From working on recovery to working in recovery: Employment status among a nationally representative U.S. sample of individuals who have resolved a significant alcohol or other drug problem.
Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders exact a prodigious annual economic toll in the United States (U.S.), driven largely by lost productivity due to illness-related absenteeism, underemployment, and unemployment. While recovery from AOD disorders is associated with improved health and functioning, little is known specifically about increases in productivity due to new or resumed employment and who may continue to struggle. Also, because employment can buffer relapse risk by providing structure, meaning, purpose, and income, greater knowledge in this regard would inform relapse prevention efforts as well as employment-related policy. We conducted a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of the U.S. adult population assessing persons who reported having resolved an AOD problem (n = 2002). Weighted employment, unemployment, retirement, and disability statistics were compared to the general U.S. population. Logistic and linear regression models tested for differences in employment and unemployment among demographic categories and measures of well-being. Compared to the general U.S. population, individuals who had resolved an AOD problem were less likely to be employed or retired, and more likely to be unemployed and disabled. Certain recovering subgroups, including those identifying as black and those with histories of multiple arrests, were further disadvantaged. Conversely, certain factors, such as a higher level of education and less prior criminal justice involvement were associated with lower unemployment risk. Despite being in recovery from an AOD problem, individuals continue to struggle with obtaining employment, particularly black Americans and those with prior criminal histories. Given the importance of employment in addiction recovery and relapse prevention, more research is needed to identify employment barriers so that they can be effectively addressed.


[Study on gene cloning of Chlamydial pneumonia CPn0308 and its endogenous localization].
To clone CPn0308 gene from Clamyida pneumonia and express its fusion protein, to make antibodies to fusion protein GST-CPn0308, and to further localize endogenous protein preliminarily using antibodies raised with CPn0308 fusion protein. The open reading frame (ORF) coding for CPn0308 in the Chlamydia pneumonia AR 39 genome was cloned into the pGEX6p2 vector after it was cloned using PCR and digested by the restriction enzymes BamHI and NotI. The recombinant plasmid pGEX6p2-CPn0308 was transformed into XL1-blue bacteria and the gene CPn0308 was expressed as fusion proteins with the glutathione-s-transferase (GST) tagged to the N-terminus. The GST-CPn0308 fusion protein was used to immunize mice and the mouse anti-fusion protein antibody was used to localize the endogenous CPn0308 protein in Chlamydia-infected cells using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The CPn0308 gene, which was 366bp in length,was successfully cloned and the GST fusion protein with molecular weight of 39kD was expressed. It was found that the hypothetical protein CPn0308 was located in the inclusion membrane of Chlamydia pneumonia-infected cells using IFA of mouse anti-fusion protein antibodies. Using antibodies raised with GST-CPn0308 fusion protein, the hypothetical protein CPn0308 was identified to be a Chlamydia pneumoniae inclusion membrane protein. It could be the potentially important role of inclusion membrane proteins in chlamydial interactions with host cells.


Group Method of Data Handling Using Christiano-Fitzgerald Random Walk Filter for Insulator Fault Prediction.
Disruptive failures threaten the reliability of electric supply in power branches, often indicated by the rise of leakage current in distribution insulators. This paper presents a novel, hybrid method for fault prediction based on the time series of the leakage current of contaminated insulators. In a controlled high-voltage laboratory simulation, 15 kV-class insulators from an electrical power distribution network were exposed to increasing contamination in a salt chamber. The leakage current was recorded over 28 h of effective exposure, culminating in a flashover in all considered insulators. This flashover event served as the prediction mark that this paper proposes to evaluate. The proposed method applies the Christiano-Fitzgerald random walk (CFRW) filter for trend decomposition and the group data-handling (GMDH) method for time series prediction. The CFRW filter, with its versatility, proved to be more effective than the seasonal decomposition using moving averages in reducing non-linearities. The CFRW-GMDH method, with a root-mean-squared error of 3.44×10-12, outperformed both the standard GMDH and long short-term memory models in fault prediction. This superior performance suggested that the CFRW-GMDH method is a promising tool for predicting faults in power grid insulators based on leakage current data. This approach can provide power utilities with a reliable tool for monitoring insulator health and predicting failures, thereby enhancing the reliability of the power supply.


