Mental health nursing in the 1950s and 1960s revisited.
From the post-War period to the 1960s, immense changes took place in the philosophy, organization and delivery of mental health care in the UK. These changes were driven by the financial burden that Bevan's National Health Service imposed on the British Government, by the dynamism and vision of psychiatrists and mental health nurses returning from the War, and by a new social and cultural consciousness, which put minority groups such as the mentally ill onto the political agenda. This paper seeks to explore some of these complex interactions and to show how the closure of mental hospitals was the inevitable outcome of movements both inside psychiatry and far beyond it. An awareness of the historical context of mental health care can assist planners and providers to avoid the many pitfalls that have been made by our predecessors.


N-oleoylethanolamine - phosphatidylcholine complex loaded, DSPE-PEG integrated liposomes for efficient stroke.
Causing more and more deaths, stroke has been a leading cause of death worldwide. However, success in clinical stroke trials has remained elusive. N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA) was an endogenous highly hydrophobic molecule with outstanding neuroprotective effect. In this article, hydrogen bonds were successfully formed between OEA and soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC). The synthetic OEA-SPC complex and DSPE-PEG were self-assembled into liposomes (OEA NPs), with OEA-SPC loaded in the core and PEG formed a hydrophilic shell. Hence, highly hydrophobic OEA was loaded into liposomes as amorphous state with a drug loading of 8.21 ± 0.18 wt%. With fairly uniform size and well-distributed character, the OEA NPs were systemically assessed as an intravenous formulation for stroke therapy. The results indicated that the administration of OEA NPs could significantly improve the survival rate and the Garcia score of the MCAO rats compared with free OEA. The TTC-stained brain slices declared that the cerebral infarct volume and the edema degree induced by MCAO could be decreased to an extremely low level via the administration of OEA NPs. The Morris water maze (MWM) test suggested that the spatial learning and memory of the MCAO rats could also be ameliorated by OEA NPs. The immunofluorescence assay stated that the apoptosis of the neurons and the inflammation within the brain were greatly inhibited. The results suggest that the OEA NPs have a great chance to develop OEA as a potential anti-stroke formulation for clinic application.


Probing the Origins of Puzzling Reactivity in Fe/Mn-Oxo/Hydroxo Species toward C-H Bonds: A DFT and Ab Initio Perspective.
Activation of C-H bonds using an earth-abundant metal catalyst is one of the top challenges of chemistry, where high-valent Mn/Fe-oxo(hydroxo) biomimic species play an important role. There are several open questions related to the comparative oxidative abilities of these species, and a unifying concept that could accommodate various factors influencing reactivity is lacking. To shed light on these open questions, here, we have used a combination of density functional theory (DFT) (B3LYP-D3/def2-TZVP) and ab initio (CASSCF/NEVPT2) calculations to study a series of high-valent metal-oxo species [Mn+H3buea(O/OH)] (M = Mn and Fe, n = II to V; H3buea = tris[(N'-tert-butylureaylato)-N-ethylene)]aminato towards the activation of dihydroanthracene (DHA). The H-bonding network in the ligand architecture influences the ground state-excited state gap and brings several excited states of the same spin multiplicity closer in energy, which triggers reactivity via one of those excited states, reducing the kinetic barriers for the C-H bond activation and rationalizing several puzzling reactivity trends observed in various high-valent Mn/Fe-oxo(hydroxo) species.


The relationship between the amount of face-to-face contact and partners' reports of domestic violence frequency.
This investigation examines the relationship between partners' amount of face-to-face contact and partners' frequency of domestic violence. Men entering a domestic violence treatment program (N = 134) and their intimate partners were asked to complete the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) at the beginning of treatment and 12 months after treatment completion concerning partner violence during the previous year. Partners were also asked to identify days during the year before and the year after treatment during which they did not have face-to-face contact. Results indicated that at both baseline and 12-month posttreatment follow-up, the number of days of face-to-face contact was significantly related to verbal aggression and physical violence. However, after controlling for physical violence, the relationship between the number of days of face-to-face contact and verbal aggression was not significant; the relationship between the number of days of face-to-face contact and physical violence remained significant, even after controlling for verbal aggression.


[TREATMENT OF SEPSIS IN NEUTROPENIC PATIENTS].
Febrile neutropenia is a common and potentially fatal complication of intense cytotoxic therapy, which makes it the main cause of non-relapse mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies. Some of the patients are at risk of specific infections due to underlying disease of previous treatment regimens. Considering that most febrile neutropenic patients can be diagnosed with sepsis, diagnosis and treatment should be treated as septic. It is important to recognize patients at high risk since the incidence of sepsis in neutropenic patients can be significantly reduced using antimicrobial prophylaxis and granulocyte growth factors. Once sepsis occurs, prompt treatment according to guidelines, individualized based on the specific problems of each patient, and microbiological situation can significantly reduce mortality and morbidity.


Comparative analysis of serum proteomes of moyamoya disease and normal controls.
The etiology and pathogenesis of moyamoya disease remain unclear. Furthermore, the definitive diagnostic protein-biomarkers for moyamoya disease are still unknown. The present study analyzed serum proteomes from normal controls and moyamoya patients to identify novel serological biomarkers for diagnosing moyamoya disease. We compared the two-dimensional electrophoresis patterns of sera from moyamoya disease patients and normal controls and identified the differentially-expressed spots by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of flight mass spectrometry and electrospray ionization quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We found and analyzed 22 differently-expressed proteomes. Two proteins were up-regulated. Twenty proteins were down-regulated. Complement C1 inhibitor protein and apolipoprotein C-III showed predominantly changed expressions (complement C1 inhibitor protein averaged a 7.23-fold expression in moyamoya patients as compared to controls, while apolipoprotein C-III averaged a 0.066-fold expression). Although our study had a small sample size, our proteomic data provide serologic clue proteins for understanding moyamoya disease.


Species-richness in Neotropical Sericothripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).
Two of the three recognized genera of Sericothripinae are known from the Neotropics, and 14 new species from this area are here described in this subfamily. Illustrated keys are provided to females of seven species of Hydatothrips, and 41 species of Neohydatothrips, mainly from Brazil but including all recorded species south of the border between Mexico and USA. Plant species on which breeding has been recorded are indicated where possible, notes are provided on the few species of economic importance, and a key is appended to second instar larvae of seven species. Neohydatothrips burungae (Hood) stat. rev. and N. aztecus Johansen stat. rev. are recalled from synonymy with Neohydatothrips signifer (Priesner), and N. denigratus (De Santis) syn. n. is synonymized with N. burungae. Hydatothrips williamsi (Hood) comb. n. is relocated from Neohydatothrips, and as this produces a homonym in the genus, Hydatothrips tareei nom. nov. is proposed for Hydatothrips williamsi Mound & Tree from Australia.


Effectiveness of an antibacterial primer used with adhesive-coated brackets on enamel demineralization around brackets: an in vivo study.
The aim of the study is to assess the clinical effect of an antibacterial monomer-containing primer on preventing white spot lesions (WSLs) during fixed orthodontic treatment. The study included 35 patients. A split-mouth design was used during bonding of the brackets. In Clearfil (CF) group, adhesive-coated brackets (APC Plus Victory series, 3M Unitek, Monrovia, CA, USA) were bonded with an antibacterial monomer-containing primer (Clearfil Protect Bond, Kuraray Medical, Okayama, Japan). In Transbond (TB) group, the same adhesive-coated brackets were bonded using a conventional primer (Transbond XT Primer; 3M Unitek, Monrovia, CA, USA). The mean duration of orthodontic treatment was 16 months. Digital images of each tooth were used to assess the WSLs. The areas of the WSLs were measured with a software. The bond failures during orthodontic treatment were also recorded. After fixed orthodontic treatment, 23 of the 35 patients showed one or more WSLs. Of the total of 666 teeth, 114 WSLs occurred over the orthodontic treatment time. Rates of WSL in the CF and TB groups were 8.03% and 9.24%, respectively. The difference in WSL rates between the two groups was not statistically significant. No significant difference was observed in the lesion areas between the groups. Moreover, the difference in bracket failure rates between the two groups was also not statistically significant. The results of this long-term clinical study indicated no significant difference between the antibacterial monomer-containing primer group and the control group in the efficacy of reducing demineralization throughout the orthodontic treatment.


Rapid in vitro screening of drug-metal ion interactions.
ABSTRACT The toxic side effects of synthetic drugs may, in part, be arising due to their interactions with essential metal ions, especially when the metal ions are administered along with the drug as mineral supplements. In this paper we report the feasibility of establishing such drug-metal ion interactions through in vitro spectrophotometric studies, which are rapid and can be used for routine screening prior to clinical studies. The interaction of the drugs levothyroxine and ranitidine with eight metal ions, copper(II), chromium(III), molybdenum(VI), magnesium(II), calcium(II), iron(II), manganese(II), and zinc(II), commonly used in mineral supplements, was verified through in vitro UV-visible spectrophotometric studies. The experiments were carried out at the physiological pH values 1.5, 7.4, and 8.0 and the concentrations of the drugs and mineral supplements used were comparable to those in their usual doses. These studies indicated interaction between ranitidine and calcium(II), magnesium(II), and iron(II) ions and between levothyroxine and copper(II) and iron(II) ions. A comparison of the results with those reported from clinical studies demonstrated the efficacy of this method.


[Cytostatic prescription errors: an analysis of causes, and proposals regarding their prevention].
To collect and analyze prescription errors for parenterally-administered cytostatic drugs, to identify causes from results obtained, and to suggest feasible solutions to prevent them. In our hospital, parenterally-administered cytotoxic drugs are prepared in the Pharmacy Department, where 100% of prescriptions are validated with the help of a software program. Prescription errors detected at validation over a 2-year period of time were recorded in a specific form to facilitate analysis. In all, 292 possible errors were detected and 183 were confirmed; most resulted from dosing errors, followed by incorrect treatment duration. Other errors detected included: dose or drug omitted, wrong administration route, wrong patient, and wrong medication. The following measures were suggested: improvement of the data processing system at the Pharmacy Department, implementation of an electronic prescription system, continuous updating of cytostatic therapy protocols, and inclusion of cytostatic prescription recommendations within Pharmacotherapeutic Guidelines. Most common errors included doses above or below the correct ones, with the primary cause being poor handwriting in manual prescriptions. Active recording of prescription errors is essential if an analysis of real causes in our setting is to be undertaken, as well as to making proposals and implementing definite solutions.


