Steri-strips as an aid to intra-operative monitoring of the eye during endoscopic sinus surgery.
Although uncommon, ocular complications of endoscopic sinus surgery have the potential to cause considerable morbidity. Direct intra-operative monitoring of the eye may alert the surgeon to potential complications at an early stage. We describe the use of Steri-strips during endoscopic sinus surgery as an aid to monitoring for ocular complications during surgery. This is a cheap, simple and effective method of intra-operative monitoring.


Fundamental drivers for endolithic microbial community assemblies in the hyperarid Atacama Desert.
In hyperarid deserts, endolithic microbial communities colonize the rocks' interior as a survival strategy. Yet, the composition of these communities and the drivers promoting their assembly are still poorly understood. We analysed the diversity and community composition of endoliths from four different lithic substrates - calcite, gypsum, ignimbrite and granite - collected in the hyperarid zone of the Atacama Desert, Chile. By combining microscopy, mineralogy, spectroscopy and high throughput sequencing, we found these communities to be highly specific to their lithic substrate, although they were all dominated by the same four main phyla, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria. Our finding indicates a fine scale diversification of the microbial reservoir driven by substrate properties. The data suggest that the overall rock chemistry and the light transmission properties of the substrates are not essential drivers of community structure and composition. Instead, we propose that the architecture of the rock, i.e., the space available for colonization and its physical structure, linked to water retention capabilities, is ultimately the driver of community diversity and composition at the dry limit of life.


Synthesis and properties of some peptide analogues of actinomycin D.
Analogues of actinomycin D (AMD) were synthesized in which amino acid replacements were made at various sites in the peptide moieties. These include (i) replacement of both N-methylvalines by N-methylleucine, (ii) replacement of both sarcosines by N-[2-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl]glycine, and (iii) replacement of one or both D-valines by D-threonine. The purpose of replacements ii and iii was to ascertain the effect upon biological activity of introducing a new side chain which could be functionalized to allow the attachment of carrier molecules such as antibodies. NMR data indicated that none of the analogues had solution conformations significantly different from that of AMD. Difference spectra with DNA revealed that replacement i enhanced binding while the other analogues bound less strongly to DNA. All the analogues had lower antimicrobial activities than AMD. In contrast, 5,5'-(MeLeu)2AMD displayed in vitro antitumor activity comparable with that of AMD at approximately 100-fold lower concentrations.


Dual targeting of isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase in Trypanosoma brucei is mediated through alternative trans-splicing.
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze the aminoacylation of tRNAs with their cognate amino acids. They are an essential part of each translation system and in eukaryotes are therefore found in both the cytosol and mitochondria. Thus, eukaryotes either have two distinct genes encoding the cytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms of each of these enzymes or a single gene encoding dually localized products. Trypanosomes require trans-splicing of a cap containing leader sequence onto the 5'-untranslated region of every mRNA. Recently we speculated that alternative trans-splicing could lead to the expression of proteins having amino-termini of different lengths that derive from the same gene. We now demonstrate that alternative trans-splicing, creating a long and a short spliced variant, is the mechanism for dual localization of trypanosomal isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IleRS). The protein product of the longer spliced variant possesses an amino-terminal presequence and is found exclusively in mitochondria. In contrast, the shorter spliced variant is translated to a cytosol-specific isoform lacking the presequence. Furthermore, we show that RNA stability is one mechanism determining the differential abundance of the two spliced isoforms.


A case of lung metastasis in myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma: analytical review of one hundred and thirty eight cases.
Myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma (MIFS) is a rare soft tissue tumour first identified at the end of the 1990s. This study presents our experience and literature reviews focusing on risk of recurrence. Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute database and literature were searched for patients with MIFS observed from 1997 to 2012. Data were analysed in a new database. Five patients underwent surgery at our institute, and 133 cases were retrieved from the literature. Not all clinicopathological data were available: 76/138 were men (55%), median age was 45 [interquartile range (IQR) 34-56] years, median tumour size was three (IQR two to five) centimetres. Common sites of occurrence were hand (24%), fingers (23%) and foot (20%). Pain was present at diagnosis in 14/82 patients (17%), with a median duration of seven (IQR three to 12) months. Surgery was performed for a suspected benign tumour in 88 patients (74%). Resection was incomplete in 45/71 cases (63%); re-excision was performed in 32/45 (71%). At a median follow-up of 26 months, 26/118 patients (22%) developed recurrent disease; median time to recurrence was 15 months (IQR seven to 26). Actuarial relapse-free survival (RFS) at one, three and five years was 93%, 72% and 67%, respectively. At univariate analysis, only symptom duration of six months or less was significantly associated with a worse RFS (p = 0.046). Metastatic disease to lymph nodes and/or lungs was observed in four patients (3%). Clinicopathological findings confirm the low-grade nature of MIFS. However, local recurrence occurs, and patients may be affected by aggressive forms with a potential for distant metastases. Follow-up is strongly advised.


Antagonist-induced opioid receptor up-regulation. II. Regionally specific modulation of mu, delta and kappa binding sites in rat brain revealed by quantitative autoradiography.
The neurochemical basis for the supersensitivity to mu or kappa opiate agonists observed after chronic naloxone infusion (reported in the preceding paper) has been investigated using the technique of quantitative in vitro autoradiography. The binding of [3H]-D-Ala2MePhe4Glyol enkephalin (3H-DAGO) to mu opioid sites was increased in many brain regions after chronic administration (7 days) of a low dose of naloxone (0.5 mg/kg/hr). The greatest increases were seen in the hippocampal strata moleculare and lucidum. The binding of [3H]-D-Ala2-D-Leu5 enkephalin (3H-DADL) to delta sites and of [3H]-bremazocine to kappa sites were not significantly affected in any region. In contrast, after administration of a higher dose of naloxone (3.0 mg/kg/hr), the binding to mu, delta and kappa sites was increased in many brain areas, suggesting that up-regulation is observed only when a sufficient proportion of the receptors in vivo are occupied by the antagonist. However, a different regional pattern of up-regulation was seen for each class of opiate binding site. The greatest increases in kappa binding in the brain were seen in the periaqueductal gray and the hippocampal molecular and pyramidal cell layers. The substantia nigra showed up-regulation of kappa but not of mu sites. Differences in the pattern of mu and kappa binding site up-regulation were also noted in the spinal cord. This regionally specific modulation of opiate binding sites suggests that, for each receptor type, the level of tonic activation varies between individual brain areas. In addition, the data demonstrate that all three types of opiate receptor can undergo up-regulation "in vivo."


[Study of clinically isolated new quinolones-resistant Haemophilus influenzae. Part 1].
A study was done to determine susceptibilities of Haemophilus influenzae that were obtained in our laboratory in 1994 to new quinolones (NQ) and other drugs. The results were as follows; 1. Among the 300 isolates, the detection frequency of NQ-resistant strains was 8.7% (26 strains), including isolates from chronic lower respiratory tract infections (22 strains) and those from middle meatus of nose (2 strains), etc. NQ-resistant strains were not isolated from children. 2. The cross resistance was studied for different NQs against NQ-resistant strains. Clavulanic acid/amoxicillin, cefteram, cefpodoxime, cefditoren, cefodizime (CDZM) and cefpirome showed strong antimicrobial activities against NQ-resistant strains. MIC90 of CEPs against all isolated strains including NQ-resistant strains and beta-lactamase producers was low. And the MIC90 of CDZM was < or = 0.025 microgram/ml, which was the lowest among all the antibiotics tested. 3. We found 47 strains (15.7%) of beta-lactamase producers among the 300 isolates, the frequency of beta-lactamase producing strains was high among strains obtained from children.


Prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in urology patients referred for ultrasound.
During a 3-year period, all urology patients over the age of 50 years referred for ultrasound investigation of the renal tract, underwent routine examination of the abdominal aorta. A total of 2281 patients were examined (1798 men and 483 women) and an abdominal aortic aneurysm was detected in 57 (2.5%). In men over the age of 65 years, 47 aneurysms were detected (4.9%). The mean time taken to scan the aorta was 43 s. We recommend the routine practice of examining the abdominal aorta in all men over the age of 60 years referred for ultrasound examination of the renal tract.


Multivariate approach for optimization of galactomannan extraction from seeds of Egyptian Trigonella foenum-graecum with insights on its pharmacological activities.
Response surface methodology (RSM), based on the central composite design (CCD), was used for the systemic optimization of galactomannan (GAL) extraction from Trigonella foenum-graecum. GAL was reported to possess a variety of pharmacological effects and is commercialized as adjuvant therapy for diabetes, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia. Seven process variables were evaluated (12 experiments in a Plackett-Burman design) to screen the significant factors affecting the extraction yield. The three most significant variables were evaluated in CCD at two levels (twenty experimental designs) to obtain the utmost percentage yield. The yield of GAL extraction was influenced by the volume of the precipitating solvent to the volume of the soaking water and reached a maximum of 10.1% at a ratio of 3.633:1. Exploring the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-microbial activities of GAL revealed cytotoxic activity against LS174-T colorectal cancer cells, weak antioxidant activity, and moderate antimicrobial activity against Candida tropicalis and Micrococcus species.


Relationship between Thermal Transitions and Freezing Injury in Pea and Soybean Seeds.
In an attempt to correlate freezable water with freezing injury, the thermal behavior of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr) seed parts at different moisture contents were compared with survival of the seeds when exposed to low temperatures. Thermal transitions between -150 and 10 degrees C were studied using differential scanning calorimetry. In pea, reduction of germinability, after exposure of seeds to temperatures between - 18 and - 180 degrees C, occurred at a constant moisture content (about 0.33 gram H(2)O/gram dry weight) regardless of the temperature; this moisture level was above that at which freezable water was first detectable by differential scanning calorimetry (0.26 gram H(2)O/gram dry weight). In contrast, damage to soybean seeds was observed at progressively lower moisture contents (from 0.33 to 0.20 gram H(2)O/gram dry weight) when the temperature was decreased from -18 degrees C to -50 degrees C. At -18 and -30 degrees C, moisture contents at which damage to soybean seeds was evident were above that at which freezable water was first detectable (0.23 gram H(2)O/gram dry weight). However, at -50, -80, and -180 degrees C, damage was evident even when freezable water was not detectable. The data suggest that, while the quantity of water is important in the expression of freezing injury, the presence of freezable water does not account for the damage.


