Identification of pathogens isolated in acute external otitis cases and evaluation of aminoglycoside and quinolone sensitivity.
This study aimed to identify pathogens isolated in acute external otitis cases and determine their distribution according to ages and seasons as well as investigate the susceptibility or resistance to the aminoglycoside and quinolone group antibiotics of which topical forms are available. A total of 168 patients diagnosed with acute external otitis were evaluated retrospectively. Growing bacteria were identified according to the species by conventional methods. Antibiotic susceptibility status was determined for the growing bacteria. The most common bacteria detected were pseudomonas group bacteria (38.7 per cent). Resistance to the amikacin group of antibiotics was found to be the lowest and resistance to the ciprofloxacin group of antibiotics was the highest. External auditory canal cultures should be taken simultaneously with empirical treatment. Seasonal effect and age group should be taken into consideration in the choice of treatment and after questioning about chronic exposure to water. Empirical treatment should then be started.


Source apportionment of lead-containing aerosol particles in Shanghai using single particle mass spectrometry.
Lead (Pb) in individual aerosol particles was measured using single particle aerosol mass spectrometer (ATOFMS) in the summer of 2007 in Shanghai, China. Pb was found in 3% of particles with diameters in the range 0.1-2.0 microm. Single particle data were analyzed focusing on the particles with high Pb content which were mostly submicron. Using the ART-2a neural network algorithm, these fine Pb-rich particles were classified into eight main classes by their mass spectral patterns. Based on the size distribution, temporal variation of number density, chemical composition and the correlation between different chemical species for each class, three major emission sources were identified. About 45% of the Pb-rich particles contained organic or elemental carbon and were attributed to the emission from coal combustion; particles with good correlation between Cl and Pb content were mostly attributed to waste incineration. One unique class of particles was identified by strong phosphate and Pb signals, which were assigned to emissions from phosphate industry. Other Pb-rich particles included aged sea salt and particles from metallurgical processes.


Development of hepatocytes in the pancreas of hamsters treated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
Transdifferentiation is a process in which one differentiated cell type is converted to another. A unique example of transdifferentiation is the development of hepatocytes from pancreatic cells in adult hamsters and rats. In this communication we report the induction of pancreatic hepatocytes in hamsters that were given 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Two or 6 intraperitoneal (ip) injections of TCDD at a dose of 100 micrograms/kg body weight at 4-wk intervals induced pancreatic hepatocytes in 75% and 89% of the animals respectively. In animals given only two doses of TCDD each pancreas contained one to two hepatic foci, whereas when six injections were administered multiple hepatic foci were observed. By hematoxylin and eosin stain and by periodic acid Schiff stain, the pancreatic hepatocytes were morphologically identical to those in normal liver. Although the exact mechanism by which TCDD induces the transformation is not clear, it is conceivable that TCDD acting through receptor-mediated mechanisms is activating the repressed liver-specific genes in the pancreas.


Plasma adrenocorticotropin is more sensitive than transcortin production or thymus weight to inhibition by corticosterone in rats.
After adrenalectomy, ACTH, corticosterone-binding globulin (CBG), and thymus wet weight increase in rats as a consequence of the removal of corticosterone (B) and decrease again in response to replacement with glucocorticoids. We have studied the effect of replacing adrenalectomized male rats with a variety of different concentrations of B. Plasma concentrations of ACTH and CBG and thymus wet weights were related to the measured concentration of free ultrafilterable B in plasma. In other experiments, the clearance of [125I]CBG was determined in adrenalectomized rats with and without B replacement, and the time required for the changes in plasma CBG concentrations after removal and/or replacement of B in adrenalectomized rats was determined. Five to 7 days after adrenalectomy and institution of a relatively constant B replacement signal, plasma CBG concentrations were highly correlated with circulating B concentrations (r2 = 0.745; P less than 0.001). The effect of B was on the CBG production rate, since clearance did not change. Because CBG concentrations decrease as total B concentrations increase, there is an amplification of free B concentrations with increasing total B. The relationships of plasma ACTH and CBG and thymus wet weight to circulating free B levels showed that 50% inhibition of ACTH was achieved at a free B concentration of 0.8 +/- 0.05 nM, whereas 50% inhibition of CBG and thymus wet weight were achieved at free B concentrations of 4.6 +/- 0.9 and 4.4 +/- 0.6 nM, respectively. These inhibition values correlate well with the known Kd values for the high affinity type I B receptor (0.5 nM) and for the lower affinity type II glucocorticoid receptor (2.5-5 nM), respectively, suggesting that ACTH secretion, CBG production, and thymus wet weight are regulated by the association of B with these receptor types.


Post-decision wagering after perceptual judgments reveals bi-directional certainty readouts.
Humans and other animals constantly evaluate their decisions in order to learn and behave adaptively. Experimentally, such evaluation processes are accessed using metacognitive reports made after decisions, typically using verbally formulated confidence scales. When subjects report high confidence, it reflects a high certainty of being correct, but a low confidence might signify either low certainty about the outcome, or a high certainty of being incorrect. Hence, metacognitive reports might reflect not only different levels of decision certainty, but also two certainty directions (certainty of being correct and certainty of being incorrect). It is important to test if such bi-directional processing can be measured because, for decision-making under uncertainty, information about being incorrect is as important as information about being correct for guidance of subsequent behavior. We were able to capture implicit bi-directional certainty readouts by asking subjects to bet money on their perceptual decision accuracy using a six-grade wager scale (post-decision wagering, PDW). To isolate trial-specific aspects of metacognitive judgments, we used pre-decision wagering (wagering before the perceptual decision) to subtract, from PDW trials, influences resulting from non-trial-specific assessment of expected difficulty and psychological biases. This novel design allowed independent quantification of certainty of being correct and certainty of being incorrect, showing that subjects were able to read out certainty in a bi-directional manner. Certainty readouts about being incorrect were particularly associated with metacognitive sensitivity exceeding perceptual sensitivity (i.e. meta-d' > d'), suggesting that such enhanced metacognitive efficiency is driven by information about incorrect decisions. Readouts of certainty in both directions increased on easier trials, and both certainty directions were also associated with faster metacognitive reaction times, indicating that certainty of being incorrect was not confounded with low certainty. Finally, both readouts influenced the amount of money subjects earned through PDW, suggesting that bi-directional readouts are important for planning future actions when feedback about previous decisions is unavailable.


Energy and environmental life cycle assessment of an institutional catering service: An Italian case study.
Food production is recognised as one of the major drivers for global environmental pressure. In the last years, changes in consumption models result in an increasing population consuming food out of home that pose the catering service sector at the centre of the European Union policies aimed at improving the environmental sustainability of the food sector. In this framework, better technical knowledge on the environmental impacts of catering service is essential in order to identify potential actions towards a more sustainable food sector. This article presents an environmental assessment of a school catering service operating in Italy and delivering approximately 2,518,128 meals per year. Starting from primary data on the amount of each food consumed in the catering service examined, we perform an environmental analysis of an equivalent meal ready to be consumed in the schools canteens by using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology consistent with ISO 14040 standard. The system boundaries include food and tableware production, food transport, food storage and cooking and waste treatment. Due to a lack of primary data tableware production, food storage, cooking and waste treatment are modelled using literature data or models. The results of the analysis show that the food production phase is relevant to almost all assessed impact categories (contribution higher than 65%). The exception is represented by photochemical oxidation impact categories in which the larger impact is linked to the transportation phase. The environmental impacts associated to the tableware production, food storage and cooking are relevant to global warming and global energy requirement (contributions higher than 7%). The scenario analysis of potential actions aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of the catering service shows that, to obtain a more sustainable food sector, strategies must be implemented along the entire food supply chain and considering a wide range of environmental impact categories.


The effect of droplet size on syntrophic dynamics in droplet-enabled microbial co-cultivation.
Co-cultivation in microfluidic droplets has emerged as a versatile tool for the study of natural and synthetic microbial communities. In particular, the identification and characterization of syntrophic interactions in these communities is attracting increasing interest due to their critical importance for the functioning of environmental and host-associated communities as well as new biotechnological applications. However, one critical parameter in droplet-enabled co-cultivation that has evaded appropriate evaluation is the droplet size. Given the same number of initial cells, a larger droplet size can increase the length scale secreted metabolites must diffuse as well as dilute the initial concentration of cells and exchanged metabolites, impacting the community dynamics. To evaluate the effect of droplet size on a spectrum of syntrophic interactions, we cultivated a synthetic model system consisting of two E. coli auxotrophs, whose interactions could be modulated through supplementation of related amino acids in the medium. Our results demonstrate that the droplet size impacts substantially numerous aspects of the growth of a cross-feeding bi-culture, particularly the growth capacity, maximum specific growth rate, and lag time, depending on the degree of the interaction. This work heavily suggests that one droplet size does not fit all types of interactions; this parameter should be carefully evaluated and chosen in experimental studies that aim to utilize droplet-enabled co-cultivation to characterize or elucidate microbial interactions.


Exact effective transport dynamics in a one-dimensional random environment.
We study effective transport under linear equilibrium adsorption characterized by a spatially random retardation factor. In a stochastic framework, we present a methodology to quantify explicitly the impact of spatial disorder on effective transport dynamics. We derive an exact effective transport equation, which is equivalent to transport under linear kinetic adsorption characterized by a spectrum of adsorption times. The distribution of adsorption times is given explicitly in terms of the spatial disorder distribution. Furthermore, we find that effective transport is formally equivalent to a decoupled continuous time random walk. This observation and the explicit nature of the presented results allow for a mapping of the static disorder distribution on the transition time distribution.


Healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitudes and future expectations towards personalized medicine.
Aim: Personalized medicine (PM) is a novel approach to diagnose and treat disease. The study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and future expectations of healthcare professionals (HPs) towards PM in Ethiopia. Materials & methods: A cross-sectional survey with primary data and a simple random sampling technique was applied to collect data. Results: Our study revealed from a total of 384 respondents, 98 (25.5%), 146 (38%) and 140 (36.5%) had good, medium and poor knowledge of PM, respectively. However, 172 (44.8%), 185 (48.2%) and 27 (7%) had positive, neutral and negative attitudes towards PM, respectively. Conclusion: Most respondent's future expectations of PM were positive. Education level had a significant association with attitudes and other sociodemographic variables were not significant for both knowledge and attitude.