Precocious Germination during In Vitro Growth of Soybean Seeds.
Immature Glycine max (L.) Merrill seeds were grown and matured in liquid medium at 25 degrees C under fluorescent light. In standard medium containing minerals, 146 millimolar sucrose and 62.5 millimolar glutamine (osmolality 0.24), precocious germination seldom occurred with a starting seed size of less than 300 milligrams fresh weight. Frequency of precocious germination increased with increased starting seed size. Sucrose concentration strongly affected precocious germination while glutamine concentration had no effect. Starting with 300 to 350 milligrams fresh weight seeds, treatments which reduced the sucrose concentration or lowered the osmolality of the culture medium stimulated precocious germination, and increased the fresh weight growth but not the dry weight growth of seeds. Increasing the osmolality to 0.38 with sucrose or mannitol prevented precocious germination without reducing dry weight accumulation in seeds. In medium with initially low osmolality, precocious germination was inhibited by addition of 1 to 100 micromolar abscisic acid to the medium without a reduction in seed growth. During growth and maturation of large soybean seeds in vitro, precocious germination and other abnormal tissue growth can be prevented by high sucrose or mannitol concentrations in the medium or by addition of abscisic acid.


Action Spectrum of the Activity of Acifluorfen-methyl, a Diphenyl Ether Herbicide, in Chlamydomonas eugametos.
Light is required for the herbicide activity of diphenyl ether herbicides. An action spectrum of acifluorfen-methyl activity with Chlamydomonas eugametos (Moewus) determined that cell death occurred at two peaks of light; 450 and 670 nanometers. These data indicate both chlorophyll and carotenoids, but not riboflavin, are involved in herbicide toxicity.


Methods for detecting and identifying retinoids in tissue.
Methods for retinoid analysis in tissue include direct spectrophotometry or fluorometry and retinoid responsive reporter constructs in the form of cell reporter assays or transgenic reporter animals, but chromatographic methods dominate and posses several superior features in quantitative analysis. The multitude of extraction protocols used can coarsely be divided into manual liquid-liquid extraction protocols and semi- or fully automated solid phase extraction-based protocols. Liquid chromatographic separation in reversed phase dominates although normal phase is also used. Detection is mainly performed with UV detectors although electrochemical and fluorescence detection is also used. Mass spectrometry in combination with LC is more often used in retinoid analysis and is likely to dominate in the future.


Adulthood animal abuse among men arrested for domestic violence.
Learning more about intimate partner violence (IPV), perpetrators could aid the development of more effective treatments. The prevalence of adulthood animal abuse (AAA) perpetration and its association with IPV perpetration, antisociality, and alcohol use in 307 men arrested for domestic violence were examined. Forty-one percent (n = 125) of the men committed at least one act of animal abuse since the age of 18, in contrast to the 1.5% prevalence rate reported by men in the general population. Controlling for antisociality and alcohol use, AAA showed a trend toward a significant association with physical and severe psychological IPV perpetration.


CO2 Reduction on the Pre-reduced Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conducting Perovskites La0.6 Sr-0.4 FeO3-δ and SrTi0.7 Fe0.3 O3-δ.
The activity of the pre-reduced perovskites La0.6 Sr0.4 FeO3-δ (LSF64) and SrTi0.7 Fe0.3 O3-δ (STF73) for the CO2 reduction to CO was investigated with special focus on the reactivity of oxide-dissolved hydrogen. This is of particular interest in hydrogen solid-oxide electrolysis cell (H-SOEC) technology, where proton-conducting ceramics are used and the reaction 2e- +2H+ +CO2 →CO+H2 O is of central importance. To clarify if hydrogen dissolved in LSF64 and STF73 partakes in the CO2 reduction, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) in H2 , followed by temperature-programmed reoxidation (TPO) in CO2 and, moreover, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of ad- and absorbed species were utilized. The experiments reveal that 50 mol % of the CO2 is converted by hydrogen dissolved in STF73 and reacts quantitatively. On the other hand, LSF64 converts less than 20 mol % of CO2 via dissolved hydrogen and a residual of bulk OH is still detectable after CO2 -TPO.


Synergistic regulatory effects of microRNAs on brain glioma cells.
Glioma is among the most common types of cancer of the central nervous system and is difficult to cure. Due to the lack of glioma-specific treatments, patients with glioma exhibit high mortality rates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in the pathogenesis of glioma, and upregulation of specific miRNAs promotes cell proliferation, whereas apoptosis‑inducing miRNAs are markedly downregulated in the context of glioma. Therefore, miRNAs may be important contributors to the pathogenesis of glioma. In the present study, nine miRNAs were investigated as miRNA‑miRNA pairs, and the measured cell viabilities were consistent with the results of synergy predictions. Extensive synergy occurred among upregulated miRNAs in U87 cells, whereas downregulated miRNAs rarely exhibited synergism. Treatment with an miRNA‑miRNA pair exhibiting strong synergy increased the inhibitory effects of these miRNAs on tumor cells, and the combined inhibitory effects were increased compared with the sum of the individual inhibitory effects of each miRNA. Using cell viability assays, TUNEL staining, and flow cytometry, the present study demonstrates that cotransfection with miR‑20a and miR‑21inhibitors resulted in the highest synergistic effect on the promotion of apoptosis in U87 cells. The results of the present study provide important insights into the potential use of miRNAs in the treatment of glioma.


Increased Precipitation Shapes Relationship between Biochemical and Functional Traits of Stipa glareosa in Grass-Dominated Rather than Shrub-Dominated Community in a Desert Steppe.
Understanding the effects of precipitation variations on plant biochemical and functional traits is crucial to predict plant adaptation to future climate changes. The dominant species, Stipa glareosa, plays an important role in maintaining the structure and function of plant communities in the desert steppe, Inner Mongolia. However, little is known about how altered precipitation affects biochemical and functional traits of S. glareosa in different communities in the desert steppe. Here, we examined the responses of biochemical and functional traits of S. glareosa in shrub- and grass-dominated communities to experimentally increased precipitation (control, +20%, +40%, and +60%). We found that +40% and +60% increased plant height and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and decreased specific leaf area (SLA) of S. glareosa in grass community. For biochemical traits in grass community, +60% decreased the contents of protein and chlorophyll b (Cb), while +40% increased the relative electrical conductivity and superoxide dismutase. Additionally, +20% increased LDMC and malondialaenyde, and decreased SLA and protein in shrub community. Chlorophyll a, Cb, carotenoids, protein and superoxide dismutase in the grass community differed with shrub community, while +60% caused differences in SLA, LDMC, leaf carbon content, malondialaenyde and peroxidase between two communities. The positive or negative linear patterns were observed between different functional and biochemical traits in grass- rather than shrub-community. Soil water content explained changes in some biochemical traits in the grass community, but not for functional traits. These results suggest that increased precipitation can affect functional traits of S. glareosa in the grass community by altering biochemical traits caused by soil water content. The biochemical and functional traits of S. glareosa were more sensitive to extreme precipitation in grass- than shrub-community in the desert steppe. Our study highlights the important differences in adaptive strategies of S. glareosa in different plant communities at the same site to precipitation changes.


[Pharmacological routes of administration in circulatory collapse].
A review of different ways of injecting drugs during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and during states of shock is presented. On the basis of this review, central or peripheral intravenous injection is recommended as first choice. If a peripheral vein is used, the drug injection should be followed by infusion of a large volume of normal saline to facilitate the entry of the drug into the central circulation. In case of endotracheal intubation, several drugs can be injected into the tracheal tube. Atropine, lidocaine and naloxone are shown to be effective when given by this route. Adrenalin is probably not effective when injected endotracheally. Intraosseous injection of drugs, crystalloids and colloids is an alternative in all states except for hypovolaemic shock due to lower infusion rates. Intracardiac injection of drugs during CPR is recommended as a last resort.


Wildfires in the wildland-urban interface in Catalonia: Vulnerability analysis based on land use and land cover change.
The crisis in traditional forest and farming activities that began in the second half of the 20th century has given way to a new territorial structure, characterised by greater forest density and an acceleration of urban sprawl, which has affected the impact of fires on the territory and especially on the inhabitants. The increased vulnerability of homes located at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and the differences in the intensity of fire impact makes it necessary to identify different typologies of WUI zones. Characterization of WUI typologies was based on four forest fires with distinct characteristics, selected from fires that occurred in Catalonia in 2003 and 2012. Based on the different landscape units that have been studied and the dynamics of the changes that have occurred in the study area over the past 15 years, together with the occurrence of fires during this period, identified three major WUI zone typologies: a) metropolitan, b) agroforest and c) mountain agrosilvopastoral. The results, based on Kappa index and Rate of Change, show significant changes in Land Use and Land Cover between 2003 and 2009 in each study area, but the economic and social context in each region generated different territorial dynamics for each typology. This diagnosis contributes to knowledge that expands the available planning and management tools to mitigate the effects of wildfires.


