Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy Associated With Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy and Cilioretinal Artery Occlusion in Giant Cell Arteritis.
Paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) is a relatively new optical coherence tomography finding, defined by hyperreflectivity in the inner nuclear layer. In this article, we present a case of a 73-year-old woman who presented with transient vision loss followed by the sudden onset of complete vision loss to counting fingers at 1 foot for one day in the left eye. Dilated examination showed a right cotton wool spot, left pallid optic disc edema, and retinal edema in the distribution of the cilioretinal artery. OCT demonstrated hyperreflective band at the level of the inner nuclear layer, compatible with PAMM. Clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with GCA, for which she was prescribed high-dose oral prednisone, with confirmation of GCA on a subsequent temporal artery biopsy. PAMM may be seen in the context of GCA, and OCT of the macula serves as an important adjunct to define the retinal manifestations of this condition.


Use of computer assisted and interactive cognitive training programmes with moderate to severely demented individuals: a preliminary study.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential effects of interactive cognitive training and computer-assisted programmes in reducing decline in older adults with dementia. The primary goal of this programme was to maintain participants' level of cognitive function. This study included six moderately to severely demented older adults living in a secured memory-impairment unit within an assisted living community. The participants were assessed with neuropsychological tests prior to, and immediately following, an intensive six-week cognitive training programme. The results showed that the participants improved significantly on measures of overall cognitive function, including short-term memory and cognitive failures. Caregiver reports also indicated significant improvement in the participants' behaviour signs and socialization. Additionally, these participants did not demonstrate significant decline on any of the measures from pre-test to post-test levels. This preliminary study indicates that a combined interactive cognitive training and individual-based computer training programme may effectively reduce decline and even improve some cognitive and behavioural functioning in demented older adults. A follow-up of the participants after four weeks of no training revealed some decline in some of the cognitive and behavioural measures, thus supporting the effectiveness of the training programmes.


Enhanced action tendencies in obsessive-compulsive disorder: An ERP study.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repeated thoughts and behaviors. This study explored the stages of motor response preparation that precede action performance or inhibition: We investigated whether OCD is related to enhanced action tendencies in response to external stimuli. Response preparation processes were assessed using the event-related potential (ERP) component of the readiness potential (RP). ERPs were recorded while 15 participants with OCD and 16 healthy controls performed a variation of the go/no-go task and the stop-signal task using schematic faces (angry and neutral). The OCD group presented with a greater RP slope gradient and amplitude over bilateral frontoparietal areas corresponding to the motor cortex. The amplitude effect was further enhanced under negative valence, compared to the neutral condition. Results support the hypothesis that stronger readiness for action might characterize OCD, especially in the presence of threatening stimuli. These findings - specifically correlated with OCD and not with anxiety and depression symptoms - may underlie habitual behavior and embodiment tendencies in OCD. This study suggests that early stages of motor preparation might be important to the etiology and maintenance of OCD.


Effect of undertreatment on the disparity in age-related breast cancer-specific survival among older women.
Assess the relationship between age and breast cancer-specific survival among older women and determine whether the observed age-related disparities in survival is explained by differences in breast cancer treatments received. Women > or =65 years old at diagnosis with stage I-IIIA breast cancer diagnosed between 1997 and 1998 were recruited from four regions of the United States and followed prospectively for 5 years after diagnosis. Data was obtained from tumor registries, medical records, and telephone interviews. The primary endpoint was breast cancer-specific survival. Our independent variables were age operationalized as < or =75 years vs. >75 years, and receipt of recommended guideline therapy, adapted from the National Institutes of Health guideline consensus conference. Of 689 women, 36% were >75 years. Women >75 years were less likely to have received the following; axillary lymph node dissection (84% vs. 93%, P = 0.0003), radiotherapy (40% vs. 54%, P = 0.0003), definitive primary therapy (71% vs. 84%, P < 0.0001), chemotherapy (9% vs. 28%, P < 0.0001), and guideline therapy (31% vs. 54%, P < 0.0001). The 5-year breast cancer-specific survival was 95% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90%, 97%) for those < or =75 years who received guideline therapy, 94% (95% CI, 90%, 97%) for those < or =75 years who did not receive guideline therapy, 96% (95% CI, 88%, 99%) for those >75 years who received guideline therapy and 83% (95% CI, 74%, 89%) for those >75 years who did not receive guideline therapy, (P = 0.002) by the log-rank test. Receipt of guideline therapy may reduce the age-related disparity in breast cancer survival among older women.


KIAA1199: A novel regulator of MEK/ERK-induced Schwann cell dedifferentiation.
The molecular mechanisms that regulate Schwann cell (SC) plasticity and the role of the Nrg1/ErbB-induced MEK1/ERK1/2 signalling pathway in SC dedifferentiation or in myelination remain unclear. It is currently believed that different levels of MEK1/ERK1/2 activation define the state of SC differentiation. Thus, the identification of new regulators of MEK1/ERK1/2 signalling could help to decipher the context-specific aspects driving the effects of this pathway on SC plasticity. In this perspective, we have investigated the potential role of KIAA1199, a protein that promotes ErbB and MEK1/ERK1/2 signalling in cancer cells, in SC plasticity. We depleted KIAA1199 in the SC-derived MSC80 cell line with RNA-interference-based strategy and also generated Tamoxifen-inducible and conditional mouse models in which KIAA1199 is inactivated through homologous recombination, using the Cre-lox technology. We show that the invalidation of KIAA1199 in SC decreases the expression of cJun and other negative regulators of myelination and elevates Krox20, driving them towards a pro-myelinating phenotype. We further show that in dedifferentiation conditions, SC invalidated for KIAA1199 exhibit lower myelin clearance as well as increased myelination capacity. Finally, the Nrg1-induced activation of the MEK/ERK/1/2 pathway is severely reduced when KIAA1199 is absent, indicating that KIAA1199 promotes Nrg1-dependent MEK1 and ERK1/2 activation in SCs. In conclusion, this work identifies KIAA1199 as a novel regulator of MEK/ERK-induced SC dedifferentiation and contributes to a better understanding of the molecular control of SC dedifferentiation.


Emotional intelligence and OCB: The moderating role of work locus of control.
This study sought to identify linkages between Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso's (2008) four dimensions of emotional intelligence (EI) and organizational citizenship behavior, and the moderating influence of locus of control. Using a sample of 290 employed students, the present study examines the effects of the dimensions of EI on OCB directed at individuals (OCB-I) and OCB directed at the organization (OCB-O). Emotionally intelligent individuals were hypothesized to engage in more organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) than individuals with lower EI. Work locus of control was hypothesized to moderate the emotional intelligence-OCB linkage, with high internals having a stronger emotional intelligence to OCB linkage. Results indicate that the EI dimensions of perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions had positive effects on OCB-I and OCB-O. Using emotions was not linked to OCB. Locus of control strengthened the EI to OCB-I link, but had no effect on the OCB-O linkage.


A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Single-Row With Double-Row Fixation in Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: Long-Term Follow-up.
The long-term outcomes of single- versus double-row fixation in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair are not currently known. To compare the treatment effects of the single- versus double-row suture technique in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of full-thickness tears at 10-year follow-up. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Patients were evaluated at 10 years postoperatively. The primary outcome measure was the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC). Secondary outcome measures included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Constant score, strength, and incidence of revision surgery. Ultrasound was used to evaluate the rotator cuff to determine repair integrity. Statistical analyses consistent with those of the main trial were conducted. Of the original 90 participants, 77 (85%) returned at a mean follow-up of 10 years. At ten year follow-up, the WORC score was higher in the double row group (79.9 [95% CI, 16.2 to 99.1]) compared with the single row group (72.9, [95% CI, 4.3 to 100]), P = .020. From baseline to 2 years, the mean change in WORC scores for the single-row group was -48.5 compared with -40.6 for the double-row group, with a between-group difference of -7.8 (95% CI, -20.4 to 4.7). From 2 to 10 years, the change in WORC scores for the single-row group was 11.5 compared with -0.2 for the double-row group, with a between-group difference of 11.7 (95% CI, -0.7 to 24.3). From baseline to 10 years, the mean between-group difference was 3.9 (95% CI, -7.8 to 15.6). Similarly, a decrease in ASES scores was observed between 2 and 10 years for the single-row group (9.2 [95% CI, 0.9 to 17.5]; P = .029), with a nonsignificant decrease in ASES scores for the double-row group (6.2 [95% CI, -3.2 to 15.6]; P = .195) as well as a decrease in Constant scores for both the single- (9.5 [95% CI, 1.4 to 17.5]; P = .020) and double-row (14.4 [95% CI, 5.6 to 23.3]; P = .001) groups. Overall, 3 participants developed a full-thickness tear after 2 years: 2 from the double-row group and 1 from the single-row group. One participant from each study group underwent revision surgery after the 2-year time point. A statistically significant (but likely not clinically important) difference in WORC scores was seen at 10-year follow-up in favor of double-row fixation. Between baseline and 10-year follow-up, a decrease in most outcome scores was observed in both the single- and the double-row groups. NCT00508183 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).


Plasmon Resonant Silica-Coated Silver Nanoplates as Contrast agents for Optical Coherence Tomography.
Silica-coated silver nanostructures are identified as potential contrast agents for visible and near-infrared bio-imaging applications due to their high optical extinction caused by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), improved chemical stability, and lower toxicity. We demonstrate the potential of plasmon resonant silica-coated silver nanoplates as a contrast agent for optical coherence tomography (OCT). It is shown that, triangular-shaped silica-coated silver nanoplates (SSNPs) with a side length of 170 ± 5 nm, base silver thickness of 10 ± 1 nm, and silica shell thickness of 40 ± 2 nm, exhibit higher optical extinction at a 1300 nm wavelength range, thus making them an excellent contrast agent for OCT imaging. Optical extinction characterization using OCT is found to be reasonably consistent with ultraviolet (UV)-Vis-near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and finite difference time-domain (FDTD)-based analysis. Ex vivo studies on pig adipose tissue demonstrate that LSPR-induced enhanced scattering in SSNPs contributes to the OCT signal, leading to images with better contrast. Moreover, average A-scan profiles acquired at different time delays show the downward propagation of SSNPs and the extension of signal enhancement at the deeper regions. Speckle variance OCT images show that SSNPs are efficiently distributed over the targeted tissue region, demonstrating their applicability in a large lesion area.


