E box sequences (CANNTG) we tested as well as to the N-box sequences (CACNAG). Further studies of gel-mobility-shift assays show that HES-2 has a higher affinity for the E box than for the N box. Transient transfection analyses suggest that HES-2 decreases the transcription originating from the promoters containing either the E box or the N box. These results indicate that HES-2 acts as a negative regulator through interaction with both E-box and N-box sequences.


Strengths and pitfalls of meta-analysis reports in vesicoureteral reflux.
There are many ongoing controversies surrounding vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). These include variable aspects of this common congenital anomaly. Lack of evidence-based recommendations has prolonged the debate. Systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analysis (MA) are considered high-level evidence. The purpose of this review article is to summarize and critically appraise the available SR/MA pertaining to VUR. We also discuss the strength and pitfalls of SR/MA in general. A thorough literature search identified 9 SRs/MAs relevant to VUR. Both authors critically reviewed these articles for contents and methodological issues. There are many concerns about the quality of the studies included in these SRs. Clinical heterogeneity stemming from different patient selection criteria, interventions, and outcome definitions is a major issue. In spite of major advances in understanding different aspects of VUR in the last few decades, there is a paucity of randomized controlled trials in this field.


[Dengue fever: outbreak in southern Europe?].
Epidemiology of dengue fever is changing dramatically. The worldwide incidence is rising and clinical symptoms are worsening. Reports describing forms associated with haemorrhages or shock syndrome involving both children and adults are increasingly frequent in regions beyond Southeast Asia where the first cases were observed. Many mechanisms could be implicated in these changes, including modifications of the virus, host, vector, or socio-economic factors. The new facilities in the laboratory diagnostic (MAC-ELISA; molecular biology), the commercialization of these assays allow not only assessment of morbidity and mortality in endemic areas and early detection of epidemic outbreaks but also evaluation of socio-economic impact and effectiveness of control measures. Now, the efficiency of the fight must be better, otherwise dengue will grow up during this new century.


Resilience in shock and swim stress models of depression.
Experimental models of depression often entail exposing a rodent to a stressor and subsequently characterizing changes in learning and anhedonia, which may reflect symptoms of human depression. Importantly, not all people, and not all laboratory rats, exposed to stressors develop depressed behavior; these "resilient" individuals are the focus of our review. Herein we describe research from the "learned helplessness" and "intermittent swim stress" (ISS) models of depression in which rats that were allowed to control the offset of the aversive stimulus with a behavioral response, and in a subset of rats that were not allowed to control the stressor that appeared to be behaviorally and neurochemically similar to rats that were either naive to stress or had controllability over the stressor. For example, rats exposed to inescapable tailshock, but do not develop learned helplessness, exhibit altered sensitivity to the behavioral effects of GABAA receptor antagonists and reduced in vitro benzodiazepine receptor ligand binding. This pattern suggested that resilience might involve activation of an endogenous benzodiazepine-like compound, possibly an allostatic modulator of the GABAA receptor like allopregnanolone. From the ISS model, we have observed in resilient rats protection from stressor-induced glucocorticoid increases and immune activation. In order to identify the neural mediators of these correlates of resilience, non-invasive measures are needed to predict the resilient or vulnerable phenotype prior to analysis of neural endpoints. To this end, we found that ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) appear to predict the resilient phenotype in the ISS paradigm. We propose that combining non-invasive predictive measures, such as USVs with biological endpoint measures, will facilitate future research into the neural correlates of resilience.


Disease-associated mosaic variation in clinical exome sequencing: a two-year pediatric tertiary care experience.
Exome sequencing (ES) has become an important tool in pediatric genomic medicine, improving identification of disease-associated variation due to assay breadth. Depth is also afforded by ES, enabling detection of lower-frequency mosaic variation compared to Sanger sequencing in the studied tissue, thus enhancing diagnostic yield. Within a pediatric tertiary-care hospital, we report two years of clinical ES data from probands evaluated for genetic disease to assess diagnostic yield, characteristics of causal variants, and prevalence of mosaicism among disease-causing variants. Exome-derived, phenotype-driven variant data from 357 probands was analyzed concurrent with parental ES data, when available. Blood was the source of nucleic acid. Sequence read alignments were manually reviewed for all assessed variants. Sanger sequencing was used for suspected de novo or mosaic variation. Clinical provider notes were reviewed to determine concordance between laboratory-reported data and the ordering provider's interpretation of variant-associated disease causality. Laboratory-derived diagnostic yield and provider-substantiated diagnoses had 91.4% concordance. The cohort returned 117 provider-substantiated diagnoses among 115 probands for a diagnostic yield of 32.2%. De novo variants represented 64.9% of disease-associated variation within trio analyses. Among the 115 probands, five harbored disease-associated somatic mosaic variation. Two additional probands were observed to inherit a disease-associated variant from an unaffected mosaic parent. Among inheritance patterns, de novo variation was the most frequent disease etiology. Somatic mosaicism is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to genetic disease, particularly with increased sequence depth attainable from ES. This report highlights the potential and importance of detecting mosaicism in ES.


Epidemiology, causative agents, and risk factors affecting human otomycosis infections.
Otomycosis, or fungal otitis externa, has typically been described as fungal infection of the external auditory canal, with infrequent complications involving the middle ear. This study assessed a mycological analysis of fungal debris from externalauditory canals of patients at Tanta University Hospital, Gharbia Governorate, Egypt. The samples were collected over a year from the 110 patients that were clinically diagnosed to have otomycosis. The samples were then inoculated and culture plates were examined for the presence of fungal growth. The results showed that Aspergillus niger was the most common fungus causing otomycosis. It was more common among males aged 21-40 years. The incidence was higher in the summer and spring seasons. Manual workers and students had the highest frequency based on occupational incidence. The most common presenting complaint was itching. Trauma to the external auditory canal was the most common predisposing factor. The epidemiological profile of otomycosis infection varied according to different factors in the study population.


Algal Foods Reduce the Uptake of Hematite Nanoparticles by Downregulating Water Filtration in Daphnia magna.
Rapid developments in nanotechnology have led to the release of substantial amounts of nanoparticles (NPs) into aquatic environments, where many types of biotic particles are present and could potentially interact with the NPs. Nevertheless, how biotic particles may affect the bioaccumulation and toxicity of NPs remains largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii on the accumulation kinetics (uptake, assimilation, efflux) and toxicity of polyacrylate-coated hematite NPs (HemNPs), using Daphnia magna as the test organism. As a biotic particle and daphnid food, C. reinhardtii reduced the accumulation and toxicity of HemNPs in D. magna. The HemNPs were well-dispersed with little adsorption to the alga. Their decreased accumulation could thus be partly explained by their low trophic transfer from the alga to the daphnid and by the inductive effects of the alga on HemNP efflux. However, the main cause was the direct inhibition of HemNP uptake from the water phase as a result of the reduced water-filtration activity of D. magna in the presence of C. reinhardtii. Overall, in bioaccumulation studies, the inhibitory effects of biotic particles on NP uptake from the water phase should be paid attention.


Clinical Management of BCLP With a Severe Hypoplastic and Retruded Premaxilla.
Bilateral cleft lip and palate with a severe hypoplastic and backward rotated premaxilla and lack of soft tissues is a rare congenital facial deformity. No treatment protocol for this type of cleft is widely accepted. In patient with bilateral cleft lip and palate, the premaxilla was protracted by nasoalveolar molding before lip surgery. The nasal tip was elevated and the columella lengthened by nasal components incorporated into the palatal guidance plate. After 4 months of nasoalveolar molding, surgery could be performed without complications. Postoperative use of a guidance plate prevented relapse of the premaxillary segment, the nasal conformers maintained the nostril form.


