Acceleration in BMI gain following COVID-19 restrictions. A longitudinal study with 7- to 10-year-old primary school children.
The ramifications of COVID-19 restrictions might accelerate the already rising proportion of children with overweight or obesity. To assess the association between COVID-19 restrictions and changes in body mass index (BMI) and the proportion of children with overweight or obesity. Cohort study with baseline measurements in September 2019 (prior to COVID-19 restrictions) and follow-up in June 2020, September 2020, and March 2021 at 12 primary schools in Austria. The height and weight of 738 children aged 7 to 10 years were measured and age- and sex-specific national and international standardized values were calculated. Changes over time were analysed by analysis of variance. Mean BMIIOTF standard deviation scores (SDS) increased by 0.24 (95% CI, 0.21-0.28) between September 2019 and March 2021. The proportion of children with overweight or obesity increased from 20.7% to 26.2% during this period (p < 0.001) using national reference values-EQUI BMIAUT -comparable results were observed. Simultaneously, the heightAUT SDS increased by 0.06 (95% CI, 0.05-0.08) with a larger increase in girls (+0.11; p < 0.001) than in boys (+0.03; p = 0.19). COVID-19 restrictions were associated with accelerated increases in mean BMI and the proportion of children with overweight or obesity. The increase in height SDS in girls calls for further investigations.


Adsorption and migration of single metal atoms on the calcite (10.4) surface.
Transition metal atoms are one of the key ingredients in the formation of functional 2D metal organic coordination networks. Additionally, the co-deposition of metal atoms can play an important role in anchoring the molecular structures to the surface at room temperature. To gain control of such processes requires the understanding of adsorption and diffusion properties of the different transition metals on the target surface. Here, we used density functional theory to investigate the adsorption of 3d (Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu), 4d (Zr, Nb, Mo, Pd, Ag) and 5d (Hf, W, Ir, Pt, Au) transition metal adatoms on the insulating calcite (10.4) surface. We identified the most stable adsorption sites and calculated binding energies and corresponding ground state structures. We find that the preferential adsorption sites are the Ca-Ca bridge sites. Apart from the Cr, Mo, Cu, Ag and Au all the studied metals bind strongly to the calcite surface. The calculated migration barriers for the representative Ag and Fe atoms indicates that the metal adatoms are mobile on the calcite surface at room temperature. Bader analysis suggests that there is no significant charge transfer between the metal adatoms and the calcite surface.


What business are you in?
Ths structure of the health care delivery system continues to evolve, old organizational types taking new forms and new entities joining in a sometimes helter-skelter array. What is missing is order and purpose. Most health care organizations have not yet asked the critical questions, "What business are we in?" and "Who are our customers?" The authors suggest that what is needed is a strategic business unit approach to the process of business development.


LAG-3 is a promising inhibitory immune checkpoint for antitumor immunotherapy.
Lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Engagement of LAG-3 by its ligands to trigger downstream signaling can inhibit immune responses and regulate the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cancer and inflammatory diseases. We used keywords to search for relevant publications in PubMed and information on websites. After systematic analysis, we discuss the biological characteristics of LAG-3 and its ligands, LAG-3 related signaling, its roles in the pathogenesis of tumors, and its blockages for the treatment of cancers, as well as current challenges and future directions of research. Although the mechanisms underlying the action of LAG-3/ligand-related signaling in tumor development are not fully understood, advances in scientific research and LAG-3-based immunotherapies are promising. Further studies to explore its biological roles and molecular mechanisms may aid in developing new LAG-3- and ligand-based therapeutic drugs to benefit patients with different types of cancers.


Disasters, the environment, and public health: improving our response.
Natural and human-made disasters continue to adversely affect all areas of the world in both predictable and unpredictable ways. To highlight the importance of natural disasters, the United Nations declared the 1990s the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. This paper considers the public health response to disasters. It highlights environmental health issues and approaches since disasters are extreme environmental events, and it reviews developments relating to capacity building, training, and collaboration. Although progress is noted, a comprehensive federal or academic approach is not evident in the United States and the proper linkage to environmental health is lacking. With the International Decade now half over, public health professionals and others involved with disaster management should reflect on progress made to date and goals for the future.


Fiber-reinforced dental composites in beam testing.
The purpose of this study was to systematically review current literature on in vitro tests of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) beams, with regard to studies that followed criteria described in an International Standard. The reported reinforcing effects of various fibers on the flexural strength and elastic modulus of composite resin beams were analyzed. Original, peer reviewed papers, selected using Medline from 1950 to 2007, on in vitro testing of FRC beams in comparison to non-reinforced composite beams. Also information from conference abstracts (IADR) was included. With the keywords (fiber or fibre) and (resin or composite) and (fixed partial denture or FPD), the literature search revealed 1427 titles. Using this strategy a broad view of the clinical and non-clinical literature on fiber-reinforced FPDs was obtained. Restricting to three-point bending tests, 7 articles and 1 abstract (out of 126) were included. Finally, the data of 363 composite beams were analyzed. The differences in mean flexural strength and/or modulus between reinforced and unreinforced beams were set out in a forest plot. Meta-regression analyses were performed (single and multiple regression models). Under specific conditions we have been able to show that fibers do reinforce resin composite beams. The flexural modulus not always seems to increase with polyethylene-reinforcement, even when fibers are located at the tensile side. Besides, fiber architecture (woven vs. unidirectional) seems to be more important than the type of fiber for flexural strength and flexural modulus.


Globe rupture following penetrating keratoplasty: how often, why, and what can we do to prevent it?
Traumatic globe rupture following penetrating keratoplasty is a life-long postoperative concern. We look at a series of penetrating keratoplasties in one institution and determine the rates of traumatic rupture and the outcomes following rupture. The reasons for persisting wound weakness are reviewed, and recommendations for eye protection based on wound strength are given. A case-control study compared the postsurgical rupture rates for all cases of penetrating keratoplasty to those cases of globe rupture after extracapsular cataract surgery and phacoemulsification. A literature review of corneal wound healing was completed. Over 10 years 139 penetrating keratoplasties were performed. The incidence of traumatic rupture following keratoplasty was 5.8%. Fifty percent of those with ruptured globes had a visual outcome of hand movement vision or worse. Of the traumatic ruptures, 37.5% occurred in the first postoperative month. The indication for initial keratoplasty did not influence the rupture rate. In comparison, the general rate of penetrating eye injuries in the population was 2.2/100,000 per annum. The rupture rate for extracapsular cataract surgery was 1/221 (0.45%) and 0/6450 for phacoemulsification. Both of these rates were significantly less than after penetrating keratoplasty (P=0.005, P<0.0001). Penetrating keratoplasty cases have a higher rate of globe rupture than other ocular procedures. There are 5 important time periods of wound integrity after penetrating keratoplasty. The highest risk period is the month following surgery, when wound strength is derived almost entirely from sutures. The 18 months following surgery are moderately high risk. The month following removal of sutures is a second high-risk period. In the 6 months following this, the wound has a similar strength to the first postoperative year. Following penetrating keratoplasty the cornea never regains its preoperative strength and remains at risk for traumatic rupture for the remainder of the patient's life.


Weight change at 1 mo of antiretroviral therapy and its association with subsequent mortality, morbidity, and CD4 T cell reconstitution in a Tanzanian HIV-infected adult cohort.
The development of low-cost point-of-care technologies to improve HIV treatment is a major focus of current research in resource-limited settings. We assessed associations of body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and weight change after 1 mo of treatment with mortality, morbidity, and CD4 T cell reconstitution. A prospective cohort of 3389 Tanzanian adults initiating ART enrolled in a multivitamin trial was followed at monthly clinic visits (median: 19.7 mo). Proportional hazard models were used to analyze mortality and morbidity associations, whereas generalized estimating equations were used for CD4 T cell counts. The median weight change at 1 mo of ART was +2.0% (IQR: -0.4% to +4.6%). The association of weight loss at 1 mo with subsequent mortality varied significantly by baseline BMI (P = 0.011). Participants with ≥2.5% weight loss had 6.43 times (95% CI: 3.78, 10.93 times) the hazard of mortality compared with that of participants with weight gains ≥2.5%, if their baseline BMI was <18.5 but only 2.73 times (95% CI: 1.49, 5.00 times) the hazard of mortality if their baseline BMI was ≥18.5 and <25.0. Weight loss at 1 mo was also associated with incident pneumonia (P = 0.002), oral thrush (P = 0.007), and pulmonary tuberculosis (P < 0.001) but not change in CD4 T cell counts (P > 0.05). Weight loss as early as 1 mo after ART initiation can identify adults at high risk of adverse outcomes. Studies identifying reasons for and managing early weight loss are needed to improve HIV treatment, with particular urgency for malnourished adults initiating ART. The parent trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00383669.


HMGNs, DNA repair and cancer.
DNA lesions threaten the integrity of the genome and are a major factor in cancer formation and progression. Eukaryotic DNA is organized in nucleosome-based higher order structures, which form the chromatin fiber. In recent years, considerable knowledge has been gained on the importance of chromatin dynamics for the cellular response to DNA damage and for the ability to repair DNA lesions. High Mobility Group N1 (HMGN1) protein is an emerging factor that is important for chromatin alterations in response to DNA damage originated from both ultra violet light (UV) and ionizing irradiation (IR). HMGN1 is a member in the HMGN family of chromatin architectural proteins. HMGNs bind directly to nucleosomes and modulate the structure of the chromatin fiber in a highly dynamic manner. This review focuses mainly on the roles of HMGN1 in the cellular response pathways to different types of DNA lesions and in transcriptional regulation of cancer-related genes. In addition, emerging roles for HMGN5 in cancer progression and for HMGN2 as a potential tool in cancer therapy will be discussed.


