Phylogeography in Nassarius mud snails: Complex patterns in congeneric species.
One major goal for phylogeographical studies is to elucidate respective roles of multiple evolutionary and ecological forces that shape the current distribution patterns. In marine and coastal ecosystems, it has been generated a common realization that species with enormous population size and pelagic larval stages can disperse across broad geographical scales, leading to weak or even no phylogeographical structure across large geographical scales. However, the violation of such realization has been frequently reported, and it remains largely unexplored on mechanisms responsible for various phylogeographical patterns observed in different species at varied geographical scales. Here, we used a species-rich genus Nassarius to assess and compare phylogeographical patterns in congeneric species, and discuss causes and consequences underlying varied phylogeographical patterns. Interestingly, we observed complex phylogeographical patterns both within single species and across multiple species, and multiple analyses showed varied levels of genetic heterogeneity among sites within and across species. Available evidence suggests that related species with similar biological characteristics may not be necessary to result in consistent phylogeographical patterns. Multiple factors, including larval ecology, interactions between dispersal and natural selection, and human activity-mediated dispersal, can partially explain the complex patterns observed in this study. Deep investigations should be performed on these factors, particularly their respective roles in determining evolutionary/ecological processes to form phylogeographical patterns in species with high dispersal capacities in marine and coastal ecosystems.


Bibliometric analysis and systematic review of the adherence, uptake, translocation, and reduction of micro/nanoplastics in terrestrial plants.
Micro/nanoplastics are emerging agricultural pollutants globally. Micro/nanoplastics can adhere to terrestrial plant surfaces, be absorbed and transported by plants, and accumulate in the edible parts of plants, leading to the possibility of enrichment and transmission through the food chain and threatening human health. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. With increased studies on the internalization of micro/nanoplastics in terrestrial plants, a comprehensive and systematic review summarizing the current research trends and progress is warranted to provide a reference for further relevant research. Based on bibliometric analysis, this study focused on the mechanisms, study methods, and reduction techniques of micro/nanoplastics adherence, uptake, and translocation by terrestrial plants. The results showed that micro/nanoplastics can adhere to the surfaces of plant tissues such as seeds, roots, and leaves. Root uptake (root-to-leaf translocation) and foliar uptake (leaf-to-root translocation) are the two simultaneous internalization pathways of MNPs in plants. The observation methods included scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We highlighted the necessity and urgency of reducing the uptake and translocation of MNPs by plants and found that the application of silicon may be a promising approach for reducing internalization. This study identifies current knowledge gaps and proposes possible future needs.


[Comparative analysis of seven marine biological source of mineral drugs].
The marine biological source of mineral drugs recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 version) mainly including pearl, nacre, clam shell, common oyster shell, ark shell, cuttle bone, and sea-ear shell are widely used in clinical. Calcium carbonate and a small amount of protein are the main components in this type of drugs. In this paper, a systematical and comparable study were carried out by determination of calcium carbonate by EDTA titration method, the crystal of calcium carbonate by X-Ray powder diffraction and the total amino acids (TAAs) of the hydrolyzed samples by ultraviolet spectrophotometry method. As a result, the crystal structure is calcite for common oyster shell, mixture of calcite and aragonite for nacre and sea-ear shell, aragonite for the other drugs. The content of calcium carbonate ranged from 86% to 96%. Cuttle bone has the highest amount of TAAs among the seven drugs which reached 1.7% while clam shell has the lowest content of 0.16% on average. In conclusion, an effective method was developed for the quality control of marine mineral drugs by comprehensive analysis of calcium carbonate and TAAs in the seven marine mineral drugs.


[A case of gastric ulcer induced by Helicobacter heilmannii-like organism].
Recently, there was growing interest in a gastric spiral-shaped bacterium morphologically deviating from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which was classified as Helicobacter heilmannii (H. heilmannii). It rarely inhabits human species whereas the observation of structurally comparable bacteria in other mammals, including cats and dogs, is a commonplace. Therefore, it is now generally recognized that H. heilmannii is an animal Helicobacter, which is occasionally transmitted to man. H. heilmannii is usually associated with chronic gastritis. Here, we described a case of gastric ulcer caused by spiral bacteria morphologically identical to H. heilmannii. The patient complained of epigastric pain over a two day period. He took the gallbladder of a wild raccoon dog 7 days before. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed multiple geographic gastric ulcers in the distal body and antrum. After eradication of another Helicobacter spp, H. heilmannii, the symptom resolved completely in 4 days. Eight weeks later, a follow-up endoscopy showed complete healing of the ulcer.


Red and blue distinctive mucin-histochemical types of Japanese colorectal mucosa.
Mucin-histochemical characteristics of normal human colorectal mucosa were investigated utilizing Culling et al.'s staining method which distinguishes the mode of C8-O-acylation of sialomucins. Normal mucosae of cecum, ascending, transverse and descending colon and rectum were obtained from autopsy and biopsy material. Japanese colorectal mucosa stained either entirely red or entirely blue, in contrast to previous reports dealing with Caucasians where all the normal mucosa reportedly stained red. The ratio of red to blue colon cases varied to some extent with age, i.e. it was found to be 1:1 in children aged 0 to 4, 2:1 in the 5-20 age group, and 4:1 in people older than 21 years, suggesting a tendency of shift from blue to red during early life in Japan. Each individual Japanese adult colorectal mucosa may thus be classified into either red or blue type mucin-histochemically.


Comparative study of efficiency and characteristics of FMT and DRT installed in human cadavers for round-window stimulation.
Acoustic hearing aids generate amplified sound in the ear canal, and they are the standard of care for patients with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. However, because of their limited frequency bandwidth, gain, and feedback, there is substantial room for improvement. Active middle ear implants, which directly vibrate the middle ear and cochlea, are an alternative approach to conventional acoustic hearing aids. They provide an opportunity to improve sound quality and speech understanding with amplification rehabilitation. For floating-mass type and direct-rod type (DRT) middle ear transducers, a differential floating-mass transducer (DFMT) and a tri-coil bellows transducer (TCBT), respectively, were fabricated to measure the output characteristics in four human temporal bones. Both were fabricated to have similar output forces per unit input and were placed in four human temporal bones to measure their output performances. The TCBT resulted in higher output than did the DFMT throughout the audible frequency range, and the output was more prominent at lower frequency ranges. In this study, we showed that DRT was a more effective method for round window stimulation. Because of its frequency characteristics and vibration efficiency, this implantation method can be utilized as a driving solution for middle ear implants.


Some problems in modern bioelectromagnetics.
One of the main problems of bioelectromagnetics - the unbelievable narrow resonance peaks at the cyclotron frequency of the alternating magnetic field - was considered. Modern electrodynamics of condensed matter clearly brings out that the reason of this phenomenon is extremely low viscosity within coherence domains of aqueous electrolytic solutions. The electrochemical model of action of combined static and alternating magnetic fields on aqueous solutions of amino acids is proposed. The possibility of arising a succession of changes in ionic forms in these processes was revealed. The dipole ions (zwitterions) together with water molecules electrostatically forming joint groups in the solution, create favorable conditions for arising mixed coherence domains there. Simultaneously with evolution of the coherent processes in these domains, the amino acid zwitterions are transforming into the usual ionic form, fit for cyclotron resonance. The development of cyclotron resonance under action of combined magnetic fields increases the ion kinetic energy, and the ions leave the domains for the incoherent component of the solution according to Del Giudice pattern (Comisso et al., 2006; Del Giudice et al., 2002), creating the peak current through the solution. Then the ions are transforming little by little into zwitterionic form again; after that, the solution becomes ready to react on exposure of magnetic fields again. The possibilities for formation of coherence domains composed of water molecules together with peptide molecules or protein ones are discussed.


A simplicial analysis of the fMRI data from human brain dynamics under functional cognitive tasks.
The topological analysis of fMRI time series data has recently been used to characterize the identification of patterns of brain activity seen during specific tasks carried out under experimentally controlled conditions. This study uses the methods of algebraic topology to characterize time series networks constructed from fMRI data measured for adult and children populations carrying out differentiated reading tasks. Our pilot study shows that our methods turn out to be capable of identifying distinct differences between the activity of adult and children populations carrying out identical reading tasks. We also see differences between activity patterns seen when subjects recognize word and nonword patterns. The results generalize across different populations, different languages and different active and inactive brain regions.


