Estimation of sound pressure levels of voiced speech from skin vibration of the neck.
How accurately can sound pressure levels (SPLs) of speech be estimated from skin vibration of the neck? Measurements using a small accelerometer were carried out in 27 subjects (10 males and 17 females) who read Rainbow and Marvin Williams passages in soft, comfortable, and loud voice, while skin acceleration levels (SALs) and SPLs were simultaneously registered and analyzed every 30 ms. The results indicate that the mean SPL of voiced speech can be estimated with accuracy better than +/-2.8 dB in 95% of the cases when the subjects are individually calibrated. This makes the accelerometer an interesting sensor for SPL measurement of speech when microphones are problematic to use (e.g., noisy environments or in voice dosimetry). The estimates of equivalent SPL, which is the logarithm of averaged relative energy of voiced speech, were found to be up to 1.5 dB less accurate than the mean SPL. The estimation accuracy for instantaneous SPLs was worse than for the mean and equivalent SPLs (on average +/-6 and +/-5 dB for males and females, respectively).


[Hematological workup in cases of recurrent early miscarriages: what evidences?]
Recurrent miscarriages have a major psychological and somatic impact, as well as a significant economic burden. An etiological work-up should be offered after two or three miscarriages, the threshold varying from one scientific society to another. However, the proposed biological work-up must be justified by scientific evidence. A simple blood count, basic coagulation tests including fibrinogen assay and anti-phospholipid antibodies testing should be performed initially. Hereditary thrombophilia testing should only be carried out if there is a history of maternal thrombosis. In the event of an abnormality, management should be multidisciplinary, and the prescription of medication should follow recommended guidelines. Prophylactic treatment is not justified in the absence of a known etiology.


Impaired antiviral activity of monocytes from patients on hemodiafiltration.
The aim of our study was to determine whether intermittent hemodiafiltration (HDF) leads to an alteration in monocyte antiviral activity as well as in the in vitro release of cytokines such as interleukin-12 (IL-12), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) by the same cells. We enrolled 25 patients undergoing HDF for 3.5-4 hours 3 times a week (12 men, 13 women; mean age 58 +/- 6.7 years) and 25 healthy donors (ND) (12 men, 13 women; mean age 57 +/- 8 years). Monocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated with a Monocyte Isolation Kit II. Monocytic cells were infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Cytokines were assayed in supernatants. The in vitro antiviral activity of monocytes from HDF patients was significantly impaired with respect to ND. Furthermore, monocytes from post-HDF patients were more prone to viral infection. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation induced significant viral inhibition only in monocytes from NDs (p<0.05). The cytokine pattern (TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha and IL-12) in monocytes stimulated with LPS was markedly inhibited in HDF patients compared with ND (p<0.05). A basal production of TNF-alpha was found in monocytes from pre-HDF and post-HDF patients. No IFN-alpha production was found in LPS-stimulated and HSV-2-infected monocytes from pre-HDF and post-HDF patients. IL-12 production appeared significantly decreased after HDF in all experimental conditions (p<0.05). The significant increase of viral replication in monocytes from HDF patients compared with healthy donors could be related to a significant reduction of cytokine production. Moreover, the dialytic session influenced the intrinsic antiviral activity of monocytes, favoring viral replication.


Elder Financial Exploitation in the Digital Age.
Elder financial abuse violates the dignity, mental integrity, and fundamental rights of older adults. Reports of elder financial exploitation climbed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many older adults were targeted by perpetrators seeking to take advantage of their worries about health and finances, increased isolation, and relative lack of familiarity with the digital technologies prevalent in their everyday lives. This article examines trends in usage of electronic financial technologies by older adults and describes new technology-based mechanisms of elder financial exploitation. We review the conceptual approaches and instruments used in financial capacity assessments, as well as the limitations of their applicability to the growing cohort of older adults who have adopted modern digital technologies to manage finances. We discuss elder abuse statutes and the variations in legal definitions of protected older adults and the perpetrators who can be held accountable for elder financial exploitation. In addition, we explore new directions for elaborating current approaches to financial capacity assessments and elder protection to address the demands and perils of the technology-driven postpandemic era.


Genetic and Physiological Effects of Insulin on Human Urate Homeostasis.
Insulin and hyperinsulinemia reduce renal fractional excretion of urate (FeU) and play a key role in the genesis of hyperuricemia and gout, via uncharacterized mechanisms. To explore this association further we studied the effects of genetic variation in insulin-associated pathways on serum urate (SU) levels and the physiological effects of insulin on urate transporters. We found that urate-associated variants in the human insulin (INS), insulin receptor (INSR), and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1) loci associate with the expression of the insulin-like growth factor 2, IRS1, INSR, and ZNF358 genes; additionally, we found genetic interaction between SLC2A9 and the three loci, most evident in women. We also found that insulin stimulates the expression of GLUT9 and increases [14C]-urate uptake in human proximal tubular cells (PTC-05) and HEK293T cells, transport activity that was effectively abrogated by uricosurics or inhibitors of protein tyrosine kinase (PTK), PI3 kinase, MEK/ERK, or p38 MAPK. Heterologous expression of individual urate transporters in Xenopus oocytes revealed that the [14C]-urate transport activities of GLUT9a, GLUT9b, OAT10, OAT3, OAT1, NPT1 and ABCG2 are directly activated by insulin signaling, through PI3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt, MEK/ERK and/or p38 MAPK. Given that the high-capacity urate transporter GLUT9a is the exclusive basolateral exit pathway for reabsorbed urate from the renal proximal tubule into the blood, that insulin stimulates both GLUT9 expression and urate transport activity more than other urate transporters, and that SLC2A9 shows genetic interaction with urate-associated insulin-signaling loci, we postulate that the anti-uricosuric effect of insulin is primarily due to the enhanced expression and activation of GLUT9.


Relationship between muscle-tendon length, range of motion, and resistance to passive movement in children with normal and increased tone.
[Purpose] The aim of this study was to quantify the resistance to passive movement by measuring changes in muscle-tendon length and joint range of motion (ROM), before and after applying a standardized 5-kilogram tension force, and to correlate and compare these changes to muscle tone. [Subjects and Methods] Children with cerebral palsy (n=29) and typically developed children (n=12) participated in this observational study. The modified Ashworth scale (MAS) was used to assess tone in the right plantarflexor muscle. An ultrasound-imaging device was used to measure Δmuscle-tendon length in the right medial gastrocnemius muscle, and a goniometer was used to measure right ankle ΔROM. [Results] Compared with the MAS, the results showed that ΔROM had the highest construct validity (convergent and discriminant) followed by Δmuscle-tendon unit length. Therefore, these parameters may be better alternatives to the MAS for the quantitative assessment of resistance to passive movement in patients with increased tone. [Conclusion] This study demonstrated that measuring the change in the passive properties of the muscle-tendon unit, as well as the corresponding change in ROM, might provide better options for assessing resistance to passive movement or muscle tone.


Identification of Targets for Subsequent Treatment of Crohn's Disease Patients After Failure of Anti-TNF Therapy.
Anti-TNF medications are the first-line treatment for Crohn's Disease (CD), despite the fact that a significant portion of the population continues to be ineffectively treated. This research aims to discover accurate intervention targets for the follow-up of anti-TNF non-responders using bioinformatics technology. GSE16879, GSE111761, and GSE52746 retrieved from the GEO database. Unbiased differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were discovered utilizing the limma and RobustRankAggreg (RRA) tools. Then, we used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the module most strongly associated with non responders and subjected this module to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis with overlapping genes of the DEGs. GSEA analysis applied to check the results of GO and KEGG. Using the Cytoscape program, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. The software's MCODE addon and CytoHubba addon was used to find the most important modules and the hub genes. Subsequently, we employed reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to confirm hub gene expression from mucosal biopsy specimens. There were a total of 142 genes co-upregulated and 65 genes co-downregulated. According to the WGCNA analysis, 42 genes were duplicated inside the light cyan module. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of overlapped genes in nonresponders demonstrated an increase in the expression of genes associated with inflammation and immune response, consistent with GSEA results. The PPI network was constructed using 41 protein nodes and 177 edges. After validation, 8 of the top 10 genes were verified to be differentially expressed. Our investigation is the first to integrate three CD databases after the anti-TNF medication treatment. We identified IL1B, CCL4, CXCL1, CXCL10, CCL3, CSF3, TREM1, and IL1RN as potential therapeutic targets for patients whose anti-TNF treatment failed.


A mixed mover-stayer model for spatiotemporal two-state processes.
Studies of recurring infection or chronic disease often collect longitudinal data on the disease status of subjects. Two-state transitional models are useful for analysis in such studies where, at any point in time, an individual may be said to occupy either a diseased or disease-free state and interest centers on the transition process between states. Here, two additional features are present. The data are spatially arranged and it is important to account for spatial correlation in the transitional processes corresponding to different subjects. In addition there are subgroups of individuals with different mechanisms of transitions. These subgroups are not known a priori and hence group membership must be estimated. Covariates modulating transitions are included in a logistic additive framework. Inference for the resulting mixture spatial Markov regression model is not straightforward. We develop here a Monte Carlo expectation maximization algorithm for maximum likelihood estimation and a Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling scheme for summarizing the posterior distribution in a Bayesian analysis. The methodology is applied to a study of recurrent weevil infestation in British Columbia forests.


