Resting state brain networks arise from electrophysiology-invisible signals.
Resting-state brain networks (RSNs) have been widely applied in health and disease, but their interpretation in terms of the underlying neural activity is unclear. To systematically investigate this cornerstone issue, here we simultaneously recorded whole-brain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) and electrophysiology signals in two separate brain regions in rats. Our data show that for both recording sites, band-specific local field potential (LFP) power-derived spatial maps can explain up to 90% of spatial variance of RSNs obtained by the blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal. Paradoxically, the time series of LFP band power can only explain up to 35% of temporal variance of the local BOLD time course from the same location even after controlling for the factors that may affect apparent LFP-BOLD correlations such as contrast-to-noise ratio. In addition, regressing out LFP band powers from the rsfMRI signal does not affect the spatial patterns of BOLD-derived RSNs, collectively suggesting that the electrophysiological activity has a marginal effect on the rsfMRI signal. These findings remain consistent in both light sedation and awake conditions. To reconcile this contradiction in the spatial and temporal relationships between resting-state electrophysiology and rsfMRI signals, we propose a model hypothesizing that the rsfMRI signal is driven by electrophysiology-invisible neural activities that are active in neurovascular coupling, but temporally weakly correlated to electrophysiology data. Meanwhile, signaling of electrophysiology and electrophysiology-invisible/BOLD activities are both constrained by the same anatomical backbone, leading to spatially similar RSNs. These data and the model provide a new perspective of our interpretation of RSNs.


SOX9 Inhibits the Progression of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head via the Activation of the Wnt/Beta-Catenin Pathway.
Background: In this study, we aimed to explore whether the SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9) can play protective roles against the occurrence and development of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) by regulating the proliferation, apoptosis, and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Methods: We used 1600 mg of glucocorticoid (GC) to induce hBMSCs to establish an ONFH cell model and performed various experiments. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting assays were used to determine the expression levels of SOX9 and osteoblast markers, such as the RUNX family transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osterix, Wnt3a, and β-catenin. An ALP detection kit was used to measure the ALP activity. Flow cytometry and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays were performed to determine the cell viability.Results: GC treatment decreased the expression levels of RUNX2, ALP, and osterix, suppressed ALP activity, and inhibited SOX9 expression. SOX9 overexpression promoted GC-induced cell proliferation and decreased cell apoptosis. Additionally, hBMSCs were transfected with SOX9-small interfering RNA in GC treatment, and SOX9 knockdown was found to suppress the osteogenic differentiation of cells and decrease their viability.Conclusion: Our results revealed that SOX9 is related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in ONFH. Moreover, SOX9 participated in ONFH development by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.


A KPI framework for process-based benchmarking of hospital information systems.
Benchmarking is a major topic for monitoring, directing and elucidating the performance of hospital information systems (HIS). Current approaches neglect the outcome of the processes that are supported by the HIS and their contribution to the hospital's strategic goals. We suggest to benchmark HIS based on clinical documentation processes and their outcome. A framework consisting of a general process model and outcome criteria for clinical documentation processes is introduced.


Flavobacterium johnsoniae PorV is required for secretion of a subset of proteins targeted to the type IX secretion system.
Flavobacterium johnsoniae exhibits gliding motility and digests many polysaccharides, including chitin. A novel protein secretion system, the type IX secretion system (T9SS), is required for gliding and chitin utilization. The T9SS secretes the cell surface motility adhesins SprB and RemA and the chitinase ChiA. Proteins involved in secretion by the T9SS include GldK, GldL, GldM, GldN, SprA, SprE, and SprT. Porphyromonas gingivalis has orthologs for each of these that are required for secretion of gingipain protease virulence factors by its T9SS. P. gingivalis porU and porV have also been linked to T9SS-mediated secretion, and F. johnsoniae has orthologs of these. Mutations in F. johnsoniae porU and porV were constructed to determine if they function in secretion. Cells of a porV deletion mutant were deficient in chitin utilization and failed to secrete ChiA. They were also deficient in secretion of the motility adhesin RemA but retained the ability to secrete SprB. SprB is involved in gliding motility and is needed for formation of spreading colonies on agar, and the porV mutant exhibited gliding motility and formed spreading colonies. However, the porV mutant was partially deficient in attachment to glass, apparently because of the absence of RemA and other adhesins on the cell surface. The porV mutant also appeared to be deficient in secretion of numerous other proteins that have carboxy-terminal domains associated with targeting to the T9SS. PorU was not required for secretion of ChiA, RemA, or SprB, indicating that it does not play an essential role in the F. johnsoniae T9SS.


Improving the Cross-Subject Performance of the ERP-Based Brain-Computer Interface Using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation and Correlation Analysis Rank.
The brain-computer interface (BCI) is a system that is designed to provide communication channels to anyone through a computer. Initially, it was suggested to help the disabled, but actually had been proposed a wider range of applications. However, the cross-subject recognition in BCI systems is difficult to break apart from the individual specific characteristics, unsteady characteristics, and environmental specific characteristics, which also makes it difficult to develop highly reliable and highly stable BCI systems. Rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) is one of the most recent spellers with a clean, unified background and a single stimulus, which may evoke event-related potential (ERP) patterns with less individual difference. In order to build a BCI system that allows new users to use it directly without calibration or with less calibration time, RSVP was employed as evoked paradigm, then correlation analysis rank (CAR) algorithm was proposed to improve the cross-individual classification and simultaneously use as less training data as possible. Fifty-eight subjects took part in the experiments. The flash stimulation time is 200 ms, and the off time is 100 ms. The P300 component was locked to the target representation by time. The results showed that RSVP could evoke more similar ERP patterns among subjects compared with matrix paradigm. Then, the included angle cosine was calculated and counted for averaged ERP waveform between each two subjects. The average matching number of all subjects was 6 for the matrix paradigm, while for the RSVP paradigm, the average matching number range was 20 when the threshold value was set to 0.5, more than three times as much larger, quantificationally indicating that ERP waveforms evoked by the RSVP paradigm produced smaller individual differences, and it is more favorable for cross-subject classification. Information transfer rates (ITR) were also calculated for RSVP and matrix paradigms, and the RSVP paradigm got the average ITR of 43.18 bits/min, which was 13% higher than the matrix paradigm. Then, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve value was computed and compared using the proposed CAR algorithm and traditional random selection. The results showed that the proposed CAR got significantly better performance than the traditional random selection and got the best AUC value of 0.8, while the traditional random selection only achieved 0.65. These encouraging results suggest that with proper evoked paradigm and classification methods, it is feasible to get stable performance across subjects for ERP-based BCI. Thus, our findings provide a new approach to improve BCI performances.


The core promoter of hepatitis B virus.
The core promoter (CP) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays a central role in HBV replication and morphogenesis, directing the transcription of both species of 3.5 kb mRNA: pregenomic (pg) RNA and precore (pre-C) mRNA. The CP overlaps the 3' end of the X open-reading frame (ORF) and the 5' end of the pre-C/C ORF. The major functional elements of the CP are the upper regulatory region (URR) and the basic core promoter (BCP). The BCP is sufficient for accurate initiation of both pre-C mRNA and pgRNA transcription. It contains four AT-rich regions and the initiators for pre-C mRNA and pgRNA transcription. The upstream regulatory region consists of the negative regulatory element and the core upstream regulatory sequence. Co-operative interaction of various liver-enriched and ubiquitous transcription factors is necessary for liver-specific expression from the CP. These factors bind to the CP. Sequence conservation within the CP is crucial for maintaining active viral replication, and variation may contribute to the persistence of HBV within the host, leading to chronic infection and, ultimately, hepatocarcinogenesis. The most frequently described mutations within this region are an A to T transversion at position 1762 together with a G to A transition at position 1764. This double mutant is accompanied by a reduced level of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) expression. Deletions, insertions and duplications occur within the CP.


Stressful death of T-ALL tumor cells after treatment with the anti-tumor agent Tetrocarcin-A.
The T-ALL cell lines CCRF-CEM and Jurkat were studied for their sensitivity toward apoptosis induced by tetrocarcin-A (TC-A), an antibacterial and antitumor agent isolated from the actinomycete Micromonospora. This substance promoted cell death via a mitochondrial signaling pathway, that is, by activation of Bid and Bax, loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, release of cytochrome c, and activation of effector caspases, even under conditions of Bcl-2 overexpression. Furthermore, sensitivity to TC-A was not dependent on expression of wild-type caspase-8. In contrast, this apoptotic pathway was inhibited markedly by pretreatment of cells with cycloheximide, an inhibitor of de novo protein synthesis. cDNA microarray chip analysis revealed that TC-A induced a significant up-regulation of members of the heat shock protein family known to be involved in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress-induced apoptotic program. The activation of caspase-12, the central inducer caspase involved in ER-stress by TC-A treatment, is in concordance with this result. These results show that, in T-ALL cells, TC-A induces an apoptotic machinery via mitochondrial and ER signaling, which is not inhibited by aberrant expression/function of important regulators of death receptor- and drug-induced apoptosis.


Two subunits of the insect 26/29-kDa proteinase are probably derived from a common precursor protein.
We previously identified the 26/29-kDa proteinase in the hemocytes of Sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) that appears to participate in elimination of foreign proteins in this insect [Eur. J. Biochem. 209, 939-944 (1992)]. Here, we report the cDNA cloning of this proteinase. The cDNA encodes a protein which includes both the 26- and 29-kDa subunit, strongly suggesting that the both subunits are derived from a single precursor protein. The 26- and 29-kDa subunit located at the amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal of the precursor protein. The 29-kDa subunit itself appeared to be a proteinase, for this subunit had 52% sequence identity with Sarcophaga cathepsin L, while 26-kDa subunit had no significant similarity. We also showed that 26/29-kDa proteinase was insensitive to specific inhibitors of cathepsin L. These results indicate that this proteinase is a novel member of the papain family. We isolated similar cDNAs from Drosophila melanogaster and Periplaneta americana (cockroach), suggesting that this proteinase is conserved in a wide variety of insects and participates in their defense mechanisms.


