Determination of trace copper in food samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after solid phase extraction on modified soybean hull.
Soybean hull was chemically modified with citric acid and used as a solid phase extraction adsorbent for the determination of trace amounts of Cu(2+) in food samples by flame absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The effect of pH, sample flow rate and volume, elution flow rate and volume and co-existing ions on the recovery of the analyte were investigated. The results showed that Cu(2+) could be adsorbed on the modified soybean hull at pH 8.0 and eluted by 2.0 mL of 1.0 mol L(-1) HCl. Under the optimized conditions, the adsorption capacity of modified soybean hull was found to be 18.0 mg g(-1) for Cu(2+). The detection limit of the proposed method was 0.8 ng mL(-1) for Cu(2+) with an enrichment factor of 18. The analytical result for the certified reference tea sample (GBW07605) was in a good agreement with the certified value. The proposed method has also been successfully applied to the determination of trace Cu(2+) in dried sweet potato, lake water and milk powder, the recovery of Cu(2+) for spiked samples was between 91% and 109.6%.


Diagnosis and grading of detrusor instability using a computerized algorithm.
Detrusor instability and hyperreflexia are characterized by involuntary detrusor contractions in the filling phase of the voiding cycle. The diagnosis is made when urodynamic evaluation reveals such contractions. To compare patients and evaluate treatment a method is needed to quantify the degree of instability. We developed an instability parameter based on the area under the curve of involuntary detrusor contractions on conventional filling cystometry. We developed an automatic method to calculate the area under the curve of involuntary detrusor contractions in conventional filling cystometry. Logistic regression was used to construct decision rules to differentiate stable from unstable bladders. These rules, derived from a group of 100 children, were applied to a second group of 77 who were independently assessed by 3 urodynamics experts. Typically 88% of the second group were correctly classified as stable or unstable by the automatic procedure. In the unstable subgroup there was poor correlation between the calculated instability parameter and the instability score assigned by the experts. Most likely this difference occurred because the experts based their opinion mainly on the amplitude of the highest unstable contraction and the percentage of filling time that instability was found. The proposed method of automatically grading detrusor instability based on the area under detrusor contractions differs from the intuitive method used by experts. Since no standard is available, it cannot be concluded which method is better. Our proposed method is objective and it results in a single physical value.


HLA DR13 and HCV vertical infection.
Risk factors affecting vertical hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission are not completely known, if we exclude maternal HIV coinfection. We hypothesized that immunogenetic factors related to maternal or neonatal HLA profiles may affect HCV vertical transmission. HLA typing (microcytotoxicity assay on blood samples) was performed in 18 infants affected by vertically transmitted HCV infection and in 17 serum-reverted infants. (Serum-reversion is defined as antibody negative by 1 year of age and persistently HCV-RNA negative.) Moreover, HLA typing was performed in 20 mothers. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant negative association between children's HLA-DR13 antigens and risk of HCV vertical transmission (p < 0.01). This association persisted in a model including the maternal HIV status: HLA DR13 and maternal HIV coinfection showed a separate, opposite effect on vertical HCV infection (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). The relative risk estimate for the ratio of not-infected to infected children in the presence of DR13 was 8.4 (95% confidence bounds, 1.1-60.8). Breast-feeding did not affect the risk of vertical HCV transmission. Maternal HLA profile did not relate to vertical infection. The present study reveals a significant association between HLA-DR13 and the likelihood of seroreversion in infants born to HCV-infected mothers. The findings of the present study could help in better understanding the pathogenesis of vertical HCV infection and in better identifying the cases at higher risk, which would be useful for the development of prevention strategies. It is possible that DR13 modulates the immune response to viruses, enhancing their clearance and, thus, in the case of HCV, exerting a protective role against the development of vertical infection.


Revision of total hip arthroplasty using an anterior cortical window, extensive strut allografts, and an impaction graft: follow-up study.
To report the outcome of revised total hip arthroplasty procedures involving an anterior cortical window, extensive strut allografts, and an Exeter impaction graft. Eight patients (9 hips) with a mean age of 58 years underwent revision of total hip arthroplasty using the Exeter hip impaction graft system and strut allografts between 1995 and 1998. An extensile anterior approach was used, and an anterior cortical window was created in the femur, to remove the old implant. External strut allografts were attached by wires to provide cortical support. The mean follow-up duration was 74 months. Indications for surgery were aseptic loosening of previous implants in 8 hips and infection of one hip that had previously undergone total arthroplasty. 19 Dall Miles cables, 4 ordinary cerclage wires, and 8 cerclage wires tightened with the clincher knot technique were used to secure the allograft to the host bone. The strut grafts were found to be incorporated in all cases. No wires became loose. One patient developed 20 degrees of angulation at the allograft-host bone junction. Using the method of Fowler and Gie, we found that one femoral implant had subsided 2 mm within the cement mantle. Two other implants had 1 mm of subsidence at the cement bone interface, and one patient had a major subsidence of 15 mm that required revision. Using an anterior cortical window in the femur to remove the old implant does not predispose to failure of the allograft to incorporate into the host bone.


Small molecule regulation of Sir2 protein deacetylases.
The Sir2 family of histone/protein deacetylases (sirtuins) is comprised of homologues found across all kingdoms of life. These enzymes catalyse a unique reaction in which NAD+ and acetylated substrate are converted into deacetylated product, nicotinamide, and a novel metabolite O-acetyl ADP-ribose. Although the catalytic mechanism is well conserved across Sir2 family members, sirtuins display differential specificity toward acetylated substrates, which translates into an expanding range of physiological functions. These roles include control of gene expression, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, metabolism and ageing. The dependence of sirtuin activity on NAD+ has spearheaded investigations into how these enzymes respond to metabolic signals, such as caloric restriction. In addition, NAD+ metabolites and NAD+ salvage pathway enzymes regulate sirtuin activity, supporting a link between deacetylation of target proteins and metabolic pathways. Apart from physiological regulators, forward chemical genetics and high-throughput activity screening has been used to identify sirtuin inhibitors and activators. This review focuses on small molecule regulators that control the activity and functions of this unusual family of protein deacetylases.


Pneumonic-type mucinous lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed by transbronchial cryobiopsy.
Primary lung adenocarcinoma with lepidic growth can mimic diffuse pulmonary parenchymal processes like infectious pneumonia or idiopathic inflammatory pneumonitis. We report a case of subacute pneumonitis refractory to antibiotic therapy and empirical corticosteroids, proven to be diffuse mucinous adenocarcinoma with lepidic growth on transbronchial cryobiopsy.


Speaker recognition with temporal cues in acoustic and electric hearing.
Natural spoken language processing includes not only speech recognition but also identification of the speaker's gender, age, emotional, and social status. Our purpose in this study is to evaluate whether temporal cues are sufficient to support both speech and speaker recognition. Ten cochlear-implant and six normal-hearing subjects were presented with vowel tokens spoken by three men, three women, two boys, and two girls. In one condition, the subject was asked to recognize the vowel. In the other condition, the subject was asked to identify the speaker. Extensive training was provided for the speaker recognition task. Normal-hearing subjects achieved nearly perfect performance in both tasks. Cochlear-implant subjects achieved good performance in vowel recognition but poor performance in speaker recognition. The level of the cochlear implant performance was functionally equivalent to normal performance with eight spectral bands for vowel recognition but only to one band for speaker recognition. These results show a disassociation between speech and speaker recognition with primarily temporal cues, highlighting the limitation of current speech processing strategies in cochlear implants. Several methods, including explicit encoding of fundamental frequency and frequency modulation, are proposed to improve speaker recognition for current cochlear implant users.


Comparative expression of the human beta(2) and beta(3) adrenergic receptors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
The beta(3) adrenergic receptor (beta(3)AR) is the predominant beta subtype in human brown adipocytes and is essential for regulating thermogenic lipolysis. To establish a novel experimental system for the biochemical analysis of this protein, we engineered several yeast strains. We show that the sterol background of the host strain greatly modulates the beta(3)AR expression but not in the same way as it modulates the beta(2) adrenergic receptor (beta(2)AR), the other main studied adipocyte subtype. The human beta(3)AR expressed in yeast is N-glycosylated but not phosphorylated. This latter characteristic distinguishes it from the beta(2)AR. We showed that both beta(2)AR and beta(3)AR follow the secretory pathway to the yeast plasma membrane (PM) and are degraded in the vacuole. In the yeast strains used in this work, the two receptors also share a common mechanism of direct signal transduction through the yeast G(alpha) protein, Gpa1p. These strains thus appear to be useful for biochemical and structural studies of the human beta(3)AR in an in vivo reconstitution system.


Neutron emission and fast ion simulation for high performance long pulses at EAST.
Neutron emission spectroscopy and neutron yield measurements are important for high neutral beam injection (NBI) power heating at the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The neutron yields mainly depend on the deposition from NBI to the deuterium plasmas in the EAST. We have recently used TRANSP with time dependent diagnostic results to simulate the transport process of 30 s long pulse deuterium plasma discharges in the EAST, obtaining the time dependent fast ion distribution, neutron emission spectrum, and total neutron emission rate. Combined with the time trace of the result measured by a standard 235U fission chamber, the effects of different configurations of NBI heating in EAST fusion plasmas have been evaluated.


CT features of malignant and benign oral tumors in 28 dogs.
An improved understanding of the computed tomographic (CT) features for malignant versus benign oral tumors would be helpful for guiding prognosis and treatment planning decisions in dogs. This retrospective, multi-center, observational study compared the CT features of malignant and benign tumors in 28 dogs with 31 oral masses. Malignant tumors were present in 20 dogs, including malignant melanoma (n = 14), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n = 4), adenocarcinoma (n = 1), and fibrosarcoma (n = 1). Eight dogs had benign tumors, including giant cell granuloma (n = 2), peripheral odontogenic fibroma (n = 2), acanthomatous ameloblastoma (n = 2), plasmacytoma (n = 1), and oncocytoma (n = 1). Common CT features of malignant tumors included heterogeneous enhancement, tumor invasion into the adjacent bone, tooth loss, and ipsilateral mandibular lymphadenopathy. Malignant tumors were significantly larger than benign tumors. Bone lysis was found in benign tumors (n = 4) such as acanthomatous ameloblastoma, giant cell granuloma, and plasmacytoma. The bone lysis was a well-defined geographic area regardless of malignancy and tumor type. In periosteal reactions, amorphous patterns were seen in both malignant (n = 2) and benign tumors (n = 2); the latter subgroup also showed solid patterns. Bone expansion (n = 2) was identified in malignant melanoma and acanthomatous ameloblastoma. Findings supported a diagnosis of possible malignancy for dogs with oral tumors having the following CT characteristics: large size, heterogeneous contrast enhancement pattern, bone lysis, tooth loss, and ipsilateral lymphadenopathy. However, there was a considerable overlap of CT findings among the different types of oral tumors and between benign and malignant tumors. Histological evaluation therefore remains necessary for definitive diagnosis.