Norovirus and Other Viral Causes of Medically Attended Acute Gastroenteritis Across the Age Spectrum: Results from the Medically Attended Acute Gastroenteritis Study in the United States.
Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) causes a substantial burden in the United States, but its etiology frequently remains undetermined. Active surveillance within an integrated healthcare delivery system was used to estimate the prevalence and incidence of medically attended norovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus. Active surveillance was conducted among all enrolled members of Kaiser Permanente Northwest during July 2014-June 2016. An age-stratified, representative sample of AGE-associated medical encounters were recruited to provide a stool specimen to be tested for norovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus. Medically attended AGE (MAAGE) encounters for a patient occurring within 30 days were grouped into 1 episode, and all-cause MAAGE incidence was calculated. Pathogen- and healthcare setting-specific incidence estimates were calculated using age-stratified bootstrapping. The overall incidence of MAAGE was 40.6 episodes per 1000 person-years (PY), with most episodes requiring no more than outpatient care. Norovirus was the most frequently detected pathogen, with an incidence of 5.5 medically attended episodes per 1000 PY. Incidence of norovirus MAAGE was highest among children aged < 5 years (20.4 episodes per 1000 PY), followed by adults aged ≥ 65 years (4.5 episodes per 1000 PY). Other study pathogens showed similar patterns by age, but lower overall incidence (sapovirus: 2.4 per 1000 PY; astrovirus: 1.3 per 1000 PY; rotavirus: 0.5 per 1000 PY). Viral enteropathogens, particularly norovirus, are important contributors to MAAGE, especially among children < 5 years of age. The present findings underline the importance of judicious antibiotics use for pediatric AGE and suggest that an effective norovirus vaccine could substantially reduce MAAGE.


Mechanisms of active Cl- secretion by frog gastric mucosa.
Net Cl- flux across the bullfrog gastric mucosa was examined to test the hypothesis that Cl-secretion (JClnet) can be driven by either of the two cation exchange pumps in the oxyntic cell. The effects on JClnet of ouabain, an Na+-K+ pump inhibitor, and omeprazole, an H+-K+ pump inhibitor were examined. Omeprazole abolished acid secretion (JH) and reduced JClnet in bullfrog gastric mucosa. For mucosae at open circuit the omeprazole-induced decrease in JH was not significantly different than the decrease in JClnet, and the transmucosal potential difference (PD) was increased. When short-circuited mucosae were treated with omeprazole, the decrease in JClnet was significantly less than the decrease in JH, and short-circuit current (SCC) was correspondingly increased. After treatment of short-circuited mucosae with ouabain, the omeprazole-induced decreases in JH and JClnet were not significantly different, and no change in SCC occurred. For open-circuited mucosae, pretreatment with ouabain resulted in a significantly smaller omeprazole-induced increase in the transmucosal PD than was seen without ouabain pretreatment. Our data 1) show that both the H+-K+ pump and the Na+-K+ pump can drive Cl- secretion and 2) suggest that inhibition of the H+-K+ pump with omeprazole stimulates the Na+-K+ pump.


A major epigenetic programming mechanism guided by piRNAs.
A central enigma in epigenetics is how epigenetic factors are guided to specific genomic sites for their function. Previously, we reported that a Piwi-piRNA complex associates with the piRNA-complementary site in the Drosophila genome and regulates its epigenetic state. Here, we report that Piwi-piRNA complexes bind to numerous piRNA-complementary sequences throughout the genome, implicating piRNAs as a major mechanism that guides Piwi and Piwi-associated epigenetic factors to program the genome. To test this hypothesis, we demonstrate that inserting piRNA-complementary sequences to an ectopic site leads to Piwi, HP1a, and Su(var)3-9 recruitment to the site as well as H3K9me2/3 enrichment and reduced RNA polymerase II association, indicating that piRNA is both necessary and sufficient to recruit Piwi and epigenetic factors to specific genomic sites. Piwi deficiency drastically changed the epigenetic landscape and polymerase II profile throughout the genome, revealing the Piwi-piRNA mechanism as a major epigenetic programming mechanism in Drosophila.


Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2: an emerging zoonosis. Report of two cases and review.
We report Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2 septicaemia presenting in two previously healthy individuals, and review 52 cases of infection with Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2 reported in the English language literature. This zoonosis is usually acquired through contact with dogs and cats. Infection often presents with little warning to patient or physician and carries a high mortality. The immunosuppressed patient, those without a spleen, alcoholics and those with chronic disease appear to be most susceptible, although the healthy individual is also prone to infection. The infection is probably underdiagnosed due to difficulties in isolating Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2 by conventional blood culture techniques. Clinical and microbiological awareness is of prime importance in the early diagnosis of this potentially lethal infection.


Evaluation of Mandibular Movement Functions Using Instrumental Ultrasound System.
The article deals with routinely performed instrumental temporomandibular joint (TMJ) examinations and interpretation of findings obtained from the Arcus Digma ultrasound device in individuals with or without clinical symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The aim of this study was to analyze mandibular movement functions and the relationship between incisors and condylar movement parameters during jaw opening, which may be helpful for clinical evaluation in these patients. The study group consisted of 84 young students with no dental problems and other serious acute or chronic diseases in the medical history; the students were examined both clinically and with the Arcus Digma ultrasound device. Helkimo Di = I was the most common score in 49 participants, and Helkimo Di = II in a significantly (p < 0.01, Di = I vs. Di = II) smaller number of participants. Medical history revealed symptoms of unilateral mastication in 15 participants and a statistically significant increased (p < 0.02, participants with symptoms of unilateral mastication vs. asymptomatic) condylar range of motion parameter during retrusion. Also a significant decrease (p < 0.03, participants with symptoms of unilateral mastication vs. asymptomatic) of the incisal and condylar ranges of motion during mouth opening was found. Limitation of mouth opening, defined as a decrease of inter-incisal distance, appeared in 19 participants (22.6%) and in 25 participants (29.8%) measured instrumentally with the Arcus Digma device. A comparison of instrumental result examinations of the right and left TMJs showed positive correlations of the range of mandible opening movement with the Posselt opening movement (r = 0.75) and opening/closing movements with the Posselt closing movements (r = 0.70). A correlation was demonstrated (r = 0.81) between the condylar range of motion studied on the left and on the right TMJ during mandible opening movement. Correlations were also found between opening-closing movements and the condylar range of motion of the left TMJ, and between the opening-closing movement and the condylar range of motion of the right TMJ during the opening movement. According to the results of this study with instrumental Arcus Digma ultrasound device measurements of mandibular movements, data were provided on irregularities in TMJ function not detected in participants with or without clinical symptoms of TMD.


Hormonal and metabolite responses to glucose and maltodextrin ingestion with or without the addition of guar gum.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ingesting water (P), a glucose solution (GL), a maltodextrin solution (Md), a glucose solution with 8% guar gum (GL+G), and a maltodextrin solution with 8% guar gum (Md+G), on the hormonal and metabolite responses during cycling, and on subsequent time to exhaustion. Five male subjects undertook five 90 min rides on a bicycle ergometer at an exercise intensity corresponding to 65% VO2max after having ingested 1 g.kg-1 body weight of the test product in 400 ml of water immediately before the exercise. Blood samples were taken during the trials for analyses of adrenaline, noradrenaline, insulin, glucagon, glucose, lactate and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Respiratory measures were also undertaken during the trials for the determination of oxygen consumption (VO2) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER), from which the carbohydrate oxidation rates were calculated. Rates of perceived exertion (RPE) were also assessed. Ten minutes after the 90 min ride, subjects exercised to volitional exhaustion at an exercise intensity of 75% VO2max. ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences between the treatments for adrenaline (p < 0.01), insulin (p < 0.05), glucose (p < 0.01), lactate (p < 0.01), NEFA (p < 0.01), RER (p < 0.001) and carbohydrate oxidation rate (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Voxel Placement Precision for GABA-Edited Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.
The purpose of the present study was to assess the reproducibility of voxel placement for GABA-edited MRS. GABA-edited MRS data were acquired in 13 healthy volunteers from (3 cm)3 voxel; and within the same session a second acquisition was independently prescribed. A three-dimensional voxel mask image was reconstructed in T1-image-space using the SVMask tool (in house software). Reproducibility of voxel placement was assessed using the Dice overlap coefficient, both within-subject and between-subject following co-registration of T1 images and transformation of voxel mask images to standard space. Within-subject overlap coefficients were 86% ± 5%. Between-subject overlap coefficients were 75% ± 10%. For the two voxel locations considered (occipital and sensorimotor), voxel overlap was very similar. Between-subject values are higher due to between-session effects, anatomical variability and volume mismatch in standard space. While surprisingly low in terms of volume overlap, the overlap coefficients correspond to acceptable linear displacements.


Lifestyle and health status differ over time in long-term heart transplant recipients.
To describe differences in lifestyle and health status across 5 post-transplant periods. The sample consisted of 126 heart transplant recipients (87% men) grouped by time after transplantation: group 1, 12 to 24 months (n= 13); group 2, 25 to 48 months (n= 19); group 3, 49 to 72 months (n=24); group 4, 72 to 96 months (n=27); and group 5, > or =97 months (n=43). Data were obtained using demographic and health status evaluation forms and the Lifestyle Profile-II, which measures physical activity, nutrition, health responsibility, interpersonal relationships, stress management, and spiritual growth. Most often reported lifestyle attributes were spiritual growth and interpersonal relationships. Least often reported was physical activity. Pairwise comparisons revealed that groups 3 (chi2 = 16.4; SD = 4.8; P = .03) and 4 (chi2 = 16.6; SD= 5.8; P = .04) had lower physical activity than group 2 (chi2 = 21.3; SD = 5.2). Health status evaluation revealed that there were no group differences in systolic (P = .46) or diastolic (P = .77) blood pressure. Although creatinine was elevated, there were no group differences (P = .86). High-density lipoprotein was higher than 42 mg/dL in all groups, but there were differences across groups in low-density lipoprotein (P = .003). Groups 1 (chi2 = 139.2; SD = 38.5) and 2 (chi2 = 141.0; SD = 47.8) were different than group 5 (chi2 = 112.9; SD = 36.1; P = .05). There were group differences in cholesterol (P = .002), with lower levels in groups 4 (chi2 = 190.5; SD= 38.6) and 5 (chi2 = 186.3; SD = 37.7) as compared to group 2 (chi2 = 230.8; SD = 66.5). Identifying posttransplant periods in which healthy behaviors and health status may be vulnerable to decline is important for providing ongoing education and psychological support to transplant recipients who manage a complex regimen.


Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma with angiosarcomatoid change: A case report with immunohistochemical study.
Sarcomatoid combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) is a rare condition, with only 16 cases reported to date; however, there have been no reports of hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma with angiosarcomatous features. Here, we report a rare case of cHCC-CCA with angiosarcomatoid changes in a 77-year-old man. The tumor was biphasic with malignant epithelial and mesenchymal components. Histologically, the epithelial component was concordant with classical type cHCC-CCA. The mesenchymal component included angiosarcomatoid cells growing in a vasoformative structure and undifferentiated spindle cells. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that angiosarcomatoid cells were positive for CD31, factor VIII-related antigen, and other angiosarcoma markers. Characteristically diffuse and strong expression of p53 protein was observed in the nuclei of angiosarcomatoid cells but not in carcinoma cells, suggesting that TP53 gene mutations commonly occur in these cells. Transitional zones were observed between HCC and spindle cells and between HCC and angiosarcomatoid cells. A small portion of undifferentiated spindle cells expressed pan-cytokeratin. These findings suggested that this extremely rare tumor developed from dedifferentiation or metaplastic changes of cHCC-CCA.


Antigenic characterization of human and animal rotaviruses by immune adherence hemagglutination assay (IAHA): evidence for distinctness of IAHA and neutralization antigens.
An immune adherence hemagglutination assay (IAHA) and a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antigenic characterization of human rotaviruses were developed. The designations of type 1 and type 2 were identical to those established previously by specific complement fixation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immune electron microscopy. By IAHA (and modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) certain animal rotaviruses were found to be closely related to human rotavirus type 1. The pattern of IAHA reactivity and the cell culture neutralization serotype were found to be distinct properties. The separation of neutralization and IAHA reactivity was apparent when animal rotaviruses which were distinguishable from each other by neutralization assays were found to share IAHA specificity. Further evidence for the dissociation of the neutralization and IAHA specificities was found in studies of human and bovine rotaviruses which underwent genetic reassortment during coinfection. Thus, it appeared that the IAHA and neutralization antigens were coded for by different genes. In view of these findings, we suggest that the term serotype be reversed to identify the antigen that reacts with neutralizing antibodies as is customary for other viruses and that the term subgroup (instead of serotype) be used for the specificity detected by specific complement fixation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and now IAHA.


Further Insights into the Architecture of the PN Promoter That Controls the Expression of the bzd Genes in Azoarcus.
The anaerobic degradation of benzoate in bacteria involves the benzoyl-CoA central pathway. Azoarcus/Aromatoleum strains are a major group of anaerobic benzoate degraders, and the transcriptional regulation of the bzd genes was extensively studied in Azoarcus sp. CIB. In this work, we show that the bzdR regulatory gene and the PN promoter can also be identified upstream of the catabolic bzd operon in all benzoate-degrader Azoarcus/Aromatoleum strains whose genome sequences are currently available. All the PN promoters from Azoarcus/Aromatoleum strains described here show a conserved architecture including three operator regions (ORs), i.e., OR1 to OR3, for binding to the BzdR transcriptional repressor. Here, we demonstrate that, whereas OR1 is sufficient for the BzdR-mediated repression of the PN promoter, the presence of OR2 and OR3 is required for de-repression promoted by the benzoyl-CoA inducer molecule. Our results reveal that BzdR binds to the PN promoter in the form of four dimers, two of them binding to OR1. The BzdR/PN complex formed induces a DNA loop that wraps around the BzdR dimers and generates a superstructure that was observed by atomic force microscopy. This work provides further insights into the existence of a conserved BzdR-dependent mechanism to control the expression of the bzd genes in Azoarcus strains.


[Survey on accidental exposure to biological materials in the Hospital-University Complex of Sassari during the period 1995-2000].
To study professional exposure to biological materials an investigation was carried out in the Hospital-University Complex of Sassari during the period January 1st 1995-December 31 2000. 1003 occupational accidents were notified (incidence rate=6%). Infirmaries were the most at risk category (45%) and about the half part of the accidents occurred in surgical area (44.7%). The most frequent accident was needle puncture (53%); exposure involved principally the hands (76.3%). The basal serology of injured personnel showed low positivity for any HBV markers (72.7%), HCV (0.4%) and no positivity for HIV; while high levels were found among source patients. From the comparison between serological data (injured vs source), when ascertainable, emerged a biological hazard of 7.7% for HBV, 30.2% for HCV and 3.2% for HIV; however no seroconversions were observed at follow up. The study also pointed out the need of improve prevention programmes.


Sexual activity and function of adult men with spina bifida.
Data on sexual function of men with spina bifida (SB) is limited. We aimed to assess sexual activity and erectile dysfunction (ED) in a large international sample of men with SB. Men with SB (≥18yo) were recruited in an international online survey via clinics and social media. We collected data on demographics, ambulation (Hoffer classification), penile rigidity (Erection Hardness Score), sexual activity and ED (International Index of Erectile Function). Non-parametric tests were used. A total of 162 men (median age 35, 62% shunted, 38% community ambulators) reported sexual desire similar to the general population (p = 0.82), but 55% were dissatisfied with their sex life (Summary Table). Overall, 36% reported full penile rigidity with erections, more commonly with better ambulation (p = 0.01), 69% had ever experienced orgasm and 84% ejaculated. In 44 men (27%) attempting sexual intercourse in the last 4 weeks, 59% had ED (11% severe, 7% moderate, 14% mild-moderate, 27% mild). In this group, 91% of men reporting less than full penile rigidity had ED, compared to 30% with full penile rigidity (p = 0.001). Overall, partnered non-genital contact in the last 3 months was reported by 56%, solo masturbation: 62%, partnered intercourse: 48% (31% vaginal). Of 54 men who used phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5I), 80% reported improved erections, 56% improved intercourse. Overall, 40% reported non-genital erogenous zones as most pleasurable, especially with poorer ambulation (p = 0.002, chest/nipples: 73%). Strengths of this study include anonymous, voluntary, online participation maximizing participation of a heterogenous, international population. Whenever available, we compared findings to published values for the general population. Since romantic and sexual activity is a complex intersection of interest, opportunity and ability, a more comprehensive assessment was beyond the study's scope. Future work will focus on the interplay with issues like incontinence. ED was frequent among men with SB, especially in men with poorer ambulation. PDE5 inhibitors may be beneficial. Partnered sexual activity was reported by half of the men, although it may not involve penetrative intercourse.


An ode to my uterus.
The author of this short story writes about undergoing five surgeries over twenty years to remove endometriosis. She has two children, but without a uterus she wonders if she still is a woman. She is thankful for no more debilitating pain and the freedom to love with creativity and abandon. (PsycINFO Database Record


[Immunity to infection. Infection in primary immunodeficiency].
The human body has an elaborate system of local and systemic, immune (cellular, humoral) and nonimmune (skin, mucous membranes) defense mechanisms to protect itself against microbal invaders. Disorders of this intricate system of host defense may generally be classified as primary or secondary. Unusual pathogens infect immunocompromised hosts. Ubiquitous organisms can become opportunistic pathogens. Reactivation of latent organisms is common in this group of patients. Despite their unusual features, infections in the primary immunodeficiency do not occur in a haphazard fashion but rather are predictable depending on the type of immune defects.


Physicochemical characterization, identification and improved photo-stability of α-lipoic acid-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier.
The ultimate goal of this research is to corroborate the physicochemical characterization of nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) loading unstable lipophilic active ingredients with an antioxidant function, such as alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), and monitoring its photochemical stability of ALA-NLC against natural daylight. NLC is an innovative active compound delivery system in pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. It has been recommended as active substance carriers to enhance the effectiveness of lipophilic compounds. ALA-NLC was manufactured using hot high pressure homogenization technique to increase the water solubility and photo-stability. The physicochemical characterization properties of ALA-NLC have been determined in terms of nanoparticle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index value and size distribution. Size analysis was implemented through photon correlation spectroscopy and laser diffractometry. Morphological profile of nanoparticles was observed via atomic force microscopy. The loading of NLC containing ALA was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography. ALA-NLC was subjected to UV-Vis spectrophotometer to validate the existence of ALA. Water contact angle measurement was manipulated to determine the hydrophilicity of the sample. The photo-stability of ALA-NLC within 120 days was assessed by the retention of ALA. The ALA-NLC provided maximum ALA retention of 93.9% in 30 days exposure to natural daylight, the retention of free ALA only 42.5%. About 88.5% of the initial ALA in NLC system remained after 120 days under the same conditions, while the retention of free ALA only 0.7% under natural daylight irradiation. The photo-stability of ALA was considerably enhanced by NLC formulation compared with free ALA itself. Therefore, the NLC formulation provided a reliable protection of ALA against natural daylight, enhancing its photochemical stability. The present investigation elucidated that the NLC drastically improved the water solubility, particularly the facilitation of photo-stability of ALA exposure to natural daylight.


The occurrence of riboflavin kinase and FAD synthetase ensures FAD synthesis in tobacco mitochondria and maintenance of cellular redox status.
Intact mitochondria isolated from Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yellow 2 (TBY-2) cells can take up riboflavin via carrier-mediated systems that operate at different concentration ranges and have different uptake efficiencies. Once inside mitochondria, riboflavin is converted into catalytically active cofactors, FMN and FAD, due to the existence of a mitochondrial riboflavin kinase (EC 188.8.131.52) and an FAD synthetase (EC 126.96.36.199). Newly synthesized FAD can be exported from intact mitochondria via a putative FAD exporter. The dependence of FMN synthesis rate on riboflavin concentration shows saturation kinetics with a sigmoidal shape (S(0.5), V(max) and Hill coefficient values 0.32+/-0.12 microm, 1.4 nmol x min(-1) x mg(-1) protein and 3.1, respectively). The FAD-forming enzymes are both activated by MgCl(2), and reside in two distinct monofunctional enzymes, which can be physically separated in mitochondrial soluble and membrane-enriched fractions, respectively.


