An examination of the beliefs, attitudes and counselling practices of paediatric oncologists toward physical activity: A provincial survey.
With an increasing population of childhood cancer survivors and a growing recognition of the long-term effects of diagnosis and treatment, it is imperative that modifiable risk factors for long-term health and disease comorbidity be identified and addressed. Physical activity is one therapy that is gaining credibility in enhancing quality of life and reducing the burden of disease. To examine the beliefs, attitudes and counselling practices of a group of Alberta-based paediatric oncologists. All Alberta-based physicians with a known specialty in paediatric oncology were approached and asked to complete a onetime, mail-out survey. All responding physicians regarded both personal exercise and physical activity for childhood cancer survivors as moderately to extremely important. Importantly, one-half of the respondents believed that there is no adverse risk associated with physical activity in this survivor group. While the bulk of physicians report prescribing physical activity, few believe that their patients actually follow these recommendations. Responding oncologists acknowledge the importance of physical activity for all survivors; however, future research is needed to better understand how to best promote healthy active living within this group.


Identification of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) and biogenesis of their siRNAs in the Solanaceae: new functional implications for MITEs.
Small RNAs regulate the genome by guiding transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing machinery to specific target sequences, including genes and transposable elements (TEs). Although miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) are closely associated with euchromatic genes, the broader functional impact of these short TE insertions in genes is largely unknown. We identified 22 families of MITEs in the Solanaceae (MiS1-MiS22) and found abundant MiS insertions in Solanaceae genomic DNA and expressed sequence tags (EST). Several Solanaceae MITEs generate genome changes that potentially affect gene function and regulation, most notably, a MiS insertion that provides a functionally indispensable alternative exon in the tobacco mosaic virus N resistance gene. We show that MITEs generate small RNAs that are primarily 24 nt in length, as detected by Northern blot hybridization and by sequencing small RNAs of Solanum demissum, Nicotiana glutinosa, and Nicotiana benthamiana. Additionally, we show that stable RNAi lines silencing DICER-LIKE3 (DCL3) in tobacco and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 2 (RDR2) in potato cause a reduction in 24-nt MITE siRNAs, suggesting that, as in Arabidopsis, TE-derived siRNA biogenesis is DCL3 and RDR2 dependent. We provide evidence that DICER-LIKE4 (DCL4) may also play a role in MITE siRNA generation in the Solanaceae.


Targeted opioid receptor antagonists in the treatment of alcohol use disorders.
In 1994, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the μ-opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone to treat alcohol dependence. However, treatments requiring daily administration, such as naltrexone, are inconsistently adhered to in substance abusing populations, and constant medication exposure can increase risk of adverse outcomes, e.g., hepatotoxicity. This has fostered a 'targeted' or 'as needed' approach to opioid receptor antagonist treatment, in which medications are used only in anticipation of or during high-risk situations, including times of intense cravings. Initial studies of the ability of targeted naltrexone to reduce drinking-related outcomes were conducted in problem drinkers and have been extended into larger, multi-site, placebo-controlled investigations with positive results. Another μ-opioid receptor antagonist, nalmefene, has been studied on an 'as-needed' basis to reduce heavy drinking in alcohol-dependent individuals. These studies include three large multi-site trials in Europe of up to 1 year in duration, and serve as the basis for the recent approval of nalmefene by the European Medicines Agency as an 'as-needed' adjunctive treatment for alcohol dependence. We review potential moderators of opioid receptor antagonist treatment response including subjective assessments, objective clinical measures and genetic variants. In sum, the targeted or 'as-needed' approach to treatment with opioid antagonists is an efficacious harm-reduction strategy for problem drinking and alcohol dependence.


A mathematical description of recombinant yeast.
A model was formulated to examine specific experimental data of growth and heterologous product formation with recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae while incorporating available literature. The model simulated dry cell weight, glucose, ethanol, dissolved oxygen, human Epidermal Growth Factor (hEGF) production, fraction of recombinant cells, oxygen uptake rate, and carbon dioxide production rate for batch, fed batch, and hollow fiber bioreactor configurations. Nineteen differential equations, 24 analytical equations, and 48 parameters were required. Due to the lack of detailed studies needed for the ADH-II and the TCA enzyme pool, 8 of the 48 parameters were adjustable. Simulation results are presented for verification of the model which successfully described the observed phenomena for the fermentations of S. cerevisiae strain AB103. 1 pYalphaEF-25. Also presented is a statistical analysis of the model's fit and model parameter sensitivity.


The lax eyelid syndrome.
The floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) was first described in middle aged, obese men. In later descriptions, age and sex were not specifically mentioned. Associations of FES with various other syndromes have been described. The authors question whether all these cases represent the same, single, syndrome. They suggest that a clinical picture similar to FES may occur in lax upper eyelids of any cause. Four such cases are reported here. The authors therefore coin the more general term 'lax eyelid syndrome'. They suggest using the term 'floppy eyelid syndrome' uniquely for patients with the classic signs and symptoms.


Acquired von Willebrand Syndrome in Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients: A Single Institution's Experience.
1) Describe the prevalence of acquired von Willebrand syndrome in pediatric patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation deemed to be at increased risk for the disease in our institution, 2) discuss the challenges of testing for acquired von Willebrand syndrome diagnosis, 3) describe the characteristics of the patient population found to have acquired von Willebrand syndrome and their outcomes, and 4) discuss the potential implications of acquired von Willebrand syndrome on bleeding complications. Retrospective chart review. PICU and cardiovascular ICU in a single institution. All PICU and cardiovascular ICU extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients 0-18 years old who underwent screening for acquired von Willebrand syndrome between January 2014 and December 2016. Humate P administration to a small subset of acquired von Willebrand syndrome positive subjects. Laboratory data of identified patients were analyzed. The diagnosis of acquired von Willebrand syndrome was made based on decreased ristocetin cofactor activity to von Willebrand factor antigen ratio and/or abnormal multimer analysis. Clinical data were extracted from the chart and through the Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Outcome Registry to describe the demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes of this patient population. In the 2 years, 29 patients had laboratory testing performed for surveillance and in cases of clinical bleeding. Of these, 23 (79%) were positive by criteria. No significant difference in mortality rate was found between patients with acquired von Willebrand syndrome versus without. We also did not find a significant difference in the blood product utilization or bleeding complications between patients with acquired von Willebrand syndrome versus without. Humate P was administered in 39% of patients (9/23) who were positive for acquired von Willebrand syndrome, but no significant difference was seen in blood product utilization or bleeding complications between acquired von Willebrand syndrome patients receiving Humate P versus those who did not. Acquired von Willebrand syndrome is a common but under recognized disorder in pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients. The clinical implications of this disorder on bleeding and its potential treatments are still unclear.


Collagen nerve guides for surgical repair of brachial plexus birth injury.
Standard brachial plexus repair techniques often involve autologous nerve graft placement and neurotization. However, when performed to treat severe injuries, this procedure can sometimes yield poor results. Moreover, harvesting the autologous graft is time-consuming and exposes the patient to additional surgical risks. To improve surgical outcomes and reduce surgical risks associated with autologous nerve graft retrieval and placement, the authors use collagen matrix tubes (Neurogen) instead of autologous nerve graft material. Between 1991 and 2005, the authors surgically treated 65 infants who had suffered brachial plexus injury at birth. During this time, seven patients were treated using collagen matrix tubes (Neurogen). This study is a retrospective analysis of the initial five patients who were treated using the tubes. Two patients underwent tube placement recently and were excluded from the analysis because of the inadequate follow-up period. Four of the five patients experienced a good recovery (motor scale composite [MSC] > 0.6), and three exhibited an excellent recovery (MSC > 0.75) at 2 years postoperatively. The MSC improved by an average of 69 and 78% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. The movement scores improved to greater than or equal to 50% range of motion in most patients, and the contractures were usually mild or moderate. Follow-up physical and occupational therapy evaluations confirm these patients' functional status. When last seen, four of five of these children could feed and dress themselves. Technically, the use of the collagen matrix tubes was straightforward and efficient, and there were no complications. The outcomes in this small series are encouraging.


Crystal structure and mechanism of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase, a heme enzyme involved in tryptophan catabolism and in quinolinate biosynthesis.
The structure of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) from Ralstonia metallidurans was determined at 2.4 A. TDO catalyzes the irreversible oxidation of l-tryptophan to N-formyl kynurenine, which is the initial step in tryptophan catabolism. TDO is a heme-containing enzyme and is highly specific for its substrate l-tryptophan. The structure is a tetramer with a heme cofactor bound at each active site. The monomeric fold, as well as the heme binding site, is similar to that of the large domain of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, an enzyme that catalyzes the same reaction except with a broader substrate tolerance. Modeling of the putative (S)-tryptophan hydroperoxide intermediate into the active site, as well as substrate analogue and mutagenesis studies, are consistent with a Criegee mechanism for the reaction.


The transcription co-repressor TLE1 interacted with the intracellular region of gpl30 through its Q domain.
As the common signal transducer for IL-6 family cytokines, gp 130 interacts with various signal molecules. Our previous work found the amino-terminal enhancer of split (AES) molecule interacts with gp130 intracellular region through its conserved glutamine-rich (Q) domain. The Q domain in AES shares high homology with those in the transcription co-repressor transducin-like enhancer of split (TLE) proteins. The yeast two-hybrid assay, gluthione S-transferase fusion protein pull-down assay and immuno-co-precipitation assay indicated that the Q domain of TLE1 is capable of binding gp130 intracellular domain, and the intracellular membrane proximal region of gp 130 containing conserved Box1 and Box2 motifs seemed essential for this interaction. The interaction between gp130 and TLE1 indicated that molecules of TLE family might play a role in gp 130 signaling.


