Induction of chronic human immunodeficiency virus infection is blocked in vitro by a methylphosphonate oligodeoxynucleoside targeted to a U3 enhancer element.
Oligodeoxynucleosides with internucleoside methylphosphonate linkages complementary to regions within U3 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 were evaluated for their ability to block phorbol myristate acetate upregulation of virus in chronically infected promonocytic and T-lymphoblastoid cell lines. One such oligomer, targeted to an NF-kappa B enhancer element, inhibited phorbol myristate acetate induction of viral replication and tat-mediated trans activation of the human immunodeficiency virus long terminal repeat. The effect of this construct is contrasted with classical antisense methylphosphonate-derivatized oligomers complementary to initiation codon and splice acceptor sites of human immunodeficiency virus structural and regulatory genes. Its activity suggests a novel application of the modified oligonucleotide strategy in the blockade of viral induction from latently infected cells.


Pressure-Induced Structures and Properties in Indium Hydrides.
The structures, electron properties, and potential superconductivity of indium hydrides are systematically studied under high pressure by first-principles density functional calculations. Upon compression, two stable stoichiometries (InH3 and InH5) are predicted to be thermodynamically stable. Particularly, in the two compounds, all hydrogen atoms exist in the form of H2 or H3 units. The stable phases present metallic features with the overlap between the conduction and the valence bands. The Bader analysis indicates that charges transfer from In atoms to H atoms. Electron-phonon calculations show that the estimated transition temperatures (Tc) of InH3 and InH5 are 34.1-40.5 and 22.4-27.1 K at 200 and 150 GPa, respectively.


Enhancing catalytic activity and stability for CO2 methanation on Ni@MOF-5 via control of active species dispersion.
A novel, highly active catalyst Ni@MOF-5 showed unexpected activity at low temperature for CO2 methanation. The characterization results indicated that Ni was uniformly and highly dispersed over MOF-5. This catalyst showed high stability and almost no deactivation in long term stability tests up to 100 h.


Unimolecular Chemo-fluoro-luminescent Reporter for Crosstalk-Free Duplex Imaging of Hepatotoxicity.
Real-time multiplex imaging is imperative to biology and diagnosis but remains challenging for optical modality. Herein, a unimolecular chemo-fluoro-luminescent reporter (CFR) is synthesized for duplex imaging of drug-induced hepatotoxicity (DIH), a long-term medical concern. CFR simultaneously detects superoxide anion (O2•-) and caspase-3 (casp3) through respective activation of its independent chemiluminescence and near-infrared fluorescence channels. Such a crosstalk-free duplex imaging capability of CFR enables longitudinal measurement of two correlated biomolecular events (oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis) during the progression of DIH, identifying O2•- as an earlier biomarker for detection of DIH both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, CFR detects DIH 17.5 h earlier than histological changes. Thus, our study not only develops a sensitive optical reporter for early detection of DIH but also provides a general molecular design strategy for duplex imaging.


Microvascular decompression for hypoglossal nerve palsy secondary to vertebral artery compression: A case report and review of the literature.
Neurovascular-compression syndrome (NCS) is described as a prominent pathological contact between cranial nerves and vessels. Trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, and glossopharyngeal neuralgia are typical clinical entities associated with NCS. On the other hand, the hyoglossal nerve is rarely affected by NCS. We present a case of hypoglossal nerve palsy (HNP) secondary to vertebral artery (VA) compression. A 47-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 1-month history of dysarthria and dysphagia. Neurological examination revealed left HNP, with an intact swallowing reflex and no oropharyngeal or palatal weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (constructive interference in steady state) revealed left hypoglossal nerve compression by the V4 segment of the left atherosclerotic VA. He underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) surgery. Intraoperatively, the VA was compressing the hypoglossal nerve. The left VA was moved and attached to the dura matter using a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon®) sheet and fibrin glue. Postoperatively, the patient exhibited gradual recovery of HNP in 3 months without dysfunction of lower cranial nerves. In patients with isolated HNP, vascular compression should be considered as a cause of these symptoms, and subsequent MVD can lead to resolution.


The relationship between mental disorders and different types of crime.
Previous studies of relationships between mental disorder and crime have tended to group the mental disorders, the crimes or both, leaving uncertainty about a more specific mental disorder: crime relationships. To examine the relationship between types of mental disorder and types of crime in pre-trial defendants. Data were extracted from 21,424 pre-trial forensic psychiatric reports made between 2000 and 2006 in the Netherlands. We compared the prevalence of axis I disorders, personality disorders, intellectual functioning and substance abuse in defendants charged with a range of crimes (homicide, attempted/threatened homicide, assault, battery, rape, sexual crimes, arson and/or property crimes) using chi-square tests. Relationships with diminished accountability, reflecting a direct relationship with underlying mental disorder, were calculated using multivariate regression models, adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity and history of judicial contact. Arson had the strongest relationship with mental disorders in our sample, then assaults, then homicidal attempts or threats. Sexual and property crimes had the weakest relationship with diminished or absent accountability. Diminished accountability had the strongest relationship with psychotic disorders, followed by organic psychosyndromes and developmental disorders, whereas other axis I disorders, personality disorders or an IQ score of <85 points were only moderately related. These relationships varied little according to the type of crime, although tended to be weaker for defendants in property crimes. Cannabis and hard drugs were significantly associated with decreased accountability only in respect of arson. Mental disorders are related to all types of crimes but especially to arson, battery and homicidal attempts or threats, with a court finding of diminished accountability providing some validation for perceived links between the disorder and crime in this study. Psychiatric assessment is likely to be the most useful for defendants under charges of arson, assault or attempted homicide, as these groups are most likely to suffer from a psychiatric disorder related to the alleged offence. Psychotic, organic and some developmental disorders appear to have the strongest relationship with diminished accountability. Findings with respect to illicit drug use are likely to have more varied implications between jurisdictions but, in the Netherlands, may sometimes be accepted as diminishing accountability in defendants of arson.


Visual outcome of laser treatment in diabetic retinopathy.
To determine the visual outcome of laser treatment in diabetic retinopathy. Prospective, non-comparative case series. A total of 80 eyes of 50 patients with diabetic retinopathy in different stages were photocoagulated using diode green laser. Focal laser only was given in 46 eyes and pan retinal photocoagulation only was given in 29 eyes while 3 eyes received focal laser and pan retinal photocoagulation. One eye was given grid laser only and one eye received both grid and focal laser. The best corrected visual acuity was noted and fundus examination was carried out prior to laser therapy and at the last follow-up and results were compared. Non- proliferative diabetic retinopathy was present in 76%. Following laser treatment, best corrected visual acuity improved in 52.50%, remained static in 35% and deteriorated in 12.5%. Maculopathy improved in 52%, remained static in 6% and deteriorated in 2% in right eyes while there was no maculopathy in 40% in right eyes. Similarly, maculopathy improved in 38% and remained same in 10% while 52% had no maculopathy in left eyes. After laser treatment, NVD (OD) regressed in 6% and remained unchanged in 4%. Similarly, NVE (OD) regressed in 18% and remained unchanged in 4% and NVE (OS) regressed in 18% and remained unchanged in 2% following laser therapy. Timely and adequate laser treatment helps in saving the vision in patients with diabetic retinopathy.


Protective effect of tea polyphenol ophthalmic gel on lens epithelial cells in rabbits with silicone oil tamponade after vitrectomy.
Purpose. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tea polyphenols (TP) ophthalmic gel on lens epithelial cells (LECs) in rabbits with silicone oil tamponade after vitrectomy. Methods. In this study, unilateral vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade was performed using 2-month-old New Zealand white rabbits (n = 72); meanwhile, age-matched nonoperated rabbits (n = 18) were used as controls. The TP ophthalmic gel was administered topically in the surgical eyes till they were sacrificed. On days 45 and 90 after operation, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and apoptosis of LECs were analyzed, respectively. Meanwhile, caspase-3 mRNA and protein levels were also determined. Results. The results indicate that the levels of ROS and apoptosis were elevated for LECs in rabbits after operation, whereas ΔΨm was decreased. Caspase-3 was apparently increased at both mRNA and protein levels. Treatment of TP ophthalmic gel could reduce the generation of ROS, maintain ΔΨm, inhibit the overexpression of caspase-3, and thus decrease the apoptosis of LECs of rabbits after operation. Conclusions. TP ophthalmic gel can efficiently inhibit caspase-3 overexpression, reduce the apoptosis of LECs, and prevent LECs from damage. Our result provides a new approach to prevent the development of complicated cataract after vitrectomy.


[The role of PET/CT investigation in the management of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma].
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Although this lymphoma is curable, 40% of patients with DLBCL will die of relapsed or refractory disease. 18F-Fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is a noninvasive, 3-dimensional, functional imaging modality. When combined with the anatomical imaging tool computed tomography (CT), PET/CT can differentiate among others necrotic masses and viable tumors. PET scan has become a basic clinical tool for staging and response assessment in aggressive lymphomas, such as DLBCL. It has been evaluated in pretreatment staging, restaging, monitoring during therapy, post-therapy surveillance and assessment of transformation. Based on the preliminary results of several studies FDG-PET scans play an important role in the early assessment of treatment response, in planning of the treatment including radiation therapy and in the estimation of prognosis.


Confocal microlaparoscope for imaging the fallopian tube.
Recent evidence suggests that ovarian cancer can originate in the fallopian tube. Unlike many other cancers, poor access to the ovary and fallopian tubes has limited the ability to study the progression of this deadly disease and to diagnosis it during the early stage when it is most amenable to therapy. A rigid confocal microlaparoscope system designed to image the epithelial surface of the ovary in vivo was previously reported. A new confocal microlaparoscope with an articulating distal tip has been developed to enable in vivo access to human fallopian tubes. The new microlaparoscope is compatible with 5-mm trocars and includes a 2.2-mm-diameter articulating distal tip consisting of a bare fiber bundle and an automated dye delivery system for fluorescence confocal imaging. This small articulating device should enable the confocal microlaparoscope to image early stage ovarian cancer arising inside the fallopian tube. Ex vivo images of animal tissue and human fallopian tube using the new articulating device are presented along with in vivo imaging results using the rigid confocal microlaparoscope system.


