Location of human face-selective cortex with respect to retinotopic areas.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was used to identify a small area in the human posterior fusiform gyrus that responds selectively to faces (PF). In the same subjects, phase-encoded rotating and expanding checkerboards were used with fMRI to identify the retinotopic visual areas V1, V2, V3, V3A, VP and V4v. PF was found to lie anterior to area V4v, with a small gap present between them. Further recordings in some of the same subjects used moving low-contrast rings to identify the visual motion area MT. PF was found to lie ventral to MT. In addition, preliminary evidence was found using fMRI for a small area that responded to inanimate objects but not to faces in the collateral sulcus medial to PF. The retinotopic visual areas and MT responded equally to faces, control randomized stimuli, and objects. Weakly face-selective responses were also found in ventrolateral occipitotemporal cortex anterior to V4v, as well as in the middle temporal gyrus anterior to MT. We conclude that the fusiform face area in humans lies in non-retinotopic visual association cortex of the ventral form-processing stream, in an area that may be roughly homologous in location to area TF or CITv in monkeys.


[Effectiveness of use in preventive nutrition the food ptoducts with contents of pectin and vitamins].
Daily inclusion in the diet of Pskov GRES workers the drinks or kissels containing 2 g pectin per daily serving (cup) during 6 months was accompanied by a statistically significant decline of their supply with vitamins C, B2, A and beta-carotene. This is reflected both in reducing the average vitamin concentration in blood serum and in the increase of the quota of people with deficiency of several vitamins. Additional inclusion of 13 vitamins in these drinks and kissels, in a dose about 80% of the RDA, has prevented the deterioration of vitamin status.


Association between fetoplacental Doppler results, placental pathology, and angiogenic factors among pregnant women with anxiety.
This study aimed to evaluate whether state and trait anxiety among pregnant women were associated with fetoplacental Doppler findings, abnormal placental pathology, and placental angiogenic factors. A total of 102 pregnant women at 32-35 gestational weeks were recruited and examined prospectively. State and trait anxiety were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Using Doppler ultrasound, pulsatility index (PI) of the umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and uterine artery (UtA) and cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) were determined. Doppler parameters were converted into multiples of the median (MoM). Abnormal placental pathology was classified into 2 groups: vascular underperfusion (VU) and histological chorioamnionitis (HCA). Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to examine placental cells staining positive for placental growth factor (PLGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1-α (HIF-1α), which are markers for angiogenesis and hypoxic status, respectively. Women with high state anxiety scores had low MCA-PI MoM and CPR MoM, while those with high trait anxiety scores had low MCA-PI MoM. VU was associated with a higher incidence of high trait anxiety scores, and HCA was associated with a higher incidence of high state and trait anxiety scores. Regression analysis showed a relationship between maternal state anxiety on MCA-PI MoM and HCA after controlling for covariates. Maternal trait anxiety exhibited relationships with VU and HCA after adjustment. Our results demonstrated that maternal anxiety is associated with altered fetal cerebral blood flow and abnormal placental pathology but is not associated with uteroplacental insufficiency and placental angiogenic factors.


Chronic snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children.
Increased upper airway resistance during sleep may lead to heavy snoring and/or obstructive sleep apnea in infants and children. Clinical symptoms will be seen with increased upper airway resistance during sleep, even without obstructive sleep apnea or significant oxygen saturation drop. It may be responsible for apparent life threatening events (ALTE). Mild cranio-facial morphometric changes are often associated with increased upper airway resistance during sleep, and there is a continuous interaction between airway patency during sleep and maxillo-mandibular growth. Nasal CPAP can be as much a diagnostic tool as a treatment procedure. Orthodontic and surgical approaches may also be combined in the treatment of this significant health problem.


Double-Row Suture Anchor Repair of Posterolateral Corner Avulsion Fractures.
Posterolateral corner avulsion fractures are a rare variant of ligamentous knee injury primarily described in the skeletally immature population. Injury is often related to a direct varus moment placed on the knee during sporting activities. Various treatment strategies have been discussed ranging from nonoperative management, to excision of the bony fragment, to primary repair with screws or suture. The described technique is a means for achieving fixation of the bony avulsion using principles familiar to double-row transosseous equivalent rotator cuff repair. Proximal anchors are placed in the epiphysis, and sutures are passed in horizontal mattress fashion. Once tied, the limbs of these same sutures are then passed to more distal anchors. Remaining eyelet sutures can be used to manage peripheral tissue. The final repair provides anatomic reduction and compression of the fragment to its bony bed with minimal extracortical hardware prominence and no violation of the physis. Risks include potential for physeal injury or chondral damage to the lateral femoral condyle through aberrant anchor placement. Postoperative care includes toe-touch weight-bearing restrictions and range of motion restrictions of 0°-90° in a hinged brace for 6 weeks followed by gradual return to activity.


Optimized determination of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin isoforms in serum by capillary zone electrophoresis.
Carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) is one of the most reliable markers of chronic alcohol abuse. It consists of a group of minor isoforms of human transferrin (the main iron transport serum protein) deficient in sialic acid groups (asialo, monosialo and disialo) with a pI > 5.7, while the main isotransferrin (tetrasialo) has a pI of 5.4. The aim of the present work was to develop a capillary electrophoretic method to determine CDT in serum, suitable for routine use as a confirmatory technique of the current screening methods based on immunoassays. Serum samples (0.5 mL) were saturated with iron by incubation with 10 mM FeCl3 (9 microL) and 500 mM NaHCO3 (12 microL) for 30 min, then diluted 1/10 in water and injected by positive pressure (0.5 psi for 10 s). Separation was performed with a capillary zone electrophoretic method using bare fused-silica capillaries (20 microm ID, 37 cm in length) and a buffer composed of 100 mM sodium tetraborate adjusted with boric acid to pH 8.3. Applied voltage was 10 kV and temperature 25 degrees C. Detection was by UV absorption at 200 nm wavelength. Under the described conditions, asialo-, monosialo-, disialo-, trisialo- and tetrasialo-transferrin were separated in human serum. The limit of detection (signal-to-noise ratio of 2) was about 0.3% for disialo-transferrin, and 0.4% of trisialo-transferrin, expressed as percentages of the terasialo-transferrin peak area. Relative standard deviations (RSD) of absolute migration times were < 1%, while RSD of relative migration times (on the basis of tetrasialo-transferrin) were < 0.1%. Intra-day and day-to-day peak quantitation precision studies showed RDS ranging from 4 to 9% and from 13 to 24% for disialo- and trisialo-transferrin, respectively. The results from 30 control subjects, including social drinkers, and 13 alcoholics showed disialo- and trisialo-transferrin significantly increased in patients by a factor of about 4.5 (P < 0.0001).


Completeness and timeliness of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, measles-mumps-rubella, and polio vaccines in young children with chronic health conditions: A systematic review.
To systematically review literature on uptake and timeliness of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, measles-mumps-rubella, and/or polio-containing vaccines ininfants who were born preterm, with a low birth weight, and/or with chronic health conditions that were diagnosed within the first 6 months of life. Using a standardized search strategy developed by a medical librarian, records were extracted from MEDLINE, Embase, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and CINAHL up to May 8, 2018. Out of the 1997 records that were screened, we identified 21 studies that met inclusion criteria. Eleven studies assessed vaccine coverage and/or timeliness in preterm infants, 6 in low birth weight infants, and 7 in children with chronic health conditions. Estimates of coverage in these populations were highly variable, ranging from 40% to 100% across the vaccines and population groups. There is a lack of studies reporting coverage and timeliness of routine immunizations in special populations of children. Our review suggests a need for improved surveillance of immunization status in special populations of infants, as wellas aneed for standardization of reporting practices.


Effects of metformin and donepezil on the prevention of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial.
Doxorubicin (DOX) causes deleterious cardiotoxicity. We aimed to investigate the protective roles of metformin and donepezil against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. In this randomized-controlled trial, 143 female breast cancer patients were enrolled. Metformin (n = 43), donepezil (n = 52), or placebo (n = 48) were prescribed during DOX treatment. The primary endpoint was a proportion of patients with high sensitivity troponin-I (hsTnI) more than the 99th percentile value (> 15.6 ng/L) after DOX treatment. The secondary outcomes were the changes in the hsTnI, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), global longitudinal strain (GLS) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells analysis for mitochondrial respiration. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. The primary endpoint occurred in 58.54% of metformin group, 76.92% in donepezil group, and 69.77% in placebo group (p = 0.215). The level of hsTnI increased after receiving DOX with subsequent decline in LVEF and GLS. Metformin and donepezil did not attenuate hsTnI elevation, LVEF or GLS reduction. There was no significant change in NT-proBNP level. Mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction was observed in the placebo and donepezil groups. However, metformin preserved mitochondrial respiration during DOX therapy. In conclusion, co-treatment with metformin or donepezil did not prevent myocardial injury. Metformin had a favorable mitochondrial outcome and warranted future studies.


Validity and utility of a set of clinical criteria for cognitive impairment associated with psychosis (CIAPs).
Schizophrenia and other psychoses display a common profile of mild to moderate cognitive deficits that are associated with poor functional outcomes. Cognitive impairment is usually evaluated by neuropsychological assessment, and interview-based measures with good psychometric properties and high utility for clinical practice are now available. However, the extent to which a set of clinical criteria can be used as proxy measures of cognitive deficits in this population has not been tested. This study aimed to examine the empirical validity of a set of clinical criteria for cognitive impairment associated with psychosis (CIAPs). Ninety-eight patients with non-pure affective psychosis and 50 healthy-matched controls were included. The CIAPs criteria were empirically tested against antecedent, concurrent and outcome validators and by means of a neuropsychological evaluation based on MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). The CIAPs criteria showed strong associations with outcomes and certain antecedent validators and moderate associations with concurrent validators. The CIAPs criteria achieved superior neuropsychological validity compared to current DSM 5 criteria for schizophrenia, the B-criterion of DSM 5 schizophrenia or a combination of both criteria. Cognitive impairment associated with psychosis can be clinically assessed and is a useful tool for clinical practice and predicting outcomes of schizophrenia and related psychosis.