ON/OFF Switchable Nanocomposite Membranes for Separations.
Although water, air, and other resources are abundant on earth, they have been subjected to strict environmental regulations. This is because of their limitation of availability for human consumption. In the separation industry, the membrane system was introduced to increase the amount of resources available to mankind. Experts used an easy-to-use polymeric material to design several membranes with porous structures for wastewater treatment, gas separation, and chemical removal; consequently, they succeeded in obtaining positive results. However, past polymeric membranes exhibited a chronic drawback such that it was difficult to simultaneously augment the permeate flux and improve its selectivity toward certain substances. Because of the trade-off relationship that existed between permeability and selectivity, the membrane efficiency was not very good; consequently, the cost-effectiveness was significantly hindered because there was no other alternative than to replace the membrane in order to maintain its initial characteristics steadily. This review begins with the introduction of a polymer nanocomposite (PNC) membrane that has been designed to solve the chronic problem of polymeric membranes; subsequently, the stimuli-responsive PNC membrane is elucidated, which has established itself as a popular topic among researchers in the separation industry for several decades. Furthermore, we have listed the different types and examples of stimuli-responsive PNC membranes, which can be switched by external stimuli, while discussing the future direction of the membrane separation industry.


FSTL3-Neutralizing Antibodies Enhance Glucose-Responsive Insulin Secretion in Dysfunctional Male Mouse and Human Islets.
Diabetes is caused by insufficient insulin production from pancreatic beta cells or insufficient insulin action, leading to an inability to control blood glucose. While a wide range of treatments exist to alleviate the symptoms of diabetes, therapies addressing the root cause of diabetes through replacing lost beta cells with functional cells remain an object of active pursuit. We previously demonstrated that genetic deletion of Fstl3, a critical regulator of activin activity, enhanced beta cell number and glucose-responsive insulin production. These observations suggested the hypothesis that FSTL3 neutralization could be used to therapeutically enhance beta cell number and function in humans. To pursue this possibility, we developed an FSTL3-neutralizing antibody, FP-101, and characterized its ability to prevent or disrupt FSTL3 from complexing with activin or related ligands. This antibody was selective for FSTL3 relative to the closely related follistatin, thereby reducing the chance for off-target effects. In vitro assays with FP-101 and activin revealed that FP-101-mediated neutralization of FSTL3 can enhance both insulin secretion and glucose responsiveness to nonfunctional mouse and human islets under conditions that model diabetes. Thus, FSTL3 neutralization may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for treating diabetes through repairing dysfunctional beta cells.


Visual evoked response in patients with severe carotid disease--functional transcranial doppler study of posterior circulation.
The goal of this study was to evaluate the visual evoked response in posterior cerebral artery (PCA) by means of functional transcranial doppler in patients with severe carotid disease and to determine the hemodynamic effect of severe carotid disease on posterior circulation. Measurements were performed successively in the dark and during the white light stimulation in 49 patients with high-grade (70-99%) internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis or occlusion and compared with 30 healthy age and sex matched subjects. Mean blood flow velocities (MBFV) (cm/s +/- 2SD) and mean reaction time (MRT) (s +/- 2SD) during three consecutive repetitive periods of 1 minute each were analyzed. MBFV in PCA during the white light stimulation and in the dark between the two groups didn't differ. MRT in patients showed a significantly prolonged visual evoked response in both affected (light: patients 29.36 +/- 14.46, controls 19.67 +/- 11.25, respectively, p < 0.046; dark: patients 35.25 +/- 11.9 controls 21.89 +/- 10.31, respectively, p < 0.002 and unaffected side (dark: patients 33.13 +/- 11.12, controls 23.89 +/- 11.23, respectively, p < 0.032) of ICA. This data showed that MRT is the principal restrictive factor in the case of carotid stenosis suggesting the independence of cerebral vascular reserve capacity of the posterior part of Willis circle that is necessary to be considered separately.


Double Helix Nodal Line Superconductor.
Time-reversal invariant superconductors in three dimensions may contain nodal lines in the Brillouin zone, which behave as Wilson loops of 3D momentum-space Chern-Simons theory of the Berry connection. Here we study the conditions of realizing linked nodal lines (Wilson loops), which yield a topological contribution to the thermal magnetoelectric coefficient that is given by the Chern-Simons action. We find the essential conditions are the existence of torus or higher genus Fermi surfaces and spiral spin textures. We construct such a model with two torus Fermi surfaces, where a generic spin-dependent interaction leads to double-helix-like linked nodal lines as the superconductivity is developed.


Medical malpractice litigation raises health-care cost, reduces access, and lowers quality of care.
This article examines the impact of medical malpractice litigation on health-care cost, the availability of employer-sponsored health insurance, and the quality of health-care services. Among the findings are that unlimited, uncapped medical malpractice litigation added as much as 97.5 billion dollars annually to the cost of hospital and physician services; increased the annual cost of employer-provided health insurance by as much as 12.7 percent; decreased by 2.7 million the number of workers and their families covered by employer-provided health insurance; caused a 6 percent decline in physicians in the U.S., many of whom work in critical specialty areas; lost access to critical medical services for up to 14.4 million people; resulted in malpractice underwriting losses of 8.6 billion dollars in 2001, double that of 10 years earlier; and had a low predictive value in identifying whether medical malpractice had occurred.


Involvement of cell-cell interactions in the rapid stimulation of Cas tyrosine phosphorylation and Src kinase activity by transforming growth factor-beta 1.
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) regulates a wide range of physiological and pathological cellular processes, including cell migration, mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix synthesis, and cell death. Cas (Crk-associated substrate, 130 kDa), an adaptor protein localized at focal adhesions and stress fibers, is also known to have important functions in cell migration and the induction of immediate-early gene expression. Here, we report that a rapid and transient tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas is induced by TGF-beta 1 and that E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell interaction and the Src kinase pathway are involved in this early TGF-beta signaling. The addition of TGF-beta 1 to epithelial cells rapidly induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas and promoted the formation of complexes between focal adhesion molecules. Cas phosphorylation required the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton but was not dependent on cell adhesion, implying that Cas-dependent signaling may be distinct from integrin signaling. TGF-beta 1 also stimulated Src kinase activity, and specific inhibitors of Src completely blocked the induction of Cas phosphorylation by TGF-beta 1. The Cas phosphorylation and Src kinase activation seen in our results were induced in an epithelial phenotype-specific manner. Stable transfection of E-cadherin to L929 cells and L cells as well as E-cadherin blocking assay revealed that E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell interactions were essential for both Cas phosphorylation and Src kinase activation. Taken together, our data suggest that rapid Cas phosphorylation and Src kinase activation may play a novel role in TGF-beta signal transduction.


Effect of calcium carbonate on hardening, physicochemical properties, and in vitro degradation of injectable calcium phosphate cements.
The main disadvantage of apatitic calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) is their slow degradation rate, which limits complete bone regeneration. Carbonate (CO₃²⁻) is the common constituent of bone and it can be used to improve the degradability of the apatitic calcium phosphate ceramics. This study aimed to examine the effect of calcite (CaCO₃) incorporation into CPCs. To this end, the CaCO₃ amount (0-4-8-12 wt %) and its particle size (12.0-μm-coarse or 2.5-μm-fine) were systematically investigated. In comparison to calcite-free CPC, the setting time of the bone substitute was delayed with increasing CaCO₃ incorporation. Reduction of the CaCO₃ particle size in the initial powder increased the injectability time of the paste. During hardening of the cements, the increase in calcium release was inversely proportional to the extent of CO₃²⁻ incorporation into apatites. The morphology of the carbonate-free product consisted of large needle-like crystals, whereas small plate-like crystals were observed for carbonated apatites. Compressive strength decreased with increasing CaCO₃ content. In vitro accelerated degradation tests demonstrated that calcium release and dissolution rate from the set cements increased with increasing the incorporation of CO₃²⁻, whereas differences in CaCO₃ particle size did not affect the in vitro degradation rate under accelerated conditions.


A systematic review of built environment and health.
The built environment can be considered a foundation for health and wellness. This structure, whether it be neighborhood layout or safe walking trails, impacts decisions relating to individual and community health outcomes. This review compiled the published research that examined the relationship between built environment and health. Findings from the 23 articles reviewed indicate that neighborhoods that are characterized as more walkable, either leisure-oriented or destination-driven, are associated with increased physical activity, increased social capital, lower overweight, lower reports of depression, and less reported alcohol abuse.


Probing the Partial Activation of Water by Open-Shell Interactions, Cl(H2O)1-4.
The partial chemical activation of water by reactive radicals was examined computationally for small clusters of chlorine and water, Cl•(H2O)n=1-4. Using an automated isomer-search procedure, dozens of unique, stable structures were computed. Among the resulting structural classes were intact, hydrated-chlorine isomers, as well as hydrogen-abstracted (HCl)(OH)(H2O)n-1 configurations. The latter showed increased stability as the degree of hydration increased, until n = 4, where a new class of structures was discovered with a chloride ion bound to an oxidized water network. The electronic structure of these three structural classes was investigated, and spectral signatures of this hydration-based evolution were connected to these electronic properties. An ancillary outcome of this detailed computational analysis, including coupled-cluster benchmarks, was the calibration of cost-effective quantum chemistry methods for future studies of these radical-water complexes.


