Functional analysis of IgA antibodies specific for a conserved epitope within the M protein of group A streptococci from Australian Aboriginal endemic communities.
The mucosa is one of the initial sites of group A streptococcal (GAS) infection and salivary IgA (sIgA) is thought to be critical to immunity. However, the target epitopes of sIgA and the function of sIgA in GAS immunity, in particular the role of accessory cells and complement, is largely unknown. We studied the aquisition and the function of sIgA specific for a conserved region epitope, p145 (sequence: LRRDLDASREAKKQVEKALE) of the M protein. Peptide 145-specific sIgA is highly prevalent within an Aboriginal population living in an area endemic for GAS and acquisition of p145-specific sIgA increases with age, consistent with a role for such antibodies in immunity to GAS. Human sIgA and IgG specific for p145 were affinity purified and shown to opsonize M5 GAS in vitro. Opsonization could be specifically inhibited by the addition of free p145 to the antibodies during assay. Opsonization of GAS was totally dependent on the presence of both complement and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and, moreover, affinity-purified p145-specific sIgA was shown to fix complement in the presence of M5 GAS. These data show that mucosal IgA to this conserved region peptide within the M protein has an important role in human immunity against GAS and may be useful in a broad-based cross-protective anti-streptococcal vaccine.


Diabetes mellitus: a brief history, epidemiology, definition and classification.
Diabetes mellitus is a systemic disease of great significance to optometrists. This review includes a brief history of the key discoveries in the understanding of diabetes from ancient times and a summary of the present knowledge of diabetes with respect to prevalence, epidemiology and major complications. The currently accepted classification of diabetes mellitus includes the major categories of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, specific diabetes types and gestational diabetes. The definition of diabetes has also been revised recently. The new diagnostic criterion for diabetes mellitus is a confirmed fasting plasma glucose equal to or greater than 7.0 mmol/L, with a reduced reliance on the role of oral glucose tolerance testing.


Traffic-related air pollution is associated with atopy in children living in urban areas.
Traffic emissions are a major source of air pollution in Western industrialized countries. To investigate the association between traffic-related air pollution and parameters of atopy, we studied 317 children 9 years of age living near major roads in two urban areas and one suburban area of a city in West Germany. Atopic sensitization was analyzed by skin-prick testing and determination of allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin E. Parents recorded allergic symptoms in a symptom diary, and physicians assessed allergic diseases. Personal NO2 exposure and NO2 concentrations in front of each child's home were measured. Outdoor NO2 was a good predictor for traffic exposure but a poor predictor for NO2 exposure at the personal level. Atopy was found to be related to outdoor NO2 (odds ratio for the association between symptoms of allergic rhinitis and outdoor NO2 = 1.81; 95% confidence interval = 1.02-3.21) but not to personal NO2 (odds ratio for the association between symptoms of allergic rhinitis and personal NO2 = 0.99; 95% confidence interval = 0.55-1.79). When the analysis was restricted to urban areas, we found that hay fever, symptoms of allergic rhinitis, wheezing, sensitization against pollen, house dust mites or cats, and milk or eggs were associated with outdoor NO2. The results indicate that traffic-related air pollution leads to increased prevalence of atopic sensitizations, allergic symptoms, and diseases.


Phosphatidylcholine synthesis-related enzyme activities of bovine brain microvessels exhibit susceptibility to peroxidation.
In microvessels isolated from bovine brain, microsomal enzyme activities involved in phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis and degradation were determined. The microvessels possessed acyl-CoA:1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (AT) and glycerophosphocholine phosphodiesterase (GroPChoPDE) activity at a higher level compared with bovine and rat brain or rat liver microsomes whereas they expressed CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) and choline phosphotransferase (CPT) activity at a lower level. Each enzyme has been characterized in terms of response to inhibitors or activators revealing properties very similar to those in brain and liver microsomes. In the homogenate prepared from t-butylhydroperoxide-treated microvessels (10 min exposure to 10 microM up to 1 mM concentrations), AT and CPT activities exhibited a significant dose-dependent inhibition. In contrast, GroPChoPDE activity was unaffected. CT was inhibited only at 1 mM concentration. Short treatment of microvessels with Fe2+ (20 microM)-ascorbate (0.25 mM) or 100 microM linoleate hydroperoxide did not have any effect on the activity of the four enzymes. Strong inhibition of all enzymes was noted when the linoleate hydroperoxide system was fortified by Fe2+ ions (100 microM). AT inactivation was also found when oxidized low density lipoprotein was preincubated with microvessels. On the other hand, oxidized LDL left unchanged CPT and GroPChoPDE activities whereas it promoted a slight stimulation of cytidylyltransferase activity. Overall, the results suggest a link between oxygen radical generation and the perturbation of the microvessel membrane structure in which the four enzymes are incorporated, coupled to a direct sulfhydryl protein modification.


A six-month comparison of three periodontal local antimicrobial therapies in persistent periodontal pockets.
Currently, several local antimicrobial delivery systems are available to periodontists. The aim of this 6-month follow-up parallel study was to evaluate the efficacy of three commercially available local delivery systems as adjuncts to scaling and root planing in the treatment of sites with persistent periodontal lesions. Seventy-nine patients with 4 pockets > or = 5 mm and bleeding on probing and/or suppuration were randomized into 4 treatment groups which included: scaling and root planing alone (S) (20 patients), or in conjunction with the application of 25% tetracycline fibers (S+Tet) (19 patients), or 2% minocycline gel (S+Min) (21 patients), or 25% metronidazole gel (S+Met) (19 patients). Clinical measurements were taken at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after antimicrobial application. Treatments were applied using the distributors' recommended protocols. All 4 therapies resulted in significant improvements from baseline in probing depth, attachment level, bleeding on probing, and the Modified Gingival Index (MGI) scores. The improvements in clinical parameters were greater in all 3 adjunctive treatment groups than scaling and root planing alone. The mean probing depth reductions at 6 months were: scaling + tetracycline = 1.38 mm; scaling + metronidazole = 0.93 mm; scaling + minocycline = 1.10 mm; and scaling alone = 0.71 mm. The probing depth reduction at all time points was significantly greater in the scaling plus tetracycline fiber group than the scaling and root planing alone group (P<0.01). There was also a significant improvement for scaling plus tetracycline fiber application over scaling and metronidazole at both 6 weeks and 3 months, although this did not remain significant at the 6-month visit. While the frequency of sites with suppuration was markedly reduced following all antimicrobial treatments, the most effective reductions were seen in the scaling plus tetracycline fiber group, followed by the minocycline group. Although all 3 locally applied antimicrobial systems seem to offer some benefit over scaling and root planing alone, a treatment regimen of scaling and root planing plus tetracycline fiber placement gave the greatest reduction in probing depth over the 6 months after treatment.


Probiotics Exhibit Strain-Specific Protective Effects in T84 Cells Challenged With Clostridioides difficile-Infected Fecal Water.
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is frequently associated with intestinal injury and mucosal barrier dysfunction, leading to an inflammatory response involving neutrophil localization and upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The severity of clinical manifestations is associated with the extent of the immune response, which requires mitigation for better clinical management. Probiotics could play a protective role in this disorder due to their immunomodulatory ability in gastrointestinal disorders. We assessed five single-strain and three multi-strain probiotics for their ability to modulate CDI fecal water (FW)-induced effects on T84 cells. The CDI-FW significantly (p < 0.05) decreased T84 cell viability. The CDI-FW-exposed cells also exhibited increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production as characterized by interleukin (IL)-8, C-X-C motif chemokine 5, macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF), IL-32, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) ligand superfamily member 8. Probiotics were associated with strain-specific attenuation of the CDI-FW mediated effects, whereby Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-1079 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus R0011 were most effective in reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production and in increasing T84 cell viability. ProtecFlor™, Lactobacillus helveticus R0052, and Bifidobacterium longum R0175 showed moderate effectiveness, and L. rhamnosus GG R0343 along with the two other multi-strain combinations were the least effective. Overall, the findings showed that probiotic strains possess the capability to modulate the CDI-mediated inflammatory response in the gut lumen.


Time-Resolved Spectroscopic and Density Functional Theory Investigation of the Photogeneration of a Bifunctional Quinone Methide in Neutral and Basic Aqueous Solutions.
Binol quinone methides (BQMs) can be generated from 1,1'-(2,2'-dihydroxy-1,1'-binaphthyl-6,6'-diyl)bis(N,N,N-trimethylmethanamiuium) bromide (BQMP-b) in a 1:1 MeCN:H₂O mixed solution via a ground state intramolecular proton transfer (GSIPT), as mentioned in our previously reported studies. Here, the photoreaction of BQMP-b in neutral and basic aqueous solution (pH = 7, 10, 12) was investigated to explore the possible mechanisms and the key intermediates produced in the process of the photoreaction and to examine whether they are different from those in a neutral mild-mixed MeCN:H₂O solution. The studies were conducted using femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA), nanosecond transient absorption (ns-TA), and nanosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy (ns-TR³) in conjunction with results from density functional theory (DFT) computations. The results showed that BQMP-b was deprotonated initially and produced BQMs species more effectively through an E1bc elimination reaction in a strong basic aqueous condition (pH = 12), which differed from the reaction pathway that took place in the solution with pH = 7 or 10. A related single naphthol ring molecule 1-(6-hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl)-N,N,N-trimethylmethanaminium bromide (QMP-b) that did not contain a second naphthol ring was also investigated. The related reaction mechanisms are elucidated in this work, and it is briefly discussed how the mechanisms vary as a function of aqueous solution pH conditions.


