Nonmalignant T cells stimulate growth of T-cell lymphoma cells in the presence of bacterial toxins.
Bacterial toxins including staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs). Here, we investigate SE-mediated interactions between nonmalignant T cells and malignant T-cell lines established from skin and blood of CTCL patients. The malignant CTCL cells express MHC class II molecules that are high-affinity receptors for SE. Although treatment with SE has no direct effect on the growth of the malignant CTCL cells, the SE-treated CTCL cells induce vigorous proliferation of the SE-responsive nonmalignant T cells. In turn, the nonmalignant T cells enhance proliferation of the malignant cells in an SE- and MHC class II-dependent manner. Furthermore, SE and, in addition, alloantigen presentation by malignant CTCL cells to irradiated nonmalignant CD4(+) T-cell lines also enhance proliferation of the malignant cells. The growth-promoting effect depends on direct cell-cell contact and soluble factors such as interleukin-2. In conclusion, we demonstrate that SE triggers a bidirectional cross talk between nonmalignant T cells and malignant CTCL cells that promotes growth of the malignant cells. This represents a novel mechanism by which infections with SE-producing bacteria may contribute to pathogenesis of CTCL.


Transcriptomics and molecular docking reveal the potential mechanism of lycorine against pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely malignant digestive tumor, however, owing to its high drug resistance of pancreatic cancer, the search for more effective anti-pancreatic cancer drugs is urgently needed. Lycorine, an alkaloid of natural plant origin, exerts antitumor effects on a variety of tumors. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of lycorine on pancreatic cancer and elucidate its potential molecular mechanism. Two pancreatic cancer cell lines, PANC-1 and BxPC-3, were used to investigate the therapeutic effects of lycorine on pancreatic cancer in vitro using the CCK8 assay, colony formation assay, 5-Ethynyl-2'- deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting. Transcriptome sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were used to analyze the differentially expressed genes and pathways after lycorine treatment. Molecular docking, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), oil red O staining, small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection, and other experiments were performed to further validate the differentially expressed genes and pathways. In vivo experiments were conducted to investigate lycorine's inhibitory effects and toxicity on pancreatic cancer using a tumor-bearing mouse model. Lycorine inhibited the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells, caused G2/M phase cycle arrest and induced apoptosis. Transcriptome sequencing and GSEA showed that lycorine inhibition of pancreatic cancer was associated with fatty acid metabolism, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 3A1 (ALDH3A1) was a significantly enriched target in the fatty acid metabolism process. ALDH3A1 expression was significantly upregulated in pancreatic cancer and was closely associated with prognosis. Molecular docking showed that lycorine binds strongly to ALDH3A1. Further studies revealed that lycorine inhibited the fatty acid oxidation (FAO) process in pancreatic cancer cells and induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis through ALDH3A1. Lycorine also showed significant suppressive effects in tumor-bearing mice. Importantly, it did not result in significant toxicity to liver and kidney of mice, demonstrating its therapeutic potential as a safe antitumor agent. Lycorine inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, blocked the cell cycle, and induced apoptosis by targeting ALDH3A1. FAO inhibition was identified for the first time as a possible mechanism for the anticancer effects of lycorine. These findings enrich the theory of targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer, expand our understanding of the pharmacological targets of lycorine, and provide a reference for exploring its natural components.


A Wearable Human Motion Tracking Device Using Micro Flow Sensor Incorporating a Micro Accelerometer.
This paper proposes a wearable human motion tracking device using micro flow sensor incorporating a micro accelerometer, which allows detecting postures of human limbs in dynamic motions. A micro flow sensor is used to detect motion velocity, from which, motion acceleration can be estimated. Thereby, the limb postures are figured out by using the components of the gravity acceleration that are determined by subtracting the motion accelerations from the accelerometer outputs. The motion tracking device is packaged in a watch-type case, which allows it to be wearable. A Kalman filter is employed to implement sensor data fusion. The motion velocity, motion acceleration, and postures of human limbs can be effectively detected by the proposed motion tracking device and methodology. Experiments including human limb tracking are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed device and methodology. The experimental results show that the measurements of human limb motion and posture are feasible and free of accumulative errors. The flow-aid motion tracking device is wearable, environmental-restriction free, and practicable for long-term monitoring, and provides a promising approach for physical rehabilitation, intelligent prosthesis, personal athletic training, etc.


A machine learning approach for the identification of odorant binding proteins from sequence-derived properties.
Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are believed to shuttle odorants from the environment to the underlying odorant receptors, for which they could potentially serve as odorant presenters. Although several sequence based search methods have been exploited for protein family prediction, less effort has been devoted to the prediction of OBPs from sequence data and this area is more challenging due to poor sequence identity between these proteins. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm that uses Regularized Least Squares Classifier (RLSC) in conjunction with multiple physicochemical properties of amino acids to predict odorant-binding proteins. The algorithm was applied to the dataset derived from Pfam and GenDiS database and we obtained overall prediction accuracy of 97.7% (94.5% and 98.4% for positive and negative classes respectively). Our study suggests that RLSC is potentially useful for predicting the odorant binding proteins from sequence-derived properties irrespective of sequence similarity. Our method predicts 92.8% of 56 odorant binding proteins non-homologous to any protein in the swissprot database and 97.1% of the 414 independent dataset proteins, suggesting the usefulness of RLSC method for facilitating the prediction of odorant binding proteins from sequence information.


[Hygienic evaluation of water obtained by the method of hydration of carbon dioxide].
Water produced by the method of carbon dioxide hydration according to the Sabatier reaction was evaluated in hygienic terms. It was found that with respect to organoleptic and bacteriological parameters this water met the requirements for portable water, as described in the USSR Standards 2874-82. However, this water contained more nickel; therefore before drinking, it needed further purification, conditioning and testing.


Secondary structure encodes a cooperative tertiary folding funnel in the Azoarcus ribozyme.
A requirement for specific RNA folding is that the free-energy landscape discriminate against non-native folds. While tertiary interactions are critical for stabilizing the native fold, they are relatively non-specific, suggesting additional mechanisms contribute to tertiary folding specificity. In this study, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to explore how secondary structure shapes the tertiary free-energy landscape of the Azoarcus ribozyme. We show that steric and connectivity constraints posed by secondary structure strongly limit the accessible conformational space of the ribozyme, and that these so-called topological constraints in turn pose strong free-energy penalties on forming different tertiary contacts. Notably, native A-minor and base-triple interactions form with low conformational free energy, while non-native tetraloop/tetraloop-receptor interactions are penalized by high conformational free energies. Topological constraints also give rise to strong cooperativity between distal tertiary interactions, quantitatively matching prior experimental measurements. The specificity of the folding landscape is further enhanced as tertiary contacts place additional constraints on the conformational space, progressively funneling the molecule to the native state. These results indicate that secondary structure assists the ribozyme in navigating the otherwise rugged tertiary folding landscape, and further emphasize topological constraints as a key force in RNA folding.


Cingulate Cortex: Anatomy, Structural and Functional Connectivity.
The cingulate cortex is a paired brain region located on the medial wall of each hemisphere. This review explores the anatomy as well as the structural and functional connectivity of the cingulate cortex underlying essential roles this region plays in emotion, autonomic, cognitive, motor control, visual-spatial processing, and memory.


Immune Deficiency and Apparently Increased Susceptibility to Infection in Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Children one to ten years of age who had had the fetal alcohol syndrome were compared with age-matched children with intrauterine growth retardation without exposure to alcohol. Those with fetal alcohol syndrome had greater impairment of immune function.


The influence of an induced negative emotional state on autobiographical memory coherence.
Individuals who experience difficulty constructing coherent narratives about significant personal experiences generally report less psychological well-being and more depressive symptoms. It remains, however, unclear whether a negative emotional state, one of the core symptoms of depression, causes this impairment in autobiographical memory coherence. The current study aimed to examine the causal relation between mood and memory coherence by means of a mood induction paradigm. A group of 165 students were randomly allocated to one of three mood groups: negative, positive, and neutral. We hypothesized that memory coherence would decrease following a negative mood induction. In addition, working memory capacity was expected to mediate the association between mood and memory coherence. Contrary to predictions, memory coherence increased following a negative mood induction. This increase was likewise observed in the positive mood group, though memory coherence remained consistent in the neutral mood group. This effect of mood on memory coherence was solely observed in female participants and not in the small male subsample. Results provided no support for the hypothesis that working memory capacity functioned as an underlying mechanism. Different theoretical explanations are discussed.


The chloroplast RNA helicase ISE2 is required for multiple chloroplast RNA processing steps in Arabidopsis thaliana.
INCREASED SIZE EXCLUSION LIMIT2 (ISE2) is a chloroplast-localized RNA helicase that is indispensable for proper plant development. Chloroplasts in leaves with reduced ISE2 expression have previously been shown to exhibit reduced thylakoid contents and increased stromal volume, indicative of defective development. It has recently been reported that ISE2 is required for the splicing of group II introns from chloroplast transcripts. The current study extends these findings, and presents evidence for ISE2's role in multiple aspects of chloroplast RNA processing beyond group II intron splicing. Loss of ISE2 from Arabidopsis thaliana leaves resulted in defects in C-to-U RNA editing, altered accumulation of chloroplast transcripts and chloroplast-encoded proteins, and defective processing of chloroplast ribosomal RNAs. Potential ISE2 substrates were identified by RNA immunoprecipitation followed by next-generation sequencing (RIP-seq), and the diversity of RNA species identified supports ISE2's involvement in multiple aspects of chloroplast RNA metabolism. Comprehensive phylogenetic analyses revealed that ISE2 is a non-canonical Ski2-like RNA helicase that represents a separate sub-clade unique to green photosynthetic organisms, consistent with its function as an essential protein. Thus ISE2's evolutionary conservation may be explained by its numerous roles in regulating chloroplast gene expression.


