Comparison of platelet counting technologies in equine platelet concentrates.
(1) To compare the performance of 4 platelet counting technologies in equine platelet concentrates and (2) to evaluate the ability of the Magellan platelet rich plasma (PRP) system to concentrate equine platelets. Experimental study to assess method agreement. Adult mixed breed horses (n = 32). Acid citrate dextrose-A anti-coagulated whole blood was collected and PRP produced using the Magellan system according to the manufacturer's instructions. Platelets were quantified using 4 counting methods: optical scatter (Advia 2120), impedance (CellDyn 3700), hand counting, and fluorescent antibody flow cytometry. Platelet concentrations were compared using Passing and Bablok regression analyses and mixed model ANOVA. Significance was set at P < .05. Platelet concentrations measured in identical PRP samples were consistently higher for the Advia 2120 than the CellDyn 3700. Systematic and proportional biases were observed between these 2 automated methods when analyzed by regression analysis of the larger sample size. No bias (systematic or proportional) was observed among any of the other counting methods. Despite the bias detected between the 2 automated systems, there were no significant differences on average among the 4 counting methods evaluated, based on the ANOVA. The Magellan system consistently generated high platelet concentrations as well as higher than expected WBC concentrations. The Magellan system delivered desirably high platelet concentrations; however, WBC concentrations may be unacceptably high for some orthopedic applications. All 4 platelet counting methods tested were equivalent on average and therefore suitable for quantifying platelets in equine PRP used for clinical applications.


Evolutionary conservation of the habenular nuclei and their circuitry controlling the dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HT) systems.
The medial (MHb) and lateral (LHb) habenulae are a small group of nuclei that regulate the activity of monoaminergic neurons. Disruptions to these nuclei lead to deficits in a range of cognitive and motor functions from sleep to decision making. Interestingly, the habenular nuclei are present in all vertebrates, suggesting that they provide a common neural mechanism to influence these diverse functions. To unravel conserved habenula circuitry and approach an understanding of their basic function, we investigated the organization of these nuclei in the lamprey, one of the phylogenetically oldest vertebrates. Based on connectivity and molecular expression, we show that the MHb and LHb circuitry is conserved in the lamprey. As in mammals, separate populations of neurons in the LHb homolog project directly or indirectly to dopamine and serotonin neurons through a nucleus homologous to the GABAergic rostromedial mesopontine tegmental nucleus and directly to histamine neurons. The pallidal and hypothalamic inputs to the LHb homolog are also conserved. In contrast to other species, the habenula projecting pallidal nucleus is topographically distinct from the dorsal pallidum, the homolog of the globus pallidus interna. The efferents of the MHb homolog selectively target the interpeduncular nucleus. The MHb afferents arise from sensory (medial olfactory bulb, parapineal, and pretectum) and not limbic areas, as they do in mammals; consequently, the "context" in which this circuitry is recruited may have changed during evolution. Our results indicate that the habenular nuclei provide a common vertebrate circuitry to adapt behavior in response to rewards, stress, and other motivating factors.


Control of Multiple Exciton Generation and Electron-Phonon Coupling by Interior Nanospace in Hyperstructured Quantum Dot Superlattice.
The possibility of precisely manipulating interior nanospace, which can be adjusted by ligand-attaching down to the subnanometer regime, in a hyperstructured quantum dot (QD) superlattice (QDSL) induces a new kind of collective resonant coupling among QDs and opens up new opportunities for developing advanced optoelectric and photovoltaic devices. Here, we report the first real-time dynamics simulations of the multiple exciton generation (MEG) in one-, two-, and three-dimensional (1D, 2D, and 3D) hyperstructured H-passivated Si QDSLs, accounting for thermally fluctuating band energies and phonon dynamics obtained by finite-temperature ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. We computationally demonstrated that the MEG was significantly accelerated, especially in the 3D QDSL compared to the 1D and 2D QDSLs. The MEG acceleration in the 3D QDSL was almost 1.9 times the isolated QD case. The dimension-dependent MEG acceleration was attributed not only to the static density of states but also to the dynamical electron-phonon couplings depending on the dimensionality of the hyperstructured QDSL, which is effectively controlled by the interior nanospace. Such dimension-dependent modifications originated from the short-range quantum resonance among component QDs and were intrinsic to the hyperstructured QDSL. We propose that photoexcited dynamics including the MEG process can be effectively controlled by only manipulating the interior nanospace of the hyperstructured QDSL without changing component QD size, shape, compositions, ligand, etc.


Thermal Injuries in Veterinary Forensic Pathology.
Localized thermal injuries in animals may be caused by exposure to fire and radiant heat, contact with hot items including hot liquids or steam, inhalation of hot air, and exposure to cold temperatures. In addition, animal fire victims may have intoxications caused by smoke gas. This article reviews the causes, pathogenetic aspects, morphological findings, additional investigations, differential diagnoses, and causes of death in various forms of thermal injuries. Since these cases do not occur frequently in diagnostic pathology, they represent a challenging task in general but also with respect to forensic or criminal aspects, such as whether a lesion represents an accidental or nonaccidental effect. Besides detailed information about the circumstances at the location, thermal injuries in animals require a thorough morphological evaluation, including additional investigations in conjunction with a profound knowledge about the possible lesion spectrum and suitable additional investigations.


The relationship between coenzyme Q10 and severity of coronary artery disease.
To evaluate the relationship between the levels of plasma coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a known antioxidant, and severity of the coronary atherosclerosis (AS) measured by Gensini score. Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were enrolled to the study between 2010 and 2011 in cardiology outpatient clinics. They were admitted for diagnostic coronary angiography or angioplasty for typical indications. The Gensini scoring system was used to calculate CAD severity. Serum CoQ10, total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were assessed. One hundred thirteen subjects (83 CAD, 30 controls) were included. The patients with CAD were separated into three groups according to Gensini score. The serum levels of CoQ10, CoQ10/ TC, CoQ10/LDL-C, CoQ10/TG rates in the subjects of mild and severe AS groups were significantly lower than the control group ( p less than 0.016 for all control vs. AS group comparisons). There were no significant differences in serum levels of CoQ10 and CoQ10/ TC, CoQ10/LDL-C, CoQ10/TG rates between the mild and severe AS groups. This study revealed that although the serum CoQ10 levels were lower in stable CAD, there was no relationship between the severity of CAD and serum CoQ10 levels in patients with stable angina pectoris.


Polarization dependence of 4 x 4 optical fiber couplers.
The performance of monolithic 4 x 4 couplers is calculated as a function of arbitrary input polarization. By assuming polarization-independent diagonal coupling, an analytic result is obtained that is shown to agree with experiment. The effects of polarization-dependent diagonal coupling are calculated numerically. The measured polarization dependence of 4 x 4 fused fiber couplers is presented as a function of the degree of fusion of the fibers and is shown to be +/-0.5% for a medium fused device.


Effects of the surface chemistry of macroreticular adsorbents on the adsorption of 1-naphthol/1-naphthylamine mixtures from water.
The adsorption behaviors of 1-naphthol, 1-naphthylamine and 1-naphthol/1-naphthylamine mixtures in water over two macroreticular adsorbents were investigated in single or binary batch systems at 293 K, 303 K and 313 K respectively. All the adsorption isotherms in the studied systems can be adequately fitted by Langmuir model. In the case of aminated macroreticular adsorbent NDA103, 1-naphthol is adsorbed to a larger extent than 1-naphthylamine; while, the opposite trend is found for nonpolar macroreticular adsorbent NDA100. It is noteworthy that at higher temperature (303 K and 313 K), the total uptake amounts of 1-naphthol and 1-naphthylamine in all binary-component systems are obvious larger than the pure uptake amounts in single-component systems, which is presumably due to the cooperative effect primarily arisen from the hydrogen-bonding interaction between the loaded 1-naphthol and 1-naphthylamine molecules. The simultaneous adsorption systems were confirmed to be helpful to the selective adsorption towards 1-naphthol according to the larger selective index.


Measurement of the Canonical Equation of State of a Weakly Interacting 3D Bose Gas.
Using a multiple-image reconstruction method applied to a harmonically trapped Bose gas, we determine the equation of state of uniform matter across the critical transition point, within the local density approximation. Our experimental results provide the canonical description of pressure as a function of the specific volume, emphasizing the dramatic deviations from the ideal Bose gas behavior caused by interactions. They also provide clear evidence for the nonmonotonic behavior with temperature of the chemical potential, which is a consequence of superfluidity and Bose-Einstein condensation. The measured thermodynamic quantities are compared to mean-field predictions available for the interacting Bose gas. The limits of applicability of the local density approximation near the critical point are also discussed, focusing on the behavior of the isothermal compressibility.


Activation of SK channels inhibits epileptiform bursting in hippocampal CA3 neurons.
The role of calcium-activated potassium channels in the regulation of neuronal hyperexcitability, as in epilepsy, is unclear. To examine this issue, we have used the acute hippocampal slice model of epileptiform activity to investigate the effects of an enhancer of SK channel activity, 1-ethyl-benzimidazolinone (EBIO). That EBIO is an SK channel modulator was confirmed by its potentiation of hSK1, hSK2, hSK3 and hIK currents (EC(50) values in the range of 130-870 microM) and its apamin (1 microM) sensitive reduction of the number of action potentials fired in CA3 pyramidal neurons in response to a depolarizing current step. In addition, while EBIO did not significantly affect electrically evoked glutamatergic synaptic transmission, it did inhibit epileptiform activity (IC(50) values in the range of 150-325 microM) induced by (1) modifying the extracellular ionic environment by removing extracellular Mg(2+) or elevating extracellular K(+) from 3.0 to 8.5 mM and (2) disinhibiting the slice using 3 mM pentylenetetrazol or combined application of 10 microM gabazine and 10 microM CGP55845. Furthermore, its inhibitory effect in the full disinhibition model of epileptiform activity (10 microM gabazine + 10 microM CGP55845) was occluded by the SK channel blocker apamin (300 nM-1 microM) which in its own right increased the duration and reduced the frequency of individual epileptiform bursts. In conclusion, compounds that enhance the activation of small conductance Ca(2+) -activated K(+) channels are effective inhibitors of epileptiform activity in vitro.


