Partial Purification and Properties of Ornithine Transcarbamoylase from Nostoc muscorum Kützing.
Ornithine transcarbamoylase (carbamoyl phosphate:l-ornithine carbamoyltransferase, EC 188.8.131.52) has been partially purified from the blue-green alga Nostoc muscorum Kützing, an organism in which the enzyme seems to be involved in a bicarbonate-fixing pathway leading to citrulline. Pertinent to possible regulation of this pathway, the enzyme shows hyperbolic substrate kinetics, has a molecular weight estimated at 75,000 daltons, and its catalytic capability is little influenced by a selection of metabolites that might conceivably act as regulators in vivo. Thus it seems unlikely that this enzyme is the control point for bicarbonate fixation. In terms of energy of activation (12.3 kcal/mole), size and Km for carbamoylphosphate, the Nostoc enzyme resembled preparations from liver and higher plants more than preparations from Streptococcus and Mycoplasma. The enzymes from Streptococcus and Mycoplasma are probably specialized for citrulline breakdown rather than citrulline synthesis. The Km for ornithine was 2.5 mm at a saturating concentration of carbamoylphosphate and the Km for carbamoylphosphate was 0.7 mm at an ornithine concentration of 2 mm. Ornithine was inhibitory at concentrations greater than 2 mm. Phosphate was a competitive inhibitor with respect to carbamoylphosphate. The pH optimum for citrulline synthesis was 9.5.


Reproduction, pollination and seed predation of Senna multijuga (Fabaceae) in two protected areas in the Brazilian Atlantic forest.
One important subject is to determine the effectiveness of conservation areas, where different management categories are being applied, to maintain effective sexual reproduction in plants and their interactions with animal groups. To evaluate this issue, we compared the phenology, reproductive success, pollination and pre-dispersal seed predation of the legume tree Senna multijuga in two differently managed protected areas in Southeastern Brazil: the Itatiaia National Park and the Environmental Protection Area of Serrinha do Alambari, from December 2007 to December 2008. Vegetative and reproductive phenodinamycs were registered monthly in 80 individuals; other evaluations included 104 observation hours for pollination (March-May 2008) in 51 inflorescences; besides, fruit counts, fecundity and seed predation. Sexual reproduction of S. multijuga depends on the transfer of pollen by large bees (Bombus, Centris, Epicharis and Xylocopa), as the species is self-incompatible. Bruchidae species of the genus Acanthoscelides and Sennius predate seeds. Vegetative and reproductive phenodynamics differed among sites. Our results indicated that ecological interactions were lower at the protected area, but the reproductive processes in S. multijuga were not ruptured or critically degraded. This reinforces the idea that landscape areas with intermediate levels of protection, such as environmental protection areas, are suitable as buffer zones, and thus, relevant to the conservation of ecological processes when associated with more strictly protected areas.


Glucolipotoxicity in INS-1E cells is counteracted by carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 over-expression.
Effects of non-esterified fatty acids (FAs) are accentuated when applied together with elevated glucose through preferential use of glucose as fuel, which leads to decreased oxidation of FAs. We examined how over-expression of the mitochondrial FA transporter carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) affects glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), apoptosis and ER stress in INS-1E cells cultured in the presence of elevated levels of glucose and palmitate. INS-1E cells were infected with Tet-ON regulated adenovirus containing CPT1 and cultured for 48h in the presence of 0.5mM palmitate and 20mM glucose. Over-expressing CPT1 lowered basal insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner thereby improving GSIS from INS-1E cells. Also, apoptosis was alleviated and ER-stress markers p-eIF2alpha and CHOP were decreased in cells over-expressing CPT1. We conclude that regulated over-expression of CPT1 is beneficial for glucolipotoxic beta-cells.


Effect of albumin on the in vitro conjugation of bilirubin by rat liver microsomes.
These studies were carried out to determine whether bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is usually included in the incubation mixture for the in vitro determination of bilirubin-UDP-glucuronyl transferase (GT) activity, affects GT activity. Using bilirubin as substrate, addition of BSA to the enzyme reaction mixture at concentrations varying from 2 to 30 mg/ml resulted in a dose-related inhibition of "native" GT activity of rat liver microsomes. When detergent-activated enzyme was employed, increasing concentrations of BSA also required higher concentrations of deoxycholate, digitonin, or Triton X-100 to produce maximal bilirubin conjugation. Low BSA concentrations (2 mg/ml) prevented enzyme activation by both detergents and UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine. When BSA was omitted and bilirubin dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide, UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine failed to enhance GT activity, and activation by detergents was only 15-25% of that observed in the presence of optimal concentrations of BSA. When rat albumin was substituted for BSA, a similar dose-related inhibition of in vitro bilirubin conjugation by untreated microsomes was observed, although at any given albumin concentration, GT activity was lower with rat than with bovine albumin. Additionally, both detergents and UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine produced similar GT activation regardless of the rat albumin concentration. Finally, these effects of BSA and rat albumin could not be reproduced when beta-lactoglobulin was employed and/or when p-nitrophenol was the acceptor substrate of GT. These findings indicate that albumin, in particular BSA, profoundly and selectively influences the in vitro activity of microsomal GT toward bilirubin as the acceptor substrate.


Predicting Caco-2 cell permeation coefficients of organic molecules using membrane-interaction QSAR analysis.
A methodology termed membrane-interaction QSAR (MI-QSAR) analysis has been developed in order to predict the behavior of organic compounds interacting with the phospholipid-rich regions of biological membranes. One important application of MI-QSAR analysis is to estimate ADME properties including the transport of organic solutes through biological membranes as a computational approach to forecasting drug intestinal absorption. A training set of 30 structurally diverse drugs, whose permeability coefficients across the cellular membranes of Caco-2 cells were measured, was used to construct significant MI-QSAR models of Caco-2 cell permeation. Cellular permeation is found to depend primarily upon aqueous solvation free energy (solubility) of the drug, the extent of drug interaction with a model phospholipid (DMPC) monolayer, and the conformational flexibility of the solute within the model membrane. A test set of eight drugs was used to evaluate the predictivity of the MI-QSAR models. The permeation coefficients of the test set compounds were predicted with the same accuracy as the compounds of the training set.


Midlife crisis: helping patients cope with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Midlife may be associated with changes and losses, including declining health status, retirement, caregiving for aging parents, and unexpected responsibility for adult children or grandchildren. Suicide rates increase with age. Depression and substance abuse are common but often under-recognized and undertreated. The primary care physician can promote healthy aging by appropriately diagnosing and treating midlife depression and substance abuse, making appropriate referrals for psychotherapy, and utilizing the support and educational resources of community and national organizations.


Evaluation of some platelet parameters in a group of elderly people.
Platelet production time (PPT), plasmatic beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), platelet density distribution, and mepacrine labelled granular content of the platelets were simultaneously determined in a group of elderly subjects. Vascular deterioration, assessed by the history and clinical examination, was variable in extension and severity. PPT was slightly but not significantly shortened, whereas the raised beta-TG level and diminished platelet density and granular content suggested an in vivo release reaction process. The results are not correlated with the apparent severity of vascular deterioration, and the release reaction may not be solely related to enhanced platelet-vessel wall interactions.


Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension in a Child With Sickle Cell Disease.
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is a potentially curable form of pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) resulting from incomplete resolution of pulmonary thromboemboli. We describe an 11-year-old boy with homozygous sickle cell disease with an indwelling catheter found to have severe PH on routine screening echocardiography. The diagnosis was confirmed by CT, ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy, and right heart catheterization. The patient was medically managed until undergoing pulmonary thromboendarterectomy with resolution of his PH. This case highlights the need for pediatric providers to be aware of this underdiagnosed form of PH, particularly for patients at high risk.


Snake envenoming: a disease of poverty.
Most epidemiological and clinical reports on snake envenoming focus on a single country and describe rural communities as being at greatest risk. Reports linking snakebite vulnerability to socioeconomic status are usually limited to anecdotal statements. The few reports with a global perspective have identified the tropical regions of Asia and Africa as suffering the highest levels of snakebite-induced mortality. Our analysis examined the association between globally available data on snakebite-induced mortality and socioeconomic indicators of poverty. We acquired data on (i) the Human Development Index, (ii) the Per Capita Government Expenditure on Health, (iii) the Percentage Labour Force in Agriculture and (iv) Gross Domestic Product Per Capita from publicly available databases on the 138 countries for which snakebite-induced mortality rates have recently been estimated. The socioeconomic datasets were then plotted against the snakebite-induced mortality estimates (where both datasets were available) and the relationship determined. Each analysis illustrated a strong association between snakebite-induced mortality and poverty. This study, the first of its kind, unequivocally demonstrates that snake envenoming is a disease of the poor. The negative association between snakebite deaths and government expenditure on health confirms that the burden of mortality is highest in those countries least able to deal with the considerable financial cost of snakebite.


15 parameters of coagulation and fibrinolysis in children with type I diabetes mellitus (onset period).
15 parameters of coagulation and fibrinolysis were investigated in 38 children with type I diabetes mellitus without clinical signs of diabetic angiopathy. Compared to an age matched non diabetic control group spontaneous platelet aggregation was enhanced, plasma levels for factor VIII C, von Willebrand factor, antithrombin III and C-1-inactivator were elevated, alpha-2-macroglobulin was decreased at onset of the disease. During remission (3, 6, 12 months) these changes reverted to normal. Alpha-2-antiplasmin decreased after 12 months. If, during partial remission, diabetic duration was longer than one year an increase of factor VIII C was seen again. In comparison to the controls no significant alterations were found for ristocetin cofactor, fibrinogen, plasminogen and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin. It seems likely that changes in plasmatic coagulation, fibrinolysis and platelet function during the onset period of diabetes mellitus type I are due to metabolic changes and precede diabetic angiopathy.


