COVID-19 and Psychological Disaster Preparedness - An Unmet Need.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a disaster of unprecedented proportions with global repercussions. Psychological preparedness, the primed cognitive awareness and anticipation of dealing with emotional responses in an adverse situation, has assumed a compelling relevance during a health disaster of this magnitude. An anonymized eSurvey was conducted in India to assess psychological preparedness toward the ongoing pandemic with a focus on knowledge, management of own and others' emotional response, and anticipatory coping mechanisms among the survey population. An adapted version of the qualitative Psychological Preparedness for Natural Disaster Scale validated by the World Health Organization was widely circulated over the Internet and various social media platforms for assessment. Results are expressed as median ± standard deviation. Descriptive statistics were used and figures downloaded from surveymonkey.com. Of the 1120 respondents (M:F 1.7:1, age 35 years ±14.1), most expressed a high level of perceived knowledge and confidence of managing COVID-19, such as awareness of the symptoms of the illness (95.1%), actions needed (94.4%), hospital to report to (88.9%), and emergency contact number (89.1%). A majority (95%) monitored regularly the news bulletins and scientific journals regarding COVID-19. However, nearly one-third (29.2%) could not assess their likelihood of developing COVID-19, and 17.5% were unaware of the difference between a mild and severe infection. Twenty-three percent (23.3%) were unfamiliar with the materials needed in an acute illness situation. Psychological disaster preparedness is reasonable, although lacking in specific domains. Timely but focused interventions can be a cost-efficient administrative exercise, which federal agencies may prioritize working on.


Absorption kinetics of some carbohydrates in conscious pigs. 2. Quantitative aspects.
Concentrations of reducing sugars, glucose, fructose and lactic acid in blood obtained from arterial and portal catheters were measured together with the portal hepatic blood flow-rate for periods of 8-24 h in twenty-six unanaesthetized pigs (mean body-weight 51 kg). The animals received experimental meals containing different amounts (100-1600 g) of different sugars (glucose fifteen meals, sucrose twenty-four meals, lactose fourteen meals, maize starch nineteen meals) together with a protein-mineral-vitamin mixture (150 g) 6-8 after implantation of the catheters and an electromagnetic flow probe. Because the portal blood flow pattern did not differ between test meals, net absorption followed the same trends as for porto-arterial concentration differences (R erat et al. 1984). Apart from lactose, the amounts of reducing sugars appearing in the portal vein correlated with the intake of the test meal, but the absorption pattern was different for each sugar. The appearance of reducing sugars was faster and earlier after intake of glucose than after sucrose and the same was the case for sucrose relative to maize starch. The differences between the three carbohydrates tended to increase with the level of intake. With a test meal containing 1 kg carbohydrate, i.e. a normal meal in a 50 kg pig, digestion of sucrose and maize starch was not finished 8 h after the meal since only 60 and 52% respectively of their hydrolysis products were recovered in the portal blood. In the case of lactose, the amounts of reducing sugars appearing in the portal blood were always very small and constant (113-118 g within 8 h) whatever the level of intake, i.e. 30 and 15% of their hydrolysis products for intakes of 400 and 800 g respectively. Depending on the carbohydrate ingested, the uptake of glucose by the gut cell wall ranged from 14 to 21 g/h and the production of lactic acid from 2.5 to 3.5 g/h.


The Ottawa summit: new training parameters for child and adolescent psychiatry at the university of Ottawa.
To develop a renewed and innovative curricula for training and education in child and adolescent psychiatry career for track psychiatry trainees at the University of Ottawa. Faculty members who were graduates of multiple Canadian training programs, as well as current career child psychiatry trainees of the University of Ottawa program, summarized and reviewed their training and education experiences in a one day summit. This was integrated into overall directions cited by recent literature as well as positions of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. A template for new curricula was developed with new focus being placed on normal development, research methodology/evidence based medicine, emergency psychiatry, psychotherapy, and cultural competence. Curricula renewal is essential, possible, and appropriate in order to produce a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who meets the needs of the Canadian public as defined in the CanMeds 2000 project of the RCPSC.


Atrial fibrillation following cardiac surgery.
Atrial tachyarrhythmias, usually atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, are the most common complications of cardiac surgery. Atrial tachyarrhythmias are associated with patient discomfort/anxiety, hemodynamic deterioration, cognitive impairment, thromboembolic events (including stroke), exposure to the risks of antiarrhythmic treatments, longer hospital stays and increased costs. Many approaches to the prevention of postoperative atrial tachyarrhythmias have been studied. Of these, studies using perioperative beta-blocking agents or amiodarone provide level A evidence of efficacy and, in properly selected patients, have shown a high degree of safety. Less convincing, level B evidence exists for the use of postoperative temporary atrial pacing and for perioperative intravenous magnesium treatment. The treatment of postoperative atrial tachyarrhythmias is similar to those occurring in other settings and includes excluding other potential causes of atrial tachyarrhythmias, antithrombotic or anticoagulation therapy, control of the ventricular response rate and consideration of restoring/maintaining sinus rhythm. The selection of therapies to achieve these goals should consider the sympathetic nervous system discharge state of the postoperative environment and the natural history of postoperative atrial fibrillation, which includes spontaneous resolution of the arrhythmogenic tendency after approximately six weeks. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society Consensus Conference recommendations for the prevention of atrial tachyarrhythmias after cardiac surgery and for the treatment of atrial tachyarrhythmias that occur after cardiac surgery are presented along with evidence that supports these recommendations.


[Effects of tourism disturbance on the habitat and water quality for Andrias davidianus in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China].
To understand the effects of tourism disturbance on the habitat and water quality for Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus, CGS), the interference and characteristics of habitat for CGS under different tourism intensity (high, medium, and low) were investigated, and the physicochemical and microbial index of water were analyzed in Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China from 2014 to 2016. The results showed that high tourism disturbance (>0.5 million per year) significantly increased noise and reduced the number of dens, decreased dissolved oxygen levels, increased total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and microbial abundance in water, especially that of Escherichiacoli. Under high disturbance, the characteristics of habitat and water quality still could meet the requirements of the growth of CGS. According to the National ground water class 2 standard based on the demands of E. coli in the surface water (2000 ind·L-1), the theoretical threshold of tourist numbers was 26.0471 million per year. The intensity of tourism interference should be effectively reduced by declining tourist numbers and tourism facilities, for the protection of the habitat quality of the CGS and the promotion of tourism development.


An amino acid substitution in penicillin-binding protein 3 creates pointed polar caps in Escherichia coli.
The pbpB gene product penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3) of Escherichia coli is one of the major targets of beta-lactam antibiotics. At the permissive temperature, the temperature-sensitive pbpBr1 mutant, which was obtained after selection for increased resistance to cephalexin, shows a dramatic change in shape which has never been observed before; the polar caps are pointed. We show that the substitution of amino acid Asn-361 by Ser, previously shown to be responsible for increased cephalexin resistance and for temperature sensitivity, causes the pointed polar caps. However, comparison of the morphological and physiological characteristics of the pbpBr1 mutant with those of other pbpB mutants suggests that the formation of pointed polar caps is not correlated with temperature sensitivity or cephalexin resistance. Partial inactivation of PBP3 by subinhibitory concentrations of cephalexin, furazlocillin, and piperacillin resulted in the formation of slightly pointed polar caps, suggesting that the shape of the polar caps is correlated with PBP3 activity. The large change in the shape of the polar caps was accompanied by a small change in the kinetics of peptidoglycan synthesis and in the local rate of surface synthesis activity along the cell envelope.


Photochemotherapy For Psoria-sis.
Results of treatment of 50 psoriatic patients with psoralen and ultraviolet radiation are reported. A detailed analysis of the data is also given. None of the patients was resistant to treatment. Complete clearing of all lesions occurred in 22% of the patients in 16 days, in 96% of the patients in 40 days and in 100% of the patients in 45 days. It is concluded that photo chemotherapy with psoralen and ultraviolet radiation from conventional uv radiation therapy lamps is a safe and effective treatment for patients with psoriasis in this country.


Device-Independent Tests of Quantum Measurements.
We consider the problem of characterizing the set of input-output correlations that can be generated by an arbitrarily given quantum measurement. Our main result is to provide a closed-form, full characterization of such a set for any qubit measurement, and to discuss its geometrical interpretation. As applications, we further specify our results to the cases of real and complex symmetric, informationally complete measurements and mutually unbiased bases of a qubit, in the presence of isotropic noise. Our results provide the optimal device-independent tests of quantum measurements.


Complement C3a enhances CXCL12 (SDF-1)-mediated chemotaxis of bone marrow hematopoietic cells independently of C3a receptor.
Complement C3a promotes CXCL12-induced migration and engraftment of human and murine hemopoietic progenitor cells, suggesting a cross-influence between anaphylatoxin and chemokine axes. Here we have explored the underlying mechanism(s) of complement anaphylatoxin and chemokine cooperation. In addition to C3a, C3a-desArg and C4a but not C5a, are potent enhancers of CXCL12-induced chemotaxis of human and murine bone marrow (BM) stem/progenitor cells and B lineage cells. C3a enhancement of chemotaxis is chemokine specific because it is also observed for chemotaxis to CCL19 but not to CXCL13. The potentiating effect of C3a on CXCL12 is independent of the classical C3a receptor (C3aR). First, human BM CD34(+) and B lineage cells do not express C3aR by flow cytometry. Second, the competitive C3aR inhibitor SB290157 does not affect C3a-mediated enhancement of CXCL12-induced chemotaxis. Third, enhancement of chemotaxis of hemopoietic cells is also mediated by C3a-desArg, which does not bind to C3aR. Finally, C3a enhances CXCL12-induced chemotaxis of BM cells from C3aR knockout mice similar to BM cells from wild-type mice. Subsequent studies revealed that C3a increased the binding affinity of CXCL12 to human CXCR4(+)/C3aR(-), REH pro-B cells, which is compatible with a direct interaction between C3a and CXCL12. BM stromal cells were able to generate C3a, C3a-desArg, C4a, as well as CXCL12, suggesting that this pathway could function in vivo. Taken together, we demonstrate a C3a-CXCL12 interaction independent of the C3aR, which may provide a mechanism to modulate the function of CXCL12 in the BM microenvironment.