MR imaging of the thyroid: comparison with scintigraphy in the normal and diseased gland.
Spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the thyroid gland was performed in patients using a superconducting magnet operating at 0.35 T. There were 17 women and two men with an age range of 21-77 years. All of the patients with disease were also evaluated with scintigraphy and three of the four subjects with normal thyroid glands also had scintigraphy. Final diagnoses in the patients were normal gland in four, Graves disease in two, thyroid cyst in one, benign follicular adenoma in two, papillary cell carcinoma in one, Hürthle cell carcinoma in one, Hashimoto thyroiditis in one, and multinodular goiter in seven. The normal thyroid and surrounding anatomy were clearly demonstrated by intrinsic signal intensity differences of the tissues. The thyroid gland in Graves disease was enlarged and had homogeneously increased signal intensity at all pulse sequences compared with skeletal muscle and normal thyroid. The thyroid cyst and benign adenoma were well defined; however, the cyst displayed the greater signal intensity on more T2-weighted pulse sequences. The MR signal intensity features of multinodular goiter and Hashimoto thyroiditis appear similar to those of the normal gland. In cases of focal masses, MR could not reliably distinguish benign from malignant tumor. However, using intensity ratio data there was a statistically significant difference between solid and hemorrhagic cystic disease.


Neutrophil elastase inhibitor suppresses oxidative stress in obese asthmatic rats by activating Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
The aim of this study was to detect the oxidative stress response in the rat model of obesity, asthma and obese asthma. Meanwhile, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of neutrophil elastase inhibitor (NEI) on cellular oxidative stress in the body and whether it exerted an effect on the oxidative stress response in obese asthma through the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Keap1/Nrf2) pathway. The obesity and asthma models were established using a total of 70 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. All rats were randomly divided into 7 groups. The rats with normal weight were divided into the control (CTR) group (n=10), asthma (ATM) group (n=10) and ATM+NEI group (n=10). Meanwhile, the obese rats were divided into the obesity (OBS) group (n=10), the OBS+NEI group (n=10), the OBS+ATM group (n=10) and the OBS+ATM+NEI group (n=10). After modeling, rats in NEI intervention groups were injected with Sivelestat (5 mg/kg) via the caudal vein twice a day for 1 week. The tests of cough sensitivity to capsaicin and bronchial responsiveness were performed 24 h after the last administration. Lung tissues of rats were collected for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Meanwhile, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in heart, lung and kidney tissues were detected via 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). The activities of reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), H2O2 and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in the heart, lung and kidney tissues were detected using the colorimetric method. The mRNA and protein expressions of Keap1 and Nrf2 messenger ribonucleic acid expressions in the heart, lung and kidney tissues were measured via Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. NEI significantly improved the symptoms and lung pathology in rats with asthma. The level of ROS in the heart, lung and kidney tissues of the OBS group, ATM group and OBS+ATM group was significantly increased. However, NEI markedly inhibited the level of ROS in rats with asthma. The activities of antioxidant stress-related enzymes (reduced GSH, GSH-Px, H2O2 and SOD) in the heart, lung and kidney tissues of the OBS group, ATM group and OBS+ATM group were significantly decreased. However, NEI markedly promoted the activities of the related antioxidant enzymes in oxidative stress response in asthma rats. Besides, the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway in the heart, lung and kidney tissues of the OBS group, ATM group and OBS+ATM group was significantly inhibited, while NEI activated the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway in rats with asthma. NEI promotes the release of a variety of antioxidant factors, enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes and improves the symptoms of rats with obese asthma. The possible underlying mechanism may be the activation of the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.


Social Media Communication and Network Correlates of HIV Infection and Transmission Risks Among Black Sexual Minority Men: Cross-sectional Digital Epidemiology Study.
In the United States, HIV disproportionately affects Black cisgender sexual minority men (BSMM). Although epidemiological and behavioral surveillance are integral to identifying BSMM at risk of HIV infection and transmission, overreliance on self-reported data, inability to observe social contexts, and neglect of populations with limited engagement in health care systems limits their effectiveness. Digital epidemiological approaches drawing on social media data offer an opportunity to overcome these limitations by passively observing in organic settings activities, beliefs, behaviors, and moods that indicate health risks but are otherwise challenging to capture. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether features of Facebook communication and networks were associated with biological, behavioral, and psychological indicators of HIV infection and transmission risk. Facebook and survey data were collected from BSMM aged 18 to 35 years living in Chicago (N=310). Participants' Facebook posts were characterized using 4 culturally tailored topic dictionaries related to aspects of HIV protection and risk among BSMM (sexual health; substance use; sex behavior; and ballroom culture, a salient subculture in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities of color). Social network methods were used to capture structural features of BSMM's Facebook friendships (centrality, brokerage, and local clustering) and Facebook group affiliations. Multivariable regressions revealed relationships between these Facebook features and 5 ground truth indicators of HIV infection and transmission risk (sexually transmitted infection incidence, condomless sex, sex drug use, biomedical prevention, and depression). Although analysis of participants' Facebook posts revealed that HIV-related topics occupied a small portion of the total messages posted by each participant, significant associations were found between the following HIV risk indicators and Facebook features: Condomless sex, including communication about sexual health (odds ratio [OR] 1.58, 95% CI 1.09-2.29), ballroom culture (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.63-0.93), and friendship centrality (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.52-0.92); Sex drug use, including communication about substance use (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.17-2.79) and friendship centrality (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.96) and brokerage (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.51-0.99); Biomedical prevention, including communication about ballroom culture (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.71); and Depression, including communication about sexual health (β=-0.72, 95% CI -1.42 to -0.02), ballroom culture (β=.80, 95% CI 0.27-1.34), friendship centrality (β=-0.90, 95% CI -1.60 to -0.21), and Facebook group affiliations (β=.84, 95% CI 0.25-1.43). Facebook features provided no significant explanatory value for sexually transmitted infection incidence. Finding innovative strategies to detect BSMM at risk of contracting or transmitting HIV is critical to eliminating HIV disparities in this community. The findings suggest that social media data enable passive observance of social and communicative contexts that would otherwise go undetected using traditional HIV surveillance methods. As such, social media data are promising complements to more traditional data sources.


Insights from the redefinition of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide O-antigen and core-oligosaccharide domains.
H. pylori is a Gram-negative extracellular bacterium, first discovered by the Australian physicians Barry Marshall and Robin Warren in 1982, that colonises the human stomach mucosa. It is the leading cause of peptic ulcer and commonly infects humans worldwide with prevalence as high as 90% in some countries. H. pylori infection usually results in asymptomatic chronic gastritis, however 10-15% of cases develop duodenal or gastric ulcers and 1-3% develop stomach cancer. Infection is generally acquired during childhood and persists for life in the absence of antibiotic treatment. H. pylori has had a long period of co-evolution with humans, going back to human migration out of Africa. This prolonged relationship is likely to have shaped the overall host-pathogen interactions and repertoire of virulence strategies which H. pylori employs to establish robust colonisation, escape immune responses and persist in the gastric niche. In this regard, H. pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a key surface determinant in establishing colonisation and persistence via host mimicry and resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides. Thus, elucidation of the H. pylori LPS structure and corresponding biosynthetic pathway represents an important step towards better understanding of H. pylori pathogenesis and the development of novel therapeutic interventions.


The use of prescribed medication in the schools: a status report on the state policies and guidelines.
The increased use of medication in school systems and the broadened responsibility of educators for the medical/health related needs of students have created a number of concerns. Examples of issues facing school personnel include liability risks, designation of persons to administer medication and drug management procedures to safeguard students receiving drugs during the school day. A review of the literature indicates a paucity of legal documents and policies regarding the use of medication in schools. This study investigates existing state laws, regulations, attorneys general opinions and guidelines concerning the management of medication in the school system. The results show that: (a) the majority of states do not have legislation, regulations or other directives with force of law; (b) major policy statements found most often in legal documents were designated persons permitted to administer drugs, physician's approval, parent's authorization and liability; and (c) many states have apparently deferred policy making to the schools, and have developed state department guidelines to assist local school officials. The major policy and guideline statements may be considered as recommendations for adoption by states wanting to establish responsibility for policy making at the state and local school level.


Identification of a novel cord blood NK cell subpopulation expressing functional programmed death receptor-1.
Natural Killer cells (NKs) represent the innate counterpart of TCRαβ lymphocytes and are characterized by a high anti-tumor and an anti-viral cytotoxic activity. Recently, it has been demonstrated that NKs can express PD-1 as an additional inhibitory receptor. Specifically, PD-1 was identified on a subpopulation of terminally differentiated NKs from healthy adults with previous HCMV infection. So far it is unknown whether PD-1 appears during NK-cell development and whether this process is directly or indirectly related to HCMV infection. In this study, we analyzed the expression and function of PD-1 on Cord Blood derived NKs (CB-NKs) on a large cohort of newborns through multiparametric cytofluorimetric analysis. We identified PD-1 on CB-NKs in more than of half the newborns analyzed. PD-1 was present on CD56dim NKs, and particularly abundant on CD56neg NKs, but only rarely present on CD56bright NKs. Importantly, unlike in adult healthy donors, in CB-NKs PD-1 is co-expressed not only with KIR, but also with NKG2A. PD-1 expression was independent of HCMV mother seropositivity and occurs in the absence of HCMV infection/reactivation during pregnancy. Notably, PD-1 expressed on CB-NKs was functional and mediated negative signals when triggered. To our understanding, this study is the first to report PD-1 expression on CB derived NKs and its features in perinatal conditions. These data may prove important in selecting the most suitable CB derived NK cell population for the development of different immunotherapeutic treatments.