Association of Bone Shape and Alignment Analyzed Using Statistical Shape Modeling With Severity of First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Osteoarthritis.
We aimed to explore the relationship between bone shape and radiographic severity in individuals with first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis (first MTP joint OA). Weightbearing lateral and dorsoplantar radiographs were obtained for the symptomatic foot of 185 participants (105 females, aged 22 to 85 years) with clinically diagnosed first MTP joint OA. Participants were classified into none/mild, moderate, or severe categories using a standardized atlas. An 80-point model for lateral radiographs and 77-point model for dorsoplantar radiographs was used to define independent modes of variation using statistical shape modeling software. Odds ratios adjusted for confounders were calculated using ordinal regression to determine the association between radiographic severity and mode scores. After assessment and grading of radiographs, 35 participants (18.9%) were included in the none/mild first MTP joint OA severity category, 69 (37.2%) in the moderate severity category, and 81 (43.7%) in the severe category. For lateral-view radiographs, 16 modes of variation were included, which collectively represented 83.2% of total shape variance. Of these, four modes were associated with radiographic severity. For dorsoplantar-view radiographs, 15 modes of variation were included, representing 82.6% of total shape variance. Of these, six modes were associated with radiographic severity. Variations in the shape and alignment of the medial cuneiform, first metatarsal, and proximal and distal phalanx of the hallux are significantly associated with radiographic severity of first MTP joint OA. Prospective studies are required to determine whether bone shape characteristics are associated with the development and/or progression of this condition.


Hyperthermia impairs short-term memory and peripheral motor drive transmission.
The aims of this study were to determine (i) the effect of passive hyperthermia on motor drive and cognitive function, and (ii) whether head cooling can limit the hyperthermia-induced alterations. Sixteen subjects were randomly exposed for 2 h to three different conditions: control (Con, 20 degrees C), hot (Hot, 50 degrees C) and hot head cool (HHC--where cold packs were applied to the head under Hot conditions). Three cognitive tests measuring attention and two measuring memory were performed. Neuromuscular testing included electrically evoked muscle action potentials (M-waves) and reflex waves (H-reflex) at rest and during brief (4-5 s) and sustained (120 s) maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of the plantar flexors. All the tests were performed in the environmental room. During brief MVC, torque was significantly lower in both Hot and HHC as compared to Con (P < 0.05). The decrease in muscle activation was significant in Hot (P < 0.05) but not in HBC (P = 0.07). This was accompanied by peripheral failures in the transmission of the neural drive at both spinal (significant decrements in H-reflexes and V-waves, P < 0.05) and neuromuscular junction (significant decrements in M-waves, P < 0.05) levels. During sustained MVC, muscle activation was further depressed (P < 0.05) without any concomitant failures in M-waves, suggesting neural activation adjustments occurring probably at the supraspinal level. Cerebral perturbations were confirmed by significant decrements in both memory tests in Hot as compared with Con (P < 0.05) but not in simple tests (attention tests) that were not affected by hyperthermia. The decrement in memory capacity suggested the existence of frontal lobe activity impairments. Thus, HHC preserved memory capacity but not the visual memory.


Increased expression of ADAM33 protein in asthmatic patients as compared to non-asthmatic controls.
ADAM33 is a member of a family of genes that encode membrane-anchored proteins with a disintegrin and a metalloprotease domain, primarily expressed in lung fibroblasts and bronchial smooth muscle cells. ADAM33 has been identified as a risk factor for asthma and is known as a gene associated with airway remodelling. The present study was conducted with the aims to investigate the expression of ADAM33 protein in patients of asthma and non-asthmatic controls, and to assess if the expression of ADAM33 protein relates with severity of asthma. A total of 35 subjects, including 27 patients with asthma and eight non-asthmatic controls were included using Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines 2005. Bronchial biopsy tissues were collected and paraffin sections were made to store all study samples. Immunohistochemistry was performed using standardized protocol. An increase in expression of ADAM33 protein was observed in the epithelium, smooth muscle and mesenchymal cells of asthma cases when compared to controls but there was no relationship with severity of asthma. A higher expression of ADAM33 protein was seen in asthma patients compared to controls. Large prospective studies need to be done with adequate study design to confirm these preliminary finding.


Apathy Is the Best Dimension to Consider for Awareness Assessment in Alzheimer's Disease.
Previous studies have reported the major role of apathy in awareness assessment among Alzheimer's patients using the patient-caregiver discrepancy method, whatever the awareness dimension assessed. Using the Apathy Evaluation Scales among other awareness scales, we report that apathy is the sole awareness dimension distinguishing healthy controls (25), mild (57) and moderate-to-moderately-severe (11) Alzheimer's patients. A linear regression showed that the Mini-Mental State Examination score used as a risk factor for non-awareness was the only factor associated with awareness of apathy and was the best predictor. This suggests that apathy is the most discriminant dimension for awareness assessment in Alzheimer's disease.


Genetic diversity of multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical and non clinical samples in Egypt.
In recent years, the increasing incidence of diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) has been noted in the university hospitals of El-Sharkia and Assuit governorates - Egypt. Therefore, we studied the genetic relatedness of multidrug resistant S. aureus isolates from different sources in the above mentioned governorates. One hundred and fifty six S. aureus isolates were divided into 5 different groups, 1 non clinical isolates from different food products and 4 different clinical isolates of human and animal sources in the 2 different governorates. Epidemiological characteristics of 156 S. aureus isolates were determined by phenotypic methods including quantitative antibiogram typing and biofilm production. Genetic typing of 35 multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates (7 from each group) based on 16S rRNA gene sequence, virulence and antimicrobial resistance gene profiles was done. The genetic relatedness of the highest virulent strain from each group was detected based on different single locus sequence typing and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). S. aureus strains isolated from different sources and geographical areas showed high diversity. The genetic typing revealed different sequence types and different sequences of coa and spa genes. S. aureus isolates were found highly diverse in Egypt.


Encouraging adolescents toward mental health careers via website biographies.
This project designed, developed, implemented and is currently evaluating the effectiveness of an interactive, multi-media website designed to encourage adolescents to consider careers in mental health. This Web-based learning environment features biographies of mental health scientists. Evaluation is conducted in a systematic, structured way using cognitive achievement, usability (ease of use), and affective scales (e.g., fun to use) as outcome measures


[Acute respiratory distress syndrome after antineoplastic chemotherapy. Probable role of gemcitabine].
A 4-week interval between radiotherapy and gemcitabin chemotherapy is recommended due to the risk of severe radiosensitization. Gemcitabin can also have severe lung toxicity late after or without prior radiotherapy. A patient was treated with thoracic radiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer. Five weeks later gemcitabin was given. A few days after the second gemcitabin cycle the patient developed severe respiratory distress. The clinical course was rapidly fatal despite corticosteroid therapy. About 20 cases of severe lung toxicity due to gemcitabin have been reported in the literature, occurring late after radiotherapy or without radiotherapy. Corticosteroid therapy, whether given for prevention or cure, is not always effective. Four of these cases had a fatal outcome. The development of brief mild episodes of dyspnea is considered to be common after delivery of gemcitabin. If unexplained dyspnea persists for more than a few hours, severe lung toxicity is highly likely and gemcitabin should be interrupted.


[Results and complications of intrauterine transfusion in fetuses with and without hydrops].
The group comprises 50 intrauterine transfusions in 15 patients with a severe form of foetal erythroblastosis. The authors describe the results and complications in hydropic and non-hydropic foetuses, diagnosed by ultrasound before transfusion treatment was started. In the group of non-hydropic foetuses the success rate of transfusion treatment was 90.1% and 10 neonates were born with a mean weight of 2030 g. The mean gestation period was 34 weeks. From four hydropic foetuses it proved possible to save only one, the success rate in this group was only 25%. The mean weight of hydropic foetuses was 1650 g and the gestation period at delivery 29 weeks. The rate of Caesarean sections in both groups was as high as 80%. Serious complications included thrombosis of the umbilicus, thromboembolism of the a. axillaris in a hydropic neonate and acute hypoxia of the foetus after transfusion. Four of six serious complications were recorded in hydropic foetuses.


High jugular bulb: implications for posterior fossa neurotologic and cranial base surgery.
The suboccipital-retrosigmoid approach to the internal auditory canal and cerebellopontine angle is being used with increasing frequency for neurotologic surgery, including vestibular nerve section and resection of acoustic neuroma. It offers wide exposure of the cerebellopontine angle and the cranial nerve VII-VIII complex as it courses from the brain stem to the temporal bone. Exposure of the internal auditory canal can be achieved by removing its posterior bony wall. Safe utilization of this approach requires familiarity with the variable position of structures within the petrous bone, including the lateral venous sinus and jugular bulb. We report here a case in which bleeding resulted from injury to a high jugular bulb during surgical exposure of the internal auditory canal via the suboccipital route and discuss the regional anatomy of the jugular bulb based on study of 378 consecutive temporal bone specimens from the collection of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. High jugular bulb was defined as encroachment of the dome of the bulb within 2 mm of the floor of the internal auditory canal. Forty-six percent of scoreable specimens met this criterion. However, when donors less than 6 years of age were excluded, a high jugular bulb was identified in 63% of specimens. Relevance to neurotologic surgery of the posterior fossa is presented.


[Peptide hormones and the "new endocrinology"].
On the basis of the results found in literature a survey is given of the state of the peptide-chemical research from the point of view of the clinic. The functional mechanisms of the peptide hormones are explained, their effect as hormone and neurotransmitter is demonstrated. Particularly emphasized are the integrative tasks of the peptide hormones, which thus as another regulation principle of the organism are to be put by the side of the nervous and hormonal regulation. By the demonstration of the most frequent endocrine tumour syndromes with formation of adequate hormones the clinical importance of these substances is dealt with. The infrequency of these diseases is emphasized by the small number of own observations. It is referred to the growing importance of the peptide hormones in the diagnostics and therapy of internal and surgical diseases.


