Nasal administration of recombinant rat IL-4 ameliorates ongoing experimental autoimmune neuritis and inhibits demyelination.
Experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) is a CD4(+)T cell-mediated demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and serves as an experimental model for human immune-demyelinating neuropathies. In this study, we examined the effect of recombinant rat interleukin-4 (rrIL-4) on chronic EAN in Lewis rats induced by immunization with P0 peptide 180-199 and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). We estimated that nasal administration of rrIL-4, in dose ranges of 0.1-1 microg/rat/day in the initial phase of EAN, decreased the severity and the duration of clinical EAN. Hyporesponsiveness of T cells, downregulation of Th1 cell responses (INF-gamma), but increased levels of specific IgG1 isotypes document that nasal administration of rrIL-4 was systemically immune effective. Low grade inflammation and complete lack of regional demyelination within the sciatic nerves were seen in rrIL-4 treated rats. Based on these observations we suggest that nasal administration of IL-4 could be further evaluated, considering its possible use in human immune-demyelinating neuropathies.


Why are infertile patients not using psychosocial counselling?
The purpose of this study was to examine the sources of support that infertile patients relied on when distressed, and the factors that prevented them from using psychosocial counselling. The sample consisted of 143 infertile patients (49 couples plus 45 additional women) who were in their mid-thirties and had been infertile for approximately 6 years. Before their clinic appointment, participants completed (anonymously) a short questionnaire concerning various sources of support and factors related to the uptake of counselling. The results showed that patients relied primarily on their spouse and family when distressed, rather than on formal support resources such as psychosocial counselling. The principal reason preventing patients from using counselling varied as a function of current distress level. Less distressed patients reported that the coping resources available to them were sufficient to cope with the strains of infertility, while the more distressed patients failed to initiate contact with a counsellor because of practical concerns such as knowing who to contact and/or the cost of counselling. The findings of this study indicate that alternative ways of intervening with infertile patients would need to be developed, as few use the type of psychosocial services most frequently offered.


[Secondary nephrotic syndrome induced by infection].
Infections can be the causative agent in secondary nephrotic syndrome and diagnostic criteria include clinical and laboratory data and tissue molecular analysis. As for bacterial infections, some of patients with poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-related glomerulonephritis present nephrotic syndrome. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a well known cause of membranous glomerulonephritis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Hepatitis C virus (HCV), besides cryoglobulinemia-mediated glomerulonephritis, is reported to cause other forms of glomerulonephritis. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is closely related to a collapsing focal segmental glomerulonephritis. Some of patients with these viral infections present nephrotic syndrome. There were a few reports on secondary nephrotic syndrome induced by cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and parvovirus B19.


Formulation, Characterization and Evaluation against SH-SY5Y Cells of New Tacrine and Tacrine-MAP Loaded with Lipid Nanoparticles.
Tacrine (TAC) was the first FDA approved drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, resulting in increased memory and enhanced cognitive symptoms in patients. However, long-term therapy presents poor patient compliance associated with undesired side effects such as nausea, vomiting and hepatoxicity. To improve its therapeutic efficacy and decrease toxicity, the use of nanoparticles could be applied as a possible solution to delivery TAC. In this context, a project has been designed to develop a new nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) as a delivery system for TAC and conjugate TAC and model amphipathic peptide (MAP) to decrease TAC limitations. Different formulations loaded with TAC and TAC + MAP were prepared using a combination of Compritol 888 ATO as the solid lipid and Transcutol HP as the liquid lipid component. Physical characterization was evaluated in terms of particle size, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency and in vitro drug release studies. Particle size distributions within the nanometer range were obtained with encapsulation efficiencies of 72.4% for the TAC and 85.6% for the TAC + MAP conjugate. Furthermore, cytotoxicity of all NLC formulations was determined against neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. The optimized TAC delivery system revealed low toxicity suggesting this could be a potential carrier system to deliver TAC. However, TAC + MAP conjugated even encapsulated in the NLC system demonstrated toxicity against the SH-SY5Y cell line.


Interference effects in the resonant photoemission channels to the Ne+ 2p(4)(1D2)3p 2P, 2D, and 2F states in the Ne 1s excitation region.
We present measurements of total and partial photoionization cross sections of Ne in the 1s excitation region. The total cross section exhibits resonances with symmetric profiles, whereas the branching ratios to the Ne+ 2p(4)(1D2)3p 2P, 2D, and 2F states present strong oscillations in the interresonance regions. We prove that not only the interference between the direct and resonant ionization processes but also the interference among the ionization processes via different nonisolated resonances are important for this effect.


Tissue engineering and stem cells: basic principles and applications in urology.
To overcome problems of damaged urinary tract tissues and complications of current procedures, tissue engineering (TE) techniques and stem cell (SC) research have achieved great progress. Although diversity of techniques is used, urologists should know the basics. We carried out a literature review regarding the basic principles and applications of TE and SC technologies in the genitourinary tract. We carried out MEDLINE/PubMed searches for English articles until March 2010 using a combination of the following keywords: bladder, erectile dysfunction, kidney, prostate, Peyronie's disease, stem cells, stress urinary incontinence, testis, tissue engineering, ureter, urethra and urinary tract. Retrieved abstracts were checked, and full versions of relevant articles were obtained. Scientists have achieved great advances in basic science research. This is obvious by the tremendous increase in the number of publications. We divided this review in two topics; the first discusses basic science principles of TE and SC, whereas the second part delineates current clinical applications and advances in urological literature. TE and SC applications represent an alternative resource for treating complicated urological diseases. Despite the paucity of clinical trials, the promising results of animal models and continuous work represents the hope of treating various urological disorders with this technology.


Endogenous CD317/Tetherin limits replication of HIV-1 and murine leukemia virus in rodent cells and is resistant to antagonists from primate viruses.
Human CD317 (BST-2/tetherin) is an intrinsic immunity factor that blocks the release of retroviruses, filoviruses, herpesviruses, and arenaviruses. It is unclear whether CD317 expressed endogenously in rodent cells has the capacity to interfere with the replication of the retroviral rodent pathogen murine leukemia virus (MLV) or, in the context of small-animal model development, contributes to the well-established late-phase restriction of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Here, we show that small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of CD317 relieved a virion release restriction and markedly enhanced the egress of HIV-1, HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) in rat cells, including primary macrophages. Moreover, rodent CD317 potently inhibited MLV release, and siRNA-mediated depletion of CD317 in a mouse T-cell line resulted in the accelerated spread of MLV. Several virus-encoded antagonists have recently been reported to overcome the restriction imposed by human or monkey CD317, including HIV-1 Vpu, envelope glycoproteins of HIV-2 and Ebola virus, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus K5, and SIV Nef. In contrast, both rat and mouse CD317 showed a high degree of resistance to these viral antagonists. These data suggest that CD317 is a broadly acting and conserved mediator of innate control of retroviral infection and pathogenesis that restricts the release of retroviruses and lentiviruses in rodents. The high degree of resistance of the rodent CD317 restriction factors to antagonists from primate viruses has implications for HIV-1 small-animal model development and may guide the design of novel antiviral interventions.


The person reference process in spontaneous trait inferences.
Five studies examined whether spontaneous trait inferences uniquely reference the person who performed a trait-implying behavior. On each study trial in 5 studies, participants saw 2 faces and a behavioral sentence referring to one of them. Later, participants saw face-trait pairs and indicated whether they had seen the trait word in the sentence presented with the face. Participants falsely recognized implied traits more when these traits were paired with actors' faces than with control faces. This effect was replicated for a large set effaces (120), after a week delay between study and recognition test, when equal attention was paid to each face, and when the orientation of the face at recognition was different from the orientation at encoding.


Gender differences in atherosclerosis: possible role of nitric oxide.
The mechanism by which women in the reproductive age group are protected from developing coronary heart disease (CHD) as compared with men of similar age is not known. To elucidate whether there is a gender difference in the rate of atherosclerosis formation, we investigated the rate of development of atherosclerosis in both male and female rabbits fed an identical diet consisting of 2% cholesterol for 10 and 15 weeks. The extent of atherosclerosis was correlated with the amount of basal and stimulated release of nitric oxide (NO) from endothelium-intact aortic rings obtained from these animals. Under identical dietary conditions, the female rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet (HCD) for 10 weeks developed very little atherosclerosis (10% surface involvement) as compared with male rabbits (42% surface involvement). However, no significant gender differences in atherosclerosis were observed after 15 weeks of the HCD. The serum cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein (HDL and LDL) cholesterol were similar in animals fed the HCD for 10 and 15 weeks. The basal release of NO from endothelium-intact aortic rings was significantly greater in control females as compared with males. The magnitude of endothelium-dependent relaxation of aortic rings obtained from both male and female rabbits fed the HCD were impaired to a similar extent, and this impairment correlated with the duration of hyperlipidemia but not with the extent of atherosclerosis. The arginine content of aortic rings were not different between males (257 +/- 52 nmol/g wet weight) and females (345 +/- 62 nmol/g wet weight) or between control and hyperlipidemic groups (males 312 +/- 69; females 301 +/- 65 nmol/g wet weight). Although the precise mechanism for the slower rate of development of atherosclerosis in the female rabbits as compared with males is not clear, the greater basal release of NO in females before they were fed a hyperlipidemic diet, as well as other factors, may be involved. The impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation in hyperlipidemic animals is not due to a decrease in the availability of arginine, the substrate for NO.


Influence of Maternal Age and Gestational Age on Breast Milk Antioxidants During the First Month of Lactation.
Breast milk (BM) is beneficial due to its content in a wide range of different antioxidants, particularly relevant for preterm infants, who are at higher risk of oxidative stress. We hypothesize that BM antioxidants are adapted to gestational age and are negatively influenced by maternal age. Fifty breastfeeding women from two hospitals (Madrid, Spain) provided BM samples at days 7, 14 and 28 of lactation to assess total antioxidant capacity (ABTS), thiol groups, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities, lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA + 4-Hydroxy-Trans-2-Nonenal, HNE), protein oxidation (carbonyl groups) (spectrophotometry) and melatonin (ELISA). Mixed random-effects linear regression models were used to study the influence of maternal and gestational ages on BM antioxidants, adjusted by days of lactation. Regression models evidenced a negative association between maternal age and BM melatonin levels (β = -7.4 ± 2.5; p-value = 0.005); and a negative association between gestational age and BM total antioxidant capacity (β = -0.008 ± 0.003; p-value = 0.006), SOD activity (β = -0.002 ± 0.001; p-value = 0.043) and protein oxidation (β = -0.22 ± 0.07; p-value = 0.001). In conclusion, BM antioxidants are adapted to gestational age providing higher levels to infants with lower degree of maturation; maternal ageing has a negative influence on melatonin, a key antioxidant hormone.