Topical tranexamic acid reduces blood loss and transfusion rates associated with primary total hip arthroplasty.
Systemic tranexamic acid can decrease blood loss and rates of transfusion in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the efficacy of topical tranexamic acid in THA has only recently been characterized in a small number of studies. The purpose of this study was to compare (1) the greatest hemoglobin decrease after surgery; (2) transfusion rates; and (3) symptomatic thromboembolic events among patients undergoing THA who did and did not receive topical tranexamic acid. We retrospectively compared 135 patients (154 THAs) who received 10 mL 5% tranexamic acid added in a topical cocktail solution during surgery between January 2009 and July 2011 with 211 patients (234 THAs) who received only the topical cocktail solution (analgesic and antibiotic agent) between January 2005 and December 2008. Contraindications for the use of tranexamic acid included a documented history of a venous thromboembolic event, an allergy to tranexamic acid, thrombophilia, or a high risk of venous thromboembolism based on the guidelines of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; the 135 patients who received it during that period represented 99.4% of the patients undergoing THA during that time. We compared changes in Hb, transfusion rates, estimated blood loss, surgical results, and complications between the groups. The transfusion threshold was the same, when the Hb values were < 10 g/dL. Patients were screened for thromboembolic disease if symptoms or signs appeared. Hb decreased less in the tranexamic acid group (1.87 ± 1.10 g/dL) than in the control group (2.2 ± 1.36 g/dL; p = 0.01) on the first postoperative day. The frequency of transfusion was lower in patients receiving tranexamic acid (17% as compared with 35% in the control group; p < 0.001). There was only one nonfatal pulmonary embolism in the control group during the study period. Use of topical tranexamic acid in patients undergoing THA reduces postoperative bleeding and decreases blood transfusion rates. No increase in major complications was identified in patients managed with topical tranexamic acid. This retrospective study confirms the results of a smaller randomized trial on the same topic by another group. Level III, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


Presence and persistence of hepatitis E virus RNA and proteins in human bone marrow.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is primarily manifesting as acute hepatitis, but extra-hepatic replication and injury are frequently reported. During the study period, we discovered two acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients infected with HEV genotype 3 and 4, respectively, and HEV RNA and/or viral proteins were persistently detected in the bone marrow of both patients. The finding suggests that HEV can replicate in human bone marrow as it may serve as a new target site and reservoir of HEV persistence.


Use of Evidence in the Implementation of Social Programs: A Qualitative Study from Chile.
Through this qualitative, empirical study the authors aim to explore and describe the sources of knowledge that are used to guide intervention practice by social workers in Chile. Particular attention was paid to factors that may facilitate or hinder the use of research-based evidence to guide social interventions design, implementation, and outcome evaluation. In order to explore these issues, 25 semi-structured interviews with social workers from Chilean social service non-profit organizations were conducted. The main findings suggest that social workers do not use research-based evidence to support their social interventions due to various personal organizational constraints (e.g., lack of time, lack of access to resources for disseminating evidence, lack of English command). In addition, no evaluation processes of social programs which will support evidence-based effectiveness could be found. One key barrier to support use of evidence and evidence production may be related to the fact that most non-governmental organizations maintain a hierarchical and vertical relationship with state agencies (program design, oversight, and funding) for social program development.


The link between infant attention to goal-directed action and later theory of mind abilities.
Various studies have shown that infants in their first year of life are able to interpret human actions as goal-directed. It is argued that this understanding is a precondition for understanding intentional actions and attributing mental states. Moreover, some authors claim that this early action understanding is a precursor of later Theory of Mind (ToM) development. To test this, we related 6-month-olds' performance in an action interpretation task to their performance in ToM tasks at the age of 4 years. Action understanding was assessed using a modified version of the Woodward-paradigm (Woodward, 1999). At the age of 4 years, the same children were tested with the German version of the ToM scale developed by Wellman and Liu (2004). Results revealed a correlation between infants' decrement of attention to goal-directed action and their ability to solve a false belief task at the age of 4 years with no modulation by language abilities. Our results indicate a link between infant attention to goal-directed action and later theory of mind abilities.


Cervical spine disorders.
Recent research of disorders of the neck has concentrated on the efficacy of manual and other conservative therapies for neck pain and whiplash. Systematic reviews paint a poor picture of the quality of literature upon which many conventional, conservative therapies are based. Conclusive scientific data are lacking. Despite its unsavory reputation, whiplash has attracted considerable scientific inquiry. Multiple studies have brought data to bear that indicate that chronic neck pain after whiplash is not psychogenic, and that psychologic distress is secondary to the pain. Strong studies have shown that cervical zygapophysial joint pain is the most common basis for chronic neck pain after whiplash but that this condition cannot be diagnosed other than by using controlled diagnostic blocks. Surgical treatment of cervical zygapophysial joint pain has been proven to be effective in a double-blind controlled trial.


Risk communication as a tool for training apprentice welders: a study about risk perception and occupational accidents.
The present study has aimed to identify the perceptions of apprentice welders about physical, chemical, biological, and physiological risk factors to which they are exposed; identify types of occupational accidents involving apprentice welders; and report the development of a socioenvironmental education intervention as a tool for risk communication for apprentice welders. A quantitative study was performed with 161 apprentice welders in Southern Brazil in 2011. Data collection was performed via structured interviews with the apprentice welders about risk perception, occupational accidents, and time experienced in welding. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. The participants identified the following risk types: physical (96.9%), chemical (95%), physiological (86.3%), and biological (51.5%). In this sample, 39.7% of apprentice welders reported occupational accidents and 27.3% reported burning. The inferential analysis showed that the frequency of risk perception factors increases with the length of experience, and apprentice welders who have experienced accidents during welding activity perceive a higher amount of risk factors than those who have never experienced them. It is concluded that apprentice welders perceive risks and that they tend to relate risks with the occurrence of occupational accidents as an indicator of the dangerous nature of their activity.


The striatal and extrastriatal D2/D3 receptor-binding profile of clozapine in patients with schizophrenia.
Positron emission tomography (PET) studies reveal that clozapine at clinically used doses occupies less than 60% of D2/D3 dopamine receptors in human striatum. Here, the occupancy of D2/D3 dopamine receptors by clozapine in patients with schizophrenia was determined to test the hypothesis that clozapine binds preferentially to extrastriatal dopamine receptors. A total of 15 clozapine-treated inpatients with schizophrenia underwent a [18F]fallypride PET scan. Receptor occupancy was calculated as percent reduction in binding potential relative to unblocked values measured in seven normal volunteers. Mean D2/D3 receptor occupancy was statistically significantly higher in cortical (inferior temporal cortex 55%) than in striatal regions (putamen 36%, caudate 43%, p<0.005). While the maximum attainable receptor occupancy Emax approached 100% both in the striatum and cortex, the plasma concentration at 50% of Emax (ED50) was much higher in the putamen (950 ng/ml) than in the inferior temporal cortex (333 ng/ml). Clozapine binds preferentially to cortical D2/D3 receptors over a wide range of plasma concentrations. This selectivity is lost at extremely high plasma levels. Occupancy of cortical receptors approaches 60% with plasma clozapine in the range 350-400 ng/ml, which corresponds to the threshold for antipsychotic efficacy of clozapine. Extrastriatal binding of clozapine may be more relevant to its antipsychotic actions than striatal. However, further studies with an intraindividual comparison of untreated vs treated state are desirable to confirm this finding.


UPJ Obstruction in the Adult Population: Are Crossing Vessels Significant?
Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction describes various causes of impaired drainage at the UPJ. Regardless of the cause, the end result is the same: impedance in the normal flow of urine from the renal pelvis into the proximal ureter, resulting in caliectasis and hydronephrosis. This may lead to progressive deterioration of renal function and, thus, often requires intervention to relieve the obstruction and restore the normal flow of urine. Defining the pertinent anatomy, the degree of obstruction, and differential renal function is key to determining whether and when intervention is necessary.


Automated solvent system screening for the preparative countercurrent chromatography of pharmaceutical discovery compounds.
A fully automated countercurrent chromatography system has been constructed to rapidly screen the commonly used heptane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water solvent system series and translate the results to preparative scale separations. The system utilizes "on-demand" preparation of the heptane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water solvent system upper and lower phases. Elution-extrusion countercurrent chromatography was combined with non-dynamic equilibrium injection reducing the screening time for each heptane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water system to 17 min. The result enabled solvent system development to be reduced to under 2 h. The countercurrent chromatography system was interfaced with a mass spectrometer to allow selective detection of target components in crude medicinal chemistry reaction mixtures. Mass-directed preparative countercurrent chromatography purification was demonstrated for the first time using a synthetic tetrazole epoxide derived from a routine medicinal chemistry support workflow.