Sonographic baseline physeal plate width measurements in healthy, uninjured children.
There are limited data on the sonographic evaluation of normative physeal plate measurements in healthy, uninjured children. This study aimed to determine baseline measurements in physeal plate widths and to assess variation in the measured widths among contralateral sides, age group, and sex in healthy, uninjured children. This was a prospective observational study of a convenience sample of healthy patients between 0 and 12 years of age presenting to the pediatric emergency department. A point-of-care ultrasound examination of the distal radius, ulna, fibula, and tibia was performed bilaterally (8 total). Measurements were taken at the physeal plates in the longitudinal plane at the widest distance. The degree of variance of physeal plate widths within an individual and the mean values of physeal plate widths for each bone were calculated. A total of 95 patients were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the enrolled patients was 6 years 3 months; 40% were female. Mean (SD) physeal plate widths for the averaged measurement of each bone were as follows: radius, 0.32cm (0.09); ulna, 0.31cm (0.09); fibula, 0.31cm (0.08); and tibia, 0.39cm (0.09). Mean (SD) values for the absolute difference in physeal plate widths were as follows: radius, 0.08cm (0.06); ulna, 0.07cm (0.10); fibula, 0.06cm (0.06); and tibia, 0.06cm (0.05). When measurements were stratified by age and sex, the mean physeal plate widths and mean difference in physeal plate widths did not demonstrate any significant differences. This pilot study demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference in physeal plate widths between contralateral extremities and the degree of variation between contralateral extremities was minimal. Results of this study elucidate normative physeal plate variance in healthy children and demonstrate that mean physeal plate measurements and absolute differences are narrow. This study suggests that sonographic detection of significant disparities in physeal plate widths of injured children may have the potential for earlier detection of Salter-Harris injuries with subsequent appropriate referral and management.


Bifunctional squaramide catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of chiral α-mercaptosilanes.
Bifunctional squaramide-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of thiophenols to easily available β-silyl α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has been successfully developed. A structurally diverse set of chiral α-mercaptosilanes was efficiently prepared in good to excellent yields with acceptable enantioselectivities. The reaction features mild reaction conditions, a broad substrate scope, and easy scale-up.


Functional link between BLM defective in Bloom's syndrome and the ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated protein, ATM.
Chromosome aberrations, genomic instability, and cancer predisposition are hallmarks of a number of syndromes in which the defective genes recognize and/or repair DNA damage or are involved in some aspect of DNA processing. We report here direct interaction between BLM, mutated in Bloom's Syndrome (BS), and ATM, mutated is ataxia-telangiectasia, and we have mapped the sites of interaction. Full-length BLM cDNA corrected sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and radiosensitivity in BS cells. Mitotic phosphorylation of BLM was partially dependent on ATM, and phosphorylation sites on BLM were identified. A phosphospecific antibody against one of these sites (Thr-99) revealed radiation-induced phosphorylation, which was defective in ataxia-telangiectasia cells. Stable cell lines expressing phosphorylation site mutants failed to correct radiosensitivity in BS cells but corrected SCE. These mutants also sensitized normal control cells to radiation and increased radiation-induced chromosome aberrations but did not cause SCE numbers to increase. These data suggest that ATM and BLM function together in recognizing abnormal DNA structures by direct interaction and that these phosphorylation sites in BLM are important for radiosensitivity status but not for SCE frequency.


Modulation and function of the autaptic connections of layer V fast spiking interneurons in the rat neocortex.
Neocortical fast-spiking (FS) basket cells form dense autaptic connections that provide inhibitory GABAergic feedback after each action potential. It has been suggested that these autaptic connections are used because synaptic communication is sensitive to neuromodulation, unlike the voltage-sensitive potassium channels in FS cells. Here we show that layer V FS interneurons form autaptic connections that are largely perisomatic, and without perturbing intracellular Cl(-) homeostasis, that perisomatic GABAergic currents have a reversal potential of 78 +/- 4 mV. Using variance-mean analysis, we demonstrate that autaptic connections have a mean of 14 release sites (range 4-26) with a quantal amplitude of 101 +/- 16 pA and a probability of release of 0.64 (V(command) = 70 mV, [Ca(2+)](o) = 2 mM, [Mg(2+)](o) = 1 mM). We found that autaptic GABA release is sensitive to GABA(B) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, but not a range of other classical neuromodulators. Our results indicate that GABA transporters do not regulate FS interneuron autapses, yet autaptically released GABA does not act at GABA(B) or extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors. This research confirms that the autaptic connections of FS cells are indeed susceptible to modulation, though only via specific GABAergic and cholinergic mechanisms.


[Significance of hypo-osmolar diets for oral nutrition build-up in very severe malabsorption--clinical observations exemplified by infants with subtotal small intestine resection].
Regenerative and adaptive processes of the gut are apparently analogous to the absorption rate in small bowel diseases. These processes can be enhanced by the prolongation of passage time which, in turn, is influenced by the osmolality of the formula diet. Since infants who have undergone a subtotal bowel resection, like other children with serious diseases of the small bowel, are extraordinarily sensitive to hyperosmolar food, any preparation with special indications should be balanced and rendered hypoosmolar in full caloric concentration. Such formulas may well facilitate food supply to infants and, in case of short bowel syndrome, encourage more pronounced morphologic adaptation.


[A case of paclitaxel-resistant cancerous ascites secondary to gastric carcinoma responding well to TS-1 therapy].
Paclitaxel was used as the first-line drug for treatment of a case with peritoneal recurrence of gastric cancer, accompanied by cancerous ascites. Because paclitaxel was ineffective, TS-1 was used as the second-line drug, resulting in disappearance of cancerous ascites on diagnostic imaging. This case was an 81-year-old male patient. In February 2004, he underwent resection of the pyloric side of the stomach (D 2) based on a diagnosis of advanced gastric cancer. CT scans, conducted in February 2005, revealed ascites, and a diagnosis of cancerous peritonitis was made on the basis of subsequent cyto-diagnostic findings. He was later hospitalized because of anorexia and difficulty with oral ingestion, and received paclitaxel therapy (60 mg/m(2)). Abdominal CT scans in May of the same year showed the disappearance of ascites. Thereafter, he was managed as an outpatient. In June of the same year, relapse of ascites was detected by CT scans, and exacerbation of ascites was seen in August. In October, paclitaxel was switched to TS-1 (80 mg/m(2)). CT scans, obtained at the end of two cycles of TS-1 therapy, revealed complete disappearance of ascites. This therapy was administered for 4 cycles in total. CT scans, performed at the end of each cycle of TS-1 therapy, confirmed the absence of ascites. At present (July 2006), the patient is managed on an outpatient basis. Our experience with this case suggests that if paclitaxel therapy fails to exert satisfactory efficacy, switching to second-line TS-1 therapy is a promising means of treating gastric cancer complicated by cancerous peritonitis.


Divergent effects of endogenous and exogenous glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper in animal models of inflammation and arthritis.
Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) has effects on inflammatory pathways that suggest it to be a key inhibitory regulator of the immune system, and its expression is exquisitely sensitive to induction by glucocorticoids. We undertook this study to test our hypothesis that GILZ deficiency would exacerbate experimental immune-mediated inflammation and impair the effects of glucocorticoids on inflammation and, correspondingly, that exogenous GILZ would inhibit these events. GILZ(-/-) mice were generated using the Cre/loxP system, and responses were studied in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), antigen-induced arthritis (AIA), K/BxN serum-transfer arthritis, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokinemia. Therapeutic expression of GILZ via administration of recombinant adeno-associated virus expressing the GILZ gene (GILZ-rAAV) was compared to the effects of glucocorticoid in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Increased T cell proliferation and DTH were observed in GILZ(-/-) mice, but neither AIA nor K/BxN serum-transfer arthritis was affected, and GILZ deficiency did not affect LPS-induced cytokinemia. Deletion of GILZ did not impair the effects of exogenous glucocorticoids on CIA or cytokinemia. In contrast, overexpression of GILZ in joints significantly inhibited CIA, with an effect similar to that of dexamethasone. Despite effects on T cell activation, GILZ deficiency had no effect on effector pathways of arthritis and was unexpectedly redundant with effects of glucocorticoids. These findings do not support the hypothesis that GILZ is central to the actions of glucocorticoids, but the efficacy of exogenous GILZ in CIA suggests that further evaluation of GILZ in inflammatory disease is required.


Downregulation of miR-485-3p promotes glioblastoma cell proliferation and migration via targeting RNF135.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that serve pivotal roles in human diseases. Several miRNAs, such as miR-485-3p, have been identified as potential biomarkers for predicting overall survival of patients with glioblastoma (GBM). However, the underlying mechanism of miRNAs in promoting GBM progression remains unknown. In the present study, decreased miR-485-3p expression was detected in tumor tissues from patients with GBM. Using western blot analysis, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and dual luciferase reporter assay, ring finger protein 135 (RNF135) was confirmed as a target gene of miR-485-3p in GBM cells. Through silencing of RNF135, miR-485-3p inactivated the mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK1/2 pathway in GBM cells. Moreover, functional assays demonstrated that miR-485-3p inhibited GBM cell proliferation and migration whilst overexpression of RNF135 reversed this effect. Additionally, a negative correlation between miR-485-3p and RNF135 mRNA expression was observed in tissues from patients with glioblastoma. In conclusion, the present results demonstrated that miR-485-3p functioned as a tumor suppressor which suggested that miR-485-3p might have a role in GBM progression.