[Low-penetrance retinoblastoma due to exons 24 and 25 deletions in the Rb1 gene].
Identification of Rb1 mutations permits accurate genetic counseling. Characterization of the causative mutation in a large low penetrance family is likely to provide important information for tumorigenesis of retinoblastoma(RB). Quantitative fluorescent multiplex PCR QFM-PCR technique was used for mutation detection. Long fragment PCR, reverse transcriptase-PCR, subcloning, direct sequencing and Western blotting techniques were used for characterizing the mutation. A deletion covering exons 24 and 25 of Rb gene was found in a large family with 122 members in four generations. Of the 18 carries in the family, only 11 were delivered to either unilateral or bilateral RB. The family has much low-penetrance retinoblastoma, compared with the usual, high-penetrance RB (95%). An extent of 4 kb fragment deletion was detected in genomic deletion of the mutation. cDNA and sequence data showed a 174 bp shorter than the wild type message RNA resulting in an in-frame loss of 58 residues. Further analysis demonstrated the truncated protein expression of 6000 Da shorter than wild type RB1 protein. QFM-PCR technique has enabled the investigators to identify a large deletion covering entire exons 24 and 25 of the Rb1 gene. It is the largest deletion ever found in low penetrance RB families. The characterizations of the mutation in genomic DNA, RNA and protein have provided new evidences which enhance credence to the idea that low penetrance retinoblastoma is caused by only partially functional disable of Rb1. The data will be useful in genetic counseling, particularly significant for the unaffected carriers in RB low penetrance families.


Astrocytes as Key Regulators of Brain Energy Metabolism: New Therapeutic Perspectives.
Astrocytes play key roles in the regulation of brain energy metabolism, which has a major impact on brain functions, including memory, neuroprotection, resistance to oxidative stress and homeostatic tone. Energy demands of the brain are very large, as they continuously account for 20-25% of the whole body's energy consumption. Energy supply of the brain is tightly linked to neuronal activity, providing the origin of the signals detected by the widely used functional brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. In particular, neuroenergetic coupling is regulated by astrocytes through glutamate uptake that triggers astrocytic aerobic glycolysis and leads to glucose uptake and lactate release, a mechanism known as the Astrocyte Neuron Lactate Shuttle. Other neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide mobilize glycogen, the reserve for glucose exclusively localized in astrocytes, also resulting in lactate release. Lactate is then transferred to neurons where it is used, after conversion to pyruvate, as a rapid energy substrate, and also as a signal that modulates neuronal excitability, homeostasis, and the expression of survival and plasticity genes. Importantly, glycolysis in astrocytes and more generally cerebral glucose metabolism progressively deteriorate in aging and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. This decreased glycolysis actually represents a common feature of several neurological pathologies. Here, we review the critical role of astrocytes in the regulation of brain energy metabolism, and how dysregulation of astrocyte-mediated metabolic pathways is involved in brain hypometabolism. Further, we summarize recent efforts at preclinical and clinical stages to target brain hypometabolism for the development of new therapeutic interventions in age-related neurodegenerative diseases.


Interaction of aromatic retinal analogues with apopurple membranes of Halobacterium halobium.
Absorption spectral properties of aromatic analogues of retinal with apopurple membrane of Halobacterium halobium were studied. The spectra of the all-trans forms were composed of two or more absorption bands. During incubation at 20 degrees C, an absorption band above 500 nm increased in intensity gradually at the expense of an absorption band in the shorter wavelength region with no isomerization of the chromophore. The longer wavelength species was shown to be the protonated form of the shorter wavelength species by changing the pH of the medium. Upon irradiation with blue light, the bandwidth of the spectrum became smaller with isomerization of the chromophore to its 13-cis form. Irreversible binding of protons on the membrane occurred during this process. The rate of the increase in the longer wavelength absorption band was especially low in the reaction with the all-trans form of retinal analogues having a bulky substituent at the para or meta positions of the phenyl ring. In contrast, the 13-cis isomer of aromatic retinal analogues gave a single absorption peak. The extent of the spectral shift upon binding to apopurple membranes was compared over a series of aromatic retinals, and the results were explained in terms of steric interactions of the chromophore with the protein.


Management of retraction pockets of the pars tensa in children by excision and ventilation tube insertion.
Retraction pockets of the pars tensa in children can result in erosion of the ossicles leading to hearing loss and eventually cholesteatoma formation. Several different types of treatment for the more severe grades of retraction pocket have been described. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the outcome following simple excision and ventilation tube insertion of grade II, III and IV retraction pockets of the pars tensa. The eardrums were graded according to Sadé's classification (1979). There were seven grade II and four grade III retractions. Ten eardrums healed completely in a mean time of 3.6 months (mean follow-up 16 months) and there was one residual perforation. Two retractions recurred and both of these were only grade I. Clinically, an improvement in hearing was reported in seven children (eight ears) and the average air conduction threshold gain for these patients was 16 dB. A larger prospective study is currently underway.


Molecular structures of two metal tetrakis(tetrahydroborates), Zr(BH4)(4) and U(BH4)(4): equilibrium conformations and barriers to internal rotation of the triply bridging BH4 groups.
The molecular structures of Zr[(mu-H)(3)BH](4) and U[(mu-H)(3)BH](4) have been investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and gas electron diffraction (GED). The triply bridged bonding mode of the tetrahydroborate groups in the former is confirmed, but both DFT calculations and GED structure refinements indicate that the BH(4) groups are rotated some 12 degrees away from the orientation in which the three bridging B-H bonds are staggered with respect to the opposing ZrB(3) fragment. As a result the symmetry of the equilibrium conformation is reduced from T(d) to T. Bond distances and valence angles are as follows (DFT/GED): Zr-B = 232.2/232.4(5) pm; Zr-H(b) = 214.8/214.4(6) pm; B-H(b) = 125.3/127.8(8) pm; B-H(t) = 119.4/118.8(17) pm; angle ZrBH(b) = 66.2/65.6(3) degrees; the smallest dihedral angle of type tau(BZrBH(b)) = 48/45(2) degrees. DFT calculations on Hf(BH(4))(4) indicate that the structure of this molecule is very similar to that of the Zr analogue. Matrix-isolation IR spectroscopy and DFT calculations on U(BH(4))(4) show that while the polymeric solid-state structure is characterized by terminal triply bridging and metal-metal bridging bidentate BH(4) groups, all BH(4) groups are triply bridging in the gaseous monomer. Calculations with one of the two nonbonding 5f electrons on U occupying an a(1) and the other distributed equally among the three t(2) orbitals indicate that the equilibrium conformation has T(d) symmetry, i.e. that the three B-H(b) bonds of each tetrahydroborate group are exactly staggered with respect to the opposing UB(3) fragment with tau(BUBH(b)) = 60 degrees. Calculations including spin-orbit interactions indicate that Jahn-Teller distortions from T(d) symmetry are either absent or very small. The best agreement between observed and calculated GED intensity data was obtained for a model of T(d) symmetry, but models of T symmetry with dihedral angles tau(BUBH(b)) > 42 degrees cannot be ruled out. Bond distances and valence angles are as follows (DFT/GED): U-B = 248.8/251.2(4) pm; U-H(b) = 227.7/231.5(6) pm; B-H(b) = 126.0/131.6(5) pm, B-H(t) = 119.5/117.8(11) pm; angle UBH(b) = 65.6/63.1(3) degrees. It is suggested that the different equilibrium conformations of the three molecules are determined primarily by repulsion between bridging H atoms in different tetrahydroborate groups.


[A study on international prostate symptom score in the assessment of therapeutic effects and severity of symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia].
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease among elderly men in Japan. Recently, various non-invasive treatment modalities have been developed, however the criteria for the diagnosis and therapeutic effects of BPH have not been established yet. World Health Organization sponsored International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) was devised. The criteria, however, were limited to evaluate the frequency of the subjective symptoms of BPH. In addition, this criteria did not include the quality of life (QOL) score. We examined I-PSS and a new by modified symptom score for patients who underwent TUR-P. The efficacy of TUR-P could be confirmed by I-PSS, however the criteria proposed in I-PSS and in our modified symptom score were shown to be inadequate to evaluate QOL, and to be not specific scale for BPH. It was demonstrated that objective findings such as peak flow rate, residual urine volume and prostate volume did not correlate with the QOL score, however each objective and subjective significantly improved after TUR-P. These results suggested that further effort should be made to establish reliable criteria for the diagnosis and evaluation of therapeutic efficacy considering QOL in BPH patients.


Photoconductive terahertz generation in semi-insulating GaAs and InP under the extremes of bias field and pump fluence.
This Letter analyzes photoconductive (PC) terahertz (THz) emitters based on the semi-insulating (SI) forms of GaAs and InP. The dependencies of the emitters are studied under the extremes of the bias field and pump fluence to reveal the underlying physics of charge carrier photoexcitation, transport, and emission. The bias field dependence shows that SI-GaAs PC THz emitters are preferentially subject to space-charge-limited current, under the influence of trap states, while SI-InP PC THz emitters are preferentially subject to sustained current, due to a prolonged charge carrier lifetime and the ensuing joule heating. The pump fluence dependence shows space-charge and near-field screening for all emitters, with SI-GaAs predisposed to near-field screening (under the influence of transient mobility) and SI-InP predisposed to space-charge screening. Such findings can support a deeper understanding of the underlying physics and optimal performance of SI-GaAs and SI-InP PC THz emitters.


Practical implications of pre-employment nurse assessments.
Hiring nurses is a difficult task that can have serious repercussions for medical facilities. If nurses without proper skills are hired, patients can suffer from insufficient quality of care and potentially life-threatening conditions. Nurse applicants' technical knowledge is extremely important to avoid negative outcomes; however, there are soft skills that factor into their success, such as bedside manner, personality, communication, and decision making. In order for medical facilities to select and maintain high-performing nurse staff, hiring managers must incorporate evaluations for these types of skills in their hiring process. The current study focused on using content/criterion-related validation design to create assessments by which nurse applicants can be evaluated for both technical knowledge/skills and soft skills. The study included participation of more than 876 nursing staff members. To rank applicants on divergent skills, 3 assessment types were investigated, resulting in the creation of an assessment with 3 components. The clinical, situational, and behavioral components that were created measure applicants' job knowledge, interpersonal competency in medical facility-related situations, and aspects of personality and behavior, respectively. Results indicate that using the assessment can predict 45% of a nurse applicant's future job performance. Practical implications include hiring and maintaining a higher quality of nurses and decreased hiring costs.


