Search for the G spot: microvessel and nerve mapping of the paraurethral anterior vaginal wall.
Orgasm and other sexual responses such as pain, arousal and lubrication may be mediated by nerve fibers and vessels in the lamina propria and muscularis of the vaginal wall, in which case the number of nerve fibers and vessels would be associated with sexual functions. The aim of the study is to map the distribution of nerves and vessels in the anterior vaginal wall along the paraurethral region in a systematic fashion. Specimens were taken from women with anterior vaginal wall prolapse undergoing colporrhaphy anterior repair. All specimens were mapped in a standard way starting 15 mm proximal to the external urethral orifice. Selected blocks of samples were immunohistochemically stained: actin, smooth muscle Ab-1 and S100 Protein Ab-1. The numbers of microvessels and nerves in the lamina propria and muscularis were counted in five consecutive high-power fields of a light microscope. Pairwise comparisons of proximal, distal, right and left paravaginal microvessel and nerve fiber density were analyzed with paired-sample t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Vaginal nerve fibers in the lamina propria and muscularis have a fairly even distribution in the anterior vaginal wall. Vaginal small vessel vascularization and microvascularization are also evenly distributed, with no concentrated site along the paraurethral region of the anterior vaginal wall. Nerve fiber, nerve bundle, microvessel and small vessel densities in the lamina propria and muscularis were fairly regular, with no concentrated site on the paraurethral region of the anterior vaginal wall.


Allergic colitis: a mimic of Hirschsprung disease.
Allergy to cow milk protein is a common cause of gastrointestinal symptoms in infancy. Milk allergy is usually a clinical diagnosis, and thus there have been few reports of the radiographic findings. To describe the barium enema findings of allergic colitis and differentiate them from Hirschsprung disease. Materials and methods. Four infants (age range 7 days-5 weeks) with constipation underwent barium enema to exclude Hirschsprung disease. Radiographic findings were correlated with the pathologic specimens from suction rectal biopsy. All enemas revealed irregular narrowing of the rectum and a transition zone. Rectal biopsies in each case demonstrated ganglion cells and evidence of an allergic colitis, with inflammatory infiltrates in the lamina propria. A diagnosis of milk allergy colitis was made and symptoms resolved after removal of milk from the diet. Milk allergy is common in infancy. The rectum is a primary target organ, with allergic colitis often diagnosed on clinical grounds alone. However, a child with allergic colitis may be referred to radiology for barium enema, especially if constipation is present. The radiologist should be aware of the unique imaging findings of allergic colitis, so as to avoid confusion with Hirschsprung disease and perhaps an unnecessary rectal biopsy.


Serological cross-reactivity of murine A.TH anti-A.TL antibody (anti-l-Ek antibody) with La-like molecules of human antigen-presenting cells.
The purified protein derivative (PPD)-specific proliferative responses of T cells from human peripheral blood are shown to be dependent on antigen-presenting cells (APC) which bear HLA-DR antigen detected by the monoclonal anti-HLA-DR antibody. The serological cross-reactivity of murine A.TH anti-A.TL antibody was observed in human APC. By absorption experiments using H-2 congenic mice, the serological cross-reactivity of A.TH anti-A.TL antibody with human APC is mapped in the I-E subregion. Thus, anti-I-Ek antibody reacts with the Ia-like molecule(s) on human APC. Murine allo-anti-I-Ek antibody does not always react with determinants of Ia-like molecule(s) on human APC, since this antibody did not eliminate PPD-specific proliferative responses in one particular case. Thus, anti-I-Ek antibody seems to react some type of the polymorphic determinants but not of the shared determinants of human Ia-like molecule(s) on APC. The relationship between the cross-reactive molecule detected by murine allo-anti-I-Ek antibody and the HLA-DR antigen remains to be analyzed.


Catalytic properties of maltogenic α-amylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus immobilized onto poly(urethane urea) microparticles.
The immobilization of maltogenic α-amylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus (BsMa) onto novel porous poly(urethane urea) (PUU) microparticles synthesized from poly(vinyl alcohol) and isophorone diisocyanate was performed by covalent attachment to free isocyanate groups from PUU microparticles, or by physical adsorption of enzyme onto the surface of the carrier. The influence of structure, surface area and porosity of microparticles on the catalytic properties of immobilized BsMa was evaluated. The highest efficiency of immobilization of BsMa was found to be 72%. Optimal activity of immobilized BsMa was found to have increased by 10°C compared with the native enzyme. Influence of concentration of sodium chloride on activity of immobilized BsMa was evaluated. High storage and thermal stability and reusability for starch hydrolysis of immobilized enzyme were obtained. Immobilized BsMa has a great potential for biotechnology.


Feasibility of the Bag-Mediated Filtration System for Environmental Surveillance of Poliovirus in Kenya.
The bag-mediated filtration system (BMFS) was developed to facilitate poliovirus (PV) environmental surveillance, a supplement to acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in PV eradication efforts. From April to September 2015, environmental samples were collected from four sites in Nairobi, Kenya, and processed using two collection/concentration methodologies: BMFS (> 3 L filtered) and grab sample (1 L collected; 0.5 L concentrated) with two-phase separation. BMFS and two-phase samples were analyzed for PV by the standard World Health Organization poliovirus isolation algorithm followed by intratypic differentiation. BMFS samples were also analyzed by a cell culture independent real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) and an alternative cell culture method (integrated cell culture-rRT-PCR with PLC/PRF/5, L20B, and BGM cell lines). Sabin polioviruses were detected in a majority of samples using BMFS (37/42) and two-phase separation (32/42). There was statistically more frequent detection of Sabin-like PV type 3 in samples concentrated with BMFS (22/42) than by two-phase separation (14/42, p = 0.035), possibly due to greater effective volume assayed (870 mL vs. 150 mL). Despite this effective volume assayed, there was no statistical difference in Sabin-like PV type 1 and Sabin-like PV type 2 detection between these methods (9/42 vs. 8/42, p = 0.80 and 27/42 vs. 32/42, p = 0.18, respectively). This study demonstrated that BMFS can be used for PV environmental surveillance and established a feasible study design for future research.


Cobalt-catalyzed enantioselective desymmetrizing reductive cyclization of alkynyl cyclodiketones.
A highly enantioselective cobalt-catalyzed desymmetrizing reductive cyclization of alkynyl cyclodiketones has been developed. Under mild reaction conditions by employing HBpin as a reducing agent and ferrocene-based PHOX as a chiral ligand, a series of polycyclic tertiary allylic alcohols bearing contiguous quaternary stereocenters are achieved in moderate to excellent yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99%). Broad substrate scope and high functional group compatibility are observed in this reaction. A CoH-catalyzed pathway involving alkyne hydrocobaltation followed by nucleophilic addition to the C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond is proposed. Synthetic transformations of the product are conducted to demonstrate the practical utilities of this reaction.


Optical realization of the ambiguity function of real two-dimensional light sources.
We propose a setup that can generate the sectional ambiguity function of a two-dimensional real light source. The setup is easy to implement; the theoretical analysis and experimental results are given.


Combining two genetic sexing strains allows sorting of non-transgenic males for Aedes genetic control.
Chemical control of disease vectoring mosquitoes Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti is costly, unsustainable, and increasingly ineffective due to the spread of insecticide resistance. The Sterile Insect Technique is a valuable alternative but is limited by slow, error-prone, and wasteful sex-separation methods. Here, we present four Genetic Sexing Strains (two for each Aedes species) based on fluorescence markers linked to the m and M sex loci, allowing for the isolation of transgenic males. Furthermore, we demonstrate how combining these sexing strains enables the production of non-transgenic males. In a mass-rearing facility, 100,000 first instar male larvae could be sorted in under 1.5 h with an estimated 0.01-0.1% female contamination on a single machine. Cost-efficiency analyses revealed that using these strains could result in important savings while setting up and running a mass-rearing facility. Altogether, these Genetic Sexing Strains should enable a major upscaling in control programmes against these important vectors.


Two classes of DNA end-joining reactions catalyzed by vaccinia topoisomerase I.
The ability of a eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase I to catalyze DNA rearrangements was examined in vitro using defined substrates and purified enzyme. Site-specific DNA strand cleavage by vaccinia topoisomerase I across from a nick generated double-strand breaks that could be religated to a heterologous blunt-ended duplex DNA regardless of the sequence of the acceptor molecule. Topoisomerase bound covalently at internal positions could religate the bound strand to an incoming acceptor provided that DNA molecule had sequence homology to the region 3' of the scissile bond. These end-joining reactions suggest two potential modes of topoisomerase-mediated recombination that differ in their requirements for DNA homology.


Distinct kinesin motors drive two types of maize neocentromeres.
A maize chromosome variant called abnormal chromosome 10 (Ab10) converts knobs on chromosome arms into neocentromeres, causing their preferential segregation to egg cells in a process known as meiotic drive. We previously demonstrated that the gene Kinesin driver (Kindr) on Ab10 encodes a kinesin-14 required to mobilize neocentromeres made up of the major tandem repeat knob180. Here we describe a second kinesin-14 gene, TR-1 kinesin (Trkin), that is required to mobilize neocentromeres made up of the minor tandem repeat TR-1. Trkin lies in a 4-Mb region of Ab10 that is not syntenic with any other region of the maize genome and shows extraordinary sequence divergence from Kindr and other kinesins in plants. Despite its unusual structure, Trkin encodes a functional minus end-directed kinesin that specifically colocalizes with TR-1 in meiosis, forming long drawn out neocentromeres. TRKIN contains a nuclear localization signal and localizes to knobs earlier in prophase than KINDR. The fact that TR-1 repeats often co-occur with knob180 repeats suggests that the current role of the TRKIN/TR-1 system is to facilitate the meiotic drive of the KINDR/knob180 system.


