Health Status of Immigrant Children and Environmental Survey of Child Daycare Centers in Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand.
Samut Sakhon is a Thai province popular among immigrants attracted to work in factories and the Thai food industry, especially people from Myanmar. Poor personal-hygiene behaviors, crowded accommodation and limited sanitation, result in health problems among immigrant workers. Various infectious diseases among this group are seen and managed by Samut Sakhon General Hospital. The impact of intestinal parasitic infections on public health is well known; they can spread from infected immigrant areas to uninfected areas via close contact and fecal-oral transmission from contaminated food and water. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among 372 immigrant children at 8 child-daycare centers during their parents' work time, by physical examination, fecal examination, and examination of the environment around the centers. Physical examinations were generally unremarkable, except that head-lice and fingernail examinations were positive in two cases (0.8 %). The results showed intestinal parasitic infections to be highly prevalent, at 71.0 %. These infections comprised both helminths and protozoa: Trichuris trichiura (50.8 %), Enterobius vermicularis (25.2 %), Ascaris lumbricoides (15.3 %), hookworm (11.6 %), Giardia lamblia (10.2 %), Endolimax nana (3.5 %), Entamoeba coli (2.7 %), and Blastocystis hominis (0.5 %). The environmental survey found a small number of houseflies near the accommodation to be positive for helminthic eggs (0.2 %), including A. lumbricoides, E. vermicularis, hookworms, Taenia spp., and minute intestinal flukes. Regarding the high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among children, it has been conjectured whether they were infected, along with their parents, during their daily lives before or after settling in Thailand. Intestinal parasites among immigrant children may involve a significant epidemiological impact, since immigrant children can serve as carriers and transmitters of disease.


Emerging obesity among preschool-aged Canadian Inuit children: results from the Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey.
The study goal was to evaluate the growth status of preschool-age Canadian Inuit children. As part of a larger study of population health across the Canadian High Arctic, the International Polar Year Inuit Health Survey collected growth and nutrition data on 388 children aged 3 to 5 years. Data collection included anthropometric measures, health history, food frequency and 24-hour recall. Height and BMI were compared with the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth reference (1); 24-hour recall and FFQ results were tabulated to produce daily and monthly frequencies of consumption of market and country foods. Mean height-for-age z-scores were comparable, but body mass index z-scores were significantly greater than the U.S. standard reference population for all age and sex categories. The overall prevalence of overweight was 50.8%. There were significantly more boys (57.1%) than girls (45.2%) in the overweight category. An examination of biological, socio-economic and dietary factors, including birth weight, breastfeeding, day care attendance, traditional and market food consumption and sweetened beverage consumption revealed no significant associations that could explain the development of obesity risk in this population. Stature in preschool-age Inuit children is comparable to the U.S. reference, indicating that the previously reported secular trend toward increasing height has continued. Overweight prevalence is higher than that previously reported in Inuit children and may be occurring at an earlier age. The gender difference in child overweight prevalence runs counter to that reported in adults, leading to concern that contemporary growth atterns may result in significant increases in obesity-related illness for young Inuit men.


[Improvement of heavy metal removing strain by protoplast combination mutant].
Ultraviolet and HNO2 were selected as the mutagens to perform the single factor and multi-factor induction mutation towards Candida utilis CR-001. Six mutant strains which possessed high heavy metal removal efficiency and high resistance to Cr6+ were obtained through combined induction with UV and HNO2. After they were subcultured for 10 generations, the diameter of bacteriostatic circle of CRC2811-1 and CRC7-2 was reduced to 1.7 mm and 1.2 mm respectively, while the Cr6+ removal efficiency of CRC2811-1 was increased from 80.2% to 95.2%, and that of CRC7-2 was from 81.2% to 94.7%. The stability of the other 4 mutant strains was rather stable. Furthermore, precipitation of chromium outside or inside the cell was studied by using combined technique of scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy(AFM), and the mechanism of chromium removal improvement by the mutant strains was discussed.


Taking control over microbial populations: Current approaches for exploiting biological noise in bioprocesses.
Phenotypic plasticity of microbial cells has attracted much attention and several research efforts have been dedicated to the description of methods aiming at characterizing phenotypic heterogeneity and its impact on microbial populations. However, different approaches have also been suggested in order to take benefit from noise in a bioprocess perspective, e.g. by increasing the robustness or productivity of a microbial population. This review is dedicated to outline these controlling methods. A common issue, that has still to be addressed, is the experimental identification and the mathematical expression of noise. Indeed, the effective interfacing of microbial physiology with external parameters that can be used for controlling physiology depends on the acquisition of reliable signals. Latest technologies, like single cell microfluidics and advanced flow cytometric approaches, enable linking physiology, noise, heterogeneity in productive microbes with environmental cues and hence allow correctly mapping and predicting biological behavior via mathematical representations. However, like in the field of electronics, signals are perpetually subjected to noise. If appropriately interpreted, this noise can give an additional insight into the behavior of the individual cells within a microbial population of interest. This review focuses on recent progress made at describing, treating and exploiting biological noise in the context of microbial populations used in various bioprocess applications.


Electrochemical analysis of nucleic acids at boron-doped diamond electrodes.
Highly conductive boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes are well suited for performing electrochemical measurements of nucleic acids in aqueous solution under diffusion-only control. The advantageous properties of this electrodic material in this context include reproducibility and the small background currents observed at very positive potentials, along with its robustness under extreme conditions so offering promising capabilities in future applications involving thermal heating or ultrasonic treatment. tRNA, single and double stranded DNA and 2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-monophosphate (dGMP) have been studied and well defined peaks were observed in all cases, directly assignable to the electro-oxidation of deoxyguanosine monophosphate.


Immediate effects of stance and swing phase training on gait in patients with stroke.
To compare the effects of gait trainings targeting the stance (stance training) and the swing phases (swing training) among the subjects with stroke, and quantify the characteristics in the subjects who benefitted from either the stance training or the swing training. Sixteen subjects with stroke performed the stance training, which focused on the center of pressure to move from the heel to the forefoot, and the swing training, which focused on the improvement of hip flexion in the swing phase. To investigate the immediate effects of the stance training and the swing training, the instrumented gait analysis was performed before and after training. To quantify the characteristics, subjects were divided into two groups based on the gait speed change. These two groups were compared using clinical examinations. After the stance training, the center of pressure displacement of the paretic limb was increased compared with the swing training. Subjects who benefitted from the stance training had slower Timed Up and Go and weaker paretic hip muscle strength than those who benefitted from the swing training. Stance training may be more effective in subjects with slower Timed Up and Go outcomes and weaker hip muscles.


From chaos to developmental growth: Working through trauma to achieve adolescence in the analysis of an adopted Russian orphan.
In seven years of treatment beginning with an extended evaluation/psychotherapy phase of one year's duration followed by a six-year analysis, a picture emerged shedding light on the resilience of this child who had at first appeared too disturbed and intellectually limited to benefit from an analysis. Her first seventeen months of life were spent with her mother in the otherwise deplorable physical conditions of a Russian prison cell. From there she went to at least two different orphanages before being adopted by American parents when she was seven and a half. With analytic treatment, Nikita evolved from a traumatized child, whose inner world reflected the many losses and abuses she had suffered, to a competent adolescent equipped to use the loving relationships her adoptive parents offered her. Analysis of defense, labeling of affects, and use of the analyst as a developmental object all contributed to the therapeutic action and to my patient's modification of sadomasochistic and narcissistic defenses allowing her to fully develop her capacity for mentalization.


Penile strangulation due to plastic bottle neck: a surgical emergency.
Use of various metallic and non-metallic constricting objects on the external male genitalia for increasing sexual performance or because of autoerotic intentions is an unusual practice that can potentially lead to penile strangulation with severe consequences. Depending on the type of constricting material, emergency removal of such an object is a challenge. We report a case of a 45-year-old man who presented to our hospital with a hard plastic bottle neck at the base of his penis that led to penile strangulation. The constricting agent was successfully removed. The patient had an uneventful recovery.


Supramaximal stimulation during intraoperative facial nerve monitoring as a simple parameter to predict early functional outcome after parotidectomy.
A supramaximal stimulation at 2 mA during intraoperative electromyographic (EMG) facial nerve monitoring appears to be a simple and effective parameter to predict immediate postoperative injury. To assess the role of systematic intraoperative facial nerve monitoring in predicting the early functional outcomes obtained after parotidectomy. Data were collected from patients who underwent parotidectomy. Intraoperative EMG monitoring of the facial nerve was performed by registering two parameters, event intensity (>100 μV) and amplitude of response after a supramaximal stimulation at 2 mA, at the beginning and end of gland removal. Early postoperative clinical functional facial nerve disorder was assessed at day 2. Overall, 50 patients were included and an early facial dysfunction was detected in 27 cases (54%). The maximal response amplitude after supramaximal stimulation at the trunk of the facial nerve was higher in patients with normal facial function compared with those with poor outcomes at the end of surgery (p < 0.01). The postdissection to predissection ratios of maximal response amplitude, but not the stimulation thresholds, were indicative of a nerve conduction block and were significantly lower in the patient group with a poor outcome compared with the group with a normal facial outcome (p < 0.02).


Myocardial perfusion after marathon running.
We investigated the effects of acute prolonged exercise (marathon running) on cardiac function and myocardial perfusion. Cardiac dimensions and function were measured in seven endurance-trained men using echocardiography before and repeatedly after marathon (42.2 km) running (at 10 min, 150 min, and 20 h). Myocardial perfusion and perfusion resistance were measured using positron emission tomography and 15O-H2O before and 85-115 min after running. Echocardiographic indices showed only mild and clinically non-significant changes in cardiac function after running. Rate-pressure-corrected basal myocardial perfusion (0.89+/-0.13 vs. 1.20+/-0.32 mL min(-1) g(-1), P=0.04) was increased after running. Also, adenosine-stimulated perfusion tended to be higher (3.67+/-0.81 vs. 4.47+/-0.52 mL min(-1) g(-1), P=0.12) and perfusion resistance during adenosine stimulation was significantly lower after running (26+/-6 vs. 18+/-3 mmHg min g mL(-1), P=0.03). Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration was significantly increased after running. These results show that marathon running does not cause marked changes in cardiac function in healthy men. Basal perfusion was increased after exercise, probably reflecting changes in fuel preferences to increased use of FFAs. Strenuous exercise also seems to enhance coronary reactivity, which could thereby serve as a protective mechanism to vascular events after exercise.