[Predictive value of electron microscopy studies in virological diagnosis].
The negative staining techniques in transmission electron microscopy have been used as a routine tool in viral diagnosis since 30 years. In a short review, different preparation techniques, fields of application, advantages and disadvantages of electron microscopy in rapid diagnostic are discussed. The application of electron microscopy depends on availability of other more effective methods. Some viruses, specially in faecal samples, are identifiable only by electron microscopy till now. Sensitivity and specificity are improved by immune electron microscopy comprising suspension, immunosorbent and immunogold techniques. Using rapid embedding techniques, ultrahistology is a valuable tool in identifying viruses in biopsy samples, too.


Interleukin-6 Induced Proliferation Is Attenuated by Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Signaling in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often associated with an inflammatory setting. A plethora of cytokines are secreted in this milieu, actively contributing to the progression of the disease; however, the extent of cytokine interaction and how it contributes to HCC development remains an enigma. In this regard, our analysis of available patient-derived data suggests that cytokines like interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) are enriched in HCC. We further analyzed the effect of these cytokines independently or in combination on HCC cells. Importantly, IL-6 was found to induce a STAT-3-dependent proliferation and mediate its pro-proliferative effects through activation and direct interaction with the p65 subunit of NFkB. Alternatively, TGF-β was found to induce a SMAD-dependent induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) coupled to growth arrest in these cells. Interestingly, the simultaneous addition of IL-6 and TGF-β failed to profoundly impact EMT markers but resulted in attenuation of IL-6-induced pro-proliferative effects. Analysis of the putative molecular mechanism revealed a decrease in IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) transcript levels, reduced expression of IL-6-induced STAT-3, and its nuclear localization upon addition of TGF-β along with IL-6. Consequently, a reduced p65 activation was also observed in combination treatment. Importantly, SMAD levels were unperturbed and the cells showed more TGF-β-like features under combination treatment. Finally, we observed that TGF-β resulted in enrichment of repressive chromatin mark (H3K27me3) coupled to growth arrest, while IL-6 induced an open chromatin signature (H3K4me3) associated with an enhanced expression of EZH2. Overall, for the first time, we show that TGF-β attenuates IL-6-induced effects by regulating the receptor level, downstream signaling, and the epigenome. Understanding the complex interactions between these cytokines can be imperative to a better understanding of the disease, and manipulation of cytokine balance can act as a prospective future therapeutic strategy.


The current reproduction number of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: is the disease controlled?
The infectiousness of COVID-19 is high among the susceptible population, making the calculation of the reproduction number (R) an essential step to implement preventive measures. We aim to estimate COVID-19 transmission to determine if the disease is successfully controlled or extra measured should be adopted to attain this goal. The daily incidence data of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia from March 2nd, 2020, to April 4th, 2021, were obtained from the continuously updated Saudi Ministry of Health COVID-19 repository. To get accurate estimation of the situation over the last 4 months (from December 1st, 2020, to April 4th, 2021), we calculated the weekly (every 7 days) R starting from March 2nd, 2020, and till the last week of the available data. The calculated values of R were represented as median, first quantile (Q1), and third quantile (Q3). As early as the first week of December 2020, the median R was 0.81 (0.80-0.83) which means that each existing infected case would transmit infection to only one person. This was followed by fluctuations over the next few weeks around R value of 1, reaching its highest level of 1.45 (1.42-1.47) between December 31st, 2020, and January 6th, 2021. This was followed by a relatively steady decline over the following weeks, with some till mid-March where the R values started to slightly rise again. Social distancing, protective precautions, avoiding abuse of the partial lifting, expanding the screening process, and other Saudi measures sound to be successful and should be replicated in similar communities. This measure should be continued till the vaccination process is completed, to reduce the number of contacts and to avoid uncontrolled transmission of the disease.


Antimicrobial activity of Chlorhexidine, Peracetic acid and Sodium hypochlorite/etidronate irrigant solutions against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms.
To evaluate the antimicrobial effect of 2.5% sodium hypochlorite alone (NaOCl) and associated with 9% HEBP (NaOCl/HEBP), 2% peracetic acid (PAA) and 2% chlorhexidine (CHX), on the viability of Enterococcus faecalis biofilms attached to dentine. Biofilms of E. faecalis were grown on the surface of dentine blocks for 5 days and then exposed to the irrigating solutions for 3 min. Distilled water was used as the control. The total biovolume and the percentage of dead cells of the infected dentine were measured by means of confocal microscopy and the live/dead technique. Nonparametric tests were used to determine statistical differences (P < 0.05). NaOCl and the NaOCl/HEBP mixture were associated with a significantly greater percentage of dead cells, followed by PAA (P < 0.05). No significant antimicrobial effect of CHX was observed in comparison with the control group. Total biovolume decreased significantly in NaOCl, NaOCl/HEBP and PAA solutions in comparison with the CHX and control groups. NaOCl alone or associated with HEBP were the most effective irrigant solutions in dissolving and killing E. faecalis biofilms.


The management of acute asthma.
Health professionals likely to come into contact with people experiencing an acute episode of asthma, such as school nurses, ambulance personnel and A&E staff, need clear guidelines on management. The British Thoracic Society guidelines, revised this year, advise on the categorisation of asthma, assessment and treatment.


Fibrin-targeted recombinant hirudin inhibits fibrin deposition on experimental clots more efficiently than recombinant hirudin.
Although the indirect thrombin inhibitor heparin and the more potent direct inhibitor hirudin are useful in preventing thrombosis, a substantial opportunity remains for improving the thrombus selectivity of thrombin inhibitors. To explore the effect of targeting an antithrombin to the surface of a clot, we covalently linked recombinant hirudin to the Fab' (or IgG) of a monoclonal antibody (59D8) that selectively binds to an epitope on fibrin that becomes exposed only after thrombin cleaves fibrinopeptide B. Antibody-coupled hirudin bound to an immobilized peptide of the fibrin beta-chain amino-terminal sequence and inhibited the peptidolytic activity of thrombin more efficiently than free hirudin. Thrombin inhibition dependent on binding to immobilized fibrin monomer was enhanced 1100-fold (P < .0001). Hirudin-59D8 Fab' was 10 times more effective than hirudin in inhibiting fibrin deposition on experimental clot surfaces in fibrinogen solution (P < .0001) and human plasma (P < .0001). The more effective inhibition of thrombin by the conjugate was supported by significantly diminished concentrations of fibrinopeptide A in the plasma supernatant of the clot (P = .0001). Inhibition of clotting by an uncoupled mixture of hirudin and 59D8 Fab' was indistinguishable from that by hirudin alone, indicating that the conjugate's greater inhibitory activity was due to the covalent linkage between antibody and hirudin. Fibrin-targeted hirudin (in comparison with unmodified hirudin) significantly reduces fibrin deposition on the surface of experimental clots.


Negative Polarity Helium Charge Transfer Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Radical-Initiated Fragmentation of Complex Polysulfated Anions.
This work provides the first use of helium charge transfer dissociation (He-CTD) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in negative polarity mode. Three sulfated oligosaccharides of natural origin were chosen as representative structures that are difficult to solve by conventional MS/MS approaches. Negative polarity He-CTD provided a full set of structurally informative fragments, which permitted the unambiguous determination of the complete structures of these molecules, including the characterization of labile sulfated functional groups. Despite close structural features, the three molecules led to distinct fragmentation patterns depending on the position of the sulfate group in the heterocycle. The observed fragments showed a consistent radical-initiated mechanism of dissociation, which shares similarities with fragment types produced in electron detachment dissociation (EDD), negative electron transfer dissociation (NETD), or extreme UV photodissociation (XUV-PD). Short times of data collection and the fact that the technique can be affordably implementable in any standard laboratory and with a classical ion trap mass spectrometer were other remarkable characteristics of negative polarity He-CTD.


Polyphenolic profile as a useful tool to identify the wood used in wine aging.
Although oak wood is the main material used in cooperage, other species are being considered as possible sources of wood for the production of wines and their derived products. In this work we have compared the phenolic composition of acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), chestnut (Castanea sativa), cherry (Prunus avium) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior and F. americana) heartwoods, by using HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS/MS (some of these data have been showed in previous paper), as well as the changes that toasting intensity at cooperage produce in each polyphenolic profile. Before toasting, each wood shows a different and specific polyphenolic profile, with both qualitative and quantitative differences among them. Toasting notably changed these profiles, in general, proportionally to toasting intensity and led to a minor differentiation among species in toasted woods, although we also found phenolic markers in toasted woods. Thus, methyl syringate, benzoic acid, methyl vanillate, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4,5-trimethylphenol and p-coumaric acid, condensed tannins of the procyanidin type, and the flavonoids naringenin, aromadendrin, isosakuranetin and taxifolin will be a good tool to identify cherry wood. In acacia wood the chemical markers will be the aldehydes gallic and β-resorcylic and two not fully identified hydroxycinnamic compounds, condensed tannins of the prorobinetin type, and when using untoasted wood, dihydrorobinetin, and in toasted acacia wood, robinetin. In untoasted ash wood, the presence of secoiridoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, or di and oligolignols will be a good tool, especially oleuropein, ligstroside and olivil, together verbascoside and isoverbascoside in F. excelsior, and oleoside in F. americana. In toasted ash wood, tyrosol, syringaresinol, cyclolovil, verbascoside and olivil, could be used to identify the botanical origin. In addition, in ash wood, seasoned and toasted, neither hydrolysable nor condensed tannins were detected. Lastly, in chestnut wood, gallic and ellagic acids and hydrolysable tannins of both the gallotannin and ellagitannin type, can be used as chemical markers.


