An unwelcome inheritance: childhood obesity after diabetes in pregnancy.
Diabetes in pregnancy affects 20 million women per year and is associated with increased risk of obesity in offspring, leading to insulin resistance and cardiometabolic disease. Despite the substantial public health ramifications, relatively little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying obesity in these high-risk children, which creates a barrier to successful intervention. While maternal glucose itself is undeniably a major stimulus upon intrauterine growth, the degree of offspring hyperinsulinism and disturbed lipid metabolism in mothers and offspring are also likely to be implicated in the disease process. The aim of this review is to summarise current understanding of the pathophysiology of childhood obesity after intrauterine exposure to maternal hyperglycaemia and to highlight possible opportunities for intervention. I present here a new unified hypothesis for the pathophysiology of childhood obesity in infants born to mothers with diabetes, which involves self-perpetuating twin cycles of pancreatic beta cell hyperfunction and altered lipid metabolism, both acutely and chronically upregulated by intrauterine exposure to maternal hyperglycaemia.


Clinical assessment of the gingival contours and proximal contact areas in the maxillary anterior dentition.
Gingival display has been identified as a critical element in a beautiful smile and thus in facial esthetics. The present study aimed to assess the gingival line angle (GLA); the distance between the gingival zenith of maxillary lateral incisor and the gingival line (LID); and the ratio between the height of the proximal contact area (PCA) and crown length, referred to as the proximal contact area proportion (PCAP). Fifty patients, aged 21-30 years, were recruited for study. Maxillary impressions were made using irreversible hydrocolloid and poured in dental stone, and facebow records were used to mount the master casts in an articulator. Standardized photographs of maxillary casts were taken, and image-processing software was used to assess GLA, LID, PCA, and PCAP. Data analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between bilateral measurements of GLA (r = 0.93; P < 0.001). The mean PCA dimensions decreased from mesial to distal sites in the maxillary dentition bilaterally. A paired t test exhibited a significant correlation between the parameters GLA and PCA and showed that an increase in GLA led to an increase in PCA. The gingival zenith of the canine was apical to that of the incisors (GLA less than 90 degrees). The results of the present study may be utilized in conjunction with clinical goals and subjective parameters to help the restorative dentist obtain a more predictable esthetic outcome.


Radioimmunoassay of CSF for encephalitogenic basic protein: a diagnostic test for MS?
Competitive inhibition of binding between radioiodine-labelled encephalitogenic basic protein from human myelin ((125)I-HEProt) and normal human alpha-2 macroglobulin and between (125)I-HEProt and rabbit antiHEProt serum was used to study concentrated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) under "blind" control for cross-reactivity with HEProt. Samples of CSF from patients meeting the standard criteria for definite MS and possible MS, and from patients with optic neuritis and "other" diagnoses were studied. CSF from patients in all four groups was shown to have an inhibitor cross-reactive with HEProt when studied by the (125)I-HEProt/alpha-2 macroglobulin test, but the amount was significantly greater in the definite MS group than in the "other" group. Results of the two tests on CSF from MS patients correlated, suggesting that the tests were identifying the same inhibitor. It was concluded that CSF contains an inhibitor similar to HEProt and that the amount present in CSF could be a useful diagnostic marker of MS.


Factors affecting residence time of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) injected into the myocardium.
The therapeutic mechanism of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction is not well understood. Our goal was to get insights into this mechanism by analyzing the survival kinetics of allogeneic and syngeneic cell transplants under different tissue conditions. Two MSC cell banks, stably and equally expressing the luciferase reporter construct, were developed for these studies and injected directly to the myocardium of Lewis rat recipients under syngeneic or allogeneic transplantation conditions. Cell survival was monitored by real-time fashion for up to 2 weeks, using optical imaging device (IVIS, Xenogen Corp.). We found that both syngeneic and allogeneic grafts reduced significantly in size during the first week of transplantation, either in the normal or in the late infarcted heart (5 days after MI) and allotransplants became always smaller than syngeneic grafts during this period. Low dose of cyclosporine A treatment had a benefit on both allo- and syngeneic graft sizes, suggesting that multiple mechanisms play a role in early graft reduction. The MSC characteristic factors IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and VEGF were well above the control level in the heart tissue at 4 days after cell injection, suggesting that the peak therapeutic effect of MSC can be expected during the first week of the administration. Although allogeneic cells induced immunoglobulin production, their biological effects (cell survival, factor productions) are very similar to the syngeneic transplants and therefore they could deliver the same therapeutic effect as the syngeneic cells. Finally, freshly infarcted tissue (30 min) supported better the survival of MSC than late postischemic tissue (5 days) but only "off the shelf" allogeneic cell transplants fits with this treatment strategy.


Peracetic acid (PAA) disinfection of primary, secondary and tertiary treated municipal wastewaters.
The efficiency of peracetic acid (PAA) disinfection against enteric bacteria and viruses in municipal wastewaters was studied in pilot-scale. Disinfection pilot-plant was fed with the primary or secondary effluent of Kuopio municipal wastewater treatment plant or tertiary effluent from the pilot-scale dissolved air flotation (DAF) unit. Disinfectant doses ranged from 2 to 7 mg/l PAA in the secondary and tertiary effluents, and from 5 to 15 mg/l PAA in the primary effluents. Disinfection contact times were 4-27 min. Disinfection of secondary and tertiary effluents with 2-7 mg/l PAA and 27 min contact time achieved around 3 log reductions of total coliforms (TC) and enterococci (EC). PAA disinfection also significantly improved the hygienic quality of the primary effluents: 10-15 mg/l PAA achieved 3-4 log reductions of TC and EC, 5 mg/l PAA resulting in below 2 log reductions. F-RNA coliphages were more resistant against the PAA disinfection and around 1 log reductions of these enteric viruses were typically achieved in the disinfection treatments of the primary, secondary and tertiary effluents. Most of the microbial reductions occurred during the first 4-18 min of contact time, depending on the PAA dose and microorganism. The PAA disinfection efficiency remained relatively constant in the secondary and tertiary effluents, despite of small changes of wastewater quality (COD, SS, turbidity, 253.7 nm transmittance) or temperature. The disinfection efficiency clearly decreased in the primary effluents with substantially higher microbial, organic matter and suspended solids concentrations. The results demonstrated that PAA could be a good alternative disinfection method for elimination of enteric microbes from different wastewaters.


Elastic heterogeneity governs asymmetric adsorption-desorption in a soft porous crystal.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which possess a high degree of crystallinity and a large surface area with tunable inorganic nodes and organic linkers, exhibit high stimuli-responsiveness and molecular adsorption selectivity that enable various applications. The adsorption in MOFs changes the crystalline structure and elastic moduli. Thus, the coexistence of adsorbed/desorbed sites makes the host matrices elastically heterogeneous. However, the role of elastic heterogeneity in the adsorption-desorption transition has been overlooked. Here, we show the asymmetric role of elastic heterogeneity in the adsorption-desorption transition. We construct a minimal model incorporating adsorption-induced lattice expansion/contraction and an increase/decrease in the elastic moduli. We find that the transition is hindered by the entropic and energetic effects which become asymmetric in the adsorption process and desorption process, leading to the strong hysteretic nature of the transition. Furthermore, the adsorbed/desorbed sites exhibit spatially heterogeneous domain formation, implying that the domain morphology and interfacial area between adsorbed/desorbed sites can be controlled by elastic heterogeneity. Our results provide a theoretical guideline for designing soft porous crystals with tunable adsorption hysteresis and the dispersion and domain morphology of adsorbates using elastic heterogeneity.


Bilateral spontaneous dislocation of intraocular lenses within the capsular bag in a retinitis pigmentosa patient.
A 45-year-old man with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), who had undergone uneventful extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) in his right eye eight years previously, and phacoemulsification in his left eye six years previously, had spontaneously dislocated intraocular lenses (IOL) within the capsular bag in both eyes one month apart. We removed the dislocated IOLs, and performed anterior vitrectomy and scleral fixation of the new IOLs. Mild contraction of the capsular bags and uneven distribution of the zonular remnants' clumps along the equator of the capsules were found by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination. In this study, we propose the correlation between RP and zonular weakness. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of bilateral spontaneous dislocation of IOLs within the capsular bag of an RP patient.


Endohedral hydrogen exchange reactions in C60 (nH2@C60, n = 1-5): comparison of recent methods in a high-pressure cooker.
The interactions of several H(2) molecules [(H(2))(n), n = 1-5] within C(60), C(70), and C(82) have been studied with several DFT methods as well as with MP2 and SCS-MP2. As expected, B3LYP significantly underestimates dispersion interactions, while the M05-2X and M06-2X methods are in much better agreement with MP2 and SCS-MP2 results. Degenerate hydrogen exchange reactions were calculated for 3H(2) --> 3H(2) inside C(60), C(70), and C(82). The free-energy barrier at 298 K for the hydrogen exchange reaction 3H(2) --> 3H(2) is reduced from 88.8 kcal/mol for the free reaction to 36.2 kcal/mol for the reaction within C(60), corresponding to a k(cat)/k(uncat) ratio of 10(36). Steric compression, dispersion, and a favorable entropy contribute similar increments to the reduction in the free-energy barrier.


Tobacco company strategies to identify and promote the benefits of nicotine.
In response to a changing regulatory and consumer landscape, tobacco companies developed new strategies to promote cigarettes and smoking. We examined one of these strategies: to fund and conduct scientific research related to potential benefits of nicotine, and to use their findings to promote nicotine. Qualitative analysis of previously secret tobacco industry documents from the Truth (formerly Legacy) Tobacco Documents Library (industrydocuments.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco), triangulated with data from other sources, including the online search engine Google, from the 1970s to December 2017. After publication of the 1988 Surgeon General's report on nicotine addiction, tobacco companies (particularly RJ Reynolds) intensified efforts to promote the benefits of nicotine while downplaying its addictiveness and health risks. Activities included building relationships with academic institutions and funding scientific studies of the benefits of nicotine on cognition and other performance areas through intramural and extramural programmes. Companies then promoted their research findings through public relations campaigns, often minimising nicotine's health risks by comparing it to caffeine or coffee. These comparisons appeared in highly publicised scientific meetings and interviews with the press. Nicotine-positive messages reappeared in the popular press and on some company websites in the 2010s. Tobacco companies implemented strategies to promote benefits of nicotine to scientific and general audiences while minimising its health risks. These strategies reappeared at the time novel tobacco products like electronic cigarettes were introduced. A greater awareness of the source of claims related to purported benefits of nicotine could inform discussions about emerging tobacco products.