Coactivators and general transcription factors have two distinct dynamic populations dependent on transcription.
SAGA and ATAC are two distinct chromatin modifying co-activator complexes with distinct enzymatic activities involved in RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription regulation. To investigate the mobility of co-activator complexes and general transcription factors in live-cell nuclei, we performed imaging experiments based on photobleaching. SAGA and ATAC, but also two general transcription factors (TFIID and TFIIB), were highly dynamic, exhibiting mainly transient associations with chromatin, contrary to Pol II, which formed more stable chromatin interactions. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy analyses revealed that the mobile pool of the two co-activators, as well as that of TFIID and TFIIB, can be subdivided into "fast" (free) and "slow" (chromatin-interacting) populations. Inhibiting transcription elongation decreased H3K4 trimethylation and reduced the "slow" population of SAGA, ATAC, TFIIB and TFIID In addition, inhibiting histone H3K4 trimethylation also reduced the "slow" populations of SAGA and ATAC Thus, our results demonstrate that in the nuclei of live cells the equilibrium between fast and slow population of SAGA or ATAC complexes is regulated by active transcription via changes in the abundance of H3K4me3 on chromatin.


A Prognostic Scoring Model for the Utility of Induction Chemotherapy Prior to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Esophageal Cancer.
The aim of this study was to identify patients with esophageal cancer who may benefit from induction chemotherapy (IC) before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) on the basis of a prognostic scoring model. Between 1998 and 2015, 535 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent nCRT were included for analysis, including 218 patients who received IC before nCRT (IC group) and 317 patients who did not receive IC (non-IC group). A prognostic scoring model was developed to predict disease-free survival (DFS) on the basis of a Cox proportional hazards model. The median follow-up time was 63.5 months (range 8.0-178.5) for survivors. The 5-year DFS rates were similar between the IC and non-IC groups (53.7% vs. 45.1%, p = 0.196). Multivariate analysis determined that histologic grade, tumor location, baseline positron emission tomography maximum standard uptake value, and lymph node size were independent prognostic factors for DFS. A prognostic scoring system was constructed by using these four factors, with the total score ranging from 0 to 6.2. When the median value was used as a cutoff, low-risk (≤3.5) and high-risk (>3.5) groups were identified. In the high-risk group, patients who received IC had a nonsignificantly higher pathologic complete response rate (p = 0.272) and a significantly better DFS (p = 0.03) than patients who did not receive IC. After propensity score matching, the high-risk group demonstrated a significantly improved DFS with IC, a benefit that was not observed in the low-risk group. On the basis of the prognostic scoring model, the addition of IC to nCRT may provide a DFS benefit in high-risk patients with a risk score higher than 3.5. Prospective validation is warranted.


Identification of microRNAs in acute respiratory distress syndrome based on microRNA expression profile in rats.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains a severe disease associated with an ~40% mortality rate and as many as 200,000 new cases annually. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have important roles in gene regulation and cancer development. The present study aimed to identify the potential roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis and progression of ARDS. The miRNA expression profile of the GSE57223 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Following data normalization, differentially expressed miRNAs were identified using the t‑test method. The miRWalk database was searched to predict target genes of the identified miRNAs and then a miRNA‑miRNA network with co‑regulated target genes was constructed. Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed for the target genes and a miRNA‑miRNA functional synergistic network (MFSN) was established. GO and pathway analyses were performed for the co‑regulated target genes of significant miRNAs in MFSN. Additionally, a protein‑protein‑interaction network was constructed for these target genes. A total of 19 miRNAs were differentially expressed between ARDS and normal lung tissue were identified. The four downregulated rno‑let‑7 family members were detected to have numerous co‑regulated target genes and synergistic functions. Additionally, the target genes of the four miRNAs were significantly enriched the biological processes of wounding and inflammatory response. Additionally, interleukin (IL)‑6 was identified as a hub protein with a high degree. The four downregulated rno‑let‑7 miRNAs may be involved in the inflammatory process in the pathogenesis and progression of ARDS, via the synergistic regulation of their target genes, such as IL‑6. However, additional experimental validation is required.


Response trait diversity and species asynchrony underlie the diversity-stability relationship in Romanian bird communities.
Biodiversity-stability relationships have frequently been studied in ecology, with the recent integration of traits to explain community stability over time. Classical theory underlying the biodiversity-stability relationship posits that different species' responses to the environment should stabilise community-level properties (e.g. biomass or abundance) through compensatory dynamics. However, functional response traits, which aim to predict how species respond to environmental change, are still rarely integrated into studies of ecological stability. Such traits should mechanistically drive community stability, both in terms of community abundance (functional variability) and composition (compositional variability). In turn, whether and how functional or compositional stability scales to affect temporal variation in functional effect traits (a proxy for ecosystem functioning) remains largely unknown, but is key to consistent ecosystem functioning under environmental change. Here, we explore the diversity-stability relationship in bird communities using annual survey data across 98 sites in central Romania, in combination with global trait databases and structural equation models. We show that higher response trait diversity promotes compositional variability directly, and functional variability indirectly via species asynchrony. In turn, functional variability impacts the temporal stability of effect trait diversity. Multiple facets of diversity and community stability differ between natural forests and agricultural or human-dominated survey sites, and the relationship between response diversity and functional variability is mediated by land cover. Further integration of response-and-effect trait frameworks into studies of community stability will enhance understanding of the drivers of biodiversity change, allowing targeted conservation decision-making with a focus on stable ecosystem functioning in the face of global environmental change.


Treatment of localized gingival recessions. Part II. Coronally repositioned flap with a free gingival graft.
Fourteen teeth with localized gingival recessions were treated using a coronally repositioned flap with a free gingival graft (Bernimoulin, 1973). The second step of the procedure was performed 1 month after the free gingival graft was done. Clinical measurements of the recession, sulcus depth and keratinized gingiva were taken preoperatively and at 30, 90 and 180 days after surgery. A mean reduction in the recession of 2.73 mm was obtained after 6 months, which was equivalent to a 64% decrease of the original recession. A significant increase in the width of the keratinized gingiva, averaging 3.27 mm, was found after 6 months. All results remained stable after 30 days postoperatively. The values for gingival recession, sulcus depth and width of keratinized gingiva on the teeth adjacent to the recessions remained unchanged, since they were undisturbed by the procedure.


The oviduct fluke, Prosthogonimus species in wild birds, Türkiye.
Prosthogonimus species is considered one of the most important pathogen parasites of poultry and wild birds because it causes defective egg formation, and deaths can be seen as a result of peritonitis. The genus Prosthogonimus is all-around and has been reported in many areas worldwide. This study is research on the presence of Prosthogonimus species, one of the most pathogen trematodes of birds, in Türkiye and wild birds. We conducted the present study to investigate the presence and prevalence of Prosthogonimus spp. in Türkiye. We studied 183 individuals of 62 wild bird species in the Kızılırmak Delta. Wild birds that died naturally were necropsied and searched for oviducal flukes. After performing our parasitological study, we found that 4/180 birds were infected with Prosthogonimus spp. Aythya ferina, Ciconia ciconia, Erithacus rubecula and Turdus philomelos were infected with Prosthogonimus pellucidus, Prosthogonimus macrorchis, Prosthogonimus cuneatus and Prosthogonimus ovatus, respectively. Prosthogonimus species was reported for the first time from Türkiye, together with all species found. The presence of Prosthogonimus species in Türkiye and wild birds was determined. We constructed a key of our found Prosthogonimus species based on their morphological characters.


Multichromophoric arrays arranged around a triptycene scaffold: synthesis and photophysics.
Here we report on the synthesis, characterization, and photophysics of multichromophoric arrays based on a triptycene scaffold that acts as a bridging ligand for Ir(III) and Os(II) satellite active components. The triptycene scaffold not only furnishes a rigid star-shaped 3D displacement of the metallic units in space but also plays an active role in the energy cascade. The transition metal complexes have been designed in order to display an ideal cascade in their lowest excited state energy levels. For this purpose, a novel Ir(III) complex containing two dbpz (dibenzo[a,c]phenazine) ligands (Ir) has been synthesized. The key step in the synthesis of the array was the final cross-coupling between the mixed complex IrF-Os and Ir, providing the target heterotrinuclear complex IrF-Ir-Os. The photophysical properties of models confirmed the appropriate energy displacement of the single chosen active units, in the order triptycene > IrF > Ir > Os, and fast and efficient energy transfer processes leading to the final population of the Os-based triplet level have been evidenced. The reported arrays can be considered as efficient antenna systems with an absorption range extending up to 700 nm, where the triptycene bridging ligand provides both a structural and a photophysical function.


Nuclear quantum dynamics on the ground electronic state of neutral silver dimer 107Ag109Ag probed by femtosecond NeNePo spectroscopy.
The nuclear quantum dynamics on the ground electronic state of the neutral silver dimer 107Ag109Ag are studied by femtosecond (fs) pump-probe spectroscopy using the 'negative ion - to neutral - to positive ion' (NeNePo) excitation scheme. A vibrational wave packet is prepared on the X1Σ+g state of Ag2via photodetachment of mass-selected, cryogenically cooled Ag2- using a first ultrafast pump laser pulse. The temporal evolution of the wave packet is then probed by an ultrafast probe pulse via resonant multiphoton ionization to Ag2+. Frequency analysis of the fs-NeNePo spectra obtained for a single isotopologue and pump-probe delay times up to 60 ps yields the harmonic (ωe = 192.2 cm-1), quadratic anharmonic (ωexe = 0.637 cm-1) and cubic anharmonic (ωeye = 3 × 10-4 cm-1) constants for the X1Σ+g state of neutral Ag2. The fs-NeNePo spectra obtained at different pump wavelengths provide insight into the excitation mechanism. At a pump wavelength of 510 nm instead of 1010 nm, resonant excitation of a short-lived electronically excited state of the anion followed by autodetachment results in population of higher-energy vibrational levels of the neutral ground state. In contrast, at 1140 nm dynamics with a slightly shorter beating period and different relative phase are observed. The present study demonstrates that isotopologue-specific fs-NeNePo spectroscopy provides accurate vibrational constants of mass-selected neutral clusters in their electronic ground state in the terahertz spectral region, which remains difficult to obtain directly in the frequency domain with any other type of spectroscopy of comparable sensitivity.


