BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE LEADING TO DIVERSITY PROGRAM AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA, PROJECT PATHWAYS.
Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) is the only historically Black and Catholic institution of higher education in the United States. XULA's mission focuses on "the promotion of a more just and humane society" by educating students in a diverse learning environment. Even though Xavier's reputation in the sciences attracts many of the best and brightest students in the nation, the University also continues to provide an excellent educational opportunity to many students who, due to socioeconomic disparities, lack the appropriate preparation for college. The ultimate goal of Project Pathways, the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded BUILD (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity) Program at Xavier, is to increase the number of students who enter graduate programs in biomedical disciplines, successfully earn terminal degrees, and enter the biomedical research workforce. Xavier's plan to meet this challenge is based on a holistic approach, providing an integrated and coordinated student support and research skills training network. This coordinated effort cuts across academic departments in biomedical disciplines, academic support offices that include the Student Academic Success Office (SASO), the Office of Career Services (OCS), and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity (CURGO), as well as the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development (CAT+FD) for faculty support and mentor training. This work seeks to counter the regular practice at higher education institutions that have yet to address the importance of integrated programming across academic programs, student support programs, and research programs. This lack of coordinated and integrated programming often leads to duplication of efforts and ineffective use of resources. Xavier's BUILD program intentionally provides mechanisms and safeguards to ensure that coordination and integration occur at all levels. The overall hypothesis of Project Pathways is that when in a systematic way underrepresented minorities are provided with: early awareness and deepening exposure to biomedical careers;supportive relationships for students as they move through the pathway;suitable infrastructure; andmeaningful student engagement in biomedical research experiences and adequate research resources, a higher number will succeed in first entering, and later successfully completing graduate programs, leading to increased diversity in the biomedical research workforce. Preliminary assessment results are very encouraging; these results show higher course pass rates and better student preparation overall. The Project Pathways' initiatives can be replicated at other institutions with similar goals.


[Conversion of ISO 7439:2015 Copper-bearing Contraceptive Intrauterine Devices - Requirements and Tests Standard Analysis].
This paper introduces the basic content of the compulsory national standard ISO 7439:2015 Copper-bearing contraceptive intrauterine devices--Requirements and tests standard analysis, and expounds the reasons for revising part of the standard during the conversion process according to the actual market situation of intrauterine contraceptive device containing copper in China. As a compulsory basic universal standard, it has a guiding significance for the manufacturers of IUD and can promote the improvement of product quality.


Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Mud Crabs in Southeast Asian Countries: A Discrete Choice Experiment.
The mud crab (Scylla serrata) is an economically important species found in the mangroves and estuaries of tropical countries and is a popular seafood product in the coastal areas of Southeast Asian markets. The aim of this study is to identify factors affecting consumer preference of mud crabs, and to understand consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for these factors in a Singapore market where imported mud crabs from other Asian countries are sold. The results showed that the country of origin matters to participants, affecting purchasing decisions, and consumers were willing to pay approximately 16.48 SGD (11.49 USD, the average price of four shops: 35.55 USD/kg for one mud crab) more if the mud crabs were from Sri Lanka if compared with Indonesian or Cambodian mud crabs. Moreover, consumers were willing to pay 25.08 SGD (17.48 USD) more if the mud crabs were alive and 13.40 SGD (9.34 USD) less if the mud crabs were frozen compared with fresh, but not alive, mud crabs. Furthermore, consumers' preference in mud crab was associated with the consumers' religion. Some groups of consumers preferred female mud crabs with eggs over male mud crabs, while other groups preferred male crabs. The results identified diverse consumer preference of mud crabs and, therefore, could provide new insights that are useful for sustainable consumption of mud crabs in the region.


A multidisciplinary approach to reducing spurious hyperkalemia in hospital outpatient clinics.
To describe a multidisciplinary effort to investigate and reduce the occurence of outpatient spurious hyperkalaemia. Spurious hyperkalemia is a falsely elevated serum potassium result that does not reflect the in vivo condition of a person. A common practice of fist clenching/pumping during phlebotomy to improve vein visualisation is an under-appreciated cause of spurious hyperkalemia. Pre- and postinterventional study. Objective evidence of spurious hyperkalaemia was sought by reviewing archived laboratory results. A literature review was undertaken to summarise known causes of spurious hyperkalaemia and develop a best practice in phlebotomy. Subsequently, nurses from the Urology Clinic were interviewed, observed and surveyed to understand their phlebotomy workflow and identify potential areas of improvement by comparing to the best practice in phlebotomy. Unexplained (potentially spurious) hyperkalaemia was defined as a serum potassium of >5·0 mmol/l in a patient without stage 5 chronic kidney disease or haemolysed blood sample. Nurses from the Urology Clinic showed significant knowledge gap regarding causes of spurious hyperkalaemia when compared to the literature review. Direct observation revealed patients were routinely asked to clench their fists, which may cause spurious hyperkalaemia. Following these observations, several educational initiatives were administered to address the knowledge gap and stop fist clenching. The rate of unexplained hyperkalaemia at the Urology clinic reduced from a baseline of 16·0-3·8%, 58 weeks after intervention. Similar education intervention was propagated to all 18 other specialist outpatient clinic locations, which saw their rate of unexplained hyperkalaemia decrease from 5·4 to 3·7%. To ensure sustainability of the improvements, the existing phlebotomy standard operating protocol, educational and competency testing materials at variance with the best practice were revised. A simple intervention of avoiding fist clenching/pumping during phlebotomy produced significant reduction in the rate of spurious hyperkalemia.


Affimer-Based Europium Chelates Allow Sensitive Optical Biosensing in a Range of Human Disease Biomarkers.
The protein biomarker measurement has been well-established using ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), which offers good sensitivity and specificity, but remains slow and expensive. Certain clinical conditions, where rapid measurement or immediate confirmation of a biomarker is paramount for treatment, necessitate more rapid analysis. Biosensors offer the prospect of reagent-less, processing-free measurements at the patient's bedside. Here, we report a platform for biosensing based on chelated Eu3+ against a range of proteins including biomarkers of cardiac injury (human myoglobin), stroke (glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)), inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP)) and colorectal cancer (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)). The Eu3+ ions are chelated by modified synthetic binding proteins (Affimers), which offer an alternative targeting strategy to existing antibodies. The fluorescence characteristics of the Eu3+ complex with modified Affimers against human myoglobin, GFAP, CRP and CEA were measured in human serum using λex = 395 nm, λem = 590 and 615 nm. The Eu3+-Affimer based complex allowed sensitive detection of human myoglobin, GFAP, CRP and CEA proteins as low as 100 fM in (100-fold) diluted human serum samples. The unique dependence on Eu3+ fluorescence in the visible region (590 and 615 nm) was exploited in this study to allow rapid measurement of the analyte concentration, with measurements in 2 to 3 min. These data demonstrate that the Affimer based Eu3+ complexes can function as nanobiosensors with potential analytical and diagnostic applications.


Kinetics of enzymatic modification of quercetin with cysteine by horseradish peroxidase.
The kinetic mechanism of enzymatic modification of flavonol quercetin with L-cysteine by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was studied. Reaction of modification of quercetin was followed by recording spectral changes over time at 380 nm. All reactions were performed in 100 mM phosphate buffer pH, 6.0 at 20 degrees C. Kinetic parameters were determined from graphics of linear Michaelis-Menten equation. The values obtained at specified intervals were: V(max) = 0.17 divided by 0.91 deltaA380/min, K(m) = 0.023 divided by 0.5 mM, k(cat) = 0.21 divided by 1.14 deltaA380/min x nM(-1) and V(max)/K(m) = 0.83 divided by 26.55 deltaA380/min x mM(-1). It was found that all investigated reactions of the modification of quercetin with L-cysteine by HRP followed an ordered mechanism. We propose that HRP initially reacts with H2O2 than with quercetin and finally with L-cysteine, leading to the introduction of L-cysteine in the structure of quercetin.


Toxicity of nickel to a soil-dwelling springtail, Folsomia fimetaria (Collembola: Isotomidae).
Exposure of the collembolan Folsomia fimetaria L. to nickel via soil caused significant mortality and reduced growth and reproductive output. Nickel may be present in elevated concentrations due to anthropogenic discharge. Although collembolans are very numerous and important organisms in the soil ecosystem, the effect of nickel has not previously been studied on these organisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the toxic effects of high soil nickel concentrations on the collembolan F. fimetaria following a 3-week exposure in a loamy sand spiked with nickel up to 1000 mg Ni/kg. A 10% decrease in adult female numbers at 427 mg Ni/kg and at 645 mg Ni/kg for adult male numbers was observed for nickel-spiked soil. Juvenile numbers were reduced at 701 mg Ni/kg following a 3-week exposure. The corresponding EC50 values were 786 mg Ni/kg for females, 922 mg Ni/kg for males, and 859 mg Ni/kg for juveniles. The reproductive output seems to be the most sensitive parameter being reduced at soil nickel concentrations above 173 mg Ni/kg (EC10). Adult growth was not affected by soil nickel concentrations up to 1000 mg Ni/kg, but juvenile growth was reduced at concentrations above 480 mg Ni/kg (EC10).


Personality Differences of Brain Networks in Placebo Analgesia and Nocebo Hyperalgesia: A Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Approach in fMRI.
It is generally believed that the placebo response can elicit an analgesic effect, whilst the nocebo response can elicit a hyperalgesia effect in pain. Placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia effects are increasing concerns for researchers. Growing evidence suggests personality differences have an impact on both placebo and nocebo effects. However, previous studies have not reached a unified conclusion. We designed this study to explore the personality differences of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals in placebo response and nocebo response by using psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis. 30 healthy subjects underwent conditioning induction training to establish expectations of placebo effect and nocebo effect, and then, all subjects completed the following experimental procedures: (1) baseline scanning, (2) acute pain model establishment, (3) pain status scanning, and (4) pseudorandom scanning of block design of placebo response or nocebo response. Behavioral data were collected after each scan. The results of this study showed that (1) there were significant differences of VAS placebo intervention between the extrovert group and the introvert group (p = 0.004); (2) there were significant differences of VAS nocebo intervention between the extrovert group and the introvert group (p = 0.011); (3) there were significant differences between the VAS placebo intervention and VAS pain status (baseline) in both the extrovert group (p < 0.001) and the introvert group (p = 0.001); (4) there were significant differences between the VAS nocebo intervention and VAS pain status (baseline) in both the extrovert group (p = 0.008) and the introvert group (p < 0.001). Moreover, there were significant differences in the brain network for placebo and nocebo responses between different personalities. We found that (1) deactivation differences of the pain-related network and limbic system play an important role in personality differences associated with placebo analgesia and (2) differences of control of anxiety and activation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may cause the personality differences observed in nocebo hyperalgesia.