Lineage classification of canine inheritable disorders using mitochondrial DNA haplotypes.
To estimate the maternal effects of dog breeds using mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) haplotypes in the dogs with several clinical disorders, 600 base pairs of mtDNA D-loop region were amplified from 365 dogs and were determined for mtDNA sequences. The diversity of the 600-bp sequences was classified into 64 haplotypes, including 46 newly discovered haplotypes, and the haplotypes were grouped into four clusters I to IV. Lineage analysis using the mtDNA haplotype indicated that each dog breed genetically comprises one or a few mtDNA haplotypes. When the relationship between genetic background and occurrences of clinical diseases was estimated, canine lineage analysis using mtDNA haplotype revealed that the disorders distributed in the dominant mtDNA haplotypes of each dog breed, but no disorder closely associated with mtDNA haplotypes was detected.


The role of parents' control in early adolescents' psychological functioning: a longitudinal investigation in the United States and China.
This research compared the effects over time of parents' control and autonomy support on children's functioning in the United States and China. American and Chinese (N = 806) seventh graders (mean age = 12.73 years) participated in a 6-month longitudinal study. Children reported on their parents' psychological control, psychological autonomy support, behavioral control, and their own emotional and academic functioning. Children's grades were obtained. Supporting cultural similarities, in both countries over time, parents' psychological control predicted children's dampened emotional functioning, parents' psychological autonomy support predicted children's enhanced emotional and academic functioning, and parents' behavioral control predicted children's enhanced academic functioning. Supporting cultural differences, the beneficial effects of parents' psychological autonomy support were generally stronger in the United States than in China.


[Automatic Sleep Staging Method Based on Energy Features and Least Squares Support Vector Machine Classifier].
The research of sleep staging is not only the basis of diagnosing sleep related diseases, but also the precondition of evaluating sleep quality, and has important clinical significance. In recent years, the research of automatic sleep staging based on computer has become a hotspot and made some achievements. Feature extraction and feature classification are two key technologies in automatic sleep staging system. In order to achieve effective automatic sleep staging, we proposed a new automatic sleep staging method which combines the energy features and least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM). Firstly, we used FIR band-pass filter to extract the energy features of Pz-Oz channel sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, and compared them with those from wavelet packet transform method. Then we designed an LS-SVM classifier to realize the automatic sleep stage classification. The research showed that FIR band-pass filter (with the Kaiser window) performed better than wavelet packet transform (WPT) for energy feature extraction just in terms of the data from the Sleep-EDF Database and the LS-SVM classifier (with the RBF Kernel function) designed was good, and the automatic sleep staging method proposed in this paper was better than many similar methods from other studies with an average accuracy of 88.89% and had a very prosperous application future.


Antagonism of xylazine and ketamine anesthesia by 4-aminopyridine and yohimbine in geldings.
Thirty-six fasted, mixed horse breed geldings (6 groups of 6 animals each) were anesthetized with xylazine and ketamine, and when maximally sedated, were given 1 of the following antagonists: saline solution, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), small-dose yohimbine, large-dose yohimbine, 4-AP plus low-dose yohimbine, or 4-AP plus high-dose yohimbine. Measured data included mean standing time (MST), heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, and mean total recovery time ( MTRT ). Emergence phenomena were also observed and recorded as smooth, fairly smooth, fairly rough, or rough. Groups given 4-AP alone, small-dose yohimbine alone, or large-dose yohimbine alone produced a significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in MST (9.9 +/- 1.6 minutes, 11.3 +/- 1.7 minutes, and 10.6 +/- 2.3 minutes, respectively) compared with that in the saline control group (24.3 +/- 9.2 minutes). The MTRT were not significantly (P greater than 0.05) different (47.2 +/- 10 minutes, 90.4 +/- 15.1 minutes, and 83.2 +/- 23 minutes, respectively) from control values (66.2 +/- 13.4 minutes). When the antagonists were combined, 4-AP plus small-dose yohimbine and 4-AP plus large-dose yohimbine produced significant (P less than 0.05) decreases (10.3 +/- 2 minutes and 8.3 +/- 2.6 minutes, respectively) in MST compared with that of saline controls. The MTRT was significantly longer in the combined antagonist group (4-AP + small-dose yohimbine--131.8 +/- 28.9 minutes; 4-AP + large-dose yohimbine--131.3 +/- 19.4 minutes) compared with that of control or any antagonist alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Interaction between chlorhexidine-impregnated gutta-percha points and several chlorine-containing endodontic irrigating solutions.
To evaluate if the immersion of chlorhexidine-impregnated gutta-percha points in chlorine-containing endodontic irrigants causes colour changes and precipitate formation. Eighty-one size 25 chlorhexidine medicated (Activ Points, Roeko, Langenau, Germany) and 27 size 25 standard gutta-percha points (Roeko) were immersed in microtubes, containing the following solutions: 0.5 and 5.25% NaOCl or Aquatine (Optident, Ilkley, UK). The samples were visually assessed, by two independent observers, at regular intervals over 3 weeks, to detect colour changes and precipitate formation. A score system was used to grade the precipitate intensity. To compare the number of days required for a precipitate to form mean and standard differences were calculated; the means between the groups were compared using a one-way analysis of variance test. Mean intensity scores were calculated and compared between groups using Kruskal-Wallis procedure followed by the Mann-Whitney test. The groups containing 5.25% NaOCl started to produce a visible precipitate after fourteen days (16.48 ± 0.98) for the Activ points; this process was first noticed with the standard gutta-percha group on day 17 (18.33 ± 1.22 days), with a statistically significant difference (P = 0.002). When looking at the intensity scores from day 17 onwards, these two groups differed statistically, with a greater amount for the AP group (P < 0.001). No other test group presented with changes. The placement of impregnated gutta-percha points, in 5.25% NaOCl for a 2-week period, caused the formation of a precipitate in the experimental conditions of this study.


Esthetic Rehabilitation of a Young Patient With Immediately Loaded Single-Piece Basal Implants Following a Trauma Involving the Anterior Maxilla: Case Report With Five-Year Follow-Up.
Traumatic injuries to the anterior maxilla usually lead to loss of teeth by means of avulsion or extraction due to fracture. Rehabilitation of such a clinical scenario is complex as it involves various anatomic and esthetic challenges. Single-piece basal implants have been widely used in the rehabilitation of resorbed ridges because they gain adequate anchorage from the basal cortical bone, allowing immediate temporization or loading. However, the use of basal implants in the anterior esthetic zone is not much documented. This case report with a five-year follow-up period describes the rehabilitation of lost teeth in the anterior esthetic zone of the anterior maxilla caused due to trauma following a train accident using single-piece axial basal implants with immediate temporization.


The effect of prolonged stress on the hypothalamic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) in the anoestrous ewe.
A study was performed to examine the effect of the intermittent long-term (20 min/h daily during 3 consecutive days) electric stress (footshocks) on the hypothalamic LHRH in anoestrous ewe. On the third day, immediately after the last stimulation, the animals were decapitated and the hypothalami and pituitaries were taken for analysis of LHRH and LH by immunocytochemistry; LHRH was also assayed by radioimmunoassay. In the stressed animals the concentration of immunoreactive LHRH (IR-LHRH) and LHRH analysed by radioimmunoassay (RI-LHRH) increased significantly in the median eminence (ME) and the medial preoptic area (MPOA) when compared with the controls. Additionally, IR-LHRH perikarya appeared in the MPOA of stressed animals, whereas they were not seen in the controls. RI-LHRH in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) of stressed ewes was markedly lower than in control ones. No significant differences in RI-LHRH concentration were found in the septum between stressed and control ewes. The present study clearly indicates that prolonged stressful stimuli modify LHRH concentration in the discrete areas of the hypothalamus of the anoestrous ewe. It is suggested that these changes are attributed mainly to an inhibition of LHRH release from the ME and a suppression of LHRH transport along neural fibres within the hypothalamus.


Anemone cell tumor with neuroendocrine differentiation (presumed Merkel cell carcinoma).
A neuroendocrine tumor with ultrastructural "anemone cell" features in lymph nodes is reported. A primary tumor was not identified, but clinical and morphologic features suggested a metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. The anemone cells were dissociated, lacked intercellular junctions, and contained cytoplasmic intermediate filament aggregates that immunohistochemically reacted with keratins, but they had only sparse neurosecretory granules. Where the tumor cells had infiltrated beyond the lymph nodes, however, they formed a trabecular pattern. A fine-needle aspirate from a later recurrence of the tumor lacked anemone cell features and was ultrastructurally typical of a Merkel cell carcinoma, with neurosecretory granules and intercellular junctions both being evident. The concept of anemone cell tumors and the morphologic variations determined by site are discussed.


THE INFLUENCE OF MONTELUKAST ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM ESTIMATED BY HEART RATE VARIABILITY IN EXPERIMENTAL PARTIAL BLADDER OUTLET OBSTRUCTION IN RATS.
Due to their paracrine action, leukotrienes released from the urothelium are involved in control of the bladder function. Anti-leukotriene agents appear to exert an ameliorating effect in bladder overactivity. It is unknown, whether their possible, modulatory impact on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity may also contribute to the potentially beneficial effect of those compounds. Therefore, our aim was to indirectly estimate the ANS function using the heart rate variability (HRV) study in rats with experimental partial bladder outlet obstruction (PBOO), reflecting human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), treated with leukotriene receptor antagonist - montelukast (MLKT). Twenty rats with surgically induced PBOO lasting for 14 days, divided into two groups: group 1 (10 control subjects) and group 2 (10 MLKT-treated rats; 2 mg/rat/day) were subjected to HRV recordings, preceded by daily urine collection and a subsequent cystectomy with histopathological evaluation of collected bladders. Standard HRV time and spectral parameters were calculated. MLKT-treated animals demonstrated an increase in power of non-normalized LF (low frequency) and HF (high frequency) components with no change of the total HRV power. Moreover, an increase and decrease in normalized nLF and nHF, respectively, were assessed in those animals compared to the control. Additionally, a decrease in daily diuresis measurement was demonstrated in MLKT-treated animals. Montelukast treatment resulted in the functional ANS status re-arrangement, with sympathetic overdrive and parasympathetic withdrawal. Those changes may contribute to alleviation of bladder overactivity symptoms, independently on leukotriene receptors blockade.


