McCall Culdoplasty vs. Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation after vaginal hysterectomy: comparison of postoperative vaginal length and sexual function in postmenopausal women.
To compare preoperative and postoperative vaginal length in sexually active postmenopausal women who underwent vaginal hysterectomy with McCall Culdoplasty or Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation and investigate whether these findings are correlated with sexual function. Fifty-eight sexually active postmenopausal women planned to undergo vaginal hysterectomy during the reconstructive surgical treatment of stage 2 or 3 uterine prolapse were included. They were classified into two groups according to their self-selections. Twenty-nine women underwent McCall Culdoplasty adjunct to hysterectomy while 29 women had Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation with hysterectomy. Vaginal length was measured before and after vaginal surgery at 6-week and 6-month follow-up. Sexual function were assessed by Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire-12 form, preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. It was found that McCall Culdoplasty and Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation adjunct to vaginal hysterectomy shortened vaginal length significantly. And, the decrease in vaginal length was greater in McCall Culdoplasty group compared to Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation group. However, preoperative and postoperative sexual function questionnaire scores were not correlated with vaginal lengths. McCall Culdoplasty or Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation adjunct to vaginal hysterectomy shortens vaginal length postoperatively. However these changes do not affect sexual function in postmenopausal women.


Olfactory function in dialysis patients: a potential key to understanding the uremic state.
Impaired olfactory function is a marker of neurologic dysfunction in the uremic state. Retained uremic toxins not adequately cleared with dialysis may undermine the integrity of the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb and malign central olfactory processing. The evidence suggests that only renal transplantation, with its concomitant thorough reversal of uremia, truly restores olfactory function to normal in end-stage renal disease. Testing of olfactory function may emerge as an important marker for the extent and resolution of uremia.


The comparison between the growth fraction of bilateral vestibular schwannomas in neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) and unilateral vestibular schwannomas using the monoclonal antibody MIB 1.
Formalin-fixed paraffin sections of 55 consecutive bilateral vestibular schwannomas in 46 patients with neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2), and 50 patients with unilateral vestibular schwannomas were investigated immunohistochemically with the monoclonal antibody MIB 1 directed against recombinant parts of Ki-67 antigen. The immunohistochemical staining was carried out on dewaxed microwave oven-processed paraffin sections of formalin-fixed tumour tissues. The labelling index (LI) obtained was compared to clinical and histological findings in both groups. There was no correlation between the LI and age of the patients, tumour size, or histological type of tumour (Antoni A or B). Vestibular schwannomas in NF2 showed higher LI than unilateral vestibular schwannomas: the maximal LI found per section (LI max) ranged from 0.4 to 17.6% (mean, 2.7%) in NF2 schwannomas, and from 0 to 9% (mean, 2.2%) in unilateral schwannomas. These differences may express immunohistochemically some clinical and morphological differences between bilateral and unilateral vestibular schwannomas.


[Dysphagia after taking an acetaminophen-tablet during oral anticoagulation].
The bezoar is only one example for an urgent indication for endoscopic intervention during oral anticoagulation. Because of the lack of life-threatening indication the endoscopy often is delayed for 1 to 3 days until the International Normalized Ratio (INR) is nearly in normal range. As well as the application of unique guidelines on endoscopy during oral anticoagulation new future oral anticoagulants with lower half-life may help to shorten suffering of patients.


Epidural extension of infected chest wall haematoma and empyema causing spinal cord compression.
We report a case of thoracic epidural extension of an infected extra-pleural and chest wall haematoma with evidence of spinal cord compression and signs of cauda equina. Emergency spinal cord decompression with laminectomy followed by thoracotomy was performed.


[Reduction of obesity and improvement in metabolic parameters by inhibition of intestinal lipases: current results with orlistat].
Until recently, obesity did not play a major role in considerations of physicians and public health authorities. The impact of health-threatening overweight was so far considered only as a risk factor for various other serious illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia, elevated blood lipid levels and of vascular diseases of the heart, the brain and the kidneys. Recently however, obesity has been rated by the WHO as an unique disease, resulting in elevated morbidity and mortality. It is of constantly increasing importance because of the raising number of obese individuals in all industrial countries. In Austria an incidence of 8.5% of the adult population is estimated to be obese with a BMI > 30. Though the established concept for treatment of overweight consists of reduction of the caloric intake by diet, there is an obvious need for drugs making dieting easier acceptable to obese patients for prolonged periods. Orlistat is the first representative of a new class of such drugs, inhibiting intestinal acting lipase thus reducing the intestinal absorption of triglycerides; it contributes, therefore, to a reduced calorie intake. Preliminary results of treatment studies with Orlistat are presented, demonstrating its efficacy in inducing weight loss and improving metabolic parameters with tolerable intestinal side effects. After finalization of international studies, demonstrating efficacy and tolerability, orlistat has been registered in Austria in September 1998.


Transillumination detection of a growing skull fracture.
Transillumination is shown to be an effective device in the early diagnosis of enlarging skull fractures in children.


Structural basis for hypermodification of the wobble uridine in tRNA by bifunctional enzyme MnmC.
Methylaminomethyl modification of uridine or 2-thiouridine (mnm5U34 or mnm5s2U34) at the wobble position of tRNAs specific for glutamate, lysine and arginine are observed in Escherichia coli and allow for specific recognition of codons ending in A or G. In the biosynthetic pathway responsible for this post-transcriptional modification, the bifunctional enzyme MnmC catalyzes the conversion of its hypermodified substrate carboxymethylaminomethyl uridine (cmnm5U34) to mnm5U34. MnmC catalyzes the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent oxidative cleavage of carboxymethyl group from cmnm5U34 via an imine intermediate to generate aminomethyl uridine (nm5U34), which is subsequently methylated by S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) to yield methylaminomethyl uridine (mnm5U34). The X-ray crystal structures of SAM/FAD-bound bifunctional MnmC from Escherichia coli and Yersinia pestis, and FAD-bound bifunctional MnmC from Yersinia pestis were determined and the catalytic functions verified in an in vitro assay. The crystal structures of MnmC from two Gram negative bacteria reveal the overall architecture of the enzyme and the relative disposition of the two independent catalytic domains: a Rossmann-fold domain containing the SAM binding site and an FAD containing domain structurally homologous to glycine oxidase from Bacillus subtilis. The structures of MnmC also reveal the detailed atomic interactions at the interdomain interface and provide spatial restraints relevant to the overall catalytic mechanism.


Injectable Treatments and Nonsurgical Aspects of Gender Affirmation.
Injectable treatments are valuable tools to be considered in those seeking facial gender-affirming therapies. As stand-alone procedures, they are unlikely to meet expectations, particularly in those seeking facial feminization. However, injectables can be useful for those seeking to transition into another gender role, who are not ready for more permanent surgical treatment. They are also useful to help fine-tune features to one's satisfaction. Transgender people in the United States are more likely than the general population to be impoverished, and thus the cost of injectables may be a more salient concern.


Symptom changes in patients with pre-existing psychiatric disorders in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: Vulnerability of female patients and patients with mood disorders.
How patients with pre-existing psychiatric disorders are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic remains unclear, and no comprehensive studies have yet been performed. To elucidate (1) which psychiatric disorders were exacerbated during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) the contributing factors, we prospectively assessed psychiatric symptoms of 1592 psychiatric outpatients in a single-center study using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) before the state of emergency was declared in Japan and during two months under the state of emergency (study period: April 8 to June 7, 2020). We conducted a chi-squared test for the relationship between psychiatric diagnostic category (ICD-10) and exacerbation. To control for confounders, we conducted a logistic regression analysis using sex, age, diagnostic category, and pre-pandemic GAF score as independent variables. Exacerbation rates of patients with mood disorders (F3) and neurotic disorders (F4) were 4.32% and 5.37%, respectively, and were significantly higher than those for patients with organic disorders (F0) and schizophrenic disorders (F2) (X2 (9, N = 1592) = 27.8, p < .01). Logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with F3 and female patients were significantly more affected than patients with other disorders or male patients, respectively (odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.4 (1.2-4.6), p < .01 for F3; 3.1 (1.5-6.6), p < .01 for females). These findings suggest a need for careful management of patients with mood disorders and female psychiatric patients during a pandemic.


Lithium prevents rat steroid-related osteonecrosis of the femoral head by β-catenin activation.
This study explored the use of lithium to prevent rat steroid-related osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) through the modulation of the β-catenin pathway. ONFH was induced by methylprednisolone combined with lipopolysaccharide, and serum lipids were analyzed. ONFH was detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Micro-CT-based angiography and bone scanning were performed to analyze vessels and bone structure, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was analyzed. Protein levels of phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β at Tyr-216 (p-Tyr(216) GSK-3β), total glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and β-catenin, as well as mRNA levels of GSK-3β and β-catenin in femoral heads, were assessed. The rate of empty bone lacunae in the femoral heads was lower in the lithium and control groups than in the model group. The lithium group showed preventive effects against steroid-related vessel loss by micro-CT-based angiography and VEGF staining. Lithium treatment improved hyperlipidemia and reduced PPARγ expression. Moreover, lithium improved steroid-related bone loss in micro-CT bone scans and BMP-2 staining analyses. Furthermore, local β-catenin was reduced in steroid-related ONFH, and lithium treatment increased β-catenin expression while reducing p-Tyr(216) GSK-3β levels. The local β-catenin pathway was inhibited during steroid-related ONFH. Lithium may enhance angiogenesis and stabilize osteogenic/adipogenic homeostasis during steroid-related ONFH in rats by activating the β-catenin pathway.


Role of Oral Microbial Infections in Oral Cancer.
The role of bacterial and viral carcinogenesis in the oral cavity is increasingly of interest, as a means to provide more methods of cancer prevention. There may be relationships between bacteria and multiple strains of viruses in the progression of malignancy. Cancer cause is closely related to the type of carcinogen, as well as the synergistic or additive actions of combined risk factors, the susceptibility of the host, and duration of interaction between host and exposure to risk factor. Much research is underway to further define the role of microbial and bacterial agents in the progression of malignancy.