Biochemical and molecular epidemiology of human cancer: indicators of carcinogen exposure, DNA damage, and genetic predisposition.
The primary goal of biochemical and molecular epidemiology is to identify individuals at high cancer risk by obtaining evidence of high exposure to carcinogens, leading to pathobiological lesions in target cells, and/or increased oncogenic susceptibility due to either inherited or acquired host factors. This emerging and multidisciplinary area of cancer research combines epidemiological and laboratory approaches. Because DNA is considered to be an important target for modification by mutagens and carcinogens, damage to DNA can be used as an internal, molecular dosimeter of carcinogen exposure. The reactive species of these carcinogens may directly bind to DNA to form adducts and may indirectly cause secondary DNA lesions, e.g., via induction of free radicals and aldehydes. Highly sensitive and specific methods have been developed to measure the minute amounts of DNA lesions and DNA repair products found in biological specimens from humans exposed to carcinogens. For example, DNA adducts have been measured in cells and tissues from people occupationally exposed to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Antibodies recognizing carcinogen-DNA adducts have also been detected in human sera. Inherited predisposition to cancer has been revealed by recent advances in molecular genetics, including restriction-fragment-length polymorphism. For example, the hypothesis that rare alleles of the Ha-ras proto-oncogene are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer is currently being tested. These approaches afford the potential of biochemical and molecular epidemiology to predict disease risk for individual persons, instead of for populations, and before the onset of clinically evident disease.


Beyond lipid lowering: the role of statins in vascular protection.
The introduction of the hydroxy methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) in 1987 was a major advance in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Several landmark clinical trials have demonstrated the benefit of lipid lowering with statins for the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD), namely The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S), Cholesterol And Recurrent Events (CARE), Long-term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischemic Disease (LIPID), West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (WOSCOPS) and Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study (AFCAPS/TexCAPS). Although it is widely accepted that the majority of clinical benefit obtained with statins is a direct result of their lipid-lowering properties, these agents appear to display additional cholesterol-independent or pleiotropic effects on various aspects of cardiovascular disease, including improving endothelial function, decreasing vascular inflammation and enhancing plaque stability. Although the full impact of statin therapy on each of these processes is not fully understood, ongoing studies with current and new statins are likely to shed further light on the potential cholesterol-independent benefits of these agents.


Fluoride-tolerant mutants of Aspergillus niger show enhanced phosphate solubilization capacity.
P-solubilizing microorganisms are a promising alternative for a sustainable use of P against a backdrop of depletion of high-grade rock phosphates (RPs). Nevertheless, toxic elements present in RPs, such as fluorine, can negatively affect microbial solubilization. Thus, this study aimed at selecting Aspergillus niger mutants efficient at P solubilization in the presence of fluoride (F-). The mutants were obtained by exposition of conidia to UV light followed by screening in a medium supplemented with Ca3(PO4)2 and F-. The mutant FS1-555 showed the highest solubilization in the presence of F-, releasing approximately 70% of the P contained in Ca3(PO4)2, a value 1.7 times higher than that obtained for the wild type (WT). The mutant FS1-331 showed improved ability of solubilizing fluorapatites, increasing the solubilization of Araxá, Catalão, and Patos RPs by 1.7, 1.6, and 2.5 times that of the WT, respectively. These mutants also grew better in the presence of F-, indicating that mutagenesis allowed the acquisition of F- tolerance. Higher production of oxalic acid by FS1-331 correlated with its improved capacity for RP solubilization. This mutant represents a significant improvement and possess a high potential for application in solubilization systems with fluoride-rich phosphate sources.


Only Familiar Information is a "Curse": Children's Ability to Predict What Their Peers Know.
The ability to make inferences about what one's peers know is critical for social interaction and communication. Three experiments (n = 309) examined the curse of knowledge, the tendency to be biased by one's knowledge when reasoning about others' knowledge, in children's estimates of their peers' knowledge. Four- to 7-year-olds were taught the answers to factual questions and estimated how many peers would know the answers. When children learned familiar answers, they showed a curse of knowledge in their peer estimates. But, when children learned unfamiliar answers to the same questions, they did not show a curse of knowledge. These data shed light on the mechanisms underlying perspective taking, supporting a fluency misattribution account of the curse of knowledge.


Impact of menstrual cycle on the diagnostic performance of LCR, TMA, and PCE for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in home obtained and mailed vaginal flush and urine samples.
To assess the impact of the menstrual cycle on the diagnostic performance of various assays for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in home obtained and mailed vaginal flush and urine specimens. A ligase chain reaction assay (LCR; Abbott Laboratories), a transcription mediated amplification assay (TMA; Gen-Probe), and an enzyme amplified immunoassay (PCE; Dako Diagnostics) were evaluated for their validity in detecting C trachomatis in vaginal flush, first void urine, and midstream urine specimens obtained by female high school students at home and mailed directly to the diagnostic laboratory. C trachomatis was detected in 45 of 889 females (5.1%). The vaginal flush material was positive by TMA and LCR in 84% and 82% of the chlamydia positive females, respectively. First void urine was positive by TMA in 73% and by LCR in 49% of the cases. Midstream urine was positive by TMA and LCR in 69% and 42% of the females, respectively. On a pool of first void and midstream urine, PCE detected 49% of the chlamydia positive females. The overall prevalence of C trachomatis increased with increasing time after the last menstrual bleeding. In urine samples, but not vaginal flush specimens, obtained 3 weeks after the last menstrual bleeding, the sensitivities of TMA, LCR, and PCE decreased markedly suggesting that inhibitors to the assays are excreted in the urine but not in vaginal secretions at this time. Vaginal flush samples are superior to urines for detection of chlamydia infections in females. In screening of young asymptomatic females, samples should be obtained in the latter part of the menstrual cycle.


Ovarian cysts in the postmenopause: is a conservative treatment feasible?
The incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer reaches a peak between the ages of 50 and 59 years. Therefore any ovarian enlargement in the postmenopause has been treated up to now with prompt surgical exploration. Recently the reliability of ultrasound has allowed a conservative management of small unilocular ovarian cysts even in the postmenopause. The Authors report here their experience on benign masses in postmenopausal women, and discuss the feasibility of ultrasound-guided aspiration of small, anechoic adnexal cysts.


Physics in medicine: a potential unfolding in the radiological sciences.
Advances in civilization often depend upon a vision which reduces the complex to the simple, and fundamental. This paper presents an essential, reductionist understanding of biosystems in terms of electrogravitational circuits. This conceptualization yields innumerable ideological appendages one of which is Jacobson Resonance, a general mechanism explaining electromagnetic field bioeffects. Biological amplification of hyperfine, ultrafine and dipole-dipole interactions, biological time dilation, molecular vibrational frequencies and biophotonic-phonon transductions are explained in detail. In this paper, Jacobson theory gives the reader food for epistemological thought, viewing biological matter in terms of general physical principles, which yield a fresh insight for solving a diverse array of health problems.


Influence of air-particle deposition protocols on the surface topography and adhesion of resin cement to zirconia.
This study evaluated the influence of air-particle abrasion protocols on the surface roughness (SR) of zirconia and the shear bond strength (SBS) of dual-polymerized resin cement to this ceramic. Sintered zirconia blocks (n = 115) (Lava, 3M ESPE) were embedded in acrylic resin and polished. The specimens were divided according to the 'particle type' (Al: 110 µm Al2O3; Si: 110 µm SiO2) and 'pressure' factors (2.5 or 3.5 bar) (n = 3 per group): (a) Control (no air-abrasion); (b) Al2.5; (c) Si2.5; (d) Al3.5; (e) Si3.5. SR (Ra) was measured 3-times from each specimen after 20 s of air-abrasion (distance: 10 mm) using a digital optical profilometer. Surface topography was evaluated under SEM analyses. For the SBS test, 'particle type', 'pressure' and 'thermocycling' (TC) factors were considered (n = 10; n = 10 per group): Control (no air-abrasion); Al2.5; Si2.5; Al3.5; Si3.5; ControlTC; Al2.5TC; Si2.5TC; Al3.5TC; Si3.5TC. After silane application, resin cement (Panavia F2.0) was bonded and polymerized. Specimens were thermocycled (6.000 cycles, 5-55°C) and subjected to SBS (1 mm/min). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey's and Dunnett tests (5%). 'Particle' (p = 0.0001) and 'pressure' (p = 0.0001) factors significantly affected the SR. All protocols significantly increased the SR (Al2.5: 0.45 ± 0.02; Si2.5: 0.39 ± 0.01; Al3.5: 0.80 ± 0.01; Si3.5: 0.64 ± 0.01 µm) compared to the control group (0.16 ± 0.01 µm). For SBS, only 'particle' factor significantly affected the results (p = 0.015). The SiO2 groups presented significantly higher SBS results than Al2O3 (Al2.5: 4.78 ± 1.86; Si2.5: 7.17 ± 2.62; Al3.5: 4.97 ± 3.74; Si3.5: 9.14 ± 4.09 MPa) and the control group (3.67 ± 3.0 MPa). All TC specimens presented spontaneous debondings. SEM analysis showed that Al2O3 created damage in zirconia in the form of grooves, different from those observed with SiO2 groups. Air-abrasion with 110 µm Al2O3 resulted in higher roughness, but air-abrasion protocols with SiO2 promoted better adhesion.