[Transplantation of a minute artery to bridge over the defect of an artery of significantly larger calibre. An experimental study].
Based on our clinical experience for years of "unequal bite" suturing technique to perform end-to-end anastomosis of vessels with great discrepancy in diameter, the animal experimental study was carried out. An artery defect, 1.0-1.4 mm in diameter, was reunited with, an autogenous arterial graft of 0.3-0.4 mm in diameter. A high patency rate (96% in total) was obtained postoperatively. Histological examination by light microscope and scanning electron microscope showed that the unequal bite suturing technique can produce very smooth anastomotic junction and the minute arterial grafts healed well on a large artery. The unequal bite suturing technique is a very valuable development of the basic end-to-end anastomotic technique. A small autogenous arterial graft may be used to repair defect of an artery with large calibre clinically.


Infectious agent screening in canine blood donors in the United Kingdom.
Transfusion of blood products is an important component of veterinary emergency medicine. Donors must be carefully selected to minimise risk of transmission of blood-borne infectious agents. This study was devised to assess the prevalence of such agents in healthy, non-travelled UK dogs screened as prospective donors. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood samples from dogs donating blood between August 2007 and January 2012 were screened by polymerase chain reaction for haemotropic mycoplasmas, Bartonella, Babesia, Leishmania, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma spp. Dogs with positive or inconclusive results underwent repeat polymerase chain reaction testing. Four of 262 dogs had positive or inconclusive results at initial screening. Repeat polymerase chain reaction testing in each dog was negative, and none of the dogs developed clinical signs of disease. The positive results on initial screening may have represented false positives from sample contamination or amplification of non-target DNA. It is also possible that dogs were infected at initial sampling but successfully cleared infection before repeat testing. The low number of positive results obtained suggests that prevalence of these agents in a population of healthy UK dogs is low and that use of blood products is unlikely to represent a significant risk of transmission of these diseases.


[Mario Santoro: medical teaching and the foundation of the Studio Firmano in 1955].
The paper provides new information on the didactic activity of prof. Mario Santoro--the founder of the Studio Firmano--both in medicine and history of medicine. It uses unknown and unpublished archivistic documentation to reconstruct the history of prof. Santoro's teaching activity. It dedicates particular attention to the two institutions that prof. Santoro founded in Fermo: the institute of nipiology for professional nursing and the Studio Firmano for history of medicine and science. The research intends to demonstrate the historical and ideological continuity between the medical and historical teaching of prof. Mario Santoro.


[Laboratory and clinical studies on combined effects of fosfomycin plus sulbactam/cefoperazone for mixed infections of MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa].
The time-lag/sequential/step by step chemotherapy by fosfomycin plus sulbactam/cefoperazone including a short time small dose of steroid was done for 27 severely infected patients suffered from various cancer or other severe basal diseases. And the staggered "intensive" chemotherapy with added arbekacin or vancomycin to the previous staggered chemotherapy was done against 13 severely infected patients having MRSAs among their infecting pathogens. 1. Bacteriological effects Pseudomonas aeruginosa 6/8, Staphylococcus epidermidis 5/5, Enterococcus faecalis 3/6, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus 2/2, Klebsiella pneumoniae 2/2, MRSA 2/2, Xanthomonas maltophilia 2/3 and other 10/10 were eradicated (84.2%) by the staggered chemotherapy and MRSA 7/13, P. aeruginosa 3/4, E. faecalis 3/5, A. calcoaceticus 2/2, X. maltophilia 1/1 and others 2/2 were eradicated (53.8% in MRSA, 78.6% in others and 66.7% in total) and 3 of MRSAs were colonized. 2. Clinical effects 1) Staggered chemotherapy: Excellent 18/27, good 8/27, fair 1/27, poor 0/27 (96.3%). 2) Staggered "intensive" chemotherapy: Excellent 6/13, good 4/13, fair 2/13, poor 1/13 (76.9%) in total: excellent 60.0%, efficacy rate 90.0%.


Independence of cytotoxic drug sensitivity profiles and receptor subtype of invasive ductal breast carcinoma demonstrated by the histoculture drug response assay (HDRA).
Breast cancer can be divided into four subtypes: luminal-A, luminal-B, HER-2 enriched and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) by the presence or absence of receptors. Each subtype has a typical clinical behavior and prognosis. Many chemotherapeutic agents are used clinically for breast cancer. The histoculture drug response assay (HDRA) is used for selection of effective chemotherapeutic agents for individual patients Materials and Methods: In the present study, the HDRA was used for eleven frequently-used single-agent or combinations on the four subtypes of breast cancer in order to determine the correlation of drug sensitivity profile and breast-cancer subtype. Fifty invasive ductal breast carcinoma patients who underwent cancer surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy between January 2012 and January 2013 had their tumors analyzed in the HDRA. Age, gender, height and weight, tumor-nodes-metastasis (TNM) stage, immunohistochemical (IHC profiles, breast-cancer subtypes and HDRA results were recorded. The inhibition rate (IR) of each agent or combination for each breast-cancer subtype was determined. Drug to drug IRs were statistically distinct in all subtypes (p<0.05) but no correlation between response to chemotherapeutic agents and breast-cancer subtype was found (p=0.851 by two-way ANOVA test). The clear difference between average sensitivity of the chemotherapeutic agents tested and lack of correlation with breast-cancer subtype suggest the importance of individualized treatment for breast-cancer patients.