Mechanisms of protection of catalase by NADPH. Kinetics and stoichiometry.
NADPH is known to be tightly bound to mammalian catalase and to offset the ability of the substrate of catalase (H2O2) to convert the enzyme to an inactive state (compound II). In the process, the bound NADPH becomes NADP+ and is replaced by another molecule of NADPH. This protection is believed to occur through electron tunneling between NADPH on the surface of the catalase and the heme group within the enzyme. The present study provided additional support for the concept of an intermediate state of catalase, through which NADPH serves to prevent the formation (rather than increase the removal) of compound II. In contrast, the superoxide radical seemed to bypass the intermediate state since NADPH had very little ability to prevent the superoxide radical from converting catalase to compound II. Moreover, the rate of NADPH oxidation was several times the rate of compound II formation (in the absence of NADPH) under a variety of conditions. Very little NADPH oxidation occurred when NADPH was exposed to catalase, H2O2, or the superoxide radical separately. That the ratio exceeds 1 suggests that NADPH may protect catalase from oxidative damage through actions broader than merely preventing the formation of compound II.


The degradation pathways in chloride medium of the third generation anticancer drug oxaliplatin.
We have investigated the degradation reactions, in chloride medium, of the third generation drug oxaliplatin using density functional theory. Our calculations confirm that this drug should be administered in chloride free solutions, and we have ascertained the main biodegradation products upon chloride binding, which are essential to establish the active compounds reacting with DNA. In addition, detailed knowledge of these platinum complexes is fundamental for correct elimination procedures in wastewater treatments.


Hepatobiliary fibropolycystic diseases. Two cases of Caroli's disease.
Two case reports of Caroli's disease type I are given. The main clinical features were recurrent severe cholangitis, biliary colics, and persistent cholestasis. Both cases demonstrate the predominance in males and the prevalence of symptoms in adults up to the sixth decade. No features of congenital hepatic fibrosis or biliary cirrhosis and no renal pathomorphological changes could be detected. Investigations of their family members did not reveal genetic aspects.


Starch bioavailability in arepas made from ordinary or high amylose corn: concentration and gastrointestinal fate of resistant starch in rats.
The purpose of the present investigation was to study the importance of the amylose/amylopectin ratio for the content and gastrointestinal fate of resistant starch in a realistic composite starchy food. Corn-based breads (arepas) from dent corn (25% amylose) and from high amylose corn (70% amylose) were used as test products. Resistant starch concentration was evaluated in vitro and in vivo using rats treated with an antibiotic drug (Nebacitin) to suppress hindgut fermentation. Experiments in rats with intact hindgut microflora allowed determination of resistant starch fermentability. The small intestinal digestibility of starch in dent corn arepas was close to 96% (total starch basis), whereas the starch in high amylose arepas was poorly digested (approximately 68%, total starch basis), as calculated from the fecal recovery of resistant starch in Nebacitin-treated animals. The main resistant starch fraction required solubilization in alkali to render it available to the analytical amylases (nonhydrated fraction). The total amount of resistant starch as well as the nonhydrated starch fraction delivered to the hindgut could be accurately predicted from analysis of starch remnants in an enzymatic gravimetric dietary fiber residue. Resistant starch present in dent corn arepas was fermented approximately 63%, whereas the fermentability of resistant starch from the high amylose product was remarkably low (< 11%).


Combined effects of carbon tetrachloride and chlordecone on calmodulin activity in gerbil brain.
The potentiation of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) toxicity by chlordecone (CD) pretreatment in different animal models is well established. However, these studies have only dealt with hepatotoxicity. The present study was initiated to determine whether CD preexposure potentiates CCl4 neurotoxicity in gerbils. Gerbils were chosen for the reason that the metabolism of CD in gerbil is similar to that of humans. Gerbils (50-80 g), fed on diet without or with CD (10 ppm) for 15 d, were challenged with a single dose of CCl4 (15 microliters, ip). Ca(2+)-ATPase and calmodulin (CaM) activities were determined in gerbil brain P2 fraction and cytosol, respectively, at intervals of 0.5, 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after CCl4 administration. Ca(2+)-ATPase and CaM activities were decreased at 0.5 and 2 h in both CD-preexposed and CCl4-treated gerbils. However, CaM activity returned to normal levels after 6 h and Ca(2+)-ATPase activity showed 80% recovery after 2 h. In vitro experiments showed that CCl4 alone at 5 microM concentration inhibited Ca(2+)-ATPase activity up to 50%. Combination of CD (0.5 microM) and CCl4 (1 and 5 microM) on Ca(2+)-ATPase activity showed no additive effect in vitro. Interaction between CCl4 and CaM was studied in the presence and absence of CD by monitoring NPN fluorescence. The decrease in NPN fluorescence observed with CCl4 was not potentiated by CD preincubation. These data suggest that CD does not enhance CCl4-induced alterations of Ca(2+)-ATPase and CaM activities in gerbil brain.


Where does hypnotherapy stand in the management of irritable bowel syndrome? A systematic review.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of any organic cause. Despite its prevalence, there remains a significant lack of efficient medical treatment for IBS to date. However, according to some previous research studies, hypnosis has been shown to be effective in the treatment of IBS. To determine the definite efficacy of hypnosis in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. A systematic review of the literature on hypnosis in the treatment of IBS from 1970 to 2005 was performed using MEDLINE. Full studies published in English were identified and selected for inclusion. We excluded case studies and those studies in which IBS symptoms were not in the list of outcome measures. All studies were reviewed on the basis of the Rome Working Team recommendations for design of IBS trials. From a total of 22 studies, seven were excluded. The results of the reviewed studies showed improved status of all major symptoms of IBS, extracolonic symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore these improvements lasted 2-5 years. Although there are some methodologic inadequacies, all studies show that hypnotherapy is highly effective for patients with refractory IBS, but definite efficacy of hypnosis in the treatment of IBS remains unclear due to lack of controlled trials supporting this finding.


Ion-mediated interactions between charged and neutral nanoparticles.
Monte-Carlo simulations are used to study the ion-mediated effective interaction between weakly charged and highly charged nanoparticles in an implicit solvent. Three models of nanoparticles are successively studied, from crude charged hard spheres to dipolar and non-spherical nanoparticles. The analysis of the effective potential revealed that in an electrolyte solution, even a neutral nanoparticle feels an important repulsive force in the presence of a charged nanoparticle, with a typical range similar to the Debye length. When the two nanoparticles carry charges of opposite sign, we have shown that this repulsion can reverse the effect of the direct attractive electrostatic potential at short distances. This also yields the change of sign of the effective potential as a function of the relative orientations of two anisotropic nanoparticles. Moreover, we found that the 3-body terms of the effective potentials can overcome the 2-body terms, which is not observed in the case of symmetrically charged nanoparticles.


Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: a case of persistent apical ballooning complicated by an apical mural thrombus.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is an infrequent cardiac syndrome characterized by acute onset chest pain with apical ballooning on echocardiography. It is often triggered by severe emotional or physical stress, and in contrast to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the regional wall motion abnormality returns to normal within days. Here, we describe a 62-year-old female who presented with acute onset chest pain during treatment for a liver abscess. We presumed a diagnosis of AMI because of ST segment elevation on electrocardiography and elevated cardiac enzyme levels. However, the patient's coronary arteries were normal on angiography, and apical ballooning was seen on echocardiography. A diagnosis of TTC was made, and the patient was managed with intensive cardiopulmonary support using vasopressors in our hospital's medical intensive care unit. The patient's symptoms improved, but persistent severe left ventricular dysfunction was detected on follow-up echocardiography. After 5 weeks, a new apical mural thrombus appeared, and anticoagulation therapy was started. The apical ballooning persisted 3 months later, although the patient's overall ejection fraction was slightly improved. The apical thrombus was completely resolved without any embolic event. Non-adrenergic inotropics can be recommended in TTC with shock, and clinicians should keep in mind the potential risk of thrombus formation and cardioembolism.


Mannose-specific and hydrophobic interaction between Escherichia coli and polymorphonuclear leukocytes--influence of bacterial culture period.
The influence of culture period on mannose-specific and hydrophobic properties of the bacterial surface and on bacteria/polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) interaction was studied. Four E. coli strains, PN7 (01:K1), ABU2 (ON:K14), CU9 (06:K14) and CU13 (08:KN) and two Salmonella typhimurium strains 395 MR10 and 395 MS, well characterized according to physicochemical surface properties, presence of type 1 fimbriae and interaction with PMNL, were used in the study. The results show that with prolonged culture period, the liability to hydrophobic interaction increases, the agglutination-strength of mannose-specific maltobionamide liposomes increases, while the agglutination-titer with guinea-pig erythrocytes remains constant. Furthermore, the mannose-specific association with and metabolic activation of PMNL is augmented, while the ingestion is unchanged. In addition, our results demonstrate differences in sensitivity between the methods used to detect exposure of mannose-specific structures on the surface of bacteria, and that the culture condition is important for bacterial surface properties. It thus appears that the culture conditions have a great influence on the surface properties of E. coli bacteria and the interaction with phagocytic cells.


Regional cerebral blood flow of Alzheimer's disease-like pattern in young patients with Down's syndrome detected by 99Tcm-HMPAO brain SPECT.
Fourteen young patients with Down's syndrome (nine males, five females, age range 8-30 years) were studied. 99Tcm-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed to evaluate regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Two experienced nuclear medicine physicians analysed the results of the SPECT by visual interpretation. The SPECT in all 14 patients with Down's syndrome invariably showed significantly unilateral perfusion defects in the temporal-parietal-occipital region, occasionally combined with small perfusion defects over other discrete cerebral areas. In this preliminary study, 99Tcm-HMPAO brain SPECT in the patients with Down's syndrome were abnormal. Patterns of rCBF in Down's syndrome were similar to the usual images of rCBF in Alzheimer's disease reported in the literature. Our findings provide new evidence of the similarities between Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.