Characteristics and outcomes of postpartum cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: A subgroup analysis of the ACTION-CVT study.
There is a relative paucity of data regarding long-term outcomes and treatment-related complications in women of childbearing age with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). We sought to determine whether outcomes differ in women of childbearing age with versus without postpartum CVST. We retrospectively analysed 373 non-pregnant females of childbearing age (18-45 years) included in the multicenter observational Anticoagulation in the Treatment of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis study (ACTION-CVT). Comparisons were made between postpartum (first 12 weeks from delivery, n=38 [10.2%]) versus non-postpartum women (n=335 [89.8%]). The primary outcomes of interest were one-year risk of all-cause death, venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence, and major hemorrhage (i.e., new or worsening intracranial hemorrhage or major extracranial hemorrhage). Secondary outcomes were the discharge disposition and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge and 90 days. Postpartum status was associated with greater risk of seizures (42.1% versus 20.9%, p=0.003), venous infarction (47.4% versus 29.5%, p=0.025), intracranial hemorrhage (55.3% versus 36.1%, p=0.022), and requirement for neurosurgical treatment (13.2% versus 3.6%, p=0.021). There was no significant association with one year all cause death (N=373 HR=1.35, 95%-CI=0.15-11.87, p=0.784), VTE recurrence (N=373, HR=1.27, 95%-CI=0.45-3.59, p=0.648), major hemorrhage (N=373, HR=1.36, 95%-CI=0.46-4.0, p=0.581) as well as excellent (mRS[0-1]: OR=1.58, 95%-CI=0.4-7.1, p=0.554) and good (mRS[0-2]: OR=0.92, 95%-CI=0.2-4.27, p=0.918) 90-day mRS. Results were similar after adjustment for potential confounders. Although CVST in the 12-week postpartum period was more frequently associated with early complications, 90-day functional disability and one-year outcomes were similar to women with CVST unrelated to pregnancy.


[Mycoses and antifungals: What is the situation in Senegal in the current context?]
In the context of increasing incidence of fungal infections worldwide, the availability of antifungal drugs was studied in Senegal, a country with limited resources where diagnosis of invasive fungal infections is not often established by lack of specialists and/or diagnostic tools. After a background on the country's situation with regard to fungal infections and the drug distribution network in Senegal, a compilation of the various available antifungals was presented before concluding with recommendations to prepare for a situation that could allow to treat appropriately invasive mycoses.


Characterization and localization of HLA antigens on hydatidiform mole.
Frozen sections of three specimens of hydatidiform mole were stained with monoclonal antibodies to HLA Class I and Class II antigens by means of an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. Class I (HLA A, B, C) antigens were detected on proliferating extravillous trophoblast and on villous stromal cells but not on quiescent villous trophoblast. Trophoblast Class I antigen was detected with four different antibodies to monomorphic determinants but not with antibodies to the appropriate polymorphic HLA A or B type. Stromal cells were reactive with all Class I antibodies. Class II (HLA DR) antigens were not detected on any molar tissue. The expression of HLA antigens by molar tissue is similar to that of the normal first-trimester human placenta.


[A clinical case of botulism].
A patient with botulism (type E) has been subject to complex therapy, which involved specific serotherapy, infusion therapy, and controlled lung ventilation with the following assisted lung ventilation.


Low doses of prophylactic cranial irradiation effective in limited stage small cell carcinoma of the lung.
Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) for the prevention of brain metastasis in small cell lung cancer remains controversial, both in terms of efficacy and the optimal dose-fractionation scheme. We performed this study to evaluate the efficacy of PCI at low doses. One hundred and ninety-seven patients were referred to our institution for treatment of limited stage small cell carcinoma of the lung between June 1986 and December 1992. Follow-up ranged from 1.1 to 89.8 months, with a mean of 19 months. Eighty-five patients received PCI. Patients receiving PCI exhibited brain failure in 15%, while 38% of untreated patients developed metastases. This degree of prophylaxis was achieved with a median total dose of 25.20 Gy and a median fraction size of 1.80 Gy. At these doses, acute and late complications were minimal. Patients receiving PCI had significantly better 1-year and 2-year overall survivals (68% and 46% vs. 33% and 13%). However, patients with a complete response (CR) to chemotherapy and better Karnofsky performance status (KPS) were overrepresented in the PCI group. In an attempt to compare similar patients in both groups (PCI vs. no PCI), only patients with KPS > or = 80, CR or near-CR to chemotherapy, and treatment with attempt to cure, were compared. In this good prognostic group, survival was still better in the PCI group (p = 0.0018). In this patient population, relatively low doses of PCI have accomplished a significant reduction in the incidence of brain metastasis with little toxicity. Whether such treatment truly improves survival awaits the results of additional prospective randomized trials.


Biological Effects Assessment of Antibiofouling EDCs: Gaeta Harbor (South Italy) Benthic Communities' Analysis by Biodiversity Indices and Quantitative gpx4 Expression.
The most representative organisms of the Harbor of Gaeta Gulf in South Italy were analyzed for biofouling by visual census and confirmed later by molecular approach on an artificial Conatex panel dipped 3 m into a eutrophic area during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mitochondrial Cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1(COI) gene was sequenced from 20 different marine species (flora: 2 families, 2 orders; fauna: 16 families, 11 orders) to test whether the morphology-based assignment of the most common biofouling member was supported by DNA-based species identification. Twelve months of submersion resulted in generation of sufficient data to obtain a facies climax represented mainly by the bivalve mollusk, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Specific diversity and variations of the biofouling biomasses were analyzed using two different anti-biofouling paints: an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC)-containing metal biocide, and a biocide-free paint. Also, their effects on detoxification and reproductive health of M. galloprovincialis were evaluated using glutathione S-transferase enzymatic activity and RTqPCR expression of the fertility antioxidant gene glutathione peroxidase 4 (gpx4). The obtained data provide useful indications on which future investigations may be focused and may become a potential management tool for a harbor biofouling database to assist local administrations in EDCs protection of autochthonous benthic communities and their fertility using innovative antifouling paints.


Cost-effectiveness analysis: stress ulcer bleeding prophylaxis with proton pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs) present varying pharmacological efficacy in preventing stress ulcer bleeding (SUB) in intensive care units. The literature also reports disparate rates of ventilator-assisted pneumonia (VAP) as side effects of these treatments. We compared the cost-effectiveness of these two prophylactic pharmacological options. We constructed a decision tree with a 60-day time horizon for patients at high risk for developing SUB, receiving either PPIs or H2RAs. For each treatment strategy, patients could be in one of three states of health: SUB, VAP, or no complication. Contemporary, clinically relevant probabilities were obtained from a broad literature search. Costs were estimated by using a representative US countrywide database. A third-party payer perspective was adopted. Cost-effectiveness and univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses were performed. Probabilities of SUB and VAP were 1.3% and 10.3% for PPIs versus 6.6% and 10.3% for H2RAs, respectively. Lengths of stay and per diem costs were 24 days and US $2764 for SUB, 42 days and US $3310 for VAP, and 14 days and US $2993 for patients without complications. Average costs per no complication were US $58,700 for PPIs and US $63,920 for H2RAs. The H2RA strategy was dominated by PPIs. Sensitivity analysis showed that these findings were sensitive to VAP rates but PPIs remain cost-effective. The acceptability curve shows the stability of the probabilistic results according to varying willingness-to-pay values. PPI prophylaxis is the most efficient prophylactic strategy in patients at high risk of developing SUB when compared with using H2RAs.


No further increase in the parent reported prevalence of allergies in Bavarian preschool children: Results from three cross-sectional studies.
After three decades of an increase in the prevalence of asthma and allergies, new findings show a plateau in the prevalence of industrialized nations. The objective of this study was to determine whether there was a change in the parent reported prevalence of asthma and allergies among Bavarian preschool children since 2004. A parent questionnaire was administered as part of the Bavarian school entrance examination in three cross-sectional studies from 2004/2005, 2006/2007 and 2012/2013. The questionnaire included items on allergy testing history, identified allergens, symptoms (e.g. wheezing, itchy eyes, rash), medically diagnosed asthma, hay fever and atopic dermatitis. Logistic regression was performed to observe time patterns and adjust for risk factors. Data were available for 6350 (2004/2005), 6483 (2006/2007) and 5052 (2012/2013) individuals. Symptoms and diseases were more frequent in boys, except for allergies which affect the skin. From 2004 to 2012 the parent reported prevalence of asthma (2.6% to 2.8%), hay fever (4.7% to 4.0%) and atopic dermatitis (12.4% to 11.1%) either remained quite stable or decreased not significantly. Results from these three cross-sectional surveys of parent reports suggest that the parent reported prevalences of asthma and allergies are quite stable with small fluctuations since 2004 for Bavarian preschool children. Future research is needed to determine if this trend will continue.


Emotion recognition in body dysmorphic disorder: application of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by perceived appearance-related defects, often tied to aspects of the face or head (e.g., acne). Deficits in decoding emotional expressions have been examined in several psychological disorders including BDD. Previous research indicates that BDD is associated with impaired facial emotion recognition, particularly in situations that involve the BDD sufferer him/herself. The purpose of this study was to further evaluate the ability to read other people's emotions among 31 individuals with BDD, and 31 mentally healthy controls. We applied the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task, in which participants are presented with a series of pairs of eyes, one at a time, and are asked to identify the emotion that describes the stimulus best. The groups did not differ with respect to decoding other people's emotions by looking into their eyes. Findings are discussed in light of previous research examining emotion recognition in BDD.


