[Acute pancreatitis revealing a systemic lupus erythematous].
Acute pancreatitis is rarely seen in systemic lupus erythematous. A 28-year-old woman without significant past medical history, was hospitalized for sepsis and diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, which was found to be the initial presentation of a newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematous. Acute pancreatitis as an initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematous is rare and is reported in only 10 cases in the literature. Multiple factors are involved in the pathogenesis. The role of corticosteroids in its apparition or resolution is still a subject of controversy.


An outbreak of cataract with lens rupture and nuclear extrusion in wolf-fish (Anarhicas spp.).
Eight spotted (Anarhicas minor Olafsen) and five common wolf-fish (Anarhicas Lupus L), developed cataracts shortly after an episode of increased water temperature and decreased salinity 5 years prior to examination. On clinical examination, the cataracts were mostly bilateral and complete, and a majority of the lenses were lobulated. Inflammatory reaction was, apart from one eye with severe inflammation, limited to iris atrophy. Of the 14 eyes collected for pathomorphological examination, eight had lens rupture with extrusion of the nucleus to the posterior chamber, two showed partly dislocated nuclei with posterior protrusion and two lenses were morgagnian. A multilayered squamous epithelium with abundant desmosomes had developed on the surface of seven of the extruded nuclei. The main cause of the cataracts was considered to be the rapid decrease in water salinity, causing osmotic changes within the eyes with secondary swelling of lens fibers and rupture of the lens capsules.


The regulation of the Z- and G-box containing promoters by light signaling components, SPA1 and MYC2, in Arabidopsis.
Although many transcription factors and regulatory proteins have been identified and functionally characterized in light signaling pathways, photoperception to transcription remains largely fragmented. The Z-box is one of the LREs (Light responsive elements) that plays important role in the regulation of transcription during light-controlled Arabidopsis seedling development. The involvement of photoreceptors in the modulation of the activity of the Z-box containing promoters has been demonstrated. However, the role of downstream signaling components such as SPA1 and MYC2/ZBF1, which are functionally interrelated, remains unknown. In this study, we have investigated the regulation of the Z-box containing synthetic and native promoters by SPA1 and MYC2 by using stable transgenic lines. Our studies suggest that SPA1 negatively regulates the expression of CAB1 native promoter. MYC2 negatively regulates the activity of Z- and/or G-box containing synthetic as well as native promoters irrespective of light quality. Moreover, MYC2 negatively regulates the expression of Z/G-NOS101-GUS even in the darkness. Furthermore, analyses of tissue specific expression in adult plants suggest that MYC2 strongly regulates the activity of Z- and G-box containing promoters specifically in leaves and stems. In roots, whereas MYC2 positively regulates the activity of the Z-box containing synthetic promoter, it does not seem to control the activity of the G-box containing promoters. Taken together, these results provide insights into SPA1- and MYC2-mediated transcriptional regulation of the Z- and G-box containing promoters in light signaling pathways.


Challenges in atherosclerotic plaque characterization with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS): from data collection to classification.
In vivo plaque characterization is an important research field in interventional cardiology. We will study the realistic challenges to this goal by deploying 40 MHz single-element, mechanically rotating transducers. The intrinsic variability among the transducers' spectral parameters as well as tissue signals will be demonstrated. Subsequently, we will show that global data normalization is not suited for data calibration, due to the aforementioned variations as well as the stringent characteristics of spectral features. We will describe the sensitivity of an existing feature extraction algorithm based on eight spectral signatures (integrated backscatter coefficient, slope, midband-fit (MBF), intercept, and maximum and minimum powers and their relative frequencies) to a number of factors, such as the window size and order of the autoregressive (AR) model. It will be further demonstrated that the variations in the transducer's spectral parameters (i.e., center frequency and bandwidth) cause inconsistencies among extracted features. In this paper, two fundamental questions are addressed: 1) what is the best reliable way to extract the most informative features? and 2) which classification algorithm is the most appropriate for this problem? We will present a full-spectrum analysis as an alternative to the eight-feature approach. For the first time, different classification algorithms, such as k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) and linear Fisher, will be employed and their performances quantified. Finally, we will explore the reliability of the training dataset and the complexity of the recognition algorithm and illustrate that these two aspects can highly impact the accuracy of the end result, which has not been considered until now.


[Temporal lift].
The temporal lift belongs to the traditional face lift which is in fact temporo-cervico-facial. It also forms part of the face lift "upper part of the face" which is in fact temporo-frontal. It is to say that it relates to a junction zone between the superior and inferior part of the face. In a first part the authors recall the essential anatomical data including the eyebrow, the Charpy's fat pad, the galea and the temporoparietal fascia, the nerves (temporo-facial branch of the facial nerve and supra-orbital nerve) and the veins (sentinel vein). Then they expose the various surgical techniques (galeapexy, endoscopic temporal lift, brow lift, facial threads, standard fixing Endotine forehead, botulinic toxin. This makes it possible to define in a more precise way the indications and counterindications of the temporal lift. The indications of the temporal lift are the lateral ptosis of the tail of the brow. On the other hand, the total ptosis requires a frontal lift. In this case one can associate a concomitant blepharoplasty. The temporal lift is frequently carried out in a way combined with a cervico-cheek lift. The prospects for technical progress to improve perenniality of an isolated temporal gesture are large and will allow us to widen the indications.


Interactions of a transcriptional activator in the env gene of the mouse mammary tumor virus with activation-dependent, T cell-specific transacting factors.
The mouse mammary tumor virus env gene contains a transcriptional activator (META) that can control transcription of the adjacent long terminal repeat region. Transcriptional control by META parallels that of several lymphokine genes, being specific to T cells, dependent on their activation, and inhibited by the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine (CsA). DNase I footprinting indicated that nuclear factors from activated T lymphocytes bound a promoter-proximal site, META(P), and a promoter-distal site, META(D+), within the 400-base pair META region. Nuclear factors from unstimulated, but not from activated cells, bound a site, META(D-), adjacent to META(D+). META(D+) directed transcription of a linked luciferase gene, and gel shift analysis revealed binding of inducible, CsA-sensitive T cell factors, in parallel with transfection results. Authentic NFAT and NF-kappaB targets did not compete for the META(D+) binding factor(s). The SV40 core sequence competed for META(D+) binding factors, but META(D+) failed to compete for the complexes obtained with the SV40 probe. Our results, taken together, indicate that META(D+) is a novel transcriptional enhancer element that is similar in its cell-type specificity, activation dependence, and CsA sensitivity to the NFAT element. It may be relevant to the role of MMTV in expression of Mls antigens or the induction of T cell lymphomas.


Combined radiation therapy and daily low-dose cisplatin for inoperable, locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: results of a phase II trial.
The Free University Hospital in Amsterdam conducted a phase II trial on inoperable patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to evaluate the role of cisplatin as a radiosensitizer. Forty patients were entered into the study. Thirty-three patients were evaluable for response and 37 for toxicity. The regimen consisted of the daily administration of cisplatin 6 mg/m2 administered within 30 minutes after each radiation therapy session. The radiation therapy modality was a regimen of 300 cGy four times per week for 4 weeks with a 2-week split in between, administering a total dose of 48 Gy. The overall response rate was 65%; median duration of control of local disease was 7 months, and overall survival was 10.5 months. Toxicity was considered to be mild. The results appear similar to data using radiation therapy alone; however, the optimum dosing and timing of this combination therapy has not been determined and deserves further clinical studies.


Drug metabolism and transport under hypoxia.
Tumour progression is characterized by a rapid cell growth accompanied by changes in the microenvironment, largely due to hypoxia. The angiogenic switch involves changes in the expression of genes that play key roles in tumour progression, invasion, metastasis and therapeutic response, contributing to tumour aggressiveness. The effect of hypoxia on the cellular concentrations of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters is much less understood. A brief summary of the signaling mechanisms triggered by hypoxia is presented, followed by a review of the known effects of hypoxia on drug metabolism and transport. Most of the studies available have focused on Cytochromes P450 and ATP-binding cassette transporters, while influx transporters of the SLC family have been less investigated. Given its potential to contribute both to the understanding of the pathogenesis of disease and to the optimization of therapeutics, it is rather surprising that this area of research is still underdeveloped. An increasing number of studies focusing on this subject are bound to provide key information for drug development and optimization of therapeutics.


Total synthesis of the anticancer natural product OSW-1.
The highly potent anticancer natural saponin OSW-1 has been successfully synthesized from commercially available 5-androsten-3beta-ol-17-one 79 in 10 operations with 28% overall yield. The key steps in the total synthesis included a highly regio- and stereoselective selenium dioxide-mediated allylic oxidation of 80 and a highly stereoselective 1,4-addition of alpha-alkoxy vinyl cuprates 68 to steroid 17(20)-en-16-one 12E to introduce the steroid side chain. This total synthesis demonstrated once again the versatile synthetic applications of alpha-halo vinyl ether chemistry developed in our laboratories.


Endovascular treatment with aortic endoprostheses for subclavian artery aneurysm secondary to late traumatic axillary-axillary arteriovenous fistula.
Traumatic arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) involving the axillary and subclavian vessels are uncommon and account for 5 to 10% of all arterial traumas. The complex anatomy of this region makes treatment of this segment challenging. In this therapeutic challenge, we describe the case of a 73-year-old man, referred for progressive edema and ulceration involving the right upper limb and with a history of gunshot wound to the right infraclavicular region about 50 years previously. Angiotomography was performed and an axillary-axillary AVF was found, associated with tortuosity and aneurysmatic dilation of the subclavian artery downstream. He underwent endovascular intervention and a conical (monoiliac) 26 × 14 × 90 mm Braile® endoprosthesis was used in the aneurysmatic subclavian artery, posterior to the exit of the right vertebral artery and a 16 × 16 × 95mm Excluder® monoiliac endoprosthesis was placed overlapping the first prosthesis, showing a satisfactory result. Therefore, the possibility of successfully using aortic endoprostheses in an unusual and exceptional situation is described.