Asbestos content of lung tissue in patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: A study of 42 cases.
Lung tissue from 42 peritoneal mesothelioma cases was analyzed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry. There were 34 men and 8 women with a mean age of 61 ± 10 years. Also, 17% of cases had histologically confirmed asbestosis, and 26% had only parietal pleural plaques. The asbestos body count exceeded our normal range in 22 of 42 cases (52%). Cases with asbestos-related pulmonary disease had higher fiber burdens than those without. The vast majority of fibers were commercial amphiboles (amosite with lesser amounts of crocidolite). These findings concur with previously published epidemiological observations.


A Comparison of Surgeon Estimated Times and Actual Operative Times in Pediatric Dental Rehabilitation under General Anesthesia. A Retrospective Study.
This retrospective study aimed to compare the accuracy of the pediatric dental surgeon's estimated operative times for dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (DRGA) in pediatric patients. This study population included 674 pediatric patients who underwent DRGA at the study facility between January 2022 and December 2022, using convenience sampling to select patients who met our inclusion criteria. Data were collected from electronic medical and anesthesia records based on several factors, including patient-related factors such as age and gender, surgeon-related factors such as rank and experience, and anesthesia-related factors such as induction and recovery time (in minutes). This study highlights a significant difference between the surgeon's estimated time (SET) and actual operative time (AOT) for pediatric DRGA procedures, with a mean difference of 19.28 min (SD = 43.17, p < 0.0001), indicating a tendency for surgeons to overestimate surgery time. Surgical procedure time was the strongest predictor of this discrepancy, with an R square value of 0.427 and a significant p-value of 0.000. Experience with surgeons, anesthesia induction, and recovery time were also significant predictors. Meanwhile, age, gender, and rank of surgeons did not significantly predict the difference between SET and AOT. Therefore, the study suggests that surgeons should adjust their estimates for pediatric DRGA procedures, specifically emphasizing a more accurate estimation of surgery time, to ensure adequate resource allocation and patient outcomes.


Lipolysis-Stimulating Peptide from Soybean Protects Against High Fat Diet-Induced Apoptosis in Skeletal Muscles.
Obesity is generally associated with low-grade chronic inflammation that involves the recruitment of macrophages and other inflammation factors to the adipocytes of obese individuals. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a cytokine associated with systemic inflammation, is elevated in conditions of obesity. TNF-α is an important factor that plays an important role in skeletal muscle wasting. Apoptosis of myonuclei contributes to the loss of muscle mass and therefore plays an important role in skeletal muscle atrophy. In mouse models that were fed a high fat diet (HFD), a lipolysis-stimulating peptide-VHVV (purified from hydrolysate resulting from flavourzyme treatment of soy protein) was found to reduce HFD-related apoptotic effects in mice skeletal muscle and potentially control atrophy. HFD fed mice had heavier body weight than those fed with normal chow, and VHVV administration restricted lipid accumulation in muscle tissues of mice fed with HFD but increased nutrient uptake. Moreover, specific concentrations of VHVV regulated TNF-α expression that was elevated by HFD, suppressed apoptosis-related proteins and regulated the proteins of lipid metabolism.


Regulation of cell migration via the EGFR signaling pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.
Cell migration potency is essential in cancer metastasis and is often regulated by extracellular stimuli. Oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines include those that are sensitive, as well as resistant, to the effects of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor cetuximab on cell migration. In the present study, the molecular differences in the EGFR response to cell migration between the SAS cetuximab-sensitive and HSC4 cetuximab-resistant cell lines was examined. Treatment with the EGFR inhibitors AG1478 and cetuximab reduced the migration potency of SAS cells, but not HSC4 cells. The migration of the two cell lines was inhibited under serum-free culture conditions, and the addition of EGF to the serum-free medium promoted the migration of SAS cells, but not HSC4 cells. In addition, SAS cell migration was reduced by the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase and protein kinase B (Akt) inhibitors PD98059 and MK2206, whereas HSC4 cell migration was only inhibited by MK2206. EGF induced an increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation levels in HSC4 cells, and stimulated Akt phosphorylation levels in SAS cells. Furthermore, the staining of actin filaments with phalloidin was significantly increased by the inhibition of EGFR in SAS cells, but was not observed as altered in HSC4 cells. Conversely, the addition of EGF to the culture medium decreased the accumulation of actin filaments in SAS cells. The results suggest that the EGF-EGFR signaling pathway has an important role in SAS cell migration via the modulation of actin dynamics, and that HSC4 cell migration is regulated by a serum component other than EGFR.


Harnessing Large Language Models in Nursing Care Planning: Opportunities, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations.
The rapid progress in artificial intelligence (AI) and the emergence of large language models (LLMs), like GPT-4, create a unique opportunity to transform nursing care planning. In this editorial, we explore the potential applications of AI in the nursing process, with a focus on patient data assessment and interpretation, communication with patients and families, identifying gaps in care plans, and ongoing professional development. We also examine the ethical concerns and challenges associated with AI integration in healthcare, such as data privacy and security, fairness and bias, accountability and responsibility, and the delicate balance between human-AI collaboration. To implement LLMs responsibly and effectively in nursing care planning, we recommend prioritizing robust data security measures, transparent and unbiased algorithms, clear accountability guidelines, and human-AI collaboration. By addressing these issues, we can improve nursing care planning and ensure the best possible care for patients.


Epidemic threshold conditions for seasonally forced seir models.
In this paper we derive threshold conditions for eradication of diseases that can be described by seasonally forced susceptible-exposed-infectious- recovered (SEIR) models or their variants. For autonomous models, the basic reproduction number R(0) < 1 is usually both necessary and sufficient for the extinction of diseases. For seasonally forced models, R(0) is a function of time t. We find that for models without recruitment of susceptible individuals (via births or loss of immunity), max(t) {R(0)(t)} < 1 is required to prevent outbreaks no matter when and how the disease is introduced. For models with recruitment, if the latent period can be neglected, the disease goes extinct if and only if the basic reproduction number R' of the time-average systems (the autonomous systems obtained by replacing the time-varying parameters with their long-term time averages) is less than 1. Otherwise, R' < 1 is sufficient but not necessary for extinction. Thus, reducing R' of the average system to less than 1 is sufficient to prevent or curtail the spread of an endemic disease.


Ray and wave instabilities in twisted graded-index optical fibers.
We study ray and wave propagation in an elliptical graded-index optical fiber or lens with a twisted axis and show analytically the existence of an instability for both ray trajectories and beam moments in a finite range of axis twist rate embedded within the spatial frequencies of periodically focused rays for the untwisted fiber. By considering the paraxial ray equations and the paraxial wave dynamics in a rotating frame that follows the fiber axis twist, we reduce the dynamical problem of ray trajectories to the classical Blackburn's pendulum, which shows a dynamical instability, corresponding to classical diverging trajectories, due to the competing effects of confining potential, Coriolis force, and centrifugal force. A closed set of linear evolution equations for generalized beam moments are also derived from the paraxial wave equation in the rotating reference frame, revealing the existence of a dynamical moment instability in addition to the trajectory instability. A detailed analysis of beam propagation is presented in case of a Gaussian beam, and different dynamical regimes are discussed.


