[The Expression of hTERT mRNA and p16 Protein in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.].
hTERT and p16 are involved in oncogenesis and development of tumor. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and p16 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry were applied to detect the hTERT and p16 in tissue of 21 cases of lung benign diseases and 117 of non-small cell lung cancer and adjacent tissues, respectively. hTERT mRNA levels from NSCLC in 117 patients and normal lung tissue in 21 normal controls were 2.937+/-0.836 and 2.042+/-0.378, respectively (t=-5.242, P<0.01). Expression of p16 protein was observed in 85.7% of normal tissues, while 47.9% of lung cancer tissues showed p16 protein expression (P=0.004). The expression of hTERT mRNA was significantly correlated with the histology (P<0.05); the expression of p16 protein was significantly correlated with the clinical stage, degree of differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The significant correlation between the expression of hTERT and p16 (P<0.05). The hTERT may be useful in clinical diagnosis of NSCLC. Expression of hTERT and p16 is related to the carcinogenesis and development of NSCLC.


Balancing true and false detection of intermittent sensory targets by adjusting the inputs to the evidence accumulation process.
Decisions about noisy stimuli are widely understood to be made by accumulating evidence up to a decision bound that can be adjusted according to task demands. However, relatively little is known about how such mechanisms operate in continuous monitoring contexts requiring intermittent target detection. Here, we examined neural decision processes underlying detection of 1 s coherence targets within continuous random dot motion, and how they are adjusted across contexts with weak, strong, or randomly mixed weak/strong targets. Our prediction was that decision bounds would be set lower when weak targets are more prevalent. Behavioural hit and false alarm rate patterns were consistent with this, and were well captured by a bound-adjustable leaky accumulator model. However, beta-band EEG signatures of motor preparation contradicted this, instead indicating lower bounds in the strong-target context. We thus tested two alternative models in which decision-bound dynamics were constrained directly by beta measurements, respectively, featuring leaky accumulation with adjustable leak, and non-leaky accumulation of evidence referenced to an adjustable sensory-level criterion. We found that the latter model best explained both behaviour and neural dynamics, highlighting novel means of decision policy regulation and the value of neurally informed modelling.


Epidemiology and Characterization of CTX-M-55-Type Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis Isolated from Patients in Shanghai, China.
The emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (ESBL-SE) in humans and foods has gained global attention. In particular, CTX-M-type ESBL-SE are increasingly being detected from various sample types. The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyze the epidemiology and characteristics of blaCTX-M-55-carrying ESBL-SE isolates of clinical origin in Shanghai, China. A total of 292 S. Enteritidis isolates were recovered from the feces and blood of outpatients and inpatients between 2006 and 2014. Overall, there was a high frequency of cefotaxime-resistant isolates (97.3%), which was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that of isolates resistant to the other tested antibiotics. All S. Enteritidis isolates exhibited resistance to ≥1 antibiotic, and 98.0% were multidrug resistant. A total of 233 isolates were identified as ESBL-SE, 166 of which were CTX-M type. Six subtypes of CTX-M-encoding genes were detected, among which blaCTX-M-55 (91.6%, 152/166) was the most prevalent genotype. There was high genetic similarity among blaCTX-M-55-positive ESBL-SE. The blaCTX-M-55 gene in the ESBL-SE donor strains could be easily transferred into Enterobacteriaceae recipient strains. This study highlights that CTX-M-55 should be considered an important surveillance target in Shanghai, China. Cephalosporins, especially cefotaxime, must be used with caution in empirical treatment for Salmonella infections.


Dietary raw versus retrograded resistant starch enhances apparent but not true magnesium absorption in rats.
Dietary raw (RS2) vs. retrograded resistant starch (RS3) raises apparent magnesium absorption in rats. The mechanism proposed is that RS2 enhances magnesium avaibility for absorption; it does this by increasing ileal solubility of magnesium due to a reduction in pH as a consequence of RS2 fermentation in the gut. The mechanism implies that dietary RS2 vs. RS3 would raise true magnesium absorption and stimulate reabsorption of endogenous magnesium, leading to a lower fecal excretion of endogenous magnesium. Dietary lactulose vs. glucose raises apparent magnesium absorption, and the mechanism proposed is similar to that for the stimulatory effect of RS2 vs. RS3. Thus, we measured in rats fed RS3, RS2, glucose or lactulose true magnesium absorption on the basis of the retention of the orally and intraperitoneally administered radiotracer 28Mg. Feeding rats RS2 instead of RS3 significantly enhanced apparent but not true magnesium absorption, because RS2 lowered fecal excretion of endogenous magnesium. When compared with dietary glucose, lactulose significantly raised both apparent and true magnesium absorption, but did not affect fecal excretion of endogenous magnesium. It is suggested that the proposed mechanism by which RS2 and lactulose would enhance magnesium absorption is disproved by the present data.


COVID-19 Pandemic-Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviours, and Actions among Faculty of Health Sciences Students.
The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge about COVID-19 disease and preventive behaviour of undergraduate students of nursing, midwifery, and emergency medicine. An electronic survey was conducted among students of nursing, midwifery, and emergency medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 8 April 2021 to 6 June 2021 in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. A total of 37 men and 238 women participated in the study. A moderate level of knowledge was found in 88% and high in 11% of students Midwifery students had a higher level than nursing students (p = 0.002) and students of emergency medicine (p = 0.003). The female gender is much more afraid of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection (p = 0.021). The most common preventive measure was to avoid people who coughed or had a cold (93%). Only 84% of students were vaccinated. Students who had a high level of knowledge more often avoided people who coughed or had a cold (p = 0.03) and gave up on meeting with friends (p = 0.02). Constant education of students on the principles of dealing with the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 is necessary. It is important to continually motivate students to adhere to the principles of prevention. In the face of the existing epidemiological threat, there is a need to change the curricula for the fields of health sciences by adding the subject infectious diseases-clinic and nursing, with special attention to practical aspects.


Feedback and reflection: teaching methods for clinical settings.
Feedback and reflection are two basic teaching methods used in clinical settings. In this article, the authors explore the distinctions between, and the potential impact of, feedback and reflection in clinical teaching. Feedback is the heart of medical education; different teaching encounters call for different types of feedback. Although most clinicians are familiar with the principles of giving feedback, many clinicians probably do not recognize the many opportunities presented to them for using feedback as a teaching tool. Reflection in medicine-the consideration of the larger context, the meaning, and the implications of an experience and action-allows the assimilation and reordering of concepts, skills, knowledge, and values into pre-existing knowledge structures. When used well, reflection will promote the growth of the individual. While feedback is not used often enough, reflection is probably used even less.


Dendritic cells in remodeling of lymph nodes during immune responses.
A critical hallmark of adaptive immune responses is the rapid and extensive expansion of lymph nodes. During this process, the complex internal structure of the organs is maintained revealing the existence of mechanisms able to balance lymph node integrity with structural flexibility. This article reviews the extensive architectural remodeling that occurs within lymph nodes during adaptive immune responses and how it is regulated by dendritic cells (DCs). In particular we focus on previously unappreciated functions of DCs in coordinating remodeling of lymph node vasculature, expansion of the fibroblastic reticular network and maintenance of lymphoid stromal phenotypes. Our increased understanding of these processes indicates that DCs need to be viewed not only as key antigen-presenting cells for lymphocytes but also as broad-acting immune sentinels that convey signals to lymphoid organ stroma and thereby facilitate immune response initiation at multiple levels.


Nutrient modification of the innate immune response: a novel mechanism by which saturated fatty acids greatly amplify monocyte inflammation.
Monocyte/macrophage inflammation is an important contributor to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Studies have suggested saturated fatty acids (SFA) induce monocyte inflammation in a Toll-like receptor-4-dependent manner, but recent data suggest SFA do not directly interact with Toll-like receptor-4. The present study tests the novel hypothesis that metabolism of SFA cooperatively amplifies Toll-like receptor-4-mediated inflammation. THP-1 monocytes exposed to 100 micromol/L SFA in vitro for 16 hours followed by 1 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide demonstrated enhanced IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA and protein expression (approximately 3-fold higher than the sum of individual responses to SFA and lipopolysaccharide). SFA had similar effects on THP-1 macrophages and primary human monocytes. This amplified lipopolysaccharide response could be blocked by inhibition of SFA metabolism to ceramide and restored by cell-permeable ceramide. Both SFA and ceramide activated PKC-zeta and the mitogen-activated protein kinases Erk, JNK, and p38. Inhibition of these pathways prevented the SFA-induced increase in cytokine expression. These results provide evidence for potent amplification of monocyte/macrophage innate immune responses by a novel pathway requiring metabolism of SFA to ceramide and activation of PKC-zeta/mitogen-activated protein kinases. These findings demonstrate how nutrient excess may modulate innate immune system activation and possibly contribute to development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.


Genomic profiles in B cell lymphoma.
Chromosome translocations found in B cell lymphomas generate typical genome profiles that are characteristic of each disease entity. The mechanisms of lymphomagenesis have been investigated with respect to the involvement of deregulated genes in tumor development, as characterized by the promotion of cell proliferation and the blockage of cell differentiation and anti-apoptosis. It is now well known that chromosome translocation alone does not induce tumor formation. New technology such as array CGH and expression profiling introduced as a result of the human genome project introduced a new paradigm from which to understand the molecular mechanisms of lymphoma development. Analyses with this new technology revealed that genome profiles of disease entities are characteristic and differ from disease to disease, although the genome profile of each patient with the same disease entity varies significantly given the recurrent genetic alterations frequently found. These apparent paradoxical findings are likely to be the cause of heterogeneity of the clinicopathological features associated with the same disease entity. Based on these findings, the future prospect and direction of lymphoma research will be discussed.


Factors affecting the immunogenicity of tetanus toxin fragment C expressed in Lactococcus lactis.
The relative immunogenicity of tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFC) has been determined in three different strains of inbred mice when expressed in Lactococcus lactis as a membrane-anchored protein (strain UCP1054), as an intracellular protein (strain UCP1050), or as a secreted protein which is partly retained within the cell wall (strain UCP1052). Protection against toxin challenge (20 x LD50) could be obtained without the induction of anti-lactococcal antibodies. When compared in terms of the dose of expressed tetanus toxin fragment C required to elicit protection against lethal challenge the membrane-anchored form was significantly (10-20 fold) more immunogenic than the alternative forms of the protein.