Recurrent bacterial cholangitis due to a juxtapapillary diverticulum.
We present a patient with recurrent bacterial cholangitis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography did not show evidence for choledocholithiasis or obstructing abnormalities of the common bile duct. However, a juxtapapillary diverticulum was situated at the edge of the papilla of Vater. We postulate that a juxtapapillary diverticulum can obstruct biliary flow due to its anatomical relation with the papilla, which may predispose to bacterial cholangitis. This might be prevented by sphincterotomy of the papilla.


Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria Isolated From Surgical Site Infection of Hospitalized Patients.
Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are infections of incision or deep tissue at operation sites. These infections prolong hospitalization, delay wound healing, and increase the overall cost and morbidity. This study aimed to investigate anaerobic and aerobic bacteria prevalence in surgical site infections and determinate antibiotic susceptibility pattern in these isolates. One hundred SSIs specimens were obtained by needle aspiration from purulent material in depth of infected site. These specimens were cultured and incubated in both aerobic and anaerobic condition. For detection of antibiotic susceptibility pattern in aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, we used disk diffusion, agar dilution, and E-test methods. A total of 194 bacterial strains were isolated from 100 samples of surgical sites. Predominant aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria isolated from these specimens were the members of Enterobacteriaceae family (66, 34.03%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26, 13.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (24, 12.37%), Acinetobacter spp. (18, 9.28%), Enterococcus spp. (16, 8.24%), coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. (14, 7.22%) and nonhemolytic streptococci (2, 1.03%). Bacteroides fragilis (26, 13.4%), and Clostridium perfringens (2, 1.03%) were isolated as anaerobic bacteria. The most resistant bacteria among anaerobic isolates were B. fragilis. All Gram-positive isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid while most of Enterobacteriaceae showed sensitivity to imipenem. Most SSIs specimens were polymicrobial and predominant anaerobic isolate was B. fragilis. Isolated aerobic and anaerobic strains showed high level of resistance to antibiotics.


The significance of 'severity'.
This essay considers whether permitting the cost-effectiveness of healthcare to govern its allocation is ethically objectionable on the grounds that it fails to give sufficient weight to the severity of people's health states. After documenting the popular sentiment that appears to support this criticism, the essay considers how to implement prioritising severity, focusing on Erik Nord's work. The remainder of the essay scrutinises the ethical arguments supporting policies prioritising severity and challenges those who would prioritise severity to define a notion of severity whose prioritisation they can defend.


I2B is a small cytosolic protein that participates in vacuole fusion.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae vacuole inheritance requires two low molecular weight activities, LMA1 and LMA2. LMA1 is a heterodimer of thioredoxin and protease B inhibitor 2 (I2B). Here we show that the second low molecular weight activity (LMA2) is monomeric I2B. Though LMA2/I2B was initially identified as a protease B inhibitor, this protease inhibitor activity is not related to its ability to promote vacuole fusion: (i) Low Mr protease B inhibitors cannot substitute for LMA1 or LMA 2, (ii) LMA1 and LMA2 promote the fusion of vacuoles from a strain that has no protease B, (iii) low concentrations of LMA2 that fully inhibit protease B do not promote vacuole fusion, and (iv) LMA1, in which I2B is complexed with thioredoxin, is far more active than LMA2/I2B in promoting vacuole fusion and far less active in inhibiting protease B. These studies establish a new function for I2B.


A novel face-name mnemonic discrimination task with naturalistic stimuli.
Difficulty remembering faces and names is a common struggle for many people and gets more difficult as we age. Subtle changes in appearance from day to day, common facial characteristics across individuals, and overlap of names may contribute to the difficulty of learning face-name associations. Computational models suggest the hippocampus plays a key role in reducing interference across experiences with overlapping information by performing pattern separation, which enables us to encode similar experiences as distinct from one another. Thus, given the nature of overlapping features within face-name associative memory, hippocampal pattern separation may be an important underlying mechanism supporting this type of memory. Furthermore, cross-species approaches find that aging is associated with deficits in hippocampal pattern separation. Mnemonic discrimination tasks have been designed to tax hippocampal pattern separation and provide a more sensitive measure of age-related cognitive decline compared to traditional memory tasks. However, traditional face-name associative memory tasks do not parametrically vary overlapping features of faces and names to tax hippocampal pattern separation and often lack naturalistic facial features (e.g., hair, accessories, similarity of features, emotional expressions). Here, we developed a face-name mnemonic discrimination task where we varied face stimuli by similarity, race, sex, and emotional expression as well as the similarity of name stimuli. We tested a sample of healthy young and older adults on this task and found that both age groups showed worsening performance as face-name interference increased. Overall, older adults struggled to remember faces and face-name pairs more than young adults. However, while young adults remembered emotional faces better than neutral faces, older adults selectively remembered positive faces. Thus, the use of a face-name association memory task designed with varying levels of face-name interference as well as the inclusion of naturalistic face stimuli across race, sex, and emotional expressions provides a more nuanced approach relative to traditional face-name association tasks toward understanding age-related changes in memory.


Does Length of Stay Influence How Patients Rate Their Hospitalization After Total Hip Arthroplasty?
The reimbursement for medical services by Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has recently changed from fee-for-service to quality-based payments. This is being implemented through the use of patient administered surveys, most commonly Press Ganey. With a recent strive for fast-track total hip arthroplasty (THA), it is important to ascertain whether length-of-stay (LOS) in post-THA patients influences the Press Ganey scores and overall hospital ratings. Therefore, we looked at: 1) Which Press Ganey survey factors affect overall hospital rating in patients who have a short (=2) or longer (>2) length of stay; and 2) whether hospital satisfaction is different between patients who have varied lengths of stay. A query of the Press Ganey database at our institution was performed between November 2009 and January 2015. We identified 692 patients who had a mean age of 62 years (range, 15 to 91 years). These patients were stratified into two cohorts based on LOS (=two days, n=403; >two days, n=289). Multiple regression analyses were performed using weighted means of each Press Ganey question category to identify their influence ( b) on hospital ratings. We assessed differences in demographics and survey responses between the two cohorts using x2 tests for categorical data and t-tests for continuous data. There was no statistically significant difference found between our two cohorts in hospital rating after adjusting for gender and ASA score. In patients who had short lengths-of-stay (LOS= two days), the overall hospital rating was most influenced by communication with nurses ( b=0.335, p= 0.004), followed by responsiveness of hospital staff ( b=0.313, p=0.006), and communication with doctors ( b=0.208, p=0.049) after adjusting for gender and ASA score. For patients who stayed longer (LOS>two days), the most important factor in hospital ratings was communication with nurses ( b=0.332, p= 0.007), followed by hospital environment ( b=0.312, p=0.002), communication with doctors ( b=0.233, p=0.013), and staff responsiveness (b=0.223 p=0.042). Short (LOS=2) and long (>two days) lengths of stay did not affect overall hospital rating. However, amongst both cohorts, communication with nurses, staff responsiveness, and communication with doctors were positively correlated with hospital ratings. Hospital environment also played a significant role in overall hospital ratings for patients who had an LOS >two days. More studies should be conducted to assess if the use of minimally invasive THA affects overall hospital ratings.


A procedure for detecting phosphonolipids on thin-layer chromatograms.
A simple modification of a phospholipid-specific spray for thin-layer chromatograms allows it to be used as a specific detection reagent for phosphonolipids and as a general lipid detection reagent.


A phase II study of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, adriamycin, and cisplatin (FLAP) for metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. A Penn Cancer Clinical Trial Group and Roswell Park Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program Trial.
A Phase II study was performed to evaluate the activity and toxicity of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, Adriamycin, and cisplatin combination chemotherapy (FLAP) in patients with previously untreated advanced gastric and gastroesophageal (GE) junction adenocarcinoma. Forty-two consecutive patients were enrolled to received FLAP in this multi-institutional trial. Response, toxicity, and survival data were noted. Fifteen of 42 (36%) patients demonstrated objective responses, with two complete responses (5%) and 13 partial responses (31%). The median time to disease progression was 17 weeks, and the overall survival duration was 30 weeks. Myelosuppression was significant, requiring dose modifications, but there were no treatment-related deaths. FLAP is an active regimen in the treatment of advanced gastric and GE junction adenocarcinoma. We are presently using this regimen in the neoadjuvant setting in patients with gastric and GE junction cancers.


Understanding Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence Among HIV-Positive Women at Four Postpartum Time Intervals: Qualitative Results from the Kabeho Study in Rwanda.
As lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for pregnant women is implemented, it is important to understand the attitudes and norms affecting women's postpartum ART adherence. This is a qualitative cross-sectional study of HIV-positive postpartum women (n = 112) enrolled in a 2-year observational prospective cohort in Rwanda. Informed by the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), we conducted in-depth interviews with women whose children were 0-6, 7-12, 13-18, or 21-24 months of age to describe factors contributing to adherence and changes over time. Positive ART attitudes reported by women included mothers' health promotion, prevention of infant HIV infection, higher CD4 count, and improved physical appearance. Negative attitudes were few, but included side effects and the lifelong nature of treatment. Learning from people living with HIV (PLHIV) was identified as a norm facilitating adherence; ART adherence was inhibited by fear of disclosure or stigmatization in communities and clinics. Poor adherence behaviors were common immediately after HIV diagnosis, not necessarily during prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Women with older children, most of whom stopped breastfeeding by 13-18 months, reported more barriers and missed doses than women with younger children. The TRA was useful in identifying the collective influence of attitudes, norms, and intentions on behavior. Findings suggest that HIV-positive women are vulnerable to poor adherence following HIV diagnosis and around the time of breastfeeding cessation. Lifelong treatment adherence can be supported through PLHIV exemplifying long-term ART use, fewer and less stigmatizing clinic visits, and counseling messages highlighting the benefits of drugs on appearance and illness prevention and incorporating biological feedback.