Contribution of inadequate compensatory enlargement to development of human coronary artery stenosis: an in vivo intravascular ultrasound study.
This intravascular ultrasound study sought to examine to what extent native coronary artery stenosis is accompanied by vessel wall thickening or inadequate compensatory enlargement (relative vessel constriction), or both. In human femoral arteries, inadequate compensatory enlargement is reported to be a paradoxic mechanism for the development of severe arterial lumen narrowing. However, it is unclear in human coronary arteries whether inadequate compensatory enlargement contributes to the development of critical arterial stenosis. Thirty-five primary coronary artery lesions from 30 patients (19 men, 11 women; mean [+/- SD] age 65 +/- 13 years) were imaged by intravascular ultrasound. The vessel cross-sectional area and lumen area were measured, and the wall area (vessel cross-sectional area minus lumen area) was calculated at the lesion site and at the proximal and distal reference sites. We defined compensatory enlargement to be present when the vessel cross-sectional area at the lesion site was larger than that at the proximal reference site, inadequate compensatory enlargement when the vessel cross-sectional area at the lesion site was smaller than that at the distal reference site and intermediate remodeling when the vessel cross-sectional area at the lesion site was intermediate between the two reference sites. Compensatory enlargement was observed in 19 (54%) of 35 lesions, inadequate compensatory enlargement in 9 (26%) of 35 and intermediate remodeling in 7 (20%) of 35. In the inadequate compensatory enlargement group, reduction of the vessel cross-sectional area contributed to 39% of lumen reduction. Compensatory enlargement commonly (54%) occurs at stenotic coronary lesions. However inadequate compensatory enlargement results in a substantial amount (39%) of the lumen area reduction in 26% of primary coronary artery lesions.


Cutaneous cryptococcus in an elderly woman with chronic essential dermatitis.
Cryptococcus neoformans is a common cause of life-threatening infection. Cutaneous manifestations of Cryptococcus can be primary or secondary, most commonly from immunosuppression. With the global emergence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), incidence of cryptococcosis is increasing and now represents a major life-threatening fungal infection in these patients. Nonspecific lesions may cause misdiagnosis. Disseminated Cryptocoocus requires early clinical diagnosis and effective management to decrease mortality. We review a case of cutaneous Cryptococcus as a complication of chronic essential dermatitis treated with long-term immunosuppressive agents and discuss updated guidelines on the treatment of Cryptococcus.


Law No. 516, 22 November 1988.
This Law sets forth the relationship between the Seventh-Day Adventists and the Italian State. The State now recognizes the civil law effects of marriages celebrated by Seventh-Day Adventist church officials who are Italian citizens. Marriage certificates are to be filled out in duplicate, with the original sent within 5 days to the local government officials to enter in the marriage registry. The civil law effects of the marriage take effect from the date of the ceremony. Law Number 517 of 22 November 1988 contains the same provisions as applied to the Assembly of God in Italy. See Gazzetta Ufficiale, No. 283, Law Supplement No. 107, 1988.


Genetic localization of four genes for nematode (Heterodera schachtii Schm.) resistance in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.).
Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is highly susceptible to the beet cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii Schm.). Three resistance genes originating from the wild beets B. procumbens (Hs1 (pro-1)) and B. webbiana (Hs1 (web-1), Hs2 (web-7)) have been transferred to sugar beet via species hybridization. We describe the genetic localization of the nematode resistance genes in four different sugar beet lines using segregating F2 populations and RFLP markers from our current sugar beet linkage map. The mapping studies yielded a surprising result. Although the four parental lines carrying the wild beet translocations were not related to each other, the four genes mapped to the same locus in sugar beet independent of the original translocation event. Close linkage (0-4.6 cM) was found with marker loci at one end of linkage group IV. In two populations, RFLP loci showed segregation distortion due to gametic selection. For the first time, the non-randomness of the translocation process promoting gene transfer from the wild beet to the sugar beet is demonstrated. The data suggest that the resistance genes were incorporated into the sugar beet chromosomes by non-allelic homologous recombination. The finding that the different resistance genes are allelic will have major implications on future attempts to breed sugar beet combining the different resistance genes.


New Zealand pathologists: a case study in occupational control.
This paper examines the progressive exertion of external managerial control over New Zealand pathologists as the country's New Public Management health reforms were implemented during the 1990s. Perspectives on professionalism, and its role in the effective use of resources, are discussed as part of the examination of this shift in decision-making power from pathologists to external management. Our analysis, based on a range of archived and interview data collected over the period 1997-2000, suggests that publicly unacceptable compromises in pathology service quality were risked by the pursuit of tight bureaucratic and free market controls over pathology practice. The paper concludes with suggestions for a health professional control model facilitative of maximal health gain.


Synergistic Combination of Linezolid and Fosfomycin Closing Each Other's Mutant Selection Window to Prevent Enterococcal Resistance.
Enterococci, the main pathogens associated with nosocomial infections, are resistant to many common antibacterial drugs including β-lactams, aminoglycosides, etc. Combination therapy is considered an effective way to prevent bacterial resistance. Preliminary studies in our group have shown that linezolid combined with fosfomycin has synergistic or additive antibacterial activity against enterococci, while the ability of the combination to prevent resistance remains unknown. In this study, we determined mutant prevention concentration (MPC) and mutant selection window (MSW) of linezolid, fosfomycin alone and in combination including different proportions for five clinical isolates of Enterococcus and characterized the resistance mechanism for resistant mutants. The results indicated that different proportions of linezolid combined with fosfomycin had presented different MPCs and MSWs. Compared with linezolid or fosfomycin alone, the combination can restrict the enrichment of resistant mutants at a lower concentration. A rough positive correlation between the selection index (SI) of the two agents in combination and the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of the combination displayed that the smaller FICI of linezolid and fosfomycin, the more probable their MSWs were to close each other. Mutations in ribosomal proteins (L3 and L4) were the mechanisms for linezolid resistant mutants. Among the fosfomycin-resistant mutants, only two strains have detected the MurA gene mutation related to fosfomycin resistance. In conclusion, the synergistic combination of linezolid and fosfomycin closing each other's MSW could effectively suppress the selection of enterococcus resistant mutants, suggesting that the combination may be an alternative for preventing enterococcal resistance. In this study, the resistance mechanism of fosfomycin remains to be further studied.


Combining near infrared spectroscopy with predictive model and expertise to monitor herb extraction processes.
Albeit extensively utilized, herb extraction process (HEP) is hard to be monitored because of its batch nature and the fluctuating quality of raw materials. Process analytical tools like near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can offer nondestructive examinations and collect abundant data of the process, which in principle contain the information about the quality of both the product and the process itself. However, extra effort is often required for the data mining of such process measurements, and extracting knowledge of the quality of process can be even harder. In this study, we take the extraction process of licorice as a typical HEP instance, and combine NIRS with classical partial least squared regression (PLSR) and expertise for its on-line monitoring. We show that our scheme effectively extracts information with clear physical meanings, through which we can even uncover the process fault that does not induce evident abnormalities in the product quality. Moreover, the constructed model can continuously evolve with more process data from daily operations, and the idea of the whole framework can be directly generalized to other HEP.


Comparison of different strategies for treatment of duodenal ulcer.
A simple model of a Markov chain was used to study the long term outcome of different strategies for the treatment of duodenal ulcer. Maintenance treatment with H2 receptor antagonists surpassed intermittent drug treatment and proximal gastric vagotomy with respect to the relapse free interval and severe postoperative morbidity. With maintenance treatment the rate of complications and the number of deaths related to ulcer were slightly higher than after proximal gastric vagotomy. Nevertheless, because the few deaths from proximal gastric vagotomy occur at the initiation of treatment the loss of life years during maintenance treatment exceeded that of proximal gastric vagotomy only after 20 years. Despite its rarity, severe postoperative morbidity after proximal gastric vagotomy far exceeded that after the few emergency operations which would become necessary in the course of maintenance treatment. The superiority of maintenance treatment over proximal gastric vagotomy remained insensitive to changes in the assumptions underlying the recurrence rate with both treatments and the postoperative morbidity of proximal gastric vagotomy.


[Approaches to assessing dynamics of permeability and duration of thiaminase I action, administered parenterally to animals].
Two approaches and direct isotopic assay were employed to examine the time course of permeability and duration of action of tissue thiaminase I injected parenterally to albino mice. The injected enzyme was found to be detectable in renal and hepatic tissues 3 hours later. The action of the enzyme dermally injected in a dose of 1.2 IU/kg in the same tissues lasted 4 days. Experimental findings led to the conclusion that the thiamine degradation enzyme may be used in experimental biology in order to estimate the duration of its action and the time course of gross molecular permeability in the tissue of test animals.


Deceased Donor Uterine Transplantation: Innovation and Adaptation.
This commentary endeavors to share our practical experience in developing and implementing the first uterine transplant clinical trial in the United States. Uterine transplant is a promising novel treatment for uterine factor infertility. After reported successful live births after uterine transplant in Sweden, research teams around the world are either embarking on or are considering the development of uterine transplant protocols. Our observations on the applied rather than theoretical aspects of uterine transplantation research in human subjects are detailed in this article. Important among these considerations are composing a broad and experienced multidisciplinary team as well as performing adequate preclinical preparations, including ideally animal studies and practice organ procurements. Ethical preparation is tantamount to clinical preparation for the complexities inherent in uterine transplant, and our suggestions for updating the current ethical criteria for uterine transplant are outlined here. We also describe our perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of living compared with deceased donor models. Finally, we describe how a strong program can recover and adapt in the face of setbacks to continue a path toward innovation.


Optimal induction and post-remission therapy for AML in first remission.
Approximately 300,000 patients in the world are diagnosed annually with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The median age at presentation has been steadily increasing over the past few decades and now is approaching 70 years. Although considerable progress has been made over the past 3 decades in the therapy of AML, two thirds of young adults still die of their disease. The therapy of AML, unlike acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), is based on maximally tolerated induction and post-remission therapy, all given within a few months from diagnosis. While complete remission can be achieved in the majority of young patients, ultimate cure of the disease depends on disease eradication through the administration of post-remission therapy. This is most often done with intensive chemotherapy. Harnessing the immunologic effect of graft-versus-leukemia, as in allogeneic transplantation, has further improved the outcome for many patients. Treatment of older adults, representing the majority of patients with AML, remains quite unsatisfactory. While 40% to 50% can achieve a complete remission, less than 10% are long-term survivors, and the cure rate of older patients has only minimally improved over the past three decades. Significant progress in the treatment of this age group is urgently required. New and targeted agents have much promise, but a definitive clinical role for these has yet to be conclusively established.