Tandem mass spectrometry data quality assessment by self-convolution.
Many algorithms have been developed for deciphering the tandem mass spectrometry (MS) data sets. They can be essentially clustered into two classes. The first performs searches on theoretical mass spectrum database, while the second based itself on de novo sequencing from raw mass spectrometry data. It was noted that the quality of mass spectra affects significantly the protein identification processes in both instances. This prompted the authors to explore ways to measure the quality of MS data sets before subjecting them to the protein identification algorithms, thus allowing for more meaningful searches and increased confidence level of proteins identified. The proposed method measures the qualities of MS data sets based on the symmetric property of b- and y-ion peaks present in a MS spectrum. Self-convolution on MS data and its time-reversal copy was employed. Due to the symmetric nature of b-ions and y-ions peaks, the self-convolution result of a good spectrum would produce a highest mid point intensity peak. To reduce processing time, self-convolution was achieved using Fast Fourier Transform and its inverse transform, followed by the removal of the "DC" (Direct Current) component and the normalisation of the data set. The quality score was defined as the ratio of the intensity at the mid point to the remaining peaks of the convolution result. The method was validated using both theoretical mass spectra, with various permutations, and several real MS data sets. The results were encouraging, revealing a high percentage of positive prediction rates for spectra with good quality scores. We have demonstrated in this work a method for determining the quality of tandem MS data set. By pre-determining the quality of tandem MS data before subjecting them to protein identification algorithms, spurious protein predictions due to poor tandem MS data are avoided, giving scientists greater confidence in the predicted results. We conclude that the algorithm performs well and could potentially be used as a pre-processing for all mass spectrometry based protein identification tools.


Rad51/BRCA2 disruptors inhibit homologous recombination and synergize with olaparib in pancreatic cancer cells.
Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor (PARPi). For patients bearing BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, olaparib is approved to treat ovarian cancer and in clinical trials to treat breast and pancreatic cancers. In BRCA2-defective patients, PARPi inhibits DNA single-strand break repair, while BRCA2 mutations hamper double-strand break repair. Recently, we identified a series of triazole derivatives that mimic BRCA2 mutations by disrupting the Rad51-BRCA2 interaction and thus double-strand break repair. Here, we have computationally designed, synthesized, and tested over 40 novel derivatives. Additionally, we designed and conducted novel biological assays to characterize how they disrupt the Rad51-BRCA2 interaction and inhibit double-strand break repair. These compounds synergized with olaparib to target pancreatic cancer cells with functional BRCA2. This supports the idea that small organic molecules can mimic genetic mutations to improve the profile of anticancer drugs for precision medicine. Moreover, this paradigm could be exploited in other genetic pathways to discover innovative anticancer targets and drug candidates.


Electron-, proton-, and photon-induced spectroscopic changes in chromophore-quencher tricarbonyl(2,2'-bipyridine)rhenium(I) complexes with 4,4'-azobis(pyridine).
We report in this work the synthesis and characterization of new mono- and dinuclear complexes of formulas: [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(4,4'-azpy)](CF(3)SO(3)), 1 (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, 4,4'-azpy = 4,4'-azobis(pyridine)); [(bpy)(CO)(3)Re(4,4'-azpy)Ru(NH(3))(5)](PF(6))(3).CH(3)CN.6H(2)O, 2 and the heterodinuclear species [(bpy)(CO)(3)Re(4,4'-azpy)Ru(NH(3))(5)](4+), 3 (obtained in situ by electrochemical oxidation of 2). The molecular structure of 1 has been determined by X-ray diffraction. We also report the effect of controlled potential electrolysis, protonation, and light excitation on the absorption and emission properties of these complexes. In particular, complex 1, which is almost non-emissive at room temperature, recovers luminescence either by reduction of coordinated 4,4'-azpy or by trans- to cis-photoisomerization. The detected emission of 1 at 77 K is due to decay from a Re --> bpy metal-to-ligand charge transfer excited state. Time dependent density functional theory calculations support the interpretation of the photophysical changes induced by external stimuli.


Vesicular apparatus, including functional calcium channels, are present in developing rodent optic nerve axons and are required for normal node of Ranvier formation.
P/Q-type calcium channels are known to form clusters at the presynaptic membrane where they mediate calcium influx, triggering vesicle fusion. We now report functional P/Q channel clusters in the axolemma of developing central axons that are also associated with sites of vesicle fusion. These channels were activated by axonal action potentials and the resulting calcium influx is well suited to mediate formation of a synaptic style SNARE complex involving SNAP-25, that we show to be located on the axolemma. Vesicular elements within axons were found to be the sole repository of vesicular glutamate in developing white matter. The axonal vesicular elements expressed the glutamate transporter V-ATPase, which is responsible for vesicular glutamate loading. The P/Q channel alpha(1A) subunit was found to be present within the axolemma at early nodes of Ranvier and deleterious mutations of the alpha(1A) subunit, or an associated alpha(2)delta-2 subunit, disrupted the localization of nodal proteins such as voltage-gated sodium channels, beta IV spectrin and CASPR-1. This was associated with the presence of malformed nodes of Ranvier characterized by an accumulation of axoplasmic vesicles under the nodal membrane. The data are consistent with the presence of a vesicular signalling pathway between axons and glial cells that is essential for proper development of the node of Ranvier.


Prognostic value of Child-Turcotte criteria in medically treated cirrhosis.
The Child- Turcotte criteria (CTC) (based on serum bilirubin and albumin, ascites, neurological disorder and nutrition) are established prognostic factors in patients with cirrhosis having portacaval shunt surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of CTC in conservatively treated cirrhosis. Patients (n = 245) with histologically verified cirrhosis from a control group of a controlled clinical trial were studied. Data at entry into the trial were used to classify patients according to CTC. Survival curves for up to 16 years were made, and survival rates were compared using the log-rank test. Survival decreased significantly with increasing degree of abnormality (A----B----C) of albumin (p less than 0.001), ascites (p less than 0.001), bilirubin (p = 0.02) and nutritional status (p = 0.03). Survival was insignificantly influenced by neurological status (p = 0.11) probably because none of the patients had hepatic coma at entry into the trial. The five variables in CTC were combined to a score. With increasing score, the median survival time decreased from 6.4 years (score 5) to 2 months (scores 12 or more). Furthermore, the mortality from hepatic failure, gastrointestinal bleeding or hepatocellular carcinoma increased significantly with increasing score. CTC provide valuable and easily obtainable prognostic information in cirrhosis. However, CTC are inferior to a prognostic index based on multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.


Genomic Prediction of Additive and Non-additive Effects Using Genetic Markers and Pedigrees.
The genetic merit of individuals can be estimated using models with dense markers and pedigree information. Early genomic models accounted only for additive effects. However, the prediction of non-additive effects is important for different forest breeding systems where the whole genotypic value can be captured through clonal propagation. In this study, we evaluated the integration of marker data with pedigree information, in models that included or ignored non-additive effects. We tested the models Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Spaces (RKHS) and BayesA, with additive and additive-dominance frameworks. Model performance was assessed for the traits tree height, diameter at breast height and rust resistance, measured in 923 pine individuals from a structured population of 71 full-sib families. We have also simulated a population with similar genetic properties and evaluated the performance of models for six simulated traits with distinct genetic architectures. Different cross validation strategies were evaluated, and highest accuracies were achieved using within family cross validation. The inclusion of pedigree information in genomic prediction models did not yield higher accuracies. The different RKHS models resulted in similar predictions accuracies, and RKHS and BayesA generated substantially better predictions than pedigree-only models. The additive-BayesA resulted in higher accuracies than RKHS for rust incidence and in simulated additive-oligogenic traits. For DBH, HT and additive-dominance polygenic traits, the RKHS- based models showed slightly higher accuracies than BayesA. Our results indicate that BayesA performs the best for traits with few genes with major effects, while RKHS based models can best predict genotypic effects for clonal selection of complex traits.


The mechanical properties of 3D printed denture base resin incorporating essential oil microcapsules.
The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties of three-dimensional (3D) printed denture base resin incorporating microcapsules containing plant essential oils. Denture base specimens containing up to 3% w/v essential oil microcapsule powders (MCPs), i.e., eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, menthol, and tea tree, in two resins (Detax and NextDent 3D+) were 3D printed using two printers (Asiga and NextDent 5100). The dispersion and interaction of the MCPs in the resin were assessed by SEM while the mechanical properties of the incorporated denture base including flexural strength (MPa), flexural modulus (MPa), Vickers hardness (VHN), and surface roughness (Ra) were also subsequently evaluated. Statistical analysis of any differences in mean values was determined using a two-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc testing (α = .05). The spherical shape of the MCPs was maintained during the mixing and polymerization/printing process. However, the Detax-Asiga group showed significant agglomeration of the MCPs even at the lowest MCP concentration levels (0.5% w/v). Overall, as the microcapsule concentration increased, the mean flexural strength decreased, though the menthol MCP groups remained compliant with the ISO standard. The flexural modulus and harness remained relatively unchanged, and the flexural modulus complied with the ISO standard regardless of the MCP concentration. Surface roughness increased with the addition of the MCPs but also remained below that required for clinical acceptance. Incorporation of microencapsulated plant essential oils into 3D printed denture base resin was successfully achieved. While incorporation negatively influenced flexural strength and surface roughness, little effect on flexural modulus and Vickers hardness was demonstrated.