Preferences for scarce medical resource allocation: Differences between experts and the general public and implications for the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study concerns what lay people believe is the best way to allocate scarce medical resources. A sample of 515 individuals completed a short questionnaire asking them to rank-order eight different ethical positions with respect to the allocation of scarce resources. They showed a strong preference for the 'saves most lives' and 'sickest first' options, with 'reciprocity' and a 'lottery' being least favoured. There was a reasonable degree of unanimity amongst respondents and comparatively few correlations with individual difference factors such as demography. The preference results are compared to expert recommendations (Emanuel et al., 2020, N. Engl. J. Med., 382, 2049) made in light of the current coronavirus pandemic, and differences are highlighted. Implications for scare medical resource allocations are discussed, and limitations of the study acknowledged.


The feeding ecology of the dingo : III. Dietary relationships with widely fluctuating prey populations in arid Australia: an hypothesis of alternation of predation.
Changes in the diet of dingoes (Canis familiaris dingo) in response to measured fluctuations of prey populations were followed over 7 years. The study began after great rains had broken a long drought. Eruptions of rodents and rabbits followed, but some prey were always either relatively abundant (live cattle) or scarce (red kangaroo, lizards, birds). Cattle carcasses were increasingly available during a subsequent drought. Small and medium-sized prey, rodents (26%), lizards (12%) and rabbits (56%) were preferred, probably because they were easily caught. Only rabbits were caten consistently regardless of density. By contrast, large prey were eaten in relatively large amounts only during drought, with initial emphasis on red kangaroos (15% overall) and then cattle (17%) mostly as carcasses. The diet was functionally related to the respective abundances of all major prey species, but the relationship shifted during drought when predation on low populations was most severe. There was evidence that growth of resurging prey populations were suppressed by predation. Diets of dingoes did not differ significantly with age or sex. An hypothesis of 'alternation of predation' is presented: dingoes feed sequentially on prey of increasing size (rodents, rabbits, red kangaroos, cattle) in response to rainy periods and subsequent droughts, meanwhile always concentrating on the staple prey (rabbits). The fluctuating abundances of small and medium-sized prey determined not only their own relative availabilities but also that of large prey, and hence determined the diet of the dingo at any time. Prey availability (catchability, accessability) appeared to be more important than prey abundance (numbers, biomass), and the dingo's flexible social organisation allowed versatility in hunting strategies and defence of resources. We conclude that dingoes do not always forage most efficiently as optimal foraging models predict because of the constraints imposed by the capricious environment in arid Australis, where prey availability fluctuates greatly and becomes limited and clumped in drought, so that dingoes may be faced with outright starvation. Instead we conclude that dingoes utilise a conservative feeding strategy and adopt any behaviour which provides at least a threshold quantity of energy or nutrient as part of a trade-off with other competing ecological requirements.


Antimicrobial activity of Dalbergia melanoxylon extracts.
The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the methanol, citric acid, aqueous, dichloromethane and petroleum ether extracts from the bark of Dalbergia melanoxylon were determined by using seeded agar plates with wells into which were placed the extract, and flasks of yeast extract and sucrose broth for mycelial growth of the fungi. After incubation for 24 h, the diameter of the inhibition zone was measured for the antibacterial tests and after 7 days, the dry weight of the mycelia was measured and a percentage of inhibition calculated using controls where no extracts were added. The results obtained showed that the citric acid extract exhibited strongest antimicrobial activity. The ethanol fraction showed significant antibacterial activity but was not significantly active against fungi. The dichloromethane extract exhibited no activity against bacteria but showed notable activity against fungi. The petroleum ether fraction showed no antimicrobial activity.


Asthma in Children With Comorbid Obesity: Intervention Development in a High-Risk Urban Community.
This article describes formative work conducted to inform design of an intervention targeting asthma control in overweight/obese children. Using a PRECEDE-PROCEED framework and a community-based participatory research approach, investigators conducted key informant interviews and focus groups in a low-income urban community. Key informants (N = 18) represented schools and community agencies. Focus groups were conducted with caregivers (4 groups, N = 31) and children (3 groups, N = 30). Focus group participants were low-income and African American, Puerto Rican, or Mexican. Children were age 5 to 12 years and overweight or obese with a diagnosis of asthma; caregivers had a child meeting these criteria. A range of issues competed with families' day-to-day prioritization and management of asthma, with social limitations reported as the most important issue. Many school-level and individual-level barriers were described. Caregivers and children drew strong connections between asthma and obesity and described their need to comanage these conditions. The connection between the diseases was not as obvious for the key informants, many of whom control the services families receive. These results led to an understanding of key targets and components that are needed for a multilevel community-based intervention to be relevant and appropriate in low-income children with both asthma and obesity.


Androgen and breast cancer: an update.
The review is targeted at describing the advances in our understanding of androgen actions in the breast over the last 18 months. Androgens are current 'hot topics' in breast cancer because of their potential as therapeutics in situations where we currently do not have good clinical options. This is true for both estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) negative and ERα positive cancers. The review has focused on examining associations between androgen receptor and patient prognosis and outcomes in different breast cancer subtypes. A logical extension of this is covering the timely topic of the use of androgen-directed therapy in these patients. The principle settings in which this is being considered is in ERα positive cancer with therapeutic resistance to ER-directed therapies and in ERα negative breast cancer that lack current standard targeted therapies. Finally interactions between mutations, and the potential role of androgen in the normal hierarchy of mammary cell differentiation and the relationship of this to cancer, are considered. Androgens are firmly established as important factors across multiple breast cancer subtypes. The future challenge for basic researchers and important development for clinicians is going to be translating this understanding into effective therapeutics for the benefit of breast cancer patients.


Two microsomal-associated iron-binding proteins observed in rat small intestinal cells during iron absorption.
Acrylamide gel electrophoresis of microsomal protein obtained from rat small intestinal mucosal cells, after an injection of [3H]leucine, demonstrated increased quantities of two soluble iron-binding proteins during iron absorption, one with a high molecular weight (about 400 000) and the other of intermediate molecular weight (80 000). Both proteins were present in a ribosomal-enriched sub-fraction obtained during purification of the microsomal membrane but were not identified among the purified membrane proteins.


[Difficulties in differentiation between Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis].
We report on the medical history of a 44 year old woman, who has been diagnosed to suffer from ulcerative colitis, first diagnosed in 1991. Until 1994, when she had finally a colectomy, recurrent episodes occurred under full medical treatment. After colectomy the diagnosis had to be revised as histology revealed Crohn's disease. Only a few months after surgery a new episode of Crohns disease developed including the occurrence of an anal fistula.


The Relationship Between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case-Control Study from a Single Center in Beijing, China.
BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) reportedly share similar risk factors and pathogenesis. However, the relationship between these 2 diseases is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the association between COPD and CSVD. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with stable COPD and matched healthy control participants were recruited for this study. Clinical characteristics were collected based on medical history, serological tests, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and pulmonary function tests. Individual CSVD imaging markers (white matter hyperintensities [WMH], enlarged perivascular space [EPVS], and brain atrophy) were assessed to determine their severity. Logistic analysis was used to test the relationship between CSVD markers and COPD. RESULTS Significant differences in WMH, basal ganglia EPVS (BG-EPVS), and centrum semiovale EPVS (CSO-EPVS) were found between COPD and control groups (P0.05). CONCLUSIONS A significant correlation exists between COPD and imaging markers of CSVD, including WMH, BG-EPVS, and CSO-EPVS. In addition, the severity of WMH and BG-EPVS is positively related to the duration of COPD, suggesting that COPD may be a risk factor for CSVD.


The combined exposure of microplastics and toxic contaminants in the floodplains of north India: A review.
Microplastics in aquatic ecosystem are an emerging environmental threat, primarily aggregating into sediments and living biota besides providing active transportation to toxic pollutants. Recent studies have revealed that a microplastic surface cannot be considered as "inert" and therefore the rate and stage of degradation of microplastic will determine its capability in adsorbing and transporting the solute to longer distances. Our concern is driven by the fact that there has been an absence of widescale research in India despite a country with one of the longest networks of rivers and a 7500 km long active coastline. Anthropogenic pollutants are expected to increase and the situation will further worsen when more persistent organic pollutants (POCs) and geogenic contaminants will find its sink via monsoon runoff. Studies on aquatic species including COD, daphnia magna and zebrafish suggest strong links of bio-accumulation, suspecting to a more serious situation for the coastal India where there is an almost three times increase in the density of the microplastics as the monsoon progresses. Evidences also suggests that microplastics can adsorb known carcinogens as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals leaving our aquatic life exposed to higher mortality. Our review is a first ever scientific attempt in compiling these evidences through researches done in this field to understand the risk that the major floodplains of North India are currently facing. We have adapted the theories and inferences of the available research to predict and postulate a probable mechanism that could explain the severity of the situation in India.


Interaction of pinaverium (a quaternary ammonium compound) with 1,4-dihydropyridine binding sites in rat ileum smooth muscle.
1. The interaction of pinaverium bromide, a quaternary ammonium compound, with binding sites for (L-type) calcium channel blockers was investigated in rat ileum smooth muscle. 2. Pinaverium inhibited [3H]-(+)-PN200-110 ([3H]-(+)-isradipine) specific binding to tissue homogenates incompletely (Ki 0.38 microM; maximal inhibition 80%). In contrast, binding to single cell preparations (obtained by collagenase treatment) and to saponin-treated homogenates was completely inhibited. These data are compatible with the view that, in untreated homogenates, 20% of [3H]-(+)-isradipine binding sites are not accessible to pinaverium because it is associated with sealed inside-out vesicles. 3. Pinaverium bromide increased the apparent KD of [3H]-(+)-isradipine binding to saponin-treated homogenates but did not significantly affect the Bmax value. Moreover, the dissociation rate constant of [3H]-(+)-isradipine binding was not changed by pinaverium. These data suggest that pinaverium interacts with the dihydropyridine binding site in a competitive manner. However, in contrast to uncharged dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, pinaverium inhibited, rather than stimulated, [3H]-diltiazem binding to rat brain membranes (at 30-37 degrees C). 4. Although Bmax values of [3H]-(+)-isradipine were similar in homogenates prepared from tissue and cells (collagenase-treated), the KD value was significantly higher in cell homogenates (166 vs 95 pM). Similarly, the Ki value of pinaverium was higher in cell preparations than in tissue homogenates (0.77 vs 0.38 microM). Thus, collagenase can significantly modify the dihydropyridine recognition site.5. The competitive interaction of pinaverium, a permanently charged drug, with [3H]-(+)-isradipine bound to intact cells and its absence of interaction with [3H]-(+)-isradipine bound to sealed inside-out vesicles imply that the dihydropyridine receptor lies near the external surface of the plasma membrane.


