[Global matching and local matching in perceiving velocity changes].
Two experiments were conducted to examine the processes of perceiving velocity changes of visual stimuli which were gradually accelerated. In Exp. I, using a rotating pattern of luminous spots as moving stimuli, the time required of the subject to perceive a velocity change was measured in slow, medium and fast positively accelerating conditions. Irrespective of the accelerating rates, subjects tended to respond at the time the velocity difference attained to a constant value. In Exp. II, with the same moving pattern but presented only for a predetermined duration, subjects were asked to judge if there was a velocity change or not. The results showed that the slower was the acceleration, the larger were the velocity differences required of the subject to notice the velocity change. Based upon these results, the velocity change perception was discussed in terms of global and local matching processes.


Temperature-Resistant Intrinsic High Dielectric Constant Polyimides: More Flexibility of the Dipoles, Larger Permittivity of the Materials.
High dielectric constant polymers have been widely studied and concerned in modern industry, and the induction of polar groups has been confirmed to be effective for high permittivity. However, the way of connection of polar groups with the polymer backbone and the mechanism of their effect on the dielectric properties are unclear and rarely reported. In this study, three polyimides (C0-SPI, C1-SPI, and C2-SPI) with the same rigid backbone and different linking groups to the dipoles were designed and synthesized. With their rigid structure, all of the polyimides show excellent thermal stability. With the increase in the flexibility of linking groups, the dielectric constant of C0-SPI, C1-SPI, and C2-SPI enhanced in turn, showing values of 5.6, 6.0, and 6.5 at 100 Hz, respectively. Further studies have shown that the flexibility of polar groups affected the dipole polarization, which was positively related to the dielectric constant. Based on their high permittivity and high temperature resistance, the polyimides exhibited outstanding energy storage capacity even at 200 °C. This discovery reveals the behavior of the dipoles in polymers, providing an effective strategy for the design of high dielectric constant materials.


[Depression and anxiety after coronary artery bypass grafting].
The paper present results of last decade studies on mood and anxiety disturbances in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death and morbidity in the industrialized world. CABG is the most common among surgical methods of its treatment. The incidence of mental disorders in patients after CABG is high. Its cause and pathogenesis are not clearly known. Depression is the risk factor of cardiovascular system diseases and also one of its causes. The heart operation itself is the strong stressful, life-threatening factor. The earlier course of cardiovascular disease and then heart surgery cause changes in style of life and combine with burdensome and arduous rehabilitation process. The social situation of the patients often deteriorates. Depression makes recovery difficult.


The relation of psychological stress to pregnancy outcome among women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
A considerable literature has been accumulated regarding the relation of psychological factors to in-vitro fertilization outcome. However, study findings have been inconsistent, and the association between psychological stress and in-vitro fertilization outcomes is still unclear. The aim of the authors in this study was to examine the relation of infertility-related stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms to in-vitro fertilization outcome. The sample consisted of 160 women with fertility problems undergoing fertility treatment in a public hospital in Athens, Greece between November 2008 and July 2009. The relation of infertility-related stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms to in-vitro fertilization outcome was assessed by using hierarchical, sequential logistic regression, while controlling for the effects of relevant biomedical factors. After the embryo transfer, 41 women (26%) had a positive pregnancy outcome. Logistic regression analyses revealed that, controlling for biomedical factors (age, number of oocytes retrieved, and embryos transferred) infertility-specific stress (OR = 0.964, p = .011) and nonspecific anxiety (OR = 0.889, p = .006) were negatively associated with a positive pregnancy outcome after IVF. Psychological stress was negatively associated with in-vitro fertilization outcome, after controlling for biomedical variables. Fertility treatment protocols should consider including counselling interventions to potentially mitigate adverse effects of stress.


Reproductive and ecological similarity between Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) and Eretmochelys imbricata (Linnaeus, 1766) in southern Bahia (Brazil).
This study evaluates the reproductive and ecological similarity between loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) two species of sea turtles on the southern coast of Bahia (Brazil) during two breeding seasons (October to April 2013 to 2015). The study covers a 10-km area composed of three beaches, Pompilho, Itacarezinho and Patizeiro beach, which are 5, 3, and 2 km long, respectively. Daily field surveys were performed for 102 days to assess patterns between the studied species, using the non-metric multidimensional scaling order and the Spearman correlation analysis to obtain the oviposition pattern of the two species. Moreover, Kruskall-Wallys tests were performed to review the differences in the number of hatchlings on the three beaches. The NMDS proved the species are very similar from an ecological perspective since as there were three clear groupings in terms of the number of hatchlings on the three beaches. With reference to the number of nests, a negative correlation was observed in the two species. Regarding the hatching activity of both species on the three beaches studied, a larger amount of C. caretta and E. imbricata hatchlings was found on Pompilho beach, followed by Patizeiro and Itacarézinho. These findings influence management strategies to reduce anthropogenic impact and contribute to the conservation of these two endangered sea turtle species.


Nuclear-enriched protein phosphatase 4 ensures outer kinetochore assembly prior to nuclear dissolution.
A landmark event in the transition from interphase to mitosis in metazoans is nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD). Important mitotic events occur prior to NEBD, including condensation of replicated chromosomes and assembly of kinetochores to rapidly engage spindle microtubules. Here, we show that nuclear-enriched protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) ensures robust assembly of the microtubule-coupling outer kinetochore prior to NEBD. In the absence of PP4, chromosomes exhibit extended monopolar orientation after NEBD and subsequently mis-segregate. A secondary consequence of diminished outer kinetochore assembly is defective sister chromatid resolution. After NEBD, a cytoplasmic activity compensates for PP4 loss, leading to outer kinetochore assembly and recovery of chromosomes from monopolar orientation to significant bi-orientation. The Ndc80-Ska microtubule-binding module of the outer kinetochore is required for this recovery. PP4 associates with the inner kinetochore protein CENP-C; however, disrupting the PP4-CENP-C interaction does not perturb chromosome segregation. These results establish that PP4-dependent outer kinetochore assembly prior to NEBD is critical for timely and proper engagement of chromosomes with spindle microtubules.


Ethanol and reactive species increase basal sequence heterogeneity of hepatitis C virus and produce variants with reduced susceptibility to antivirals.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) exhibits a high level of genetic variability, and variants with reduced susceptibility to antivirals can occur even before treatment begins. In addition, alcohol decreases efficacy of antiviral therapy and increases sequence heterogeneity of HCV RNA but how ethanol affects HCV sequence is unknown. Ethanol metabolism and HCV infection increase the level of reactive species that can alter cell metabolism, modify signaling, and potentially act as mutagen to the viral RNA. Therefore, we investigated whether ethanol and reactive species affected the basal sequence variability of HCV RNA in hepatocytes. Human hepatoma cells supporting a continuous replication of genotype 1b HCV RNA (Con1, AJ242652) were exposed to ethanol, acetaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, or L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO) that decreases intracellular glutathione as seen in patients. Then, NS5A region was sequenced and compared with genotype 1b HCV sequences in the database. Ethanol and BSO elevated nucleotide and amino acid substitution rates of HCV RNA by 4-18 folds within 48 hrs which were accompanied by oxidative RNA damage. Iron chelator and glutathione ester decreased both RNA damage and mutation rates. Furthermore, infectious HCV and HCV core gene were sufficient to induce oxidative RNA damage even in the absence of ethanol or BSO. Interestingly, the dn/ds ratio and percentage of sites undergoing positive selection increased with ethanol and BSO, resulting in an increased detection of NS5A variants with reduced susceptibility to interferon alpha, cyclosporine, and ribavirin and others implicated in immune tolerance and modulation of viral replication. Therefore, alcohol is likely to synergize with virus-induced oxidative/nitrosative stress to modulate the basal mutation rate of HCV. Positive selection induced by alcohol and reactive species may contribute to antiviral resistance.


A DEAD-box protein alone promotes group II intron splicing and reverse splicing by acting as an RNA chaperone.
Group II intron RNAs self-splice in vitro but only at high salt and/or Mg2+ concentrations and have been thought to require proteins to stabilize their active structure for efficient splicing in vivo. Here, we show that a DEAD-box protein, CYT-19, can by itself promote the splicing and reverse splicing of the yeast aI5gamma and bI1 group II introns under near-physiological conditions by acting as an ATP-dependent RNA chaperone, whose continued presence is not required after RNA folding. Our results suggest that the folding of some group II introns may be limited by kinetic traps and that their active structures, once formed, do not require proteins or high Mg2+ concentrations for structural stabilization. Thus, during evolution, group II introns could have spliced and transposed by reverse splicing by using ubiquitous RNA chaperones before acquiring more specific protein partners to promote their splicing and mobility. More generally, our results provide additional evidence for the widespread role of RNA chaperones in folding cellular RNAs.


Managers' Support for Employee Wellness Programs: An Integrative Review.
The aim of this integrative literature review is to synthesize the existing evidence regarding managers' support for employee wellness programs. The search utilized multiple electronic databases and libraries. Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed research published in English, between 1990 and 2016, and examining managers' support in the context of a worksite intervention. The final sample included 21 articles for analysis. Two researchers extracted and described results from each of the included articles using a content analysis. Two researchers independently rated the quality of the included articles. Researchers synthesized data into a summary table by study design, sample, data collected, key findings, and quality rating. Factors that may influence managers' support include their organization's management structure, senior leadership support, their expected roles, training on health topics, and their beliefs and attitudes toward wellness programs and employee health. Managers' support may influence the organizational culture, employees' perception of support, and employees' behaviors. When designing interventions, health promotion practitioners and researchers should consider strategies that target senior, middle, and line managers' support. Interventions need to include explicit measures of managers' support as part of the evaluation plan.