Autobiographical memory deficit in anorexia nervosa: emotion regulation and effect of duration of illness.
Emotional deficits in anorexia nervosa can be expressed in autobiographical memory recall. The aim of this study is to test whether deficits in autobiographical memory exist in anorexic patients and concern specifically negative or positive emotional valence. Moreover, it is unclear whether these deficits are dependent upon comorbid aspects (depression, alexithymia, and anxiety) or upon illness duration. Anorexic patients (n=25) were compared to healthy volunteers based on their clinical assessment, explicit memory test score, and autobiographical memory test score. The study makes use of the autobiographical test of Williams and Scott, which involves specific emotional cues to elicit memory. Anorexic patients recalled more general memories than controls in autobiographical memory test, but had no deficit in explicit memory test. This pattern, observed both for negative and positive cues, was neither related to depression or alexithymia, nor to anxiety severity, but increased significantly with illness duration. These results show that anorexic patients are characterized by relative difficulty in the integration of both negative and positive emotional experiences, and that this impairment is reinforced by illness duration.


We Are What We Eat: Assessing the Use of a Documentary Film as an Educational Tool to Change Students' Nutritional Attitudes and Behaviors.
Background: Identifying effective educational strategies to change lifestyle behaviors related to eating habits is imperative for health professionals providing education related to disease management and prevention. The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of mass media as a tool for improving dietary habits. Methods: 151 Undergraduate students participated in a quasi-experimental control group design at a midsize liberal arts university. The treatment group watched the film Forks Over Knives and was assessed on their dietary habits, locus of control, and current stage of change before and after viewing the film. Results: Results showed differences to current stage of change in reducing animal-based food consumption in the treatment group but did not show significant changes in increasing plant-based food. Discussion: This study provides evidence that use of the documentary Forks Over Knives affects students' intake of animal-based foods but is not an impactful enough tool to increase intake of plant-based foods. Translation to Health Practice: Professionals who utilize the film Forks Over Knives to encourage dietary changes should do so as part of a more structured, long-term behavior change intervention program. Additional research is needed to compare Forks Over Knives with other documentary films that encourage plant-based dietary habits.


Endoscopic ultrasound guided lauromacrogol sclerotherapy for a large splenic cyst.
Symptomatic splenic cyst is usually managed by surgical resection or ultrasound-guided percutaneous sclerotherapy. In the present case, we demonstrated the safety and feasibility of endoscopic ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy for treatment of splenic cyst. As far as we known. This is the first case report concerning EUS-guided sclerotherapy for splenic cyst.


Peer victimization as a risk factor for schizotypal personality in childhood and adolescence.
There has been no prior research on peer victimization and child or adolescent schizotypal personality. This study tests the hypothesis that increased peer victimization is associated with increased schizotypal personality. Schizotypy was assessed using the SPQ-C (Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Child) in 3,508 male and female schoolchildren aged 8 to 16 years. All forms of peer victimization (physical, verbal, social manipulation, attack on property) were associated with schizotypal personality in both males and females across all age groups. Significant victimization more than doubled schizotypy scores. It is hypothesized that peer victimization may predispose to paranoid ideation, social anxiety, and lack of close friends, and consequently heightened schizotypal personality.


The FloR master regulator controls flotation, virulence and antibiotic production in Serratia sp. ATCC 39006.
Serratia sp. ATCC 39006 produces intracellular gas vesicles to enable upward flotation in water columns. It also uses flagellar rotation to swim through liquid and swarm across semi-solid surfaces. Flotation and motility can be co-regulated with production of a β-lactam antibiotic (carbapenem carboxylate) and a linear tripyrrole red antibiotic, prodigiosin. Production of gas vesicles, carbapenem and prodigiosin antibiotics, and motility are controlled by master transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators, including the SmaI/SmaR-based quorum sensing system and the mRNA binding protein, RsmA. Recently, the ribose operon repressor, RbsR, was also defined as a pleiotropic regulator of flotation and virulence factor elaboration in this strain. Here, we report the discovery of a new global regulator (FloR; a DeoR family transcription factor) that modulates flotation through control of gas vesicle morphogenesis. The floR mutation is highly pleiotropic, down-regulating production of gas vesicles, carbapenem and prodigiosin antibiotics, and infection in Caenorhabditis elegans, but up-regulating flagellar motility. Detailed proteomic analysis using TMT peptide labelling and LC-MS/MS revealed that FloR is a physiological master regulator that operates through subordinate pleiotropic regulators including Rap, RpoS, RsmA, PigU, PstS and PigT.


Intravitreal ranibizumab in choroidal neovascularisation due to multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis syndrome.
We report the use of intravitreal ranibizumab as initial and only treatment in a case of peripapillary choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) in a patient with multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis (MCP) syndrome. A 54-year-old woman presented with sudden reduced vision in the right eye of 2 weeks duration. A full ophthalmological examination was performed including biomicroscopy, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. A peripapillary choroidal neovascular membrane with subretinal haemorrhage extending to the fovea was revealed due to MCP syndrome. Three intravitreal injections of ranibizumab were performed with monthly intervals. There was clearance of the subretinal haemorrhage and reduction of the leakage after the first injection. The visual acuity improved to 20/20 in 3 months and remained stable at 2-year follow-up without angiographical leakage. Intravitreal injections of ranibizumab could be tried in cases of CNV due to MCP syndrome with very good response.


Anisotropic nonlinear elasticity in a spherical-bead pack: influence of the fabric anisotropy.
Stress-strain measurements and ultrasound propagation experiments in glass bead packs have been simultaneously conducted to characterize the stress-induced anisotropy under uniaxial loading. These measurements realized, respectively, with finite and incremental deformations of the granular assembly, are analyzed within the framework of the effective-medium theory based on the Hertz-Mindlin contact theory. Our work shows that both compressional and shear wave velocities and consequently the incremental elastic moduli agree fairly well with an effective-medium model developed by Johnson [J. Appl. Mech. 65, 380 (1998)] for the oedometric test, but the anisotropic stress ratio resulting from finite deformation does not at all. As indicated by numerical simulations, the discrepancy may arise from the fact that the model does not properly allow the grains to relax from the affine motion approximation. Here we find that the interaction nature at the grain contact could also play a crucial role for the relevant prediction by the model; indeed, such discrepancy can be significantly reduced if the frictional resistance between grains is removed. Another main experimental finding is the influence of the inherent anisotropy of granular packs, realized by different protocols of the sample preparation. Our results reveal that compressional waves are more sensitive to the stress-induced anisotropy, whereas the shear waves are more sensitive to the fabric anisotropy.


Flexible Dry Electrodes for EMG Acquisition within Lower Extremity Prosthetic Sockets.
Acquisition of surface electromyography (sEMG) from a person with an amputated lower extremity (LE) during prosthesis-assisted walking remains a significant challenge due to the dynamic nature of the gait cycle. Current solutions to sEMG-based neural control of active LE prostheses involve a combination of customized electrodes, prosthetic sockets, and liners. These technologies are generally: (i) incompatible with a subject's existing prosthetic socket and liners; (ii) uncomfortable to use; and (iii) expensive. This paper presents a flexible dry electrode design for sEMG acquisition within LE prosthetic sockets which seeks to address these issues. Design criteria and corresponding design decisions are explained and a proposed flexible electrode prototype is presented. Performances of the proposed electrode and commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes are compared in seated subjects without amputations. Quantitative analyses suggest comparable signal qualities for the proposed novel electrode and commercial electrodes. The proposed electrode is demonstrated in a subject with a unilateral transtibial amputation wearing her own liner, socket, and the portable sEMG processing platform in a preliminary standing and level ground walking study. Qualitative analyses suggest the feasibility of real-time sEMG data collection from load-bearing, ambulatory subjects.


Supplementation of cattle fed tropical grasses with microalgae increases microbial protein production and average daily gain.
A series of 3 experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of microalgae as supplements for ruminants consuming low-CP tropical grasses. In Exp. 1, the chemical composition and in vitro protein degradability of 9 algae species and 4 protein supplements were determined. In Exp. 2, rumen function and microbial protein (MCP) production were determined in steers fed speargrass hay alone or supplemented with , , , or cottonseed meal (CSM). In Exp. 3, DMI and ADG were determined in steers fed speargrass hay alone or supplemented with increasing amounts of NPN (urea combined with ammonia sulfate), CSM, or . In Exp. 1, the CP content of and (675 and 580 g/kg DM) was highest among the algae species and higher than the other protein supplements evaluated, and sp. had the highest crude lipid (CL) content (198 g/kg DM). In Exp. 2, supplementation increased speargrass hay intake, the efficiency of MCP production, the fractional outflow rate of digesta from the rumen, the concentration of NHN, and the molar proportion of branched-chain fatty acids in the rumen fluid of steers above all other treatments. acceptance by steers was low and this resulted in no significant difference to unsupplemented steers for all parameters measured for this algae supplement. In Exp. 3, ADG linearly increased with increasing supplementary N intake from both and NPN, with no difference between the 2 supplements. In contrast, ADG quadratically increased with increasing supplementary N intake from CSM. It was concluded that and may potentially be used as protein sources for cattle grazing low-CP pastures.


Superconductivity in the Electron-Doped Chevrel Phase Compound Mo6S6.8Te1.2.
Chevrel-phase superconducting compounds AyMo6Q8 (A = Pb, Mg, etc. and Q = S, Se, Te) have attracted much attention due to their ultrahigh upper critical magnetic fields (Hc2). However, the binary compounds Mo6S8 and Mo6Te8 show no superconducting properties above 2 K. In this work, the new Chevrel-phase pseudobinary compound Mo6S6.8Te1.2 with a superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of 3.6 K was successfully synthesized by a two-step process. A detailed investigation implies that the superconductivity in Mo6S6.8Te1.2 may derive from the increased electronic density near the Fermi level in comparison to Mo6S8. Our work provides a feasible scheme to search for new superconducting compounds.