[A new system for aerating airtight protective clothing such as gloves, boots and suits].
Airtight protective clothing covering the skin of the human body, such as for example rubber gloves or rubber shoes, lead to heat accumulation and through transpiration to changes of the skin. Cutaneous diseases are encouraged by this. The herein presented aeration system functioning through air channels supplied by exterior lines, is improving the unhealthy skin conditions and is making it more agreeable to wear protective clothing.


Simultaneous coronary artery disease and achalasia surgery: A novel approach.
A 69-year-old female patient presented to cardiac surgery department with unstable angina due to severe coronary artery disease. Coronary artery bypass grafting was indicated; however, the patient's symptoms of achalasia, previously treated by the pneumatic dilatation, exacerbated. Subsequently, the patient underwent simultaneous surgery. After sternotomy, on cardiopulmonary bypass, esophagus was exposed and Heller myotomy was performed. Following cardioplegia, coronary artery bypass grafting was completed. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative Day 9. In conclusion, this novel surgical technique can be effectively used in such cases.


An "ingredients" approach to functional self-synthesizing materials: a metal-ion-selective, multi-responsive, self-assembled hydrogel.
New methodology for making novel materials is highly desirable. Here, an "ingredients" approach to functional self-assembled hydrogels was developed. By designing a building block to contain the right ingredients, a multi-responsive, self-assembled hydrogel was obtained through a process of template-induced self-synthesis in a dynamic combinatorial library. The system can be switched between gel and solution by light, redox reactions, pH, temperature, mechanical energy and sequestration or addition of Mg(II) salt.


Utilization of Selenocysteine by a Cysteinyl-tRNA Synthetase from Phaseolus aureus.
An l-cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (EC 126.96.36.199) from Phaseolus aureus has been purified approximately 200-fold. The enzyme uses selenocysteine as substrate in the ATP-PPi exchange assay; other cysteine analogs were inactive. The molecular weight as determined by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography is about 61,000; sodium dodecyl sulfate and 8 m urea acrylamide gel electrophoresis indicate that the enzyme is a dimer consisting of two identical monomers of molecular weight 30,000. A method for the preparation of selenocysteine from selenocystine is described.


Evaluation of modified techniques for immobilization of wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta).
Wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) can be anesthetized with Telazol via blow dart, but improved techniques are needed so that each lemur is reliably induced with a single dart. Medetomidine-butorphanol (MB) is a good supplemental protocol to be administered once the lemurs are captured, but other protocols may provide longer periods of sedation and immobility. One possible way of increasing the efficacy of each dart is to increase the time it is retained in the leg. In this investigation, a "double-sleeve" technique was used to try to increase the time of dart retention. This technique used a standard silicone sleeve on the needle, along with a second sleeve at the needle hub. Induction values were compared between lemurs darted with double-sleeve needles and those induced with needles that each had a single silicone sleeve. Once the lemurs were induced, supplementation with MB (0.04 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg) was compared with supplementation with ketamine-medetomidine (KM) (10 mg/ kg and 0.04 mg/kg). Twenty-three lemurs were darted with Telazol by using single-sleeve needles, and 24 were darted with double-sleeve needles. The number of darts per lemur and number of escapes were not different between animals darted with a single sleeve compared with a double-sleeve; thus, there were no significant improvements in induction success with the double-sleeve technique. Adequate sedation and muscle relaxation were achieved with both MB and KM; however, lemurs that received MB were more relaxed and needed fewer additional supplements that those that received KM. Single-sleeve dart needles are recommended for Telazol induction of ring-tailed lemurs via blow dart and MB is preferable to KM for supplemental sedation and muscle relaxation.


High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of glyphosate and (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid in human serum after conversion into p-toluenesulphonyl derivatives.
We have developed a simple, highly sensitive and fast assay method for determining glyphosate and its major metabolite, (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMPA), in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Both compounds were successfully extracted with an anion-exchange resin column and allowed to react with p-toluenesulphonyl chloride. The detection limits were 0.3 microgram/ml for glyphosate and 0.2 microgram/ml for AMPA. Recoveries of glyphosate and AMPA spiked to serum were ca. 75% and ca. 88%, respectively. We are convinced that this procedure, in practice, allows medical examiners to analyse both compounds in the serum of poisoned patients within a short time.


Effects of Erdosteine on Experimental Acute Pancreatitis Model.
To create acute pancreatitis condition experimentally in rats using cerulein, and to reveal histopathological effects in pancreatic tissue with erdosteine. An experimental study. Department of General Surgery, Duzce University, Turkey, from June to October 2014. Thirty male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups. No procedures were applied to Group 1. The rats in Group 2 and Group 3 were injected cerulein, to establish an experimental pancreatitis model and the blood amylase and lipase values were examined. The rats in Group 3 were given 10 mg/kg erdosteine. This treatment was continued for another 2 days and the rats were sacrificed. The pancreatic tissues were examined histopathologically for edema, inflammation, acinar necrosis, fat necrosis, and vacuolization. The lipase and amylase values and the histopathological examination of pancreatic tissues evidenced that the experimental acute pancreatitis model was established and edema, inflammation, acinar necrosis, fat necrosis, and vacuolization were observed in the pancreatic tissues. The statistical results suggest that erdosteine can decrease the edema, inflammation, acinar necrosis, fat necrosis and vacuolization scores in the tissues. The severity of acute pancreatitis, induced by cerulein in rats, is reduced with the use of erdosteine.


[Validation Study on an Improved Quantitative Method for Aflatoxins in Foods].
As an analytical method for aflatoxins in foods, the analytical method based on the notification by the director of the Food Safety Department, Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (August 16, 2011) has been established. In order to improve the operability and analytical performance of the conventional method, this study aimed to construct an improved method that optimized selection of immunoaffinity column (IAC) and purifying condition, and omitted evaporation after the purification with IAC. In the recovery test performed by adding 2.5 ng/g of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 standard solutions into 9 kinds of food samples, the improved method achieved the established target values: 77.0-99.7% of recovery, 1.7-5.6% of intra-assay coefficient of validation, and 0.9-3.6% of inter-assay of coefficient of variation, respectively. The improved method also achieved 4.3-10.5% greater recovery and 1.5 hours shorter preparation time than the conventional one. These results indicate applicability of the improved method for 9 kinds of foods and its efficacy as an analytical method for aflatoxins in foods.


Process data: a means to measure operational performance and implement advanced analytical models.
We present the case of an ambulatory clinic in which an operational review was conducted to identify opportunities for efficiency in appointment scheduling and capacity allocation. We required process data to compare that which was planned to that which actually happened and to develop advanced analytical models. Similar to other health care studies, these data proved to be limited or non-existent. Consequently we had to conduct a time-consuming collection of operational metrics. We make recommendations for the perpetual collection of process data for modeling and simulation.


Sesamin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through p38/C-Jun N-terminal kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in human colorectal cancer cells.
Sesamin, a lignan compound, exhibits a variety of biological activities and possesses potent anticancer properties on some human cancers. However, its effect on human colorectal cancer (CRC) remains to be elucidated. To investigate the effects of sesamin on CRC cells and further to explore the mechanisms, cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis assays were performed in this study. We found that sesamin had a selective antiproliferation of CRC cell line HCT116 in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but no obvious effect on human normal colorectal mucosa epithelial cell FHC. Further study showed that sesamin-induced cell cycle arrest and decreased the expression of Cyclin D1 significantly and dose-dependently in HCT116 cells. Moreover, sesamin dose-dependently triggered apoptosis of HCT116 but not FHC, and promoted the expression levels of proapoptotic biomarkers Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP-1 and inhibited the expression of antiapoptotic biomarker Bcl-2. Western blot analysis was used to reveal the possible signaling pathways, and we found that sesamin upregulated the phosphorylation expression levels of C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 except ERK1/2 in a dose-dependent way in both HCT116 and another CRC cell line SW480. Moreover, we found that the apoptosis effect induced by sesamin was partially eliminated by inhibiting JNK or p38 activation. Finally, we showed that sesamin effectively reduced the growth of xenograft tumors derived from cell lines with limited toxicity. Taken together, the potential ability of sesamin to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis was shown to be via the p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways, which may be one of the mechanisms of the anticancer activity of this low-toxic agent.


In vitro antiviral activity of a peptide-nucleic acid solution against the human immunodeficiency virus and influenza A virus.
A peptide-nucleic acid solution which had previously been reported to show in vivo efficacy in several viral infections (i.e. influenza, hepatitis, mumps, encephalitis, etc) was tested in three independent laboratories, including the US National Institutes of Health by specific in vitro methods for HIV and Influenza A. The results of these studies demonstrated significant anti-viral activity of the peptide-nucleic acid solution against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Influenza A virus.


Migration between Canada and the United States, 1970-85: some new estimates.
The author applies the revised UN definition of what constitutes an emigrant to migration data on moves between Canada and the United States over the period 1970-1985. "The effect of changing to the UN definition is dramatic, and differences between old and new estimates are not systematic.... If these findings stand up when all migrants are included, using the UN definition, then the much larger flows suggest that the effects on the composition and characteristics of the nonmigrant population of Canada warrant investigation."