Assessing the Implementation of American College of Surgeons Quality Indicators for Pancreatic Cancer Across an Integrated Health System.
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) recently published quality assurance (QA) indicators for pancreatic cancer care. Implementing quality indicators in a newly formed health system may lead to better patient selection and standardized cancer care. Select ACS and internal quality indicators were implemented system wide in 2014. We compared compliance with these measures before and after their implementation at the main hospital and two new affiliate institutions. A total of 506 patients with pancreatic cancer were included. At the main hospital in the pre-QA period, 11 (12.6%) of 87 patients were discussed at our institutional multidisciplinary tumor board meeting; this number rose to 89 (49.7%) of 179 patients (P < .001) after the implementation. Clinical TNM stage was documented in the electronic medical record in 75 patients (86.2%) in the pre-QA group; this number rose to 170 (94.9%; P = .026) in the post-QA era. External imaging of patients undergoing resection was uploaded in 10 (66.7%) of 15 patient cases in the pre-QA period; this number rose to 33 (93.4%) of 35 (P = .020). Rates of time from diagnosis to treatment initiation shorter than 60 days were similar between eras (n = 26, 96.3% v n = 57, 95%). Implementation of QA measures at the affiliate institutions did not result in measurable differences. There were no differences in margin-negative resection rate, lymph node yield, or perioperative mortality after QA implementation at any site. The implementation of ACS quality indicators at our main hospital was feasible and effective for several measures, without delaying treatment. Instituting these indicators at lower-volume affiliates was more challenging.


The significance of elective neck dissection for patients with T2N0M0 OSCC at different ages.
The aim of this study was to determine the significance of elective neck dissection (END) for patients of different ages with T2N0M0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and sought to analyze the reasons behind it and its value for clinical guidance. This study enrolled 391 patients with T2N0M0 OSCC who were surgically treated in our hospital and were divided into young-, moderate-, and advanced-age groups according to our previous study. The Chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier analysis were performed for statistical analysis. Compared with moderate- and advanced-age patients, young patients with T2N0M0 OSCC had higher lymph node metastasis rates and lymph node ratios. Therefore, END significantly improved the recurrence (p = 0.001) and survival (p = 0.001) for young patients, but not for moderate-age patients. Advanced-age patients even benefit from watchful waiting. END significantly improved recurrence and survival in young patients with smoking or alcohol consumption habits. END improved the prognosis of young patients, and it was related to their higher metastasis rate. However, advanced-age patients benefited from the wait-and-see policy. END is essential for the young patients with smoking or drinking habit, it is also highly recommended for nonsmokers and nondrinkers.


Ocean Acidification Reduces Spine Mechanical Strength in Euechinoid but Not in Cidaroid Sea Urchins.
Echinoderms are considered particularly sensitive to ocean acidification (OA) as their skeleton is made of high-magnesium calcite, one of the most soluble forms of calcium carbonate. Recent studies have investigated effects of OA on the skeleton of "classical" sea urchins (euechinoids), but the impact of etching on skeleton mechanical properties is almost unknown. Furthermore, the integrity of the skeleton of cidaroids has never been assessed, although their extracellular fluid is under-saturated with respect to their skeleton, and the skeleton of their primary spines is in direct contact with seawater. In this study, we compared the dissolution of test plates and spines as well as the spine mechanical properties (two-points bending tests) in a cidaroid (Eucidaris tribuloides) and a euechinoid (Tripneustes ventricosus) submitted to a 5 week acidification experiment (pHT of 8.1, 7.7, and 7.4). Test plates of both species were not affected by dissolution. The spines of E. tribuloides showed no mechanical effects at pHSW-T 7.4 despite having traces of corrosion on secondary spines. On the contrary, spines of the T. ventricosus were significantly etched at both pHSW-T 7.7 and 7.4 and their fracture force reduced by 16 to 35%, respectively. This increased brittleness is probably of little significance with regards to predation protection but has consequences in terms of energy allocation.


Single-beam comagnetometer using elliptically polarized light for dual-axis rotation measurement.
We have developed a single-beam spin-exchange relaxation-free comagnetometer using elliptically polarized light for dual-axis rotation measurement. The light beam propagating through the glass cell is simultaneously used for optical pumping and signal extraction. Combined with transverse magnetic field modulation, the rotation information can be collected through a balanced polarimeter module and a lock-in amplifier. Also, we propose a decoupling method by adjusting the phase shift of the reference signal, allowing the device to realize biaxial signal decoupling while still maintaining its self-compensation state. Compared to those without decoupling, our method improves the performance of our device in its signal-to-noise ratio and rotation sensitivity. The single-beam comagnetometer scheme and the decoupling method have a positive impact on the development of miniaturized atomic sensors for high-precision inertial measurement.


Evaluation of two local drug delivery systems as adjuncts to mechanotherapy as compared to mechanotherapy alone in management of chronic periodontitis: A clinical, microbiological, and molecular study.
Modern concepts of treating inflammatory periodontal disease aim at changes in the subgingival ecosystems within the periodontal pockets to alter the complex microbial community into a microbiota compatible with good periodontal health. Systemic antimicrobial therapy, although effective, involves a relatively high dose with repeated intakes over a prolonged period of time to achieve the required inhibitory concentrations in the sulcular fluid. The adjunctive use of local drug delivery may provide a beneficial response, especially in specific areas where conventional forms of therapy might fail. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two local drug delivery systems, one containing metronidazole and the other containing tetracycline hydrochloride as adjuncts to mechanotherapy in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. There were three groups that were labeled as group A (Scaling + Tetracycline), group B (Scaling + Metronidazole), and group C (Scaling alone). A microbiological analysis was carried out to determine the efficacy of these systems in changing the pathogenic flora in deep pockets. In addition, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction was carried out to confirm the presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), and Tannerella forsythensis in the flora associated with chronic periodontitis. There was clinical improvement in groups A and B, which correlated with an improvement in the microbiological parameters; these results were sustained for 90 days following therapy. In Group C, the flora showed a shift towards baseline at the end of 90 days. According to this study, both the local antibiotic therapies resulted in greater improvement in microbiological parameters when used as an adjunct to mechanotherapy as compared to mechanotherapy alone.


Cesarean section deliveries in Fiji, 1986 to 1996.
Cesarean section rates and outcomes in Fiji have not been previously reported in the literature. Between 1986 and 1996, Fiji's cesarean section rates rose 2.5%, from 9.4% to 11.9%. Labor dystocia (33%), repeat cesarean (18%), and "fetal distress" (17%) were the most common indications for performing c-sections. A retrospective case-control study covering the period 1986-1996 in Fiji's three referral hospitals found that cesarean deliveries were three times more likely to involve child mortality (O.R. = 3.01, 95% c.l. = 1.19 < OR < 8.08), 26 times more likely to involve maternal morbidity (O.R. = 26.53, 95% c.l. = 8.10 < OR < 105.38), and 13 times more likely to require blood transfusion (OR = 13.17, 95% c.l. = 7.09 < OR < 25.05). Cesarean deliveries also required an average of 6 days spent in the hospital, compared to two days for vaginal deliveries. Children delivered by cesarean in the study population were 6 times more likely to have a 5-minute Apgar score below 7 and 4 times more likely to have an Apgar score below 5. Fourteen percent (14%) of cesareans followed an attempted induction of labor, while 1 in 11 women delivering vaginally underwent an attempted induction of labor for "Social reasons". The study found scope to potentially reduce the number of first and repeat cesareans through active labor monitoring, development of uniform clinical guidelines and indications for cesarean intervention and labor induction, and increased trial of labor for women with a history of a previous cesarean.


Optimization of thermoreversible poloxamer gel system using QbD principle.
The objective of this study was to optimize thermoreversible gel formulations with respect to their gelation temperature and solubilizing capacity, using quality by design (QbD) principles based on design of experiment (DoE). Independent variables, X1, X2 and X3, represent the weight percentages of poloxamer 407 (P407), poloxamer 188 (P188) and the polyethylene glycol 400, respectively (these polymers are either thermoreversible gelling agents or solubilizers). Emodin, a poorly water-soluble compound, was used as a model drug. Fifteen gel formulations were prepared based on the compositions generated by an extreme vertices type of mixture design using a DoE software, in which their gelation temperatures (Y1) and emodin solubility (Y2) were measured. The gelation temperature and emodin solubility were each described adequately using a full cubic model and a quadratic model, respectively. Theoretical and experimental responses showed linearity with R2=0.9943 for the gelation temperature and R2=0.9629 for emodin solubility. The design space was established from the models describing the gelation temperature (test accuracy: 104.5%) and emodin solubility (test accuracy: 96.6%). This study demonstrates successful application of DoE for prediction of gelation temperature and solubility of emodin thermoreversible poloxamer gel (PG). In conclusion, the present DoE approach has led to the establishment of a design space and manufacturing control strategy for gel formulations.


A block rotation in community health and child advocacy: improved competency of pediatric residency graduates.
Despite increasing recognition of the importance of community health and child advocacy activities by pediatricians, residency programs have had little experience providing this education. There are no known reports examining the effects of such training on residency graduates. To determine whether a program for educating residents in community health and child advocacy, Pediatric Links With the Community (PLC), improved attitudes and competencies of residency graduates. Survey of all graduates of the Rochester Pediatric Residency Program from 1991-2001. Graduates before institution of PLC (pre-PLC) were compared with graduates after institution of PLC (post-PLC). A total of 137 (81%) of 169 graduates participated; 78 (85%) of 92 were in the pre-PLC group and 59 (77%) of 77 were in the post-PLC group. PLC provides all pediatric residents with a 2-week rotation working with multiple community-based organizations. Differences between pre-PLC and post-PLC graduates in self-reported attitudes and competencies in multiple community health and child advocacy activities on 4-point Likert scales. The pre-PLC and post-PLC groups' attitudes toward community health activities were equally positive (3.4 vs 3.5, P =.08). The post-PLC group rated its competency higher in 8 of 12 activities (P <.05); its overall rating of competency was also higher (2.8 vs 2.3, P <.001). Although all pediatricians surveyed had positive attitudes toward community health and child advocacy activities, those who participated in PLC had higher self-perceived competency in most activities. Residency training programs can increase graduates' competence in community health skills.