Clinicopathologic correlations of ABO and Rhesus blood type in colorectal cancer.
There is no specific association established between colorectal cancer and blood group type. In this study, the distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups was studied in 838 patients with colorectal cancer. There was no difference in distribution of ABO blood groups between patients who were Rh+ and Rh-. There was no difference in ABO blood group or Rh factor and tumor location. The highest A/O ratio was found in rectal cancer. Although there was no difference in stage distribution for each ABO blood group, there was a significant difference between the Rh+ and Rh- groups (P < 0.037). It is not clear, however, whether the prognosis is different between the two groups since there were more early tumors as well as incurable tumors in the Rh- group. All patients with synchronous cancer were Rh+. Further studies on blood group antigens are needed to elucidate the relationship between these antigens and colorectal cancer.


When do ego threats lead to self-regulation failure? Negative consequences of defensive high self-esteem.
High self-esteem (HSE) is increasingly recognized as heterogeneous. By measuring subtypes of HSE, the present research reevaluates the finding that HSE individuals show poor self-regulation following ego threat (Baumeister, Heatherton, & Tice, 1993). In Experiment 1, participants with HSE showed poor self-regulation after ego threat only if they also were defensive (high in self-presentation bias). In Experiment 2, two measures--self-presentation bias and implicit self-esteem--were used to subtype HSE individuals as defensive. Both operationalizations of defensive HSE predicted poor self-regulation after ego threat. The results indicate that (a) only defensive HSE individuals are prone to self-regulation failure following ego threat and (b) measures of self-presentation bias and implicit self-esteem can both be used to detect defensiveness.


Phylogenetic analysis of southern hemisphere flat oysters based on partial mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene sequences.
Oysters are among the most familiar, best studied, and morphologically variable of all marine invertebrate taxa. However, our knowledge of oyster phylogeny and systematics is rudimentary, especially for the subfamily Ostreinae (flat oysters). It is unclear, for instance, whether the predominant flat oysters occurring between latitudes 35 and 50 degrees S constitute a single circumglobal species, or multiple, phylogenetically distinct, regional taxa. We have performed the first DNA molecular phylogenetic analysis of ostreinid taxa to distinguish among competing phylogenetic and systematic hypotheses for Southern Hemisphere Ostreinae. An approximately 450-nucleotide fragment of the mitochondrial large ribosomal subunit (16S) was sequenced for 41 individual oysters, representing 14 taxa of brooding oysters: 5 Southern Hemisphere Ostreinae, 5 Northern Hemisphere Ostreinae, and 4 outgroup species of the subfamily Lophinae. Phylogenetic analyses of the resulting data set yielded consensus tree topologies that are comprehensively incongruent with prevailing morphologically based interpretations of systematic relationships among the Ostreinae. Three ostreinid mitochondrial clades were evident, each containing representatives of Southern Hemisphere regional ostreinid taxa, some of which robustly cocluster with Northern Hemisphere taxa. These three clades represent the first well-supported phylogenetic framework for this ecologically prominent and commercially important oyster subfamily.


The effect of auricular electroacupuncture on the neuronal activity of the thalamic and hypothalamic neurons of the rat.
Acupuncture has many physiological effects on pain control, instinctual behavior, autonomic nervous system and endocrine system. However, the mechanism of how acupuncture can affect these functions is not well known. The electrophysiological study was done using anesthetized rats to examine the effect of auricular electroacupuncture. 122 neurons of the thalamus and hypothalamus were examined. 20% of the neurons in the thalamus responded either by increasing firing rate or decreasing to auricular electroacupuncture. Some thalamic neurons responded by increasing to the nociceptive stimulation and by decreasing to acupuncture stimulation. These effects might explain some part of the analgesic effect of acupuncture. 14% of the neurons of the hypothalamus, mainly in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and around the mammillothalamic tract, responded to acupuncture. The neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus did not respond. These results suggest the indirect effect on instinctual behavior, especially on feeding behavior, of acupuncture.


Purification of Spinach Leaf ADPglucose Pyrophosphorylase.
ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase from spinach leaves has been purified to homogeneity by hydrophobic chromatography carried out in 1 molar phosphate buffer. After polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the preparation showed only one protein staining band that coincided with a single activity stain. The enzyme appears to be composed of two subunits with molecular weights of 44,000 and 48,000, respectively, as determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Thus ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase of spinach appears to be comprised of subunits which are similar in size to the subunits of ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase isolated from bacterial sources. In contrast, a subunit molecular weight of 96,000 has been reported for the maize endosperm ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase (Fuchs RL and JO Smith 1979 Biochim Biophys Acta 556: 40-48). The purified enzyme retains similar allosteric and catalytic properties as reported previously and is more sensitive to phosphate inhibition under "dark"-simulated conditions than under "light"-simulated conditions.


[Testosteron treatment of excessively tall boys (author's transl)].
Twenty-five boys aged 11.7-16.8 years with constitutionally tall stature were treated with 500 mg testosteron oenanthate two-weekly over a period of 15.6 months on average. Prediction of height was done according to Bayley-Pinneau (BP) and Tanner et al. with a mean parent height of 168 cm (T168) and 172 cm (T172). It was on average at 202.73 cm (BP) and 203.26 cm (T168) or 201.97 (T172). The achieved height reduction was 7.2 cm (BP), 7.73 cm (T168) and 6.44 cm (T172), corresponding to a reduction of 45.6% (BP), 47.3% (T168) and 41% (T172) of the future growth. Whereas the major reductions were obtained in the youngest patients, success of treatment in patients with a skeletal age of 15 and more years was not demonstrable with certainty. Predominant side effects were weight gain within the first 6 months, acne and transient reduction of testicular volume.


Indian parents prefer vaccinating their daughters against HPV at older ages.
Increasing uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine should be a priority in developing countries since they suffer 88% of the world's cervical cancer burden. In many countries studies show that age at vaccination is an important determinate of parental acceptability. This study explores parental preferences on age-to-vaccinate for adolescent school-going girls. The sample was selected using a two-stage probability proportional to size cluster sampling methodology. Questionnaires were sent home with a random sample of 800 adolescent girls attending 12 schools in Mysore to be completed by parents. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages and proportions were generated for independent variables and bivariate analyses (Chi square test) were used to assess the relationship between independent and appropriate age-to-vaccinate. HPV vaccination acceptability was high at 71%. While 5.3% of parents felt girls should be vaccinated by 10 years or younger; 38.3% said 11-15 years; 14.8% said 16-18 years; 5.8% suggested over 19 years; and 33% didn't know. Only 2.8% of parents would not vaccinate their daughters. Delaying HPV vaccination until later ages may significantly increase uptake of the HPV vaccine in India.


Novel III-V Nitride Polymorphs in the P42/mnm and Pbca Phases.
In this work, the elastic anisotropy, mechanical stability, and electronic properties for P42/mnm XN (XN = BN, AlN, GaN, and InN) and Pbca XN are researched based on density functional theory. Here, the XN in the P42/mnm and Pbca phases have a mechanic stability and dynamic stability. Compared with the Pnma phase and Pm-3n phase, the P42/mnm and Pbca phases have greater values of bulk modulus and shear modulus. The ratio of the bulk modulus (B), shear modulus (G), and Poisson's ratio (v) of XN in the P42/mnm and Pbca phases are smaller than those for Pnma XN and Pm-3n XN, and larger than those for c-XN, indicating that Pnma XN and Pm-3n XN are more ductile than P42/mnm XN and Pbca XN, and that c-XN is more brittle than P42/mnm XN and Pbca XN. In addition, in the Pbca phases, XN can be considered a semiconductor material, while in the P42/mnm phase, GaN and InN have direct band-gap, and BN and AlN are indirect wide band gap materials. The novel III-V nitride polymorphs in the P42/mnm and Pbca phases may have great potential for application in visible light detectors, ultraviolet detectors, infrared detectors, and light-emitting diodes.


Genetic mapping and evaluation of candidate genes for spasmodic, a neurological mouse mutation with abnormal startle response.
Spasmodic (spd) is a recessive mouse mutation characterized by a prolonged righting reflex, fine motor tremor, leg clasping, and stiffness. Using an intersubspecific backcross that segregates spd, we placed spd on Chr 11 with the following gene order: Adra-1-3.8 +/- 2.1 cM-Pad-1-6.3 +/- 2.7-(spd, Anx-6, Csfgm, Glr-1, Il-3, Il-4, Il-5, Sparc)-9.1 +/- 2.4-D11 Mit5-2.2 +/- 1.5-Asgr-1. This localization eliminated the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor (Adra-1) and the alpha 1 and gamma 2 subunits of the GABAA receptor as candidate genes. Two other promising candidate genes, annexin VI (Anx-6) and a glutamate receptor (Glr-1), were mapped to within 2.1 cM of the spd locus. Although no recombination was observed between spd and Anx-6 or Glr-1, no evidence was obtained for a lesion in either gene. The presence of normal Anx-6 and Glr-1 mRNA transcripts was confirmed by Northern blot analysis, in situ hybridization, and DNA sequence analysis. The localization of Anx-6 and Glr-1 extends the known synteny homology between human chromosome 5q21-q31 and mouse Chr 11 and reveals the probable chromosomal location of the human counterpart to spd. Synteny homology and phenotypic similarities suggest that spasmodic mice may be a genetic model for the inherited human startle disease, hyperekplexia (STHE).