Comparative analysis of cytokine induction in human vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells.
Cells of the blood vessel wall are both targets for and sources of certain cytokines. Various stimuli including bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or Interleukin 1 (IL1) induce elaboration of immunoregulatory and inflammatory mediators by human vascular endothelial cells (EC) and smooth muscle cells (SMC). We compared the capacity of EC and SMC to produce interleukin 6 (IL6) in response to LPS or its lipid A moiety. Cultured SMC release IL6 even without addition of stimuli, this basal IL6 secretion increased 2 to 4 fold in response to LPS. In contrast, unstimulated EC released little IL6, but exposure to LPS increased IL6 elaboration approximately 10 fold. Lipid A also augmented IL6 production by both EC and SMC. Radioimmunoprecipitation experiments compared de novo IL6 synthesis by EC and SMC in response to LPS, and yielded results consistent with the studies of biological activity. Unstimulated EC produced no precipitable IL6, LPS-stimulated EC released newly synthesized IL6, although to a lesser extent than did IL1-stimulated cells. SMC secreted precipitable IL6 without added stimulus and in increasing amounts following exposure to LPS or IL1. Thus EC and SMC exhibit substantial quantitative differences in IL6 synthesis and release, basally and in response to LPS. The capacity of these intrinsic vessel wall cells to secrete this important immunomodulator might contribute to local regulation of the immune or inflammatory responses.


Application of polyglycolized glycerides in protection of amorphous form of etoricoxib during compression.
Polymorphic transition and stability problems during amorphous drug formulation are the major limiting factors in pharmaceutical technology. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the ability of polyglycolized glycerides (Gelucire) in protection of amorphous form of drug during compression and shelf life with lower proportion. Amorphous etoricoxib (AET) was prepared by spray drying technique. Tablets of AET and melt granules of AET (MG-AET) with Gelucire 50/13 were prepared. Tablets parameters like hardness, disintegration and content uniformity were evaluated. Tablets were evaluated immediately after compression and on storage for 3 months at ambient conditions to determine degree of transformation using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dissolution profiles. Spray drying yielded the amorphous etoricoxib. Content uniformity in the tablet was in between 95 to 105%. Other parameters like disintegration and hardness were well within the limits. The results showed significant difference in the degree of crystallinity between AET tablet and MG-AET tablet. MG-AET tablet showed absence of crystallinity after 3 months storage. The reason could be formation of hydrogen bonding between the Gelucire and AET. Also Gelucire can be tableted very easily under low pressure and showed elastic recovery. Gelucire yielded a soft embedding during tableting, which prevented the polymorphic transformation. Polyglycolized glycerides (Gelucire 50/13) are able to protect amorphous etoricoxib during compression. As excipient required is low, it became possible to prepare tablet formulation as compared to other excipient like polyvinylpyrrolidon (PVP).


NPM1 Mutant Mediated PML Delocalization and Stabilization Enhances Autophagy and Cell Survival in Leukemic Cells.
Accumulating evidence has defined nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) mutation as a driver genetic event in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), whereas the pathogenesis of NPM1-mutated AML remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, we showed that mutant NPM1 elevated autophagic activity and autophagic activation contributed to leukemic cell survival in vitro. Meanwhile, we also found high expression of promyelocytic leukemia gene (PML) and its cytoplasmic dislocation in primary NPM1-mutated AML blasts and NPM1-mA positive OCI-AML3 cells. Mechanically, mutant NPM1 interacted with PML and mediated it delocalization as well as stabilization. Notably, NPM1-mA knockdown impaired autophagic activity, while induced expression of PML reversed this effect. Finally, we confirmed that PML modulated autophagic activity via AKT signal. These findings suggest that aberrant PML expression and autophagy are beneficial to the leukemic transformation driven by NPM1 mutations. This indicates an attractive therapeutic avenue for PML targeting and/or autophagy inhibition in the treatment of NPM1-mutated AML.


Factors influencing patency of Brescia-Cimino arteriovenous fistulas in hemodialysis patients.
Autologous arteriovenous fistula is gold standard to maintain vascular access for hemodialysis patients. As per the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines, distal veins are preferred as the first choice. In this study, a total of 134 patients and 138 fistulas were evaluated from April 2015 to March 2016. Demographic factors and clinical factors were taken into consideration. Our study showed that age, sex, diabetes, and type of construction (end-to-side vs. side-to-side) had no influence over fistula patency rates. Intradialytic hypotension was one of the risk factors for loss of fistula patency. Smoking and history of hypertension were associated with reduced patency rates (P<0.001). Primary failure was more with distal fistulas (15.2%).


Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Bacteria Isolated From Various Specimens of Patients with Hematological Malignancy.
Infection is a life threatening complication in patients with hematological malignancy. So, proper treatment of infection with suitable antibiotic is very important in these patients. The aim of this study was to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria isolated from various specimens of patients with hematological malignancy, so that, an appropriate regimen of empiric antibiotic treatment can be established for these patients. This observational study was done in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from March 2012 to August 2012. Forty (40) diagnosed patients of hematological malignancies who were admitted in the Department of Hematology and Paediatric Hemato-oncology, BSMMU with symptoms of sepsis &/ or urinary tract infection (UTI) or respiratory tract infection (RTI) were enrolled in this study. Blood, throat swab and urine were collected from each patient and sputum was collected from four patients. Susceptibility pattern of Gram positive bacteria to antibiotics was satisfactory. But Gram negative bacteria were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Enterobacteriaceae group of organisms were found completely resistant to Ceftriaxone & Aztreonam. The best drugs for them were Imipenem, Amikacin & Netilmicin. P. aeruginosa & Acinetobacter spp. were completely resistant to several antibiotics including Cephalosporines & Ciprofloxacin. The best drug for them was Imipenem, Netilmicin & combination of Tazobactam & Piperacilin.


The influence of proficiency level, transfer distality, and gender on the contextual interference effect.
This study examined the impact of high and low proficiency level, transfer distality, and gender on the contextual interference effect with an open skill. Subjects were separated into two levels of proficiency based on performance on a pretest similar to the experimental task. Analysis of error scores during acquisition indicated that the partitioning of subjects according to ability level had been successful. Transfer distality was varied by presenting subjects with two tasks varying in similarity to the acquisition task. Analysis of absolute constant, constant, variable, and total error scores in transfer strongly suggested that subjects' consistency rather than response bias was affected by the experimental variables. The findings suggested that, for the task used in this study, proficiency level does not account for gender differences in the contextual interference effect, as the effect was only reliably found for females. For coincident timing skills, it appears that there may be two distinct conclusions drawn from the results of this study: contextual interference only benefits female subjects' consistency and the effect of contextual interference increases with the distality of transfer, regardless of the subjects' proficiency level.


Hematologic RIs for healthy water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in southern Mexico.
Baseline hematologic data are used by veterinarians and wildlife biologists to perform health assessments on target animal species. Hematologic measurements are influenced by various factors including geography. Baseline hematologic RIs have been established for domestic water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) from various countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, but these data are not readily available for the Western Hemisphere. The aim of this study was to determine hematologic values for domestic water buffaloes from several commercial farms in southern Mexico. Blood was collected from 126 healthy, postlactating females (3 to 10 years old) from the Murrah breed, and 10 hematologic variables were measured. Means, SDs, RIs, medians (MED), median absolute deviations (MAD), and other statistics were calculated for each hematologic variable. The MED (and MAD) for each variable are as follows: RBC count, 7.6 (1.1) × 1012 /L; hemoglobin, 116.0 (13.3) g/L; PCV, 41.5 (7.6) %; MCV, 56.8 (7.0) fL; MCH, 14.6 (1.6) pg; MCHC, 250.0 (35.6) g/L; RDW (SD), 29.7 (5.5) fL; RDW (CV), 18.2 (1.4) %; reticulocytes, 0.0 (0.0) %, and WBC count, 12.4 (1.3) × 109 /L. These values were compared to those previously reported for water buffaloes from several countries in the Eastern Hemisphere and, on most occasions, they differed significantly. Our data can be used by veterinarians and other personnel involved in buffalo production in Mexico during medical evaluations.


Effect of increasing silver content in phosphate-based glasses on biofilms of Streptococcus sanguis.
Silver is a powerful antibacterial ion that may be useful for dealing with localized infections, such as periodontitis. However, the use of silver in this role could be significantly improved by the development of an effective means of delivery. Phosphate-based glasses may provide a means of delivering the ions in a controlled manner. In our study, we have examined the effect of increasing silver content in phosphate-based glasses on biofilms of Streptococcus sanguis. Glasses of nominally the same dissolution rate were doped with silver at 1, 5,10, and 15 mol % and the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) determined after 6 and 24 h in a constant depth film fermenter (CDFF). The 1 mol % silver showed little change between 6 and 24 h. However, only 0.5 log CFUs were present on the glass containing 5 mol % at 6 h, and this reduced to virtually zero at 24 h. Few viable bacteria were found on the 10 mol % glass at both 6 and 24 h. The 15 mol % glass was investigated in this experiment, but no viable counts were detected. In a second set of experiments, glasses with 10 and 15 mol % silver were tested in the CDFF for up to 192 h. For the 10 mol % silver glass, there was approximately 0.8 log CFUs on this glass, which dropped to almost zero at 50 h. This was approximately 1.5-2.0 log reduction in CFUs compared to controls, and this difference was maintained for the first 50 h. After 50 h, there was a slow increase in the CFUs on all samples. However, CFUs on the 10 mol % silver glass were still suppressed up to 192 h compared to the controls. However, both controls also exhibited a decrease in viable counts at 50 h; this may have been due to carryover of silver into the control sample holders. However, this was minimized by the specimen layout in the CDFF and by having gaps between specimen sets. For the 15 mol % silver glass, counts for both this glass and the controls decreased to virtually zero between 24 and 48 h, but the numbers slowly increased up to 170 h, but the number of CFUs was suppressed compared to the 10 mol % glass at the same time point. The decrease seen is clearly the effect of the silver ions; however, the slow increase in CFUs may be accounted for by the biofilms forming thick layers on top of the glass discs inhibiting the release of ions from the glass by forming a "sacrificial layer" through which further ions have to diffuse.


Measuring kLa with randomly pulsed dynamic method.
This reports on the determination of the overall oxygen transfer coefficient in a mechanically agitated vessel using a randomly pulsed dynamic method. This method consists in exciting the system by randomly switching the inlet gas stream with air or nitrogen with an identical volumetric flow rate. A pseudo-random binary sequence was used. This procedure is routinely used in process control for the identification of system's transfer function. The pulsed dynamic method gives good reliability (as compared with the traditional gassing-out method) and reproducibility in water. However, further improvement is needed before it can be used to monitor on-line the k(L)a during a fermentation.