[Suppression of c-myc expression by interference RNA in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells].
To study the inhibitory effect of RNA interference (RNAi) on c-myc expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2. Expression vector of c-myc gene-targeting small interference RNA (siRNA) was constructed (psilencer-c-myc) and transfected into HepG2 cells by lipofectamine, and the unloaded vector was used as control (mock). The expression of c-myc mRNA and protein was identified by quantitive PCR and Western blot. Apoptosis of the transfected cells was examined by flow cytometry and immunofluorescent microscopy. After HepG2 cells were transfected with psilencer-c-myc, the expression of c-myc mRNA and protein was suppressed with an inhibition rate of 67% compared with the mock-transfected cells. Apoptosis was identified in the transfected HepG2 cells. The expression of c-myc at transcriptional and translational levels in HepG2 cells transfected with siRNA is markedly inhibited, which may be associated with the induction of apoptosis.


Utilization of a Dextrose-Only Purge Solution for an LVAD in Patients With Suspected HIT: A Case Series.
The Impella devices are percutaneous intravascular ventricular assist devices indicated for use in patients with cardiogenic shock that occurs following acute myocardial infarction (MI) or open heart surgery. These devices must be used with a purge solution that contains heparin per manufacturer recommendation, which will prevent blood from reaching the motor causing pump thrombosis and mechanical failure. We describe the utilization of a dextrose-only purge solution plus systemic argatroban in 2 patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Each case describes a patient with suspected HIT following Impella placement for cardiogenic shock post-MI that had an increased bleeding risk. In each case, pharmacy monitored and adjusted the patients' argatroban, resulting in therapeutic anticoagulation without major bleeding or thrombotic events. These case reports demonstrate that use of a dextrose-only purge solution in the Impella device may be a safe and effective option when combined with systemic argatroban in patients with suspected or confirmed HIT who exhibit increased bleeding risk. Further research is needed to determine the optimal concentrations and duration of anticoagulation-free purge solution in these patients.


Masked speech priming: neighborhood size matters.
The current study investigated the robustness of priming from a masked speech priming method introduced by Kouider and Dupoux [(2005). Psychol. Sci. 16, 617-625]. In this procedure, a compressed spoken prime is embedded in auditory masking stimuli and presented immediately prior to an uncompressed auditory target. The degree to which spoken stimuli could be compressed without significant data loss was first determined. Using this compression level, repetition and form priming were measured for the target words with a high versus low number of phonological neighbors. The results indicated that robust masked speech priming occurred only for word targets that had few neighbors.


State-to-State Mode Specificity in F + CHD3 → HF/DF + CD3/CHD2 Reaction.
The F + CHD3 → HF/DF + CD3/CHD2 reaction is studied using a state-to-state quasi-classical trajectory method on a recently developed ab initio based full-dimensional potential energy surface. Consistent with sudden vector projection model predictions, the HF/DF products are highly excited in both vibrational and rotational modes, while the CD3/CHD2 product internal excitation is mostly in the umbrella/out-of-plane mode. Furthermore, the C-H stretching vibration in the CHD3 reactant is found to behave as an active mode for the HF + CD3 channel, leading to additional excitation in the HF product but having almost no impact on CD3 vibrational state distributions. On the other hand, this mode acts as a spectator for the DF + CHD2 channel, exerting little influence on the DF and other CHD2 vibrational modes except an extra quantum excitation in the C-H stretching mode. The calculated vibrational state resolved differential cross sections are in good agreement with available experimental results at Ec = 9.00 kcal/mol.


Spatially explicit trends in the global conservation status of vertebrates.
The world's governments have committed to preventing the extinction of threatened species and improving their conservation status by 2020. However, biodiversity is not evenly distributed across space, and neither are the drivers of its decline, and so different regions face very different challenges. Here, we quantify the contribution of regions and countries towards recent global trends in vertebrate conservation status (as measured by the Red List Index), to guide action towards the 2020 target. We found that>50% of the global deterioration in the conservation status of birds, mammals and amphibians is concentrated in <1% of the surface area, 39/1098 ecoregions (4%) and eight/195 countries (4%) - Australia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, and the United States. These countries hold a third of global diversity in these vertebrate groups, partially explaining why they concentrate most of the losses. Yet, other megadiverse countries - most notably Brazil (responsible for 10% of species but just 1% of deterioration), plus India and Madagascar - performed better in conserving their share of global vertebrate diversity. Very few countries, mostly island nations (e.g. Cook Islands, Fiji, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tonga), have achieved net improvements. Per capita wealth does not explain these patterns, with two of the richest countries - United States and Australia - fairing conspicuously poorly. Different countries were affected by different combinations of threats. Reducing global rates of biodiversity loss will require investment in the regions and countries with the highest responsibility for the world's biodiversity, focusing on conserving those species and areas most in peril and on reducing the drivers with the highest impacts.


Lysine propionylation modulates the transcriptional activity of phosphate regulator PhoP in Saccharopolyspora erythraea.
Phosphate concentration extensively modulates the central physiological processes mediated by the two-component system PhoR-PhoP in actinobacteria. The system serves a role beyond phosphate metabolism, mediating crucial functions in nitrogen and carbon metabolism, and secondary metabolism in response to the nutritional states. Here, we found that the phosphate-sensing regulator PhoP was propionylated, and thus lost its DNA-binding activity in vivo and in vitro in Saccharopolyspora erythraea. Two key conserved lysine residues 198 and 203 (K198 and K203) in winged HTH motif at the C-terminal domain of PhoP are propionylated by protein acyltransferase AcuA (encoding by sace_5148). Single amino acid mutation of these two lysine residues resulted in severely impaired binding of PhoP to PHO box. The addition of propionate (to supply precursors for erythromycin biosynthesis) increases the intracellular propionylation level of PhoP, resulting in the loss of response to phosphate availability. Furthermore, simultaneous mutation of K198 and K203 of PhoP to arginine, mimicking the non-propionylated form, promotes the expression of the PhoP regulon under the condition of propionate addition. Together, these findings present a common regulatory mechanism of genes' expression mediated by posttranslational regulation of OmpR family transcriptional regulator PhoP and provide new insights into the multifaceted regulation of metabolism in response to nutritional signals.


Severe acute respiratory syndrome: an update.
An international outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, a recently recognized syndrome caused by the newly identified severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus, began in November 2002 and ended in July 2003. Since then, a large body of research on the syndrome has been published; the most updated developments are summarized here. Recent findings suggest that animal severe acute respiratory syndrome-like coronaviruses may have been transmitted to humans without detection for years before the recent outbreak, and that such transmission may be continuing today. The 2002-2003 outbreak probably originated from similar animal-to-human transmission, but selection and purification of the animal severe acute respiratory syndrome-like virus appears to have occurred, creating the more virulent severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus. Recent studies have documented that severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus is primarily transmitted via contact and/or respiratory droplets and that the combination of standard, contact, and droplet precautions is generally effective for its control. It has been shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus is typically relatively inefficiently transmitted, with the notable exception of transmission during superspreading events. Insights into the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome have been made: one study suggests that human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*4601 is a possible risk factor for more severe disease, while another identifies angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 as a cellular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus. Promising treatments have been identified, including interferons, an anti-spike monoclonal antibody, and fusion inhibitors. In addition, many promising vaccines are currently in development. New findings regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome are continuing to be discovered at an unprecedented pace, permitting a better understanding of the disease and enabling better preparation for its possible return.


Ictal scalp EEG recording during sleep and wakefulness: diagnostic implications for seizure localization and lateralization.
To determine the localizing value of electroencephalography (EEG) for seizures during sleep versus seizures during wakefulness, we compared scalp EEG for 58 seizures that occurred during sleep with 76 seizures during wake in 28 consecutive patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Regression analysis showed that seizures during sleep are 2.5 times more likely to have focal EEG onset (p = 0.01) and 4 times more likely to correctly localize seizure onset (p = 0.04) than seizures during wake. EEG seizure onset preceded clinical onset by a longer duration in sleep seizures (mean, 4.69 s) than in wake seizures (mean, 1.23 s; p < 0.01). Sleep seizures showed fewer artifacts, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.07). For temporal lobectomy candidates undergoing video-EEG monitoring, the recording of seizures during sleep may be favored.


Reliability and validity of using the Lokomat to assess lower limb joint position sense in people with incomplete spinal cord injury.
Proprioceptive sense (knowing where the limbs are in space) is critical for motor control during posture and walking, and is often compromised after spinal cord injury (SCI). The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of using the Lokomat, a robotic exoskeleton used for gait rehabilitation, to quantitatively measure static position sense of the legs in persons with incomplete SCI. We used the Lokomat and custom software to assess static position sense in 23 able-bodied (AB) subjects and 23 persons with incomplete SCI (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale level B, C or D). The subject's leg was placed into a target position (joint angle) at either the hip or knee and asked to memorize that position. The Lokomat then moved the test joint to a "distractor" position. The subject then used a joystick controller to bring the joint back into the memorized target position. The final joint angle was compared to the target angle and the absolute difference was recorded as an error. All movements were passive. Known-groups validity was determined by the ability of the measure to discriminate between able-bodied and SCI subjects. To evaluate test-retest reliability, subjects were tested twice and intra-class correlation coefficients comparing errors from the two sessions were calculated. We also performed a traditional clinical test of proprioception in subjects with SCI and compared these scores to the robotic assessment. The robot-based assessment test was reliable at the hip and knee in persons with SCI (P ≤ 0.001). Hip and knee angle errors in subjects with SCI were significantly greater (P ≤ 0.001) and more variable (P < 0.0001) than in AB subjects. Error scores were significantly correlated to clinical measure of joint position sense (r ≥ 0.507, P ≤ 0.013). This study shows that the Lokomat may be used as a reliable and valid clinical measurement tool for assessing joint position sense in persons with incomplete SCI. Quantitative assessments of proprioceptive deficits after neurological injury will help in understanding its role in the recovery of skilled walking and in the development of interventions to aid in the return to safe community ambulation.