Some important details in the technique of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy via the modified Seldinger technique.
The percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy can be performed with a low complication rate if several important technical details are followed. This study delineates our experience and recommends changes in the operative technique. Patients requiring tracheostomy were selected for percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy based on previously reported criteria. The procedures were performed routinely in the ICU unless there was another reason to transport the patient to the operating room. The patients were monitored with an ECG and pulse oximetry. End-tidal CO2 and ventilator settings were noted by the respiratory therapist. The airway was controlled using the bronchoscope and manually by the respiratory therapist. Adjustments were made in respiratory rate or tidal volume as indicated by an increase in end-tidal CO2. We report our experience with 254 patients who underwent percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy. We prospectively recorded intraoperative, early, and late complications. From our personal experience of 170 cases previously reported and 84 recent cases, we find that there are several important technical details in performing the procedure that will minimize complications. (1) Use of a deflated endotracheal tube cuff and increased tidal volume on the ventilator to compensate for lost minute volume and maintain normal PaCO2; (2) an adequate skin incision to more easily palpate and identify the tracheal cartilages; (3) directing the cannula needle caudally to properly identify the tracheal air column; (4) a new ridge on the 8F Teflon guiding catheter to prevent injury to the posterior tracheal wall by the dilators; (5) there is a danger of partially with-drawing the double guide when removing the largest-sized dilators that are usually tightly grasped by the tissues; (6) use of a single cannula flexible tracheostomy tube and a longer tracheostomy tube when indicated; (7) a double swivel connection and flexible tubing to connect the patient to the ventilator to lessen trauma to the stoma; (8) fenestrated tracheostomy tubes allow talking in conscious patients; and (9) use of a disposable end-tidal CO2 monitor and bronchoscope to confirm intratracheal position of the endotracheal tube while performing the procedure and proper placement of the tracheostomy tube on completion of the procedure. Using these principles, minor complications occurred in 6.5% of the patients and major complications occurred in 1.5% of the patients, with a mortality rate of 0.39%.


Histone modification and signalling cascade of the dormancy-associated MADS-box gene, PpMADS13-1, in Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) during endodormancy.
Dormancy-associated MADS-box (DAM) genes play an important role in endodormancy phase transition. We investigated histone modification in the DAM homolog (PpMADS13-1) from Japanese pear, via chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR, to understand the mechanism behind the reduced expression of the PpMADS13-1 gene towards endodormancy release. Our results indicated that the reduction in the active histone mark by trimethylation of the histone H3 tail at lysine 4 contributed to the reduction of PpMADS13-1 expression towards endodormancy release. In contrast, the inactive histone mark by trimethylation of the histone H3 tail at lysine 27 in PpMADS13-1 locus was quite low, and these levels were more similar to a negative control [normal mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG)] than to a positive control (AGAMOUS) in endodormancy phase transition. The loss of histone variant H2A.Z also coincided with the down-regulation of PpMADS13-1. Subsequently, we investigated the PpMADS13-1 signalling cascade and found that PpCBF2, a pear C-repeated binding factor, regulated PpMADS13-1 expression via interaction of PpCBF2 with the 5'-upstream region of PpMADS13-1 by transient reporter assay. Furthermore, transient reporter assay confirmed no interaction between the PpMADS13-1 protein and the pear FLOWERING LOCUS T genes. Taken together, our results enhance understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying endodormancy phase transition in Japanese pear.


Long-term effectiveness of combined cognitive-behavioral and neuropsychological intervention in a case of multiple sclerosis.
This study examines the long-term effectiveness of a combined cognitive-behavioral and neuropsychological intervention in a woman of 19 years old with multiple sclerosis, by evaluating functional neuroimaging, neuropsychological and psychometric testing. The results showed a partial improvement in some brain areas and brain inflammatory activity. There was an increase in attention, verbal memory, and nonverbal executive functioning as well as in the emotional state at posttest and one-year follow-up. This study indicates the need for including components of both cognitive-behavioral therapy and neuropsychological rehabilitation based on an individualized and tailored plan in standard treatments for multiple sclerosis. Future studies should further develop these contributions.


Chiral Self-Assembly of Porphyrins Induced by Chiral Carbon Dots.
Chirality plays a key role in many fields ranging from life to natural sciences. For a long time, chiral materials have been developed and used to interact with chiral environments. In recent years, fluorescent carbon dots (CDots) are a new class of carbon nanomaterials exhibit excellent optical properties, good biocompatibility, excellent water solubility, and low cost. However, chirality transfer between semiconductor CDots and organics remains a challenge. Herein, a facile one-step hydrothermal method was used to synthesize chiral CDs from cysteine (cys). The obtained chiral CDots can act as chiral templates to induce porphyrins to form chiral supramolecular assemblies. The successful transmission of chiral information provides more options for the development of various chiral composite materials and the preservation of chiral information in the future.


[Progress of research on the microbial fuel cells in the application of environment pollution treatment--a review].
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bio-electrochemical reactors that have the capacity to convert chemical energy of biodegradable organic chemicals to electrical energy, and developed rapidly in the past few years. With an increasing concern for energy crisis and environment pollution, MFCs has became a promising technology in the researches of environment pollution treatments and biology electricity. In this paper, we offered a comprehensive review of the recent research progress of MFCs in environment pollution treatment, includes denitrification, desufurization, organic pollutants degradation, heavy metal reduction and landfill leachate treatment. Also, we pointed out the challenges and problems which were bottle necks for a wide application of MFCs and the potential future development.


Acoustic rhinometry: values from adults with subjective normal nasal patency.
The nose with normal feeling of nasal patency, and no gross structural changes has been described in 82 individuals by acoustic rhinometry. Curves for one and both sides of the nasal cavity and before and after decongestion have been recorded. We have found that the minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) is located anteriorly in the nasal cavity; in some subjects it is localized at the head of the inferior turbinate and in other subjects more anteriorly at the nasal valve. After decongestion MCA moves even more anteriorly. Beyond the MCA the dimension of the nasal cavity increases, with maximal effect of decongestion at 4 cm from nostrils. Decongestion increases the total volume of the nasal cavity by 35%.


Seasonal variation in the abundance of marine plastic debris in the estuary of a subtropical macro-scale drainage basin in South China.
Marine plastic debris, including microplastic debris (0.315-5mm) and large plastic debris (>5mm), was collected from 25 beaches in Hong Kong during a wet summer season (June-August 2014) and the following dry winter season (January-March 2015). Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to compare the abundances and weights of seven categories of plastic debris between the two seasons. The results showed that the abundances and weights were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the wet season than in the dry season. Additionally, seasonal differences were detected only at the sites that were located on the west coast of Hong Kong and not at the sites on the east coast. These results suggest that the Pearl River Estuary on the west of Hong Kong plays a prominent role in the abundance and distribution of plastic debris in Hong Kong. In addition, the study indicates that estimates of microplastic abundance may be biased if samples are collected only during the wet or dry season if the sample locations are strongly influenced by a seasonal variation of riverine inputs, such as from the Pearl River.


[Effect of lidocaine-epinephrine-dextran solution on the plasma epinephrine concentration during spinal surgery--how to avoid circulatory complications due to the use of epinephrine for hemostasis].
Epinephrine infiltrated for hemostasis may cause adverse effect on the circulatory system and the effect can be potentiated by surgical stimulation. Local infiltration of lidocaine-epinephrine-dextran solution (LED) at the surgical site is advantageous for this purpose since nerve blocking action of lidocaine attenuates surgical stimulation and dextran suppresses the transfer of injected epinephrine to the blood stream, thereby reducing the adverse effect of epinephrine. LED, however, could be injected accidentally into vessels. This is one of the important causes of raising the plasma epinephrine concentration to a dangerous level. The author believes that the following maneuvers are helpful to avoid the rise of plasma epinephrine concentration to a dangerous level; 1) injecting not more than 0.05 ml.kg-1 at a time, 2) monitoring the arterial pressure waves and ECG during the injection by use of a continuous recording device, and 3) halting the injection immediately whenever sudden changes in the arterial pressure and in the height of the T wave in ECG were observed. More importantly, surgeon's cooperation is essential for anesthesiologists to execute these maneuvers.


CAPS: a rare acute abdomen.
An 11-year-old girl presented to the hospital with vomiting, left upper-quadrant pain and blood in the stool. An ultrasound scan showed no blood flow in the coeliac axis or the splenic artery. A contrast-enhanced CT scan then demonstrated no flow beyond the coeliac axis origin, a large clot in the distal superior mesenteric artery (SMA), a large splenic infarct and bilateral renal infarcts. Investigations revealed a positive lupus anticoagulant and she was given a presumptive diagnosis of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS). She was anticoagulated and started on combination immunosuppressive therapy. Her surgical management was by SMA embolectomy, small bowel resection and proximal stoma formation. Stoma closure was performed at 3 months, and she was eventually established on full enteral feeds. Childhood CAPS is a rare condition with a very high mortality rate, and the successful outcome in this case reflects close multidisciplinary teamwork between medical and surgical specialties.


Substitutions of charged amino acid residues conserved in subunit I perturb the redox metal centers of the Escherichia coli bo-type ubiquinol oxidase.
Cytochrome bo is a four-subunit quinol oxidase in the aerobic respiratory chain of Escherichia coli and functions as a redox-coupled proton pump. Subunit I binds all the redox metal centers, low-spin heme b, high-spin heme o, and Cu(B), and serves as a reaction center of the oxidase complex. This work focuses on the functional and structural roles of 14 charged amino acid residues that are conserved in subunit I of the heme-copper terminal oxidases. Substitutions of Lys55, Tyr173, Asp188, Asp256, Arg481, and Arg482 by neutral amino acid residues did not affect the catalytic activity and spectroscopic properties of the cytoplasmic membranes. In contrast, genetic complementation tests indicated that replacements of Arg80, Asp135, Arg257, Glu286, Tyr288, Lys362, Asp407, and Glu540 resulted in nonfunctional enzymes. The R80Q mutation caused loss of a diagnostic peak for low-spin heme b in the 77 K redox difference spectrum. The K362Q, D407N, and E540Q mutations affected the CO-binding by the heme-copper binuclear center. The D135N, R257Q, E286Q, and Y288F mutations specifically eliminated the Cu(B) center from the oxidase complex, whereas the E286D mutant did not show significant perturbations on the redox metal centers even though it was still inactive. Based on these findings and recent crystallographic studies on cytochrome c oxidases, we discuss the possible roles of the conserved charged amino acid residues in subunit I of the heme-copper terminal oxidases.