CIDE, a novel family of cell death activators with homology to the 45 kDa subunit of the DNA fragmentation factor.
DFF45 is a subunit of the DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) that is cleaved by caspase-3 during apoptosis. However, the mechanism by which DFF45 regulates apoptotic cell death remains poorly understood. Here we report the identification and characterization of two mammalian genes, CIDE-A and CIDE-B, encoding highly related proteins with homology to the N-terminal region of DFF45. CIDE-A and CIDE-B were found to activate apoptosis in mammalian cells, which was inhibited by DFF45 but not by caspase inhibitors. Expression of CIDE-A induced DNA fragmentation in 293T cells, which was inhibited by DFF45, further suggesting that DFF45 inhibits the apoptotic activities of CIDEs. In addition to mammalian CIDE-A and CIDE-B, we identified DREP-1, a Drosophila melanogaster homolog of DFF45 that could inhibit CIDE-A-mediated apoptosis. Mutant analysis revealed that the C-terminal region of CIDE-A was necessary and sufficient for killing whereas the region with homology to DFF45 located in the N-terminus was required for DFF45 to inhibit CIDE-A-induced apoptosis. CD95/Fas-mediated apoptosis was enhanced by CIDEs but inhibited by DFF45. These studies suggest that DFF45 is evolutionarily conserved and implicate CIDEs as DFF45-inhibitable effectors that promote cell death and DNA fragmentation.


Quantitative analyses of leukemia inhibitory factor in the cerebrospinal fluid in mouse embryos.
Leukemia inhibitory factor contributes to the self-renewal of neural stem cells in the forebrain. Although the existence of endogenous leukemia inhibitory factor in the brain parenchyma has been controversial, the cerebrospinal fluid is known to be another source of leukemia inhibitory factor. No reports of the measurement of leukemia inhibitory factor concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid, however, exist. In the present study, we determined the leukemia inhibitory factor concentration in cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, and sera of embryos and dams in mice by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The leukemia inhibitory factor concentrations were found to be constitutively high in the cerebrospinal fluid from embryonic day 11 to embryonic day 17, with a peak on embryonic day 13 and embryonic day 14. These findings correspond to the timing of cortical neuron production in mouse cerebrum.


The influence of gripping techniques on the tensile properties of tendons.
Gripping is a major challenge faced in the tensile testing of tendons. As soft and aqueous materials, tendons are prone to slip and experience premature failure during mechanical testing. Several gripping methods were attempted and evaluated, including serrated jaw, sandpaper, frozen ends, and air-dried ends. It was found that 1 kN pneumatic grips (Shimadzu Company) lined with cardboard provided an adequate grip without perceptible slip and damage to the tendons. It was found that using the pneumatic grips with cardboard lining the stress concentration at the grip-specimen interface reduced substantially. An analysis of specimens that failed at the grip-specimen interface versus those that failed at mid-substance shows that there was no significant difference in their tensile properties.


["Odontogenic" anxiety. A study of a population of 1500 students from the public schools in the Bari area].
The authors have carried out a survey regarding 1500 students whose age ranged from 9 to 18 years. They belonged to some public schools of Gioia del Colle, a small town near the city of Bari. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dentist fear, the levels of anxiety and the main reasons or situations which can cause it. A questionnaire has been used for this purpose: the Dental Subscale Test. Results have shown that the 38.7% of the people questioned, has asserted to be afraid of the dentist and that this fear is much more felt in women than in men. Moreover has been demonstrated that this fear overcomes amongst those who have never undergone a dental treatment and that the degree of anxiety decreases from childhood to adulthood. In addition statistics analysis have proved that the sensation of choking, the sight and the sound of surgical instruments such as the drill and the fear of injections, are amongst those items which can be referred as the most frequent sources of anxiety for both males and females.


Body Mass Index (BMI) of Adults: Findings of the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS).
The Malaysian Adults Nutrition Survey (MANS) was carried out between October 2002 and July 2003, involving 6,775 men and 3,441 women aged 18 - 59 years. Anthropometric assessment showed that the overall mean body weight and BMI were 62.65 kg (CI: 62.20, 63.09) and 24.37 kg/m2 (CI: 24.21, 24.53) respectively. Based on the WHO (1998) classification of BMI, 12.15% (CI: 11.26, 13.10) were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2), and 26.71% (CI: 25.50, 27.96) overweight (BMI > 25 - 29.9 kg/m2). Significantly, more women were obese [14.66% (CI: 13.37, 16.04)] while significantly more men were overweight [28.55% (CI: 26.77, 30.40)]. Ethnicitywise, prevalence of obesity was highest among the Malays [15.28% (CI: 13.91, 16.77)] while overweight was highest for the Indians [31.01% (CI: 26.64, 35.76)]. Both obesity and overweight were highest among those aged 40 - 49 years. Obesity was highest for those whose household income was between RM1,500 - 3,500 while overweight was more prevalent for those whose household income exceeded RM3,500. The prevalence of overweight was highest for those with primary education [31.90% (CI: 29.21, 34.72)]. There was no significant urban rural differential in both obesity and overweight. The study found 9.02% (CI:8.82, 10.61) with chronic energy deficiency (CED) (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2). The prevalence of CED was relatively higher in the indigenous population (Orang Asli) [14.53% (CI: 5.14, 34.77)], subjects aged 18-19 years [26.24% (CI: 21.12, 32.09)], and with monthly household income of < RM1,500 [10.85% (CI: 9.63, 12.20)]. The prevalence of CED was not significantly different among the geographical zones and educational levels, and between urban/rural areas and sexes. The results call for priority action to address the serious problem of overweight and obesity among Malaysian adults as it poses a grave burden to the country's resources and development.


Staging of bladder carcinoma by computer tomography-guided transmural core biopsy.
In an attempt to improve staging of bladder cancer, computed tomography-guided transmural core biopsy was performed in 17 patients. In the first four patients a 0.9 mm cutting needle was used. This small needle yielded easily fragmented cores and consequently the remaining biopsies were taken with a 1.2 mm needle with an improved result. In all but one case sufficient histological material to allow a diagnosis was obtained by the core biopsy technique. Transmural tumor infiltration, as verified in corresponding cystectomy specimens, could be identified more often with the core biopsy than in biopsies obtained by transurethral resection. False negative diagnosis occurred when the tumor was not clearly visible on the computed tomography scan. No short-term side effects of clinical importance were found with the procedure.


What is genital chlamydia?
Genital chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Infection occurs during vaginal, oral or anal sex, or other genital contact with a partner who has chlamydia. Newborn babies can also acquire the infection during birth. This can lead to conjunctivitis or severe chest infection.


[Discrimination of Ganoderma based on high performance liquid chromatographic fingerprints combined with chemometrics methods].
High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based system was utilized for generating chemical fingerprints of 11 Ganoderma strains. The data were statistically evaluated by using chemometric methods in order to classify the samples. The similarities of all the 11 samples and the relative peak areas of 13 common peaks were newly calculated separately. Then different chemometrics methods including hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminate analysis (DA) were applied to classify the G. lucidum samples. Consistent results show that the application of HPLC fingerprint coupled with powerful chemometrics analysis in the discrimination and classification of Ganoderma is a reliable and scientific approach.


On the role of Hoogsteen:Hoogsteen interactions in RNA: ab initio investigations of structures and energies.
We use a combination of database analysis and quantum chemical studies to investigate the role of cis and trans Hoogsteen:Hoogsteen (H:H) base pairs and associated higher-order structures in RNA. We add three new examples to the list of previously identified base-pair combinations belonging to these families and, in addition to contextual classification and characterization of their structural and energetic features, we compare their interbase interaction energies and propensities toward participation in triplets and quartets. We find that some base pairs, which are nonplanar in their isolated minimum energy geometries, attain planarity and stability upon triplet formation. A:A H:H trans is the most frequent H:H combination in RNA structures. This base pair occurs at many distinct positions in known rRNA structures, where it helps in the interaction of ribosomal domains in the 50S subunit. It is also present as a part of tertiary interaction in tRNA structures. Although quantum chemical studies suggest an intrinsically nonplanar geometry for this base pair in isolated form, it has the tendency to attain planar geometry in RNA crystal structures by forming higher-order tertiary interactions or in the presence of additional base-phosphate interactions. The tendency of this base pair to form such additional interactions may be helpful in bringing together different segments of RNA, thus making it suitable for the role of facilitator for RNA folding. This also explains the high occurrence frequency of this base pair among all H:H interactions.


A clinical score to rule out the concomitant presence of deep vein thrombosis in patients presenting with superficial vein thrombosis: The ICARO study.
Superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) is commonly encountered in clinical practice. Recent studies have suggested that the concomitant presence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) at the time of SVT diagnosis is not uncommon, thus increasing the interest on this disease. Whether this coexistence is predicted by specific risk factors remains unknown. To evaluate potential risk factors for DVT coexistence in patients presenting with acute objectively diagnosed SVT of the lower limbs and to develop a simple score entirely based on clinical variables to define the pre-test probability of DVT in these patients. A multicenter, retrospective cohort study on SVT patients was conducted. Information was collected on clinical signs and on risk factors for venous thrombosis. 494 patients (mean age 56.3 ± 17.9 years, 64.2% women) were included. Concomitant DVT was found in 16.0% of patients. After multivariate analysis, we identified 5 independent variables that were used to develop the ICARO score: active malignancy (1.5 points), limb edema (1.5 points), rope-like sign (-1 point), age ≥ 50 years (1 point), unprovoked SVT (-1 point). The prevalence of concomitant DVT was 1.1% in the low-probability category (< 0 points), 12.0% in the intermediate-probability category (0 to 1 points), and 32.3% in the high probability category (≥ 1.5 points). The concomitant presence of major DVT is not negligible in patients with SVT. Our prediction score entirely based on simple clinical variables may be useful in assessing the risk of concomitant DVT in these patients.