Cystic mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver report of a case and review of the literature.
Mesenchymal Hamartoma (MH) of the liver constitutes the third or the fourth most common tumour of the liver in childhood and occurs most commonly in the first two years of life. It is often misdiagnosed clinically as a malignant tumour because of its rapid increase in size within a short period of time, or as a hepatic collections or abscess because of its cystic appearance. Although a benign lesion, MH may cause heart failure due to arteriovenous shunts, or death as a result of respiratory complications. A typical case of MH was recently encountered in a 6-years-old-boy. The patient presented with progres sive abdominal distension; surgery revealed a large mass arising from the right lobe of the liver. The mass was predominantly formed by fluid collections. Loose mesenchymal tissue and branched, tortuous bile ducts were the key diagnostic features. When predominantly cystic, MH may mimic lymphangioma both grossly and microscopically. Prudent examination of the cystic structures can establish a correct diagnosis.


Cytomegalovirus-Associated Inhibition of Hematopoiesis Is Preventable by Cytoimmunotherapy With Antiviral CD8 T Cells.
Reactivation of latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) in recipients of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) not only results in severe organ manifestations, but can also cause "graft failure" resulting in bone marrow (BM) aplasia. This inhibition of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell engraftment is a manifestation of CMV infection that is long known in clinical hematology as "myelosuppression." Previous studies in a murine model of sex-chromosome mismatched but otherwise syngeneic HCT and infection with murine CMV have shown that transplanted hematopoietic cells (HC) initially home to the BM stroma of recipients but then fail to further divide and differentiate. Data from this model were in line with the hypothesis that infection of stromal cells, which constitute "hematopoietic niches" where hematopoiesis takes place, causes a local deficiency in essential hematopoietins. Based on this understanding, one must postulate that preventing infection of stromal cells should restore the stroma's capacity to support hematopoiesis. Adoptively-transferred antiviral CD8+ T cells prevent lethal CMV disease by controlling viral spread and histopathology in vital organs, such as liver and lungs. It remained to be tested, however, if they can also prevent infection of the BM stroma and thus allow for successful HC engraftment. Here we demonstrate that antiviral CD8+ T cells control stromal infection. By tracking male donor-derived sry+ HC in the BM of infected female sry- recipients, we show the CD8+ T cells allow for successful donor HC engraftment and thereby prevent CMV-associated BM aplasia. These data provide a further argument for cytoimmunotherapy of CMV infection after HCT.


A Case of Misdiagnosed as Upper Urinary Tract Obstruction Caused by the Fungal Ball.
Upper urinary tract obstruction caused by fungal balls is a rare urinary system disease. We admitted an elderly man with symptoms of urinary tract infection and diabetes mellitus. When the patient was transported into the hospital, a CT scan revealed right renal pelvis dilatation and gas buildup, routine urinalysis showing full field of view of white blood cells and middle urinary bacteria and fungi cultures came back negative, leading to the incorrect diagnosis of emphysematous pyelonephritis with Aerogenes infection. When the diagnosis is confirmed, surgery and antifungal therapy are used to deal with both the obstruction and the fungal ball.


The increased ratio of Treg/Th2 in promoting metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world. Research on the pathogenesis and detailed molecular mechanisms of liver cancer is very important. The immune system plays an important role in regulating the incidence and metastasis of liver cancer. This work collected 20 blood samples from patients with clinical hepatocellular carcinoma without metastasis, 20 blood samples from patients with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, and 20 blood samples from healthy subjects. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the content of Treg and Th2 cells in the three groups of blood samples. Immunofluorescence was applied to analyze the relative expression of CTLA-4 and CD28 in lymphocytes of each group of blood samples. Western blot was used to analyze the T cell surface protein CTLA-4, CD28, GATA3, and FOXP3 expression in each group of blood samples. The expression of CD28 and GATA3 in the blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma without metastasis was obviously higher than that of patients with metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma, which is contrary to the expression trend of CTLA-4 and FOXP3, and corresponds to the content ratio of Treg and Th2 cells, thus verifying the relationship between Treg/Th2 ratio and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. In the microenvironment of liver cancer, the ratio of Treg/Th2 will increase significantly, thereby promoting the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.