Teaching and learning gross anatomy using modern electronic media based on the visible human project.
This article reviews online (Internet) anatomy projects and multimedia productions (books and CD-ROMs) based on the Visible Human Project (VHP) of the United States National Library of Medicine. The focus of these projects and productions is on the teaching of 3D anatomy using the digitized sections of the visible human male and female. The article also provides information about the VHP, its goals and what it has achieved thus far.


Quantitative estimation of magnitude and orientation of the CSA tensor from field dependence of longitudinal NMR relaxation rates.
A method is presented that makes it possible to estimate both the orientation and the magnitude of the chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) tensor in molecules with a pair of spin 1/2 nuclei, typically (13)C-(1)H or (15) N-(1)H. The method relies on the fact that the longitudinal cross-correlation rate as well as a linear combination of the autorelaxation rates of longitudinal heterospin magnetization, longitudinal two-spin order and longitudinal proton magnetization are proportional to the spectral density at the Larmor frequency of the heterospin. Therefore the ratio between the cross-correlation rate and the above linear combination is independent of the dynamics. From the field dependence of the ratio both the magnitude and the orientation of the CSA tensor can be estimated. The method is applicable to molecules in all motional regimes and is not limited to molecules in extreme narrowing or slow tumbling, nor is it sensitive to chemical exchange broadening. It is tested on the 22 amino acid residue peptide motilin, selectively (13) C labeled in the ortho positions in the ring of the single tyrosine residue. In the approximation of an axially symmetric (13)C CSA tensor, the symmetry axis of the CSA tensor makes an angle of 23 degrees +/- 1 degrees to the (13) C-(1)H bond vector, and has a magnitude of 156 +/- 5 ppm. This is in close agreement with solid-state NMR data on tyrosine powder [Frydman et al. (1992) Isr. J. Chem., 32, 161-164].


Monothioindigo, determined by microcrystal structure analysis.
Indigo and thioindigo pigments are used for a wide range of applications. The crystal structure of the mixed compound monothioindigo [systematic name: (E)-2-(3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1-benzothiophen-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-3-one], C(16)H(9)NO(2)S, has been determined by microcrystal structure analysis from a crystal with a size of just 1 x 2 x 10 microm. The crystal structure of monothioindigo resembles those of indigo and thioindigo. The molecules show orientational disorder, with site-occupation factors of 0.962 (2) and 0.038 (2) for the major and minor disorder components, respectively. The indigo fragment donates an intermolecular hydrogen bond, leading to a criss-cross arrangement of molecules similar to that in indigo, whereas the thioindigo fragment exhibits only van der Waals interactions and molecular stacking, similar to that in thioindigo.


A Modified Technique to Harvest Integrated Zygomatic Arch-Temporal Bone Flap: Clinical Experience.
In skull base surgery, zygomaticectomy is an effective method to increase surgical exposure and reduce brain retraction. However, the traditional zygomaticectomy methods are complicated and more invasive. To improve the procedure of zygomaticectomy, we introduced a modified technique to harvest integrated zygomatic arch-temporal bone flap. A modified technique to section the zygomatic arch integrated with the temporal bone flap was described in the present work. This technique was applied in eight skull base lesion patients. The improved surgical angle was measured using Osirix software. The surgical exposure is satisfied and no temporal lobe contusion or severe complications occurred in the patients. An increased surgical angle was obtained by zygomatic arch removing, with a mean value of 13.31°. This integrated zygomatic arch-temporal bone flap technique achieved increased exposure, decreased temporal lobe retraction, and minimal bone loss, leading to better cosmetics and functional reconstructions.


[Traumatic hip dislocation complicated by soft tissue interposition--a case report and review of the literature].
Traumatic hip dislocation is by far less common in children than in adults. It occurs 4 times more frequently in boys than in girls. The force of the trauma leading to hip dislocation can be surprisingly small. Incomplete reduction is mainly caused by soft-tissue interposition or fragments of cartilage from the acetabulum. In such cases an X-ray examination will reveal a lateral protrusion of the femoral head. CT scans and MRI investigation play an important role in further diagnostics of the patient. The paper presents the case of a 5 year old boy with traumatic hip dislocation complicated by soft-tissue interposition. After an unsuccessful attempt of closed reduction, the hip was reduced surgically. The interposing element was removed--part of the cartilagenous insertion (size: 3 x 3 mm) of the femoral head ligament. During a follow-up examination 10 months post-op no signs of necrosis nor loss of ROM were noted.


Growth inhibition of BALB/c mouse keratinocytes by TGF-beta 1 and CeReS-18 appears to act through distinct mechanisms.
Cell growth is controlled by the complex interactions of both positive and negative growth modulators. Studies were performed to directly compare the growth inhibitory properties of TGF-beta 1 and CeReS-18, a novel cell surface sialoglycopeptide growth inhibitor. Growth inhibition by CeReS-18 and that by TGF-beta 1 shared some similarities although significant differences were apparent. Similarities included a dose-responsive inhibition of BALB/c mouse keratinocyte (MK) cell proliferation that could be nontoxic and reversible. Both CeReS-18 and TGF-beta 1 could equally inhibit the stimulation of DNA synthesis induced by serum or keratinocyte growth factor in MK cells, and in both cases the inhibition was not due to decreased KGF binding to the target cell surface receptor. Inhibition of cell proliferation with CeReS-18, followed by an immediate reincubation with either CeReS-18 or TGF-beta 1, suggested that the sites of arrest mediated by both inhibitors were similar but not necessarily identical. However, recovery from CeReS-18-induced growth inhibition could be achieved by either removing the CeReS-18 or adding calcium directly to CeReS-18-inhibited MK cells, while recovery from TGF-beta 1-induced growth arrest could be reversed only by TGF-beta 1 removal. In addition, the sensitivity of MK cells to CeReS-18-induced cell cycle arrest could be altered by changing the extracellular calcium concentration, but sensitivity to TGF-beta 1 was unaffected by the calcium environment of the MK cells. While recovery from cell cycle arrest was rapid and complete with MK cell cultures inhibited with CeReS-18, removal of TGF-beta 1 led to a slower and incomplete recovery of cell cycling.


High affinity 3H-imipramine binding in human platelets: age and sex effects.
Age and sex effects on 3H-imipramine platelet binding sites were determined in 58 normal subjects (27 males, 31 females). The correlation of age with either the maximal imipramine binding (Bmax) or the dissociation constant (Kd) was statistically nonsignificant in both males and females. Males did not differ from females in Bmax and Kd values. The implications for psychiatric research were discussed.


The effect of bur preparation on the surface roughness and reline bond strength of urethane dimethacrylate denture base resin.
The clinical success of relining depends on the ability of reline resin to bond to denture base. Surface preparations may influence reline bond strength of urethane-based dimethacrylate denture base resin. To investigate the effect of bur preparation on the surface roughness (R a ) of eclipse denture base resin and its shear bond strength (SBS) to an intra-oral self-curing reline material. The mode of reline bonding failure was also examined. Twenty-four cylindrical Eclipse™ specimens were prepared and separated into three groups of eight specimens each. Two groups were subjected to mechanical preparation using standard and fine tungsten carbide (TC) burs and the third group (control) was left unprepared. The R a of all specimens was measured using a contact stylus profilometer. Subsequently, relining was done on the prepared surface and SBS testing was carried out a day later using a universal testing machine. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in R a and SBS values for all the groups. Post-hoc Tukey's HSD test showed significant differences (P<0.05) between all the groups in the R a values. For SBS also there were significant differences (P<0.05), except between standard bur and control. 1) There was a statistically significant difference in the R a of Eclipse™ specimens prepared using different carbide burs (P<0.05). 2) There was a statistically significant difference in the relined SBS (P<0.05) when prepared using different burs, but the difference between the standard bur and the control group was not statistically significant.


Vascularized Medial Femoral Condyle Periosteal Flaps With Allograft Bone for Distal Radius Giant Cell Tumors: A Case Report.
Distal radius reconstruction after giant cell tumor (GCT) resection is typically performed with free fibular flaps when a vascularized bone is needed. However, vascularized fibular flaps are contraindicated in patients with peroneal artery variants. We present 2 patients with GCTs of the radius and bilateral peronea arteria magna who underwent resection with wrist fusion using an allograft bone and vascularized free medial femoral condyle periosteal flaps. Both patients had excellent outcomes with minimal postoperative morbidity. Allograft bone with vascularized medial femoral condyle periosteal flaps is an effective option for reconstructing distal radius defects after GCT resection when conventional methods fail.


Improved oil spill dispersant monitoring in seawater using dual tracers: Dioctyl and monoctyl sulfosuccinates sourced from corexit EC9500A.
A high resolution mass spectrometry method was developed for the environmental impact monitoring of oil spill dispersants. Previously reported instability of dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) dispersant tracer was addressed by the new procedure. The method monitors both DOSS and its degradation product, monooctyl sulfosuccinate (MOSS), by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The related isomer, 4-(2-ethylhexyl) 2-sulfobutanedioate, was chromatographically resolved from MOSS but was not a product of DOSS degradation. Using this direct injection method (10 μL), the practical lower limit of quantitation was 0.5 nM for each analyte, a concentration equivalent to 0.22 ng mL-1, or 0.30 ng mL-1 including initial dilution factor with acetonitrile. The method was shown applicable to analysis of the dispersants Corexit® EC9500 A, Finasol OSR 52, Slickgone NS, and Slickgone EW for which DOSS is an active ingredient. A marine microcosm study of Corexit EC9500A, together with diluted bitumen (dilbit), at 15 ± 1 °C, provided evidence of the stoichiometric conversion of DOSS to MOSS under conditions reflecting a western Canadian marine environment. The advantage of the developed method is in its ability to extend environmental seawater sample collection time from 4 days for DOSS alone, to 14 days when both DOSS and MOSS are simultaneously analysed and results combined. The collection time is likely extended beyond the 14 day period with cooler temperatures. Preservation of collected seawater samples using sodium hydroxide, converting DOSS into MOSS in situ, was rejected due to stability issues. Addition of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid did not improve hold times, thus eliminating the theory of cation induced micelle effects causing DOSS loss.