Effectiveness of the national food supplementary program on children growth and nutritional status in Iran.
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the national food distribution program on the growth and nutritional status of malnourished or growth-retarded children in 2 provinces of Iran. A quasi-experimental design was used for the effectiveness evaluation. Qualitative data were gathered to explain the results. An intervention group consisted of 362 children aged 6-72 months who were under coverage of the program. These children received monthly food as foodstuff, food vouchers, or cash. A comparison group included 409 children aged 6-72 months who were selected from those covered by the Primary Health Care system. Children anthropometric indices were measured at the baseline and also 6 months later. Twelve focus group discussions were held with mothers who had at least 1 child under the coverage of the program. At the end of the study, the mean weight-for-age Z scores, height-for-age Z scores, and weight-for-height Z scores increased compared with the baselines in both groups (p < .001). The differences between 2 groups in weight-for-age Z scores, height-for-age Z scores, and weight-for-height Z scores were not significant at the end of the study (p = .62, p = .91, and p = .94, respectively). According to the mothers' reports, factors affected the program outcome, that is, children anthropometric indices were low income, intrahousehold food sharing, irregular distribution, quantity and quality of the distributed food, and insufficient training. Providing foods for the malnourished children living in low-income families helped to prevent a worsening of their nutritional status; however, it has not been effective in solving the problem, probably due to the weak implementation and lack of empowerment strategies.


Mucoceles of the frontal sinus. Clinical and therapeutical considerations.
Mucocele is an epithelial lined mucus-containing sac completely filling a paranasal sinus and capable of expansion by virtue of a dynamic process of bone resorption and new bone formation. It is the most common lesion causing expansion of the paranasal sinuses. Even though mucoceles of paranasal sinuses are increasingly treated by endoscopic surgery, the external approach with or without the obliteration of the sinus still remains a useful and sometimes the only tool in the treatment of this disease. The results obtained in seven patients observed at the ENT Department of the University of Ferrara (Italy) in the period ranging from 1989 to 1999 are presented; they were affected by massive fronto-ethmoidal mucoceles and treated with the external approach alone or combined with an endonasal approach and osteoplastic flap. They were five males and two females, with a mean age of 56.5 years. Locations were bilateral in one mucocele, while in six patients only one side was involved, with a prevalence of the left frontal sinus (4:2). No patient showed any local or general complication in the postoperative period. The follow-up showed no recurrence of the disease. Since the osteoplastic flap was introduced one hundred years ago, it still remains the optimal surgical treatment for fronto-ethmoidal mucoceles. Even though, today, endoscopic surgery represents the new horizon in the management of the sinonasal disease, mucoceles need a surgical treatment which allows the total vision of the cavity to obtain radical treatment and any recurrence of disease.


Central Auditory Processing of Temporal and Spectral-Variance Cues in Cochlear Implant Listeners.
Cochlear implant (CI) listeners have difficulty understanding speech in complex listening environments. This deficit is thought to be largely due to peripheral encoding problems arising from current spread, which results in wide peripheral filters. In normal hearing (NH) listeners, central processing contributes to segregation of speech from competing sounds. We tested the hypothesis that basic central processing abilities are retained in post-lingually deaf CI listeners, but processing is hampered by degraded input from the periphery. In eight CI listeners, we measured auditory nerve compound action potentials to characterize peripheral filters. Then, we measured psychophysical detection thresholds in the presence of multi-electrode maskers placed either inside (peripheral masking) or outside (central masking) the peripheral filter. This was intended to distinguish peripheral from central contributions to signal detection. Introduction of temporal asynchrony between the signal and masker improved signal detection in both peripheral and central masking conditions for all CI listeners. Randomly varying components of the masker created spectral-variance cues, which seemed to benefit only two out of eight CI listeners. Contrastingly, the spectral-variance cues improved signal detection in all five NH listeners who listened to our CI simulation. Together these results indicate that widened peripheral filters significantly hamper central processing of spectral-variance cues but not of temporal cues in post-lingually deaf CI listeners. As indicated by two CI listeners in our study, however, post-lingually deaf CI listeners may retain some central processing abilities similar to NH listeners.


Labour participation of the chronically ill. A profile sketch.
To improve our understanding of the problematic labour market position of people with a chronic disease, this paper describes the participation rates of several subgroups of the chronically ill in the Netherlands, as well as the aspects by which the working chronically ill differ from those who are fully work-disabled and from those who are not working for other reasons. Data for this study are derived from the Panel of Patients with Chronic Diseases, a nationwide study in the Netherlands. The results discussed here relate to data collected in 1998 from a representative sample of 1266 people aged 15-64 with various chronic somatic diseases. The factors taken into account include medical diagnosis, disease duration, episodic occurrence and frequency of symptoms, pain, fatigue, functional disabilities with respect to motor control, somatic autonomy and cognitive autonomy, as well as the covariates gender, age and education. Labour market position is primarily related to health problems that can be considered common consequences of a chronic illness, while no independent effect of specific disease diagnosis was observed. In comparison with fully work-disabled people, those who are employed experience less pain and fatigue and encounter fewer problems in motor control and cognitive functioning (besides being younger and more highly educated). The main factor besides gender, age and education, distinguishing employed from non-employed involves problems with motor control.


Ohmic heating as a pre-treatment in solvent extraction of rice bran.
Rice bran, which is one of the major by products of paddy contain high quality proteins and edible oil apart from fibre, ash and NFE (nitrogen free extract). The existing solvent extraction method employs n-hexane as the most viable solvent for the extraction of oil from rice bran. But the high cost and scarce availability of n-hexane resulted in uneconomical extraction of rice bran oil. In this study, rice bran was ohmically heated for different time periods(1, 2 and 3 min) with different current values (5, 15 and 20 A) and with different concentration of sodium chloride (1 M, 0.1 M and 0.01 M) as conducting medium. The ohmically heated rice bran was subjected to extraction studies. Ohmic heating of rice bran of paddy varieties Red Triveni and Basmati reduced the extraction time by nearly 75 % and 70 % respectively and gave a maximum quantity of oil extracted when compared to bran, which was not ohmically heated. From the experiments with varying concentrations, residence time of ohmic heating and currents, it was found that ohmically heating the rice bran with 1 M sodium chloride solution and with a current value of 20 A for 3 min gave maximum oil extraction with minimum extraction time.


Alterations in PNA binding of keratinocytes in oral keratosis.
Changes in the expression of peanut lectin (PNA) were examined in keratinocytes of oral keratosis showing a mixture of hyperortho- and hyperparakeratinized epithelium. In the hyperorthokeratinized epithelium, which was reacted with anti-filaggrin antibody in both granular and cornified cells, PNA bound to the surface of keratinocytes from the spinous layer to the granular layer. Neither anti-filaggrin nor PNA reactions were detected in keratinocytes of the hyperparakeratinized epithelium. After neuraminidase pretreatment, however, PNA staining appeared in all cells, except cornified cells, of both hyperortho- and hyperparakeratinized epithelia. These findings suggest that PNA-binding epitopes in keratinocytes were modified by sialic acid during the hyperparakeratotic process of oral keratosis.


Diagnosing wife assault.
With the prevalence of wife assault quite high, family doctors will see battered women and their families in the office. However, the identification of the problem is often missed due to women's reluctance to explain their problem and physicians' hesitancy in exploring the possibility and lack of awareness of the prevalence of abuse. The importance of the family doctor's role in identifying the problem and referring the family to appropriate community resources is discussed. Possible explanations for the physician's difficulty in making the diagnosis are considered.


The Prognostic Value Of The ART Score Before The Second Transarterial Chemoembolization.
The transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a firstline therapeutic option for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Their indications are clearly defined by learned societies but the challenge is to determine the optimal number of TACE sessions that will benefit patients before switching to other therapies. For this reason, the Assessment for Retreatment with Transarterial chemoembolization (ART) score has been developed. The objective of our work is to show the prognostic value of the ART score before the second TACE. This is a retrospective and prospective study of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma on cirrhosis liver who received a TACE between January 2012 to July 2019. The diagnosis of HCC was made according to the non-invasive criteria of EASL with the use of histology for doubtful cases. The ART score was calculated after the first chemoembolization. Patients were divided into 2groups: group A with an ART score between 0 and 1.5 and group B with a score =2.5. During the study period, 58 patients with HCC on cirrhosis liver received a TACE: 55.17% had an ART score between 0 - 1.5 before the second session and 44.8% had an ART score =2,5. Both groups were comparable regarding age, circumstances of discovery and Child's score. The size of the HCC as well as the value of the AFP was further increased in the group B. We observed a significant difference in the radiological response, the Child score and aspartate transaminase rate between the two groups after the first TACE. The overall survival rate at 3 years was 81% in group A versus 19% in group B. The ART score has an independent prognostic value and should be taken into account in the therapeutic strategy before the second TACE.


Pursestring Closure versus Conventional Primary Closure Following Stoma Reversal to Reduce Surgical Site Infection Rate: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Stoma reversal is a surgical procedure commonly used following temporary defunctioning stoma surgery. Surgical site infection is one of the most common postoperative morbidities. A few skin closure methods have been developed to decrease surgical site infection. However, the optimal skin closure method is still in debate. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical site infection rate and other postoperative outcomes between the pursestring closure and conventional primary closure techniques. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant trials. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared the surgical outcomes following pursestring closure and conventional primary closure techniques. We conducted the meta-analysis by using the random-effects model. The primary outcome of interest was surgical site infection following stoma reversal within 30 days after operation. This meta-analysis included 4 randomized controlled trials with a total of 319 participants (162 in the pursestring closure group and 157 in the conventional primary closure group). Compared with the conventional primary closure group, the pursestring closure group had a significant decrease in surgical site infection (risk difference, -0.25; 95% CI, -0.36 to -0.15; p < 0.00001; number needed to treat = 4) and higher satisfaction with cosmetic outcomes (standard mean difference, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.13-1.27; p = 0.02). No other significant differences in operative time, length of hospital stay, and wound healing time were found between the 2 groups. This study was limited to the lack of double blinding and long-term follow-up in the included trials. Pursestring closure has significantly fewer surgical site infections and achieves better cosmetic outcomes following stoma reversal than conventional primary closure.


