Comment on "Statistical binning enables an accurate coalescent-based estimation of the avian tree".
Mirarab et al. (Research Article, 12 December 2014, p. 1250463) introduced statistical binning to improve the signal in phylogenetic methods using the multispecies coalescent model. We show that all forms of binning-naïve, statistical, and weighted statistical-display poor performance and are statistically inconsistent in large regions of parameter space, unlike unbinned sequence data used with species tree methods.


Profiling of jasmonic acid-related metabolites and hormones in wounded leaves.
The endogenous concentration of N-jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-Ile) is regulated by the balance between biosynthesis and deactivation and controls plant developmental processes and stress responses. Therefore, profiling of its precursors and metabolites is required to understand the mechanism by which the JA-Ile concentration is regulated. Also, other hormones, such as indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and ethylene, have been suggested to interact with JA-Ile signaling. Profiling of these hormones and their metabolites should give us insights into their interaction mode. Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry has enabled us to develop a highly sensitive and high-throughput comprehensive quantification analysis of phytohormones.


Unusual anatomic variant of the axillary nerve challenging the deltopectoral approach to the shoulder: a case report.
The deltopectoral approach is a well-described surgical approach to the proximal humerus and glenohumeral joint. One of the structures at risk during this approach is the axillary nerve. Typically, the axillary nerve arises off the posterior cord of the brachial plexus and courses lateral to the proximal humerus and inferior to the glenohumeral joint, exiting the axilla through the quadrangular space. We describe a case of an aberrant axillary nerve, coursing anteriorly across the glenohumeral joint within the deltopectoral groove encountered during a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. A 73-year-old female presented complaining of atraumatic progressive right shoulder pain of several months duration. Clinical and radiographic findings were consistent with advanced rotator cuff arthropathy. After failing appropriate non-operative treatment, the patient elected to undergo reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. During the deltopectoral approach to the glenohumeral joint, the axillary nerve was found to be coursing deep to the cephalic vein within the deltopectoral interval. The nerve was isolated and protected, and the glenohumeral joint was accessed via a small window in the anterior deltoid muscle. The remainder of the procedure was performed without complication. The patient was found to be healing well and with normal axillary nerve function at 4-month follow-up. Neurologic lesions are well-documented complications of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. The integrity of the axillary nerve is of particular importance to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty as it innervates the deltoid and post-operative function of the extremity is dependent upon a functioning deltoid muscle. Extreme care must be taken to avoid insult to the axillary nerve and any aberrant paths it may course around the glenohumeral joint.


Academic Genealogy of Neurosurgery via Department Chair.
An academic genealogy describes mentoring relationships in an academic discipline. In this study, we outline an academic genealogy of neurosurgery department chairs in the United States beginning with the founding members of the field. The biographic information provided by the Society for Neurological Surgery provided the basis for our genealogy. We also performed a literature review with PubMed using the term neurosurgery department history. Our data was manually uploaded to an online database called Academic Tree. Within this platform, mentor and trainee relationships were indicated to produce an academic genealogy. Our search yielded a total of 377 chairs and 368 mentoring relationships across 98 neurosurgery departments. The largest family tree in our academic genealogy was that of Harvey Cushing, with 177 department chairs. Harvey Cushing was also the individual who trained the most number of department chairs (22). The institution that trained the most department chairs was Brigham and Women's Hospital (26). Only 23.6% of department chairs completed residency training at the same institution where they became chair. The academic genealogy in this study allows for any neurosurgeon trained in the United States to put his or her training into historical context. It also provides a reference for bibliographic research to quantitatively describe the influence of individuals and institutions on the field.


Investigating the effects of autonomy-supportive parenting practices on Italian young adolescent students' motivation to defend victims of bullying: findings on the mediating roles of reactance, depression, anxiety, and stress.
This study investigated the effect of autonomy-supportive parenting practices on young adolescents' self-reported motivation to defend victims of bullying, and the possible mediating effects of factors such as reactance, anxiety, depression, and stress. Data were collected from 578 Italian public school students ages 10-14 (M age = 11.8 years, 52% boys), who completed a survey in their classroom. The survey included self-report measures of parental orientation, motivation to defend victims of bullying, reactance, anxiety, depression, and stress. We found that autonomy-supportive parenting had a positive effect on autonomous motivation to defend, and that this effect was weakly mediated by reactance. Moreover, autonomy-supportive parenting had a negative effect on extrinsic motivation to defend, which was partially mediated by reactance. Reactance had a positive direct effect on extrinsic motivation to defend, but results also showed that anxiety, depression, and stress did not mediate the effect of autonomy-supportive parenting on motivation to defend. Additionally, autonomy-supportive parenting appeared to play a protective role, being associated with lower levels of reactance, anxiety, depression, and stress. Finally, gender differences were found in our sample, with extrinsic motivation to defend being more prevalent in boys, and autonomous motivation to defend being more prevalent in girls. Girls also reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, compared to boys. Our findings show that autonomy-supportive parenting practices play a significant role in fostering young adolescents' motivation to defend victims of bullying, and that they are also linked with lower feelings of reactance, anxiety, depression, and stress. We argue that interventions aimed at contrasting bullying and cyberbullying among youths should seek to involve parents more and promote the adoption of more autonomy-supportive parenting practices, due to their consistently proven beneficial effects.


Effect of packaging methods and storage conditions on quality characteristics of flour product naan.
The quality characteristics of naan from flour products under various packaging methods stored at different temperatures (25, 4 and - 20 °C) for different time (0-49 days) were investigated. Packaging methods included ordinary plastic packaging (OPP), vacuum packaging (VP) and deoxygenation packaging (DP). Sensory value, acid value, moisture content and microbial count of naan during storage were evaluated. The results showed that the total demerit points of sensory of DP naan stored at 25 °C had considerably lower levels. The moisture content of naan in DP and VP at 25 °C during storage had not been affected, while in OPP increased; the acid values of naan increased, but in DP was the lowest; the total microbiological count (MC) of naan in OPP, VP and DP at 5th day reached 2.25, 3.04 and 1.99 log CFU g-1, respectively. At 4 and - 20 °C, the moisture content of naan in OPP, VP and DP during storage reduced, the acid values at storage the 38th day dramatically increased (p < 0.05), the MC slowly increased, but these in DP samples was lower. The Ultraviolet (UV) and microwave (MW) radiation time was varied to study its effect on the shelf life of naan at 25 °C. The moisture content of UV and MW treated naan were not significantly different from those of control naan (p > 0.05), but the demerit points, acid values and MC reduced, the shelf life of naan was extended. The combination of DP and MW methods was a better efficient way to reduced negative quality changes of naan during storage.


Consumer understanding of calorie amounts and serving size: implications for nutritional labelling.
Increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to rising obesity levels. Under Canadian law, calories for pre-packaged foods and beverages are presented by serving size; however, serving sizes differ across products and even for the same product in different containers. This study examined consumer understanding of calorie amounts for government nutrition labels and industry labelling schemes. A national sample of 687 Canadian adults completed an online survey. Participants were randomized to view images of Coke® bottles that displayed different serving sizes and calorie amounts. Participants viewed either the regulated nutrition information on the "back" of containers, or the voluntary calorie symbols displayed on the "front" of Coke® products. Participants were asked to determine how many calories the bottle contained. Across all conditions, 54.2% of participants correctly identified the number of calories in the beverage. Participants who viewed government-mandated nutrition information were more likely to answer correctly (59.0%) than those who saw industry labelling (49.1%) (OR=5.3, 95% CI: 2.6-10.6). Only 11.8% who viewed the Coke® bottle with calorie amounts per serving correctly identified the calorie amount, compared to 91.8% who saw calorie amounts per container, regardless of whether information was presented in the Nutrition Facts Table or the front-of-pack symbol (OR=242.9, 95% CI: 112.1-526.2). Few individuals can use nutrition labels to correctly identify calorie content when presented per serving or using industry labelling schemes. The findings highlight the importance of revising labelling standards and indicate that industry labelling initiatives warrant greater scrutiny.


Urban health in developing countries: what do we know and where do we go?
The world became mainly urban in 2007. It is thus timely to review the state of knowledge about urban health and the current priorities for research and action. This article considers both health determinants and outcomes in low-income urban areas of developing countries. The need to study urban health in a multi-level and multi-sectoral way is highlighted and priorities for research are identified. Interventions such as the Healthy Cities project are considered and obstacles to the effective implementation of urban health programmes are discussed. Concepts such as the double burden of ill health and the urban penalty are re-visited. Finally, a call for a shift from 'vulnerability' to 'resilience' is presented.


Mutation rate at 17 Y-STR loci in "Father/Son" pairs from moroccan population.
Precise knowledge of mutation rate at Y-STRs loci is essential for a correct evaluation of typing results in forensic casework and specially kinship genetic studies. In this study, we have examined 252 confirmed and unrelated father/son sample pairs from Moroccan population using the 17 Y-STR markers DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385a, DYS385b, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, and Y-GATA-H4 of the AmpFlSTR Yfiler™ kit used in routine casework. We observed a total of 15 single repeat mutations between fathers and sons as mutational events. Nine mutations resulted in the gain of a repeat in the son and six resulted in a loss of a repeat. The average mutation rate in the studied sample is 3.5×10(-3) (95% CI 2-5.8×10(-3)). Furthermore, Y-STRs mutation occurrence seems to be 4 times more frequent than autosomal STRs mutation in this sample.


Three-port single-intercostal versus uniportal thoracoscopic segmentectomy for the treatment of lung cancer: a propensity score matching analysis.
The purpose of this retrospective study was to demonstrate the safety and feasibility of three-port single-intercostal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (SIC-VATS) segmentectomy compared to uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (UVATS) segmentectomy. We included 544 patients diagnosed with cT1N0M0 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy between January 2020 and August 2021, including 147 and 397 patients who underwent three-port SIC-VATS and UVATS, respectively. After incorporating preoperative clinical variables, we compared surgical outcomes and perioperative indicators between the two groups by propensity score matching analysis. After 1:1 propensity score matching, each group comprised 143 patients with no significant differences in baseline demographics and characteristics. There was no significant difference in operative time (p = 0.469), blood loss (p = 0.501), number of dissected lymph nodes (p = 0.228), dwell time of the main chest drain (p = 0.065), hospital stay (p = 0.243), or major complication rate (p = 0.295) between the three-port SIC-VATS and UVATS groups. The three-port SIC-VATS was as safe and feasible as UVATS for patients who are diagnosed with early-stage NSCLC.