Treatment of hallux valgus with an increased distal metatarsal articular angle: evaluation of double and triple first ray osteotomies.
During a 12-year period in which 878 hallux valgus corrections were performed, 18 patients (21 feet) with symptomatic hallux valgus deformity and an increased distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA) underwent periarticular osteotomies (double or triple first ray osteotomies). They were studied retrospectively at an average follow-up of 33 months. The surgical technique comprised a closing wedge distal first metatarsal osteotomy combined with either a proximal first metatarsal osteotomy or an opening wedge cuneiform osteotomy (double osteotomy). When a phalangeal osteotomy was added, the procedure was termed a "triple osteotomy." The average age of the patients at the time of surgery was 26 years. At final follow-up, the average hallux valgus correction measured 23 degrees and the average 1-2 intermetatarsal angle correction was 9 degrees. The DMAA averaged 23 degrees preoperatively and was corrected to an average of 9 degrees postoperatively. One patient developed a postoperative hallux varus deformity, and one patient developed a malunion, both of which required a second surgery. A hallux valgus deformity with an increased DMAA can be successfully treated with multiple first ray osteotomies that maintain articular congruity of the first metatarsophalangeal joint.


Design, development, and demonstration of a fully LabVIEW controlled in situ electrochemical Fourier transform infrared setup combined with a wall-jet electrode to investigate the electrochemical interface of nanoparticulate electrocatalysts under reaction conditions.
We present a detailed description of the construction of an in situ electrochemical ATR-FTIR setup combined with a wall-jet electrode to investigate the electrocatalytic properties of nanoparticulate catalysts in situ under controlled mass transport conditions. The presented setup allows the electrochemical interface to be probed in combination with the simultaneous determination of reaction rates. At the same time, the high level of automation allows it to be used as a standard tool in electrocatalysis research. The performance of the setup was demonstrated by probing the oxygen reduction reaction on a platinum black catalyst in sulfuric electrolyte.


Intestinal absorption of the intact peptide carnosine in man, and comparison with intestinal permeability to lactulose.
1. Healthy humans ingested the dipeptide carnosine (L-beta-alanyl-L-histidine). Their plasma levels and urinary outputs of carnosine and beta-alanine were monitored over the following 5 h. 2. Large amounts of intact carnosine (up to 14% of the ingested dose) were recovered in the urine over the 5 h after ingestion. However, carnosine was undetectable in the plasma unless precautions were taken to inhibit blood carnosinase activity ex vivo during and after blood collection. 3. The amount of carnosine recovered in urine varied substantially between subjects. It correlated negatively with carnosinase enzymic activity in the plasma. Highest carnosinase activities were observed in those subjects who regularly underwent physical training. 4. Urinary recovery of the disaccharide lactulose also varied considerably between subjects, but was substantially lower than that of carnosine. There was no significant correlation between the recoveries of carnosine and lactulose. 5. When lactulose was ingested with a hypertonic solution, the urinary recovery of lactulose was generally increased. When carnosine was ingested with a hypertonic solution, the urinary recovery of carnosine was reduced: hence the paracellular route probably is not dominant for absorption of intact carnosine. 6. Intact carnosine must have crossed the intestine to an extent much greater than hitherto recognized. Rapid post-absorptive hydrolysis is a severe obstacle to quantification of intact peptide absorption.


Why farmers adopt best management practice in the United States: a meta-analysis of the adoption literature.
This meta-analysis of both published and unpublished studies assesses factors believed to influence adoption of agricultural Best Management Practices in the United States. Using an established statistical technique to summarize the adoption literature in the United States, we identified the following variables as having the largest impact on adoption: access to and quality of information, financial capacity, and being connected to agency or local networks of farmers or watershed groups. This study shows that various approaches to data collection affect the results and comparability of adoption studies. In particular, environmental awareness and farmer attitudes have been inconsistently used and measured across the literature. This meta-analysis concludes with suggestions regarding the future direction of adoption studies, along with guidelines for how data should be presented to enhance the adoption of conservation practices and guide research.


Narcissistic symptoms among Iranian outer-city bus drivers.
Although very few studies have investigated the association of narcissistic symptoms and aggressive driving, very little is known about association of narcissism and serious traffic outcomes such as crash and serious violation of traffic laws. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an association between the narcissistic symptoms of professional bus drivers and high risk driving records or crash. A total of 200 outer-city bus drivers were enrolled in 2018 from Tehran origin of trips. The narcissistic symptoms of drivers were assessed using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-16 (NPI-16). The traffic police databases were searched for records of crashes or recorded negative traffic scores during a 3-year period prior to time of interviews. Data were analyzed using Stata 14 statistical software package. Mean age of the participants was 44.4 years with a standard deviation of 9.3 years. Fourteen drivers (7%) had a crash history over the past three years. Mean normalized narcissism score was 22.3 among those without a crash history over the past three years versus 18.8 among those with a crash history without statistical significance. Forty-four drivers (22%) had a negative traffic scoring record due to high risk traffic violations registered in police database over the past three years. Mean normalized narcissism score was 22 among those without negative score record over the past three years versus 22.3 among those with a negative score history. However, the difference was not found to be statistically significant. The findings of present study does not support an association between crash risk or being a recorded high risk driver and narcissism levels. However, considering the complex risk profile of road traffic crashes, much larger studies are needed to rule it out.


[Influence of enteral nutrition on cytokine response in resective liver surgery].
Postoperative infectious complications are nowadays a major problem in liver surgery. Better surgical outcomes with a consequent reduction in treatment and hospitalisation costs are a primary objective. The aim of this prospective, randomised study was to evaluate the cytokine response during and after portal clamping in patients undergoing liver resection and continuously fed with enteral nutrition as compared to patients receiving parenteral nutritional support. Forty patients with liver tumours were divided into two groups of 20 on the basis of the presence or absence of chronic liver disease. Furthermore, the latter group of 20 were randomised to two subgroups A and B of 10 patients on the basis of the different perioperative nutrition modalities. Group A patients were fed by so-called uninterrupted enteral nutrition, which means without interruption from the day before surgery with a nutritional solution delivered via a nasojejunal tube. The patients in group B were submitted to hepatic resection with parenteral nutritional support. Liver resection had to consist in resection of at least 30% of the parenchyma in non-cirrhotic patients or in segmental resection in cirrhotic ones. Ten milliliter blood samples were harvested before operation, and 10, 30 and 60 min after declamping and at 24 h. Interleukin 6 and a-tumour necrosis factor values were detected in blood samples. The values of C reactive protein and of prealbumin were recorded at 72 h postoperatively. We also evaluated postoperative complications, resumption of bowel movements, oral intake of nourishment, and patient discharge. Values in blood samples in the two groups showed a statistically significant difference in interleukin 6 values only after 24 h (10 min: group A 121 +/- 25.3, group B 156 +/- 31.4; after 24 h: group A 31.5 +/- 12, group B 105.1 +/- 24.1), while the a-tumour necrosis factor assay showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, there was an appreciably longer hospital stay (group A 10.9 +/- 3.1 days (range: 7-21 days), group B 13.2 +/- 2.7 days (range: 8-19 days) (P < 0.02) and a quicker resumption of bowel movements in group A. The data available show that uninterrupted enteral nutrition produces a modulation of the cytokine response following portal clamping. A lower cytokine activation cascade reduces the impact of the action of cytokines on the hepatic parenchyma with consequent enhancement of the hepatic Kupffer cell component. These factors thus substantially reduce the length of the patient's hospital stay and consequently the cost of medical care.


Survey of forensic pathologists.
A survey of board-certified forensic pathologists (from a list of board-certified forensic pathologists supplied by the American Board of Pathology) was conducted to determine their current practice situations. The purpose of the survey was to provide information useful to the public in general and to those organizations that represent forensic pathologists in particular to better understand and meet the needs of the forensic pathology community. A total of 773 surveys were mailed, and 18 were returned as undeliverable. There were 337 replies (45%). Responses were as follows: In terms of age, 7% were in their 30s; 32% were in their 40s; 29% were in their 50s; 19% were in their 60s; and 13% were 70 years of age or older. In terms of gender, 79% were male and 21% were female. For pathology practice status, 72% worked more than 30 hours per week; 11% between 5 and 30 hours per week; 5% less than 5 hours per week; and 12% no longer practice pathology. For percentage of pathology practice that is forensic pathology, 69% of respondents were more than 80%; 6% were 50%-80%; 5% were 25%-50%; 8% were 5%-25%; and 12% were less than 5%. In terms of forensic pathology practice setting, 54% were employed by medical examiner or coroner systems; 13% worked under contract to medical examiner or coroner systems; 27% worked in private practice or consultation; and 6% responded as "other."


Scaphoid hemiresection and arthrodesis of the radiocarpal joint.
Radiocarpal arthritis is frequently the result of trauma and/or degenerative disease. The leading causes are malunited or nonunited fractures of the radius or scaphoid, radiocarpal or intercarpal dislocations or dissociations, or a form of primary osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis. Management focuses on reducing pain, increasing function, and preserving some degree of motion when possible. Total wrist arthrodesis remains the ultimate salvage procedure. Several surgical procedures attempt to preserve some motion including proximal row carpectomy; lunotriquetrocapitohamate (4-corner) or luno-capito-hamate (3-corner) fusion with scaphoid excision; radiolunate or radioscapholunate; and lunocapitate arthrodesis, and total wrist replacement arthroplasty. These have been used with various success rates. The choice of the procedure depends on which articulation(s) are diseased and which are spared. Motion-sparing procedures require healthy articular cartilage at the site of preserved motion. This paper described scaphoid hemiresection and arthrodesis of the radiocarpal joint, the SHARC procedure.