Differential effects of transferrin receptor blockade on the cellular mechanisms involved in graft rejection.
Since transferrin receptor (TfR) appears on activated T cells following the interaction of the antigen-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) with the T cell receptor (TCR) and the appearance of interleukin (IL)-2R, we therefore hypothesize that in vivo blockade of TfR prolongs allograft survival by altering the cellular mechanisms involved in graft rejection. Previous results in our laboratory have demonstrated that anti-TfR monoclonal antibody (mAb) at 100 microg on days 0 and 1 of transplantation significantly prolonged allograft survival to 25.7 +/- 0.9 days in a murine heterotopic, nonvascularized cardiac allograft model. In the current studies, administration of anti-TfR mAb at the time of maximal TfR expression, on days 2 and 3 post-transplantation, failed to prolong allograft survival (13.0 +/- 0.0 days) compared to the isotype controls (10.5 +/- 0.5 and 10.7 +/- 0.4 days) (p < 0.01, Wilcoxon rank sum). A 4-day course of anti-TfR mAb significantly prolonged allograft survival compared to the isotype controls, but was no more effective than a 2-day course of the mAb. Anti-TfR mAb suppressed the mixed lymphocyte response to donor-specific and third-party alloantigen by 78.7% (p < 0.05) and 80.8% (p < 0.05), respectively, while stimulating the CTL response to donor-specific (16.3%, p < 0.05) and third party (49.3%, p < 0.01) alloantigen. Anti-TfR mAb suppressed IL-15 and increased IL-4 intragraft mRNA expression when compared to the isotype controls. Examination of cell surface receptors important during T cell activation revealed alterations in expression following anti-TfR mAb treatment. Anti-TfR mAb is an effective immunosuppressant prolonging allograft survival by altering cell-mediated immune responses and the intragraft cytokine micro-environment.


[The study of molar furcation involvements in adult periodontitis. II. Age, sex, location and prevalence].
The purposes of the study were as follows: (1) to evaluate the molar furcation involvement and number of molar correlated with age and sex; and (2) to study the relationship between the means of alveolar bone loss and associated factors of molar furcation involvements (FIs). 1102 molars (703 males and 399 females) were measured in 219 individuals (136 males and 83 females) for the alveolar bone loss and associated factors of molar furcation involvements. Based on the results, we conclude the following: (1) the higher prevalence of FI was in the mandibular first molar (94.6%), whereas the lowest prevalence of FI was in maxillary second molar; (2) except for the mandibular first molar, the prevalence of molar FI markedly increased with an increased age group (16 & 26, r = 0.335, p < 0.01; 17 & 27, r = 0.345, p < 0.01; 37 & 47, r = 0.239, p < 0.01); (3) the prevalence of molar FI was significantly higher in males than in females (p < 0.05); (4) the mean number of molar FI was significant greater in males (mean = 3.45) than in females (mean = 2.69); (5) factors such as age (r = 0.222, p < 0.01), sex, (r = 0.145, p < 0.05), number of remaining teeth (r = -0.330, p < 0.01) and molar FI (r = 0.471, p < 0.01) are strongly associated with the mean alveolar bone loss of molars.


Generation of mice with a conditional null allele for Tbx2.
The T-box transcription factor Tbx2 plays important roles in patterning and development, and has been implicated in cell-cycle regulation and cancer. Conventional disruption of Tbx2 results in abnormalities of the heart, limbs, eye and other structures, and early fetal lethality. To gain insight into the role of Tbx2 in different tissues and at different stages of development, we have generated a conditional null allele of Tbx2 by flanking Exon 2 with loxP sites (Tbx2(fl2)). Homozygous Tbx2(fl2) mice are viable and fertile, indicating that the Tbx2(fl2) allele is a fully functional Tbx2 allele. Cre-mediated recombination, using a ubiquitously active CMV-Cre line, results in deletion of Exon 2 and loss of protein expression. Embryos homozygous for the recombined allele (Tbx2(Delta2)) show the same heart and limb defects as conventional Tbx2-deficient embryos. This Tbx2 conditional null allele will be a valuable tool to uncover tissue-specific roles of Tbx2 in development and disease.


Evaluation of a Web-Based Dietary Assessment Tool (myfood24) in Norwegian Women and Men Aged 60-74 Years: Usability Study.
A healthy diet throughout the life course improves health and reduces the risk of disease. There is a need for new knowledge of the relation between diet and health, but existing methods to collect information on food and nutrient intake have their limitations. Evaluations of new tools to assess dietary intake are needed, especially in old people, where the introduction of new technology might impose challenges. We aimed to examine the usability of a new web-based dietary assessment tool in older adult women and men. A total of 60 women and men (participation 83%, 57% women) aged 60-74 years recruited by convenience and snowball sampling completed a 24-hour web-based dietary recall using the newly developed Norwegian version of Measure Your Food On One Day (myfood24). Total energy and nutrient intakes were calculated in myfood24, primarily on the basis of the Norwegian Food Composition Table. No guidance or support was provided to complete the recall. Usability was assessed using the system usability scale (SUS), where an SUS score of ≥68 was considered satisfactory. We examined the responses to single SUS items and the mean (SD) SUS score in groups stratified by sex, age, educational level, and device used to complete the recall (smartphone, tablet device, or computer). The mean total energy intake was 5815 (SD 3093) kJ. A total of 14% of participants had an energy intake of <2100 kJ (ie, 500 kilocalories) and none had an intake of >16,800 kJ (ie, 4000 kilocalories). Mean energy proportions from carbohydrates, fat, protein, alcohol, and fiber was within the national recommendations. The mean SUS score was 55.5 (SD 18.6), and 27% of participants had SUS scores above the satisfactory product cut-off. Higher SUS scores were associated with younger age and lower education, but not with the type of device used. We found the overall usability of a new web-based dietary assessment tool to be less than satisfactory in accordance with standard usability criteria in a sample of 60-74-year-old Norwegians. The observed total energy intakes suggest that several of the participants underreported their intake during the completion of the dietary recall. Implementing web-based dietary assessment tools in older adults is feasible, but guidance and support might be needed to ensure valid completion.


Adjunctive olanzapine for SSRI-resistant combat-related PTSD: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly in combat veterans with chronic illness, is often refractory to standard pharmacological interventions. There is a need to test adjunctive treatments to boost response. Subjects were 19 patients with PTSD who were minimally responsive to 12 weeks of treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) at maximum tolerated dose. Outcomes were compared among subjects whose treatment was augmented with 8 weeks of double-blind olanzapine or placebo administration. Olanzapine augmentation was associated with statistically significantly greater reduction than placebo in specific measures of posttraumatic stress, depressive, and sleep disorder symptoms. Clinician-rated global response rates did not, however, significantly differ between groups. This is most likely the first double-blind, placebo-controlled study of an adjunct to SSRIs for PTSD. Despite the small group size, the findings suggest a role for olanzapine or other atypical antipsychotics in treating SSRI-resistant PTSD. Sleep symptoms may especially benefit.


Keeping your balance: freedom and regulation in female university students' drinking practices.
Binge drinking is a focus for concerns about young women's alcohol consumption at university. Twenty females, all regular binge drinkers, were interviewed individually and in focus groups to explore alcohol beliefs and exposure to harm. Four themes were identified in a thematic analysis. Alcohol use was associated with freedom but regulated by group norms. Drinking to excess was stigmatized as an abuse of freedom, yet the threshold for excess was very high. The drug effects of alcohol were enjoyed, with drinking harms managed through trivialization. As part of a problem of imbalance, peer groups must be part of the solution.


Bilateral Diffuse Uveal Melanocytic Proliferation in a Woman with Metastatic Scalp Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated with Cemiplimab.
Bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation (BDUMP) is a rare paraneoplastic intraocular syndrome that causes progressive visual loss in patients driven by an IgG factor associated with an underlying malignancy. The IgG factor - cultured melanocyte elongation and proliferation - was found in the IgG fraction of the serum of BDUMP patients. It has been shown to be involved in melanocytic proliferation. In this case report, we describe the first case of BDUMP related to metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) of the scalp. A 61-year-old woman complained of decreased vision in both of her eyes, while being treated with cemiplimab (an anti-PD-1 therapy) for metastatic cSCC. Fundus examination showed hypopigmented lesions in a leopard pattern and pigmentary clumps in both eyes. Further imaging confirmed the diagnosis of BDUMP. The patient was successfully treated with plasmapheresis. During follow-up, cataract progressed in both eyes, and she underwent cataract surgery with visual acuity improvement to 20/20. BDUMP is a challenging diagnosis especially in patients treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy as it can be confused with drug-related effects. It is crucial to distinguish between the cases in order to allow the appropriate treatment which includes continuation of systemic anti-PD-1 for the underlying malignancy and plasmapheresis therapy for BDUMP.


A Neuro-Integrative Assessment of Perceptual-Motor Performance and Wellness in ROTC Cadets.
Resting heart rate variability (HRV) may be a useful index of both brain-based executive function and general health. Our purpose in this study was to quantify relationships among HRV, perceptual-motor performance metrics, and wellness survey responses. A cohort of 32 male Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) cadets completed a dual-task upper extremity reaction time (UERT) test, two tests of whole-body reactive agility, and a 10-item wellness survey that produced a 0-100 Overall Wellness Index (OWI). We averaged participants' resting HRV measurements twice per week over 10 weeks to derive an intra-individual grand mean (HRV-IIGM) and over a series of days we calculated an intra-individual coefficient of variation (HRV-IICV). We used median values for the two HRV metrics (HRV-IIGM and HRV-IICV) to separate the cadets into equal-sized high and low HRV groups to form the dependent variable for logistic regression analyses. We found a significant inverse relationship between HRV-IIGM and HRV-IICV (r = -0.723, p < .001). Differences in UERT in the left versus right visual hemifields (L-R Diff) and OWI scores were strongly related to both HRV-IIGM ≤ 4.49 and HRV-IICV ≥ 6.95%. Logistic regression models that included L-R Diff and OWI showed 71% classification accuracy for HRV-IIGM (Model χ2 [2] = 12.47, p = .002, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.430) and 81% classification accuracy for HRV-IICV (Model χ2 [2] = 14.88, p = .001, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.496). These findings suggest that resting HRV, perceptual-motor efficiency, and overall wellness are highly interrelated, supporting a multi-factor biopsychosocial assessment to guide the design and implementation of interventions to maximize operational effectiveness for ROTC cadets and other military personnel.