Prevention Strategies in Post-TBI Depression in Older Adults: A Case Study.
The purpose of this study was to describe a theoretically focused intervention aimed toward chronic stress and depressive symptom management that is coordinated by a case manager and delivered within a home environment by the caregiver. Home care, community setting. A case study of an older adult with traumatic brain injury (TBI) secondary to a fall who had significant allostatic load at the time of his injury. "Allostatic load" is a theoretical construct that suggests the brain is experiencing chronic strain on its systems that flexibly respond to stressors. Sustained allostatic load can contribute to chronic conditions and poor outcomes. Through actions with the family as caregivers, the case manager was able to coordinate a structured home setting and gradual resumption of social activities for this older adult. Focus was on establishing structure, meaningful social interactions, and positive home experiences that maximized the older adult's interests and capacity and mitigated chronic stress. Gradually, the older adult returned to his preinjury capacity and lives independently within the family home. The case management process has the potential to mitigate stressors and improve depression management through family-focused care. Although there is limited guidance on prevention of depression, this approach resulted in attainment of safe home care, no hospital readmissions, and return to previous lifestyle for the older adult. This could be useful in the prevention of post-TBI depression.


The COMMIT dental model: tobacco control practices and attitudes.
The National Cancer Institute's program to help dentists reduce tobacco use among their patients is part of the Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation, a 22-community, randomly controlled trial of an intervention program for smoking cessation. Results of COMMIT baseline surveys of dentists in the 11 intervention communities are presented.


Visual impairment, severe visual impairment, and blindness in children in Britain (BCVIS2): a national observational study.
The WHO VISION 2020 global initiative against blindness, launched in 2000, prioritised childhood visual disability by aiming to end avoidable childhood blindness by 2020. However, progress has been hampered by the global paucity of epidemiological data concerning childhood visual disability. The British Childhood Visual Impairment and Blindness Study 2 (BCVIS2) was done to address this evidence gap. BCVIS2 was a prospective UK-wide, cross-sectional, observational study to establish an inception cohort of children newly diagnosed with visual impairment. Opthalmologists and paediatricians reported cases from 89 hospitals and community centres across the UK. We included children aged 18 years or younger who were newly diagnosed with any condition causing impaired visual acuity to a level of 0·5 logMAR or worse (worse than 6/18 Snellen) in each eye, or equivalent vision as assessed by standard qualitative measures, between Oct 1, 2015, and Nov 1, 2016. Eligible children were notified simultaneously but independently by their managing ophthalmologists and paediatricians via the two national active surveillance schemes, the British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit and the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit. Standardised detailed demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical data about detection, management, and treatment were collected at diagnosis and 1 year later. We calculated incidence estimates and relative rates by key sociodemographic factors. We did descriptive analyses of underlying ophthalmic disorders and non-ophthalmic comorbidities. 61 (7%) of 845 eligible children initially notified were ineligible at follow-up because of improved vision after treatment. Thus, the study sample comprised 784 children with permanent newly-diagnosed all-cause visual impairment, severe visual impairment, or blindness. 559 (72%) of 778 children had clinically significant non-ophthalmic impairments or conditions. 28 (4%) of 784 children died within a year after diagnosis of visual disability (all had underlying systemic disorders). Incidence of visual disability in the first year of life was 5·19 per 10 000 children (95% CI 4·71-5·72), almost ten times higher than among 1-to-4-year-olds and between 20 times and 100 times higher than in the older age groups. The overall cumulative incidence (or lifetime risk) of visual impairment, severe visual impairment, or blindness was 10·03 per 10 000 children (9·35-10·76). Incidence rates were higher for those from any ethnic minority group, the lowest quintile of socioeconomic status, and those born preterm or with low birthweight. 345 (44%) of 784 children had a single affected anatomical site. Disorders of the brain and visual pathways affected 378 (48%) of 784 children. BCVIS2 provides a contemporary snapshot of the heterogeneity, multi-morbidity, and vulnerability associated with childhood visual disability in a high-income country. These findings could facilitate developing and delivering health care and planning of interventional research. Our findings highlight the importance of including childhood visual disability as a sentinel event and metric in global child health initiatives. Fight for Sight, National Institute for Health Research, and Ulverscroft Foundation.


Leadership and management competencies required for Bhutanese primary health care managers in reforming the district health system.
This study aims to identify the required management competencies, current competency levels, and strategies for improving the management competencies of Bhutanese primary health care (PHC) managers. A quantitative method with a cross-sectional survey using self-administered questionnaires. This study recruited 339 PHC managers across Bhutan. The data were analyzed using statistical software. This study identified three competency domains and seven key sub-domain competencies. People domain was perceived to be the highest required competency with a mean score of 4.2376, followed by execution (4.1851), and the transformation (4.0501) domains. For the seven key sub-domains, the communication sub-domain (4.3220) was perceived as the highest required competency, followed by professionalism (4.2967), managing change (4.1776), relationship building (4.1686), analytical thinking (4.1091), leadership (4.0980), and innovative thinking (3.9794). The current competency levels of PHC managers in domains and sub-domain competencies were the people domain (3.7322), execution (3.6471), and the transformation (3.5554). For the sub-domains, communication (3.8092), professionalism (3.7939), relationship building (3.6603), analytical thinking (3.6396), leadership (3.5805), managing change (3.5723), and innovative thinking (3.4543). Findings of Bhutan health managers' competencies are consistent with the findings of other international contexts. This study suggests that agencies responsible for health system need to focus more on the competencies defined by the study to positively influence health leadership and management development interventions.


Peripartum acute aortic dissection: A case report & review of literature.
Acute aortic dissection is a rare clinical entity that mainly affects patients older than 50 years. It is unusual in younger patients and its presence has been traditionally associated with trauma, Marfan syndrome, bicuspid aortic valve and pregnancy. We present here, a case of a 30 year old pregnant female with acute aortic dissection type A (De Bakey II), without family history of connective tissue diseases and signs of Marfan syndrome.


[The role of CagA in H. pylori infection].
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) chronically colonizes human gastric epithelium and induces various diseases. But the mechanism of carcinogenesis in H. pylori infection remains to be assessed. We described that after attachment of H. pylori to gastric epithelial cells, CagA is injected directly from the bacteria into the cells and undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation. Tyrosine phosphorylated CagA can bind to SHP-2. Deregulation of SHP -2 by CagA may induce abnormal proliferation and movement of gastric epithelial cells. There are two patterns of CagA motifs between East Asian strains and Western strains. East Asian-type CagA confers stronger SHP-2 binding and transforming activities than Western-type CagA. We assessed the association between CagA diversity and clinical outcome in Asian countries, where mortalities from gastric cancer is different. As results, H. pylori infection with East Asian-type CagA was associated with gastric atrophy and cancer. Therefore, persistent active inflammation induced by the East Asian CagA-positive strain may play a role in the pathogenesis of disease.


Ultracold atom interferometry in space.
Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in free fall constitute a promising source for space-borne interferometry. Indeed, BECs enjoy a slowly expanding wave function, display a large spatial coherence and can be engineered and probed by optical techniques. Here we explore matter-wave fringes of multiple spinor components of a BEC released in free fall employing light-pulses to drive Bragg processes and induce phase imprinting on a sounding rocket. The prevailing microgravity played a crucial role in the observation of these interferences which not only reveal the spatial coherence of the condensates but also allow us to measure differential forces. Our work marks the beginning of matter-wave interferometry in space with future applications in fundamental physics, navigation and earth observation.


Radiographic exposure calculator and mammographic dose calculator.
A set of dose calculators has been designed to facilitate quick and easy calculation of surface exposure (or skin dose) for routine radiography and average glandular dose in mammographic studies. Acceptance by technologists has been good, and in two inspections by the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, the calculators were deemed adequate to satisfy the diagnostic radiology standards that doses be monitored.


Berkeley extreme-ultraviolet airglow rocket spectrometer: BEARS.
We describe the Berkeley extreme-UV airglow rocket spectrometer, which is a payload designed to test several thermospheric remote-sensing concepts by measuring the terrestrial O I far-UV and extreme-UV dayglow and the solar extreme-UV spectrum simultaneously. The instrument consisted of two near-normal Rowland mount spectrometers and a Lyman-alpha photometer. The dayglow spectrometer covered two spectral regions from 980 to 1040 A and from 1300 to 1360 A with 1.5-A resolution. The solar spectrometer had a bandpass of 250-1150 A with an ~ 10-A resolution. All three spectra were accumulated by using a icrochannel-plate-intensified, two-dimensional imaging detector with three separate wedge-and strip anode readouts. The hydrogen Lyman-alpha photometer was included to monitor the solar Lyman-alpha irradiance and geocoronal Lyman-alpha emissions. The instrument was designed, fabricated, and calibrated at the University of California, Berkeley and was successfully launched on 30 September 1988 aboard the first test flight of a four-stage sounding rocket, Black Brant XII.


Atypical enhanced computed tomography signs of pancreatic cancer and its differential diagnosis from autoimmune pancreatitis.
To analyze the atypical enhanced computed tomography (CT) signs of pancreatic cancer (PC) and compare them with those of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) to explore the differential diagnosis value of CT. The clinical data of 36 AIP (AIP group) and 38 PC patients (PC group), who were admitted to our hospital from January 2013 to June 2020 and confirmed by surgical biopsy or hormone therapy, were retrospectively analyzed. Participants in both groups were examined by CT, the imaging signs of the 2 groups were analyzed, and the results of CT examination were compared. In the PC group, the density of the lesions on the CT scan was mostly reduced, the pancreas was not swollen, and the kidneys were not involved. The bile duct wall was thickened with a sausage-like appearance, enveloped edges were rare, blood vessels were invaded, lymph nodes were enlarged, and the pancreatic duct was truncated. The findings of the AIP group were the opposite. The difference in the proportion of participants with the above-mentioned CT features between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The shape of the lesions in the AIP group was mainly elongated, of uneven density, and the density of enhanced scanning was medium to high. The predominant shape of the lesions in PC participants was spherical, and the density was uniform. The enhanced scan was mainly low-density. The difference in shape and density between the 2 groups was also statistically significant (P<0.05). The CT values of the plain scan, intravenous phase, and delayed phase in the AIP group were significantly higher than those in the PC group (P<0.05). The imaging signs of AIP and PC overlap. Examination with CT is of great value in the differential diagnosis between AIP and PC. Familiarity with and mastery of the CT signs of AIP and PC can help to improve the accuracy of clinical diagnosis and provide a reliable basis for patients' follow-up treatment.