Acute endurance exercise increases skeletal muscle uncoupling protein-3 gene expression in untrained but not trained humans.
In rodents, acute exercise increases skeletal muscle uncoupling protein (UCP) gene expression and is associated with elevations in serum nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA). To test whether contractions increase UCP mRNA levels in humans, vastus lateralis biopsies were obtained 1 hour postexercise from untrained and trained subjects and analyzed for UCP-2 and UCP-3 long (UCP-3(L)) and short (UCP-3(S)) isoforms. The acute exercise bout (graded cycling protocol; 65% to 85% relative VO(2)max) induced significant (P <.01) elevations in serum NEFA in both untrained and trained subjects, but the increase in untrained subjects was significantly (P <.05) greater (60% v 30%). Ribonuclease protection assay demonstrated that basal levels of all UCP isoforms measured were similar between the 2 groups. However, acute exercise induced a significant increase (P <.02) in both UCP-3(L) and UCP-3(S), but not UCP-2 mRNA levels in untrained, but not trained subjects. Correlation analysis did not show a significant relationship between exercise-induced changes in NEFA and UCP-3 levels. These results demonstrate that acute endurance exercise increases UCP-3 gene expression only in untrained skeletal muscle, but this effect does not seem to be tightly linked to the exercise-induced fluctuations in serum NEFA levels.


Zinc Affects Cholesterol Oxidation Products and Fatty Acids Composition in Rats' Serum.
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of the nanosized or microsized zinc (Zn) particles on fatty acid profile, enzyme activity and the level of cholesterol, squalene and oxysterols in rats with breast cancer. Rats (female, n = 24) were divided into the following groups: control, and two test groups, whose diets were enriched with either Zn microparticles (342 nm) or Zn nanoparticles (99 nm). All rats were treated twice with the carcinogenic agent; 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. In rats whose diet was enriched with zinc (especially in the form of nanoparticles), the number and sizes of tumors were lower. Diet supplementation also significantly reduced the cholesterol (p = 0.027) and COPs (cholesterol oxidation products) levels (p = 0.011) in rats serum. Enriching the diet with Zn microparticles decreased the Δ6-desaturase activity (p < 0.001). Zn influences fatty acids' profile in rats' serum as well as inhibiting desaturating enzymes. A reduced amount of pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid derivatives may be the expected effect.


Changes in erythrocyte ATPase activity under different pathological conditions.
Studies have shown that Na+-K+ ATPase activity was altered in disrupted red blood cell membranes and this enzyme is believed to be the site of active transport of Na+ and K+ in intact red blood cells. The enzyme is often referred to as Na+-K+ pump because it pumps Na+ out and K+ into the cell against gradients with the concomitant hydrolysis of intracellular ATP. The aim of this study was to find out the possibility of using Na+-K+-ATPase activity as a biomarker for the diagnosis of individuals with different physiological conditions. The activity of Na+-K+ ATPase was determined in blood samples collected from different pathological and physiological conditions such as pregnancy, smoking, diabetes and renal dysfunction compared with healthy subjects matched for age and sex. The Na+-K+ ATPase activity in pregnancy (0.094 ± 0.0051 µM Pi/min. mg protein), smoking (0.064 ± 0.0011 µM), diabetes (0.047 µM 0.002 µM) and kidney disease (0.069 ± 0.0014 µM) was higher compared to the measurements in healthy individuals (0.0081 ± 0.0031 µM). Na+-K+ATPase specific activity is a biomarker for the diagnosis of individuals with different physiological diseases.


Teenage pregnancy--need a child bear a child?
International and local evidence suggests that the incidence of unplanned pregnancy in teenage girls is unacceptably high. Obstetrical concerns centre around insufficient antenatal care; paediatric on small babies vulnerable to neglect from child-mothers and burdened grandmothers; and psychiatric and social on the trap for ill-educated, unskilled, immature child-mothers, poorly equipped to face the demands of the modern world. The experience of assessing local teenagers for therapeutic abortion on psychiatric grounds is presented. Of the 187 girls of 16 years and younger who were seen, 67 (35.8%) were granted an abortion: the remainder were counselled about alternatives. A variety of interventions are discussed: medical, educational, social and legal. These need to be comprehensive in order either to prevent pregnancy or to promote the health of a child-mother and her vulnerable infant. The role of the psychiatric services in this context needs revision.


Egg hatching of mosquitoes Aedes caspius and Ae. vittatus stimulated by water vibrations.
Simple laboratory experiments with eggs of wild-caught Aedes caspius (Pallas) and Aedes vittatus (Bigot) mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) demonstrated that egg hatch rates (i.e. percentage hatching daily) increased significantly in response to water vibrations caused by finger-tip drumming on containers of submerged eggs. When disturbed by daily vibrations for only 30 s, eggs hatched sooner than when they remained flooded or were periodically drained and reflooded without agitation. For autogenous Ae. caspius from saltmarsh, egg hatch rates were three- to four-fold greater for groups of 50 eggs than for solitary eggs, possibly due to chemicals (functional kairomones) emanating from other eggs or larvae. For anautogenous Ae. vittatus from freshwater rock-pools, tapping the container daily (for 30 s each 2 h in 8 h) hatched 93% of eggs, compared with only 42% hatch of eggs agitated only when first flooded or 55% hatch of eggs dried and reflooded three times during 17 days without other disturbance. It is concluded that, apart from flooding and other factors, vibrations - simulating the patter of rainfall provide a very significant hatching stimulus for Aedes eggs.


Infantile form of Niemann-Pick disease type C with demyelination: An uncommon feature.
Demyelination, neurofibrillary tangles, and axonal spheroids are neuropathological features rarely encountered in infantile form of Niemann-Pick disease type C compared to swollen neurons and neuronal loss which are more commonly seen. We describe clinico-pathological findings in an autopsy case of an infant who died of suspected inborn error of metabolism. At autopsy, storage cells of Niemann-Pick type were observed in plenty in spleen and lymph nodes, and sparsely in liver and brain. Preterminally, the child also developed fungal meningitis with minimal boderzone encephalitis. The neuropathological findings are unique and have been illustrated in detail.Congenital anomaly of the urogenital system was an incidental associated finding.


Isolating Contiguous Fe Atoms by Forming a Co-Fe Intermetallic Catalyst from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries to Regulate Activity for Zinc-Air Batteries.
The recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has become a necessity for recovering valuable resources and protecting the environment to support sustainable development. We report the design of a highly efficient CoFe/C catalyst by combining the Co and Fe wastes from spent LIBs with sawdust-derived carbon, which were cathode materials in zinc-air batteries (ZABs). As a result of the electrostatic attraction between the Co3+/Fe3+ cations and the hydroxyl groups in sawdust, CoFe nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in the CoFe/C catalyst after annealing. The Fe atoms in the CoFe nanoparticles are all isolated into single sites by the Co atoms, which redistribute the electrons in the CoFe/C catalyst. The catalyst produced a Pt-like dissociative mechanism, contributing to an excellent oxygen reduction reaction performance. After assembly in ZABs, the CoFe/C catalyst cathode exhibits a long cycling stability of 350 h and an impressive power density of 199.2 mW cm-2. The CoFe/C catalyst cathode has also been used in flexible ZABs to power LEDs or charge a mobile phone. The work combines spent LIBs with sawdust to fabricate high-performance catalysts, which could reduce environmental pollution and realize high economic value.


Ketamine for Refractory Headache: A Retrospective Analysis.
The burden of chronic headache disorders in the United States is substantial. Some patients are treatment refractory. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist, provides potent analgesia in subanesthetic doses in chronic pain, and limited data suggest it may alleviate headache in some patients. We performed a retrospective study of 61 patients admitted over 3 years for 5 days of intravenous therapy that included continuous ketamine to determine responder rate and patient and ketamine infusion characteristics. Pain ratings at 2 follow-up visits were recorded. An immediate responder was a patient with decrease of 2 points or greater in the numerical rating scale (0-10) from start to final pain in the hospital. Sustained response at office visits 1 and 2 was determined based on maintaining the 2-point improvement at those visits. Patients were assessed daily for pain and adverse events (AEs). Forty-eight (77%) of the 61 patients were immediate responders. There were no differences regarding demographics, opioid use, or fibromyalgia between immediate responders and nonresponders. Maximum improvement occurred 4.56 days (mean) into treatment. Sustained response occurred in 40% of patients at visit 1 (mean, 38.1 days) and 39% of patients at visit 2 (mean, 101.3 days). The mean maximum ketamine rate was 65.2 ± 2.8 mg/h (0.76 mg/kg per hour). Ketamine rates did not differ between groups. Adverse events occurred equally in responders and nonresponders and were mild. Ketamine was associated with short-term analgesia in many refractory headache patients with tolerable adverse events. A prospective study is warranted to confirm this and elucidate responder characteristics.


Vitamin D levels in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: relationship with disease activity, vascular risk factors and atherosclerosis.
To study the relationship of 25(OH)D(3) level with disease activity, vascular risk factors and atherosclerosis in SLE. Consecutive patients who fulfilled four or more ACR criteria for SLE were recruited for assay of 25(OH)D(3) level. Disease activity was assessed by the SLEDAI and physicians' global assessment (PGA). Patients with vascular risk factors were screened for atherosclerosis at the coronary or carotid arteries. Correlation between 25(OH)D(3) levels and SLEDAI scores was studied by linear regression. The link between vascular risk factors, atherosclerosis and vitamin D deficiency was also examined. A total of 290 SLE patients were studied [94% women; mean (s.d.) age 38.9 (13.1) years; disease duration 7.7 (6.7) years; 78% patients had clinical or serological lupus activity]. Two hundred and seventy-seven (96%) patients had vitamin D insufficiency [25(OH)D(3) < 30 ng/ml] and 77 (27%) patients had vitamin D deficiency (<15 ng/ml). Levels of 25(OH)D(3) correlated inversely with PGA (β -0.20; P = 0.003), total SLEDAI scores (β -0.19; P = 0.003) and subscores due to active renal, musculoskeletal and haematological disease. Subjects with vitamin D deficiency had significantly higher total/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio [3.96 (2.94) vs 3.07 (0.80); P = 0.02] and prevalence of aPLs (57 vs 39%; P = 0.007). Of 132 patients, 58 (44%) with vascular risk factors screened were positive for subclinical atherosclerosis. No association could be demonstrated between 25(OH)D(3) level and atherosclerosis, which was mainly associated with increasing age, menopause, obesity and hyper-triglyceridaemia. In this large cross-sectional study of SLE patients, 25(OH)D(3) level correlates inversely with disease activity. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with dyslipidaemia. In patients with vascular risk factors, subclinical atherosclerosis is not associated with hypovitaminosis D.