Sensory representation of typicality of Cabernet franc wines related to phenolic composition: impact of ripening stage and maceration time.
Phenolics are responsible for important sensory properties of red wines, including colour, astringency, and possibly bitterness. From a technical viewpoint, the harvest date and the maceration duration are critical decisions for producing red wine with a distinctive style. But little is known about the evolution of phenolics and of their extractability during ripening to predict the composition of the wine and related sensory properties. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between the sensory profile of the wines and (i) the ripening stage of the berries (harvest date) and (ii) the extraction time (maceration duration). Phenolic acids, flavonols, anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins of Vitis Vinifera var. Cabernet franc were measured in grapes and in wines from two stages of maturity and with two maceration durations. Phenolic composition was analysed by high performance liquid chromatography, after fractionation and thiolysis for proanthocyanidins. The distinctive style of wines was investigated by descriptive analysis (trained panel), Just About Right profiles and typicality assessment (wine expert panel). Relationships between phenolics and sensory attributes were established by multidimensional analysis, and phenolics were classified according to sensory data by ANOVA and PLS regressions. Astringency, bitterness, colour intensity and alcohol significantly increased with ripening and astringency and colour intensity increased with maceration time. Grape anthocyanins increased and thiolysis yield significantly decreased with ripening. In wine, proanthocyanidins increased, and mean degree of polymerisation and thiolysis yield decreased with longer extraction time. The high impact of harvest date on the sensory profiles could be due to changes in anthocyanin and sugar contents, but also to an evolution of proanthocyanidins. Moreover, proanthocyanidin composition was affected by maceration time as suggested by the decrease of thiolysis yield. Our results suggest that the wine sensory quality established by the expert panel, is linked as expected to grape quality at harvest, reflected by sugar and anthocyanin contents, but also by thiolysis yield, which requires elucidation.


Pursuing usableness and effectiveness in the development of a shared patient centered information system.
Our experience supplying a shared patient centred information system is here described, pointing out some of the critical aspects underlying usableness and effectiveness. Between and within unit integration, together with providing each professional role with added value and the special attention to adjust input and information retrieval to the actual needs (often identified only by an assiduous frequentation), has proved to be the essential point. A study case is presented.


Thermal imaging of plasma with a phased array antenna in QUEST.
A thermal imaging system to measure plasma Electron Bernstein Emission (EBE) emanating from the mode conversion region in overdense plasma is discussed. Unlike conventional ECE/EBE imaging, this diagnostics does not employ any active mechanical scanning mirrors or focusing optics to scan for the emission cones in plasma. Instead, a standard 3 × 3 waveguide array antenna is used as a passive receiver to collect emission from plasma and imaging reconstruction is done by accurate measurements of phase and intensity of these signals by heterodyne detection technique. A broadband noise source simulating the EBE, is installed near the expected mode conversion region and its position is successfully reconstructed using phase array technique which is done in post processing.


Carbon nanospheres mediated delivery of nuclear matrix protein SMAR1 to direct experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice.
Owing to the suppression of immune responses and associated side effects, steroid based treatments for inflammatory encephalitis disease can be detrimental. Here, we demonstrate a novel carbon nanosphere (CNP) based treatment regime for encephalomyelitis in mice by exploiting the functional property of the nuclear matrix binding protein SMAR1. A truncated part of SMAR1 ie, the DNA binding domain was conjugated with hydrothermally synthesized CNPs. When administered intravenously, the conjugate suppressed experimental animal encephalomyelitis in T cell specific conditional SMAR1 knockout mice (SMAR(-/-)). Further, CNP-SMAR1 conjugate delayed the onset of the disease and reduced the demyelination significantly. There was a significant decrease in the production of IL-17 after re-stimulation with MOG. Altogether, our findings suggest a potential carbon nanomaterial based therapeutic intervention to combat Th17 mediated autoimmune diseases including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.


Nimbolide Induces ROS-Regulated Apoptosis and Inhibits Cell Migration in Osteosarcoma.
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant tumor of bone and is most prevalent in children and adolescents. OS is frequently associated with pulmonary metastasis, which is the main cause of OS-related mortality. OS has a poor prognosis and is often unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy. In this study, we determined that Nimbolide, a novel anti-cancer therapy, acts by modulating multiple mechanisms in osteosarcoma cells. Nimbolide induces apoptosis by increasing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and finally, caspase activation. We also determined that Nimbolide inhibits cell migration, which is crucial for metastasis, by reducing the expression of integrin αvβ5. In addition, our results demonstrate that integrin αvβ5 expression is modulated by the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling cascade. Nimbolide has potential as an anti-tumor drug given its multifunctional effects in OS. Collectively, these results help us to understand the mechanisms of action of Nimbolide and will aid in the development of effective therapies for OS.


Pressure-Driven Polymorphic Transition, Emergent Insulator-To-Metal Transition, and Photoconductivity Switching in Violet Phosphorus.
Polymorphic phase transition is an essential phenomenon in condensed matter that the physical properties of materials may undergo significant changes due to the structural transformation. Phase transition has thus become an important means and dimension for regulating material properties. Herein, this study demonstrates the pressure-induced multi-transition of both structure and physical properties in violet phosphorus, a novel phosphorus allotrope. Under compression, violet phosphorus undergoes sequential polymorphic phase transitions. Concomitant with the first phase transition, violet phosphorus exhibits emergent insulator-metal transition, superconductivity, and dramatic switching from positive to negative photoconductivity. Remarkably, the resistance of violet phosphorus shows a sudden drop of around 107 along with the phase transition. In addition, piezochromism from translucent red to opaque black and suppression of photoluminescence are observed upon compression. Of particular interest is that the sample irreversibly transforms into black phosphorus with a pronounced discrepancy in physical properties from the pristine violet phosphorus after decompression. The abundant polymorphic transitions and property changes in violet phosphorus have significant implications for designing novel pressure-responsive electronic/optoelectronic devices and exploring concealed polymorphic transition materials.


Calprotectin instability may lead to undertreatment in children with IBD.
Treatment decisions in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasingly based on longitudinal tracking of faecal calprotectin concentrations, but there is little known about the stability of this protein in stool. We stored aliquots of homogenised stool at room temperature and at 4°C, and measured the calprotectin concentration for 6 consecutive days with three different assays. In addition, we assessed calprotectin stability in assay-specific extraction buffers kept at room temperature. After 6 days of storage at room temperature, mean percentage change from baseline calprotectin concentrations in stool and extraction buffer was 35% and 46%, respectively. The stability of calprotectin was significantly better preserved in samples stored at 4°C (p=0.0066 and 0.0011, respectively). Calprotectin is not stable at room temperature. Children with IBD and their caretakers may be falsely reassured by low calprotectin values. The best advisable standard for preanalytical calprotectin handling is refrigeration of the stool sample until delivery at the hospital laboratory.


The left atrial appendage morphology and gender differences by multi-detector computed tomography in an Egyptian population.
The left atrial appendage (LAA) is the main source of thromboembolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Unique LAA morphologies have been associated with the risk of thromboembolism. This study investigates the LAA anatomy in the Egyptian population using cardiac multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). We included 252 consecutive patients presenting for coronary computed tomography angiography in 2 tertiary centers in Egypt in the period from January to July 2017. Patients with atrial fibrillation, valvular affection, or left ventricular dysfunction were excluded. Two and three-dimensional cardiac MDCT images were assessed for LAA morphology, volume, length, and orifice position. The distribution of LAA morphologies was windsock (32.5%), chicken wing (25.4%), cauliflower (22.6%), and cactus (19.4%). Differences in the LAA dimensions in the 4 morphological variants were described. Females were less likely to have a chicken wing LAA morphology compared to males (7.9% vs 34.7%, p value < 0.01), and had a larger LAA volume, smaller LAA length, and a higher prevalence of high LAA orifice position. The most common LAA morphology in our study population is windsock, which may represent the Egyptian population or patients in sinus rhythm. Females were less likely to have a chicken wing LAA morphology, and had a larger LAA volume, smaller length, and higher incidence of high orifice position. Clinical correlation into the translation of these differences into thromboembolic risk is required.


An emerging orthopneumovirus detected from dogs with canine infectious respiratory disease in China.
Canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD) is a major cause of morbidity in dogs and is associated with several viral pathogens. The viral diversity associated with CIRD was investigated by analyzing the viral communities from nine CIRD-affected dogs using metagenomics. The results identified 10 mammalian viruses, including canine parvovirus, canid alphaherpesvirus 1, canine kobuvirus, Felis catus papillomavirus 3, canine respiratory coronavirus, canine adenovirus 2, Canis familiaris polyomavirus (DogPyV), canine coronavirus, human papillomavirus and canine pneumovirus (CPnV). Interestingly, CPnV and DogPyV were first discovered in China. Further investigation in 107 samples in China using specific PCR found only two CPnV positive strains in 51 CIRD samples and none in 56 healthy samples. Furthermore, a complete nucleotide sequence of CPnV strain SMU-2020-CB19 and a partial nucleotide sequence of strain SMU-2020-CB14 were obtained. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis showed that both novel CPnV strains were a close match to the detected swine orthopneumovirus strain in USA, but distantly related to other CPnV strains. Here, the first discovery and characterization of orthopneumovirus in dogs with CIRD in China were reported, highlighting the need for further research on pathogenicity and transmission in China.


[Synthesis of [1,6-bis(L-alpha, beta-diaminopropionic acid) oxytocin].
A novel derivative of oxytocin containing nonprotein amino acid L-alpha, beta-diaminopropionic acid (L-Dap) was synthesized by 7+2 fragment combination in solution. N beta of all the amino acid necessary was protected by carbobenzoxy (Z) and N beta of L-Dap was protected by tert. -butoxycarbonyl (Boc) . The important intermediate, heptapeptide, was synthesized by the stepwise elongation method using carbobenzoxy amino acid p-nitrophenyl esters in solution. Azide synthesis was used to get the nonapeptide. Z group was removed by treatment with 5% Pd/C and Boc with CF3COOH. Eight new compounds incorporating L-Dap were obtained and confirmed by the amino acid analysis and mass spectral detection.