The Value of VR-PVEP in Objective Evaluation of Monocular Refractive Visual Impairment.
To study the virtual reality-pattern visual evoked potential (VR-PVEP) P100 waveform characteristics of monocular visual impairment with different impaired degrees under simultaneous binocular perception and monocular stimulations. A total of 55 young volunteers with normal vision (using decimal recording method, far vision ≥0.8 and near vision ≥0.5) were selected to simulate three groups of monocular refractive visual impairment by interpolation method. The sum of near and far vision ≤0.2 was Group A, the severe visual impairment group; the sum of near and far vision <0.8 was Group B, the moderate visual impairment group; and the sum of near and far vision ≥0.8 was Group C, the mild visual impairment group. The volunteers' binocular normal visions were set as the control group. The VR-PVEP P100 peak times measured by simultaneous binocular perception and monocular stimulation were compared at four spatial frequencies 16×16, 24×24, 32×32 and 64×64. In Group A, the differences between P100 peak times of simulant visual impairment eyes and simultaneous binocular perception at 24×24, 32×32 and 64×64 spatial frequencies were statistically significant (P<0.05); and the P100 peak time of normal vision eyes at 64×64 spatial frequency was significantly different from the simulant visual impairment eyes (P<0.05). In Group B, the differences between P100 peak times of simulant visual impairment eyes and simultaneous binocular perception at 16×16, 24×24 and 64×64 spatial frequencies were statistically significant (P<0.05); and the P100 peak time of normal vision eyes at 64×64 spatial frequency was significantly different from the simulant visual impairment eyes (P<0.05). In Group C, there was no significant difference between P100 peak times of simulant visual impairment eyes and simultaneous binocular perception at all spatial frequencies (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the P100 peak times measured at all spatial frequencies between simulant visual impairment eyes and simultaneous binocular perception in the control group (P>0.05). VR-PVEP can be used for visual acuity evaluation of patients with severe and moderate monocular visual impairment, which can reflect the visual impairment degree caused by ametropia. VR-PVEP has application value in the objective evaluation of visual function and forensic clinical identification.


Studies of a mosaic patient with DBA and chimeric mice reveal erythroid cell-extrinsic contributions to erythropoiesis.
We follow a patient with Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) mosaic for a pathogenic RPS19 haploinsufficiency mutation with persistent transfusion-dependent anemia. Her anemia remitted on eltrombopag (EPAG), but surprisingly, mosaicism was unchanged, suggesting that both mutant and normal cells responded. When EPAG was withheld, her anemia returned. In addition to expanding hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, EPAG aggressively chelates iron. Because DBA anemia, at least in part, results from excessive intracellular heme leading to ferroptotic cell death, we hypothesized that the excess heme accumulating in ribosomal protein-deficient erythroid precursors inhibited the growth of adjacent genetically normal precursors, and that the efficacy of EPAG reflected its ability to chelate iron, limit heme synthesis, and thus limit toxicity in both mutant and normal cells. To test this, we studied Rpl11 haploinsufficient (DBA) mice and mice chimeric for the cytoplasmic heme export protein, FLVCR. Flvcr1-deleted mice have severe anemia, resembling DBA. Mice transplanted with ratios of DBA to wild-type marrow cells of 50:50 are anemic, like our DBA patient. In contrast, mice transplanted with Flvcr1-deleted (unable to export heme) and wild-type marrow cells at ratios of 50:50 or 80:20 have normal numbers of red cells. Additional studies suggest that heme exported from DBA erythroid cells might impede the nurse cell function of central macrophages of erythroblastic islands to impair the maturation of genetically normal coadherent erythroid cells. These findings have implications for the gene therapy of DBA and may provide insights into why del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome patients are anemic despite being mosaic for chromosome 5q deletion and loss of RPS14.


Haematological investigations on fishes infested with fungal growth.
Considerable changes have been observed in the haematological parameters of Labeo rohita, Mystus cavasius, Nandus nandus and Puntius sarana infested with Aphanomyces sp., Saprolegnia parasitica, Achlya prolifera and Dictyuchus monosporus, respectively. Substantial decline have been observed in the number of erythrocytes and lymphocytes. The number of granulocytes and monocytes were noticed significantly increased. The amount of haemoglobin has also been decreased drastically in all the cases.


Diagnostic criteria for carotid duplex sonography.
Optimal criteria for the duplex sonographic diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis have not yet been defined. We studied 205 vessels in 105 patients with both duplex sonography and angiography. Four diagnostic groups were defined on the basis of Doppler flow characteristics. Receiver-operating-characteristic curves were used to compare diagnostic criteria at significant stenosis levels, and to select threshold values that emphasize specificity as well as sensitivity. Peak systolic velocity, systolic velocity ratios, and end-diastolic velocity were all shown to be equivalent predictors of significant disease. We chose peak systolic velocity in the internal carotid artery as our best parameter because of its ease of measurement. The use of combined parameters offered no significant statistical advantage over the use of a single parameter. The real-time assessment of stenosis and ulceration was not found to be reliable. ROC curves should be used to select Doppler criteria with desired sensitivities and specificities to maximize the benefit in each clinical setting.


Biomechanical Impacts of Toe Joint With Transfemoral Amputee Using a Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis.
Transfemoral amputees are currently forced to utilize energetically passive prostheses that provide little to no propulsive work. Among the several joints and muscles required for healthy walking, the ones most vital for push-off assistance include the knee, ankle, and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. There are only a handful of powered knee-ankle prostheses (also called powered transfemoral prostheses) in literature and few of them comprise a toe-joint. However, no one has researched the impact of toe-joint stiffness on walking with a power transfemoral prosthesis. This study is aimed at filling this gap in knowledge. We conducted a study with an amputee and a powered transfemoral prosthesis consisting of a spring loaded toe-joint. The prosthesis's toe-joint stiffness was varied between three values: 0.83 Nm/deg, 1.25 Nm/deg, and infinite (rigid). This study found that 0.83 Nm/deg stiffness reduced push-off assistance and resulted in compensatory movements that could lead to issues over time. While the joint angles and moments did not considerably vary across 1.25 Nm/deg and rigid stiffness, the latter led to greater power generation on the prosthesis side. However, the 1.25 Nm/deg joint stiffness resulted in the least power production from the intact side. We, thus, concluded that the use of a stiff toe-joint with a powered transfemoral prosthesis can reduce the cost of transport of the intact limb.


cis-Stilbene and (1 alpha,2 beta,3 alpha)-(2-ethenyl-3-methoxycyclopropyl)benzene as mechanistic probes in the Mn(III)(salen)-catalyzed epoxidation: influence of the oxygen source and the counterion on the diastereoselectivity of the competitive concerted and radical-type oxygen transfer.
cis-Stilbene (1) has been epoxidized by a set of diverse oxygen donors [OxD], catalyzed by the Mn(III)(salen)X complexes 3 (X = Cl, PF(6)), to afford a mixture of cis- and trans-epoxides 2. The cis/trans ratios range from 29:71 (extensive isomerization) to 92:8, which depends both on the oxygen source [OxD] and on the counterion X of the catalyst. When (1 alpha,2 beta,3 alpha)-(2-ethenyl-3-methoxycyclopropyl)-benzene (4) is used as substrate, a mechanistic probe which differentiates between radical and cationic intermediates, no cationic ring-opening products are found in this epoxidation reaction; thus, isomerized epoxide product arises from intermediary radicals. The dependence of the diastereoselectivity on the oxygen source is rationalized in terms of a bifurcation step in the catalytic cycle, in which concerted Lewis-acid-activated oxygen transfer competes with stepwise epoxidation by the established Mn(V)(oxo) species. The experimental counterion effect is attributed to the computationally assessed ligand-dependent reaction profiles and stereoselectivities of the singlet, triplet, and quintet spin states available to the manganese species.


Epidemiology of C2 fractures in the United States: A National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database study.
C2 fractures are one of the most common traumatic injuries of the cervical spine, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Current literature on the incidence of C2 fractures is limited to populations outside of the United States (US), prior to 2014, or specific age cohorts. The purpose of this study is to report the incidence rate (IR) of C2 fractures and associated patient demographics in the US between 2002 and 2021 using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. This study analyzed the NEISS database to identify cases of C2 fractures presenting to US Emergency Departments (EDs) from 2002 to 2021. Annual and overall numbers of fractures, IR, and patient demographics were analyzed. IR is expressed as the number of fractures per 100,000 person-years at risk (PYR). Patients were split into three different age groups for comparison (children and young adults, 0-64 years; older adults, 65-79 years; elderly individuals, 80 + years). A national estimate of n = 72,764 patients (95% confidence interval [CI] = 54,371-91,156) presented to US EDs with a C2 fracture (IR was 1.17/PYR; 95% CI = 0.87-1.46), and elderly individuals had the highest IR overall (IR = 15.9; P < 0.05). The IR of C2 fractures between 2002 and 2021, reported as average annual percent change (AAPC), increased significantly, regardless of age or sex (AAPC = 10.9; 95% CI = 6.3-15.6; P < 0.0001). C2 fractures occur at higher rates than previous years, with especially high IR in elderly individuals. Emphasis of public health efforts toward osteoporosis and coordination difficulties in elderly individuals would likely significantly reduce the overall IR of these injuries.


Acquired renal cystic disease and adenocarcinoma following renal transplantation--a current urologic perspective.
Two patients treated with chronic dialysis and renal transplantation developed acute hemorrhage from a native kidney. Bilateral native nephrectomy demonstrated acquired cystic disease and adenocarcinoma in each of the four kidneys. The etiology of acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD) is unclear and its incidence increases with the duration of dialysis. ACKD patients have a propensity to develop adenomas and adenocarcinomas. The increased incidence of renal neoplasms in ACKD patients warrants careful radiologic monitoring of native end-stage kidneys in selected patients.


[Morphological differentiation of cells in submerged cultures of Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul., producing alkaloids].
Differentiation of the cells of the submerged culture of Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. was studied by electron microscopy. Two types of oviform cell were found: (1) the conidia which had one nucleus and vacuolized cytoplasm and were not involved in the production of alkaloids; (2) the chlamydospores with two nuclei, homogeneous cytoplasm, and high content in lipids. The chlamydospores, like the cells of sclerotia, were found to produce alkoloids.