Excretion of moxidectin into breast milk and pharmacokinetics in healthy lactating women.
Moxidectin, registered worldwide as a veterinary antiparasitic agent, is currently under development for humans for the treatment of onchocerciasis in collaboration with the World Health Organization. The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetics of moxidectin in healthy lactating women, including the excretion into breast milk. Twelve women, ages 23 to 38 years, weighing 54 to 79 kg, all more than 5 months postpartum, were enrolled, following their plan to wean their infants and provision of informed consent. A single 8-mg, open-label dose was administered orally after consumption of a standard breakfast. Complete milk collection was done for approximately 28 days, and plasma samples were collected for 90 days. Moxidectin concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection, with a validated range of 0.08 to 120 ng/ml. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic methods were used to find the following results: peak concentration in plasma (C(max)), 87 ± 25 ng/ml; time to C(max) (t(max)), 4.18 ± 1.59 h; terminal-phase elimination half-life (t(1/2)), 832 ± 321 h; total area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), 4,046 ± 1,796 ng · h/ml; apparent oral dose clearance (CL/F), 2.35 ± 1.07 l/h; ratio of CL/F to the terminal-phase disposition rate constant, λ(z) (Vλ(z)/F), 2,526 ± 772 liters; percentage of maternal dose excreted in milk, 0.701 ± 0.299%; absolute amount excreted in milk, 0.056 ± 0.024 mg; relative infant dose, 8.73 ± 3.17% of maternal dose assuming complete absorption; clearance in milk (CL(milk)), 0.016 ± 0.009 liter/h. Nine of 12 subjects reported adverse events, all of which were considered treatment emergent but not drug related and were mostly reported during the long outpatient period 8 to 90 days after dose administration. The most frequently reported adverse events were headache and nausea (n = 4), oropharyngeal pain (n = 2), rhinitis, viral pharyngitis, and viral upper respiratory tract infection (n = 2).


Structural and catalytic characterization of a thermally stable and acid-stable variant of human carbonic anhydrase II containing an engineered disulfide bond.
The carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are a family of mostly zinc metalloenzymes that catalyze the reversible hydration of CO2 to bicarbonate and a proton. Recently, there has been industrial interest in utilizing CAs as biocatalysts for carbon sequestration and biofuel production. The conditions used in these processes, however, result in high temperatures and acidic pH. This unfavorable environment results in rapid destabilization and loss of catalytic activity in CAs, ultimately resulting in cost-inefficient high-maintenance operation of the system. In order to negate these detrimental industrial conditions, cysteines at residues 23 (Ala23Cys) and 203 (Leu203Cys) were engineered into a wild-type variant of human CA II (HCAII) containing the mutation Cys206Ser. The X-ray crystallographic structure of the disulfide-containing HCAII (dsHCAII) was solved to 1.77 Å resolution and revealed that successful oxidation of the cysteine bond was achieved while also retaining desirable active-site geometry. Kinetic studies utilizing the measurement of (18)O-labeled CO2 by mass spectrometry revealed that dsHCAII retained high catalytic efficiency, and differential scanning calorimetry showed acid stability and thermal stability that was enhanced by up to 14 K compared with native HCAII. Together, these studies have shown that dsHCAII has properties that could be used in an industrial setting to help to lower costs and improve the overall reaction efficiency.


Right bundle branch block of unknown age in the setting of acute anterior myocardial infarction: an attempt to define who should be paced prophylactically.
It is widely accepted that patients presenting with acute anterior myocardial infarction and acute onset of right bundle branch block should be prophylactically paced in contrast with those who have a chronic bundle branch block. The admitting physician is faced with the dilemma of how to act if the age of this conduction disturbance is unknown. This problem has further intensified in recent years, with the introduction of thrombolytic treatment, where insertion of a central vascular line is associated with increased morbidity. The objectives of this study were to define clinical or electrocardiographic parameters that may help the admitting physician to decide whether patients presenting with an anterior wall myocardial infarction and a right bundle branch block of unknown age should be prophylactically paced. We examined prospectively the in-hospital clinical course of 39 consecutive patients presenting with an acute myocardial infarction in whom the age of a right bundle branch block upon admission was unknown (group C, n = 39) and compared with two similar groups of patients who presented with an acute right bundle branch block (group A, n = 38) and with a known chronic right bundle branch block (group B, n = 22). Thirty-three patients (33%) died, with cardiogenic shock being the leading cause of death in the entire population. Prophylactic pacing, which was carried out in 66% and 54% of patients in groups A and C, respectively, did not reduce mortality rates. No clinical or electrocardiographic variables on admission were predictive to support prophylactic pacing in group C. In 10 of 46 (22%) patients who were prophylactically paced with a transvenous electrode, the following complications attributed to the procedure were detected: (1) either rapid sustained ventricular tachycardia (during implantation) that was unresponsive to overdrive pacing, or ventricular fibrillation necessitating electrical defibrillation (4 patients); (2) recurrent episodes of rapid nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, which stopped only after the pacemaker was turned off (1 patient); (3) complete AV block (1 patient); (4) fever appearing on the third or fourth day after implantation (3 patients); and (4) a large hematoma in the groin in 1 patient who was treated with thrombolysis shortly before pacemaker electrode insertion. Thus, the complications of transvenous temporary pacing in the era of thrombolysis may outweight any theoretical advantage.


Separation anxiety in children and adolescents treated with risperidone.
Risperidone is an atypical antipsychotic that has been investigated as a treatment for several severe psychiatric disorders in children and adults. A low dose of risperidone was added to other medications to treat two adolescent boys with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and a childhood history of separation anxiety disorder, and one prepubertal boy with a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and escalating behavior suggestive of mania. Each patient developed severe separation anxiety that resolved when risperidone was discontinued. The response was similar to that described in Tourette's disorder patients treated with haloperidol and pimozide. Two of the patients were treated subsequently with olazapine without a recurrence of separation anxiety. We discuss the diagnostic issues concerning separation anxiety induced by antipsychotic medications, and suggest that the atypical antipsychotics may differ in their tendency to elicit separation anxiety.


Self-Monitoring by College Students With ADHD: The Impact on Academic Performance.
There is a lack of empirically supported treatments for college students with ADHD and academic deficits. The current study evaluated self-monitoring, an intervention that may improve academics in children with ADHD, with a college sample diagnosed with ADHD. Fifty-three participants were recruited, 41 of which completed the study and are included in the analyses. Participants were randomly assigned to a group that received study skills instruction, goal setting, and self-monitoring instruction (SM+ group; n = 22) or a group that received only study skills and goal setting (SM- group; n = 19). Participants in the SM+ group demonstrated significant improvement in their ADHD symptoms, academic behavior, grade point averages (GPAs), and goal attainment. These improvements were not significant for the SM- group. These findings suggest that self-monitoring might be used to improve academic performance in college students with ADHD.


Peptidyl prolyl cis/trans-isomerases: comparative reactivities of cyclophilins, FK506-binding proteins, and parvulins with fluorinated oligopeptide and protein substrates.
Peptidyl prolyl cis/trans-isomerases catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of prolyl bonds in oligopeptides and various folding states of proteins. The proline residue in PPIase substrates at the P1' subsite, which follows the isomerizing peptide bond, appears to be the common recognition element for all subfamilies of this enzyme class. The molecular principles that govern substrate specificity at the P1' subsite were analyzed using 4-fluoroproline-containing tetrapeptide 4-nitroanilides and barstar Cys40Ala/Cys82Ala/Pro27Ala/Pro48-->4-fluoroproline quadruple variants. Generally, PPIase catalysis demonstrated stereospecificity for monofluoro substitutions at the 4-position of the pyrrolidine ring. However, the replacement of hydrogens with fluoro atoms did not impair productive interactions for the majority of PPIase-substrate complexes. Comparison of specificity constants for oligopeptide and protein substrates revealed striking differences in the 4-fluoroproline substituent effects between members of the PPIase families. Introduction of 4(R)-fluoroproline resulted in an oligopeptide substrate completely resistant to catalytic effects of FKBP-like PPIases. By contrast, the 4(R)-fluoroproline barstar variant demonstrated only slightly reduced or even better catalytic susceptibility when compared to the parent barstar Cys40Ala/Cys82Ala/Pro27Ala/Pro48 substrate. On the other hand, Suc-Ala-Ser-4(S)-FPro-Phe-pNA exhibits a discriminating specificity toward the prototypic parvulin, the Escherichia coli Par10. The E. coli trigger factor, in the extreme, catalyzes Cys40Ala/Cys82Ala/Pro27Ala/4-F(2)Pro48 with a more than 20-fold higher efficiency when compared to the proline-containing congener. These findings support the combined subsite concept for PPIase catalysis in which the positioning of a substrate in the active cleft must activate a still unknown number of remote subsites in the transition state of the reaction. The number of critical subsites was shown to vary between the PPIase families.