TRPV1 and TRPA1 in cutaneous neurogenic and chronic inflammation: pro-inflammatory response induced by their activation and their sensitization.
Cutaneous neurogenic inflammation (CNI) is inflammation that is induced (or enhanced) in the skin by the release of neuropeptides from sensory nerve endings. Clinical manifestations are mainly sensory and vascular disorders such as pruritus and erythema. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and ankyrin 1 (TRPV1 and TRPA1, respectively) are non-selective cation channels known to specifically participate in pain and CNI. Both TRPV1 and TRPA1 are co-expressed in a large subset of sensory nerves, where they integrate numerous noxious stimuli. It is now clear that the expression of both channels also extends far beyond the sensory nerves in the skin, occuring also in keratinocytes, mast cells, dendritic cells, and endothelial cells. In these non-neuronal cells, TRPV1 and TRPA1 also act as nociceptive sensors and potentiate the inflammatory process. This review discusses the role of TRPV1 and TRPA1 in the modulation of inflammatory genes that leads to or maintains CNI in sensory neurons and non-neuronal skin cells. In addition, this review provides a summary of current research on the intracellular sensitization pathways of both TRP channels by other endogenous inflammatory mediators that promote the self-maintenance of CNI.


Polyaniline-decorated {001} facets of Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets: in situ oxygen vacancy formation and enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity.
Polyaniline (PANI)-decorated {001} facets of Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets were synthesized by a low-temperature chemical method. We demonstrate that the strong interfacial interactions between Bi2O2CO3 {001} facets and PANI could promote in situ formation of oxygen vacancy at the interface confirmed by both density functional theory calculations and electron spin resonance experiments, which is due to the high oxygen density characteristic of Bi2O2CO3 {001} facets. In addition, such interfacial interaction also leads to a 0.38 eV positive shifting of the valence band of Bi2O2CO3. Importantly, the decorated PANI can stabilize these interfacial oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the migration and separation of photogenerated carriers have been improved significantly evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and nanosecond time-resolved fluorescence-decay spectra, resulting in a 4.5 times higher activity toward photodegradation of Rhodamine B and a 6 times higher photocurrent density compared to their corresponding bare Bi2O2CO3. The finding of the in situ oxygen vacancy formation at the interface could provide some hints for the deep understanding of the interactions between PANI and crystal facets of semiconductors to develop highly efficient photocatalysts.


Rickettsial Illnesses as Important Causes of Febrile Illness in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
We conducted a yearlong prospective study of febrile patients admitted to a tertiary referral hospital in Chittagong, Bangladesh, to assess the proportion of patients with rickettsial illnesses and identify the causative pathogens, strain genotypes, and associated seasonality patterns. We diagnosed scrub typhus in 16.8% (70/416) and murine typhus in 5.8% (24/416) of patients; 2 patients had infections attributable to undifferentiated Rickettsia spp. and 2 had DNA sequence-confirmed R. felis infection. Orientia tsutsugamushi genotypes included Karp, Gilliam, Kato, and TA763-like strains, with a prominence of Karp-like strains. Scrub typhus admissions peaked in a biphasic pattern before and after the rainy season, whereas murine typhus more frequently occurred before the rainy season. Death occurred in 4% (18/416) of cases; case-fatality rates were 4% each for scrub typhus (3/70) and murine typhus (1/28). Overall, 23.1% (96/416) of patients had evidence of treatable rickettsial illnesses, providing important evidence toward optimizing empirical treatment strategies.


Demonstration of Chemical Distinction among Soil Humic Fractions Using Quantitative Solid-State 13C NMR.
Humic substances (HS) are vital to soil fertility and carbon sequestration. Using multiple cross-polarization/magic-angle spinning (multiCP/MAS) NMR combined with dipolar dephasing, we quantitatively characterized humic fractions, i.e., fulvic acid (FA), humic acid (HA), and humin (HM), isolated from two representative soils (upland and paddy soils) in China under six long-term (>20 years) fertilizer treatments. Results indicate that each humic fraction showed chemical distinction between the upland and paddy soils, especially with much greater aromaticity of upland HMs than of paddy HMs. Fertilizer treatment exerted greater influence on chemical natures of upland HS than of paddy HS, although the effect was less than that of soil type. Organic manure application especially decreased the percentages of aromatic C in the upland HAs and HMs compared with the control. We concluded that humic fractions responded in chemical nature to environmental conditions, i.e., soil type/cropping system/soil aeration and fertilizer treatments.


The Protective Effect of DiDang Tang Against AlCl3-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in PC12 Cells Through the Activation of SIRT1-Mediated Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway.
Aluminum (Al) is considered a pathological factor for various neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The neurotoxicity of aluminum can cause oxidative brain damage, trigger apoptosis, and ultimately cause irreversible damage to neurons. DiDang Tang (DDT), a classic formula within traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis and collaterals, is widely used for the treatment of stroke and AD. In this study, models of oxidative stress and apoptosis were established using AlCl3, and the effects of DDT were evaluated. We found that DDT treatment for 48 h significantly increased cell viability and reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in AlCl3-induced PC12 cells. Moreover, DDT attenuated AlCl3-induced oxidative stress damage by increasing antioxidant activities and apoptosis through mitochondrial apoptotic pathways. Additionally, DDT treatment significantly activated the Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) -mediated Akt/nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathways to limit AlCl3-mediated neurotoxicity. Our data indicated that DDT potently inhibited AlCl3-induced oxidative-stress damage and apoptosis in neural cells by activating the SIRT1-mediated Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which provides further support for the beneficial effects of DDT on Al-induced neurotoxicity.


Identifying subtypes of reading disability in the Spanish language.
This study was designed to examine the dyslexic subtypes in a transparent orthography (i.e., Spanish language). The subtyping procedure used comparison with chronological-age-matched and reading-level controls on reaction times (RTs) to high frequency words and to pseudowords. Using regression-based procedures, the authors identified 20 phonological and 48 surface dyslexics from a sample of 89 dyslexic third-grade children by comparing them to chronological-age-matched controls on RTs to high frequency and pseudoword reading. However, when the dyslexic subtypes were defined by reference to reading-level controls, the same 20 phonological dyslexics were defined, but only 19 surface dyslexics were identified. Nevertheless, the results of the phonological awareness tasks and error analysis do not validate the division of the dyslexic sample into these subgroups.


Correlation of neuter status and expression of heritable disorders.
Gonadectomy, or neutering, is a very common surgery for dogs having many positive effects on behavior, health, and longevity. There are also certain risks associated with neutering including the development of orthopedic conditions, cognitive decline, and a predisposition to some neoplasias. This study was designed specifically to identify if a correlation exists between neuter status and inherited conditions in a large aggregate cohort of dogs representing many different breeds. Neutered dogs were at less risk for early and congenital conditions (aortic stenosis, early onset cataracts, mitral valve disease, patent ductus arteriosus, portosystemic shunt, and ventricular septal defect) than intact dogs. Neutering was also associated with reduced risk of dilated cardiomyopathy and gastric dilatation volvulus in males. Neutering was significantly associated with an increased risk for males and females for cancers (hemangiosarcoma, hyperadrenocorticism, lymphoma, mast cell tumor, and osteosarcoma), ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and epilepsy. Intervertebral disk disease was associated with increased risk in females only. For elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, lens luxation, and patellar luxation neutering had no significant effect on the risk for those conditions. Neutering was associated with a reduced risk of vehicular injury, a condition chosen as a control. In this retrospective study, several conditions showed an increased risk associated with neutering whereas other conditions were less likely to be expressed in neutered dogs. The complexity of the interactions between neutering and inherited conditions underscores the need for reflective consultation between the client and the clinician when considering neutering. The convenience and advantages of neutering dogs that will not be included in a breeding program must be weighed against possible risk associated with neutering.


[Association between immunity to collagen and the pathology of extracellular matrices].
In a first part, the data of immunogenicity of collagen type II and type IV in physiopathology of extracellular matrices as cartilage and basement membrane, are reviewed. However, in the second part, this conclusion will be examined by basing on the knowledge of the nature of specific sites of these collagens and the variable or non specific humoral immune response towards these collagens in human diseases.