Comparison of 4 point-of-care techniques to detect correct positioning of nasogastric tubes in dogs (2020-2021).
To compare 4 point-of-care (POC) techniques to assess nasogastric (NG) tube placement versus radiographs as a reference standard. POC methods included air inflation with auscultation, fluid aspiration with pH measurement, ultrasonography, and capnography. Prospective observational study in hospitalized dogs between 2020 and 2021. University teaching hospital. Fifty-one dogs requiring NG tube placement as part of their normal care. After standard blind NG tube placement, each POC method was performed following standardized instructions. All POC methods were scored as to whether the investigator believed the tube to be in the gastrointestinal tract (as indicated by positive auscultation of borborygmus during insufflation, positive fluid aspiration with pH ≤5, presence of hyperechoic shadow in the esophagus, or absence of capnographic waveform). Subsequently, radiographs were taken to determine NG tube position as a gold standard. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each test as compared to 2-view thoracic radiographs were determined. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for each POC technique were as follows: air auscultation (84.4%, 50.5%, and 80.4%, respectively), neck ultrasound (95.6%, 83.3%, and 94.1%, respectively), capnography (91.1%, 33.3%, and 84.3%, respectively), and fluid aspiration with pH measurement (22.2%, 100%, and 31.4%, respectively). Among the 4 techniques evaluated, neck ultrasound had the best overall performance for assessing NG tube placement. Fluid aspiration with pH measurement might also have potential due to perfect specificity, but its clinical utility may be limited by low sensitivity and accuracy. Nonetheless, 2-view thoracic radiography should still be considered the standard method for confirmation of NG tube placement as none of the 4 POC techniques investigated showed both high sensitivity and perfect specificity.


Depression and internet addiction among adolescents:A meta-analysis.
Depression and Internet addiction (IA) are both prevalent and burdensome in adolescents. Findings on the relationship between depression and IA remain equivocal, and we therefore conducted a meta-analysis to confirm their correlation. We searched for relevant studies, with the last search being conducted on November 10, 2022. Adolescents aged 10 to 24 reported objectively measured depression and IA using scales that have been used worldwide and are valid. Random effect models were used to produce combined odds ratios (OR) and coefficient of regression (β) We included 42 studies presenting data from 102,769 participants. The meta-analysis confirmed that depression is positively correlated with IA and vice versa. Adolescents with depressive disorders were found to have a higher risk of IA. Adolescents with IA were found to have a higher risk of depressive disorders. In addition, IA had a stronger effect on depression risk. Screening for Internet addiction in depressed adolescents is recommended at initial diagnosis and follow-up. Similarly, Internet addicts should be screened regularly for depression.


[Monoclonal antibodies labeled with colloidal gold for immunochromatographic express analysis of diphtheria toxin].
One-step rapid immunochromatographic method for detection of diphtheria toxin in different water samples (phosphate buffer, milk, human nasopharyngeal swab) with the conjugate of monoclonal antibodies labeled with colloidal gold was developed. The limit of visible detection of the diphtheria toxin is 10 ng/ml and 15 min time analysis. The use of silver sensitivity enhancement and scanning equipment decreased the detection limit to 1.25 ng/ml.


Preparation of a mixed human diet material for the determination of nutrient elements, selected toxic elements and organic nutrients: a preliminary report.
Using 201 foods from the United States Food and Drug Administration's Total Diet Study (FDA TDS), a mixed diet composite (USDIET-I) was prepared to represent the intake of 25-30-year-old males in the United States. Proximate analyses, phytate determination, and assays for nutrient elements and selected toxic elements, as well as organic nutrients were carried out on this composite. As part of a quality control exercise for a coordinated research program, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, inductively coupled atomic emission spectrometry, colorimetry and neutron activation analysis were used to determine up to 30 elements in this diet material. A comparison of the daily intakes of As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Se and Zn from the composite USDIET-I shows excellent to good agreement with FDA TDS values calculated from results of single food analyses. These USDIET-I results demonstrate the feasibility of the mixed diet concept as a viable approach for a reliable assessment of daily intakes, especially for a number of elements such as Cd, Cr, Hg and Mo that occur at low concentrations in individual food products. Simultaneously, stability of some organic nutrients during storage was also investigated. Initial findings suggest that this program may also be useful in the development of reference materials for organic nutrients, for which there is a great need. These aspects are discussed.


Major histocompatibility complex regulation of the class of the immune response: the H-2d haplotype determines poor interferon-gamma response to several antigens.
The lymph node cells of CBA (H-2k), but not BALB/c (H-2d) mice, release interferon (IFN)-gamma into the supernatant when immunized with picryl chloride epicutaneously and then exposed to antigen (haptenized cells) in vitro 4 days later. The failure in IFN-gamma production maps to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC; H-2d) in the congenic BALB/c, BALB/k and BALB/b mice. The evidence that this is an MHC regulation of the class of response to a range of antigens and not a classical Ir gene effect is (a) the difference is seen with several antigens including picryl chloride, "oxazolone" and purified protein derivative of tuberculin and (b) BALB/c mice, which fail to produce IFN-gamma, show excellent contact sensitivity to picryl chloride. It was also found that the crosses between responder and nonresponder strains (CBA x BALB/c)F1 respond to antigen on responder cell but not on nonresponder cells. This influence of MHC on the class of the immune response is a possible basis for some of the associations of MHC with disease.


Functions and ecological status of eight Italian lagoons examined using biological traits analysis (BTA).
The soft-bottom communities of eight Italian lagoons were analyzed for eight biological traits (feeding, mobility, adult life habitat, body size, life span, reproductive technique, type of larva and reproductive frequency) in order to identify the dominant traits in different transitional environments. We considered the ecological quality status (EcoQS) of the stations, assessed by two biotic indices, AMBI and Bentix. Stations were categorized into EcoQS classes to investigate the relationship between biological functions and ecological quality. The results indicate that the variability of the data was governed by traits linked to resource utilization rather than to life cycle. Lagoons affected by chronic disturbance displayed a poor functional composition, which usually corresponded to poor EcoQS in some cases, correlations between ecological groups and traits modalities were ecologically relevant; however, classes of EcoQS were found to be relatively independent from the functional structure of the considered stations.


Addressing inter-device variations in optical coherence tomography angiography: will image-to-image translation systems help?
Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is an innovative technology providing visual and quantitative data on retinal microvasculature in a non-invasive manner. Due to variations in the technical specifications of different OCTA devices, there are significant inter-device differences in OCTA data, which can limit their comparability and generalizability. These variations can also result in a domain shift problem that may interfere with applicability of machine learning models on data obtained from different OCTA machines. One possible approach to address this issue may be unsupervised deep image-to-image translation leveraging systems such as Cycle-Consistent Generative Adversarial Networks (Cycle-GANs) and Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models (DDPMs). Through training on unpaired images from different device domains, Cycle-GANs and DDPMs may enable cross-domain translation of images. They have been successfully applied in various medical imaging tasks, including segmentation, denoising, and cross-modality image-to-image translation. In this commentary, we briefly describe how Cycle-GANs and DDPMs operate, and review the recent experiments with these models on medical and ocular imaging data. We then discuss the benefits of applying such techniques for inter-device translation of OCTA data and the potential challenges ahead. Retinal imaging technologies and deep learning-based domain adaptation techniques are rapidly evolving. We suggest exploring the potential of image-to-image translation methods in improving the comparability of OCTA data from different centers or devices. This may facilitate more efficient analysis of heterogeneous data and broader applicability of machine learning models trained on limited datasets in this field.


In vitro bursting strength studies of laser-welded tissue and comparison with conventional anastomosis.
We compared the mechanical integrity of microvascular anastomoses created with a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser with conventional suture anastomoses. Seventy rat femoral artery segments (35 lased and 35 sutured) were harvested at 1, 24, and 72 hours, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. These segments were subjected to increasingly higher in vitro intraluminal hydrostatic pressures (bursting pressure). Conventionally sutured anastomoses exhibited significantly increased ability (p less than 0.05) to withstand greater bursting pressures than the laser-welded tissue up to 3 weeks postoperatively. After the third postoperative week, the laser anastomoses demonstrated increased bursting pressures compared with the conventional anastomoses. At the end of the 12-week period both groups demonstrated an ability to withstand supraphysiologic pressures in excess of 2000 mm Hg.


The Ets transcription factor Fev is specifically expressed in the human central serotonergic neurons.
In the mouse and the rat brain, the Ets transcription factor pet-1 is exclusively expressed in the central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptaminergic: 5-HT) system. In pet-1 null mice, the defect of this factor induces early disruption of the 5-HT function, resulting in an increase in anxiety and aggression; thus indicating its pivotal role in this system. Here, we studied the expression of fev, the homologue of pet-1, in the human brain. We showed that this transcription factor is exclusively expressed in the midline part of the human brainstem containing raphe nuclei, which also specifically expressed 5-HT transporter (sert) and tryptophan hydroxylase (tph), two markers of the 5-HT neurotransmitter system. This clearly suggests that fev is expressed in human serotonergic neurons. While the deficiency of the central serotonergic signaling is a major factor involved in the development of some psychiatric disorders, Fev could be a good diagnosis marker as well as a good target for pharmacological treatments of these patients.


[Arthrograph and operative findings (author's transl)].
Arthrograph and operative findings were compared retrospectively in 57 patients (53 examinations of the knee-,3 of the shoulder-, and 1 of the hip-joint). In medial disk lesions there were differences between arthrograph and operation in 19% (13,5 false positive and 5,5% false negative). In lateral disk lesions there were differences in 13% (5,5% false positive und 7,5% false negative). In a prospective series the results were far better. There were no differences for the shoulder and the hip-joint.


Osteosarcoma of the ethmoid sinus.
A rare case of chondroblastic osteosarcoma arising from the ethmoid sinus is reported. The patient, a 34-year-old woman, presented with diminished visual acuity of the left eye. CT and MR imaging showed a heterogeneous left-sided nasoethmoidal mass destroying the medial orbital wall. Biopsy revealed a chondroblastic osteosarcoma containing malignant chondroid elements and calcified malignant osteoid. Treatment consisted of craniofacial resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy with symptomatic improvement. We briefly discuss ethmoidal osteosarcomas.