Histones in functional diversification. Core histone variants.
Recent research suggests that minor changes in the primary sequence of the conserved histones may become major determinants for the chromatin structure regulating gene expression and other DNA-related processes. An analysis of the involvement of different core histone variants in different nuclear processes and the structure of different variant nucleosome cores shows that this may indeed be so. Histone variants may also be involved in demarcating functional regions of the chromatin. We discuss in this review why two of the four core histones show higher variation. A comparison of the status of variants in yeast with those from higher eukaryotes suggests that histone variants have evolved in synchrony with functional requirement of the cell.


Diagnostic and Classification Considerations Regarding Gaming Disorder: Neurocognitive and Neurobiological Features.
Video gaming and Internet use have become a part of the everyday lives of many individuals, especially during adolescence. Given the health concerns related to problematic gaming behaviors, gaming disorder (GD) has been included in the version of the 11th edition of The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) ratified by the secretariat of the World Health Organization. Given these considerations and others (including debate regarding the most appropriate classification of GD and how best to prevent and treat the condition), there is a need for further research into GD. Specifically, we suggest that researching intermediate phenotypes focusing on cognitive and neurobiological function may help clarify GD's relationships to other addictive disorders and more accurately define their relationships with core and associated features of GD. Overlaps in neural activity, cognitive functioning, and other features suggest that GD shares similarities with gambling and substance-use disorders and may best be classified as an addictive disorder. Individuals with GD differ from those with regular game use (RGU) on neurocognitive levels. However, concerns have been raised with respect to the differences between GD and substance-use disorders in certain dimensional features, such as tolerance. Additionally, it has been argued that differences between GD and RGU may not be fully captured by nomenclature systems like the ICD-11. Nonetheless, individuals seek treatment for help with GD, despite the limited data available for effective treatments. As more data are gathered from investigations of GD, they should be translated into refining criteria for GD and optimizing interventions.


Gap junction intercellular communication during lymphocyte transendothelial migration.
Migration of lymphocytes across the endothelium of central or peripheral tissues, a process occurring following activation or differentiation, involves cell to cell interactions featuring adhesion and heterotypic signalling 'cross-talk'. Since lymphocytes and endothelial cells express connexins, the subunit proteins of gap junction intercellular channels, we investigated whether these channels feature in heterotypic signalling during transendothelial migration of lymphocytes. We show, using FACS analysis, that calcein, a gap junction permeant fluorescent dye, was transferred from endothelial cell layers to lymphocytes. The gap junction involvement in intercellular dye transfer was reinforced by studies showing that the process was inhibited by connexin mimetic peptides, a new class of reagents shown to block gap junction communication. Further evidence for the involvement of lymphocyte gap junctions in intercellular communication during transendothelial migration was obtained by two-photon laser scanning microscopy. Although gap junctional communication was inhibited by connexin mimetic peptides, they had little influence on the transmigration process.


Electrostatic versus Electrochemical Doping and Control of Ferromagnetism in Ion-Gel-Gated Ultrathin La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ.
Recently, electrolyte gating techniques employing ionic liquids/gels in electric double layer transistors have proven remarkably effective in tuning charge carrier density in a variety of materials. The ability to control surface carrier densities at levels above 10(14) cm(-2) has led to widespread use in the study of superconductivity, insulator-metal transitions, etc. In many cases, controversy remains over the doping mechanism, however (i.e., electrostatic vs electrochemical (e.g., redox-based)), and the technique has been less applied to magnetic materials. Here, we discuss ion gel gating of nanoscale 8-unit-cell-thick hole-doped La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ (LSCO) films, probing in detail the critical bias windows and doping mechanisms. The LSCO films, which are under compressive stress on LaAlO3(001) substrates, are metallic and ferromagnetic (Curie temperature, TC ∼ 170 K), with strong anomalous Hall effect and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Transport measurements reveal that negative gate biases lead to reversible hole accumulation (i.e., predominantly electrostatic operation) up to some threshold, whereas positive bias immediately induces irreversibility. Experiments in inert/O2 atmospheres directly implicate oxygen vacancies in this irreversibility, supported by atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results are thus of general importance, suggesting that hole- and electron-doped oxides may respond very differently to electrolyte gating. Reversible voltage control of electronic/magnetic properties is then demonstrated under hole accumulation, including resistivity, magnetoresistance, and TC. The sizable anomalous Hall coefficient and perpendicular anisotropy in LSCO provide a particularly powerful probe of magnetism, enabling direct extraction of the voltage-dependent order parameter and TC shift. The latter amounts to ∼7%, with potential for much stronger modulation at lower Sr doping.


Indistinguishability and distinguishability between amide and ester moieties in the construction and properties of M6L8 octahedral nanocages.
A series of 25 × 25 × 25 Å(3) octahedral coordination cages [Pd6(L)8](NO3)12 (L = L(1), 1; L = L(2), 2; L(1) = tris(6-quinolyl)trimesic ester; L(2) = N,N',N''-tris(6-quinolyl)-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide) is reported. L(1) and L(2) are indistinguishable for construction of octahedral nanocages, and thus the desirable mixed ligand nanocage comprising a statistical ligand distribution ([Pd6(L(1))n(L(2))8-n](NO3)12, 3) can be efficiently constructed. However, the nanocages are distinguishable for functions such as photoluminescence (PL) and catalysis. The PL intensity is in the order 1≫3 > 2, wherein 1 shows a blue emission. The nanocages show excellent catalytic activity for the C-C coupling reaction under mild conditions in the order 1 > 3 > 2, presumably owing to the spacer-functional groups.


Effects of dietary amino acid levels and ambient temperature on mixed muscle protein turnover in Pectoralis major during finisher feeding period in two broiler lines.
Two broiler lines A and B were fed experimental diets from 21 to 42 days with an objective to determine Pectoralis major protein turnover (PT) as affected by the dietary amino acid (AA) levels and ambient temperature. Experimental diets (n = 9 replicate pens per diet) were formulated to 3,150 kcal/kg with five levels of digestible lysine (dLys) -80, 90, 100, 110 and 120% of recommended AA level giving g dlys/Mcal values of 2.53, 2.85, 3.17, 3.48 and 3.80 respectively. All other AA was formulated to a fixed ratio to dLys. Fractional synthesis or degradation rates (FSR or FDR) of P. major were measured on day 36 and day 42 for all dietary treatment levels for both broiler lines using stable isotope of AA (15 N-phenylalanine) as metabolic tracer. Experimental feeding studies were conducted once in hot season (24-hr mean ~ 85.3°F; 80.9% RH) and repeated in cool season (24-hr mean ~ 71.6°F; 61.7% RH) of the year. The FSR values increased (p < .05) as digestible AA in diet increased for both broiler lines in hot season until break point FSR occurring at 106.2% AA level. The average FSR values measured were higher for Line B at day 36 (20.98%/D for Line B vs. 20.69%/D for Line A) and at day 42 (16.07%/D for Line B vs. 12.47% D for Line A). FDR values observed at day 36 and day 42 were not different between lines (p > .05). Similar trends but elevated values of FSR and FDR in cool season than in hot season were recorded for both the lines. Line B showed the higher mixed muscle protein accretion (%/D) than Line A by actually increasing the FSR which was correlated by higher lean mass deposition and higher feed intake (p < .05). The overall findings indicated that PT response in P. major due to effects of digestible AA levels and ambient temperature was different and line-specific.


Dopamine's role in social modulation of infant isolation-induced vocalization: II. Maternally modulated infant separation responses are regulated by D1- and D2-family dopamine receptors.
Mammalian infant behavior directed toward caregivers is critical to survival and may play a role in establishing social bonds. Most mammalian infants vocalize when isolated. Rat pups vocalize at a higher rate when isolated following an interaction with an adult female than after an interaction with littermates, a phenomenon termed maternal potentiation. We previously reported that the D2 receptor family agonist quinpirole disrupts maternal potentiation at a dose that does not alter vocalization rate following contact with littermates. Here we further examine the role of dopamine in maternal potentiation by testing effects of both D1 and D2 receptor family ligands, alone and in combination, on maternal potentiation. We tested the drugs' effects on isolation vocalization subsequent to littermate contact and then another isolation preceded by a brief "reunion" period of exposure either to the anesthetized dam or a handling-only "pickup" condition. D2 receptor stimulation blocked the increase in vocalizations following reunion with the dam. The D2 agonist effect in the dam-reunion condition was much larger than its small effect in the pickup condition, providing further evidence that D2 receptors exert a selective modulation of maternal potentiation. On the other hand, systemic administration of the D1 agonist SKF81297 reduced isolation vocalizations nonspecifically, across all the experimental conditions. Finally, the D1 and D2 receptor dual antagonist, alpha-flupenthixol, increased isolation vocalizations and disrupted potentiation, but at doses that also inhibited locomotion. We conclude that D2 receptor family activation has a more selective effect of disrupting maternal potentiation than D1 receptor family activation.


Controlled Evaluation of the Impacts of Surface Coatings on Silver Nanoparticle Dissolution Rates.
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are increasingly being incorporated into a range of consumer products and as such there is significant potential for the environmental release of either the AgNPs themselves or Ag+ ions. When AgNPs are exposed to environmental systems, the engineered surface coating can potentially be displaced or covered by naturally abundant macromolecules. These capping agents, either engineered or incidental, potentially block reactants from surface sites and can alter nanoparticle transformation rates. We studied how surface functionalization affects the dissolution of uniform arrays of AgNPs fabricated by nanosphere lithography (NSL). Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and two molecular weights of thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG; 1000 and 5000 Da) were tested as model capping agents. Dissolution experiments were conducted in air-saturated phosphate buffer containing 550 mM NaCl. Tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure changes in AgNP height over time. The measured dissolution rate for unfunctionalized AgNPs was 1.69 ± 0.23 nm/d, while the dissolution rates for BSA, PEG1000, and PEG5000 functionalized samples were 0.39 ± 0.05, 0.20 ± 0.10, and 0.14 ± 0.07 nm/d, respectively. PEG provides a steric barrier restricting mass transfer of reactants to sites on the AgNP surface and thus diminishes the dissolution rate. The effects of BSA, however, are more complicated with BSA initially enhancing dissolution, but providing protection against dissolution over extended time.