[Factors determining the decision to initiate nCPAP therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)].
The aim of the study was to determine the factors which influence the decision to initiate nCPAP therapy in patients with OSA. 184 patients with OSA were enrolled to the study. They were divided into two groups: group "T" ("treated") which consisted of 112 patients who were being treated with nCPAP and group "R" (resigned") which consisted of 68 patients who refused nCPAP therapy. The main causes of their refusal were: the possibility of surgical treatment, nCPAP intolerance and high costs associated with the purchase of a nCPAP device. The mean age of the patients was comparable in both groups (49.2 +/- 8.7 vs 50.5 +/- 10.6 yrs). Patients from group T had a significantly higher body weight and BMI than the patients from group R (106.6 +/- 2.1 kg vs 94.1 +/- 20.9 kg, p < 0.0001 and 35.0 +/- 6.3 kg/m2 vs 31.1 +/- 6.3 kg/m2, p < 0.00005 respectively). The patient evaluation included physical examination, a questionnaire concerning symptoms related with OSA and OSA assessment by poly-MESAM, polysomnography (PSG) before and with nCPAP trial therapy. the following parameters obtained in the poly-MESAM recording differed significantly (p < 0.001) between group T and group R: RDI (54.6 vs 41.7), HRV index (24 vs 11), SaO2 min (67.0 vs 75% and SaO2 mean (84 vs 88%). Analysis of the baseline PSG did not reveal differences in sleep structure in both groups. We found a significantly higher AHI in group T (63.6 vs 44.9, p < 0.00005). PSG confirmed a significantly lower SaO2 min and SaO2 mean in group T (67.0 vs 75.0%, p < 0.001 and 89.0 vs 92%, p < 0.00002 respectively) and also revealed a significantly longer total sleep time with SaO2 < 90% in this group (183.0 vs 55.0 min, p < 0.0005). We did not find any differences between both study groups in the parameters obtained in PSG with nCPAP trial therapy. OSA patients who decide to be treated with nCPAP are more obese, have a higher BMI and demonstrate a more severe disease assessed by PSG.


Does COVID-19 Infection within 1 Week after Total Knee Arthroplasty Affect Patients' Early Clinical Outcomes? A Matched Case-Control Study.
Recent studies have reported the impact of previous COVID-19 infection on the early clinical outcome after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the timing of infection before the surgery was not constant and a study on patients with COVID-19 infection within 1 week after TKA is lacking. This study aimed to determine the effect of COVID-19 infection within one week after TKA on the postoperative outcomes and to compare the early clinical outcomes to those who were not infected with COVID-19 before and after surgery. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of clinical outcomes or complications. The length of the hospital stay (LOS) was significantly longer for the COVID-19 group than for the non-COVID-19 group (p < 0.05). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were higher for the study group on postoperative days 9 and 12 than for those in the control group (p < 0.05). However, D-dimer levels were not significantly different between the two groups. We should cautiously consider that COVID-19 infection within 1 week after TKA may be associated with increased ESR, CRP levels, and length of hospital stay, but they are not associated with the worsening of early clinical outcomes or the occurrence of complications.


Minimally invasive management of obstructive gastroduodenal tuberculosis.
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is prevalent in Western urban centers, especially among immunocompromised patients and immigrants. However, TB enteritis is a rare sequela, occurring in less than 1 per cent of this population. Tuberculosis may affect any portion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and 85 per cent of cases manifest in the ileocecal region. However, the stomach and duodenum are involved in just 0.3-2.3% of TB cases that affect the gut. Gastric outlet obstruction due to TB has been traditionally treated by a surgical bypass operation, followed by anti-TB chemotherapy. In a recent review of 17 cases of TB-related gastric outlet obstruction, gastrojejunostomy or duodenojejunostomy was performed in all patients. We present a case of gastric outlet obstruction due to TB that was treated successfully with a minimally invasive approach, without the need for a gastric bypass.


[Computer-aided design in double-step distraction osteogenesis of unilateral mandibular segmental defects reconstruction].
To investigate the feasibility of using computer-aided design (CAD) in double-step distraction osteogenesis in the reconstruction of mandibular segmental defects after tumor resection. Eight cases of unilateral mandibular segmental defects were reconstructed using distraction osteogenesis secondary to oncologic surgery, with the help of CT and CAD system. The mandibular body was lengthened first, and then the residual defect of mandibular ramus was restored using a distraction device. No incidence of infection or other complications were observed. The maximal amount of the lengthening reached 55 mm in the mandibular body, and 45 mm in the mandibular ramus. The average amount of the lengthening reached 49 mm in the mandibular body, and 36 mm in the mandibular ramus. The aesthetic and functional results of bone lengthening were excellent in all cases. The retractor was removed eight months postoperatively. Using CAD in double-step distraction osteogenesis in the reconstruction of unilateral mandibular segmental defects has the advantages of precise diagnosis, operation planning and assuring success of operation. It has the disadvantage of a long period for the overall treatment time.


Atrial natriuretic peptide increases microvascular blood flow and macromolecular escape during renin infusion in the hamster.
The effects of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) on microvascular hemodynamics and macromolecular permselectivity were studied in the hamster cheek pouch under resting conditions and during intravenous renin infusion. Fluorescent intravital microscopy was used to observe arteriolar diameters and to detect escape of fluorescent dextran of 150 K-Daltons (FITC-Dx-150). Microvascular plasma flow was estimated by clearance of 51Cr-EDTA and net macromolecular transport by clearance of FITC-Dx-150. At rest, topical ANP (2-250 ng/ml) had no effect on arteriolar diameter, 51Cr-EDTA clearance, relative vascular conductance (RVC) or FITC-Dx-150 clearance. Infusion of renin (10 mU/Kg/Hr, iv) elevated systemic arterial pressure by 30% and reduced cheek pouch RVC by 26%. During renin infusion, topical ANP (50 ng/ml) produced transient arteriolar vasodilation, and increased 51Cr-EDTA clearance (+35%), RVC (+58%) and FITC-Dx-150 clearance (+54%), without affecting systemic pressure. ANP did not induce venular leakage sites under any condition, but changes in FITC-Dx-150 clearance were highly correlated with changes in 51Cr-EDTA clearance, suggesting that the larger macromolecular escape was due to increases in microvascular blood flow and capillary/post-capillary hydrostatic pressure.


Factors influencing the long-term results of endodontic treatment: a review of the literature.
The purpose of this review of the literature is to examine the factors and their influence on the outcome of endodontic treatments, and also to attempt to have an authors' consensus concerning the impact of these factors on long-term results. The documentary research was conducted using the meta-analysis principles of critical reading of the literature. Two groups of factors can be identified regarding the outcome of endodontic treatments: those which influence the success of the procedure and those which do not significantly affect the success rate. Agreement is obtained in all studies on two major factors, the preoperative periapical status and the apical limit of the obturation, which appear to strongly influence the success of endodontic therapy. This review highlights the methodological problems of retrospective studies and points out the need for consensus regarding the evaluation criteria of root canal therapy.


Gut transport characteristics in herbivorous and carnivorous serrasalmid fish from ion-poor Rio Negro water.
Three closely related characids, Tambaqui (omnivore), black Piranha (carnivore), and Pacu (herbivore), all Serrasalmidae, inhabit the ion-poor, acidic Rio Negro. We compared O2-consumption and N excretion rates in vivo, and sodium, chloride, glucose, and ammonia transport characteristics of gut sac preparations in vitro. The Pacu had a significantly higher weight-specific oxygen consumption, and a lower N/Q ratio than the omnivorous Tambaqui, and a significantly lower urea-N excretion rate than the carnivorous black Piranha, suggesting N-limitation in the herbivorous Pacu. With a value of 2.62 ± 0.15, gut to fork length ratio in the Pacu was about 2.5 times higher than in the black Piranha, and 2.0 times higher than in the Tambaqui. Anterior intestinal activities of three enzymes involved in N-fixation for amino acid synthesis (glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamate-oxaloacetate transferase, and glutamate-pyruvate transferase) were generally greatest in the carnivore and lowest in the herbivore species. In all three species, sodium, chloride, glucose, and ammonia were taken up at high rates from the intestine, resulting in an isosmotic fluid flux. Comparing the area-specific fluid flux of the anterior, mid, and posterior gut sections, no difference was detected between the three sections of the Pacu, while in the Tambaqui, it was highest in the anterior section, and in the black Piranha highest in the middle section. Overall, the area-specific uptake rates for sodium, chloride, glucose, and ammonia of anterior, mid, and posterior sections were similar in all three species, indicating that there is no difference in the area-specific transport rates associated with trophic position. The net ammonia uptake flux from gut interior was not significantly different from the net ammonia efflux to the serosal fluid, so that the ammonia removed from the intestine by the mucosal epithelium was quantitatively transferred through the tissue to the serosal side in all three species. Thus, metabolic activity of gut tissue did not significantly influence the net ammonia transfer. Due to the much higher gut to fork length ratio, the overall transport capacity of the gut of the herbivorous Pacu by far exceeded the transport capacity of their carnivorous and omnivorous relatives, thus compensating for the lower digestibility and the low Na(+), Cl(-), and N-content of the plant diet. Accordingly, in order to cope with the more difficult digestible plant material and the very low nitrogen content of plants, herbivorous fish have not evolved more effective area-specific transport capacities, but rather have increased the length of the gut.


[Fathers of children born to adolescent mothers and their interactive behavior].
Adolescent mothers and their children received much scientific attention in the past. Some studies also looked at characteristics of the interaction between mother and child. However, little is known about the interaction between children of adolescent mothers and their fathers, as research to date has focussed on paternal psychosocial aspects. The present study examines 19 partners of adolescent mothers in the interaction with their four-months-old infants. Results indicate that fathers of this sample--despite a sufficiently large intuitive repertoire--mainly relate to their infants with tactile stimulation and behaviours that facilitate eye contact. Most fathers succeed in adjusting their behaviour to their child's state. Fathers who are able to adjust their behaviour to their child's state show a larger repertoire of intuitive capacity. The infant's readiness to interact is associated with successful paternal adjustment. We discuss implications for involving fathers in the clinical work with children of adolescent mothers.