Serum response factor induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition with resistance to sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma.
The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial process in tumor progression. EMT of tumor cells not only causes increased metastasis, but also contributes to drug resistance. Serum response factor (SRF) is a transcription factor that plays a central role in carcinogenesis and tumor progression in several types of cancers. We investigated the effect of EMT-related SRF, focusing on its promotion of chemoresistance against sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We examined SRF and Snail expression in 146 cases of HCCs by immunohistochemistry. We also examined the chemoresistance effect of SRF in HCC cells by transfecting HLE cells with SRF cDNA and SH-J1 cells with SRF antisense cDNA. Expression of SRF and Snail were detected in 37.6% (55 of 146 cases) and in 12.3% (18 of 146 cases) of the HCCs, respectively. None of the tumor-free liver tissues showed SRF or Snail expression. SRF expression was closely correlated with the expression of Snail (p<0.001) and expression of both SRF and Snail showed significant correlation with the high histological grade (p=0.015 and 0.003, respectively). Overexpression of SRF in HLE cells led to increased expression of mesenchymal markers, as well as increased cell growth and colony formation. Overexpression of SRF also led to a significant reduction in the cytotoxic effect of sorafenib in HLE cells. Conversely, inhibition of SRF expression in the SH-J1 cells significantly enhanced the apoptotic effects of sorafenib, along with the reduced expression of mesenchymal markers and restored the expression of E-cadherin. These results suggest that SRF is critical for HCC to acquire a mesenchymal phenotype, which leads to resistance against a sorafenib-mediated apoptotic effect.


Temporal and parental-specific expression of imprinted genes in a newly derived Chinese human embryonic stem cell line and embryoid bodies.
Although the study of imprinted genes in human development is very important, little is known about their expression and regulation in the early differentiation of human tissues due to lack of an appropriate model. In this study, a Chinese human embryonic stem (hES) cell line, SHhES1, was derived and fully characterized. Expression profiles of human imprinted genes were determined by Affymetrix Oligo micro-array in undifferentiated SHhES1 cells and SHhES1-derived embryoid bodies (EBs) at day 3, 8, 13 and 18. Thirty-two known human imprinted genes were detected in undifferentiated ES cells. Significantly, differential expression was found in nine genes at different stages of EB formation. Expression profile changes were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in SHhES1 cells as well as in another independently derived hES cell line, HUES-7. In addition, the monoallelic expressions of four imprinted genes were examined in three different passages of undifferentiated ES cells and EBs of both hES cell lines. The monoallelic expressions of imprinted genes, H19, PEG10, NDNL1 and KCNQ1 were maintained in both undifferentiated hES cells and derived EBs. More importantly, with the availability of maternal peripheral blood lymphocyte sample, we demonstrated that the maternal expression of KCNQ1 and the paternal expression of NDNL1 and PEG10 were maintained in SHhES1 cells. These data provide the first demonstration that the parental-specific expression of imprinted genes is stable in EBs after extensive differentiation, also indicating that in vitro fertilization protocol does not disrupt the parental monoallelic expression of the imprinted genes examined.


FTIR spectroscopy study of CO adsorption on Pt-Na-mordenite.
Different carbonyls are formed after CO adsorption at ambient temperature on a Pt-Na-mordenite (Pt-Na-MOR) sample. Pt(3+)(CO)(2) dicarbonyls (nu(s) at 2205 cm(-1) and nu(as) at 2167 cm(-1)) are decomposed without formation of monocarbonyls. The respective mixed-ligand species, Pt(3+)((12)CO)((13)CO), formed after (12)CO-(13)CO coadsorption, display bands at 2192 and 2131 cm(-1), in excellent agreement with the theoretically calculated values. Pt(2+)-CO species absorb at 2145 cm(-1) and are not able to accept a second CO molecule. Pt(+)-CO carbonyls are characterized by a band at 2111 cm(-1). Under CO equilibrium pressure, these species are converted into dicarbonyls (nu(s) at 2135 cm(-1) and nu(as) at 2101 cm(-1)). The respective mixed-ligand species, Pt(+)((12)CO)((13)CO), manifest bands at 2123 and 2069 cm(-1), in good agreement again with the theory. Different carbonyls of metallic platinum are observed below 2100 cm(-)(1). In addition, weakly adsorbed CO was registered as Na(+)-CO complexes (2177 and 2165 cm(-1)) and Na(+)-OC-Na(+) species (2138 cm(-1)). It was found that during desorption of CO platinum was reduced, ultimately to metal. However, heating in a NO + O(2) mixture leads to reoxidation of the metal particles and restoration of the initial state of the sample.


[Guidelines for the follow-up of pediatric patients with chronic liver disease].
The natural history of chronic liver disease (CLD) is characterized by a phase of asymptomatic compensated cirrhosis followed by a decompensated phase, accompanied by the development of evident clinical signs, the most frequent being ascites, hemorrhages, encephalopathy and jaundice. This updated guideline on the management of pediatric patients with CLD was developed with the purpose of improving the clinical practice of these complex patients and to provide the pediatrician with tools for an adequate follow-up. To this end, a group of experts, after stressing the importance of early initiation of etiologic treatment in any degree of liver disease, expanded their work to include a hierarchy of complications of cirrhosis: ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding, infections, malnutrition, endocrinological, neurological, ophthalmological, gastrointestinal, pulmonary vascular and renal complications. Psychosocial aspects including the care of the adolescent in their transition to adult life were also included.


Effect of a new class of compounds of the group of substituted 5R1, 6H2-1,3,4-thiadiazine-2-amines on the inflammatory and cytokine response in experimental myocardial infarction.
This study investigated the effects of the L-17 compound of the group of substituted 5R1, 6H2- 1,3,4-thiadiazine-2-amines on the immune response and the plasma level of circulating cytokines in acute myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. The study was based upon experimental work which demonstrated the role of local and systemic inflammatory reactions in MI. Acute MI in rats was induced by left coronary artery coagulation. Histological study of the myocardium sections has been carried out at the 1(th) and 7(th) days of the experimental myocardial infarction. Serum activity of creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), isoenzymes 1 and 2 and lactate dehydroge nase (LDH1-2) were investigated at days 1(st)and 7(th). ELISA analysis for plasma cytokine levels was performed using commercially available test kits following the manufacturer's instructions. Biochemical analysis in animals with the administration of the L-17 compound after MI showed that the AST and CPK levels at days 5 and 7 of experiments did not differ significantly from the values of intact animals. In animals of the group with MI without the administration of the L-17 compound, the IL-1 level 8 times and the TNF level 7.8 times exceeded the normal indicators, while the use of L-17 compound in the therapy resulted in only 1.8 times increase of IL-1 level and 4.7 times increase of TNF level in comparison with the norm. Thus, the introduction of L-17 compound in case of experimental MI delays exudative/alternative phase of inflammation, accelerates granulocytic and decreased the inflammation and anti-inflammation interleukins level.


The in vitro estrogenic activities of polyfluorinated iodine alkanes.
Polyfluorinated iodine alkanes (PFIs) are important intermediates in the synthesis of organic fluoride products. Recently, PFIs have been detected in fluoropolymers as residual raw materials, as well as in the ambient environment. High production volumes and potential environmental releases of PFIs might become a concern, but the exposure risk and toxicity of these chemicals are still unclear. In this study, we investigated the potential estrogenic effects of PFIs. We studied the estrogenic effects of fluorinated iodine alkanes (FIAs), fluorinated telomer iodides (FTIs), and fluorinated diiodine alkanes (FDIAs) using the E-screen and MVLN assays and the evaluation of estrogen-responsive genes in MCF-7 cells. FIAs have an iodine atom at one end of the perfluorinated carbon chain. 1-Iodoperfluorohexane (PFHxI) and 1-iodoperfluorooctane (PFOI) promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, induced luciferase activity in MVLN cells, and up-regulated the expression of TFF1 and EGR3. In these assays, other FIAs gave negative responses. FDIAs have an iodine atom at each end of the perfluorinated carbon chain, and all the FDIAs showed estrogenic effects. The estrogenic potencies of FIAs and FDIAs correlate well with the carbon chain length of the chemicals. The optimum chain length for estrogenic effects is six carbons, and then eight and four carbons. All FTIs have a single iodine atom at the end of a partially fluorinated carbon chain. None of the FTIs showed estrogenic effects in the tests. The estrogenic effects of PFIs are dependent on the structural features of iodine substitution and chain length. This research will be helpful in further understanding the estrogenic effects of perfluorinated compounds.


Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of NAP Isosteres: A Switch from Peripheral to Central Nervous System Acting Mu-Opioid Receptor Antagonists.
The μ opioid receptor (MOR) has been an intrinsic target to develop treatment of opioid use disorders (OUD). Herein, we report our efforts on developing centrally acting MOR antagonists by structural modifications of 17-cyclopropylmethyl-3,14-dihydroxy-4,5α-epoxy-6β-[(4'-pyridyl) carboxamido] morphinan (NAP), a peripherally acting MOR-selective antagonist. An isosteric replacement concept was applied and incorporated with physiochemical property predictions in the molecular design. Three analogs, namely, 25, 26, and 31, were identified as potent MOR antagonists in vivo with significantly fewer withdrawal symptoms than naloxone observed at similar doses. Furthermore, brain and plasma drug distribution studies supported the outcomes of our design strategy on these compounds. Taken together, our isosteric replacement of pyridine with pyrrole, furan, and thiophene provided insights into the structure-activity relationships of NAP and aided the understanding of physicochemical requirements of potential CNS acting opioids. These efforts resulted in potent, centrally efficacious MOR antagonists that may be pursued as leads to treat OUD.