The sense-of-coherence predicts health-related quality of life and emotional distress but not disability in Parkinson's disease.
Personality traits are deemed important in many fields of Medicine. The present study aimed at evaluating i) the presence of Sense-of-Coherence (SOC) in patients suffering from Parkinson's Disease (PD) in comparison with an age-matched general control population, ii) the influence of SOC on health-related variables, such as depression and anxiety, quality of life (Qol), and activities of daily living (ADL). SOC was measured in 50 PD patients and in 50 matched controls enrolled in cross-sectional study. The other clinical measures included: Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Movement Disorder Society revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Well-being Index (WHO-5), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Barthel Index of ADL (BI). Data were analysed with univariate statistics and loglinear adjusted regression models. No difference emerged between PD and controls on socio-demographic and SOC. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between SOC and Qol (0.40, p < 0.004) and a negative significant correlation between SOC and emotional distress (-0.37, p < 0.008). The multivariate regression analysis confirmed the negative effect of SOC on total emotional distress (-3%, p = 0.01) and positive effect on Qol (2%, p = 0.01). SOC and BI were uncorrelated. SOC is predictive of QoL and emotional distress in PD, whereas no evidence of a predictive effect for disability could be found. These results support only partially, the Salutogenic Theory in PD, i.e. a strong SOC positively influences psychosocial health, but does not influence physical health.


Noradrenaline: friend or foe?
Septic shock, systemic inflammation and pharmacological vasodilatation are often complicated by systemic hypotension despite aggressive fluid resuscitation and an increased cardiac output. If the physician wishes to restore arterial pressure to higher levels (> 80-85 mmHg), with the aim of sustaining cerebral and coronary perfusion pressure, the administration of systemic vasopressor agents, such as norepinephrine (noradrenaline), becomes necessary. However, because norepinephrine (NE) induces vasoconstriction in many vascular beds (visibly in the skin), it may decrease renal and visceral blood flow, impairing visceral organ function. This unproven fear deters clinicians from using NE more consistently. Vasodilated states, however, are often associated with impaired peripheral vascular responsiveness. In such states, unlike under normal circulatory conditions, NE may actually improve visceral organ blood flow by selectively increasing organ perfusion pressure. Data available from animal studies show that the increased organ perfusion pressures achieved with NE results in improved GFR and renal blood flow. In fact, recent sophisticated physiological analysis of its effects on the kidney shows that, even after controlling for the pressure effect, NE therapy is associated with an increase in renal blood flow after endotoxin administration. In particular, the renal Pzf (pressure at which there is no further blood flow) is decreased such that, at a constant pressure, renal blood flow increases after NE. There are no controlled human data to define the effects of NE on the kidney in the clinical context. However, many patient series have now been reported. They show a seemingly positive effect of NE administration on GFR and urine output. Our clinical experience in septic patients and cardiac patients with inflammatory or pharmacological vasodilatation is also positive. We have demonstrated a positive effect on coronary blood flow. There is no reason to fear the effect of NE. If it is used to support a vasodilated circulation after adequate intravascular filling has occurred and after a normal or increased cardiac output has been established, it is likely to be a friend not a foe.


Coronary calcifications detected by computed tomography are not markers of cardiac allograft vasculopathy.
Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) still limits survival after heart transplantation. Currently available noninvasive tests are of inferior value to detect CAV, and thus invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is frequently performed. Cardiac dual-source computed tomography calcium scoring (DSCTCS) offers the possibility to detect coronary calcifications, which might serve as a noninvasive marker of CAV. This study sought to evaluate its clinical feasibility. One hundred sixty-one patients (130 men; 31 women; mean age: 50.5±12.1 years) underwent DSCTCS 1±2 days before annual routine ICA. Mean posttransplant time was 73.7±49.6 months. The results of DSCTCS were compared with ICA. In 100 patients (85 men; 15 women; mean age: 51.5±12.3 years), coronary calcifications were detected, and in 61 patients (45 men; 16 women; mean age: 49.0±11.7 years), coronary calcifications were excluded. ICA excluded CAV in 82 patients (63 men; 19 women; mean age: 48.6±11.9 years). In 79 patients (67 men; 12 women; mean age: 52.5±12.2 years), CAV was detected of whom 11 patients needed stent implantation. No statistically significant difference of DSCTCS in patients without (17.2±29.5; range: 0-190) and with CAV (33.4±66.8; range: 0-385) was observed (P=0.133). Moreover, 4 of 11 (36.4%) severely diseased patients had a calcium score of zero. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value for CAV detection (calcium score threshold >0) was calculated as 72.2%, 47.6%, 47.7%, and 57.0%, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy was 59.6%. DSCTCS is not a valuable noninvasive modality for CAV detection and thus not recommended in clinical practice. Moreover, we hypothesize that it represents preexisting or de novo traditional coronary atherosclerosis than CAV.


Relational experiences of partnered Japanese immigrant women with affect disorders.
This paper reports the findings of a study that explored characteristics of relationships of Japanese immigrant women partnered both intraculturally and interculturally, and analysed the role of Japanese culture in these relationships. Immigration can cause shifts in interpersonal structures with partners. When there are large discrepancies in gender roles and communication styles between the original and host cultures, the psychological impact on both partners may be significant. However, currently no empirical data are available to support this assumption. Ten cases selected from the 68 medical records of Japanese-speaking women seen at a mental health clinic from September 2001 to September 2004 were analysed. All of the 10 women met DSM IV-TR criteria of major depressive disorder and were taking antidepressants. Half of the 10 women were in intimate intercultural partnered relationships and the remainder of the matched cases were in intracultural relationships at the time of treatment. The two cohorts were matched in age (36.2 and 43.2 years), length of stay in the United States of America (12 and 16.2 years), and length of treatment (1.2 and 1 years). The length of time of the sample in individual psychodynamic psychotherapy ranged from 20 to 317 hours, depending on the intensity of therapy. Inductive data analysis revealed two themes: (1) Lack of awareness of differences in culturally bound communication by Japanese women in intercultural partnerships; (2) Lack of individuality in Japanese women in intracultural partnerships. Neither group appeared to consider relational aspects of partnership, or to make efforts to improve direct communication with their partners. The influence of Japanese culture on gender role and communication styles functions contrary to the mainstream Western culture of the United States of America. In the future, interpersonal elements of cultural differences between host and original cultures in immigration should be considered in research related to immigrants' mental health. This approach should lead to effective interventions to facilitate mental health among immigrants, and regardless of purposes of immigration or length of stay in a psychosocially foreign environment.


Safety considerations for esophageal dilation by anesthetic type: A systematic review.
Esophageal dilation (ED) may be performed in the office under local anesthesia or in a procedure/operating room under general anesthesia or intravenous (IV) sedation. However, indications for type of anesthesia during these procedures have not been established. The purpose of this review is to assess outcomes of esophageal dilation performed using different types of anesthesia to assess the safety of office-based techniques. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the outcomes of anesthesia techniques for ED in adults. Exclusion criteria included reviews, small case series, use of stents, diagnoses with high morbidity, and rare diseases. A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases was performed for articles relating to esophageal dilation. 876 papers were identified of which 164 full text studies were assessed and 25 were included in the analysis using the PRISMA guidelines. Data regarding demographics, dilation technique, and adverse events were extracted. The DerSimonian-Laird random-effect models with inverse-variance weighting were fit to estimate the combined effects. There were no statistically significant differences among mortality, perforation, or bleeding based on anesthetic. With office-based procedures gaining popularity in laryngology, there is a need to profile their safety. Office-based ED appears to have equivalent safety to general and IV sedation, although further research is necessary to define indications favoring office-based techniques.


Human decidual stromal cells express CD34 and STRO-1 and are related to bone marrow stromal precursors.
Decidual stromal cells (DSC) are the main cellular component of the human decidua, but thus far their ascription to a given cell lineage is uncertain. In previous studies, these cells have been isolated and maintained in culture, and their antigen phenotype has been analysed to determine their affiliation. However, the presence in the culture medium of high proportions of fetal calf serum (FCS) may inhibit the expression of some surface antigens. In the present study, we show by flow cytometry that CD34 is rapidly down-regulated in human DSC cultured in RPMI 1640 with 20% FCS. For this reason, we used fibroblast medium, which contains only a small proportion (2%) of FCS, to isolate and culture these cells. Under these conditions DSC exhibited a stable antigen phenotype highly similar to that of these cells in vivo. Flow cytometry results confirmed that DSC cultured in fibroblast medium expressed CD34 protein, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction findings showed that they have CD34 mRNA. Decidual stromal cells were also positive for STRO-1, an antigen that identifies stromal precursors of the bone marrow which also expresses CD34. The expression of CD10, CD13, alkaline phosphatase and alpha-smooth muscle actin by DSC, and the absence of expression of CD14 and CD45, further confirmed their relationship with the stromal precursors.


Synthesis of Bridged Tetrahydrobenzo[b]azepines and Derivatives through an Aza-Piancatelli Cyclization/Michael Addition Sequence.
Herein, we report the preparation of bridged tetrahydrobenzo[b]azepines, which was accomplished through an aza-Piancatelli cyclization/Michael addition sequence in a one-pot fashion from readily available precursors. It is noteworthy that a general method to access these scaffolds was hitherto unprecedented. Additionally, the multifaceted aspects of this process have been exemplified through its application to the synthesis of 2-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes and bridged tetrahydrobenzo[b]oxepines, along with post-derivatizations.