Interleukin-17 induces src/MAPK cascades activation in human renal epithelial cells.
Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a T cell derived pro-inflammatory cytokine exhibiting multiple biological activities in a variety of cells. In our previous study, we found that IL-17 expressed early on borderline change of renal allograft rejection by Banff classification both in rat renal allograft model and human renal specimens. Renal epithelial cells (RECs) are the important targets in renal allograft rejection. The purpose of this study was to explore the signalling pathways by which human interleukin-17 (hIL-17) contributes to renal allograft rejection by inducing IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 expression in human renal epithelial cells (hRECs). Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunoprecipitation and western blot analysis, we report that the early signalling events triggered by the hIL-17 involved tyrosyl phosphorylation of proteins and increased the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 in a dose-dependent manner. Tyrosyl phosphorylation of proteins was induced by IL-17 in 1 min and peaked in 5 min. Further, IL-17 induced the phosphorylation of src kinase and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. Using a specific src kinase inhibitor, PP2, to treat the hRECs before hIL-17 stimulation, we found that PP2 not only inhibited the phosphorylation of src kinase but also inhibited IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 mRNA expression, in a dose-dependent manner. These findings provide the first evidence that the mechanism of IL-17 signalling involves src/MAPK cascades activation.


Breast Filariasis Diagnosed by Real Time Sonographic Imaging: A Case Report.
A 30-year-old woman presented with a palpable subcutaneous nodule in the areolar region of the left breast. Sonomammographic examination revealed 2 cystic lesions showing typical "filarial dance" as vigorous twirling movement of multiple curvilinear echoes with mixed red blue color Doppler signals that was non-rhythmic, nonpulsatile, and the characteristic pulse Doppler trace due to irregular worm movement. Real time sonographic demonstration of these typical features is pathognomonic for filariasis, especially in endemic areas and treatment should be initiated without delay on the basis of ultrasound.


The values of AHCY and CBS promoter methylation on the diagnosis of cerebral infarction in Chinese Han population.
The goal of our study is to investigate whether the methylation levels of AHCY and CBS promoters are related to the risk of cerebral infarction by detecting the methylation level of AHCY and CBS genes. We extracted peripheral venous blood from 152 patients with cerebral infarction and 152 gender- and age-matched healthy controls, and determined methylation levels of AHCY and CBS promoters using quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. We used the percentage of methylation reference (PMR) to indicate gene methylation level. We compared the promoter methylation levels of two genes (AHCY and CBS) in peripheral blood DNA between the cerebral infarction case group and the control group. Our study showed no significant difference in AHCY promoter methylation between case and control. Subgroup analysis by gender showed that the methylation level of AHCY in males in the case group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant in females. In a subgroup analysis by age, there was no significant difference in the AHCY methylation level between the case and control in the young group (≤44 years old). However, the level of AHCY gene methylation in the middle-aged group (45-59 years old) was significantly higher and the aged group (≥60 years old) was significantly lower than that in the control groups. However, CBS promoter methylation levels were significantly lower in the case group than in the control group (median PMR: 70.20% vs 104.10%, P = 3.71E-10). In addition, the CBS methylation levels of males and females in the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group (male: 64.33% vs 105%, P = 2.667E-08; female: 78.05% vs 102.8%, P = 0.003). We also found that the CBS levels in the young (23-44), middle-aged (45-59), and older (60-90) groups were significantly lower than those in the control group (young group: 69.97% vs 114.71%; P = 0.015; middle-aged group: 56.04% vs 91.71%; P = 6.744E-06; older group: 81.6% vs 119.35%; P = 2.644E-04). Our ROC curve analysis of CBS hypomethylation showed an area under the curve of 0.713, a sensitivity of 67.4%, and a specificity of 74.0%. Our study suggests that hypomethylation of the CBS promoter may be closely related to the risk of cerebral infarction and may be used as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for cerebral infarction.


Neutrophil diapedesis: paracellular or transcellular?
To reach an inflammatory site in the interstitium, circulating neutrophils (PMN) must first traverse the endothelial barrier. Whether PMN emigrate between endothelial cells (paracellular pathway) or through the endothelial cells proper (transcellular pathway) is controversial. Herein, we present anatomic, functional, and teleological arguments that support both points of view. An attempt is also made to reconcile this apparent controversy.


The use of modern radiologic methods in identifying incidental renal cell carcinoma.
The increased use of ultrasonography and computed tomography has made the incidental discovery of renal masses more common. With this factor in mind, the records of 109 patients with renal cell carcinoma diagnosed and treated at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) between 1983 and 1990 were reviewed to determine how many cases were "incidentally diagnosed." Thirty-two (29 percent) of these patients had their renal cell carcinoma discovered incidentally; and of these tumors, 47 percent were Stage I and only 13 percent were Stage IV; for symptomatic patients, 22 percent were Stage I and 36 percent were Stage IV. This study also found that the classic triad of pain, hematuria and flank mass was present in only six of 109 patients (5.5 percent). Tumors found incidentally will usually be of lower pathological stage and may carry a better prognosis.


Mucin production determines sensitivity to bortezomib and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells.
The prognosis of pancreatic cancer remains disappointing due to a high intrinsic resistance against chemotherapeutic agents. Standard gemcitabine therapies have improved overall survival only marginally and recently, inhibition of the proteasome by the boronic acid derivative bortezomib has been introduced as a novel therapeutic strategy for solid and hematological malignancies including pancreatic cancer. The mucus-producing pancreatic cancer cell line Capan-1 was cultured under standard conditions and treated with different concentrations of gemcitabine or bortezomib. Mucus production was suppressed by siRNA-mediated silencing of apomucin genes. Cell proliferation was determined by 3H-thymidine incorporation and apoptosis was quantified after propidium iodide staining by flow cytometry. Apoptotic cell death was confirmed by TUNEL staining, determination of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and assessment of caspase 3/7 activity. NFκB-activity was determined by EMSA. The unfolded protein response (UPR) was further investigated by PCR, Western blotting and caspase 12 activity assays. Silencing of MUC4 significantly reduced expression of mucins for up to 5 days after transfection. While native cells showed an increased sensitivity to bortezomib treatment, silenced cells were more sensitive to gemcitabine treatment. Bortezomib induces mitochondrial damage in native cells and also activates the UPR by splicing of Xbp-1 and induction of CHOP, which is significantly reduced by silencing of MUC4. Our data suggest that mucinous pancreatic cancers are more sensitive towards proteasome inhibition by bortezomib and that alternative pathways of apoptosis are involved in cell death induction, while tumor cells with a low secretory activity show a better response to gemcitabine.


Adult primary and secondary immune thrombocytopenic purpura: a comparative analysis of characteristics and clinical course.
This study was conducted to compare the platelet count and the presence of bleeding manifestations at initial diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) between patients with primary and secondary ITP. Medical records for 67 consecutive adult patients with ITP were reviewed retrospectively and the relevant data were abstracted. Thirty-eight (56.7%) patients were diagnosed as having primary ITP and 29 (43.3%) were considered to have secondary ITP. At the time of diagnosis, the median initial platelet count (median: 60 × 10(9)/L) for patients with secondary ITP was significantly (P < .005) higher than that for patients with primary ITP (median: 3.5 × 10(9)/L). Ecchymosis and/or purpura was observed in 4 (13.8%) patients with secondary ITP and in 33 (86.6%) patients with primary ITP (P value <.005). In conclusion, patients with secondary ITP had higher platelet count at diagnosis and were less likely to present with bleeding manifestations than those with primary ITP.


[Immunogenetic findings in Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis and gluten sensitive enteropathy].
Immunogenetics explain the influence of genetic dispositions and regulation mechanisms on the defence mechanisms of organisms. In this paper the interrelationship between immunogenetic findings and Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and glutensensitive enteropathy are presented. The association with HLA-antigens and the complement factors Bf and C 4 are described. An increased association of HLA-antigens with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have not been observed, with one exception, the association between HLA-Bw 35 (53%) and ulcerative colitis in a particular ethnic group in Israel. In contrast, there is a distinct association between the complement allotype Bf-F and Crohn's disease (68%) and ulcerative colitis (50%), compared with controls (29%). Glutensensitive enteropathy shows no increased occurrence of complement factors however there is an association with HLA-B8 (83%) DR 3 (94%) and DR 7 (61%). The phenotype description of the genes of the main histocompatibility complexes allows, amongst others, a conclusion concerning the pathogenesis and diagnosis of certain diseases. A new approach to these diseases has been introduced.


Integration of multiple data sources to prioritize candidate genes using discounted rating system.
Identifying disease gene from a list of candidate genes is an important task in bioinformatics. The main strategy is to prioritize candidate genes based on their similarity to known disease genes. Most of existing gene prioritization methods access only one genomic data source, which is noisy and incomplete. Thus, there is a need for the integration of multiple data sources containing different information. In this paper, we proposed a combination strategy, called discounted rating system (DRS). We performed leave one out cross validation to compare it with N-dimensional order statistics (NDOS) used in Endeavour. Results showed that the AUC (Area Under the Curve) values achieved by DRS were comparable with NDOS on most of the disease families. But DRS worked much faster than NDOS, especially when the number of data sources increases. When there are 100 candidate genes and 20 data sources, DRS works more than 180 times faster than NDOS. In the framework of DRS, we give different weights for different data sources. The weighted DRS achieved significantly higher AUC values than NDOS. The proposed DRS algorithm is a powerful and effective framework for candidate gene prioritization. If weights of different data sources are proper given, the DRS algorithm will perform better.


Anesthesia for thoracoscopic laser ablation of bullous emphysema.
We describe the anesthetic management for a new surgical procedure: laser ablation of emphysematous bullae via thoracoscope. Although thoracoscopy is not new, this is the first description of a series of patients with bilateral, chronic lung disease who underwent long periods of one-lung ventilation (OLV) during thoracoscopic therapy. Twenty-six laser ablation procedures were performed in 22 patients. The patients were elderly (mean age 63 yr) with a large incidence of coexisting cardiovascular disease. Most required chronic home oxygen therapy. Patients were monitored invasively, and hemodynamic data were recorded every 5 min. Arterial blood gas analyses were performed every 15 min. Comparisons were made between three intraoperative periods: two-lung ventilation (TLV) before thoracoscopy, OLV during thoracoscopy, and TLV after thoracoscopy. All patients survived the operation despite a mean OLV duration of 170 min, but several experienced serious intraoperative problems, such as hypoxemia or hypotension. Hypoxemia was treated with nondependent lung continuous positive airway pressure and dependent lung positive end-expiratory pressure. In all patients the lungs were adequately ventilated, but bronchopleural fistulae occurred upon return to TLV in every case. The resulting air leaks, often 50% of inspired tidal volume, required the use of a pressure-cycled ventilator to maintain oxygenation. Postoperative air leaks greater than 50% of inspired tidal volume usually required subsequent surgical correction, while smaller leaks resolved spontaneously. Mechanical ventilation was required for an average of 5 days. Eighty-four percent have survived at least 6 months, and nearly all survivors report symptomatic improvement. Ablation of bullae appears to provide symptomatic improvement, and thoracoscopy might be better tolerated than thoracotomy, especially in patients with severe bullous emphysema.