Schizophrenia and the cultural epidemiology of stigma in Bangalore, India.
Illness-related stigma is a complex and important issue, and its social impact contributes to a hidden burden of many health problems. Mitigating effects of stigma are a priority for mental health policy, especially for schizophrenia. Although numerous studies document its impact on patients and their families, health studies of stigma typically regard it in global terms without adequate attention to the conceptual and practical importance of sociocultural contexts and the particular features of illness that evoke stigma. Research at a psychiatric referral center in Bangalore, India, studied the cultural epidemiology of schizophrenia and stigma in interviews with family caretakers of 60 patients, using a locally adapted EMIC interview and the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale. An index of 13 stigma queries based on Goffman's formulation covered relevant aspects and proved to be internally consistent (Cronbach alpha = 0.81). Multivariate statistical regression and qualitative analysis of narratives were used to analyze this stigma index and identify explanatory variables based on cultural patterns of distress (PD), perceived causes (PC), and previous help seeking (HS). Significant variables included suspiciousness and inappropriate sexual behavior (PD), heredity and bad deeds (PC), and informal help seeking (HS). Previous allopathic help seeking was negatively associated with stigma. Analysis of coded text segments from respondent narratives showed how these variables were related to family-perceived stigma, with reference to marriage practices, moral meanings of schizophrenia, and ways in which effective allopathic care minimized stigma. Findings identify features of schizophrenia-related stigma in India, contribute to comparative culture studies, and inform practical approaches to mitigate stigma through community awareness and improved mental health services.


[Acute pancreatitis--induced by 5-aminosalicylic acid or an extraintestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis?].
5-aminosalicylic acid has been reported to cause acute pancreatitis. We report the first Scandinavian case. A 27 year-old woman with a three month history of ulcerative colitis treated with Mesalazine developed acute abdominal pain. Serum and urine amylase were raised, and ultrasonographic and computed tomography scan showed oedema of the pancreas. Immediately following withdrawal of the drug, serum and urine amylase returned to normal. We discuss the possibility of acute pancreatitis as an extraintestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis.


Simvastatin attenuates formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors by inhibiting microglial RhoA and p38 MAPK activation.
Several recent studies have revealed that statins exert anti-inflammatory effects in addition to their lipid-lowering property in vivo and in vitro. Recently, statins were shown to alleviate pain associated trauma in a neuropathic pain model. The aim of the present study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms of analgesia caused by the lipophilic statin simvastatin in an animal model of formalin-induced pain in the rat. Intrathecal pretreatment with simvastatin significantly attenuated the second phase of the acute nociceptive response to formalin injection, and daily administration of simvastatin for 7 days inhibited the long-term mechanical hyperalgesia caused by formalin injection. Spinal microglial activation (detected by Iba-1 and CD11 b immunohistochemistry and Western blot), and phosphorylated-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot) were significantly inhibited by simvastatin treatment at day 7 after formalin injection. In addition, peripheral formalin injection induced a significant increase in microglial RhoA activation (detected by membrane RhoA translocation ratio using Western blot) in the spinal cord. The spinal RhoA activation in microglia was reversed by simvastatin treatment. These findings suggest that simvastatin attenuates formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors, at least in part, by inhibiting microglial RhoA and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Our novel findings indicated that simvastatin attenuated formalin-induced nociceptive responses by inhibiting microglial RhoA and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Inactivation of RhoA-p38 signaling pathway may be a pharmacologic target for treating microglia-directed central nervous system inflammation and chronic pain conditions.


Lower Serum Indirect Bilirubin Levels are Inversely Related to Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Progression.
Bilirubin has been recognized as a potential endogenous inhibitor of atherosclerosis, being inversely associated with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). However, little information is available concerning the correlation between serum indirect bilirubin (IBIL), especially long-term IBIL level, and early atherosclerosis progression. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between serum IBIL level and CIMT progression. A total of 2205 participants were enrolled in this Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities Community study (APAC study). CIMT was measured at baseline and 2-year follow-up. The participants were divided into four groups based on their serum IBIL levels at baseline. Both baseline and average serum IBIL values during the 2-year follow up were used in the analysis. Multivariable logistic regression and linear regression were used to assess the associations between serum IBIL and CIMT progression. The results showed that 51.93% (1145/2205) of participants were diagnosed with CIMT progression during the 2-year follow-up. Baseline serum IBIL level was significantly associated with the incidence of CIMT progression after adjusting for other potential confounding factors. Compared with the first quartile, adjusted odds ratios (OR) of the second, third, and fourth quartiles of IBIL were 0.70 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.55-0.90], 0.68 (95% CI, 0.52-0.87), and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.49-0.82) (P = 0.0006), respectively. Serum IBIL level during the follow-up was also associated with CIMT progression in the univariate analysis (P = 0.0022), although no longer significant after adjusting for potential confounders in the multiple linear regression. The study demonstrated the inverse relationship between serum IBIL and CIMT progression. Lower serum IBIL level is an independent predictor of subclinical atherosclerosis.


Phenomena associated with gel-water interfaces. Analyses and alternatives to the long-range ordered water hypothesis.
Interfacial regions between certain gels and their surrounding solutions were observed by Pollack and co-workers to exhibit several unexpected phenomena: (1) long-range exclusion of charged microspheres out to typical distances of ~100-200 μm from the gel surface; (2) significant electrostatic potentials extending over comparable distances; (3) a reduced intensity of upward spontaneous thermal IR emission over a region 300-500 μm wide at or near the gel-solution interface; and (4) a significantly lower proton T2 and an apparently reduced H2O self-diffusion coefficient over a zone ~60 μm wide at or near the gel-solution interface in high resolution NMR imaging experiments. To account for such observations, they proposed that a region of long-range ordered water bearing a net negative charge, but lacking mobile charge carriers, extended ~100-200 μm outward from the gel surface. In this paper, various problems associated with the ordered water hypothesis, including contradictions by experiments from many other laboratories, are briefly discussed, and testable alternative explanations for the observed phenomena are proposed. Exclusion zones are suggested to arise from chemotaxis of the microspheres in long-range diffusion gradients of OH(-) (or H(+)) and salt, the theory of which was developed and compared with the observations on non-ionic gels in a companion paper. The same theory together with the expected directions of ion transfers between gel and solution are now used to predict qualitatively the exclusion/attraction behavior of microspheres in the presence of ionic gels and ionomers. The electrostatic potentials are interpreted as long-range liquid-junction potentials arising from the same long-range diffusion gradients of OH(-) (or H(+)) and salt in the unstirred solutions of Pollack and co-workers. Alternative explanations in terms of plausible experimental artifacts are suggested for both the reduced intensity of IR thermal emission and the lower proton T2 and apparent H2O diffusion coefficient in the NMR imaging experiments.


Atherosclerosis: imaging techniques and the evolving role of nuclear medicine.
Quantitative assessment of atherosclerotic or atherothrombotic disease during its natural history and following therapeutic interventions is important for understanding the progression and stabilization of the disease and for selecting appropriate medical or surgical interventions. A number of invasive and noninvasive imaging techniques are available to detect and display different characteristics of vascular lesions of clinical and/or research interest. Angiography, the traditional "gold standard," detects advanced lesions and measures the degree of stenosis. Angioscopy clearly identifies thrombus. In carotid arteries and arteries in lower extremities, duplex ultrasonography is useful for providing the degree of stenosis, as well as plaque morphology, and assessing changes in wall thickness. Magnetic resonance angiography, being noninvasive, may replace conventional angiography for anatomical imaging of the vasculature. Ultrafast electron beam CT measures the calcium content in the atherosclerotic lesions. Intravascular ultrasound is the only technique that appears to be clinically useful in imaging the unstable, vulnerable plaques in coronary arteries. Magnetic resonance imaging techniques may be able to image vulnerable plaques and characterize plaques in terms of lipid and fibrous content and identify the presence of thrombus associated with the plaques. In regard to the nuclear scientigraphic imaging techniques, radiolabeled lipoproteins, platelets and immunoglobulins have shown some clinical potential as imaging agents, but due to poor target-to-background and target-to-blood ratios these agents are not ideal for imaging coronary or even carotid lesions. Technetium-99m-labeled peptides and monoclonal antibody fragments that clear from circulation rapidly and bind specifically to different components of the atherosclerotic lesion showed significant potential in animal models and in limited clinical studies. FRE Peptides capable of binding to GPIIb/IIIA receptors on activated platelets appear to offer significant diagnostic potential for imaging intra-arterial thrombus. Positron emission tomography with metabolic tracers like [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) also appears to offer new opportunities for noninvasive imaging of atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis.


Therapeutic Challenge of Minicircle Vector Encoding Klotho in Animal Model.
Klotho treatment is a promising approach against kidney injury, but its clinical application is still undetermined. We developed a novel strategy to allow self-production of Klotho protein, using minicircle (MC) technology, and evaluated its feasibility in therapeutic Klotho delivery. We engineered MC vectors to carry cassette sequences of Klotho and verified the self-production of Klotho protein from in HEK293T cells. We evaluated the location and persistence of delivered MC in vivo, and the duration of Klotho protein production from MCs by serial measurement of Klotho protein in blood. We subsequently evaluated the therapeutic potential of Klotho-encoding MCs in experimental model of renal injury. We confirmed the production of Klotho from MC by its significant availability in cells transfected with the MC, as well as in its conditioned medium, compared to that in cells transfected with parent vector. MCs were delivered in vivo by hydrodynamic injection via tail vein. After a single injection of MCs, red fluorescence protein was detected until 30 days in liver, and Klotho protein was maintained until 10 days in the blood, suggesting the production of Klotho protein from MCs via protein synthesis machinery in liver. Therapeutic effect of MC was confirmed by functional and histological improvement seen in mouse model of acute ischemia-reperfusion injury and unilateral ureteral obstruction. Together, these findings implied that self-generated Klotho protein, using MC technology, is functionally active and relevant as a therapeutic approach in renal injury.