Extracellular matrix turnover: phytochemicals target and modulate the dual role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in liver fibrosis.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) resolution by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is a well-documented mechanism. MMPs play a dual and complex role in modulating ECM degradation at different stages of liver fibrosis, depending on the timing and levels of their expression. Increased MMP-1 combats disease progression by cleaving the fibrillar ECM. Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) increase expression of MMP-2, -9, and -13 in different chemicals-induced animal models, which may alleviate or worsen disease progression based on animal models and the stage of liver fibrosis. In the early stage, elevated expression of certain MMPs may damage surrounding tissue and activate HSCs, promoting fibrosis progression. At the later stage, downregulation of MMPs can facilitate ECM accumulation and disease progression. A number of phytochemicals modulate MMP activity and ECM turnover, alleviating disease progression. However, the effects of phytochemicals on the expression of different MMPs are variable and may depend on the disease models and stage, and the dosage, timing and duration of phytochemicals used in each study. Here, we review the most recent advances in the role of MMPs in the effects of phytochemicals on liver fibrogenesis, which indicates that further studies are warranted to confirm and define the potential clinical efficacy of these phytochemicals.


Predominant effects of host plant species on Aphis gossypii aphid and E. pisyrphus balteatus hoverfly in a tritrophic approach.
The aphid Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae) is known as worldwide important pest. It causes serious injuries to crops, but is also able to feed on various cultivated and wild plants. Some programs are developped to control this aphid. In many studies, hoverfy Episyrphus balteatus De Geer (Diptera: Syrphidae) is used as an efficient and aphid specific predator in biological control systems. In this work, we study cotton aphid choice plant discrimination, the effect of host plants on its developpment (fecondity and mortality), and the E. balteatus foraging and oviposition behavior according aphid host plants. Biologic parameters were observed using various plant combinations. E. balteatus behavioral observations were conducted using the Noldus Observer v.5.0. A. gossypii makes discriminant choice of his hosts, with better preference on Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitaceae) and Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae). Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H.J. Lam. (Burseraceae) and Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae) are the midle choice while Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Malvaceae) is less chosen. A. gossypii develops easily on C. pepo, and weakly on Canuum, H. sabdariffa, and V. faba. D. edulis induces very high mortality to A. gossypii. According to E. balteatus behavior, A. gossypii is more attractive when infesting C. pepo and V. faba, less on, H. sabdariffa. While non-infested, V. faba appeared to be more attractive for the hoverfly, but without significant differnce compared to other plants. Our results highlited the importance of interactions between aphids and their host plants and the prey-host influence on a specific aphid predatory hoverfy. Other ways like melon aphid and its host plant volatils emission, in correlation with this work, are to investigated to complete this study and perform melon aphid biological control.


Mean platelet volume: the need for a reference method.
The time course of artifactual effects due to anticoagulants, specimen temperature, and interval between venipuncture and analysis on platelet volume measurements was evaluated. Split specimens were analyzed using hydrodynamic focusing, and platelet distributions were computed using a least-squares fit to a log-normal distribution. Significant artifacts resulted from exposure to EDTA, cooling to room temperature, and delay in exposure to anticoagulant. The artifactual effect of EDTA is extreme and time dependent. Collection of blood in Buffered Citrate, Acid Citrate Dextrose, or Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate supplemented Citrate yielded stable and equivalent results with rapid anticoagulation and incubation at 37 degrees C for up to six hours.


GPIbalpha-selective activation of platelets induces platelet signaling events comparable to GPVI activation events.
Platelet glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX-V, which binds von Willebrand factor (VWF), and GPVI, which binds collagen, form an adhesion-signaling complex on platelets and mediate platelet adhesion in flowing blood. Platelet activation following engagement of GPIb-IX-V/GPVI by VWF/collagen is critical for initiation and development of a protective thrombus across a site of damaged or exposed endothelium. We examined platelet aggregation and signaling following selective engagement of platelet GPIbalpha (the major ligand-binding subunit of GPIb-IX-V) by a multivalent surface-expressed GPIbalpha-binding VWF-A1 domain on COS-7 cells. COS-7 cells expressing the VWF-A1 domain containing an R543W mutation (a gain-of-function mutation found in Type 2B von Willebrand's Disease) were used as a selective agonist for GPIb-IX-V. When incubated in a cell-to-platelet ratio of up to 1 : 1200, VWF-A1/R543W cells caused rapid, spontaneous aggregation of washed platelets that was GPIbalpha- and alpha(IIb)beta(3)-dependent (blocked by inhibitory anti-VWF-A1, anti-GPIbalpha and anti-alpha(IIb)beta(3) antibodies). Platelet aggregation was also sensitive to inhibitors of Src, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) or Syk, confirming a role for these proteins in GPIbalpha-mediated signal transduction. Platelet tyrosine phosphorylation patterns and specific tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk after GPIbalpha engagement by VWF-A1/R543W was comparable to that induced by engagement of GPVI by collagen or collagen-related peptide (CRP). These data indicate signaling events triggered by specific ligation of GPIbalpha can lead to robust platelet activation and help define GPIb-IX-V as both an adhesion and signaling receptor on platelets.


The effect of combined therapy with deferoxamine and deferiprone on serum ferritin level of beta-thalassemic patients.
To determine the effect of combined therapy with deferoxamine and deferiprone on serum ferritin level of beta-thalassemic patients. This controlled clinical trial was conducted on 26 major beta-thalassemic patients. Twelve patients in case group received deferiprone 75 mg/kg/day three times a day (TDS) orally with deferoxamine 30-50 mg/kg subcutaneously every other day. Fourteen patients in control group received deferoxamine 30-50 mg/kg/day subcutaneously for 6-12 hours/day and 5-6 days per week. Serum ferritin level was measured at the beginning and at the end of the third and the sixth months of study. Side effects of combined therapy were assessed. Data were analyzed by SPSS software v: 16.0 and t-Student and compared t-tests. The mean of serum ferritin level in case group significantly decreased from 7539.8 ± 3434.9 µg/l at the beginning of study to 4848.7 ± 2706.2 µg/l (P < 0.001) and to 4338.3 ± 2308.8 µg/l (P < 0.001) at the end of the third and the sixth months of study, respectively. The mean of serum ferritin level in control group insignificantly increased from 5668 ± 3613.8 to 6210.8 ± 3940.9 µg/l and to 5742 ± 3205.9 µg/l at the end of the third and the sixth months of study, respectively. The common side effects of combined therapy were nausea (8.3%) and arthropathy (8.3%). A mild transient neutropenia and liver enzymes elevation happened in four patients of case group. Combined therapy with deferoxamine and deferiprone significantly decreases serum ferritin level. It has little side effect and is suggested for major beta-thalassemic patients as a suitable therapy.


Oculinum injection-resistant blepharospasm in young patients.
Botulinum toxin has recently been used as a nonsurgical treatment for blepharospasm and other facial dyskinesias. This report describes four patients between the ages of 32 and 37 years who failed to respond to botulinum injections for severe blepharospasm. Other than age, no other features could be identified in these patients that would differentiate this group. Particularly early age of onset for essential blepharospasm might be an indicator of failure to respond to the injections.


Pyocyanin isolated from a marine microbial population: synergistic production between two distinct bacterial species and mode of action.
Marine microbial populations collected from the Hawaiian Islands were screened for antimicrobial activity. A blue metabolite was identified from mixed cell cultures, but production was not evident in pure cultures. Experiments designed to probe the synergistic role of the microorganisms are presented. Full characterization of the blue natural product, pyocyanin, is provided including corrections made to 1H and 13C-NMR assignments of the molecule misreported in the chemical literature and yeast transcriptome analysis. The transcriptional effects were consistent with the compound's purported role as an inducer of oxidative stress and damage and illustrates the overall potential of the method to reveal the primary biological/cellular effects of a natural product. The experiments outlined here might serve as a general paradigm for identification of natural products arising from microbial communities and investigation of their respective interactions.


Cutaneous Cytomegalovirus Infection Presenting As Recalcitrant Bullous Pemphigoid Lesion.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common among immunocompromised hosts; however, its cutaneous manifestation is considered rare in comparison to internal organ involvement. Clinical manifestations of cutaneous CMV infection generally include perioral or perianal ulcerations. On the other hand, autoimmune bullous dermatosis can have bullae and ulcerations similar to those caused by cutaneous CMV infection. Autoimmune bullous dermatosis requires treatment with immunosuppressive agents for relatively long periods, which may cause reduction of immunocompetence. Because of this iatrogenic immunosuppression, patients with autoimmune bullous dermatosis subsequently acquire increased risk for opportunistic infections. However, cases of bullous pemphigoid (BP) complicated by cutaneous CMV infection are rarely reported. Herein, we report the case of an 88-year-old male who had BP and subsequently recalcitrant perianal skin lesions, which were eventually diagnosed as cutaneous CMV infections.


Intramolecularly Protein-Crosslinked DNA Gels: New Biohybrid Nanomaterials with Controllable Size and Catalytic Activity.
DNA micro- and nanogels-small-sized hydrogels made of a crosslinked DNA backbone-constitute new promising materials, but their functions have mainly been limited to those brought by DNA. Here a new way is described to prepare sub-micrometer-sized DNA gels of controllable crosslinking density that are able to embed novel functions, such as an enzymatic activity. It consists of using proteins, instead of traditional base-pairing assembly or covalent approaches, to form crosslinks inside individual DNA molecules, resulting in structures referred to as intramolecularly protein-crosslinked DNA gels (IPDGs). It is first shown that the addition of streptavidin to biotinylated T4DNA results in the successful formation of thermally stable IPDGs with a controllable crosslinking density, forming structures ranging from elongated to raspberry-shaped and pearl-necklace-like morphologies. Using reversible DNA condensation strategies, this paper shows that the gels can be reversibly actuated at a low crosslinking density, or further stabilized when they are highly crosslinked. Finally, by using streptavidin-protein conjugates, IPDGs with various enzymes are successfully functionalized. It is demonstrated that the enzymes keep their catalytic activity upon their incorporation into the gels, opening perspectives ranging from biotechnologies (e.g., enzyme manipulation) to nanomedicine (e.g., vectorization).