Platelet-rich plasma versus open surgical release in chronic tennis elbow: A retrospective comparative study.
To compare short and mid-term results in the treatment of chronic elbow tendinosis with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or Nirschl surgical technique. A retrospective study was conducted on patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis, treated by Nirschl surgical technique (50 elbows) or PRP (60 elbows). Outcome was evaluated with Visual Analog Score (VAS), Mayo Elbow Scores and grip strength measurements. VAS and Mayo Elbow Scores of the PRP group had improved as a mean of 83% (p = 0.0001), 74% (p = 0.0001) over baseline and 34.2 pounds gain of grip strength. The PRP seems to be better for pain relief and functionality in the short and mid-term periods.


Maximizing aesthetics of debilitated maxillary central incisors: a clinical case.
With the advent of true "adhesive dentistry," practitioners have at their disposal new multi-purpose adhesive agents which bond to most dental substrates. These new adhesives have a high affinity for roughened or "microetched" surfaces, penetrating and wetting the surfaces to increase the bonding strength. The improved adhesion has altered treatment plans from previous years and has enabled clinicians to practice more constructive dentistry and replace only defective or missing tooth structure. The objective of this article is to present a case report to illustrate the utilization of one of the new bonding agents in an especially difficult clinical situation.


Essential tryptophan residues in the function of cellulase from Schizophyllum commune.
The tryptophan residues of the cellulase (EC 22.214.171.124; 1,4-beta-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase) from Schizophyllum commune were oxidized by N-bromosuccinimide in both the presence and absence of substrates and inhibitors of the enzyme. In the absence of protective ligands, eight of the twelve tryptophan residues in the cellulase were susceptible to modification with concomitant inactivation of the enzyme. The binding of the substrates, CM-cellulose, methyl cellulose, cellohexaose or lichenan and the competitive inhibitor, cellobiose, protected one tryptophan residue from oxidation but did not prevent the inactivation. Characterization of the oxidized enzyme derivatives by ultraviolet difference absorption and by fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that two tryptophan residues are essential in the mechanism of cellulase catalysis. One residue appears to be directly involved in the binding of substrate, while the second residue is proposed to constitute an integral part of a catalytically sound active centre.


The heat is on: impact of endobronchial electrosurgery on the need for Nd-YAG laser photoresection.
Advances in bronchoscopic electrosurgery have allowed its application in the outpatient setting in patients who otherwise would have required Nd-YAG laser photoresection (LPR) in the operating room. We intended to evaluate the impact of endobronchial electrosurgery (EBES) on the need for Nd-YAG LPR on patients with symptomatic airway lesions. Prospective observational case series. One hundred eighteen evaluations for LPR were performed. Forty-seven evaluations (40%) were considered to be amendable to EBES and were treated during the initial bronchoscopy. The remaining patients underwent LPR. Outpatient bronchoscopy suite at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH. Of the 47 procedures, 42 (89%) were successful in alleviating the obstruction, thus eliminating the need for LPR. No major complications were encountered. EBES can be performed safely in the outpatient setting and is an effective procedure in treating select endobronchial lesions. EBES eliminated the need for LPR in 36% of such procedures with a potential for significant time and cost savings.


ADAPTABLE: a comprehensive web platform of antimicrobial peptides tailored to the user's research.
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are part of the innate immune response to pathogens in all of the kingdoms of life. They have received significant attention because of their extraordinary variety of activities, in particular, as candidate drugs against the threat of super-bacteria. A systematic study of the relation between the sequence and the mechanism of action is urgently needed, given the thousands of sequences already in multiple web resources. ADAPTABLE web platform (http://gec.u-picardie.fr/adaptable) introduces the concept of "property alignment" to create families of property and sequence-related peptides (SR families). This feature provides the researcher with a tool to select those AMPs meaningful to their research from among more than 40,000 nonredundant sequences. Selectable properties include the target organism and experimental activity concentration, allowing selection of peptides with multiple simultaneous actions. This is made possible by ADAPTABLE because it not only merges sequences of AMP databases but also merges their data, thereby standardizing values and handling non-proteinogenic amino acids. In this unified platform, SR families allow the creation of peptide scaffolds based on common traits in peptides with similar activity, independently of their source.


Glutamine boosts intestinal stem cell-mediated small intestinal epithelial development during early weaning: Involvement of WNT signaling.
Early weaning usually causes small intestine epithelial development abnormality, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal diseases. Glutamine (Gln), enriching in plasma and milk, is widely reported to benefit intestinal health. However, whether Gln affects intestinal stem cell (ISC) activity in response to early weaning is unclear. Here, both the early weaning mice and intestinal organoids were used to study the role of Gln in regulating ISC activities. Results showed that Gln ameliorated early weaning-induced epithelial atrophy and augmented the ISC-mediated epithelial regeneration. Gln deprivation disabled ISC-mediated epithelial regeneration and crypt fission in vitro. Mechanistically, Gln augmented WNT signaling in a dose-dependent manner to regulate ISC activity, while WNT signaling blockage abolished the effects of Gln on ISCs. Together, Gln accelerates stem cell-mediated intestinal epithelial development associated with the augmentation of WNT signaling, which provides novel insights into the mechanism by which Gln promotes intestinal health.


The use of surgery to treat lung cancer in elderly patients.
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death and its cure depends on an adequate surgical approach. More than half of all lung cancers are diagnosed in patients aged 65 years or over. However, surgical risk increases in patients over 65 years old. Therefore, surgical procedures for lung cancer are far less frequent in elderly patients. Many clinicians avoid surgery, or minimise surgical procedures on the basis of age but recent advances in preoperative risk assessment and surgical and anaesthetic techniques have resulted in a significant decrease in operative mortality and morbidity for older patients. The treatment of lung cancer in elderly patients should no longer be based on the premise that surgery is too risky for elderly patients. Every effort should be made to assess risk and optimise treatment for this large and expanding proportion of the population.


The epidemiology of multimorbidity in France: Variations by gender, age and socioeconomic factors, and implications for surveillance and prevention.
Robust public health and health system response to the increasing burden of multimorbidity worldwide requires detailed epidemiological examination of its key sociodemographic and geographic determinants. We investigated the role of gender, age and socioeconomic and geographic factors on multimorbidity (i.e., having two or more conditions) in the adult population in France and examined implications for surveillance and prevention. We used data from two large nationwide representative surveys with cross-sectional and longitudinal health and socio-demographic indicators, conducted in France between 2008 and 2014. Morbidity counts and frequent dyads/triads of conditions independently impacting mortality, activity limitations, and perceived health were investigated with regard to differences in gender, age, socioeconomic (education, occupation and income) and geography (size of the urban unit and region). The component conditions of multimorbidity varied with gender and age. Women experienced multimorbidity 23-31% more frequently and at a younger age (5-15 years earlier) than men. Multimorbidity increased with age while its associations with most health indicators weakened with it. Multimorbidity was strongly and independently associated with socioeconomic indicators, with a strong inverse dose-response relationship with education, but less consistently with geographic factors. Multimorbidity has diverse and variable components and impacts across gender and age. It is strongly associated with socioeconomic factors, notably educational level, for which causality appears likely. Consideration of this diversity and variability, its common occurrence in dyads and triads, and its impact on health outcomes according to age and gender may contribute to efficient surveillance and support the identification of prevention strategies targeting middle-aged men and women.


Promoting physical activity in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review of systematic reviews.
There is a large amount of studies about interventions for promoting physical activity (PA) in persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D) as well as several systematic reviews referring to these studies. The objective of this contribution is to provide a systematic review of these systematic reviews. PubMed, PsychInfo and the Cochrane Library were searched for systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses regarding interventions for promoting PA in persons with T2D. The individual reviews and the relationships between the reviews were analysed. Eighteen reviews were included. Seventeen of these reviews contained references to included trials, amounting to 113 trials in total. Five of the reviews addressed PA interventions in general; six addressed specific devices for delivering the intervention; five addressed specific approaches for giving the participants feedback about their outcomes; and two addressed specific therapeutic approaches. Only 14 cross-references were found. Giving feedback about outcomes and helping people to integrate PA in their daily lives seem to be the most effective intervention components. Basing intervention development on theories seems helpful. Interventions should give feedback about outcomes and help to integrate PA in daily life. Intervention development should be theory-based.


A short form of the neonatal intensive care unit family needs inventory.
The identification of parental needs in Neonatal Intensive Care Units is essential to design and implement family-centered care. This article aims to validate the Neonatal Intensive Care Units Family Needs Inventory for the Portuguese population, and to propose a Short Form. A linguistic adaptation of the Neonatal Intensive Care Units Family Needs Inventory, a self-report scale with 56-items, was performed. The instrument was administered to 211 parents of infants hospitalized in all level III Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the North of Portugal, 15-22 days after admission (July of 2013-June of 2014). The number of items needed to achieve reliability close to 0.8 was calculated using by the Spearman-Brown formula. The global goodness of fit of the scale was evaluated using the comparative fit index. Construct validity was assessed through association of each dimension score with socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two dimensions, one focused on parents' needs and another on the infant's needs. To compose the Short Form Inventory, items with ceiling effect were eliminated and 22 items were submitted to confirmatory analysis, which supported the existence of two dimensions (CFI=0.925). The Short Form showed a high degree of reliability (alpha≥0.76). Less educated and older parents more frequently attributed a significantly higher importance to parent-centered needs, while parents of multiples revealed a tendency to value infant-centered needs. The Short Form of the Neonatal Intensive Care Units Family Needs Inventory is a brief, simple, and valid instrument with a high degree of reliability. Further studies are needed to explore associations with practices of family-centered care.