Efficacy of the lancaster red-green test for the diagnosis of superior oblique palsy.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Lancaster red-green test (LRGT) in patients with superior oblique palsy (SOP). The LRGT results of 42 adult patients with unilateral SOP (33 patients) or bilateral SOP (nine patients) were evaluated and compared with those of 21 patients who showed cyclotropia on Lancaster red-green test but did not have SOP (the non-SOP group). The degree of cyclotropia in primary position and downgaze, horizontal and vertical deviation, V pattern, and the presence of alternating hypertropia or reversal of hypertropia in the oblique field of gaze were analyzed using computer imaging software. The SOP groups showed a larger cyclotropia difference between primary position and downgaze than the non-SOP group. The bilateral SOP group showed a significantly larger degree of cyclotropia in the primary position and downgaze and a smaller amount of vertical deviation in the primary position than the unilateral SOP group. Four of nine patients with bilateral SOP and none of 33 patients with unilateral SOP showed an alternating hypertropia and reversal of hypertropia in the oblique field. The LRGT was found to be useful for the diagnosis of SOP and for the differentiation of unilateral SOP and bilateral SOP.


[Standard chemotherapy for gastrointestinal malignancies based on evidence].
It has been said that there is no standard chemotherapy for gastrointestinal malignancies. However, standard guidelines are essential to increase the level of medical treatment, and the death rate from gastrointestinal malignancies is very high in Japan. FAMTX, standard therapy for gastric cancer abroad, cannot be standard in Japan due to its toxicities. A combination of 5-FU and cisplatin (FP) is most commonly used as the the first choice for chemotherapy, but it's regimens vary. For colon cancer, it is said that a combination of 5-FU and Leucovorin (LV) is standard, but CPT-11, made in Japan, is a promising agent. There is no recommended drug for advanced pancreatic cancer, so palliative care or no chemotherapy are also available alternatives.


Differential association of juvenile and adult systemic lupus erythematosus with genetic variants of oestrogen receptors alpha and beta.
Oestrogens acting via nuclear receptors (encoded by ESR1 or ESR2) are important for pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). rs2234693 and rs4986938 are two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) whose C and A variants increase transcription of ESR1 and ESR2, respectively. The T allele of rs2234693 was associated with early onset SLE, whereas the role of rs4986938 in SLE was not reported. Our aim was to examine the role of rs2234693 and rs4986938 in conferring susceptibility to juvenile and adult SLE (jSLE and aSLE). Genotype distribution of both SNPs was analysed in 84 jSLE, 112 aSLE patients and 1001 controls. Allele C of rs2234693 was associated with jSLE (OR = 1.87, p = 0.006, p(corrected) = 0.02), whereas allele A of rs4986938 showed an association with aSLE (OR = 1.46, p = 0.008, p(corrected) = 0.03). In jSLE, rs2234693 C had lower frequency in patients with central nervous system involvement (OR = 0.39, p = 0.005, p(corrected) = 0.04) and showed a trend for increase among males, patients with renal involvement and those without DR2/3 (p < 0.05, p(corrected) > 0.05). Whereas our results are consistent with a role of ESR1 variation in jSLE, more studies are needed since the direction of association was the opposite of that reported previously. The association between rs4986938 (ESR2) and aSLE is a novel finding, consistent with our recent report associating this variant with Graves' disease.


Metabolic pathways for the whole community.
A convergence of high-throughput sequencing and computational power is transforming biology into information science. Despite these technological advances, converting bits and bytes of sequence information into meaningful insights remains a challenging enterprise. Biological systems operate on multiple hierarchical levels from genomes to biomes. Holistic understanding of biological systems requires agile software tools that permit comparative analyses across multiple information levels (DNA, RNA, protein, and metabolites) to identify emergent properties, diagnose system states, or predict responses to environmental change. Here we adopt the MetaPathways annotation and analysis pipeline and Pathway Tools to construct environmental pathway/genome databases (ePGDBs) that describe microbial community metabolism using MetaCyc, a highly curated database of metabolic pathways and components covering all domains of life. We evaluate Pathway Tools' performance on three datasets with different complexity and coding potential, including simulated metagenomes, a symbiotic system, and the Hawaii Ocean Time-series. We define accuracy and sensitivity relationships between read length, coverage and pathway recovery and evaluate the impact of taxonomic pruning on ePGDB construction and interpretation. Resulting ePGDBs provide interactive metabolic maps, predict emergent metabolic pathways associated with biosynthesis and energy production and differentiate between genomic potential and phenotypic expression across defined environmental gradients. This multi-tiered analysis provides the user community with specific operating guidelines, performance metrics and prediction hazards for more reliable ePGDB construction and interpretation. Moreover, it demonstrates the power of Pathway Tools in predicting metabolic interactions in natural and engineered ecosystems.


Development of a rural outplacement programme for dental undergraduates: students' perceptions.
To describe the development and implementation of a new rural dental outplacement module in the final year curriculum and report initial student perceptions. The Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, introduced a required 4-week rural outplacement [termed Rural Dental Rotation (RDR)] in July 2006 to provide education and clinical training to all final year students. Seventy dental students (Bachelor of Dental Science and Bachelor of Oral Health) were rostered in groups of 6-10 students to Shepparton (Victoria, Australia), from July 2006 to June 2007 for 4 weeks per group. Students were introduced to the culture and oral health needs of the indigenous population in the region, and were involved in oral health promotion in specific health programmes. At the end of each roster students provided feedback of their experiences through a voluntary anonymous questionnaire. The RDR offered a rural learning experience to all final year dental undergraduates and also provided dental services to the local community on a continuing basis. Students agreed that the RDR was a worthwhile experience (mean 4.77 +/- 0.46 on 1-5 scale) and was 'enjoyable' (mean 4.71 +/- 0.45). There was only one student who did not consider rural practice in future. This was because of family reasons. The majority (79.1%) expressed definite affirmation, whereas some (19.4%) indicated the possibility of taking up rural practice. Overall feedback indicated that the students found it a very positive and enjoyable experience. It provided an opportunity to appreciate cultural safety and understand the specific oral health needs of indigenous Australians. The key benefit of such a programme to the community is the increased likelihood of attracting new dental graduates to rural areas.


Pulmonary edema associated with scuba diving : case reports and review.
Acute pulmonary edema has been associated with cold-water immersion in swimmers and divers. We report on eight divers using a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) who developed acute pulmonary edema manifested by dyspnea, hypoxemia, and characteristic chest radiographic findings. All cases occurred in cold water. All scuba divers were treated with complete resolution, and three have returned to diving without further episodes. Mechanisms that would contribute to a raised capillary transmural pressure or to a reduced blood-gas barrier function or integrity are discussed. Pulmonary edema in scuba divers is multifactorial, and constitutional factors may play a role. Physicians should be aware of this potential, likely underreported, problem in scuba divers.


Rules extraction from neural networks applied to the prediction and recognition of prokaryotic promoters.
Promoters are DNA sequences located upstream of the gene region and play a central role in gene expression. Computational techniques show good accuracy in gene prediction but are less successful in predicting promoters, primarily because of the high number of false positives that reflect characteristics of the promoter sequences. Many machine learning methods have been used to address this issue. Neural Networks (NN) have been successfully used in this field because of their ability to recognize imprecise and incomplete patterns characteristic of promoter sequences. In this paper, NN was used to predict and recognize promoter sequences in two data sets: (i) one based on nucleotide sequence information and (ii) another based on stability sequence information. The accuracy was approximately 80% for simulation (i) and 68% for simulation (ii). In the rules extracted, biological consensus motifs were important parts of the NN learning process in both simulations.


The glutamate to γ-aminobutyric acid ratio in the posterior insula is associated with pain perception in healthy women but not in women with borderline personality disorder.
This study aimed to investigate whether the differences in pain perception between patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and healthy subjects (HCs) can be explained by differences in the glutamate/GABA ratio in the posterior insula. In total, 29 BPD patients and 31 HCs were included in the statistical analysis. Mechanical pain sensitivity was experimentally assessed with pinprick stimuli between 32 and 512 mN on a numeric rating scale. The metabolites were measured in the right posterior insula using the MEshcher-GArwood Point-RESolved Spectroscopy sequence for single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). The 256- and the 512-mN pinprick stimuli were perceived as significantly less painful by the BPD patient group compared with HCs. No differences were found between groups for the glutamate/GABA ratios. A positive correlation between the glutamate/GABA ratio and the pain intensity ratings to 256- and 512-mN pinpricks could be found in the combined and in the HC group. In the BPD patient group, the correlations between the glutamate/GABA ratio and the pain intensity ratings to 256- and 512-mN pinpricks did not reach significance. In conclusion, the study showed that individual differences in pain perception may in part be explained by the individual glutamate/GABA ratio in the posterior insula. However, this possible mechanism does not explain the differences in pain perception between BPD patients and HCs.


Closing the gap. Funding clinical medical education in Minnesota.
In recent years, decreasing funding for graduate medical education (GME) from private payers, combined with increasing competition between teaching and nonteaching hospitals for managed care contracts and cuts in federal aid to teaching hospitals, have led to a worsening financial crisis for the nation's teaching facilities. For more than a decade, Minnesota's teaching hospitals have been dealing with the same issues, and recent articles have discussed the impact that declining funding and a market increasingly dominated by managed care have had on graduate medical education. Although there is agreement that teaching hospitals have higher costs for patient care than nonteaching hospitals, relatively little research has been done to determine the magnitude of the costs of GME or to isolate their components. Using data from the Minnesota Department of Health's Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC) Fund, the author analyzes the costs to teaching facilities of providing clinical training to resident physicians and students and examines the sources of funding that are available to offset these costs.