Arc-deposited hydroxyapatite-coated cups: results at four to seven years.
A second-generation arc-deposited hydroxyapatite-coated acetabular component was developed after detailed analysis of a failed first-generation grit-blasted hydroxyapatite-coated cup. In our prospective multicenter study we aimed to compare clinical results and survivorship of the newly designed cup to the previous cup and to a similarly designed porous-coated cup during the same time period. The effect of bearing surface-alumina-on-alumina to polyethylene-on-metal-was analyzed. Consecutive patients were assigned randomly to one of three groups: arc-deposited hydroxyapatite-coated cup with alumina-on-alumina bearing surface; porous-coated cup with alumina-on-alumina bearing surface; or porous-coated cup with polyethylene-on-metal bearing surface. A fourth comparison group with a grit-blasted hydroxyapatite-coated cup and polyethylene-on-metal bearing surface was culled from a previous study. Acetabular mechanical failure rate is 0.0%, 0.0%, 1.9%, and 11.2% for the arc-deposited hydroxyapatite-coated, porous-coated with alumina bearing surface, porous-coated with polyethylene-on-metal bearing, and grit-blasted hydroxyapatite-coated cup, respectively, at 4- to 7-years' followup. There are no cases of acetabular osteolysis or femoral neck scalloping and no radiolucent lines in any zone with the arc-deposited hydroxyapatite-coated cup. The cups with the alumina-on-alumina bearing surface had less scalloping of the femoral neck than those with a polyethylene-on-metal bearing surface. Early results with this second-generation arc-deposited hydroxyapatite-coated cup are promising. Therapeutic study, Level I (high-quality randomized trial with statistically significant difference or no statistically significant difference but narrow confidence intervals). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


Can black soldier fly Desmodium intortum larvae-based diets enhance the performance of Cobb500 broiler chickens and smallholder farmers' profit in Kenya?
This study aimed to evaluate the performance of broiler chickens fed on 3 black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia illucens) and Greenleaf desmodium (Desmodium intortum)-based meals. We evaluated growth performance, carcass quality, and profitability under various commercial pathways (doorstep, retail, whole, and assorted). Desmodium and BSFL powders were formulated into 3 ratios: T1 25:75, T2 50:50, and T3 75:25. A commercial feed was used as a control. One hundred and twenty mixed-sex 1-day-old broiler chicks (Cobb) were reared in pens for 42 d in a completely randomized design. The chickens were weighed weekly to monitor their growth rate. After the 42-day rearing period, they were slaughtered for carcass quality evaluation and recording of the weights of internal organs. During the initial growth phase (7-21 d), significant effects of fish meal replacement were found on the chickens' average weight (P < 0.001), average daily body weight gain (P < 0.001), average daily feed intake (P < 0.001), and feed conversion ratio (P < 0.001). However, during the second phase (21-42 d), no significant effect of the replacement was detected except on average daily feed intake (P = 0.003). No significant differences were found in terms of the relative weights of internal organs. It was found that Desmodium-BSFL-based feeds were more profitable than the control feed, and the assorted and retail modes of sale generated more revenue compared to when the chickens were sold at doorstep and on whole-chicken basis. The return on investment was higher for a push-pull adopter compared to a non-adopter. The study found that a BSFL-Desmodium mixture can be a valuable replacement for the protein component in conventional feed and would provide a new impetus for the adoption of push-pull.


Neurodevelopment genes in lampreys reveal trends for forebrain evolution in craniates.
The forebrain is the brain region which has undergone the most dramatic changes through vertebrate evolution. Analyses conducted in lampreys are essential to gain insight into the broad ancestral characteristics of the forebrain at the dawn of vertebrates, and to understand the molecular basis for the diversifications that have taken place in cyclostomes and gnathostomes following their splitting. Here, we report the embryonic expression patterns of 43 lamprey genes, coding for transcription factors or signaling molecules known to be involved in cell proliferation, stemcellness, neurogenesis, patterning and regionalization in the developing forebrain. Systematic expression patterns comparisons with model organisms highlight conservations likely to reflect shared features present in the vertebrate ancestors. They also point to changes in signaling systems -pathways which control the growth and patterning of the neuroepithelium-, which may have been crucial in the evolution of forebrain anatomy at the origin of vertebrates.


EFEMP1 inhibits migration of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating MMP2 and MMP9 via ERK1/2 activity.
The role of epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) inhibiting migration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. Expression of EFEMP1 in HCC cell lines were quantified by western blotting and real-time PCR. The role of EFEMP1 in HCC cell migration was explored in vitro via siRNA and adding purified EFEMP1 protein. The associated molecule expression was detected by western blotting after downregulation of EFEMP1 and also tested by immunohistochemistry. Eight pairs of HCC non-HCC liver samples and 215 HCC samples were subjected to immunohistochemistry. EFEMP1 was highly expressed in 7,721 and HepG2 HCC cell lines while HuH7 HCC cell line expressed the lowest level of EFEMP1 compared with the others. Downregulating EFEMP1 by siRNA markedly increased the migration ability of HCC cells while adding purified EFEMP1 protein inhibited HCC cell migration. Downregulation of EFEMP1 increased the expression of ERK1/2, MMP2 and MMP9. Furthermore, U0126 (a highly selective and potent inhibitor of pERK1/2) could abrogate the migration ability enhanced by siRNA. Accordingly, MMP2 and MMP9 were inversely expressed with EFEMP1 expression by immunohistochemistry. EFEMP1 downregulated in HCC tissues, and lower EFEMP1 expression was significantly associated with HCC patients with ascites (P=0.050), vascular invasion (P=0.044), poorer differentiation (P=0.002) and higher clinical stage (P=0.003).


Sesamin induces melanogenesis by microphthalmia-associated transcription factor and tyrosinase up-regulation via cAMP signaling pathway.
In this study, we confirmed that sesamin, an active lignan isolated from sesame seed and oil, is a novel skin-tanning compound. The melanin content and tyrosinase activity were increased by sesamin in a dose-dependent manner in B16 melanoma cells. The mRNA and protein levels of tyrosinase were also enhanced after the treatment with sesamin. Western blot analysis revealed that sesamin induced and sustained up-regulation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). Sesamin could activate cAMP response element (CRE) binding protein (CREB), but it had no effect on the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or Akt. Moreover, sesamin activated protein kinase A (PKA) via a cAMP-dependent pathway. Consistent with these results, sesamin-mediated increase of melanin synthesis was reduced significantly by H-89, a PKA inhibitor, but not by SB203580, a p38 MAPK inhibitor or by LY294002, a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. Sesamin-mediated phosphorylation of CREB and induction of MITF and tyrosinase expression were also inhibited by H-89. These findings indicated that sesamin could stimulate melanogenesis in B16 cells via the up-regulation of MITF and tyrosinase, which was, in turn, due to the activation of cAMP signaling.


Impacts of confounding roadway characteristics on estimates of associations between alcohol outlet densities and alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes.
Previous research on alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes (AMVC) share a substantial limitation: sources of geographic variations in background crash risks may confound estimated spatial relationships between alcohol outlets and AMVCs. The aim of this study was to address this concern by examining, spatial-temporally, relationships between alcohol outlets and AMVCs adjusting for a set of six roadway characteristics that may be, independently, related to crash risks. While most similar studies focus on one metropolitan area, we use a unique sample of 50 cities. The spatial sample for this study consisted of 8726 Census 2000 block groups representing 50 mid-sized California cities. Dependent measures were counts of crashes located within Census block groups. Independent measures included socio-demographics, social disadvantage, alcohol outlets and roadway characteristics. We assessed relationships of crashes to independent measures using hierarchical generalised linear models. Greater roadway length, greater percentage of highways, greater average speeds, fewer T-intersections, greater curviness and less fragmentation were related to greater numbers of crashes as was alcohol outlet density. Above and beyond alcohol outlet type and density, we found that roadway characteristics were related to AMVC risks across a sample of 50 mid-sized cities. Measures of roadway characteristics are an essential component of any model of motor vehicle crashes that attempts to assess impacts of alcohol outlets on motor vehicle crashes risks.


Controlled flight of a biologically inspired, insect-scale robot.
Flies are among the most agile flying creatures on Earth. To mimic this aerial prowess in a similarly sized robot requires tiny, high-efficiency mechanical components that pose miniaturization challenges governed by force-scaling laws, suggesting unconventional solutions for propulsion, actuation, and manufacturing. To this end, we developed high-power-density piezoelectric flight muscles and a manufacturing methodology capable of rapidly prototyping articulated, flexure-based sub-millimeter mechanisms. We built an 80-milligram, insect-scale, flapping-wing robot modeled loosely on the morphology of flies. Using a modular approach to flight control that relies on limited information about the robot's dynamics, we demonstrated tethered but unconstrained stable hovering and basic controlled flight maneuvers. The result validates a sufficient suite of innovations for achieving artificial, insect-like flight.


Peri-operative considerations in the patient with primary immune deficiency: a review.
Patients with inherited immune deficiency diseases often require surgical procedures, and their immune defects may predispose them to surgical complications. A thorough review of pertinent literature and current practice guidelines on surgery in patients with immune deficiency. Peri-operative infections are a key, but not a singular, consideration in managing patients with a primary immune deficiency. Bleeding diathesis, gastrointestinal complications, pulmonary complications, and poor incision healing may also be idiosyncratic features unique to particular immune deficiency diseases. Patients with complex genetic syndromes that include immune deficiency also may display non-immunologic abnormalities that are equally important to surgical care. Greater awareness of primary immune deficiencies and a comprehensive evaluation of such patients in close consultation with an immunologist can minimize surgical complications and optimize patient outcomes.