[Experience in 735 cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy].
In the period from December, 1991 to December, 1993, 735 successful operations of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) were conducted in the III Surgical Clinic of the Semmelweis Medical University, Budapest, Hungary. Among the patients were 154 females and 581 males 14 to 82 years of ago. Conversion of laparotomy was undertaken in 58 (7.9%) patients because of technical difficulties and the development of complications. Intraoperative complications were encountered in 197 (26.8%) and postoperative complications in 38 (5.17%) patients.


G alpha 12 and G alpha 13 subunits define a fourth class of G protein alpha subunits.
Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) are central to the signaling processes of multicellular organisms. We have explored the diversity of the G protein subunits in mammals and found evidence for a large family of genes that encode the alpha subunits. Amino acid sequence comparisons show that the different alpha subunits fall into at least three classes. These classes have been conserved in animals separated by considerable evolutionary distances; they are present in mammals, Drosophila, and nematodes. We have now obtained cDNA clones encoding two murine alpha subunits, G alpha 12 and G alpha 13, that define a fourth class. The translation products are predicted to have molecular masses of 44 kDa and to be insensitive to ADP-ribosylation by pertussis toxin. They share 67% amino acid sequence identity with each other and less than 45% identity with other alpha subunits. Their transcripts can be detected in every tissue examined, although the relative levels of the G alpha 13 message appear somewhat variable.


Chitosan facilitates structure formation of the salivary gland by regulating the basement membrane components.
Tissue structure is important for inherent physiological function and should be recapitulated during tissue engineering for regenerative purposes. The salivary gland is a branched organ that is responsible for saliva secretion and regulation. The salivary glands develop from epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, and depend on the support of the basement membrane (BM). Chitosan-based biomaterials have been demonstrated to be competent in facilitating the formation of salivary gland tissue structure. However, the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. In the developing submandibular gland (SMG), the chitosan effect was found to diminish when collagen and laminin were removed from cultured SMG explants. Chitosan increased the expression of BM components including collagen, laminin, and heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and also facilitated BM components and the corresponding receptors to be expressed in tissue-specific patterns beneficial for SMG branching. The chitosan effect decreased when either laminin components or receptors were inhibited, as well when the downstream signaling was blocked. Our results revealed that chitosan promotes salivary glands branching through the BM. By regulating BM components and receptors, chitosan efficiently stimulated downstream signaling to facilitate salivary gland branching. The present study revealed the underlying mechanism of the chitosan effect in engineering SMG structure formation.


Direct evidence for the role of the madelung potential in determining the work function of doped organic semiconductors.
The work function of a model degenerately doped organic semiconductor p-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonic acid) can be systematically tuned over an eV-wide range by exchanging excess matrix protons with spectator cations, without altering the organic semiconductor doping level or polaron density. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy reveals this to arise not from an interface dipole, but from a bulk effect due to a shift in the Madelung potential set up by the local counter- and spectator-ion structure at the polaron sites. Electrostatic modeling of this potential is in agreement with the observed shift in carrier energetics. The spectator cations also cause a systematic shift in electron-phonon coupling and carrier delocalization, as revealed by infrared and Raman phonon modes, and charge-modulated absorption, which can be related to disorder in this potential.


The centennial anniversary of the frozen section technique at the Mayo Clinic.
The frozen section technique has become an invaluable tool to assist the surgeon with intraoperative diagnosis. Although there were various descriptions of frozen section technique before and after the turn of the 20th century, the publication by Louis B. Wilson, MD, at the Mayo Clinic in 1905 heralded the beginning of a new era in intraoperative diagnosis. This historical review traces the circumstances that led to this landmark publication 100 years ago.


Ontogenesis and molecular phylogeny of the marine ciliate Diophryopsis hystrix: implications for the systematics of the Diophrys-like species (ciliophora, spirotrichea, euplotida).
The cortical development of Diophryopsis hystrix, a small marine euplotid ciliate, was observed during binary division. The pattern of morphogenesis is generally similar to that of other Diophrys-like species, with the exception of the marginal cirrus, which develops in a unique manner in D. hystrix being formed from the posterior end of the dorsal kinety anlage, in a similar manner to the formation of the caudal cirri. In the small subunit (SS) rRNA gene sequence tree, Diophryopsis represents a distinct clade separate from Diophrys. Furthermore, our ontogenetic and SSrRNA gene sequence data both support the suggestion that the Diophrys complex is sister to Uronychia, and should be considered as a distinct subfamily within the family Uronychiidae, i.e. Diophryinae Jankowski, 1979, comprising Diophrys, Diophryopsis, and Paradiophrys. Diagnoses of the subfamilies Diophryinae and Uronychiinae are provided.


Acute phase reactants in allergic airway disease.
Acute phase reactants have been implicated for their involvement as proinflammatory molecules in various inflammatory diseases. However, little is known regarding their role in the allergic airway disease. The aim of the present study was to examine the blood concentrations of three acute-phase proteins, namely C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA) and fibrinogen in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Three study groups include: non-smoker allergic rhinitis (n = 50), non-smoker asthma (n = 20), and non-allergic, non-smoker healthy control subjects (n = 20). Patients who have had recent upper or lower respiratory tract infection and trauma, any rheumatological illnesses, malignancy or obesity were excluded. Blood samples were obtained from all the patients and control subjects and were analyzed for serum CRP, SAA and plasma fibrinogen. The mean CRP and fibrinogen values in the rhinitis and asthma groups were not significantly different when compared to the control group. However, the mean SAA levels of both groups were found to be significantly higher than those of the control group (p = 0.002 for rhinitis, p = 0.02 for asthma). There was no significant correlation between the FEV(1) values and the levels of the serum markers. This study demonstrates that acute phase reactant SAA rises in patients with allergic rhinitis and patients with asthma. We therefore suggest that SAA may have a role in the inflammatory airway disease.


Allergic reactions to drugs: implications for perioperative care.
Clinically, one must be able to differentiate between an allergic reaction and an adverse reaction. Clinical manifestations of allergic reactions range from urticaria and rash to bronchoconstriction, laryngeal edema, hematologic disorders, and other serious reactions. Many drugs administered in the perioperative setting can cause allergic reactions. Antibiotics such as penicillins, beta-lactam antibiotics, and sulfonamides are the most common class of drugs that produce allergic reactions. A detailed allergy history is important when deciding if a patient can receive a drug that may cross-react (eg, a cephalosporin in a patient with a penicillin allergy). Vancomycin can cause a reaction that ranges from erythema and pruritus to clinically significant hypotension. Proper dilution and rate of administration are essential in minimizing the histamine from vancomycin that is thought to produce this reaction. "Sulfa allergy" describes an allergy to sulfonamide antibiotics; a patient with a "sulfa allergy" is not allergic to drugs containing sulfur, sulfites, or sulfates. Although true allergic reactions to opioids are rare, naturally occurring compounds like morphine and codeine can cause allergic reactions. After stopping the offending drug, mild allergic reactions can be managed with diphenhydramine, with or without a steroid. Significant allergic reactions require more aggressive management with oxygen, intravenous fluids, epinephrine, and histamine blockers.


[Potential of personalized antihypertensive therapy].
The trend of genetic investigation in cardiovascular disease is toward use of genome wide association (GWA) study. Even though several SNPs had been confirmed as a certain risk of myocardial infarction or diabetes mellitus, GWA study of hypertension did not come up with a final answer. A feasible reason is less effect of each SNP in the genetic predisposition to hypertension. Another reason is that the morbidity of hypertension is inappropriate target to assess the genetic contribution. A solution might be to introduce a genetic epidemiological or pharmacogenomic approach. Indeed, recent investigations revealed that several SNPs are involved in salt sensitivity or the efficacy of antihypertensive treatment. In this review, we would like to discuss the potential of personalized antihypertensive therapy.


[Gene Mutation and Acute Leukemia Transformation of Severe Congenital Neutropenia- Review].
Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is a rare disease of bone marrow failure. Absolute value of peripheral blood neutrophil of SCN significantly reduced. SCN has a high risk of transformation to myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) / acute myeloid leukemia (AML). At present, there are 14 abnormal genes related to SCN, ELANE is the most common pathogenic gene, the main therapy of SCN is the application of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). CSF3R gene mutation often occurs in the treatment process, and can lead to acute myeloid leukemia. Further research on SCN/AML transformation mechanism is helpful to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. This review focuses on the genetics and phenotypic polymorphysm in SCN patients, the therapeutic effect and risk of G-CSF for SCN patients, the effect of CSF3R matation on signal transduction of G-CSF, CSF3R mutation is important factor for SCN tranformation to acute myeloid leukemia, exploring the mechanism of SCN/AML transformation contributes to diagnosis and therapy for patients and so on.


[Prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in Barrett's carcinoma by quantitative gene expression analysis].
The potential of gene expression profiles to predict the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the esophagus was analyzed. Paraffin-embedded endoscopic esophageal tumor biopsies of 38 patients with advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma (Barrett's adenocarcinoma) were included. All patients underwent two cycles of cisplatin and fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy with or without additional paclitaxel (taxol) followed by abdominothoracal esophagectomy. RNA expression levels of 5-FU-metabolism associated genes thymidylate synthase (TS), thymidine phosphorylase (TP), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), MAP7, ELF3, as well as of platinum and taxane associated related genes caldesmon, excision cross-complementing genes (ERCC1 and ERCC4) HER2-neu, DNA damage-inducible gene 45 (GADD45) and multidrug resistance genes (MDR1, MRP1) were determined using real-time RT-PCR. Expression levels were correlated with the histopathological response to chemotherapy assessed in surgically resected specimens. Responding patients showed significantly higher pretherapeutic expression levels of MTHFR (p = 0.012), Caldesmon (p = 0.016), MRP1 (p = 0.007) and MDR1 (p = 0.025). In addition, patients with high pretherapeutic MTHFR and MRP1 levels had a survival benefit after surgery (p = 0.013 and p = 0.015, respectively). Additionally, intratumoral heterogeneity of gene expression of selected genes (TP, DPD, MTHFR, HER2-neu, Caldesmon, ERCC4, MRP1) was additionally verified in 9 untreated Barrett's adenocarcinoma by examination of 5 distinct tumor areas and was observed in 12.7% (5.6%-23.5%, CI 95%) of all cases analyzed. Our results indicate that determination of mRNA levels of a few genes may be useful for the prediction of the success of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in individual cancer patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.