Perception of Peer Condom Use Buffers the Associations Between HIV Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Condom-Use Intention Among Adolescents: a Moderated Mediation Model.
A better understanding of the complex relationships between HIV knowledge, self-efficacy, perception of peer condom use, and condom-use intention is needed for improving HIV prevention among adolescents. The study analyzed survey data collected from high school students (N = 1970) in the Bahamas. Mediation and moderated mediation modeling analyses were used for data analysis. Results showed that self-efficacy mediated the association between HIV knowledge and condom-use intention. Perception of peer condom use moderated the mediation model by modifying the HIV knowledge-self-efficacy and self-efficacy-condom-use intention associations among males, but not for females. Findings of the study suggest the significant impact of perception of peer condom use in competition with HIV knowledge and self-efficacy in promoting condom use. Effective intervention program may consider targeting the modification of adolescents' perception of peer condom use to promote condom use among adolescents.


Microbial fuel cells in power generation and extended applications.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been progressing at an amazing speed in the past few years, with higher power density but lower cost being continuously achieved. However, most of the studies to date have been conducted at laboratory scale, and many technological and economic barriers remain to be overcome prior to large-scale application of the MFC technique. In recent years, China has been playing an increasingly important role in this field, and has contributed considerably to moving MFCs forward toward large-scale implementations for both power generation and extended applications. Nevertheless, the development of MFCs is still in its infancy, the power density needs to be further improved, the cost reduced and a better understanding gained on the underlying mechanisms of electron generation and flow. All these warrant further investigations at both laboratory and pilot levels, and more cooperation of scientists and engineers from different disciplines and countries. In this review, we highlight the progress achieved to date in MFC technology, especially in China, and discuss the challenges and future opportunities.


An access to various sulfation patterns in dermatan sulfate: chemical syntheses of sulfoforms of trisaccharide methyl glycosides.
The syntheses are reported for the first time of alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc4SO(3)-(1-->4)-alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->OMe), its disulfated analogue alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->OMe), and of beta-D-GalpNAc4SO(3)-(1-->4)-alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc4SO(3)-(1-->OMe), which represent structural fragments of dermatan sulfate, unavailable directly by chemical or enzymatic degradation of the glycosaminoglycan polymer. These molecules were readily obtained from a pair of key disaccharide intermediates, in which the relative difference of stability of the D-GalNAc 4-hydroxy protecting groups (acetate or pivalate) toward saponification conditions allowed access to various sulfoforms from a common precursor. For the preparation of these blocks, the 4-O-pivaloyl-D-galacto moiety was readily obtained through a one-pot stereospecific intramolecular nucleophilic displacement on an easily available 3-O-pivaloyl-D-gluco precursor, and the L-IdoA moiety through selective radical oxidation at C-6 of a L-ido 4,6-diol derivative with oxoammonium salts.


Complete Genome Sequence of Rhodovulum sulfidophilum DSM 2351, an Extracellular Nucleic Acid-Producing Bacterium.
Rhodovulum sulfidophilum DSM 2351 is the nonsulfur photosynthetic bacterium that efficiently releases nucleic acids into the extracellular milieu, which leads to flocculation. In this study, we determined the complete genome sequence of R. sulfidophilum DSM 2351, which will provide new insights into the mechanism of its unique nucleic acid release.


Effect of phosphorus sources on growth and cadmium accumulation in wheat under different soil moisture levels.
Both cadmium (Cd) toxicity and water limited stress in crop plants are serious concerns worldwide while little is known about the impact of various phosphorus (P) sources on Cd accumulation in cereals especially under water limited stress. A study was conducted to explore the efficiency of three frequently available P fertilizers on Cd accumulation in wheat under different soil moisture levels. Three different P sources including diammonium phosphate (DAP), single super phosphate (SSP), and nitrophos (NP) were applied in the soil with three levels (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg). The drought stress was applied to half treatments during the latter growth stages of wheat and plants were harvested at maturity. The results demonstrated that water-limited stress decreased the growth and yield of plants than respective treatments without water stress. P supply increased the growth of wheat irrespective of water-limited stress. The effect on growth and yield varied with the sources and levels of P and maximum effects was observed in DAP treatment (100 mg/kg). The P amendments enhanced the leaf photosynthesis and activities of SOD, POD, CAT and decreased the leaf oxidative burst. Water limited stress enhanced the Cd concentrations in shoots, roots, and grains whereas P amendments minimized the Cd concentrations and enhanced the P concentrations in these parts of plants. The results obtained demonstrated that P supply in the form of DAP might be effective in minimization of Cd in grains and can be used for safe cultivation of metal-contaminated soils.


Type A aortic dissection with left coronary malperfusion.
Left coronary artery malperfusion is a fatal complication of acute type A aortic dissection. However, effective treatment strategies have not yet been established. Herein, we report two cases of left coronary artery malperfusion successfully treated with different preoperative catheter interventions, followed by a central aortic repair. Preoperative coronary intervention ensuring the blood flow to the left coronary artery might be essential if a coronary angiogram was performed prior to the diagnosis and treatment.


Suprachiasmatic nuclear lesions do not abolish food-shifted circadian adrenal and temperature rhythmicity.
Daytime restriction of food and water availability in nocturnal animals phase shifts the circadian periodicity of plasma corticosteroid concentrations and body temperature. These shifted rhythms persist in animals with lesions of the suprachiasmatic nuclei who are arrhythmic under normal conditions. These findings suggest the existence of an additional "clock" that may be involved in the generation of the rhythm.


Feasibility of Real-Time Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography to Detect Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients.
Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is an important adverse prognostic factor for pediatric heart transplant (HT) recipients. Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is the gold standard for CAV detection but lacks sensitivity for early microvascular changes and cumulative radiation exposure is of concern. Real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography (RTMCE) using ultrasound enhancing (contrast) agents performed during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) can assess myocardial function, perfusion, and microvascular integrity. The objective of this study was to determine the safety and feasibility of RTMCE during DSE to detect CAV in a pediatric HT population. HT patients 10-21 years of age were recruited to undergo DSE with RTMCE to determine technical feasibility, test tolerability and adverse event rate, and detection of perfusion defects compared with ICA-detected CAV. Thirty-six patients from two centers were enrolled, with a mean age 13.5 ± 4.3 years; 21 (58%) were male. Wall motion and myocardial perfusion were qualitatively assessed and compared with ICA findings of CAV. Myocardial blood flow (MBF) at rest and peak stress was quantified, and myocardial blood flow reserve (MBFR) was defined as the ratio of peak to rest MBF. Five (14%) patients had CAV by ICA, two with obstructive disease and three with mild CAV. Real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography was feasible in 32 (89%) patients. Three patients had wall motion defects, including one with a mixed defect and two with fixed defects. A perfusion abnormality was present in five patients, two of whom had obstructive CAV and one with mild CAV. Sensitivity and specificity of RTMCE for CAV detection were 60% and 94%, respectively, and diagnostic accuracy was 89%. MBFR assessment was feasible in 20 (63%) patients. The mean MBFR was 3.4 ± 0.7. Patients with CAV had lower MBFR than those without (2.0 ± 0.2 vs 3.7 ± 0.8; P < .01). There were no serious adverse events related to RTMCE. Dobutamine stress RTMCE appears to be safe and feasible for the assessment of CAV in pediatric HT recipients. Further assessment is warranted to determine whether this noninvasive technique could provide a reliable alternative to ICA.


Analyzing Diversity Elements on Otolaryngology Residency Program Websites.
To investigate how the internet presence of Otolaryngology residency programs influences recruitment of diverse applicants. Retrospective cohort study. Website, Instagram, and AAMC Residency Explorer data from all US, non-military, allopathic otolaryngology residency programs. We identified 10 common ways in which residency programs communicate their commitment to diversity through web-based platforms. We then analyzed program websites and Instagram pages for the presence of these 10 diversity elements. Univariate and multivariate linear regression were used to evaluate the association between presence of a diversity elements and the proportion of underrepresented minority residents in the program. Review of 106 Otolaryngology residency program websites and Instagram pages was completed from February to May 2021. Most programs (69.8%) satisfied at least one diversity element. Of the programs reviewed, 83 had demographic information available for comparison. After adjusting for Doximity ranking, multivariate linear regression demonstrated that several elements were positive predictors of program diversity. Diversity and inclusion message (p < 0.0001), statement encouraging URM applicants (p < 0.0001), dedicated diversity chair/committee (p = 0.005), and diversity related articles/blog posts (p = 0.006) were independently associated with a greater proportion of URM residents in a given program. These data demonstrate that providing diversity related information on residency program websites may play a role in improving program diversity. The large percentage of programs that lack the presence of any diversity element (30.2%) demonstrates that there is significant room for improvement. This study presents a promising strategy through which programs can improve recruitment of diverse residents.