Adsorption of di-2-pyridyl ketone salicyloylhydrazone on Amberlite XAD-2 and XAD-7 resins: characteristics and isotherms.
The adsorption of DPKSH onto Amberlite XAD-2 (styrene resin) and XAD-7 (acrylic ester resin) has been investigated, at (25+/-1) degrees C and pH 4.7. The experimental equilibrium data were fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) models. These three models provide a very good fit for both resins and the respective constants KL, KF, and KDR were calculated. For the same DPKSH concentration interval, the minimum time of contact for adsorption maximum at XAD-7 was smaller than at XAD-2 and the maximum amount of DPKSH adsorbed per gram of XAD-2 is smaller than at XAD-7. The investigation indicates that the mean sorption energy (E) characterizes a physical adsorption and the surfaces of both resins are energetically heterogeneous. The constants obtained in these studied systems were correlated and compared with those obtained for the silica gel/DPKSH system.


Danshen-Gegen decoction protects against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition via the redox-sensitive ERK/Nrf2 and PKCε/mKATP pathways in H9c2 cardiomyocytes.
Danshen-Gegen (DG) Decoction, an herbal formulation containing Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae and Radix Puerariae lobatae, has been used for the treatment of coronary artery disease in Chinese medicine. In the present study, the involvement of ERK- and PKCε-mediated pathways in the cytoprotection against apoptosis afforded by DG pretreatment was investigated in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Pretreatment with a methanol extract of aqueous DG decoction protected against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. The cytoprotection was associated the enhancement of cellular reduced glutathione and a reduced sensitivity to Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial permeability transition. DG extract increased the production of cytochrome P-450 (CYP)-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) in H9c2 cardiomyocytes, which was accompanied by the concomitant activation of ERK1/2 and PKCε. The DG-induced ERK1/2 activation was followed by the translocation of Nrf2 from the cytosol to the mitochondria accompanied by an increase in the expression of glutathione-related antioxidant proteins. In addition, the increased expression of hemeoxygenase-1 was associated with the activation of Akt and BAD, indicative of anti-apoptotic activity. In conclusion, DG treatment activated both ERK/Nrf2 and PKCε pathways, presumably by ROS arising from CYP-catalyzed processes, with resultant inhibition of hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis immediately after DG treatment or even after an extended time interval following DG treatment.


Economic Impact of Nursing Student Course Repetition.
Nursing student course repetition is a common occurrence and results in consequences for students and institutions. This study sought to describe the costs of course repetition for nursing students and nursing programs. A qualitative multiple case study approach was used to consider 4 cases, which were analyzed according to Stake's methodology. Students who repeated courses experienced loss of anticipated income and additional expenses associated with extending their time in school. Institutions tended to have limited economic impact so long as attrition was prevented. Nursing programs can consider altering policies to help those who repeat or providing proactive support to prevent students from failing and needing to repeat.


Regulation of leukocyte glass adherence and tube leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) reactivity by serum factors in dogs with progressing or spontaneously regressing canine transmissible venereal sarcoma (CTVS).
We examined the regulation of leukocyte glass adherence and tube leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) reactivity by serum factors in dogs with regressing or progressing canine transmissible venereal sarcomas (CTVS). Both regressor and progressor peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL), draining and non-draining lymph node cells (LNC), and splenic leukocytes were significantly responsive to CTVS antigen extract in tube LAI. In contrast, a significant decrease in basal glass adherence of progressor PBL, draining and non-draining LNC, and splenic leukocytes was observed. Normal glass adherence was restored to progressor leukocytes by extensive washing with warm serum-free media, while significant tube LAI responsiveness to CTVS antigen extract was maintained. Preincubation of regressor PBL and LNC with progressor sera in two-stage tube LAI decreased the basal glass adherence of treated leukocytes. This effect of progressor sera was heat labile, a characteristic of CTVS antigen. Collectively, these findings suggest that progressor leukocytes and progressor sera treated regressor leukocytes were activated by interaction with serum CTVS antigen and thus behaved in tube LAI as stimulated cells, even in the absence of CTVS antigen. Regressor but not progressor sera were shown to contain anti-CTVS IgG with specific arming activity for normal dog PBL, but not LNC in two-stage tube LAI. The nonadherent response of peripheral blood neutrophils in two-stage tube LAI was proportional to the concentration of arming IgG, whereas no change was observed in glass adherence of PBL. The results of this study define the role of progressor and regressor serum factors in the mechanism of tube LAI and demonstrate a relationship between leukocyte glass adherence and the clinical course of CTVS. These findings show that tube LAI is a simple and reproducible measure of active factors in the immune response to a tumor.


Identification of generator criticality and transient instability by supervising real-time rotor angle trajectories employing RBFNN.
Identification of transient stability state in real-time and maintaining stability through preventive control technology are challenging tasks for a large power system while integrating deregulation constraints. Widely employment of the phasor measurement units (PMUs) in a power system and development of wide area management systems (WAMS) give relaxation to monitoring, measurement and control hurdles. This paper focuses on two research objectives; the first is transient stability assessment (TSA) and second is selection of the appropriate member for the control operation in unstable operating scenario. A model based on the artificial machine learning and PMU data is constructed for achieving both the objectives. This model works through prompt TSA status with radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) and validates it with PMU data to determine the criticality level of the generators. To reduce the complexity of the model a transient stability index (TSI) is proposed in this paper. A RBFNN is used to determine the transient stability aspects like stability status of system, coherent group and criticality rank of generator and preventive control action, following a large perturbation. PMUs measure post-fault rotor angle values and these are used as input for training RBFNN. The proposed approach is demonstrated on the IEEE 10-generator 39-bus, 16-generator 68-bus and 50-generator 145-bus test power systems successfully and the effectiveness of the approaches is discussed.


[Endoscopic vein-graft harvesting for coronary bypass grafting: good results in patients at risk for surgical site infection].
To determine the clinical impact of endoscopic vein-graft harvesting in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) who are at risk for surgical site infection. Retrospective cohort study. Of patients undergoing elective CABG between March 1st 2006 and March 1st 2007, 335 were eligible for analysis. The results of endoscopic vein-graft harvesting were compared with traditional open vein-graft harvesting. Medical records of all patients were reviewed and data collection was completed by means of a telephone survey. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of surgical site infections. Secondary outcome measures were duration of hospital stay, patient satisfaction and quality of life. Among the 335 patients included the incidence of surgical site infection was 2.5% following open harvesting (n = 236) and 2.0% following endoscopic harvesting (n = 99; p = 0.08). Patients in the endoscopic harvesting group had more risk factors for surgical site infection (diabetes, peripheral artery disease, obesity). Surgical site infection after open harvesting resulted in a prolonged hospital stay and a higher number of patients undergoing open wound treatment, re-admittance and additional surgical procedures. Total mean hospital stay in the open harvesting group was 7.9 days and 6.1 days in the endoscopic harvesting group (p < 0.05). Patients were more satisfied with the surgical wound after endoscopic harvesting compared with open harvesting (patient satisfaction score: 8.6 versus 7.8; p < 0.001). Endoscopic vein-graft harvesting resulted in a - statistically non-significant - lower incidence of surgical site infection than open harvesting, although the patients had a higher risk for infections. Infections in the endoscopic harvesting group were less severe. The hospital stay was shorter and the patient satisfaction was higher than in the open harvesting group.


Asymmetry of medullary veins on multiphase CT-angiography in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
It was previously demonstrated that decreased cortical venous drainage is a predictive factor of poor clinical outcome in patients with an acute ischemic stroke. The aim of this investigation is to test the hypothesis that the decline in blood flow in medullary veins (MV) on CT angiogram (CTA) of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can also be predictive of clinical outcome. We retrospectively reviewed a database of patients with AIS who were evaluated by multiphase CTA and enrolled individuals with AIS and evidence of occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery, the M1 or M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery, or combination of two occlusions. To characterize asymmetry of MV we used similar principle that was previously established for MV on SWI MR-images; asymmetry was defined was presence of 5 or more contrast opacified MV in one hemisphere as compared to the contralateral side. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by mRS in 90 days. The Fisher Exact test was used to examine the significance of the MV asymmetry. Odds ratio and interrater variability were calculated. 66 patients with AIS were included. The presence of asymmetry in MV was associated with the higher frequency of poor clinical outcomes (84.6% vs 50.9%); the OR was 5.3. Interrater agreement in assessment on MV was moderate in our study (κ=0.55). This study shows that (a) medullary veins can be reliably assessed on multiphase CTA, (b) in patients with AIS, asymmetric appearance of MV is associated with poor clinical outcome.


Stress management and mutual support groups in rheumatoid arthritis.
Stress management and mutual support groups are employed widely in chronic illness, although their efficacy has not been established. To determine the effect of these measures on morbidity and psychologic health in rheumatoid arthritis, 105 patients meeting diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis were evaluated for depression, life satisfaction, functional disability, and indicators of disease activity. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) stress management; (2) mutual support; (3) no intervention (control). After completion of 10 weekly sessions, identical tests were performed for all patients in the intervention and control groups. Patients in the intervention groups showed greater improvement in joint tenderness than did the control patients but did not differ significantly from the patients in the control group in any of the other outcome measures.


