Enteropathogenic bacteria in migrating birds arriving in Sweden.
Birds have been thought to play a role in transmitting infectious agents like influenza, Borrelia and Salmonella. To investigate the role of migrating birds in the dispersal of enteropathogenic bacteria, stool samples from 151 wild birds (50 gulls and 101 passerines) just entering Sweden from their winter grounds were analysed for Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and EHEC O157:H7. The thermophilic isolated enteropathogens found were further analysed by antibiograms. Among the 50 gulls examined, we found 2 isolates of Salmonella typhimurium with multiple antibiotic resistance. Three isolates of C. jejuni were found in the 101 stool samples from passerines. We did not isolate EHEC O157:H7 in any of the bird stools examined.


[Hormonal contraception in 46 public family clinics in Rome].
This study investigates the role of 46 public Consultori of Rome, as far as the hormonal contraception with "pill', the most common contraceptive method used by roman women, is concerned. With a series of phone calls, a hypothetic potential customer asked for an appointment directly with the gynaecologist for getting adviced to use "pill" for the first time. The results show that, although the wait for the first appointment directly the gynaecologist is not long (11,3 days as an average), it is very difficult to get it and this was possible only in 12 cases out of 46. We have noted that the first appointment for "pill" was offered with no-medical personnel, like social assistants, sanitary assistants or midwives, in most 16 of cases, and that in a significant number of Consultori was not possible to obtain an appointment whatever. In public Consultory of Rome we have found a different attitude in giving appointment to women for contraception with pill, even inside the same USL (Local Sanitary Unit, the basic structure of public health in Italy, in which Consultori have the role of prevention and promotion of maternity and tutelage of infancy). From this study the need emerges of uniformity in the attitude of Consultori staff in managing the customers, in order to avoid that women, finding so many difficulties, give up referring to these public structure for beginning contraception and choose private professionals or decide not to use the "pill".


Continuum percolation of polydisperse nanofillers.
We show that a generalized connectedness percolation theory can be made tractable for a large class of anisotropic particle mixtures that potentially contain an infinite number of components. By applying our methodology to carbon-nanotube composites, we explain the huge variations found in the onset of electrical conduction in terms of a percolation threshold that turns out to be sensitive to polydispersity in particle length and diameter. The theory also allows us to model the influence of the presence of nonconductive species in the mixture, such as is the case for single-walled nanotubes, showing that these raise the percolation threshold proportionally to their abundance.


Percutaneous coronary intervention followed by minimally invasive valve surgery compared with median sternotomy coronary artery bypass graft and valve surgery in patients with prior cardiac surgery.
In patients with prior cardiac surgery requiring re-operative coronary and valve surgery, a hybrid approach of percutaneous coronary intervention followed by minimally invasive valve surgery (PCI + MIVS) may be an alternative to the standard median sternotomy coronary artery bypass and valve surgery (CABG + valve). The outcomes of patients with prior cardiac surgery, presenting with coronary artery and valvular disease, who underwent PCI + MIVS (N=39) were retrospectively compared with those who underwent CABG + valve (N=28) via a repeat median sternotomy, between February 2009 and April 2014. The mean age for the PCI + MIVS versus CABG + valve group was 75±9 and 72±11 years (P=0.54), respectively. The baseline characteristics were similar between groups, with the exception of a greater prevalence of 1-vessel coronary artery disease and clopidogrel or dual antiplatelet therapy at the time of surgery in the PCI + MIVS group, and more 3-vessel coronary artery disease in those undergoing CABG + valve surgery. The PCI + MIVS approach was associated with a decreased aortic cross-clamp (94 vs. 131 minutes, P=0.001) and cardiopulmonary bypass (128 vs. 190 minutes, P<0.001) times, fewer intraoperative packed red blood transfusions (1.3 vs. 3.8 units, P=0.001), shorter intensive care unit length of stay (41 vs. 71 hours, P<0.001), and decreased incidence of prolonged mechanical ventilation (12.8% vs. 35.7%, P=0.03), re-intubation (2.6% vs. 17.9%, P=0.04), when compared with CABG + valve. The thirty-day and two-year mortality were similar, being 7.7% vs. 7.1% (P=0.66), and 12.8% vs. 10.7% (P=0.55), in the PCI + MIVS vs. CABG + valve group, respectively. Hybrid PCI + MIVS in patients with prior cardiac surgery is associated with shorter operative times and intensive care unit length of stay, less need for intraoperative blood cell transfusions, decreased use of mechanical ventilation, and similar short-term and follow-up survival, when compared with CABG + valve surgery via median sternotomy. Randomized trials and multicenter registries are needed to further evaluate this approach.


NAD(P)H oxidase activity of Nox4 in chondrocytes is both inducible and involved in collagenase expression.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are regulators of redox-sensitive cell signaling pathways. In osteoarthritis, human interleukin-1beta is implicated in cartilage destruction through an ROS-dependent matrix metalloproteinase production. To determine the molecular source of ROS production in the human IL-1beta (hIL-1beta)-sensitive chondrocyte immortalized cell line C-20/A4, transfected cells were constructed that overexpress NAD(P)H oxidases. First, RT-PCR analysis showed that the C-20/A4 cell line expressed Nox2, Nox4, p22( phox ), and p67( phox ), but not p47( phox ). It was found that ROS production by C-20/A4 chondrocytes does not depend on PMA and ionomycin activation. This indicates that Nox2 was not involved in the production of ROS. In C- 20/A4 cells that overexpress Nox4, hIL-1beta stimulated ROS production three times more than the normal production of C-20/A4 cells. Moreover, there was a fourfold increase in the production of collagenase (MMP-1) by chondrocytes that overexpress Nox4. Interestingly, MMP-1 production in cells that overexpress Nox2 was not sensitive to hIL-1beta. These data suggest that under hIL-1beta stimulation, C-20/A4 chondrocytes produce MMP-1 through a Nox4-mediated, ROS-dependent pathway.


Tibolone versus 17beta-estradiol/norethisterone: effects on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells.
Tibolone is a synthetic progestin with estrogenic and progestogenic properties, widely used for alleviation of menopausal syndromes and for osteoporosis prophylaxis in postmenopausal women. Since only little data are available on tibolone and breast cancer risk the present study investigates the effect of tibolone on the growth of the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. Tibolone is clinically comparable to an estradiol/norethisterone combination, therefore we included this hormone combination in our experiments. Tibolone was examined alone and in the presence of 0.1 nM estradiol in the concentration range from 0.001 microM to 1 microM. Norethisterone was studied using the same concentration range in combination with 0.1 nM estradiol. Tibolone led to significant cell growth in the concentration range of 0.01 to 1 microM and was able to significantly stimulate estradiol-induced proliferation at the concentrations 0.01 and 0.1 microM. In contrast, the estradiol/norethisterone combination elicited significant inhibition of cell growth at the concentrations 0.001 and 0.01 microM. These data suggest that tibolone does have tumor cell-growth promoting effects in vitro whereas the estradiol/norethisterone combination partially inhibits cell growth. Therefore no differences in risk profile are to be expected between conventional hormone substitution using estradiol and norethisterone acetate and tibolone. Drawing a clinical consequence from our experiments would result in not recommending the use of tibolone in postmenopausal women at high risk for breast cancer development until long-term controlled clinical studies have been performed on the effect of tibolone administration and breast cancer risk.


Transoral robotic surgery for large mixed laryngocoele.
A laryngocoele is an abnormal dilatation of Morgagni's ventricle in direct communication with the laryngeal lumen. Surgical excision through a cervical approach is traditionally considered the treatment of choice for large (external and mixed) laryngocoeles. This paper describes the first reported case of a large mixed laryngocoele treated with transoral robotic surgery without cervical incisions. A 69-year-old female underwent transoral robotic surgery for the excision of a large mixed left laryngocoele. The surgery was performed using the da Vinci S surgical robotic system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, California, USA). No complications were observed and the patient was discharged 2 days post-operation. Transoral robotic surgery enabled accurate dissection with complete removal of the large mixed laryngocoele via a minimally invasive approach. The advantages of transoral robotic surgery over other techniques for laryngocoele excision are discussed.


MIF inhibits the formation and toxicity of misfolded SOD1 amyloid aggregates: implications for familial ALS.
Mutations in superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. It has been suggested that toxicity of mutant SOD1 results from its misfolding, however, it is yet unclear why misfolded SOD1 accumulates specifically within motor neurons. We recently demonstrated that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-a multifunctional protein with cytokine/chemokine activity and cytosolic chaperone-like properties-inhibits the accumulation of misfolded SOD1. Here, we show that MIF inhibits mutant SOD1 nuclear clearance when overexpressed in motor neuron-like NSC-34 cells. In addition, MIF alters the typical SOD1 amyloid aggregation pathway in vitro, and, instead, promotes the formation of disordered aggregates, as measured by Thioflavin T (ThT) assay and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. Moreover, we report that MIF reduces the toxicity of misfolded SOD1 by directly interacting with it, and that the chaperone function and protective effect of MIF in neuronal cultures do not require its intrinsic catalytic activities. Importantly, we report that the locked-trimeric MIFN110C mutant, which exhibits strongly impaired CD74-mediated cytokine functions, has strong chaperone activity, dissociating, for the first time, these two cellular functions. Altogether, our study implicates MIF as a potential therapeutic candidate in the treatment of ALS.


Familial Mediterranean fever in a fraternal twin: a laboratory evaluation.
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease of unknown etiology and has no known diagnostic markers. Periodic attacks of pain and fever can be precipitated by dietary fat or dairy products and by the same factors that are known to elevate serum free fatty acids (FFA). Several tests related to lipid metabolism were made on the serum and urine of a fraternal twin with FMF during attacks and remission. The results were compared with those of the unaffected, asymptomatic twin and healthy adults. Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol was elevated in both twins. Gas chromatography revealed many urinary FFA during attacks and fewer during remission. Urinary organic acids determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed slight elevations of glycollic, oxalic, and methylmalonic acids during an attack. Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels were at or below the low limits of normal for both twins. Hematological studies revealed low values for erythrocyte parameters for the affected twin. Both twins had low serum iron and an increased iron binding capacity. These findings may represent a defect in fatty acid metabolism which is being compensated by alternate pathways which may generate oxidants. Both FFA and oxidants are injurious to cell membranes and may be the cause of the polyserositis which occurs during an attack.