[Neurologic adverse effects of piperazine].
Piperazine has been used since the end of the nineteenth century as a urine alkalizing agent in gout and more widely in the past thirty years for its antihelmintic properties. It is known for being well tolerated and of low toxicity. However, there are cases, sometimes in particular circumstances, where piperazine causes severe and impressive neurological disorders, which can be totally reversed if the medication is discontinued. The disorders are accompanied by consistent, but similarly reversible, electroencephalographic changes. The etiopathogenesis of these accidents caused by piperazine is discussed.


Immunohistochemical study of the myocardium in murine Coxsackie B3 virus myocarditis using monoclonal antibodies--significance of Lyt 1 antigen-bearing lymphocytes in cell-mediated immunity.
This light- and electron-microscopic study using monoclonal antibodies provides an immunohistochemical demonstration of lymphocytes in situ in the myocardium in murine coxsackie B3 virus myocarditis. On the 7th and 9th days after virus inoculation, we observed many necrotic cardiocyte foci infiltrated with numerous inflammatory cells including macrophages and T lymphocytes. There were only a few Lyt 1-bearing lymphocytes in this phase of inoculation. On the 14th day there were many Lyt 1-bearing cells among the T cells in the foci. By immuno-electron microscopy, some Lyt 1-bearing T lymphocytes were seen in close contact with macrophages and/or other lymphocytes. These Lyt 1-bearing lymphocytes appeared to represent helper T cells, although Lyt 2.3+ lymphocytes were not examined. It is well known that activation of helper T cells leads to stimulation of B cells and cytotoxic T cells. It is assumed, therefore, that Lyt 1-bearing T lymphocytes that infiltrated into the myocardial foci play an important role in immune responsiveness at this stage of viral myocarditis.


[Influence of ornithin-alpha-ketoglutaric acid on fatmetabolism in patients with cirrhosis of the liver (author's transl)].
Formation of endogenous toxins through protein metabolism and detoxification through liver are described. In chronic hepatic insufficiency (cirrhosis of the liver), with failure of liver metabolism, levels of endogenous toxins in plasma and tissue, i.e. ammonia, phenol-derivatives and free fatty acids, rise. Plasma levels of ammonia and free fatty acids are both dependent on the Krebs cycle. This interaction and mutual dependance was examined clinically through application of amino acids that lower plasma ammonia level. Di-L(+)ornithin-alpha-ketoglutaric acid was able to lower ammonia levels in patients with liver cirrhosis. The difference between pre- and postinfusion levels of ammonia was significant, this corresponds to the observations of other authors. In addition we found a fall in levels of free fatty acids, triglycerides, and cholesterol. This effect on fatmetabolism was also observed in patients with no evidence of incipient or manifest hepatic insufficiency. The biochemical basis and the clinical implications of these findings are discussed.


Outcome after surgery for Maisonneuve fracture of the fibula.
The aim of this study was to assess outcome in patients treated surgically for Maisonneuve fractures and to highlight factors associated with a suboptimal result. The authors present a review of 14 patients with Maisonneuve fractures. The mean age was 35.5 years. The most common injury mechanism was a twist incurred whilst participating in sport. The goal of treatment was the anatomic restoration of the ankle mortice with accurate renewal of fibular length. All patients had one or two suprasyndesmotic screws inserted percutaneously under fluoroscopic guidance. These were successfully removed under local anaesthesia in 13 cases (93%). Patients were reassessed clinically and evaluated both functionally and radiographically. Average follow-up was 25.3 months. Twelve patients (86%) had a satisfactory result. They returned to previous activity levels and had favourable Global Foot and Ankle (mean: 95.57) and Shoe Comfort (mean: 81.66) Raw Scores. Ankle range of motion and radiographs were normal. Two patients had an unsatisfactory result. Surgical intervention is recommended to maintain reduction of the fibula into the notch on the tibia, as shortening results in mandatory lateral talar displacement, predisposing to painful ankle arthrosis. The severity of the initial injury and co-morbid disease may adversely affect outcome.


Rapid neuroendocrine responses to auditory courtship signals.
In many species, courtship signals enhance reproductive function in the receiver. How these social signals are processed by the brain, particularly how they induce an endocrine response, is not well understood. Songbirds provide an ideal model in which to study this phenomenon because of the large existing literature on both their auditory neurobiology and the control of their reproductive physiology by environmental cues. To date, all of the relevant studies on songbirds have involved measuring the effects of male vocalizations on ovarian function over a period of weeks, a time course that precludes detailed analysis of the neuroendocrine mechanisms operating during song perception. We played recordings of conspecific male song to laboratory-housed female white-throated sparrows and quantified the resulting rapid changes in LH as well as the induction of the immediate early gene Egr-1 in the GnRH system and mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH). Hearing song for 42 min induced LH release and Egr-1 expression in the MBH, but did not alter Egr-1 expression in GnRH neurons. The time course of LH release and the pattern of Egr-1 expression together suggest that song acts as a trigger to induce GnRH release in a manner resembling photostimulation. The Egr-1 response in the MBH was qualitatively distinguishable from the responses to either photostimulation or pharmacologically induced LH release but seemed to involve overlapping neuronal populations. Song-induced Egr-1 expression in the MBH was correlated with the expression in midbrain and forebrain auditory centers, further supporting a role for the MBH in processing social information.


Study on mechanical and ablative properties of EPDM/OMMT thermal insulating nanocomposites.
In order to enhance the elongation at break, the ablation resistant properties as well as the tensile strength of the thermal insulating materials, organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) was introduced into the short aramid fibers reinforced Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM) based nanocomposites. The effects of OMMT content on the mechanical and ablative properties of the nanocomposites were investigated systematically. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirm that EPDM-matrix has been intercalated into OMMT interlayers after a mixing process on a two-roll mill. The brittle fracture of nanocomposites also indicates that OMMT can lubricate aramid fiber to weaken the interfacial adhesive strength between the fibers and the matrix. As a result, the tensile strength and elongation at break are both improved sharply with OMMT content increasing from 1 phr to 7 phr. However, thanks to the inevitable agglomeration of OMMT with high loading inside the nanocomposites, the tensile strength and elongation at break reduce gently once OMMT is over 7 phr. Furthermore, the ablation resistant properties are improved greatly by increasing OMMT from 1 phr to 11 phr. Therefore, the optimal content of OMMT is 7-11 phr for the thermal insulating nanocomposites with big elongation and excellent ablation resistant properties.


Vagotomy by the local anesthetic procaine hydrochloride: a study in the rat.
Transmission of nerve impulses is prevented by the local anesthetic procaine hydrochloride. This study was undertaken in rat models, in which the vagus nerve mediates gastric acid secretion, to examine the action of 1 mL of 5% oral procaine on this secretion. The H+ output (mean +/- SEM) associated with pylorus ligation for 1 h (61 +/- 7 mumol) was depressed by vagotomy or procaine (4.7 +/- 0.5 mumol and 5.8 +/- 0.7 mumol, respectively; p less than 0.001). In the rat without pylorus ligation, reserpine (0.1 mg/kg, ip) stimulated H+ output .4 +/- 0.7 mumol; p less than 0.001). Vagotomy or procaine depressed .4 +/- 0.5 and 3 +/- 0.5 mumol, respectively versus 12.4 +/- 0.7 mumol han 0.001), and reserpine failed to influence this action. In the same in (1 unit/kg, ip) stimulated H+ output (36 +/- 3.1 versus 12 +/- 0.6 than 0.001), but had no effect on its depression by vagotomy (3 +/- /- 0.5 mumol) or procaine (4 +/- 0.4 versus 3.9 +/- 0.4 mumol). In the gastric diversion rat, a model for collecting gastric secretion from just distal to the pyloric sphincter into a plastic bag, the effect of vagotomy on the N+ output was similar to that of procaine (3.5 +/- 0.4 and 2.9 +/- 0.3 mumol, respectively, versus 14.8 +/- 0.5 mumol; mean +/- SEM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Combatting drought: a multi-dimensional challenge.
Water will be a major limitation to food production in the 21st century, and drought issues already prevail in many parts of the world. Finding solutions to ensure that farmers harvest profitable crops, and secure food supplies for families and feed for animals that will provide for them through to the next season are urgent necessities. The Interdrought community has been addressing this issue for almost 30 years in a series of international conferences, characterized by a multi-disciplinary approach across the domains of molecular biology, physiology, genetics, agronomy, breeding, environmental and social sciences, policy, and systems modeling. This special issue presents papers from the 7th edition of the conference, the first to be held in Africa, that paid special attention to drought in a smallholder context, adding a 'system' dimension to the crop focus from the previous Interdrought events (Varshney et al., 2018; Hammer et al., 2021).


Intramolecular hydroamination of difluoropropargyl amides: regioselective synthesis of fluorinated beta- and gamma-lactams.
Functionalized gem-difluoro beta- and gamma-lactams were synthesized through a novel intramolecular hydroamination reaction of difluoropropargyl amides. beta-Lactams were obtained via a Baldwin disfavored 4-exo-digonal cyclization using palladium acetate as the catalyst, whereas gamma-lactams were produced under basic conditions. Acid hydration of gamma-lactams produced ketoamides or hemiaminals selectively.