A twist on heme signaling.
Proteins in the H-NOX family act as sensors of NO or O2. This family includes soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), the NO sensor that is responsible for vasodilation and neurotransmission in mammals. The crystal structures of bacterial H-NOX domains have revealed a highly distorted heme cofactor. This distortion has now been shown to be associated with a concerted displacement of the entire N-terminal half of the protein. This displacement likely provides the mechanism for transducing the ligand binding event into signaling.


Pulsed electromagnetic fields as a promising therapy for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is considered the third type of osteoporosis and is accompanied by high morbidity and mortality. Long-term usage of glucocorticoids (GCs) causes worsened bone quality and low bone mass via their effects on bone cells. Currently, there are various clinical pharmacological treatments to regulate bone mass and skeletal health. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) are applied to treat patients suffering from delayed fracture healing and non-unions. PEMFs may be considered a potential and side-effect-free therapy for GIOP. PEMFs inhibit osteoclastogenesis, stimulate osteoblastogenesis, and affect the activity of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), osteocytes and blood vessels, ultimately leading to the retention of bone mass and strength. However, the underlying signaling pathways via which PEMFs influence GIOP remain unclear. This review attempts to summarize the underlying cellular mechanisms of GIOP. Furthermore, recent advances showing that PEMFs affect bone cells are discussed. Finally, we discuss the possibility of using PEMFs as therapy for GIOP.


[Clinical results of arthroscopic tenotomy of the long head of the biceps brachii in full thickness tears of the rotator cuff without repair: 40 cases].
Appropriate treatment of irreparable rotator cuff tears in patients without osteoarthritic shoulder joints remains a subject of debate. Medical treatment, a substitution muscle flap, and palliative arthroscopic treatment have been proposed. Arthroscopic tenotomy of the long head of the biceps brachii is warranted because this tendon is often the cause of part or all of the pain. If there is a full thickness tear of the rotator cuff, the exposed tendon of the long head of the biceps brachii can, because of its anterosuperior position, become impinged against the acromial vault during forward flexion. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the mid-term clinical and radiological results of arthroscopic tenotomy of the long head of the biceps brachii during treatment of full thickness tears of the rotator cuff. The series included 40 shoulders operated on for tenotomy alone (n=32) or in combination with acromioplasty (n=8). The long head of the biceps brachii was in place in 23 shoulders (58%), displaced in seven and subluxed in five. The position was not determined in five. At last follow-up, the mean rough Constant score was 58 points, giving a gain of 20 points. The gain for pain was +7.1 points, +6.4 points for activity, and +6.6 points for motion. After the operation, muscle force for elbow flexion-supination was decreased 40% compared with an age-, sex- and dominance-matched control group. 86% of the patients were satisfied with the outcome and only two patients were disappointed by the asymmetry of arm muscle volume. Radiographically, at last follow-up there were no signs of superior excentration of the humeral head and the subacromial space, which measured 7.38 mm preoperatively was 7.19 mm postoperatively. Likewise only two shoulders progressed to excentered osteoarthritis at 41 and 72 months. Mid-term results of arthroscopic tenotomy of the long head of the biceps brachii are satisfactory. The technique is simple and has limited functional consequences. The procedure has an undeniable impact on pain and has allowed a 34 degree gain in anterior flexion of the shoulder. Complementary acromioplasty was not found to provide a supplementary benefit in this series. Nevertheless, the degradation of the result in one female patient at six years suggests we should be prudent concerning the long-term benefit of this procedure which should be reserved for irreparable tears in patients with minimal functional demands.


Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on people living with visual disability.
People living with visual disabilities/impairment are more likely vulnerable to get contracted from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV 2) than people without visual impairment. This means more than 253 million people globally will be at higher risk of affecting by the COVID-19. The current pandemic, followed by a nationwide emergency lockdown to slow the unprecedented spread of the virus, will have a serious impact on people living with visual disabilities and even endangers their lives in the long run. Many restrictive and control measures, including the adoption of new behavioural changes (for example, social distance during outdoor movement, limiting touch or tactile contact) recommended by the government will pose immense challenges to individuals with a visual loss. This serious impact, including challenges in healthcare access, can be minimized through inclusive service approaches, involving persons with visual disabilities, caregivers, family members, and healthcare providers, along with the community to a large extent, and finally, support to improve the overall outcomes. The government, along with profit or non-profit private sectors, should consider initiating such inclusive approaches while planning responses to the pandemic. Indeed, the present COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity for health care planners and decision-makers of various organizations across India for a reformation of disabilities care. Impacts due to the pandemic and lockdown can be reduced substantially if planning and policy are in place before any emergency happened in the future.


Sonographic Characteristics of Extensor Tendon Abnormalities and Relationship With Joint Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Study.
To characterize abnormalities in the dorsal extensor tendons of the hand and determine the importance of these findings in rheumatoid arthritis. A retrospective cross-sectional study was done on 26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had sonography of their hands. B-mode and power Doppler joint activity were scored, and the extensor tendons were examined for B-mode changes and power Doppler signals. B-mode changes included anechoic fluid around tendons, hypoechoic tissue around tendons, paratendon tissue and tendon thickening, as well as vascularity around the tendon, for which peritendon power Doppler signals were recorded. Forty-one hands and 205 joints were reviewed. Anechoic fluid around the tendons and peritendon power Doppler signals were observed in 41% and 39%, respectively; 44% and 28% of patients had B-mode and power Doppler scores in the upper tertile, respectively. For both B-mode and power Doppler scores, 3 categories or tertiles were created, 0 to 0.9, 1 to 1.9, and 2 to 3. We reported the percentage of patients with power Doppler and B-mode scores in this category. The severity of synovitis was associated with anechoic fluid around the tendons and peritendon power Doppler signals according to the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test. The common odds ratio was 3.52 (95% confidence interval, 1.45- 8.53) for anechoic fluid around the tendons and severe synovitis. The common odds ratio was 2.52 (95% confidence interval, 1.13-5.63) for peritendon power Doppler signals and severe synovitis. Findings at the dorsal extensor tendons were anechoic fluid around tendons, hypoechoic tissue around tendons, peritendon power Doppler signals, and tendon thickening. Patients with anechoic fluid and power Doppler signals were found to have more severe disease activity at the joints based on B-mode and power Doppler scores.


Association of mTOR Pathway and Conformational Alterations in C-Reactive Protein in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Infections.
Inflammatory biomarkers have been very useful in detecting and monitoring inflammatory processes along with providing helpful information to select appropriate therapeutic strategies. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a nonspecific, but quite useful medical acute inflammatory biomarker and is associated with persistent chronic inflammatory processes. Several studies suggest that different levels of CRP are correlated with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, dynamics of CRP levels have also been observed in virus/bacterial-related infections leading to inflammatory responses and this triggers mTOR-mediated pathways for neurodegeneration diseases. The biophysical structural transition from CRP to monomeric CRP (mCRP) and the significance of the ratio of CRP levels on the onset of symptoms associated with inflammatory response have been discussed. In addition, mTOR inhibitors act as immunomodulators by downregulating the expression of viral infection and can be explored as a potential therapy for neurological diseases.


[Endosurgery in treatment of urinary bladder cancer in elderly patients].
Treatment of 162 patients with micro- and macrohematuria was analyzed. Urinary bladder cancer was diagnosed in 156 of them (men--127, women--29). All patients received endoscopic treatment (transurethral resection). An average age of patients was 74.4±7.9 years. 142 (91.1%) of patients were older then 60 years. The transitional cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 118 patients. The urinary bladder cancer recurrence was diagnosed in 13 (9.2%) patients steged T1 and in 24 (16.9%) staged T2. Only 2 patients with T3 stage of the disease were considered to be unsuitable for endoscopic transurethral resection and received an open argon tumor vaporization.


Nutrition and mental development.
It has been difficult to assess the effects of malnutrition upon mental development because of the environmental alterations that invariably accompany malnutrition, even in animal models. In rats, maternal behavior is altered whenever offspring are malnourished, in part in response to the altered stimulus characteristics of the offspring. It is difficult to assess whether these alterations in environment are detrimental because they are adaptive in promoting the growth of the pups. Environmental stimulation may to some extent reverse the brain effects of malnutrition and can remediate some of the behavioral effects.


Molecular and hematologic analysis of hemoglobin Q-Iran and hemoglobin Setif in Iranian families.
Single nucleotide mutations in alpha1 or alpha2 genes produce abnormal alpha-chain hemoglobins. Hemoglobin Q disorders including hemoglobin Q-Iran, hemoglobin Q-Thailand, and hemoglobin Q-India are important hemoglobin variants. Herein, we report on the presence and hematologic and molecular features of hemoglobin Q-Iran [alpha75 (EF4) Asp-->His] in 20 members of 11 families including nine children and hemoglobin Setif [alpha94 (G1) Asp-->Tyr] in 10 individuals from five families consisting of five children and their affected parents living in western Iran. A polymerase chain reaction-RFLP procedure using Ava II restriction enzyme was designed to confirm the presence of two alpha-chain variants. To find the coinheritance with alpha-thalassemia, the presence of deletions of -alpha3.7, -alpha20.5, --MED, --SEA, and nondeletion defects of IVSI (-5 bp) and hemoglobin CS was examined using polymerase chain reaction-based approaches. The mean+/-SD level of hemoglobin Q-Iran was 20.4+/-4.4%. Three out of 18 individuals with hemoglobin Q-Iran were heterozygous for -alpha3.7 deletion (-alpha3.7/alpha alpha). The coinheritance of hemoglobin Q-Iran and -alpha3.7 deletion resulted in significantly (P=0.002) higher levels of hemoglobin Q-Iran (26.7+/-3.8%). In those heterozygous for hemoglobin Setif, the level of this hemoglobin was 17.8+/-5.6%. The polymerase chain reaction-RFLP method described here is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive procedure for the diagnosis of abnormal alpha-chains in developing countries.