Cardiac and respiratory dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and the role of second messengers.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) affects young boys and is characterized by the absence of dystrophin, a large cytoskeletal protein present in skeletal and cardiac muscle cells and neurons. The heart and diaphragm become necrotic in DMD patients and animal models of DMD, resulting in cardiorespiratory failure as the leading cause of death. The major consequences of the absence of dystrophin are high levels of intracellular Ca(2+) and the unbalanced production of NO that can finally trigger protein degradation and cell death. Cytoplasmic increase in Ca(2+) concentration directly and indirectly triggers different processes such as necrosis, fibrosis, and activation of macrophages. The absence of the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and the overproduction of NO by the inducible isoform (iNOS) further increase the intracellular Ca(2+) via a hypernitrosylation of the ryanodine receptor. NO overproduction, which further induces the expression of iNOS but decreases the expression of the endothelial isoform (eNOS), deregulates the muscle tissue blood flow creating an ischemic situation. The high levels of Ca(2+) in dystrophic muscles and the ischemic state of the muscle tissue would culminate in a positive feedback loop. While efforts continue toward optimizing cardiac and respiratory care of DMD patients, both Ca(2+) and NO in cardiac and respiratory muscle pathways have been shown to be important to the etiology of the disease. Understanding the mechanisms behind the fine regulation of Ca(2+) -NO may be important for a noninterventional and noninvasive supportive approach to treat DMD patients, improving the quality of life and natural history of DMD patients.


Three mutations in sterol-sensing domain of SCAP block interaction with insig and render SREBP cleavage insensitive to sterols.
We report the isolation and characterization of a new line of mutant Chinese hamster ovary cells, designated SRD-5, that are resistant to 25HC, a potent suppressor of cleavage of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) in mammalian cells. In SRD-5 cells, SREBPs are cleaved constitutively, generating transcriptionally active nuclear SREBP even in the presence of sterols. Sequence analysis of SREBP cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) transcripts from SRD-5 cells revealed the presence of a mutation in one SCAP allele that results in substitution of a conserved Leu by Phe at amino acid 315 within the sterol-sensing domain. Sterols fail to inhibit the packaging of SREBPSCAP(L315F) complexes into budding vesicles in vitro. Sterols also fail to induce binding of SCAP(L315F) to insig-1 or insig-2, two proteins that function in the sterol-mediated retention of SREBPSCAP complexes in the endoplasmic reticulum. Similar findings were observed for SCAP(D443N) and SCAP(Y298C), both of which cause a sterol-resistant phenotype. Thus, three different point mutations, each within the sterol-sensing domain of SCAP, prevent sterol-induced binding of SCAP to insig proteins and abolish feedback regulation of SREBP processing by sterols.


Hormonal influences on bone cells.
The methods for establishing osteoblast-rich rat calvarial cell cultures have been described, together with methods for the use of clonal osteogenic sarcoma cells of osteoblast phenotype. The latter clonal lines are useful for several purposes, but all the precautions and quality control measures necessary in the study of clonal lines must be observed. Some of the techniques for studying biochemical responses to hormones in these cells have also been detailed, but clearly others are applicable, including studies of the synthesis of matrix constituents. Osteoclast-like cells have not been considered in this chapter, because osteoclast culture methods have not yet been developed to the degree of purity and reproducibility necessary for this type of biochemical approach.


Modulation by endothelin-1 of tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 release from cultured human vascular endothelial cells: interaction of endothelin-1 with cytokines.
The interaction of endothelin-1 (ET-1) with either interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) on the release of tissue plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA:Ag) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen (PAI-1:Ag) was investigated in a culture system of vascular endothelial cells derived from human umbilical vein. The t-PA:Ag release was significantly decreased by either IL-1 beta or TNF alpha; ET-1 intensified the suppressive effect of the cytokines. In contrast, PAI-1:Ag release was significantly increased by either IL-1 beta or TNF alpha; ET-1 significantly reduced the stimulatory effect of the cytokines. The data suggest that endothelial cell-mediated fibrinolysis may be modulated by ET-1.


Impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection on cardiovascular disease in Africa.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is the single greatest health challenge facing Africa today. However, the impact of the HIV epidemic on the cardiovascular system in Africans has received scant attention in the world literature. We searched MEDLINE (January 1, 1980, to December 31, 2004) and reference lists of literature on HIV and the heart in Africa and contacted experts in the field. The search for this review yielded 22 articles involving HIV and the cardiovascular system from 8 countries in Africa. The available information suggests that there are unique features in the etiology, presentation, and spectrum of HIV-associated cardiovascular disorders in people living in Africa. First, pericardial disease may be the initial manifestation of HIV infection in the early stages of the illness. Second, the etiology of cardiac disease tends to reflect the prevalent infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis. Third, unique cardiovascular disorders such as aneurysm of large vessels have been reported in association with HIV infection in several parts of Africa. Finally, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has put pressure on the meager healthcare resources and fragile infrastructure in many African countries, making the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease unrelated to HIV even more difficult.


Universal predictability of large avalanches in the Manna sandpile model.
Substantiated explanations of the unpredictability regarding sandpile models of self-organized criticality (SOC) gave way to efficient forecasts of extremes in a few models. The appearance of extremes requires a preparation phase that ends with general overloading of the system and spatial clustering of the local stress. Here, we relate the predictability of large events to the system volume in the Manna and Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld sandpiles, which are basic models of SOC. We establish that in the Manna model, the events located to the right of the power-law segment of the size-frequency relationship are predictable and the prediction efficiency is described by the universal linear dependence on the event size scaled by a power-law function of the lattice volume. Our scaling-based approach to predictability contributes to the theory of SOC and may elucidate the forecast of extremes in the dynamics of such systems with SOC as neuronal networks and earthquakes.


KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (SARS-COV-2) AMONG GEORGIAN POPULATION.
Georgia confirmed its first case of SARS-COV-2 infection on February 26, 2020. Despite the government's proactive measures during the early stages of the epidemic, number of new infections of SARS-COV-2 is increasing and by March 31, a total of 110 cases have been reported. Limited understanding about epidemics can lead to panic and disrupt public health efforts to contain transmission. Thus, it is very important to understand the perceptions of the population regarding the disease and perceived level of government preparedness to fight against the spread of infection. This study reports results of a survey designed to understand attitudes and knowledge regarding SARS-COV-2 virus among Georgian population, including health care workers (HCWs). The online survey was conducted using a Facebook advertisement. The target was the whole country and the language used was Georgian. We collected information on demographic data, knowledge of symptoms and transmission modes of coronavirus, perceived differences between coronavirus and influenza, availability of antiviral medication and vaccination. We also included questions to capture the Georgian population's perceptions about government preparedness to combat the new coronavirus. The survey was open for three days (March 2-4, 2020). 5228 participants completed the survey. Of these, 40.3% were 25-45 years old and 58.2% were female. 20.7% of respondents had university degree and 10.3% were HCWs. For 25.8% of respondents, COVID-19 and influenza are the same diseases; 10.9% did not know if they are different. The majority correctly identified the transmission route and symptoms (96.9% and 98.0%, respectively). Regarding physical distancing, 13.2% indicated they would attend public events if needed even if they had COVID-19 symptoms. 19.1% think that Georgia is ready for COVID 19 epidemic, while according to 55% the county is not ready, but HCWs are trying hard to respond to this challenge properly. For 18% response is inadequate. There was no difference in knowledge between HCWs, non-HCWs and unemployed. 20% of HCWs as well as other study subjects believe that SARS-COV-2 vaccine and medications do exist but are simply not available in Georgia. One in five Georgians believe that there is a vaccine and medication to treat coronavirus, but that it is not available in the country. Given that information regarding coronavirus is changing very rapidly, the need to reach people with time-sensitive educational messages as well as prevention strategies is vital. Three months have elapsed since discovery of the novel coronavirus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome and classified as SARS-COV-2.


[Successful treatment of huge arteriovenous malformation in the basal ganglia].
This report describes successful therapeutic results of a huge and high flow arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the left basal ganglionic region. A 39-year-old female was admitted to our hospital presenting recent progression of aphasia, hemianopsia, hemiparesis, hemisensory disturbance on the right side. Progression of disturbance in consciousness was rapid, and the patient became comatose shortly after admission. A CT scan revealed a densely enhanced lesion in the left basal ganglia which caused aqueductal obstruction and hydrocephalus. Angiography demonstrated a huge and high flow AVM that was supplied by the anterior and posterior choroidal arteries, the lateral striate arteries and the insular branches of the middle cerebral arteries. This AVM drained into the vein of Galen via the inferior ventricular and basal vein. The draining vein was markedly dilated at the level of midbrain by a prominent stenosis of the junction between the vein of Galen and straight sinus, and it severely compressed the midbrain. Superselective embolization of the feeding arteries was done in two sessions. This was followed by surgical intervention for the embolized AVM one month after the second session. Embolization and surgery were carried out under barbiturate protection to reduce the risk of normal perfusion pressure break-through. The patient recovered well from these interventions without any hemodynamic changes and showed dramatic improvement of all focal neurological abnormalities. Postoperative angiography showed only a small residue of AVM.


cDNA cloning and expression of human activin betaE subunit.
We cloned human activin betaE subunit cDNA from a liver cDNA library using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The deduced amino acid sequence was 97 and 96% homologous to the mouse and rat activin betaE subunits. Human activin betaE subunit tagged with Myc and polyhistidine residues at the COOH terminus was expressed in mammalian cells and secreted into the medium as a disulphide-linked homodimer protein. We also found that the human activin betaE protein could bind to follistatin, an activin-binding protein. Northern blot analysis showed that this gene was expressed as a major transcript of 2.7 kb predominantly in human liver. These findings suggest that activin E (dimeric protein) may play a role in humans.


[Metabolites of R, S-1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4-[3-(naphtha-1-yl-oxy)-2-hydroxypropyl]-piperazin in rat plasma].
To study the metabolites of R, S-1-(2-methoxypheyl)-4-[3-(naphthal-yl-oxy)-2-hydroxypropyl] -piperazine, (naftopidil, NAF), a novel antihypertensive drug in rat plasma. The rat plasma samples were analyzed by LC/MS after oral administration of NAF. According to MS relativity of metabolites and parent compound (NAF) and metabolic rule of compound with similar structure, the structure of potential metabolites were postulated. Phase I metabolites were identified by HPLC/MS and by comparison with authentic standards, phase II conjugates were indirectly identified with beta-D-glucuronidase in presence or absence of glucuronidase selective inhibitor D-saccharric acid beta-1,4-Lactone. Phase I metabolites desmethyl-naftopidil (DMN), (phenyl) hydroxynaftopidil (PHN), (naphthyl) -hydroxy-naftopidil (NHN) were separated and identified in rat plasma by comparison with reference substances, phase II conjugates, NAF and NHN glucuronide conjugates were separated and tentatively identified by hydrolysis with glucuronidase, the aglycones, NAF and NHN, were identified in rat plasma. The major metabolic pathway of NAF in rat plasma should be the hydroxylation of the phenyl or nephthyl moiety of NAF and demethylation of NAF. Therefore, (naphthyl) hydroxyl-metabolite and NAF followed by conjugation with beta-glueuronic acid.