Hormonal and metabolic effects of neuroglucopenia.
We examined the role of central neuroglucopenia, induced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), on glucose and amino acid kinetics in conscious dogs. Group 1 received i.c.v. 2-DG at 2.5 mg.kg-1 x min-1 for 15 min. Group 2 received an equal intravenous (i.v.) amount of 2-DG. In the i.c.v. group, plasma glucose levels rose from 106 +/- 4 mg/dl to a peak of 204 +/- 12 mg/dl by 90 min. Blood lactate increased from 689 +/- 1 to 2,812 +/- 5 mumol/l and blood alanine not change from basal (256 +/- 41 mumol/l). The rate of hepatic glucose production, determined isotopically, was increased 2-fold over basal (P < 0.01). Significant increases (P < 0.001) over basal were also noted in plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, insulin, glucagon and cortisol. Leucine rate of appearance (Ra) showed a 30% decrease from basal to 2.4 +/- 0.05 mumol.kg-1 x min-1 (P < 0.01). In group 2 plasma glucose levels were not altered but plasma cortisol and glucagon showed a modest transient increase above basal (P < 0.05). No significant changes were noted in amino acid kinetics. These findings suggest that periventricular neuroglucopenia, in the absence of peripheral glucose deprivation, is accompanied by hyperglycemia secondary to enhanced hepatic glucose production with decreased glucose utilization and by increased hepatic uptake of gluconeogenic precursors. These, however, were not accompanied by increased whole body proteolysis as was previously seen with generalized glucopenia resulting from insulin-induced hypoglycemia.


Cervical spine fractures and soft tissue injuries.
Spinal cord injury is the major cause of quadriplegia and disability. Plain radiographs have a low sensitivity for identifying traumatic cervical spine lesions. Therefore trauma victims with plain films negative for cervical injury but with a high clinical suspicion of injury, or positive for cervical injury should undergo CT or MR for a more definitive evaluation of the cervical spine. Besides the higher sensitivity than plain radiography in detecting fractures, CT is also able to show soft-tissue abnormalities. MR is the definitive modality in assessing cervical soft-tissue injuries, especially in the evaluation of the spinal cord, intervertebral discs, and ligaments. It also allows differentiate spinal cord hemorrhage and edema, which may have a prognostic value. The role of medical imaging in the evaluation of whiplash injuries remains to be determined.


Key-Node-Separated Graph Clustering and Layouts for Human Relationship Graph Visualization.
Many graph-drawing methods apply node-clustering techniques based on the density of edges to find tightly connected subgraphs and then hierarchically visualize the clustered graphs. However, users may want to focus on important nodes and their connections to groups of other nodes for some applications. For this purpose, it is effective to separately visualize the key nodes detected based on adjacency and attributes of the nodes. This article presents a graph visualization technique for attribute-embedded graphs that applies a graph-clustering algorithm that accounts for the combination of connections and attributes. The graph clustering step divides the nodes according to the commonality of connected nodes and similarity of feature value vectors. It then calculates the distances between arbitrary pairs of clusters according to the number of connecting edges and the similarity of feature value vectors and finally places the clusters based on the distances. Consequently, the technique separates important nodes that have connections to multiple large clusters and improves the visibility of such nodes' connections. To test this technique, this article presents examples with human relationship graph datasets, including a coauthorship and Twitter communication network dataset.


White Matter Development from Birth to 6 Years of Age: A Longitudinal Study.
Human white matter development in the first years of life is rapid, setting the foundation for later development. Microstructural properties of white matter are linked to many behavioral and psychiatric outcomes; however, little is known about when in development individual differences in white matter microstructure are established. The aim of the current study is to characterize longitudinal development of white matter microstructure from birth through 6 years to determine when in development individual differences are established. Two hundred and twenty-four children underwent diffusion-weighted imaging after birth and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 years. Diffusion tensor imaging data were computed for 20 white matter tracts (9 left-right corresponding tracts and 2 commissural tracts), with tract-based measures of fractional anisotropy and axial and radial diffusivity. Microstructural maturation between birth and 1 year are much greater than subsequent changes. Further, by 1 year, individual differences in tract average values are consistently predictive of the respective 6-year values, explaining, on average, 40% of the variance in 6-year microstructure. Results provide further evidence of the importance of the first year of life with regard to white matter development, with potential implications for informing early intervention efforts that target specific sensitive periods.


Clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19.
This retrospective study aimed to analysis clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Medical records, laboratory results and radiologic findings of 52 cancer patients with COVID-19 were collected, clinical characteristics and outcomes were summarized. A total of 52 cancer patients with COVID-19 were included. Median age of 52 cancer patients with COVID-19 was 63 years (34-98). Thirty-three (63.5%) patients were mild and 19 (36.5%) were severe/critical. Lung cancer was the most frequent cancer type (10, 19.2%). The common symptoms were as follows: fever (25%), dry cough (17.3%), chest distress (11.5%), and fatigue (9.6%). There were 33 (63.5%) patients had comorbidities, the most common symptom was hypertension (17, 51.5%). Twenty-six (78.8%) patients developed pneumonia on admission. Lymphocytes (0.6 × 109/L) decreased in both mild and severe/critical patients. Median levels of D-dimer, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactate dehydrogenase were 2.8 mg/L, 70.5 mg/L, 0.3 ng/mL, and 318 U/L, respectively, which increased significantly in severe/critical patients compared with the mild patients. Interleukin-6 (12.6 pg/mL) increased in both mild and severe/critical patients, there was a significant difference between them. Complications were observed in 29 (55.8%) patients, such as liver injury (19, 36.5%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (9, 17.3%), sepsis (8, 15.4%), myocardial injury (8, 15.4%), renal insufficiency (4, 7.7%), and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (3, 5.8%). Eleven (21.2%) patients with cancer died. The infection rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in patients with cancer was higher than the general population, cancer patients with COVID-19 showed deteriorating conditions and poor outcomes.


Transcriptional alteration of genes linked to gastritis concerning Helicobacter pylori infection status and its virulence factors.
Helicobacter pylori infection and heterogeneity in its pathogenesis could describe diversity in the expression of inflammatory genes in the gastric tissue. We aimed to investigate transcriptional alteration of genes linked to gastritis concerning the H. pylori infection status and its virulence factors. Biopsy samples of 12 infected and 12 non-infected patients with H. pylori that showed moderate chronic gastritis were selected for transcriptional analysis. Genotyping of H. pylori strains was done using PCR and relative expression of inflammatory genes was compared between the infected and non-infected patients using relative quantitative real-time PCR. Positive correlations between transcriptional changes of IL8 with TNF-α and Noxo1 in the infected and TNF-α with Noxo1, MMP7, and Atp4A in the non-infected patients were detected. Six distinct genotypes of H. pylori were detected that showed no correlation with gender, ethnicity, age, endoscopic findings, and transcriptional levels of host genes. Irrespective of the characterized genotypes, our results showed overexpression of TNF-α, MMP7, Noxo1, and ATP4A in the infected and IL-8, Noxo1, and ATP4A in the non-infected patients. A complexity in transcription of genes respective to the characterized H. pylori genotypes in the infected patients was detected in our study. The observed difference in co-regulation of genes linked to gastritis in the infected and non-infected patients proposed involvement of different regulatory pathways in the inflammation of the gastric tissue in the studied groups.


Genomic insights into the glutathione S-transferase gene family of two rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) and Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).
Glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes control crucial traits for the metabolism of various toxins encountered by insects in host plants and the wider environment, including insecticides. The planthoppers Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera are serious specialist pests of rice throughout eastern Asia. Their capacity to rapidly adapt to resistant rice varieties and to develop resistance to various insecticides has led to severe outbreaks over the last decade. Using the genome sequence of N. lugens, we identified for the first time the complete GST gene family of a delphacid insect whilst nine GST gene orthologs were identified from the closely related species S. furcifera. Nilaparvata lugens has 11 GST genes belonging to six cytosolic subclasses and a microsomal class, many fewer than seen in other insects with known genomes. Sigma is the largest GST subclass, and the intron-exon pattern deviates significantly from that of other species. Higher GST gene expression in the N. lugens adult migratory form reflects the higher risk of this life stage in encountering the toxins of non-host plants. After exposure to a sub-lethal dose of four insecticides, chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, buprofezin or beta-cypermethrin, more GST genes were upregulated in S. furcifera than in N. lugens. RNA interference targeting two N. lugens GST genes, NlGSTe1 and NlGSTm2, significantly increased the sensitivity of fourth instar nymphs to chlorpyrifos but not to beta-cypermethrin. This study provides the first elucidation of the nature of the GST gene family in a delphacid species, offering new insights into the evolution of metabolic enzyme genes in insects. Further, the use of RNA interference to identify the GST genes induced by insecticides illustrates likely mechanisms for the tolerance of these insects.


[Aneurysmal cysts located in the maxilla or mandible (author's transl)].
Aneurysmal cysts of the mandible and maxilla are rare conditions, though not exceptional, which are seen in particular in the child and adolescent. A part from facial asymmetry and tumefaction, it is rare to find other clinical manifestations. No neurological signs were seen in the present study. An aneurysmal cyst gives a radiological appearance of non-characteristic lysis compatible with a large range of diagnoses. Histological study permits early diagnosis but must always involve the whole specimen with careful examination to detect any other associated lesion. The pathogenesis of the condition remains obscure and, at the extreme, it may be questioned whether the aneurysmal cyst is a separate entity or a particular form of chronic osteopathy.


[Postoperative respiratory alkalosis as a complication of neuroendoscopy].
Endoscopic neurosurgery is a minimally invasive technique that has been developing rapidly. It is mainly indicated for the treatment of hydrocephaly due to ventriculocisternostomy, biopsies of cerebral ventricular lesions, evacuation of cerebral hematomas and spinal surgery. Hemorrhage, infection and spinal fluid fistula are known complications. We report the appearance of symptomatic postoperative respiratory alkalosis in a patient who underwent ventriculocisternostomy by endoscopic neurosurgery. The underlying disease was obstructive hydrocephaly secondary to partial stenosis of the Silvius aqueduct.