Aerobic exercise training in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease related fibrosis.
Physiologically relevant rodent models of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) that resemble the human condition are limited. Exercise training and energy restriction are first-line recommendations for the treatment of NASH. Hyperphagic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats fed a western diet high in fat, sucrose and cholesterol for 24 weeks developed a severe NASH with fibrosis phenotype. Moderate intensity exercise training and modest energy restriction provided some improvement in the histological features of NASH that coincided with alterations in markers of hepatic stellate cell activation and extracellular matrix remodelling. The present study highlights the importance of lifestyle modification, including exercise training and energy restriction, in the regulation of advanced liver disease. The incidence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is rising but the efficacy of lifestyle modifications to improve NASH-related outcomes remain unclear. We hypothesized that a western diet (WD) would induce NASH in the Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat and that lifestyle modification would improve this condition. Eight-week-old Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (L) and OLETF (O) rats consumed a control diet (10% kcal fat, 3.5% sucrose) or a WD (45% kcal fat, 17% sucrose, 1% cholesterol) for 24 weeks. At 20 weeks of age, additional WD-fed OLETFs were randomized to sedentary (O-SED), food restriction (O-FR; ∼25% kcal reduction vs. O-SED) or exercise training (O-EX; treadmill running 20 m min(-1) with a 15% incline, 60 min day(-1) , 5 days week(-1) ) conditions for 12 weeks. WD induced a NASH phenotype in OLETFs characterized by hepatic fibrosis (collagen 1α1 mRNA and hydroxyproline content), as well as elevated inflammation and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity scores, and hepatic stellate cell activation (α-smooth muscle actin) compared to Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka rats. FR and EX modestly improved NASH-related fibrosis markers (FR: hydroxyproline content, P < 0.01; EX: collagen 1α1 mRNA, P < 0.05; both: fibrosis score, P < 0.01) and inflammation (both: inflammation score; FR: interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor α) vs. O-SED. FR reduced hepatic stellate cell activation markers (transforming growth factor-β protein and α-smooth muscle actin mRNA), whereas EX increased the hepatic stellate cell senescence marker CCN1 (P < 0.01 vs. O-SED). Additionally, both FR and EX normalized extracellular matrix remodelling markers to levels similar to L-WD (P > 0.05). Although neither EX nor FR led to complete resolution of the WD-induced NASH phenotype, both independently benefitted liver fibrosis via altered hepatic stellate cell activation and extracellular matrix remodelling.


Elevated Serum Uric Acid Is Associated With Greater Risk for Hypertension and Diabetic Kidney Diseases in Obese Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes: An Observational Analysis From the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) Study.
Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for kidney disease in adults with diabetes, but data in youth are limited. We hypothesized that elevated SUA predicts development of elevated urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and hypertension over time in teens with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Serum creatinine, cystatin C, SUA, and the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) were assessed in 539 obese youth, ages 12-17 years, with T2D duration <2 years at baseline in the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using creatinine and cystatin C. Hypertension was defined as systolic or diastolic blood pressure ≥130/80 mmHg and elevated UAE as UACR ≥30 mg/g. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the relationship between SUA and outcome variables longitudinally over an average follow-up of 5.7 years, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI, HbA1c, eGFR, ACE inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker use, and TODAY treatment group assignment. At baseline, hyperuricemia (≥6.8 mg/dL) was present in 25.6% of participants, hypertension in 18.7%, and elevated UAE in 6.1%. During follow-up of up to 7 years, hypertension developed in 37.4% and UAE in 18.0%. Higher baseline SUA increased the risk of incident hypertension (hazard ratio [HR] 1.19, 95% CI 1.03-1.38, per 1 mg/dL increase in SUA) and elevated UAE (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.03-1.48) in adjusted models. Hyperuricemia was common in youth with T2D. Higher baseline SUA independently increased the risk for onset of hypertension and elevated UAE. Research is needed to determine whether SUA-lowering therapies can impede development of diabetic kidney disease and hypertension in T2D youth.


Anticancer drug discovery from the marine environment.
Discovery, isolation, biochemical/pharmacological characterization, pre-clinical and clinical trials of drugs derived from the marine environment are continuously developing and increasing. One of the most promising area is cancer therapy. Currently, there are two drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMA) in cancer treatment, namely Cytarabine (Cytosar-U1®) and Eribulin (E7389 or Halaven®). Trabectedin (ET-743 or Yondelis1®), approved by EMA, is completing key Phase III studies in the U.S. for final approval. It was estimated that 118 marine natural products (MNPs) are currently in preclinical trials, 22 MNPs in clinical trials and 3 MNPs on the market. The characteristics and selectivity profiles of new drugs for cancer therapy, as well as drugs disclosed in related patent applications, will be the focus of this review, providing a brief and ready to use reference.


Superoxide dismutase isozymes in cerebral organoids from autism spectrum disorder patients.
Autism spectrum disorder is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder with a substantial contribution to the global disease burden. Despite intensive research efforts, the aetiopathogenesis remains unclear. The Janus-faced antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase 1-3 have been implicated in initiating oxidative stress and as such may constitute a potential therapeutic target. However, no measurement has been taken in human autistic brain samples. The aim of this study is to measure superoxide dismutase 1-3 in autistic cerebral organoids as an in vitro model of human foetal neurodevelopment. Whole brain organoids were created from induced pluripotent stem cells from healthy individuals (n = 5) and individuals suffering from autism (n = 4). Using Pierce bicinchoninic acid and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, the protein and superoxide dismutase 1, 2, and 3 concentrations were quantified in the cerebral organoids at days 22, 32, and 42. Measurements were normalized to the protein concentration. Results represented using medians and interquartile ranges. Using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test, an abrupt rise in the superoxide dismutase concentration was observed at day 32 and onwards. Using Wilcoxon rank-sum test, no differences were observed between healthy (SOD1: 35.56 ng/mL ± 3.46; SOD2: 2435.80 ng/mL ± 1327.00; SOD3: 1854.88 ng/mL ± 867.94) and autistic (SOD1: 32.85 ng/mL ± 5.26; SOD2: 2717.80 ng/mL ± 1889.10; SOD3: 1690.18 ng/mL ± 615.49) organoids. Cerebral organoids recapitulate many aspects of human neurodevelopment, but the diffusion restriction may render efforts in modelling differences in oxidative stress futile due to the intrinsic hypoxia and central necrosis.


IT-driven patient safety at the heart of radiology service improvement.
Patient safety is a fundamental requirement of modern health-care systems and the application of information technology (IT) to this activity should have improvements in the area as one of its goals. Indeed, ensuring that the diagnostic IT strategy is optimized, for example, the use of IT in service redesign or data analysis, forms one of the main platforms for the National Framework for Service Improvement in Radiology. This paper presents both the concept behind and the results of a project that has been under way in the UK involving St Helens and Knowsley NHS Trust and IRS Ltd concerned with implementing effective IT-driven scientific support in the field of medical radiation protection. Locally developed software is employed in assessing, managing, and analysing patient dose data arising from X-ray examinations performed in the busy department of a large district general hospital (DGH). Such data are analysed in a variety of ways, for example, over time and according to location (department or X-ray room). This analysis not only provides a measure of performance against nationally agreed dose reference levels (DRLs) but also enables a detailed analysis of any variations as well as the establishment of local DRLs (performance indicators). This process provides quantitative input to management strategies aimed at service improvement. Such strategies are geared towards the support of the Ionizing Radiations (Medical Exposures) Regulations 2000 as well as implementation of quality-management principles at the heart of radiology practices.


Polarized intestinal hybrid cell lines derived from primary culture: establishment and characterization.
A cell culture system has been developed that produces stable gastrointestinal (GI) polarized cell lines capable of maintaining hormone secretion. A spontaneously transformed rat mucosal epithelial cell was selected for hypoxanthine/guanine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency and transfected with a plasmid conferring hygromycin resistance (BRIE 291 cells). Fusion of these cells with dispersed small intestinal epithelia cells resulted in hybrid cell lines that retained characteristic properties of the native GI cell more effectively than the transformed tumorigenic parental cell line. Hybrid hBRIE 380 cells are uniformly cuboidal with microvilli, contain villin, are contact inhibited, are anchorage dependent, require serum supplementation for growth, and are more sensitive to virus infection than the parental BRIE 291 cells. Fusion of BRIE 291 with dispersed pancreatic islet cells has resulted in a variety of pancreatic-hormone-producing cell lines. One of these, hybrid hBRIE 291-i2, forms confluent monolayers capable of synthesizing insulin-like immunoreactivity. These studies demonstrate that functionally polarized GI cells can be generated from primary cultures of nondividing committed epithelial cells by somatic cell hybridization and make feasible the selection and maintenance of specific GI epithelial cell types in confluent monolayer cultures.