Endothelin receptor B antagonists decrease glioma cell viability independently of their cognate receptor.
Endothelin receptor antagonists inhibit the progression of many cancers, but research into their influence on glioma has been limited. We treated glioma cell lines, LN-229 and SW1088, and melanoma cell lines, A375 and WM35, with two endothelin receptor type B (ETRB)-specific antagonists, A-192621 and BQ788, and quantified viable cells by the capacity of their intracellular esterases to convert non-fluorescent calcein AM into green-fluorescent calcein. We assessed cell proliferation by labeling cells with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester and quantifying the fluorescence by FACS analysis. We also examined the cell cycle status using BrdU/propidium iodide double staining and FACS analysis. We evaluated changes in gene expression by microarray analysis following treatment with A-192621 in glioma cells. We examined the role of ETRB by reducing its expression level using small interfering RNA (siRNA). We report that two ETRB-specific antagonists, A-192621 and BQ788, reduce the number of viable cells in two glioma cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We describe similar results for two melanoma cell lines. The more potent of the two antagonists, A-192621, decreases the mean number of cell divisions at least in part by inducing a G2/M arrest and apoptosis. Microarray analysis of the effects of A-192621 treatment reveals up-regulation of several DNA damage-inducible genes. These results were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. Importantly, reducing expression of ETRB with siRNAs does not abrogate the effects of either A-192621 or BQ788 in glioma or melanoma cells. Furthermore, BQ123, an endothelin receptor type A (ETRA)-specific antagonist, has no effect on cell viability in any of these cell lines, indicating that the ETRB-independent effects on cell viability exhibited by A-192621 and BQ788 are not a result of ETRA inhibition. While ETRB antagonists reduce the viability of glioma cells in vitro, it appears unlikely that this effect is mediated by ETRB inhibition or cross-reaction with ETRA. Instead, we present evidence that A-192621 affects glioma and melanoma viability by activating stress/DNA damage response pathways, which leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. This is the first evidence linking ETRB antagonist treatment to enhanced expression of DNA damage-inducible genes.


Artificial Intelligence Approach in Biomechanics of Gait and Sport: A Systematic Literature Review.
Artificial neural network helps humans in a wide range of activities, such as sports. This paper aims to investigate the effect of artificial intelligence on decision-making related to human gait and sports biomechanics, using computer-based software, and to investigate the impact of artificial intelligence on individuals' biomechanics during gait and sports performance. This review was conducted in compliance with the PRISMA guidelines. Abstracts and citations were identified through a search based on Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Springer Link, Web of Science, and Scopus search engines from 1995 up to 2023 to obtain relevant literature about the impact of artificial intelligence on biomechanics. A total of 1000 articles were found related to biomechanical characteristics of gait and sport and 26 articles were directly pertinent to the subject. The extent of the application of artificial intelligence in sports biomechanics in various fields. In addition, various variables in the fields of kinematics, kinetics, and the field of time can be investigated based on artificial intelligence. Conventional computational techniques are limited by the inability to process data in its raw form. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques can handle complex and high-dimensional data. The utilization of specialized systems and neural networks in gait analysis has shown great potential in sports performance analysis. Integrating AI into this field would be a significant advancement in sport biomechanics. Coaches and athletes can develop more precise training regimens with specialized performance prediction models.


Dynamics of FitzHugh-Nagumo excitable systems with delayed coupling.
Small lattices of N nearest-neighbor coupled excitable FitzHugh-Nagumo systems, with time-delayed coupling are studied and compared with systems of FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillators with the same delayed coupling. Bifurcations of equilibria in an N=2 case are studied analytically, and it is then numerically confirmed that the same bifurcations are relevant for the dynamics in the case N>2. Bifurcations found include inverse and direct Hopf and fold limit cycle bifurcations. Typical dynamics for different small time lags and coupling intensities could be excitable with a single globally stable equilibrium, asymptotic oscillatory with symmetric limit cycle, bistable with stable equilibrium and a symmetric limit cycle, and again coherent oscillatory but nonsymmetric and phase shifted. For an intermediate range of time lags, inverse sub-critical Hopf and fold limit cycle bifurcations lead to the phenomenon of oscillator death. The phenomenon does not occur in the case of FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillators with the same type of coupling.


Inhibition of the MRP1-mediated transport of the menadione-glutathione conjugate (thiodione) in HeLa cells as studied by SECM.
Oxidative stress induced in live HeLa cells by menadione (2-methyl-1,4-napthaquinone) was studied in real time by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The hydrophobic molecule menadione diffuses through a living cell membrane where it is toxic to the cell. However, in the cell it is conjugated with glutathione to form thiodione. Thiodione is then recognized and transported across the cell membrane via the ATP-driven MRP1 pump. In the extracellular environment, thiodione was detected by the SECM tip at levels of 140, 70, and 35 µM upon exposure of the cells to menadione concentrations of 500, 250, and 125 µM, respectively. With the aid of finite element modeling, the kinetics of thiodione transport was determined to be 1.6 10(-7) m/s, about 10 times faster than menadione uptake. Selective inhibition of these MRP1 pumps inside live HeLa cells by MK571 produced a lower thiodione concentration of 50 µM in presence of 500 µM menadione and 50 µM MK571. A similar reduced (50% drop) thiodione efflux was observed in the presence of monoclonal antibody QCRL-4, a selective blocking agent of the MRP1 pumps. The reduced thiodione flux confirmed that thiodione was transported by MRP1, and that glutathione is an essential substrate for MRP1-mediated transport. This finding demonstrates the usefulness of SECM in quantitative studies of MRP1 inhibitors and suggests that monoclonal antibodies can be a useful tool in inhibiting the transport of these MDR pumps, and thereby aiding in overcoming multidrug resistance.


[Immunohistochemical detection of Helicobacter pylori with a novel monoclonal antibody: Its clinicopathological significance and validity in the routine pathological diagnosis].
The immunological mechanism of Helicobacter pylori-induced chronic gastritis is still unknown. In our previous study using a novel anti-H. pylori monoclonal antibody and surgically resected stomachs from gastric cancer patients, we succeeded to detect H. pylori captured by macrophages in gastric lamina propria and lymph nodes, and proved that the H. pylori-positive macrophages correlated with chronic gastritis. To elucidate this correlation in the cases without gastric cancer, we examined H. pylori in 519 gastric biopsy specimens of 242 cases using immunohistochemistry with the novel antibody. Also, we evaluated the validity of the novel antibody in the routine pathological diagnosis. In 402 specimens from the cases without gastric tumors, the bacteria were detected not only in the mucous layer of 148 specimens but also in the lamina propria of 144 specimens. The specimens only with the intramucosal bacteria showed high-grade chronic and low-grade acute inflammation, whereas the specimens only with the intra-mucous bacteria tended to show the low-grade chronic and high-grade acute inflammation. Statistically, H. pylori in the lamina propria correlated with chronic gastritis. When compared to commercially available anti-H. pylori antibody and Giemsa staining, the novel antibody showed the highest sensitivity to detect the bacteria in the lamina propria. These results suggest that H. pylori in the lamina propria is thought to be deeply related with the development of H. pylori-induced chronic gastritis also in the cases without gastric cancer. And, the novel antibody is proved to be very useful in the routine pathological assessment of H. pylori infection.


Control and local measurement of the spin chemical potential in a magnetic insulator.
The spin chemical potential characterizes the tendency of spins to diffuse. Probing this quantity could provide insight into materials such as magnetic insulators and spin liquids and aid optimization of spintronic devices. Here we introduce single-spin magnetometry as a generic platform for nonperturbative, nanoscale characterization of spin chemical potentials. We experimentally realize this platform using diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers and use it to investigate magnons in a magnetic insulator, finding that the magnon chemical potential can be controlled by driving the system's ferromagnetic resonance. We introduce a symmetry-based two-fluid theory describing the underlying magnon processes, measure the local thermomagnonic torque, and illustrate the detection sensitivity using electrically controlled spin injection. Our results pave the way for nanoscale control and imaging of spin transport in mesoscopic systems.


Prevalence and characteristics of flavoured tobacco use among students in grades 10 through 12: a national cross-sectional study in Canada, 2012-2013.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Canada and the world. Despite documented decreases in the prevalence of smoking in Canada, increases in flavoured tobacco use by its youth poses a serious public health concern. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of flavoured tobacco use among a national sample of Canadian students in grades 10 through 12. This study used a cross-sectional design on a nationally generalizable, school-based, Youth Smoking Survey (YSS), 2012-2013. It incorporated data from a representative sample of 19,979 students in grades 10-12 from across Canada. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine differences in flavoured tobacco use (menthol cigarettes, flavoured little cigar or cigarillo, flavoured cigar, flavoured tobacco in water pipe [hookah]) by demographic (sex, grade and ethnicity) and social characteristics (friends, siblings, parents/guardians who are smokers and weekly personal spending money). This study found that 14.8% of the participating students used flavoured tobacco in the past 30-days. Results of the logistic regression analysis show that flavoured tobacco use was significantly higher among male students [(OR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.36-1.95)], who had at least one friend or sibling who smoke [(OR = 2.20; CI = 1.62 to 2.99) and (OR = 1.51; CI = 1.22 to 1.88), respectively] and who received greater than $20/week in personal spending money [(OR = 1.76; CI = 1.26 to 2.45)]. The results of our study indicate that flavoured tobacco use is a growing public health concern and has a strong appeal among youth in Canada. This is a particularly troubling finding, especially in light of the fact that there is a national ban on certain flavoured tobacco products. To be effective, strategies specifically tailored for youth using flavoured tobacco would require appropriate educational/prevention initiatives, more comprehensive legislation and better regulatory mechanisms.


[Familial parkinsonism: different clinical phenotype between a mother and her daughter].
We reported a familial case of parkinsonism in which clinical features are different between a mother and her daughter. The mother developed rigidity and bradykinesia at age 76. Her symptoms were slowly progressive, and were responsive to levodopa. Thus, she was diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease. In contrast, her daughter developed postural instability as well as rigidity and bradykinesia at age 53 in rapid progression. In addition, she also developed pyramidal signs and autonomic failures, including orthostatic hypotension and urinary incontinence. The disease phenotype of the daughter resembled that of striatonigral degeneration (SND). However, PET studies showed normal binding of 11C-N-methyl-spiperone (NMSP) in the striatum, suggesting that the daughter was also affected with Parkinson's disease.