Molecularly imprinted composite membranes with interleaved imprinted network structure for highly selective separation of acteoside.
Acteoside (ACT) is one of the phenylethanoid glycosides in Cistanche tubulosa. The ACT molecules have high medicinal value, but the content of ACT is scarce. Therefore, it is imperative to develop the ACT-based molecularly imprinted composite membranes (A-MICMs) with highly selective separation of ACT. In this study, the amine-polyhedral oligomeric sesquisiloxanes (NH2-POSS) were uniformly introduced into polydopamine modified polyvinylidene fluoride (pDA@PVDF) membranes to fabricate NH2-POSS-pDA@PVDF. Then, the ACT-imprinted layers were synthesized on the surface of NH2-POSS-pDA@PVDF to obtain A-MICMs. The results showed that the optimal conditions were 180 mg DA, 12 h DA self-polymerization time, 400 mg NH2-POSS and 10 h washing time for the synthesis of A-MICMs. The results of adsorption isotherm experiments showed that there was a single layer adsorbate analyte on the A-MICMs. The results of adsorption kinetic experiments showed that chemisorption mechanism played a major function in the adsorption process of A-MICMs for ACT. The A-MICMs exhibited the maximum rebinding capacity of 98.37 mg⋅g-1, an excellent rebinding selectivity of 4.63, and the permselectivity of 7.02. The same A-MICMs kept 95.99% of the maximum rebinding capacity for ACT after 5 adsorption-desorption cycles. The designed A-MICMs with the interleaved imprinted network structure have a potential to be applied to the highly selective separation of bioactive components from natural products.


Plasmodium berghei: effect of protease inhibitors during gametogenesis and early zygote development.
Plasmodium berghei: The effect of five protease inhibitors, TPCK, TLCK, PMSF, leupeptin, and 1,10-phenanthroline on in vitro gametogenesis and early zygote development of P. berghei was investigated. PMSF and leupeptin showed no effect. Cysteine/serine protease inhibitors TPCK/TLCK at concentrations of 75 and 100 microM were effective on inhibiting exflagellation center formation, and this effect was reversible with the addition of l-cysteine. Exflagellation center formation was most effectively blocked by 1,10-phenanthroline (1mM), and exflagellation center numbers were restored by the addition of Zn(2+). A reduction of ookinete production was observed when TPCK/TLCK (100 microM) was added at 2h after gametogenesis, but no effect was observed with 1,10-phenanthroline (1mM). Our results suggest that proteolysis is important in both gametocyte activation and sexual development of P. berghei.


N tau methyl histidine excretion and [U-14C]amino acid oxidation in fully chickens from two lines selected for high and low body fat contents.
Protein turnover and amino acid oxidation were examined in two lines of domestic broiler chicken selected for high (fat) and low (lean) plasma very low density lipoprotein levels. Protein turnover was assessed by comparing N tau methyl histidine excretion in two lines. No differences between the fat and lean birds were found. Oxidation of [U-14C]amino acids in vivo was measured in birds of both lines which had been fed ad lib. The lean birds oxidized significantly less of the administered [U-14C]amino acids to 14CO2 than their fat counterparts during the first 90 min following administration. Lean birds also excreted significantly less 14C than fat birds from [U-14C]amino acids.


Dynamic annuloplasty for mitral regurgitation.
The MiCardia DYANA annuloplasty system (MiCardia Corp, Irvine, Calif) is a nitinol-based dynamic complete ring that allows modification of the septal-lateral diameter under transesophageal echocardiography guidance in the loaded beating heart after mitral valve repair. Shape alteration is induced by radiofrequency via detachable activation wires. This multicenter study reports the first human experience with this device. Patients (n = 35, 67 ± 8 years) with degenerative (n = 29), functional/ischemic (n = 5), or rheumatic (n = 1) mitral regurgitation underwent mitral valve repair using the new device. We analyzed the occurrence of death, endocarditis, ring dehiscence, systolic anterior motion, thromboembolism, pulmonary edema, heart block, ventricular arrhythmia, hemolysis, or myocardial infarction at 30 days (primary end point) and 6 months (secondary end point) postprocedure. All patients exhibited mitral regurgitation of 2 or less early postoperatively and at 6 months follow-up. In 29 patients, the initial mitral valve repair result was satisfactory and no ring activation was required. In 6 patients, the nitinol-based ring was deformed intraoperatively postrepair with further improvement of mitral regurgitation in all cases (preactivation: 0.9 ± 0.2, postactivation: 0.2 ± 0.3; P = .001). One death (2.9%, multisystem organ failure, non-device related), 2 ventricular arrhythmias (5.7%), and 1 heart block (2.9%) occurred, all in the first 30 days after surgery. No additional major adverse clinical events occurred later than 1 month postprocedure (total observed major adverse clinical event rate 11.5%). The implantation of the new dynamic annuloplasty ring allows for safe mitral valve repair. The option of postrepair modification of the septal-lateral diameter by radiofrequency may further optimize repair results.


Amine-Functionalized Silane-Assisted Preparation of AgNP-Deposited α-Ni(OH)2 Composite Materials and Their Application in Hg2+ Ion Sensing.
A facile synthetic methodology for the deposition of different concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) on α-Ni(OH)2 sheets (α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag0.5, α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag1, α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag2, and α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag3) is reported using N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]diethylenetriamine (TPDT) silane. The TPDT aminosilane facilitates the formation of α-Ni(OH)2 sheets and reduces the Ag+ precursor to AgNPs, leading to the deposition of AgNPs on α-Ni(OH)2 sheets. UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission microscopy analyses, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the prepared α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag0.5-3 composite materials. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping images and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping images were recorded to understand the α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag composite sheet materials. The optical sensing property of α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag0.5-3 composite materials toward toxic Hg2+ ions were investigated using a UV-vis absorption spectroscopy technique. The α-Ni1(OH)2-Ag2 composite material showed selective sensing behavior.


Mechanism of liver gene transfer by mechanical massage.
Many metabolic diseases are caused by defects in the metabolic pathways in the liver. Others result from the absence of specific proteins normally produced and secreted by the liver. Because these metabolic disorders are usually caused by single gene defect, they are ideal candidates for gene therapy. We have previously shown that mouse liver can be transfected by mechanically massaging the liver (MML) after intravenous injection of naked plasmid DNA. We now show a significant linear relationship between the level of liver gene expression and the venous blood pressure, supporting the idea that gene transfer by MML is due, at least in part, to pressure-mediated effect. Liver transfection could not be blocked by co-injection of excess irrelevant DNA or poly I, suggesting that there is no involvement of receptors, including the scavenger receptor, in MML. Moreover, the level of gene expression could be further enhanced by a combination of MML and an increase in DNA retention-time in the liver. Persistence of gene expression could be significantly improved using an EBV-based plasmid vector. Our data suggest the mechanical massage produces transient membrane defects through which naked DNA can enter into the liver cells by simple diffusion.


Wafer-scale δ waveguides for integrated two-dimensional photonics.
The efficient, large-scale generation and control of photonic modes guided by van der Waals materials remains as a challenge despite their potential for on-chip photonic circuitry. We report three-atom-thick waveguides-δ waveguides-based on wafer-scale molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) monolayers that can guide visible and near-infrared light over millimeter-scale distances with low loss and an efficient in-coupling. The extreme thinness provides a light-trapping mechanism analogous to a δ-potential well in quantum mechanics and enables the guided waves that are essentially a plane wave freely propagating along the in-plane, but confined along the out-of-plane, direction of the waveguide. We further demonstrate key functionalities essential for two-dimensional photonics, including refraction, focusing, grating, interconnection, and intensity modulation, by integrating thin-film optical components with δ waveguides using microfabricated dielectric, metal, or patterned MoS2.


[Construction of the expression vectors of HDV ribozymes and their intracellular inhibiting activity against HCV RNA].
To investigate whether HDV ribozymes can intracellularly inhibit HCV RNA. The mammalian expression vectors, pC1-RzC1, pC1-RzC2 and pC1-RzC3, containing ribozymes cDNA of RzC1, RzC2, and RzC3, were constructed targeting different HCV-5' NCR-C RNA regions. Then the HCV-positive fetal hepatocytes were transfected with these plasmids using liposome-mediated method. The inhibitory effects of HDV ribozymes were evaluated by HCV RNA quantitation in cultured cells and the supernatants. (1) All the three HDV ribozymes were inserted into the expression vector. (2) Fetal hepatocytes were infected with HCV proven by RT-PCR and fluorescent quantitative PCR and expressed HCV NS3 and NS5 antigens by immunocytochemistry. (3) HDV ribozymes inhibited the activity of the target HCV RNA at expect positions in HCV-positive hepatocytes. At 0.5 micromol/L, the inhibitory rate of pC1-RzC1, pC1-RzC2, and pC1-RzC3 was 53.2%, 50.5 %, and 10.6% respectively. PC1-RzC1 was used continuously for one week, showing the inhibitory rate of 60.7%, 64.2%, 68.4%, 71.9%, 78.8% and 83.1% on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th day. The inhibitory activity of pC1-RzC1 (107-113nt) and pC1-RzC2 (268-274nt) is greater than that of pC1-RzC3 (345-351nt) in HCV-positive hepatocytes.


Modulation of phospholipase A2 activity and sodium transport by angiotensin-(1-7).
Angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors are coupled to a variety of signal transduction mechanisms. In the kidney, Ang II at nanomolar concentration binds to proximal tubular cells and stimulates phospholipase A2 (PLA2), which in turn catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine into lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and fatty acid. This signal transduction pathway has been shown to be an important modulator of sodium transport. The kidney cortex possesses the enzyme necessary to convert angiotensin I (Ang I) directly to Ang-(1-7) bypassing Ang II as an intermediate. The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether Ang-(1-7) influences epithelial cell function by comparing this heptapeptide with Ang II as a modulator of PLA2 activity and sodium transport. Proximal tubular cells were labeled in tissue culture with 3H-choline and PLA2 activity was measured by quantitation of LPC. We found that Ang II (10(-9) M to 10(-6) M) significantly increased PLA2 activity (154 +/- 36% to 209 +/- 94%). Similar results were obtained with Ang-(1-7) (240 +/- 130% to 353 +/- 40%). The bioactivity of the peptides was assayed by its ability to regulate transcellular 22Na flux. Ang II (10(-9) M) inhibited 22Na flux by 12 +/- 2% while Ang-(1-7) (10(-9) M) inhibited 22Na flux by 20 +/- 5%. These results suggest that one potential role of Ang-(1-7) in the regulation of kidney epithelial electrolyte transport may involve activation of PLA2.