Generation and characterization of hamster-mouse hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies with specificity for lipopolysaccharide receptor.
Experiments are described for the partial purification of the 80-kDa LPS binding protein expressed on macrophages and lymphocytes. This partially purified Ag was used to immunize adult Armenian hamsters and splenocytes from immunized animals were fused with murine myeloma cell lines. Hybridoma cell culture supernatants containing mAb were screened by ELISA for positive binding to the immunizing Ag, murine splenocytes and the murine 70Z/3 pre B cell and for an absence of binding to sheep E. Positive clones were further screened for reciprocal competitive binding with LPS on spleen cells and ability to modulate B lymphocyte mitogenic activity. Two hybridoma cell lines secreting IgM monoclonals, termed mAb3D7 and mAb5D3, were identified that satisfied all of the selection criteria. These hybridoma cell lines were subcloned and expanded. Binding of one (mAb3D7) was abrogated by treatment of Ag with mild periodate; binding of the second (mAb5D3) was destroyed by digestion of Ag with proteinase K. Binding specificity for mAb5D3 has been confirmed by ELISA using highly purified 80-kDa protein. These mAb have been of value in establishing that the 80-kDa LPS binding protein previously identified may serve as a specific functional receptor for LPS.


The complete mitogenome of the ghost crab Ocypode ceratophthalmus (Pallas, 1772) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ocypodidae).
The mitochondrial genome sequence of the ghost crab, Ocypode ceratophthalmus, is documented (GenBank accession number: LN611669) in this article. This is the first mitogenome for the family Ocypodidae and the second for the order Ocypodoidea. Ocypode ceratophthalmus has a mitogenome of 15,564 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of the O. ceratophthalmus mitogenome is 35.78% for T, 19.36% for C, 33.73% for A and 11.13% for G, with an AT bias of 69.51% and the gene order is the typical arrangement for brachyuran crabs.


Open and/or laparoscopic one-stage resections of primary colorectal cancer and synchronous liver metastases: An observational study.
One-stage resections of primary colorectal cancer and liver metastases have been reported to be feasible and safe. Minimally invasive approaches have become more common for both colorectal and hepatic surgeries. This study aimed to investigate outcomes of these combined surgical procedures among different approaches.We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed as having primary colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases and who underwent 1-stage primary resection and hepatectomy with curative intent in our hospital. According to the surgical approach for the primary tumor and hepatic lesions, namely open laparotomy (Op) or laparoscopic approach (Lap), patients were classified into Op-Op, Lap-Op (laparoscopic colorectal resection plus open hepatectomy), and Lap-Lap groups, respectively. Clinicopathological factors were reviewed, and short- and long-term outcomes were compared among the groups.The Op-Op, Lap-Op, and Lap-Lap groups comprised 36, 18, and 17 patients, respectively. The superior/posterior hepatic segments were more frequently resected via an open approach. There was no laparoscopic major hepatectomy. The median volume of intraoperative blood loss was smaller in the Lap-Lap and Lap-Op groups (290 and 270 mL) than in the Op-Op group (575 mL, P = .008). The hospital stay after surgery was shorter in the Lap-Lap and Lap-Op groups (median: 17 days and 15 days, vs 19 days for the Op-Op group, P = .033). The postoperative complication rates and survivals were similar among the groups.Application of laparoscopy to 1-stage resections of primary colorectal cancer and liver metastases may offer advantages of enhanced recovery from surgical treatment, given appropriate patient selection.


An ice-like water hexamer with 3 symmetry in the hydrogen-bonded structure of 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene dihydrate.
An ice-like hexameric water cluster, stabilized by the flexible bis-imidazolyl compound 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (Fbix), is found in the trigonal R3 crystal structure of the title compound, C(14)H(10)F(4)N(4).2H(2)O or Fbix.2H(2)O. The Fbix molecule lies about an inversion centre with one water molecule in the asymmetric unit in a general position. A cyclic chair-like hexameric water cluster with 3 symmetry is generated with a hydrogen-bonded O...O distance within the hexamer of 2.786 (3) A. The Fbix molecule adopts a trans conformation, where the imidazole ring makes a dihedral angle of 70.24 (11) degrees with the central tetrafluorinated aromatic ring. Each water hexamer is connected by six Fbix molecules through intermolecular O-H...N hydrogen bonds [N...O = 2.868 (3) A] to yield a three-dimensional supramolecular network with primitive cubic (pcu) topology. Large voids in each single pcu network lead to fourfold interpenetrated aggregates of Fbix.2H(2)O.


FoxP2 isoforms delineate spatiotemporal transcriptional networks for vocal learning in the zebra finch.
Human speech is one of the few examples of vocal learning among mammals yet ~half of avian species exhibit this ability. Its neurogenetic basis is largely unknown beyond a shared requirement for FoxP2 in both humans and zebra finches. We manipulated FoxP2 isoforms in Area X, a song-specific region of the avian striatopallidum analogous to human anterior striatum, during a critical period for song development. We delineate, for the first time, unique contributions of each isoform to vocal learning. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis of RNA-seq data revealed gene modules correlated to singing, learning, or vocal variability. Coexpression related to singing was found in juvenile and adult Area X whereas coexpression correlated to learning was unique to juveniles. The confluence of learning and singing coexpression in juvenile Area X may underscore molecular processes that drive vocal learning in young zebra finches and, by analogy, humans.


Differences between dedicated and not dedicated hospice physicians in symptoms and signs improvement among advanced cancer patients.
The hospice and palliative care can improve the symptoms and signs of terminal cancer patients. The purposes of this study are how to improve terminally ill cancer patients' symptoms and signs and how the dedicated palliative care service effects on these improvements.From January 2017 to March 2019, among 919 terminally ill cancer patients admitted to the palliative care units in 11 hospitals of South Korea, we analyzed 334 patients with prospective cohort method and categorized them into non-dedicated hospice care group of 234 and dedicated hospice care group of 100.Symptoms improvement of dyspnea, fatigue, drowsiness, and dry mouth during the first week of admission were respectively 298 (89.2%), 25 (7.5%), 204 (61.1%), 76 (22.8%). Signs improvement of myoclonus, respiratory secretion, leg edema, and ascites between admission and a week after were 5 (1.5%), 41 (12.3%), 47 (14.1%), 12 (3.6%). Significant differences between dedicated hospice care physician group and non-dedicated hospice care physician group were shown in drowsiness (67.5% vs 46%, P < .001) and respiratory secretion (15% vs 6%, P < .028). Compared to non-dedicated care group, the odds ratio for more than 2 symptoms or signs was 1.78 (95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.02) in the dedicated care group after adjusting confounding variables.In conclusion, terminally ill cancer patients who received palliative or hospice service showed significant improvement in symptoms and signs. And, family doctors (dedicated hospice physician group) performed better than oncologists (non-dedicated physician group).


Sound-based cough peak flow estimation in patients with neuromuscular disorders.
Cough impairment is common in individuals with neuromuscular disorders and is associated with respiratory infections and shorter survival. Cough strength is assessed by measuring cough peak flow (CPF) using a flow meter, but this method requires a complex device setup and trained staff. The aim of the study is to evaluate the reliability of a smartphone app to estimate CPF based on cough sounds in a cohort of individuals with neuromuscular disorders. Individuals with neuromuscular disorders underwent CPF measurement with a flow meter and a smartphone app. A CPF <270 L/min was considered abnormal. Of the 50 patients studied, 26 had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (52%), 15 had hereditary myopathies (30%), and 9 had myasthenia gravis (18%). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the CPF measured with a flow meter and CPF estimated with cough sounds was 0.774 (p < .001) even if the patients had orofacial weakness (ICC = 0.806, p < .001). The smartphone app had 94.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity to detect patients with CPF of less than 270 L/min. Our findings suggest that sounds measured with a smartphone app provide a reliable estimate of CPF in patients with neuromuscular disorders, even in the presence of with orofacial weakness. This may be a convenient way to monitor respiratory involvement in patients with neuromuscular disorders, but larger studies of more diverse patient cohorts are needed.


Liver histology in patients on hemodialysis with chronic hepatitis C viral infection.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease in patients on hemodialysis. As no useful noninvasive predictors of disease activity and fibrosis have been found, liver biopsy is essential in these patients to accurately assess the severity of disease and thus the prognosis and plan management. The present study was undertaken to assess the degree of severity of necroinflammatory changes and fibrosis in liver biopsies of patients on hemodialysis with chronic HCV infection. Liver biopsies obtained from 45 patients on hemodialysis with serological evidence of chronic hepatitis C were studied. The grading of necroinflammatory activity and staging of fibrosis were histologically assessed. The majority of patients (30, i.e. 66.7%) had mild disease with mild inflammatory activity and stage 0, 1 or 2 fibrosis. There was no significant correlation between the degree of fibrosis and the age of the patients (rs = 0.015), the duration of hemodialysis (rs = 0.047) or the presence of steatosis (rs = 0.064). There was a positive correlation between the presence of bile ductular proliferation and the severity of fibrosis (rs = 0.612). It was concluded that chronic HCV infection in hemodialysis patients is relatively mild early in its course. However, serial follow-up liver biopsies are mandatory to plan appropriate intervention strategies.


Perceived Object Trajectory Is Influenced by Others' Tracking Movements.
In social interactions, it is highly salient to us where other people are looking. The ability to recover this information is critical to typical social development, helping us to coordinate our attention and behavior with others and understand their intentions and mental states [1-3]. The depth and direction in which another individual is fixating are specified jointly by their head position, eye deviation, and binocular vergence [4, 5]. It is hereto unknown, however, whether this dynamic visual information about others' focus of attention affects how we ourselves see the world. Here we show that the perceived depth and movement of physical objects in our environment are influenced by others' tracking behavior. This effect occurred even in the presence of conflicting size cues to object location and generalized to the context of apparent motion displays [6] and judgments about causal interactions between moving objects [7]. Perceived object trajectory was modulated primarily by the object-level motion of the tracking agent (e.g., the head), with less-pronounced effects of eye motion and low-level motion. Interestingly, comparable perceptual effects were induced by non-face objects that displayed similar tracking behavior, indicating a mechanism of distal coupling between the motion of the target and an appropriately moving inducer. These results demonstrate that social information can have a fundamental effect on our vision, such that the visual reality constructed in each brain is determined in part by what others see.