Early overnutrition impairs insulin signaling in the heart of adult Swiss mice.
Human overnutrition has caused a rise in the prevalence of obesity in recent years. In addition to the deleterious effects of obesity during childhood, long-term effects in adulthood have been described as well. For instance, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes are among the diseases associated with a history of obesity. Altered insulin secretion and action have been described as important links between these diseases and obesity. Insulin acts as a unique anabolic hormone providing regulation of whole-body glucose homeostasis and peripheral tissue glucose uptake in tissues such as the heart. In this study, we examined insulin signaling in the heart of obese animals using an experimental model of inducing overweight adult animals by overnutrition in early life. In these animals, overfeeding during lactation was able to induce a significant increase in body weight starting at the 10th day of life, and this increased weight persisted until adulthood. Impairment in glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and an increased insulin/glucose ratio were also observed in these animals. Moreover, an increased heart weight/tibia length ratio was also observed, indicating an enlarged heart size. The overfed animals also had decreased insulin sensitivity in the heart, as confirmed by decreased insulin receptor (IR)-beta and IR substrate-1 (Irs1) phosphorylation, increased phosphatase, non-receptor type 1 (Ptpn1)-IR-beta association, decreased -Irs1-associated activity, and reduction in anti-phospho Akt1 phosphorylation. In conclusion, our findings showed that overnutrition during early life induced obesity and insulin resistance in the adult offspring, and further increased heart size and impaired cardiac insulin signaling, putatively due to an increase in Ptpn1 activity.


The essential impact of stress appraisals on work engagement.
This paper explains the contradictory findings on the relationship between stress and work engagement by including appraisals as a driving mechanism through which job stressors influence engagement. In doing so, it explores whether stressors categorised as either challenging or hindering can be appraised simultaneously as both. Second, it investigates whether stress mindset explains not only how stressors are appraised, but also how appraisals influence engagement. Over five workdays, 487 Canadian and American full-time employees indicated their stress mindset and appraised numerous challenging and hindering stressors, after which they self-reported their engagement at work. Results showed that employees rarely appraised stress as uniquely challenging or hindering. Moreover, when employees harbored positive views about stress, stressors overall were evaluated as less hindering and hindrance stressors were particularly more challenging. Stress mindset appears to be critical in modulating the genesis of stress appraisals. In turn, appraisals explained the stressor-engagement relationship, with challenge and hindrance stressors boosting and hampering engagement, respectively. Finally, positive stress mindset buffered the negative effect of hindrance appraisals on engagement. Our findings clarify misconceptions about how workplace stressors impact engagement and offer novel evidence that stress mindset is a key factor in stress at work.


Opposite effects of different doses of MCSF on ERK phosphorylation and cell proliferation in macrophages.
We had previously shown that murine macrophages expressing v-Fes, the oncogenically activated counterpart of the c-Fes cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase, proliferate independently of Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (MCSF) and that the Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) pathway mediates the mitogenic effect of v-Fes. In this study, the response of c-fes- and v-fes-overexpressing cells to MCSF was investigated. A critical modulation of the activation of Mitogen-activated ERK Kinase (MEK) and ERK based on the MCSF dose was characterized. ERK activation was increased by MCSF doses capable to elicit a mitogenic response (2-5 U/ml). On the contrary, MCSF doses as low as 0.05 U/ml markedly reduced ERK phosphorylation and nuclear content and moderately but significantly reduced cell proliferation. The reduction of MEK and ERK phosphorylation was very rapid, suggesting the involvement of cytosolic phosphatases. Among these, phospho-tyrosine protein phosphatases and phosphoserine/threonine protein phosphatase-2A were found involved. These findings represent the first observation that different doses of the same growth factor, MCSF in particular, can exert opposite effects on cell proliferation by switching on or off ERK signaling.


Memory technology-a primer for material scientists.
From our own experience, we know that there is a gap to bridge between the scientists focused on basic material research and their counterparts in a close-to-application community focused on identifying and solving final technological and engineering challenges. In this review, we try to provide an easy-to-grasp introduction to the field of memory technology for materials scientists. An understanding of the big picture is vital, so we first provide an overview of the development and architecture of memories as part of a computer and call attention to some basic limitations that all memories are subject to. As any new technology has to compete with mature existing solutions on the market, today's mainstream memories are explained, and the need for future solutions is highlighted. The most prominent contenders in the field of emerging memories are introduced and major challenges on their way to commercialization are elucidated. Based on these discussions, we derive some predictions for the memory market to conclude the paper.


A narrative review of sports-related concussion and return-to-play testing with asymptomatic athletes.
The purpose of this literature review was to demonstrate, through examples in the current literature, the cumulative and long-term effects of multiple concussions, postinjury protocols, and the efficacy of current and past return-to-play guidelines. A PUBMED SEARCH WAS PERFORMED USING THE KEYWORDS AND KEY PHRASES: concussions and long-term effects, concussions and return to play, and multiple concussions. We limited the search to articles that had been published from August 2007 to August 2012 and were specific to human participants. Of the 450 total articles that the search returned, we selected studies specifically demonstrating athletes who were symptom-free, passed neuropsychological testing, returned to play, and were tested in measures of postural control, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroencephalographic studies, and magnetic resonance imaging spectroscopy. Selected studies show evidence that, although a previously concussed athlete may be symptom-free and returned to a neuropsychological baseline, the athlete may continue to have prolonged neurological abnormalities that could disqualify them from being ready to return to play. It appears that some neurological deficits persist beyond the current return-to-play standards and that discrepancy exists between common practices of returning athletes to competition and new standards of published research.


Transdifferentiated Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells are a New Potential Cell Source for Endothelial Regeneration.
Endothelial dysfunction is widely implicated in cardiovascular pathological changes and development of vascular disease. In view of the fact that the spontaneous endothelial cell (EC) regeneration is a slow and insufficient process, it is of great interest to explore alternative cell sources capable of generating functional ECs. Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) composes the majority of the vascular wall and retains phenotypic plasticity in response to various stimuli. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of the conversion of SMC into functional EC through the use of reprogramming factors. Human SMCs are first dedifferentiated for 4 days to achieve a vascular progenitor state expressing CD34, by introducing transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC. These SMC-derived progenitors are then differentiated along the endothelial lineage. The SMC-converted ECs exhibit typical endothelial markers expression and endothelial functions in vitro, in vivo and in disease model. Further comprehensive analysis indicates that mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition is requisite to initiate SMCs reprogramming into vascular progenitors and that members of the Notch signalling pathway regulate further differentiation of the progenitors into endothelial lineage. Together, we provide the first evidence of the feasibility of the conversion of human SMCs towards endothelial lineage through an intermediate vascular progenitor state induced by reprogramming.


Longitudinal Assessment of Dentate Nuclei Relaxometry during Massive Gadobutrol Exposure.
We report the assessment of Dentate Nuclei (DN) R1 (1/T1) and R2* (1/T2*) values in a patient with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis, exposed to 22 standard (0.1 mmol/kg) doses of gadobutrol, who underwent eight relaxometric MR measurements within 2 years. DN R1 did not significantly increase nor correlated with cumulative gadobutrol administration, even after a total dose of 130 ml. Likewise, DN R2* relaxometry remained unchanged. In conclusion, massive gadobutrol exposure did not induce significant DN relaxometry changes.


Early subcellular partitioning of cadmium in gill and liver of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following low-to-near-lethal waterborne cadmium exposure.
Non-essential metals such as cadmium (Cd) accumulated in animal cells are envisaged to partition into potentially metal-sensitive compartments when detoxification capacity is exceeded. An understanding of intracellular metal partitioning is therefore important in delineation of the toxicologically relevant metal fraction for accurate tissue residue-based assessment of toxicity. In the present study, the early intracellular Cd accumulation was studied to test the prediction that it conforms to the spillover model of metal toxicity. Juvenile rainbow trout (10-15g) were exposed for 96h to three doses of cadmium (5, 25 and 50microg/l) and a control (nominal 0microg/l Cd) in hard water followed by measurement of the changes in intracellular Cd concentrations in the gill and liver, and carcass calcium (Ca) levels. There were dose-dependent increases in Cd concentration in both organs but the accumulation pattern over time was linear in the liver and biphasic in the gill. The Cd accumulation was associated with carcass Ca loss after 48h. Comparatively, the gill accumulated 2-4x more Cd than the liver and generally the subcellular compartments reflected the organ-level patterns of accumulation. For the gill the rank of Cd accumulation in subcellular fractions was: heat-stable proteins (HSP)>heat-labile proteins (HLP)>nuclei>microsomes-lysosomes (ML)>/=mitochondria>resistant fraction while for the liver it was HSP>HLP>ML>mitochondria>nuclei>resistant fraction. Contrary to the spillover hypothesis there was no exposure concentration or internal accumulation at which Cd was not found in potentially metal-sensitive compartments. The proportion of Cd bound to the metabolically active pool (MAP) increased while that bound to the metabolically detoxified pool (MDP) decreased in gills of Cd-exposed fish but remained unchanged in the liver. Because the Cd concentration increased in all subcellular compartments while their contribution to the total increased, decreased or remained unchanged following Cd exposure, use of percentage data to infer spillover requires caution.


Decreased 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone catabolism suppresses T lymphocyte functions in males after trauma-hemorrhage.
Trauma-hemorrhage produces profound immunosuppression in males but not in proestrus females. Prior castration or flutamide treatment of males following trauma-hemorrhage prevents immunosuppression, implicating 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone for the immunosuppressive effects. 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, a high-affinity androgen receptor-binding steroid, is synthesized in tissues as needed and seldom accumulates. The presence of steroidogenic enzymes in T lymphocytes suggests both synthesis and catabolism of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone. We hypothesized, therefore, that the basis for high 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone activity in T lymphocytes of males following trauma-hemorrhage is due to decreased catabolism. Accordingly, catabolism of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone was assessed in splenic T lymphocytes by examining the activity and expression of enzymes involved. Analysis showed increased synthesis and decreased catabolism of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone in intact male T lymphocytes following trauma-hemorrhage. In contrast, reduced 5alpha-reductase activity and increased expression of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase oxidative isomers suggest inactivation of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone in precastrated males. Thus our study suggests increased synthesis and decreased catabolism of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone as a reason for loss of T lymphocyte functions in intact males following trauma-hemorrhage, as evidenced by decreased release of interleukin-2 and -6.