Lipoic acid acutely induces hypoglycemia in fasting nondiabetic and diabetic rats.
Lipoic acid (LA) is a unique antioxidant that increases peripheral glucose utilization in diabetic patients. This study was conducted to investigate whether the inhibition of glucose production could be an additional mechanism for the action of LA. Intravenous (i.v.) LA injection (100 or 60 mg/kg body weight) to fasting nondiabetic or streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats caused a rapid reduction in blood glucose with no effect on circulating insulin levels. In vivo conversion of fructose to glucose was not inhibited by LA, whereas the gluconeogenesis flux from alanine was completely prevented. Reduced liver pyruvate carboxylase (PC) activity in vivo is suggested by the finding that LA induced a decrease in liver coenzyme A (CoA) content (44% and 28% reduction in nondiabetic and diabetic rats, respectively, compared with vehicle-treated animals) and liver acetyl CoA content (80% and 67% reduction in nondiabetic and diabetic rats, respectively). A reduction in plasma free carnitine (42% and 22% in nondiabetic and diabetic rats, respectively) was observed in LA-treated animals, and acylcarnitine levels were increased twofold. This could be attributed to elevated levels of C16 and C18 acylcarnitine, without a detectable accumulation of lipoylcarnitine. Under such conditions, a significant increase in the plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration (204% in nondiabetic and 151% in diabetic animals) with no elevation in beta-hydroxybutyrate levels was noted. In conclusion, this study suggests that short-term administration of LA at high dosage to normal and diabetic rats causes an inhibition of gluconeogenesis secondary to an interference with hepatic fatty acid oxidation. This may render LA an antihyperglycemic agent for the treatment of diabetic subjects, who display glucose overproduction as a major metabolic abnormality.


125I brachytherapy of locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer after one cycle of first-line chemotherapy: a comparison with best supportive care.
The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided 125I brachytherapy alone in improving the survival and quality of life of patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after one cycle of first-line chemotherapy. Sixteen patients with locally advanced NSCLC were treated with CT-guided 125I brachytherapy after one cycle of first-line chemotherapy (group A). Sixteen patients who received only best supportive care (group B) were matched up with the patients in group A. Primary end point included survival, and secondary end point included assessment of safety, effectiveness of CT-guided 125I brachytherapy, and improvement in the quality of life. The two groups were well balanced in terms of age, disease histology, tumor stage, tumor location, and performance status (P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 16 months (range, 3-30). The total tumor response rate was 75.0% in group A, which was significantly higher than that in group B (0.0%) (P<0.01). The median progression-free survival time was 4.80 months for patients in group A and 1.35 months for patients in group B (P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the median survival time of group A was 9.4±0.3 months versus 8.4±0.1 months in group B (P=0.013). Tumor-related symptoms of patients were significantly relieved, and the quality of life was markedly improved in group A than in group B. CT-guided 125I brachytherapy improved the survival of patients with locally advanced NSCLC and quality of life after one cycle of first-line chemotherapy compared with best supportive care.


Advances of Salivary Proteomics in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) Detection: An Update.
Oral cancer refers to malignancies that have higher morbidity and mortality rates due to the late stage diagnosis and no early detection of a reliable diagnostic marker, while oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is amongst the world's top ten most common cancers. Diagnosis of cancer requires highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools which can support untraceable hidden sites of OSCC, yet to be unleashed, for which plenty of biomarkers are identified; the most recommended biomarker detection medium for OSCC includes biological fluids, such as blood and saliva. Saliva holds a promising future in the search for new clinical biomarkers that are easily accessible, less complex, accurate, and cost effective as well as being a non-invasive technique to follow, by analysing the malignant cells' molecular pathology obtained from saliva through proteomic, genomic and transcriptomic approaches. However, protein biomarkers provide an immense potential for developing novel marker-based assays for oral cancer, hence this current review offers an overall focus on the discovery of a panel of candidates as salivary protein biomarkers, as well as the proteomic tools used for their identification and their significance in early oral cancer detection.


Interaction Between MUC1 and STAT1 Drives IFITM1 Overexpression in Aromatase Inhibitor-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells and Mediates Estrogen-Induced Apoptosis.
The human oncoprotein, mucin 1 (MUC1), drives tumorigenesis in breast carcinomas by promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), epigenetic reprogramming, and evasion of immune response. MUC1 interacts with STAT1, through JAK/STAT signaling, and stimulates transcription of IFN-stimulated genes, specifically IFN-induced transmembrane protein 1 (IFITM1). Our laboratory has previously shown that IFITM1 overexpression in aromatase inhibitor (AI)-resistant breast cancer cells promotes aggressiveness. Here, we demonstrate that differential regulation of MUC1 in AI-sensitive (MCF-7 and T-47D) compared with AI-resistant (MCF-7:5C) cells is critical in mediating IFITM1 expression. A tumor microarray of 94 estrogen receptor-positive human breast tumors correlated coexpression of MUC1 and IFITM1 with poor recurrence-free survival, poor overall survival, and AI-resistance. In this study, we investigated the effects of MUC1/IFITM1 on cell survival and proliferation. We knocked down MUC1 levels with siRNA and pharmacologic inhibitors, which abrogated IFITM1 mRNA and protein expression and induced cell death in AI-resistant cells. In vivo, estrogen and ruxolitinib significantly reduced tumor size and decreased expression of MUC1, P-STAT1, and IFITM1. IMPLICATIONS: MUC1 and IFITM1 overexpression drives AI resistance and can be targeted with currently available therapies.Visual Overview: http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/molcanres/17/5/1180/F1.large.jpg.


Complete AV-block secondary to lithium-clozapine therapy and relapsing multiple sclerosis in a bipolar patient.
A complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) can be a lethal complication when it is not treated directly with isoprenaline and pacemaker therapy. The overall incidence of CAVB varies between 4 to 8 per cent with a mortality OR of 3.2 within 30 days if untreated. Main causes of CAVB are inferior myocardial infarction, congenital AV node malformation, mitral valve insufficiency and valve surgery, metabolic disorders and intoxications. The authors describe a case with a CAVB due to lithium-clozapine therapy and relapsing multiple sclerosis.


Modulation of emission and singlet oxygen photosensitisation in live cells utilising bioorthogonal phosphorogenic probes and protein tag technology.
Herein we report a strategy to utilise the bioorthogonal reactivity and phosphorogenic property of iridium(iii) polypyridine nitrone complexes and SNAP-tag protein for the modulation of emission and singlet oxygen (1O2) photosensitisation in live cells.


Morphological characterization of point patterns.
A triplet of function s for the statistical characterization of planar point patterns is introduced. They are related to the integral-geometric quantities area, boundary length and Euler number of patterns of discs centred at the given points. These functions are able to give information on the distribution of a given point pattern which the traditional summary statistics of point process theory do not offer and so can lead to an improved statistical description. The paper describes the statistical estimation of the new characteristics. Some examples illustrate their application in the exploratory analysis of point patterns of tree positions in forests, in comparison to results obtained by means of second-order and distance characteristics.


Non-COVID-19 cardiovascular pathology from return-to-play screening in college athletes after COVID-19.
Concerns for cardiac involvement after SARS-CoV-2 infection led to widespread cardiac testing in athletes. We examined incidental non-COVID-19 cardiovascular pathology in college athletes undergoing postinfection return-to-play screening. The Outcomes Registry for Cardiac Conditions in Athletes was a nationwide prospective multicentre observational cohort study that captured testing and outcomes data from 45 institutions (September 2020-June 2021). Athletes with an ECG and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and no pre-existing conditions were included. Findings were defined as major (associated with sudden cardiac death or requiring intervention), minor (warrants surveillance), incidental (no follow-up needed) or uncertain significance (abnormal with subsequent normal testing). Athletes with both ECG and TTE (n=2900, mean age 20±1, 32% female, 27% black) were included. 35 (1.2%) had ECG abnormalities. Of these, 2 (5.7%) had TTE abnormalities indicating cardiomyopathy (hypertrophic-1, dilated-1), and 1 with normal TTE had atrial fibrillation. Of 2865 (98.8%) athletes with a normal ECG, 54 (1.9%) had TTE abnormalities: 3 (5.6%) with aortic root dilatation ≥40 mm, 15 (27.8%) with minor abnormalities, 25 (46.3%) with incidental findings and 11 (20.4%) with findings of uncertain significance. Overall, 6 (0.2%) athletes had major conditions; however, coronary anatomy and aortic dimensions were inconsistently reported and pathology may have been missed. Major non-COVID-19 cardiovascular pathology was identified in 1/500 college athletes undergoing return-to-play screening. In athletes without ECG abnormalities, TTE's added value was limited to pathological aortic root dilatation in 1/1000 athletes and minor abnormalities warranting surveillance in 1/160 athletes. Two-thirds of findings were incidental or of uncertain significance.


Probing C-I bond fission in the UV photochemistry of 2-iodothiophene with core-to-valence transient absorption spectroscopy.
The UV photochemistry of small heteroaromatic molecules serves as a testbed for understanding fundamental photo-induced chemical transformations in moderately complex compounds, including isomerization, ring-opening, and molecular dissociation. Here, a combined experimental-theoretical study of 268 nm UV light-induced dynamics in 2-iodothiophene (C4H3IS) is performed. The dynamics are experimentally monitored with a femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) probe that measures iodine N-edge 4d core-to-valence transitions. Experiments are complemented by density functional theory calculations of both the pump-pulse induced valence excitations and the XUV probe-induced core-to-valence transitions. Possible intramolecular relaxation dynamics are investigated by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Gradual absorption changes up to ∼0.5 to 1 ps after excitation are observed for both the parent molecular species and emerging iodine fragments, with the latter appearing with a characteristic rise time of 160 ± 30 fs. Comparison of spectral intensities and energies with the calculations identifies an iodine dissociation pathway initiated by a predominant π → π* excitation. In contrast, initial excitation to a nearby n⟂ → σ* state appears unlikely based on a significantly smaller oscillator strength and the absence of any corresponding XUV absorption signatures. Excitation to the π → π* state is followed by contraction of the C-I bond, enabling a nonadiabatic transition to a dissociative π→σC-I* state. For the subsequent fragmentation, a relatively narrow bond-length region along the C-I stretch coordinate between 230 and 280 pm is identified, where the transition between the parent molecule and the thienyl radical + iodine atom products becomes prominent in the XUV spectrum due to rapid localization of two singly occupied molecular orbitals on the two fragments.