CpGFilter: model-based CpG probe filtering with replicates for epigenome-wide association studies.
The development of the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip enables epigenome-wide association studies at a reduced cost. One observation of the 450K data is that many CpG sites the beadchip interrogates have very large measurement errors. Including these noisy CpGs will decrease the statistical power of detecting relevant associations due to multiple testing correction. We propose to use intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), which characterizes the relative contribution of the biological variability to the total variability, to filter CpGs when technical replicates are available. We estimate the ICC based on a linear mixed effects model by pooling all the samples instead of using the technical replicates only. An ultra-fast algorithm has been developed to address the computational complexity and CpG filtering can be completed in minutes on a desktop computer for a 450K data set of over 1000 samples. Our method is very flexible and can accommodate any replicate design. Simulations and a real data application demonstrate that our whole-sample ICC method performs better than replicate-sample ICC or variance-based method. CpGFilter is implemented in R and publicly available under CRAN via the R package 'CpGFilter'. firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.


Chronic cardiac reactions. III. Factors involved in the development of structural dilatation.
The significance of various factors for the development of structural dilatation in the chronically pressure-loaded and failing heart were evaluated. The investigations were performed on male rats with renal (Goldblatt II) and spontaneous (Aoki-Okamoto) hypertension at different stages of haemodynamic overload. Two groups of SHR were submitted to intermittent feeding (SHR IF); one group received additionally the beta-blocking agent atenolol (50 mg/kg b.w.; SHR IF + beta Bl.). Haemodynamic measurements were carried out under open chest conditions. Myosin isoenzyme pattern, hydroxyproline concentration and circulating blood volume were determined. Transformation to slower myocardium per se, induced by IF, did not lead to significant change in ventricular configuration. After additional blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors there were indications of unfavourable development of left ventricular configuration. Inhibition of hypertrophic mass increase due to curtailed adrenergic stimulation could be an influential factor in the development of dilatation. Further investigations, however, are required to establish the relationship between the adrenergic system, on the one hand, and degree of hypertrophy as well as structural dilatation of the ventricle, on the other hand. The established marked increase in hydroxyproline concentration of the dilated ventricle of SHR in congestive failure is consistent with the assumption of a causal link between the degree of fibrosis and structural dilatation. Observations on rats with aorto-caval shunt and Goldblatt II rats with eccentric hypertrophy and corresponding increase in filling potential or circulating blood volume indicate a correlation between the latter and ventricular size. Thus, we assume that curtailed protein synthesis, fibrosis and regulatory processes related to water and electrolyte balance, but not myocardial transformation per se, play a role in the development of structural dilatation. The relative contribution of each factor, however, may depend on the experimental model that is used.


[Molecular biology characteristics of cattle leukemia virus].
The structure and morphogenesis of the cattle leukemia virus, the main biochemical and immunological characteristics and its antigenic relationship with other members of the family Retroviridae are reviewed.


Thienyl-GABA derivatives as specific baclofen agonists in the rat and cat spinal cord in vivo.
The depression of the amplitude of extracellularly recorded monosynaptic excitatory field potentials in the lumbar spinal cord of pentobarbitone anaesthetised rats and cats by three thienyl derivatives of GABA: 4-amino-3-(2-thienyl)-butanoic acid; 4-amino-3-(2-thienyl-5-methyl)-butanoic acid and 4-amino-3-(2-thienyl-5-chloro)-butanoic acid was reversibly blocked by the (-)-baclofen antagonist 3-aminopropyl-diethoxymethyl-phosphinic acid (CGP 35348). These compounds, of which the most potent, the 5-chloro derivative, was weaker than (-)-baclofen, thus activate baclofen receptors in the cat and rat spinal cord.


Radionuclide cineangiography during stress.
A "real-time" ECG-gated scintigraphic image system was developed at NIH, Bethesda. This system presents in real-time manner 1) an image sequence, that spans a complete heart cycle, 2) a regional time activity curve, in which later distolic phenomena are correctly portrayed, and 3) a beat length distribution function. This system is suitable especially for stress investigations. Normal subjects showed an increase of ejection fraction, whereas patients with CAD revealed a decrease of EF.


High-efficiency green organic light-emitting devices utilizing phosphorescent bis-cyclometalated alkynylgold(III) complexes.
A new phosphorescent material of cyclometalated alkynylgold(III) complex, [Au(2,5-F(2)C(6)H(3)-C∧N∧C)(C≡C-C(6)H(4)N(C(6)H(5))(2)-p)] (1) (2,5-F(2)C(6)H(3)-HC∧N∧CH = 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,5-difluorophenyl)pyridine), has been synthesized, characterized, and its device performance investigated. This luminescent gold(III) complex was found to exhibit rich PL and EL properties and has been utilized as phosphorescent dopants of OLEDs. At an optimized dopant concentration of 4%, a device with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 11.5%, corresponding to a current efficiency of 37.4 cd/A and a power efficiency of 26.2 lm/W, has been obtained. Such a high EQE is comparable to that of Ir(ppy)(3)-based devices. The present work suggests that the alkynylgold(III) complex is a promising phosphorescent material in terms of both efficiency and thermal stability, with the additional advantages of its relatively inexpensive cost and low toxicity.


Hepatic and cardiac carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity. Effects of adriamycin and galactosamine.
Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) activity is located on both the outer and inner sides of the mitochondrial inner membrane and is influenced by the surrounding lipids of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Both adriamycin and galactosamine interact with mitochondrial lipids as a part of their mechanism of toxicity, and thus these agents might be expected to affect CPT activity. Addition of adriamycin to both intact rat liver and heart mitochondria (CPT-A, outer CPT) and inverted submitochondrial vesicles (CPT-B, inner CPT) depressed CPT in the forward direction of reaction (palmitoyl-l-carnitine formation), but the CPT-B activity was more sensitive to the inhibitor. Adriamycin depressed the CPT-A reverse reaction (palmitoyl-CoA formation) to 40% of control, but it had no effect on the CPT-B reverse reaction. In vivo galactosamine administration depressed CPT-A and CPT-B 20-30% and did not affect subsequent action of in vitro adriamycin. Addition of cardiolipin (0.25 to 1.0 mg/assay) increased activity of the CPT-A forward reaction of both control and galactosamine-treated rats, but it did not affect CPT-B activity. The results suggest that CPT-A and CPT-B may be influenced differently by perturbants that affect lipids of the membrane.


Ghrelin and the metabolic syndrome in older adults.
Ghrelin may be one of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying risk factor clustering observed in the metabolic syndrome, but this has not been investigated. The objective of this work was to study the association between ghrelin and the metabolic syndrome and identify social and behavioral determinants of ghrelin. This was a cross-sectional study. The setting of this work was the Rancho Bernardo Study. Study subjects included 1513 men and women, aged 51-90 yr in 1984-1987. Total ghrelin, measured by RIA, and the metabolic syndrome, defined using Adult Treatment Panel III diagnostic criteria, were the outcome measures. Levels of ghrelin (mean +/- SD) did not differ between the 848 men (1451 +/- 532 pg/ml) and the 665 women (1459 +/- 672 pg/ml) or by age. Education, alcohol intake, and smoking history were each significantly and positively associated with ghrelin in a dose-related manner, independent of body mass index (BMI). Compared with participants with the lowest third of ghrelin levels, the age- and sex-adjusted odds of having the metabolic syndrome were 18% lower in the middle third and 53% lower in the highest third. This corresponds to a 21% decrease per SD increase in ghrelin (odds ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.69, 0.89; P < or = 0.001); this was attenuated to 13% (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.75, 1.01; P = 0.07), after adjustment for BMI. Of the five metabolic syndrome components, only the association between ghrelin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was independent of BMI. A significant association independent of BMI was also observed between insulin and ghrelin. Ghrelin levels are influenced by lifestyle factors. The inverse association between endogenous ghrelin and the metabolic syndrome is largely explained by the strong ghrelin-BMI association.


Prolame ameliorates anxiety and spatial learning and memory impairment induced by ovariectomy in rats.
N-(3-hydroxy-1, 3, 5 (10) estratrien-17beta-yl)-3-hydroxypropylamine (17β aminoestrogen, prolame) is a steroidal compound with weak estrogen-related trophic-proliferative effects in uterus. Contrasting with 17β-estradiol (E2) pro-coagulant effects, this compound has high anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects. It has been extensively demonstrated that E2 plays important roles in brain function. However, prolame's influence on central nervous system has not been documented. In this study, we evaluated the effects of prolame replacement in young ovariectomized rats on spatial learning and memory and anxiety, correlating pyramidal cell dendritic spine density changes and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the hippocampus. Ovariectomized young rats were treated with prolame for 4 weeks. Three other groups were used as physiological, pathological, and pharmacological references as follow: gonadally intact cycling females, ovariectomized, and ovariectomized with 17β-estradiol treatment respectively, for the same time period. Experiment 1 investigated the behavioral effects of prolame on anxiety and spatial learning using elevated plus maze (EPM) and Morris water maze (MWM) paradigms respectively. Experiment 2 studied the dendritic spine density and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the hippocampus of the 4 experimental groups. Similar to estradiol, prolame reversed the anxiogenic effects of ovariectomy, evaluated by EPM, and enhanced MWM performance to the level of gonadally intact subjects. Hippocampi from prolame-treated rats exhibited enhanced nNOS immunoreactivity and its relocation in dendritic compartments, as well as recovery of dendritic spine density loss in pyramidal neurons. Hence, prolame may provide an alternative option for ameliorating neurological symptoms caused by surgical menopause.