Occurrence of nepoviruses in Rubus species in the Czech Republic.
The occurrence of arabis mosaic virus (AMV), raspberry ringspot virus (RRV), tomato black ring virus (TBRV), strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRV) and cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) in cultivated and wild plants of raspberry and blackberry has been studied in the Czech Republic in 1993-1996. Five hundred and seventy samples were collected at 51 localities and assayed by double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). The results represent the first evidence on the occurrence of AMV, RRV, TBRV and SLRV in cultivated Rubus species in the Czech Republic. Isolates AMV M20 and TBRV ML15 which were successfully transmitted by mechanical inoculation and characterized by reactions of differential host plants and by electron microscopy are the first isolates from Rubus from this territory. CLRV was not detected in either cultivated or wild Rubus species.


Now I lay me down to sleep: SIDS and infant sleep positions.
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the primary cause of infant death outside the neonatal period. The etiology of SIDS has been studied extensively but remains unclear. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) responded to international research that suggested an association between SIDS and prone sleeping patterns. Controversial guidelines on infant sleep position were issued at this time, advocating supine or sidelying positions. The AAP modified their initial guidelines in 1996, recommending supine as the preferred sleep position during infancy. The AAP stressed that both sidelying and supine positions place an infant at less risk for SIDS than the prone position, but that supine offered the lowest risk of SIDS. The AAP reaffirmed that these guidelines were intended for healthy newborns only, and also modified some of the original recommendations to reflect the latest research on SIDS. This article provides a brief overview of SIDS and the events leading to the current AAP stance on infant positioning. Parent education is addressed, with specific recommendations for discharge teaching.


Formulation optimization of solid dispersion of mosapride hydrochloride.
Mosapride citrate (MSP) is a gastroprokinetic agent that acts as a selective 5-HT(4) agonist and accelerates the gastric emptying, and is used for the treatment of acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and functional dyspepsia. The purpose of this study is to investigate the solid dispersion formulations of MSP with controlled release characteristic using various polymers, elucidate the release mechanism, and characterize the interaction patterns between MSP and polymers. Solid dispersions of MSP with different drug-to-polymer ratios were prepared by a solvent evaporation method and characterized in comparison with the simple physical mixtures. Eudragit RSPO, Eudragit RLPO, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) or Kollidon SR was used as a controlled-release polymer along with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a carrier. Characterization of MSP solid dispersion was performed using thermal analysis (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, where the drug was converted from the crystalline state to amorphous state in all polymeric carriers used. In vitro dissolution studies showed that the drug release has been extended up to 24 h by using Eudragit RSPO or HPMC. Moreover, the formulations containing higher polymer content ratio showed better slow-release profile. These results indicate that the solid dispersion formulation containing PVP/Eudragit RSPO or HPMC mixture could serve as a good controlled-release system for MSP.


Mechanisms of starvation tolerance in pearl millet.
The response of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.]) seedlings to prolonged starvation was investigated at the biochemical and ultrastructural level. After 2 days of darkness the bulk of the seedling carbohydrate reserves were depleted. After 8 days in the dark the respiratory rate had declined to less than 50% of its initial value and the plants had lost half of their total protein content. Unlike the situation with carbohydrate depletion, protein loss was restricted to specific organs. The secondary leaf and stem (including the apical meristem) showed little or no protein loss during this period. In the primary leaf, seed, and roots, protein loss was substantial. In spite of the high rate of protein degradation in the primary leaf and roots, these organs showed no ultrastructural changes suggestive of tissue, cellular, or subcellular degradation. In addition, ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase was not preferentially degraded during starvation and only a small decline in chlorophyll content was observed after 8 days in the dark. During the period from 8 to 14 days, cell death started at the tip of the primary leaf and gradually spread downward. Both shoot and root meristems remained alive up to 14 days. Consequently, the eventual death of the plant was due to the loss of the carbohydrate-producing regions rather than the meristems. We suggest that these results provide an explanation for the high degree of starvation tolerance exhibited by pearl millet.


Olaquindox and cyadox stimulate growth and decrease intestinal mucosal immunity of piglets orally inoculated with Escherichia coli.
One hundred and fifty piglets were randomly allotted to one of six treatments to determine the effects of olaquindox and cyadox on growth and intestinal immune response including the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes and immunoglobulin A secreting cells (ASCs) during the three-week period. A 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments was employed with the following factors: (1) Escherichia coli (O(139):K(88), 10(10) CFU) inoculation or control and (2) no antimicrobials, 100 mg/kg olaquindox and 100 mg/kg cyadox in the basal diet respectively. The antimicrobial supplementations improved (p < 0.01) average daily gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the experiment. Average daily gain and FCR in the cyadox-supplemented pigs were higher (p < 0.05) than those in the olaquindox-supplemented pigs. Intraepithelial lymphocytes and ASCs decreased (p < 0.05) when the diets were supplemented. Jejunal ASCs in the cyadox-supplemented pigs were lower (p < 0.05) than those in the olaquindox-supplemented pigs. Olaquindox and cyadox suppressed E. coli-induced intestinal immune activation, which may be involved in the observed growth promotion.


Effect of Multiple Sclerosis on Daily Activities, Emotional Well-being, and Relationships: The Global vsMS Survey.
The vsMS survey was conducted to better understand the negative effects of fatigue, cognitive impairment, emotional burden, and decreased physical functioning on the personal, professional, and social lives of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The vsMS survey was an online survey conducted in Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States that assessed the impact of MS on individuals' daily activities, emotional well-being, relationships, and employment. The survey included 1075 participants with relapsing-remitting MS. Almost 42% of participants reported that their ability to perform and manage daily activities had worsened during the previous 2 years. More than 50% reported limitations in daily activities due to fatigue, physical weakness, problems with balance/coordination, heat/cold sensitivity, memory problems, numbness/tingling, trouble concentrating, impaired movement/muscle stiffness, and impaired sleeping. Participants also reported a negative effect on emotional and social factors, including self-esteem, general outlook, well-being, maintaining/starting relationships, ability to progress in their career/keep their job, and ability to cope with life roles. These data highlight the importance of addressing the impact of MS and the social and emotional disease burdens on daily activities when planning the care of patients with MS.


Image analysis software versus direct anthropometry for breast measurements.
To compare breast measurements performed using the software packages ImageTool(r), AutoCAD(r) and Adobe Photoshop(r) with direct anthropometric measurements. Points were marked on the breasts and arms of 40 volunteer women aged between 18 and 60 years. When connecting the points, seven linear segments and one angular measurement on each half of the body, and one medial segment common to both body halves were defined. The volunteers were photographed in a standardized manner. Photogrammetric measurements were performed by three independent observers using the three software packages and compared to direct anthropometric measurements made with calipers and a protractor. Measurements obtained with AutoCAD(r) were the most reproducible and those made with ImageTool(r) were the most similar to direct anthropometry, while measurements with Adobe Photoshop(r) showed the largest differences. Except for angular measurements, significant differences were found between measurements of line segments made using the three software packages and those obtained by direct anthropometry. AutoCAD(r) provided the highest precision and intermediate accuracy; ImageTool(r) had the highest accuracy and lowest precision; and Adobe Photoshop(r) showed intermediate precision and the worst accuracy among the three software packages.


Photoelectrochemical kinetics of eosin y-sensitized zinc oxide films investigated by scanning electrochemical microscopy.
Eosin Y is used as a sensitizer for nanoporous zinc oxide films for prospective applications in photoelectrochemical solar cells. The kinetics of the reduction of the intermittently formed photo-oxidized dye molecules by iodide ions in the electrolyte phase was investigated by using the feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The bulk solution phase contained triiodide as electron transfer mediator, from which the ultramicroelectrode-generated iodide ions acted as electron donors for photo-oxidized Eosin Y molecules (D(+) (ads)) at the zinc oxide sample. Effective rate constants for the dye regeneration could be extracted from the SECM approach curves. The effective rate constants at different triiodide concentrations could be related to the rate constant for the reaction of the dissolved donor with photo-oxidized Eosin Y bound to ZnO, as well as to the overall rate of the photosensitization process. For the reaction D(+) (ads) + 1.5 I(-)-->D(ads) + 0.5 I(3) (-) a rate constant of k(ox) = (1.4+/-0.8)x10(8) cm(9/2) mol(-3/2) s(-1) was determined.


Cellular basis of in vitro anti-DNA antibody production: evidence for T cell dependence of IgG-class anti-DNA antibody synthesis in the (NZB X NZW)F1 hybrid.
An in vitro system was designed to measure anti-DNA antibody synthesis, and the cellular basis of this autoantibody production in NZB X NZW (B/W)F1 (B/W F1) mice was analyzed. The spleen cells from old B/W F1 mice contained a number of B cells that spontaneously produced anti-DNA antibodies of both IgM and IgG classes in the absence of stimulants, thereby demonstrating that these B cells had been activated in vivo. These activated B cells could be removed by Sephadex G-10 column (G-10) filtration. Such G-10-passed, homogeneously small B cells were activated by the stimulant lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and produced both IgM and IgG class anti-DNA antibodies. The G-10-passed cells contained both B and T cells, and the cytotoxic treatment of the cells with monoclonal antibodies to T cells, anti-Thy-1 and anti-L3T4, abolished the LPS-induced IgG class, but not IgM class, anti-DNA antibody syntheses. Thus, the LPS-induced production of IgG class anti-DNA antibodies in B/W F1 mice is regulated by T cells. Reconstitution experiments revealed the requirement of T-B cell contact but not of the proliferative response of T cells. Moreover, there was no apparent adherent cell requirement. Such IgG class anti-DNA antibodies were produced only by spleen cells from old B/W F1 mice, but not from young B/W F1, NZB, NZW, and C57BL/6 mice. Like IgM class anti-DNA antibodies, LPS-induced synthesis of polyclonal IgM was T cell-independent. Only a slight reduction in the polyclonal IgG synthesis was observed after the G-10-passed cells had been treated with anti-Thy-1 antibody plus complement. This study should facilitate investigation of cell to cell interactions in the formation of autoantibodies and their correlations to immunologic abnormalities in autoimmune disease.