Determinants of invasive vulvar cancer risk: an Italian case-control study.
Risk factors for vulvar cancer have been evaluated in a case-control study conducted between 1987 and 1990 in northern Italy on 73 women with histologically confirmed invasive vulvar cancer and 572 control subjects in hospital for acute nongynecological, nonneoplastic non-hormone-related conditions. The risk of vulvar cancer was inversely related to education level: with reference to women reporting less than 7 years of schooling, the relative risk estimates were 0.6 and 0.4, respectively, in those reporting 7 to 11 and 12 or more years of schooling (chi 2(1) trend = 4.91 P = 0.03). No relationship emerged between number of births and spontaneous or induced abortions. Parous women reporting late first birth tended to be at lower risk (relative risk = 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.3 to 1.1 for < 25 vs > or = 25 years at first birth), but there was no evidence of the risk to decrease with increasing age at first birth. The risk of vulvar cancer increased with body mass index, but the trend in risk was not significant after taking into account potential confounders in the multivariate analysis. No association emerged with indicators of sexual habits, menstrual history, and smoking. The risk of the disease was lower in women reporting Pap smears during their life and diminished with increasing number of cervical smears and decreasing recency of last Pap: compared to women reporting no Pap screening, it was 0.5 in those who reported one smear and 0.3 in those with two or more.


Ocular features of multiple sulfatase deficiency and a new variant of metachromatic leukodystrophy.
Multiple sulfatase deficiency, a newly recognized autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of several sulfatase enzymes, is characterized by psychomotor retardation, ichthyosis, and mild organomegaly. Patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy, also an autosomal recessive disorder, have a deficiency of a single sulfatase enzyme, arysulfatase A. The ocular features of a patient with multiple sulfatase deficiency and a patient with a new biochemical variant of metachromatic leukodystrophy are described. The patient with multiple sulfatase deficiency had a unique, peripheral lens opacity and a panretinal degeneration. The patient with a new variant of metachromatic leukodystrophy exhibited a cherry-red spot.


Genome-wide identification of Schistosoma japonicum microRNAs using a deep-sequencing approach.
Human schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent and serious parasitic diseases worldwide. Schistosoma japonicum is one of important pathogens of this disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a large group of non-coding RNAs that play important roles in regulating gene expression and protein translation in animals. Genome-wide identification of miRNAs in a given organism is a critical step to facilitating our understanding of genome organization, genome biology, evolution, and posttranscriptional regulation. We sequenced two small RNA libraries prepared from different stages of the life cycle of S. japonicum, immature schistosomula and mature pairing adults, through a deep DNA sequencing approach, which yielded approximately 12 million high-quality short sequence reads containing a total of approximately 2 million non-redundant tags. Based on a bioinformatics pipeline, we identified 176 new S. japonicum miRNAs, of which some exhibited a differential pattern of expression between the two stages. Although 21 S. japonicum miRNAs are orthologs of known miRNAs within the metazoans, some nucleotides at many positions of Schistosoma miRNAs, such as miR-8, let-7, miR-10, miR-31, miR-92, miR-124, and miR-125, are indeed significantly distinct from other bilaterian orthologs. In addition, both miR-71 and some miR-2 family members in tandem are found to be clustered in a reversal direction model on two genomic loci, and two pairs of novel S. japonicum miRNAs were derived from sense and antisense DNA strands at the same genomic loci. The collection of S. japonicum miRNAs could be used as a new platform to study the genomic structure, gene regulation and networks, evolutionary processes, development, and host-parasite interactions. Some S. japonicum miRNAs and their clusters could represent the ancestral forms of the conserved orthologues and a model for the genesis of novel miRNAs.


Synergistic antitumor effects of human interferon-beta and interferon-gamma on human gastric adenocarcinoma cells.
The combined effects of different classes of interferon (IFN) on human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line HPE-GAC-2 (GAC-2) were investigated in vitro. Synergistic effects of IFN-beta and -gamma, causing cell death, were observed in a dose-dependent manner. IFN-gamma modulated the sensitivity of GAC-2 cells to the cytocidal effect of IFN-gamma. The modulatory effect was independent of the cytostatic or cytocidal activity of IFN-beta since brief contact with IFN-beta did not influence the growth kinetics of the cells and was effective in modulate the cellular sensitivity to IFN-gamma. A brief pretreatment of the cells with IFN-alpha or-beta resulted in a variable level of modulation, whereas coculture of the cells with IFN-beta or -alpha and IFN-gamma had a similar cytotoxic effect indicating a different level of activity induced by IFN-alpha and -beta with the common type I receptor. These results suggest that IFN-beta-induced modulation was receptor-mediated. Phase contrast microscopy showed evidence of apoptotic cell death induced by one or more IFN agents. The morphological changes included chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation which were apparent at as early as 6 hr of culture with a high concentration of IFN(s). Our results indicate that IFN-beta and IFN-alpha enhance the in vitro apoptotic effects of IFN-gamma against GAC-2 tumor cells.


The Marshall technique: an economic one-stage technique for nipple-areola reconstruction.
The goals of nipple-areola reconstruction are symmetry in position, shape, size, colour, tone, texture, sensation and responsiveness. These goals are best attempted when the breast-mound reconstruction has been completed. We describe a technique in which the skin of the neo-areola is raised as a split-thickness skin graft, and then re-grafted to the same site with a free nipple graft. This technique is always available, requires no special equipment, causes no donor-site morbidity and produces excellent results. The disadvantage is that it may be more difficult following radiotherapy or if the mastectomy scar traverses the desired site of nipple-areola reconstruction. As with any skin graft, the neo-areola may lose pigmentation, imperfectly 'take' or contract with time. This technique has not been previously described in the literature.


Seizures as an Atypical Feature of Beal's Syndrome.
Congenital contractural arachnodactyly, commonly known as Beal's syndrome, is an extremely rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillin-2 (FBN2) gene located on chromosome 5q23. It is an autosomal dominant inherited connective tissue disorder characterised by a Marfan-like body habitus, contractures, abnormally shaped ears and kyphoscoliosis. We report a seven-year-old Omani male who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, in 2014 with seizures. He was noted to have certain distinctive facial features and musculoskeletal manifestations; he was subsequently diagnosed with Beal's syndrome. Sequencing of the FBN2 gene revealed that the patient had a novel mutation which was also present in his mother; however, she had only a few facial features indicative of Beal's syndrome and no systemic involvement apart from a history of childhood seizures. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of Beal's syndrome with seizure symptoms as a potential feature.


An in-ketocyclophane.
Computational studies indicate that some benzophenone-capped cyclophanes should have carbonyl groups pointed directly at their basal benzene rings as a result of conformational restraints imposed by bulky groups in the linking arms of the molecules. Cyclophane 4 was prepared, and its X-ray structure shows it to be the first in-ketocyclophane.


Decoupled Thermo- and pH-Responsive Hydrogel Microspheres Cross-Linked by Rotaxane Networks.
Rotaxane cross-linked (RC) microgels that exhibit a decoupled thermo- and pH-responsive volume transition were developed. The pH-induced changes of the aggregation/disaggregation states of cyclodextrin in the RC networks were used to control the swelling capacity of the entire microgels. Different from conventional thermo- and pH-responsive microgels, which are usually obtained from copolymerizations involving charged monomers, the RC microgels respond to temperature as intended, even in the presence of charged functional molecules such as dyes in the microgel dispersion. The results of this study should lead to new applications, including drug delivery systems that require a retention of their smart functions even in environments that may contain foreign ions, for example, in in vivo experiments.


[Probiotic drug therapy with E. coli strain Nissle 1917 (EcN): results of a prospective study of the records of 3,807 patients].
Living microorganisms that enter the gut in an active state and exert a positive influence on the host are called probiotics. Numerous experimental and clinical studies were performed recently and confirm both the efficacy and modes of action of probiotic drugs. In a post-marketing-surveillance study with the probiotic Escherichia Coli strain Nissle 1917 (EcN) data on the range of indications as well as on efficacy and tolerance were gathered prospectively in 446 centres. The intended treatment duration was limited to a maximum of 12 weeks. EcN was used in 3,807 patients with more than 20 different indications, n = 3,511 of whom had gastrointestinal complaints: Among others, 1,067 patients presented with chronically recurring (n = 728) or protracted diarrhoea (n = 339), 415 with inflammatory bowel disease, 679 with irritable bowel syndrome, and 253 with chronic constipation. The overall efficacy was assessed as good to very good by an average of 81.4 % of the therapists. The stool frequency and consistency as well as the symptoms of meteorism and abdominal pain were improved in very many patients. Suspected cases of side effects were documented in only 2.8 % of the patients. EcN is frequently used in practice for the treatment of various, mostly gastrointestinal, complaints and is well tolerated.


The COVID-19 pandemic and the "Plague of Athens": comparable features 25 centuries apart.
Motivated by the up to now disastrous outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, we attempted a flashback to the so-called "Plague of Athens," which indicated a serious contagious disease, having taken place between 430 and 426 BC. The ancient pandemic was meticulously described by the Athenian historian and general Thucydides. We compared, as much as possible, the following parameters: background conditions, spreading of the pandemics, preceded and concurrent adverse events, duration and waves of the pandemics, symptoms, implicated infectious agents/diseases and mental/psychosocial consequences. The current pandemic was preceded by a global economic crisis, which particularly affected deprived population groups, while the ancient one started on the second year of a catastrophic civil war. Rivalry and different political systems between now (US/China) and then (Athens/Sparta) superpowers were the basis for conspiracy scenarios, concerning origins of the pandemics, which resulted to huge numbers of deaths, particularly in overcrowded and poor areas/cities. Both pandemics not sparing any age, sex, nationality, social group, may have had a zoonotic component, besides being air-born. However, their spreading is/was remarkably rapid, presenting 3-4 waves and lasting for several years. Some somatic signs and symptoms of the diseases coincide. Although for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as causing agent, the antique pandemic has most probably been attributed to typhoid fever, although this is still a matter of debate. Additionally, both pandemics affected mental health and psychosocial behavior in close similarity. It is noteworthy, that in both eras physicians and healthcare workers, despite physical and psychological exhaustion, in the majority, presented admirable resilience and willingness to help suffering fellow people, often at the expense of their own lives. The considerable number of comparable features between COVID-19 and the "Plague of Athens" confirms that pandemics may present over time important similarities in their origin, evolution and outcomes.