Decreased Pain Perception by Unconscious Emotional Pictures.
Pain perception arises from a complex interaction between a nociceptive stimulus and different emotional and cognitive factors, which appear to be mediated by both automatic and controlled systems. Previous evidence has shown that whereas conscious processing of unpleasant stimuli enhances pain perception, emotional influences on pain under unaware conditions are much less known. The aim of the present study was to investigate the modulation of pain perception by unconscious emotional pictures through an emotional masking paradigm. Two kinds of both somatosensory (painful and non-painful) and emotional stimulation (negative and neutral pictures) were employed. Fifty pain-free participants were asked to rate the perception of pain they were feeling in response to laser-induced somatosensory stimuli as faster as they can. Data from pain intensity and reaction times were measured. Statistical analyses revealed a significant effect for the interaction between pain and emotional stimulation, but surprisingly this relationship was opposite to expected. In particular, lower pain intensity scores and longer reaction times were found in response to negative images being strengthened this effect for painful stimulation. Present findings suggest a clear pain perception modulation by unconscious emotional contexts. Attentional capture mechanisms triggered by unaware negative stimulation could explain this phenomenon leading to a withdrawal of processing resources from pain.


Predictors of 30-day readmission in Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A cross-sectional database study.
The predictors of readmission in Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) have not been characterized. To determine the variables predictive of 30-day readmission after SJS/TEN hospitalization. We performed a cross-sectional study of the 2010-2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of patient demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics with readmission. Aggregate and per-readmission costs were calculated. There were 8837 index admissions with SJS/TEN reported; of these, 910 (10.3%) were readmitted, with diagnoses including systemic infection (22.0%), SJS/TEN (20.6%), and cutaneous infection (9.1%). Associated characteristics included age 45 to 64 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43-2.49), Medicaid insurance (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.48-2.27), and nonmetropolitan hospital admission (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.31-2.13). Associated comorbidities included HIV/AIDS (OR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.63-3.75), collagen vascular disease (OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.88-3.00), and metastatic cancer (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.35-3.46). The median per-readmission cost was $10,019 (interquartile range, $4,788-$16,485). The Nationwide Readmissions Database lacks the ability to track the same patient across calendar years. The diagnostic code lacks specificity for hospitalizations <3 days. Thirty-day readmissions after SJS/TEN hospitalizations are common. Dedicated efforts to identify at-risk patients may improve peridischarge continuity.


Effect of Defects on Decay of Voltage and Capacity for Li[Li0.15Ni0.2Mn0.6]O2 Cathode Material.
Lithium-rich manganese metal layered oxides are very promising cathode materials for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries, but improvement in voltage decay and capacity fade is a great challenge, which is mainly related to the structural instability or reconstruction of material's surface. Defects, such as part lattice distortions, local cation disordering and atomic ununiformity, often aggravate the further structural changes upon cycling. In this paper, we found that PEG contributed to form better layered structure, well crystallinity, uniform composition and polyhedral nanoparticles for Li[Li0.15Ni0.2Mn0.6]O2 (LNMO). On the basis of the comparative trial, a mechanism of electronegativity difference is proposed to elucidate cation nonuniform distribution. Higher electronegativity of Ni (1.91) than Mn (1.55) show a stronger ability of attraction between Ni and O atoms, and then led to Ni atoms show stronger diffusion driving force toward particle surface to contact the rich O atoms during sintering in air. However, PEG polymer can form a better barrier for more O atoms to attract Ni and Mn atoms on particle surface so that facilitated a uniform distribution. The electrochemical test indicated that the decay of discharge capacity and working voltage was mitigated, which was identified by the result of HRTEM analysis that the initial less defect structure obviously retarded the phase transformation from the layered to spinel after 50 cycles. Therefore, defects are crucial for understanding the voltage fade and capacity decay, and the improvement of performance also demonstrates that designing optimum compositions and ordering atomic arrangements will contribute to stabilize the surface structure and restrain inherent phase transitions.


Interleukin-1 stimulation of phospholipase activity in rat synovial fibroblasts. Possible regulation by cyclooxygenase products.
Tritiated arachidonic acid (3H-AA)-labeled rat synovial fibroblasts stimulated with human recombinant interleukin-1 beta (rIL-1 beta) released incorporated radiolabel in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner, with labeled prostaglandins representing 29% of the released radiolabel. Treatment of the cells with dibutyryl cAMP or prostaglandin E2 enhanced both spontaneous and rIL-1 beta-induced 3H-AA release; treatment with indomethacin or naproxen inhibited the response. The effects of these cyclooxygenase inhibitors on 3H-AA release were not reversed by the addition of prostaglandin E2. The activities of phospholipase A, phospholipase C, and diglyceride lipase were detected in the homogenates of rat synovial fibroblasts. Pretreatment of synovial cells with rIL-1 beta resulted in a threefold stimulation of phospholipase A activity and a slight increase in phospholipase C activity in cell homogenates. These data show that rIL-1 beta stimulates phospholipase activities in rat synovial fibroblasts and that at least one of these activities may be regulated by either prostaglandins or cAMP.


Flavonoid accumulation patterns of transparent testa mutants of arabidopsis.
Flavonoids have been implicated in the regulation of auxin movements in Arabidopsis. To understand when and where flavonoids may be acting to control auxin movement, the flavonoid accumulation pattern was examined in young seedlings and mature tissues of wild-type Arabidopsis. Using a variety of biochemical and visualization techniques, flavonoid accumulation in mature plants was localized in cauline leaves, pollen, stigmata, and floral primordia, and in the stems of young, actively growing inflorescences. In young Landsberg erecta seedlings, aglycone flavonols accumulated developmentally in three regions, the cotyledonary node, the hypocotyl-root transition zone, and the root tip. Aglycone flavonols accumulated at the hypocotyl-root transition zone in a developmental and tissue-specific manner with kaempferol in the epidermis and quercetin in the cortex. Quercetin localized subcellularly in the nuclear region, plasma membrane, and endomembrane system, whereas kaempferol localized in the nuclear region and plasma membrane. The flavonoid accumulation pattern was also examined in transparent testa mutants blocked at different steps in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. The transparent testa mutants were shown to have precursor accumulation patterns similar to those of end product flavonoids in wild-type Landsberg erecta, suggesting that synthesis and end product accumulation occur in the same cells.


Vulvar Cancer with Cutaneous and Breast Metastases.
Vulvar cancer accounts for about 5% of cancer of female genitalia. It may initially present as benign symptoms resulting in potential delay in diagnosis. Few cases of distant metastases to skin or breast have been reported. We present the case of a 76-year-old female with possible delay in diagnosis of her squamous cell carcinoma of vulva. After 4 months of the diagnosis, she presented with concurrent cutaneous and breast metastases.


Detection of PIK3CA mutations in circulating free DNA in patients with breast cancer.
Somatic mutations in PIK3CA (encoding a class I phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) subunit) modulate PI3K signalling to influence tumour behaviour and occur in up to 40% of breast cancers. Inhibitors of PI3K signalling are entering clinical trials, but the impact of PIKC3A mutation on tumour response has yet to be clarified. This study investigated the potential utility of circulating free DNA (cfDNA) as a source for PIK3CA mutation detection in patients with breast cancer. cfDNA extracted (QIAamp Virus spin kit) from blood and matched archival tumour from 46 patients with metastatic breast cancer and 30 patients with localised, operable breast cancer was assessed for hotspot PIK3CA mutations using Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS()) allele-specific PCR and Scorpion probes. PIK3CA mutations were detected in 13/46 (28%) plasma-derived and 10/46 (21%) serum-derived cfDNA samples from metastatic breast cancer patients. In 41 cases with matched tumour and plasma-derived cfDNA data, concordance (same mutation status in plasma and tumour) was 95%. Where a PIK3CA mutation was present in tumour, the 'pick up' in plasma-derived cfDNA was 80%. PIK3CA mutations were present in tumours from 14/30 (47%) localised breast cancers, but no PIK3CA mutations were detected in matched cfDNA. These data demonstrate feasibility and potential utility of cfDNA for PIK3CA mutation detection in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Studies are underway to qualify PIK3CA mutation in cfDNA as a predictive biomarker allowing patient stratification in clinical trials of mechanism-based therapeutics that target PI3K signalling pathways.


Achievement of group cohesion through the development of a psychiatric nursing seminar.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the process by which group cohesion emerged around the task of developing a psychiatric nursing seminar at the Palo Alto (California) V.A. Medical Center. This paper will discuss how group cohesion evolved, describe the seminar, and offer suggestions to other nurses wanting to work together more collaboratively. As clinical nurse specialists (CNS) assigned to the inpatient psychiatric units of a Veterans Administration Medical Center, we were asked by nursing administration to develop an educational course. The purpose of the course was to provide registered nurses with a common knowledge base that would facilitate communication related to patient care. While we were aware that teaching discreet areas of content commensurate with our individual interests and expertise would get the job done rapidly, our combined experience taught us that this approach to learning did little to bring about a change in clinical practice. We viewed the selection of a conceptual framework to which we could all be committed as an essential step prior to the content development. What is significant about this experience was that the group process of achieving cohesiveness was so closely related to the conceptual framework that finally evolved. We chose a framework that reflected our own perspectives towards working with others and about psychiatric nursing. In turn, the major concepts of the chosen framework guided many of our interactions with each other.