Variation in the carbon isotope composition of a plant with crassulacean Acid metabolism.
The content of (13)C varies in plants with Crassulacean acid metabolism. Differences up to 3.5 per thousand in the (13)C/(12)C ratios were observed between leaves of different age in the same plant of Bryophyllum daigremontianum. Soluble and insoluble carbon in the same leaf differed up to 8 per thousand, the largest difference occurring in the leaves with the highest Crassulacean acid metabolism activity. Models to account for the isotope discrimination by C(3), C(4), and Crassulacean acid metabolism plants are proposed.


A fourfold coordinated point defect in silicon.
Vacancies, interstitials, and Frenkel pairs are considered to be the basic point defects in silicon. We challenge this point of view by presenting density functional calculations that show that there is a stable point defect in silicon that has fourfold coordination and is lower in energy than the traditional defects.


Risk Factors for Conversion of Hip Arthroscopy to Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Large Closed-Cohort Study.
To evaluate risk factors for conversion of hip arthroscopy to total hip arthroplasty (THA) within 2 years in a closed patient cohort. This study was a case series of consecutive hip arthroscopy procedures from September 2008 to November 2018 in the electronic medical record of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Patients were included with minimum 2-year follow-up or if they had conversion to THA within 2 years (the primary outcome) regardless of follow-up time. Patient characteristics at the time of the index arthroscopy were extracted; characteristics of patients who experienced the outcome event versus those who did not were compared by use of multivariable logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The mean follow-up time was 4.9 years (median 4.6, range 0.6 to 11.6). The mean age was 37.2 years (range 10 to 88), and 57% were female. During the follow-up period, 82 patients underwent a THA within 2 years of their arthroscopies (5.3%, 95% confidence interval 4.3% to 6.5%) after a median time of 9 months (interquartile range 5.9 to 14.4) after the initial arthroscopy. Increasing age was highly predictive of early THA conversion (area under the ROC curve = 0.78, P < .001). Although other predictors showed significant bivariable associations with early failure, body mass index (BMI), race, sex, and prior arthroscopy did not add meaningful independent predictive information. The risk of conversion to THA within 2 years after hip arthroscopy increased substantially with patient age at the time of the procedure. BMI, race, sex, and prior arthroscopy were not important independent predictors of conversion beyond the information contained in patient age. Level IV, therapeutic case series.


[An item response theory analysis of the four-card selection task].
The four-card selection task (Wason, 1966) is one of the best known tasks used in the literatures of human reasoning. This article analyzes this selection task by using item response theory (Lord & Novick, 1968). Japanese undergraduates (N = 323) responded six types of the Wason's selection tasks including indicative task (Wason, 1966), beer task (Griggs & Cox, 1982), and cassava task (Cosmides, 1989). An exploratory categorical factor analysis revealed a one factor structure of the six tasks. The results of an analysis using a two-parameter logistic model indicated that the indicative tasks were similar to the beer task and the cassava task in terms of the discrimination parameter, and that the relative difficulty between the tasks would varied according to the value of the ability parameter estimated by the two-parameter logistic model.


[2 cases of neurinoma of the mastoidal portion of the facial nerve: diagnostic contribution of MRI].
The authors report 2 cases of patients presenting a neurinoma of the 3rd portion of the facial nerve. In the 2 cases, the surgical observations correlated perfectly with the results of the radiological examinations (scanner and MRI). The clinical and paraclinical presentation of this rare tumor is recalled, emphasizing the additional contribution of imaging techniques: the scanner is indeed indispensable for evaluating the osseous destructions on the intrapetrous trajectory of the facial nerve, whereas MRI (in particular with injections of gadolinium) evaluates the exact tumoral limits as best as possible.


Oral Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitor Roxadustat (FG-4592) for the Treatment of Anemia in Patients with CKD.
Roxadustat (FG-4592), an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor that stimulates erythropoiesis, regulates iron metabolism, and reduces hepcidin, was evaluated in this phase 2b study for safety, efficacy, optimal dose, and dose frequency in patients with nondialysis CKD. The 145 patients with nondialysis CKD and hemoglobin ≤10.5 g/dl were randomized into one of six cohorts of approximately 24 patients each with varying roxadustat starting doses (tiered weight and fixed amounts) and frequencies (two and three times weekly) followed by hemoglobin maintenance with roxadustat one to three times weekly. Treatment duration was 16 or 24 weeks. Intravenous iron was prohibited. The primary end point was the proportion of patients achieving hemoglobin increase of ≥1.0 g/dl from baseline and hemoglobin of ≥11.0 g/dl by week 17 (16 weeks of treatment). Secondary analyses included mean hemoglobin change from baseline, iron utilization, and serum lipids. Safety was evaluated by frequency/severity of adverse events. Of the 145 patients enrolled, 143 were evaluable for efficacy. Overall, 92% of patients achieved hemoglobin response. Higher compared with lower starting doses led to earlier achievement of hemoglobin response. Roxadustat-induced hemoglobin increases were independent of baseline C-reactive protein levels and iron repletion status. Overall, over the first 16 treatment weeks, hepcidin levels decreased by 16.9% (P=0.004), reticulocyte hemoglobin content was maintained, and hemoglobin increased by a mean (±SD) of 1.83 (±0.09) g/dl (P<0.001). Overall mean total cholesterol level was reduced by a mean (±SD) of 26 (±30) mg/dl (P<0.001) after 8 weeks of therapy, independent of the use of statins or other lipid-lowering agents. No drug-related serious adverse events were reported. In patients with nondialysis CKD who were anemic, various starting dose regimens of roxadustat were well tolerated and achieved anemia correction with reduced serum hepcidin levels. After anemia correction, hemoglobin was maintained by roxadustat at various dose frequencies without intravenous iron supplementation.


New insights into the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of Lycopodium clavatum.
Looking for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibiting compounds within the plant kingdom, we came across the triterpene alpha-onocerin, which has recently been described as the active principle (IC(50) of 5.2 microM) of Lycopodium clavatum L. In order to discover related terpenoid structures with similar AChE inhibitory activity, we investigated the roots of Ononis spinosa L. using Ellman's reagent in a microplate assay. No inhibitory effect could be measured, not even with the isolated alpha-onocerin (1), which is in contrast to previous findings. Bioassay-guided fractionation of L. clavatum resulted in the isolation of lyclavatol (2), showing a weak, but dose-dependent inhibitory effect on AChE. (1)H- and (13)C NMR shift assignments for 1 and 2 are presented and discussed.


Obtaining human teeth for dental education: A cross-sectional study to create ethical and transparent processes.
This study explores the practices of obtaining human teeth for teaching and research in Paraguay. The goal of this research is to understand whether the data supports the need to improve ethical training within dental education, including the creation of a human tooth bank (HTB) METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted. Three semi-structured questionnaires were developed, one for each target population: dental students, dentists in practice, and the general population. The questionnaires were distributed between February and April 2021, using Google Forms RESULTS: The main places where human teeth were obtained by a student are dental clinics, followed by cemeteries. 94% of students and 91% of dentists paid for teeth on at least one occasion. There is a willingness on the part of students and dentists to donate collections of teeth, and among the general population to donate their teeth if they are extracted, for both teaching and research use. Note that, 31% of students and 6% of the population are aware of what an HTB is, at the same time only 16% of dentists know how it functions CONCLUSION: The number of respondents who obtain teeth from cemeteries and who pay for their acquisition is high. Both of these practices raise ethical concerns. The implementation of informed consent for the donation of extracted teeth is practically nil; although there is a positive attitude towards its implementation. Also, there is a lack of knowledge about the role of an HTB; although the population expressed a willingness to donate extracted teeth.


White matter hyperintensity burden in patients with ischemic stroke treated with thrombectomy.
To determine the influence of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden on functional outcome, rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), and procedural success in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated by mechanical thrombectomy (MT) with current stentriever/aspiration devices. Patients with AIS due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) from the Thrombectomie des Artères Cérébrales (THRACE) trial and prospective cohorts from 2 academic comprehensive stroke centers treated with MT were pooled and retrospectively analyzed. WMH volumes were obtained by semiautomated planimetric segmentation and tested in association with the rate of favorable outcome (90-day functional independence), substantial recanalization after MT, and sICH. A total of 496 participants were included between 2015 and 2018 (50% female, mean age 68.1 ± 15.0 years). Overall, 434 (88%) patients presented with detectable WMH (mean ± SD 4.93 ± 7.7). Patients demonstrated increasingly worse outcomes with increasing WMH volumes (odds ratio [aOR]1.05 per 1-cm3 increase for unfavorable outcome, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.06, p = 0.014). Fifty-seven percent of patients in the first quartile of WMH volume vs 28% in the fourth quartile demonstrated favorable outcome (p < 0.001). WMH severity was not associated with sICH rate (aOR 0.99, 95% CI 0.93-1.04, p = 0.66), nor did it influence recanalization success (aOR 0.99, 95% CI 0.96-1.02, p = 0.84). Our study provides evidence that in patients with AIS due to LVO and high burden of WMH as assessed by pretreatment MRI, the safety and efficacy profiles of MT are similar to those in patients with lower WMH burden and confirms that they are at higher risk of unfavorable outcome. Because more than a quarter of patients in the highest WMH quartile experienced favorable 3 months outcome, WMH burden may not be a good argument to deny MT. NCT01062698.