Impact of a COVID-19 related Lockdown on the Experience of Informal Caregiving in Singapore.
Lockdowns, while limiting COVID-19 transmission, can affect provision of care by informal caregivers and their caregiving experience. We assessed, among informal caregivers in Singapore, a) the perceived impact of a two-month (April to May 2020) nationwide lockdown on their care provision, b) correlates of different perceptions of the impact of the lockdown on care provision, and c) association of the different perceptions of the impact with negative and positive experiences of caregiving. In the August 2020 wave of the Singapore Life Panel (SLP; nationally representative, longitudinal monthly survey of Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 50-70 years at baseline), 1,094 participants identified as informal caregivers reported whether their care provision became easier, remained the same, or became harder during the lockdown, compared to before the lockdown. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess the association of caregiver, care-recipient, and caregiving context characteristics with their perceptions. Linear regression models examined the association of their perceptions with negative and positive experience domains of the modified Caregiver Reaction Assessment. Just over one-third (36.1%) reported that their care provision became harder during compared to before the lockdown. However, nearly one-fifth (18.0%) said that it became easier, and the rest (45.9%) said that it remained the same. Care provision was more likely to be perceived as having become harder among caregivers who were male, of Chinese ethnicity, in worse health, whose care-recipients had functional limitations, who did not have caregiving support from cohabiting family members before the lockdown, and who had caregiving support from non-cohabiting family members before the lockdown. The perception that care provision became easier was less likely among caregivers who were of higher age, were unemployed, were socially isolated and whose care-recipients had functional limitations. Caregivers who perceived that care provision became harder during the lockdown were worse off in negative experiences of caregiving. A nation-wide lockdown did not make care provision harder for all informal caregivers. However, those for whom it did were more likely to have greater negative experiences of caregiving. The heterogeneity of the impact of lockdowns and the possibility of offering flexibility to non-cohabiting family members who support caregiving should be important considerations when planning for such disruptions.


Long-term follow-up of patients treated with a combination of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis.
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and hemodialysis (HD) both have advantages in the treatment of patients with renal failure. In CAPD, solute removal is sometimes insufficient in patients who have a relatively large muscle mass that produces high levels of creatinine. To compensate for this deficiency, frequent exchanges and large dialysate volumes are required. We previously reported that once-weekly HD helps CAPD patients who experience insufficient solute removal. In the present study, we followed, for more than 3 years, 9 CAPD patients who underwent additional weekly HD. Add-on HD therapy significantly increased the subjects' weekly peritoneal creatinine clearance to 45 +/- 3 L (mean +/- standard deviation); these values rose to more than 60 L over the course of the study. Our findings suggest that the combined use of CAPD and HD improves solute clearance in CAPD patients who are insufficiently dialyzed.


Testicular efferent ductule cyst of a dog.
A 9-year-old male Shetland Sheepdog had a small mass in the left testis. Grossly, the round to oval cyst was present at the upper pole of the testicular parenchyma near the head of the epididymis. Histologically, the cyst was lined by a single layer of nonciliated and ciliated epithelial cells. Immunohistochemically, the epithelial cells of the cyst showed expression of the low- and high-molecular-weight cytokeratins, vimentin, and desmin similar to that of normal efferent ductules in the dog. The testicular cystic dysplasia was thought to originate from the efferent ductules.


HIF-2α regulates non-canonical glutamine metabolism via activation of PI3K/mTORC2 pathway in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) plays an important role in increasing cancer progression and distant metastasis in a variety of tumour types. We aimed to investigate its biological function and clinical significance in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A total of 283 paired PDAC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from patients who underwent surgery or biopsy at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital between February 2004 and October 2016. In this study, we noted that HIF-2α expression was significantly up-regulated in PDAC, positively associated with disease stage, lymph-node metastasis and patient survival, and identified as an independent prognostic factor of PDAC patients. We demonstrated that HIF-2α silencing could reduce proliferation, migration and invasion of PDAC cells in vitro. The similar effect on growth was demonstrated in vivo. Furthermore, we noted that knock-down of HIF-2α significantly decreased the expression of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase 1 (GOT1). Importantly, we confirmed that the PI3K/mTORC2 pathway promoted GOT1 expression by targeting HIF-2α. Our study validated HIF-2α was an important factor in PDAC progression and poor prognosis and may promote non-canonical glutamine metabolism via activation of PI3K/mTORC2 pathway. Targeting HIF-2α represents a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for patients with PDAC.


Utility of normalized genome quantification of Helicobacter pylori in gastric mucosa using an in-house real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Traditional diagnostic assays for Helicobacter pylori detection have their limitations. Molecular methods can improve both diagnosis and understanding of gastric diseases. Here we describe an in-house quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-rt-PCR) for the detection of H. pylori in gastric biopsies which has been developed and has a detection limit of 10 copies, the specificity of which was tested against other gastric colonizer bacteria. In this study, 199 gastric biopsies from adults with different clinical gastric symptoms were examined. Biopsies were obtained during endoscopy and the following tests performed: rapid urease testing (RUT), culture and q-rt-PCR. H. pylori bacterial load expressed as bacterial load per 105 cells was calculated using a standard curve. H. pylori was isolated in 41% of patients, RUT was positive in 32% and bacterial genome was detected in 45% (p = 0.010). Concordance between traditional invasive microbiological methods used together and q-rt-PCR was almost 100%. Bacterial load in patients with positive RUT was significantly higher than those where it was negative (p<0.0001). There were also significant differences between bacterial load in patients with more than one positive assay versus those where only one method was positive (p = 0.006). The in-house q-PCR developed here is quick and inexpensive, and allows accurate diagnosis of H. pylori infection. It also permits normalized bacterial load quantification, which is important to differentiate between asymptomatic colonisation and infection.


Rapid, atraumatic method for obtaining nasal mucus samples.
Disposable cellulose acetate sponges, properly placed in the nose, provide a rapid method of stimulating the production of nasal mucus to be obtained for study. There is little trauma to the nasal mucosa, thus minimizing the risk of contamination of samples with serum or cells. The mucus is not diluted, and therefore, quantitative measurements of immunoglobulins and other substances can be made.


Dual-phase digital lock-in implementation based on Nyquist rate and sampling subtraction.
Lock-in amplifiers (LIA) are widely used in laboratory environments to detect low-amplitude signals buried in noise as well as real and imaginary parts of a complex quantity. They are based on the technique of synchronous detection, where the signal of interest is modulated into a desired frequency, sent to the medium or device to be analyzed, and captured by a detector. The detector scheme relies on the concept of phase-sensitive detection, generally resulting in two components: in-phase and quadrature. This article shows a very simple and low computational-cost way to implement a dual-phase LIA, using readily available microcontrollers, running a simple and fast algorithm. Three examples of signal detection are presented (sound wave signal, impedance meter, and weak signal recovery) to point out the flexibility and capabilities of the proposed methodology.


Computer-aided detection of pulmonary nodules: a comparative study using the public LIDC/IDRI database.
To benchmark the performance of state-of-the-art computer-aided detection (CAD) of pulmonary nodules using the largest publicly available annotated CT database (LIDC/IDRI), and to show that CAD finds lesions not identified by the LIDC's four-fold double reading process. The LIDC/IDRI database contains 888 thoracic CT scans with a section thickness of 2.5 mm or lower. We report performance of two commercial and one academic CAD system. The influence of presence of contrast, section thickness, and reconstruction kernel on CAD performance was assessed. Four radiologists independently analyzed the false positive CAD marks of the best CAD system. The updated commercial CAD system showed the best performance with a sensitivity of 82 % at an average of 3.1 false positive detections per scan. Forty-five false positive CAD marks were scored as nodules by all four radiologists in our study. On the largest publicly available reference database for lung nodule detection in chest CT, the updated commercial CAD system locates the vast majority of pulmonary nodules at a low false positive rate. Potential for CAD is substantiated by the fact that it identifies pulmonary nodules that were not marked during the extensive four-fold LIDC annotation process. • CAD systems should be validated on public, heterogeneous databases. • The LIDC/IDRI database is an excellent database for benchmarking nodule CAD. • CAD can identify the majority of pulmonary nodules at a low false positive rate. • CAD can identify nodules missed by an extensive two-stage annotation process.


Outcome, comorbidity and prognosis in anorexia nervosa.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a relatively common disorder, especially in adolescent and young adult women. The lifetime prevalence of AN in females ranges from 1.2 to 2.2%. The prevalence in males is 10-times lower. The condition is associated with a high risk of chronic course and poor prognosis in terms of treatment and the risk of death. Longer follow-up periods seemed to correspond with increased improvement rates and increased mortality. Onset of the disorder during adolescence is associated with better prognosis. It is reported that as much as 70% to over 80% of patients in this age group achieve remission. Worse outcomes are observed in patients who required hospitalization and in adults. Recent studies indicate improved prognosis for cure and lower mortality rates than previously reported. However, the recovery can take several years and AN is associated with high risk of developing other psychiatric disorders during the patients' lifetime, even after recovery from AN (mainly: affective disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, substance abuse disorders). Studies indicate that bulimic symptoms often occur in the course of anorexia nervosa (especially within 2-3 years from the onset of AN). The authors present a review of literature on the course, comorbidity, mortality, and prognostic factors in AN. Better knowledge of the course of anorexia can contribute to more realistic expectations of the pace of symptomatic improvement, as well as to a creation of therapeutic programs which are better adapted to the needs of the patients.