EBI2 regulates pro-inflammatory signalling and cytokine release in astrocytes.
The endogenous oxysterol 7α, 25-dihydroxycholesterol (7α25HC) ligand activates the G protein-coupled receptor EBI2 to regulate T cell-dependant antibody response and B cell migration. We have demonstrated that EBI2 is expressed in human and mouse astrocytes, that 7α25HC induces intracellular signalling and astrocyte migration, and that EBI2 plays a role in the crosstalk between astrocytes and macrophages. Recently, we demonstrate that EBI2 regulates myelin development and inhibits LPC-induced demyelination. Here, we show that 7α25HC inhibits LPS- and IL17/TNF-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine release in astrocytes. We observe the following: 1. Human astrocytes treated with IL17/TNF increases the nuclear translocation of NFκB, which is attenuated by pre-treatment with 7α25HC; 2. IL17/TNF increases cell impedance in human astrocytes, which is also attenuated by pre-treatment with 7α25HC; 3. The EBI2 antagonist NIBR189 inhibits these effects of 7α25HC, supporting the role of EBI2; 4. in vivo data corroborate these in vitro findings, showing that EBI2 knock-out (KO) animals display enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine in response to LPS challenge, in the brain. These results demonstrate a role for oxysterol/EBI2 signalling in attenuating the response of astrocytes to pro-inflammatory signals as well as limiting the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain.


The recent landscape of cancer research worldwide: a bibliometric and network analysis.
The aim of this paper is to map the scientific landscape related to cancer research worldwide between 2012 and 2017. We use scientific publication data from Web of Science Core Collection and combine bibliometrics and social network analysis techniques to identify the most relevant journals, research areas, countries and research organizations in cancer scientific landscape. The results show: Oncotarget as the journal with most publications; a significant increase in China's publications, reaching United States' publications in 2017; MD Cancer Center, University of California and Harvard University as organizations with most publications; cell biology as the most frequent research area; breast, lung and colorectal cancer as the most frequent keywords; high density of co-authorship between organizations in the West, especially in the US, and low density between organizations in Asian and lower and medium income countries. Our findings can be used to guide a global knowledge platform guiding policy, planning and funding decisions as well as to establish new institutional collaborations.


1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of diazoalkanes to activated sulfoxides: influence of Lewis acids.
[reaction: see text] The reactions of diazomethane and diazoethane with (S)-3-p-tolylsulfinylfuran-2(5H)-one (3) and its 4-methyl derivative (4) have been studied. The sulfinyl group was able to completely control the pi-facial selectivity of all these reactions, which decreased when the polarity of the solvent increased and could be inverted in the presence of Lewis acids, Yb(OTf)(3) being the most efficient catalyst. This behavior made possible the stereodivergent synthesis of diastereoisomeric pyrazolines in almost quantitative yields and de's higher than 98%. The endo/exo selectivity was also complete in reactions of 3 with diazoethane, whereas 4 afforded an easily separable 1:1 mixture of diastereoisomers. Steric factors accounts for the endo/exo selectivity, whereas electrostatic interactions must also be considered to explain the facial selectivity.


Cation-pi interactions studied in a model coiled-coil peptide.
Cation-pi interactions between aromatic amino acids and the positively charged residues lysine and arginine have been proposed to play an important role in stabilizing protein structure. We have used a peptide that adopts a coiled coil structure as a model system to evaluate the energetic contribution of cation-pi interactions to protein folding. Peptides were designed in which phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan were placed at a solvent-exposed position of the helix, one turn removed from an arginine residue that could provide a favorable cation-pi interaction. Only the arginine-phenylalanine pairing provided significant stabilization of the peptide structure and it appears that hydrophobic packing, rather than the cation-pi effect, is more likely to be responsible for the stability of this peptide. We conclude that any stabilizing effect of cation-pi interactions in these peptides is much smaller than that predicted from computational studies.


Protein precipitate recovery using microporous membranes.
The use of microporous membranes has been examined for the recovery of precipitated protein suspensions and related soluble protein. Membrane flux rates and soluble protein transmissions are reported for unstirred batch-cell studies and cross-flow experiments. The unstirred batch-cell gave soluble protein transmissions in the range 80-100% for feeds containing either soluble protein or a mix of soluble and isoelectrically precipitated protein. In all cases a sharp decline in flux was observed which was, for example, considerably greater for soluble protein at its isoelectric point, pH 4.6, than at pH 8.8. The presence of precipitated protein led to a further decrease in flux rate. In cross-flow studies, flux decline was eventually accompanied by a significant decline in soluble protein transmission. The flux protein-transmission characteristics of microporous membranes are discussed in terms of the interaction of the soluble and precipitated protein with the membrane.


[Hypoxic stimulation leads to the changes of inflammatory factors in mucosal epithelial cells of nasal polyps].
Objective: To investigate the roles of hypoxic stimulation in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) by comparing the variation and differences of inflammatory factors secreted from epithelial cells of nasal polyps and normal nasal mucosa under hypoxic stimulation. Methods: Sixty-eight patients who were diagnosed with CRSwNP from June 2015 to January 2018 at China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University were analyzed, including 36 males and 32 females, aged (45.2±12.5) years. Nasal polyps mucosa was included in CRS-NP group and inferior turbinate mucosa was included in CRS-IT group. According to the degree of eosinophil infiltration in histopathologic results, each of these two groups was further divided into eosinophil infiltration and non-eosinophil infiltration as Eos-NP group (n=34), Non-Eos-NP group (n=34), Eos-IT group (n=20) and Non-Eos-IT group (n=20). The inferior turbinate mucosa of twenty-five patients who were diagnosed with cyst of paranasal sinus or deviation of nasal septum was classified as control group (n=25), including 14 males and 11 females, aged (42.8±10.2) years. The expression of interleukin 17A (IL-17A), interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in each group was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. After 0, 24 and 48 h hypoxic stimulation, the secretion of IL-17A, IFN-γ, TNF-α in primary nasal mucosa epithelial cells of each group was tested by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) experiment; the expression of HIF-1α was tested by immunofluorescent staining and imaging and Western blot. SPSS 17.0 software and two-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Results: Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of IL-17A and TNF-α was much higher in control group (optical density (OD) value was 0.37±0.03, 0.53±0.02, respectively) and the expression of IFN-γ and HIF-1α was much higher in Eos-IT group (OD value was 0.47±0.03, 0.39±0.02, respectively). The secretion of IL-17A and TNF-α was much lower in control group than that in other groups under normal condition. After 48 h hypoxic stimulation, the secretion of IL-17A and TNF-α was much higher in control group compared with other groups. The secretion of IFN-γ in Eos-NP group was much higher than that in control group under normal condition ((13.7±1.3) pg/ml vs (11.1±1.6) pg/ml, P<0.05). After 48 h hypoxic stimulation, there was no difference of IFN-γ between control group and Eos-NP group. The expression of HIF-1α decreased in Eos-NP group and Non-Eos-NP group while increased in CRS-IT group and control group upon prolonged exposure to hypoxia. HIF-1α was mostly located at cytoplasm of epithelial cells in control and CRS-IT group while mainly located at nucleus of epithelial cells in CRS-NP group. Conclusions: The secretion of IL-17A, TNF-α, IFN-γ and the expression of HIF-1α show significant difference between normal nasal mucosa, polyps and inferior turbinate of CRSwNP under hypoxic stimulation, presenting different subcellular localization. This illustrates the proteins above are involved in transcription and regulation of the gene responsible for the pathogenesis of CRSwNP.


Membrane-associated aquaporin-1 facilitates osmotically driven water flux across the basolateral membrane of the thick ascending limb.
The thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle (TAL) reabsorbs ∼30% of filtered NaCl but is impermeable to water. The observation that little water traverses the TAL indicates an absence of water channels at the apical membrane. Yet TAL cells swell when peritubular osmolality decreases indicating that water channels must be present in the basolateral side. Consequently, we hypothesized that the water channel aquaporin-1 (AQP1) facilitates water flux across the basolateral membrane of TALs. Western blotting revealed AQP1 expression in microdissected rat and mouse TALs. Double immunofluorescence showed that 95 ± 2% of tubules positive for the TAL-specific marker Tamm-Horsfall protein were also positive for AQP1 (n = 6). RT-PCR was used to demonstrate presence of AQP1 mRNA and the TAL-specific marker NKCC2 in microdissected TALs. Cell surface biotinylation assays showed that 23 ± 3% of the total pool of AQP1 was present at the TAL basolateral membrane (n = 7). To assess the functional importance of AQP1 in the basolateral membrane, we measured the rate of cell swelling initiated by decreasing peritubular osmolality as an indicator of water flux in microdissected TALs. Water flux was decreased by ∼50% in Aqp1 knockout mice compared with wild-types (4.0 ± 0.8 vs. 8.9 ± 1.7 fluorescent U/s, P < 0.02; n = 7). Furthermore, arginine vasopressin increased TAL AQP1 expression by 135 ± 17% (glycosylated) and 41 ± 11% (nonglycosylated; P < 0.01; n =5). We conclude that 1) the TAL expresses AQP1, 2) ∼23% of the total pool of AQP1 is localized to the basolateral membrane, 3) AQP1 mediates a significant portion of basolateral water flux, and 4) AQP1 is upregulated in TALs of rats infused with dDAVP. AQP1 could play an important role in regulation of TAL cell volume during changes in interstitial osmolality, such as during a high-salt diet or water deprivation.