Lesbian/bisexual mothers and intimate partner violence: help seeking in the context of social and legal vulnerability.
Mothers in same-sex relationships face unique challenges when help seeking for intimate partner violence (IPV). Formal helping systems often invalidate their family relationships, leaving them vulnerable and distrustful when help seeking. To better understand their experiences, the authors interviewed 24 lesbian/bisexual mothers who were either in or had left abusive same-sex relationships. Increasing severity of violence, effects of violence on children and families, and "being tired" influenced their definitions of the situation. Decisions to seek formal help appeared to be influenced by their support from informal networks and perceived stigma related to the intersection of IPV and being lesbian or bisexual.


A study of the reliability of the clinical oral examination in psychiatry.
A study of the variability between raters in scoring an oral clinical examination in psychiatry in the format of the certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is reported. A video-taped examination from another centre was rated independently by academic psychiatrists, nonacademic psychiatrists and residents. Considerable inter-rater differences between and within these groups were found. In particular, the averaging of the marks of pairs of raters as occurs in the actual certification resulted in the outcome depending to a considerable degree on the chance pairings of raters. These findings support a number of previous studies and emphasize the need to train examiners and to develop clearer rating criteria.


A solvent-free thermosponge nanoparticle platform for efficient delivery of labile proteins.
Protein therapeutics have gained attention recently for treatment of a myriad of human diseases due to their high potency and unique mechanisms of action. We present the development of a novel polymeric thermosponge nanoparticle for efficient delivery of labile proteins using a solvent-free polymer thermo-expansion mechanism with clinical potential, capable of effectively delivering a range of therapeutic proteins in a sustained manner with no loss of bioactivity, with improved biological half-lives and efficacy in vivo.


An association between the factor VII coagulant activity and thrombin activity induced by surface/cold exposure of normal human plasma.
To test whether factor VII activation correlated with the generation of thrombin activity when plasma was exposed to a glass surface and reduced temperature, an association was sought between the changes in factor VII clotting activity (VIIc) and fibrinopeptide A concentration (an index of thrombin activity) in platelet-poor citrated plasma from 42 healthy adults. The Spearman rank correlation (rs) between responses was 0.82 (P less than 0.001). The VIIc assay response to surface/cold exposure was unaffected when thrombin was suppressed by hirudin. An assay for factor VII activity based upon its activation of tritiated factor X revealed an association between the increase in fibrinopeptide A concentration and reduction in functional factor VII concentration during activation of a subset of 22 plasma samples (rs = -0.62; P = 0.003). This loss of functional factor VII was probably due to conversion of active factor VII to its non-functional end-product by factor Xa. The results suggest that VIIc is an index of flux within the coagulation system and support the hypothesis that a high VIIc is an indicator of a hypercoagulable state.


[The predictive value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction: China PEACE-retrospective acute myocardial infarction study].
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for in-hospital outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: Data of 23 728 patients from the China patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of cardiac Events (China PEACE)Retrospective Acute Myocardial Infarction Study were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were categorized into 3 groups according to the CHA2DS2-VASc scores: the low score group (score 1-3), the middle score group (score 4-6) and the high score group (score 7-9). The in-hospital outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), death, death or withdrawal from treatment, reinfarction, ischemic stroke,etc. The CHA2DS2-VASc score was incorporated into multivariate Cox regression analyses to determine its independent impact on in-hospital outcomes. Receiver operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictive value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for in-hospital mortality and death or withdrawal from treatment, respectively. Results: The patients had a median age of 66 (56,75) years, and 30.7% of them were females. Patients with higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores had a higher in-hospital mortality and more in-hospital complications (all P<0.001). After adjustment of baseline covariates, the subjects in the high score group were associated with high risks of in-hospital mortality (OR=6.13, 95%CI 4.77-7.87, P<0.001), death or treatment withdrawal (OR=6.43, 95%CI 5.16-8.00, P<0.001) and MACE (OR=4.94, 95%CI 4.06-6.01, P<0.001). The AUCs of the CHA2DS2-VASc score were comparable with those of the mini-global registry of acute coronary events(mini-GRACE)score in evaluation of in-hospital mortality (0.699 vs. 0.696, P=0.752) and the death or treatment withdrawal risk (0.708 vs. 0.713, P=0.489). Conclusions: The CHA2DS2-VASc score is an independent predictor of in-hospital outcomes for patients with AMI. Its predictive value was comparable with the mini-GRACE score, which could be used as a simple tool for early and rapid outcome evaluation for AMI patients.


Cytoskeletal lesions in anoxic myocardial injury. A conventional and high-voltage electron-microscopic and immunofluorescence study.
The role of cell swelling in mediating myocardial injury was studied in control (normoxic) and anoxic Langendorf perfused rat hearts. Control and 45-, 75-, or 90-minute anoxic hearts were exposed to hypotonic (200 mOsm/l) perfusion media to induce osmotic swelling. Anoxic hearts, but not control hearts, released myoglobin when subjected to osmotic swelling. Control hearts, exposed to hypotonic swelling, retained an intact cytoskeletal system of intermediate filaments, microfilaments and microtubules, intact sarcoplasmic reticulum, and intact sarcolemmal membranes. In contrast, swollen anoxic hearts showed a variety of ultrastructural lesions, including formation of large subsarcolemmal blebs associated with lysis of lateral Z-, M-, and A-band intermediate filament attachments, vesiculation of sarcoplasmic reticulum, and rupture of sarcolemmal membranes. Inter-mediate filament attachments with nuclear membranes were also broken, and microtubules disappeared from the perinuclear space. Sarcomere changes included distortion of Z bands, loss of lateral Z band-sarcolemmal attachments, and separations of myofibrils from internal faces in intercalated disks. Immunofluorescence studies of control hearts showed normal staining patterns for the cytoskeletal-associated proteins vinculin, alpha-actinin, and desmin. After 90 minutes of anoxia, hearts exhibited diminished staining of vinculin and alpha-actinin and relatively little change in desmin staining. The results demonstrate that a critical period of anoxia causes lesions in the cytoskeletal apparatus of myocardial cells which correlate with the increased osmotic fragility of irreversibly injured anoxic myocardial cells.


[18F]fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in tumors: kinetic vs. steady-state methods with reference to plasma insulin.
[18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in noncerebral tumors is commonly reported as tissue radioactivity concentration normalized to injected dose and body weight. We studied the feasibility of this approach by imaging 68 tumors in 46 oncologic patients with dynamic FDG-PET and compared kinetic and static methods of quantitation of FDG uptake. Further, the effect of plasma glucose and insulin concentration on the obtained quantitative indexes was analyzed in all patients. The metabolic rate for FDG was strongly associated with normalized uptake value adjusted for injected dose (r = 0.92, p < 0.0001), dose and patient weight (r = 0.91, p < 0.0001), and dose and body surface area (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001). The FDG uptake was not related to plasma glucose concentration under euglycemic (< or = 6.5 mmol/L) conditions, but was low in two diabetic patients with overt hyperglycemia. Hyperinsulinemia was associated with a low to moderate FDG uptake, probably exerting its action through a metabolic shift of tracer influx to muscle and fat. Our results show that a single scan in the steady-state phase, e.g., 45-60 min from the injection, can be used for assessment of FDG uptake in tumors, making frequent blood sampling during imaging unnecessary. However, glucose concentration in blood must be monitored in patients with known or suspected abnormalities in glucose metabolism.


Terpenoid metabolism in plastids : sites of phytoene synthetase activity and synthesis in plant cells.
The biosynthesis of phytoene from prephytoene pyrophosphate has been localized exclusively in the plastid compartment of ruptured protoplasts derived from Triticum leaves and Capsicum fruits.The phytoene synthetase activity in Triticum leaves deficient in plastid ribosomes was comparable to those obtained in normal leaves. In addition, the stimulation of phytoene synthetase activity observed in green Capsicum fruit after 2-(4-chlorophenylthio)triethylamine hydrochloride treatment was not abolished by chlororamphenicol and lincomycin, in contrast to the inhibition observed after cycloheximide treatment.These data conclusively show that phytoene synthetase is localized exclusively in the plastid compartment in higher plants and that its synthesis is not performed on 70S ribosomes.


[Comparison of treatment response in primary hepatocellular carcinomas with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced helical CT].
To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultra sonography for non-surgical treatment response in hepatocellular carcinomas. Non-surgical therapies were performed on 56 patients (64 liver neoplasms) who were diagnosed by ultrasonography-guided biopsy before the therapy. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS) and contrast-enhanced helical CT were performed to assess the treatment response. Forty-six of the 64 lesions were not enhanced with CEUS.Partial enhancement was demonstrated in the other 18 lesions. Forty-eight of the 64 lesions were not enhanced with contrast-enhanced helical CT. Partial enhancement were demonstrated in the other 16 lesions.The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 94.4%, 97.8%, and 96.9% for CEUS and 83.3%, 97.8%, and 93.8% for contrast-enhanced helical CT (P>0.05). CEUS is a good method in assessing the non-surgical treatment response in hepatocellular carcinomas and is more sensitive and useful than contrast-enhanced helical CT in assessing the treatment response of transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization.


Pigmented purpuric eruptions.
The pigmented purpuric eruptions most likely represent a group of clinical patterns of erythrocyte extravasation due to pericapillary inflammation. This inflammatory reaction may be in response to an immunologic reaction of some type, as suggested by immunopathologic studies and by the drug-induced pigmented purpuras. It is important to recognize this group of cutaneous purpura primarily to distinguish the pigmented purpuric eruptions from other types of purpura which are associated with systemic illness. The various eponyms or descriptive types of the pigmented purpuric eruptions are of historical and dermatologic interest; there is little clinical use in distinguishing among the types for a given patient.


Utilization across the continuum of long-term care services.
This study presents an analysis of the influence of consumers' predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics on the utilization of long-term care (LTC) services in nursing facilities (NFs), assisted living facilities, or home- and community-based services (HCBS). Data were gathered through a record review of a cross-sectional sample of 1,968 consumers aged 60 years or older receiving formal LTC services. Need contributes the most to differential LTC use. Those with the most need are more likely to be in a NF or HCBS. Enabling characteristics such as Medicaid eligibility and geopolitical region of the state were associated with higher use of NFs. Predisposing and enabling characteristics had a moderating influence on need. Although high need predicts care in NFs, some of the most impaired elders are also being cared for at home. Because Medicaid increases the likelihood of NF placement, public financing of LTC should reflect the capacity of the system to serve elders at home.