NMR and EPR spectroscopic and structural studies of low-spin, (d(xz),d(y)(z))(4)(d(x)(y))(1) ground state Fe(III) bis-tert-butylisocyanide complexes of dodecasubstituted porphyrins.
The bis-(1,1-dimethylethylisocyanide) (tert-butylisocyanide) complexes of three iron porphyrinates (2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin, OETPP; 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octamethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin, OMTPP; and 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-tetra-beta,beta'-tetramethylene-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin, TC(6)TPP) have been prepared and studied by EPR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. From EPR and NMR spectroscopic results it has been found that the ground states of the bis-(t-BuNC) complexes of OETPP, OMTPP, and TC(6)TPP are represented mainly (99.1-99.4%) as (d(xz,)d(yz))(4)(d(xy))(1) electron configurations, with an excited state lying 700 cm(-)(1) to higher energy for the OMTPP complex, and probably at lower and higher energies, respectively, for the OETPP and TC(6)TPP complexes. In the (1)H NMR spectra the (d(xz,)d(yz))(4)(d(xy))(1) electron configurations of all three complexes are indicated by the large and positive meso-phenyl-H shift differences, delta(m)-delta(o) and delta(m)-delta(p), and close to the diamagnetic shifts of groups (CH(3) or CH(2)) directly attached to the beta-carbons. However, in comparison to meso-only substituted porphyrinates such as [FeTPP(t-BuNC)(2)]ClO(4), the meso-phenyl shift differences are much smaller, especially for the OETPP complex. 2D NOESY spectra show that the flexibility of the porphyrin core decreases with increasing nonplanar distortion in the order TC(6)TPP > OMTPP > OETPP and in the same order the stability of the binding to t-BuNC ligands decreases. In addition, the structures of two crystalline forms of [FeOMTPP(t-BuNC)(2)]ClO(4) have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Both structures showed purely saddled porphyrin cores and somewhat off-axis binding of the isocyanide ligands. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a porphyrin complex with a purely saddled conformation that adopts the (d(xz,)d(yz))(4)(d(xy))(1) ground state. All structurally-characterized complexes of this electron configuration reported previously are ruffled. Therefore, we conclude that a ruffled geometry stabilizes the (d(xz,)d(yz))(4)(d(xy))(1) ground state, but is not necessary for its existence.


Morphological and molecular characterization of actinic lentigos reveals alterations of the dermal extracellular matrix.
Actinic lentigos (AL) are benign hyperpigmented skin lesions associated with photoageing. Despite their high prevalence, biological mechanisms driving their formation remain unclear. To provide new insights about the physiopathology of AL through a comprehensive description of their histological and molecular features. Quantitative analysis of dermoscopic images was used to select AL containing elongated patterns, predicted to display a highly deformed dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ), on the back of the hands of 15 Caucasian women. Biopsies from lesional and adjacent nonlesional (NL) areas were processed for histological analysis or gene expression profiling. Histological staining confirmed a drastic deformation of the DEJ in AL, with deep epidermal invaginations into the dermis. Although the melanin content was significantly higher in AL compared with NL epidermis, the distribution of melanocytes along the DEJ was unchanged. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a signature of 529 genes differently expressed in AL vs. NL skin. Alteration of epidermal homeostasis was confirmed by the dysregulation of keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation markers. Surprisingly, canonical genes involved in melanogenesis were not significantly modulated in AL. A striking finding was the overexpression of a large group of genes involved in dermal extracellular matrix organization and remodelling. Dermal alterations were confirmed by immunolabellings on AL and NL sections. Drastic disorganization of the cutaneous structure in AL is accompanied by a specific molecular signature revealing alterations in both epidermal and dermal compartments. In particular, our results suggest that local modifications of the dermal extracellular matrix might contribute to hyperpigmentation in AL.


New Insight into the Electronic Effect for Cu Porphyrin Catalysts in Electrocatalytic of CO2 into CH4.
Perturbation of the copper (Cu) active site by electron manipulation is a crucial factor in determining the activity and selectivity of electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO2 ) reduction reaction (e-CO2 RR) in Cu-based molecular catalysts. However, much ambiguity is present concerning their electronic structure-function relationships. Here, three molecular Cu-based porphyrin catalysts with different electron densities at the Cu active site, Cu tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin (Cu─T(OMe)PP), Cu tetraphenylporphyrin (Cu─THPP), and Cu tetrakis(4-bromophenyl)porphyrin (Cu─TBrPP), are prepared. Although all three catalysts exhibit e-CO2 RR activity and the same reaction pathway, their performance is significantly affected by the electronic structure of the Cu site. Theoretical and experimental investigations verify that the conjugated effect of ─OCH3 and ─Br groups lowers the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) gap of Cu─T(OMe)PP and Cu─TBrPP, promoting faster electron transfer between Cu and CO2 , thereby improving their e-CO2 RR activity. Moreover, the high inductive effect of ─Br group reduces the electron density of Cu active site of Cu─TBrPP, facilitating the hydrolysis of the bound H2 O and thus creating a preferable local microenvironment, further enhancing the catalytic performance. This work provides new insights into the relationships between the substituent group characteristics with e-CO2 RR performance and is highly instructive for the design of efficient Cu-based e-CO2 RR electrocatalysts.


Differential recruitment of the splicing machinery during transcription predicts genome-wide patterns of mRNA splicing.
The splicing machinery associates with genes to facilitate efficient cotranscriptional mRNA processing. We have mapped these associations by genome localization analysis to ascertain how splicing is achieved and regulated on a system-wide scale. Our data show that factors important for intron recognition sample nascent mRNAs and are retained specifically at intron-containing genes via RNA-dependent interactions. Spliceosome assembly proceeds cotranscriptionally but completes posttranscriptionally in most cases. Some intron-containing genes were not bound by the spliceosome, including several developmentally regulated genes. On this basis, we predicted and verified regulated splicing and observed a role for nuclear mRNA surveillance in monitoring those events. Finally, we present evidence that cotranscriptional processing events determine the recruitment of specific mRNA export factors. Broadly, our results provide mechanistic insights into the coordinated regulation of transcription, mRNA processing, and nuclear export in executing complex gene expression programs.


Case reports of 16 sets of conjoined twins from a Uganda hospital.
During a 10-year period (1971-1980) 16 sets of conjoined twins were delivered in the author's hospital. The incidence of those twins was 1 in 4242 deliveries, 1 in 69 multiple births, and 1 in 139 congenitally malformed babies. All diagnoses were made during labour or at operation and all babies were lost. There were no maternal deaths.


Transport studies in the small bowel obstruction of the rat.
In the mechanically obstructed small bowel of the rat the decrease of passive transport of antipyrine was found to be equal after 24 and 48 h. The active transport of glucose was found to be progressively inhibited after occlusion.


Familial intrahepatic cholestasis associated with progressive neuromuscular disease and vitamin E deficiency.
Three Japanese patients with familial progressive intrahepatic cholestasis developed complications involving neurologic abnormalities characterized by ataxia and pigmentary retinopathy. Serum vitamin E concentrations were extremely low in all patients, suggesting a long-term vitamin E deficiency. High dose oral supplementation of alpha-tocopherol produced normal serum vitamin E levels in two patients. Parenteral administration of vitamin E resulted in no clinical improvement in one patient who first received the treatment at 14 years of age. In the other two patients, the progression of neurological abnormalities was slowed by vitamin E supplementation. Cholestyramine treatment resulted in an apparent decrease in serum vitamin E levels despite oral alpha-tocopherol supplementation.


Effectiveness of acute post-operative pain management by the acute pain service.
Analgesia by specialists with formal training in pain management could be more effective, to find out, the results of a team of an acute pain service will be determined. Retrospective study (n = 108) of post-operative (POP) analgesia; two evaluations were taken: before starting analgesics in the immediate POP period and the second at 24 h. A multivariate analysis was performed to establish independent risk factors associated with the effectiveness of the treatment. The effectiveness was 81.48% at 24 h. The risk factors associated with poor management effectiveness were: a comorbidity, prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.22; fibromyalgia (PR = 8.47), and cancer (PR = 2.47). The duration of surgery was associated with poor control PR = 1.10 for each hour elapsed. Protective factors for poor pain control: administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the POP period (PR = 0.11) and use of analgesia controlled by the patient (PR = 0.29). POP pain relief is multifactorial; the participation of specialists was very effective. Identification of risk factors led to closer follow-up.


Effect of fibrous diet and vitamin C inclusion on uniformity, carcass traits, skeletal strength, and behavior of broiler breeder pullets.
This experiment studied the effect of broiler breeder nutritional strategies on uniformity, carcass traits, tibia parameters, and behavior during rearing and prebreeder periods (up to 22 wk of age). One-day-old pullets (n = 384) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial, with 2 fiber levels (control vs. fibrous diet, 15% diluted in AMEn and nutrient content) and 2 vitamin C feed inclusions (0 vs. 200 mg/kg). At 6, 15, and 22 wk, blood sampling was carried out (4 birds/replicate) to determine serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, and behavior was observed by visual scan sampling. At 22 wk, carcass traits, tibia parameters, and intestinal morphology were assessed (2 birds/replicate), and tail- and wing-feather integrity of all birds were scored. Fibrous diet did not modify BW uniformity, mortality, or tibia growth when compared with control diet. Pullets fed the fibrous diet had lower tibia breaking strength, elastic modulus, and ash content values (P < 0.05). They also had lower ALP serum level at 6 and 22 wk (P < 0.05), their breast muscle was less developed (18.5 vs. 19.8%, P < 0.05), and their abdominal fat deposition was higher (1.14 vs. 0.87%, P < 0.05). At 15 and 22 wk, they performed, on average, 97% less grasping feather pecking and 45% less non-food object pecking behaviors, and their wing-feather score was lower (P < 0.05) at 22 wk. Tail- and wing-feather scores of the control treatments were reduced by vitamin C inclusion (tail: 0.30 vs. 1.15, P < 0.05; wing: 0.98 vs. 1.26, P < 0.05) at 22 wk. In conclusion, fibrous diet improves carcass traits (reduces breast muscle and increases abdominal fat deposition), deteriorates bone mineral deposition and thus skeletal strength, and reduces stereotypic behaviors, improving wing-feather integrity. Vitamin C inclusion improves tail- and wing-feather integrity of lower in feed allowance.