[Hormonal changes during incremental exercise in athletic women].
Recently, the number of women who participate in strenuous sports has increased rapidly. The evidence indicating a causal relationship between athletic activity and increased incidence of menstrual dysfunction has led to increased interest. Five basketball players who are among the top players in Japan were subjected to an investigation of the endocrinological responses effected by incremental exercise using a cycle ergometer. Serum levels of FSH and LH decreased significantly in the follicular phase, but there was no change in the luteal phase. Estradiol was seen to increase significantly in the luteal phase but no change occurred in the follicular phase. Progesterone did not show a significant change during exercise. Although TSH did not show any significant change, prolactin showed a significant increase in both phases. These results suggest that strenuous daily training leads to a frequent increase of prolactin in athletic women and this frequent increase of prolactin may be one of the major factors in causing menstrual dysfunction.


Mass shell technique for measuring masses of a pair of semi-invisibly decaying particles.
Motivated by evidence for the existence of dark matter, many new physics models predict the pair production of new particles, followed by the decays into two invisible particles, leading to a momentum imbalance in the visible system. For the cases where all four components of the vector sum of the two "missing" momenta are measured from the momentum imbalance, we present analytic solutions of the final state system in terms of measurable momenta, with the mass shell constraints taken into account. We then introduce new variables which allow the masses involved in the new physics process, including that of the dark matter particles, to be extracted efficiently. These are compared with a selection of variables in the literature, and possible applications at lepton and hadron colliders are discussed.


Electrochemical dealloying of Al2(Au,X) (X = Pt, Pd, PtPd, Ni, Co and NiCo) alloys in NaCl aqueous solution.
The electrochemical dealloying of rapidly solidified Al2(Au,X) (X = Pt, Pd, PtPd, Ni, Co and NiCo) precursors in a 1.0 M NaCl aqueous solution has been systematically investigated using electrochemical measurements including open-circuit measurement, potentiodynamic polarization and potentiostatic polarization, and microstructural analysis. The results show that the kind of alloying element(s) has a significant influence on the open-circuit and corrosion potentials of the rapidly solidified Al2(Au,X) precursors. The bulk dealloying of the Al2(Au,X) precursors is affected by the kind of alloying element(s) and also sensitive to the applied potential (or overpotential). The addition of Ni or/and Co easily leads to passivation on the surface of precursors during potentiostatic dealloying. The potentiostatic dealloying of Al2(Au,Pt), Al2(Au,Pd) and Al2(Au,Pt,Pd) results in the formation of ultrafine nanoporous AuPt, AuPd and AuPtPd alloys, owing to the pinning effect of Pt or/and Pd on surface diffusion of Au adatoms. In comparison, the potentiostatic dealloying of Al2(Au,Ni), Al2(Au,Co) and Al2(Au,Ni,Co) leads to the formation of nanoporous Au with a ligament/channel size of ~40 nm due to the simultaneous dissolution of Al and Ni/Co. Moreover, the addition of Pt, Pd or PtPd not only inhibits surface diffusion of Au adatoms (lower diffusivities), but also improves the activation energy for the diffusion process during potentiostatic dealloying. Based upon the present results, nanoporous metals or alloys can be greenly fabricated through electrochemical dealloying in NaCl solutions.


Immunocytochemical localization of cathepsin D in rabbit skin.
The lysosomal proteinase cathepsin D has been localized in rabbit skin by immunocytochemical techniques. The enzyme was found in the basal layer of the epidermis, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. An autoradiographic technique, using the Fab' fragment of IgG, was also used for more effective identification of cell types that contain cathepsin D.


Endoscopic problems due to cervical vertebral diseases.
The authors draw attention to cervical spine disorders that limit mobility of the vertebrae and thereby interfere with esophagoscopy. Four orthopedic disorders that either fuse the cervical spine or produce massive osteophytes are discussed and exemplified by specific cases, and appropriate techniques for endoscopy are recommended.


Deimplementation of Polycythemia Screening in Asymptomatic Infants in a Level 1 Nursery.
Polycythemia (venous hematocrit >65%) is rare in healthy newborns (incidence: 0.4%-5%), with serious outcomes (stroke, bowel ischemia) of unknown incidence in asymptomatic infants. No national guidelines address screening or management of asymptomatic infants with polycythemia. Our nursery screened "high risk" (HR) newborns (small for gestational age, large for gestational age, twin, infant of diabetic mother) with poor adherence and low yield. We aimed to decrease polycythemia screening of asymptomatic HR infants by 80% within 6 months. We conducted an improvement project at a tertiary children's hospital using the Model for Improvement. Eligible infants had an HR ICD-10 code on their problem list, were asymptomatic, over 35 weeks gestational age, and remained in the nursery for >6 hrs. Interventions included discontinuation of prior protocol, education for staff, bimonthly feedback on project performance, and visual reminders. Our primary outcome measure was the proportion of asymptomatic infants who received a hematocrit screen. Secondary measures were screening costs. Balancing measures were the length of stay, detected/symptomatic polycythemia, transfers to ICU/wards, and readmissions within 1 week of discharge. The Nursery unit screened 80% of HR infants at baseline. This decreased to 7.3% after PDSA1, 0% after PDSA2, and 1% after PDSA3. There was no symptomatic polycythemia or statistically significant increase in readmissions/transfers. One month of monitoring revealed persistent changes. Simple quality improvement interventions such as education, reminders, and feedback can facilitate the deimplementation of low-value practices.


Two phenotypically distinct T cells are involved in ultraviolet-irradiated urocanic acid-induced suppression of the efferent delayed-type hypersensitivity response to herpes simplex virus, type 1 in vivo.
When UVB-irradiated urocanic acid, the putative photoreceptor/mediator for UVB suppression, is administered to mice it induces a dose-dependent suppression of the delayed-type hypersensitivity response to herpes simplex virus, type 1 (HSV-1), of similar magnitude to that induced by UV irradiation of mice. In this study, the efferent suppression of delayed-type hypersensitivity by UV-irradiated urocanic acid is demonstrated to be due to 2 phenotypically distinct T cells, (Thy1+, L3T4-, Ly2+) and (Thy1+, L3T4+, Ly2-). The suppression is specific for HSV-1. This situation parallels the generation of 2 distinct T-suppressor cells for HSV-1 by UV irradiation of mice and provides further evidence for the involvement of urocanic acid in the generation of UVB suppression.


Lymphocyte subpopulations and T-cell subsets in human oral cancer tissues: immunohistologic analysis by monoclonal antibodies.
A series of T-cell-specific monoclonal antibodies (Leu-1, Leu-2a, and Leu-3a) and B-cell-specific monoclonal antibody (HLB-1) were used to detect the localization and intensity of infiltration of lymphocyte subpopulations and T-cell subsets in frozen sections of 17 patients with the oral cancer. The vast majority of the lymphocyte infiltrates in the oral cancer tissues were reactive with Leu-1. In contrast, B cells were detectable with HLB-1 in only 2 of 17 cases. Leu-2a-positive cells were dominant in four cases, whereas Leu-3a positive cells were dominant in only three cases. In seven cases, both cells infiltrated to the same degree. Leu-2a positive cells tended to be dominant in the cases with earlier clinical stages.


Genes for host-plant selection in Drosophila.
Interactions between herbivorous insects and their host plants are rich in diversity. How such interactions evolved has been a central issue in ecology. A series of analyses on an example of host-plant adaptation in a Drosophila species suggest that neurogenetics can be a powerful tool for understanding how insects' ability to select a specific host plant has evolved. Drosophila sechellia is a specialist species that exclusively reproduces on the ripe fruit of Morinda citrifolia, which is toxic to other Drosophila species, including D. melanogaster and D. simulans, which are phylogenetically close to D. sechellia. Genetic analyses have revealed that multiple loci are involved in the physiological and behavioral adaptations of D. sechellia to the Morinda fruit. The behavioral adaptation includes the loss of avoidance of the host toxin and the enhanced sensitivity to the host odor. Two odorant-binding protein genes, Obp57d and Obp57e, are involved in the perception of the host toxin. D. sechellia has lost several putative bitter-taste receptor genes, which might also be involved in the loss of avoidance of the host toxin. The available genetic data support an evolutionary scenario, in which the shift in the host-plant selection was not achieved by the acquisition of novel abilities, but by the loss of already existing abilities. It is also suggested that the size of chemosensory gene families has a potential to be an index of complexity in insect-environment interaction, providing an opportunity to reexamine the longstanding "specialization as an evolutionary dead end" hypothesis.