Quantitative testing of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine to identify urine sample spiking during office-based opioid treatment.
Patients may spike urine samples with buprenorphine during office-based opioid treatment to simulate adherence to prescribed buprenorphine, potentially to conceal diversion of medications. However, routine immunoassay screens do not detect instances of spiking, as these would simply result in a positive result. The aim of this study was to report on the experience of using quantitative urine testing for buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine to facilitate the identification of urine spiking. This is a retrospective chart review of 168 consecutive patients enrolled in outpatient buprenorphine treatment at an urban academic medical setting between May 2013 and August 2014. All urine samples submitted were subjected to quantitative urine toxicology testing for buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine. Norbuprenorphine-to-buprenorphine ratio of less than 0.02 were further examined for possible spiking. Demographic and clinical variables were also extracted from medical records. Clinical and demographic variables of those who did and did not spike their urines were compared. Statistically significant variables from the univariate testing were entered as predictors of spiking in a regression analysis. A total of 168 patients were included, submitting a total of 2275 urine samples. Patients provided on average 13.6 (SD = 9.9) samples, and were in treatment for an average 153.1 days (SD = 142.2). In total, 8 samples (0.35%) from 8 patients (4.8%) were deemed to be spiked. All of the samples suspected of spiking contained buprenorphine levels greater than 2000 ng/mL, with a mean norbuprenorphine level of 11.9 ng/mL. Spiked samples were submitted by 6 patients (75.0%) during the intensive outpatient (IOP) phase of treatment, 2 patients (25.0%) during the weekly phase, and none from the monthly phase. Regression analysis indicated that history of intravenous drug use and submission of cocaine-positive urine samples at baseline were significant predictors of urine spiking. Even though only a small number of patients were identified to have spiked their urine samples, quantitative testing may help identify urine spiking during office-based opioid treatment with buprenorphine.


[Hot saline irrigation as an alternative local adjuvant therapy in local aggressive bone tumors].
This study aimed to develop an alternative thermoinactivation method for biological inactivation of microscopic contamination on the cavity wall following curettage of local aggressive tumors. Hot saline irrigation was applied at various temperatures to bone cavity, with or without tourniquet on the extremity and temperature changes and local effects were investigated in vivo. Bone cavities 12 cm3 in size were created in the condylar regions of the hind legs in nine female adult sheep. The cavities were irrigated by hot saline solution at 60, 70, 75, 80, or 100 degrees C, with and without the presence of a tourniquet, and the temperatures 1, 2, 3, and 10 mm distant to the cavity wall were recorded. The animals were sacrificed postoperatively at 2 days, 3 and 6 weeks, and 3 and 7 months for histologic studies. The mean body temperature and temperature inside the bone prior to surgery were measured as 38.1 degrees C and 27.34 degrees C, respectively. Tourniquet application caused a mean decrease of 1.5 degrees C (range 1-2 degrees C) in bone temperature. The highest temperatures measured below 80 degrees C and at 80 degrees C were 55.5 degrees C and 62.5 degrees C in the cavity, and 40.5 degrees C and 42.5 degrees C in the bone, respectively. At 100 degrees C, the color of the bone together with the surrounding soft tissue and muscle tissue turned to yellow-brown-black, and the animal died on the second postoperative day. At temperatures <or=80 degrees C, the color of the bone and surrounding tissues appeared normal and no early complications were encountered. Histologic studies showed no bone marrow or bone necrosis at 60 degrees C, only bone marrow necrosis at 70 degrees C and 75 degrees C, and in addition to bone marrow necrosis, bone necrosis at 80 degrees C. At these temperatures no evidence for soft tissue necrosis were observed. Our results show that, in order to achieve bone necrosis at 1-mm and 2-mm distances from the cavity wall, the optimum temperature for hot saline irrigations applied to the bone cavity is 80 degrees C.


Pharmacological characterization of the quisqualate receptor coupled to phospholipase C (Qp) in striatal neurons.
A detailed pharmacological characterization of the quisqualate (QA) receptor coupled to phospholipase C (Qp) was performed in striatal neurons. The experiments were carried out in the presence of the ionotropic antagonists MK-801 (1 microM) and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (30 microM), concentrations that block N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or alpha-amino-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in these cells. QA, ibotenate and trans-1-aminocyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate (ACPD) evoked dose-dependent inositol phosphate formations with EC50 values of 0.3, 6.7 and 29 microM, respectively. QA and ibotenate had the same maximal effect (295.7 +/- 17.9% of basal, n = 6) whereas the efficacy of ACPD was somewhat lower (70.2 +/- 8.9% of the maximal quisqualate effect, n = 4). The QA-, ibotenate- and ACPD-induced maximal effects were not additive, and the inositol phosphate formations induced by high concentrations of L-aspartate (L-ASP), AMPA, kainate (KA) and domoate (DO) (100 microM or higher) were also not additive. The inositol phosphate responses induced by all these agonists were totally blocked by the phorbol ester phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PdBu), but not by atropine or prazosin suggesting that all these substances were able to stimulate the Qp excitatory amino acid receptor in striatal neurons. Of the excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists tested, only D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (D,L-AP3) inhibited QA-induced InsP formation in a competitive manner (mean pKi = 4.45 +/- 0.43, n = 4). However, this drug was also a partial agonist of the Qp receptor since it stimulated the inositol phosphate formation. We found that D,L-AP3 also inhibited NMDA-induced calcium increase, in a competitive manner (mean pIC50 = 4.34 +/- 0.22, n = 8, and mean pKi = 3.7 +/- 0.11, n = 5). The Qp excitatory amino acid receptor in striatal neurons therefore closely resembles Qp receptors with high potency for agonists as described in striatal and retinal slices and synaptoneurosomes, and has several pharmacological differences compared to the Qp receptors which have low potency for agonists described in hippocampal and cortical slices, cerebellar granule cells, astrocytes and rat brain mRNA-injected oocytes.


DNA microarray analysis of region-specific gene expression in the mouse epididymis.
Microarray analysis was carried out to identify genes with enriched expression in the initial segment region of the mouse epididymis. A set of approximately 15 000 clones developed at the National Institutes for Aging and consisting of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) derived from pre- and peri-implantation embryos, Embryonic Day 12.5 female gonad/mesonephros, and newborn ovary were hybridized with probes generated against the initial segment (epididymal region 1) and the remainder of the epididymis (epididymal regions 2-5). The median values for the normalized ratios of region 1 to regions 2-5 from three independent experiments were averaged for each gene/EST using Genespring 5.0 software. The majority of clones showed a ratio of 1.0, suggesting they were expressed at similar levels in all epididymal regions. In addition, 123 clones exhibited 2-fold or higher expression in the initial segment, including Cres3, prostein, lipocalin 2, ALEX3, synaptotagmin-like 4, erm, and milk fat globule factor, whereas 216 clones, including elafin-like 1, lactotransferrin, Sin3B, zinc-finger protein 91, and membrane-type frizzled-related protein, showed 2-fold or higher expression in epididymal regions 2-5. Northern blot analyses of 12 clones predicted by microarray analysis to be either enriched in the initial segment (n = 8), enriched in epididymal regions 2-5 (n = 2), or similar in all regions (n = 2) were carried out. All clones exhibited the expected region-specific expression, thus confirming the microarray results. The studies presented here show a global survey of region-specific gene expression in the epididymis, identifying 15287 sequences, the majority of which have not previously been shown to be expressed in this organ.


Hydrological features and the ecological niches of mammalian hosts delineate elevated risk for Ross River virus epidemics in anthropogenic landscapes in Australia.
The current understanding of the landscape epidemiology of Ross River virus (RRV), Australia's most common arthropod-borne pathogen, is fragmented due to gaps in surveillance programs and the relatively narrow focus of the research conducted to date. This leaves public health agencies with an incomplete understanding of the spectrum of infection risk across the diverse geography of the Australian continent. The current investigation sought to assess the risk of RRV epidemics based on abiotic and biotic landscape features in anthropogenic landscapes, with a particular focus on the influence of water and wildlife hosts. Abiotic features, including hydrology, land cover and altitude, and biotic features, including the distribution of wild mammalian hosts, were interrogated using a Maxent model to discern the landscape suitability to RRV epidemics in anthropogenically impacted environments across Australia. Water-soil balance, proximity to controlled water reservoirs, and the ecological niches of four species (Perameles nasuta, Wallabia bicolor, Pseudomys novaehollandiae and Trichosurus vulpecula) were important features identifying high risk landscapes suitable for the occurrence of RRV epidemics. These results help to delineate human infection risk and thus provide an important perspective for geographically targeted vector, wildlife, and syndromic surveillance within and across the boundaries of local health authorities. Importantly, our analysis highlights the importance of the hydrology, and the potential role of mammalian host species in shaping RRV epidemic risk in peri-urban space. This study offers novel insight into wildlife hosts and RRV infection ecology and identifies those species that may be beneficial to future targeted field surveillance particularly in ecosystems undergoing rapid change.


MOF-supported crystalline ionic liquid: new type of solid electrolyte for enhanced and high ionic conductivity.
Solid-state electrolyte (SSE) is crucial for a high-performance all-solid-state battery. Here, a new solid sodium electrolyte based on the ionic liquid EIMS-NaTFSI and one metal-organic framework (MOF) UiO-67-MIMS functionalized with zwitterion groups MIMS was obtained (UiO-67 and was assembled with 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylate linker and cluster Zr6O4(OH)4) (EIMS = 1-(1-ethyl-3-imidazolio)propane-3-sulfonate, NaTFSI = sodium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, MIMS = 1-(1-mthyl-3-imidazolio)propane-3-sulfonate). By contacting and pairing EIMS-NaTFSI (abbreviated as EN-1) to the MIMS group on the framework, EN-1 was directed and arranged along the channels within UiO-67-MIMS, forming a solid composite EN-1@UiO-67-MIMS with Bragg scatter, i.e., a crystalline ionic liquid containing Na+ salts (NaTFSI). Such an ionic liquid EN-1@UiO-67-MIMS bearing crystalline MOF matrix showed and preserved fast ion conduction (1.02 × 10-2 S cm-1) at 150 °C even after 30 days, and exhibited 1-2 orders of magnitude higher conductivities than the bulk ionic liquid EN-1 within a wide temperature range, although the ion content in the latter was higher. The infinite pathway paved by the EN-1 arranged and contacted the MIMS along the channels within MOF well accounts for the fast ion transmission and the stability of the solid-state electrolyte. Such MOF-based crystalline ionic liquid provides a new strategy for developing high-performance solid-state electrolytes for ions.