Reconstruction of the last bacterial common ancestor from 183 pangenomes reveals a versatile ancient core genome.
Cumulative sequencing efforts have yielded enough genomes to construct pangenomes for dozens of bacterial species and elucidate intraspecies gene conservation. Given the diversity of organisms for which this is achievable, similar analyses for ancestral species are feasible through the integration of pangenomics and phylogenetics, promising deeper insights into the nature of ancient life. We construct pangenomes for 183 bacterial species from 54,085 genomes and identify their core genomes using a novel statistical model to estimate genome-specific error rates and underlying gene frequencies. The core genomes are then integrated into a phylogenetic tree to reconstruct the core genome of the last bacterial common ancestor (LBCA), yielding three main results: First, the gene content of modern and ancestral core genomes are diverse at the level of individual genes but are similarly distributed by functional category and share several poorly characterized genes. Second, the LBCA core genome is distinct from any individual modern core genome but has many fundamental biological systems intact, especially those involving translation machinery and biosynthetic pathways to all major nucleotides and amino acids. Third, despite this metabolic versatility, the LBCA core genome likely requires additional non-core genes for viability, based on comparisons with the minimal organism, JCVI-Syn3A. These results suggest that many cellular systems commonly conserved in modern bacteria were not just present in ancient bacteria but were nearly immutable with respect to short-term intraspecies variation. Extending this analysis to other domains of life will likely provide similar insights into more distant ancestral species.


Integrating the GPCR transactivation-dependent and biased signalling paradigms in the context of PAR1 signalling.
Classically, receptor-mediated signalling was conceived as a linear process involving one agonist, a variety of potential targets within a receptor family (e.g. α- and β-adrenoceptors) and a second messenger (e.g. cAMP)-triggered response. If distinct responses were stimulated by the same receptor in different tissues (e.g. lipolysis in adipocytes vs. increased beating rate in the heart caused by adrenaline), the differences were attributed to different second messenger targets in the different tissues. It is now realized that an individual receptor can couple to multiple effectors (different G proteins and different β-arrestins), even in the same cell, to drive very distinct responses. Furthermore, tailored agonists can mould the receptor conformation to activate one signal pathway versus another by a process termed 'biased signalling'. Complicating issues further, we now know that activating one receptor can rapidly trigger the local release of agonists for a second receptor via a process termed 'transactivation'. Thus, the end response can represent a cooperative signalling process involving two or more receptors linked by transactivation. This overview, with a focus on the GPCR, protease-activated receptor-1, integrates both of these processes to predict the complex array of responses that can arise when biased receptor signalling also involves the receptor transactivation process. The therapeutic implications of this signalling matrix are also briefly discussed. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Molecular Pharmacology of G Protein-Coupled Receptors. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v173.20/issuetoc.


Autoregulation of retinal blood flow in diabetic retinopathy measured by the blue-light entoptic technique.
Autoregulation of retinal blood flow was measured in 23 diabetic patients, 9 with nonproliferative retinopathy, 9 with proliferative retinopathy, and 5 with photocoagulated retinopathy. Three of the proliferative patients were studied on two occasions, at the proliferative stage and after photocoagulation. The stimuli to autoregulation used were isocapnic hyperoxia and hypoxia. Flow velocity of leukocytes in the perifoveal circulation was measured using the blue-field entoptic technique, and retinal artery and vein diameters were measured using a computerized digitizing system. Results under conditions of isocapnic hypoxia showed a mean increase in flow velocity of 41.0 +/- 33.0% (P less than 0.05) in nonproliferative retinopathy, 3.5 +/- 17.0% (not significant) in proliferative retinopathy, and 30.0 +/- 17.0% (P less than 0.05) after photocoagulation. In hyperoxia, flow velocity fell by a mean of 21.0 +/- 21.6% (P less than 0.05) in nonproliferative retinopathy, 33.0 +/- 19.9% (P less than 0.005) in proliferative retinopathy, and 21.0 +/- 26.0% (not significant) in photocoagulated retinopathy. The results are compared with a group of nondiabetic subjects reported previously.


Endocytosis-dominated membrane area decrease requires Rab5 protein in rat melanotrophs.
Eukaryotic cells internalize extracellular macromolecules by endocytosis and it was shown that Rab5 protein is required for this process. While it is clear that endocytosis consists of vesicle fission from the plasma membrane, the role of Rab5 protein in the plasma membrane surface area changes is still unclear. Here we studied whether Rab5 is required for membrane surface area changes in rat melanotrophs-cells deriving from the pituitary pars intermedia. The presence of this protein in melanotrophs was probed by immunocytochemistry and its putative role in membrane area dynamics was monitored electrophysiologically with membrane capacitance measurements as this parameter directly reflects changes in membrane surface area. We found that Rab5 protein exists in melanotrophs. At [Ca(2+)](i) < 3 microM, endocytosis-dominated membrane capacitance decrease was found to be blocked by microinjection of specific Rab5 antibody. At high [Ca(2+)](i), Rab5 antibody did not affect the steady-state increase in membrane capacitance, while it elevated the rate of membrane capacitance increase, which is consistent with an inhibition of endocytosis.


Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation using argon-based cryoablation during concomitant cardiac procedures.
The development of ablative energy sources has simplified the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) during concomitant cardiac procedures. We report our results using argon-based endocardial cryoablation for the treatment of AF in patients undergoing concomitant cardiac procedures. Sixty-three patients with AF who were undergoing concomitant cardiac procedures had the same left atrial endocardial lesion set using a flexible argon-based cryoablative device. Mean age was 65.1+/-1.3 years. Sixty-two percent had permanent AF, whereas 38% had paroxysmal AF. Mean duration of AF was 30.5+/-4.8 months. Mean left atrial diameter was 5.5+/-0.1 cm. Mean ejection fraction was 45+/-1.4%. All endocardial lesions were performed for 1 minute once tissue temperature reached -40 degrees C. Follow-up echocardiograms were obtained to determine freedom from AF. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated an 88.5% freedom from AF rate at 12 months. Ablation time was 16.8+/-0.6 minutes. There were no in-hospital deaths and no strokes. Twelve patients (19%) required postoperative permanent pacemaker placement. Cryoablation using this flexible argon-based device for the treatment of AF during concomitant cardiac procedures was safe and effective, with 88.5% of patients free from AF at 12 months.


Viral and cellular MARCH ubiquitin ligases and cancer.
Covalent conjugation of proteins with ubiquitin is one the most important post-translational modifications because it controls intracellular protein trafficking typically resulting in protein degradation. Frequently ubiquitinated proteins are targeted to the proteasome for degradation in the cytosol. However, ubiquitinated membrane bound proteins can also be targeted for endocytosis and degradation in the lysosome. Ubiquitin-dependent degradation pathways have clear cancer relevance due to their integral involvement in protein quality control, regulation of immune responses, signal transduction, and cell cycle regulation. In spite of its fundamental importance, little is known regarding how proteins are specifically identified for ubiquitin-dependent degradation. In this article we review a newly discovered family of viral and cellular ubiquitin ligases called MARCH proteins. Recent studies of MARCH proteins define new paradigms showing how ubiquitin E3 ligases determine the intracellular location and fate of proteins.


Dental education and undue exposure of patients' image in social media: A literature review.
The benefits of social media for health education and communication have been discussed in the literature. However, the indiscriminate utilisation by dental students and professionals, and the effects on patients' privacy and confidentiality are still little explored. To investigate the exposure of patients' images in social media by dental students and professionals, as well as to explore how this issue is addressed in dental schools. A literature review was performed. Search strategies were developed for the following bibliographic databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and Scopus. There were no restrictions about the year of publication. 231 articles were identified through search strategies. After a two-phase process of selection, 7 studies were included. Articles mainly described how social media have been used by healthcare students and professionals and warned that this usage has often been unprofessional, risking patients' privacy and confidentiality. Thus, it is the faculty's role, as a whole, to instruct students about the wise social media usage. The undue exposure of patients' images by dental students and professionals in social media has often been observed. Educators should include social media awareness discussions on the undergraduate curriculum.


The Prevalence of Pulp stones in Adult Patients of Shiraz Dental School, a Radiographic Assessment.
Pulp stones are calcifications found in the pulp chamber or pulp canals of the teeth. Its different prevalence in different population is a matter of concern. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of pulp stones in a sample of Iranian population and to report its occurrence regarding gender, dental arch, tooth type and dental status. Dental records of patients who attended Shiraz Dental School were selected randomly. Only bitewing and periapical radiographs of maxillary and mandibular permanent posterior teeth were studied. Teeth were classified in the case of presence or absence of pulp stones, and the prevalence was analyzed in different gender, tooth types, dental arch, and dental status (intact, carious, or restored) groups. Statistical analysis was performed using X(2) test. Of the 652examined subjects, 306 (46.9%) had one or more teeth with pulp stones. Of the 8244 posterior teeth examined, 928 (11.25%) had pulp stones in the pulp chamber. These pulp stones were detected in 76(37.6%) of males and 230 (51%) of females. The frequency of pulp stones among different teeth between maxillary and mandibular arches had almost a similar pattern. Among teeth demonstrating the condition, first molars were the most prevalent, followed by second molars. In maxillary molars the frequency of occurrence (26%) was higher than mandibular molars (18.7%). No Significant difference was found between dental status and pulp stones occurrence. The occurrence of pulp stones noted in this study was significantly higher in female, molar teeth than premolar and 1st maxillary molar than mandibular. There was no significant association between pulp stone and condition of the crown.