B-type natriuretic peptide-guided therapy for perioperative medicine?
The recent guideline from the European Society of Cardiology and European Society of Anesthesiology recommended the use of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) as preoperative testing for high-risk cardiac patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. In this article, the potential benefits, risks and details for implementing BNP testing in perioperative medicine are discussed. Review of four related lines of research including the use of BNP test for preoperative prognosis, BNP test for screening asymptomatic heart failure, BNP as prognostic test in asymptomatic, non-heart failure patients and using BNP for detecting silent myocardial ischaemia showed converging cut-off levels of BNP for risk stratification. BNP has better OR and relative risk in comparison with Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) in predicting perioperative cardiac risk. BNP-guided therapy can be low risk based on current evidence on non-surgical patients, including treating asymptomatic patients without heart failure to prevent cardiovascular complications. At present, there is lack of direct evidence supporting perioperative BNP testing. Further research with randomised controlled trials is needed to confirm the benefit of BNP-guided management. Preoperative BNP testing may be considered in patients with RCRI above 0 undergoing intermediate or high-risk surgery. BNP-guided therapy is likely a beneficial addition to perioperative medicine. Its combination with β-blocker titration, RCRI and perioperative cardiovascular monitoring can be a major advance in reducing cardiac risk resulting in a dynamic, individualised optimisation process.


Influences of Hyperbranched Polyester Modification on the Crystallization Kinetics of Isotactic Polypropylene/Graphene Oxide Composites.
In this study, the hyperbranched polyester grafted graphene oxide (GO-H202) was synthesized, and the isotactic polypropylene/graphene oxide (iPP/GO) composites were prepared. Results of X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the successful synthesis of GO-H202, while thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the weight ratio of grafting was about 35 wt %. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy (POM) were carried out to investigate the role of GO and GO-H202 on the crystallization kinetics of the composites. Results suggested that the addition of GO enhanced the nucleation rate and crystallizability of the composites, while GO-H202 exhibited a higher crystallization acceleration effect compared to neat GO; results of isothermal crystallization kinetics and self-nucleation isothermal crystallization kinetics showed that both the overall crystallization rate and crystal growth rate increase after the addition of GO and GO-H202, and the crystallization acceleration of GO-H202 became evidently stronger compared to GO. Moreover, the variation trends of Avrami exponent n with the isothermal crystallization temperature TcISO changed significantly after the addition of GO or GO-H202, which might imply that the addition of GO and GO-H202 lead to different crystallization dimensionalities during the isothermal crystallization of the composites. The related mechanism was also discussed.


Chondroitin sulphate inhibits NF-κB activity induced by interaction of pathogenic and damage associated molecules.
To evaluate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of action of Chondroitin Sulphate (CS). THP-1 macrophages were cultured with a range of sizes and concentrations of HA fragments with TLR4 (LPS in a physiologically relevant concentration determined by analyses of sera of a community clinic ascertained knee osteoarthritis (OA) cohort) or TLR2 (heat killed listeria bacteria) agonists and varying concentrations of CS in a physiologically relevant range (10-200 μg/ml). We measured IL-1β release, intracellular IL-1β, proIL-1β, caspase-1 and NF-κB activity and DNA binding activity of NF-κB transcription factors from nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts. Serum LPS was significantly associated with radiographic knee joint space narrowing (JSN) (P = 0.02) in the OA cohort (n = 40). The priming dose of LPS used for these experiments (10 ng/ml) was below the lowest serum concentration of the OA cohort (median 47.09, range 14.43-81.36 ng/ml). Priming doses of LPS and HA fragments alone did not elicit an inflammatory response. However, primed with LPS, HA fragments produced large dose-dependent increases in IL-1β that were inhibitable by CS. CS did not inhibit caspase-1 activity but in physiologically achievable concentrations, attenuated NF-κB activity induced by either the TLR4 (LPS 1000 ng/ml) or TLR2 agonists alone or in combination with HA fragments. LPS induced and CS significantly reduced activity of canonical NF-κB transcription factors, p65, p50, c-Rel and RelB. Subinflammatory concentrations of pathogenic (LPS, listeria) and damage associated (HA) molecules interact to induce macrophage-related inflammation. CS works upstream of the inflammasome by inhibiting activation of NF-κB transcription factors.


Effects of ambient temperature and dietary glycerol addition on growth performance, blood parameters and immune cell populations of Korean cattle steers.
This study was performed to evaluate whether ambient temperature and dietary glycerol addition affect growth performance, and blood metabolic and immunological parameters, in beef cattle. Twenty Korean cattle steers (405.1±7.11 kg of body weight [BW], 14.2±0.15 months of age) were divided into a conventional control diet group (n = 10) and a 2% glycerol- added group (n = 10). Steers were fed 1.6% BW of a concentrate diet and 0.75% BW of a timothy hay diet for 8 weeks (4 weeks from July 28th to August 26th and 4 weeks from August 27th to September 26th). Blood was collected four times on July 28th, August 11th, August 27th, and September 26th. The maximum indoor ambient temperature-humidity index in August (75.8) was higher (p<0.001) than that in September (70.0), and in August was within the mild heat stress (HS) category range previously reported for dairy cattle. The average daily gain (ADG; p = 0.03) and feed efficiency (p<0.001) were higher in hotter August than in September. Glycerol addition did not affect ADG and feed efficiency. Neither month nor glycerol addition affected blood concentrations of cortisol, triglyceride, or non-esterified fatty acid. Blood concentrations of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, glucose, and albumin were lower (p<0.05) on August 27th than on September 26 th, and blood phosphorus, calcium and magnesium concentrations were also lower on August 27th than on September 27th. Glycerol addition did not affect these blood parameters. Percentages of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were higher (p<0.05) on July 28th than on August 27th and September 26th. The blood CD8+ T cell population was lower in the glycerol supplemented-group compared to the control group on July 28th and August 27th. Korean cattle may not be significantly affected by mild HS, considering that growth performance of cattle was better in hotter conditions, although some changes in blood metabolic and mineral parameters were observed.


Occurrence of virulence determinants in fecal Enterococcus faecalis isolated from pigs and chickens in Korea.
Forty-one Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) isolates from feces of pigs and chickens in Korea were screened for the presence of virulence factors. Gelatinase activity (85.4%, 35/41) was the more commonly observed phenotype of virulence in E. faecalis, compared with hemolytic activity (12.2%, 5/41). Thirty-one of 35 (88.6%) gelatinase-positive E. faecalis isolates harbored the gelE and fsrABC genes. A gene encoding for the enterococcal surface protein (Esp) was detected in 24.4% (10/41) of the isolates. All betahemolysin- producing isolates harbored the esp gene.


Formation of Tetrahydrothiophenes via a Thia-Paternò-Büchi-Initiated Domino Photochemical Reaction.
We have established photochemical access to thietane or tetrahydrothiophene compounds from thiobenzophenone derivatives and acrylonitrile, wherein the product selectivity is controlled by a simple adjustment of the reagent concentration in solution. Small libraries of five-membered ring sulfur-containing compounds were prepared through a thia-Paternò-Büchi reaction, followed by a previously unknown regioselective photochemical ring enlargement reaction in a domino process or a stepwise fashion. A mechanism is proposed to rationalize this ring enlargement reaction via a carbene species provided from photoexcited thiocarbonyl compounds.


PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis.
Unlike traditional site-directed mutagenesis, this protocol requires only a single PCR step using full plasmid amplification to generate point mutants. The method can introduce small mutations into promoter sites and is even better suited for introducing single or double mutations into proteins. It is elegant in its simplicity and can be applied quite easily in any laboratory using standard protein expression vectors and commercially available reagents.


Chloride channels with ClC-1-like properties differentially regulate the excitability of dopamine receptor D1- and D2-expressing striatal medium spiny neurons.
Dynamic chloride (Cl-) regulation is critical for synaptic inhibition. In mature neurons, Cl- influx and extrusion are primarily controlled by ligand-gated anion channels (GABAA and glycine receptors) and the potassium chloride cotransporter K+-Cl- cotransporter 2 (KCC2), respectively. Here, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, a presence of a new source of Cl- influx in striatal neurons with properties similar to chloride voltage-gated channel 1 (ClC-1). Using whole cell patch-clamp recordings, we detected an outwardly rectifying voltage-dependent current that was impermeable to the large anion methanesulfonate (MsO-). The anionic current was sensitive to the ClC-1 inhibitor 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid (9-AC) and the nonspecific blocker phloretin. The mean fractions of anionic current inhibition by MsO-, 9-AC, and phloretin were not significantly different, indicating that anionic current was caused by active ClC-1-like channels. In addition, we found that Cl- current was not sensitive to the transmembrane protein 16A (TMEM16A; Ano1) inhibitor Ani9 and that the outward Cl- rectification was preserved even at a very high intracellular Ca2+ concentration (2 mM), indicating that TMEM16B (Ano2) did not contribute to the total current. Western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed the presence of ClC-1 channels in the striatum mainly localized to the somata of striatal neurons. Finally, we found that 9-AC decreased action potential firing frequencies and increased excitability in medium spiny neurons (MSNs) expressing dopamine type 1 (D1) and type 2 (D2) receptors in the brain slices, respectively. We conclude that ClC-1-like channels are preferentially located at the somata of MSNs, are functional, and can modulate neuronal excitability.