A Simplified Technique for Implant-Abutment Level Impression after Soft Tissue Adaptation around Provisional Restoration.
Impression techniques for implant restorations can be implant level or abutment level impressions with open tray or closed tray techniques. Conventional implant-abutment level impression techniques are predictable for maximizing esthetic outcomes. Restoration of the implant traditionally requires the use of the metal or plastic impression copings, analogs, and laboratory components. Simplifying the dental implant restoration by reducing armamentarium through incorporating conventional techniques used daily for crowns and bridges will allow more general dentists to restore implants in their practices. The demonstrated technique is useful when modifications to implant abutments are required to correct the angulation of malpositioned implants. This technique utilizes conventional crown and bridge impression techniques. As an added benefit, it reduces costs by utilizing techniques used daily for crowns and bridges. The aim of this report is to describe a simplified conventional impression technique for custom abutments and modified prefabricated solid abutments for definitive restorations.


[Applied Research in Grade Estimation of Surimi by Near Infrared Spectroscopy].
The feasibility of utilizing near infrared spectroscopy for estimating frozen and thawed white croaker surimi with different grades was presented in the research. First-derivative and standard normal variable transformation were used as pretreatment method, then principal component analysis was carried out on the processed datas. Establish grade estimation model on white croaker surimi with different grades by principal component analysis-mahalanobis distance pattern recognition method. Seven kinds of physicochemical indexes (moisture, protein, crude fat, salt-soluble protein, gel strength, water-holding ability and whiteness) of white croaker surimi with different grades were determinated. We came to the following conclusions. Firstly, white croaker surimi with three grade could be distinguished effectively by principal component analysis. Secondly, the model of grade estimation established by principal component analysis-mahalanobis distance pattern recognition method had better performance on frozen white croaker surimi than thawed ones, the former's comprehensive accuracy was 96. 3 % with the latter's is 83. 3%. Thirdly, the physicochemical indexes of white croaker surimi with different grades had some distinctions. The research indicated that near infrared spectroscopy could estimate the grade of white croaker surimi rapidly and nondestructively.


Curative effect of stereotactic body radiotherapy for unresectable massive primary liver cancer.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the curative effect of gamma knife stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for unresectable massive primary liver cancer. A total of 69 patients with unresectable massive (>10 cm) primary liver cancer who were treated by SBRT at the Department of Radiation Oncology of the 323 Hospital of People's Liberation Army (Xi'an, China) between October, 2006 and October, 2010, were analyzed. According to the Union for International Cancer Control TNM staging guidelines, the patients were graded as stage T1 (n=8), T2 (n=12), T3 (n=21) and T4 (n=28). None of the patients had lymph node metastasis, whereas 45 patients had portal vein tumor thrombosis. The Child-Pugh class was A (n=49), B (n=15) and C (n=5). The visible tumor volume ± standard deviation was 810±213 cm3. The patients received a total radiation dose of 50-60 Gy, with a dose fractionation of 4-6 Gy/fx, administered for a total of 9-12 times, 2-5 times/week. A total of 8 patients succumbed to the disease within 3 months after gamma knife treatment and were not included in the evaluation of the curative effect. The total effectiveness rate was 59.0% (36/61) and the median survival was 17.4 months for all the patients included in the study. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 71, 30 and 22%, respectively. In conclusion, SBRT appears to be effective for unresectable massive primary liver cancer.


Consumption of ultra- and non-ultra-processed foods of individuals with normal-weight obesity.
The normal-weight obesity (NWO) is highly associated with an increased risk for chronic non-communicable diseases and intricately linked to diet quality. Therefore, we assessed the consumption of ultra-processed and non-ultraprocessed foods of 224 Brazilian adults with NWO (n 159) and without NWO (n 65, non-NWO) in a cross-sectional study. For that, three dietary recalls were applied and categorised according to the NOVA classification. Individuals with NWO showed lower energy intake from the 'fresh or minimally processed food' group, specifically for rice (P = 0⋅037), beans (P = 0⋅002) and fruits (P = 0⋅026), as well as lower consumption of dietary fibre (P < 0⋅05) compared with non-NWO subjects. Total consumption of ultra-processed foods did not differ between groups; however, individuals with NWO had a higher energy intake from processed meats compared with the non-NWO group (54⋅1 ± 73⋅5 × 32⋅5 ± 50⋅8 kcal; P = 0⋅023). Energy and added sugar from ultra-processed foods (OR 1⋅02, CI 95 % 1⋅00-1⋅04, P = 0⋅0100) and total fat from non-ultra-processed foods (OR 1⋅09, CI 95 % 1⋅01-1⋅18; P = 0⋅0100) were associated with the presence of NWO. In conclusion, non-NWO individuals consumed more non-ultra-processed foods compared with the NWO group. Overall, there were no differences in the consumption of ultra-processed foods between the two groups. Important associations between food compounds and the presence of NWO were observed, emphasising the importance of fresh and minimally processed foods as the basis of the diet.


Use of clopidogrel loading, enoxaparin, and double-bolus eptifibatide in the setting of early percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes.
This study sought to evaluate the safety and feasibility of using the combination of aspirin, front-loaded clopidogrel, enoxaparin, and eptifibatide in patients with acute coronary syndromes immediately prior to percutaneous coronary intervention. One hundred ninety-eight patients (39 with acute myocardial infarction) received aspirin 325 mg orally, clopidogrel 300 mg orally, enoxaparin 0.5 mg/kg intravenous (IV), and eptifibatide using the ESPIRIT dosing (180 g/kg bolus IV, immediately followed by a 2 g/kg/minute continuous IV infusion, and then a second 180 g/kg bolus IV ten minutes after the first bolus). A total of 363 lesions were intervened; two were determined unsuccessful. Arterial sheaths were removed using manual compression after 3 hours. In the immediate follow-up, one patient developed rigors thought to be related to the eptifibatide therapy and a second patient experienced rebleeding at the access site. No other major bleeding or access-site hematomas were noted, and no patient developed thrombocytopenia. Over the subsequent 30 days, no episodes of acute vessel/stent thromboses were recognized. There were no deaths. Repeat coronary intervention was required in one patient at a previously untreated site. Clopidogrel was discontinued early in 5 patients due to rash. In conclusion, this pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of administering aspirin, clopidogrel, enoxaparin, and eptifibatide in the setting of percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes. These agents can be administered moments before the coronary intervention with no apparent compromise in patient safety.


Panicle-Cloud: An Open and AI-Powered Cloud Computing Platform for Quantifying Rice Panicles from Drone-Collected Imagery to Enable the Classification of Yield Production in Rice.
Rice (Oryza sativa) is an essential stable food for many rice consumption nations in the world and, thus, the importance to improve its yield production under global climate changes. To evaluate different rice varieties' yield performance, key yield-related traits such as panicle number per unit area (PNpM2) are key indicators, which have attracted much attention by many plant research groups. Nevertheless, it is still challenging to conduct large-scale screening of rice panicles to quantify the PNpM2 trait due to complex field conditions, a large variation of rice cultivars, and their panicle morphological features. Here, we present Panicle-Cloud, an open and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cloud computing platform that is capable of quantifying rice panicles from drone-collected imagery. To facilitate the development of AI-powered detection models, we first established an open diverse rice panicle detection dataset that was annotated by a group of rice specialists; then, we integrated several state-of-the-art deep learning models (including a preferred model called Panicle-AI) into the Panicle-Cloud platform, so that nonexpert users could select a pretrained model to detect rice panicles from their own aerial images. We trialed the AI models with images collected at different attitudes and growth stages, through which the right timing and preferred image resolutions for phenotyping rice panicles in the field were identified. Then, we applied the platform in a 2-season rice breeding trial to valid its biological relevance and classified yield production using the platform-derived PNpM2 trait from hundreds of rice varieties. Through correlation analysis between computational analysis and manual scoring, we found that the platform could quantify the PNpM2 trait reliably, based on which yield production was classified with high accuracy. Hence, we trust that our work demonstrates a valuable advance in phenotyping the PNpM2 trait in rice, which provides a useful toolkit to enable rice breeders to screen and select desired rice varieties under field conditions.


Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Extrahepatic Bile Duct.
Background: Most malignant tumors arising from the biliary tract are adenocarcinomas. Adenosquamous carcinoma is an uncommon variant of extrahepatic bile duct cancer that is associated with more aggressive behavior than adenocarcinoma. Case Report: A 58-year-old male presented with complaints of obstructive jaundice and dull aching pain in the abdomen. At his initial evaluation in another hospital, ultrasound of the abdomen and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed common bile duct dilatation with an ill-defined lesion in the periampullary region. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed infiltration of the ampulla. Biopsy specimen taken during stenting of the common bile duct suggested dysplasia. Because of recurrent jaundice, the patient was referred to our institution, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a hypoenhancing lesion with ill-defined margins in the head of the pancreas. The patient underwent a Whipple procedure. Microscopic examination of the pancreaticoduodenectomy specimen showed an invasive adenosquamous tumor arising from the distal part of the common bile duct that infiltrated the body and head of the pancreas, involved the wall of the duodenum, and reached the duodenal mucosa. Morphologic diagnosis was supported by immunohistochemistry profile. Postoperative contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen showed multiple enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and multiple lesions in both lobes of the liver, suggestive of metastasis. The patient died 1 week after surgery. Conclusion: Because the clinical, pathologic, and prognostic characteristics of adenosquamous carcinoma are poorly known, early diagnosis of this rare entity is warranted for patient management.


The N-terminal lobes of both regulatory light chains interact with the tail domain in the 10 S-inhibited conformation of smooth muscle myosin.
In the presence of ATP, unphosphorylated smooth muscle myosin can form a catalytically inactive monomer that sediments at 10 Svedbergs (10 S). The tail of 10 S bends into thirds and interacts with the regulatory domain. ADP-P(i) is "trapped" at the active site, and consequently the ATPase activity is extremely low. We are interested in the structural basis for maintenance of this off state. Our prior photocross-linking work with 10 S showed that tail residues 1554-1583 are proximal to position 108 in the C-terminal lobe of one of the two regulatory light chains ( Olney, J. J., Sellers, J. R., and Cremo, C. R. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 20375-20384 ). These data suggested that the tail interacts with only one of the two regulatory light chains. Here we present data, using a photocross-linker on position 59 on the N-terminal lobe of the regulatory light chain (RLC), demonstrating that both regulatory light chains of a single molecule can cross-link to the light meromyosin portion of the tail. Mass spectrometric data show four specific cross-linked regions spanning residues 1428-1571 in the light meromyosin portion of the tail, consistent with cross-linking two RLC to one light meromyosin. In addition, we find that position 59 can cross-link internally to residues 42-45 within the same RLC subunit. The internal cross-link only forms in 10 S and not in unphosphorylated heavy meromyosin (lacking the light meromyosin), suggesting a structural rearrangement within the RLC attributed to the interaction of the tail with the head.


Randomized Controlled Trial of Patient Education Tools for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of 2 educational tools for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by comparing a newly developed video tool, including storylines and testimonials, combined with a written booklet to the same written booklet alone. We conducted a randomized controlled trial. Our primary outcome was disease knowledge. Secondary outcomes were decisional conflict, self-efficacy, effective health care management, and satisfaction. Outcomes were measured before and after reviewing the materials, and 3 and 6 months later. Linear mixed-effects models were performed to evaluate changes over time. In total, 221 participants received an educational video and booklet (n = 111) or a booklet alone (n = 110). The mean age was 50.8 years, mean disease duration was 4.8 years, 85% were female, and 24% had limited health literacy levels. Within groups, most outcomes improved between baseline and follow-up, but there were no statistically significant differences across groups. Patients receiving the video and booklet were more likely than those receiving the booklet alone to rate the presentation as excellent for providing information about the impact of RA, medication options, evidence about medications, benefits of medication, and self-care options. Factors significantly associated with greater improvements in knowledge and decisional conflict from baseline to 6 months included limited health literacy, lower educational level, and shorter disease duration. Regardless of the delivery method, outcomes were improved up to 6 months after educational materials were delivered. Our findings support the implementation of self-administered educational materials in clinical settings, as they can result in sustained improvements in disease knowledge and decisional conflict.


Mechanistic insight into the reaction catalysed by bacterial type II dehydroquinases.
DHQ2 (type II dehydroquinase), which is an essential enzyme in Helicobacter pylori and Mycobacterium tuberculosis and does not have any counterpart in humans, is recognized to be an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents. Computational and biochemical studies that help understand in atomic detail the catalytic mechanism of these bacterial enzymes are reported in the present paper. A previously unknown key role of certain conserved residues of these enzymes, as well as the structural changes responsible for triggering the release of the product from the active site, were identified. Asp89*/Asp88* from a neighbouring enzyme subunit proved to be the residue responsible for the deprotonation of the essential tyrosine to afford the catalytic tyrosinate, which triggers the enzymatic process. The essentiality of this residue is supported by results from site-directed mutagenesis. For H. pylori DHQ2, this reaction takes place through the assistance of a water molecule, whereas for M. tuberculosis DHQ2, the tyrosine is directly deprotonated by the aspartate residue. The participation of a water molecule in this deprotonation reaction is supported by solvent isotope effects and proton inventory studies. MD simulation studies provide details of the required motions for the catalytic turnover, which provides a complete overview of the catalytic cycle. The product is expelled from the active site by the essential arginine residue and after a large conformational change of a loop containing two conserved arginine residues (Arg109/Arg108 and Arg113/Arg112), which reveals a previously unknown key role for these residues. The present study highlights the key role of the aspartate residue whose blockage could be useful in the rational design of inhibitors and the mechanistic differences between both enzymes.


Current status of cryotherapy for prostate and kidney cancer.
In terms of treating diseases, minimally invasive treatment has become a key element in reducing perioperative complications. Among the various minimally invasive treatments, cryotherapy is often used in urology to treat various types of cancers, especially prostate cancer and renal cancer. In prostate cancer, the increased incidence of low-risk, localized prostate cancer has made minimally invasive treatment modalities an attractive option. Focal cryotherapy for localized unilateral disease offers the added benefit of minimal morbidities. In renal cancer, owing to the increasing utilization of cross-sectional imaging, nearly 70% of newly detected renal masses are stage T1a, making them more susceptible to minimally invasive nephron-sparing therapies including laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy and ablative therapies. This article reviews the various outcomes of cryotherapy compared with other treatments and the possible uses of cryotherapy in surgery.


The CLEC12A receptor marks human basophils: Potential implications for minimal residual disease detection in acute myeloid leukemia.
The transmembrane receptor C-type lectin domain family 12, member A (CLEC12A) is known to be highly expressed on monocytes and neutrophils and is a reliable leukemia associated marker in acute myeloid leukemia. Consequently, detailed knowledge of the various normal cell types expressing this receptor is essential. We have observed CLEC12A to be expressed on CD45lowSSClowCD14-CD123+ basophils in peripheral blood (PB) and in this study, we aimed at verifying this observation and further delineate the CD45lowSSClowCD14-CD123 + CLEC12A+ subpopulation. We analyzed PB from 20 diagnostic chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) samples and eight healthy donors in a six-color multicolor flowcytometry (FCM) based assay. Furthermore, we performed fluorescence activated cell sorting on one CML sample to morphologically confirm the CD45lowSSClowCD14-CD123 + CLEC12A+ subset to be highly enriched for basophils. Finally, to further delineate the CD45lowSSClowCD14-CD123 + CLEC12A+ subpopulation in normal PB, we examined three healthy donors in a 10-color FCM assay enabling further separation of the cell subset into basophils and dendritic cells. The CLEC12A receptor is expressed on basophils. Identification and enumeration of basophils is of high relevance in diagnostic hematology and immunology. We here show that CLEC12A in a simple FCM assay consistently marks basophils. Importantly, as basophils are characterized by a CD45lowSSClow profile similar to the "blast-gate" used for the evaluation of hematological disorders, awareness of minor normal CLEC12A+ subpopulations is crucial when using CLEC12A as a minimal residual disease marker in myeloid malignancies. © 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society.