Carbon Dioxide in Star-forming Regions.
We consider the gas-phase chemistry of CO2 molecules in active regions. We show that CO2 molecules evaporated from dust in hot cores cannot be efficiently destroyed and are in fact copiously produced in cooler gas. When CO2-rich ices are sputtered in strong MHD shock waves, the increase in atomic hydrogen, due to H2 dissociation by ion-neutral streaming, means that CO2 can be depleted by factors of approximately 500 from its injected abundance. We find that a critical shock speed exists at higher preshock densities below which CO2 molecules can be efficiently sputtered but survive in the postshock gas. These calculations offer an explanation for the low gas/solid CO2 ratios detected by the Infrared Space Observatory in star-forming cores as being due to shock destruction followed by partial reformation in warm gas. The presence of high abundances of CO2 in the strongly shocked Galactic center clouds Sgr B2 and Sgr A also find a tentative explanation in this scenario. Shock activity plays an important role in determining the chemistry of star-forming regions, and we suggest that most hot cores are in fact shocked cores.


Human rhino- and enteroviruses in children with respiratory symptoms in Luanda, Angola.
The role of human rhinoviruses (HRV) and human enteroviruses (HEV) in common colds, as well as their seasonality, remains largely unknown in tropical environments. The study aimed to define the frequency and clinical features of HRV and HEV in children with respiratory symptoms in tropical Africa during autumn and winter. Clinical data and PCR assays of nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) were collected from 67 (66%) children with and 35 (34%) children without chronic illnesses who were attending different outpatient clinics at a paediatric tertiary-care hospital in Luanda, Angola. Thirty-six (35%) children had HIV infection, and 27 (26%) were malnourished. Thirty-seven (36%) out of 102 NPS specimens were virus-positive: 34 (33%) for HRV and 10 (10%) for HEV. Seven (7%) had co-infection. The highest HRV-positivity rate (47%) occurred in July (P = 0·02), a mid-winter month with high relative humidity but no precipitation. Virus positivity was associated with younger age (median 36 vs 52 months, P = 0·02) but not with specific symptoms or findings. HRVs play a major role in young children's respiratory infections in urban tropical Angola during autumn and winter. A better understanding is required of the seasonality and clinical outcomes of these viruses in children living in resource-poor tropical countries.


Our Post-Zoom Reflection: Turning Off the Monitor.
Over a year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in lockdowns and isolation, quickly shifting social interactions online. During this time, the authors cited worsening self-perception due to the altered and distorted image produced by front facing cameras, later called "Zoom Dysmorphia." A recent survey study was then conducted analyzing the mental health and self-image of people as they returned to in-person activities. Increased time spent online and use of filters, which provoked unrealistic expectations, correlated with worsening anxiety and worsening self-perception, especially in respondents under the age of 24 years. A large percentage of this cohort also planned to invest in their appearance to cope with this anxiety. After a year of being behind the screen, with the ability to enhance features with the click of a button, individuals are concerned about their appearance and their ability to return to a life in-person. Aesthetic physicians should be prepared to discuss the cosmetic concerns provoked by photo editing, filters, and videoconferencing to educate about realistic surgical goals and outcomes for patients.


Post-operative immunohistochemical diagnosis of two synchronous primary non-small cell lung cancers in a single lobe.
Synchronous primary non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) are rare and may be discovered unexpectedly following lung resection. Discrimination from intrapulmonary metastases is important to guide treatment and prognosis but is difficult solely on clinical or radiological findings. Histopathological evaluation with immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers can prove decisive and should feature in the diagnostic algorithm of such patients. We report a rare case of two synchronous primary NSCLCs diagnosed post operatively following pathological examination of the resected lobe, highlighting the value of IHC and discuss the management of such patients.


PET imaging of angiogenesis after myocardial infarction/reperfusion using a one-step labeled integrin-targeted tracer 18F-AlF-NOTA-PRGD2.
The α(v)β(3) integrin represents a potential target for noninvasive imaging of angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel one-step labeled integrin α(v)β(3)-targeting positron emission tomography (PET) probe, (18)F-AlF-NOTA-PRGD2, for angiogenesis imaging in a myocardial infarction/reperfusion (MI/R) animal model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 45-min transient left coronary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion. The myocardial infarction was confirmed by ECG, (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging, and cardiac ultrasound. In vivo PET imaging was used to determine myocardial uptake of (18)F-AlF-NOTA-PRGD2 at different time points following reperfusion. The control peptide RAD was labeled with a similar procedure and used to confirm the specificity. Ex vivo autoradiographic analysis and CD31/CD61 double immunofluorescence staining were performed to validate the PET results. Myocardial origin of the (18)F-AlF-NOTA-PRGD2 accumulation was confirmed by (18)F-FDG and autoradiography. PET imaging demonstrated increased focal accumulation of (18)F-AlF-NOTA-PRGD2 in the infarcted area which started at day 3 (0.28 ± 0.03%ID/g, p < 0.05) and peaked between 1 and 3 weeks (0.59 ± 0.16 and 0.55 ± 0.13%ID/g, respectively). The focal accumulation decreased but still kept at a higher level than the sham group after 4 months of reperfusion (0.31 ± 0.01%ID/g, p < 0.05). Pretreatment with unlabeled arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide significantly decreased tracer uptake, indicating integrin specificity of this tracer. At 1 week after MI/R, uptake of the control tracer (18)F-AlF-NOTA-RAD that does not bind to integrin, in the infarcted area, was only 0.21 ± 0.01%ID/g. Autoradiographic imaging showed the same trend of uptake in the myocardial infarction area. The time course of focal tracer uptake was consistent with the pattern of vascular density and integrin β(3) expression as measured by CD31 and CD61 immunostaining analysis. PET imaging using one-step labeled (18)F-AlF-NOTA-PRGD2 allows noninvasive visualization of ischemia/reperfusion-induced myocardial angiogenesis longitudinally. The favorable in vivo kinetics and easy production method of this integrin-targeted PET tracer facilitates its future clinical translation for lesion evaluation and therapy response monitoring in patients with occlusive cardiovascular diseases.


[Preliminary experience on endoscopic endonasal management of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma].
To explore the feasibility and related aspects on endoscopic endonasal management of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma. Retrospective data analysis was performed on 3 cases in which the endoscopic endonasal approach was used to manage this lesion between 2011 and 2014. Case information including radiological data, surgical technique, symptoms, and complications was reviewed. The main clinical manifestations in these 3 patients were tinnitus, hearing loss at the hearing threshold of 40-50 dBHL. After operation, all 3 patients showed disappearance of their tinnitus and improvement of the hearing threshold of 10-30 dBHL (follow-up 6-45 months). Permanent drainage route was performed in 1 case which communicated with sphenoid sinus. While the other 2 cases which drained to pharyngeal recess resulted in drainage route blocking within the 3-6 months after surgery, but without obvious symptoms. This procedure for the drainage of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma showed to be effective, safe and minimally invasive. Although there is no recurrence in short-term, however, long-term surveillance and large case series are necessary, especially to the maitainence of permanent drainage.


Genome comparison using Gene Ontology (GO) with statistical testing.
Automated comparison of complete sets of genes encoded in two genomes can provide insight on the genetic basis of differences in biological traits between species. Gene ontology (GO) is used as a common vocabulary to annotate genes for comparison. Current approaches calculate the fold of unweighted or weighted differences between two species at the high-level GO functional categories. However, to ensure the reliability of the differences detected, it is important to evaluate their statistical significance. It is also useful to search for differences at all levels of GO. We propose a statistical approach to find reliable differences between the complete sets of genes encoded in two genomes at all levels of GO. The genes are first assigned GO terms from BLAST searches against genes with known GO assignments, and for each GO term the abundance of genes in the two genomes is compared using a chi-squared test followed by false discovery rate (FDR) correction. We applied this method to find statistically significant differences between two cyanobacteria, Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and Anabaena sp. PCC7120. We then studied how the set of identified differences vary when different BLAST cutoffs are used. We also studied how the results vary when only subsets of the genes were used in the comparison of human vs. mouse and that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae vs. Schizosaccharomyces pombe. There is a surprising lack of statistical approaches for comparing complete genomes at all levels of GO. With the rapid increase of the number of sequenced genomes, we hope that the approach we proposed and tested can make valuable contribution to comparative genomics.


Adherence to American Cancer Society and American Institute of Cancer Research dietary guidelines in overweight African American breast cancer survivors.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) each created dietary and physical activity guidelines to improve cancer survivorship. Despite African American breast cancer survivors (AABCS) having the lowest survival rates of any racial or ethnic group, limited information exists on their adherence to cancer-specific lifestyle recommendations. The study's purpose was to measure adherence to ACS/AICR dietary recommendations in AABCS. Two hundred ten AABCS enrolled in the Moving Forward intervention trial, a randomized, community-based, 6-month weight loss study, were assessed for socio-demographics, dietary intake (via food frequency questionnaire), and related health factors at baseline. We operationalized the dietary recommendations put forth by ACS/AICR and created component and total adherence index scores. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the proportion of women who met recommendations. Student's t test and χ2 tests were used to compare participant characteristics by median adherence scores. The mean total ACS/AICR score was 12.7 ± 2.5 out of 21 points (median, 13; range, 5 to 21). Over 90% were moderately or completely adherent to limiting alcohol and red & processed meat consumption, but the majority failed to meet the other recommendations to eat whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and avoid added sugars. Women with total scores below the median were younger, with higher BMI, had fewer years of education, and lower income levels. The present study extends the literature on AABCS adherence to cancer survivor-specific dietary guidelines. Findings will inform future dietary lifestyle interventions in this population.