Breaking the rules! Cardiac injury from remote entry sites.
An unusual case of penetrating injury to the heart is reported. This presented late, after an initial silent period. A high index of suspicion must be maintained when chest injuries are managed conservatively. If there is doubt, a subxiphoid pericardial window may allow cardiac injury to be excluded.


In Vitro Antioxidant and Bactericidal Efficacy of 15 Common Spices: Novel Therapeutics for Urinary Tract Infections?
Background and Objectives: Bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common ailment affecting all age groups in males and females. The commercial antibiotics usage augments antibiotics resistance and creates higher recurrence rates of such communal infections. Hence, this study is aimed at investigating the antibacterial and antioxidant potentials of 15 common spices against 11 UTI-causing bacterial pathogens. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant potential of the methanolic extracts was analyzed as contents of total phenols and flavonoids; radical scavenging, total reducing power, the ferric reducing power assay. Urinary pathogens were subjected to spice extracts to investigate antibacterial assays. Results: Preliminary phytochemical study of spices was performed to find those containing alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and steroids that can be recognized for their noteworthy bactericidal effects. The outcome of the antioxidative potential from the four methods demonstrated the sequence of potent antioxidant activity: Acorus calamus > Alpinia galanga > Armoracia rusticana > Capparis spinosa > Aframomum melegueta. The total polyphenols and flavonoids in the studied species positively correlated with their antioxidant properties. The four most effective spices (A. calamus, A. galanga, A. rusticana, and C. spinosa) had a zone of inhibition of at least 22 mm. A. calamus, A. melegueta, and C. spinosa had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value against Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis. All 15 spices had the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value against most of the pathogenic bacteria. Conclusion: The four highly potent and unique spices noted for the in vitro control of UTI-causing pathogens could be pursued further in the development of complementary and alternative medicine against UTI-causing pathogens.


Initiation and execution of predictable and unpredictable movements in Parkinson's disease.
Nine patients with Parkinson's disease were compared with aged-matched normal controls on a tracking and a reaction time task. In the tracking task, subjects had to follow a target moving either predictably or unpredictably at various frequencies. There were no differences between the groups on this task. Both groups were able to use the predictable target movements to eliminate the lag between the target movements and their own movements, indicating that they could emit preprogrammed responses which did not depend on visual feedback. The reaction time task also contrasted predictable and unpredictable movements since the subjects were sometimes told in advance which finger they would have to lift in response to the imperative signal. The patients were significantly less able than controls to use this predictability to reduce their reaction times. It is concluded that parkinsonian patients can use prior information to control the form of a preprogrammed movement, but cannot use this information to help initiate such a movement.


Denoising images of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry using non-local means filters.
In general, the image quality of high and low energy images of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) suffers from noise due to the use of a small amount of X-rays. Denoising of DXA images could be a key process to improve a bone mineral density map, which is derived from a pair of high and low energy images. This could further improve the accuracy of diagnosis of bone fractures and osteoporosis. This study aims to develop and test a new technology to improve the quality, remove the noise, and preserve the edges and fine details of real DXA images. In this study, a denoising technique for high and low energy DXA images using a non-local mean filter (NLM) was presented. The source and detector noises of a DXA system were modeled for both high and low DXA images. Then, the optimized parameters of the NLM filter were derived utilizing the experimental data from CIRS-BFP phantoms. After that, the optimized NLM was tested and verified using the DXA images of the phantoms and real human spine and femur. Quantitative evaluation of the results showed average 24.22% and 34.43% improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio for real high and low spine images, respectively, while the improvements were about 15.26% and 13.55% for the high and low images of the femur. The qualitative visual observations of both phantom and real structures also showed significantly improved quality and reduced noise while preserving the edges in both high and low energy images. Our results demonstrate that the proposed NLM outperforms the conventional method using an anisotropic diffusion filter (ADF) and median techniques for all phantom and real human DXA images. Our work suggests that denoising via NLM could be a key preprocessing method for clinical DXA imaging.


A novel natural variation in the promoter of GmCHX1 regulates the conditional gene expression to improve salt tolerance in soybean.
Identification and characterization of soybean germplasm and gene(s)/allele(s) for salt tolerance is an effective way to develop improved varieties for saline soils. Previous studies identified GmCHX1 (Glyma03g32900) as a major salt tolerance gene in soybean, and two main functional variations were found in the promoter region (148/150-bp insertion) and the third exon with a retrotransposon insertion (3.78-kb). In the current study, we identified four salt-tolerant soybean lines, including PI 483460B (G. soja), carrying the previously identified salt-sensitive variations at GmCHX1, suggesting new gene(s) or new functional allele(s) of GmCHX1 in these soybean lines. Subsequently, we conducted quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in a recombinant-inbred line population (Williams 82 (salt-sensitive) × PI 483460B) to identify the new salt tolerance loci/alleles. A new locus of qSalt_Gm18 was mapped on chromosome (Chr.) 18 associated with leaf scorch score (LSS). Another major QTL qSalt_Gm03 was identified to be associated with chlorophyll content ratio (CCR) and LSS in the same chromosomal region of GmCHX1 on Chr. 03. Novel variations in a STRE (stress response element) cis-element in the promoter region of GmCHX1 was identified to regulate a salt-inducible gene expression in these four newly identified salt-tolerant lines including PI 483460B. This new allele of GmCHX1 with salt-inducible expression pattern provides an energy cost efficient (conditional gene expression) strategy to protect soybean yield in the saline soils without yield penalty under nonstress conditions. Our results suggest that there might be few other major salt tolerance loci as GmCHX1 in soybean germplasm and further improvement of salt tolerance in soybean may rely on gene pyramiding and gene-editing techniques.


Pharmacotherapy for the soul and psychotherapy for the body.
The "mind-body" dualism has shaped the development of psychiatry. At the very beginning psychiatry was related to the mind and the rest of the medicine to the body. The main reasons for such division were lack of biological evidence for psychiatric disorders and wrong beliefs about demonic origins of "lunacy". But although the development of science offered more than enough biological evidence to understand brain as an organ of origin for psychiatric disorders, the dualism of mind and body remained alive even in the modern classification systems. One of the consequences was another dualism that differ biological (e.g. pharmacotherapy) from psychological therapy (e.g. psychotherapy) as completely different approaches. The purpose of this article is to offer enough evidence to reframe the existing dualisms into a different paradigm. In every illness both mind and body can be affected to a different extent. Which part of an illness is body and which part is mind is often difficult to differentiate even when we compare a person with broken leg with a person with acute stress reaction. For that reason it might be an over-simplification to differentiate sharply between biological and psychological therapies. The evidence show that psychotherapy influences biology of the brain and that pharmacotherapy influences psychological, social and developmental dimensions of the diseased person as well as overall well-being and functionality. In the era where medicine discovered psychology and psychiatry discovered biology, the debates and divisions that steam out of past dualisms should end. Every practising physician regardless of the medical discipline uses in everyday practice both biological and psychological approaches to help the patient successfully.


Emotional conflict and social context.
This paper aims to move the debate over the status of the conflict between emotion and judgement forward by refuting three implicit claims: that conflict between emotion and judgement is always to be avoided; that any conflict should always be resolved and, moreover, that it should be resolved immediately; that judgement should usually take priority in any resolution. Refutation of these three claims leads to recognition of the wide variety of different cases of conflict between emotion and judgement; examination of these cases is aided by consideration of the social context in which the conflicts occur.


The effects of cigarette smoking on overnight performance.
Fifteen healthy smokers and 15 non-smokers were enrolled into this study investigating the effects of smoking on overnight performance. Subjects arrived at the test centre at 1930 hours and were assessed at baseline (2000 hours) and at 2200, 0000, 0200, 0400, 0600, and 0800 hours on a battery of tests (including Critical Flicker Fusion, CFF; Choice Reaction Time, CRT; Compensatory Tracking Task, CTT; Short Term Memory Task, STM; and the Line Analogue Rating Scale, LARS). Results showed that the performance of the smokers was more consistent with baseline measures than that of the non-smokers, which became more impaired throughout the night on a number of tasks [CFF (P < 0.005), Total Reaction Time (TRT, P < 0.05), CTT (P < 0.05) and the Reaction Time (RT) aspect of the CTT task (P < 0.0005)]. The Recognition Reaction Time (RRT) aspect of the CRT task showed that the performance of the non-smokers became more impaired from baseline (P < 0.005), while that of the smokers remained at baseline levels until 0400 hours, when it deteriorated to become comparable to that of the non-smoking controls. Subjective sedation ratings (LARS) resulted in comparable levels of impairment for both study groups (P < 0.00005). Findings from the STM task failed to reach significance. These data suggest that when performance is being measured overnight, smokers show little or no impairment, whilst the performance of non-smokers showed performance decrements.


[Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair of inguinal hernia: indications, technique, complications and results in 10 years experience].
Inguinal hernia play a major role in a general surgical division. In the last 10 years laparoscopy has gained a key role even in the treatment of this disease. This study aims to review a single institution's experience with laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair of inguinal hernia (TAPP). A retrospective study of 715 operations in 500 patients from 1992 to September 2002. Two hundred and eight six (56.6%) of these were monolateral hernias and 214 (43.4%) were bilateral while 215 (30%) were recurrent. Of 214 operations recurrence rate was 0.43 with a mean operating time of 30 min (range 25-50) for monolateral hernias and of 70 min (range 45-120) for bilateral hernias. Mean length of stay was 2 days (range 1-10). Return to work occurred in 6 days while sports were resumed after 10 days. Complications occurred in 40 (8.6%) patients with only 2 (0.4%) major complications. Mean follow up time was 58.3 months. According to personal experience, and in agreement with international literature, laparoscopy showed to be effective mostly in treating bilateral and recurrent hernias, particularly for faster recovery and less postoperative pain compared to traditional techniques.