Long-term air pollution indicator assessment: example of black smoke in Bordeaux, France.
The aim of the second phase of the Pollution Atmosphérique et Affections Respiratoires Chroniques (PAARC) study, started in 1974, was to compare the long-term mortality between populations living in areas with different air pollution levels. In Bordeaux (France), four different areas were concerned by the study. The black smoke measures were realized between 1974 and 1981. After 1981, the stations set specifically for the study were not used any more. The purpose of this study was to estimate the evolution of air pollution in those areas between 1982 and 1997 using the measures of 12 Association de Prévention de la Pollution Atmosphérique (APPA) stations located in Bordeaux city but not in the PAARC areas. The method used was divided in three phases: a correlation study between the stations of the different networks, a selection of the pertinent stations and the setting up of indicators using the arithmetic means method. Monthly means concentrations were estimated from January 1982 to December 1997. Models showed a decrease in black smoke levels whatever the area. The difference in level from one area to another, existing between the areas in 1974, was still with predicted values in 1997, but less important. Black smoke mean concentration for 1982-1997 was, respectively, 16.4 and 16.2 microg/m3, in areas 1 and 2. It was a little bit higher in area 3 with 18.9 microg/m3. Area 4 still has the highest level with 26.3 microg/m3. To conclude, this method enabled to assess different air pollution levels at different times in the four areas of the PAARC study in Bordeaux. Those levels could be used to study the impact of the air pollution on long-term mortality on populations living in the areas considered.


Utilization of Fish Waste as Fish Feed Material as an Alternative Effort to Reduce and Use Waste.
Waste of fish catching and waste of fish fillet processing will cause environmental pollution, but these materials can still be used as raw material for fish feed. The objective of this research was to change fish wastes to be made as fish powder as raw material of fish feed. This research employed a completely randomized design with three treatments; Treatment A is artificial feed that uses raw material from trash fish, Treatment B is artificial feed that uses raw material from fish fillet waste and as control is factory-made feed. The silver pompano fish stocking was done with stocking density of 20 fishes m-3. The fishes were cultured for 60 days and they were adapted with formulated feed during 7 days before testing. Fish powder material in Treatment A coming from trash fish waste had good enough protein content by 43.84%, while fish powder material in Treatment B coming from fish fillet waste had lower protein content by 36.3%. The results showed that the control produced better growth activity indicators compared to Treatment A and B. The results of economic analysis showed that Treatment A and B were cheaper to produce compared to control. Fisheries waste both fish catch and fish fillet waste can be used as raw material for making silver pompano fish feed. Utilization of the two wastes has two functions namely saving on aquaculture costs and reducing fisheries waste.


Cancer Incidence and Mortality Among Fighter Aviators in the United States Air Force.
This study sought to clarify cancer risk in fighter aviators. US Air Force officers who served between 1970 and 2004 were followed through 2018 for incidence and mortality of 10 cancers: colon and rectum; pancreas; melanoma skin; prostate; testis; urinary bladder; kidney and renal pelvis; brain and other nervous system; thyroid; and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Fighter aviators were compared with other officers and the general US population. Compared with other officers, male fighter aviators had greater adjusted odds of developing testis, melanoma skin, and prostate cancers; mortality odds were similar for all cancers. When compared with the US population, male fighter aviators were more likely to develop and die from melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Military fighter aviation may be associated with slightly increased risk of certain cancers.


Characterization of a novel killer toxin encoded by a double-stranded linear DNA plasmid of Kluyveromyces lactis.
A novel killer toxin, encoded by a double-stranded linear DNA plasmid pGK l-1 (5.4 MDa) in Kluyveromyces lactis IFO 1267 was purified 320 000-fold from the culture broth of yeast. The toxin was obtained in an electrophoretically homogeneous state with a yield of 24% by hydroxyapatite column chromatography, chromatofocusing and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified toxin was dissociated into two subunits with molecular masses of 27 kDa and above 80 kDa, as estimated by Laemmli's sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis; the exact composition ratio of the two subunits remains unestablished. The isoelectric point was between 4.4 and 4.8. As compared with the reported narrow pH range of action and instability of k1 killer toxin encoded by a double-stranded RNA plasmid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the K. Lactis toxin was effective with sensitive strains of S. cerevisiae in a relatively wider pH range between 4 and 8; it was stable for several months at pH 6.0 when stored below -20 degrees C. In contrast to the simple protein nature of the k1 killer toxin with a molecular mass of 11.47 kDa, the K. lactis toxin maintained a mannoprotein nature, as it was absorbed by a ConA-Sepharose column and eluted by methyl alpha-D-mannoside. The growth inhibitory activity of K. lactis toxin was enhanced 2-35-fold by the presence of 4-60% glycerol.


Enteric nervous system neuropathy: repair and restoration.
Disordered neurobiology of the enteric nervous system (ENS) underlies a broad assortment of idiopathic, acquired, and congenital pathophysiologies up and down the digestive tract. Progress in two major areas of regenerative medicine related to enteric neuropathy is summarized: new insight into how everyday damage to the ENS might be corrected by indwelling stem cells and prospects for patient-specific replacement of damaged or diseased intestine with one reproduced from pluripotent stem cells derived from embryos or reprogrammed adult cells. Germinal centers with undifferentiated stem cells are in position outside ENS ganglia. Messages, which might be released after damage to the ENS or when neurons are lost, direct migration of stem cells into ENS ganglia where they differentiate into one or the other of the specialized classes of interneurons or motor neurons and become 'wired' into the synaptic circuits as neuronal replacements. Action of serotonin and the 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)4 receptor subtype is a message that initiates the neuronal replacement and circuit restoration process. A reasonable facsimile of a functional intestine can be derived from pluripotent stem cells. Emerging knowledge of cell and molecular biology of indwelling stem cells in the gut and strategies for application of pluripotential stem cells in patient-specific organ transplantation reflect an emergent revolution in understanding and treating disordered gut function when the underlying cause is ENS neuropathy.


Teaching diagnostic reasoning: using simulation and mixed practice to build competence.
The acquisition of competence in diagnostic reasoning is essential for medical trainees. Exposure to a variety of patient presentations helps develop the skills of diagnostic reasoning, but reliance on ad hoc clinical encounters is inefficient and does not guarantee timely exposure for all trainees. We present a novel teaching series led by emergency physicians that builds upon the existing medical education literature to teach diagnostic reasoning to preclinical (2nd year) medical students. The series used emergency department simulations involving patient actors and simulated vital signs to provide students with exposure to three acute care presentations: chest pain, abdominal pain, and headache. Emergency physicians coached and provided immediate feedback to the students as they actively worked through diagnostic reasoning. The participating medical students reported benefit from these sessions immediately following the sessions and in an 18-month follow-up survey where the students could consider the impact of the sessions on their clinical clerkship. Students felt that the sessions had assisted them in recognizing the key features of relevant diagnoses during clerkship as well as providing a helpful adjunct to their in-class learning.


Radiofrequency-treated recurrence of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract after nephroureterectomy.
Local recurrence after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) owing to urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract is rare. The usual treatment is systemic chemotherapy followed by optional resection of the mass. We introduce the case of a 73-year-old male patient with multiple comorbidities in whom retroperitoneal carcinoma recurrence of 31 mm was diagnosed via positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose about 5 years after he had undergone RNU owing to urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. The patient was treated with computed tomography-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. Later scans with contrast controls showed lack of contrast uptake and a decrease of the lesion's size. Twenty-four months after the procedure, the patient is free of the disease. To date, this is the first case of recurrence of urothelial carcinoma that was treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation, thus establishing an alternative to chemotherapy in patients with substantial comorbidities.


Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Alcohol Use Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Drinking to Cope with PTSD Symptoms.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and hazardous drinking often co-occur. One widely acknowledged explanation for this co-occurrence is the self-medication hypothesis. However, only one study to date has explicitly examined the extent to which drinking to cope with trauma-related symptoms, rather than drinking to cope with negative affect more broadly, accounts for this association. Survey data were collected from a nationally representative sample of adults (n = 360; 48.9% female, Mage = 38.50 years, SD = 10.23). Results revealed a significant indirect effect of PTSD symptom severity on alcohol use frequency and alcohol use-related problems via drinking to cope with PTSD symptoms but not alcohol use quantity or binge drinking frequency. Drinking to cope with negative affect did not indirectly mediate the relations between PTSD symptom severity and any of the alcohol use-related outcomes. Findings will be discussed with regard to previous and future research.


Neurosarcoidosis associated with intracerebral haemorrhage: a challenge in diagnosis and management.
Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown cause. Nervous system involvement (central and/or peripheral) is uncommon, developing in 5%-10%. The presenting symptoms are variable, reflecting the level of involvement, and frequently fluctuate and progress. Diagnosing neurosarcoidosis in people with previously confirmed systemic disease may be relatively straightforward, but diagnosing primary neurosarcoidosis is challenging. Managing neurosarcoidosis is primarily consensus based; corticosteroid is its mainstay, alongside corticosteroid-sparing agents and emerging novel therapies. We describe a 39-year-old woman who presented with cranial neuropathy. Serial imaging, cerebrospinal fluid sampling and tissue biopsy gave a diagnosis of probable neurosarcoidosis. Her clinical course was complicated by intracerebral haemorrhage following intravenous corticosteroids for neurological relapse. This is a very rare complication of neurosarcoidosis; we discuss its possible causes and suggest ways to reduce its risk.


Relationship between systemic immune-inflammation index and no-reflow in percutaneous coronary intervention for saphenous grafts.
Objective: In this study, we investigated the occurrence of no-reflow (NR) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) and its relationship with a new systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) that determines inflammation. Methods: We studied 303 patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation who underwent PCI for SVG disease. Results: NR formation during SVG PCI was significantly higher in patients with high SII (p < 0.001). NR occurrence was 12.8% when SII was ≤548 and 41.9% when SII was >548. Conclusion: Our study is the first to investigate SII as the state of inflammation and its effect on the SVG PCI. Patients with higher SII have a higher risk of NR during an SVG for PCI.