Long-Term Consequences of Placental Vascular Pathology on the Maternal and Offspring Cardiovascular Systems.
Over the last thirty years, evidence has been accumulating that Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP) and, specifically, Preeclampsia (PE) produce not only long-term effects on the pregnant woman, but have also lasting consequences for the fetus. At the core of these consequences is the phenomenon known as defective deep placentation, being present in virtually every major obstetrical syndrome. The profound placental vascular lesions characteristic of this pathology can induce long-term adverse consequences for the pregnant woman's entire arterial system. In addition, placental growth restriction and function can, in turn, cause a decreased blood supply to the fetus, with long-lasting effects. Women with a history of HDP have an increased risk of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) compared with women with normal pregnancies. Specifically, these subjects are at a future higher risk of: Hypertension; Coronary artery disease; Heart failure; Peripheral vascular disease; Cerebrovascular accidents (Stroke); CVD-related mortality. Vascular pathology in pregnancy and CVD may share a common etiology and may have common risk factors, which are unmasked by the "stress" of pregnancy. It is also possible that the future occurrence of a CVD may be the consequence of endothelial dysfunction generated by pregnancy-induced hypertension that persists after delivery. Although biochemical and biophysical markers of PE abound, information on markers for a comparative evaluation in the various groups is still lacking. Long-term consequences for the fetus are an integral part of the theory of a fetal origin of a number of adult diseases, known as the Barker hypothesis. Indeed, intrauterine malnutrition and fetal growth restriction represent significant risk factors for the development of chronic hypertension, diabetes, stroke and death from coronary artery disease in adults. Other factors will also influence the development later in life of hypertension, coronary and myocardial disease; they include parental genetic disposition, epigenetic modifications, endothelial dysfunction, concurrent intrauterine exposures, and the lifestyle of the affected individual.


Training in complementary feeding counselling of healthcare workers and its influence on maternal behaviours and child growth: a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Lahore, Pakistan.
Malnutrition is common among children aged 6-24 months in developing countries. It increases the risk of mortality. Interventions to improve infant-feeding hold the promise of reducing malnutrition among these children. A study in Brazil has shown the success of training in communication and counselling skills among health workers in improving the nutritional status of young children. Questions were raised whether the method used in the study in Brazil would also be effective when applied in other countries. The aim of the present study was to reduce growth faltering in young children through proper nutrition-promotion techniques. The objective of the study was to determine the efficacy of training health workers in nutrition counselling in enhancing their communication skills and performance, improving feeding practices, and reducing growth faltering in children aged 6-24 months. A cluster-randomized controlled trial was carried out. The method used in this study was a replica of the method in a similar study in Pelotas, Brazil. Forty health centres were paired, and one centre of each pair was randomly allocated to the intervention group, and the other to the control group. The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) module-'Counsel the mother'-was used for training health workers in the health centres in the intervention group. Data from 36 paired health centres and 375 mothers and their children aged 6-24 months recruited from these health centres following consultation with health workers were included in analysis. Independent observers, masked to the intervention status, examined the performance of health workers within the first month after training. Mother-child pairs were visited at home within two weeks, 45 days, and 180 days after recruitment. Information was recorded on the feeding practices, recall of the recommendations of health workers, and sociodemographic variables at these home-visits. Weight and length of the child were measured at each contact. The communication skills and consultation performance of health workers were significantly better in the intervention group than in the control group. The mothers' recall of the recommendation of health workers and reported infant-feeding practices were also significantly better in the intervention group than in the control group, even 180 days after the recruitment consultation. Growth faltering was less in the intervention group, with the largest effect observed among children in the age-group of 12 + months. These results indicate that training in IMCI feeding counselling can enhance the communication skills and performance of health workers. Improved feeding practices of counselled mothers can, in turn, reduce growth faltering in their children.


Interactions between Schwann cells and macrophages in injury and inherited demyelinating disease.
In this article we first discuss the factors that regulate macrophage recruitment, activation, and myelin phagocytosis during Wallerian degeneration and some of the factors involved in the termination of inflammation at the end of the period of Wallerian degeneration after peripheral nerve injuries. In particular, we deal with the early events that trigger chemokine and cytokine expression; the role of phospholipase A(2) in initiating the breakdown of compact myelin, and chemokine, cytokine expression; and the role of MCP-1, MIP-1alpha, and IL-1beta in macrophage recruitment and myelin phagocytosis. We also discuss how inflammation may be switched off and the recently identified role of the Nogo receptor on activated macrophages in the clearance of these cells from the injured nerve. In the second half of the article we focus on the role of certain Schwann cell borne cytokines and chemokines, such as M-CSF and MCP-1 as well as intracellular signaling that regulate their expression in animal models of inherited demyelinating disease. Additionally, we present the preservation of sensory nerves fibers from macrophage attack in these animal models as a challenging paradigm for the development of putative treatment approaches. Finally, we also discuss the similarities and differences in these Schwann cell-macrophage responses in injury-induced Wallerian degeneration and inherited demyelinating diseases. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying Schwann cell-macrophage interaction under pathological conditions is an important prerequisite to develop effective treatment strategies for various peripheral nerve disorders.


Prevention of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia - Guideline compliance in German hospitals.
Patients undergoing elective surgery are at risk for inadvertent postoperative hypothermia, defined as a core body temperature below 36°C. This study was conducted to investigate the acceptance of the recommendations of the German S3 Guideline, in particular with respect to the concept of pre-warming and sublingual temperature measurement. The main focus was to gather data concerning the postoperative core temperature and the frequency of perioperative hypothermia in patients receiving a pre-warming regime and those without. The study team investigated the local concept and measures employed to avoid inadvertent perioperative hypothermia with respect to defined outcome parameters following a specific protocol. In summary, the study hospitals vary greatly in their perioperative processes to prevent postoperative hypothermia. However, each hospital has a strategy to prevent hypothermia and was more or less successful in keeping its patients normothermic during the perioperative process. Our data could not demonstrate major differences between hospitals in the implementation strategy to prevent perioperative hypothermia in regard to the hospital size. The results of our study suggest a wide-spread acceptance, as no postoperative hypothermia was detected in a cohort of 431 patients.


Post-high school employment: a follow-up of Apache Native American youth.
The purpose of this study was to assess the post-high school employment status of Apache Native American youth. In 1992, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 106 former high school students who exited from Alchesay High School between 1988 and 1992. Fourteen students who received special education services and 19 who received general education were employed. The remaining 38 special education students and 35 general education students expressed various reasons for their unemployment. The unemployed Apache youth stated that their lives would be better off if they had suitable employment. Results are discussed in light of their cultural implications for employment and the transition mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.


The effects of changes in hearing status in cochlear implant users on the acoustic vowel space and CV coarticulation.
In order to examine the role of hearing status in controlling coarticulation, eight English vowels in /bVt/ and /dVt/ syllables, embedded in a carrier phrase, were elicited from 7 postlingually deafened adults and 2 speakers with normal hearing. The deaf adults served in repeated recording sessions both before and up to a year after they received cochlear implants and their speech processors were turned on. Each of the two hearing control speakers served in two recording sessions, separated by about 3 months. Measures were made of second formant frequency at obstruent release and at 25 ms intervals until the final obstruent. An index of coarticulation, based on the ratio of F2 at vowel onset to F2 at midvowel target, was computed. Changes in the amount of coarticulation after the change in hearing status were small and nonsystematic for the /bVt/ syllables; those for the /dVt/ syllables averaged a 3% increase--within the range of reliability measures for the 2 hearing control speakers. Locus equations (F2 at vowel onset vs. F2 at vowel midpoint) and ratios of F2 onsets in point vowels were also calculated. Like the index of coarticulation, these measures tended to confirm that hearing status had little if any effect on coarticulation in the deaf speakers, consistent with the hypothesis that hearing does not play a direct role in regulating anticipatory coarticulation in adulthood. With the restoration of some hearing, 2 implant users significantly increased the average spacing between vowels in the formant plane, whereas the remaining 5 decreased that measure. All speakers but one also reduced vowel duration significantly. Four of the speakers reduced dispersion of vowel formant values around vowel midpoint means, but the other 3 did not show this effect.


Interferon regulatory factor-4 activates IL-2 and IL-4 promoters in cooperation with c-Rel.
Interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-4 is a member of the IRF transcription factor family, whose expression is primarily restricted to lymphoid and myeloid cells. In T-cells, IRF-4 expression is induced by T-cell receptor (TCR) cross-linking or treatment with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)/Ionomycin, and IRF-4 is thought to be a critical factor for various functions of T-cells. To elucidate the IRF-4 functions in human adult T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected T-cells, which constitutively express IRF-4, we isolated IRF-4-binding proteins from T-cells, using a tandem affinity purification (TAP)-mass spectrometry strategy. Fourteen proteins were identified in the IRF-4-binding complex, including endogenous IRF-4 and the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) family member, c-Rel. The specific association of IRF-4 with c-Rel was confirmed by immunoprecipitation experiments, and IRF-4 was shown to enhance the c-Rel-dependent binding and activation of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) promoter region. We also demonstrated that IL-2 production was also enhanced by exogenously-expressed IRF-4 and c-Rel in the presence of P/I, in T-cells, and that the optimal IL-2 and IL-4 productions in vivo was IRF-4-dependent using IRF-4-/- mice. These data provide molecular evidence to support the clinical observation that elevated expression of c-Rel and IRF-4 is associated with the prognosis in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) patients, and present possible targets for future gene therapy.


Heat Stress in Pinus halepensis Somatic Embryogenesis Induction: Effect in DNA Methylation and Differential Expression of Stress-Related Genes.
In the current context of climate change, plants need to develop different mechanisms of stress tolerance and adaptation to cope with changing environmental conditions. Temperature is one of the most important abiotic stresses that forest trees have to overcome. Recent research developed in our laboratory demonstrated that high temperatures during different stages of conifer somatic embryogenesis (SE) modify subsequent phases of the process and the behavior of the resulting ex vitro somatic plants. For this reason, Aleppo pine SE was induced under different heat stress treatments (40 °C for 4 h, 50 °C for 30 min, and 60 °C for 5 min) in order to analyze its effect on the global DNA methylation rates and the differential expression of four stress-related genes at different stages of the SE process. Results showed that a slight decrease of DNA methylation at proliferating embryonal masses (EMs) can correlate with the final efficiency of the process. Additionally, different expression patterns for stress-related genes were found in EMs and needles from the in vitro somatic plants obtained; the DEHYDRATION INDUCED PROTEIN 19 gene was up-regulated in response to heat at proliferating EMs, whereas HSP20 FAMILY PROTEIN and SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE [Cu-Zn] were down-regulated in needles.