[Spontaneous rupture of the esophagus].
The authors relate upon the so-called Boerhaave's syndrome or spontaneous perforation of the esophagus illustrating 2 cases recently observed. On the basis of their experience and of what has been reported by the literature on this subject the etiopathogenetic and pathophysiologic problems as well as the adequate treatment are debated. Particularly the nature of the lesion, which is a barotrauma lesion, the urgency of the surgical treatment, and the severity of the prognosis are pointed out.


Conjugated Polyamines in Root Plasma Membrane Enhanced the Tolerance of Plum Seedling to Osmotic Stress by Stabilizing Membrane Structure and Therefore Elevating H+-ATPase Activity.
Polyamines are small positively charged molecules in plants and play important functions in many biological processes under various environmental stresses. One of the most confounding problems relating to polyamines (PAs) in stresses is the lack of understanding of the mechanisms underlying their function(s). Furthermore, a limited number of studies have addressed this issue at the sub-cellular level, especially in tree plants under drought stress. Therefore, in this research, by simulating natural drought stress with polyethylene glycol (PEG) osmotic stress, the relationship between the levels of conjugated polyamines and the activity of H+-ATPase in the plasma membrane was elucidated with the roots of two plum (Prunus salicina L.) cultivars, which were different in drought tolerance, as experimental materials. Furthermore, free PA levels and the activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) and transglutaminase (TGase), which were closely associated with the levels of free and conjugated PAs, were also detected. Results showed that under osmotic stress, the increases of the levels of non-covalently conjugated (non-CC) spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm), covalently conjugated (CC) putrescine (Put) and Spd in the plasma membrane of drought-tolerant Ganli No. 5 were more significant than those of drought-sensitive Suli No. 3, indicating that these conjugated PAs might be involved in the tolerance of plum seedlings to stress. Furthermore, the conjugated PAs were closely correlated with plum seedling growth, water retention capacity, plasma membrane damage degree, and hydrogen (H+)-ATPase activity in the plasma membrane. To get more complementary pieces of evidence, we subjected plum seedlings to combined treatments of PEG and exogenous PA (Spd and Spm), and an inhibitor of SAMDC [methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone), (MGBG)] or TGase (o-phenanthroline). These results collectively suggested that non-CC Spd and Spm, CC Put and Spd in plasma membrane might function in enhancing the tolerance of plum seedlings to osmotic stress by stabilizing membrane structure and therefore elevating H+-ATPase activity.


Endoscopic removal of an intraorbital "tumor": a vital surprise.
We present the first case report of an endoscopic removal of a living worm, species Dirofilaria repens, from the orbital cavity. As of today, over 410 cases of Dirofilaria repens infections in man are recorded in world literature, six of which were localized in the orbital cavity. In Austria we know of four cases of an infection with this parasite, but none in the orbit. Dirofilaria repens is widespread only in the Old World, particularly in Southern and Eastern Europe, in Asia Minor, and in Central and Southern Asia. The highest prevalence of the disease is recorded in Italy (181 cases). In clinical practice, the infections have mostly been misdiagnosed as a neoplasia, usually benign but sometimes malignant. Under the assumption of an intraorbital tumor, the endoscopic transnasal revision of the orbital cavity was performed, as this approach promised to be least traumatic and best suited for the lesion, resulting in complete removal of the live worm. In unclear lesions in the head and neck, and infection with Dirofilaria repens should be considered as a differential diagnosis.


Multicenter, randomised, open-label, non-comparative phase 2 trial on the efficacy and safety of the combination of bevacizumab and trabectedin with or without carboplatin in women with partially platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.
Trabectedin, in addition to its antiproliferative effect, can modify the tumour microenvironment and this could be synergistic with bevacizumab. The efficacy and safety of trabectedin and bevacizumab ± carboplatin have never been investigated. In this phase 2 study, women progressing between 6 and 12 months since their last platinum-based therapy were randomised to Arm BT: bevacizumab, trabectedin every 21 days, or Arm BT+C: bevacizumab, trabectedin and carboplatin every 28 days, from cycles 1 to 6, then trabectedin and bevacizumab as in Arm BT. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival rate (PFS-6) and severe toxicity rate (ST-6) at 6 months, assuming a PFS-6 ≤35% for BT and ≤40% for BT+C as not of therapeutic interest and, for both arms, a ST-6 ≥ 30% as unacceptable. BT+C (21 patients) did not meet the safety criteria for the second stage (ST-6 45%; 95%CI: 23%-69%) but PFS-6 was 85% (95%CI: 62%-97%). BT (50 patients) had 75% PFS-6 (95%CI: 60%-87%) and 16% ST-6 (95%CI 7%-30%). BT compared favourably with other platinum- and non-platinum-based regimens. The combination with carboplatin needs to be assessed further in a re-modulated safer schedule to confirm its apparent strong activity. NCT01735071 (Clinicaltrials.gov).


A new species of Characidium (Characiformes: Crenuchidae) from the rio Parnaíba basin, northeastern Brazil.
Characidium tapuia, a new species apparently endemic to the rio Parnaíba basin, Brazil, is described. The new species is easily distinguished from congeners, except C. lanei, C. nana, and C. samurai, by having a broad and conspicuous dark lateral stripe, extending from the tip of snout to the end of caudal peduncle and by the absence of dark vertical bars on body of specimens larger than 23.0 mm SL. Characidium tapuia differs from the aforementioned species by a series of features, including 12 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 13 or 14 in C. lanei and C. samurai), presence of parietal branch of the supraorbital canal (vs. absence in C. lanei and C. nana), complete lateral line and adipose fin present (vs. lateral line incomplete and adipose fin absent in C. nana), and midlateral stripe with irregular borders (vs. lateral stripe with overall straight borders in C. samurai).


Ocular manifestations of systemic disease: ocular parasitosis.
To highlight recent advances in basic research, diagnostic as well as therapeutic advances in ocular parasitosis and to evaluate their application in medical practice. Knowledge relating to immunoreactivity in ocular parasitology has grown impressively in past few years. The outcome of infection is the result of a set of interactions involving host and parasite genetic background, environmental and social factors. Immunopathogenesis of parasite-mediated host cell lysis is better understood. Studies on newer drugs with cophylogenetic techniques are in horizon. There are success stories on control of transmission in some countries. Much has been achieved; however, much more effort is needed in the area of translational research from bench to bedside. There is a need to enhance the awareness of risk factors of parasitic diseases in the population. Newer molecular diagnostic techniques need to be standardized for field application. Steps needed to be taken by the ophthalmologist when a parasite is seen in ocular tissues including identification, search for systemic involvement, treatment for elimination and sequelae and public health notification. Lack of methodological uniformity in management emphasis the need for standardization including construction of management algorithm for ophthalmologists.


Antidepressant Effects of Aripiprazole Augmentation for Cilostazol-Treated Mice Exposed to Chronic Mild Stress after Ischemic Stroke.
The aim of this study was to determine the effects and underlying mechanism of aripiprazole (APZ) augmentation for cilostazol (CLS)-treated post-ischemic stroke mice that were exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS). Compared to treatment with either APZ or CLS alone, the combined treatment resulted in a greater reduction in depressive behaviors, including anhedonia, despair-like behaviors, and memory impairments. This treatment also significantly reduced atrophic changes in the striatum, cortex, and midbrain of CMS-treated ischemic mice, and inhibited neuronal cell apoptosis, particularly in the striatum and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Greater proliferation of neuronal progenitor cells was also observed in the ipsilateral striatum of the mice receiving combined treatment compared to mice receiving either drug alone. Phosphorylation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) was increased in the striatum, hippocampus, and midbrain of mice receiving combined treatment compared to treatment with either drug alone, particularly in the neurons of the striatum and hippocampus, and dopaminergic neurons of the midbrain. Our results suggest that APZ may augment the antidepressant effects of CLS via co-regulation of the CREB signaling pathway, resulting in the synergistic enhancement of their neuroprotective effects.


Redescription of the genus Opisthoncus L. Koch, 1880 (Araneae: Salticidae).
Of 33 nominal species listed by Platnick (2012), 25 species of the genus Opisthoncus are redefined and redescribed here. O. kochi Żabka, 1991, was redescribed by Prószyński (1983) while O. delectabilis Rainbow, 1920, O. eriognathus (Thorell, 1881), O. inconspicuus (Thorell, 1881), O. nigritifemur Strand, 1911 and O. pallidulus L. Koch, 1880 are excluded from the genus. O. clarus Keyserling, 1883 (the type specimen lost) is considered nomen dubium and O. verisimilis Peckham & Peckham, 1901 was not studied (types not located).


[Heart failure in elderly patients].
The incidence and prevalence of congestive heart failure increase exponentially with advancing age. Congestive heart failure in the elderly is characterized by a multifactorial etiology, a high proportion of accompanying degenerative changes of the cardiovascular system and age-specific problems regarding diagnosis and treatment. The treatment strategy is the same as in younger patients, but the higher incidence of adverse effects and complications demands special awareness. The majority of decompensations leading to hospitalization are precipitated by insufficient compliance in life style change and drug intake.


Some thoughts on the information obtained by a high resolution grating spectrometer.
The possibility of obtaining a transfer function of a diffraction grating affected by blank and ruling errors is examined and a simple experimental procedure for an approximate determination of aberration function is described. Using this aberration function, we have obtained a wavelength-dependent transfer function in order to perform the best restoration of the grating output.