How to Achieve Reversible Electrowetting on Superhydrophobic Surfaces.
Collapse (Cassie to Wenzel) wetting transitions impede the electrostatically induced reversible modification of wettability on superhydrophobic surfaces, unless a strong external actuation (e.g., substrate heating) is applied. Here we show that collapse transitions can be prevented (the droplet remains suspended on the solid roughness protrusions) when the electrostatic force, responsible for the wetting modification, is smoothly distributed along the droplet surface. The above argument is initially established theoretically and then verified experimentally.


Delayed onset of the supplementary motor area syndrome after surgical resection of the mesial frontal lobe: a time course study using intraoperative mapping in an awake patient.
Although the occurrence of the supplementary motor area (SMA) syndrome has been extensively reported following mesial lobe surgery, to our knowledge the time course of disease onset was never accurately documented. We describe a patient without deficit, despite harboring a glioma invading the left SMA. This patient was operated under local anesthesia, to perform intraoperative online sensorimotor and language mapping using electrical stimulations throughout the resection. No deficit was noted at the end of the tumor and SMA removal. The patient was maintained awake to perform an immediate control MRI. Aphasia and right hemiplegia occurred 30 min after the SMA resection. Total recovery was observed within 2 months. This work shows that the SMA syndrome may not occur immediately after SMA resection. We suggest that the transient compensation of the SMA function is likely due to residual activity of an oscillatory loop and/or short-term plasticity (rapid unmasking of parallel networks), with final recovery occurring due to long-term plasticity (neosynaptogenesis).


Low-Temperature Hydrogenation of CO2 to Methanol in Water on ZnO-Supported CuAu Nanoalloys.
Optimizing processes and materials for the valorization of CO2 to hydrogen carriers or platform chemicals is a key step for mitigating global warming and for the sustainable use of renewables. We report here on the hydrogenation of CO2 in water on ZnO-supported CuAu nanoalloys, based on ≤7 mol % Au. Cux Auy /ZnO catalysts were characterized using 197 Au Mössbauer, in situ X-ray absorption (Au LIII - and Cu K-edges), and ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron (APXP) spectroscopic methods together with X-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy. At 200 °C, the conversion of CO2 showed a significant increase by 34 times (from 0.1 to 3.4 %) upon increasing Cu93 Au7 loading from 1 to 10 wt %, while maintaining methanol selectivity at 100 %. Limited CO selectivity (4-6 %) was observed upon increasing temperature up to 240 °C but associated with a ≈3-fold increase in CO2 conversion. Based on APXPS during CO2 hydrogenation in an H2 O-rich mixture, Cu segregates preferentially to the surface in a mainly metallic state, while slightly charged Au submerges deeper into the subsurface region. These results and detailed structural analyses are topics of the present contribution.


Enzymatic treatment for removal of hazardous aqueous arylamines, 4,4'-methylenedianiline and 4,4'-thiodianiline.
The search for an effective and sustainable treatment method to remove the recalcitrant atom-bridged bis-anilino compounds, 4,4'-methylenedianiline (MDA) and 4,4'-thiodianiline (TDA) from water is a major challenge and focus of this study. The escalating discharge of these two toxic and carcinogenic pollutants from industrial sources may pose a serious threat to the environment. Crude soybean peroxidase (SBP), isolated from soybean seed hulls (coats), catalyzes the oxidative polymerization of these aqueous pollutants in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The effects of several process parameters, i.e., pH, hydrogen peroxide-to-substrate concentration ratio and SBP concentration, were investigated to optimize the performance of enzymatic treatment. The minimum effective SBP concentration required for removal of MDA was 0.70 U/mL, which was higher than that of TDA (0.15 U/mL). The reaction time course to achieve ≥95% removal of these compounds from water was determined under those optimum conditions. Identification of the transformed products was performed by means of high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The products generally observed were protonated oxidized oxidative dimers and higher oligomers (most commonly azo-coupled products). Michaelis constant, KM, and maximum reaction velocity, Vmax, obtained from the Michaelis-Menten (M-M) model revealed that TDA had a 65-fold lower KM than MDA (indicating TDA's higher affinity for SBP), and almost 5-fold higher Vmax than MDA. A pro-forma cost analysis is presented to assess the possibility of commercialization of enzymatic treatment as an alternative to conventional/traditional treatment methods.


Effects and related mechanisms of serotonin on malignant biological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulation of Yap.
5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) and Yes-associated protein (Yap), which act as a mitogen and an oncogene, respectively, play an important role in tumors. Here, we investigated whether 5-HT could affect the hepatocarcinogenic process via promoting the activation and expression of Yap, as well as the possible underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that 5-HT promoted hepatoma cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis via regulating Yap expression in vitro and in vivo, and Yap knockdown had opposite effects. Furthermore, 5-HT activated 5-HT2BR to promote Yap expression via upregulating the pERK level. Inhibitors of 5-HT2BR and ERK attenuated the overexpression of Yap and promotional effects of 5-HT in vitro and in vivo. As a result, 5-HT affected the malignant biological behavior of hepatoma cells via the 5-HT-5-HT2BR-pERK-Yap axis. Therefore, 5-HT and Yap may be prognostic predictors and potential therapeutic targets for HCC patients in the future.


Fight against malnutrition: The results of a 2006-2012 prospective national and global nutritionDay survey.
The nutritionDay (nD) initiative has been promoted by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) to assess and audit the nutritional status of hospitalized patients, as well as to promote awareness. Israel has been participating annually in this project since 2006. To evaluate the proportion of malnourished patients in Israel in comparison with the rest of the world. Data were collected by staff members and the hospitalization outcomes were followed up at day 30. The data were analyzed by the Vienna coordinating center, using "my SQL" (Structured Query Language), an open source relational database management system and analyzed, using SAS (Statistical Analysis System) version 9.2. In Israel, 2303 patients (in 114 various medical specialty units) were included in the study during a 7-year survey, while 4316 units recruited 91,351 patients in the world (W), between 2006 and 2012, The median age of patients was 68 years, with 44% of females and BMI of 27 ± 6 (25 in W). Israel had a higher proportion of nutrition care teams per patient (in 88% of the units) than W (71%) (p < 0.05). 43% of the patients had a weight loss within the last 3 months prior to admission (same for W); 36.7% described a decrease in eating more than 50% of their normal food intake (21.3% in W). Food intake at nD showed that 51.4% of the patients ate half to nothing of the served meal (56.2% in W). In Israel, more patients received hospital modified diets (13% vs. 8.2% in W), but less supplements (5.7% vs. 8.3% in W) or enteral/parenteral nutrition (9.0% vs. 13.5% in W, p < 0.05). Length of hospital stay was shorter in Israel (11 days vs. 14 days in W, p < 0.05) and mortality was similar (3.9% vs. 3.8% in W). Malnutrition of hospitalized patients in Israel was found comparable to the rest of the world. However, in Israel in spite of the higher nutrition staff member/patient ratio there was no increase in the administration of supplements or artificial nutrition to malnourished patients in the surveyed units. Also, the length of hospital stay was shorter and was not associated with an increase in mortality.


Metastatic HER-2-positive salivary gland carcinoma treated with trastuzumab and a taxane: a series of six patients.
Metastatic salivary gland carcinoma is a rare malignancy. A subset of these tumors overexpresses the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), which is considered a poor prognostic marker. Targeted therapy with the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab can be a treatment option in these patients. We describe six cases of metastatic salivary gland carcinoma treated with trastuzumab in combination with a taxane. Three of these patients had salivary duct cancer, two had mucoepidermoid carcinoma and one patient was treated for acinic cell carcinoma. The therapy was well tolerated. We observed five partial responses and a median progression free survival of 10.8 months, which compares favorably with the reported outcome of combination chemotherapy. One patient achieved a complete and durable remission. When HER-2 and androgen receptor were co-expressed, trastuzumab-based treatment appeared to be more active than androgen deprivation in our experience.


Electron acceleration by an intense short pulse laser in a static magnetic field in vacuum.
Electron acceleration by a laser pulse having Gaussian radial and temporal profiles of intensity has been studied in a static magnetic field in vacuum. The starting point of the magnetic field has been taken around the point where the peak of the pulse interacts with the electron and the direction of the static magnetic field is taken to be the same as that of the magnetic field of the laser pulse. The electron gains considerable energy and retains it in the form of cyclotron oscillations even after the passing of the laser pulse in the presence of an optimum static magnetic field. The optimum value of the magnetic field decreases with laser intensity and initial electron energy. The energy gain also depends upon the laser spot size and peaks for a suitable value. The energy gained by the electron increases with laser intensity and initial electron energy. The electron trajectory and energy gain for different parameters such as laser intensity, initial electron energy, and laser spot size have been presented.


VH gene organization in a relict species, the coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae: evolutionary implications.
The living coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae is a relict species whose higher-level phylogenetic relationships have not been resolved clearly by traditional systematic approaches. Previous studies show that major differences in immunoglobulin gene structure and organization typify different phylogenetic lineages. To date, mammalian-, avian-, and elasmobranch-type gene organizations have been identified in representatives of these different phylads. A fourth form or organization is found in Latimeria, which possesses immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (VH) elements separated by approximately 190 nucleotides from diversity (D) elements. Adjacency of VH and D elements is characteristic of the elasmobranch "clustered" arrangement, although many other features of coelacanth VH gene organization and structure are more similar to those of bony fishes and tetrapods. These observations strongly support a phylogenetic hypothesis in which Latimeria occupies a sister-group relationship with teleosts and tetrapods.