Epithelioid angiosarcoma arising in a uterine leiomyoma with associated elevated CA-125: A case report.
We describe the case of a 67 year old female with longstanding uterine leiomyomas who presented with fatigue, weight loss, elevated CA-125 and an enlarging mass arising from the posterior uterine fundus. Histologic sections of the mass contained a leiomyoma with interspersed foci of malignant epithelioid cells forming anastomosing vascular channels. The neoplastic cells were diffusely positive for CD31 and FLI1, supporting the morphologic impression of epithelioid angiosarcoma. Few cases of epithelioid angiosarcoma arising within a leiomyoma have been described. In this report we discuss this association and describe its relation with elevated CA-125.


Inflammatory Cellular Response to Mechanical Ventilation in Elastase-Induced Experimental Emphysema: Role of Preexisting Alveolar Macrophages Infiltration.
An excessive pulmonary inflammatory response could explain the poor prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients submitted to invasive mechanical ventilation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to normal tidal volume mechanical ventilation in an elastase-induced murine model of pulmonary emphysema. In this model, two time points, associated with different levels of lung inflammation but similar lung destruction, were analyzed. C57BL/6 mice received a tracheal instillation of 5 IU of porcine pancreatic elastase (Elastase mice) or the same volume of saline (Saline mice). Fourteen (D14) and 21 (D21) days after instillation, mice were anesthetized, intubated, and either mechanically ventilated (MV) or maintained on spontaneous ventilation (SV) during two hours. As compared with Saline mice, Elastase mice showed a similarly increased mean chord length and pulmonary compliance at D14 and D21, while bronchoalveolar lavage cellularity was comparable between groups. Lung mechanics was similarly altered during mechanical ventilation in Elastase and Saline mice. Activated alveolar macrophages CD11bmid were present in lung parenchyma in both Elastase SV mice and Elastase MV mice at D14 but were absent at D21 and in Saline mice, indicating an inflammatory state with elastase at D14 only. At D14, Elastase MV mice showed a significant increase in percentage of neutrophils in total lung, as compared with Elastase SV mice. Furthermore, alveolar macrophages of Elastase MV mice at D14 overexpressed Gr1, and monocytes showed a trend to overexpression of CD62L, compared with Elastase SV mice. In an elastase-induced model of pulmonary emphysema, normal tidal volume mechanical ventilation may produce an increase in the proportion of pulmonary neutrophils, and an activation of alveolar macrophages and pulmonary monocytes. This response seems to be observed only when the emphysema model shows an underlying inflammation (D14), reflected by the presence of activated alveolar macrophages CD11bmid.


Interplay Between Lipid Modulators of Kir2 Channels: Cholesterol and PIP2.
We have shown earlier that Kir2 channels are suppressed by the elevation of membrane cholesterol. Moreover, it is also well known that activation of Kir channels is critically dependent on a regulatory phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). In this study we examined the cross-talk between cholesterol and PIP2 in the regulation of Kir2 channels. The strength of Kir2-PIP2 interactions was assessed by acute sequestering of PIP2 with neomycin dialyzed into cells through a patch pipette while simultaneously recording whole cell currents. Consistent with a reduction in PIP2 levels, dialysis of neomycin resulted in a decrease in Kir2.1 and Kir2.3 current amplitudes (current rundown), however, this effect was significantly delayed by cholesterol depletion for both types of channels suggesting that cholesterol depletion strengthens the interaction between Kir2 channels and PIP2. Furthermore, mutation of Kir2.1 that renders the channels' cholesterol insensitive abrogated cholesterol depletion-induced delay in the current rundown whereas reverse mutation in Kir2.3 has the opposite effect. These observations provide further support for the functional cross-talk between cholesterol and PIP2 in regulating Kir2 channels. Consistent with these observations, there is a significant structural overlap between cytosolic residues that are critical for the sensitivity of Kir2 channels to the two lipid modulators but based on recent studies, there is little or no overlap between cholesterol and PIP2 binding sites. Taken together, these observations suggest that cholesterol and PIP2 regulate the channels through distinct binding sites but that the signals generated by the binding of the two modulators converge.


Performance of cocaine dependent individuals and controls on a response inhibition task with varying levels of difficulty.
An assay in which groups perform at both similar and significantly different levels within the same test session may have experimental advantages both in understanding underlying behavioral-cognitive processes and in helping to resolve neuroimaging issues regarding functional significance vs. performance confounds. Here we report behavioral data from a response inhibition (Go/No-Go) task with two levels of No-Go difficulty (easy, hard). The sample included individuals with current cocaine dependence (N=18) and controls (N=15). Using signal detection methodology (d' and Beta), significant main effects were observed for group and trial type on d'. Post-hoc analyses revealed the cocaine-dependent individuals performed significantly worse than controls on difficult, but not easy, trials. Differences on d' but not Beta, and slower reaction times in cocaine subjects, suggest that response inhibition deficits were related to disruption in visual information processing rather than inhibition of motor activity.


Proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and fgf-2 modulation of posterofrontal/sagittal suture-derived mesenchymal cells in vitro.
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is of central importance in premature cranial suture fusion. In the murine skull, the posterofrontal suture normally fuses in early postnatal life, whereas the adjacent sagittal suture remains patent. The authors used a recently developed isolation technique for in vitro culture of suture-derived mesenchymal cells to examine the effects of FGF-2 on proliferation and differentiation of posterofrontal and sagittal suture-derived mesenchymal cells. Skulls were harvested from 40 mice (5-day-old). Posterofrontal and sagittal sutures were dissected, separating sutural mesenchymal tissue from dura mater and pericranium, and cultured. After cell migration from the explant and subculture, differences in proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of these distinct populations were studied. The mitogenic and osteogenic effects of recombinant FGF-2 were then assessed. FGF-2 regulation of gene expression was evaluated. Suture-derived mesenchymal cells isolated from the posterofrontal suture demonstrated significantly higher proliferation rates and a robust mitogenic response to FGF-2 as compared with suture-derived mesenchymal cells isolated from the sagittal suture. Interestingly, posterofrontal suture-derived mesenchymal cells retained a higher in vitro osteogenic potential, as shown by alkaline phosphatase activity and bone nodule formation. FGF-2 significantly diminished osteogenesis in both suture-derived mesenchymal cell populations. Subsequently, Ob-cadherin and Sox9 were found to be differentially expressed in posterofrontal versus sagittal suture-derived mesenchymal cells and dynamically regulated by FGF-2. In vitro osteogenesis of suture-derived mesenchymal cells recapitulates in vivo posterofrontal and sagittal sutural fates. Posterofrontal rather than sagittal suture-derived mesenchymal cells are more responsive to FGF-2 in vitro, in terms of both mitogenesis and osteogenesis.


The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center at Massachusetts General Hospital hematology-oncology department: hope for the homeless.
Shortly before his death in 1995, Kenneth B. Schwartz, a cancer patient at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), founded the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center at MGH. The Schwartz Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advancing compassionate health care delivery, which provides hope to the patient and support to caregivers and encourages the healing process. The Center sponsors the Schwartz Center Rounds, a monthly multidisciplinary forum during which caregivers discuss a specific cancer patient, reflect on the important psychological issues faced by patients, their families, and their caregivers, and gain insight and support from their fellow staff members. A homeless man with head and neck cancer presents to the emergency room: a sad and familiar story. But this story is redeemed by his 35-year friendship with a priest, a man whose unconditional love and support became critical to the patient's care and treatment. The patient had lived for 30 years in homeless shelters, had problems with alcohol abuse, and was notoriously noncompliant with medical caregivers. He could not speak due to his disease, was illiterate with limited intellectual capacity, and had neither a job nor a family. Despite huge and apparently insurmountable problems for the patient, the oncology team was able to carve out a package of care, successfully communicate, and mobilize a support network to allow successful completion of chemoradiation therapy. The team developed a strong commitment to his care and an affectionate bond, which very positively affected all of those involved. We discuss issues of access to cancer care, and the special problems presented by homeless patients.


Comparative incidence dynamics and serotypes of meningitis, bacteremic pneumonia and other-IPD in young children in the PCV era: Insights from Israeli surveillance studies.
Widespread introduction of pneumococcal conjugated vaccines (PCVs) impacted on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). However, IPD reduction may not be similar in all outcomes within IPD. We assessed PCV7/PCV13 impact on pneumococcal meningitis, bacteremic pneumonia (BP) and other (non-meningitis, non-pneumonia) IPD episodes in children <5years in Israel. A prospective, population-based, active nationwide surveillance. All pneumococcal invasive episodes with positive blood/CSF cultures, July 2000 through June 2016, were included. Three sub-periods were defined: pre-PCV (2000-2008), PCV7 (2009-2011) and PCV13 (2014-2016). Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated. Overall, 4321 episodes were recorded; 456 (10.6%) meningitis, 1478 (34.2%) pneumonia and 2387 (55.2%) other-IPD. In the pre-PCV period, proportion of serotypes in PCV13, but not in PCV7 (mainly serotypes 1, 5 and 19A) was higher in BP (43.3%) compared with other-IPD episodes (32.8%, p<0.001) and similar to that of meningitis (37.6%, p=0.1). The proportion of episodes in children <12months was higher in meningitis (52.1%) compared with pneumonia (23.2%) and other-IPD episodes (39.5%; p<0.001 for both). The declines of the 3 entities were not similar; Meningitis rate non-significantly declined by 24% (IRR=0.76; 95% CI 0.57-1.01), while BP and other-IPD rates significantly declined by 57% and 70%, respectively. In contrast to other entities, BP did not decline significantly after PCV7 introduction but started to decline only after PCV13 introduction. Rates of meningitis, pneumonia and other-IPD caused by PCV13-serotypes (VT13) substantially declined by 88%, 95% and 97%, respectively, comparing PCV13 and the pre-PCV periods. However, diseases caused by non-VT13 increased by 256%, 302% in meningitis and pneumonia, respectively, but only 116% in other-IPD. Following PCV7/PCV13 introduction, rates of episodes caused by VT13 were substantially reduced in all 3 groups. However, differences in age distribution, serotype replacement and specific serotype decrease suggest different pathogenesis and host susceptibility between the 3 entities.