Possible antiestrogenic properties of chloro-s-triazines in rat uterus.
Several published reports have indicated that certain chloro-s-triazine herbicides may alter endocrine function in rats, possibly by androgen receptor binding. In direct tests of estrogenic bioactivity, oral doses of up to 300 mg/kg/d of atrazine, simazine, or the common metabolite diaminochlorotriazine (DACT) did not significantly increase uterine weight of ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley female rats. The highest dose, which was approximately 10% of the LD50 for these compounds, did cause body weight loss. When administered concomitantly with sc injections of estradiol (2 micrograms/kg), 300 mg/kg of orally administered chlorotriazines significantly reduced uterine weight in comparison to animals given estrogen alone. Neither atrazine, simazine, nor DACT, at oral doses up to 300 mg/kg/d, stimulated incorporation of [3H]thymidine into uterine DNA of immature Sprague-Dawley female rats. However, oral treatment at doses of 50 mg/kg and higher significantly reduced thymidine incorporation into uterine DNA extracted from immature rats given a single injection of 0.15 microgram estradiol. Oral doses of 300 mg/kg of atrazine, simazine, or DACT significantly reduced expression of progesterone receptor binding in cytosol fractions prepared from uteri of ovariectomized rats injected sc with 1 microgram estradiol; 50 mg/kg triazine was not effective in this case. Uterine progesterone receptor levels were not stimulated in rats given oral doses up to 300 mg/kg of these triazines without estradiol injections. These results suggest that atrazine, simazine, and DACT possess no intrinsic estrogenic activity but that they are capable of weak inhibition of estrogen-stimulated responses in the rat uterus. This inhibition may play a role in the previously observed disruptive actions of chlorotriazines on reproductive endocrine function of female rats.


General solution for quantitative dark-field contrast imaging with grating interferometers.
Grating interferometer based imaging with X-rays and neutrons has proven to hold huge potential for applications in key research fields conveying biology and medicine as well as engineering and magnetism, respectively. The thereby amenable dark-field imaging modality implied the promise to access structural information beyond reach of direct spatial resolution. However, only here a yet missing approach is reported that finally allows exploiting this outstanding potential for non-destructive materials characterizations. It enables to obtain quantitative structural small angle scattering information combined with up to 3-dimensional spatial image resolution even at lab based x-ray or at neutron sources. The implied two orders of magnitude efficiency gain as compared to currently available techniques in this regime paves the way for unprecedented structural investigations of complex sample systems of interest for material science in a vast range of fields.


Deviating from the norm: Nuclear organisation in trypanosomes.
At first glance the nucleus is a highly conserved organelle. Overall nuclear morphology, the octagonal nuclear pore complex, the presence of peripheral heterochromatin and the nuclear envelope appear near constant features right down to the ultrastructural level. New work is revealing significant compositional divergence within these nuclear structures and their associated functions, likely reflecting adaptations and distinct mechanisms between eukaryotic lineages and especially the trypanosomatids. While many examples of mechanistic divergence currently lack obvious functional interpretations, these studies underscore the malleability of nuclear architecture. I will discuss some recent findings highlighting these facets within trypanosomes, together with the underlying evolutionary framework and make a call for the exploration of nuclear function in non-canonical experimental organisms.


A simple hybrid variance estimator for the Kaplan-Meier survival function.
In this paper, we propose a hybrid variance estimator for the Kaplan-Meier survival function. This new estimator approximates the true variance by a Binomial variance formula, where the proportion parameter is a piecewise non-increasing function of the Kaplan-Meier survival function and its upper bound, as described below. Also, the effective sample size equals the number of subjects not censored prior to that time. In addition, we consider an adjusted hybrid variance estimator that modifies the regular estimator for small sample sizes. We present a simulation study to compare the performance of the regular and adjusted hybrid variance estimators to the Greenwood and Peto variance estimators for small sample sizes. We show that on average these hybrid variance estimators give closer variance estimates to the true values than the traditional variance estimators, and hence confidence intervals constructed with these hybrid variance estimators have more nominal coverage rates. Indeed, the Greenwood and Peto variance estimators can substantially underestimate the true variance in the left and right tails of the survival distribution, even with moderately censored data. Finally, we illustrate the use of these hybrid and traditional variance estimators on a data set from a leukaemia clinical trial.


Oxidative stress-induced inhibition of Sirt1 by caveolin-1 promotes p53-dependent premature senescence and stimulates the secretion of interleukin 6 (IL-6).
Oxidative stress can induce premature cellular senescence. Senescent cells secrete various growth factors and cytokines, such as IL-6, that can signal to the tumor microenvironment and promote cancer cell growth. Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) is a class III histone deacetylase that regulates a variety of physiological processes, including senescence. We found that caveolin-1, a structural protein component of caveolar membranes, is a direct binding partner of Sirt1, as shown by the binding of the scaffolding domain of caveolin-1 (amino acids 82-101) to the caveolin-binding domain of Sirt1 (amino acids 310-317). Our data show that oxidative stress promotes the sequestration of Sirt1 into caveolar membranes and the interaction of Sirt1 with caveolin-1, which lead to inhibition of Sirt1 activity. Reactive oxygen species stimulation promotes acetylation of p53 and premature senescence in wild-type but not caveolin-1 null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Either down-regulation of Sirt1 expression or re-expression of caveolin-1 in caveolin-1 null MEFs restores reactive oxygen species-induced acetylation of p53 and premature senescence. In addition, overexpression of caveolin-1 induces stress induced premature senescence in p53 wild-type but not p53 knockout MEFs. Phosphorylation of caveolin-1 on tyrosine 14 promotes the sequestration of Sirt1 into caveolar membranes and activates p53/senescence signaling. We also identified IL-6 as a caveolin-1-specific cytokine that is secreted by senescent fibroblasts following the caveolin-1-mediated inhibition of Sirt1. The caveolin-1-mediated secretion of IL-6 by senescent fibroblasts stimulates the growth of cancer cells. Therefore, by inhibiting Sirt1, caveolin-1 links free radicals to the activation of the p53/senescence pathway and the protumorigenic properties of IL-6.


Assessing the Impact of an Order Panel Utilizing Weight-Based Insulin and Standardized Monitoring of Blood Glucose for Patients With Hyperkalemia.
Intravenous insulin with glucose is used in urgent treatment for hyperkalemia but has a significant risk of hypoglycemia. The authors developed an order panel within the electronic health record system that utilizes weight-based insulin dosing and standardized blood glucose monitoring to reduce hypoglycemia. As initial evaluation of this protocol, the authors retrospectively compared potassium and blood glucose lowering in patients treated with the weight-based (0.1 units/kg) insulin order panel (n = 195) with those given insulin based on provider judgment (n = 69). Serum potassium lowering did not differ between groups and there was no relationship between dose of insulin and amount of potassium lowering. There was a difference in hypoglycemia rates between groups ( P = .049), with fewer severe hypoglycemic events in the panel (2.56%) than in the non-panel group (10.14%). These data suggest weight-based insulin dosing is equally effective for lowering serum potassium and may lower risk of severe hypoglycemia.


Reduction of musculoskeletal injuries in intensive care nurses using ceiling-mounted patient lifts.
The musculoskeletal injury (MSI) rate in the Richmond Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) increased significantly in 2000 and 2001 by 130%. As part of a quality initiative program, the problem was identified, assessed, and a plan was developed that involved the installation of ceiling-mounted patient lifts (CMPL) and the incorporation of a patient positioning sling. The evaluation process included a survey given to the ICU nursing staff prior to the implementation of the CMPL and repeated three, six, and 18 months after implementation. The survey included questions about discomfort, fatigue, and frustration levels before and after a 12-hour shift, as well as any medical interventions such as use of medications, physician visits, physiotherapy, and massage therapy for work-related issues. The use of the lifts contributed to lower scores in fatigue, pain and frustration in addition to a reduction in medical visits. The results also demonstrated a significant reduction in work-related time loss claims while promoting a positive workplace environment.


[Ultrastructural and histological studies on type I osteogenesis imperfecta].
The results of 3 bone biopsies in patients with Sillence I. type of osteogenesis imperfecta are described. The biopsy material was examined with light microscope histomorphometric and various electron microscopic methods. Histomorphometry showed that the osteoid rim (OS%) and the steroid surface covered by osteoblasts (OB%) was significantly greater, in the same time the relative quantity of osteoid (Vvos%) was significantly less, compared with the normal bone. Electron microscopy showed the broadening and unevenness of the mineralization front. The diameters of the collagen fibers were quite unstable compared with the control. The structure of the newly developed apatit crystals was not different, although their measure was less than of the control. The microanalytical examinations of Ca/P relation of the crystal phase did not show any difference.


Education and training column: communities of practice.
This column describes the key components of a community of practice, with examples from the experience of 1 such group. A community of practice is a potentially useful model for developing and disseminating knowledge about psychiatric rehabilitation and to supplement the short-term training sessions that typically constitute psychiatric rehabilitation workforce development. This description draws from published material on communities of practice and the authors' experience. Communities of practice are receiving increased attention for workforce development, and guidelines do exist for making these communities effective in achieving their aims. The development of such learning communities provides members with a chance for professional development, but also the opportunity to develop greater overall capacity of the mental health system by sharing knowledge and expertise across organizational lines.


The Role of IL-6 in Skin Fibrosis and Cutaneous Wound Healing.
The timely resolution of wound healing is critical for restoring the skin as a protective barrier. The switch from a proinflammatory to a reparative microenvironment must be tightly regulated. Interleukin (IL)-6 is a key modulator of the inflammatory and reparative process: it is involved in the differentiation, activation, and proliferation of leukocytes, endothelial cells, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. This review examines the role of IL-6 in the healing of cutaneous wounds, and how dysregulation of IL-6 signaling can lead to either fibrosis or a failure to heal. The role of an IL-6/TGF-β feedback loop is discussed in the context of fibrogenesis, while IL-6 expression and responses in advanced age, diabetes, and obesity is outlined regarding the development of chronic wounds. Current research on therapies that modulate IL-6 is explored. Here, we consider IL-6's diverse impact on cutaneous wound healing.