Immunoadsorbent plasma perfusion in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Extracorporeal treatment of acute systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) by plasmapheresis has been reported for more than 10 years. Risks of plasmapheresis include unselective procedure, an immunoadsorbent plasma perfusion by IM-P column. Eight of 10 patients evaluated improved through 3 treatments of a 2-liter perfusion. Analysis of proteins removed during plasma perfusion showed a semiselectivity of the IM-P column for circulating immune complexes and anti-dsDNA antibodies. After perfusion of 2 liters of plasma, these substances were reduced by about 35-40%, whereas whole protein was lowered by less than 10% and immunoglobulins by about 18%. Our results in severe SLE indicate that immunoadsorption having the advantage of lowering side effects by dispensing wih foreign protein substitution.


Nerves and excitement on my first placement.
After working in the children's accident and emergency department as a healthcare assistant for three years before starting university, I am about to start a placement there as a nursing student.


The Anomalies of Hyaluronan Structures in Presence of Surface Active Phospholipids-Molecular Mass Dependence.
Interactions between hyaluronan (A-) and phospholipids play a key role in many systems in the human body. One example is the articular cartilage system, where the synergistic effect of such interactions supports nanoscale lubrication. A molecular dynamics simulation has been performed to understand the process of formation of hydrogen bonds inside the hyaluronan network, both in the presence and absence of phospholipids. Additionally, the effect of the molecular mass of (A-) was analyzed. The main finding of this work is a robust demonstration of the optimal parameters (H-bond energy, molecular mass) influencing the facilitated lubrication mechanism of the articular cartilage system. Simulation results show that the presence of phospholipids has the greatest influence on hyaluronan at low molecular mass. We also show the specific sites of H-bonding between chains. Simulation results can help to understand how hyaluronan and phospholipids interact at several levels of articular cartilage system functioning.


Mucosal pathobiology and molecular signature of epithelial barrier dysfunction in the small intestine in irritable bowel syndrome.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorders in developed countries. Its etiology remains unknown; however, a common finding, regardless of IBS subtype, is the presence of altered intestinal barrier. In fact, signaling and location of cell-to-cell adhesion proteins, in connection with increased immune activity, seem abnormal in the intestinal epithelium of IBS patients. Despite that most research is performed on distal segments of the intestine, altered permeability has been reported in both, the small and the large bowel of all IBS subtypes. The small intestine carries out digestion and nutrient absorption and is also the site where the majority of immune responses to luminal antigens takes place. In fact, the upper intestine is more exposed to environmental antigens than the colon and is also a site of symptom generation. Recent studies have revealed small intestinal structural alterations of the epithelial barrier and mucosal immune activation in association with intestinal dysfunction, suggesting the commitment of the intestine as a whole in the pathogenesis of IBS. This review summarizes the most recent findings on mucosal barrier alterations and its relationship to symptoms arising from the small intestine in IBS, including epithelial structural abnormalities, mucosal immune activation, and microbial dysbiosis, further supporting the hypothesis of an organic origin of IBS.


A kinetic method for HO2*/O2*- determination in advanced oxidation processes.
A new kinetic method is developed for the determination of hydroperoxyl radical (HO(2)(*))/superoxide radical (O(2)(*)(-)) in aqueous solution, and the calibration using a kinetic half-life technique is also established for determining the concentration of HO(2)(*)/O(2)(*)(-) as produced in the UV/H(2)O(2) process. This new method is based on the reduction of Fe(3+)-EDTA into Fe(2+)-EDTA by HO(2)(*)/O(2)(*)(-) and the well-known Fenton-like reaction of H(2)O(2) and Fe(2+)-EDTA to yield the hydroxyl radicals (OH(*)). Benzoic acid scavenges the OH radicals to produce hydroxybenzoic acids, which are analyzed by fluorescence detection (lambda(ex) = 320 nm; lambda(em) = 400 nm). The limit of detection for the new method depends on the pH values, and it is determined as 3.22 x 10(-)(11) M with signal-to-noise ratio of 2 at pH 5. In addition, the present technique has the advantage of using inexpensive and easily available nonenzymatic reagents that do not require the specific instrument and chemicals and of being insensitive to the moderate concentration of possible interferences often found in aqueous phase.


RACK1 interacts with filamin-A to regulate plasma membrane levels of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator.
Mutations in cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR), a chloride channel in the apical membranes of secretory epithelial cells, underlie the fatal genetic disorder cystic fibrosis. Certain CFTR mutations, including the common mutation ΔF508-CFTR, result in greatly decreased levels of active CFTR at the apical membrane. Direct interactions between CFTR and the cytoskeletal adaptors filamin-A (FlnA) and Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) stabilize the expression and localization of CFTR at the plasma membrane. The scaffold protein receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) also stabilizes CFTR surface expression; however, RACK1 does not interact directly with CFTR and its mechanism of action is unknown. In the present study, we report that RACK1 interacts directly with FlnA in vitro and in a Calu-3 airway epithelial cell line. We mapped the interaction between RACK1 and FlnA to the WD4 and WD6 repeats of RACK1 and to a segment of the large rod domain of FlnA, consisting of immunoglobulin-like repeats 8-15. Disruption of the RACK1-FlnA interaction causes a reduction in CFTR surface levels. Our results suggest that a novel RACK1-FlnA interaction is an important regulator of CFTR surface localization.


Hepatic adenoma: MR appearance mimicking focal nodular hyperplasia.
A hepatic adenoma (HA) nearly isointense to normal liver on short and long repetition and echo time spin echo pulse sequences is presented. Contrary to previous expectations, the case shows that a single hepatic mass with these signal characteristics on magnetic resonance without a scar may represent either HA or focal nodular hyperplasia.


Health literacy and the readability of written information for hormone therapies.
Health education and counseling are important elements of the care provided by clinicians. Counseling efforts may involve helping women to understand their options for symptom management related to various reproductive life transitions. In light of this, the need for information during the menopausal transition is critical for assisting women with their health care decisions. Yet the Institute of Medicine estimates that approximately half the adult population in the United States has difficulty understanding and using health information. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates the distribution of written information for estrogen-containing products; however, the readability of information for these pharmaceutical products has not been widely studied. To address this gap, this study examined the readability of written information for FDA-approved prescription menopausal hormone therapies (N = 31). Readability of the written information about hormone therapies from 31 hormone therapy products was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formulas. The reading level ranged from 6.70 to 12.30, with an average grade level of 9.33 (ninth-grade reading level). All but one of the hormone therapy products evaluated in this study exceeded the recommended sixth-grade reading level for written health information. In addition, only 48% of the written information instructions in the study sample (n = 15) included illustrations. Assessment of written information about menopausal hormone therapies showed that the majority of the materials are written at a high reading level. These findings have implications for health literacy and counseling efforts when helping women to understand their options for menopausal symptom management. Midwives, nurses, and other health care providers may need to supplement written information with additional consumer-friendly written information, utilize illustrations, and use verbal instructions more frequently to help support women in evaluating their treatment options.


Acetylcholine receptor localization in human adult cochlear and vestibular hair cells.
The FITC technique using alpha-bungarotoxin visualized the staining pattern of acetylcholine (ACh) receptors in adult human cochlear and vestibular hair cells (HCs) in normal labyrinths and in cochleae with sensorineural hearing loss. Flourescence staining occurred in the cuticular plates of all HCs, indicating that the micromechanics of their suprastructures can act under cholinergic control. Quantitative differences of the fluorescence of ACh receptors occurred between the three rows of outer HCs at the same level in the cochlea and decreasing along a base-to-apex directed gradient. There is strong evidence that the subsurface cisterns are integrated in the efferent nerve system. In the degenerating organ of Corti an uncoupling of the efferent system takes places adjacent to disintegrating HCs, though the staining in the cuticular plates remains until a very late stage in HC disintegration. In vestibular HCs type I, fluorescence is emitted in the supranuclear area of the cytoplasm below the cuticular plate probably indicating an efferent guidance on the afferent nerve transmission directly via the HC itself.


Shame, culture and mental health.
Shame is a powerful negative emotion, associated with many mental disorders, both as an aetiological factor and as a consequence affecting symptoms, psychological defences and therapeutic outcomes. To summarise some of the findings to date regarding cultural influences on the role of shame within mental disorders. This lecture explores the concept of shame and its impact on mental disorders from a transcultural perspective. Although there has been growing interest in recent years in the role of shame in mental disorders, there has been little research examining the links between shame, mental health and culture. Guilt and shame are often used interchangeably, but there are differences in their respective meanings in different cultures. Addressing patients' experiences of shame is an important part of the culturally competent treatment of mental disorders.


Growth Benefits of Own Mother's Milk in Preterm Infants Fed Daily Individualized Fortified Human Milk.
The influence of types of human milk (HM)-raw own mother's milk (OMM), pasteurized OMM, and donor milk (DM)-was evaluated for growth in premature infants fed exclusively HM with controlled nutritional intakes using daily individualized HM fortification (IHMF). Growth and nutritional intakes were prospectively collected in preterm infants (<32 weeks) fed IHMF and compared in infants fed predominantly (≥75%) OMM and DM. The influence of HM types (raw OMM, pasteurized OMM, and DM) on growth were also evaluated in the whole population. One-hundred and one preterm infants (birth weight 970 ± 255 g, gestational age 27.8 ± 1.9 weeks) were included. Energy (143 ± 8 vs. 141 ± 6 kcal/kg/day; p = 0.15) and protein intakes (4.17 ± 0.15 vs. 4.15 ± 0.14 g/kg/day; p = 0.51) were similar in both groups. Infants receiving predominantly OMM (n = 37), gained significantly more weight (19.8 ± 2.0 vs. 18.2 ± 2.2 g/kg/day; p = 0.002) and length (1.17 ± 0.26 vs. 0.99 ± 0.36 cm/week; p = 0.020) than those fed predominantly DM (n = 33). Stepwise multivariate analysis (n = 101) suggests that raw OMM was the major determinant of growth, contributing 22.7% of weight gain. Length gain was also related to OMM (raw + pasteurized) intakes, explaining 4.0% of length gain. In conclusion, at daily controlled similar protein and energy intakes, OMM had significant beneficial effects on weight and length versus DM in VLBW infants. This difference could be partially explained by the use of raw OMM.