Madness of the crowd: Understanding mass behaviors through a multidisciplinary lens.
Mass or crowd behaviors refer to those that occur at a group level and suggest that crowds behave differently to individuals. Mass behaviors are typically triggered by a significant societal event. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has provided many tangible examples of crowd behaviors that have been observed globally, suggesting possible common underlying drivers. It is important to provide a deeper understanding of such behaviors to develop mitigation strategies for future population-level challenges. To gain deeper insight into a variety of crowd behaviors, we perform a conceptual analysis of crowd behaviors using three detailed case studies covering observable behavior (panic buying and health protective actions) and mass beliefs (conspiracy theories) that have resulted or shifted throughout the pandemic. The aim of this review was to explored key triggers, psychological drivers, and possible mitigation strategies through a mixture of theory and published literature. Finally, we create experimental mathematical models to support each case study and to illustrate the effects of manipulating key behavioral factors. Overall, our analyses identified several commonalties across the case studies and revealed the importance of Social Identity Theory and concepts of trust, social connection, and stress.


Effect of labetalol on limb haemodynamics in patients following coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Labetalol is a competitive inhibitor of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors and has an antihypertensive action. To determine limb haemodynamic effects, we measured calf blood flow and venous capacitance by venous occlusion plethysmography before and after oral labetalol in 10 patients 3-7 days following coronary bypass surgery. Vascular resistance was calculated as the ratio of mean arterial pressure to arterial flow. The peak effect of labetalol was taken as the point of maximum blood pressure decline, and this interval was selected for evaluation of the limb haemodynamic response. Ninety to 120 min after administration of 100-200 mg of labetalol the mean blood pressure fell from 88 +/- 3 to 79 +/- 3 mm Hg; (P less than 0.005). The mean arterial blood flow registered 5.1 +/- 1.0 ml 100 ml-1 limb tissue min-1 which was not significantly different from the control value of 4.4 +/- 0.8 ml 100 ml-1 limb tissue min-1. The calculated index of limb vascular resistance was not affected by labetalol administration, averaging 37 +/- 12 mm Hg 100-1 ml limb tissue min-1 before labetalol and 30 +/- 11 mm Hg ml-1 100 ml limb tissue min-1 at the time of peak hypotensive effect. There was a slight but statistically significant increment in limb venous volume to 1.9 +/- 0.3 from 1.5 +/- 0.3 ml 100 ml-1 limb tissue (P less than 0.025). Placebo administration produced no consistent changes in blood pressure, arterial blood flow, vascular resistance or venous capacitance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Symptoms of depression, perceived social support, and medical coping modes among middle-aged and elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.
Objective: To understand the prevalence of depression in diabetes population, explore the relationship between diabetes and depression, and the impact of comprehensive psychological and behavioral intervention on depression related to diabetes and glucose metabolism. Methods: 71 middle-aged and elderly patients with type 2 diabetes were investigated and evaluated with Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Medical Coping Scale (MCWQ) and Social Support Scale (PSSS). Patients who met the research criteria were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The number of effective cases in the two groups was 36 and 35 respectively. In addition to conventional diabetes drug treatment, the experimental group was supplemented with comprehensive psychological and behavioral intervention, while the control group was only given conventional treatment. The fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial blood glucose, body weight and depression index were measured before and after treatment in the two groups. Results: The prevalence of depression in patients with diabetes was as high as 60%, and that in the elderly control group was 5%; In type 2 diabetes population, depression is negatively related to the total score of social support and medical coping surface, and positively related to avoidance, blood sugar, women, course of disease, education level below junior high school, body mass index, and number of complications in medical coping; The fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial blood glucose, body mass index, and depression index of the two groups decreased, and the range and speed of decline in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group; There were significant differences between the two groups in fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial blood glucose and depression index; During the follow-up period, the blood glucose and depression index of the experimental group increased. Conclusion: Depression has a high prevalence rate in middle-aged and elderly people with type 2 diabetes, and has a negative impact on blood sugar control in diabetes patients; Psychological and behavioral comprehensive intervention can improve the glucose metabolism and depressive symptoms of middle-aged and elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.


Comprehensive and High-Coverage Lipidomic Analysis of Oilseeds Based on Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Electrospray Ionization Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.
Oilseeds are an important source of dietary lipids, and a comprehensive analysis of oilseed lipids is of great significance to human health, while information about the global lipidomes in oilseeds was limited. Herein, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method for comprehensive lipidomic profiling of oilseeds was established and applied. First, the lipid extraction efficiency and lipid coverage of four different lipid extraction methods were compared. The optimized methyl tert-butyl ether extraction method was superior to isopropanol, Bligh-Dyer, and Folch extraction methods, in terms of the operation simplicity, lipid coverage, and number of identified lipids. Then, global lipidomic analysis of soybean, sesame, peanut, and rapeseed was conducted. A total of 764 lipid molecules, including 260 triacylglycerols, 54 diacylglycerols, 313 glycerophospholipids, 36 saccharolipids, 35 ceramides, 30 free fatty acids, 21 fatty esters, and 15 sphingomyelins were identified and quantified. The compositions and contents of lipids significantly varied among different oilseeds. Our results provided a theoretical basis for the selection and breeding of varieties of oilseed as well as deep processing of oilseed for the edible oil industry.


Experimental and theoretical studies on the self-motion of a phenanthroline disk coupled with complex formation.
A change in the mode of self-motion coupled with complex formation was investigated experimentally and theoretically. A 1,10-phenanthroline disk floating on water exhibited either uniform or intermittent motion (in which the disk altered between rapid motion and a resting state) depending on the concentration of Fe(2+) in the aqueous phase. Since the driving force for this motion is considered to be governed by the surface concentrations of phenanthroline (phen) and [Fe(phen)(3)](2+), it is important to understand the relationship between the kinetics near the air/water interface and the mode of motion. We propose a mathematical model for the motion of the phenanthroline disk and discuss the validity of this model based on a comparison with the experimental results.


Nocifensive Behaviors in Mice with Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis.
Oral mucositis can result in significant dysphagia, and is the most common dose-limiting acute toxicity in head and neck cancer patients receiving chemoradiotherapy. There is a critical need to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie radiotherapy-associated discomfort in patients with mucositis. The objective was to induce oral mucositis in mice, using a clinical linear accelerator, and to quantify resultant discomfort, and characterize peripheral sensitization. A clinical linear accelerator was used to deliver ionizing radiation to the oral cavity of mice. Mucositis severity scoring, and various behavioral assays were performed to quantify bouts of orofacial wiping and scratching, bite force, gnawing behavior and burrowing activity. Calcium imaging was performed on neurons of the trigeminal ganglia. Glossitis was induced with a single fraction of at least 27 Gy. Body weight decreased and subsequently returned to baseline, in concert with development and resolution of mucositis, which was worst at day 10 and 11 postirradiation, however was resolved within another 10 days. Neither bite force, nor gnawing behavior were measurably affected. However, burrowing activity was decreased, and both facial wiping and scratching were increased while mice had visible mucositis lesions. Sensory nerves of irradiated mice were more responsive to histamine, tumor necrosis factor alpha and capsaicin. Radiation-induced glossitis is associated with hyper-reactivity of sensory neurons in the trigeminal ganglia of mice, and is accompanied by several behaviors indicative of both itch and pain. These data validate an appropriate model for cancer treatment related discomfort in humans.


New molecular mediators in tumor angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and progression. It has been demonstrated that tumor growth beyond a size 1 to 2 mm(3) requires the induction of new vessels. Angiogenesis is regulated by several endogenous stimulators and inhibitors of endothelial cell migration, proliferation and tube formation. Under physiological conditions these mediators of endothelial cell growth are in balance and vessel growth is limited. In fact, within the angiogenic balance endothelial cell turnover is sufficient to maintain a functional vascular wall but does not allow vessel growth. Tumor growth an progression has successfully been correlated to the serum concentration of angiogenic mediators. Furthermore, the vascular density of tumor tissues could be correlated to the clinical course of the disease in several tumor entities. Within the last years several new mediators of endothelial cell growth have been isolated e.g. angiopoietin 1, angiopoietin 2, midkine, pleiotropin, leptin and maspin. In this review we discuss the mechanisms leading to tumor angiogenesis and describe some of the newer mediators of endothelial cell stimulation and inhibition.


Dynamic cognitive control of irrelevant sound: Increased task engagement attenuates semantic auditory distraction.
Two experiments investigated reactive top-down cognitive control of the detrimental influence of spoken distractors semantically related to words presented visually for free recall. Experiment 1 demonstrated that an increase in focal-task engagement-promoted experimentally by reducing the perceptual discriminability of the visual target words-eliminated the disruption by such distractors of veridical recall and also attenuated the erroneous recall of the distractors. A recall instruction that eliminates the requirement for output monitoring was used in Experiment 2 to investigate whether increased task engagement shields against distraction through a change in output-monitoring processes (back-end control) or by affecting the processing of the distractors during their presentation (front-end control). Rates of erroneous distractor recall were much greater than in Experiment 1, but both erroneous distractor recall and the disruptive effect of distractors on veridical recall were still attenuated under reduced target-word discriminability. Taken together, the results show that task engagement is under dynamic strategic control and can be modulated to shield against auditory distraction by attenuating distractor processing at encoding, thereby preventing distractors from coming to mind at test. (PsycINFO Database Record


Epigenome-wide association in adipose tissue from the METSIM cohort.
Most epigenome-wide association studies to date have been conducted in blood. However, metabolic syndrome is mediated by a dysregulation of adiposity and therefore it is critical to study adipose tissue in order to understand the effects of this syndrome on epigenomes. To determine if natural variation in DNA methylation was associated with metabolic syndrome traits, we profiled global methylation levels in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue. We measured association between 32 clinical traits related to diabetes and obesity in 201 people from the Metabolic Syndrome in Men cohort. We performed epigenome-wide association studies between DNA methylation levels and traits, and identified associations for 13 clinical traits in 21 loci. We prioritized candidate genes in these loci using expression quantitative trait loci, and identified 18 high confidence candidate genes, including known and novel genes associated with diabetes and obesity traits. Using methylation deconvolution, we examined which cell types may be mediating the associations, and concluded that most of the loci we identified were specific to adipocytes. We determined whether the abundance of cell types varies with metabolic traits, and found that macrophages increased in abundance with the severity of metabolic syndrome traits. Finally, we developed a DNA methylation-based biomarker to assess type 2 diabetes risk in adipose tissue. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that profiling DNA methylation in adipose tissue is a powerful tool for understanding the molecular effects of metabolic syndrome on adipose tissue, and can be used in conjunction with traditional genetic analyses to further characterize this disorder.