Wallenberg's syndrome caused by a craniopharyngioma "en plaque".
Wallenberg's syndrome is the clinical manifestation of the obliteration of arterial blood vessels supplying the dorsolateral part of the medulla oblongata, the posterior inferior cerebellar artery being involved in most cases. A patient is described in whom the typical features of Wallenberg's syndrome correlated with cystic necrosis in the perfusion area of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. A craniopharyngioma spreading along the pons and involving the posterior inferior cerebellar artery, the basilar artery, and its branches was found to be responsible for the infarction of the dorsolateral medulla oblongata.


Clinical islet cell transplantation. Are we there yet?
Diabetes mellitus is perhaps the most devastating chronic disease of all time. A brief history of the evolution of treatment modalities is provided, culminating in the rationale for the physiologic replacement of a functioning beta-cell mass by transplantation. Vascularized pancreas transplantation is discussed briefly as an introduction to the transplantation of the isolated islet. A detailed review of the current state of human islet transplantation for the cure of diabetes is then described. Finally, areas for future development are highlighted.


Efficient soldering index materials for fixed partial dentures and implant substructures.
Multiple-unit fixed partial dentures routinely require an intraoral index to ensure accurate fit. One of the most commonly used materials is Duralay acrylic resin, which has yielded satisfactory clinical results, but one disadvantage has been a prolonged setting time. This study compared the setting times of two autopolymerizing resins, Duralay and G. C. Pattern resin. The dimensional accuracy of these materials was also compared with one light-cured resin, G.C. Unifast light-cure resin. All three materials were suitable to relate castings with clinically acceptable outcomes, and chairside time could be saved with the use of recently introduced indexing materials.


Characterization of the expression of LAT1 as a prognostic indicator and a therapeutic target in renal cell carcinoma.
Large neutral amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1, SLC7A5) is abundantly expressed in various types of cancer, and it has been thought to assist cancer progression through its activity for uptake of neutral amino acids. However, the roles of LAT1 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) prognosis and treatment remain uncharacterized. Therefore, we first retrospectively examined the LAT1 expression profile and its associations with clinical factors in RCC tissues (n = 92). The results of immunohistochemistry showed that most of the tissues examined (92%) had cancer-associated LAT1 expression. Furthermore, the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were shorter in patients with high LAT1 expression levels than in those with low LAT1 expression levels (P = 0.018 and 0.014, respectively), and these associations were further strengthened by the results of univariate and multivariate analyses. Next, we tested the effects of JPH203, which is a selective LAT1 inhibitor, on RCC-derived Caki-1 and ACHN cells. It was found that JPH203 inhibited the growth of these cell types in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, JPH203 clearly suppressed their migration and invasion activities. Thus, our results show that LAT1 has a great potential to become not only a prognosis biomarker but also a therapeutic target in RCC clinical settings.


Fractured long bones in a term infant delivered by cesarian section.
A term infant was delivered uneventfully by repeat Cesarian section. At the age of 1 week there was clinical and radiographic evidence of fractures of the left tibia and right radius. The fractures most likely occurred during the cesarian section. Birth trauma should not be excluded on the basis of Cesarian section delivery.


Failure to detect Tritrichomonas foetus in a cross-sectional survey in the populations of feral cats and owned outpatient cats on St Kitts, West Indies.
For over two decades, feline trichomonosis caused by Tritrichomonas foetus has been recognized as a large-bowel protozoan disease of the domestic cat. It has a wide distribution, but no reports exist in the Caribbean. The objectives of this study were to detect the presence of T foetus and its prevalence in the domestic cat on St Kitts, West Indies. A cross-sectional study was performed between September 2014 and December 2015. This study recruited 115 feral cats from a trap-neuter-return program and 37 owned cats treated as outpatients at the university veterinary clinic. Fresh feces were inoculated in InPouch culture medium, as per the manufacturer's instructions. In addition, PCR was performed using primers for T foetus. DNA extraction with amplification using primers of a Feliscatus NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 was used as a housekeeping gene for quality control. Only two owned cats had reported diarrhea in the preceding 6 months. None of the 152 samples were positive on InPouch culture microscopic examination. Only 35/69 feral cat fecal DNA samples were positive for the housekeeping gene, of which none tested PCR positive for T foetus. T foetus was not detected by culture and PCR in feral cats and owned cats on St Kitts. A high proportion of PCR inhibitors in the DNA samples using a commercial fecal DNA kit can lead to underestimating the prevalence, which should be taken into consideration when a survey on gastrointestinal pathogens depends exclusively on molecular detection.


Complete genome sequence of marine photoheterotophic bacterium Erythrobacter sp. JK5.
Erythrobacter sp. JK5, a marine heterotrophic bacterium, was isolated from marine sediment in Jeju island, the Republic of Korea. Here, we report information on the complete genome of strain JK5, including a putative capability for photosynthesis. The genome of JK5 consisted of 3.34 Mbp with 64.2% G + C content, and contained 3210 protein-coding sequences and three rRNA genes. Genomic analysis revealed that strain JK5 might be grown under oxic, microoxic, or anoxic conditions using two types of terminal oxidase (high and low oxygen affinity) or nitrate reductase. The types IV and VI secretion systems presented in strain JK5 genome might reveal a survival advantage against their ecological competitors in the marine environment.


Incidence of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in vertically HIV-1 infected children.
The rate of seroconversion for antibody to Chlamydia pneumoniae was analysed in blood samples of 26 vertically HIV-1 infected children and 14 seroreverter children (HIV-negative children born to HIV-positive mothers) during a 3-year study period. Seroconversion for Chlamydia pneumoniae was found in 13 of 26 HIV-1 infected children and in 1 of 14 in the seroreverter group (P=0.013). A lower mean CD4+ cell count and p24 antigen positivity at enrolment were significantly associated with seroconversion for Chlamydia pneumoniae. Signs and symptoms of acute respiratory infection were recorded in the 30 to 40 days preceding collection of the blood samples showing seroconversion for Chlamydia pneumoniae in 8 of 13 HIV-1 infected children and in the single seroreverter. This study confirms the potential role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in the pathogenesis of respiratory tract infections in HIV-1 infected subjects.


Effects of prolonged-release torasemide versus furosemide on myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive patients with chronic heart failure: a randomized, blinded-end point, active-controlled study.
The pharmacologic modification of the synthesis and deposition of fibrillar collagen in the myocardium may have effects on the cardiac function, clinical status, and prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF). Serum procollagen type I carboxyterminal peptide (PICP) is a biochemical marker of collagen type I fibers synthesis and myocardial deposition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of both the prolonged-release (PR) formulation of torasemide (torasemide-PR) and furosemide on myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive patients with chronic HF. This was a multicenter, parallel-group, randomized, open-label study with blinded evaluation of data (PROBE: Prospective Randomized Open-label Blinded End points). Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with torasemide-PR (n = 77) or furosemide (n = 78), while receiving the best standard chronic HF treatment. Effects of torasemide-PR and furosemide on myocardial fibrosis were assessed through PICP serum levels. Twenty-eight patients discontinued prematurely from the study, 14 in each treatment group. One hundred fifty-five patients were randomized, 58.1% of whom were male. Mean (SD) age of the patients was 68.1 (11.4) years in the torasemide-PR group and 69.3 (9.8) years in the furosemide group. At baseline, 96.1% of patients in the torasemide-PR group and 89.7% in the furosemide group had NYHA class II HF. Most patients in both treatment groups presented with preserved ejection fraction (EF >40%). No differences were found in PICP serum levels at the end of the study between patients treated with torasemide-PR and patients treated with furosemide (P = 0.75). Adjusted difference (95% CI) for baseline concentration between both treatment groups was -1.2 (-8.9 to 6.4). In hypertensive patients with mild and clinically stable HF, long-term administration of either torasemide-PR or furosemide was not associated with significant effects on myocardial fibrosis, as assessed by serum PICP. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00409942.


Multiplex Real-Time PCR Using Encoded Microparticles for MicroRNA Profiling.
Multiplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), which measures multiple DNAs in a given sample, has drawn unprecedented attention as a means of verifying the rapidly increasing genetic targets in a single phenotype. We report the detailed procedure of a readily extensible qPCR for multiple microRNA (miRNA) expression analysis using microparticles of primer-immobilized networks as discrete reactors. Individual particles are identified by two-dimensional codes engraved into the particles. It allows high-fidelity signal analysis in the multiplex real-time PCR. During the course of PCR, the amplicons accumulate in the volume of the particles with amplification efficiency over 95%. Tens of miRNAs can be quantitatively profiled in a single PCR reaction of this method.


Evaluation of prostate health index in predicting bone metastasis of prostate cancer before bone scanning.
In patients undergoing bone scanning, the positive rate of bone metastasis (BM) of prostate cancer (PCa) is quite low. The main purpose of this study was to explore the application of %p2PSA and prostate health index (phi) in predicting BM of PCa before bone scanning to reduce unnecessary bone scanning. A total of 279 PCa patients were enrolled in our study. The area under the ROC curve was used to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to establish a prediction model. A multivariate regression model was established to evaluate the predictive value of the variables. The nomogram model was established by R software. The patients were stratified into an intermediate-risk subgroup (T2b-T2c, Gleason score = 6-7) and a high-risk subgroup (cT3-4, Gleason score = 8-10). In the overall cohort and subgroups, McNemar's test was used for comparison of different predictive variables. Of the 279 patients included in the study, 43 patients were identified as having BM by bone scanning. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (p = 0.043), tPSA (p = 0.001), Ki-67 (p = 0.003), Gleason score (p = 0.001), clinical T stage (p < 0.001) and phi (p < 0.001) were significantly different in BM patients. In multivariate regression analysis, the model with phi showed significant diagnostic ability for predicting BM (AUC = 0.854). In the subgroup analysis, phi was significantly superior to tPSA in terms of the positive predictive value at sensitivities of 84.62% and 61.54% in the overall cohort (p < 0.001) and intermediate-risk subgroup (p < 0.001), respectively. Moreover, %p2PSA showed no significant advantage over tPSA (p > 0.05). The level of phi was significantly related to the positive rate of BM in initially diagnosed PCa. In PCa patients with clinical stage T2b-T2c and Gleason score = 6-7, phi can be used as a surrogate indicator of tPSA for screening BM.