Construction of a uniform-abundance (normalized) cDNA library.
We have used a kinetic approach to construct cDNA libraries containing approximately equal representations of all sequences in a preparation of poly(A)+ RNA. Randomly primed cDNA fragments of a selected size range were cloned in lambda phage vector. Inserts were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denatured, and self-annealed under optimized conditions. After extensive but incomplete reannealing, the single-stranded fraction was relatively depleted of more abundant species of cDNA. Libraries of these fragments are suitable for cDNA subtraction, screening, or selection by hybridization and make it possible to detect and analyze cDNA corresponding to species of mRNA present at a low level in a small fraction of the cells in a complex tissue.


Various glutathione S-transferase isoforms in the rat cochlea.
The localization of three glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoforms in the rat cochlea was examined using specific antibodies against each isoform. GST immunoreactivities were found in particular parts of the cochlea, including the intermediate cells and the basal cells of the stria vascularis and various types of fibrocytes in the spiral ligament. The different cell types showed varying combinations of GST isoforms. The GST immunopositive cells identified in the present study may play a central role in the metabolism and inactivation of endogenous and exogenous ototoxic compounds. The specific arrangements also indicated a possible contribution to the detoxification process in the form of a blood-labyrinth barrier.


Effect of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 on CD34+ cells.
The effect of HIV-1 on the in vitro growth of enriched hematopoietic stem cells (CD34+ cells) obtained from normal peripheral blood samples was studied. In comparison to untreated controls, the number of viable CD34+ cells progressively and significantly decreased in liquid cultures containing interleukin-3 (IL-3, 100 U/ml) after inoculation with HIV-1. In inoculated samples there was a significant reduction of all the hematopoietic progenitors (CFU-GM, BFU-E, CFU-Meg) starting from the second day of culture, CFU-GM being the most affected. In spite of these findings, no evidence of viral replication was observed: the total amount of p24 in HIV-1-inoculated CD34+ cell cultures showed a plateau, slightly declining towards the end of the experimental observation period. Moreover, erythroid and granulomacrophage colonies harvested from inoculated CD34+ cell cultures were unable to infect susceptible cells.


[Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy with selective ischemia].
Clamping of the renal artery during partial nephrectomy leads to renal ischemia and a deterioration of its function. An alternative to total ischemia is to isolate and clamp the segmental branch of the renal artery supplying the tumor. To evaluate the efficiency of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) with selective renal ischemia. A total of 42 patients with renal tumors of stage T1a (n=34) and T1b (n=8) undergoing RAPN were included in the study. There were 25 men (59.5%) and 17 women. The mean age was 56.0 +/- 7.5 years, the tumor size ranged from 2.5 to 6.8 cm. Patients with a solitary kidney, multiple tumors, and those who underwent partial nephrectomy with clamping of the renal artery were excluded from the study. CT angiography with 3D reconstruction were used to detect the segmental branches of the renal artery, that supply the tumor. To determine the complexity of renal tumors, the RENAL nephrometric scale was used. Complications were assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. In addition, mean operative time and volume of blood loss, warm ischemia time, pre- and postoperative renal function, and oncological outcomes were analyzed. The RAPN was considered successful if it was performed with selective clamping of the artery. RAPN with selective ischemia was effective in 38 (90.5%) of 42 patients. In 4 (9.5%) cases with tumors of T1b stage and high RENAL scores (> 8), total ischemia was eventually used in order to control bleeding. According to CT angiography, these patients had more or equal 2 branches of renal artery, supplying the tumor. Mean operation time, volume of blood loss and warm ischemia time were 130.0+/-35 min, 185.0+/-80.0 ml and 14.0+/-3.2 min, respectively. In one case, there was an injury to the renal vein, which was sutured. Postoperative complications were observed in 5 (12.0%) patients. The glomerular filtration rate pre- and postoperatively was 76.5 and 72.0 ml/min/1.73 m2, and its decrease 1 month after RAPN was not significant (p>0.05). Preoperative evaluation of renal arterial anatomy allows to detect the segmental branch that supplies the tumor. By its clamping, it is possible to perform efficient and safe robot-assisted partial nephrectomy without total ischemia.


Late Stabilization of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip Without Treatment: A Case Report.
Approximately three-quarters of neonates with unstable hips will spontaneously stabilize without treatment in the first few weeks of life. This report presents the long-term follow-up of an infant with developmental dysplasia of the hips that stabilized at an older age and without any orthopaedic treatment. Factors contributing to the spontaneous stabilization in this case included the patient's self-selected lower extremity position of comfort with hips flexed, abducted, and externally rotated; her delayed walking; and her light body weight.


Removing a biliary T-tube and retained stones by ERCP. A case report.
A time-honored praxis is to insert a T-tube after open choledochotomy. Well-known complications of T-tube removal include bile leakage, peritonitis, sepsis and postoperative biliary stenosis. A retained T-tube fragment after surgical common bile duct exploration is an uncommon complication of T-tube removal. We report the first case of retained bile duct stones with a whole T-tube jammed into the biliary tree. A 31-year-old female with gallstone disease was operated on. The operation was started by laparoscopy but converted to open laparotomy because of perforation of the gallbladder. T-tube was inserted but several stones remained in the bile duct. Afterwards routine T-tube removal was impossible: the T-tube had become trapped in the common bile duct. This combination of complications was successfully treated by ERCP.


[Level of knowledge on neurology among primary care general physicians].
The care of the neurologic patients should be approached from the first level of health care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge concerning neurology that have the general public health care physicians in Catalonia, Spain, and to determine whether the training in family and community medicine (FCM) is valid for the adequate care of neurologic patients. A sample of 84 general physicians (GP) from the public health care (PHC), representative of the professionals attending the medical consultations of the Costa de Ponent Catalonian Public Health Care Region (one million inhabitants), was evaluated by a multiple choice test of 36 items which has been previously elaborated and shown to have sufficient psychometric guarantees (objectivity, reliability and validity). The GP from the PHC who had not undergone the Resident Training in FCM demonstrated, as a whole, to have an insufficient level of preparation in neurology (mean = 4.08, DT = 2.5, 69% obtained a score under 5 in a scale from 0 to 10). The physician that have received resident training in FCM showed to be a very relevant factor in the knowledge of clinical neurology (mean = 7.84, DT = 1.1, all scored above 5). The level of the knowledge of neurology in general public health physicians should be improved, particularly in those who have not received the resident training in family and community medicine. Such a training was found to be useful for acquiring correct preparation in neurology.


Angiotensin blockade attenuates diabetic nephropathy in hypogonadal adult male rats.
This study examined the effect of the aromatase inhibitor letrozole (0.5 mg/kg) alone or in combination with the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan (30 mg/kg) against streptozocin-induced diabetic nephropathy (DN) in hypogonadal (HG) rats for 12 weeks. First, we tested the HG effect on hormone levels, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress in nondiabetic (ND) and diabetic (D) rats. HG was induced with the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone antagonist cetrorelix (0.71 mg/kg). Diabetes enhanced hormonal hypogonadism and increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Next, experiments examined the effect of early letrozole and valsartan intervention on DN in HG rats. HG-ND and HG-D rats were treated with letrozole alone or in combination with valsartan. HG-D rats developed proteinuria and had increased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, and histopathological evidence of renal injury, including glomerular hypertrophy and mesangial expansion. Valsartan alone or in combination with letrozole reduced proteinuria, improved renal functions, and reduced diabetes-induced renal angiotensin II. Both agents ameliorated nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells, interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels. The combination decreased superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione peroxidase levels, and prevented glomerular hypertrophy. In HG-D rats, valsartan reduced renal collagen IV and transforming growth factor-beta 1, especially when the testosterone level was corrected by letrozole. Thus, normalizing testosterone and inhibiting renal angiotensin II have a renoprotective effect against DN in HG male rats.


[Low energy tail spectra of characteristic X-rays detected by a Si(Li) X-ray detector].
Characteristic X-ray spectra are inherently accompanied by the tail spectra in the low energy side when X-rays are detected with a semiconductor X-ray detector. The tail spectra of Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr and Mn KX-rays have been observed using two different Si(Li) X-ray detectors. An annular source of 55Fe has been used to excite the Mg (1.25 keV) to Ti (4.5 keV) KX-rays, and 54Mn and 55Fe sources have been used for the detection of Cr (5.4 keV) and Mn (5.9 keV) KX-rays, respectively. Observed intensity ratios of the tail area Nt to the Gaussian X-ray peak area NP have exhibited to change remarkably at the Si-K adsorption edge energy 1.84 ke V. When X-ray spectra detected with different Si(Li) detectors are compared at some specific characteristic X-ray, different values of Nt/Np intensity ratios as well as different line shapes of tail spectra have been observed. Using a simple model, the thickness of Si layer which generates the tail spectrum has been estimated, i.e., the thicknesses are about 0.05 micron for one detector and 0.09 micron for the other detector. The generation of the tail spectrum is known to be partially due to the escape effect of photoelectrons or Auger electrons from the intrinsic region.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Human endometrial CD98 is essential for blastocyst adhesion.
Understanding the molecular basis of embryonic implantation is of great clinical and biological relevance. Little is currently known about the adhesion receptors that determine endometrial receptivity for embryonic implantation in humans. Using two human endometrial cell lines characterized by low and high receptivity, we identified the membrane receptor CD98 as a novel molecule selectively and significantly associated with the receptive phenotype. In human endometrial samples, CD98 was the only molecule studied whose expression was restricted to the implantation window in human endometrial tissue. CD98 expression was restricted to the apical surface and included in tetraspanin-enriched microdomains of primary endometrial epithelial cells, as demonstrated by the biochemical association between CD98 and tetraspanin CD9. CD98 expression was induced in vitro by treatment of primary endometrial epithelial cells with human chorionic gonadotropin, 17-β-estradiol, LIF or EGF. Endometrial overexpression of CD98 or tetraspanin CD9 greatly enhanced mouse blastocyst adhesion, while their siRNA-mediated depletion reduced the blastocyst adhesion rate. These results indicate that CD98, a component of tetraspanin-enriched microdomains, appears to be an important determinant of human endometrial receptivity during the implantation window.