The Society for Pediatric Pathology Task Force grading system for placenta accreta spectrum and its correlation with clinical outcomes.
The terminology and diagnostic criteria presently used by pathologists to report placenta accreta spectrum is inconsistent and does not reflect current knowledge of the pathogenesis of this disease. In 2020, the perinatal subcommittee of the Society for Pediatric Pathology Placenta Accreta Task Force proposed a new pathologic grading system for placenta accreta spectrum. We sought to correlate the clinical outcomes with the classification into each group in the new placenta accreta spectrum grading system. The pathology reports of patients with histopathologic confirmation of placenta accreta spectrum were reviewed in 2 academic referral centers by placental pathologists. Pathologic grading was assigned based on the new grading system according to which placenta accreta spectrum is categorized into 5 groups depending on the depth of invasion, from grade p1 with no invasion into the uterine wall to grade p3E with invasion beyond the uterine wall to the adjacent organs. Patient characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared among these groups. A univariate analysis was performed, and a multivariate linear or binomial regression was employed when needed. A total of 683 patients with placenta accreta spectrum were identified. Of those, 407 were included for histology review. There were 92 patients (23%) categorized into the grade p1 group, 74 (18%) in the grade p2 group, 84 (20%) in the grade p3A group, 121 (30%) in the grade p3D group, and 36 (9%) in the grade p3E group. There was a significant association between the pathology grading and the number of red blood cells transfused (β=1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-1.79) and the postoperative complications including the rate of readmission (risk ratio, 1.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-2.94) and bladder injury (risk ratio, 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.68) after adjustment for antenatal diagnosis and other variables. The pathology grading was not associated with the estimated blood loss (P=.072). The new pathology grading system accurately reflects maternal outcomes and complications of placenta accreta spectrum. We encourage the utilization of this new pathologic grading system because it is designed to omit discrepancies in placenta accreta spectrum reporting and to standardize communication.


The deformation mechanism of Ni-Ta bulk metallic glasses after tensile: molecular dynamics study.
The mechanical properties of Ni-Ta crystallizationand binary bulk metallic glasses (BMG) were investigated for this study at the nanoscale. First, the Ta9Ni3 crystals are formed by space group, and structures with different ratios (Ta1Ni1, BTa8Ni4, BTa9Ni3, BTa7Ni5) were put into unit cell randomly. The optimizations of BMG structures are performed by Density functional theory (DFT) calculation to find the stable amorphous structures and corresponding energy. The FMM is utilized to obtain the suitable parameters of tight-binding potential bystable amorphous structures and corresponding energies. Finally, we employ molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to study mechanical properties of Ni/Ta crystallization and BMG, such as atomistic stress-strain, plastic and elastic deformation, and elastic modulus.


Clinical usefulness of the semiquantitative procalcitonin test in the diagnosis of bacterial infections in a third level children's hospital.
The differential diagnosis between viral and bacterial infections can be challenging in children. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been investigated as an early marker for bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) compared to C-reactive protein (CRP), white cell blood count (WBC), and absolute neutrophil count (ANC) for differentiating bacterial from viral infections in a third level pediatric hospital. Children admitted for a clinically suspected infection to the Pediatric Clinic from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2008, who had concurrent evaluation of PCT, CRP, WCB, and ANC were included in the study. According to the diagnosis at discharge based on the ICD-9 codes, patients were classified into two groups: children with certain bacterial infections (CBI) and children with certain viral infections (CVI). PCT concentrations were determined by semiquantitative PCT-Q strips. The diagnostic performance of the markers were studied by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk of bacterial infection in relation to all the study markers. Among the 165 children included in the study PCT sensitivity was the same as CRP (60.56% vs 66.19%; p = 0.646) while PCT specificity was lower (77.27% vs 88.18%; p = 0.050) in the detection of bacterial infections. The PCT semiquantitative test is not sufficiently sensitive to be used alone as a marker of bacterial infection.


Cross-subject emotion recognition using hierarchical feature optimization and support vector machine with multi-kernel collaboration.
Objective. Due to individual differences, it is greatly challenging to realize the multiple types of emotion identification across subjects.Approach. In this research, a hierarchical feature optimization method is proposed in order to represent emotional states effectively based on peripheral physiological signals. Firstly, sparse learning combined with binary search is employed to achieve feature selection of single signals. Then an improved fast correlation-based filter is proposed to implement fusion optimization of multi-channel signal features. Aiming at overcoming the limitations of the support vector machine (SVM), which uses a single kernel function to make decisions, the multi-kernel function collaboration strategy is proposed to improve the classification performance of SVM.Main results. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified on the DEAP dataset. Experimental results show that the proposed method presents a competitive performance for four cross-subject types of emotion identification with an accuracy of 84% (group 1) and 85.07% (group 2). Significance. The proposed model with hierarchical feature optimization and SVM with multi-kernel function collaboration demonstrates superior emotion recognition accuracy compared to state-of-the-art techniques. In addition, the analysis based on DEAP dataset composition characteristics presents a novel perspective to explore the emotion recognition issue more objectively and comprehensively.


Miniplate fixation for repair of mandibular and maxillary fractures in 15 dogs and 3 cats.
Maxillofacial miniplates and screws were used for skeletal fixation in 15 dogs and 3 cats that sustained a variety of mandibular and maxillary fractures. These implants were used as neutralization or buttress fixation in 11 caudal (junction of the ramus with the mandibular body) and 2 rostral mandibular fractures, 4 maxillary fractures, and 2 zygomatic arch fractures. All but one of the fractures healed with appropriate occlusion and excellent function. In one case of a rostral mandibular fracture, soft tissue dehiscence occurred accompanied by a loss of the fixation and subsequent distraction of the bone fragments; reasonable function was obtained by performing a rostral mandibulectomy. Plate contouring and application of the miniplates along the appropriate biomechanical lines of stress was easily performed and permitted the biomechanical principles of tension band fixation to be applied in most cases. Miniplate fixation, either used alone or in combination with other fracture fixation techniques, achieved sufficiently rigid skeletal fixation to provide uncomplicated healing and good to excellent functional and cosmetic results in 14 dogs and 3 cats.


The interactions of multiple cytokines control NK cell maturation.
Although NK cells are well known for their cytotoxic functions, they also produce an array of immunoregulatory cytokines and chemokines. During an immune response, NK cells are exposed to complex combinations of cytokines that influence their differentiation and function. In this study, we have examined the phenotypic and functional consequences of exposing mouse NK cells to IL-4, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, and IL-21 and found that although all factors induced signs of maturation, characterized by decreased proliferation and IFN-γ secretion, distinct combinations induced unique cytokine secretion profiles. In contrast, the immunosuppressive factors IL-10 and TGF-β had little direct effect on NK cell effector functions. Sustained IL-18 signals resulted in IL-13 and GM-CSF production, whereas IL-12 and IL-21 induced IL-10 and TNF-α. Surprisingly, with the exception of IL-21, all cytokines suppressed cytotoxic function of NK cells at the expense of endogenous cytokine production suggesting that "helper-type" NK cells were generated. The cytokine signals also profoundly altered the cell surface phenotype of the NK cells-a striking example being the downregulation of the activating receptor NKG2D by IL-4 that resulted in decreased NKG2D-dependent killing. IL-4 exposure also modulated NKG2D expression in vivo suggesting it is functionally important during immune responses. This study highlights the plasticity of NK cell differentiation and suggests that the relative abundance of cytokines at sites of inflammation will lead to diverse outcomes in terms of NK cell phenotype and interaction with the immune system.


Quantitative comparison of volume maintenance between inlay and onlay bone grafts in the craniofacial skeleton.
Nonvascularized autologous bone grafts are the criterion standard in craniofacial reconstruction for bony defects involving the craniofacial skeleton. The authors have previously demonstrated that graft microarchitecture is the major determinant of volume maintenance for both inlay and onlay bone grafts following transplantation. This study performs a head-to-head quantitative analysis of volume maintenance between inlay and onlay bone grafts in the craniofacial skeleton using a rabbit model to comparatively determine their resorptive kinetics over time. Fifty rabbits were divided randomly into six experimental groups: 3-week inlay, 3-week onlay, 8-week inlay, 8-week onlay, 16-week inlay, and 16-week onlay. Cortical bone from the lateral mandible and both cortical and cancellous bone from the ilium were harvested from each animal and placed either in or on the cranium. All bone grafts underwent micro-computed tomographic analysis at 3, 8, and 16 weeks. All bone graft types in the inlay position increased their volume over time, with the greatest increase in endochondral cancellous bone. All bone graft types in the onlay position decreased their volume over time, with the greatest decrease in endochondral cancellous bone. Inlay bone grafts demonstrated increased volume compared with onlay bone grafts of identical embryologic origin and microarchitecture at all time points (p < 0.05). Inlay bone grafts, irrespective of their embryologic origin, consistently display less resorption over time compared with onlay bone grafts in the craniofacial skeleton. Both inlay and onlay bone grafts are driven by the local mechanical environment to recapitulate the recipient bed.


Fatty acids of Rhodobryum ontariense (Bryaceae).
The chemical composition of Rhodobryum ontariense (Kindb.) Kindb. has not been previously investigated. Fatty acids of this moss were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively with an aim to identify its corresponding pattern. A total of eight fatty acids were identified including two acetylenic ones: 9,12,15-octadecatrien-6-ynoic acid (42.26%), α-linolenic acid (20.32%), palmitic acid (14.31%), 9,12-octadecadienoic-6-ynoic acid (13.31%), linoleic acid (5.25%), oleic acid (2.47%), stearic acid (1.14%) and γ-linolenic acid (0.92%). To our knowledge, this is the first record of acetylenic fatty acids in the genus Rhodobryum. In general, acetylenic fatty acids vary considerably among different moss groups and have been used as a chemotaxonomic character in bryophyte classifications. Other species of Rhodobryum from Asia have been traditionally used in ethno medicine by indigenous cultures. Two fatty acids of those reported here, 9,12,15-octadecatrien-6-ynoic and α-linolenic acid, have known cardio protective activity, which supports respective claims of traditional herbal use of these mosses.


Onychomycosis in Lebanon: a mycological survey of 772 patients.
Accurate diagnosis of onychomycosis is based on clinical findings, direct microscopic investigation and mycological culture. If the diagnosis is not confirmed by culture and improvement does not occur, it is impossible to tell whether this represents treatment failure or an initial incorrect diagnosis. The aim of this study was to identify the major organisms involved in onychomycosis with emphasis on the importance of culture in treating onychomycosis. The study was performed at the Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon over a 5-year period (2000-2004). Clinically suspected patients were referred to our mycology laboratory for KOH test and culture. The study included 772 patients (520 women, 252 men). Cultures were positive in 54.3% of cases (predominantly male). The ratio of onychomycosis in toenails/fingernails was 1.9. In toenails, dermatophytes were found in 77.1% of cases, Candida in 18.9% and moulds in 4%. In fingernails, Candida was found in 81% of cases, dermatophytes in 18.1% and moulds in 0.9%. The most commonly isolated dermatophytes were Trichophyton mentagrophytes (36%), T. rubrum (27.5%) and T. tonsurans (26%). Pathogens involved in onychomycosis change according to each geographical area. Therefore, treatments should be based on studies carried out in the same region.


