The multiconfigurational-reference internally contracted configuration interaction/complete basis set study of the excited states of the trifluoride anion F3(-).
The multiconfigurational-reference internally contracted configuration interaction (MRCI)/aug-cc-pVQZ-based computational protocol was employed to search for the minima of the potential energy surface of the low-lying singlet and triplet electronic states of the trifluoride anion F(3) (-) in the D(infinity(h)), C(infinity(v)), C(2v), and C(s) symmetry groups. The (3)B(2) bound state was located (r(e)=1.8777 A and theta=103.39 degrees ), which was predicted to lie less than 1 eV above the X (1)Sigma(g) (+) ground state (r(e)=1.7382 A) by both the MRCI and equation-of-motion coupled-cluster singles, doubles and triples approaches [the MRCI adiabatic excitation energy extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit was 0.91 eV]. The latter value is proposed as a reliable estimate of the singlet-triplet energy gap in F(3) (-). The vertical transitions from the X (1)Sigma(g) (+) state were analyzed in terms of the reorganization of electrons leading to the excited states and the corresponding MRCI/CBS excitation energies.


Dominance and social information use in a lizard.
There is mounting evidence that social learning is not just restricted to group-living animals, but also occurs in species with a wide range of social systems. However, we still have a poor understanding of the factors driving individual differences in social information use. We investigated the effects of relative dominance on social information use in the eastern water skink (Eulamprus quoyii), a species with age-dependent social learning. We used staged contests to establish dominant-subordinate relationships in pairs of lizards and tested whether observers use social information to more quickly solve both an association and reversal learning task in situations where the demonstrator was either dominant or subordinate. Surprisingly, we found no evidence of social information use, irrespective of relative dominance between observer and demonstrator. However, dominant lizards learnt at a faster rate than subordinate lizards in the associative learning task, although there were no significant differences in the reversal task. In light of previous work in this species, we suggest that age may be a more important driver of social information use because demonstrators and observers in our study were closely size-matched and were likely to be of similar age.


Geographical variations in inborn errors of metabolism in Japan.
Using materials from a nationwide screening project on inborn errors of metabolism in Japan, the incidence of histidinemia, phenylketonuria, galactosemia and homocystinuria were found to be 140, 16, 14 and 7 in 1 million live births, respectively. Geographical variations were observed, especially in histidinemia, which are most likely due to chance.


Effects of electrical heterogeneity on transmural reentry during acute global ischemia.
Ventricular arrhythmias are commonly observed in patients with ischemia. It is reported that the electrophysiological changes evoked by ischemia are greater in the epicardium than in the endocardium. To investigate the effects of this heterogeneity on transmural reentry, the computer simulation method is used. A two-dimensional model which can reproduce the endocardial, epicardial and middle cell types, approximate the ischemic characteristics and distribution of the ischemic severity is developed by setting different ratios of the maximum conductance of the rapid and slow inward rectifier potassium currents and considering the three major component conditions of acute ischemia at the ionic level. The results demonstrate that action potentials of the ischemic cells have elevated resting potential, shortened duration, slowed upstroke and declined amplitude. Conduction velocity is much more depressed in the epicardium because of the ischemia-induced transmural gradient of excitability. The epicardially initiated activation has wider vulnerable window and more possibility to cause unidirectional propagation even reentry. Dispersion of the excitability is proposed to be the underlying mechanism.


Review of Rat (Rattus norvegicus), Mouse (Mus musculus), Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), and Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Indicators for Welfare Assessment.
The monitoring and assessment of animals is important for their health and welfare. The appropriate selection of multiple, validated, and feasible welfare assessment indicators is required to effectively identify compromises or improvements to animal welfare. Animal welfare indicators can be animal or resource based. Indicators can be collated to form assessment tools (e.g., grimace scales) or animal welfare assessment models (e.g., 5 Domains) and frameworks (e.g., 5 Freedoms). The literature contains a wide variety of indicators, with both types needed for effective animal welfare assessment; however, there is yet to be an ideal constellation of indicators for animal-based welfare assessment in small mammals such as guinea pigs (Cavia Porcellus), mice (Mus musculus), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and rats (Rattus norvegicus). A systematic review of grey and peer-reviewed literature was performed to determine the types of animal-based welfare indicators available to identify and assess animal health and welfare in these small mammals maintained across a wide variety of conditions. The available indicators were categorised and scored against a selection of criteria, including potential ease of use and costs. This review and analysis aim to provide the basis for further research into animal welfare indicators for these species. Future applications of this work may include improvements to animal welfare assessments or schemes, guiding better management, and implementing future strategies to enable better animal welfare.


The economic impact that registered veterinary technicians have on Ontario veterinary practices.
In Canada, registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) are highly trained, regulated professionals working as an integral part of the veterinary team, but there has been little work to quantify their impact on veterinary practices. The objectives of the study were to explore the utilization rates of RVTs and quantify the economic value that RVTs bring to veterinary practices in Ontario, Canada. An online survey was deployed to explore the function of RVTs and their non-credentialed counterparts in practices. There were 169 responses, with 112 respondents providing economic indicators. For each additional RVT/veterinarian, gross annual revenue per veterinarian (RPV) increased by $79 118 (SE = $21 146, P < 0.0001). For 1- and 2-veterinarian practices, if the veterinarian frequently performed RVT duties, the practices were less profitable than clinics that relied on RVTs to perform such duties (P = 0.0001). Finally, clinics which paid their RVTs over $21 per hour earned $122 342 (SE = $58 874, P = 0.04) more RPV relative to clinics which paid their RVTs $15 or less per hour.


Preparation of Chitosan Nanoparticles as a Capable Carrier for Antigen Delivery and Antibody Production.
Chitosan (CS) nanoparticles have attracted considerable attention as a non-viral and cationic carrier for delivery of therapeutic proteins and antigens and offer non-invasive routes of administration such as oral, nasal and ocular routes, and also show adjuvant characteristics for vaccines. Preparation and formulation of CS nanoparticles as a capable carrier with immunoadjuvant properties to enhance the bioavailability of antigen and produce antibody with high affinity. CS nanoparticles were produced by ionic gelation process of sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) with CS. Particle size and morphology of nanoparticles were determined using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and also direct observation under light microscope. The influence of the initial BSA concentration and CS concentration on loading efficiency and release behavior was evaluated. The ε-toxin (derived from Clostridium perfringens type D) was loaded on CS nanoparticles and the complex was injected hypodermically into the rabbits for once. The anti ε-toxin antibody level in blood serum was evaluated using Dot Blot and ELISA methods. The CS nanoparticles in different groups have a particle diameter (Z-average) in approximate ranges of 200-400, 300-600, 450-800 nm and a positive Zeta potential (32.4 - 48.6 mv). Optimum loading efficiency was achieved for CS at a concentration of 0.5 mg.mL-1 and TPP of 1.0 mg.mL-1. The results showed that the toxin-CS complex produces antitoxin at levels more than twice as high the control. The CS nanoparticles can be used as a good biodegradable carrier for protein and antigen delivery.


Antibodies against vaccine-preventable diseases in pregnant women and their offspring in the eastern part of Germany.
Maternal and cord blood samples of 290 pregnant women in the eastern part of Germany with a mean age of 28 years (16-41 years) were analyzed for antibodies to vaccine-preventable diseases. Both mothers and infants had detectable levels of antibodies to mumps in 96% and to tetanus in 93% of cases. Detectable levels to poliomyelitis, diphtheria, measles and rubella varied from 55% to 91%. Cord blood samples had a significantly higher prevalence of antibodies to pertussis (61%) and diphtheria (81%) in comparison to maternal samples (pertussis 37%, diphtheria 70%) as well as significantly enhanced antibody concentrations to diphtheria. In conclusion, the prevalence of antibodies to pertussis (61%), diphtheria (81 %), poliomyelitis (55-59%) and measles (85%) is suggested to be insufficient in newborn infants to protect them against these infectious diseases.


Hippocampal cell loss and gliosis: relationship to preoperative and postoperative memory function.
The authors examined the relationship between neuronal densities, glial cell densities, and the glial cell/neuron ratio in the CA1 and CA4 hippocampal subfields and preoperative and postoperative memory function in 47 patients who had undergone a temporal lobectomy (23 right, RTL; 24 left, LTL) for the relief of medically intractable epilepsy. The LTL group performed more poorly than the RTL group on a list learning and story recall task, preoperatively and postoperatively. Both the RTL and LTL groups performed more poorly on the story recall task postoperatively. In the LTL group, neuronal densities in the CA1 subfield were significantly correlated with the preoperative scores on the immediate (r = 0.53, p < 0.01) and delayed (r = 0.53, p < 0.01) recall of the story. There were no significant correlations in the LTL group between the CA1 and CA4 cell counts and Verbal IQ or scores on a measure of naming ability. None of the cell density measures in the CA1 and CA4 subfields were significantly correlated with the preoperative neuropsychological test scores in the RTL group. Postoperative decline in verbal recall was associated with the excision of a relatively intact left hippocampus, with high neuronal and low glial cell densities in the CA1 subfield. The excision of a relatively intact right hippocampus was also associated with a postoperative deterioration in verbal recall.


Low hemoglobin and venous saturation levels are associated with poor neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest.
Hemoglobin (Hb) is a main determinant of tissue oxygen delivery and anemia could be particularly harmful in post-anoxic brain injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of Hb and venous Hb oxygen saturation (SvO2/ScvO2) with long-term neurological outcome in patients admitted after cardiac arrest (CA). Analysis of adult CA patients admitted to the Department of Intensive Care of the Erasme University Hospital (Brussels, Belgium) over 9 years. We retrieved all data concerning CA characteristics as well as Hb during the first 48 h since injury as well as the need for red blood cells transfusions (RBCT). Minimum Hb and Hb oxygen saturation values were recorded. Neurological outcome was evaluated 3 months after CA. Unfavorable neurological outcome (UO) was defined as a Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) score of 3-5. We treated 414 patients patients with CA, including 231 (56%) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and 158 (38%) with an initial shockable rhythm. Median Hb concentration on admission was 12.0 [9.9-13.7] g/dL and the lowest Hb concentration was 10.0 [8.1-11.0] g/dL; 127 patients (31%) received at least one RBCT. Hb oxygen saturation on admission was 67 [59-74]%, while the lowest value was 60 [53-68]%. Low Hb and Hb oxygen saturation values were independently associated with UO; the optimal cut-off to predict UO was <9.9 g/dL and <60%, respectively. Low hemoglobin values and low values of oxygen venous saturation are significantly associated with unfavorable neurological outcome in adult patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest.