Understanding Formal Responses to Intimate Partner Violence and Women's Resistance Processes: A Scoping Review.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) literature addresses the ways in which women oppose violent male partners through acts of "everyday resistance." There is a limited understanding, however, of the relationship between women's resistance and their formal help-seeking in the context of IPV. Our scoping review, which includes 74 articles published in English-language journals between 1994 and 2017, attempts to help fill this gap by developing systematic knowledge regarding the following research questions: (1) How are formal institutional responses discussed within the literature on resistance to IPV? (2) How does institutional help-seeking facilitate or obstruct IPV survivors' personal efforts to resist violence? We find that institutions and organizations succeed in facilitating resistance processes when they counter victim-blaming ideas and provide IPV survivors with shared community and a sense of control over their futures. However, they fall short in terms of helping survivors by expecting survivors to adhere to a rigid narrative about appropriate responses to violence, devoting insufficient attention to individual-level factors impacting survivors' vulnerability and ability to access help, and replicating abuse dynamics when interacting with survivors. Policy and practice implications are discussed.


Oral presentation in dengue hemorrhagic fever: A rare entity.
One of the major health hazards which is prevalent and dangerous is the dengue fever which causes the death of many people. This may be associated with a variety of mucocutaneous manifestations which may be of help in early diagnosis. Many biochemical assays and hematological investigations may aid in the further diagnosis and treatment of the fatal disease. Oral lesions are rare to occur and if present, are often mistaken for platelet abnormality. This case report highlights the importance of oral lesions and it is the first of its kind to be reported as dengue hemorrhagic fever.


Prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection among hospitalized inflammatory bowel disease patients in Greece.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an independent risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), which is associated significantly with disease severity. We aimed to determine the rates of CDI among hospitalized IBD patients in major tertiary referral hospitals in Greece. A retrospective analysis was carried out of stool cultures from hospitalized patients investigated for diarrhea, during 2016, tested for CDI with glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and toxins A and B. In total, 6932 patients were tested for CDI; 894 were positive for GDH (12.89%) and 339 were also positive for C. difficile toxin (4.89%). The prevalence of CDI among all hospitalized patients was 1.6/1000 patient-days. Among these, there were 401 IBD patients, and 62 were positive for GDH (15.46%) and 30 were also positive for C. difficile toxin (7.48%). The prevalence of CDI in IBD patients was 2.5/1000 patient-days, significantly higher than in non-IBD hospitalized patients (30/401 vs. 309/6531, P=0.013). Among the 30 IBD patients (ulcerative colitis=18, Crohn's disease=12) with CDI, six were receiving biologics, three were on corticosteroids [one combined with azathioprine (AZA) and one combined with 5-ASA], nine were on AZA monotherapy and 12 were on 5-ASA monotherapy. The prevalence of CDI among patients receiving AZA monotherapy was significantly higher than in patients receiving other medications (9/68 vs. 21/333, P=0.047). Mild CDI (n=28) was treated with metronidazole and/or vancomycin, whereas severe CDI (n=2) was treated with vancomycin. The prevalence of CDI is higher in hospitalized IBD patients than those without IBD and AZA monotherapy increases the risk of CDI.


Ontogenesis of iodothyronine deiodinase activities in brain and liver of the chick embryo.
The ontogeny of 5'-monodeiodinase activity (5'-MA) was analyzed in chick embryo brain and liver tissue. The enzymatic type predominant in this path and the activity of the deactivating pathway (5 MA-III) were determined during certain periods of neural development in both organs. Results show that T3 is predominantly formed in both organs during the first third of embryogenesis (from day 5) until neuroblast proliferation (day 13). Within this lapse, the slow type II enzyme (insensible to propylthiouracil) is present in the brain, whereas in the liver the predominating enzyme is type I (the rapid enzyme). Further along the synaptogenesis period (day 14-17), 5' deiodination virtually disappears in the brain, the hepatic type I enzyme switches to the slow autoconsume enzyme (type II), and 5 MA-III levels increase significantly in both organs. Finally, on days 18-20 (perinatal period) the 5' pathway reaches the highest levels observed throughout the study in both tissues. Associated to this increase, liver enzymatic activity returns to type I. During this period, 5 MA-III is reduced by 40% in the brain and disappears from the liver. Together, these data strengthen the notion of a protective mechanism against brain overexposure to T3 during synaptogenesis and suggest that the protective mechanism also involves the regulation of extraneural deiodinases.


Double-resonance versus pulsed Fourier transform two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy: an experimental and theoretical comparison.
In this study we focus on the differences and analogies of two experimental implementations of two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy: double-resonance or dynamic hole burning 2D-IR spectroscopy and pulsed Fourier transform or heterodyne detected photon echo spectroscopy. A comparison is done theoretically as well as experimentally by contrasting data obtained from both methods. As an example we have studied the strongly coupled asymmetric and symmetric carbonyl stretching vibrations of dicarbonylacetylacetonato rhodium dissolved in hexane. Both methods yield the same peaks in a 2D-IR spectrum. Within certain approximations we derive an analytic expression which shows that the 2D-IR spectra are broadened in one frequency dimension in the double-resonance experiment by convolution with the pump pulse spectral width, while the spectral resolution in the other frequency direction is the same in both cases.


3-D Acoustic Tweezers Using a 2-D Matrix Array With Time-Multiplexed Traps.
The use of acoustic tweezers for precise manipulation of microparticles in the aqueous environment is essential and challenging for biomechanical applications in vivo. A 3-D acoustic tweezer is developed in this study for 3-D manipulation by using a two-dimensional (2-D) phased array consisting of 256 elements operating at 1.04 MHz. The emission phases of each element are iteratively determined by a backpropagation algorithm to generate multiple acoustic traps. Different traps are multiplexed in time, thus forming synthesized acoustic fields. We demonstrate the 3-D levitation and translation of positive acoustic contrast particles, a major class of bioparticles, in water by different acoustic traps, and compare the positional deviation along the intended path via experimentally measured trajectories. Improved manipulating stability was achieved by multiplexed acoustic traps. The 3-D acoustic tweezers proposed in this study provide a versatile approach of contactless bioparticle trapping and translation, paving the way toward future application of nanodroplet and microbubble manipulations.


[The yeast-like fungi infections in medical intensive care patients in years 1996 - 2000].
The aim of this study was to analyse, taking into consideration the infection risk factors, the incidence of fungal infections occurrence in Medical Intensive Care Units. Yeast-like fungi strains isolated from various clinical materials underwent mycological examination. Mycological diagnosis was performed in compliance with compulsory laboratory methods. The detailed observation concerned patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit by urgent reasons or because of basic disease aggravation, trauma, surgical operations and those with diabetes mellitus. The main etiological fungal infections factor were C. albicans strains. The increased incidence of C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis participation in yeast-like fungi infection pathogenesis was observed. The results presented in this study confirm, that intensive care units patients, for the reason of fungal infections, make the increased risk group.


Saccular Limited Dorsal Myeloschisis with Spinal Cord Deviation out of the Spinal Canal to the Sac.
Saccular limited dorsal myeloschisis (LDM) is characterized by a fibroneural stalk linking the saccular skin lesion to the underlying spinal cord. Since untethering surgery during the early postnatal period is often indicated to prevent sac rupture, saccular LDM should be distinguished from myelomeningocele (MMC) during the perinatal period. We treated two patients with the spinal cord deviation from the spinal canal to the sac, which mimicked a prolapse of the neural placode into the MMC sac. In patient 1, pre- and postnatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that the spinal cord was strongly tethered to the thick stalk. During surgery, the dorsally bent cord and stalk were united, and the border between these two was determined with intraoperative neurophysiological mapping (IONM). In patient 2, the spinal cord was tethered to two slender stalks close to each other, which was visible with the combined use of sagittal and axial postnatal three-dimensional heavily T2-weighted imaging (3D-hT2WI). The preoperative MRI hallmark of saccular LDM is the visualization of a stalk that links the bending cord and sac. Complete untethering surgery to return the cord into the spinal canal and correct its dorsal bending is recommended.


Marie Curie nurses: enabling patients with cancer to die at home.
Marie Curie Cancer Care established its nursing service in 1958; however, the service has had little formal evaluation. This study aimed to describe and evaluate the care provided by Marie Curie nurse, and in particular to determine whether patients in their care remained and died at home. Two existing data sets were used: data on all patients referred to the Marie Curie Nursing Services in 147 areas of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for 26 months, and data on cancer death registrations in England. A request for a Marie Curie nurse was made for 26,632 patients, 97% of whom had cancer and 11% of whom lived alone. The amount of care provided varied enormously (<1 hour-2862 hours), although the vast majority of patients less than 300 hours of nursing care. Place of death was recorded for only half these patients; 94% died at home, 2.5% in a hospice, 2.3% in a hospital, 0.2% in a nursing home and 0.6% other. Home death was most often associated with patients receiving medication via a syringe driver, patients living with other people, patients with cancer, other than prostate cancer, shorter time between referral and death and younger age. The results lend support to the theory that the care given to patients in their homes by Marie Curie nurses facilitated home death for many patients. Services need to ensure that mechanisms are in place to achieve data collection. Rigorous prospective evaluation is needed in the future.