Cognitive change is more positively associated with an active lifestyle than with training interventions in older adults at risk of dementia: a controlled interventional clinical trial.
While observational studies show that an active lifestyle including cognitive, physical, and social activities is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia, experimental evidence from corresponding training interventions is more inconsistent with less pronounced effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare training- and lifestyle-related changes in cognition. This is the first study investigating these associations within the same time period and sample. Fifty-four older adults at risk of dementia were assigned to 10 weeks of physical training, cognitive training, or a matched wait-list control condition. Lifestyle was operationalized as the variety of self-reported cognitive, physical, and social activities before study participation. Cognitive performance was assessed with an extensive test battery prior to and after the intervention period as well as at a 3-month follow-up. Composite cognition measures were obtained by means of a principal component analysis. Training- and lifestyle-related changes in cognition were analyzed using linear mixed effects models. The strength of their association was compared with paired t-tests. Neither training intervention improved global cognition in comparison to the control group (p = .08). In contrast, self-reported lifestyle was positively associated with benefits in global cognition (p < .001) and specifically in memory (p < .001). Moreover, the association of an active lifestyle with cognitive change was significantly stronger than the benefits of the training interventions with respect to global cognition (ps < .001) and memory (ps < .001). The associations of an active lifestyle with cognitive change over time in a dementia risk group were stronger than the effects of short-term, specific training interventions. An active lifestyle may differ from training interventions in dosage and variety of activities as well as intrinsic motivation and enjoyment. These factors might be crucial for designing novel interventions, which are more efficient than currently available training interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01061489 . Registered February 2, 2010.


Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies--activity markers in rheumatoid arthritis.
Immunological abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) imply several antibodies, among which anti-cyclic cytrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) have the highest sensitivity and specificity. Their diagnostic and prognostic value in RA is well known, although their value as markers of the disease activity has not been established yet. The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between anti-CCP antibodies and RA activity which eventually leads to the best treatment of choice. 217 consecutive patients hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, "Sf Maria" Clinical Hospital between 01.01-31.06 2007 were retrospectively studied. They were divided into two groups: group A-111 patients with RA (ACR criteria fulfilled) and group B-106 patients with other rheumatic diseases. The following parameters taken out of the patients files were studied: parameters of the clinical activity of disease (C reactive protein, fibrinogen), rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-CCP antibodies. Disease activity score (DAS) using 4 variables (number of tender joints, number of swollen joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and assessement of the disease activity) was also studied. Data were processed with SPSS program using linear functions, Pearson correlation coefficient and Hi2 test of interdependency. The sensitivity of anti-CCP antibodies in patients with RA was 56.75%. The specificity of anti-CCP antibodies in patients with RA was 90.56%. Low seric levels of anti-CCP antibodies were also found in patients without RA, but with other conditions like: osteoarthritis, viral polyarthritis, infectious myositis and Still disease; moderate to high seric levels were found in patients with psoriatic arthritis. Significant correlations were found between anti-CCP antibodies and DAS (r = 0.437), between anti-CCP and fibrinogen (r = 0.32) between anti-CCP antibodies and C reactive protein (r = 0.237) as well as between anti-CCP and RF (r = 0.38). Anti-CCP antibodies are highly specific but moderately sensitive for RA, their highest frequencies and seric levels being found in seropositive RA. Anti-CCP can be used in patients with RA not only as a diagnostic marker but also as a reliable test for assessing the activity of the disease.


3D curvature of muscle fascicles in triceps surae.
Muscle fascicles curve along their length, with the curvatures occurring around regions of high intramuscular pressure, and are necessary for mechanical stability. Fascicles are typically considered to lie in fascicle planes that are the planes visualized during dissection or two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound scans. However, it has previously been predicted that fascicles must curve in three-dimensional (3D) and thus the fascicle planes may actually exist as 3D sheets. 3D fascicle curvatures have not been explored in human musculature. Furthermore, if the fascicles do not lie in 2D planes, then this has implications for architectural measures that are derived from 2D ultrasound scans. The purpose of this study was to quantify the 3D curvatures of the muscle fascicles and fascicle sheets within the triceps surae muscles and to test whether these curvatures varied among different contraction levels, muscle length, and regions within the muscle. Six male subjects were tested for three torque levels (0, 30, and 60% maximal voluntary contraction) and four ankle angles (-15, 0, 15, and 30° plantar flexion), and fascicles were imaged using 3D ultrasound techniques. The fascicle curvatures significantly increased at higher ankle torques and shorter muscle lengths. The fascicle sheet curvatures were of similar magnitude to the fascicle curvatures but did not vary between contractions. Fascicle curvatures were regionalized within each muscle with the curvature facing the deeper aponeuroses, and this indicates a greater intramuscular pressure in the deeper layers of muscles. Muscle architectural measures may be in error when using 2D images for complex geometries such as the soleus.


Theoretical examination of the mechanism of aldose-ketose isomerization.
Two mechanisms for an aldose-ketose isomerization have been examined using high level ab initio and semiempirical molecular orbital methods. The proton transfer pathway via an enediol intermediate is shown to be favored in the absence of a metal ion, while the hydride transfer pathway becomes favored in the presence of a metal ion. Our calculations explain why the proton transfer pathway is operative in most aldose-ketose isomerization reactions. These calculations also provide further support for the previously proposed metal ion-mediated hydride transfer mechanism for xylose isomerase.


Effects of syngeneic anti-IgE antibodies on the development of IgE memory and on the secondary IgE response.
The prolonged inhibition of IgE synthesis in mice caused by perinatal inoculation of IgE is attributable, at least in part, to the formation of anti-IgE antibodies. The induction of unresponsiveness with respect to IgE synthesis requires that IgE be administered during a brief interval (2 to approximately 10) days after birth, that corresponds with the time period during which anti-IgE antibodies are induced. Passive administration of syngeneic anti-IgE also inhibits IgE synthesis. We have now investigated the effect of anti-IgE on the induction of memory for IgE production and on secondary IgE responses. Syngeneic anti-IgE antibodies were found to inhibit secondary IgE responses directly during immunization or after adoptive transfer of primed cells. Anti-IgE did not, however, prevent the induction of memory cells for IgE synthesis or cause the loss of memory for IgE synthesis. Inhibition of a secondary IgE response was found to require the presence of anti-IgE and was lost when anti-IgE antibodies were cleared from the mouse. After the transfer of primed cells and secondary challenge anti-IgE was inhibitory only when given during the first 3 to 5 days, after which the primed cells became resistant to inhibition. The failure of anti-IgE to prevent the induction of IgE memory cells is discussed in terms of class switches that occur during the transition from IgM to IgE production.


Conference Scene: New perspectives on nanoneuroscience, nanoneuropharmacology and nanoneurotoxicology.
The 6th GCNN Annual meeting was held in the Hilton Hotel, Vienna, Austria, on 1-4 March, 2009. In this conference a special focus was given to 'Nanomedicine: Nanoneuropharmacology and Nanoneurotoxicity' on 2-3 March, 2009. The 'Nanomedicine Focus' was organized by M Robertson (London, UK) and H Shanker Sharma (Uppsala, Sweden) and was divided into three sessions on 2 March, followed by one session on 3 March. In total, 11 speakers participated in these sessions covering more than 5 h of intensive presentations intermingled with lively discussions from the audience.


Hybrid Neural Network Cerebellar Model Articulation Controller Design for Non-linear Dynamic Time-Varying Plants.
This study proposes a hybrid method to control dynamic time-varying plants that comprises a neural network controller and a cerebellar model articulation controller (CMAC). The neural-network controller reduces the range and quantity of the input. The cerebellar-model articulation controller is the main controller and is used to compute the final control output. The parameters for the structure of the proposed network are adjusted using adaptive laws, which are derived using the steepest-descent gradient approach and back-propagation algorithm. The Lyapunov stability theory is applied to guarantee system convergence. By using the proposed combination architecture, the designed CMAC structure is reduced, and it makes it easy to design the network size and the initial membership functions. Finally, numerical-simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Potential pharmacodynamic drug-drug interaction between concomitantly administered lisinopril and diclofenac sodium: a call for appropriate management in hypertensive osteoarthritic patients.
The present study was designed as an open label, multiple-dose, randomized, parallel trial to evaluate the pharmacodynamic drug-drug interaction of lisinopril and concomitantly administered diclofenac sodium in non-diabetic and diabetic, mild to moderate hypertensive, osteoarthritic patients. Post-screening and on inclusion, patients were put on a 2-week washout period and then randomly assigned to either only lisinopril 10 mg or combination of lisinopril 10 mg and diclofenac sodium 100 mg treatments for 8-12 weeks in diseased states of hypertension and osteoarthritis with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus. The blood pressure (BP) control with lisinopril was reduced by concomitantly administered diclofenac sodium in non-diabetic (SBP: p=0.00002; DBP: p=0.000008) and diabetic (SBP: p=0.002; DBP: p=0.001) patients when compared with the patients receiving lisinopril alone. Insulin sensitivity was improved (p=0.00002) and urinary albumin excretion rate was better controlled (p=0.0096) in lisinopril-treated patients when compared with the combination treatment in diabetic pool. Serum creatinine levels increased significantly in non-diabetic patients (p=0.00004) receiving combination treatment. In addition, creatinine clearance (CLCR) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were significantly higher in diabetic (CLCR: p<0.00001; BUN: p=0.0098) as well as in non-diabetic (CLCR: p<0.00001; BUN: p=0.03) patients treated with combination treatment. The alterations in serum electrolytes, reduction in % platelet aggregation activity and improvement in lipid profile was more profound with combination treatment in comparison to lisinopril alone. The antihypertensive efficacy and insulin sensitivity improving property of lisinopril along with the renal function might get worse in hypertensive osteoarthritic patients receiving concomitant treatment of oral diclofenac sodium with lisinopril. In addition to this, close monitoring of serum electrolytes is also suggested to rule out any long-term detrimental effect.