[Successful Prophylactic Minocycline Treatment for Recurrent Helicobacter Cinaedi Sepsis during Chemotherapy in a Patient with Follicular Lymphoma].
A 63-year-old man with follicular lymphoma was administered standard R-CHOP chemotherapy. Six days after the second course of chemotherapy, the patient developed fever and chills. Blood cultures yielded rod-shaped gram-negative bacteria, but no further identification was obtained. High fever and chills returned on the fifth and sixth days after the third and fourth courses of R-CHOP, respectively. These blood cultures were also positive. Since we detected spiral-shaped gram-negative rods, we performed a prolonged culture during the febrile period after the fourth course of R-CHOP. This revealed the formation of characteristic film-like colonies, and Helicobacter cinaedi(H. cinaedi)bacteria was identified. After final identification, the patient was administered prophylactic minocycline treatment. Subsequent blood cultures were negative, fever did not recur, and we were able to complete 6 courses of R-CHOP. Although H. cinaedi has been reported to be a cause of sepsis in immunocompromised patients, standard correlation has not been established. Our case suggests that H. cinaedi should be considered when recurrent fever is observed after chemotherapy. Prophylactic antibiotic treatment with minocycline may prevent sepsis, as observed in our case.


The accessibility of drug treatment for pregnant women: a survey of programs in five cities.
Through simulated calls to 294 drug treatment programs in five cities, this study investigated access for pregnant women and compared New York City's provision of services in 1989 to that in 1993. In all sites, the majority of programs accepted pregnant women. There was also a marked improvement in the availability of services in New York City. Yet options were more limited for Medicaid recipients and women needing child care, and an appointment or referral for prenatal care was usually not offered. Although the door for treatment may be opening for pregnant women, institutional barriers still remain.


Extravasating Neutrophil-derived Microparticles Preserve Vascular Barrier Function in Inflamed Tissue.
Emerging evidence suggests that gap formation and opening of the endothelial junctions during leukocyte extravasation is actively controlled to maintain the integrity of the vascular barrier. While the role for endothelial cells to this process has been well defined, it is not clear whether leukocytes are also actively contributing to endothelial barrier function. We have recently showed that extravasating leukocytes deposit microparticles on the subendothelium during the late stages of extravasation, which is LFA-1 dependent. Using multiphotonintravital microscopy (MP-IVM) of mouse cremaster muscle vessels in the current work, we show that microparticle formation and deposition maintains the integrity of the microvascular barrier during leukocyte extravasation. Inhibition of neutrophil-derived microparticle formation resulted in dramatically increased vascular leakage. These findings suggest that deposition of microparticles during neutrophil extravasation is essential for maintaining endothelial barrier function and may result in temporal difference between neutrophil extravasation and an increase in vascular leakage.


Gastrointestinal control of sodium excretion in sodium-depleted conscious rabbits.
Recent studies of sodium-depleted rabbits have shown that oral sodium loading is followed by greater natriuresis than intravenous sodium loading. The present study was undertaken to determine if this is dependent on differences in aldosterone excretion. Rabbits in balance on a low-sodium diet were given bolus doses of sodium either orally or intravenously. Those receiving oral sodium responded with a greater natriuresis than those receiving it intravenously. No differences in aldosterone excretion were demonstrated after oral or intravenous sodium repletion. Rabbits given large doses of exogenous aldosterone continued to excrete more sodium after oral than after intravenous repletion. This study demonstrates that in rabbits the gastrointestinal tract functions to regulate renal sodium excretion and that the mechanism is independent of aldosterone.


[Analysis of the kinetics of the transition of cells to DNA synthesis in systems with stimulated proliferation. III. Regenerating liver].
The application of the previously reported methods of kinetic analysis to cell proliferation studies in the regenerating rat liver is under consideration. A fraction of hepatocytes (nearly 60% of the initial hepatocyte number) synchronously entering the mitotic cycle in response to partial hepatectomy has been discovered. The investigation of the temporal pattern of the kinetic criterium qS (t) allowed to make a detailed description of the main features of the transition of hepatocytes to DNA synthesis during the first 40 hours of liver regeneration. Using kinetic criteria of the initial and repeated entry of cells into S-period made it possible to reveal that the prereplicative period in the second mitotic cycle was shorter than that in the first one. Thus, the hypothesis about a special period which is necessary for the quiescent cell to acquire the competence to proliferation is additionally supported.


Layered Architectural Fabrication of a Novel Sulfite Nanobiosensor by Encapsulation of Sulfite Oxidase on a Polypyrrole-Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Composite Decorated with Platinum Nanoparticles.
The fabrication of a highly selective and ultrasensitive sulfite nanobiosensor based on a layered architectural fabrication aided by the encapsulation of sulfite oxidase (SOx) in Nafion (Naf) matrix on a multiwalled carbon nanotubes-polypyrrole (MWCNTs-PPy) composite decorated with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) is described. The MWCNTs are deposited in the inner layer on a Pt electrode during electropolymerization of pyrrole (Py), followed by decoration with a PtNPs layer and subsequent encapsulation of SOx with Naf in the third layer capped with a fourth thin PtNPs layer. Images obtained by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) reveal that high-density PtNPs are deposited onto the 3D nanostructured inner MWCNTs-PPy layer and the electrochemical behavior is investigated. A large surface area provided by the incorporation of MWCNTs in the composite and decoration with PtNPs enables increased SOx loading, SOx retention, and substantial improvement in sensing performance. The resulting layered PtNPs/SOx-Naf/PtNPs/MWCNTs-PPy nanobiosensor exhibits a fast response time (within 3 s), a linear calibration range of 20 nmm - 6 m with an excellent sensitivity of 71 µA mm-1 cm-2 and a detection limit of 5.4 nm. The nanobiosensor was effective in discriminating against common interferants and was successfully applied to sulfite determination in real samples.


Application of amplitude of low‑frequency fluctuation to altered spontaneous neuronal activity in classical trigeminal neuralgia patients: A resting‑state functional MRI study.
Recent studies have reported structural and functional abnormalities in multiple brain regions of classical trigeminal neuralgia (CTN) patients. Differences in spontaneous neuronal activity between CTN patients and healthy subjects, however, remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate alterations in brain activity by application of amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF), thus analyzing the correlation between durations of spontaneous pain intensity and ALFF values in CTN patients. A total of 28 CTN patients (male, n=12; female, n=16) and 28 healthy controls (HCs; male, n=12; female, n=16) matched for age and sex were enrolled. All subjects underwent resting‑state functional magnetic resonance imaging and changes in spontaneous brain activity were investigated using an ALFF method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to differentiate ALFF values of CTN patients from HCs. Altered ALFF values and clinical manifestations were evaluated using Pearson's correlation analysis. ALFF values of the bilateral inferior cerebellum, bilateral fusiform gyrus, right precentral gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, right superior cerebellum, left inferior occipital gyrus and right superior occipital gyrus were significantly higher in CTN patients when compared to HCs. ROC curve analysis of each brain revealed a near‑perfect AUC accuracy. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed the visual analog scale of the right eye to be positively correlated with both left inferior temporal and occipital gyral findings, while episode duration likewise was positively associated with left inferior temporal gyral findings. CTN patients exhibited abnormal spontaneous activity in multiple brain regions closely related to pain regulation and perception, while VAS and CTN episode duration were positively correlated with ALFF signal values in some brain regions. The present findings provide further insight into the pathological mechanisms underlying CTN.


Giving a poster presentation: a personal view.
Anyone can give a poster presentation. It is not difficult and certainly not as harrowing an experience as some people may think. It should be something that we should all attempt. It is certainly not as stressful or anxiety provoking as giving a paper presentation for the first time. By good planning, you can be sure that your poster is good before you go to the conference. When delivering a paper, although efforts have been made to ensure the quality of the paper, circumstances on the day can hamper its delivery.


Immunohistochemical Characterisation of GLUT1, MMP3 and NRF2 in Osteosarcoma.
Osteosarcoma (OSA) is an aggressive bone malignancy. Unlike many other malignancies, OSA outcomes have not improved in recent decades. One challenge to the development of better diagnostic and therapeutic methods for OSA has been the lack of well characterized experimental model systems. Spontaneous OSA in dogs provides a good model for the disease seen in people and also remains an important veterinary clinical challenge. We recently used RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR to provide a detailed molecular characterization of OSA relative to non-malignant bone in dogs. We identified differential mRNA expression of the solute carrier family 2 member 1 (SLC2A1/GLUT1), matrix metallopeptidase 3 (MMP3) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2/NRF2) genes in canine OSA tissue in comparison to paired non-tumor tissue. Our present work characterizes protein expression of GLUT1, MMP3 and NRF2 using immunohistochemistry. As these proteins affect key processes such as Wnt activation, heme biosynthesis, glucose transport, understanding their expression and the enriched pathways and gene ontologies enables us to further understand the potential molecular pathways and mechanisms involved in OSA. This study further supports spontaneous OSA in dogs as a model system to inform the development of new methods to diagnose and treat OSA in both dogs and people.