Comparing the renoprotective effects of the antioxidants melatonin, vitamin D and vitamin E in diabetic rats.
Diabetes mellitus is associated with oxidative stress that leads to inflammation and diabetic nephropathy. This study aimed to determine the possible renoprotective effects of the antioxidants melatonin, vitamin D and vitamin E in diabetic rats. We divided 108 albino rats into 12 groups. G1 group was fed a normal diet and did not receive any medication. G2 to G4 consisted of non-diabetic rats that were treated as follows: G2 with melatonin; G3 with vitamin E; G4 with vitamin D. Groups G5 to G12 consisted of diabetic rats that were treated as follows: G5 received no medication; G6 treated with insulin; G7 treated with melatonin; G8 treated with melatonin and insulin; G9 treated with vitamin E; G10 treated with vitamin E and insulin; G11 treated with vitamin D and G12 treated with vitamin D and insulin. Two months after treatment commenced, histological and biochemical examinations of glucose profile, oxidative stress status, renal function, homocysteine and TNF-α were performed. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) increased significantly in groups G2, 7, 8, 10 and 11. TNF-α significantly increased in G2, but decreased in all other groups. Creatinine increased significantly in groups G5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12. In the kidneys of the diabetic rats, thickened capillary basement membrane, diffuse mesangial sclerosis and nodular glomerulosclerosis was observed. Rats treated with melatonin showed marked improvement in these symptoms. However, in those treated with vitamin D and E, thickened capillary basement membrane and mesangial sclerosis was still present. Melatonin, administered either with or without insulin had a significant biochemical antioxidant effect and histological renoprotective effect. Conversely, vitamin D and E did not appear to have any effects on the parameters measured.


5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine may regulate the inflammatory response of human odontoblast-like cells through the NF-κB pathway.
To explore the role of DNA methylation in the innate immunity of the dental pulp, this study investigated the effect of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA) on lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-induced cytokine production and related intracellular signalling pathways in human odontoblast-like cells (hOBs). hOBs were cultured and differentiated from human dental pulp tissue, and the odontoblastic phenotype of the cells was detected using immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR and Western blotting. hOBs were pretreated with AZA and then stimulated with 10 μg mL-1 LTA. The levels of 42 cytokines related to immunity and inflammation were examined using a cytokine antibody array and verified using qRT-PCR and ELISA. The effect of AZA on the LTA-induced NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways was explored using Western blotting. The cells were treated with the specific NF-κB inhibitor PDTC and MAPK inhibitors (the ERK inhibitor U0126, the p38 inhibitor SB203580, and the JNK inhibitor SP600125) to further confirm the role of the signalling pathways in LTA-treated hOBs. DNA immunoprecipitation-PCR was used to examine the dynamic methylation status of the gene promoters of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) and tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) in the LTA-induced hOBs. Statistical analyses of the differences between two groups were performed using Student's t-test. One-way analysis of variance (anova) or repeated-measures anova with a post hoc Dunnett's test was used to assess the differences between multiple sets of data. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The odontoblastic markers were significantly higher in hOBs than those in human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) (P < 0.05). According to the cytokine antibody array results, hOBs pretreated with AZA had significantly increased production of several inflammatory cytokines (P < 0.05), in which the expression levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were the most dramatically increased upon LTA stimulation (P < 0.01). Furthermore, AZA resulted in the significant upregulation of p-IKKα/β, p-IκBα, p-p65, p-p38 and p-ERK in LTA-stimulated hOBs (P < 0.01). Treatment with the NF-κB pathway inhibitor suppressed both IL-6 and IL-8 expression (P < 0.05), whereas inhibitors of the MAPK pathway (SB203580 and SP600125) did not. In LTA-treated hOBs, AZA significantly increased the expression levels of TRAF6 and MyD88 (P < 0.05). AZA induced MyD88 promoter hypomethylation but did not affect TRAF6 methylation. AZA regulated the LTA-induced inflammatory response through the NF-κB signal pathway in hOBs. This study highlights the important role of DNA methylation in the immunity defence of odontoblasts during the dental pulp immunity response to caries.


Fundamentals of quantitative PET data analysis.
Drug analysis and development with PET should fully exhaust the ability of this tomographic technique to quantify regional tracer concentrations in vivo. Data evaluation based on visual inspection or assessment of regional image contrast is not sufficient for this purpose since much of the information present in dynamically acquired data is not used by these approaches. Compartment modelling of dynamic PET data is generally the method of choice since it allows a quantitative assessment of the underlying pharmacokinetic parameters describing drug transport, metabolism and molecular interactions. We present here an overview of key issues of compartment modelling with specific attention to the assumptions underlying the various models and their limitations. We believe that a thorough understanding of the applicability of models is mandatory for the development, successful execution and analysis of quantitative PET studies. Otherwise, meaningful and interpretable results will often not be obtained.


A case of liver injury and pneumo-haemoperitoneum during pericardiocentesis.
Pericardiocentesis is a generally safe procedure that provides effective resolution of cardiac tamponade. Emergency pericardiocentesis may be a life-saving intervention. Encountering an intra-abdominal organ in the path of the needle is predicted to be a potential complication in emergency subxiphoid approaches. Despite predictions of intraabdominal injuries, only few instances are recorded. In this case study, a patient recovering from percutaneous cardiac intervention required an emergency pericardiocentesis that was complicated by a liver injury, diaphragmatic penetration and pneumo-haemoperitoneum requiring surgical intervention to remove the drain. The case discusses options for performing the procedure, patient factors that can complicate the procedure and radiological and surgical diagnosis and treatment of this rare event.


Behavioral and emotional problems among Thai and American adolescents: parent reports for ages 12-16.
We studied adolescents' behavioral and emotional problems in the United States and in Thailand, a Buddhist country in which, reportedly, aggression is discouraged and self-control, emotional restraint, and social inhibition are encouraged. Standardized parent reports on 118 problems revealed 45 Thai-U.S. differences. Thai adolescents were reported to show more overcontrolled problems (e.g., shyness, compulsivity, inhibition of talking, fearfulness, and constipation) than American adolescents (p < .0001). The two groups did not differ reliably in total undercontrolled problems, but Americans showed higher levels of direct, overt, and interpersonally aggressive undercontrol (e.g., fighting and bullying), whereas Thais showed more indirect and subtle undercontrol that was not interpersonally aggressive (e.g., sulking and sullenness). The findings suggest that different cultures may be linked to different styles of adolescent problem behavior.


Pregnant and postpartum women's experiences of weight stigma in healthcare.
Weight stigma is a societal phenomenon that is very prevalent in healthcare, precipitating poor patient-provider relationships, discontinuity of care, and delayed cancer screening. Little research, though, has investigated weight stigma in prenatal and postpartum healthcare. To address this gap, this study examined the prevalence and frequency of weight-stigmatizing experiences in prenatal and postpartum healthcare. 501 pregnant and postpartum women responded to an online survey where they reported whether they had experienced weight stigma in prenatal or postpartum healthcare and, if so, how frequently. Participants also responded to questions about how providers had treated them regarding their weight and their reactions to these experiences. A subset of participants (n = 80) also provided examples of their experiences, and these were subjected to a thematic analysis and coded for overarching themes. Nearly 1 in 5 women (n = 92) reported experiencing weight stigma in healthcare settings. Percentages differed by BMI, with 28.4% of participants with pre-pregnancy obesity endorsing healthcare providers as a source of weight stigma. Experiences occurred between "less than once a month" and "a few times a month." Obstetricians were the most commonly-reported source (33.8%), followed by nurses (11.3%). Participants reported feeling judged, shamed, and guilty because of their weight during healthcare visits. Additionally, 37 participants (7.7%) reported having changed providers because of treatment regarding their weight. Many also reported that they expected to feel or had felt uncomfortable seeking help with breastfeeding from a healthcare professional. Finally, thematic analysis of the open-ended examples identified four key themes: (1) negative attitudes and unkind or disrespectful treatment from providers; (2) evaluative comments about their weight; (3) healthcare providers focusing on their high-risk status and potential negative consequences (often when birth outcomes were ultimately healthy); and (4) inappropriate or demeaning comments. Weight stigma may be a common experience in pregnancy and postpartum healthcare. Providers need additional training to avoid stigmatizing their patients and inadvertently undermining patient-provider relationships, quality of care, and health outcomes.


Neurogenic inflammation in the upper digestive tract of the mule duck: effect of a chemical algogen and force-feeding.
1.The objectives were to quantify the presence of neurogenic inflammation in 4 regions of the upper digestive tract of anaesthetised ducks (post-pharynx, pseudo-crop, transition between the pseudo-crop and the proventriculus, and proventriculus) after application of HCl stimulation of up to 4 M in the pseudo-crop. 2.The second objective was to quantify the presence of neurogenic inflammation in the same digestive tract regions as mentioned above during 4 feeding periods of foie gras production (rearing, preparation to force-feeding, and second and last meals of the force-feeding period). 3. Extravasation increased above a HCl stimulation threshold of 2 M. Furthermore, more extravasation was observed in the proventriculus compared to the other regions (P < 0·001). 4.Highest extravasation responses were observed in the proventriculus and the pseudo-crop at the end of the preparation period, and in the proventriculus after the second forced meal, compared with the rearing period (P < 0·01), with a return to rearing level at the end of force-feeding. 5.Such a kinetic could be indicative of a relative mildness of the irritant components associated with this feeding practice.


Making sense of the cleft. Young adults' accounts of growing up with a cleft and deviant speech.
Individuals born with a cleft lip and palate risk developing a deviant appearance and speech during childhood and sometimes also as adults. In this study, 13 young adults born with a cleft (lip and) palate, who had had deviant speech in adolescence, participated in semi-structured interviews. The core category Making sense of the cleft, comprising the two categories Shaping one's attitude to the cleft and Dealing with being different with seven subcategories, describes the processes of developing self-image in relation to the cleft. The findings are believed to be relevant for individuals born with a cleft, their parents and caregivers.


Inhibition of Mycobacterium smegmatis gene expression and growth using antisense peptide nucleic acids.
Antisense agents that inhibit genes at the mRNA level are attractive tools for genome-wide studies and drug target validation. The approach may be particularly well suited to studies of bacteria that are difficult to manipulate with standard genetic tools. Antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNA) with attached carrier peptides can inhibit gene expression in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Here we asked whether peptide-PNAs could mediate antisense effects in Mycobacterium smegmatis. We first targeted the gfp reporter gene and observed dose- and sequence-dependent inhibition at low micromolar concentrations. Sequence alterations within both the PNA and target mRNA sequences eliminated inhibition, strongly supporting an antisense mechanism of inhibition. Also, antisense PNAs with various attached peptides showed improved anti-gfp effects. Two peptide-PNAs targeted to the essential gene inhA were growth inhibitory and caused cell morphology changes that resemble that of InhA-depleted cells. Therefore, antisense peptide-PNAs can efficiently and specifically inhibit both reporter and endogenous essential genes in mycobacteria.