Bilateral Galeazzi fracture-dislocations.
We present the case of a patient with bilateral Galeazzi fracture-dislocations with an irreducible distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) on one side. Current treatments, such as anatomic reduction and stable internal fixation of the radius and anatomic and stable reduction of the DRUJ followed by plaster immobilization in supination, have produced results much better than those associated with historical conservative treatments. The most important part of successful treatment is maintaining intraoperative control of reduction quality, DRUJ stability, and, if necessary, open reduction of the DRUJ. Here we describe the surgical technique and present the rare case of a DRUJ being irreducible because of interposition of the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon.


Preoxygenation and Anesthesia: A Detailed Review.
Initiation of preoxygenation prior to anesthetic induction and tracheal intubation is a commonly recognized technique intended to boost oxygen reservoirs in the body and thus slow the progression of desaturation of arterial hemoglobin at times of apnea. Even though challenges associated with ventilation and intubation are inconsistent, it is preferable for all patients to necessitate preoxygenation. The effectiveness of preoxygenation is measured by its performance and efficiency. Determinant factors of efficacy indices include rises in the alveolar O2 fraction (FAO2), reductions in the alveolar nitrogen fraction (FAN2), and improvements in the arterial O2 stress (PAO2). The effectiveness or efficiency of preoxygenation during apnea is evaluated from the declining trend in level of oxyhemoglobin desaturation (SAO2). The maximal risk associated with preoxygenation generally comprises delayed diagnosis of oesophageal intubation, absorption atelectasis, generation of reactive oxygen species, and incidences of adverse hemodynamic results. Since the time of preoxygenation is minimal, there are limited hemodynamic effects and the aggregation of reactive oxygen species to counteract its effectiveness. In general, three methods of preoxygenation techniques are followed for the routine procedures, namely, deep breathing, rapid breathing at fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) of 1 for two to five minutes, and the four vital capacities method. Health professionals, especially anesthesiologists specialized in Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) and traumatology, must be empowered by alternative methods like trans-tracheal ventilation to resolve life-threatening medical emergencies. Equipment accessibility and needful training are two essential components that are recommended for significant preparedness. The present article reviews the advantages conferred by the preoxygenation techniques with special attention to the high-risk population. It also details the inadequacies and the risks associated with the preoxygenation technique.


Lipid storage myopathy associated with low acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities.
A man with a painful proximal myopathy had excess lipid deposition in skeletal muscle, excretion of dicarboxylic acids in urine and low acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities in skeletal muscle mitochondria. In addition he had little immunoreactive short-chain and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase enzyme protein compared with normal controls. Following treatment with riboflavin there was considerable improvement in his clinical condition which was confirmed by further biochemical and morphological investigations.


Muscle paralysis in herpes zoster.
Herpes zoster may, in some instances, cause motor paralysis as well as the usual sensory and cutaneous manifestations. It is suggested that the presence of electromyographic denervation potentials be used as the criterion of muscle paresis in order to avoid mistaking atrophy of disuse for true lower motor neuron disease. Use of the proper physical therapy procedures hastens the recovery of function and may serve to retard denervation atrophy and fibrosis in patients with muscle paralysis.


Structural complexity induced by topology change in hybrids consisting of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane.
Organic-inorganic hybrids with hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) were designed and synthesized. The increase of the POSS content (or a change in topology) results in more complex self-assembled structures. This work provides a new approach for the design and synthesis of materials with sub-10 nm sizes.


[International adoption of children from Ethiopia and language: a pilot study].
Children who have gone through international adoption offer a great and unique learning opportunity around language development. Time elapsed since the first international adoptions took place in Spain has given a unique opportunity to research and conclude whether learning the second language follows the same developmental patterns and outcomes as compared to acquiring tongue language. To verify whether the evaluated subjects have reached the expected use and language proficiency for their chronological age. This pilot study focuses on the evaluation of language acquired in the first years of adolescence of 7 Ethiopian children who have lived over 8 years in Spain. CELF-4 test and the verbal tests of the WISC-IV have been administered. Scores have been analyzed and compared to the control group (same age group). In order to generate qualitative information about parents' concerns an on-line questionnaire has been administered in a form of a semi-structured interview. Both the CELF-4 test and the WISC-IV verbal tests reflect average or low average results in language abilities. Qualitative interviews reflect deep concern about academic outcome. Subjects in this study are showing an average to low average proficiency in the Spanish language. The results, nevertheless, do not explain the academic difficulties shown.


Myobiofeedback in motor reeducation of wrist and fingers after hemispherial stroke.
32 patients with different grade of hemiparesis, were in the first weeks after a cerebral vascular accident treated by means of EMG-feedback in respect to volar and dorsal flexion of the wrist, flexion and extension of the fingers, and opposition of thumb to the second ev. other fingers. EMG was registered from suitable muscles of the paretic limb. The attempt of volitional movement at the paretic side was conditioned with a reinforced mirror synergia of the same type from the healthy to the damaged side. The patient observed the effect on the EMG screen. After 3-6 conditionings the patient performed the volitional movement alone. In 25 of patients (e.g. 78.1%) improvement was obtained, at least in EMG. A good correlation was found between effect of the procedures and severity of paresis (p less than 0.05; chi 2 = 7.35).


Fulminant invasive meningococcal disease due to serogroup Y infection: a highly unusual case reflecting worrying increases in carriage and incidence.
A young man presented to accident and emergency with a short history of diarrhoea and vomiting, with no medical history. He deteriorated rapidly during triage and never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead after hours of attempted resuscitation. He was found to have organisms suggestive of diplococci on his blood film and subsequently had MenY found via PCR testing. This case illustrates a highly unusual presentation of invasive meningococcal disease caused by MenY which is quietly and dangerously increasing in incidence in the UK, particularly in young healthy patients. All clinicians are reminded to be vigilant in order to diagnose and treat this often fatal disease as well as to promote uptake of the quadrivalent MenACWY vaccine.


Epigenetic Activation of ASCT2 in the Hippocampus Contributes to Depression-Like Behavior by Regulating D-Serine in Mice.
The roles of D-serine in depression are raised concerned recently as an intrinsic co-agonist for the NMDA receptor. However, the mechanisms underlying its regulation are not fully elucidated. ASCT2 is a Na+-dependent D-serine transporter. We found that decreased D-serine and increased hippocampal ASCT2 levels correlated with chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) in mice. Lentivirus-mediated shRNA-mediated knockdown of ASCT2 and the administration of exogenous D-serine in the hippocampus alleviated CSDS-induced social avoidance and immobility. In vivo and in vitro experiments revealed that upregulation of ASCT2 expression in CSDS was regulated through histone hyper-acetylation, not DNA methylation in its promoter region. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the co-localization of ASCT2 and D-serine. Uptake of D-serine by ASCT2 was demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Our results indicate that CSDS induces ASCT2 expression through epigenetic activation and decreases hippocampal D-serine levels, leading to social avoidance, and immobility. Thus, targeting D-serine transport represents an attractive new strategy for treating depression.


Association of nitric oxide synthase 3 gene polymorphism with the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Type-2 diabetes (T2D) is a multifactorial (environmental and genetic factors) and global epidemic disease with an estimated high prevalence worldwide. Studies have indicated that nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) has several important roles in the pathogenesis of T2D. The present study aims to investigate the association between NOS3 rs1800779(A/G) and T2D in an Iranian sample population. A case-control study was conducted on 250 T2D patients and 250 healthy control subjects (HCs). Genotyping of the rs1800779(A/G) variant was conducted using a Tetra-Amplification Refractory Mutation System polymerase chain reaction. The frequencies of genotypes AA, AG and GG polymorphisms were 56.8, 39.2 and 4% in the T2D group, and 42.8, 56 and 1.2% in the HCs group, respectively. The frequency of the minor (G) allele was 23.6% in the T2D group and 29.2% in the HCs group. The genotype frequencies of the rs1800779(A/G) variant demonstrated statistically significant differences between T2D and controls in a codominant model (AG vs. AA, OR=0.527, 95% CI=0.368-0.756, P<0.001) and dominant model (AG+GG vs. AA, OR=0.569, 95% CI=0.399-0.811, P=0.002). There was no significant association between clinical and demographic characteristics and the NOS3 rs1800779(A/G) polymorphism in dominant status (P>0.05). The dominant model and AG genotype of NOS3 rs1800779(A/G) polymorphism may had a protective effect on T2D of Iranian population.


Rapid typing of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Acinetobacter nosocomialis by multiplex Pan- and OXA-PCR assays.
Introduction. Outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and A. nosocomialis have occurred worldwide in healthcare settings. Rapid and reliable molecular typing of bacterial isolates is vital for the effective surveillance of institutional outbreaks. The Pan-PCR and OXA-PCR assays are two multiplex PCR-based assays for the molecular typing of Acinetobacter species.Gap statement. However, few studies have investigated the discriminatory power of two multiplex PCR assays in in the genotyping of Acinetobacter species.Aim. We aimed to evaluate the efficacies of the Pan-PCR and OXA-PCR assays for molecular typing of A. baumannii and A. nosocomialis.Methodology. A total of 105 carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates (CRABs) and 93 carbapenem-resistant A. nosocomialis isolates (CRANs) obtained from blood cultures were used for molecular typing by the Pan-PCR and OXA-PCR assays and two multilocus sequence typing (MLST) schemes.Results. The isolates were individually divided into 12 and 21 different sequence types via the Pasteur and Oxford MLST schemes, respectively. Additionally, these isolates were distinguished into 18 different types by the Pan-PCR and OXA-PCR assays. The results of the Pan-PCR and OXA-PCR assays distinguished CRABs and CRANs with a sensitivity of 98.13 % and a specificity of 100 %.Conclusion. The Pan-PCR and OXA-PCR assays are promising alternative methods for rapid molecular typing of CRABs and CRANs in a routine laboratory setting.