Increasing D2 affinity results in the loss of clozapine's atypical antipsychotic action.
Typical antipsychotics (haloperidol) give rise to severe motor side-effects while atypical antipsychotics like clozapine do not. Action at several neurotransmitter receptors have been implicated. To identify the critical mechanisms involved we synthesized an 8-C1 isomer of clozapine which showed an equivalent affinity to clozapine on multiple receptors (5-HT1A, 5-HT2, D1, D4, M1) but differed in having a 10-fold higher affinity at the dopamine D2/3 receptor. When tested in a series of animal models indicative of the typical/atypical distinction (catalepsy, striatal gene-induction, prolactin elevation) isoclozapine lost atypical properties and behaved like a typical antipsychotic. Simultaneous in vivo receptor occupancy studies confirmed that alterations in D2 receptor occupancy were most closely related to loss of atypicality by clozapine's isomer isoclozapine. The implications for the design of future antipsychotics is discussed.


Direct and indirect effects of obesity on the kidney.
Over the last few decades, much of the world has experienced an epidemic of obesity. In the year 2008, 1.4 billion people worldwide were overweight, and 500 million were obese. Even more alarming is a fact that in the year 2010, 40 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight or obese. In the same time period, the incidence of CKD has also increased worldwide. Obesity has been recognized as a driving force of another global epidemic-diabetes, the leading cause of ESRD. Recent studies are confirming that in addition to risk associated with diabetes per se, increased body mass index is independently linked to increased risk for various kidney disorders, prominently CKD, but also renal cell carcinoma and nephrolithiasis. The purpose of this article is to review current knowledge regarding adverse effects of obesity on the kidney.


[Effects of Chinese herbal medicines Shengmai injection and Xuesaitong injection on ventricular fibrillation threshold and connexin 43 expression in rats with myocardial infarction].
To explore the effects of Shengmai injection and Xuesaitong injection, compound Chinese herbal medicines for replenishing qi and activating blood, on ventricular fibrillation threshold, heart structure and connexin 43 (Cx43) expression in rats with myocardial infarction (MI). One hundred male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, Yiqi Huoxue (YQHX) group (Shengmai injection plus Xuesaitong injection) and captopril group. MI model of rats was established by ligating left anterior descending coronary artery, and rats in sham operation group were prepared in the same way except for the ligation of coronary artery. Rats were treated with corresponding drugs for 1 month from next day after modeling. After treatment ventricular fibrillation threshold was detected, and heart weight index, left ventricular internal diameter and percentage of myocardial infarction were measured. Expression of Cx43 mRNA in myocardium was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and expression of Cx43 protein was observed by immunohistochemical method. Compared with the sham operation group, ventricular fibrillation threshold decreased significantly, heart weight index and left ventricular internal diameter increased, while expressions of Cx43 mRNA and protein decreased remarkably in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, ventricular fibrillation threshold was increased significantly, heart weight index, left ventricular internal diameter and percentage of myocardial infarction were decreased significantly in the YQHX group and captopril group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). When it comes to expression of Cx43, both Cx43 mRNA and protein expressions were increased remarkably in the YQHX group compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while only density mean and integral optical density of Cx43 protein expression were increased significantly in the captopril group (P<0.05). The enhancements on Cx43 mRNA and positive area sum of Cx43 protein induced by YQHX drugs were stronger than those induced by captopril (P<0.05). Shengmai injection and Xuesaitong injection have beneficial effects on ventricular fibrillation threshold in rats with MI. The mechanism is related with improving heart structure and reducing Cx43 expression after MI.


Probing local pH-based precipitation processes in self-assembled silica-carbonate hybrid materials.
Crystallisation of barium carbonate in the presence of silica can lead to the spontaneous assembly of highly complex superstructures, consisting of uniform and largely co-oriented BaCO3 nanocrystals that are interspersed by a matrix of amorphous silica. The formation of these biomimetic architectures (so-called silica biomorphs) is thought to be driven by a dynamic interplay between the components, in which subtle changes of conditions trigger ordered mineralisation at the nanoscale. In particular, it has been proposed that local pH gradients at growing fronts play a crucial role in the process of morphogenesis. In the present work, we have used a special pH-sensitive fluorescent dye to directly trace these presumed local fluctuations by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy. Our data demonstrate the existence of an active region near the growth front, where the pH is locally decreased with respect to the alkaline bulk solution on a length scale of few microns. This observation provides fundamental and, for the first time, direct experimental support for the current picture of the mechanism underlying the formation of these peculiar materials. On the other hand, the absence of any temporal oscillations in the local pH - another key feature of the envisaged mechanism - challenges the notion of autocatalytic phenomena in such systems and raises new questions about the actual role of silica as an additive in the crystallisation process.