Critical contribution of sanitation infrastructure and primary medical care to child health status in Japan from 1955 to 2000.
We examined the associations between prefectural health status of children and sanitation infrastructure, medical care services and socioeconomic status in Japan during 1955-2000. Four indicators of child health status: infant mortality rate (IMR), Ascaris lumbricoides prevalence and height and weight of elementary school children, and five prefectural social indicators: water supply, sewerage, number of physicians, income and women's education, were calculated over five-year intervals and examined by correlation and panel data analyses. Associations between paediatric health and five social indicators were significant (p<0.001) until 1970. After adjustment for income or education, water supply diffusion rate showed a significantly negative association with IMR until the 1980s. A significantly positive correlation was observed between the number of physician and paediatric health from 1955-70 after adjustment for income. Water supply development showed a positive association with paediatric health after adjustment for economic or educational impact during the phases of rapid and steady economic growth, while medical care showed a positive correlation with paediatric health after adjustment for income during only the phase of rapid economic growth. Relationships between child health status and social indicators have changed over time with stage of economic development.


Large batch freezing of bull semen: effect of time of freezing and fructose on fertility.
Large-scale batch freezing of bull semen should be done in a processing schedule that yields the highest fertility and when it can be fitted efficiently into the work schedule. Conflicting reports have appeared on survival and fertility of bull sperm frozen within a few hours of semen collection or on the next day. To study this problem, a factorially arranged experiment with semen from 10 bulls was conducted, comparing whole milk-glycerol semen extender with and without fructose, and semen frozen in 0.5-ml straws after 4 versus 18 h of equilibration at 5 degrees C. Both fructose and 18 h of equilibration resulted in a small but significant improvement in freeze-thaw survival of sperm. A field trial followed with replicated semen collections from nine bulls processed in a whole milk-glycerol control extender frozen after 4 h of equilibration versus the addition of 1.25% (wt/vol) fructose to whole milk glycerol divided to freeze sperm after 4 and 28 h of equilibration. Semen from these bulls was used to inseminate 14,775 first-service cows. The 56-d nonreturn rates obtained for these three treatments were 74.7, 74.3, and 73.9%, respectively. As there was no difference in fertility, it would appear that programs to freeze sperm in whole milk extenders the same day of collection or the day after semen collection should yield equivalent results.


Mechanisms of Memory Updating: State Dependency vs. Reconsolidation.
Reactivating a memory trace has been argued to put it in a fragile state where it must undergo a stabilization process known as reconsolidation. During this process, memories are thought to be susceptible to interference and can be updated with new information. In the spatial context paradigm, memory updating has been shown to occur when new information is presented in the same spatial context as old information, an effect attributed to a reconsolidation process. However, the integration concept holds that memory change can only occur when reactivation and test states are the same, similar to a state-dependent effect. Thus, in human episodic memory, memory updating should only be found when state is the same across the study, reactivation, and test sessions. We investigated whether memory updating can be attributed to state dependency in two experiments using mood as a state. We found evidence of memory updating only when mood was the same across all sessions of the experiments, lending support to the integration concept and posing a challenge to a reconsolidation explanation.


Intravitreal Conbercept with Grid/Focal Photocoagulation for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the main cause of blindness in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). This meta-analysis compared the effectiveness and safety of macular grid/focal photocoagulation with and without conbercept in the treatment of DME. Studies were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and VIP Information Resource Integration Service Platform from their earliest records to June 2021. Twelve articles involving 2600 patients with DME were included. Results showed that patients receiving conbercept with macular grid/focal photocoagulation had a statistically significant reduction in central macular thickness (CMT) over macular grid/focal photocoagulation alone at 1 month and 3 months post procedure. Compared with the control group, the combination therapy group had a significantly increased level of effectiveness and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) compared with the control group. The combination therapy group significantly increased the level of effectiveness and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) compared with the control group. Conbercept with macular grid/focal photocoagulation was more effective than macular grid/focal photocoagulation alone in terms of functional outcomes for DME treatment.


Cobalt-Iron-Phosphate Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalyst for Solar-Driven Alkaline Seawater Electrolyzer.
Seawater splitting represents an inexpensive and attractive route for producing hydrogen, which does not require a desalination process. Highly active and durable electrocatalysts are required to sustain seawater splitting. Herein we report the phosphidation-based synthesis of a cobalt-iron-phosphate ((Co,Fe)PO4) electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) toward alkaline seawater splitting. (Co,Fe)PO4 demonstrates high HER activity and durability in alkaline natural seawater (1 M KOH + seawater), delivering a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential of 137 mV. Furthermore, the measured potential of the electrocatalyst ((Co,Fe)PO4) at a constant current density of -100 mA/cm2 remains very stable without noticeable degradation for 72 h during the continuous operation in alkaline natural seawater, demonstrating its suitability for seawater applications. Furthermore, an alkaline seawater electrolyzer employing the non-precious-metal catalysts demonstrates better performance (1.625 V at 10 mA/cm2) than one employing precious metal ones (1.653 V at 10 mA/cm2). The non-precious-metal-based alkaline seawater electrolyzer exhibits a high solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency (12.8%) in a commercial silicon solar cell.


Experimental validation of interpolation method for pair correlations in model crystals.
Accurate analysis of pair correlations in condensed matter allows us to establish relations between structures and thermodynamic properties and, thus, is of high importance for a wide range of systems, from solids to colloidal suspensions. Recently, the interpolation method (IM) that describes satisfactorily the shape of pair correlation peaks at short and at long distances has been elaborated theoretically and using molecular dynamics simulations, but it has not been verified experimentally as yet. Here, we test the IM by particle-resolved studies with colloidal suspensions and with complex (dusty) plasmas and demonstrate that, owing to its high accuracy, the IM can be used to experimentally measure parameters that describe interaction between particles in these systems. We used three- and two-dimensional colloidal crystals and monolayer complex (dusty) plasma crystals to explore suitability of the IM in systems with soft to hard-sphere-like repulsion between particles. In addition to the systems with pairwise interactions, if many-body interactions can be mapped to the pairwise ones with some effective (e.g., density-dependent) parameters, the IM could be used to obtain these parameters. The results reliably show that the IM can be effectively used for analysis of pair correlations and interactions in a wide variety of systems and therefore is of broad interest in condensed matter, complex plasma, chemical physics, physical chemistry, materials science, and soft matter.


Enzymic and Photosynthetic Characteristics of Reciprocal F(1) Hybrids of Flaveria pringlei (C(3)) and Flaveria brownii (C(4)-Like Species).
The activities of key C(4) enzymes in gel-filtered, whole-leaf extracts and the photosynthetic characteristics for reciprocal F(1) hybrids of Flaveria pringlei (C(3)) and F. brownii (C(4)-like species) were measured to determine whether any inherited C(4)-photosynthetic traits are responsible for their reduced CO(2) compensation concentration values (AS Holaday, S Talkmitt, ME Doohan Plant Sci 41: 31-39). The activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase, and NADP-malic enzyme (ME) for the reciprocal hybrids are only about 7 to 17% of those for F. brownii, but are three- to fivefold greater than the activities for F. pringlei. The low activities of these enzymes in the hybrids appear to be the result of a partial dominance of F. pringlei genes over certain F. brownii genes. However, no such dominance occurs with respect to the expression of genes for NADP-malate dehydrogenase, which is as active in the hybrids as in F. brownii. In contrast to the situation with the enzymes above, cytoplasmic factors appear to determine the inheritance of NAD-ME. The NAD-ME activity in each hybrid is comparable to that in the respective maternal parent. Pulse-chase (14)CO(2) incorporation analyses at ambient CO(2) levels indicate that the hybrids initially assimilate 7 to 9% of the total assimilated CO(2) into C(4) acids as compared to 3.5% for F. pringlei. In the hybrids, the percentage of (14)C in malate decreases from an average of 6.5 to 2.1% after a 60-second chase in (12)CO(2)/air. However, this apparent C(4)-cycle activity is too limited or inefficient to substantially alter CO(2) exchange from that in F. pringlei, since the values of net photosynthesis and O(2) inhibition of photosynthesis are similar for the hybrids and F. pringlei. Also, the ratio of the internal to the external CO(2) concentration and the initial slopes of the plot of CO(2) concentration versus net photosynthesis are essentially the same for the hybrids and F. pringlei. At 45 micromoles CO(2) per mole and 0.21 mole O(2) per mole, the hybrids assimilate nearly fivefold more CO(2) into C(4) acids than does F. pringlei. Some turnover of the malate pool occurs in the hybrids, but the labelling of the photorespiratory metabolites, glycine and serine, is the same in these plants as it is in F. pringlei. Thus, although limited C(4)-acid metabolism may operate in the hybrids, we conclude that it is not effective in altering O(2) inhibition of CO(2) assimilation. The ability of the hybrids to assimilate more CO(2) via phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase at low levels of CO(2) than does F. pringlei may result in an increased rate of reassimilation of photorespiratory CO(2) and CO(2) compensation concentrations below that of their C(3) parent. If the hybrids do possess a limited C(4) cycle, it must operate intracellularly. They are not likely to have inherited an intercellular compartmentation of C(4) enzymes, since F. brownii has incomplete compartmentation of key C(3) and C(4) enzymes.


Changes in Temperature Sensitivity and Activation Energy of Soil Organic Matter Decomposition in Different Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Grasslands.
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau grasslands are unique geographical regions and store substantial soil organic matter (SOM) in the soil surface, which make them very sensitive to global climate change. Here, we focused on three main grassland types (alpine meadow, steppe, and desert) and conducted a soil incubation experiment at five different temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C) to investigate SOM decomposition rates (R), temperature sensitivity (Q10), and activation energy (Ea). The results showed that grassland type and incubation temperature had significant impact on R (P < 0.001), and the values of R were exponential correlated with incubation temperature in three alpine grasslands. At the same temperature, R was in the following order: alpine meadow > alpinesteppe > alpine desert. The Q10 values differed significantly among different grasslands, and the overall trends were as follows: alpine meadow (1.56 ± 0.09) < alpine steppe (1.88 ± 0.23) < alpine desert (2.39 ± 0.32). Moreover, the Ea values differed significantly across different grassland types (P < 0.001) and increased with increasing incubation time. The exponential negative correlations between Ea and R at 20°C across all grassland types (all Ps < 0.001) indicated that the substrate-quality temperature hypothesis is applicable to the alpine grasslands. Our findings provide new insights for understanding the responses of SOM decomposition and storage to warming scenarios in this Plateau.