Calcitonin and calcium therapy in an infant with osteogenesis imperfecta congenita.
Calcitonin has been helpful in the treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta tarda inhibiting bone mineral resorption. The experience with salmon calcitonin in the early treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta congenita is very limited. Here we report an infant with this disorder treated with calcitonin from 3 to 15 months of age with clinical and radiographic improvement.


Disfiguring Giant Odontogenic Myxoma of Mandible: A Case Report with Brief Review of Literature.
Odontogenic myxoma is an uncommon benign but locally aggressive tumor which exclusively arises from tooth bearing areas. We are reporting a case of a giant slow growing odontogenic myxoma of mandible in a 16-year-old girl causing significant functional and cosmetic problem. Giant size of the tumor has caused facial disfigurement, mental agony and foul smell, because of which the patient confined herself in the house and lived the reclusive social life. Tumor was widely excised and reconstruction done with titanium plate.


Effect of prolactin on fluid and NaCl absorption by the rat proximal and distal colon.
The rates of fluid and NaCl absorption are greater in the proximal than in the distal colon. Prolactin treatment caused significant increases in fluid and NaCl absorption in the proximal but not in the distal colon. This suggests that only the proximal colon region, where most of the fluid and sodium absorption takes place, is responsive to prolactin.


A role for mDia, a Rho-regulated actin nucleator, in tangential migration of interneuron precursors.
In brain development, distinct types of migration, radial migration and tangential migration, are shown by excitatory and inhibitory neurons, respectively. Whether these two types of migration operate by similar cellular mechanisms remains unclear. We examined neuronal migration in mice deficient in mDia1 (also known as Diap1) and mDia3 (also known as Diap2), which encode the Rho-regulated actin nucleators mammalian diaphanous homolog 1 (mDia1) and mDia3. mDia deficiency impaired tangential migration of cortical and olfactory inhibitory interneurons, whereas radial migration and consequent layer formation of cortical excitatory neurons were unaffected. mDia-deficient neuroblasts exhibited reduced separation of the centrosome from the nucleus and retarded nuclear translocation. Concomitantly, anterograde F-actin movement and F-actin condensation at the rear, which occur during centrosomal and nuclear movement of wild-type cells, respectively, were impaired in mDia-deficient neuroblasts. Blockade of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK), which regulates myosin II, also impaired nuclear translocation. These results suggest that Rho signaling via mDia and ROCK critically regulates nuclear translocation through F-actin dynamics in tangential migration, whereas this mechanism is dispensable in radial migration.


Possible role of an adrenal parasite reservoir in the pathogenesis of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi myocarditis.
The possible contribution of parasitism of the central vein of the adrenal gland (CVAG) to chronic Trypanosoma cruzi myocarditis was assayed by comparing the occurrence of nests of amastigotes in the left ventricular myocardium (LVM) and determining the number and extent of areas of focal leucocyte exudate (FLE) in Chagas disease patients with and without CVAG parasitism. The frequency of occurrence of T. cruzi nests in the LVM, as well as the FLE number and area, were greater among patients with CVAG parasitism. We therefore suggest that CVAG parasitism plays a role in the onset and intensity of chronic T. cruzi myocarditis.


The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is an important indicator correlated to early neurological deterioration in single subcortical infarct patients with diabetes.
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and early neurological deterioration (END) among cases suffering from single subcortical infarction (SSI) and diabetes. We collected the data of patients with SSI admitted to our hospital between January 2019 and December 2020 retrospectively. A score of ≥2 elevations in overall National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score or ≥1 increase in motor NIHSS score in 5-day post-admission was considered END. Furthermore, logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between NLR and END among SSI cases. Altogether, we enrolled 235 consecutive SSI cases, of which 53 (22.5%) were diagnosed with END, while 93 (39.5%) were diabetic. In patients with diabetes, the value of NLR increased markedly among the patients with END (median, 3.59; IQR, 2.18-4.84) compared to patients without END (median, 2.64; IQR, 1.89-3.18; P = 0.032). Meanwhile, in patients without diabetes, NLR was not significantly associated with END. In the multivariate analysis, NLR values were positively related to END (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.768; 95% CI, 1.166-2.682, P = 0.007) upon adjusting age, SSI type, lesion diameter, initial NIHSS, fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-h postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The subgroup analysis showed that the relationship between NLR and END was more pronounced in the branch atheromatous disease (BAD) (adjusted OR, 1.819; 95% CI, 1.049-3.153, P = 0.033) and anterior SSI subgroups (adjusted OR, 2.102; 95% CI, 1.095-4.037, P = 0.026). NLR value was significantly related to END among SSI patients with diabetes and was recognized as an independent factor in predicting the risk of END.


[Which factors predict treatment duration and outcome of psychotherapeutic hospital treatment?].
Several studies document the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic hospital treatment in German speaking countries, although results show a considerable heterogeneity. Based on data from a comprehensive meta-analysis, we investigated the impact of potential study-level predictors on average treatment duration and average symptom severity at discharge using meta-regression. Selected predictors explain 55 and 78 percent of between-study variance of mean treatment duration and mean symptom severity at discharge, respectively. Samples of younger patients, samples including more patients with personality disorders, samples treated in specialist centers and samples from older investigations showed longer average treatment durations. Studies in patient populations with less severe symptoms at intake and a lower proportion of personality disorders showed lower impairment at discharge. We found a statistically significant positive association between severity of symptoms at discharge and treatment duration. Regarding the higher symptom load at discharge in patients with higher impairment at intake and personality disorders, treatment concepts for these groups require improvement, for example through flexible treatment durations.


Gallstone disease: current therapeutic practice.
Most asymptomatic gallstone carriers require no therapy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the best definitive therapy for symptomatic gallstone disease. Selective laparoscopic cholecystectomy can provide secondary prevention of symptoms and complications in certain instances (in a complex clinical setting such as sickle cell disease or to prevent gallbladder carcinoma from developing in those at risk with large gallstones or with a calcified gallbladder). Primary prevention is unproven but focuses on early identification and risk alteration to decrease the possibility of developing gallstones. Ursodeoxycholic acid has a limited role for stone dissolution but can prevent stone development in severe obesity during rapid weight reduction with diet or after bariatric surgery. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with endoscopic sphincterotomy represents the therapeutic cornerstone for managing severe pancreatitis and cholangitis.


Actions of substance P on rat spinal dorsal horn neurones.
The membrane actions of substance P (SP) and the effects on the Ca-dependent action potential of dorsal horn neurones have been investigated by means of intracellular recording techniques in the immature rat in vitro spinal cord slice preparation. Bath application of SP (2 X 10(-6) to 1 X 10(-5) M) induced a biphasic membrane response consisting of an initial hyperpolarization followed by a depolarization in about one-third of the cells examined. Initial hyperpolarization was not observed when synaptic activity was blocked by perfusing the slice with a tetrodotoxin-containing or low Ca, high Mg Ringer solution. This result is consistent with a presynaptic action of SP mediated through excitation of inhibitory interneurones. This interpretation was supported by recording of repetitive spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic potential (i.p.s.p.)-like hyperpolarizing potentials during the initial hyperpolarization. When Co ions were used to block voltage-dependent Ca conductance and possible indirect presynaptic actions, SP induced only a small depolarization of membrane potential. It seems, therefore, that Ca conductance may have contributed to the depolarizing phase of the SP response, either through its mediation of synaptic transmission or through direct effects as a charge carrier for inward current. When tetrodotoxin was used, the SP-induced increase in neuronal input resistance was not modified, although depolarization was slightly diminished. In contrast, in medium containing tetrodotoxin and tetraethylammonium, the SP-depolarizing response was enhanced and accompanied by a small decrease in input resistance and firing of Ca spikes. These results suggest that SP-induced depolarization might be a consequence of a reduction in a voltage-dependent K conductance allowing Na and/or Ca conductances to dominate. SP modified the duration of Ca-dependent action potentials of dorsal horn neurones, the most consistent change being an initial dose-dependent and reversible decrease in the spike duration. The decrease in Ca spike duration was associated with a small reduction in the rate of rise and peak amplitude, and a significant parallel increase in dV/dt of the falling phase of the Ca spike. Our data indicate that the initial decrease in Ca spike duration was not due to the depolarizing action of SP, although shunting of the membrane resistance, either through presynaptic or post-synaptic mechanisms, has not been ruled out. Alternatively, these data are consistent with the possibility that SP shortens the duration of the Ca spike by decreasing a voltage-sensitive inward Ca current and/or augmenting an outward K current.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Enhanced renal cortical vascularization in experimental hypercholesterolemia.
Experimental hypercholesterolemia is associated with pro-inflammatory changes and impaired regulation of tissue perfusion, which may lead to neovascularization. However, it is yet unknown whether such changes take place in the kidney. In this study, using a novel three-dimensional (3-D) micro computed-tomography technique we tested the hypothesis that hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased microvascular density in the renal cortex. Kidneys were excised from pigs after 12 weeks of either a normal (N = 6) or high cholesterol (HC; N = 5) diet, histology slides processed, and a segmental renal artery injected with a radio-opaque intravascular silicone polymer. Renal samples were scanned with micro computed-tomography, transverse and three-dimensional images were reconstructed, and microvessels (80 to 360 microm in diameter) counted in situ. Serum cholesterol levels were significantly higher in hypercholesterolemic compared to normal pigs (383 +/- 76 vs. 81 +/- 7 mg/dL, P < 0.01), and microvascular spatial density was significantly higher in their inner and middle renal cortex (189 +/- 7 vs. 126 +/- 6 microvessels/cm2, P < 0.0001). Hypercholesterolemic kidneys also showed mild interstitial mononuclear infiltration and heavier immunostaining of vascular endothelial growth factor, but no other signs of morphological damage. These results demonstrate that early diet-induced hypercholesterolemia is associated with increased microvascular density in the renal cortex, which precedes signs of overt renal morphological damage. These alterations may potentially affect regulation and/or spatial distribution of intrarenal blood flow in hypercholesterolemia, and may participate in renal disease progression.