The nature of the Oedipus complex in the Dora case.
In this paper we sought to study, through a detailed review of Dora's analytic material, the specific nature of her oedipal conflict and its expression in her treatment with Freud as manifested in her dreams, associations, and transference. We found that while Freud was surely correct in considering Dora's positive oedipal conflict as an important source of her psychopathology, the implication of her early regression to a phallic-oedipal position was not fully appreciated or interpreted, leading to her eventual premature termination. While Freud analyzed, largely following the end of the treatment, Dora's erotic love for Frau K., he did not see this love as deriving from an integrated phallic-oedipal complex which included competitive and castrative strivings toward men as well as wishes to love a woman from a phallic position. Thus we sought to extend Freud's analysis of the case by delineating the specific form of Dora's homosexual love, the genetic sources for it, and the aggressive wish toward men as they derive from a particular substage of the oedipal phase for females, the phallic-oedipal phase. We conclude that Dora's hostility toward Freud, her father and Herr. K. resulted not only from injured pride but, more basically, from her jealousy and rivalry with father for mother's love. In her treatment Dora's phallic-oedipal wishes became increasingly dominant. They were manifested in the transference with her first acting to engage Freud's interest and then thwarting his interpretive efforts, ultimately by leaving the treatment altogether. The case well illustrates the importance of understanding the role of the phallic-oedipal phase in female hysterical patients.


Patterns of clinical joint inflammation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
We studied patterns of joint inflammation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to assess whether joint activity recurs locally in the same joints. Joints of 91 patients of the BeSt for Kids study, a treat-to-target trial for children with recent-onset oligoarticular, rheumatoid factor-negative polyarticular and psoriatic JIA, were clinically assessed during 2 years (10 study visits). The association between joint inflammation at baseline and later inflammation in the same joint was assessed using a multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model at joint level. With a Poisson model, the association between baseline joint inflammation and the number of study visits at which the same joint was recurrently inflamed was tested. Of the 6097 joints studied, 15% (897) was clinically inflamed at baseline. In 42% (377/897) of those joints, inflammation recurred during follow-up. Joint inflammation at baseline was statistically significantly associated with joint inflammation during follow-up in the same joint (OR 3.9, 95% CI 3.5 to 4.4) and specifically with the number of episodes of recurrent joint inflammation (IRR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.1). In JIA, joint inflammation has the tendency to recur multiple times in joints that are clinically inflamed at disease onset. This indicates that local factors might play a role in the processes contributing to the occurrence of JIA flares.


Analysis of homicidal deaths in district DI Khan: an autopsy study.
One of the oldest crimes in human civilization is homicide which started from murder of Abel by the hands of Cane. With the passage of time manner of homicide have been changing. Study of pattern of homicide in any civil society is the first step towards development of intervention to reduce the impact of homicidal crimes. This study was conducted at the department of forensic medicine and toxicology Gomal Medical College DI Khan to know the pattern of the homicides, taking it as the first step in the prevention of crime. The present study was conducted over two years 2007-08. The data collected includes all reported unnatural deaths from the urban and rural areas of district on which autopsies were conducted in the district headquarter teaching hospital DI Khan and department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Gomal Medical College DL Khan. Homicidal deaths constituted 259/341 (76%) of all autopsies. Out of these homicides 59.07% were caused by the firearm. The most common firearm weapons were high velocity rifled weapons (AK-47, rifles and pistols). A total of 304 injuries were found in various body regions giving an average of about two injuries per victim/person. The head, neck and face sustained the highest numbers of injuries 100, (32.90%) followed by chest 91 (29.93%) and abdomen 47 (15.4%); the extremities, buttock and genitalia together sustained 65 (21.38 %) injuries. A part from firearm injuries unfortunately in our this study the second highest cause of homicidal deaths was bomb blasts injuries either due to suicide bombers or remote control bombs. The numbers of deaths due to blast injuries were 82 for the year 2007/08 out of total homicidal deaths and percentage was 32.66%. The vast majority of homicidal deaths in this area are caused by firearms like other big cities of the province like Peshawar, which bring up issues related to possession of firearms and change in cultural attitude towards the use of firearm, if a decrease in firearm related homicides is desired.


Essential role of vascular endothelial growth factor in angiotensin II-induced vascular inflammation and remodeling.
Angiotensin II (Ang II) upregulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and activates vascular inflammation. However, the decisive role of VEGF in Ang II-induced vascular inflammation and remodeling has not been addressed. Ang II infusion to wild-type mice increased local expression of VEGF and its receptors in cells of aortic wall and plasma VEGF, and caused aortic inflammation (monocyte infiltration) and remodeling (wall thickening and fibrosis). Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha colocalized with VEGF-positive cell types. Blockade of VEGF by the soluble VEGF receptor 1 (sFlt-1) gene transfer attenuated the Ang II-induced inflammation and remodeling. The sFlt-1 gene transfer also inhibited the increased expression of VEGF and inflammatory factors such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. In contrast, sFlt-1 gene transfer did not affect Ang II-induced arterial hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. VEGF is an essential mediator in Ang II-induced vascular inflammation and structural changes through its proinflammatory actions.


Hypernatremia and adipsia in a dog.
Primary adipsia and defective osmoreceptor function were diagnosed in a 7-month-old female Miniature Schnauzer. Also, the dog was noted to be dehydrated and to have chronic hypernatremia. On multiple occasions the dog's urine osmolality: plasma osmolality was greater than 4. The dog had inappropriate responses to isoosmotic and hypertonic NaCl infusions. Chlorpropamide administration initiated water intake but the volume was insufficient to avoid hypernatremia. The chronic hypernatremia and dehydration were treated successfully by mixing the calculated maintenance fluid volume in canned food. At 25 months of age, the dog died several days after becoming dehydrated and severely hypernatremic. Astrogliosis and neuronal degeneration were noted in both the thalamic and hypothalamic regions, but were believed to be nonspecific degenerative lesions compatible with seizures and severe dehydration.


Polymorphism of platelet membrane glycoprotein IIIa: human platelet antigen 1b (HPA-1b/PlA2) is an inherited risk factor for premature myocardial infarction in coronary artery disease.
Conflicting results of an association between the human platelet antigen 1b (HPA-1b or PlA2) allele and the risk of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease have been reported. To assess the reason for this discrepancy, we determined the HPA-1 genotype in 298 men who had undergone coronary angiography, including 124 individuals with myocardial infarction, 83 individuals with coronary artery disease but no history of myocardial infarction, and 91 control patients. Among patients with acute or recent onset myocardial infarction (< 1 year), the prevalence of HPA-1b was higher than among patients with coronary artery disease but without myocardial infarction (33 percent vs. 14 percent, p = 0.016). In patients under 60 years of age this difference was even more pronounced (45 percent vs. 15 percent, p = 0.003). Unlike conventional risk factors HPA-1b does not represent a risk factor for coronary artery disease itself but appears to be associated with increased platelet thrombogenicity.


Challenges in management of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis with emerging recombinant human adenoviruses.
Adenoviral epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) presents as severe conjunctival inflammations involving the cornea that can lead to the development of corneal opacities and blurred vision, which can persist for months. EKC is highly contagious and responsible for outbreaks worldwide, therefore accurate diagnosis and rapid containment are imperative. EKC is caused by a number of types within Human adenovirus species D (HAdV-D): 8, 37 and 64 (formerly known as 19a) and these types were considered the major causes of EKC for over fifty years. Nonetheless, recent improved molecular typing methodologies have identified recombinant HAdV-D types 53, 54 and 56, as newly emerging etiologic agents of EKC infections worldwide. EKC cases due to these recombinant types have potentially been underdiagnosed and underestimated as a source of new EKC outbreaks. Recombination events among circulating HAdV-D types represent a source of new infectious disease threats. Also, the growing number of adenoviral types enabled genomic and phenotypic comparisons to determine pathological properties related to EKC. This review covers the clinical features of EKC, current challenges in clinical practice and recent progress in EKC-related HAdV research, which focuses on the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.


Personality disorders and time to remission in generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and panic disorder.
This investigation assessed the effect of personality disorders (PersDs) on time to remission in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, or panic disorder. Selected Axis I and II predictors of time to remission during 5 years of follow-up were assessed in 514 patients with 1 or more of these anxiety disorders who participated in the Harvard/Brown Anxiety Research Program, a multisite, prospective, longitudinal, naturalistic study. The presence of a PersD predicted a 30% lower likelihood of generalized anxiety disorder remission, a 39% lower likelihood of social phobia remission, and no difference in likelihood of panic disorder remission. More specifically, a lower likelihood of remission from generalized anxiety disorder was predicted by the presence of avoidant PersD (34% lower) and dependent PersD (14% lower). The presence of avoidant PersD predicted a 41% lower likelihood of social phobia remission. The presence of major depressive disorder did not account for these findings. Our findings provide new data on the pernicious effect of PersDs on the course of generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia but not panic disorder, suggesting that PersDs have a differential effect on the outcome of anxiety disorders.