Datura stramonium agglutinin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein isoforms in hepatocellular carcinoma and other tumors.
By means of Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA) affinity electrophoresis, human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was resolved into five bands, AFP-D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5, in order of decreasing mobility. AFP-D1, which had no affinity for DSA, comprised more than 84% of the intensity of total AFP bands. The percentage of AFP-D2 increased marginally in hepatitis and liver cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma. AFP-D3 increased characteristically in hepatocellular carcinoma and AFP-D4, which had the highest affinity for DSA, increased up to 12% in other tumors, mostly of gastrointestinal origin. AFP-D5 showed no consistent changes among the benign and malignant diseases. The assay of AFP-D3 and D4 proved useful as a highly specific marker of hepatocellular carcinoma and other tumors, respectively.


Relative frequency and estimated minimal frequency of Lysosomal Storage Diseases in Brazil: Report from a Reference Laboratory.
Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) comprise a heterogeneous group of more than 50 genetic conditions of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) caused by a defect in lysosomal function. Although there are screening tests for some of these conditions, diagnosis usually depends on specific enzyme assays, which are only available in a few laboratories around the world. A pioneer facility for the diagnosis of IEM and LSDs was established in the South of Brazil in 1982 and has served as a reference service since then. Over the past 34 years, samples from 72,797 patients were referred for investigation of IEM, and 3,211 were confirmed as having an LSD (4.41%, or 1 in 22), with 3,099 of these patients originating from Brazil. The rate of diagnosis has increased over time, in part due to the creation of diagnostic networks involving a large number of Brazilian services. These cases, referred from Brazilian regions, provide insight about the relative frequency of LSDs in the country. The large amount of data available allows for the estimation of the minimal frequency of specific LSDs in Brazil. The reported data could help to plan health care policies, as there are specific therapies available for most of the cases diagnosed.


Current practice of cancer predisposition testing in pediatric patients with CNS tumors in the United States.
An estimated 8.6% of all pediatric patients with central nervous system tumors (CNSTs) have underlying hereditary cancer predisposition (HCP). Identifying HCP affects risk assessment and medical management options for the patients and their family members. However, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal germline genetic testing (GT) approach for pediatric patients with CNSTs. As a first step in addressing the need for consensus, we surveyed oncology and genetics providers from 47 institutions in professional organizations across the United States. We investigated their current practice (e.g., GT decisions and ordering practices) when assessing pediatric patients with CNSTs for HCP. We received 60 responses from 21 pediatric oncologists, 10 neuro-oncologists, 28 genetics providers, and one neuro-oncologist/geneticist. Results demonstrate genetic counselors, followed by oncologists, most often facilitated consent, ordered testing, and selected which test to order. The most ordered test was a multi-gene panel (60%). Of 18 CNST diagnoses, choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) was the diagnosis for which most providers (78%) reported they would offer GT. For medulloblastoma, 56% overall reported they would offer GT (64% of genetics providers, 62% of neuro-oncologists, 20% of pediatric oncologists; p = .050). Findings suggest that even for the CNSTs most commonly known to be associated with HCP regardless of family history, there was variability in providers' decisions to offer GT. The lack of consensus in GT decisions in our study indicates inconsistencies in the genetics care of pediatric patients with CNSTs, demonstrating a need for consensus guidelines to promote consistent genetics care.


[The efficacy and safety of moxonidine in patients with metabolic syndrome (the O.B.E.Z.I.T.A. trial)].
Treatment with agents neutral to lipid metabolism but with a positive effect on glucose metabolism might significantly improve the long-term prognosis of patients with metabolic syndrome and hypertension. The aim of our non-interventional observational clinical study was to evaluate the safety of treatment with moxonidine and to assess changes to the metabolic syndrome-related laboratory parameters. A total of 748 patients over 18 years of age (22-87; mean 59; median 60) were included in a 6-month evaluation (two 3-monthly study visits). There were slightly more female patients (n = 401, 54%) with metabolic syndrome (> or = 3 NCE ATP III risk factors) and poorly controlled hypertension. A standardized data collection form was used, blood pressure measurement was standardized as per the guidelines and laboratory samples were assessed in a certified laboratory. The study medication (moxonidine, Cynt) was prescribed to patients with newly diagnosed hypertension and/or patients with hypertension poorly controlled at an initial visit. The majority of patients (98.8%) completed the study. No adverse effects were reported during the study. Moxonidine was mostly prescribed as an add-on treatment to other antihypertensives (81.1% patients) due to the lack of efficacy of the present antihypertensive treatment. The most frequent dose was 0.4 mg/day as monotherapy (44.9% of patients) as well as add on treatment (59.8% of patients). A change to the treatment was performed in 142 (19.2%) of patients during the follow up visit and in 57 (7.7%) of patients during the last study visit. All parameters (blood pressure, body weight, waist circumference, total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glycaemia and pulse) have changed highly significantly (p < 0.001). Over the 6-month follow up, a highly significant change was observed to all monitored parameters. An addition of monoxidine (Cynt) to an existing treatment resulted not only in a reduction to blood pressure but also in highly significant changes to metabolic parameters without any significant modifications of the treatment. Treatment with monoxidine can be considered as metabolically neutral with an added value of positive effect on metabolic parameters. This is in line with the results of other studies.


Ultrasound assessment of perinatal testicular torsion.
The goal of this study was to elucidate the different sonographic features of prenatal and postnatal testicular torsion (TT) using high-frequency colour Doppler ultrasound (HCDU) in an effort to increase diagnostic accuracy. 29 patients (average age, 7.5 days) with perinatal TT were divided into patients with postnatal (acute) TT vs patients with prenatal (chronic) TT and their clinical characteristics, imaging features on HCDU and surgical pathology results were retrospectively analyzed. Significant differences were observed between prenatal and postnatal TT cases with regard to testicular size (p = 0.01) and echogenicity (p = 0.007). All 17 prenatal cases had non-homogeneous testicular parenchymal echo patterns compared with only 9 (64.3%) postnatal TT cases. Five postnatal TT cases presented with homogeneous echo patterns compared with none of the prenatal TT cases. Testicular blood supply was absent in 25 (80.7%) of 31 testes on colour Doppler flow imaging, with the majority occurring in the prenatal TT cases [i.e. 16 (94.1%) cases]. 1 affected testis out of a total 17 testes from 16 patients with prenatal TT was salvaged, with a salvage rate of 1/17 or 0.06%. 7 affected testes out of a total 16 testes from 13 patients with postnatal neonatal TT were salvaged, with a salvage rate of 7/16 or 43.8%. In neonates with acute scrotal symptoms, the possibility of perinatal TT should be considered and HCDU examination should be performed in a timely manner. HCDU examination could aid in testicular salvage by prompting quick surgical intervention. This study underlined the clinical contribution of HCDU in evaluating postnatal (acute) vs prenatal (chronic) TT. The sonographic features of postnatal TT with salvageable testes were compared with prenatal torsion and the relative salvage rates in both cases were discussed.


Mitochondrial modulation decreases the bortezomib-resistance in multiple myeloma cells.
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematological malignancy that causes most patients to eventually relapse and die from their disease. The 20S proteasome inhibitor bortezomib has emerged as an effective drug for MM treatment; however, intrinsic and acquired resistance to bortezomib has already been observed in MM patients. We evaluated the involvement of mitochondria in resistance to bortezomib-induced cell death in two different MM cell lines (bortezomib-resistant KMS20 cells and bortezomib-sensitive KMS28BM cells). Indices of mitochondrial function, including membrane potential, oxygen consumption rate and adenosine-5'-triphosphate and mitochondrial Ca(2+) concentrations, were positively correlated with drug resistance of KMS cell lines. Mitochondrial genes including CYPD, SOD2 and MCU were differentially expressed in KMS cells. Thus, changes in the expression of these genes lead to changes in mitochondrial activity and in bortezomib susceptibility or resistance, and their combined effect contributes to differential sensitivity or resistance of MM cells to bortezomib. In support of this finding, coadministration of bortezomib and 2-methoxyestradiol, a SOD inhibitor, rendered KMS20 cells sensitive to apoptosis. Our results provide new insight into therapeutic modalities for MM patients. Studying mitochondrial activity and specific mitochondrial gene expression in fresh MM specimens might help predict resistance to proapoptotic chemotherapies and inform clinical decision-making.


Predicting gene regulation by sigma factors in Bacillus subtilis from genome-wide data.
Sigma factors regulate the expression of genes in Bacillus subtilis at the transcriptional level. We assess the accuracy of a fold-change analysis, Bayesian networks, dynamic models and supervised learning based on coregulation in predicting gene regulation by sigma factors from gene expression data. To improve the prediction accuracy, we combine sequence information with expression data by adding their log-likelihood scores and by using a logistic regression model. We use the resulting score function to discover currently unknown gene regulations by sigma factors. The coregulation-based supervised learning method gave the most accurate prediction of sigma factors from expression data. We found that the logistic regression model effectively combines expression data with sequence information. In a genome-wide search, highly significant logistic regression scores were found for several genes whose transcriptional regulation is currently unknown. We provide the corresponding RNA polymerase binding sites to enable a straightforward experimental verification of these predictions.


Expression, purification and preliminary structural analysis of Escherichia coli MatP in complex with the matS DNA site.
The Escherichia coli chromosome is organized into four macrodomains which are found in the replication-origin region (Ori), at the terminus (Ter) and on both its sides (Right and Left). The localization of the macrodomains is subject to programmed changes during the cell cycle. The compaction of the 800 kb Ter macrodomain relies on the binding of the MatP protein to a 13 bp matS motif repeated 23 times. MatP is a small DNA-binding protein of about 18 kDa that shares homology in its C-terminal region with the ribbon-helix-helix (RHH) motifs present in regulatory DNA-binding proteins such as CopG. In order to understand the DNA-compaction mechanism of MatP at an atomic level, it was decided to study the structure of apo MatP and of the nucleoprotein complex MatP-matS by both X-ray diffraction and SAXS analysis. It was demonstrated that MatP forms dimers that bind a single matS motif. Complete native X-ray data sets were collected and phasing of the diffraction data is under way.