Essential fatty acid-deprived tube-fed adults synthesize arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids: a pilot analysis of the fatty acid status of people with profound developmental disabilities.
Determine whether there are essential fatty acid abnormalities in arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-deprived tube-fed individuals. Plasma fatty acid concentrations were measured in eight tube-fed adults with profound developmental disabilities. Mean plasma AA, DPAn-6, stearic, oleic, Mead, palmitoleic, and vaccenic acid concentrations were elevated but DHA was normal. Numerous fatty acid ratios were also elevated. In this context, significant synthesis of both AA and DHA was apparent. However, abnormal fatty acid profiles were common.


Development of de novo aortic valve incompetence in patients with the continuous-flow HeartWare ventricular assist device.
In this study we investigated the development of aortic incompetence (AI) and change in aortic root and left ventricular dimensions after implantation of the continuous-flow HeartWare ventricular assist device (HVAD) in our adult patient cohort. A retrospective analysis of serial echocardiograms was performed on patients implanted with an HVAD between July 2009 and July 2013. Data from echocardiograms performed before and at 1 and 2 years (±3 months) were analyzed. Patients with native aortic valves (AoVs) with no previous intervention and HVAD in situ for ≥6 months were included. A total of 73 HVADs in 71 patients with a mean duration of support of 624 ± 359 days were included in our study. One patient developed moderate AI at 1 year (1.9%). Mild or greater AI was more likely in those with a closed or intermittently opening AoV at 1 year (p = 0.005). Aortic annulus dimensions increased significantly at 1 and 2 years, regardless of extent of AI. At 2 years, in those with mild or worse AI, the sinuses of Valsalva were also larger (p = 0.002). Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) was significantly reduced in those with no or trace AI at 1 and 2 years (p = 0.012 and p = 0.008, respectively), but remained unchanged in those with AI at both time-points. The development of more than mild AI is rare in HVAD patients at our center. When encountered, it is more common with a closed AoV. Dilation of the aortic annulus, and root dilation in those with mild or more AI, is seen with HVAD support over time.


New International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Pathology Committee Grading System for the Prognostic Outcome of Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma.
The impact of the new International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer pathology committee grading system for advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) on survival is unclear, especially in Asian populations. In this study, we reviewed the prognostic outcomes of patients with late-stage disease according to the new grading system. We reviewed 136 LADC cases who underwent a small biopsy from 2007 to 2018. Tumors were classified according to the new grading system for LADC. Baseline characteristics (age, sex, smoking status, body mass index, and driver gene mutations) were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to determine correlations with the new grading system and prognosis. Patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma were significantly correlated with a poor progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.013) but not overall survival (OS) (p = 0.154). Subgroup analysis showed that wild-type EGFR patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma treated with chemotherapy had significantly worse PFS (p = 0.011). There was no significant difference in survival among the patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations who were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Patients aged >70 years and those with a BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2 and wild-type patients had significantly worse OS in both univariate (HR = 1.822, p = 0.006; HR = 2.250, p = 0.004; HR = 1.537, p = 0.046, respectively) and multivariate analyses (HR = 1.984, p = 0.002; HR = 2.383, p = 0.002; HR = 1.632, p = 0.028, respectively). Despite therapy, patients with poorly differentiated tumors still fared worse than those with better differentiated tumors. No differences were found among the EGFR mutations treated with TKI. Our findings highlight that the therapeutic regimen should be adjusted for EGFR Wild-type patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma treated with chemotherapy to provide better outcomes.


Optimization of bioprocesses with Brewers' spent grain and Cellulomonas uda.
Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is a low-value by-product of the brewing process, which is produced in large quantities every year. In this study, the lignocellulosic feedstock (solid BSG) was used to optimize fermentations with Cellulomonas uda. Under aerobic conditions, maximum cellulase activities of 0.98 nkat∙mL-1, maximum xylanase activities of 5.00 nkat∙mL-1 and cell yields of 0.22 gCells∙gBSG -1 were achieved. Under anaerobic conditions, enzyme activities and cell yields were lower, but valuable liquid products (organic acids, ethanol) were produced with a yield of 0.41 gProd∙gBSG -1. The growth phase of the organisms was monitored by measuring extracellular concentrations of two fluorophores pyridoxin (aerobic) and tryptophan (anaerobic) and by cell count. By combining reductive with anaerobic conditions, the ratio of ethanol to acetate was increased from 1.08 to 1.59 molEtOH∙molAc -1. This ratio was further improved to 9.2 molEtOH∙molAc -1 by lowering the pH from 7.4 to 5.0 without decreasing the final ethanol concentration. A fermentation in a bioreactor with 15 w% BSG instead of 5 w% BSG quadrupled the acetate concentration, whilst ethanol was removed by gas stripping. This study provides various ideas for optimizing and monitoring fermentations with solid substrates, which can support feasibility and incorporation into holistic biorefining approaches in the future.


High-throughput sequencing provides new insights into the roles and implications of core microbiota present in pasteurized milk.
Residual microorganisms in dairy products are closely related to their quality deterioration and safety. Based on the minimum sterilization conditions required by Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, this study explored the microbiota present in milk products that were high temperature short time pasteurized at 72, 75, 80, 83, or 85 °C for 15 s, 20 s, and 30 s separately. Based on high-throughput sequencing results, 6 phyla and 18 genera were identified as dominant microbiota. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the maior bacteria in phyla, and each comprising more than 50%. Pseudomonas was account for more than 42% of all the genera detected in all samples. Moreover, the changes in flavor substances in pasteurized milk, including 16 free amino acids, 9 fatty acids, and 17 volatile compounds, were detected using principal component and multi factor analyses. The Pearson correlation coefficient analysis identified six bacteria genera as the core functional microbiota that significantly affected the flavor compounds and the safety and quality of pasteurized milk. Interestingly, Pseudomonas, Omithimimicrobium, Cyanobacteria and Corynebacterium had positive correlations with the flavor substances, whereas Streptococcus and Paeniclostridium had significant negative correlations with these substances. The results may help enhance the quality control of dairy products and can be used as indicators of microbial contamination of pasteurized dairy products.


Correlation between echocardiographic superior vena cava flow and short-term outcome in infants with asphyxia.
To assess the relationship between superior vena cava (SVC) flow and short-term outcome in infants with perinatal asphyxia. Infants in sequence born after more than 35 weeks of gestation who had been hospitalized at the NICU and normal neonatal wards of Wakayama Medical University between May 2005 and September 2010 were recruited for this observational cohort study. The study eligibility criterion was the presence of perinatal asphyxia, as evidenced by abnormal fetal heart rate monitoring and an Apgar score of 7 or less at 1 min or need for resuscitation using positive pressure ventilation. SVC flow was measured in the first three days of life by Doppler echocardiography as described by Kluckow and Evans. Short-term outcome was defined as poor if MRI demonstrated bilateral lesions of the basal ganglia and thalamus and/or multicystic encephalomalacia due to hypoxic ischemia. In the head cooling group, SVC flow in infants with a good outcome was lower than that in infants with a poor outcome at 12h (36.9±7.7 vs. 113.4±42.4 ml/kg/min (p=0.01)), 24h (75.2±25.3 vs. 155.6±45.7 ml/kg/min (p=0.03)), and 48 h (92.5±34.2 vs. 161.1±46.7 ml/kg/min (p=0.04)) after birth. SVC flow decreased promptly after introduction of head cooling in infants who had a good outcome, whereas it increased gradually after head cooling in those who had a poor outcome. We speculate that regulation of brain circulation is disrupted in infants with asphyxia who show a poor outcome.


The proteomic and metabolomic signatures of isolated and polytrauma traumatic brain injury.
The interactions of polytrauma, shock, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) on thromboinflammatory responses remain unclear and warrant investigation as we strive towards personalized medicine in trauma. We hypothesized that comprehensive omics characterization of plasma would identify unique metabolic and thromboinflammatory pathways following TBI. Patients were categorized as TBI vs Non-TBI, and stratified into Polytrauma or minimally injured. Discovery 'omics was employed to quantify the top differently expressed proteins and metabolites of TBI and Non-TBI patient groups. TBI compared to Non-TBI showed gene enrichment in coagulation/complement cascades and neuronal markers. TBI was associated with elevation in glycolytic metabolites and conjugated bile acids. Division into isolated TBI vs polytrauma showed further distinction of proteomic and metabolomic signatures. Identified mediators involving in neural inflammation, blood brain barrier disruption, and bile acid building leading to TBI associated coagulopathy offer suggestions for follow up mechanistic studies to target personalized interventions.


Chromatographic analysis of organic compounds in the atmosphere.
Fused silica capillary columns with thick films of cross-linked coatings have been used to separate many of the organic compounds that are present in the volatile fraction of automobile exhaust and in ambient air. Techniques have been developed that allow reversible collection and pre-concentration of organic compounds in ambient air on polymeric sorbents with minimal artifacts. The exhaust samples, which are directly injected without pre-concentration on sorbents, contain many of the same organic compounds that are found in sorbent-collected samples of urban ambient air. Similar anthropogenic organic compounds are not, in general, detected (less than 0.02 ppbV) in air samples from remote, rural areas in Colorado.


Percutaneous lateral ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction.
Open surgical reconstruction of the lateral ulnar collateral ligament is the standard treatment for symptomatic posterolateral rotatory instability of the elbow. It involves dissection and retraction of the lateral elbow muscles, which have been shown to be secondary stabilizers of the lateral elbow. We introduce a new muscle-protecting technique for single-strand lateral ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction and report on the isometry and primary stability when compared with a conventional muscle-splitting procedure. It was hypothesized that percutaneous lateral ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction provided isometry over the range of motion and that stability was comparable with a conventional open procedure. In sixteen human cadaver arms, the intact and the lateral collateral ligament complex-deficient situation was tested. Open lateral ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction was performed using a single-strand palmaris graft with humeral and ulnar tenodesis screw fixation. Posterolateral rotational stability was compared with a new reconstruction method, which percutaneously places a single-strand palmaris graft with humeral and ulnar tenodesis screw fixation. Both open and percutaneous lateral ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction provided isometry over the range of motion and restored posterolateral stability to that of the intact situation. No significant differences between open and percutaneous reconstruction were found. Percutaneous lateral ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction aims to preserve the lateral elbow muscles and to minimize soft tissue dissection. It has been shown that in an in vitro setup, this new procedure provides isometry over the range of motion and sufficiently restores posterolateral rotatory stability.