Structural heterogeneity alone is a sufficient substrate for dynamic instability and altered restitution.
Marked changes in ventricular APD restitution and associated alternans rhythm have been demonstrated in structural heart disease (SHD). However, whether this is due to structural heterogeneity or regional variation in cellular properties remains uncertain. In this study, we address the hypothesis that the structural heterogeneity associated with SHD is sufficient to alter dynamic restitution and increase the probability of electric instability. Activation was simulated in a 14x14 mm(2) domain in the presence and absence (control) of a central region containing nonuniform discontinuities resembling patchy fibrosis. A modified LR1 cardiac activation model was used in a bidomain formulation with isotropic conductivities. Bipolar stimulation was imposed above the central region with coupling intervals decreasing progressively from 500 ms and then maintained at 105 ms. Structural discontinuities had little effect on electric activation at low stimulus rates, but activation time and APD distributions became highly nonuniform within and adjacent to the discontinuous region at high rates. Discordant APD alternans occurred in both "fibrosis" and control, but at lower stimulus rates and with markedly greater extent in the former. Tortuous conduction through the discontinuous region resulted in large fluctuations of diastolic intervals giving rise to regional electric instability, which modulates dynamic conduction velocity and APD restitution. This led to heterogeneous conduction block and reentry not observed in control. We show that structural discontinuities can amplify discordant alternans and provide a rate-dependent substrate for reentry. This work provides new insights into the mechanisms by which fibrosis may contribute to arrhythmogenesis.


Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Before and During COVID in New York.
Little is known about regional differences in volume, treatment, and outcomes of STEMI patients undergoing PCI during the pandemic. The objectives of this study were to compare COVID-19 pandemic and prepandemic periods with respect to regional volumes, outcomes, and treatment of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) between January 1, 2019 and March 14, 2020 (pre-COVID period) and between March 15, 2020 and April 4, 2020 (COVID period) in 51 New York State hospitals certified to perform PCI. The hospitals were classified as being in either high-density or low-density COVID-19 counties on the basis of deaths/10,000 population. There was a decrease of 43% in procedures/week in high-density COVID-19 counties (p <0.0001) and only 4% in low-density counties (p = 0.64). There was no difference in the change in risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates in either type of county, but STEMI PCI patients in high-density counties had longer times from symptom onset to hospital arrival and lower cardiac arrest rates in the pandemic period. In conclusion, the decrease in STEMI PCIs during the pandemic was mainly limited to counties with a high density of COVID-19 deaths. The decrease appears to be primarily related to patients not presenting to hospitals in high-density COVID regions, rather than PCI being avoided in STEMI patients or a reduction in the incidence of STEMI. Also, high-density COVID-19 counties experienced delayed admissions and less severely ill STEMI PCI patients during the pandemic. This information can serve to focus efforts on convincing STEMI patients to seek life-saving hospital care during the pandemic.


Lead in finger-bone analysed in vivo in active and retired lead workers.
In 75 active lead workers the median lead level in finger-bone (bone-Pb), as determined in vivo by an X-ray fluorescence method, was 43 micrograms/g (range less than 20-122). In 32 retired workers the median level was even higher, 59 micrograms/g (range less than 20-135), which indicates a slow turnover rate of lead in finger-bone. This was confirmed in 18 of the "active" workers, in whom bone-Pb was studied in connection with an exposure-free period. In spite of a significant decrease in blood-lead levels (B-Pb), no systematic change of bone-Pb occurred. There was an increase of bone-Pb with time of employment, but with a large interindividual variation. No association was found between bone-Pb and present B-Pb in the active lead workers. However, in the retired ones, B-Pb rose with increasing bone-Pb. The bone-lead pool thus causes an "internal" lead exposure.


Gastrointestinal motility in normal subjects and patients with diverticulosis of the colon.
Our study included 25 subjects, ten with normal intestinal habits and 15 with colonic diverticulosis. Data was collected from X-rays of gastrointestinal transit times and from intraluminal pressures in the sigmoid and rectum, using electromanometry. A comparison of the results led to the following conclusions: 1) transit times to the cecum were essentially similar in both the control subjects and patients with diverticulosis; 2) the barium contrast arrived twice as fast in the proximal sigmoid of patients with diverticulosis compared to the control group. Therefore, there is an increase in the transit between the cecum and sigmoid in individuals with diverticulosis of the colon; 3) the mean of the total time of gastrointestinal emptying is similar in both groups; 4) under unstimulated conditions, the electromanometric study of the sigmoid and rectum was similar in both groups; 5) the sigmoid region in patients with diverticulosis has a modulating transit capacity delaying it. This modulation was not reflected in the electromanometric study as an increase in motor activity.


A New Method in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: Reverse Trendelenburg with Right Lateral Tilt Position Prior to Trocar Entry.
BACKGROUND The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of patient positioning prior to trocar entry in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS The records of 300 patients that had a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery at Aydin State Hospital from January 2015 until January 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. First, 140 patients who had been placed in the surgical position after the entry of trocars (PAET) were included as the first group, and 160 patients who had been placed in the surgical position before entry of trocars (PBET) were included as the second group. A comprehensive analysis based on the comparison of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), duration of total anesthesia, and incompleteness rate of operations between the two groups was performed. RESULTS The PAET group was composed of 111 females (79.3%) and 29 males (20.7%). The averages of age, BMI, and duration of anesthesia for this group were 36.84, 46.3 kg/m², and 161.56 minutes, respectively. The PBET group was composed of 123 females (76.9%) and 37 males (23.1%). The averages of age, BMI, and duration of anesthesia of this second group were 38.8, 47.4 kg/m², and 120.8 minutes, respectively. In the PAET group, the operations for four patients (2.9%) were never completed; in the PBET group, there was no uncompleted operations (p=0.046). CONCLUSIONS PBET is an effective method which both shortens the operation time and decreases the rate of uncompleted operations.


Gas exchange alterations associated with weaning from mechanical ventilation following coronary artery bypass grafting.
This study was done to clarify the effects of positive-pressure mechanical ventilation on gas exchange in the lungs of conscious patients. Nine hemodynamically stable patients were studied following coronary artery bypass grafting at the time they were weaned from mechanical ventilation. The adequacy of gas exchange was assessed by traditional measurements as well as the multiple inert gas technique used to measure the ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) distribution. During mechanical ventilation, gas exchange was characterized by a variable degree of VA/Q inequality as well as a substantial shunt ranging from 11.9 to 27.7 percent. Following removal from mechanical ventilation, there was a decrease in the mean VA/Q subsequent to a decrease in the minute ventilation. However, there was no significant change in the level of shunt or in the amount of VA/Q inequality.


Low body mass index, airflow obstruction, and dyspnoea in a primary care COPD patient population.
The objective of our study was to explore the existence/co-existence of factors - as per American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) standards - for staging patients in a primary care COPD population. A representative sample of COPD patients in primary care was studied. Cross-sectional information on airflow obstruction, body mass index (BMI), and dyspnoea (Modified Medical Research Council [MMRC] score) were collected. The existence/co-existence of these prognostic factors is described. The study sample consisted of 2,023 patients. BMI was low in 11.7%, MMRC score > or =2 was found in 28.7%, and 53.9% fulfilled the criteria of relevant airflow obstruction. Only 3.4% of this population scored on all three prognostic factors. Moderate dyspnoea and moderate airflow obstruction were rather prevalent in this primary care population, but coexistence of factors was low. Therefore, it seems that the assessment of BMI and dyspnoea represent additional information on primary care COPD patients.


Improvements in the preparation of phosphate for oxygen isotope analysis from soils and sediments.
In contrast to the successful preparation of phosphate for oxygen isotope analysis from water samples, there are still a series of problems for similar analyses from soils and sediments. Here, we improved and optimized the methods of silver phosphate preparation for oxygen isotope analysis from soils and sediments. During our preparations, organic matter was removed by sodium hypochlorite and XAD-2 resin, while the impurities of elemental silver and its oxide were removed by rapid microprecipitation and ammonium phospho-molybdate and magnesium ammonium phosphate. The total organic carbon and total nitrogen in the prepared silver phosphates from soils and sediments were 0.226±0.033% and 0.030±0.0059% (n = 7), 0.217±0.053% and 0.034±0.0120% (n = 9), respectively, indicating a high removal efficiency of organic matter. We confirmed that adding citric acid during rapid microprecipitation would introduce the impurity of elemental silver, which could be removed by ammonia recrystallization. The pH range of solutions for rapid microprecipitation was optimized at 7.0‒7.5. Results of X-ray Diffraction and stable oxygen isotope analyses showed that the improved method could obtain high pure silver phosphate from soil and sediment samples without oxygen isotope fractionation. This improved procedure provides a foundation for biogeochemical studies on phosphorus in soil and lacustrine environments by using phosphate oxygen isotopes.


[A portrait of the student at the Université de Montréal.].
In this article, the author attempts to brush a portrait of students between the ages of 20 and 30. Each year, 5 000 of them come to the Guidance service at the Université de Montreal. Of this number, about 80 % seek advice on how to plan their studies or wish to obtain information on the job market. These statistics are hardly surprising, as students today like those of ten years ago, strive to attain, first and foremost, objectives related to their career plans. However, the present economic situation, the scarcity of openings on the market, the choice of profession made too early in life and the quotas adopted by many faculties make their selection a much more complex process. Those who consult for psychological reasons come in greater number in September and January, at the start of the semester. One of the tables illustrates their concerns which are more serious and critical than they were ten years ago. New attitudes and new behaviour patterns are to be noted. While some young people are more competitive in their studies, others have a casual approach and take more time to complete their training. Generally, students are neither activists nor revolutionaries but, rather, have a peaceful and solitary nature. They are attracted by stable and long-lasting relationships, even think of marriage, but the confusion in their roles, resulting largely from the feminist movement and their difficulty in communicating, puts many obstacles in their path. Notwithstanding their worry about the future, they have decided to survive, come what may, and have adopted a new moral code - the respect of their inner being.