Familial predisposition to filarial infection--not linked to HLA-A or-B locus specificities.
Two hundred and twenty-five Polynesians were selected from a larger study population for the evaluation of potential genetic influences on the susceptibility to bancroftian filariasis. Analysis showed that there was significantly familial clustering of patients with filariasis and that this clustering was most compatible with genetic transmission of disease susceptibility. The data best fit a model in which the hypothetical gene for filariasis was recessive with a frequency of 0.82 +/- 0.15 in the population and a penetrance of 0.62 +/- 0.14. The alternative hypothesis that susceptibility was environmentally (i.e., not genetically) determined was also compatible with the data but was estimated to be 1.9 times less likely to account for the observed findings than the genetic hypothesis. Extensive evaluation of HLA-A and -B locus specificities failed to detect significant linkage either between particular antigen specificities and the clinical manifestations of filariasis or between individual haplotypes (indicated by HLA markers in studies of large families) and the predisposition to filarial infection or disease.


Geographic Pattern of Variations in Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Cinnamomum camphora Seed Kernels from China.
Cinnamomum camphora (camphor tree) is an important non-conventional edible plant species found in East Asia. Here, a detailed characterization for the chemical composition and nutritional value of C. camphora seed kernels (CCSKs) collected from different regions in China is provided. The results showed that there were significant differences among the CCSK samples in weights (1000 fruits, 1000 seeds and 1000 kernels), proximate composition, minerals, phenolics, flavonoids and amino acid contents. The highest contents of oil (62.08%) and protein (22.17%) were found in the CCSK samples collected from Chongqing and Shanghai, respectively. The highest content of mineral in the CCSK samples was K (4345.05-7186.89 mg/kg), followed by P (2735.86-5385.36 mg/kg), Ca (1412.27-3327.37 mg/kg) and Mg (2028.65-3147.32 mg/kg). The CCSK sample collected from Guizhou had the highest levels of total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC), while that from Chongqing had the lowest levels. In addition, the most abundant fatty acid in the CCSK samples was capric acid (57.37-60.18%), followed by lauric acid (35.23-38.29%). Similarities in the fatty acid composition among the CCSK samples were found. The CCSK sample collected from Guizhou had the highest percentage (36.20%) of essential amino acids to total amino acids, and Chongqing had the lowest value (28.84%). These results indicated that CCSK may be developed as an excellent source of plant-based medium-chain oil, protein, dietary fiber, minerals, phytochemicals and essential amino acids.


Surface states of topological insulators: the Dirac fermion in curved two-dimensional spaces.
The surface of a topological insulator is a closed two-dimensional manifold. The surface states are described by the Dirac Hamiltonian in curved two-dimensional spaces. For a slablike sample with a magnetic field perpendicular to its top and bottom surfaces, there are chiral states delocalized on the four side faces. These "chiral sheets" carry both charge and spin currents. In strong magnetic fields, the quantized charge Hall effect [sigma(xy) = (2n + 1)e2/h] will coexist with spin Hall effect.


Contribution of specific skeletal muscle metabolic abnormalities to limitation of exercise capacity in patients with chronic heart failure: a phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance study.
Several studies of phosphorus 31 (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have demonstrated the presence of skeletal muscle metabolic abnormalities during exercise in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We studied the contribution of these abnormalities to the limitation of exercise capacity in CHF. In 25 patients (age 57 +/- 2 years, left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] 28% +/- 1.6%, peak oxygen consumption (VO2) 16 +/- 1.2 ml/kg/mm) (mean +/- SEM), we studied the calf muscle at rest and during plantar flexion with 31P MRS. The phosphocreatine (PCr) depletion rate was significantly negatively correlated to peak VO2 (r = -0.62, p = 0.001) but not to LVEF. Muscle pH was correlated with the inorganic phosphorus (Pi)/PCr ratio (r = -0.69, p = 0.0001) and with the PCr/adenosine triphosphate beta (ATP beta) ratio (which negatively relates to adenosine diphosphate [ADP] concentration) (r = 0.65, p = 0.00001). Although muscle ATP (ATP/sum of phosphorus [sigma P] remained stable, in 8 patients ATP/sigma P decreased significantly (-15% +/- 4%, p = 0.0002). In this ATP-depleted group, peak VO2 was significantly lower than that of the nondepleted group and PCr depletion more rapid, whereas LVEF did not differ. Skeletal muscle metabolic abnormalities in CHF contribute markedly to the alteration of exercise capacity. Rapid PCr depletion and muscle acidosis are the most relevant abnormalities. ATP depletion and excessive increase in ADP during exercise may contribute further to exercise limitation specifically in patients with more marked CHF.


Mineralized State of the Avian Influenza Virus in the Environment.
Although the circulation of avian influenza viruses in humans is limited, they can be transmitted from Aves (birds) to humans, representing a great challenge. Herein, we suggest that influenza viruses from Aves might exist in a mineralized state owing to the high calcium concentrations in the avian intestine. Using two typical influenza viruses as examples, we demonstrate that these viruses can self-mineralize in simulated avian intestinal fluid, resulting in egg-like virus-mineral structured composites. The mineralized viruses are more robust, with enhanced infectivity and thermostability. More importantly, the mineral exterior of mineralized viruses can alter their cell internalization, expanding the possible tropisms. The discovery of a mineralized state of influenza viruses highlights the integration of nanomaterials and viruses in the environment, which provides a new understanding of avian influenza infection and its control.


"Opening an emotional dimension in me": changes in emotional reactivity and emotion regulation in a case of executive impairment after left fronto-parietal damage.
Dysexecutive impairment is a common problem after brain injury, particularly after damage to the lateral surface of the frontal lobes. There is a large literature describing the cognitive deficits associated with executive impairment after dorsolateral damage; however, little is known about its impact on emotional functioning. This case study describes changes in a 72-year-old man (Professor F) who became markedly dysexecutive after a left fron-to-parietal stroke. Professor F's case is remarkable in that, despite exhibiting typical executive impairments, abstraction and working memory capacities were spared. Such preservation of insight-related capacities allowed him to offer a detailed account of his emotional changes. Quantitative and qualitative tools were used to explore changes in several well-known emotional processes. The results suggest that Professor F's two main emotional changes were in the domain of emotional reactivity (increased experience of both positive and negative emotions) and emotion regulation (down-regulation of sadness). Professor F related both changes to difficulties in his thinking process, especially a difficulty generating and manipulating thoughts during moments of negative arousal. These results are discussed in relation to the literature on executive function and emotion regulation. The relevance of these findings for neuropsychological rehabilitation and for the debate on the neural basis of emotional processes is addressed.


The toxicology of detergents, bleaches, antiseptics and disinfectants in small animals.
Small animals are exposed to a variety of household products. The most common route of exposure is oral by direct ingestion or from grooming soiled fur and feet. The majority of household products are complex chemical mixtures. The clinician must determine the body burden of toxic or potentially toxic substances and the potential for a combination of chemicals to produce intoxication in a particular species and then plan a course of action. Toxicoses of selected household and commercial products are discussed in detail. Animals are exposed to a variety of antiseptics by numerous routes. Potential for iatrogenic intoxication from antiseptics is also discussed. An abridged version of this article will be published in the 10th edition of CURRENT VETERINARY THERAPY: SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, RW Kirk, editor, WB Saunders Co, Philadelphia, PA.


Pulmonary tumor embolism to arterial vessels and carcinomatous lymphangitis. A comparative clinicopathological study.
A prospective study of 222 consecutive autopsies of cancer cases was undertaken to investigate whether carcinomatous lymphangitis and pure arterial tumor embolism of the lungs are different clinicopathological entities. The lungs were removed as a block and 15 sections (three from each lobe) were analyzed. A protocol containing clinical (ie, dyspnea, cyanosis, right ventricular failure, engorgement of jugular veins, and peripheral edema as main cause of death) and morphological (ie, right ventricle thickness and dilatation, vascular sclerosis, pulmonary infarct) data were carefully recorded in each case. Arterial tumor embolism was detected in 19 cases (8.5%) and carcinomatous lymphangitis in 44 cases (19.8%). We found no differences in relation to signs and symptoms of arterial tumor embolism and carcinomatous lymphangitis, but respiratory distress as the main cause of death was significantly more frequent in the cases with arterial involvement by tumor emboli. Morphologically, however, right ventricular hypertrophy-dilatation, histological signs of pulmonary hypertension, and hemorrhagic infarcts were more prevalent in the cases with arterial tumor embolism. This study permits us to conclude that although arterial tumor embolism and carcinomatous lymphangitis are clinically similar diseases, they are morphologically different entities. Our results suggest that the most probable pathogenesis of pulmonary endarteritis and subsequent pulmonary hypertension is the injury to the vascular endothelium caused by the arrest of tumor emboli.


Response surface methodology use in construction of polianiline-coated carbon paste electrode-based biosensor: Modification and characterization.
In this study, the effect of amperometric glucose biosensor construction and using conditions on the current response was investigated in detail applying experimental design. Polyaniline (PANI) was synthesized on the carbon paste electrode (CPE) surface using the cyclic voltammetry technique in sodium oxalate (NaOx ) electrolyte medium, and an amperometric biosensor was constructed by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOD). Biosensor preparation (aniline, GOD and NaOx concentrations, and scan rate) and operating conditions (pH and applied potential) were optimized by Box-Behnken and optimal designs, respectively, via State Ease Design Expert 22.214.171.124 software. ANOVA analyses showed that among the biosensor preparation parameters, the NaOx concentration has the highest effect on the current measured in the presence of glucose, whereas in the optimization of pH and potential parameters applied in current measurement studies, it has been revealed that pH has a very high effect on the measured current. Several compounds, such as MWCNT, two different ionic liquids and two different organic molecules were added to carbon paste, and, among them, 2-cyanoethylpyrrole (CPy) enhanced the efficacy highly, most probably due to its polymerization in the paste and increasing the electron transfer rate of the CPE. Sucrose- and lactose-sensitive biosensors were also constructed by co-immobilizing GOD with invertase (INV) or β-galactosidase, respectively, onto modified CPE, and sensitivities to their substrates were shown by cyclic voltammetry and impedance analysis. CPy modification caused an increase in the current values, and also Imax /KM values increased approximately 11.8, 7.83, and 2.56 times for glucose-, sucrose-, and lactose-sensitive CPEs, respectively.