[Nephrology complications in cardiology].
Heart disease and renal failure occurring together, constitute a potential threat to life, especially in the elderly. Diseases of the cardiovascular system are the main factor in morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. On the other hand, chronic kidney disease is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Identified major nephrological problems, especially chronic renal disease and acute kidney damage, as the most aggravating cardiac patients. Stressed the importance of clinical, preventive measures and prognosis in contrast nephropathy


Long-term risk of second malignant neoplasms after neuroblastoma in childhood: role of treatment.
The aim of our study was to quantify the risk of second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) among long-term survivors of neuroblastoma and to study the influence of treatment on this risk. We studied data from 544 5-year survival patients diagnosed with neuroblastoma before age 16 years at 8 French and British treatment centres from 1948 to 1986. After an average follow-up of 15 years (range, 5-38 years), 12 children developed a total of 13 SMNs, whereas 1.19 were expected from general population rates. Among these SMNs, there were 5 thyroid and 3 breast cancers. Increases of the risks of SMN were observed with time since neuroblastoma diagnosis and attained age. In a multivariate analysis, the relative risk of SMN associated with radiotherapy was 4.3 (95% CI 0.8-78), whereas no increased risk of SMN was associated with the administration of chemotherapy as a whole (RR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.1-1.9). Young children treated for a neuroblastoma have significantly increased risks of SMN over 3 decades of follow-up. Radiotherapy treatment was found to be an important risk factor for developing SMNs, whereas no effect of chemotherapy was evidenced. Although our findings reflect the late effects of past therapeutic modalities, they underscore the importance of long-term surveillance of young children treated for a neuroblastoma. For these patients, many more years of follow-up are required to appreciate their overall risks of treatment-related SMNs.


Infant Central Nervous System Aspergillosis with First-episode of Intracranial Hemorrhage: A case report.
Central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis has the characteristics of multifocality, polymorphism, and coexistence of pathological types, and missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis frequently occur at the initial stage. The thesis reports a rare case of infant infection of CNS aspergillosis with the first-episode of intracranial hemorrhage. An 11-month-old female infant suffered convulsion and coma two days after the onset of fever and emesis. Its cranial computed tomography (CT) displayed subdural hemorrhage in the left tentorium cerebelli and tests indicated normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Three days after being hospitalized, the infant had difficulty breathing and its CT presents consolidation in the right lung. However, treatment with ceftriaxone (ivgtt) had no effect on the baby. The patient's bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was cultured into Aspergillus spp, its galactomannan (GM) antigen in CSF counted 3.0, higher than that in BALF which counted 2.6, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple ring reinforced tubercles in sulci. Hence it was clinically diagnosed with CNS aspergillosis. Voriconazole for intravenous injection. After the intravenous injection, its trough concentration was 4.2 μg/mL, and it was within the recommended range. After one week's treatment with voriconazole, the infant's consciousness was improved. Four weeks later, with normothermia and clear consciousness, the patient was discharged. With oral administration of voriconazole up to 16 weeks, its physical state suggests no relapse and cranial MRI indicated disappearance of nodules in sulci. CNS aspergillosis with first-episode of intracranial hemorrhage probably leads to misdiagnosis and GM test combined with cranial MRI can augment its accuracy in the early diagnosis.


Probing thermal expansion of graphene and modal dispersion at low-temperature using graphene nanoelectromechanical systems resonators.
We use suspended graphene electromechanical resonators to study the variation of resonant frequency as a function of temperature. Measuring the change in frequency resulting from a change in tension, from 300 to 30 K, allows us to extract information about the thermal expansion of monolayer graphene as a function of temperature, which is critical for strain engineering applications. We find that thermal expansion of graphene is negative for all temperatures between 300 and 30 K. We also study the dispersion, the variation of resonant frequency with DC gate voltage, of the electromechanical modes and find considerable tunability of resonant frequency, desirable for applications like mass sensing and RF signal processing at room temperature. With a lowering of temperature, we find that the positively dispersing electromechanical modes evolve into negatively dispersing ones. We quantitatively explain this crossover and discuss optimal electromechanical properties that are desirable for temperature-compensated sensors.


The effect of treatment of rats with pituitary growth hormone on the activities of some enzymes involved in fatty acid degradation and synthesis.
1. Measurements have been made of the activities of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, enoyl-CoA hydratase, beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and ketothiolase in the livers of rats treated for either 12hr. or 3 days with pituitary growth hormone. 2. There was a significant increase in the activity of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase in rats treated with the hormone for 3 days. 3. Measurements were also made of the lipogenic enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase and palmitate synthase in the livers of similarly treated animals. 4. There was a depression of the activity of both enzymes after 12hr. treatment and a further decline after 3 days. 5. The results are discussed in relation to the known increase in the rate of fatty acid oxidation and inhibition of fatty acid synthesis in rats treated with growth hormone.


Irradiation inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in low-fat ground pork at freezing and refrigeration temperatures.
Gamma radiation effectively controls Listeria monocytogenes in uncooked and in ready-to-eat foods. This study was conducted to determine if gamma radiation could be used to control L. monocytogenes in ground pork. Ground pork was contaminated with L. monocytogenes, kept at refrigeration (4 degrees C), chilling (0 degrees C), and freezing (-18 degrees C) temperatures overnight, exposed to gamma radiation and stored at 4 degrees C for 7 days, and at 0 and -18 degrees C for 60 days. Following irradiation, the meat was assayed for L. monocytogenes viable counts and lipid oxidation. A triangle test was performed to determine if sausage made from the irradiated and nonirradiated ground pork differed in sensory quality. It was observed that a 5-log reduction of L. monocytogenes viable counts would require a 3.0-kGy radiation dose. The results of a 60-day storage study of ground pork inoculated with 10(5) to 10(6) CFU of L. monocytogenes per gram indicated that counts for nonirradiated meat remained fairly constant at refrigeration, chilling, and freezing temperatures. However, irradiation of ground pork at 3.0 kGy could inactivate L. monocytogenes totally in ground pork subsequently held at all the temperatures used in this study. Lipid oxidation measurements, as determined by the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance assay, ranged from 0.16 nmol/g for nonirradiated ground pork and 0.20 nmol/g for meat irradiated at 3.0 kGy. Sensory panelists could distinguish between irradiated and nonirradiated sausage but were divided on whether irradiation adversely affected the sausage quality. Our results suggest that gamma radiation could be useful to control L. monocytogenes in ground pork and improve the safety of ground pork products.


The intriguing relationship between screen filtration pressure, quantity of microaggregates and amount of debris in stored human blood.
Screen filtration pressure (SFP), quantity of microaggregates and debris weight were measured in stored human blood. The number of aggregates correlated with the debris weight but not with SFP. No correlation was seen between the debris weight and SFP. The mechanisms behind and the functional importance of these findings are outlined.


[HLA studies and histochemical detection of liver iron in porphyria cutanea tarda].
With regard to disturbances of the iron metabolism, porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is most frequently accompanied by liver siderosis. In 74 out of 88 patients suffering from PCT (84%), we found histochemical evidence of liver siderosis. These patients showed a significantly higher incidence of HLA A3--which has been proved to be associated with hemochromatosis--than those without liver siderosis (39.2% vs. 7.1%). With part of the PCT patients, disorders of the iron metabolism related to the HLA system (A3) might contribute to the manifestation of the disease. We discuss PCT as the result of the combined action of several predisposing genetic markers and exogenic factors.


Do we get too much iron?
Iron in hemoglobin of 14 gm/100 ml, which is considered normal, may predispose to malignancies and to rheumatoid, heart, bacterial and other infective diseases. Conversely, a mild state of iron-deficiency anemia as presented by hemoglobin of 10 gm/100 ml may be an affordable price for protection from these disease states. The harm due to too much iron is discussed.


Biologically relevant phosphoranes: synthesis and structural characterization of glucofuranose-derived phosphoranes with penta- and hexacoordination at phosphorus.
Carbohydrate-based phosphoranes were synthesized by reacting the appropriate diphenol with phosphorus trichloride followed by the addition of chloralose to form 1 and by the addition of isopropylidene-D-glucofuranose to form 2 and 3. Phosphorane 4 was obtained by reacting 1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-glucofuranosyl-3,5,6-phosphite (13) with a diphenol. For the synthesis of 5-9, the appropriate phosphite was reacted with isopropylidene-glucofuranose. X-ray analyses of 1-9 were carried out successfully. Hexacoordinated structures resulted via oxygen donor action at phosphorus in the cases of phosphoranes 1-3 and via sulfur donor action for phosphoranes 4-6. Trigonal bipyramidal structures formed for 7-9 with the carbohydrate components occupying axial-equatorial sites. The eight-membered ring of the diphenol moiety with weak or no donor groups in 7-9 occupied diequatorial sites of the trigonal bipyramid. Solution NMR data are in agreement with the assigned solid-state structures. Isomerism between penta- and hexacoordination is present in solution for 7. The isomerism observed for 7 and our previous study showing a rapid exchange process that reorients the carbohydrate component of the trigonal bipyramidal phosphorane suggest that these biophosphoranes may serve as models for active sites of phosphoryl-transfer enzymes. At an active site, this type of pseudorotational behavior provides a mechanism that could bring another active site residue into play and account for a means by which some phosphoryl-transfer enzymes express promiscuous behavior.


On the effect of carbon nanotubes on properties of liquid crystals.
Liquid crystals (LCs), with their fluidity and self-organization, are attractive hosts for the dispersion and manipulation of macro- and nanoparticles, allowing the realization of their ordered assemblies. In addition, new functional materials can be created owing to the particle properties. Among the nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) stand out for their exceptional electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. While LCs can be used for manipulating CNTs, the nanotube properties are attractive also for influencing and tuning LC properties. In this paper, we discuss different aspects of the CNT-LC combination, briefly introducing their dispersion and interaction and then, more extensively, evaluating the CNT effect on selected properties of LCs relevant to display-related applications. We show that some previously reported improvements cannot be considered an intrinsic feature of CNT-doped LCs. In addition, we are also able to follow locally the Frederiks transition of CNT-doped LCs by Raman spectroscopy, revealing the direct effect of bundles of CNTs on LC reorientation.