Effect of angiotensin II type I receptor blocker losartan on bone deterioration in orchiectomized male hypertensive and normotensive rats.
Epidemiological study showed that the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors was associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) in older people, especially male subjects, which suggested that angiotensin II may have a detrimental effect on bone. Therefore, blocking its effect may have a beneficial effect on bone health. Six-month-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used. Animals of each model were randomly assigned to the following four groups: Group 1, SHAM operated+vehicle; Group 2, orchidectomy (ORX)+vehicle; Group 3, ORX+low-dose losartan (10 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)); and Group 4, ORX+high-dose losartan (25 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)). Blood pressure was recorded weekly. SHAM and ORX operations were performed, followed by daily losartan and vehicle treatment from day 4 after operation for 16 weeks. Serum and 24-hour urine samples were collected for measurement of bone turnover markers before euthanasia and then the left femur was collected for measurements of BMD and microarchitecture before mechanical test. Urine deoxypyridinoline/urine creatinine (DPD/Cr) ratio was significantly higher in SHR than in WKY. BMD and microarchitecture parameters also showed bone deterioration in SHR. After ORX, serum osteocalcin concentration decreased and urine DPD/Cr ratio increased significantly accompanied by a significant decrease in cortical and trabecular BMD and cortical bone thickness in both WKY and SHR. High-dose losartan significantly increased DPD in urine in both SHR and WKY. Apart from marginal favorable changes in bone architecture in WKY treated with high-dose losartan, losartan did not show significant effect on BMD, bone area, bone microarchitecture, and mechanical properties in both SHR and WKY. Angiotensin II type I receptor blocker losartan was not able to demonstrate significant effect on ORX-induced bone deterioration in both hypertensive and normotensive rats.


Callosal inhibition: the key to the brain code.
A mechanism for interhemispheric communication is proposed based upon the assumption of homotopic callosal inhibition. The implied pattern of cortical activity in each cerebral hemisphere is shown to be the mirror-image and "photographic negative" of the contralateral pattern. Mirror-imagery is a direct consequence of (1) approximate cerebral hemispheric bilateral symmetry and (2) homotopic callosal connections. The photographic negative relationship is a direct consequence of (1) bilaterally symmetrical activation of the cortex via subcortical "attentional" mechanisms and (2) inhibition by a unilaterally established engram of an identical cortical pattern contralaterally. In language generation and understanding, excitation predominantly in the left hemisphere produces on the right inhibition of language-related neurons as well as excitation of all surrounding "contextual" neurons. The suggested dichotomy of verbal and contextual functions of the cerebral hemispheres is shown to be supported by previous findings concerned with cognition in brain-damaged patients. Unlike earlier suggestions of linguistic and paralinguistic specializations in the left and right, the mirror-image negative hypothesis is based upon an explicit physiological process rather than unspecified differences in "information processing."


Luteal phase progesterone excretion in ovulatory women with polycystic ovaries.
Various studies have reported a prevalence of polycystic ovaries (PCO) of approximately 20% in the 'normal' population. Our aim was to investigate the frequency of ovulation and pattern of luteal phase progesterone secretion in a group of women with PCO who reported regular cycles and in whom ovulation had been established on the basis of previous investigations. Subjects collected early morning urine samples for pregnanediol-3-glucuronide measurement from day 10 of the cycle to day 1 of their next menses. Results in three consecutive cycles from women with PCO (group 1, n = 10 and 29 for patients and cycles respectively) were compared with results from two groups with normal ovaries; with either infertility (group 2, n = 10 and 30) or proven fertility (group 3, n = 6 and 19). There were considerable variations in cycle length. The median (range) was group 1: 28 (23-47); group 2: 26 (21-36) and group 3: 27 (25-38) days with more short cycles in both infertile groups. There was more variation in pregnanediol:creatinine in the normal-ovary infertile and PCO groups than in the fertile controls. Levels were higher in the early luteal phase in the fertile normal group than in either infertile group, and the mid-luteal phase peak was lower in the infertile women with normal ovaries. In summary, there was greater variability in luteal phase pregnanediol:creatinine ratios in the PCO and infertile normal-ovary groups than in women with normal ovaries and proven fertility. Women with PCO did not have more variation in cycle length than fertile women with normal ovaries, but there were significantly lower levels of progesterone in the early luteal phase. This may contribute to the delay in conception in these patients.


Histochemical localization of hyaluronan in psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis and normal skin.
In suction blister fluid from active psoriatic lesions we have previously found elevated concentrations of hyaluronan. The aim of this investigation was to study the localization of hyaluronan with a histochemical method, in biopsy specimens from lesions of 13 patients with progressive psoriasis. Ten normal subjects and seven patients with allergic contact dermatitis were also studied. In normal epidermis the highest intensity of hyaluronan staining was found in the intercellular spaces in the middle and upper spinous layer, whereas the staining was much weaker in the basal layer. No hyaluronan was detected in the granular layer or in the orthokeratotic stratum corneum. In the dermis there was pronounced staining of the papillary dermis and around the sebaceous glands, sweat glands, hair follicles and blood vessels. In six of the 16 specimens from psoriatic lesions the normal epidermal meshwork of hyaluronan was partly absent and replaced by diffuse staining of both the spinous and the basal layer. In the remaining ten of these 16 specimens the same type of meshwork was found in stratum spinosum as in normal skin. The parakeratotic stratum corneum contained hyaluronan, in contrast to the normal stratum corneum, where no hyaluronan was present. The pattern of hyaluronan staining in the dermis of the psoriatic lesions did not differ from that in normal dermis. In the majority of the allergic patch test reactions the junction was less distinct than in normal skin between dermis and epidermis and the normal hyaluronan pattern of the basal layer was abolished and replaced by a diffuse staining throughout the layer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Effect of alpha-adrenoceptor agonists on cell membrane potential in renal epitheloid Madin Darby canine kidney cells.
In Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells epinephrine--via alpha-adrenoceptors--leads to sustained hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. The present study defined the subtype of alpha-adrenoceptor involved. Both the alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine, and alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists (BHT 920, guanfacine, moxonidine, oximetazoline) were able to hyperpolarize the cell membrane. The effect of epinephrine was only transient in the presence of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine, whereas the effect persisted in the presence of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin. The epinephrine-induced hyperpolarization was almost abolished in the presence of both prazosin and yohimbine. In conclusion, both, alpha 1- and alpha 2-receptors are involved in the hyperpolarizing action of epinephrine.


Cerebral Venous Thrombosis, Protein S Deficiency and Pregnancy Triad:A Case Report.
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT) is an uncommon cause of stroke that is more prevalent among young adults and more so among women. Being an unusual site for venous thrombosis, its occurrence usually implies the presence of a thrombophilic disorder, inherited or acquired. Occasionally, multiple inherited or acquired risk factors for hypercoagulability may co-exist. In this report we present a case manifesting the triad of protein S deficiency, pregnancy and imaging-confirmed extensive CVT. A 28-year-old primigravid woman presented with acute onset of severe headache, protracted vomiting, reduced consciousness, spastic quadriparesis and bilateral papilloedema. The serum D-Dimer assay was markedly elevated and brain computerized tomography scan revealed extensive thrombus involving superior and inferior sagittal sinuses, the straight sinus, the confluence of sinuses as well as the left transverse sinus. A hypercoagulability panel revealed protein S deficiency. She was treated with cerebral decompression and subcutaneous enoxaparin with remarkable clinical improvement in muscle power and consciousness level. Her pregnancy and delivery were otherwise normal. Hypercoagulability should be suspected in a pregnant woman presenting with stroke and a high index of suspicion is needed in making accurate diagnosis. The case highlights the importance of brain imaging in confirming the diagnosis.


Gastritis, duodenitis, and bleeding duodenal ulcer following mefenamic acid therapy.
A 46-year-old woman developed hematemesis and melena two weeks after starting mefenamic acid therapy for osteoarthritis of the spine. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, arteriography, and a laparotomy revealed antral gastritis, duodenitis, and an acute bleeding ulcer in the third portion of the duodenum. Although mefenamic acid has many of the pharmacologic and physicochemical properties of aspirin and produces gastrointestinal ulceration in animals when administered in large doses, the English literature reveals only one case of gastric ulceration and a single instance of upper-gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage associated with its use. This case warns that mefenamic acid may cause serious gastric and duodenal inflammation and ulceration more commonly than is presently suspected.


Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy as a Tool for Assessing Macromolecular Structure and Function in Living Cells.
Investigating the structure, modification, interaction, and function of biomolecules in their native cellular environment leads to physiologically relevant knowledge about their mechanisms, which will benefit drug discovery and design. In recent years, nuclear and electron magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has emerged as a useful tool for elucidating the structure and function of biomacromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates in living cells at atomic resolution. In this review, we summarize the progress and future of in-cell NMR as it is applied to proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.


[Changes in the cell population of the thymus-dependent area of the regional lymph nodes following skin flap grafting].
In the paracortical zone of the regional lymph node changes in the cell population density of small and middle lymphocytes, immunoblasts, immature and mature plasma cells are taken into consideration. The observations are carried out for 954 h after transplantation. As demonstrates the analysis of the process segmentation, certain stages of the changes are revealed with duration of 150-160 h; that corresponds to circadian (circaseptan) range of biological rhythms. The duration of the first stage makes about a half of the circaseptan period. In quantitative changes of every cell type a slow trend and a periodical component are present. It is possible to suppose that during the first 3-4 days mobilization of cell resources takes place, further up to 13-16 days active reactions occur, directed to exfoliation of allogenic tissue components, and then after the exfoliation of the graft the amount of the cells becomes stable, however, rhythmical fluctuations are preserved. The reaction of the cell composition in the paracortical zone of the lymph nodes is in concord with the dynamics of changes in the cell population and in the transplant itself.