Broiler breeding strategies using indirect carcass measurements.
The objective of the current study was to determine the consequences of using indirect carcass measurements on the genetic response and rate of inbreeding in broiler breeding programs. In the base breeding scheme, selection candidates were evaluated based on direct carcass measurements on relatives. The possibilities of using indirect carcass measurements were investigated in alternative breeding schemes. Three alternative schemes, including indirect and own performance information for carcass traits on selection candidates, were evaluated by deterministic simulation. In the first scheme, indirect carcass traits were measured on male selection candidates. In the second scheme, indirect carcass traits were measured on male selection candidates, and direct carcass traits were measured on relatives. In the third scheme, indirect carcass traits were measured on male and female selection candidates, and direct carcass traits were measured on relatives. In the base scheme, the genetic response for breast muscle percentage (BMP) was 0.3%, and the rate of inbreeding was 0.96% per generation. In the third alternative scheme, the response for BMP increased by 66.2% compared with the base scheme, and the rate of inbreeding decreased to 0.79% per generation. The improved genetic gain resulted from increased accuracy of selection. The use of own performance information for selection candidates reduced the rate of inbreeding in alternative schemes, which is desirable for long-term selection. The accuracy of the indirect carcass measurements had consequences on the response for BMP and the rate of inbreeding. In most cases, an accuracy of 30% was sufficient to result in a higher gain for BMP and a lower rate of inbreeding as compared with the base scheme.


Enteral versus parenteral nutrition: comparison of energy metabolism in lean and moderately obese women.
Continuous respiratory-exchange measurements were performed on ten moderately obese and ten lean young women for 1 h before, 3 h during, and 3 h after either parenteral (IV) or intragastric (IG) administration of a nutrient mixture infused at twice the postabsorptive, resting energy expenditure (REE). REE rose significantly from 0.98 +/- 0.02 to 1.13 +/- 0.03 kcal/min (IV) and from 0.99 +/- 0.02 to 1.13 +/- 0.02 kcal/min (IG) in the lean group; from 1.10 +/- 0.02 to 1.27 +/- 0.03 kcal/min (IV) and from 1.11 +/- 0.02 to 1.29 +/- 0.03 (IG) in the obese group. These increases resulted in similar nutrient-induced thermogenesis of 10.0 +/- 0.7% (IV) and 9.3 +/- 0.9% (IG) in the lean group; of 9.2 +/- 0.7% (IV) and 10.1 +/- 0.8% (IG) in the obese. Nutrient utilization was comparable in both groups and in both routes of administration, although the response time to IG feeding was delayed. These results showed no significant difference in both the thermogenic response and nutrient utilization between moderately obese and control groups using acute IV or IG feeding.


[Double half-body radiotherapy in myeloma].
Seven patients with advanced multiple myeloma, failing to respond (1 case) or relapsing (6 cases) after conventional chemotherapy with melphalan, cyclophosphamide and prednisone, were treated with double half-body irradiation. Two patients died before the irradiation could be completed. The five patients who received the total dose of irradiation obtained a reduction in their tumour mass of between 40 and 80%. There was an incomplete and inconstant effect on pain and functional status. The haematological toxicity was marked and one patient died after 7 months from marrow failure. One of the four remaining patients relapsed after 3 months and the other three are still in remission after 6, 8 and 10 months. In the present state of knowledge, double half-body irradiation should be considered to be a form of salvage treatment for myelomas not responding to chemotherapy.


Intravaginal vibrator of long duration.
Intravaginal foreign bodies of long duration are a rare entity and are seen in the practice of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, but patients may present to the Accident and Emergency department for their removal. Various bizarre objects have been inserted into the vagina and many patients are too embarrassed and will wait and try to remove them themselves rather than seek medical advice. Vaginal foreign bodies of long duration may be complicated by fistulas and such patients should be referred to the gynaecologist.


Negative urgency and expectancies increase vulnerability to binge eating in bulimia nervosa.
Negative urgency (NU), the tendency to act impulsively when distressed, is associated with binge eating. Women who believe that eating alleviates negative affect are also more likely to binge eat. Thus, it is hypothesized that the individuals with high levels of NU, and who endorse these eating expectancies, will binge eat the following acute distress. This study tested these hypotheses using ecological momentary assessment. Sixteen women with the symptoms of BN completed clinical assessments, and were asked to report on distress and binges multiple times daily for two weeks. NU moderated the temporal relationship of negative affect to binges, such that women with lower scores on NU experienced a sharper increase in affect prior to binges. Individual differences in eating expectancies also moderated the relationship of affect to binge eating. Results suggest that women with high levels of NU and expectancy endorsement are triggered to binge by smaller shifts in negative affect than women who do not endorse these traits.


Low prevalence of contraceptive use among Brazilian women of reproductive age with systemic lupus erythematosus.
This was a cross-sectional study of women of reproductive age with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) being treated at Bahiana School Rheumatology Service in Brazil. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of contraceptive counselling and use. An interview was performed, and the results were analysed before and after the SLE diagnosis. Eighty-five women were included; the mean age of the group was 32.98 ± 8.39 years. Before SLE diagnosis, most of the patients had used some contraceptive method; mainly oral contraceptives (54%) or hormone injections (21%). After SLE diagnosis, 53% of patients did not use any contraceptive method. Among the remaining patients who continued using contraceptives, 22% used condoms, 11% used combined oral contraceptives and 7% used hormone injections. Although 62% of the patients regularly visited the gynaecologist, 56% were unaware of which contraceptive method could be used safely. Thus, a better contraceptive counselling of women of a reproductive age should be performed after SLE diagnosis. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? Women diagnosed with SLE have inadequate counselling about family planning. What the results of this study add? Brazilian women with SLE have a low prevalence of contraceptive use after their diagnosis and are exposed to having high-risk pregnancies. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The results we found highlight the importance of continued medical educational programmes and establish questions for further studies in order to investigate the interventions used to improve the contraceptive use for women diagnosed with SLE.


Role of childhood adversity in the development of medical co-morbidities associated with bipolar disorder.
A role for childhood adversity in the development of numerous medical conditions in adults has been described in the general population, but has not been examined in patients with bipolar disorder who have multiple medical comorbidities which contribute to their premature mortality. More than 900 outpatients (average age 41) with bipolar disorder completed questionnaires that included information about the occurrence of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse in childhood and whether their parents had a mood or substance abuse disorder, or a history of suicidality. These factors were combined to form a total childhood adversity score, which was then related to one or more of 30 medical conditions patients rated as present or absent. The child adversity score was significantly related to the total number of medical comorbidities a patient had (p<.001), as well as to 11 specific medical conditions that could be modeled in a logistic regression (p<.03). These included: asthma, arthritis, allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic menstrual irregularities, fibromyalgia, head injury (without loss of consciousness), hypertension, hypotension, irritable bowel syndrome, and migraine headaches. The contribution of parental diagnosis to childhood adversity is highly inferential. These data link childhood adversity to the later occurrence of multiple medical conditions in adult outpatients with bipolar disorder. Recognition of these relationships and early treatment intervention may help avert a more severe course of not only bipolar disorder but also of its prominent medical comorbidities and their combined adverse effects on patients'health, wellbeing, and longevity.


Optical sorting and cultivation of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation archaea.
Denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidizing (DAMO) microorganisms play an important role in the global carbon and nitrogen cycles as they are able to mediate methane oxidation using nitrite/nitrate under anoxic conditions. However, the physiological properties of DAMO microorganisms remain poorly understood, partially since the organisms are difficult to isolate or cultivate in pure culture and partially because of their long cultivation time. In this study, DAMO cell sorting has been conducted by integrating optical tweezers within enclosed microfluidic chips. This integrated cell sorting method has high purity, low infection rates, and causes no discernable harm to cell viability. The purity of the sorted cells was controlled by the microfluidic chip structure design and operation, while the cell viability was verified by imaging the cultured DAMO archaea after 420 days.


Choroid plexus metastasis of colon cancer.
This article presents an extremely rare case of solitary metastasis in the choroid plexus of the inferior horn of the right lateral ventricle three years after a colectomy for colon cancer. We discuss the current literature on this tumor together with the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT) findings.


Scanning electron microscopic study of the fibrous rings of the arterial orifices in embryos of the 7(th) and 8(th) weeks.
The arterial fibrous rings were investigated in human embryos aged 7 and 8 weeks under light and scanning electron microscopes. In the present study it was shown that the arrangement of collagen and formation of fibres changes rapidly within one week. In the 7(th) week there are no collagen fibres and the netlike fibrils extend between processes of fibroblasts. At the end of the 8(th) week the collagen fibres are formed and they have different arrangements in the particular layers of the fibrous rings.


Heterotrimeric G proteins interact with defense-related receptor-like kinases in Arabidopsis.
Heterotrimeric G proteins (G-proteins) are versatile signaling elements conserved in Eukaryotes. In animals G-proteins relay signals from 7-transmembrane spanning G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to intracellular downstream effectors; however, the existence of GPCRs in plants is controversial. Contrastingly, a surplus of receptor-like kinases (RLKs) provides signal recognition at the plant cell surface. It is established that G proteins are involved in plant defense and suggested that they relay signals from defense-related RLKs. However, it is unclear how the signaling is conducted, as physical interaction between the RLKs and G proteins has not been demonstrated. Using yeast split-ubiquitin system and Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation assays, we demonstrate physical interaction between the Gα, Gγ1 and Gγ2 subunits, and the defense-related RD-type receptor like kinases CERK1, BAK1 and BIR1. At the same time, no interaction was detected with the non-RD RLK FLS2. We hypothesize that G-proteins mediate signal transduction immediately downstream of the pathogenesis-related RLKs.