Synthesis and characterization of cellulose carbonate using greenchemistry: Surface modification of Avicel.
The development of new derivatives based on renewable natural resources using green chemistry is a concept gaining recognition in several industries. This work focused on the preparation and characterization of cellulose carbonate using dimethyl carbonate as the green reagent in ethanoic KOH solution. The effect of several reaction parameters were evaluated, i.e., temperature (25°C, 50°C, 90°C, 120°C, 150°C, and 180°C), time (6, 24, 48, and 72h), KOH concentration (15% and 30%), and the use of a catalyst (DBU). The degree of substitution (DS) of the resulting materials was evaluated by 13C CP/MAS NMR. The spectra of the prepared cellulose carbonate exhibited the main peaks associated with cellulose macromolecules (C1-C6) and those corresponding to carbonate functions at approximately 162ppm. Moreover, XPS was performed and confirmed the reaction modifications. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that 13C NMR and XPS spectra showed a significant difference in DS value, due to the difference between both techniques. However, our results from NMR and XPS experiments confirm that the major modifications during all the reactions occurred mainly at the surface. This green process opens the way for the easy production of a new class of cellulose derivatives.


Evidence of the lack of receptor-mediated insulin degradation in human cultured lymphocytes (RPMI-1788 line).
We studied insulin degradation in human cultured lymphocytes (RPMI-1788 line) with a small but significant number of lysosomes under the electron microscope. Insulin degradation determined by the TCA solubility method was 64.6 +/- 1.2% (mean +/- SEM) at a trace concentration after the incubation with 2.0 x 10(7) cells (4.0 x 10(7) cells/ml) for 60 min at 37 degrees C. Because insulin degradation was 54.6 +/- 7.0% in the cell-free buffer in which 2.0 x 10(7) cells were previously incubated, most of the insulin was degraded outside of the cells. Gel filtration of the radioactive materials also revealed that most of the labeled insulin in the medium was degraded, and the main peak of the cell-associated radioactivities was intact labeled insulin. Chloroquine, a lysosomotropic agent, failed not only to increase insulin binding but also to decrease the insulin degradation. Other lysosomal protease inhibitors, antipain and leupeptin had also no effect on insulin degradation. In contrast, bacitracin (500 micrograms/ml) significantly decreased the insulin degradation analyzed by TCA solubility, receptor-rebinding, and the gel filtration method. These results suggest that insulin molecules are degraded by the enzymes leaked from the cells. The non-receptor mediated process, which is the bacitracin sensitive pathway, might be a general mechanism of insulin degradation in human cultured lymphocytes in vitro.


Sudden Fetal Hematologic Changes as a Complication of Amnioreduction in Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.
We present the first case of a monochorionic twin pregnancy in which sudden hematologic changes occurred as a complication of the amnioreduction procedure for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). At 33 weeks of gestation, 4 days after the amnioreduction, the recipient developed severe anemia while the donor developed severe polycythemia. Postnatal placental examination revealed several arteriovenous and venoarterial anastomoses, a pale placental mass of the recipient and a congested and plethoric placental mass of the donor. We speculate on the pathophysiologic changes and potential deleterious effects provoked by the decompressive amnioreduction. Decompression of the placenta and anastomoses after the amnioreduction may have led to an acute blood shift from recipient to donor (thus also a reversal of feto-fetal transfusion), resulting in anemia in the recipient and polycythemia in the donor twin. In the past 15 years, 13 TTTS cases with late presentation were treated with amnioreduction. This is the first time we encountered this severe complication, yielding an incidence of 8%. Although the optimal treatment in TTTS with late presentation is not known, perinatologists should be aware that treatment with amnioreduction can lead to sudden hematologic changes.


The effects of an 8-week computerized cognitive training program in older adults: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Given the world's aging population, it is important to identify strategies that promote healthy cognitive aging and minimize cognitive decline. Currently, no curative pharmaceutical therapy exists for cognitive impairment and dementia. As a result, there is much interest in lifestyle approaches. Specifically, complex mental activity, such as cognitive training, may be a promising method to combat cognitive decline in older adults. As such, the industry of commercial computerized cognitive training (CCT) applications has rapidly grown in the last decade. However, the efficacy of these commercial products is largely not established. Moreover, exercise is a recognized strategy for promoting cognitive outcomes in older adults and may augment the efficacy of computerized cognitive training applications. Therefore, we propose a proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effect of a commercial CCT program in community-dwelling older adults. An 8-week RCT to examine the effect of a commercial CCT program, alone and preceded by a 15-min brisk walk, on cognitive function and explore the underlying neural mechanisms in adults aged 65-85 years old. Participants will be randomized to one of three intervention groups: 1) Computerized cognitive training (FBT); 2) A 15-min brisk walk followed by computerized cognitive training (Ex-FBT); or 3) A combination of educational classes, sham cognitive training, and balanced and tone exercises (active control, BAT). Participants in all intervention groups will attend three one-hour classes per week over the course of the intervention. Participants will be assessed at baseline, trial completion, and 1-year post study completion (1-year follow-up). If results from this study show benefits for cognition at trial completion, CCT programs, alone or in combination with walking, might be a strategy to promote healthy cognitive aging in older adults. In addition, results from the 1-year follow-up measurement could provide important information regarding the long-term benefits of these CCT programs. ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration System: NCT02564809; registered September 1, 2015.


The role of the nursing profession in hospital accident and emergency departments.
A major investigation in the North West region has aimed to ascertain attitudes towards, and expectations of, accident and emergency services among both client groups and professionals involved in the provision of the services. One element of the research has focussed on a questionnaire based survey among 260 nurses in nineteen hospital accident and emergency (A & E) departments. The results show that the nurses found their work to be interesting and satisfying and they enjoyed the challenge of a varied and unpredictable workload. They expected to deal with patients in need of urgent medical attention, and to use and develop their nursing skills and experience. On the whole, their expectations were met, although they were not very satisfied the the levels of cooperation from other hospital departments, their liaison with community services, and the amount of time which casual attenders with minor/non-urgent conditions occupied. The nurses were, however, generally sympathetic towards all A & E patients although they believed that many came for reasons of convenience and ignorance and that the general public need more education with regard to the appropriate use of an A & E department.


Thermodynamic Limit for Excitonic Light-Emitting Diodes.
We derive the thermodynamic limit for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and show that strong exciton binding in these devices requires a higher voltage to achieve the same luminance as a comparable inorganic LED. The OLED overpotential, which does not reduce the power conversion efficiency, is minimized by having a small exciton binding energy, a long exciton lifetime, and a large Langevin coefficient for electron-hole recombination. Based on these results, it seems likely that the best phosphorescent and thermally activated delayed fluorescence OLEDs reported to date approach their thermodynamic limit. The framework developed here is broadly applicable to other excitonic materials, and should therefore help guide the development of low voltage LEDs for display and solid-state lighting applications.


Best Practices for Developing International Academic Partnerships in Orthopaedics.
Traumatic and nontraumatic orthopaedic conditions are major contributors to global morbidity and account for the majority of life-years lived with disability worldwide. Additionally, the burden of musculoskeletal injuries has increased substantially over the past 3 decades. Unfortunately, in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), access to orthopaedic care is limited, leading to a disproportionate burden of disease. The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery has emphasized the urgent need for unified international commitment and research collaboration to achieve universal access to safe and affordable surgical care. However, conducting high-quality orthopaedic research in LMICs remains challenging as a result of disparities in training, access to resources, infrastructure, and equipment availability. Partnerships between high-income countries (HICs) and LMICs have emerged in recent decades as an effective approach to combatting some of these challenges. These partnerships aim to bridge the gaps by facilitating collaborative research and knowledge exchange. The establishment of successful partnerships requires a collaborative and reciprocal approach that starts with a clear understanding of mutual research aims and the availability of resources. Despite the potential benefits, various factors can make establishing such partnerships difficult. However, these partnerships can have a substantial impact in delivering quality orthopaedic education and research training, thus improving access to care in resource-limited environments. This paper represents the collaborative effort of multiple international academic orthopaedic surgeons with extensive experience in HIC-LMIC partnerships. Our aims were to outline the best practices for conducting orthopaedic research within these relationships and to provide guidance for future successful collaborations.


Pregnancy-related discontinuation of antidepressants and depression care visits among Medicaid recipients.
This study examined whether pregnancy is associated with discontinuation of care for depression among low-income women. Medicaid claims data from all 50 states were used in a matched cohort study design. The study included 3,237 women who gave birth between 1999 and 2000 and received depression treatment (antidepressant medications or a depression care visit) before initiating prenatal care. A control cohort of nonpregnant women receiving gynecologic care in the same period was matched by demographic and depression treatment characteristics. Prepregnancy, the antidepressant use rate was 66%. During pregnancy, antidepressant use dropped to 27% in the pregnant cohort compared with 62% in the control group (rate ratio [RR] =.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]=.41-.46) and remained low postpartum compared with the control group (35% versus 48%, RR=.74, CI=.70-.78). Similarly, depression care visits during the pregnancy period were reduced to 31% among the pregnant cohort compared with 49% for the control group (RR=.65, CI=.61-.69) and remained lower postpartum relative to the control group (24% versus 31%, RR=.78, CI=.73-.85). Interactions with pregnancy status were found for race-ethnicity and receipt of cash assistance from Medicaid. White women in the pregnancy cohort had a greater reduction in depression care visits than nonwhite women during the pregnancy period but less reduction in antidepressant use postpartum relative to the control group. Cash assistance was associated with less discontinuation in depression care visits postpartum compared with the control group (p<.05). Pregnancy was associated with discontinuation of any depression care among women receiving Medicaid; care did not resume postpartum. Race-ethnicity and Medicaid cash benefit status moderated this finding. Efforts are needed to mitigate these reductions.