NSQIP as a Predictor of Length of Stay in Patients Undergoing Free Flap Reconstruction.
The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) calculator was created to improve outcomes and guide cost-effective care in surgery. Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) undergo ablative and free flap reconstructive surgery with prolonged postoperative courses. A case series with chart review was performed on 50 consecutive patients with HNC undergoing ablative and reconstructive free flap surgery from October 2014 to March 2016 at a tertiary care center. Comorbidities and intraoperative and postoperative variables were collected. Predicted length of stay was tabulated with the NSQIP calculator. Thirty-five patients (70%) were male. The mean (SD) age was 67.2 (13.4) years. The mean (SD) length of stay (LOS) was 13.5 (10.3) days. The mean (SD) NSQIP-predicted LOS was 10.3 (2.2) days (P = .027). The NSQIP calculator may be an inadequate predictor for LOS in patients with HNC undergoing free flap surgery. Additional study is necessary to determine the accuracy of this tool in this patient population. Head and neck surgeons performing free flap reconstructive surgery following tumor ablation may find that the NSQIP risk calculator underestimates the LOS in this population.


Delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction due to anti-Js(a) in an alloimmunized patient with a sickle cell syndrome.
Delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions occur via an anamnestic immune response in patients previously alloimmunized by certain RBC antigens. Conventional pretransfusion antibody screening tests and crossmatches are unable to detect certain antibodies that potentially can cause these reactions because they may be present in low concentrations or have low affinity for their respective antigen or their indicator antigen may be absent from test RBCs. We report the second case of a delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction caused by an undetectable (by routine methods) anti-Js(a) in a patient with a sickle cell syndrome (hemoglobin SC disease) and multiple alloantibodies, in whom retrospective indirect antiglobulin tests enhanced by polyethylene glycol revealed the presence of weakly reactive anti-Js(a).


Peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative modifications of myosin and implications on structure and function.
Abstract The peroxynitrite-induced functional impairment of myosin was studied in different reaction conditions, known to alter the oxidative chemistry of peroxynitrite, to better understand the molecular mechanisms of this interaction. It is shown that peroxynitrite is able to enhance the basal MgATPase activity up to 2-fold while inhibiting the actin-stimulated ATPase activity of myosin and that the extent of these functional alterations is dependent on the reaction medium. The observed changes in the stimulation of the MgATPase activity correlate with the extent of carbonyl formation in myosin. The enzyme inhibition is more potent in conditions where the efficiency of tyrosine nitration and peroxynitrite reactivity towards sulphydryls are lower. Together with the observation that reversion of sulphydryl oxidation did not lead to the recovery of myosin functional and structural impairments, these results point out to the importance of protein carbonylation as a post-translational modification in the peroxynitrite-induced myosin functional impairment.


Combining Electromagnetic and Gravitational-Wave Constraints on Neutron-Star Masses and Radii.
We perform a joint Bayesian inference of neutron-star mass and radius constraints based on GW170817, observations of quiescent low-mass x-ray binaries (QLMXBs), photospheric radius expansion x-ray bursting sources, and x-ray timing observations of J0030+0451. With this dataset, the form of the prior distribution still has an impact on the posterior mass-radius curves and equation of state (EOS), but this impact is smaller than recently obtained when considering QLMXBs alone. We analyze the consistency of the electromagnetic data by including an "intrinsic scattering" contribution to the uncertainties, and find only a slight broadening of the posteriors. This suggests that the gravitational-wave and electromagnetic observations of neutron-star structure are providing a consistent picture of the neutron-star mass-radius curve and the EOS.


A computational study on the characteristics of airflow in bilateral abductor vocal fold immobility.
To evaluate airway sufficiency and airflow dynamics in a group of patients who underwent a posterior transverse laser cordotomy (PTLC) procedure. Mixed methods research, university hospital setting. Sixteen patients who underwent a PTLC procedure volunteered to be involved in this study. Dyspnea levels, voice, and glottic opening in indirect laryngoscopy were evaluated subjectively. The airway was evaluated objectively by pulmonary function tests, and glottic areas were measured from axial computed tomography (CT) images. The control group consisted of 63 subjects from the tomography archive. For computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses, two subjects from the study group were chosen on the basis of obstruction level, and a normal female subject was selected from the control group. Cartesian coordinates for airway boundaries were determined from axial CT images, and a three-dimensional computational model of the larynx was constructed. Flow simulations were performed with two different flow conditions during inspiration. Comparison of velocity, static pressure, turbulence intensity, and wall shear stress distribution values were made between selected cases and control. Pulmonary data varied widely and did not correlate with the size of the glottic area or dyspnea level. CFD analyses revealed that in addition to obstruction at the glottic level, aerodynamic properties of the larynx are altered due to loss in muscular tonus. Also, the contour of the glottic opening was found to be very important in determining the character of airflow as laminar or turbulent. Patients have considerable differences in their flow patterns and force distributions during respiration. Patient-specific models may help in evaluation and treatment planning.


Inhaled Cryptococcus neoformans elicits allergic airway inflammation independent of Nuclear Factor Kappa B signalling in lung epithelial cells.
Pulmonary challenge with the ubiquitous fungus Cryptococcus neoformans results in allergic airway inflammation (AAI) characterized by robust recruitment of eosinophils and T cells producing type 2 cytokines to the lungs. Previous studies have demonstrated a critical role for Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) activation within lung epithelial cells (LECs) in driving AAI in response to protein allergens, yet the role of LEC-intrinsic NF-κB in promoting AAI following exposure to C. neoformans is poorly understood. To investigate the role of LEC-intrinsic NF-κB in promoting AAI following C. neoformans challenge, we used IKK∆LEC mice, which lack canonical NF-κB activation specifically within LECs. IKK∆LEC and littermate control mice were intranasally challenged with 106 CFU of C. neoformans strain 52D, and lung tissues were collected at 7, 14 and 21 days post infection to assess the development of AAI. Notably, the absence of epithelial NF-κB signalling did not affect the magnitude or kinetics of lung eosinophilia when compared with the response in wild-type control mice. The total numbers of lung T cells producing the type 2 cytokines interleukin-5 and interleukin-13 were also unchanged in IKK∆LEC mice. Furthermore, IKK∆LEC mice showed no defect in the recruitment of protective interferon-γ-producing CD4 T cells to the lungs, fungal clearance, or host survival compared with control mice. Immunofluorescence imaging surprisingly revealed no evidence of nuclear localization of NF-κB in LECs in response to C. neoformans challenge, indicating that NF-κB is not activated within these cells. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that NF-κB signalling within LECs does not promote AAI observed in response to C. neoformans.


Monitoring of nocturnal central sleep apnea in Heart failure patients using noncontact respiratory differences.
Monitoring of respiration patterns allows the early detection of various breathing disorders and may better identify those at risk for adverse acute outcomes in a variety of clinical settings. In this paper, we report on the use of SleepMinder (SM), a bedside non-contact Doppler-based biomotion recording sensor, to monitor remotely the nocturnal respiration patterns of 50 patients with systolic Heart failure (HF) while undergoing a lab based Polysomnography (PSG) test. A new respiration rate (RR) monitoring algorithm was developed based on the collected overnight radar signals. Two schemes of RR scoring were utilized: respiratory rate count (RRC) and instantaneous respiratory rates (IRR). Analysis of SM vs. PSG revealed that the mean/median IRR scored by SM is highly correlated with that scored on the nasal flow/effort signals from the corresponding PSG studies on all patients, with a significant correlation coefficient of 0.98 (average absolute difference of 0.31 breaths/min), and 0.97 (p<;0.01, average absolute difference of 0.38 breaths/min) for the median and mean of RR respectively. Our experimental results also show that the difference between the RR estimations from IRR and RRC schemes can be utilized to identify central sleep apnea (CSA)/Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) sections without additional apnea detection modules. As a result, with a sensitivity and specificity of 71% and 88% respectively, and an accuracy of 86%, our CSA/CSR screener, plugged with our RR estimation, can play an important role in the remote management of HF patients.


Nonlinear quantum interferometric spectroscopy with entangled photon pairs.
We develop closed expressions for a time-resolved photon counting signal induced by an entangled photon pair in an interferometric spectroscopy setup. Superoperator expressions in Liouville-space are derived that can account for relaxation and dephasing induced by coupling to a bath. Interferometric setups mix matter and light variables non-trivially, which complicates their interpretation. We provide an intuitive modular framework for this setup that simplifies its description. Based on the separation between the detection stage and the light-matter interaction processes, we show that the pair entanglement time and the interferometric time-variables control the observed physics time scale. Only a few processes contribute in the limiting case of small entanglement time with respect to the sample response, and specific contributions can be singled out.


Biobutanol production from sulfuric acid-pretreated red algal biomass by a newly isolated Clostridium sp. strain WK.
Marine biomass, especially the algal biomass, is currently considered to be one of the most potential candidates for biofuels conversion during the development of biomass utilization. In this study, a diluted sulfuric acid pretreatment method was established for biobutanol from red algal biomass Gelidium amansii using a newly isolated Clostridium sp. strain WK. Under the optimal condition of 2% sulfuric acid treated in 20 Min at 131 °C, the maximal hydrolysis percentage of biomass can reach up to 80.95%, and the biobutanol production was obtained to be 3.46 g/L with a yield of 0.20 g/g after the fermentation of biomass hydrolysate. This result demonstrated a 12.5-fold enhancement of conversion efficiency compared with the untreated control, which provides a new and efficient way to develop the biobutanol industry by utilizing the abundant, low cost, and carbohydrate-rich algal biomass.


Trace metal release from orthodontic appliances by in vivo studies: a systematic literature review.
The paper discusses various approaches used to investigate biocompatibility by the analysis of metals release by the materials of which orthodontic appliances are made. Analysis of various biomarkers of exposure: saliva, serum, mucosa cells, or urine is used in in vivo tests. In this work, the techniques, results, and conclusions of original papers were compared by the implementation of the concept of a systematic review. The aim of the present work was to report the state-of-the-art in the research on methods used to assess exposure to trace metals from orthodontic appliances. The PubMed search identified 35 studies, among which nine met the selection criteria. The general conclusion in the studies was that metal ions were released mostly in the initial stage of the treatment. However, the majority of studies included 1-2 months long period and did not reflect long-term changes nor the impact of the complete treatment, the duration of which is several years, on the whole organism and the overall accumulation of metals from orthodontic appliances. In studies which evaluated nickel concentrations in blood and urine, long-term metal release was detected and significant differences were found. It leads to the conclusion that nickel ions are released from orthodontic appliances in measurable amounts to human organism.