Cholinesterase inhibitor to prevent falls in Parkinson's disease (CHIEF-PD) trial: a phase 3 randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of rivastigmine to prevent falls in Parkinson's disease.
Falls are a common complication of Parkinson's disease. There is a need for new therapeutic options to target this debilitating aspect of the disease. Cholinergic deficit has been shown to contribute to both gait and cognitive dysfunction seen in the condition. Potential benefits of using cholinesterase inhibitors were shown during a single centre phase 2 trial. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a cholinesterase inhibitor on fall rate in people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. This is a multi-centre, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial in 600 people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (Hoehn and Yahr stages 1 to 4) with a history of a fall in the past year. Participants will be randomised to two groups, receiving either transdermal rivastigmine or identical placebo for 12 months. The primary outcome is the fall rate over 12 months follow-up. Secondary outcome measures, collected at baseline and 12 months either face-to-face or via remote video/telephone assessments, include gait and balance measures, neuropsychiatric indices, Parkinson's motor and non-motor symptoms, quality of life and cost-effectiveness. This trial will establish whether cholinesterase inhibitor therapy is effective in preventing falls in Parkinson's disease. If cost-effective, it will alter current management guidelines by offering a new therapeutic option in this high-risk population. REC reference: 19/SW/0043. EudraCT: 2018-003219-23. 41639809 (registered 16/04/2019). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04226248 PROTOCOL AT TIME OF PUBLICATION: Version 7.0, 20th January 2021.


SquiggleNet: real-time, direct classification of nanopore signals.
We present SquiggleNet, the first deep-learning model that can classify nanopore reads directly from their electrical signals. SquiggleNet operates faster than DNA passes through the pore, allowing real-time classification and read ejection. Using 1 s of sequencing data, the classifier achieves significantly higher accuracy than base calling followed by sequence alignment. Our approach is also faster and requires an order of magnitude less memory than alignment-based approaches. SquiggleNet distinguished human from bacterial DNA with over 90% accuracy, generalized to unseen bacterial species in a human respiratory meta genome sample, and accurately classified sequences containing human long interspersed repeat elements.


LPS-Induced Garcia Effect and Its Pharmacological Regulation Mediated by Acetylsalicylic Acid: Behavioral and Transcriptional Evidence.
Lymnaea stagnalis learns and remembers to avoid certain foods when their ingestion is followed by sickness. This rapid, taste-specific, and long-lasting aversion-known as the Garcia effect-can be formed by exposing snails to a novel taste and 1 h later injecting them with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, the exposure of snails to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for 1 h before the LPS injection, prevents both the LPS-induced sickness state and the Garcia effect. Here, we investigated novel aspects of this unique form of conditioned taste aversion and its pharmacological regulation. We first explored the transcriptional effects in the snails' central nervous system induced by the injection with LPS (25 mg), the exposure to ASA (900 nM), as well as their combined presentation in untrained snails. Then, we investigated the behavioral and molecular mechanisms underlying the LPS-induced Garcia effect and its pharmacological regulation by ASA. LPS injection, both alone and during the Garcia effect procedure, upregulated the expression levels of immune- and stress-related targets. This upregulation was prevented by pre-exposure to ASA. While LPS alone did not affect the expression levels of neuroplasticity genes, its combination with the conditioning procedure resulted in their significant upregulation and memory formation for the Garcia effect.


SAR study of bisamides as cyclophilin a inhibitors for the development of host-targeting therapy for hepatitis C virus infection.
The therapy of chronic hepatitis C virus infections has significantly improved with the development of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which contain NS3/4A protease, NS5A, and NS5B polymerase inhibitors. However, mutations in specific residues in these viral target genes are associated with resistance to the DAAs. Especially inhibitors of NS3/4A protease and NS5A, such as grazoprevir and velpatasvir, have a low barrier to resistant mutations. As a result, the mutations influence the virological outcomes after DAA treatment. CypA inhibitors, as host-targeted agents, act on host factors to inhibit HCV replication, exhibiting a high resistance barrier and pan-genotype activities against HCV. Therefore, they can be developed into alternative, more effective anti-HCV agents. However, CypA inhibitors are natural products and analogs. Based on previous studies, bisamide derivatives were designed and synthesized to develop a novel class of CypA inhibitors. Bisamide derivative 7c is a promising compound with potent anti-HCV activity at subtoxic concentrations. Surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed that 7c directly binds to CypA. All these studies indicated that the derivative 7c is a potent CypA inhibitor, which can be used as a host-targeted agent in combination with other antiviral agents for anti-HCV treatment.


Universal process-based CBT for positive mental health in early adolescence: A cluster randomized controlled trial.
Early adolescence is a key developmental phase for promoting positive mental health and preventing psychological difficulties. Despite calls to develop the evidence base for universal interventions in early adolescence and the promise of process-based CBT, the literature is devoid of empirical investigations of the efficacy of universal process-based CBT in this cohort. This cluster randomized controlled trial aimed to extend the empirical literature by evaluating the efficacy of a six-session universal process-based CBT intervention in elementary schools. Twenty-nine schools were randomly allocated to intervention or waiting list control groups. Six hundred four participants completed measures of positive mental health, resilience, emotional literacy, and mindfulness at baseline, post-intervention, and six-week follow-up. Although participants reported that the intervention was satisfactory, it did not yield significantly superior growth rates on the outcome measures than the control condition at post-intervention or follow-up. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.


Expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4 during chick embryo development.
The chemokine receptor CXCR4 plays a decisive role in physiological cell migration both in developmental processes and adult tissues; it has also been implicated in metastasis formation of different human cancers (Balkwill 2004) and in HIV pathogenesis (Murdoch 2000). Here we present the expression pattern of this important chemokine receptor CXCR4 in the chick embryo. A dynamic expression pattern can be detected beginning as early as the gastrulation stages until the observed stage of HH28. During gastrulation, expression was observed in the epiblast at the level of the primitive streak and in the endoderm. Later, expression was noticeable in the ventral foregut portal, developing somites, tail bud, neural tube, the intermediate mesoderm, Wolffian duct, the lateral plate mesoderm and the developing blood vessels. Our descriptive data suggest a role for CXCR4 in gastrulation and other morphogenetic events connected with angiogenesis and kidney development.


Implementation of Appropriate Use Criteria for Transthoracic Echocardiography in Follow-Up Care of Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease.
Indications for transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) from the 2020 Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for congenital heart disease (CHD) were incorporated into the institutional electronic ordering system as a clinical decision support tool. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utilization of TTE and factors affecting the appropriateness of orders for TTE during follow-up care of patients with CHD. All transthoracic echocardiographic studies performed during follow-up clinic visits from May 1, 2020, to November 30, 2020, were included. Indications for TTE were rated appropriate, may be appropriate, or rarely appropriate on the basis of the AUC and unclassifiable if the indication was not in the document but related to included lesions. CHD was graded as simple, moderate, or complex on the basis of the Bethesda classification. Logistic regression was used to determine the association of ratings with patient age, insurance status, CHD complexity, and clinician experience and specialty. Of the 5,158 studies, 3,979 (77.2%) were for CHD included in the AUC document, 322 (8%) were unclassifiable, 37 (0.7%) were for CHD not in the document, and 1,142 (22.1%) were for non-CHD indications. Of the 3,657 transthoracic echocardiographic examinations to which AUC ratings could be applied, 95.6% were rated appropriate, 2.4% may be appropriate, and 2.0% rarely appropriate. The highest utilization of TTE was for follow-up of ventricular septal defects, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and single ventricles; 46% for unrepaired CHD; 78% for routine surveillance; and the remaining for changes in clinical status. On multivariable analysis, the only significant factor associated with may be appropriate and rarely appropriate ratings was simple CHD (odds ratio, 11.58; 95% CI, 5.36 - 24.98; P < .001). Three quarters of transthoracic echocardiographic studies ordered during follow-up care in pediatric cardiology clinics are for indications related to CHD. Most examinations for follow-up of CHD were for routine surveillance and indications rated appropriate. Orders for TTE for may be appropriate and rarely appropriate ratings were associated with simple CHD. Although the 2020 AUC document successfully stratifies the majority of indications related to CHD, future documents should consider the unclassifiable CHD indications and the non-CHD indications.


Synthesis and characterization of modified chitosan via microwave route for novel antibacterial application.
Herein we report the synthesis of novel antibacterial graft [Chit-g-Poly (AA-co-An)] and crosslink [Chit-cl-Poly (AA-co-An)] copolymer, consisting of acrylic acid (AA), acrylonitrile (An) and chitosan by using the microwave route, and it has been observed that grafting and crosslinking copolymers possess excellent antimicrobial properties. Studies of antibacterial activities of graft and crosslink samples were carried out against gram positive [Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)], gram negative [Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeroginosa (P. aeroginosa)] bacteria. The graft [Chit-g-Poly (AA-co-An)] and crosslink [Chit-cl-Poly (AA-co-An)] copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques etc to study structural characteristics of synthesised chitosan derivatives. The graft [Chit-g-Poly (AA-co-A)] copolymer showed excellent antibacterial activities against E. coli, P. aeroginosa and S. euros 30, 31 and 26mm zone inhibition, respectively, while [Chit-cl-Poly (AA-co-A)] showed antibacterial activities against E. coli, P. aeroginosa and S. euros 26, 36 and 21mm zone inhibition respectively.