Relationships between abdominal aortic calcification, glomerular filtration rate, and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease .
Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is an established risk factor for cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We hypothesized that AAC is associated with a decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as well as with some other cardiovascular risk factors. This is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a randomized controlled clinical trial (RENEXC). A total of 151 patients (aged 66 ± 14 years) with an average measured GFR (mGFR) of 22.5 ± 8.2 mL/min/1.73m2, not on renal replacement therapy, irrespective of number of comorbidities, were included. GFR was measured with iohexol clearance and estimated using cystatin C- and creatinine-based equations (eGFR). AAC was evaluated with lateral lumbar X-ray using the scoring system described by Kauppila. All patients underwent laboratory analyses, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and standard echocardiography. Multiple linear regression analyses controlling for sex, age, cardiovascular comorbidities, and hypertension were performed. The prevalence of AAC in this group of patients was 73%, and 47% had severe calcification (AAC score ≥ 7). More men (76%) had AAC than women (69%). AAC score was associated with mGFR (p = 0.03), eGFR (p = 0.006), plasma albumin (p = 0.006), plasma phosphate (p = 0.01), pulse pressure (p = 0.004), left ventricular mass (LVM) (p = 0.02), left atrial volume (LAV; p < 0.001), and left atrial volume index (LAVI; p = 0.001). AAC was highly prevalent in CKD. The degree of calcification in the abdominal aorta was strongly associated with a decline in GFR, a decrease in plasma albumin, an increase in plasma phosphate, an increase in pulse pressure, and cardiac structural changes, such as an increase in LVM, LAV, and LAVI. .


Alterations with age in peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokine synthesis in beagles.
The immune system is considered to be affected by aging, which is linked to various immune pathogeneses. The purpose of this study was to determine age-associated changes in immune function of healthy dogs (beagles), specifically those of naive and memory T lymphocytes, based on cytokine synthesis. Blood samples were obtained from 44 healthy beagles that were divided into three age-groups: young (<4 years), middle-aged (4-8 years), and older dogs (>8 years). Subpopulations of T lymphocytes were determined by flow cytometry. Transcriptional (mRNA) levels of cytokines were determined for primary-cultured leukocytes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. There were negative correlations between dogs' ages and the number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, T cells, and B cells. In particular, the number of naive CD4+ CD45RA+ T cells and CD8+ CD45RA+ T cells significantly decreased with age. The mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-2, IL-2Rα, and interferon-gamma were significantly higher in young or middle-aged dogs (P < 0.05), whereas IL-4 mRNA expression was not significantly different over the different age-groups. IL-2Rγ mRNA expression tended to decrease with age. Decreases of naive CD4+ and naive CD8+ T cells may be related to age-related immunosenescence in dogs. With regard to cytokine production, leukocyte IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA levels did not change with age, whereas IL-2, IL-2Rα, and IL-2Rγ mRNA levels decreased with age. These altered cytokine mRNA expression patterns may contribute to decreased naive T-cell function(s) with aging.


Case Report: ALK-Positive Histiocytosis With KIF5B-ALK Fusion in Cerebrum-Disseminated Lesions in a Child.
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive histiocytosis is a rare type of histiocytosis that could affect multiple systems in children and adults. 10 cases of ALK-positive histiocytosis invading the central nervous system (CNS) have been reported. Herein, we report a case of ALK-positive histiocytosis invading the central nervous system and lungs and the details of follow-up of tumor dynamic changes during treatment. An 18-month-old boy was underweight and had slow growth of almost 3 months duration. The child could not stand and walk independently, and his language and intelligence development occurred later than those of his peers. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed a giant suprasellar lesion with isosignal, measuring approximately 5.1× 3.6× 4.0 cm on T1-weighted imaging, with an obvious mass effect. Nodular, slightly low-signal shadows were also observed in the left temporal pole and left hippocampus, measuring approximately 1.0 cm × 0.7 cm× 0.5 cm and 0.9 cm× 0.8 cm × 0.5 cm on T1-weighted, respectively. The child underwent partial resection of the suprasellar lesion, and a diagnosis of ALK-positive histiocytosis was made histologically. Subsequently, the patient received chemotherapy (CHOP regimen) and anti-ALK therapy (crizotinib). The lesions were gradually shrinking without dissemination and the changes of intracranial and lung lesions were monitored with imaging during therapy. Unfortunately, the child died 8 months after the first surgery because of worsening intracranial infection. ALK-positive histiocytosis may involve the central nervous system and disseminate intracranially. ALK-positive histiocytosis should be considered for the differential diagnosis of suprasellar lesions.


Neuroendocrine and other studies of the mechanism of antidepressant action of desipramine.
It is not known whether in depressed patients antidepressant treatment increases or reduces monoaminergic neurotransmission. Clinical studies are therefore reviewed that investigate adaptive changes at adrenoceptors in depressed patients treated with desipramine, and the net effect of these changes upon neurotransmission. Although in animals chronic desipramine treatment enhances the responsiveness of alpha 1-adrenoceptors to phenylephrine, no such effect could be demonstrated in patients upon the responsiveness of pupil diameter to phenylephrine. However, in keeping with animal studies, clinical evidence of altered responsiveness of alpha 2-adrenoceptors could be demonstrated after chronic desipramine treatment. The alpha 2-mediated growth hormone response to clonidine was increased after one week's treatment with desipramine and then reduced during the second and third weeks of treatment. No clinical measure of the responsiveness of central beta-adrenoceptors is available. However, the secretion of melatonin is a measure of neurotransmission at noradrenergic terminals in the pineal with alpha 1-, alpha 2- and beta 1-adrenoceptors. In normal volunteers the secretion of melatonin was increased by the noradrenaline uptake inhibitors desipramine and (+)-oxaprotiline; (-)-oxaprotiline had no effect. In depressed patients melatonin secretion was increased after three weeks' treatment with desipramine. These and other clinical studies suggest that antidepressant treatments increase noradrenergic neurotransmission in depressed patients.


Pineal region metastasis appearing as hypointensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging--case report.
A 48-year-old female presented with headache and limitation of upward gaze. She had a history of total gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma 2 years previously. Computed tomography with contrast medium and T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with gadolinium showed ring-like enhancement of a solitary mass in the pineal region with obstructive hydrocephalus. T2-weighted MR imaging showed the tumor as hypointense. This MR imaging finding complicated the preoperative diagnosis, but malignancy was suspected from the medical history. The tumor was subtotally resected via the occipital transtentorial approach with a rigid endoscope. Histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed adenocarcinoma cells with extensive coagulation necrosis, which might have contributed to the hypointensity on T2-weighted MR imaging. Correct diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma based only on MR imaging may be difficult in such cases, but metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pineal region must be considered in the differential diagnosis of pineal tumors.


Effective long-term temozolomide rechallenge in a macroprolactinoma
We describe the 20-year course of a 63-year-old male with a macroprolactinoma that acquired resistance to treatment and aggressive behavior after a 4-year successful treatment with cabergoline. He was submitted to multiple surgical resections by a skilled surgeon, fractionated radiotherapy and was eventually treated with temozolomide. After a first 6-month standard cycle, a relapse occurred and he was treated again successfully. Learning points: •• Prolactinomas are the most frequent type of pituitary adenoma. •• They usually have a benign course. •• In most cases dopamine-agonist drugs, mainly cabergoline, are first-line (and usually only) treatment. •• Occasionally prolactinomas can have or acquire resistance to treatment and/or aggressive behavior. •• Temozolomide (TMZ), an oral alkylating drug, can be effective in such aggressive tumors. •• Multimodal treatment (surgery, radiation, cabergoline and TMZ) is warranted in aggressive pituitary tumors. •• We describe here successful rechallenge with TMZ after relapse occurring 18 months after a first TMZ cycle.


[An analysis of the effect of different factors in early ontogeny on the behavior of sturgeon fry].
The fractional factorial analysis of 2(5) type was carried put in order to estimate the influence of 5 different factors on stellate sturgeon fry behaviour in early ontogenesis. Different indices obtained in hydrodynamic test, in "open-field" test, in passive avoidance conditioning procedure were analysed. Statistically significant positive and negative influences on the indices were found for all the factors (level of illumination, food diets, high or low stream, presence or absence of predator fishes, character of a bottom). The most probable mechanism of stellate sturgeon behaviour modifications under the influence of different factors is the selection (predominant survival) of the samples which possess peculiarities the most adequate to environmental conditions.


Defensive Silence, Defensive Voice, Knowledge Hiding, and Counterproductive Work Behavior Through the Lens of Stimulus-Organism-Response.
Rising negative emotions are like "time bombs" that impede productivity in the workplace. The present investigation provides an insight into the effects of defensive silence and defensive voice on counterproductive work behavior through knowledge hiding in the context of knowledge workers in Chinese academic institutions. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to the current samples. The study obtained conjecture the proposed mediating role of knowledge hiding between the negative working attitude and counterproductive work behavior, which is against the organizational norms and performance. The result indicates that the positive relationships exist from defensive silence and defensive voice to counterproductive work behavior, mediated by knowledge hiding. This study links knowledge hiding literature and stimulus-organism-response (SOR) to better explore the academic behavior in a knowledge setting.


Concomitant IgA nephropathy and cyclical neutropaenia.
A case of concomitant cyclical neutropaenia and IgA nephropathy, a previously undescribed combination is reported. The patient has recurrent aphthous ulceration, and haematuria occurs with these episodes. The diagnosis of cyclical neutropaenia was based on the clinical features and serial peripheral blood studies, and a renal biopsy studied by light, electron and immunofluorescence microscopy in conjunction with the clinical features established the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. Elevation of serum immunoglobulin, with a disproportionate elevation of IgA was found. The features of this case emphasise the importance of infection as an initiating event in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy, and they provide further evidence for the formation of poorly soluble immune complexes as a likely pathogenetic mechanism.