CoQ10 plasmatic levels in breast-fed infants compared to formula-fed infants.
Coenzyme Q10 has been recognized as an important antioxidant factor besides its main role in bioenergetic metabolism. CoQ10 tissue levels depend both on exogenous dietetic intake and on endogenous biosynthesis, as this compound can be partly synthesized in human cells. Q10 plasma levels reflect the tissue content of the coenzyme and can be used to evaluate the presence of this compound in the human organism. Aim of the study was to measure CoQ10 plasmatic levels in a newborn breast-fed population and to compare them to CoQ10 levels in a newborn formula-fed population in order to verify whether changes in CoQ10 plasmatic contents could be related to a different dietetic intakes. We measured CoQ10 plasmatic levels in 25 healthy term neonates with different dietetic intakes: 15 breast-fed and 10 bottle-fed with a common infant formula. These infants were evaluated prospectively during the first month of life. The analyses were performed on the mothers' blood samples and cord blood samples at the time of delivery, then on infants at 4 and 28 days of age. Our results showed markedly reduced Q10 levels in cord blood samples compared to maternal Q10 plasmatic levels at the time of delivery, suggesting placental impermeability towards this molecule or increased fetal utilization during labor and delivery. At 4 days of age Q10 levels had increased in both groups of neonates, but significantly more in breast-fed infants compared to formula-fed babies (p <0.05). At 4 weeks of age no significant changes occurred in breast-fed infants, while values increased significantly in formula-fed infants (p <0.05). The content of Q10 in breast milk samples was lower than in infant formula. The results of this study show that CoQ10 plasmatic levels are at least partly influenced by the exogenous dietetic supply.


Computational modeling of collicular integration of perceptual responses and attention in microsaccades.
During visual fixation on a target object, our eyes are not motionless but generate slow fixational eye movements and microsaccades. Effects of visual attention have been observed in both microsaccade rates and spatial directions. Experimental results, however, range from early (<200 ms) to late (>600 ms) effects combined with cue-congruent as well as cue-incongruent microsaccade directions. On the basis of well characterized neural circuitry in superior colliculus, we construct a dynamical model of neural activation that is modulated by perceptual input and visual attention. Our results show that additive integration of low-level perceptual responses and visual attention can explain microsaccade rate and direction effects across a range of visual cueing tasks. These findings suggest that the patterns of microsaccade direction observed in experiments are compatible with a single dynamical mechanism. The basic principles of the model are highly relevant to the general problem of integration of low-level perception and top-down selective attention.


Banning tobacco price promotions, smoking-related beliefs and behaviour: findings from the International Tobacco Control Four Country (ITC 4C) Survey.
Ecological models emphasise multilevel influences on health behaviours. While studies show that exposure to price promotions is associated with smoking behaviour and its antecedents, less is known about whether these associations differ by macro-level factors such as national price promotion policies. Current and former smokers (N=4698) from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project four-country cohort were included in weighted multivariate logistic regression models to examine individual-level associations between exposure to price promotions at waves 7 and 8 (conducted in 2008-2009 and 2010-2011) and beliefs (social and injunctive norms, functional value of smoking, misconceptions around smoking and beliefs of tobacco industry and its regulations) and behaviour at wave 8, stratified by whether countries allow (Australia and USA) or ban (Canada and UK) price promotions. Associations between exposure to price promotions and smoking-related beliefs and behaviour differed by national price promotion policies. In countries that allow price promotions, participants repeatedly exposed to price promotions at waves 7 and 8 were more likely to associate functional values to smoking (ie, calms down when stressed (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.83) and to be current smokers at wave 8 (AOR 1.94). In countries that ban price promotions, participants repeatedly exposed to price promotions were less likely to hold misconceptions around smoking (ie, harsher smoke is more dangerous). Differential associations emerged between exposure to price promotions, smoking-related beliefs and behaviour across countries with and without a price promotions ban. Adopting price promotion bans could ameliorate the associations between exposure to price promotions and smoking beliefs and behaviours.


Item nonresponse on the Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Symptom Assessment Form (MPN-SAF): a comparison of missing data strategies.
Administering questionnaires to patients is an efficient and effective method for assessing patients' symptoms. However, item nonresponse (skipped questions) potentially compromises the utility of these questionnaires. Using an international sample of 2,067 patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, we evaluated the impact of item nonresponse on scoring of the Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Symptom Assessment Form Total Symptom Score (MPN-SAF TSS or MPN-10). We characterized item nonresponse on the MPN-10 and compared strategies for addressing item nonresponse (available-case analysis, proration, and multiple imputation) on the MPN-10 (multi-symptom assessment) and Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI; single-symptom assessment). Characteristics of multi-symptom assessments would be expected to adversely affect proration, yet proration and multiple imputation provided very similar results for both the MPN-10 and BFI. This is likely because the MPN-10 item missing data rates were low, consistent with prior clinic- and internet-based studies. These results support the published scoring method for the MPN-10 (proration).


The influence of palladium on the hydrogenation of acetylene on Ag(111).
We have used reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and temperature programmed reaction (TPR) to study the selective hydrogenation of acetylene on both a clean Ag(111) surface and on a Pd/Ag(111) single-atom-alloy surface. The partial hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene is an important catalytic process that is often carried out using PdAg alloys. It is challenging to study the reaction with ultrahigh vacuum techniques because H2 does not dissociate on Ag(111), and while H2 will dissociate at Pd sites, H-atom spillover from Pd to Ag sites does not generally occur. We bypassed the H2 dissociation step by exposing the surfaces to atomic hydrogen generated by the hot filament of an ion gauge. We find that hydrogen atoms react with acetylene to produce adsorbed ethylene at 85 K, the lowest temperature studied. This is revealed by the appearance of a RAIRS peak at 950 cm-1 due to the out-of-plane wagging mode of adsorbed ethylene when acetylene is exposed to a surface on which H atoms are pre-adsorbed. The formation of both ethylene and ethane are detected with TPR, but no acetylene coupling products, such as benzene, were found. From quantitative analysis of the TPR results, the percent conversion and selectivities to ethylene and ethane were determined. Low coverages of Pd enhance the conversion but do so mainly by increasing ethane formation.


Physiological responses to prolonged physical exercise in dogs.
1. Duration of exercise until exhaustion is significantly correlated with body weight of dogs. 2. Rectal temperature (Tre) achieved at the end of the effort depends on the resting value of Tre, but the exercise-induced increases in Tre are unrelated to the initial Tre. 3. The magnitude of exercise-induced decrease in blood glucose (BG) level is positively correlated with the resting BG level and negatively correlated with the elevations of the plasma free fatty-acid (FFA) concentration. 4. A significant positive relationship is found between the exercise-induced increases in the plasma FFA levels and noradrenalinaemia.


[Submaxillary salivary calculus in children (author's transl)].
Sialolithiasis of the submaxillary gland is a rare entity in children. At the present time we found 21 documented cases of submaxillary gland sialolithiasis in children reported. A case report of a 7 2/3-year-old female with calculus in Warthon's duct was presented. Diagnosis, differential diagnosis and therapy of the disease was discussed.


Gibberellins interfere with symbiosis signaling and gene expression and alter colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Lotus japonicus.
Arbuscular mycorrhiza is a mutualistic plant-fungus interaction that confers great advantages for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi enter the host root and form symbiotic structures that facilitate nutrient supplies between the symbionts. The gibberellins (GAs) are phytohormones known to inhibit AM fungal infection. However, our transcriptome analysis and phytohormone quantification revealed GA accumulation in the roots of Lotus japonicus infected with AM fungi, suggesting that de novo GA synthesis plays a role in arbuscular mycorrhiza development. We found pleiotropic effects of GAs on the AM fungal infection. In particular, the morphology of AM fungal colonization was drastically altered by the status of GA signaling in the host root. Exogenous GA treatment inhibited AM hyphal entry into the host root and suppressed the expression of Reduced Arbuscular Mycorrhization1 (RAM1) and RAM2 homologs that function in hyphal entry and arbuscule formation. On the other hand, inhibition of GA biosynthesis or suppression of GA signaling also affected arbuscular mycorrhiza development in the host root. Low-GA conditions suppressed arbuscular mycorrhiza-induced subtilisin-like serine protease1 (SbtM1) expression that is required for AM fungal colonization and reduced hyphal branching in the host root. The reduced hyphal branching and SbtM1 expression caused by the inhibition of GA biosynthesis were recovered by GA treatment, supporting the theory that insufficient GA signaling causes the inhibitory effects on arbuscular mycorrhiza development. Most studies have focused on the negative role of GA signaling, whereas our study demonstrates that GA signaling also positively interacts with symbiotic responses and promotes AM colonization of the host root.


Yeast Pescadillo is required for multiple activities during 60S ribosomal subunit synthesis.
The Pescadillo protein was identified via a developmental defect and implicated in cell cycle progression. Here we report that human Pescadillo and its yeast homolog (Yph1p or Nop7p) are localized to the nucleolus. Depletion of Nop7p leads to nuclear accumulation of pre-60S particles, indicating a defect in subunit export, and it interacts genetically with a tagged form of the ribosomal protein Rpl25p, consistent with a role in subunit assembly. Two pre-rRNA processing pathways generate alternative forms of the 5.8S rRNA, designated 5.8S(L) and 5.8Ss. In cells depleted for Nop7p, the 27SA3 pre-rRNA accumulated, whereas later processing intermediates and the mature 5.8Ss rRNA were depleted. Less depletion was seen for the 5.8S(L) pathway. TAP-tagged Nop7p coprecipitated precursors to both 5.8S(L) and 5.8Ss but not the mature rRNAs. We conclude that Nop7p is required for efficient exonucleolytic processing of the 27SA3 pre-rRNA and has additional functions in 60S subunit assembly and transport. Nop7p is a component of at least three different pre-60S particles, and we propose that it carries out distinct functions in each of these complexes.