Non-viral in vivo cytidine base editing in hepatocytes using focused ultrasound targeted microbubbles.
CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing technologies, such as base editing, have the potential for clinical translation, but delivering nucleic acids into target cells in vivo is a major obstacle. Viral vectors are widely used but come with safety concerns, while current non-viral methods are limited by low transfection efficiency. Here we describe a new method to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 base editing vectors to the mouse liver using focused ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (FUTMD). We demonstrate, using the example of cytosine base editing of the Pde3b gene, that FUTMD-mediated delivery of cytosine base editing vectors can introduce stop codons (up to ∼2.5% on-target editing) in mouse liver cells in vivo. However, base editing specificity is less than one might hope with these DNA constructs. Our findings suggest that FUTMD-based gene editing tools can be rapidly and transiently deployed to specific organs and sites, providing a powerful platform for the development of non-viral genome editing therapies. Non-viral delivery also reveals greater off-target base exchange in vivo than in vitro.


Soil-Derived Microbial Consortia Enriched with Different Plant Biomass Reveal Distinct Players Acting in Lignocellulose Degradation.
Here, we investigated how different plant biomass, and-for one substrate-pH, drive the composition of degrader microbial consortia. We bred such consortia from forest soil, incubated along nine aerobic sequential - batch enrichments with wheat straw (WS1, pH 7.2; WS2, pH 9.0), switchgrass (SG, pH 7.2), and corn stover (CS, pH 7.2) as carbon sources. Lignocellulosic compounds (lignin, cellulose and xylan) were best degraded in treatment SG, followed by CS, WS1 and WS2. In terms of composition, the consortia became relatively stable after transfers 4 to 6, as evidenced by PCR-DGGE profiles obtained from each consortium DNA. The final consortia differed by ~40 % (bacteria) and ~60 % (fungi) across treatments. A 'core' community represented by 5/16 (bacteria) and 3/14 (fungi) bands was discerned, next to a variable part. The composition of the final microbial consortia was strongly driven by the substrate, as taxonomically-diverse consortia appeared in the different substrate treatments, but not in the (WS) different pH one. Biodegradative strains affiliated to Sphingobacterium kitahiroshimense, Raoultella terrigena, Pseudomonas putida, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila (bacteria), Coniochaeta ligniaria and Acremonium sp. (fungi) were recovered in at least three treatments, whereas strains affiliated to Delftia tsuruhatensis, Paenibacillus xylanexedens, Sanguibacter inulus and Comamonas jiangduensis were treatment-specific.


[Intracellular localization of XCAP-E protein in XL2 (Xenopus laevis) cells under normal conditions and during inhibition of pRNA transcription and processing].
The interaction of condensin subunit XCAP-E with various nucleolar subcompartments in XL2 cells was studied. In the interphase cells, XCAP-E was associated with a granular component of nucleoli (as shown by double staining with antibodies against B23) and with small nucleolus-like structures in the nucleoplasm. Inhibition of transcription by actinomycin D does not disrupt interaction of XCAP-E with the granular compartment of segregated nucleoli. Treatment with DRB 5,6-dichloro-1 beta-ribofuranozide-benzimidazole causes disintegration of nucleolar fibrillar complexes, but does not affect nucleolar localization of XCAP-E. The data suggest that nucleolar association of XCAP-E is independent on the functional state of the nucleolus, and imply a possible role of this protein in rRNA processing and pre-fibosome assembly.


Data in support of a harmine-derived beta-carboline in vitro effects in cancer cells through protein synthesis.
A harmine-derived beta-carboline, CM16, inhibits cancer cells growth through its effects on protein synthesis, as described in "A harmine-derived beta-carboline displays anti-cancer effects in vitro by targeting protein synthesis" (Carvalho et al., 2017)[1]. This data article provides accompanying data on CM16 cytostatic evaluation in cancer cells as well as data related to its effects on transcription and translation. After confirming the cytostatic effect of CM16, we investigated its ability to arrest the cell cycle in the glioma Hs683 and SKMEL-28 melanoma cell lines but no modification was evidenced. According to the global protein synthesis inhibition induced by CM16 [1], transcription phase, a step prior to mRNA translation, evaluated by labelled nucleotide incorporation assay was not shown to be affected under CM16 treatment in the two cell lines. By contrast, mRNA translation and particularly the initiation step were shown to be targeted by CM16 in [1]. To further decipher those effects, we established herein a list of main actors in the protein synthesis process according to literature survey for comparative analysis of cell lines displaying different sensitivity levels to CM16. Finally, one of these proteins, PERK, a kinase regulating eIF2-α phosphorylation and thereby activity, was evaluated under treatment with CM16 in a cell-free system.


Delivering race equality in mental health in England: the importance of pathways.
The programme on Delivering Race Equality in mental health care has been working to address inequalities in care. These inequalities cannot take a reductionist approach to understanding these inequalities. Individual identities are complex comprising many overlapping aspects of lived experience. A better, systems-wide understanding of care services is also needed to address any inequalities, rather than focusing on one aspect, such as admission rates. To achieve equality of access, experience and outcome we need to review and improve whole pathways of care. The Enhancing Pathways into Care project has been helpful in furthering this understanding of quality improvement and exploring practical approaches to delivering the desired equality. The equalities programme for mental health is building on this understanding for better quality services.


A quantitative real-time PCR method for monitoring Clostridium botulinum type A in rice samples.
A quantitative real-time PCR using SYBR Green dye was developed to target the neurotoxin type A (boNT/A) gene of Clostridium botulinum type A. Primer specificity was confirmed by analyzing 63 strains including 5 strains of C. botulinum type A and 11 of non-type A C. botulinum. The highly similar amplification efficiencies of the real-time PCR assay were observed for 5 strains of C. botulinum type A. The DNA extraction with NucliSENS miniMAG provided sufficient performance to obtain the purified DNA from steamed rice samples and to develop the standard curve for the enumeration of C. botulinum in steamed rice samples. The real-time PCR assay could detect 10 cells per milliliter of 10 x rice homogenate, thus indicating that more than 100 C. botulinum cells per g of rice sample was quantifiable by the real-time PCR assay. The inoculation of aseptic rice samples with low numbers of C. botulinum type A cells revealed that the fate of inoculated C. botulinum type A cells in rice samples could be monitored accurately by the real-time PCR assay. These results indicate that the real-time PCR assay developed in this study provides rapid, effective, and quantitative monitoring of C. botulinum in steamed rice samples.


Transparent, resilient human amniotic membrane laminates for corneal transplantation.
This study evaluated a new technique to toughen and optically clarify human amniotic membrane (AM) tissue, which is naturally thin and clouded, and determined the suitability of the altered tissue for corneal transplantation. The technique created a tissue laminate by repeatedly depositing wet layers of AM and dehydrating them, followed by chemical cross-linking to tighten integration at the layer interfaces and within the layers, thereby improving the physical properties of the laminates by increasing light transmittance and mechanical strength. Interestingly, this improvement only occurred in laminates with at least 4 layers. Cross-linking also improved the resistance of the laminates to collagenase degradation, such as occurs in corneal melting. This study also confirmed that the AM tissue was biocompatible by inserting AM monolayers into the corneal stroma of rabbits, and by performing lamellar keratoplasty in rabbits with cross-linked AM laminates. The laminates were sufficiently thick and resilient to need only one set of sutures, whereas in previously described multi-layer AM transplantation technique, each layer required separate sutures. The current findings are a promising advance in the engineering of novel biomaterials and the alteration of existing tissues for medical use.