A Diketopiperazine, Cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Ile), Derived From Bacillus thuringiensis JCK-1233 Controls Pine Wilt Disease by Elicitation of Moderate Hypersensitive Reaction.
Pine wilt disease (PWD) caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is one of the devastating diseases affecting pine forests worldwide. Although effective control measurements are still missing, induction of resistance could represent a possible eco-friendly alternative. In this study, induced resistance-based in vitro and in vivo screening tests were carried out for selection of bacteria with the ability to suppress PWD. Out of 504 isolated bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis JCK-1233 was selected for its ability to boost pathogenesis-related 1 (PR1) gene expression, a marker of systemic acquired resistance. Moreover, treatment of pine seedlings with B. thuringiensis JCK-1233 resulted in increased expression of other defense-related genes, and significantly inhibited PWD development under greenhouse conditions. However, B. thuringiensis JCK-1233 showed no direct nematicidal activity against B. xylophilus. To identify the effective compound responsible for the induction of resistance in B. thuringiensis JCK-1233, several diketopiperazines (DPKs) including cyclo-(D-Pro-L-Val), cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Ile), cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Phe), and cyclo-(L-Leu-L-Val) were isolated and tested. Foliar treatment of pine seedlings with Cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Ile) resulted in suppression of PWD severity and increased the expression of defense-related genes similarly to B. thuringiensis JCK-1233 treatment. Interestingly, treatment with B. thuringiensis JCK-1233 or cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Ile) showed moderately enhanced expression of PR-1, PR-2, PR-3, PR-4, PR-5, and PR-9 genes following inoculation with PWN compared to that in the untreated control, indicating that they mitigated the burst of hypersensitive reaction in susceptible pine seedlings. In contrast, they significantly increased the expression levels of PR-6 and PR-10 before PWN inoculation. In conclusion, foliar spraying with either B. thuringiensis JCK-1233 culture suspension or DPKs could induce resistance in pine seedlings, thereby alleviating the serious damage by PWD. Taken together, this study supports aerial spraying with eco-friendly biotic or abiotic agents as a valuable strategy that may mark an epoch for the control of PWD in pine forests.


A critical appraisal of current management practices for infant regurgitation.
Regurgitation is a common manifestation in infants below the age of one year and a frequent reason of counseling of general practitioners and paediatricians. Current management starts with postural and dietary measures, followed by antacids and prokinetics. Recent issues such as an increased risk of sudden infant death in the prone sleeping position and persistent occult gastro-oesophageal reflux in a subset of infants receiving milk thickeners or thickened "anti-regurgitation formula" challenge the established approach. Therefore, the clinical practices for management of infant regurgitation have been critically evaluated with respect to their efficacy, safety and practical implications. The updated recommendations on the management of infant regurgitation contain 5 phases: (1A) parental reassurance; (1B) milk-thickening agents; (2) prokinetics; (3) positional therapy as an adjuvant therapy; (4A) H2-blockers; (4B) proton pump inhibitors; (5) surgery.


Bioenergetic alterations in cultivated pulmonary artery and aortic endothelial cells exposed to normoxia and hypoxia.
Endothelial cells function under conditions of different oxygen availability under physiologic conditions and a variety of pathologic states. We determined the effect of normal and low O2 tensions on three key bioenergetic enzymes [pyruvate kinase (ATP:pyruvate phosphotransferase, EC 126.96.36.199), phosphofructokinase (ATP:D-fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase, EC 27.1.11) and cytochrome aa3] in culture-maintained endothelial cells derived from calf pulmonary artery and aorta. Endothelial cells derived from pulmonary artery and aorta demonstrate similar bioenergetic enzyme activities when exposed to the same PO2 in vitro. Endothelial cells exposed to hypoxia in vitro for 48-96 hr show significantly increase activities of 2 key glycolytic enzymes: pyruvate kinase, and phosphofructokinase. Freshly isolated intimal strips from calf pulmonary artery (normal PO2 = 40 torr) show significantly greater activities of PyKi than aortic intimal strips (normal PO2 = 90 torr), suggesting that a similar pattern occurs in vivo. The data suggest that both cell types have a common bioenergetic pattern which is genetically determined and that this pattern is modified by regulatory mechanisms geared to ambient O2 tension. As endothelial cells of both types are not uncommonly exposed to hypoxic conditions, these regulatory mechanisms may play an important role in maintaining vascular integrity.


[Collins blood diluting reperfusion--an effective measure of controlled reperfusion for the heart hypothermically preserved for 24 hours in modified Collins solution].
Controlled reperfusion is assumed to provide an appropriate environment surrounding the ischemic cardiac tissue at the initial reperfusion phase. Hence, this procedure might play a key role in resuscitating the long term preserved hearts. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of the newly devised reperfusion method; namely Collins Blood Diluting Reperfusion (CBDR), for those hearts subjected to 24-hours cold (4 degrees C) storage in modified Collins (MC) solution. Coronary reperfusion is commenced with the MC solution, and the oxygenated blood is successively added to dilute this perfusate with gradual rewarming under controlled perfusion pressure. Initial reperfusate, therefore, is supposed to be a blood cardioplegia with low Ca2+ and high Mg2+ content. During this procedure, any difference in the ionic composition between the storage solution and the reperfusate is completely abolished and myocardium is free from hastiness of temperature elevation. Using an isolated isovolum contracting heart prepared with an ex vivo apparatus incorporating a support dog, each heart was reperfused by unmodified blood (Group I: n = 7) or CBDR method (Group II: n = 10) under equally controlled low perfusion pressure. There was no difference in the myocardial creatine phosphate level between the 2 groups. However, the adenosine triphosphate content, which had been depleted to 30% of the preischemic level during the 24-hour preservation period, was restored to 52.0% after CBDR procedure (p less than 0.01) and consequently to 57.9% of the control at 60 minutes after reperfusion. Group I showed a significantly lower repletion effect at this phase (41.2% control; p less than 0.05 versus group II).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


[Implementing graphical and analytical procedures for developing parallel tests].
We present an instrumental study in which two general procedures (graphical and objective) for constructing parallel forms are implemented. Both procedures are based on an item pool which is calibrated by means of the classical test theory. The graphic procedure is Gulliksen's matched random subtests method. The objective procedure is based on the criteria proposed by van der Linden and Boekkooi-Timminga, and uses zero-one programming. The stand-alone program FOR-PAR is free and user-friendly, and allows the parallel forms to be obtained directly from the item scores. FOR-PAR covers an important need in applied research, because developing parallel forms is a requirement in some applications, and, so far, no programmes of this type were available. The procedures which are implemented were applied in an illustrative example based on an adjustment test intended for visually handicapped people.


B lymphocyte function in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
B-enriched lymphocyte populations from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) were compared to B-enriched lymphocyte populations from normal age-matched controls for their ability to stimulate a proliferative response and to generate cytotoxic cells in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC). The proliferative responses of MLCs were less than normal when the stimulating cells originated from B cells of patients with CLL. The degree of stimulation provided by the B cells from the patients with CLL inversely correlated with the peripheral white cell count. Lymphocytes from patients providing a poor stimulatory signal in the MLC tended to have less "Ia-like" antigen than lymphocytes giving a moderate level of stimulation. B lymphocytes from patients with CLL which stimulated poorly in the MLC also failed to generate specific cytotoxic cells even when provided with a normal proliferative trigger. These data suggest that B lymphocytes from cases of CLL with markedly elevated leucocyte counts may have a diminished concentration of both "Ia-like" and serum defined antigens.


Urodynamic and clinical characteristics of small intestine reservoir directly connected to urethral sphincter.
Eight patients in whom a small intestine reservoir with direct anastomosis to the urethral sphincter had to be performed after radical cystectomy for invasive carcinoma of the urinary bladder, were included in the study. The function of small intestine reservoir was clinically and urodynamically monitored during 24 months postoperatively. All patients urinated per urethram, with abdominal strain or with urethral sphincter relaxation without abdominal strain. After 21 months, diurnal continence was maintained in 87.5%, and circadian continence in 75% of the patients. Urodynamic tests showed it to be a low-pressure reservoir, where the basal reservoir pressure never exceeded 30 cm H2O during filling. The values of maximal cystometric capacity showed that a certain time of reservoir maturation had to elapse after the reservoir construction. After 3-6 months, the mean maximal cystometric capacity was 250 ml, and after 9 months it was 520 ml. The proportion of continent patients was observed to rise with the increase in the small intestine reservoir capacity. We believe that three substantial issues are ensured by the described surgical technique, i.e. the antireflux mechanism, appropriate capacity and acceptable continence.


[Pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone].
Thyroid hormone resistance syndromes are characterized by unresponsiveness of target tissues to thyroid hormone and include a group of three disorders: generalized resistance, selective pituitary resistance and peripheral resistance. These patients are identified because they have persistently increased serum thyroxin (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and normal or elevated thyrotropin levels. In case of selective pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone (PRTH), the peripheral tissues exhibit a normal response to T4 and T3 so that hyperthyroidism ensues. Recently cloning of T3 receptor has allowed detection of mutations in the T3 binding region of the T3 receptor gene, which provides strong evidence that P.R.T.H. represents part of the spectrum of generalized resistance to T3, rather than a separate entity.


Intestinal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus: how does its frequency compare with that of nasal carriage and what is its clinical impact?
The bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, including its methicillin-resistant variant (MRSA), finds its primary ecological niche in the human nose, but is also able to colonize the intestines and the perineal region. Intestinal carriage has not been widely investigated despite its potential clinical impact. This review summarizes literature on the topic and sketches the current state of affairs from a microbiological and infectious diseases' perspective. Major findings are that the average reported detection rate of intestinal carriage in healthy individuals and patients is 20% for S. aureus and 9% for MRSA, which is approximately half of that for nasal carriage. Nasal carriage seems to predispose to intestinal carriage, but sole intestinal carriage occurs relatively frequently and is observed in 1 out of 3 intestinal carriers, which provides a rationale to include intestinal screening for surveillance or in outbreak settings. Colonization of the intestinal tract with S. aureus at a young age occurs at a high frequency and may affect the host's immune system. The frequency of intestinal carriage is generally underestimated and may significantly contribute to bacterial dissemination and subsequent risk of infections. Whether intestinal rather than nasal S. aureus carriage is a primary predictor for infections is still ill-defined.