To naturalize or not to naturalize? An issue for cognitive science as well as anthropology.
Several of Beller, Bender, and Medin's (2012) issues are as relevant within cognitive science as between it and anthropology. Knowledge-rich human mental processes impose hermeneutic tasks, both on subjects and researchers. Psychology's current philosophy of science is ill suited to analyzing these: Its demand for ''stimulus control'' needs to give way to ''negotiation of mutual interpretation.'' Cognitive science has ways to address these issues, as does anthropology. An example from my own work is about how defeasible logics are mathematical models of some aspects of simple hermeneutic processes. They explain processing relative to databases of knowledge and belief-that is, content. A specific example is syllogistic reasoning, which raises issues of experimenters' interpretations of subjects' reasoning. Science, especially since the advent of understandings of computation, does not have to be reductive. How does this approach transfer onto anthropological topics? Recent cognitive science approaches to anthropological topics have taken a reductive stance in terms of modules. We end with some speculations about a different cognitive approach to, for example, religion.


Changing concepts of periodontal treatment: surgical and non-surgical.
Periodontal disease can be successfully treated by non-surgical procedures including supra- and subgingival scaling and root planing with hand or ultrasonic instruments. This non-surgical treatment is recommended for the initial management of all cases with the institution of a plaque control programme. Such management should be the basis of all periodontal therapy. The results obtained are mainly dependent on the skillfulness of the operator and the morphology of the pockets as well as upon patient related factors. Additional treatment, i.e. periodontal surgery, may be necessary if resolution of subgingival inflammation is not obtained. Pocket elimination by the use of surgical procedures (gingivectomy, flap operation with bone surgery) may be preferred in regions of the mouth where the aesthetic result is unimportant and where the removal of alveolar bone does not jeopardize the periodontal support of neighbouring teeth. In situations with deep infrabony pockets especially in anterior regions and in furcation areas a reconstructive surgical technique is the therapy of choice. Recent research in the field of guided tissue regeneration may, in the future, change the traditional approach to periodontal surgery.


Methods for the identification and preservation of parathyroid glands in thyroid surgery: a narrative review.
Accurate intraoperative identification and viability assessment of the parathyroid glands (PGs) has always been a crucial but challenging aspect of thyroid surgery. The traditional method, naked-eye (NE) assessment, is significantly associated with the experience of the surgeon. Therefore, various methods have been developed to help surgeons protect PGs, with some benefits and limitations. Recently, near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) and indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICGFI) have been demonstrated to be promising in the identification and viability assessment of PGs. Herein, we provide an overview of the methods of intraoperative identification and viability assessment of PGs, focusing on the application of NIRAF and ICGFI. We performed a systematic literature search of PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library databases, Web of Science, and EMBASE to identify all relevant studies published up to March 2023. The keywords were ((autofluorescence) OR (indocyanine green)) AND (parathyroid gland). In this narrative review, we summarized the benefits and limitations of intraoperative methods for PG identification and viability assessment, focusing on the application of NIRAF and ICGFI. Intraoperative parathyroid protection methods have developed from traditional subjective identification of PGs to the latest near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging technology. The discovery, development, and application of NIRAF and ICGFI have provided better ways for surgeons to protect PGs intraoperatively.


Endogenous leukotriene D4 formation during anaphylactic shock in the guinea pig.
Experiments on the metabolism and excretion of i.v. administered selectively labeled [3H8]leukotriene C4 in bile duct-cannulated guinea pigs indicated predominantly biliary excretion of tritium. The major leukotriene metabolite in bile was identified as leukotriene D4. By monitoring leukotriene excretion radioimmunochromatographically, it was shown that guinea pigs suffering from anaphylactic shock produce leukotriene D4 endogenously. Immunological challenge of animals sensitized to ovalbumin was accompanied by an increase of biliary leukotriene D4 concentrations from 10 +/- 1 to 86 +/- 10 nM (mean +/- SEM, n = 5, P less than 0.001). When considering that bile flow was decreased to about half after challenge, the excretion rate of leukotriene D4 in bile increased from 0.88 +/- 0.16 before to 3.18 +/- 0.38 pmol X min-1 X kg-1 after challenge (mean +/- SEM, n = 5, P less than 0.002). It is concluded that systemic anaphylaxis in the guinea pig is associated with endogenous generation of leukotriene C4 (up to 1 nmol/kg during a 30-min period after the challenge.


Estrogen potentiates adrenocortical responses to stress in female rats.
It is well established that estrogens markedly enhance the glucocorticoid response to acute stress in females. However, the precise mechanism responsible for this regulation is poorly understood. Here, we tested whether estrogens enhance the activation of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus by measuring stress-induced c-fos mRNA expression in the PVN of restraint-stressed ovariectomized (OVX) rats treated with physiologically relevant doses of estradiol (E(2)), the major female estrogen. As expected, E(2) enhanced plasma corticosterone responses to restraint in OVX females. However, E(2) markedly attenuated the stress-induced c-fos gene expression in the PVN and inhibited plasma ACTH responses in these animals. Furthermore, E(2)-inhibitory effects were mimicked by progesterone (P) alone or in combination with E(2). Interestingly, the suppressive central effects of both E(2) and P were apparently independent of basal paraventricular corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) transcription, since these ovarian steroids did not significantly affect PVN CRH mRNA expression in unstressed rats. These unexpected findings suggested that E(2) promotes glucocorticoid hypersecretion in females by additional peripheral (i.e., adrenal) mechanisms. Indeed, E(2) markedly enhanced plasma corticosterone responses and adrenal corticosterone content in dexamethasone-blocked OVX rats challenged with varying doses of exogenous ACTH. These results suggest that enhanced adrenal sensitive to ACTH is an important physiological mechanism mediating E(2)-related glucocorticoid hypersecretion in stressed females.


CMR-derived TAPSE measurement: a semi-quantitative method of right ventricular function assessment in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
To compare cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived right ventricular fractional shortening (RVFS), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion with a reference point within the right ventricular apex (TAPSEin) and with one outside the ventricle (TAPSEout) with the standard volumetric approach in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). 105 patients with HCM and 20 healthy subjects underwent CMR. In patients with HCM, TAPSEin (r = 0.31, p = 0.001) and RVFS (r = 0.35, p = 0.0002) revealed a significant but weak correlation with right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), whereas TAPSEout (r = 0.57, p < 0.0001) showed a moderate correlation with RVEF. The ability to predict RVEF < 45 % in HCM patients was best for TAPSEout. In patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), RVEF showed a significant but weak correlation with TAPSEout (r = 0.36, p = 0.02) and no correlation with TAPSEin (r = 0.05, p = 0.07) and RVFS (r = 0.02, p = 0.2). In patients with hypertrophic non-obstructive cardiomyopathy (HNCM), there was a moderate correlation between RVEF and TAPSEout (r = 0.57, p < 0.0001) and a weak correlation with TAPSEin (r = 0.39, p = 0.001) and RVFS (r = 0.38, p = 0.002). In the 20 healthy controls, there was a strong correlation between RVEF and all semi-quantitative measurements. CMR-derived TAPSEin is not suitable to determine right ventricular function in HCM patients. TAPSEout showed a good correlation with RVEF in HNCM patients but only a weak correlation in HOCM patients. TAPSEout might be used for screening but the detection of subtle changes in RV function requires the 3D volumetric approach.


Minimally Invasive Distal Metatarsal Metaphyseal Osteotomy of the Lesser Toes: Clinical, Radiologic, and Pedobarographic Outcomes.
The minimally invasive distal metatarsal metaphyseal osteotomy (DMMO) is a percutaneous operative technique with the aim to relieve the symptoms of metatarsalgia. To our knowledge, no previous research has analyzed both pre- and postoperative pedobarographic data including the changes in plantar pressure. Thirty patients (31 feet) were operated on with a DMMO and included in a prospective study. Clinical, radiologic, and pedobarographic outcomes were evaluated in comparison with the preoperative parameters. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) forefoot score, the Foot Function Index (FFI), the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain were used in order to assess clinical parameters. Radiographs were taken to compare metatarsal lengths. The pedobarographic analysis served to determine plantar peak pressure (PPP) beneath the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. All scores indicated a significant mean pre- to postoperative improvement (AOFAS = 31.9 points, FAOS = 16.3%, FFI = 24.3%, VAS pain = 4.1 points, VAS general limitation = 3.3 points) (P < .05). PPP was substantially reduced in the relevant area (M6 [plantar area beneath the second and third MTP joint] had a mean pre to post PPP = 14.15 N/cm2) and concurrently higher in the lateral and medial MTP joint areas (M5 mean pre to post = +14.37, M7 pre to post = +7.11). Our mean metatarsal shortening was 6.6 mm. However, our findings do not demonstrate a significant correlation between metatarsal length relationships and the prevalence of metatarsalgia. Our results demonstrate a significant improvement in clinical scores and PPP. A statistically significant relation between metatarsal length and the prevalence of metatarsalgia was not found in this prospective case series. Level IV, case series.


Acute-on-chronic liver failure: Terminology, mechanisms and management.
Acute-on-chronic liver failure is an acute deterioration of liver function manifesting as jaundice and coagulopathy with the development of ascites, with a high probability of extrahepatic organ involvement and high 28-day mortality. The pathogenesis involves extensive hepatic necrosis, which is associated with severe systemic inflammation and subsequently causes the cytokine storm, leading to portal hypertension, organ dysfunction, and organ failure. These patients have increased gut permeability, releasing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPS) in the blood, leading to hyper-immune activation and the secretion of cytokines, followed by immune paralysis, causing the development of infections and organ failure in a proportion of patients. Early detection and the institution of treatment, especially in the "Golden Window" period of 7 days, gives an opportunity for reversal of the syndrome. Scores like the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) ACLF research consortium (AARC) score, a model for end stage liver disease (MELD), and the CLIF Consortium acute-on-chronic liver failure (CLIF-C ACLF) score can help in the prediction of mortality. Treatment strategy includes treatment of acute insult. Patients should be considered for early transplant with MELD score >28, AARC score >10, high-grade hepatic encephalopathy, and in the absence of >2 organ failure or overt sepsis to improve survival of up to 80% at five years. Patients, with no option of transplant, can be treated with emerging therapies like faecal microbial transplant, plasma exchange, etc., which need further evaluation.