Teaching bioethics to future health professionals: a case-based clinical model.
In summary, I believe that ethics teaching based on actual cases, presented in a small-group format led by a clinician and an ethicist, offers the best prospect for achieving these goals. The physician serves as a role model and ensures that information and options are medically accurate. The ethicist helps to identify morally relevant features, can articulate ethical principles, and direct students to the appropriate literature. This method does not guarantee that the behavior of future health professionals will always be humane or ethically sound. But it is likely to get future health professionals to think about what they are doing when they encounter cases that resemble those discussed in teaching conferences devoted to clinical ethics.


Rethinking 5-HT1A receptors: emerging modes of inhibitory feedback of relevance to emotion-related behavior.
The complexities of the involvement of the serotonin transmitter system in numerous biological processes and psychiatric disorders is, to a substantial degree, attributable to the large number of serotonin receptor families and subtypes that have been identified and characterized for over four decades. Of these, the 5-HT(1A) receptor subtype, which was the first to be cloned and characterized, has received considerable attention based on its purported role in the etiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. 5-HT(1A) receptors function both at presynaptic (autoreceptor) and postsynaptic (heteroreceptor) sites. Recent research has implicated distinct roles for these two populations of receptors in mediating emotion-related behavior. New concepts as to how 5-HT(1A) receptors function to control serotonergic tone throughout life were highlights of the proceedings of the 2012 Serotonin Club Meeting in Montpellier, France. Here, we review recent findings and current perspectives on functional aspects of 5-HT(1A) auto- and heteroreceptors with particular regard to their involvement in altered anxiety and mood states.


The State of Use and Utility of Negative Controls in Pharmacoepidemiologic Studies.
Uses of real-world data in drug safety and effectiveness studies are often challenged by various sources of bias. We undertook a systematic search of the published literature through September 2020 to evaluate the state of use and utility of negative controls to address bias in pharmacoepidemiologic studies. Two reviewers independently evaluated study eligibility and abstracted data. Our search identified 184 eligible studies for inclusion. Cohort studies (115, 63%) and administrative data (114, 62%) were respectively the most common study design and data type used. Most studies used negative control outcomes (91, 50%), and for most studies the target source of bias was unmeasured confounding (93, 51%). We identified four utility domains of negative controls: 1) bias detection (149, 81%), 2) bias correction (16, 9%), 3) p-value calibration (8, 4%), and 4) performance assessment of different methods used in drug safety studies (31, 17%). The most popular methodologies used were the 95% confidence interval and p-value calibration. In addition, we identified two reference sets with structured steps to check the causality assumption of the negative control. While negative controls are powerful tools in bias detection, we found many studies lacked checking the underlying assumptions.


What's in a Name? The Incorrect Use of Case Series as a Study Design Label in Studies Involving Dogs and Cats.
Study design labels are used to identify relevant literature to address specific clinical and research questions and to aid in evaluating the evidentiary value of research. Evidence from the human healthcare literature indicates that the label "case series" may be used inconsistently and inappropriately. Our primary objective was to determine the proportion of studies in the canine and feline veterinary literature labeled as case series that actually corresponded to descriptive cohort studies, population-based cohort studies, or other study designs. Our secondary objective was to identify the proportion of case series in which potentially inappropriate inferential statements were made. Descriptive evaluation of published literature. One-hundred published studies (from 19 journals) labeled as case series. Studies were identified by a structured literature search, with random selection of 100 studies from the relevant citations. Two reviewers independently characterized each study, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Of the 100 studies, 16 were case series. The remaining studies were descriptive cohort studies (35), population-based cohort studies (36), or other observational or experimental study designs (13). Almost half (48.8%) of the case series or descriptive cohort studies, with no control group and no formal statistical analysis, included inferential statements about the efficacy of treatment or statistical significance of potential risk factors. Authors, peer-reviewers, and editors should carefully consider the design elements of a study to accurately identify and label the study design. Doing so will facilitate an understanding of the evidentiary value of the results.


OA-rehab: designing a personalized exercise program for people with osteoarthritis.
We describe the design of a multi-media performance support system (PSS) based on the documented benefits of a personalized exercise program for people with arthritis, on the known value of self-efficacy and stages of change, and on principles of learning theory. The poster will show examples of incorporating motivational and cognitive principles into a PSS.


[Rape of men happens too].
The Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen, perform clinical forensic examinations of sexually assaulted victims at the request of the police. Three cases with male victims are presented and the forensic focus in these cases is discussed. It is important to report lesions and to secure saliva and semen for DNA analysis correctly to form an important part of the subsequent police investigation and ultimately the legal proceeding. We believe that rape of men is underreported, and that more information can help men initially with reporting to the police and help focusing on the right prophylaxis for this group.


An immunochemical study of the lymphocyte A, Atri system.
The anti-Atri lymphocytotoxic antibodies reacting only with 5.19% of A, ABH-secreting individuals have been tested by an inhibition assay with 19 oligosaccharidic structures carrying the A, B, H or Lewis structures. The inhibitions observed dissociate the A and H blood group substances from the Atri substance, and seem to indicate the role of fucosyl residues, particularly that of fucosyl alpha (1 leads to 3), which may be the immunodominant of the Atri substance.


Experiences of Latino immigrant families in North Carolina help explain elevated levels of food insecurity and hunger.
Household food insecurity is higher among minority households in the U.S., but few data exist on households of recent minority immigrants, in part because such households are difficult to sample. Four studies of a total of 317 Latino immigrant families were conducted in different regions and during different seasons in North Carolina. A Spanish translation of the 18-item U.S. Food Security Survey Module was used to assess the prevalence of food insecurity and hunger. In 3 of the studies, a total of 76 in-depth interviews were conducted to gather information on immigrants' experiences of food insecurity. Households in the 4 studies classified as food secure ranged from 28.7 to 50.9%, compared with 82.4% in the U.S. in 2004. Food insecurity without hunger ranged from 35.6% to 41.8%, compared with 13.3% in the U.S. The highest rates of hunger reported were 18.8% (moderate hunger) and 16.8% (severe hunger) in an urban sample. Qualitative data indicate that food insecurity has both quantitative and qualitative effects on diet. Immigrants experience adverse psychological effects of food insecurity. They report experiencing a period of adjustment to food insecurity leading to empowerment to resolve the situation. Reactions to food insecurity differ from those reported by others, possibly because immigrants encounter a new and not chronic situation. Overall, these findings suggest that immigrant Latinos experience significant levels of food insecurity that are not addressed by current governmental programs.


Effect of isofebrifugine on the proliferation and invasion of human gastric cancer cells via MMP.
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common fatal cancers among gastrointestinal malignancies. At present, the treatment of gastric cancer involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Isofebrifugine (IFE) is an alkaloid with many biological properties. In this study, results from MTT, scratch and invasion assays showed that IFE significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of SGC7901 gastric cancer cells. Through RT-PCR and Western blot experiments, it was revealed that IFE significantly inhibited the mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and SDF-1 which are closely related to cancer invasion and metastasis. Thus, IFE possesses anti-gastric cancer properties.


Variable-band-gap poly(arylene ethynylene) conjugated polyelectrolytes adsorbed on nanocrystalline TiO(2): photocurrent efficiency as a function of the band gap.
A series of poly(arylene ethynylene) conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) substituted with carboxylic acid side groups have been synthesized and characterized. The polymers feature a backbone consisting of a carboxylated dialkoxyphenylene-1,4-ethynylene unit alternating with a second arylene ethynylene moiety of variable electron demand. The HOMO-LUMO gap is varied across the series, giving rise to a set of four polymers that have absorption maxima ranging from 404 to 495 nm. The CPEs adsorb effectively from solution onto nanostructured TiO(2) films, giving rise to TiO(2)/CPE films that absorb approximately 90% of the incident light at the absorption band maximum. The photocurrent generation efficiency of the TiO(2)/CPE films was examined in a solar cell configuration using an I(3)(-)/I(-) propylene carbonate electrolyte and a Pt/fluorine-doped tin oxide counter electrode. Most of the films exhibit good photocurrent generation efficiency with a peak quantum efficiency of approximately 50% at wavelengths corresponding to the polymers' absorption band maximum. Interestingly, the photocurrent generation efficiency for the lowest-band-gap polymer is substantially lower compared to the other three systems. This effect is attributed to efficient nonradiative decay of excitons at trap sites arising from interchain contacts distal from the TiO(2)/CPE interface.


[Current treatment burn wounds: alternative wound coverage methods].
In patients with massive burn injuries and very limited skin donor sites, both acute-phase and long-term problems of skin loss must be solved by the use of alternative wound closure materials. Alternative materials can be used for either temporary wound coverage or for permanent wound closure. Recently, allogenic skin grafts have most commonly been used as alternative wound closure material. However, research is ongoing on many new materials to provide a readily available substitute for skin allografts for permanent wound closure. The best approach to the development of alternative permanent wound closure materials is to incorporate the host's own cellular and structural components. Four general strategies have been devised so far based on the type of matrix structure and cellular content: allografts; cultured epidermal grafts; dermal matrix grafts; and cultured-dermal matrix composite grafts. Several approaches using combined alternative wound closure materials have been used, including transplantation of artificial dermal matrix with thin epidermal autografts, and transplantation of artificial dermal matrix containing human fibroblasts. Ultimately, the best candidate materials for permanent wound closure after extensive burn injury must be determined in prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trials.


Inter-group associations in Mongolian gerbils: Quantitative evidence from social network analysis.
Animals often interact non-randomly with conspecifics, and association preferences can differ across life-history stages to maximize individuals' fitness. Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) are a social rodent that live in highly seasonal habitats and display seasonal fluctuations in population density, growth rate and the size of overlapped home ranges. Nevertheless, whether gerbils modify their social relationships at different life-history stages remains unknown. Here, we used social network analysis to examine whether social associations differ between the sexes and between life-history stages in a wild population of Mongolian gerbils. We quantified social attributes at both group level (assortativity) and individual level (social differentiation and degree, closeness and betweenness centrality); these attributes reflect individuals' social preferences and their potential influence on others in the network. We found that both male and female gerbils established fewer inter-group social connections during the food-hoarding season than during the breeding season, revealing constraints on sociality. Similarly, during the food-hoarding season, degree centrality and social differentiation increased significantly whereas closeness and betweenness centrality decreased significantly. Together, these results suggest that gerbils have relatively more partners and preferred associations and decreased influence over others in the network during the food-hoarding season. In addition, we found no significant difference in any of the social attribute between males and females, but there was a significant interaction effect between sex and season on degree, closeness and betweenness centrality. Our results demonstrate that Mongolian gerbils adjust their association strategies to adapt to the changes of life history. Such adjustments may balance the costs/benefits associated with survival and reproduction.