[Cytogenetic examination of children with chronic granulocytic leukemia].
The most important marker chromosome in patients with CDL is small acrocentric chromosome which is due to the deletion one of the chromosome 22. Ph 1 can be found only in adult type of CDL. Dhe authors present their experiences in citogeneticaly examined children with CDL. The examinations were done in six patients in peripheral blood and bone marrow. Ph 1 was negative only in one case. In the other patients philadelphia chromosome was found in bone marrow and in the peripheral blood only when the illness go from bad to worse.


Functional gait adaptations in patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency over time.
Functional adaptations in knee kinematics and kinetics during level walking in 30 patients with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament deficiency and 30 healthy control subjects were studied. To examine the impact of time after injury on the functional adaptations, patients were placed into three time interval groups: early, intermediate, and chronic. The patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency had significantly decreased external knee flexion moments (balanced by net quadriceps contraction) and significantly increased external knee extension moments (balanced by net knee flexors contraction) as compared with the control subjects. As time after the injury increased, changes in the sagittal plane knee moments were more pronounced. A significant linear relationship (positive correlation) was found between the midstance knee flexion moment and the corresponding knee flexion angle. The patients with anterior cruciate deficiency had a greater knee flexion angle when generating a comparable midstance knee flexion moment as compared to the control subjects. The identification of gait adaptations over time provides additional information on the natural history of anterior cruciate ligament deficiency and may have implications regarding conservative rehabilitation, evaluation of outcomes, progression of meniscal injury, and the development of degenerative arthritis of the knee.


[Health promotion based on assets: how to work with this perspective in local interventions?]
An asset-based approach could be useful to revitalise health promotion or community health interventions combining work with multiple partnerships, positive health, community engagement, equity and orientation of health determinants. We set some recommendations about how to incorporate the assets model in programmes, projects and interventions in health promotion. Some techniques are described for assets mapping and some experiences with this methodology being developed in different regions are systematised. We propose the term "Asset-based Health Promotion/Community Health" as an operational definition to work at the local level with a community engagement and participatory approach, building alliances between different institutions at the state-regional level and trying to create a framework for action with the generation of evaluations and evidence to work on population interventions from the perspective of positive health.


Comparative analysis of primary and secondary glomerulopathies in the northeast of Brazil: data from the Pernambuco Registry of Glomerulopathies - REPEG.
In Brazil, glomerulopathies are the third leading cause of chronic renal disease, accounting for 11% of dialysis patients. Studies on the prevalence of this disease in Northeastern Brazil are scarce. The aim was to describe the findings of biopsies and to conduct a comparative analysis on the clinical laboratory presentation of primary glomerulopathies (PG) and secondary glomerulopathies (SG). This was a retrospective study conducted at two public teaching hospitals in the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. A total of 1151 biopsies performed between 1998 and 2016 were analyzed. The sample consisted of 670 biopsies of native kidneys, after excluding extra glomerular diseases and unsuitable material. PG were more frequent than SG (58% vs. 42%). There was a prevalence among PG of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (43%). Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and collapsing glomerulopathy, accounted for 9% and 3% of the PG, respectively. For SG, the main etiologies were lupus nephritis (67%) and infections (10%). Female sex, hematuria and an elevated level of creatinine were related to a greater chance of SG, at multivariate analysis. An increase of proteinuria reduced this chance. Nephrotic syndrome was more common among the PG, while urinary abnormalities and nephritic syndrome prevailed in patients with SG. This is the first registry of glomerulopathies in Northeastern Brazil. It also presents a comparative analysis of the main clinical laboratory abnormalities of PG and SG, and includes the current classifications of glomerular diseases.


Demonstration of human breast carcinoma cells in cryosections and primary monolayer cultures of surgical biopsies by neotetrazolium reductase cytochemistry.
The present study describes a cytochemical approach to demonstrate human breast carcinoma cells in cryosections and in primary monolayer cultures from surgical biopsies. The material consisted of biopsies from 52 carcinomas and 29 benign lesions. Cryosections and cultures were incubated to demonstrate NADPH-neotetrazolium reductase in an atmosphere of 99.5% oxygen. Incubation time and section thickness were adjusted to accomplish the same level of reaction in cells of cryosections and corresponding cultures. Positive reaction was thus confined to epithelial elements and to the wall of some smaller blood vessels. More than one-half of the carcinoma cells showed moderate to strong reaction in cryosections from 29 of 52 carcinomas whereas no reaction was seen in ductules of normal appearance adjacent to these carcinoma cells. Positive reaction was seen in epithelial cell islets in primary cultures of 16 of the 40 carcinomas cultured. In cryosections from fibroadenomas and fibrocystic disease specimens only apocrine metaplasia consistently showed positive reactions compared with less than 10% of other ductular profiles in a given cryosection. This pattern of reaction was reflected in the derived primary cultures in which positive reaction was found in epithelial cell islets in only one of 19 biopsies cultured. The presence of human milk fat globule membrane antigen was used to demonstrate the epithelial nature of the cell islets seen in cultures of biopsies from both benign lesions and carcinomas. NADPH-neotetrazolium reductase positive islets from carcinoma biopsies were frequently aneuploid whereas most negative islets from carcinoma biopsies were diploid as were all islets from benign tissues.