Anaphylaxis following enteral exposure to Chlorella vulgaris.
We present a case of a 75-year-old man who was admitted to an Australian tertiary emergency department with severe hypotension, wheeze, widespread urticarial rash and diarrhoea. On arrival to the emergency department following initial resuscitation by ambulance staff, he was admitted to the intensive care unit with a presumptive diagnosis of gastroenteritis. This diagnosis was later revised following the availability of tryptase levels and clarification of his presenting circumstances, which established a clear temporal relationship between his anaphylactoid symptoms and the oral ingestion of Chlorella vulgaris supplements. While there are a few case studies describing allergic/anaphylactic reactions to several other species of Chlorella, this appears to be the first reported case of anaphylaxis to C. vulgaris.


[Providing care despite impaired communication, student testimonies].
During their work placements, nursing students sometimes witness situations where communication with the patient has been impaired due to a number of factors. After they have been analyzed and reflected upon, these experiences can enable students to position themselves differently, set out their choices and thereby perfect the process of their professionalization.


Phytochrome, nitrate movement, and induction of nitrate reductase in etiolated pea terminal buds.
The role of phytochrome in the induction of nitrate reductase of etiolated field peas (Pisum arvense L.) was examined. Terminal bud nitrate concentration increased in darkness, and the increase correlated with induction of nitrate reductase following brief exposure of intact plants to red, blue, far red, and white lights. Brief light exposure of intact plants stimulated nitrate uptake and induction of nitrate reductase by terminal buds subsequently excised and incubated on nitrate solution in darkness; exposure of excised buds in contact with nitrate led to less uptake but more induction. Nitrate and nitrate reductase activity both declined during incubation with water, irrespective of light treatment. Nitrate enrichment of intact terminal buds and uptake into excised buds and increases in nitrate reductase activity were all red/far red reversible. Dimethyl sulfoxide (1%, v/v) and sugars (sucrose 0.5%, glucose 1, w/v), although stimulating nitrate uptake into excised tissue in darkness, failed to enhance nitrate reductase activity over dark controls. Phytochrome may regulate nitrate reductase via both nitrate movement and a general mechanism such as enhancement of protein synthesis.


Fast relief: buying time with medications.
The experience of time famine in contemporary U.S. culture affects household decisions about self-care and the use of pharmaceuticals for self-medication. This article examines the manner in which time demands shape lay interpretations of medicine efficacy and drive increases in medication use for adults as well as children. Medicines, like other time-saving commodities, appear to shift the time-power differential in favor of individuals, placing them in control of how time is spent. When there is "no time to be sick," allopathic medicines become time-saving devices that enable women to fulfill responsibilities at work or home while they attend to sick children or to being ill themselves. Medicines are used to beat the clock by increasing one's own capacity to be productive.


PACAP activated adenylate cyclase in human sweat glands. An ultracytochemical study.
The ultracytochemical localization of adenylate cyclase (AC) was studied after stimulation with pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) in human sweat glands. PACAP stimulated AC in both eccrine and apocrine glands. In the secretory cells, enzymatic activity was associated with membranes involved in the secretory mechanism. In both glands, the cells of the excretory duct and myoepithelial cells presented AC activity. These localizations of enzymatic activity suggest a role for PACAP in regulating glandular secretion.


Topical Prostaglandin E Analog Restores Defective Dendritic Cell-Mediated Th17 Host Defense Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in the Skin of Diabetic Mice.
People with diabetes are more prone to Staphylococcus aureus skin infection than healthy individuals. Control of S. aureus infection depends on dendritic cell (DC)-induced T-helper 17 (Th17)-mediated neutrophil recruitment and bacterial clearance. DC ingestion of infected apoptotic cells (IACs) drive prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion to generate Th17 cells. We speculated that hyperglycemia inhibits skin DC migration to the lymph nodes and impairs the Th17 differentiation that accounts for poor skin host defense in diabetic mice. Diabetic mice showed increased skin lesion size and bacterial load and decreased PGE2 secretion and Th17 cells compared with nondiabetic mice after methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection. Bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) cultured in high glucose (25 mmol/L) exhibited decreased Ptges mRNA expression, PGE2 production, lower CCR7-dependent DC migration, and diminished maturation after recognition of MRSA-IACs than BMDCs cultured in low glucose (5 mmol/L). Similar events were observed in DCs from diabetic mice infected with MRSA. Topical treatment of diabetic mice with the PGE analog misoprostol improved host defense against MRSA skin infection by restoring DC migration to draining lymph nodes, Th17 differentiation, and increased antimicrobial peptide expression. These findings identify a novel mechanism involved in poor skin host defense in diabetes and propose a targeted strategy to restore skin host defense in diabetes.


Reversal of spinal cord non-opiate analgesia by conditioned anti-analgesia in the rat.
The spinal cord contains endogenous substances (such as cholecystokinin, FMRFamide, etc.) that can block the analgesic effects of opiates. Anti-opiate actions have been most commonly studied by exogenous administration of receptor agonists and receptor antagonists of these substances. However, we have recently demonstrated that anti-analgesia can be brought under environmental control through Pavlovian conditioning. Whereas analgesia can be conditioned to signals for danger, anti-analgesia can be conditioned to signals for safety. Using this paradigm, we have previously demonstrated that conditioned anti-analgesia can reverse a variety of opiate analgesic states, including those produced by conditioned danger signals, systemic morphine, and intrathecal mu- and delta-opiate receptor agonists. These data raise the question of the generality of anti-analgesia actions. The present series of experiments examined the ability of conditioned anti-analgesia to affect non-opiate analgesic states induced by spinal delivery of GABA(A), GABA(B), 5HT2 + 5HT1, and 5HT3 receptor agonists. While conditioned anti-analgesia had no effect on GABA(A) or 5HT2 + 5HT1 non-opiate analgesias, conditioned anti-analgesia completely blocked GABA(B) and 5HT3 non-opiate analgesias. These findings clearly demonstrate that conditioned anti-analgesia can powerfully modulate non-opiate as well as opiate analgesias and bring into question whether putative anti-opiate neuroactive substances may have broader actions than previously suggested.


Heterogeneity of the effect of family history on breast cancer risk.
We studied the effects of family history on breast cancer risk among 2,908 cases and 3,180 controls, selected from participants in a nationwide screening project. First-degree family history was associated with a twofold risk increase. Second-degree family history effects were minimal, after adjusting for effects of first-degree relatives. Family history effects were not confounded by age at menarche, age at first full-term birth, age at natural menopause, or previous benign breast disease. Risks from mother's and sister's history were independent. The odds ratio (OR) from a maternal history, 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6-2.3), varied little by the subject's age at diagnosis, menopause status, or disease laterality. Interactions of maternal history effects with multiple breast biopsies and age at menopause were greater than additive, indicating common mechanistic pathways. The OR from a sister's history was 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9-2.8) and was increased among women who were less than 45 (OR = 6.9), had bilateral disease (OR = 4.7), or were premenopausal (OR = 4.4). The effects from a mother's history and a sister's history are modified in different directions by different factors, providing further indication of the separate roles of a mother's and sister's history in breast cancer etiology.


Excretory/secretory products of the carcinogenic liver fluke are endocytosed by human cholangiocytes and drive cell proliferation and IL6 production.
Liver fluke infection caused by Opisthorchis viverrini remains a major public health problem in many parts of Asia including Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia, where there is a strikingly high incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA - hepatic cancer of the bile duct epithelium). Among other factors, uptake of O. viverrini excretory/secretory products (OvES) by biliary epithelial cells has been postulated to be responsible for chronic inflammation and proliferation of cholangiocytes, but the mechanisms by which cells internalise O. viverrini excretory/secretory products are still unknown. Herein we incubated normal human cholangiocytes (H69), human cholangiocarcinoma cells (KKU-100, KKU-M156) and human colon cancer (Caco-2) cells with O. viverrini excretory/secretory products and analysed the effects of different endocytic inhibitors to address the mechanism of cellular uptake of ES proteins. Opisthorchis viverrini excretory/secretory products was internalised preferentially by liver cell lines, and most efficiently/rapidly by H69 cells. There was no evidence for trafficking of ES proteins to cholangiocyte organelles, and most of the fluorescence was detected in the cytoplasm. Pretreatment with clathrin inhibitors significantly reduced the uptake of O. viverrini excretory/secretory products, particularly by H69 cells. Opisthorchis viverrini excretory/secretory products induced proliferation of liver cells (H69 and CCA lines) but not intestinal (Caco-2) cells, and proliferation was blocked using inhibitors of the classical endocytic pathways (clathrin and caveolae). Opisthorchis viverrini excretory/secretory products drove IL6 secretion by H69 cells but not Caco-2 cells, and cytokine secretion was significantly reduced by endocytosis inhibitors. This the first known study to address the endocytosis of helminth ES proteins by host epithelial cells and sheds light on the pathways by which this parasite causes one of the most devastating forms of cancer in south-eastern Asia.


In silico region of difference (RD) analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from sequence reads using RD-Analyzer.
Whole-genome sequencing is increasingly used in clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis and study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). MTC consists of several genetically homogenous mycobacteria species which can cause tuberculosis in humans and animals. Regions of difference (RDs) are commonly regarded as gold standard genetic markers for MTC classification. We develop RD-Analyzer, a tool that can accurately infer the species and lineage of MTC isolates from sequence reads based on the presence and absence of a set of 31 RDs. Applied on a publicly available diverse set of 377 sequenced MTC isolates from known major species and lineages, RD-Analyzer achieved an accuracy of 98.14 % (370/377) in species prediction and a concordance of 98.47 % (257/261) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage prediction compared to predictions based on single nucleotide polymorphism markers. By comparing respective sequencing read depths on each genomic position between isolates of different sublineages, we were able to identify the known RD markers in different sublineages of Lineage 4 and provide support for six potential delineating markers having high sensitivities and specificities for sublineage prediction. An extended version of RD-Analyzer was thus developed to allow user-defined RDs for lineage prediction. RD-Analyzer is a useful and accurate tool for species, lineage and sublineage prediction using known RDs of MTC from sequence reads and is extendable to accepting user-defined RDs for analysis. RD-Analyzer is written in Python and is freely available at https://github.com/xiaeryu/RD-Analyzer .


Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Mimics Diffuse Metastatic Disease: A Case Report.
Background Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is associated with major diagnostic difficulties as it has many atypical symptoms and its imaging findings are similar to those of many other diseases. Case Report We present the case of a 50-year-old woman with a complex cystic mass in her pelvis and a 2-month history of pain. Thoracoabdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed the following: (1) multiple supraclavicular, axillary, mediastinal, and abdominal pathologic lymph nodes with central hypoattenuation; (2) sternal and dorsal vertebral bone destruction with a soft tissue mass; and (3) multiple hypoattenuating masses in the liver. 18 F-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG PET/CT) revealed pathologic uptake in the defined areas, which were similar to metastases. Chest X-ray was normal. Diffuse metastatic disease was suspected clinically, but careful analysis of the imaging findings and the final pathologic results revealed multisystemic extrapulmonary TB. Clinical and radiological recovery was significant after anti-TB treatment at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusion Extrapulmonary TB without pulmonary involvement is associated with major diagnostic difficulties, especially with PET-CT. However, recognition and understanding of the CT or MR imaging spectrum can aid in the correct diagnosis and management of the disease.


Regulation by ca of a cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase from spinach leaves.
Cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves was purified over 1700-fold. The final preparation was specific for fructose-1,6-bisphosphate in the presence of either Mg(2+) or Mn(2+), and was free of interfering enzyme activities. Ca(2+) was an effector of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activity, and showed different kinetics, depending on whether Mg(2+) or Mn(2+) was used as cofactor. In the presence of 5 millimolar Mg(2+), Ca(2+) appeared as activator or as inhibitor of the enzyme at low or high levels of substrate, respectively. In both cases, a rise in affinity for fructose-1,6-bisphosphate was observed. A model is proposed to describe the complex interaction of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase with its substrate and Ca(2+). However, with Mn(2+) (60 micromolar) as cofactor, Ca(2+) exhibited the Michaelis-Menten kinetics of a noncompetitive inhibitor. When assayed at constant substrate concentration, Ca(2+) behaves as a competitive or noncompetitive inhibitor, depending on the use of Mg(2+) or Mn(2+) as cofactor, respectively, with a positive cooperativity in both cases. Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate showed a classic competitive allosteric inhibition in the presence of Mg(2+) as cofactor, but this effect was low with Mn(2+). From these results we suggest that Ca(2+) plays a role in the in vivo regulation of cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase.


Serogroup-specific interaction of Neisseria meningitidis capsular polysaccharide with host cell microtubules and effects on tubulin polymerization.
We have previously shown that during late stages of the infectious process, serogroup B meningococci (MenB) are able to escape the phagosome of in vitro-infected human epithelial cells. They then multiply in the cytosolic environment and spread intracellularly and to surrounding cells by exploiting the microtubule cytoskeleton, as suggested by results of infections in the presence of microtubule inhibitors and evidence of nanotubes connecting neighboring cells. In this study, by using microtubule binding assays with purified microtubule asters and bundles and microtubule bundles synthesized in vitro, we demonstrate that the MenB capsule directly mediates the interaction between bacteria and microtubules. The direct interaction between the microtubules and the MenB capsular polysaccharide was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. Unexpectedly, serogroup C meningococci (MenC), which have a capsular polysaccharide that differs from that of MenB only by its anomeric linkage, α(2→9) instead of α(2→8), were not able to interact with the microtubules, and the lack of interaction was not due to capsular polysaccharide O-acetylation that takes place in most MenC strains but not in MenB strains. Moreover, we demonstrate that the MenB capsular polysaccharide inhibits tubulin polymerization in vitro. Thus, at variance with MenC, MenB may interfere with microtubule dynamics during cell infection.


[The shortened dental arch concept: a treatment strategy for the mutilated dentition].
The minimum number of teeth needed to satisfy functional demands has been subject of several studies. However, since functional demands can vary from individual to individual, this number cannot be defined exactly. It has been demonstrated that shortened dental arches comprising the front teeth and the premolars, can meet the requirements of a functional dentition. The shortened dental arch concept may be considered a strategy to reduce the need for complex restorative treatment in the posterior regions of the mouth. It implies that the prompt replacement of absent molars by a removable partial denture leads to overtreatment and discomfort. The shortened dental arch concept is based on circumstantial evidence, and not contradict current theories of occlusion and fits well in a problem-solving approach.


Novel mutations of TCTN3/LTBP2 with cellular function changes in congenital heart disease associated with polydactyly.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) associated with polydactyly involves various genes. We aimed to identify variations from genes related to complex CHD with polydactyly and to investigate the cellular functions related to the mutations. Blood was collected from a complex CHD case with polydactyly, and whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed. The CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to generate human pluripotent stem cell with mutations (hPSCs-Mut) that were differentiated into cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs-Mut) and analysed by transcriptomics on day 0, 9 and 13. Two heterozygous mutations, LTBP2 (c.2206G>A, p.Asp736Asn, RefSeq NM_000428.2) and TCTN3 (c.1268G>A, p.Gly423Glu, RefSeq NM_015631.5), were identified via WES but no TBX5 mutations were found. The stable cell lines of hPSCs-LTBP2mu /TCTN3mu were constructed and differentiated into hPSC-CMs-LTBP2mu /TCTN3mu . Compared to the wild type, LTBP2 mutation delayed the development of CMs. The TCTN3 mutation consistently presented lower rate and weaker force of the contraction of CMs. For gene expression pattern of persistent up-regulation, pathways in cardiac development and congenital heart disease were enriched in hPSCs-CM-LTBP2mu , compared with hPSCs-CM-WT. Thus, the heterozygous mutations in TCTN3 and LTBP2 affect contractility (rate and force) of cardiac myocytes and may affect the development of the heart. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of complex CHD with polydactyly.


The importance of and potential for continuous monitoring of intraocular pressure.
Monitoring intraocular pressure (IOP) is a critically important part of glaucoma management; however, clinical tonometry predominantly involves sitting postures and is unable to detect variations in response to posture changes, muscular effort, deep respirations and during a wide range of activities, such as playing high wind-resistance instruments and wearing swimming goggles in addition to eye touching and rubbing. For example, the usefulness of 24-hour tonometric phasing may be increased, if nocturnal assessments included side and prone sleeping postures rather than being limited to supine posture tonometry. Continuous monitoring of IOP, which allows unrestricted involvement in a full range of sleep and non-sleep IOP elevating activities would provide an ideal method of quantifying the frequency, duration and degree of episodes of elevation in addition to physiological and pathological circadian rhythmic variations due to treatment. Apart from the degree of exposure to episodes of elevation of IOP, genetic influences and family history of glaucoma, other factors which are or could be associated with increased susceptibility to develop or progress glaucomatous pathology include age, frailty, race, type and degree of refractive error, systemic hypotension and hypertension, vasospasm, migraine, pigmentary dispersion syndrome, pseudoexfoliation syndrome, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, diabetes as well as medication interactions and side effects. Such information, when combined with all details relating to episodes of elevation of IOP, appears likely to be a strong basis for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. This review examines the limitations of methods of longitudinal monitoring of IOP with reference to their validity and the varying degrees of invasiveness involved. Also mentioned is the potential value of knowing the frequency, duration and level of variations of optic nerve subarachnoid space pressure, as the interaction of such changes with IOP and their potential influence on the lamina cribrosa, may help determine pathological significance.


Plating of humeral shaft fractures: comparison of standard conventional plating versus minimally invasive plating.
This study compared clinical outcomes and complications in patients with humeral shaft fractures treated using two methods of fixation by plating. Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO, n=29) was prospectively performed from around the middle of the study period, while open reduction and plate osteosynthesis (ORPO, n=30) had been the original standard method. Locking compression plate was used in these two groups. Major characteristics of the two groups were similar in terms of fracture type, fracture location, age, associated injuries and numbers of open fractures. Primary union was achieved in 28 of 29 in the MIPO and in 27 of 30 in the ORPO. Mean time to union was similar in the two groups. Mean operation time in the MIPO (110min) was shorter than in the ORPO (169min) (P<0.05). Bone grafting was performed in five patients of in the ORPO, but in no patient in the MIPO (P<0.0001). There was one case of deep infection in the ORPO. Functional outcome was satisfactory in both groups. Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis may achieve comparable results with the open plate osteosynthesis method in simple as well as complex fractures of humeral shaft. Although MIPO potentially has the radiation hazard, it may reduce the perioperative complications with a shortened operation time. Level III. Case-control study.


Ion-pair RP-HPLC determination of sugars, amino sugars, and uronic acids after derivatization with p-aminobenzoic acid.
A new, selective, and sensitive ion-pair RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of three classes of natural organic compounds, i.e., carbohydrates, amino sugars, and uronic acids, in environmental samples is presented. p-Aminobenzoic acid is used for precolumn derivatization of the analytes, enabling fluorescence (lambda(ex) 313 nm, lambda(em) 358 nm) or photometric detection (303 nm). The dependence of the derivatization yield on the reaction conditions is examined. Derivatives of lactose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid, N-acetylglucosamine, and glycerinealdehyde were separated on a RP-C18 column with hydrophilic end capping within 35 min, applying TBAHSO4 as the ion-pair reagent. The concentration detection limits range between 20 and 30 microg L(-1) ((1-2) x 10(-7) M) for fluorescence detection and between 30 and 75 microg L(-1) for UV detection. A good linearity is achieved in the concentration range from 50 microg L(-1) to 100 mg L(-1) (r2 > 0.99). The described method has been applied for the determination of mono-/disaccharides, uronic acids, and amino sugars in soil solutions and in landfill leachates.