Electrochemically promoted C-N bond formation from amines and CO2 in ionic liquid BMIm-BF4: Synthesis of carbamates.
A new electrochemical procedure for the synthesis of organic carbamates from amines and carbon dioxide has been developed using selective cathodic reduction of carbon dioxide in CO2-saturated room-temperature ionic liquid BMIm-BF4 solutions containing amines 1a-j, followed by addition of EtI as an alkylating agent. The synthesis was carried out under mild (PCO2 = 1.0 atm, t = 55 degrees C) and safe conditions, and the use of volatile and toxic solvents and catalysts (according to the growing demand for ecofriendly synthetic methodologies), as well as of any supporting electrolyte (for a very easy workup of the reaction mixture), was avoided. Carbamates 2a-j were isolated in good to high yields.


Light-Promoted Low-Valent-Tungsten-Catalyzed Ambient Temperature Amination of Boronic Acids with Nitroaromatics.
Triggering C-N bond formation with nitroaromatics and boronic acids at mild conditions is highly desirable, since most prior works were carried out under harsh conditions and sometimes suffered from poor chemo- or regioselectivity. Herein, a low-valent-tungsten-catalyzed reaction that enables the ambient temperature amination of boronic acids with nitroaromatics is disclosed. With readily available W(CO)6 as a precatalyst under external-photosensitizer-free conditions, nitroaromatics smoothly undergo C-N coupling reactions with their boronic acid partners, delivering structurally diverse secondary amines in good yields (>50 examples, yields up to 96%). This methodology is both scalable and highly chemoselective and engages both aliphatic and aromatic boronic acid partners. The catalysis is initiated by the deoxygenation of nitroaromatics by a trans-[W(CO)4(PPh3)2] (trans-W, PPh3 = triphenylphosphine) complex, which forms in situ via ligand replacement.


Formulation of budesonide mouthwash for the treatment of oral chronic graft-versus-host disease.
Oral involvement is (very) common in chronic graft-versus-host disease and can cause discomfort and impairment of oral function. Budesonide, a highly potent corticosteroid with low systemic activity, can be used as a topical treatment for oral chronic graft-versus-host disease. We describe the development of a formulation of budesonide and sodium bicarbonate for use as mouthwash in patients with oral chronic graft-versus-host disease.


Cbx3 maintains lineage specificity during neural differentiation.
Chromobox homolog 3 (Cbx3/heterochromatin protein 1γ [HP1γ]) stimulates cell differentiation, but its mechanism is unknown. We found that Cbx3 binds to gene promoters upon differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and recruits the Mediator subunit Med26. RNAi knockdown of either Cbx3 or Med26 inhibits neural differentiation while up-regulating genes involved in mesodermal lineage decisions. Thus, Cbx3 and Med26 together ensure the fidelity of lineage specification by enhancing the expression of neural genes and down-regulating genes specific to alternative fates.


Effective information management and assurance for a modern organisation during a crisis.
During a crisis, organisations face a major unpredictable event with potentially negative consequences. Effective information management and assurance can assist the organisation in making sure that they have the correct information in a secure format to make decisions to recover their operations. The main elements of effective information management and assurance are confidentiality, integrity and availability, combined with non-repudiation. Should an element of effective information management or assurance be removed it can have a detrimental effect on the other elements and render the information management and assurance practices of the organisation ineffectual.


Isolation of Mouse Endometrial Epithelial and Stromal Cells for In Vitro Decidualization.
Decidualization is a progesterone-dependent differentiation process of endometrial stromal cells and is a prerequisite for successful embryo implantation. Although many efforts have been made to reveal the underlying mechanisms of decidualization, the exact signaling between the epithelial cells that are in contact with the embryo and the underlying stromal cells remains poorly understood. Therefore, studying decidualization in a way that takes both the epithelial and stromal cells into account could improve our knowledge about the molecular details of decidualization. For this purpose, in vivo models of artificial decidualization are physiologically the most relevant; however, manipulation of intercellular communication is limited. Currently, in vitro cultures of endometrial stromal cells are being used to investigate the modulation of decidualization by several signaling molecules. Conventionally, human or mouse endometrial stromal cells are used. However, the availability of human samples is very often limited. Furthermore, the use of murine tissues is accompanied with variety in the method of culturing. This study presents a validated and standardized method to obtain pure Endometrial Epithelial Cell (EEC) and Stromal Cell (ESC) cultures using adult intact mice treated with estrogen for three consecutive days. The protocol is optimized to improve the yield, viability, and purity of the cells and was further extended in order to study decidualization in a coculture of EEC and ESC. This model may be suitable to exploit the importance of both cell types in decidualization and to evaluate the contribution of significant signaling molecules secreted by EEC or ESC during the intercellular communication.


Predicting 3D RNA structure from the nucleotide sequence using Euclidean neural networks.
Fast and accurate 3D RNA structure prediction remains a major challenge in structural biology, mostly due to the size and flexibility of RNA molecules, as well as the lack of diverse experimentally determined structures of RNA molecules. Unlike DNA structure, RNA structure is far less constrained by basepair hydrogen bonding, resulting in an explosion of potential stable states. Here, we propose a convolutional neural network that predicts all pairwise distances between residues in an RNA, using a recently described smooth parametrization of Euclidean distance matrices. We achieve high-accuracy predictions on RNAs up to 100 nt in length in fractions of a second, a factor of 107 faster than existing molecular dynamics-based methods. We also convert our coarse-grained machine learning output into an all-atom model using discrete molecular dynamics with constraints. Our proposed computational pipeline predicts all-atom RNA models solely from the nucleotide sequence. However, this method suffers from the same limitation as nucleic acid molecular dynamics: the scarcity of available RNA crystal structures for training.


Primary oral leiomyosarcoma: a retrospective clinical analysis of 20 cases.
As a review and clinical analysis of primary oral leiomyosarcoma (LMS) cases in West China stomatology Hospital in the past 37 years, this study provides demographic, therapeutic and prognostic information of this rare tumor. In our study, 20 cases of primary oral LMS treated between 1972 and 2008 in West China Stomatology Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. A thorough review of clinical records was carried out and potential indicators of survival were analyzed. The most common symptom of oral LMS presented as a painless mass. The median age of patients was 37 years, and the peak incidence age of this tumor was in the 2nd and 5th decades. There was no predilection of gender, and the male-to-female ratio was 11:9. The most frequently occurring site of oral leiomysarcoma was the jawbones. The prognosis of this tumor was poor as a result of the high local recurrence and the estimated 2 year survival was 17.6%. The bony involvement and method of therapy was observed to have an influence on the prognosis and survival of this tumor (P < 0.05). There was a predilection site of jawbones for oral LMS, and bony involvement was a potential indicator suggesting a poorer prognosis. The recommended method of therapy on this tumor was aggressive, radical surgical resection; however, adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy may also have a beneficial effect.


Body composition and the aged: what needs to be measured?
Within the gerontological and geriatric population studies in Gothenburg, Sweden, body composition studies have been performed with a four-compartment model (using whole-body potassium 40 counting and dilution of isotope labelled water) for two decades, the impedance method for some years and total body nitrogen determination by in vivo neutron activation technique for the last few years. Examples are given from a longitudinal study in 70-year-olds followed at the ages of 75, 79 and 81 years, and from a recent study of 75year-olds.


Formation of beyerene, kaurene, trachylobane, and atiserene diterpenes by rearrangements that avoid secondary carbocations.
Quantum chemical calculations on carbocation intermediates encountered during the conversion of ent-copalyl diphosphate to the diterpenes beyerene, kaurene, trachylobane, and atiserene are described. Based on the results of these computations, it is suggested that previously proposed secondary carbocation intermediates are avoided. In some cases, complex rearrangements in which up to three alkyl or hydride shifting events are coupled into concerted processes are predicted to occur instead. The potential effects of electron-rich active site groups on the inherent reactivity of key carbocations are discussed, as are complex rearrangements coupled to deprotonation events. Based on computed electrostatic potential maps, it also is proposed that ammonium ions that were previously designed as mimics of several carbocations are actually better mimics of transition state structures for carbocation deprotonation.


Wash or wipe? A comparative study of skin physiological changes between water washing and wiping after skin cleaning.
Presently, skin-cleaning agents that claim to be removed by water or wiping alone are commercially available and have been used for the purpose of bed baths. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how water washing and wiping differently affect skin physiological functions or ceramide content. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of water washing and wiping on skin physiological functions and ceramide content. Three kinds of the cleaning agents with different removal techniques (ie, water washing and wiping) were used in this study. Skin physiological functions (ie, transepidermal water loss, skin hydration, and skin pH) and skin ceramide content were measured before and after seven consecutive days of the application of each cleaning agent. No significant differences in skin physiological functions or ceramide content were observed between water washing and wiping. Cleaning agents that claim to be removed by water washing or wiping do not affect skin physiological functions or ceramide content by either removal method.


Self-Accelerating Effect in a Covalent-Organic Framework with Imidazole Groups Boosts Electroreduction of CO2 to CO.
Solvent effect plays an important role in catalytic reaction, but there is little research and attention on it in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2 RR). Herein, we report a stable covalent-organic framework (denoted as PcNi-im) with imidazole groups as a new electrocatalyst for eCO2 RR to CO. Interestingly, compared with neutral conditions, PcNi-im not only showed high Faraday efficiency of CO product (≈100 %) under acidic conditions (pH ≈ 1), but also the partial current density was increased from 258 to 320 mA cm-2 . No obvious degradation was observed over 10 hours of continuous operation at the current density of 250 mA cm-2 . The mechanism study shows that the imidazole group on the framework can be protonated to form an imidazole cation in acidic media, hence reducing the surface work function and charge density of the active metal center. As a result, CO poisoning effect is weakened and the key intermediate *COOH is also stabilized, thus accelerating the catalytic reaction rate.


Synthesis and Properties of Triaminocyclopropenium Cation Based Ionic Liquids as Hypergolic Fluids.
A novel family of hydrophobic triaminocyclopropenium cation based ionic liquids have been synthesized, and their structures and physicochemical properties characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and hypergolic tests. The experimental results showed that all of these ionic liquids exhibited the expected hypergolic reactivity with the oxidizer white fuming nitric acid. Among them, the hypergolic ionic liquid based on the cyanoimidazolylborohydride anion showed excellent integrated properties, including high decomposition temperature (194 °C), high density (0.95 g cm-3 ), moderate viscosity (44 MPa s), ultrafast ignition delay time (6 ms), and high specific impulse (301.9 s); this demonstrates its potential as an environmentally friendly alternative to toxic hydrazine derivatives.