Assessing the need for a specialist service for people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems living in Israel: a qualitative study.
It is well established that people with intellectual disabilities are at higher risk of developing mental illnesses. This study aimed to assess the need for a specialized service for people (children and adults) with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems living in Israel. Our research question was: is there a need for a specialist mental health service for people with intellectual disabilities living in Israel and, if so, what type of service would be most appropriate? We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 14 major stakeholders to identify key themes in response to our research question. The data were coded and themes were identified. Participants were generally not satisfied with current mental health care for people with intellectual disabilities and there was a general agreement that services are in need of improvement. We identified three major themes from the data. These were: current services, future services, and ways to facilitate change. We hope that our findings will be instrumental in shaping the ongoing debate about the best form of delivery of services to this population in Israel. Specifically, we suggest the development of a more specialized system, with the formation of multidisciplinary regional assessment and treatment units in parallel with improved relevant training for all mental health workers and the possibility of referral to specialized teams in more complex cases.


Derivation and Evaluation of Age-Specific Multivariate Reference Regions to Aid in Identification of Abnormal Filling Patterns: The HUNT and VaMIS Studies.
This study aimed to derive age-specific multivariate reference regions (MVRs) able to classify subjects into those having normal or abnormal filling patterns and to evaluate the prognostic impact of this classification. The integration of several parameters is necessary to diagnose disorders of left ventricular (LV) filling because no single measurement accurately describes the complexity of diastolic function. However, no generally accepted validated multiparametric algorithm currently exists. A cohort of 1,240 apparently healthy subjects from HUNT (Nord-Trøndelag Health Study) with measured early (E) and late (A) mitral inflow velocity and early mitral annular diastolic tissue velocity (e') were used to derive univariate 95% reference bands and age-specific MVRs. Subsequently, the prognostic impact of this MVR-based classification was evaluated by Cox regression in a community-based cohort (n = 726) and in a cohort of subjects with recent acute myocardial infarction (n = 551). Both evaluation cohorts were derived from VaMIS (the Västmanland Myocardial Infarction Study). Univariate reference bands and MVRs are presented graphically and as regression equations. After adjustment for sex, age, hypertension, body mass index, diabetes, prior ischemic heart disease, LV mass, LV ejection fraction, and left atrial size, the hazard ratio associated with abnormal filling patterns in the community-based cohort was 3.5 (95% confidence interval: 1.7 to 7.0; p < 0.001) and that in the acute myocardial infarction cohort was 1.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.1 to 2.8; p = 0.011). This study derived age-specific MVRs for identification of abnormal LV filling patterns and showed, in a community-based cohort and in a cohort of patients with recent acute myocardial infarction, that these MVRs conveyed important prognostic information. An MVR-based classification of LV filling patterns could lead to more consistent diagnostic algorithms for identification of different filling disorders.


National trends in neoadjuvant chemotherapy utilization in patients with early-stage node-negative triple-negative breast cancer: the impact of the CREATE-X trial.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) allows for assessment of tumor pathological response and has survival implications. In 2017, the CREATE-X trial demonstrated survival benefit with adjuvant capecitabine in patients TNBC and residual disease after NAC. We aimed to assess national rates of NAC for cT1-2N0M0 TNBC before and after CREATE-X and examine factors associated with receiving NAC vs adjuvant chemotherapy (AC). A retrospective cohort study of women with cT1-2N0M0 TNBC diagnosed from 2014 to 2019 in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) was performed. Variables were analyzed via ANOVA, Chi-squared, Fisher Exact tests, and a multivariate linear regression model was created. 55,633 women were included: 26.9% received NAC, 52.4% AC, and 20.7% received no chemotherapy (median ages 53, 59, and 71 years, p < 0.01). NAC utilization significantly increased over time: 19.5% in 2014-15 (n = 3,465 of 17,777), 27.1% in 2016-17 (n = 5,140 of 18,985), and 33.6% in 2018-19 (n = 6,337 of 18,871, p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, increased NAC was associated with younger age (< 50), non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, lack of comorbidities, cT2 tumors, care at an academic or integrated-network cancer program, and diagnosis post-2017 (p < 0.05 for all). Patients with government-provided insurance were less likely to receive NAC (p < 0.01). Women who traveled > 60 miles for treatment were more likely to receive NAC (p < 0.01). From 2014 to 2019, NAC utilization increased for patients with cT1-2N0M0 TNBC. Racial, socioeconomic, and access disparities were observed in who received NAC vs AC and warrants interventions to ensure equitable care.


Variation in cesarean section rates among hospitals in Washington State.
This study examined hospital characteristics and hospital population risk factors and their associations with hospital-specific cesarean section rates in Washington State. Data were obtained from 1987 birth certificates. The study population included all hospitals that had 12 or more singleton live births. Hospital-specific cesarean section rates varied from 0% to 43% and were positively associated with proprietary ownership, size of delivery service, and the proportions of women who had complications or high-birthweight infants. The proportion of women who had late prenatal care was inversely associated with cesarean section rates. Although proprietary hospitals had higher cesarean section rates, their patient populations were lower risk than patients of public or teaching hospitals. Variation in cesarean section rates among hospitals cannot be fully explained by either hospital or patient population characteristics. A combined strategy may be necessary to lower unjustifiably high cesarean section rates.


Qiji Shujiang granules alleviates dopaminergic neuronal injury of parkinson's disease by inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway mediated pyroptosis.
The Qiji Shujiang granule (QJG) is a traditional Chinese drug widely used in treating PD patients. However, the potential mechanism of QJG in PD therapy is still unclear. This study aims to examine the neuroprotective effects of QJG and the specific mechanism by which QJG alleviates MPTP/Probenecid-induced pyroptosis and offers an alternative for PD treatment. We first employed network pharmacology along with molecular docking to identify potential molecular targets and pathways. Subsequently, we validated our findings of RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and experiments in vivo and vitro. Lentiviral systems and inhibitors were used for experiments. The protein-protein interactions (PPI) core genes network consists of NLRP3, CASP1 (caspase-1), TP53, and MAPK8. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that inflammatory responses related to pyroptosis were significantly enriched. The molecular docking findings showed the highest degree of centrality regarding the top three bioactive compounds following the online database. RNA-seq analysis identified that NLRP3 inflammasome was significantly downregulated in the QJG group while it was significantly upregulated in the model group. Our findings revealed that QJG dose-dependently increased the total traveled distances, enhanced the dopaminergic neurons, and accelerated the restoration of the TH protein level, showing a good antioxidant capacity through increasing the SOD levels and decreasing MDA levels. QJG significantly reduced the expression levels of NLRP3, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and caspase-1 in striatum tissue. Furthermore, the group treated with OE-NLRP3 decreased cell viability, increased ROS and MDA levels, and promoted NLRP3, GSDMD-N, and caspase-1, in addition to IL-1β expression levels. Furthermore, OE-NLRP3+QJG treatment significantly reversed the effect. In vivo experiments, QJG dose-dependently alleviated motor impairment by increasing the total traveled distances, rescued dopaminergic neurons, inhibited oxidative stress through increasing the SOD levels and decreasing MDA levels and suppressed NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis by reducing the expression levels of NLRP3, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and caspase-1 in MPTP induced PD Mice. Moreover, in vitro experiments, the OE-NLRP3 treated group decreased cell viability, increased ROS and MDA levels, and promoted NLRP3, GSDMD-N, caspase-1, in addition to IL-1β expression levels. Furthermore, OE-NLRP3+QJG treatment significantly reversed the effect. This study provides pharmacological support for the use of QJG in the treatment of PD. Herein, we concluded that QJG induced the alleviation of pyroptosis by inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway to exert a neuroprotective effect.


Multiple pyogenic liver abscesses formed after appendectomy: the role of percutaneous drainage in a critically ill patient.
Multiple pyogenic liver abscesses formed after appendectomy and their percutaneous treatment with multiple catheters have been rarely described. We report a case of multiple pyogenic liver abscesses in a critically ill patient, formed after appendectomy and treated successfully by antibiotics and drainage with six catheters that were introduced simultaneously under ultrasound control. Even though this was a case of liver abscess secondary to appendicitis, today very rare in Western countries, but still a serious complication in developing countries, it was successfully resolved by percutaneous drainage, along with antibiotic therapy. We emphasize the advantages of percutaneous treatment compared with surgery regarding the avoidance of perioperative complications and the risks of general anesthesia.


Acuphagia as a cause of gastric bezoar causing gastric outlet obstruction.
Acuphagia, the compulsive ingestion of sharp objects is a rare form of Pica. A 25 years old female presented in Outpatient Department with complaints of persistent pain in epigastrium and melena for one month. Initially treated for gastritis, she failed to respond to the therapy. Her upper Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy was planned which showed a mass of needles and blades in the fundus of stomach. An attempt was made for endoscopic removal but this was not possible without damaging the esophagus. On inquiring again she gave a history of ingestion of metallic pins and blades after a fight with her husband. She was admitted with a diagnosis of acuphagia. She underwent a formal laparotomy with anterior gastrostomy. A total of 40 shaving blades and 508 sewing machine needles were recovered. Her postoperative recovery was uneventful. Upon discharged, she was referred to Department of Psychiatry for evaluation and treatment.


Reactions of Nickel Ions in Water Radiolysis up to 300 °C.
Radiation chemistry of hydrated metal ions plays a significant role in the field of nuclear energy, especially regarding water radiolysis in coolant water in nuclear reactors. This work reports new experimental data on the reactivity of Ni2+/+ species under critical conditions of temperature and pressure. The reaction rates of hydrated nickel ions with water radiolysis products (e-aq, •OH, H, and H2O2) have been investigated for a 25-300 °C temperature range and 200 bar pressure using electron pulse radiolysis/transient absorption. Extensive experiments with the Ni2+/+ species in various salts and pH up to 300 °C were performed. Kinetic decay traces of short-lived monovalent nickel ions were fitted to extract the rate constants versus temperature up to 300 °C. A blue shift of the absorption spectrum of the monovalent nickel ion with increasing temperature was demonstrated, which may indicate a change in the average coordination number. The Arrhenius parameters for the reactions of Ni2+ with e-aq and Ni+ with •OH, H, and H2O2 were obtained. All measured rate constants increased with temperature and followed Arrhenius behavior.