Initiation of medications for Parkinson's disease: a qualitative description.
To understand experiences of people with Parkinson's disease to initiate medication therapy for Parkinson's disease. Nonadherence to medication regimens and reluctance to initiate medication therapy among people with Parkinson's disease has been documented in previous research. However, little is known about experiences and decisions of people with Parkinson's disease to initiate antiparkinsonian medications and their beliefs or levels of understanding of antiparkinsonian medications in the USA. An exploratory, descriptive qualitative study was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 community-dwelling individuals with Parkinson's disease (69% male) and five family caregivers (40% male). Data analysis was performed using content analysis. Two domains emerged from the data: decision-making to initiate antiparkinsonian medications as prescribed and reasons to delay initiation of levodopa to a later stage of Parkinson's disease. Acceptance of antiparkinsonian medications at the early stage of Parkinson's disease was influenced by the trusting relationship between participants and their health care provider. Fear of levodopa's long-term side effects led to acceptance of non-levodopa therapies first. Complementary and Alternative Medicine was used to manage Parkinson's disease symptoms among participants who delayed antiparkinsonian medication therapy. Nurses may have a role to assess individuals' beliefs and concerns about antiparkinsonian medication therapy and to provide adequate information to assist with the decision about Parkinson's disease symptom management.


Predicting the dye-sensitized solar cell performance of novel linear carbon chain-based dyes: insights from DFT simulations.
In this paper, we employ density functional theory (DFT) simulations to predict the energy conversion efficiency of a novel class of organic dyes based on linear carbon chain (LCC) linkers for application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We investigate the role of the anchoring group, which serves as a bridge connecting the linker and the surface. Specifically, we compare the performance of cyanoacrylic acid, dyes PY-4N and PY-3N, with that of phosphonate derivatives, dyes PY-4NP and PY-3NP, wherein the carboxylic group of the cyanoacrylic moiety is replaced with phosphonic acid. The observed variations in the UV/VIS absorption spectra have a slight impact on the light harvesting efficiency (LHE). Based on the empirical parameters we have taken into account, the electron injection efficiency (Φinj) and electron collection efficiency (ηcoll) values do not impact the short-circuit current density (JSC) values of all the studied dyes. The open-circuit voltage (Voc) is theoretically predicted using the improved normal model (INM) method. Among the dyes, PY-4N and PY-3N demonstrate the highest Voc values. This can be attributed to a more favorable recombination rate value, which is related to the energy gap between the HOMO level of the dyes and the conduction band minimum (CBM) of the surface. Dyes PY-4N and PY-3N are predicted to demonstrate remarkably high photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) values of approximately 21.79% and 16.52%, respectively, and therefore, they are expected to be potential candidates as organic dyes for applications in DSSCs. It is worth noting that PY-4NP and PY-3NP exhibit strong adsorption energy on the surface and interesting PCE values of 11.66% and 8.29%, respectively. This opens up possibilities for their application in DSSCs either as standalone sensitizers or as co-sensitizers alongside metal-free organic dyes or organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells.


A new black fly species of Simulium (Simulium) (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Taiwan.
A new black fly species, Simulium taichungense, is described on the basis of one female, one male and two pupal exuviae from Taiwan. This new species is placed in the S. crocinum species-group of Simulium (Simulium) (Diptera: Simuliidae). It is characterized by the pupal gill with six unpigmented short filaments and pupal abdomen with distinct spine-combs on the dorsal surface of segments 7-9, by which it is easily distinguished from most species in the S. crocinum species-group including two species from Taiwan: Simulium serenum Huang Takaoka and S. ufengense Takaoka. It is the third species of the S. crocinum species-group from Taiwan. In addition, the male of S. serenum is described for the first time, and intraspecific variations in a few features of the male of S. chungi Takaoka Huang of the S. chungi species-group are noted.


Modification of the Cox-Maze III procedure using bipolar radiofrequency ablation.
The Cox-Maze III procedure remains the yardstick by which all treatments for atrial fibrillation are measured. This procedure is not widely adopted because of its perceived technical complexity, invasiveness and longer procedural time. Efforts have been made by various investigators to reproduce Dr Cox's results using alternative lesion sets and energy sources. Bipolar radiofrequency (BPRF) ablation avoids the morbidity of cut-and-sew lesions, reduces procedural time and increases the likelihood of transmurality and continuity of lesions created compared to unipolar devices. Initial results are encouraging. We present our surgical technique and early experience using BPRF modification of the Cox-Maze III procedure using the Medtronic Cardioblate BP system.


A phylogenomic perspective on the robust capuchin monkey (Sapajus) radiation: First evidence for extensive population admixture across South America.
Phylogenetic relationships amongst the robust capuchin monkeys (genus Sapajus) are poorly understood. Morphology-based taxonomies have recognized anywhere from one to twelve different species. The current IUCN (2017) classification lists eight robust capuchins: S. xanthosternos, S. nigritus, S. robustus, S. flavius, S. libidinosus, S. cay, S. apella and S. macrocephalus. Here, we assembled the first phylogenomic data set for Sapajus using ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) to reconstruct a capuchin phylogeny. All phylogenomic analyses strongly supported a deep divergence of Sapajus and Cebus clades within the capuchin monkeys, and provided support for Sapajus nigritus, S. robustus and S. xanthosternos as distinct species. However, the UCE phylogeny lumped the putative species S. cay, S. libidinosus, S. apella, S. macrocephalus, and S. flavius together as a single widespread lineage. A SNP phylogeny constructed from the UCE data was better resolved and recovered S. flavius and S. libidinosus as sister species; however, S. apella, S. macrocephalus, and S. cay individuals were recovered in two geographic clades, from northeastern and southwestern Amazon, rather than clustering by currently defined morphospecies. STRUCTURE analysis of population clustering revealed widespread admixture among Sapajus populations within the Amazon and even into the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. Difficulty in assigning species by morphology may be a result of widespread population admixture facilitated through frequent movement across major rivers and even ecosystems by robust capuchin monkeys.


Staged cranial reconstruction after epidural abscess associated with dural substitute exposure.
Cadaveric dura mater was widely used for a long time but has recently been associated with the transmission of Creutzfelt-Jakob disease. Expanded polytetrafluoethylene sheet has been suggested as a suitable alternative in Japan. Recently epidural abscesses associated with exposure to Expanded polytetrafluoethylene have been on the increase in Japan. We experienced one case of staged cranial reconstruction for chronic ulcer of the head associated with MRSA epidural abscess. the exposed expanded polytetrafluoethylene must be completely removed along with the skin. Reconstruction of dura mater should be made watertight with the application of autologous free fascia lata collected from the paralyzed thigh. Autologous free fascia lata is reconstructed with the rectus abdominis muscle so that there is no dead space remaining. Calvarial bone should be reconstructed in a separate operation as at a second stage.


Finite-size shifts in simulated protein droplet phase diagrams.
Computer simulation can provide valuable insight into the forces driving biomolecular liquid-liquid phase separation. However, the simulated systems have a limited size, which makes it important to minimize and control finite-size effects. Here, using a phenomenological free-energy ansatz, we investigate how the single-phase densities observed in a canonical system under coexistence conditions depend on the system size and the total density. We compare the theoretical expectations with results from Monte Carlo simulations based on a simple hydrophobic/polar protein model. We consider both cubic systems with spherical droplets and elongated systems with slab-like droplets. The results presented suggest that the slab simulation method greatly facilitates the estimation of the coexistence densities in the large-system limit.


Acute appendicitis as the first presentation of appendiceal metastasis of gastric cancer-report of a rare case.
Metastatic tumors of the appendix is a rare entity, whereas only limited data involving metastasis arising from gastric cancer has been reported. Herein, the case of gastric adenocarcinoma metastasis presenting as acute appendicitis is reported. A 53-year-old male, with a history of subtotal gastrectomy due to gastric adenocarcinoma 3 years before, was referred to the Emergency Department with symptoms of acute appendicitis. While this condition was confirmed intraoperatively, histology examination and comparison with the previously excised gastric specimen indicated that metastasis of gastric adenocarcinoma to the appendix was present. Metastatic appendiceal carcinoma arising from the stomach is an extremely rare condition, associated with poor prognosis. Aggressive treatment of the solitary lesion may present favorable results.


Does oxidative stress play any role in diabetic cataract formation? ----Re-evaluation using a thioltransferase gene knockout mouse model.
Oxidative stress is a known risk factor in senile cataract formation. In recent years, it has been suggested that oxidation may also be associated with cataract induced by hyperglycemia, but this concept has not been well examined or validated. Since thioltransferase (TTase) is one of the key enzymes that regulates redox homeostasis and protects against oxidative stress in the lens, we have used TTase gene knockout (KO) mice as a model to examine this new concept. Lenses from 4 months old TTase KO and wild-type (WT) mice were incubated in TC199 culture medium containing 30 mM glucose for 48 h. Each lens was assessed for opacity, graded by LOCSII system, and the wet weight was recorded after which it was homogenized in lysis buffer and analyzed for water-soluble protein and free glutathione (GSH). In vivo studies were carried out using 4 months old TTase KO and WT mouse groups. Each mouse received two consecutive days of intraperitoneal streptozotozin (STZ) injections to induce diabetes. The lenses were examined weekly for 4 weeks using a slit-lamp biomicroscope, and then extracted and analyzed for levels of GSH, water-soluble protein, ATP and protein-GSH mixed disulfide (PSSG). TTase KO lenses cultured in high glucose developed a mild cortical opacity but slightly more than that of the WT lenses. Both groups had similar contents of soluble proteins and GSH. Exposure to high glucose did not change the soluble protein level but did suppress GSH by 20% in lenses with or without TTase. STZ-induced diabetic KO mice also developed a higher degree of mild cortical lens opacity compared to that of the diabetic WT controls. Similar 15-20% losses in lens GSH and ATP were found after one-month induced diabetes in WT and KO mice. There was a 20% greater amount of PSSG in the lenses of TTase KO than the WT control. Under diabetic condition, both groups displayed more glutathionylated proteins in the beta-actin (42 kDa) and lens crystallin proteins (18-22 kDa) regions, and some additional modified proteins at 15-17 kDa and 60-70 kDa, with a total 20-30% PSSG increment in both groups. In conclusion, we have found that hyperglycemia induced some oxidative stress-associated biochemical changes with mild lens opacity in both WT and KO mice. However, these changes were only marginally higher in the TTase KO mouse than that of the WT control, suggesting that TTase deletion may only play a minor role in the early stage of hyperglycemia-induced cataract formation in the mice.