Isoform-Dependent Effects of Apolipoprotein E on Sphingolipid Metabolism in Neural Cells.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramides have been implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms are also involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease. We aimed at elucidating the potential association of the ApoE isoforms with sphingolipid metabolism in the central nervous system. We investigated the modulations of apolipoprotein M (apoM), a carrier of S1P, S1P, and ceramides in Apoeshl mice, which spontaneously lack apoE, and U251 cells and SH-SY5Y cells infected with adenovirus vectors encoding for apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4. In the brains of Apoeshl mice, the levels of apoM were lower, while those of ceramides were higher. In U251 cells, cellular apoM and S1P levels were the highest in the cells overexpressing apoE2 among the apoE isoforms. The cellular and medium contents of ceramides decreased in the order of the cells overexpressing apoE3 > apoE2 and increased in the cells overexpressing apoE4. In SH-SY5Y cells, apoM mRNA and medium S1P levels were also the highest in the cells overexpressing apoE2. The cellular contents of ceramides decreased in the order of the cells overexpressing apoE3 > apoE2 = apoE4 and those in medium decreased in the order of the cells overexpressing apoE3 > apoE2, while increased in the cells overexpressing apoE4. The modulation of apoM and S1P might partly explain the protective effects of apoE2 against Alzheimer's disease, and the modulation of ceramides might be one of the mechanisms explaining the association of apoE4 with the development of Alzheimer's disease.


[Temporal ambivalences of aging: Individual patterns of time use in conflict between time wealth and time poverty].
Throughout their lives people are confronted with different time resources and demands that change continuously up into old age. With the help of a qualitative interview study the narrative constructions of subjective time experiences as well as individual ways of dealing with time in retirement were investigated. In particular the influences of older persons' experience of time within the dimensions of everyday time and life time were analyzed. In addition, the study focused on potential time conflicts between these two dimensions and the question of how older people deal with the ambivalence between everyday time wealth and biographical time poverty in older age. The results of the interviews with 50 retired men and women (aged 56-91 years) in Germany, which were analyzed with "grounded theory" techniques, indicated that time in retirement does not indeed always run smoothly. In particular, the individual perception of increasing biographical time poverty exerts pressure on the arrangement of activities and daily routine in retirement. The resulting time conflicts are reflected in differential patterns of time use through which older persons try to cope with their ambivalent time experiences.


Determination and quantification of PCBs, POCs and PAHs in Thunnus thynnus from the Straits of Messina (Italy).
This data set is composed to assess the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) dioxin like (DL) and not dioxin like (NDL), organochlorine pesticides (POCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Thunnus thynnus and to elucidate the suitability of this species as a bioindicator for monitoring contaminations of these compounds in the marine ecosystems of the Straits of Messina. This investigation was conducted on liver samples of 14 T. thynnus collected during April 2015. Quantitative determination of PCBs (DL and NDL), POCs and PAHs in the examined samples has been carried out by HRGC-MS/MS. Among the PCBs, high prevalence of DL was found while, generally, the values detected for PCBs-NDL were lower than the legal limits. Tuna samples analyzed for PAHs residues revealed that all the samples were contaminated with acenaphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene and anthracene. Moreover, generally the residual levels of DDT and DDT metabolites were low. The total content of PCB-DL, in almost all the samples, showed higher concentration than the legal limit.


Hematological indices in copper-poisoned rats.
The effects of 30 days oral administration of a sublethal daily dose (0.1 g/kg body weight) of copper sulfate on the blood constituents of albino rats were studied. Percent hemoglobin, number of red blood corpuscles, plasma corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular volume were decreased significantly. No marked alteration was observed in the number of white blood corpuscles, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and alkaline phosphatase activity. The concentrations of blood glucose, cholesterol, bilirubin and urea were elevated in the copper-fed rats. The activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and lactate and glutamate dehydrogenases were increased significantly, but blood total protein and acid phosphatase activity were reduced.


Pharmacologically Inferred Glycolysis and Glutaminolysis Requirement of B Cells in Lupus-Prone Mice.
Several studies have shown an enhanced metabolism in the CD4+ T cells of lupus patients and lupus-prone mice. Little is known about the metabolism of B cells in lupus. In this study, we compared the metabolism of B cells between lupus-prone B6.Sle1.Sle2.Sle3 triple-congenic mice and C57BL/6 controls at steady state relative to autoantibody production, as well as during T cell-dependent (TD) and T cell-independent (TI) immunizations. Starting before the onset of autoimmunity, B cells from triple-congenic mice showed an elevated glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration, which were normalized in vivo by inhibiting glycolysis with a 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG) treatment. 2DG greatly reduced the production of TI-Ag-specific Abs, but showed minimal effect with TD-Ags. In contrast, the inhibition of glutaminolysis with 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine had a greater effect on TD than TI-Ag-specific Abs in both strains. Analysis of the TI and TD responses in purified B cells in vitro suggests, however, that the glutaminolysis requirement is not B cell-intrinsic. Thus, B cells have a greater requirement for glycolysis in TI than TD responses, as inferred from pharmacological interventions. B cells from lupus-prone and control mice have different intrinsic metabolic requirements or different responses toward 2DG and 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine, which mirrors our previous results obtained with follicular Th cells. Overall, these results predict that targeting glucose metabolism may provide an effective therapeutic approach for systemic autoimmunity by eliminating both autoreactive follicular Th and B cells, although it may also impair TI responses.


Creaming and plasma clearance rate of intravenous fat emulsion in critically ill patients.
Intravenous fat emulsion incubated with serum or plasma in vitro may result in the aggregation of fat (creaming). Twenty critically ill patients were tested for in vitro creaming of the fat emulsion Intralipid. An intravenous fat tolerance test was used to determine the plasma clearance rate of Intralipid in each patient. Eleven patients (55%) were found to be creamers. These patients had a higher mean plasma clearance rate of Intralipid than non-creamers (5.73 +/- 0.56 vs. 2.77 +/- 0.37% per min; p < 0.001); however, the rates of both groups were within the range reported in normal healthy subjects. Mean C-reactive protein concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.01), and albumin levels were lower (p < 0.01) in creamers compared to non-creamers. Ionized calcium levels did not differ between the two groups. The results of this study indicate that in vitro creaming is common in acutely ill patients. The clinical significance of creaming is probably minimal since creamers tolerated 50 to 100 g/day of intravenous fat emulsion while receiving total parenteral nutrition. Creaming was uncommon when the fat was mixed with blood in vitro.


Association analysis of nine missense polymorphisms in the coagulation factor V gene with severe preeclampsia in pregnant Japanese women.
The Leiden mutation in the coagulation factor V (F5) gene associated with preeclampsia in Caucasians has not been found in Japanese populations. We examined the association of 20 missense polymorphisms in the F5 gene in 133 pregnant Japanese women with preeclampsia and in 224 unrelated, healthy, pregnant Japanese women. Among nine polymorphisms identified in the subjects, the M385T and R485K polymorphisms were associated with preeclampsia (P = 0.05 and P = 0.02, respectively). Haplotype analysis indicated that the R485K polymorphism is truly associated with preeclampsia, whereas the association of the M385T polymorphism is due to linkage disequilibrium. Taken together with reports that the R485 allele yields poor factor V function in comparison with that of the K485 allele and that the F5 Leiden mutation is associated with preeclampsia in Caucasian populations, the findings of the present study suggest that the F5 gene is associated with preeclampsia in pregnant Japanese women.


Characterization of soil organic matter by FT-IR spectroscopy and its relationship with chlorpyrifos sorption.
Sorption of non-ionic organic compounds to soil is usually expressed as the carbon-normalized partition coefficient (KOC) assuming that the main factor that influences the amount sorbed is the organic carbon content (OC) of the soil. However, KOC can vary across a range of soils. The influence of certain soil characteristics on the chlorpyrifos KOC values variation for 12 representative soils of the Northpatagonian Argentinian region with different physicochemical properties was investigated for this study. The chlorpyrifos sorption coefficients normalized by the OC content were experimentally obtained using the batch equilibrium method; the KOC values ranged between 9000-20,000 L kg-1. The soil characteristics assessed were pH, clay content and spectral data indicative of soil organic matter (SOM) quality measured by FT-IR on the whole soil. The bands considered in the spectroscopic analyses were those corresponding to the aliphatic components, 2947-2858 cm-1 (band A) and the hydrophilic components, 1647-1633 cm-1 (band B). A significant relationship was found (R2 = 0.66) between chlorpyrifos sorption (KOC) and the variables pH and A/B height band ratio. The correlation between the values predicted by the derived model and the experimental data was significant (r = 0.89 p < 0.05). Thus, this methodology could be used to estimate chlorpyrifos sorption coefficient through the use of a simple, rapid, and environmentally-friendly measurement. KOC analysis in relation to soil properties represents a valuable contribution to the understanding of the attenuation phenomena of the organic contaminants off-site migration in the environment.


Systems biology in psychiatric research: from complex data sets over wiring diagrams to computer simulations.
The classification of psychiatric disorders has always been a problem in clinical settings. The present debate about the major systems in clinical practice, DSM-IV and ICD-10, has resulted in attempts to improve and replace those schemes by some that include more endophenotypic and molecular features. However, these disorders not only require more precise diagnostic tools, but also have to be viewed more extensively in their dynamic behaviors, which require more precise data sets related to their origins and developments. This enormous challenge in brain research has to be approached on different levels of the biological system by new methods, including improvements in electroencephalography, brain imaging, and molecular biology. All these methods entail accumulations of large data sets that become more and more difficult to interpret. In particular, on the molecular level, there is an apparent need to use highly sophisticated computer programs to tackle these problems. Evidently, only interdisciplinary work among mathematicians, physicists, biologists, and clinicians can further improve our understanding of complex diseases of the brain.