Ceramide constituents from five mushrooms.
Five mushrooms, Panellus serotinus, Lyophyllum connatum, Amanita pantherina, Sarcodon aspratus and Lepista nuda, have been investigated chemically. Two new ceramides, (2S,3R,4E,8E)-N-hexadecanoyl-2-amino-9-methyl-4,8-octadecadiene-1,3-diol (1) and (2S,3R,4E,8E,9'Z,12'Z)-N-9',12'-octadecadienoyl-2-amino-9-methyl-4,8-octadecadiene-1,3-diol (2), have been isolated from Panellus serotinus. Compound 2 was also isolated from Lyophyllum connatum. Two new ceramides, (2S,2'R,3R,4E,8E)-N-2'-hydroxypentadecanoyl-2-amino-9-methyl-4,8-octadecadiene-1,3-diol (4) and (2S,2'R,3R,4E,8E)-N-2'-hydroxytetradecanoyl-2-amino-9-methyl-4,8-octadeca-diene-1,3-diol (5), have been isolated from Amanita pantherina with (2S,2'R,3R,4E,8E)-N-2'-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-2-amino-9-methyl-4,8-octadecadiene-1,3-diol (3), a known synthetic compound. Compounds 3 and 4 were also isolated from Sarcodon aspratus and compound 3 was isolated from Lepista nuda. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of their spectral data.


[Does inguinal hernia repair influence on quality of life of elderly males?].
Inguinal hernia repair is a common surgical intervention in elderly which can affect quality of life in the future of these patients. Aim of the study is to assess the quality of life of elderly males after inguinal hernia repair compared with a similar group of male patients without any operation. A group of 40 male patients between the age of 60-80, in time up to 2 years after Lichtenstein hernia repair was compared with the same age 50 healthy males not operated in previous 2 years by 2 questionnaires: international Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GQLI) and national Gerontologic Society Investigation Questionnaire to assess possible differences in their quality of life. Both groups were comparable and operation techniques were identical. Hernia repair resulted in 12 complications (30%): wound infections - 3, serous exudate - 1, chronic pains - 2, inflammatory infiltration - 4, loose sutures - 2. Overall GQLI score in hernia operation group reached mean 123.5 +/- 10.3 and in control group was 121.2 +/- 8.7 (p > 0.37). Gerontologic Society Investigation Questionnaire did not reveal any significant differences between both groups, however it presented rather sad existence of elderly men in our country, who being pensioners are self-limiting their activity on all fields. However, the profile of the hernia group seemed to comprise of people, who keep better physical activity, thus are motivated to be operated for inguinal hernia to keep them in a good physical shape. Some limitations of their postoperative activity were noted, probably because of medical advice or in fear of recurrence of hernia. Elderly patients operated for inguinal hernia have similar long term quality of life as a healthy population of the same age. Medical prescription to restrict the physical activity after hernia repair with a mesh should be limited to short necessary time especially in elderly. Further investigations are needed to elaborate methods of increasing activity of old men in Poland to moderate medical costs for this group.


COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib suppresses tumor growth and lung metastasis of a murine mammary cancer.
The antitumor growth and antimetastatic actions of celecoxib [a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor] were investigated in a metastatic murine mammary cancer model. Mice bearing mammary tumors, developed after inoculation of syngeneic BALBIc mice with a mammary carcinoma cell line carrying a p53 mutation, were treated with celecoxib at 0, 7.5 and 15 mg/kg five times a week for seven weeks. Tumor volumes were significantly reduced in association with an increase in apoptosis and a decrease in DNA synthesis in tumor tissues. In vitro studies demonstrated a significant increase in the number of cells undergoing apoptosis, with significantly elevated activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9, but not caspase-8, and a dose-dependent decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. In addition, treatment with celecoxib showed cell cycle arrest in the G -phase and decreased cell population in the S- and G2/M-phases. Furthermore, tumor microvessel formation and mRNA levels for VEGF-A and COX-2 were markedly decreased. Celecoxib may be useful as an adjuvant therapy for breast cancer containing p53 mutations due to its ability to both induce p53-independent mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and exert anti-angiogenic potential.