Nurse's role in promoting health transitions for adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities.
This article examines the impact of cultural factors influencing the youth's transition process and includes recommendations for addressing these needs within the context of nursing practice. Youth-centered transition planning begins with a comprehensive, culturally competent assessment of adolescent and family needs in order to foster youth autonomy and family support during this important stage of development. Nurses who work with youth with developmental disabilities are faced with many questions from youth and families regarding the how, what, when, and where of transition planning, such as "Where do I find an adult health care provider who has the clinical expertise and sensitivity to my disability concerns?" and "Where can I get health insurance coverage when I "age out" of the health insurance program I am currently enrolled in?" The questions youth and families have not only reflect their needs for services and supports, but also represent the cultural context of their experiences. Who is this youth who is fast growing up, soon to become an adult? What has been this young person's experiences as a boy or a girl, a person with a developmental disability, a member of his or her family, and a member of the community? Each youth's experiences have an enormous impact shaping his or her progression through adolescence, and the impact continues with adult development. Nurses can serve as pivotal members of the team assisting these youths with developmental disabilities and their families in confronting the challenges and excitement of successfully transitioning to adulthood.


Low-dose, continual enzyme delivery ameliorates some aspects of established brain disease in a mouse model of a childhood-onset neurodegenerative disorder.
To determine the capacity of continual low-dose lysosomal enzyme infusion into the cerebrospinal fluid of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA (MPS IIIA) mice to reverse established neurodegenerative disease. The rationale behind the study is that there is only limited animal model-derived evidence supporting treatment of symptomatic patients, principally because few studies have been designed to examine disease reversibility. Twelve-week old MPS IIIA mice were implanted with indwelling unilateral intra-ventricular cannulae. These were connected to subcutaneous mini-osmotic pumps infusing recombinant human sulphamidase. Pump replacement was carried out in some mice at 16-weeks of age, enabling treatment to continue for a further month. Control affected/unaffected mice received vehicle via the same method. Behavioural, neuropathological and biochemical parameters of disease were assessed. Improvement in some, but not all, behavioural parameters occurred. Sulphamidase infusion mediated a statistically significant reduction in primary (heparan sulphate) and secondary (gangliosides GM2, GM3) substrate accumulation in the brain, with small reductions in micro- but not astro-gliosis. There was no change in axonal spheroid number. All mice developed a humoural response, however the antibodies were non-neutralising and no adverse clinical effects were observed. Continual infusion of replacement enzyme partially ameliorates clinical, histological and biochemical aspects of MPS IIIA mice, when treatment begins at an early symptomatic stage.


Remarks on the Asia Pacific Meeting of Vasculitis and ANCA Workshop 2012.
An international meeting, The Asia Pacific Meeting of Vasculitis and ANCA Workshop 2012, was held on March 28-31, 2012 at Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. The meeting focused on vasculitis and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis in the Asia-Pacific area. This was a high-profile event and attracted scientists and physicians from around the world, all of whom are committed to the care of patients with vasculitis, ANCA and related diseases. The Asia Pacific international meeting was able to extend insights into Kawasaki disease, Takayasu arteritis, and myeloperoxidase ANCA-associated vasculitis. The program addressed the multidisciplinary nature of vasculitis, including genomics, genetics, pathogenesis, epidemiology, biomarkers, clinical features, and therapeutic trials.


The Large Hadron Collider.
The construction of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has been a massive endeavour spanning almost 30 years from conception to commissioning. Building the machine with the highest possible energy (7 TeV) in the existing large electron-positron (LEP) collider tunnel of 27 km circumference and with a tunnel diameter of only 3.8 m has required considerable innovation. The first was the development of a two-in-one magnet, where the two rings are integrated into a single magnetic structure. This compact two-in-one structure was essential for the LHC owing to the limited space available in the existing LEP collider tunnel and the cost. The second was a bold move to the use of superfluid helium cooling on a massive scale, which was imposed by the need to achieve a high (8.3 T) magnetic field using an affordable Nb-Ti superconductor.


Serogroup determination of Neisseria meningitidis by whole-cell ELISA, dot-blotting and agglutination.
Two new methods for serogrouping of meningococci, whole-cell ELISA and dot-blotting, with monoclonal antibodies against serogroups A, B, C, Y and W135 were compared with slide-agglutination applying polyclonal sera. In addition to a panel of strains with previously determined serogroups by slide-agglutination, two strain collections of meningococci were studied: 1) 50 strains isolated from patients with systemic meningococcal disease in Norway during the winter 1987-1988; 2) 133 throat strains isolated from asymptomatic carriers over the same period. For the disease strains all three methods gave identical results, whereas some carrier strains which were non-agglutinable or polyagglutinable by slide-agglutination were serogroupable by the two other methods. All the systemic strains and about half of the carrier strains were serogroupable. We find that whole-cell ELISA and dot-blotting are specific, easy to read and more sensitive compared to slide-agglutination, but the former methods are at present limited by the availability of monoclonal antibodies against only serogroups A, B, C, Y and W135.


Antimicrobial prophylaxis of experimental endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis.
Using two different strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis in a rat model of experimental endocarditis, we examined the prophylactic efficacy of cefamandole (200 mg/kg/dose), cefazolin (200 mg/kg/dose), nafcillin (200 mg/kg/dose), and vancomycin (20 mg/kg/dose). In vitro susceptibility testing demonstrated that both test strains were resistant to methicillin and cefazolin and susceptible to cefamandole and vancomycin. A 10(6) cfu inoculum was used for both strains, an inoculum which produced endocardial infections in greater than 90% of rats. Initial doses of each antibiotic were given 45 min to 1 h prior to bacterial challenge and were followed by six additional doses of each antibiotic administered subcutaneously every 6 h. The efficacy rates of cefamandole (84.0%) and cefazolin (70.8%) were exactly the same for rats infected with either S. epidermidis strain. Similar efficacy rates were seen in rats infected with either strain and treated with vancomycin (94.4% and 86.7%). Unlike the other three drugs, the efficacy of nafcillin was quite different in rats challenged with the two strains (62.5% and 38.5%, p = 0.19). It appears that cefamandole and cefazolin may have considerable prophylactic efficacy against certain infecting strains of methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococci when relatively large doses of cephalosporins are administered subcutaneously in this animal model.


[Morphological characteristics of spermatogenesis in experimental juvenile hypothyroidism in rats].
Partisular features have been studied of spermatozoa and cells of spermatogenesis in rats in experimental hypothyroidism in the prepubertal period. Common features to be seen in the wake of hypothyroidism include a decline in the locomotor activity of spermatozoa and abnormalities in maturation of cells of spermatogenesis, which facts necessitate restoration of the thyroid function to prevent disorders of spermatogenesis in the fully-developed organism.


Frequency and prognostic significance of hemoptysis in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Data concerning the prevalence, risk factors, and prognostic significance of hemoptysis in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are scarce. A Dutch national cohort of 74 children with either idiopathic or heritable PAH (IPAH/HPAH, n = 43) or PAH associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD, n = 31) were followed from 1993 to 2012. During a median follow-up of 3.5 years (range 0.1 to 19.2), hemoptysis occurred in 13 children (17.6%). The hemoptysis event rate was 9.9 per 100 patient-years, equally divided between IPAH/HPAH and PAH-CHD (p = 0.824). The median age at first hemoptysis was 12.5 years, and the median time since PAH diagnosis to first hemoptysis was 6.1 years. Patients with hemoptysis had longer time since PAH diagnosis (p = 0.001) and more frequently used anticoagulant therapy (p = 0.006). Univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that older age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.30, p = 0.031), World Health Organization functional class IV (HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.95, p = 0.042), higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.07, p = 0.028), and higher indexed pulmonary vascular resistance (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.15, p = 0.009), all at the time of PAH diagnosis, were associated with increased risk of hemoptysis during follow-up. Ten of 13 patients with hemoptysis died or underwent (heart-) lung transplantation; in 6 patients, this was directly related to hemoptysis. In conclusion, the occurrence of hemoptysis in pediatric IPAH/HPAH and PAH-CHD increases with time since diagnosis, is a serious condition, and is, in case of life-threatening hemoptysis, associated with poor outcome.


[Pharmacokinetics and prophylactic effect of intraperitoneal administration of mitomycin C resulting in IC50 of gastric cancer].
In order to prevent peritoneal metastasis after gastrectomy for gastric cancer, we conducted a study to find a clinical dose of MMC which would result in IC50, the drug concentration which inhibits the growth of colonies of cells by 50%. After closure of the abdomen, MMC dissolved in 1,000 ml of physiological saline was administered. In the 40 mg group, the mean intraperitoneal MMC concentration after 60 min was 8.2 micrograms/ml, which exceeded IC50 of 7.6 micrograms/ml. In the group, peak serum concentration of MMC was 0.29 micrograms/ml. Seventy to 80% of intraperitoneally administered MMC was transferred in blood. Serious adverse effects were not observed. One-year survival rate of absolute noncurative resection with peritoneal metastasis was 33% in the control group and 78% in the treated group. Two-year survival rate of curative resection with free cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity was 11% in the control group and 60% in the treated group.


Participation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in the drug sensitivity in human lung cancer cell lines.
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase has been generally assumed to be involved in DNA repair. The level of the enzyme in various lung cancer cell lines was examined to determine if it is involved in drug resistance. Among nine cell lines of lung cancer tested, small-cell lung cancer lines, which showed higher sensitivity to cisplatin and etoposide, were unexpectedly found to contain significantly higher poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity than five non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines. This activity inversely correlated with IC50 values of lung cancer cell lines to etoposide, an inhibitor of topoisomerase II. The polymerase activity was also examined in several cisplatin-resistant variants of the cell lines. However, no difference was observed between parental and cisplatin-resistant cells. There was no significant relation between poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity and IC50 values for cisplatin and carboplatin. Although this enzyme was considered to play some role in the resistance to specific drugs, it might not be a critical factor in cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity.