What silicon nanocluster is most likely formed in etching experiments? Theoretical DFT study.
Density functional calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G* level were performed for Si nanoclusters of ca. 1 nm in size. The structural, energetic, electronic as well as the estimated absorption spectra by the time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations using varied functionals and basis sets for the representative cluster models are all in favor of the formation of most probable Si35H36 nanocluster in recent electrochemical etching experiments. The nanostructure has a complete H-termination at the borderline regions and lacks from the presence of any defects like surface Si-Si dimer units formed via self-healing of dangling Si-Si bonds or from any relatively short H...H contacts.


[Choroidal Neovascularisation Other than Typical Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration].
Choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) in the context of exsudative age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) can be divided into type 1 (occult) and type 2 (classical) membranes. Retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) or polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) are "rare subtypes" of chorioretinal neovascularisation and are distinguished by their distinct morphology and the sometimes worse response to therapy. Chorioretinal anastomosis, severe exsudates with serosanguinous pigment epithelial detachment and, in PCV, orange-red lesions in the papillomacular bundle can be diagnostic. Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is considered the gold standard for diagnosis of PCV and delivers important information for RAP too. Typical characteristics of PCV include foci of hyperfluoresence, with pulsatile filling in the early phase. This characterises choroidal polypoidal lesions, often in connection with an abnormal choroidal vascular network. In RAP, typical retino-retinal anastomosis can be identified, in particular in areas with pigment epithelial detachment. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can complement diagnostic testing. In cases of RAP, early therapy initiation with intravitreal anti-VEGF is crucial for the prognosis of visual acuity. PCV can exhibit spontaneous regression. In active disease, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is efficient in the closure of PCV polyps. In association with CNV, it makes sense to combine PDT and intravitreal anti-VEGF medication. In spite of the initial increase in visual acuity, this state is normally "only" stabilised in the long term. In patients with idiopathic secondary CNV membranes (high myopia, post-inflammatory, post-traumatic changes or in hereditary connective tissue diseases), small "classical" type 2 membranes are mostly involved. Hence, these are strictly speaking not directly rare subtypes. Nevertheless, these patients are mostly younger, with less protracted illness and limited available regeneration ability of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE): they may therefore differ favourably from the courses with nAMD, with earlier inactivation and with fewer required anti-VEGF injections. CNV with angioid streaks are a special case in this group. Unfortunately, these lesions have a recurrent, protracted and, in the end, mostly frustrating course.


The therapeutic dilemma: how to use psychotherapy.
Organic, marital and intrapsychic disturbances mutually interact in the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction (ED). Sexual psychotherapy (SP) should be considered a useful chance on all occasions. When non-organic causes are predominant, SP could help in solving the problem. Conversely, when ED is mainly a symptom of organic diseases, SP should be considered as an important support, reducing the net contribution of marital and/or intrapsychic components and improving responsiveness and compliance to medical treatments. A correct diagnosis is a crucial step in the evaluation of patients reporting ED, in order to quantify the contribution of different pathogenetic factors. Structured Interview on Erectile Dysfunction (SIEDY) is a useful instrument for the first screening of ED patients, providing scores for organic, marital and intrapsychic components. Other instruments, such as body paint or sexuality tree, might also be used to further analyse the problem and to choose the most effective SP intervention for the patient himself or for the couple. In our view, medical and psychosexual therapies are not indeed two distinct therapeutic entities to be used in different clinical settings, but are two important tools to be simultaneously considered (and often simultaneously employed) to fully rescue the sexual satisfaction of the couple.


Porphyrin-Based Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Applications.
Well-defined organic nanostructures with controllable size and morphology are increasingly exploited in optoelectronic devices. As promising building blocks, porphyrins have demonstrated great potentials in visible-light photocatalytic applications, because of their electrical, optical and catalytic properties. From this perspective, we have summarized the recent significant advances on the design and photocatalytic applications of porphyrin-based nanostructures. The rational strategies, such as texture or crystal modification and interfacial heterostructuring, are described. The applications of the porphyrin-based nanostructures in photocatalytic pollutant degradation and hydrogen evolution are presented. Finally, the ongoing challenges and opportunities for the future development of porphyrin nanostructures in high-quality nanodevices are also proposed.


Ionization of carbon at 10-100 times the diamond density and in the 10^{6} K temperature range.
The behavior of partially ionized hot compressed matter is critical to the study of planetary interiors as well as nuclear fusion studies. A recent quantum study of carbon in the 10-70 Gbar range and at a temperature of 100 eV used N-atom density functional theory (DFT) with N∼32-64 and molecular dynamics (MD). This involves band-structure-type electronic calculations and averaging over many MD-generated ion configurations. The calculated average number of free electrons per ion, viz., Z[over ¯], was systematically higher than from a standard average-atom quantum calculation. To clarify this offset, we examine the effect of the self-interaction error in such estimates and the possibility of carbon being in a granular plasma state containing Coulomb crystals with a magic number. The electrical conductivity, pressure, and compressibility of the carbon system are examined. The very low conductivity and the high-Z[over ¯] results of DFT MD point to the existence of carbon in a complex, nonuniform, low-conducting dispersed phase, possibly containing magic-number Coulomb crystals. The neutral pseudoatom estimate of Z[over ¯], conductivity, compressibility, and pressure reported here pertain to the uniform liquid.


The cervical cancer epidemic that screening has prevented in the UK.
Recent reports suggest that the reduction in mortality achieved by the UK national cervical screening programme is too small to justify its financial and psychosocial costs, except perhaps in a few high-risk women. We analysed trends in mortality before 1988, when the British national screening programme was launched, to estimate what future trends in cervical cancer mortality would have been without any screening. Cervical cancer mortality in England and Wales in women younger than 35 years rose three-fold from 1967 to 1987. By 1988, incidence in this age-range was among the highest in the world despite substantial opportunistic screening. Since national screening was started in 1988, this rising trend has been reversed. Cervical screening has prevented an epidemic that would have killed about one in 65 of all British women born since 1950 and culminated in about 6000 deaths per year in this country. However, these estimates are subject to substantial uncertainty, particularly in relation to the effects of oral contraceptives and changes in sexual behaviour. 80% or more of these deaths (up to 5000 deaths per year) are likely to be prevented by screening, which means that about 100000 (one in 80) of the 8 million British women born between 1951 and 1970 will be saved from premature death by the cervical screening programme at a cost per life saved of about pound 36000. The birth cohort trends also provide strong evidence that the death rate throughout life is substantially lower in women who were first screened when they were younger.


Bacterial load and inflammatory reaction in the bowel wall after colonic obstruction. An experimental study in rats.
To quantify the inflammatory reaction to obstruction, alkaline phosphatase and myeloperoxidase activities were measured in specimens of colonic wall from 60 rats. Twenty rats had undergone laparotomy and band obstruction, 20 laparotomy without obstruction and 20 had no operation. The mean activities of both enzymes were increased proximal but not distal to the obstruction, that of alkaline phosphatase significantly so. Despite increase in the number of bacteria, both proximal and distal to the obstruction, no signs of bacterial invasion of the bowel wall were seen either on histological examination or culture. These findings indicate that mechanical factors may be more important than bacteria in causing the increased inflammatory reaction in bowel wall proximal to an obstruction.


Calcified bodies in a giant Baker's cyst. A case report.
A patient with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis developed a giant Baker's cyst which contained calcified loose bodies. The subject is discussed and the literature reviewed.


Does the organization of care processes affect outcomes in patients undergoing total joint replacement?
Surgeons realize that safe and efficient care processes for total joint replacement requires more than just well-performed operations. Orthopaedic teams are reorganizing care process to improve efficacy and shorten length of stay. Little is known on the impact of organizational changes on patient outcome. This paper studies the relation between the organization of care processes and patient outcomes in hip and knee. Clinical pathways are used as one of the methods to structure the care process. Although evidence is available on the effect of pathways in total joint replacement, their impact with the organization of the care process has not been studied previously. A cross-sectional multicentre study was performed on 39 care processes and 737 consecutive patients. Regression models were used to analyse the relation between the organization of the care process and risk-adjusted patient outcomes. The use of pathways and the organization of the care process, measured by the Care Process Self Evaluation Tool (CPSET), were measured at organizational level. Length of stay, pain, mobility and elapsed time to discharge were measured at patient level. The use of pathways had a positive effect on four out of five subscales and the overall CPSET score. Using pathways decreased length of stay (P = 0.014), pain (P = 0.052) and elapsed time to discharge (P = 0.003). The CPSET subscale communication was related with three risk adjusted outcomes. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a significant effect by three different variables on the length of stay; (1) use of pathways; (2) coordination of care processes; and (3) communication with patients and family. Both the use of pathways and coordination of the care process were determinants for the elapsed time to discharge. A significant interaction effect was found between use of pathways and coordination of the care process. This large multicentre study revealed the relation between the use of pathways, organization of the care process and patient outcomes. This information is important for both clinicians and managers to understand and further improve the organization of orthopaedic care. Level I prognostic study.


Rapid Telepsychiatry Implementation During COVID-19: Increased Attendance at the Largest Health System in the United States.
This study aimed to examine differences in completion rates between telepsychiatry and in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic and a prior reference period. The authors used electronic medical record data along with chi-squared or t tests to compare patients' demographic characteristics. Generalized estimating equations for estimating the odds of primary and secondary outcomes were used, controlling for demographic characteristics. During COVID-19, the odds of completing a telepsychiatry visit (N=26,715) were 6.68 times the odds of completing an in-person visit (N=11,094). The odds of completing a telepsychiatry visit during COVID-19 were 3.00 times the odds of completing an in-person visit during the pre-COVID-19 reference period (N=40,318). In this cross-sectional study, outpatient adult mental health clinic telepsychiatry appointments, largely by telephone, were strongly associated with a higher rate of visit completion compared with in-person visits during and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Regulators should consider permanently enabling reimbursement for telephone-only telepsychiatry visits.