Genetic determinants of essential hypertension in the population of Tatars from Russia.
Systemic inflammation and impaired function of endothelium play an important role in the development of hypertension. Our study aimed to analyze an association between essential hypertension and polymorphic markers in candidate genes in the group of 530 Tatars from the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia. The study group consisted of 216 male patients with essential hypertension (mean age 48.92 ± 8.8 years) and 314 healthy individuals of corresponding sex and age without history of cardiovascular disease. Association between studied polymorphisms and essential hypertension was analyzed using PLINK. We detected an association between EDNRB rs5351, VEGFA -2549(18)I/D, and ADRB2 rs1042713 polymorphisms and essential hypertension in men of Tatar ethnic origin. EDNRB, VEGFA, and VCAM1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were associated with SBP and DBP. However, only EDNRB rs5351 remained associated with hypertension after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. A Markov chain Monte Carlo-based approach implemented in the APSampler program was used to analyze association of genotype and/or allele combinations with disease. The most influential in conferring risk of hypertension was EDNRBG/G+ADRB2A+VCAM1A combination (odds ratio = 4.15, PBonf = 5.43 × 10). Our results suggest that rs5351 single-nucleotide polymorphism is a strong independent predictor of essential hypertension in men of Tatar ethnic origin.


High IgE secretion capacity of human plasma cells.
In accordance with results obtained in another culture system, it has previously been shown that human B cells frequently switch to immunoglobulin E (IgE) when they are co-cultured with irradiated mutant EL4 thymoma cells (which provide a CD40 ligand-mediated B cell activation signal), T cell supernatant and recombinant interleukin (IL)-4. However, because of the potentially severe side effects of IgE, such as anaphylaxis, B cells could have a limited capacity to produce this isotype. The IgE secretion rate of plasma cells is not known. In the present study, we compared the secretion rates for different Ig classes by means of limiting dilution analysis of plasmocytic cells that were harvested after 8 to 9 days from primary EL4/B cell cultures and titrated into secondary cultures in the presence of a cell proliferation-blocking concentration of hydroxyurea. These cells secreted Ig at constant rates for periods of up to 2 weeks; IgE secretion was IL-4 independent. The mean cellular secretion rates were similarly high for IgE (150 pg/cell/24 h) and other isotypes (IgM 273 pg, IgG 112 pg, IgA 136 pg/cell/24 h). In terms of molecules per min this represents 3.3 x 10(5) for IgE versus 1.2 x 10(5) for IgM, 3.1 x 10(5) for IgG and 3.6 x 10(5) for IgA. The relative frequency of IgE-secreting cells was only 0.3% of the total number of Ig-secreting cells, suggesting a small size of IgE-producing clones in this in vitro system. Whether this is relevant regarding an in vivo response is not known. Clearly, the Ig secretion capacity of plasma cells would not limit an IgE response in the absence of extrinsic control.


'On December 1, 2015, sex changes. Forever': Pre-exposure prophylaxis and the pharmaceuticalisation of the neoliberal sexual subject.
The global scale-up of AIDS treatment initiatives during the first decade of the twenty-first century has been referred to as a kind of 'pharmaceuticalisation' of public health, a trend that is now building in the area of HIV prevention. This paper traces the emergence and increased uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), antiretroviral medications that can keep HIV negative individuals from becoming infected, placing it within the broader (re)casting of HIV prevention as a medical and technological problem that has been central to the recent 'end of AIDS' discourse. While HIV prevention discourses have been grounded in a neoliberal calculus of individual responsibility since the late 1990s, PrEP constitutes a pharmaceutical extension of the responsibilised sexual subject. Central to this extension are the acknowledgment of one's risk and a willingness to take pre-emptive medical action to secure a future without HIV. For men who have sex with men, a population heavily targeted for biomedical interventions in the United States, PrEP marks a shift in moral discourses of what it means to be a responsible sexual subject. Characteristics of the pharmaceutical extension of the neoliberal sexual subject are explored through an examination of a New York City-based PrEP promotional campaign.


Synthesis of a thrombospondin-like cytoadhesion molecule by cells of the trabecular meshwork.
Thrombospondin is a large extracellular-matrix protein that is released by smooth muscle cells and platelets and is distributed widely in mammalian brain. By using western blotting with a monoclonal antibody against the calcium-binding domain of thrombospondin, the authors detected a 180-kD glycated polypeptide in the trabecular meshwork tissue of normal human and porcine eyes. The epitope-bearing polypeptide was soluble in sodium dodecylsulfate/urea (SDS/urea), and apparently it was stabilized in part by disulfide bonding to the Triton X-100 and SDS/urea-insoluble pellet of this tissue. Treatment of the insoluble matrix with beta-mercaptoethanol led to an enriched extraction of the approximately 160-kD form of thrombospondin. On immunohistochemical study, the thrombospondin antibody also reacted positively with the extracellular matrix and intracellular structures of trabecular cells in primary monolayer culture. This suggested that the presence of thrombospondin in the trabecular meshwork was probably due to local synthesis. These findings are relevant to the establishment of a model in vitro for assessment of adhesion of trabecular cells. Because thrombospondin is a cell-substrate adhesion molecule, its role in the loss of cellularity that occurs in the trabecular meshwork of the aging eye and in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma is worthy of further investigation.


Existence of an iron-oxidizing bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans resistant to organomercurial compounds.
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans MON-1 which is highly resistant to Hg2+ could grow in a ferrous sulfate medium (pH 2.5) with 0.1 microM p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) with a lag time of 2 d. In contrast, A. ferrooxidans AP19-3 which is sensitive to Hg2+ did not grow in the medium. Nine strains of A. ferrooxidans, including seven strains of the American Type Culture Collection grew in the medium with a lag time ranging from 5 to 12 d. The resting cells of MON-1, which has NADPH-dependent mercuric reductase activity, could volatilize Hg0 when incubated in acidic water (pH 3.0) containing 0.1 microM PCMB. However, the resting cells of AP19-3, which has a similar level of NADPH-dependent mercuric reductase activity compared with MON-1, did not volatilize Hg0 from the reaction mixture with 0.1 microM PCMB. The activity level of the 11 strains of A. ferrooxidans to volatilize Hg0 from PCMB corresponded well with the level of growth inhibition by PCMB observed in the growth experiments. The resting cells of MON-1 volatilized Hg0 from phenylmercury acetate (PMA) and methylmercury chloride (MMC) as well as PCMB. The cytosol prepared from MON-1 could volatilize Hg0 from PCMB (0.015 nmol mg(-1) h(-1)), PMA (0.33 nmol mg(-1) h(-1)) and MMC (0.005 nmol mg(-1) h(-1)) in the presence of NADPH and beta-mercaptoethanol.


Time-translational symmetry in statistical dynamics dictates Einstein relation, Green-Kubo formula, and their generalizations.
A stochastic dynamics has a natural decomposition into a drift capturing mean rate of change and a martingale increment capturing randomness. They are two statistically uncorrelated, but not necessarily independent, components contributing to the overall fluctuations of the dynamics, representing the uncertainties in the past and in the future. We show that fluctuation-dissipation relations of the two aforementioned components, such as the Einstein relation and the Green-Kubo formula, can be formulated for any stochastic process with a steady state, without additional supposition of the process being Markovian, reversible, or linear. Further, by considering the adjoint process defined by the time reversal at the steady state, we show that reversibility in equilibrium leads to an additional symmetry in the covariance between system's state and drift. Potential directions of further generalizing our results to processes without steady states is briefly discussed.


Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using recombinant envelope protein expressed in COS-1 and Drosophila S2 cells for detection of West Nile virus immunoglobulin M in serum or cerebrospinal fluid.
Humans infected with West Nile virus (WNV) develop immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies soon after infection. The microtiter-based assays for WNV IgM antibody detection used by most state public health and reference laboratories utilize WNV antigen isolated from infected Vero cells or recombinant envelope protein produced in COS-1 cells. Recombinant antigen produced in COS-1 cells was used to develop a WNV IgM capture enzyme immunoassay (EIA). A supplementary EIA using WNV envelope protein expressed in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells was also developed. Both assays detected WNV IgM in the sera of experimentally infected rhesus monkeys within approximately 10 days postinfection. Human sera previously tested for WNV IgM at a state public health laboratory (SPHL) were evaluated using both EIAs. Among the sera from 20 individuals with laboratory-confirmed WNV infection (i.e., IgM-positive cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]) that were categorized as equivocal for WNV IgM at the SPHL, 19 were IgM positive and one was negative by the new EIAs. Of the 19 IgM-positive patients, 15 were diagnosed with meningitis or encephalitis; the IgM-negative patient was not diagnosed with neurological disease. There was 100% agreement between the EIAs for the detection of WNV IgM. CSF samples from 21 individuals tested equivocal for WNV IgM at the SPHL; all 21 were positive in both bead assays, and 16 of these patients were diagnosed with neurological disease. These findings demonstrate that the new EIAs accurately identify WNV infection in individuals with confirmed WNV encephalitis and that they exhibit enhanced sensitivity over that of the microtiter assay format.


[Endoscopic study of the small intestine].
The author summarises the possibilities of small bowel endoscopy. In case of haemorrhage of unknown origin, enteroscopy may be helpful. Sonde type fiber- or video-enteroscopes can be used. This procedure is time-consuming and needs an experienced team. In case of life-threatening bleeding intraoperative enteroscopy is recommended. "Push" enteroscopy is the best, rapid method in the diagnostics of suspected diffuse intestinal diseases or circumscript lesions of the proximal small bowel. Adult or pediatric colonoscopies or jejunoscopes are available for this investigation. Endoscopic biopsy specimens are suitable for histological examination and for enzyme assay as well. Aspiration of jejunal fluid for bacteriological culture is a way for revealing of bacterial overgrowth. The author emphasises the importance of the deep duodenoscopy made by an upper panendoscope in the diagnostics of villous atrophy.