Clinical characteristics and prognosis of cerebral venous thrombosis in Chinese women during pregnancy and puerperium.
Due to the specific physiology associated with pregnancy and puerperium, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT) may manifest different characteristics. This study aimed to identify the clinical manifestations and prognosis of pregnancy-associated CVT. A total of 43 pregnancy-associated CVT patients were enrolled. We analysed the clinical presentations of the disease and performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine which variables were associated with prognosis. Our descriptive results showed the following: 1) the incidence was 202 per 100,000 deliveries, and the mortality rate was 11.63%; 2) the most frequent symptom was headache; 3) the most frequent abnormal laboratory findings were increased levels of fibrinogen and several serum lipoproteins (including triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, apolipoprotein A1, and apolipoprotein B); and 4) the superior sagittal sinus and transverse sinus were the most frequently affected locations. Moreover, an increased modified Rankin Scale score was positively associated with infection, seizure, intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Comparably, the occurrence of death was positively and significantly associated with infection, seizure and ICH. Consequently, timely diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-associated CVT patients with infection, seizure, ICH or HDP are needed. Patients with infection, seizure or ICH have a greater risk of death.


Changing growth conditions during surface growth.
Motivated by a series of experiments that revealed a temperature dependence of the dynamic scaling regime of growing surfaces, we investigate theoretically how a nonequilibrium growth process reacts to a sudden change of system parameters. We discuss quenches between correlated regimes through exact expressions derived from the stochastic Edwards-Wilkinson equation with a variable diffusion constant. Our study reveals that a sudden change of the diffusion constant leads to remarkable changes in the surface roughness. Different dynamic regimes, characterized by a power-law or by an exponential relaxation, are identified, and a dynamic phase diagram is constructed. We conclude that growth processes provide one of the rare instances where quenches between correlated regimes yield a power-law relaxation.


Effect of clomiphene on Ca(2+) movement in human prostate cancer cells.
The effect of clomiphene, an ovulation-inducing agent, on cytosolic free Ca(2+) levels ([Ca(2+)](i)) in populations of PC3 human prostate cancer cells was explored by using fura-2 as a Ca(2+) indicator. Clomiphene at concentrations between 10-50 microM increased [Ca(2+)](i) in a concentration-dependent manner. The [Ca(2+)](i) signal was biphasic with an initial rise and a slow decay. Ca(2+) removal inhibited the Ca(2+) signal by 41%. Adding 3 mM Ca(2+) increased [Ca(2+)](i) in cells pretreated with clomiphene in Ca(2+)-free medium, confirming that clomiphene induced Ca(2+) entry. In Ca(2+)-free medium, pretreatment with 50 microM brefeldin A (to permeabilize the Golgi complex), 1 microM thapsigargin (to inhibit the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump), and 2 microM carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (to uncouple mitochondria) inhibited 25% of 50 microM clomiphene-induced store Ca(2+) release. Conversely, pretreatment with 50 microM clomiphene in Ca(2+)-free medium abolished the [Ca(2+)](i) increase induced by brefeldin A, thapsigargin or carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. The 50 microM clomiphene-induced Ca(2+)release was unaltered by inhibiting phospholipase C with 2 microM 1-(6-((17beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl)amino)hexyl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (U73122). Trypan blue exclusion assay suggested that incubation with clomiphene (50 microM) for 2-15 min induced time-dependent decrease in cell viability by 10-50%. Collectively, the results suggest that clomiphene induced [Ca(2+)](i) increases in PC3 cells by releasing store Ca(2+) from multiple stores in an phospholipase C-independent manner, and by activating Ca(2+) influx; and clomiphene was of mild cytotoxicity.


Knockdown of Long Noncoding RNA LINC00240 Inhibits Esophageal Cancer Progression by Regulating miR-26a-5p.
Esophageal cancer is the most prevalent digestive system tumor. Due to a lack of characteristic symptoms and early diagnosis, a confirmed esophageal cancer is typically detected at a progressively harmful stage. Therefore, it is critical to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing the formation and progression of esophageal cancer in order to identify new treatment targets for esophageal cancer early detection. We first screened the differentially expressed gene LINC00240 in the TCGA database. Multivariate analysis and Cox regression were performed, and a nomogram was constructed for internal validation. The correlation between LINC00240 and immune cells was analyzed using the TIMER database. The possible mechanism of action was explored through GSEA enrichment analysis. Then, in 43 esophageal cancer tissues, paracancour tissues, and cell lines, the LINC00240 expression was found. Transwell assays, CCK-8, and clone formation assays were utilized to assess the impact of LINC00240 on the metastasis of esophageal cancer cells. The binding activity of LINC00240 to downstream miRNAs was assessed using the luciferase reporter gene. TCGA database showed that LINC00240 expression was increased in cancer tissues compared to adjacent tissues. The C-index of the nomogram is 0.712 (0.666-0.758), and the prediction model has good accuracy. According to the TIMER database, the LINC00240 expression is linked to immune infiltration and may be crucial in encouraging the immune escape of tumor cells. Gene enrichment analysis depicts that LINC00240 could influence the biological events of esophageal cancer by taking part in pathways such as affecting the cell cycle. LINC00240 expression was substantially greater in the plasma of esophageal cancer patients (3.94 ± 1.55) than in the normal control group (2.13 ± 0.89). Plasma expression of LINC00240 was linked to the degree of differentiation (P=0.0345) and TNM stage (P=0.0409). Knocked down LINC00240 inhibited esophageal cancer cells proliferation, lone formation, and invasion. LINC00240 might bind itself to miR-26a-5p and influence its expression. MiR-26a-5p inhibitor can dramatically limit the ability of LINC00240 knockdown on plate colony formation and relocation of esophageal cancerous cells was demonstrated in colony formation and migration experiments. LINC00240 expression is elevated in esophageal cancerous tissues, and knocking down LINC00240 decreases esophageal cancer cell proliferation, clone formation, invasion, and migration via miR-26a-5p. As a result, LINC00240 could be a novel target for esophageal cancer patients' early diagnosis and treatment.


Exploring service delivery in occupational therapy: The use of convergent interviewing.
Occupational therapy clinicians working in South Africa's public healthcare had views on what patients thought about their vocational rehabilitation services that were based on anecdotal evidence. However evidence-based practice requires more than that. Reliable information is important in patient-centred practice and in the assessment of service quality. Clinical occupational therapists used the convergent interviewing technique to explore patients' views of the vocational rehabilitation services on offer in public hospitals. An Action Learning Action Research (ALAR) approach was used to explore the vocational rehabilitation services occupational therapy clinicians provided over a two week period in three settings. The majority (96%) of patients interviewed were not aware that occupational therapists offered vocational rehabilitation services. The convergent interview technique allowed continued unrestricted discussion of their vocational rehabilitation concerns and provided evidence that patients had significant concerns about work. Critical reflection on the interview experience and technique indicated that therapists were in favour of using convergent interviewing to obtain their patients views about the services offered. Therapists found the convergent interview technique easy to apply in clinical practice. Establishing patients' views of a clinical service have multiple values. However it is meaningless unless clinicians use the knowledge to improve service delivery to the patients who provided the views. Convergent interviewing was a valuable technique for occupational therapy clinicians to incorporate patients' views of their services into service development.


Ablation of IB4 non-peptidergic afferents in the rat facet joint prevents injury-induced pain and thalamic hyperexcitability via supraspinal glutamate transporters.
The facet joint is a common source of neck pain, particularly after excessive stretch of its capsular ligament. Peptidergic afferents have been shown to have an important role in the development and maintenance of mechanical hyperalgesia, dysregulated nociceptive signaling, and spinal hyperexcitability that develop after mechanical injury to the facet joint. However, the role of non-peptidergic isolectin-B4 (IB4) cells in mediating joint pain is unknown. Isolectin-B4 saporin (IB4-SAP) was injected into the facet joint to ablate non-peptidergic cells, and the facet joint later underwent a ligament stretch known to induce pain. Behavioral sensitivity, thalamic glutamate transporter expression, and thalamic hyperexcitability were evaluated up to and at day 7. Administering IB4-SAP prior to a painful injury prevented the development of mechanical hyperalgesia that is typically present. Intra-articular IB4-SAP also prevented the upregulation of the glutamate transporters GLT-1 and EAAC1 in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus and reduced thalamic neuronal hyperexcitability at day 7. These findings suggest that a painful facet injury induces changes extending to supraspinal structures and that IB4-positive afferents in the facet joint may be critical for the development and maintenance of sensitization in the thalamus after a painful facet joint injury.


Growth performance and digestion of growing lambs fed diets supplemented with glycerol.
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing corn with an increasing concentration of high-purity glycerol (>99%) on growth performance, economical efficiency, blood constituents and nutrient digestibility of growing lambs. In experiment one, 24 male lambs (initial BW=33.6±6.0 kg; age=6.75±0.75 months) were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental treatments containing 0%, 5% or 10% glycerol to replace corn in concentrate. In experiment two, nine lambs (initial BW=44.7±2.2 kg, age=8.84±0.32 months) were used in a digestion trial with three treatments (three lambs per treatment) with glycerol replacing corn at 0%, 5% or 10% in the concentrate. Total dry matter (DM) intake decreased quadratically (P=0.003) with increasing concentration of glycerol in the diet. Lambs fed glycerol diets had greater average daily gain (P=0.005) and better feed efficiency (P=0.002) compared with the control. Feed costs were also reduced with glycerol inclusion. Glycerol supplementation did not affect serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin, total lipid, cholesterol and glucose concentrations. Glycerol supplementation had no effect (P>0.05) on organic matter and CP digestion, but improved DM (P=0.0003), crude fiber (P=0.10), ether extract (P=0.0002) and nitrogen-free extract (P=0.05) digestion. In conclusion, glycerol can replace corn up to 10% of DM in the diets of growing lambs.


Composition- and morphology-dependent corrosion stability of ruthenium oxide materials.
Ruthenium oxide materials were evaluated as possible non-carbon-based supports for fuel cell catalysts. The effects of composition and morphology of ruthenium oxide materials on the conductivity and corrosion stability in the gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) configuration were thoroughly investigated. The compositions of the bulk and surface of three ruthenium oxide materials, along with the surface area and surface morphology, were compared. We have found that all tested ruthenium oxide powders exhibited higher corrosion stability compared to carbon. Full conversion of RuO(2).nH(2)O to the RuO(2) phase by postreduction in a hydrogen atmosphere leads to improved conductivity and corrosion stability.