Mechanisms of Arsenic and Antimony Co-sorption onto Jarosite: An X-ray Absorption Spectroscopic Study.
Jarosite, a common mineral in acidic sulfur-rich environments, can strongly sorb both As(V) and Sb(V). However, little is known regarding the mechanisms that control simultaneous co-sorption of As(V) and Sb(V) to jarosite. We investigated the mechanisms controlling As(V) and Sb(V) sorption to jarosite at pH 3 (in dual and single metalloid treatments). Jarosite was found to sorb Sb(V) to a greater extent than As(V) in both single and dual metalloid treatments. Relative to single metalloid treatments, the dual presence of both As(V) and Sb(V) decreased the sorption of both metalloids by almost 50%. Antimony K-edge EXAFS spectroscopy revealed that surface precipitation of an Sb(V) oxide species was the predominant sorption mechanism for Sb(V). In contrast, As K-edge EXAFS spectroscopy showed that As(V) sorption occurred via bidentate corner-sharing complexes on the jarosite surface when Sb(V) was absent or present at low loadings or by formation of similar complexes on the Sb(V) oxide surface precipitate when Sb(V) was present at high loadings. These results point to a novel mechanism by which Sb(V) impacts the co-sorption of As(V). Overall, these findings highlight a strong contrast in the sorption mechanisms of Sb(V) versus As(V) to jarosite under acidic environmental conditions.


Blunt cardiac injury due to trauma associated with snowboarding: a case report.
Cardiac trauma is associated with a much higher mortality rate than injuries to other organ systems, even though cardiac trauma is identified in less than 10% of all trauma admissions. Here we report blunt trauma of the left atrium due to snowboarding trauma. A 45-year-old Asian man collided with a tree while he was snowboarding and drinking. He lost consciousness temporarily. An air ambulance was requested and he was transported to an advanced critical care center. On arrival, a pericardial effusion was detected by a focused assessment with sonography for trauma. His presenting electrocardiogram revealed normal sinus rhythm and complete right bundle branch block. Laboratory findings included a white blood cell count of 13.5 × 103/μl, serum creatine kinase level of 459 IU/l, and creatine kinase-myocardial band level of 185 IU/l. Enhanced computed tomography showed a large pericardial effusion and bleeding from his left adrenal gland. There were no pelvic fractures. A diagnosis of cardiac tamponade due to blunt cardiac injury and left adrenal injury due to blunt trauma was made. Subsequently, emergency thoracic surgery and transcatheter arterial embolization of his left adrenal artery were performed simultaneously. A laceration of the left atrial appendage in the lateral wall of his left ventricle was detected intraoperatively and repaired. His postoperative course progressed favorably, although a pericardial effusion was still detected on chest computed tomography on hospital day 35. His electrocardiogram showed normal sinus rhythm and the complete right bundle branch block pattern changed to a narrow QRS wave pattern. He was discharged on hospital day 40. The present case report illustrates two points: (1) severe injuries resulted from snowboarding, and (2) complete right bundle branch block was caused by blunt cardiac injury. The present report showed blunt trauma of the left atrium with complete right bundle branch block as an electrocardiogram change due to snowboarding trauma. To detect cardiac trauma in snowboarding accidents, an examination of an electrocardiogram is required in all patients who might have a bruised chest.


Temozolomide-Mediated Apoptotic Death Is Improved by Thymoquinone in U87MG Cell Line.
Apoptosis induction of cancer cells can be an appropriate strategy by which chemotherapeutic agents kill tumor cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of temozolomide and thymoquinone combination on apoptotic pathway of human glioblastoma multiforme cell line (U87MG). U87MG cells were cultured, treated with temozolomide and thymoquinone, and cell proliferation was measured. Apoptosis cell death and its possible mechanism were investigated by various methods. Combination of temozolomide and thymoquinone had a synergistic effect on cells viability. Thymoquinone intensified the temozolomide-induced apoptosis. Combination of temozolomide and thymoquinone can be a good strategy for treatment of glioblastoma.


[Treatment of anovulatory infertility by tonifying kidney and promoting blood circulation].
Infertility is a common disease in women of childbearing age and is also a refractory disease. Anovulatory dysfunction is one of the main causes of female infertility, and the incidence of anovulatory infertility has been increasing year by year. Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages and definite curative effect on the treatment of this disease. Kidney deficiency is the basic pathogenesis and blood stasis is an important factor that has been through. Flexible of tonifying the kidney and promoting blood circulation treatment of anovulatory infertility in clinic, has achieved remarkable curative effect. Kidney deficiency and blood stasis is a common form of gynecological disease. After years of clinical practice, we also found that patients with anovulatory infertility were more common with kidney deficiency and blood stasis. The kidneys and blood are not isolated from each other, but interact and influence each other. Kidney deficiency and blood stasis interact as both cause and effect, they have very close relationship. To achieve the purpose of urinary Tiangui, Chongren, ovulation and pregnancy miscarriage by tonifying the kidney and promoting blood circulation.


An exploratory study of patients' sudden losses during outpatient CBT and therapists' experience of difficulties.
Patients' sudden deterioration in symptomatology, also called sudden losses, is a rarely explored phenomenon. Psychological distress of 1,763 patients treated by 140 therapists was monitored after every therapy session. Patient-reported outcome measures and patients' therapy satisfaction was assessed. Therapists rated their experience of difficulties for every patient repeatedly over the course of therapy. More than one-quarter of patients (26.5%) experienced at least one sudden loss during therapy. Patients with sudden losses did not differ significantly in psychotherapy outcome and therapy satisfaction from patients without sudden shifts. Therapists did not experience professional self-doubt more often when working with sudden loss patients. Sudden losses were not necessarily harmful for the outcome of psychotherapy and patients' global therapy satisfaction. The results suggest that sudden losses can be compensated over the course of treatment.


[Molecular targeting drug of kinase inhibitors for castration resistant prostate cancer].
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer type in men. One of the most troublesome aspects of PCa is that androgen-dependent PCa inevitably progresses to highly aggressive and life-threatening castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Kinases are key regulators of critical cancer processes such as cancer cell proliferation, invasion, differentiation or angiogenesis. Recent advances have shed light on molecular targeting inhibitors of kinases in CRPC. Aberrant expression of certain kinases has been implicated in the development and progression of PCa. Among them, some kinase inhibitors have emerged as promising drug targets for CRPC. In this review, we provide an overview of new therapeutic agents which arrived in an advanced stage of clinical testing, especially focusing on the targets of HGF/c-Met and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways.


Tree-ring analysis and modeling approaches yield contrary response of circumboreal forest productivity to climate change.
Circumboreal forest ecosystems are exposed to a larger magnitude of warming in comparison with the global average, as a result of warming-induced environmental changes. However, it is not clear how tree growth in these ecosystems responds to these changes. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity of forest productivity to climate change using ring width indices (RWI) from a tree-ring width dataset accessed from the International Tree-Ring Data Bank and gridded climate datasets from the Climate Research Unit. A negative relationship of RWI with summer temperature and recent reductions in RWI were typically observed in continental dry regions, such as inner Alaska and Canada, southern Europe, and the southern part of eastern Siberia. We then developed a multiple regression model with regional meteorological parameters to predict RWI, and then applied to these models to predict how tree growth will respond to twenty-first-century climate change (RCP8.5 scenario). The projections showed a spatial variation and future continuous reduction in tree growth in those continental dry regions. The spatial variation, however, could not be reproduced by a dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM). The DGVM projected a generally positive trend in future tree growth all over the circumboreal region. These results indicate that DGVMs may overestimate future wood net primary productivity (NPP) in continental dry regions such as these; this seems to be common feature of current DGVMs. DGVMs should be able to express the negative effect of warming on tree growth, so that they simulate the observed recent reduction in tree growth in continental dry regions.


Proteinase inhibitory activity of sarcoplasmic proteins from threadfin bream (Nemipterus spp.).
Thailand is the second largest surimi producer in the world and 50% of surimi is produced from threadfin bream. During surimi processing, sarcoplasmic proteins are removed through water washing and discarded in the waste stream. This study was aimed at investigating the proteinase inhibitory activity of sarcoplasmic proteins. Sarcoplasmic proteins from threadfin bream (TBSP) exhibited inhibitory activity toward trypsin but did not inhibit papain and chymotrypsin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under non-reducing condition stained by trypsin inhibitory activity revealed three protein bands of molecular mass of 95, 41 and 37 kDa. Inhibitory activity of TBSP reached a maximum when subjected to 45 degrees C and completely disappeared at 60 degrees C. The breaking force and deformation of lizardfish surimi gel with added TBSP and pre-incubated at 37 degrees for 20 min increased with additional levels of TBSP (P < 0.05). Trichloroacetic acid-oligopeptide content of lizardfish surimi gel with added TBSP decreased with the addition of 4 g kg(-1) TBSP (P < 0.05). Retention of myosin heavy chain (MHC) increased when TBSP concentration was increased. TBSP effectively protected MHC from proteolysis at 37 degrees C to a similar extent as egg white powder, but efficacy of TBSP was not observed at 65 degrees C. TBSP could be applied to reduce proteolytic degradation of lizardfish surimi or other surimi associated with trypsin-like proteinase, rendering an improvement in surimi gelation set at 37-40 degrees C.


Chronic neurodegenerative consequences of traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health concern and a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Each year, an estimated 1.7 million Americans sustain TBI of which ~52,000 people die, ~275,000 people are hospitalized and 1,365,000 people are treated as emergency outpatients. Currently there are ~5.3 million Americans living with TBI. TBI is more of a disease process than of an event that is associated with immediate and long-term sensomotor, psychological and cognitive impairments. TBI is the best known established epigenetic risk factor for later development of neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. People sustaining TBI are ~4 times more likely to develop dementia at a later stage than people without TBI. Single brain injury is linked to later development of symptoms resembling Alzheimer's disease while repetitive brain injuries are linked to later development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and/or Dementia Pugilistica (DP). Furthermore, genetic background of ß-amyloid precursor protein (APP), Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), presenilin (PS) and neprilysin (NEP) genes is associated with exacerbation of neurodegenerative process after TBI. This review encompasses acute effects and chronic neurodegenerative consequences after TBI.