Relationship between growth and function of human thyroid cells in culture.
Subconfluent human thyroid cells in monolayer, isolated from thyrotoxic tissue or non-toxic goitres obtained at surgery, responded to the addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) with an increase in cell growth as measured by increased incorporation of [3H]thymidine into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable material. The growth response to EGF was concentration-dependent and the characteristics of the responses were the same using EGF from murine or human sources. With concentrations which stimulated growth, EGF was found to inhibit human thyroid cell function as measured by the release of radioimmunoassayable tri-iodothyronine into the incubation medium. Thyrotrophin (TSH) was also found to stimulate human thyroid cell growth but at concentrations far lower than those used to stimulate thyroid cell function in this system. The effect of EGF on the differentiating action of TSH on human thyroid cells in culture was also investigated; the association of thyroid cells into two-dimensional follicular structures produced by the incubation of thyroid cells at a high cell density with TSH was found to be inhibited by the addition of EGF.


Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis on Membrane Behavior of a Microfluidic Passive Valve.
In this paper, the effect of membrane features on flow characteristics in the microfluidic passive valve (MPV) and the membrane behavior against fluid flow are studied using the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis. Firstly, the microvalve model with different numbers of microholes and pitches of microholes are designed to investigate the flow rate of the MPV. The result shows that the number of microholes on the membrane has a significant impact on the flow rate of the MPV, while the pitch of microholes has little effect on it. The constant flow rate maintained by the microvalve (the number of microholes n = 4) is 5.75 mL/min, and the threshold pressure to achieve the flow rate is 4 kPa. Secondly, the behavior of the membrane against the fluid flow is analyzed. The result shows that as the inlet pressure increases, the flow resistance of the MPV increases rapidly, and the deformation of the membrane gradually becomes stable. Finally, the effect of the membrane material on the flow rate and the deformation of the membrane are studied. The result shows that changes in the material properties of the membrane cause a decrease in the amount of deformation in all stages the all positions of the membrane. This work may provide valuable guidance for the optimization of microfluidic passive valve in microfluidic system.


Derepression of HMGA2 via removal of ZBRK1/BRCA1/CtIP complex enhances mammary tumorigenesis.
The high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2), a DNA architectural protein, is highly regulated during development and plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Indeed, HMGA2 was overexpressed in many different kinds of tumors. However, the mechanisms regulating HMGA2 expression remain elusive. Using microarray analysis, we found that HMGA2, along with a dozen of other genes, was co-repressed by ZBRK1, BRCA1, and CtIP. BRCA1 exerts its transcriptional repression activity through interaction with the transcriptional repressor ZBRK1 in the central domain, and with CtIP in the C-terminal BRCT domain. Here, we show that ZBRK1, BRCA1, and CtIP form a repression complex that coordinately regulates HMGA2 expression via a ZBRK1 recognition site in the HMGA2 promoter. Depletion of any of the proteins in this complex via adenoviral RNA interference in MCF10A mammary epithelial cells activates HMGA2 expression, resulting in increased colony formation in soft agar. Similarly, depletion of ZBRK1, or ectopic overexpression of HMGA2, in MCF10A cells induces abnormal acinar size with increased cell number and inhibits normal acinar formation. Consistently, many BRCA1-deficient mouse breast tumors express higher levels of HMGA2 than BRCA1-proficient tumors. These results suggest that activation of HMGA2 gene expression through derepression of the ZBRK1/BRCA1/CtIP complex is a significant step in accelerating breast tumorigenesis.


Evidence for E-selectin complement regulatory domain mRNA splice variants in the rat.
The adhesion protein E-selectin is one mediator of endothelial cell-leukocyte interaction during acute inflammation. To investigate the molecular regulation of E-selectin function, we have examined the expression of E-selectin mRNA in target rat tissues after administration of lipopolysaccharide, a potent inducer of acute inflammation. In the course of these studies we isolated two unique rat E-selectin cDNA fragments. Both cDNA fragments show extensive nucleotide sequence homology to previously isolated mouse and human E-selectin cDNAs. However, they differ for the presence of sequences that encode complement regulatory domain-5 (CR5). Previous studies have shown that different animal species express E-selectin mRNAs that encode different numbers of CR domains. The isolation of these two rat E-selectin cDNA fragments, which differ only for the presence of CR5, represents the first direct evidence for the existence of E-selectin CR-variant mRNAs in the same species. Moreover, the sequence of the CR5(-) cDNA is consistent with its origin from an mRNA splice variant of a CR5(+) mRNA. We have demonstrated the presence of the two predicted mRNA species in rat heart tissue and have investigated their expression in response to lipopolysaccharide. Although both mRNA variants were greatly induced by lipopolysaccharide, the CR5(-) form was more abundant in both treated and control tissues. This difference in mRNA abundance may indicate different levels of CR5 variant proteins that perform functionally distinct tasks in E-selectin dependent inflammatory processes.


Genome-wide identification of Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes required for tolerance to acetic acid.
Acetic acid is a byproduct of Saccharomyces cerevisiae alcoholic fermentation. Together with high concentrations of ethanol and other toxic metabolites, acetic acid may contribute to fermentation arrest and reduced ethanol productivity. This weak acid is also a present in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, a highly interesting non-feedstock substrate in industrial biotechnology. Therefore, the better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying S. cerevisiae tolerance to acetic acid is essential for the rational selection of optimal fermentation conditions and the engineering of more robust industrial strains to be used in processes in which yeast is explored as cell factory. The yeast genes conferring protection against acetic acid were identified in this study at a genome-wide scale, based on the screening of the EUROSCARF haploid mutant collection for susceptibility phenotypes to this weak acid (concentrations in the range 70-110 mM, at pH 4.5). Approximately 650 determinants of tolerance to acetic acid were identified. Clustering of these acetic acid-resistance genes based on their biological function indicated an enrichment of genes involved in transcription, internal pH homeostasis, carbohydrate metabolism, cell wall assembly, biogenesis of mitochondria, ribosome and vacuole, and in the sensing, signalling and uptake of various nutrients in particular iron, potassium, glucose and amino acids. A correlation between increased resistance to acetic acid and the level of potassium in the growth medium was found. The activation of the Snf1p signalling pathway, involved in yeast response to glucose starvation, is demonstrated to occur in response to acetic acid stress but no evidence was obtained supporting the acetic acid-induced inhibition of glucose uptake. Approximately 490 of the 650 determinants of tolerance to acetic acid identified in this work are implicated, for the first time, in tolerance to this weak acid. These are novel candidate genes for genetic engineering to obtain more robust yeast strains against acetic acid toxicity. Among these genes there are number of transcription factors that are documented regulators of a large percentage of the genes found to exert protection against acetic acid thus being considered interesting targets for subsequent genetic engineering. The increase of potassium concentration in the growth medium was found to improve the expression of maximal tolerance to acetic acid, consistent with the idea that the adequate manipulation of nutrient concentration of industrial growth medium can be an interesting strategy to surpass the deleterious effects of this weak acid in yeast cells.


Histological evaluation of the prevalence of adenomyosis, myomas and of their concomitance.
The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of adenomyosis, leiomyomas and of their concomitance in women who underwent hysterectomy. An observational study carried out on a cohort of 347 women who underwent hysterectomy from a sample of 2383 patients who had gynecological surgery for benign disease in a single University Hospital between 2013 and 2016. A histological evaluation of all surgical specimens was carried out for the presence of adenomyosis and leiomyomas. Prevalence of adenomyosis alone, of leiomyomas alone or of their concomitance was evaluated. In 140 women, indication to hysterectomy was an abnormal uterine bleeding, or pelvic pain (symptomatic), while in the remaining 207 hysterectomy was performed in postmenopausal women for uterine descent or concomitantly to ovariectomy. Mean age of women in the two groups at hysterectomy was 47.7±5.3 years and 68.9±7.9 years, respectively. Prevalence of adenomyosis (40% vs. 27%; P<0.0001) and of leiomyomas (70.7% vs. 50.7%; P<0.0001) was more frequent in symptomatic than post-menopausal women. Concomitant presence of adenomyosis and leiomyomas was also more prevalent in symptomatic than post-menopausal women (30% vs. 14%; P<0.0001). About 75% of the uteri of symptomatic women with adenomyosis had also leiomyomas and 42.4% of those with leiomyomas has also adenomyosis. In symptomatic women, adenomyosis and leiomyomas are frequent and coexist in 30% of cases. Coexistence of the two pathologies should be considered in women suffering of heavy menstrual bleeding and menstrual pain.


Convulsive Syncope From Carotid Sinus Syndrome as a Manifestation of Laryngeal Cancer.
Carotid sinus syndrome (CSS) is a rare yet serious presentation of head and neck malignancy. To our knowledge, syncope and seizure-like episodes as a manifestation of carotid sinus syndrome secondary to laryngeal cancer has not been reported to date. We report a case of laryngeal cancer causing convulsive syncope masquerading as seizures due to CSS. Case report. The patient's medical record was reviewed for demographic and clinical information. A 62-year-old male presented with multiple episodes of syncope and hoarseness of voice. On nasoendoscopic examination, left vocal cord palsy and left aryepiglottic fold tumor were visualized. Computerized tomography (CT) neck showed a large 2.4 × 3.6 cm left supraglottic tumor with local invasion and extensive cervical lymphadenopathy compressing the carotid sinus. CT guided biopsy of the tumor revealed invasive squamous cell carcinoma. While undergoing evaluation, the patient developed seizure-like episodes. Inpatient telemetry monitoring revealed significant bradycardia and hypotension during these episodes. A permanent pacemaker was inserted which resulted in resolution of the syncopal and seizure-like episodes. In patients with unexplained syncope or seizure-like episodes and a background of head and neck cancer, clinicians should consider the diagnosis of CSS. CSS is a poor prognostic factor due to the associated higher stage of disease.