Inhibition of SYK and cSrc kinases can protect bone and cartilage in preclinical models of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA) includes the destruction of subchondral bone tissue and inflammation of the synovium. Thus, an effective disease-modifying treatment should act on both of these pathogenetic components. It is known that cSrc kinase is involved in bone and cartilage remodeling, and SYK kinase is associated with the inflammatory component. Thus the aim of this study was to characterize the mechanism of action and efficacy of a small molecule multikinase inhibitor MT-SYK-03 targeting SYK and cSrc kinases among others in different in vitro and in vivo arthritis models. The selectivity of MT-SYK-03 kinase inhibition was assayed on a panel of 341 kinases. The compound was evaluated in a set of in vitro models of OA and in vivo OA and RA models: surgically-induced arthritis (SIA), monosodium iodoacetate-induced arthritis (MIA), collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). MT-SYK-03 inhibited cSrc and SYK with IC50 of 14.2 and 23 nM respectively. Only five kinases were inhibited > 90% at 500 nM of MT-SYK-03. In in vitro OA models MT-SYK-03 reduced hypertrophic changes of chondrocytes, bone resorption, and inhibited SYK-mediated inflammatory signaling. MT-SYK-03 showed preferential distribution to joint and bone tissue (in rats) and revealed disease-modifying activity in vivo by halving the depth of cartilage erosion in rat SIA model, and increasing the pain threshold in rat MIA model. Chondroprotective and antiresorptive effects were shown in a monotherapy regime and in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in murine and rat CIA models; an immune-mediated inflammation in rat AIA model was decreased. The obtained preclinical data support inhibition of cSrc and SYK as a viable strategy for disease-modifying treatment of OA. A Phase 2 clinical study of MT-SYK-03 is to be started.


Cleavage of Rubber by the Latex Clearing Protein (Lcp) of Streptomyces sp. Strain K30: Molecular Insights.
Gram-positive rubber degraders such as Streptomyces sp. strain K30 cleave rubber [poly(cis-1,4-isoprene)] to low-molecular-mass oligoisoprenoid products with terminal keto and aldehyde groups by the secretion of a latex clearing protein (Lcp) designated rubber oxygenase. LcpK30 is a heme b cytochrome and has a domain of unknown function (DUF2236) that is characteristic of orthologous Lcps. Proteins with a DUF2236 domain are characterized by three highly conserved residues (R164, T168, and H198 in LcpK30). Exchange of R164 or T168 by alanine and characterization of the purified LcpK30 muteins revealed that both were stable and contained a heme group (red color) but were inactive. This finding identifies both residues as key residues for the cleavage reaction. The purified H198A mutein was also inactive and stable but was colorless due to the absence of heme. We constructed and characterized alanine muteins of four additional histidine residues moderately conserved in 495 LcpK30 homologous sequences (H203A, H232A, H259A, H266A). All muteins revealed wild-type properties, excluding any importance for activity and/or heme coordination. Since LcpK30 has only eight histidines and the three remaining residues (H103, H184, and H296) were not conserved (<11%), H198 presumably is the only essential histidine, indicating its putative function as a heme ligand. The second axial position of the heme is likely occupied by a not yet identified molecule. Mutational analysis of three strictly conserved arginine residues (R195, R202, R328) showed that R195A and R202A muteins were colorless and instable, suggesting that these residues are important for the protein stability. Large amounts of rubber waste materials have been permanently released into the environment for more than a century, yet accumulation of rubber particles released, e.g., by abrasion of tires along highways has not been observed. This is indicative of the ubiquitous presence and activity of rubber-degrading microorganisms. Despite increasing research activities on rubber biodegradation during the last 2 decades, the knowledge of the enzymatic cleavage mechanism of rubber by latex clearing protein (Lcp) still is limited. In particular, the catalytic cleavage mechanism and the amino acids of Lcp proteins (Lcps) that are involved have not yet been identified for any Lcp. In this study, we investigated the importance of 10 amino acid residues of Lcp from Streptomyces sp. K30 (LcpK30) by mutagenesis, mutein purification, and biochemical characterization. We identified several essential residues, one of which most likely represents an axial heme ligand in Lcp of Streptomyces sp. K30.


Optical characterization at 7.7 µm of an integrated platform based on chalcogenide waveguides for sensing applications in the mid-infrared.
A selenide integrated platform working in the mid-infrared was designed, fabricated and optically characterized at 7.7 µm. Ge-Sb-Se multilayered structures were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering. Using i-line photolithography and fluorine-based reactive ion etching, ridge waveguides were processed as Y-junction, spiral and S-shape waveguides. Single-mode optical propagation at 7.7 µm was observed by optical near-field imaging and optical propagation losses of 2.5dB/cm are measured. Limits of detection of 14.2 ppm and 1.6 ppm for methane and nitrous oxide, respectively, could be potentially measured by using this platform as an evanescent field sensor. Hence, these technological, experimental and theoretical results represent a first step towards the development of an integrated optical sensor operating in the mid-infrared wavelength range.


Expression of microRNAs, miR-21, miR-31, miR-122, miR-145, miR-146a, miR-200c, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-223 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and its prognostic significance.
MicroRNAs are a class of non-coding molecules found to regulate a variety of cellular functions in health and disease. Dysregulation of microRNAs is involved in liver disease, especially hepatocarcinogenesis. Since primary hepatic malignancies are typically characterized by late diagnosis, frequent recurrence, and poor response to adjuvant therapy, there is a need for the discovery of novel biomarkers in order to achieve earlier diagnosis, predict tumor aggressiveness and response to adjuvant therapy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expression of certain microRNAs (miR-21, -31, -122, -145, -146a, - 200c, -221, -222 and -223) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), as well as to assess their prognostic significance. Micro-RNA expression was assessed by reverse transcription and real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Clinicopathological data and survival rates were retrieved and analyzed. According to our results, miR-21, miR-31, miR-122, miR-221, miR-222 were significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues, whereas miR-145, miR-146a, miR-200c, and miR-223 were found to be down-regulated. Concerning ICC samples, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-223 were found to be over-expressed, whereas miR-122, miR-145, miR-200c, miR-221, and miR-222 were down-regulated. Additionally, expression of miR-21, miR-31, miR-122, and miR-221 in HCC correlated with cirrhosis, while miR-21 and miR-221 associated with tumor stage and poor prognosis. In ICC tissues, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-223 were found to be over-expressed, but no correlation with clinicopathological features was found.


Donor families, distinctive secondary losses, and "second death" experiences.
Communication between donor families and the recipients of their loved ones' organs and tissues is a relatively new area of study. The National Kidney Foundation founded the National Donor Family Council in 1992 as a home for donor families. One of several items addressed by the Council was guidelines for communication, supporting the rights of donor families and recipients to communicate and build relationships should they choose to do so. Donation and transplant agencies play a strong role in facilitating and supporting donor families and recipients with these unique new relationships. This article offers 3 case examples of distinctive secondary losses and "second death" experiences encountered by some donor family members when the donation of tissues or organs they have authorized could not be used for transplantation, when those grafts fail or are rejected, or when the recipient dies. On that basis, the article explores the nature of these experiences and some reasons why they occur. Initial recommendations about how to address these experiences are provided. Finally, a 4-part agenda is suggested for research about (1) the nature of these distinctive secondary loss and second death experiences encountered by some donor families; (2) communications between donation and transplant professionals, on the one hand, and potential and actual donor family members, on the other hand; (3) the education, training, and support of professionals who provide bereavement support to donor family members; and (4) a review of the National Communication Guidelines.


[Behavior of plasminogen in prostatic carcinoma treated with cytonal].
With the help of the lysis time method after Blix as well as of the radial immune diffusion after Mancini in blood donors and in patients with histologically ascertained carcinoma of the prostate estimations of plasminogen were performed. In the group of patients the controls were repeated after having finished the initial therapy. While with the help of the two methods plasminogen values were established before therapy which essentially were within the normal, after the initial therapy with cytonal a significant increase of plasminogen developed. The importance of these findings is discussed in connection with a possible increased rate of fibrinolysis in carcinoma of the prostate.


Rotary shadowing of elastic system microfibrils in the ocular zonule, vitreous, and ligamentum nuchae.
Rotary shadowing of zonular fibrils in human and bovine eyes revealed a "string of beads" configuration with multiple interconnecting filaments, identical to that recently reported in fibrils of unknown type within the vitreous. These 29 nm beaded fibrils were the only macrostructures present in zonular samples, showing ultrastructural features correlating with both the macro and microperiodicity of zonular fibrils in tissues. Interbead periodicity varied from 30-57 nm and interbead filaments appeared capable of stretching even further, possibly explaining the inherent elasticity of zonular fibrils. The junctions between outer filaments and beads were fibrillin-positive. Similar beaded fibrils were found in the human and bovine anterior vitreous along with type II and IX collagen fibrils, proteoglycan filaments and other unidentified fibrils. After collagenase and elastase digestion, bovine ligamentum nuchae showed type VI collagen fibrils and clumps of beaded fibrils like those in zonule and vitreous. This distribution indicates that the beaded fibril is the microfibril which constitutes the basic unit of the elastic system.


Influence of a single physical exercise class on mood states of pregnant women.
The aim of the research was to define the influence of a single physical exercise class on mood states of pregnant women and to establish the socio-demographic and personality predictors of mood changes. The sample was comprised of a total of 109 pregnant women aged 19-37 years. Of the group, 62 women participated in physical exercise for pregnant women (the experimental group) and 47 women participated in traditional childbirth education classes (the control group). Emotional states were assessed with the UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist; personality traits were measured with the NEO-FFI, LOT-R and STAI questionnaires. Socio-demographic data were collected with a survey developed by the authors. A single physical exercise class improved the emotional state of pregnant women significantly more than a traditional childbirth education class. Within the experimental group, a significant improvement of mood was observed in all dimensions, while in the control group only hedonic tone increased. Greater improvements in mood can be expected in a group of women who are younger, less optimistic, and who evaluate their health better but physical fitness worse. As a single session of exercise helps improve the mood of pregnant women, this may be an effective strategy to prevent the deterioration of mood state during pregnancy.