Nutrition, onset of disease, and longevity in the rat.
The effect of food restriction in rats to a level 46% below the intake of those fed ad libitum was studied in relation to onset of disease and longevity. Dietary restriction at this level kept adult rats in a nutritional state short of the development of excess body fat, and had little effect on skeletal growth or sexual maturity. Onset of microscopically observed renal, vascular, myocardial and skeletal muscle lesions, as well as mammary fibroadenoma in females, was delayed and resulted in greater longevity. Life expectancy of male rats was increased by 25% and of females by 39%. Time of onset of disease appears to be regulated by a common factor which is influenced by dietary intake.


Impact of volume targeting on efficacy of bi-level non-invasive ventilation and sleep in obesity-hypoventilation.
Volume targeting by bi-level positive pressure ventilation (BPPV) has recently been made available by several manufacturers for home care ventilators. Although it may improve nocturnal ventilation, we hypothesized that increased pressure swings related to volume targeting may have a deleterious effect on sleep structure and patient comfort. Patients in stable clinical condition (n=12) treated by BPPV for obesity-hypoventilation (BMI: 44+/-8 kg/m(2)) for a median of 30 months (range: 2-138), underwent nocturnal polysomnography with transcutaneous capnography on 2 consecutive nights with either BPPV and usual ventilator settings or BPPV with volume targeting, in randomized sequence. Subjective quality of sleep (St. Mary's Hospital Questionnaire) and comfort of ventilation (VAS scales) were also assessed. Mean IPAP, mean tidal volume, and total ventilation increased significantly with volume targeting. Control of nocturnal hypoventilation was slightly improved with volume targeting (nocturnal TcPCO(2): 42+/-9 vs. 45+/-5 mmHg, p=0.04). However, total sleep time and stage 2 sleep were greater without volume targeting, and wake after sleep onset and awakenings >20s increased with volume targeting. Subjectively, patients described a lighter sleep, of lesser quality and more frequent awakenings with volume targeting; ventilation was perceived as less comfortable, with an increased perception of leaks and of "too much air". In stable patients treated by BPPV for obesity-hypoventilation, volume targeting improved control of nocturnal hypoventilation at the expense of a slight decrease in objective and subjective sleep quality, and comfort of ventilation.


The intersection of microbiome and host at the skin interface: genomic- and metagenomic-based insights.
The past two decades have been marked by a surge in research to understand the microbial communities that live in association with the human body, in part stimulated by affordable, high-throughput DNA sequencing technology. In the context of the skin, this Perspective focuses on the current state of genomic- and metagenomic-based host-microbe research and future challenges and opportunities to move the field forward. These include elucidating nonbacterial components of the skin microbiome (i.e., viruses); systematic studies to address common perturbations to the skin microbiome (e.g., antimicrobial drugs, topical cosmetic/hygienic products); improved approaches for identifying potential microbial triggers for skin diseases, including species- and strain-level resolution; and improved, clinically relevant models for studying the functional and mechanistic roles of the skin microbiome. In the next 20 years, we can realistically expect that our knowledge of the skin microbiome will inform the clinical management and treatment of skin disorders through diagnostic tests to stratify patient subsets and predict best treatment modality and outcomes and through treatment strategies such as targeted manipulation or reconstitution of microbial communities.


Low-Temperature PM IRRAS of a Monolayer on Au: Spectra of C18D37SH.
We describe an experimental setup suitable for the measurement of photomodulated IR reflection/absorption spectra of monolayers on a flat gold substrate at temperatures from room to 14 K. Results obtained for a monolayer of C18D37SH on gold are shown and compared with IR spectra of C18D37SH in a KBr pellet at these temperatures. Band widths are reduced by only ∼10%. Upon cooling below 100-150 K, the frequencies and intensities of vas(CD3) and vas(CD2) bands in the C-D stretching region in both types of spectra undergo reversible changes attributed to disappearance of gauche defects by analogy to the behavior of previously studied chains.