The influence of ablation power reduction associated with oesophagus location on pulmonary vein isolation results in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: six-month follow-up.
Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) could be associated with a thermal oesophageal (EO) injury. To avoid this complication intraluminal EO temperature monitoring and ablation power reduction at the areas with excessive heating could be used. However, the reduced energy could limit the ablation lesion depth, without creation of lasting transmural scar and influence on long-term ablation results. The primary goal was to evaluate the homogeneity of forced ablation power reduction due to excessive EO heating in different parts of the left atrium. The secondary goal was to assess the influence of power reduction in different EO locations on long-term AF recurrence. We examined retrospectively 109 consecutive patients with symptomatic, medically refractory paroxysmal AF, who underwent pulmonary vein isolation using radiofrequency ablation. In 40.4% of the patients the EO course was central (group B) left atrium posterior wall, in 31.2% it was left sided (group A), and in 28.4% it was right sided (group C). The maximal measured temperature (41.0 ± 1.0 vs. 39.2 ± 1.5 vs. 40.6 ± 0.7°C) and forced ablation power (15.9 ± 5.6 vs. 23.5 ± 6.1 vs. 17.4 ± 5.7 W) differed significantly according to the EO course (A, B, C, respectively). In six-month follow-up 76.15% of patients were free of arrhythmias. There was no statistically significant difference between groups (A-C) regarding the AF recurrence rate: 32.4% vs. 20.5% vs. 19.4% (p = 0.37). The maximal intraluminal EO temperatures and the necessary level of power reduction during AF ablation are inhomogeneous in different parts of the left atrium, but they are not associated with different six-month follow-up results.


Motivations to eat healthily in older Dutch adults--a cross sectional study.
To influence dietary behaviors, more insight in food choice motivations is necessary. This study identified what motivations older adults have to eat healthily and investigated to what extent these motivations are particular to specific subgroups according to socio-economic position and other demographic, lifestyle and health characteristics. We used data from 1,050 older Dutch adults who participated in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (65-80 years, independently living, normal cognitive status). Motivations to eat healthily and characteristics were measured with a self-reported questionnaire. We used logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI for the association between subgroups and motivations to eat healthily. The most reported motivations to eat healthily were: "feeling fit" (51.7%), "current health" (49.7%) and "body weight" (39.2%). Multivariate analyses showed that older adults with chronic diseases (≥2 vs. no chronic disease OR: 4.41, 95% CI: 2.31-8.44) and a poor self-rated health (poor vs. good OR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.22-3.73) were more likely to report "current disease" as a motivation to eat healthily. Groups from lower socio-economic positions were less likely to report "to prevent diseases" (low income vs. high OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.32-0.86, low education vs. high OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27-0.70) and older adults with obesity were less likely to report "current health" (obese vs. normal weight OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.32-0.69) as motivations to eat healthily. Multivariate analyses showed that the presence of a disease in older adults is an important motivation for them to eat healthily, which might indicate that older adults with health problems are aware of the link between their disease and nutrition. Older adults from lower socio-economic positions or those with obesity require a specific approach because disease prevention seems to be of lesser importance for these groups, even though a healthy diet could improve their health. Future research should investigate the reasons behind the motives of low socio-economic position and obese older adults.


Histoplasmosis and Blastomycosis in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.
Histoplasmosis and blastomycosis are geographically restricted dimorphic fungi that cause infection after the conidia produced in the mold phase are inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, at 37 °C, these organisms undergo transformation into the yeast phase. In transplant recipients, infection can occur by exposure to the mold in the environment, by reactivation of infection that had occurred previously and had been controlled by the host until immunosuppressive medications were given post-transplantation, and finally by transmission from the donor organ in the case of histoplasmosis. In transplant recipients, disseminated infection is common, and pulmonary infection is more likely to be severe than in a non-immunosuppressed person. Diagnosis has been improved, allowing earlier treatment, with the use of rapid antigen tests performed on serum and urine. Initial treatment, for all but the mildest cases of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis, should be with a lipid formulation of amphotericin B. After clinical improvement has occurred, step-down therapy with itraconazole is recommended for a total of 12 months for most transplant recipients, but some patients will require long-term suppressive therapy to prevent relapse of disease.


Discordance in Xpert® MTB/RIF assay results among low bacterial load clinical specimens in Bangladesh.
The Xpert® MTB/RIF assay detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and rifampicin (RIF) resistance. RIF-resistant (RIF-R) MTB cases detected using Xpert on sputum specimens at three private-sector TB screening centres in Dhaka, Bangladesh, were subjected to consecutive confirmatory Xpert testing, the results of which were MTB-positive/RIF-susceptible, MTB-positive/RIF-indeterminate or MTB-negative. To assess the possible causes of discordant MTB and RIF-R results. Discordant confirmatory Xpert test results were subjected to further investigations using the GenoType® MTBDRplus assay, culture and rpoB gene sequencing. The confirmatory Xpert test was performed on a remnant or a second specimen collected from individuals with an initial RIF-R result (n = 69); 22 (32%) results were discordant, 20 of which had an 'MTB detected-very low' result. Further investigations were mostly concordant with the confirmatory Xpert test. Average variability in paired cycle threshold (Ct) values were higher in 'MTB detected-very low' results vs. specimens with low, medium or high detected MTB results (P < 0.05); discordant results were mostly observed in specimens with 'MTB detected-very low' (20/22). Repeating the Xpert test and comparing with other available tests should be considered in case of 'MTB detected-very low, RIF resistance detected' results on Xpert.


[Regional change of brain energy metabolism and catecholamine in the early stage of experimental cerebral ischemia--histochemical study].
Ischemic change of cerebral energy metabolism and catecholamine have already been discussed largely using biochemical quantitative assay. However, regional change and their correlation are not well understood. In the present study, the ischemic regional change of cerebral energy metabolism and catecholamine were investigated in gerbils and histochemical method. Adult either sex mongolian gerbils, weighing 50-100 g, were anesthetized with ether and the left carotid artery was ligated. After observation of clinical symptoms, the brain was frozen in situ by pouring liquid N2 after 30 min and 60 min of ischemic insult. The frozen brain was sectioned with precooled saw in the coronal plane. The brain section were placed in liquid N2 bath and illuminated with 366 nm light (UV) from a 200 watt mercury lamp and Corning filter 5840. NADH fluorescence was recorded photographically through Corning filter 3387 and 5562. Also UV reflectance was recorded through Corning filter 5840 to observe quenching effect of hemoglobin. Regional change of catecholamine was observed in the same frozen brain processed with Falck-Hillarp method. According to neurological abnormalities following left carotid ligation, animals were divided into three groups; symptomatic, borderline and asymptomatic. The intensity and distribution of tissue NADH fluorescence were closely correlated to the clinical symptoms. In the symptomatic group, both in 30 min and 60 min of ischemia, homogeneously and markedly increased fluorescence was observed in the ipsilateral temporal cortex, caudate nucleus, hypothalamus and dorsolateral thalamus. Columnar mild increase of NADH fluorescence was seen in the ipsilateral parietal cortex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Effect of burst-promoting activity (BPA) and erythropoietin on hemoglobin biosynthesis in culture.
The influence of erythropoietin (Ep) and burst-promoting activity (BPA) on the relative rates of synthesis of fetal and adult hemoglobins (HbF and HbA) were investigated in clonal cell culture. In the case of crude Ep, a positive dose-response relationship between the concentration and the relative rate of HbF biosynthesis by circulating erythropoietic precursors was clearly observed. In contrast, increasing the concentration of purified Ep enhanced the synthesis of HbF and HbA equally. BPA from bone marrow conditioned media and T-cell conditioned media enhanced the relative rate of HbF biosynthesis and burst number at limiting serum concentrations (10%-15%). We, therefore, conclude that BPA is important in the modulation of HbF biosynthesis in culture.


Saturation of the photoluminescence at few-exciton levels in a single-walled carbon nanotube under ultrafast excitation.
Single air-suspended carbon nanotubes (length 2-5 microm) exhibit high optical quantum efficiency (7-20%) for low intensity resonant pumping. Under ultrafast excitation (150 fs), emission dramatically saturates at very low exciton numbers (2-6), which is attributed to highly efficient exciton-exciton annihilation over micron-length scales. Similar saturation behavior for 4 ps pulse excitation shows nonlinear absorption is not a contributing factor. The absorption cross sections (0.6-1.8x10(-17) cm2/atom) are determined by fitting to a stochastic model for exciton dynamics.


Co-treatment with ginsenoside Rh2 and betulinic acid synergistically induces apoptosis in human cancer cells in association with enhanced capsase-8 activation, bax translocation, and cytochrome c release.
We provide evidence for the first time, that two natural compounds ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) and betulinic acid (Bet A) synergistically induce apoptosis in human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), human lung cancer A549, and human hepatoma HepG2 cells. G-Rh2 and Bet A cooperated to induce Bax traslocation to mitochondria and cytochrome c release. Co-treatment of G-Rh2 and Bet A resulted in enhanced cleavage of caspase-8 and Bid. Moreover, specific inhibition of caspase-8 by siRNA technology effectively reduced caspase-9 processing, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, caspase-3 activation, and apoptosis in co-treated cells, which indicated that the caspase-8 feedback amplification pathway may have been involved in the apoptosis process. A previous study has shown that G-Rh2 induces cancer cell apoptosis via a Bcl-2 and/or Bcl-xL-independent mechanism, and Bet A induces apoptosis mainly through a mitochondrial pathway with tumor specificity. Since the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL are frequently overexpressed in human cancer cells, combined treatment with G-Rh2 and Bet A may be a novel strategy to enhance efficacy of anticancer therapy. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.