Ensemble Methods Enable a New Definition for the Solution to Gas-Phase Transfer of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins.
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are important for health and disease, yet their lack of net structure precludes an understanding of their function using classical methods. Gas-phase techniques provide a promising alternative to access information on the structure and dynamics of IDPs, but the fidelity to which these methods reflect the solution conformations of these proteins has been difficult to ascertain. Here we use state of the art ensemble techniques to investigate the solution to gas-phase transfer of a range of different IDPs. We show that IDPs undergo a vast conformational space expansion in the absence of solvent to sample a conformational space 3-5 fold broader than in solution. Moreover, we show that this process is coupled to the electrospray ionization process, which brings about the generation of additional subpopulations for these proteins not observed in solution due to competing effects on protein charge and shape. Ensemble methods have permitted a new definition of the solution to gas-phase transfer of IDPs and provide a roadmap for future investigations into flexible systems by mass spectrometry.


Preauricular Swelling Mimicking a Tumour: Dissolution of Mandibular Capitulum Following Trauma in a 15-Year Old Child.
The report is about diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up of a 15-year old boy, who experienced facial swelling and impaired mouth opening after a sport accident. Diagnosis of mandibular damage was delayed due to inadequate clinical investigation and radiography after trauma and only became clear after a parotid swelling occurred sometime later resulting from the dissolution of the upper part of the articular process. Follow-up control over a period of three years showed a partial restoration of the articular process but some inhibition of mouth opening combined with slight deviation of the mandible to the affected side remained over the years. This report reminds us that parotid swelling can be the result of mandibular trauma without a recent history of physical injury to this region. Therefore, the basic standards of radiologic diagnosis should be maintained and the limited restoring capacity of the condylar process in adolescence should be acknowledged.


Sex Differences in Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Levels Are Dependent on Ceramide Synthase 1 and Ceramidase in Lung Physiology and Tumor Conditions.
Sex is a biological variable that can reflect clinical outcomes in terms of quality of life, therapy effectiveness, responsiveness and/or toxicity. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a lipidic mediator whose activity can be influenced by sex. To evaluate whether the S1P axis underlies sex 'instructions' in the lung during physiological and oncological lung conditions, sphingosine and S1P were quantified in the blood of healthy (H) volunteers, lung adenocarcinoma (ADK) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients of both sexes. S1P receptors and their metabolic enzymes were evaluated in the tissues. Circulating levels of S1P were similar among H female and male subjects and female SCC patients. Instead, male and female ADK patients had lower circulating S1P levels. S1P receptor 3 (S1PR3) was physiologically expressed in the lung, but it was overexpressed in male SCC, and female and male ADK, but not in female SCC patients, who showed a significantly reduced ceramide synthase 1 (CERS1) mRNA and an overexpression of the ceramidase (ASAH1) precursor in lung tumor tissues, compared to male SCC and both male and female ADK patients. These findings highlighted sex differences in S1P rheostat in pathological conditions, but not in physiological conditions, identifying S1P as a prognostic mediator depending on lung cancer histotype.


Acute ecotoxicity of coated colloidal goethite nanoparticles on Daphnia magna: Evaluating the influence of exposure approaches.
Synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles have been proposed as an alternative to non-dispersed iron oxides for in situ environmental remediation. Their colloidal properties enable their injection into porous media, i.e. soils and aquifers, and offer a higher efficiency in removing contaminants. However, this dispersed state is also the cause of concerns over their environmental fate and toxicity, e.g., by increasing the exposure time to aquatic organisms in groundwater remediation activities. Therefore, the objective of in situ groundwater remediation is to establish local reactive barriers in the subsurface by injection by means of reactive colloids with a controllable mobility under in situ conditions and present as colloids as shortly as possible. In this work, we examined the toxicity of humic acid-coated colloidal goethite nanoparticles in Daphnia magna. The adaptation of the ecotoxicological standard tests for nanomaterials is intensely discussed to increase comparability and reliability of results. In the present study, the effect of different exposure conditions on goethite nanoparticles colloidal behaviour and acute Daphnia immobilization effects was investigated. For this purpose, iron concentration in the water column, aggregation state and acute effects were studied in: i) a standard test, ii) test design with exposure dispersions incubated for a week and iii) water accommodated fraction. Despite the different aggregation and settling of the particles found between the approaches tested, no differences in toxicity were observed. Coated nanoparticles were found clogging up the filtering apparatus, and/or adhered to the exoskeleton, hindering the swimming and molting, and causing the immobilization and death of the organisms at doses of ≥943mg/L (EC50). The data suggests that the toxic potential of these nanoparticles is mainly related to the physical interaction with the daphnids.


Studies in geriatric education: II. educational materials and programs.
There has recently been an increase in educational programs and materials in geriatrics, but their quality and content have not been adequately assessed. This study concerns important objectives and core contents in geriatric education, with a review of training programs, books, and audiovisual materials. Specific areas of need for printed and audiovisual materials are identified. Medical student and graduate level programs were found to address relatively few objectives. Geriatric fellowship programs, although having more extensive coverage, had some notable deficiencies. This information may be of use to those conducting training programs or preparing educational material in geriatrics.


Inactivation of rat liver RNA polymerases I and II and yeast RNA polymerase I by pyrodixal 5'-phosphate. Evidence for the participation of lysyl residues at the active site.
Purified DNA-dependent RNA polymerase forms I (A) and II (B) from rat liver and form I from yeast are rapidly inactivated by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate at pH 8.0. The inhibition is relatively specific since pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate is not an inhibitor and pyridoxal is about 12 times less effective than pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The inactivation is reversed by high concentrations of amines, and can be made irreversible by reduction with NaBH4. Spectral analysis of the inhibited enzyme and its NaBH4 reduction product indicates that a Schiff base forms between the aldehyde group of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and one or more amino groups of the protein. Nepsilon-Pyridoxyllysine was identified as the only product in acid hydrolysates of the reduced yeast RNA polymerase I-pyridoxal 5'-phosphate complex. Complete inactivation of yeast polymerase I results in the incorporation of 3-4 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate/1 mol of enzyme. DNA and nucleotide substrates partially protect the enzymes from inactivation. These results suggest that one or more lysyl amino groups are critical for the activity of animal RNA polymerases and show that pyridoxal 5'-phosphate is a suitable probe for studying the active sites of these enzymes. Comparison of the present results with those previously obtained with Eschericha coli RNA polymerase in this laboratory suggest a new degree of structural homology between eucaryotic and procaryotic RNA polymerases.


HLA-DRB1*08 influences the development of disease in Mexican Mestizo with spondyloarthropathy.
HLA class II encoded factors may influence the phenotype of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). These include HLA DRB1*07 for peripheral arthritis, and polymorphism of the HLA-linked LMP2 locus and HLA DRB1*08 for acute anterior uveitis (AAU). We studied the relationship between DRB1*08 and disease phenotype in additional populations of individuals with AS. The patient population included 385 unrelated HLA-B27 positive individuals with AS. These included 204 Caucasians and 2 populations of Mexican Mestizo with AS: 106 with predominately adult onset disease from Guadalajara and 75 with predominately juvenile onset disease from Mexico City. The control population of 428 individuals included 210 random and 36 HLA-B27 positive unrelated Canadian Caucasians and 173 random and 9 HLA-B27 positive Mexican Mestizo from Mexico City. DRB1*08 typing was by sequence specific polymerase chain reaction. A significantly higher prevalence of DRB1*08 was observed in Mexican patients with juvenile onset disease (44.9%) and especially those with undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy (55.6%) compared to normal unrelated Mexican Mestizo (25.4%) (p < 0.01 for both) and in patients with undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy versus B27 controls (11.1%) (p = 0.03), although no significant differences were observed in within patient group comparisons based on phenotypic features of disease such as AAU and age at onset. No significant relationship between DRB1*08 and disease phenotype was evident in Caucasian individuals. Our data suggest DRB1*08 may influence the phenotype of spondyloarthritis in Mexican Mestizo, but do not support the view that DRB1*08 influences the development of AAU, as reported in a Japanese population.


Radiotherapy for the treatment of pulmonary complications of paraquat poisoning.
The effect of radiotherapy on the pulmonary damage caused by paraquat (24% solution of 1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium dichloride) was investigated in a preliminary series of nine patients. Paraquat intoxication was diagnosed by quantitative analysis of urine and plasma using colorimetry after extraction of a cation exchange column. The irradiation was given as a planned procedure from day 2 in cases 1 to 7, and after changes in chest X-ray were recognized in cases 8 and 9. A cobalt-60 unit with opposed anterior and posterior portals was used to give a total dose of 12.50 Gy (uncorrected) over 10 fractions, sparing the pericardium and mediastinum as much as possible. Each fraction consisted of 1.25 Gy (125 rad) given once a day, alternating between the left and right lungs. Radiological diagnosis consisted of clear chest X-rays (cases 2 to 4), pulmonary oedema (cases 7 and 9) and interstitial infiltrates (cases 1, 5, 6 and 8). Cases 1, 5 and 8 survived. Case 8 had residual interstitial infiltrates three months after ingestion but these had cleared one month later, suggesting that the diagnosis of irreversible fibrosis should only be made after a follow-up period of at least one year. The results have failed to show a definite benefit, but do support the fact that radiotherapy should be assessed carefully in a randomized trial which is now in progress.


The significance of microcirculatory disturbances in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia.
Cerebral microangiopathies based on arteriosclerosis are frequent. In most cases, microangiopathy is the result of long standing hypertension. Other risk factors, however, such as diabetes mellitus or disturbances of fatty metabolism, may also be responsible. The sequels of cerebral microangiopathy can be lacunar infarcts or subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy. Both status lacunaris and subcortical arterioslerotic encephalopathy can result in development of dementia if they last for a long time. Particularly in these disorders, however, it is imperative to carry out preventive measures by influencing the vascular risk factors. Another approach to therapy is offered by influencing the haemorrheological properties of the blood by means of vasoactive preparations.