Boys Are More Stunted than Girls from Early Infancy to 3 Years of Age in Rural Senegal.
Background: Girls tend to have a lower risk of stunting than boys do in low-income countries.Objective: We evaluated differences in height status and complementary food (CF) intake between sexes from ages 2 to 39 mo in Senegal.Methods: Length and weight measurements were taken at ages 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-10 mo (n = 7319). Qualitative 24-h and 7-d food recalls were conducted in a subgroup (n = 2512). A smaller subsample was followed up to age 39 mo (n = 512). Height was measured, and intake of CF was noted. Boys and girls were compared in terms of height-for-age z score (HAZ) of WHO standards and National Center for Health Statistics growth reference, height-for-age difference, stunting, and consumption of CF by using chi-square tests, general linear models, and mixed-effects linear models (MLMs).Results: By using WHO standards, the mean HAZ was lower for boys than for girls in infancy, i.e., at 2-3 mo of age (-0.65 compared with -0.57; P = 0.002) and beyond, i.e., at 24-29 mo of age (-2.01 compared with -1.65; P < 0.001). Overall risk of stunting was 24.5% and 19.4% for boys and girls, respectively, during infancy (P < 0.001) compared with 59.2% and 47.9%, respectively, at 12-39 mo (P = 0.010). In MLMs from ages 2 to 39 mo, boys had a lower mean HAZ than girls had at age 2 mo (β0 = -0.19; P = 0.035), and sex differences increased with increasing age (β1 = -0.007 z scores/mo; P < 0.001). At 2-3 mo of age, boys were more likely to have been fed CF every day during the past week (15.8% compared with 11.2% for girls; P = 0.005) and to have eaten ≥2 meals in the past 24 h (13.4% compared with 8.2% for girls; P < 0.001).Conclusions: In Senegalese infants, CF intake differed by sex, with boys more likely to consume CF. Boys had lower HAZs than girls had during infancy, and sex differences increased up to age 39 mo. The importance of sex in complementary feeding and growth warrants further attention in low-income countries.


Breast total male breast reconstruction with fat grafting.
Cancer of a male breast represents less than 1% of all breast cancer. As with to female patients, mastectomy in men creates a substantial emotional burden. Breast reconstruction may improve the patient's psychological well-being, compliance with adjuvant treatments, and overall outcome. However, due to the unique anatomy of the male breast, standard reconstructive strategies using anatomic or prosthetic modalities are not entirely applicable. We describe a case of a 68-year-old male patient who underwent successful unilateral breast reconstruction solely with fat grafting technique.


Hypothalamic clocks and rhythms in feeding behaviour.
Daily rhythms are evident across our physiology, ranging from overt behavioural patterns like sleep to intricate molecular rhythms in epigenetic coding. Driving these rhythms at an anatomical and cellular level are circadian clock networks comprising core clock genes and an ever-expanding list of clock-controlled genes. Research over the past decade has revealed an intimate relationship between the clockwork and metabolic processes. In line with this, feeding behaviour in many species exhibits a strong circadian rhythm and, when restricted, food becomes the most potent entraining stimulus for clocks of the body. Critically, there are several indications that disturbance of our daily rhythms contributes to the development of obesity and diabetes. Given our 24-h society, it is important that we understand how the circadian clock influences what and when we eat.


Improvement of seed shattering and dormancy in Oryza sativa L. 'Hokuriku 193' based on genetic information.
In this study, we investigated the genetic basis of seed shattering and dormancy in Hokuriku 193 and bred an NIL improved these traits. Analysis of an F3 population from Hokuriku 193 × Koshihikari revealed a general correspondence between seed shattering and genotypes at the qSH1 locus, suggesting a strong influence of this locus on the seed shattering in Hokuriku 193. An F2 population from [ms-bo] Nekken 2 × Hokuriku 193 was also analyzed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for seed dormancy as measured by germination rate in the first December and March after seed harvest. The results revealed a concurrence QTLs of on chromosomes 1, 3, and 6 (qSDo1, qSDo3, qSDo6). In particular, qSDo1 and qSDo6 were considered regions worthy of active modification because they were QTL regions that promoted seed dormancy when carrying Hokuriku 193 genome regions around. SSDo_NIL, a near isogenic line (NIL) derived from Hokuriku 193 by introgressing Nekken 2 alleles only at the qSH1 locus and qSDo1, did not shatter, and its germination rate was significantly higher than that of Hokuriku 193. Yield performance was similar between SSDo_NIL and Hokuriku 193, suggesting that improvement of seed shattering and dormancy does not affect yield.


Partial to complete wetting transitions in immiscible ternary blends with PLA: the influence of interfacial confinement.
In this study it is shown that the three different intermediate phases in melt blended ternary PLA/PHBV/PBS, PLA/PBAT/PE and PLA/PE/PBAT systems all demonstrate partial wetting, but have very different wetting behaviors as a function of composition and annealing. The interfacial tension of the various components, their spreading coefficients and the contact angles of the confined partially wet droplets at the interface are examined in detail. A wetting transition from partially wet droplets to a complete layer at the interface is observed for both PHBV and PBAT by increasing the concentration and also by annealing. In contrast, in PLA/PE/PBAT, the partially wet droplets of PE at the interface of PLA/PBAT coalesce and grow in size, but remain partially wet even at a high PE concentration of 20% and after 30 min of quiescent annealing. The dewetting speed of the intermediate phase is found to be the principal factor controlling these wetting transitions. This work shows the significant potential for controlled wetting and structuring in ternary polymer systems.


Rumen bypass and protection of proteins and amino acids.
Potent rumen microbial proteases and deaminases rapidly degrade protein and amino acids which are soluble in the rumen liquid phase. Because protein sources vary in their solubility, the degree of degradation in the rumen is variable. Methods of decreasing protein and amino acid degradation in the rumen include heat treatment, chemical treatment, encapsulation, use of amino acid analogs, selective manipulation of balances of rumen metabolic pathways, and esophageal groove closure. It is important that procedures do not interfere with ruminal metabolism or post-ruminal digestion. Bypassing the rumen changes sites in the digestive tract of nutrient digestion and absorption and provides a mechanism for supplementing outflow of nutrients from the rumen. A feasible approach to production of animal protein from ruminants would be utilization of nonprotein nitrogen for rumen protein production, maximization of rumen bypass of dietary protein, and supplementation with rumen nondegradable amino acids.


The ototoxic interaction of viomycin, capreomycin and polymyxin B with ethacrynic acid.
The ototoxic interaction between the aminoglycoside antibiotics (streptomycin, kanamycin, etc.) and the loop-inhibiting diuretics (ethacrynic acid, furosemide and bumetanide) has been well documented. This interaction causes extensive destruction of the hair cells of the cochlea. Brummett et al. (1974) demonstrated that this interaction did not occur with the non-loop-inhibiting diuretics and kanamycin. The present study was undertaken to determine if antibiotics other than the aminoglycosides could produce the ototoxic interaction when combined with a loop-inhibiting diuretic. Three antibiotics-viomycin, capreomycin, and polymyxin B- when given with ethacrynic acid were found to produce cochlear hair cell damage that was similar to that produced by aminoglycoside antibiotics administered with ethacrynic acid. Therefore, the interaction appears to be specific to the loop-inhibiting diuretics but not specific for the aminoglycoside antibiotics.


Does failure to visualize the ureter distal to an impacted calculus constitute an impediment to successful lithotripsy?
A severe degree of ureteral obstruction is viewed as a predictor of poor outcome in shockwave lithotripsy (SWL). Impacted stones are often considered a contraindication to in-situ SWL. Impaction in our study was defined as failure to visualize the ureter distal to the calculus with proximal hold-up of contrast for as long as 3 hours on an intravenous urogram (IVU). We evaluated 30 patients with impacted ureteral calculi, who were compared with a second unimpacted group matched for stone size and stone location. The calculi were reorganized into < or =10-mm and >10-mm groups. The results were compared in terms of clearance rates, number of shockwaves, number of sessions, and number of days between the start of SWL and clearance. Between January 1998 and December 2001, 30 impacted stones were treated with lithotripsy. Complete clearance rates in the impacted as well as the non-impacted group were 76.7%. There was no statistical difference in the number of shockwaves, sessions, or time to clearance. The results were poorer in lower-ureteral than upper-ureteral calculi, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. However, the differences between the < or =10-mm and >10-mm stones were statistically significant. Impaction on an IVU does not affect the results of lithotripsy.