Two Congeneric Shrubs from the Atacama Desert Show Different Physiological Strategies That Improve Water Use Efficiency under a Simulated Heat Wave.
Desert shrubs are keystone species for plant diversity and ecosystem function. Atriplex clivicola and Atriplex deserticola (Amaranthaceae) are native shrubs from the Atacama Desert that show contrasting altitudinal distribution (A. clivicola: 0-700 m.a.s.l.; A. deserticola: 1500-3000 m.a.s.l.). Both species possess a C4 photosynthetic pathway and Kranz anatomy, traits adaptive to high temperatures. Historical records and projections for the near future show trends in increasing air temperature and frequency of heat wave events in these species' habitats. Besides sharing a C4 pathway, it is not clear how their leaf-level physiological traits associated with photosynthesis and water relations respond to heat stress. We studied their physiological traits (gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, water status) before and after a simulated heat wave (HW). Both species enhanced their intrinsic water use efficiency after HW but via different mechanisms. A. clivicola, which has a higher LMA than A. deserticola, enhances water saving by closing stomata and maintaining RWC (%) and leaf Ψmd potential at similar values to those measured before HW. After HW, A. deserticola showed an increase of Amax without concurrent changes in gs and a significant reduction of RWC and Ψmd. A. deserticola showed higher values of Chla fluorescence after HW. Thus, under heat stress, A. clivicola maximizes water saving, whilst A. deserticola enhances its photosynthetic performance. These contrasting (eco)physiological strategies are consistent with the adaptation of each species to their local environmental conditions at different altitudes.


New molecular quantitative PCR assay for detection of host-specific Bifidobacteriaceae suitable for microbial source tracking.
Bifidobacterium spp. belong to the commensal intestinal microbiota of warm-blooded animals. Some strains of Bifidobacterium show host specificity and have thus been proposed as host-specific targets to determine the origin of fecal pollution. Most strains have been used in microbial-source-tracking (MST) studies based on culture-dependent methods. Although some of these approaches have proved very useful, the low prevalence of culturable Bifidobacterium strains in the environment means that molecular culture-independent procedures could provide practical applications for MST. Reported here is a set of common primers and four Bifidobacterium sp. host-associated (human, cattle, pig, and poultry) probes for quantitative-PCR (qPCR) assessment of fecal source tracking. This set was tested using 25 water samples of diverse origin: urban sewage samples, wastewater from four abattoirs (porcine, bovine, and poultry), and water from a river with a low pollution load. The selected sequences showed a high degree of host specificity. There were no cross-reactions between the qPCR assays specific for each origin and samples from different fecal origins. On the basis of the findings, it was concluded that the host-specific qPCRs are sufficiently robust to be applied in environmental MST studies.


Can metabolically healthy obesity be explained by diet, genetics, and inflammation?
A substantial proportion of obese individuals do not present cardiometabolic complications such as diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidemia. Some, but not all, prospective studies observe similar risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality among individuals with this so-called "metabolically healthy obese" (MHO) phenotype, compared to the metabolically healthy normal weight or metabolically healthy non-obese phenotypes. Compared to the metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO) phenotype, MHO is often characterized by a more favorable inflammatory profile, less visceral fat, less infiltration of macrophages into adipose tissue, and smaller adipocyte cell size. Tipping the inflammation balance in adipose tissue might be particularly important for metabolic health in the obese. While the potential role of genetic predisposition or lifestyle factors such as diet in the MHO phenotype is yet to be clarified, it is well known that diet affects inflammation profile and contributes to the functionality of adipose tissue. This review will discuss genetic predisposition and the molecular mechanisms underlying the potential effect of food on the development of the metabolic phenotype characteristic of obesity.


[Newborn and infant nutrition in France in 2007].
Newborns and infants are mainly fed with maternal and/or formula milk. In France, breast-feeding is abandoned about 8 weeks after delivery on average, even though it is well known that it is best for growth and sensory development. Several formulas are claimed to mimic maternal milk, but their large number is a source of confusion. Up to three years of age, formula milk and cow's milk are important for growth and skeletal mineralization.


IL-2 pathway blocking in combination with anti-CD154 synergistically establishes mixed macrochimerism with limited dose of bone marrow cells and prolongs skin graft survival in mice.
To facilitate the establishment of mixed chimerism with limited dose of bone marrow (BM) cells, and to achieve tolerance in skin graft model, combined blocking of costimulatory pathway and IL-2 pathway was used in minimally myeloablative model using busulfan. BM cells (2.5x10(7)) of BALB/c were injected into C57BL/6 mice at day 0 with full thickness skin graft after single dose injection of busulfan (25 mg/kg) on day-1. Recipients were grouped and injected the anti-CD154, CTLA4-Ig, anti-IL-2R at days 0, 2, 4, and 6 according to protocol. Mixed macrochimerism were induced in groups treated with anti-CD154+anti-CTLA4-Ig, anti-CD154+anti-IL-2R, and anti-CD154+anti-CTLA4 Ig+anti-IL-2R. Three groups having chimerism enjoyed prolonged graft survival more than 6 months. Superantigen deletion study revealed deletion of alloreactive T cells in combined blockade treated groups. In graft versus host disease model using CFSE staining, CD4+ T cell and CD8+ T cell proliferation were reduced in groups treated with CTLA4-Ig or anti-IL-2R or both in combination with anti-CD154. However, anti-IL-2R was not so strong as CTLA4-Ig in terms of inhibition of T cell proliferation. In conclusion, IL-2 pathway blocking combined with anti-CD154 can establish macrochimerism with limited dose of BM transplantation and induce specific tolerance to allograft.


Polymorphisms in type 2 deiodinase are not associated with well-being, neurocognitive functioning, and preference for combined thyroxine/3,5,3'-triiodothyronine therapy.
Some patients on levothyroxine replacement display significant impairment in psychological well-being, compared with sex- and age-matched controls. Levothyroxine-treated patients can be assumed to derive T3 exclusively from deiodination of T4, which, in the central nervous system, is regulated by type II deiodinase (DII). We investigated whether two recently identified polymorphisms in the DII gene (DII-ORFa-Gly3Asp and DII-Thr92Ala) are determinants of well-being and neurocognitive functioning and associated with a preference for replacement with a combination of T3 and T4. Genotypes for both polymorphisms were determined in 141 patients with primary autoimmune hypothyroidism, adequately treated with levothyroxine monotherapy and participating in a randomized clinical trial comparing T4 therapy with T4/T3 combination therapy. Questionnaires on well-being and neurocognitive tests were performed at baseline. Allele frequencies in patients with primary hypothyroidism were similar to those of healthy blood bank donors (32.0 vs. 33.9% for DII-ORFa-Gly3Asp and 40.4 vs. 38.8% for DII-Thr92Ala). DII polymorphisms were not associated with measures of well-being, neurocognitive functioning, or preference for combined T4/T3 therapy. The DII-ORFa-Gly3Asp and DII-Thr92Ala polymorphisms do not explain differences in well-being, neurocognitive functioning, or appreciation of T4/T3 combination therapy in patients treated for hypothyroidism.


Mechanical Analysis of Ceramic/Polymer Composite with Mesh-Type Lightweight Design Using Binder-Jet 3D Printing.
3D printing technology has recently been highlighted as an innovative manufacturing process. Among various 3D printing methods, binder jetting (BJ) 3D printing is particularly known as technology used to produce the complex sand mold quickly for a casting process. However, high manufacturing costs, due to its expensive materials, need to be lowered for more industrial applications of 3D printing. In this study, we investigated mechanical properties of sand molds with a lightweight structure for low material consumption and short process time. Our stress analysis using a computational approach, revealed a structural weak point in the mesh-type lightweight design applied to the 3D-printed ceramic/polymer composite.


Phytochrome and Phytohormones: Working in Tandem for Plant Growth and Development.
Being sessile organisms, plants need to continually adapt and modulate their rate of growth and development in accordance with the changing environmental conditions, a phenomenon referred to as plasticity. Plasticity in plants is a highly complex process that involves a well-coordinated interaction between different signaling pathways, the spatiotemporal involvement of phytohormones and cues from the environment. Though research studies are being carried out over the years to understand how plants perceive the signals from changing environmental conditions and activate plasticity, such remain a mystery to be resolved. Among all environmental cues, the light seems to be the stand out factor influencing plant growth and development. During the course of evolution, plants have developed well-equipped signaling system that enables regulation of both quantitative and qualitative differences in the amount of perceived light. Light influences essential developmental switches in plants ranging from germination or transition to flowering, photomorphogenesis, as well as switches in response to shade avoidances and architectural changes occurring during phototropism. Abscisic acid (ABA) is controlling seed germination and is regulated by light. Furthermore, circadian clock adds another level of regulation to plant growth by integrating light signals with different hormonal pathways. MYB96 has been identified as a regulator of circadian gating of ABA-mediated responses in plants by binding to the TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1(TOC1) promoter. This review will present a representative regulatory model, highlight the successes achieved in employing novel strategies to dissect the levels of interaction and provide perspective for future research on phytochrome-phytohormones relationships toward facilitating plant growth, development, and function under abiotic-biotic stresses.