[Application of Raman spectroscopic technique to the identification and investigation of Chinese ancient jades and jade artifacts].
Laser Raman spectroscopic technique is one of the essential methods in scientific archaeological research, which belongs to the nondestructive analysis. As a very good nondestructive analysis approach, it has not been widely applied in the research of the Chinese ancient jade artifacts. First of all in the present paper the fundamentals of laser Raman spectroscopic technique and the new research progress in this field were reviewed. Secondly, the Raman spectra of five familiar jades including nephrite (mainly composed of tremolite), Xiuyan Jade (mainly composed of serpentine), Dushan Jade (mainly composed of anorthite and Zoisite), turquoise and lapis lazuli were summarized respectively. As for an example, the Raman spectra of the four Chinese ancient jade artifacts excavated from Liangzhu Site of Zhejiang Province and Yinxu Site of Anyang in Henan Province were compared with that of the nephrite sample in Hetian of Xinjiang Province. It was shown that the Raman spectroscopic technique is a good nondestructive approach to the identification and investigation of the structures and mineral composition of Chinese ancient jade artifacts. Finally, the limitations and the foreground of this technique were discussed.


Infrared Spectrum of Toluene: Comparison of Anharmonic Isolated-Molecule Calculations and Experiments in Liquid Phase and in a Ne Matrix.
First-principles anharmonic calculations are carried out for the CH stretching vibrations of isolated toluene and compared with the experimental infrared spectra of isotopologues of toluene in a Ne matrix at 3 K and of liquid toluene at room temperature. The calculations use the vibrational self-consistent field method and the B3LYP potential surface. In general, good agreement is found between the calculations and experiments. However, the spectrum of toluene in a Ne matrix is more complicated than that predicted theoretically. This distinction is discussed in terms of matrix-site and resonance effects. Interestingly, the strongest peak in the CH stretching spectrum has similar widths in the liquid phase and in a Ne matrix, despite the very different temperatures. Implications of this observation to the broadening mechanism are discussed. Finally, our results show that the B3LYP potential offers a good description of the anharmonic CH stretching band in toluene, but a proper description of matrix-site and resonance effects remains a challenge.


The dosimetric impact of the prescription isodose line (IDL) on the quality of robotic stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) plans.
There is no consensus on the optimal prescription isodose line (IDL) in CyberKnife (CK) SRS. We designed a strategy to search for optimal CK plans at different levels of IDLs and investigated the dosimetric impact on the quality of CK plans. The retrospective study consisted of 13 CK patients with 16 brain tumors. The mean volume and size of the tumors was 9.7 ± 10.4 cc and 30.3 ± 10.9 mm, respectively. Four shells were created at distances of 2-3 mm to 60 mm from the target. The constraint dose of the innermost shell (D1) was the primary optimization parameter. For isolated brain tumors, D1 started from the prescription dose and gradually reduced after optimization started over. The optimal plans were reached when the coverage started to degrade and the desired IDL was achieved. For eight tumors abutting an OAR, both the D1 and constraint dose to the OAR were gradually pushed until an optimal plan was reached for the desired IDL. For the isolated tumors, the V5 Gy, V10 Gy, V15 Gy, V20 Gy, and V25 Gy of low IDL (49.6 ± 2.1%) plans were on average 23.6%, 28.6%, 33.8%, 26.2%, and 10.6% lower, respectively, comparing to the high IDL (88.6 ± 1.3%) plans. The Conformality Index (CI) of the low IDL plans outperformed the high IDL plans (mean: 1.15 vs. 1.24), except for a lesion under 0.5 cc. The quality of the middle IDL plans (69.6 ± 1.5%) was close to the low IDL plans. Similar results were observed for tumors abutting an OAR. Low IDL plans outperformed high IDL plans for all metrics in tumors > 0.5 cc. The lower dose exposure of normal brain tissue and better CI could potentially reduce radiation necrosis while the higher maximum dose could improve local control.


Changes in gravitational force cause changes in gene expression in the lens of developing zebrafish.
Gravity has been a constant physical factor during the evolution and development of life on Earth. We have been studying effects of simulated microgravity on gene expression in transgenic zebrafish embryos expressing gfp under the influence of gene-specific promoters. In this study, we assessed the effect of microgravity on the expression of the heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) gene in lens during development using transgenic zebrafish embryos expressing gfp under the control of hsp70 promoter/enhancer. Hsp70:gfp expression was up-regulated (45%) compared with controls during the developmental period that included the lens differentiation stage. This increase was lens specific, because the entire embryo showed only a 4% increase in gfp expression. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analysis indicated that the hsp70:gfp expression recapitulated endogenous hsp70 mRNA expression. Hypergravity exposure also increased hsp70 expression during the same period. In situ hybridization analysis for two lens-specific crystallin genes revealed that neither micro- nor hypergravity affected the expression level of betaB1-crystallin, a non-hsp gene used as a marker for lens differentiation. However, hypergravity changed the expression level of alphaA-crystallin, a member of the small hsp gene family. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridinetriphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay analysis showed that altered-gravity (Deltag) decreased apoptosis in lens during the same period and the decrease correlated with the up-regulation of hsp70 expression, suggesting that elimination of nuclei from differentiating lens fiber cells was suppressed probably through hsp70 up-regulation. These results support the idea that Deltag influences hsp70 expression and differentiation in lens-specific and developmental period specific manners and that hsp family genes play a specific role in the response to Deltag.


Chronic inflammatory gingival overgrowths: laser gingivectomy & gingivoplasty.
It is quite common to note chronic inflammatory Gingival overgrowths during and/or post orthodontic treatment. Sometimes the overgrowths may even potentially complicate and/or interrupt orthodontic treatment. With the introduction of soft tissue lasers these problems can now be addressed more easily. Amongst many LASERS now available in Dentistry DIODE LASERS seem to be most ideal for orthodontic soft tissue applications. As newer treatments herald into minimally invasive techniques, DIODE LASERS are becoming more promising both in patient satisfaction and dentist satisfaction. How to cite this article: Shankar BS, Ramadevi T, Neetha M S, Reddy P S K, Saritha G, Reddy J M. Chronic Inflammatory Gingival Overgrowths: Laser Gingivectomy & Gingivoplasty. J Int Oral Health 2013; 5(1):83-87.


Hair tension influence on the vibroacoustic properties of the double bass bow.
The possibility of identifying vibration modes of a double bass bow, with a non-contact measurement of sound pressure in the Very Near Field (VNF) was investigated. This paper shows the application of this cost-effective method for vibroacoustic testings of the bow. The spectra of generated tones do not give sufficient information about a particular bow, but its vibroacoustical behavior provides additional properties. The visualization for all vibration modes below 4000 Hz was achieved by using sound pressure scanning in a VNF. Differences in the vibroacoustical properties of a double bass bow with different hair tension were analyzed.


In the Spotlight: Neuroengineering.
This article reviews current researches in the field of neuroengineering. Special focus is given to neural prosthesis, neuroprosthetic control and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for anthropomorphic and sensory prosthetic control.


Orthodontic treatment need in an accredited graduate orthodontic center in north america: a pilot study.
To assess the objective orthodontic treatment needs of patients treated in an accredited Orthodontic Clinic in North America using a retrospective cross sectional study and the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). One hundred pre- and post-treatment study models were randomly selected from the model storage facility of the clinic. Only the pre-treatment study models were assessed using the DAI. The pre-treatment and post-treatment ages for each case were noted as recorded on the corresponding study models. The range for the pre-treatment age was 10 to 52 years, and from 12 years, 4 months to 54 years for the post-treatment age range. The duration of treatment for each case was calculated by subtracting the pre-treatment age from the post-treatment age (range of treatment duration, 9 to 125 months). Descriptive statistics as well as chi-square statistics were employed to analyze the data. Fifteen cases had normal or minor malocclusions with no treatment or slight need for treatment. Definite malocclusions with treatment highly desirable accounted for 22 cases and severe malocclusion with treatment highly desirable was found in 16 cases. Forty-seven cases had handicapping malocclusion with treatment considered mandatory. While a statistically significant association (p<0.05) was found between duration of treatment and severity levels of malocclusion (DAI scores), the association between pre-treatment age and DAI scores was not significant (p > 0.05). Eighty-five percent of the study sample needed orthodontic treatment with different malocclusion severity levels, while 47% of the cases qualified for publicly subsidized treatment due to handicapping malocclusions. The association between duration of treatment and DAI score groups (malocclusion severity levels) was found statistically significant. It could be helpful for more clinic-based (demand populations) studies on treatment needs be undertaken across the globe using the DAI, at least for the purposes of comparison.


Splintering of tourism market: new appearing forms of cultural tourism as a consequence of changes in everyday lives.
Within the concept of cultural tourism, this article defines relatively new concepts of creative and hobby tourism, which are detected as recent niche markets. Cultural tourism is a narrow specialized market, while creative and hobby tourism relate to even more specialized segments. Even these specialized forms of tourism have their market whose growth is very probable taking into account changes in everyday work as well as changes in the values of human activity in general. These changes reflect also the sector of tourism, which is obvious in the ever growing splintering of tourism market as well as of tourism forms. The article reviews theoretical concepts of cultural, creative and hobby tourism as to prepare the basis for applied tourist programmes. It looks into the history of cultural tourism as to see what changes occurred and brought it to life. Changes that have taken place in everyday lives of people and the impact of everyday free time activities on tourism are also analysed. Further splintering of the cultural tourism sector is noticed and cultural tourism sub-forms are detected by analysing some of the leading home style and creativity magazines. The article also proposes possible application of push/pull factors to creative/hobby tourism.