Could ALDH2*2 be the reason for low incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer for East Asia women?
It is curious that East Asian women have a low incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer in various epidemiological studies. Although different explanations were given, they appear unsubstantial. We notice that East Asian population usually are inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 mutation (ALDH2 * 2) carriers, and ALDH plays an important role in the resistance of ovarian cancer to chemotherapeutics, especially in ovarian cancer stem cells. Therefore, we hypothesize whether ALDH2 mutation is the major reason for low incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer in East Asian women, and use the evidence from literature, transcriptomic data with average 5-year overall survival to confirm our hypothesis.


Inbreeding and developmental stability in a small human population.
Inbreeding coefficients are reported for all members of the isolated Havasupai tribe of northern Arizona (USA), based upon pedigrees which are as deep as eight generations. Because inbreeding has been repeatedly shown to reduce developmental homeostasis in a large number of species, we ask if the degree of inbreeding in the Havasupai is associated with reduced developmental stability. Fluctuating asymmetry in two dermatoglyphic traits suggests that inbreeding significantly compromises developmental homeostasis in this population.


[Motivational interviewing in smoking treatment: a review].
Motivational Interviewing (MI) has proved to be effective with a wide range of addictive behaviors. However, in the case of tobacco smoking it is more difficult to demonstrate its effectiveness. MI provides specific motivational strategies for each stage of change. The aim of this paper is to review studies investigating the use of MI in the treatment of smoking in order to provide an update on its effectiveness. To this end, we reviewed the most important research published internationally and in Spain. A review of 33 selected studies leads us to conclude that it is very difficult to assess and compare the results of the studies in view of their variability and heterogeneity. Hence, it is in this area that we see the most contradictory results on its effectiveness. We therefore need more research in order to determine its reliability and possible explanations for the discrepant findings observed in studies of smoking cessation. Finally, we strongly suggest the need to know which treatment location is best, how MI functions in treatment programs and which conditions may affect its effectiveness.


Assessing the longitudinal relationship between whole egg consumption and cognition in Chinese older adults.
Given China's fast-growing aging population, cognitive decline is a leading public health concern. Eggs are an affordable food rich in several shortfall nutrients that may benefit cognitive health. This study assessed the longitudinal relationship between whole egg consumption and cognition among older adults in China. Individual-level data of 4737 Chinese adults 55+ years came from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 1997-2006 waves. Daily egg consumption was measured using 3-day 24-h dietary recalls. Cognitive functioning was assessed with immediate and delayed recall of a 10-word list, counting backward from 20, and serial 7 subtraction. Multivariate mixed-effects regressions were performed to estimate the longitudinal associations between daily whole egg consumption and cognitive functioning in older Chinese adults. Approximately 46% of CHNS participants were whole egg consumers, and their daily intake averaged 47.4 g. The overall cognitive functioning test scores, separate scores for cognitive functioning subdomains, and the prevalence of cognitive impairment at the baseline were modestly higher among whole egg consumers than nonconsumers. However, after adjusting for individual characteristics, multivariate mixed-effects regressions did not find daily whole egg consumption to be associated with cognitive functioning among CHNS participants. By contrast, several demographic and socioeconomic factors, such as age, education attainment, and health insurance coverage, were found to correlate with older Chinese adults' cognition. This study has measurement and design limitations. Future research should investigate the causal impact of habitual egg intake on different domains of cognition using experimental designs with an extended follow-up period.


Identification of the neural crest-specific enhancer of Seraf gene in avian peripheral nervous system development.
In vertebrate embryos, trunk neural crest cells give rise to Schwann cells, along with other derivatives. In this study, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms for the Schwann cell specification, we aimed to identify enhancer elements responsible for the expression of the Seraf gene, the earliest marker for the Schwann cell precursors in the avian embryos. We first compared the genomic structure around the Seraf locus in various vertebrates, and found that, while mammals do not have a Seraf homolog, teleost fish species have it. However, the intergenic sequences around the Seraf locus are not conserved between zebrafish and chicken, consistent with the fact that fish Seraf expression is not Schwann cell precursor-specific. We thus compared the intergenic sequences around the Seraf locus among avian species, and identified a potential enhancer containing a cluster of Sox10-binding sites. Accordingly, the identified enhancer is activated in a neural crest-specific manner in transfected quail embryos. We also found that Sox10 activated the enhancer in cultured cells. Thus, our results revealed a new role of Sox10 in the earliest phase of the Schwann cell fate specification.


Anesthetic Management of an Obstetric Patient With Ehlers-Danlos and Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndromes.
A 31-year-old, primigravida, nullipara (G1P0) female with a past medical history of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), newly diagnosed Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW), and fetal breech presentation initially presented at 36+5 weeks gestation for an external cephalic version (ECV). The patient noted significant symptomatology related to her WPW which had worsened over the course of her pregnancy despite being started on oral metoprolol. Despite joint recommendations from the anesthesia and obstetric teams to combine the ECV with a same-day scheduled induction of labor or cesarean section, the patient declined. An epidural catheter was placed using ultrasound guidance and slowly titrated with 2% lidocaine; however, the ECV was unsuccessful. At 39 weeks gestation, the patient underwent an uncomplicated low transverse cesarean section under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia. The patient was discharged two days later in stable condition with a referral to an electrophysiologist. Here we describe the anesthetic preparation and management for an external cephalic version and subsequent cesarean section in a patient with these two rare conditions.


Molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying magnesium-deficiency-induced enlargement, cracking and lignification of Citrus sinensis leaf veins.
Little is known about the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying magnesium (Mg)-deficiency-induced enlargement, cracking and lignification of midribs and main lateral veins of Citrus leaves. Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck seedlings were irrigated with nutrient solution at a concentration of 0 (Mg-deficiency) or 2 (Mg-sufficiency) mM Mg(NO3)2 for 16 weeks. Enlargement, cracking and lignification of veins occurred only in lower leaves, but not in upper leaves. Total soluble sugars (glucose + fructose + sucrose), starch and cellulose concentrations were less in Mg-deficiency veins of lower leaves (MDVLL) than those in Mg-sufficiency veins of lower leaves (MSVLL), but lignin concentration was higher in MDVLL than that in MSVLL. However, all four parameters were similar between Mg-deficiency veins of upper leaves (MDVUL) and Mg-sufficiency veins of upper leaves (MSVUL). Using label-free, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, we identified 1229 and 492 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in MDVLL vs MSVLL and MDVUL vs MSVUL, respectively. Magnesium-deficiency-induced alterations of Mg, nonstructural carbohydrates, cell wall components, and protein profiles were greater in veins of lower leaves than those in veins of upper leaves. The increased concentration of lignin in MDVLL vs MSVLL might be caused by the following factors: (i) repression of cellulose and starch accumulation promoted lignin biosynthesis; (ii) abundances of proteins involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, hormone biosynthesis and glutathione metabolism were increased; and (iii) the abundances of the other DAPs [viz., copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase, ascorbate oxidase (AO) and ABC transporters] involved in lignin biosynthesis were elevated. Also, the abundances of several proteins involved in cell wall metabolism (viz., expansins, Rho GTPase-activating protein gacA, AO, monocopper oxidase-like protein and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase) were increased in MDVLL vs MSVLL, which might be responsible for the enlargement and cracking of leaf veins.


Relationship between coping with interpersonal stressors and depressive symptoms in the United States, Australia, and China: a focus on reassessing coping.
Reassessing coping involves efforts to wait patiently for an appropriate opportunity to act or for a change or improvement in the situation, and can be observed in individuals encountering a stressful relationship event. It was hypothesized that reassessing coping would be negatively associated with depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional Web-based survey was conducted in order to test this hypothesis by examining relationships between coping strategies including reassessing coping, distancing coping and constructive coping for stressful relationship events and depressive symptoms. Participants were 1,500 individuals recruited from the general populations of the United States, Australia, and China. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that scores on coping strategies predicted depressive symptom scores in the samples from all three countries with medium or large effect sizes. Further, the beta values for reassessing coping scores were negative and significant in all samples, indicating that the hypothesis was supported for each of the population samples surveyed. In addition, distancing coping, which reflects strategies that attempt to actively damage, disrupt, and dissolve a stressful relationship, was associated with high levels of depressive symptoms. Reassessing coping for interpersonal stressors was be negatively associated with depressive symptoms in sample from general populations of the United States, Australia, and China.


Relations between physical activity and hippocampal functional connectivity: Modulating role of mind wandering.
Physical activity is critical for maintaining cognitive and brain health. Previous studies have indicated that the effect of physical activity on cognitive and brain function varies between individuals. The present study aimed to examine whether mind wandering modulated the relations between physical activity and resting-state hippocampal functional connectivity. A total of 99 healthy adults participated in neuroimaging data collection as well as reported their physical activity in the past week and their propensity to mind wandering during typical activities. The results indicated that mind wandering was negatively related to the resting-state functional connectivity between hippocampus and right inferior occipital gyrus. Additionally, for participants with higher level of mind wandering, physical activity was negatively related to hippocampal connectivity at left precuneus and right precentral gyrus. In contrast, such relations were positive at right medial frontal gyrus and bilateral precentral gyrus for participants with lower level of mind wandering. Altogether, these findings indicated that the relations between physical activity and hippocampal functional connectivity vary as a function of mind wandering level, suggesting that individual differences are important to consider when we aim to maintain or improve cognitive and brain health through increasing physical activity.