Effect of sleep position on sleep apnea severity.
Thirty male patients evaluated sequentially for sleep apnea syndrome by all-night clinical polysomnography were compared for apnea plus hypopnea index (A + HI) during the time in the side versus time in the back sleep posture. For 24 subjects of this sample, who occupied both major body positions during the evaluation night, the apnea index was found to be twice as high during the time spent sleeping on their backs as it was when they slept in the side position. This difference is reliable and inversely related to obesity. Five patients meeting diagnostic criteria for sleep apnea on an all-night basis fell within normal limits while in the side sleep position. This suggests sleep position adjustment may be a viable treatment for some nonobese sleep apnea patients.


New techniques of liver surgery.
Techniques of liver resection for colorectal cancer metastases continue to evolve, and the range of patients who benefit from such treatment expands. With improvements in preoperative and intraoperative imaging, surgical strategies for reducing blood loss and maximizing excision of disease and residual liver function, patient selection, and chemotherapy, many of the traditional contraindications to hepatic resection are no longer absolute contraindications. Appreciable long-term survival after resection is observed in many patients for which resection would not have been considered an option until recently. Novel treatment strategies have been successful in converting nonresectable disease to resectable disease, with good survival outcome. Continued study of and experience with novel surgical techniques and treatment strategies will continue to improve outcomes in liver resection for metastatic colorectal cancer.


Measurement of Intracellular Ionized Calcium in a Free-living Soil Nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans.
A calcium chelating fluorescence indicator, fura-2, was used to measure intracellular ionized calcium in Caenorhabditis elegans. The indicator loading process was harmless to the nematode, and completed within 2-3 h. Fura-2 was loaded mainly at its intestinal tract. The effects of DOPA on locomotion and the level of intracellular calcium were investigated and measured by using a microfluorometer. The addition of DOPA temporarily increased [Ca(2+)]i for several minutes.


LncRNA 220: A Novel Long Non-Coding RNA Regulates Autophagy and Apoptosis in Kupffer Cells via the miR-5101/PI3K/AKT/mTOR Axis in LPS-Induced Endotoxemic Liver Injury in Mice.
Sepsis is a severe medical condition distinguished by immune systematic dysfunction and multiple organic injury, or even failure, resulting from an acute systemic inflammatory response. Acute liver injury (ALI) could be considered as a notable inflammatory outcome of sepsis. Studies have demonstrated the essential roles played by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in mediating the processes of various diseases, including their ability to engage in interactions with microRNAs (miRNAs) as complexes of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to modulate signaling pathways. In this study, a newly discovered lncRNA, named 220, was identified to function in regulating autophagy and apoptosis in Kupffer cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This was achieved through sponging miR-5101 as a ceRNA complex, as identified via high-throughput sequencing. The expression of 220 was found to be significantly different in the hepatic tissues of endotoxemic mice that were treated with LPS for 8 h, ultimately modulating the ALI process. Our studies have collectively demonstrated that 220 is a novel regulator that acts on LPS-induced autophagy and apoptosis in Kupffer cells, thereby mediating the ALI process induced by LPS. Furthermore, the validation of our findings using clinical databases suggests that 220 could potentially serve as a molecular target of clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic significance in septic liver injury.


Estrogen-inducible derivatives of hepatocyte nuclear factor-4, hepatocyte nuclear factor-3 and liver factor B1 are differently affected by pure and partial antiestrogens.
The tissue-specific transcription factors of the hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 (HNF4), hepatocyte nuclear factor-3 (HNF3), and liver factor B1 (LFB1) families are thought to play a role in the development of internal organs and in the tissue-specific expression of many distinct genes. We have now constructed derivatives of these proteins by introducing the hormone-binding domain of the estrogen receptor and show that in transient transfections these chimeric proteins act as estrogen-inducible transcription factors with the DNA sequence specificity of the original factors. These chimeric transcription factors are differently affected by the partial estrogen antagonist 4-hydroxytamoxifen and the pure antiestrogen N-n-butyl-11-(3,17-dihydroxy-estra-1,3,5(10)-trien- 7 alpha-yl)N-methyl-undecamide (ICI 164384); 4-hydroxytamoxifen activates, at least partially, all the chimeric factors and the estrogen receptor, while ICI 164384 surprisingly activates the transcription factors derived from HNF3 and LFB1 and inhibits only the estrogen receptor and the HNF4 derivative. Together with the DNA-sequence-binding specificity, the different response to estrogen and anti-estrogens makes our estrogen receptor fusion proteins useful tools for the investigation of the roles of HNF4, HNF3 and LFB1 in gene expression, differentiation and developmental processes.


Prevalence and risk factors for cervical neoplasia: a cervical cancer screening program in Beijing.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer and cause of cancer-related death for women worldwide. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of cervical neoplasia and examine factors associated with high-grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) among women taking part in a cervical cancer screening program in Beijing. Women aged 25-65 years were screened using the ThinPrep cytologic test and gynecologic examination. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to investigate factors associated with HSIL. Among 728,704 women screened, the prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, II, III was 50.2, 34.0, and 36.4 per 100,000, respectively. Prevalence of cervical cancer was 12.2 per 100,000. Risk factors for HSIL included being in age group of 46-55 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.07-1.44, compared with the 25-35 age group), bleeding after intercourse (aOR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.40-3.10), and presence of trichomonas vaginalis infection (aOR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.35-5.07), cervical inflammation (aOR = 4.22, 95% CI: 3.39-5.26), and genital warts (aOR = 3.89, 95% CI: 2.54-7.70). High education level (college and above compared with junior middle school or lower) was found to be protective (aOR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.37-0.90). The prevalence of cervical neoplasia is relatively high in Beijing. Women aged 46-55 years, those with a lower education level, those reporting bleeding after intercourse, and those affected by Trichomonas vaginalis infection, cervical inflammation and genital warts are at higher risk for HSIL. Particular efforts should be made to ensure these women are included in cervical cancer screening programs.


Quantification of Endosome and Lysosome Motilities in Cultured Neurons Using Fluorescent Probes.
In the brain, membrane trafficking systems play important roles in regulating neuronal functions, such as neuronal morphology, synaptic plasticity, survival, and glial communications. To date, numerous studies have reported that defects in these systems cause various neuronal diseases. Thus, understanding the mechanisms underlying vesicle dynamics may provide influential clues that could aid in the treatment of several neuronal disorders. Here, we describe a method for quantifying vesicle motilities, such as motility distance and rate of movement, using a software plug-in for the ImageJ platform. To obtain images for quantification, we labeled neuronal endosome-lysosome structures with EGFP-tagged vesicle marker proteins and observed the movement of vesicles using a time-lapse microscopy. This method is highly useful and simplify measuring vesicle motility in neurites, such as axons and dendrites, as well as in the soma of both neurons and glial cells. Furthermore, this method can be applied to other cell lines, such as fibroblasts and endothelial cells. This approach could provide a valuable advancement of our understanding of membrane trafficking.


A problem of management in Whipple's disease.
A patient with Whipple's disease did not respond to appropriate antibiotic treatment. A therapeutic response was obtained by a combination of tetracycline and prednisolone.


Counter propagation artificial neural network categorical models for prediction of carcinogenicity for non-congeneric chemicals.
One of the main goals of the new chemical regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) is to fill the gaps on the toxicological properties of chemicals that affect human health. Carcinogenicity is one of the endpoints under consideration. The information obtained from (quantitative) structure-activity relationship ((Q)SAR) models is accepted as an alternative solution to avoid expensive and time-consuming animal tests. The reported results were obtained within the framework of the European project 'Computer Assisted Evaluation of industrial chemical Substances According to Regulations (CAESAR)'. In this article, we demonstrate intermediate results for counter propagation artificial neural network (CP ANN) models for the prediction category of the carcinogenic potency using two-dimensional (2D) descriptors from different software programs. A total of 805 non-congeneric chemicals were extracted from the Carcinogenic Potency Database (CPDBAS). The resulting models had prediction accuracies for internal (training) and external (test) sets as high as 91-93% and 68-70%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the test set were 69-73 and 63-72% correspondingly. High specificity is critical in models for regulatory use that are aimed at ensuring public safety. Thus, the errors that give rise to false negatives are much more relevant. We discuss how we can increase the number of correctly predicted carcinogens using the correlation between the threshold and the values of the sensitivity and specificity.