Osteogenic response of the rabbit femur to a hydroxyapatite thermal decomposition product-fibrin glue mixture.
The effect of fibrin glue on the hardening process of hydroxyapatite thermal decomposition product (HATDP) was investigated in vitro. To study, in vivo, the effect of fibrin glue on osteogenesis, a mixture of HATDP with fibrin glue was injected into the left femurs of 20 rabbits, and HATDP without fibrin glue was injected into the right femurs. New bone formation was observed in the area of direct contact with the fibrin-containing mixture in the metaphysis at 2 weeks after injection in two of four femurs, but not in the fibrin-free group. At 4 weeks after injection, new bone formed a bridge between the mixture and the cortical bone in three of the four specimens. A parameter of osteogenesis (the affinity index) was calculated at 4, 12 and 24 weeks after injection. It was respectively 0.14+/-0.02, 0.49+/-0.12 and 0.44+/-0.05 for the fibrin-containing mixture, and 0.14+/-0.062, 0.44+/-0.15 and 0.49+/-0.04 for the control. A comparable but significant increase in the average affinity index was noted over 12 weeks in both the fibrin-containing and the fibrin-free HATDP. These findings indicate that fibrin glue accelerated the hardening of HATDP but did not inhibit the process of osteogenesis.


Four typical personal care products in a municipal wastewater treatment plant in China: Occurrence, removal efficiency, mass loading and emission.
The occurrence, removal efficiency, mass loading and environmental emission of four categories (benzotriazoles; parabens; antimicrobials; benzophenones) of personal care products were simultaneously determined along the whole process line through an integrated approach (involving both dissolved and adsorbed phase) at a typical wastewater treatment plant in Hunan Province, Southern China. The results showed the prevalence of 13 and 11 target compounds in wastewater and suspended particulate matter, respectively. Twelve substances were detected in the sludge with the mean concentrations ranging from 0.12 to 591.23 ng/g dry weight. Benzotriazoles were the dominant compounds existing in water and antimicrobials were readily being absorbed onto suspended particulate matter and sludge. The overall removal efficiencies of compounds in the total treatment were -84.06%-98.53%. Mass balance results revealed that 85.17%-98.73% of the parabens and benzophenones were removed by degradation, while antimicrobials were removed by being adsorbed onto sludge. However, benzotriazoles could not be efficiently removed and the mass loss was lower than 61.03%. Although ultraviolet radiation played a limited role in removing most target compounds, it still had an impact on removing antimicrobials, 5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzotriazole and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone. The total mass loading and emission of personal care products were 506.35 mg/d/1000 people and 357.56 mg/d/1000 people, respectively. This work would help understand the removal approaches and real pollution of personal care products in the water environment.


Bigger, better, sooner--scaling up for success.
Over the last twenty years, the field of epidemiology has seen a rapidly increasing interest in, and need for, addressing low-level risks, interactions as well as main effects, and simultaneous assessment of vast numbers of biomarkers. Multiple examples over this time have shown the necessity for very large, high-quality individual studies (e.g., biobanks) or consortia of studies for these efforts to be successful. The need for this will continue to increase in the foreseeable future. It will also be important to analyze and publish aggregated data much earlier in the discovery process than typical for past efforts.


Using machine learning to forecast symptom changes among subclinical depression patients receiving stepped care or usual care.
Subclinical depression (SD) is a mental health disorder characterized by minor depressive symptoms. Most SD patients are treated in the primary practice, but many respond poorly to treatment at the expense of provider resources. Stepped care approaches are appealing for tiering SD care to efficiently allocate scarce resources while jointly optimizing patient outcomes. However, stepped care can be time inefficient, as some persons may respond poorly and be forced to suffer with their symptoms for prolonged periods. Machine learning can offer insight into optimal treatment paths and inform clinical recommendations for incident patients. As part of the Step-Dep trial, participants with SD were randomized to receive stepped care (N=96) or usual care (N=140). Machine learning was used to predict changes in depressive symptoms every three months over a year for each treatment group. Tree-based models were effective in predicting PHQ-9 changes among patients who received stepped care (r=0.35-0.46, MAE=0.14-0.17) and usual care (r=0.34-0.49, MAE=0.15-0.18). Patients who received stepped care were more likely to reduce PHQ-9 scores if they had high PHQ-9 but low HADS-A scores at baseline, a low number of chronic illnesses, and an internal locus of control. Models may suffer from potential overfitting due to sample size limitations. Our findings demonstrate the promise of machine learning for predicting changes in depressive symptoms for SD patients receiving different treatments. Trained models can intake incident patient information and predict outcomes to inform personalized care.


The role of ACC deaminase producing bacteria in improving sweet corn (Zea mays L. var saccharata) productivity under limited availability of irrigation water.
Accumulation of stress ethylene in plants due to osmotic stress is a major challenge for the achievement of optimum sweet corn crop yield with limited availability of irrigation water. A significant increase in earth's temperature is also making the conditions more crucial regarding the availability of ample quantity of irrigation water for crops production. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can play an imperative role in this regard. Inoculation of rhizobacteria can provide resistance and adaptability to crops against osmotic stress. In addition, these rhizobacteria also have potential to solve future food security issues. That's why the current study was planned to examine the efficacious functioning of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains on yields and physiological characteristics of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var saccharata) under different levels of irrigation. Three irrigation levels i.e., 100% (I100 no stress), 80% (I80), and 60% (I60) were used during sweet corn cultivation. However, there were four rhizobacteria strains i.e., P. fluorescens P1, P. fluorescens P3, P. fluorescens P8, P. fluorescens P14 which were used in the experiment. The results showed that severe water stress (60% of plant water requirement) decreased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll contents, Fv/Fm ratio and nutrients uptake. A significant increase in F0, Fm, proline, total soluble sugars, catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) activity led to less ear yield and canned seed yield. Combination of four strains significantly increased the yield traits of sweet corn i.e., ear and (44%) and canned seed yield (27%) over control. The highest promoting effect was observed in the combination of four strains treatment and followed by P1 strain in reducing the harmful effects of drought stress and improving sweet corn productivity. However, P14 gave minimum improvement in growth and yield indices under limited availability of water. In conclusion, combination of four strains inoculation is an efficacious approach for the achievement of better yield of sweet corn under osmotic stress.


Positivity and incidence of human papillomavirus in women attending gynecological department of a major comprehensive hospital in Kunming, China 2012-2014.
HPV DNA testing is receiving increasing popularity in cervical cancer screening. There is a lack of universal guidelines on HPV testing. Our study aimed to assess age-specific and year-on-year trend of HPV positivity and incidence and HPV retesting among 26,457 individual women attending the gynecological department at the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province (FPHY) who had an HPV testing between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014. HPV 16, HPV 52, and cp8304 ranked among top 5 with regard to positivity in each year and overall incidence. The positivity of various HPV types peaked among women aged 15-19 years, then sharply decreased with age, stabilized among women aged 25-49 years and then surged again among women aged 50 years and older. The positivity of high-risk (HR) HPV types, including HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 56 and 58, were on the rise during the time period (P < 0.05 for all). HR HPV types tended to be more likely to persist than LR HPV types (P < 0.05). Additionally, the incidence rate for any HR HPV type was also significantly higher than that for any LR HPV type (42.8 vs. 12.6 per 100 person-years, P < 0.001). The majority (57.3-77.5%) of women detected with HR HPV types did not retest within 12 months. Clinical guidelines on HPV DNA testing are needed and education, and counseling about HPV infection and its implications for women detected with HPV at clinical settings, are warranted.


Influence of Sintering Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of In Situ Reinforced Titanium Composites by Inductive Hot Pressing.
This research is focused on the influence of processing temperature on titanium matrix composites reinforced through Ti, Al, and B₄C reactions. In order to investigate the effect of Ti-Al based intermetallic compounds on the properties of the composites, aluminum powder was incorporated into the starting materials. In this way, in situ TixAly were expected to form as well as TiB and TiC. The specimens were fabricated by the powder metallurgy technique known as inductive hot pressing (iHP), using a temperature range between 900 °C and 1400 °C, at 40 MPa for 5 min. Raising the inductive hot pressing temperature may affect the microstructure and properties of the composites. Consequently, the variations of the reinforcing phases were investigated. X-ray diffraction, microstructural analysis, and mechanical properties (Young's modulus and hardness) of the specimens were carried out to evaluate and determine the significant influence of the processing temperature on the behavior of the composites.


Constitutive expression and functional characterization of mitochondrial glutaredoxin (Grx2) in mouse and human brain.
Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by loss of complex I activity are presumed to be primary events leading to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. Mitochondrial glutaredoxin (Grx2), a glutathione-dependent thiol disulfide oxidoreductase helps maintain redox homeostasis in the mitochondria. We therefore, examined the constitutive expression of Grx2 in brain and its role in MPTP-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction in the extrapyramidal system. Grx2 is constitutively expressed in both neuron and glia in mouse and human brain including the neurons in human substantia nigra. Grx2 mRNA and protein were transiently upregulated in midbrain and striatum 1 h but not 4 h after a single dose of MPTP. Downregulation of Grx2 using antisense oligonucleotides, in vivo, in mouse brain resulted in partial loss of complex I activity indicating that Grx2 may help maintain complex I function in the mitochondria. Further, overexpression of Grx2 abolished MPP(+)-mediated toxicity in vitro in neuroblastoma cells. Our results demonstrate the probable role of Grx2 in maintenance of the redox milieu in mitochondria and its potential neuroprotective role in preserving mitochondrial integrity in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease.


Extracellular free calcium and potassium during paroxsmal activity in the cerebral cortex of the cat.
Extracellular calcium and potassium activities (aCa and aK) as well as neuronal activity were simultaneously recorded with ion-sensitive electrodes in the somatosensory cortex of cats. Baseline aCa was 1.2-1.5 mM/l, baseline aK 2.7-3.2 mM/l. Transient decreases in aCa and simultaneous increases in aK were evoked by repetitive stimulation of the contralateral forepaw, the nucleus ventroposterolateralis thalami and the cortical surface. Considerable decreases in aCa (by up to 0.7 mM/l) were found during seizure activity. A fall in aCa preceded the onset of paroxysmal discharges and the rise in aK after injection of pentylene tetrazol. The decrease in aCa led also the rise in aK during cyclical spike driving in a penicillin focus. It is concluded that alterations of Ca++ dependent mechanisms participate in the generation of epileptic activity.