Electron accommodation dynamics in the DNA base thymine.
The dynamics of electron attachment to the DNA base thymine are investigated using femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging of the gas phase iodide-thymine (I(-)T) complex. An ultraviolet pump pulse ejects an electron from the iodide and prepares an iodine-thymine temporary negative ion that is photodetached with a near-IR probe pulse. The resulting photoelectrons are analyzed with velocity-map imaging. At excitation energies ranging from -120 meV to +90 meV with respect to the vertical detachment energy (VDE) of 4.05 eV for I(-)T, both the dipole-bound and valence-bound negative ions of thymine are observed. A slightly longer rise time for the valence-bound state than the dipole-bound state suggests that some of the dipole-bound anions convert to valence-bound species. No evidence is seen for a dipole-bound anion of thymine at higher excitation energies, in the range of 0.6 eV above the I(-)T VDE, which suggests that if the dipole-bound anion acts as a "doorway" to the valence-bound anion, it only does so at excitation energies near the VDE of the complex.


QC Validator 2.0: a computer program for automatic selection of statistical QC procedures for applications in healthcare laboratories.
A computer program has been developed to help healthcare laboratories select statistical control rules and numbers of control measurements that will assure the quality required by clinical decision interval criteria or analytical total error criteria. The program (QC Validator 2.0 (QC Validator and OPSpecs are registered trademarks of Westgard Quality Corporation, which has applied for a patent for this automatic QC selection process. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation)) runs on IBM compatible personal computers operating under Windows. The user enters information about the method imprecision, inaccuracy, and expected frequency of errors, defines the quality required in terms of a medically important change (clinical decision interval) or an analytical allowable total error, then initiates automatic selection by indicating the number of control materials that are to be analyzed (1, 2, or 3). The program returns with a chart of operating specifications (OPSpecs chart) that displays the selected control rules and numbers of control measurements. The automatic QC selection process is based on user editable criteria for the types of control rules that can be implemented by the laboratory, total numbers of control measurements that are practical, maximum levels of false rejections that can be tolerated and minimum levels of error detection that are acceptable for detection of medically important systematic or random errors.


Corneal endothelial changes following pars plana lensectomy.
The corneal endothelial status was studied in 40 eyes of patients with congenital cataract before and 3 months after surgery. Twenty eyes of patients who underwent pars plana lensectomy revealed a mean endothelial cell loss of 8% (SD +/- .76) while the remaining 20 eyes which were operated by needling aspiration had a endothelial cell loss of 10% (SD +/- .89). The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant.


Expression of angiogenic factors including VEGFs and the effects of hypoxia and thalidomide on human myeloma cells.
Angiogenic factors are major causes of tumor progression in hematological malignancies, particularly multiple myeloma, as well as solid tumors. The introduction of thalidomide as an anti-angiogenic agent in myeloma treatment has demonstrated the importance of angiogenic factors in the progression of myeloma. However, the direct effects of angiogenic factors, particularly VEGFs, hypoxia, and thalidomide, on myeloma cells are not been documented. In this study, we demonstrate increased expression and production levels of VEGF in myeloma compared to non-myelomatous hematological lines, resistance to hypoxia and enhancement of VEGF-A production by hypoxia in myeloma, and direct growth inhibition of myeloma cells due to apoptosis and G1 arrest caused by TNFalpha upregulation induced by thalidomide. These findings may encourage the clinical use of anti-angiogenic agents for their cytostatic effects and the prevention of progression.


Topical application of quercetin improves wound repair and regeneration in diabetic rats.
Purpose: There is an urgent need of effective drug/formulation to speed up the healing process in diabetic wounds. In our earlier studies, quercetin has accelerated the healing of nondiabetic wounds. So, we investigated the wound-healing potentials of quercetin in diabetic rats.Materials and methods: A square-shaped cutaneous wound (≈400 mm2) was created on the back of nondiabetic and diabetic rats. They were divided into three groups, viz. healthy control (nondiabetic), diabetic control and diabetic-treated group. Ointment base was topically applied for 21 days in healthy and diabetic control groups. Quercetin (0.3%) ointment was similarly applied in third group. Effects of quercetin on repair and regenerations of diabetic wounds in terms of wound closure, inflammation, angiogenesis, fibroblast proliferation, collagen synthesis, epithelialization, axonal regeneration etc was studied.Results: Quercetin accelerated the wound closure and increased the expressions of IL-10, VEGF and TGF-β1 in granulation/healing tissue of diabetic wound. However, quercetin decreased the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MMP-9. Histopathological evaluation revealed amelioration of persistence of inflammatory cells by quercetin in diabetic wounds. There was good quality of granulation tissue, marked fibroblast proliferation, well organized collagen deposition, early regeneration of epithelial layer etc. in the quercetin treated diabetic wounds in comparison to diabetic control group. Results of immunohistochemistry showed more angiogenesis, faster phenotypic switching of fibroblast to myofibroblasts and increased GAP-43 positive nerve fibers in quercetin-treated diabetic wounds.Conclusion: Quercetin ointment at 0.3% w/w concentration modulates cytokines, growth factors and protease, thereby improved repair and regenerations of cutaneous diabetic wounds in rats.


The impact of human-technology cooperation and distributed cognition in forensic science: biasing effects of AFIS contextual information on human experts.
Experts play a critical role in forensic decision making, even when cognition is offloaded and distributed between human and machine. In this paper, we investigated the impact of using Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) on human decision makers. We provided 3680 AFIS lists (a total of 55,200 comparisons) to 23 latent fingerprint examiners as part of their normal casework. We manipulated the position of the matching print in the AFIS list. The data showed that latent fingerprint examiners were affected by the position of the matching print in terms of false exclusions and false inconclusives. Furthermore, the data showed that false identification errors were more likely at the top of the list and that such errors occurred even when the correct match was present further down the list. These effects need to be studied and considered carefully, so as to optimize human decision making when using technologies such as AFIS.


A possible proximity effect on human grip strength.
A double-blind experiment with 58 adults tested the hypothesis that proximity to sugar reduces human grip strength. An analysis of variance supported the hypothesis.


Sex Differences of Acute Stroke Treatment and in Hospital Outcomes After Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients With Ischemic Stroke.
Background: Many studies have suggested that the clinical features of male patients with ischemic stroke are different from those of female patients, but related data on Chinese patients are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the differences in treatment delays, complications related to intravenous thrombolysis, and prognosis between male and female patients with ischemic stroke in China. Methods: The data of patients with ischemic stroke who received intravenous thrombolysis were retrospectively analyzed. The data were obtained from the China Hospital Stroke Registry from January 2017 to April 2019. The general clinical characteristics, onset-to-door time, door-to-needle time, complications related to thrombolysis, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, and in-hospital mortality were compared between male and female patients to identify any sex differences in these factors. A multi-factorial analysis was conducted to explore whether sex is associated with in-hospital mortality and complications of intracerebral hemorrhage after thrombolysis. Results: A total of 26,475 patients with ischemic stroke who received intravenous thrombolysis were involved in the study. The data were collected from 902 hospitals in 29 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China. The door-to-needle time was longer in female than in male patients (49 [35, 67] vs. 48 [35, 65], P = 0.008). Furthermore, the frequencies of intracerebral hemorrhage (4.1 vs. 3.2%, P < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality (2.55 vs. 1.83%, P < 0.001) were higher in female vs. male patients. However, sex was not associated with intracerebral hemorrhage and in-hospital mortality according to the adjusted multi-factorial analysis. In addition, improvement in NIHSS scores was greater in female patients than in male patients [-3 (-6, -1) vs. -3 (-5, -1), P = 0.036]. Conclusions: After adjusting for other predictors sex was not associated with intracerebral hemorrhage after thrombolysis or in-hospital mortality. Further study is warranted to evaluate the long-term outcomes in the different sexes.


Mechanisms of coxsackievirus-induced damage to human pancreatic beta-cells.
Enteroviruses may be involved in the pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, either through direct beta-cell infection or as triggers of autoimmunity. In the present study we investigated the patterns of infection in adult human islet cell preparations (consisting of 56+/-14% beta-cells) by several coxsackieviruses. The cells were infected with prototype strains of coxsackievirus B (CBV) 3, 4, and 5 as well as coxsackievirus A9 (CAV-9). The previously characterized diabetogenic strain of coxsackievirus B4 (CBV-4-E2) was used as a reference. All viruses replicated well in beta-cells, but only CBVs caused cell death. One week after infection, the insulin response of the beta-cells to glucose or glucose plus theophylline was most severely impaired by CBV-3 and CBV-5 infections. CBV-4 also caused significant functional impairment, whereas CAV-9-infected cells responded like uninfected controls. After 2 days of infection, about 40% of CBV-5-infected cells had undergone morphological changes characteristic of pyknosis, i.e. highly distorted nuclei with condensed but intact chromatin. Both mitochondria and plasma membrane were intact in these cells. DNA fragmentation was found in 5.9+/-1.1% of CBV-5-infected beta-cell nuclei (2.1+/-0.3% in controls; P<0.01). CAV-9 infection did not induce DNA fragmentation. One week after infection the majority of infected cells showed characteristics of secondary necrosis. Medium nitrite and inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger ribonucleic acid levels were not significantly up-regulated by CBV infection. These results suggest that several enteroviruses may infect human beta-cells. The infection may result in functional impairment or death of the beta-cell or may have no apparent immediate adverse effects, as shown here for CAV-9. Coxsackie B viruses cause functional impairment and beta-cell death characterized by nuclear pyknosis. Apoptosis appears to play a minor role during a productive CBV infection in beta-cells.


Systematic node management mechanism using ZigBee-based real-time vital sign information monitoring system to manage large numbers of patients.
Local hospitals must deal with large numbers of patients during mass casualty incidents, and the wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can help in these situations by monitoring vital signs. Conventional ZigBee nodes can obtain the ID of a device by assigning a unique 16-bit short address or by burning firmware into an IC. These methods tend to complicate node management and lack portability. The study developed a node management mechanism to deal with a large number of patients in real-time, through the wireless monitoring of physiological signals. The mechanism proposed for the ZigBee WSN is based on a three-layer (Coordinator, Control Router, and End Device) tree topology. The proposed system includes a node deployment process to formulate a ZigBee WSN as a tree topology, an algorithm to automatically number ZigBee nodes for monitoring and control system (MCS), and an algorithm to automatically obtain the short addresses of nodes for data collection. Specifically, an algorithm automatically collects data from ZigBee nodes for display on a computer graphical user interface (GUI). We also developed a reliable data transmission method capable of resolving the problem of packet loss. The proposed method has been applied in a local hospital. Our research findings provide a valuable reference for the development of ZigBee-based MCS. The proposed node management mechanism is faster, more reliable, and more intuitive to use, than traditional methods.