The 5-methyl group in thymine dynamically influences the structure of A-tracts in DNA at the local and global level.
DNA sequences containing a stretch of several A:T basepairs without a 5'-TA-3' step are known as A-tracts and have been the subject of extensive investigation because of their unique structural features such as a narrow minor groove and their crucial role in several biological processes. One of the aspects under investigation has been the influence of the 5-methyl group of thymine on the properties of A-tracts. Detailed molecular dynamics simulation studies of the sequences d(CGCAAAUUUGCG) and d(CGCAAATTTGCG) indicate that the presence of the 5-methyl group in thymine increases the frequency of a narrow minor groove conformation, which could facilitate its specific recognition by proteins, and reduce its susceptibility to cleavage by DNase I. The bias toward a wider minor groove in the absence of the thymine 5-methyl group is a static structural feature. Our results also indicate that the presence of the thymine 5-methyl group is necessary for calibrating the backbone conformation and the basepair and dinucleotide step geometry of the core A-tract as well as the flanking CA/TG and the neighboring GC/GC steps, as observed in free and protein-bound DNA. As a consequence, it also fine-tunes the curvature of the longer DNA fragment in which the A-tract is embedded.


The potential of virtual laryngoscopy in the assessment of vocal cord lesions.
Virtual laryngoscopy is a useful adjunctive radiological tool in the assessment of laryngeal lesions. A total of 10 patients requiring direct laryngoscopy for the investigation of laryngeal lesions underwent preoperative virtual laryngoscopy using three-dimensional reconstruction of two-dimensional computerized tomography (CT) images. All lesions were correctly diagnosed on virtual laryngoscopy before direct laryngoscopy. Its main advantages are that it does not require general anaesthesia, it allows three-dimensional visualization of the airway beyond areas of narrowing and it gives a highly accurate representation of vocal cord lesions, both in terms of definition and spatial representation. Its disadvantages are that it does not provide histology, it requires an air-mucosa interface to produce an image and it cannot identify functional lesions of the vocal cords.


Coronary artery surgery: now and in the next decade.
In coronary artery surgery the superiority of the internal mammary artery graft in 10-year survival was documented in 1986. In 1999 it was demonstrated that death, reoperation and percutaneous transluminary coronary angioplasty were more frequent in patients undergoing single rather than bilateral internal mammary artery grafting. Today coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is challenged by the success story of modern interventional cardiology. The Syntax Study, however, clearly underlined the better outcome for patients with triple-vessel and/or left main disease undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in terms of repeat revascularization. Another point of ongoing discussion is the comparison between on-pump and off-pump coronary artery revascularization techniques. Even if mixed results exists in the literature, in experienced hands the combination of aortic no-touch and total arterial revascularization, probably leads to the superiority in off pump coronary artery bypass grafting in terms of significantly decreased rates of mortality, stroke, major adverse cardiac and cerebral vascular events. Coronary artery surgery in the next decade will be influenced by the further progression of minimally invasive surgical principles and by a variety of other factors. The role of robotics and hybrid surgery has yet to be defined. Alternatives within surgery will not only need to move to a less disruptive strategy (e.g. from on-pump to off-pump bypass) but also have to secure sustained innovation, as we can be sure that the current coronary artery bypass grafting activity will change substantially.


IL-2 induces pulmonary edema and vasoconstriction independent of circulating lymphocytes.
We investigated the effect of IL-2 in the isolated guinea pig lung perfused with phosphate-buffered Ringer's solution (containing 0.5 g/100 ml albumin and 5.5 mM dextrose) to determine the mechanism of IL-2-induced pulmonary edema. IL-2 (0 to 10,000 U/ml) was added to the perfusate following a 10 min baseline steady-state period. Pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa), pulmonary capillary pressure (Ppc), and change in lung weight (as a measure of developing pulmonary edema) were recorded at 0, 10, 30, 40, and 60 min. The capillary filtration coefficient (Kf.c), an index of vascular permeability to water, was measured at 30 and 60 min. Infusion of IL-2 increased Ppc (from 3.9 +/- 0.1 cm H2O at baseline to 8.8 +/- 1.1 cm H2O at 60 min for IL-2 at 2000 U/ml, p less than 0.01; and from 3.8 +/- 0.1 cm H2O at baseline to 8.9 +/- 0.6 cm H2O at 60 min for IL-2 at 10,000 U/ml, p less than 0.01. The lung weight also increased (32% at IL-2 concentration of 2000 U/ml, and 26% at IL-2 concentration of 10,000 U/ml) The capillary filtration coefficient did not change with IL-2 infusion. The IL-2 response was prevented using the pulmonary vasodilator, papaverine. The infusion of IL-2 was associated with the generation of thromboxane A2(TxA2) in the effluent perfusate. Inhibition of TxA2 synthetase using Dazoxiben prevented the pulmonary vasoconstriction and edema response to IL-2. In addition, IL-2 had no effect on the transendothelial clearance of 125I-albumin. The results indicate that IL-2 causes pulmonary edema secondary to an increase in Ppc. The response is mediated by IL-2 stimulation of TxA2 generation from the lung.


Psychometric properties of the spanish version of the Valuing Questionnaire in Colombian clinical and nonclinical samples.
To examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Valuing Questionnaire (VQ) in Colombian clinical and nonclinical samples. The VQ was administered to a total sample of 1820 participants, which included undergraduates (N = 762), general population (N = 724), and a clinical sample (N = 334). The questionnaire packages included measures of experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and psychological difficulties. Across the different samples, internal consistency was good (global Cronbach's alpha of 0.83 for Progress and 0.82 for obstruction). Measurement invariance was found across samples and gender, and the two-factor model obtained a good fit to the data. The latent means of progress and obstruction of the clinical sample were lower and higher, respectively, than the latent means of the nonclinical samples. Correlations with other variables were in the expected direction. The Spanish version of the VQ showed good psychometric properties.


Programmable Electrochemical Rectifier Based on a Thin-Layer Cell.
A programmable electrochemical rectifier based on thin-layer electrochemistry is described here. Both the rectification ratio and the response time of the device are programmable by controlling the gap distance of the thin-layer electrochemical cell, which is easily controlled using commercially available beads. One of the electrodes was modified using a ferrocene-terminated self-assembled monolayer to offer unidirectional charge transfers via soluble redox species. The thin-layer configuration provided enhanced mass transport, which was determined by the gap thickness. The device with the smallest gap thickness (∼4 μm) showed an unprecedented, high rectification ratio (up to 160) with a fast response time in a two-terminal configuration using conventional electronics.


Synthesis and biological evaluation of piperamide analogues as HDAC inhibitors.
Two natural piperamides (piperlonguminine and refrofractamide A) and their derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activity against histone deacetylases, as well as the HCT-116 human colon cancer cell line. The preliminary structure activity relationship was discussed. Compounds featuring a hydroxamic acid moiety exhibited moderate HDAC activity and in vitro cytotoxicity.


Right Answer for the Right Reason? Benchmarking Protocols and Pitfalls on a Ru-Metathesis Example.
A layered meta-benchmarking analysis was devised with the aim of illustrating how to produce an experimental/computational protocol for the method selection and estimation of Gibbs energies of catalytically prominent reactions. Our test subject involved the active-latent equilibrium through the cis-trans isomerism of two metathesis catalysts: mesitylene-Ru-SCF3-Cl and diisopropylphenyl-Ru-SCF3-Cl. The strategy was two-fold: first to perform a computational benchmark for the energies in the gas phase, followed by benchmarking the enthalpy and the Gibbs energy, including solvation and entropy, from experimental references. This "wedding cake" build-up of subsequent methods applied to our particular small test reaction indicates that: (1) DLPNO-CCSD(T)/CBS works well as a reference method for large systems. (2) Among several functionals ωB97XD and M06 were the most accurate. (3) Choosing between IEF-PCM and SMD solvation models turned out to be case dependent. (4) For the vibrational entropic component, low-frequency vibrations often produce humungous errors, which can be improved by Cramer and Truhlar's or Grimme's methods; however, their cut-off parameters had to be lowered from their standard values. (5) Solvation methods are important for enthalpies, but they are inadequate for entropies. (6) All of these components are equally important for the accuracy of organometallic complexes' reactions. The only way to find the right method for the right reasons is to be sure to match all of the Gibbs energy terms to benchmarked experimental and computational values.


Inflammatory bowel diseases activity in patients undergoing pelvic radiation therapy.
Few studies with contradictory results have been published on the safety of pelvic radiation therapy (RT) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). From 1989 to 2015, a single center retrospective analysis was performed including all IBD patients who received pelvic external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy (BT) for a pelvic malignancy. Treatment characteristics, IBD activity and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were examined. Overall, 28 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) (n=13) or ulcerative colitis (n=15) were included in the present study. Median follow-up time after irradiation was 5.9 years. Regarding IBD activity, only one and two patients experienced a severe episode within and after 6 months of follow-up, respectively. Grade 3/4 acute GI toxicity occurred in 3 (11%) patients, whereas one (3.6%) patient experienced late grade 3/4 GI toxicity. Only patients with rectal IBD location (P=0.016) or low body mass index (BMI) (P=0.012) experienced more severe IBD activity within or after 6 months following RT, respectively. We report an acceptable tolerance of RT in IBD patients with pelvic malignancies. Specifically, a low risk of uncontrolled flare-up was observed.