The relationship between the coracoid and glenoid after brachial plexus birth palsy.
The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in glenoid and coracoid anatomy after brachial plexus birth palsy. Fifty-seven children underwent bilateral shoulder magnetic resonance imaging. The uninvolved coracoid angle averaged 32.5 +/- 6.1 degrees (range 21.3-46.0) compared with 21.7 +/- 6.9 degrees (range 6.1-41.0) on the involved shoulder. The uninvolved coracoid physeal angle averaged 42.7 +/- 7.6 degrees (range 26.0-57.0) compared with 61.7 +/- 11.6 degrees (range 38.8-89.9) on the involved shoulder. The uninvolved glenoid physeal angle averaged 78.4 +/- 5.2 degrees (range 66.9-89.9) compared with 50.4 +/- 14.7 degrees (range 17.9-76.7) on the involved shoulder. The uninvolved interphyseal angle averaged 59.6 +/- 7.2 degrees (range 42.0-76.1) compared with 65.5 +/- 11.6 degrees (range 45.0-88.0) on the involved shoulder. The uninvolved coracoid scapular distance averaged 1.6 +/- 0.28 cm (range 1.0-2.5) compared with 1.2 +/- 0.37 cm (range 0.37-1.9) on the involved shoulder. These results highlight the contiguous relationship between the coracoid and glenoid physis during development and indicate that retroversion of both the glenoid and coracoid physis occurs after brachial plexus palsy.


Evidence-based management of one-lung ventilation.
One-lung ventilation (OLV) is essential for many thoracic and an increasing number of non-thoracic minimally invasive procedures. Beyond the well-recognized disturbance of ventilation-perfusion matching, recent years have seen a mounting body of evidence implicating OLV in the creation of acute lung injury. After reviewing the fundamentals of OLV physiology, this article examines the evidence for altering individual ventilatory parameters toward protective OLV.


Unearthing terrestrial extreme microbiomes for searching terrestrial-like life in the Solar System.
The possibility of life elsewhere in the universe has fascinated humankind for ages. To the best of our knowledge, life, as we know it, is limited to planet Earth; yet current investigation suggests that life might be more common than previously thought. In this review, we explore extreme terrestrial analogue environments in the search for some notable examples of extreme organisms, including overlooked microbial groups such as viruses, fungi, and protists, associated with limits of life on Earth. This knowledge is integral to provide the foundational principles needed to predict what sort of Earth-like organisms we might find in the Solar System and beyond, and to understand the future and origins of life on Earth.


Cat Hobaiter.
Interview with Cat Hobaiter, who studies the evolution of communication, cognition and social behaviour in apes at the University of St Andrews and through field studies in the Budongo Forest in Uganda.


[Prophylaxis and treatment of nausea and vomiting after outpatient ophthalmic surgery].
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are the most common side effects following anesthesia. It is unpleasant for the patients and has significant impact on postoperative well-being. After ophthalmic surgery arterial hypertension caused by retching and vomiting can cause intraocular bleeding with detrimental effects on the result of surgery. It is possible to identify risk patients who are likely to develop PONV. In these patients antiemetic prophylaxis is indicated, but the extreme age of patients (geriatric patients with relevant comorbidity and children) undergoing (ambulatory) ophthalmic procedures must be considered. Furthermore, antiemetics should be free from side effects, especially sedating effects, since these procedures are often performed on an outpatient basis. Regional or local anesthesia is the method of choice. However, when general anesthesia is necessary avoidance of volatile anesthetics, nitrous oxide, and administration of 5-HT(3) antagonists is recommended. Also, dexamethasone is a potent antiemetic drug that can favorably be combined with the 5-HT(3) antagonists. Dimenhydrinate is well accepted and an effective antiemetic for pediatric patients. By combining these antiemetic measures PONV can be lowered to a clinically satisfying level even in high-risk patients.


Retracted: Economic Operation of the Regional Integrated Energy System Based on Particle Swarm Optimization.
[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/5055338.].


Retracted: Clinical Value Analysis of Xiaozheng Decoction Combined with Bladder Perfusion for Postoperative Treatment of Bladder Cancer and Its Effect on Serum miR-143 and miR-92a.
[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/8177674.].


Identification of active natural products that induce lysosomal biogenesis by lysosome-based screening and biological evaluation.
Lysosomal biogenesis is an essential adaptive process by which lysosomes exert their function in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Defects in lysosomal enzymes and functions lead to lysosome-related diseases, including lysosomal storage diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, activation of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, especially induction of lysosomal biogenesis, might be an effective strategy for the treatment of lysosome-related diseases. In this study, we established a lysosome-based screening system to identify active compounds from natural products that could promote lysosomal biogenesis. The subcellular localizations of master transcriptional regulators of lysosomal genes, TFEB, TFE3 and ZKSCAN3 were examined to reveal the potential mechanisms. More than 200 compounds were screened, and we found that Hdj-23, a triterpene isolated from Walsura cochinchinensis, induced lysosomal biogenesis via activation of TFEB/TFE3. In summary, this study introduced a lysosome-based live cell screening strategy to identify bioactive compounds that promote lysosomal biogenesis, which would provide potential candidate enhancers of lysosomal biogenesis and novel insight for treating lysosome-related diseases.


Double reading of automated breast ultrasound with digital mammography or digital breast tomosynthesis for breast cancer screening.
To evaluate the impact of double reading automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) when added to full field digital mammography (FFDM) or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for breast cancer screening. From April 2014 to June 2015, 124 women with dense breasts and intermediate to high breast cancer risk were recruited for screening with FFDM, DBT, and ABUS. Readers used FFDM and DBT in clinical practice and received ABUS training prior to study initiation. FFDM or DBT were first interpreted alone by two independent readers and then with ABUS. All recalled women underwent diagnostic workup with at least one year of follow-up. Recall rates were compared using the sign test; differences in outcomes were evaluated using Fisher's exact test. Of 121 women with complete follow-up, all had family (35.5%) or personal (20.7%) history of breast cancer, or both (43.8%). Twenty-four women (19.8%) were recalled by at least one modality. Recalls increased from 5.0% to 13.2% (p = 0.002) when ABUS was added to FFDM and from 3.3% to 10.7% (p = 0.004) when ABUS was added to DBT. Findings recalled by both readers were more likely to result in a recommendation for short term follow-up imaging or tissue biopsy compared to findings recalled by only one reader (100% vs. 42.1%, p = 0.041). The cancer detection rate was 8.3 per 1000 screens (1/121); mode of detection: FFDM and DBT. Adding ABUS significantly increased the recall rate of both FFDM and DBT screening. Double reading of ABUS during early phase adoption may reduce false positive recalls.


Measurement of the internal pH of mast cell granules using microvolumetric fluorescence and isotopic techniques.
The intragranular pH of isolated mast cell granules was measured. Because of the minute amounts of isolated granules available, two techniques were developed by modifying aminoacridine fluorescence and [14C]methylamine accumulation techniques to permit measurements with microliter sample volumes. Granule purity was demonstrated by electron microscopy, ruthenium red exclusion, and biochemical (histamine, mast cell granule protease) analysis. The internal pH was determined to be 5.55 +/- 0.06, indicating that the pH environment within mast cell granules is not significantly different from that of previously studied granule types (i.e., chromaffin, platelet, pancreatic islet, and pituitary granules). Collapse of the pH gradient by NH+4 was demonstrated with both techniques. No evidence of Cl-/OH- or specific cation/H+ transport was found, and major chloride permeability could not be unequivocably demonstrated. Ca2+ and Cl- at concentrations normally present extracellularly destabilized granules in the presence of NH+4, but this phenomenon does not necessarily indicate a role for these ions in the exocytotic release of granule contents from intact cells. The pH measurement techniques developed for investigating the properties of granules in mast cells may be useful for studying other granules that can be obtained only in limited quantities.


Patterns of practice in community mental health treatment of adult depression.
Community mental health therapists often endorse an eclectic orientation, but few studies reveal how therapists utilize elements of evidence-based psychotherapies. This study aimed to characterize treatment as usual patterns of practice among therapists treating depressed adults in community mental health settings. Therapists (N = 165) from the USA's largest not-for-profit provider of community-based mental health services completed surveys assessing their demographics and practice element use with depressed adult clients. Specifically, therapists indicated whether they utilized each of 45 unique practice elements from the following evidence-based psychotherapies: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Behavioral Activation, Brief Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy, Mindfulness-Based CBT, Problem-Solving Therapy, and Self-Control Therapy. Principal component analysis was employed to identify practice patterns. The principal component analysis included 31 practice elements and revealed a three-factor model with distinct patterns of practice that did not align with traditional evidence-based practice approaches, including: (i) Planning, Practice, and Monitoring; (ii) Cognitive, Didactic, and Interpersonal; and (iii) Between Session Activities. Therapist-reported practice patterns confirmed an eclectic approach that brought together elements from theoretically distinct evidence-based psychotherapies. Future research is needed to explore how these patterns of practice relate to client outcomes to inform focused training and/or de-implementation efforts.


Endoscopic sinus surgery for paranasal sinus mucocoele with orbital involvement.
To evaluate the results of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for paranasal sinus mucocoele with orbital involvement and assess the frequency with which a direct orbital approach is required in these cases. Retrospective, consecutive series of sinus mucocoeles with orbital involvement treated by ESS by a single surgeon over a 4-year period (1998-2002). A total of 24 mucocoeles of 15 patients, including 10 frontal, eight frontoethomoidal, two ethmoidal, and four maxillary. All cases demonstrated radiological orbital extension. Globe displacement was seen in 73%. At a median follow-up of 15.5 months, the mean cumulative clinical score improved from 4.2 +/- 1.5 (range 1-7) to 0.4+/-0.7 (range 0-2). Ophthalmic symptoms and signs resolved in all patients but one who had complex sinus anatomy following neurosurgery. Minor, self-limiting complications including epistaxis and intranasal adhesions occurred in three cases. Additional endoscopic sinus surgery was required in four patients for revision of narrowed frontal sinus ostium (two), mucocoele recurrence (two), and sinus toileting (one). No cases required external sinus surgery and the average hospital in-patient stay was 2.5 +/- 1.6 days. At final follow-up, sinus ostia were patent in all excluding one case that required a stent due to disrupted anatomy. ESS is effective in improving ophthalmic symptoms and signs due to paranasal sinus mucocoele. ESS may be a viable treatment for paranasal sinus mucocoele with orbital extension, and a direct orbital approach is rarely necessary.