Wild birds learn to eavesdrop on heterospecific alarm calls.
Many vertebrates gain critical information about danger by eavesdropping on other species' alarm calls [1], providing an excellent context in which to study information flow among species in animal communities [2-4]. A fundamental but unresolved question is how individuals recognize other species' alarm calls. Although individuals respond to heterospecific calls that are acoustically similar to their own, alarms vary greatly among species, and eavesdropping probably also requires learning [1]. Surprisingly, however, we lack studies demonstrating such learning. Here, we show experimentally that individual wild superb fairy-wrens, Malurus cyaneus, can learn to recognize previously unfamiliar alarm calls. We trained individuals by broadcasting unfamiliar sounds while simultaneously presenting gliding predatory birds. Fairy-wrens in the experiment originally ignored these sounds, but most fled in response to the sounds after two days' training. The learned response was not due to increased responsiveness in general or to sensitization following repeated exposure and was independent of sound structure. Learning can therefore help explain the taxonomic diversity of eavesdropping and the refining of behavior to suit the local community. In combination with previous work on unfamiliar predator recognition (e.g., [5]), our results imply rapid spread of anti-predator behavior within wild populations and suggest methods for training captive-bred animals before release into the wild [6]. A remaining challenge is to assess the importance and consequences of direct association of unfamiliar sounds with predators, compared with social learning-such as associating unfamiliar sounds with conspecific alarms.


A fifteen-year psychogeriatric patient follow-up study.
Two hundred and ninety-one patients, with an average age of 69 in 1965, referred to a psychogeriatric clinic were studied. All but 20 were traced. 167 died and 104 remained alive. 73 were institutionalized. Medical, psychiatric and social data was available for all. Using mortality tables, we calculated the time of death for each patient. The group that exceeded their life expectancy was compared to the group that died prematurely. Significant positive correlations with longevity were self-referral, higher education, skilled work, independent income and absence of dementia. Females and orphans also lived longer. Living alone, dependency on children and conflict with one's spouse predisposed to institutionalization. Curiously, the hardships of being in wartime Europe and/or in a concentration camp increased life expectancy and mitigated against institutionalization. An attempt is made to correlate our findings with other studies and to explain our results.


Outcomes of photorefractive keratectomy enhancement after LASIK.
To report the outcomes of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) enhancement after LASIK for patients diagnosed as having hyperopic and myopic refractive errors. In this retrospective case series at a single private practice in the United States, all patients undergoing PRK enhancement after LASIK were identified. Patients with visually significant cataract, non-plano targets, and follow-up of fewer than 226 days were excluded. The primary outcome measure was uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) with secondary measures of corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and postoperative refractive error. Linear regression analysis was performed for actual versus targeted change in spherical equivalent. Mean UDVA improved from 20/39 to 20/24 for hyperopes (n = 14; P < .002) and from 20/45 to 20/22 for myopes (n = 29; P < .0000001) after enhancement. All patients had a UDVA of 20/40 or better at their most recent follow-up visit. Fifty percent of hyperopes and 65.5% of myopes were 20/20 or better. The mean refractive error for hyperopes changed from +1.10 ± 0.71 (range: +0.13 to +2.25 diopters [D]) to +0.38 ± 0.66 D (range: -0.75 to +1.38 D) and from -1.21 ± 0.61 (range: -3.25 to -0.38 D) to +0.34 ± 0.45 D (range: -0.25 to +1.75 D) for myopes. The manifest refraction cylinder decreased from 0.84 to 0.46 D in hyperopes (P = .02) and from 0.64 to 0.26 D in myopes (P < .002). CDVA was maintained in both groups, with only one patient in each worse than 20/20. There was a nonsignificant trend toward less haze in the patients receiving mitomycin C (5.1% vs 25%, P = .14). Linear regression showed a tendency toward overtreatment in the myopic group. PRK is safe and highly effective for patients who previously underwent LASIK and in whom the surgeon would prefer not to perform a flap-lift enhancement.


Applied magnetic field design for the field reversed configuration compression heating experiment.
Detailed calculations of the formation, guide, and mirror applied magnetic fields in the FRC compression-heating experiment (FRCHX) were conducted using a commercially available generalized finite element solver, COMSOL Multiphysics(®). In FRCHX, an applied magnetic field forms, translates, and finally captures the FRC in the liner region sufficiently long to enable compression. Large single turn coils generate the fast magnetic fields necessary for FRC formation. Solenoidal coils produce the magnetic field for translation and capture of the FRC prior to liner implosion. Due to the limited FRC lifetime, liner implosion is initiated before the FRC is injected, and the magnetic flux that diffuses into the liner is compressed. Two-dimensional axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic simulations using MACH2 were used to specify optimal magnetic field characteristics, and this paper describes the simulations conducted to design magnetic field coils and compression hardware for FRCHX. This paper presents the vacuum solution for the magnetic field.


Genomewide association analysis of respiratory syncytial virus infection in mice.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants, with about half being infected in their first year of life. Yet only 2 to 3% of infants are hospitalized for RSV infection, suggesting that individual susceptibility contributes to disease severity. Previously, we determined that AKR/J (susceptible) mice developed high lung RSV titers and showed delayed weight recovery, whereas C57BL/6J (resistant) mice demonstrated low lung RSV titers and rapid weight recovery. In addition, we have reported that gene-targeted mice lacking the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (Cftr; ATP-binding cassette subfamily C, member 7) are susceptible to RSV infection. For this report, recombinant backcross and F2 progeny derived from C57BL/6J and AKR/J mice were infected with RSV, their lung titers were measured, and quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed. A major QTL, designated Rsvs1, was identified on proximal mouse chromosome 6 in both recombinant populations. Microarray analysis comparing lung transcripts of the parental strains during infection identified several candidate genes that mapped to the Rsvs1 interval, including Cftr. These findings add to our understanding of individual RSV susceptibility and strongly support a modifier role for CFTR in RSV infection, a significant cause of respiratory morbidity in infants with cystic fibrosis.


Sorafenib-Induced Autophagy Promotes Glycolysis by Upregulating the p62/HDAC6/HSP90 Axis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.
Sorafenib has attracted much attention as the first drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Because of the drug tolerance, the overall outcomes were far from satisfactory. Current studies suggest that changes in glucose metabolism induced by sorafenib are the pivotal resistant mechanism of HCC cells, but the specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear, which makes it difficult to increase drug sensitivity by targeting glycolysis. As a metabolic-recycling pathway, autophagy regulates multiple important pathways involved in cell survival and death. In this study, we found the expression of key autophagy proteins were closely related to the prognosis and progression of HCC patients. Based on in vitro experiments, our studies showed sorafenib induced autophagy in HCC cells. Inhibition of autophagy by chloroquine could significantly increase the sensitivity of HCC cells to sorafenib and reverse the enhancement of glycolysis. Furthermore, sorafenib-induced autophagy promoted the deacetylase activity of HDAC6 by degrading p62, which promoted the activity of PKM2 by regulating the acetylation of its critical substrate HSP90. In this study, we investigated the role of autophagy-induced HDAC6 in regulating the key glycolytic enzyme PKM2, which may be helpful to clarify the relationship between autophagy and glycolysis in a sorafenib-resistant mechanism. Targeting p62/HDAC6/HSP90 could herald a potential improvement in HCC therapy.


Quality of Life and Its Association with Physical Activity among Different Types of Cancer Survivors.
The main goal of this study was to compare the quality of life (QOL) and its association with physical activity (PA) among patients diagnosed with different types of cancer. Based on the results, we tentatively present suggestions for the cancer health care model. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 2915 cancer survivors recruited from multi-community cancer rehabilitation centers, all of which were affiliated with the Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club. We collected data including socio-demographic characteristics and information about PA. All the subjects included were asked to complete the European Organization for Research and Treatment Quality of Life Questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General Questionnaire (FACT-G). Multiple linear regression models were employed to control the potential confounding factors. Lung cancer survivors reported the worst dyspnea. Colorectal cancer survivors claimed the highest level of constipation and diarrhea. Liver cancer survivors indicated greatest loss of appetite and financial difficulties. Generally, survivors with PA tended to reported better QOL, although these associations among liver cancer survivors were not statistically significant. Moreover, survivors of all cancer types who performed PA did not report significant lower level of constipation or diarrhea. The relationship between PA frequency and QOL among cancer survivors remained unexplored. Both QOL and its association with PA vary among survivors of different cancer types. The detailed results can assist clinicians and public health practitioners with improving health care management.


Identifying person-specific coping responses to suicidal urges: A case series analysis and illustration of the idiographic method.
Suicide is a leading cause of death. One challenge to prevention efforts is the wide phenomenological heterogeneity in suicidal urges, thoughts, and behaviors across individuals at risk. Despite this heterogeneity, most suicide research estimates group-level effects by averaging across people as if they were the same, preventing detection of person-specific factors that may modulate risk and be key to effective prevention. The goal of the present study is to illustrate the idiographic (i.e., person-specific) approach and highlight its utility for suicide research. We implemented a case series approach using three cases from a subset of psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents who provided intensive longitudinal data on daily urges and coping behavior after discharge following a suicide attempt. For illustration, person-specific, bidirectional links between suicidal urges and coping behavior were modeled across a series of cases using a vector autoregression approach. The relationship between suicidal urges and coping differed across the three individuals, who were presented to exhibit the range of this variability in the presence/absence and magnitude of effects. Individuals who report similar suicidal risk levels likely respond in individualized ways to suicidal urges (e.g., use different coping strategies), necessitating personalized assessment and treatment. We discuss implications for future suicide research.