Electrochemical sensing platform based on polyelectrolyte-surfactant supramolecular assemblies incorporating carbon nanotubes.
The characterization and application of a polyelectrolyte-surfactant supramolecular assembly formed by poly(allylamine) and dodecyl sulfate (PA-DS) on a screen-printed graphite electrode for the preparation of electrochemical sensing platforms are presented. The system was characterized by X-ray reflectometry (XRR) and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and tested with four benchmark electrochemical probes undergoing different electron-transfer mechanisms on carbon: ferrocyanide, hexaammineruthenium, ascorbic acid, and dopamine. The polyelectrolyte acts as a scaffold favoring the incorporation of the ferrocyanide, an ion oppositely charged to poly(allylamine). Also, its ability to incorporate carbon nanotubes (CNT) is presented. The composite material PA-DS-CNT is able to electrocatalyze the oxidation of dopamine, allowing its detection at micromolar levels in the presence of 100 times higher concentrations of ascorbate and it is shown to be stable, while XRR and GISAXS results confirm a lamellar structure with well-defined domains, not perturbed by the presence of the CNT. The dispersion is easily prepared in aqueous solution and could facilitate the processing of the CNT with an efficient loading and yielding a more robust carbon-based material for sensing applications.


Calcitonin gene-related peptide stimulates somatostatin release from isolated perfused rat stomach.
Effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on somatostatin release was investigated on the isolated perfused rat stomach. Perfusion with CGRP (0.1 nM-100 nM) caused a significant and dose-dependent increase in effluent somatostatin levels. The somatostatin response to CGRP was rapid in onset and reversible immediately after the cessation of CGRP infusion. These findings suggest that CGRP stimulates the release of gastric somatostatin, thereby modulating gastric functions in rat.


Feasibility of a set of wrist-worn novice devices for dual motion comparison of the upper limbs during lateral raise motions.
Comparison of the upper limbs during natural kinematic motions is necessary for early detection of musculoskeletal imbalance between ipsilateral and contralateral sides in natural settings. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a novice set of wrist-worn devices designed to assess and compare the dual kinematic motions of the upper limbs during lateral raises. The test-retest and the golden standard and novice device result comparisons were conducted for feasibility assessment of the novice set of devices. Pearson correlation coefficients between 0.65 and 0.88 (P<0.01) and effect sizes between 0.02 and 0.42 indicated feasible application of the novice devices. Considering correlation coefficient of 0.65 between the left and right upper limbs, the results show applicable feasibility of the novice device during lateral raises. In conclusion, the novice set of devices for comparing dual upper limb motions may be applied to assessing and comparing dual upper limb motions for limb motion comparisons and early detection of dysfunctional movements between the limbs.


[Design and validation of the questionnaire on Women's Sexual Function (WSF)].
To design and validate a self-administered questionnaire to evaluate sexual function in women. Cross-sectional, multi-centre study. Primary care, in 9 health centres of the Community of Valencia. Women not at risk of sexual dysfunction, selected by consecutive sampling. Initial sample 600, valid sample 212. Questionnaire of 14 questions to be filled out in 5-10 minutes, designed by a committee of experts. The participants filled it out on two occasions (test and retest) with an interval of 4 weeks. Diagnostic assessment by a committee of observers. Reliability between test and retest questions: - One to one: analysis of concordance: kappa index. Significant variations: 2 goodness of fit. - On the sum of replies: comparison of means (Wilcoxon) and subsequent analysis: intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Internal consistency: Cronbach's alpha. Validity of contents: consensus of experts. Inter-observer correlation: ICC and factor analysis. Reliability: one to one: Kappa from 0.597 to 0.743. 2 not significant (ns). Between total sums (Wilcoxon), ns (z=-0.312, P=.755) (95% confidence). ICC: r=0.9587 (95% CI, 0.9460-0.9685), significant correlation (99% confidence). Internal consistency: Cronbach's alpha test: 0.8954, retest: 0.8973. Inter-observer correlation: ICC: r=0.9498 (CI, 0.9386-0.9611) significant (confidence 99%). Factor analysis: groupings of items 9, 13, 14; 1, 2, 3, 10; 5, 6, 7, 8. The questionnaire is stable, valid and reliable. It evaluates the stages of sexual response, initiative and degree of sexual communication. It collects data on sexual performance. It is useful for exploring and diagnosing sexual dysfunction.


Pulmonary angioplasty: A step further in the continuously changing landscape of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension management.
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a potentially fatal and frequently undiagnosed form of pulmonary hypertension (PH), classified within group 4 by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a type of precapillary PH, which uncommonly develops as a peculiar sequel of acute pulmonary embolism due to the partial resolution of the mechanically obstructing thrombus with a coexisting inflammatory response from pulmonary vessels. CTEPH is one of the potentially treatable forms of PH whose current standard of care is surgical pulmonary endarterectomy. Medical therapy with few drugs in non-operable disease is approved and has shown improvement in patients' hemodynamic condition and functional ability. Recently, balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) has shown promising results as a treatment option for technically inoperable patients, those with unacceptable risk-to-benefit ratio and in a case of residual PH after endarterectomy. Lack of meticulous CTEPH screening programs in post-pulmonary embolism patients leading to underdiagnosis of this condition, complex operability assessment, and diversity in BPA techniques among different institutions are still the issues that need to be addressed. In this paper, we review the recent achievements in the management of non-operable CTEPH, their outcome and safety, based on available data.


Direct navigation on 3D rotational x-ray data acquired with a mobile propeller C-arm: accuracy and application in functional endoscopic sinus surgery.
Recently, three-dimensional (3D) rotational x-ray imaging has been combined with navigation technology, enabling direct 3D navigation for minimally invasive image guided interventions. In this study, phantom experiments are used to determine the accuracy of such a navigation set-up for a mobile C-arm with propeller motion. After calibration of the C-arm system, the accuracy is evaluated by pinpointing divots on a special-purpose phantom with known geometry. This evaluation is performed both with and without C-arm motion in between calibration and registration for navigation. The variation caused by each of the individual transformations in the calibration and registration process is also studied. The feasibility of direct navigation on 3D rotational x-ray images for functional endoscopic sinus surgery has been evaluated in a cadaver navigation experiment. Navigation accuracy was approximately 1.0 mm, which is sufficient for functional endoscopic sinus surgery. C-arm motion in between calibration and registration slightly degraded the registration accuracy by approximately 0.3 mm. Standard deviations of each of the transformations were in the range 0.15-0.31 mm. In the cadaver experiment, the navigation images were considered in good correspondence with the endoscopic images by an experienced ENT surgeon. Availability of 3D localization information provided by the navigation system was considered valuable by the ENT surgeon.


Uncommon pneumoconioses: CT and pathologic findings.
To correlate the computed tomographic (CT) features of pneumoconioses with histologic findings. Thin-section CT scans obtained in 48 patients with a history of occupational exposure to dust and radiographic changes suggestive of pneumoconiosis were retrospectively reviewed. Histologic samples were available in 22 cases. The most common CT features were as follows: in 21 arc welders, ill-defined micronodules concentrated in the centrilobular regions (n = 15); in 19 graphite workers, small nodular hyperattenuating areas (n = 17) (ill defined or well defined, corresponding to macular lesions along the walls of bronchioles and nodules, respectively), interlobular septal thickening (n = 11), and large hyperattenuating areas (n = 10); in aluminum pneumoconiosis, predominant reticular (n = 2), nodular (n = 2), and upper-lobe fibrosis (n = 2); and in hard-metal pneumoconiosis, multilobular ground-glass attenuation and consolidation with shrinkage (corresponding to marked intra-alveolar desquamation and multinucleated giant cells with mural mononuclear cell infiltrate). Predominant findings are characteristic in each type of pneumoconiosis and are depicted at thin-section CT.


[Nitric oxide in bronchial asthma].
Nitric oxide (NO) is highly active molecule playing a key role in physiological as well as pathological processes in the organism. Asthmatic patients show an increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in airway epithelial cells and an increased level of NO in exhaled air. Exhaled NO increases during exacerbation and decreases with recovery in patients with asthma. The role of excessively produced NO in the pathogenesis of asthma is under active investigation. Determination of airway production of NO may be an important biomarker of inflammation for monitoring anti-inflammatory therapy.


Characterization of aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes from leaves of Lupinus albus L. cv Estoril.
Two aspartate aminotransferase (EC 18.104.22.168) isoenzymes (AAT-1 and AAT-2) from Lupinus albus L. cv Estoril were separated, purified, and characterized. The molecular weight, pI value, optimum pH, optimum temperature, and thermodynamic parameters for thermal inactivation of both isoenzymes were obtained. Studies of the kinetic mechanism, and the kinetics of product inhibition and high substrate concentration inhibition, were performed. The effect of some divalent ions and irreversible inhibitors on both AAT isoenzymes was also studied. Native PAGE showed a higher molecular weight for AAT-2 compared with AAT-1. AAT-1 appears to be more anionic than AAT- 2, which was suggested by the anion exchange chromatography. SDS-PAGE showed a similar sub-unit molecular weight for both isoenzymes. The optimum pH (between 8.0 and 9.0) and temperature (60-65 degrees C) were similar for both isoenzymes. In the temperature range of 45-65 degrees C, AAT-2 has higher thermostability than AAT-1. Both isoenzymes showed a high affinity for keto-acid substrates, as well as a higher affinity to aspartate than glutamate. Manganese ions induced an increase in both AAT isoenzymes activities, but no cooperative effect was detected. Among the inhibitors tested, hydroxylamine affected both isoenzymes activity by an irreversible inhibition mechanism.