Dimensional and morphologic characteristics of unilateral impacted maxillary central incisors.
This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the crown and root characteristics of impacted central incisors compared with spontaneously erupted contralateral incisors and the influence of etiologic and local factors on their dimensions. Forty-five patients (22 boys, 23 girls) who underwent orthodontic treatment for unilateral impaction of maxillary central incisors were referred for cone-beam imaging. Dimensions of the impacted and contralateral incisors were assessed using Dolphin 3D software (Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions, Chatsworth, Calif). Paired t test and linear regression were used to compare the characteristics of the impacted and contralateral teeth. Contralateral and impacted central incisors showed statistically significant differences for root length (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.32-3.46; P <0.001), mesiodistal crown-root angulation (95% CI, 4.09-15.95; P = 0.001), and labiolingual crown-root angulation (95% CI, -18.69 to -4.70; P = 0.002). Etiologic factors did not alter the dimensions of incisors (95% CI, -1.17 to 0.76; P = 0.672). According to the multiple linear regression the independent variables associated with root length of contralateral and impacted incisors were sex (β = -0.904; 95% CI, -1.62 to - 0.19; P = 0.014) and the presence of impaction (β = -2.87; 95% CI, -3.67 to -2.07; P <0.001). Regardless of their etiology, the impacted incisors showed roots that were 2.89 mm shorter than the contralateral incisors and had greater angulation in the mesiodistal and labiolingual directions. Girls showed a reduction of 0.904 mm (7.6%) on the lengths of roots of both impacted and contralateral central incisors. The presence of impaction led to a reduction of 25% in incisor root lengths. Approximately 30% of the impacted teeth showed crown-root angulations >20° resulting in an increased distal and labial angulation of the root apical portion.


Cardiac performance correlates of relative heart ventricle mass in amphibians.
This study used an in situ heart preparation to analyze the power output and stroke work of spontaneously beating hearts of four anurans (Rhinella marina, Lithobates catesbeianus, Xenopus laevis, Pyxicephalus edulis) and three urodeles (Necturus maculosus, Ambystoma tigrinum, Amphiuma tridactylum) that span a representative range of relative ventricle mass (RVM) found in amphibians. Previous research has documented that RVM correlates with dehydration tolerance and maximal aerobic capacity in amphibians. The power output (mW g(-1) ventricle mass) and stroke work (mJ g(-1) ventricle muscle mass) were independent of RVM and were indistinguishable from previously published results for fish and reptiles. RVM was significantly correlated with maximum power output (P max, mW kg(-1) body mass), stroke volume, cardiac output, afterload pressure (P O) at P max, and preload pressure (P I) at P max. P I at P max and P O at P max also correlated very closely with each other. The increases in both P I and P O at maximal power outputs in large hearts suggest that concomitant increases in blood volume and/or increased modulation of vascular compliance either anatomically or via sympathetic tone on the venous vasculature would be necessary to achieve P max in vivo. Hypotheses for variation in RVM and its concomitant increased P max in amphibians are developed.


Vaccination coverage among adolescents in certain provinces of Greece.
To estimate the vaccination coverage in a sample of adolescents in Greece. Vaccination status was estimated in 483 adolescents aged 15-19 y in four prefectures. The criteria for full vaccination were based on the recommendations of the Greek National Vaccination Schedule. The participation rate in the study was 78.7% (380/483 adolescents). The rates of full vaccination were 94.2% for poliomyelitis, 78.4% for hepatitis B, 77.4% for BCG, 65.0% for tetanus and 54.4% for diphtheria. The rates of full vaccination for measles, rubella and mumps were 65.0%, 57.6%, and 56.0%, respectively. For pertussis, the full vaccination rate was only 36.0%, and 7.1% of the study population was totally unvaccinated. The most missed dose for all vaccines was the final booster dose, which is usually administered in older children or adolescents. Adolescent vaccination coverage was not satisfactory in this study, mainly due to non-compliance to the final booster dose. Completion of missing vaccines at this age represents the last opportunity for massive intervention and would be of essential value for individual and community protection against common preventable diseases.


Chemical synthesis of dioxygen-18 labelled omega-/beta-oxidized cysteinyl leukotrienes: analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (LT) C4, LTD4 and LTE4 are potent mediators of anaphylaxis and inflammation. LTE4 is extensively metabolized in man mainly by omega-oxidation followed by subsequent beta-oxidation to more polar and biologically inactive metabolites. This paper describes a method for the synthesis of [1,20-18O2]-carboxy-LTE4, [1,18-18O2]-carboxy-dinor-LTE4, and [1,16-18O2]-carboxy-14,15-dihydro-tetranor-LTE4 starting from the unlabelled dimethyl esters of 20-carboxy-LTA4, 18-carboxy-dinor-LTA4 and 16-carboxy-14,15-dihydro-tetranor-LTA4, respectively, by separate chemical conjugation with cysteine hydrochloride in H2-18O-methanol followed by alkaline hydrolysis with Li18OH. The isotopic purity of the isolated reaction products was 94% at 18O for all three preparations while only 0.3% remained unlabelled as confirmed by negative-ion chemical-ionization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-NICI-MS) after their catalytical reduction/desulphurization and derivatization. The 18O2-labelled compounds are demonstrated to be suitable internal standards for quantification by GC-NICI-MS and GC-NICI-tandem MS. We found by GC-NICI-tandem MS that the excretion rate of 20-carboxy-LTE4 is comparable to that of LTE4 (both in nmol/mol creatinine, mean +/- S.E.) in healthy children (26.7 +/- 4.7 vs. 32.0 +/- 6.0, n = 9) and adults (13.9 +/- 1.1 vs. 27.2 +/- 5.4, n = 3).


Impaired very low density lipoprotein and triglyceride removal in broad beta disease: comparison with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia.
The removal rate of apoprotein-B (apo B) in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) was decreased in individuals with broad beta disease when compared with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia. Following the injection of 125I-VLDL isolated from individuals with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia, both VLDL apo B fractional catabolic rate (0.058 +/- 0.029 hr-1) and VLDL apo-B turnover rate (0.300 +/- 0.070 mg/kg/hr) were lower in broad beta disease than in endogenous hypertriglyceridemia (fractional catabolic rate 0.112 +/- 0.046, p less than .05; turnover rate 0.640 +/- 0.199, p less than .005) despite equivalent plasma concentrations of VLDL-apo-B. Furthermore, conversion of VLDL apo-B to LDL was impaired in broad beta disease relative to endogenous hypertriglyceridemia. Differences in the kinetics of lipoprotein lipase-related triglyceride removal during a maximal heparin infusion were also demonstrated between these two disorders. These differences suggest an abnormality in the interaction of lipoprotein lipase with the lipoproteins of unusual composition in broad beta disease. This is further supported by the normalization of lipoprotein composition in broad beta disease by estrogen therapy, with a simultaneous change in the kinetics of lipoprotein lipase-related triglyceride removal towards those seen in endogenous hypertriglyceridemia.


Smart education system to improve the learning system with CBR based recommendation system using IoT.
Over the last few years, the research fields of intelligent learning systems have been improving the process of learning systems. Smart Tutoring System-(STS) applications have been used in e-learning. The results signify the importance of the learner's engagement in customizing a model. The design outcomes of this IoT-based personalized learning system purely work on the audience's learning requirements, their keyword search, their learning experience levels, proficiency level of subjects, and the type of the course being taught. Students spent an average of 25.67 h accessing textual materials weekly, 27.4 h accessing video assets weekly, and similarly 6.5 h accessing visual learning materials. The research analysis part concludes participants' percentage of learning as per evaluations assessment, which increases whenever the outcome analysis comes with Case-Based Reasoning classifiers-CBR based search model. The findings displayed significant differences before and after learning case by case for every learner as per chosen topic and quiz assessments: 42.57% of the students responded before learning the first question assessments whereas 74.82%, of the students responded, after completion of learning from online resources based on their choice with CBR. Recommendation Model Analysis discussed root means square error-RMSE lies from 10% to 20% for 550 students group size. The RMSE result is 24% for a size of 1600, which is low performance compared to other group sizes. This study focuses on the STS recommendation model for the slow learner group to identify required learning from various online resources.


Cultured rat striatal and cortical astrocytes protect mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons against hydrogen peroxide toxicity independent of their effect on neuronal development.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydrogen peroxide, are supposed to be involved in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease. The potential role of astrocytes against neurotoxic effects of ROS was studied in cocultures of rat mesencephalic neurons and rat striatal or cortical astrocytes. Neuronal [3H]dopamine uptake, a marker of dopaminergic neuron integrity, was enhanced by striatal astrocytes, but not by cortical astrocytes, compared to uptake in mesencephalic neurons cultured alone. Whereas hydrogen peroxide at concentrations up to 100 microM reduced the [3H]dopamine uptake in neuronal cultures, no reduction of the uptake was observed in cocultures, regardless of the origin of the supporting astrocytes. These results suggest that astrocyte mediated protection of neurons against hydrogen peroxide induced toxicity is not directly related to a region-specific neurotrophic effect.


Morphometric analysis of the endocrine pancreas in streptozotocin-diabetic rats kept on different dietary regimens.
The effects of different diets on the endocrine pancreas of streptozotocin-diabetic rats were investigated by morphometry. Three dietary regimens were used over a period of 43 weeks: standard diet (SD), low carbohydrate-high protein diet (LC-HP), and low carbohydrate-high fat diet (LC-HF). Nondiabetic controls received standard diet. Volume density of the total endocrine tissue was significantly reduced in streptozotocin-diabetic rats kept on standard diet as compared to control rats. This reduction of endocrine tissue was significantly less in rats kept on LC-HP diet, whereas diabetic rats kept on LC-HF did not differ from diabetic rats on standard diet. In streptozotocin-diabetic rats volume density of B cells was drastically reduced, whereas volume densities of A, D and PP cells did not differ from nondiabetic controls. This decrease of B cells was partially prevented by LC-HP diet, but not by LC-HF diet. In nondiabetic control rats as in diabetic rats on standard diet most of the islets of Langerhans sized 500-6000 microns2. In contrast, diabetic rats on LC-HP diet revealed more endocrine tissue sized from 50 to 560 microns2 consisting of two to four endocrine cells, single cells, and small islets. The results suggest that LC-HP diet may initiate reparation processes in the endocrine pancreas of streptozotocin-diabetic rats.