Population structure and diversity of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid producing fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. from dryland cereal fields of central Washington State (USA).
Certain strains of the rhizosphere bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens contain the phenazine biosynthesis operon (phzABCDEFG) and produce redox-active phenazine antibiotics that suppress a wide variety of soilborne plant pathogens. In 2007 and 2008, we isolated 412 phenazine-producing (Phz(+)) fluorescent Pseudomonas strains from roots of dryland wheat and barley grown in the low-precipitation region (<350 mm annual precipitation) of central Washington State. Based on results of BOX-PCR genomic fingerprinting analysis, these isolates, as well as the model biocontrol Phz(+) strain P. fluorescens 2-79, were assigned to 31 distinct genotypes separated into four clusters. All of the isolates exhibited high 16S rDNA sequence similarity to members of the P. fluorescens species complex including Pseudomonas orientalis, Pseudomonas gessardii, Pseudomonas libanensis, and Pseudomonas synxantha. Further recA-based sequence analyses revealed that the majority of new Phz(+) isolates (386 of 413) form a clade distinctly separated from P. fluorescens 2-79. Analysis of phzF alleles, however, revealed that the majority of those isolates (280 of 386) carried phenazine biosynthesis genes similar to those of P. fluorescens 2-79. phzF-based analyses also revealed that phenazine genes were under purifying selection and showed evidence of intracluster recombination. Phenotypic analyses using Biolog substrate utilization and observations of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid production showed considerable variability amongst members of all four clusters. Biodiversity indices indicated significant differences in diversity and evenness between the sampled sites. In summary, this study revealed a genotypically and phenotypically diverse group of phenazine producers with a population structure not seen before in indigenous rhizosphere-inhabiting Phz(+) Pseudomonas spp.


Comparison of serum from gastric cancer patients and from healthy persons using FTIR spectroscopy.
Since serum can reflect human beings' physiological and pathological conditions, FTIR spectroscopy was used to compare gastric cancer patients' serum with healthy persons' serum in this study. The H2959/H2931, H1646/H1550, H1314/H1243, H1453/H1400 and H1080/H1550 ratios were calculated, among these ratios, the H2959/H2931 ratio might be a standard for distinguishing gastric cancer patients from healthy persons. Then curve fitting was processed using Gaussian curves in the 1140-1000 cm(-1) region, and the result showed that the RNA/DNA ratios of gastric cancer patients' serum were obviously lower than those of healthy persons' serum. The results suggest that FTIR spectroscopy may be a potentially useful tool for diagnosis of gastric cancer.


Acceptability of menstrual products interventions for menstrual hygiene management among women and girls in Malawi.
A key challenge for menstruating girls and women in low-resource countries is the inadequate and unreliable supply of menstrual products. Although development partners are implementing menstrual product interventions to address this challenge in Malawi, there is a paucity of information on the distribution of menstrual products and the acceptability of these interventions among users. We conducted in-depth interviews with girls (n = 20) and women (n = 26) and 4 focus group discussions (FGDs) with women (n = 35) and 7 FGDs with girls (n = 60) to explore the acceptability of menstrual products interventions in 8 districts. Teachers (n = 12), community leaders (n = 6), community health workers (n = 8) and service providers (n = 9) were also interviewed to explore implementation issues and their views regarding the effect of menstrual products interventions on girls and women. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Common menstrual products being promoted include locally made reusable pads, commercially made disposable pads and menstrual cups. Overall, adult women preferred reusable pads and young girls preferred disposable pads. Reported benefits of using any type of material distributed included enhanced cleanliness and reduced school absenteeism for girls. While community leaders and teachers applauded the use of disposable menstrual products they expressed concern that they are not affordable for an average Malawian and bemoaned the indiscriminate disposal of used disposable pads. Women and girls highlighted their lack of facilities to effectively wash and dry reusable pads. Service providers bemoaned poor coordination and the lack of national standards to regulate the quality of menstrual products distributed at national level. Improved inclusion of males and health workers could enhance the sustainability of programmes. While the available menstrual products interventions are acceptable among participants, we note several challenges including affordability, poor disposal methods, lack of attention on sanitation facilities and the lack of standard protocols to regulate the quality of menstrual products. Recommendations to address these issues are reported.


N6-methyladenosine demethylase FTO suppressed prostate cancer progression by maintaining CLIC4 mRNA stability.
The fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) is an N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase, which has been revealed to play critical roles in tumorigenesis. However, its role in the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa) remains poorly understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the function and clinical relevance of FTO in PCa. Our results demonstrated that FTO was notably downregulated in PCa tissues compared with the paired normal tissues. In addition, the decreased expression of FTO was correlated with poor prognosis of PCa. Functional experiments showed that depletion of FTO promoted the proliferation and metastasis of PCa both in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, ectopic expression of FTO exhibited the opposite effects. Combined with RNA-sequencing, MeRIP-RT-qPCR, and mRNA stability assays indicated chloride intracellular channel 4(CLIC4) was a functional target of FTO-mediated m6A modification. FTO depletion significantly increased the m6A level of CLIC4 mRNA and then reduced the mRNA stability. In conclusion, our findings suggest that FTO suppresses PCa proliferation and metastasis through reducing the degradation of CLIC4 mRNA in an m6A dependent manner. FTO may be used as a promising novel therapeutic target and prognostic evaluation biomarker for PCa.


Prevention and treatment of SHIVAD8 infection in rhesus macaques by a potent d-peptide HIV entry inhibitor.
Cholesterol-PIE12-trimer (CPT31) is a potent d-peptide HIV entry inhibitor that targets the highly conserved gp41 N-peptide pocket region. CPT31 exhibited strong inhibitory breadth against diverse panels of primary virus isolates. In a simian-HIV chimeric virus AD8 (SHIVAD8) macaque model, CPT31 prevented infection from a single high-dose rectal challenge. In chronically infected animals, CPT31 monotherapy rapidly reduced viral load by ∼2 logs before rebound occurred due to the emergence of drug resistance. In chronically infected animals with viremia initially controlled by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), CPT31 monotherapy prevented viral rebound after discontinuation of cART. These data establish CPT31 as a promising candidate for HIV prevention and treatment.


Machine-learning based reconstructions of primary and secondary climate variables from North American and European fossil pollen data.
We test several quantitative algorithms as palaeoclimate reconstruction tools for North American and European fossil pollen data, using both classical methods and newer machine-learning approaches based on regression tree ensembles and artificial neural networks. We focus on the reconstruction of secondary climate variables (here, January temperature and annual water balance), as their comparatively small ecological influence compared to the primary variable (July temperature) presents special challenges to palaeo-reconstructions. We test the pollen-climate models using a novel and comprehensive cross-validation approach, running a series of h-block cross-validations using h values of 100-1500 km. Our study illustrates major benefits of this variable h-block cross-validation scheme, as the effect of spatial autocorrelation is minimized, while the cross-validations with increasing h values can reveal instabilities in the calibration model and approximate challenges faced in palaeo-reconstructions with poor modern analogues. We achieve well-performing calibration models for both primary and secondary climate variables, with boosted regression trees providing the overall most robust performance, while the palaeoclimate reconstructions from fossil datasets show major independent features for the primary and secondary variables. Our results suggest that with careful variable selection and consideration of ecological processes, robust reconstruction of both primary and secondary climate variables is possible.


Phthalate exposure with sperm quality among healthy Chinese male adults: The role of sperm cellular function.
Adverse male reproduction caused by phthalate ester (PAE) exposure has been well documented in vivo. However, existing evidence from population studies remains inadequate to demonstrate the impact of PAE exposure on spermatogenesis and underlying mechanisms. Our present study aimed to explore the potential link between PAE exposure and sperm quality and the possible mediation by sperm mitochondrial and telomere in healthy male adults recruited from the Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, China. Nine PAEs were determined in one pooled urine sample prepared from multiple collections during the spermatogenesis period from the same participant. Sperm telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were determined in sperm samples. The sperm concentration and count per quartile increment in mixture concentrations were -4.10 million/mL (-7.12, -1.08) and -13.52% (-21.62%, -4.59%), respectively. We found one quartile increase in PAE mixture concentrations to be marginally associated with sperm mtDNAcn (β = 0.09, 95% CI: -0.01, 0.19). Mediation analysis showed that sperm mtDNAcn significantly explained 24.6% and 32.5% of the relationships of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) with sperm concentration and sperm count (β = -0.44 million/mL, 95% CI: -0.82, -0.08; β = -1.35, 95% CI: -2.54, -0.26, respectively). Our study provided a novel insight into the mixed effect of PAEs on adverse semen quality and the potential mediation role of sperm mtDNAcn.


Genetic epidemiology of Darier's disease: a population study in the west of Scotland.
Darier's disease has a world-wide distribution, but estimates of prevalence have varied. The discovery that the disease is due to mutations in ATP2A2 provides the opportunity to study the genetic epidemiology of the disease in localized populations. To survey the prevalence of Darier's disease in the west of Scotland and look for founder effects in this population. We ascertained cases of Darier's disease in the west of Scotland and used genealogy and mutational analysis to seek common ancestry. Seventy-eight current cases were identified, giving a prevalence of approximately 1 : 30 000. While 63 cases gave a history of Darier's disease in previous generations, conventional genealogy identified only two pairs of two family groups with common ancestry within the last 180 years. Eleven patients (14%; three of whom had in total four affected children) had probable de novo mutations. Causative mutations in ATP2A2 have been identified in 11 of 15 pedigrees screened for mutation, but no two share the same mutation. High estimates of prevalence are likely to be due to intensive ascertainment, rather than founder effects. Darier's disease is likely to be more common than has been recognized in other populations.