Different adsorption behaviors of methane and carbon dioxide in the isotypic nanoporous metal terephthalates MIL-53 and MIL-47.
A distinct step in the isotherm occurs during the adsorption of CO2 on MIL-53 at 304 K. Such behavior is neither observed during the adsorption of CH4 on MIL-53 nor during the adsorption on the isostructural MIL-47. This phenomenon seems to be due to a different mechanism than that of previous adsorption steps on MOF samples. It is suggested that a breathing behavior is induced in MIL-53 during CO2 adsorption.


Higher Serum C-reactive Protein Level Represents the Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment in Patients With Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.
C-reactive protein (CRP), a representative inflammatory marker, could serve as a biomarker in renal cell carcinoma because CRP is an important prognostic factor. However, its detailed mechanism remains unknown. This study showed that higher CRP levels correlated with the tumor immune microenvironment, which leads to a worse prognosis. These findings can help to clarify the underlying mechanisms between the presence of systemic inflammatory reaction and prognosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between tumor immune microenvironment and CRP in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to explore the underlying mechanisms between CRP level and prognosis. Immunohistochemical measurement of CD4, CD8, CD163 (M2 macrophages), and Foxp3 (Regulatory T [Treg] cells) was performed in patients with clear-cell RCC (n = 111) treated with radical or partial nephrectomy at our institution. The association between immunohistochemical status and preoperative serum CRP level and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was analyzed. Thirty-three patients (30%) had a high CRP level (≥ 5.0 mg/L), and the CSS rate was significantly worse among these patients than among the remaining patients (P < .001). In patients with strong infiltration of CD8+, Foxp3+, or CD163+ cells, CRP levels were significantly higher (P = .041, P = .001, and P = .035, respectively), and CSS was significantly worse compared with patients with weak infiltration (P = .040, P = .026, and P < .001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, strong CD163+ cells infiltration (P = .001) as well as pathologic T3 (P = .036), lymph-node involvement (P = .007), distant metastasis (P < .001), and Fuhrman nuclear grade 4 (P = .003) were independent prognostic factors for CSS. Infiltration of the immunosuppressive cells known as Tregs and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment is associated with higher CRP and poor prognosis in patients with clear-cell RCC. CRP could reflect an immunosuppressive microenvironment.


Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility confirmed in both parents of probands. A report of three Austrian families.
From 1976 to 1986, 79 cases of suspected malignant hyperthermia (MH) were reported to the authors' institution. A total of 233 muscle biopsies was done in 66 families. The mother and father of the proband were investigated in 44 families; in three of these, both parents of probands gave positive test results. These three families, all from Vorarlberg, a secluded mountain area, represent 4.5% of all our MH-positive families (n = 61) and 7.3% of all MH-positive families where both parents had been tested (n = 41). This observation might be explained by: 1) a much higher incidence of MH in this part of Austria, and 2) a different test policy, as at the authors' institution, if possible, both parents are investigated, even if there is a positive test result in one of them. It is concluded that family investigations of MH susceptibility should always include both parents of a proband.


Improving the Run-Time of Space-Efficient n-Gram Data Structures Using Apache Spark.
Storing information in memory efficiently is one of the most significant challenges in computer science. The two main factors that consist an efficient data structure is the reduction of space and time consumption. There is a plethora of different tools able to reduce the run-time of a process, and Apache Spark is one of these; it is a computing framework that is using clusters to execute a process. There are two key features in this software, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) that maps the execution process and the resilient distributed datasets (RDD), which allow large in-memory computations. In order to construct a data structure, which is space- and time-efficient, we have to utilize the corresponding framework. A comparison of the run-time improvement with the use of Spark is also provided. Finally, to prove the efficacy of this software tool, we construct a space-efficient data structure and compare the run-time with and without its use.


MicroRNA-182-5p aggravates ulcerative colitis by inactivating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway through DNMT3A-mediated SMARCA5 methylation.
This research focused on novel molecular mechanisms underlying microRNA (miR)-182-5p in ulcerative colitis (UC). Colon tissues were obtained from UC patients, and dextrose sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced Caco-2 cell models were generated. Then, miR-182-5p, SMARCA5, and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were altered in IL-1β-stimulated Caco-2 cells and DSS-treated mice to assess their function. MiR-182-5p and SMARCA5 were upregulated and DNMT3A, β-catenin, and Cyclin D1 were downregulated in UC patients, IL-1β-stimulated Caco-2 cells, and DSS-treated mice. Mechanistically, miR-182-5p targeted DNMT3A to upregulate SMARCA5, thus blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, SMARCA5 silencing or Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation repressed apoptosis and augmented proliferation and epithelial barrier function of IL-1β-stimulated Caco-2 cells. SMARCA5 silencing annulled the impacts of miR-182-5p overexpression on IL-1β-stimulated Caco-2 cells. SMARCA5 silencing or miR-182-5p inhibition ameliorated intestinal barrier dysfunction in DSS-treated mice. Collectively, miR-182-5p aggravates UC by inactivating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway through DNMT3A-mediated SMARCA5 methylation.


Secreted miRNAs suppress atherogenesis.
Endothelial-vascular smooth muscle cell communication has a critical role in cardiovascular homeostasis and the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. A study now demonstrates extracellular-vesicle-mediated transfer of the atheroprotective microRNAs miR-143/145 between endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells, providing compelling evidence that intercellular transport of miRNAs can influence a pathological process, namely atherosclerosis.


Locally delivered modified citrus pectin - a galectin-3 inhibitor shows expected anti-inflammatory and unexpected regeneration-promoting effects on repair of articular cartilage defect.
Treating the concomitant inflammation in the process of injury and repair, and simultaneously promoting cartilage regeneration is very important for the repair of articular cartilage (AC) defects. Nevertheless, this remains a massive challenge. To address this issue, a collagen membrane-based modified citrus pectin (MCP) delivery system (MCP-C) was developed in this study by targeting galectin-3 (Gal-3), an upstream proinflammatory factor. As expected, MCP shows anti-inflammatory effects; it downregulates the expressions of IL-1β, MMP13, Gal-3, and COL1A2, inhibits the degenerative effects of Gal-3 on chondrocytes in vitro, and protects chondrocytes from degeneration and death in vivo. Unexpectedly, MCP promotes the proliferation of chondrocytes, upregulates the expression of COL2A1 and SOX9 in the chondrocytes in vitro, and enhances the repair of AC defect in rabbit knee, especially MCP500-C with a complete release of the loading amount of approximately 500 μg/cm2 in a day. Mechanistically, MCP upregulates the expressions of multiple endogenous growth factors for chondrogenesis via the transcriptome sequencing of MCP-treated chondrocytes, and downregulates the expressions of various inflammatory factors. These findings demonstrate that locally delivered MCP can simultaneously modulate both regenerative and inflammatory responses, and can enhance the repair of AC defects.


Functional beta-cell maturation is marked by an increased glucose threshold and by expression of urocortin 3.
Insulin-expressing cells that have been differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells in vitro lack the glucose responsiveness characteristic of mature beta cells. Beta-cell maturation in mice was studied to find genetic markers that enable screens for factors that induce bona fide beta cells in vitro. We find that functional beta-cell maturation is marked by an increase in the glucose threshold for insulin secretion and by expression of the gene urocortin 3.


Genetic hypertension and the kidney.
The relationship between the kidney and genetic hypertension has been assessed in light of the changes seen in some kidney and cell functions during the phases preceding and accompanying the development of "genetic" types of hypertension in rats and humans. Comparison of the kidney function of normotensive subjects likely to develop hypertension with that of matched controls resistant to hypertension showed, in the former, a higher glomerular filtration rate (GFR), greater tubular reabsorption, larger 24-h urinary output, larger fraction of cardiac output to the kidney, and lower plasma renin activity. After the transplantation of a kidney from a subject in the hypertension-prone group, recipients had higher blood pressure and required more antihypertensive therapy than recipients of kidneys from the hypertension-resistant group. In humans this finding is not as clear as in rats. During the development of hypertension most of these differences in kidney function in the two groups of subjects tend to disappear. The changes in cell function, measured particularly in rats, were consistent with the organ function changes. Cell volume and sodium content were lower, while the transport rate across the cell membrane was faster in proximal tubular cells of rats with genetic hypertension than in the appropriate controls. This is in keeping with the concept of a primary increase in proximal tubular reabsorption leading, on the one hand, to an increase in GFR and renal blood flow and a decrease in renin and, on the other, to an increase in blood pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder and the extrahepatic bile duct.
The clinical records of 68 patients with primary carcinoma of the gallbladder (39 cases) and the extrahepatic biliary tracts (29 cases) were comparatively reviewed. The survivals with carcinoma of the gallbladder were limited to five patients operated upon because of cholelithiasis and/or cholecystitis. The majority of the cases preoperatively diagnosed as cancer of the gallbladder were not able to undergo radical cholecystectomy. Of seven patients with radically resected tumors among 29 cases with carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary tracts, only two patients survived and other five died with locally recurrent tumors. This experience reemphasizes the inadequacy of the present diagnosing approaches to the diseases. Therefore, for discovery of the early cases with primary carcinoma of the gallbladder and the extrahepatic biliary tracts, it may be far more important to make more aggressive measures by using newly developed diagnosing tools.


Prevalence of white coat effect in treated hypertensive patients in the community.
Patients receiving drug therapy for hypertension in the tertiary care setting frequently exhibit higher office readings compared to ambulatory blood pressure values (white coat effect). In this study, the prevalence of a white coat effect was determined in an unselected population of 147 hypertensive patients receiving treatment from their family physicians in the community. The proportion of patients with a white coat effect (defined as office - ambulatory blood pressure > or = 20/10 mm Hg) was significantly (P < .001) higher when based upon the family physician's routine blood pressure readings (91/147), compared to special readings taken by the family physician for the study (54/147) or readings taken by a research nurse (30/147). There was a higher correlation (P < .05) between the ambulatory systolic blood pressure and the nurse's readings (r = 0.62) or special physician's readings (r = 0.55) v the routine physician's readings (r = 0.34). Left ventricular mass index as measured by echocardiography correlated (P < .01) with the special physician (r = 0.27), nurse (r = 0.23), and ambulatory systolic blood pressure readings (r = 0.24), but not with the routine physician's readings (r = 0.06). A white coat effect is frequently present in treated hypertensive patients when blood pressure is recorded by family physicians in routine clinical practice.