Dominance variation in the correlation between longevity and heat-stress resistance in Drosophila melanogaster.
The possible genetic correlation between longevity and knockdown resistance to high temperature (KRHT) was tested in reciprocal backcrosses between nearly-homozygous lines of D. melanogaster. These baselines differ dramatically for KRHT. Because nearly-homozygous lines were used, reciprocal backcrosses were informative to test for dominant versus additive genetic associations between the traits. The line of high KRHT was longer lived than the low KRHT line. The correlation between longevity and KRHT was dependent on the backcross (BC). When a BC was set up with males from the low KRHT line, the most KRHT resistant individuals were in turn the longest-lived flies. However, this was not found in the reciprocal backcross, indicating dominance. Alleles that confer increased KRHT are dominant in the correlation between longevity and KRHT. The between-line variation in the traits studied is consistent with the hypothesis that stress-resistant genotypes correspond to long-lived individuals.


The BCL-2 5' untranslated region contains an RNA G-quadruplex-forming motif that modulates protein expression.
The BCL-2 gene encodes a 25 kDa membrane protein that plays critical roles in the control of apoptosis. The regulation of BCL-2 gene expression is highly complex and occurs both transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally. In particular, the 5' upstream region of BCL-2 contains a number of elements that control its expression. We have identified a highly conserved 25-nucleotide G-rich sequence (BCL2Q), with potential to fold into a RNA G-quadruplex structure, located 42 nucleotides upstream of the translation start site of human BCL-2. In this study, we used a series of biophysical experiments to show that the BCL2Q sequence folds into a stable RNA G-quadruplex in vitro, and we conducted functional luciferase reporter-based assays, in a cell-free lysate and in three types of human cell lines, to demonstrate that the BCL2Q sequence modulates protein expression in the context of the 493-nucleotide native 5' untranslated region of BCL-2.


Immune complexes, but not streptococcal cell walls or zymosan, cause chronic arthritis in mouse strains susceptible for collagen type II auto-immune arthritis.
In this study we investigated mechanisms involved in the chronic character of experimental collagen type II induced arthritis (CIA). We compared the knee joints of mouse strains which are prone to develop this autoimmune disease (DBA/1,B10RIII) with other nonsusceptible mouse strains (C57Bl/6,BALB/c) in their reaction to different stimuli: immune complexes (IC), zymosan and streptococcal cell walls (SCW). Inflammation was evaluated by(99m)Tc uptake measurements and in haematoxylin- and eosin-stained knee-joint sections. Passively induced immune complex mediated arthritis (ICA) in knee joints of C57Bl/6 and BALB/c mice, showed moderate cell influx at day 3, whereas at day 7 only minor amounts of inflammatory cells were observed. In contrast, in arthritic DBA/1 and, to a lesser extent, in B10.RIII joints, a tremendous cell influx was observed at day 3 and even at day 14 there was still significant synovitis. In contrast, if arthritis was elicited by intra-articular injection of zymosan or SCW in C57Bl/6 and DBA/1, the course of inflammation was similar in both strains and no chronic inflammation developed. In line with severe arthritis, chemotactic factor production was dramatically enhanced in ICA in DBA/1 mice, and a prolonged production of IL-1 was evident. When IL-1 was neutralized before or during the ICA using specific anti-IL-1alpha,beta antibodies, inflammation could be blocked completely. Single or multiple injection of IL-1 in the knee joint of C57Bl/6 or DBA/1 showed comparable inflammation, indicating that the chemotactic response per se is comparable in both strains. No prolonged production of IL-1 was found during zymosan or SCW arthritis. Selective removal of macrophages from the synovial intima prior to ICA induction (using clodronate-containing liposomes) prevented the onset of inflammation in C57Bl/6 and DBA/1 mice. It can be concluded that immune complexes, but not zymosan or SCW, cause a more severe and chronic arthritis in mouse strains which are susceptible for collagen type II autoimmune arthritis. This is due to higher and prolonged expression of IL-1 and chemotactic factors, caused by stimulation with immune complexes. The interaction of IC with lining macrophages probably plays a dominant role in development of chronicity.


Dlx5 and Dlx6 homeobox genes are required for specification of the mammalian vestibular apparatus.
The mammalian inner ear is a complex organ that develops from a surface ectoderm into distinct auditory and vestibular components. Congenital malformation of these two components resulting from single or multiple gene defects is a common clinical occurrence and is observed in patients with split hand/split foot malformation, a malformation which is phenocopied by Dlx5/6 null mice. Analysis of mice lacking Dlx5 and Dlx6 homeobox genes identified their restricted and combined expression in the otic epithelium as a crucial regulator of vestibular cell fates. Otic induction initiates without incident in Dlx5/6(-/-) embryos, but dorsal otic derivatives including the semicircular ducts, utricle, saccule, and endolymphatic duct fail to form. Dlx5 and Dlx6 seem to influence vestibular cell fates by restricting Pax2 and activating Gbx2 and Bmp4 expression domains. Given their proximity to the disease locus and the observed phenotype in Dlx5/6 null mice, Dlx5/6 are likely candidates to mediate the inner ear defects observed in patients with split hand/split foot malformation.


Hypoxia downregulates expression and activity of epithelial sodium channels in rat alveolar epithelial cells.
Decrease in alveolar oxygen tension may induce acute lung injury with pulmonary edema. We investigated whether, in alveolar epithelial cells, expression and activity of epithelial sodium (Na) channels and Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase, the major components of transepithelial Na transport, were regulated by hypoxia. Exposure of cultured rat alveolar cells to 3% and 0% O2 for 18 h reduced Na channel activity estimated by amiloride-sensitive 22Na influx by 32% and 67%, respectively, whereas 5% O2 was without effect. The decrease in Na channel activity induced by 0% O2 was time-dependent, significant at 3 h of exposure and maximal at 12 and 18 h. It was associated with a time-dependent decline in the amount of mRNAs encoding the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunits of the rat epithelial Na channel (rENaC) and with a 42% decrease in alpha-rENaC protein synthesis as evaluated by immunoprecipitation after 18 h of exposure. The 0% O2 hypoxia also caused a time-dependent decrease in (1) ouabain-sensitive 86Rubidium influx in intact cells, (2) the maximal velocity of Na,K-ATPase on crude homogenates, and (3) alpha1- and beta1-Na,K-ATPase mRNA levels. Levels of rENaC and alpha1-Na,K-ATPase mRNA returned to control values within 48 h of reoxygenation, and this was associated with complete functional recovery. We conclude that hypoxia induced a downregulation of expression and activity of epithelial Na channels and Na,K-ATPase in alveolar cells. Subsequent decrease in Na reabsorption by alveolar epithelium could participate in the maintenance of hypoxia-induced alveolar edema.


The Effectiveness and Cost of an Intervention to Increase the Provision of Preventive Care in Community Mental Health Services: Protocol for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.
Preventive care to address chronic disease risk behaviours is infrequently provided by community mental health services. In this cluster-randomised controlled trial, 12 community mental health services in 3 Local Health Districts in New South Wales, Australia, will be randomised to either an intervention group (implementing a new model of providing preventive care) or a control group (usual care). The model of care comprises three components: (1) a dedicated 'healthy choices' consultation offered by a 'healthy choices' clinician; (2) embedding information regarding risk factors into clients' care plans; and (3) the continuation of preventive care by mental health clinicians in ongoing consultations. Evidence-based implementation strategies will support the model implementation, which will be tailored by being co-developed with service managers and clinicians. The primary outcomes are client-reported receipt of: (1) an assessment of chronic disease risks (tobacco smoking, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, harmful alcohol use and physical inactivity); (2) brief advice regarding relevant risk behaviours; and (3) referral to at least one behaviour change support. Resources to develop and implement the intervention will be captured to enable an assessment of cost effectiveness and affordability. The findings will inform the development of future service delivery initiatives to achieve guideline- and policy-concordant preventive care delivery.


Upper respiratory symptoms in elderly patients. Hypertension complicates treatment decisions.
Approximately 6% of elderly patients present to primary care offices with hypertension and upper respiratory infection. Elderly people develop an acquired immunity to many rhinoviruses, making them less susceptible than younger people to the common cold. But because of the decreased vigor of their immune systems, they are less able to fight infection, particularly secondary bacterial infections. Upper respiratory infections require close monitoring in elderly patients to detect secondary infections and other complications. Most published research on respiratory symptom treatment is not limited to elderly subjects.


Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of VCBP3 from Branchiostoma floridae.
VCBPs represent a family of proteins with highly diversified immunoglobulin-like variable regions in species thought to lack an adaptive immune system. These proteins are expected to reveal important structural and functional features that could be highly informative in projecting the evolutionary history of the adaptive immune response. Preliminary X-ray diffraction data from amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae) VCBP3 crystals were collected to 2.4 A resolution and reduced to primitive trigonal space groups P3(1(2))21. Unit-cell parameters are a = b = 58.99, c = 79.21 A, alpha = beta = 90, gamma = 120 degrees . Two distinct crystallization conditions yielded crystals with similar morphologies and these crystals are isomorphous to each other.


Ontogeny of copulatory behaviour in male Japanese quail classified by their T-maze performance as hatchlings.
1. This study examines the time courses of male mating behaviours using quail that were categorised at 2 d of age as high performance (HP) or low performance (LP) individuals in a T-maze. 2. Individually caged males from each T-maze category were observed for 5 min after a female of the same category (HP or LP) was introduced into their home cages as a sexual partner at 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age. The number of grabs, mounts and cloacal contacts performed by each male and his copulatory efficiency (number of cloacal contacts/number of grabs; CE) were determined at each time interval. 3. No differences were observed in the proportion of HP and LP males performing grabs at any of the ages evaluated. However, a greater proportion of HP males showed mounting and cloacal contact behaviour, coupled with a higher CE than did their LP counterparts at 5 and 6, 6 and 8, and 8 weeks of age, respectively. At those ages, a higher mean number of mounts and cloacal contacts were also observed. No significant sexual behaviour differences between HP and LP quail were observed at 10 and 12 weeks of age. 4. The results suggest that rapid negotiation of the T-maze in hatchlings is associated with accelerated puberty in male quail. The differential reproductive behaviour of HP males during the development of puberty does not remain extant in fully developed quail. 5. The finding of accelerated male developmental sexual activity responses in HP quail indicates that selection for T-maze HP behaviour may allow males to be successfully bred at an earlier age.