In vitro metabolism of carbofuran by human, mouse, and rat cytochrome P450 and interactions with chlorpyrifos, testosterone, and estradiol.
Carbofuran is a carbamate pesticide used in agricultural practice throughout the world. Its effect as a pesticide is due to its ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity. Though carbofuran has a long history of use, there is little information available with respect to its metabolic fate and disposition in mammals. The present study was designed to investigate the comparative in vitro metabolism of carbofuran from human, rat, and mouse liver microsomes (HLM, RLM, MLM, respectively), and characterize the specific enzymes involved in such metabolism, with particular reference to human metabolism. Carbofuran is metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) leading to the production of one major ring oxidation metabolite, 3-hydroxycarbofuran, and two minor metabolites. The affinity of carbofuran for CYP enzymes involved in the oxidation to 3-hydroxycarbofuran is significantly less in HLM (Km=1.950 mM) than in RLM (Km=0.210 mM), or MLM (Km=0.550 mM). Intrinsic clearance rate calculations indicate that HLM are 14-fold less efficient in the metabolism of carbofuran to 3-hydroxycarbofuran than RLM or MLM. A screen of 15 major human CYP isoforms for metabolic ability with respect to carbofuran metabolism demonstrated that CYP3A4 is the major isoform responsible for carbofuran oxidation in humans. CYP1A2 and 2C19 are much less active while other human CYP isoforms have minimal or no activity toward carbofuran. In contrast with the human isoforms, members of the CYP2C family in rats are likely to have a primary role in carbofuran metabolism. Normalization of HLM data with the average levels of each CYP in native HLM, indicates that carbofuran metabolism is primarily mediated by CYP3A4 (percent total normalized rate (% TNR)=77.5), although CYP1A2 and 2C19 play ancillary roles (% TNR=9.0 and 6.0, respectively). This is substantiated by the fact that ketoconazole, a specific inhibitor of CYP3A4, is an excellent inhibitor of 3-hydroxycarbofuran formation in HLM (IC50: 0.31 microM). Chlorpyrifos, an irreversible non-competitive inhibitor of CYP3A4, inhibits the formation of 3-hydroxycarbofuran in HLM (IC50: 39 microM). The use of phenotyped HLM demonstrated that individuals with high levels of CYP3A4 have the greatest potential to metabolize carbofuran to its major metabolite. The variation in carbofuran metabolism among 17 single-donor HLM samples is over 5-fold and the best correlation between CYP isoform activity and carbofuran metabolism was observed with CYP3A4 (r2=0.96). The interaction of carbofuran and the endogenous CYP3A4 substrates, testosterone and estradiol, were also investigated. Testosterone metabolism was activated by carbofuran in HLM and CYP3A4, however, less activation was observed for carbofuran metabolism by testosterone in HLM and CYP3A4. No interactions between carbofuran and estradiol metabolism were observed.


Cordycepin inhibits induction of murine leukovirus production by 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine.
Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), an inhibitor of poly(A) synthesis during the processing of nuclear heterogenous RNA, blocks the production of RNA viruses induced by 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine in BALB/3T3 and BALB/K-3T3 cells. This inhibitory activity is not a result of either nonspecific cell killing or general cytotoxicity by cordycepin; rather, it appears to be specific, because cordycepin acts only at a critical time to inhibit virus production. These findings, together with the finding of poly(A) sequences in viral RNAs, suggest that RNA tumor viruses replicate via a transcription of proviral DNA.


Resolving Quinoid Structure in Poly(para-phenylene) Chains.
The quinoid structure, a resonance structure of benzenoid, gives rise to peculiar chemical reactivity and physical properties. A complete characterization of its geometric and electronic properties on the atomic scale is of vital importance to understand and engineer the chemical and physical properties of quinoid molecules. Here, we report a real-space structural and electronic characterization of quinoid poly(para-phenylene) (PPP) chains by using noncontact atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Our results reveal that quinoid PPP chains adopt a coplanar adsorption configuration on Cu(111) and host in-gap states near Fermi level. In addition, intra- and interchain hopping of quinoid structure are observed, indicative of a quasiparticle behavior originating from charge-lattice interactions. The experimental results are nicely reproduced by tight-binding calculations. Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the structural and electronic properties of quinoid PPP chains in real space and may be further extended to address the dynamics of nonlinear excitations in quinoid molecules.


High-harmonic generation in liquids with few-cycle pulses: effect of laser-pulse duration on the cut-off energy.
High-harmonic generation (HHG) in liquids is opening new opportunities for attosecond light sources and attosecond time-resolved studies of dynamics in the liquid phase. In gas-phase HHG, few-cycle pulses are routinely used to create isolated attosecond pulses and to extend the cut-off energy. Here, we study the properties of HHG in liquids, including heavy water, ethanol and isopropanol, by continuously tuning the pulse duration of a mid-infrared driver from the multi- to the two-cycle regime. Similar to the gas phase, we observe the transition from discrete odd-order harmonics to continuous extreme-ultraviolet emission. However, the cut-off energy is shown to be entirely independent of the pulse duration. These observations are confirmed by ab-initio simulations of HHG in large liquid clusters. Our results support the notion that the cut-off energy is a fundamental property of the liquid, independent of the driving-pulse properties. Our work implies that few-cycle mid-infrared laser pulses are suitable drivers for generating isolated attosecond pulses from liquids and confirm the capability of high-harmonic spectroscopy to determine the mean-free paths of slow electrons in liquids.


The proteins of Fusobacterium spp. involved in hydrogen sulfide production from L-cysteine.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a toxic foul-smelling gas produced by subgingival biofilms in patients with periodontal disease and is suggested to be part of the pathogenesis of the disease. We studied the H2S-producing protein expression of bacterial strains associated with periodontal disease. Further, we examined the effect of a cysteine-rich growth environment on the synthesis of intracellular enzymes in F. nucleatum polymorphum ATCC 10953. The proteins were subjected to one-dimensional (1DE) and two-dimensional (2DE) gel electrophoresis An in-gel activity assay was used to detect the H2S-producing enzymes; Sulfide from H2S, produced by the enzymes in the gel, reacted with bismuth forming bismuth sulfide, illustrated as brown bands (1D) or spots (2D) in the gel. The discovered proteins were identified with liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Cysteine synthase and proteins involved in the production of the coenzyme pyridoxal 5'phosphate (that catalyzes the production of H2S) were frequently found among the discovered enzymes. Interestingly, a higher expression of H2S-producing enzymes was detected from bacteria incubated without cysteine prior to the experiment. Numerous enzymes, identified as cysteine synthase, were involved in the production of H2S from cysteine and the expression varied among Fusobacterium spp. and strains. No enzymes were detected with the in-gel activity assay among the other periodontitis-associated bacteria tested. The expression of the H2S-producing enzymes was dependent on environmental conditions such as cysteine concentration and pH but less dependent on the presence of serum and hemin.


Urinary Strong Ion Difference as a Marker of Renal Dysfunction. A Retrospective Analysis.
The kidneys play a crucial role in the regulation of electrolytes and acid-base homeostasis. Urinary Strong Ion Difference (SIDu = NaU + KU-ClU) represents an important aspect of renal acid-base regulation. We evaluated the role of SIDu as a marker of renal dysfunction in critically ill patients. Patients admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit with a diagnosis of AKI for whom concomitant urinary samples available for SIDu calculation were retrospectively reviewed and staged according to KDIGO criteria for 3 days from inclusion. Patients were classified as Recovered (R-AKI) or Persistent-AKI (P-AKI) whether they exited KDIGO criteria within the 3-day observation period or not. A control group with normal renal function and normal serum acid-base and electrolytes was prospectively recruited in order to identify reference SIDu values. One-hundred-and-forty-three patients with a diagnosis of AKI were included: 77 with R-AKI, and 66 with P-AKI. Thirty-six controls were recruited. Patients with P-AKI had more severe renal dysfunction and higher mortality than patients with R-AKI (SCr 2.23(IQR:1.68-3.45) and 1.81(IQR1.5-2.5) mg/dl respectively, p<0.001; 24-h UO 1297(950) and 2100(1094) ml respectively, p = 0.003); 30-d mortality, 39% and 13% respectively; p<0.001). SIDu significantly differed between groups, with rising values from controls to P-AKI groups (16.4(12), 30(24) and 47.3(21.5) mEq/l respectively, p<0.001). SIDu may be a simple and inexpensive tool in AKI patients' evaluation. Further research is needed to evaluate the ability of SIDu to identify patients with renal dysfunction before derangements in serum creatinine or urine output are observed.


Clinical effects of exposure to the White-stemmed gum moth (Chelepteryx collesi).
The White-stemmed gum moth (Chelepteryx collesi) can be found in eastern Australia. The clinical effects of injuries caused by its many spine-like hairs are poorly defined and concern about the numerous hairs that remain embedded following contact with the cocoon have led to heroic means of removal. To examine the clinical effects of injuries by the caterpillar or cocoon of the White-stemmed gum moth. Prospective observational study of caterpillar injuries from calls to the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre. Cases resulting from C. collesi exposure were included for analysis. Caterpillars and cocoons were expertly identified where available and a follow-up consultation of all patients was conducted. Information was collected on the circumstances of exposure, local and systemic effects and treatment. From the 26 included cases, seven had confirmed caterpillar contact (all children aged 1-11), six had confirmed cocoon contact and 13 had exposures consistent with C. collesi, but no caterpillar was caught. All cases occurred in summer. Of 13 confirmed exposures there was no difference between caterpillars and cocoons, and these were considered together. Affected areas were hands, feet, or both, following C. collesi being handled or trodden on. Pain was reported in all 13 cases, one with severe pain. In 10 cases pain duration was < 60 min. Six subjects had more than 100 hairs embedded (small black dots). In three cases, the hairs were surrounded by swelling and yellow discolouration. Despite the attempted removal of multiple hairs, they remained embedded for prolonged periods but caused no sequelae. The clinical effects of the White-stemmed gum moth were minor with local pain. Although hairs remained in all cases, they caused no problems. Complete removal of hairs is neither possible nor necessary, and painful and invasive methods should be avoided.