CALCIUM-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE5 Associates with the Truncated NLR Protein TIR-NBS2 to Contribute to exo70B1-Mediated Immunity.
Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs) function as calcium sensors and play important roles in plant immunity. Loss of function of the exocyst complex subunit EXO70B1 leads to autoimmunity caused by activation of TN2, a truncated Toll/interleukin-1 receptor-nucleotide binding sequence protein. Here we show, based on a screen for suppressors of exo70B1, that exo70B1-activated autoimmune responses require CPK5 However, the CPK5 homologs CPK4, CPK6, and CPK11, which were previously reported to function redundantly with CPK5 in effector-triggered immunity, did not contribute to exo70B1-associated phenotypes, indicating that CPK5 plays a unique role in plant immunity. Overexpressing CPK5 results in TN2-dependent autoimmunity and enhanced disease resistance, reminiscent of the exo70B1 phenotypes. Ectopic expression of CPK5 in the exo70B1 mutant led to constitutive CPK5 protein kinase activity, which was not detectable in tn2 mutants. Furthermore, TN2 interacts with the CPK5 N-terminal variable and kinase domains, stabilizing CPK5 kinase activity in vitro. This work uncovers a direct functional link between an atypical immune receptor and a crucial component of early immune signaling: increased immunity in exo70B1 depends on TN2 and CPK5 and, in a positive feedback loop, TN2 keeps CPK5 enzymatically active beyond the initiating stimulus.


Therapeutic interactions between stathmin inhibition and chemotherapeutic agents in prostate cancer.
Limitations of prostate cancer therapy may be overcome by combinations of chemotherapeutic agents with gene therapy directed against specific proteins critical for disease progression. Stathmin is overexpressed in many types of human cancer, including prostate cancer. Stathmin is one of the key regulators of the microtubule network and the mitotic spindle and provides an attractive therapeutic target in cancer therapy. We recently showed that adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of anti-stathmin ribozyme could suppress the malignant phenotype of prostate cancer cells in vitro. In the current studies, we asked whether the therapeutic effects of stathmin inhibition could be further enhanced by exposure to different chemotherapeutic agents. Exposure of uninfected LNCaP human prostate cancer cells or cells infected with a control adenovirus to Taxol, etoposide, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), or Adriamycin resulted in modest decrease in proliferation and clonogenicity. Interestingly, exposure of cells infected with an anti-stathmin adenovirus to Taxol or etoposide resulted in a complete loss of proliferation and clonogenicity, whereas exposure of the same cells to 5-FU or Adriamycin potentiated the growth-inhibitory effects of the anti-stathmin ribozyme, but the cells continued to proliferate. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling analysis of uninfected cells or cells infected with a control adenovirus showed modest induction of apoptosis in the presence of different drugs. In contrast, cells infected with the anti-stathmin adenovirus showed a marked increase in apoptosis on exposure to Taxol or etoposide and a modest increase on exposure to 5-FU or Adriamycin. Overall, the effects of combinations of anti-stathmin ribozyme with Taxol or etoposide were synergistic, whereas the effects of combinations of anti-stathmin ribozyme with 5-FU or Adriamycin were additive. Moreover, triple combination of anti-stathmin ribozyme with low noninhibitory concentrations of Taxol and etoposide resulted in a profound synergistic inhibition of proliferation, clonogenicity, and marked induction of apoptosis. This synergy might be very relevant for the treatment of prostate cancer because Taxol and etoposide are two of the most effective agents in this disease. Thus, this combination may provide a novel form of prostate cancer therapy that would avoid toxicities associated with the use of multiple chemotherapeutic agents at full therapeutic doses.


[Dosage related effect of fenoterol on fetal hemoglobin oxygen affinity (author's transl)].
Fenoterol induced displacements of the fetal oxygen dissociation curve were investigated in animal experiments by determining the oxygen halfsaturation pressure (P 50). At term pregnant rabbits were infused intravenously over 3 hours with an increasing Fenoterol dosis (10 to 30 microgram/kg/min) up to a dosis level which produced complete labour inhibition. By cesarean section fetal aortic blood was collected and the oxygen halfsaturation pressure (P 50) was determined as described by Lichtman et al. (14). All P 50 values were corrected to so-called standard conditions (pH: 7.4; PCO2: 40 mmHg; t: 37 degrees C). Likewise, in a second series P 50 values were measured in newborn rabbits which received Fenoterol subcutaneously as a single shot injection. In the first series standardized P 50 significantly fell from 20.9 to 15.0 mmHg and in the second series it fell from 20.9 to 14.4 mmHg. This raised oxygen hemoglobin affinity, i.e. leftward shift of the fetal oxygen dissociation curve, is probably due to a Fenoterol induced diminution of the red cell 2.3-DPG concentration. In all cases of severe fetal hypoxia a beneficial effect on O2-transport is discussed whereas at normoxia or mild hypoxia a rightward shift of the oxygen dissociation curve would be more favourable.


The variability of asthma.
Asthma is a chronic disease of airway inflammation that affects all age groups. Despite national treatment recommendations and the availability of effective controller medications, asthma morbidity remains pervasive and currently represents a considerable socioeconomic burden. Asthma may be intermittent or persistent; persistent asthma may be mild, moderate, or severe. Many factors influence asthma severity, both on a short-term basis and over time. In individual patients, asthma severity may fluctuate because of physiologic, environmental, socioeconomic, or behavioral factors. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are safe and well tolerated, and are the preferred long-term treatment for controlling persistent asthma of all severities in adults and children. Awareness of episodic changes in asthma severity, with subsequent tailored adjustment in guideline-based ICS therapy, should enable optimal control of asthma with minimal medication requirements.


Relative contribution of phytates, fibers, and tannins to low iron and zinc in vitro solubility in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flour and grain fractions.
In vitro digestions were performed on pearl millet flours with decreased phytate contents and on two dephytinized or nondephytinized pearl millet grain fractions, a decorticated fraction, and a bran fraction with low and high fiber and tannin contents, respectively. Insoluble residues of these digestions were then incubated with buffer or enzymatic solutions (xylanases and/or phytases), and the quantities of indigestible iron and zinc released by these different treatments were determined. In decorticated pearl millet grain, iron was chelated by phytates and by insoluble fibers, whereas zinc was almost exclusively chelated by phytates. In the bran of pearl millet grain, a high proportion of iron was chelated by iron-binding phenolic compounds, while the rest of iron as well as the majority of zinc were chelated in complexes between phytates and fibers. The low effect of phytase action on iron and zinc solubility of bran of pearl millet grain shows that, in the case of high fiber and tannin contents, the chelating effect of these compounds was higher than that of phytates.


Effect of intravenous infusion time on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the same total dose of torasemide in rabbits.
The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of torasemide were evaluated after intravenous administration of the same total dose of torasemide at a dose of 1mg/kg to rabbits with different infusion times, 1 min (treatment I), 30 min (treatment II) and 2 h (treatment III). The loss of water and electrolytes in urine induced by torasemide was immediately replaced with infusion of an equal volume of lactated Ringer's solution. All the pharmacokinetic parameters of torasemide, such as total area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time infinity (AUC), total body clearance (CL), apparent volume of distribution at steady state (Vss), terminal half-life and mean residence time (MRT), were independent of infusion times. However, the 8 h urine output (235, 534 and 808 ml) and 8 h urinary excretion of sodium (24.2, 80.1 and 89.2 mmol) and chloride (27.1, 89.2 and 94.0 mmol) were significantly greater in treatments II and III than those in treatment I, although the total 8 h urinary excretion of unchanged torasemide (1210, 1210 and 1310 microg) were not significantly different among the three treatments. This could be due to the higher diuretic efficiencies in treatments II and III.


Point-of-care rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 at a tertiary eye care facility: Role in commencement of elective surgeries, contact tracing and implementation of back-to-work policy.
The aim of this study was to report the use and the impact of a point-of-care rapid antigen test (PoC-RAT) at a tertiary eye care facility in facilitating commencement of elective surgeries, contact tracing of exposed health care professionals (HCPs) and ancillary hospital staff, and implementation of back-to-work (BTW) policy for them. Retrospective analysis of subjects undergoing PoC-RAT for COVID-19 infection at a tertiary level dedicated eye care facility. Decision making with regard to commencement of elective surgeries post COVID-19 related discontinuation of services, contact tracing of HCPs and ancillary hospital staff exposed to known COVID-19 cases and implementation of back-to-work policy for all staff based upon the results of PoC-RAT were studied. A total of 311 subjects (224 patients and 87 hospital staff) were tested. Overall positivity rate was around 7%. Asymptomatic patients who were screened preoperatively had a lower positivity rate at around 3% compared to the staff (who were either known contacts or were symptomatic) at around 17%. Contact tracing found three-quarters of the staff at low risk and only one quarter at medium or high risk. Among patients, 97% of those followed up for at least 2 weeks after the test remained healthy. For staff, this was around 65%. Based on our preliminary results, we suggest that PoC-RAT may be considered routinely for indication-based preoperative screening of asymptomatic patients, and for on-campus screening, contact tracing and implementation of BTW policies for HCPs and ancillary hospital staff at a tertiary level eye care facility.