Enhanced pelvic responses to stressors in female CRF-overexpressing mice.
Acute stress affects gut functions through the activation of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors. The impact of acute stress on pelvic viscera in the context of chronic stress is not well characterized. We investigated the colonic, urinary, and locomotor responses monitored as fecal pellet output (FPO), urine voiding, and ambulatory activity, respectively, in female and male CRF-overexpressing (CRF-OE) mice, a chronic stress model, and their wild-type littermates (WTL). Female CRF-OE mice, compared with WTL, had enhanced FPO to 2-min handling (150%) and 60-min novel environment (155%) but displayed a similar response to a 60-min partial restraint stress. Female CRF-OE mice, compared with WTL, also had a significantly increased number of urine spots (7.3 +/- 1.4 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.8 spots/h) and lower locomotor activity (246.8 +/- 47.8 vs. 388.2 +/- 31.9 entries/h) to a novel environment. Male CRF-OE mice and WTL both responded to a novel environment but failed to show differences between them in colonic and locomotor responses. Male WTL, compared with female WTL, had higher FPO (113%). In female CRF-OE mice, the CRF(1)/CRF(2) receptor antagonist astressin B and the selective CRF(2) receptor agonist mouse urocortin 2 (injected peripherally) prevented the enhanced defecation without affecting urine or locomotor responses to novel environment. RT-PCR showed that CRF(1) and CRF(2) receptors are expressed in the mouse colonic tissues. The data show that chronic stress, due to continuous central CRF overdrive, renders female CRF-OE mice to have enhanced pelvic and altered behavioral responses to superimposed mild stressors and that CRF(1)-initiated colonic response is counteracted by selective activation of CRF(2) receptor.


Learning of Short Video Text Description of Nursing Teaching Based on Transformer.
Nursing is an important task in modern medical treatment, which can assist patients in the treatment and rehabilitation process. Nursing practitioners' skills and mentality can affect patient recovery and the speed of treatment. Therefore, there are already a large number of colleges and universities to carry out nursing teaching work. However, the current nursing teaching work still adopts the traditional teaching mode, which is no longer in line with the nursing work of the present era. Nursing teaching not only imparts nursing expertise to students, but it also requires higher practical ability. This study considers the integration of short video technology and text teaching mode into the teaching work of nursing. This study also used the transformer method to extract and predict the characteristics of nursing knowledge, nursing actions, and student satisfaction in short nursing teaching videos and texts. This study also explores the temporal characteristics existing in short videos of nursing teaching. The results show that the T-CNN-L method has higher accuracy than the T-CNN method in predicting the relevant features of nursing teaching short videos. The T-CNN-L method can also accurately and efficiently extract and predict nursing knowledge features and nursing action features.


Mature T-Cell leukemias: Challenges in Diagnosis.
T-cell clones can frequently be identified in peripheral blood. It can be difficult to appreciate whether these are benign and transient or whether they signify a clonal disorder. We review factors that aid in understanding the relevance of T-cell clones. Conversely, obvious pathological T-cell clones can be detected in blood, but there is uncertainty in how to categorize this clonal T cell population, thus, we adopt a multidisciplinary review of the clinical features, diagnostic material and radiology before making the diagnosis. In this review we shall discuss some of these challenges faced when diagnosing mature T-cell leukemias.


Wearable Microsystem for Minimally Invasive, Pseudo-Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring: The e-Mosquito.
This paper presents a wearable microsystem for minimally invasive, autonomous, and pseudo-continuous blood glucose monitoring, addressing a growing demand for replacing tedious fingerpricking tests for diabetic patients. Unlike prevalent solutions which estimate blood glucose levels from interstitial fluids or tears, our design extracts a whole blood sample from a small lanced skin wound using a novel shape memory alloy (SMA)-based microactuator and directly measures the blood glucose level from the sample. In vitro characterization determined that the SMA microactuator produced penetration force of 225 gf, penetration depth of 3.55 mm, and consumed approximately 5.56 mW·h for triggering. The microactuation mechanism was also evaluated by extracting blood samples from the wrist of four human volunteers. A total of 19 out of 23 actuations successfully reached capillary vessels below the wrists producing blood droplets on the surface of the skin. The integrated potentiostat-based glucose sensing circuit of our e-Mosquito device also showed a good linear correlation (R2 = 0.9733) with measurements using standard blood glucose monitoring technology. These proof-of-concept studies demonstrate the feasibility of the e-Mosquito microsystem for autonomous intermittent blood glucose monitoring.


Influence of sex differences in interpreting learning and memory within a clinical sample of older adults.
Sex is an important factor to consider when evaluating memory with older adults. This present study aimed to examine sex differences in memory within a clinical sample of older adults (N = 1084). Raw learning and recall scores on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Revised (HVLT-R) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, Revised (BVMT-R) were compared between sexes within the entire sample and cohorts stratified by age. Within the entire sample, women outperformed men in HVLT-R learning and recall, and there were no sex differences in BVMT-R performance. These sex differences, however, were absent or reversed for those with impaired HVLT-R performance and functional deficits, indicating that women retain an early advantage in verbal memory, which is lost with greater indication of disease severity. These findings indicate that women retain an advantage in verbal learning and memory, at least before significant levels of impairment, within a sample of older adults seen at an outpatient neurology clinic, which may have implications for diagnosing memory disorders.


Dual stimulation of antigen presenting cells using carbon nanotube-based vaccine delivery system for cancer immunotherapy.
Although anti-cancer immuno-based combinatorial therapeutic approaches have shown promising results, efficient tumour eradication demands further intensification of anti-tumour immune response. With the emerging field of nanovaccinology, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have manifested prominent potentials as tumour antigen nanocarriers. Nevertheless, the utilization of MWNTs in co-delivering antigen along with different types of immunoadjuvants to antigen presenting cells (APCs) has not been investigated yet. We hypothesized that harnessing MWNT for concurrent delivery of cytosine-phosphate-guanine oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG) and anti-CD40 Ig (αCD40), as immunoadjuvants, along with the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) could potentiate immune response induced against OVA-expressing tumour cells. We initially investigated the effective method to co-deliver OVA and CpG using MWNT to the APC. Covalent conjugation of OVA and CpG prior to loading onto MWNTs markedly augmented the CpG-mediated adjuvanticity, as demonstrated by the significantly increased OVA-specific T cell responses in vitro and in C57BL/6 mice. αCD40 was then included as a second immunoadjuvant to further intensify the immune response. Immune response elicited in vitro and in vivo by OVA, CpG and αCD40 was significantly potentiated by their co-incorporation onto the MWNTs. Furthermore, MWNT remarkably improved the ability of co-loaded OVA, CpG and αCD40 in inhibiting the growth of OVA-expressing B16F10 melanoma cells in subcutaneous or lung pseudo-metastatic tumour models. Therefore, this study suggests that the utilization of MWNTs for the co-delivery of tumour-derived antigen, CpG and αCD40 could be a competent approach for efficient tumours eradication.


Niclosamide Is a Much More Potent Toxicant of Mitochondrial Respiration than TFM in the Invasive Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus).
Invasive sea lampreys in the Laurentian Great Lakes are controlled by applying TFM (3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol) and niclosamide to streams infested with their larvae. Both agents uncouple oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria, but TFM specifically targets lampreys, which have a lower capacity to detoxify the lampricide. Niclosamide lacks specificity and is more potent than TFM. However, its greater potency is poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that niclosamide is a stronger uncoupler of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation than TFM by measuring oxygen consumption rates in isolated liver mitochondria exposed to physiologically relevant concentrations of TFM, niclosamide, or their mixture (100 TFM:1 niclosamide) at environmentally relevant temperatures (7, 13, and 25 °C). Niclosamide increased State 4 respiration and decreased the respiratory control ratio (RCR) at much lower concentrations than TFM. Calculations of the relative EC50 values, the amount of TFM or niclosamide required to decrease the RCR by 50%, indicated that niclosamide was 40-60 times more potent than TFM. Warmer temperature did not appear to decrease the sensitivity of mitochondria to niclosamide or TFM, as observed in the intact sea lamprey exposed to TFM in warmer waters. We conclude that the extreme sensitivity of mitochondria to niclosamide contributes to its greater in vivo toxicity in the whole animal.


A historical overview of RNAi in plants.
RNA interference, or RNAi, is arguably one of the most significant discoveries in biology in the last several decades. First recognized in plants (where it was called post-transcriptional gene silencing, PTGS) RNAi is a gene down-regulation mechanism since demonstrated to exist in all eukaryotes. In RNAi, small RNAs (of about 21-24 nucleotides) function to guide specific effector proteins (members of the Argonaute protein family) to a target nucleotide sequence by complementary base pairing. The effector protein complex then down-regulates the expression of the targeted RNA or DNA. Small RNA-directed gene regulation systems were independently discovered (and named) in plants, fungi, worms, flies, and mammalian cells. Collectively, PTGS, RNA silencing, and co-suppression (in plants); quelling (in fungi and algae); and RNAi (in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, and mammalian cells) are all examples of small RNA-based gene regulation systems. From the very beginning, plant research has had a major impact on our understanding of RNAi. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an historical perspective and overview on the discovery, characterization, and applications of RNAi in plants.


Association between VNTR Polymorphism in Promoter Region of Prodynorphin (PDYN) Gene and Methamphetamine Dependence.
Prodynorphin (PDYN; OMIM: 131340) is the precursor of the dynorphin related peptides which plays an important role in drug abuse. Previous studies have been shown that the expression of PDYN is regulated by a genetic polymorphism of VNTR in the promoter region of the gene. The present case-control study was performed on 52 (41 males, 11 females) methamphetamine dependence patients and 635 (525 males, 110 females) healthy blood donors frequency matched with the patients according to age and gender, as a control group was participated in the study. The genotypes of VNTR PDYN polymorphism were determined using PCR method. The HL (OR = 1.22, 95%CI: 0.67-2.20, P = 0.500) and LL (OR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.28-2.57, P = 0.792) genotypes does not alter the risk of methamphetamine dependence, in comparison with the HH genotypes. The present study revealed no association between the VNTR polymorphism in the promoter region of the PDYN gene and methamphetamine dependence risk.