Heterogeneity of times required for germination and outgrowth from single spores of nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum.
Knowledge of the distribution of growth times from individual spores and quantification of this biovariability are important if predictions of growth in food are to be improved, particularly when, as for Clostridium botulinum, growth is likely to initiate from low numbers of spores. In this study we made a novel attempt to determine the distributions of times associated with the various stages of germination and subsequent growth from spores and the relationships between these stages. The time to germination (t(germ)), time to emergence (t(emerg)), and times to reach the lengths of one (t(C1)) and two (t(C2)) mature cells were quantified for individual spores of nonproteolytic C. botulinum Eklund 17B using phase-contrast microscopy and image analysis. The times to detection for wells inoculated with individual spores were recorded using a Bioscreen C automated turbidity reader and were compatible with the data obtained microscopically. The distributions of times to events during germination and subsequent growth showed considerable variability, and all stages contributed to the overall variability in the lag time. The times for germination (t(germ)), emergence (t(emerg) - t(germ)), cell maturation (t(C1) - t(emerg)), and doubling (t(C2) - t(C1)) were not found to be correlated. Consequently, it was not possible to predict the total duration of the lag phase from information for just one of the stages, such as germination. As the variability in postgermination stages is relatively large, the first spore to germinate will not necessarily be the first spore to produce actively dividing cells and start neurotoxin production. This information can make a substantial contribution to improved predictive modeling and better quantitative microbiological risk assessment.


The nonmotor features of Parkinson's disease: pathophysiology and management advances.
In recent years progress has been made in the detection and evaluation of nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. The pathophysiology is better understood and new treatment is available, which will be discussed in this review. The most intriguing recent finding is the fact that Parkinson's disease may be a spreading disease. From the environment a toxin, bacteria, or virus may start in genetically susceptible patients a cascade of α-synuclein aggregation which reaches via the olfactory and the enteric system of the gut the brain where further spreading causes symptoms, such as sleep disturbances, motor impairment, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. New treatment should address the abnormal α-synuclein folding. If this would be achieved premotor signs, such as hyposmia, rapid eye movement-sleep behavior disorder, constipation, or depression may be a kind of biomarkers which allow together with other diagnostic tools, such as parenchymal sonography, iodobenzamide-scintigraphy and dopamine transporter scans the prediction whether somebody might be under way to develop the full-blown Parkinson's disease syndrome. Parkinson's disease seems to be a spreading disease which causes not only a dopaminergic deficit as major cause for the movement disorder but also impairs function of many other brain centers which leads to a multitransmitter malfunction.


Activity energy expenditure and adiposity among black adults in Nigeria and the United States.
The prevalence of obesity is higher among populations in industrialized than in developing countries. We sought to compare the relations of activity energy expenditure (AEE) with adiposity and weight change in 2 black populations with different levels of obesity. Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured and AEE was calculated in 58 Nigerian and 34 US black women and men. Weight was remeasured after > or = 1 y in a subset of participants. AEE adjusted for body size and TDEE adjusted for REE were calculated with the use of the residual regression method. The cross-sectional relations between percentage body fat and activity were modeled by using regression analysis, and longitudinal relations between weight change and adjusted energy expenditure variables were calculated. Women and men from the United States weighed more, had more body fat, and had higher levels of TDEE, REE, and AEE than did those from Nigeria. Cross-sectionally, AEE was negatively associated with adiposity after adjustment for body size and age (P < 0.001), regardless of site. Between 60% and 80% of the variance in adiposity was explained by AEE or TDEE. REE, AEE, and TDEE adjusted for body size and age were negatively correlated with weight change among Nigerian women but not men. The significant difference observed in mean adiposity between Nigerians and US blacks was not explained by differences in AEE. However, a low AEE was an important determinant of high percentages of body fat in black adults and was associated with increased weight gain in Nigerian women.


An Annulative Synthetic Strategy for Building Triphenylene Frameworks by Multiple C-H Bond Activations.
C-H activation is a versatile tool for appending aryl groups to aromatic systems. However, heavy demands on multiple catalytic cycle operations and site-selectivity have limited its use for graphene segment synthesis. A Pd-catal- yzed one-step synthesis of functionalized triphenylene frameworks is disclosed, which proceeds by 2- or 4-fold C-H arylation of unactivated benzene derivatives. A Pd2 (dibenzylideneacetone)3 catalytic system, using cyclic diaryliodonium salts as π-extending agents, leads to site-selective inter- and intramolecular tandem arylation sequences. Moreover, N-substituted triphenylenes are applied to a field-effect transistor sensor for rapid, sensitive, and reversible alcohol vapor detection.


Comparison of efficacy between long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser and pulsed dye laser to treat rosacea-associated nasal telangiectasia.
Rosacea is characterized by erythema on face, especially erythema and linear telangiectasia on the nose. Currently, various vascular lasers are used for treatment, and among them, are long-pulsed Nd:YAG(LPNY) and pulsed dye laser (PDL). This study compared the efficacy of LPNY and PDL in treating rosacea-associated nasal telangiectasia. Patients with rosacea who showed erythema and telangiectasia on the nose were included. Each patient was treated with PDL on the left side of the nasal bridge, and LPNY on the right side, three times with 4-week intervals. At the end of the treatment, two independent dermatologists evaluated overall treatment response compared with baseline. The physician's assessment of treatment concluded that good improvement was seen in six PDL and seven LPNY patients, and excellent improvement five PDL and four LPNY patients. There was no significant difference (p = 0.62, 95%CI) between the groups. Overall improvement was similar; however, LPNY induced a greater response in thick, dilated vessels, while erythema with mild telangiectasia was more responsive to PDL. Both LPNY and PDL are effective in treating rosacea-associated nasal telangiectasia. If LPNY is used properly to avoid side effects with careful consideration, it can also be used as a good modality.


[Interpretive reading of the antibiogram: Intellectual exercise or clinical need?].
Clinical categorisation of susceptibility testing results according to criteria established by different committees is daily performed in clinical microbiology laboratories. By this process clinicians can predict the therapeutic success of antimicrobial treatment in patients infected with susceptible microorganisms. In addition, microbiology laboratories that include a suitable number of antimicrobial agents in susceptibility tests can perform interpretive reading of the antibiogram. With this approach, resistance phenotypes are recognized and allow microbiologist: a) detection of mechanisms of resistance, including low levels of expression; b) modification of clinical classifications that are inconsistent with the inferred resistance mechanism; and c) inference of susceptibility values for antimicrobials that are not included in the antibiogram. In the laboratory, this approach facilitates quality control and validation of susceptibility results. Moreover, it increases the value of the results obtained because new mechanisms of resistance can be characterized and the epidemiology of resistance can be established. From the clinical point of view, this approach contributes to improving the adequacy of treatment (since it is useful for predicting therapeutic failure with the use of antimicrobials in patients with infections due to resistant microorganisms) and to controlling and defining antimicrobial policies. Despite the growing complexity of resistance mechanisms, which makes interpretative reading of the antibiogram difficult, this process should be incorporated into routine practice in microbiology laboratories. Interpretive reading of antibiograms is clinically necessary and not simply a intellectual exercise.


Comparison of 3 Devices for Automated Infusion of Positron-Emitting Radiotracers.
The administration accuracy and precision of an automated infusion device for positron-emitting radiotracers are directly associated with bias and variance in the SUVs of 18F-FDG PET/CT. Therefore, the accuracy of such devices must be confirmed and calibrated at locations in which they are used. The present study aimed to validate the administration accuracy of 3 automated infusion devices for quantitative PET assessment. Methods: Temporal variations as well as variations in radioactive concentrations and dispensed volumes of 18F-FDG were determined for the M-130, AI-300, and UG-05 automated infusion devices. The total-test dispensed volumes were 25, 20, and 18.5 mL, respectively. A reference value was generated by measuring amounts of radioactivity using a standard dose calibrator. Administration accuracy was validated according to the criteria of the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine. Results: The temporal variation in the M-130 and UG-05 for a specified 185 MBq was relatively stable, in the range of -1.60%-0.92% and 1.16%-5.35%, respectively, whereas that in the AI-300 was -0.55%-8.68%. For the M-130 and UG-05 devices, the difference between measured and reference value was in the range of -5%-5%. The values measured by the AI-300 deviated from the reference values by a maximum of 30%, which depends on radioactive concentration and dispensed volume of 18F-FDG. Conclusion: The administration accuracy of the AI-300 varied considerably under different conditions, but a software update might somewhat improve this. Our findings indicate that dispensed volumes of 18F-FDG should be carefully considered when the radioactive concentration is high. Administration accuracy should be regularly confirmed at each location to maintain the quality of quantitative PET assessment. The present study provides useful information about how to confirm the administration accuracy of automated infusion devices.


Localized optical manipulation in optical ring resonators.
We propose a tunable optical trapping system for nanoparticles based on generating standing wave by coupling two coherent beams into a ring resonator in opposite directions, respectively. The distributions of the mode field excited in three types of the ring-resonators-based trapping systems (microring, microdisk and slot ring) and the corresponding optical forces on the nanoparticles are calculated numerically. By the stability analysis in all directions, the smallest size of the particles could be stably trapped under the Brownian motion in the microring resonator is 61.2 nm when the input power is 10 mW, and the azimuthal orientations of the trapped particles are depended on the phase difference between the two input beams. On the other hand, the appearance of high order radial modes in the microdisk resonator enables a tunable radial trapping. To improve the trapping capability for the smaller particles, we utilize the slot ring resonator to make full use of the optical power and the trapping size could be minimized to ~29 nm when the input power is also set as 10 mW.


The impact of familiarization strategies on the missing-letter effect.
When reading a text and searching for a target letter, readers make more omissions of the target letter if it is embedded in frequent function words than if it is in rare content words. While word frequency effects are consistently found, few studies have examined the impacts of passage familiarity on the missing-letter effect and studies that have present conflicting evidence. The present study examines the effects of passage familiarity, as well as the impacts of passage familiarization strategy promoting surface or deep encoding, on the missing-letter effect. Participants were familiarized with a passage by retyping a text, replacing all common nouns with synonyms, or generating a text on the same topic as that of the original text, and then completed a letter search task on the familiar passage as well as an unfamiliar passage. In Experiment 1, when both familiar and unfamiliar passages use the same words, results revealed fewer omissions for the retyping and synonyms conditions. However, in Experiment 2, when different words are used in both types of texts, no effect of familiarization strategy was observed. Furthermore, the missing-letter effect is maintained in all conditions, adding support to the robustness of the effect regardless of familiarity with the text.