Hyperosmotic stress induces autophagy and apoptosis in recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cell culture.
During recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (rCHO) cell culture, various events, such as feeding with concentrated nutrient solutions or the addition of base to maintain an optimal pH, increase the osmolality of the medium. To determine the effect of hyperosmotic stress on two types of programmed cell death (PCD), apoptosis and autophagy, of rCHO cells, two rCHO cell lines, producing antibody and erythropoietin, were subjected to hyperosmotic stress resulting from NaCl addition (310-610 mOsm/kg). For both rCHO cell lines, hyperosmolality up to 610 mOsm/kg increased cleaved forms of PARP, caspase-3, caspase-7, and fragmentation of chromosomal DNA, confirming the previous observation that apoptosis was induced by hyperosmotic stress. Concurrently, hyperosmolality increased the level of accumulation of LC3-II, a widely used autophagic marker, which was determined by Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy. When glucose and glutamine concentrations were measured during the cultures, glucose and glutamine concentrations in the culture medium at various osmolalities (310-610 mOsm/kg) showed no significant differences. This result suggests that induction of PCD by hyperosmotic stress occurred independently of nutrient depletion. Taken together, autophagy as well as apoptosis was observed in rCHO cells subjected to hyperosmolality.


Study of Physical and Degradation Properties of 3D-Printed Biodegradable, Photocurable Copolymers, PGSA-co-PEGDA and PGSA-co-PCLDA.
As acrylated polymers become more widely used in additive manufacturing, their potential applications toward biomedicine also raise the demand for biodegradable, photocurable polymeric materials. Polycaprolactone diacrylate (PCLDA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) are two popular choices of materials for stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing additive manufacturing (DLP-AM), and have been applied to many biomedical related research. However, both materials are known to degrade at a relatively low rate in vivo, limiting their applications in biomedical engineering. In this work, biodegradable, photocurable copolymers are introduced by copolymerizing PCLDA and/or PEGDA with poly(glycerol sebacate) acrylate (PGSA) to form a network polymer. Two main factors are discussed: the effect of degree of acrylation in PGSA and the weight ratio between the prepolymers toward the mechanical and degradation properties. It is found that by blending prepolymers with various degree of acrylation and at various weight ratios, the viscosity of the prepolymers remains stable, and are even more 3D printable than pure substances. The formation of various copolymers yielded a database with selectable Young's moduli between 0.67⁻10.54 MPa, and the overall degradation rate was significantly higher than pure substance. In addition, it is shown that copolymers fabricated by DLP-AM fabrication presents higher mechanical strength than those fabricated via direct UV exposure. With the tunable mechanical and degradation properties, the photocurable, biodegradable copolymers are expected to enable a wider application of additive manufacturing toward tissue engineering.


Benzo(a)pyrene facilitates dermatophagoides group 1 (Der f 1)-induced epithelial cytokine release through aryl hydrocarbon receptor in asthma.
Environmental pollutants, which coexist with allergens, have been associated with the exacerbation of asthma. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. We sought to determine whether benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) co-exposure with dermatophagoides group 1 allergen (Der f 1) can potentiate Der f 1-induced asthma and its underlying mechanisms. The effect of BaP was investigated in Der f 1-induced mouse model of asthma, including airway hyper-responsiveness, allergic inflammation, and epithelial-derived cytokines. The impact of BaP on Der f 1-induced airway epithelial cell oxidative stress (ROS) and cytokine release was further analyzed. The role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling in BaP-promoted Der f 1-induced ROS, cytokine production, and allergic inflammation was also investigated. Compared with Der f 1, BaP co-exposure with Der f 1 led to airway hyper-responsiveness and increased lung inflammation in mouse model of asthma. Increased expression of TSLP, IL-33, and IL-25 was also found in the airways of these mice. Moreover, BaP co-exposure with Der f 1 activated AhR signaling with increased expression of AhR and CYP1A1 and promoted airway epithelial ROS generation and TSLP and IL-33, but not IL-25, expression. Interestingly, AhR antagonist CH223191 or cells with AhR knockdown abrogated the increased expression of ROS, TSLP, and IL-33. Furthermore, ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) also suppressed BaP co-exposure-induced expression of epithelial TSLP, IL-33, and IL-25. Finally, AhR antagonist CH223191 and NAC inhibited BaP co-exposure with Der f 1-induced lung inflammation. Our findings suggest that BaP facilitates Der f 1-induced epithelial cytokine release through the AhR-ROS axis.


Type revision of Asiatic bees of the genus Hylaeus F. described by Ferdinand Morawitz (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Colletidae).
The type specimens of the bee genus Hylaeus Fabricius, 1793 described by Ferdinand Morawitz from Asia and deposited in the Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University and in the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences St. Petersburg, are critically reviewed. Precise information with illustrations of types for 39 taxa is provided. New synonymy is established for Hylaeus incongruus Förster, 1871 (= H. biareolatus Morawitz, 1876, syn. nov.); H. breviceps Morawitz, 1876 (= H. bivittatus Morawitz, 1876, syn. nov.); H. punctiscapus Morawitz, 1876 (= H. citrinipes Morawitz, 1893, syn. nov.); H. dolichocephalus Morawitz, 1876 (=Prosopis heliaca Warncke, 1992, syn. nov.); H. laticeps Morawitz, 1876 (= H. nigritarsis Morawitz, 1876, syn. nov.); H. medialis Morawitz, 1890 (= H. bimaculatus Chen & Xu, 2013, syn. nov.). Lectotypes are here designated for the following six nominal taxa: Hylaeus citrinipes Morawitz, 1893, H. flavipes Morawitz, 1876, H. ibex Morawitz, 1877, H. punctiventris Morawitz, 1876, H. trisignatus Morawitz, 1876, and H. turanicus Morawitz, 1876.


Serine- and SH-proteinase inhibitors from Enterolobium contortisiliquum beans. Purification and preliminary characterization.
Two types of proteinase inhibitors were purified from Enterolobium contortisiliquum beans. The inhibitor of serine-proteinases inhibited trypsin (Ki = 5 nM), chymotrypsin (Ki = 10 nM) and plasma kallikrein, but not tissue kallikreins. The molecular weight is approximately 23 kDal and two polypeptide chains are detected after reduction. The second inhibitor with activity directed against SH-proteinases was isolated by CM-papain-Sepharose. The molecular weight is approximately 60 kDal and only one polypeptide chain was detected after reduction. Papain (Ki = 0.6 nM) and bromelain are inhibited.


[Use of MBDS as a tool for the detection of drug-related adverse events].
To analyze drug-related adverse events (DRAE) as noted in hospital discharge reports, as well as their severity and drugs involved, and to assess potential avoidability. A retrospective study for the September-December 2002 period of time in which patients with discharge reports including an ICD-9-CM code E930-E949.9 were selected using the minimum basic data set (MBDS). DRAEs were detected in 2.15% of all discharge reports, and 229 were retrospectively assessed. In all, 62.45% (n = 143) were DRAEs detected at the Emergency Department, and 37.55% (n = 86) were DRAEs detected during hospitalization. Of these, 57.20% are considered potentially avoidable. Drugs most commonly involved in the outpatient DRAE sample studied included: digoxin (24.47%, avoidable 97.14%) and NSAIDs-opioids (13.98%, avoidable 75%). Inpatient DRAEs included: anticoagulants (30.23%, avoidable 57.69%) and antimicrobials (17.44%, avoidable 26.67%). The study revealed a high proportion of preventable DRAEs around a small number of drugs. Information to prescribing doctors and procedures for treatment follow-up using a unit dose drug dispensing system may be useful to reduce this.


First molecular-based detection study of Leishmania infantum in the Tapirapé indigenous population in the Brazilian Amazon.
Species of the genus Leishmania parasitize mammals and have life cycles that alternate between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Most species develop in a hematophagous arthropod and infect a specific vertebrate host that may belong to diverse orders and families. Visceral leishmaniasis is a chronic zoonosis with a wide geographic distribution, affecting 350 million people globally, mostly in areas with a high risk of infection. In Brazil, this disease not only has a high incidence but is also expanding to new areas, both in urban centers and rural areas, including territories with tribal communities, due to increasing human intervention. The objective of this study was to perform cathepsin L-like gene-based molecular diagnosis of Leishmania infantum in the indigenous Tapirapé ethnic group in the state of Mato Grosso. From the 372 individuals assessed, only 0.8% (3/372) tested positive for L. infantum, all from the same village (Urubu Branco). Despite the small number of infected individuals, this study demonstrates the first human cases of Leishmania infantum infection in this population, suggesting the need for regular monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis in the area and leading to a broad discussion on the planning and implementation of public health measures for the indigenous population, while respecting their distinctive territories and culture.


The Role of Microaspiration in the Pathogenesis of Gastroesophageal Reflux-related Chronic Cough.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the main causes of chronic cough. We evaluated the role of microaspiration in the pathogenesis of reflux-related cough by determining the amount of lipid-laden macrophages (LLMs) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens. A total of 161 cases of chronic cough were evaluated, and 36 patients (average age 48.2 years) were recruited for this single center prospective study. Patients with a history of smoking, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor usage, any abnormality on pulmonary function tests, abnormal chest X-rays, occupational or environmental exposures, or upper airway cough syndrome were excluded. GERD was evaluated by 24-hour esophageal impedance-pH monitoring. BAL specimens for LLM determination were obtained from 34 patients by flexible bronchoscopy. Patients with pathological intra-esophageal reflux according to multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH monitoring had higher LLM positivity in BAL specimens than patients without pathological reflux (8/14 in reflux positive group vs 1/22 in reflux negative group; P = 0.004). The BAL cell distribution was not different between the 2 groups (P = 0.574 for macrophages, P = 0.348 for lymphocytes, P = 0.873 for neutrophils and P = 0.450 for eosinophils). Our results confirm the role of the microaspiration of refluxate in the pathogenetic mechanism of chronic cough. While bronchoscopy is indicated in patients with chronic cough, in addition to the routine airway evaluation, BAL and LLM detection should be performed. LLM can be used to diagnose aspiration in reflux-related chronic cough. Future studies are needed to evaluate the response to anti-reflux medications or surgery in patients with LLM positivity.