Laparoscopic Treatment of Inguinal Ovarian Hernia in Female Infants and Children: Standardizing the Technique.
Sliding indirect inguinal hernias containing ovary are not uncommon in girls. We reported our experience with laparoscopic treatment of inguinal ovarian hernias in female infants and children with the aim to standardize the surgical technique. The medical records of all girls who underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in our unit over the past 5 years were retrospectively reviewed. Only patients with an ovary found intraoperatively in the hernia sac were included in the study. All patients younger than 1 year received preoperatively a bowel preparation with simethicone and enemas. A total of 289 girls (median age 3.2 ± 0.5 years) underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair during the study period. Thirty-seven patients (12.8%) had an ovarian hernia and were included in the study. Of these 37 girls, 9 (28.1%) were younger than 1 month, 20 (62.5%) ranged in age from 2 months to 1 year, and 3 (9.4%) were from 1 to 7 years. The average operative time was 23.7 minutes (range 18-43 minutes). No necrotic ovary was found intraoperatively, and all the procedures were accomplished laparoscopically. Neither intraoperative nor postoperative complications were reported. A patency of the contralateral canal of Nuck was found in 16 of the 37 patients (43.2%) and repaired during the same procedure. The average length of hospitalization was 21.8 hours (range 18-36 hours). No hernia recurrence or ovarian atrophy was recorded at a mean follow-up of 36 months (range 1-60 months). On the basis of our experience, laparoscopy should be considered the gold standard for the treatment of inguinal ovarian hernias in girls. Key points for standardization of the technique are as follows: bowel preparation in children younger than 1 year, use of 5-mm umbilical balloon trocar, correct positioning of 3-mm working screw trocars, section of the abnormal attachment of ovarian suspensory ligament, section of the periorificial peritoneum, and use of nonresorbable sutures.


Peptide matching between Epstein-Barr virus and human proteins.
Epstein-Barr virus proteins were examined for amino acid sequence matching to human proteins at the decapeptide level. We report that numerous EBV peptides of different length (from 10- to 13-mer) are present in 28 human proteins. The viral vs. human peptide overlap mainly involves the glycine-rich region allocated in the NH2 terminus of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 protein and host cellular components that play crucial roles in basic biochemical pathways, such as chromatin remodeling, RNA splicing, transmission across chemical/electrical synapses, and neurogenesis, and that, when altered, may characterize various pathologies such as immunodeficiency, systemic lupus erythematosus, myelination, and speech disorders. The present results might contribute to understand and define the (physio) pathological relationships and interactions occurring between EBV and the human host.


Perceptual foundations of bilingual acquisition in infancy.
Infants are prepared by biology to acquire language, but it is the native language(s) they must learn. Over the first weeks and months of life, infants learn about the sounds and sights of their native language, and use that perceptual knowledge to pull out words and bootstrap grammar. In this paper, I review research showing that infants growing up bilingual learn the properties of each of the their two languages simultaneously, while nonetheless keeping them apart. Thus, they use perceptual learning to break into the properties of each of the two native languages. While the fundamental process of language acquisition is the same whether one or two languages are being acquired, cognitive advantages accrue from the task of language separation, and processing costs accrue from the more minimal input received in each of the two languages. I conclude by suggesting that when there are sufficient cues to which language is being used, the cognitive advantages that accrue from language separation enable the bilingual infant to move forward in language acquisition even in the face of processing costs.


Galanin function in the central nervous system.
The peptide galanin is primarily expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and it is active in a range of models of behavior. The identification of three galanin receptors, whose distribution of expression is distinct but overlapping, is evidence of the complexity of galanin's regulation of neuronal function. The majority of studies examining galanin have used broad methods to identify its function, employing nonselective peptide agonists and antagonists, or transgenic animal models. While these studies were informative, they provided limited insight to the specific receptors mediating the effects of galanin. The recent identification of potent, brain-permeable and selective galanin antagonists suggests it will be possible to gain greater insight into the function of each galanin receptor and their potential as therapeutic targets. This article reviews the roles identified for galanin in the CNS and how ligands of the galanin receptors, both peptidic and small-molecule, have been used to explore the behavioral models that characterize these roles.


Applications of hydrophilic interaction chromatography to amino acids, peptides, and proteins.
This review summarizes the recent advances in the analysis of amino acids, peptides, and proteins using hydrophilic interaction chromatography. Various reports demonstrate the successful analysis of amino acids under such conditions. However, a baseline resolution of the 20 natural amino acids has not yet been published and for this reason, there is often a need to use mass spectrometry for detection to further improve selectivity. Hydrophilic interaction chromatography is also recognized as a powerful technique for peptide analysis, and there are a lot of papers showing its applicability for proteomic applications (peptide mapping). It is expected that its use for peptide mapping will continue to grow in the future, particularly because this analytical strategy can be combined with reversed-phase liquid chromatography, in a two-dimensional setup, to reach very high resolving power. Finally, the interest in hydrophilic interaction chromatography for intact proteins analysis is less evident due to possible solubility issues and a lack of suitable hydrophilic interaction chromatography stationary phases. To date, it has been successfully employed only for the characterization of membrane proteins, histones, and the separation of glycosylated isoforms of an intact glycoprotein. From our point of view, the number of hydrophilic interaction chromatography columns compatible with intact proteins (higher upper temperature limit, large pore size, etc.) is still too limited.


Effects of S-dC28 on vascular smooth muscle cell adhesion and plasminogen activator production.
We sought to examine phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (PS oligo) non-G-quartet, nonsequence specific effects on smooth muscle cell (SMC) adhesion by using S-dC28, a 28-mer cytidine homopolymer that lacks contiguous guanosine residues. Human aortic SMC were incubated with vehicle or various doses of S-dC28, and the number of SMC adhered to noncoated plates was determined using a Coulter Counter. S-dC28 significantly inhibited SMC adhesion. SMC adhesion dramatically improved with S-dC28 in fibronectin-coated plates. When laminin-coated plates were used, the inhibition of SMC adhesion by S-dC28 was completely reversed. Replacement of serum-free medium with 5% fetal bovine serum medium for SMC cultured on non-coated plates also greatly attenuated inhibition of adhesion by S-dC28. Human SMC TPA, UPA, and PAI-1 antigen levels were determined by ELISAs. PDGF significantly induced SMC TPA antigen production measured by an ELISA. Coincubation of PDGF with S-dC28 significantly attenuated SMC TPA antigen levels. SMC UPA antigen levels after coincubation with PDGF and S-dC28 were significantly greater than the values observed in SMC incubated in medium containing PDGF alone. SMC PAI-1 antigen levels were not altered by the addition of S-dC28. We conclude that S-dC28 inhibits human SMC adhesion and that this inhibition can be diminished by fibronectin or laminin coating of culture plates or by the presence of serum in the culture medium. Furthermore, S-dC28 attenuates SMC TPA production, thereby inhibiting SMC migration, whereas S-dC28 augments SMC UPA production, thus diminishing SMC cellular adhesion.


Stochastic sensitivity analysis and early warning signals of critical transitions in a tri-stable prey-predator system with noise.
Near a tipping point, small changes in a certain parameter cause an irreversible shift in the behavior of a system, called critical transitions. Critical transitions can be observed in a variety of complex dynamical systems, ranging from ecology to financial markets, climate change, molecular bio-systems, health, and disease. As critical transitions can occur suddenly and are hard to manage, it is important to predict their occurrence. Although it is very tough to predict such critical transitions, various recent works suggest that generic early warning signals can detect the situation when systems approach a critical point. The most important indicator that predicts the risk of an upcoming critical transition is critical slowing down (CSD). CSD indicates a slow recovery rate from external perturbations of the stable state close to a bifurcation point. In this contribution, we study a two dimensional prey-predator model. Without any noise, the prey-predator model shows bistability and tri-stability due to the Allee effect in predators. We explore the critical transitions when external noise is added to the prey-predator system. We investigate early warning indicators, e.g., recovery rate, lag-1 autocorrelation, variance, and skewness to predict the critical transition. We explore the confidence domain method using the stochastic sensitivity function (SSF) technique near a stable equilibrium point to find a threshold value of noise intensity for a transition. The SSF technique in a two stage transition through confidence ellipse is described. We also show that the possibility of a transition to the predator-free state is independent of initial conditions. Our result may serve as a paradigm to understand and predict the critical transition in a two dimensional system.


A Novel Type of Aspiration Presenting With Acute Respiratory Failure Caused by Upper Airway Obstruction Due to Diaper Pica.
We herein report an extremely rare case of acute respiratory failure due to pica of the high-molecular-weight polymers in a diaper (HMWPD). An 81-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnea. Several hours earlier, the facility staff saw her tearing the diaper and eating it. And several hours later, the staff found her complaining of dyspnea. Her chest computed tomography revealed airway foreign bodies. Immediately, flexible bronchoscopy was performed. The trachea and the bilateral bronchi were filled with the HMWPD. We tried to grasp the HMWPD with various common instruments, but the HMWPD could not be grasped. Finally, we performed direct bronchoscopic suction. All the HMWPD were removed successfully. The HMWPD have hygroscopic property resulting in volume expansion and the fatal consequence of upper airway obstruction. Physicians working in an emergency department should be aware of this acute respiratory failure due to diaper pica and its effective treatment.


[Effects of diazepam on mixed anxiety/depression state in male mice].
Chronic social defeat stress in daily agonistic interactions leads to the development of mixed anxiety/depression state in male mice. This paper aimed to study the effects of chronic diazepam treatment on the psychoemotional state of these animals. Diazepam (0.5 mg/kg, i/p, Polfa Tarchomin S. A.) or saline was chronically injected into male mice for two weeks on the background of continuing agonistic interactions (preventive treatment) or into male mice with mixed anxiety/depression state after stopping of social confrontations (therapeutic treatment). Then, the animals were studied in the partition, plus-maze and Porsolt' tests, estimating the levels of communicativeness, anxiety and depressiveness, respectively. Preventive diazepam treatment had a weak protective anxiolytic and pro-depressive effect. The therapeutic diazepam treatment didn't influence on the anxiety and depression-like state. Chronic diazepam was ineffective for the treatment of the mixed anxiety/depression state in male mice. Different effects ofdiazepam on anxiety and depression-like states under preventive treatment confirmed our conclusion shown earlier about the independent development of these pathologies at least in our experimental paradigm.