Cd-induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway in the hepatopancreas of the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense.
Cd is one of the most common pollutants in the environment that also induces the apoptosis. To explore the mechanism of apoptosis in the hepatopancreas, freshwater crab S. henanense were treated with 0, 3.56, 7.12, 14.25, 28.49 and 56.98 mg/L Cd for 72 h. Apoptosis was noticeable in every treatment group and necrosis was observed clearly in the high concentration Cd groups. Classical apoptotic bodies were found by transmission electronic microscopy, which revealed chromatin condensation under nuclear membrane and mitochondrial membrane rupture. An increasing number of autolysosomes, damaged rough endoplamic reticulum and Golgi complex were observed as the Cd concentration increase. Brown colored apoptotic cells were detected by the TUNEL test in all Cd-treatment groups. The apoptosis index increased following the elevation of Cd concentration and got 32.9% in the highest Cd group. Caspase-9 and caspase-3 activities increased in the lower Cd treatment groups but no changes in the higher Cd concentration groups (comparing to the control group). The activity of caspase-8 did not change significantly. No significant change in the content of mitochondrial cytochrome c (cyt c) in Cd exposed groups except the decrease in the 56.98 mg/L group. In crabs treated with 3.56, 7.12 and 14.25 mg/L Cd, hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ m ) significantly increased. These results implied that apoptosis in the hepatopancreas induced by Cd occurrs through the mitochondrial caspase-dependent pathway. However, whether there are other apoptotic pathways needs to be studied further.


Fucose as a potential therapeutic molecule against the immune-mediated inflammation in IgA nepharopathy: An unrevealed link.
IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is an autoimmune disease that affects people of any age and is an important cause of end-stage renal disease. However, the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of IgAN is not clear. This article aimed to explore the immune-mediated inflammation and genetic mechanisms in IgAN. The transcriptome sequencing data of IgAN glomeruli in the Gene Expression Omnibus database were downloaded. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis was used to estimate the immune microenvironment of the merged microarray data and GSE141295. IgAN samples were divided into two clusters by cluster analysis. "limma" and "DEseq2" package in R were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify the co-expression modules related to inflammation in IgAN. R software package "clusterProfiler" was used for enrichment analysis, whereas Short Time-Series Expression Miner (STEM) analysis was used to identify the trend of gene expression. Machine-learn (ML) was performed using the shiny app. Finally, Drug Signatures Database (DSigDB) was used to identify potential molecules for treating IgAN. The infiltration of macrophages in IgAN glomeruli was increased, whereas CD4+ T cells, especially inducedregulatory T cells (iTregs) were decreased. A total of 1,104 common DEGs were identified from the merged data and GSE141295. Brown module was identified to have the highest inflammatory correlation with IgAN using WGCNA, and 15 hub genes were screened from this module. Among these 15 hub genes, 14 increased with the severity of IgAN inflammation based on STEM analysis. Neural network (nnet) is considered as the best model to predict the severity of IgAN. Fucose identified from DSigDB has a potential biological activity to treat IgAN. The increase of macrophages and the decrease of iTregs in glomeruli represent the immune-mediated inflammation of IgAN, and fucose may be a potential therapeutic molecule against IgAN because it affects genes involved in the severe inflammation of IgAN.


Community versus individual risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in two municipalities of Louisiana, USA: An assessment of Area Deprivation Index (ADI) paired with seroprevalence data over time.
Determine whether an individual is at greater risk of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection because of their community or their individual risk factors. 4,752 records from two large prevalence studies in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana were used to assess whether zip code tabulation areas (ZCTA)-level area deprivation index (ADI) or individual factors accounted for risk of infection. Logistic regression models assessed associations of individual-level demographic and socioeconomic factors and the zip code-level ADI with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the unadjusted model, there were increased odds of infection among participants residing in high versus low ADI (both cities) and high versus mid-level ADI (Baton Rouge only) zip codes. When individual-level covariates were included, the odds of infection remained higher only among Baton Rouge participants who resided in high versus mid-level ADI ZCTAs. Several individual factors contributed to infection risk. After adjustment for ADI, race and age (Baton Rouge) and race, marital status, household size, and comorbidities (New Orleans) were significant. While higher ADI was associated with higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, individual-level participant characteristics accounted for a significant proportion of this association. Additionally, stage of the pandemic may affect individual risk factors for infection.


Antiapoptotic effect of benzyloxycarbonyl-aspartyl-(beta-tertier-butyl ester)-bromomethylketone (Z-D(OtBu)-Bmk), an intermediate of interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme inhibitors.
The effect of several interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE) inhibitors on apoptosis was examined. The ICE inhibitors tested were peptide aldehydes such as ethyloxycarbonyl-Ala-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-aldehyde (Etoco-AYVAD-CHO), acetyl-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-aldehyde (Ac-YVAD-CHO), benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-His-Asp-aldehyde (Z-VHD-CHO), a tetrapeptide chloromethylketone, acetyl-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-chloromethylketone (Ac-YVAD-Cmk) and their common intermediate benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-(beta-tertier-butyl ester)-bromomethylketone (Z-D(OtBu)-Bmk). Apoptosis was induced with several chemical agents conventionally used for this purpose in THP-1, L929, NB-41A3 cell lines and mouse thymocytes. DNA fragmentation during apoptosis was measured by conventional gel electrophoresis and ELISA. The cell morphology was examined by hematoxylin/eosin staining method. Cell viability was also monitored by MTT assay. Contrary to expectations, the peptide aldehydes listed above and Ac-YVAD-Cmk, known as highly specific ICE inhibitors, did not inhibit the apoptosis of these cell types. However, Z-D(OtBu)-Bmk, which had no relevant inhibitory activity on ICE, potently blocked the DNA fragmentation in THP-1 cells and thymocytes whichever of the inducing agents was used. In the other two cell lines Z-D(OtBu)-Bmk was inactive. The apoptotic cell morphology was also inhibited by Z-D(OtBu)-Bmk. Nevertheless, Z-D(OtBu)-Bmk failed to prevent the loss of mitochondrial activity and the cell destruction in the late phase of apoptosis. These data suggest that ICE is not involved in the apoptotic cell death induced by chemical agents. Thus, Z-D(OtBu)-Bmk, a common intermediate of some ICE inhibitors, may be a useful antiapoptotic agent for studying the early events of apoptosis in some cell types.


The Dataset of Camellia Cultivars Names in the World.
Camellias are popular ornamental, tea and woody-oil plants that have been cultivated throughout the world for centuries. To date, over 23,000 cultivars, with more than 45,000 cultivar names including synonyms, have been registered or published. A global digital dataset of Camellia names will provide a validated reference which can then serve to prevent further duplication when selecting names for new cultivars and assist in clearing up some of the confusion that still clings to a few of the old cultivar names. This comprehensive compendium is our review of camellia cultivars through history. The camellia cultivar names were collected from books and journals, as well as new registrations. These were then reviewed by experts in the online working platform, the Database of International Camellia Register (DICR). After treating and correcting important issues that existed in camellia names, especially those with many re-used names and diacritical marks etc. in Japanese cultivars, a dataset of camellia names from sources throughout the world was summarised from the year 1253 to 2019. To date, a total of 45,210 cultivar names were released by different countries, including 23,887 accepted names and 21,323 synonyms. Excluding 3,944 names believed extinct, a total of 19,944 cultivar names are still in use. Amongst camellia cultivars, most (23,449) were for ornamental use, 429 were additionally used for tea and 228 for oil. Camellia japonica and its hybrids represent 18,141 or 74.10%, followed by those of C. reticulata and its hybrids (1,432 or 5.85%) and C. sasanqua and its hybrids (1,291 or 5.27%). The top five countries of origin are USA (7,502 cultivars), Japan (6,592), Italy (2,833), China (2,066) and Australia (1,216). The data showed the number of camellia cultivars per country is somewhat related to each country's economic prosperity. Managed by the International Camellia Registration team, this is the most comprehensive dataset in the genus Camellia. It will facilitate quick reference and scientific naming for breeders.


Complete denture prosthodontics in children with ectodermal dysplasia: review of principles and techniques.
Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a hereditary condition in which a minimum of two ectodermal structures fail to develop. Anodontia, or hypodontia, is one of the most common manifestations of this condition. As a result, it is critical that prosthodontic habilitation or rehabilitation is started early. Complete dentures are a simple, inexpensive, and reversible option. Several case reports have demonstrated the successful use of complete dentures in children with ED. However, few articles have exclusively addressed the principles of complete denture prosthodontics in these individuals. This report critically analyzes the literature with respect to complete denture principles and techniques in children. Evidence to date is insufficient for advocating any one technique; therefore, the authors recommend a simplified yet scientific approach in fabricating complete dentures for children. This can aid the practicing dentist in using this simple therapeutic option to provide esthetic, functional, and psychological benefits for children with ED and other congenital anomalies related to missing teeth.


Development of a quantitative method for evaluating small intestinal motility using ultrasonography in mice.
Upper gastrointestinal (GI) motility is affected by various drugs and diseases. However, changes in upper GI motility during these conditions are not well understood, as there are few quantitative in vivo methods that assess small intestinal motility in mice. Ultrasonography is a noninvasive method for imaging and evaluating the condition of the abdominal organs. The aim of the present study was to establish a novel method for evaluating small intestinal motility by using ultrasonography in mice. We measured GI motility with and without loperamide, an antidiarrheal medication, by intestinal transit using an orally administered dye, a 13C-octanoic acid breath test, and ultrasonography. Locomotion activity of the duodenal wall was used for quantifying the GI motility observed via ultrasonography. Our results showed that upper GI transit was significantly delayed by loperamide. The 13C-octanoic acid breath test revealed decreased gastric emptying in loperamide-treated mice. Through ultrasonography, large peristaltic movements were observed in the duodenum of the control mice. In contrast, after treatment with loperamide, these peristaltic movements were suppressed, and the duodenal lumen was enlarged, suggesting decreased duodenal motility. In accordance with these results, quantifiable locomotion activity was also significantly decreased. In conclusion, ultrasonography is an effective in vivo method to quantify small intestinal motility in mice.


Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Patients With a History of Migraine.
Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a major contributor to the high morbidity in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Spreading depolarizations may play a role in DCI pathophysiology. Because patients with migraine are probably more susceptible to spreading depolarizations, we investigated whether patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage with migraine are at increased risk for DCI. We included patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage from 3 hospitals in the Netherlands. We assessed lifetime migraine history with a short screener. DCI was defined as neurological deterioration lasting >1 hour not attributable to other causes by diagnostic work-up. Adjustments were made for possible confounders in multivariable Cox regression analyses and adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were calculated. We assessed the interaction effects of age and sex. We included 582 patients (mean age 57 years, 71% women) mostly with mild to moderate aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage of whom 108 (19%) had a history of migraine (57 with aura). Patients with migraine were not at increased risk of developing DCI compared with patients without migraine (22% versus 24%, aHR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.56-1.43]). Additionally, no increased risk was found in patients with migraine with possible aura (aHR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.39-1.43]), in women (aHR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.53-1.45], Pinteraction=0.859), or in young patients aged <50 years (aHR, 1.59 [95% CI, 0.72-3.49]), although numbers in these subgroups were limited. We found an interaction between migraine and age with an increased risk of DCI among young patients with migraine (Pinteraction=0.075). Patients with migraine are in general not at increased risk of DCI. Future studies should focus in particular on young SAH patients, in whom there might be an association between migraine history and development of DCI.


Binary liquid phase separation and critical phenomena in a protein/water solution.
We have investigated the phase diagram of aqueous solutions of the bovine lens protein gamma II-crystallin. For temperatures T less than Tc = 278.5 K, we find that these solutions exhibit a reversible coexistence between two isotropic liquid phases differing in protein concentration. The dilute and concentrated branches of the coexistence curve were characterized, consistently, both by measurements of the two coexisting concentrations, c(T), and by measuring the cloud temperatures for various initial concentrations. We estimate that the critical concentration, cc, is 244 mg of protein per ml solution. The coexistence curve is well represented by the absolute value of (c - cc)/cc = 5.2 square root (Tc - T)/Tc. Using the temperature dependence of the scattered light intensity along isochores parallel to the critical isochore, we estimated the location of the spinodal line and found it to have the form (c - cc)/cc = 3.0 square root (Tc - T)/Tc. The ratio of the widths of the coexistence curve and the spinodal line, (5.2/3.0), is close to the mean-field value square root 3. We have also observed the growth of large crystals of gamma II-crystallin in some of these aqueous solutions and have made preliminary observations as to the factors that promote or delay the onset of crystallization. These findings suggest that selected protein/water systems can serve as excellent model systems for the study of phase transitions and critical phenomena.


Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire anxiety items in an adult british clinical sample: one scale or two?
In seeking to establish British clinical normative data for the two anxiety scales (anxious symptoms and anxious arousal) of the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (MASQ), the responses of 237 British National Health Service outpatients were examined. Factor analyses (exploratory and confirmatory) failed to confirm the expected structure. Data were presented and discussed, considering the 28 anxiety item pool in terms of being either two highly correlated scales of somatic anxiety versus psychological anxiety, or as a single general anxiety scale. As neither of these outcomes accorded with the test constructors' assumptions, it was concluded that the MASQ is not a suitable measure for assessing the tripartite model of adverse mood states in British clinical samples.


The effects of intrauterine cocaine exposure in newborns.
We sought to determine the effects of intrauterine cocaine exposure in newborns, in an inner-city population in which cocaine use during pregnancy was common. During a 1-year period, 12.8% (361 of 2810) of all live singleton infants at Harlem Hospital in New York were identified as cocaine exposed, either by universal urine toxicologic screening or by maternal history. Cocaine-exposed infants were compared with a control group of 387 infants not known to be exposed to cocaine or other illicit drugs. Low birthweight (< 2500 g) was more common among cocaine-exposed infants (31% vs 10%), as was preterm birth (< 37 completed weeks of gestation) (32% vs 14%). In multivariate analyses controlled for demographic and life-style factors and duration of gestation, cocaine was associated with decreased birthweight (154 g), length (1.02 cm), head circumference (0.69 cm), and duration of gestation (0.74 weeks). The birthweight deficits were larger for infants born to mothers who used cocaine in combination with other drugs (195 g) and for infants born to mothers who specifically admitted using crack (200 g). Intrauterine cocaine exposure is linked with fetal growth retardation and shortened gestation in this population.


Plasmodium falciparum K76T pfcrt Gene Mutations and Parasite Population Structure, Haiti, 2006-2009.
Hispaniola is the only Caribbean island to which Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains endemic. Resistance to the antimalarial drug chloroquine has rarely been reported in Haiti, which is located on Hispaniola, but the K76T pfcrt (P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter) gene mutation that confers chloroquine resistance has been detected intermittently. We analyzed 901 patient samples collected during 2006-2009 and found 2 samples showed possible mixed parasite infections of genetically chloroquine-resistant and -sensitive parasites. Direct sequencing of the pfcrt resistance locus and single-nucleotide polymorphism barcoding did not definitively identify a resistant population, suggesting that sustained propagation of chloroquine-resistant parasites was not occurring in Haiti during the study period. Comparison of parasites from Haiti with those from Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela reveals a geographically distinct population with highly related parasites. Our findings indicate low genetic diversity in the parasite population and low levels of chloroquine resistance in Haiti, raising the possibility that reported cases may be of exogenous origin.


Cross-sectional survey of prevalence and personality characteristics of college students with internet addiction in Wenzhou, China.
Internet addiction can seriously affect the social functioning and studies of college students in China but measures for addressing this problem have not yet been developed or tested. Assess the personality characteristics of college students with internet addiction. Two self-report scales, the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), were administered to a stratified random sample of 697 college students from colleges and vocational schools in Wenzhou, China. The characteristics of 48 subjects who meet Chen's criteria for internet addiction (score of 64 or greater out of 100 on the CIAS) were compared to those of 649 subjects who did not meet criteria for internet addiction. The prevalence of internet addiction in the sample was 6.9% (95% CI=5.1-9.1%). Compared to students without internet addiction, those with internet addiction were more likely to be male, of Han ethnicity, to have a history of substance use (primarily tobacco and alcohol), and to be a student at a technical college. Students with internet addiction had higher mean (sd) scores on the novelty-seeking subscale of the TPQ [17.9 (1.2) v. 13.0 (1.6), t=16.75 p<0.001] and on the harm-avoidance subscale [17.2 (1.9) v. 14.6 (1.1), t=15.14, p<0.001] but lower scores on the reward-dependence subscale [14.6 (1.4) v. 18.3 (1.7), t=-7.64, p<0.001]. Logistic regression found that the most important independent predictors of internet addiction were Han ethnicity (OR= 5.52, 95% CI=2.00-15.32), male gender (4.40, 1.97-9.81), and substance use (1.08, 1.02-1.15). After adjustment for other variables personality measures were not significantly associated with internet addiction. The prevalence of internet addiction among college students in Wenzhou is similar to that in other parts of China. Significant differences in the personality characteristics assessed by the TPQ between university students with and without internet addiction become non-significant after controlling for gender, ethnicity and substance use patterns.


Double jeopardy to health hypothesis for African Americans: analysis and critique.
Considerable research on minority health has examined whether members of a minority group experience more rapid health declines than the White majority when both groups reach later life. Researchers have sought to determine if being both old and a member of a minority creates a double disadvantage to health. The primary purpose of this research is to test the double jeopardy to health hypothesis among Black and White Americans using data from a 15-year panel study of adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I: Epidemiological Follow-up Study (NHEFS). African Americans have poorer health at all three times on a variety of health status measures, but no evidence for double jeopardy was uncovered. There were important racial differences for change in health status but Black Americans of all ages -- including Black older adults -- suffered from growing disability and more negative ratings of health. Black adults are more likely to develop serious illness, and their ratings of health decline more rapidly than is the case for White respondents. While there is little support for the double jeopardy hypothesis as originally stated, there is overwhelming evidence to show that the health of Black Americans of all ages declines at a faster rate. The formulation of the double jeopardy hypothesis is critiqued on several points: ontogenetic fallacy, attribution of discrimination, and selective mortality.


Oxygen-carrying perfluorochemical emulsion as an adjuvant to radiation therapy in mice.
The potential of an oxygen-carrying perfluorochemical emulsion (PFCE) to enhance radiation damage in Lewis lung tumor growing in C57BL/6J X DBA/2J F1 mice was examined. PFCE and 95% O2:5% CO2 (carbogen) breathing caused a significant enhancement of single-fraction radiation damage measured by the growth delay assay. The dose-response effect of PFCE was very broad; doses as small as 0.5 ml/mouse were effective, and doses of 0.3 to 0.4 ml/mouse gave maximal enhancement. The peak dose-modifying factor was 2.8 +/- 0.6 (S.E.). The addition of 0.3 ml of perfluorochemical-free annex solution with carbogen breathing produced a smaller enhancement in tumor growth delay; the dose-modifying factor was 1.5 +/- 0.2. When the perfluorochemical treatment was added to a fractionated course of radiation therapy, a dose-modifying effect of 1.8 +/- 0.3 was obtained. Oxygen-carrying PFCE may provide a nontoxic, clinically useful method of increasing the effectiveness of radiation therapy and of certain chemotherapeutic agents.