[Myotomia laminae globalis--a surgical method in correcting strabismus].
The authors describe the surgical technique "myotomia laminae globalis", applied during 1990 and May 1994 in the Ophthalmological Clinic of Târgu-Mureş, on 39 patients. The method was applied as singular intervention in 4 cases for completing the intervention through muscle resection. The proposed method proved to be simple, without danger and leading to good results.


The value of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in diagnostics and prediction of morbidity in cases of placenta previa with abnormal placentation.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnostics and management of abnormal placentation in women with placenta previa and to compare the morbidity associated with that to placenta previa alone. The study includes 100 pregnant women with placenta previa with and without abnormal placentation. The results of MRI and US in abnormal placentation were compared with post-operative data. The patients' files were reviewed for assessment of operative and post-operative morbidity. The results of our statistical analysis were compared with data from the literature. US and MRI showed no significant difference in sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing abnormal placentation (97-100% and 94-100%, respectively). MRI was more sensitive than US for the detection of myometrial invasion and the type of abnormal placentation (73.5% and 47%, respectively). The difference between pre- and post-operative hemoglobin values and estimated blood loss were the most significant risk factors for abnormal placentation, added to risk factors known for placenta previa. Post-partum surgical complications and prolonged hospital stay were more common in the cases of placenta previa with abnormal placentation, however statistically insignificant. US and MRI are accurate imaging modalities for diagnosing abnormal placentation. MRI was more sensitive for the detection of the degree of placental invasion. The patient's morbidity increased in cases with abnormal placentation. There was no significant difference in post operative-complications and hospitalization time due to pre-operative planning when the diagnosis was established with US and MRI.


MRI assessment of cardiac tumours: part 2, spectrum of appearances of histologically malignant lesions and tumour mimics.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the reference standard technique for assessment and characterization of a suspected cardiac tumour. It provides an unrestricted field of view, high temporal resolution and non-invasive tissue characterization based on multi-parametric assessment of the chemical micro-environment. Sarcomas account for around 95% of all primary malignant cardiac tumours with lymphoma, and primary pericardial mesothelioma making up most of the remainder of cases. By contrast cardiac metastases are much more common. In this article we review the MRI features of the spectrum of histologically malignant cardiac and pericardial tumours as well as some potential tumour mimics.


Statistics of polymer adsorption under shear flow.
Using nonequilibrium Brownian dynamics computer simulations, we have investigated the steady state statistics of a polymer chain under three different shear environments: (i) linear shear flow in the bulk (no interfaces), (ii) shear vorticity normal to the adsorbing interface, and (iii) shear gradient normal to the adsorbing interface. The statistical distribution of the chain end-to-end distance and its orientational angles are calculated within our computer simulations. Over a wide range of shear rates, this distribution can be mapped onto a simple theoretical finite-extensible-nonlinear-elastic dumbbell model with fitted anisotropic effective spring constants. The tails of the angular distribution functions are consistent with scaling predictions borrowed from the bulk dumbbell model. Finally, the frequency of the characteristic periodic tumbling motion has been investigated by simulation as well and was found to be sublinear with the shear rate for the three setups, which extends earlier results done in experiments and simulations for free and tethered polymer molecules without adsorption.


Defined DNA/nanoparticle conjugates.
Glutathione monolayer-protected gold clusters were reacted by place exchange with 19- or 20-residue thiolated oligonucleotides. The resulting DNA/nanoparticle conjugates could be separated on the basis of the number of bound oligonucleotides by gel electrophoresis and assembled with one another by DNA-DNA hybridization. This approach overcomes previous limitations of DNA/nanoparticle synthesis and yields conjugates that are precisely defined with respect to both gold and nucleic acid content.


Post-junctional alpha-adrenoceptors and basal limb vascular tone in healthy men.
Previous studies have demonstrated that post-junctional alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-adrenoceptors mediate vasoconstriction in the human forearm. However, the relative contributions of the alpha-adrenoceptor subtypes to basal limb vascular tone are unknown. In healthy young men, forearm blood flow (FBF; venous occlusion plethysmography) responses to brachial artery administration of prazosin (an alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist), yohimbine (an alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist) and phentolamine (a non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist) were determined after local beta-adrenoceptor blockade with propranolol. In 10 subjects, prazosin increased FBF from 2.4 +/- 0.3 to 5.8 +/- 1.0 ml (100 ml)(-1) min(-1) (approximately 140 %; P < 0.001 vs. baseline). Subsequently, phentolamine further increased FBF to 11.7 +/- 1.6 ml (100 ml)(-1) min(-1) (approximately 385 %; P < 0.001 vs. baseline). Thus, the average calculated increase in FBF due to removal of alpha(2)-vasoconstrictor tone was greater than that due to removal of alpha(1)-tone (5.9 +/- 0.8 vs. 3.4 +/- 0.8 ml (100 ml)(-1) min(-1); P < 0.01) and represented approximately 63 % of basal sympathetic tone. Complete alpha(1)-adrenoceptor blockade was confirmed by a minimal reduction in FBF in response to phenylephrine after prazosin (46 +/- 3 vs. 6 +/- 4 %; before vs. after blockade) and in a separate group of four subjects, increasing the dose of prazosin threefold did not evoke further forearm vasodilatation. Additionally, the reduction in FBF in response to tryamine (evokes endogenous noradrenaline release) was abolished after phentolamine (40 +/- 3 vs. 2 +/- 1 %; before vs. after blockade), documenting complete pharmacological sympathectomy. In another group of seven subjects, administering yohimbine prior to phentolamine resulted in similar findings. These observations indicate that vasoconstricting post-junctional alpha(2)-adrenoceptors contribute more to basal vascular tone than alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in the forearms of young healthy men. The potential physiological and pathophysiological implications of these findings are discussed.


Development of a LAMP Method for Detecting SDHI Fungicide Resistance in Botrytis cinerea.
Resistance to succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHI) in Botrytis cinerea is associated with point mutations in the target gene succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SdhB). The substitution from histidine to arginine at codon 272 (H272R) is currently the predominant mutation in SDHI-resistant populations in B. cinerea worldwide. In order to monitor the development of resistance to SDHI, a rapid, simple, and efficient method with high specificity to the H272R point mutation was developed based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). To specifically detect the H272R mutation, a set of four primers was designed based on the sequence of SdhB, and the LAMP reaction was optimized. When SYBR Green I was added after reaction, only samples with the H272R mutation showed the color change (from brown to fluorescent yellow), indicating that this set of primers could successfully discriminate the H272R genotype from other genotypes. Specificity and accuracy tests showed that this LAMP assay had high specificity and accuracy. Moreover, the LAMP method was further simplified with fungal mycelia and conidia as the amplification template which could be prepared within 5 min. Due to the low cost, simplicity, high efficiency, and specificity, the developed LAMP assay may contribute to the monitoring of resistance development to SDHI in B. cinerea, especially in field and high-throughput experiments.


Neuropsychology and the relearning of motor skills following stroke.
Regaining independent mobility is one of the most important goals in physical therapy with patients suffering from the consequences of stroke. Both physical therapy and occupational therapy are learning processes in which the patient has to remaster old skills or has to learn novel skills. It is argued that the (re-)learning of motor control is a process in which motor aspects continuously interact with sensory and cognitive processes. It is therefore necessary that neuropsychological knowledge should be integrated in the therapy in order to create the most optimal situation for learning. In this article the most prominent neuropsychological consequences are described and suggestions are given as to how a therapist may use this knowledge to improve the therapy.