An immunohistochemical study on the endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract of domestic duck.
Endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract of the domestic duck were identified immunocytochemically using antisera specific to bombesin, chromogranin A, cholecystokinin (CCK), gastrin, glucagon, neuron specific enolase (NSE), neurotensin, secretin, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), somatostatin, substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Chromogranin A, 5-HT and somatostatin immunoreactive cells were widespread throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Bombesin immunoreactive cells were observed only in the proventriculus and the gizzard. CCK, substance P and neurotensin immunoreactive cells were present in the intestinal tracts from the duodenum to the colorectum. The latter were numerous also in the antrum. Gastrin cells were peculiar to the antrum but present also in the gizzard and small intestine. Glucagon immunoreactive cells were present in the jejunum-ileum and above all in the large intestine. Only few secretin cells were present in the duodenum. The highest frequency of endocrine cells was found in the antrum, while the lowest was observed in the caeca. Antisera to somatostatin and substance P showed numerous nerve cells and fibers besides endocrine cells, whereas NSE and VIP immunopositivity was found in the nervous structures only of the gut wall.


Drugs for insomnia.
Sleep is a vital neurochemical process involving sleep-promoting and arousal centers in the brain. Insomnia is a pervasive disorder characterized by difficulties in initiating or maintaining or non-refreshing (poor quality) sleep and clinically significant daytime distress. Insomnia is more prevalent in women and old age and puts sufferers at significant physical and mental health risks. This review summarizes published data on the current and emerging insomnia drug classes, rationale for development and associated risks/benefits. (Summary of Product Characteristics and Medline search on "hypnotic" or specific drug names and "Insomnia"). GABA(A) receptor modulators facilitate sleep onset and some improve maintenance but increase risk of dependence, memory, cognitive and psychomotor impairments, falls, accidents and mortality. Melatonin receptor agonists improve quality of sleep and/or sleep onset but response may develop over several days. They have more benign safety profiles and are indicated for milder insomnia, longer usage and (prolonged release melatonin) older patients. Histamine H-1 receptor antagonists improve sleep maintenance but their effects on cognition, memory and falls remain to be demonstrated. Late-stage pipeline orexin OX1/OX2 and serotonin 5HT2A receptor antagonists may hold the potential to address several unmet needs in insomnia pharmacotherapy but safety issues cast some doubts over their future. Current and new insomnia drugs in the pipeline target different sleep regulating mechanisms and symptoms and have different tolerability profiles. Drug selection would ideally be based on improvement in the quality of patients' sleep, overall quality of life and functional status weighed against risk to the individual and public health.


Interaction between serum uric acid and triglycerides in relation to blood pressure.
The aim of this study was to examine the independent relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) and blood pressure, and to assess their joint effects on obesity, fasting glucose and lipids. The study samples were from a community-based health examination survey in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province of China (2009). Blood pressure, body mass index, fasting glucose, lipids and SUA were measured. After excluding individuals with fasting glucose greater than 7 mmol l(-1), a total of 8415 subjects with biomarkers available were included in the present study. Blood pressure increased with elevated SUA levels, after adjusting for age and sex. Further adjustment for fasting glucose, lipids and alcohol consumption did not change the increasing trend. The associations between uric acid and hypertension were most evident in those with highest quintiles of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). In addition, the associations were significant in both men and women, and we found significant interactions between uric acid status and age on hypertension. When the joint effects were examined, we found an additive effect of triglycerides and uric acid levels on diastolic blood pressure (DBP). There was significant association between SUA and hypertension, independent of other metabolic risk factors. HDL-C levels may modify the associations between uric acid and hypertension. The effects of triglycerides and uric acid levels on DBP were additive.


The effect of ureteroscope size in the treatment of ureteral stone: 15-year experience of an endoscopist.
We aimed to investigate the ureter stone treatment results performed by using different- caliber semirigid ureteroscopes (URS). Adult patients who were treated for ureteral stones by a single endoscopist between January 2000 and March 2015 were analyzed. The patients were divided into 3 groups in accordance with the caliber of the ureteroscope used: 10/10.5 F Storz (Karl Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany) (January 2002-January 2005) URS was used in group 1, 8.9/9.8 F Storz (February 2005-December 2011) URS was used in group 2, and 6/7.5 FWolf (Richard Wolf, Knittlingen, Germany) (January 2012-March 2015) URS was used in group 3. Patients' age and gender, size and site of stones, stone-free rates (SFR), intra- and perioperative complication rates, and durations of surgery were compared among the groups. Intraoperative complications were classified according to modified Satava, and perioperative complications were classified according to modified Clavien classification systems. A total of 2461 patients treated for ureteral stones were analyzed. There were 583 patients in group 1 (10/10.5 F Storz), 1302 patients in group 2 (8.9/9.8 F Storz), and 576 patients in group 3 (6/7.5 F Wolf). SFR were 83.7%, 87.4%, and 92.2% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p=0.01). Duration of surgery was 30.34±10.36 min in group 1, 31.61±10.10 min in group 2, and 42.40±7.35 min in group 3 (p=0.01). The overall complication rates classified according to modified Satava classification were 10.8%, 7.6%, and 6.9% (p=0.01) while grade 3 modified Satava complication rates were 1.9%, 1.5%and 0.5% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p=0.01). In this study, we found that more frequent use of a small- caliber URS resulted in a longer duration of surgery and an increased rate for JJ stent insertion, however it facilitated a safer and more successful ureteroscopy procedure.


The gender similarities hypothesis is untestable as formulated.
Comments on the original article by Zell et al. (see record 2015-00137-002) regarding gender similarities and differences using a metasynthesis approach. The authors concluded that the average difference between males and females across psychological domains is relatively small (d = 0.21), with the majority of effects being either small or very small, thereby supporting Hyde's (2005) gender similarities hypothesis that males and females are similar on most psychological dimensions. Unfortunately, their study suffers from the same flaw as nearly all studies testing that hypothesis, namely that it does not provide a metric for either the psychological importance or relevance of the dimensions considered nor does it supply an individuation rule for counting dimensions.


Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase expression is regulated by dietary vitamin A and exogenous retinoic acid in the lung of adult rats.
Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT), a retinol esterifying enzyme, plays a major role in the metabolism and storage of vitamin A in several animal tissues. Groups of vitamin A (VA)-adequate (control) and VA-deficient rats were treated with vehicle or 5 mg of all-trans-retinoic acid (RA); an additional group of VA-deficient rats were fed 100 microg of RA. In control rats, lung LRAT mRNA and LRAT specific activity were approximately 50% of the levels expressed in the liver. In the lung of VA-deficient rats, LRAT mRNA and specific activity levels were <10% of those in the control group. Treatment of VA-deficient rats with 100 microg RA increased lung LRAT mRNA (P < 0.005) and specific activity (P < 0.0001), and treatment with 5 mg of RA increased LRAT mRNA level and specific activity more than approximately 15- and 6-fold above those in control lung, respectively (both P < or = 0.001). The lung tissue of VA-adequate rats contained retinyl ester (approximately 3 nmol/g tissue), whereas none was detected in the lung tissue of VA-deficient rats. These results show that LRAT expression and vitamin A storage are regulated by vitamin A status and by treatment with all-trans-RA in the adult lung. These results suggest that the regulated storage of vitamin A may be important for maintaining the integrity and physiologic functions of the lung.


Mechanical ventricular support using pulsatile Abiomed BVS 5000 and centrifugal Biomedicus-pump in postcardiotomy shock.
Since we started using ventricular assist devices (VAD) in July 1987 up to August 1993, 63 of 15,650 (0.4%) patients (pts) who underwent open heart surgery were supported postoperatively by VAD at out institution. Forty-three were male and 20 female, mean age 55.5 years. In 49 pts coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), in 8 pts valve surgery, in 3 pts combined CABG and valve surgery and in 3 pts corrective procedures for congenital heart disease were performed. Perioperative myocardial infarction was the most frequent indication (73%). In 37 of the 63 pts (58.7%) a centrifugal (Biomedicus pump (group A) was used and in 26 pts (41.3%) a pulsatile Abiomed BVS 5000 (group B). Fourteen of 37 pts (38%) in group A were weaned from the VAD and all of them were discharged. Twenty-three pts were unable to be weaned and 19 of these pts died. The remaining 4 pts were transplanted successfully and subsequently 3 died and 1 was discharged. In all, 15 pts (39%) were long-term survivors. Sixteen of 26 pts (62%) in group B were weaned from VAD and 13 (50%) of them were discharged of whom 3 died. Ten patients were unable to be weaned and 7 of these died. The remaining 3 pts were transplanted successfully. In all, 16 pts (61.5%) were long-term survivors. The shorter the interval between beginning resuscitation and application of VAD the better the outcome. Younger age, VAD installation in OR, support time between 2 and 7 days and Abiomed pump, influence the survival rate positively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Mastoidectomy and trans-corneal viral transmission.
The incidence of chronic middle ear disease is falling in Britain, and in adults, is currently approximately 2.6% (inactive) and 1.5% (active). The incidence of HIV and hepatitis C is, however, rising. With this in mind, the chances of operating on a patient with undiagnosed infection is increasing. Operations involving the drilling or cutting of bone in patients with bloodborne communicable diseases are inherently dangerous to surgeons. In the pre-antibiotic era, many orthopaedic surgeons succumbed to infection and septicemia after being pierced with a spicule of bone during the execution of their duty. With the advent of the antibiotic era, the phenomenon is no longer life threatening where a bacterium is the offending microorganism. The principle, however, may be just as valid today with regard to viral communicable diseases. The world medical literature is full of reports of transmission of HIV from doctor to patient or dentist to patient. Very little is written about the reverse. This study attempted to address the apparent imbalance in the debate over exactly who is most at risk of iatrogenic transmission of potentially lethal viruses. We took fish eyes and held them in place around a mastoid cavity during drilling of a temporal bone. The eyes were then stained with fluorescein and a blue light shone over them to identify any spicules and corneal tears. Also, during this study, the maximum distance of bone dust scatter from an in vivo mastoid operation was measured from the cavity in all directions and documented. The HIV and hepatitis C virus are discussed and the importance of protection to staff highlighted.