Phosphoinositide specificity of and mechanism of lipid domain formation by annexin A2-p11 heterotetramer.
Annexin A2 is a phospholipid-binding protein that forms a heterotetramer (annexin II-p11 heterotetramer; A2t) with p11 (S100A10). It has been reported that annexin A2 is involved in binding to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) and in inducing membrane microdomain formation. To understand the mechanisms underlying these findings, we determined the membrane binding properties of annexin A2 wild type and mutants both as monomer and as A2t. Our results from surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that A2t and annexin A2 has modest selectivity for PtdIns(4,5)P2 over other phosphoinositides, which is conferred by conserved basic residues, including Lys279 and Lys281, on the convex surface of annexin A2. Fluorescence microscopy measurements using giant unilamellar vesicles showed that A2t of wild type, but not (K279A)2-(p11)2 or (K281A)2-(p11)2, specifically induced the formation of 1-microm-sized PtdIns(4,5)P2 clusters, which were stabilized by cholesterol. Collectively, these studies elucidate the structural determinant of the PtdIns(4,5)P2 selectivity of A2t and suggest that A2t may be involved in the regulation of PtdIns(4,5)P2 clustering in the cell.


Broadband 2 μm amplified spontaneous emission of Ho/Cr/Tm:YAG crystal derived all-glass fibers for mode-locked fiber laser applications.
Broadband ∼2 μm amplified spontaneous emissions with a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) varying from ∼206 to ∼234 nm were obtained from the Ho/Cr/Tm:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) crystal derived fibers, which were drawn using a molten core method. The core-cladding structure of the as-drawn fibers was preserved completely, and the core was found to be amorphous. What is more, an all-fiber-integrated passively mode-locked laser based on an 8 cm long Ho/Cr/Tm:YAG crystal derived all-glass fiber was built which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first demonstration of a mode-locked fiber laser in a similar YAG derived fiber. The mode-locked pulses operate at 1.95 μm with duration of ∼118 ps, and the repetition rate is ∼9.5 MHz. Limited by the bandwidth of the fiber grating used in the laser cavity, the mode-locking spectrum has a relatively narrow FWHM of ∼0.09 nm. These results suggest that the broadband YAG crystal derived all-glass fibers are promising for ultrafast fiber lasers applications.


Relapse after interferon alfa-2b therapy for hairy-cell leukemia: analysis of prognostic variables.
Sixty-nine patients with hairy-cell leukemia (HCL) were treated with interferon alfa-2b (IFN) in a single-institution study. The dose used was 2 x 10(6) U/m2 self-administered subcutaneously three times weekly, for a planned treatment duration of 12 to 18 months. Of the 68 evaluable patients, the major response rate was 75%, with 13% complete responses (CRs) and 62% partial responses (PRs). An additional eleven patients (16%) had minor responses (MRs). Duration of response was denoted as failure-free survival (FFS), defined as the time from the end of IFN therapy to a need for further antileukemic therapy. Of the 60 responding patients followed after discontinuation of IFN, 27 have relapsed, requiring further therapy. The median actuarial FFS for these 60 patients is 25.4 months. All but five patients are alive, and the actuarial overall survival for the 69 patients is 91% +/- 4% at 4 years from the start of IFN. The best indicators of relapse were the neutrophil alkaline phosphatase (NAP) score and degree of residual bone marrow hairy cells (%HCL) at the completion of therapy. Patients with NAP less than 30 (n = 21) had the best prognosis (median FFS, 30.4 months), while those with NAP greater than or equal to 30 and %HCL less than or equal to 30 (n = 21) or %HCL greater than 30 (n = 16) had intermediate and poor prognoses, respectively (median FFS, 23.5 and 12.4 months) (P = .0005). Fourteen of the relapsing patients are evaluable for response to a second course of IFN, with seven PRs and four MRs. Stratified randomized trials are indicated to determine the role of maintenance therapy for responding patients.


Encoding of vowel-like sounds in the auditory nerve: model predictions of discrimination performance.
The sensitivity of listeners to changes in the center frequency of vowel-like harmonic complexes as a function of the center frequency of the complex cannot be explained by changes in the level of the stimulus [Lyzenga and Horst, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 98, 1943-1955 (1995)]. Rather, a complex pattern of sensitivity is seen; for a spectrum with a triangular envelope, the greatest sensitivity occurs when the center frequency falls between harmonics, whereas for a spectrum with a trapezoidal envelope, greatest sensitivity occurs when the center frequency is aligned with a harmonic. In this study, the thresholds of a population model of auditory-nerve (AN) fibers were quantitatively compared to these trends in psychophysical thresholds. Single-fiber and population model responses were evaluated in terms of both average discharge rate and the combination of rate and timing information. Results indicate that phase-locked responses of AN fibers encode phase transitions associated with minima in these amplitude-modulated stimuli. The temporal response properties of a single AN fiber, tuned to a frequency slightly above the center frequency of the harmonic complex, were able to explain the trends in thresholds for both triangular- and trapezoidal-shaped spectra.


Crystal structure of recombinant human tissue kallikrein at 2.0 A resolution.
Human tissue kallikrein, a trypsin-like serine protease involved in blood pressure regulation and inflammation processes, was expressed in a deglycosylated form at high levels in Pichia pastoris, purified, and crystallized. The crystal structure at 2.0 A resolution is described and compared with that of porcine kallikrein and of other trypsin-like proteases. The active and S1 sites (nomenclature of Schechter I, Berger A, 1967, Biochem Biophys Res Commun 27:157-162) are similar to those of porcine kallikrein. Compared to trypsin, the S1 site is enlarged owing to the insertion of an additional residue, cis-Pro 219. The replacement Tyr 228 --> Ala further enlarges the S1 pocket. However, the replacement of Gly 226 in trypsin with Ser in human tissue kallikrein restricts accessibility of substrates and inhibitors to Asp 189 at the base of the S1 pocket; there is a hydrogen bond between O delta1Asp189 and O gammaSer226. These changes in the architecture of the S1 site perturb the binding of inhibitors or substrates from the modes determined or inferred for trypsin. The crystal structure gives insight into the structural differences responsible for changes in specificity in human tissue kallikrein compared with other trypsin-like proteases, and into the structural basis for the unusual specificity of human tissue kallikrein in cleaving both an Arg-Ser and a Met-Lys peptide bond in its natural protein substrate, kininogen. A Zn+2-dependent, small-molecule competitive inhibitor of kallikrein (Ki = 3.3 microM) has been identified and the bound structure modeled to guide drug design.


Analytical description for field-line wandering in strong magnetic turbulence.
We investigate analytically the random walk of magnetic field lines. In previous analytical treatments of field line wandering or random walk, it was assumed that the turbulent magnetic field is much weaker than the mean field. In the present paper, we develop an improved analytical method to describe the stochastic properties of turbulent magnetic fields. This approach is an extension of the standard theory of field line wandering and can be applied to weak as well as to strong magnetic turbulence.


Golimumab for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.
Golimumab (GLM) is a subcutaneously administered human anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agent that has been approved by the regulatory authorities for the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in 2013. Areas covered: Maintained clinical remission rates up to 50% have been shown in UC patients receiving GLM, and higher GLM serum concentrations have been associated with improved clinical outcomes. Approximately 50% of UC patients do not respond to induction therapy with GLM, and up to 40% of GLM responders will lose response over time. In most patients, loss of response is associated with low serum GLM concentrations, which suggests insufficient exposure to GLM. Low GLM serum concentrations may be avoided by therapeutic drug monitoring. Expert commentary: So far, the therapeutic window for GLM has not yet been defined, but options to dose increase GLM based on therapeutic drug monitoring might result in improved clinical outcome and higher success rates.


[Information-centered family groups for improving compliance in schizophrenic patients].
We tried to improve the compliance in the long-term treatment of schizophrenic patients by psychoeducational groups for relatives of 48 patients over the course of six months. More than 90% of the relatives requested mainly informations concerning the illness and its treatment both at the beginning and at the end of the group sessions. At the beginning only 33% of the relatives thought they could benefit from sharing their experiences with others, afterwards this rate rose to 67%. At first, 49% believed to understand the nature of schizophrenia, at the end this rate was 86%. The importance of medication implying certain side effects was accepted by about 85% before and afterwards. This good quota at the beginning of the group sessions can be explained of this high acceptance rate appears to be a direct result of the group meetings.


Valproate induced non hepatic hyperammonaemic encephalopathy (VNHE)--a study from tertiary care referral university hospital, north India.
To report and discuss twelve cases of Valproate (VPA) induced hyperammonaemic encephalopathy without liver failure in subjects receiving VPA therapy. This study was conducted in the department of Neurology, G.B. Pant Hospital, New Delhi from January 2000 to December 2006. The subjects were on treatment with VPA alone or in combination with other anti epileptic drugs and developed symptoms of encephalopathy. The data collected included the type of epilepsy, the dose of VPA and other co-administered anti epileptic drugs (AED), their serum levels, clinical presentation, relevant radiological and laboratory investigations, serum ammonia levels, the measures taken to treat the patient and their outcome. A total of twelve cases of VPA induced Non hepatic hyperammonemic encephalopathy (VNHE) were studied, out of which six were males and six females. The age ranged from 2-75 years with mean age of 21.33 +/- 20.84 years. Four subjects were on VPA alone and the others were also on concomitant AEDs. All the above subjects presented with either confusion or altered sensorium (100%). None of the subjects had any other demonstrable cause of encephalopathy. The serum ammonia level in these subjects ranged from 77.3-345 micromol/L with mean of 163.98 micromol/L +/- 48.67 (normal range 10-47 micromol/L). The serum VPA level in this study group ranged from 63-132.6 microg/ml with mean of 93.44 microg/ml +/- 31.77 (normal range 50-100 microg/ml). In any patient on VPA therapy, who develops signs and symptoms suggestive of encephalopathy, even in the presence of normal liver function, VNHE should be suspected. Fortunately, it has a good prognosis and the early withdrawl of VPA leads to improvement in almost all cases.