Role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone as an autocrine growth factor in human ovarian surface epithelium.
Epithelial ovarian cancer, which accounts for 80-90% of all ovarian cancers, is the most common cause of death from gynecological malignancies and is believed to originate from the ovarian surface epithelium. In the present study we investigated the expression of GnRH and its receptor in human ovarian surface epithelial (hOSE) cells and provided novel evidence that GnRH may have antiproliferative effects in this tissue. Using RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis, we cloned the GnRH and GnRH receptor (GnRHR) in hOSE cells. Sequence analysis revealed that GnRH and its receptor have sequences identical to those found in the hypothalamus and pituitary, respectively. To address whether GnRH regulates its own and receptor messenger RNA (mRNA), the cells were treated with different concentrations of the GnRH agonist (D-Ala6)-GnRH. Expression levels of GnRH and its receptor were investigated using quantitative and competitive RT-PCR, respectively. Interestingly, a biphasic effect was observed for the GnRH and GnRHR mRNA levels. High concentrations of the GnRH agonist (10(-7) and 10(-9) M) decreased GnRH and GnRHR mRNA levels, whereas a low concentration (10(-11) M) resulted in up-regulation of GnRH and receptor mRNA levels. Treatment with the GnRH antagonist, antide, prevented the biphasic effects of the GnRH agonist in hOSE cells, confirming the specificity of the response. Furthermore, to investigate the physiological significance, we studied receptor-mediated growth regulatory effects of GnRH in human ovarian surface epithelial cells. The cells were treated with GnRH analogs, and the proliferative index of cells was measured using a [3H]thymidine incorporation assay. (D-Ala6)-GnRH had a direct inhibitory effect on the growth of hOSE cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This antiproliferative effect of the GnRH agonist was receptor mediated, as cotreatment of hOSE cells with antide abolished the growth inhibitory effects of the GnRH agonist. The results strongly suggest that GnRH can act as an autocrine/paracrine regulator in hOSE cells.


Prevalence of Candida dubliniensis among the stored vaginal Candida isolates in a Turkish hospital.
In this study, 600 stored Candida species, isolated from vaginal samples of immunocompetent women, and phenotypically identified as C. albicans on the basis of a positive germ tube test, were screened for the presence of C. dubliniensis by three phenotypical methods. Only one strain (0.17%) failed to grow at 45 degrees C, and produced abundant chlamydospores on both the cornmeal-Tween 80 agar and the Staib agar. This strain was identified as C. dubliniensis by using the ID-32C kit (bioMerieux Vitek) and confirmed by DNA sequencing of internal transcript spacer (ITS) region.


Oligometastatic Lymph Node Recurrence Detected Using 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT in a Patient With Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer After Radiation Therapy.
Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common types of cancer in men worldwide. Most patients with metastatic PC are treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) using luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists and antagonists as first-line therapy. The majority of PC patients develop a castration-resistant PC (CRPC), which eventually leads to high mortality with poor prognosis, despite new targeted therapies. However, given that oligometastatic recurrence may enable local therapy in CRPC, accurate detection of metastatic lesions may improve clinical outcomes in patients with CRPC. We report the case of an 83-year-old man with CRPC. 18Fluorine-prostate-specific membrane antigen-1007 positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT) revealed weak physiological PSMA accumulation in the prostate and strong accumulation not only in the internal iliac lymph node but also in the two obturator lymph nodes that could not be detected with conventional CT or magnetic resonance imaging. Prostatic re-biopsy revealed no prostate malignancy. Under the diagnosis of oligometastases in the pelvic lymph nodes, the patient underwent laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection, which revealed lymph node metastases in two obturator lymph nodes and the internal iliac lymph node, corresponding to the PSMA accumulation sites. The patient experienced at least 7 months of recurrence-free duration without additional treatment. This study indicates a novel approach to oligometastatic CRPC by means of accurate staging with 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT.


Urticaceae leaves with stinging trichomes were already present in latest early Eocene Okanogan Highlands, British Columbia, Canada.
Paleontologists use tooth form to assess diets of fossil mammals. Plants would also be expected to adapt their morphology to respond to herbivory. Fossil nettle leaves with definitive stinging trichomes (tribe Urticeae, family Urticaceae) are described from the early Eocene upland lacustrine floras of the Okanogan Highlands, British Columbia, Canada. This is the first report of stinging trichomes in the fossil record. Their occurrence in western North America at a time of major large herbivorous mammal radiation suggests they acted, as they do today, as a deterrent for mammal herbivory. Fossil leaf compressions and extant leaves were photographed with standard methods. Focus-shift stacking was used to layer photos of the fossil leaves. Urticaceous fossil leaves from the Okanogan Highlands greatly resemble their modern relatives in leaf morphology and particularly in both stinging and nonstinging trichomes. Nettles are common components of the flora of the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This region is used as a modern analogue for the Okanogan Highlands, based on comparable elevation, equable conditions that host both similar floras and large folivores. Nettles in tribe Urticeae (Urticaceae) producing leaves with stinging and nonstinging trichomes were already present in the early Eocene of western North America at a pivotal time during the early radiation of modern mammalian herbivore groups. They offer tantalizing evidence of a selective response that plants may have developed to protect themselves from the evolving mammalian herbivores of that time.


The Influence of Biological Maturity on Sprint Speed, Standing Long Jump, and Vaulting Performance in Young Female Gymnasts.
To quantify speed, peak momentum, standing long jump (SLJ), and the ratio of vertical to horizontal take-off velocity (Ratiovert-hori TOV) in young female gymnasts of different maturity status and their influence on vaulting vertical TOV. One hundred twenty gymnasts age 5-14 years were subdivided into maturity groupings using percentage of predicted adult height. Participants performed three 20-m sprints, SLJ, and straight jump vaults that were recorded using 2-dimensional video and analyzed using digitizing software. All speed intervals, peak speed, peak momentum, SLJ distance, vault height, and vertical TOV increased between the early prepubertal and late prepubertal (P < .001; d = 0.65-1.10) and early prepubertal and pubertal (P < .001; d = 0.75-1.00) groups. No differences between these metrics were observed between the 2 most mature groups (d = 0.01-0.55). Multiple regression analyses revealed peak speed had the strongest association with vertical TOV (R2 = 59%) and also identified the Ratiovert-hori as a secondary determinant (R2 = 12%). A separate regression model indicated that maturity status (percentage of predicted adult height) moderately influences vertical TOV during vaulting (R2 = 41%). Speed and SLJ performance increase between the early prepubertal and late prepubertal years in young female gymnasts. However, given that peak speed and Ratiovert-hori combined to explain 71% of the total variance in vaulting vertical TOV, in order to increase aerial time for more advanced vaulting, practitioners should attempt to enhance peak speed alongside takeoff technique to develop gymnasts' ability to transfer linear speed to vertical TOV.


The changing career of "elder abuse and neglect" as a social problem in Canada: learning from feminist frameworks?
ABSTRACT "Elder Abuse and Neglect" was constructed as a social problem by experts and has largely been a product of "expert" knowledge building and intervention. The idea of woman abuse as a social problem, on the other hand, originated with women themselves. The paper examines the changing social context in which some older people are currently seeking ownership of responses to mistreatment. It explores emerging criticisms of present constructions of "elder abuse and neglect" and the needs they imply, and links these to feminist frameworks. It then considers the appeal and utility of these frameworks for older women active in the fight against mistreatment.


Effects of vertebral column distraction on transcranial electrical stimulation-motor evoked potential and histology of the spinal cord in a porcine model.
Spinal cord injury can occur following surgical procedures for correction of scoliosis and kyphosis, as these procedures produce lengthening of the vertebral column. The objective of this study was to cause spinal cord injury by vertebral column distraction and evaluate the histological changes in the spinal cord in relationship to the pattern of recovery from the spinal cord injury. Global osteotomy of all three spinal columns was performed on the ninth thoracic vertebra of sixteen pigs. The osteotomized vertebra was distracted until transcranial electrical stimulation-motor evoked potential (TES-MEP) signals disappeared or decreased by >80% compared with the baseline amplitude; this was defined as spinal cord injury. The distraction distance at which spinal cord injury occurred was measured, the distraction was released, and the TES-MEP recovery pattern was observed. A wake-up test was performed, two days of observations were made, and histological changes were evaluated in relationship to the recovery pattern. Spinal cord injury developed at a distraction distance of 20.2 ± 4.7 mm, equivalent to 3.6% of the thoracolumbar spinal length, and the distraction distance was correlated with the thoracolumbar spinal length (r = 0.632, p = 0.009). No animals exhibited complete recovery according to TES-MEP testing, eleven exhibited incomplete recovery, and five exhibited no recovery. During the two days of observation, all eleven animals with incomplete recovery showed positive responses to sensory and motor tests, whereas none of the five animals with no recovery had positive responses. On histological evaluation, three animals that exhibited no recovery all showed complete severance of nerve fibers (axotomy), whereas six animals that exhibited incomplete recovery all showed partial white-matter injury. Parallel distraction of approximately 3.6% of the thoracolumbar length after global osteotomy resulted in spinal cord injury and histological evidence of spinal cord damage. The pattern of recovery from the spinal cord injury after release of the distraction was consistent with the degree of axonal damage. Axotomy was observed in animals that exhibited no recovery on TES-MEP, and only hemorrhagic changes in the white matter were observed in animals that exhibited incomplete recovery.


Effects of nonionic surfactant addition on populations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in a bioreactor treating contaminated soil.
We studied the effects of two polyethoxylated nonionic surfactants, Brij 30 and C(12)E(8), on populations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon- (PAH-) degrading bacteria from a bioreactor treating PAH-contaminated soil. Each surfactant was evaluated at doses that corresponded to aqueous-phase concentrations both above and below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) after mixing with reactor slurry. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to quantify 16S rRNA (rRNA) gene sequences representing degraders of salicylate, naphthalene, phenanthrene, or pyrene previously identified in the bioreactor community by stable-isotope probing. Sequences representing two groups of organisms associated with degradation of naphthalene and/or salicylate in the bioreactor increased in abundance by more than an order of magnitude after incubation with either surfactant at each dose tested. In contrast, the abundance of a group of uncultivated pyrene-degrading bacteria, whose relative abundance in the soil without surfactant addition was up to 9% of the total 16S rRNA genes, decreased by an order of magnitude or more in the presence of each surfactant at each dose. These results indicate that surfactant addition can have substantial, differential effects on populations of organisms responsible for contaminant degradation within a microbial community.