[Advantages of oxythiamine bromide as a specific inhibitor of activity of thiamine-dependent enzymes].
Production of hydrogen bromide salt of hydroxythiamine (Ht. HBr) from thiamine bromide was developed its toxic and inhibitory properties towards transketolase and pyruvate dehydrogenase were studied as compared with commercial preparation hydroxythiamine chloride (HT. HCl). As compared with HT. HCl, synthesis of HT. HBr was more simple, the higher yield and purity of the end product were achieved. At the same time, the preparation was less toxic and exhibited the antivitaminous activity similar to the commercial chloride form.


Natural history of alpha-1-protease inhibitor deficiency.
Alpha-1-protease inhibitor (A1PI) exists in over 30 biochemical variants (the Pi system), inherited as autosomal codominant alleles. Homozygotes of Pi type Z have only 10 to 20 percent of the normal serum A1PI concentration and have a high risk of developing pulmonary emphysema. A1PI is an inactivator of polymorph lysosomal elastase, the unopposed action of which may damage the lung. Cigarette smoking is an important additional risk factor. Neonatal hepatitis occurs in 10 to 20 percent of Pi type Z persons, and cirrhosis develops in a number of them in later childhood or in adult life. In heterozygotes of Pi type MZ, pulmonary or hepatic disease may also develop, though they are at lesser risk than type Z homozygotes. Specific A1PI replacement therapy derived from human plasma is now available and has been administered to Pi type Z patients by weekly intravenous infusion without adverse effects. A controlled clinical trial would be desirable, though this would be attended by organizational and economic problems.


Choroidal effusion as a mechanism for transient myopia induced by hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene.
We treated a case of transient myopia in a patient being treated with hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene for tinnitus. The patient underwent gonioscopic, ophthalmoscopic, and echographic examinations. Examination showed anterior chamber flattening and echography disclosed bilateral 360-degree shallow choroidal detachments. All of the patient's symptoms and signs resolved after the cessation of drug therapy.


A unit-level perspective on the long-term sustainability of a nursing best practice guidelines program: An embedded multiple case study.
Best practice guidelines are a tool for narrowing research-to-practice gaps and improving care outcomes. There is some empirical understanding of guideline implementation in nursing settings, yet there has been almost no consideration of the longer-term sustainability of guideline-based practice improvements. Many healthcare innovations are not sustained, underscoring the need for knowledge about how to promote their survival. To understand how a nursing best practice guidelines program was sustained on acute healthcare center nursing units. We undertook a qualitative descriptive case study of an organization-wide nursing best practice guidelines program with four embedded nursing unit subcases. The setting was a large, tertiary/quaternary urban health center in Canada. The nursing department initiated a program to enhance patient safety through the implementation of three guidelines: falls prevention, pressure ulcer prevention, and pain management. We selected four inpatient unit subcases that had differing levels of program sustainability at an average of almost seven years post initial program implementation. Data sources included 39 key informant interviews with nursing leaders/administrators and frontline nurses; site visits; and program-related documents. Data collection and content analysis were guided by a framework for the sustainability of healthcare innovations. Program sustainability was characterized by three elements: benefits, routinization, and development. Seven key factors most accounted for the differences in the level of program sustainability between subcases. These factors were: perceptions of advantages, collaboration, accountability, staffing, linked levels of leadership, attributes of formal unit leadership, and leaders' use of sustainability activities. Some prominent relationships between characteristics and factors explained long-term program sustainability. Of primary importance was the extent to which unit leaders used sustainability-oriented activities in both regular and responsive ways to attend to the relationships between sustainability characteristics and factors. Continued efforts are required to ensure long-term program sustainability on nursing units. Persistent and adaptive orchestration of sustainability-oriented activities by formal unit leadership teams is necessary for maintaining best practice guidelines over the long term. Leaders should consider a broad conceptualization of sustainability, beyond guideline-based benefits and routinization, because the development of unit capacity in response to changing circumstances appears essential.


The hypoglossal nucleus in human embryos at the end of 4th week (stage 13).
The hypoglossal nucleus in embryos at stage 13 extends through the medulla reaching upper cervical segments of the spinal cord. It is formed by elongated group of cells in the ventral part of the basal plate. From the nucleus arise five thick roots which enter the occipital somites.


Cellular schwannoma. A clinicopathologic study of 29 cases.
A series of 29 cellular schwannomas is described in terms of their clinical presentation and course, light and electron-microscopic appearance, immunohistochemical properties and cytogenetics. The study indicates that cellular schwannoma can be defined as a subtype of classical schwannoma, characterized by spindle cells forming a compact fascicular, sometimes fibrosarcoma-like growth pattern, a low mitotic activity, a generally moderate nuclear and cellular polymorphism and a high degree of Schwann cell differentiation as seen by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The tumour is characteristically located close to the vertebral column, in the mediastinum or retroperitoneum and has a benign course. Occasionally bone destruction and neurological symptoms develop. The clinical appearance together with the high cellularity, fascicular pattern and mitotic activity had led to the erroneous diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma in a few cases, and cellular schwannoma may thus be considered to be a pseudosarcoma. Immunohistochemically, cellular schwannomas appear to deviate from classical schwannomas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours by their expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. The chromosome analysis revealed a normal diploid stemline karyotype, with a variety of abnormal clones, including one with monosomy 22.


Two New Zealand outbreaks of norovirus gastroenteritis linked to commercially farmed oysters.
We report on the investigations of two gastroenteritis outbreaks, which were linked to a common source. Retrospective cohort studies were conducted for two gastroenteritis outbreaks which occurred in Auckland and in Waikato. Faecal samples and samples of oyster meat were analysed. Environmental surveys of implicated areas were conducted. 10 out of 16 people who had eaten at a catered event in Auckland, and 3 out of 15 people who had eaten at a Waikato restaurant, experienced gastroenteritis. The symptoms, duration of illness and incubation periods were consistent with norovirus gastroenteritis in both outbreaks. The consumption of oysters was strongly associated with an increased risk of illness. Faecal samples were positive for norovirus. Oysters from both outbreaks were traced back to the same growing area. Samples of oyster meat from one of the restaurants and from the growing area were positive for norovirus. The growing area was closed for further investigation. A pipe from a waste water treatment plant was later found to be leaking partially treated effluent into a stream discharging near the implicated growing area. Investigation of these two outbreaks led to the discovery of a common source of norovirus at a commercial oyster growing area.


De novo fatty acid synthesis and fatty acid elongation catalyzed by subcellular fractions from hog and human aorta.
De novo synthesis and mitochondrial elongation of fatty acids have been demonstrated in subcellular fractions from hog and human aorta. Microsomal fatty acid elongation has been shown in hog aorta. The activity catalyzing the formation of fatty acids from acetyl and malonyl CoA was associated with a high molecular weight complex in the 6 x 10(6) g x min supernatant fraction. The principal product was palmitic acid. Some myristic and stearic acids were also formed. One elongation system was associated with protein which sedimented between 4500 g x min and 150,000 g x min. It used acetyl CoA but not malonyl CoA, and NADH was the preferred reducing agent. Radioactivity from acetyl CoA was incorporated into many fatty acids. In hog aorta a second elongation system was found associated with protein which sedimented at 6 x 10(6) g x min. It used malonyl CoA preferentially as substrate and either NADH or NADPH as reducing agent.


Effects of microscopic testa color and morphologyon the water uptake ability and drought tolerance of germination-stage rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).
Drought is one of the most important abiotic stressors that affect crop yield. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate correlations between germination-stage drought tolerance and the microscopic testa (i.e., seed coat) characteristics (color and papilla morphology) and imbibition abilities of 35 rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) accessions. After 2 h imbibition, seed water uptake (fresh weight increase) was significantly positively correlated with testa hue (HHSB), brightness (BHSB,), blue (BRGB), and lightness (L*), with correlation coefficients of 0.38, 0.34, 0.53, and 0.36, respectively, and significantly negatively correlated with saturation (SHSB), greenness-redness (a*), blueness-yellowness (b*), magenta (M), and yellow components (Y), with correlation coefficients of -0.53, -0.40, -0.53, -0.39, and -0.55, respectively. Furthermore, 5-h seed water uptake was significantly positively correlated with number of papillae (No.P), mean papillae area (APA), the papillae area ratio (PAR), gray value of red channel of papillae, with correlation coefficients of 33, 0.36, 0.43, and 0.43, respectively. Under drought conditions, genotypes with more rapid water absorption exhibited higher germination rates and stronger drought tolerance, and the germination rate and drought tolerance of black-seeded accessions were highest, followed by red-seeded accessions and then yellow-seeded accessions, which exhibited the lowest germination rate and drought tolerance. Germination rate was significantly negatively correlated with BRGB, HHSB, L*, Dg, and Db and significantly positively correlated with SHSB and Y, regardless of drought conditions. At the germination stage, DbTP was negatively correlated with drought tolerance.


A novel approach with a fuzzy sliding mode proportional integral control algorithm tuned by fuzzy method (FSMPIF).
An automobile's vibration can be caused by stimulation from the road's surface. The change in displacement and acceleration values of the sprung mass is used to evaluate the automobile's vibration. Utilizing an active suspension system is recommended in order to attain an increased level of ride comfort. This article presents a novel strategy for regulating the operation of an active suspension system that has been put up for consideration. The PI (Proportional Integral) algorithm, the SMC (Sliding Mode Control) algorithm, and the Fuzzy algorithm served as the basis for developing the FSMPIF algorithm. The signal generated by the SMC algorithm is what is used as the input for the Fuzzy algorithm. In addition, the settings of the PI controller are modified with the help of yet another Fuzzy algorithm. These two Fuzzy methods operate independently from one another and in a setting that is wholly distinct from one another. This algorithm was created in a wholly original and novel way. Using a numerical modelling technique, the vibration of automobiles is investigated with a particular emphasis on two distinct usage situations. In each case, a comparison is made between four different circumstances. Once the FSMPIF method is implemented, the results of the simulation process have demonstrated that the values of displacement and acceleration of the sprung mass are significantly decreased. This was determined by looking at the values before and after implementing the new algorithm. In the first case, these figures do not surpass a difference of 2.55% compared to automobiles that use passive suspension systems. The second case sees these figures falling short of 12.59% in total. As a direct result, the automobile's steadiness and level of comfort have been significantly improved.