Zinc injection as a novel castration method in beef bulls: effects on performance, behavior, and testosterone and haptoglobin concentration.
Crossbred beef bulls (n = 180) were blocked by initial BW (337 ± 10.9 kg; six blocks) and assigned randomly to one of three treatments on day 0: 1) INJ; received 1 mL (100 mg Zn) of a Zn solution in each testis, 2) BAN; received blood- restrictive rubber band placed around the dorsal aspect of the scrotum, 3) BUL; bulls with testicles remaining intact in a randomized complete block design (three treatment pens per block and 10 cattle per pen). A subset of 54 animals (n = 3 per pen) was fitted with accelerometers on day 0 to quantify behavior variables continuously for 28 d. Testis width and scrotal circumference, and serum haptoglobin (days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14) and testosterone concentrations (every 28 d until slaughter) were also determined for the subset. During the slaughter process, testes from INJ and BUL were collected to assess final testes weight and for histopathological evaluation. Data were analyzed using a mixed model (α = 0.05); pen served as the experimental unit for all dependent variables. Final BW was greater (P < 0.01) for INJ and BUL compared to BAN (672, 686, and 611 kg, respectively; SEM = 4.4). Overall ADG and G:F were greater (P ≤ 0.03) in INJ and BUL than BAN; whereas, DMI was similar between treatments for the study duration (P = 0.46). Histopathological evaluation (n = 13; INJ = 7; BUL = 6) indicated that INJ testes were degenerative and reproductively nonviable whereas BUL testes were normal. Serum testosterone concentrations on day 168 were similar (P = 0.14) between INJ and BUL whereas after day 14, BAN was nondetectable; however, initial serum testosterone concentrations were similarly low across treatments. Serum haptoglobin concentration was greater (P < 0.01) in INJ than BUL and BAN on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. Scrotal circumference (P = 0.08) and testis width (P = 0.07) on day 168 tended to be greater for BUL than INJ. Motion index (P ≤ 0.02) and step count (P = 0.04) was greater in BUL and INJ compared to BAN cattle during the 28 d monitoring period. No difference in standing time (P ≥ 0.85) or lying bouts (P = 0.35) occurred. Zinc injection resulted in sterilization but did not cause complete cessation of testicular function evidenced by testosterone concentrations more similar to BUL than BAN. This resulted in overall increased BW and G:F for INJ vs. BAN, yet the acute phase response was markedly greater directly after Zn injection. Collectively, Zn injection resulted in outcomes more similar to BUL than BAN, implying minimal efficacy of INJ as a castration method in older bulls arriving to the feedlot.


G1/S phase progression is regulated by PLK1 degradation through the CDK1/βTrCP axis.
Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a serine/threonine kinase involved in several stages of the cell cycle, including the entry and exit from mitosis, and cytokinesis. Furthermore, it has an essential role in the regulation of DNA replication. Together with cyclin A, PLK1 also promotes CDH1 phosphorylation to trigger its ubiquitination and degradation, allowing cell cycle progression. The PLK1 levels in different type of tumors are very high compared to normal tissues, which is consistent with its role in promoting proliferation. Therefore, several PLK1 inhibitors have been developed and tested for the treatment of cancer. Here, we further analyzed PLK1 degradation and found that cytoplasmic PLK1 is ubiquitinated and subsequently degraded by the SCFβTrCP/proteasome. This procedure is triggered when heat shock protein (HSP) 90 is inhibited with geldanamycin, which results in misfolding of PLK1. We also identified CDK1 as the major kinase involved in this degradation. Our work shows for the first time that HSP90 inhibition arrests cell cycle progression at the G1/S transition. This novel mechanism inhibits CDH1 degradation through CDK1-dependent PLK1 destruction by the SCFβTrCP/proteasome. In these conditions, CDH1 substrates do not accumulate and cell cycle arrests, providing a novel pathway for regulation of the cell cycle at the G1-to-S boundary.-Giráldez, S., Galindo-Moreno, M., Limón-Mortés, M. C., Rivas, A. C., Herrero-Ruiz, J., Mora-Santos, M., Sáez, C., Japón, M. Á., Tortolero, M., Romero, F. G1/S phase progression is regulated by PLK1 degradation through the CDK1/βTrCP axis.


Immunoglobulins of patients recovering from Yersinia enterocolitica infections exhibit Graves' disease-like activity in human thyroid membranes.
Substantial evidence suggests a link between infections with Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) and Graves' disease. We have now examined the sera of 72 patients recovering from YE infection for immunoglobulins that interacted with the TSH receptor in human thyroid membranes. Compared with controls, in concentrations between 1 and 4 mg/mL, patient IgG produced a significant, concentration-dependent inhibition of TSH binding (p less than 0.001) and stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity (p less than 0.005-0.05). Whereas IgG from normal individuals caused no stimulation of adenylate cyclase, IgG from controls caused some concentration-dependent displacement of TSH, as previously reported. However, IgG from convalescents of YE infections was significantly more potent than normal IgG in reducing the binding of TSH to the membrane. Thus, at each examined concentration, YE patients' IgG displaced more TSH than IgG from normal controls. For each milligram per milliliter increment of IgG in the assay, patients' IgG caused a 10.2% inhibition of TSH binding (r -0.90, p less than 0.001), significantly greater than that seen with normal IgG (p less than 0.02). The present studies provide the first demonstration that IgG of patients recovering from YE infections react with the human TSH receptor. The antibodies presumably are produced against the TSH-binding protein present in YE. However, in view of lack of evidence for thyroid dysfunction in the sera of patients recovering from yersiniosis and the presence of TSH-binding proteins in other bacteria, we postulate that infection with YE is neither necessary nor sufficient to cause thyroid autoimmune disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Emergency contraception.
The last decade has seen a huge interest in emergency contraception (EC) because of the potential it has to reduce abortion rates. A variety of hormonal methods is available although mifepristone-arguably the best method-is only licensed in China. The intrauterine device is highly effective but its use is limited because of the technical skill required for successful insertion. The mechanism of action of both the Yuzpe regimen of EC and of levonorgestrel is poorly understood and for all methods there are serious methodological difficulties involved with calculating efficacy. Nevertheless the risks and side-effects of EC are negligible and the practicalities of prescribing it are extremely simple. Research and programmatic efforts should concentrate on improving availability if EC is to fulfil its promise as a public health intervention to reduce unwanted pregnancy.


Production of two novel monoclonal antibodies against human renal glomeruli and their application to the immunohistochemical investigation of crescentic glomerulonephritis.
Two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against human renal glomeruli, HEP1 and HBM1, were produced using isolated human glomeruli as an antigen. Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic analyses revealed that the recognition site of HEP1 is the cell surface of the visceral glomerular epithelial cells. HEP1 showed no reaction in the renal interstitium or in other tissues. HBM1 recognized an antigen present in the basal lamina of the renal glomeruli, Bowman's capsule, and partly in the basement membrane of renal tubules, but it was not reactive with the mesangial matrix or renal interstitium. The isotype of both MAbs was IgG1, k. The molecular weights of their corresponding antigens were 127-177 and 220 kD, respectively. Besides human tissues, HEP1 also showed cross-reactions with antigens in the visceral glomerular epithelial cells of various animals other than mice. HBM1 recognized human antigen only. Using both MAbs, eight cases of crescentic glomerulonephritis were examined immunohistochemically. As a result, it was demonstrated that the crescents may not be formed by visceral glomerular epithelial cells. From this study, these two MAbs appear to be useful markers for the evaluation of renal glomerular disorders.


Stroke epidemiology and stroke care services in India.
Developing countries like India are facing a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in India. The estimated adjusted prevalence rate of stroke range, 84-262/100,000 in rural and 334-424/100,000 in urban areas. The incidence rate is 119-145/100,000 based on the recent population based studies. There is also a wide variation in case fatality rates with the highest being 42% in Kolkata. Stroke units are predominantly available in urban areas that too in private hospitals. Intravenous (IV) and intra-arterial thrombolysis (IA) are commonly used in India. In the on-going Indo USA National stroke registry the rate of IV thrombolysis is 11%. Stroke rehabilitation is not well developed in India due to lack of personnel. Organised rehabilitation services are available in the country but they are mainly in private hospitals of the cities. Even though India is a leading generic drugs producer still many people can't afford the commonly used secondary prevention drugs. As a first step the Government of India has started the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke (NPCDCS). The government is focusing on early diagnosis, management, infrastructure, public awareness and capacity building at different levels of health care for all the non-communicable diseases including stroke. An organised effort from both the government and the private sector is needed to tackle the stroke epidemic in India.


Thrombolytic therapy in morbidly obese patients.
Most of the concern about dosing thrombolytic agents as presented in the literature is related to the lower weight groups and the increased incidence of bleeding in this patient population. Not much is known or written about what dose of thrombolytic therapy should be used in the grossly obese patient with an AMI. Although it may be uncommon to have a morbidly obese patient with an AMI, it does occur. Perhaps body weight doesn't matter since we are really dosing the clot and not the body, but, as far as I can discern, there are no data regarding dosing of thrombolytic drugs to guide the clinician managing these patients.


The effect of normovolemic hemodilution on c-Fos protein immunoreactivity in the postischemic rat brain cortex.
The hemodilution effect was evaluated in the parietal, temporal, and basal regions of postischemic rat brain neocortex by the immunohistochemical detection of the c-Fos protein. Rats were subjected to the four-vessel-occlusion and the hemodilution was used in one group of animals. Coronal sections of rat brains were used for immunohistochemical processing of c-Fos protein after different postischemic reperfusion intervals. The number of c-Fos positive neuronal nuclei was significantly decreased in the hemodilution group after 4 h of reperfusion in the parietal and basal neocortex compared to the reperfusion without hemodilution.


Intrauterine instillation of prostaglandin F2ALPHA IN EARLY PREGNANCY.
Intrauterine PGF2alpha (5mg) was administered for termination of early pregnancy in 14 healthy volunteers. With 11 complete abortions, the efficiency rate of this technique is below conventional methods. In addition, the incidience of infection was high occuring in 12 out of 14 subjects. Because of persistent bleeding, six patients underwent a dilatation and curettage. Other significant side effects included transient hypertension, pain, nausea and restlessness. In the patients with a complete abortion, the mean plasma progesterone concentration fell 37% after 8 hours post PGF2alpha instillation and 90iod and 75% over the next 14 days.