Robust modelling, measurement and analysis of human and animal metabolic systems.
Modelling human and animal metabolism is impeded by the lack of accurate quantitative parameters and the large number of biochemical reactions. This problem may be tackled by: (i) study of modules of the network independently; (ii) ensemble simulations to explore many plausible parameter combinations; (iii) analysis of 'sloppy' parameter behaviour, revealing interdependent parameter combinations with little influence; (iv) multiscale analysis that combines molecular and whole network data; and (v) measuring metabolic flux (rate of flow) in vivo via stable isotope labelling. For the latter method, carbon transition networks were modelled with systems of ordinary differential equations, but we show that coloured Petri nets provide a more intuitive graphical approach. Analysis of parameter sensitivities shows that only a few parameter combinations have a large effect on predictions. Model analysis of high-energy phosphate transport indicates that membrane permeability, inaccurately known at the organellar level, can be well determined from whole-organ responses. Ensemble simulations that take into account the imprecision of measured molecular parameters contradict the popular hypothesis that high-energy phosphate transport in heart muscle is mostly by phosphocreatine. Combining modular, multiscale, ensemble and sloppy modelling approaches with in vivo flux measurements may prove indispensable for the modelling of the large human metabolic system.


Pierre robin sequence as birth asphyxia in a new born.
A new born baby boy presented with birth asphyxia and respiratory distress. He went into cardiac arrest twice but was resuscitated. On detailed evaluation, he had low set ears and micrognathia with glossoptosis consistent with features of Pierre Robin sequence. Episodes of apnoea disappeared, on nursing, the baby in prone position and later on tongue-lip retention suture were applied. Prompt diagnosis and efficient airway management by following the principles of airway resuscitation can save the lives of such babies without specialized care.


ST Depression in the Setting of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
We present a case report of a patient presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage whose electrocardiogram (ECG) mimicked non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. A 36-year-old male with a past medical history of resistant hypertension, previous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, and alcohol abuse presented to the hospital after cardiac arrest. He was taken to the catheterization lab upon arrival and was found to have an unremarkable coronary angiogram. After angiography, computerized tomography (CT) head was performed revealing an acute, large-volume, subarachnoid hemorrhage. Subsequent CT angiogram of the head confirmed this with source noted to be a ruptured aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery. ST depression on ECG has been reported in patients who have suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Although the most common etiology of cardiac arrest is an acute coronary syndrome, other etiologies based on a patient's past medical history need to remain in the differential. Recognition of ECG changes may lead to earlier diagnosis and decreased mortality in subarachnoid patients.


Split Hopkinson bar measurement using high-speed full-spectrum fiber Bragg grating interrogation.
The development and validation of a high-speed, full-spectrum measurement technique is described for fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. A FBG is surface-mounted to a split-Hopkinson tensile bar specimen to induce high strain rates. The high strain gradients and large strains that indicate material failure are analyzed under high strain rates up to 500 s-1. The FBG is interrogated using a high-speed full-spectrum solid-state interrogator with a repetition rate of 100 kHz. The captured deformed spectra are analyzed for strain gradients using a default interior point algorithm in combination with the modified transfer matrix approach. This paper shows that by using high-speed full-spectrum interrogation of an FBG and the modified transfer matrix method, highly localized strain gradients and discontinuities can be measured without a direct line of sight.


Ethnic and sex differences in the incidence of hospitalized acute myocardial infarction: British Columbia, Canada 1995-2002.
As populations in Western countries continue to change in their ethnic composition, there is a need for regular surveillance of diseases that have previously shown some health disparities. Earlier data have already demonstrated high rates of cardiovascular mortality among South Asians and relatively lower rates among people of Chinese descent. The aim of this study was to describe the differences in the incidence of hospitalized acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among the three largest ethnic groups in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Using hospital administrative data, we identified all patients with incident AMI in BC between April 1, 1995, and March 31, 2002. Census data from 2001 provided the denominator for the entire BC population. Ethnicity was determined using validated surname analysis and applied to the census and hospital administrative datasets. Direct age standardization was used to compare incidence rates. A total of 34,848 AMI cases were identified. Among men, South Asians had the highest age standardized rate of AMI hospitalization at 4.97/1000 population/year, followed by Whites at 3.29, and then Chinese at 0.98. Young South Asian men, in particular, showed incidence rates that were double that of young Whites and ten times that of young Chinese men. South Asian women also had the highest age-standardized rate of AMI hospitalization at 2.35/1000 population/year, followed by White women (1.53) and Chinese women (0.49). South Asians continue to have a higher incidence of hospitalized AMI while incidence rates among Chinese remain low. Ethnic differences are most notable among younger men.


School board survey of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Prevalence of diagnosis and stimulant medication therapy.
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a well described, common problem affecting school-aged children, has an estimated prevalence in Ontario of 7% to 10% of boys and 3% of girls in the age range of four to 11 years. There has been a documented trend to increased use of stimulant medications in the treatment of this disorder in the United States. To assess the prevalence of stimulant medication therapy for ADHD in three southern Ontario school boards. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was performed by distributing a survey to all parents of children in kindergarten through grade 6 in six to eight schools selected randomly in each of the three participating school boards. The completed questionnaires were collated, and the comparative data were analyzed using chi(2). A total of 5100 surveys were distributed among the three school boards; 1465 (28.8%) questionnaires were returned completed. Within the three school boards - Hastings County Board of Education, Metropolitan Toronto Separate School Board and the East York Board of Education - the prevalence of ADHD for the age groups surveyed was 4.3%, 3.4% and 6.8%, respectively (average 4.7%), with a peak average of almost 9% by 12 years of age. The percentages of children with diagnosed ADHD who were on stimulant medication were 43%, 3% and 13%, respectively. The differences between the school boards were statistically significant (P<0.05). The male versus female prevalence of a diagnosis of ADHD was 7.1% versus 1.2%, 3.8% versus 3.3% and 10.1% versus 3.6%, respectively, with a combined school board average of 7.1% of males versus 2.9% of females. The average percentage of males versus females who were diagnosed with ADHD and who were on stimulant medication was found to be 27% versus 5%. The prevalence of ADHD was 4.7% in the study population. The overall percentage of children who were on stimulant medication was approximately 1%. Males were not only more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD but also more likely to be treated with stimulant medications if diagnosed. There was an increased prevalence of ADHD with older age, and the different school boards had significant differences in both the percentages of children who were diagnosed with ADHD and the percentages of children who were on medication, suggesting that individual school board policies or other factors may affect both the rate of diagnosis and the likelihood of stimulant drug treatment.


Mincle-mediated translational regulation is required for strong nitric oxide production and inflammation resolution.
In response to persistent mycobacteria infection, the host induces a granuloma, which often fails to eradicate bacteria and results in tissue damage. Diverse host receptors are required to control the formation and resolution of granuloma, but little is known concerning their regulatory interactions. Here we show that Mincle, the inducible receptor for mycobacterial cord factor, is the key switch for the transition of macrophages from cytokine expression to high nitric oxide production. In addition to its stimulatory role on TLR-mediated transcription, Mincle enhanced the translation of key genes required for nitric oxide synthesis through p38 and eIF5A hypusination, leading to granuloma resolution. Thus, Mincle has dual functions in the promotion and subsequent resolution of inflammation during anti-mycobacterial defence using both transcriptional and translational controls.


SARS-CoV-2 attack rate in reception and accommodation centres for asylum seekers during the first wave: Systematic review of outbreak media reports in Germany.
Despite concerns about the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) in refugee camps, data on attack rates and effectiveness of containment measures are lacking. We aimed to (1) quantify the attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 during outbreaks in reception and accommodation centres in Germany during the first pandemic wave, (2) assess differences in the attack rate based on containment measures, and (3) provide an overview of testing strategies, communication, conflicts, and protection measures for refugees with special needs. Systematic web-based review of outbreak media reports (until June 2020) on confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in reception centres for asylum seekers in Germany using the google search engine. Reports were screened for pre-defined inclusion criteria and complemented by snowball searches. Data on facility name, location, confirmed cases, containment measures, communication, protection strategies, and conflicts was extracted for each outbreak and reporting date. Evidence synthesis: meta-analysis and negative binomial regression. We identified 337 media reports on 101 SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in 99 reception and accommodation centres in Germany. The pooled SARS-CoV-2 attack rate was 13.1% (95% confidence interval, CI: 9.8-16.7). Outbreak sites implementing mass quarantine (n = 76) showed higher rates (15.7; 95% CI: 11.6-20.2) compared to sites using conventional strategies (6.6; 95% CI: 3.1-11.2), yielding a rate ratio of 0.44 (95% CI: 0.27-0.72) adjusted for testing strategies, type and size of accommodation. Conflicts occurred in at least 11.8% of all outbreaks. Few sites reported specific measures to protect refugees with special needs. Mass quarantine is associated with higher attack rates, and appears to be a counter-productive containment measure in overcrowded camps, but further research with individual-level data is required to rule out residual confounding. Despite available vaccines, reception centres and refugee camps should follow the available guidelines on COVID-19 response and refrain from mass quarantine if physical distancing cannot be guaranteed.