Measurement of serum monoclonal components: comparison between densitometry and capillary zone electrophoresis.
Quantitative measurement of serum monoclonal protein (M-protein) is one of the most important tools for monitoring disease activity in monoclonal gammopathies. The aims of this study were to evaluate serum M-protein quantification by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and to compare results with those obtained by densitometric scanning of high-resolution agarose gel electrophoresis (HRE-AGE). The evaluation was carried out on 82 samples from patients with various monoclonal gammopathies. All the suspected M-proteins were confirmed and characterised by immunofixation on agarose gel (IFE). CZE was performed on a Paragon CZE 2000 system (Beckman Coulter). Passing-Bablok regression was: y (CZE)=1.27 x(HRE-AGE)-5.21 g/L. The correlation coefficient was 0.92. Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated a mean difference of -1.83 g/L (95% CI -0.76 to -2.90) with clear evidence of a concentration-related bias. Densitometry gave higher values at low M-spikes (<20 g/L), whereas CZE gave higher values at large M-spikes (>20 g/L). The concentration-related bias was found to be independent of the immunoglobulin isotype. In conclusion, to compare previous results obtained by M-protein densitometric scanning with those obtained by direct measurement of CZE peaks, the calculation of a univocal transforming factor appears to be unreliable.


[Cutaneous schwannoma: study of 26 cases].
Schwannoma is generally a benign tumour developing from Schwann cells. To study epidemiological, clinical and pathological features of scwannoma. Retrospective study about 26 cases of cutaneous schwannoma collected in our department over 24 years. Our patients were 12 females and 14 males. Mean age was 30 years. Clinically, schwannoma was a subcutaneous tumour which was painful in 11 cases. Individual tumours were located on the limbs (10 cases), on the head (9 cases) and the trunk (5 cases). Multiple tumours were seen in two patients. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma in all cases. Treatment was complete surgical excision in all cases. Cutaneous location of schwannoma is not rare. Usually, and contrarily to our series, there is no sex predominance. Clinically, schwannoma is located on the limbs and head. The diagnosis is confirmed by histopathological examination. Malignant epitheloid schwannoma diagnosed in one of our patients is a rare tumour. Schwannomas usually grow slowly and are poorly invasive. Malignant degeneration is exceptional. Treatment is complete surgical excision.


A permanently charged tamoxifen derivative displays anticancer activity and improved tissue selectivity in rodents.
A quaternized form of tamoxifen (TAM), tamoxifen methiodide (TMI), was shown to demonstrate very low brain uptake compared to TAM and, unexpectedly, was considerably less estrogenic than TAM in the uterus. The agonist activity of TMI in the bone was similar to that of TAM. TMI manifested significant dose-dependent tumoricidal activity with a rapid onset of action against MCF-7 human breast cancer implants in nude mice and a mean reduction in tumor size of 60% over six weeks.


Dehydroepiandrosterone for myotonic dystrophy type 1.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 may be associated with low circulating dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels. This study was aimed at investigating the efficacy and safety of DHEA in myotonic dystrophy type 1 patients. This was a prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted from February 2005 to January 2006 at 10 university-affiliated neuromuscular disease centers in France. Seventy-five ambulatory adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1 received an oral replacement dose (100 mg/d) or a pharmacologic dose (400 mg/d) of DHEA, or placebo. The primary endpoint was the relative change in the manual muscle testing (MMT) score from baseline to week 12. Secondary outcome measures included changes from baseline to week 12 in quantitative muscle testing and timed functional testing, respiratory and cardiac function, and quality of life. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00167609. The median (1st, 3rd quartile) relative changes in MMT score from baseline to week 12 after randomization were 3.1 (-0.9, 6.7), 1.9 (-2.7, 3.5), and 2.2 (0, 7.9), in the DHEA 100 mg, DHEA 400 mg, and placebo groups, respectively. There were no differences between placebo and combined DHEA groups (p = 0.34), placebo and DHEA 100 mg (p = 0.86), or placebo and DHEA 400 mg (p = 0.15). There were also no evidence for a difference between groups for the changes from baseline to week 12 in any secondary outcome. There is no evidence that a 12-week treatment with replacement or pharmacologic doses of dehydroepiandrosterone improves muscle strength in ambulatory myotonic dystrophy type 1 patients.


Nrf2 Activation Is Involved in Cyclic Mechanical Stress-Stimulated Osteogenic Differentiation in Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells via PI3K/Akt Signaling and HO1-SOD2 Interaction.
Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), the major transcriptional regulator in antioxidant response and cellular defense, had the vital effect on regulating osteogenic differentiation. Our previous study revealed that Nrf2 activation was involved in cyclic mechanical stress-stimulated osteogenic differentiation in the human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). However, the mechanisms of Nrf2 underlying this process remained unclear. The goal of the study was to explore the mechanisms of Nrf2 in PDLSCs during cyclic mechanical stress-stimulated osteogenic differentiation via the tandem mass tag (TMT)-based liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. And we applied tert-Butylhydroquinone (t-BHQ), the Nrf2 activator, to the orthodontic rats and detected the expression levels of the osteogenesis markers by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Our results showed that Nrf2 activation in PDLSCs was involved in cyclic mechanical stress-stimulated osteogenic differentiation via phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. The protein-protein interaction between Akt and Nrf2 was detected. And the protein-protein interaction between heme oxygenase 1 (HO1) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), the downstream antioxidants of Nrf2, was associated with cyclic mechanical stress-stimulated osteogenic differentiation. T-BHQ enhanced the expression levels of the osteogenesis markers in orthodontic rats. Nrf2 might possess the potential to be a feasible molecular target in orthodontics.


Differential therapy in early and late stages of rheumatoid arthritis.
Early and late stages of rheumatoid arthritis differ with respect to the severity of inflammation and the progression rate of irreversible joint destruction. There are no solid data showing that disease mechanisms underlying destructive arthritis differ between the various stages of the disease. Long-term observational studies have shown that rheumatoid arthritis is a severe progressive disease in many patients, highlighting the need for new therapeutic strategies. At present many centers are exploring whether early and aggressive treatment can improve long-term morbidity and mortality.


Solvation effect on binding modes of model lignin dimer compounds on MWW 2D-zeolite.
Lignin as a potential renewable source of biofuels, chemicals, and other value-added products has gained much attention. However, the complexity of lignin structure poses a significant challenge for developing efficient valorization techniques. As most processes involve solvothermal conditions to minimize energy cost, lignin depolymerization is governed by reaction conditions (temperature and pressure) and solvents. In this work, binding of β-O-4 linkage consisting lignin dimers on MWW two-dimensional (2D) zeolite is investigated using periodic density functional theory. Furthermore, the effect of different terminated surfaces (H:OH% = 100:0; 50:50; 0:100%), different temperatures (323, 353, 373 K), and different solvents (water and methanol) on the binding modes is quantified. Our work shows that in the gas phase the binding strength increases 10-15 kcal/mol upon increasing the number of hydroxyl groups on the surface. Also, the phenolic dimer binds more strongly than the nonphenolic dimer, and the binding strength of model compounds increases in the presence of the solvent. Analysis of structural changes in the presence of the solvent reveals that the aromatic rings are parallel to the zeolite surface and primary interaction with zeolite is through the hydroxyl groups near the β-O-4 linkage. Furthermore, while the solvation energy decreases with increasing temperature, the opposite trend is observed for the binding energy with the surface.


Effect of gastrointestinal surgery and bacterial overgrowth on the urinary excretion of sulfur amino acids and their main degradation products.
The urinary excretion of sulfur amino acids and their main degradation products was determined in patients subjected to various forms of gastrointestinal surgery or with bacterial overgrowth. A normal excretion of total sulfur and inorganic sulfate was found, indicating an adequate intake and maintained ability to absorb sulfur amino acids. An increased excretion of ester sulfate was observed in all groups except patients subjected to ileocecal resection or proctocolectomy, probably owing to bacterial overgrowth. A reduced excretion of methionine was observed in patients with gastric resection (Billroth I), ileocecal resection, and abnormal gut flora, whereas patients with jejunoileal bypass showed an increased excretion of methionine, probably a consequence of the impaired liver function. For cystathionine, a similar effect was found in patients with ileocecal resection and jejunoileal bypass. A reduced excretion of mercaptolactate was found in jejunoileal bypass patients. A low excretion of thiosulfate was seen in proctocolectomized patients, suggesting that the bacterial flora of the colon plays a role in the formation of thiosulfate. A low excretion of thiocyanate was found in gastric-resected patients, which may be due to a decreased ability to hydrolyze cyanogenic and/or thiocyanogenic glycosides or to a reduced intake of these compounds.


Evolution and the origins of man: clues from complete sequences of hominoid mitochondrial DNA.
Dating the origins of Homo sapiens sapiens is a central problem in human population genetics and anthropology. Do we descend from a single recent ancestral population in Africa, or from multiple ancestral populations in various regions of the world which one million years ago simultaneously began developing into H.s.sapiens? The high substitution rate of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) makes this molecule suitable for genealogical and chronological research on closely related hominoid species. We have analyzed the complete mtDNA sequences of three humans (African, European and Japanese) and two African apes (common chimpanzee and gorilla) in an attempt to estimate more accurately the substitution rates and divergence times of hominoid mtDNAs. Nonsynonymous substitutions and substitutions in RNA genes have accumulated at an approximately constant rate. Under the assumption, supported by the fossil record, that the orangutan and African apes diverged 13 million years ago, we have previously obtained 4.7 million years as the divergence time between humans and chimpanzees. Using this date, we calibrated the substitution rates at synonymous sites and in the displacement-loop region as 4.03 and 7.25 x 10(-8)/site/year, respectively. Based on these rates together with the observation that the African sequence presented here is most diverged from all other human sequences, we inferred the age of the last common ancestor of the human mtDNAs as 140,000 +/- 18,000 years. The result strongly supports the recent African origin of modern humans, H.s. sapiens.