A method exploiting direct communication between phasor measurement units for power system wide-area protection and control algorithms.
Synchrophasor measurements from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) are the primary sensors used to deploy Wide-Area Monitoring, Protection and Control (WAMPAC) systems. PMUs stream out synchrophasor measurements through the IEEE C37.118.2 protocol using TCP/IP or UDP/IP. The proposed method establishes a direct communication between two PMUs, thus eliminating the requirement of an intermediate phasor data concentrator, data mediator and/or protocol parser and thereby ensuring minimum communication latency without considering communication link delays. This method allows utilizing synchrophasor measurements internally in a PMU to deploy custom protection and control algorithms. These algorithms are deployed using protection logic equations which are supported by all the PMU vendors. Moreover, this method reduces overall equipment cost as the algorithms execute internally in a PMU and therefore does not require any additional controller for their deployment. The proposed method can be utilized for fast prototyping of wide-area measurements based protection and control applications. The proposed method is tested by coupling commercial PMUs as Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) with Opal-RT's eMEGAsim Real-Time Simulator (RTS). As illustrative example, anti-islanding protection application is deployed using proposed method and its performance is assessed. The essential points in the method are: •Bypassing intermediate phasor data concentrator or protocol parsers as the synchrophasors are communicated directly between the PMUs (minimizes communication delays).•Wide Area Protection and Control Algorithm is deployed using logic equations in the client PMU, therefore eliminating the requirement for an external hardware controller (cost curtailment)•Effortless means to exploit PMU measurements in an environment familiar to protection engineers.


Sequential femoropopliteal and femorotibial bypasses. A ten-year follow-up study.
Since 1970, we have performed 33 sequential femoropopliteal bypass grafts (of 482 femoropopliteal bypasses [7%]) and 22 sequential femorotibial bypass grafts (of 153 femorotibial bypasses [14%]). Patients ranged in age from 51 to 90 years. Twenty-two (66%) of the sequential femoropopliteal bypass grafts, and all of the sequential femorotibial bypass grafts, were for limb salvage. By life table analysis, interval patency rates for both types of sequential procedures at 60 months, 72 months, and even longer are good (greater than 80% for both sequential femoropopliteal and sequential femorotibial bypasses). These two sequential bypasses are effective alternatives when the saphenous vein is inadequate. We assume that these results are due to excellent inflow (using a prosthetic graft proximally) and the use of a segment of autogenous saphenous vein over the knee joint.


[Perinatal vulnerability and social-support during the postnatal period: a review of the literature].
To present the results of an integrative review of the literature that summarized empirical knowledge on dimensions of vulnerability during the perinatal period leading to informal and semi-formal postnatal support needs. The literature search was performed in ten databases, covering the period from 1990 to March 2013. Relevant information was extracted and analysed in an integrative mode according to four main vulnerability dimensions: biological, psychological, social, cognitive. Thirty studies were included. Biological vulnerabilities mainly concern tiredness and breastfeeding difficulties; psychological vulnerabilities consist of stress, feelings of parental incompetence and need for reassurance; social vulnerabilities comprise performance pressure concerning new responsibilities and entertainment needs, instrumental assistance and peer social support; and cognitive vulnerabilities correspond to a need for participatory information on the prenatal period from peers. The transition to parenthood is an important step during which individuals may experience a state of vulnerability with numerous and interconnected dimensions. The variousforms of postnatal support therefore need to be harmonised in order to support parents. Research is needed on the harmonisation of the various support networks, which raises significant challenges, especially in terms of resources, funding, and information exchange, that must be documented.


A simple construction of dual-slit red cell velocimeter.
A simple method of building a dual-slit red cell velocimeter is introduced. The basis of this technique is to utilize the body of a 35-mm photomicrography camera as the photometric device, exactly centering a pair of highly sensitive photodiodes on the film plane of the camera. By this arrangement, the microvascular image can be accurately focused on the sensing windows of the photodiodes. Because this velocimeter is not based on videophotometry, it was possible to measure red cell velocity up to 30 mm/s in the benchmark test. The maximum red cell velocity actually measured in the rat mesenteric microvessels (6.0 to 48 microns in diam) was 9 mm/s.


Microbicidal activities of Salmonella typhimurium- and interferon-gamma-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages.
Activation of mouse peritoneal macrophages during infection of mice by various facultative intracellular bacteria and after intravenous injection of recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) was studied. Macrophage activation was demonstrated on the basis of three different criteria, i.e. inhibition of Toxoplasma gondii proliferation, enhanced release of H2O2 and increased expression of Ia antigen. Macrophages activated during an infection with Salmonella typhimurium showed no enhanced salmonellacidal or listericidal activity relative to control macrophages, whereas Listeria-activated macrophages killed Listeria but not Salmonella faster than control macrophages. The rate of proliferation of Salmonella in spleen and liver of activated mice was comparable to the proliferation in the organs of control mice. rIFN-gamma-activated macrophages displayed neither an enhanced salmonellacidal nor an enhanced listericidal activity. When high numbers of Listeria were injected intravenously the proliferation in spleen and liver of rIFN-gamma-treated and control mice was similar. The proliferation of Listeria in the liver of rIFN-gamma-treated mice was less than in control mice when 1 LD50 or lower numbers of bacteria were injected. It is concluded that peritoneal macrophages become activated during infections of mice with various intracellular pathogens. However, these activated macrophages do not show enhanced bactericidal activity against all bacteria. Furthermore, rIFN-gamma is not sufficient to enhance the listericidal activity of macrophages.


Sustainable Chemistry at Sungkyunkwan University.
Special Issue: Sustainable Chemistry at Sungkyunkwan University. Sustainable chemistry is key to the development of efficient renewable energies, which will become more and more important in order to combat global warming. In this Editorial, guest editor Prof. Nam-Gyu Park describes the context of this Special Issue on top-quality research towards sustainability performed at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in Korea. Scientists at SKKU work on, for example, photovoltaic solar cells to generate low-cost electricity, lithium batteries and capacitors to store electricity, piezoelectric nanogenerators, thermoelectric devices, hydrogen generation, and fuel cells.


Principles of health care financing.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates that all children must have health insurance coverage that ensures them access to affordable and comprehensive quality care. Access to care depends on the design and implementation of payment systems that ensure the economic viability of the medical home; support and grow the professional pediatric workforce; promote the adoption and implementation of health information technology; enhance medical education, training, and research; and encourage and reward quality-improvement programs that advance and strengthen the medical home. Health insurance plans must be portable from state to state, with administrative procedures to eliminate breaks and gaps in coverage to ensure continuous coverage from year to year. Plans should ensure free choice of clinicians and foster coordination with public and private community-based programs for infants, children, and adolescents through the age of 26. The scope of services provided by all health plans must include preventive, acute and chronic illness, behavioral, inpatient, emergency, and home health care. These plans must be affordable and have cost-sharing policies that protect patients and families from financial strain and are without risk of loss of benefits because of plan design, current illness, or preexisting condition.


New analysis of the theory of rowland ghosts.
False spectra produced by diffraction gratings are analyzed. A better criteria for labeling Rowland ghosts is proposed. Assuming that only one periodic error affects the ruling of the grating, an expression for the ghosts' intensities has been derived; it assigns different intensities to ghosts symmetrically placed on each side of spectral lines in any diffraction order.


Effects of alfentanil on intracranial pressure in children undergoing ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision.
The effects of alfentanil on intracranial pressure in patients with diminished intracranial compliance has not been established. Ten patients with hydrocephalus of varying etiologies, ages 16 months to 20 yr, presenting for ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision were studied. Following induction of anesthesia with thiopental, nitrous oxide/oxygen, and isoflurane, the trachea was intubated and anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane (0.5%), nitrous oxide (70%), and oxygen. After a minimum of 30 min and after the new shunt was placed, alfentanil was administered in increments of 10, 20, and 40 micrograms/kg at 3-min intervals, and intracranial pressure was measured over 12 min via the new shunt. In these unstimulated, normocapnic (PETCO2 32-38 mmHg) patients, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and cerebral perfusion pressure declined from 110 +/- 26 beats/min, 90 +/- 11 mmHg, and 71 +/- 14 mmHg, to 84 +/- 25 beats/min, 66 +/- 11 mmHg, and 45 +/- 16 mmHg (mean +/- SD), respectively, by 3 min after the third dose (P less than 0.001). Intracranial pressure did not change from baseline (19 +/- 14 mmHg vs. 21 +/- 11) after any dose of alfentanil. Contrary to earlier studies in adult patients with brain tumors, the authors found that alfentanil, in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus anesthetized with oxygen, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane, did not increase intracranial pressure within a 9-min study period. The significant decreases in cerebral perfusion pressure observed merit concern and further study.


Presentation and Management of Life-threatening Lesion in Left Orbit Complicated by Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis.
We present a unique case of acute on chronic left frontal sinusitis with an orbital abscess in the left orbit complicated by granulomatosis with polyangiitis and a defect to the structure of the orbit, among the 87 year old patient's other health-related conditions. Urgent transfer to tertiary care, and diagnostic, surgical, and multidisciplinary management were necessary to achieve a favorable clinical outcome: the eye was left undamaged and no infection spread to the brain. This report also sets out to review the literature.