Five-year outcomes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and conformal radiotherapy in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer.
To describe the 5-year outcomes of patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer treated with neoadjuvant estramustine and vinblastine followed by concurrent chemotherapy and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). A total of 23 patients completed therapy consisting of two 8-week cycles of vinblastine, weekly as 4 mg/m2, followed by 8 weeks of concomitant chemotherapy and 3D-CRT. Estramustine was given daily at 10 mg/kg in three divided doses. 3D-CRT consisted of a total dose of 7560 cGy. Assessable patients include 9 with Stage T3 or greater tumors and 5 with lymph node metastasis at diagnosis. All patients had a Gleason score 7 or greater. The median follow-up was 60 months. Of the 23 assessable patients, 15 (65%) experienced biochemical relapse by American Society for Therapeutic Radiology Oncology criteria. The median time to prostate-specific antigen relapse was 12 months (range 7 to 16). Five patients (22%) developed metastases. The median time to metastasis had not been reached by last follow-up. Of the 23 assessable patients, 11 (48%) received no additional therapy and had noncastrate testosterone levels. Six patients had no evidence of disease and 9 patients were receiving androgen blockade. Three patients died (one of prostate cancer and two of other diseases). A substantial proportion of patients with unfavorable-risk localized prostate cancer achieved long-term disease control with estramustine and vinblastine and concurrent 3D-CRT, no significant long-term toxicities were seen and 48% underwent no further therapy after RT. These long-term findings support the continued study of chemotherapy combined with RT as a potential alternative to prolonged androgen deprivation.


Proteome-wide Mapping of Endogenous SUMOylation Sites in Mouse Testis.
SUMOylation is a reversible post-translational modification involved in various critical biological processes. To date, there is limited approach for endogenous wild-type SUMO-modified peptides enrichment and SUMOylation sites identification. In this study, we generated a high-affinity SUMO1 antibody to facilitate the enrichment of endogenous SUMO1-modified peptides from Trypsin/Lys-C protease digestion. Following secondary Glu-C protease digestion, we identified 53 high-confidence SUMO1-modified sites from mouse testis by using high-resolution mass spectrometry. Bioinformatics analyses showed that SUMO1-modified proteins were enriched in transcription regulation and DNA repair. Nab1 was validated to be an authentic SUMOylated protein and Lys479 was identified to be the major SUMOylation site. The SUMOylation of Nab1 enhanced its interaction with HDAC2 and maintained its inhibitory effect on EGR1 transcriptional activity. Therefore, we provided a novel approach to investigating endogenous SUMOylation sites in tissue samples.


Evaluation of antihypoxemic maneuvers before tracheal aspiration in mechanically ventilated newborns.
Periodical tracheal aspiration in mechanically ventilated patients is necessary to remove mucus from the airways. In children and adults, this procedure causes transient hypoxemia, which may be prevented by hyperoxia and/or hyperventilation. These findings, however, have not been sufficiently assessed in newborn infants. Thus we investigated the usefulness of hyperoxia and/or hyperventilation as antihypoxemic maneuvers before tracheal aspiration in newborn infants. Our design was a prospective, randomized, multiple crossover study. The setting was the NICU of a third-level pediatric hospital in Mexico City. Patients included 15 newborn infants under mechanical ventilation. Within a 12-hr period, every patient received, in random order, three antihypoxemic maneuvers during 1 min just before tracheal aspiration: hyperoxia (10% increase of baseline FiO2), hyperventilation (50% increase of ventilator cycling rate), or both. Additionally, a control (sham) maneuver was also applied. Pulse oximeter saturation (SpO2) was recorded before and after each antihypoxemic maneuver, and at 0, 15, 30, 60, and 300 sec after tracheal aspiration. Basal values of SpO2 (81.5 +/- 1.5%) increased with all three antihypoxemic maneuvers (SpO2 over 90%, P <0.05 to P <0.01). Immediately after tracheal aspiration a drop in the SpO2 could be detected in all infants. However, patients receiving hyperoxia showed higher SpO2 values (87.1 +/- 1.8%) than those observed with the sham maneuver (76.9 +/- 2.3%, P <0.01). From this point on, all newborn infants in all conditions (even those with sham maneuver) had spontaneous increments of SpO2 that at 300 sec were again higher than their respective basal values (P <0.05 to P <0.0005). At this time, SpO2 values from following the hyperoxia maneuver were still higher than those following the sham maneuver (P <0.05). Our results show that, similar to what occurs at other ages, tracheal aspiration in mechanically ventilated newborn infants causes transient hypoxemia, which can be partially prevented by previous application of antihypoxemic maneuvers, especially hyperoxia.


Competing for space in an already crowded market: a mixed methods study of why an online community of practice (CoP) for alcohol harm reduction failed to generate interest amongst the group of public health professionals at which it was aimed.
Improving mechanisms for knowledge translation (KT) and connecting decision-makers to each other and the information and evidence they consider relevant to their work remains a priority for public health. Virtual communities of practices (CoPs) potentially offer an affordable and flexible means of encouraging connection and sharing of evidence, information and learning among the public health community in ways that transgress traditional geographical, professional, institutional and time boundaries. The suitability of online CoPs in public health, however, has rarely been tested. This paper explores the reasons why particular online CoP for alcohol harm reduction hosted by the UK Health Forum failed to generate sufficient interest from the group of public health professionals at which it was aimed. The study utilises online web-metrics demonstrating a lack of online activity on the CoP. One hundred and twenty seven responses to an online questionnaire were used to explore whether the lack of activity could be explained by the target audience's existing information and evidence practices and needs. Qualitative interviews with 10 members describe in more detail the factors that shape and inhibit use of the virtual CoP by those at which it was targeted. Quantitative and qualitative data confirm that the target audience had an interest in the kind of information and evidence the CoP was set up to share and generate discussion about, but also that participants considered themselves to already have relatively good access to the information and evidence they needed to inform their work. Qualitative data revealed that the main barriers to using the CoP were a proliferation of information sources meaning that participants preferred to utilise trusted sources that were already established within their daily routines and a lack of time to engage with new online tools that required any significant commitment. Specialist online CoPs are competing for space in an already crowded market. A target audience that regards itself as busy and over-supplied is unlikely to commit to a new service without the assurance that the service will provide unique and valuable well-summarised information, which would reduce the need to spend time accessing competing resources.


Financial incentives for achieving and maintaining viral suppression among HIV-positive adults in Uganda: a randomised controlled trial.
Viral suppression among HIV-positive individuals is essential for protecting health and preventing HIV transmission. Financial incentives have shown promise in modifying various health behaviours in low-income countries but few studies have assessed whether they can improve HIV treatment outcomes. We aimed to determine the impact of time-limited financial incentives on viral suppression among HIV-positive adults in rural Uganda. We did a randomised controlled trial in four rural Ugandan parishes. We recruited HIV-positive individuals (aged ≥18 years) from community health campaigns that included HIV testing services or at a local government health facility where HIV treatment is offered. Participants included those who were initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) or already receiving ART. Eligibility to participate in the study did not depend on current ART or viral suppression status. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to the financial incentive intervention or the control group in computer-generated blocks (block size 10 participants) and pre-printed scratch cards were used to reveal study group assignment. We measured participants' viral load at baseline and at weeks 6, 12, 24, and 48. At each timepoint, we provided results and viral load counselling. Participants in the intervention group received financial incentives for viral suppression at weeks 6, 12, and 24, with incentive amounts increasing from US$4 to $12·5. The primary outcome was viral suppression (viral load <400 copies per mL) at 24 weeks in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02890459. Between June 27, 2016, and May 25, 2018, we enrolled 400 adults in the study, of whom 203 were randomly assigned to the intervention group and 197 to the control group. Of these, 324 were enrolled from community health campaigns and 76 from the government clinic. Eight (2%) withdrew from the study and were not included in analyses. Over the 48-week follow-up period, 35 (9%) died or were lost-to-follow-up. Participants' median daily income was $0·79. At baseline, 300 participants (77%) were virally suppressed. In intention-to-treat analyses, 168 participants (84%) in the intervention group and 156 (82%) in the control group were virally suppressed at 24 weeks (odds ratio 1·14, 95% CI 0·68-1·93, p=0·62). Six participants (3%) in the control group and four (2%) in the intervention group had adverse events. Six of the adverse events were serious, including two deaths in the intervention group, three deaths in the control group, and one serious injury (tibia fracture) after an auto accident. No adverse events or deaths were related to study participation. Financial incentives had no effect on viral suppression among HIV-positive adults. High baseline viral suppression and provision of viral load results might have contributed to high viral suppression among participants. These findings highlight the need for interventions that promote achievement of viral suppression among unsuppressed individuals. National Institute of Mental Health at the US National Institutes of Health.


Attention Residual Learning for Skin Lesion Classification.
Automated skin lesion classification in dermoscopy images is an essential way to improve the diagnostic performance and reduce melanoma deaths. Although deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) have made dramatic breakthroughs in many image classification tasks, accurate classification of skin lesions remains challenging due to the insufficiency of training data, inter-class similarity, intra-class variation, and the lack of the ability to focus on semantically meaningful lesion parts. To address these issues, we propose an attention residual learning convolutional neural network (ARL-CNN) model for skin lesion classification in dermoscopy images, which is composed of multiple ARL blocks, a global average pooling layer, and a classification layer. Each ARL block jointly uses the residual learning and a novel attention learning mechanisms to improve its ability for discriminative representation. Instead of using extra learnable layers, the proposed attention learning mechanism aims to exploit the intrinsic self-attention ability of DCNNs, i.e., using the feature maps learned by a high layer to generate the attention map for a low layer. We evaluated our ARL-CNN model on the ISIC-skin 2017 dataset. Our results indicate that the proposed ARL-CNN model can adaptively focus on the discriminative parts of skin lesions, and thus achieve the state-of-the-art performance in skin lesion classification.