Potassium current in mature bovine spermatozoa.
Ion channels have been assigned a pivotal importance in various sperm functions and are therefore promising targets for contraceptive development. The lack of data on channel functionality and pharmacology has hampered this goal. This is a consequence of technical problems of applying electrophysiological techniques to spermatozoa due to their small size and form. By using a laminin coating to increase adherence of spermatozoa and nystatin in the patch pipette for pore formation, we have adapted the whole-cell recording technique to study currents in mature uncapacitated bovine spermatozoa. Employing these conditions, in the head region, patched spermatozoa could be transferred into the whole-cell configuration. For the first time we document an outward rectifying current in mature bovine spermatozoa was blocked by tetraethyl ammonium (TEA) chloride. The observation of a shift in the reversal potential as a response to changes in the extracellular concentration of K(+) ions allowed us to identify this current as K(+) selective. This result shows that K(+) channels in the head region of mature uncapacitated bovine spermatozoa can be suitably investigated using the whole-cell recording patch-clamp technique.


Coronary microcirculatory dysfunction can be assessed by positive dicrotic wave and amplitude index on resting distal coronary pressure waveform, a newly developed index.
Some lesions have high resting distal coronary pressure/aortic pressure (Pd/Pa) despite low fractional flow reserve (FFR). This study aimed to assess microcirculatory dysfunction as a possible basal mechanism. Patients were grouped into two according to coffee intake (caffeine 222 mg) before coronary angiography. Through an adenosine-induced Pd/Pa decrease, amplitude index was calculated by dividing the difference between the highest pressure after the inflection point and the minimal diastolic pressure by the pulse pressure on the Pd waveform. In 130 coronary lesions (caffeine group, n = 69; non-caffeine group, n = 61) from 113 patients, the amplitude index through the adenosine-induced Pd/Pa decrease in all lesions was 0.54 ± 0.11 at resting Pd/Pa and 0.44 ± 0.12 at FFR (P < 0.0001). The positive dicrotic wave distribution on a maximal hyperaemia (FFRnicr)-resting Pd/Pa graph was analysed. In lesions with FFRnicr <0.80 on the FFRnicr-resting Pd/Pa graph, the resting Pd/Pa was divided into three zones based on Pd/Pa values: high-remaining, intermediate, and low. The high-remaining zone had a higher amplitude index than the intermediate zone (0.60 ± 0.09 vs. 0.48 ± 0.12; P < 0.005); the low zone lesions had no inflection point (no amplitude index). The high-remaining zone correlated with a larger positive dicrotic wave than the intermediate zone (94 vs. 30%; P < 0.005). Most lesions in the high-remaining zone corresponded to the caffeine group. In severe coronary stenosis, a high-remaining resting Pd/Pa with a high amplitude index or a positive dicrotic wave on the resting Pd waveform suggests microcirculatory dysfunction, such as insufficient arteriolar dilation reactive to myocardial ischaemia. UMIN000046883.


Cellular carboxypeptidases.
This article focuses on four human carboxypeptidases (CPs): two metallo-CPs and two serine CPs. The metallo-CPs are members of the so-called B-type regulatory CP family, as they cleave only the C-terminal basic amino acids Arg or Lys. The plasma membrane-bound CPM and the mainly, but not exclusively, intracellular CPD are surveyed from this group of enzymes. These enzymes can regulate peptide hormone activity at the cell surface and possibly intracellularly after receptor-mediated endocytosis and may also participate in peptide hormone processing. The serine CPs, as their name indicates, contain a serine residue in the active center essential for catalytic activity that reacts with organophosphorus inhibitors. Prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) (angiotensinase C) and deamidase (cathepsin A, lysosomal protective protein) are discussed here. These two enzymes are highly concentrated in lysosomes; however, they may also be active extracellularly after their release from lysosomes in soluble form or in a plasma membrane-bound complex. Whereas deamidase cleaves a variety of peptides with C-terminal or penultimate hydrophobic residues (e.g. substance P, angiotensin I, bradykinin, endothelin, fMet-Leu-Phe). PRCP cleaves only peptides with a penultimate Pro residue (e.g. des-Arg9-bradykinin, angiotensin II). These enzymes may also be involved in terminating signal transduction by inactivating peptide ligands after receptor endocytosis.


Implications of comorbid ADHD in ASD interventions and outcome: Results from a naturalistic follow up study from south India.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder commonly associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the prevalence ranging from 14-70%. The current study attempted to assess the impact of comorbid ADHD in children with ASD, in terms of challenges in diagnosis, treatment, intervention outcomes and parental stress and coping through a naturalistic design. Fifty children aged 2-6 years with ASD were recruited, assessed and followed up for six months. Twenty children were found to have comorbid ADHD. Severity of ASD and ADHD was assessed by Childhood Autism rating scale and Connor's abbreviated rating scale respectively. Parental stress and coping was assessed by Family Interview for stress and coping. The diagnosis of ASD was apparently obscured by ADHD symptoms in about 22% of cases, as only diagnosis of ADHD was made at the time of referral to our centre. ADHD was the most common comorbidity followed by intellectual disability and seizure disorder. About 66% of children received combination of pharmacological and behavioral interventions. Clonidine was the most common medication to be used and was well tolerated. The improvement in ADHD symptomatology showed positive correlation with improvement with ASD-specific interventions as reflected by change in severity scores. Severity of ADHD significantly also predicted parental stress and coping, and thereby engagement in ASD-specific interventions. The current study highlights the need for screening and early diagnosis of comorbid ADHD in children with ASD and vice versa considering the management challenges. In case of multiple comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders, early interventions for one disorder can improve the outcome of the other.


Key determinants of energy expenditure in cancer and implications for clinical practice.
Great discrepancies exist in the reported prevalence of altered energy metabolism (hypo- or hypermetabolism) in cancer patients, which is likely due to the vast array of phenomena that can affect energy expenditure in these patients. The purpose of this review was to critically evaluate key determinants of energy expenditure in cancer and the relevance for clinical practice. Resting energy expenditure (REE) is the largest and most commonly measured component of total energy expenditure. In addition to the energetic demand of the tumor itself, REE may be increased due to changes in inflammation, body composition and brown adipose tissue activation. Energy expenditure from physical activity is often lower in cancer compared with healthy populations, and there is evidence to suggest that the thermic effect of food might also be blunted and affected by cancer therapy. Although accurate assessment of energy metabolism is a cornerstone of adequate nutritional therapy, prediction methods often do not capture the true energy expenditure of most cancer patients. In fact, limits of agreement of prediction equations may range from 40% below to 30% above measured REE. Such variability highlights the need for a more comprehensive understanding of energy expenditure in cancer and the value of accurately assessing the energy needs of these patients.


Chiral Derivatives of Xanthones with Antimicrobial Activity.
According to the World Health Organization, the exacerbated use of antibiotics worldwide is increasing multi-resistant infections, especially in the last decade. Xanthones are a class of compounds receiving great interest in drug discovery and development that can be found as natural products or obtained by synthesis. Many derivatives of xanthones are chiral and associated with relevant biological activities, including antimicrobial. The aim of this review is to compile information about chiral derivatives of xanthones from natural sources and their synthesized examples with antimicrobial activity.


Contamination and Disinfection of Rigid Laryngoscopes: A Literature Review.
This article reviews current literature about the contamination of laryngoscope blades and handles, disinfection practices for laryngoscope blades and handles, and environmental effects and costs of reusable and single-use laryngoscopes. This review shows that inadequately processed rigid laryngoscopes may have the ability to transmit infections to patients and health care personnel. Although the laryngoscope handle has been considered a noncritical item that contacts only intact skin, health care team members should consider both the laryngoscope blade and handle as semicritical items and process them by high-level disinfection (HLD) or steam sterilization according to manufacturer's instructions. The fewest environmental effects occur when a reusable stainless-steel laryngoscope is processed by HLD. Laryngoscope costs are lower for processing reusable laryngoscope handles and blades by HLD and highest for single-use laryngoscopes. Evidence-based guidelines are needed to specify and standardize best practices for processing rigid laryngoscopes.


Psychosocial Screening Among Youth Seeking Weight Management Treatment.
The objectives of this study were to identify rates of, and factors associated with, "at-risk" scores on a brief psychosocial screener among overweight/obese youth seeking weight management treatment, as well as concordance between youth and caregiver reports. A retrospective chart review of 1443 consecutive patients ages 4 to 18 years and their caregivers was conducted. Almost 1 in 4 youth with overweight/obesity presented with psychosocial symptoms in the at-risk range for significant mental health issues based on caregiver report on the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) and 1 in 6 based on youth self-report on the Youth Pediatric Symptom Checklist (Y-PSC). Concordance between caregiver and youth was fair (agreement 24% to 40%). Higher scores were associated with male sex and older age on the PSC and with indication of depressive disorder in the electronic medical record on the Y-PSC. Conducting a brief psychosocial screen in comprehensive weight management programs is feasible and clinically indicated.


Diagnostic accuracy of VIDISCA-NGS in patients with suspected central nervous system infections.
Confirming the diagnosis in viral central nervous system (CNS) infections can be difficult with the currently available diagnostic tools. Virus discovery cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism next-generation sequencing (VIDISCA-NGS) is a promising viral metagenomic technique that enables the detection of all viruses in a single assay. We performed a retrospective study on the diagnostic accuracy of VIDISCA-NGS in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of individuals with suspected CNS infections. Consecutive adult patients presenting to the Emergency Department or inpatients, who underwent a lumbar puncture for the suspicion of a CNS infection, were included if they were diagnosed with a viral CNS infection, or if a viral CNS infection was initially suspected but eventually a different diagnosis was made. A quantitative PCR panel of the most common causative viruses was performed on CSF of these patients as reference standard and compared with the results of VIDISCA-NGS, the index test. We included 38 individuals with viral CNS infections and 35 presenting with suspected CNS infection for whom an alternative aetiology was finally established. Overall sensitivity and specificity were 52% (95% CI 31%-73%) and 100% (95% CI 91%-100%), respectively. One enterovirus, detected by VIDISCA-NGS, was only identified by quantitative PCR upon retesting. Additional viruses identified by VIDISCA-NGS consisted of GB virus C, human papillomavirus, human mastadenovirus C, Merkel cell polyoma virus and anelloviruses. In patients for whom routine diagnostics do not yield a causative pathogen, VIDISCA-NGS can be of additional value as it can detect a broader range of viruses, but it does not perform well enough to replace quantitativePCR.