Study of the scaling formation mechanism in recycling water.
To better understand the phenomenon of scaling of water that occurs in the cooling systems of nuclear power plants and thus to propose effective measures against scaling, the analysis of the scaling capacity of Salvetat mineral water and Seine river water was carried out in this study by the method of rapid controlled precipitation (RCP), which was used to estimate the scaling power of natural waters and to characterize the scaling formation mechanisms. The results showed that RCP allowed the establishment of thermodynamic conditions where the scaling was formed with a degree of oversaturation that much less than 40 in relation to a real-life scaling phenomenon. Some factors, such as the water composition, temperature, and initial presence or absence of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nucleus, promoted or inhibited the precipitation of (CaCO3). In the water with a higher scaling potential, deposition on a copper surface did not occur or remained negligible because of the electrochemical reactions between the copper ions and water. The electrostatic treatment was quite good for delaying precipitation because it could affect the water's composition in an infinitesimal way.


Real-time ultrasound measurement of bladder volume: a comparative study of three methods.
The accuracy of different ultrasound methods for determining the volume of urine in the bladder was compared using three methods in current use. Each method was applied to the same ultrasound images from 16 patients with prostatic hypertrophy. The calculated volumes were compared with the true volumes derived by measurement of voided and catheter-drained urine. All methods showed similar degrees of accuracy in quantifying bladder volumes. The range of errors of the best method tested was +/- 35% of true volume and this suggests that ultrasound measurement of bladder volume is not sufficiently accurate for many clinical and research applications.


Inhibiting mTTR Aggregation/Fibrillation by a Chaperone-like Hydrophobic Amino Acid-Conjugated SPION.
Transthyretin (TTR) aggregation via misfolding of a mutant or wild-type protein leads to systemic or partial amyloidosis (ATTR). Here, we utilized variable biophysical assays to characterize two distinct aggregation pathways for mTTR (a synthesized monomer TTR incapable of association into a tetramer) at pH 4.3 and also pH 7.4 with agitation, referred to as mTTR aggregation and fibrillation, respectively. The findings suggest that early-stage conformational changes termed monomer activation here determine the aggregation pathway, resulting in developing either amorphous aggregates or well-organized fibrils. Less packed partially unfolded monomers consisting of more non-regular secondary structures that were rapidly produced via a mildly acidic condition form amorphous aggregates. Meanwhile, more hydrophobic and packed monomers consisting of rearranged β sheets and increased helical content developed well-organized fibrils. Conjugating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with leucine and glutamine (L-SPIONs and G-SPIONs in order) via a trimethoxysilane linker provided the chance to study the effect of hydrophobic/hydrophilic surfaces on mTTR aggregation. The results indicated a powerful inhibitory effect of hydrophobic L-SPIONs on both mTTR aggregation and fibrillation. Monomer depletion was introduced as the governing mechanism for inhibiting mTTR aggregation, while a chaperone-like property of L-SPIONs by maintaining an mTTR native structure and adsorbing oligomers suppressed the progression of further fibril formation.


Effect of preoperative regional artery chemotherapy on proliferation and apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cells.
To study the effects of preoperative regional artery chemotherapy (PRACT) in inducing growth inhibition and apoptosis of gastric carcinoma (GC) cells. TUNEL (terminal-deoxynucleotidyl-transferase TdT-mediated dUTP-fluorescein and labeling) method and immunohistochemical techniques were used to detect the state of apoptosis and proliferation of GC cells in histopathologic sections. A total of 110 cases of GC and 68 cases of metastatic lymph node with or without PRACT were adopted. Correlations between apoptosis index (AI), proliferation index (PI) and PRACT and prognosis were analysed. The apoptosis index (AI) was significantly higher in the PRACT group (12.5 +/-4.33 ) than in the untreated group (7.1 +/-3.43 , P<0.001), whereas the proliferation index (PI) in the PRACT group (33.8%+/-8.8%) was significantly lower than that in untreated group (43.6%+/-12.8%, P<0.01). Both AI and PI were correlated to the differentiation degree of GC in PRACT group, the AI in the differentiated group was higher than that in undifferentiated group (P<0.001), but the PI was lower in the differentiated group than that of the undifferentiated group (P<0.01). The AI of GC cells in metastatic lymph node was also significantly higher in the PRACT group (7.9 +/-3.41 ) than in the untreated group (3.6 +/-2.93 , P<0.01), though the PI of GC cells in metastatic lymph nodes in the PRACT group (17.2%+/-6.8%) was significantly lower than that in the untreated group (26.7%+/-9.3%, P<0.01). The severity of histopathologic changes was significantly higher in the PRACT group than in the untreated group (P<0.05). In addition, postoperative surveys demonstrated that the 5-year survival rate of GC patients in the PRACT group was significantly higher than that of patients in the untreated group (P<0.01). Preoperative regional artery chemotherapy (PRACT) showed inhibitory action on the growth of GC cells mainly through inhibiting proliferation and inducing the apoptosis of tumor cells. PRACT can improve the progno sis of GC patients also.


Long-Term Real-World Effectiveness of Pharmacotherapies for Schizoaffective Disorder.
To investigate the long-term real-world effectiveness of antipsychotics and other psychopharmacotherapies in the treatment of schizoaffective disorder (SCHAFF). Two nationwide cohorts of SCHAFF patients were identified from Finnish and Swedish registers. Within-individual design was used with stratified Cox regression. The main exposure was use of antipsychotics. Adjunctive pharmacotherapies included mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related drugs. The main outcome was hospitalization due to psychosis. The Finnish cohort included 7655 and the Swedish cohort 7525 patients. Median follow-up time was 11.2 years (IQR 5.6-11.5) in the Finnish and 7.6 years (IQR 3.8-10.3) in the Swedish cohort. Clozapine and long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics were consistently associated with a decreased risk of psychosis hospitalization and treatment failure (psychiatric hospitalization, any change in medication, death) in both cohorts. Quetiapine was not associated with a decreased risk of psychosis hospitalization. Mood stabilizers used in combination with antipsychotics were associated with a decreased risk of psychosis hospitalization (Finnish cohort HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.71-0.81; Swedish cohort HR 0.84, 0.78-0.90) when compared with antipsychotic monotherapy. Combination of antidepressants and antipsychotics was associated with a decreased risk of psychosis hospitalization in the Swedish cohort (HR 0.90, 0.83-0.97) but not in the Finnish cohort (1.00, 0.94-1.07), and benzodiazepine use was associated with an increased risk (Finnish cohort HR 1.07, 1.01-1.14; Swedish cohort 1.21, 1.13-1.30). Clozapine, LAIs, and combination therapy with mood stabilizers were associated with the best outcome and use of quetiapine and benzodiazepines with the worst outcome in the treatment of SCHAFF.


Environmental studies in Antarctica on the basis of tritium and radiocarbon measurements.
In 1975 and 1977, samples from snow, firn, atmospheric CO(2), plants, and penguin guano were collected near the Soviet Antarctic research station Molodezhnaya. The results of tritium, deuterium, oxygen-18, (13)C, and (14)C measurements are discussed. From the tritium, deuterium, and (18)O measurement results of a firn profile at the Hays glacier, a value of the accumulation rate of 30 g water per cm 2 and year could be evaluated. By means of (14)C dating, the age of penguin breeding places was determined to be 1500 ± 500 years. (14)C data from atmospheric CO(2) and plants are discussed in terms of the age of the plants.


Triterpenoid oligoglycosides from the sea cucumber Stichopus parvimensis.
Two new holostan-type triterpenoid oligoglycosides, named parvimosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the warty sea cucumber Stichopus parvimensis (syn. Parastichopus parvimensis). Their structures and total assignments of the proton and carbon signals were established on the basis of spectral evidence, mainly 1H and 13C 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy including DEPT, COSY, TOCSY, NOESY/ROESY, HMQC/HSQC, and HMBC experiments, as well as FABMS.


[Bacterial pathogens in sputum and degree of bronchial obstruction in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].
In 114 patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECB) we performed a microbiological sputum study. In four sub-groups of patients, divided on the basis of the isolated pathogens, we looked for the best forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) registered in a previous test (< 12 months), in stable clinical conditions. In 65 samples of sputum (57% of all) the distribution of the isolated pathogens was: H. parainfluenzae 23%, H. influenzae 8%, M. catarrhalis 3%, S. pneumoniae 4%, Enterobacteriaceae (EN) 22%, Pseudomonas and other related germs (BN) 32%, S. aureus 8%. EN and BN showed high sensitivity to various antibiotics. In the patients of the BN sub-group the mean FEV1 showed a significant lower value than in the other sub-groups (from p < 0.01 to p < 0.001). The high percentage of EN and BN seems to be likely explained by the population we studied because there were many subjects with severe clinical and functional conditions, with many comorbidity and frequently treated with oral steroids and antibiotics. The association between the lowest values of FEV1 in stable clinical conditions and the isolation of BN in sputum during AECB could be useful in the choice of the empiric antibiotic therapy during exacerbations.


Predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in health care workers providing health and rehabilitation services in rural and remote locations: A scoping review.
A better understanding of the predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in health care workers in rural and remote communities is needed to inform preventative interventions for this sector of the health workforce. To identify predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in health care workers providing health and rehabilitation services in rural and remote locations. A scoping review informed by Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework and the scoping review protocol of the PRISMA-ScR statement. The search yielded 946 articles, and 34 full texts were screened for eligibility, leaving 12 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. No studies on workers providing rehabilitation services were identified. Three studies assessed possible predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in health care workers, and all studies evaluated burnout. The most studied predictor variables were age, gender, profession and workload. This study identified potential risk and protective factors for health care workers that are likely relevant to those providing rehabilitation services in rural locations. Little is known about possible predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in professionals working in rural and remote areas outside of medicine and nursing or health care workers in rural community-based settings. Research examining predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in rehabilitation health care workers working in rural and remote locations is scant. Research that identifies risk and protective factors in this rapidly growing sector of the health care workforce is needed to inform the development of interventions that promote professional quality of life.