Psychosocial correlates of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use: findings from a Nigerian university.
The possible correlates of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use were investigated in a survey conducted among undergraduate students of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Factors that emerged as common correlates to the three substances investigated were peer influence, self-reported poor mental health, religiousity, parental/guardian supervision, perceived availability and perceived harmfulness. In addition, drinking and smoking were found to be commoner among the male sex and among respondents who reported study difficulty. There was also a significant positive relationship between cannabis use and a polygamous family background and belonging to an older age group. Although the data used in the analysis is limited due to its cross-sectional nature, the observations made are useful enough for the formulation of primary prevention strategies. A further and more elaborate longitudinal study is, however, suggested.


Black beans and red kidney beans induce positive postprandial vascular responses in healthy adults: A pilot randomized cross-over study.
Consuming pulses (dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas, lentils) over several weeks can improve vascular function and decrease cardiovascular disease risk; however, it is unknown whether pulses can modulate postprandial vascular responses. The objective of this study was to compare different bean varieties (black, navy, pinto, red kidney) and white rice for their acute postprandial effects on vascular and metabolic responses in healthy individuals. The study was designed as a single-blinded, randomized crossover trial with a minimum 6 days between consumption of the food articles. Vascular tone (primary endpoint), haemodynamics and serum biochemistry (secondary endpoints) were measured in 8 healthy adults before and at 1, 2, and 6 h after eating ¾ cup of beans or rice. Blood pressure and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were lower at 2 h following red kidney bean and pinto bean consumption compared to rice and navy bean, respectively (p < 0.05). There was greater vasorelaxation 6 h following consumption of darker-coloured beans, as shown by decreased vascular tone: PWV was lower after consuming black bean compared to pinto bean, augmentation pressure was lower after consuming black bean compared to rice and pinto bean, and wave reflection magnitude was lower after consuming red kidney bean and black bean compared to rice, navy bean, and pinto bean (p < 0.05). LDL-cholesterol concentrations were lower 6 h after black bean consumption compared to rice (p < 0.05). Overall, red kidney and black beans, the darker-coloured beans, elicited a positive effect on the tensile properties of blood vessels, and this acute response may provide insight for how pulses modify vascular function.


Structural model of channelrhodopsin.
Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are light-gated cation channels that mediate ion transport across membranes in microalgae (vectorial catalysis). ChRs are now widely used for the analysis of neural networks in tissues and living animals with light (optogenetics). For elucidation of functional mechanisms at the atomic level, as well as for further engineering and application, a detailed structure is urgently needed. In the absence of an experimental structure, here we develop a structural ChR model based on several molecular computational approaches, capitalizing on characteristic patterns in amino acid sequences of ChR1, ChR2, Volvox ChRs, Mesostigma ChR, and the recently identified ChR of the halophilic alga Dunaliella salina. In the present model, we identify remarkable structural motifs that may explain fundamental electrophysiological properties of ChR2, ChR1, and their mutants, and in a crucial validation of the model, we successfully reproduce the excitation energy predicted by absorption spectra.


Mitral Valve Replacement in Infants and Children: Experience Using a 15-mm Mechanical Valve.
Reports using a 15-mm mechanical valve for mitral valve replacement (MMVR) in children are limited. We review our center's operative and postoperative experience with this valve. We performed a single-center retrospective chart review identifying patients having undergone MMVRs between 2009 and 2022. We analyzed short- and long-term outcomes using descriptive statistics. Fifteen patients underwent 16 MMVRs with no operative deaths. The median age and weight at the time of operation was 6.2 months (interquartile range [IQR] 4.4-13.7), and 5.16 kg (IQR 4.5-6.9), respectively. Ten implants (66%) were placed in the supraannular position. Median postoperative duration of intubation was 1.5 days (IQR 1.0-3.75), cardiac intensive care unit length of stay was 6 days (IQR 3-13.5), and overall hospital length of stay was 17.0 days (IQR 12-48.5). Three patients (20%) experienced major adverse events postoperatively. Four of 13 patients discharged home (31%) required readmission within 30 days for subtherapeutic/supratherapeutic international normalized ratio values. There were no surgical mortalities and 4 late mortalities (27%). Six patients underwent subsequent MMVR at a median time to second MMVR of 6.8 (IQR 3.6-8.9) years. There are 6 patients with the original 15-mm MVR at a median time of 4.7 years since placement. We present the largest single-center cohort of patients having undergone 15-mm MMVR. Our experience is distinguished by a lower rate of major adverse events than previously reported, durability of the device, and a rapid postoperative recovery time. Appropriate and consistent anticoagulation is a notable challenge in this age group.


Vertical distribution characteristics of soil mercury and its formation mechanism in permafrost regions: A case study of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
Continuing permafrost degradation is increasing the risk of mercury (Hg) exposure in the permafrost regions on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), but related studies are still limited, especially the ones on the detailed Hg migration processes in permafrost. The vertical distribution characteristics of soil Hg were investigated in three ecosystems in the Beiluhe area on the QTP, and its influencing factors and formation mechanism were investigated. The results indicate that the total soil mercury (THg) concentration in the Beiluhe area remains at an extremely low level (6.33 ± 2.45 ng/g). In the vertical profile, the THg concentration of the shallow soil layer (0-50 cm) (5.96 ± 2.22 ng/g) is significantly lower than that of the deep layer (50-400 cm) (7.44 ± 2.71 ng/g) (p < 0.05). Within the upper 50 cm, the THg concentration decreases with soil depth, and the peak THg concentration occurs at 100-300 cm on the entire profile. Although the THg concentration is slightly affected by the organic matter in the shallow soil layer, in general, the soil parent material is the dominant factor affecting the THg concentration. Intense weathering results in a low THg concentration in the shallow soil layer because the soil Hg is carried downward with the soil moisture. To a certain depth, the impermeable frozen soil layer intercepts the flow of the soil Hg, and it forms a Hg enrichment layer. This paper presents the distinctive pattern of the soil Hg distribution in the permafrost regions of the QTP.


Antinociceptive profile of ring A-reduced progesterone metabolites in the formalin test.
The present study investigated the effect of acute systemic administration of six progesterone metabolites on formalin-induced pain in the rat. The 3alpha-hydroxylated metabolites allopregnanolone and pregnanolone are highly potent positive modulators at the GABA(A) receptor and produced a biphasic effect on pain in the formalin test. Dose-dependent antinociception was observed at lower doses (maximal antinociception at 0.16mg/kg) and was reversed at higher doses. Bicuculline abolished the antinociceptive effect. The 3beta-hydroxylated epipregnanolone and isopregnanolone are inactive or only weekly active at the GABA(A) receptor, and did not affect formalin-induced pain. 5alpha- and 5beta-dihydroprogesterone have also been shown to have low affinity for the GABA(A) receptor, but can be rapidly metabolized to their 3alpha-hydroxylated counterparts. In the formalin test, they produced a biphasic effect on pain similar to that of pregnanolone and allopregnanolone, but with lower potency. The effect was reversible by bicuculline, showing involvement of the GABA(A) receptor, and was blocked by indomethacin, implying that the antinociceptive effect is dependent on their conversion to allopregnanolone or pregnanolone. The results indicate that GABA-ergic progesterone metabolites modulate nociception. A change in levels of GABA-ergic progesterone metabolites, such as is observed in depression, chronic fatigue and premenstrual dysphoric disorder could, therefore, contribute to the pain complaints associated with these disorders.


Effects of smoking on arterial distensibility, central aortic pressures and left ventricular mass.
The effects of smoking on central aortic pressures and the age-related increase in left ventricular mass (LVM) are largely unknown. We studied the relationship between smoking, arterial distensibility, central aortic pressures and left ventricular mass in two population-based studies. Data was obtained from two German population-based studies (KORA and SHIP, participants' ages 25-84 years). We identified 114 normotensive current smokers and 185 normotensive all-time non-smokers in KORA as well as 400 and 588 such individuals in SHIP. Echocardiographic LVM was obtained at baseline (T0) and follow-up after ten years (T1) in KORA and at follow-up (T1) in SHIP. Additionally, pulse-wave analysis-based central aortic pressure and augmentation index (AIx) were measured at T1 in KORA. Cross-sectional analysis, using KORA T0 and SHIP T1, revealed in both studies a higher covariate-adjusted LVM and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in smokers as compared with non-smokers. Moreover, in the KORA T1 examination, the smokers demonstrated a more pronounced increase, relative to baseline, of LVM (+13.5%) and LVMI (+13.4%) compared to non-smokers (+8.59% and +8.65%; p=0.036 and 0.042, respectively). Additionally, at KORA T1 smokers had a higher central systolic blood pressure and higher AIx than non-smokers (p=0.012 and p=0.001, respectively). The difference in central aortic pressure due to enhanced and more prolonged wave reflection may explain our finding of a further pronounced increase in left ventricular wall thickness and mass over time in smokers.


Two- and three-dimensional piezoelectric scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
The incidence of bone disorders worldwide is increasing. For this reason, new and more effective strategies for bone repair are needed. The most common strategy used for cell regeneration relies in biochemical stimulation while biophysical stimulation using mechanical, and electrical cues is a promising, however, still under-investigated field. This work reports on the development of piezoelectric 2D and 3D porous scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration strategies. While the porous scaffolds mimic the bone's structure, the piezoelectric activity of the scaffolds mimics the bone mechano-electric microenvironment. The piezoelectric activity is related to the electroactive β-phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) in the scaffolds and was dynamically stimulated by cell culture in a custom-made mechanical bioreactor. These two factors combined provide an effective biomimetic environment for the proliferation of preosteoblasts. The electromechanically-responsive scaffolds are found to promote the enhancement of proliferation rate of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells in about 20 % as well as an improved adhesion and proliferation over the materials, mainly when dynamically stimulated. These results prove that local piezoelectric effect, as the one existing in bone tissue, allows effective cell proliferation, which could be further translated in more efficient strategies for bone tissue regeneration.