[Use of a distally pedicled radial artery as an island flap for covering traumatic skin losses].
Authors performed plastic operation using lower arm insulated flap with distal pedicle in 2 cases for covering traumatic skin defects on the dorsal side of the hand. Attention is called to the advantages of this method. Beside the shorter time of treatment in many cases a series of operations can be avoided by the primary covering with an insulated flap.


Removal of retained subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid.
To report a case series in which a modified technique was used to remove retained subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid. In three patients with retained subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid, a three-port pars plana vitrectomy approach was used to perform a small self-sealing retinotomy adjacent to the perfluorocarbon liquid bubble. The tip of a 50-G glass micropipette connected to an active suction system was inserted in the bubble, and the liquid was aspirated. Successful removal of subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid was achieved in all cases with no complications. Visual acuity improved in all patients. With the technique presented, retained subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid can be successfully removed with minimal trauma to adjacent tissues.


[Effects of chemical ripeners on chlorophyll content and antioxidant enzyme activities of rapeseed pod].
A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of ripeners Diguat and Roundup on the chlorophyll content, activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD), cell membrane permeability, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of rapeseed pods. Under effects of Diquat, the chlorophyll content decreased, while the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, cell membrane permeability, and MDA content increased significantly, leading to the peroxidation of membrane lipid. These effects increased with increasing Diquat concentration. After treated with Roundup, the chlorophyll content had less change, activities of SOD, POD, and CAT increased slowly, and cell membrane permeability and MDA content had no obvious increase. With the increasing time of ripeners treatment, the activities of protective enzymes were inhibited to different degree, possibly due to the changes of molecular structure of antioxidant enzyme system under effects of the ripeners.


Privacy-Preserving Collaborative Prediction using Random Forests.
We study the problem of privacy-preserving machine learning (PPML) for ensemble methods, focusing our effort on random forests. In collaborative analysis, PPML attempts to solve the conflict between the need for data sharing and privacy. This is especially important in privacy sensitive applications such as learning predictive models for clinical decision support from EHR data from different clinics, where each clinic has a responsibility for its patients' privacy. We propose a new approach for ensemble methods: each entity learns a model, from its own data, and then when a client asks the prediction for a new private instance, the answers from all the locally trained models are used to compute the prediction in such a way that no extra information is revealed. We implement this approach for random forests and we demonstrate its high efficiency and potential accuracy benefit via experiments on real-world datasets, including actual EHR data.


Comparing the Efficacy of Articulating Spacers in Two-Stage Revision for Periprosthetic Joint Infection Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: All-Cement Spacers vs Sterilized Replanted Metal-Polyethylene Spacers.
Two-stage revision is the most common treatment for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Few studies have compared the clinical efficacy of different articulating spacers. This study compared the outcomes of all-cement articulating spacers and sterilized replanted metal-polyethylene articulating spacers for PJI following TKA. In this retrospective observational study, 47 patients who received two-stage revision for PJI following TKA between 2006 and 2020 in our hospital were included. Patients were categorized as receiving an all-cement articulating spacer or a sterilized replanted metal-polyethylene articulating spacer in exclusion. Data on demographics, surgical information, and outcomes were collected in 2021. Forty-seven spacers were identified: all-cement spacer was noted in 23 patients and sterilized replanted spacer in 24. Patients in the all-cement spacer group had shorter operation time (155.87 ± 33.12 vs 189.79 ± 51.21 min; P = 0.0102) and less blood loss (845.22 ± 525.92 vs 1114.50 ± 547.81 mL; P = 0.0427) in exclusion. Patients in the sterilized replanted spacer group had superior interval range of motion (ROM; 61.00 ± 31.94° vs 31.75 ± 33.38°; P = 0.0072), postoperative ROM (85.00 ± 11.11° vs 77.37 ± 9.18°; P = 0.0329) as compared to all-cement spacers, but there was no difference in infection control between 2 groups. The two types of spacers had no difference in the reinfection rate, indicating that both articulating spacers are safe and effective for 2-stage revision. Considering ROM of knee joint, bone loss and cost, sterilized replanted metal-polyethylene spacers are preferred in the treatment of PJI.


Enhanced efficacy of chemotherapy for breast cancer stem cells by simultaneous suppression of multidrug resistance and antiapoptotic cellular defense.
While chemotherapy is universally recognized as a frontline treatment strategy for breast cancer, it is not always successful; among the leading causes of treatment failure is existing and/or acquired multidrug resistance. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which constitute a minority of the cells of a tumor, are acknowledged to be responsible for increased resistance to chemo-drugs through a combination of increased expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC transporters), an increased anti-apoptotic defense, and/or the ability for extensive DNA repair like normal stem cells. Consequently, more effective therapy, especially targeted to CSCs, is urgently required. We studied the characteristics of 231-CSCs (CD44+/CD24-) sorted from human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and demonstrated that 231-CSCs exhibited enhanced capacities for proliferation, migration, tumorigenesis and chemotherapy resistance. To address these multifunctional facets of CSCs, we devised a non-ionic surfactant-based vesicle (niosome) co-delivery system to simultaneously deliver siRNAs, targeted to both the ABC transporter (ABCG2) and the anti-apoptosis defense gene (BCL2), and doxorubicin (DOX) to CSCs. The rationale is to sensitize CSCs to DOX by down regulating the drug-resistance gene ABCG2 and simultaneously induce apoptosis by lowering BCL2 expression. The co-delivery system (CDS) successfully delivered siRNAs and DOX to the cytoplasm and nuclei, respectively, and resulted in a down-regulation of ABCG2- and BCL2 mRNAs in CSCs by 60% and 65%, respectively, compared to the control. A corresponding decrease in protein expression was observed using Western blotting. The IC50 of DOX in CSCs concurrently decreased significantly. Our result established CDS as a promising multi-drug delivery platform for cancer treatment. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are acknowledged to be responsible for increased resistance to chemo-drugs through a combination of increased expression of ABC transporters, an increased anti-apoptotic defense, and/or the ability for extensive DNA repair like normal stem cells. Consequently, effective therapy, especially to CSCs, is urgently required. In current study, we studied the characteristics of 231-CSCs sorted from human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and found that 231-CSCs possessed enhanced proliferation, migration, tumorigenesis, and DOX resistance. We employed a non-ionic surfactant-based vesicle (niosome) delivery system to simultaneously deliver siRNAs targeted to multi-drug resistance genes, and DOX to kill 231-CSCs. The CDS showed an enhanced therapeutic effect by resensitizing 231-CSCs to DOX and may constitute a promising candidate for cancer chemotherapy.


Local Immune Responses in Children and Adults with Allergic and Nonallergic Rhinitis.
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common allergic disease but little is known about the difference of local immune responses in children and adults with AR. To compare local immune responses between children and adults with AR and nonallergic rhinitis (NAR), and to investigate whether the association of local and systemic immune responses is different between the two age groups. Fifty-one patients with chronic rhinitis were enrolled and grouped into children (N = 27, mean age 7.2 years) and adults (N = 24, mean age 29.9 years). Diagnosis of AR was based on symptoms, skin prick tests and serum specific IgEs. Nasal lavage (NAL) fluids were collected from all subjects and used to measure the levels of total IgE, specific IgEs to house dust mites (Dp and Df), and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17A and IFN-γ). Flow cytometry was used to measure inflammatory cell types in NAL fluids. AR had significantly increased local levels of total IgE and specific IgEs to Dp and Df compared with NAR in both age groups (P < 0.05). Nasal eosinophils % (P = 0.01) was significantly increased only in children with AR. Local-systemic correlations of total IgE (r = 0.662, P = 0.000) and eosinophil % (r = 0.461, P = 0.015) between the peripheral blood and NAL fluids were found only in children. Moreover, children had correlations between total IgE and eosinophil % in the peripheral blood (r = 0.629, P = 0.001) and in NAL fluids (r = 0.373, P = 0.061). Elevated local IgE is a common feature of AR in children and adults. Local measures in NAR showed naïve state of immune response which disagree with the hypothesis of local allergic rhinitis. Children showed intense local inflammation and close local-systemic interactions compared to adults supporting pediatric AR as a distinct feature.


A distinct latitudinal gradient of diatom diversity is linked to resource supply.
For over 200 years, scientists have recognized the nearly ubiquitous poleward decline of species richness, but none of the theories explaining its occurrence has been widely accepted. In this continental study of U.S. running waters, I report an exception to this general pattern, i.e., a U-shaped latitudinal distribution of diatom richness (DR), equally high in subtropical and temperate regions. This gradient is linked unequivocally to corresponding trends in basin and stream properties with impact on resource supply. Specifically, DR distribution was related to wetland area, soil composition, and forest cover in the watershed, which affected iron, manganese, and macronutrient fluxes into streams. These results imply that the large-scale biodiversity patterns of freshwater protists, which are seasonal, highly dispersive, and sheltered by their environment from extreme temperature fluctuations, are resource driven in contrast to more advanced, perennial, and terrestrial organisms with biogeography strongly influenced by climate. The finding that wetlands, through iron export, control DR in streams has important environmental implications. It suggests that wetlands loss, already exceeding 52 million hectares in the conterminous United States alone, poses a threat not only to local biota, but also to biodiversity of major stream producers with potentially harmful consequences for the entire ecosystem.