[Establishment of a nomogram model for predicting hematoma expansion in intracerebral hemorrhage and its multidimensional evaluation].
Objective: To establish a nomogram model for hematoma expansion (HE) prediction after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and evaluate its performance in a multidimensionally way. Methods: A total of 348 ICH patients who were firstly diagnosed and hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected retrospectively. There were 236 males and 112 females, and their age ranged from 18 to 94 (62.0±14.6) years. All patients were divided into HE group (n=121) or non-HE group (n=227) according to the presence or absence of HE. The clinical and imaging features were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed for determining the independent predicting factors for HE prediction and a Nomogram model was established by using these factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the prediction effectiveness, accuracy and clinical practicability of the model, respectively. Bootstrap method was used for internal validation. Results: There were significant differences in onset time, swirl sign, history of anticoagulants administrations, systolic blood pressure when admission, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores and RBC distribution width between the two groups[(1.77(1.0, 2.5) h vs 2(1, 3) h, 72 cases (59.5%) vs 94 cases (41.4%), 17 cases (14.0%) vs 15 cases (6.6%), (170.69±29.19) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) vs (163.84±26.07) mmHg, 11(8, 14) scores vs 14(10, 15) scores, 44.3% (41.2%, 46.8%) vs 42.4% (40.1%, 45.3%);respectively, all P<0.05]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that onset time (OR=0.809, 95%CI: 0.682-1.961, P=0.015), swirl sign (OR=0.562, 95%CI:0.349-0.905, P=0.018), history of anticoagulants administrations (OR=0.394, 95%CI: 0.180-1.861, P=0.020), and GCS (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.815-1.952, P=0.001) were the predicting factors for HE. The area under the curve (AUC) of the Nomogram model was 0.735(95%CI: 0.687-0.805), which demonstrated that the model has an ideal prediction effectiveness. The calibration curve showed that the prediction probability of HE of the model fits well with the actual probability, and with high calibration. DCA showed relatively wide range of optional threshold probability of the model (ranging from 14% to 72%), the clinical practicability of this model was high. The internal validation results showed a C-index of 0.703, indicated a good discrimination power. Conclusion: The established Nomogram model can predict the HE of ICH with good prediction effectiveness, discrimination power and with good clinical practicability, which can be capable of providing an intuitive and visual guidance tool for timely identifying ICH patients who may have HE.


Cataract Surgery Quality and Capacity.
Cataract surgery is the most common operation performed in most developed countries, including Canada. Nuanced, evidence-driven policies are needed to ensure appropriate access to this sight-saving operation while maintaining the highest standards in quality of care. The Vision Health Services Research Program at Queen's University, in partnership with members of the Ontario Provincial Vision Task Force, has developed evidence to inform policies aimed at optimizing both access and quality across the eye care spectrum.


Tramtrack controls glial number and identity in the Drosophila embryonic CNS.
Neurons and glia are often derived from common multipotent stem cells. In Drosophila, neural identity appears to be the default fate of these precursors. Stem cells that generate either neurons or glia transiently express neural stem cell-specific markers. Further development as glia requires the activation of glial-specific regulators. However, this must be accompanied by simultaneous repression of the alternate neural fate. I show that the Drosophila transcriptional repressor Tramtrack is a key repressor of neuronal fates. It is expressed at high levels in all mature glia of the embryonic central nervous system. Analysis of the temporal profile of Tramtrack expression in glia shows that it follows that of existing glial markers. When expressed ectopically before neural stem cell formation, Tramtrack represses the neural stem cell-specific genes asense and deadpan. Surprisingly, Tramtrack protein levels oscillate in a cell cycle-dependent manner in proliferating glia, with expression dropping before replication, but re-initiating after S phase. Overexpression of Tramtrack blocks glial development by inhibiting S-phase and repressing expression of the S-phase cyclin, cyclin E. Conversely, in tramtrack mutant embryos, glia are disrupted and undergo additional rounds of replication. I propose that Tramtrack ensures stable mature glial identity by both repressing neuroblast-specific genes and controlling glial cell proliferation.


NUPR1 contributes to radiation resistance by maintaining ROS homeostasis via AhR/CYP signal axis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the major therapeutic approaches to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ionizing radiation (IR) inducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to a promising antitumor effect. However, the dysregulation of the redox system often causes radioresistance and impairs the efficacy of RT. Increasing evidence indicates that nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) plays a critical role in redox reactions. In this study, we aim to explore the role of NUPR1 in maintaining ROS homeostasis and radioresistance in HCC. The radioresistant role of NUPR1 was determined by colony formation assay, comet assay in vitro, and xenograft tumor models in vivo. Probes for ROS, apoptosis assay, and lipid peroxidation assay were used to investigate the functional effect of NUPR1 on ROS homeostasis and oxidative stress. RNA sequencing and co-immunoprecipitation assay were performed to clarify the mechanism of NUPR1 inhibiting the AhR/CYP signal axis. Finally, we analyzed clinical specimens to assess the predictive value of NUPR1 and AhR in the radiotherapeutic efficacy of HCC. We demonstrated that NUPR1 was upregulated in HCC tissues and verified that NUPR1 increased the radioresistance of HCC in vitro and in vivo. NUPR1 alleviated the generation of ROS and suppressed oxidative stress, including apoptosis and lipid peroxidation by downregulating cytochrome P450 (CYP) upon IR. ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and CYP inhibitor alizarin restored the viability of NUPR1-knockdown cells during IR. Mechanistically, the interaction between NUPR1 and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) promoted the degradation and decreased nuclear translation of AhR via the autophagy-lysosome pathway, followed by being incapable of CYP's transcription. Furthermore, genetically and pharmacologically activating AhR abrogated the radioresistant role of NUPR1. Clinical data suggested that NUPR1 and AhR could serve as novel biomarkers for predicting the radiation response of HCC. Our findings revealed the role of NUPR1 in regulating ROS homeostasis and oxidative stress via the AhR/CYP signal axis upon IR. Strategies targeting the NUPR1/AhR/CYP pathway may have important clinical applications for improving the radiotherapeutic efficacy of HCC.


[Ethics in preclinical emergency medicine--on the topic of medical futility and resuscitation efforts].
In prehospital emergency medicine, physicians are repeatedly faced with the question of when cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts should be withheld or terminated since they are clearly futile. Here, futile means the goal of saving life cannot be achieved. Determining futility involves qualitative und quantitative aspects. Does the possibility of simply restoring circulatory function justify the decision to initiate resuscitation or must the prospect of a prolonged meaningful life exist? The question of futility arises for the entire life-saving team during resuscitation efforts, for example, after traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest, prolonged down time, collapses in chronically-sick nursing home residents or during transport to hospital when prehospital CPR failed to restore spontaneous circulation. Possible solutions to this problem lie in restricting the objective of resuscitation to achieving a physiological effect in an organ system, i.e. regaining the cardiac pumping function, and in taking into account the chance of long-term survival and quality of life of the patient. Basically speaking, general ethical principles must be adhered to and these include consideration of a patient's right to self-determination. In the prehospital setting, however, the emergency physician is usually confronted with an unknown and unconscious patient and has no information about his preferences. In general, the patient's will to live and his desire for every effort to be made to save him can be assumed, even when there is only a slight chance of survival. Thus, unilateral decisions by emergency physicians to withhold CPR are only justified in special cases when it is obvious that CPR and preservation of life would not be in the patient's interest. When in doubt, resuscitation attempts must be made. The futility of these efforts may emerge later in hospital, or information becomes available regarding the patient's will which justifies an end to therapy.


The motivational foundations of different therapeutic orientations as indicated by therapists' value preferences.
The present study investigates the relationships between therapists' value preferences and their beliefs in the efficacy of the four main therapeutic orientations (cognitive behavior, psychodynamic, client-centered, and eco-systemic). The study was conducted in Israel. Social workers practicing individual therapy in different psychosocial services participated in the study (n = 528). Personal value preferences explained a significant proportion of the variance in the social workers' beliefs in the efficacy of different therapeutic orientations. Each therapeutic orientation was associated with a specific pattern of value preferences, thus indicating that different therapeutic orientations promote or impede the attainment of the therapists' specific motivational goals. The study results' implications for understanding the motivational foundations of different therapeutic orientations are discussed, as well as their possible application for therapist training and practice.