Nursing models and research--a restricting view?
The question is asked, Do some nursing models present a restricting view? If so, then the type of research in nursing may be restricted also. The author examines the writings of several nurse theorists to demonstrate the development of a singular focus, the patient. This consideration is followed by an introduction of the thoughts of critics on the narrow perspective embraced by some nurses. Blind acceptance of any nursing model is questioned. The use of a model must be accompanied by discussion, exploration and adaptation. No one model provides a true picture for all nursing situations.


Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of polymeric micelles of paclitaxel with pluronic P105/poly(caprolactone) copolymers.
A novel polymeric micellar formulation of paclitaxel (PTX) with Pluronic/poly(caprolactone) (P105/ PCL50) has been developed with the purpose of improving in vitro release and in vivo circulating time of PTX in comparison to the current Taxol injection. This study was designed to investigate the preparation, in vitro release, in vivo pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the PTX-loaded, biodegradable, polymeric, P105/PCL50 micelle system. The drug-loaded micelles were prepared by dialysis using the hydrophobic drug, PTX, and the nonionic surfactant Pluronic P105 modified with a low molecular weight PCL. The results of dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiment indicated that the PTX-loaded micelles had a mean size of approximately 150 nm with narrow size distribution (polydispersity index < 0.3). The in vitro release study showed that the release of PTX from the micelles exhibited a sustained release behavior. A similar phenomenon was also observed in a pharmacokinetic assessment in rats, in which t1/2 beta and AUC of the PTX micelle formulation were 4.0 and 2.2-fold higher than that of Taxol injection. The biodistribution study in mice showed that the PTX micelle formulation not only decreased drug uptake by the liver, but also prolonged drug retention in the blood, and increased the distribution of drug in kidney, spleen, ovaries and uterus. These results suggested that the P105/ PCL50 polymeric micelles may efficiently load, protect and retain PTX in both in vitro and in vivo environments, and could be a useful drug carrier for i.v. administration of PTX.


Contractile responses of canine coronary collateral vessels.
This study examines the responses of coronary collateral vessels to various vasoconstrictors and compares them with responses of 3 different divisions of the native coronary arterial trees in dogs. Only high concentrations of phenylephrine induced contractions in collateral vessels and medium coronary arteries, whereas even a high concentration of this agent did not affect small coronary arteries. Lower concentrations of serotonin or ergonovine elicited contractions in collateral vessels, and medium and large coronary arteries, but even a high concentration of these agents did not affect small coronary arteries. Angiotensin II (10(-7) M) elicited prominent contractions in the following order: small vessels, collateral vessels, medium and large coronary arteries. These results indicate that well-developed collateral vessels behave like native medium diameter coronary artery, and that the tonus of collateral vessels is possibly influenced by various vasoactive substances.


[Local Microwave Hyperthermia for Advanced or Recurrent Breast Cancer].
The purpose of our study was to test the efficacy and toxicity of hyperthermia for treating breast cancer. Ten patients received treatment (AC, paclitaxel, S-1, and aromatase inhibitor) in combination with hyperthermia. The hyperthermia device was a microwave heating device with water loaded and water-cooled waveguides. The temperature was monitored subcutaneously in the skin under the aperture of the waveguide. Two patients had a partial response to treatment with only mild toxicity (grade 1 acute skin toxicity). Therefore, hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy for treating breast cancer seems to be effective and generally tolerable. A larger patient cohort is needed to confirm these results in the future.


Assessing the performance of a riparian vegetation model in a river with a low slope and fine sediment.
Riparian ecosystems are threatened worldwide, necessitating conservation strategies. Numerical models tailored for specific geographic areas have been developed as management support tools. However, few models are suitable for multiple river conditions, and developing these models or evaluating their suitability has become an emerging topic. The dynamic riparian vegetation model (DRIPVEM) is a numerical model developed for steep and gravelly Japanese rivers, where it has been successfully tested. Our objective was to assess the performance of DRIPVEM in a river with a low slope and fine sediment, similar to the characteristics of continental rivers. A reach of the Hii River was selected for testing the model's ability to predict the distribution of Salix spp. (willow) and herbs, as well as herb biomass and tree age. The model was calibrated based on field investigations of a selected river section. Simulation of the studied reach was carried out for the past five decades, depending on data availability. Non-parametric tests were used to compare the simulated and observed results. The simulated and observed vegetation distribution maps agreed fairly well and the sensitivity of the model for simulation of trees, herbs and bare areas was greater than 0.6. The kappa coefficients of agreement values were 0.48 and 0.49, indicating fair agreement. Moreover, the simulated biomass and tree age agreed well with observation. We conclude that the DRIPVEM simulated the observed conditions in the Hii River well, indicating that the model is applicable to rivers characterized by low slope and fine sediment grain size.


Distinct roles for dynein light intermediate chains in neurogenesis, migration, and terminal somal translocation.
Cytoplasmic dynein participates in multiple aspects of neocortical development. These include neural progenitor proliferation, morphogenesis, and neuronal migration. The cytoplasmic dynein light intermediate chains (LICs) 1 and 2 are cargo-binding subunits, though their relative roles are not well understood. Here, we used in utero electroporation of shRNAs or LIC functional domains to determine the relative contributions of the two LICs in the developing rat brain. We find that LIC1, through BicD2, is required for apical nuclear migration in neural progenitors. In newborn neurons, we observe specific roles for LIC1 in the multipolar to bipolar transition and glial-guided neuronal migration. In contrast, LIC2 contributes to a novel dynein role in the little-studied mode of migration, terminal somal translocation. Together, our results provide novel insight into the LICs' unique functions during brain development and dynein regulation overall.


[Preliminary measurement and analysis of the condylar movement envelope surface parameters in healthy adults].
Objective: To measure and analyze parameters of the three-dimensional (3D) model of the condylar movement envelope surface (ES) and provide a reference for the design of the temporomandibular prosthesis. Methods: Thirty-four healthy adults aged (25.4±2.8) years were recruited from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology as subjects. There were 9 males and 25 females, most of them were university students and others outside the university have received undergraduate education or above. Condylar movement ES were obtained using the previous method on the 3D trajectory of condyle. The simulations of condylar movement were projected according to opening movements, protrusion movements, and lateral movements respectively. The total area of the ES and the area proportions of models formed by above different mandibular movements were measured and calculated. The adults' head and maxillofacial 3D models reconstructed by cone beam CT were registered with ES in Geomagic Studio. The inner and outer poles of the condyle, the corrective sagittal axis of the ES, and the median sagittal plane (MSP) were calibrated in registration models using Geomagic Studio, and the parameters were measured as follows: the anteroposterior and medialateral diameters of the condyle, the anteroposterior diameters and the transverse diameters (anterior, middle and posterior parts) of the ES, the angles between the corrective sagittal axis of the ES and MSP (ES-MSP). Pearson correlation analysis was performed by SPSS 24.0. Results: The total area of the ES was (760±133) mm2, the opening movement part accounted for (63.3±15.2)%, the protrusion movement part accounted for (14.9±9.6)%, the lateral movement part accounted for (21.8±13.3)%. Parameter measurements were as follows: mediolateral diameters of condyle was (19.8±2.3) mm; anteroposterior diameter of the ES was (21.2±3.1) mm, the transverse diameters (anterior, middle and posterior parts) of the ES were (20.6±2.4), (20.4±2.4), (22.0±2.6) mm, respectively; the transverse diameters of the ES were about 2 mm larger than that of the condyle. The angle between the corrective sagittal axis of ES and the MSP was 6.8°±6.2°. The coefficient of variation (CV) in these parameters showed: CV of the transverse diameters (anterior, middle and posterior parts) of the ES and mediolateral diameter of the condyle were 0.98, 0.99, 0.93, respectively (P<0.001). CV of aera of ES and mediolateral diameter of the condyle was 0.64 (P=0.002). CV of aera of ES and anteroposterior diameter of ES was 0.62 (P=0.004). Conclusions: The 3D envelope surface model formed by mandibular opening movements accounted for the largest proportion of the ES. The corrective sagittal axis of the ES was at an angle to the MSP, the transverse diameters (anterior, middle and posterior parts) of the ES were approximately 2 mm larger than the mediolateral diameter of the condyle, the transverse diameters (anterior, middle and posterior parts) of the ES were highly positively correlated with the mediolateral diameter of the condyle.


Protease-activated receptor 2 activation inhibits N-type Ca2+ currents in rat peripheral sympathetic neurons.
The protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 is highly expressed in endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. It plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure via the modulation of peripheral vascular tone. Although several mechanisms have been suggested to explain PAR-2-induced hypotension, the precise mechanism remains to be elucidated. To investigate this possibility, we investigated the effects of PAR-2 activation on N-type Ca(2+) currents (I(Ca-N)) in isolated neurons of the celiac ganglion (CG), which is involved in the sympathetic regulation of mesenteric artery vascular tone. PAR-2 agonists irreversibly diminished voltage-gated Ca(2+) currents (I(Ca)), measured using the patch-clamp method, in rat CG neurons, whereas thrombin had little effect on I(Ca). This PAR-2-induced inhibition was almost completely prevented by ω-CgTx, a potent N-type Ca(2+) channel blocker, suggesting the involvement of N-type Ca(2+) channels in PAR-2-induced inhibition. In addition, PAR-2 agonists inhibited I(Ca-N) in a voltage-independent manner in rat CG neurons. Moreover, PAR-2 agonists reduced action potential (AP) firing frequency as measured using the current-clamp method in rat CG neurons. This inhibition of AP firing induced by PAR-2 agonists was almost completely prevented by ω-CgTx, indicating that PAR-2 activation may regulate the membrane excitability of peripheral sympathetic neurons through modulation of N-type Ca(2+) channels. In conclusion, the present findings demonstrate that the activation of PAR-2 suppresses peripheral sympathetic outflow by modulating N-type Ca(2+) channel activity, which appears to be involved in PAR-2-induced hypotension, in peripheral sympathetic nerve terminals.