Column studies for the adsorption of cationic surfactant onto an organic polymer resin and a granular activated carbon.
Adsorption beds containing granular activated carbon and organic polymer resin are used widely to remove organic pollutants from wastewaters and water streams. Adsorption polymers are becoming alternatives to activated carbon for removal of surfactants by adsorption techniques. This study investigated the adsorption characteristics of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a cationic surfactant for selected concentrations below and above critical micelle concentration (CMC). A series of column tests were performed to determine the breakthrough curves by using two different adsorbents: (1) Hydraffin CC 8 x 30 as a commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) and (2) Lewatit VPOC 1064 MD PH as a commercial organic polymer resin. In the experiments, the volumetric flow rate was maintained at 10.5 mL/min (approximately 2 m3/ m2 x h). Loading of adsorbents was continued until breakthrough was 10% of the feed concentration. The breakthrough took place at 488 bed volume (BV) below CMC (C0 = 40 mg/L) and 39 BV above CMC (C0 = 400 mg/ L) onto GAC. The organic polymer resin, however, showed a higher adsorption capacity than GAC (1412 BV below CMC and 287 BV above CMC). From the Logit method, the value of adsorption rate coefficient (K) and adsorption capacity coefficient (N) were obtained.


A comparison of compressive force generation by plating and intramedullary nailing techniques in a transverse diaphyseal humerus fracture model.
The null hypothesis to be tested in this study is that the compression forces generated with a novel compressible intramedullary nail are not different from compression plating techniques. A custom sensor was used to measure the compressive force at a transverse midshaft humeral sawbone osteotomy (OTA 12-A3.2) in four groups. The groups included: standard compression plating using a limited contact dynamic compression plate (LCDC) with eccentric screw placement (ED-LCDC), compression plating using an LCDC plate with an articulated tensioner and eccentric compression screw (AT-LCDC), locked humeral nail compressed using the manufacturer's long stainless steel screwdriver (T2-IMN), and locked humeral nail compressed using a short stainless steel AO screwdriver (SF-IMN). From continuous measurements recorded during osteotomy compression, the maximum force (CMax) and force at 60 seconds after the peak measurement (CMax +60) were analyzed. The mean CMax was 2043 N for SF-IMN, 1109 N for AT-LCDC, 799 N for T2-IMN, and 365 N for ED-LCDC. Mean CMax +60 was 1648 N for SF-IMN, 944 N for AT-LCDC, 650 N for T2-IMN, and 319 N for ED-LCDC. The difference in both CMax and CMax +60 was statistically significant between all groups (p < 0.002). A new humeral nail can generate higher compression than plating using eccentric drill holes or the articulated tensioner when used with a short stainless steel screwdriver shaft. Clinical studies are needed to analyze whether this compression could improve the union rate of humeral fractures and nonunions beyond those of standard nails.


Transcriptional modulation of foreign gene expression in engineered somatic tissues.
Many diseases that are candidates for gene therapy require that the therapeutic gene expression level be controlled to ensure biological efficacy and to prevent toxic effects. Various systems have been described that allow transcriptional regulation by artificial chimeric transactivators in mammalian cells. This paper describes these various systems and discusses their interests for gene therapy.


Defective cerebrovascular autoregulation in regions proximal to arteriovenous malformations of the brain: a case report and topic review.
We report the case of a patient with a large left subfrontal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) that was supplied by the right internal carotid artery. The anomalous blood supply developed because of complete occlusion of the left internal carotid artery. When the AVM was removed, the patient experienced a hemorrhage into the right basal ganglia. The possibility that this hemorrhage was related to a defect of autoregulation in blood vessels that lie proximal to a large AVM is discussed. Even though this is a unique case, the pathophysiological events that are documented are relevant to the preoperative preparation and surgical management of all patients with AVMs.


Discovery of Potent, Selective Stem Cell Factor Receptor/Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor Alpha (c-KIT/PDGFRα) Dual Inhibitor for the Treatment of Imatinib-Resistant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs).
Stem cell factor receptor (c-KIT) and platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) kinases play an important role in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Here, we have discovered an c-KIT/PDGFRα dual inhibitor, compound 31, with single-digit nanomolar potency against c-KIT and PDGFRα. Compared to Imatinib (1), 31 showed better antiproliferative efficacy against various TEL-c-KIT/PDGFRα-BaF3 isogenic cells, including three 1-resistant BaF3 cell lines, as well as against GIST-T1 and GIST-882 cell lines. Furthermore, compound 31 showed a good KinomeScan selectivity (468 kinases) (S score (1) = 0.01 at 1 μM concentration), good metabolic stability in liver microsomes, and no hERG inhibitory activity. It was worth noting that 31 inhibited GIST-T1 tumor growth (TGI = 81.5%) and even the BaF3-TEL-cKIT-T670I tumor progression (TGI = 41.9%, 1-resistant GISTs) at a dosage of 100 mg/kg/day without exhibiting apparent toxicity.