Attitudes in the fiber of everyday life: the discourse of racial evaluation and the lived experience of desegregation.
This article critically reviews the social-psychological literature on race attitudes, which has assumed that the prejudicial status of any expression is determined by the underlying psychological attitude that motivated it. Variation and inconsistency in individuals' attitudinal expressions and disagreement over how to measure prejudice have bedeviled attitude research. Contemporary theories of racial attitudes (symbolic racism, self-presentation, aversive racism) have responded to this problem by explaining how, when, and why attitudes vary and by proposing research paradigms for isolating prejudiced from nonprejudiced expressions. The authors argue that research in this area may be enhanced by the use of qualitative methods that place fewer constraints on the expression of racial attitudes and variability than quantitative methods do. Using empirical materials from a South African case study, the authors show that a focus on attitudinal discourse and the lived experience of desegregation allow researchers to investigate attitudes as social practices.


[M-mode echocardiography of left heart in hypertensive patients (author's transl)].
72 hypertensive patients have been studied by means of M-Mode echocardiography. The results of our study have shown that a consisting number of hypertensives exhibits signs of left atrial enlargement, an increase of the myocardial mass and of the thickness of the posterior wall. The diastolic indices resulted more precociously impaired as compared to the systolic ones. Finally a positive correlation was found between left atrial enlargement, myocardial mass on one hand and mean blood pressure on the other, and between atrial enlargement and myocardial mass.


[The "concept of autologous transfusion"].
This study analyzes the need for homologous blood in a prospectively studied group of 4,357 orthopedic-surgical patients after having established the 'Concept of Autologous Transfusion' (CAT) in 1989, in comparison to a retrospectively studied group of 7,485 orthopedic-surgical patients that had been treated exclusively with homologous blood (in 1986 and 1987). Despite an increase by 18% of the number of operations performed (in 1986: 3,698 operations vs. 4,357 operations in 1989), the need for homologous blood has been reduced by more than 80% (in 1986: 12,600 units of homologous packed red blood cells vs. 1989: 2,145 units of homologous blood). This effect has been achieved by the combination of various blood-saving techniques, namely by normovolemic hemodilution in 3,591 patients (82.4%), intra- and post-operative blood salvage in 1,936 patients (44.4%) as well as by 2,261 preoperative autologous blood donations, and by 5,279 preoperative plasmaphereses. Preoperative autologous donations have been accompanied by side effects in 1.3% (mild and moderate); no serious or even fetal complications occurred and all ambulatory patients coming to the hospital just for an autologous donation left for home on the same day.


Skin toxicokinetics of mustard gas in the guinea pig: effect of hypochlorite and safety aspects.
Sulfur mustard (SM, mustard gas) is a chemical warfare vesicant that rapidly penetrates the skin due to its hydrophobicity. This study measured the rate of SM disappearance from the skin after topical application of the vesicant. In both fur-covered and hairless animals, the remaining toxicant levels measured 60 min after exposure to undiluted SM were 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively, of the initially applied SM amount. However, SM concentration reached 0.4% of the initial dose 3 h following exposure in female fur-covered guinea pigs. SM quantities extracted from skin of male fur-covered and hairless guinea pigs immediately after 16 min of exposure to SM vapor were 12.2 and 21.8 microg, respectively; levels declined to 1.6 and 1.7 microg at 30 and 15 min following termination of exposure of male fur-covered and hairless guinea pigs, respectively. Three swabbing treatments of undiluted SM-exposed skin with gauze pads soaked in 0.5% hypochlorite caused 68% reduction in skin SM content. Similar findings were obtained when hypochlorite was replaced by water (64% reduction). SM content in the gauze pads was 59, 38 and 25 microg, respectively, for the first, second and third decontamination processes with water. No SM was detected in the gauze pads soaked with hypochlorite. In vitro studies showed that incubation of SM with 0.5% hypochlorite at a ratio of 10:1 (v/v) did not cause SM inactivation, whereas 4% hypochlorite reduced SM levels by 17%. However, at a decontaminant:SM ratio of 1000:1, 0.5% and 4% hypochlorite reduced SM levels by 92% and 99%, respectively. These findings are important for health authorities and regulatory agencies in planning precautionary steps to be taken in case of emergency and in routine laboratory work.


Yeast extract promotes cell growth and induces production of polyvinyl alcohol-degrading enzymes.
Polyvinyl alcohol-degrading enzymes (PVAases) have a great potential in bio-desizing processes for its low environmental impact and low energy consumption. In this study, the effect of yeast extract on PVAases production was investigated. A strategy of four-point yeast extract addition was developed and applied to maximize cell growth and PVAases production. As a result, the maximum dry cell weight achieved was 1.48 g/L and the corresponding PVAases activity was 2.99 U/mL, which are 46.5% and 176.8% higher than the control, respectively. Applying this strategy in a 7 L fermentor increased PVAases activity to 3.41 U/mL. Three amino acids (glycine, serine, and tyrosine) in yeast extract play a central role in the production of PVAases. These results suggest that the new strategy of four-point yeast extract addition could benefit PVAases production.


Immunogenicity and efficacy of the oral rabies vaccine SAD B19 in foxes.
Studies on the immunogenicity and efficacy of SAD B19 attenuated rabies virus vaccine in foxes under laboratory conditions were conducted. Twenty-seven foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were offered a vaccine bait containing 10(6.3) FFU/ml SAD B19. Blood samples were collected 60, 110 and 190 days post-vaccination. On day 190 post vaccination the animals and 14 controls were challenged with a canid street rabies virus. Twenty-four of the 26 vaccinated foxes (92.3%) survived the challenge, whereas all the controls died from rabies. The two vaccinated foxes that did not survive the challenge did not show any detectable level of rabies neutralizing antibodies at any time after vaccination. The geometric mean titres (GMT) of foxes that seroconverted after vaccination were 43.5, 33.9 and 43.5 IU/ml 60, 110 and 190 days post-vaccination, respectively. Furthermore, to test the vaccine virus under sub-optimal conditions five naive and nine previously vaccinated vixens received 2 ml SAD B19 (10(6.7) FFU/ml) by direct administration of the vaccine virus into the oral cavity shortly before or during pregnancy. All vixens seroconverted above the threshold of 0.5 IU/ml. No booster effect was observed in the immune response of the previously vaccinated animals.


The impact of sleep deprivation and nighttime light exposure on clock gene expression in humans.
To examine the effect of acute sleep deprivation under light conditions on the expression of two key clock genes, hPer2 and hBmal1, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and on plasma melatonin and cortisol levels. Blood samples were drawn from 6 healthy individuals at 4-hour intervals for three consecutive nights, including a night of total sleep deprivation (second night). The study was conducted in April-June 2006 at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana. We found a significant diurnal variation in hPer2 and hBmal1 expression levels under baseline (P<0.001, F=19.7, df=30 for hPer2 and P<0.001, F=17.6, df=30 for hBmal1) and sleep-deprived conditions (P<0.001, F=9.2, df=30 for hPer2 and P<0.001, F=13.2, df=30 for hBmal1). Statistical analysis with the single cosinor method revealed circadian variation of hPer2 under baseline and of hBmal1 under baseline and sleep-deprived conditions. The peak expression of hPer2 was at 13:55 ± 1:15 hours under baseline conditions and of hBmal1 at 16:08 ± 1:18 hours under baseline and at 17:13 ± 1:35 hours under sleep-deprived conditions. Individual cosinor analysis of hPer2 revealed a loss of circadian rhythm in 3 participants and a phase shift in 2 participants under sleep-deprived conditions. The plasma melatonin and cortisol rhythms confirmed a conventional alignment of the central circadian pacemaker to the habitual sleep/wake schedule. Our results suggest that 40-hour acute sleep deprivation under light conditions may affect the expression of hPer2 in PBMCs..


Graphene Oxide-Copper Nanocomposites Suppress Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Formation.
Dental caries is a biofilm-dependent disease that largely relies on the ability of Streptococcus mutans to synthesize exopolysaccharide matrix. Graphene oxide-based metal nanomaterials, as the derivatives of graphene, are potent agents against pathogens by their impressive antibacterial and anti-biofilm biofunctions. Previously, we fabricated the novel graphene oxide-copper nanocomposites (GO-Cu), maintaining a long-term release of copper nanoparticles. Here, the biofunctionalization of GO-Cu nanocomposites against cariogenic S. mutans is investigated. Growth curve observation and colony forming units counting were applied to detect the antibacterial effect of GO-Cu nanocomposites on S. mutans. Scanning electron microscopy and the crystal violet assay were used to detect nanocomposite effects on biofilm forming ability. The production and distribution of exopolysaccharides within biofilm was analyzed and the expression of genes required for biofilm formation was explored. Moreover, the regulatory landscape of GO-Cu nanocomposites on S. mutans pathogenicity was probed. It has been found that GO-Gu nanocomposites were antibacterial to S. mutans and 10 μg/mL GO-Cu nanocomposites could inhibit the bacteria bioactivity instead of killing them. The biomass of S. mutans biofilm was significantly reduced when treated with 10 μg/mL GO-Cu nanocomposites. Also, 10 μg/mL GO-Cu nanocomposites could alter the biofilm architecture and impair exopolysaccharides production and distribution, and dysregulated the expression of exopolysaccharide-associated genes. In all, we found low-dose GO-Cu nanocomposites could disrupt exopolysaccharide matrix assembly and further impair optimal biofilm development with minimal cytotoxicity. Therefore, GO-Cu nanocomposites can open up a new avenue for the development of alternative anti-caries biomaterials.


Metal Nanoparticles Formation from Nickel Hydroxide.
In this study, the mechanism of nickel nanoparticle formation from its hydroxide was analyzed. Metallic nickel nanoparticles were obtained through the hydroxide's reduction under hydrogen. Nickel hydroxides were produced from nickel (II) nitrate hexahydrate and NaOH by deposition under various initial conditions. The influence of washing treatment on the dispersion of obtained nickel powders was studied. The washing procedure of precipitates was carried out by centrifugation, ultrasonic treatment, and decantation. X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods were used for nanoparticle characterization. Based on the resulting data, a model of the Ni(OH)2 aggregate structure after deposition was proposed. The number of nickel hydroxide particles required to form one nickel nanoparticle was estimated, and a model of its formation was proposed.