Histological examinations of bone and cartilage in the axial skeleton of human triploidy fetuses.
The aim of this study was to examine histologically bone and cartilage in vertebral corpora of axial skeletons of eight human triploid fetuses, gestational ages 14-25 weeks, CRL 100-200 mm. The results were compared to earlier studies on vertebral development in trisomies 21, 18, 13, and to normal corpora development. After radiography in frontal and lateral projections, the vertebral column was sectioned into cervical, thoracic and lumbar segments, decalcified, dehydrated, and embedded in paraffin. The blocks were serially sectioned in the vertical plane and stained with Toluidine blue and Alcian blue/van Gieson. The radiographic characteristics of the vertebral corpora observed in frontal and lateral projection varied from small cleft vertebral corpora to fusions between the individual corpora. Histological examination of the vertebral corpora confirmed the abnormal pattern of ossification seen radiographically. As a new finding abnormal metachromasia of the ground substance was observed in the cartilage. Marked borderlines were registered in the cartilage between regions with differences in metachromasia. These borderlines were similar but more extensive than borderlines observed previously in trisomies 21, 18 and 13.


Pro‑neurogenic effects of andrographolide on RSC96 Schwann cells in vitro.
Nerve regeneration remains a challenge to the treatment of peripheral nerve injury. Andrographolide (Andro) is the main active constituent of Andrographis paniculata, which has been applied in the treatment of several diseases, including inflammation, in ancient China. Andro has been reported to facilitate the reduction of edema and to exert analgesic effects in the treatment of various diseases. These findings suggest that Andro may be considered a promising anti‑inflammatory agent that may suppress destruction and accelerate proliferation of Schwann cells following peripheral nerve injury. In the present study, the effects of Andro on RSC96 cells were investigated in vitro. The RSC96 cell line is a spontaneously immortalized rat Schwann cell line, which was originally derived from a long‑term culture of rat primary Schwann cells. RSC96 cells were treated with a range of 0 to 50 µM Andro prior to the MTT assay. Cell proliferation, morphology, synthesis and nerve‑specific gene expression were performed to detect the effect of Andro on RSC96 cells. The results of the present study demonstrated that the recommended doses of Andro ranged between 0.78 and 12.5 µM, among which the most obvious response was observed when used at 3.125 µM (P<0.05). DNA content was improved in Andro groups compared with the control group (P<0.05). In addition, Andro was able to promote the gene expression of glial cell line‑derived neurotrophic factor, brain‑derived neurotrophic factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor, and the specific Schwann cell marker S100β (P<0.05). The results of a viability assay, hematoxylin‑eosin staining, and immunohistochemistry were also improved in Andro groups. These results indicated that Andro may accelerate proliferation of RSC96 cells in vitro, whilst maintaining the Schwann cell phenotype; therefore, the present study may provide valuable evidence for the further exploration of the effects of Andro on peripheral nerves.


Ultra-wide field angiography in the management of Eales disease.
This study aims to evaluate the use of ultra-wide field (UWF) angiography in patients with Eales disease (ED). Prospective observational case series in tertiary eye care center. This study involved 17 patients diagnosed with ED, who underwent UWF fluorescein angiography. The angiograms were analyzed to look for additional information as compared to Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study seven standard field. The impact of this information in the management of patients was analyzed. 24 eyes of 17 patients with mean age of 26.3 years were diagnosed with ED and underwent UWF angiography. UWF fluorescein angiography was helpful in the documentation of peripheral retinal changes (in 67% of eyes), exact localization of capillary nonperfusion (CNP) (in 54% of eyes), and in determination of vascular involvement (in 21% of eyes). In 33% of eyes, immediate treatment plan changed because of changes picked up on UWF angiography. UWF angiography helped in the better documentation, exact quantification, and location of CNP areas and better determination of disease activity. UWF imaging may play an important part in the management of patients with ED.


Quantifying hydrologic controls on local- and landscape-scale indicators of coastal wetland loss.
Coastal wetlands have evolved to withstand stressful abiotic conditions through the maintenance of hydrologic feedbacks between vegetation production and flooding. However, disruption of these feedbacks can lead to ecosystem collapse, or a regime shift from vegetated wetland to open water. To prevent the loss of critical coastal wetland habitat, we must improve understanding of the abiotic-biotic linkages among flooding and wetland stability. The aim of this research was to identify characteristic landscape patterns and thresholds of wetland degradation that can be used to identify areas of vulnerability, reduce flooding threats and improve habitat quality. We measured local- and landscape-scale responses of coastal wetland vegetation to flooding stress in healthy and degrading coastal wetlands. We hypothesized that conversion of Spartina patens wetlands to open water could be defined by a distinct change in landscape configuration pattern, and that this change would occur at a discrete elevation threshold. Despite similarities in total land and water cover, we observed differences in the landscape configuration of vegetated and open water pixels in healthy and degrading wetlands. Healthy wetlands were more aggregated, and degrading wetlands were more fragmented. Generally, greater aggregation was associated with higher wetland elevation and better drainage, compared with fragmented wetlands, which had lower elevation and poor drainage. The relationship between vegetation cover and elevation was non-linear, and the conversion from vegetated wetland to open water occurred beyond an elevation threshold of hydrologic stress. The elevation threshold defined a transition zone where healthy, aggregated, wetland converted to a degrading, fragmented, wetland beyond an elevation threshold of 0.09 m [1988 North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88)] [0.27 m mean sea level (MSL)], and complete conversion to open water occurred beyond 0.03 m NAVD88 (0.21 m MSL). This work illustrates that changes in landscape configuration can be used as an indicator of wetland loss. Furthermore, in conjunction with specific elevation thresholds, these data can inform restoration and conservation planning to maximize wetland stability in anticipation of flooding threats.


Genetic analysis of RpL38 and RpL5, two minute genes located in the centric heterochromatin of chromosome 2 of Drosophila melanogaster.
The Minute mutations of Drosophila melanogaster are thought to disrupt genes that encode ribosomal proteins (RPs) and thus impair ribosome function and protein synthesis. However, relatively few Minutes have been tied to distinct RP genes and more Minute loci are likely to be discovered. We have identified point mutations in RpL38 and RpL5 in a screen for factors limiting for growth of the D. melanogaster wing. Here, we present the first genetic characterization of these loci. RpL38 is located in the centric heterochromatin of chromosome arm 2R and is identical to a previously identified Minute, M(2)41A, and also l(2)41Af. RpL5 is located in the 2L centric heterochromatin and defines a novel Minute gene. Both genes are haplo-insufficient, as heterozygous mutations cause the classic Minute phenotypes of small bristles and delayed development. Surprisingly, we find that RpL38(-)/+ and RpL5(-)/+ adult flies have abnormally large wings as a result of increased cell size, emphasizing the importance of translational regulation in the control of growth. Taken together, our data provide new molecular and genetic information on two previously uncharacterized Minute/RP genes, the heterochromatic regions in which they reside, and the role of their protein products in the control of organ growth.


Acoustic scattering by inhomogeneous spheres.
Acoustic scattering problems are considered when the material parameters (density rho and speed of sound c) are spherically symmetric functions of position. Explicit separated solutions are derived (i) when rho(r) = exp(beta r) and c(-2) is a linear function of r(-1), and (ii) when rho(r) = exp(-beta r2) and c(-2) is a linear function of r2. In both cases, the radial parts of the solutions are given in terms of Coulomb wave functions or Whittaker functions; these are well-studied special functions, closely related to confluent hypergeometric functions. Two problems are discussed in detail: scattering by an inhomogeneous sphere embedded in a homogeneous fluid, and scattering by a homogeneous sphere with a concentric inhomogeneous coating.


Occipital lobe morphological anatomy: anatomical and surgical aspects.
The occipital lobe is an important region of the central nervous system and site of a wide variety of lesions. Different from others regions of the brain, whose anatomy has been already meticulously detailed, controversies about occipital lobe morphology can occasionally hinder the surgical approaches to it. Twenty-six hemispheres were dissected, examining the distances of the medial structures of the posterior interhemispheric fissure region; identifying the sulci and gyri more frequently found in the lateral surface; and detailing the anatomy of the occipital horn of the lateral ventricle. Also, anatomical details of structures such as the calcarine sulcus and preoccipital notch were evaluated. Twenty-four hemispheres (92%) showed sulci with evident transverse trajectories in the lateral surface, and it was possible to identify marked longitudinal sulci in 16 (61%). All of the specimen presented a transverse sulcus in the inferior third of the lobe - labeled in this paper as Inferior Transverse Occipital - and 69% of the cases showed a transverse sulcus in the superior third - labeled as Superior Transverse Occipital. The occipital horn was present in 53% of the cases at level of the anterior boundary of the lobe. It was a half moon shaped cavity, whose the medial wall was formed by the calcar avis and the lateral wall, roof and floor formed by fibers of the tapetum. The occipital lobe presents parameters that are often recognized in most of the dissected brain and can be useful for the planning and performance of surgery in this area of the brain.


[Internal biliary fistula: study of 13 cases and review of the literature].
Between 1986 and 1994 13 patients with spontaneous internal biliary fístula were operated at the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo. Ten were patients women and three were men. Their mean age was 55.2 years (range 30 to 87 years). The etiology was cholelithiasis in all cases and the most frequent type of fístula was cholecystoduodenal. There was no mortality. A review of literature of this condition and a discussion about the diagnosis, treatment and etiopathogenesis are presented.


Long-term outcome of a patient with paradoxical hypertrichosis after laser epilation.
One underreported, rare side effect of laser hair removal is paradoxical hypertrichosis. It is largely unknown what the long-term outcomes are of patients who develop this complication. We report a 21-year-old, Fitzpatrick II, male patient, who had patchy areas of dark hair affecting various body areas. An Alexandrite 755 nm laser was used to address the desired areas at energies between 20 and 22 J/cm2 at 10-12-week intervals over a course of seven treatments. After three treatments, the patient noted a significant increase in the density and length of hairs involving the back, shoulders, neck, and upper arms. The patient was followed on a biannual basis, without further epilatory intervention. After 10 years, the areas of paradoxical hair growth were sparser compared to immediate post-treatment but remained denser compared to pre-treatment. This case illustrates improvement in the condition over time without intervention. Further studies are needed to determine the etiopathogenesis of this phenomenon.