Configuration-Controllable E/Z Isomers Based on Tetraphenylethene: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications.
Configuration-controllable E/Z isomers based on tetraphenylethene were prepared with a facile and effective method. First, compounds 1 and 2, configuration-controllable precursors of E/Z isomers, were synthesized. Then, pure E/Z isomers were obtained via Suzuki reaction, avoiding the difficulties of separation. The conformational changes of E/Z isomers can occur through photoactivation. Importantly, red-shifts of 66 nm from 6 (E-) to 3 (Z-) and 58 nm from 7 (E-) to 4 (Z-) were observed remarkably on the photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra. The Z isomer showed a longer fluorescence lifetime compared with the E isomer. The Z isomers 3 and 4 exhibited piezofluorochromism under grinding, whereas the E isomers 6 and 7 showed no such behaviors. The E isomer has better thermal stability than the Z isomer. Lastly, graphene-like molecules were synthesized with the FeCl3/CH3NO2 system. The E and Z isomers after oxidation showed negligible differences in the PL emission spectra because the effective conjugated lengths of oxidized E and Z isomers were both extended. Furthermore, the fabricated field-effect transistors showed nice performance with mobilities of 0.92 and 1.14 cm-2 V-1 s-1 at low operating voltages, respectively.


Heterocycle Thiazole Compounds Exhibit Antifungal Activity through Increase in the Production of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Cryptococcus neoformans-Cryptococcus gattii Species Complex.
Human cryptococcosis can occur as a primary or opportunistic infection and develops as an acute, subacute, or chronic systemic infection involving different organs of the host. Given the limited therapeutic options and the occasional resistance to fluconazole, there is a need to develop novel drugs for the treatment of cryptococcosis. In this report, we describe promising thiazole compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 and explore their possible modes of action against Cryptococcus To this end, we show evidence of interference in the Cryptococcus antioxidant system. The tested compounds exhibited MICs ranging from 0.25 to 2 μg/ml against Cryptococcus neoformans strains H99 and KN99α. Interestingly, the knockout strains for Cu oxidase and sarcosine oxidase were resistant to thiazoles. MIC values of thiazole compounds 1, 2, and 4 against these mutants were higher than for the parental strain. After the treatment of C. neoformans ATCC 24067 (or C. deneoformans) and C. gattii strain L27/01 (or C. deuterogattii) with thiazoles, we verified an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Also, we verified the synergistic interactions among thiazoles and menadione, which generates superoxides, with fractional inhibitory concentrations (FICs) equal to 0.1874, 0.3024, 0.25, and 0.25 for the thiazole compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. In addition, thiazoles exhibited antagonistic interactions with parasulphonatephenyl porphyrinato ferrate III (FeTPPS). Thus, in this work, we showed that the action of these thiazoles is related to an interference with the antioxidant system. These findings suggest that oxidative stress may be primarily related to the accumulation of superoxide radicals.


Vitrification of in vitro-produced bovine embryos by addition of ethylene glycol in one-step.
The objective of this study was to simplify two-step addition of cryoprotectant for vitrification of bovine embryos by developing a one-step procedure. Survival was calculated as a percentage of non-vitrified controls developed from the same batch of oocytes. In experiment 1, bovine blastocysts were vitrified following one- or two-step addition of cryoprotectant. Exposure of embryos to cryoprotectant in one-step resulted in survival rates not significantly lower (p > 0.1) than those obtained by two-step addition (85% vs 98%, respectively). Based on these results, experiments 2-4 were designed to test one-step addition of cryoprotectant more rigorously. Experiment 2 exposed day 7 blastocysts to 6, 7 or 8 M ethylene glycol for 2.5 or 3.5 min. At 24 h post-vitrification, survival of embryos was similar, irrespective of ethylene glycol concentration or exposure time (6 M 38%, 7 M 51%, 8 M 59%; 2.5 min 54%, 3.5 min 45%). In experiment 3, blastocysts were exposed to 7 M ethylene glycol for shorter times (30 or 60 s); 30 s exposure resulted in decreased survival (8% vs 31%, p < 0.05). Experiment 4 concerned one-step addition of cryoprotectant to day 6 bovine morulae, exposed to 7 M ethylene glycol for 1 or 1.5 min. There was no difference in survival between exposure times of 1 or 1.5 min (28% vs 45%, respectively; p > 0.1). It is unclear why many embryos survive vitrification with one-step addition of cryoprotectant, but others do not. Although, one-step addition of cryoprotectant simplifies the vitrification procedure, survival rates were inadequate for routine cryopreservation of in vitro-produced bovine embryos.


In situ evaluation of plasmonic enhancement of gold tips for plasmon-enhanced imaging techniques.
Plasmonic nanoantennas are at the core of various optical near-field scanning techniques such as tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy as they provide the amplification and confinement of the electromagnetic field, which ultimately provides sensitivity and spatial resolution. With a cornucopia of different fabrication methods available, the actual performance of a nanoantenna is often only assessed by whether or not near-field imaging is possible, implying the complete alignment and landing procedure of the scanning probe. We present a semi-quantitative approach to assess the plasmonic enhancement of gold tips via localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enhancement of intrinsic gold photoluminescence without the need for interaction with the sample. As the intensity of the plasmon at the apex decreases, a significant change in the shape of the tip signal spectrum is observed, reflecting itself as a decrease in the R2 value (fit quality) for numerical fitting with a Lorentzian, which also provides an approximation for the LSPR wavelength. Our findings suggest that the potential of a tip to perform well as an optical near field antenna may already be assessed in an early stage of the experiment.


[Socioeconomic class as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases].
It's been known for a long time, that certain diseases are more frequent in lower socioeconomic classes. But knowledge about the nature of this association, its main risk factors and how to improve health outcomes in lower social groups is still limited. Social class has been defined by different indicators by e.g. occupation and job position or the highest school qualification achieved. For international comparisons different classifications such as "The Registrar General's Social Class Classification " or the "International Standard Classification of Education" have been used. Several European Studies show a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risk factors including smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in lower socioeconomic classes. But this studies also show that all socioeconomic groups have access to medical services. The Data from the Swiss Health Survey show the distribution of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases by three levels of education: Behaviouralfactors such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity are more commonly present in the lower socioeconomic groups. People with a lower educational level visit their GP more often, whereas people with a higher level of educational consult specialists more frequently. Medical services are often used to check of blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. An indication of state of health may be shown by medication and treatment for cardiovascular disease which is more prevalent in lower socioeconomic groups. The present discussion of explanations of the poorer state of health in lower socioeconomic groups goes beyond the classical risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that after the correction for risk factors a correlation remains between social class and state of health. It is believed, that psychosocial factors such as self-esteem, control in the workplace or coping-strategies play an additional important role in staying healthy. Therefore prevention of cardiovascular disease should not be restricted to minimisation of risk factors or to the measurement of certain blood-values and treatments. Efforts must also go into creating the conditions for a healthier life and promote possibilities for healthier behaviour in all socioeconomic classes.


FOLFOX regimen plus dendritic cells-cytokine-induced killer cells immunotherapy for the treatment of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.
To systematically investigate the efficacy and safety of the combination of FOLFOX (oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin) regimen and cocultured dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells (DC-CIK) immunotherapy for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Publications reporting the clinical trials' responses or safety of FOLFOX regimen combined with DC-CIK immunotherapy in treating CRC patients were searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Internet, and Wanfang databases. Trials meeting the selection criteria were analyzed. The overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), tumor markers, immune function, and adverse events were evaluated. Ten trials including 881 CRC patients were analyzed in this meta-analysis. The combined therapy showed advantages over FOLFOX treatment-alone in 2-year OS (odds ratio [OR] =2.77, confidence interval [CI] =1.58-4.86, P=0.0004), ORR (OR =1.85, CI =1.34-2.56, P=0.0002), and DCR (OR =2.54, CI =1.76-3.67, P<0.00001), with statistical significance. After immunotherapy, lymphocyte subset percentages of CD3+ (P=0.0006) and CD4+ (P=0.01), CD4+/CD8+ ratio (P=0.0003), and levels of cytokines IFN-γ (P=0.003) and IL-2 (P=0.01) were significantly increased, whereas analysis of CD8+, CD3-CD56+, CD3+CD56+, CD4+CD25+, IL-6, and TNF-α did not show any significant difference (P>0.05). Moreover, the level of carcinoembryonic antigen was also decreased significantly upon immunotherapy (P<0.00001). The combination of FOLFOX regimen and DC-CIK immunotherapy was safe and effective for CRC patients.


Modern concepts of treatment and prevention of electrical burns.
Electric injuries account for 1,000 deaths in the United States, with a mortality rate of 3--15%. As the widespread use of electricity and injuries from it increase, all health professionals involved in burn care must appreciate its physiological and pathological effects as well as management of electrical current injury. Electric current exists in two forms: alternating current and direct current. The effects of electricity on the body are determined by seven factors: (1) type of current, (2) amount of current, (3) pathway of current, (4) duration of current, (5) area of contact, (6) resistance of the body, and (7) voltage. Electrical accidents can be divided into less than 1,000 V (low-voltage accidents) and greater than 1,000 V (high-voltage accidents). In any electrical accident, the witness must turn off the power source and initiate treatment at the scene of the injury. Low-voltage electric burns almost exclusively involve either the hands or oral cavity. Surgical treatment will vary with the severity of the injury. Burns caused by contact with a high-voltage alternating electric circuit conforms to two types: burns from an electric arc and burns from an electric current. High-voltage electric current injuries have a wide variety of systemic manifestations, including neurologic complications, cardiovascular and pulmonary manifestations, vascular damage, and abdominal, bone, eye and joint complications. An organized approach to the management of these complications is outlined in this article. The best treatment of burn injuries remains prevention. Because the majority of burn injuries are due to occupational electrical injuries, the regional burn centers must work effectively with industry to prevent these potentially life-threatening accidents.