Shoulder pain in water polo: a systematic review of the literature.
The main aim of this systematic review is to synthesize and critically evaluate literature on the incidence and clinical presentation of shoulder pain in water polo. A secondary aim is to examine the contributing factors to shoulder pain in water polo. Medline, Cinahl, Embase, Ausport, Ovid, Sports Discus, Pubmed and Google Scholar data bases were electronically searched. Data were extracted regarding research design, injuries, pain, incidence, interventions and therapy outcomes. Of an initial yield of 23 papers, 11 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were categorized into studies on incidence, shoulder pain, shoulder mobility, strength and throwing injuries. Methodological limitations included sampling and measurement biases, inadequate internal validity of measurement tools, poor specification of testing protocols and limitations in statistical analysis. The review found a high incidence of shoulder pain in water polo. Although there was limited evidence regarding causation, the repeated action of throwing was identified as a contributing factor to shoulder pain. Future studies need to explore the relative contributions of hyper-mobility and muscle strength imbalance to shoulder pain in water polo.


Does Helicobacter pylori Eradication Reduce the Risk of Open Angle Glaucoma in Patients With Peptic Ulcer Disease?
To investigate whether Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) eradication would influence the risk of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) in patients with peptic ulcer disease. From the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000, 6061 patients with peptic ulcer and receiving H pylori eradication therapy were recruited. The study cohort was subdivided into early (within 1 year) and late (after 1 year) eradication cohorts. The 24,244 control cohort subjects were those who without peptic ulcer and without receiving H pylori eradication therapy and were frequency-matched with the H pylori eradication cohort by age, sex, and the year of receiving H pylori eradication therapy. The higher incidence of POAG was observed in late H pylori eradication cohort and in early H pylori eradication cohort than in control cohort (1.57, 1.32, and 0.95, per 1000 person-year, respectively). However, overall risk of glaucoma was not significantly higher in the late eradication than in the early eradication (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.85, 95% confidence interval = 0.48-1.53). The POAG incidence was greater in the late H pylori eradication cohort when follow-up duration ≤ 5 years (1.59, per 1000 person-years). However, when follow-up duration >5 years, the incidence of POAG was greater in the early H pylori eradication cohort (1.68, per 1000 person-years). These relationships were not associated with a significantly increased or decreased risk of POAG in multivariable analyses. Either early or late H pylori eradication does not significantly reduce the risk of glaucoma in patients with peptic ulcer disease compared with normal control.


Loss of all ndh genes as determined by sequencing the entire chloroplast genome of the black pine Pinus thunbergii.
The complete nucleotide sequence (119,707 bp) of the black pine (Pinus thunbergii) chloroplast genome has been determined. It contains 4 rRNA genes and 32 tRNA genes. To our knowledge, the tRNAPro (GGG) gene has not been found in any other chloroplast genome analyzed. Sixty-one genes encoding proteins and 11 conserved open reading frames are also found. Extensive rearrangements are apparent in the chloroplast genome relative to those of other land plants. The most striking feature is the loss of all 11 functional genes (ndh genes) for subunits of a putative NADH dehydrogenase that are found in the chloroplast genomes of angiosperms and a bryophyte. Four ndh genes were completely lost and the other 7 genes remain as obvious pseudogenes. This unexpected finding raises the possibility that all ndh genes have been transferred to the nucleus or that an NADH dehydrogenase is not essential in black pine chloroplasts.


Exploring flow rate selection in HIPEC procedures.
Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has emerged as a main comprehensive treatment of peritoneal malignancies. However, current data on the literature are very heterogeneous in terms of its technical particularities, which require some efforts to standardization of practices. In these setting, we present some early data from a pioneering clinical trial in Brazil (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02249013) to explore the dynamic relationships between flow rates and temperature parameters in the first cases of our study, which may help in selecting better technical parameters during HIPEC procedures.


Familial Gastric Cancers.
Although the majority of gastric carcinomas are sporadic, approximately 10% show familial aggregation, and a hereditary cause is determined in 1%-3% cases. Of these, hereditary diffuse gastric cancer is the most recognized predisposition syndrome. Although rare, the less commonly known syndromes also confer a markedly increased risk for development of gastric cancer. Identification and characterization of these syndromes require a multidisciplinary effort involving oncologists, surgeons, genetic counselors, biologists, and pathologists. This article reviews the molecular genetics, clinical and pathologic features, surveillance guidelines, and preventive measures of common and less common hereditary gastric cancer predisposition syndromes.


Characterizing magnetoencephalographic spike sources in children with tuberous sclerosis complex.
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) often causes medically intractable seizures. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) localizes epileptiform discharges. To evaluate the use of MEG spike sources (MEGSSs) for localizing epileptic zones in TSC patients, we characterized MEGSSs and correlated them to EEG and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results. We analyzed data from seven children who underwent prolonged video-EEG, MEG, and MRI. We classified MEGSSs as clusters (six or more spike sources, <or=1 cm between sources) and scatters (fewer than six spike sources regardless of distance between sources; sources with >1 cm between sources regardless of number of sources). A single, unilateral cluster with additional scatters occurred in two patients; these predominantly lateralized dipoles correlated to prominent tubers on MRI and ictal/interictal EEG zones. Bilateral clusters with scatters existed in two patients; cluster locations partly overlapped multiple prominent tubers. These patients also had bilateral or diffuse interictal discharges, bilateral or generalized seizures, and changing seizure types and EEG findings. Only bilateral scatters occurred in three patients; scatters partly overlapped EEG interictal/ictal-onset regions; one patient had coexisting generalized seizures. In one patient with equally bilateral scatters, scatters overlapped a prominent tuber and interictal/ictal-onset zones in the right frontal region. MEG contributes to information from EEG and MRI for localizing epileptogenic zones in children with TSC. A single cluster with scatters in a unilateral hemisphere predicts a primary epileptogenic zone or hemisphere; bilateral or multiple clusters indicate bilateral primary or potential epileptogenic zones; and bilateral scatters without clusters may indicate epileptogenic zones that are hidden within extensive areas of scattered MEGSSs.


Microscope sterility system.
The problem of microscope sterility during ophthalmic microsurgery has generally been managed by using sterilizable handle protectors, or by using some form of plastic sterilizable drape for the entire microscope. Both of these systems have disadvantages. A simple and effective alternative which has been designed for Zeiss operating microscopes and can be modified for other types of instruments is presented. No modification of the microscope is required. The instrument consists of two pieces: a metal bracket which mounts in the accessory shoe of the operating microscope, and a rigid plastic sterilizable portion which is readily attached on the microscope from below with three sterilizable screws. The entire assembly can be attached within 15 seconds. It affords complete sterility protection of the operative field; it provides a sterile surface for handling and moving the microscope; it does not interfere with accessory lighting systerms; and it allows open access to external accessories such as cameras and observer tubes.


Two Ig framework I epitopic specificities recognized by a rabbit antiserum and a monoclonal antibody to mouse VH chains.
The reactivity of 23 mouse monoclonal Ig with a rabbit polyclonal antiserum to VH of anti-alpha(1----6)dextran 19.22.1 and with a monoclonal anti-VH of anti-DNP MOPC315, when correlated with amino acid sequence, identified several residues in the first and third framework regions as being of potential importance in forming the epitope. Inhibition studies using synthetic peptides corresponding to residues 1-15 of the monoclonal Ig used to produce the poly- and monoclonal reagents provide evidence that the epitopes are predominantly, if not exclusively, specific for the N-terminal strand of the domain. Examination of known x-ray structures of mouse VH suggests that the primary difference between the two epitopes in the N-terminal strands is determined by the peptide chain structure due to Pro at position 9. Pro 9 appears essential for the epitope reactive with anti-VH MOPC315.


Brain serotonin turnover correlates inversely with plasma adrenocorticotropin during the triphasic response to adrenalectomy in rats.
After bilateral adrenalectomy in adult male rats a triphasic change occurs in the plasma concentration of radioimmunoassayable ACTH. Plasma ACTH is markedly elevated at 2 h, returns almost to normal at 20 h, and is again markedly elevated 92 h after adrenalectomy. We have examined brain serotonin (5HT) turnover during this period using two nonsteady state methods: accumulation of 5HT after monoamine oxidase inhibition with pargyline and decline of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) after pargyline. Both endpoints demonstrated decreases in hypothalamic and brain stem 5HT turnover 2 and 92 h after adrenalectomy, but normal 5HT turnover 20 h after adrenalectomy. Thus, we demonstrated inverse relationships between 5HT turnover in both the hypothalamus and brain stem and the plasma ACTH concentration throughout the period of triphasic change after adrenalectomy. The adrenalectomy-induced increases in plasma ACTH and decreases in brain 5HT turnover both 2 and 92 h after adrenalectomy are inhibited by treatment with small doses of corticosterone. The data strongly suggest that the activity of some brain 5HT neurons changes after adrenalectomy in a triphasic pattern and, further, that these changes are related in part to glucocorticoid withdrawal. 5HT receptor antagonists blunted corticosterone inhibition of the adrenalectomy-induced decreases in brain 5HT turnover, providing further evidence for an interaction between glucocorticoids and brain 5HT neurons. The data are consistent with a role of brain 5HT neurons in the adrenalectomy-induced triphasic changes in ACTH secretion.


The detection of preclinical Parkinson's disease: what is the role of positron emission tomography?
On clinical criteria alone, the diagnosis of early Parkinson's disease can be difficult and, by definition, the prospective recognition of preclinical Parkinson's disease is impossible. Positron emission tomography (PET) using [18F]dopa as tracer has been proposed as a means of identifying patients with preclinical disease. The number of subjects detected to date has been few; most have been identified by serendipity or during the course of family studies. This review examines the significance of a single abnormal scan in an apparently healthy subject in terms of the relationship between normal and abnormal values and the time course of the disease.