Enhancement of electrochemical differentiation ability of nucleobases in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4.
The electrochemical behavior of nucleobases has been studied in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4, using a bare graphite electrode. Guanine and adenine produced well-defined oxidation peaks at about +0.63 and +0.91 V at 100 mV/s, respectively. Nucleobases exhibit an irreversible and hybrid-controlled electrochemical process, including adsorption and diffusion. The nucleobase oxidation peaks shift due to the selective interactions of nucleobases with each other. The oxidation peaks for three different pyrimidine bases, uracil, cytosine, and thymine, can be clearly identified at +1.26, +1.41, and +1.32 V, respectively. These differences in the electrochemical behavior among nucleobases can be attributed to their different chemical structures.


Myotonic dystrophy type 2 and related myotonic disorders.
The myotonic dystrophies are a group of dominantly inherited disorders characterized by muscle wasting, myotonia, cataracts, hypogonadism and other system manifestations. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) results from an unstable expansion of a CTG repeat in 3' UTR of the DM protein kinase (DMPK) gene on chromosome 19q 13.3. Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2) is caused by an unstable expansion of a CCTG tetraplet repeat in intron 1 of the zinc finger 9 (ZFN9 gene) on chromosome 3q 21.3. However, the clinical diagnosis of DM2 is more complex than that of DM1, and conventional molecular genetic methods used for diagnosis of DM1 are not helpful for DM2. We here describe the detailed clinical, laboratory and biomolecular tests to identify DM2 and related myotonic disorders. At present, foci of accumulated noncoding CCTG repeat RNA (ribonuclear inclusions) in the cell nuclei are thought to interfere with the regulation and expression of several genes at the basis of multisystemic aspects of myotonic dystrophy type 2.


Multivariate near infrared spectroscopy models for predicting the iodine value, CFPP, kinematic viscosity at 40 degrees C and density at 15 degrees C of biodiesel.
Biodiesel is one of the main alternatives to fossil diesel. It is a non-toxic renewable resource, which leads to lower emissions of polluting gases. In fact, European governments are targeting the incorporation of 20% of biofuels in the fossil fuels until 2020. Chemically, biodiesel is a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters, derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, which is usually produced by a transesterification reaction, where the oils or fats react with an alcohol, in the presence of a catalyst. The European Standard (EN 14214) establishes 25 parameters that have to be analysed to certify biodiesel quality and the analytical methods that should be used to determine those properties. This work reports the use of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to determine some important biodiesel properties: the iodine value, the cold filter plugging point, the kinematic viscosity at 40 degrees C and the density at 15 degrees C. Principal component analysis was used to perform a qualitative analysis of the spectra and partial least squares regression to develop the calibration models between analytical and spectral data. The results support that NIR spectroscopy, in combination with multivariate calibration, is a promising technique applied to biodiesel quality control, in both laboratory and industrial-scale samples.


Burden of self-care in seriously ill patients: impact on adjustment.
Perceived, but not actual, control over the treatment has been consistently related to better adjustment in chronic illness. This study examined the relationship between actual control over treatment and severity of illness and their influence on depression in a chronically ill population of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The authors hypothesized that as severity of illness increases, the burden of control over treatment would increase depression. Severity of illness and depression were assessed for 98 ESRD patients. Control over treatment was represented by whether dialysis patients were self-administering treatment (high control) or were receiving treatment from the medical staff (low control). Results indicated that for the most severely ill patients, high control over treatment resulted in poorer adjustment. Furthermore, this effect was due in part to how illness interferes with social relationships in seriously ill, self-care patients.


[Histopathological studies on senile plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy in aged cynomolgus monkeys].
The incidence and morphological characteristics of senile plaque and amyloid angiopathy in the cerebrum of six aged cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), 20 to 29 years old, were studied histopathologically and immunohistochemically. By periodic acid methenamine silver stain (PAM) and alkaline Congo red stain, senile plaques were detected in 5 out of 6 cases, and 3 of them were positive for amyloid in the wall of capillaries and arterioles in the cerebral cortex. Senile plaques were classified into three types. Mature plaques, including classical and primitive types, were more frequently observed than the immature diffuse type. Senile plaques were often seen in the cortex of temporal lobe, putamen and head of caudate nucleus. Since mature types of senile plaques were seen frequently around vascular amyloid deposition and no amyloid angiopathy was detected in the areas without senile plaques, the close relation between senile plaque of the mature type and amyloid angiopathy might be considered. All senile plaques and amyloid angiopathy were positively stained immunohistochemically with antibody against amyloid beta-protein (A beta P) 1-40 synthetic peptide, but all diffuse and some primitive plaques were negative for antibody against A beta P 8-17 synthetic peptide. Neither senile plaque nor amyloid angiopathy was detected in the cerebrum of 15 young monkeys, 9 to 11 years old, examined as controls.


Lactobacillus plantarum P17630 for preventing Candida vaginitis recurrence: a retrospective comparative study.
Recurrence is a frequent complaint of patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Although the pathogenesis of VVC remains a controversial issue, disruption of the balance between the vaginal microbiota may facilitate overgrowth by Candida. Some probiotic bacterial strains can suppress Candida albicans; Lactobacillus plantarum P17630 is able to attach to vaginal epithelial cells and significantly reduce the adhesion of C. albicans. To evaluate the effect of the application of Lactobacillus plantarum P17630 in restoring the vaginal microbiota and prevention of relapses among women with acute VVC undergoing conventional (azole) local and main therapy. Retrospective comparative study. We recruited 89 women with a diagnosis of VVC, who were placed into two groups on the basis of reported treatment. The control group was treated with a daily dose of 2% clotrimazole vaginal cream at bedtime for 3 days, followed by vaginal application of a capsule containing lubricant once a day for 6 days and then once a week for another 4 weeks. The probiotic group was treated with the same azole-based protocol but followed by vaginal application of a capsule containing Lactobacillus plantarum P17630 (>10₈ CFU) once a day for 6 days and then once a week for another 4 weeks beginning the day following clotrimazole discontinuation. Clinical and diagnostic patterns were monitored for three months of follow-up. At the end of study the probiotic-treated women showed a statistically significant increase in Lactobacillus values "+++" (80% versus 40%, p<0.001) and a better subjective resolution of symptoms such as vaginal discomfort described as burning or itching (90% versus 67.5%, p<0.03). Among controls there was a non-significant increase at 3 months of recurrence of infection, but a significant increase of women with value of pH=5 or >5. Although the results of different studies are controversial, most have suggested use of probiotics in the prevention or treatment of VVC, and no adverse effects have been reported. Our data with L. plantarum P17630 (Gyno-Canesflor - Bayer) confirm the role of this specific strain as a potential empirical preventive agent for reducing vaginal discomfort after conventional treatment of acute VVC and shifting the vaginal milieu toward a predominance of lactobacilli with an improvement of the vaginal pH value.


Analysis of the function of GABA(B) receptors on inhibitory afferent neurons of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex of the rat.
Purkinje cells, the output neurons of the cerebellar cortex, receive inhibitory input from basket, stellate and neighbouring Purkinje cells. The aim of the present study was to clarify the role of GABAB receptors on neurons giving inhibitory input to Purkinje cells. In sagittal slices prepared from the cerebellar vermis of the rat, the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen lowered the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) recorded in Purkinje cells. These effects were prevented by the GABAB receptor antagonist CGP 55845. Two mechanisms were involved in the depression of the inhibitory input to Purkinje cells. The first mechanism was suppression of the firing of basket, stellate and Purkinje cells. The second mechanism was presynaptic inhibition of GABA release from terminals of the afferent axons. This was indicated by the finding that baclofen decreased the amplitude of IPSCs occurring in Purkinje cells synchronously with action potentials recorded in basket cells. A further support for the presynaptic inhibition is the observation that baclofen decreased the amplitude of autoreceptor currents which are due to activation of GABAA autoreceptors at axon terminals of basket cells by synaptically released GABA. The presynaptic inhibition was partly due to direct inhibition of the vesicular release mechanism, because baclofen lowered the frequency of miniature IPSCs recorded in Purkinje cells in the presence of cadmium and in the presence of tetrodotoxin plus ionomycin. The results show that activation of GABAB receptors decreased GABAA receptor-mediated synaptic input to cerebellar Purkinje cells both by lowering the firing rate of the inhibitory input neurons and by inhibiting GABA release from their axon terminals with a presynaptic mechanism.


Cooperative Hedgehog-EGFR signaling.
It has been known for many years that cooperative interactions between oncogenes (e.g. RAS, MYC, BCL2) can fuel cancer growth (1-5), but the restricted druggability of many of those interacting cancer genes has hampered translation of combined targeting to medical cancer therapy. The identification and characterization of cooperative cancer signaling pathways amenable to medical therapy is therefore a crucial step towards the establishment of efficient targeted combination treatments urgently needed to improve cancer therapy. Here we review recent findings of our group and colleagues on the molecular mechanisms of cooperative Hedgehog/GLI and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling, two clinically relevant oncogenic pathways involved in the development of many human malignancies. We also discuss the possible implications of these findings for the design of a therapeutic regimen relying on combined targeting of key effectors of both pathways.


Delusional Misidentification Syndromes: Separate Disorders or Unusual Presentations of Existing DSM-IV Categories?
During the past 80 years, delusional misidentification syndromes (DMS), especially the Fregoli and Capgras syndromes, have posed challenges to mental health professionals due to a lack of comprehensive understanding of the syndromes and a lack of effective treatment. An issue that remains to be unresolved is whether DMS (either in its pure form or as embedded symptoms of other diagnoses) can be accommodated in the present Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). During the past two decades, neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies have pointed to the presence of identifiable brain lesions, especially in the right frontoparietal and adjacent regions, in a considerable proportion of patients with DMS. Prior to the advent of such studies, DMS phenomena were explained predominantly from the psychodynamic point of view. Deficits in working memory due to abnormal brain function, are considered to play causative roles in DMS. In this article, we present two cases of Fregoli and Capgras syndromes and discuss the relevant theoretical and practical issues.