Characterization of a 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole binding to T box antiterminator RNA.
The T box riboswitch regulates the transcription of many bacterial genes by structurally responding to cognate non-aminoacylated (uncharged) tRNA. The riboswitch contains multiple conserved RNA elements including a key structural element, the antiterminator, which binds the tRNA acceptor end nucleotides. Previous studies identified a lead 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole, GHB-7, that disrupted formation of a tRNA-antiterminator RNA model complex. The affinity and molecular interactions of GHB-7 binding to antiterminator model RNA were characterized as part of a comprehensive T box antiterminator RNA-targeted drug discovery project. In-line probing, UV-monitored thermal denaturation and docking studies all consistently indicated that GHB-7 likely binds to the bulge region of the antiterminator, reduces the flexibility of the bulge nucleotides and, overall, stabilizes the RNA secondary structure. These results begin to elucidate possible mechanisms for ligand-induced inhibition of tRNA binding to T box antiterminator RNA and contribute to the knowledge of how small molecules bind relatively simple RNA structural elements such as bulges.


Effect of megestrol acetate on weight loss, body composition and blood screen of gastrointestinal cancer patients.
Reduced food intake is probably the major cause of continuing weight loss in cancer patients. Therefore, agents which stimulate food intake may be of significant benefit to such patients. To examine this, a randomized double-blind placebo controlled study of megestrol acetate was carried out. 38 gastrointestinal cancer patients with weight loss (8-43% of pre-illness stable weight) were entered into the study. 26 were evaluable at 6 weeks and 21 at 12 weeks. Clinical details, serum biochemistry and haematology were examined at 6 and 12 weeks and total body water, total body potassium at 12 weeks after the baseline assessment. There was no significant weight change in either group over the 6 or 12 weeks. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in total body water, total body potassium, blood biochemistry or haematology between the groups over the study period. It does not appear that megestrol acetate at a dose of 480 mg/day results in weight gain in advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients with weight loss.


Freeze fracture analysis of the axolemma of cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons in the absence of Schwann cells.
The distribution of intramembranous particles within the axolemma of cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons was determined by freeze-fracture microscopy. Utilizing culture conditions which eliminate Schwann cells, the particle distribution of the P-face, 735 +/- 119 microns2, and E-face, 100 +/- 39 microns2 resembled that of pre- and non-myelinated axons in vivo and no node-like E-face particle patching was seen. These results indicate that cultured neurite development is similar to that seen in vivo and that axons maintained in a glial-free environment do not develop nodal, E-face membrane specializations.


Dissection of thymocyte signaling pathways by in vivo expression of pertussis toxin ADP-ribosyltransferase.
Stimulation of the T lymphocyte antigen receptor-CD3 complex (TCR-CD3) causes T cell activation by a process associated with increased phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activity. Evidence exists suggesting that GTP-binding (G) proteins, particularly the pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive Gi proteins, participate in this signal transduction pathway. To clarify the role of Gi proteins in TCR-CD3 signaling, and to investigate other possible functions of Gi molecules in T cells, we expressed the S1 subunit of PT in the thymocytes of transgenic mice using the lymphocyte-specific lck promoter. Transgenic thymocytes contained S1 activity and exhibited profound depletion of Gi protein PT substrates in a manner suggesting their inactivation by S1 in vivo. Nevertheless, treatment of transgenic thymocytes with mitogenic stimuli provoked normal increases in intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations and IL-2 secretion, indicating that Gi proteins are not required for T cell activation. These normal signaling responses notwithstanding, mature thymocytes accumulated in lck-PT mice and did not appear in secondary lymphoid organs or in the circulation. Viewed in the context of the known features of Bordetella pertussis infection, our results suggest that a PT-sensitive signaling process, probably involving Gi proteins, regulates thymocyte emigration.


Prolonged survival in Richter syndrome with subsequent reemergence of CLL: a case report including serial cell-surface phenotypic analysis.
The development of a large cell lymphoma in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (Richter syndrome) is associated with a poor prognosis. There is dispute regarding the clonal origin of the large cell component. We described a patient in whom prolonged remission of the large cell component was achieved with combination chemotherapy, followed by subsequent reemergence of the less aggressive CLL clone. Serial cell surface phenotypic data are presented suggesting origin of both histologies from a common B-cell clone.


A Permanent Soundscape Monitoring System for the Care of Animals in Aquaria.
Sound pressure levels in facilities that house acoustically sensitive animals should be monitored on a regular basis as a standard component of animal care. Monitoring of noise levels in the pools housing Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (Pacific white-sided dolphins) at the Vancouver Aquarium during regular operations revealed average sound pressure levels (SPLs) across all frequency bins of 91.9 (range 87.0-104.5) dB re 1 μPa Root Mean Square (RMS). Sustained pressure levels were highest during cleaning, where ambient noise levels increased approximately 25 dB re 1 μPa RMS.


The phthalocyanines: a new class of mammalian cells photosensitizers with a potential for cancer phototherapy.
Phthalocyanines, porphyrin-like compounds with maximum absorption in the red, which were previously reported to localize selectively in tumours, have been shown to be efficient photosensitizers of mammalian cells in culture, thus making them possible candidates to replace haematoporphyrin derivatives in cancer phototherapy.


Absence of association between serum folate and preeclampsia in women exposed to food fortification.
To evaluate serum folate concentration early in pregnancy and any association with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in a population exposed to folic acid supplementation and food fortification. This is a nested case-control study based on a prospective cohort of 7,929 pregnant women recruited in the Quebec City metropolitan area, including 214 participants who developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and 428 normotensive participants in the control group matched for parity, multiple pregnancy, smoking status, gestational, and maternal age at inclusion, and duration of blood sample storage. Serum folate levels were measured at a mean of 14 weeks of gestation. More than 98% of the participants took folic acid or multivitamins before the end of the first trimester. Mean serum folate levels were accordingly high and there were no differences between women who further developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy compared with women in the control group (60.1 nmol/L compared with 57.9 nmol/L; P=.51). The proportion of participants with serum folate below the 10th percentile (less than 22.3 nmol/L) of age-matched women in our outpatient population was similar between groups (P=.66) and no participant had levels generally defined as folate deficiency (less than 10 nmol/L). In a general cohort of pregnant women benefiting from a national policy of folic acid food fortification combined with a high adherence to folic acid supplementation, serum folate levels are high and do not differ between women who develop a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and women who remain normotensive. Further supplementation with higher doses is unlikely to be beneficial in such populations. II.


Working memory: trouble in mind.
Visual working memory has been found to depend on interactions between the prefrontal cortex and visual association areas; the neurons involved can be modulated by dopamine. These new findings have relevance for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.


Comparison of Zn accumulation and speciation in kernels of sweetcorn and maize differing in maturity.
Understanding the speciation of Zn in edible portions of crops helps identify the most effective biofortification strategies to increase the supply of nutrients for improving the health and nutrition of consumers. Kernels of 12 sweetcorn and three maize (Zea mays) varieties were analysed for Zn concentration and content. The speciation of the Zn in the embryos, endosperms and whole kernels at 21, 28 and 56 days after pollination (DAP) was then examined for one maize and one sweetcorn variety using synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Averaged across all sweetcorn and maize varieties at 21 DAP, the embryo contributed 27-29% of the whole kernel Zn whilst the endosperm contributed 71-73 %. While sweetcorn embryos contributed a lower proportion to the total kernel Zn than those of maize, the proportion of total Zn in the embryo increased as kernels aged for both varieties, reaching 33 % for sweetcorn and 49% for maize at 28 DAP. Using XAS, it was predicted that an average of 90 % of the Zn in the embryos was present as Zn-phytate, while in the endosperm the Zn was primarily complexed with an N-containing ligand such as histidine and to a lesser extent with phytate. However, in maize endosperms, it was also observed that the proportion of Zn present as Zn-phytate increased as the kernel matured, thereby also probably decreasing its bioavailability in these mature maize kernels. The apparent low bioavailability of Zn supplied in maize at its consumption stage (i.e. mature kernels) probably undermines the effectiveness of biofortification of this crop. Conversely, successful biofortification of Zn in sweetcorn and green maize consumed as immature kernels could potentially provide a good source of bioavailable Zn in human diets.


Desirable attributes of public educational websites.
Certain attributes are particularly desirable for public educational websites, and websites for ethics education in particular. Among the most important of these attributes is wide accessibility through adherence to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards for HTML code. Adherence to this standard produces webpages that can be rendered by a full range of web browsers, including Braille and speech browsers. Although almost no academic websites, including ethics websites, and even fewer commercial websites are accessible by W3C standards, as illustrated by the Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science <http://onlineethics.orsg>, even websites created on limited budgets and with an undergraduate student staff can fulfill these standards. Other desirable attributes, such as provision of annotation for all links and the use of annotated links to give the user alternate ways of ordering and organizing content, are important for making full use of the educational possibilities of hypermedia for websites.