[Spectral repeatability of regenerated fiber gratings prepared by high temperature annealing].
Two groups of fiber Bragg gratings were fabricated by using UV laser, and group one was annealed at 850 degrees C in the high temperature furnace. Grating regeneration occurred after the initial grating vanished. For the regenerated gratings from group one, the variation in Bragg wavelength is 0.22 nm and the average transmissions strength is 2. 57 dB, while the variation of transmission among ten gratings is 0.52 dB. Group two underwent post-annealing at 1 100 degrees C after the process of grating regeneration at 850 degrees C. For the regenerated gratings from group two, the variation in Bragg wavelength is 0. 41 nm and the average transmissions strength is 0.69 dB, while the variation of transmission among ten gratings is 0.16 dB. The variation in Bragg wavelength of grating with post-annealing is notably larger than that of the regenerated gratings in group one, which is caused by the small difference in fixed tension among the ten gratings. The process of grating regeneration has good reproducibility. The mass production of the regenerated gratings by high temperature annealing is feasible.


Sexual Harassment in Clinical Practice-A Cross-Sectional Study Among Nurses and Nursing Students in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sexual harassment (SH) at the workplace is a globally discussed topic and one deserving of scrutiny. It is an issue that is often avoided although around 25% of nurses worldwide have experienced some form of SH at their workplace. Consequences of SH at workplaces can be very serious and an occupation hazard for nurses around the world. In Sub-Saharan Africa there is also a need for more studies in the field. The overall aim was to determine the prevalence, types, and consequences of sexual harassment among nurses and nursing students at a regional university hospital in Tanzania. The study has a cross-sectional design. A study specific questionnaire was distributed to a total of 200 nurses and nursing students. Descriptive statistics were used for calculation of frequencies, prevalence, including gender differences, types, and consequences of sexual harassment. The result show that 9.6% of the participants had experienced some form of SH at their workplace. Regarding the female nurses and students, 10.5% had been sexually harassed at work, whereas the number for males was 7.8%, but 36% knew about a friend who had been sexually harassed. The most common perpetrator were physicians. The victims of SH were uncomfortable going back to work, felt ashamed and angry. In conclusion, nearly 10% of the participants had been exposed to sexual harassment. However, an even greater number of victims was found when including by proxy victims of sexual harassment. SH can become a serious occupational hazard and stigmatization for nurses. Enhanced knowledge is needed, and hospitals and medical colleges should emphasize their possibilities to give support and assistance to the victims of SH. Education about SH in all levels and prevention methods should also be emphasized.


[Surgical hand washing].
Hand washing is required to prevent nosocomial infection. We reviewed the literature, analyzing controlled randomized trials providing the best level of evidence. The different products and techniques evaluated in these trials are detailed. Compliance with hand washing protocols is also discussed.


Reversible unfolding of ribosomal protein E-L30: an NMR study.
Ribosomal protein E-L30 unfolds reversibly at pH values between 7.0 and 4.5. Unfolding of the protein involves a fast and a slow equilibrium, which depend on the degree of protonation of His19 and His33. Both the fast equilibrium between protonated and deprotonated histidines and the slow equilibrium between folded and unfolded protein could be monitored by means of 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy. The degree of protonation of His19 and His33 appears to be determinant in the unfolding process of the protein. It is shown however that even when the histidines are uncharged, the protein has only limited stability, probably as a result of the presence of all four Glu's of E-L30 in its triple-stranded beta-sheet. At equimolar concentrations of the folded and unfolded form, the rate constant characterizing the transition between these forms is approximately 0.14 s-1. Making use of sequential resonance assignments of the 1H NMR spectrum [van de Ven, F.J.M., & Hilbers, C.W. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 192, 419-441], the fast equilibrium could be interpreted in terms of alterations in the spatial structure of E-L30 in a specific domain of the molecule. This domain is also affected by temperature although not in exactly the same manner as by pH.


Melittin-derived peptides exhibit variations in cytotoxicity and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and allergenic activities.
Melittin is a major component of bee venom; it is widely used in traditional medicine because of its therapeutic effects, such as anti-inflammatory effects. However, melittin has limited medical applications owing to its adverse effects, such as high cytotoxicity. In this study, we investigated the physiological activities of various hydrolyzed melittin-derived peptides to eliminate the cytotoxicity of melittin and enhance its efficacy. The 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assay confirmed that melittin-derived peptides showed antioxidant activity comparable to that of melittin. Moreover, unlike melittin, which showed high cytotoxicity in the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium inner salt (MTS) assay, the melittin-derived peptides showed negligible cytotoxicity. Among the melittin-derived peptides, the peptide composed of sequence TTGLPALISWIKRKRQQ (P1) showed inhibitory effects on the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines and phosphorylation of IκBα, similar to the effects of melittin in RAW 264.7 cells. Degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells was analyzed using a β-hexosaminidase release assay to confirm the allergenic activity of melittin and P1, which showed remarkably reduced allergenicity of P1 compared to that of melittin. These results indicate that P1 maintained the anti-inflammatory effects of melittin while reducing its cytotoxicity and allergic reactions. In conclusion, the melittin-derived peptide P1 efficiently decreased the adverse effects while maintaining the beneficial effects of melittin, making it suitable for therapeutic applications.


Rostroventrolateral medullary neurons modulate glucose homeostasis in the rat.
Several lines of evidence support the view that the premotor sympathetic input to the adrenal gland arises from the rostroventrolateral medulla (RVLM). The aim of this study was to determine whether RVLM neurons play a role in glucose homeostasis. We identified RVLM neurons that control epinephrine secretion by searching for medullospinal neurons that responded to neuroglucoprivation induced by systemic 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) administration. We tested the effect of disinhibition of the RVLM on arterial blood pressure and plasma glucose concentration. RVLM medullospinal barosensitive neurons (n = 17) were either unaffected or slightly inhibited by 2-DG. In contrast, we found a group (n = 6) of spinally projecting neurons that were excited by 2-DG administration. These neurons were not barosensitive and had spinal conduction velocities in the unmyelinated range (<1 m/s). These neurons may mediate epinephrine secretion and participate in the counterregulatory responses to neuroglucoprivation. To test the hypothesis that activation of the RVLM leads to adrenomedullary activation and subsequent hyperglycemia, we applied the GABA(A) antagonist bicuculline to the RVLM and measured blood pressure, heart rate, and blood glucose in rats with intact adrenals or after bilateral adrenalectomy. Disinhibition of the RVLM resulted in hypertension, tachycardia, and hyperglycemia (4.9 ± 0.3 to 14.7 ± 0.9 mM, n = 5, P < 0.05). Adrenalectomy significantly reduced the hyperglycemic response but did not alter the cardiovascular responses. These data suggest that the RVLM is a key component of the neurocircuitry that is recruited in the counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia.


High levels of TSP1+/CD142+ platelet-derived microparticles characterise young patients with high cardiovascular risk and subclinical atherosclerosis.
Circulating microparticles (cMPs) play important roles in cellular crosstalk and are messengers of cell activation. We have previously reported that platelet-released microparticles (pMPs) stimulate thrombosis and that lipid-lowering treatment as per guidelines in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is not sufficiently effective in reducing pro-inflammatory cell activation and, consequently, CD45+/CD3+-lymphocyte-derived cMP shedding. FH patients, due to life-long vascular exposure to high LDL-cholesterol levels, are at high cardiovascular risk (HCVR) and develop premature coronary artery disease. Our objectives were to investigate a) whether patients with HCVR have cMPs with a prothrombotic phenotype, and b) whether patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of lipid-rich atherosclerotic lesions have a specific cMP profile regarding prothrombotic protein cargos. cMPs were isolated from HCVR-patients and from age/gender/treatment-matched control patients. cMP phenotype was characterised by triple-labelling flow cytometry. HCVR--patients have higher numbers of pMPs derived from activated platelets as well as of tissue factor-rich microparticles (TF+-cMPs) than controls (P< 0.0001). TF+-cMPs showed procoagulant activity, which associate with atherosclerotic plaque burden, indicating that TF in the cMPs is functional. In HCVR-patients, overall TF+-cMPs (monocyte-derived [CD142+/CD14+] and platelet-derived [CD142+/TSP1+]) and activated pMPs directly correlate with MRI-detected lipid-rich atherosclerotic plaques while inversely correlate with MRI-detected calcified plaques. C-statistics analysis showed that prothrombotic cMPs add significant prognostic value to a risk factor model for the prediction of lipid-rich plaques. In conclusion, the activation status of blood cells in HCVR-patients differed markedly from controls as shown by higher circulating levels of prothrombotic and TF+-cMPs. Prothrombotic cMP numbers identify subclinical atherosclerotic plaque burden.


Quantifying under-reporting of pathology tests in Medical Benefits Schedule claims data.
We investigated the completeness of recording of pathology tests in Australian Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) claims data, using the example of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. With some exceptions, MBS claims data records only the three most expensive pathology items in an episode of care, and this practice ('episode coning') means that pathology tests can be under-recorded. The analysis used MBS data for male participants in the 45 and Up Study. The number and cost of items in each episode of care were used to determine whether an episode contained a PSA screening test (Item 66655), or could have lacked a record of this item because of episode coning. MBS data for 1070392 episodes involving a request for a pathology test for 118074 men were analysed. Of these episodes, 11% contained a request for a PSA test; a further 7.5% may have been missing a PSA request that was not recorded because of episode coning. It is important to consider under-reporting of pathology tests as a result of episode coning when interpreting MBS claims data. Episode coning creates uncertainty about whether a person has received any given pathology test. The extent of this uncertainty can be estimated by determining the proportion of episodes in which the test may have been performed but was not recorded due to episode coning.


Aberrant regeneration of third nerve with characteristic lid signs: operating the normal fellow eye.
A young female with old traumatic third nerve palsy presented with characteristic lid signs of aberrant regeneration of third nerve. There was noticeable disparity in the lid aperture and surgery on the normal fellow eye was undertaken to offer the patient a satisfactory aesthetic appearance.