An Investigator-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Effectiveness, Safety of Levocetirizine and Bepotastine in Chronic Urticaria.
Chronic urticaria is common and distressing dermatosis where the search for newer agents with improved effectiveness and tolerability profile is a felt need. Bepotastine, a second-generation antihistamine, with added effect on suppression of eosinophil migration has a prospect in the management of chronic urticaria. To assess and compare effectiveness and safety of bepotastine versus levocetirizine in chronic urticaria. Single-center, investigator-blind, randomized, active-controlled, parallel-group phase IV trial (CTRI REF/2018/04/019692) conducted on adult patients of chronic urticaria of either sex. Patients were randomized into receiving either bepotastine besilate 10 mg tablet twice daily or levocetirizine 5 mg tablet once daily with fortnightly follow-up for 6 follow-up visits after thebaseline evaluation. The primary outcome measures were Urticaria Activity Score 7 (UAS7) and Urticaria Total Severity Score (TSS). Routine hematological, biochemical tests, treatment-emergent adverse events were monitored for safety. Thirty patients in the bepotastine group and 29 patients in the levocetirizine group were analyzed by modified-intention-to-treat criteria. The study groups were comparable at the baseline with respect to the severity of chronic urticaria. UAS7 and TSS reduced significantly (P < 0.001, Friedman's ANOVA) in both treatment groups from 1st follow-up visit and 2nd follow-up visits (P < 0.05, Post Hoc Dunn's test) At the test-of-cure visit, UAS7 (5.13 ± 8.21 vs 7.48 ± 8.96) and TSS (5.10 ± 4.06 vs 7.07 ± 4.48) were less with bepotastine than levocetirizine although not statistically significant (P = 0.188 and 0.073, respectively, Mann-Whitney U test). Sedation during daytime was found to be significantly more (P < 0.001, Fischer's exact test) with levocetirizine than bepotastine (73.3% vs 17.2%). Bepotastine is comparable to levocetirizine with respect to its effectiveness with an edge in terms of side-effect (sedation during day time); thus, it offers a new therapeutic option in chronic urticaria.


Epidemiology of lower-extremity amputations in the Indian Health Service, 1982-1987.
To describe the LEA experience among IHS diabetic patients. A cross-sectional study of hospital discharges for nontraumatic LEAs from 1982 to 1987 in four IHS areas was conducted. Incidence rates of first LEA in the study period increased with increasing age. Compared with nondiabetic subjects, diabetic patients had increased risks in each age-group, with those between the ages of 15 and 44 yr having a 158-fold increased risk. The average annual age-adjusted incidence rates of all LEAs among diabetic subjects in the Tucson (240.8/10,000) and Phoenix (203.1/10,000) IHS areas were substantially higher than the rates for the U.S. (73.1/10,000), Navajo (74.0/10,000), and the Oklahoma (87.3/10,000) IHS areas. LEA rates varied in different IHS areas. Reasons for these findings need to be evaluated, but may include IHS area differences in preventive health-care practices or risk factors for LEA.


[Establishment of an xenogeneic acute graft-versus-host disease model in NOD/SCID mice by engraftment of G-CSF mobilized human mononuclear cells].
To establish an xenogeneic acute graft-versus-host disease model by engraftment of G-CSF mobilized human mononuclear cells into NOD/SCID mice. Mobilized human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) were transplanted into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice. After transplantation, complete blood count, huCD45+ cells and other phenotype human lymphocytes were determined weekly. Mice were sacrificed, and their tissues were examined histopathologically and immunophenotypically. Genomic DNA was also prepared for detecting human beta-globin DNA sequence and endogenous mouse RAPSYN gene. The human CD45+ cells in the mice appeared 1 week after transplantation. Its percentage was increased with an acute X-GVHD syndrome characterized by rapid and severe weight loss and pancytopenia. Both the specific DNAs of human beta-globin DNA gene and the murine RAPSYN gene were detected in the hu-NOD/SCID chimeras; The survival rate was 14% at 6 weeks posttransplantation. The engrafted human cells consisted mainly of CD3+ T lymphocytes but CD4/CD8 ratios seemed inverted in the chimeras. The xenogeneic graft versus host reaction was heterogeneous in different organs mainly with human lymphocytes infiltration and the liver and lungs were the critical organs. Mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells are capable of engrafting in irradiated NOD/SCID mice with induced acute X-GVHD syndrome. The liver and the lungs are the critical organs. This is a good model for investigating the effects of human cells in inducing acute graft versus host disease in animal and for testing effective intervention methodology.


Increased levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and tumor necrosis factor receptor in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis.
We investigated the presence of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNF-R) antigens in the CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using a double-determinant ELISA. Patients with acute relapsing MS during an exacerbation (p < 0.001) and those with chronic progressive MS (p < 0.001) had significantly increased CSF levels of sICAM-1 compared with subjects with other neurologic diseases. CSF levels of sTNF-R were also significantly increased in patients with acute relapsing MS during an exacerbation (p < 0.001) and chronic progressive MS (p < 0.001) compared with subjects with other neurologic diseases. CSF levels of sICAM-1 and sTNF-R were positively correlated in patients with acute relapsing MS during an exacerbation (r = 0.81, p < 0.01) and chronic progressive MS (r = 0.86, p < 0.001). These results suggest that active immune reactions involving ICAM-1 and TNF-R production are present within the CNS and that both sICAM-1 and sTNF-R are important immunologic markers of the clinical activity of MS.


Reference intervals of reticulated platelets and other platelet parameters and their associations.
Reticulated platelets are platelets recently released from the bone marrow, and they can serve as a noninvasive indicator of recent megakaryopoietic activity. Widespread clinical use has been hampered by laborious methods and lack of standardization. Recently, a fully automated method was released on the Abbott CELL-DYN Sapphire hematology analyzer. To establish reference ranges for reticulated platelets. Secondary aims were to investigate associations between reticulated platelets and other platelet parameters like mean platelet volume, plateletcrit, and platelet distribution width. Reticulated platelets and other platelet parameters were measured in an unselected cohort of 8089 subjects visiting a primary health care laboratory. The reticulated platelet data were analyzed using the Bhattacharya technique. In addition, a nonparametric method was used in selected subjects with normal platelet counts for providing reference ranges. Reticulated platelets ranged from 0.4% to 6.0% or from 1 to 18 × 10(3)/μL. Reticulated platelets increased significantly with the subjects' age. Statistically, males had slightly higher values than females, but the differences were negligible. Reticulated platelets were positively correlated with platelet count and negatively with mean platelet volume. Reference ranges have been established for reticulated platelets as measured on the CELL-DYN Sapphire hematology analyzer. There were no relevant differences between the sexes, but there was a clear effect of age. An individual's reticulated platelets are associated with the platelet count as well as mean platelet volume.


Acute and transient psychotic disorders in a rapidly developing country, State of Qatar.
Little is known about acute and transient psychotic disorders, which is a diagnostic group, introduced with International Classification of Disease, 10th revision. It is an interesting area of research receiving a lot of attention. The aim of the study was to find the incidence of acute and transient psychotic disorders in the population and determine its sociodemographic features in the State of Qatar. Design. This is a retrospective descriptive study. Setting. The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry of the Rumaillah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. All Qatari, non-Qatari Arabs, and expatriate patients who were hospitalized with psychotic disorders in the inpatient wards or treated in the outpatient clinics of the Department of Psychiatry over a 7-year period were enrolled in the study. Data were collected from the medical records of patients. The study was conducted from August 1, 1996, to January 1, 2004, amongst the patients with acute and transient psychotic disorders. The diagnostic classification of definite psychotic disorders was made in accordance with criteria based on the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision (ICD-10). A total of 174 patients were treated during a 7-year period. Among them, 69% were males and 31% females. No cases were found in children aged less than 15 years. The highest frequency (43.7%) was found in the early adulthood (16-29 years of age). The incidence of acute and transient psychotic disorders was higher in the expatriates (66.7%). More than half (63.8%) of the patients were employed. Most of the cases (35.6%) had acute schizophrenia-like psychotic disorders (F23.2). There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of acute and transient psychotic disorders between males and females, Qatari and non-Qatari Arabs, and single and married. The study found markedly lower incidence rate of acute and transient psychotic disorders in females than males. The highest frequency was found in the early adulthood (16-29 years). No cases were found in children aged less than 15 years. It is important to find ways to promote healthier lifestyles in this population in order to prevent the onset of psychotic disorders.


General and specific effects of lexicon in grammar: determiner and object pronoun omissions in child Spanish.
This study explores the hypothesis that vocabulary growth can have 2 types of effects in morphosyntactic development. One is a general effect, where vocabulary growth globally determines utterance complexity, defined in terms of sentence length and rates of subordination. There are also specific effects, where vocabulary size has a selective impact on the acquisition of grammatical markers and where lexicon is a prerequisite for typological convergence. The study compares the differential effects of vocabulary in 2 measures of morphosyntactic development: omissions of object clitic pronouns and definite articles. Correlation analysis and structural equation models were used to analyze the statistical effects of measures of vocabulary and grammatical development in 110 Spanish-speaking monolingual children ages 3-5 years. The data revealed general effects of vocabulary growth on utterance length and subordination rates and on the use of definite determiners and object pronouns. Specific effects of vocabulary growth were identified for object pronouns but not for determiners. The study found support for a 2-dimensional model separating lexicon and syntax and for 2 types of relationships. Vocabulary development generally determines sentence complexity and further evidence for specific effects in object pronoun use.


Oncological Outcomes After Hippocampus-Sparing Whole-Brain Radiotherapy in Cancer Patients With Newly Diagnosed Brain Oligometastases: A Single-Arm Prospective Observational Cohort Study in Taiwan.
Promisingly, the technique of hippocampus sparing during WBRT (HS-WBRT) might preserve NCFs. In this research, we examined oncological outcomes, with emphasis on neurologic/non-neurologic causes of death, CNS progression, and leptomeningeal disease (LMD) recurrence in cancer patients who underwent HS-WBRT. One hundred and fourteen cancer patients with newly diagnosed brain oligometastases underwent HS-WBRT were consecutively enrolled. The cumulative incidence of cancer-specific deaths (neurologic or non-neurologic), LMD recurrence, and the composite endpoint of CNS progression (CNS-CE) as the first event were computed with a competing-risks approach to characterize the oncological outcomes after HS-WBRT. Patients with intact brain metastases had a significantly increased likelihood of dying from non-neurologic causes of death associated with early manifestation of progressive systemic disease (hazard ratio for non-neurologic death, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.08-2.95; p = 0.025; competing-risks Fine-Gray regression), which reciprocally rendered them unlikely to encounter LMD recurrence or any pattern of CNS progression (HR for CNS-CE as the first event, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.97; p = 0.047; competing-risks Fine-Gray regression). By contrast, patients with resection cavities post-craniotomy had reciprocally increased likelihood of CNS progression which might be associated with neurologic death eventually. Patterns of oncological endpoints including neurologic/non-neurologic death and cumulative incidence of CNS progression manifesting as LMD recurrence are clearly clarified and contrasted between patients with intact BMs and those with resection cavities, indicating they are clinically distinct subgroups. ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02504788, NCT03223675.