Nucleotide complexes of Escherichia coli phosphoribosylaminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase.
Phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-succinocarboxamide synthetase (SAICAR synthetase) converts 4-carboxy-5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (CAIR) to 4-(N-succinylcarboxamide)-5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (SAICAR). The enzyme is a target of natural products that impair cell growth. Reported here are the crystal structures of the ADP and the ADP.CAIR complexes of SAICAR synthetase from Escherichia coli, the latter being the first instance of a CAIR-ligated SAICAR synthetase. ADP and CAIR bind to the active site in association with three Mg(2+), two of which coordinate the same oxygen atom of the 4-carboxyl group of CAIR; whereas, the third coordinates the alpha- and beta-phosphoryl groups of ADP. The ADP.CAIR complex is the basis for a transition state model of a phosphoryl transfer reaction involving CAIR and ATP, but also supports an alternative chemical pathway in which the nucleophilic attack of l-aspartate precedes the phosphoryl transfer reaction. The polypeptide fold for residues 204-221 of the E. coli structure differs significantly from those of the ligand-free SAICAR synthetase from Thermatoga maritima and the adenine nucleotide complexes of the synthetase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Conformational differences between the E. coli, T. maritima, and yeast synthetases suggest the possibility of selective inhibition of de novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis in microbial organisms.


A nonsense mutation in the FMO3 gene underlies fishy off-flavor in cow's milk.
Fish-odor syndrome or Trimethylaminuria (OMIM #602079) in humans is an inborn error of metabolism associated with a characteristic fishy body odor due to elevated levels of trimethylamine (TMA) in body fluids. It is caused by loss-of-function mutations in FMO3 encoding flavin-containing mono-oxygenase 3. A fishy off-flavor is occasionally observed in cow's milk and it has been established recently that this phenotype is due to elevated TMA levels. Here, we report that fishy off-flavor in cow's milk is caused by a nonsense mutation (R238X) in the bovine FMO3 ortholog. RT-PCR analysis indicated that the mutant transcript is present in a very low amount. The mutation was found to be surprisingly common (q = 0.155) in one breed of cattle.


Supramolecular DNA-streptavidin nanocircles with a covalently attached oligonucleotide moiety.
Covalent hybrid conjugates consisting of streptavidin (STV) and a 24-mer single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide have been used as a starting material for the synthesis of supramolecular nanocircles. For this, the covalent hybrid conjugates were oligomerized by cross-linking with 5 ,5 -bis-biotinylated double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) fragments of various length. Heat denaturation of the resulting oligomeric conjugates and subsequent rapid cooling led to the formation of the nanocircles, in which the oligonucleotide-containing STV molecule is coupled with both ends of the circular bis-biotinylated dsDNA fragment. The circular structure of the bioconjugates was established by electrophoretic studies including Ferguson plot analysis as well as by scanning force microscopy (SFM) inspection. The formation process and the stability against degradation by ligand exchange with free D-biotin was compared for the nanocircles obtained from covalent oligonucleotide-STV hybrids and native STV. The former nanocircles revealed a decreased stability with respect to ring opening than the circles obtained from native STV. This suggested that the affinity of the covalent oligonucleotide-STV hybrid for binding biotinylated DNA is significantly decreased. Nevertheless, the single-stranded oligonucleotide moiety of the hybrid nanocircles can be used as a molecular handle for further functionalization. For instance, it was used for the selective DNA-directed immobilization at a surface, previously functionalized with complementary capture oligonucleotides. Moreover, we demonstrate that a pair of nanocircles, containing complementary oligonucleotide moieties, can be hybridized to form specific dimers, thereby generating a novel type of supramolecular DNA-protein nanostructures.


In vitro assembly, purification, and crystallization of the rab geranylgeranyl transferase:substrate complex.
Posttranslational modification with the geranygeranyl moiety is essential for the ability of Rab GTPases to control processes of membrane docking and fusion. This modification is conferred by Rab geranylgeranyltransferase (RabGGTase), which catalyzes the transfer of two 20-carbon geranylgeranyl groups from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate onto C-terminal cysteine residues of Rab proteins. The enzyme consists of a catalytic alpha/beta heterodimer and an accessory protein termed Rab escort protein (REP-1) that delivers the newly prenylated Rab proteins to their target membrane. In order to understand the structural basis of Rab prenylation, we have investigated in vitro assembly and crystallization of the RabGGTase:REP-1:Rab complex. In order to ensure maximal stability of the ternary complex, we generated its monoprenylated form, which corresponds to a reaction intermediate and displays the highest affinity between the components. This was achieved by expressing the individual components in baculovirus and Escherichia coli systems with subsequent purification followed by in vitro monoprenylation of Rab7 with immobilized recombinant RabGGTase. Purified monoprenylated REP-1:Rab7 was complexed with recombinant RabGGTase and crystallized in hanging drops. The crystals obtained initially diffract to 8 A on an in-house X-ray source.


Histopathologic variability of the congenital nephrotic syndrome.
Five cases of congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) were studied with light microscopic (LM), transmission electron microscopic (TEM) and immunofluorescence microscopic (IFM) techniques. All patients, aged between three weeks and one year, had a nephrotic syndrome (NS) and died soon after the diagnosis. Three patients showed mesangial proliferation, thinning of glomerular basement membranes (GBM) and no deposits by IFM or TEM. They probably represent variants of the Finnish type of CNS. One patient had diffuse sclerosis of the mesangium, irregular and thickened GBMs and electron dense deposits, consistent with the diagnosis of diffuse mesangial sclerosis (DMS). The fifth case also showed changes suggestive of DMS, but was clinically atypical, with an early onset and rapid course. Our findings confirm the morphologic heterogeneity of the CNS and point out the difficulties of classification based on clinical and histological manifestations.


[Biochemical characterization of proteins in the crab Homalaspis plana].
Homalaspis plana is a crab found in the Pacific Ocean coasts from Guayaquil (Ecuador) all the way down to the Strait of Magellan, including all of the Chilean coast. This crustacean is an important resource because it provides jobs for artisanal fishermen. In Chile there is no product diversification from this crab and it has been poorly studied from the scientific point of view. The biochemical characterization of its proteins was initiated to be able to develop several products from its meat. We report the proteolytic activity from freshly extracted crab meat and the electrophoretical characterization of its proteins. No proteolytic activity was detected in freshly extracted crab meat, under any of the assay conditions used. SDS Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and native PAGE were carried out with proteins extracted from crab meat. Using extraction solutions at two different ionic strengths (0.05 and 0.5), myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic were separated, each showing different electrophoretical patterns in SDS-PAGE.


Excessive bodybuilding as pathology? A first neurophysiological classification.
Objectives: Excessive bodybuilding as a pathological syndrome has been classified based on two different theories: bodybuilding as dependency or as muscle dysmorphic disorder (MDD). This study is a first attempt to find psychophysiological data supporting one of these classifications.Methods: Twenty-four participants (bodybuilders vs healthy controls) were presented with pictures of bodies, exercise equipment or general reward stimuli in a control or experimental condition, and were measured with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Higher activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) while watching bodies and training equipment in the experimental condition (muscular bodies and bodybuilding-typical equipment) would be an indicator for the addiction theory. Higher activation in motion-related areas would be an indicator for the MDD theory.Results: We found no task-related differences between the groups in the DLPFC and OFC, but a significantly higher activation in bodybuilders in the primary somatosensory cortex (PSC) and left-hemispheric supplementary motor area (SMA) while watching body pictures (across conditions) as compared to the control group.Conclusions: These neurophysiological results could be interpreted as a first evidence for the MDD theory of excessive bodybuilding.


Nonlinear perpendicular least-squares regression in pharmacodynamics.
Currently available software for nonlinear regression does not account for errors in both the independent and the dependent variables. In pharmacodynamics, measurement errors are involved in the drug concentrations as well as in the effects. Instead of minimizing the sum of squared vertical errors (OLS), a Fortran program was written to find the closest distance from a measured data point to the tangent line of an estimated nonlinear curve and to minimize the sum of squared perpendicular distances (PLS). A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted with the sigmoidal Emax model to compare the OLS and PLS methods. The area between the true pharmacodynamic relationship and the fitted curve was compared as a measure of goodness of fit. The PLS demonstrated an improvement over the OLS by 20.8% with small differences in the parameter estimates when the random noise level had a standard deviation of five for both concentration and effect. Consideration of errors in both concentrations and effects with the PLS could lead to a more rational estimation of pharmacodynamic parameters.


Vitamin B6 Metabolism Determines T Cell Anti-Tumor Responses.
Targeting T cell metabolism is an established method of immunomodulation. Following activation, T cells engage distinct metabolic programs leading to the uptake and processing of nutrients that determine cell proliferation and differentiation. Redirection of T cell fate by modulation of these metabolic programs has been shown to boost or suppress immune responses in vitro and in vivo. Using publicly available T cell transcriptomic and proteomic datasets we identified vitamin B6-dependent transaminases as key metabolic enzymes driving T cell activation and differentiation. Inhibition of vitamin B6 metabolism using the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) inhibitor, aminoxyacetic acid (AOA), suppresses CD8+ T cell proliferation and effector differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. We show that pyridoxal phosphate phosphatase (PDXP), a negative regulator of intracellular vitamin B6 levels, is under the control of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF1), a central driver of T cell metabolism. Furthermore, by adoptive transfer of CD8 T cells into a C57BL/6 mouse melanoma model, we demonstrate the requirement for vitamin B6-dependent enzyme activity in mediating effective anti-tumor responses. Our findings show that vitamin B6 metabolism is required for CD8+ T cell proliferation and effector differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Targeting vitamin B6 metabolism may therefore serve as an immunodulatory strategy to improve anti-tumor immunotherapy.


Specific activation of the Bacillus quorum-sensing systems by isoprenylated pheromone variants.
Natural genetic competence in Bacillus subtilis is controlled by quorum-sensing (QS). The ComP- ComA two-component system detects the signalling molecule ComX, and this signal is transduced by a conserved phosphotransfer mechanism. ComX is synthesized as an inactive precursor and is then cleaved and modified by ComQ before export to the extracellular environment. The comQXP' loci of a set of natural Bacillus isolates have been sequenced and shown to possess a striking polymorphism that determines specific patterns of both activation and inhibition of the quorum-sensing response. We have developed a simple purification method for the modified peptide signalling pheromones allowing the characterization of four distinct ComX molecules representing different pherotypes. Genetic and biochemical evidence demonstrate that all the ComX variants are isoprenylated by the post-translational modification of a conserved tryptophan residue and that the modifications on the ComX peptide backbones vary in mass among the various pherotypes. These results give new insights into peptidemediated quorum-sensing signalling in Gram-positive bacteria and emphasize the role of isoprenylation in bacterial signal transduction.