Genetic Polymorphisms of Glutathione S-Transferase P1 (GSTP1) and the Incidence of Anti-Tuberculosis Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity.
Anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity (ATDH) is one of the most common adverse effects associated with tuberculosis (TB) therapy. Animal studies have demonstrated important roles of glutathione S-transferases in the prevention of chemical-induced hepatotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) and ATDH in TB patients. We used two independent samples for this genetic association study. In the initial prospective study, 322 newly diagnosed TB patients were followed up for three months after initiating anti-TB therapy. In an independent retrospective study, 115 ATDH patients and 116 patients without ATDH were selected to verify the results of the prospective study. Tag-SNPs of GSTP1 were genotyped either with the MassARRAY platform or the improved multiple ligase detection reaction (iMLDR) method. The associations between SNPs and ATDH were analyzed by logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounding factors. Of the 322 patients recruited in the prospective cohort, 35 were excluded during the 3 months of follow-up, and 30 were diagnosed with ATDH and were considered as the ATDH group. The remaining 257 subjects without ATDH were considered as the non-ATDH group. After correction for potential confounding factors, significant differences were found for rs1695 (A>G) under an allelic model (OR = 3.876, 95%CI: 1.258011.905; P = 0.018). In the retrospective study, rs1695 allele A also had a higher risk of ATDH (OR = 2.10, 95%CI: 1.17-3.76; P = 0.012). We only found rs4147581AA genotype under a dominant model was related to ATDH in the prospective study (OR = 2.578, 95%CI: 1.076-6.173; P = 0.034). This is the first study to suggest that GSTP1 genotyping can be an important tool for identifying patients who are susceptible to ATDH. This result should be verified in independent large sample studies and also in other ethnic populations.


Toxicological impacts of antibiotics on aquatic micro-organisms: A mini-review.
Antibiotics are found globally in the environment at trace levels due to their extensive consumption, which raises concerns about the effects they can have on non-target organisms, especially environmental micro-organisms. So far the majority of studies have focused on different aspects of antibiotic resistance or on analyzing the occurrence, fate, and removal of antibiotics from hospital and municipal wastewaters. Little attention has been paid to ecotoxicological effects of antibiotics on aquatic micro-organisms although they play a critical role in most ecosystems and they are potentially sensitive to these substances. Here we review the current state of research on the toxicological impacts of antibiotics to aquatic micro-organisms, including proteobacteria, cyanobacteria, algae and bacteria commonly present in biological wastewater treatment processes. We focus on antibiotics that are poorly removed during wastewater treatment and thus end up in surface waters. We critically discuss and compare the available analytical methods and test organisms based on effect concentrations and identify the knowledge gaps and future challenges. We conclude that, in general, cyanobacteria and ammonium oxidizing bacteria are the most sensitive micro-organisms to antibiotics. It is important to include chronic tests in ecotoxicological assessment, because acute tests are not always appropriate in case of low sensitivity (for example for proteobacteria). However, the issue of rapid development of antibiotic resistance should be regarded in chronic testing. Furthermore, the application of other species of bacteria and endpoints should be considered in the future, not forgetting the mixture effect and bacterial community studies. Due to differences in the sensitivity of different test organisms to individual antibiotic substances, the application of several bioassays with varying test organisms would provide more comprehensive data for the risk assessment of antibiotics. Regardless of the growing concerns related to antibiotics in the environment, there are still evident knowledge gaps related to antibiotics, as there is only limited or no ecotoxicological data on many potentially harmful antibiotics.


Scent of a queen-cuticular hydrocarbons specific for female reproductives in lower termites.
In social insects, it is assumed that signals of the queen inform nestmates about her reproductive status. Thus, workers forego their own reproduction if the queen signals high fertility. In hemimetabolous termites, little is known about reproductive inhibition, but evidence exists for a royal-pair control. Workers of lower termites exhibit a high developmental flexibility and are potentially able to become reproductives, but the presence of a fertile reproductive restrains them from reaching sexual maturity. The nature of this control, however, remains unknown. Here, we report on qualitative differences in cuticular hydrocarbon profiles between queens and workers of the basal drywood termite Cryptotermes secundus. Queens were characterized by a shift to long-chained and branched hydrocarbons. Most remarkably, similar chemical patterns are regarded as fertility cues of reproductives in social Hymenoptera. This might suggest that both groups of social insects convergently evolved similar chemical signatures. The present study provides deeper insights into how termites might have socially exploited these signatures from sexual communication in their cockroach-like ancestor.


Data processing for simultaneous inversion of emissivity and temperature using improved CABCSMA and target-to-best DE algorithms in multispectral radiation thermometry (MRT).
In this paper, what we believe to be, a new combined algorithm of artificial bee colony and slime mould algorithm (CABCSMA) and a differential evolution (DE) algorithm using target-to-best variation strategy are proposed to process the data based on Planck's radiation law and the mathematical model of reference temperature. The material model with 6 different emissivity trends is simulated. Simulation results show that the average relative error of CABCSMA algorithm is less than 0.68%, and the average calculation time is 0.44s. The average relative error of DE algorithm is less than 0.43%, and the average calculation time is only 0.06s. The two algorithms were applied to the temperature test of silicon carbide sample, tungsten material and rocket engine nozzle. The experimental results show that the relative error of silicon carbide experimental temperature is less than 0.41% and 0.28%, and the relative error of tungsten material experimental temperature is less than 0.31% and 0.3%. The relative errors of rocket engine nozzle temperature experiments are within 0.68% and 0.52%, respectively. The results show that these two algorithms are expected to be applied in practical measurement scenarios.


Mesenchymal progenitors aging highlights a miR-196 switch targeting HOXB7 as master regulator of proliferation and osteogenesis.
Human aging is associated with a decrease in tissue functions combined with a decline in stem cells frequency and activity followed by a loss of regenerative capacity. The molecular mechanisms behind this senescence remain largely obscure, precluding targeted approaches to counteract aging. Focusing on mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) as known adult progenitors, we identified a specific switch in miRNA expression during aging, revealing a miR-196a upregulation which was inversely correlated with MSC proliferation through HOXB7 targeting. A forced HOXB7 expression was associated with an improved cell growth, a reduction of senescence, and an improved osteogenesis linked to a dramatic increase of autocrine basic fibroblast growth factor secretion. These findings, along with the progressive decrease of HOXB7 levels observed during skeletal aging in mice, indicate HOXB7 as a master factor driving progenitors behavior lifetime, providing a better understanding of bone senescence and leading to an optimization of MSC performance.


Diosgenin: Mechanistic Insights on its Anti-inflammatory Effects.
Diosgenin (DG), a well-known steroid saponin, has shown anti-inflammatory effects. This review was aimed to discuss all published literature concerning the anti-inflammatory effects of diosgenin. Based on the modulatory impact of DG on the NF-κB pathway, its supplementation is associated with downregulation of the NF-κB pathway and TGF-β, resulting in inhibition of inflammation. It appears that upstream modulators of NF-κB signaling pathways such as Tlrs and downstream mediators include iNOS and COX-2, leading to the inhibition of the inflammatory response and development of pathological conditions. Due to the low toxicity of the herbal compounds, the risk of the side effects of DG use for the management of inflammatory disorders such as asthma, rheumatism, rhinitis, and arthritis is lower than that of synthetic glucocorticoids. It has been shown that regulation of NF-κB and oxidative stress signaling pathways by DG is beneficial against cardiotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin.