Optimal rainfall temporal patterns for urban drainage design in the context of climate change.
The main objective of the present study is to propose a method for estimating an optimal temporal storm pattern for urban drainage design in southern Quebec (Canada) in the context of climate change. Following a systematic evaluation of the performance of eight popular design storm models for different typical urban basins, it was found that the Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service (AES) storm pattern and the Desbordes model (with a peak intensity duration of 30 min) were the most accurate for estimating runoff peak flows while the Watt model gave the best estimation of runoff volumes. Based on these analyses, an optimal storm pattern was derived for southern Quebec region. The proposed storm pattern was found to be the most suitable for urban drainage design in southern Quebec since it could provide accurate estimation of both runoff peak flow and volume. Finally, a spatial-temporal downscaling method, based on a combination of the spatial statistical downscaling SDSM technique and the temporal scaling General Extreme Value distribution, was used to assess the climate change impacts on the proposed optimal design storm pattern and the resulting runoff properties.


Does racism harm health? Did child abuse exist before 1962? On explicit questions, critical science, and current controversies: an ecosocial perspective.
Research on racism as a harmful determinant of population health is in its infancy. Explicitly naming a long-standing problem long recognized by those affected, this work has the potential to galvanize inquiry and action, much as the 1962 publication of the Kempe et al. scientific article on the "battered child syndrome" dramatically increased attention to-and prompted new research on-the myriad consequences of child abuse, a known yet neglected social phenomenon. To further work on connections between racism and health, the author addresses 3 interrelated issues: (1) links between racism, biology, and health; (2) methodological controversies over how to study the impact of racism on health; and (3) debates over whether racism or class underlies racial/ethnic disparities in health.


Optical methods for thickness measurements on thin metal films.
The thickness and the dielectric constants of thin metal films on glass substrates are determined by two different methods. The first method is a combination of transmission and ellipsometer measurements (TELL method) and the second is based on attenuated total reflection (ATR method in the Kretschmann arrangement). For comparison, both methods are applied to gold films within a thickness range of 20-80 nm. Furthermore, the TELL method was applied to chromium films of thicknesses up to 150 nm. All experiments are done with a He-Ne laser at 633-nm wavelength.


Thermal Study of Polyols for the Technological Application as Plasticizers in Food Industry.
In this work is presented the complete thermal analysis of polyols by direct methods such as simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyzer (TGA-DTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), modulated DSC (MDSC), and supercooling MDSC. The different thermal events in the temperature range of 113⁻553 K were identified for glycerol (GL), ethylene glycol (EG), and propylene glycol (PG). Boiling temperature (TB) decreased as GL > EG > PG, but increased with the heating rate. GL showed a complex thermal event at 191⁻199 K, identified as the glass transition temperature (Tg) and devitrification temperature (Tdv), and a liquid⁻liquid transition (TL-L) at 215⁻221 K was identified as the supercooling temperature. EG showed several thermal events such as Tg and Tdv at 154 K, crystallization temperature (Tc) at 175 K, and melting temperature (Tm) at 255 K. PG also showed a complex thermal event (Tg and Tdv) at 167 K, a second devitrification at 193 K, and TL-L at 245 K. For PG, crystallization was not observed, indicating that, during the cooling, the liquid remained as an amorphous solid.


Behavioral risk factors for non-communicable disease among factory employees in Faridabad; Haryana.
In developing countries like India, in addition to the infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases are emerging as significant causes of morbidity and mortality. Workplaces present a setting which is appropriate for intervention for adults in a community. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and prevalence of selected risk factors for non-communicable diseases. A cross sectional study was conducted among the regular employees of the factories. Smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary intake and physical activity were measured through interview schedules and height, weight and blood pressure were also measured by standard instrument. An awareness generation program was pre-tested. A total of 545 employees were interviewed. Among them 307 (56.3%) and 238 (43.7%) were manual and non-manual workers respectively. Most of the employees knew [smoking as a risk factor for hypertension (55.2%), heart attack (61.1%) and cancer (78.7%); Alcohol as a risk factor for hypertension (72.1%), heart attack (73.9%), cancer ( 54.9%); Physical inactivity as a risk factor for hypertension (82.6%), heart attack (78.5%), diabetes (60.4%) and high fat diet as a risk factor for hypertension (67.2%), heart attack (64.8%)] that these risk factors lead to different non-communicable diseases. The prevalence (95% CI) of the risk factors is as follows: male current smoker [40.7% (36.4-45.3)], current alcohol consumption [31.0 % (27.2 - 35.1)], sedentary activity [41.2% (37.0 - 45.5)], high fat intake [93.7% (90.2 - 95.5)], over weight [26.9% (23.2 - 30.9)]; and hypertension [21.0% (17.62 - 24.6)] This study showed that the risk factors for non-communicable diseases are prevalent in factory employees. Implementation of the risk factors control programme is desirable and there is an interest among employees and management.


[Fatal opioid overdoses usually occur without anyone being present and able to intervene. Knowledge of the presence of witnesses is important for how naloxone programs should be designed].
Drug mortality has increased in Sweden during the 2000s. The vast majority of deaths are opioid overdoses. The National Board of Health and Welfare recommends that the antidote naloxone and a brief overdose education should be offered to people who are at risk of opioid overdose. A retrospective registry study of 193 forensically examined fatal opioid overdoses in Skåne showed that over 80 percent occurred in private residences, most often the deceased's own home. Other people were present in just over 40 percent of the 193 deaths, but usually in another room or asleep. In most cases, the witnesses were friends, partners, parents, or other people close to the deceased. Naloxone programs should be expanded to include family members and other persons who are close to opioid users, and who therefore may witness or be present early in case of an overdose.


Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Cestrum nocturnum Leaves in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.
Objective. To investigate antidiabetic activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Cestrum nocturnum leaves in Wistar rats. Method. Cestrum nocturnum leaves extract in hydroalcoholic solution were prepared by Soxhletation method and stored in refrigerator at 4°C for two days before use. Wistar rats were made diabetic by a single dose of streptozotocin (150 mg/kg i.p.). Hydroalcoholic leaves extract of Cestrum nocturnum was screened for antidiabetic activity and given to the STZ-induced diabetic rats at a concentration of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of body weight in different groups of 6 diabetic rats each orally once a day for 15 days. Metformin is also given to another group to support the result at a dose of 10 mg/kg of body weight orally once a day for 15 days. Blood glucose levels and body weights of rats were measured on 0, 5, 7, and 15th days. Results. Oral administration of the extracts for 15 days caused a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. The body weight of diabetic animals was also improved after daily administration of extracts. The extract also improved other altered biochemical parameters associated with diabetes. Also the changes in food intake, water intake, and weight of internal organs were also restored to normal by the prolonged effect of extract treatment.


Behaviour of orthotropic surgical implant in hernia repair due to the material orientation and abdomen surface deformation.
Surgical implants used in hernia repair reveal isotropic as well as orthotropic properties. In particular, its orthotropy, in relation to the different range of typical deformations observed in different directions and zones of abdomen surface due to the patients' life activities, has a significant influence on the extreme junction forces in the mesh-tissue connections and hence the repair persistence. The finite element model of the orthotropic implant was developed, and the junction forces in the connections of tissue and mesh were studied. The kinematical extortions representing the abdomen surface deformations identified in specific zones of hernia placement were applied to the model. The sensitive analysis was applied to specify the influence of the orthotropy (implant orientation) direction to the repair persistence. Due to the anisotropy of the human abdomen and also the different range of deformations observed in different areas of abdomen surface, the behaviour of the implant differs significantly depending on the hernia placement and the implant orientation. Especially, it is observed in the values of the implant-tissue junction forces which determinate considerably the repair persistence. The provided results and conclusions may be useful in some clinical recommendations for implantation of orthotropic surgical mesh specifying the hernia placement as well as the orthotropic implant orientation. This can also be considered in the design of new synthetic implants with more physiologic tissue-like properties also taking into account the human abdomen anisotropy.


Effect of increased renal venous pressure on renal function.
Acute renal failure is seen with the acute abdominal compartment syndrome (AACS). Although the cause of acute renal failure in AACS may be multifactorial, renal vein compression alone has not been investigated. This study evaluated the effects of elevated renal vein pressure (RVP) on renal function. Two groups of swine (18-22 kg) were studied after left nephrectomy and placement of a renal artery flow probe to measure renal artery blood flow, renal vein catheter, and ureteral cannula. Two hours were allowed for equilibration and an inulin infusion was begun to calculate inulin clearance for measurement of glomerular filtration rate. Group 1 animals (n = 4) had RVP elevated by 30 mm Hg for 2 hours with renal vein constriction. RVP was then returned to baseline for 1 hour. In group 2 (n = 4), the RVP was not elevated. The cardiac index (2.9 +/- 0.5 L/min/m2) and mean arterial pressure (101 +/- 9 mm Hg) remained stable. Plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone were measured every 60 minutes. Elevation of RVP (0-30 mm Hg above baseline) in the experimental group showed a significant decrease in renal artery blood flow index (2.7 to 1.5 mL/min per g) and glomerular filtration rate (26 to 8 mL/min) compared with control. In addition, there was significant elevation of plasma serum aldosterone (14 to 25 microng/dL) and plasma renin activity (2.6 to 9.5 microng/mL per h) as well as urinary protein leak in the experimental animals compared with control. These changes were partially or completely reversible as RVP returned toward baseline. Elevated RVP alone leads to decreased renal artery blood flow and glomerular filtration rate and increased plasma renin activity, serum aldosterone, and urinary protein leak. These changes are consistent with the renal pathophysiology seen in AACS, morbid obesity, and preeclampsia. The changes are partially or completely reversed by decreasing renal venous pressure as occurs with abdominal decompression for AACS.