Functional role of anthocyanins in high-light winter leaves of the evergreen herb Galax urceolata.
High-light leaves of the evergreen herb Galax urceolata exhibit a striking color change from green to red during winter months due to anthocyanin synthesis in outermost mesophyll cells. Here we investigate three possible functions of this color change. To test the hypothesis that anthocyanins function as light attenuators, maximum photosystem II efficiency (F(v)/F(m)) of red and green leaves was measured during and after exposure to wavelengths either strongly or poorly absorbed by anthocyanin. To determine whether anthocyanins elevate radical-scavenging capacity, antioxidant activity of red and green leaves was assessed using the alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl assay. Nonstructural carbohydrate levels were analyzed to test the hypothesis that anthocyanins function as a carbon sink. Declines in F(v)/F(m) under white and green light were significantly greater for green than red leaves, but were comparable under red light. Anthocyanin content positively correlated with antioxidant activity. Although levels of anthocyanins did not appear to be related to nonstructural carbohydrate concentration, high levels of sugars may be necessary for their photo-induction. Results suggest that anthocyanins function as light attenuators and may also contribute to the antioxidant pool in winter leaves.


Mutations within the human GLYT2 (SLC6A5) gene associated with hyperekplexia.
Hereditary hyperekplexia is a neuromotor disorder characterized by exaggerated startle reflexes and muscle stiffness in the neonate. The disease has been associated with mutations in the glycine receptor subunit genes GLRA1 and GLRB. Here, we describe mutations within the neuronal glycine transporter 2 gene (GLYT2, or SLC6A5, ) of hyperekplexia patients, whose symptoms cannot be attributed to glycine receptor mutations. One of the GLYT2 mutations identified causes truncation of the transporter protein and a complete loss of transport function. Our results are consistent with GLYT2 being a disease gene in human hyperekplexia.


Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo: From biological characteristics to therapeutic mechanisms.
Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing response to chronic injuries, characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix or scar tissue within the liver; in addition, its formation is associated with multiple cytokines as well as several cell types and a variety of signaling pathways. When liver fibrosis is not well controlled, it can progress to liver cirrhosis, but it is reversible in principle. Thus far, no efficient therapy is available for treatment of liver fibrosis. Although liver transplantation is the preferred strategy, there are many challenges remaining in this approach, such as shortage of donor organs, immunological rejection, and surgical complications. Hence, there is a great need for an alternative therapeutic strategy. Currently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is considered a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of liver fibrosis; advantageously, the characteristics of MSCs are continuous self-renewal, proliferation, multipotent differentiation, and immunomodulatory activities. The human umbilical cord-derived (hUC)-MSCs possess not only the common attributes of MSCs but also more stable biological characteristics, relatively easy accessibility, abundant source, and no ethical issues (e.g., bone marrow being the adult source), making hUC-MSCs a good choice for treatment of liver fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics of hUC-MSCs and their paracrine effects, exerted by secretion of various cytokines, which ultimately promote liver repair through several signaling pathways. Additionally, we discuss the capacity of hUC-MSCs to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells for compensating the function of existing hepatocytes, which may aid in amelioration of liver fibrosis. Finally, we discuss the current status of the research field and its future prospects.


Sequence dependence of conformations of self-complementary duplex tetradeoxynucleotides containing cytosine and guanine.
The four self-complementary tetradeoxynucleotides which contain only cytosine and guanine are 5'-d-(CpGpCpG)-3', 5'-d(CpCpGpG)-3', 5'-d(GpCpGpC)-3', and 5'-d(GpGpCpC)-3'. The Raman spectra of aqueous solutions (about 0.05 M in monomer) of these tetranucleotides at pH 7 and 2 degrees C show clearly that these self-complementary tetranucleotides form double-stranded duplex structures of the canonical B type when the NaCl concentration is 0.5 M NaCl. If the temperature is raised to 50 degrees C, the Raman spectra show that in each case the double-helical B form melts in a non-cooperative way to a disordered single-chain form. On the other hand, if the salt concentration is raised to saturation, the Raman spectrum of only one of these four tetranucleotide solutions at 2 degrees C is changed in any substantial way. The Raman spectrum of the tetranucleotide 5'-d(CpGpCpG)-3' at 2.2 degrees C and at 4 M or higher salt concentration strongly resembles that of double-helical Z-form poly(dC-dG) taken under similar conditions. We conclude that the tetramer 5'-d(CpGpCpG)-3' is the only self-complementary double-helical tetranucleotide containing only cytosine and guanine in which the B-Z transition can be induced by increasing the salt concentration. This tetramer has several types of stacking interactions which differ markedly from stacking interactions in the other tetramers and may account for the enhanced stabilization of its Z conformation.


Functional characterization of the common c.-32-13T>G mutation of GAA gene: identification of potential therapeutic agents.
Glycogen storage disease type II is a lysosomal storage disorder due to mutations of the GAA gene, which causes lysosomal alpha-glucosidase deficiency. Clinically, glycogen storage disease type II has been classified in infantile and late-onset forms. Most late-onset patients share the leaky splicing mutation c.-32-13T>G. To date, the mechanism by which the c.-32-13T>G mutation affects the GAA mRNA splicing is not fully known. In this study, we demonstrate that the c.-32-13T>G mutation abrogates the binding of the splicing factor U2AF65 to the polypyrimidine tract of exon 2 and that several splicing factors affect exon 2 inclusion, although the only factor capable of acting in the c.-32-13 T>G context is the SR protein family member, SRSF4 (SRp75). Most importantly, a preliminary screening using small molecules described to be able to affect splicing profiles, showed that resveratrol treatment resulted in a significant increase of normal spliced GAA mRNA, GAA protein content and activity in cells transfected with a mutant minigene and in fibroblasts from patients carrying the c-32-13T>G mutation. In conclusion, this work provides an in-depth functional characterization of the c.-32-13T>G mutation and, most importantly, an in vitro proof of principle for the use of small molecules to rescue normal splicing of c.-32-13T>G mutant alleles.


Heart rate reduction with ivabradine and health related quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure: results from the SHIFT study.
Heart failure (HF) has a major impact on health-related quality of life (HQoL). The aim was to evaluate whether heart rate (HR) reduction with ivabradine can translate into increased HQoL in parallel to a reduction of primary outcomes in SHIFT. In symptomatic patients with systolic HF treated with recommended background therapy, HQoL was assessed by Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) containing the following dimensions: overall summary score (OSS) and clinical summary score (CSS), analysed at baseline, and 4, 12, and 24 months, and last post-baseline visit. A total of 1944 patients (968 ivabradine, 976 placebo) were evaluated. At 12 months, incidence of clinical events (cardiovascular death or hospital admission for HF) was inversely associated with KCCQ scores. Ivabradine reduced HR by 10.1 bpm (placebo-corrected, P < 0.001) and improved KCCQ by 1.8 for CSS and 2.4 for OSS (placebo-corrected, P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively); these changes were associated with the change in HR for both CSS (P < 0.001) and OSS (P < 0.001). The relationship was found in both allocation groups though the changes were more pronounced in the ivabradine group. Health-related quality of life at follow-up was better preserved in the ivabradine group compared with placebo; poorest outcomes were seen in the placebo group with lowest KCCQ scores (<50). In patients with systolic HF, low HQoL is associated with an increased rate of cardiovascular death or hospital admission for HF. Reduction in HR with ivabradine is associated with improved HQoL. The magnitude of HR reduction is related to the extent of improvement in HQoL.


Effect of hylan on cartilage and chondrocyte cultures.
The protective role of hylan, a hyaluronan [hyaluronic acid (HA)] derivative, was studied in explanted bovine cartilage and isolated chondrocytes. Cartilage and chondrocytes were exposed to degradative enzymes (lysate from activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes), oxygen-derived free radicals (ODFR), conditioned media from mononuclear cells (MCCM), and interleukin-1 (IL-1), in the presence and absence of hylan. The effect of HA was also studied. In cartilage explants susceptibility to pertubation was evaluated in terms of 35S release and proteoglycan depletion and was compared to control cultures; high viscosity hylan was found to reduce 35S release in cartilage explants caused by degradative enzymes, ODFR, MCCM, and IL-1. The hylan effect was reversible and viscosity-dependent. In chondrocyte cultures, high viscosity hylan was effective in reducing cell injury caused by degradative enzymes and ODFR. The data suggest that the glycosaminoglycan hylan, as well as native HA, may mediate exposure to and/or response to stimuli associated with initiation of degenerative processes in cartilage tissues.


Antinociceptive action of the SP1-4 tetrapeptide and of some tuftsin analogs.
The N-terminal tetrapeptide of substance P (SP1-4) was found to produce analgesia, after the icv injection to the rat brain, which is lower in its intensity than that produced by tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg tetrapeptide). Among investigated tuftsin analogues Thr-Lys-Pro-Thr and Thr-Lys-Pro-Thr-Asp (partial sequences of S-protein of HB virus) were weakly active, Thr-Arg-Pro-Arg was inactive, and Thr-Lys-Pro-Gly-Arg produced a weak hyperalgesia 30 min after the icv injection. The obtained results were compared with those obtained previously in the phagocytosis stimulation test. In the control experiments the effects of free amino acids of the tuftsin molecule (Thr, Lys, Pro, Arg) were also studied.