Three-dimensional distribution of transient interactions in the nuclear pore complex obtained from single-molecule snapshots.
The translocation of large macromolecules through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) of eukaryotic cells is hindered by the phenylalanine-glycine (FG) nucleoporin (Nup) barrier unless molecules are chaperoned by transport receptors. The precise mechanism of facilitated translocation remains unclear due to the challenges of measuring the series of transient interactions between a transport receptor and the FG-Nups. This study developed single-point edge-excitation subdiffraction microscopy to obtain a three-dimensional density map of the transient interactions with a spatiotemporal resolution of 9 nm and 400 mus. Three unique features were observed under real-time trafficking conditions that have escaped detection by conventional electron microscopy: (i) the spatial density of interaction sites between Importin beta1 (Imp beta1, a major transport receptor) and the FG-Nups gradually increases from both sides of the NPC and is highest in the central pore region; (ii) cargo-free or cargo-bound Imp beta1 rarely occupies an axial channel with a diameter of approximately 10-20 nm at its narrowest point through the NPC; and (iii) the pathway of facilitated translocation through the NPC depends more on the interaction sites of the FG-Nups than on the NPC architecture.


Phagocyte function in various situations in surgery.
A brief presentation is given of granulocyte physiology, as well as some techniques in use for assessing the adherance, the migration, the uptake and bacterial killing and finally the metabolic activity of these cells. Also the activities of the reticuloendothelial system and an in vivo method to measure the phagocytic and metabolic function of macrophages are described. A change, most often a decrease, in phagocytic function has been noted in several circumstances common in surgical practice. So is the case after open heart surgery, during infusion with colloids for blood replacement, and during treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. Further, various forms of malnutrition, such as total starvation, obesity and the hypertriglyceridemia following excessive infusion of fat emulsions may impair granulocyte function.


Pharmacophore feature prediction and molecular docking approach to identify novel anti-HCV protease inhibitors.
Discovering a potential drug for HCV treatment is a challenging task in the field of drug research. This study initiates with computational screening and modeling of promising ligand molecules. The foremost modeling method involves the identification of novel compound and its molecular interaction based on pharmacophore features. A total of 197 HCV compounds for NS3/4A protein target were screened for our study. The pharmacophore models were generated using PHASE module implemented in Schrodinger suite. The pharmacophore features include one hydrogen bond acceptor, one hydrogen bond donor, and three hydrophobic sites. As a result, based on mentioned hypothesis the model ADHHH.159 corresponds to the CID 59533233. Furthermore, docking was performed using maestro for all the 197 compounds. Among these, the CID 59533313 and 59533233 possess the best binding energy of -11.75 and -10.40 kcal/mol, respectively. The interactions studies indicated that the CID complexed with the NS3/4A protein possess better binding affinity with the other compounds. Further the compounds were subjected to calculate the ADME properties. Therefore, it can be concluded that these two compounds could be a potential alternative drug for the development of HCV.


The nature and effects of cortical microvascular pathology in aging and Alzheimer's disease.
Age-related and amyloid-induced pathology of the cerebral microvasculature have been implicated as potential contributing factors to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The microvasculature plays a crucial role in maintaining brain homeostasis and deterioration of its integrity may have deleterious effects on brain function in AD, possibly leading to neurofibrillary degeneration, plaque formation, and cell loss. Brain vessels possess peculiar anatomical and physiological properties owing to their role in the exchange processes of various substances between blood and brain, which are highly regulated for the maintenance of ionic homeostasis of the neuronal environment. Here we review neuropathological aspects of cortical microvessels in aging and AD in relationship to known cardiovascular risk factors and their possible impact on the cognitive decline seen in late-onset dementia.


Protein kinase C and guanosine triphosphate combine to potentiate calcium-dependent membrane fusion driven by annexin 7.
Exocytotic secretion is promoted by the concerted action of calcium, guanine nucleotide, and protein kinase C. We now show that the calcium-dependent membrane fusion activity of annexin 7 in vitro is further potentiated by the combined addition of guanine nucleotide and protein kinase C. The observed increment involves the simultaneous activation of annexin 7 by these two effectors. Guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and its non-hydrolyzable analogues optimally enhance the phosphorylation of annexin 7 by protein kinase C in vitro. Reciprocally, phosphorylation by protein kinase C significantly potentiates the binding and hydrolysis of GTP by annexin 7. Only protein kinase C-dependent phosphorylation has a significant positive effect on annexin 7 GTPase, although other protein kinases, including cAMP-dependent protein kinase, cGMP-dependent protein kinase, and pp60(c-)(src), have been shown to label the protein with high efficiency. In vivo, the ratio of bound GDP/GTP and phosphorylation of annexin 7 change in direct proportion to the extent of catecholamine release from chromaffin cells in response to stimulation by carbachol, or to inhibition by various protein kinase C inhibitors. These results thus lead us to hypothesize that annexin 7 may serve as a common site of action for calcium, guanine nucleotide, and protein kinase C in the exocytotic membrane fusion process in chromaffin cells.


Acquired haemophilia A: the importance of early recognition in cases of spontaneous bleeding in the elderly.
We describe the case of a 79-year-old man who presented 'off legs' with acute right leg pain. He was initially treated for suspected cellulitis but subsequently found to have spontaneous soft tissue bleeding into the right thigh. He was eventually diagnosed with idiopathic acquired haemophilia A and treated with activated prothrombin complex concentrates to control acute bleeding followed by immunosuppressant therapy. Acquired haemophilia A is a potentially life-threatening and under-recognised bleeding disorder that results from the immune-mediated development of autoantibodies directed against coagulation factor VIII. The disease is more common in elderly individuals where early recognition and treatment is compounded by the presence of other comorbid conditions, including other potential causes of bleeding. These confounding factors and lack of awareness among non-specialists accounts for the delay in diagnosis that is common in this disease and contributes to the persistently high mortality in this age group.


Effects of small peptides or amino acids infused to a perfused area of the skin of Angora goats on mohair growth.
The effect of infusing dipeptides or their amino acids on mohair growth of Angora goats was investigated using a skin perfusion technique. Seven Angora wethers (average BW 24 +/- 2.5 kg) were implanted bilaterally with silicon catheters into the superficial branches of the deep circumflex iliac artery and vein and carotid artery. The experiment consisted of three 28-d phases. In the first 14 d of Phases 1 and 3, saline was infused into deep circumflex iliac arteries supplying skin and in Phase 2 a mixture of dipeptides (methionine-leucine [Met-Leu], lysine-leucine [Lys-Leu]) was infused into the artery on one side, and free amino acids were administered on the other side. Infusion rates of peptides were 0.85 mg/h Met-Leu and 0.85 mg/h Lys-Leu in 2.4 mL saline. Infusion rates of amino acids were 0.474 mg/h Lys, 0.483 mg/h Met, and 0.743 mg/h Leu in 2.4 mL saline. A 100-cm2 area within the perfused region was used to determine mohair growth. Two weeks after the cessation of infusions, perfused areas were shorn. Clean mohair production from the dipeptide- and amino acids-perfused regions were similar (4.21 vs 4.35 g/[100 cm2 +/- 28 d], respectively; P > 0.05). However, clean mohair production during dipeptides and amino acids infusions was greater (P < 0.01) than that observed during saline infusions (3.63 g/[100 cm2 +/- 28 d]). There were no significant differences between dipeptides and free amino acids in concentrations of various hormones and metabolites in blood from deep circumflex iliac veins (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the studied small dipeptides and amino acids similarly increased mohair fiber growth, presumably through supplying limiting amino acids directly to the fiber follicle.


Surgical outcomes in osteosarcoma.
From the European Osteosarcoma Intergroup study 202 patients were assessed with respect to their surgical treatment. Although treated in three different centres the survival of the three groups was identical (57% at five years). Two of the centres had rates of limb salvage of 85% and 83%, respectively, while the third had a rate of 49%. The corresponding risks of local recurrence were 13.3%, 6.8% and 2.5%, with all local recurrences arising in limbs with attempted limb salvage. Local recurrence was closely related to the adequacy of the margins of excision and to the chemotherapeutic response. Patients who had undergone limb-salvage surgery and who developed local recurrence still had a better survival than those who had primary amputation (37% v 31% survival at five years). Of patients who relapsed, 31% of those with local recurrence alone were cured by further treatment, as compared with only 10% of those with metastases. Limb-salvage surgery with effective chemotherapy remains the optimum treatment for osteosarcoma.


Associations Between Anesthetic Variables and Functional Outcome in Dogs With Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disk Extrusion Undergoing Decompressive Hemilaminectomy.
Outcome of acute experimental spinal cord injury is strongly associated with tissue perfusion and oxygenation. Cardiopulmonary depression could affect outcome in dogs undergoing general anesthesia for surgical treatment of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk extrusion (IVDE). To evaluate the effects of general anesthesia on functional outcome in dogs undergoing surgery to treat thoracolumbar IVDE. Eighty-four client-owned dogs with acute thoracolumbar IVDE treated by decompressive hemilaminectomy. Exploratory, retrospective observational study. Medical records were reviewed for clinical presentation and anesthetic monitoring variables, including duration of anesthesia and surgery, hypotension, bradycardia, temperature, and respiratory parameters. Multivariable regression tree analysis was performed to explore associations between anesthetic variables and functional outcome scores after 6 weeks, as well as return to ambulatory status. Episodes of bradycardia (69%) and hypotension (57%) were frequent. Across all outcome measures, regression tree analysis highlighted functional grade at presentation as the primary determining factor, and among pain perception negative dogs, there was a possible association between increased duration of surgery and poorer outcome. In dogs with intact pain perception, duration of bradycardia, mean body temperature, and mean end-tidal carbon dioxide were highlighted. Exploratory statistical methods can facilitate hypothesis-generating studies to inform prospective investigations in veterinary medicine. Although the mechanism is uncertain, increased duration of surgery might be associated with poorer outcome in pain perception negative dogs with thoracolumbar IVDE.