Magnetization shaping generated by tight focusing of azimuthally polarized vortex multi-Gaussian beam.
Combining the vector diffraction theory with the inverse Faraday effect, we have theoretically studied magnetization shaping generated by tight focusing of an azimuthally polarized multi-Gaussian beam superimposed with a helical phase. By selecting optimized parameters of a multi-Gaussian beam and topological charge of a spiral phase plate, not only a super-long and sub-wavelength longitudinal magnetization needle with single/dual channels for a single-lens high numerical aperture focusing system, but also an extra-long and three-dimensional super-resolution longitudinal magnetization chain with single/dual channels for a 4π high numerical aperture focusing system is achieved in the focal region. Furthermore, by continuously changing the phase difference between two counter-propagating beams, these super-long longitudinal magnetization chains with three-dimensional super-resolution can dynamically move along the z-axis. It is expected that these results pave the path for fabricating magnetic lattices for spin wave operation, multiple atoms or magnetic particle trapping and transportation, confocal and magnetic resonance microscopy, as well as multilayer ultrahigh density magnetic storage.


The evaluation of vertical heights of maxillary and mandibular bones and the location of anatomic landmarks in panoramic radiographs of edentulous patients for implant dentistry.
The purpose of this study was to determine variations in the vertical height measurements in the edentulous maxilla and mandible, and to assess positions of the maxillary sinus, mandibular foramen, and the mandibular canal, which are important for implant length selection and planning using panoramic radiographs. The study sample included 346 edentulous alveolar ridges of 90 men and 83 women. Sixty-three dentate patients' panoramic radiographs were used for location of the first premolar and molar area. Panoramic radiographs were made with a Siemens Orthophos panoramic machine which had been standardized previously. All radiographs were made using a standardized manner by the same technician. Fourteen sites were measured on every panoramic radiograph whenever possible, eight sites in the maxilla and six sites in the mandible. Correlation analyses were performed between age groups and all measurements to determine if age is significant as a covariate. In order to examine the effect of gender the statistical analysis of differences between men and women was performed with Student t-test. The 5% significance level was used for statistical significancy. The height of the maxilla and the mandible in the anterior, first premolar, and first molar regions were significantly greater in men than in women. A majority of the most inferior border of the maxillary sinuses was located anterior to the first molar area (premolar regions) both in men (48.9%) and women (55.4%). Although, there was no statistically significant difference between edentulous men and women for the vertical distances from the mental foramen to the alveolar crest, and horizontal distances from mental foramen to midline, there were statistically significant differences between edentulous men and edentulous women for the vertical distances from the upper border of the mandibular canal to the alveolar crest in the first molar area. Mental foramens were located at the crest of the ridge in 7.2% of the edentulous women, and 6.7% of the edentulous men. The results of this study may guide clinicians to make primer decision of implant insertion area for implant supported prosthesis in edentulous patients.


An appraisal of the electrical resistance method for assessing root surface area.
Electrical resistances of roots and stems of hydroponically raised willows (Salix schwerinii) were studied and related to root morphology. Willow cuttings with and without roots were set in a constant electric field (effective voltage of 0.1 V, sine-AC, 128 Hz) in a hydroponic solution. The electrical resistance of different components in the measurement system was measured and analysed in relation to root surface area in contact with the cultivation solution. Axial resistivities of single root segments and of stems were measured. The results showed that the resistance decreased in relation to an increase in the contact surface area of the roots with the solution. The resistance depended strongly on the contact area of the stem with the solution, however, thus causing bias in the evaluation of root surface area. This work is a new contribution for the understanding of current pathways in the root system as exposed to an external electric field and for developing a non-destructive method to study plant roots accordingly. It may be concluded that the electrical resistance method is a useful non-destructive method to study roots and their physiological properties. Electrical analogues for roots and stem comprising resistors are discussed in relation to in situ measurements.


[Senior studies--a model of retirement scientific continuing education for elderly adults].
Against the background of a changing situation of "older adults" within a changing society, and proceeding from the historical development of "Opening the Universities to Elderly People" in the Federal Republic of Germany, the university-specific objective of studies for elderly people at university was worked out. It is the universities' task to develop education models and prototypes for cooperation with elderly people within the field of applied education and socialization research for tertiary socialization (sociogeragogy). This kind of study, as further education for elderly persons, is closely connected with teaching and research. Aspects of education and socialization reflecting the progress of the elderly persons, as well as methods of such educational work, explain this connection, including the development of a transpersonal identity. The task of the European cooperation of those universities which are working on such programs in order to open the universities to elderly people, is also discussed.


Prevalence of foodborne pathogens in food from selected African countries - A meta-analysis.
Food safety information in the African region is insufficient and fragmented due to lack of surveillance, documentation and reporting, thereby resulting in inefficient utilization of resources, duplication of activities, and lack of synergy among the countries of the region. This paper reviews the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in seven African countries (Benin, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan and Uganda) from papers in regional or international journals published between January 2000 and December 2015. One hundred and sixteen publications that dealt with food microbiology were reviewed for general analysis, while 66 papers on contamination of pathogenic bacteria were used for meta-analysis of prevalence. The food items were split into two categories: raw foods and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods (including street food and beverages) for meta-analysis. Majority of the reviewed studies (67.2%, 78/116) dealt with food of animal origin: 38.8% for meat and eggs, 17.2% for dairy products and 11.2% for aquatic products. Only 8.6% examined foods of plant origin (fruits and vegetables). The remaining 24.1% was the composite RTE food and beverages. Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes were the most frequently reported organisms in those studies. Although the data were highly heterogeneous, a striking feature is high prevalence of the major pathogens in RTE foods, almost as high as in raw foods. E. coli averaged at 37.6% in raw foods and 31.6% in RTE foods. The corresponding prevalence for Salmonella was 19.9% vs 21.7%; S. aureus, 27.8% vs 25.1% and L. monocytogenes, 19.5% vs 6.7%. The average prevalence of foodborne pathogens in these countries was 34.2% (29.0-39.3%). Differences in food types as well as non-uniform protocols for sampling and identification might have contributed to high heterogeneity (I2 >97%) although some high prevalence data could be factual with extensive varieties of raw and RTE foods. Need for improved hygienic practices in handling of raw or RTE foods are suggested. Implementation of surveillance programs that use uniform laboratory protocols across the region could give homogeneous results.


Temporal and spatial expression of connective tissue growth factor (CCN2; CTGF) and transforming growth factor beta type 1 (TGF-beta1) at the utero-placental interface during early pregnancy in the pig.
To determine the localisation and distribution of connective tissue growth factor (CCN2; CTGF) and transforming growth factor beta type 1 (TGF-beta1) in uterine tissues from cycling and early pregnant pigs. In situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry were used to localise CCN2 (CTGF) or TGF-beta1 in uteri obtained from gilts on days 0, 5, 10, 12, 15, and 18 of the oestrous cycle or days 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, and 21 of gestation. In cycling animals, CCN2 (CTGF) mRNA and protein were abundant in luminal epithelial cells (LECs) and glandular epithelial cells (GECs), with lesser amounts in stromal fibroblasts and little or none in endothelial cells. A similar pattern of staining was seen up to day 10 of pregnancy, except that overall staining intensities for CCN2 (CTGF) mRNA or protein were higher and that stromal and endothelial cells were CCN2 (CTGF) positive. However, on days 12-17 there was a striking decrease in the amount of CCN2 (CTGF) in LECs at the utero-conceptus interface, which was associated with maternal stromal matrix reorganisation and the onset of subepithelial neovascularisation. This differential distribution of CCN2 (CTGF) was localised to those LECs that were in close proximity to or in apposition with trophoblast cells. This decrease in CCN2 (CTGF) staining was transient in nature and high amounts of CCN2 (CTGF) were again apparent in LECs on days 17-21, when endometrial neovascularisation and matrix remodelling were complete. The expression of uterine TGF-beta1 was comparable to that of CCN2 (CTGF) at most stages of the oestrous cycle or early pregnancy. Pre-elongation blastocysts recovered on day 10 were positive for both CCN2 (CTGF) and TGF-beta1 in the extra-embryonic trophectoderm, endoderm, and inner cell mass. On day 12, trophectoderm expressed low amounts of TGF-beta1 mRNA and non-detectable amounts of TGF-beta1 protein or CCN2 (CTGF) mRNA or protein. By days 17-21, the expression of both growth factors in the extra-embyronic/placental membranes increased and frequently exceeded that seen in LECs. The pattern of CCN2 (CTGF) production during the initial attachment phase supports a role for this factor in stromal remodelling and neovascularisation, although alternative functions at later stages such as epithelial-epithelial interactions are also possible. In most major cell types in the uterus or utero-placental unit, CCN2 (CTGF) expression was highly correlated with that of TGF-beta(1), indicating that CCN2 (CTGF) may mediate some of the functions of TGF-beta in the reproductive tract during the oestrous cycle and pregnancy. The data further highlight epithelium as an important source of CCN2 (CTGF) in the regulation of uterine function.


Nuclear import is required for the pro-apoptotic function of the Golgi protein p115.
During apoptosis the Golgi apparatus undergoes irreversible fragmentation. In part, this results from caspase-mediated cleavage of several high molecular weight coiled-coil proteins, termed golgins. These include GM130, golgin 160, and the Golgi vesicle tethering protein p115, whose caspase cleavage generates a C-terminal fragment (CTF) of 205 residues. Here we demonstrate that early during apoptosis, following the rapid cleavage of p115, endogenous CTF translocated to the cell nucleus and its nuclear import was required to enhance the apoptotic response. Expression of a series of deletion constructs identified a putative alpha-helical region of 26 amino acids, whose expression alone was sufficient to induce apoptosis; deletion of these 26 residues from the CTF diminished its proapoptotic activity. This region contains several potential SUMOylation sites and co-expression of SUMO together with the SUMO ligase, UBC9, resulted in SUMOylation of the p115 CTF. Significantly, when cells were treated with drugs that induce apoptosis, SUMOylation enhanced the efficiency of p115 cleavage and the kinetics of apoptosis. A construct in which a nuclear export signal was fused to the N terminus of p115 CTF accumulated in the cytoplasm and surprisingly, its expression did not induce apoptosis. In contrast, treatment of cells expressing this chimera with the antibiotic leptomycin induced its translocation into the nucleus and resulted in the concomitant induction of apoptosis. These results demonstrate that nuclear import of the p115 CTF is required for it to stimulate the apoptotic response and suggest that its mode of action is confined to the nucleus.