Growth and vibrational spectroscopic studies of pure and yttrium doped single crystals of trisodium barium pentachloride dihydrate.
Single crystals of pure and rare earth doped trisodium barium pentachloride dihydrate have been grown by slow evaporation solution growth. The solubility of both pure and doped forms of Na3BaCl5 x 2H2O has been estimated. Vibrational spectra were recorded to determine the symmetries of molecular vibrations. The observed Raman and infrared bands were assigned and discussed in detail. The optical transparencies of the grown crystals were tested by UV-vis spectrophotometer.


An integrated multidisciplinary-based framework for characterizing environmental risks of heavy metals and their effects on antibiotic resistomes in agricultural soils.
In this study, a new integrated multidisciplinary-based framework has been proposed to better understand the environmental risks of heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural soils. The source apportionment results revealed by a multilinear engine model were incorporated into the geochemical indexes and the probabilistic health risk assessment models for identifying the source-oriented risks of HMs in the environment. High-throughput sequencing-based metagenomic assembly analysis was used for characterizing the prevalence and dissemination risk of antibiotic resistomes and their associations with the geochemical enrichment of HMs in the soils. Results showed agricultural and industrial activities were the main sources of HMs in the environment. Although the soils were contaminated moderately by HMs and the health risks posed by soil metals were negligible for both adult and children, source-oriented risk evaluation suggested agricultural activities contributed relatively higher contamination and health risks than the other sources. Notably, abundant and diverse antibiotic resistant genes, mobile gene elements, virulence factors, and antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens were identified in the agricultural soils, as well as their co-occurrences on the same contigs, implying a non-negligible resistome risk. Further, statistical and network analyses showed the geochemical enrichment of HMs exerted significant effects on the antibiotic resistomes in the environment.


Cortistatin protects against inflammatory airway diseases through curbing CCL2 and antagonizing NF-κB signaling pathway.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting millions of people around the world, yet much remains unknown about its underlying mechanisms. Cortistatin (CST) is a neuropeptide which is reported to be a potential endogenous anti-inflammatory factor in several conditions. To testify the potential involvement of CST in airway inflammatory reaction, an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mice model was established in wild-type (WT) as well as CST-knockout (Cort-/-) mice. Thereafter, lung tissue or cell samples were gathered in each group, and histological analysis as well as cell counting assay indicated that Cort-/- mice exhibited exaggeration of asthma compared with WT control group. Moreover, mRNA sequencing assay revealed that CCL2 was a potential target of CST in asthma, and administration of CCL2 inhibitor alleviated airway inflammation of asthma in Cort-/- mice. Moreover, NF-κB signaling pathway might be closely associated with the protective function of CST in asthma, as enhanced activation of NF-κB signaling pathway was observed in OVA-induced asthma model of Cort-/- mice, and SN50, an inhibitor of NF-κB signaling pathway, antagonized asthma development in Cort-/- mice. In summary, CST might represent as a promising target for the treatment of asthma through interacting with CCL2 and NF-κB signaling pathway.


Determination of freeze damage on HPV vaccines by use of flow cytometry.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines Gardasil, Silgard and Cervarix were labeled with antibodies against HPV strain 6 or 16/FITC conjugated secondary antibodies and analyzed by flow cytometry. The vaccines showed distinct peaks of fluorescent particles, and a shift towards decreased fluorescent particles was observed after incubation of the vaccines over night at -20 °C. Since parallel distributed vaccines could have longer route of transportation there is an increased risk of freeze damage for these types of vaccine. Shift in fluorescence of labeled vaccine particles was used to indicate whether parallel distributed Silgard, which is a vaccine type identical to Gardasil, was exposed to freeze damage during transportation, but no shift was observed. Additional experiments showed that the HPV vaccines could be degraded to smaller particles by citric acid/phosphate buffer treatment. The majority of particles detected in degraded Gardasil were very small indicating that the particles are HPV virus like particle (VLPs) labeled with antibodies, but Cervarix could only be degraded partially due to the presence of another type adjuvant in this vaccine. The described method may be useful in characterization of adjuvanted vaccines with respect to freeze damage, and to characterize vaccines containing particles corresponding to VLPs in size.


Development of a Telehealth-Coordinated Intervention to Improve Access to Community-Based Mental Health.
To develop an intervention to improve the mental health referral and care process for children referred by primary care providers (PCPs) to community mental health clinics (MHCs) using a community partnered approach. A Project Working Group (PWG) with representatives from each partner organization met monthly for 6 months. Multi-site federally qualified health center (FQHC) and two community MHCs in Los Angeles county. 26 stakeholders (14 FQHC clinic providers/staff, 8 MHC providers/staff, 4 parents) comprised the PWG. Qualitative interviews, PWG meeting notes, intervention processes and workflow reports. The PWG reviewed qualitative data from stakeholders (interviews of 7 parents and 13 providers/staff). The PWG met monthly to identify key transition points where access to and coordination of care were likely compromised and to develop solutions. Three critical transition points and system solutions were identified: 1) Parents refuse initial referral to the MHC due to stigma regarding mental health services. Solution: During initial referral, parents watch a video introducing them to the MHC. 2) Parents don't complete the MHC's screening after referral. Solution: A live videoconference session connecting parents at the FQHC with MHC staff ensures completion of the screening and eligibility process. 3) PCPs reject transfer of patients back to primary care for ongoing psychotropic medication management. Solution: Regularly scheduled live videoconferences connect PCPs and MHC providers. A community partnered approach to care design utilizing telehealth for care coordination between clinics can potentially be used to address key challenges in MHC access for children.


In vivo drug target discovery: identifying the best targets from the genome.
A vast number of genes of unknown function threaten to clog drug discovery pipelines. To develop therapeutic products from novel genomic targets, it will be necessary to correlate biology with gene sequence information. Industrialized mouse reverse genetics is being used to determine gene function in the context of mammalian physiology and to identify the best targets for drug development.


Production of procalcitonin (PCT) in non-thyroidal tissue after LPS injection.
Procalcitonin (PCT) is one of the precursors in the synthesis of calcitonin in thyroidal C-cells and other neuroendocrine cells. PCT, among other calcitonin precursors, is elevated in the serum of many conditions associated with a systemic inflammatory response syndrome, even in the absence of the thyroid gland. The aim of our study was to identify PCT-producing extrathyroidal tissues in primate sepsis. In order to induce PCT production, we treated four olive baboons ( papio cynocephalus anubis) with the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from s. typhimurium. We found an increase in serum PCT 3 to 5 hours after LPS injection to levels of 0.2 ng/ml, attaining a peak above 4 ng/ml PCT at 10 hours. In contrast, the untreated baboon had no detectable circulating PCT in the serum. In one animal, additional LPS boosting after 24 hours did not increase serum PCT further. Soluble proteins were extracted from different organs, fractionated by C18 extraction, and PCT was measured in an immunoluminometric assay (ILMA), which was specifically developed for this study. PCT concentrations above 0.2 ng/g of wet tissue were found in a variety of organs in LPS treated baboons, but not in the control baboon. Organs and tissues with the highest PCT concentration included liver, kidney, aorta, fat, ovaries, bladder and adrenal gland. RT-PCR confirmed an extrathyroidal origin of PCT. Importantly, CT-mRNA expression was found in liver, lung, kidney, adrenal, colon, skin, spleen, brain and pancreas. In conclusion, our data confirm previous findings in hamsters, indicating an extrathyroidal origin for PCT in sepsis. Our primate model offers a valuable tool for further investigation of PCT's pathophysiological role and its immunoneutralization as a therapy for sepsis.


[Laparoscopic Janeway gastrostomy: an advantageous solution for self-sufficient enteral feeding].
Laparoscopic gastrostomy according to Janeway (LGJ) is an alternative to percutaneous gastrostomy techniques. A series of 10 LGJ is reported. The laparoscopic technique involves an isoperistaltic tube of 6-7 cm of length and 10-12 mm of diameter is created by 2 applications of linear stapling and cutting device. The tube is led out, opened and fixed to the fascial and cutaneous planes and a Foley catheter is inserted. Mean operation time was 35 minutes. There was no complication. The LGJ was indicated in 9 patients with tumour of the pharynx and 1 patient with encephalopathy. The main drawback of the LGJ is the need of general anaesthesia. The main advantage is the creation by minimal invasive surgery of a permanent gastrostomy equipped with a removable catheter easily changeable by non specialized health professionals, and even by the patient himself.


Knotless Implant for Arthroscopic Hip Capsule Closure.
The hip joint capsule plays a significant role in maintaining hip stability, including translation and rotation. Hip capsular closure or plication has been shown to increase stability of the joint following capsulotomy in hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and/or associated labral tears. This technique article describes a knotless method of closing the hip capsule.


Electrostatic energy barriers from dielectric membranes upon approach of translocating DNA molecules.
We probe the electrostatic cost associated with the approach phase of DNA translocation events. Within an analytical theory at the Debye-Hückel level, we calculate the electrostatic energy of a rigid DNA molecule interacting with a dielectric membrane. For carbon or silicon based low permittivity neutral membranes, the DNA molecule experiences a repulsive energy barrier between 10 k(B)T and 100 k(B)T. In the case of engineered membranes with high dielectric permittivities, the membrane surface attracts the DNA with an energy of the same magnitude. Both the repulsive and attractive interactions result from image-charge effects and their magnitude survive even for the thinnest graphene-based membranes of size d ≈ 6 Å. For weakly charged membranes, the electrostatic energy is always attractive at large separation distances but switches to repulsive close to the membrane surface. We also characterise the polymer length dependence of the interaction energy. For specific values of the membrane charge density, low permittivity membranes repel short polymers but attract long polymers. Our results can be used to control the strong electrostatic energy of DNA-membrane interactions prior to translocation events by chemical engineering of the relevant system parameters.