S(+)-ketamine as an analgesic adjunct reduces opioid consumption after cardiac surgery.
There are no studies evaluating S(+)-ketamine for pain management after sternotomy. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, we evaluated the efficacy and feasibility of S(+)-ketamine as an adjunctive analgesic after cardiac surgery. Ninety patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were randomized to receive either a 75 microg/kg bolus of S(+)-ketamine followed by a continuous infusion of 1.25 microg . kg(-1) . min(-1) for 48 h (n = 44) or placebo (normal saline bolus and infusion) (n = 46). From the time of tracheal extubation, patients could access an opioid (oxycodone) via a patient-controlled analgesia device, and the cumulative oxycodone doses were measured over 48 h. Pain was evaluated on a visual analog scale three times daily. The quality of recovery, patient satisfaction with pain management, and adverse effects were recorded. The cumulative oxycodone consumption during the first 48 postoperative hours was less in the S(+)-ketamine group (103 +/- 44 mg) than in the placebo group (125 +/- 45 mg; mean difference, 22 mg; 95% confidence interval for the difference, 3-40 mg; P = 0.023). Pain scores did not differ between the groups at rest (P = 0.17) or during a deep breath (P = 0.23). Patient satisfaction was superior in S(+)-ketamine-treated patients: 26 (60%) of 44 in the S(+)-ketamine group compared with 16 (35%) of 46 in the placebo group were very satisfied with the analgesic management (P = 0.032). Nausea and vomiting were the most common adverse events, with similar frequencies in both groups. Four patients in the S(+)-ketamine group developed transient hallucinations during the infusion, versus none in the placebo group. In conclusion, small-dose S(+)-ketamine decreased opioid consumption in CABG patients during the first 48 h after surgery.


People v. Stockton Pregnancy Control Medical Clinic, Inc., 28 July 1988.
The defendants, a pregnancy control clinic and physicians, appealed a decision enjoining them from violating a California statute that required them to report as child abuse instances where minors under the age of 14 were diagnosed as being pregnant, as having a sexually transmitted disease, or as suffering from the complications of an abortion. The Court reversed part of the lower court decision and held that the defendants did not have to report voluntary sexual contact where the parties are of similar age. However, it also ruled that where the parties were of disparate age, such a reporting requirement did not violate the constitutional right to privacy of minors and served the compelling state interest of preventing child abuse.


Metachronal actuation of microscopic magnetic artificial cilia generates strong microfluidic pumping.
Biological cilia that generate fluid flow or propulsion are often found to exhibit a collective wavelike metachronal motion, i.e. neighboring cilia beat slightly out-of-phase rather than synchronously. Inspired by this observation, this article experimentally demonstrates that microscopic magnetic artificial cilia (μMAC) performing a metachronal motion can generate strong microfluidic flows, though, interestingly, the mechanism is different from that in biological cilia, as is found through a systematic experimental study. The μMAC are actuated by a facile magnetic setup, consisting of an array of rod-shaped magnets. This arrangement imposes a time-dependent non-uniform magnetic field on the μMAC array, resulting in a phase difference between the beatings of adjacent μMAC, while each cilium exhibits a two-dimensional whip-like motion. By performing the metachronal 2D motion, the μMAC are able to generate a strong flow in a microfluidic chip, with velocities of up to 3000 μm s-1 in water, which, different from biological cilia, is found to be a result of combined metachronal and inertial effects, in addition to the effect of asymmetric beating. The pumping performance of the metachronal μMAC outperforms all previously reported microscopic artificial cilia, and is competitive with that of most of the existing microfluidic pumping methods, while the proposed platform requires no physical connection to peripheral equipment, reduces the usage of reagents by minimizing "dead volumes", avoids undesirable electrical effects, and accommodates a wide range of different fluids. The 2D metachronal motion can also generate a flow with velocities up to 60 μm s-1 in pure glycerol, where Reynolds number is less than 0.05 and the flow is primarily caused by the metachronal motion of the μMAC. These findings offer a novel solution to not only create on-chip integrated micropumps, but also design swimming and walking microrobots, as well as self-cleaning and antifouling surfaces.


Fixational eye movement correction of blink-induced gaze position errors.
Our eyes move continuously. Even when we attempt to fix our gaze, we produce "fixational" eye movements including microsaccades, drift and tremor. The potential role of microsaccades versus drifts in the control of eye position has been debated for decades and remains in question today. Here we set out to determine the corrective functions of microsaccades and drifts on gaze-position errors due to blinks in non-human primates (Macaca mulatta) and humans. Our results show that blinks contribute to the instability of gaze during fixation, and that microsaccades, but not drifts, correct fixation errors introduced by blinks. These findings provide new insights about eye position control during fixation, and indicate a more general role of microsaccades in fixation correction than thought previously.


Malignancy of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of lung in aged.
Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation is rare in adults, and often asymptomatic. We describe a case of malignant degeneration of a congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation in a 77-year-old man. Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation must be considered a premalignant lesion, even in older patients. Rigorous preoperative staging must be undertaken. Anatomic resection with extensive lymphadenectomy remains the treatment of choice.


Extracellular Matrix-Specific Platelet Activation Leads to a Differential Translational Response and Protein De Novo Synthesis in Human Platelets.
Platelets are exposed to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins like collagen and laminin and to fibrinogen during acute vascular events. However, beyond hemostasis, platelets have the important capacity to migrate on ECM surfaces, but the translational response of platelets to different extracellular matrix stimuli is still not fully characterized. Using 2D-gel electrophoresis, confocal microscopy, polysome analysis and protein sequencing by mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that platelets show a differential expression profile of newly synthesized proteins on laminin, collagen or fibrinogen. In this context, we observed a characteristic, ECM-dependent translocation phenotype of translation initiation factor eIF4E to the ribosomal site. eIF4E accumulated in polysomes with increased binding of mRNA and co-localization with vinculin, leading to de novo synthesis of important cytoskeletal regulator proteins. As the first study, we included a proteome analysis of laminin-adherent platelets and interestingly identified upregulation of essentially important proteins that mediate cytoskeletal regulation and mobility in platelets, such as filamin A, talin, vinculin, gelsolin, coronin or kindlin-3. In summary, we demonstrate that platelet activation with extracellular matrix proteins results in a distinct stimulus-specific translational response of platelets that will help to improve our understanding of the regulation of platelet mobility and migration.


Association Between Culture-Negative Versus Culture-Positive Sepsis and Outcomes of Patients Admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Background Sepsis remains a major cause of death, with high mortality and morbidity rates in children. The cause of mortality may be associated with several factors, including differences in cultures and the type of organism. This study was aimed at evaluating the characteristics and outcomes of negative bacterial blood culture compared to those of positive bacterial blood culture in children with severe sepsis/septic shock. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary care medical center. All pediatric patients, from newborn to 14 years of age, admitted between April 2015 and January 2018 were included in the study if they fulfilled the criteria for severe sepsis/septic shock. Results Of the 209 patients, 30 (14.3%) had a positive bacterial blood culture whereas 179 (86.6%) had a negative bacterial blood culture. Mortality was more in positive bacterial blood culture 13 (43%) vs 35 (20%) in negative bacterial blood culture (P = 0.004). Respiratory tract infections were extremely common, present in 108 of 179 (60%) patients, and tended to result in a negative culture. The rate of organ dysfunction was higher in the positive bacterial blood culture group at admission (P = 0.01). However, the results did not reveal a significant finding related to multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) progression over three days of PICU admission (P = 0.06). Conclusion The negative bacterial blood culture constitutes a substantial proportion of pediatric patients with severe sepsis/septic shock. Furthermore, these pediatric patients have a lower mortality rate compared to positive bacterial blood cultures. The culture-negative sepsis group also had less organ dysfunction.


Hip arthroplasty today and tomorrow.
Acrylic-fixed total hip and surface replacement arthroplasty have been very effective in affording immediate relief of pain and providing improved function. Complications have been reduced by improvements in design, materials, and especially technique. They are now very low in the elderly, and the stem type acrylic-fixed design remains the procedure of choice. The failure rates in youthful patients and those with bone-stock deficiencies have been high in both THR and surface types, although the latter had the advantage of preserving femoral stock. On the femoral side, the new "macro" femoral designs from Europe and "micro" femoral porous designs have shown promise, but thigh pain, incomplete and difficult to predict bone ingrowth patterns, coupled with removal problems have influenced design and technique changes. Both press-fit stem types and porous surface replacements have produced promising initial results with less potential downside risks. On the acetabular side, both the cementless hemispherical with screw-type adjuvant fixation, or the chamfered cylinder designs, used primarily with the UCLA porous surface replacements, but also with stem-type devices, appear to achieve best short-term results, while the entire variety of screw rings are disappointing. The future will bring further refinements in technique and specific indications for certain types of replacement stem in specific types of bone stock deficiencies. The all ceramic-ceramic and ceramic-polyethylene bearings show promise of reducing wear and, hence, should improve longevity of implant fixation.


[Undiagnosed Whipple's disease with a lethal outcome].
Whipples disease is a rare multisystem disease caused by rod-shaped bacteria Tropheryma whipplei. Although it affects all age groups, the typical patient is a middle-aged white man. The clinical signs are very heterogeneous and depend on the stage of the disease. The most common is abdominal manifestation characterized by weight loss, disability, chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain. Untreated Whipples disease is almost always fatal. We describe probably the first published case of undiagnosed Whipples disease with a lethal outcome in Slovakia, occuring in a 33-year old white man with involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, abdominal lymphatic nodes and brain, who died of bronchopneumonia.


Applications of a multiphasic growth function to body composition in pigs.
A multiphasic growth function was used to relate growth of body components to phases of total growth for pigs. Each phase of growth was characterized by asymptotic weight, age at maximum gain, and duration. Age at maximum gain and duration were expressed as a ratio and assumed constant for all phases. One application involved weights of total DM predicted directly with a diphasic function and indirectly with monophasic functions of fat-free DM and fat. Another involved weights of carcass side predicted directly with a diphasic function and indirectly with monophasic functions of offal + muscle + bone and fat + skin. Components were grouped on age at maximum gain. There was good agreement for asymptotic weight between body components and phases, and general agreement for age at maximum gain and for duration, except for carcass weights. A multiphasic growth function may provide a way to examine fat-adjusted weight in living animals because growth of fat appears as a late phase in a multiphasic description of total body growth.