Severe diffuse small airways abnormalities in long term chrysotile asbestos miners.
To determine the nature and extent of pathological changes in the small airways induced by asbestos, the pathological lesions of fibrosis and pigmentation of the membranous and respiratory bronchioles and alveolar ducts in lungs obtained from necropy from a group of 36 non-asbestotic long term chrysotile miners and 36 age, sex, and smoking matched controls who had no history of exposure to dust were compared. The airways were graded using a standard visual grading system. Appreciably greater airway fibrosis was found for all types of airway in the whole group of miners compared with the controls. Differences for pigmentation were generally similar but less pronounced. It is concluded that long term exposure to mineral dust as an asbestos miner produces severe diffuse pathological changes in the small airways; these findings may relate to the physiological observation of unusual degrees of airflow obstruction in this group of workers.


[Differences in hemodynamics of thromboembolic and primary pulmonary hypertension].
It is not clear whether right ventricle to pulmonary artery coupling is modified by the site of vascular obstruction in patients with chronic severe pulmonary hypertension. We compared invasively (Swan Ganz) and non-invasively (echo/ /Doppler) assessed hemodynamics between two groups of patients with severe chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)--(n = 6; 52 +/- 24 yrs) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (n = 5; 42 +/- 9 yrs) who had similar invasively measured right ventricular systolic pressure (CTEPH: 78 +/- 14 mm Hg; PAH: 83 +/- 17 mm Hg; p = NS), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (CTEPH: 51 +/- 10; PAH 56 +/- 11 mm Hg, p = NS) and pulmonary vascular resistance (CTEPH: 15.6 +/- 4.4 l/min; PAH: 19.2 +/- 6.1; p = ns). Patients with CTEPH have significantly shorter acceleration time corrected to ejection time (RVET): (AcT/RVET % = 24 +/- 5% vs 32 +/- 6% in PAH; p = 0.04) as well as AcT corrected by RR distance was highly significantly shorter (8 +/- 2% vs 12 +/- 2%; p = 0.006). AcT in the CTEPH group was shorter than in the PAH (60 +/- 5 vs 75 +/- 15; p = 0.047). The mid-systolic deceleration was significantly more frequent in the CTEPH group than in the PAH group (88% vs 30%; p = 0.005). If the mid-systolic deceleration was present in patients with PAH, the time to mid-systolic deceleration (t-N) had tendency to be longer in CTEPH group (118 +/- 22 ms vs 150 +/- 28 ms in PAH; p = 0.09). Significant differences appeared after correction t-N to RVET (t-N/RVET % = 46 +/- 9% vs 61 +/- 4%; p = 0.027) and to RR interval (t-N/RVET % = 16 +/- 2% vs 24 +/- 1%; p = 0.002). Doppler derived RV index proposed by Tei was slightly higher in CTEPH (0.81 +/- 0.18 vs 0.65 +/- 0.32 in PAH) but not significantly. Taken together our observations indicate that dynamical coupling between RV and pulmonary arteries is more disturbed in CTEPH than in PPH despite similar levels of chronically increased PAP.


EW-7203, a novel small molecule inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) type I receptor/activin receptor-like kinase-5, blocks TGF-β1-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in mammary epithelial cells.
Recently, small molecule inhibitors of transforming growth factorβ (TGF-β) type I receptor kinase ⁄ activin receptor-like kinase-5 (ALK5) have been developed to target TGF-β signalling as a therapeutic strategy for combating cancer. In the present study, the authors examined a novel small molecule inhibitor of ALK5, 3-((5- ([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-6-yl)-4-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)benzonitrile (EW-7203) in breast cancer cells to determine if it has potential for cancer treatment. The inhibitory effects of EW-7203 on TGF-β-induced Smad signalling and epithelial- to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated in mammary epithelial cells using luciferase reporter assays, immunoblotting, confocal microscopy and wound healing assays. In addition, the suppressive effects of EW-7203 on mammary cancer metastasis to the lung were examined using a Balb ⁄ c xenograft model system. The novel ALK5 inhibitor, EW-7203, inhibited the TGF-β1-stimulated transcriptional activation of p3TP-Lux and pCA-GA₁₂- Luc. In addition, EW-7203 decreased phosphorylated Smad2 levels and the nuclear translocation of Smad2 was increased by TGF-β1. In addition, EW-7203 inhibited TGF-β1-induced EMT and wound healing of NMuMG cells. Furthermore, in xenografted Balb ⁄ c mice, EW-7203 inhibited metastasis to the lung from breast tumors. The novel ALK5 inhibitor, EW-7203, efficiently inhibited TGF-β1-induced Smad signalling, EMT and breast tumor metastasis to the lung in vivo, demonstrating that EW-7203 has therapeutic potential for breast cancer metastasis to the lung.


New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Researcher Development Program 2005-07: modest investment, considerable outcomes.
This evaluation of the Researcher Development Program (RDP) in NSW and ACT aimed to determine whether the RDP was effective in assisting novice researchers to undertake primary health care research. In mid-2008, 47 participants of the NSW and ACT RDP during 2005-07 were invited to participate in a postal survey. The survey included questions regarding previous research training and experience, outcomes during and after participation in the program, and organisational aspects of the program. Follow-up interviews were conducted with selected participants. Interview questions covered time in the program, supervision, organisational support and placement outcomes. Thirty-seven participants responded to the survey and 23 (62%) participants took part in the semi-structured interviews. Seventy-eight per cent of survey respondents felt that the RDP helped them move from novice to a more experienced researcher with effective supervision identified by participants as a key element in determining the success of the program. Many felt that time allocation was inadequate and 20% thought their capacity to maintain their workload was adversely affected by participating. Outcomes were considerable given the modest nature of the program. Notable outcomes were that most participants published their research and presented their research at a conference. Furthermore, one-fifth of survey respondents had enrolled in higher degrees. Several interviewees reported that their research led to changes in practice. Most respondents found the RDP valuable and considered that undertaking the program increased their research knowledge.


Nitrate in drinking water. A case-control study on primary brain tumours with an embedded drinking water survey in Germany.
Nitrate is known to be a precursor in the endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds which are thought to be associated with the development of brain tumours. We conducted a population-based case-control study on the aetiology of primary brain tumours in adults in which the nitrate concentration in drinking water was investigated as a quantitative variable. For this purpose, an additional drinking water survey was performed. Analysis of 173 incident cases and 418 controls did not show any relationship between exposure to nitrate in drinking water and risk of developing primary brain tumours. We found mean nitrate concentrations of 15.98 mg/l (SD 15.61) in the drinking water history of the cases and of 16.16 mg/l (SD 15.72) for controls. In addition, we compared the quantitative history of nitrate contamination of the study participants to a semi-quantitative assessment by a stick method. Although we found good agreement between these methods we would recommend the use of detailed water surveys for retrospective studies on contaminants in drinking water. The results suggest the absence of an association between nitrate levels in drinking water and the risk of brain tumours. However in order to draw definite conclusions quantitative prospective studies are needed.


Molecular signal transduction by conformational transmission: use of tetrasubstituted perhydroanthracenes as transducers.
2,3,6,7-Tetrasubstituted cis-anti-cis perhydroanthracenes have been studied as conformational transducers for molecular signal transduction. 2,2'-Bipyridine groups attached to the perhydroanthracene through ether linkages were chosen as receptor substituents, while pyrene groups were selected as effectors. A chelation-induced triple ring flip of the perhydroanthracene could be achieved by the complexation of zinc(II) ions at the bipyridine sites of ligands 13 and 15. It was found that two pyrene substituents attached to the perhydroanthracene via a linker with an E double bond and an ester group could be used to monitor the triple ring flip. In the equatorial positions, the pyrenes are sufficiently close to form an excimer in the excited state, giving a fluorescence signal at 480 nm. In the axial positions, they are far away from each other and give mainly a monomer fluorescence signal at 380 nm. Both the bipyridine receptor and the pyrene effector are present in compound 33. The conformational switching 34-->35 (the two conformers of 33) has successfully been used for a signal transduction over a signal distance of 2 nm.


Estimation and control of atmospheric emissions of chloroform and dichloromethane due to laboratory activity.
In Japanese universities, the management of chemical reagents has become an important issue in preserving the environment and the health of students and researchers. It is thus necessary to estimate the levels of chemical emissions into the environment and to measure working-environment chemical levels in laboratories. However, there are many laboratories in universities using many chemical reagents for their own needs. Hence, it is difficult for universities to quantitate the amount of chemicals on campus, and there is a lack of information about laboratory environment chemical levels. In this study, the material balance of chloroform and dichloromethane (DCM) in Kyoto University was examined, and the emission rates of chloroform and DCM were estimated to be 37-50% and 50-70%, respectively. These chemicals were thought to be volatilized mainly through reduced-pressure distillation. However, it was found that there was a loss of chemicals due to volatility, which researchers were unaware of, such as that during solvent recovery under reduced pressure and volatilization from containers of organic waste liquid. On the other hand, working-environment chemical levels were measured in several laboratories which used chloroform and DCM frequently. Even in such laboratories, the average concentrations of these chemicals were approximately 1 ppm at most measurement points.


Distinguishing late-onset stress symptomatology from posttraumatic stress disorder in older combat veterans.
To assess the discriminant validity of late-onset stress symptomatology (LOSS) in terms of its distinction from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The LOSS Scale, PTSD Checklist - Civilian Version, and related psychological measures were administered to 562 older male combat veterans via a mailed questionnaire. Analyses focused on: (a) comparing associations of LOSS and PTSD with other psychological variables and (b) examining a hypothesized curvilinear relationship between LOSS and PTSD scores. Compared to PTSD, LOSS was more strongly associated with concerns about retirement and less strongly associated with depression, anxiety, sense of mastery, and satisfaction with life. LOSS also demonstrated a curvilinear relationship with PTSD, such that the positive association between LOSS and PTSD diminished at higher levels of PTSD. LOSS is conceptually and statistically more strongly associated with a normative late-life stressor than is PTSD, but is less strongly related to mental health symptoms and emotional well-being. Additionally, LOSS seems more related to subthreshold PTSD than it is to clinically significant PTSD. The present findings support the discriminant validity of LOSS.