An exploration of reminiscence and post-war European immigrants living in a multicultural aged-care setting in Australia.
This phenomenological study explores the experiences and perceptions of the telling of life stories of four post-war immigrants living in a multicultural residential aged-care setting in Australia. This study aims to shed light on what participants feel about life stories, and the prospect of involvement in the documentation of their life story in order to provide insight and understanding for optimum programme facilitation and better resident care.Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the four participants. Data were audiotaped and transcribed. Phenomenological methods were used to explicate data.Three main themes emerged: diminution of guilt, social sharing - common bonds and, the urge to 'feel' the past to 'fill' the present. It is apparent that aged survivors of war, and displacement to a new country, feel residual guilt regarding the leaving of their homeland. The prospect of documenting their life stories offers an opportunity to provide an explanation for their decision.Immersion in life stories allows the re-experiencing and sharing of past emotions and sensations. Engagement in occupational reminiscence enhances understanding a person's lived life experience, which adds meaning to one's life.


The Epidemiological and Economic Impact of a Potential Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Austria.
An outbreak of foot-and mouth disease (FMD) in an FMD-free country such as Austria would likely have serious consequences for the national livestock sector and economy. The objective of this study was to analyse the epidemiological and economic impact of an FMD outbreak in Austria in order to (i) evaluate the effectiveness of different control measures in two Austrian regions with different livestock structure and density, (ii) analyse the associated costs of the control measures and the losses resulting from trade restrictions on livestock and livestock products and (iii) assess the resources that would be required to control the FMD outbreak. The European Foot-and-Mouth Disease Spread Model (EuFMDiS) was used to simulate a potential FMD outbreak. Based on the epidemiological outputs of the model, the economic impact of the outbreak was assessed. The analysis of the simulations showed that the success of control strategies depends largely on the type of control measures, the geographical location, the availability of sufficient resources, and the speed of intervention. The comparison of different control strategies suggested that from an economic point of view the implementation of additional control measures, such as pre-emptive depopulation of susceptible herds, would be efficient if the epidemic started in an area with high livestock density. Depending on the chosen control measures and the affected region, the majority of the total costs would be attributable to export losses (e.g., each day of an FMD epidemic costs Austria € 9-16 million). Our analysis indicated that the currently estimated resources for surveillance, cleaning, and disinfection during an FMD outbreak in Austria would be insufficient, which would lead to an extended epidemic control duration. We have shown that the control of an FMD outbreak can be improved by implementing a contingency strategy adapted to the affected region and by placing particular focus on an optimal resource allocation and rapid detection of the disease in Austria. The model results can assist veterinary authorities in planning resources and implementing cost-effective control measures for future outbreaks of highly contagious viral diseases.


Hb Mizuho (HBB: c.206T>C): Pitfalls of Screening Tests in an Unstable Hemoglobin Variant Diagnosed after Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.
Hyperunstable hemoglobins (Hbs) are challenging to diagnose and may be missed on conventional hemolytic anemia work-up. Here, we report the case of a 2-year-old Indian boy with infancy-onset severe hemolytic anemia. Its etiology was revealed by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to be the rare Hb Mizuho (HBB: c.206T>C). This variant had been missed on the initial routine laboratory investigations (heat and isopropanol tests for unstable Hbs) owing to its hyperunstable nature.


Affinity and specificity of serine endopeptidase-protein inhibitor interactions. Empirical free energy calculations based on X-ray crystallographic structures.
An empirical function was used to calculate free energy change (delta G) of complex formation between the following inhibitors and enzymes: Kunitz inhibitor (BPTI) with trypsin, trypsinogen and kallikrein; turkey ovomucoid 3rd domain (OMTKY3) with alpha-chymotrypsin and the Streptomyces griseus protease B; the potato chymotrypsin inhibitor with the protease B; and the barely chymotrypsin inhibitor and eglin-c with subtilisin and thermitase. Using X-ray coordinates of the nine complexes, we estimated the contributions that hydrophobic effect, electrostatic interactions and side-chain conformational entropy make towards the stability of the complexes. The calculated delta G values showed good agreement with the experimentally measured ones, the only exception being the kallikrein/BPTI complex whose X-ray structure was solved at an exceptionally low pH. In complexes with different enzymes, the same inhibitor residues contributed identically towards complex formation (delta G(residue) Spearman rank correlation coefficient 0.7 to 1.0). The most productive enzyme-contacting residues in OMTKY3, eglin-c, and the chymotrypsin inhibitors were found in analogous positions on their respective binding loops; thus, our calculations identified a functional (energetic) motif that parallels the well-known structural similarity of the binding loops. The delta G values calculated for BPTI complexed with trypsin (-21.7 kcal) and trypsinogen (-23.4 kcal) were similar and close to the experimental delta G value of the trypsin/BPTI complex (-18.1 kcal), lending support to the suggestion that the 10(7) difference in the observed stabilities (KA) of these two complexes reflects the energetic cost of conformational changes induced in trypsinogen during the pre-equilibrium stages of complex formation. In almost all of the complexes studied, the stabilization free energy contributed by the inhibitors was larger than that donated by the enzymes. In the trypsin-BPTI complex, the calculated delta G contribution of the amino group from the BPTI residue Lys15 (9.7 kcal) was somewhat higher than that arrived at in experiments with semisynthetic inhibitor analogs (7.5 kcal). In OMTKY3, different binding loop residues are known to affect differently the binding (delta delta G) to alpha-chymotrypsin and protease B; a good qualitative agreement was found between the calculated delta G(residue) estimates and the experimental delta delta G data (correlation coefficient 0.7). Large variations were observed in local surface complementarity and related interfacial volume in the two OMTKY3 complexes (by 20 to 60% for some side-chains).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Fast and Precise Non-Contact Measurement of Cylindrical Surfaces with Air Gauges.
In this paper, the results of an investigation on the application of air gauges in the measurement of out-of-roundness parameters are presented. The principle of the measuring system is explained, in particular the novel design of the floating gauge head. An algorithm for fully automated measurement and data processing is described. The results from a series of initial measurements provided the data for further simulations, which revealed possible sources of errors. The simulations helped to evaluate the influence of some of the parameters on the final measurement results. After various accuracy tests, the method accuracy (MA) parameter was calculated in relation to the dedicated reference form tester. The result MA = 9.29% was judged to be highly satisfactory considering the short measurement time and non-contact method.


Emerging interstitial/substitutional modification of Pd-based nanomaterials with nonmetallic elements for electrocatalytic applications.
Palladium (Pd)-based nanomaterials have been identified as potential candidates for various types of electrocatalytic reaction, but most of them typically exhibit unsatisfactory performances. Recently, extensive theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated that the interstitial/substitutional modification of Pd-based nanomaterials with nonmetallic atoms (H, B, C, N, P, S) has a significant impact on their electronic structure and thus leads to the rapid development of one kind of promising catalyst for various electrochemical reactions. Considering the remarkable progress in this area, we highlight the most recent progress regarding the innovative synthesis and advanced characterization methods of nonmetallic atom-doped Pd-based nanomaterials and provide insights into their electrochemical applications. What's more, the unique structure- and component-dependent electrochemical performance and the underlying mechanisms are also discussed. Furthermore, a brief conclusion about the recent progress achieved in this field as well as future perspectives and challenges are provided.


The accuracy of interpreting key psychiatric terms by ad hoc interpreters at a South African psychiatric hospital.
This study examined the competence and accuracy of ad hoc interpreters in interpreting key psychiatric terms at a South African psychiatric hospital Nine individuals were asked to translate key psychiatric terms from English to Xhosa. These translations were then back-translated by independent translators, who do not have knowledge of psychiatric terminology. These back-translations were then compared with the original English. It was clear that not all the participants were fully competent in English. None had formal training in interpreting or psychiatric terminology. Not all of the participants were familiar with the psychiatric concepts that clinicians use and they often made mistakes while interpreting. The competency levels of interpreters are unsatisfactory to ensure the optimal delivery of mental health care. It is clear that there is a need for trained interpreters in South Africa, as the continuous use of untrained interpreters compromises the effectiveness of mental health care and could lead to adverse health outcomes.


Microcolony culture techniques for tuberculosis diagnosis: a systematic review.
There is considerable demand for quicker and more affordable yet accurate diagnostic tools for tuberculosis (TB). The microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay and the thin-layer agar (TLA) assay are inexpensive, rapid microcolony-based culture methods. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the accuracy and other test characteristics of MODS and TLA compared to a reference standard of traditional solid or liquid culture. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated with an exact binomial likelihood random effects meta-analysis. A total of 21 eligible studies were identified, 12 that evaluated MODS, seven that evaluated TLA and two that evaluated both. The overall pooled sensitivity and specificity of MODS were respectively 92% (95%CI 87-97) and 96% (90-100), and for TLA they were respectively 87% (95%CI 79-94) and 98% (95%CI 94-100), although there was considerable heterogeneity of results. When the studies were restricted to those assessing accuracy of MODS in sputum samples only, the sensitivity was 96% (95%CI 94-98) and the specificity 96% (95%CI 89-100). The mean intervals from reception of specimens to results were 9.2 days with MODS and 11.5 days with TLA; contamination rates averaged 6.6% with MODS and 12.3% with TLA; materials and supplies costs averaged US$1.48 for MODS and US$2.42 for TLA. MODS and TLA appear to be accurate and rapid yet inexpensive diagnostic tools for active TB. However, this review did not find sufficient evidence on the feasibility and costs of implementation of these tests, nor on the impact of these tests on patient outcomes.