Biochemical characterization of a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance produced by Enterococcus faecium MXVK29, isolated from Mexican traditional sausage.
Enterococci are lactic acid bacteria that can produce bacteriocins, which may offer an additional hurdle to control the growth of food-borne pathogens; moreover, these bacteriocins may have great potential as natural biopreservatives. The aim of this work was to characterize a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) with antilisterial activity produced by an enterococcal strain. The bacteriogenic strain was isolated from Mexican fermented sausages and identified as Enterococcus faecium with 99% sequence similarity. Maximal activity was detected at 16 h, where bacterial growth was in middle of the stationary phase. The producer strain was not inhibited by its own antimicrobial peptide. BLIS showed a strong anti-Listeria activity and was inactivated by proteinase K. Heating (121 °C for 15 min) induced some inactivation, but thermotolerance was higher at acid pH values. The yield obtained with a pH-mediated purification process was 32.7%, showing a band with an estimated molecular weight of 3.5 kDa. Automated N-terminal Edman degradation showed the following sequence: YYGNGVTCGSHHCSVD. Biochemical characteristics of BLIS produced by E. faecium MXVK29 suggested that it belongs to Class IIa of the Klaenhammer classification and could be considered as a natural food preservative, although further studies need to be performed.


[Convulsions induced by ropivacaine after midhumeral block].
We report a case of central nervous system toxicity induced by ropivacaine following a brachial block at the humeral canal. Forty millilitres 0.75% ropivacaine (4.28 mg.kg-1) were used uneventfully, with slow injections and negative intermittent aspirations. Fifteen minutes later, the patient presented two episodes of generalised convulsions treated by diazepam, 20 mg. The total venous ropivacaine concentration measured two hours after the block was 2.3 mg.l-1.


Abnormalities of chromosome 5q correlate with morphologic features of better prognosis in clear cell renal carcinomas.
Aberrations of the long arm of chromosome 5 (5q) were studied in 79 clear cell renal carcinomas (clear cell RCC) by LOH (loss of heterozygosity) method, using microsatellite markers D5S107, CRTL1, LNS-CA, IL-9.RP1, CFS1R and GeneScan analysis software. Alterations of chromosome 5q were detected in 42% of cases. We found, that accumulation of genomic abnormalities at multiple loci of 5q, especially in 5q21-qter region, where genes for cytokines are located, correlates with morphologic features of better prognosis.


[Guiding principles of design in acupuncture RCTs].
For the problems specifically associated with conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) research into acupuncture, studies focus on these factors of sample population, test quality, baseline, diagnostic criteria, inclusive and exclusive criteria, the choice of control group, the interventions, efficacy evaluation, standardization and objective observation indice, long-term follow-up, and adverse reaction. Sound suggestions are provided to improve the quality of acupuncture research.


Evaluation of a new enzyme immunoassay system for free thyroxine (Enzymun-Test FT4).
Free thyroxine (FT4) represents the metabolically active fraction of the circulating thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4). In this paper the results of the evaluation of a newly developed FT4 assay are reported. This assay system is based on an enzyme-labelled one-step immunoassay. The within-run imprecision, checked using serum pools and several commercial reference materials, showed a coefficient of variation (CV) of between 0.8 and 9.8%, depending on the reference material used. The between-run imprecision showed a CV of between 1.0 and 13.2%. Accuracy experiments yielded values between 80 and 116%. When the new FT4 was compared with the calculation of an index for free thyroxine (FT4I; derived from either the ratio of T4/thyroxine binding coefficient of from T4/thyroxine binding globulin) in a number of samples in the hypo-, eu- and hyperthyroid range, a good correlation was obtained. The same was true when the new FT4 assay was compared with a widely used two-step radioimmunoassay (y = -0.146 + 0.943 x). In euthyroid subjects the measured FT4 concentration was 10.3-25.8 pmol/l. No effect was evident when the influence of EDTA and citrate was investigated, whereas addition of heparin led to an increase in FT4 concentration of about 12 to 15%. Investigation of the possible influence of a large number of drugs showed that probenezid, carbamazepine and furosemide led to an increase in the measured FT4 concentration. Dialysis increased the FT4 concentration, as measured in patients before and after haemodialysis. No effect of alteration in protein concentration and/or protein distribution of FT4 concentration could be detected. In pregnancy, FT4 values were within the normal range.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Deformable microswimmer in a swirl: capturing and scattering dynamics.
Inspired by the classical Kepler and Rutherford problem, we investigate an analogous setup in the context of active microswimmers: the behavior of a deformable microswimmer in a swirl flow. First, we identify new steady bound states in the swirl flow and analyze their stability. Second, we study the dynamics of a self-propelled swimmer heading towards the vortex center, and we observe the subsequent capturing and scattering dynamics. We distinguish between two major types of swimmers, those that tend to elongate perpendicularly to the propulsion direction and those that pursue a parallel elongation. While the first ones can get caught by the swirl, the second ones were always observed to be scattered, which proposes a promising escape strategy. This offers a route to design artificial microswimmers that show the desired behavior in complicated flow fields. It should be straightforward to verify our results in a corresponding quasi-two-dimensional experiment using self-propelled droplets on water surfaces.


Kinetic determination of the genome size of the pea.
Renaturation of pea (Pisum sativum) DNA has been used to estimate the size of the pea genome and the fraction of pea DNA containing repeated DNA sequences. Pea DNA renaturation and single copy tracer renaturation indicate that the size of the pea genome is 0.5 picograms. More than 70% of pea DNA sequences are repeated from 100 to 5,000 times.


Automated trace enrichment for screening and/or determination of primary, secondary and tertiary amphetamines in biological samples by liquid chromatography.
A rapid and simple liquid chromatographic method for the automated determination of amphetamines in biological fluids was developed. The proposed procedure is based on the injection of 250 microL of sample into a 20 x 2.1 mm id precolumn (packed with a 30 microns Hypersil C18 stationary phase) for enrichment and purification of the analytes. Next, the analytes are transferred to a 5 microns LiChrospher 100 RP18, 125 x 4 mm id analytical column for their separation under reversed-phase conditions. Water was used to eliminate the matrix components from the precolumn and a 0.2 M phosphate buffer (pH 3) containing 2% triethylamine was the mobile phase for the resolution of the amphetamines. The UV detector was set at 210 nm. The method was applied to the determination of different primary, secondary and tertiary amphetamines in plasma and urine: beta-phenylethylamine, norephedrine, ephedrine, N-methylpseudoephedrine, pseudoephedrine, N-methylephedrine, amphetamine, 3-phenylpropylamine and methamphetamine. The method provides satisfactory linearity and reproducibility within the tested concentration range (1.0-10.0 micrograms mL-1) and limits of detection of 50-500 ng/mL-1.


Learning through observation: the role of ethnography in improving critical care.
To determine the conditions under which ethnographic research is a useful tool for reflexive self-learning and enhanced performance in critical care units. The focus of studies using qualitative methods to investigate the organization of work in critical care units largely remains the investigation of the stresses and strains for staff, patients, and families managing communication at the end of life. A more recent focus of research has been on safety and quality improvement. Iterative feedback between researchers and clinicians is likely a useful tool for self-reflexive learning and change. Qualitative researchers have long been involved in the study of critical care. There is a new emphasis on using ethnographic methods as a tool for behavioural change through the process of iterative feedback.


Early-stage Alzheimer's disease and multiple subcortical infarction with mild cognitive impairment: neuropsychological comparison using an easily applicable test battery.
We conducted a neuropsychological study comparing early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 22) and multiple subcortical infarction with mild cognitive impairment (MSI; n = 22) using an easily applicable test battery which included 8 tests. Two groups were matched for age, education and score on the Mini-Mental State Examination. Patients with AD had significantly lower scores than MSI patients in the delayed recall of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, while MSI patients had significantly worse scores in the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test. This suggests that early discrimination of MSI from AD can be made by frontal system impairment in MSI and episodic memory disturbance in the visuospatial domain in AD using simple neuropsychological tests.


Copper-catalyzed synthesis of phenanthridine derivatives under an oxygen atmosphere starting from biaryl-2-carbonitriles and Grignard reagents.
A copper-catalyzed synthesis of phenanthridine derivatives was developed starting from biaryl-2-carbonitriles and Grignard reagents. The present transformation is carried out by a sequence of nucleophilic addition of Grignard reagents to biaryl-2-carbonitriles to form N-H imines and their Cu-catalyzed C-N bond formation on the aromatic C-H bond, where molecular oxygen is a prerequisite to achieve the catalytic process.


DEPOT: graph learning delineates the roles of cancers in the progression trajectories of chronic kidney disease using electronic medical records.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common, complex, and heterogeneous disease impacting aging populations. Determining the landscape of disease progression trajectories from midlife to senior age in a real-world context allows us to better understand the progression of CKD, the heterogeneity of progression patterns among the risk population, and the interactions with other clinical conditions like cancers. In this study, we use electronic health records (EHRs) to outline the CKD progression trajectory roadmap for the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (WFBMC) patient population. We establish an EHR cohort (n = 79,434) with patients' health status identified by 18 Essential Clinical Indices across 508,732 clinical encounters. We develop the DisEase PrOgression Trajectory (DEPOT) approach to model CKD progression trajectories and individualize clinical decision support. The DEPOT is an evidence-driven, graph-based clinical informatics approach that addresses the unique challenges in longitudinal EHR data by systematically using the graph artificial intelligence (graph-AI) model for representation learning and reverse graph embedding for trajectory reconstruction. Moreover, DEPOT includes a prediction model to assign new patients along the progression trajectory. We successfully establish the EHR-based CKD progression trajectories with DEPOT in the WFUBMC cohort. We annotate the trajectories with clinical features, including kidney function, age, and other indices, including cancer. This CKD progression trajectory roadmap reveals diverse kidney failure pathways associated with different clinical conditions. Specifically, we have identified one high-risk trajectory and two low-risk trajectories. Switching pathways from low-risk trajectories to the high-risk one is associated with accelerated decline in kidney function. On this roadmap, high-risk patients are enriched in the skin and GU cancers, which differs from low-risk patients, suggesting fundamentally different disease progression mechanisms. Overall, the CKD progression trajectory roadmap reveals novel diverse renal failure pathways in type 2 diabetes mellitus and highlights disease progression patterns associated with cancer phenotypes.