Fluorescent in situ hybridization as a tool to retrospectively identify Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia in samples from terrestrial mammalian wildlife.
Fecal samples of five terrestrial mammalian wildlife species stored at 4 degrees C or at -20 degrees C for up to 36 months have been tested for human zoonotic enteric parasites (i.e., Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia) using combined fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and direct fluorescent antibody techniques. The prevalence of C. parvum and G. lamblia varied from 20 to 63% (mean, 45.8%) and from 13 to 100% (mean, 53.2%), respectively. The prevalence of C. parvum and G. lamblia infections was higher in small rodents (mean, 68.5%) than in other wildlife (mean, 21%). Overall, 31.1% of animals were coinfected, and coinfections were more prevalent in small rodents (mean, 52%) than in other wildlife species (mean, 13.2%). The present study has shown that the FISH assay can be retrospectively applied to fecal samples for the identification of C. parvum oocysts, but is less suitable for the identification of G. lamblia cysts in such samples. Terrestrial mammalian wildlife, particularly small rodents, can contribute to watershed contamination with C. parvum oocysts and G. lamblia cysts. To control contamination, the management of pristine watersheds used for drinking water purposes should incorporate control measures for terrestrial wildlife, especially field rodents residing within such watersheds.


Residues and persistence of neem formulations on strawberry after field treatment.
Azadirachtoids were determined by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) in five methanolic seed extracts of the neem tree and in a commercial formulation. On average, seed extracts contain azadirachtin A (10.9%), azadirachtin B (3.5%), nimbin (10.4%), and large quantities of salannin (19.0%). The composition of the commercial formulations may present different azadirachtoids contents depending on the natural extracts used in the preparation. Because these compounds may also show insecticide activity, the efficacy on field of these formulations may be very different. Photodegradation of pure azadirachtoids was also studied. Azadirachtins and related compounds are very sensitive to sunlight, degrading rapidly, with half-lives of the order of 11.3 h for azadirachtin A and 5.5 h for azadirachtin B and few minutes for the other limonoids compounds studied. The residues of azadirachtins and the main constituents, e.g., salannin, nimbin, deacetylnimbin, and deacetylsalannin, of the neem seed extract were determined on strawberries after field treatment using two different formulations. This residue study on strawberry was carried out to assess not only the azadirachtin content but also the main azadirachtoids contents. Three days after field application at five times the dose recommended by the manufacturer, residues of azadirachtin A and B were 0.03 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively, while residues of salannin (LOQ 0.01 mg/kg) and nimbin (LOQ 0.5 mg/kg) were not detectable.


Effect of heating oils and fats in containers of different materials on their trans fatty acid content.
The nature of the container material and temperature employed for deep-frying can have an influence on the development of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in the fat used. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of heating vegetable oils and partially hydrogenated vegetable fats with different initial TFA content in stainless steel, Hindalium (an aluminium alloy), cast iron and glass containers. Ground nut oil (oil 1), refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palmolein (oil 2) and two partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with low (fat 1) and high (fat 2) TFA content were uniformly heated at 175-185 °C over a period of 12 h. An increase in TFA content to 20 g kg⁻¹ was observed in oil 2 in the cast iron container, while a decrease in TFA content of 20-30 g kg⁻¹ was observed in fat 2 in all containers. The heating process of fats and oils also led to an increase in Butyro refractometer reading and colour values. This study showed that the TFA 18:1t content of oil 1, oil 2 and fat 1 increased with repeated or prolonged heating. The cast iron container showed the highest increase in TFA 18:1t for RBD palmolein (oil 2). The amount of linoleic acid trans isomers formed in the heating process was negligible. Fat 2 with high initial TFA content showed a decrease in TFA 18:1 and 18:2 on heating in all containers. Oils heated in glass and stainless steel containers showed less TFA 18:1t formation.


Left ventricular morphology and function in normotensive, metabolically healthy obese individuals without fatty liver disease.
Background Obesity is one of the major risk factors for the development of heart failure, although the exact underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the clinical setting, assessing the impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system is difficult due to comorbidities. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate an independent influence of obesity on the left ventricular morphology and function. To eliminate hemodynamic and metabolic confounders, we performed an echocardiographic evaluation of severely obese but normotensive and metabolically healthy patients without fatty liver disease. Method The patients were retrospectively selected from the cohort of 180 consecutive obese patients systematically evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography before bariatric surgery. Finally, 25 obese subjects, predominantly females, were evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography. Inclusion criteria were defined as absence of diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, no use of medications and no hepatic steatosis on liver biopsy. They were matched with a control group of healthy subjects with normal body mass index. Results In obese patients, left ventricular hypertrophy (expressed as left ventricular mass indexed for height in meters2.7) was significantly more frequent in the obese group ( 48 vs 0%, p<0.001). Left ventricular longitudinal systolic function measured by mitral annular systolic velocity was significantly lower in the obese group (S` 8.5 vs 9.7cm/s, p=0.002). All studied indices of the left ventricular diastolic function (E/A, mean E` and E/E` ratio) were impaired in obese subjects, even after adjustment for systolic blood pressure and heart rate (E/A 1.31 vs 1.64, p<0.001, E` mean 11 vs 14.8cm/s, p<0.001, E/E` 7.5 vs 6.4, p= 0.002 for obese vs controls, respectively). Conclusions Left ventricular hypertrophy is significantly more common, and left ventricular diastolic and longitudinal systolic function is significantly impaired in young, metabolically healthy, normotensive, severely obese individuals without fatty liver disease when compared to age and sex-matched lean subjects.. These abnormalities may represent the independent effect of the obesity on the heart, which may contribute to the development the obesity-related heart failure in later life.


Analysis of Sports Video Intelligent Classification Technology Based on Neural Network Algorithm and Transfer Learning.
With the rapid development of information technology, digital content shows an explosive growth trend. Sports video classification is of great significance for digital content archiving in the server. Therefore, the accurate classification of sports video categories is realized by using deep neural network algorithm (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), and transfer learning. Block brightness comparison coding (BICC) and block color histogram are proposed, which reflect the brightness relationship between different regions in video and the color information in the region. The maximum mean difference (MMD) algorithm is adopted to achieve the purpose of transfer learning. On the basis of obtaining the features of sports video images, the sports video image classification method based on deep learning coding model is adopted to realize sports video classification. The results show that, for different types of sports videos, the overall classification effect of this method is obviously better than other current sports video classification methods, which greatly improves the classification effect of sports videos.


Quantum-chemical predictions of pKa's of thiols in DMSO.
The deprotonation of thiols (on the S-H bond) is widely involved in organic and bio-organic reactions. With the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the present study focuses on predicting the pKa's of thiols. Efforts were first put in searching for an appropriate computational method. To achieve this goal, the accuracy of 13 different DFT functionals (i.e., B3LYP, BB1K, PBE, M06, M05, M06-2X, M06-L, M05-2X, TPSS, MPW1K, MPWB1K, MPW3LYP, TPSSLYP1W) and 6 different total electron basis sets (6-31G(d), 6-31+G(d), 6-31+G(d,p), 6-311+G(d,p), 6-311++G(d,p), 6-311++G(2df,2p)) (with DMSO solvent and SMD solvation model) were examined. The M06-2X/6-311++G(2df,2p) (M1) method was found to give the best performance in reproducing the reported 16 pKa's of thiols, with a standard deviation (SD) of about 0.5 pKa unit. Meanwhile, the M1 method was found to be excellent in reproducing the gas phase Gibbs free energies of 17 thiols, providing extra evidence for the reliability of the M1 method in treating thiol systems. On this basis, M1 was then used to predict the pKa's of 291 thiols whose experimental pKa values remain unknown. Accordingly, the scope of pKa's of different thiols was constructed.


Survival from acute hepatorenal syndrome following splenorenal shunt.
Acute aggravation of chronic hepatorenal syndrome following angiography is described in a patient with recovery and long-term survival following splenorenal shunt. It is believed that this patient represents a type of hepatorenal syndrome which can be expected to tolerate shunt and recover from hepatorenal syndrome. Possible mechanisms of the pathophysiology are discussed and recommendations made on this basis for the selection of such patients for portal decompression.


Incidence and causes for failure of treatment of women with proven osteoporosis.
The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing women's compliance with medical therapy for osteoporosis in Israel. The study population consisted of women diagnosed with osteoporosis using a DEXA examination in the year 2000. Medication purchases for a period of 13 months after the exam were analyzed. Data were gathered from the computerized data base of Clalit Health Care Services and phone interviews. Treatment was divided into specific drugs and food additives (preparation of calcium plus vitamin D). Full, intermediate, low and no compliance were defined as >80, 50-80, 25-50 and <25% of treatment days, respectively. In the study, 857 women with a mean age of 73.6 years were enrolled; 581 (67.8%) were interviewed by telephone. Most of women were undereducated and unemployed. Twenty percent did not purchase any specific drug; 4.5% did not purchase any drug or food additive for osteoporosis; 60% were fully or intermittently compliant (by purchasing) with drug therapy. The most frequent single specific drugs purchased were bisphosphanates and SERM: 62.3 and 76.3% purchased bisphosphanates and/or food additives, respectively. Multi-variant analysis showed that predictors of compliance were healthy women, compliant with calcium plus vitamin D preparations, and/or spending more on drugs. Reasons for low or non-compliance were inconsistent recommendations by various physicians and the side effects of specific drugs. The relatively high compliance rate of osteoporosis treatment may be attributed to the increase in awareness of its benefits. The effect of physicians on compliance needs further investigation.


Strong metal-support bonding enhanced thermal stability in Au-Al2O3 core-shell nanowires characterized by in situ transmission electron microscopy.
In this study, the thermal stability of Au-Al2O3 core-shell and Au nanowires was investigated by in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy and other techniques. The nanowires were synthesized by the helium droplets method and deposited on various substrates. The in situ characterization of Au-Al2O3 thermal stability demonstrated a substantially enhanced stability as compared to that of pure Au nanowires, which can be a transformative approach to design more durable Au-based nanocatalysts. Our study also revealed the existence of strong metal-support bonding in the Au/Al2O3 system.


Mermithid nematode parasites of Coquillettidia perturbans in Massachusetts.
We surveyed 792 larval and 12,400 adult Coquillettidia perturbans for mermithid nematodes in 1990. Collections were made from cattail marshes in the greater Boston area. No mermithids were found in the adult mosquitoes, nor in larvae collected in mid-season, but 3 were found in larvae collected during September and October. This is only the second recorded occurrence of mermithids in Cq. perturbans.