The Icatibant Outcome Survey: treatment of laryngeal angioedema attacks.
To characterize the management and outcomes of life-threatening laryngeal attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) treated with icatibant in the observational Icatibant Outcome Survey (NCT01034969) registry. This retrospective analysis was based on data from patients with HAE type I/II who received healthcare professional-administered or self-administered icatibant to treat laryngeal attacks between September 2008 and May 2013. Twenty centers in seven countries contributed data. Overall, 42 patients with HAE experienced 67 icatibant-treated laryngeal attacks. Icatibant was self-administered for 62.3% of attacks (healthcare professional-administered, 37.7%). One icatibant injection was used for 87.9% of attacks, with rescue or concomitant medication used for 9.0%. The median time to treatment was 2.0 h (n=31 attacks) and the median time to resolution was 6.0 h (n=35 attacks). This analysis describes successful use of icatibant for the treatment of laryngeal HAE attacks in a real-world setting.


The Rho GTPase effector protein, mDia, inhibits the DNA binding ability of the transcription factor Pax6 and changes the pattern of neurite extension in cerebellar granule cells through its binding to Pax6.
mDia, one of the target proteins of the GTPase Rho, is known to be involved in cytoskeletal reorganization and cytokinesis. Here, we report that mDia enters the nucleus and binds to the transcription factor, Pax6. In cultured non-neuronal cells, overexpression of mDia with Pax6 causes redistribution of some Pax6 molecules from the nucleus to the cytosol and decreases Pax6 transcriptional activity. Because Pax6 functions in the early central nervous system morphogenesis, we also examined the effects of mDia on endogenous Pax6 localization and neurite extension in cerebellar granule cells. Here too, Pax6 was partially mislocalized to the cytosol, and its expression level was decreased by mDia overexpression. In addition, mDia overexpression in these cells led to increased neurite branching and length. These results strongly suggest that mDia influences Pax6-induced transcriptional activity and axonal pathfinding in a way opposite from ROCK (Rho kinase) and that it may act via Pax6 to modulate early neuronal development.


Application of comparative proteome analysis to reveal influence of cultivation conditions on asymmetric bioreduction of beta-keto ester by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Industrial bakers' yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae LH1 was selected for asymmetric reduction of ethyl benzoylacetate to (S)-ethyl 3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate. Higher reductive efficiency and higher cofactor availability were obtained with the alternation of cultivation condition (mainly growth medium). Compared to the bioreduction by yeast cells grown in malt extract (ME) medium, the concentration of substrate was increased 25-fold (up to 15.6 g/l) in the yeast peptone dextrose (YPD)-grown cells mediated bioreduction with 97.5% of enantioselective excess of (S)-product. The proteomic responses of S. cerevisiae LH1 cells to growth in aerobic batch cultures fed with either YPD or ME medium were examined and compared. Among the relative quantities of 550 protein spots in each gel, changes were shown in the expression level of 102 intracellular proteins when comparing YPD gel to ME gel. Most of the identified proteins were involved in energy metabolism and several cellular molecular biosynthetic pathway and catabolism. For YPD-grown yeast cells, not only enzymes involved in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate regeneration, especially 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, but also alcohol dehydrogenase 1 and D: -arabinose 1-dehydrogenase which had been demonstrated activity toward ethyl benzoylacetate to (S)-hydroxy ester were significantly upregulated. These changes provided us insight in the way the yeast cells adapted to a change in cultivation medium and regulated its catalytic efficiency in the bioreduction.


Electron microscopic evidence of impaired intramembrane particles and instability of the cytoskeletal network in band 4.2 deficiency in human red cells.
To obtain direct evidence of impaired intramembrane particles (IMPs) and a deranged cytoskeletal network in situ in human red cells of band 4.2 deficiency, electron microscopic studies were performed utilizing the freeze fracture method for IMPs and the quick-freeze deep-etching method for the cytoskeletal network. Three patients with three different previously identified mutations of the band 4.2 gene, i.e., band 4.2 Komatsu (homozygous; codon 175 GAT --> TAT), band 4.2 Nippon (homozygous; codon 142 GCT --> ACT), and band 4.2 Shiga (compound heterozygous; codon 317 CGC --> TGC and codon 142 GCT --> ACT), were selected for this study. The decrease in the number of IMPs with increase in their size was most marked in band 4.2 Komatsu, which was clinically most severe with no band 4.2 protein. In this regard, in band 4.2 Nippon, which showed moderate severity in clinical hematology with a nearly missing band 4.2 protein, increased sizing was less marked. The abnormalities in IMPs were the least in band 4.2 Shiga, which demonstrated compensated hemolysis with band 4.2 protein in a trace amount. The extent of the impairment of IMPs may be reflected by the total absence or the presence of band 4.2 protein even in a trace amount and/or by the specific site(s) of the mutation of the band 4.2 gene. Derangement of the cytoskeletal network was also observed in these three patients. It was most abnormal in band 4.2 Komatsu, and less so in band 4.2 Nippon and in band 4.2 Shiga. These results clearly indicate that 1) band 4.2 plays an important role not only in its binding to band 3 but also to the skeletal network (mostly to spectrins) vertically, and 2) its deficiency produces critical abnormality in maintenance of the structural and functional integrity of the integral proteins (such as band 3), as well as the cytoskeletal network.


Oroxylin A inhibits H2O2-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells.
Oroxylin A, a natural flavonoid isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, suppression of oxidative stress and neuroapoptosis by oroxylin A is largely uninvestigated. To investigate the protective effects of oroxylin A, PC12 cells were exposed to oroxylin A and hydrogen peroxide solutions and measured. Oroxylin A significantly reduced the levels of intracellular calcium and reactive oxygen species and increased the levels of CAT and Mn/SOD. Oroxylin A also inhibited the activation of caspase-3. These results suggest that treatment of PC12 cells with oroxylin A inhibits H2O2-induced oxidative stress.


Serum amylase levels in homozygous sickle cell patients.
Serum amylase was evaluated in a group of 26 steady-state homozygous sickle cell (SS) patients and 11 age-matched HbAA controls. Half (50%) of the SS patients had values above normal while only two of the control group had slightly elevated values. The SS patients had a mean +/- SD value of 301.46 +/- 119.40 iu/L while the control group had 274.36 +/- 89.70 iu/L. The difference between these two values is statistically significant (P less than .05). Males in both groups had significantly higher mean serum amylase values. The values in the SS group did not show an association with age. Higher levels in SS patients suggest a predisposition to chronic pancreatitis.


Low frequency components of the body's center of gravity and blood circulation.
The purpose of this study was to clarify how low frequency components of the body's center of gravity, mainly 1 minute waves (1-MWs), are related to the mechanism of compensation for the venous blood pooling in the legs during static standing in humans. The 1-MWs of foot pressure center, oscillations of body circumferences and other parameters were analyzed with cross-power spectral analysis. The 1-MW of the calf's blood volume propagated to the chest via the venous system. This was inversely synchronized with the 1-MW of the body's center of gravity. It was speculated that muscular pumping of the calf related to the 1-MW of the body's center of gravity might be compensating for the venous blood pooling in the legs.


Plant-water sensitivity regulates wildfire vulnerability.
Extreme wildfires extensively impact human health and the environment. Increasing vapour pressure deficit (VPD) has led to a chronic increase in wildfire area in the western United States, yet some regions have been more affected than others. Here we show that for the same increase in VPD, burned area increases more in regions where vegetation moisture shows greater sensitivity to water limitation (plant-water sensitivity; R2 = 0.71). This has led to rapid increases in human exposure to wildfire risk, both because the population living in areas with high plant-water sensitivity grew 50% faster during 1990-2010 than in other wildland-urban interfaces and because VPD has risen most rapidly in these vulnerable areas. As plant-water sensitivity is strongly linked to wildfire vulnerability, accounting for ecophysiological controls should improve wildfire forecasts. If recent trends in VPD and demographic shifts continue, human wildfire risk will probably continue to increase.


[Treatment of severe acute biliary pancreatitis in the elderly by integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine].
To summarize the therapeutic effect of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine (ICWM) on severe acute biliary pancreatitis (SABP), and to discuss the opportunity of operation. The hospitalization duration, incidence of complications, operation transmitting rate and mortality were analyzed in 96 senile SABP patients (Group A) treated by ICWM, and 32 senile SABP patients treated by conventional Western medicine, they were hospitalized from January 2000 to December 2007. (1) The average hospitalization duration in Group A and B was 28.2 +/- 11.3 days and 32.7 +/- 14.3 days respectively, showing insignificant difference between them (P>0.05); (2) The early stage incidence of complications being 29.2% (28/96) in Group A and 34.4% (11/32) in Group B, no significant difference between groups was shown, but a significant difference did show at the late stage, 36.5% (35/96) vs 53.1% (17/32), the incidence in Group A was lower significantly (P<0.05). (3) The two groups were not different in operation transmitting rate 36.4% (35/96) vs 43.8% (14/32), P>0.05. (4) The mortality in Group A, 21.9% (21/96) was lower than that in Group B, 37.5% (12/32), P <0.05. ICWM has good effect in treating SABP, and the opportunity of operation transmitting should be decided according to whether there obstruction of biliary tract exists or not.


Pediatric heart transplantation after declaration of cardiocirculatory death.
In three infants awaiting orthotopic cardiac transplantation, transplantation was successfully performed with the use of organs from donors who had died from cardiocirculatory causes. The three recipients had blood group O and were in the highest-risk waiting-list category. The mean age of donors was 3.7 days, and the mean time to death after withdrawal from life support was 18.3 minutes. The 6-month survival rate was 100% for the 3 transplant recipients and 84% for 17 control infants who received transplants procured through standard organ donation. The mean number of rejection episodes among the three infants during the first 6 months after surgery was 0.3 per patient, as compared with 0.4 per patient among the controls. Echocardiographic measures of ventricular size and function at 6 months were similar among the three infants and the controls (left ventricular shortening fraction, 43.6% and 44.9%, respectively; P=0.73). No late deaths (within 3.5 years) have occurred in the three infants, and they have had functional and immunologic outcomes similar to those of controls. Mortality while awaiting a transplant is an order of magnitude higher in infants than in adults, and donors who died from cardiocirculatory causes offer an opportunity to decrease this waiting-list mortality.