Evaluation of gingival recession in left- and right-handed adults.
Recession is the exposure of the root surface by an apical shift in the position of the gingiva. Several factors have been implicated in the etiology of gingival recession. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between gingival recession and the hand, right or left, duration, frequency, and technique of tooth brushing in left- and right-handed adults in Erzurum, Turkey. Fifty five left-handed (35 female and 20 male) and 55 right-handed (35 female and 25 male) subjects were included in the study. The left and right hand positions of the subjects were determined by using Oldfield's Edinburg Inventory Index, and they were divided into two groups as left-handed and right-handed. The amount of gingival recession and localization, oral hygiene situations, gingival bleeding, toothbrushing duration, frequency, and techniques of subjects were evaluated. The relationship between the amount of gingival recession and localization and the subjects' hand, duration, frequency and technique of tooth brushing were examined. The data were evaluated with variance analysis and student's t test. The oral hygiene situations in right- and left-handed subjects were determined. On comparing the left-handed subjects with the right-handed ones, it was observed that the left-handed subjects had better oral hygiene than the right-handed. But, this case was not statistically significant (p > .05). In both right-handed and left-handed subjects, women had better oral hygiene than men (p < .01). The rate of gingival recession was found more in the left-handed than in the right-handed (p < .05). In the right-handed subjects, gingival recession was found in the premolar and canine regions of upper right and lower right jaw. A similar result was also observed in the left-handed subjects, because gingival recession was seen on their upper left and lower left jaw. Incisive teeth were affected at the same rate in the left-handed and right-handed. The gingival recession was seen more in maxillary jaw than in mandibular jaw in both groups. A statistically significant relationship between gingival recession and frequency duration, and technique of tooth brushing was found. While the greatest amount of gingival recession was found in horizontal scrub technique, gingival recession increased with increasing tooth brushing duration and frequency. The relationship between gingival recession and hand using in tooth brushing was determined.


[Prophylactic effects of cefmenoxime against postoperative infections after thoracotomy. Studies of cefmenoxime transfer from serum to pleural fluid and of clinical effects of cefmenoxime].
Cefmenoxime (CMX) at a dose of 1 g was administered intravenously to each of 10 patients undergoing thoracotomy, and concentrations of CMX in the serum and pleural fluid were measured. Serum concentration of CMX reached its peak of 43.71 micrograms/ml at 1 hour and decreased to 4.15 micrograms/ml at 3 hours after the administration. The concentration of CMX in the pleural fluid reached its peak of 7.61 micrograms/ml at 3 hours and decreased slowly 5.26 micrograms/ml at 7 hours after the administration. A clinical study with 21 patients was performed to evaluate the effect of CMX as a prophylactic antimicrobial agent in thoracotomy. Patients received intravenous administration of 4 g/day of CMX for 7-10 days following operations. Each patient was evaluated daily for fever, sign of allergic reaction, and wound infection and other symptoms. No apparent infection occurred in those clinical patients except 1 patient with a suspected infection, and 1 case of allergic reaction as exanthema was observed during this study. Prophylactic effect of CMX against postoperative infection after thoracotomy was good.


Opportunity costs and financial incentives for Hispanic youth participating in a family-based HIV and substance use preventive intervention.
This paper presents results from a pilot study of the synergies between the opportunity costs incurred by research participants, participant compensation, and program attendance in a family-based substance use and HIV preventive intervention for Hispanic adolescents in Miami-Dade County, Florida. To estimate parent/caretaker cost per session and cost for the duration of the intervention, we administered the Caretaker Drug Abuse Treatment Cost Analysis Program to a random sample of 34 families who participated in a recent clinical trial of Familias Unidas. The total opportunity cost per parent/caretaker was under $40 per group session, under $30 per family session, and just over $570 for the duration of the intervention. Participants were compensated between $40 and $50 per session and attended more than 79% of family and group sessions. Parents and caretakers incurred a cost of approximately $30-40 per intervention session for which they were adequately compensated. Attendance was very good overall for this group (>79%) and significantly higher than attendance in a comparable uncompensated study group from another recent Familias Unidas trial that targeted similar youth. Findings suggest that incentives should be considered important for future implementations of Familias Unidas and similar family-based interventions that target minority and low-SES populations.


Childhood trauma and personality disorder in 43 women with panic disorder.
Among 43 women with panic disorder (38 with agoraphobia), 23 reported histories of childhood sexual abuse associated with high incidence of other early adverse experiences. The finding that subjects reporting childhood sexual and physical abuse were more likely to receive an Axis II diagnosis than those who did not confirms prior work.


Hepatocyte growth factor and c-Met immunoreactivity are associated with metastasis in high grade salivary gland carcinoma.
Interactions between hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, c-Met, have been associated with invasion, metastasis and carcinogenesis in in vitro experiments. We investigated the relationship between HGF/c-Met immunoreactivity and the clinical features of 33 patients with high grade salivary gland carcinomas. c-Met and stromal HGF (expression of HGF in fibroblasts adjacent to tumor nests) were found to significantly correlate with regional lymph node and distant metastasis (p<0.05), but not with HGF expression, in tumor cells. Stromal HGF was also found to correlate with tumor size (p<0.05). In addition, a significant correlation between c-Met and stromal HGF expression (p<0.0001) was observed. Overall survival in patients with c-Met and stromal HGF immunoreactivity was significantly worse than in patients without c-Met and stromal HGF immunoreactivity (p=0.0002). The present findings suggest that HGF may bind to c-Met in a paracrine fashion, thereby enabling metastasis of high grade salivary gland carcinomas. Thus, HGF/c-Met immunoreactivity might be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with high grade salivary gland carcinomas.


The clinical nurse specialist role in the Army Medical Department.
Although clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) have been in the Army Medical Department for more than 10 years, there are no reports in the literature regarding role implementation for them. In this study, a survey of all practicing CNSs in the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) and their supervisors was conducted with the purpose of defining their perceived role and the value placed on it by their supervisors. The results showed that the study population (n = 52) has implemented the role with all components (practice, education, consultation, administration, and research) considered important by them. Further, 85% of the CNSs report positive job satisfaction, and 67% believe they have reached role maturation. Their supervisors were equally or more positive about the importance of the role, and all (n = 26) felt it must be maintained despite budget constraints and nursing shortages. Findings were that CNSs experience role satisfaction, have achieved role maturation, and are valued by their supervisors within the AMEDD.


Developmental control of the heat-shock stress regulon in Streptomyces coelicolor.
In the differentiating eubacterium Streptomyces coelicolor, nutritional imbalances activate a developmental programme which involves the heat-shock stress regulon. In liquid batch cultures, the growth curve could be separated into four components: rapid growth 1 (RG1), transition (T), rapid growth 2 (RG2) and stationary (S). Patterns of gene expression in cultures subjected to heat shock in various phases were recorded on two-dimensional gels and analysed using advanced statistical methods. The responses of all heat-shock proteins (HSPs) were highly dependent upon growth phase, thus demonstrating that the four phases of growth were physiologically distinct. For many HSPs, the level of thermal induction attained were closely related to growth stage-determined levels of synthesis before heat shock, thus supporting the idea that developmental and thermal induction of this stress regulon have common control elements. Cluster analysis identified five groups of HSPs displaying similar kinetics of heat- and developmentally induced synthesis, probably reflecting the influence of major regulatory systems. Methods introduced here to analyse the response of groups of genes to multiple simultaneous stimuli should find broad applications to studies of other prokaryotic and eukaryotic regulons.


[Genital chlamydia infection in andrologic patients. Direct antigen detection and serologic screening].
Authors investigated the frequency of genital chlamydial infection. 83 couples--complaining with infertility--were examined. Twenty patients were chlamydia positive by direct IF antigen detection. All chlamydia positive patients have elevated IgG antibody levels in sera. In 33 cases (18.1%) the antibody titers were significantly high above 1:128, in 58 cases (34.9%) antibody levels were slightly elevated between 1:16-1:64. Authors are analysing the questions of the humoral immune reactions and the results of the medical treatment.


Influence of magnetopriming on germination, growth, physiology, oil and essential contents of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.).
An environment friendly technique is desirable for enhancing of crop production. In this study, seeds of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) Yazd accession were treated with 0, 150 mT, 250 mT, 500 mT and 1 T magnetic field strengths for min and germination parameters were determined. All of the treatments improved germination parameters and seedling growth as compared with the control. However, 500 and 150 mT were the most effective treatments and thus selected for field studies. Seeds were exposed to 150 mT and 500 mT static magnetic field of strengths for 12 min, planted in the field during 2010-2012 in Isfahan, Iran. Static magnetic field treatment shortened the days to emergence, flowering and maturity, increased chlorophyll and reduced proline contents. Highest biological, seed and essential oil yield, oil content, and oil yield were recorded under 500 mT followed by 150 mT and control, respectively. The results suggested that the pretreatment of cumin seeds with static magnetic field can improve germination, growth and oil and essential contents of the cumin seed under the field.


Intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst and cerebral gas embolism in an aircraft flight passenger.
Although it is estimated that > 1 billion passengers travel by air worldwide each year, the incidence of in-flight emergencies is low. However, due to nonstandardized reporting requirements for in-flight medical emergencies, the true incidence of pulmonary barotrauma in airplane passengers is unknown. We describe the case of a passenger with an asymptomatic intrapulmonary cyst in whom a severe case of cerebral gas embolism developed during an aircraft flight. The decrease in ambient pressure during the aircraft climb resulted in expansion of the cyst volume based on Boyle's law (pressure x volume = constant). Due to the cyst expansion, we believe tears in the wall led to the leakage of air into the surrounding vessels followed by brain gas emboli. Adult patients with intrapulmonary cysts should be strongly considered for cyst resection or should at least be advised to abstain from activities leading to considerable changes in ambient pressure.