A comparison of physiological strain of carriers in underground manual coal mines in India.
Thirty-nine healthy carriers (23-57 years of age) were investigated in underground manual coal mines in West Bengal, India during two different work spells of a single work shift. We compared physiological strain of workers <40 and > or =40 years of age. For both groups, mean heart rate was 124-133 beats/min, with a mean corresponding relative cardiac cost of 50-66%. Maximum aerobic capacities were estimated indirectly, following a standard step test protocol. Average oxygen consumption was 1.07-1.1 l/min, with an energy expenditure of 5.35-5.5 kcal/min among both age groups. Acceptable levels of physiological strain were well encroached, and older workers faced the maximum burden. The tasks studied were heavy to very heavy in nature. The weight of load carriage at a spontaneously chosen speed and the prevailing environmental conditions merit serious attention. There is extreme need of ergonomic interventions in reducing the postural load and musculoskeletal discomforts in this population.


Requirement for Map2k1 (Mek1) in extra-embryonic ectoderm during placentogenesis.
Map2k1(-/-) embryos die at mid-gestation from abnormal development and hypovascularization of the placenta. We now show that this phenotype is associated with a decreased labyrinth cell proliferation and an augmented cell apoptosis. Although the activation of MAP2K1 and MAP2K2 is widespread in the labyrinthine region, MAPK1 and MAPK3 activation is restricted to the cells lining the maternal sinuses, suggesting an important role for the ERK/MAPK cascade in these cells. In Map2k1(-/-) placenta, ERK/MAPK cascade activation is perturbed. Abnormal localization of the syncytiotrophoblasts is also observed in Map2k1(-/-) placenta, even though this cell lineage is specified at the correct time during placentogenesis. The placental phenotype can be rescued in tetraploid experiments. In addition, Map2k1-specific deletion in the embryo leads to normal embryo development and to the birth of viable Map2k1(-/-) mice. Altogether, these data enlighten the essential role of Map2k1 in extra-embryonic ectoderm during placentogenesis. In the embryo, the Map2k1 gene function appears dispensable.


An Assistive Soft Wrist Exosuit for Flexion Movements With an Ergonomic Reinforced Glove.
Soft exosuits are a promising solution for the assistance and augmentation of human motor abilities in the industrial field, where the use of more symbiotic wearable robots can avoid excessive worker fatigue and improve the quality of the work. One of the challenges in the design of soft exosuits is the choice of the right amount of softness to balance load transfer, ergonomics, and weight. This article presents a cable-driven based soft wrist exosuit for flexion assistance with the use of an ergonomic reinforced glove. The flexible and highly compliant three-dimensional (3D)-printed plastic structure that is sewn on the glove allows an optimal force transfer from the remotely located motor to the wrist articulation and to preserve a high level of comfort for the user during assistance. The device is shown to reduce fatigue and the muscular effort required for holding and lifting loads in healthy subjects for weights up to 3 kg.


Camel's milk and gastric emptying.
Gastric emptying is determined by food consistency, pH, osmolality, lipid and calorie content as well as the presence of different nutrients in the duodenal lumen. Control of gastric emptying is essential for ensuring optimal digestion. The present study tested the hypothesis that due to its different precipitation properties, gastric emptying of camel's milk may be quicker than that of bovine's milk with the same caloric and fat content. Gastric emptying was studied by a scintigraphic technique in a randomized, double blind fashion in 8 volunteers after drinking 450 mL of either cow's milk or camel's milk. No differences in gastric emptying rates were found between the two types of milk. The percentage of retention of the meal after 60 min was 74.6+/-13.2% for cow's milk and 79.8+/-10.8% for camel's milk. The 50% emptying time (T(1/2)) was 131.8+/-37.4 min for cow's milk and 136.8+/-55.8 min for camel's milk. Camel's milk is most probably not a useful substitute for other types of milk to shorten gastric emptying.


Racial and cultural factors affecting the mental health of Asian Americans.
In this study, we employed structural equation modeling to test the degree to which racism-related stress, acculturative stress, and bicultural self-efficacy were predictive of mental health in a predominantly community-based sample of 367 Asian American adults. We also tested whether bicultural self-efficacy moderated the relationship between acculturative stress and mental health. Finally, we examined whether generational status moderated the impact of racial and cultural predictors of mental health by testing our model across immigrant and U.S.-born samples. Results indicated that our hypothesized structural model represented a good fit to the total sample data. While racism-related stress, acculturative stress, and bicultural self-efficacy were significant predictors of mental health in the total sample analyses, our generational analyses revealed a differential predictive pattern across generational status. Finally, we found that the buffering effect of bicultural self-efficacy on the relationship between acculturative stress and mental health was significant for U.S.-born individuals only. Implications for research and service delivery are explored.


Cyclops syndrome: loss of extension following intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Arthrofibrosis is one of the recognized complications following traditional anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. With the advent of arthroscopic assisted ACL reconstructions, the extent of potential arthrofibrosis appeared to be less. However, 13 patients after intra-articular ACL reconstruction using a patella tendon autograft developed a similar symptom complex. In addition to postoperative loss of full extension, there was an audible and palpable clunk with terminal extension. These patients had similar arthroscopic findings of a nodule that formed anterolateral to the tibial tunnel placement of the graft. The arthroscopic appearance of the soft tissue mass with its surface vessels was reminiscent of a "cyclops." After arthroscopy with debridement and manipulation of the knee, extension was improved in all cases. The average range of motion immediately after the procedure was 6.0-130 degrees, compared with 16-103 degrees preoperatively. The range of motion at last follow-up averaged 3.8 degrees of extension and 138 degrees of flexion. All patients had greater than 130 degrees of flexion. There were no complications attributed to the manipulation and arthroscopic lysis of adhesions, and no patient experienced loss of graft integrity or knee stability. The "cyclops" nodule was examined grossly and microscopically and demonstrated peripheral fibrous tissue with a central region of granulation tissue in all specimens. In addition, two specimens were noted to include bony fragments and three specimens contained cartilaginous tissue.


Enhancement of primary systemic acquired immunity by exogenous triiodothyronine in wasted, protein-energy malnourished weanling mice.
The objectives of this investigation were to expand information regarding the types of acquired immune responses that can be stimulated by triiodothyronine (T3) supplements in wasting protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and to determine whether T3 can exert its enhancing influence on acquired immunity in PEM against diverse genetic backgrounds. Two experiments were conducted with weanling C57BL/6J mice. Animals were allowed ad libitum access for 14 d to a nutritionally complete purified diet (C), an isoenergetic low protein (0.6%) formulation (LP) or the low protein diet containing 0.2 microgram T3/g (LPT3). The LP diet produced wasting as judged by weight loss and carcass composition. This diet also depressed both the antibody response to sheep red blood cells (Experiment 1) and the complete major histocompatibility complex-disparate skin graft rejection response (Experiment 2). The LPT3-fed mice experienced wasting at least equivalent in magnitude to that of animals fed LP, but they exhibited significantly more vigorous responses than LP-fed animals in both immune reactions examined. In conjunction with previous results obtained using the CBA/J strain of mouse, the results show that not only humoral (antibody) responses but also at least some cell-mediated responses can be improved by T3 supplements in wasting PEM. Moreover, this influence on acquired immunity is apparent in at least two genetically unrelated mouse strains, thus increasing confidence in its basic biological significance.


Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Neuropathogenesis: A Model for HIV-Induced CNS Inflammation and Neurodegeneration.
Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV), similar to its human analog human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), enters the central nervous system (CNS) soon after infection and establishes a protected viral reservoir. The ensuing inflammation and damage give rise to varying degrees of cognitive decline collectively known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Because of the similarities to HIV infection and disease, FIV has provided a useful model for both in vitro and in vivo studies of CNS infection, inflammation and pathology. This mini review summarizes insights gained from studies of early infection, immune cell trafficking, inflammation and the mechanisms of neuropathogenesis. Advances in our understanding of these processes have contributed to the development of therapeutic interventions designed to protect neurons and regulate inflammatory activity.


[Urinary flow in children: correlation with age, body height and body surface area].
Peak flow rate data (Qmax) are important for diagnosis of lower urinary tract obstruction. However, the lack of uroflowmetry studies in children, makes their interpretation difficult. With this aim, we studied 167 boys classified in four groups according to their age (G1: n = 48, 6-7 years; G2: n = 43, 8-9 years; G3: n = 37, 10-11 years; G4: n = 39, 12-14 years). We studied in all children, weight, height, body surface area, peak flow rate (Qmax) and the correspondant urinary volume (Vol). Means and standard deviations of Qmax (ml/sec) were: 15 +/- 5 (G1), 15 +/- 5 (G2), 17 +/- 5 (G3) and 22 +/- 7 (G4) respectively. Corresponding urinary volumes (Vol) (mean standard deviation-in ml) were: G1 = 123 +/- 75; G2 = 122 +/- 79; G3 = 158 +/- 96 and G4 = 162 +/- 101. We found a significant correlation (p < 0,01) between Qmax and Vol in groups G2, G3 and G4; and between Qmax and height in groups G1 and G4. The authors demonstrated a positive correlation between maximum flow and voided volume, and an increase of Qmax with age.


The effect of copper grain size on laser ultrasonic backscattered signal.
Grain size has an essential influence on the serviceability of metallic materials. In this paper, a noncontact laser ultrasonic testing platform is built to study the effect of copper grain size on the laser ultrasonic backscattered signal. According to the correlation between grain size and ultrasonic wavelength, the ultrasonic scattering by copper grains in the experiment contains not only Rayleigh scattering but also the transition region from Rayleigh scattering to stochastic scattering. Using time-frequency analysis, the influence of copper grain size on the characteristic parameters of backscattering was explored, and a prediction model of grain size was established, which was compared with the prediction model based on the attenuation method to verify the accuracy of the backscattering model. The results show that the backscattered signal can adequately characterize the grain size information and laser ultrasonics is a method that can realize on-line detection of grain size.