The impact of stay-home policies during Coronavirus-19 pandemic on the chemical and toxicological characteristics of ambient PM2.5 in the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy.
The goal of this study was to characterize changes in components and toxicological properties of PM2.5 during the nationwide 2019-Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions in Milan, Italy. Time-integrated PM2.5 filters were collected at a residential site in Milan metropolitan area from April 11th to June 3rd at 2020, encompassing full-lockdown (FL), the followed partial-lockdown (PL2), and full-relaxation (FR) periods of COVID-19 restrictions. The collected filters were analyzed for elemental and organic carbon (EC/OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), individual organic species (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and levoglucosan), and metals. According to online data, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and benzene (C6H6) levels significantly decreased during the entire COVID-19 period compared to the same time span in 2019, mainly due to the government-backed shutdowns and curtailed road traffic. Similarly, with a few exceptions, surrogates of tailpipe emissions (e.g., traffic-associated PAHs) as well as re-suspended road dust (e.g., Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Ti) were relatively lower during FL and PL2 periods in comparison with year 2019, whereas an increasing trend in mass concentration of mentioned species was observed from FL to PL2 and FR phases due to the gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions. In contrast, comparable concentrations of ambient PM2.5 and black carbon (BC) between lockdown period and the same time span in 2019 were attributed to the interplay between decreased road traffic and elevated domestic biomass burning as a result of adopted stay-home strategies. Finally, the curtailed road traffic during FL and PL2 periods led to ~25% drop in the PM2.5 oxidative potential (measured via 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCFH) and dithiothreitol (DTT) assays) with respect to the FR period as well as the same time span in 2019. The results of this study provide insights into the changes in components and oxidative potential of PM2.5 in the absence of road traffic during COVID-19 restrictions.


Identification of factors influencing tampering of codeine-containing medicines in England: a qualitative study.
Tampering of psychoactive medicines presents challenges to regulation and public health. However, little is currently known about what influences the decisions to treat codeine-containing medicines (CCM) with cold water extraction (CWE) from the perspective of individuals employing these techniques. The article identifies factors influencing utilisation of CWE to separate codeine from compounded analgesics, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, found in CCM. Purposive sampling of 27 participants residing in England who took part in a qualitative interview. Of these, 14 individuals (11 males and 3 females) reported tampering of psychoactive medicines, and the relevant transcripts were included in the analyses for the study. Participants were recruited from one addiction treatment service and from an online survey. The mean age of the participants was 31.5 years (range = 18-42 years). Qualitative data analysis followed the processes of iterative categorization (IC). The codes 'harm reduction', 'information sources' and 'changes on the drug markets' were grouped and summarised. The coding of the data was done in a Microsoft® Word document. Two groups of participants were identified in the data analysis: (i) individuals who used CCM (n = 5), and (ii) individuals who used CCM and heroin (n = 9). Participants in both groups used CWE due to concerns of paracetamol overdose from the use of excessive dosages of CCM. For both of them, information obtained from the internet encouraged the use of CWE. Participants using CCM described how the many steps involved in conducting CWE, including sourcing codeine boxes from pharmacies (over the counter), presented a barrier against using CWE. Participants using CCM and heroin explained how reduced availability in the local heroin supply influenced utilisation of CWE techniques to maintain their use of opioids and avoid withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms and cravings outweighed the concerns about the quality of the extracted codeine mixtures in this participant group, especially the ability of CWE to remove paracetamol and tablet fillers. Utilisation of CWE of codeine was influenced by several factors including drug market supply, the availability of detailed information on the internet about CWE and restrictions on codeine sourcing in pharmacies. Risks identified with CWE include consumption of unknown doses of paracetamol if the CWE techniques are not used correctly. Attempts at extracting codeine from CCM should be considered in risk assessments of opioid medicines.


Psychosocial support for children and families requiring renal replacement therapy.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) can place a great strain on the child and family. As well as the medical and nutritional prescription, each child and family requires an individual psychosocial prescription that requires input from multiprofessional team members. The information needs of each child and family need to be constantly evaluated as well as the choice of therapy in relation to social, psychological and economic factors. Many tertiary units lack adequate "time" to deliver such assessments and coordinate the support and respite care for those on long-term dialysis, especially when significant numbers of children are now accepted onto RRT programmes with co-morbidities. National and international standards are needed for the staffing of comprehensive tertiary paediatric renal units as well as studies evaluating supportive care to families.


Antibiotics and Innate Immunity: A Cooperative Effort Toward the Successful Treatment of Infections.
Despite the common ancestry of antimicrobial and immunological science, a divergence driven by artificially construed paradigms in microbiology has placed limits on how we understand the mechanisms of antibiotics in vivo. We summarize recent updates on data that shed light on how antibiotics interact with components of innate immunity.


The effects of cognition, quality of life, and fatigue on olfactory function in patients with multiple sclerosis.
The frequency of olfactory dysfunction in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has revealed very different results in studies. Some studies have shown that olfactory dysfunction may be associated with cognitive impairment and poor quality of life. In these studies, different odor tests and cognitive tests were used and different results were obtained. Forty literate patients over the age of 18 and 24 healthy volunteers of similar age and education were included in the study. Sniffin' Sticks Odor Test, California Verbal Learning Test II, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Revised Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, Trail-Making Test, Quality of Life Short Form-36, Fatigue Impact Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were applied to the individuals. Olfactory dysfunction was detected in 50 % of the patients. High disability rate, low cognitive functions, low quality of life, and fatigue were identified as the factors affecting olfactory function negatively. Odor discrimination and identification abilities were associated with disability level and cognitive functions, whereas quality of life was linked to odor threshold scores. The olfactory function and cognitive abilities of patients with progressive MS (n = 5) were worse than those of patients with relapsing remitting MS (n = 35). Olfactory dysfunction is common in patients with MS and is associated with disability and quality of life. Olfactory function can be used in the follow-up of patients and olfactory dysfunction deserves further study as a metric that might emerge as a biomarker.


The effect of timing and spatial separation on the velocity of auditory apparent motion.
Previously, it was shown that the minimum conditions for the illusion of auditory apparent motion (AAM) depend on stimulus timing but not spatial separation. In the present experiment, the effects of stimulus timing and source separation on the perceived velocity of AAM were examined. Eight listeners estimated the velocity, duration, and distance traveled of AAM, using a no-modulus, magnitude estimation procedure. Four burst durations (25, 50, 100, and 300 msec), 10 stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs; 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 msec) and two separations (10 degrees and 40 degrees) were tested. Perceived velocity estimates were related to the total duration (burst duration + SOA) of the stimulus sequence. The effect of separation on velocity was extremely small but statistically significant. These results are similar to those obtained previously on the minimum conditions for AAM. Duration estimates were related only to total duration, but separation estimates were related to both separation and total duration. These results suggest that velocity is possibly a primary dimension of AAM that is independent of source separation.


Epigenetic regulation of Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 by host transcription factor Speckled 110 kDa during hepatitis B virus infection.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of liver disease ranging from acute and chronic hepatitis to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Studies have revealed that HBV infection broadly reprogrammes the host cellular metabolic processes for viral pathogenesis. Previous reports have shown that glycolysis and gluconeogenesis are among the most deregulated pathways during HBV infection. We noted that despite being one of the rate-limiting enzymes of gluconeogenesis, the role and regulation of Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1) during HBV infection is not much explored. In this study, we report FBP1 upregulation upon HBV infection and unravel a novel mechanism of epigenetic reprogramming of FBP1 by HBV via utilizing host factor Speckled 110 kDa (Sp110). Here, we identified acetylated lysine 18 of histone H3 (H3K18Ac) as a selective interactor of Sp110 Bromodomain. Furthermore, we found that Sp110 gets recruited on H3K18Ac-enriched FBP1 promoter, and facilitates recruitment of deacetylase Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) on that site in the presence of HBV. SIRT2 in turn brings its interactor and transcriptional activator Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha to the promoter, which ultimately leads to a loss of DNA methylation near the cognate site. Interestingly, this Sp110 driven FBP1 regulation during infection was found to promote viral-borne HCC progression. Moreover, Sp110 can be used as a prognostic marker for the hepatitis-mediated HCC patients, where high Sp110 expression significantly lowered their survival. Thus, the epigenetic reader protein Sp110 has potential to be a therapeutic target to challenge HBV-induced HCCs.


Discrimination between respiratory and non-respiratory sound waveforms in dogs using acoustic wave recordings: An objective metric of cough.
Cough is an important respiratory protective mechanism, which when persistent also contributes to disease pathology. It is therefore both a marker for and a target of therapeutic intervention. In dogs, assessment of cough is subjective, generally based on owner's perceptions of clinical signs. In humans, acoustic cough monitoring provides objective data on cough frequency by examining acoustic waveforms. We hypothesized that healthy mesocephalic dogs would demonstrate characteristic cough waveforms which could be distinguished from other acoustic behaviors (AB); whine, bark, growl, lick, drink, chew and throat-clear. Data were obtained from 10 healthy employee-owned dogs. Acoustic behaviors were recorded using a CTA-laryngeal-microphone and analyzed using RavenPro bioacoustics software for nine objective acoustic parameters (AP). Similarity between AB were assessed using a one-way analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) with a P<0.001 significance level. Inter- and intra-group statistical analysis was performed using a one-way ANOVA on ranks with P<0.05 significance level. With the exception of throat-clear, cough was dissimilar to every other evaluated AB (P<0.0001), with significant differences in one or more of the analyzed waveform parameters (P<0.001 for each). No between-subject differences were identified between cough and throat-clear groups for any parameter. All other behaviors showed statistically significant within-group variation (P<0.001). Cough and throat-clear (a clinically similar mechanism to protect the airways) have repeatable acoustic features that are distinguishable from other common AB and are consistent between dogs. Acoustic monitoring may provide an objective means for evaluating cough frequency and intensity in dogs with respiratory disease and assessing response to therapeutic intervention.