Pharmacological activity of amantadine: effect of N-alkyl substitution.
Alkyl substitution on the nitrogen atom of the anti-parkinsonian drug amantadine resulted in changes in its pharmacological potency. Greater behavioural stimulation (i.e. increased motor activity) was observed following s.c. injection of several of the analogues, with optimal activity produced by N-n-propyl substitution. These molecular changes did not alter the activity of amantadine on inhibition of dopamine uptake or its weak affinity for dopamine receptors in-vitro. Several of the analogues were more effective than the parent compound in increasing the concentration of dopamine metabolites (suggesting an increase in dopamine utilization) following systemic injection, and these effects generally followed the same pattern as observed in the test of behavioural activity. These results provide further support for the concept that the activity of amantadine may be improved by molecular alterations, although the pharmacological basis for this activity remains obscure.


Computing dispersive, polarizable, and electrostatic shifts of excitation energy in supramolecular systems: PTCDI crystal.
The gas-to-crystal-shift denotes the shift of electronic excitation energies, i.e., the difference between ground and excited state energies, for a molecule transferred from the gas to the bulk phase. The contributions to the gas-to-crystal-shift comprise electrostatic as well as inductive polarization and dispersive energy shifts of the molecular excitation energies due to interaction with environmental molecules. For the example of 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic-diimide (PTCDI) bulk, the contributions to the gas-to-crystal shift are investigated. In the present work, electrostatic interaction is calculated via Coulomb interaction of partial charges while inductive and dispersive interactions are obtained using respective sum over states expressions. The coupling of higher transition densities for the first 4500 excited states of PTCDI was computed using transition partial charges based on an atomistic model of PTCDI bulk obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. As a result it is concluded that for the investigated model system of a PTCDI crystal, the gas to crystal shift is dominated by dispersive interaction.


Recognizing and treating autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease causes chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Mechanisms include cyst production, multiplication, and enlargement leading to increased kidney size, and ultimately kidney failure. Although there is no known cure, NPs are uniquely positioned to help patients manage their symptoms and delay onset of kidney failure and need for dialysis.


Calcification in lymphoma occurring before therapy: CT features and clinical correlation.
Calcification in lymphoma occurring before therapy is rare. We assessed the prevalence, CT features, and clinical significance of calcification in nodes and masses in patients with lymphoma occurring before therapy. CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis of 956 newly diagnosed patients with lymphoma was evaluated prospectively for calcifications in enlarged lymph nodes and lymphoma masses. Findings were correlated with histologic type of disease, tissue parameters, and clinical course. Calcifications were further evaluated on follow-up CT. Of 956 patients with lymphoma (704 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 252 with Hodgkin's lymphoma), eight patients (0.84%) showed calcifications in involved sites, seven of whom had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and one of whom had Hodgkin's lymphoma. Calcifications were present in lymph nodes and masses in the mediastinum in five patients, in the retroperitoneum in two patients, and in the adrenal in one patient. All eight patients had the aggressive type of lymphoma. Four patients later relapsed, one of whom died. A fifth patient died after only minimal response to treatment. Calcification in patients with lymphoma occurring before therapy is rare as opposed to that in lymphoma after therapy. It occurred in our patients more often in the mediastinum, in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma rather than in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma, and only in patients with the aggressive type of disease.


Combination treatment with temozolomide and thalidomide inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in an orthotopic glioma model.
The chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide (TMZ) and the anti-angiogenic agent thalidomide (THD) have both demonstrated anti-tumor activity in patients with recurrent malignant glioma. Combination treatment with TMZ and THD in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) appears to be more effective than treatment with either drug alone. To investigate the mechanism of this anti-tumor effect, we examined the combined effects of TMZ and THD in a rat glioma xenograft model. We found that combination treatment markedly inhibited the growth of tumors that were orthotopically implanted into rat brains. Using proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining, we observed a significant decrease in cell proliferation in these tumors. CD31 staining of the microvasculature revealed a significant decrease in angiogenesis. We also found increased apoptosis in treated tumors by terminal deoxynucleotidyl-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. We further demonstrated that the expression of angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF), were inhibited by THD. THD also decreased the number of ED1-positive, activated macrophages or microglial cells, which produce pro-angiogenic molecules around the glioma. Taken together, these results suggest that combination treatment with TMZ and THD inhibits tumor growth via the induction of apoptosis and the inhibition of angiogenesis in a rat model and may be a promising therapy for malignant gliomas.


[Characteristics and Sources of PM2.5-O3 Compound Pollution in Tianjin].
The characteristics and sources of PM2.5-O3 compound pollution were analyzed based on the high-resolution online monitoring data of PM2.5, O3 and volatile organic compounds(VOCs) observed in Tianjin from 2017 to 2019. The results showed that total PM2.5-O3 compound pollution was 34 days, which only appeared between March and September and slightly increased by year. The peak value of ρ(O3)(301-326 μg·m-3) appeared when ρ(PM2.5) ranged from 75 μg·m-3 to 85 μg·m-3. During PM2.5-O3 compound pollution, the average ρ(VOCs) was 72.59 μg·m-3, and the chemical compositions of VOCs were alkanes, aromatics, alkenes, and alkynes, accounting for 61.51%, 20.38%, 11.54%, and 6.57% of VOCs concentration on average, respectively. The concentration of the top 20 species of VOCs increased, among which the proportion of alkane species such as ethane, n-butane, isobutane, and isopentane increased; the proportion of alkenes and alkynes decreased slightly; and the proportion of benzene and 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene of aromatic hydrocarbons increased slightly. The ozone formation potential(OFP) contribution of alkanes, alkenes, aromatics, and alkynes were 19.68%, 39.99%, 38.08%, and 2.25%, respectively; the contributions of alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics to secondary organic aerosol(SOA) formation potential were 7.94%, 2.17%, and 89.89%, respectively. Compared with that of non-compound pollution, the contribution of alkanes and aromatics to OFP increased 13.8% and 4.3%, and that to SOA formation potential increased 2.3% and 0.2%, respectively. The contribution of alkenes to OFP and SOA formation potential decreased 9.4% and 15.6%, respectively, and the contribution of alkynes to OFP increased 7.7% in compound pollution. The contributions of main species such as 1-pentene, n-butane, methyl cyclopentane, isopentane, 1,2,3-trimethylene, propane, toluene, acetylene, o-xylene, ethylbenzene, m-ethyltoluene, and m/p-xylene to OFP increased, and that of isoprene to OFP decreased. The contribution of benzene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, toluene, and o-xylene to the potential formation of SOA increased during compound pollution. Positive matrix factorization was applied to estimate the contributions of sources to OFP and SOA formation potential in compound pollution, solvent usage, automobile exhaust, petrochemical industrial emission, natural source, liquefied petroleum gas(LPG) evaporation, combustion source, gasoline evaporation, and other industrial process sources were identified as major sources of OFP and SOA formation potential; the contributions of each source to OFP were 21.9%, 16.9%, 16.7%, 12.4%, 8.3%, 7.7%, 2.9%, and 13.2%, respectively, and to SOA formation potentials were 46.8%, 14.4%, 7.1%, 11.9%, 5.9%, 6.6%, 1.6%, and 5.7%, respectively. Solvent usage, automobile exhaust, and petrochemical industrial emissions were main sources for PM2.5-O3 compound pollution.


Endoscopic ultrasound-guided sampling of a metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma mimicking a gastric subepithelial tumor.
Metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma of appendix origin and mimicking a gastric subepithelial tumor (SET) is very rare. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided sampling is a useful diagnostic method for SETs. However, the cytologic findings of metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma are unfamiliar to many pathologists and gastroenterologists. These findings present a diagnostic challenge because the introduction of gastric epithelium and mucin into the specimen during the procedure can be misleading. This is the first reported experience of an EUS-guided sampling of a gastric SET in a patient with suspected appendiceal tumor, to make the diagnosis of a mucinous adenocarcinoma.


Comparison of the applicability of mass spectrometer ion sources using a polarity- molecular weight scattergram with a 600 sample in-house chemical library.
To provide a practical guideline for the selection of a mass spectrometer ion source, we compared the applicability of three types of ion source: direct analysis in real time (DART), electrospray ionization (ESI) and fast atom bombardment (FAB), using an in-house high-resolution mass spectrometry sample library consisting of approximately 600 compounds. The great majority of the compounds (92%), whose molecular weights (MWs) were broadly distributed between 150 and 1000, were detected using all the ion sources. Nevertheless, some compounds were not detected using specific ion sources. The use of FAB resulted in the highest sample detection rate (>98%), whereas the detection rates obtained using DART and ESI were slightly lower (>96%). A scattergram constructed using MW and topological polar surface area (tPSA) as a substitute for molecular polarity showed that the performance of ESI was weak in the low-MW (<400), low-polarity (tPSA<60) area, whereas the performance of DART was weak in the high-MW (>800) area. These results might provide guidelines for the selection of ion sources for inexperienced mass spectrometry users.


The influence of myofascial temporomandibular disorder pain on the pressure pain threshold of women during a migraine attack.
To assess the influence of myofascial temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain on the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of masticatory muscles in women during a migraine attack. The sample comprised 34 women, 18 to 60 years of age, with a diagnosis of episodic migraine previously confirmed by a neurologist. All subjects were evaluated using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) to determine the presence of myofascial pain. They were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 18) included women with migraine; group 2 (n = 16) included women with migraine and myofascial TMD pain. Participants were evaluated by measuring PPT values of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles and Achilles tendon with a pressure algometer at two moments: pain free and during a migraine attack. A three-way analysis of variance with a 5% significance level was used for statistical purposes. Significantly lower PPT values were found during the migraine attack, especially for women with concomitant myofascial pain, regardless of the side of the reported pain. Migraine attack is associated with a significant reduction in PPT values of masticatory muscles, which appears to be influenced by the presence of myofascial TMD pain.