Obituary to analgesic nephropathy--an autopsy study.
To determine whether classic analgesic nephropathy with renal papillary and urothelial capillary sclerosis could still be detected at autopsy in the beginning of the 21st century, the present study which is similar to a previous one performed in 1980 was undertaken as suggested by the Ad Hoc Committee of the International Study Group on Analgesics and Nephropathy. Consecutive autopsies of 616 adults performed at the Basle Institute of Pathology between November 2000 and February 2002 were analysed. Tissue samples of renal cortex and papilla of 1220 kidneys and of each ureter and main renal artery available were subjected to a very careful and meticulous study using classical histopathological methodology. A number of lesions was found macroscopically but not a single case of papillary necrosis or analgesic nephropathy could be detected preceding histological analysis. Histologically, the most frequent lesions were vascular in 57.8% of kidneys followed by glomerular lesions in 13.1% (mostly diabetic glomerulosclerosis). Tubulo-interstitial lesions, mostly pyelonephritis were detected in 9.3% with only a single case of classic analgesic nephropathy with bilateral complete papillary necrosis and ureteral capillary sclerosis in a female who had received a renal transplant 14 years before her demise at the age of 67. In another five cases, complete papillary necrosis was detected associated with pyelonephritis, hydronephrosis or in completely shrunken kidneys. However, in the absence of capillary sclerosis, a histopathological diagnosis of classic analgesic nephropathy could not be made in any of these five cases. The Basle autopsy prevalence of analgesic nephropathy decreased continuously from some 3% in 1980 to 0.2% in 2000 as shown by the present study. Similarly, capillary sclerosis of the urinary tract, the initiating event in the pathophysiology of papillary necrosis and analgesic nephropathy and the histological hallmark of the effect of toxic metabolites of phenacetin in analgesic abusers decreased from 4% of autopsy cases between 1978 and 1980 to the single case of the present study observed at the end of 2000. Thus, the classic analgesic nephropathy has disappeared some 20 years after the removal of phenacetin from the analgesic market despite the fact that mixed analgesics containing paracetamol, the main metabolite of phenacetin, have continued to be popular and widely used drugs.


Babies detect when the timing is right: Evidence from event-related potentials to a contingent mother-infant conversation.
Social interactions are vital for healthy brain development. Burgeoning behavioural evidence indicates that a caregiver who provides contingently timed vocal responses to infant vocalisations provides key support for early language development. Understanding how contingently timed vocal responses relate to neurodevelopment in early infancy is lacking. This study compares event-related potentials (ERPs) to contingent and non-contingently timed vocalisations in 6- and 9-month-old infants (n = 36), and adults (n = 24). ERPs were recorded from each age group while listening to a naturalistic 21-minute recording of a mother playing and conversing with her baby. At 6-months, infants showed a significant positive ERP response to contingent vocalisations by the mother and infant. At 9-months infants showed negative ERP response to the mother's contingent speech. Adults showed no differences in ERPs between contingent and non-contingent speech regardless of the talker. We interpret the increased positivity in response to contingent speech as suggesting that infants show an attentional response at 6-months, and the increased negativity at 9-months relates to lexical-semantic processing. Further work is necessary to confirm the development of distinct ERPs shown in response to natural speech.


[Application of the Chinese Expert Consensus on Diabetes Classification in clinical practice].
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic for classification of newly diagnosed diabetes patients and assess the application of the screening tests recommended by the 2022 Chinese Expert Consensus on Diabetes Classification. Methods: Retrospective case series study. The data from the electronic medical record system of patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus (within 1 year of disease onset) who attending the Diabetes Specialist Outpatient Clinic at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 were collected for the analysis. Based on the consensus, patients were categorized according their age of onset, body mass index (BMI), and suspicion of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The chi-square statistic was used to compare key classifier indicators, including C-peptide, islet autoantibodies, and genetic markers, in the subgroups. The diagnosis in suspected T1DM patients was also evaluated. The screening strategy recommended in the consensus was further assessed using a logistic regression model and the area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC). Results: A total of 3 384 patients with new-onset diabetes were included. The average age of disease onset was (46.3±13.9) years, and 61.0% (2 065/3 384) of the patients were male. The proportions of patients who completed C-peptide and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA) tests were 36.6% (1 238/3 384) and 37.5% (1 269/3 384), respectively. There were no significant differences in C-peptide test results among the subgroups (all P>0.05). In contrast, the GADA detection rate was higher in patients with young age of onset (<30 years old), in those who were non-obese (BMI<24 kg/m2), and in those clinically suspected of T1DM (all P<0.05). According to the diagnostic pathway proposed by the consensus, only 57.4% (1 941/3 384) of patients could be subtyped. For a definitive diagnosis, the remaining patients needed completion of C-peptide, islet autoantibody, genetic testing, or follow-up. Furthermore, among patients with clinical features of suspected T1DM, the antibody positivity rate was higher than in non-suspected T1DM patients [24.5% (154/628) vs. 7.1% (46/646), P<0.001]. When the clinical features of suspected T1DM defined in the consensus were taken as independent variables and antibody positivity was considered the outcome variable in the logistic regression model, young onset, non-obese onset, and ketosis onset could enter the model. Based on AUC analysis, the accuracy of the diagnostic model was 0.77 (95%CI 0.73-0.81), suggesting that the clinical features of suspected T1DM in the consensus have good clinical diagnostic value for this patient subgroup. Conclusions: There was a significant discrepancy between the clinical practice of diabetes classification and the process recommended by the consensus, which was specifically reflected in the low proportions of both subtyping indicator testing and definitively subtyped diabetes patients. Attention should be pay to the classification diagnosis process proposed in the consensus and the clinical detection rate of key diabetes subtyping indicators such as C-peptide and islet autoantibodies for diabetes classification should be improved. Noteworthy, the screening strategy for T1DM proposed by the consensus showed good clinical application value.


I-CeuI fragment analysis of the Shigella species: evidence for large-scale chromosome rearrangement in S. dysenteriae and S. flexneri.
I-CeuI fragments of four Shigella species were analyzed to investigate their taxonomic distance from Escherichia coli and to collect substantiated evidence of their genetic relatedness because their ribosomal RNA sequences and similarity values of their chromosomal DNA/DNA hybridization had proved their taxonomic identity. I-CeuI digestion of genomic DNAs yielded seven fragments in every species, indicating that all the Shigella species contained seven sets of ribosome RNA operons. To determine the fragment identities, seven genes were selected from each I-CeuI fragment of E. coli strain K-12 and used as hybridization probes. Among the four Shigella species, S. boydii and S. sonnei showed hybridization patterns similar to those observed for E. coli strains; each gene probe hybridized to the I-CeuI fragments with sizes similar to that of the corresponding E. coli fragment. In contrast, S. dysenteriae and S. flexneri showed distinct patterns; rcsF and rbsR genes that located on different I-CeuI fragments in E. coli, fragments D and E, were found to co-locate on a fragment. Further analysis using an additional three genes that located on fragment D in K-12 revealed that some chromosome rearrangements involving the fragments corresponding to fragments D and E of K-12 took place in S. dysenteriae and S. flexneri.


A Comparison of Oleic Acid Metabolism in the Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) Genotypes Williams and A5, a Mutant with Decreased Linoleic Acid in the Seed.
The metabolism of oleoyl coenzyme A (CoA) was examined in developing seed from two soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) genotypes: Williams, a standard cultivar and A5, a mutant containing nearly twice the oleic acid (18:1) content of Williams. The in vitro rates of esterification of oleoyl-CoA to lysophosphatides by acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase was similar in both genotypes and lysophosphatidyl-ethanolamine was a poor substrate. Crude extracts desaturated exogenous [1-(14)C]dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine at 14% of the rate achieved with [1-(14)C]oleoyl-CoA, and 50 micromolar lysophosphatidylcholine. The desaturase enzyme also required NADH for full activity. Extracts from Williams contained 1.5-fold more oleoyl phosphatidylcholine desaturase activity, on a fresh weight basis, than did A5 and appeared to have a similar affinity for oleoyl-CoA. There was 1.2- to 1.9-fold more linoleic acid (18:2) in phosphatidylcholine from Williams than from A5, measured at two stages of development, but both genotypes had a similar distribution of fatty acids in the one and two positions. Phosphatidylethanolamine in A5 contained relatively more linoleic acid (18:2) in the one position than did Williams. The increased oleic acid (18:1) content in A5 appeared to be a result of decreased rates of 18:1 desaturation of oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine in this genotype.


Emerging Research Directions in Adult Congenital Heart Disease: A Report From an NHLBI/ACHA Working Group.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, affecting about 0.8% of live births. Advances in recent decades have allowed >85% of children with CHD to survive to adulthood, creating a growing population of adults with CHD. Little information exists regarding survival, demographics, late outcomes, and comorbidities in this emerging group, and multiple barriers impede research in adult CHD. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Adult Congenital Heart Association convened a multidisciplinary working group to identify high-impact research questions in adult CHD. This report summarizes the meeting discussions in the broad areas of CHD-related heart failure, vascular disease, and multisystem complications. High-priority subtopics identified included heart failure in tetralogy of Fallot, mechanical circulatory support/transplantation, sudden cardiac death, vascular outcomes in coarctation of the aorta, late outcomes in single-ventricle disease, cognitive and psychiatric issues, and pregnancy.


[The influence of laparoscopic cholecystectomy vs laparotomy on the monocyte antigen expression (HLA-DR)].
It is well known that surgery significantly decrenses immune responses. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a so called "mini invasive" surgical presidia, and on the basis of this consideration we have investigated if and how the immune response is modified in patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy compare to patients undergone open cholecystectomy. Immune-activity (neutrophils, total lymfocytes count, lymphocytes subpopulations, HLA-DR) was evaluated in 53 patients one day before surgery and p.o. after 1. 3 and 6 days; 26 patients underwent "open" cholecystectomy and 27 LC. One day after surgery patients with open cholecystectomy showed significant increase (p < = 0.05) of plasma neutrophils, while these parameters were almost unchanged in patients with L.C. Finally monocyte antigen HLA-DR was also reduced in patients with "open" cholecystectomy: in this group we also recorded 2 cases (7.6%) of respiratory tract infection. In conclusion LC, strongly reduces p.o. pain, hospitalization, promotes earlier recovery and return to normal activity, avoiding p.o. immunosuppression, mostly due to conservation of HLA-DR activity, with better p.o. morbidity compare to open surgery.