Multipulse dynamics in a Mamyshev oscillator.
We report on the multipulse dynamics in an erbium-doped fiber Mamyshev oscillator. It was demonstrated that, in addition to the single pulse, the multipulse patterns could be observed by adjusting the pump power, where the multiple pulses operated in random distributed state or bound state. Particularly, the multiple pulses could exhibit apparent difference in intensity, which was attributed to the unique step-like saturable absorption property of the Mamyshev oscillator. The individual pulse spectrum could be assessed by utilizing dispersive Fourier transform technique. It was found that the multiple pulses with different intensities correspond to different spectral profiles. These findings give some new insights into the pulse dynamics in Mamyshev oscillators.


Cryptococcal infections in non-HIV-infected patients.
Infections due to Cryptococcus species occur globally and in a wide variety of hosts, ranging from those who are severely immunosuppressed to those who have phenotypically "normal" immune systems. Approximately 1 million cases of cryptococcosis occur throughout the world, and is it estimated that there are 650,000 associated deaths annually. Most of these cases occur among patients with advanced HIV disease, but a growing number occur among solid organ transplant recipients and others receiving exogenous immunosuppression, patients with innate and acquired immunodeficiency, and otherwise immunologically normal hosts. Much of our recent knowledge is solely derived from clinical experience over the last 2 to 3 decades of cryptococcosis among HIV-infected patients. However, based on recent observations, it is clear that there are substantial differences in the epidemiology, clinical features, approaches to therapy, and outcome when comparing HIV-infected to non-HIV-infected individuals who have cryptococcosis. If one carefully examines cryptococcosis in the three largest subgroups of patients based on host immune status, specifically, those with HIV, solid organ transplant recipients, and those who are non-HIV, non-transplant (NHNT) infected persons, then one can observe very different risks for infection, varied clinical presentations, long-term complications, mortality, and approaches to therapy. This article focuses on cryptococcosis in the non-HIV-infected patient, including a brief review of ongoing events in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada relative to the outbreak of Cryptococcus gattii infections among a largely immunologically normal population, and highlights some of the key insights and questions which have emerged as a result of these important new observations.


Production and biophysical characterization of a mini-membrane protein, Ost4V23D: A functionally important mutant of yeast oligosaccharyltransferase subunit Ost4p.
N-linked glycosylation of proteins is an essential and highly conserved co- and post-translational protein modification reaction that occurs in all eukaryotes. Oligosaccharyltransferase (OST), a multi-subunit membrane-associated enzyme complex, carries out this reaction. In the central reaction, a carbohydrate group is transferred to the side chain of a consensus asparagine residue in the newly synthesized protein. Genetic defects in humans cause a series of disorders known as congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) that include mental retardation, developmental delay, hypoglycemia etc. Complete loss of N-glycosylation is lethal in all organisms. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, OST consists of nine non-identical protein subunits. Ost4p is the smallest subunit containing 36 residues. It bridges catalytic subunit Stt3p to Ost3p/Ost6p subunit. Mutation of Valine (V) at position 23 in Ost4p to Aspartate (D) causes defects in the N-glycosylation process. To understand the structure, function and role of Ost4p in N-glycosylation, characterization of Ost4p and its functionally important mutant/s are critical. We report the mutagenesis, heterologous overexpression, purification, reconstitution in DPC micelles and biophysical characterization of Ost4V23D and compare its secondary structure and conformation to that of Ost4p. CD and NMR data suggest that mutation of Val23 to Asp impacts the secondary structure and conformation of Ost4p.


Role of β1 integrin in tissue homing of neutrophils during sepsis.
Aberrant activation of neutrophils during sepsis results in the widespread release of proinflammatory mediators, leading to multiorgan system failure and death. However, aberrant activation of neutrophils during sepsis results in the widespread release of harmful inflammatory mediators causing host tissue injuries that can lead to multiorgan system failure and death. One of the pivotal components of neutrophil migration during inflammation is the expression of surface integrins. In this study, we show that administration of a cyclic analog of RGD peptide (Arg-Gly-Asp) significantly reduced the number of tissue-invading neutrophils and the degree of sepsis-induced lethality in mice as compared with control peptide. Second, β1 integrin (CD29) was highly upregulated on the neutrophils isolated from both septic patients and animals. Finally, conditional genetic ablation of β1 integrin from granulocytes also improved survival and bacterial clearance in septic animals Thus, our results indicate that expression of β1 integrin is important for modulating neutrophil trafficking during sepsis and that therapeutics designed against β1 integrins may be beneficial.


Galanin secretion from anterior pituitary cells in vitro is regulated by dopamine, somatostatin, and thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
Lactotrophs, somatotrophs, and thyrotrophs have been shown to contain immunoreactive galanin. Furthermore, estrogen stimulates galanin mRNA and peptide levels in the rat anterior pituitary, particularly within lactotrophs. To determine whether galanin is released from the anterior pituitary in a regulated manner, we used cultured pituitary cells from male and ovariectomized Fischer 344 rats implanted with estrogen-containing capsules. Anterior pituitary cells (5 x 10(5) cells/well) were challenged (0.5-3 h) with hypothalamic factors known to regulate anterior pituitary hormone secretion, and medium galanin levels were measured by RIA. In female pituitary cells, galanin secretion was inhibited by dopamine (10 and 100 nM) and stimulated by TRH (20 and 100 nM). Although galanin release was significantly lower in male pituitary cells, dopamine and TRH inhibited and stimulated galanin secretion, respectively. Medium galanin levels were also significantly reduced by somatostatin (5 nM) in both female and male cells. The pattern of PRL release in response to dopamine, TRH, and somatostatin was similar to that observed for galanin, regardless of the sex of the pituitary donor. Although galanin has been localized in somatotrophs, 5 nM GH-releasing hormone (GRF) failed to alter galanin release in male as well as female pituitary cells; GH secretion was significantly increased by GRF. LHRH (5 nM) and CRF (5 nM) failed to alter galanin release in vitro. We conclude that in estrogen-exposed pituitary cells obtained from male and ovariectomized Fischer 344 rats: 1) galanin secretion is inhibited by dopamine and somatostatin, and stimulated by TRH; 2) GRF, LHRH, and CRF do not regulate galanin release in these cells; and 3) the profile of the regulated pathway for galanin release suggests that the primary location of galanin is the lactotroph, probably within secretory granules.


Reliable use of the ServoMed Evaporimeter EP-2 to assess transepidermal water loss in the canine.
Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) describes the total amount of water lost through the skin, a loss that occurs constantly by passive diffusion through the epidermis. Although TEWL is a normal physiological phenomenon, if it rises too high, the skin can become dehydrated, disrupting form and function and potentially leading to infection or transepidermal passage of deleterious agents. We have validated the use of the Evaporimeter EP-2 for the accurate assessment of TEWL in the canine. We have identified a requirement for the subject to be completely still during measurements, a requirement that can be fulfilled by training. It was found that, following training of the subject, the mean TEWL value dropped, on average, 47% compared to that of untrained animals. A significant effect on TEWL of shaving the coat from the area to be measured was identified. Using the refined protocol we observed that TEWL tended to be higher in adult (2-7 y) than senior (8-11 y) dogs, suggesting that aging processes may be occurring in canine skin that impact barrier function. The implications of poorer barrier function with age could be increased susceptibility to certain skin conditions. The overall poorer skin and coat condition seen for many older dogs may also be related to an increased TEWL.


Immobilization of β-1,4-xylanase isolated from Bacillus licheniformis S3.
Industrial applications require enzymes to be highly stable and economically viable in terms of reusability. Enzyme immobilization is an exciting alternative to improve the stability of enzymatic processes. Immobilization of β-1,4-xylanase produced by Bacillus licheniformis S3 is performed by using two polymer supports (agar-agar and calcium alginate). The maximum enzyme immobilization yield was achieved at a concentration of 3% agar, whereas a combination of sodium alginate, 4%, and calcium chloride, 0.3 M, was used for the formation of immobilized beads. The immobilization process increased the optimum reaction time from 10 min to 35 and 40 min for agar and calcium alginate, respectively, and the incubation temperature increased from 55°C to 60°C for agar, but it remained unchanged for calcium alginate. The pH profile of free and immobilized xylanase was quite similar in both cases. Both the techniques altered the kinetic parameters of immobilized β-1,4-xylanase as compared with the free enzyme. The diffusion limit of high molecular weight xylan caused a decline in Vmax of the immobilized enzyme, whereas there was an increase in the Km value. However, calcium alginate-immobilized enzyme displayed broad thermal stability as compared with agar-agar-immobilized enzyme and retained 57.1% of its initial activity at 80°C up to 150 min. Biotechnological characterization showed that the reusability of enzymes was the most striking finding, particularly of immobilized xylanase using agar-agar as immobilization carrier, which after six cycles retained 23% activity.


Peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity of cyclophilin A in functional homo-oligomeric receptor expression.
The functional expression of homo-oligomeric alpha7 neuronal nicotinic and type 3 serotonin receptors is dependent on the activity of a cyclophilin. In this paper we demonstrate that the mechanism of cyclophilin action during functional homo-oligomeric receptor expression in Xenopus oocytes is distinct from the calcineurin-dependent immunosuppressive mechanism by showing that a nonimmunosuppressive analog of cyclosporin A (CsA), SDZ 211-811, reduces functional receptor expression to the same extent as CsA. The cytoplasmic subtype of cyclophilin, cyclophilin A (CyPA), appears to be required for functional receptor expression. This is because overexpression of CyPA and a CyPA mutant that is deficient in CsA binding activity reverses CsA-induced reduction in functional receptor expression. The mechanism of action of CyPA is likely to involve its prolyl isomerase activity because a mutant CyPA with a single amino acid substitution (arginine 55 to alanine) that is predicted to produce a 1000-fold attenuation in isomerase activity fails to reverse the cyclosporin A effect. Our data also suggest that CyPA does not form a stable complex with receptor subunits.