Mitochondrial function in vivo: spectroscopy provides window on cellular energetics.
Mitochondria integrate the key metabolic fluxes in the cell. This role places this organelle at the center of cellular energetics and, hence, mitochondrial dysfunction underlies a growing number of human disorders and age-related degenerative diseases. Here we present novel analytical and technical methods for evaluating mitochondrial metabolism and (dys)function in human muscle in vivo. Three innovations involving advances in optical spectroscopy (OS) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) permit quantifying key compounds in energy metabolism to yield mitochondrial oxidation and phosphorylation fluxes. The first of these uses analytical methods applied to optical spectra to measure hemoglobin (Hb) and myoglobin (Mb) oxygenation states and relative contents ([Hb]/[Mb]) to determine mitochondrial respiration (O2 uptake) in vivo. The second uses MRS methods to quantify key high-energy compounds (creatine phosphate, PCr, and adenosine triphosphate, ATP) to determine mitochondrial phosphorylation (ATP flux) in vivo. The third involves a functional test that combines these spectroscopic approaches to determine mitochondrial energy coupling (ATP/O2), phosphorylation capacity (ATP(max)) and oxidative capacity (O2max) of muscle. These new developments in optical and MR tools allow us to determine the function and capacity of mitochondria noninvasively in order to identify specific defects in vivo that are associated with disease in human and animal muscle. The clinical implication of this unique diagnostic probe is the insight into the nature and extent of dysfunction in metabolic and degenerative disorders, as well as the ability to follow the impact of interventions designed to reverse these disorders.


A synthesis of a rationally designed inhibitor of cytochrome P450 8B1, a therapeutic target to treat obesity.
Mice that lack the gene for expression of cytochrome P450 8B1 (P450 8B1) resist weight gain and improve glucose tolerance when fed a high-fat diet. Thus, the inhibition of P450 8B1 is a target to treat obesity-associated metabolic disorders. P450 8B1 is the enzyme that hydroxylates its substrate, 7α-hydroxy-cholest-4-en-3-one to 7α-,12α-dihydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, which ultimately results in the formation of cholic acid. Cholic acid is the 12α-hydroxylated bile acid implicated in enhanced absorption of cholesterol. The synthesis of a rationally designed inhibitor for P450 8B1 was achieved through the incorporation of a C12-pyridine in the C-ring of a steroid molecule. Seven days of new inhibitor treatment showed attenuation of glucose intolerance in mice that were fed a high fat and a high sucrose diet (HFHS) without affecting body weight. Taken together, these promising results will lead to a P450 8B1 inhibitor as a potential therapeutic strategy to treat obesity-associated insulin resistance.


The effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in the treatment of hypertension and diabetes.
obesity has become a public health problem in Brazil and worldwide, due to its high prevalence. It is considered a risk factor for systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and type 2 diabetes mellitus T2DM. Although lifestyle changes can control and even achieve complete T2DM remission, most patients have difficulty controlling blood glucose. Recent studies show that the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is efficient for weight loss and control of T2DM and SAH in obese individuals. to analyze the effect of the RYGB technique on the control and treatment of comorbidities related to obesity. this is a retrospective cohort study, with information obtained from the review of medical records, with data collection in the pre and postoperative period of patients undergoing bariatric surgery. We selected those with T2DM and SAH for the study. 252 patients underwent RYGB in the service. Seventy-nine (31.3%) had T2DM and 64 had SAH associated with T2DM. Regarding T2DM and SAH, 37.9% and 43,7%, respectively, showed total remission of the disease after surgery. There was a reduction in the postoperative use of Metformin, insulin / Gliclazide, Propranolol, Losartan and Hydrochlorothiazide in 62%, 10.1%, 100%, 26.5% and 22.8% of patients, respectively. the RYGB technique is effective in the remission of T2DM and SAH. Even in cases where there was no total remission of the diseases, there was a significant drop in the use of medicines used for their treatment.


Schwann cells and peripheral nervous system myelin in the rat retina.
Within the retinal nerve fiber layer of a 6-week-old Sprague-Dawley rat, scattered aggregates of PNS myelinated axons have been found and described. We believe this is likely to represent a normal but rare phenomenon in the rat.


A high-throughput method for the quantification of iron saturation in lactoferrin preparations.
Lactoferrin is considered as a part of the innate immune system that plays a crucial role in preventing bacterial growth, mostly via an iron sequestration mechanism. Recent data show that bovine lactoferrin prevents late-onset sepsis in preterm very low birth weight neonates by serving as an iron chelator for some bacterial strains; thus, it is very important to control the iron saturation level during diet supplementation. An accurate estimation of lactoferrin iron saturation is essential not only because of its clinical applications but also for a wide range of biochemical experiments. A comprehensive method for the quantification of iron saturation in lactoferrin preparations was developed to obtain a calibration curve enabling the determination of iron saturation levels relying exclusively on the defined ratio of absorbances at 280 and 466 nm (A(280/466)). To achieve this goal, selected techniques such as spectrophotometry, ELISA, and ICP-MS were combined. The ability to obtain samples of lactoferrin with determination of its iron content in a simple and fast way has been proven to be very useful. Furthermore, a similar approach could easily be implemented to facilitate the determination of iron saturation level for other metalloproteins in which metal binding results in the appearance of a distinct band in the visible part of the spectrum.


Epidemiological modeling for COVID-19 spread in India with the effect of testing.
A novel coronavirus has resulted in an outbreak of viral pneumonia in China. Person-to-person transmission has been demonstrated, but, to our knowledge, the spreading of novel coronavirus takes place due to an asymptomatic carrier. Most models are not considering testing and underlying network topology that shows the spreading pattern. By failing to integrate testing into the epidemiological model, models missed a vital opportunity to better understand the role of asymptomatic infection in transmission. In this work, we propose a model considering testing as well as asymptomatic infection considering underlying network topology. We extract the transmission parameters from the data set of COVID-19 of India and apply those parameters in our proposed model. The simulation results support our theoretical derivations, which show the impact of testing and asymptomatic carrier in infection spreading.


[Molecular profiling and predictive signatures. Biomarker analysis in ovarian cancer].
The identification of tissue-based biomarkers is a major task for molecular cancer research. As ovarian cancer is a malignancy with a particular poor prognosis, new diagnostic tests are needed for the planning of an individualized therapy. Diagnostic biomarkers are investigated on different biological levels using genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics or metabolomics as a major approach. Protein biomarkers as well as RNA biomarkers can be measured in formalin-fixed tissue using immunohistochemistry as well as new techniques for isolation of nucleic acids. Furthermore, gene expression as well as metabolic signatures can be determined using frozen tissue. In a first evaluation, metabolomics has been used to investigate different types of ovarian tumors. In a systems pathology approach the results from the different biological levels are integrated to a combined signature that reflects the biological behaviour of the tumor.


Putting our money where our mouth is? The degree of women-centred family planning in the era of FP2020.
The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development was a landmark moment for the international family planning community, who committed to adopt a women-centred approach to programming-one that would prioritise the reproductive and contraceptive intentions, or autonomy, of individuals over population-level demographic concerns. The FP2020 partnership, established in 2012 and lasting until 2020, also described itself using women-centred language. However, throughout the period of FP2020, critics questioned the extent to which women-centred principles truly defined why family planning programmes were funded and how they were implemented. In this study, we use thematic discourse analysis to examine six major international donors' rationale(s) for funding family planning and the measurements they used to articulate successful programming. We present an overview of the rationales and measurements used by all six donors before offering four case studies to demonstrate divergences in their approaches. Our analysis demonstrates that, although donors described the importance of family planning for fostering women's autonomy and empowerment, they also justified family planning on the basis of demographic concerns. In addition, we identified a misalignment between how donors described family planning programmes-using the language of voluntarism and choice-and how they measured their success-through increased uptake and use of contraceptive methods. We call on the international family planning community to reflect on their true motives for funding and implementing family planning and engage in radically rethinking how they capture programme success, in order to better align their rhetoric with their practice.


Multilocus analysis indicates that Trypanosoma cruzi I genetic substructure associated with sylvatic and domestic cycles is not an attribute conserved throughout Colombia.
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, has been classified into six discrete typing units (DTUs) named TcI to TcVI. Furthermore, subcontinental scale studies based on analysis of the splice leader intergenic region (SL-IR) of the mini-exon gene have subdivided TcI in five genetic groups (Ia-Ie) related to the domestic and non-domestic cycles. However, a current review of this marker among all the sequences deposited in the GenBank demonstrates no correlation between the genetic structure and the eco-epidemiological features of parasite transmission. In this study, we performed a multilocus analysis of TcI isolates from a diverse array of hosts and vectors in a wide eco-geographical area of Colombia. Sequences from SL-IR and mitochondrial cyt b genes as well as PCR-RFLP profiles for four nuclear genes were analyzed. Multilocus analysis indicates that genetic structuration associated with sylvatic and domestic cycles in Colombia is not an attribute conserved across the entire eco-geography where TcI can be found.


[Healing of internal organs with the use of Polish-made hemostatic gelatin-starch sponges].
The authors carried out comparative examinations of tissue reaction in rats in liver, spleen, and kidneys to the hemostatic polish sponge and Spongostan. The sponge produced in Poland fulfills the conditions set to hemostatic preparations acting locally, and stands in comparison with the Spongostan.


Taurine and human nutrition.
Taurine (2-aminoethane sulphonic acid), a ubiquitous beta-amino acid not incorporated into proteins but found either free or in some simple peptides is considered as a conditionally semi-essential amino acid in man. Once thought of as no more than an innocuous end product of cysteine metabolism, taurine has in recent years generated much interest due to research findings indicating a role in numerous physiological processes. These roles are varied and include membrane stabilization, detoxification, antioxidation, osmoregulation, maintenance of calcium homeostasis, and stimulation of glycolysis and glycogenesis. Intracellular and plasma taurine levels are high and although cellular taurine is tightly regulated, plasma levels are known to decrease in response to surgical injury and numerous pathological conditions including cancer, trauma and sepsis. Decreased plasma concentrations can be restored with supplementary taurine. Although the importance of taurine as a physiological agent with pharmacological properties is now recognised, the potential advantages of dietary supplementation with taurine have not as yet been fully exploited and this is an area which could prove to be of benefit to the patient.


[Ossifying fibroma of the upper jaw of probable periosteal origin].
The AA. describe a case of bone producing fibroma rising in a young patient after the drawing of a tooth. Histological reports, effected with different methods, confirmed this diagnosis.