Perinatal dioxin exposure, cytochrome P-450 activity, liver functions and thyroid hormones at follow-up after 7-12 years.
Prenatal and lactational exposure to Dutch "background" dioxin levels may cause health effects spanning many years. In addition, perinatal studies have shown a relationship between dioxin exposure and thyroid disturbance. To assess the later health effects of prenatal and lactational dioxin exposure on liver function we measured plasma ALAT and ASAT levels amongst our longitudinal cohort, as was done perinatally and at 2(1/2) years. The children underwent a caffeine loading test to determine CYP1A2 activity. To assess the later effects on thyroid function we measured plasma TSH and FT4. A longitudinal cohort of 37 healthy children (age 7-12, mean 8.2 years), with documented prenatal and lactational dioxin exposure, ingested 3mg caffeine/kg BW 6h prior to blood withdrawal. Paraxanthine/caffeine molar ratio, ALAT, ASAT, TSH and FT4 were determined in venous blood. Linear regression of ASAT and ALAT revealed no relation with prenatal and lactational dioxin exposure. No correlation was found between the paraxanthine/caffeine molar ratio and prenatal and lactational dioxin exposure. Linear regression of TSH and FT4 revealed no relation with prenatal and lactational dioxin exposure. This follow-up has shown a normalisation of previously abnormal ALAT and ASAT levels, indicating a transient effect. CYP1A2 activity, measured by means of a caffeine-loading test, revealed no correlation with the prenatal and lactational exposures. A normalisation of previously abnormal thyroid hormone homeostasis was seen, also possibly indicating a transient effect. This study provides new data on long-term follow-up after perinatal dioxin exposure to background levels of dioxins.


Some effects of correlation between response-contingent shock and reinforcement.
Rats responded on a two-component chain schedule in which a response-contingent electric shock at the end of the first component was either positively correlated, negatively correlated, or uncorrelated with reinforcement availability in the second component. With 0.4-ma shocks, rate in the first component depended on the shock-reinforcement correlation: when shock and reinforcement availability were positively correlated, after extended exposure to the contingencies, rates exceeded those in the absence of shock; when shock and reinforcement availability were negatively correlated, responding was generally suppressed throughout. The discriminative control of shock over responding in the second component, in which reinforcement was available 50% of the time, also depended somewhat on correlation. However, rate change in the first component was not specifically related to discrimination in the second component. With 0.8-ma shocks, responding was substantially suppressed in the first component at all three values of shock-reinforcement correlations.


[The multipleparameter combinatory analysis of EEG rhythms in norm and at schizophrenia].
On the base of EEG records of 38 healthy subjects and 17 schizophrenic patients the statistical structural analysis of 176 elementary characteristics in all 11 spectral ranges for each of 4 experimental conditions was carried out, employing "Kora-n" recognition algorithm, adopted for EEG analysis by Kaplan. The list of characteristics with a minimal error revealed statistically significant differences between spectral power of delta- and theta-ranges in healthy subjects and schizophrenic patients. Spectral power of these slow rhythms was always higher in the formers then in the latter. As a whole, in schizophrenic patients the decrease of delta-rhythm spectral power in the lower frontal area of right hemisphere and theta-rhythm - in the lower temporal area of left hemisphere most frequently is observed. These results are in agreement with hypofrontality and hypotemporality characteristic of schizophrenic patients and testify to the lack of "fundamental" brain base of cognitive functions. These facts are evidently connected with the significant neurochemical disturbances taking place in schizophrenia.


Tibioperoneal angioplasty and bypass.
Revascularisation by angioplasty or bypass of narrowing and occlusion of the tibio-peroneal segment is done infrequently compared with the more proximal arteries, particularly the superficial femoral artery. The indication for intervention is critical limb ischaemia and the pattern of disease when it predominantly affects the calf arteries is most commonly seen in diabetics. Surgical bypass is the orthodox technique, with well-documented long-term results. Balloon dilation has recently been tried, particularly using the sub-intimal technique. The advantage of minimal invasiveness has to be set against the inapplicability of the method if severe calcification is present, as is often the case in diabetics, the high restenosis rate, and the absence of controlled trials showing good evidence of long-term patency.


Diversity of Poissonian populations.
Populations represented by collections of points scattered randomly on the real line are ubiquitous in science and engineering. The statistical modeling of such populations leads naturally to Poissonian populations-Poisson processes on the real line with a distinguished maximal point. Poissonian populations are infinite objects underlying key issues in statistical physics, probability theory, and random fractals. Due to their infiniteness, measuring the diversity of Poissonian populations depends on the lower-bound cut-off applied. This research characterizes the classes of Poissonian populations whose diversities are invariant with respect to the cut-off level applied and establishes an elemental connection between these classes and extreme-value theory. The measures of diversity considered are variance and dispersion, Simpson's index and inverse participation ratio, Shannon's entropy and Rényi's entropy, and Gini's index.


Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of the splicing factor SIPP1.
SIPP1 (splicing factor that interacts with PQBP1 and PP1) is a widely expressed protein of 70 kDa that has been implicated in pre-mRNA splicing. It interacts with protein Ser/Thr phosphatase-1 (PP1) and with the polyglutamine-tract-binding protein 1 (PQBP1), which contributes to the pathogenesis of X-linked mental retardation and neurodegenerative diseases caused by polyglutamine tract expansions. We show here that SIPP1 is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein. Under basal circumstances SIPP1 was largely nuclear, but it accumulated in the cytoplasm following UV- or X-radiation. Nuclear import was mediated by two nuclear localization signals. In addition, SIPP1 could be piggy-back transported to the nucleus with its ligand PQBP1. In the nucleus SIPP1 and PQBP1 formed inclusion bodies similar to those detected in polyglutamine diseases. SIPP1 did not function as a nuclear targeting subunit of PP1 but re-localized nuclear PP1 to storage sites for splicing factors. The C-terminal residues of SIPP1, which do not conform to a classic nuclear export signal, were required for its nuclear export via the CMR-1 pathway. Finally, SIPP1 activated pre-mRNA splicing in intact cells, and the extent of splicing activation correlated with the nuclear concentration of SIPP1. We conclude that SIPP1 is a positive regulator of pre-mRNA splicing that is regulated by nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. These findings also have potential implications for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of X-linked mental retardation and polyglutamine-linked neurodegenerative disorders.


The hidden life of integrative and conjugative elements.
Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are widespread mobile DNA that transmit both vertically, in a host-integrated state, and horizontally, through excision and transfer to new recipients. Different families of ICEs have been discovered with more or less restricted host ranges, which operate by similar mechanisms but differ in regulatory networks, evolutionary origin and the types of variable genes they contribute to the host. Based on reviewing recent experimental data, we propose a general model of ICE life style that explains the transition between vertical and horizontal transmission as a result of a bistable decision in the ICE-host partnership. In the large majority of cells, the ICE remains silent and integrated, but hidden at low to very low frequencies in the population specialized host cells appear in which the ICE starts its process of horizontal transmission. This bistable process leads to host cell differentiation, ICE excision and transfer, when suitable recipients are present. The ratio of ICE bistability (i.e. ratio of horizontal to vertical transmission) is the outcome of a balance between fitness costs imposed by the ICE horizontal transmission process on the host cell, and selection for ICE distribution (i.e. ICE 'fitness'). From this emerges a picture of ICEs as elements that have adapted to a mostly confined life style within their host, but with a very effective and dynamic transfer from a subpopulation of dedicated cells.


Effect of sex and fatigue on single leg squat kinematics in healthy young adults.
The single-leg squat (SLS) test is widely used in screening for musculoskeletal injury risk. Little is known, however, of lower limb, pelvis, and trunk kinematics of SLS performance or the effect of sex and fatigue. Our aim was to determine sex differences and the influence of fatigue on SLS kinematics in healthy young adults. We recruited 60 healthy men and women between the ages of 20 and 40 years. Three-dimensional kinematic data was collected for SLSs with a ten-camera VICON motion analysis system (Oxford Metrics, UK) before and after a lower limb fatiguing exercise regime. One-way ANCOVA was used to make sex comparisons of kinematic parameters and repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine the effect of fatigue and the interaction with sex. 30 men (25.6 ± 4.8 years) and 30 women (25.1 ± 3.8 years) volunteered to participate. Peak pelvic rotation (3.9 ± 4.1 vs. 7.7 ± 6.2 deg, P = 0.03), peak hip internal rotation (-1.8 ± 5.7 vs. 3.0 ± 7.3 deg, P = 0.02), hip adduction range (11.7 ± 4.8 vs. 18.3 ± 6.7 deg, P = 0.004), and hip rotation range (10.7 ± 3.9 vs. 13.0 ± 4.2 deg, P = 0.04) were smaller for men than for women. Likewise, distance of mediolateral knee motion (180 ± 51 vs. 227 ± 50 mm, P = 0.001) was shorter for men than for women. The kinematic response to fatigue was an increase in trunk flexion, lateral flexion and rotation, an increase in pelvic tilt, obliquity and rotation, and an increase in hip flexion and adduction range (P ≤0.05). Sex differences in SLS kinematics appear to apply only at the hip, knee, and pelvis and not at the trunk. Fatiguing exercise, however, produces changes at the trunk and pelvis with little effect on the knee.


Sensation within the skin.
This Viewpoint emphasizes interoceptive discriminative stimulus modulation of voluntary operant behavior (a la B. F. Skinner), rather than elicitation of Pavlovian conditioned reflexes. In doing so, I will restate how the operant drug discrimination paradigm may not only elucidate smoking and other addictive behaviors but also anxiety (Troisi, J. R., II. (2003) Spontaneous recovery during, but not following, extinction of the discriminative stimulus effects of nicotine in rats: Reinstatement of stimulus control. Psychol. Rec. 53, 579-592).