Design of enzyme systems for selective product release from microbial cells; isolation of a recombinant protein from yeast.
The development of expression systems for recombinant proteins and recombinant protein particles that cannot be secreted and that are located in specific cell locations necessitates the development of novel, more selective, techniques for cell disruption. Mechanical cell disruption methods do not discriminate the release of the desired product from among a host of other contaminating molecules and cell debris, and they also may damage the protein product. In contrast, the use of lytic enzyme systems, which can provide biological specificity to the process of cell lysis and disruption, shows an interesting potential for controlled lysis. In this report, the design and the use of lytic enzyme systems for differential product release from microbial cells have been reviewed. Lytic enzyme systems are usually specific either for yeast or for different types of bacteria. Moreover, the activity profile of a lytic system will have an effect on the product distribution. This profile can be manipulated at the genetic, physiological, production reactor, enzyme purification, and lysis reactor levels. Alternative process designs that will allow the sequential release of products from different cell locations have been reviewed and discussed. Alternatives have been explored by process modeling, process simulation, and optimization techniques. These studies show that the use of lytic enzyme systems has tremendous promise as a method of controlled lysis and differential product release. Finally, the release of a specific recombinant protein, human serum albumin (HSA) from yeast cells, has been investigated. The low levels of wall-lytic protease present in the Oerskovia lytic enzyme system have no deleterious effect on the protein product, and the level of HSA extracted from two positive yeast clones using lytic enzymes is similar to that extracted after bead breakage.


Development of an analytical method for distinguishing ammonium bicarbonate from the products of an aqueous ammonia CO2 scrubber.
The link between anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, increasing atmospheric CO2 levels, and concomitantly increasing global temperatures is established and accepted. The use of aqueous ammonia, to capture CO2 and produce an inexpensive nitrogen fertilizer, ammonium bicarbonate (ABC), is believed to be a feasible approach to CO2 sequestration. Due to the varying concentrations of reactants and varying reaction conditions, different ammonia-carbon compounds may be produced. ABC is the ideal product for maximizing NH3 utilization in CO2 capture; therefore, identification and quantification of ABC in the reaction products is mandatory. Various analytical techniques were used to distinguish and quantify the ABC. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy can only be used to distinguish ammonium carbamate, and. X-ray diffraction can be used to qualitatively distinguish ABC from the other possible products of the CO2 capture reaction. Carbon-hydrogen-nitrogen elemental analysis and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy were used to quantify ABC, with both techniques giving +/-5% agreement for ABC concentrations for 8 of 13 samples from a bench-scale aqueous ammonia CO2 scrubbing system. An additional 3 of the 13 samples were within +/-12%. Results indicate that NIR will be an ideal tool for real-time, on-line measurements of ABC in a full-scale aqueous ammonia CO2 scrubber. The ABC in 11 samples from the bench-scale scrubber at Western Kentucky University was determined by these techniques and assessed to have very good quality as a fertilizer in accordance with GB-3559-92, the Agricultural Ammonium Bicarbonate National Standard of China.


Antenatal genetic studies in twin pregnancies.
The diagnosis of multiple gestation at the time of genetic amniocentesis is a routine occurrence. In a combined series of 2765 patients referred for antenatal genetic studies from the Medical College of Virginia and the University of Iowa, 34 twin pregnancies were encountered (1.2%). Twenty-six of the patients with twins were referred for advanced maternal age. The other indications were previous neural tube defects (1), previous trisomy 21 (2), known carriers of Tay Sachs disease (2), previous Turner's syndrome (1), family history of trisomy 21 (1), and one pregnancy was referred because of an abnormal ultrasound. Amniocentesis procedures, outcome of the twin pregnancies, and genetic counseling issues, are discussed.


Fundamentals of service lines and the necessity of physician leaders.
In the demanding and unpredictable environment of the health care industry, hospitals and health systems continue to search for ways to improve the efficiency and quality of care provision and, thus, thrive. Service line organization in health care, a concept that was popularized in the past, has recently experienced a resurgence, spanning the gamut from small community hospitals to large academic medical centers. The modern service line has transformed into an organizational tool that provides hospitals and health systems with a novel approach to achieve the goals of efficient and effective care. Physician leaders can play an integral role in the management of service lines, using a combination of management skills and clinical expertise to provide the oversight and direction necessary for assuring excellence in clinical care and value in its delivery. This article presents an overview of service line structure, implementation, implications, and the role of the physician-leader.


Ultrasound and radiological features of abdominal unicentric castleman's disease: A case series study.
This study aimed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal unicentric Castleman's disease (UCD) by retrospectively summarizes the relatively specific imaging features of UCD.This study retrospectively collected fifteen patients with abdominal UCD confirmed by pathology. All patients were underwent ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. The imaging findings of UCDs were analyzed by senior radiologists.Fifteen patients included 7 males and 8 females, aged 30 to 68 years old, with an average age of 51.73 ± 13.57. In the 15 cases, 7 were located around the mesentery, 4 were located in the retroperitoneal space, and 4 in the liver. Fifteen cases contained solid masses, of which 13 had clear margins and 2 had blurred margins. The size of the mass ranged from 1.5 to 14.2 cm, with an average of 6.49 ± 4.16 cm. US showed that 9 lesions were presented with hypo-echogenicity while 5 lesions presented with hyper-echogenicity spots. Unenhanced CT showed that the lesions were comprised of soft tissue while calcified lesions were found in 10 of the cases (66.67%, 10/15). T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) suggested the lesions as iso/hypo-signal, and mildly hyper-signal on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) showed different degrees of hyper-signal. Contrast-enhanced US and CT/MRI showed obvious enhancement at the arterial phase in 12 cases (85.71%, 12/14), most of which (50%, 7/14) showed continuous enhancement at the delayed phase. Feeding vessel could be seen within, or around the lesion in 5 cases (35.71%, 5/14).The study suggests that abdominal UCD commonly manifests as well-defined, homogeneous, solid, and hypervascular masses. Calcification and the presence of feeding vessel in the tumors are relatively specific features of abdominal UCD.


Refuge size variation and potential for sperm competition in Wellington tree weta.
Ecological variation in resources can influence the distribution and encounter rates of potential mates and competitors and, consequently, the opportunity for sexual selection. Factors that influence the likelihood that females mate multiply could also affect the potential for sperm competition. In Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens, plural "weta"), the size of tree cavities (called galleries) used as refuges affects weta distribution and thus the opportunity for sexual selection and selection on male weaponry size. We examined the predicted effects of gallery size and male weaponry size on the potential for sperm competition. We asked if gallery size influenced the potential for multiple mating by females and potential for sperm competition, if male weaponry size was associated with relative expected sperm competition intensity (SCI), and if estimated male mating success was correlated with potential SCI. To quantify relative competitive environments of males, we created and analyzed networks of potential competitors based on which males could have mated with the same females. We found that small galleries had higher potential for female multiple mating and higher potential for sperm competition. Size of male weaponry was not associated with expected relative SCI. Regardless of gallery size, males with more potential mates were expected to face lower expected relative sperm competition. Thus, in this system, variation in the size of available refuges is likely to influence the potential for sperm competition, in a way that we might expect to increase variation in overall reproductive success.


Be sure to read the fine print: the agency for healthcare research and quality comparative effectiveness report on antiepileptic drugs.
For many questions related to the pharmacotherapy of epilepsy, there are few or no published data. This lack of data presents dilemmas to practitioners who must make informed, rational decisions about therapy on a daily basis and to policymakers dealing with drug formulary management and reimbursement. Reliance on randomized, clinical trial data is inefficient because of the extensive time and expense involved in conducting a study and the inability to answer every question encountered in practice. In addition, results from randomized, clinical studies are not fully applicable in the clinical setting because of short trial duration and the frequent use of surrogate controls that are rarely seen in routine practice.


Identification of a Novel Somatic Mutation Leading to Allele Dropout for EGFR L858R Genotyping in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
While PCR-based genotyping methods abound in molecular testing for lung cancer therapy, these approaches may not provide the robust sensitivity to detect accurate genotypes in a variable cancer genomic background. Here, we describe a study of a clinical tumor specimen containing a novel somatic single nucleotide variant that caused allele drop-out in EGFR L858R genotyping, resulting in a false-negative interpretation and impacting patient clinical management. We demonstrate that a subsequent unbiased next-generation sequencing approach correctly identified the driver mutation, and therefore may be more reliable for somatic variant detection. These findings magnify the potential pitfalls of PCR amplification-based approaches and stress the importance of unbiased and sensitive molecular testing strategies for therapeutic marker detection as molecular testing becomes the standard for determining clinical management of cancer patients.


Isolation of melanin from human plasma lipofuscin.
Human plasma lipofuscin and its melanin component were isolated and quantified. Electron paramagnetic resonance, infrared, ultraviolet and visible spectra of this melanin exhibited absorption characteristics very similar to those of known melanins. The human plasma lipofuscin contained approximately 85% protein, 3% melanin, 0.4% lipid and 0.25% mucoprotein constituents and emitted yellow-green fluorescence in 366-nm light. The ethanol-ether lipid extract obtained after acid hydrolysis from the lipid-melanin fraction of this lipofuscin was also found to fluoresce in yellow-green color in 366-nm light and produced similar fluorescence excitation and emission spectra as those of the human plasma lipofuscin in water solution. The isolated melanin component was not fluorescent.


Clinical validation of the nursing diagnosis labor pain.
The study intends to identify the presence of clinical indicators of pain during labor and to correlate the verbal reference of pain intensity with uterine contractions as a proposal to validate the clinical nursing diagnosis Labor Pain. Observational study of the 22 clinical indicators that represented the defining characteristics for the diagnosis. There were 55 participants in labor (18 in the initial active stage, 6 in the final active stage and 31 in both stages), over 18 years old, in their first pregnancy, with effective contractions and cervical dilation of 4 cm or more. Among the 22 defining characteristics tested, 6 were present in most participants during the two stages: verbal or codified report, noted evidence of uterine contraction, altered muscle tension, noted evidence of pain, expressive behavior and facial expression of pain. There were differences between the stages in relation to perspiration, facial expression of pain, protective gestures, anodyne position, distractive behavior, self-focus and perineum pressure feeling. A positive linear correlation was noted between pain intensity scores and the extent of intra-uterine pressure in the initial stage. Labor pain was proven to be compatible with a nursing diagnosis.