Learning from a leader: an interview with Jean L. Bolognia, MD.
Jean L. Bolognia, MD, fulfills an important role in educating dermatologists in all phases of their careers. The textbook Dermatology, for which she served as senior editor, is highly regarded as a comprehensive work covering the breadth of our field with outstanding illustrations, tables, and schematics that facilitate understanding for our visually geared specialty. When Dr. Bolognia visited the State University of New York at Stony Brook to speak at our Grand Rounds, I took the opportunity to glean valuable insights about the book as well as pearls for dermatology residents from an accomplished academic clinician.


Effects of Cisplatin Combined with Metformin on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an invasive squamous cell carcinoma located in the nasopharynx. NPC has a high recurrence risk after initial treatment due to its high metastatic and immune escape potential. One study has found that metformin can improve cancer outcomes and reduce cancer incidence. With antitumor activity, metformin can have low toxicity when used in combination with some common chemotherapy drugs. This study was designed to explore the effects of cisplatin combined with metformin on the proliferation and apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells. An appropriate cisplatin concentration was selected for NPC cells, and the cells were treated with metformin at a gradient concentration, and then, some of them were treated with cisplatin. Subsequently, the biological effects (activity, migration, invasion, and apoptosis) of metformin alone and metformin combined with cisplatin on NPC cells were evaluated. Metformin alone inhibited cell activity, migration, and invasion and promoted cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner, while compared with cisplatin alone, cisplatin combined with metformin had stronger inhibition on cell activity, migration, and invasion and stronger induction to cell apoptosis, and a higher concentration of them demonstrated stronger effects. Cisplatin combined with metformin can strongly inhibit the activity of NPC cells and promote their apoptosis.


The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement: A systematic review with meta-analysis.
To identify, through the conscientious, explicit and judicious use, the evidence about health behaviors and situations included in the decision making on individuals belonging to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group in the context of ethnic disparities and sexual minorities. A systematic review with meta-analysis meta-synthesis from searches in electronic databases SCOPUS and Virtual Health Library (VHL), portal that hosts databases such as MEDLINE, using the following descriptors MeSH (Medical Subject Headings): 'Sexual Minorities', 'Health', 'African Continental Ancestry Group' and 'Brazil'. To achieve safe and reproducible research, the authors decided to gather the descriptors using Boolean operators AND and OR, in the following manner: in the VHL, Sexual Minorities AND Health AND African Continental Ancestry Group OR Brazil; in SCOPUS, Sexual Minorities AND Health AND African Continental Ancestry Group. The selection of articles occurred in two stages. Of the 52 results found, this study included 14 articles, according to the stages of screening and eligibility criteria. The research carried out proved to be scarce when related to Brazil, so that the review was constructed from studies carried out in international environment. The scarcity of studies in this area suggested lack of knowledge on the health profiles of the LGBT Afro Population. The individualized attention proved to be insufficient and reveals the need for training health professionals aware of the aspects and health care for this population, with a view to implementing integral health policies that already exist.


A monoclonal antibody to beta-tubulin distinguishes a subset of neurons and axons in the chick ciliary ganglion.
A monoclonal antibody, called mabPS2, has been produced by injecting mice with purified postsynaptic densities from adult rat brain. The antibody reacts with an epitope of beta-tubulin which is not found on the alpha-tubulin subunit. In the chick ciliary ganglion mabPS2 reacts both with some large and some small neuron. mabPS2 also labels a subset of myelinated, as well as some unmyelinated axons. Higher magnification of longitudinal sections of axons shows that the reaction product is associated with microtubules. The nerve terminals on the ciliary neurons are also labelled and at higher magnification the label is seen to be distributed generally throughout the cytosol and especially concentrated on the membranes of synaptic vesicles. mabPS2 can therefore be used a a differentiation marker for neurons in chick ciliary ganglion.


[Acute chlamydial lesions of the nervous system: etiology, diagnosis, clinical aspects].
The examination of 180 patients with acute neuroinfection (105 males, 75 females at the age from 18 to 45 years) has detected C. trachomatis in 23.8%, C. Pneumoniae in 66.6%, C. psittaci in 9.5% patients. Acute and chlamydial lesions of the central nervous system were characterized by all forms of neuroinfection: serous and purulent meningitides, meningoencephalitides. Development of acute neuroinfection is accompanied by sluggish chlamydial infection of the viscera.


Glass Ionomer Subgingival Matrix Technique to Restore a Tooth with Severe Root Resorption for Implant Site Development.
Here, we present the multidisciplinary, patient-specific management of a patient with severe external root resorption and bone loss in a maxillary anterior tooth. The tooth was provisionally noninvasively restored with glass ionomer subgingival matrix in preparation for forced orthodontic extrusion, papillary preservation, and implant placement. This approach enables clinicians to control infection within and around the resorbed tooth and then to use it as an anchor for slow forced tooth eruption to correct bone and mucogingival deformities. Aesthetic and functional outcomes were clinically and radiographically satisfactory. The advantages and disadvantages of this technique are discussed.


HPV E6/E7 mRNA test for the detection of high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+): a systematic review.
Genital infection with certain types of Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major cause of cervical cancer globally. For early detection of premalignant dysplasia, evidences are coming out on the usefulness of HPV E6/E7 mRNA test as a potential tool compared with cytology and HPV DNA testing. Taking into account shortage of compiled data on this field, the aim of this systematic review was to describe the latest diagnostic performance of HPV E6/E7 mRNA testing to detect high grade cervical lesions (CIN2+) where by histology was taken as a gold standard. Articles published in English were systematically searched using key words from PubMed/Medline and SCOPUS. In addition, Google Scholar and the Google database were searched manually for grey literature. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, risk of bias and extracted the data. We performed a descriptive presentation of the performance of E6/E7 mRNA test (in terms of sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values) for the detection of CIN2 + . Out of 231 applicable citations, we have included 29 articles that included a total of 23,576 study participants (age range, 15-84 years) who had different cervical pathologies. Among the participants who had cervical histology, the proportion of CIN2+ was between 10.6 and 90.6%. Using histology as a gold standard, 11 studies evaluated the PreTect HPV Proofer, 7 studies evaluated the APTIMA HPV assay (Gen-Probe) and 6 studies evaluated the Quantivirus® HPV assay. The diagnostic performance of these three most common mRNA testing tools to detect CIN2+ was; 1) PreTect Proofer; median sensitivity 83%, specificity 73%, PPV 70 and NPV 88.9%. 2) APTIMA assay; median sensitivity 91.4%, specificity 46.2%, PPV 34.3% and NPV 96.3%. 3) Quantivirus®: median sensitivity 86.1%, specificity 54.6%, PPV 54.3% and NPV was at 89.3%. Further, the area under the receiver operating characteristics (AU-ROC) curve varied between 63.8 and 90.9%. The reported diagnostic accuracy implies that HPV mRNA based tests possess diagnostic relevance to detect CIN2+ and could potentially be considered in areas where there is no histology facility. Further studies including its cost should be considered.


Efficient confidence bounds for ROC curves.
The specificity and sensitivity of a quantitative diagnostic marker depends on the selected cut-off point. The ROC curve is generated by plotting sensitivity against specificity as the cut-off point runs through the whole range of possible marker values. Confidence bounds for ROC curves may be constructed by combining two separate confidence intervals for sensitivity and specificity. In the present paper, a more efficient method, which is based on a statistical test introduced by Greenhouse and Mantel, is presented. The resulting 95 per cent confidence intervals are up to 40 per cent smaller. A formula is given to calculate the sample size necessary to obtain a confidence interval of a stipulated length at a specified point of the ROC curve. As an example, the performance of a tumour marker in the diagnosis of bone marrow metastases is investigated.


Endocrine disruptors and environmental origins of diseases: Integrating data for a new model of environmental health patient support
Environmental diseases are increasing globally and the sources of contamination are multiple: indoor and outdoor air, food, cosmetics, drinking and irrigation water.Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are among the causes of the increasing presence of chronic diseases. There are periods of vulnerability—in particular during pregnancy, childhood, and puberty—when these substances can modify the functioning and establishment of major functions such as brain development, the various endocrine systems, the gonads, and the regulation of fatty tissue.Recent studies show the general population's widespread exposure to endocrine disruptors, either persistent (accumulating over time) or non-persistent (but with permanent exposure). However, the consideration of EDCs in clinical practice remains marginal, even though doing so could reduce the risk of diseases linked to environmental factors and positively influence the natural evolution of a chronic disease when it is diagnosed. The aim of this article is to clarify the concepts associated with the exposome and to list the main scientific data attesting to the effects of endocrine disruptors on health in order to draw up clinical, teaching, and research perspectives.


Differentiation-enhanced binding of the amino-terminal fragment of human urokinase plasminogen activator to a specific receptor on U937 monocytes.
The purified amino-terminal fragment (ATF) of human urokinase plasminogen activator (residues 1-135), which is not required for activation of plasminogen, binds with high affinity to specific plasma membrane receptors on U937 monocytes. Intact urokinase efficiently competes for 125I-labeled ATF binding; 50% competition occurs with 1 nM urokinase. A large part of receptor-bound urokinase remains on the cell surface for at least 2 hr at 37 degrees C. Differentiation of U937 monocytes into macrophage-like cells specifically increases ATF binding 10- to 20-fold. These results suggest an important role for urokinase in monocyte/macrophage biology: the native enzyme binds to the cells with the amino-terminal domain; the catalytic, carboxyl-terminal domain remains exposed on the cell surface to stimulate localized proteolysis and facilitate cell migration.