Paper-based microreactor integrating cell culture and subsequent immunoassay for the investigation of cellular phosphorylation.
Investigation of cellular phosphorylation and signaling pathway has recently gained much attention for the study of pathogenesis of cancer. Related conventional bioanalytical operations for this study including cell culture and Western blotting are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this work, a paper-based microreactor has been developed to integrate cell culture and subsequent immunoassay on a single paper. The paper-based microreactor was a filter paper with an array of circular zones for running multiple cell cultures and subsequent immunoassays. Cancer cells were directly seeded in the circular zones without hydrogel encapsulation and cultured for 1 day. Subsequently, protein expressions including structural, functional, and phosphorylated proteins of the cells could be detected by their specific antibodies, respectively. Study of the activation level of phosphorylated Stat3 of liver cancer cells stimulated by IL-6 cytokine was demonstrated by the paper-based microreactor. This technique can highly reduce tedious bioanalytical operation and sample and reagent consumption. Also, the time required by the entire process can be shortened. This work provides a simple and rapid screening tool for the investigation of cellular phosphorylation and signaling pathway for understanding the pathogenesis of cancer. In addition, the operation of the paper-based microreactor is compatible to the molecular biological training, and therefore, it has the potential to be developed for routine protocol for various research areas in conventional bioanalytical laboratories.


Forward flexion of trunk in Parkinson's disease patients is affected by subjective vertical position.
No method has been established to evaluate the dissociation between subjective and objective vertical positions with respect to the self-awareness of postural deformity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate, from the relationship between an assessment of the dissociation of subjective and objective vertical positions of PD patients and an assessment based on established PD clinical evaluation scales, that the dissociation regarding vertical position is a factor in the severity of the forward flexion of trunk (FFT). Subjects were 39 PD patients and 15 age-matched healthy individuals (control group). Posture was evaluated with measurement of FFT angle during static standing and the subjective vertical position (SV) of the patient. For evaluation of motor function, the Modified Hoehn & Yahr scale, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), 3-m Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and Functional Reach Test (FRT) were used. In PD patients, FFT angle in the 3rd tertile of patients was 13.8±9.7°, significantly greater than those in the control group and the 1st and 2nd tertiles of PD patients (control group vs 3rd tertile, p = 0.008; 1st tertile vs 3rd tertile, p<0.001; 2nd vs 3rd tertile, p = 0.008). In multiple regression analysis for factors in the FFT angle, significant factors were SV, disease duration, and the standard deviation of each SV angle measurement. The dissociation between SV and objective vertical position affects the FFT of PD patients, suggesting an involvement of non-basal ganglia pathologies.


CRISPR-Cas9 Mutagenesis in Xenopus tropicalis for Phenotypic Analyses in the F0 Generation and Beyond.
CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis is being widely used to create targeted loss-of-function mutations in the diploid frog Xenopus tropicalis Here we describe a simple mutagenesis protocol using microinjection of Cas9 protein or mRNA, together with synthetic guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting specific DNA sequences, into the early embryo. Cas9-catalyzed double-strand breaks undergo error-prone repair, resulting in production of short insertions and/or deletions. Thus, careful selection of target sites can lead to mutations that impair normal function of the protein product. CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to create either mosaic loss-of-function Xenopus embryos that display F0 generation phenotypes or mutant lines for downstream analysis. In addition to describing how to mutagenize genes using CRISPR-Cas9, we also discuss a simple method to determine the mutagenesis efficiency, some potential problems that can arise, and possible solutions to overcome them. The protocol described here should be applicable to other amphibians and, in principle, many other organisms.


Lon degrades stable substrates slowly but with enhanced processivity, redefining the attributes of a successful AAA+ protease.
Lon is a widely distributed AAA+ (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities) protease known for degrading poorly folded and damaged proteins and is often classified as a weak protein unfoldase. Here, using a Lon-degron pair from Mesoplasma florum (MfLon and MfssrA, respectively), we perform ensemble and single-molecule experiments to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underpinning MfLon function. Notably, we find that MfLon unfolds and degrades stably folded substrates and that translocation of these unfolded polypeptides occurs with a ∼6-amino-acid step size. Moreover, the time required to hydrolyze one ATP corresponds to the dwell time between steps, indicating that one step occurs per ATP-hydrolysis-fueled "power stroke." Comparison of MfLon to related AAA+ enzymes now provides strong evidence that HCLR-clade enzymes function using a shared power-stroke mechanism and, surprisingly, that MfLon is more processive than ClpXP and ClpAP. We propose that ample unfoldase strength and substantial processivity are features that contribute to the Lon family's evolutionary success.


2-(3-Hydroxypropyl)isoindoline-1,3-dione: competition among hydrogen-bond acceptors.
The title compound, C(11)H(11)NO(3), has two molecules in the asymmetric unit, which differ in the orientation of their side-chain OH groups, allowing them to form intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds to different acceptors. In one case, the acceptor is the OH group of the other molecule, and in the other case it is an imide O=C group. This is the first example in the N-substituted phthalimide series in which independent molecules have different types of acceptor. Molecular-orbital calculations place the greatest negative charge on the OH group.


The beer ration in Victorian asylums.
Routine distribution of alcoholic beverages to mental hospital patients would be a fanciful prospect today, yet in the formative decades of lunatic asylums, beer was standard issue. A staple item in the supposedly healthy Victorian asylum diet, beer also served as inducement for patient labour. Around the mid-1880s, this commodity was abolished throughout Britain's mental institutions. This paper explores the factors that combined to condemn the beer barrel to asylum history, and, in particular, how this small comfort for immates fell foul of the medicalization of the asylum and of the professional project of psychiatry.


Bromelain-based enzymatic burn debridement: A systematic review of clinical studies on patient safety, efficacy and long-term outcomes.
In 2012 the European Medicines Agency approved a pineapple stem-derived Bromelain-based debridement concentrate of proteolytic enzymes (NexoBrid®, MediWound Ltd, Yavne, Israel) for adult deep burns. Over 10 000 patients have been successfully treated with NexoBrid® globally, including in the US. The aim of our study is to perform a systematic review of the current literature on Nexobrid® outcomes. We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and other search engines (2013-2023). The online screening process was performed by two independent reviewers with the Covidence tool. The protocol was reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses, and it was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews of the National Institute for Health Research. We identified 103 relevant studies of which 34 were found eligible. The included studies report the positive effects of Nexobrid® on burn debridement, functional and cosmetic outcomes, scarring, and quality of life. Also, they validate the high patient satisfaction thanks to enhanced protocols of analgosedation and/or locoregional anaesthesia during Bromelain-based debridement. Two studies investigate potential risks (coagulopathy, burn wound infection) which concluded there is no strong evidence of these adverse events. NexoBrid® is a safe, selective, non-surgical eschar removal treatment modality. The benefits of Bromelain-based debridement are faster debridement and healing times, reduced operations, length of stay, cases of sepsis, blood transfusions, and prevention of compartment syndrome. Existing evidence suggests that the indications and the role of Bromelain-based debridement are expanding to cover "off-label" cases with significant benefits to the global healthcare economy.


[η-(Phenyl-ethyn-yl)cyclo-penta-dien-yl](η-tetra-phenyl-cyclo-butadiene)cobalt(I).
In the title compound, [Co(C(13)H(9))(C(28)H(20))], the Co atom is sandwiched between cyclo-penta-dienyl and cyclo-butadienyl rings that are inclined at a dihedral angle of 2.6 (3)°. The four phenyl rings are tilted with respect to the cyclo-butadienyl plane so that the C(4)Ph(4) unit constitutes a four-bladed propeller. The phenyl ring of the phenyl-alkyne substituent is inclined to the cyclo-penta-dienyl ring at an angle of 34.92 (18)°. The crystal structure is stabilized solely by C-H⋯π inter-actions which generate a three-dimensional network.


Demagnetization harmonic effects on the magnetization of granular systems on a macroscopic scale: the superconducting case.
A model has been developed to determine the effective ac magnetic response of magnetic systems, taking into account the demagnetization effects arising from the sample geometry which determine the out-of-phase components of the applied fundamental frequency and higher harmonic components. Indeed, demagnetization fields and their intermodulation can significantly affect the ac magnetic response. This approach provides a system of self-consistent linear equations relating the magnetic response to the external magnetic field by means of nonlinear magnetic susceptibility. The model is extended to the magnetic response of granular systems in terms of the contributions of the individual grains and of the whole sample in the presence of demagnetization effects of the whole sample and of the grains on a macroscopic scale. In particular, our model is applied to a granular superconducting system. The comparison between the performed numerical simulations and the experimental data shows that the demagnetization fields of the single grains and of the whole sample, and their intermodulation, are relevant if magnetic measurements are used to extract detailed information about the analyzed material.


Second harmonic generation in graphene-coated nanowires.
We study second harmonic generation in a pair of graphene-coated nanowires. We show that the phase matching condition for harmonic generation can be engineered in a wide range of frequencies by tuning the spacing between graphene nanowires. We derive coupled mode equations describing the process of second harmonic generation using an unconjugated Lorentz reciprocity theorem. We show that the highest harmonic generation efficiency can be achieved by phase matching the fundamental mode with the two lowest order symmetric modes at the second harmonic frequency. Despite losses in graphene, we predict that the efficiency can be further enhanced by reducing the radius of nanowires due to larger mode overlap and lower propagation loss.


Sensory functioning and personality development among older adults.
Deficits in sensory functioning, such as poor vision and hearing, take a significant toll on quality of life. Little is known, however, about their relation with personality development across adulthood. This study examined whether baseline and change in vision and hearing were associated with personality change over a 4-year period. Participants (N = 7,471; Mage = 66.89; 59% women) were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study. They provided data on vision, hearing, and personality both at baseline and 4 years later. Poor vision and hearing at baseline and declines in vision and hearing over time were independently related to steeper declines in extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness, and less decline in neuroticism, controlling for demographic factors, disease burden, and depressive symptoms. Sensory functioning was generally a stronger predictor of personality change than disease burden or depressive symptoms. Consistent with evidence that poor and worsening sensory functions compromise individuals' interactions with the social and physical environment, this study found deficits in hearing and vision were also associated with maladaptive personality trajectories in older adults. (PsycINFO Database Record