Should we investigate mitochondrial disorders in progressive adult-onset undetermined ataxias?
Despite the broad development of next-generation sequencing approaches recently, such as whole-exome sequencing, diagnostic workup of adult-onset progressive cerebellar ataxias without remarkable family history and with negative genetic panel testing for SCAs remains a complex and expensive clinical challenge. In this article, we report a Brazilian man with adult-onset slowly progressive pure cerebellar ataxia, which developed neuropathy and hearing loss after fifteen years of ataxia onset, in which a primary mitochondrial DNA defect (MERRF syndrome - myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers) was confirmed through muscle biopsy evaluation and whole-exome sequencing. Mitochondrial disorders are a clinically and genetically complex and heterogenous group of metabolic diseases, resulting from pathogenic variants in the mitochondrial DNA or nuclear DNA. In our case, a correlation with histopathological changes identified on muscle biopsy helped to clarify the definitive diagnosis. Moreover, in neurodegenerative and neurogenetic disorders, some symptoms may be evinced later during disease course. We suggest that late-onset and adult pure undetermined ataxias should be considered and investigated for mitochondrial disorders, particularly MERRF syndrome and other primary mitochondrial DNA defects, together with other more commonly known nuclear genes.


Apoptosis of cerebellar granule cells induced by organotin compounds found in drinking water: involvement of MAP kinases.
Mono- and dialkyl organotin compounds are used primarily as heat stabilizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Recently, monomethyltin (MMT), dimethyltin (DMT), monobutyltin (MBT), and dibutyltin (DBT) have been detected in water from homes and businesses served by PVC pipes. While trialkyl organotins such as trimethyltin (TMT) and triethyltin (TET) are well known neurotoxicants, the toxicity of the mono- and dialkyl organotins is not well described. The present study compared the cytotoxicity of organotins found in drinking water with the known neurotoxicant TMT in primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells, and examined the role of MAP kinase signaling in organotin-induced cell death. Twenty-four hour exposure to TMT resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability with an EC(50) of 3 microM. Exposure to MMT, DMT, and MBT at concentrations up to 10 microM had no effect. DBT, however, was very potent, and decreased cell viability with an EC(50) of 0.3 microM. Staining of organotin-treated cerebellar granule cells with the nuclear dye Syto-13 revealed that TMT and DBT, but not MMT, DMT, or MBT, produced condensation and fragmentation of chromatin characteristic of apoptosis. TMT- and DBT-induced apoptosis was confirmed using TUNEL staining and measurement of PARP cleavage. Activation of MAP kinase pathways was examined after 6 h of exposure to the organotins which induced apoptosis. Both TMT and DBT activated ERK1/2, but only TMT activated the JNK/c-Jun and p38 pathways. Pharmacologic blockade of JNK/c-Jun and p38 activation significantly decreased apoptosis produced by TMT, but not by DBT. These results show that DBT is a potent neurotoxicant in vitro, but unlike TMT, does not induce cell death via activation of MAP kinase signaling.


Determination of calcium and magnesium in postmortem human vitreous humor as a test to ascertain the cause and time of death.
The concentrations of magnesium and total calcium human vitreous humors obtained postmortem was tested. In the groups of heart disease and asphyxia a correlation between the postmortem interval and calcium or magnesium concentrations was found. There was no correlation between postmortem interval and calcium respectively magnesium in the other causes of death. It seems possible that the analysis of vitreous humor may be useful in both diagnosis and determination of postmortem interval in the cases of heart death and asphyxia.


A bacterial metabolite induces Nrf2-mediated anti-oxidative responses in gingival epithelial cells by activating the MAPK signaling pathway.
Oxidative stress, which is defined as an imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant systems, has been implicated in the development and/or progression of several inflammatory diseases, including periodontal disease. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the primary inducers of oxidative stress. In the induction of cytoprotective enzymes, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling in antioxidant systems takes a main role. Notably, 10-oxo-trans-11-octadecenoic acid (KetoC), known as a bioactive metabolite generated by intestinal microorganisms, has been reported to have beneficial effects on several biological responses. Therefore, we investigated the antioxidant effect of KetoC on gingival epithelial cells (GECs) in this present study. An SV40-T antigen-transformed human gingival epithelial cell line (Epi4) was used for experiments. The alteration of anti-oxidative stress related genes was analyzed by qPCR. The cellular ROS levels were evaluated by flow cytometry. To explore its molecular mechanisms, ARE promotor activity was analyzed by luciferase assay; the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and G protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) were evaluated by Western blotting and luciferase assay, respectively. KetoC significantly increased the expression of antioxidant-related genes in GECs. The level of ROS was significantly inhibited by the pretreatment of KetoC. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation by KetoC promoted both the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and its binding to the ARE in GECs. Further, GPR120 regulated the activation of KetoC induced-Nrf2-ARE signaling. KetoC exerts a protective function against the oxidative stress in GECs through GPR120-dependent ERK-Nrf2-ARE signaling.


Hospitals asked to review disaster packs.
As the nation somberly marked the six-month anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, a group of materials managers and vendors finished drafting a supply list to be used by hospitals in conjunction with a disaster readiness plan.


Foliar terpenoids in Tsuga species and the fecundity of scale insects.
The relationship between the reproductive success of two Japanese scale insects, Fiorinia externa Ferris and Nuculaspis tsugae (Marlatt) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) and the concentrations of 15 terpenoids in needles of Tsuga sieboldii, the Japanese host, and T. canadensis, the North American host, was investigated during 1981 and 1982 in a field plot of 8-year-old trees in New Haven, CT, USA. Both scales produced significantly more eggs per female on T. sieboldii than on T. canadensis. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that the variation in fecundity within both scales was strongly associated with variation in the terpenoid profile between tree species.General patterns of phytochemical variation between the two Tsuga species based on differences in the concentration of terpenoids having similar chemical structures were revealed by the multivariate statistical technique, principal components analysis. The volatile leaf oil profile of T. sieboldii was relatively richer in terpene alcohols, while that of T. canadensis was relatively richer in terpene hydrocarbons and terpene acetates. The individual terpenoids were then assigned to one of five groups based on chemical structure and regression analyses were repeated; fecundity of both scales increased with increasing concentration of terpenoid alcohols. Fecundity of F. externa was negatively associated with the relative concentration of acyclic terpenes but the opposite was true for N. tsugae. Analysis of foliar terpenoids may provide a basis for predicting the relative susceptibility of Tsuga species to attack by F. externa and N. tsugae.


The arterial blood supply of the symphysis pubis - Spatial orientated and highly variable.
Open surgical treatment of the pubic region and adductor related pathologies require an exact knowledge of the arterial blood supply of the symphysis pubis that seems furthermore important to explain the hematogenous occurrence of symphysitis. Pubic bone marrow oedema (PBME) is a frequent occurring magnetic resonance imaging finding in groin pain. However, even asymptomatic athletes present PBME and a correlation to the physical activity or higher blood flow was suggested. Data on the vascular anatomy of the symphysis pubis are rare. Ten formaldehyde-embalmed cadavers were dissected, and the arterial blood supply was investigated and photographically documented. In the majority of cases the following pattern was determined: superior-inferior epigastric artery (n=12 hemipelves), inferior - dorsal artery of the penis/dorsal artery of the clitoris (n=16), posterior- obturator artery (n=16 hemipelves), anterior- deep external pudendal artery (n=14 hemipelves). Besides variations for the deep external pudendal artery anteriorly, we observed a highly variable arterial supply, especially superior. Superior in 4/10 cadavers, inferior in 0/10 cadavers, posterior in 2/10 cadavers and anterior in 5/10 cadavers side variations were found. The symphysis pubis has a spatial and rich organized arterial blood supply with several variations. Despite the symphysis pubis is recognized as bradytroph, the high number of vessels is presumably required in stress situations for example in heavy training.


Increased excretion of a lipid peroxidation biomarker in autism.
It is thought that autism could result from an interaction between genetic and environmental factors with oxidative stress as a potential mechanism linking the two. One genetic factor may be altered oxidative-reductive capacity. This study tested the hypothesis that children with autism have increased oxidative stress. We evaluated children with autism for the presence of two oxidative stress biomarkers. Urinary excretion of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 8-isoprostane-F2alpha (8-iso-PGF2alpha) were determined in 33 children with autism and 29 healthy controls. 8-iso-PGF2alpha levels were significantly higher in children with autism. The isoprostane levels in autistic subjects were variable with a bimodal distribution. The majority of autistic subjects showed a moderate increase in isoprostane levels while a smaller group of autistic children showed dramatic increases in their isoprostane levels. There was a trend of an increase in 8-OHdG levels in children with autism but it did not reach statistical significance. There was no significant correlation between the levels of the biomarkers and vitamin intake, dietary supplements, medicine, medical disorders, or history of regression. These results suggest that the lipid peroxidation biomarker is increased in this cohort of autistic children, especially in the subgroup of autistic children.


Influence of coarse particulate matter on chickenpox in Jiading District, Shanghai, 2009-2018: A distributed lag non-linear time series analysis.
Although the link between ambient air pollution and some infectious diseases has been studied, few studies have explored so far, the relationship between chickenpox and particulate matter. Daily chickenpox counts in Jiading District, Shanghai, were collected from 2009 to 2018. Time series analysis was conducted to describe the trends of the daily number of chickenpox cases and the concentration of particulate matter 10 μm or less (PM10). The distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was developed to assess the lag and non-linear relationship between the number of chickenpox cases and PM10 concentration adjusting for meteorological factors and other pollutants. Spatiotemporal scanning was used to detect the clustering of chickenpox cases. There was a concomitant relationship between the number of chickenpox cases and PM10 concentration, especially in the period of high PM10 concentration. DLNM results showed a nonlinear relationship between the number of chickenpox cases and PM10 concentration with the maximum effect of PM10 being lagged for 13-14 days, which was consistent with the average incubation period of chickenpox. PM10 was significantly associated with the daily number of chickenpox cases when above 300 μg/m3. The risk of chickenpox increased with increasing PM10 concentration and the association was strongest at the lag of 14 day (RR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.23) for PM10 concentration of 500 μg/m3 versus 50 μg/m3. The study provides evidence that high PM10 concentration increases the risk of chickenpox spreading.