Co-Training for Deep Object Detection: Comparing Single-Modal and Multi-Modal Approaches.
Top-performing computer vision models are powered by convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Training an accurate CNN highly depends on both the raw sensor data and their associated ground truth (GT). Collecting such GT is usually done through human labeling, which is time-consuming and does not scale as we wish. This data-labeling bottleneck may be intensified due to domain shifts among image sensors, which could force per-sensor data labeling. In this paper, we focus on the use of co-training, a semi-supervised learning (SSL) method, for obtaining self-labeled object bounding boxes (BBs), i.e., the GT to train deep object detectors. In particular, we assess the goodness of multi-modal co-training by relying on two different views of an image, namely, appearance (RGB) and estimated depth (D). Moreover, we compare appearance-based single-modal co-training with multi-modal. Our results suggest that in a standard SSL setting (no domain shift, a few human-labeled data) and under virtual-to-real domain shift (many virtual-world labeled data, no human-labeled data) multi-modal co-training outperforms single-modal. In the latter case, by performing GAN-based domain translation both co-training modalities are on par, at least when using an off-the-shelf depth estimation model not specifically trained on the translated images.


Report of the AAPS Guidance Forum on the FDA Draft Guidance for Industry: "Drug Products, Including Biological Products, that Contain Nanomaterials".
To guide developers of innovative and generic drug products that contain nanomaterials, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the draft guidance for industry titled: "Drug Products, Including Biological Products, that Contain Nanomaterials" in December 2017. During the AAPS Guidance Forum on September 11, 2018, participants from industry, academia, and regulatory bodies discussed this draft guidance in an open setting. Two questions raised by the AAPS membership were discussed in more detail: what is the appropriate regulatory pathway for approval of drug products containing nanomaterials, and how to determine critical quality attributes (CQAs) for nanomaterials? During the meeting, clarification was provided on how the new FDA center-led guidance relates to older, specific nanomaterial class, or specific product-related guidances. The lively discussions concluded with some clear observations and recommendations: (I) Important lessons can be learned from how CQAs were determined for, e.g., biologics. (II) Publication of ongoing scientific discussions on strategies and studies determining CQAs of drug products containing nanomaterials will significantly strengthen the science base on this topic. Furthermore, (III) alignment on a global level on how to address new questions regarding nanomedicine development protocols will add to efficient development and approval of these much needed candidate nanomedicines (innovative and generic). Public meetings such as the AAPS Guidance Forum may serve as the place to have these discussions.


Expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ in rat retina during development.
To evaluate the spatiotemporal expression pattern of PPARγ in embryonic and early postnatal stages of rat retina. Fetal rats were collected at 13-18d of gestation (GD) from pregnant females and postnatal rats at 1d (P1) and 5d (P5) after birth were also used. We used RT-PCR to detect PPARγ mRNA and immunohistochemical to observe PPARγ protein. And at last, we chose HE staining showed the structural changes of rat retina during development. RT-PCR analysis showed that PPARγ mRNA was expressed as early as GD13 and gradually decreased as maturation continued. However, the PPARγ gene expression significantly increased after birth, especially in P5. Immunohistochemical analysis showed PPARγ protein was expressed throughout the retinal neuroepithelium at GD13 and GD14, and then decreased during late embryogenesis but remained relatively high in the predicted ganglion cell zone. During postnatal development, PPARγ protein was remarkably increased and the positive signals were mainly located in nerve fiber layer (NFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL) and outer layers of the retina. The spatiotemporal changes of PPARγ expression demonstrated that PPARγ might play a role in regulating the differentiation and maturation of retinal cells.


Temporomandibular disorders in patients with craniocervical dystonia.
Temporomandibular disorders are a set of musculoskeletal dysfunctions within the masticatory system, with multiple etiologies. Since craniocervical dystonia can involve the same neuromuscular structure as the temporomandibular joint, we sought to assess the correlation between temporomandibular disorders and craniocervical dystonia. We applied the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders to 42 patients with craniocervical dystonia, in order to identify orofacial pain and temporomandibular characteristics on the day of botulinum toxin injection. Twenty-two patients (52.3%) reported temporomandibular joint pain; 24 (57.1%), joint sounds; 20 (47.6%), masticatory muscle pain; and 21 (50%), diminished jaw mobility. The patients with oromandibular dystonia presented temporomandibular disorders more frequently than did patients with other types of craniocervical dystonia (p<0.001). Temporomandibular disorders occur frequently in patients with oromandibular dystonia. Further studies should address the proper treatment of temporomandibular disorders associated with dystonia.


Effect of Initial Graft Tension During Anterior Talofibular Ligament Reconstruction on Ankle Kinematics, Laxity, and In Situ Forces of the Reconstructed Graft.
Although a variety of surgical procedures for anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) reconstruction have been reported, the effect of initial graft tension during ATFL reconstruction remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of initial graft tension on ATFL reconstruction. We hypothesized that a high degree of initial graft tension would cause abnormal kinematics and laxity. Controlled laboratory study. Twelve cadaveric ankles were tested with a robotic system with 6 degrees of freedom to apply passive plantarflexion and dorsiflexion motions and a multidirectional load. A repeated measures experiment was designed with the intact ATFL, transected ATFL, and reconstructed ATFL at initial tension conditions of 10, 30, 50, and 70 N. The 3-dimensional path and reconstructed graft tension were simultaneously recorded, and the in situ forces of the ATFL and reconstructed graft were calculated with the principle of superposition. Initial tension of 10 N was sufficient to imitate normal ankle kinematics and laxity, which were not significantly different when compared with those of the intact ankles. The in situ force on the reconstructed graft tended to increase as the initial tension increased. In situ force on the reconstructed graft >30 N was significantly greater than that of intact ankles. The in situ force on the ATFL was 19 N at 30° of plantarflexion. In situ forces of 21.9, 30.4, 38.2, and 46.8 N were observed at initial tensions of 10, 30, 50, and 70 N, respectively, at 30° of plantarflexion. Approximate ankle kinematic patterns and sufficient laxity, even with an initial tension of 10 N, could be obtained immediately after ATFL reconstruction. Moreover, excessive initial graft tension during ATFL reconstruction caused excessive in situ force on the reconstructed graft. This study revealed the effects of initial graft tension during ATFL reconstruction. These data suggest that excessive tension during ATFL reconstruction should be avoided to ensure restoration of normal ankle motion.


EST mining identifies proteins putatively secreted by the anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum truncatum.
Colletotrichum truncatum is a haploid, hemibiotrophic, ascomycete fungal pathogen that causes anthracnose disease on many economically important leguminous crops. This pathogen exploits sequential biotrophic- and necrotrophic- infection strategies to colonize the host. Transition from biotrophy to a destructive necrotrophic phase called the biotrophy-necrotrophy switch is critical in symptom development. C. truncatum likely secretes an arsenal of proteins that are implicated in maintaining a compatible interaction with its host. Some of them might be transition specific. A directional cDNA library was constructed from mRNA isolated from infected Lens culinaris leaflet tissues displaying the biotrophy-necrotrophy switch of C. truncatum and 5000 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) with an average read of > 600 bp from the 5-prime end were generated. Nearly 39% of the ESTs were predicted to encode proteins of fungal origin and among these, 162 ESTs were predicted to contain N-terminal signal peptides (SPs) in their deduced open reading frames (ORFs). The 162 sequences could be assembled into 122 tentative unigenes comprising 32 contigs and 90 singletons. Sequence analyses of unigenes revealed four potential groups: hydrolases, cell envelope associated proteins (CEAPs), candidate effectors and other proteins. Eleven candidate effector genes were identified based on features common to characterized fungal effectors, i.e. they encode small, soluble (lack of transmembrane domain), cysteine-rich proteins with a putative SP. For a selected subset of CEAPs and candidate effectors, semiquantitative RT-PCR showed that these transcripts were either expressed constitutively in both in vitro and in planta or induced during plant infection. Using potato virus X (PVX) based transient expression assays, we showed that one of the candidate effectors, i. e. contig 8 that encodes a cerato-platanin (CP) domain containing protein, unlike CP proteins from other fungal pathogens was unable to elicit a hypersensitive response (HR). The current study catalogues proteins putatively secreted at the in planta biotrophy-necrotrophy transition of C. truncatum. Some of these proteins may have a role in establishing compatible interaction with the host plant.


ABCB1 Can Actively Pump-out the Background-Free Tame Fluorescent Probe CO-1 From Live Cells.
Cell labelling using a small fluorescent probe is an important technique in biomedical sciences. We previously developed a biocompatible and membrane-permeable probe, CO-1, which has low nonspecific binding affinity towards nontarget molecules. Although this background-free tame probe has been utilized for labelling of various intracellular biomolecules in live cells, the probes' backgroung-free staining mechanism was not fully understood. Here, we propose that Gating-Oriented Live-cell Distinction (GOLD) mechanism occurs when ABCB1 transporter removes unbound CO-1 molecules from mammalian cells and, in a minor role, DIRC2 pumps CO-1 out from lysosomes. We also showed that solute carrier transporters were not involved in carrying CO-1 inside of cells. The role of reporters in assisting the probes' influx-efflux was analyzed by the combination of CRISPR library sceenings and inhibitors test. In summary, tame probe CO-1 cellular staining occurs in a dual mechanism where the probe moves freely through the cells membrane, but its washable property can be directly related to the action of ABCB1 transporter.


Natural coagulation inhibitor proteins in young patients with cerebral ischemia.
Disturbances of coagulation and fibrinolytic pathways were studied in 53 young patients with cerebral ischemia. Upon admission 26 of 53 patients had abnormality in at least one of the antithrombin-III, protein C, protein S activities or in activated protein C (APC) ratios. Three months after the first examination the majority of the previously detected abnormalities returned to normal values and the most frequent alterations were decrease in protein S activity (3 patients) and APC resistance (3 patients). Conditions resulting in impaired fibrinolysis were frequently detected upon admission. Elevation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, lipoprotein (a), and alpha-2-antiplasmin was present in 23, 10, and 4 cases, respectively. It is concluded that abnormalities of coagulation as well as of the fibrinolytic systems are prevalent in the acute phase of cerebral ischemia, however, the results may be significantly influenced by the disease process or the acute phase effect.