SARS-CoV-2 omicron spike simulations: broad antibody escape, weakened ACE2 binding, and modest furin cleavage.
The recent emergence of the omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with large numbers of mutations has raised concern about a potential new surge in infections. Here we use molecular dynamics to study the biophysics of the interface of the BA1 and BA2 omicron spike protein binding to (i) the ACE2 receptor protein, (ii) antibodies from all known binding regions, and (iii) the furin binding domain. Our simulations suggest that while there is a significant reduction of antibody (Ab) binding strength corresponding to escape, the omicron spikes pay a cost in terms of weaker receptor binding as measured by interfacial hydrogen bonds (H-bond). The furin cleavage domain (FCD) is the same or weaker binding than the delta variant, suggesting lower fusogenicity resulting in less viral load and disease intensity than the delta variant. IMPORTANCE The BA1 and BA2 and closely related BA2.12.2 and BA.5 omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 dominate the current global infection landscape. Given the high number of mutations, particularly those which will lead to antibody escape, it is important to establish accurate methods that can guide developing health policy responses that identify at a fundamental level whether omicron and its variants are more threatening than its predecessors, especially delta. The importance of our work is to demonstrate that simple in silico simulations can predict biochemical binding details of the omicron spike protein that have epidemiological consequences, especially for binding to the cells and for fusing the viral membrane with the cells. In each case, we predicted weaker binding of the omicron spike, which agreed with subsequent experimental results. Future virology experiments will be needed to test these predictions further.


Percent recovery of insulin from two different concentrations (3 U/250 mL and 45 U/250 mL) of regular insulin solutions prepared for continuous rate infusion.
To compare the percent recovery of regular insulin prepared for administration as a continuous rate infusion (CRI) using 2 different concentrations, 3 and 45 U in 250 mL 0.9% saline. In vitro experiment SETTING: Privately-owned emergency and referral teaching hospital. None INTERVENTION: Commercial 250 mL 0.9% sodium chloride IV fluid bags were injected with either 3 U (solution bag A) or 45 U (solution bag B) of regular insulin. The insulin concentration was measured in each bag. A fluid administration and extension set were connected to each bag and 50 mL was drained through the IV tubing. The insulin concentration was then measured from samples post washout. Comparison of the concentration of insulin injected into the bag and concentration of insulin in the bag showed that there was a 29.7 and 37.3% recovery of insulin from solution bag A and solution bag B, respectively. Comparison of the concentration of insulin injected into the bag and concentration of insulin in the post 50-mL washout samples showed that there was an 11.9 and 30.6% recovery of insulin from bags A and B, respectively. Substantially more insulin was available after a 50-mL washout from solution bag B compared to solution bag A. Insulin binding to the IV bag and fluid administration set is likely the cause of this difference. Patients receiving lower concentrations of insulin as a CRI, such as might be prescribed for cats and small dogs may require longer time for resolution of hyperglycemia and ketonemia.


Nitrate Uptake and Partitioning by Corn Root Systems : Differential Effects of Ammonium among Genotypes and Stages of Root Development.
The relative effects of ammonium on nitrate uptake and partitioning during induction were compared among decapitated seedlings of three corn (Zea mays L.) genotypes at two developmental stages. This study tested the hypothesis that root systems efficient at translocating products of ammonium assimilation away from sites of nitrate uptake or reduction would exhibit less inhibition of nitrate uptake by ammonium compared to root systems with inefficient N translocation efficiency. Inhibition of nitrate uptake by ammonium was relatively slight at day 5 ranging from 0% to 20% among the three genotypes, as compared to greater inhibition, from 20% to 37%, at day 8. Five-day-old roots exhibited negligible xylem translocation capacity in comparison with those grown for 8 days. Thus, although the capability to translocate ammonium assimilates out of the root increased between days 5 and 8, inhibitory effects of ammonium also increased. In the absence of ammonium, nitrate uptake per unit root mass increased between days 5 and 8. This increased activity of the uptake system was proportionally more sensitive to ammonium.Partitioning of entering nitrate into the reduction process was positively correlated with lateral root development of the inbred root systems at 5 and 8 days. This is supportive of a localization of a major portion of nitrate reduction occurring in root apical regions. Nitrate reduction was the partitioning process most severely inhibited by ammonium in all cases, ranging from 39% to 55% inhibition. In contrast, ammonium-inhibition of nitrate accumulation in the root tissue and translocation via xylem vessels varied with genotype and root age.Two mechanisms of ammonium-inhibition of nitrate are implicated, one which directly affects nitrate reduction and the uptake system associated with it, and another which may involve potassium as an intermediate regulator of nitrate accumulation in the root tissue and nitrate translocation out of the root tissue.


Low-Voltage Metal-Oxide Thin Film Transistors Using P-Type Tin-Oxide Semiconductors.
In this paper, the effect of channel annealing and oxygen flow rate in P-type tin-monoxide (SnO) thin film transistor (TFT) was investigated to reach the process compatibility with n-type oxide-based TFT. The optimized P-type SnO TFT with a small threshold voltage of -0.1 V, a high field-effect mobility of 4 cm² V-1 s-1 and an on/off current ratio of >10² was proposed. From the experimental results, the 150 °C channel annealing revealed a metallic behavior but a semiconductor-like property at a higher 200 °C that was favorable for transistor rectification. Besides, the higher oxygen flow rate was also helpful for improving device mobility and driving current, but shows a slight increase in off-state leakage, which is unavoidable due to the increase of grain in SnO channel.


Da Vinci robot-assisted pancreato-duodenectomy in a patient with situs inversus totalis: A case report and review of literature.
Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is an extremely rare congenital malformation characterized by mirror displacement of the thoracoabdominal organs such as the heart, liver, spleen, and stomach. Herein, we describe a patient with SIT complicated with cholangiocarcinoma who underwent successful pancreaticoduodenectomy with the assistance of a da Vinci robot. A 58-year-old female presented to the hospital with paroxysmal pain in her left upper abdomen, accompanied by jaundice and staining of the sclera as chief complaints. Imaging examination detected a mass at the distal end of the common bile duct, with inverted thoracic and abdominal organs. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography forceps biopsy revealed the presence of a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient successfully underwent robotic-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy; the operation lasted 300 min, the intraoperative blood loss was 500 mL, and there were no intraoperative and postoperative complications. SIT is not directly related to the formation of cholangiocarcinoma. Detailed preoperative imaging examination is conducive to disease diagnosis and also convenient for determining the feasibility of tumor resection. Robot-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy for SIT complicated with cholangiocarcinoma provides a safe, feasible, minimally invasive, and complication-free alternative with adequate preoperative planning combined with meticulous intraoperative procedures.


Uncover New Reactivity of Genetically Encoded Alkyl Bromide Non-Canonical Amino Acids.
Genetically encoded non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) with electrophilic moieties are excellent tools to investigate protein-protein interactions (PPIs) both in vitro and in vivo. These ncAAs, including a series of alkyl bromide-based ncAAs, mainly target cysteine residues to form protein-protein cross-links. Although some reactivities towards lysine and tyrosine residues have been reported, a comprehensive understanding of their reactivity towards a broad range of nucleophilic amino acids is lacking. Here we used a recently developed OpenUaa search engine to perform an in-depth analysis of mass spec data generated for Thioredoxin and its direct binding proteins cross-linked with an alkyl bromide-based ncAA, BprY. The analysis showed that, besides cysteine residues, BprY also targeted a broad range of nucleophilic amino acids. We validated this broad reactivity of BprY with Affibody/Z protein complex. We then successfully applied BprY to map a binding interface between SUMO2 and SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs). BprY was further applied to probe SUMO2 interaction partners. We identified 264 SUMO2 binders, including several validated SUMO2 binders and many new binders. Our data demonstrated that BprY can be effectively used to probe protein-protein interaction interfaces even without cysteine residues, which will greatly expand the power of BprY in studying PPIs.


Relationship between Migration and HIV Risky Behavior: a Comparative Study of Returning Migrants and Non Migrants Based on Rural Out-of-school Youth in Jilin, China.
To estimate the relationship between migration and HIV risky behavior when controlling for gender, age, and educational levels and to evaluate the gender differences in migration, HIV knowledge, and HIV risky behaviors among rural youth in China. A cross-sectional, anonymous, investigative questionnaire for 1710 unmarried, out-of-school rural youth, aged between 15 and 24 years, was handed out in Gongzhuling county of Jilin province, China. 58.5% of participants had a history of migration, irrespective of gender. There were gender differences observed in other factors such as drug abuse (4.3% for males and 5.5% for females, P<0.01), multiple sexual partners (24.1% for males and 44.1% for females, P<0.01), and HIV knowledge rate (35.2% for males and 25.5% for females, P<0.001). While controlling for gender, age, and educational levels, the relationships between migration and drug abuse, selling sex, and non usage of condoms during last instance of sexual activity were found to be significant. The cases of premarital sex and multiple sexual partners were both not found to be related to migration. Among rural youth, the HIV risky behavior such as drug abuse, selling sex, and lack of condom use, is significantly related to migration, while premarital sex and multiple sexual partners seem unrelated to migration.