Chemotherapy with or without autologous cytokine-induced killer cell transfusion as the first-line treatment for stage IV gastrointestinal cancer: a phase II clinical trial.
To investigate the efficacy of autologous cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy combined with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone for the treatment of stage IV gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in the first-line setting. Thirty-three patients diagnosed with stage IV GI cancer were divided into chemotherapy plus CIK group (chemo-CIK, n = 16) and chemotherapy-alone group (chemo-alone, n = 17). Autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated by flow cytometry, cultured in vitro to induce CIK cells, and transfused into patients on days 14 and 16 of the first and second chemotherapy cycles. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.6 months for patients in the chemo-CIK group and 3.83 months for those in the chemo-alone group. The difference was borderline significant (P = 0.06), indicating a potential advantage for combined CIK cell transfusion with chemotherapy in improving PFS. A favored objective response rate was also observed in the chemo-CIK group than in the chemo-alone group. This study also revealed that CIK cell transfusion restored the cellular immunity in these GI cancer patients. The percentage of natural killer T cells, NK cells, CD3(+) T cells, and T-cell subgroups CD4(+) proportion in the peripheral blood of cancer patients significantly increased after the CIK cell transfusion, while the change in T-cell subgroups CD8(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) did not differ significantly. The study showed that the addition of CIK cell transfusion to traditional chemotherapy in the first-line setting was associated with a prolonged PFS and enhanced T-lymphocyte subset activity, supporting a potential treatment choice for advanced GI cancer patients.


Improved technical success and midterm patency with subintimal angioplasty compared to intraluminal angioplasty in long femoropopliteal occlusions.
To compare the efficacy of subintimal angioplasty combined with primary stenting to intraluminal angioplasty with stenting for revascularization of long (>10 cm) femoropopliteal arterial occlusions. Baseline characteristics and outcomes of 52 patients (40 men; mean age 65.6+/-9.7 years) with superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusions in 61 limbs (mean occlusion length 22.7+/-9.9 cm) treated with subintimal angioplasty and primary stenting were compared with a 54-patient control group (46 men; mean age 64.8+/-8.2 years) from our registry database who had intraluminal angioplasty with stenting in 60 limbs (mean occlusion length 22.0+/-8.5 cm). All baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics showed no differences. In all patients, at least 1 self-expanding nitinol stent was implanted. Subintimal angioplasty was successful in 58 (95.1%) of 61 limbs, whereas technical success for the conventional approach was 86.7% (52/60 limbs; p = 0.11). In both groups, there were no major complications requiring surgery. Primary patency at 12 months for successful cases was 76.4% for subintimal angioplasty and 59.2% for conventional angioplasty (p = 0.06); on an intention-to-treat basis, including technical failures, the rates were 72.4% and 50.9%, respectively (p = 0.02). Subintimal angioplasty combined with stenting was feasible, with a high technical success rate and better short and midterm results for revascularization of long femoropopliteal occlusions than the conventional intraluminal approach.


Effect of fertilisation on the potassium and radiocaesium distribution in tree stands (Pinus sylvestris L.) and peat on a pine mire.
This paper compares the effects of single and repeated fertilisation on the contents of potassium, 134Cs and 137Cs in different Scots pine compartments at different levels above ground and in the peat profile 9 years after the Chernobyl disaster. The material was collected from a ditch spacing and fertilisation experiment in Finland. Above a needle potassium concentration of 3.0 mg g(-1) in composed crown samples, 137Cs and 134Cs concentrations remained at about the same level but below that the values were higher on average. This potassium value corresponded to the potassium concentrations of 3.5-3.6 mg g(-1) in the current-year needles of two topmost whorls. The result indicates an enhanced radiocaesium uptake by pine trees under severe potassium deficiency. Fertilisation with potassium-containing fertilisers decreased the caesium uptake considerably. The inhibiting effect of fertilisation on caesium uptake by trees seemed to be fairly long lasting. Fertilisation had sped up the penetration of caesium downwards in the peat profile and its moving out of the active circulation of elements between soil and plants.


Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy in the care of patients during cardiological procedures: a summary of the clinical evidence.
Patients undergoing cardiological procedures generally have significant cardiovascular morbidity, and therefore these patients might be at risk for major periprocedural complications. The ability to closely monitor the hemodynamic status would present a major advantage to optimize patient care in this setting. The aim of this review is to assess the available evidence for the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the care of patients during cardiological procedures. A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE) from their first available date using the following search strategy: (spectroscopy, near-infrared OR infrared spectroscopy OR NIRS OR cerebral oxygen*) AND (interventional OR electrophysiological OR catheterization OR ablation OR ICD OR defibrillator). Inclusion criteria were limited to human studies, English language and cardiac patients. All manuscripts concerning the use of NIRS in every area of catheterization and electrophysiology were included. The literature search yielded eleven observational studies and five case reports concerning the research question. No randomized trials could be retrieved. Six studies evaluated NIRS during supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, one during transcatheter aortic valve implantations, and four studies assessed the use of NIRS in pediatric catheterization procedures. Overall, the studies demonstrated that NIRS provides a very quick representation of cerebral oxygen saturation and that it might identify changes that could not be predicted from standard hemodynamic monitoring. However, the evidence is currently too low to conclude that NIRS can optimize patient care during cardiological procedures.


The role of nitric oxide and metalloproteinases in the pathogenesis of hyperoxia-induced lung injury in newborn rats.
The effects of nitric oxide (NO) and metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in the pathogenesis of hyperoxia-induced lung damage in newborn rats were examined. Three-day-old rat pups were subjected to hyperoxia (> or = 95% O2) or room air for 7 and 14 days. Some animals were treated with NG-L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 mg kg(-1), s.c., daily). Histology, morphometry, oedema, Ca2+-dependent and -independent NO synthase (NOS) activities, expression of NOS isoforms and the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured in lungs of hyperoxic and control animals. Exposure of rats to hyperoxia for 7 days resulted in alveolar sac injury characterized by the presence of cellular debris, red cell extravasation and inflammatory infiltration with mononuclear cells. Lung water content, epithelial, smooth muscle layers and total airway thickness was similar to controls. In contrast, exposure of rats to hyperoxia for 14 days resulted in lung oedema, inflammation and epithelial proliferation. Hyperoxia caused a decrease in Ca2+-dependent NOS activity, an effect that was associated with increased expression of eNOS protein. In control rats, Ca2+-dependent NOS activity and expression of eNOS were reduced at 14 days. Hyperoxia caused 10 fold increase in the activity of Ca2+-independent NOS that remained significantly elevated after 14 days of exposure to hyperoxia. The activity of this enzyme was unchanged in control rats. In lungs of hyperoxic rats, the immunoblot showed time-dependent, biphasic expression (peak at 7 days) of iNOS. The profile of expression of iNOS in control rats was similar. The activities of MMPs were increased in lungs of hyperoxic animals. The L-NAME treatment of hyperoxic animals reduced lung oedema and epithelial proliferation, but enhanced the activities of MMPs. L-NAME exerted no significant effects in control rats. It is concluded that increased generation of NO contributes to the pathogenesis of hyperoxia-induced lung damage in newborn rats.


Navigated robotic assistance improves pedicle screw accuracy in minimally invasive surgery of the lumbosacral spine: 600 pedicle screws in a single institution.
In the emerging field of robot-assisted spine surgery, radiographic evaluation of pedicle screw accuracy in the surgical setting is of high interest. Advances in medical imaging have improved the accuracy of pedicle screw placement, from fluoroscopy-guided to computer-aided navigation. A retrospective, institutional review board-exempt review of the first 106 navigated robot-assisted spine surgery cases was performed. Radiographic evaluation of preoperative and postoperative computerized tomography (CT) scans were collected. In the first 106 cases, 630 lumbosacral pedicle screws were placed. Thirty screws were placed in five patients without the robot because of surgeon discretion. Of the 600 pedicle screws inserted by navigated robotic guidance, only 1.5% (9/600) were repositioned intraoperatively. This study demonstrated a high level of accuracy (98.2%) in terms of grade A or B pedicle screw breach scores in the clinical use of navigated, robot-assisted surgery in its first 101 cases.


Synthesis of biocompatible Konjac glucomannan stabilized silver nanoparticles, with Asystasia gangetica phenolic extract for colorimetric detection of mercury (II) ion.
Herein, the synthesis of a biocompatible silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), for colorimetric detection of toxic mercury (II) ion (Hg2+), is reported. Phenolic-rich fraction of Asystasia gangetica leaf was extracted and used as a reductant of silver salt, all within the hydrophilic konjac glucomannan (KgM) solution as stabilizer, at room temperature (RT). The bioactive components of Asystasia gangetica phenolic extract (AGPE), as elucidated with a (UHPLC-MS-QTOF-MS), revealed plethora of phenolic compounds, which can facilitate the reduction of silver salt at ambient conditions. Sparkling yellow colloidal solution of KgM-AgNPs was realized within 1 h, at RT, having a UV-vis maximum at 420 nm. KgM-AgNPs was characterized using UV-vis, Raman and (FTIR), TEM, SEM, EDS, XRD, TGA/DTG. TEM and FESEM images showed that KgM-AgNPs were spherical, with particle size distribution around 10-15 nm from TEM. The KgM-AgNPs biocompatibility was investigated on mouse L929 fibrobroblast and rat erythrocytes, without any harmful damages on the tested cells. In aqueous environment, KgM-AgNPs demonstrated good detection capacity toward Hg2+, in a Hg2+ concentration dependent fashion, within 3 min. Absorbance ratios (A360/A408) was linear with Hg2+ concentrations from 0.010-10.0 to 10.0-60.0 µM, with an estimated (LOD) of 3.25 nM. The probe was applied in lake water sample, with satisfactory accuracy.


Anaemia in middle-aged men. Prevalence and aetiology in a population study.
A health examination survey showed that 5.7% of 2322 middle-aged men had a haematocrit value below 40%. Only 1.2% had two consecutive low values. 14 men had no bone marrow haemosiderin and increased their haematocrits following iron therapy. In 13 men with no cause of the anaemia detected there was also a significant increase in haematocrit following therapy. The true prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in this population may be estimated to about 1%.