Study on Chemical Constituents in Polygoni Cuspidati Folium and its Preparation by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS.
A rapid and credible analytical method was developed using online UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS to identify chemical constituents in Polygoni cuspidati folium and its preparation. By accurate mass measurements within 6.5 ppm error for [M-H]- ion in routine analysis, 26 chemical constituents, including tannin, derivatives of phenylpropionic acid, stilbene, flavonoid, anthraquinone, torachryson and its derivatives, were identified or tentatively characterized. Among them, five constituents (compounds 19-23) were firstly reported in Polygoni cuspidati folium, other 17 constituents were coexisting in both Polygoni cuspidati folium and its preparation. Fragmentation behaviors of different categories of constituents were also investigated to confirm the results. This established UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS method, with reliance and efficiency for the identification the major constituents, would be the basis for quality control of Polygoni cuspidati folium and its preparation.


Changing incidence of sinus infection in children.
This study presents the results of a 20 year review of maxillary sinus wash-outs performed on children. The results show a decreasing incidence of purulent sinusitis over the study period. Only 17 per cent of antral wash-outs undertaken yielded pus, indicating that surgical practice has failed to adequately take account of the changing disease incidence.


Evaluation of methods to detect interhemispheric asymmetry on cerebral perfusion SPECT: application to epilepsy.
Detecting perfusion interhemispheric asymmetry in neurologic nuclear medicine imaging is an interesting approach to epilepsy. This study compared 4 methods that detect interhemispheric asymmetries of brain perfusion in SPECT. The first (M1) was conventional side-by-side expert-based visual interpretation of SPECT. The second (M2) was visual interpretation assisted by an interhemispheric difference (IHD) volume. The last 2 were automatic methods: unsupervised analysis using volumes of interest (M3) and unsupervised analysis of the IHD volume (M4). Use of these methods to detect possible perfusion asymmetry was compared on 60 simulated SPECT datasets by controlling the presence and location of asymmetries. From the detection results, localization receiver operating characteristic curves were generated and areas under curves were estimated and compared. Finally, the methods were applied to analyze interictal SPECT datasets to localize the epileptogenic focus in temporal lobe epilepsies. This study showed an improvement in asymmetry detection on SPECT images with the methods using IHD volume (M2 and M4), in comparison with the other methods (M1 and M3). However, the most useful method for analyzing clinical SPECT datasets appeared to be visual inspection assisted by the IHD volume, since the automatic method using the IHD volume was less specific. The use of quantitative methods can improve performance in detection of perfusion asymmetry over visual inspection alone.


Inguinal canal recurrence of colorectal adenocarcinoma following cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy.
Peritoneal carcinomatosis, the second most common cause of death among patients with colorectal carcinoma, may be managed with cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant intraoperative peritoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (IHPC). We present the case of a 35-year-old male with locally recurrent colorectal adenocarcinoma in the inguinal canal and testis following intraperitoneal debulking and IPHC. When communicating with the peritoneal cavity, the inguinal canal may act as an anatomic sanctuary site and allow peritoneal carcinomatosis to escape the effects of intraperitoneal chemotherapy.


Demonstration of a Ca2+ requirement for thyroglobulin dimerization and export to the golgi complex.
We have examined the effects of depleting the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store on the maturation of newly synthesized thyroglobulin molecules, their export to the Golgi complex, and their secretion by FRTL-5 cells. An inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump, thapsigargin, and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 depleted the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store and strongly inhibited thyroglobulin secretion in cells chased in medium containing 0.1 mM Ca2+. Inhibition of thyroglobulin secretion was caused by a block in the export of newly synthesized thyroglobulin molecules from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex, as shown by cell-fractionation experiments and the intracellular accumulation of endoH-sensitive thyroglobulin. The thyroglobulin molecules retained in the endoplasmic reticulum of cells treated with the drugs were found to assemble more slowly into dimers than thyroglobulin in control cells. Protease-sensitivity experiments demonstrated that thyroglobulin dimers assembled in the presence of thapsigargin had a different conformation with respect to dimers assembled in controls cells.


[A comparison of clinical characteristics in elderly patients with ulcerative colitis and ischemic colitis].
To analyze the discrepancy and similarities of clinical characteristics in elderly patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and ischemic colitis (IC). A total of 43 elderly patients (age≥60 yrs) with UC and 36 elderly patients with IC were enrolled from 2004 to 2015 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The clinical characteristics were retrospectively analyzed and compared between the two groups. Compared with IC group, the disease course was longer with lower incidence of cardiovascular comorbidities in UC patients (P<0.05). In UC group, more patients presented with diarrhea, mucopurulent bloody stool [39(90.7%) vs 16(44.4%) and 34(79.1%) vs 2(5.6%) respectively, both P<0.01]. Yet bloody stool as the only symptom was seen in more IC patients than UC patients [61.1%(22/36) vs 7.0%(3/43), P<0.01]. The ratio of extra-intestinal manifestations was higher [18.6%(8/43) vs 0(0/36)] in UC patients, while complications were lower [11.6%(5/43) vs 30.6%(11/36), P<0.05]. As to the laboratory parameters, median platelet count [(294.38±104.83)×10(9)/L vs (235.47±94.82)×10(9)/L, P<0.05] was higher in UC group. In addition, more patients with UC had positive perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA) [50.0%(15/30) vs 10.0%(2/20), P<0.05]. The most commonly involved regions of IC were descending colon and sigmoid colon, in which the lesions were clearly demarcated with the normal mucosa. Lesions in patients with UC mainly originated from rectum and might spread to the whole colon. Vascular occlusion and micro thrombosis were characteristic pathological findings of IC. The crypt abscesses were frequently seen in the UC group. Even though UC and IC have some similar manifestations in the elderly patients, clinical and pathological discrepancy is still helpful to differentiate each other.


Confusion as a technique to induce hypnosis in a severely anxious pediatric dental patient.
Hypnosis may be the tool of choice in patients who reject or otherwise cannot receive pharmacological modalities, or behavioral interventions. It is a state of mind in which suggestions are not only more readily accepted than in the waking state, but also acted upon much more powerfully than would be possible under normal conditions. Confusion is one of many techniques, which may aid the practitioner in inducing hypnosis. A case of using confusion to induce hypnosis in an extremely anxious 13-year-old girl in the dental office is presented.


Natural and synthetic pathogen associated molecular patterns modulate galectin expression in cow blood.
Pathogen-associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) are highly conserved structural motifs that are recognized by Pathogen Recognition receptors (PRRs) to initiate immune responses. Infection by these pathogens and the immune response to PAMPS such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Peptidoglycan (PGN), bacterial oligodeoxynucleotides [CpG oligodeoxynucleotides 2006 (CpG ODN2006) and CpG oligodeoxynucleotides 2216 (CpG ODN2216)], and viral RNA Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid (Poly I:C), are associated with infectious and metabolic diseases in animals impacting health and production. It is established that PAMPs mediate the production of cytokines by binding to PRRs such as Toll-like receptors (TLR) on immune cells. Galectins (Gal) are carbohydrate-binding proteins that when expressed play essential roles in the resolution of infectious and metabolic diseases. Thus it is important to determine if the expression of galectin gene (LGALS) and Gal secretion in blood are affected by exposure to LPS and PGN, PolyI:C and bacterial CpG ODNs. LPS increased transcription of LGALS4 and 12 (2.5 and 2.02 folds respectively) and decreased secretion of Gal 4 (p < 0.05). PGN increased transcription of LGALS-1, -2, -3, -4, -7, and -12 (3.0, 2.3, 2.0, 4.1, 3.3, and 2.4 folds respectively) and secretion of Gal-8 and Gal-9 (p < 0.05). Poly I:C tended to increase the transcription of LGALS1, LGALS4, and LGALS8 (1.78, 1.88, and 1.73 folds respectively). Secretion of Gal-1, -3, -8 and nine were significantly increased in treated samples compared to control (p < 0.05). CpG ODN2006 did not cause any significant fold changes in LGALS transcription (FC < 2) but increased secretion of Gal-1, and-3 (p < 0.05) in plasma compared to control. Gal-4 was however reduced in plasma (p < 0.05). CpG ODN2216 increased transcription of LGALS1 and LGALS3 (3.8 and 1.6 folds respectively), but reduced LGALS2, LGALS4, LGALS7, and LGALS12 (-1.9, -2.0, -2.0 and; -2.7 folds respectively). Secretion of Gal-2 and -3 in plasma was increased compared to control (p < 0.05). Gal-4 secretion was reduced in plasma (p < 0.05). The results demonstrate that PAMPs differentially modulate galectin transcription and translation of galectins in cow blood.