AdVEGF-All6A+ Preconditioning of Murine Ischemic Skin Flaps Is Comparable to Surgical Delay.
Surgical flap delay is commonly used in preconditioning reconstructive flaps to prevent necrosis. However, staged procedures are not ideal. Pharmacologic up-regulation of angiogenic and arteriogenic factors before flap elevation poses a nonsurgical approach to improve flap survival. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control (n = 16), surgical delay (Delay), AdNull, AdEgr-1, and AdVEGF (n ≥ 9/group) groups. Delay rats had a 9 cm × 3 cm cranial based pedicle skin flap incised 10 days prior to elevation. Adenoviral groups received 28 intradermal injections (10(9) pu/animal total) throughout the distal two thirds of the flap 1 week prior to elevation. At postoperative day (POD) 0 flaps were elevated and silicone sheeting was placed between flap and wound bed. Perfusion analysis in arbitrary perfusion units of the ischemic middle third of the flap using laser Doppler imaging was conducted preoperatively and on POD 0, 3, and 7. Clinical and histopathologic assessments of the skin flaps were performed on POD 7. AdVEGF (50.8 ± 10.9 APU) and AdEgr-1 (39.3 ± 10.6 APU) perfusion levels were significantly higher than controls (16.5 ± 4.2 APU) on POD 7. Delay models were equivalent to controls (25.9 ± 6.8 APU). AdVEGF and Delay animals showed significantly more viable surface area on POD 7 (14.4 ± 1.3 cm(2), P < 0.01 and 12.4 ± 1.2 cm(2), P < 0.05, respectively) compared with Controls (8.7 ± 0.7 cm(2)). AdVEGF preconditioning resulted in flap survival comparable to surgical delay. Adenoviral preconditioning maintained perfusion levels postoperatively while surgical delay did not.


[Vitamin D level at birth and influencing factors in preterm infants].
To investigate vitamin D level at birth and possible influencing factors in preterm infants. A total of 600 preterm infants were enrolled, and venous blood samples were collected within 24 hours after birth to measure the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. The effect of sex, birth weight, birth season, gestational age, mother's age, body mass index (BMI) in early pregnancy, delivery mode, and complications during pregnancy on serum 25(OH)D level was analyzed. The rates of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency were 42.0%, 38.7%, and 19.3% respectively. The preterm infants born in summer and autumn had a significantly higher serum 25(OH)D level than those born in winter (P<0.05) and a significantly lower incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency than those born in spring and winter (P<0.003). Compared with those whose mothers were aged <30 years, the infants whose mothers were aged ≥30 years had a significantly higher serum 25(OH)D level (P<0.05) and a significantly lower incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency (P<0.017). Compared with those whose mothers were overweight or had normal body weight, the infants whose mothers were obese had a significantly lower serum 25(OH)D level (P<0.05) and a significantly higher incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency (P<0.006). Compared with those whose mothers had no preeclampsia, the infants whose mothers had preeclampsia during pregnancy had a significantly lower serum 25(OH)D level (P<0.05) and a significantly higher incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency (P<0.017). The multivariate analysis showed that birth in winter and spring, mother's age <30 years, and early-pregnancy BMI ≥28 kg/m2 were risk factors for vitamin D deficiency (P<0.05). There is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in preterm infants. Vitamin D supplementation should be given to the preterm infants with high-risk factors for vitamin D deficiency.


Superposition dose calculation incorporating Monte Carlo generated electron track kernels.
The superposition/convolution method and the transport of pregenerated Monte Carlo electron track data have been combined into the Super-Monte Carlo (SMC) method, an accurate 3-D x-ray dose calculation algorithm. The primary dose (dose due to electrons ejected by primary photons) is calculated by transporting pregenerated (in water) Monte Carlo electron tracks from each primary photon interaction site, weighted by the terma for that site. The length of each electron step is scaled by the inverse of the density of the medium at the beginning of the step. Because the density scaling of the electron tracks is performed for each individual transport step, the limitations of the macroscopic scaling of kernels (in the superposition algorithm) are overcome. This time-consuming step-by-step transport is only performed for the primary dose calculation, where current superposition methods are most lacking. The scattered dose (dose due to electrons set in motion by scattered photons) is calculated by superposition. In both a water-lung-water phantom and a two lung-block phantom, SMC dose distributions are more consistent with Monte Carlo generated dose distributions than are superposition dose distributions, especially for small fields and high energies-for an 18-MV, 5 X 5-cm(2) beam, the central axis dose discrepancy from Monte Carlo is reduced from 4.5% using superposition to 1.5% using SMC. The computation time for this technique is approximately 2 h (depending on the simulation history), 20 times slower than superposition, but 15 times faster than a full Monte Carlo simulation (on our platform).


Carbapenem resistant Gram-negative bacteremia in an Indian intensive care unit: A review of the clinical profile and treatment outcome of 50 patients.
Growing antimicrobial resistance and limited therapeutic options to treat carbapenem-resistant bacteremia prompted us to evaluate the clinical outcomes associated with healthcare-associated bacteremia. This was a retrospective observational study of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteremia performed at a tertiary care facility in Chennai, India between May 2011 and May 2012. In our study, patients had mean 11.76 days of intensive care unit (ICU) care and mean time to onset of bacteremia was 6.4 days after admission. The commonest organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (44%). Patients with combination treatment had lower mortality (44.8%) compared with colistin monotherapy (66.6%); (P = 0.35). Carbapenem resistant bacteremia is a late onset infection in patients with antibiotic exposure in the ICU and carries a 30 days mortality of 60%; K. pneumoniae is the most common organism at our center. Two drug combinations appear to carry a lower mortality compared with monotherapy.


The Atlanta Classification, Revised Atlanta Classification, and Determinant-Based Classification of Acute Pancreatitis: Which Is Best at Stratifying Outcomes?
To determine which classification is more accurate in stratifying severity. The study used a retrospective analysis of a prospective acute pancreatitis database (June 2005-December 2007). Acute pancreatitis severity was stratified according to the Atlanta classification (AC) 1992, the revised Atlanta classification (RAC) 2012, and the determinant-based classification (DBC) 2012. Receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve) compared the accuracy of each classification. Logistic regression identified predictors of mortality. 338 patients were analyzed: 13% had persistent organ failure (POF) (>48 hours), of whom 37% had multisystem POF, and 11% had pancreatic necrosis, of whom 19% had infected necrosis. Mortality was 4.1%. For predicting mortality (area under the curve), the RAC (0.91) and DBC (0.92) were comparable (P = 0.404); both outperformed the AC (0.81) (P < 0.001). For intensive care unit admission, the RAC (0.85) and DBC (0.85) were comparable (P = 0.949); both outperformed the AC (0.79) (P < 0.05). There were 2 patients in the critical category of the DBC. Multisystem POF was an independent predictor of mortality (odds ratio, 75.0; 95% confidence interval, 13.7-410.6; P < 0.001), whereas single-system POF, sterile necrosis, and infected necrosis were not. The RAC and DBC were generally comparable in stratifying severity. The paucity of patients in the critical category in the DBC limits its utility. Neither classification accounts for the impact of multisystem POF, which was the strongest predictor of mortality.


A case of the Dubin-Johnson syndrome complicated by acute hepatitis.
A patient is described in whom the Dubin-Johnson syndrome was diagnosed after an attack of acute hepatitis at the age of 21. In the eight years following the hepatitis Dubin-Johnson pigment, initially scanty, developed to classical proportions. The defect in intracellular transport of bilirubin was thought to precede the attack of acute hepatitis.


Deterministic Integration of Quantum Dots into on-Chip Multimode Interference Beamsplitters Using in Situ Electron Beam Lithography.
The development of multinode quantum optical circuits has attracted great attention in recent years. In particular, interfacing quantum-light sources, gates, and detectors on a single chip is highly desirable for the realization of large networks. In this context, fabrication techniques that enable the deterministic integration of preselected quantum-light emitters into nanophotonic elements play a key role when moving forward to circuits containing multiple emitters. Here, we present the deterministic integration of an InAs quantum dot into a 50/50 multimode interference beamsplitter via in situ electron beam lithography. We demonstrate the combined emitter-gate interface functionality by measuring triggered single-photon emission on-chip with g(2)(0) = 0.13 ± 0.02. Due to its high patterning resolution as well as spectral and spatial control, in situ electron beam lithography allows for integration of preselected quantum emitters into complex photonic systems. Being a scalable single-step approach, it paves the way toward multinode, fully integrated quantum photonic chips.


Examination of Necessity for Pelvic Drain Placement After Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomy.
Pelvic drain (PD) placement is commonly performed after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), but the need for PD placement is unclear. This study aimed to assess the need for PD placement after RARP. This retrospective study analysed the effect of PD placement on postoperative complications in patients who underwent RARP between 2009 and 2018. All patients prior to October 1, 2016 had a PD placed; those after did not. Of the 308 study patients, 231 received a PD (PD group) and 77 did not (ND group). The incidence of ileus, urinary tract infection and anastomotic leak did not differ significantly between the groups; nor did the incidence of asymptomatic and symptomatic lymphocele at 2 weeks and 1 year after surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node dissection is a predictor of asymptomatic lymphocele development two weeks after surgery. PD placement is not necessary after RARP.


Oncogenic value of microRNA-15b-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma and a bioinformatics investigation.
miR-15b-5p has frequently been reported to function as a biomarker in some malignancies; however, the function of miR-15b-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its molecular mechanism are still not well understood. The present study was designed to confirm the clinical value of miR-15b-5p and further explore its underlying molecular mechanism. A comprehensive investigation of the clinical value of miR-15b-5p in HCC was investigated by data mining The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets as well as literature. In addition, intersected target genes of miR-15b-5p were predicted using the miRWalk database and differentially expressed genes of HCC from TCGA. Furthermore, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were carried out. Then, a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed to reveal the interactions between some hub target genes of miR-15b-5p. The miR-15b-5p expression level in HCC was predominantly overexpressed compared with non-HCC tissues samples (SMD=0.618, 95% CI: 0.207, 1.029; P<0.0001) based on 991 HCC and 456 adjacent non-HCC tissue samples. The pooled summary receiver operator characteristic (SROC) of miR-15b-5p was 0.81 (Q*=0.74), and the pooled sensitivity and specificity of miR-15b-5p in HCC were 72% (95% CI: 69-75%) and 68% (95% CI: 65-72%), respectively. Bioinformatically, 225 overlapping genes were selected as prospective target genes of miR-15b-5p in HCC, and profoundly enriched GO terms and KEGG pathway investigation in silico demonstrated that the target genes were associated with prostate cancer, proximal tubule bicarbonate reclamation, heart trabecula formation, extracellular space, and interleukin-1 receptor activity. Five genes (ACACB, RIPK4, MAP2K1, TLR4 and IGF1) were defined as hub genes from the PPI network. The high expression of miR-15b-5p could play an essential part in hepatocarcinogenesis through diverse regulation approaches.