An Automated System for ECG Arrhythmia Detection Using Machine Learning Techniques.
The new advances in multiple types of devices and machine learning models provide opportunities for practical automatic computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems for ECG classification methods to be practicable in an actual clinical environment. This imposes the requirements for the ECG arrhythmia classification methods that are inter-patient. We aim in this paper to design and investigate an automatic classification system using a new comprehensive ECG database inter-patient paradigm separation to improve the minority arrhythmical classes detection without performing any features extraction. We investigated four supervised machine learning models: support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), Random Forest (RF), and the ensemble of these three methods. We test the performance of these techniques in classifying: Normal beat (NOR), Left Bundle Branch Block Beat (LBBB), Right Bundle Branch Block Beat (RBBB), Premature Atrial Contraction (PAC), and Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC), using inter-patient real ECG records from MIT-DB after segmentation and normalization of the data, and measuring four metrics: accuracy, precision, recall, and f1-score. The experimental results emphasized that with applying no complicated data pre-processing or feature engineering methods, the SVM classifier outperforms the other methods using our proposed inter-patient paradigm, in terms of all metrics used in experiments, achieving an accuracy of 0.83 and in terms of computational cost, which remains a very important factor in implementing classification models for ECG arrhythmia. This method is more realistic in a clinical environment, where varieties of ECG signals are collected from different patients.


Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha expression requires PI 3-kinase activity and correlates with Akt1 phosphorylation in invasive breast carcinomas.
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1alpha) is the regulatory subunit of the heterodimeric transcription factor HIF-1 and the key factor in cellular response to low oxygen tension. Expression of HIF-1alpha protein is associated with poor patient survival and therapy resistance in many types of solid tumors. Insight into HIF-1alpha regulation in solid tumors is important for therapeutic strategies. In this study, we determined the pathophysiological relevance of HIF-1alpha regulation by the oncogenic phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI 3-kinase)/Akt signaling pathway. We modeled the physiology of hypoxic tumor regions by culturing carcinoma cells under low oxygen tension in the absence of serum. We observed that hypoxic induction of HIF-1alpha protein was decreased by serum deprivation. Overexpression of dominant-active Akt1 restored HIF-1alpha expression, whereas inhibition of PI 3-kinase activity reduced hypoxic HIF-1alpha protein levels to a similar extent as serum deprivation. Immunohistochemical analysis of 95 human breast cancers revealed that lack of Akt1 phosphorylation correlates with low HIF-1alpha levels. To our knowledge, this is the first reported comparison between HIF-1alpha expression and Akt phosphorylation in human carcinomas. We conclude that Akt activity is physiologically relevant for HIF-1alpha expression in breast cancer. This implies that HIF-1alpha function might be therapeutically targeted by inhibition of the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway.


Physiological studies with isolated leaf cells: early products of photosynthesis and their metabolic interconversions.
A number of plants have been surveyed with respect to isolation by mild grinding in large quantities of leaf cells. The extent of recovery of mesophyll cells per unit leaf area was found to vary with plant species and the method of grinding. Greater than 70% recovery was obtained from the leaves of Canna indica L., Crotalaria Laburnifolia L., and Thunbergia grandiflora Roxb.By pulse-chase time course experiments, the photosynthetically fixed primary carbon compounds of bean leaf cells were not converted into the ethanol-insoluble fraction. About 25% of total (14)C-photoassimilates were found to leak out into the incubation medium. In contrast, Euglena and Chlorella cells incorporated their primary photosynthetic products into cellular macromolecules and the amount of "leak" was very little. (14)C-Leucine supplied to the bean cells was absorbed readily and incorporated into the trichloroacetic acid insoluble fraction.


High molecular weight polyglycerol-based multivalent mannose conjugates.
We report the synthesis and characterization of multivalent mannose conjugates based on high molecular weight hyperbranched polyglycerols (HPG). A range of glycoconjugates were synthesized from high molecular weight HPGs (up to 493 kDa) and varying mannose units (22-303 per HPG). Hemagglutination assays using fresh human red blood cells and concanavalin A (Con A) showed that HPG-mannose conjugates exhibited a large enhancement in the relative potency of conjugates (as high as 40000) along with a significant increment in relative activity per sugar (up to 255). The size of the HPG scaffold and the number of mannose residues per HPG were all shown to influence the enhancement of binding interactions with Con A. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments confirmed the enhanced binding affinity and showed that both molecular size and ligand density play important roles. The enhancement in Con A binding to the high molecular weight HPG-mannose conjugates is due to a combination of inter- and intramolecular mannose binding. A few fold increments in the binding constant were obtained over mannose upon covalent attachment to HPG. The binding enhancement is due to the highly favorable entropic contribution to the multiple interactions of Con A to mannose residues on HPG. The high molecular weight HPG-mannose conjugates showed positive cooperativity in binding to Con A. Although carbohydrate density has less of an effect on functional valency of the conjugate compared to the molecular size, it determines the binding affinity.


Neutrophil Necroptosis Is Triggered by Ligation of Adhesion Molecules following GM-CSF Priming.
Apoptosis is the most common form of neutrophil death under both physiological and inflammatory conditions. However, forms of nonapoptotic neutrophil death have also been observed. In the current study, we report that human neutrophils undergo necroptosis after exposure to GM-CSF followed by the ligation of adhesion receptors such as CD44, CD11b, CD18, or CD15. Using a pharmacological approach, we demonstrate the presence of a receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3)-a mixed lineage kinase-like (MLKL) signaling pathway in neutrophils which, following these treatments, first activates p38 MAPK and PI3K, that finally leads to the production of high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). All these steps are required for necroptosis to occur. Moreover, we show that MLKL undergoes phosphorylation in neutrophils in vivo under inflammatory conditions. This newly identified necrosis pathway in neutrophils would imply that targeting adhesion molecules could be beneficial for preventing exacerbation of disease in the neutrophilic inflammatory response.


Analgesic efficacy of small-molecule angiotensin II type 2 receptor antagonists in a rat model of antiretroviral toxic polyneuropathy.
Individuals infected with the HIV and taking certain antiretroviral drugs to suppress viral replication have a high prevalence of neuropathic pain that is not alleviated by analgesic/adjuvant drugs that are often efficacious for the relief of other types of neuropathic pain. There is therefore a great need for new analgesics to alleviate the pain of antiretroviral toxic neuropathy (ATN). Small-molecule angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) antagonists, with ≥1000-fold selectivity over the angiotensin II type 1 receptor, produced analgesia in the chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve rat model of peripheral nerve trauma. Hence, the present study was designed to assess their analgesic efficacy in a rat model of ATN. The analgesic efficacy of small-molecule AT2R antagonists (EMA200 and EMA300) was assessed in a rat model of dideoxycytidine (ddC)-induced ATN. Single intraperitoneal bolus doses of EMA200 (0.3-10 mg/kg) induced dose-dependent analgesia in ddC-rats; the mean ED50 was 3.2 mg/kg. Twice-daily intraperitoneal administration of EMA300 at 30 mg/kg to ddC-rats for 3 days produced significant analgesia on days 2 and 3 of the treatment period. Therefore, small-molecule AT2R antagonists should be investigated further as novel analgesics for the relief of ATN.


Effect of obturating systems, dowel materials, and adhesive luting techniques on the resistance to fracture of endodontically treated teeth.
The aim of this study was to assess the role of obturating systems, dowel materials, and adhesive techniques on the resistance to fracture of endodontically treated teeth. Eighty maxillary central incisors were selected and randomly divided into two groups according to the obturating system (n = 40); group I: gutta-percha and Roeko sealer; group II: RealSeal. Both groups were further subdivided into two subgroups; subgroup A: using ceramic dowels (Cosmopost); subgroup B using fiber dowels (Easy Post). Each subgroup was assigned to two divisions according to the adhesive luting technique; division V (total-etch) Variolink II resin cement; division U (self-adhesive) RelyX Unicem. Composite core build-up was made using a core former. Each specimen was loaded 2 mm from its incisal edge on the palatal side at a 135° angle with the long axis of the tooth using a universal testing machine with a load cell of 5 KN at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until fracture. Failure loads were recorded in N. Scanning electron microscopic examination at the dentin/resin interface (1000x) was performed. Three-way ANOVA was used to test the effect of obturating system, dowel material, adhesive technique, and their interactions (obturating system * dowel material, obturating system * adhesive, dowel material * adhesive, obturating system * dowel material * adhesive). Duncan's test was used for pairwise comparison. The significance level was set at p≤ 0.05. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 16.0. The mean resistance to fracture (617.4 N) was statistically significantly higher in the ceramic dowel with gutta-percha and Variolink (GP/C/V) group than in the other groups. The RealSeal and RelyX fiber dowel group's mean resistance was the lowest and was significantly lower than the other groups. In this study, three factors played a part in enhancing the resistance to fracture of endodontically treated teeth. High resistance to fracture was achieved when ceramic dowels were luted with total-etch technique in gutta-percha-obturated teeth.


Association of Acute Pancreatitis and Myocardial Infarction: Is the Heart Victim or Culprit? - A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
Acute pancreatitis can be associated with electrical changes mimicking acute coronary syndrome with normal coronary arteries. The association of acute pancreatitis with ST-segment elevation and elevated cardiac enzymes has been reported in few observations. The pathophysiological mechanisms of this association remain poorly understood. We report the case of a 63-year-old woman presenting with chest pain, changes in the electrocardiogram and elevated cardiac enzymes with normal coronary arteries associated with acute pancreatitis. Stress cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo syndrome associated with acute pancreatitis was the most likely diagnosis in our case. Stress cardiomyopathy should be considered a possibility in case of patients with acute pancreatitis who present with clinical signs suggestive of acute coronary syndrome.