The family empowerment program: an interdisciplinary approach to working with multi-stressed urban families.
The family empowerment program (FEP) is a multi-systemic family therapy program that partners multi-stressed families with an interdisciplinary resource team while remaining attached to a "traditional" mental health clinic. The rationale for this model is that far too often, families presenting at community mental health centers struggle with multiple psychosocial forces, for example problems with housing, domestic violence, child care, entitlements, racism, substance abuse, and foster care, as well as chronic medical and psychiatric illnesses, that exacerbate symptoms and impact traditional service delivery and access to effective treatment. Thus, families often experience fragmented care and are involved with multiple systems with contradictory and competing agendas. As a result, services frequently fail to harness the family's inherent strengths. The FEP partners the family with a unified team that includes representatives from Entitlements Services, Family Support and Parent Advocacy, and Clinical Staff from the agency's Outpatient Mental Health Clinic practicing from a strength-based family therapy perspective. The goal of the FEP is to support the family in achieving their goals. This is accomplished through co-construction of a service plan that addresses the family's needs in an efficient and coherent manner-emphasizing family strengths and competencies and supporting family self-sufficiency.


Neighborhood Environment and Health of Injured Urban Black Men.
Urban black males are at disproportionately high risk of poor health outcomes; thus, we need to measure neighborhood environments appropriately in order to understand aspects of neighborhoods that influence their mental and physical health. We explored associations between physical and mental health of injured, urban black men with objectively measured and perceived neighborhood characteristics. In 2017-2018, we analyzed data from 486 black, adult males in Philadelphia admitted to a trauma center with injury between January 2013 and February 2017. Area-level measures of social, economic, and built environments were obtained from multiple sources. At enrollment, participants answered questions about neighborhood environment and self-reported physical and mental health 30 days before injury. We conducted factor analysis to identify neighborhood characteristics, then estimated odds of poor physical or mental health, accounting for spatial correlation of participants. Poor physical and mental health was reported by 12% and 22% of participants, respectively. In participants' neighborhoods, 29% of adults lived in poverty. Individually, 73% of men reported abandoned buildings, and 31% reported not feeling safe walking around their neighborhood. Physical health was associated with neighborhood poverty and disconnectedness. Mental health was associated with neighborhood economics and individual perceptions of social disorder and safety. Individual-level factors were not correlated with area-level factors. We found both area-level and individual-level measures were associated with health, perhaps operating through different mechanisms, but individual experiences may not be easily extrapolated from area-level data. By identifying important components of neighborhood environments, we may better understand how neighborhoods contribute to health in vulnerable populations.


Life satisfaction in a sample of empty-nest elderly: a survey in the rural area of a mountainous county in China.
To estimate the life satisfaction and its predictors between the empty-nest and not-empty-nest elderly. A semi-structured questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, physical health, and the Life Satisfaction Index (LSI), UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was administered to 275 empty-nest and 315 not-empty-nest rural elderly in a Chinese county. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the predictors of LSI score. The empty-nest elderly had lower life satisfaction, lower income, poorer relationships with children, less social support, higher prevalence of chronic diseases, and more feelings of depression and loneliness compared to the not-empty-nest elderly. "Empty-nest status" was negatively related with life satisfaction. Depression was the strongest predictor of life satisfaction in both groups. The second strongest predictor was loneliness among the empty-nest group, while it was chronic diseases among the not-empty-nest group. Marital status and income were correlated with life satisfaction only among the empty-nest elderly. The empty-nest elderly were likely to have mental health problems and to feel unsatisfied with their life. These findings also emphasize the importance of mental health as the determinant of life satisfaction among the empty-nest elderly.


Substrate rigidity-dependent positive feedback regulation between YAP and ROCK2.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness influences gene expression, leading to modulation of various cellular functions. While ROCK2 regulates actomyosin activity as well as cell migration and proliferation, expression of ROCK2 is increased in response to stiffening ECM. However, the mechanism underlying rigidity-dependent ROCK2 expression remains elusive. Here, we show that YAP, a mechanically regulated transcription coactivator, upregulates ROCK2 expression in an ECM rigidity-dependent manner. YAP interacted with the ROCK2 promoter region in an actomyosin activity-dependent manner. Knockdown of YAP decreased ROCK2 expression while activity of the ROCK2 promoter was upregulated by expressing constitutively active YAP. Furthermore, we found that ROCK2 expression promotes transcriptional activation by YAP. Our results reveal a novel positive feedback loop between YAP and ROCK2, which is modulated by ECM stiffness.


Improvement of common cold with Pycnogenol®: a Winter registry study.
This registry study aimed to evaluate the use of Pycnogenol® (pine bark extract), an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-edema natural compound, on symptoms of common cold. Main targets were the evaluation in otherwise healthy subjects of signs/symptoms, the reduction in days of disease, and the prevention of complications. All subjects used the "best management" for colds and one group added Pycnogenol® capsules (50 mg, bid/die) from day zero. The resulting registry groups were comparable. A total of 70 subjects used Pycnogenol® and 76 acted as controls. The number of days with a perceived cold affecting the patients was reduced in the supplement group (3.1;0.4 days) in comparison with controls (4.2;0.2). Lost working days were significantly decreased in the supplement group (0.55;0.3 versus 0.67;0.3 in controls). The need to use any other compound (on demand basis; OTC products) to manage symptoms and the occurrence of any clinically significant complications were significantly lower in the Pycnogenol® group. The most frequent complications were the extension of the cold to a period longer than 4 days, a tracheal extension and a bronchial involvement. Pycnogenol® was significantly effective in reducing the number of complications. The daily evolution of the "pillar cold signs" indicates a significantly faster resolution in the supplement group. With supplementation the decrease in symptom scores appears to be significantly more important. Pycnogenol® supplementation appears to make regression faster for all symptoms in comparison with controls. In this pilot registry, Pycnogenol® appears to decrease symptoms of cold and shorten its course also preventing some complications.


Weighted Graph Embedding-Based Metric Learning for Kinship Verification.
Given a group photograph, it is interesting and useful to judge whether the characters in it share specific kinship relation, such as father-daughter, father-son, mother-daughter, or mother-son. Recently, facial image-based kinship verification has attracted wide attention in computer vision. Some metric learning algorithms have been developed for improving kinship verification. However, most of the existing algorithms ignore fusing multiple feature representations and utilizing kernel techniques. In this paper, we develop a novel weighted graph embedding-based metric learning (WGEML) framework for kinship verification. Inspired by the fact that family members usually show high similarity in facial features like eyes, noses, and mouths, despite their diversity, we jointly learn multiple metrics by constructing an intrinsic graph and two penalty graphs to characterize the intraclass compactness and interclass separability for each feature representation, respectively, so that both the consistency and complementarity among multiple features can be fully exploited. Meanwhile, combination weights are determined through a weighted graph embedding framework. Furthermore, we present a kernelized version of WGEML to tackle nonlinear problems. Experimental results demonstrate both the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed methods.


Acoustic dipole and monopole effects in solid particle interaction dynamics during acoustophoresis.
A method is presented for measurements of secondary acoustic radiation forces acting on solid particles in a plain ultrasonic standing wave. The method allows for measurements of acoustic interaction forces between particles located in arbitrary positions such as in between a pressure node and a pressure antinode. By utilizing a model that considers both density- and compressibility-dependent effects, the observed particle-particle interaction dynamics can be well understood. Two differently sized polystyrene micro-particles (4.8 and 25 μm, respectively) were used in order to achieve pronounced interaction effects. The particulate was subjected to a 2-MHz ultrasonic standing wave in a microfluidic channel, such as commonly used for acoustophoresis. Observation of deflections in the particle pathways shows that the particle interaction force is not negligible under this circumstance and has to be considered in accurate particle manipulation applications. The effect is primarily pronounced when the distance between two particles is small, the sizes of the particles are different, and the acoustic properties of the particles are different relative to the media. As predicted by theory, the authors also observe that the interaction forces are affected by the angle between the inter-particle centerline and the axis of the standing wave propagation direction.