Energy expenditure measured using indirect calorimeter after minimally invasive esophagectomy in ventilated postoperative patients.
Minimally invasive esophagectomy has recently become popular after the laparoscopic technique was developed. However, the postoperative energy expenditure in patients undergoing this procedure has not been evaluated. Therefore, we hypothesized that postoperative resting energy expenditure (REE) following minimally invasive esophagectomy is lower than that estimated using the Harris-Benedict equation. Fifteen patients who underwent esophagectomy by thoracoscopy in the prone position were analyzed. After esophagectomy, an indirect calorimeter measured the energy expenditure during ventilation in the ICU. These values and the estimated basal energy expenditure values were compared using the paired t test. The mean age was 66 ± 10 years and mean duration of ventilator use in the ICU was 697 ± 70 mins. The acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores at the time of ICU admission were 13 ± 4 and 2 ± 1, respectively. The average temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate during ventilation were 36.2 ± 0.6°C, 67 ± 9 beats/min, and 12 ± 2/min, respectively. The average REE during ventilation was 985 ± 167 kcal/day (18.1 ± 3.4 kcal/kg/day). The estimated REE was 1191 ± 159 kcal/day. The average REE measured using the indirect calorimeter during ventilation was significantly lower than the estimated REE (83 ± 10% of the estimated REE, p<0.001). In conclusion, the REE measured by an indirect calorimeter after minimally invasive esophagectomy at early postoperative stage under sedation was significantly lower than the REE estimated using the Harris-Benedict equation.


beta-Thalassemia present in cis to a new beta-chain structural variant, Hb Vicksburg [beta 75 (E19)Leu leads to 0].
Hemoglobin Vicksburg was discovered in a 6-year-old Black boy who had been anemic since infancy. Examination of his hemolysate revealed 87.5% Hb F, 2.4% Hb A2, and 7.6% Hb Vicksburg, which had the electrophoretic and chromatographic properties of Hb A. Structural analysis of Hb Vicksburg demonstrated a deletion of leucine at beta 75(E19), a new variant. Hb Vicksburg was neither unstable nor subject to posttranslational degradation. The alpha/non-alpha biosynthetic ratio was 2.6. Because the proband appeared to be a mixed heterozygote for Hb Vicksburg and beta 0-thalassemia, Hb Vicksburg should have comprised the major portion of the hemolysate. Thus, Hb Vicksburg was synthesized at a rate considerably lower than would be expected on the basis of gene dosage. There was no reason to suspect abnormal translation of beta Vicksburg mRNA; in individuals with Hb St. Antoine (beta 74 and beta 75 deleted), the abnormal hemoglobin comprised 25% of the hemolysate in the simple heterozygote yet was unstable. Deletion of beta 75, therefore, would not in itself appear to lead to diminished synthesis. There was a profound deficit of beta Vicksburg mRNA when measured by liquid hybridization analysis with beta cDNA. The most plausible explanation for the low output of Hb Vicksburg is that a mutation for beta +-thalassemia is present in cis to the structural mutation.


[Venous access routes for cardiac implantable electronic devices].
Various venous access routes in the region of the clavicle are available for cardiac device treatment. After many years of choosing access via the subclavian vein, current data explicitly show that lateral approaches such as preparation of the cephalic vein or puncture of the axillary vein are clearly superior in terms of probe durability and risk of complications. This article describes the preparation and performance of the various access techniques and is intended to provide a practical guide for the work in cardiac pacemaker operations. This work continues a series of articles designed for advanced training in specialized rhythmology.


Pathways from earlier marijuana use in the familial and non-familial environments to self-marijuana use in the fourth decade of life.
We examined the longitudinal pathways from marijuana use in the familial environment (parents and siblings) and non-familial environment (peers and significant other), throughout adolescence and young adulthood, to the participants' own marijuana use in their fourth decade of life (n = 586). Longitudinal pathways to marijuana use were assessed using structural equation modeling. Familial factors were mediated by non-familial factors; sibling marijuana use also had a direct effect on the participants' marijuana use. In the non-familial environment, significant other marijuana use had only a direct effect, while peer marijuana use had direct as well as indirect effects on the participants' marijuana use. Results illustrate the importance of both modeling and selection effects in contributing to marijuana use. Regarding prevention and treatment, this study suggests the need to consider aspects of familial and non-familial social environments.


A possible solution for charge sensing in vertical double quantum dots.
We report the observation of a peculiar charge stability diagram of a vertical double quantum dot, where the conventional Coulomb diamond edges have a sawtooth-like shape. This feature could be understood if we assume the formation of a third quantum dot in the semiconductor volume which is supposed to be a part of the source in the standard quantum dot measurement circuit. The size of this additional dot is larger compared to the size of the original ones, thus the charging energy is smaller, but it still exceeds the thermal energy and affects the electron transport through the structure. Since the big dot is coupled to small ones, the observed effect could be utilized for charge detection, which has always been a problem in the case of vertical quantum dots.


Clinical features of Bim deletion polymorphism and its relation with crizotinib primary resistance in Chinese patients with ALK/ROS1 fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer.
The authors' previous study demonstrated that the B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma (Bcl-2)-like 11 (BCL2L11) (Bim) deletion polymorphism was associated with poor clinical response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations. The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of the Bim deletion polymorphism among patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive or ROS proto-oncogene 1, receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1)-positive NSCLC who were treated with crizotinib. A total of 55 patients with ALK-positive NSCLC and 14 patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC who were treated with crizotinib were enrolled into the current study. The Bim deletion polymorphism was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. The clinical features of the Bim deletion polymorphism and its impact on the effect of crizotinib were investigated. The Bim deletion polymorphism was present in 9 of 69 patients with ALK-positive or ROS1-positive NSCLC (13.0%). There were no differences noted with regard to clinicopathological features between patients with and without the Bim deletion polymorphism. Patients with the Bim deletion polymorphism had a significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and lower objective response rate compared with those without (median PFS, 182 days vs 377 days [P = .008]) (objective response rate, 44.4% vs 81.7% [P =.041]) in all populations. The significant difference in PFS was observed in patients with ALK-positive NSCLC (83 days vs 305 days [P =.0304]) compared with those with ROS1-positive NSCLC (218 days vs not reached [P =.082]). Multivariate analysis indicated that the Bim deletion polymorphism was an independent predictive factor for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC who were treated with crizotinib (hazard ratio, 4.786 [P =.006]). The Bim deletion polymorphism was found to be associated with poor clinical response to crizotinib in patients with ALK fusion-positive NSCLC. Cancer 2017;123:2927-35. © 2017 American Cancer Society.


NDP kinase moves into developing primary cilia.
Inmunofluorescence staining of murine NIH3T3 fibroblasts grown at high density shows that conventional nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinases A and B localize to a sensory organelle, the primary cilium. Similar results are obtained with Xenopus A6 kidney epithelial cells, suggesting that NDP kinases are a universal component of the primary cilium. The translocation of NDP kinase into primary cilia depends on size, taking place only when cilia reach a critical length of 5-6 microm. In mature cilia, NDP kinases are distributed along the ciliary shaft in a punctate pattern that is distinct from the continuous staining observed with acetylated alpha-tubulin, a ciliary marker and axonemal component. Isolation of a fraction enriched in primary cilia from A6 cells led to the finding that ciliary NDP kinase is enzymatically active, and is associated with the membrane and the matrix, but not the axoneme. In contrast, acetylated alpha-tubulin is found in the axoneme and, to a lesser extent, in the membrane. Based on the tightly regulated translocation process and the subciliary distribution pattern of NDP kinase, we propose that it plays a role in the elongation and maintenance of primary cilia by its ability to regenerate the GTP utilized by ciliary microtubule turnover and transmembrane signaling.


Investigation of the Optimum Baseline Blood Pressure for Spinal Anesthesia to Guide Vasopressor Management for Elective Cesarean Delivery: A Case-Control Design.
Current guidelines recommend prophylactic vasopressor administration during spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery to maintain intraoperative blood pressure above 90% of the baseline value. We sought to determine the optimum baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP) reading to guide the management of spinal hypotension. We performed a secondary analysis of data collected from normotensive patients presenting for elective cesarean delivery in a tertiary care institution from October 2018 to August 2020. We compared the magnitude of hypotension in patients who reported nausea versus those who did not, using a case-control design. Baseline MAPs at last office visit, morning of surgery, or operating room (pre-spinal) were determined. We calculated the duration and degree of hypotension using the area under the curve (AUC) when the MAP of the respective patient was below 90% of each baseline. The patients who experienced nausea (n=45) had longer and more profound periods of hypotension than those who did not develop nausea (n=240). A comparison of AUC using MAP baseline at the last office visit or on the morning of surgery showed a statistically significant between-group difference, P=0.02, and P=0.005, respectively, and no significant between-group difference when 90% of the MAP baseline in the operating room was used. Patients had the highest preoperative MAP in the operating room and the AUC was similar for those with and without nausea when the pre-spinal MAP baseline was used. Therefore, maintaining higher intraoperative blood pressure using individual pre-spinal MAP as baseline should reduce intraoperative maternal nausea.


The differential proteome profile of stomach cancer: identification of the biomarker candidates.
By comparative proteome analysis we searched for characteristic alterations of human stomach adenocarcinoma tissue and paired surrounding normal tissue. Selected differential protein spots were identified with peptide mass fingerprinting based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and database searching. We identified protein alterations in 18 stomach cancer tissues compared with normal controls, comprising elevated levels of eight proteins, including 14-3-3 zeta, calcyclin, keratin, apolipoprotein A-1 precursor, proteasome activator complex subunit, nucleoside diphosphate kinase, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, and pyridoxal kinase. Five proteins (CA11, prohibitin, peroxiredoxin 4, serum amyloid P component, and NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase 23 kDa subunit) were decreased. These data are valuable for identification of differentially expressed proteins involved in stomach cancer carcinogenesis, providing biomarker candidates to develop diagnostic and therapeutic tools.


Atom movement in In3La studied via nuclear quadrupole relaxation.
Jump frequencies of Cd tracer atoms in In3La were measured via nuclear quadrupole relaxation caused by stochastic reorientation of the electric field gradient using the method of perturbed angular correlation of gamma rays. Activation enthalpies of 0.53(1) and 0.81(1) eV were found at the two phase boundaries, which differ in composition by only about 0.1 at. %. The jump frequency was found to be higher at the more In-rich phase boundary, ruling out a simple In-vacancy diffusion mechanism. Possible diffusion mechanisms and general applicability of the method are discussed.


[Effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on angiogenesis in rats after brain injury].
To explore the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on angiogenesis in rats after brain injury. Brain injury model of rats was established with freely fall method. A total of 50 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a transplanted group and a control group (n=25 in each group). BM-MSCs were injected in lateral ventricle in the transplanted group, and normal saline was injected in the control group. Modified method for neurological deficit scores (mNSS) was performed at the 1, 3, 7, 21, 14 d after the operation. Flow cytometry were performed to detect CD34 and CD133 double-labeled peripheral blood cells in preoperative or 3, 6, 12, 24 h, and 3, 7 d after the operation. Expression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and CD31 in the brain tissues near injury area was detected by immunohistochemical SP method. There was significant difference in the MNSS scores between the 2 groups (F=5.997, P<0.05), and the difference at the different time points in each group was significant (F=37.106, P<0.01). The mNSS scores in the control group were higher than those in the transplanted group at the 7, 14, 21 d after the operation (P<0.05). The CD34 and CDl33 double positive cells (DPCs) were present in rats' peripheral blood. DPCs's numbers in peripheral blood in the control group were declined at 3 h after the sugery, they were increased and reached the highest point at 6 h after the surgery, and decreased gradually and reached normal levels at 24 h after the surgery. The same tendency was achieved in the transplanted group, and the DPCs's numbers were increased until 24 h after the surgery, which were significantly higher in the transplanted group than those in the control group at 24 h after the surgery (P<0.05). The NSE expression in the transplanted group was significantly greater than that in the control group in 7 and 14 d after the surgery (P<0.05). The expression of CD31 in the transplanted group was significantly higher than that in the control group in 3 and 7 d after the surgery (P<0.05). BM-MSCs transplantation can increase the number of peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells after traumatic brain injury in rats and sustain for 24 h, which in turn up-regulate the angiogenesis and neuronal marker, and improve the neurological function.


Advances in Stem Cell Therapy for Leukemia.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the most effective post remission treatment for leukemia, resulting in lower relapse rates than alternative therapies. However, it is limited by the lack of suitable human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matched donors and high rates of transplant-related morbidity and mortality. Cord blood transplantation (CBT) and haploidentical SCT (haplo-SCT) expand the potential donor pool but are also associated with major complications. Co-infusion of third-party donor stem cells with a CBT/haplo-SCT, which is called "dual transplantation," has been reported to improve the outcome of HSCT by accelerating hematopoietic reconstitution and reducing the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In addition, infusion of HLA-mismatched donor granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized donor peripheral blood stem cells after chemotherapy, the so called "microtransplantation", has been shown to promote the graft-versus-leukemia effect and hasten hematopoietic recovery without amplifying GVHD. Herein, we review recent advances in stem cell therapy for leukemia with a specific focus on dual transplantation and microtransplantation.


Instability of self-esteem, self-confidence, self-liking, self-control, self-competence and perfectionism: associations with oral health status and oral health-related behaviours.
Our aim was to explore whether instability of self-esteem, self-confidence, self-liking, self-control, self-competence and perfectionism each has an independent contribution to the self-rated oral health and oral health-related behaviours. A cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected between November 2008 and May 2009. The sample consisted of 205 Romanian adults (mean age: 29.84 years; 65.2% women; 40% married) who were a random population drawn consecutively from the registry file of two private dental practices in the Iasi area. The questionnaire included information about demographic, psychological, self-reported oral health and oral health-related behaviour items. The comparison of participants who never flossed their teeth with those who flossed everyday showed statistically significant lower levels of self-confidence (P < 0.05), self-liking (P = 0.001), self-competence (P < 0.0001), self-control (P < 0.05) and Perfectionism Scores (P < 0.05). Significant higher levels of self-competence were scored in persons who used weekly mouthrinses comparing with never users (P = 0.012). Also patients who visited the dentist mainly when treatment is needed or when pain presented lower levels of self-competence and self-control comparing with those who visited the dentist mainly for check-up or for tooth cleaning and scaling (P < 0.05). Oral health behaviours (toothbrushing and mouthrinse frequencies) were predicted by multiple regression analyses using sociodemographic (age, gender), self-competence and perfectionism variables. Our study showed that instability of self-esteem, self-confidence, self-competence, self-liking, self-control and perfectionism was associated not only with self-rated dental health but also with oral health behaviours. Understanding the psychological factors associated with oral hygiene can further the development and improvement in therapeutic strategies to be used in oral health-improving programs, as well as of programs aimed at prevention and education.


Silencing of LncRNA HULC Enhances Chemotherapy Induced Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer.
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in the world; however, chemoresistance greatly decreases the efficacy of therapy in gastric cancer. Long noncoding RNAs (IncRNAs) participate in a variety of biological processes, and we hypothesize that lncRNA HULC regulates the multidrug resistance in GC treatment. We obtained GC tissue samples from 42 GC patients and detected the expression level of HULC in the plasma and tissues via qRT-PCR. The relationship between HULC expression and survival rate was confirmed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. We verified the expression of HULC in GC cell lines via qRT-PCR, and the function of HULC was detected via flow cytometry assay and CCK-8 assay. HULC was highly expressed in the plasma and tissues of the GC patients compared with controls, with HULC high expression indicating lower survival rate. HULC knockdown enhanced cisplatin-induced apoptosis in GC cells. Our results suggest that silencing lncRNA HULC could enhance chemotherapy induced apoptosis in GC cells, which could provide a novel approach for therapeutic strategies.


Young and old alcoholics: some personality differences.
Ninety-one alcoholic males aged 20-65 completed the MMPI. Their T scores on 10 clinical scales and 3 other indices were correlated with age. Seven of 13 correlations were statistically significant. There was a significant negative correlation between age and psychopathic deviance, paranoia, schizophrenia, and mania, and there was a significant positive correlation between age and hypochondriasis. Goldberg's indices showed that younger alcoholics' profiles resembled those of a sociopathic population as opposed to a psychiatric population and tended toward psychoticism rather than neuroticism. Results can assist practitioners in understanding and planning for a young clientele.


Serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels in chronic hepatitis C--importance for outcome of interferon alfa-2b treatment.
Sera from 39 out of 40 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who had been treated for 60 weeks with interferon alfa-2b proved initially HCV RNA positive by reversed transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These patients were analysed for genotype and quantitatively for HCV RNA levels prior to treatment by using a competitive PCR method with colorimetric detection of the amplified products. HCV RNA levels were correlated to outcome of treatment, mode of acquisition, histology and HCV genotype. The median pretreatment HCV RNA level in sustained responders (n = 15) with eradication of the viremia and normalization of serum ALT levels lasting 24 weeks post treatment was significantly lower than that in the combined group of non-sustained responders (n = 9) and non-responders (n = 15), 2.52 x 10(5) vs 8.90 x 10(5) genome equivalents per ml serum, p < 0.0125, respectively. 10 out of 17 patients with HCV RNA levels lower than the median level (5.64 x 10(5) genome equivalents per ml serum) had a sustained response to interferon treatment versus only 5/22 with levels equal to or higher than the median level, p = 0.04. No significant pretreatment differences in median HCV RNA levels according to mode of acquisition, genotype, or liver histology prior to treatment were seen. It is concluded that a low pretreatment HCV RNA level seems to be indicative of a sustained response to interferon alfa-2b treatment, whereas a high level seems to be indicative of a non-sustained or non-response. In the individual patient, however, the levels varied widely irrespective of response category.


Adsorption of proteins onto poly(ether urethane) with a phosphorylcholine moiety and influence of preadsorbed phospholipid.
In a previous report we demonstrated that the blood compatibility of poly(ether urethane) (PEU) was improved by grafting phosphorylcholine (PC) groups on the surface. The improved blood compatibility was indicated by decreased platelet adsorption/activation and reduced thrombin formation at the polymer surface in experiments in which the surfaces were contacted with platelet-rich plasma in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the effect of grafted PC groups at a PEU surface on protein and phospholipid adsorption. Adsorption of human fibrinogen (Fg), human serum albumin (Alb), human high-molecular-weight kininogen (HMWK), and dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) vesicles was measured by ellipsometry. For this purpose, thin PEU films were cast on silicon wafers. The polymer film was photochemically modified with a PC-containing aryl azide. The presence of PC groups on the polymer surface was demonstrated by ESCA (Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis). The hydrophilicity of the polymer surface increased by the surface modification, as indicated by a decrease of the contact angle from 59 degrees before to 43 degrees after modification. Our data show that the presence of PC groups has little effect on the adsorption of proteins to a PEU surface. The highest adsorption was observed for Fg (0.49 microgram/cm2 on PC-modified PEU and 0.50 microgram/cm2 on PEU), followed by HMWK (0.28 microgram/cm2 on both PC-modified PEU and PEU), and Alb (0.16 microgram/cm2 on PC-modified PEU and 0.18 microgram/cm2 on PEU). Protein adsorption was further studied on a "biomembrane-like" DOPC bilayer formed on hydrophilic silicon. We found no protein adsorption on this DOPC bilayer. The adsorption of small unilamellar DOPC vesicles on the polymer surfaces amounted to about 0.06 microgram/cm2 (corresponding to circa 30% of monolayer coverage) and was similar for PC-modified PEU and PEU. Despite this partial surface coverage, preadsorbed DOPC on the polymer surface diminished the subsequent adsorption of proteins considerably. These results show that the mere presence of phosphorylcholine groups on a PEU surface is insufficient to suppress protein adsorption. The highly ordered structure of natural phospholipid bilayers seems to be required to suppress protein adsorption effectively.